Category Archives: Book Club

Who Moved My Cheese?

Touted as one of the most important books all businesses need their workers to read, “Who Moved My Cheese?” is about change.  In business and in life, we need to learn to adapt to change or be left out.  Businesses need to evolve in order to survive. Along with that, employees need to grow and change.  If you don’t change as technology advances, you could be without a job.  This book tells the parable of four mice running a maze.  When they discover a huge block of cheese, they stay until the cheese runs out.  It’s what happens when the cheese runs out that is a very important lesson.

[Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I may receive a commission.]

Building a Story Brand

This book is set to be released October 10, 2017.  If you are a blogger, an entrepreneur, boss…this is the book you need to read.  This book teaches you the importance of building your business by focusing on the only thing that matters: the customer.  Everyone is a hero in their own story, but in order to make it in this business, we need to focus on being the customer’s guide.  We need to show them that what we offer will benefit their lives.  This book is the only Marketing 101 book you will ever need.  You will learn a lot.  Buy a physical copy of the book and get your highlighter ready.  There is so much important information in this book that you will thank Donald Miller for sharing his insight.  

[Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.  This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I may receive a commission.] 

The List

This is the new 1994 of our age.  This YA book is 1984 for our kids.  Mixed with the realities of our age, this book explores a grim future for human beings after our world changes due to climate change.  Letta is the new Wordsmith in one of the only civilizations left.  She is responsible for creating The List, a set of words that each person is allowed to speak.  They are not allowed to speak any words outside of The List.  They believe that words were part of the world’s demise.  Animals survived, but humans barely survived.  Letta lives in a world where one man rules and will go through great lengths to keep the world safe, even if that means silencing and killing all of humanity.  Letta and her new friends seek to save humanity, with that comes letting go of the establishment and safety to do what is right.  One of the best books I’ve read in a long time.  A book you will never forget (like 1984).

[Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.  This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I may receive a commission.] 

Miles Morales

This book is due to be released on August 1, 2017.  This is by far one of the best stories I’ve read this year.  I gave it 5 stars because this is more than just a Spider-Man story.  This is about a kid facing adversity, just like every other kid out there.  He may have super powers, but it does not mean that he is not a victim of society.  He is learning how to be a hero, not just a superhero fighting super villains.  Jason Reynolds is an excellent writer.  The story is absolutely incredible.  I had a hard time putting the book down.  I couldn’t wait to get back to reading it again.  This is a must read for everyone.  Get this book for your kids.  Read it yourself.  I don’t like Spider-Man, but I do love Miles Morales.  Excellent read. [PW REVIEW]

[Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.  This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a commission.]  

The Burning Girl

This book is due to be released on August 29, 2017. A coming of age novel set in Royston, Massachusetts.  Two girls, Julia and Cassie, grow up together in this small town.  Julia is from a good, middle class family, while Cassie is from the other side of town.  Having known each other since nursery school, the girls spend one last summer together before middle school.  They seek out and discover an old asylum where they spend their days playing and pretending.  Without knowing it, these are their last days together being close friends.  When they enter middle school, Cassie finds new friends and becomes popular.  She starts dating the boy Julia has a crush on, a complete betrayal.  Then one day, Cassie’s mother marries, changing the dynamic in their household.  Cassie slips into a deep depression that changes everyone’s lives.  She disappears.  Even though they are no longer friends, Julia is the only one that can save her.  She must go back to the place where she lost her friend.  This is a story about friendships and dealing with depression.  It doesn’t effect just one person, it changes the lives of everyone around that person.

[Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.  This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a commission.]  

The Trials of Apollo, Book Two: Dark Prophecy

Oh, Apollo.  Lester (aka the pimply teenage version of Apollo) finds himself in Indianapolis with Leo and Calypso.  Their search for the second emperor Commodus (the Commodus of Gladiator fame) has them teaming up with two old acquaintances of Apollo.  They need to free two griffins, find (and heal) a missing girl, and receive a prophecy from Apollo’s foreboding son.  All the while, they have to stop an attack on the demigods’ safe haven.  Of all of Rick Riordan’s characters, Apollo/Lester is the wimpiest one of them all, but he still manages to save the day.  

[Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I may receive a commission.]

Unraveling Oliver

Unraveling Oliver is set to be released on August 22, 2017.  A prominent Irish children’s book author snaps and puts his wife into a coma.  People that know Oliver Ryan help put the pieces together to explain why this happened.  Who exactly was Oliver Ryan?  What could make him snap that day?  As the pieces unravel from the various points of view as told by the people that knew him and Oliver, we discover the truth and the lies that were spun since he was a child.  An excellent read.  This book is one of the must reads of 2017-2018.  This debut from Liz Nugent is among the top buzz books selected by publishers to be the IT book of the year.

[Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.  This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive compensation.] 

A Dog’s Purpose

For those who love animals, especially dogs, this is the book for you.  This is the story of a dog who lives many lives and one day finds his purpose with a boy named Ethan.  With each life, he remembers his previous life and it helps him get through that life until one day, he finds his boy again.  An old man now, Bailey tries to bring Ethan joy again, to give him purpose.  He finds Ethan’s first love and brings them together again.  All the while, Bailey hopes that Ethan will see him as he truly is, the dog he loved as a boy.  This is an incredible journey.  The story makes you hug your furbabies (or fur monsters) a little closer and appreciate the joy they bring to your life.  As far as life lessons, you start to see how all of the various things that happen in our lives happen for a reason.  It all leads to our own purpose in life.

[Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive compensation.]    

The Hearts We Sold

The Hearts We Sold is set to be released August 8, 2017.  Imagine going about your regular life and all of a sudden you learn that Demons really do exist.  As in, the whole world now knows that Demons exist.  They do not harm humans, but will grant you your wish in exchange for a body part.  It becomes acceptable to see people with missing limbs.  Dee Moreno is on the verge of being kicked out of school, because her scholarship program is coming to an end.  She can’t bear the thought of returning to her dysfunctional home, so she makes a deal with a demon in exchange for her heart and errands as he commands.  She works with a group of teens to run those errands for the demon.  She has no idea what this means in the grander scheme of things.

[Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.  This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive compensation.]

The Leaf Reader

An incredible story from Emily Arsenault.  This mystery will keep you guessing all the way to the end.  Andrea Quinley disappears.  She is presumed dead.  There are no answers to the many questions everyone has on her disappearance.  Marnie Wells is a classmate of hers that everyone thinks is strange.  One of the popular girls becomes obsessed with her tea leaf readings because of its accuracy.  She starts to tell everyone about it, which leads to Matt Cotrell, Andrea’s best friend, to seek Marnie out for a reading to see if she can find Andrea.  There are so many twists and turns throughout this book, you will never guess what will happen, who dies, or who killed who.  An intriguing thriller you will enjoy.

[Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.  This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive compensation.]  

The Land Beyond the Wall

The Land Beyond the Wall is set to be released December 1, 2017.  This is an amazing story of how Veronika Martenova Charles left her country.  The story is mixed in with her immigration tale of how she wound up in Halifax after her parents went missing.  The challenges of not knowing a language, being alone and an orphan in a new place makes you see the plight of a refugee in a very different light.  The book is beautifully illustrated and written.  It is a book that all children should read so that they can understand the plights of the many children around the world who are alone, orphaned and just trying to find a new home away from the tyranny of their homeland.

[Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.  This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive compensation.]  

The Only Way I Can

Have you ever wanted to be something you weren’t just so you could live your dream?  In this book, Rabbit wants to watch the sun set.  He sees Bird flying around and wants to see the sun through his eyes.  Bird tries to help him learn how to fly.  After several failed attempts, Rabbit doesn’t give up.  He finds another way.  This tale is about finding your own way by using your own strengths to achieve your goals.

[Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.  This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive compensation.] 

Dragonwatch

Brandon Mull continues the beloved FableHaven series with a spinoff called “Dragonwatch.”  Kendra and Seth killed the Demon King back in FableHaven, but in doing so have created a whole new problem…the rise of the dragons.  Each sanctuary exists to protect creatures of myth, but each species is dependent on the other to keep the other in check.  With the Demon King gone, the dragons want to be free.  Kendra and Seth head to the dragon sanctuary to be its new caretakers, but can two children keep the dragons in control?  This is an excellent read for those who love YA and the FableHaven series.  If you haven’t read FableHaven yet, you are missing out on one of the most amazing series in YA fiction.

[Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.  This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive compensation.] 

The Tea Dragon Society

The Tea Dragon Society is set to be released on October 31, 2017.  This beautifully illustrated book is about a young girl who learns how to make tea from special leaves from a tea dragon.  This children’s book is a great way to introduce children to tea and its healing properties.  While reading this book, tea should be sipped.  I learned a lot about tea in this book.  I loved the magical characteristics Katie O’Neill brings to the story.  Tea takes on a fairy tale like story as we learn the importance of the tradition.  The book is beautifully done.  For those who love animé, you’ll love how this book is illustrated.

[Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.  This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive compensation.]

Breathe Like a Bear

“Breathe Like a Bear” is set to be released on December 5, 2017. If you’re looking for a way to get your young’uns to stop a moment and take a breath, this is your book.  This is a great way to introduce meditation and relaxation to your kids.  It teaches them how to calm down and relax.  There are 30 different techniques in the book.  Even though this is great for kids, it is also great for the parents who read this to their kids.  It allows for you take a moment and breathe right beside your kids.  The book is beautifully done.  Kira is also a very charming lady. This is a wonderful book to add to your kid’s library.

[Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.  This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive compensation.]

Sister Bear and the Golden Rule

One of the most important rules in life is to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  In this case, Sister Bear learns the importance of being kind to others, no matter how horribly they treat you.  When a new girl arrives at Sister’s school, she isn’t nice to her.  What happens next is a life lesson on how important it is to remember to be kind to others.

[Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.  This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive compensation.]

The Magic Misfits

Neil Patrick Harris is releasing his first young adult book series November 21, 2017.  For those who love YA, you can get through this book in a few hours.  What I love about this story is how a young boy overcomes bad circumstances to find a family of his own.  Carter is an orphan who is sent to live with a family relative, a conman who uses magic tricks to con people.  When his guardian tries to force him to steal, he decides to do the right thing.  He returns a stolen necklace to an old lady that was kind to him and runs away from his guardian.  He stows away on a passing train, waking up in a New England town.  A carnival run by criminals happens to be in town.  Carter takes a look around, running into a real magician who sees magical potential in him.  He doesn’t believe magic is real, but he then discovers a group of young magicians who practice real magic.  Carter’s life begins to change.  Even though he is homeless and afraid to tell anyone that he has no family, this group of friends takes him in and shows him the time of his life, all the while trying to stop B.B. Bosso and his cronies from stealing a precious diamond.  If you liked the Lemony Snicket series, “A Series of Unfortunate Events,” you will like this story.  After all, it is befitting to use the Baudelaires as an example, because Neil Patrick Harris plays Count Olaf in the Netflix series.  Looks like he took some inspiration from Snicket and created a new magical world for an orphan looking for a family of his own.

[Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.  This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive compensation.]

Princesses Wear Pants

Today Show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie has a new book coming out on September 12, 2017 and if you have a little girl, you must include this book in her library.  Princesses wear gowns and tiaras, but some also wear pants.  I loved this story, because this princess is me in a nutshell.  When I gave this book to someone, I mentioned it was a princess that wore pants under her gowns.  They laughed, because she is me.  I wear pants all of the time, even under the most elaborate gowns.  What I also love about this story is that Princess Penelope’s partner in crime is a cat called Miss Fussywiggles.  My partner in crime is a Maine Coon cat named Matthew Lucifer.  My friends had a great laugh at this wonderful story about a princess that wears pants, because…like I said…Princess Penelope is me in a nutshell.

[Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.  This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive compensation.]

China Rich Girlfriend

I love the Kevin Kwan series about insanely rich Asians and how they live, invest, make money, and spend money.  A mom with an Hermes Birkin obsession (and has a whole closet full of them), boys who love their luxury cars, young women who love every luxury designer look?  I mean…it’s every fashionista’s dream book (like the Shopaholic series, but these people have the money to spend it).  This is book two in Kwan’s series.  In book two, Rachel and Nick head to China on their honeymoon where she has found she has a brother, but more importantly, she’s discovered who her father is.  They are led into the world of the Chinese billionaires and their extravagant homes, airplanes, and lifestyle.  Rachel is there to see her father, but there is a plot to keep her from ever seeing him, and that may cost her life.

[Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive compensation.]

The Heart

This book takes course over a 24 hour period after a teenage boy is involved in a car accident.  His brain is dead, but his heart is still beating.  We watch as the parents must decide to donate his organs or not.  We watch as they remember their lives together, and the lives the boy touched.  We face every sad emotion associated with loss and being forced to say goodbye when we are not ready to.  This is a very sad story, but beautifully written, like a poet writing a novel. The first sentence went on for two pages with no period in sight.  This is a writer making love to a very sad story.  After you read this, it will be difficult to pick up another book, because she has hit you right to your core.  She’ll break your heart.

[Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive compensation.]