Speak Up Saturday– Book Review–Isle of Shadows by Tracy Higley

 

 

Isle of Shadows

From the Publisher:

Revised and updated from the original, Christy-award finalist Shadow of Colossus.
Enslaved in a World of Money and Power, Tessa Dares to be Free.
Raised as courtesan to wealthy and powerful men, Tessa of Delos serves at the whim of her current patron, the politician Glaucus. After ten years with him, Tessa has abandoned all desire for freedom or love, choosing instead to lock her heart away.
But when Glaucus meets a violent death in his own home, Tessa grasps at a fragile hope. Only she knows of his death. If she can keep it a secret long enough, she can escape.
Tessa throws herself on the mercy of the Greek god Helios, but finds instead unlikely allies in Nikos, a Greek slave, and Simeon, Glaucus’s Jewish head servant. As Simeon introduces her to a God unlike any she has ever known and Nikos begins to stir feelings she had thought long dead, Tessa fights to keep her heart protected.
As an assassination plot comes to light, Tessa must battle for her own freedom—and for those to whom she has begun to open her heart—as forces collide that shatter the island’s peace.

 

I just finished reading this book, and I haven’t decided exactly what I think of it. Overall, I guess I would say that I enjoyed it. I find that I enjoy historical fiction, especially well-written and well-researched historical fiction. So, let me tell you the things that I liked about it first before I tell you the things that I didn’t like.

 

I really liked the look into the society of ancient Greece. I find that part of history fascinatingly similar and different from our culture today, and Ms. Higley draws those things out nicely. I felt that it was a well researched book, and that was confirmed for me in the end pages of the book when she stated that she has been to Rhodes, where the story is set, twice in order to really get a feel for the place as she was writing the story. In fact, you can go to her website to see pictures from her adventures there.

 

I also thought the character development was decent and the interaction between characters was mostly well played. Those of the main characters was excellent, with the romance not being too pronounced but still being real and relevant. I do not enjoy reading romance books, but I do like it when a good book has a bit of romance thrown in, and this book had exactly that.

 

As for the things that I did not like, there were 2. The first was the length. It wasn’t too terribly wordy, but I feel that the story could have been told more succinctly with just as much effect. But, historical fiction tends toward lengthy descriptions due to explaining the culture and the location, so this wasn’t a huge deal.

 

What really did it for me, though, was the Christian element. I felt it was very forced. I understand that it would be difficult to squeeze it into a book that was written about “the dark times between the Old and New Testaments”, as she put it in the afterword, but if it was going to be that hard, why do it at all? Or why not develop the characters of Simeon and his family more and have them be more central? I didn’t like the way that Tessa came to faith in the One God in the span of a few short pages, but I am very glad that the story came back around to that. When we initially meet Simeon’s family and Tessa and Nikos spend time with them, it was very pleasant enjoyable, I just wish there had been more time spent on that.

 

Again, though, I enjoyed this book overall and think that anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction would enjoy it. I think that it tends to be more of a “girl” book, but if you’re a guy that likes historical Greece fiction, then you might enjoy it too!

 

~S

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book in exchange for an honest review from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Speak Up Saturday–TOS Review–Samson’s Classroom

Only a few more TOS Crew reviews left before my tour is over…

Today, the review is Samson’s Classroom, online reading software for grades K-5. They say the best way to understand what their website is all about is to watch this 3-minute video.

Basically, there are three main areas to their program: sight words, spelling, and reading. We tried a little of each area to see what they had to offer.

The sight words has five activities for each sight word list, starting with learning the word and moving all the way to picking the correct word (and spelling of the word) to go in a sentence. Kahlen really enjoyed this section. Each activity was engaging, not too slow, and provided her with enough practice to get the words correct. Most of the ones she was working on were review for her, but I wanted her to start from the beginning anyway so that she wasn’t frustrated by the program AND the words, which has happened before. Currently, one of the things that I need in software is for her to be able to do it completely on her own once I get her started. That’s the life of a mom with littles, right? Samson’s Classroom, particularly the sight words part, does that beautifully. She was able to navigate from one step to the next easily and it was not confusing at all what she was supposed to do when an activity was completed. Another thing that I liked about the program is that is focuses on mastery. If she did an activity, but did not get 100%, it would show up red instead of green, and then she knew that she needed to go back and try it again.

My daughter continues to amaze me with her reading skills. The reading section of this program looked to be too advanced for her, but I thought we’d give it a whirl anyway. It’s reading a long passage of text (4 paragraphs!) and then answering 7 comprehension questions. I had her read the passage out loud to me and then I read the comprehension questions to her but had her click on the correct answer. She was able to read the entire passage and got all the questions correct on the first try! The reading part was a struggle for her, though, and she asked me if she could be done before she was actually done with it. She stayed the course, though, and was very proud of herself when she finished :)

The spelling part also proved to be a bit above her level, but doable. The five activities offered in this section do not take into account the beginning computing level of early readers. Kahlen does not really know how to type yet, although we’re certainly working on that. One of the activities has you type the word that you hear, but it’s timed and you get eaten by a walrus if you don’t do it in time. She was very frustrated by this one and another of the spelling activities that had a similar problem. The part that I *did* like about the spelling section is that you could put in your own list or use one of theirs, which included grade appropriate lists as well as sight words and word family lists.

Overall, we liked the sight words portion the best and will continue to use this part. I will probably ask her to do some more of the reading section as well to stretch her reading abilities, but I know I’ll hear about it.

Pricing varies by how many users you will be adding. An individual is $30 / year, and a family is $50 / year for up to four users. They also offer classroom and whole school plans.

 

~S

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this product through The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Speak Up Saturday–Book Review- Halflings by Heather Burch

Why, oh, why do I really think I have already written the review for this book? I seriously feel like I have, but I cannot find it :( Sorry if this is duplicate, but I think I might be losing my mind.

Okay, anyway, Halflings by Heather Burch:

After being inexplicably targeted by an evil intent on harming her at any cost, seventeen-year-old Nikki finds herself under the watchful guardianship of three mysterious young men who call themselves halflings. Sworn to defend her, misfits Mace, Raven, and Vine battle to keep Nikki safe while hiding their deepest secret—and the wings that come with.
A growing attraction between Nikki and two of her protectors presents a whole other danger. While she risks a broken heart, Mace and Raven could lose everything, including their souls. As the mysteries behind the boys’ powers, as well as her role in a scientist’s dark plan, unfold, Nikki is faced with choices that will affect the future of an entire race of heavenly beings, as well as the precarious equilibrium of the earthly world.

This is definitely teen fiction. Maybe even young teen fiction. Although the characters are 17ish, so maybe not. Anyway, I tend to like this sort of book for a nice easy read. Also, the romance in teen fiction, while it can be painfully awkward, is also sometimes easier to handle than adult fiction. It tends to be so much simpler.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. I didn’t really feel like there was anything new or different about the plot, and I’m not entirely certain that I agree with her theology of half-angel/half-human beings, but there was nothing overtly wrong with it. I just haven’t really studied the parts of the Bible that discuss the existence of such beings to have a formed thought about it.

The characters were fairly shallow, but I would expect that from a teen fiction book, so it did not bother me. The flow of the story was fine; the pace was good, and there was enough going on to keep it interesting. The book ended abruptly, but it was to set it up for the sequel, Guardian, which I’m reading right now. So, I must have liked it enough to read the sequel!

One thing about the Kindle edition that I would hope they fixed with the purchased version: the formatting was all screwy. The graphics that are at the beginning of each chapter take up three pages on my kindle and the beginning letter or sometimes sentence is not in the correct place. It was a little hard to get used to, but wasn’t a huge deal.

An interesting read. Fine for a quick, non-thinking, kind of book, which is good every now and again.

~S

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NetGalley as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Speak Up Saturday–TOS Review–Beeyoutiful

If you’ll notice the first part of my “About Me” statement, it says Slightly Crunchy. This product falls under that category :)

About Beeyoutiful:

At Beeyoutiful.com, we believe that each individual is responsible for their own health. It is not a doctor's responsibility to keep you in good health. Instead they are a tremendous resource, especially for those times when urgent care is required. But, they are only one of many resources. And the tools they use, while powerful, are not the only tools available. But a tool is worthless unless one knows how to use it.

We have found a lot a tools that have worked very well for our families, and made Beeyoutiful a repository for those tools, as well as the information to effectively use them. As we learn more, we share more. Our goal is to eventually carry every natural product that we use. We're not there yet. We may never be as we are constantly being exposed to new and great products. As much as is in our power, we want to aid others in obtaining and maintaining good health.

I got to pick my top choice out of three packages. Here’s the one I picked:

1 Berry Well ($19.75)
1 Miracle 2 oz ($15.00) 
1 Ow-Ease ($15.00)
1 DVD ($3.00)

My husband was very skeptical, especially of the Ow! Ease, but I grew up using similar products and was interested to see how their products stacked up against others that I have used before.

To start with, here’s a bit about the Berry Well syrup: Never fear the flu when you keep Berry Well on hand. Each ingredient in this pleasantly fruity syrup holds its own against flu, colds, and a swarm of bacterial and viral infections. This organic Elderberry Syrup contains Propolis, Raw Honey, and Echinacea.

I have not really had the chance to test it out yet as far as effectiveness goes as I haven’t really been sick yet this year. I did take one dose to see what it tasted like and how it went down. It was sweet from the honey and slightly bitter from the elderberries, but not unpleasant. I don’t think I’ll have any trouble getting my kids to take it because of the honey :) One thing I really like about it is that I can give it to the baby as soon as he turns one in January, which is still prime flu and cold season.

The next product I receives is the Miracle 2 oz Skin Salve: Don’t be rash! Miracle Skin Salve promotes deep healing and restoration using a soothing blend of organic herbs and oils. From sunburn, chapped lips, and diaper rash to painful wounds and burns, apply salve as often as needed and watch your skin smile!

Nate in particular has very sensitive skin. He gets that part from his daddy. He’s also very prone to eczema, thanks to me. We almost got rid of it over the summer, but now that it’s fall, it’s already coming back. I have been using the Miracle Skin Salve on that as well as on Shane’s back where he’s getting dry skin and his diaper rash when it crops up. Both applications, as well as using it on my chapped hands, have been pleasant as well as mostly effective. I have come to believe that nothing is going to be a super-healer-completely-effective on Nate’s eczema, but this does seem to help. It also seemed to help with his itchy level. As for diaper rash, as long as the rash was just starting and not too bad, it helped right away. For major rash, I still reach for my commercial creams. Also, it didn’t seem to do anything for the dry-skin-bordering-on-rash that Shane had all over his back after bath time.

One thing I did not like about the Miracle salve is that there was a hard crust on the top of the salve that I had to break through in order to use it. It seemed like the beeswax had hardened more than it was supposed to and formed this crust. But, it did not make it unusable, just  not as creamy as I would have expected. The rest of the jar seems fine, it was just the very top layer.

Last was the Ow-Ease Arnica trauma salve: Ease your pain away. Using a proprietary blend of herbs, Ow!-Ease relieves pain associated with sprains, strains and pulled ligaments and muscles, bruises, and contusions. It works quickly and effectively to help reduce swelling and muscle pain, and is excellent as a rub for body builders, construction workers, and gardeners alike. The amazing qualities of these herbs work synergistically to soothe, restore, and actually speed tissue healing.

This is the one that I really really like. I have been looking for a good Arnica salve or cream of some kind. I’ve tried a few different ones, all which have been too liquidy. They haven’t stayed where they were supposed to and were even hard to cover with a band-aid because they were too wet. Ow! Ease was none of those; the formula and application was super easy and super effective! Nate fell off the stairs the other day and gave himself a bloody nose. I could see the bruise forming on the bridge of his nose. I spread a liberal layer of Ow! Ease and no bruise! Seriously, there was no bruise whatsoever! Anytime one of the kids gets a bonk now, we reach for this product. I like the ease of application and that it will spread just a bit or a thick layer, depending on what you need. The kids like the way it feels and the way it smells. I can’t wait to try it on my sore muscles from my run yesterday too!

The DVD that is included does have a ton of product knowledge, but it was difficult for me to watch because of the style of speaking. I think I would rather stick to reading about the products, which seems like it would provide me with the same information.

 

So, overall, I liked these products. My favorite by far is the Ow! Ease. I don’t think that I will re-purchase the other two when I run out, but I will be using them until they run out, and maybe I’ll change my mind by then, who knows? They’re fine products, I’m just not sure if they’re worth the money to me and my family.

You can find more about the company and the other products they offer here. They have essential oils, makeup, skin care, vitamins, and more.

 

~S

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this product through The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Speak Up Saturday–TOS Review–Reading Kingdom

It’s almost Saturday, right? ;)

We have been reviewing Reading Kingdom over the last few weeks as part of the TOS crew.

Here’s what they say about their program:

Our commitment to online reading for kids is based on our patented six skills method for reading success. These skills include sequencing, motor skills, phonics (phonemic awareness), meaning, grammar and reading comprehension. Our online reading for kids program is ideal for preschool, kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade, special education, homeschool, and English as a second language. The Reading Kingdom online reading for kids program is an ideal supplement to existing curricula, as well an excellent independent curriculum. Our online reading for kids program is also a great educational alternative to other entertainment options. In fact, most children refer to the Reading Kingdom as a reading game, since it is so fun to play. We're proud that our reading programs for kids are thought of as reading games (especially by kids!).

• Most kids can use the program on their own after just a few lessons.
• It's fun so children think they're playing a game and want to practice.
• It was created by Dr. Marion Blank, Director of the Light on Learning Program at Columbia University and one of the world's top experts in reading.
• It works with any other curriculum a child may be using.
• It's the only program to offer customized online reading instruction for each child.
• And, it's the only system that teaches all 6 skills needed for reading & writing success!

After the first few minutes, I have left Kahlen to do this one by herself. It said in the assessment not to assist the child, and it seemed like I was just interfering, so I let her just do it. She has enjoyed playing it, but we both felt like it moved very slowly.

The program provided lots of practice, but once she mastered a concept, it was still going over the same one. Also, the graphics and the game flow were very very slow. It took a long time to move from one activity to the next with nothing to do but wait for it. I felt like it was more like watching a video in terms of engaging her brain.

The parent reporting section was only marginally helpful. It does state what she has completed, but does not say anything about what skills were covered, it just has the name of the level and what level of performance she had on that level.

I guess I was not all that impressed with this program, however, I could see it being useful for children who are reluctant to do anything that looks like school work as the game aspect of this program is entertaining and enough like a game to not look like work as much as some other things. Kahlen doesn’t have that problem, so this wasn’t a great fit for her. I will be letting her use this program after she’s done her other work as a reward for completing her other schoolwork quickly. I think that extra practice in reading and keyboarding is a good thing, but not if it just adds unnecessary screen time.

A risk-free Reading Kingdom account can be created and used free of charge for 30 days.  Afterwards, a subscription can be purchased for $19.99/mo or $199.99/yr for your first reader.  Additional readers are $9.99/mo or $99.99/yr.  Additional books, kits, and resources are available in the Reading Kingdom Store.

~S

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this product through The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

TOS Review–HearBuilder Auditory Memory

Challenge your children to contribute their memory skills to the HearBuilder Recall Agents as they undertake mission after mission trying to save the people in MemoryTown from the wacky plans of Dr. Forgetsit! Along the way, players will improve their auditory memory, closure, and comprehension abilities, while at the same time learning key strategies for remembering numbers, words, sentences, and stories. Research-based HearBuilder Auditory Memory software includes five essential listening activities.

• Memory for Numbers (3-7 digits)
• Memory for Words (3-5 words)
• Memory for Details (1-4 details)
• Auditory Closure (sentence completion)
• Memory for WH Information (2-3 sentences/2-4 questions)

Each of the multi-level tasks in HearBuilder Auditory Memory takes your children on a different mission to foil the wacky plans of Dr. Forgetsit. The humorous and captivating adventures will keep your children motivated as they develop and strengthen their abilities to recall verbal information.

Grades K-8, Ages 5 and up

We got this game from Super Duper Publications to review for TOS crew. It sounded like an  interesting concept, so we were eager to try it.

The concept is simple: Use a game to increase your child’s auditory memory skills. Based on what we’ve done with it so far, it seems to be working. She has had a few frustrating game sessions, but mostly it’s when she’s tired or distracted by her brother. The frustration has been that she couldn’t remember what the answer was, so that says to me that it was working and challenging her at the same time.

Overall, Kahlen has really enjoyed it, but there are a few flaws that are difficult to get around.

So, what I like:

• Each activity progresses through the levels at a good pace; not too many problems as to become annoying, but not too few as to not give enough practice.
• The progression of levels is appropriate. Each level is just a small step above the last one so as to not create unnecessary frustration.
• The interface is easy to navigate and well laid out. It is obvious, even to my 5 year old, what is supposed to be done next.
• The game is easy enough for my 5 year old, but challenging enough for even an adult to get some good memory practice.

Things that slightly annoyed me:

• It took a really really really long time to load on my computer. I don’t know if it’s just my DVD drive or what, but it took almost 5 minutes to load one of the times, and at least 3 minutes on average. It also took a long time to transition between activities because it was running from the CD.
• Related to my other complaint, there is no way that I can see to install directly onto my computer. Meaning we need the disk every time we want to use it. This seems like an antiquated way of doing software to me in this age of downloads and fast processors.

Kahlen asks to play this game, which is always a good sign. I will continue to let her use it as more of a reward for getting her other work done, as she does enjoy it, but I don’t see it as a necessity for school.

HearBuilder Auditory Memory retails for $69.95, but if you use code BLGAM30 you can get 30% off (good through 8/31/2012)!

Super Duper Publications has a variety of other products as well. Go take a peek here!

~S

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this product through The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Speak Up Saturday–God Gave Us Love by Lisa Tawn Bergren

As Little Cub and Grampa Bear’s fishing adventure is interrupted by mischievous otters, the young polar bear begins to question why we must love others…even the seemingly unlovable.
“Any time we show love, Little Cub, we’re sharing a bit of his love.”
In a sturdy format, ideal for the littlest hands at storytime, bedtime, or anytime, God Gave Us You assures each child that he or she truly is a treasured gift from the Lord

When I pick up a kid’s book, I’m looking for a few things. The first thing is good illustrations. You can say all you want to, but small children aren’t going to care what it says if the pictures are off. Second is the content; is it interesting? age appropriate? do I agree with what the author is saying?

I think the best part about this book is the illustrations. They are fun, colorful, detailed, and go along appropriately with the words.

The content. Well, it meets one out of my three criteria. I definitely agree with her points. However, it’s a board book and I feel like the content is way above my preschooler’s head. Some of the concepts are even above my 1st grader’s head, I think. There’s just too much information in one little book. She covers different types of love and how you can feel all of them. Why not just focus on one at a time? Write more books with less words if you’re going for the preschool audience. I found the story interesting enough, but my kids did not.

You can tell how much my kids like a book based on how many times they request I read it. I think I’ve read this one to them just two times and we’ve had it for a few months (Yes, I’m behind on book reviews…oops)

Not a bad book, just not a great one either.

This book is in a series of books by Lisa Tawn Bergren. You can see my review of God Gave Us Two here

~S

It would be a great help to me if you would please rate my review. I get the chance to review more books based on my rating, and there are cool contests and such. Thanks!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Speak Up Saturday - TOS Review–Creation Illustrated

Our Purpose…is to share the wonders of God’s creation. By revealing fresh insights of His infinite wisdom, gentle touch, undeniable justice, redeeming love, and flawless design, pure truth shall bring renewed peace. Each part of this publication is offered as a reprieve from the daily rigor’s of life so that all can look to the future with unbridled gratitude and hope.

We received a full year’s of issues of Creation Illustrated, which is four issues. Each issue includes sections about nature, scripture, and living. The photography is beautiful and the layout is easy to read.

The things that I enjoyed about the issues that I read:

• Facts about the animal or place that was featured
• Enough pictures to keep my 5 year old engaged

Things that slightly annoyed me:

• Not written at an adult level, even though it’s touted as “for all ages” and “a replacement for National Geographic”
• Can there be a thing as too biblical? It seemed forced in some of the articles I read, and that’s just not necessary. Let God’s creation speak for itself without forcing the point.

Overall, this magazine was enjoyable. It was perfect for my kids and I am happy that we get to read about all the features for months to come.

Creation Illustrated is published quarterly in the United States with a cover price of $4.99.  You can subscribe online for the following lengths/rate:

• 1 year    $ 19.95
• 2 Years  $ 37.95
• 3 Years  $ 53.95

Those who pay now with a credit card will save another $5.00 per year per subscription.  Canadian Residents will need to add $5.00 for postage, those living in other foreign countries will need to add $10.00.

See what other crew members are saying here!

~S

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this product through The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.