Review: Spaceman by Mike Massimino

Spaceman: An Astronaut's Unlikely Journey to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe by Mike Massimino
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This has been the best 10 hours 57 minutes I have spent all year. Most of this I listened to while walking and Mike made me forget that I was exercising, thank God, and made me want to stay out for just another 5 minutes.

Having heard his words of struggle and triumph helped me to understand that I can be encouraged and I can encourage my children and grandchildren to push through any possible struggle to head toward a dream that they may have.

I would be so honored to meet this man and to hug him for all he's accomplished, the dreams he's helped push along and the encouragement he's imparted.

I'm so glad that the author read this book, it made it far more real to me than having someone else read it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mike Massimino served as a NASA Astronaut from 1996 until 2014 and flew in space twice: STS-109 on space shuttle Columbia in March 2002 and STS-125 on space shuttle Atlantis in May 2009 – the final two Hubble Space Telescope servicing missions.  Mike became the first human to tweet from space, was the last human to work inside of Hubble, and set a team record with his crewmates for the most cumulative spacewalking time in a single space shuttle mission.  

Mike has a recurring role as himself on The Big Bang Theory; appears regularly on late night talk shows, news programs, and documentaries; and is a much sought after inspirational speaker.  He received his BS from the Columbia University School of Engineering, and his two MS’s and Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).  He currently lives in New York City where he is an engineering professor at Columbia and an advisor at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum.

Review: Anything But Love by Abigail Strom

Anything But Love by Abigail Strom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sweet and sexy

Jessica and Ben have known each other their entire lives. When Jessica gets a little bit older they grow apart and Ben barely recognizes who she is.

Later in life Jessica is getting ready to get married and Ben goes to the wedding at his mother's request. When the wedding doesn't work out Ben helps Jessica find out who she is and what she really wants in life.

I found this book to be absolutely endearing and full of hot steamy wonderful sex. I was not expecting this book to be as wonderful as it was. And with audible narration it became one of my favorite go-to things for when I took a walk. I'm so glad that I was able to find this book and read the wonderful words that this author had to prepare for me.

I definitely look forward to reading more things by this author.


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Review: Tiger Lily by Wende Dikec

Tiger Lily by Wende Dikec
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I will admit that the synopsis of this book sounded a little silly, but once I got into the book it made sense and just made me fall in love with the book.

Lily is a "goody-two-shoes" in the uber sense. She is one of the popular crowd, and even dying doesn't fix it ... until she sees ghosts and needs help. She finds it in the most unlikely of places. And with that help, she opens up her life and her mind to things she never thought possible. Ghosts and spirits follow her around and make her life more confusing than it was before, is she crazy or did dying open up things that she's not ready for?

I'm a bit of a softy, but you need a little pack of tissues at the end of this book. Just when you think everything is wonderful, it's not and tears stream down your face.

Wende Dikec is a talented author with a talent for words, and the gift of storytelling. I can't wait to read more by her. Thank you for the ride - I can't wait to do it again.

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Review: Saying Goodbye: Part Two by Abigail Drake

Saying Goodbye, Part Two by Abigail Drake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I binge read this book in two hours. My boyfriend and I headed down to go horseback riding and normally when we are on a long trip he and I will chat and catch up on "us" time. But when I got the book in the mail I had to stop everything and read. And I'm so glad that I did.

There were several times that I was crying so much that my boyfriend asked me if I was OK. After a while, he just handed me a tissue and kept driving. It's not often that a book will drive me to tears, and when it does, it's a rare treasure.

Samantha learns life lessons from an unexpected person, gets forgiveness for something that she desperately needs, and finds love in unexpected places. This book is a rare treat and was better than the first, even if I didn't think it possible.

Ms. Drake - you've done it again and I can't wait to read more of your work.

~This book was read with pleasure in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews I received this product for free/at a discount in exchange for an honest review, but all opinions are my own. Most books are donated to the local library for circulation, or donation to the Friends of the Library.

Review: I Love Your Cupcakes by Olga Núñez Miret

I Love Your Cupcakes by Olga Núñez Miret
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This isn't a book you're going to have to hang onto the edge of your seats for, but it's a delightful little story nonetheless. There were a few parts that read a little awkwardly, but not so much so that you wouldn't be able to enjoy the book. Kudos for the depth of characters and giving each their own unique types.

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Saying Goodbye, Part One by Abigail Drake

Saying Goodbye, Part One by Abigail Drake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! Just WOW!

Once I picked this book up I couldn't put it down. Abigail Drake writes characters that will make you love, hate, adore, abhor, and send you right into their lives. You'll never be the same after reading this. DO NOT pick this book up if you want a book that's going to end in a pretty package. You will be left hanging and I hope that Part Two is going to pick up where Part One left off, because I'm invested now, and I don't want to let go.

Samantha really wants a good time before she heads off to Japan for the semester, but what she thought would be a fling ended up being more than that. Deep DARK secrets may break her, but she really finds her strength in places she didn't know she had.

Dylan is in LOVE with Samantha, he's so in love he's a little controlling. Will this relationship work, especially with Samantha leaving for Japan so soon? Will his secrets haunt them, or will they bring them together?

Such a great book with a storyline that grips your heart like a vice and won't let go until the very end. As you finish the book you start to miss the characters the second you put the book down.

Highly addictive, wonderfully written. Way to go Ms. Drake. Kudos!

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Review: Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo

Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My local librarian recommended this to me. I really like Amish books, but this was less Amish and more murder mystery.

Kate is the police chief in her local hometown. When a murder hits on her watch she thought the person who committed the crime was dead. When she finally figured it out who was committing the murder will she nab him/her or will they get the best of her?

I loved the face paced nature of this book. It starts off grabbing my attention, and never let it go. There were some spikes in the storyline, but it always went back to the fast pace the book offered up.

The only part of the book that I didn't like was the fact that several times in the same chapter the POV would change. I'm a proponent of changing POV from chapter to chapter to lessen the chance of confusion with the reader.

I look forward to reading more by this author.

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