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Learning Strategies
Book
Originally published in 1986, designed for teachers and those concerned with the education of...
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Agent Zaiba Investigates - The Poison Plot (Agent Zaiba Investigates, #2) in Books
Sep 24, 2020 (Updated Jan 26, 2021)
My beloved agents are back, Zaiba is leading another investigation, where her dad and little brother Ali are potential suspects! We have some new characters added this time, that are quite sneaky and have their secret agendas.
The plot of this book is quite interesting and has some really surprising twists and turns. I really liked the parent-child relationships analysed in this book. How parents influence their children without even realising it, I think it is quite an interesting topic. The investigation has its intriguing nuances, but this time the author could not hide the culprit, it was very obvious who it was.
The whole book was set in the school fete, with a very cheery atmosphere, that I thoroughly enjoyed. 🙂 The writing style of this novel is entertaining and easy to read, like in the previous book. The chapters have medium length, but the great illustrations make this book a quite entertaining read. The ending, as I mentioned before was quite predictable. Like in the first book, this book also has great material for young agents, that I think will be useful and fun. 🙂
So, to conclude, it is a great novel with beloved and new characters as well as a plot that has some surprises, and life lessons to teach. This book can be read as stand-alone, but if you read the first part and missed the crew, do give this part a go, it is a very enjoyable read indeed.
The plot of this book is quite interesting and has some really surprising twists and turns. I really liked the parent-child relationships analysed in this book. How parents influence their children without even realising it, I think it is quite an interesting topic. The investigation has its intriguing nuances, but this time the author could not hide the culprit, it was very obvious who it was.
The whole book was set in the school fete, with a very cheery atmosphere, that I thoroughly enjoyed. 🙂 The writing style of this novel is entertaining and easy to read, like in the previous book. The chapters have medium length, but the great illustrations make this book a quite entertaining read. The ending, as I mentioned before was quite predictable. Like in the first book, this book also has great material for young agents, that I think will be useful and fun. 🙂
So, to conclude, it is a great novel with beloved and new characters as well as a plot that has some surprises, and life lessons to teach. This book can be read as stand-alone, but if you read the first part and missed the crew, do give this part a go, it is a very enjoyable read indeed.
I listened to the audio of this memoir from the former First Lady of the USA and it was beautifully narrated by the author. There is something special about listening to a memoir as read by the person who experienced it, it makes it a very personal experience. I was sucked into the life of Michelle and was moved by her highs and lows.
Taking us from her humble beginnings right through to the last days at the White House we get a very big picture of the life of Michelle. On the whole I found it interesting and at some points very moving (Ok I admit it I cried.) It was great to get an insight into worlds I know little about and she comes across as a very motivated and determined lady.
I loved they way she told various anecdotes from throughout her life but especially of her experiences in the White House. Considering some of the level of detail in her earlier life I was a little disappointed not to get more on the White House years we seemed to go through several with little coverage, which considering it wasn’t a short book seemed a little lopsided.
I did find myself losing focus sometimes but I have little interest in experiences around raising children and a few other areas that just didn’t come to life for me. All in all a worthwhile if lengthy listen that Michelle makes memorable.
Taking us from her humble beginnings right through to the last days at the White House we get a very big picture of the life of Michelle. On the whole I found it interesting and at some points very moving (Ok I admit it I cried.) It was great to get an insight into worlds I know little about and she comes across as a very motivated and determined lady.
I loved they way she told various anecdotes from throughout her life but especially of her experiences in the White House. Considering some of the level of detail in her earlier life I was a little disappointed not to get more on the White House years we seemed to go through several with little coverage, which considering it wasn’t a short book seemed a little lopsided.
I did find myself losing focus sometimes but I have little interest in experiences around raising children and a few other areas that just didn’t come to life for me. All in all a worthwhile if lengthy listen that Michelle makes memorable.
Tom's Love Letters
Entertainment
App
Show your special someone how you feel. Download now and start your love story! Want to tell that...
Go Tell the Bees that I am Gone
Book
Jamie Fraser and Claire Randall were torn apart by the Jacobite Rising in 1746, and it took them...
ClareR (6167 KP) rated Young Queens: Three Renaissance Women and the Price of Power in Books
May 31, 2023
It’s not often that I read a non-fiction history book - I’m more of a historical fiction reader - and I’m really glad that I picked this up.
This book is about the lives of Catherine de’ Medici (married to the French Henry II), Elisabeth of Spain and Mary, Queen of Scots and how their lives wove together.
There are some really interesting facts here (Mary was nearly 6 feet tall - now THIS is the kind of fact I live for!). But it was the personal side that really interested me. Catherine loved her children fiercely even though she had little time with them. She wanted to know every detail of their lives. Her letters to Elisabeth when she went to Spain were filled with family gossip and instructions. Just the kind of stuff that any mother would send their daughter, and Elisabeth appeared to want to always make her mother proud.
Mary and Elisabeth were like sisters, so when Mary needed Elizabeth’s and Spain’s support when the Scottish Lords turned against her, it must have hurt her greatly when they refused to help.
What I liked most was having the opportunity to dip my toes in to the history of France and Spain. It sounded as tumultuous as our own.
I do think that I’m going to have to follow up on Cathrine de’ Medici, though. Now she sounds fascinating!
I’m so glad that I read this - thanks to The Pigeonhole!
This book is about the lives of Catherine de’ Medici (married to the French Henry II), Elisabeth of Spain and Mary, Queen of Scots and how their lives wove together.
There are some really interesting facts here (Mary was nearly 6 feet tall - now THIS is the kind of fact I live for!). But it was the personal side that really interested me. Catherine loved her children fiercely even though she had little time with them. She wanted to know every detail of their lives. Her letters to Elisabeth when she went to Spain were filled with family gossip and instructions. Just the kind of stuff that any mother would send their daughter, and Elisabeth appeared to want to always make her mother proud.
Mary and Elisabeth were like sisters, so when Mary needed Elizabeth’s and Spain’s support when the Scottish Lords turned against her, it must have hurt her greatly when they refused to help.
What I liked most was having the opportunity to dip my toes in to the history of France and Spain. It sounded as tumultuous as our own.
I do think that I’m going to have to follow up on Cathrine de’ Medici, though. Now she sounds fascinating!
I’m so glad that I read this - thanks to The Pigeonhole!
Letters and Words
Book
It is never too late to start listening to your heart and find the true purpose in life. We've been...
womens' fiction
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Recluse in Books
May 11, 2024
92 of 220
Book sirens arc
Recluse
By Gabriel Zavala
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
HE'S WEAVING HIS WEB OF MURDER.
Lukas Retter is a recluse in the correctional city of East Haddam, Connecticut, washing cars and dreaming about taking back control of his life. He has been ever since The Safety First Act redefined criminal justice in America.
Meanwhile, the children of criminals are placed in psychiatric hospitals to be evaluated.
But when Lukas murders Rebecca Waylow, his girlfriend, he leaves her dismembered and strung-up on a web of bloody ropes and wires. And she won't be the last.
As Lukas recalls his sinister past and becomes the new nightmare of his correctional city, he transforms into the serial killer he was destined to become. He'll do whatever it takes to feel control, even if it means stringing a few people up in the process.
This was pretty brutal from start to finish. Not one of these characters have any redeeming qualities. This main character was taken from his home at a young age, accused of killing his father even though he watched his sister do it to then be put into a violent situation by the government.
It’s a tough read but actually really well written especially from such a young author who definitely has a long promising career ahead of him.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Book sirens arc
Recluse
By Gabriel Zavala
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
HE'S WEAVING HIS WEB OF MURDER.
Lukas Retter is a recluse in the correctional city of East Haddam, Connecticut, washing cars and dreaming about taking back control of his life. He has been ever since The Safety First Act redefined criminal justice in America.
Meanwhile, the children of criminals are placed in psychiatric hospitals to be evaluated.
But when Lukas murders Rebecca Waylow, his girlfriend, he leaves her dismembered and strung-up on a web of bloody ropes and wires. And she won't be the last.
As Lukas recalls his sinister past and becomes the new nightmare of his correctional city, he transforms into the serial killer he was destined to become. He'll do whatever it takes to feel control, even if it means stringing a few people up in the process.
This was pretty brutal from start to finish. Not one of these characters have any redeeming qualities. This main character was taken from his home at a young age, accused of killing his father even though he watched his sister do it to then be put into a violent situation by the government.
It’s a tough read but actually really well written especially from such a young author who definitely has a long promising career ahead of him.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Fun & engaging read
Allison and her family move to New York City from Dallas for her husband, Michael's, job. At first, Allison is excited--ready for the glitz and glamour of the city. Instead, she finds herself and her family (including her three children) living in a cramped small apartment within a high-rise building. She has no friends and no one to confide in and shortly after moving, she loses her job. Things go from bad to worse when she hits an empty parked car outside her son Jack's school--right in front of the judgemental eyes of all the other mothers. The note Allison leaves leads her to a fancy penthouse, which she finds occupied by young pop star, Carter Reid. Allison doesn't see Carter as a pop star, however: she sees an abandoned kid, friendless, without parents, and about to ruin his career by backing out of the Broadway musical in which he agreed to star. Somehow, Allison becomes involved in Carter's life and as she does, she finally finds a reason to embrace New York.
This was such a fun book and such an engaging read. Now, at first, Allison is adrift in New York and in the beginning of the book, I was so frustrated with the abuse she took from Carter that I was a bit annoyed with the story. But Poeppel gets you past that pretty quick. The entire book is humorous, as it's filled with funny moments with Allison, her family, and the cast of supporting characters. Howard, a security guard Allison helps tutor, particularly shines, as does Owen, Carter's butler. Poeppel is very adept at capturing the individual voice of each of her characters. I loved Allison's kids, too. I fell for her eldest daughter, Charlotte, because I could have been her 20 years ago (geez I'm old), but teenage Megan and funny, quirky Jack were awesome too. The characters truly become like family.
Even if Allison frustrated me at times, with her coddling of Carter, I certainly found her relatable. The fact that she wasn't a morning person, her love for her children yet inability to always know what was happening in their lives, and her closeness with her own mom. She comes across as a real person, and I was incredibly impressed at how well she handled Carter and the celebrity world. The theme of family runs across the book--not just Allison's family, but how the disparate characters in the novel become their own family, and you really find yourself rooting for Carter because of it.
And, indeed, the magic of the book is how it transforms Carter. In the beginning, I couldn't believe anyone would like this kid, but as you read on... well, let's just say you will be rooting for Carter Reid. Poeppel captures Carter so precisely--his mannerisms, his dialect, his voice--it's amazing. It's easy to picture him, and he grows on you, for sure. By the end of the novel, you may feel a little misty. Sure, it's sometimes easy to see where things may be going, but that's OK, because it is such a rather enjoyable ride to be on. Plus, you never know exactly what wrench Carter is going to throw in Allison's carefully laid plans.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It started off a little slow, and I was initially frustrated with Carter's behavior (and Allison's acceptance of it). However, the book then takes off, and I was quickly immersed in the well-written characters and the arc of the story. It's such a fun book in so many ways--and touching too--plus there's a celebrity aspect that gives it an enjoyable twist, and you often feel like you're in NYC on a Broadway set. Definitely an enjoyable read.
This was such a fun book and such an engaging read. Now, at first, Allison is adrift in New York and in the beginning of the book, I was so frustrated with the abuse she took from Carter that I was a bit annoyed with the story. But Poeppel gets you past that pretty quick. The entire book is humorous, as it's filled with funny moments with Allison, her family, and the cast of supporting characters. Howard, a security guard Allison helps tutor, particularly shines, as does Owen, Carter's butler. Poeppel is very adept at capturing the individual voice of each of her characters. I loved Allison's kids, too. I fell for her eldest daughter, Charlotte, because I could have been her 20 years ago (geez I'm old), but teenage Megan and funny, quirky Jack were awesome too. The characters truly become like family.
Even if Allison frustrated me at times, with her coddling of Carter, I certainly found her relatable. The fact that she wasn't a morning person, her love for her children yet inability to always know what was happening in their lives, and her closeness with her own mom. She comes across as a real person, and I was incredibly impressed at how well she handled Carter and the celebrity world. The theme of family runs across the book--not just Allison's family, but how the disparate characters in the novel become their own family, and you really find yourself rooting for Carter because of it.
And, indeed, the magic of the book is how it transforms Carter. In the beginning, I couldn't believe anyone would like this kid, but as you read on... well, let's just say you will be rooting for Carter Reid. Poeppel captures Carter so precisely--his mannerisms, his dialect, his voice--it's amazing. It's easy to picture him, and he grows on you, for sure. By the end of the novel, you may feel a little misty. Sure, it's sometimes easy to see where things may be going, but that's OK, because it is such a rather enjoyable ride to be on. Plus, you never know exactly what wrench Carter is going to throw in Allison's carefully laid plans.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It started off a little slow, and I was initially frustrated with Carter's behavior (and Allison's acceptance of it). However, the book then takes off, and I was quickly immersed in the well-written characters and the arc of the story. It's such a fun book in so many ways--and touching too--plus there's a celebrity aspect that gives it an enjoyable twist, and you often feel like you're in NYC on a Broadway set. Definitely an enjoyable read.