I love books and the thought of a book subscription box where the contents are a mystery each month is intriguing. So when the creators of this new box asked if I would be interested in seeing what they had to offer, of course, I had to say Yes! The great thing about Book Lovers Delight is that they focus on indie authors to help provide a wider net for these authors to share their works of literature with all of us that maybe wouldn’t have heard of them before. After all, there are so many books out there and just not enough time to discover all of them.

 

The photos I am going to share are from the first box and what you might expect each month. I’m not a video guru (yet!) so no unboxing video. But hopefully, this will still intrigue you.

 

So this beautiful green box arrives and if I remember correctly, it was in a large green mailing envelope. The top of the book reflects the company name (just in case you forgot what you ordered!)

 

 

When I lifted the lid of the box, I saw tissue paper and a letter on top.

 

 

The letter shares with us what is inside

 

 

Before I moved the tissue aside, I was greeted with this cute glass with Cheers written on the side. Perfect for what is about to come.

 

 

 

Everything in the box is tied to the book in some way. There are drink recipe cards that will fill that glass quite nicely. Suntan lotion so while you are poolside reading this book you don’t burn. And of course a book!  This one happens to be from author Meg Hafdahl. I have never heard of her but am intrigued and a bit spooked since it is a horror novel.

 

 

So if you are a book lover and want to try a new subscription box and perhaps find a new author to love, then check it out from Book Lovers’ Delight. And they are based in Texas for all you Texas fans.

 

Book Lovers’ Delight was founded when a group of individuals decided to turn their shared interests into an official Book Club. After carefully working out all the details, we are on our way to creating something extraordinary.

 

Book Lovers’ Delight is the brainchild of….

 

Through the Eyes of Authors

 

Sandy and Friends

 

Inklings Publishing

 

Houston Writers Guild

 

Authorology

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Conspiracies abound in this surreal and yet all-too-real technothriller in which a deadly underground alternate reality game might just be altering reality itself, set in the same world as the popular Rabbits podcast.

It’s an average work day. You’ve been wrapped up in a task, and you check the clock when you come up for air–4:44 pm. You go to check your email, and 44 unread messages have built up. With a shock, you realize it is April 4th–4/4. And when you get in your car to drive home, your odometer reads 44,444. Coincidence? Or have you just seen the edge of a rabbit hole?

Rabbits is a mysterious alternate reality game so vast it uses our global reality as its canvas. Since the game first started in 1959, ten iterations have appeared and nine winners have been declared. Their identities are unknown. So is their reward, which is whispered to be NSA or CIA recruitment, vast wealth, immortality, or perhaps even the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe itself. But the deeper you get, the more deadly the game becomes. Players have died in the past–and the body count is rising.

And now the eleventh round is about to begin. Enter K–a Rabbits obsessive who has been trying to find a way into the game for years. That path opens when K is approached by billionaire Alan Scarpio, the alleged winner of the sixth iteration. Scarpio says that something has gone wrong with the game and that K needs to fix it before Eleven starts or the whole world will pay the price.

Five days later, Scarpio is declared missing. Two weeks after that, K blows the deadline and Eleven begins. And suddenly, the fate of the entire universe is at stake.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * BAM

 

 

Review

 

This book is not going to appeal to all audiences. It will appeal to those that like the bizarre, are into RPG, and believe that multi-dimension universes are possible. While I may not fit into all of those categories, I have to admit this book was fascinating with all of the possibilities.

We follow K and several of his friends that have stumbled across a game called Rabbits. It isn’t spoken about and I’m not really sure how someone can win this game, but there are people that have won. It isn’t spoken about or really discussed and it is a game for those that notice variations in the world around them….once again, not me but I love just thinking about the possibilities.

I like the titles of each chapter, they are somewhat comical and add humor to this insane story. There are people disappearing, memories that may not be real, time lapses, and so much more.

The story does get bogged down in some of the details and since I do not understand some of the scientific theories discussed, it did go over my head. But I was pulled into K’s life and interactions with Chloe and others that led him down the rabbit hole of this game and as he fought for his life and trying to figure out what was real and what was not.

I read a few other reviews and realized that we never really know K’s gender. I assumed male but it could easily be a female. There is no way to know for sure and thinking back, that sheds a different light on some of the scenes.

If you like podcasts, you might want to check out the Rabbits podcast. I am not usually a podcast listener but will check it out just because I’ve read this book.

Overall we give this book 4 paws.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Terry Miles is an award-winning filmmaker; creator of the Public Radio Alliance and that network’s series of hit podcasts: Tanis, Rabbits (#1 on Apple Podcasts), Faerie, and The Last Movie; and co-creator of The Black Tapes. He splits his time between the dark emerald gloom of the Pacific Northwest and sunny Los Angeles.

 

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

From the Pacific Northwest’s most influential chef comes a collection of recipes for ultra-simple sophistication inspired by the world’s most delicious cuisines

Acclaimed chef, restaurateur, and artist Renee Erickson invites you on a culinary journey via her favorite places in the world—Rome, Paris, Normandy, Baja California, London, and her hometown, Seattle. Equally aspirational travelogue and practical guide to cooking at home, the book offers 120 recipes and 60 cocktail recipes for simple meals that evoke the dreamiest places and cuisines. From not-too-intricate cocktails and snacks to effortless entrées, these are the recipes that inspire Erickson and make for relaxed, convivial evenings, whether at home or abroad. Showcasing Erickson’s appealing and high-style aesthetic and featuring gorgeous photography and hand-drawn illustrations, this book offers a richly visual survey of beautiful, easy ways to escape the everyday, with meals that you will want to eat every day.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Abrams Books * BAM

 

 

My thoughts

 

If you are anything like me, you haven’t done any traveling in the last year thanks to the pandemic. I’ve dreamed of places to visit and seeing new things and trying new foods.

Imagine my surprise when I received this book as part of Abrams Dinner Party. Flipping through the pages was like taking a trip to various locations with the colorful images, the mouth watering recipes, and even the drinks that highlighted each country or location.

This book is more than just a cookbook, it is an adventure with the author and her experiences, thoughts about the food, and so much more. I had to chuckle when I read a section where she considered making the book all about chips because she loves them so much.

There are so many different dishes to make from appetizers to main courses. There is also an abundance of adult beverage recipes and I plan to whip out my supplies and create a few of these refreshing cocktails. The author weaves stories about her time in the various locales and her life and why every recipe or location is special to her.

This is definitely a book to savor and imagine yourself in Baja, London, Paris, or even Seattle.

We give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Renee Erickson is the James Beard Award–winning chef and co-owner of numerous Seattle restaurants, including The Walrus and the Carpenter, The Whale Wins, and the Narwhal Oyster Truck. She is the author of A Boat, A Whale & A Walrus: Menus and Stories.

 

Website * Instagram * Twitter

 

 

 

 

Can you eat barbecue and still lose weight and be healthy? Yes, you can. New York Times bestselling author Myron Mixon will show you how.

After more than thirty years of winning contests for his smoked hogs, briskets, ribs, and chickens, Myron Mixon knows a whole lot about barbecue. So what does the “winningest man in barbecue” know about living a healthy lifestyle? As someone who was overweight and unhealthy before losing more than 100 pounds, he’s figured out how to cook and eat the foods he loves and still live healthfully. Having kept those pounds off for more than two years, Mixon is living proof that you can eat barbecue and be healthy, if you know how to do it right.

This is Keto done the way we all want to live; the recipes in Keto BBQ are the ones Mixon uses to enjoy the barbecue lifestyle without gaining weight. Like Mixon, you get to eat the foods you love—including bacon-wrapped chicken breasts, smoked pork shoulder, baby back ribs, and even barbecue sauce—if you follow the recipes in this book. In Keto BBQ, Mixon shares a series of real—and real simple—changes you can make to your diet while still enjoying barbecue and other Southern foods in a healthier way.

 

Review

 

I love to eat and my husband is a carnivore, so I knew this book might have some good tips on making dishes that fit the Keto plan. Neither one of us follow Keto, but I do find it interesting and I think the biggest difference is that instead of using sugar the recipes call for monk fruit sweetener. I have seen it in the baking aisle but never really thought much about it as a sweetener so I was definitely intrigued. The book has a variety of rubs for different types of meats, bbq sauce that doesn’t use sugar (which I try to avoid anyway), and there are sections that cover chicken, pork, beef, vegetables, desserts, and beverages.

I have to admit that I do not grill or bbq as much as I used to and I live in Texas where the weather is almost always perfect for this type of cuisine. But from his first book, BBQ&A, I learned a few handy rubs and techniques and a recipe I find myself frequently making. So I was curious to see what this book could add to my repertoire and I found one recipe that was similar to something I already make the BBQ Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Breasts. This varied slightly from how I normally make it, taking the tenders and covering with a few spices and then wrapping bacon around it, and I have to admit I didn’t follow the instructions…mostly because I was scrambling at dinner time. But after reading this will definitely give the full recipe a try.  Ok, I know I’m rambling. It happens sometimes. Anyway, this recipe calls for marinating the chicken in bbq sauce, then covering it in a rub, wrapping it with bacon, and then cooking in a smoker. I don’t own a smoker, but since I normally make my recipe in the oven, I knew that would work just fine. I ended up making a smaller batch of the chicken rub and coating my chicken in that before wrapping it in bacon. We did use bbq sauce once it was cooked as a dipping sauce. My husband raved about the dish, but then he tends to rave about most things I cook. I think it is because he doesn’t have to cook the meal.

I did try and make the Mint-Basil ‘Rita since a friend had just given me some fresh mint and basil…but I think I put too much lime juice and I didn’t realize I was out of sparkling water. sigh….sometimes I have to realize I can’t make recipes on the fly because I tend to be missing something. This is why planning is key! I am going to give it another whirl and make sure I have all of the ingredients on hand.

This book is worth picking up and flipping through especially if you follow the Keto plan. I will leave you with Mint-Basil Rita recipe

 

The Skinny Pitmaster Mint-Basil ‘Rita

 

Ingredients

 

6 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

8 leaves fresh mint

8 leaves fresh basil

2 cups ice cubes

3 oz tequila or rum

1 cup sparkling water

 

In a medium bowl, combine the lime juice with the mint and basil leaves. use a muddler or other tool to muddle the leaves and fruit, crushing them in the lime juice as best as possible. Divide the muddled juice and herbs between two standard margarita glasses.

Fill the glasses 3/4 of the way with ice. Add 1 1/2 oz of tequila or rum to each glass. Fill the glasses to the top with sparkling water. Gently stir the cocktail with a stirrer or long thin spoon.

 

 

RIVER, SING OUT

 

BY

 

JAMES WADE

 

 

Categories: Contemporary / Literary Fiction

 

Rural Fiction / Crime Fiction / Coming-of-Age

 

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

 

Blackstone Facebook  Twitter   Instagram

 

Date of Publication: June 8, 2021

 

Number of Pages: 315 pages

 

 

 

 

“And through these ages untold, the river did act as the lifeblood of all those things alongside it.”

Jonah Hargrove is celebrating his thirteenth birthday by avoiding his abusive father, when a girl named River stumbles into his yard, injured and alone. The teenager has stolen thousands of dollars worth of meth from her murderous, drug-dealing boyfriend, but lost it somewhere in the Neches River bottoms during her escape. Jonah agrees to help her find and sell the drugs so she can flee East Texas.

Chasing after them is John Curtis, a local drug kingpin and dogfighter, as well as River’s boyfriend, the dangerous Dakota Cade.

Each person is keeping secrets from the others—deadly secrets that will be exposed in violent fashion as all are forced to come to terms with their choices, their circumstances, and their own definition of God.

With a colorful cast of supporting characters and an unflinching violence juxtaposed against lyrical prose, River, Sing Out dives deep into the sinister world of the East Texas river bottoms, where oppressive poverty is pitted against the need to believe in something greater than the self.

 

 

 

Blackstone Publishing ║ Amazon ║Books-a-Million

 

 

Indie Bound ║ Downpour ║ Hudson Booksellers

 

 

Praise

 

”With echoes of Jim Harrison, Cormac McCarthy (and perhaps a smidge of Flannery O’Connor), River, Sing Out is a beautiful, brutal meditation on survival and love in the face of nearly unspeakable violence and depravity in an East Texas community ravaged by the meth trade. Taut, lyrical, and precise, the prose soars in this important new novel by James Wade.” —Elizabeth Wetmore, New York Times bestselling author of Valentine

”If you read one novel this year, make it this one. James Wade’s River, Sing Out, is an instant classic filled with characters that will break your heart, lyrical prose as haunted as the river it evokes, and a Southern Noir undertow that wholly sucks you in and keeps you turning the pages until it’s searing, masterful conclusion.” —May Cobb, author of The Hunting Wives

”Wade, whose striking debut, All Things Left Wild (2020), traveled back a century in Texas history, uses an unlikely friendship to explore an equally wild present-day landscape…A haunting fable of an impossible relationship fueled by elemental need and despair.” —Kirkus Reviews

 

 

 

 

 

River, Sing Out – Book Trailer from AV FILMS on Vimeo.

 

 

 

 

 

If I could only use one word to describe this book, I think it would be poetic. The words flow seamlessly from one subject to another and the imagery fits East Texas to a T.

There are several plots in this story that meld together. There is a young boy, Jonah, that is just trying to survive despite abject poverty. River, a young woman that has lost her way but is determined to find her path, and John Curtis and Cade, local drug dealers and thugs who believe they are above the law. This novel is gritty and while has some happy moments, shows us the true underbelly of the drug world and the ruthlessness of those involved.

 

“How much of this life is truly your choice?”

 

This line resonated with me because I believe that we all make choices in our lives. Those choices may not always be the right ones, but every situation can be a learning experience. Of course, there are people and circumstances that create situations not of our choosing or making, but those are the times that one can learn from it and I think that is what happens with River and Jonah at different times throughout the book.

 

“You’ve made yourself the world’s victim and you’ll do the same with this.”

 

Jonah may be just 13, but he has seen a lot in his young life. His mother left him and his father is not a kind man. Plus his living situation isn’t wonderful but thankfully there is the kindness of a neighbor that looks out for him and gives him food when Jonah visits. This may be Jonah’s saving grace in life from a horrible life and abusive father. Jonah realizes that he wants more from life than what he has and seeks to find a better life for himself.

 

“He was her lifeline in so many ways. And he was kind to her. More kind than any human had ever been.”

 

I think my favorite character might have been River. She realized (albeit a bit too late perhaps) that a life wrapped up with drugs and thugs may not be the best for her. There was quite a little twist near the end that was quite the surprise. Her life was possibly never going to be all her own. However, her time with Jonah helped her see the good in people and strive harder to change her circumstances.

 

“We all come to appreciate those things lost to us. The sweetest breath of the day not realized until the night. Such is our reckoning as men. And how do you keep going, when something so meaningful is taken from you? How do you move forward? How do you move at all?”

 

This introspective quote gave me a lot to ponder. We all have losses in our lives and it is the hope for a better tomorrow that keeps us moving forward. I think that is what River and Jonah discover in their short time together. There is even a moment for John Curtis where I thought that he might want to change his life but it might have been too late for him.

This book will paint a picture of a world many of us are not subjected to but it gives us a glimpse into the lives of these characters and how they adapt and adjust to what life has thrown at them. The ending is both sad and joyful at the same time.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James Wade lives and writes in the Texas Hill Country with his wife and daughter. He is the author of All Things Left Wild, which is a winner of the 2016 Writers’ League of Texas Manuscript Contest, a winner of the 2021 Spur Award for Best Historical Fiction, and a winner of the 2021 Reading the West Award for Best Debut Novel. His fiction has appeared in various literary journals and magazines.

 

  Website ║ Facebook ║ Blog

 

Instagram ║  YouTube ║ Goodreads ║ Twitter

 

 

 

 

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

TWO WINNERS

Two winners each receive an autographed first-edition

hardcover copy of River, Sing Out

+ an autographed paperback copy of

multiple award-winning All Things Left Wild.

(US only. Ends midnight, CDT, June 18, 2021)

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

 

 

 

Visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page

For direct links to each post on this tour,

or visit the blogs below

 

 

6/8/21	Book Trailer	Texas Book Lover
6/8/21	BONUS Promo	LSBBT Blog
6/9/21	Review	The Clueless Gent
6/9/21	Review	Rainy Days with Amanda
6/10/21	Top Five	All the Ups and Downs
6/10/21	BONUS Promo	Hall Ways Blog
6/11/21	Author Interview	Book Fidelity
6/11/21	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
6/12/21	Review	It’s Not All Gravy
6/13/21	Excerpt	Reading by Moonlight
6/14/21	Review	That’s What She’s Reading
6/14/21	Audio Review	Forgotten Winds
6/15/21	Review	Book Bustle
6/16/21	Author interview	The Page Unbound
6/16/21	Review	Librariel Book Adventures
6/17/21	Audio Review	Chapter Break Book Blog
6/17/21	Review	Jennie Reads

 

 

tour services provided by

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guilt is Midnight Blue: A Hazel Dean Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Publisher: Eburnean Books (May 6, 2021)
Paperback: 290 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Hazel Dean can see other’s emotions in color.

She mostly uses it to help people find the perfect book in her shop, Books and Chocolate. But, when one of her customers is murdered, the police point to an old feud. Only Hazel can tell that the accused is innocent. She must navigate around her district attorney husband, and her surrogate uncle, the police captain, to find out what really happened.

Hazel drives, hikes and snoops all over her small Appalachian town in an attempt to bring peace to the victim’s family and prevent her community from being torn apart by old grudges.

 

 

Amazon – B&N

 

 

Guest Post

 

To Kill A Mockingbird: American Literature’s Greatest Work

 

To Kill A Mockingbird recently took the top spot in PBS’s Great American Read contest wherein Americans voted for their most loved novel. In fact, To Kill A Mockingbird was the only book in the top 5 that had a setting in the United States and only two of the top five were penned by American authors. (the others were Outlander, Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings) Interesting, but I’ll save that rant for another day.

 

 

To Kill A Mockingbird has it all: coming of age, legal thriller, social justice commentary and mystery all rolled into one. It has clearly defined heroes and villains, but also plenty of morally ambiguous characters.

I am fascinated with how autobiographical To Kill A Mockingbird is. Harper Lee’s father, who went by Finch, was an attorney involved in a trial similar to the one in the book. He defended two black men accused of murdering a white storekeeper. They were found guilty and hanged.

Dill is based on Lee’s childhood friend, Truman Capote. They were dear friends their whole lives and often edited each other’s work. Lee even went to Kansas with Capote to help him do research for In Cold Blood. Apparently, his flamboyant personality was off-putting to the locals and she was able to get more out of them with her down-to-earth attitude. The romantic in me likes to imagine that Lee, who never married, was in love with Capote her whole life.

Capote related that there really was a recluse that lived down the street from them. And he really did leave them gifts in a hollowed-out tree.

The hero worship Harper Lee feels towards her father is evident in Atticus Finch’s character. One of the working titles for the book was Atticus.

 

 

 

While Go Set A Watchman and the Broadway play version of the book spark doubt about Atticus Finch, he largely remains a heroic figure in American literary history. Some of the racial dynamics in the book have, gratefully, become outdated. However, a man willing to do whatever he can to defend the rights of others will always be someone to admire and emulate. Lee has been criticized many times for using a “white savior” trope. This is an oversimplification. Atticus didn’t actually save anyone. Tom Robinson died in the end. Atticus Finch was unable to enact any meaningful change. I don’t think that the point of this book is that Atticus is a savior or even a hero. I think its about a simple man, full of integrity, trying to do the right thing.

 

 

In my cozy mystery, Guilt is Midnight Blue, the main character hands To Kill A Mockingbird to a young man struggling with a moral quandary. When he reads the book, he is inspired by Atticus. He decides to stand up for what he believes is right, in the hopes that he will inspire his family in the same way Atticus inspired his children.

If you haven’t read To Kill A Mockingbird, you should. If you only ever read To Kill A Mockingbird in high school, you should read it again. It’s a beautiful, uplifting, hopeful novel that will help you solve your own moral quandaries.

 

Sources: pbs.org/thegreatamericanread/home/    Wikipedia.com/wiki/Harper_Lee   Wikipedia.com/wiki/To_Kill_a_Mockingbird          biography.com/writer/harper-lee

 

 

Review

 

I fell in love with this town in Appalachia and the people. I especially liked the take on the feud between the Trudgeon’s and McCleary’s much like the Hatfield and the McCoys.

Hazel has quite a unique gift and I enjoyed reading the descriptions of how she saw the different colors surrounding people she met and what those colors indicated. It was all very fascinating. I also loved her bookshop where the books had colors and she grouped them together by the colors they emitted and that also helped her pair them up with the right reader. I would be curious what book I should read based on the colors surrounding me.

The mystery was intriguing and Hazel just jumps right into the middle of things to discover the truth. She puts herself into a few sticky situations, but that is to be expected of most cozy protagonists. Hazel is a kind soul and I think brings out the good in people despite what those people may try to say and do.

This may be a new favorite series and I can’t wait to see what happens next for Hazel.  We give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Josalyn McAllister is a cozy fiction author whose most recent works include Love Over Easy and Guilt is Midnight Blue. Josalyn started writing character descriptions at the tender age of seven, inspired by the works of LM Montgomery. In her teenage years, she moved on to Newsies fan fiction. Inspired by National Novel Writing Month, she wrote her first novel about a child she mentored in college. She has never stopped writing. Josalyn taught middle school history before deciding she would rather spend time with her own children than other peoples. A restless soul, she has moved all over the country and collected an eclectic array of hobbies. Her writing has a relatable quality that will charm and entertain you.

 

Website * Facebook * Goodreads * Instagram

 

 

 

Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

WINNER – 2020 NEW ENGLAND BOOK FESTIVAL

From New England’s Storyteller Steven Manchester comes a soul-awakening novel about love, faith, and family.

Blessed with a high emotional IQ, Phinn Reed enters the world with the promise of finding his soul mate. With heaven’s memories erased, his romantic quest teaches him that the heart often sees clearer than the eyes—and that not everyone has ordered the same items from The Menu. Evidence that love stories come in many different forms, The Menu is a spiritual journey involving more than just a man and a woman; it is a modern-day tale that reaches far beyond the boundaries of reason.

 

“If you liked The Shack, then The Menu is a must read!” – John Lansing, Bestselling Author

 

 

 

 

Review

 

This is one of those books that will give you something to think about and maybe question what you believe.

The story starts with Phinn having a conversation with God about what he wants to experience on earth as a human and God let him know that life cannot be all good things, that there are some tribulations that you have to experience to appreciate the good things that happen. It is presented as a menu that he chooses his desires/wishes for his life. I thought that was a good analogy because who wouldn’t choose all of the good things in life to experience? But do we appreciate those things if we do not have to go through some challenging times to get to the good times? I think probably not because if everything in life came easily we wouldn’t appreciate what we have or what it took to get to that stage in our life.

There are mentors for Phinn along the way including a young boy that tells it like it is without any hesitation. As they say, “out of the mouths of babes.” Sometimes the answer is the simplest thing or thought and we tend to overthink or put too much pressure on ourselves to create the perfect outcome.

I appreciated the honest feelings that are portrayed throughout the book and that Phinn struggled with events at different times in his life. I think most people will be able to relate to his experiences, maybe not specific ones but how he acts and reacts to his life.

Pick up this book next time you want to be inspired and reflective at the same time. We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

New England’s Storyteller Steven Manchester is the author of the soul-awakening novel, The Menu, as well as the 80s nostalgia-fest, Bread Bags & Bullies. His other works include #1 bestsellers Twelve Months, The Rockin’ Chair, Pressed Pennies, and Gooseberry Island; the national bestsellers, Ashes, The Changing Season and Three Shoeboxes; the multi-award winning novel, Goodnight Brian; and the beloved holiday podcast drama, The Thursday Night Club. His work has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, CBS’s The Early Show, and BET’s Nightly News. Three of Steven’s short stories were selected “101 Best” for Chicken Soup for the Soul series. He is a multi-produced playwright, as well as the winner of the 2017 Los Angeles Book Festival, 2018 New York Book Festival, and 2020 New England Book Festival. When not spending time with his beautiful wife, Paula, or their children, this Massachusetts author is promoting his works or writing.

 

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

 

 

Synopsis

 

An incendiary and utterly compelling thriller with a shocking twist that delves deep into the heart of institutionalized racism, from an exceptional new YA voice. Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are never less than perfect. Until now. Because anonymous texter, Aces, is bringing two students’ dark secrets to light. Talented musician Devon buries himself in rehearsals, but he can’t escape the spotlight when his private photos go public. Head girl Chiamaka isn’t afraid to get what she wants, but soon everyone will know the price she has paid for power. Someone is out to get them both. Someone who holds all the aces. And they’re planning much more than a high-school game…

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Indiebound

 

If you have triggers when reading a book, please check out the list of content warnings

 

Check out the trailer on the author’s Twitter account

 

 

Review

 

I was not expecting the twists that this book provides the reader and it kept me glued to the pages wanting to know who was involved, why, and how would it all turn out.

Devon and Chiamaka are the only two black students at this private academy and they have both been chosen as prefects their senior year. What they don’t expect is for their world to start falling apart without any clue as to who or by whom. The answer will surprise you.

This YA novel includes many topics including racism, LGBTQ, death, drugs, sexuality, and so much more. But all of these topics wind together to create an amazing tale that will appeal to many different readers. The chapters alternate between Devon and Chiamaka’s point of view and it provides the reader with different views of the same situation. We also see how these two characters handle the situation at hand and if their upbringing plays a part in their decisions. Chiamaka is from a family of wealth while Devon is at the academy on a scholarship, this means they handle situations quite differently but it plays to their advantage in the end.

The tension builds as the story progresses, but the real excitement is in the last 10% as everything comes to a head. There are so many things that are unbelievable, but believable at the same time. I think my jaw might have dropped a few times in disbelief. But sadly, I’m sure much of this can still be found across the world and that saddens me in how we have progressed over time in our thoughts and actions of other people no matter their background.

This thriller will definitely keep you on your toes. The epilogue is wonderful and the last line of the book?  Oh my! Things do come full circle.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Website * Twitter * Instagram

 

 

Synopsis

 

A LOVE STORY SET AGAINST THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

Nicole Vogel survived childhood in a Paris orphanage by holding to her dreams of one day becoming a great hat designer. Inspired by the ideal of the pursuit of happiness, she has become a gifted millinery apprentice by day and a street revolutionary by night. In the treasonous world of coffee houses and night rebellions, she meets Luc Chatillon, the only son of a family that has made great wealth breeding thoroughbreds for the royal stables.

Luc, recently returned from America, is inspired by the notion of liberty and freedom. Still, caught in the mores of his wealthy father’s world of arranged marriages and conventional mistresses, he has become cynical about love and marriage. In Nicole he finds the strength and purpose he craves for his own life.

As their passion intensifies, secrets from Nicole’s past emerge, which could send her to the guillotine. She must decide if she can truly depend on Luc as dangerous intrigues threaten to destroy her and those she loves.

 

 

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Review

 

I enjoy historical fiction because if researched properly, it can be educational as well as entertaining.

This story is set in revolutionary France, specifically Paris. The novel melds political uprising with a love story and proves that true love will win out in the end despite the atrocities of war.

Nicole is an orphan that has a talent for designing hats for the ladies of Paris. In a way, I’m envious of the fashion of this time and can only imagine having a closet full of hats to wear on a daily basis. I loved the descriptions of the hats that we are given and could picture them in my mind. Despite her talent, she can’t remember much about her past, and the few things she thinks that she remembers she questions because no one can validate her memories. There is a long story to this and it is revealed towards the end of the books. Let’s just say I felt bad for Nicole and was ashamed of the others that could have told her the truth years ago.

Luc is trapped in an engagement he doesn’t want with a woman that he really doesn’t love. The woman he is engaged to, Georgette, has her own issues and can be downright nasty when she isn’t getting her way. Luc thinks that he might have to end up marrying Georgette, that is until he meets Nicole and the sparks fly. He is willing to defy his family to seek a relationship with Nicole. The two do love each other, but life and the revolution do get in the way at times.

There are so many intricate storylines woven into this tale and each one adds depth and dimension to the novel. Besides Luc and Nicole, there is Gus the milliner that Nicole is apprenticing under, Antoine who is in the fight to free France from the aristocracy, Nicole’s friend Aimee from the orphanage, and so many more. Each character and their story adds dimension and complexity while showing another side to the times and the battle to emerge out from under the King of France.

This story kept me engaged and I wanted to know what happened next for Nicole and Luc. Perhaps there will be a follow-up book for these two.

We give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Authors

 

Mary-Kate Summers is the writing team of Mary Janelle Melvin and Kate Evans.

 

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Synopsis

 

This is a collection of true life stories that together share the life of a young girl and her walk with God including how far she ran away from Him. Follow her through the valley to the other side!

By reading this three part series in one complete collection, all readers should walk away with a greater faith than what they began with.

This book is guaranteed to make you laugh and cry and laugh again! After all, isn’t that one of the reasons we read to begin with?

 

 

 

 

Review

 

An in-depth look at one woman’s journey in life and with God.

Wendy found herself in a place she didn’t think she wanted to be at a young age, but sometimes that is where you are meant to be and there is a journey planned out for you that you don’t think you want until you are traveling down that path.

While I haven’t made it through all of her stories yet, each one that I have read is raw and gets to the heart of Wendy’s journey, her feelings, and what she wants from life.

I enjoyed reading about her childhood and she had some pluck as a child! No matter what life threw at her, she persevered and made the best of things. Not every moment was beautiful, but each event taught her something about life and herself.

This is a book you will want to take your time reading and think about how you might react to certain situations and reflect on what have been teaching moments in your own life.

 

 

About the Author

 

My name is Wendy Glidden. I am a Mom of 10 and a Grandma of 7. God spoke to me at a young age and informed me that I would be a mother to many. I ran from that promise with a vengeance! However, despite my best attempts, I could not outrun God. He delivers on His promises for He is faithful! My childhood dreams were to be a famous author. As a child, I informed God how I did not need much; material possessions have never been a hang-up for me. Thank God for that! I promised God I would use all my riches to help others. I had dreams to say the least! When you start out life on your own at 16, unwillingly married and with child, your dreams have a way of falling to the wayside. Little did I understand that God was just thickening my story and adding immense color!! It’s funny what happens when you come to the end of yourself. Everything changes. This is what happened to me. My ministry is just developing. My focus is on total wellness. I love how well God has prepared me for my ministry. I love how God has been there for me even when I thought he wasn’t. I was blogging before I even realized fully what was going on. It amazes me that in less than 4 years, I have had over 62,500 page views. Even cooler to me than that is where I have been read. My stories have been viewed in places I did not even know existed until they showed up in my stat report. This journey has been quite exciting and I am looking forward to moving to the next step. This year I am republishing my trilogy in e-book format with West Bow Press. Alongside publishing books, I blog for my ministry ‘You Are Worthy Too’. If that wasn’t enough, I am currently pursuing my Biblical Studies Degree through Colorado Christian University and in my spare time, I market for a wellness company that is a just in time manufacturer of everyday needs. No fancy packaging but tons of value! Not often can you spend less and end up with more! This side business fits perfectly with my theme of total wellness and helping others. Often others ask me how on earth I manage to do so much. I reply, “Only by the grace of God do I do what I do.”

 

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