def loads(s, as_dict=False, *args, **kwargs):
    """ Loads dynamodb json format to a python dict.
        :param s - the json string or dict (with the as_dict variable set to True) to convert
        :returns python dict object
    """
    if as_dict or (not isinstance(s, six.string_types)):
        s = json.dumps(s)
    kwargs['object_hook'] = object_hook
    return json.loads(s, *args, **kwargs)
Loads dynamodb json format to a python dict.
        :param s - the json string or dict (with the as_dict variable set to True) to convert
        :returns python dict object