Book Review: Made in the USA by Alisa Jordheim

Made in the USA: The Sex Trafficking of America's Children by Alisa Jordheim

Trafficking is a difficult subject to address. How do you find the balance of showing enough but not too much—of describing the violence without being gratuitous? Made in the USA does exactly that.

The passion of Jordheim and those who helped create the book is evident. The sections each give facts and figures, backed by research and quotes. Each of the five stories presented shows a different side of trafficking. Every mention of a victim or survivor is filled with respect and love.

And all of it is heartbreaking. I recommend keeping a box of tissues beside you as you read. I had to take breaks between each story.

The facts are explained well, the quotes from those working to stop trafficking, those involved in it, and those used by it help give it a personal feel, and the five main stories bring it to life. It’s not something I want to think about or imagine, but it’s happening. Because of that, this book is so important and needed.

The stories are graphic. The violence isn’t sugar-coated, but it’s also not gratuitous. Some of the more explicit content is heavily implied but not shown—it’s very well done. By the end of each section, after all the facts, stories, and quotes, the reader is left with both a strong sense of injustice and a feeling of hope for the future. These girls and boys got away. Others can, too.

This is a cause I’ve cared about for many years, since I first learned it was happening. I knew there was trafficking in America, but this book showed how prevalent it actually is. It gave me a renewed desire to help. As someone who wanted to get involved but didn’t know how, I appreciate the list of resources at the end of the book.

This is an excellent book, a difficult read, and it includes stories that need to be heard. Jordheim is helping bright to light a subject that has been too much in the dark.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR,Part 255.

Want to learn more?

Justice Society - Alisa Jordheim's anti-trafficking organization

Made in the USA -- Amazon

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Book Review: If One Falls

If One Falls by Elaine H. Baldwin

One of my favorite parts of the book is the way Esa and Wynn's friendship develops and grows slowly throughout the book. There was never a jarring point of “now we’re friends” as there sometimes is in stories like this. Rather, as they realized they were friends, so did the reader. It happened bit by bit – as it would in real life. The author did this beautifully.

The evil characters throughout the book are clearly bad - all bad. There seemed to be something missing, for me. In my experience, people are complex. I didn’t see the motivation behind their actions. Maybe that’s something book two will dive into more, but I was hoping for some insight within book one.

The character development of both Esa and Wynn is excellent. They both grow realistically throughout the book. It was interesting to see their ways of speaking (mainly using contractions or not) change as they entered different circumstances, too. 

As a small note, I love Pax!

Some of the secondary characters were more 2D than they could be. With the main story told from Esa and Wynn’s perspectives, that’s natural, but I did feel their characters could have been developed more. By the end of the book I knew a lot about Wynn and Esa, but very little about many other characters.

I really enjoyed the periodic reveals of characters' pasts (particularly Wynn’s) and the slow disclosing of magical elements throughout the story. 

The grammar could use another pair of eyes. In addition, the use of diction within dialog was sometimes distracting. I’m not opposed to making dialog unique like this – in fact, it’s often a very good thing – but sometimes it felt like too much. A distinctive phrase here and there goes a long way.

The ending, while it does lead into book two, felt anticlimactic to me. I was left with a feeling of “wait, what?” It seemed a little rushed, especially since the rest of the book progressed steadily (not too slow, but savoring in the right moments). There is also a point (I’m being vague here in an effort to avoid spoilers) where I had to blink and reread, and I still wasn’t sure I believed it.

The sadder parts in the book were written well. I really felt for the characters as they dealt with what sometimes seemed like struggle after struggle. The emotions they feel are universal, and I appreciate the way the author handled them.

If One Falls has a lot of potential. The plot is one I haven’t seen done often, and I appreciate the focus on friendship, rather than romance. The book could use another round of edits, though, and the ending could come to a more satisfying close.

Book Review: Reasons My Kid Is Crying

Reasons My Kid Is Crying by Greg Pembroke

About a year ago, I came across Greg Pembroke's blog (Reasons My Kid Is Crying) and was hooked. For those who enjoy the blog, if you come to the book knowing it will be much of the same, it won't disappoint. It has many of the same images and reasons as on the blog. There still are some I hadn't seen - that could be because I don't regularly read the blog, or it could be because they're new. I also appreciated the "Reasons I'm Crying" sections, which have more amusings situations the author has found himself in.

The book is very short - I finished reading it in about a half hour - but it's also very fun. I'll read it again, and I'm looking forward to sharing it with friends.

For a paperback book, it's surprisingly good quality. The pages are glossy and feel like those in a magazine, though they would (like a magazine) be easily ripped.

There were a couple pages where the light background mixed with the white text and made it difficult to read. For the most part, that wasn't an issue, but I would have chosen a darker background or black text on those (pages 15, 107, and 134).

At the back of the book, there are blank picture frames with the intent to include your own photos and reasons. I like the idea behind them, but in practice I'm not sure it works. I haven't tried, but I imagine it would be difficult to attach a photo (double-sided tape, perhaps?) and find a pen that would write well on the glossy paper.

I'm not a parent, but I do spend time with kids whenever I can and I've seen a few meltdowns. The pictures and reasons in the book and on the blog are funny and accurate. This would make a great gift for a parent, aunt or uncle, or anyone who loves kids.

The ebook probably isn't worth the investment, since much of it can be found on the blog. The paperback version is nice to have, though, and will make a great conversation piece for my coffee table.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

To Learn More...

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Book Review: Conquering Your Goliaths

Conquering Your Goliaths by Kathryn Elizabeth Jones

(This review is for the audiobook version.)

I definitely would listen to this book again, and I plan to. The story had so many Truths in it, and I would love to sit down with a notebook and just soak them all in.

The scene that sticks out to me most is when the trust stone started to sink into Virginia's couch. It paints such a clear picture of the effect doubt can have. There are similar metaphors throughout the book. None of them felt too obvious or forced, but the meanings were clear.

I loved the part when Virginia met with God and began to wonder why she never saw anyone else there. His response was that He always would have time for his children, no matter when, and no matter how many of them needed Him at once. He'll always be there to listen to us, and that scene was an almost tangible reminder of that fact.

A close second favorite scene is when God asked Virginia how she feels about being single. As someone in a very similar situation, I appreciated her response and His answer. It really is all about trust.

There was a good mixture of happy, sad, and tender moments. There were parts that made me giggle and parts that made me wish I could give the characters a hug. I didn't have any extreme reactions, but the entire book was calming and gave me a sense of peace.

The narrator was an excellent choice for this book. It was almost always clear who was speaking, just based on her tone, and she captured the characters' emotions perfectly.

When the book first began, I didn't relate much to Virginia. I'm not too interested in makeup, I love my job, and I tend to look at life positively. As the book progressed, however, her character grew and I began to see the similarities in our lives. Some of the things she deals with, I deal with now or I have in the past (and likely will again). By the end of the book, I loved her.

This was a great book, easy to listen to, and I would definitely recommend it.

I was given an audiobook copy of this book for this unbiased review.

You can buy the audiobook on Audible or the paperback or Kindle on Amazon

Book Review: The Fit Bottomed Girls' Anti-Diet

The Fit Bottomed Girls' Anti-Diet by Jennipher Walters and Erin Whitehead

The Fit Bottomed Girls' Anti-Diet was just the motivation boost I needed to get back on track.

Since I want my change to be a lasting one (and who doesn't?) I knew the change needed to be mental just as much as physical. And I know, about myself, completely removing food items doesn't work. I crave them more. 

With that in mind, I appreciate the book's "nothing is off limits" approach. They allow junk food—in moderation. They encourage exercise—but not so much that you’ll feel overwhelmed. The same is true with their view of healthy foods: eat what your body needs, and know when to stop. That's nothing new for me, but it's great to see it reaffirmed.

I especially appreciated the practical tips, both throughout the book and at the end of each chapter. There are exercise routines, motivation and attitude-changing suggestions, and healthy recipes, to name a few. 

There were a couple things in the book that bothered me. The main issue I saw was the blocks of information. Often, where they were placed would interrupt a paragraph or even a sentence. The reader has to choose whether to skip the info box, let it interrupt the current paragraph and try to get back into it on the next page, or turn the page to finish reading the current section, then turn back to read the info box. Interrupting the flow of reading is never a good thing. 

A much, much smaller issue was the grammar. There were tiny grammatical mistakes (missing or extra commas, strange wording, &c.) throughout the book. They may have been author choices, or they may have been missed during proofing. As an editor, they stuck out to me, but I doubt they would to most readers. 

While it didn’t seem like either author had been overweight (so it wasn’t easy to relate to them on that level), they did bring in personal stories to help give readers a better picture of who they are and what emotions we all share.

Overall, this is a good book with practical thoughts and motivational insight. It never felt judgmental or forceful, and I appreciate the gentle tone throughout. It seemed as if the authors truly want to help others succeed in their goals—whatever those goals may be. (It’s not all about weight loss!)

To learn more...

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Read the first chapter

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: Ransomed

Ransomed by Elizabeth Ender

This is one of the most beautiful books I've seen or read. I fell instantly in love with the illustrations throughout. The detail in them is incredible even in black and white, and they fit the story so well.

But what really makes Ransomed a treasure is the story itself. This short book captures real, true love like only a few others (with more words) have managed to. It isn't a sappy story. Coming from a Christian (so take that as you will), I don't feel it's a preachy story. It's a gentle and honest story of betrayal, pain, hatred, hope, sadness, and love.

The language is poetic, the allegory is subtly clear, and the message is lasting. I've already recommended this to friends, and plan to keep it as a "coffee table book" to pique the curiosity of even more.

Unlike most books I review, I bought a (signed) copy on my own.

Book Review: Mom's Little Black Book

Mom's Little Black Book by Marilynn Dawson

The story behind this book is so sweet: the author created it as a gift for her graduating senior. I know I would have appreciated a book like this when I was graduating.

Some of the advice came across as preachy, but it would have been hard to avoid that within this format. It doesn't take away from the Truth behind it. I especially appreciate how the author has taken advice directly from the Bible and constantly guides the reader back to that.

I read the ebook version, and while that format didn't lessen the value of the content, I would opt for the paperback version if I were buying it as a gift. This is the perfect flip-through, coffee table book. It's not designed to be read in one sitting. It works to read it from start to finish, but it can also be read out of order, reread, bookmarked, and highlighted.

There is so much excellent advice packed into this little book - from practical advice about doing laundry to spiritual wisdom - any young adult just venturing out on their own can benefit from it.

I was given a copy of the book in exchange for this unbiased review.

Book Review: Toxic

Toxic by Vicki V. Lucas

I was given an ebook copy of Toxic for this review. As I neared the end, I asked the author if I could buy signed copies of both this book and its sequel. I have a small collection of signed books and knew this was a set I wanted to add to it.

One of the main things that drew me into the story was the way Lucas introduces the characters. Foehn is a special favorite of mine - I love how the author gave a personality to something normally not seen as sentient.

The main characters are both flawed and virtuous, brave and deceptive, naïve and wise. There is the perfect balance of "good" and "bad" traits, which makes the characters easy to relate to and realistic. (Realistic is my goal as a writer, so that's the highest compliment I know how to give.)

There is less of a balance when it comes to the evil characters - I can't think of many redeeming qualities in them. This works well within the story, though. There is a firm distinction between good and evil; no gray areas. I appreciated this aspect.

That isn't to say that it's always clear who the evil characters are. In some cases, things are revealed to the reader around the same time they're revealed to the characters. More than once I found myself questioning the true motives behind the character's actions and wondering if my first assumptions were incorrect. This was brilliantly done.

The good vs. evil also comes through in the author's use of magic within the story. I'm one of those readers who sometimes objects to magic in a story, but Lucas portrayed it well and made it very clear who the magic was coming from.

The narrative jumps in and out of several different characters' perspectives, which could be confusing if it wasn't handled as well as it is. Between the picture before each switch in narrator (a different picture for each character) and the unique "voice" of each character, it was always clear whose perspective was being shown. Seeing the situations through different eyes added a deeper understanding to the story.

The book is long - over 400 pages - but it never felt like too much. The plot kept me interested till the end, and beyond. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, Rancid, and I'm sure will read this book again.

I was given a copy of the book in exchange for this unbiased review.

Book Review: Spoken For

Spoken For by Robin Jones Gunn and Alyssa Joy Bethke

The word that comes to mind to describe this book is "beautiful." It's like a warm hug. There was nothing in Spoken For that I hadn't heard before; there was nothing I didn't already believe. The way it was presented wasn't overwhelmingly unique.

But it was needed. It was an expression of God's love and of His promises, and it was...beautiful.

One thing that bothered me was that pronouns about God weren't capitalized throughout the book. Of course, it's proper not to capitalize them (so the authors did this correctly), I just prefer it when they are. It shows respect. Note: This probably wouldn't have bothered me nearly as much if they weren't capitalized on the back cover - making it inconsistent.

The personal stories from both Alyssa and Robin - of both difficult times and joyful times - add a lot to the book. They serve as reminders that God really does do what He says He will, even when it seems bleak. The stories also make it seem like the authors are having genuine conversations with you, the reader, and they add a tenderness and a genuineness to the narrative.

Spoken For is a wonderful book for teens and young adults. There were only a couple places where it felt preachy. For books in this genre it can be difficult to avoid that, so I was glad to see the majority of the book was more of a gentle reminder than a heavy-handed teaching.

 I will read this book again, and I have already started recommending it to others.

Want to learn more about Spoken For? Consider visiting some of these sites:

Robin's Website

Alyssa's Website

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Author Bio

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Review: The Word Changers

The Word Changers by Ashlee Willis

The description of the story had me intrigued; the first chapter had me hooked. Posy finds herself drawn into a book - literally. For a book lover like myself, this is the perfect plot.

Following that, throughout the book there are references to words, pages, margins, and other book-related terms. The word play around these is delightful. The author has a writing style that is creative and flows naturally. It never felt either too simple or too complex. 

There were very a few grammar mistakes in the book, but they were minimal (i.e., "Oh." The king said. It should be "Oh," the king said.) As an editor, I'm nit-picky, but they didn't trip me up as I was reading and there were only a few instances. (I actually debated mentioning them here - especially since, as I was given a pre-release copy, they may have been caught and fixed already.)

For the most part, the characters are unique and believable. Posy has a mixture of faults and positive traits, and felt easiest to relate to. Our situations may not be the same, but the feelings behind them are. The other characters are a mixture of believable and slightly flat (meaning, mainly good traits or mainly bad traits). There weren't any that stuck out to me as a problem, but some that could have been fleshed out much more. The way the story is written, though - mainly from Posy's perspective - there wasn't much chance of that and the author did a good job with the characters that were shown more. I did feel the change in Kyran was a little too abrupt, however it worked within the plot.

The romance was sweet, but I'm honestly not sure how I feel about it. I'm a hopeful romantic, so it definitely didn't bother me - aside from their ages. (Okay, as older teens, romance is natural, but I prefer it when characters are older. Old fashioned? Perhaps.) Near the end it started to bother me for a different reason, but I won't say more to avoid spoilers.

The overall plot is imaginative and kept my interest. The story begins almost immediately, and it brings the reader right into it, in the same way Posy is brought into the book. There is adventure and pain, goodness and mercy, evil and joy.

Other reviewers have called this an allegory, and it is one. The similarities to Christianity came through clearly even at the beginning of the book, but especially as it nears the end. From the perspective of a Christian, it wasn't preachy or overdone, and it was great to see the Truths throughout the book. More than once, I had to stop and reread a sentence to truly take it in and commit it to memory. The wording is that beautiful.

There is magic throughout the book. Magic brought Posy to the story, and magic guides many things within it. Although I am sometimes against magic in books, it didn't bother me in this one. I think the reason it didn't is because it wasn't shown as a positive thing. It wasn't necessarily shown as a negative one, either; it was just there.

Ashlee Willis is a talented author and I look forward to her next books. Although this book wraps up naturally and works well as a standalone, I would love a sequel! 

I was given a copy of the book in exchange for this unbiased review.

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Book Review: Traitor's Knife

Traitor's Knife by Elizabeth Kaiser

My perspective on this book is that of a reader who hasn’t read the first in the series. Naturally, some of my opinions will reflect that. It took a few chapters, for instance, for me to become invested in the story, but the characters slowly grew on me and by the middle I loved them.

This is decidedly a sequel, so I’m sure reading Jeweler’s Apprentice would increase the enjoyment of the first couple chapters. Still, by the ending, this stood on its own as a complete story, while leaving the reader wanting more. The third book in the series isn’t out yet, but I’m looking forward to reading it when it is.

Throughout the book, there were typos and grammatical errors, and some cliché phrases. Most didn’t affect the smooth reading, but as an editor they’re also difficult to skim over. But while errors and trite wording can sometimes be distracting, the characters and plot are what ultimately decide a book’s worth—and Traitor’s Knife has both.

As implied above, Kaiser assumes the reader already knows Fia and many other characters—as should be expected in any sequel. Since this was my first introduction to them, it took me a few chapters to learn who they were and begin to care about them.

Normally, that would be too far into the book. In my opinion, the first or second chapter should be enough for the reader to become emotionally vested in at least the main character. Some readers might quit reading if it’s longer. For a sequel, however, I believe this is acceptable—and by the end I was completely concerned about the characters’ fates.

The author uses a somewhat limited third person point of view throughout the novel, mainly focusing on Fia, but sometimes moves to the perspective of other characters. This usually worked, though there were a few times the perspective changed suddenly and it became slightly confusing. This interrupted the flow of reading, but only for a moment.

The characters are likable, evoke sympathy, and are realistic. That is possibly the highest compliment I can give an author, since in my mind that is the goal of character development, and I’m a reader who prefers character-driven plots. The “bad” characters aren’t completely evil, and the “good” characters aren’t without faults of their own. The book strikes an excellent balance and reflects the real world in their complexities.
There is a lot of wonderful description throughout the book, and it places the reader right into the scene. There were times when perhaps some of it could have been pared down, but for the most part it added to the book. It also taught the reader (at least, this reader) something new. I feel I know more about how horses behave now that I’ve read this, understand the day-to-day life of a jeweler’s apprentice, and have a good idea of how to cast jewelry.

Fia, Willex, Ilido, and sweet, little Yori are characters that will stay with me. The plot moves forward at a good pace, and there are some gems within the wording—parts I would have highlighted if I’d been reading a print version of the book. This is a great story. Readers who enjoy historical fiction will delight in the fictional world Kaiser so clearly paints.

Although I haven’t read Jeweler’s Apprentice, I would recommend reading that book first to get the most out of this one. If it’s anything like Traitor’s Knife, you won’t be disappointed.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for this unbiased review.

Book Review: Ebook Publishing Secrets

Ebook Publishing Secrets: How to Make a Killing on Kindle by Publishing a Book on Amazon by Mark LeGrand Messick

This is a good book for beginners in the ebook publishing industry. The author uses an easy to follow, conversational tone throughout, which makes it a quick read and a great book for those not already familiar with ebooks.

In the back pages, there is a list of fifty other marketing and ebook related books--a great resource for those who want to dive deeper into these subjects.

The book itself doesn't go very deep. As someone who has already published multiple ebooks, and is well into the marketing process, this book didn't tell me much I hadn't learned elsewhere or through experience.

Some of the suggestions the author gives are not the best options out there. For instance, I have found more affordable (and arguably better quality) bookmarks and business cards than Vistaprint offers. I also pay a minimal, yearly fee for my professional website, while he suggests a host with a much larger monthly fee.

A little more research is needed--either by the author or by the reader--but I do recommend this for those just starting to publish ebooks.

This book was given to me in exchange for this unbiased review.

Book Review: Monster

Monster by Mirriam Neal

I approached this book with a little trepidation. Monster sounds like the title of a thriller—a genre I tend to avoid. The actual genre of this book is something like dystopian, realistic fiction, with perhaps a little science fiction. It’s difficult to place it, since I hadn’t read anything quite like it before.

Set in 2053, Neal paints a realistic (if undesirable) future. The story begins in a medical facility in Alaska, and follows a brilliant young scientist, Eva, as she receives a promotion in WorldCure and is given a chance to run tests and experiments on one of the facility’s subjects. Her goal, and the supposed goal of her employer, is to find cures for diseases. There are darker motivations at play, however.

For a book that takes place in the future, Neal did a great job of keeping the advancements (or regressions) believable. Nothing seemed too far-fetched, from the technology to the declining morals.

Although it’s not my favorite genre, I’ve read and seen enough futuristic fiction to know authors are easily tempted to exaggerate some of the advancements we’ll have. For example, the hover cars in Back to the Future are supposed to be here in 2015. I suspect that after these next two years pass, I’ll still be waiting for mine.

There wasn’t anything like hovering cars in Monster. The new technologies Neal introduced were very small, subtle differences from what we currently have: things I can picture actually occurring in the next forty years.

It wasn’t the technology that drew me into the novel, though. There is a depth to her characters that was immediately noticeable. She has a talent for observing little but important details: those pieces of a person that give you a glimpse into who they are. The way she captured the quirks, flaws, and beauty of the characters was wonderful. I fell in love with her characters—Mir in particular—and they kept my attention through all 400+ pages.

A little warning: there are some violent parts throughout the book, and descriptions of unpleasant medical procedures, mainly within the first half. The scenes themselves are short, but for me they left a lasting impression.

Neal is skilled at descriptions. No matter where her characters went or what they were doing, I could clearly picture the scene. I have never been in a medical research facility (hospitals don’t count), but if I had any artistic talent, I could draw WorldCure. The way the scenes are painted gives the reader something to imagine without bogging us down with too many unimportant facts.

But arguably the best part of the book—at least, the part that has me replaying it over again in my mind days after I’ve reached “the end”—is the fact that the topics within it are far from “fluff”. Monster brings up deep, thoughtful subjects such as faith, humanity, and how to balance scientific facts with improvable beliefs. Neal handles each one of these excellently and naturally, with realistic discussions, mainly in the form of debates between Eva and her professor friend and mentor, Pocky. None of it seems forced, and none of it seems “preachy”.

Every once in a while, there comes a book that captures the reader so much, it stays with them long after they’ve put it down. These are rare but wonderful. Monster is one of those books.

The paperback and Kindle versions are both available on Amazon.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for this unbiased review.

Book Review: Marketing Your Book on a Budget

Marketing Your Book on a Budget (2013)

by Kathryn Elizabeth Jones

As a small business owner and an author, marketing is always on my mind. To be honest, I was hoping for but not expecting something new from this book.

It's true that I had seen many of the tips before, but Jones expanded on them in new ways.

The author not only gives ideas of "what" to do, she gives the "how" and even the "why." There are helpful links throughout the book, as well as tips to find others.

This is a book I will refer back to over and over.

As a professional editor, I feel compelled to mention that there were some grammatical errors throughout--but reading is still smooth, and they don't detract from the excellent resources in the book.

I recommend this to anyone needing a motivation boost to start or continue the marketing journey.

Jones' book is available in paperback and ebook formats, on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

You can find Kathryn Elizabeth Jones on her personal website, 

and learn about her business here.