Booksneeze review: Homeless at Harvard

Have you ever taken the time to think of what it would really be like to be homeless? I know many times walking past beggars on the street many people have mixed emotions...lazy, poor guy, creepy, un-motivated...whatever your opinion it varies from person to person. One student at Harvard however, decided he needed to see what it was like to be living on the streets, with no set address and learn just what it's like. We go on an adventure with him , learning the dos and dont,s of the streets. Just how you stay alive, the safe spots and the not so safe spots. The friendlies and the not so friendlies. Did you know how hard it is to find shelter in a safe spot while living on the streets? What about where to find food for the day ? Many nights he went to bed hungry, but soon started to make friends, learnt about lice and other issues you encounter living on the streets. So next time you are passing the street, offer a helping hand, a warm meal a friendly gesture that way if you ever find yourself in the same situation you will be prepared and welcomed into a community unlike any other .

Book Review: When Mockingbirds Sing" by Billy Coffey

In a seven day timeline, Billy Coffey introduces us to an example of how God portrays himself to individuals and communities by a young girl who is socially inept due to her stubborn stutter. With no friends, other than adults she is quite a loner. For her birthday a neighborhood man builds her an art easel. With this easel she creates amazing artwork. The first picture she makes for the man who gave her the gift. She told him it was inspired by an entity which she refers to as "the rainbow man". Townsfolk think she is crazy talking about this rainbow man, but numbers are discovered in that very first drawing and they help a couple win the lottery and save their house. Some people are amazed by this talent while others think the numbers being in the picture are just a fluke, somehow a coincidence, but she sticks by her guns and says she only did it because the rainbow man told her she was to. At this point, her father a psychologist is racking his brain trying to figure out what is going on his little girl's head, but he just can't seem to come to an answer. This "rainbow man" is her only friend for quite some time, but no one else can see him. Until a little girl decides to make friends with her. The two are almost in seperable and they both believe in the rainbow man , although he is invisible. Unfortunately, trouble strikes when some not so nice things are said, and she tries to warn the neighborhood of something bad that is to come. She draws another picture with more numbers in it, but lots of people were disappointed this time, since the numbers did not win the lottery. The death of a lady in the neighborhood, she decides to bring a picture to the wake and it upsets many people. It's a dark picture of sorts with blood and hurtful sights. She swears she is sorry but the rainbow man told her to do it. At the carnival the next night, she senses something bad is about to happen. She cannot quite pinpoint it but she knows the only safe place to go is one of the shops...an older shop where she spends much of her time before the lady passed away. Some such as the preacher decide to stay behind, but she warns them that they wont be safe they have to go to the basement of the shop. A storm takes place and the preacher dies on her lap with his head resting gently as she tells him that he was coming for him , and she would be safe. He risked his life trying to save her but she knew she would be safe.. the town is torn to pieces as a tornado rummages though.

Book Review: Love No Matter What

Of course they will make wrong decisions, and you may fight tooth and nail to try and lead them the proper way in life but just sometimes, you need to spread your wings and let your teenagers fly and make their own decisions as wrong as you feel they may be. This is what Brenda Garrison tells us in her novel Love No Matter What. If you only relate with one thing in her book I hope that you remember to love no matter what!! Just as the title says! Life comes with its own struggles, and since you (the adult) have gone through these times both thick and thin you know that wrong decisions were made, but did your parents turn their backs on you and never speak to you again? Chances are, they didn't right? Well , using real life situations and families, Brenda shares with us so many different family scenarios and takes us through both the parents thoughts and feelings and the opposing teen. Will there be a wall stuck between your child and you? or do you have confident open communication ? Whose to say until you've been in the situation that Brenda has when her very own daughter decided to move out of home on her own with no means of supporting herself and the struggles they made. One neat thing about Love No Matter What, is that Brenda's daughter puts her own input in as well in regards to each topic discussed. I found this gave you another insight on how you or your own teen may feel if confronted with the same situations. Not everyone will have the same feelings/situations but i think its fair to have an open mind, and with two viewpoints helps keep your mind open to all options. Reading Brenda's writings is like literally being in the room with her and having a face to face conversation. Unlike many parenting teenager books, Brenda is not telling you the right way to raise your teens or what to do when your teenagers decide to make a radical decision that you may disagree with but instead she speaks on how to recognize your emotions when confronted with a decision that you dont' agree with. How to keep calm and work through the situation while her daughter offers a young person's view on the same topics such as religion,disagreeing, illegal drug use and even bi-sexual relationships. Each chapter offers discussion questions and conversation starters as an overview for you and she defintly makes you think about how to react when/if you are confronted with an independant teenager going against your own 'norm'. And with each teenager/parent relationship and issue, Brenda does not leave you hanging and she offers you the end of their story, what each teenager did with their decision and how the family handled it. This book is definatly a must read for parents(moms AND dads) and even the teenagers! Lots of discussion and thinking topics and well personally although my children are still pretty young, gave me some advice that I will keep tucked in the back of my mind for if one day i encounter one of these situations in the book. I can see this book being a good choice for parenting teens courses or as a book club choice.

Book Review: The Fantasy Fallacy by Shannon Ethridge

Are you all caught up in the recent 50 shades books? Well, in response to these novels Shannon Ethridge, a certified life coach came with a religious sideline. She feels greatly that sexual fantasies such as gay/lesbian tendencies, sad-masochism and other sexual curiosities are actually a result of psychological pain from the past. For example, if you were mistreated in the past your mind may sub-consciously turn those hurtful emotions into sexual desire and the pain craved by some is a way to release the emotional strain. I don't entirely find myself a religious individual, but I do understand what Shannon is saying in her novel and it makes sense for those who do believe, and well it gave me some things to ponder on as well. While the reviews for 50 shades have been slaughtered as being an amazing read to its pornography in type, its trash its so abusive! I wasn't sure which books I should read first. I am currently on the 2nd of the 50 shades trilogy and am rather enjoying it. Ethridge takes many misconceptions and transforms them into real life situations for the reader using bible verses to back up her statements. Are our fantasies really because we are fallen from Adam and Eve? I don't know, but I think there can be multiple reasons as to why your mind is curious and interested in varying sexual activities. Shannon takes on an open-mind while exploring these fantasies which is a great accomplishment on her part, to be able to decipher so many fantasies into a real life situation and relate it to the bible in an open vocabulary even the novice to the bible can interpret left a great impression on me. She does not take sides in her explorations yet offers suggestions as to how to turn your mind away from these unwanted desires in your marriage. For example, if you have thoughts of cheating on your husband/wife which could potentially ruin a perfect marriage, break down your thoughts and reason with yourself. Is this one night stand or move worth ruining your current relation? Anything can be perceived in so many ways, especially if you take the time to dissect your thoughts right down to the bare facts and where these thoughts are coming from. Revenge? Did your partner do something to really ignite your anger? than that is no reason to engage in sexual encounters with another! So personally I rate this book with 3 stars...mid spectrum since it didn't entirely speak out to me, It was a well written piece with lots of great points to ponder. All followed with suggested readings, personal stories and bible verses to back up any statements made. Check out Shannon Ethridge for yourself!

Book Review: Rudy

It's been busy here at the house with a case of strep...my youngest and I so far are the only ones with it so wish us luck the antibiotics start kicking in soon! 

My latest book for review from Booksneeze was Rudy : My Story written by Daniel " Rudy" Ruettiger. An autobiography of his football career and his life. He is now one of the most popular US motivational speakers sharing his story of determination and challenges with everyone.

Rudy had to build up his reputation to get to the university he dreamed of going to . He struggled academically with a learning disorder that was not diagnosed until much later in his life. Football in highschool kept him going. He struggled to keep his grades up so he could stay on his football team and he worked in coal mines and always had the feeling that he was not smart enough to go to the 'Notre Dame' university that he dreamt of attending.

His football career most likely would not get him into the school on a scholarship , but a war broke out (Veitnam War in 1969) occured and Rudy headed to the Navy and enlisted. Finally he felt like he was heading in the right direction with his life. The Navy taught Rudy self discipline and hard work. He began to believe that anything was possible with determination.

Rudy tells of hardships from the war and about his struggles in trying to achieve higher education. He learnt of another school that worked closely with Notre Dame and with pulling some strings he managed to get a janitorial job at the school, slowly building foundation with school officials and students. Always attending the games and working alongside the coach Rudy managed to finally get into Notre Dame and proved to his family that any dream could become a reality as long as you put your entirety into it! 

Cruel Harvest: A memoir by Fran Elizabeth Grubb

CRUEL HARVEST: A MEMOIR
 written by Fran Elizabeth Grubb with Bryan Reardon  


I had a hard time choosing which novel to request from Booksneeze.com this past month .. there were so many i wanted to read! I finally decided on another memoir. This one is of a girl and her family, their alcoholic father and rough times. 

I would not recommended this book for those who get upset easily over sensitive issues such as physical and sexual abuse..emotional trauma and much more. It was a hard read due to the content  simply because it is to imagine that any human being is capable of treating another (especially his own family) in the way that Fran's daddy treated them.

Through a deep dark road, Fran takes us through her past exploring how her life was at home with her family, how they had to hide from their father many times especially when he was drinking. Almost never could she remember him without a bottle in hand or the smell off his breath when he arrived home. Living in shacks, most of Fran's life was spent pulling cotton in the fields with her family, never allowed to miss a piece of cotton without her father's vengeful force catching her. 

A new baby in the family , came and Fran was saddended knowing the life it would have here in their home with her father. Slowly , Fran watched as her family snuck away from her and her father...watching the abuse happen with her daddy and her older sister. When her sister left she was worried he would come after her. Soon with the help of a neighbor, Fran managed to get away FINALLY, for good she thought. Until her father came along and kidnapped her from the safety of the orphans home...he played a good trick she thought. He came with his brother putting on a good show and recieved a 2 week visitation right. The girls thought great, but what will happen? He kept on driving and the abuse started and he never brought her back when the weeks were up. 

As Fran struggles in her later life, with the help of her husband slowly she finds almost every single one of her family members. Other than her "step-sister" and her mother. Meeting up with the family she hadn't seen in years was difficult but after their father's passing on Fran needed some closure and to know that everything she went through was real as it seemed so surreal. There is sooo much in this story it's hard to review without giving away too much detail but for me the one phrase I have come to learn in life definatly fits with Fran's life and that is "Thou who walks through the valley of death..." for soo many times Fran was knocking on death's door after a spat with her father or she was watching her sisters or mother be beaten to near death . She stood strong and made it through and got away from his evil grasp. 

Fran takes us on the horrific journey of life but shows light on the other side. Happiness and strength is possible if you just keep pushing on and never let anyone regardless of their relation walk over your heart /mind/body!! 

Book Review: Mondays with my old Pastor

Mondays With My Old Pastor : sometimes all we need is a reminder from someone who has walked before us written by Jose Luis Navajo


While reading this novel, it took me back to a time when my grandmother was still alive when we would sit in the evenings and listen to her tell stories of when she worked in the nursing homes and the tuberculosis treatment center. Just the way Navajo, sits with his old pastor listening to his words of wisdom from the past helping him through one day at a time during a rough depression.

Mondays with my old pastor, takes us through a struggle of a young man Jose Navajo , (who is also the author of this particular novel), and his struggle. Falling into a depression of sorts and debating leaving the ministry he works so closely with, Navajo doesn't know where to turn until his wife suggests he pay his old pastor a visit. The pastor had helped Navajo follow his dreams into the ministry at a young age, of course he would love a visit from his past student.

Navajo's wife had not been sleeping in fear of where his depression was coming from and upon agreeing to meet with him on Monday, the two slept much more at peace than they had been. So, the following Monday Navajo got dressed and went to the Pastor's home. The two men spent the afternoon chatting and talking about lost times and then Navajo opened up to the pastor about how he was thinking about quitting the ministry that he worked so hard to get into. To his disbelief, the pastor told Navajo that it was perfectly normal to feel this way. Unchallenged, at a standstill and unsure what to do next. Once arriving at home, Navajo felt much more at peace but still had so many questions left unanswered, it only seemed normal that the following Monday, Navajo made a trip to the pastor again.

The Monday visits between Navajo and the pastor became regular meetings. Each meeting the pastors wife would make the men a treat of cookies, or spiced bread and tea or coffee. On the third Monday, Navajo was greeted at the door by the pastor's wife instead of the pastor himself. The pastor had fallen ill but still wished to see Navajo. He awaited his visits like nothing else. As the weeks continue, Navajo notices that the pastor is getting weaker, more tired and not quite himself and one day the pastor's wife called Navajo, to cancel their meeting for that week. Another phone call a few days later, was the pastor's wife requesting Navajo to stop in the next Monday, that the pastors illness was actually cancer.

The weeks continue to go by, with the pastor noticeably getting weaker and weaker as time passed, but never giving up an opportunity to speak of the bible or to share his stories with Navajo. Some afternoons their visits were cut short and sometimes they spent time just lounging, enjoying each others company. Until that day, in which the pastors wife made the call that the pastor had unfortunately passed on.  Before his death, the pastor had left a chest filled with pages of words to be given to Navajo. It was a keepsake of sorts, a memoriam of their Monday visits, each week, 15 in total left a lesson to be learnt. The pastor had took note of each visit and each topic they covered creating 15 principles to live by. 15 principles to memorize and live by , 15 principles to pass on as knowledge to those younger, an end of a chapter with Navajo's pastor and a beginning of a journey with Navajo's young disciples for futures to come.