Stella Newman’s Pear Shaped is the story of the journey of a young woman in her early thirties whose self-confidence is shattered by the immature views on life and a woman’s physique of her much older boyfriend. Sophie Klein is out with a friend for a typical Friday girl’s night. They step into a bar… Read More Book Review: ‘Pear Shaped,’ by Stella Newman
This third book of the PSS Chronicles series by Ripley Patton continues the story of Olivia Black and her runaway friends, led by the elusive Marcus, straight after the brutal tragedy in the final pages of Ghost Hold. Some of the valiant band are held hostage, some are dead, some are hurt, and some on… Read More Book Review: ‘Ghost Heart’ by Ripley Patton
The most magical aspect of fiction is its ability to create a safe environment in which we can closely examine important issues, however sensitive they might be. It was with the hope of finding between its covers a story that could create such an environment for a conversation on social media’s role in our relationships… Read More Book Review: ‘Populatti’ by Jackie Nastri Bardenwerper
They used to be two peas in a pod. Being inseparable from Brianna made a lot of things easier, including navigating middle school with lethal food allergies. Her friend is the reason why Nina was able to avoid sitting at the table reserved for others like her – other students with food allergies, who presence… Read More Book Review: ‘My Year of Epic Rock’ by Andrea Pyros
Celebrity culture pervades our day to day lives. We have an unhealthy relationships with the people that influence our lives, placing them on pedestal and deifying them. When it comes to someone like Coco Chanel, whose influence, even a little over 40 years after her passing, infuses to many lives around the world, that deification,… Read More Book Review: ‘Mademoiselle: Coco Chanel and the Pulse of History’, by Rhonda K. Garelick
I have to confess from the beginning that I am particularly demanding when it comes to books written for preteens. After all, they are particularly vulnerable to the influences of their environment, be they positive or negative. The Prank List by Anna Staniszewski made for an interesting read. The main character, Rachel Lee, is set… Read More Book Review: ‘The Prank List’ by Anna Staniszewski
The music we are most exposed to is that which is deemed worthy by big companies with big reach. Unfortunately, these companies are more interested in making a profit than creating uplifting, inspiring music, encouraging audiences like ourselves to accept that the formulaic songs they churn out at breathtaking speed is, indeed, good music. How… Read More Book Review: ‘Your Band is a Virus!’ by James Moore
The allure, glamour, and charm exuded by Audrey Hepburn are sources of inspiration for many women. In Being Audrey Hepburn, nineteen year old Lisbeth’s obsession with the beautiful star and her movies brings her to a place she never thought she would ever step foot in. Lisbeth’s life is not an easy one. Her father… Read More Book Review: ‘Being Audrey’ by Mitchell Kriegman
One’s conception of life is of big importance as to how we deal with mistakes. If life on Earth is but one chance to do everything we have to do before disappearing for good, then of course mistakes are unacceptable. But if one understands life on Earth as the beginning of an eternal path on… Read More Book Review: ‘Constructive Wallowing: How to Beat Bad Feelings by Letting Yourself Have Them’ by Tina Gilbertson
I have had the pleasure of working with preteens and teens for some time and had to face very early on the question of sex. I believe this topic should not be a shameful one that needs to be hidden away. Rather it should be discussed openly with wisdom, and tact. Furthermore, preteens and teens… Read More Book Review: Kids Gone Wild: From Rainbow Parties to Sexting, Understanding the Hype Over Teen Sex, by Joel Best and Kathleen A. Bogle