Review Tales
Book Magazine – Publishing – Editing
A Space Between Worlds Vol.1: Conception by J.D. Woodson (Book Review # 32)
I was given this book by the Author & Royal James Publishing for a review.
Here is a story written about two concepts, Shanti and Reno. This fantasy book is not like the ones you have read before. It is entirely out of the box and style of which we are accustomed to in the 21st century. The book follows Shanti and Reno’s desire to understand who they are, where they come from and unravels secrets that ultimately define their future.
The interesting part is that they are beings and nothing more. The conception is that one is a faceless songstress with a curse to remain that way, so she hides behind a disguise. The other is a florist with no recollection of his past pursuing answers, and until he finds the truth, there is nothing he can do to move forward. It is almost like he is in limbo. Are you confused yet?
Since the author has a poetic background, the book was written in a very different style of literature. There were too many explicitly written feelings and emotions that took away from the flow of the tale. The plot and storyline were fascinating. I applaud the writer’s skill in bringing forward an innovative form of a manuscript and look forward to reading more of his work.
Anyone that has read a few fantasy, science fiction books and is into deeper conceptualized content writing, can easily understand and enjoy this book. My recommendation would be that if you are picking this book up as a first time, Sci-Fi reader then, don’t.
The story is about love, redemption, strength, realism and time, all things useful and necessary.
Feel free to leave a comment below if you liked this review.
Written by Jeyran Main
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Dennis and Greer by Molly Gould (Book Review #303)
The letters are found fifty years after and what transpires is a strikingly real novel, making the reader ponder after it is over. The story is set in the 1960’s and when Greer’s daughter finds these letters, she then enters a world she never knew her mother had gone through.
The other intriguing factor about this book is its character development. Dennis and Greer are not the typical loved-up couple you see in Hollywood. They face trouble and their long-distance relationship does take the toll with time. Dennis is hesitant and less expressive in his feelings where Greer is the opposite. The story feels real because of this and that is what makes this book special.
The literature standard is well written and easy to follow through. The pace is steady and the connection between the paragraphs flows well. I believe anyone wishing to read a touching story and enjoys romance would find this book suitable.
Written by Jeyran Main
This review was kindly requested by Molly Gould.
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Only Wrong Once by Jenifer Ruff (Book Review #316)
FBI agent Quinn Traynor is adamant to stop his massacre from happening. With the help of Madeline Hamilton, he only has a few days to prevent this horrific incident from happening.
When I began reading this book, I felt that it just sounded too close to home. With everything that is currently happening in the world, this book is a good reminder of what we really are dealing with. The author displays a very realistic suspenseful feel in her writing. The principal characters grow on you and the feeling of wanting to simply demolish the bad guys runs through your veins, as you read the book.
The literature is outstanding and the descriptive nature of the storyline is strong, creating the ability for the reader to easily dive into the action scenes and imagine them as real as you want them to be. I also enjoyed the double dimensional approach the story took. It wasn’t just all about Quinn or Madeline trying to save the world. The reader also gets a glimpse of the other side. How a lonely banker ends up losing his job, and flies to Syria, getting mixed in, with ISIS.
I believe anyone looking to read on an exciting journey filled with delicious action scenes will enjoy this book.
Written by Jeyran Main
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Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Book Review #6)
Summary
“Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. This cyborg is a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, Cinder must uncover secrets about her past to protect her world’s future.” by Marissa Meyer
Review
Hello, Chronical Lunar Lovers! Cinder is one of four books written by Marissa Meyer in 2012. Her, books are a mixture between fairy-tale storylines with an add of Sci-Fi, a visit to Galaxies, and Politics. Stars above and fairest are two additional books written in addition to the ones mentioned.
Let me firstly congratulate this writer. Marissa not only has saved the essence and purity of the fairy tales we have grown to love, but she has added delicious twists and turns to them as well. Our Cinderella has been transformed to another level.
Let us be thankful that Cinder is not the usual fairy tale girly girl. She is not a girl trying to act like a boy either. Cinder is feminine when she needs to be and a leader, making important decisions, all at the same time. You seriously will find it hard to put the book down. Her strong mentality comes with elegance and grace. She is lonely and has a questionable past. Just like our Disney Cinderella, she too has a stepmom and sister that miss-use her, yet she treats them nicely and with patience. Also, she handles her half robot body very maturely for a 16-year-old.
Marissa Meyer has added a twist to this story. Cinder possesses an absolute magic on top of the ability to be more than just a human being. She is a cyborg, yet still, has the heart to fall in love or to care about her world.
I believe that she could have handled the Prince situation with a better plan and have a much more significant impact. The reason to go to the ball, in the end, was not as strongly justified. She could have just quickly sent a message or found a different way to tell the prince since he had already given her access to talk to him. She also could have avoided the whole embarrassing encounter by just seeing him in so many different ways rather than making it as public as she did.
The twist of the story, which was very attractive to me was that
spoiler alert.
Cinder wasn’t just an orphan girl mistreated growing up working like a slave and then going to a ball and become a princess by falling in love with the prince. She is way more capable than just our average Disney Cinderella. She IS a princess herself and isn’t even aware of it! Cinder does not need a prince to save him. In fact, the prince is the one in need of saving!
The story finishes leaving just enough power for you to go out and buy the second book, Scarlet.
Jeyran Main
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Hollow Fissure by Max E. Stone (Book Review #301)
First and foremost, I absolutely can say that this was an extremely well-written novel. The dynamics of the storyline having two protagonists was very interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed the correct and relevant way the author portrayed Hannah in the plot. She, being a teenager alone should have been a handful for any parent. However, no, she wasn’t just a teenager. She has gone through something even an adult would struggle to deal with.
The author easily made sure the reader was well educated and informed on her condition in order to create a strong bond with her. Another point I must add is that, if you really wish to enjoy this book, I would highly recommend you read from the first book.
Having not read any of the previous books, I found it increasingly hard to know who is who and what is going on. I recommend this book for people who enjoy reading romantic fiction thrillers and begin reading from the first book.
Written by Jeyran Main
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Life is Too Short to Be Unhappy, Create Your Own Inspired Work By Vicki Morris
Life is Too Short to Be Unhappy, Create Your Own Inspired Work
By Vicki Morris
Here is an interview with Vicki Morris, the Career Happiness Coach, founder of InspiredWork and author of the Inc. Best 100 Business book Happy Habits., and the transformational career guides InspiredWork: Create Work You Love in 8 Weeks and its companion InspiredWork Workbook.
Why did you write InspiredWork?
I wrote InspiredWork because I believe life is too short to be unhappy at work. Many of us spend more than half of our waking hours at work. As a result, work plays a major part in our lives and impacts our mental, emotional and physical health and wellbeing. Plus, our happiness level – happy or not – also spills over to our colleagues, friends and family. I know this from personal experience because I went through 16 full-time and consulting job transitions in my 27-year career and I experienced a lot of unhappiness that affected me and everyone around me. Fortunately, I was able to turn my pain into fuel and my career journey can now be titled “From Career Unhappiness to InspiredWork.”
What is InspiredWork?
InspiredWork is work where you:
- Are FREE to be yourself,
- Feel FULFILLED by using your gifts,
- Are HAPPY at work, and
- LOVE your life.
My experiences have led me to understand that in order to have our own inspired work that truly speaks to us and fulfills our life’s purpose, it’s not about finding it – it’s about creating it from the inside out and enjoying the journey.
This concept of InspiredWork is the basis for my latest books InspiredWork: Create Work You Love in 8 Weeks and the companion InspiredWork Workbook, as well as the company and the movement that now has 50,000 followers.
The InspiredWork books are transformational career guides for individuals who have been in the workforce for some time, but are seeking a change. Whether you’re job seeking because you’re currently out of work, would like to make a career change, or are considering your own startup, this book provides a specific strategy for each unique situation. It also aims to tackle the unhappiness epidemic in the workplace.
What is the unhappy work epidemic?
Many of today’s workers feel stuck in their current roles. In fact, Deloitte research shows that 80% of employees are unhappy at work. That’s an overwhelming majority, and my belief is that many people are demotivated and de-energized in their careers. InspiredWork aims to address those issues by getting to the root cause – it puts the power in the hands of the individual.
Why do you think it’s important for individuals to take charge of their own careers?
Even in the very best companies, you’re responsible for furthering your career and taking control of your future. Now more than ever before, it’s not just about seeking out opportunities, in many cases, it’s about creating them.
Is this what you mean by “create the work you love?”
Yes. The main idea behind InspiredWork is that we as individuals can discover what it is that we value most in our work, and then we can create and pursue career opportunities that align with those values. I also believe that creating your own version of work that’s most inspiring and empowering to you should be considered a critical life skill. When you look inward first to determine what exactly you need in a career, you can then take a healthier approach to your goal, whether that’s finding a job, starting a business, or changing careers.
How is it possible to create inspired work in just 8 weeks?
I’ve provided a step-by-step guide that includes everything jobseekers and entrepreneurs need to find a job, change careers or start their own business in only 8 weeks. I encourage readers to dedicate at least one hour to their career journey each day. By following the steps I’ve outlined throughout the guide, professionals will have everything they need for a successful and personalized inspired work journey.
The five-step InspiredWork System starts with “Inspiration & Energy.” Why is that important for your readers?
There are different reasons as to why this is important for each unique type of reader. For instance, jobseekers often approach employment as a solution to a problem. We’re trained to think that the “problem” is being out of work, and the solution is to find a new job as quickly as possible. While some jobseekers do indeed need to find work quickly for financial reasons, at the very least we must pause to re-energize ourselves and take an inward approach to find inspiration.
Otherwise, people tend to wind up in a role very similar to the one they just left. It’s critically important for career changers and entrepreneurs as well, because without a solid vision about what you want your work life to look like, it will be very difficult – if not impossible – to get there.
How is InspiredWork different from other career books?
There are so many great books available that offer helpful career advice. Here, though, I’m encouraging readers to take an inside-out approach to creating work they love. Unlike other career guides, I’ve also included 40-days of inspired actions each reader can take based on the career transformation path he or she has chosen such as finding a new job, changing careers or starting a new business. Inspired actions include a combination of inner work (e.g., creating an InspiredWork vision that is heart-centered, reprogramming your conscious and subconscious mind for success and raising your energy daily) and outer work (e.g., creating an authentic personal and/or business brand, establishing a personalized career plan, and implementing a marketing campaign to achieve your career goal). The inside-out combination is very effective because it ensures each reader to discover what inspired work means to him or her personally and it provides practical actions he or she can take to transform his or her career in only 8 weeks.
What is the one inspired career action you recommend everyone take?
Whether you do it for yourself or for your loved ones, I highly recommend that everyone do an annual Career Happiness Checkup such as the InspiredWork Quiz. That’s really the best career advice I can give anyone in the workforce. If you have never done a career happiness checkup before and don’t know how happy or inspired you are at work, take the FREE InspiredWork Quiz and get your career happiness score today. Knowingwhere you are is the best first step you can take to being happier at work and creating your own inspired work.
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Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (Book Review #5)
Summary
“Cinder returns in the second thrilling installment of the New York Times-bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.
Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother and the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark secrets of his own.
As Scarlet and Wolf work to unravel one mystery, they find another when they cross paths with Cinder. Together, they must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner.”- by Marissa Meyer
Review
We all now know whom Cinder is and how important it is for her to get out of prison and to confront Levana Blackburn. In Scarlet, on the other hand, we do not hear much from Cinder until it is towards the end of the story. This book focuses on Scarlet, her background and her one sole mission to find her grandma. It is supposedly a retake on the “Little Red Riding Hood” story, however; it is far from it. I do not think that Marissa Meyer intended the story to be like that fairy tale either. There are some similarities, such as the red jacket or the wolf and the grandma; however, in this review on tales, you can see that Scarlet is not that sweet innocent little red riding hood. The wolves are after the grandma, but not the one wolf she eventually falls in love with in the story. The entire book is connecting pieces from the past and blending it with the future.
I found Scarlet very tomboyish. Apparently working on a farm and being abandoned by her father was hard on her and she had to learn to defend herself to survive. Her grandma kept a big secret from her, which I liked. That secret kept her from harm but also made her feel lonelier as she discovers that no one has ever been truthful to her. She is strict, harsh and attempts to hide behind a self-created shield. She does not like to show any emotions of which could jeopardize her stone image.
I liked Michelle Benoit’s story, and how it was all connected to the puzzle, we have been trying to put together from Cinder. This book introduces Throne. He is the “Ryder” character we all know from “Rapunzel.” He is just as funny and a bad boy of course. He brought out a lighter side of the story since Scarlet is almost always angry, harsh and just to the point. I am glad that Throne was in this book, and I think it was a good move from the writer to mix the three characters and slowly move us on to the third book “Cinder.”
Written by Jeyran Main
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Self Blossom by David Russell (Book Review #301)
The story has a subtle poetic literary standard to it. The main character is not as likable or in many aspects relatable to a woman and that I believe sums up the reason why the story may not resonate with a lot of readers. The book is a combination of a romantic setting with the added erotic literature description with a sprinkle of a woman’s liberation.
What the book did possess was a very sweet, sensual, dreamy and romantic side to it that fiction lovers would appreciate. The work is well written and I believe it complimented the genre it is relevant to. I believe the strongest aspect about this book was its world setting. Selene has so many thoughts and poetic discussion with herself that it was very easy to envision the surroundings she was in.
I recommend this book to romance readers.
Written by Jeyran Main
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