Book Review: 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life By David Grotto

rate } ♠♠♠♠
genre } Food & Drink | Health | Nutrition
release day } 26th December 2007
acquired } 11th February 2009
publisher } Bantam
format } paperback
isbn } 9780553384321
pages } 464 pages
source } bought
age group } G
interest } G
awards } -
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101 Foods That Could Save Your Life
By David Grotto

Via Goodreads
When it comes to food, nature provides a wealth of delicious choices. But each one also supplies unique health benefits. Leading nutritionist David Grotto reveals a wealth of power foods, from apples to yogurt, and explains why

• A handful of cherries before bed can help you sleep better
• Hot peppers may fight skin cancer
• Potatoes may reduce the risk of stroke
• Grape juice may be as heart-healthy as red wine
• Honey can help wounds heal faster

Each entry features a history of a food’s origin, a list of therapeutic benefits, information on scientific research, tips for use and preparation, and an appetizing recipe from a leading chef or nutritionist. Prepare to awaken your taste buds, lose weight, and let the healing begin!

My 2 Cents
I can’t say I have read this in one sitting. I pretty much find this more of a repetitive reference book. It provides you with the origins, where, why home remedies and tells you what it helps improving in your health. Much so, it also provides us with a recipe for easy serving tips.

If you’re expecting pictures, forget about it. It is a full bound text. Yup.. You have to refer to the internet if you want to recognize the food with it’s name. Otherwise it’s a good book.

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Book Review: The Imam’s Daughter by Hannah Shah

rate } ♠♠♠♠
genre } non-fiction | biography | young adult | abuse
release day } 11th May 2010
acquired } 1st February 2012
publisher } Zondervan
format } hardcover
isbn } 9780310325758
pages } 281 pages
source } bought
age group } pg 18+
interest } G | pg 18+
awards } -
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The Imam’s Daughter
by Hannah Shah

Via Goodreads
Hannah Shah is an Imam's daughter. She lived the life of a devout Muslim in a family of Pakistani Muslims in England, but behind the front door, she was a caged butterfly. For many years, her father abused her in the cellar of their home.

At sixteen, she discovered a plan to send her to Pakistan for an arranged marriage, and she gathered the courage to run away. Relentlessly hunted by her angry father and brothers, who were intent on executing an 'honor' killing, she moved from house to house in perpetual fear to escape them.

Over time, she converted to Christianity and was able to live and marry as she wished.
Hannah found the courage to live her life free from shame, free from religious intolerance, and free from the abuse that haunted her childhood.
This is a remarkable true story of how a young girl escaped a life of torture ... a story you won't forget.

My 2 Cents
Covers. There are a few different covers for this title and all of them intrigues me. This is however the most what I could say “nice”. She looked happy in this cover. This book has two other covers.

This other cover has a child on it, looking all lonely and intimidated. Enough by itself in making you want to pick it up and read what is wrong.

The other cover looked  more grown up and has that look in her eyes, the hidden determination but lost.

Both has the power to entice the reader to pick it up and read.

Now let’s talk about this book. I admit, I have befallen by the title itself. Imam. The head of a small Islamic community. What can go wrong with that right? Wrong! I read the back summary and that was just so heart wrenching.

It’s actually hard to read. Not because it’s a bad book, the people in it are bad. I feel sorry for Hannan (Hannah’s Muslim name) for growing up in such a household and community.

I hope nobody would read this book and say that’s how Muslims are in real life.

Her father tarnished the good name of the Islamic religion. He’s a hypocrite. An arrogant fool! A rapist! An abuser! An ignorant! He doesn’t represent the Islamic world. It saddens me how so brainwashed everybody is in Hannah’s life, that nobody in her own community is willing to help her (except for her best friends) Her brothers refused to helped her when their father raped her nor beat their mother. it appalled me to read her mother seemed to be relieved Hannah got beaten and rape by her husband, so he won’t attack her.

I feel sorry Hannan felt she no choice but leave her own religion just because she’s escaping from her own life, terrified by her own family and her own community just to save herself. It left me angry, that even her social worker (the Muslim guy) didn’t help her at all. He’s probably the defining period for her.  

This book left me with that awful after taste at the back of my tongue.

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Book Review: Goddess Interrupted (Goddess Test 2); By Aimee Carter

rate } ♠♠♠♠♠ ♥
genre } fiction | mythology | young adult | romance
release day } 27th March 2012
acquired } 22th January 2012
publisher } HarlequinTeen
format } paperback
isbn } 9780373210459
pages } 307 pages
source } ARC
age group } 18+
interest } 18+
awards } -
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Goddess Interrupted (Goddess Test 2)
By Aimee Carter

Via Goodreads
Kate Winters has won immortality.

But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry’s first wife, Persephone.

My 2 Cents
I actually finished reading this last week, but I have yet find the time to write a review. Why? I need time to sink in. Cliffhanger hurts so bad. *limp ears*

Most of my friends I have been waiting with anticipation to read this book since I’ve finished reading The Goddess Test last year. It was a wonderful book back then and I wanted to read the sequel. Aimee Carter didn’t disappoint me, but still cliffhanger hurts so bad…

Cover. It is beautiful! enticing and scream want to know my secret? Love it!

Extremely a page turner. Brooding Henry. Hot James. Lovable Kate. Adorable Ava. Intimidating Calliope. Lovable characters. The plot just won’t slow down. When I put it down for chore or work I can’t wait to pick it up as soon as I could. Some scenes are tearjerkers. The ones who have read it would know which and why. I feel sorry for both Kate and Henry…

Overall… wow.. It was just as I have expected and more (the cliffhanger though.. No I won’t let that one go Aimee.. you have hooked me for the next one!)

P/S ADONIS IS HOT!

I can’t wait for the next book! (yeah I know Harlequin and I don’t mix, but this series is just awesome!

Library? Since I’m a high school librarians, as much as I wanted to put this on the shelves, I can’t. :( There are just some scenes (yup those scenes) are the reason why. But yeah, it is a Harlequin.. so I’m not really that surprise either.

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Children Book Review: Garbage! Monster! Burp! By Tom Watson

rate } ♠♠♠♠♠
genre } fiction | picture book | children
release day } 9th March 2011
acquired } 15th January 2012
publisher } Tom Watson
format } e-book
isbn } B004RCNVWG
pages } e-book
source } bought
age group } children
interest } all ages
awards } -
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Garbage! Monster! Burp!
By Tom Watson

Via Goodreads
A monster at the bottom of a hill eats all of the garbage generated by the town on top of the hill. This provides two important benefits: The monster is happy with plenty to eat and the town stays nice and clean. Unfortunately, as the town grows, so does the amount of garbage the monster must consume. He gets bigger - and he starts burping. This is, as you can probably guess, a bit unsightly and stinky. In the end, the kids figure out how to solve the problem - despite the nasty mayor's doubts and objections.

My 2 Cents
I was surfing through the Kindle collections via Amazon.com when I found this odd (free too) ever so curious little title.

Cover. it does makes me curious when there’s not a peek of said monster on it. So I thought sure.. give it a try. Love the “blue” cover.

Overall verdict, if you like Dr Seuss, you would like this. I do feel sorry for the monster. Such an evil mayor. :( But I do like the way this story goes where it showed kids can make a different.

This would be a good quick read. To bad it’s not available in print, or I would have get it for my school library, cause I know they would actually enjoy reading it

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YA Book Review: The Lipstick Laws; By Amy Holder

rate } ♠♠♠♠♠ ♥
genre } fiction | young adult | chick lit | bully | high school
release day } 4th April 2011
acquired } 02th January 2012
publisher } Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
format } paperback
isbn } 9780547363066
pages } 240 pg.
source } bought
age group } PG 13+
interest } pg 13 + all ages
awards } -
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The Lipstick Laws
By; Amy Holder

Via Goodreads
At Penford High School, Brittany Taylor is the queen bee. She dates whomever she likes, rules over her inner circle of friends like Genghis Khan, and can ruin anyone’s life with a snap of perfectly manicured fingers. Just ask the unfortunate few who have crossed her.

For April Bowers, Brittany is the answer to her prayers. April is so unpopular, kids don’t know she exists. One lunch spent at Brittany’s table, and April is basking in the glow of popularity.

But Brittany’s friendship comes with a high price tag, and April decides it’s not worth the cost. Inspiring and empowering, this is the story of one girl who decides to push back.

My 2 Cents
Honestly said.. I’m late in catching up with the fuss when this book came out last year. Little do I know, this turned out to be a very good read. Should have read it earlier. I am surprised this book didn’t made it to any Award list though.

Don’t give me that look. It should have!

If you are looking for a book that has any subject of bullies and high school, I would suggest this book for you.

Cover-wise. Honestly, this is the exact reason why I didn’t pick it up. I was too distracted by the candy bite and that plain no catchy look for me. It turned me off completely from reading it. Yup.. that was sad wasn’t it. But I think that’s one reason this book doesn’t popped out much. Come on… if just judge it by the book cover, you would expect this is a romance book instead of YA. The only reason I remembered having this book around was I was looking for books on bullies.

Characters. I don’t like… make that.. I despise Brittany Taylor. Most of us would have had encountered with our own “Brittany Taylor” at least once in our life time. The backstabbing thorn in our life. But only some of us survive like April Bowers. Brittany’s toy that bit her back. She fought back and yes I like… love it!

Otherwise… I love the way I drowned into this book and enjoy this book. I think I could relate that way, but nevertheless of the I love it. It’s realistic in a way to say, every one of us have our flaw, and we shouldn’t be picking on other’s flaws so you could hide yours.

I’m in a dilemma on to weather get this for my library or not. Why? Because there’s a bit of cursing going on in there hence my reluctant. As good as it is, I’m stuck not knowing to get or not to get. I like to add this book in the school library due to the subjects of bullies but I’m not sure if it’s appropriate with the cursing.

What you guys think?

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