Kimberly S. Young

This review was originally posted on Melissa's Midnight Musings on February 16, 2013.

I was immediately pulled in to the story from the first line, curious to know who "he"is. The relationship between Tom and Nicole is slow, gradual, and just right.

Nicole is a bit of a drifter, afraid of committment, unsure of what she really wants to do with herself. I think part of this is due to the fact that her mother left their family when she was a teenager. That's a blow to any child, no matter how old you are. And I can definitely see why she would be afraid of committment if one of the people who was supposed to be there for you, no matter what, up and left.

Tom is married, but he and his wife have drifted apart since their daughter Lisa, died of Leukemia. One thing that was a little grating about his character was the way he was constantly repeating things and questioning why he was cheating on his wife. It wasn't the fact that he was questioning it, that was actually nice to see, it was just the manner in which he was doing it. More the language than anything. I don't know if I was misreading the voice, or if this was done intentionally, but it felt like Tom's dialogue was a lot more stiff than Nicole's. Nicole's had rough edges too, at times, but Tom's seemed a bit more formal than hers.

As I mentioned, the romance between Tom and Nicole is very sweet, and not rushed. It's a bit of a secret, as they live in a small town. The one thing I particularly like is that the author went in another direction with this in regards to the affair itself. Usually, there's some big blow up where the wife finds out and is extremely angry, and the lover is scorned.

In this case, that doesn't happen. You do get so involved in Tom and Nicole's relationship though that you wonder why they did it if they knew it would just cause them to hurt when it was all over. But, as I mentioned, it is just right. I won't say what happens but I will say this story certainly doesn't have a typical fairytale ending. The ending does serve it's purpose though, even though you may be rooting for something different

I was invested enough in the book and the relationship that I even shed a few tears at the end of the story, so this may be perfect for someone who needs a little cry.

Nicole's character grows a lot throughout the book and it's nice to see her be comfortable in her own skin. There are also some great secondary characters in the story as well. Quite the mix of a New York socialit (of sorts) Carol, an eccentric professor from England, and others along the way.

There are also a lot of beautiful encounters with and descriptions of nature within the book. It really made me feel as if I were in the story with the characters.

I'd recommend this to anyone who likes a simple romance story that will stop and make you ponder just how each decision you make will affect your life.

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*… (mais)

Ce livre s’intéresse en détail au phénomène, de plus en plus répandu, de la cyberdépendance. L'auteur considère que l'addiction à l'Internet est aussi grave que les autres cas de dépendance tels que l'alcoolisme, la toxicomanie...etc. Kimberly S. Young montre à travers son ouvrage les éléments qui font que l'individu peut devenir "accro" et quels en sont les symptômes. Le fait que l'auteur utilise des exemple de la vie quotidienne permet aux lecteurs de mieux comprendre et appréhender ce genre de comportement.… (mais)

Sometimes you want a book that is deep and moving. In this book the author, Kimberly S. Young, calls a modern Bridges of Madison County, you'll just that. The Eighth Wonder is not one to read in a day or to just fly through.

This is the story of a woman who can't seem to find herself in life. In the process of dealing with all aspects of her life, she finds herself in a small town and attracted to a married man facing issues within his own life. They discover themselves through each other.

I found this an extremely well-written book. It is not a story with a plot as most would think in mystery stories and such. This is an emotional journey through two people. This means that there is much narrative and many flashbacks. The two main characters spend much of their time dealing with their past, their present, and the future. In that sense, expect the story to move along at a slow pace as it is meant to. It is not a quick read nor one that will have you riveted, but it will have you thinking about it long after you are done.

The characters are well developed and not perfect nor all bad. They are just like ordinary people in that they have challenges, make mistakes, and have a lot of baggage that they eventually have to face. I do have to admit that it was hard to relate to the main female character as she was so much the opposite of me, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the story. It was something I had to deal with personally while reading the story.

The storyline is very emotional. I found myself crying at several parts and had to stop reading. Part of that was the topic of the man's death of his little girl. I have three children so it was very hard for me thinking how I would feel or react. I do want to warn readers that there is adultery in this book but it is not graphic and handled with tact. I do appreciate that.

This is a book that I would recommend for book clubs and those that like general fiction. It is emotional and one that needs to be concentrated on. The author is right in calling it a modern version of The Bridges of Madison County but I think this story can stand on its own without comparison.

Note: This book was provided as part of a book tour with no expectation of a positive review.… (mais)

Dit op empirisch materiaal gebaseerde handboek definieert, beoordeelt, diagnosticeert en behandelt problematisch internetgebruik. Het bevat gevalideerde evaluatie-instrumenten die het onderscheid maken tussen dwangmatig en normaal online computergebruik en schenkt aandacht aan de meest verslavende online activiteiten. Verder komen verschillende subtypes van internetverslaving aan bod: van online pornografie en internetgokken tot gaming op het web. Daarenboven is er plaats voor verschillende evidence-based behandelingsstrategieën om cliënten van diverse leeftijden, rekening houdend met hun specifieke problematiek, tegemoet te treden.… (mais)