Book review: The Broken Window: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel, Jeffery Deaver

This is my first Lincoln Rhyme novel and I really enjoyed it.  Not only is the story and topic were interesting I really liked the main hero.  It is not often you see a handicapped main hero where his disability is not dwelled on, yet you get a pretty good idea of what his life is like as the story develops. This subject of the book is interesting and current, it centers around the identity theft.  I listened to the audio book and it was very well presented, I could not wait to hear the next portion.  I will be seeking out more Lincoln Rhyme stories.


You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Here are result of my research on Heffrey Deaver books:

Lincoln Rhyme Series
1. The Bone Collector (1997)
2. The Coffin Dancer (1998)
3. The Empty Chair (2000)
4. The Stone Monkey (2002)
5. The Vanished Man (2001)
6. The Twelfth Card (2005)
7. The Cold Moon (2006)
8. The Broken Window (2008)
9. The Burning Wire (2010)
9.5. A Textbook Case (2013)
10. The Kill Room (2013)
10.5. Rhymes with Prey (2014) (with John Sandford)
11. The Skin Collector (2014)
11.5. The Deliveryman (2016)
12. The Steel Kiss (2016)
13. The Burial Hour (2017)
14. The Cutting Edge (2018)

Rune Series
1. Manhattan Is My Beat (1989)
2. Death of a Blue Movie Star (1990)
3. Hard News (1991)

John Pellam Series
1. Shallow Graves (1992)
2. Bloody River Blues (1993)
3. Hell's Kitchen (2001)


Kathryn Dance Series
1. The Sleeping Doll (2007)
2. Roadside Crosses (2009)
3. XO (2012)
4. Solitude Creek (2015)

Lucas Davenport Series
1. Rhymes with Prey (2014)


Colter Shaw Series
1. Captivated (2019)
2. The Never Game (2019)


Novels
Voodoo (1988)
Always a Thief (1988)
Mistress of Justice (1992)
The Lesson of Her Death (1993)
Praying for Sleep (1993)
A Maiden's Grave (1995)
Speaking in Tongues (1995)
The Devil's Teardrop (1999)
The Blue Nowhere (2001)
Garden of Beasts (2004)
The Bodies Left Behind (2008)
Edge (2010)
No Rest for the Dead (2011)
The October List (2012)

Product review: A start is Born (movie review) Lady Gaga Brad Cooper

I was really looking forward to this movie. I like Lady Gaga and Brad Cooper. However, I was disappointed in the story itself. I enjoyed the songs but I did not find it compelling at all. I thought it was boring and depressing,the movie did not make care for any of the characters, the previews were so much better.
You can rent this movie on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Product review: 82MS 2-Line Scientific Calculator by REDPINGUO

This scientific calculator comes with a slide on/off cover that protects the calculator from
being turned on accidentally.  When the calculator is being used the cover slides onto the back calculator so it does not get lost.

The calculator has two lines, so you can see both the formula and the result.

The documentation that comes with the calculator covers how to use all scientific formulas and modes, but it does not tell you how to turn the calculator off. The hints on what to do is to use the color coordinated SHIFT key.  To turn off the calculator click "shift" then click "AC" (not that two keys should be hit separately in order).  To clear the results hit "AC".

This is a nice calculator with a lot of functions and clear display of results.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: NEWCOM Fanny Pack Waist Bag

This is a roomy nylon waist pack. It is navy blue in color with a baby blue accent on the front.  It has 4 compartments: three in the front and one hidden on the back side of the pack. The large main compartment has an a zipped inside pocket.

The bag is 11" wide and 5.5" high.  TThe smallest compartment in the front is 3.5" deep, the middle one is 5" deep, and the largest compartment is 6" deep.

This waist bag has a large strong buckle (compression closure). The belt buckle holds well but it is not stiff and is easy to open. The strap is 1.5" and can accommodate a large body as it expands to 59" (this includes the strap itself, the width of the bag, and the width of the buckle).

The workmanship on the bag is good - it has neat stitching and no loose thread.  Overall, I like it.  It is well made, roomy and sturdy.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Dimora Cotton Dry Wipes

Dimora wipes are made out of cotton, they strong and stretchy.  They are unscented. I particularly like using them as bathroom wet wipes.  Even though they come as dry,  it is easy to wet them under the faucet and then wring out to leave them slightly damp. They work as well if not better then Costco tencel (which is made out of wood fibers) Baby wipes which has been my "go-to" wipe. The big advantage of Dimora wipes is that because they are dry they much lighter, this is significant when I travel.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Book review: The Holy Grail of Book Publishing by The Holy Grail of Book Publishing

The content of this book is very similar to the other book by Emmanuel "Mimi's Book Launch Plan: How to launch your ebook easy-peasy". This book covers similar material in the same style - it has useful information hidden in verbose repetitive prose. The book is filled with many redundant mentions, kudos and referrals to other people who sell their advice about self-publishing (they felt like paid advertisements due to the repetitive nature of these mentions). Just like with "Easy-peasy" book the original content of the book itself is less useful then the links to the content provided by other people (free on-line information, not the paid consultants). This book has useful information but no where near as good as "Lets get digital" by David Gaughran.

The biggest lesson I learned from Emmanuel book: you can recycle the same material with a different title and slightly different angle.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Product review: Dimora Compressed Cotton Towels (36 count)

This set includes 36 individual towels. Each compressed towel comes as small hockey puck 1.75" in diameter and 0.5" thick.  Each one weighs half an oz.  When the pucks are dry they are difficult to stretch into a towel (frankly I could not do it), but as soon as I made it wet, the puck  unfolded easily.  When expanded it is 14" by 39" in size.

Dimora towels are made out of cotton, they strong and stretchy.  They are totally unscented.

The towels are good for clean up as whole, they also work as wet wipes when I cut them into 8 part.  Note that I said cut, they are too strong to be torn by hand which tells you about their strength.  Their big advantage is that they are small and light they take up less space then taking a pack of wet wipes. This is significant when I go back packing.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Winner Facial Cotton Tissue, 100% Cotton

These tissues are made out of 100% cotton.  By comparison the Kleenex tissues are made out of cellulose fibers (i.e. wood) pulp is then processed for manufacture into the final product. The two tissues are similar in size. The Winner tissues is 8.5" x 7.75", where as Kleenex is a square sized 8.25" x 8.25".  To touch Kleenex tissue is softer, and looks a little more solid. Winner tissues are less uniform in texture but it feels a bit thicker.  What I like about it that it has more stretch and remains in tact under more strenuous use, including when it is damp.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Elezenioc Wet & Dry Electric Razor

My husband gets a pretty close shave with this razor. It has two heads the main head, and a side trimmer head that pops out.  Documentation states it is good for 20 days of 3 minute daily use, my husband recharges it once a week.  The level of available charge is displayed when the razor is turned on, he said display shows it has over 50% available when he plugs it in to recharge.

The instruction recommend daily cleaning with water, and a couple of drops of oil before first use.  The package include a charging cord (a standard micro USB cable), a brush for cleaning and a carrying case.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Book review: The Murder of King Tut: The Plot to Kill the Child King by James Patterson, Martin Dugard

I thought this book was okay.  It combines three stories: the story of Howard Carter who discovered King Tut's tomb in 1920, the life of King Tut, and a little bit about James Paterson himself as he decides to write this book.  This book is actually written by Patterson (not one of his co-authors) and I like his writing style.

However, the book is best for people who don't know much about either Tut or Howard Carter.  If all you know is King Tut's name then you will enjoy this book. Otherwise, you are unlikely to discover anything new.  The book is not really a mystery where something mysterious or unknown unfolds. 


You can find this book on Amazon by following this link.

Ali Julia review ★★★☆☆

Product review: JACKYLED Plug-in LED Night Light Lamp with Dusk to Dawn Sensor

This night light provides a nice amount of light for night light, by that I mean it does not provide enough light to read, but it allows you to see things at night so you don't trip over furniture in the total darkness.  To provide an unbiased measurement I use a lux meter which measures light intensity.  This light produces 15 lux at 19", for comparison a 60 watt fluorescent bulb at 19" produces 527 lux.

This plug in light takes half of the double wall outlet if it is plugged in the lower outlet. The LED ring is frosted so it is not jarring to the eyes. 

The package contains 6 plug-in lights, I included photos in the bathroom and in the hallway.

YOu can locate these night lights on Amazon


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: MobiFren Holeic Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds Hi-Fi Stereo Sound

    

MobiFren Flex-L earbuds sound good.  The sound is pleasing at all ranges, although the base is not powerful.  They feel very comfortable in my ears and the wire is very light so I don't feel it around my neck. The earbuds are magnetic, they snap together when I am not using it so I can hang them around my neck (and not worry about dropping them) when I am talking to somebody.

The Bluetooth reception is solid within 20 feet.  If I leave my phone and walk away for more 15 feet meet I start hearing a bit of cracking. If I go a bit further I lose the Bluetooth connection with the phone.

I liked that the charging is done by a regular micro USB cable, not a proprietary cable.

Pairing with my phone was easy. I needed to hold the power on button for 4 seconds (middle button) and my phone detected a new Bluetooth device called ?.

The ear buds can be controlled by MobiFrenGT app, which is available for download from Google Playstore (there is also a version for Apple phones). I did not think the user interface of the app was great. It has a busy screen, not intuitive, small controls that are hard to use while exercising. 

Overall, very comfortable fit and pretty good sound at a reasonable price.

YOu can locate these earbuds on Amazon

Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: HUSK'SWARE Full Length Orthopedic Insoles for Flat Feet Orthotic Inserts Arch Support

I got size 7-7.5 insole for my walking shoes sized 7.5.  The insoles fit very well.  They were a very close fit in length with the original shoe sole, they are slightly winder in the heal compared to the original shoe so it required a strong push to have them settle in correctly.  However, this tightness resulted in a really good fit - the sole does not move at all and my heal is settled in the deep cup of the insole very comfortably.  The insole material is quite stiff and generate good support for insole.  I have slightly flat feet, especially the left foot, and the feel strong support from the insole similar to what I get from a custom insole

YOu can locate these night lights on Amazon


Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: YIHUNION Oscillating Desk Clip USB Fan

This fan is 6" across and it can be moved 360 degrees in two directions, so I can aim it at any angle I want. It has a large clip which can serve as a stand, the clip opens up to 2" wide and holds well. I can mount it in many places, I use this clip fan at work clipping it to a shelf.  The base also has an eye hole opening so i can be hung on the wall.

The fan has three speeds from low to medium to high. On the low setting the fan is very quite and the wind noise a little louder louder with increased air flow.  The fan also oscillates.

This fan does not have a battery and needs to be plugged in to run. It is powered by standard mini USB cord. The fan is made out of heavy duty plastic and has a metal fan cage. The fan is steady on its base and makes no clacking noises.

YOu can locate these earbuds on Amazon

Ali Julia review ★★★★★

Product review: Pampers Sensitive Wipes - 18 Count Wipes - travel pack

Nice product, but Amazon price is bad!

After trying a number of wipes I find Pampers Sensitive wipes in the size of 18 wipes make the best  travel size pack wipe.   I normally buy them at a local CVS pharmacy and figured I would get a better deal on multiple packs at Amazon... wrong!  I buy a single pack of 18 wipes for $1.50 in the local CVS.  Amazon has it for $12.40 for 4 packs. Ouch! What a huge difference!  On this one Amazon price is not a good deal.

The are several reasons why I like these wipes
1. Their are totally unscented
2. Good size  wipe is 7" x 6.8"
3. The package is very is thin and fits well in my purse.  The entire pack is 9" x 4" and only 1/2" thick when new. and full.

The only thing that could be better is the closure is a sticky tape, sometimes towards the end it becomes less sticky and the last few wipes might on the dry side.

You can find this 5 stars product on Amazon, but keep in mind $1.50 price at CVS when you consider buying on Amazon


Ali Julia review ★★★★