In the Name of the Children

September 20, 2018October 11, 2018 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: In the Name of the Children

Author: Jeffrey Rinek and Marilee Strong

Page Count: Unavailable

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: 17 July 2018, BenBella Books

Format: eBook

Review: While it deals with a very difficult subject matter, this book is extremely well written. Rinek and Strong are natural story tellers, making you feel like you’re sitting down with them and just talking and listening to Rinek’s tales of the FBI.

I would give this 5 stars, but the topic gives me pause. It doesn’t feel right, considering it’s about kidnapped children. However, it’s so, so well written. I can’t stress that enough. Rinek expertly describes the processes he went through and the people he dealt with. He shows a lot of respect for his fellow law enforcement officers, stating that many of them became friends over the years, which makes sense; not many people go through what they go through and that forms bonds.

This book is clearly not for everyone, however, if you think you can handle it, I highly recommend giving it a try.

Reader: Kymberly

Rating:

Non-fiction

Essential Oils For Mindfulness and Meditation: Relax, Replenish, Rejuvenate

September 16, 2018October 9, 2018 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Essential Oils for Mindfulness and Meditation: Relax, Replenish, and Rejuvenate

Title: Essential Oils for Mindfulness and Meditation: Relax, Replenish, Rejuvenate

Author: Heather Dawn Godfrey

Page Count: 160

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: November 6, 2018 by Healing Arts Press

Format: eBook

Review: This book was not what I was expecting. I was expecting a user-friendly guide to essential oils and how they can be incorporated into mindfulness and meditative practice. Instead it is a highly theoretical book that read very much like a college thesis. There was a lot of scholarly jargon, quotes from various studies, and charts discussing the purpose and application of various essential oils. Thrown in were also chapters giving an overview of mindfulness, meditation, healthy eating, and other self-care practices. It had some information I found helpful, but overall I did not find it very interesting and I admittedly skipped through a lot of it. This is not by any means a light read, and I would not recommend it to people who are unfamiliar with essential oils and their therapeutic properties.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fiction · Young Adult

Roam

September 16, 2018October 9, 2018 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

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Title: Roam

Author: C.H. Armstrong

Page Count: 320

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: February 5, 2019 by Central Avenue Publishing

Format: eBook

Review: This book would be an excellent assigned reading book for teens and pre-teens. I work in a community where many families are living out of cars or a single room, so the concept of homelessness and being stuck in a cycle of poverty is all too familiar to many of the people who frequent my library.

This book was very formulaic; however, this can be viewed as a positive attribute considering its targeted audience. The simplicity of the book puts it at an appropriate reading level for kids in Jr. High and High School and makes it more broadly relatable. It demonstrates that poverty does not always wear the face you expect, and it is not always evident when people are facing extreme hardships. I also appreciate that this book teaches empathy. For readers that can closely relate to Abby’s struggles, this book will show them that they are not alone and there are resources available to help them get through difficult times. I will absolutely be recommending this book to teachers and students who come into my library.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Non-fiction

Creating Sanctuary: Sacred Garden Spaces, Plant-Based Medicine, and Daily Practices to Achieve Happiness and Well-Being

September 10, 2018October 9, 2018 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

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Title: Creating Sanctuary: Sacred Garden Spaces, Plant-Based Medicine, and Daily Practices to Achieve Happiness and Well-Being

Author: Jessi Bloom

Page Count: 236

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: November 27, 2018 by Timber Press

Format: eBook

Review: I found this book to be very inspiring. I have been staring out at my weed-infested dirt mound of a backyard for over a year now at a complete loss as to how I should even begin landscaping it. This book has given me food for thought going forward.

This book teaches the reader how to build a space with intention. I appreciated that it provided a helpful overview of various trees, plants, and shrubbery that could contribute to creating a sanctuary tailored specifically to your needs. Many examples of how others have done this successfully are sprinkled throughout the book.

Over the years I have developed an interest in natural medicine and homemade products for personal and home use. This book provides a comprehensive guide on harvesting and drying plants and herbs, as well as recipes for how to put them to practical use.

This is a great reference guide for people interested in creating a useful, enjoyable space in their own backyard. I certainly plan to apply the principles learned in this book towards creating my own personal sanctuary at home.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Fiction · Young Adult

Little White Lies

September 10, 2018October 30, 2018 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

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Title: Little White Lies

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Page Count: 400

Series: Unknown

Publishing Date/Publisher: November 6, 2018 by Freeform

Format: eBook

Review: This book was a whole lot of fun. For fans of Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl, this is going to be the next big read.

The characters in this story were a bit stereotypical (nothing terribly original), but I still enjoyed watching them navigate through a life of riches and scandal. Although the story itself was bit formulaic (poor girl gets thrown into the deep end of high society as she is mentored by the wealthy family she never knew she had), I found it refreshing that there was no romantic subplot for the main character. The story focused almost entirely on her personal quest to find out who her father is.

Although I very much enjoyed this book, there are a couple reasons I could not bring myself to rate it higher.

The structure of the book was not my favorite. It starts out in the present then goes back in time to set the stage for what is happening now. Although I generally like this type of structure, I only like it when it is done well. The switches between the past and the present seem very unnecessary to me, and did nothing to further the suspense. The story could have moved along equally well if the author had only done one time jump in the beginning and then caught the reader back up towards the end of the book.

The big reveal at the end of the book was entirely anticlimactic. There are some authors that really know how to blow your mind with a big reveal, but this author has not quite mastered the art of it. The mystery is resolved enough to make this book a standalone, but the author left enough loose ends that I suspect that she is going to try to make it into a series. I, as the reader, feel perfectly content to leave the story where it ended in this book.

Reader: Bekah

Rating:

Historical · Non-fiction

The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy

September 9, 2018October 11, 2018 youwanttoreadthistrustmeLeave a comment

Title: The Assassination of Robert. F. Kennedy

Author: Tim Tate and Brad Johnson

Page Count: 352

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: June 2018, Thistle Publishing

Format: eReader

Review: This was a very fascinating read. Tim Tate and Brad Johnson clearly put so much time and research into it and while it sometimes gets a little bogged down with the details, it is always clear that they are so passionate about this topic. Their explanation of the events that took place on the night of the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy is very plausible- I would say I completely believe it, but I want to read more about it before being absolutely sure. I try not to form my opinions on just one book/article and their arguments are clearly formed and back by facts and data, it’s just that in this day and age we need to be careful of what we believe straight off the bat. I will definitely read more about this in the future.

The one main downside to the book is that it really leads the reader into what they want them to think, rather than letting the facts fend for themselves. This was clear from the onset, with the blurb on the cover stating what they believed and planned on showing, so it wasn’t a big betrayal or anything like that, it just would have been nice to arrive at the end conclusion by myself instead of having my hand held.

Reader: Kymberly

Rating: 3.5