this series is so good.

Alan Sitomer's Caged Warrior series is a kick ass young adult novel collection that your middle and high school aged boys are sure to love. The second of the series, Noble Warrior came out in July and is just violent enough to make the kids who hate reading want to read for pleasure.

The series revolves around McCutcheon Daniels' who is a star fighter in an underground Mixed Martial Arts circuit in the slums of Detroit. These are fight to the death kind of fights, and he is forced to compete to appease his crazy father, and keeps himself alive to protect his little sister. You'll have to read book number one for yourself to get the rest of the details on that one.

Noble Warrior will spoil Caged Warrior, just a little warning before I continue. In Noble Warrior, McCutcheon, his mother, and sister are now in the Witness Protection Program, but McCutcheon still cannot escape his demons. So instead of playing it safe, he decides he wants revenge, and he'll do anything to get it.

a theory that works.

My parents desperately need to train their little yippy dogs, but refuse. They never trained their children either so it makes sense. But I did share what I learned from Team Dog: How to Train Your Dog the Navy Seal Way this AMAZING audio CD I received by Mike Ritland with them. And so far, they are ignoring me. But if you're planning on getting a new dog anytime soon, I would listen up.

First of all, Ritland is VERY descriptive (and repetitive) on how to train your dog. He's super NAVY oriented, lots of teamwork and mutual respect between canine and master, stuff like that. Keep in mind that this book is filled with the basics for every new dog owner, you are not expected to send your puppy into a raging battle on the sea after reading this book. Ritland will also show you how to turn your new BFF into a well-trained social dog which is necessary if you're the sidewalk café or dog park type of person. Which if you're not, you should probably also pick up a self-help book for yourself on being more social. Just a thought.

when people talk.

Honestly, it's not summer until I've read Elin Hilderbrand's annual Nantucket novel. Sitting right here.

 

 

I've been looking forward to The Rumor since the weather got warm, saving it for my three-day mini vacation to my cottage before school begins. This work of fiction was created while Elin was undergoing treatment for breast cancer. And although I didn't fall in love with the characters like some I've met in her past novels, the storyline was on point as usual. The entire premise of the story was to shed light on the ugliness and ridiculousness of rumors spread in small towns (or small islands). It's main characters, Grace and Madeline who are best friends, their husbands Eddie and Trevor, and their children, Allegra, Hope, and Brick had their own share of drama that was all typically misunderstood by the gossiping cliques on Nantucket, except for when it wasn't. These characters also learned that their reputations aren't as important as who they are as people. And the eyes of loved ones are the only eyes they should worry about impressing. Eddie learned that one the hard way.

 



nanananananana batman!

The kids at summer school went gaga over BradyGames' latest collectable, Batman: Arkham Knight Collector's Edition when I brought it in for them to browse. Not being a gamer myself, I didn't know what all of the fuss was about. I mean, the pictures are phenomenal, but I would rather watch all ten seasons of Friends over and over again than play a video game. According to my kids (who I don't miss, but I kind of do miss), this book is ideal for a couple of reasons. It's a guide that guides you, and guides you well. It walks you through side missions and whatnot. And you won't be able to solve the riddles without it, unless you actually are Batman. It's hardcover, making it super durable, which boys like. You also get a free digital e-code. From the mouths of summer school slackers? It's a win.



Margo Roth Spiegelman.

I wish I was half as funny and clever as Quentin Jacobson and his band of band geeks in John Green's latest book to movie, Paper Towns. I literally laughed out loud at the dialog and shenanigans between this not so popular senior and his faithful friends. Quentin grew up next to Margo Roth Spiegelman in the super touristy area surrounding Orlando Florida. He pretty much loved her from day one, and although they grew apart after the age of ten, (Margo being beautiful and popular), she always made sure her own group of friends didn't both Quentin's. Life was moving along pretty normally as senior year was coming to a close, when one night Margo appeared at Ben's window, face painted black for a night of debauchery. She had a plan. He had his mom's van. And they spent the evening seeking revenge on those who have harmed them and those who have failed them. Quentin was super excited to go to school the next day, to see how his night may have changed his days. But Margo never shows. She has run off again, as she has done many times before, and left him clues. Him. Quentin Jacobson. He can hardly believe it, and then he can't think of anything else.

This novel is super relatable for teens. Showing them that people aren't who they seem to be. And pedestals should never exist because they make an ass out of everyone. And how you can't ever really know someone. You just know your version of them. And how running out on your graduation to go find the supposed love of your life is probably not the best idea, but it will make a kick ass story.

if you want to major in gambling.

I will never forget my first time in a Vegas casino. I walked right up to an employee and said with confidence, "can you please tell me where the Russian roulette table is?" And I was not kidding. I honestly thought that roulette was called, Russian roulette. He gave me the strangest look and responded, "we don't do that here". Needless to say I was super confused until I explained the encounter to my girlfriends and they took away my right to be anywhere by myself except for our hotel room. That was my first brush with real gambling, other than the horse races in my small town where I would bet $2 to place. Maybe it was fate that I received Mark Bollman's Basic Gambling Mathematics: The Numbers Behind The Neon when I did, just in time for labor day at the racetrack.

The whole idea of Bollman's book is to explain to readers the mathematics involved in analyzing games of chance such as casino games, horse racing, and lotteries. It is very much a textbook that focuses on probability and statistics, not necessarily how to win regularly at your gambling drug of choice. I don't imagine readers becoming the next Rain Man by reading this book, but it's definitely interesting.

white girl wasted.

My early twenties self can mildly relate to Sarah Hepola's memoir Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget. Relate in the sense that I also had an evil twin I needed to apologize for some morning-afters. And sometimes I didn't really know how I ended up in sleeping bags on the floors of houses with no furniture where people were only speaking in Australian accents around me. But we can save my stories for another day. Sarah here was living every addicts dream. Coping with booze, and not remembering to think about a thing that troubled her. Not her parents abandonment, not her insecurities about school or work. But when rock bottom hit her hard, she decided to quit drinking and actually feel something, which of course, led to its own share of demons. A lot of people are not going to get it. They won't be able to relate to this woman or her story. And on the other hand, many young women struggling through their own insecurities and unhealthy relationships with alcohol will learn something from this author's honesty.