Concert Katie

Book Review: Amanda Gorman

Katie February 16, 2022 0 Comments

The “Little People, BIG DREAMS” books are some of my favorites, because it tells you about important people in a way that is easy for little minds to comprehend. (And let’s be real, some days my mind is little and I need to be told things as if I am 5.)  If you watched the Presidential Inauguration, you may be familiar with poet Amanda Gorman.  I did not realize that she had a speech impediment that she had to overcome and went to speech therapy to do so.  Hearing her speak now, it is clear she worked hard to overcome. I liked how I can quickly learn more about her, how she is changing the world and tries to remind us that we are more powerful together than we are apart.

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 book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of Amanda Gorman, America’s astounding young poet and activist.

From an early age, Little Amanda read everything she could get her hands on, from books to cereal boxes. Growing up with an auditory processing disorder and a speech impediment, Amanda had to work hard, but ultimately she took great strength from her experiences.

After hearing her teacher read aloud to the class, she knew that she wanted to become a poet, and nothing would stand in her way. At the age of 19, she became America’s first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate. And, after performing her inspiring poem ‘The Hill We Climb’ at the Presidential Inauguration in January 2021, she became an icon across the world.

​This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the incredible young poet and activist’s life so far.

Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.

Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

Book Review: Here We Are . . . on Route 66

Katie February 15, 2022 0 Comments

I have driven down part of Route 66 in Tulsa, OK – which was mentioned right in the beginning of this book as they are restoring neon signs to Route 66.  I haven’t had the chance to see them lit up at night, but even in the daylight they sure look cool. I wish I could have driven down Route 66 in its heyday, but I still enjoy seeing all the “retro”.  This book includes a lot of history – but also my favorite – a lot of PHOTOs.  I feel like I have traveled down some more of Route 66 just by reading this book. (And I’m hoping to get to explore some more of it in the future!)

There are so many cool stops along the way featured in this book, I can’t possibly narrow down which ones I want to see the most, so I guess my future exploration is going to have to include a trip across the whole length of it.  Has anyone done that before? Or any stretch of it?  Do you have any tips?

In addition to the current, all color photographs throughout the book, I also love the old, historic black and whites that show what the area used to look like years ago.  It’s always interesting to find out what once was, and how much has changed or how much things have stayed the same.

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

About the Book

Here We Are . . . on Route 66 explores and celebrates iconic landmarks and cultural touchstones associated with America’s most famous highway—and guides you to some lesser-known gems just off the beaten path.

Spanning nearly 2,500 miles and eight states—Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California—America’s Main Street has given rise to a colorful assortment of roadhouses, motels, greasy spoons, roadside amusements, and breathtaking natural scenery. Acclaimed Route 66 historian Jim Hinckley is your guide to a carefully curated selection of these sites, ranging from the iconic to the revelatory.

Arranged by classic Route 66 topics, each spread gives you a different 66 site or attraction, along with a concise and authoritative history illustrated with colorful photography, evocative historical imagery, and collectibles like postcards, ads, and more. Topics of organization include: Towns and CitiesNatural WondersRoadside AttractionsEateriesMotels and HotelsMusic, Film, and TV Hinckley is perhaps the most internationally recognized authority on the subject of America’s Main Street. This collection offers you the stories behind Route 66 icons such as Baxter Springs and Tucumcari, Meramec Caverns, Arroyo Seco Byway, Berghoff’s and the Oatman Hotel, Munger Moss and Wigwam Motel—and dozens more. Hinckley also treats you to a fresh look at lesser known but deserving attractions too.

At nearly a century old, Route 66 remains the embodiment of the classic American highway. Written by an acknowledged authority on the subject, wonderfully illustrated, and presented in a manner that allows you to dip in and out, Here We Are . . . on Route 66 is a must-have for your Route 66 bookshelf.

Book Review: Am I Allergic To Men?

Katie February 3, 2022 0 Comments

Am I Allergic to Men is the 5th book in a series.  I did not read  the previous books, but I don’t feel like I missed any major plot points (I assume that the other books are about the main character Lucy’s sisters… as she has many.)  I think that this book was hyped up a bit too much – but it was a fun beach read during my annual trip to Jamaica.

Lucy gets in an accident while riding a bike to get to a job where she will perform as the princess Elsa.  When she wakes up in the hospital after having been in a coma, she can’t remember the last 10 years and still thinks she is 17.  Her phone has a lot of dick pics in it and she is curious why she wasn’t married.  She ends up tracking them down and trying to find out why there’s been no commitment – is she allergic to men?  All the while rediscovering herself.

To be quite honest I am not sure I laughed out loud at all, but it was a fun story and you couldn’t help but root for Lucy to get her memory back and hopefully find a decent man! (At first I was a bit worried the story may hit too close to home.)  The book is also based in the UK so maybe some of the humor was over my head.

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

About the Book

You think you’ve got it bad? I lost my memory, I’m so single I’ve basically got an allergy to men, and my own cat despises me.

‘Lucy! If you can hear me, squeeze my hand!’

That’s the first thing I hear when I wake up in hospital. Then my sister drops a bombshell: I’ve been in a coma.

It gets worse. In my head, it’s 2009 and I’m seventeen. Somehow, I need to remember the last decade…

Plan A: Track down my exes. Highlights include a one-night stand with someone in a Batman costume, and balcony sex that gave the neighbours a nervous breakdown.

Plan B: Get flirty. Lowlights include a fling with someone hairier than a yeti.

Plan C: Figure out why I have more exes than underwear. Am I allergic to men?

As I piece together my past, I find a mysterious note: Oscar, 9th February. Determined to work out what it means, I uncover a secret I’ve been hiding from everyone.

When the truth comes out, will my memory return? Will I get my life back? And will I ever find the cure to my singledom?

You’ll laugh so much your abs ache! The perfect page-turner for fans of Sophie Kinsella, Lindsey Kelk and TV shows like Schitt’s Creek.

Book Review: Going, Going, Gone!

Katie January 25, 2022 0 Comments

In the middle of a modern day World Series between the San Francisco Giants and the New York Yankees, there is an earthquake.  2 of the players for the Giants and the manager, found that they have survived the quake, but when they make it out of the rubble, the ballpark is gone.  In fact, nothing is how they remember it and they soon realize they have somehow gotten transported to 1906.  Being unsuccessful in trying to find a way back to the present day, they end up playing baseball with the 1906 teams and realize the game is much different from what they had been playing.  Since that is all they know how to do, they continue to play to make a living while trying to figure out how to get back to the present day.  They also realize that a butterfly effect of sorts is going on and thinks that they thought should be happening based on things they learned in History class – are not as they should.

Can they make it back to present day and who will they need to help them get there? And with the changes to history – what else will happen in the present day based on the butterfly effect?

I liked the idea of this book, but it had a bit too much baseball filler for me when I really just wanted to find out if these guys were going to make it back home or not.

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

An earthquake decimates San Francisco’s baseball stadium. Two players and their manager are trapped. With water rising, the trio crawls through a gash in the wall. Naked and penniless, they climb through the muck onto shore. Downtown San Francisco is on fire. They can not find their stadium, or any new buildings, or the parking lot with their fancy cars. No one has a cell phone to call for help.

André Velez, the self-absorbed superstar; Johnny Blent, the faithful-to-his-wife rookie infielder; and their baseball-is-life manager, Bucky Martin, have been transported through time into the 1906 earthquake. Can they figure out what happened? Or how to get back to their 21st-century lives?

In a world without television cameras, social media, or Sabermetrics, the players make money the only way they know how. But the 1906 they’re inhabiting isn’t one from our history books. Soon, the three find themselves part of an international baseball challenge against the rump remnant of the Confederacy and its all-star team, featuring Walter Johnson, Martín Dihigo, Ty Cobb, and Ty’s murderous, menacing baseball brothers.

Book Review: C# Via the Happy Path

Katie January 17, 2022 0 Comments

I’m always looking for new languages to learn, especially ones that might come up in my line of work – and C# is one I used to continually get asked if I knew, and I always had to say no.  Not that I will become an expert by any means after reading this book, but having some more background on it is certainly a step in the right direction! This book is designed to be a quick and easy guide for computer science students – so if you have 0 experience with programming and dot net development, you might not want to start here. (Or at the very least teach yourself strings, loops, if/else on your own before jumping in. These are pretty simple concepts and I’m sure YouTube has some great intro videos out there.)  The first part of the book is on hardware, which the intro said you can skip and come back to.  Since I am working as a software engineer, I skimmed it to make sure it was all things I already knew before moving on.

The rest of the book contained a lot of code and I think it would have been better if I had a project to build and follow along with, but it definitely was a quick read and learn.  I’m not sure in the end that C# is something I want to pursue, but I liked how this book was put together and I’m sure it would be helpful to many CS students!

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

If you need a quick and easy yet comprehensive book on C# programming, then we believe this is it.

No previous programming experience is required, because the book aims to teach you all the necessary things you’d want to know. We start with visually engaging explanations of how the computer actually works and you’ll have a great time flying through the book reading about bits, how things are implemented in hardware, what a computer memory is anyway and clear and practical explanations of object-oriented programming in C#.

We did our best to make sure the reader really gets it and provided some real-world code examples. You’ll be learning about classes, generics, inheritance, interfaces, delegates and events and why you would actually need them. To complement your learning with practical projects, you’ll build a fully functional game, and a registering system web application that IT companies would want you to do as a test job while applying.

Along the way you’ll be exposed to many other interesting and useful bits and pieces of code you wish you had been shown before. Why not take the leap of faith and see for ye self!