The Bamboo Girl Review

The Bamboo Girl by Hoa X Nguy is a book that I had a difficult time reading. I thought it would be a wonderful story about a princess to tell my grand daughter.

The story is very difficult to keep in perspective. It is a story for the young reader, but some of the phrases are more adult in content. And at other times, it's like the words are trying to hard to explain the story as if being told to a child. The inconsistencies made it very difficult to read. The layout of the book was difficult as well. The pages had so much going on in the way of background, that adding a half a page of words created a headache for the eyes.

All in all, I believe The Bamboo Girl to be a sweet story. It would be better if the target audience was decided. I would give this book 2 stars.

You can pick up a copy at the online bookstore:

http://dorrance.stores.yahoo.net/bamboogirl.html

I received a complimentary copy of The Bamboo Girl as a member of the
Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team. Visit http://dorrance.stores.yahoo.net/doborete.html

to learn how you can become a member of the Book Review Team

Foster Child Review

Foster Child - Finding the courage to succeed... by Dennis Harris is a hard hitting story about success despite beginnings in the foster system. This is Dennis Harris' life. He speaks about the foster system from personal experience.

When Dennis Harris was 5 years old, he was put into an orphanage in Washington D.C. by his mother. He was abandoned by his entire family. Harris lived with a foster family till he became of age and was forced to make it on his own because he was no longer a financial reward.

His story goes along all of the stereotypes that we envision from a boy in the system. He made his way to drugs and trouble. But this is an inspiring story of a man who succeeded despite his roots. He found a good woman who stood by him. I find his story inspirational because of his honesty. He is open about his fears and his failures as well as his successes.

Dennis Harris stands as a positive role model for anyone. Something he said really struck a nerve for me. "Foster care shaped who I am... It was the single biggest impact on my life." Too many people blame their parents or their past. Harris shows that we all have the ability to overcome our past.

I give this book 4 stars. I received this book for the purpose of writing my honest review.

Product Details
Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: iUniverse.com (December 16, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9781450275705
ISBN-13: 978-1450275705
ASIN: 1450275702
Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.2 inches

Yoga for Emotional Balance

Yoga for Emotional Balance by Bo Forbes was an insightful book. I have never taken yoga.I have actually cast humor at yoga. This book actually changed my mind.

The author actually goes into the physiology of the human mind. The book is broken down into 2 parts. The first part is the path to emotional balance. It is broken down into 5 sections. Each section goes into the whys and why nots of anxiety and depression and how to transform that energy into healing energy. After the explanations and teachings in each section, the author includes both breathing and body exercises to make you fully aware of the previous content.

The second part goes into the actual healing part of the book. Now that you know how anxiety and depression effect your body, it is time to assess your emotional type. Each emotional type, and there are 4, each require different poses and practices to achieve success. In this part, the poses are explained in detail for maximum effectiveness. Pictures are included of the poses for those who are more visual.

I recommend this book for the first time yoga student. It changed my outlook and it could change yours. I give this book 4 stars.


Title: Yoga for Emotional Balance
SubTitle: Simple Practices to Help Relieve Anxiety and Depression
Publisher: Shambhala
Pub Date: 03/08/2011
ISBN: 9781590307601

An Atlas of Impossible Longing

An Atlas of Impossible Longing by Anuradha Roy was appropriately named. I was longing for something with this book.

Please do not get me wrong. This is not a bad book. I was unable to become absorbed with the story. Roy is an incredible writer. She has a wonderful way of drawing the scenery with her words. However, I found it difficult to relate to the characters in the book. The characters of Nirmal and Shanti were the ones I found most interesting, but their story was too short. The overall sadness to the book also made it difficult to keep my interest. With so much misery within these characters, I found it difficult for me to stay with the book for any real length of time. This could have influenced my lack of real understanding for the story plot.

I would give this book 3 1/2 stars. The book has wonderful attributes. It just wasn't to my liking.

A complimentary copy of An Atlas of Impossible Longing was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are mine alone.

Petals of Love

Petals of Love by Bernadette Callaghan-Joseph is a wonderful story from the mystical land of Judith. I hope there will be more to come.

Little girls will love the story because the characters are fairies. Younger boys will be enticed, but by the age of 6, there better be some action to keep their attention. The fairies are trying to show a token of love, but become insecure about their gift. The moral of this story is that love is the greatest gift.

I loved the book as did my grand daughters. My grandsons...well, refer back to the action comment. It teaches a valuable lesson of love, thoughtfulness, and caring. I give this book 5 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of Petals of Love as a member of the Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team. Visit dorrancebookstore.com to learn how you can become a member of the Book Review Team.

REGGIE

REGGIE - You Can't Change Your Past, But You Can Change Your Future - by Reggie Dabbs with John Driver is an inspirational look at one man's life.

I don't have to know your name to know your pain...
I don't have to see your home to know your shame...
I have my own.
But somebody loved me just the way I am,
and somebody loves you just the way you are.

This mantra is the focus of the book: God's undying love for us as individuals. Reggie Dabbs is a motivational speaker who shares his story. He discovers that he is adopted when he was in the second grade. His birth mother's actions were a difficult struggle for Reggie. This book is about how he learns to accept himself and overcome the obstacles that faced him throughout his life.

The book is very enjoyable to read. It is easy to identify with the author. It could have been you telling the story. The way he intertwines pop culture and God puts learning valuable lessons within reach for all of us, especially young people. His sense oh humor keeps you wanting to read more. The book seems to me to be a great resource for youth bible study groups. I give this book 4 stars.

I received REGGIE - You Can't Change Your Past, But You Can Change Your Futuree by Reggie Dabbs with John Driver by Booksneeze to review and give my honest opinion of this book.

The Blessing of Adversity

The Blessing of Adversity - Finding your God-given purpose in life's troubles by Barry C. Black is a truly inspiring masterpiece. In his book, Black discusses the trials and
tribulations of his lifetime and shares how he relied on Godly principles to deal with those situations.

The book is divided into three sections:

* Mastering the Basics
* Avoiding the Sources of Trouble
* Turning Your Adversity into Advantage

Each section is broke into relative chapters. And each chapter ends with an action plan. Black gives us strong techniques and scripture to support us through our difficult times.
The book is very easy to read. With today's busy lifestyle, we can pick the book up and read small sections at a time and not lose the momentum of the book's purpose. I find the book to be a useful handbook in dealing with everyday, not just the bad days. I give The Blessing of Adversity 5 stars.

I received a copy of this book from Tyndale Publishing in exchange for an honest review. I received no other compensation.