Category: reviews

June 15, 2015

Nature’s Confession by J.L. Morin

Nature’s Confession is a cli-fi quest full of romance, honour and adventure as well as being a LitPick 5 Star Review Award Winner.

About Nature’s Confession

When a smart-mouthed, mixed race teen wonders why the work that needs to be done pays nothing compared to the busywork glorified on holovision news, the search for answers takes him on the wildest adventure of his life. Their planet is choked with pollution. They can’t do anything about it or can they? With the girl of his dreams, he inadvertently invents living computers. Just as the human race allows corporations to pollute Earth into desolation, institute martial law, and enslave humanity, two teens set out to save civilization. Can they thwart the polluters of Earth and other fertile planets. Along the way, they enlist the help of a female droid, Any Gynoid, who uncovers cutting edge scientific mysteries. Will youth lead the way to co-exist with Nature?

My Thoughts

Wow. Nature’s Confession is a powerful and thought-provoking novel from start to finish. This was my first time reading a cli-fi novel and it was incredible. The Earth as it is described is one that can be vividly imagined if we keep on the same path even a hundred years from now. The pollution, corruption and turning a blind eye to these events can be seen now and in the novel.

A novel targeted to youth, Nature’s Confession truly goes the extra mile to remind our youth that they are a powerful force. They can force change and all it takes is one person to start these changes. This is an important reminder for our youth – that they are the change that they want to see.

The novel is well written and developed at a good pace that allows you to absorb and understand the technology and ideas presented (busywork, the rules, etc). The start is slower to build as she explains more but this is something you will need to fully appreciate the book. The middle to end capture and demand every bit of your attention. The characters were brave and adventurous, a small amount of romance is included in this book but definitely does not take away from the themes of this book. As an interesting fact that was shared with me by J.L. Morin, did you know that one round trip from New York to London pollutes as much as one house in a year? Pretty crazy right?!.

This is a definite must read book for all youth and for those who want to step outside their book comfort zone. You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

Make sure you check out this trailer of Nature’s Confession:

Awards:

LitPick 5 Star Review Award Winner, #1 Top Marinovich Fiction Read of the Year, Best of a New Genre, Eco-Fiction Honourable Mention. Nature’s Confession was also included the 12 Works of Climate Fiction Everyone Should Read. New Awards include: Readers’ Favourite Award Winner, Book Excellence Award Finalist, Top 10 Best Science Fiction, Best Climate and Environment Fiction Book.

About the Author

Novelist and rooftop farmer, J.L. Morin grew up in inner city Detroit and wrote her Japan novel, Sazzae as her thesis for Harvard. It was a Gold Medalist in the eLit Book Award and a Living Now Book Award. She took to the road, travelling, worked as a newscaster, and wrote three more novels. Adjunct faculty at Boston University, she was nominated for the Pushcart Prize in 2011. She is the author of Travelling Light and Trading Dreams. She also writes for the Huffington Post, Library Journal, Sustainable Cities Collective. You can connect with her online, Twitter and Facebook.

J.L. Morin has offered one of you the chance to win her book, Nature’s Confession! You can now enter via the Rafflecopter form below – good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

June 12, 2015

A Friend in Me by Pamela Havey Lau

Young women long for connections with women further along their journey. Without realizing it we can sometimes tend to distance ourselves from those younger than us.

About A Friend in Me

Can we have close relationships with women who have different thoughts on church, different family experiences, and different ways of talking about God? Where do we start?

In A Friend in Me, Pamela Havey Lau shows you how to be a safe place for young women in your life to come to. She offers five patterns women need to internalize and practice for initializing relationships and talking about issues of faith, forgiveness, sexuality and vocation. She reminds us that there does not need to be a divide by generations. Together, we can have a global impact and experience a deeper faith.

My Thoughts

We all crave close relationships, it is just a part of human nature. We want to learn from each other, feel a connection, know we are important and that our feelings matter. Sometimes, it can be hard to be a good friend and it can be even harder to cross the generations gaps.

A Friend in Me teaches us how not only to build relationships with other women but how to cross that gap. For myself, I value my relationships with my older co-workers. When I need advice they are the first people I will go to and lay it all out for. They not always agree or understand my choices but they can provide me feedback and advice. This advice has been learned from being there and already doing it. This is why these relationships are so important to young women. We can learn and grow from these relationships, while realizing no matter what the age gap we are all the same and experiencing the same things. My favourite part of the book focuses on the tone of our voices, which I know I am guilty of. Are we relaying what we truly feel in the tone of our voice? How would this make you feel if someone spoke to you like this? Pamela provides plenty of real experiences to get her point across as well as provide opportunity for growth and education. This is a great resource for all women to come back to over and over again.

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse Blog Tour page. You can purchase a copy of a Friend in Me here.

Rating: 5/5

About Pamela Havey Lau

Pamela is the author of Soul Strength and numerous articles. She has taught writing at George Fox University and speaks around the country at conferences and retreats. A graduate of Liberal University and Colorado State University, she lives near Portland, Oregon with her husband and three daughters. You can connect with her online and on Twitter.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

June 9, 2015

Celebrate Dad This Father’s Day with Raincoast Books Just For Him

Celebrate Dad with Books from Raincoast Books

I love a heartfelt book even more so when they can be gifted to a special person in your life. Raincoast books has put together a fantastic selection of books just in time for Father’s Day!

Raincoast books has put together a diverse group of books that celebrate the joys and struggles of Fatherhood, one of the most important roles a man will ever take on!

The Quotable Dad has become my favourite book and one that we have cherished with my husband. This book contains over two hundred unique quotations! The Quotable Dad shares thoughts, ideas, humour and advice from the best minds on the challenges that Dads face. It supports, encourages and sheds light on a role that is not always appreciated as much as it should be – being a Dad is tough work!

Rock, Meet Window is a funny memoir from blogger Jason Good who dives into the world of magic, falls, and the meaning of fatherhood. Here he shares the story of his Father, a charismatic and affectionate man who taught him to live and be a good Dad to his own two kids. The moment Jason learned he will lose his Father to cancer and the year that followed, inspired him to reflect on how an imperfect Father can be perfect in all the ways that matter in the end. Jason explores the highs, the lows and everything in between.

The Power of Dad encourages Fathers to parent their child with the knowledge they are vital to the future of their children. Michael Byron Smith discusses the impact of a fatherless home, the challenges of parenting and the hierarchy of fathers that exist. There are absent fathers, present but absent fathers, authoritative fathers, loving fathers, teaching fathers and many more. Any man can look at himself, see where he stands and make changes.

The Better Man Project is 2,476 tips and techniques all focused on men’s health. Men tend to take better care of everything else but themselves. Their own health scares them! The Better Man Project aims to stop this. This guide is a straight forward personal information guide delivered with humour.

Here is the basic training manual for the first three years of Fatherhood! And it was read by Prince William (caught your attention there, didn’t I?!). This guide is practical and contains field tested instructions for caring for new ‘recruits’. It includes how to prepare the home, how to develop sleep routines, feeding, burping and so much more!

The name says it all: How to Survive Anything, A Visual Guide to Laughing in the Face of Adversity. earthquake imminent? Stuck in a middle seat? This book will teach you how to deal with anything that comes your way.

Raincoast books wants you to win three of the above books just in time for Father’s Day! My Canadian readers can enter via the Rafflecopter form below – good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received two of the above mentioned books free of charge. All opinions expressed are my own.

June 9, 2015

Return to Food Review

How do you identify real food? How do you figure out what is healthy for you? The Return to Food will show you how!

About Return to Food

Chances are if you are feeling flat, tired, or are experiencing chronic illness, you are not eating real food. If you want to jump out of bed feeling great, you must find out what is real food and what is not. This book challenges prescriptive approaches to diet, eating and food, with a new approach based on twenty years of research and working with clients. This approach has helped thousands of individuals develop a healthier and more sustainable approach to eating.

My Thoughts

I would like to start off by saying this is not a diet book! Get those thoughts out of your head right now. Sherry is anti diet for so many reasons but mainly because dieting introduces an unhealthy relationship with food. Instead she views food as a nourishment and the best way to nourish our body is with wholesome and nutritious food when our body needs it.

One of my favourite parts of the book, is when Sherry explains what real food is: can you find it? can you prepare it yourself? Definitely words to live by!

Sherry also includes some fantastic recipes for you to try out. All of them are simple ingredients and simple instructions.

You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Chapters.

Sherry would love to offer you a Return to Food Secrets of the Life-Changing Anti-Diet webinar series valued at $197, for free, including the 7 Recipes for Life digital download. Available for instant download so you can get a head start on the philosophies and recipes that have changed thousands of lives.

Get yours today here: http://www.returntofood.com/2015/06/05/rtf-life-chaning-webinar/

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Sherry is a food philosopher, chef and nutritionist who has travelled around the globe to do diet and lifestyle makeovers. She has worked with athletes, celebrities, Jaime Oliver and his Fifteen Foundation. Sherry’s strategies help people feel better and live their life to the fullest developing a healthy relationship with food.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

June 5, 2015

Add Flair to Dad’s Desk This Father’s Day with Acrylic Photo Blocks and Woodstand Prints

Father’s Day is just around the corner and I find that I am always struggling to figure out what to get my husband and my own Dad on this special day. They have everything they need and they always say, “Don’t buy me anything, just bring yourself over!”. Like that is going to happen! Then I began to think where do they spend the majority of their time? At work (unfortunately) so why not bring some of the family to work with photos of their favourite people?

This year I ordered an acrylic block for my desk at work using one of my favourite pictures of my boys. It displayers their personalities perfectly, one is quiet while the other one is a comedian.

I have had so many people stop at my desk to check out the acrylic block and attempt to figure out how Posterjack managed to get the photo inside the block. The block itself is roughly one inch clear acrylic block. Posterjack prints the photo on the inside giving the image a 3-D quality that is crystal clear, vibrant and stunning.

These would be perfect for wedding photos, family portraits, newborn shoots and to capture those special moments that just make you smile (like mine above).

Woodstand prints are another fantastic option for smaller desk top spaces that still need some personality and uniqueness. These versatile woodstand prints are made from Canadian Douglas fir and renewably sourced in British Columbia. The woodstand prints hold your favourite print in place without taking up precious desk space.

These two options are perfect for Dad this Father’s Day and allows them to always keep the people they love close to them, even at work.

Right now you can save 30% off your order from Posterjack if you order before June 8th, 2015. Just enter code: DAD30 at checkout.

How are you celebrating Dad this Father’s Day?

Disclosure: I received a product in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.