The Day Before 9/11 by Tucker Elliot

There are just some people’s stories that need to be put into print . . . this is one of them.

There are just some books that need to be read . . . this is one of them.

9/11 is a day that none of us will never forget. It impacted each of us in different ways, and it will always be an emotional topic that is hard to read and write about.

The Day Before 9/11 is a memoir about an American teacher overseas teaching military children. He documents his experience with 9/11 and stories of military families he came to spend a lot of time with.

Tucker Elliot tells his own personal story as well as the story of two young girls Sami and Angel.

They both come from military families who are stationed overseas. He first comes into contact with Sami while he is teaching in Korea. After he moves to Germany, he becomes Angel’s teacher and Sami’s family ends up getting stationed there as well.

He expresses the pain that comes to families after tragedies occur. The same tragedy can affect different families in many different ways. War can affect different families in many different ways. It can bring pain and depression in ways that some individuals could never experience or even imagine.

Tucker Elliot’s book is a beautiful documentation about how one tragedy affected three different families in completely different ways.

It is emotional. It is thought provoking.

I thought reading through the main portion of the book was rough and hard on the heart, but the epilogue is truly just heartbreaking. There are no other words.

But, the end can really teach you that through heartbreak, you should always still have hope.

The writing in this book is really great. It never gets boring. There are no unnecessary parts to it. It was well thought out and looked over before being published.

5/5 stars. 

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Letters To Young Chong by Melanie Jo Moore

Letters to Young Chong is a memoir written by Melanie Jo Moore that is built on her friendship (well… sometimes friends, sometimes cousins…. Sometimes sisters) with Melissa Moore (no actual relation).

It has a very good flow to it by working in chronological order. Some memoirs can try to get too much information into one book and jump all over the place while losing the reader in the process. I did not find this to be the case here, although maybe the incredibly crazy stories had some hand in that haha.

This book takes you through the beginning of Melanie and Melissa’s friendship that began during their early school years when they would constantly be confused for one another due to their similar names. Melanie held quite a grudge over Melissa for this, and wasn’t very fond of her for a long time.

I guess that could be how all great friendships began.. or maybe they are just a very unique pairing. I will go with a mixture of both.

They grew up in a rural area and did not have much to do. So, obviously, this translates to them causing havoc everywhere they went.

Then the book jumps a little to when they are older.

You thought there was a lot of alcohol, boys, and trouble when they were in high school.. just wait until you continue reading.

This book is pretty long, but the length is also a bit deceiving. It has a very quick pace to it, so the length is actually pretty irrelevant. I read over half of it in one sitting.

Although this memoir is packed with crazy and hilarious stories, it also follows some rough topics as well including bad relationships and losing people close to you.

The writing is very good. It flows nicely, and the way Melanie writes interactions and descriptions of the people in the book, you can really visualize them and feel as if you know them a little bit.

Overall, it is actually pretty addicting once you pick it up. It is hard to stop reading while you are in the middle of it.

I am excited for the sequel!

4.5/5 stars

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Irv’s Odyssey: Seeking the Way Home by Irving H. Podolsky

If you haven’t read books one and two, the reviews can be found here

Book One | Book Two

Our good friend Irving is back!

Seeking the Way Home is the third and final book in this fiction memoir trilogy. It closes out this chapter in Irv’s life.

It is a spiritual journey through Irving finally finding himself and what his self-worth is. He finds himself through the people he surrounds himself with, religion to a certain extent, and through psychic readings.

Irving is a special man with a special gift to travel while he sleeps. He must decide between finding answers to these journeys and settling down to find the love of his life.

Irving’s whole journey that he has taken us through in these books has been a rollercoaster. There has been a lot of laughs, emotional stories, and a fair share of craziness. It was almost sad to turn the final page of this books.

Reading this series gave you someone to root for and someone to relate to on many levels. I am sure every reader can find a piece of themselves in Irving.

If you haven’t read book one and two, I recommend you not waste any time and pick them up now. Then revisit this one to complete the story.

It is all wonderfully written, and it will keep you hanging on until the very end.

Each character has a well-rounded arc, and it doesn't leave you with any questions left unanswered. The ending ties all of the books together and is a nice wrap-up of the series. 

5/5 for this book and the trilogy as a whole. A very, very fun read. 

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Irv’s Odyssey: To the Light and Beyond by Irving H. Podolsky

If you didn’t read the first book in this series, read that first!

Irv's Odyssey: Lost in a Looking Glass

In To the Light and Beyond, our friend Irv is back, and his life is just as hectic as ever. However, he doesn’t have to deal with mentally ill children or work in the adult movie business this time.

Instead, he finds himself unemployed once again and he end up working in various restaurants…. As a bus boy.

Good ole Irv can never have very many things going in his favor. Although, he did make it to Europe, which was his goal in the first novel. Unfortunately, he couldn’t stay and has to come back to Georgia.

I would say this installment takes the reader through Irv’s self-evaluation stage in his life. He is deciding what is best for him, and what is not so good… including the decision of whether to sleep with a married woman or not. It wouldn’t be an Irving H. Podolsky book without some sexual adventure.

I like how this book picked up right where the first one left off. It was a smooth transition, and it all felt very familiar being back in Irving’s world.

It wasn’t as long as the first one, but it was just as enjoyable.

I can’t even begin to imagine what the next one is going to bring!

4.5/5 stars. There were a couple slow patches, but the overall book was great. I suggest picking up the first one and then making your way to this one. It is quite the journey!

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Irv’s Odyssey: Lost in a Looking Glass by Irving H. Podolsky

Sometimes you encounter a book that is so full of craziness that you can’t really believe what you just read. This is one of those – in the best way possible.

Irv’s Odessey is a fictitious memoir told in first person.

If you are under 18 – this is not for you. If you do not like to read about the porn industry – this is not for you. If you like to laugh out loud while reading some disturbing and explicit books – this is DEFINITELY for you.

Now, this book is not erotic, just sexual humor, and Irving writes it wonderfully.

I was laughing out loud at many points in this book.

Through the whole journey you get to know Irving, his background, his desires in life, and also his drug habits.

When he cannot get a good film job after graduating college, he gets thrust into the porn industry, and no matter how hard he tries, it seems as though he can never escape it. That is, until he starts working with children that are just too much for him to handle.

Honestly, there is really no other way to describe this book without me telling you to just read it. It is a crazy ride and hilarious every step of the way.

5/5 Hilarious. Explicit… but hilarious. 

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When Good Boobs Turn Bad: A Mammoir by Jill Foer Hirsch

As you can probably conclude from the title, this is a memoir (or “Mammoir”) about Jill Hirsch and breast cancer.

While cancer is a very serious topic, Jill was able to get through her diagnosis, treatment, and recovery by using humor. She displays that in this book of hers.

It takes you through every stage of her battle with cancer, and it is laced with humor the whole way through.

It is very informally written, almost as if you are reading a journal written by Jill. It keeps the book interesting and fresh.

Jill proves that you can get through any struggle with the support of family, humor, (plus making people feel sorry enough for you to buy you gifts….).

This is a lovely little book. Little because it is pretty short. It was very light hearted for such a heavy topic.

5/5 stars. Fun to read and very well written

It reminded me of a book I reviewed at the beginning of the year Chief Complaint: Brain Tumor by John Kerastas

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Forever a Blackhawk by Stan Mikita

Since I love hockey, and I love my Blackhawks, this was obviously a great read for me.

It details Stan Mikita's home life as well as his life to becoming a hockey player and finally playing for the Chicago Blackhawks.

It is everything you would want from a sports memoir including statements written by former team mates as well as tons of pictures.

It is great to get a personal look at the life of a great Blackhawks legend and now a team ambassador.

If you are a hockey fan, or especially a Blackhawks fan, you need to pick this up.

5/5 stars

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Chief Complaint: Brain Tumor by John Kerastas

Fun and enlightening with a side of emotion

I just want to start by saying this is one of the most humorous books that I have read in a while.

(this could be due to the fact that I usually read  crime novels/thrillers… but moving on..)

John has a unique way of dealing with his diagnosis of a brain tumor. He uses humor.

He takes you through his diagnosis and procedures dealing with his tumor and makes it an interesting experience.

This book is great for anyone looking for a memoir of someone going through a similar experience or for family members as well. Whats great about it is that is also great for the average reader.

John has a great writing style that keeps you hanging on throughout the whole book. It is short as well, it only took me a few hours to read.

Clear an afternoon and pick up a copy. You will not regret it.

5/5 stars. I loved John’s sense of humor and his ability to tell his story through this.

Also, it takes place in Chicago, so I liked it even more… haha. 

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Read ahead for spoilers

This Möbius Strip of Ifs by Mathias Freese

This Möbius Strip of Ifs is not a book for those who do not wish to think a lot while reading.

This is a collection of short essays and memoirs by the author Mathias Freese. It is a very intellectual writing with a hint of emotion as well.

I found each different essay to be interesting in its own ways. Reading through each one was thoroughly enjoyable.  

I find it hard to review books of this sort because they are all different. The writing styles are different, the subjects are different, and so on.

So, I will say this. If you want to pick up a book that reads sort of like an intellectual diary, I would pick this up.

Note that when I say diary, I am not lessening the effect of what Mathias has to say. I mean it in the way that he is the man behind each of these essays saying how he feels about different topics.

Overall 4/5 stars I really enjoyed it, but a few of the essays lost me. Bound to happen I supposed. 

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The Life of a Stripper: 50 Exotic Dancers Confess Their Personal Experiences in the Adult Entertainment Industry by Romana Van Lissum

As the title suggests, this book is a compilation of stories about Exotic Dancers’ experiences with their jobs. 

Some are current dancers, and some are retired. No matter the age, they all have their set of stories.

Al of their stories seemed to be a little similar, but they were all different as well. It was interesting to read about the different circumstances that led them to joining this field of work as well as their good and bad experiences.

I feel like this book could be an eye-opener for those who think dancers are just drug-users and prostitutes. It is way beyond that. These are just girls that either need the money, or genuinely enjoy dancing. That’s why I feel this is a good book. It shows both sides of that.

I also feel like any aspiring dancer should read this just to see the experiences of other ladies.

Over all, I this was a really good book. It was really interesting.

5/5 stars

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Sons of Suicide by Dan Andrews

Sons of Suicide is a non-fiction novel told through the eyes of the author, Dan Andrews.

This book is the story of him as a young boy having to deal with the loss of his mother. She had committed suicide, and his life was never the same.

This tragedy made his childhood rough, but as he began to grow older and mature, he found a way to turn his pain into a positive thing. He decided that he wants to help others, whether through this book or by coaching in a gym.

Dan’s story is very real. It is one that not many people experience, but at the same time, too many people experience it. The pages of this book are filled with emotion that you may not find in many other writings. It was truly written very well.

Sons of Suicide is not a sob story. Dan isn't trying to get the world to feel sorry for him. It is quite the opposite. He is opening up and sharing his experience to show that it is possible to get through tragedy. You will always have the scar, but you can turn your life around and become a better person.

This is a great read, I loved every bit of it. It was emotional, sad, and happy as well.

5/5 stars. The writing was great, the purpose of the writing was even better. 

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Through the Crimson Mirror by Daniel Alexander Dinnie

This book is interesting. It is a non-fiction/memoir book.

I feel like it read sort of as a journal, but was also trying to teach a few lessons through the author’s past experiences.

I felt like the beginning of the book was setting it up to be more about parenting from a child’s perspective, and while that theme did come up in every chapter, I don’t feel as though it was the main point of this book as I continued my reading.

It became more of a book about communication and how the author felt certain people in his life were not communicating properly, often referring to an ex-girlfriend and also bosses in the workplace.

So, at times I was a little confused as to what the actual purpose of this book was.

You can approach it in two ways, I think.

1.       You read it as though it is just a memoir. The author is only telling his past experiences and what he has learned from them.

Or

2.       You read it as an educational book, but with a lack of real structure.

I feel like the intro set it up to be an educational book, but it ended up as a memoir, which as I said before was a little confusing. It wasn’t mainly focused on parenting like I feel it was set up to.

That being said, it was a very interesting read. The author gives interesting insights into the topic of correct communication.

He does state that you should read this book with an open mind, and I think if you remember that throughout, you will be able to take something away from it.

3/5 stars. The way it was set up didn’t really equal what it ended up being, but it was indeed an interesting read.

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Travel, Sex, and Train Wrecks by Julie Morey

For starters, this is not your average travel book. It really lives up to its title; that’s for sure.

That being said, I thought it was a great book. It isn't very long, so it is easy to get through. There are entertaining stories lacing each and every page, and it keeps you holding on until the very end.

It felt more like read a travel diary than reading a travel novel, and I really liked that. She shares the good, the bad, and the crazy. I felt like I was actually there with her while reading this. It is very descriptive, but not to the point where it just drags on until you forget what you are even reading about.

It is wonderfully written, and it is a fun read.

It made me want to travel, but I have to get over my fear of flying first.

5/5 stars!

Grab this book for free today and tomorrow on amazon! I really recommend it. 

If you can't download it in the next two days, don't worry. It is inexpensive and worth the purchase!

http://www.amazon.com/Travel-Sex-Train-Wrecks-ebook/dp/B008NQUWHE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350067128&sr=8-1&keywords=travel+sex+and+train+wrecks

A Child Lost in Flight: Moving On After Tragedy on Flight 229 by Mohan K.

From tragedy to moving on, this story takes you through it all.

It was one of the saddest books I have read in a while. It is a non-fiction memoir about the loss of a child. It is very heartfelt and touching, and I am sure it will hit home to all young parents who worry about their newborns. While, hopefully, the occurrences in the story will not happen to them, having a newborn child always leaves parents with a small sense of paranoia with everything they do.

This book was very well written. It was short – only 60 pages but took you basically through hell and back. Overall, it is a story about recovering from a terrible tragedy, and while time may heal some wounds, you need support from friends, family, and sometimes religion to be able to heal enough to move on with your life. This story is very inspirational, and reminds you not to take the simple things in life for granted. 

Overall, this book receives a 5/5 for me. It was very well written, and I was hooked from the first page. I needed to know what was going to happen.  I encourage everyone to pick up this book. It is very short and inexpensive, and the struggle that Mohan and his wife went through needs to be brought to light. You will not regret this purchase.

Once I finished this book, I contacted Mohan and asked him to express his motivation for writing this book:  “I found it cathartic to write about my experience, grief and attempt to move on. The book is intended to demonstrate how my wife and I moved forward after the tragedy, perhaps an inspiration for others undergoing life crisis. Although I delve into my grief and loss, the goal was also to demonstrate human triumph over tragedy.”

To hear more from Mohan visit his blog and Twitter:  http://achildlostinflight.blogspot.com/

@authorchild_los 

This book is available through Amazon as an ebook. You can check it out here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008E9KKCW