A Love for Life - Summary of This Book

The story sets in Cambridge, England.

Fanella, an editor of a publishing company enjoys a good time with her boyfriend, Steven. One day she visits her friend, Teresa's home and seems upset. Teresa gets to learn by taking her interview Steven has left her. He wants to have a child but Fanella does not agree with him because she is only twenty-one years old now. He does not want to hurt her and leave her understanding she cannot have any child.

Summer vacation has ended - Rod, a teacher of primary school is being ready to go to the school. He starts for the school saying goodbye to his beautiful wife, Leah. At school, he got a long discussion with Teresa, the mother of Timothy. Later he says with sorrow the fact Leah does not want to have children yet.

In spite of being single, Fanella finds it is possible for her to adopt a child. At one stage, Teresa motivates her to talk with Rod about children's books. Though this is one kind of suspicious proposal, Fanella cannot but agree to talk with Rod about the topic. When she is having a discussion with Rod, she feels attraction to Rod. She learns he has already written a lot of storybooks for children. She requests him to send her the stories wherein she can have a read of all.

From Teresa, Fanella learns that Rod is already married to a beautiful girl, Leah. Being disappointed, she wants to forget all the feelings for him and tries to concentrate on the preparation for a social worker's visit. The social worker will examine her if she is able to adopt a child or not. Because of not having a partner, Fenella finds the visit ordeal. Now she has to wait until releasing the result.

This is near to Christmas day. Fanella along with Teresa visits Timothy's school. They meet there with Rod. Fanella can get the same feelings as she felt before during their first meet. But seeing Rod's wife Fanella understands that she will not get him as her life partner. Fortunately, she is approved for a trail of child adoption. This news makes her delightful and happy. At last, Fanella gets to be with Ellie, a five years old girl who has some kind of behavioral problem.

The spring season in running on. Fanella meets with a new man, Mark. He is a colleague of Teresa's husband. Teresa invites Fanella to a dinner party and there she meets with Mark. In a discussion, he invites her in a restaurant. She agrees that and they spend a good time there. Fanella having the choice to meet with him again, she offers to have dinner in her house. Happily, Mark accepts the offer. Ellie joins the school where Timothy also does. She finds Rod good as her class teacher. Rod is known by Fanella that Ellie has some behavior problem but he doesn't care about that.

Dan's mother does a report of child abuse against Rod. His head teacher has to suspend him until getting any final solution from the court. At home, Leah comes to learn the matter. She does not like to console Rod hearing this, even not glad to see him.

When Mark comes Fanella's home she is afraid to find having dinner with him difficult. Because she needs to take care of Eille and spend time with Mark. Surprisingly he wants to meet with her again.

Another day Teresa has a little discussion with Fanella about Rod's suspension. Teresa presents Rod as innocent. Fanella can feel that she is still in love with Rod. She feels bad for Rod's suspension. Eillie does not like her new temporary class teacher. There, Rod rewrites some of his stories and discusses with Fanella about those. She thinks to publish all after revising those. However, she wants to focus on Mark avoiding Rod's life.

After arriving home, Rod shocks seeing her wife Leah with a neighbor, Mr. Simpson in his arm and kissing on his lips. Leah is in an illicit relationship with the man. She starts loving him while they had a contract together. Then Rod and Leah decide not to be together anymore. Leah presents as this decision would be good for both of them.

Fanella gets a call while she is in office. It Mark's phone call. He wants to cook for her and Ellie. In the evening, they eat the food what Mark cooks for them. But Ellie does not like Mark. As she shouts to see Mark here, he goes out and wants to come later.

Rod and Fanella meet again at her office. This time they talk about the changes in the stories. Then Rod asks Fanella to go out for a while with him. There he shares his untold feelings with her and kisses her. Teresa wants Fanella not to involve in a relationship with Rod. But she wants to leave Mark thinking about her adopted child, Ellie. Mark is not the right person even for her child. Later she clears all things with him outside her house that this is all over.

Meanwhile, Leah wants to come back to Rod feeling sorry. Rod asks for time to think about this matter because the love for Fanella rises in his heart. He goes near to Fanella's home street and notices her kissing with someone in front of the door. He comes back from there with a misunderstanding.

The complaint against Rod is withdrawn and he is proved as an innocent person. He starts coming to school again. Meanwhile, Fanella is so happy being notified that she is selected to keep Ellie permanently. So Ellie asks for a party and she invites Rod as the surprise for Fanella. In the party, he proposes his love to her and she accepts him with great joy.

Heir of Ra

At the Giza Plateau during the year of 1913 in Egypt, Lord George Renley explored under The Great Sphinx enters a dark chamber with an unusual carving on a door. The legendary Hall of Records is believed to be located at this location. Is it legend or fact? Soon after, Hazim, his Arab guide, started bleeding from his nose. Lord Renley became dizzy and collapsed. The only reminder of the event was a notebook that a young Arab boy stole from the dying hands of Hazim.

Alyssa is not your typical 17-year-old girl. She spends her time working with her father, Kade, who is an archaeologist. Her education is working as one of his assistants. Currently, she is left in charge of a dig in Peru while her father is on a dream assignment in Egypt, exploring a room under The Great Sphinx and is only allowed this privilege for 24-hours. Leaving Alyssa in charge in Peru, is a great responsibility for someone so young. She feels honored, but also deprived. Why can't she be on this once-in-a lifetime dig with her father?

Her father, Kade follows the steps of Lord George Renley in searching for The Hall of Records. Just like his predecessor, he also became ill. Nothing seems to help him, every day leads him one step closer to death. No one seems to be able to medically help him. Will he die?

Alyssa decides to immediately travel to Egypt to be with her father. Unfortunately, that is not easy for a seventeen-year-old. Will she ever see her father alive?

Heir of Ra is fast paced adventure of life with Alyssa. She does not have the safest career choice. Since her mother died a few years ago, her attachment to her father is precious, even though she calls him by his first name, Kade.

The intended audience is young adults, especially girls; and anyone who enjoys a fast-paced story which winds up all the multiple strands of the story at the end. Heir of Ra is the first book in the Blood of Ra series featuring Alyssa.

The author, M. Sasinowski is a Polish-born American who fashioned the main character, Alyssa after his own 15-year-old daughter. According to his daughter, he also possesses a PhD in physics as well as an MD. For fun, he enjoys building computer, music jam-sessions, science debates, martial arts, Star Wars and Star Trek as well as archaeology.

Book Tells African Girl's Story of Survival and Her Triumph in Her Struggle to Get an Education

A Long Way to School tells the fascinating life story of Seconde Nimenya, who grew up in Burundi, Africa in the 1970s.

Nimenya is the author of three other books, including Evolving Through Adversity, her award-winning memoir. A Long Way to School is her young readers edition of that book, rewritten to inspire middle and high school age readers to overcome the challenges in their own lives. Western students will discover not only how good they have it compared to people in the developing countries, but they will discover anything is possible when you are determined to succeed.

Seconde Nimenya's story is one of relentless determination in the face of challenges and a constant desire to learn and rise above her circumstances, no matter the odds.

From her early life, Nimenya refused to give up. As an infant, she crawled into a fire when her mother left the room for just a minute. Her parents had to carry her to the nearest hospital, an hour away by car, but since they didn't have a car, they did the trip on foot.

Whether it was dealing with poverty and not being able to afford the mere necessities, fighting to get an education, walking everywhere she went, or dealing with the bullies in school and in life, Nimenya never gave up. Her resilience through much adversity is what made her who she is and informed her mission in life.

A Long Way to School is the story of fulfilling a purpose to become educated despite the difficulties. Nimenya never even touched a book until she was in sixth grade.

I doubt any reader in North America has experienced the hardships Nimenya did in getting to school, but she was determined to succeed, and she did. Eventually, she married and moved to Canada and then to the United States. She went to college, and perhaps most amazing of all, the girl who didn't even know what a book was as a child, grew up to be a writer. She is now the author of four books and plans to write many more.

A Long Way to School will open the eyes of anyone to the privileges we take for granted in public education in the United States. Nimenya states, "I believe education is the only solution that truly empowers communities and has the potential to end the cycle of poverty and violence." Her commitment to education, the obstacles she overcame, and what she had been able to accomplish will be eye-opening and inspiring to young readers.

Nimenya's message is one of hope and encouragement. She believes that with determination, people can always achieve their dreams. No matter how difficult the journey, she tells us to "Always be persistent, like I was, even though it was a long way to school because I knew when I got there, it would be worth it."

A Long Way to School is a wonderful book for young readers everywhere. It would be a perfect reading assignment for history, social studies, and English classes. In addition to sharing her story, Nimenya shares some leadership insights, the "Ten Leadership Habits for Your Teen Years and Beyond," for readers to develop. She also provides a set of "Reflection Questions" at the end so readers can apply the concepts and ideas they've learned to their own lives, helping them figure out their own purposes and the futures they want to create for themselves.

Seconde Nimenya's writing style is easy to read, and suitable for young readers from middle school grade level to older readers. The cover suits the book well because it shows a little girl struggling to walk to school, when school was so far away from home-a literal and figurative image of what Nimenya's life has been. Read what this young girl has endured, and you will understand how you can also make the best out of any situation through perseverance.