Word Bookie

I love to read almost anything and I write short stories. I love a good plot and an even better villain. If you would like me to review your book(s) message me here or contact me on Twitter @Adriatic_sea

Extraordinary Advice!

Jessica Herrin does a wonderful job of giving the best advise for anyone trying to achieve anything. It is an inclusive self-help book that can be used in any situation, whether it is deciding what to do in your career life, or even if it is to get back into shape after the long holiday feasts. 


I am certainly not one to read these types of books, but this is one of the only books I will keep and buy as gifts for others to have. 

 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

 

Adria

 

 

Find Your Extraordinary: Dream Bigger, Live Happier, and Achieve Success on Your Own Terms - Jessica DiLullo Herrin 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Find-Your-Extraordinary-Happier-Achieve/dp/1101905948 

Where is Stacie?

Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee - Mary G. Thompson

Amy, Chelsea, Stacie, Dee is an outstanding book! For being a YA book, it is sort of dark, so if you do not want little ones knowing about rape or brainwashing, then don't let them read it. Otherwise, it is a great book- very well written. I could not put the book down all weekend and wanted to know everything that happened to Amy and Dee after they were kidnapped. Me being the true crime/forensics fanatic, I found myself comparing the story to many high profile cases that we have all seen on the news. 

 

Amy was kidnapped, along with her cousin Dee, 6 years previously. She was never meant to be taken, but she wound up back on her parents doorstep with no harm done to her. The next events include confusion, therapy, and Dee's mother wanting answers from Amy to the point of her screaming and throwing items around. Amy tries to be a normal girl and get back into her old routines when she was 10, but flashbacks haunt her and cause her to lose time throughout the day. She has to go back and make everything right with her kidnapper and for Dee. 

 

Check out the book by Mary G. Thompson on Amazon!

 

http://www.amazon.com/Amy-Chelsea-Stacie-Mary-Thompson/dp/1101996803/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1464186321&sr=1-1&keywords=amy+chelsea+stacie+dee 

 

 

 

Harvard Drama

Bradstreet Gate: A Novel - Robin Kirman

Bradstreet Gate by Robin Kirman was a nice change of character writing from the other books I have read recently. Each character allowed us to go back into past and navigate through their current situations without giving too much away or having a nice bow tied at the end. I know a lot of readers do not want a left open ending, but I for one do not mind being led to an open door of possibilities of what might have happened at the end.

 

Charlie, Georgia, and Alice meet at Harvard and all come from very different backgrounds.  Charlie strives to be like his favorite professor, Storrow, while Georgia, his secret crush, is sleeping with Storrow. The only issue is that Alice finds out all the juicy details on her own during a very important time their senior year when a fellow classmate is found dead. 

 

Kirman takes you through loops and swirls of their tainted relationships all the while the characters are trying to figure out who they are even 10 years since graduation. 

 

If you want a happy ending, don't read this book. Because it is left up to the imagination. But if you want a very well-written novel that has character profile's exquisitely thought out, then please read Bradstreet Gate

 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

 

 

Nearly digging up the past...quite literally

— feeling amazing
Nearly Found - Elle Cosimano

Nearly Found is even better than the debut novel by Elle Cosimano.

 

Cosimano uses the same style in this sequel to make the reader never want to put the book down. If you thought, "hmmm, where could the story line go from here?' at the end of the first book, you obviously didn't think much about the surrounding characters...hint hint. 

 

Nearly tries hard to make amends with Anh and Jeremy, while trying to keep Reece within an arms reach. She gets into a bit of a pickle, with the same notes from before. But how could that be since TJ is in jail? 

 

Don't worry, it all comes together in the end and you'll be asking when a third book will be published. 

 

Riveting and full of surprises! I honestly cannot wait to see if Cosimano keeps going on with Nearly's character. I know its a YA title, but seriously, aren't they the best?!

 

BUY THE BOOKS! READ ALL THE PAGES! 

http://ellecosimano.com/books/ 

 

Best,

Adria

Reblogged from Ned Hayes Writing:

Literary Bars -- for St. Patrick's Day! #StPatricks #literarybars

Source: http://nednote.com

Sex, Lies, Drugs, and Rock&Roll

Liar: A Memoir - Rob Roberge

Liar by Rob Roberge is eye-opening and inspiring. This memoir has perhaps allowed me to better understand my own father who, being a drug addict/alcoholic and probably partaking in half of the stories Roberge details in the memoir on his own, has their own list of issues and disturbances.

 

Roberge describes every detail, one year to the next and then back again, making the reader feel as if it is their mind is turning into scrambled eggs. The way the memoir is written is probably my favorite. You are the one in each scene; feeling Roberge's excitement- it is your excitement. Feeling his sadness, suicidal thoughts, or even his mania- it is your sadness, suicidal thoughts, YOUR mania.

 

Liar is so put together that you wonder if this author is really the man that he portrays in the book; but then again, even the most manic person just needs to concentrate on their thoughts and would be able to write it all down and print it for the world. That's exactly what Rob Roberge did.

 

This book will make you look at your own life and ask yourself who you are, and what the world would sound like without you in it...

 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

Homicide, powers, and Nearly Boswell

Reblogged from Word Bookie:
Nearly Gone - Elle Cosimano

This was such a great read, especially being from Maryland and knowing locations in DC and Virginia. Elle Cosimano grew up under the supervision of a teacher and an maximum security guard, so she knows a bit about YA and the government sector. Living in DC, this book was a great way to showcase her knowledge of the area for the reader. 

 

Now, with that all being said, this book is full of mystery and thriller. Nearly Boswell is sort of this rough 16 year old who might as well be a genius. She is competing for a scholarship while decoding messages in the classifieds every Friday. This gets her into some deep trouble when her tutor subjects start going missing...and dying. 

 

Well-written with all the right details and emotions, this YA book is a must read! Cosimano puts enough suspense in it without feeling like this can't be solved- of course not without a few obstacles in the way. The 'powers' i speak of in the title of this post will make sense when you actually read it! I can't give it away!

 

4.5 stars just because it may take a while to get the full circle of the plot, especially when it comes to Nearly's family and her 'power'. Nearly Found is on the way to my house and I cannot wait to read what is next for Nearly. 

 

http://ellecosimano.com/nearly-gone/ 

Homicide, powers, and Nearly Boswell

Nearly Gone - Elle Cosimano

This was such a great read, especially being from Maryland and knowing locations in DC and Virginia. Elle Cosimano grew up under the supervision of a teacher and an maximum security guard, so she knows a bit about YA and the government sector. Living in DC, this book was a great way to showcase her knowledge of the area for the reader. 

 

Now, with that all being said, this book is full of mystery and thriller. Nearly Boswell is sort of this rough 16 year old who might as well be a genius. She is competing for a scholarship while decoding messages in the classifieds every Friday. This gets her into some deep trouble when her tutor subjects start going missing...and dying. 

 

Well-written with all the right details and emotions, this YA book is a must read! Cosimano puts enough suspense in it without feeling like this can't be solved- of course not without a few obstacles in the way. The 'powers' i speak of in the title of this post will make sense when you actually read it! I can't give it away!

 

4.5 stars just because it may take a while to get the full circle of the plot, especially when it comes to Nearly's family and her 'power'. Nearly Found is on the way to my house and I cannot wait to read what is next for Nearly. 

 

http://ellecosimano.com/nearly-gone/ 

Author Platforms

This link I found really helpful in my experience with submitting manuscripts for short stories and potential books to Literary Agents and publishing companies alike. 

 

https://janefriedman.com/author-platform-definition/ 

 

The author platform has nothing to do with social media outlets, such as BookLikes; but more of how often and who publishes your previous work. 

 

Check out the link from Jane Friedman, a woman who has 20+ years experience in the publishing world. 

 

Jane Friedman
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy Google+ profileMy LinkedIn profileMy Instagram profileMy Pinterest profileMy Tumblr blogMy YouTube channel
Jane Friedman has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, with expertise in digital media strategy for authors and publishers. From 2001–2010 she worked at Writer's Digest, where she ultimately became publisher; more recently, she was an editor at the Virginia Quarterly Review, where she led digital strategy. Jane currently teaches writing and publishing at the University of Virginia and is a columnist for Publishers Weekly. The Great Courses just released her 24-lecture series, How to Publish Your Book. She also has a book forthcoming from the University of Chicago Press, The Business of Being a Writer (2017). Jane speaks regularly at conferences and industry events such as BookExpo America, Digital Book World, and the AWP Conference, and has served on panels with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Creative Work Fund. Find out more.

Beautiful Water Colors and Descriptions of the most feared and loved bird: OWLS

Owls: Our Most Charming Bird - Matt Sewell

This is such a cute book with wonderful watercolor depictions of the Owls of the world. Separated out by the type of owls, the descriptions include scientific and funny facts. 

Although there are some tough words, this would still be good for an older child to read, especially given the artwork. For the birdwatchers of the world, there is a checklist of the owls for when you spot them in hikes! 

The matte finish of the cover and the watercolor art is a perfect blend, and a favorite for me when I read books. One of the first things any reader notices is the cover and any artwork. 

 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

 

http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/252263/owls-by-matt-sewell/ 

Survivor's guilt, attitude, and plenty of laughs!

Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology - Rebecca Paley, Leah Remini

Leah Remini has been through it all and she will never let anyone walk all over her again.

 

In her tell-all book, Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology, she discusses growing up in a religion that taught her how to 'clear the planet' and how she still uses some of the positives from LRH in her life, even after splitting from the controversial religious group. 

 

Remini explains enough of what she and others went through to allow the reader to decide for themselves if Scientology is a cult or just a religion who request's your whole bank account when the plate is passed. 

 

For me, it was incredible to read how Remini grew up in this mindset, being as independent and smart-mouthed as she is. You would think someone as strong as her would have realized the atrocities happening within her own church sooner. 

 

That is not the case though, as she explains how tough it was to be audited every hour of every day for years and the commitment that had to be made in order to feel like she was a 'good person' by LRH standards. 

 

Definitely a great read with snarky comments on the people Remini thought were there for her, and how she has overcome her fear of being free. 

 

http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/253674/troublemaker-by-leah-remini/ 

And boy is she trouble!

Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology - Rebecca Paley, Leah Remini

On chapter 5...so hilarious and eye-opening to the world of Scientology and what goes into a 'religion'- if you could even call it that!

 

Remini is a fast-talking girl from Brooklyn, NY and she wrote this tell-all so everyone knows what the real deal is about Scientology and their obsession with Tom Cruise. 

 

Can't wait to get home from working and continue reading!

 

-Adria

Source: http://www.amazon.com/Troublemaker-Surviving-Scientology-Leah-Remini/dp/110188696X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1449770513&sr=1-1&keywords=troublemaker

Currently Reading: Bonita Avenue by Peter Buwalda

Bonita Avenue: A Novel - Peter Buwalda

This is so far intriguing. The chapters are long, however, there is a great amount of detail. Takes me a while to realize who I am reading about. 

 

Onto Chapter 3...

Reading progress update: I've read 100 out of 256 pages.

Diary of a Mad Diva - Joan Rivers

Taking me longer than expected to finish this book. Not that it is a bad book, but just because I have not been a very good reader lately. :( 

 

Still Hilarious, Joan. RIP. 

My new favorite podcast(s): Sword and Scale compared to Serial

If you are a true crime fanatic like myself, or have previously obsessed over my other favorite podcast from iTunes, Serial, then you need to start listening to Sword and Scale because you're about 36 episodes behind.

 

S&S has every type of case you can think of when it comes to Criminology and Criminal Justice. Some of the episodes are about cases you have seen in the media and discussed sparingly with your colleagues. However, a lot of the episodes are cases I would have never even heard of unless I was living in that time period (yes, it goes back to cases that involve our beloved baby boomers) or would need to visit that city in order to be aware of the crime.

 

Now, if you have listened to Serial, then you know that Sarah Koenig, the host looking into the 1999 case of Adnan Syed, a Baltimore (my home, Birdland!) teen who is charged and convicted of the murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee. The difference, if you are wondering regarding the two podcasts is that Serial focuses on Adnan's case and essentially Koenig becomes critical of everyone's actions and statements who are involved in the case. Sword and Scale is a podcast that in each episode a single case is discussed, and maybe later on given an update if it is a recent case in the media, etc.

 

Now, just because the episodes in S&S are different each week, that does not mean the level of detail is lacking. Mike Boudet, the host, brings about questions that others might not dare ask. His attention to the little things is what reminds me of Sarah Koenig's investigating style in Serial. The cases that Boudet chooses to cover are not for the faint of heart, and there are some episodes marked as explicit in case you want to skip those, especially if you are eating... you'll know what I mean when you make it to Episode 20.

 

Honestly, I have to give both podcasts five stars. I was so upset that Serial ended with unanswered questions and I have continued to follow the latest details to Adnan's case. After searching and seeing the True Murder Podcast, which is interviewing authors of True Crime novels, I found Sword and Scale and knew I was meant to listen to it. It must be the criminal investigator in me, I mean, I didn't get my CJ degree for nothing!

 

To check out the podcasts, search for Sword and Scale as well as Serial using your iPhone or iPod touch. If you have an Android, I recommend downloading the Podcast for Android app in Google Play and follow the steps.

 

Like/Follow S&S on Facebook, Twitter, iTunes, and Instagram.

Subscribe to S&S on iTunes Podcasts and go give them a 5 star review.

 

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/swordandscale 

 

http://swordandscale.com/ 

 

https://twitter.com/SwordandScale 

 

 

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/serialpodcast

 

http://serialpodcast.org/ 

 

https://twitter.com/serial 

 

 

 

How dare you compare Joan Rivers to Anne Frank?!

Diary of a Mad Diva - Joan Rivers

This is absolutely amazing so far. I have finished the first month of diary entries and could not stop laughing! 

 

More to come...

Currently reading

The Big Kitty
Claire Donally
The Wrath and the Dawn
Renee Ahdieh
Progress: 20/416 pages