March 2015

Book Review: Debunk It!

Katie March 11, 2015 0Comment

Debunk It! Is a pretty neat book, it goes through many things that we are misinformed about from various locations and tries to debunk it.  Featured in the book is Obama being born in Hawaii, Evolution, Anti-Vaxers, and other things.  Basically, it helps you figure out how to tell if things are bullshit or not.

The book was written recently, so it is up to date with a lot of the more current misinformation – it talks about global warming and how it’s happening and not cooling – despite last winter’s polar vortex. It touches on the latest issues with those who don’t vaccinate their children and how the measles has come back and can kill other children who can’t get vaccinated if there is not herd immunity – touches a bit on Jenny McCarthy and her anti vaccine stance and how she has admitted that she used Botox and how the two are somewhat related…

I found it to be quite interesting and had a lot of facts and sources to back up the claims – although there was nothing in here that I think I was actually misinformed about, it was nice to have some additional information about it all.

I received a free copy of this book in order to write this review and participate in the blog tour. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

Debunk It! How to Stay Sane in a World of Misinformation

We live in an era of misinformation, much of it spread by authority figures like broadcasters, politicians, and religious leaders. (The various pundits on blogs and websites don’t help either.) With so much bogus information from so many sources, how can anyone be expected to discover the truth?

In Debunk It!, author John Grant uses modern, ripped-from-the-headlines examples to clearly explain how to identify bad evidence and dismantle poor arguments. He provides a roundup of the rhetorical tricks people use when attempting to pull the wool over our eyes, and even offers advice about how to take these unscrupulous pundits down. So if you’re tired of hearing blowhards spouting off about climate change, history, evolution, medicine, and more, this is the book for you. Debunk It! is the ultimate guide for readers seeking a firmer footing in this very slippery world.

(Debunk It! How to Stay Sane in a World of Misinformation / by John Grant / Published by Zest Books and distributed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt / ISBN-13: 978-1-936976-68-3 / $12.99 Paperback; 228 pages, Ages 14+)

Debunk It! How to Stay Sane in a World of Misinformation links:

• Debunk It! on Amazon: www.amazon.com/Debunk-Stay-Sane-World-Misinformation/dp/1936976684

• Debunk It! on Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/debunk-it-john-grant/1120884648

• Debunk It! on IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781936976683

• Debunk It! on The Book Depository (for those readers outside of the USA, this site offers free shipping internationally to any country) http://www.bookdepository.com/Debunk-it-John-Grant/9781936976683

• Debunk It! on the Zest Books site has “buy now” options: http://zestbooks.net/debunk-it/

• Debunk It! on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23332959-debunk-it

• Debunk It! on Library Thing: http://www.librarything.com/work/15696645/book/115912694

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

John Grant is author of about seventy books, including Discarded Science: Ideas that Seemed Good at the Time…, Corrupted Science: Fraud Ideology and Politics in Science, and Denying Science: Conspiracy Theories, Media Distortions, and the War Against Reality. He was inspired to write Debunk It!, because of a teenager named Franklin, who came to one of his public talks on how people misunderstand science. Franklin commented that, “What we kids need is a sort of guide to bullshit,” and the idea for Debunk It! took root from that encounter. For a number of years he ran the world-famous fantasy art book publisher Paper Tiger. Also a fantasy / science fiction writer, he has won the Hugo Award (twice), the World Fantasy Award, and other international literary awards. Grant lives in northern New Jersey.

Book Review: Roaring Hot

Katie March 8, 2015 0Comment

Roaring Hot is about Teo – a motorcycle racer who is a bit of a party boy and doesn’t show any signs of settling down.  His grandmother says that she wants him to bring a girlfriend to her birthday party – so rather than find someone that might be suitable he and his pal Ronaldo create a fake reality TV show so that he can hire an actress to play his girlfriend.

Of course things get interesting when the two seem to be falling for each other for real – but Amy, the actress hired, doesn’t want to get attached and tries to convince herself that she only likes him because she is being paid to.

Of course, when Teo gets injured in a race and ends up in a coma she realizes that maybe she really does love him and doesn’t want to lose him so she does everything in her power to try and get him to wake up.

This book was a bit of a roller coaster ride with Amy and Teo because they were having trouble separating what was real and what was fake for the TV show.  In the end, Amy truly seemed to care about Teo and his well being.  I don’t want to say too much more because I don’t want to give too much away.  Another great read from Rachelle Ayala.

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

About the Book

Motorcycle racer Teo Alexiou is challenged by his grandmother to come to her birthday party with a real girlfriend. He has plenty of party girls, and he fears getting roped into marriage so he hires an actress to play the part.

The last thing Amy Suzuki wants is to be a kept woman, but her student loans are piling up and acting gigs are nonexistent. She agrees to Teo’s proposal for one summer, limited to public displays of affection.

When Teo and Amy find themselves caught in love’s grip, their new desires war with their fears. Teo wants to renegotiate, but Amy insists she’s only with him because she is paid. She would never lose her heart to a man who uses money to buy affection.

Their game playing explodes when Teo is injured on the track and breaks her contract. Too late, Amy realizes her true feelings for Teo. Can she convince Teo she truly cares before he goes back to his party girls?

Book Review: Women Heroes of the American Revolution

Katie March 6, 2015 0Comment

Women Heroes of the American Revolution is 20 Stories of Espionage, Sabotage, Defiance and Rescue.  Part 1 of the book is about resisters, supporters and rescuers.  Part 2 is about spies (my favorite, of course).  Part 3 is all about Saboteurs (a close second favorite!).  Part 4 is Soldiers and defenders of the homefront and Part 5 is all about some legendary ladies.  There are historical photos placed throughout the book and at the end of each chapter is a section called “Learn More” with some more links if you’d like to find out more about any of the ladies featured.  This is a children’s nonfiction book so it is written in a way that is fun and easy to read.  It was a lot of fun to read about these awesome ladies, some of which lived over 200 years ago!

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

About the book

A commemoration of the brave yet largely forgotten women who served in America’s War of Independence

Every schoolchild knows about Paul Revere’s 20-mile ride to warn that the British were coming. Far fewer know that 16-year-old Sybil Ludington rode twice as far on her horse Star in order to help her father, Colonel Ludington, muster his scattered troops to fight a marauding enemy. Few know about Martha Bratton, who blew up a supply of gunpowder to keep it from approaching British troops and boldly claimed, “It was I who did it!” Susan Casey gives Ludington, Bratton, and 18 other remarkable girls and women the spotlight they deserve in this lively collection of biographical profiles. These women took action in many ways: as spies, soldiers, nurses, water carriers, fundraisers, writers, couriers, and more. Women Heroes of the American Revolution brings a fresh new perspective to their stories resulting from interviews with historians and with descendants of participants of the Revolution and features ample excerpts from primary source documents. Also included are contextualizing sidebars, images, source notes, and a bibliography, making this an invaluable resource for any student’s or history buff’s bookshelf.

Book Review: Toad Weather

Katie March 6, 2015 0Comment

Toad Weather is about a grandmother and granddaughter who are home on a sad and rainy day talking about how there is nothing to do because it is raining.  Of course, that is until Mama gets home and takes them out in the rain for a surprise!  Mama has them walk outside to find some TOADS that need help crossing the road.  They help them cross and then head back home and decide that maybe rainy days aren’t all that bad after all.  This book is short and a fun read and the illustrations are absolutely amazing!

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

About the Book

There’s nothing to do on a rainy day—or so Ally thinks. But Mama says she’s seen something amazing, so despite Ally’s misgivings, she sets out on an adventure with her mother and grandmother. On her journey, she sees all sorts of things: dripping awnings, wet cardboard, splashing cars…but also earthworms, storm drain geysers, and oil slick patterns. And then they turn the corner, just in time to see a big crowd. What’s happening?

Book Review: Criminal Confections

Katie March 6, 2015 0Comment

Criminal Confections is the first book in a series. It is about “the chocolate whisperer” Hayden Mundy Moore. She works with various chocolate companies to help them work on their recipes and make them even better.  This book is set at a chocolate retreat at a spa.

When one of the guests ends up having a heart attack and dying – now they think that a murderer might be on the loose.  I was a bit surprised that everyone had a “show must go on” mentality and the retreat continued – despite there having been a death.  When a second person is found dead – well, everything still keeps going on.  And there seems to be a complete lack of police present.

Ignoring logic – it was fun to try and figure out “who done it” with all of the characters and their different personalities that we come across in the book.  I had 3 different ideas of who I thought had done it – and all of them turned out to be wrong. Maybe I just wasn’t paying enough attention to the clues?

I’m not sure that I was into this book enough to read more from this series – but a murder mystery revolving around chocolate is always a great escape.

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

About the Book

Hayden Mundy Moore is an expert on everything chocolate, helping clients develop new products and revamp recipes until they’re irresistible. But sometimes, a dash of murder finds its way into the mix. . .

Hayden Mundy Moore has bushwhacked through African jungles and haggled in exotic markets to find the finest cacao beans and the most flavorful blends. It’s thrilling work but rarely dangerous–until a colleague turns up dead at the exclusive chocolate-themed Lemaоtre resort spa in San Francisco.

Adrienne Dowling’s heart attack is blamed on an accidental overdose of the secret ingredient used in Lemaоtre Chocolates’ new line. Hayden can’t believe that conscientious Adrienne would make that mistake. And between chocolate body scrubs, cocoa mud baths, and a non-stop frenzy of chocolate-based treats, Hayden starts to suspect that she, not Adrienne, was the intended target. Finding a killer among the rival chocolatiers and potential suspects won’t just be satisfying–it might save her life. . .

Book Review: The Perfect Game

Katie March 6, 2015 0Comment

The Perfect Game has to be one of my favorite books that I’ve read lately. I couldn’t put it down and I absolutely loved it.  It kind of reminded me of Gone Girl – except that the ending gave me much, much more closure than Gone Girl’s did.  This book is about Lauren Rose, a medical intern who moved to Phoenix to do her residency.  Her sister already lives in Arizona, as she is married to the cute Arizona Diamondback pitcher, Jake Wakefield.  When she finds out that her sister, Liz, was found killed in her home, she is in shock.  She is in even more shock when she realizes that she and Jake seem to be the prime suspects.

Jake tells Lauren that Liz had asked that he take care of Lauren in the event anything happened to her – since all they had was each other and their grandmother, Rose-ma, since their parents were both killed in a drunk driving accident when they were kids.  The two begin spending a lot of time together – Lauren is a big baseball fan so she has been going to Jake’s games to cheer him on.  They begin to realize that the two of them hanging out may make people talk, so they decide to keep their “relationship” on the down low.

The murder ends up going to trial – which the book goes into great detail about. You feel like you are there and are on the edge of your seat to find out what the jury will end up deciding. I don’t want to give too much else away – but if you only have time to read ONE book – make THIS the one you read.

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

About the Book

Lauren Rose has recently moved to Phoenix to begin a new life as she starts a prestigious emergency medicine residency, but she just may end up doing life in the Arizona State penitentiary instead. Lauren has always lived in the shadow of her more glamorous sister, the wife of baseball superstar Jake Wakefield. But when her sister is found viciously murdered, the spotlight turns on her: as prime suspect in the high-profile investigation. Having lost both parents at an early age, Liz’s death leaves Lauren all alone in a new city. Jake’s support proves invaluableas she navigates the nightmare her life has become. But as Lauren spends more time with Jake, they develop a closeness that she finds both comforting and confusing. Eventually, they find themselves succumbing to an intimacy forged by their shared grief. Before long, the detectives arrive at Lauren’s workplace with an arrest warrant. The ensuing trial leads the evening news every night as a rabid public just can’t get enough of the sordid proceedings, quickly dubbed The Trial of the Millennium. But is justice really blind or is it for sale to the highest bidder? The Perfect Game combines psychological suspenseand courtroom drama in this compelling debut novel.