Review: The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury

Title: The Bridge

Author: Karen Kingsbury

Where I Got It: I bought it for my birthday last year

Why I Read It: I love everything about Karen Kingsbury and the way she writes, her books, etc. I have read every book of hers.

Rating: 5 stars



This book is about a book store owner who named his book store The Bridge, and who had a rough time bringing his book store back up to par after a massive flood ran through the town. It talks about the ups and downs, triumphs and tragedies that occurred, and was also about a girl and a boy who met in college, and fell in love, even though they did not know it at the time. We follow Charlie and his wife Donna, as well as Molly and Ryan as they grow and develop in the trust and hands of God himself.

As usual, Karen Kingsbury earns 5 stars from me. She is an amazing writer, and I love how she can make you feel like you know her characters in real life. She brings these characters to life, and makes you feel like they are apart of your very own family. I found myself really routing for the couple who met in college and drifted apart, and also for Charlie, the owner of The Bridge, which was his book store that he built from the bottom up.

This book sort of hit close to home because recently I have been learning about second chances, and how everyone deserves a second chance. Karen shows us how God is the giver of second chances, and that is the best and most important thing I took away from this book.

I also loved this book because I am going to school for business management, so I can own my own book store some day. Considering that this book is about a book store owner, it showed me that even though it is taking a long time to get where I am going, it is going to be great to have customers coming into my book store that they feel like is home to them, and making those customers my family.

With all of that said, the only thing that surprised me about the book is that it did not seem as "God like", like most of Karen's books are. Yes, there was some mention about how great God is, and the power of Prayer, etc. But usually he books are more in depth with it. Based on how this book was verses her other ones, I prefer her books to speak about the Great and Powerful God, rather than not.

I would highly recommend this book for someone who wants a great, but quick read and for someone who wants to feel warm inside after you read the last page.


Useful Links:

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKarenKingsbury
http://www.karenkingsbury.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Novel-Karen-Kingsbury/dp/1451647018/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381074687&sr=1-1&keywords=the+bridge+by+karen+kingsbury

Author Bio: Alan Shelton

Alan Shelton is a leader who colors outside the lines, a corporate executive mentor with an entrepreneurial spirit and a gripping speaker who engages his audiences. 

With a reputation like that, it is no wonder that his book, “Awakened  Leadership: Beyond Self-Mastery,” has 

become so successful. Shelton graduated from Brigham Young  University (BYU) in Utah after completing missionary work in Peru. By 1977, Shelton had landed his first big gig in the corporate world at PricewaterhouseCoopers, now PwC, where his clients included IBM, Sunkist, Beckman Instruments and Toyota Motor Sales. His journey continued through 1990 when he sold his CPA firm, Shelton, Smith and Townsend, and turned to leadership training. Since then, his client list has grown to include the University of San Diego, 

 Wrangler, VF Corp., The North Face, Celgene and many others.

“Awakened Leadership,” published by Red Hatchet Press in May 2012, has taken the leadership world by storm. The book is the winner of a 2013 National Indie Excellence Book Award as well as a 2012 USA Best Book Award.

Shelton advises and facilitates workshops for international businesses in Oceanside, Calif., where he lives in a refurbished fire station with his loving wife, Justine. He has two children, Kristin and Michael, who earned business degrees from the University of Southern California and the University of Arizona, respectively. 

Awards Alan has received in his career:

Indie Excellence Winner 2013

USA Best Book Awards WInner

Important Links and other information:

Book Information:

Hardcover $24.95

ISBN: 978-0984712502

Motivational, 220 pages

Red Hatchet Press, May 2012

Author Links:

Author Website: http://alanshelton.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5751092.Alan_E_Shelton

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alaneshelton

Twitter: @AlanEShelton

Review: Awakened Leadership: Beyond Self-Mastery by Alan E. Shelton

Hello everyone! I was contacted by Sami again at JKSCommunication to review a book, and the book that I chose this time was called Awakened Leadership: Beyond Self-Mastery. I chose this book for a few reasons. Not only did it sound like a great book, but I also chose it because I am going to college for Business Management, and I was interested to see if I could put them together.

While I enjoyed this book very much, I do have to say that I was not able to finish the whole thing before this review, simply because I have been so incredibly busy with other things. I did, however, get through 80% of the book, and would recommend it to anyone.

Below is a synopsis of the book that was sent to me in the press kit:

Transformational leadership books and processes have delivered us to the era of self-mastery. But how do we move from being effective leaders to being awakened leaders? By situating leadership in the nest of the seeker's journey toward truth, you can now stand on the shoulders of the visionaries who have come before, and become conscious of your own position within Source.

Leaving behind charts, maps, and graphs, “Awakened Leadership” is a portal to direct experience via pointers and personal stories that will help you recognize the gift of being who you really are. Then your leadership essence will effortlessly manifest not only in the boardroom, but in all facets of your life.

One of the biggest things that I enjoyed about Alan's book is his ability to make you see what it is he is trying to see in the "real world". He is able to give you the real life examples, or his own examples that gives you a better understanding. Also, the way he wrote was very inspiring a well. I am a book review blogger, and obvious a book reader, but seeing the way he is with words through out this book, made me want to write something inspiring of my own.

Alan also adds his own coaching style in the book, which gives you a feeling of wanting to try everything he suggests and mentions.

As I stated earlier, I wanted to see if I could compare what he had to say to what I already knew, and to the business management world, and while there were some things that I did not agree with, and others that I did, I also learned quite a bit. 

I was able to read about 80% of the book, and I feel like it was one of the best "self help" books I have read to date. I will continue reading it, and will post a better review on how it ended, and what I thought. So check back soon! 

Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars, and would highly recommend this book to anyone, especially those trying to discover their leadership. 

Please visit my next post for more information about Alan as an author, links where you can get the book, and other information! And again, do not forget to come back for a better review!

BookStore-BookBlogger Connection: Bloggers Who WIN: ME!!!!

Guess what! I was contacted by BookStore-BookBlogger Connection and was asked if I could be featured in their Bloggers Who WIN! I was so touched and excited by this! I have been meaning to post about it, but again, I just have been so busy, I haven't had time! So, without further adew, here is the link with my interview. I hope you all enjoy it!!


http://bookstorebloggerconxn.com/2013/07/20/bloggers-who-win-stephany-of-stuck-between-the-pages/

Introducing: Karl McMillen, Author of “Triumphs and Tragedies: A True Story of Wealth and Addiction”.

Hello everyone, I would like to introduce you to Karl McMillen, author of "Triumphs and Tragedies: A True Story of Wealth and Addiction".

I have not yet been able to review this book, due to an error is postal/mailing/receiving issues, but I will be reviewing the book VERY soon! Below you will find information about Karl, what his book is about, and some more information. I hope you all enjoy reading about Karl, and come back to read the review SOON!


**I would like to thank Sami, at JKSCommunications who keeps in contact with me on a regular basis to do book reviews, guest posts, etc. I love working with her and this company, and hope to do so for quite some time!**

Biography:

Karl McMillen, Jr., born in 1928, grew up in a young and developing Southern California. From an early age, Karl displayed a drive for greatness; working many odds-and-ends jobs and soaking up knowledge and skillsets from every available source.

Karl started his working career plumbing track houses in Southern California as a partner in Alert Plumbing. Karl went on to distribute plumbing supplies all throughout So Cal and Las Vegas asthe owner of 

Todd Pipe & Supply, which he grew to 9 locations and employed over 400 dedicated employees. Through Karl’s hard work, dedication, and commitment to his employees and customers, the success of Todd Pipe 

became legendary.

Karl life can be broken down into 3 distinct parts: The first was to study hard and get educated (Karl graduated from USC with a degree in Business Finance). Then came working hard and making a lot of 

money. Now, he’s giving it back.

In 2008, Karl and wife Carol started The McMillen Family Foundation, which currently supports more 

than 13 different organizations. To date, the McMillen Family Foundation has donated over $12 

million to charities and foundations, including: Thelma’s Place (Thelma McMillen Center @ Torrance 

Memorial), House of Hope, Pathways to Independence, Friendly House, Beacon House, First Step, 

Lynn House, Shawl House, Ashland Home, Villa Center, and 3 Alano Clubs.

Karl’s amazing story of business success is counterbalanced by the emotional deaths of his first wife to 

cancer and both his sons who spent most of their lives battling substance abuse. Karl, too, has struggled 

with alcoholism and proudly carries his seventeen-year sobriety chip.

Karl may see himself as a “regular guy,” but to the countless number of employees, customers, 

friends, family members and those in need that have been touched by Karl’s good will….he is anything 

but a regular guy.

About Co-Authors Bill Hayes and Jennifer Thomas:

Bill Hayes and Jennifer Thomas are a powerful publishing duo—Hayes, an established author; Thomas 

a prolific writer, editor, designer, and publisher. Their individual and collective works include the 

award-winning Hullabaloo!: The Life and (Mis)Adventures of L.A. Radio Legend Dave Hull and the 

perennial bestseller, The Original Wild Ones: Tales of the Boozefighters Motorcycle Club. 

With a degree in English Literature and three successful biker books in his saddlebags, Hayes has 

gained renown throughout the motorcycle culture as the “world’s most literate biker.” He received the 

prestigious Silver Spoke Award in 2010 for his body of literary work in the motorcycling community

and has spent more than a decade as the National Press and Publicity Officer of the legendary 

Boozefighters Motorcycle Club. Hayes has now achieved success with several new and upcoming 

biographies. Triumphs and Tragediesis his fifth published work.

Ms. Thomas holds a B.A. from Columbia University and a Specialized Certificate in Copyediting from 

the University of California, San Diego. As the owner of Beyond Words Editing, she has edited and 

designed books of every genre. Thomas was Editor-in-Chief of the inspirational Butterfly Tears: 

Stories of Entrapment to Empowerment. As the owner of Final Word Press, she co-authored, edited, 

designed, and published Triumphs and Tragedies.

Both Hayes and Thomas are multi-degreed black belts, co-owning Old School Kenpo Karate Studio in 

Torrance, California (www.oldschoolkenpo.com) and empowering women through their acclaimed 

Basic Yet Brutal self-defense workshops. Hayes also has a forty-plus-year “sub-career” as a 

professional musician.

Synopsis:

Hermosa Beach, California, in the mid-1960s. Sun, surf, swanky sand castles along the Strand, and a soundtrack of “Fun, Fun, Fun.” But the hang-loose life of the locals would soon be drowned out and painted black. The 

social storm brewing could turn even the most perfect wave into a brutal riptide.

Karl McMillen, Jr. deserved a piece of the Pacific paradise. He’d plumbed his way up from screwfittings and 

sweat into mega-business ownership and multimillions. He’d earned the azure-awesome view that he woke to 

every magical morning. And he’d earned the ideal family at his side. A dynamic wife and two bright, talented 

sons with sky’s-the-limit potential.

But that storm…

He never saw it coming. It hit hard and it hit fast. The grinding gales of addiction ripped everything he had apart.

How do you go from planning exotic family vacations and evaluating real estate investments to planning prison visits and evaluating rehab centers and criminal defense pleas? How do you watch your surfer champion sons transform into drug lords? Inmates? How do you watch your entire family die; one by one?

And yet never stop fighting.

What does it take to look in the mirror and search for the meaning of enabler? To face that you’re sacrificing 

your own livelihood for Scotch? To ride a sheer, pounding wave of triumphs and tragedies, and then pull out and paddle back for more?

It takes a rare and special person—Karl McMillen.

“Triumphs and Tragedies: A True Story of Wealth and Addiction” chronicles top-of-the-world success 

juxtaposed against a downside of life no one should have to suffer. A side that proves that there are some things money cannot buy.

How Karl weathered his terrible tempest is a huge part of his story; but so is what he has done with that survival. 

How he has used his powerful wealth as ammunition to fight for others. To strive to prevent anyone from 

enduring the tragedies he and his family went through. That is his true triumph.

Useful links:

http://McMillenFamilyFoundation.org

http://www.jkscommunications.com/virtual-book-tour-for-karl-mcmillens-triumphs-and-tragedies-a-true-story-of-wealth-and-addiction/

http://triumphsandtragediesthebook.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Triumphs-Tragedies-Story-Wealth-Addiction/dp/0988412624/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374514205&sr=8-1&keywords=Karl+B.+McMillen

My Sincere Apologies!

Everyone, I just wanted to give my deepest and sincere apologies about not posting hardly ANY reviews lately, let alone in the past year or so. I have been SUPER busy with school, work, and home life that I can barely find time to read, let alone breathe!

I am trying to set aside some special book review blogging time through out the coming weeks so I can get some things posted, get things back on track, etc.

I do have a few reviews, guest posts, author bios, etc. coming up and will be posting those very soon, so please make sure you come back and read those!

Again, I am very sorry and I look forward to getting back into this SOON!

Mama's Child by Joan Steinau Lester

Title: Mama's Child

Author: Joan Steinau Lester

Where I Got The Book: JKSCommunications

Why I Read It: I received an email from JKSCommunications about reading and reviewing some books. This one interested me the most!

Rating: 4 stars

I was contacted by  JKSCommunications to read and review this book, Mama’s Child by Joan Steinau Lester. As stated on my blog, this is my honest review of the book. As soon as I read what the book was about, I was instantly interested in reading it.

The book is set in the late 70s around 1978, where a white woman meets a black man, they fall in love and have children together. In 1978, this was “frowned upon”, and Elizabeth, the mother, and her husband, Soloman were apart of numerous groups fighting for equal rights, including the Black Liberation Movement, participating in protest marches, visiting Black Panthers and trying to show those around them that interracial couples and children were not wrong, and how black people deserved to have just as many rights, not be discriminated against, etc. as they had been. Elizabeth and Soloman have two children, Che and Ruby. These two are inseperable and love being around each other, and are closer than most brothers and sisters usually are. As they are growing up, the unthinkable happens and their family is split apart. Ruby is left with her mother, and Che goes with his father.

Ruby starts growing up, and is noticing that her mother is changing into someone she doesn’t even recognize. Elizabeth is trying too hard. She’s a white woman trying to be black, which embarrasses Ruby. Ruby watches her best friend, Imani, and her mother Inez, and sees how a “real” black family should be living, and Ruby starts to resent her mother, and the way she is treated.

The very first page of this book is a letter that Ruby writes to her mother, telling her that she no longer wants to speak to her, and she is moving on with her life. She holds a grudge against Elizabeth for the way she “raised” her, and for not giving her the real black culture Ruby needed growing up. Ruby struggled with her own identity for years, not knowing if she was black, or white. And because of this, and because Elizabeth did not try harder, Ruby was against everything her mother ever was, or wasn’t.

This book was great. I found myself not being able to put it down. It kept getting my attention more and more, and what I liked most about it, was that I felt like the characters were real. Some authors have a hard time bringing their characters to life, but Joan had no problem with that at all.

The book alternates between Elizabeth (Lizzie’s) point of view and Ruby’s. I like books like this, because it keeps a clear understanding of what the story line is saying, and what it is going after. With that said, I found myself going back and forth between who I was routing for. Did I want Ruby to stop being selfish and change the relationship with her Mom? Or did I agree with Ruby, and that it was all of her Mother’s fault? I can honestly say that I kept getting equally angry at Ruby and her mother. Throughout the entire book, I kept saying, “Come on! You two can get through this! Your family!” And when a book makes you pull for its characters, then it is definitely a good book.

There were a few things that I did not necessarily enjoy about the book, but they weren’t anything too dramatic that would cause me to never read the book again. A few times it jumped to something absolutely random. I won’t say what, because I don’t want to give the book away, but I could have done without one of them, simply because it was so random. Then there was one other part towards the end of the book where it kind of jumped from when Ruby was still young, to when she was graduated and moved out of her mother’s home. This confused me because there wasn’t really a intro into that next event. Nonetheless though, neither of this these things ruined the book.

I enjoyed this book so much, that not only would I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good book based on finding ones identity, racial profiling/background, and young adult, but I think this would be a great book to have in a college classroom, or even a high school class room where they could read it, and discuss it for class.

So, without further ado, I give this book:

**I would like to thank everyone at JSKCommunications for allowing me to read and review the book suggestions that they send me. I would also like to thank Joan Steinau Lester and everyone on her team for allowing me to read her book and do the review.