Dealing with D-I-V-O-R-C-E

Family Changes: Explaining Divorce to Children
by Dr. Azmaira H. Maker

Dr. Azmaira H. Maker, a clinical psychologist with twenty years of experience in child development, presents a fantasized tale of young Zoey Bunny who must deal with the divorce of her parents.

A "Note to Adults" starts the book providing information to parents, or other care givers (teachers, therapists, grandparents,etc.) about sharing this book with young children (ages 4-8 is the recommendation). The book ends with a list of questions to discuss with the child / children following the reader. Although the questions are presented as follow ups to the reading, they would be best used as a discussion starting point. I would recommend reading through the questions prior to sitting down with the child to read the book so you are familiar with them. Don't go through the questions immediately after reading. Use them as a springboard for conversation and not a quiz to see how well the child listened to the story.

Although a variety of emotions (sadness, anxiety, loss, confusion, and anger) are mentioned in the initial note, I didn't clearly see all of these emotions represented in the story. This is not a criticism, just an observation. It is very important to realize children of divorce have no control of their situation. They need to understand their feelings and emotions are valid and should be acknowledged accordingly.

When Zoey questions Mama Bunny about the words separation and divorce, she is presented with a very open and honest age appropriate definition of the two words. I am a bit concerned the words are used interchangeably. It might have been best, since this book seems to focus on the initial stages of the separation, to simply use the word separated. As the story progresses divorce could have been brought into the conversation as a means of explaining the permanence of the situation.

I reviewed the electronic version of the book. The illustrations I saw in the electronic version were bright, colorful, and would be very appealing to young children. They seemed sporadic in the format I read.  I feel full page illustrations across from the text on each two page spread would make the book more appealing to young children, especially because of the difficult topic.

*To comply with new guidelines introduced by the Federal Trade Commission, Aspiring Families Press has provided a complimentary electronic copy of Families Change: Explaining Divorce to Children for review purposes. My review is in no way influenced by the author or publishing company and is strictly my opinion.

Bug in a Vacuum by Melanie Watt

Bug in a Vacuum
by Melanie Watt

Bug in a Vacuum is not the typical Watt book. In her latest book, which will be released August 25, 2015, a bug flies past the family dog and into the house. As it flies in the house it passes an aerosol can of Dandelion Repellent. This is the first time the observant reader notices the book does not take place in the present. The vacuum inside the door reminds me of my maternal grandmother’s old Electrolux.  

As the bug continues to fly around the house, through the bathroom, the kitchen, bedroom, and finally the living room glimpses of retro furniture (TV dinner on the Formica tabletop) and décor (hula lamp and globe) help to determine the setting as the mid 1960s.

It is in the living room everything changes for the bug and for the careful observer, the family dog. As the dog sits on the sofa the vacuum sucks up his favorite toy. Moments later the bug , which has landed on the globe, disappears into the inner bowels of the vacuum.  Both creatures then begin their grieving.

From here, the book is divided into small chapters focusing on each of the five stages of grief. The first, denial is represented by the can we first saw as the bug flew into the house – denial. The dog’s denial is portrayed through thought bubbles, while the bug is verbal trying to communicate with the other items eaten by the giant vacuum. Each subsequent stage: bargaining, anger, despair, and acceptance is presented in a similar manner. The story ends with the vacuum being thrown out and picked up by the waste service. As the little dog runs after the truck he meets a new friend and seems to move on with his life. When the truck arrives at the land fill, the vacuum crashes to the ground where the back of the unit falls open allowing the bug to escape. I love the final image of the two dogs looking at each other as the sun goes down, while in the foreground a mother bird watches over her eggs which are slightly hidden by the favorite toy.

Bug in a Vacuum has been described as “a funny, suspenseful and poignant look at the travails of a bug trapped in a vacuum,” but I think it is SO much more. Yes, portions of the book are humorous, but the underlying message in the book is that no matter what trials and tribulations we must face in life with patience, perseverance, and belief in oneself we will be able to overcome and move on.

Melanie Watt (best known to my library friends as the mother of Scaredy Squirrel, Leon the Chameleon, and Chester the Cat) presents a 96-page picture book which takes the reader through the five stages of grief, also known as the Kὕbler-Ross model. A brief mention of the Kὕbler-Ross model is explained at the end of the book as “a series of emotions commonly experienced when facing a life-changing event.” The model was first introduced in 1969 by the Swiss     psychiatrist in her book On Death and Dying. The five stages can occur in any order, and may not be experienced by all facing life-altering events.

Watt has found a unique way in which to present these stages to young children without preaching. If this book is needed for bibliotherapy  then wonderful discussions and comparisons can be made throughout, if not the story can be enjoyed simply for the wonderful presentation created by this incredibly talented author / illustrator.

*To comply with new guidelines introduced by the Federal Trade Commission, Tundra Books has provided a complimentary electronic copy of Bug in a Vacuum for review purposes. My review is in no way influenced by the author or publishing company and is strictly my opinion.

Dexter is back!

Dexter is Dead
by Jeff Lindsay

From Jeff Lindsay's Dexter website...

"After seven national bestsellers and eight seasons as one of the most successful shows on television, New York Times bestselling author Jeff Lindsay bids a thrilling farewell to his uniquely twisted and beloved serial killer, Dexter Morgan. Dexter is Dead is the definitive conclusion of the character who has become a global icon."

"Dexter Morgan has burned the candle at both ends for many years. Blood spatter analyst...husband...father...serial killer. And now, for the first time, his world has truly collapsed. Dexter is arrested on charges of murder. He has lost everything-including his wife, his kids, and the loyalty of his sister. Now completely alone, Dexter faces a murder charge (for a crime...ironically...he did not actually commit). His only chance for freedom lies with his brother, Brian, who has a dark plan to prove Dexter's innocence. But the stakes are deadly, and the epic showdown that lies in Dexter's path may lead, once and for all, to his demise.

Jeff Lindsay's trademark devilish wit and cutting satire have never been sharper. Dexter is Dead marks the end of a beloved series, but is also Dexter's most satisfying and suspenseful outing yet."

Almost two years ago I posted a review of Dexter's Final Cut, at the time I believed it was the demise of Dexter. I was thrilled when I discovered Dexter was back, even if for only a short time (as the title suggests), in Dexter is Dead. Full disclosure, I have not yet finished reading the book. I don't want to inadvertently present any spoilers. What I can say is Mr. Lindsay does not disappoint. The next installment (and according to Lindsay's website, quoted above, the conclusion of the series) of Dexter (still in my head as Michael C. Hall from the Showtime series) picks up right where it left off in the seventh book. For fans of Dexter, Dexter is Dead will be available July 7 from your favorite book sellers. For those who have yet to be introduced to the Robin Hood of serial killers, I would suggest starting from the beginning of the series with Darkly Dreaming Dexter. 

I know ethically Dexter is wrong. However I love how he always took care of ridding the world of the bad guy, the one everyone believes should get his comeuppance. If this truly is the end of Dexter I must take this opportunity to say thank you to Mr. Lindsay. Dexter Morgan will go in my book as one of my favorite literary characters. I will miss him, but I know life goes on and there are so many more great characters you will share with us in the future.

*To comply with new guidelines introduced by the Federal Trade Commission, Doubleday has provided a complimentary electronic copy of Dexter is Dead for review purposes. My review is in no way influenced by the author or publishing company and is strictly my opinion.

Debut Novel by Steven Rappaport

If Jack Had
by Steven Rappaport

About If Jack Had:

"What's the difference between a serial killer and an assassin? A pay check."

Jack is a Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist with a secret second job. Since he was a smart-ass grad student slinking around New York’s Upper West Side and Brighton Beach, he’s been working as an assassin for the Russian mob.

Beginning at the end – that is, with an aged, incontinent, and at last truly alone Jack, his mind made up that tomorrow will be the first day he kills someone he loves: himself – If Jack Had [Black Rose Writing, June 4 2015] tells his story in rear view, providing an all-access-pass into the enviable, high-flying life he clear-cut for himself against all odds…and the (literal) trail of dead he left along the way.

The debut novel from sixty-eight-year-old Manhattan author Steve Rappaport, If Jack Had is, much like its protagonist, more than meets the eye. A caper comedy featuring sex and drugs, blasphemy and blood, far-flung exotic locales and all the other stuff that makes for good, not-so-clean fun, If Jack Had also happens to have a big, beating heart. Beneath the surface, it’s a meditation on family, fatherhood, the indignities of aging, the inevitability of loneliness, and the preciousness of life itself.

My Thoughts on the book:

I was contacted by Mr. Rappaport's publicist at the end of April asking if I would be interested in participating in a blog tour for the release of his debut novel. After reading the press release and publicity information I was intrigued by the story and I agreed to read the book and provide an honest review.

Mysteries. Thrillers. Time Travel. Those are my go to genres. I believe If Jack Had would fall into the first two categories easily. There was mystery. It was a bit of a thriller knowing Jack's secret throughout the book, but this book just did not keep my attention. In all honesty, I think I began to get lost very early in the book because of the timeline. The book starts at the end, however we are never clearly told the time period. Based on the description, the reader is lead to believe the book is taking place in the present time. However, little pieces of information dropped along the way make you believe the story begins after 2055. 

Let me explain my reasoning here because I'm sure some will say I've lost my mind. Hints are dropped along the way about the horrible upbringing Jack has with his parents because, "...they were kids themselves and screwed up ones. They were barely 18 when I was born. I had stolen the Sixties from them." So, here we learn Jack is born in the 1960s. It is not for another 75 pages we learn that Jack was born around 1965 as his stepmother reminisces about the first time she met the lonely little boy.

So, going back to the beginning of the book (which is really the end) I learn that Jack marries his high school sweetheart, Sara Beth. [I believe this is the correct spelling of Jack's wife's name. I recall at least one instance where her name was combined as Sarabeth. Reading from an advanced readers copy, this could easily be a typo that was later corrected.] Not long into the book we learn that Sara Beth dies at the age of 90. Herein lies my conclusion of the time frame for the story. If Jack is born in 1965 (his mother was in high school in 1964 and she was 18 when Jack was born) and his high school sweetheart wife "died a few years ago at 90", one would assume he is at least close to her age at the end, I mean beginning of the book, making him about 93, or older.

The movement of time in the book is not linear. That is definitely not a problem for me because I LOVE time travel books. However, with no definitive time frame mentioned with each chapter, I found the story confusing. I needed chapter headings or some other tool to track the time so I didn't have to guess.

To be fair, I am a very critical reader. I read every single word. I don't skip words, sentences, or paragraphs. I feel if the author felt the need to write the word, it needs to be read. For Mr. Rappaport's debut novel challenged my tendencies. In fact, I contacted his publicity asking a very specific timeline question concerning the book because I was confused while reading. The response I got really did not help me as I attempted to finish the book. I say attempted because after many tries I simply could not finish.

About the Author:

Steven Rappaport, age 68, has been a stock trader, pot dealer, itinerant hippie peddler, cab driver, retailer, and is currently a successful commercial real estate salesperson in Manhattan. He offers a simple rationale for his first novel: “My eldest son, Jack, died at forty from a progressively debilitating, unknown neurological disorder. This brilliant boy, a Vassar grad, never got to live the life he deserved. I’ve infused him with one.”

I know Mr. Rappaport wrote this book in order to give his son a legacy, but I truly believe he might have been better off by sharing this novel with Jack's family and friends. I have to think there are a number of inside jokes or familiar stories woven within this novel which we, as outsiders, simply cannot understand. I applaud Mr. Rappaport the courage to put himself out there by writing this novel. I'm sure it had to be heartbreaking to lose a son, but also want so desperately to create a "What If" novel for his child.

This book was not for me. It might be a great novel for someone else, but to be fair to my readers I have to provide an honest and truthful review.

If Jack Had [Black Rose Writing] is available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and in brick-and-mortar bookstores nationwide as of June 4, 2015.

Find If Jack Had on Goodreads and at http://ifjackhad.com.

**To comply with guidelines set forth by the Federal Trade Commission, Smith Publicity, Inc. has provided a complimentary copy of If Jack Had for review purposes. My review is in no way influenced by the author, publicist, or publishing company and is solely my opinion.

Meltzer Delivers

The President's Shadow
by Brad Meltzer

"A severed arm, found buried in the White House Rose Garden. A lethal message with terrible consequecnes for the Presidency. And a hidden secret in one family's past that will have repercussions for the entire nation."

If you are a history buff and have not read Brad Meltzer here is your chance to read a master of the historical conspiracy thriller. The Culper Ring Series: The Inner Circle (2011), The Fifth Assassin (2013), and now The President's Shadow (2015) further establishes Meltzer as an incredible storyteller. His abilty to capture history and make you question all you have learned is masterful.

Beecher White works as an archivist at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. His job is to protect some of our countries most important and valuable documents. He is also a member of the Culper Ring, a secret society established by President George Washington over 200 years ago in order to protect the Presidency. There are secrets in our country's history, but once we uncover those secrets, they can never be hidden again.

In the third installment of the Culper Ring Series, Brad Meltzer delivers the thrills and excitement his fans have come to love. I highly recommend the series and especially this exciting thrill ride of a tale.

The President's Shadow is currently available for pre-order at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. It will be released tomorrow, June 16th. Meltzer is also currently on a book tour across the country. Check out his site to see if he is going to be at a location near you.

**To comply with guidelines set forth by the Federal Trade Commission, Grand Central Publishing has provided a complimentary electronic copy of The President's Shadow for review purposes. My review is in no way influenced by the author or publishing company and is solely my opinion.

Keep Quiet by Lisa Scottoline

In April 2012, I had the wonderful pleasure of meeting Lisa Scottoline at the Texas Library Association Conference. I was a fan before hearing her speak, but became a superfan following her presentation when I got to meet her. My mother and I attended the luncheon together. I got in line to have our books autographed I asked Ms. Scottoline if I could take a picture of her. She was very kind and allowed me to snap this picture.

Lisa Scottoline
April 2012 - Houston, Texas

When I told her I was there with my mother she asked where she was. I told her she was waiting over to the side - she was using a scooter to get around during the conference. Ms. Scottoline got up from the table, walked over to my mother, gave her a hug and took a picture with her. 

Lisa Scottoline and my Mother Marge
April 2012 - Houston, Texas

Ms. Scottoline took the time to greet my mother means the world to me. If I remember correctly this was Ms. Scottoline's book tour had to be cut short because Mother Mary became ill the day after her appearance at the conference.

Like I said, I have been a superfan for a number of years. I have been frantically reading and writing reviews for pre-publication books (some of which I post here, not all however are allowed), but I had to take the time to read something I wanted to read recently. It was not at all difficult to choose the book I wanted to read - Keep Quiet (2014). 

Keep Quiet
by Lisa Scottoline (2014)

What an amazing read. I was captured from the start of this book. I could relate to the characters and felt great empathy for their turmoil. Keep Quiet is the kind of book you cannot put down, even when I could no longer keep my eyes open. It is also the kind of book you cannot keep quiet about. I talked to everyone about this book. I think some people were at the point of walking away from me just to see if I would stop talking. No, I did not. The tension in the story builds from the first chapter and doesn't release you from its grasp until the final one. 

Every book I read by Scottoline is gripping. I don't review many of her books because she is SO fabulous she really needs no help from me. I just wanted to pass along my praise and appreciation to her. I look forward to reading her Sunday posts and seeing the adorable pictures of her four- and two-legged family members (the furry, the feathered, and the daughter). I know she is a bestselling author, but she seems more like a friend and as a fan, I truly want to thank her for showing us all that she is a very down to earth kind of person. Thank you, Ms. Scottoline.

More Sh!t No One Tells You

This morning as I was perusing my most recent notifications on Facebook I stumbled across the posts "On This Day". I was very surprised to see that on this day two years ago I posted a review of Dawn Dais's first Sh!t book. I felt it only appropriate to finish the latest title in the series and post my review!

It is hard for me to believe it has been almost twenty years since my son was born. I am no longer dealing with the issues outlined in Dais's new book Sh!t No One Tells You About Toddlers: A Guide to Surviving the Toddler Years (release date September 8, 2015), but it doesn't mean I didn't feel their pain. It only means that I am at the stage in my life that I can look back on those days to smile and laugh. My days are no longer filled with a rambunctious toddler. Now when I look at small children and babies all I can think about are the grandchildren I hope to have one day. My son's girlfriend LOVES babies and I truly hope she is the mother of my grandchildren some day. I know she will make a wonderful mother.

Like her previous book The Sh!t No One Tells You: A Guide to Surviving Your Babies First Year (2013) Dais presents her own struggles with her toddlers as well as her MOFL (Moms on the Front Lines). This time she also brings two professionals , Katie Hurley and Gail Maire Poverman-Kave, both Licensed Clinical Social Workers.

I was laughing before I even got to the first chapter. The chapter titles, listed in the table of contents are spot on for anyone who has ever parented a toddler. Here are some of the very best chapter titles (and believe me, it was not easy narrowing down to just three).

• Walking is Hard. Bruising is considerably less difficult.
• Remember When You Judged Other Parents?  Prepare to eat your words with a side of karma's a bitch.
• Pictures are Deceiving. "Smile for the camera! We are happy, dammit!"

I highly recommend this book for those who are in these "precious" years with their child, on the cusp of these years, or maybe as a means of birth control for others. Readers will fall into two categories - Rolling on the floor laughing at the stories and remembering their own experiences or crying at the joys they have in their future. Either way all will enjoy this wonderful new book by Dais and her band of Merry Mothers.

**To comply with guidelines set forth by the Federal Trade Commission, Seal Press has provided a complimentary electronic copy of The Sh!t No One Tells You About Toddlers: A Guide to Surviving the Toddler Years for review purposes. My review is in no way influenced by the author or publishing company and is solely my opinion.