Read the Reviews

 

Storee's Ratings

* Good

** Very Good

*** Recomended

**** The Cat's Meow

*********************************************************************************

 

December 2012

Saturday Night Widows

The Adventures of Six Friends Remaking Their Lives

Becky Aikman

(Crown Publishers)

Biography & Autobiography –Personal Memoirs Hardcover $26.00 Kindle: $12.99

Rating ****

 When you hear the word widow who comes to mind? For me, a widow has always been a fictional character. An elderly woman who had a long and happy marriage to a man of my grandfather’s generation. I can’t say why that’s the case. My sister was one of the thousands of young widows of soldiers killed in the Vietnam War. I’m sure my parents knew many young women who lost their husbands in WWII or Korea. And now, while only in her forties, my daughter is a widow raising two teenage boys. Young men die every day from war, accidents, illness, drugs and alcohol, or even suicide. They leave behind young women who must find a way to go on, to create a new reality. It is a devastating and daunting task no matter what the circumstances.

 Becky Aikman is one of these women. Her book, Saturday Night Widows, is her story and that of five other women who come together as strangers seeking to find a way to cope with death in the only way they can. One day at a time.

 Despite all the information available on dealing with grief there is no way to prepare and there are no steps to follow other than the ones you take. For these women it was through friendship and the bonding that comes from shared loss and the determination to accept their new life as it comes. They laugh, they cry, they are sometimes foolish. Some of them will find love again. Through it all they are as imperfect and fabulous as the rest of us.  Becky Aikman has written a powerful and sensitive book about death that celebrates life and the value of true friendship among women and I thank her for it.

*******************************************************************************

December 2012

 

 

Storee Wryter Gets a Dog

By Barbara Simpson Carducci

(Tate Publishing)

Youth $7.99

Rating ****

Young readers are invited to share Storee Wryter’s adventure as she teaches her new puppy how to sit and stay and walk on leash without pulling. Also sharing in the fun is Storee’s cat, Critique, who is convinced that cats are smarter than dogs and isn’t shy about proving it. When Storee’s neighbor, Kyria, suggests that Addie be trained as a therapy dog, the whole family gets involved in making a very important decision.

Will Storee have time to take on this added responsibility? She’s already busy with school, soccer practice, dance lessons, and her writing. And what about the cost? What if they adopt the puppy and she’s not suited to be a therapy dog?  The answer to these questions and more are answered in a story that kids enjoy reading again and again and parents find informative and inspiring. Purchase directly from the author in time for Christmas and receive free coloring pages. www.storeewryter.com

 

Insects and Spiders

(Exploring Wildlife Series)

By Suzanne Walls

(Chantilly Books)

Children $14.99

Rating ****

If you’re looking for a book for boys this is one that is sure to fascinate. Amazing close-up photographs of insects and spiders bring the inhabitants of the backyard to life on the page.

The easy to read text is another reason to purchase this book for young readers.  Senior citizens with an interest in the creepy, crawly things that contribute to our environment will also appreciate the large print and concise descriptions that combine fact and wit. A perfect Christmas gift or stocking stuffer that will bring joy all year around.

 

Annie’s Special Day

By Clara Bowman - Jahn

 (e-treasures)

Children – Picture Book

Rating ****

Kids will love watching the clock with Annie as her special day unfolds and her friends join her for a slumber party that is so much fun she doesn’t want to miss a minute of it. Parents, be prepared to read this book over and over as your child delights in the idea of staying up all night while effortlessly learning the basics of how to tell time. Pair this book with an inexpensive watch for a gift that will entertain for hours on end. 

***

November 2012

 

 

Benny’s Pets

By Mr. Whimsy

(World of Whimsy Productions)

Children $15.95

Rating: ****

Children  love the silly animals and playful rhymes that tickle their tongue and spark their imagination.  Parents will appreciate the subtle lessons hidden in this delightful tale of a young billionaire who sends his many pets to foreign ports around the world, lessons in geography, world culture, and exotic animals. There’s even a fold-out map of the world tucked into the back of the book along with a page of sticker animals ready to set out on their very own fantasy vacation.

Benny’s Pets, a 2007 Hollywood Book Fest Award winner, will be a delightful addition to any child’s bookshelf.

 *******************************************************************************

 

Fairy Tale

By Cyn Balog

(Knof Delacorte Dell)

Young Readers $16.99

Rating ****

 

Best friends forever, now high school sweethearts, Morgan Sparks and Cam Brown are busy planning a huge party to celebrate their shared 16^th birthday when everything changes, rocking their world and threatening to tear them apart.

It’s bad enough when Cam’s geeky cousin, Pip, comes to stay but when he claims that Cam is fairy and will have to go back to his own world, Morgan is determined to do everything she can to prevent that from happening. What’s a young girl to do when she discovers the reason her boyfriend is changing and becoming distant isn’t due to another girl, but another world?!  Buy the Book and you will be delighted to find out.