Book Review: Christmas Stories for Kids

This is a review of a free-download of the eBook. I was a bit put off by the redundancies in the title: "Books for Kids" "Stories for Kids" "Jokes for Kids", "Children Books", "Books for Kids","(Christmas Books for Children)" It is the authors attempt at Amazon Search Engine Optimization - SEO. The first few pages highlight other books by the author - cross-selling before one can even read this book can also be a bit off-putting.

If possible, you should ignore the overt selling and try and read the book to your little one. As the title suggests, "Christmas Stories for Kids" is an eBook for little ones. This is re-write of holiday classic we have heard and retold, with a bit of twist: a few illustrations and activities in between, and a few jokes at the end of the book.

Bottomline: Okay book, but two stars for the oversell

Book Blurb:  Merry Christmas! Your child will enjoy this cute Christmas book full of fun stories and Christmas jokes. This is an excellent read for early and beginning readers. Big and bright illustrations for younger readers!

Also included: Christmas Jokes & Christmas Coloring Book!

These stories are great for quick bedtime stories and cute tales to be read aloud with friends and family!

Excellent for early and intermediate readers
Great for reading aloud with friends and family
Christmas stories and adventures about Christmas
Funny and Hilarious Christmas jokes & illustrations for kids
FREE Christmas coloring book downloads included

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Book Review: Books for Kids: Christmas Stories for Kids (Bedtime Stories for Ages 4-8): Fun Christmas Stories, Jokes for Kids, Children Books, Books for Kids, Free Stories (Christmas Books for Children)

Author: Uncle Amon

Link to this review on Amazon.com 

Book Review: 30 Interactive Brainteasers to Warm up your Brain

3.0 out of 5 starsFun way to exercise your brain

Puzzles are a fun way to exercise your cerebral muscles, and I enjoy puzzles. This book happened to be available for Free download, and got my attention. This book has 30 brain teasers for different levels of experts.

The cool thing about the book is the link to answers and clues provided right after each puzzle.






 

Book Blurb:  "30 Interactive Brain teasers to Warm Up your Brain" is a mini edition by Puzzleland, containing 30 easy and short brain teasers to get your mind warmed up for the day!

This little fun book is ideal for teens and adults who look for some creative ways to spend their free time, entertain their mind or simply keep themselves busy while waiting in public locations!

The difficulty level of the brainteasers in this mini collection is appropriate for beginner teens or adults, and even for smart kids.

This book is specially formatted to provide clues, simply with a click, before providing the answer! You can ask for a clue before seeing the answer which is really great and makes the game a lot more fun!

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Book Review: 30 Interactive Brainteasers to Warm up your Brain (Riddles & Brain teasers, puzzles, puzzles & games)

by Puzzleland  (Author)

Link to this review on Amazon.com 

Book Review: Mom Goes for a Walk (children's book)

 Recipe to engage little ones: Nice illustrations, simple text

This little eBook has the perfect recipe to engage little readers: nice illustrations and simple text that one can read out. It is about a mom that goes out for a walk and the illustrations support the narrative.

Book Blurb:  Mom Goes for a Walk is a short story about Mom’s walk, as seen with a daughter's eyes. The sentences are short and so are the words, and each sentence is illustrated with a funny watercolor picture.
This book is wonderful for bedtime reading, handy for travel, and perfect for beginner readers.

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Book Review: Mom Goes for a Walk: Picture book for the youngest readers (Meet my family 3)

Author: Tanja Russita

Link to this review on Amazon.com  

Book Review: Mom Goes for a Walk (children's book)

 Recipe to engage little ones: Nice illustrations, simple text

This little eBook has the perfect recipe to engage little readers: nice illustrations and simple text that one can read out. It is about a mom that goes out for a walk and the illustrations support the narrative.

Book Blurb:  Mom Goes for a Walk is a short story about Mom’s walk, as seen with a daughter's eyes. The sentences are short and so are the words, and each sentence is illustrated with a funny watercolor picture.
This book is wonderful for bedtime reading, handy for travel, and perfect for beginner readers.

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Book Review: Mom Goes for a Walk: Picture book for the youngest readers (Meet my family 3)

Author: Tyler Green

Link to this review on Amazon.com  

Book Review: Emotional Intelligence: How To Be A Master Of Your Emotions

Emotional Intelligence 101 

I have been curious about the topic of “Intelligence” and “Emotional Intelligence.” The title suggests, in the book, one can find tips to master one’s Emotions and raise the EQ and develop leadership traits. 

The book begins with highlighting key aspects of human emotions and the concept of Emotional Intelligence. Of the indicators of EI highlighted, I liked the “ability to let go of excess baggage;” Most of us aspire to this ability, but very few can really “let go.”  The book concludes by highlighting “Emotional Intelligence Traits of a Brilliant Leader”

In the genera of typical “guides,” the book is heavy on concepts and theory, and rather light on examples. A personal narrative, anecdotes and examples would have helped illustrate the concepts better! 

Book Blurb: Why Is Emotional Intelligence So Important?

People who have high emotional intelligence enjoy more success in every area of life: social, emotional, physical, and financial. Research shows that EQ is one of the strongest indicators of human success and that people with strong emotional intelligence are more likely to succeed than those with high IQs or relevant experience. 

Higher emotional intelligence helps us to have stronger internal motivators, which can reduce procrastination, increase self-confidence, and improve our ability to focus on a goal. It also allows us to create better networks of support, overcome setbacks, and persevere with a more resilient outlook. 

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Book Review: Emotional Intelligence: How To Be A Master Of Your Emotions, Dramatically Raise Your EQ And Become A Brilliant Leader 

Author: Tyler Green

Link to this review on Amazon.com 

Book Review: A Goose Creek Christmas

 In time for Christmas


A Goose Creek Christmas by Virginia Smith is a nice family themed novel set in Goose Creek. The story revolves around Al Richardson and his wife Millie, who get busy in their own ways as the holidays approach.
 

 

Virginia' easy narrative style is easy to get into, and will keep you captivated through the satisfying end. If you like novels and characters set in small towns Goose Creek Christmas is for you.

Book Blurb: Al's Goose Is Cooked!

Forced into early retirement, Al Richardson knows what his wife will say when she hears the terrible news. Millie will insist that they open their B&B early. Where will that leave him? Carrying luggage and waiting tables? No way! He needs time to come up with another plan. With the help of an unlikely accomplice, Al spends his days scanning want ads and frequenting out-of-town coffee shops in an effort to hide his secret from all of Goose Creek—including his wife.

Millie is too busy to notice Al's odd behavior. Between planning a huge Christmas party and holding tight to the reins of newcomer Lulu Thacker—whose tacky decorating schemes are sure to infuriate Main Street business owners—she has no time for anything else.

One thing is certain: In Goose Creek, no secret stays hidden for long. The most holy of holidays is swiftly approaching. Is Al in for a Merry Christmas or a Marriage Crisis? 

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Book Review: A Goose Creek Christmas (Tales from the Goose Creek B&B Book 4)

Author: Virginia Smith

Link to this review on Amazon.com 

Book Review: Children’s Books: ALLISON ROSE AND HER DANCING TOES

Nice little illustrated book

Dancing Toes is a nice little illustrated book for little girls from Sally Huss. The book continues in the series of Newest release in the Allison Rose picture book series from the author.

Simple, easy to read text should appeal to kids

Book Blurb: “Dancing keeps me on my toes,” announces Allison Rose. She dances here and there and everywhere, even when people stop and stare. No problem for her, but she thinks how much more fun would it be if others were so free and would kick up their own heels? So, she introduces them to every dance she can think of – the waltz, the tango, the bunny hop, hip hop, line dancing, fine dancing, the can can, the polka and schottische. These are just a few, but she knows that if she can get them to pick up their feet they will discover a wonderful treat. What do you think they will do? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

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Book Review: ALLISON ROSE AND HER DANCING TOES (Adorable, Rhyming Bedtime Story/Picture Book for Beginner Readers

Author: Sally Huss

Link to this review on Amazon.com 

Book Review: 100 Places To Visit In London

Yet another guide book

As the title suggests, "100 Places To Visit In London" is a guide that lists 100 places to visit in the city.

An old adage by Samuel Johnson goes "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life" So, having a list of places to visit on a Kindle is certainly handy. The book is a simple and concise listing of places to visit with a few handy tips including ticket prices and nearest Station.

Amazon's book blurb lists "100 Places" as the Author, though in the book, there is a mention of an "Ian Mac" (Wonder if Ian is the author from London?) A few pictures with the listings would have been a nice addition.

Book Blurb: Discover Places That You Won’t Find In Any Other Guide Book. If you want to see all of London’s landmark attractions, as well as plenty of hidden gems, then this is the book for you. Do you want to avoid trawling through thousands of pages just to pick out the best places?

But do you want a bit more information about each place than the wafer-thin wonder guides?

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Book Review: 100 Places To Visit In London

Author: 100 Places

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1536917761

Link to this review on Amazon.com 

Book Review: Tiny Houses: A Beginners Guide To Tiny House Living

In a world where big is beautiful... Tiny has a value

(Review of a Kindle Free download)

Americans have been conditioned to believe that big is beautiful. We want everything to be large - big house with a big lot in the suburbs, a big car or even super-size portions of fast-food. In a world where big-is the norm, small still has value.

Nancy Ross has written this tiny book to explore the topic of "Tiny Home." The book is really a "101 primer" that gives a brief overview of the tiny-home movement.

Why Three-Star review? It is unclear in the blurb if the author also lives in a tiny home and if the book was written from personal experience or it is a collation of information from an internet search.

Book Blurb: Do You Want To Discover The Easy Way To Design Your Tiny Home For Simpler Living? Whether you want to know how to build, design or decide if a tiny home is right for you this book will help you.

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Book Review: Tiny Houses: A Beginners Guide To Tiny House Living

Author: Nancy Ross

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1536917761

Link to this review on Amazon.com 

Book Review: Super Fish (children's book)

Super little book for little ones

 Mary Lee's Kindle Edition of Super Fish does not disappoint.

Mary Lee's Kindle Edition of Super Fish does not disappoint. Simple, easy to read text and nice graphics make for an engaging read for little ones.
(review of a free download copy of Kindle eBook)

Book Blurb: Who is she? Where did she come from? What's with the cape? The only one who knows about this strange and mysterious fish is an old turtle. Ask him, he loves to talk and that just might get him into a bit of trouble.

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Book Review: Super Fish

Author: Mary Lee

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HOW0VKA

Link to this review on Amazon.com 

Book Review: Overcome Anxiety: How to Break Free from the Beast Within

 Tips for overcoming Anxiety

Write what you know is an old adage. Jeffrey uses his struggles with intense social anxiety and the steps he took to overcome it as a backbone for the narrative.

 The author begins by describing how anxiety works and the different forms it can come in. The book describes a series of daily-steps one can follow for four weeks. The book concludes with a few links to references on Anxiety.

The author's bio highlights his struggle with intense social anxiety all of his young adult life. It would have been nice to read Jeffrey's accounts of his experiences in working through Week One challenge etc, that he describes.

Book Blurb:  If anxiety dictates the way you live your life and you are ready to make a change and take charge of your life, this is the book to help you overcome anxiety. You will learn right away: 

- Indispensable guidance on identifying your REAL triggers, and not just the ones you ASSUME to be. 
- The seductive power of automatic and catastrophic thinking and how it adds unrealistic problems to your life, and how you will be able to laugh at these thoughts. 
- Coping strategies that you can use anytime, even during an attack, and how you are re-wiring your brain to panic less in the future. 
- The changes you MUST make to know how you react to situations in order to fight anxiety. 
- Understanding and breaking the feedback loop that panic and anxiety lull you into over the course of years. 
- A panic and anxiety "cheat sheet" that you can easily refer to anytime, even in the middle of an attack  

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Book Review: Overcome Anxiety: How to Break Free from the Beast Within

Author: Jeffrey Holloway

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LXRO3UW

Link to this review on Amazon.com 

Book Review: Not So Fast: Slow-Down Solutions for Frenzied Families

Practical tips to slow down and smell the roses

We live in a 24X7 world and are constantly connected to digital devices and social media. We are also pushing “children to get ahead, we cram everything possible into our days to maximize their chance at success.”

As the title suggests, the book is about “Slow-Down Solutions for Frenzied Families.” Ann Kroeker , author sprinkles humor in the narrative to make it interesting. An example is the family trip to Paris where they got in line to see Mona!

“Philippe lifted each child above the crowd to peek at the famous lady locked behind bulletproof glass.

"Can you see it?" he asked.

"Yes"

"Take a good look"

"Okay." Next kid, same questions, same responses.”

In aptly titled chapters - Slowing Down Childhood, Too Fast to Care and Too Fast to Rest, etc - Anne gives tips based on practical insights. 

Book Blurb: The book "explores the jarring effects of our over committed culture and offers refreshing alternatives. Author Ann Kroeker relates her own story of how embracing a slower everyday pace resulted in a more meaningful family and spiritual life. Practical ideas and insight will spark creativity and personal reflection. Plus, ponder real-life stories from parents who chucked the high-speed lifestyle and reaped the rewards of richer relationships. Not So Fast offers hope that families struggling with hurried hearts and frantic souls can discover the rejuvenating power of an unrushed life."

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Book Review:  The Things We Leave Behind Kindle Edition

Author:  Tanya Anne Crosby

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005SJ1AHK

Link to this review on Amazon.com 

Book Review: The Things We Leave Behind

Interesting Novella 

 

The Things We Leave Behind is an interesting short-novel by Tanya Anne Crosby.

The start of an novel should be engaging. This story begins with a question - “If the house were on fire, what would you save? - that grips the reader instantly. Written in first person, the narrative takes us into the mind of Zoe Rutherford who is on the edge.

Book Blurb: Zoe Rutherford has come to the end of her rope. Her relationship with Chris has reached the breaking point and it is time to leave. But can she leave? And if she does, what is she willing to leave behind?

This stunning short story, the prequel to Tanya Anne Crosby’s remarkable new novel, THE GIRL WHO STAYED, is tense, poignant, and deeply satisfying – exactly what readers have come to expect from this New York Times bestselling author.

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Book Review:  The Things We Leave Behind Kindle Edition

Author:  Tanya Anne Crosby

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LWX2C12

Link to this review on Amazon.com 

Book Review: Dirty Money (U.S. Presidential Elections 2016)

Dirty Money is an analytical account of campaign financing
 
Most of us who are watching the American Presidential elections are bombarded with advertisements on TV, social media, YouTube and elsewhere. These advertisements and other campaign expenses are not cheap. We are bound to be wondering how Mr. Trump and Ms. Clinton and all the other candidates for congressional seats finance their campaigns. Dirty Money is a topical eBook that examines aspects of campaign financing. 

The eBook blurb caught my attention:

"Relying heavily on information gathered from official government reports, news sources, public records, etc. the author makes a strong case for how accepting vast sums from individual donors toward one's campaign could potentially lead the politician to support policy that would ultimately benefit the contributor."

In the first chapter, the author, Mr. Arunachalam, sets the context by explaining fund raising by political interests, some of which may have a conflict of interest. This is followed by an analysis of Tax Evasion in campaign financing. The author also looks at some of the topical issues like Fracking (and big oil) and how they impact campaign financing. The author tries to explain how "dirty money" and corrupt campaign finance system impede the ability to promote free and fair elections.

Dirty Money concludes with an extensive collection of references to government, corporate and independent research, that backs up some of the Author's analysis.

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Book Review:  Dirty Money (U.S. Presidential Elections 2016)

Author: Ramesh S Arunachalam

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MECSZD4 

Link to this review on Amazon.com 

Links to my past reviews on Amazon

Links to my past reviews on Amazon

The Panchatantra Retold: Part 5 - Apariksitakarakam

Captivating narration and illustration (Link)

 Like many Indians, I grew up hearing Panchatantra stories read by my mother, and now I read these stories to my five year old son.

I like the way the author gives sanskritized titles to the chapters like “Apariksitakarakam” which means ill-considered action. This story gives the message that a person must not rush into any action without understanding, planning or examining the consequences that may arise.

This also happens to be my son's favorite story. I like the way how these stories are interwoven. That's the beauty of Panchatantra.

The version of Panchatantra stories as retold by Sonal are easy to read on a Kindle and her style of writing and illustration are very appealing. 

Children Book : I Wish I Were a SEAHORSE (Great Book for Kids) (Age 4 - 9) (Animal Habitats and Beginner Reader Books 2)

Nice picture book (link)

This is a nice picture book to download and read to a toddler. I downloaded it a while ago and continue to 'read' it to our kindergardner

On the Gulf

Nice mix of Middle-east, CIA and intrigue (Link)

Desmond Cory’s new novel “On the Gulf” brings us a nice mix of CIA, Middle-east and intrigue in his highly readable style. The author skillfully takes us into contemporary life in the Middle East, though there are a lot of parallels to happenings in Iran and elsewhere set in the eighties.

The characters from the middle-east region may be alien to those of us living in the west but the human traits and failings projected are universal.