Book Review: These Hamptons

Katie August 14, 2013 0 Comments

These Hamptons is a gorgeous photo book containing nearly 200 photos of The Hamptons on Long Island, NY.  There are all sorts of different kinds of photos showing what makes up The Hamptons.  Homes, the beach, parades, landscape, scenery, etc.

It is definitely an interesting approach to telling the story about an area, but I think that it does a good job. And it’s easy to read because there’s not very many words 😉

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

About the Book

In over 180 vivid color photos, this beautiful book provides a  photographic exploration of the lifestyles and landscape of Long  Island’s famed East End. This collection, a work of art and a  documentary, epitomizes the diversity and eclectic nature of this  historic locale. The varied methods of capture – film or digital,  time-lapse or infrared – produce imagery that evokes a sense of  nostalgia and provides a greater understanding of the Hamptons as a  whole. The hamlets and villages depicted include Amagansett,  Bridgehampton, East Hampton, East Marion, Greenport, Montauk, Napeague,  Noyack, The Quogues, Sag Harbor, Sagaponack, Shelter Island,  Southampton, Springs, Water Mill, and Westhampton. The revered past and  unique history of the Hamptons carries through to the present-day East  End. Rich with art and culture, still picturesque and diverse, the  Hamptons are ever changing and evolving. Looking ahead, this book will  become a resource of historical record, as it chronicles the  contemporary community in a beautiful and truthful way.

Book Review: Roger Waters

Katie August 13, 2013 0 Comments

Roger Waters: The Man Behind The Wall is a biography about Roger Waters who is the lead singer of Pink Floyd.  The book is split into 2 parts and concludes with his discography, which I always love to check out when I read these types of books.

This is actually the first full biography for Roger so if you are a fan or just want to know more about him – here is your chance!  When Rock N Roll was born in 1955, Roger was 12 years old and drawn to it.  I certainly can relate.  Though when I was 12 Rock N Roll was already around and here to stay, but that’s when I first got into music as well.

I always like reading music biographies to find out more about musicians and bands I otherwise don’t know too much about and this is certainly one of them.  Certainly a fascinating life and an interesting read.

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

About the Book

Book Review: Coaster

Katie August 12, 2013 1 Comments

COASTER is and interesting book.  There are many, many characters included and while in the very beginning I did have trouble keeping track of who went with who, as the book moved on I didn’t have much of a problem.  The book starts out with the amusement park opening and there is a man (who is known just as “the man” for most of the book) enjoying a beer outside and waiting for his handiwork to explode.  We meet Roger, the maintenance man at the park who has been there for over 25 years.  There are 3 teen girls in line waiting to ride the park’s famous coaster. There is a family of 4. There is a brother and sister on holiday from England.  One of the teen girls gets out of line to use the bathroom and the workers won’t let her back in to meet up with her friends.  She waits for them at the exit.  Except while she is waiting – the bomb goes off.   She loses consciousness and hits her head.  Roger rushes to the scene and helps find someone to get the girl to safety.  It is clear that all 8 riders on the coaster have been killed.  Several others in line were injured or killed.  How did this happen?

It takes a bit before they can figure out who the 8 on the coaster were.  Their families are notified.  The brother and sister on holiday from England are related to the Queen.  The two other teen girls were on the ride.  The family of 4 as well.  We are then introduced to their families and see how each of them deal with the grief.  Some cannot handle it.  Others use it to better their own lives.  Others aren’t quite sure what to do and isolate everyone that wants to help them until they can make sense of what happened.

Meanwhile – no one knows who did it.  The park has been closed for over a week and is losing money.  They want to bring this to an end so that the park can re-open again.  They are a big corporation and they are out to make money.  They need to find a fall guy and that guy is of course Roger who checked the tracks that morning but didn’t see anything suspicious.  Meanwhile, the local cops and FBI are on the case and trying to figure out who it might be that did such a thing.  They keep narrowing down their leads and suspect lists, but will they ever find “the man”?

This book was a bit different than others I’ve read – there is a whodunit portion of it because it is down to the wire and you want to know if the FBI can track down the man and get Roger off the hook, but then it also goes deeper in the after effects of what happened and how all the families of those who were on the ride are affected.  It really shows how there are so many different ways to deal with grief and while I’m not really sure there is a right or wrong way to deal with it – it certainly seems that some of the family members came out on top while others, didn’t.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

About the Book

When a bomb explodes at an amusement park, eight people are killed.  The tragedy and loss changes the lives around them.

When happens when disaster touches the survivor’s lives?

Will it inspire them, strengthen them, or destroy them?

Book Review: Horrendo’s Curse

Katie August 9, 2013 0 Comments

Horrendo’s Curse is a graphic novel geared towards children about pirates! Horrendo’s curse is that he is polite and can only say nice things!  You’d think that this would be a wonderful curse for a child, but his manners end up getting him into trouble! He is taken by pirates and worked as their slave.  He cooks for them and they love that but he is supposed to be training in Rude Remarks and that is just not something he can do!

What will happen in this pirate adventure to Horrendo and his inability to be impolite?

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

About the Book

A riotous adventure of pirates (and good manners) on the high seas–now available in graphic novel format.

There never lived a boy more polite than Horrendo. Cursed at birth, he can speak only kind words while everyone else spews insults. But as his twelfth birthday approaches, Horrendo’s good manners get him into trouble.

Each year, pirates come to the village and abduct all the twelve-year-old boys as their slaves. Despite training in Herculean Headlocks, Rude Remarks, and Oar Throwing, Horrendo and his friends are captured and worked to the bone aboard the ship. Horrendo endures with typical good grace, winning over the pirates’ stomachs with his delectable cooking–but enraging the heartless Captain.

Adapted from Anna Fienberg’s acclaimed story, this deliciously entertaining graphic novel sparkles with wicked wordplay and colorful characters. Remy Simard’s action-packed illustrations make Horrendo’s Curse a delight for readers of all ages.

Book Review: Come What May

Katie August 8, 2013 0 Comments

Come What May is the sequel to the book Heartbeat – the book that I had major issues with the ending. I mean, these were major issues.  I was thinking about it for DAYS!  Usually I just kind of “get over” it if I don’t like endings but I don’t know what it was about this one!  So I had to let out a little laugh when I went to read the sequel to see it was dedicated “To readers who were shocked by the ending of HEARTBEAT”, that would be me, for sure!

The book follows Adam, who was in the first story and his new ambulance partner, Jada.  Once again, the chapters alternated between their perspectives so you could see what they both were thinking.  Both were kinda sorta into each other but neither really wanted to do anything  about it since they would have to work together and that would certainly make things awkward.  Both have had some problems in their past that they are trying to overcome and maybe they can help each other overcome them.

Then there is Adam’s brother, Brian.  He is getting married and of course, Adam is the best man.  Jada says that she will go with him when they get the invitation, but between that time and the actual wedding, a lot of stuff goes down between them – like Adam using drugs and drinking before driving an ambulance with Jada a patient and his wife in it and getting in an accident.  Jada is livid he could do such a thing, but Adam wants to keep up appearances and says that Jada has to go with him because his family is expecting her.

Just when it seems like there may have been a turning point in their relationship – Adam meets the maid of honor in his brothers wedding… and the book ends and I wanted to smash my Nook in half.

Fortunately, there is a final book in this trilogy that is coming out in October, so hopefully it will wrap up everything in the series for me. Or maybe it won’t and I’ll just be crazy over this trilogy for the rest of my life…

About the Book

Adam is through with love.

He unravels blaming himself for what happened with Katie.

His final moments with her echo through his nightmares.

She owns him body and soul.

To dull the pain, Adam invites a string of women into his bed. Fueled by alcohol and desperation, his meaningless hook-ups provide little comfort. When he closes his eyes, it’s Katie he sees.

The only one who helps to ease his guilt somewhat is Jada. But as his new ambulance partner, Adam considers her off limits. He doesn’t want to get seriously involved with anyone, much less her. Yet he can’t stop fantasizing about the feel of her caramel skin against his.

Despite his intentions, Adam’s bond with Jada deepens as they respond to a series of emotional calls. Their mutual attraction becomes undeniable. But how can he give his heart to Jada when it still belongs to Katie?

Book Review: I Hate Picture Books

Katie August 7, 2013 0 Comments

I Hate Picture Book is a hilarious book about a boy named Max who has had it with his picture books.  I found it to be so funny because most of the books he is talking about are books I grew up with – Green Eggs and Ham, Where The Wild Things Are, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, etc.  He is realizing that all the things in his picture books are not real and that these things don’t really happen.  His room won’t turn into a forest, he shouldn’t write on the wall in crayon, pidgeons can’t drive a bus and most importantly – you should never eat green ham in real life.

But the more he thinks about the books he realizes what they really mean to him and that he actually does love picture books.

This was a really great book and although it was geared towards early readers, I think their parents will get a kick out of it too – because I know I did.  I recognized almost all the books and I didn’t think that kids still read all those.  I guess they are classics!

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

About the Book

Max hates his picture books and he’s throwing them all away. But he soon learns just how invaluable imagination is and has a change of heart. Find out why in this outrageous book that both pokes fun at and celebrates many of the classics of children’s literature. Join writer and illustrator Timothy Young for this irreverent and humorous story ideal for children and adults alike. Early Reader; Ages 5-8.
Timothy Young is the author/illustrator of I’m Looking For A Monster!, Shadows On My Wall, and They’re Coming!