Title: My Father and Albert Einstein
Author: Joan Rothman Brill
Publisher: iUniverse
Genre: Biography
Pages: 160
Purchase at iUniverse

Synopsis

Joan Rothman Brill presents the life story and 1918 marriage diary of her parents, David and Ruth Samuel Rothman. David Rothman was forced to leave school after the eighth grade in order to help support his family. However his thirst for knowledge and self-study led to his friendship with an icon who changed man’s concept of the universe. David Rothman relates, through taped reminiscences, his word-for-word intellectual discussions and musical evenings with Dr. Albert Einstein.

About the Author

Joan Brill is uniquely qualified to present David Rothman’s tape-recorded description of his friendship with Albert Einstein, since David Rothman is Ms. Brill’s father. Ms. Brill met Dr. Einstein, and was present at many of the events that are described in the narrative. Joan Brill is also a Juilliard-trained pianist-harpsichordist, with degrees from Long Island University and SUNY at Stony Brook.

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Title: Becoming Alice
Author: Alice Rene
Publisher: iUniverse
Genre: Memoir
Pages: 284
Purchase at iUniverse

Praise for the Book

“Strongly recommended a deftly written memoir that will hold the reader’s rapt attention from beginning to end.”
-Midwest Book Review

“Her ability to authentically capture the bewilderment and pain of dislocation through a child’s eyes – including the disharmony in her immediate family – makes for engaging reading that will resonate with young adults everywhere.”
-Beth B. Cohen, Ph.D., author of Case Closed: Holocaust Survivors in America, 1946-1954

Synopsis

Six-year-old Ilse watches Nazi soldiers march down her street in Vienna, Austria. It is the beginning of an odyssey that will take her to Riga, Latvia, and finally to Portland, Oregon. Becoming Alice chronicles her Jewish family’s harrowing escape and struggle as immigrants to fit into the American landscape. The added problems of growing up within a troubled family cloud her childhood and adolescence.

Ilse changes her name to Alice. Not until she moves into a boarding house in Berkeley, surrounded by girls from a patchwork of cultures, does she make peace with her true identity. Becoming Alice brilliantly showcases Rene’s triumph over adversity, identity crisis, and the sometimes debilitating power of family ties.

About the Author

Alice Rene holds a master’s degree in social welfare. She lives with her husband in Southern California.

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Title: Mommy Couldn’t Find Her Eyelashes
Author: Mary Jane Fizer
Publisher: iUniverse
Genre: Biography/Memoir
Pages: 110

No one knows how unpredictable first graders can be better than a first-grade teacher. In Mommy Couldn’t Find Her Eyelashes, retired elementary educator Mary Jane Fizer shares excerpts from written papers and some of her favorite amusing and poignant conversations with her first-grade students, providing an unforgettable glimpse into the innocent, often uncensored minds and imaginations of children.

Fizer relies on more than forty years of experience in a classroom environment to offer a diverse compilation of funny sayings and heartfelt moments she experienced with her students. From the student who said he wanted to be both the President of the United States and a forklift operator to the boy who announced that he needed to see the nurse because he thought he had head lights, Fizer recalls the unpredictable moments of every day she spent in front of a classroom serving not only as a teacher, but also as a role model, stand-in mother, and a source of information who had to somehow find a creative answer to every creative question.

Mommy Couldn’t Find Her Eyelashes is a delightful collection of quotes from children that encourages all of us to find the pure happiness in every day—even when we are all grown up.

About the Author

Mary Jane Fizer earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Concord College in Athens, West Virginia, and a master’s degree in elementary education from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. She spent the last forty years of her teaching career in Prince William County Schools in Woodbridge, Virginia, where she still resides today.

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Title: Soul Prints
Author: Norman Hines
Publisher: iUniverse
Genre: Mystical
Pages: 148

Set within the backdrop of a mystical battle between good and evil, the lives of two young people unknowingly struggle to complete their soul prints on earth. The local high school has taken on the onerous task of mounting the musical MAN OF LA MANCHA. Infiltrating the lives of the members of the production is a force that threatens to exert a mind boggling influence on the cast. Nuri Lemuel, a girl with a sweet soprano voice, and chosen to play Aldonza, the tragic lead of the play, has always longed to touch the heart of her unavailable father. Nathaniel is a fellow student with whom she is ill-fated for involvement. Unknown to her, he is a lost soul from the world beyond. So much of his life and memory is an unsolved mystery. Their efforts to fulfill the demanding reason for existence take them into a fearful world of the unknown.

Soul Prints is a poetic tale of grief, enlightenment and an underlying hope for peace.

About the Author

Norman Hines is a graduate of Acadia University and the Nova Scotia Teacher’s College and has worked as a high school counselor and director of school and community theatre. Norman is one of the founders of the NOSCO Academy of Theatre Arts and is the recipient of awards for his work with children and community service. He currently lives in Truro, Nova Scotia.

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New release by Dawna Raver. Severed Colours, Book 2, A Colour Wielders Novel.

The epic continues…

Quinn Sinclair trusted Arik Morgaine until he betrayed her. Scared and alone, she finds herself delivered into the hands of the evil Morgana le Fay. When Quinn discovers Morgana’s plans are beyond demented and seriously depraved—making life with the Changeling seem like a day at the beach—she wonders if death is a better option?

Arik Morgaine vowed he’d save Quinn no matter the price. When his well thought out plans go terribly awry, a desperate and heartbroken Arik is forced to beg the cruel Triarchia for help. Unwilling to go on without his Älskling, he answers a question that irrevocably alters their lives.

Can Arik and Quinn find a way back to each other, or will the price of saving her rip them apart forever?

New Adult. Recommended for 18 and above. Mature themes, sexual situations, and profanity.

Purchase at Amazon now!

In celebration of Severed Colours’ release, Colour Wielders will be on sale from November 18-20 for $.99. Purchase it at Amazon now.

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Title: The Secret on the Island
Author: Dorcas Mladenka
Publisher: iUniverse
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Pages: 166
Purchase at iUniverse

Synopsis

As a research assistant for a Texas detective agency, Maggie Haslo has a knack for connecting the dots. She can see that the facts don’t add up in the suspicious death of her friend Mando. A history professor at the local university, Mando was killed in what the police are calling a drive-by shooting—but Maggie’s not buying it.

Before his death, Mando had invited Maggie to the diving site of a sunken Spanish galleon off the Gulf coast; when her friend, Sister Clare, asks her to come investigate suspicious circumstances at her convent on nearby Mustang Island, Maggie decides to combine trips. A few days later, a nun is murdered, and Maggie makes a shocking discovery: the deaths of Mando and the nun are related.

As she drives back and forth between the city and the island with her faithful German shepherd, Zoe, Maggie must put aside her sadness for the friends she has lost in order to be strong for friends that are still living. In the process, she meets more trouble than she could have imagined, but also a blue-eyed detective—who turns out to be trouble of different kind.

Maggie’s detective skills are about to be put to the ultimate test. Can she crack the case before another dead body shows up?

About the Author

Dorcas Mladenka is a retired university professor who has spent a lifetime writing in personal journals, in workbooks for her students, and numerous unfinished collections of poetry and short stories. With retirement, she has finally completed her first novel. She currently lives in Texas.

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Spell Fire, The Teen Wytche Saga #3

By Ariella Moon

Summary

New school. New friends. New reputation. High school sophomore Ainslie Avalon-Bennett works hard to hide her Crazy Girl past. But as long as her best friend’s disappearance remains unsolved, she can’t shake the depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder that once landed her in a mental ward.

Ainslie’s tenuous control over her life shatters when her warring parents ditch her at Christmas. While they take a cruise to “work things out,” Ainslie must spend the holiday in Palm Springs with her aunt and uncle, owners of a struggling Mystery School and occult store. Plunged into the world of fire fortunes, dragons, entity eaters, and an ailing spell book, Ainslie is well beyond her comfort zone. Then she meets a boy who spikes her pulse and calms her OCD. But will she lose him once he discovers her past? Or will his deadly secret, hidden in plain view, be their undoing?

Author Ariella Moon

Ariella Moon writes about magic, friendship, secrets, and love in her Young Adult novels, Spell Check, Spell Struck, and Spell Fire, Books 1, 2, & 3 in The Teen Wytche Saga. Ariella spent her childhood searching for a magical wardrobe that would transport her to Narnia. Extreme math anxiety, and taller students who mistook her for a leaning post, marred Ariella’s teen years. Despite these horrors, she graduated summa cum laude from the University of California at Davis. An author and shaman, she now lives a nearly normal life with her extraordinary daughter, shamelessly spoiled dog, and an enormous dragon.

Spell Fire Excerpt

My body elongated, and I swore I grew six inches. Inside the cafe, there was no line. Another miracle. I paused beneath the fern‑painted ceiling fan and scanned the wall menu. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for, but a weird craving fueled my search.

The dragon exerted pressure between my shoulder blades, prompting me. “A Scorpion’s Nest smoothie.”

Morningstar leaned over the high counter and gave me a once‐over. “You feeling okay?”

I licked my lips. “Absolutely.” I had never tasted an orange juice, vanilla ice cream, and peanut butter combo, but I slapped the countertop and said, “I’m fine. Hit me.”

Morningstar tilted her head to one side and studied me.

Oh — crap. Maybe I’m dragon drunk.

I wiped the drool from the corner of my mouth stood straighter. I could do this. I could act normal and in control. Behind me, the dragon blew on my hair. I clawed back the stray locks. “Strong ceiling fan.”

Morningstar glanced up. I held my gaze steady on her face and tried to remember if the fan was actually on. I couldn’t hear the whir of its motor or feel the stir of cool air. I can’t feel anything. I went for distraction and slipped a ten across the counter.

Morningstar leveled her gaze, then handed me my change. “I’ll bring the smoothie to your table.”

“Cool.” My eyes crossed. I pivoted and fell out of my right flip‐‑flop. Fortunately, the place was almost empty, and I didn’t think anyone saw me stumble. Still, my face heated as I chose a table with plenty of space behind it for the dragon and my invisible wings.

“Mind if I join you for a minute?” Morningstar asked when she brought my drink.

“Please.” I giggled, giddy with dragon energy. I was a bright, beneficent angel among earthlings. I was — as crazy as my parents feared.

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Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 12/20/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Gateway by Christina Garner

Everybody has their demons. Some are just a little more real than others…

Ember has always known she doesn’t belong in this world, but when she tries to correct the mistake, she wakes to find herself in a mental institution.

There she draws the attention of Taren, a mysterious boy who isn’t what he seems.

When chaos erupts, they are forced to flee the institution together, and the secret Taren has been keeping, brings Ember closer to understanding her own.

And leads her to… the Gateway.

Praise

“I loved, loved, loved, Gateway. It kept me up all night, it kept me guessing throughout and stayed on my mind afterward. And that my friends, is pretty much my definition of a great book.” ~thatbookishgirl.blogspot.com

“I enjoyed everything about this novel–the strong writing, the believable characters, the captivating plot and the subtle but sweet romance.” ~irresistiblereads.blogspot.com

“I give this book 5 stars out of 5, for the sole reason that I can’t give it more.” ~TheWolfsLibrary.blogspot.com

Author Christina Garner

Christina Garner began writing stories at the age of six, with some help from her older sister. At eighteen, her aspirations as an actor had her loading up her Buick and setting off for Hollywood. Since then, she has written and directed 10 short films, including Rewind and Reminder, both of which received acclaim on the festival circuit. In 2006, she began writing screenplays. A year later, she even got paid for one. In May of 2011, her debut novel, Gateway, became an Amazon Bestseller. A year later, Chasm, Book 2 in The Gateway Trilogy, did the same.
Christina lives in Los Angeles, and when she’s not writing, spends her time traveling the world, watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer reruns, and playing with her dog, Griffin.

Book Blast Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 12/5/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Title: Shared Stories From Daughters of Alzheimers
Author: Persis Granger
Publisher: iUniverse
Genre: Self-help/Alzheimers
Pages: 163
Purchase at iUniverse

Shared Stories from Daughters of Alzheimer’s is a support group in print for those escorting a loved one on the Alzheimer’s journey.

Nine women map the passage of a parent through Alzheimer’s disease, describing the evolution of their own emotional responses to the disease and the changes it effects in the patient and in her relationship with family members. The book invites the reader to take a first step in healing from Alzheimer’s ripple effect by beginning to journal about the experience.

“Use the stories here as tools to understand your own painful situation. Employ them to help you empower yourself, sort through your emotions and begin to heal. Seize upon that which makes sense to you and disregard that which seems irrelevant. Then, pick up your favorite pen and notebook and ‘talk’ about what is going on in your journey with Alzheimer’s disease. We wish you well.”

-Persis Granger, Editor, Shared Stories from Daughters of Alzheimer’s

“An enthralling, ambitious and much-needed effort…most definitely the sort of work on Alzheimer’s that needs to get public notice.”
-Karla Morales, People’s Medical Society.

About the Author

The eleven contributors to this anthology hail from sites across the United States: Colorado, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Florida, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont and New York. Each of these women has experienced the loss of a loved one to Alzheimer’s disease.

Giveaway

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Freezer I’ll Shoot (A Vintage Kitchen Mystery)
A Vintage Kitchen Mystery (Book 3)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (November 5, 2013)
ISBN-10: 042525237X
ISBN-13: 978-0425252376

Synopsis

Trying to escape her overbearing mother, vintage kitchenware enthusiast and soon-to-be columnist Jaymie Leighton retreats to her family’s cottage on Heartbreak Island. While there she hopes to write an article about the Ice House restaurant, owned by good friends and neighbors, siblings Ruby and Garnet Redmond. Once an actual icehouse, the restaurant is charmingly decorated with antique tools of the trade, including a collection of ice picks.

One night, while working on her article, Jaymie overhears an argument and, ever the sleuth, sets out to explore. But when she stumbles upon a dead body her blood runs cold. It’s Urban Dobrinskie, whose feud with the Redmonds is no secret, and he’s got an ice pick through his heart. Now Jaymie’s got to sharpen her sleuthing skills to chip away at the mystery and prove her neighbors’ innocence—before someone else gets picked off…

Review

This is another great installment in this series!  Jaymie is thrown into the middle of another murder when the body is found in her backyard.  The murder weapon throws the light onto some characters but I will say that I never suspected the killer to be this person!  There are quite a few motives by various individuals and any one of them could have done it and one of them did!  Add to the top of this, friction between her mom and her boyfriend’s mother…who is a bit overprotective.  Hello, he is a grown man not a teenager!  Anyway, a lot happens in this book and Victoria leads you around some corners while laying out the clues for you to figure out who-done-it.

We enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the next one and give this book 4 paws.

About The Author

Victoria Hamilton, nationally bestselling author of the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series, is the pseudonym of Donna Lea Simpson, bestselling author of romance and historical mystery novels.

Victoria starting reading mystery novels at the age of 12 and devoured Agatha Christie mysteries, as well as those of Dorothy L. Sayers and Ngaio Marsh. She still adores mysteries, especially the cozy mysteries of Janet Bolin, Krista Davis, and others.

She loves to cook, and collects teapots and teacups, as well as vintage kitchen utensils and bowls. She also enjoys crafts, especially cross-stitching and crocheting, and spends summer days in the garden, drinking tea or wine. Besides the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series Victoria also writes the Merry Muffin Mystery series (Bran New Death – September 3rd) and the Teapot Collector Mystery series which debuts with Tempest in a Teapot, out June 3rd, 2014.

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Tour Participants

November 2 – rantin’ ravin’ and reading – Review, Interview, Giveaway

November 3 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Review, Interview, Giveaway

November 4 – My Recent Favorite Books – Review, Giveaway

November 5 – According to Squenn – Interview

November 6 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – Review

November 7 – The Bookwyrm’s Hoard – Review, Interview, Giveaway

November 8 – Queen of All She Reads – Review, Giveaway

November 9 – A Chick Who Reads – Review, Interview

November 10 – Kaisy Daisy’s Corner – Review, Giveaway

November 11 – A Date with a Book – Review, Giveaway

November 12 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – Review, Giveaway

November 13 – Community Bookstop – Review, Giveaway

November 14 – StoreyBook Reviews – Review, Giveaway

November 15 – Mochas, Mysteries and More – Review, Giveaway

I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review