A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Books for Young Adults

The Perfect Rejection Resume

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (The Perfect Rejection Resume) through Ascot Media Group.  Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and is so much appreciated. 🙂 

Well okay, The Perfect Rejection Resume is a reader’s guide to building a career through failure.  Written by Dr. Eli Joseph you will find persistence and self-reflection to be a huge part of the journey.   Let me take some time to walk you through this paperback self-help book. 

The Perfect Rejection Resume

The Basic Details for The Perfect Rejection Resume

Author is Dr. Eli Joseph, an American academic with a doctorate in Business Administration and speaker through TedX. The Perfect Rejection Resume: a Reader’s Guide to Building a Career through Failure has been published by Elisee Joseph.  It runs at 162 pages with 6 chapters, each broken into subsections.  Illustrations were done by Creative Designs by Alifian Saputra.  Janice Gassam wrote the foreword, and I’m reviewing it on behalf of Ascot Media Group.   I received an ARC for my review.

Digging Deeper

You will find the Perect Rejection Resume to be a fairly straight-forward read.  Within the 162 pages you’ll find Joseph using examples from his own life to demonstrate the principles he’s teaching.  Over and over you’ll see demonstrated the power of persistance. 

Textually it’s set up to be easy to read, with bold texting, point forms, lists etc.  This makes it very easy to highlight/bookmark to revisit sections for review. 

Case studies in the form of resumes (all the various rejections) of various people were included.  When you consider that some people got rejected 63 times before they made it through… The persistence just amazes me.  

It makes me think of Thomas Edison who said “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”   Each of these rejection resumes makes me think, each of these people found something that won’t work, and so they tried again. 

You will be given ample time to reflect on what you are learning.  After each case study you’ll discover these exercises.  But within the overall text you’ll often discover questions to ask yourself. A chance to think through what you may have done wrong and what you could do better. 

Add it to your shelves?

As I was talking about The Perfect Rejection Resume with my lad I said “It felt like the author was too young to have written this book.  He needs more experience behind him to give weight to his words”.  I went on to say that it makes it harder for me to read the book with the audience I think he has in mind.  My perception is it is geared for 20-somethings in mind, not over 50-year-olds!

It appeared to me that Dr. Eli Joseph repeatedly wanted the ultimate goal throughout his entire life without doing the work needed FIRST to meet those goals.  Ergo he would get rejected.  He needed to find a different way of reaching his goals, and he did.  He didn’t let rejection stop him, which I find admirable. At the same time, if he had written the book a bit differently, like “how to let rejection teach you new skills” I would have been more receptive. 

All that said, are there useful takeaways from The Perfect Rejection Resume?  For sure!   He has great exercises for self-reflection, good questions to ask yourself, and challenges to fulfill.   He includes a variety of rejection resumes for using as case studies.  In those resumes you see persistence, and a refining of their career paths, just as I would expect. 

How to Use?

Now I can see using this as part of a careers class, to help youth/young adults see that sometimes being persistent is exactly what you need to win through the day.  The reflection questions alone are most excellent to teach criticial thinking skills. 

Until Leaves Fall in Paris

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (Until Leaves Fall in Paris) through Nuts About Books.  Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and is so much appreciated. 🙂 

It’s kinda funny, it’s kinda sad… but I enjoyed this book so much that when my mom recently had a surgery I happily lent her my copy of Until Leaves Fall in Paris.  It wasn’t til I was going to write this post that I realized that I hadn’t taken pictures of it!  GAH!!   AND I told her when she was done she could pass it along to one of her friends!  What to do?  What to do?  So I wrote on the Facebook page of Nuts about Books about my dilemma and a lovely gal named Christina Fleming came to my rescue.  I’ll note which photos are from her and which ones I got after a quick stop at Mom’s on Saturday.  

until leaves fall in Paris
Christina Fleming (book image)

The Basic Details

So, Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin is quietly romantic story taking place in Paris during WW2.  The Germans have moved in and life has become difficult. Lucie and Paul face individual difficulties of their own, and work in their own way to fight against the invasion.   This historical Christian romance runs at 416 pages and is published by Revell Books.   I am reviewing on behalf of Nuts about Books.    

You may recall another Sundin book I reviewed When Twilight Breaks. Ms. Sundin’s style is quite similar from book to book. 

Checking out the Until the Leaves fall in Paris more closely

I am MOSTLY tired of reading romance novels, but add some interesting history and don’t make the book all about the romance, and you’ll hook my interest.  I love how Sundin weaves together this period in history within the angst human relationships.  Imagine how difficult it would be to be trying to run a business within a war zone.  To balance the need to protect one’s family while fighting in whatever way you can for the good of people.  So many difficult decisions to make, while enduring the judgement of others.  Tough times.  Yet, in the midst of it, girl meets boy and despite the difficulties… are intrigued with each other and find ways to help the other.   So interesting don’t you think?

Reviewing on behalf of Nuts About Books. 

Christina Fleming image

Though my tired eyes would have at times preferred a larger font, this was by no means a difficult book to read.  The language flowed easily, and the font really wasn’t too small.  🙂   The timing was well done, the details educating, and the story endearing.   Well worth sharing with one’s mom-in-law and her reading friends.  🙂   I know it will make the rounds. 

Add it to your shelves?

If, like me, you have a fondness for historical fiction, and don’t mind a bit of romance, you will enjoy Until Leaves Fall in Paris.  Faith is a part of the story, and we are reminded that God came for sinners, not for the righteous.  Themes of prejudice, racism, and following one’s conscience play a big part in this well-written novel.  I found myself wishing as I read it that they will find a good way to work it all out. 

Parts of this novel were a little predictable.  After you, you can’t have one of the main protagonists die! So you would expect escapes and rescues to work out right?   It’s part of the romance of it all, don’t you think?  You need to have a happy ending!  🙂

Sheltering Mercy

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (Sheltering Mercy) through Nuts About Books.  Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and is so much appreciated. 🙂 

So over the past couple of months I have learned to appreciate reading prayers outloud.  I find that reading the prayers of others broadens my relationship with God. Sometimes when you pray the prayers of others you are blessed by their spiritual experience as well.  I just finished The Power of a Praying Wife  and wanted something new. So the other day I asked my hubby if he had a book of prayers in his expansive library, and he said “I think so, might take a bit to find though”.  Then Sheltering Mercy came in the mail.  What a lovely book!  Seriously.  A book filled with prayers written in free verse (my preferred style of poetry writing for myself) all based on the first 75 Psalms.  I can’t wait to tell you all about it!

Sheltering Mercy

Sheltering Mercy, the basic Details

Sheltering Mercy with 240 pages is published by Brazos Press. It would be very easy to tuck into a book bag or purse at just 5 x 8 inches. Each poem follows chronologically from 1 through 75.  Ryan Whitaker Smith and Dan Wilt share the authorship.   My review is for Nuts about Books. 

Getting the fuller details

There is very little art work throughout, but occasionally you’ll find these black and white custom illustrations. If I counted correctly you’ll find 10 illustrations, each different, and each symbolizing some aspect of the Christian faith. 

These free-verse prayers are not meant to replace scripture.  They aren’t meant to be a paraphase, or an alternate translation.  Prayers are a reaction to scripture. A lyrical response from a believer’s heart back to the ear of God.  Written to encourage and help our hearts to response as well. 

Simple titles grace each poem, leading some insight into the direction of the prayer. 

Let me show you a comparison from Psalm 17.  This prayer is called Justice Plea.

Hear me, Lord, my plea is just;
    listen to my cry.
Hear my prayer—
    it does not rise from deceitful lips.
2 Let my vindication come from you;
    may your eyes see what is right.

The prayer starts off with 

Hear me, Lord!
Hear my justice plea!
How it burns within me —
a fire in my bones;
a desparate cry in the dark.

Lying voices surround me,
within and without.
Through their time is short,
they chatter endlessly —
the frantic scheming of the damned.

As you can see, not a paraphrase, or a new scriptural rendition, but a heart response to the Lord. A response, that prays scripture back to the Lord who inspired it in the first place. Just using author’s words, the author’s response back to the Lord. 

Should you buy it?

Yes, please, add Sheltering Mercy: Prayers Inspired by the Psalms to your library.  It won’t replace your prayers to the Lord God, but it will, perhaps, inspire you to look at a Psalm differently.  Perhaps you’ll find yourself inspired to find your own words to pray scripture back to the one who sustains you.  

Now perhaps poetry isn’t your thing.  That’s okay. It doesn’t have to be your thing in order to help you talk to the Lord God. Don’t read it as poetry, read it as a prayer, as a communication back to God. Strengthen your relationship with the one who created you. Let your spirit be stirred anew!

You’ll appreciate the small size and the feel of the quality hardcover. It feels right in your hands.  🙂  The only thing I would change would be to encourage God’s direct word into each Psalms’ page. But this way, you can read the Psalm in your own translation, and that’s a good thing too eh? 🙂 

A Snake Falls to Earth

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (A Snake Falls to Earth) through Raincoast Books.  Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and is so much appreciated. 🙂 

Darcie Little Badger has put together a fascinating weave between two worlds, very different from each other yet intregrally connected.   A Snake Falls to Earth is a book to take your time with so that you can enjoy the shift in realities from Nina to Oli. 

A Snake Falls to Earth

What am I reviewing?

Raincoast Books sent me a lovely book written by Darcie Little Badger.  A Snake Falls to Earth supposes a world linked to ours.  This world with transforming animal/humans envisions an effect if animal extinction happens.  Imagine a world that if all the foxes died, in this mirrored world, all the fox people would die. 

This is an imaginative tale portraying Indigenous futurism, leaping back and forth between Nina and her family, and Oli and the start of his new life.  Can friendship make a scared soul brave enough to try?  Will friendship be the impetous to changing his world (and perhaps ours)?

A Levine Querido book of 352 pages written for youth 12-18.  I think anyone highschool and up would find this an interesting read through. 

A Snake Falls to Earth is the first book that I have read by Darcie Little Badger.  Since I thoroughly enjoyed this read I was curious about what other books she may have written.  I don’t know that I would pursue those other titles but I’ll leave that your discretion. 🙂 

What Did I think of A Snake Falls to Earth?

I enjoyed the story, I found it well-paced, with an interesting group of characters.  Oli, Brightest, Nina, Reign and Risk, and Ami along with parents, grandparents and helpful others.  A good combination of youth and age along with wisdom, folly and sneakiness.   You’ll find two worlds, that initially seem to have nothing to do with each other, but overtime, you see the connection. 

This story draws on  Lipan Apache culture and mythology, and you learn abit about how their language is put together.  Sometimes pronouns are genderless with context providing the clues which I found interesting.

Nina is a young girl researching her family history.  Trying to understand her great-grandmother’s life, while fearing what might be going on with her grandma.   She records what she learns, and listens to a Storyteller program, but isn’t comfortable sharing her own stories.   Ms. Badger does a great job of showing us her world.

Oli is a young shapeshifting cottonmouth.  Out experiencing his world on his own, forming new friendships, and making difficult decisions. Those friends help him become who he is meant to be. So that even if he’s scared he can still be thinking through problems. 

No artwork, no changes in fonts except when Nina is texting her mom. Just a steady chapterbook. 

Two worlds are built.  Through the course of the story we see how they might interact, and how one, more or less, mirrors the other.  We know there is evil (the nightmare) and that he has knights doing his bidding.  This creates conflict between the two worlds BUT friendship calls for fear to be overcome and action taken. 

Add it to your bookshelf?

I have to admit, I didn’t get the “they” form of address for Brightest. It didn’t sense when everyone else had a specific gender attached.  This could simply be that I’m 56 years old and this gender-oriented language stuff seems … odd.  But the they aspect of talking about Brightest didn’t seem to be gender connected so I think that’s why I struggled with it. 

BUT the story itself is well done.  The action moved along smoothly, there was comedy, and concern, and good timing.  There was surprise with some sneakiness from an unexpected source.  True concern shown for friends, and great friendships working together toward a common goal.   The native american way of storytelling is integral to how the story played out. 

You will understand the title A Snake falls to earth as you read the story.  Made SO much sense by the end of the read!  Oh, I love how the bad guy got his come-uppance at the end… was poetic I’d say. 🙂

The themes itself make it well worth a read.  Friendship, extinction, working together, environmental concerns, and listening to family.  It’s good stuff. 

So Many Beginnings

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (So Many Beginnings) through Raincoast Books.  Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so.

Did you like the book Little Women?  If so, So Many Beginnings is just the book for you.  This particular book is written with an African-American point of view, during the American civil war.  You’ll find yourself immersed in the lives of Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy along with their momma, and their own twists of the character. 

so many beginnings

The Basic Details

So Many Beginnings: a Little Women Remix. This is the second in a series of remixed classic books.  These remixes allow you to enjoy a classic book from a different perspective.  It’s a rather neat idea.   Bethany C. Morrow  does a really good job of copying the form and story of Little Women.   Fiewel and Friends, published a beautiful hard-cover book, for the 13-18 year old range, with 304 pages. 

Learning more about So Many Beginnings

Just as in Little Women, in So Many Beginnings you’ll find Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy.   Four young ladies and their momma living our their lives.  Meg a teacher, Jo a writer, Beth a sewer and often sickly, and Amy a free-spirit.  We are led into the drama of their lives. 

Well-developed characters fill the pages. I found that I understood Jo better in this book than I did in the original Little Women classic.  You won’t find a lot of adornment in the pages.  Occasionally a page break could be found. 

This is a lovely book to hold in your hands with a comfortable font.

The familiar storyline draws you through.  You’ll find the characters a bit different, the style is the same, but the story takes a different turn in areas.  

Should you Get it?

I have to be honest.  As I was never a fan of Little Women, I approached this historial novel with some trepidation.  I wasn’t wildly enamoured, but I know so many people who LOVED Little Women, that I wanted to tell you about this read.  This book would SO suit that audience.   Honestly, if you love the style and story of Little Women, Bethany C. Morrow will NOT disappoint you in this novel. And just so you know, wildly enamoured or not, overall… a good read. 

What did I like?  I loved the different perspective. My enjoyment of the historical aspect, of seeing the world out of African-American eyes, was significant.  I love learning about different aspect of wars that I didn’t know about before. To see a side of history, with some of those little things that make history come to life, that I so much appreciate. 

So many beginnings is rift with those little details. 

So…. if you are a fan of little women… read this book.  You’ll enjoy it.

If you want to see a side of the civil war that perhaps you haven’t seen before, read this book. 

And/or if you want to catch a glimpse of freed slave lives in the 1860’s, you’ll see it here. 

Middletown

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (Middletown) through Raincoast Books.  Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so.  🙂

Anna and Eli have a problem… it’s a big problem… and through Middletown we get to take a front-row seat and see how these sisters work through complicated issues and create new possibilities.  Events move along fairly quickly as the girls work hard to be family. Creative solutions, luck, friendship, and family all pull together in the end, and it is good. 

Middletown

Learning about Middletown

Sarah Moon is the author of Middletown, a high school read published by Levine Querido.  25 chapters, with an appendage, round out the 256 page read.  Several themes fill the pages: gender identity, substance abuse and recovery, parental neglect, and sexual harassment.   It’s a lot to pack into a single book isn’t it?  🙂  And overall it’s well-done.  The characters and communication flow naturally.   I love how I was made to care about what happened with Eli and Anna…. would they find a family?  Would they be able to keep ahead of the child care system and find a tenable situation to live in? 

I received an ARC copy from Raincoast books. 

So what do you get?

Though many reviewers are calling this a middle school read, it’s not!  Initially I thought it was as well, but it’s marketed for grade 9 and up.  The topics discussed are more for high school level as well and I can totally see some middle school students enjoying this book. 

This fictional title comes just as text.  No illustrations to grace the pages, and the cover leaves something to be desired.  The cover did not draw me at all. 

Most of the font is easy to read, standard font.  Letters and various forms of communication cause font changes. 

Chapter headings of very simple with numbers spelling out how far you are.  Character development was well done.  Eli was a funny kids and got herself into situations sometimes.  🙂  Anna, an intense, moody teen with a snappy comeback to everything.  The love these girls felt for each other, evident throughout, though at times strained by circumstances sometimes beyond their control. 

Some lines I just enjoyed.  

The smell of chicken in springtime can take your breath away. It falls over you like a blanket, in your ears, your eyes, your mouth until it’s so all around you that you have no choice but to get used to it. You can’t fight chicken poop, it will always win.  Eli was learning this the hard way.

I laughed out loud, my son asked what was funny.  I read that line to him and he laughed too!  The thing is… I grew up on a farm, and it’s true!  Chicken poop is something special.  🙂 

It was fun watching the girls get themselves into a better situation, the bending they had to do, and the choices (sometimes hard) they made.   Much to appreciate in Sarah Moon’s novel.

Should Middletown be on your Bookshelf?

I have to admit, I don’t know.

I overall enjoyed the story of Middletown.  The determination of family to stick it through. Along with the determination of friends to lend an hand where able.  The characters were well-developed. 

The sexual preferences of a rather young girl being such a big part of the story, is something I did not appreciate.  I didn’t. I do not understand the push to have such topics as integral parts of a story for young people.   

The good friendships these girls have, the growth the girls experience, the uniqueness of the aunt, and the lessons they learn is all fantastic.   These lessons weren’t all easy, but they were necessary for the growth seen in each person. 

But you know what?  Families are complicated.  Parents sometimes fail at parenting, extended family sometimes fail to pick up the pieces until they see the desperation, children sometimes struggle with gender identity, older siblings at times have to raise their younger ones, and it’s messy!   Families and friendships are complicated things.   In this middle school read.. complication happens, and growth occurs! 

Reality Bites

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (Reality Bites) through Ascot Media.  Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so.  🙂

Ever search for a quote and can’t find one?   OR do you just happen to like aphorisms and philosophical fragments? Well Gordon Hutchison has just the book for you, with Reality (can be OK, but mostly it) Bites, a tongue in cheek look at the world around us.   Most of the work contained therein is his own work, but he includes the work of others if he finds something similar.  Let’s take a look shall we? 

Reality Bites

So, are you like me and wondering exactly what an aphorism is?  Well, Mr. Hutchison goes into detail on just what it is in his book: Reality (can be OK, but mostly it) Bites: original aphorisms and other philosophical fragments with teeth.  An aphorism has five parts.

  1. must be brief
  2. it must be definitive
  3. there needs to be a personal touch
  4. a twist is required!
  5. must be philosophical

The twist grabs our attention, and often makes us laugh, and then later sometimes makes us think.  The laughter makes us feel good and realize, we aren’t alone in our feelings about life circumstances.  

Throughout this small book (will easily fit in a backpack or purse) you’ll find aphorisms that will make you laugh, shake your head, or share with your family (especially your teens!).  🙂  Conversation starters in 164 pages!   A softcover tome that also comes in kindle format, published by White River Press.

I am reviewing on behalf of Ascot Media. 

Set Up and details for Reality Bites

The bulk of Reality Bites are all the aphorisms, but the first few pages are dedicated to an introduction, defining what an anphorism is, and the why and set up of the layout.   An author index is included in the final pages. 

The rest of the book is 400 different expressions, about six per two page-spread.

Some of the aphorisms will have smaller expressions to the right and below.  These are ones that he has found that are fairly similiar to what he has come up with himself. 

Some expressions rang true 

“doing nothing, done right, can take all day.”

“Love that turns to hate is neither.”

“every unreasonable man has his reasons.”

reality bites

I have to admit, that some expressions just made me feel sad.  The… I don’t know… feels like disrespect toward God and people of faith.  But I also don’t know if I read into things too much?  But it is what it is right?  My thoughts, towards/about this read. 

“The best thing about forbidden fruit is that it never goes bad.”

“children are God’s way of letting parents know if they’re having a nice day.”

“to sin is human, to escape undetected divine.”

But for the most part.. thoroughly enjoyed this book.  I like quotes and quips, and apparently aphorisms!  🙂  Like Evan, plumbing the meaning in words… is a good thing!   And I hope you would too!

Should you get Reality Bites?

Yes, I think so.  If you enjoy witticisms… you’ll laugh, you’ll shake your head, and you’ll find yourself using them as conversation starters, essay prompts (for your middle-to-high school students), or as observations about life.  An excellent gift for friends and family alike.  Mostly fun, and often a bit thought-provoking.  🙂 

You may recall I reviewed a book of quotes previously entitled called Civilizations Quotations (my review).   This would be a great companion volume to it.  🙂Â