365 Days of Happiness by Jacqueline Pirtle

Summary

Tamar and PJ: One Great Adventure by Mark F. Geatches

Summary

PJ’s weekend began like any other, but his sense of tranquility was mere illusion.  Hunted down and poisoned by a wicked humanoid strain, PJ slowly loses his health and sanity as a lone giant races to save him.  After centuries of solitude Tamar’s decision to save PJ has unforeseen consequences.  He unwittingly kills Krell, the vorteh Emperor’s son and heir to the throne, placing a mark on his own head.  Now Tamar must perform the nearly impossible task of creating an antidote that will save PJ, while avoiding marauding vorteh death squads.  With PJ’s outcome unknown Tamar makes one final decision.  He confronts Emperor Dedac, sacrificing his life to save the lives of PJ and his family.

No animals, humans, vorteh, or giants were harmed during the writing of this book.  Well, maybe some vorteh were.

My Thoughts

When I received a review request for this book I went back and forth about it a bit.  While I do like retelling, and this one is kind of a ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ retelling, I just wasn’t completely sold.  I decided to try it and now here I am posting a review!

Tamar and PJ: One Great Adventure is filled with excitement and fun.  I enjoyed the writing most of the time but, sometimes it felt somewhat confusing because of the different perspectives.

Overall, this book was pretty good.  While it wasn’t exactly my particular cup of tea, it just might be yours!  Pick up a copy and see for yourself!  You might love it!

*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Paloma’s Dream by Paloma Rambana (with Hillary Ring)

Summary

In a world where lobbyists are big and carry briefcases, one little girl with an iPad walked into the Florida State capitol and made a big difference.  Meet Paloma Rambana who was just an above average fourth grader until she successfully lobbied the State of Florida legislature to help secure $1 million in funds for blind and impaired kids in Florida.  Born with a rare eye condition called Peter’s Anomaly, Paloma knows what these kids need, and she is on a mission.  Join Paloma as she sets out on her adventure to secure funding for kids, to inspire kindness and activism in people of all ages, and of course to finish her homework before bedtime.

My Thoughts

I love hearing about young people who choose to be world changers!  This girl, Paloma,, is definitely a world changer.  This book, reading the things that she worked so hard to do, is so inspiring!  Paloma’s Dream is a short book at just 79 pages and it is defiantly worth the read!

*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Chicago Eternal by Larry Broutman

Summary

The cemeteries of Chicago preserve the stories of those who built the brawny city by the lake.  Larry Broutman has been researching Chicago’s cemeteries and recording them with his beautiful photography for the past five years.  In the pages of Chicago Eternal, he takes readers on a spectacular tour of death’s domain, which is, in another sense, a celebration of the fullness and flourishing of life.


My Thoughts

At first thought, some may think this to be somewhat of a morbid book.  However, that really isn’t the case at all!  I found this book to be extremely interesting.  When I first picked this book up I just went through every page looking at the pictures.  That, in itself, was very interesting.  Then I went back through and read it.  Reading the historical information that went with each photograph kept my attention all the way through.

At the end you get a little something special!  The 3D photos were so cool and unexpected!  Very neat!

This is a massive, super interesting book!  It is not something that I would typically pick up so I am glad that it was sent my way!

*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.