Book Title: Love is In the Air (Adventures in Harmony series) by Karen M. Bobos Category: Children’s Fiction (Ages 3-7), 44 pages Genre: Valentine’s Day Fairy Tale Publisher: Bobos Babes, Ltd. Release date: Jan 2023 Content Rating: G for children ages 3 to 10
Book Description:
It’s Valentine’s Day, and the magical sisters and their favorite babysitter accidentally put a love spell on the kingdom. They must stop the enchantment before it’s too late!
It’s Valentine’s Day in the enchanted land of Harmony and the kingdom and all its magical creatures are abuzz celebrating. When the King and Queen leave their three daughters-Angel Scarlet, Princess Daphne, and Fairy Cora-with Ali the Alligator, so they can spend a romantic dinner together, the sisters are excited for a fun night with their favorite babysitter.
Ali and the girls decide to make a love perfume in the castle’s garden. But when Angel Scarlett wants to use her wand to help stir the ingredients, an enchantment of love mistakenly wafts over the kingdom and all its inhabitants. Can the girls stop the enchantment before it’s too late? Or maybe it is just what the creatures needed, after all.
The little girl inside me had so much fun with this story. A magical kingdom. Adorable characters, animal and human. And a fun project that lands them all in a big pickle. What’s not to love. And I don’t want to forget the wonderful, colorful illustrations. I peered at them again and again. Finding something new and fun each time. The band made up of llamas cracked me up. There are also these fun bubbles inserted on some of the pages that explain the meaning of some words. I bet some people will be surprised to learn about peanuts. It was all good fun and I’d love to read more in this series.
5 STARS
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GUEST POST
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An Angel, A Princess, and a Fairy
I am often asked why the main characters, who were inspired by my real daughters, are not all princesses. Afterall, they are the daughters of the King and Queen. Why the Angel, Princess, and Fairy titles?
I created my books to entertain my daughters. At the time, I didn’t even know if I was going to publish them. My husband nicknamed our little girls his angel (Scarlett), princess (Daphne), and fairy (Cora) since birth. He wanted them to have different, regal, and magical nicknames. We always worked hard to highlight each of our daughter’s individuality and beautiful gifts. We purposely chose names that didn’t sound alike, end alike, or start with the same letter.
If I gave all three of them princess titles, they wouldn’t have understood why. In my chapter books, which will be releasing in 2024 (fingers crossed), I explain how they receive their magical powers and why they have different titles.
As for their individual powers, well, that was purposeful as well. Each character has a magical power to help a fellow creature in need. Angel Scarlett has heavenly skin that can bring beauty to something dark and grim. Princess Daphne has the ability to immediately bring happiness and comfort to a creature feeling sad. Cora has speed and enchanted hearing.
When Scarlett was born, we called her our angel. She was born with a rare skin disease called Ichthyosis. The doctors didn’t think she would live a long, normal life. We had prayer groups all over the world praying for her. Within in one week, we were told that by the grace of God, we could bring her home from the hospital. She is our angel on earth. I wanted her skin to be magical instead of something that prevents her from living a normal life. Thus, I gave her skin powers in my books.
Daphne is hilarious. She says things that are absolutely hilarious and that only an adult would understand. This is where her character is often seen making her sisters laugh and hence them saying “oh Daph!” She is also very in tune with her feelings and others feelings. She is a big hugger. It seemed very fitting to have her have the power to immediately make someone feel comfort.
That leaves Cora … our little wild child. She is always running around and has so much energy. She also doesn’t listen to me very well. So, I gave her the power of speed and enchanted hearing … I’m hoping the law of attraction will take place and make her listen better. A mother can dream.
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Meet the Author:
Karen M. Bobos is the multi-award-winning author of the Adventures in Harmony series, which was created in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic. While living in a city of unrest, her family left Chicago to stay with her mother in Northwest Indiana for several months. She and her husband were determined to keep life filled with wonder and magic for their three daughters, Scarlett (6), Daphne (5), and Cora (3). The Adventures in Harmony series was created to entertain her daughters during their stay at Gigi’s home and is filled with characters from the sisters’ world. Everyone deserves to escape to a land filled with love and adventure where creatures co-exist and happiness awaits.
Eva Mackenzie is back with a brand-new psychological thriller called Last Known Location and it will be available on February 9th!
Read on for details and a chance to win a 8GB Kindle Paperwhite!
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Last Known Location
Expected Publication Date: February 9th, 2023
Genre: Thriller/ Psychological Thriller
The past has a killer obsession…
Gwen’s life has turned into a nightmare after an ongoing feud with her neighbor turns volatile. Malicious allegations and police intervention drive Gwen out of her home for a long weekend, where she meets a mysterious, handsome stranger named Noah on the local hiking trail.
Gwen’s never fallen for someone so quickly, but when he’s gone by morning, she never expects to see him again.
Three days later, Gwen is working in the ER when Noah is brought in with unexplained injuries and no memory of what happened to him.
Soon, Gwen can sense someone stalking her home and vandalizing her things. She can’t help but think her ex will never let her go, or is this mysterious man’s past catching up with him?
How can she protect herself from an enemy she can’t identify?
Last Known Location had me all over the place right from the beginning…. in a good way. It’s tagged as a psychological thriller and that’s just what you get. And the cover is perfect for what’s inside.
The story begins with a hike in the woods, a place Gwen uses to escape her problems with an unrelenting ex-boyfriend. Their jobs throw them in close proximity to each other. Makes it hard to respect the restraining orders.. As does the fact they live within a stone’s throw of each other.
On her walk, she comes across a stranger. Good looking and friendly but a bit vague about where he’s from or who he is. That’s all explained later when he lands in the hospital Gwen works at and he has no memory of who he is. Things really start to get interesting. Who’s doing what to who? So many questions and no obvious answers for me. It kept me reading into the night. And when the ending came, whoa, I really didn’t see that coming.
4 Stars
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About Author Eva Mackenzie
Eva Mackenzie is an author who enjoys twisty, emotionally engrossing tales. She is a wife and mother living on the east coast. When she isn’t writing, she is spending time with her family, training for her next marathon or reading stacks of suspense novels. Some of her favorite authors are Minka Kent, Dean Koontz, Tami Hoag, and Lisa Jackson.
An epic story of love, loss, friendship, and survival under the most hellish of conditions, Hell Holes: A Slave’s Revengeis the award-winning prequel to the Hell Holesseries of alien invasion novels.
After killing his father, alien demons teleport a fifteen-year-old boy, his mother, and his sister to Hell, a desert world in the Demonic Empire. With survival far from certain, they have just two choices: to live as useful slaves or die as demon food. As the boy becomes a man, he must decide just how much he must collaborate with his demon masters to survive. But can he live long enough to take his revenge and regain his freedom without losing his humanity and his very soul?
Winter 2022 Pinnacle Achievement Awards – Winner – Science Fiction Category
2021 Top Shelf Magazine Book Awards – Runner-up – Fiction/Fantasy Subcategory
July 2022 BooksShelf.com Book Awards – Finalist – Fiction Category
2021 The Wishing Shelf Book Awards – Finalist – Adult Category
ReadFree.ly – 50 Best Indie Books of 2021
SERGEANT, our three-year-old German Shepherd, woke me from a pleasant dream by barking her head off and scratching at the cabin door. I glanced at my alarm clock. It was just after three in the morning, and much too early for her to need to be let out to do her business. She was also far too excited for that to be the problem.
“What is it, girl?” Dad called. “Are the raccoons back again?”
Sergeant ignored him and continued barking.
I thought I heard a deep growl coming from outside my window. “I think it’s a bear, Dad.” I groggily dragged myself out of bed, stepped into my slippers, and headed downstairs.
Dad was already there, taking his hunting rifle down from its home over the fireplace. He checked it to ensure it was loaded while I pulled Sergeant back from the door.
Grizzlies occasionally break into empty cabins looking for an easy meal. Still, I’d never known one to bust into one that was occupied, and a dog could usually be counted on to keep them at bay. Besides, it was late summer when their food was plentiful.
“What is it, Robert?” Mom asked. She was halfway down the stairs with Sarah just behind her.
“Probably just a bear,” Dad answered.
We had a thick solid door with a strong lock, so I wasn’t too concerned. I just hoped that it wouldn’t break a window because I’d be the one Dad would send into town to buy the glass to replace it.
Boom! The door rattled as something massive struck it. Sergeant growled, jerked her collar out of my hands, and bounded to the door. She pawed at it, barking like mad.
I was just about to run forward and grab her when there was a deafening bang. Ripped right off its heavy hinges, the door flew across the room, knocking Sergeant sideways and narrowly missing me before crashing into the dinner table.
Dad raised his rifle and fired just as a huge, wolf-like creature charged into the room. The bullet struck it squarely in the middle of the chest, dropping the monster to the floor.
We all gawked at the nightmarish beast lying at Dad’s feet. We’d never seen or even imagined such an animal. Easily four times the size of a timber wolf, the beast had neither fur nor anything you could call skin. Its massive brick-red muscles and yellowish bones and tendons were clearly visible as were the finger-long fangs and large, triangular teeth in its gaping mouth. Its yellow eyes with horizontal pupils stared blankly up at us while it bled blood the color of crude oil.
“What the hell is that?” Dad exclaimed as a second such beast burst into the house and bounded over the body of the one he had shot. Before he could react, it sank its teeth into Dad’s neck and shook him like an orca shaking a seal.
Several things happened almost simultaneously. Mom and Sarah screamed. The gun flew out of Dad’s hands and slid past me into the kitchen. Sergeant whined and bolted out the door as I sprinted to retrieve Dad’s rifle.
Grabbing his gun, I started to turn back to face the monsters when someone yanked the rifle right out of my hands. No, not someone. Some thing!
A grotesque, little, ape-like monster no more than three-feet-tall stood in front of me holding Dad’s rifle in one hand and a sword to my neck with the other. The imp had short little horns and stared at me with yellow, goat-like eyes. Like the hellhound, it was totally naked and seemed to have no skin covering his heavily muscled body.
Perhaps those huge muscles were what made me feel certain he was male despite his lack of any obvious indicator of his sex. The imp grinned, flashed an impossibly wide mouth full of shark-like teeth, and shook his head. His intent was unmistakable.
Wresting my gaze away from the imp’s hideous face, I looked up to see a second, sword-carrying imp motioning for Mom and Sarah to come down from the stairs. They, however, were transfixed by the sight of the hellhound feasting on Dad’s body. The one he’d shot had staggered to its feet, the wound in its chest miraculously healing before our eyes. The hellhounds snarled and growled at each other as they bit off softball-sized chunks of flesh and swallowed them whole.
I was having a nightmare! The worst nightmare of my life. I was asleep. I had to be.
The imp in front of me poked my stomach with the tip of his sword. It hurt! What? It shouldn’t hurt. You don’t feel pain in dreams. I glanced down and saw a little circle of blood staining my pajamas.
I wasn’t dreaming! Two wolf-like monsters were eating my dad, and two diminutive demons with swords had taken over the house. I couldn’t imagine how things could get any worse, but they did.
The devil, who was completely naked like the imps, walked in through the open doorway. There he stood with his long swept-back horns, his cloven hooves, and his red naked body. The only things missing were a pitchfork and tail. Tall and far more muscular than any Olympic athlete, he looked around the room with yellow, goat-like eyes, just like those of the imps and hellhounds.
The devil pointed at my mother and sister and barked out a series of incomprehensible sounds. They had to be words in the demonic language of Hell. Several of the syllables were so weird and spoken so rapidly that they were difficult to grasp and impossible for any human to repeat.
The imp standing at the base of the stairs motioned with his sword for Mom and Sarah to come down. Then the devil said something else, and the imp in front of me motioned for me to join them. Mom and Sarah were crying, their shoulders shaking uncontrollably as they watched the hellhounds feasting on Dad’s body. We hugged, and I did my best to make them turn their backs on the horrific scene. But there was no way we could ignore the horrible sounds the hellhounds made as we waited to learn our fate.
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To Hell and Back
Hell Holes Book 3
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The beautiful young photojournalist, Aileen O’Shannon, is not who she seems. For centuries, she has been a demon hunter, a sorceress who has tracked and killed small bands of demons that occasionally crossed into our world. But that changed when she joined Dr. Jack Oswald’s expedition to study one of hundreds of huge holes that mysteriously appeared overnight in the frozen tundra north of the Arctic Circle. Instead of small sporadic incursions, hordes of demons now pour from these hell holes like water from a sieve. With bombing little more than a losing game of whack-a-mole, Earth’s armies are unable to destroy the portals. When Jack suggests a desperate plan, he is drafted to join Aileen and a team of other sorcerers and Army Rangers to travel to the demon homeworld. Once there, they will unleash a plague virus and set off a nuclear bomb to destroy the portal complex. It’s a suicide mission. But Aileen has given Jack’s wife her word to bring him back safely, and the demons have already killed three men under her protection. Just how far will Aileen go to avoid losing another?
When hundreds of huge holes mysteriously appeared overnight in the frozen tundra north of the Arctic Circle, geologist Jack Oswald picked Angele Menendez, his climatologist wife, to determine if the record temperatures due to climate change was the cause. But the holes were not natural. They were unnatural portals for an invading army of demons. Together with Aileen O’Shannon, a 1,700-year-old sorceress demon-hunter, the three survivors of the research team sent to study the holes had only one chance: to flee down the dangerous Dalton Highway towards the relative safety of Fairbanks. However, the advancing horde of devils, imps, hellhounds, and gargoyles will stop at nothing to prevent their prey from escaping. It is a 350-mile race with simple rules. Win and live; lose and die…
It started with mysterious holes appearing overnight in the tundra of the North Slope in Alaska. A team of seven, including Jack, a geologist, his wife, Angela, a climatologist, Aileen, a reporter with a secret power, and four others are hired by Exxon Mobil to investigate. When the very hounds of Hell crawl out of one of the holes and start killing, the team races south on Dalton Highway, one of the ten most dangerous roads, trying to reach Fairbanks and safety. Soon, imps and gargoyles join the hellhounds in pursuit. Only three of the team members make it to the SUV and begin their escape. The Demon War has begun.
Jack told his story of how it all began in the first book. Now, Angela tells what happens next.
As the three survivors race down the highway, they encounter more and more demons. And the demons have some surprising tricks up their sleeve that don’t bode well. It’s attack after attack. Every time it seems like they’ve found safety, it goes to hell in a hand basket. Even the military, with all of their technology and weapons, don’t stand a chance.
After what I’ve just read, I have now decided that if there’s ever an apocalypse, I’ll take zombies over demons any time. Some of these of creatures are dumber than a box of rocks, but they are guided by higher demons, smart ones, and can inflict major damage.
The author sure doesn’t give his characters a break. And he keeps the action and suspense at full throttle. How many demons are there? Do they have a weakness? And most important, how do we stop them? The answer is one you can’t begin to imagine.
I take from the ending that there’s more to come. I have an idea where it will go and sure excited to see how that works out.
4 Stars
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What Lurks Below
Hell Holes Book 1
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It’s August in Alaska, and geology professor Jack Oswald prepares for the new school year. But when hundreds of huge holes mysteriously appear overnight in the frozen tundra north of the Arctic Circle, Jack receives an unexpected phone call. An oil company exec hires Jack to investigate, and he picks his climatologist wife and two of their graduate students as his team. Uncharacteristically, Jack also lets Aileen O’Shannon, a bewitchingly beautiful young photojournalist, talk him into coming along as their photographer. When they arrive in the remote oil town of Deadhorse, the exec and a biologist to protect them from wild animals join the team. Their task: to assess the risk of more holes opening under the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and the wells and pipelines that feed it. But they discover a far worse danger lurks below. When it emerges, it threatens to shatter Jack’s unshakable faith in science. And destroy us all…
I love unexplained acts of nature. Makes for such a chilling plot. When holes start appearing in the Arctic Circle , a team of experts is sent to investigate. Once they arrive, things get worse as more holes appear. And then something straight out of Hell crawls out. A horde of otherworldly creatures that have only one thing in mind. Killing mankind. With nowhere to run, the team seeks shelter in an old station. But the horde won’t be denied, and like an octopus with a sealed bottle full of yummy bait, they will find a way in.
I was almost rubbing my hands together in twisted anticipation before I started this one. Mysterious holes appearing. Something beyond imagining crawls out. The fate of mankind hangs in the balance. Oh yeah. I knew I had to read this book.
There’s a mixed bag of character’s. Ones you come to like and respect and some not so much. The author doesn’t seem to mind killing off either one. Keeps you on edge when things get down and dirty. Which doesn’t take long at all.
The story is strong and there’s a sub plot that makes things even more interesting. Also, the blend of science fiction and horror leaves the story wide open for the author to go in many different directions.
The ending. Well, it’s an end, but also a cliff hanger. That’s because this is really the beginning of something much bigger. I’ll be grabbing the next one immediately. Got a good feeling about this series.
4 Stars
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Donald Firesmith is a multi-award-winning author of speculative fiction including science fiction (alien invasion), fantasy (magical wands), horror, and modern urban paranormal novels and anthologies of short stories.
Prior to retiring to devote himself full-time to his novels, Donald Firesmith earned an international reputation as a distinguished engineer, authoring seven system/software engineering books based on his 40+ years spent developing large, complex software intensive systems.
He lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with his wife Becky, his daughter Sera, and varying numbers of dogs and cats.
Canter with a Killer (A Horse Rescue Mystery) Cozy Mystery 1st in Series Setting – Arkansas Crooked Lane Books (October 11, 2022) Hardcover : 304 pages ISBN-10 : 1639101802 ISBN-13 : 978-1639101801 Digital ASIN : B09S3G8PDD Perfect for fans of Amanda Flower and Mollie Cox Bryan, Amber Camp’s debut novel will have you galloping through the pages, as a horse rescue owner races to find a killer and clear her name.
Mallory Martin left her marriage and her unfulfilling job to move back to her hometown of Hillspring, Arkansas, and start a horse rescue. It’s everything she’s been missing, with paddocks of happy horses and one very quirky donkey. But when her cantankerous neighbor and longtime critic, Albert Cunningham, is found murdered in his fancy show barn, Mallory becomes suspect number one. Since Sheriff Grady Sullivan is ignoring all good sense and focusing only on Mallory, she decides to take matters into her own hands.
Aided by her best friend, Lanie, and rescue volunteer Tanner, Mallory races headlong into the investigation in search of the real killer. But horses and murder aren’t the only thing on her mind when she meets Albert’s handsome son, Braydon. Sparks fly, and soon she’s got a new boyfriend. But there’s a case to be solved, and she redoubles her efforts to learn the truth.
The suspects mount quickly. There’s Albert’s girlfriend, Kathleen, who was on the farm when he was murdered; organic farmer Heather Rogers, who accused Albert of contaminating her creek; and Philip Atwood, who’d been trying for a right-of-way across Albert’s farm. None of the evidence is holding up though, and Mallory learns that she’ll need to take the reins on this investigation if she’s going to clear her own name.
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MY REVIEW
When Mallory moves back home and starts a horse rescue, her neighbor, who owns a successful horse training business, is none to happy. The manure hits the fan when he’s found dead and she becomes the prime suspect. The sheriff has blinders on and only sees Mallory as the killer and the race is on to find the culprit and prove her innocence.
I really liked Mallory and the other characters in the book, except the sheriff. He just wouldn’t consider any other suspect. I really concentrated on what was being shown to me and had several of my own suspects. Imagine my surprise when the thrilling reveal came and I was so wrong. LOL My love of cozies I was reaffirmed with this delightful cast, twisted mystery, one wacky donkey and horses galore.
5 STARS
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About Amber Camp
Amber has lived in Northwest Arkansas for twenty+ years, working as an RN at a rural hospital in the area. She has a menagerie of animals that includes dogs, cats, horses, chickens, and what has been described as the Mule from Hell, which may or may not be a slight exaggeration. Writing has always been a focus in Amber’s life, something she describes as “food for my soul.” An avid reader since grade school, she enjoys multiple genres and is always looking for new authors to add to her favorites. Amber is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America.
Wasn’t it just Christmas? Time sure flies. Finally started taking down holiday decorations. It’s so much more fun putting them up. LOL Now I’m decorating for Mardi Gras. Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler – Let The Good Times Roll. I’m not planning on attending any balls but might take in some parades and catch some loot!
Looking forward to chatting with you and have a great new week!
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This weeks reviews.
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Here are some FREEBIES for ya.
Click on the covers to get your copies. Remember to make sure they’re still free before you hit that buy button.
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the WALKING IN A WINTER WONDERBOUND
from VAULT Comics Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
The Science Fiction, Fantasy, and spooky stories young readers imprint from VAULT Comics!
Count on a flurry of activity around all WONDERBOUND
original graphic novel middle grade titles!
Here’s a list of all of the titles & authors participating in the tour! Check out each individual
blog/Instagram/or booktok (schedule below) for more details on each book!
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GHOSTER HEIGHTSby Corey Landsell, Kelly Mellings, & Lisa Larose (Illustrator)
I always enjoy books that teach me something. I learned about Judaism and had a very fun and exciting adventure also. Lots of wonderful, genuine characters and great graphics made this a quick, exciting read.
4 STARS
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Wrassle Castle : Learning The Ropes
MY REVIEW
Lydia is quirky and determined. Living in the shadow of her famous brother, she’s determined to bust out and entering the wrestling competion could be her best bet. But her brother is accused of treason and her goal has changed.
I was totally in Lydia’s corner. She won me over and made me laugh. Wrassle Castle is a series I’ll continue reading. Friendship and adventure await. Equally fun was The Author’s corner at the end of the book.
4 STARS
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Wrassle Castle: Riders On The Storm
MY REVIEW
The story continues and Lydia is more determined than ever to continue rising in the ranks of wrestling. She’s just as determined to rescue her best friend and free her brother.
More fun, some problem solving and lots of exciting wrestling matches made this reader happy I continued with the series.
4 STARS
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Wrassle Castle: Put A Lyd On It
MY REVIEW
I started the last book with hope for a satisfying conclusion for Lydia, her friends and her brother. Got all of that, along with a deepening mystery and some great wrestling moves.
The title says it all. Good clean fun.
4 STARS
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Poiko: Quests & Stuff
MY REVIEW
Such a fun bunch of adventures. Poiko and Kenzie meet some interesting characters as they deliver packages and do a bit of problem solving along the way.
I adored these two and loved the graphics. A book that covers lots of life’s hurtles and how friendship helps smooth the bumpy road.
5 STARS
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Ghoster Heights
MY REVIEW
I wish there’d been more books like this when I was a young girl. Ghoster Heights is one I’d have begged my parents to buy for me so I could read it over and over. So much enjoyment to read and such expressive and colorful illustrations and genuine characters. Well, maybe not ghosts, as they aren’t real. Or are they? LOL Good clean fun and I’ve already read it twice.
5 STARS
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Hello, My Name Is Poop
MY REVIEW
Will Poupe has just two more days until school lets out for the year. Will he survive those two days? Could be a challenge when, on day one, he sits on the school bully’s lunch. Oops. That’s how he earns the name, Poop. And the story is one big can of worms after that.
Will’s poop powers were fun and kind of…eww. Even if you can’t choose your superpower, you can learn from it.
Great graphics and sure did bring back memories of those long ago school days.
4 STARS
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The Brothers Flick
MY REVIEW
While this story is about boys, with girls rarely entering the plot, I still connected and was so wowed by the illustrations and strange occurrences going on. Devoured it in no time and surprised myself by how much fun I had.
5 STARS
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Kenzie’s Kingdom
MY REVIEW
When I was young I had an imaginary world that I could travel to filled with exciting people and creatures. I has such grand adventures. Kenzie’s Kingdom reminded me of that. I adored the story and the characters and loved the illustrations and world building.
4 STARS
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Verse: The Broken Half
MY REVIEW
At the end of the book the author shares that this book started as some fun doodling and morphed into a great fantasy adventure story. Boy, did it ever. I was sucked right in. Turning the pages and devouring the illustrations. Action packed, with loads of suspense and some great characters and world building. The ending was a cliff hanger and I sure was glad I had the second book so I could jump right back in.
4 STARS
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Verse: The Second Gate
MY REVIEW
I enjoyed this even more than the first book. The characters have new challenges, the artwork is incredible and there’s never a dull moment. Whether as anime or real living breathing human actors, I think this series would be amazing on the big screen. I’d be first in line to see it.
5 STARS
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Giveaway Details:
1 winner will win finished copies of every book featured in the WALKING
IN A WINTER WONDERBOUND from VAULT tour, US Only.
1 winner will win eBooks of every book featured in the WALKING IN A WINTER WONDERBOUND from VAULT tour from iBooks, International.
You love your cat, right? So it’s not surprising to share the culinary joys of the Christmas season with your faithful feline. How? What about a home-cooked Christmas dinner for your little
darling? It’s not something I do every year, but I’ve cooked a few times for my
cat Avalon, and he loved it.
Steamed Salmon with Catnip Sauce on a Bed of Heavenly Rice
Ingredients:
For the rice:
1/3 cup white rice
3 black pitted olives
1 egg
3 tablespoons cat milk
1 tablespoon grated cheese
1/2 teaspoon of olive oil
For the fish:
70 grams of fish (preferably salmon or tuna)
1 teaspoon full-fat yogurt
Catnip (preferably fresh, but dried catnip is also fine)
Preparation:
Cook the rice as directed on the package
Whisk the whites and yolks of the eggs together until smooth
Add the grated cheese
Heat the olive oil in a pan
Add the eggs and cheese
Add the rice
Stir well until the eggs are cooked
Let it cool for a while, so your cat won’t burn its palate
Mix in some cat milk right before serving
Decorate with small pieces of black olives.
Steam the fish
Let it cool for a while
Drizzle the yogurt over the fish
Sprinkle with catnip
Serve along with the heavenly rice
Of course, you can always improvise with this dish. However, avoid using onions, leeks, and garlic since these are toxic to cats. Tomatoes should be avoided as well because they can
cause tummy aches.
Tuna Tea
Drain the liquid from a can of tuna (preferably choose one without added oil and salt – the health of your cat comes first)
Dilute with mineral water
Serve in a regular drinking bowl
In order to make it playful, you can add one or two ice cubes to the Tuna Tea. Fun guaranteed!
Let me know in the comments if you will be making these Christmas recipes for your cat this year.
Avalon: a Heartwarming True Cat Story
by Vanessa Morgan
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Genre: Memoir / Cats
Date of Publication: June 4, 2015
ISBN:1511863633
ASIN: B00XC1NE4I
Number of pages:134 pages
Word Count: 31.468 words
Cover Artist: Gilles Vranckx
Tagline: Some cats need nine lives to make a difference. Avalon only needed one.
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MY REVIEW
The day Avalon crossed paths with Vanessa, her life as she new it ended. Was it fate?
I think it was. Avalon was a handsome cat, a Turkish Van, the breed Vanessa had been looking for. She new they were a possessive breed, but nothing prepared her for this cat.
He tortured the other cats in her household, threw up on her guinea pig, and flew into tantrums, tearing her house apart if she looked at another creature, especially another cat.
But there was another side to Avalon. Adoration. He adored Vanessa. He was hers. And as Vanessa’s life changed, she was his.
This story is about Vanessa as much as it’s about Avalon. She tells much about herself, her past, her thoughts, as the years pass.
Sharing her vulnerabilities, sacrificing opportunities, through good times and bad, Vanessa gave her all to Avalon.
Most pet owners soon learn they aren’t owners. Their pet is not a pet, it’s a member of the family. And sometimes they rule the roost.
The extremes Avalon went to astounded me. Puking on the guinea pig, terrorizing the other cats, letting his displeasure be known with escalating howls, even kicking her boyfriend out, he was to be commended for his unswerving spirit.
The things Vanessa gives up for Avalon may seem like a bit much, but haven’t we all done things for our furry friends that may seem ridiculous to others? I know I have.
Vanessa feels like their paths crossed for a reason. Her and Avalon were meant to be together. And I believe her. Never have I heard of such a bond as they shared.
This story made me cry. But I smiled through the tears and when I finished it, I hugged my dog and my cat, gave them some special treats, and when we snuggled together at bedtime, I felt whole.
5 Stars
.
Synopsis:
From Amazon bestselling author Vanessa Morgan, Avalon is the heartwarming and once-in-a-lifetime love story of a girl and her neurotic Turkish Van cat.
With humor, the author details how Avalon made other creatures cringe in distress whenever he was around, how he threw her dates out by means of special techniques, and how he rendered it almost impossible for her to leave the house.
Avalon was so incorrigible that even the landlord ordered to get rid of him. But beneath Avalon’s demonic boisterousness, Vanessa recognized her own flaws and insecurities, and she understood that abandoning Avalon would be the worst she could do to him. Thanks to her unswerving loyalty, Avalon transformed into a tender feline and even landed a major role in a horror movie. In turn, Avalon made it his mission to be there for his human companion.
Avalon is a memoir for anyone who has ever been obsessively in love with a pet.
Filming of The Strangers Outside took place in August and
September 2010. Avalon joined the set for two days. The location: a vacation
cabin in the woods of Sint-Katelijne-Waver, a place where shadows came alive
and danced with the rare patches of light. The perfect site for a horror movie.
Outside the vacation cabin, the film crew prepared for
action. Camera tripods and lights were set up. An actor in monk clothes smoked
his last cigarette before the shoot.
Two large tables with food and drinks sat in the shade, each
bottle of water labeled with the name of an actor or crew member. Avalon had a
bottle all for himself.
Avalon was remarkably at ease on set. He examined the
vacation cabin for about half an hour, sniffing his way through the dusty
corners, before settling into a deep sleep on the couch.
While everyone fawned over Avalon and fed him snacks from the
buffet table, the director gave us a quick rundown of the scene to come. “The
camera focuses on Avalon lying on the coffee table. In the background, through
the windows, we see actors Pierre Lekeux and Iulia Nastase arriving home.
Avalon follows their movements with his head as they move from one side of the
house to the other. When the front door opens, Avalon jumps off the table to
greet them.”
“Avalon won’t do that,” I said. “Just like children, cats are
uncontrollable. It’s a great idea for a scene, but I’m afraid you’ll have to
come up with something less demanding.”
Apparently, I didn’t know my cat very well, because Avalon
did exactly what was expected of him.
The scene was shot several times in a row and Avalon never
missed a beat.
In another scene, while eating his Schesir dinner, Avalon suddenly had to look up in panic. The fear in his eyes looked genuine. He was perfect.
Sitting at the dining table, actor Pierre Lekeux watched Avalon
with incomprehensibility and admiration, shaking his head in denial. “I need at
least twenty minutes to prepare a scene, to enter a certain state of mind. But
this cat nails it in a matter of seconds. Avalon’s the best actor on set. He’s
even better than me.”
Pierre was right. Avalon had this air–he carried himself in
a certain way, very much aware of his charisma. He was a natural performer. A
miniature star.
About Author Vanessa Morgan:
Vanessa Morgan is the editor of the movie reference guides When Animals Attack: The 70 Best Horror Movies with Killer Animals, Strange Blood: 71 Essays on Offbeat and Underrated Vampire Movies, and Evil Seeds: The Ultimate Movie Guide to Villainous Children. She also has had one cat book (Avalon) and four supernatural thrillers (Drowned Sorrow, The Strangers Outside, A Good Man, and Clowders) published. Three of her stories have been turned into movies. She has written for myriad Belgian magazines and newspapers and introduces movie screenings at several European film festivals. She is also a programmer for the Offscreen Film Festival in Belgium. When she’s not working on her latest book, you can find her reading, watching movies, eating out, or photographing felines for her blog Traveling Cats.
Book Title: Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex by Carole P. Roman Category: Young-Adult Fiction (18 +), 286 pages Genre: Action-Adventure/Fantasy Publisher: Chelshire Release date:July 30 2022 Content Rating: PG. The author thinks the book is G-rated. A reviewer said it had some curses. Some may consider “Holy crap” is a curse.
“If I were to give a book to every young adult in this world, I would give them Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex by Carole P. Roman without blinking. I absolutely loved every moment of this uplifting and fascinating story. It’s filled with valuable life lessons, adventure, peril, and highly relatable and lovable characters.” Reviewed by Emma Megan for Readers’ Favorite
“Harry Potter meets Sky High. If you’re a fan of young adult stories where protagonists go to mysterious schools to train their superhuman abilities, don’t miss out on Grady Whill and The Templeton Codex.” Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Reader’s Favorite
“Carole P. Roman has created a world that is unique, inhabited by characters that young people can easily relate to because of their similar concerns about growing pains… This book has a strong message and theme that deserves to be read.” Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Reader’s Favorite
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MY REVIEW
.
I’ve read many of Carole’s books and enjoyed them all. This book and it’s character’s are my favorite now.
While this is a fantasy about learning their hidden talents and how to harness them, Grady and his friends also have to face all of the coming of age middle school challenges and angst. It sure brought back memories.
Take a look at the wonderful cover for this book. It’s perfect for the adventure inside.
Action, adventure and mystery along with realistic and likable characters made this a swift read. Read it straight through and enjoyed it so much I wanted it to be longer. I can only hope this is a series so I can dive back in and cheer these characters on.
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5 STARS
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Book Description:
Templeton Academy- the superhero high school is finally open! The prestigious institution is recruiting the best of the best to enroll in its student body. The school is as mysterious as it is exclusive.
Grady Whill thinks there is nothing special about him to make the grade. However, his best friend, Aarush Patel has been selected and thinks Grady has the right stuff. Even school bully Elwood Bledsoe is attending.
If Grady is fortunate enough to be picked, his guardian has forbidden him to attend. Will a family secret prevent Grady from becoming the superhero he was destined to be?
Book Title: Giggles Galore Jokes, Riddles and Fun Facts for Kids of all Ages by Carole P. Roman Category: Children’s Fiction , 170 pages Genre: Humor Publisher: Chelshire Release date:August 2022 Tour dates: Nov 7 to Dec 2, 2022 Content Rating: G.
Book Description:
What’s more fun than a rainy afternoon?
A rainy afternoon with Giggles Galore! Treat yourself and your child to this fun-filled book of jokes, riddles, and exciting bits of information.
Entertain your friends and family with a wide variety of jokes that include funny foods, animal antics, jolly jungles, farcical farms, dizzy dinosaurs, hilarious holidays, and a host of humor from all over our wacky world.
Fun facts are sprinkled throughout the book and give a welcome relief from all the giggles. There’s even a section where budding comedians can learn to create new jokes.
Lastly, join Carole P. Roman’s beloved character, Susanna Maya Logan, for a short story about why we must use humor wisely, or it may not be considered funny by everyone.
A great tool to help a reluctant reader, Giggles Galore is the perfect way to practice social skills and develop friendships.
I began writing in 2011 with my first book Captain No Beard An Imaginary Tale of a pirate’s Life.
2-Where do you get inspiration for your stories?
Every day I meet with my sons, and we kick around ideas for storylines. We serve as each other’s beta readers as well as inspirations. Writing Grady brought back the smell of gym locker, sweaty socks, and everything else associated with being the mom of teenage boys.
3- What advice would you give budding writers?
Set realistic expectations. Don’t quit your day job, and realize that your book is not for everyone.
4- If you could put yourself as a character in your book, who would you be?
I think I identify with Grady more than any other character. I have felt that pit of insecurity lodge itself in my gut, making me question everything I do. I love his loyalty and how he stands up for his autistic friend. I hope I was that kid in school.
5- Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you overcome it?
I either feel like writing or not. When I don’t, I will sit at the keyboard and just write. I’m always surprised at what I produce, even though I wasn’t in the mood.
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Meet the Author:
Carole P. Roman is the award-winning author of over fifty children’s books. Whether it’s pirates, princesses, spies, or discovering the world around us, her books have enchanted educators, parents, and her diverse audience of children of all ages.
Her best-selling book, The Big Book of Silly Jokes for Kids: 800+ Jokes! has reached number one on Amazon in March of 2020 and has remained in the top 200 books since then.
She published Mindfulness for Kids with J. Robin Albertson-Wren.
Carole has co-authored two self-help books. Navigating Indieworld: A Beginners Guide to Self-Publishing and Marketing with Julie A. Gerber, and Marketing Indieworld with both Julie A. Gerber and Angela Hausman.
Roman is the CEO of a global transportation company, as well as a practicing medium.
She also writes adult fiction under the name Brit Lunden and has created an anthology of the mythical town of Bulwark, Georgia with a group of indie authors.
Writing is her passion and one of her favorite pastimes. Roman reinvents herself frequently, and her family calls her the ‘mother of reinvention.’ She resides on Long Island, near her children and grandchildren.
Book Title: ‘Tis the Season to Feel Inadequate; Holidays, Special Occasions and Other Times Our Celebrations Get Out of Hand by Dorothy Rosby Category: Adult Non-Fiction (18+) , 258 pages Genre: Humorous Essay Publisher: Unhinged Press Release date: November 2022 Content Rating: G – appropriate for general audience as defined above
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MY REVIEW
I was going to share some of my favorite quotes from the book, but there were just too many. I love it when an author can make me snort and I did a lot of that. Also some laugh out louds and chuckles.
I’m sure you can relate to how the human condition almost forces us to take a festive occasion and blow it all out of proportion. To make it bigger, shinier…..than the last time. I’m sure guilty of it. Author Dorothy Rosby shares some very funny situations from a bunch of different occasions that will have you relating and laughing too. A great read to lift my spirits after a couple of surreal years caused by the pandemic. Thanks so much Dorothy!
4 STARS
.
Book Description:
Christmas comes but once a year; chaos never ends! Happy Halloween, merry Christmas and joyful Lumpy Rug Day. We didn’t make that up. Lumpy Rug Day is celebrated every May 3, though “celebrated” might be too strong a word. It’s the American way to create a celebration for everything, then turn it into a chore or worse, a nightmare. ’Tis the Season to Feel Inadequate is a collection of humorous essays about holidays, special occasions and other times our celebrations make us feel not-so-celebratory. It’s understanding for those who think Christmas form letters can be honest—or they can be interesting. And it’s empathy for anyone who’s ever gotten poison ivy during Nude Recreation Week or eaten all their Halloween candy and had to hand out instant oatmeal packets to their trick-or-treaters.
Empathy for Those Who Get Depressed after Reading Other People’s Christmas Letters
By Dorothy Rosby
Holidays and other special occasions are hard on my self-esteem. The only thing that makes me feel more inadequate than reading everyone else’s Christmas letter is trying to write my own. Have I really not accomplished a single thing this year—except taking last year’s Christmas tree down by St. Patrick’s Day.
Then there was the year my oven quit working right before I was set to serve Thanksgiving dinner to a dozen people. And the year I didn’t get my Christmas shopping done and wound up buying five gift cards, a chia pet and a talking trout just before the mall closed on Christmas Eve. And the year I ate all the Halloween candy and had to give instant oatmeal and Ramen noodles to my trick-or-treaters.
I don’t think I’m the only one either. I mean I don’t think I’m the only one who feels inadequate during holidays and special events. I probably am the only who’s ever handed out instant oatmeal to their trick-or-treaters.
We heap a lot of stress on ourselves in the name of celebrating. I think it’s because we set our expectations too high. We think our Christmas gifts should be purchased, wrapped and placed under a beautifully decorated tree by December 15. We think we should be able to keep our New Year’s resolutions until at least January 5. We think we should be as thin as we were in high school when we attend our 20th class reunion and that we need 12 attendants and 400 guests at our wedding. Why? Let’s give ourselves some grace when the next holiday or special event comes up. Celebrations should be fun. And anyway, oatmeal is good for children.
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Meet the Author:
Dorothy Rosby is a syndicated humor columnist and the author of four books of humorous essays. She’s the 2022 global winner of the Erma Bombeck Writers Competition, sponsored in part by the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop. She lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota, 20 miles from Mount Rushmore, something she’s very proud of though she’s not on it—yet.
PUPS & PURRS SERIES by Sunny Weber Category: Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12) Genre: animals/pets Publisher: Pups & Purrs Press Release date: Oct 6, 2017, Aug 8, 2019, August 23, 2019, Content Rating: G
Book Series Description:
Mission: Humane education through storytelling.
Each book in the Pups & Purrs series features Classic Coming of Age stories with multi-layered themes and messages for a wide variety of readers.
Ages 7-10 will enjoy the surface of the stories; ages 10-13 will begin to see the messages; ages 13 and up will begin to identify with the deeper themes.
Each book reflects issues children experience and the animal characters give voice to emotions that children often cannot.
The main goals of the series are:
To Help children who have difficulty verbalizing their life stresses but who can identify with animals. The animal characters experience the same issues: e.g.: social isolation; personal identity conflicts; bullying; rejection; lack of power; decision-making; growing up challenges. To Provide humane education for children: teaching what animals need; to develop empathy; seeking to see the world through animal eyes; assisting in the early development of altruism. A major goal is to turn potential animal abusers around–avoiding the inevitable escalation to violence against people.Children begin abusing animals when they are abused, or see abuse modeled in the adults around them. The P&P series seeks to give children more constructive options through humane awareness of animals as sentient beings. To Teach through storytelling and entertainment: by encouraging reading by featuring colorful characters and engrossing stories. To Develop early problem-solving abilities/analytical thinking: the animal characters show how to set goals and develop step-by-step accomplishments to attain those goals. They face the consequences of their decisions and grow in personal responsibility. To Promote the humane treatment of all creatures and the environment by furnishing tools for parents, teachers, counselors, and humane educators at home, school, in therapeutic settings, and at animal rescue environments.
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