Jenn’s Books

Title: Winning Presentation in a Day Author: Rhonda Abrams Format: Trade Paperbound

Winning Presentation in a Day is a necessary book of anyone who is making a presentation. From the middle school child up to the seasoned CEO, this book will teach everyone something about making a better presentation. Its lay out is done in such a manner that you can build a presentation in about one day. I met with Rhonda for lunch about two months ago, and she struck me as a bright and energetic woman passionate about what she is doing. Her books reflect this. They are filled with wit, wisdom and humor. They are much more lighthearted then any other presentation book I have found and about twice as useful. She started the Planning shop in order to help other people who wanted to start their own businesses. I like all of her other books, but this one is the best one for an introduction to her work.
If you would like more reviews of this title, please visit the Amazon website.

Title: The Cat That Went to Heaven Author: Elizabeth Coatsworth Format: Trade Paperbound

This beautifully detailed book is a wonder for any child to read. It starts off with a poor artist and his house servant. He received a message that the high priest of the near by Buddhist temple was coming to visit him. He sent his servant out for food and flowers and she brought back a little bad luck. A cat, but not just any cat. A calico cat, tri-colored. The high priest tells the artist that he must paint a new mural for the temple, a mural of the Buddha’s life. Out of all of the of the animals in the world, the cat was refused by the Buddha. The cat that the artist became the owner of, constantly was at his side watching him paint the many lives and incarnations of the Buddha. But would the little cat ever be accepted into the Buddha’s paradise? It is a wonderful book for anyone trying to escape into ancient Japan through a child’s eyes. If you would like more reviews of this title, please visit the Amazon website.

Title:Cell Author: Stephen King Format: Hardbound

Stephen King’s Cell is a modern retelling of his earlier novel, The Stand. Mass plague spread by some means. This time it is cell phones. If you are looking for standard King, then he has brought you one of his best. A man who was lucky or unlucky enough to not have a cell phone, and thus escaped the insanity that poured over the world on that fateful October day, is in search of his son. His son that lives hundreds of miles away. His son, who he bought a cell phone for. It is his struggle to find his son and stop his mind from taking over and allow just one thought though. That thought? “My boy is worse then dead. He used his cell phone to call me or his mom. He is one of the insane.” It is a new approach to the “we are killing ourselves with our technology.” Overall it was an enjoyable book. I would recommend this to anyone who likes mainstream horror and those that don’t read horror at all.If you would like more reviews of this title, please visit the Amazon website.

Title: Garlic, Garlic, Garlic Author: Linda Griffith Format: Trade Paperbound

Garlic, Garlic, Garlic is a fascinating look at one of the most loved and hated herbs in all of history. The author Linda Griffith starts the book off with a dive into the history of why we love the taste but must hide the fact that we do from others. Mostly, it was the French aristocrats who noted that “garlic must be enjoyed in private.” After that, the recipes. I got so used to just taking a spoonful of minced garlic from a jar and adding it to my recipes, but there are so many other things that you could do with garlic then that. Plus, garlic is suspected to help you lower your cholesterol. I would recommend this book for anyone that likes garlic, even a little.
If you would like more reviews of this title, please visit the Amazon website.

Title: Blood and Iron Author: Elizabeth Bear Format: Trade Paper bound

Blood and Iron is a rich wonderful modern fairy tale, intermingled with reality. My one warning to my readers: This is not a light book. Bear crafts magic and detail into every single page, so much that if you decide to skim this book, you will soon be lost. Everything takes place modern day. Sometimes in New York City, some times in the Fae realm. We get to follow Seeker, one of the Fae queen’s most feared subjects, through our world and back into Fae. What does she seek? A Merlin. A creature of pure magic. Not a mage, who wields magic, but someone that is magic. Seeker must balance the needs of her queen with her own needs, and those of her werewolf lover and that of their child. And even with those needs, she must face the Prometheus Club, a secret society of mages trying to get to the Merlin first. For whoever has the Merlin controls the war, and ultimately, controls the Dragon and both worlds. I like this book a lot, and I truly hope that Bear continues to write fantasy. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who has lost faith in the sci-fi genre and would like that faith back.
If you would like more reviews of this title, please visit the Amazon website.

If there’s a book you really want to read but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.

~Toni Morrison

Posted July 12th, 2006