Review for Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan

From the back cover of the ARC:

Erick Setiawan's debut in an engrossing fable that chronicles three generations of women under one family tree- their galvanic love and passion, their shifting alliances, their cultural beliefs, their complex domestic politics- and places them in a mythical town where spirits and spells, witchcraft and demons, and ghosts and clairvoyance are everyday reality.

Meridia grows up in a loveless home until she falls in love and , at age sixteen ,marries Daniel- a caring and naive young man. Soon, they have a child of their own, and Meridia can finally escape to live with her husband's family-unaware that they harbor dark secrets of their own. There isa grave hidden in the garden, there are two sisters groomed from birth to despise each other, and there is Eva-The formidable matriach and the wickedest monster-in-law imaginable-- whose grievances swarm the air in an army of bees. As Meridia struggles to keep her young family together, she discovers long-kept secrets about her own past as well as the shocking truths about her new family.
My Review:

All I can say about this book is wow. This book sucked me in from the beginning. The characters were well-developed and real. I could relate to just about all of them. You saw behind their motives and you learned why they did the things they did. This book was far from predictable I was shocked to the end. For a debut author Mr. Setiawan wrote a very good novel. I have been advertising it to everyone. I even offered to let my husband who is a non- reader to read it. I am not usually a supernatural type person but this was not all this story was about it was about family and pain. It was the interweaving of relationships of two families. Its about women and men. I can't say enough about this book. You have to go read it. This will be my favorite of the year. Nothing I have read since has held my attention as much as this one. I look forward to more from this author.

I give it a 5/5

Review of Complete Illustrated Guide of The Presidents of America by Professor Jon Roper

From the Back Cover:
A comprehensive visual encyclopedia of every American President from George Washington to the present -day incumbent.

Each President is presented within the context of the major contemporary social, political and economic events that helped to shape the nation, as well as the international developments and relations that have affected the course of world history.

Special feature boxes present essential facts about each of the Presidents, including their political and military careers prior to the presidency , as well as their family backgrounds, education and religion.

Stunningly illustrated with more than 460 photographs, fine-art paintings, election campaign posters and maps.

About the Author from the inside cover:

Professor Jon Roper received a BA honors degree in philosophy, politics and economics at St. Catherine's College, Oxford, UK , and a doctorate at Georgetown University, Washington,D.C., before becoming a lecturer in the Department of Political Theory and Government at Swansea University, Wales. In 1966 he was made head of the Department for American Studies and was appointed professor of the department in 2005. He has a special interest in the presidency, the impact of war on politics and society, and Anglo-American political ideas.

My Review:

I would have to say that this book is well-written and researched. The author has a lot of knowledge about his subject. I learn a lot about the presidents and some facts I knew and some facts that I did not know. For example: Even though Reagan was Republican he modeled his Presidency after FDR.

In this book it contains information about their wives and key events that happened throughout their Presidency. The Pictures in the book were gorgeous and this book makes an excellent collectible. It should also be used as a reference for your children if they have projects etc.

Overall I rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 because their are some editorial spelling mistakes in some chapters.