Joey’s Journal is subtitled “Staying Strong when Far From Mom” and is the journal of a 12 year old boy whose Mom took a job offer on the other side of the country and decided to not move the family there.  They visited back and forth and Joey and his sister continued to go to their regular school – and watch lots of American Idol.  I guess that I was not the ideal audience for this book because to me it was just a journal of a young boy. “Today we…” every day… I didn’t see him having too much struggle with his Mom being away – he was happy to visit her and happy when she visited him and other than that seemed to go on his merry way to school each day.  This was a quick read and might be better for a family who is going through a similar situation. (I guess I need to stop picking books because I think they have cool covers)

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review, I was not otherwise compensated.

About the book

Eight years in the making, Joey’s Journal tells the tale of a charismatic twelve year old boy growing up in a home that goes through some very sudden changes when his mom has to move across the country for a new job. Follow Joey for a year of his life and get to know him, his family and friends, and all the good that can come out of a very intimidating situation. Joseph (Joey) Kaigler, Jr. was born in Boston, Massachusetts on August 23, 1995. Raised in the quaint Boston suburb of Sharon, Joey graduated from Sharon high school in 2013 and currently attends DePaul University in Chicago. Joey is a trained classical pianist and has performed in various venues, including New York’s Carnegie Hall. He is also a trained martial artist who holds a second degree black belt. Joey’s Journal represents Joey’s debut as a published author.

Whoa, Baby! is a book by Destiny’s Child’s Kelly Rowland. I wanted to check it out because of the music connection but I really am not the audience that Kelly was looking for.  The book is a guide for new moms and talks about trouble and questions that new moms may have after giving birth and is written with her doctor. Each chapter is a question that Kelly had or that new moms might have that they discuss.  Some of it was a little bit TMI for me – but I think that as a resource for new moms it will be really great because it may be things that you are too embarrassed to ask your doctor or friends about and there is information that you need to know! If you are a new mom, are going to be a new mom or know a new mom, definitely pick up this book.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review, I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

When vocalist and actress Kelly Rowland, whose albums have sold millions of copies worldwide, gave birth to her son, it was love at first sight. But she was also a little freaked out about what had happened to her body and the overwhelming new thoughts and emotions. In Whoa Baby!, Rowland and her ob-gyn Dr. Tristan Emily Bickman team up to cover everything a first-time mom needs to know: the gross physical stuff, the hormonal and emotional stuff, and the just plain weird stuff. Whoa, Baby! is often hilarious and always honest and down-to-earth. Readers will empathize with the candid unglamorous experiences of parenting. From falling asleep with the pump on to swollen legs and lack of sleep, Rowland and Dr. Bickman cover every surprising challenge that new moms face.

Thurston Moore: We Sing A New Language is about Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore. I did not realize that he was from Bethel, CT!  The band was signed in 1989 and the book documents 130+ recordings and collaborations with interviews from the collaborators involved on each of the recordings.  I thought it was really cool and a different approach to a biography. You could go to specific recordings that you wanted to know more about, or just check out the whole book and find out pretty much everything you ever needed to know! It includes collaborations, solo recordings and guest appearances.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review, I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

We Sing A New Language is the first definitive account of Thurston Moore’s work across many hundreds of collaborations, solo recordings and guest appearances.

His long tenure in Sonic Youth might speak for itself, but in this book Moore’s friends and colleagues speak revealingly for his other achievements, bringing together a wide variety of creative enterprises whose unifying thread is nothing more or less than Thurston Moore’s passionate devotion to music.

Keen to experiment, willing to relinquish control and unafraid to take chances, he has allowed himself to remain creative and innovative. It’s a unique achievement and one that finds worthy celebration in We Sing A New Language.

The Poetry of Pop looks into the magic of pop songs in the language of lyrics and breaks down some lyrics as poems.  This is a deeper look into songs than I am used to and there are a lot more to lyrics than I thought!  There is a lot of mentions of Taylor Swift in the book and despite me not liking her at all, I can give props where props are due and I do think she does write some great songs.  I liked the part of the book about different rhymes. I also liked the paragraphs about how Justin Timberlake is white. haha. (ok that’s a very basic break down of what is trying to be explained but if you are a Justin fan I am sure you get the idea of what is being discussed.)  This book definitely made me think more about reading lyrics and reading them as more than just lyrics, but as poetry too.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review,  I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

A trailblazing exploration of the poetic power of popular songs, from Tin Pan Alley to the Beatles to Beyoncé and beyond.

Encompassing a century of recorded music, this pathbreaking book reveals the poetic artistry of popular songs. Pop songs are music first. They also comprise the most widely disseminated poetic expression of our time. Adam Bradley traces the song lyric across musical genres from early twentieth-century Delta blues to mid-century rock ‘n’ roll to today’s hits. George and Ira Gershwin’s “Fascinating Rhythm.” The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” Rihanna’s “Diamonds.” These songs are united in their exacting attention to the craft of language and sound. Bradley shows that pop music is a poetry that must be heard more than read, uncovering the rhythms, rhymes, and metaphors expressed in the singing voice. At once a work of musical interpretation, cultural analysis, literary criticism, and personal storytelling, this book illustrates how words and music come together to produce compelling poetry, often where we least expect it.

Adam Bradley is professor of English and founding director of the Laboratory for Race & Pop Culture (RAP Lab) at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and the author of Book of Rhymes: The Poetics of Hip Hop.

Taken By The CEO is about Emmaline who has just gone through a divorce.  She thinks that she needs a big change in her life and she is debating changing her name.  When she locks herself out of her car and meets a new guy when she is trying to get help, she decides to lie and tell her that her name is Sarah.  They go on a date and then she realizes that he is the new CEO at her job!! Emmaline is worried now that her promotion is at stake and the CEO thinks that she is a liar.  The CEO, Parker, ends up forgiving her after he finds out that she didn’t know who he was at all and wasn’t lying to try and get to his money.  Emmaline ends up withdrawing from the promotion as her relationship with Parker heats up. She doesn’t want anyone to think that she slept her way to the top.  Parker reinstates Emmaline’s application behind her back and even though typically the CEO has final say in who gets the promotion and wanted it to go to Emmaline, he lets the rest of the committee decide instead.  It looks like this is going to be the first in the series and I’d definitely consider reading more! This was a fun, quick read even though there was a lot of will they / won’t they back and forth with the main couple I still enjoyed it.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review, I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

It was only supposed to be a little white lie. When Emmaline Greene pretends to be Sarah, the confident, sexy woman she wishes she could be, she figures no harm, no foul. Her one-night stand will never find out. Wrong. The gorgeous guy she slept with isn’t just amazing in bed…he’s also her new boss.

Parker Wentworth has a lot to prove. He’s just been appointed CEO of his family’s company and is tasked with repairing its scandalous reputation. He can’t afford any distractions or complications. Too bad the attractive blonde he takes to bed turns out to be both. So why can’t he forget the incredible night they spent together and move on?

And why does he have this need to know the real Emmaline?