I have to confess from the beginning that I am particularly demanding when it comes to books written for preteens. After all, they are particularly vulnerable to the influences of their environment, be they positive or negative. The Prank List by Anna Staniszewski made for an interesting read. The main character, Rachel Lee, is set… Read More Book Review: ‘The Prank List’ by Anna Staniszewski
The music we are most exposed to is that which is deemed worthy by big companies with big reach. Unfortunately, these companies are more interested in making a profit than creating uplifting, inspiring music, encouraging audiences like ourselves to accept that the formulaic songs they churn out at breathtaking speed is, indeed, good music. How… Read More Book Review: ‘Your Band is a Virus!’ by James Moore
The allure, glamour, and charm exuded by Audrey Hepburn are sources of inspiration for many women. In Being Audrey Hepburn, nineteen year old Lisbeth’s obsession with the beautiful star and her movies brings her to a place she never thought she would ever step foot in. Lisbeth’s life is not an easy one. Her father… Read More Book Review: ‘Being Audrey’ by Mitchell Kriegman
One’s conception of life is of big importance as to how we deal with mistakes. If life on Earth is but one chance to do everything we have to do before disappearing for good, then of course mistakes are unacceptable. But if one understands life on Earth as the beginning of an eternal path on… Read More Book Review: ‘Constructive Wallowing: How to Beat Bad Feelings by Letting Yourself Have Them’ by Tina Gilbertson
I have had the pleasure of working with preteens and teens for some time and had to face very early on the question of sex. I believe this topic should not be a shameful one that needs to be hidden away. Rather it should be discussed openly with wisdom, and tact. Furthermore, preteens and teens… Read More Book Review: Kids Gone Wild: From Rainbow Parties to Sexting, Understanding the Hype Over Teen Sex, by Joel Best and Kathleen A. Bogle
Putting together your life after it has been torn apart by the death of your husband is not easy, especially when you have two young children, and it was discovered that your husband had been cheating on you before his death. But Nicki Valentine is not going to let that get to her. Quite the… Read More Book Review: Finding Sky, by Susan O’Brien
There are books that make you dream. Then there are books that sweep you off your feet and welcome you into a dream. Reading Sieni A.M.’s second novel, Scar of the Bamboo Leaf, was a little bit like the latter. Regular readers of my reviews will no doubt remember how much I loved her first… Read More Book Review: ‘Scar of the Bamboo Leaf’, by Sieni A. M.
Marriage is such an important topic for the single, the dating, the engaged, the married, or the divorced – unsurprisingly so, as it is a fundamental building block of society that helps order the community. And since marriage starts way before we meet that special someone, and since we don’t have to be married to… Read More Book Review: Team Us, by Ashleigh Slater
Summertime means reading in the sun with a glass of something refreshingly cold at your side. Hurrah? Not always. I find it increasingly difficult to find a satisfying read amidst the sea of superficial stories that do nothing to contribute to my reflection. The challenge is invigorating as I scour bookshelf after bookshelf for fiction… Read More Book Review: Honeymoon Hotel, by Hester Browne
That there are more screens in our lives now than ever is probably something we all agree on. Even if we do not personally own one, screens are everywhere: on roads, in stores, at our workplace, in schools, ad nauseum. In my personal, non-expert point of view, screens are here to stay. Thankfully, screens are… Read More Book Review: Growing up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World, by Gary Chapman and Arlene Pellicane