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Beth D. (BethDavis) - Reviews

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Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist (Audio CD) (Abridged)
Review Date: 6/17/2016


Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist
By Michael J. Fox Reviewers Purchase 5 Stars
In Always Looking Up, Michael J. Fox shares all aspects of his life, before and after Parkinson's disease. I am amazed by his beautifully optimistic perception of life; as he shares personal stories from his career as an actor, life as a husband and a father of 4. Readers and fans see the genuine Michael J. Fox, as he passionately shares his stance on Stem Cell Research, political views, religious beliefs, and friendships ups and downs; including a few stories including personal friends we recently lost, Robin Williams to depression, and Mohamad Ali to Parkinson's disease.
MJF shares stories about his friends, also fellow celebrities, as real people. He talks about how they spend their free time, and money, to support their beliefs, and the many charitable organizations; helping everyone from all walks of life, with a variety of unfortunate diagnosis, or life situations. He brings everything to light in a positive way, with his wonderfully humorous personality; he even throws in a few jokes about his own "short comings" in several different ways.
I particularly liked a story he shared about an interview he had with Katie Couric to speak for Stem Cell Research. His purpose for going on the show was to explain the difference between the Stem Cell Research he's promoting and the research some extreme religious groups believe to be an abomination. His interview seems as though it may be shadowed by an insensitively rude comment recently made by an outspoken radio talk show host whom MJF hasn't even given a thought to. (in my opinion, this radiohost has never really had an opinion of his own, but seems to have made a career of simply bashing the opinions and beliefs of others.) Instead of wasting time on him and his comment, Michael simply moves on to more important statements he wants to share. That's class and professionalism at its best.
I also personally related to later in that same interview with Katie; in speaking with of his symptoms, he admits it's not pretty when he's having a "bad day" but he's had his time of being pretty, all the teenage girls that had his picture on their walls gave him enough time of being pretty. I have to admit, I was one of those teenage girls; yes, I was into short guys back then. Just look at all my formal dance pictures for proof.
There's so much more I can say about Always Looking Up, but instead I'll just sum it up by saying. I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book; it's a HUGE 5 Stars for me. I'm going back to get all his other books, and I'm not just saying this because of my teenage crush on him either. He is a beautiful person; after this book, I have a completely new respect for Michael J. Fox, and his family.


Ancient Guardians: The Legacy of the Key (Ancient Guardian Series, Book 1) (Volume 1)
Review Date: 10/30/2016


The Legacy of the Key (Ancient Guardians, #1)
by S.L. Morgan

Forget the extra-terrestrial beings from another planet; let's talk about beings from other dimensions! This book is all about unique concepts. I loved, loved, and loved it!!! The Legacy of the Key has science fiction, action, romance, comedy, and a lot of suspense. I HIGHLY recommend it; readers will love it, regardless of their preferred genre.
It is a good story as a read alone, but I can't wait to read more of this series. I love Reece, and I love her with Levi even more. I look forward to learning more about Harrison in the rest of the series; Elizabeth is also a character I would like to know better. Also, I would love to go back and learn more of the history of Pemdas, and its creation.
The Legacy of the Key was beautifully written; a smooth and quick read, with almost no editing errors. Once I was 50% into it, I literally could not put it down! The characters were well developed, and the imagery was written so brilliantly, I really want to visit the fictional dimension called Pemdas.
Overall, I absolutely loved The Legacy of the Key; it's definitely a 5 Boundless star book.


The Cat in the Hat Comes Back (Beginner Books)
The Cat in the Hat Comes Back (Beginner Books)
Author: Dr. Seuss
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 4.2/5 Stars.
 83
Review Date: 8/31/2009


A perfect continuation to the great classic Cat in a hat! This is what happens when the cat visits during the cold and snowy winter. This will become a favorite for any preschooler after the first read.


Coat of Many Colors
Coat of Many Colors
Author: Dolly Parton, Judith Sutton (Illustrator)
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4.2/5 Stars.
 6
Review Date: 9/30/2020
Helpful Score: 1


The perfect book to share with my students.


Code Name: Atlas
Code Name: Atlas
Author: Tony Evans
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 5/5 Stars.
 1
Review Date: 5/14/2016


Code Name: Atlas
By Tony Evans
The synopsis of this book really intrigued me and, I am embarrassed to say, it was the cover that sold me. I try to follow the traditional saying to "never judge a book by its cover" but luckily, I was not disappointed. This book has it all; love, conflict, heroes, villains and lots of twists.
Set in a futuristic time when the Earth is destroyed by an unknown force. All basic necessities of the life we know, electricity, wireless communication, and clean water are no longer available. Scavengers roam the Earth to take anything of use, even if it requires killing to get it. This is definitely a world none of us want to see, I can't take it when I lose my Wi-Fi!
Friendships are bonded and enemies are made all out of the basic need to survive. One man, Atlas, an ex- soldier, creates a make-shift army. He is recognized as publicized hero and expected to lead the new army, in hopes to create a new civilized world for the survivors. This is a lot to take on for anyone, even more so without the support of your spouse. Though his actions are for Amori, his wife, she is resentful of him. This adds another worry to Atlas' already full plate.
Overall, I loved this book. This is listed as a standalone read, but I see a "part two" in the future as the ending leaves a reader wanting more.

From here I need help from you, If the editing issue is only with my copy, please include this as my last paragraph.
I give this book 5 stars. I love the writing, the suspense and the characters.

Reviewed by Beth for www.boundlessbookreview.com


The Commons: Book 1: The Journeyman (Volume 1)
The Commons: Book 1: The Journeyman (Volume 1)
Author: Michael Alan Peck
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 2
Review Date: 10/30/2016


The Journeyman
By Michael Alan Peck
First step: Mix sci-fi, fantasy and suspense in a drink. Next: Give it to "one hell of an imagination" to consume. Result: The Journeyman. This is creativity and imagination defined. Peck created an afterlife concept unlike any other. I appreciated his writing style; he kept the suspense strong by giving new information and/or explanation only when it was needed to keep the story going.
I have to be honest and admit; it took a little time to get into this book, but once I did, I was hooked. I can't claim this book to be a quick read, but it does read smoothly. Overall, I rate The Journeyman by Michael Alan Peck with 4.5 stars. I really enjoyed it.


Crimson Sky: A Dark Sky Novel (Volume 1)
Crimson Sky: A Dark Sky Novel (Volume 1)
Author: Amy Braun
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 5/5 Stars.
 1
Review Date: 10/30/2016


Crimson Sky: A Dark Sky Novel
Amy Braun

Braun combined Vampires and Pirates, in a dystopian world, to create their war for freedom, in a uniquely riveting way. I read all genres, and have reviewed hundreds of books; this is unlike any I've ever read. The imagery was brilliant; readers are really brought into the story with the characters. I personally connected with a few different characters, but I loved how she introduced each and every one, even the bad guys! I can't go into much detail; it's hard not to spoil it for future readers. I can say the emotions run high, and the suspense is even stronger. There are so many twists in Crimson Sky, you will be hooked immediately. Though this is an excellent stand-alone book; I see a great start to an action packed series. I would highly recommend this to any reader, regardless of genre preference. Crimson Sky: A Dark Sky Novel is rated a strong 5 boundless stars. I absolutely loved it.


Dawn's Light (Restoration Series #4)
Dawn's Light (Restoration Series #4)
Author: Terri Blackstock
Book Type: Audio CD
  • Currently 4.7/5 Stars.
 3
Review Date: 10/30/2016


Dawn's Light (Restoration, #4) Reviewer purchase 4 Stars
By Terri Blackstock
This is a good book; a fast and smooth read. It's the last of a series; however, it's the first I've read. It reads fine as a standalone; there were a few mentions of prior incidents, but not to the extent to interrupt the story. I still plan to read the rest of this series; but out of want, not necessity.
The story line was not unique; but it was done extremely well, with unique and well developed characters. The suspense was page turning; I literally couldn't stop reading. There were some parts where the repetitiveness made it a bit wordy, or over-explained, but other than that. I loved it!
I appreciated the involvement of the Christian faith; we need more books like this. I love to see books where families worship and pray together; but there were some aspects, I did not agree with. Having been in the same place as Kay, some of it hit close to home; but faith in my LOVING God is what helped me through. I don't feel God needs to cause some great wrath to get world's attention; I share my faith simply by the life I live.
Overall, I loved Dawn's Light and give it 4 Boundless Stars.


Day of the Dragonking: Book 1 of The Last American Wizard (Volume 1)
Review Date: 10/30/2016


Day of the Dragonking: The Last American Wizard 4.5 stars
By Edward Irving & Illustrations by Tom Joyce
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. As a part of Boundless Book Reviews, a book review blog, I am often the first of our little group to be offered anything fantasy; especially if dragons, magic or anything paranormal is part of the plot. These are my favorites and Day of the Dragonking: The Last American Wizard did NOT disappoint. The characters were AWESOME, well developed and funny! The imagery was beautifully, and sometimes, grossly written; just the way I like it!
The only negative is; it took me a minute to figure out what was going on and why, but once I got into it, I couldn't stop. I can't tell you much about this book without spoilers, but I can say, I highly recommend it! Whether you like magic, dragons, paranormal, action, drama, or suspense; this is the book for you. Overall, I rate it with a very strong 4.5 Stars.


Eerie
Eerie
Author: C.M. McCoy
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 5/5 Stars.
 1
Review Date: 10/30/2016


Eerie
By C.M. McCoy
I received Eerie through BoundlessBookReviews in exchange for an honest review. I L.O.V.E. anything paranormal and Sci-fi, so I was the lucky one of us 5 girls offered the book! And I do mean LUCKY! This is a huge 5 star book!
It took me a few chapters to figure it out, but once I did, I was completely in the story. I felt so many emotions with Hailey and I was so intrigued, I could not put it down! If you like any of the genres I mentioned, or just reading a great book, I highly recommend Eerie!


An Eye For An Eye: An Action-Packed Political Thriller (Matthew Richter Thriller Series) (Volume 2)
Review Date: 10/30/2016


An Eye For An Eye (Matthew Richter #2)
by L.D. Beyer

I was offered An Eye for an Eye for an honest review; having read the first book, In Sheep's Clothing, I quickly agreed. I loved In Sheep's Clothing, and this sequel is even better! Once again, Beyer delivered; this was just as suspenseful, if not more! The fast pace action in An Eye for an Eye kept me reading non-stop! It's impossible to put this book down. His characters were well developed in book 1, but somehow Beyer was able to add more in book 2. Well written, quick read and exceptional writing. I recommend this book to anyone who loves action. This is a HUGE 5 Boundless stars!


Flat Earth Theory
Flat Earth Theory
Author: Yael Egal
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4.3/5 Stars.
 2
Review Date: 10/30/2016


Flat Earth Theory
By Yael Egal
I was offered Flat Earth Theory in exchange for an honest review. Egal is obviously a talented writer; the characters were well developed; the book is full of interesting events. I'm not sure if I should say the story is full of political knowledge or imagination; either way it's an interesting read with mildly suspenseful happenings. The only negatives were, the most important events/situations happened too quickly for my taste, and the ending was abrupt, but definitely not what I expected. Overall, I rate Flat Earth Theory with a strong 4 Stars; "I loved it!"


Four: A Divergent Collection
Four: A Divergent Collection
Author: Veronica Roth
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 53
Review Date: 10/30/2016


Four: A Divergent Story Collection (Divergent 0.1-0.4) Reviewer purchase 5 stars
Written by: Veronica Roth Narrated by: Aaron Stanford
I loved the Divergent series, so I had to give this book a try. This is much shorter than the other books, but just as great. As the title gives away, this is the story told from Four's point of view. If you read the series; you already know the story, but I highly recommend reading this too. It's extremely entertaining and I loved getting to know Four better. I am pleased to learn there are five books from Four's point of view; I've already purchased FOUR The Transfer, and can't wait to start it. Four: A Divergent Story Collection (Divergent 0.1-0.4) is a strong 5 star book.


Freckles! (Barbie)
Freckles! (Barbie)
Author: Mona Miller
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4.3/5 Stars.
 2
Review Date: 8/31/2008


I bought this book for my daughter when she became embarrassed about her freckles and she loved it. This is a perfect book for any little girl with beautiful freckles.


A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future: Twists and Turns and Lessons Learned (Audio CD) (Unabridged)
Review Date: 10/30/2016


A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future...: Twists and Turns and Lessons Learned
by Michael J. Fox Reviewer purchase 4 stars
I bought this after listening to Always Looking up, by Michael J Fox. I recommend listening to this one first, I didn't. This is a great book and I absolutely love Michael J Fox; however, Always looking Up included a lot of the same stories with more detail. This is a short read/listen; my husband and I listened to it on a short drive through the country a few counties over so it was the perfect length. Overall, I like the book and rate it with 4 Stars.


Goth Girl Virgin Queen
Goth Girl Virgin Queen
Author: JoAnne Keltner
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 4.5/5 Stars.
 1
Review Date: 10/30/2016


Goth Girl Virgin Queen Author provided 4.5 Stars
by JoAnne Keltner

A high school senior, Jackie, isn't exactly part of the "in crowd," and she's ok with that; she prefers to be left alone. She's deemed an outcast in her town because of a "Virgin Mary vision" she experiences as a child, in the middle of Sunday morning church service, with the entire town watching. Why does this deem her an outcast? Maybe Jealousy, lack of tolerance, or it could just be that people are scared of what they can't understand. Regardless of the reasoning; her school life was unpleasant. Jackie is a strong young woman and this doesn't bother her...much; she loves her mother and great grandmother, and enjoys time with the latter more than anything.
She does have a "gift" but she's not sure how to use it, or what it even is, for that matter; she just goes about her life as best she can by doing what she can to keep it at bay. I was drawn into this story from the very beginning, but it really sped up when Jackie is faced with the necessity to use her gift she was given by God, or the demons, she really doesn't know.
Goth Girl Virgin Queen is written extremely well; I felt a part of the story. The characters are perfectly developed, with their own quirky, one-of-a-kind personalities. The story is unique; a combination of religion, psychics and demons with so many twists, you'll never guess what will happen next. In addition to being a great book, it is also appropriate for students in upper middle to high school. There's someone for everyone to relate to, my favorite was the local Madame that came to Jackie's rescue when she needed it.
I would have liked more information about David at the end. That part was a little rushed; unless it's left for a second book. Overall, this is a strong 4.5 Star book; I loved it a lot.


The Great Leap
The Great Leap
Author: Jeff Sher
Book Type: Paperback
  • Currently 5/5 Stars.
 2
Review Date: 10/30/2016


The Great Leap
By Jeff Sher
Is there a new genre I haven't heard of yet? I've heard of Fiction, Realistic Fiction, and Fantasy, but this book just doesn't seem to fit into any of them. The Great Leap can only be described as Realistic Fantasy. The imagery is amazingly realistic; I visited some beautifully bright places in these pages. One word; Amazing...that sums it up. I highly recommend this to anyone who can read, if you don't like to read, this is the book to start with to gain a love of reading! Just don't get disappointed when no other book can compare.
I HUGE 5 Stars +, I absolutely loved it. I don't usually read books twice, but I may change that with this one.


Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World
Review Date: 5/14/2016


Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World
By Chapman, Gary

2 Stars

I grabbed this off Audiable to listen to in the car. I finished it with two errand trips around Savannah. I have Degrees in Child Development and Education, and like to get these books every once in a while to "sharpen my skills." This was worse than reading a textbook. The narrator reminded me of Ben Stein's monotone voice in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Also, it was weird to hear him read from a female's letter; imagine Stein saying "I, Aubrey....."

There were a lot of statistics read and over-informing the readers of the problem. We know kids are too attached to their screens, that's why we chose this book, we are hoping to get useable advice; which, was nowhere in this book. Don't get me wrong, advice was given, but it was obviously from someone that does not live with kids.

I have read so many helpful books, and felt this one could have been better. For this reason, I rate Growing Up Social with 2 stars.

Reviewed by Beth for www.boundlessbookreviews.com


Hand Rhymes
Hand Rhymes
Author: Marc Brown
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 20
Review Date: 8/30/2009


Great book to share with infants and up. Your children or students will love the hand rymes in this book!


Hesitation Wounds: A Novel
Hesitation Wounds: A Novel
Author: Amy Koppelman
Book Type: Hardcover
  • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
 2
Review Date: 5/14/2016


Hesitation Wounds
Amy Koppelman

Dr. Susanna Seliger, takes readers through her accomplished life. She is a successful doctor with a complete life; yet, a deep sadness in her life. We share her memories as a young innocent little girl as she is writing to her brother, whom she loves more than anyone, even now, several years after his childhood death. Suze takes readers along an emotional journey; we go in and out of relationships, experience several more losses, and finally, celebrate the ultimate gift she gives herself, complete happiness. All I can say without spoiling it, it this story ends in the most unexpected way, yet it's perfect.
This was an easy read. Unfortunately, I found it a bit wordy; several section and dialogs didn't contribute to the story. With that said, I still enjoyed the book and feel it warrants a rating of 4 Boundless stars.
Reviewed by Beth for www.Boundlessbookreviews.com


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