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Tardy Bells and Witches' Spells

Sarina Dorie

9.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

Book

Nerdy high school outcast, CLARISSA LAWRENCE, has always felt like she didn't belong in this world....

Our Bridal Shop (Match Made in Devon Bridal Shop #1)

Danielle Blair

(0 Ratings) Rate It

Book

Every family has its secrets, and the March family is no exception. For the March sisters, Match...

Women's Fiction

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies

Catherine Mack

3.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

Book

All that bestselling author Eleanor Dash wants is to get through her book tour in Italy and kill off...

Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated The Biggest Poutine in the World in Books

Jun 18, 2018

The Biggest Poutine in the World by Andrée Poulin is a cute, enjoyable, surprisingly emotional book about poutine and a world record attempt. I wish that the book had not ended so abruptly but it has a fantastic message and sympathetic and well-developed characters.

Our hero is twelve year old Thomas. His Mom disappeared on his fifth birthday. Dad has become withdrawn. Thomas feels abandoned. He develops a plan to put together the biggest poutine in the world in the hope that the attention that will draw will somehow lure his Mom back into his life. Three things gave me pause.

The book is loaded with sympathetic, supportive, decent real people who help and guide Thomas in the right direction. Thomas has a best friend, Sam, who is a real kid but is in fact a best friend. Thomas is extorted into taking on lonely Elie as a poutine project partner, and she turns out to be a lively, no-nonsense breath of fresh air. Sam's Mom, the city's mayor, Elie's Mom, and even the French Fry Guy are all adults who can see what's going on and provide gentle guidance and support. Finally, even Dad shows some spine. The effect of all of this is never sappy; it's upbeat and kind.

Thomas is insightful and the tale is told with great humor. As to Thomas, who narrates, we get a kid who may not be "real", but he feels real. I would suspect almost any middle grade reader would like and identify with this kid, which is most of the battle right there. Thomas has been dealt a bad hand, (his sense of abandonment, misplaced guilt, and anger is palpable, but he soldiers on pretty gamely and you root for him to get it together when his resolve wavers.

And, there is some very funny stuff that keeps us out of grim and depressing territory. The whole poutine project is a goof. Thomas and Sam have some great exchanges. Elie has a dry and deadpan style that keeps Thomas honest. A subplot involving the mayor's parrot, (don't ask), adds some slapstick. And behind it all you sense an author with a great command of the light and the dark and a good sense of how to ration them both out.

The upshot is that this is an honest, entertaining and very engaging story that I think would challenge, amuse and possibly touch a young reader. That's a nice combination.

I received this book from Annick Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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Vegas Crime Fighting

Games and Entertainment

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Get ready to experience thrilling action packed unique open world underground adventure in this free...

Jessi Bone (48 KP) rated Mailbox Money Mindset: The Secret Motivations Behind Owning Real Estate with Recurring Revenue in Books

Mar 18, 2019

Mailbox Money Mindset is a frame of mind, a mentality, and a lifestyle in which you focus on investing in assets, over the long term, provide recurring revenue streams

Chris Hotze shares in his book the advice he received from his father along with practical real-world applications you can become financially independent. He also helps you understand that strictly relying on the stock market investments, 401Ks and bank accounts in your retirement may not protect you in a way you would want them too. He shows you how to protect your money and have control over it by establishing revenue streams from real-estate assets. The most profound advice I found from his dad was Paper dollars will become less valuable over time and hard assets will ultimately appreciate. The QR codes at the end of each chapter allow you to further investigate topics you want more information about for example of This Economic Downtown.

You would be surprised to learn that this book even with its business concept is written in a way that anyone can read and learn from these concepts. Chris Hotze writes in a way that regardless of your education you can receive useful and correct information for you to start your own Mailbox Money. He breaks down what assets really are and what tangible assets are and how their use can mean in 10, 20 or even 30 years later and how they will affect your own legacy after you are gone. I would really recommend you take the time to read this book even if you believe real-estate is not for you because the concepts and ideas inside will help you understand your financial future can look like outside of real-estate.