New American Awakenings by Tyler Davis

 New American Awakenings (Book one) by Tyler Davis is one the hardest books I have read about the post America world in years.  I started reading this book after the capitol attack in D.C. and this book is so realistic even if others don't believe so.  It is from the viewpoint of Colt a young man who is living in a slum after a supposed christian (I put a little "c" on purpose as the group that took over is not what the Bible calls Christian at all) took over the government and made anyone different from them the enemy/terrorist.  The horrific abuse at the hands of a prideful person who thinks she is the servant of God is horrific but sadly I can even see it in people today.  Without giving anything away I will say that the story is well written as I could picture everything even to point of seeing it actually happening to our America.  This book is a great fiction example of what happens when we let prideful people make enemies out of our neighbors.  I highly recommend this book even with the chaos going on in our world right now and I can't wait for the second book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rant thoughts on racism

Since I know very few people will actually read this especially since my grammar is horrible.  With everything going on I have to get this off my chest so here I go.  I am so sick of people saying racism is something in the past and not that prevalent now.  Wrong I remember in 1988 (hey that was only 32 years ago) how white supremacist murdered a man in Portland Oregon.  We forgot that it was only 6 years ago that a Georgia school finally had an official non-segregated prom.  The same students that in the 1960's that were screaming at African American students trying to integrate schools are now the parents and grandparents of our current generations.  Yes, some may have changed their beliefs but not all did, and they taught that hate to their children.  I know things have gotten better but there is still a hidden and not so hidden groups of what I allow my children to call racists big dummies.  I get mad about racism since I come from a family of mixed-race people and none are adopted all are blood relation.  Between my husband and I, we have Asian, Jewish, African American, Hispanic, and Native American relatives.   What also makes me mad is around the time I publish this will be near my 20th wedding anniversary and had we gotten married in the late 40's or slightly into the 50's would not been allowed to get married because it was illegal for a couples of different races to marry.  As my husband is genetically Native American (yes, we know this for a fact), and it was illegal in our state until 1951 for whites marry non-whites including Native Americans.  Before you think I am only talking about white racists I have met people of different races that are racist also, so it does not matter racists are jerks we are all God's children. I am a people watcher and I have seen white supremacy in my community and since it is not my story to tell I will not give details but I have had friends and family that have experienced horrible treatment and some just snide comments due to their race in our community.  I have seen white pride flaunted and it is sad and horrible.  No race is above another but we as human beings cannot put our heads in the sand when others think they are better than others just because of how little or how much more pigment they have in their skin.  Just because you have not experienced or have seen racism does not mean it does not exist this not like the tooth fairy it is there just some are blessed not have had that happen to them.  If you are a former racist good I am glad you have seen the light and no longer are one of those jerks and I will be your friend but if you are a currently racist jerk I will treat you with God's love but we will not be friends.  I cannot be friends with someone who thinks my family is worth less than others due to the amount of pigment in their skin.  If you read this just remember this is my thoughts and rants.  So just remember your experiences are not someone elses.

Take Back Your Time by Morgan Tyree

"Take Back Your Time" by Morgan Tyree is an organization and scheduling book.  I am not an organized person by nature so I was very interested in this book.  However, it was way more advanced than I am at organizing.  With the three different levels it uses and all the different tasks you need to do to figure out where things should be scheduled in your life, I got overwhelmed.  I just need simple easy lessons on scheduling and this was not for me.  Maybe I am just too simple just give me a plain planner with no stickers or extras and I can plan my day still have issues but that is me. So if you are looking for something more advanced then this book is for you.  So I recommend it for the non-basic easy-going planner type person.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell a division of Baker Publishing Group.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Light From Distant Stars by Shawn Smucker

"Light from Distant Stars" by Shawn Smucker is a novel about Cohen Marah in the present and in his past.  We see Cohen coming to terms with his dad's death which bring up some bad memories from his childhood.  He lived with his dad at a funeral home after his parents divorced. We learn that his dad was a caring father but his mother was a harsh cold woman and he had a very loving sister.  However, that is all I can really say without giving away to much of the story.   I will say that this book at times did seem to jump around some.  I did enjoy the way the author made a clear jump from the past to the present which is nice when they do that.  However I still was getting confused at times by what was happening in the story well mainly the parts in the past.  Even though I was confused by the story at times I still enjoyed and could not put it down once I picked it up.  So I do recommend it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell a division of Baker Publishing Group.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The String by Caleb Breakey

"The String" by Caleb Breakey is a crime thriller novel about the conductor pulling the strings that affect the life of university cop Markus Haas.  This book started out as a possible good psychological thriller if that is your cup of tea which is mine.  However, it did not turn out to be that way for me as with in the first couple chapters I figured out what was going on in the story and who the conductor was.  This type of book should have kept me guessing all throughout it but it did not as it was a very formulaic type of book.  I mean seriously it is like I have read this story before just with different character names and a few other differences it was just badly written.  I do not recommend this book at all.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell a division of Baker Publishing Group.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Protecting Your Child From Predators by Beth Robinson

"Protecting Your Child From Predators" by Beth Robinson and Latayne Scott is about not only identifying how a predator works but also on how to help/teach your children at different ages about predators.  This is such a powerful and informative book in my opinion it is a must read by any church or group that has kids in it.  There are so many points that I really agreed with.  Some of my favorite are for example if you or your child have a bad feeling about someone follow that instinct don't ignore it.  I personally have had bad feeling about not trusting someone and then later find out they are a rapist.  This book teaches us how to teach our children from a young age about predators in an age appropriate way.  Also this book explains that most of the time the predators are people close to us or sometimes the friendlist person you know.   You just have to read this to be able glean all the good information from this book as it is a very powerful book that I could not put down and I highly recommend it to any one.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Am I an Introvert or something else.

Interesting thought I have been rattling in my head.  I will admit I have always been an introvert but I was a more outgoing one until 1997/98.  Why those years?  Well, I was being stalked in my little town of around 1600 people.  I would have someone calling my home knowing exactly when I walked in my door or went to bed to harass me all night.  They would also call my parent's house or even a couple of friends houses as soon as I walked in the door.  It never happened to them until I would walk thru the door.  At this point in time in my hometown had no police except one sheriff who lived there (now they have none) and no way of tracing phone calls.  I was a single mom at the time lving in a really bad one bedroom trailer that should have been condemned.  So I would stay with parents a lot as my place was not safe and they would even call my parents home mainly when they knew my dad was not home.  It also did not help that I had a car that leaked oil so bad that you could follow me by my trail of oil I left behind. When I moved to the bigger local town of 20,000 people then the calls stopped.   So it was someone in my small hometown.  I still don't know who it was have a few ideas but cannot confirm any of them. Over the years I still go there and have had a few bad incidents to were still a mystery to me.  Once in 1999, I had my tire stabbed in the sidewall with a knife (the police cadets that helped me change it found it and the tire store agreed it was a knife).  My husband and our children were once followed and chased in the woods behind that town that is a very long and weird story.   And we have had some issues at our home that made us think that somoeone has been watching our house until we put up security cameras. 

I know you are asking yourself why are you bringing this all up after 20 years.  Well, I want people to know and understand stalking changing a person mentally.  I keep my head down way more than I used as I am still scared that whoever it was will come back into my life as I don't live very far from my hometown.  I know I am a introvert and a hard person to get to know but some of that is due to the stalking.  But some of that is it seems like people really don't want to get to know me if they did they would find out that once I am friends with someone I am loyal.  Also if you think my outfits are getting on the weird side because you were more used to my dressed down look well sorry that was not me that style actually depressed me.  But due to my stalker and other reasons, I just tried to be considered more normal but husband said no that is not you it is making you depressed.  So now you will see me with a in progress spiked leather jacket, boots, skulls, spikes, crosses, lots of black and maybe one day different colored hair (right now no money to do it).  My clothes have not changed who I am on the inside I am still a God fearing Christian women, wife and mom who just does not look like the average women in my town.  I am happier not trying to be like everyone else it is not me.  Yes I know I will be made fun of and I have already had that happen but you know what I don't care. Also people might wonder about my faith nope still a Christian women yes having issues but that is a story for another time and really does not need to be out in public. And what women has not had struggles in their faith it just refines u.  It has taken me 20 years to really come to terms that my stalker and the threat of them still out there is not going to change me or keep me down.   God is in control not them.