Saturday, July 4, 2020

The Institue REVIEW

Welcome to my review for :

The Institute

Title: The Institute
Author: Stephen King
Publisher: Scribner
Release Date: September 10th 2019
Print Length: 561 pages
Genre: Horror, Fiction, Thriller, Paranormal
Edition: hardcover | audiobook

BOOK LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | #CommissionsEarned

Reason for Reading – I got this book from my co-worker during a gift exchange at our company Christmas party. She knew I love to read and what can be better than Stephen King?! I feel she made a great choice. All opinions are my own, any review is voluntary.

Cover Image/Inside Illustrations – 5 / ★★★★★

I love the train and the room and the little boy- all factors in the story.

Intellectual Depth – 4 / ★★★★★

Definitely entertainment

Synopsis:

In the middle of the night, in a house on a quiet street in suburban Minneapolis, intruders silently murder Luke Ellis’s parents and load him into a black SUV. The operation takes less than two minutes. Luke will wake up at The Institute, in a room that looks just like his own, except there’s no window. And outside his door are other doors, behind which are other kids with special talents—telekinesis and telepathy—who got to this place the same way Luke did: Kalisha, Nick, George, Iris, and ten-year-old Avery Dixon. They are all in Front Half. Others, Luke learns, graduated to Back Half, “like the roach motel,” Kalisha says. “You check in, but you don’t check out.”

In this most sinister of institutions, the director, Mrs. Sigsby, and her staff are ruthlessly dedicated to extracting from these children the force of their extranormal gifts. There are no scruples here. If you go along, you get tokens for the vending machines. If you don’t, punishment is brutal. As each new victim disappears to Back Half, Luke becomes more and more desperate to get out and get help. But no one has ever escaped from the Institute.

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Awesomeness Factor: 4 / ★★★★★

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Main Characters

Luke Ellis, a very intelligent child with a light telekinesis ability
Tim, ex-cop in the right place at the right time

Characters: 4 / ★★★★★

Plot

The book starts off with this guy who makes a random choice to get off a plane. We get a little background history on him. He hitchhikes and ends up in a small town where he decided to settle down for a little bit, because what else does he have going for him?

Next we get Luke's story. Felt like a completely different book and completely unrelated. Luke is kidnapped and taken to the Institute. Not because he's super smart and going places like his introduction would suggest, nope that's just a pesky nonconsequential fact his kidnappers don't care about. The Institute gathers children from all over the US with special abilities and experiments on them. These abilities are also not relevant, just an indicator that the kids have something else the group wants.

Luke is too smart for his own good and doesn't like the change in life plans. He tries to rebel but punishments are harsh and the caretakers don't care what the kiddos do as long as they willingly submit to testing. Want cigarettes? Drugs? Junk food from the vending machine? Be honest in testing and get rewarded. Want a black eye? Resist. Well known fact, kids don't last more than a few weeks in first half before graduating to back half. They only move forward through the testing. What happens to the kids in back half? Is that the end of the line? Luke doesn't want to find out so he needs to escape instead.

Plot and Themes: 4 / ★★★★★

Setting

The Institute- a secretly ran facility experimenting on children with special abilities

Setting: 4 / ★★★★★

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Theme

top secret organization + paranormal testing. Good vs Evil
"Couldn't Put It Down"-ness- 5/★★★★★

What did I like about the book?

This is my 3rd Stephen King book this year. If you know my reading tastes at all, you know I 1) love reading trendy books 2) love Sci-Fi/ Fantasy and thrillers best. The Institute gives me both of my loves in one. Obviously King is a go-to author for a lot of readers and I can be included in that grouping.

I read Extraordinary Lies by Jennifer Alsever in May. The Institute released first but both books cover a similar plot: kids being experimented on because of their psychic abilities. In Extraordinary Lies, set in 1970s the tests were voluntary and at a college campus the older teen subjects could come and go from. (SEE REVIEW HERE) In the Institute set in present day the children are kidnapped, younger, and there is no escape. The feel is drastically different but both could totally happen and focus on paranormal abilities and sacrificing youth 'for the greater good'.

I listened to the audiobook. The children were so stoic and resilient. The adults were resigned to their work and everyone acted in such a believable and realistic way. Even wrapped up neatly with a Happily Ever After.

What did I not like about the book?

My only complaint is I didn't understand what the first part Night Knocker had to do with the Institute. Really, it doesn't, except sometimes life just puts you in the right place at the right time seemingly at random. Not really a problem, it came together in the end perfectly but I was confused at the beginning of the book.

Does this frustrate you in books as well? Leave me a comment about your book pet peeves!

Date Started/Finished : June 7th- 12th 2020

Writing: 5/★★★★★
Story – 5 / ★★★★★
Romance – 3 / ★★★★★ - sweet / innocent first love of little kids
Angst – 5 / ★★★★★
Content Flow – 4 / ★★★★★

Recommend? Yes

Recommend To – Lovers of Stephen King or realistic paranormal horror

Would you encourage others to read this book? Reads like a YA because of the age of the ma

Would Read More from Author? Definitely

Follow me on Goodreads! @angelakreais

The Institute by Stephen King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Overall Rating: 5/★★★★★

based off Goodreads' ratings: 5 stars – Excellent: LOVE, it was amazing, highly recommend.

View all my reviews

Disclosure: This book was provided to me at no cost. Whether positive or negative, my blog review is my own and may differ from others opinions. This review is simply a compilation of my thoughts and opinions of this book. If you have any questions, just post them and I'll be happy to answer as best as I can. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

**No monetary compensation was received for this review. Posts may contain affiliate or referral links. Thank you for your support!**

Friday, July 3, 2020

Weight Loss Hypnosis for Women REVIEW

Weight Loss Hypnosis for Women

Title: Weight Loss Hypnosis for Women

Sub title: Positive Affirmations & Music for Exercise Motivation, to Stop Sugar Cravings, Beat A Food Addiction, and Get Fit

Author: Mindfulness Training

audio Length: 1 hour 5 minutes

Publication Date: May 9th 2019

Publisher: Author's Republic

Edition: Audiobook

Genre: Health & Fitness

BOOK LINKS: Amazon | Goodreads #CommissionsEarned

I borrowed this audiobook from my library via Hoopla app.
Lose Weight Fast With The Power Of Guided Meditation!
With this powerful hypnosis, losing weight & beating your craving for sugar is as easy as pressing play!

Designed with women in mind, this guided meditation features a carefully selected series of positive affirmations specifically designed to help you reach your weight loss success goals, reduce sugar & carb cravings, form a positive body image, and boost your exercise motivation!

With the soothing background music and binaural beats, you will be able to easily fall asleep to these meditations every night and wake up in a positive health-focused mindset each and every day!

This Weight Loss Hypnosis Will Help You:
* Remove cravings for unhealthy foods
* Increase your desire for exercise
* Help you visualize your weight loss goals
* Sleep better & reduce weight loss related anxiety & stress
* Improve your body image
* Change your life for good!
* And Much, Much More!

For best results, download the Audible version for the full audio experience!
There's no need to keep living with a body weight that doesn’t help you live your best life! Don’t wait to change…Buy your copy today!

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I listened to this audiobook while I was intentionally trying to lose weight. My doctor had told me in December 2019 that my lab work came back negative and I had very high cholesterol (double the number it was supposed to be). He put me on a prescription that he warned me I would have to take for the rest of my life. I feel like I am way too young to have to take a prescription forever, especially if its because of lifestyle choices. So, I argued with him. I asked what I needed to do to NOT take the prescription. After negotiating the details we compromised with taking the medication for 6 months and see what the results are like. I also needed to drastically change my diet and lose 40-50 pounds.

My suggested restrictions:

bread
potatoes
fried foods
rice
pasta
sweets/sugars

In other words, everything I normally ate. I asked him what I SHOULD eat:

a lot of vegetables
lean meats and fish

I spent 5 months eating different and lost 20 pounds but everything stalled out. I didn't know what to do. I had zero motivation to exercise and eating healthy wasn't enough. I tried listening to this audiobook in hopes that my desire to be healthier would outweigh my desire to be lazy. I didn't notice a difference.

Every night for a month I plugged my phone in and started the recording. Every night a few minutes in I was out. I never did consciously listen to the entire hour. That's okay though because it said the message would still sink in. The narrator had a relaxing voice. I practiced breathing differently. It wasn't an unpleasant experience but I also didn't lose additional weight or start exercising more or change my diet.

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I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate I can earn from qualifying purchases if you use my affiliate link. **No monetary compensation was received for this review. Posts may contain affiliate or referral links. Thank you for your support!**

Thursday, July 2, 2020

Flowers from Afghanistan GIVEAWAY

About the Book

Book: Flowers from Afghanistan
Author: Suzy Parish
Genre: Christian War Fiction
Release Date: August 10, 2018

BOOK LINKS: Click here to get your copy! #CommissionsEarned

Weighed down by guilt following the death of his two-year-old son, Mac McCann accepts a year-long position training police officers in Afghanistan. Leaving his wife Sophie to grieve alone, he hopes the life-or-death distractions of his self-imposed exile will build a wall between him and his pain.

As camaraderie builds between Mac and the men on base—including a local barber and his precocious little boy—Mac’s heart becomes invested in stories beyond his own tragedy and he learns he is not the only one running from loss. But when the hour of attack arrives, will he be able to see past his guilt to believe there’s still something—and someone—worth living for? With touching details based on true events, Flowers from Afghanistan is a redemptive journey of healing, a chronicle of hope in crisis, and a testament to the faithfulness of God through it all.

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About the Author

Suzy Parish wrote as a Community Columnist for the Huntsville Times. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Suzy discovered her love of books as a child in Richmond, Virginia when she took refuge from the summer heat in the local Bookmobile. She believes the power of literacy can change lives and stewards a Little Free Library in a local park. She currently resides in Huntsville, Alabama with her husband, a retired Investigator from the Huntsville Police Department. Their tennis-ball addicted dog, Charlie, is her writing companion.

More from Suzy

Have you or a family member served in the military or as first responders? I had you on my heart when I wrote Flowers from Afghanistan. You might say this novel is my “Thank you” to families all over who sacrifice their time and sometimes even their lives to help make the world a safer place.
It’s also my hand, reaching out through my keyboard to beautiful children like the character Bashir. These children want the same things as any child the world over, shelter, food, and to know they are loved. And finally, this book is a love letter from myself to Jesus Christ. He is the reason I write.