Jessica
This is what it is like to get clean. You have to find something to fill the hole you have after you cut the drugs out. When you are an addict, it becomes your entire life. Every thought that goes through you mind revolves around your next fix. After prolonged use, you cannot function without. Statistics show that most successfully recovered addicts turned to religion. It makes sense. There is no better supprt group than that of a church congregation. You will need a support group. You need to believe that there is a higher purpose to life than what you are currently experiencing. You must also want to put the drugs down.
This is the story of a married couple, Barbara and Ed. Ed has a cocaine addiction. This book shows you addiction from the side of a family member watching their loved one not only destroy their life, but also the lifes of everyone around them. She tells the story of how they had to hit rock bottom and crawl back out.
Reading this was emotional to me. I know I put my family through some horrible things. The hardest part of my recovery was being able to look at my self in the mirror and forgive myself. Can I say for 100% sure that I will not relapse? No I can't, I still fight everyday with it.
This was a great reminder of what it was like to live like I did. I recommend this anyone who is an addict, or as a loved one struggling with addiction.
First reads
John Collings' book Hell and God and Nuns With Rulers, gives us a peek into the life of a teenage boy named Tristan. His parents are Catholic and have injected as much religion into his life as possible. He goes to Catholic school, attends church every Sunday, and is now taking classes to be confirmed in the Catholic Church.
Tristan meets a boy named Edward at a party. They kiss, he likes it. His reaction to the kiss scares him. His entire life his parents and church has taught him that he should find a nice woman to marry and have children with. He worries that his feelings towards this other boy are a sin. As much as he tries, he can't make his feelings go away. He decides to have an ‘inside the closet' relationship with Edward. He quickly learns that things are hard to keep secret. All it takes is one slip up and you are the new town scandal. Everyone knows about their relationship, even his parents. No one treats him the same anymore, his father can't tolerate being in the same room with him.
My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book. The parts that talk about the pressures many Catholic teens feel were so familiar to me.
In first grade, we memorized the Our Father. In second grade, we learned everything we needed to know to receive the holy sacrament of Eucharist. The next year, we learned all about Mother Mary and topped it all off with Hail Mary—not the moment the Pittsburg Steelers made it to the Super Bowl, but the name of the prayer they said to make it there. In fourth grade, we worried ourselves sick about having to confess our sins for the first time. By the end of fifth grade, they forced us to memorize the Ten Commandments, and in sixth grade they asked us to not only to recite Apostle's Creed, but to understand it's meaning as well. I really struggled in the seventh grade...
I remember this too. My Catholic parents and teachers used God as a scare tactic to make me follow their rules. I was expected to be the perfect Catholic girl in every aspect of my life. I think some of the pressure is what turned me away from the religion the minute I was out of my parent's home.
Tristan's problems are far worse than mine ever were. This book gave me a realistic idea of how it must feel to be terrified of feelings you can't control. He feels happy when he is with Edward, but is a nervous wreck about the repercussions he might have face if he continues to have a relationship with him. How will his relationship with his parents, friends, and God come out after all of this? Is his attraction to other males a one time thing, or will he be like this forever?
Excerpts from the book that really stood out to me:
...”Have you had intercourse with that boy?” “Mom!” My dad sided with her. “Well, have you, Tristan?” “Dad, how could you ever think that? We've only gone on one date.” My dad turned away from me in digust. “Oh, but you've thought about having sex with that boy, haven't you?” I just sat there with nothing to say. Mostly, I just felt numb. My mom shook her head back and forth. “Tristan, where did you get this crazy idea about being gay? Television? Music? Public School?” “Mom, it has nothing to do with any of that. I just like boys.” My dad turned around to face me again, “No, Tristan, you do not just like boys. I will not have a gay son. Do you hear me? You are not gay. You're just going through some phase. We can fix you and you will want to be fixed.”
After this, his parent tell him he will be attending Sister Corregio's Apostolate to be taught how not to be gay.
This written from Tristan's point of view. The author is a very talented writer. He is an English teacher at an alternative high school in Colorado, the grammar in his writing is top notch.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants more insight into the conflict between religion and homosexuality. If you are greatly opposed to homosexuality you may find this book offensive.
Received through Goodreads First Reads
I have seen many self help books. I am a nurse, a recovering addict (8 years sobriety), and and in my first semester of college in hopes of achieving an associates degree in behavioral science. So many books seem overwhelming in both size and recommended course of action. This one is a little over 150 pages and has brief chapters on a variety of areas that one may need help. This books outlines the ‘little steps make a big difference approach. This isn't an in depth guide to any one area but it is a great all purpose guide great for anyone who wants to try and better their life.
I received a physical copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The scene- what members of BDSM community their group
D/s- Dominant/submissive
The Companion tells us the story of Susan, a newbie to the lifestyle, and Mark, a long time participant in the BDSM lifestyle. Their journey to happiness isn't easy. They both have demons in their closet. This is part of a three part series, it can be read as a standalone novel.
Susan is unhappy with her life. She has no self respect and lets people use her. She has let it go on for so long that she no longer knows herself. She knows things must change, but she has no clue where to start. She is introduced to ‘the scene' by an encounter at a bar. She is instantly curious and drawn to the lifestyle.
Mark has been a member of the BDSM community for quite a while. Has a built a reputation for being a well respected member of the community. He has recently lost his log term submissive partner. He is reluctant to put himself back into the position where he could have to relive the grief he suffered after the loss he suffered. A friend calls him to let him know that a newbie member to the scene is in need of a Dominant partner. He becomes curious and decides to meet the woman.
When Susan gets her first taste of what life with Mark will be like she is unsure she has made the right decision. She is now, while in Mark's presence, referred by just a single letter, L. She knows that Mark only wants her to do what is best for her, but finds herself not following his rules and hiding things from him. Her old life falls apart and she finds herself in a situation she has never faced. She knows that her way out is to allow Mark to take full control.
There is so much I want to talk about but don't want to spoil parts of the book for future readers. This took me to places I was uncomfortable with, but my vanilla eyes are no longer. So many author's have taken BDSM lifestyle and turned it into a fantasy land of torture and orgasms. It is far more than that. People involved in this lifestyle can range from the curious one timers, or they can make it a complete lifestyle choice.I am curious to see where the author will take this series. The writing itself was top notch. I didn't notice any grammatical mistakes. The story flowed smoothly and at a moderate pace. I like this author's writing. I have learned so much from this book.
Common misconception concerning BDSM:
-It is all about pain. WRONG! After reading this book the words I would use are trust, power, and control.
-The male is always the dominant partner in a heterosexual relationship. WRONG! In this book we meet a couple where the female is dominant.
-Only uneducated women participate in the BDSM scene. WRONG! In general, women who participate in this lifestyle tend to have higher education. I believe the stress that comes with life after a higher education is part of what is enticing about “scene”. To enter a controlled relationship where this isn't constant power struggle, be it taking complete control or letting go of control, leaves so much less to worry about.
Quotes:
“What! You don't want to be becoming no slave, girl, you can trust me on that.!” Kate, L's friend (Kate's reaction when L tells her of her interest in BDSM)
“Our relationship is based on me say, you do. If we get to know each other before we start, then you'll know my buttons. If you know those you can undermine me and that won't help us one bit. The goal here is for you to lose control and trust me to guide you. If you can work me from behind the scenes, then what does that do to my authority.”Mark (Mark and Susan's first meeting)
“Master; if it wasn't for you, I don't think I would have a life that was worth living.” -L (after three months of giving control to Mark)
If you read this book, don't go into this expecting hardcore kink. This is tame portrayal of a real D/s relationship. I recommend this to readers who are curious about what BDSM is really like. I also recommend this to people who think 50 Shades is a horrible portrayal of the lifestyle.
This was way better than I expected. Rosalind James has gained herself a new loyal fan. I used to read only books from this genre, but drifted away for a while. This book has inspired me to drift back.
This is the story of a blooming love between Zoe and Cal. Zoe is a career driven woman. Cal is an ex-NFL player. Cal meets Zoe when her car goes off the road in the snow. When Zoe catches the attention of a stalker, Cal is determined to protect her.
In a lot of romantic suspense novels either the romance, or the suspense is lacking. This does not suffer from that. There is sex but it is not distasteful. I recommend this to fans of Carla Neggers, Diana Palmer, Linda Howard.
Warning: May cause carpal tunnel syndrome. This is steamy!
Great for fans of Black Dagger Brotherhood, Lords of the Underworld, Dark Hunters, or Immortals After Dark.
Setta Jay introduces us to a world filled with immortals, demons, hell hounds, dragons, demi-gods/goddesses, shifters, and more. This was confusing to follow, at first. The included glossary was well used and greatly appreciated. This is a standalone novel featuring a M/F couple.
Ebook provided by Netgalley in exchange for honest review.
Netgalley provided an ebook copy in exchange for review
This is a graphic novel geared towards middle grade (Nate is in 6th grade) readers. We follow Nate through his everyday life of being a middle school student. The colored graphics remind me of the Sunday paper comics section (which I read every week). It is 177 pages long and is a compiled collection of shorter comics.
This took me back to my years spent in middle school. I was reminded of the horrible school lunches, mean teachers, kids with braces, art projects, Grandparents Day, and summer break. My favorite section is about Nate and an odd dog who is afraid squirrels, plays with cats, wears a wussy sweater and a collar that looks like a satellite dish. Nate teaches the dog to play Frisbee, Instead of fetching the Frisbee the dog picks it up and throws it like Nate did and accidentally whacks a mean, nerdy girl from school in the head with it. Nate and the dog hide behind a tree and manage to not get caught by the girl. This was fun to read.
If you have a little time to kill, this is the perfect short story that will keep you thinking about it long after you finish it. This author also has a full length novel, The Seventh Sons. I will definitely be picking this up.
Let me start by saying this story is short, only 16 pages. At the time of this review it is free for Play Books.
Rick Daniels works for the LAPD in the Robbery Homicide Department. The department in slammed by local media after the mysterious deaths of local homeless citizens are not properly investigated by the police. For appearance sake the department decides to put an effort into discovering what truly happened. Rick is sent undercover as Ricky Kicks, a homeless, down on his luck redneck. The himeless are scared and quick to blame.
I am surprised at how much I enjoyed this story considering how short it is.
This is a story told by page sized illustrated pictures. The book starts out with an illustration of an open green field with one mole hole. They blow holes through the ground with a cannon and dig tunnels with a drill attatched to the front of a train. The town grows to be a vast city with a subway and a city square reminiscent of Times Square. The moles have evolved into clothes wearing citizens with mountains of work on their plates. Their simple dirt homes are now stuffed full and filled with modern day electronics. Up top, the green field has greatly suffered. This book makes it easy for kids to see how progress affects the natural world around us.
The illustrations in the book are very detailed and clearly tell a story without the use of words. The message behind this book is one that we all need to take to heart.
It is Ally-saurus' first day of kindergarten. Ally is obsessed with dinosaurs. At school she roars her hellos and chops her lunch like dinosaur. She also makes friend with a few princesses, an astronaut, a dragon, a lion, some pirates at recess, and boy who really likes his lunch box.
This is a cute story about making friends with people with different interests. It has cute illustrations that uniquely display all the children's imaginations. The ‘real world is drawn in black and white, but the children's imaginary selves are added in crayon.
This would be great for any beginner grade child who is nervous about starting school.
I received this goodreads first reads.
I would recommend this to fans of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson.
(There are 3 books so far. Kindle Unlimited)
Peter Huggleston is a peculiar boy. He doesn't much care for his stepmother and since his real mother's death, doesn't have much of a relationship with his father. After an incident involving his boomerang and his stepmother's best friend, he finds out that he has a maternal aunt, Gillian, and that he will be staying with her for the summer.
Hillside Manor, his Aunt's home, is not at all what he expected it to be. His father and him entered through a front gate large enough to make the car they rode in look as small as a potato. The structure before him is easily the largest he had ever seen. He is greeted at the door by the house secretary, Mrs. Smith, and the House Host, Monty.
Aunt Gillian tells Peter that she is queen of the Realm of Galadria (the golden realm) and it is time for her to name her successor. She has had no children so naturally she has chosen him to take her spot. She tells him that because of his youth ad absence from Galadria that a man named Knor has challenged his spot on the throne. Knor's family is known for it's violence, and cruelty. If he were to gain the throne, Galadria would in grave of civil war.
“I ask you to agree to a life of great privilege and great responsibility. You would not be expected to rule or make decisions in any capacity until I step down from the throne...which will not happen until I am a very old woman.” she added with a wink. “Until then, what would I do?” he asked wonderingly. “You would be formally presented to the council, and would spend your summers at Hillside learning about Galadria and spending your time on the grounds. There would also of course be the occasional ceremony to introduce you to the rest of the nobles, but those events are held here at the manor. Then when you came of age, you would go through the traditional ‘Rights of Passage,' a series of challenges that the rulers of Galadria must pass, as I did, to prove your readiness and ability to the council.” “And what if I choose not to accept?” he asked.
Peter must prove himself a worthy successor by successfully completing a series of challenges called The Rite of Passage. In order to get ready for these he spends his days training and studying. A unknown person goes to great measures to try to scare Peter away from completing tasks ahead of him.
This book reminds me a lot of the Harry Potter books. I was completely engrossed in this book from beginning to end. There is magic, hidden lands only accessible by portals, and mythical creatures. The world that author has built is amazing and very unique.
This is a poem with beautiful illustrations. This book had me in tears. This is the story of an ophaned child alone on the streets on Christmas. He looks through windows of other homes and wonders why he can't have food, presents, or a warm place to shield him from the cold.
I will never forget reading this. I read this a week ago and it has still yet to stay out of my thoughts. I will admit that I spoil my kids. They have everything (tablets, computers, dirt bikes...they ask, I get it). They do work for it though; They are both straight A students and help out a lot around the house. My daughter read this and has since been much more thankful for all that she has. I gave her 20 dollars to spend on herself and she hopped on her bike, road to the store, and bought a bag of groceries for our neighbor who has been off work for a couple weeks for medical reasons. I watched her set the bag on their porch then ring there door bell and run off. I am so proud of her.
Free on Amazon
Winner of the Gulf Coast Chapter of Romance Writers of America's Silken Sands Self-Published Star Contest, Young Adult Category
Winner of the Maryland Romance Writers Reveal Your Inner Vixen contest, Young Adult category
Main characters: Jay (cyborg) and Tyler (outcast)
The book begins with a Jay, a cyborg, being commanded by her father/creator, Dr. Alexander Jay Durham, to kill him...
“I. Do. Not. Want... to do this... Father.” Alex's eyelids flew open and he choked on a gasp. Real tears glistened in her eyes. It should have been impossible for her to fight the command, impossible for her to produce tears. A malfunction or a miracle? Only time would tell. And Alex had run out of time. He snatched a deep breath and clasped his hands, settling them into his lap. His eyelids drifted closed. “Cyborg Unit Gamma-Dash-One, commence sequence J-O-H-N-3-colon-16.” “Commencing sequence J-O-H-N-3-colon-16,” the cyborg repeated. “I love you, Father.” And in one swift, efficient movement, she broke the old man's neck. As humans often liked to do in such circumstances, she closed her eyes, honoring her creator and his contribution to this world with a minute of silence and utter stillness. She would have preferred to bury him but that was not part of the plan.
In honor of her creator she names herself Jay.
Jay moves to a middle class town and does her best to blend in and conceal her identity. She signs up for school, what would be more out of place than a teenage girl not attending school.
Tyler, high school student with a talent for writing music and portraiture, is tormented by the other kids in his class and often referred to as a freak. He wished he could go some place new and reinvent himself. He meets Jay and insta crush on the new hot girl.
Jay is doing her best to fit in but continually does things that a typical teenage girl wouldn't. She finds herself feeling emotions beyond what she programmed to feel.
This is a sweet story and so far I am really enjoying this book.
This book is very user friendly. It reads similar to cookbook letting you know the supplies you need before you start. I have read other jewelry/bead DIY books and so many are difficult to follow. The step by step picture instructions make it easy to follow than following a written instructions. Great design ideas.
