Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Please, Daddy, No by Stuart Howarth (Courtney Russell)

Please, Daddy, No written by Stuart Howarth
This is a touching book that shows how much pain a little boy can take until he will crack and do something that he will regret.

This book is a true story or based on a true story about Stuart Howarth who has his mum and no father but just a father figure which sets a bad role in his life by not setting a good example on how to act as a man.

The way that this father figure acts has some really bad affects later on in the book. If you enjoy reading a book about a true story and bad affects on people you will love to read this book.

The characters in this book include Stuart Howarth, his mother and his sisters Sherily and Christene. and the father that he never had well it is his step father that ends up not being there for him and that drives him to do what he has done.

Some of the themes in this story are abuse this is show when the father figure sexually abuses them and makes the do things the are unexplainable, family violence in when the father beats his mother and does not even care the mum is to scared to end the relationship in case something worse could happen and spirt this is when the little boy in the book had his spirt broken and then repaired by a different person which had a affect on his life and father hood.

But other than all the bad abuse this was a great read of a book that i enoyed.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Silverfin (Isaac Lester)


n the 1930s in the Scottish Highlands, fourteen year old Alphie Kelly sneaks under a fence that contain dead animals and other keep out trespassing notices to go fishing at Loch Silverfin. However, strange behaving eel attack the lad.

At the same time that Alphie vanishes, James Bond enters Eton after spending the last couple of years living with his Aunt Charmian following the deaths of his parents in a mountain climbing incident. He runs into trouble from the start with an older student, American George Hellebore and the teen's father weapons tycoon Randolph.

James heads to Keithly, Scotland to spend the Easter holidays with his beloved aunt and his ailing Uncle Max. On the train, he befriends Red Kelly who is heading to the same area to search for his missing cousin. In Keithly, James and Red breech the perimeter fence, trespassing on Randolph's property where he is conducting experiments on a super soldier that will eliminate the frailty of those he observed during the last Great War.

Silverfin is a fine young James Bond tale in which the lad shows glimpses of the cool spy, but just as often displays young teen bravado to hide a lack of confidence. Thus the middle school audience that this novel targets can believe that this is indeed James during his school years. The investigation is intriguing and Randolph is a solid Bond villain. The Eton chapters set the tone for James and his allies vs. the father and son Hellebores. Fans will enjoy their altercation that makes up Part Two of the fine novel.

Tribulation Force (Isaac Lester)


Rayford Steele and his daughter Chloe are settling into post-Rapture life in Chicago. Rayford misses his wife and son, but knows they will meet again in Heaven. In the meantime, they want to watch world events and live their truth - their salvation in Jesus Christ. Cameron "Buck" Williams has been reassigned to his weekly magazine's Chicago office, but he hasn't lost his big story writing job. He is happy with the reassignment even if it is supposed to be punishment. Now he can be near Chloe and their mentor Bruce Barnes. He knows he, Rayford, and Chloe still have a lot to learn about their faith. Bruce is the person to help train them.

Nicholae Carpathia is the new director of the United Nations. He also is taking over the world, becoming the predicted anti-Christ. Buck had personal experience of Carpathia's evilness. He had witnessed Carpathia murder two men, but no one else in the room remembers the events the way they happened.

Events are moving quickly. They can see the beginning of the predicted Tribulation. They see Carpathia taking over the world. There are two prophets in Jeruselum who cannot be silenced or hurt. The world is moving to one currency. Communications companies are consolidating. Yes, the Tribulation is coming.

What Rayford and Buck don't expect is Carpathia's interest in them. He wants both of them to work for him in their special capacities. Nor do they expect the actions of the President of the United States. Bruce is trying to mentor them as well as beginning to minister to the world. He wants to share the truth he wouldn't accept until too late to stay with his family.

In this sequel to Left Behind, LaHaye and Jenkins use fiction to explore the prophecies of the End Times described in the Christian New Testatment. They have done an excellent job in these first two novels. While Tribulation Force doesn't have the in-the-face impact of Left Behind, it is a worthy follow up. I found myself forgetting these were fictional characters and chiding them or cheering for them

Thursday, August 5, 2010

My Lost and Found Life by Melodie Bowsher (stephanie)

My Lost and Found Life by Melodie Bowsher is an intense, captivating novel unlike anything I have ever read. It has many twists and turns leaving you wanting more.

This story is about Ashley an eighteen year old who thinks her life is ruined when her mum steals and runs away with one million dollars. Ashley is so used to getting everything she wants off of her mum that when she is gone she doesn't know what to do. Left with a gigantic house, no money, no job and huge bills, she has to learn how to survive and quick.

Forced out of her home Ashley ends up living in a caravan behind a gas station that her mums ex-boyfriend owns. Although staying in a grotty caravan with no toilet, shower or kitchen is not legal or sanitary it's the best she can afford to do.

Mad Malcolm's Cyber Cafe is the only place she is able to get a job even though they don't pay much it's better than nothing. The longer Ashley works there the more she starts to realise her new friends are completely mad. Hiding secrets about where she lives and about her mum from her friends is tricky and frustrating. She starts to wonder if it was her fault her mum ran away? Was it her fault she stole the money? Was she ever going to come back? With nobody to answer her growing list of questions she stops waiting and starts moving on with her life. Ashley soon realises that her life never was ruined just altered in a good and bad way.

What will happen to Ashley? Will her mum return? Will she loose her job? Will she get caught living in the caravan?

If you are a fan of surprises then this book is a must read. It's suspenseful pages send you on a journey along with the main characters. I recommend this book for older teenagers because younger people may not understand some of the contents. Overall this was a great read well worth a round of applause.