Book Review: Lusitania

lustitanieLusitania is an illustrated biography about the ship that sunk 100 years ago on May 7, 1915. The book goes through her birth, career and her last days. There are some notes from survivors and since it is illustrated there are a LOT of photos. (In fact, it almost seemed like it was too many photos for my Nook to handle!) The book also contains passenger lists, crew lists, and basically everything you’d ever want to know about the Lusitania. (I’m not sure why I am so fascinated with the Lusitania, but I am, since I first learned about it in school.)  The end of the book contains some colorized photos which was a nice surprise!

If you want to know more about Lusitania or you don’t know much about it at all – either way you’ll leave this book knowing her entire story. Take a journey back in time and find out about this ocean liner.

I received an e-copy of this book in order to write this review.

About the Book

It is now over a year since the Lusitania made her maiden crossing of the North Atlantic. For seven and a half years, she crossed that rugged ocean with punctuality and dependability. She fast became a living legend, the ship of choice for many of the transatlantic travellers. Since her sinking on 7 May 1915, however, her wondrous career and technological marvels have largely been neglected. Instead, the focus has shifted to her political importance, and on numerous conspiracy theories about her last voyage and sinking.]

This illustrated biography of the Lusitania discusses her entire story, from her conception and birth on the Clyde to her career and, finally, her tragic demise off the coast of Ireland; it reveals her as she has never been seen before.

Prepare to take a journey back in time … step aboard the decks of one of the world’s largest, finest, fastest and most beloved ocean liners, and relive her history in all its splendour.

Book Review: Otay! The Billy “Buckwheat” Thomas Story

otayOtay! The Billy “Buckwheat” Thomas Story is written by Billy’s son, Bill Jr.  Billy is most well known for his role as Buckwheat in The Little Rascals / Our Gang.  This book is rather short, but I think it covers Billy’s rise to fame in the Rascals as well as the problems he found adjusting to normal life once he was too old to be part of the gang anymore.

There are also a lot of great photos throughout the book of the gang and on set as well as Billy as he grew up and joined the Army and had a family.

A quick, enjoyable read.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review.

About the Book

A biography by his son!

William Thomas, the man known as “Buckwheat,” one of the most beloved characters in the history of the Our Gang andLittle Rascals films, rose from obscurity to become an American icon. Billy’s heritage grew to be more than the ninety-three comedies in which he appeared as Buckwheat. He was a husband, father, and soldier. Several generations have come to know Buckwheat as if he was a real person, but few knew Billy, the man behind the myth.

In “Otay!” The Billy “Buckwheat” Thomas Story, William Thomas, Jr., Billy’s son, joins with acclaimed author David W. Menefee to brush back the sands of time and unearth the facts beneath the fable. For the first time, the true story is told how producer Hal Roach, Sr. plucked three-year-old Billy from hundreds of children and raised him on a pedestal before an adoring public. For a decade, Billy was the most prominent Black American in motion pictures, but World War Two brought an end to the famous comedy series and a halt to his film career. Billy went on to live a private, nearly normal life, married, fathered an adorable child, and then answered the call to arms and enlisted in the US Army during the Korean War. Years later, imposters attempted to steal his limelight, but Billy forgave the offense with his characteristic, childlike good humor.

In an era when most Black American actors were struggling to gain a foothold in Hollywood, Billy achieved a lasting legacy. Enjoy the timeless tale of a baby superstar, who once shown brightly on movie screens during Hollywood’s “Golden Years” and still fascinates audiences today.

Book Review: The Great Depression For Kids

greatdepression

The Great Depression for Kids is, as its title says, a book about the Great Depression geared towards kids.  The book starts with a timeline of the Great Depression and then goes on to talk about different aspects of life in more details, but in such a way that kids would not have a problem understanding.  Throughout the book there are also activities for kids to do to be more hands-on when they are learning about the Great Depression.  There are a lot of photos throughout and a lot of great information.  The book also includes additional websites to explore if you are looking for more information than included in the book.

I received an e-copy of this book in order to write this review.

About the Book

American history before and after the Wall Street Crash of 1929

Providing a balanced, realistic picture of a time rife with hardships, The Great Depression for Kids brings the era and key concepts to life. Kids learn about the harsh realities that most Americans could not escape, such as massive unemployment, natural disasters, and economic collapse. They also learn that the 1930s were a time when neighbors helped neighbors; sports figures behaved admirably; and an army of young men rebuilt the nation’s forests, roads, and parks. Librarians delivered books on horseback, a curly-haired child star charmed moviegoers to “stand up and cheer” in the darkest of days, and a little African American girl became the first of her race to participate in the National Spelling Bee. Beginning with an in-depth look at the 1920s, the book builds readers’ background knowledge to help set the stage for the decline of the economy over the next decade. Twenty-one crosscurricular activities help kids learn how to research, buy, and sell stocks; use scientific methods to conduct a survey, re-create Depression glassware; and much more.

Book Review: Color Me Crazy

colormecrazyColor Me Crazy is about Julian, a former rockstar who is now running a studio. He is “crazy” in that he sees colors for sounds. His sister ends up introducing him to her friend Cleo, who has lost her job and is getting evicted. Julian decides to hire her to manage his studio and live in the apartment upstairs with him. (She has her own room.)  But there is something about Cleo’s tangerine scent and orange color that isn’t letting Julian stay away from her like he said he would.

Cleo has dated several rock stars in her day, she used to follow bands around as a groupie in her teens but has decided this time she’s keeping things professional, even if Julian does play guitar.

For a while Julian is keeping his true identity a secret, his professional last name and private last name are different.  Once Cleo finds out who he really is she wonders why he wanted to keep it a secret.  Julian comes clean about his synesthesia, his time on the road and his heroin addiction.  Cleo realizes that he isn’t like that anymore and is recovering and the two start a romance.

Things seem to be going well, that is, until Julian decides to go on the road with another band.

There were several times in this book when I thought things were going to take a turn for the worse, and I am glad that they didn’t.  When I was about 100 pages to the end of the book, I had to take a break because my idea of what the ending was going to be was awful and I didn’t want to continue reading if what I thought would be the ending was the ending. Fortunately the author still had several twists and turns in the story and I was pleased with the outcome of everything.  This book was a bit of a roller coaster ride, which I think is why I liked it so much!

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

About the Book
Never fall for a rockstar…

Julian Wheaton views the world through a kaleidoscope of synesthesia, seeing the colors of every sound he hears. His life as an iconic rock guitarist was a stressful psychedelic trip that nearly destroyed him. Now he’s abandoned the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle for the peaceful sanctity of his recording studio, but when fiery Cleo Compton comes to work for him, she brings chaos with her.

Cleo Compton has had her flings with rockstars—and it’s left her wary and bruised. Julian may have those sexy bedroom eyes and drool-worthy tattoos, but Cleo is determined to keep things strictly professional—until Julian turns out to be every dream she’s ever chased. When he risks it all to hit the road with a band again, Cleo fears he’ll return as the one thing she can no longer abide—a rockstar.

Book Review: Access All Areas

accessAccess All Areas is a nice short book that I really enjoyed reading! It has 10 chapters and clocked in at just under 100 pages so it was a nice afternoon read. The book is about Anna, a photographer who is dealing with the death of her father just a few months after the death of her mother and realizing that she may end up losing her house if she cannot come up with some major money and FAST.  Her friend Lucy works at a hotel and knows that there is a film star staying there with her new boy toy.  No one else really knows and a paparazzi shot of the two of them would make BANK.  Lucy helps Anna get inside a vacant room that is across from the stars room and Anna ends up getting stuck hanging out the window and is considered a suicide risk.  Then she gets caught again trying to sneak in dressed as a maid.

Somehow despite her breaking all his rules, the head of security, Jack, ends up taking her camera and then taking HER back to his place for the night! She sneaks out in the morning and finds her camera so she grabs it.  This leads to Jack thinking she was just using him for the camera, but she tells him no and ends up hooking up with him again – this time in his office.

She ends up in the right place at the right time and snaps a photo of the two on her cell phone – and another member of security takes her camera which of course has nothing on it.  Worried that selling the photo may put Jack’s job at risk since they think he may be the leak who told Anna about the star being there, she decides to instead rent out her house to try and make some extra income.

But then she finds out that Jack has quit and she can sell the photo – except for the fact that… well… you’ll have to read the book and see what happens.

This was a quick read, romantic and I really liked the characters.

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

About the Book

Sexy, addictive and just pure fun, don’t miss the next installment in the Do Not Disturb series!
After losing her elderly parents, portrait photographer Anna will do anything to avoid losing the family home – the only thing she has left of her perfect childhood.

When a friend who works at the exclusive boutique hotel, The Lavington, provides a hot tip – an A list film star is staying there with her rumored toyboy lover – Anna comes up with a plan. A photo of them together could be the answer to all Anna’s money problems.

Unfortunately, she’s the worst paparazzi photographer on the planet and Jack, the hotel’s new head of security, back in England after globetrotting as bodyguard to the stars, isn’t about to allow a picture on his watch. No matter how cute the photographer might be…

Book Review: How to Catch a (Rock) Star

rockstarYou probably can’t tell from the blog – but it has been almost a month since I read a book for review. (Gotta love wordpress allowing me to schedule posts in advance!) It wasn’t a tough choice to decide what to read next since this one had to be posted before any of the rest based on my schedule – but I’m glad that it ended up being the next on my list. My reading break was part due to being too busy to find time to read and part due to the fact that a lot of the books I was reading just weren’t doing anything for me lately.

How to Catch a (Rock) Star is about Lillie who is an aspiring singer living in the UK.  She meets Jed, an American rock star and they hit it off.  Of course, how much time they can see each other is a bit limited with Jed being on tour.  Jed decides he has the perfect idea and has Lillie basically join his band to sing with him on tour. Everything seems to be going great for the two of them – but can it last? Well, of course there probably wouldn’t be a book if everything was all happy all the time and they ended up happily ever after, right?

Turns out Jed is keeping a secret from Lillie – one that she isn’t sure she can handle after being in a similar situation with an ex.  But Lillie’s dreams are coming true – so what can she do to make sure that she can continue living her dreams – with or without Jed?

I liked this book a lot – it was very well written and I enjoyed all of the characters. (And it turns out there will be a second book following another one of the band members so I will have to keep an eye out for that one too!) It is a romance book but didn’t have a lot of the sex scenes you might be expecting (which was a bit of a con, but at the same time also a pro.) I think that rockstar romances are my new favorite sub-genre and if Gabrielle Aquilina keeps it up with this series I will not be disappointed!

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

About the Book

Aspiring singer Lillie and American rock star Jed seem like the perfect fit from the moment they meet. The pair are inseparable, but Jed’s jet-set schedule of shows and after-parties limits the amount they can see each other. So when Jed invites Lillie to sing with his band on their tour, she says yes. Yes with some hesitation, that is. After finding out that her ex-boyfriend was hiding away a wife and child when they were dating, Lillie’s trust in men is fragile and she also suffers from severe stage fright. As the tour progresses, Jed and Lillie are fast becoming rock’s hottest couple but with obsessive fan girls, a claustrophobic tour bus and a resentful guitarist, things start taking a turn for the worse. Lillie’s dream of singing may have finally become a reality, but can it last? The odds are stacking up against them and then the unthinkable happens…
The book is the first one of a series. The second book will follow the story of Johnny, Jed’s best friend.

Book Review: The Book of Joan

bookofjoanThe Book of Joan is about the late Joan Rivers, by her daughter, Melissa.  She tells all about Joan’s life and how she used to embellish, well, everything! From her resume to her phone calls to Melissa after her planes landed when she was traveling.

This book flowed and was easy to read, and was almost as if you were having a conversation with Melissa where she was reminiscing about times with her mother and stories her mother had told her over the years in order to teach her things. It also includes photos and documents over the years – like Joan’s first (heavily embellished) resume and even her childhood report cards!

A great summer afternoon read by the pool. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll laugh some more.

I received a copy of this book from BloggingForBooks in order to write this review.

About the Book

Joan Rivers was known all over the world—from the Palace Theater to Buckingham Palace, from the bright lights of Las Vegas to the footlights of Broadway, from the days of talkies to hosting talk shows. But there was only one person who knew Joan intimately, one person who the authorities would call when she got a little out of hand.  Her daughter and best friend, Melissa.

Joan and Melissa Rivers had one of the most celebrated mother-daughter relationships of all time.  If you think Joan said some outrageous things to her audiences as a comedian, you won’t believe what she said and did in private. Her love for her daughter knew no bounds—or boundaries, apparently. (“Melissa, I acknowledge that you have boundaries. I just choose to not respect them.”) In The Book of Joan: Tales of Mirth, Mischief and Manipulation, Melissa shares stories (like when she was nine months old and her parents delivered her to Johnny Carson as a birthday gift), bon mots (“Missy, is there anything better than seeing a really good looking couple pushing a baby that looks like a Sasquatch who got caught in a house fire?”), and life lessons from growing up in the Rosenberg-Rivers household (“I can do tips and discounts and figure out the number of gay men in an audience to make it a good show. That’s all the math you’ll ever need.”). These were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to life in the family that Melissa describes as more Addams than Cleaver. And at the center of it all was a tiny blond force of nature.

In The Book of Joan: Tales of Mirth, Mischief and Manipulation, Melissa Rivers relates funny, poignant and irreverent observations, thoughts, and tales about the woman who raised her and is the reason she considers valium one of the four basic food groups.

Book Review: Jim Henson and Philosophy

hensonJim Henson and Philosophy is a book made up of various essays about Jim Henson’s characters and their relation to Philosophy.  Henson tried to make monsters less scary with his group of misfit muppets. Miss Piggy is a strong female character.  This book features ALL his characters – not just the Muppets – including Fraggle Rock and the movie Labyrinth.  It talks about how Sesame Street makes learning fun.  It is nice to read all the different thoughts from all the different authors in their essays.  There is definitely more to these characters than meets the eye.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review.

About the Book

Jim Henson’s creations have inspired generations with characters that are among the world’s most recognizable cultural icons. From Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and their Muppet friends, to the legendary Sesame Street and the Children’s Television Workshop, Henson has immeasurably impacted the growth, development and substance of children’s educational entertainment. Combining live-action and puppeteering into fantastical narratives like The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, and the whimsical Fraggle Rock and The Storyteller, Henson transforms imagination into reality, weaving powerful philosophical messages on identity, community, diversity, love, death, and friendship. Henson’s legacy endures because he never shied away from exploring deep questions, nor underestimated the ability of children (or adults) to grapple with profound philosophical questions. Anyone who grew up with his stories, or has fallen in love with his characters, will enjoy this book’s exploration of the entertaining, educational and profound world of Jim Henson.

Contributions by: Lauren Ashwell, Kimberly Baltzer-Jaray, David R. Burns, Samantha Brennan, Amanda Cawston, Brooke Covington, Christopher M. Culp, Ryan Cox, Natalie M. Fletcher, Victoria Hubbell, Dena Hurst, Christopher Ketcham, Christopher Ketcham, S. Evan Kreider, Shaun Leonard, Jennifer Marra, Michael J. Muniz, Laurel Ralston, Rhona Trauvitch, and Sheryl Tuttle Ross

Timothy M. Dale is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, where he teaches courses on political philosophy. He is coeditor of the collections Homer Simpson Ponders Politics: Popular Culture as Political Theory (2013) and Homer Simpson Marches on Washington: Dissent in American Popular Culture (2010).

Joseph J. Foy is associate campus dean at the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha. He edited the award-winning Homer Simpson Goes to Washington: Politics as Popular Culture (2008) and SpongeBob Square Pants and Philosophy (2011), and co-edited Homer Simpson Ponders Politics: Popular Culture as Political Theory (2013) and Homer Simpson Marches on Washington: Dissent in American Popular Culture (2010).

Book Review: Your Dream Job: Use Dating Secrets to Get Hired and Build a Career You Love

dreamjob

Your Dream Job compares looking for a job to looking for a date. The hiring managers are super models and if you know what you’re doing you just might be able to land that date, I mean job, with them!

The downside to this book was there are too many references to movies and TV shows that I have never seen so they went right over my head.

I enjoyed the funny mistakes that job hunters made – and learned from them as well. (Although some of them seemed to be quite obvious things not to do..)

There’s a lot of great tips for what to do and not to do on your resume, when applying and once you land an interview.  Definitely a lot of things to keep in mind as I try to find my dream job!

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

About the Book

In this provocative book, career expert Dom Bokich explores the similarities between the job search and dating.

Both involve looking online for your perfect match or being set up by your friends. After that you’ll need a great icebreaker to score an interview. When you meet face-to-face, you’ll dress up, tell your best stories, and ask good questions.

Your Dream Job takes you step-by-step through the hiring process and shares insider secrets on how to find a job you love!
You’ll learn:
– How to become irresistible to your dream employer
– 3 ways to get noticed fast using social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter
– How to write a knockout resume and cover letter
– How hiring managers act like supermodels
– Current interview methods including behavioral and values based interviewing
– 25 inspiring Success Stories of job seekers, 11 of which are new grads
– 50 Funny Mistakes applicants have made, so you won’t embarrass yourself

This book is like having coffee with the author. He’ll give you friendly and straightforward advice that works.

Your Dream Job is encouraging and entertaining, with proven techniques for everyone. Be inspired, have more confidence, and score your dream job today!

Book Review: Sweet As Sin

sweetassinI had a lot of trouble getting into this book. I tried and tried but just couldn’t. I’m not sure why. Maybe if I read it at a different time I’d have been more into it, maybe not. It’s a rather long book, almost 400 pages, as well as the first in a series. Maybe it was setting it up for future story lines that lost me? Either way, I feel bad that I couldn’t get more into this book and give it a nicer review. You know how much I love my rock star romance novels, but for me, this one just fell flat.

(From what I see on GoodReads – it seems to be 50/50 with absolutely loving the book or hating it – so I encourage you all to check the book out if you think it may be of interest to you and form your own opinions!)

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

About the Book

Twentysomething Kat Reid is loving life as an in-demand Hollywood makeup artist. She has absolutely no interest in rock ’n’ roll, but in order to pay the mortgage, she agrees to work on the set of a rock video for the world-famous rockers known as Bad Habit…which brings her face-to-face with Nico Nyx, lead singer of Bad Habit and Adonis in the flesh.

However, the fiercely independent Kat isn’t impressed by the hard-living, womanizing rock star. But when Nico’s model girlfriend shows up to the set drunk and Kat is tapped to replace her as the video’s sexy bride, her combustible chemistry with Nico suddenly threatens to consume the set. Nico feels it, too—and becomes determined to win Kat over, body and soul. Yet behind his rock god swagger, Nico hides a dark secret. Can he rock Kat’s world forever, or will he just break her heart?

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