I Am Second , Real Stories. Changing Lives By Dave Sterrett and Doug Bender

Synopsis from Booksneeze.com

There is nothing quite as compelling as a personal story—an account of someone’s life, radically changed.
This book is filled with some of these amazing stories.

 Across North America and around the world, hundreds of thousands of people are proclaiming a new anthem: “I Am Second.” No longer are they number one. These people have come alive to the truth that God has a plan for this world…a plan that specifically includes them. In this book you will discover their stories—some from notable people and some not so well known—who have had a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ and are walking in radical obedience by putting Him first in their lives.

These stories are raw and real, dealing with the darkest moments of the human experience. Addictions, depression, infidelity, abortion, cancer, pornography, loneliness, jealousy, divorce, war…each story shows the redemptive power of Jesus who brings purpose and true joy to every secret place of life. Your story may not be included in this book…but you too can be a Second.

My Comments :

I have requested this book from Booksneeze to review a few months ago but had only managed to finished it recently. The opinion stated herein are just my humble two cents.

This is a wonderful compilation of real people experience and their stories. It's all about what they had gone through in life. All their hardship and trauma. These are not just your everyday people.Many of them are well know. Through all their trials from falling into substances addiction to being sexually assaulted, most of them had lamented how unfair life is. But then, they realised that they must have faith in God for he is First and we are the second. They must give their lives over to God for them to be able to overcome all their setbacks.



There are a lot of raw emotions involved here. I can't help feeling sad when I read some of it.

The one down side which I noticed here are the stories tend to be a bit short.


This would be a good read for everyone from young adults to the elderly for everyone will find some experience which he/she can relate to in this book. Hopefully, it can help those who are in need of spiritual guidance.



Am giving this book four stars out of five.

The Seeds of Time by Shamini Flint

I am a follower of this author's Facebook. I love her books especially the "Inspector Singh Series".

Last week, I saw the author posted up in her Facebook that she is giving this book away for free . 

Here is what she wrote :  -

Dear Readers,

FREE BOOK!!

Like many of you, I caught the environmental bug some time back. I belatedly realised that our lifestyles are unsustainable and our children are going to inherit the mess. In a panic, I began to write books (printed on recycled/sustainable paper) about endangered species and did a lot of school visits to talk to kids about environmental issues.

Approximately five years ago I wrote a book, an environmental fantasy, called The Seeds of Time, for children aged 9-12. I wrote it to try and inspire children, the next generation, to care about the future of the planet (partly because I'd given up on us adults doing the right thing by our kids). It did pretty well, selling over 10,000 copies and is still widely available in bookshops, on online sites and as an ebook.

From the blurb:

"Honesty Smith and Spencer Jones - two ordinary children on a quest to save the planet. But is it too late for the orangutans of Borneo and the polar bears of Alaska?"

This week, we here in South East Asia, have been engulfed in unbreathable, hazardous air from the burning of the rain forests in the region.

I've been irate as I watch my children red-eyed and wheezing, shut into one air-conditioned bedroom ... unable to go outside.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I was reminded of why I wrote The Seeds of Time in the first place.

To do what I can ... I've decided to give the book away for FREE (the entire book is downloadable from Goodreads if you're not a member, its easy to sign up and there's no cost or email me at shamini@shaminiflint.com to ask for the PDF). I would really appreciate it if you read it, give it to your children to read and generally spread it as far as possible. Please share.

I hope it makes a tiny difference!

Kind regards

Shamini

PS If any teachers/educators would like bulk sets of hard copies for the kids, please let me know and I will make the necessary arrangements (while stocks last!)

Synopsis from www.goodreads.com :

Features Honesty Smith and Spencer Jones, ordinary children who are on a quest to save the planet. This title features a story that ranges from the plight of the Orang Utan in Borneo to the Polar Bear in Alaska and tells how the young people and the animals team-up to save the world.

My Comment : 

In the beginning it was hard for me to get the hang of talking animals relating to modern time. Yeah, am too used to Enid Blyton's books where talking animals are used in relations to ancient time. Gradually I got the hang of it.


The story started slow, probably to let readers get accustomed to the characters.

I love the character, Honesty. I feel that she really brings out the charm of this book. It's not easy to resist peer pressure. Nobody wanted to be unpopular in school . It's wonderful to see how she react to t and how she learn from her experience


The pace of the story started to pick up when Honesty met Spencer. The two characters mixed well together.



Personally, I think this is a good book to give to the young ones to read. To get then started at an early age on the importance of taking care of our environment.  Sometimes it's hard for adult who is fixed in their habit to change but there are still hope for the young ones.

Am looking forward to read Book 2 of this series.

Inferno by Dan Brown

Synopsis from www.goodreads.com

Dan Brown’s new novel, Inferno, features renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon and is set in the heart of Europe, where Langdon is drawn into a harrowing world centred around one of history’s most enduring and mysterious literary masterpieces.

As Dan Brown comments: “Although I studied Dante’s Inferno as a student, it wasn’t until recently, while researching in Florence, that I came to appreciate the enduring influence of Dante’s work on the modern world. With this new novel, I am excited to take readers on a journey deep into this mysterious realm…a landscape of codes, symbols, and more than a few secret passageways.”

My Comment :

First, I would like to thank Cleffairy for giving me this copy of "Inferno" by Dan Brown to read.

It took a lot of patience to really start getting hang of this book. As usual, everything in the beginning was confusing and the short snippets of a chapter here and a chapter there did not help. Who is Provost? Why are there people chasing Robert and trying to kill him?

Plot wise it's pretty similar to Da Vinci Code and Angel and Demons, which I loved. It was full of suspense and thrill of the chase.

I find that reading this book feels "educational", not in a bad sense but rather it inspired me to google and find out more of the things that he mentioned in the book . For example, it made me want to read Dante's work. I have download Dante's work from Project Gutenberg. Hopefully I can find time to read it.

Also I learnt quite a few interesting facts such as the horrifying origin of Ring Around The Roses nursery rhyme.

I can't help feeling a bit upset at that ending. Let me give you a hint...it's something like what happen in Mockingjay (The Hunger Games)

Nevertheless am giving it full stars as I like the story very much. It's a book that inspire me to read more of other books and I can say that I've learn a lot of interesting facts and ideas from it. Aren't it wonderful to have fun while learning?

The Witches by Roald Dahl

Synopsis from www.goodreads.com

This Roald Dahl classic tells the scary, funny and imaginative tale of a seven-year-old boy who has a run-in with some real-life witches! 

"In fairy tales witches always wear silly black hats and black cloaks and they ride on broomsticks. But this is not a fairy tale. This is about REAL WITCHES. REAL WITCHES dress in ordinary clothes and look very much like ordinary women. They live in ordinary houses and they work in ordinary jobs. That is why they are so hard to catch." 

Witches, as our hero learns, hate children. With the help of a friend and his somewhat-magical grandmother, our hero tries to expose the witches before they dispose of him.

My Comments :

It had been ages since I last updated this blog. Not because of I have not read any good books but rather lack off time. Too many books, too little time. Don't you sometimes feel this too?

Was at Bookxcess on Mother's Day and being "kiasu" I bought this to make up to RM50 purchase so that I can get a Carnation and photo session. Yup...It's kinda hard to that many books to buy in order to make up to RM50 coz the books were so cheap. 

Spotted this book. I have heard of Bigfoot and Matilda but have yet to read them. So far I think I have read Roald Dahl's My Uncle Oswald and that is on juicy adult book. 

Feeling kinda mellow hence grabbed this.

Oh boy ...I did not regret snapping up this book as it was a pleasure to read. It's an imaginative easy read. I guess Roald Dahl gets the last laugh after all since his school Master had put nasty comments in his Report Card where he was said to have "not a scrap of imagination".

This book certainly not for definitely not for those "logical" people who likes to question the logic of turning kids into mice.


Apart from that the book was full of witty humor. Can't help smiling at how he described the reactions of some people over some mice. 

I give this book full 5 stars.

Confessions Of An Old Boy: The Dato' Hamid Adventures by Kam Raslan

Summary from goodreads.com

Dato' Hamid The Old Boy and civil servant who's been everywhere and seen it all (even though he never wanted to). 

Here he 'spills the beans' on his adventures dating back to the 1940s, from Kuala Lumpur to Monte Carlo, Los Angeles to Algiers, London to Temerloh Rest House and much more. 

Along the way, Dato' Hamid tussles with a beautiful seductress-cum-diamond thief in Switzerland; is corrupted by a ruthlessly ambitious Malaysian banker in London;and helps solve the murder of a billionaire businessman in an isolated mansion on the east coast. And all the time he wishes he were back at home tending his orchids and nursing his favourite cognac. 

Shameless, exciting and funny, Dato' Hamid's life and adventures chart the financial, political and amorous relationships that have made Malaysia what it is today. You ll never meet anyone quite like Dato' Hamid, but you'll know him

My Comments :

Bought this book for a song from the Big Bad Wolf Books Sale last year. It's a steal at RM5.

I really love it. 

The Dato Hamid characters was really funny and "lovable" with his idiotic blundering.

Behind a successful man is a woman as the saying goes. His lovely wife certainly lights up the stories here when she ride up to his rescue each and every time he got caught in some ridiculous situation of his own making.

The only part I did not really like is his so call "romeo-ing" . It was a bit dry. But that was just in the beginning. 

Love the last part of the book. It was so mysterious .

Am giving it 4 stars out of 5.

The Laughing Sutra by Mark Salzman

Summary :

Wei Ching was a monk from a monastery that have been destroyed by fire. During the fire, he had rescue many scrolls and sutra from the monastery and hence on made it his life work to protect them. But among all the sutra that he had accumulated, there is one sutra that elude his grasp, The Laughing Sutra.

It was said that the one who read and understood  The Laughing Sutra will have immortality.

Hsun-ching is a orphan that was saved from a certain death and was given to Wei Ching to raise. Initially Wei Ching was reluctant to take on the responsibility as he wanted to go hunting for The Laughing Sutra. However, it was not meant to be. 

In turn, Hsun Ching took on the task of seeking out The Laughing Sutra for Wei Ching. This task brings him to the mysterious Colonel Sun. Together, they travel all the way from China to Hong Kong and then to San Francisco in order to retrieve The Laughing Sutra. 

The journey was fill with hardship and danger. 

My Comments:

This is typical modern "Journey To The West" story plus "Tom Sawyer" all mixed together.

I must say I have enjoyed the story very much. The East meets West. It is very rich in the eastern culture. I like the part where the mysterious Colonel Sun appeared in Hsun Ching life in China, Hong Kong and San Francisco. Can help laughing when Colonel Sun was mystified by the modern days convenience like the Lift.

The pace of the book and plot was fast enough for me. The adventures was suspenseful

The only thing that I feel uncomfortable or not satisfied with the book is the part where Hsun Ching was force to join the Red Army. The time frame and things around there felt rather "brief" . Could have do without that part. Just write about the mystical part and their travel to Hong Kong and San Francisco would have been much better.

Overall am giving it 4 stars out of 5.

Theodore Boone: The Abduction (Theodore Boone #2) by John Grisham

Summary

 Theodore Boone, the kid "lawyer' is back in action. This time, his best friend April had gone missing from her bedroom in the middle of the night. The night before Theodore had just talked to her over the phone and the next morning she had gone missing.

It is up to Theodore and his friends to find out what had happen to April as the Police seems to be hitting the wall at every turn.
  
Would Theodore with his knowledge of legal system going to be able  save April in time? 

My Comments:

This is the second Theodore Boone's book that I have read. Not sure what this book official classification is but in my opinion it should be under Young Adult.

I have a feeling that this will be a whole new series of Theodore Boone's adventure that the author John Grisham going to write. Should be pretty exciting.

Just in case parents out there is wondering, I can say this book is pretty "safe" for young adults to read. It's something like Enid Blyton, The Famous Five. And may even inspire kids to wanna be a lawyer. 

The book have the element of surprises and Theodore is as cunning as a fox.It was sure a page turner for me.

Then why am I giving it only 4 stars out 5 stars? Well, it's because...I feel that it could still be better.

Now am looking forward to getting my hands on Theodore Boone : The Accused. I wonder what the boy is up to next.