tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8192855846296338672024-03-15T18:10:31.471-07:00Just Another Girl and her BooksJust Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.comBlogger1776125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-34647115820619243502024-03-03T09:55:00.000-08:002024-03-03T09:55:33.239-08:00*Review* Dark Parts of the Universe by Samuel Miller<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17kntRTODls-EwGDcU2OZG_k21lhnbh-iAFBrMdDUb_DFsW7RRmh2TxSKhq8Mhb1x8EBWGiC5pRIv2c0CRxQt_Zj4FuaMBqq-EYkCONnN2RZvNr-IFSDoWPSl8XqqJb1Tfx6sfu0yoxlIwWI1nwrFW2IXjN8zI7MV1bRJdf67tIEbR1B8GYKpRKI3WMg/s1500/816VH8jWxhL._SL1500_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="993" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17kntRTODls-EwGDcU2OZG_k21lhnbh-iAFBrMdDUb_DFsW7RRmh2TxSKhq8Mhb1x8EBWGiC5pRIv2c0CRxQt_Zj4FuaMBqq-EYkCONnN2RZvNr-IFSDoWPSl8XqqJb1Tfx6sfu0yoxlIwWI1nwrFW2IXjN8zI7MV1bRJdf67tIEbR1B8GYKpRKI3WMg/w424-h640/816VH8jWxhL._SL1500_.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: Coming of Age</div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: April 23, 2024</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 432</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;">Outer Banks</span><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"> meets </span><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;">Bone Gap</span><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"> in </span><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;">New York Times </span><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">bestselling author Samuel Miller’s propulsive and genre-bending YA mystery, following a group of teenagers who discover a dead body while playing an app-based adventure game that sends players to “random” locations, unlocking a much deeper mystery about their small town. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In Calico Springs, Willie’s life has been defined by two powerful forces: God and the river. The “miracle boy” died for five minutes as a young child, and ever since, Willie is certain he survived for a reason, but that purpose didn’t become clear until he found the Game.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Game is called Manifest Atlas, and the concept is simple: enter an intention and the Game provides a target—a blinking blue dot on the map. Willie’s second time playing Manifest Atlas, his intention takes him to an ominous target: three empty graves. Willie is sure the Game is telling him he’s going to die.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Willie’s older brother, Bones, doesn’t believe him, but their friends are intrigued. Sarai, a girl from across the river, sets the next intention: </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;">something bloody</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">. The group follows the Game’s coordinates and they discover something even more unsettling than the graves: a dead body. Sarai’s stepfather’s body. The Game is suddenly personal.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Willie is dedicated to proving the Game works while Sarai is set on finding out what happened to her stepdad. Bones just wants to enjoy his last summer before real life begins. As the group digs deeper into Manifest Atlas, stranger and wilder things begin to appear, unlocking a much deeper mystery running like an undercurrent through the small town.</span><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received a digitally generated version of this audiobook through Netgalley. It was not the voice-narrated version. This is my honest review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I started listening to this book, I was expecting science fiction based on the title and the cover. I was quickly disabused of that notion. Instead of taking me into outer space, it took me into small town America, and I'm quite familiar with small town America attitudes towards anyone who is other. In this story, this manifests in the behavior towards everyone who lives in the town across the river from Calico Springs, a town that is almost exclusively Black. I'm sure you can see where this is going. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In a way, this book felt like it was telling two stories. The story of Manifest Atlas, and the story of Calico Springs. And it wasn't until near the very end of the book that I really started to see how the two stories connected, and I would not have gotten there on my own. I did not see how the game was influenced by the events in the town until it was spelled out for me, and vice versa. But also, that connection left me feeling a little disappointed. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Aside from also living that small town life as a kid, I couldn't really relate to the characters in this book, but that's really just because we didn't have anything in common. I could see how their life experiences shaped them from the glimpses into the past that we were treated to, and I feel like I understood them, but I still couldn't really relate. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall I give <i>Dark Parts of the Universe</i> 3.9757 out of 5 stars because even though it wasn't the story I was expecting when I started, it was intriguing and kept me listening. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/41d2rUc" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Samuel Miller</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"> is a novelist and screenwriter, made in South Dakota, based in Los Angeles. His most recent novel, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Redemption Prep</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">, was a </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">New York Times</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"> and Indie bestseller and is in development for television with MGM. His debut, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">A Lite Too Bright</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">, released to critical acclaim and has been translated into four languages and published in eight countries. Sam wrote his first novel in a fifteen-passenger van while touring with his alt-rock band, Paradise Fears. In addition to writing novels he coaches Little League Baseball, walks his dog, and works to dismantle capitalist systems of power. You can find him at <a href="http://samuelmillerbooks.com">samuelmillerbooks.com</a>.</span></span></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-213025612053573382024-03-03T09:38:00.000-08:002024-03-03T09:38:04.703-08:00*Review* Claw Heart Mountain by David Oppegaard<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZLSb44e7LR24OpnUj_WjYGu3b5VME1yaGl3bjraF8HGyQ2KXsAl7G6Z3dSGDu18vRfawL32Nqpebx90VHeVYTBL_s3naIwLGcZkeQpjeb-u8VTLHxi1bAmcgL8qz5ermYHyniMwWQcoA8Q9996NYEnGN_rooC_eq7uHWpwcoZly7S_LixNTPu0ROkdw/s1500/81ISwPCB5kL._SL1500_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="970" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZLSb44e7LR24OpnUj_WjYGu3b5VME1yaGl3bjraF8HGyQ2KXsAl7G6Z3dSGDu18vRfawL32Nqpebx90VHeVYTBL_s3naIwLGcZkeQpjeb-u8VTLHxi1bAmcgL8qz5ermYHyniMwWQcoA8Q9996NYEnGN_rooC_eq7uHWpwcoZly7S_LixNTPu0ROkdw/w414-h640/81ISwPCB5kL._SL1500_.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: Horror</div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: January 31, 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 476</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What happens when good people make one bad decision?</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Imagine you are on the way to a remote mountain cabin with your friends. Upon arrival, you discover an abandoned armored van with fifteen million dollars on board. Would you take the money?</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nova and her friends answer with a resounding yes. Perhaps their answer would have been different had they known that a professional killer was already tracking down the money. Or that a legendary creature known as the Wraith roams the mountain, ravenous with hunger.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thinking they’re safe and anonymous, Nova and her friends divvy up the stolen cash, unaware who or what is after them, unaware that soon they will be fighting for their lives.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">For readers who enjoy </span><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;">The Ritual</span><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"> by Adam Nevill and </span><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;">The Terror</span><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"> by Dan Simmons.</span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received a copy of this audiobook through Netgalley. This is my honest review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have some seriously mixed feelings about this book, and that's due in large part to the fact that as things happened in the book, had the kids simply not done one thing, I think it's very likely they would have gotten away with their theft free and clear. They wouldn't have been in danger at all from either the killer or the wraith. But things did happen the way they happened so...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As far as the rest of the story goes, I found myself relating to Nova the most. Like Nova, I was always the last resort friend (and still feel that way at times if we're being honest). I'd get invited to do things when literally no one else was available, and that's exactly how Nova ends up on Claw Heart Mountain in the first place. Nova and I are also more similar in the financial aspect as well, although I don't think I would have cautioned against taking the money like she did, so morally, she's better than me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once the danger showed up, I was on the edge of my seat, anxious to see how things would turn out and if I was correct about who would survive, because you don't have a story like this without some death. It's just not possible. I did have a pretty good bead on the way things would go, although there were a few twists in between that took me a little by surprise. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The narration was decent. There wasn't much effort to do specific voices for the different characters, but that means there also weren't cringey opposite gendered voices, which can really grate on my nerves and is probably my biggest pet peeve where audiobooks are concerned. Overall I give Claw Heart Mountain 3.6927 out of 5 stars. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3t92mnW" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">David Oppegaard is the author of Claw Heart Mountain, The Town Built on Sorrow, The Firebug of Balrog County, The Suicide Collectors, Wormwood, Nevada, And the Hills Opened Up, The Ragged Mountains, and Breakneck Cove. His work has been nominated for a Bram Stoker Award and a MN Book Award.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">David's work is a blend of science fiction, literary fiction, horror, and fantasy. He lives in St. Paul, MN, with his wife and their ravenous cat.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You can visit his website/blog at <a href="http://davidoppegaard.com">davidoppegaard.com</a></span></p></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-30102394541747096352024-03-02T21:39:00.000-08:002024-03-02T21:39:48.354-08:00*Review* The Atlas of Us by Kristin Dwyer<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vzQ7RH4Q5r_3NE3_NcrAMD6MPmPg1HgJ7YHV0_dCHJmO5zWZAzZgxftVZOeNhNaPK-IPLiZh8gUjveSQuJLvAEcSVbu9lmo80tUI5ePgotMEGnXkpFvQmf4HPrwO_uYVYmuclSTn9OunXxbT2uKM4RLir10nMhOTaIvPFeEExDjYs1I6kw-wcZ8jptY/s1500/81h9WZXNvUL._SL1500_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="993" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vzQ7RH4Q5r_3NE3_NcrAMD6MPmPg1HgJ7YHV0_dCHJmO5zWZAzZgxftVZOeNhNaPK-IPLiZh8gUjveSQuJLvAEcSVbu9lmo80tUI5ePgotMEGnXkpFvQmf4HPrwO_uYVYmuclSTn9OunXxbT2uKM4RLir10nMhOTaIvPFeEExDjYs1I6kw-wcZ8jptY/w424-h640/81h9WZXNvUL._SL1500_.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Genre: YA Coming of Age</div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: January 9, 2024</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 336</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Atlas has lost her way.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In a last-ditch effort to pull her life together, she’s working on a community service program rehabbing trails in the Western Sierras. The only plus is that the days are so exhausting that Atlas might just be tired enough to forget that this was one of her dad’s favorite places in the world. Before cancer stole him from her life, that is.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Using real names is forbidden on the trail. So Atlas becomes Maps, and with her team—Books, Sugar, Junior, and King—she heads into the wilderness. As she sheds the lies she’s built up as walls to protect herself, she realizes that four strangers might know her better than anyone has before. And with the end of the trail racing to meet them, Maps is left counting down the days until she returns to her old life—without her new family, and without King, who’s become more than just a friend.</span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received a copy of this audiobook through Netgalley. This is my honest review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I grabbed this book because I loved the cover and it was available as a "listen now" so I didn't have to get any sort of approval for it. It wasn't until after I downloaded the book that I realized the copy available wasn't the voice actor version of the audiobook. The version I had was AI generated for review purposes only, which certainly lent something to the experience. It confirmed for me that I would never want to pay for an audiobook with AI generated audio because it has some serious drawbacks, namely unnatural pauses (and a lack of pauses in some places they should really exist). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This book is a good example of why you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover (but I'm still gonna). Although I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting from this book, what I got wasn't it. And sure, I could have read the blurb first, but that would have ruined my 23 year long blurb non-reading streak. I was definitely expecting a heavier romantic storyline than I was treated to. I struggled to feel a strong connection with the characters. Me no longer being a teenager and having a more privileged childhood than they did may have contributed to that, but I'm not sure. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall I give <i>The Atlas of Us</i> 3.7946 out of 5 stars because although it wasn't what I was expecting and I didn't feel particularly connected to the characters, I was still mildly invested in the story itself and wanted to see where it went. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3T23lko" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Kristin Dwyer</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"> grew up under the California sun and prayed every day for a cloudy sky. Now Kristin and her spouse are currently raising their mischief-makers in the hills of North Carolina, where there is just the right amount of clouds. When she’s not writing books about people kissing, Kristin is a part-time hair model and full-time TSA PreCheck. One time a credible news outlet asked for her opinion on K-pop (it was the best day of her life). Please do not talk to her about your fandom; she will try to join.</span></span></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-66677339447892139832024-03-02T20:42:00.000-08:002024-03-02T20:42:29.784-08:00*Review* Armadas in the Mist by Christian Klaver<div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiog9nUy_zxGmdUhZ0ssXPTaglNlyG1RnllzemT33cRJo4PVLcFge3CxITCJ281eDQiH4WN2H3OquDmGZSRBiwled4MsziEE_tMvT0e0ShLzKr0K9mULVNVYoX0_g4FLTQkIEUTA_CGOyYTVAo9-0JzDUa6mICKWwwyCF6xpBcwQtsErKddpa9f1lAfRtU/s1500/81lUwynF+RL._SL1500_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="971" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiog9nUy_zxGmdUhZ0ssXPTaglNlyG1RnllzemT33cRJo4PVLcFge3CxITCJ281eDQiH4WN2H3OquDmGZSRBiwled4MsziEE_tMvT0e0ShLzKr0K9mULVNVYoX0_g4FLTQkIEUTA_CGOyYTVAo9-0JzDUa6mICKWwwyCF6xpBcwQtsErKddpa9f1lAfRtU/w414-h640/81lUwynF+RL._SL1500_.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: YA Historical Fantasy</div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: December 6, 2022</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 508</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Black Shuck’s forces gather just beyond the mist . . .</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Captain Justice Kasric knows how complicated family can be. The escalating Human-Faerie war has scattered and wounded her siblings and transformed her parents beyond recognition. After narrowly escaping yet another dangerous clash, fifteen-year-old Justice has had enough. She’s determined to defeat the Black Shuck, the mysterious leader controlling the Faerie invasion of London, but if Justice hopes to stand a chance at victory, she’ll have to do the impossible: reunite her family and lead them against the looming Faerie Armada.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">With her mother and brother at the helm of the enemy fleet, and the prophesized Seven Virtues slipping out of reach, Justice more than has her work cut out for her. Even if she can save England, the cost may be higher than she’s willing to pay.</span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received a copy of this audiobook through Netgalley. This is my honest review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Do you ever start reading a book and feel like you're just completely lost, almost like the author isn't giving you enough information about character's backstories and things? Then you wonder if maybe you just weren't paying close enough attention, or maybe skipped a couple pages on accident? Then after you finish reading the book you go check out some of the reviews other people have posted and realize that the book you were reading wasn't the first book in a series, but it's the first one you've read? If that ever happens to you, did you learn your lesson and start checking those things? Because I apparently never fricken learn my lesson. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Armadas in the Mist</i> starts in what feels like some serious action, which is fine, grab my attention any way you can, right? But typically books that start like that head back in time in the next chapter so you can see how you got there, at least when those books aren't sequels to a story that you, the reader should already be familiar with. I wasn't familiar though, and just kept waiting for that backstory and it never came. Do not make the same mistake I did and start this series with this book. And yet, despite the two books worth of missing backstory, I eventually felt like enough of that information was imparted that I basically understood what was going on by the time we got to the final battle. If you have already read the first two books, you don't have to worry about tedious recaps. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I didn't really feel particularly attached to any of the characters in this story, but I'm fairly certain that is because of when I came into the series. There just wasn't enough character building in this book to develop that relationship (presumably because the characters were already built in previous books). I definitely had characters I was rooting for, but that was more because they were clearly the good guys and therefore should win. A couple of the characters surprised me with their actions, but I don't know if those actions would be surprising if I knew them better. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall I give <i>Armadas in the Mist</i> 4.07845 out of 5 stars because I eventually felt caught up, and it's not the book's fault I started the series at book 3. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/46CYv0b" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This author of Science Fiction and Fantasy lives in the suburbs just outside the sprawling decay of Detroit, Michigan. There he resides with his wife (Kimberly) his daughter (Kathryn) and a group of animals he refers to as 'The Menagerie'.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He has been selling short stories since the early '80's, including recent sales to Escape Pod and Dark Wisdom Anthology from Elder Signs Press.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He is an alumni of Viable Paradise Writing Workshop, managing and contributing Editor of The Nautilus Engine: A Speculative Webzine and a regular attendee and speaker at Confusion Science Fiction Convention.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.christianklaver.com">www.christianklaver.com</a></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">mrchrstn@yahoo.com</span></p></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-88128333693379811032024-02-29T19:39:00.000-08:002024-02-29T19:39:40.739-08:00*Monthly Update* February 2024<div> Heyo! Look at me sitting here pretending like I'm doing a good job writing posts regularly enough to justify a monthly update post (and that I'll keep up with that too!) But for some reason I'm feeling optimistic and motivated right now, so here we are. Anyway. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3KKrCPd2vRn8Lnf3zZBA8SL_iQotvh7e2NuyLEKKtY46fYmS_2CH_ne6old5SMdEfrN7HrclTehoniBiXlq0lFT2Fnmy_38zAXu6loaIkmIgtdA3FY2G7shEXiea0s0QQwr3P9G32XNeP0ZhtI3I5ULMJdGtmGOroYr8TTWJRN9WkhQQlfGHis7xieQQ/s1500/812wMCcj+jL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="993" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3KKrCPd2vRn8Lnf3zZBA8SL_iQotvh7e2NuyLEKKtY46fYmS_2CH_ne6old5SMdEfrN7HrclTehoniBiXlq0lFT2Fnmy_38zAXu6loaIkmIgtdA3FY2G7shEXiea0s0QQwr3P9G32XNeP0ZhtI3I5ULMJdGtmGOroYr8TTWJRN9WkhQQlfGHis7xieQQ/s320/812wMCcj+jL._SL1500_.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />In February, I made it a point to read books almost exclusively by Black authors for Black History Month. I did have a couple books I was finishing up at the beginning of the month and I think two audiobooks from Netgalley that I had to listen to as their archive dates were fast approaching, but otherwise, the only books I read in February were by Black authors. I even managed to read 22 books in February, because I certainly wasn't spending that time writing reviews for those books (but we're not going to talk about that, okay?) Sixteen if those 22 books were by Black authors, and I have three books currently started also by Black authors, two of which I intend to finish sooner rather than later. The third is a big ass book about the history of racism in America, and while I'm absolutely going to finish it, I do intend to put it on the back burner for now because...</div><div><br />March is Women's History Month and I want to spend the entire month reading books by women (and none of those three Black authors I'm currently reading are women). The caveat to my month of reading books only by women is that I want them to be mostly non-romance. Not that I have anything against romance, but I want to focus on genres that aren't dominated by women writers. Additionally, I intend to read at least 5 non-fiction books about notable women (ideally written by women, but I may make an exception on that. I will acknowledge that it's quite possible those books will all end up being memoirs). So hit me with your recommendations of non-romance books by women, especially if you have some recommendations of non-fiction about notable women. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Books read in February</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://amzn.to/3Tsmb45" target="_blank">The Midnight Library</a> by Matt Haig<br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCp-P5BjLvtG88gRov4dO2mQaU0vZSCYUFl92qS789RjMTDDKk2GY5Afny9JZzSz3AxGHwdsp3PnbNQ-cKhO_avZW9A9INEBPo6VYmLgHKMRFZvSCR99asmdjX1IZpTdrqeJV6oYML0zNN2cxHUGXyc4IOEDNelFseeI3mnc8zevvt-qMtUr4RTj_ETI/s1500/81J+02y8LOL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="992" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCp-P5BjLvtG88gRov4dO2mQaU0vZSCYUFl92qS789RjMTDDKk2GY5Afny9JZzSz3AxGHwdsp3PnbNQ-cKhO_avZW9A9INEBPo6VYmLgHKMRFZvSCR99asmdjX1IZpTdrqeJV6oYML0zNN2cxHUGXyc4IOEDNelFseeI3mnc8zevvt-qMtUr4RTj_ETI/s320/81J+02y8LOL._SL1500_.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><a href="https://amzn.to/49R464Q" target="_blank">The Dollmaker</a> by Morgan Shamy<br /></div><div><a href="https://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/2024/02/review-black-queen-by-jumata-emill.html" target="_blank">The Black Queen</a> by Jumata Emill<br /></div><div><a href="https://amzn.to/3OJ5bDD" target="_blank">The Iron Daughter</a> by Julie Kagawa<br /></div><div><a href="https://amzn.to/42y6MSm" target="_blank">The Meister of Decimen City</a> by Brenna Raney<br /></div><div><a href="https://amzn.to/3OG9e3D" target="_blank">The Gilded Ones</a> by Namina Forna<br /></div><div><a href="https://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/2024/02/review-art-of-extreme-elf-care-by-cheryl.html" target="_blank">The Art of Extreme Self-Care</a> by Cheryl Richardson<br /></div><div><a href="https://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/2024/02/review-queens-catacombs-by-jordan-h.html" target="_blank">Queen's Catacombs</a> by Jordan H. Bartlett<br /></div><div><a href="https://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/2024/02/review-poemhood-our-black-revival.html" target="_blank">Poemhood: Our Black Revival</a> edited by Amber McBride, Erica Martin, and Taylor Byas<br /></div><div><a href="https://justanothergirlandherbooks.blogspot.com/2024/02/review-stronger-together-by-terry-crews.html" target="_blank">Stronger Together</a> by Terry Crews and Rebecca King Crews<br /></div><div><a href="https://amzn.to/3SXyK5U" target="_blank">Riot Baby</a> by Tochi Onyebuchi<br /></div><div><a href="https://amzn.to/3T1AOcS" target="_blank">The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl</a> by Issa Rae<br /></div><div><a href="https://amzn.to/3wC7SAQ" target="_blank">A Girl is a Body of Water</a> by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi<br /></div><div><a href="https://amzn.to/49Blzyw" target="_blank">We're Going to Need More Wine</a> by Gabrielle Union<br /></div><div><a href="https://amzn.to/42Yp3bL" target="_blank">The Last Black Unicorn</a> by Tiffany Haddish<br /></div><div><a href="https://amzn.to/49UfBIN" target="_blank">The Poisons We Drink</a> by Bethany Baptiste</div><div><a href="https://amzn.to/3SSUzn0" target="_blank">White Smoke</a> by Tiffany D. Jackson<br /></div><div><a href="https://amzn.to/3TipryG" target="_blank">The Shadow Sister</a> by Lily Meade<br /></div><div><a href="https://amzn.to/3P3zm8Z" target="_blank">Dread Nation</a> by Justina Ireland<br /></div><div><a href="https://amzn.to/3OYnYLy" target="_blank">Everything's Trash, But It's Okay</a> by Phoebe Robinson<br /></div><div><a href="https://amzn.to/3OZa3or" target="_blank">For Black Girls Like Me</a> by Mariama J. Lockington<br /></div><div><a href="https://amzn.to/3uH2gos" target="_blank">Pride</a> by Ibi Zoboi<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>My blogging goal for March is to do some serious work on getting caught up on my backlogged reviews (I have over 80 non-children's books to write reviews for and more children's book reviews than that to write). I'd really like to see exactly what kind of hole I'm in on Netgalley, but to do that, I gotta' get my feedback written and submitted. Only 5 of the 22 books I finished in February were Netgalley books, but at least 5 of the books I read were Netgalley books (it could have been worse!) Anyway, I've got some reading to do to hit my amended page goal for the month, and only a few hours left to do it, so tata for now. - Katie </div><div><br /></div><br /><br /><div><br /></div>Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-30052165864803761242024-02-21T19:56:00.000-08:002024-02-21T19:56:29.204-08:00*Review* The Black Queen by Jumata Emill<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSAVAGOdeYf3z0v3q8bp_BD4EjEYig89x6v2wwf5s4jnDFviHLUeOjp9JhJcsNTkeA9HiN48bmO5dPGp3CyUIjrUsz_54EeeKxkKibtwsZWo6vDlZtVWjTw9xW8bEnC1OlrYQukbwb8ZVrnAV7Mer9r1re3tyY_x6QYXPKDEkV2D9gmul18dRfbsfRwcM/s1500/812wMCcj+jL._SL1500_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="993" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSAVAGOdeYf3z0v3q8bp_BD4EjEYig89x6v2wwf5s4jnDFviHLUeOjp9JhJcsNTkeA9HiN48bmO5dPGp3CyUIjrUsz_54EeeKxkKibtwsZWo6vDlZtVWjTw9xW8bEnC1OlrYQukbwb8ZVrnAV7Mer9r1re3tyY_x6QYXPKDEkV2D9gmul18dRfbsfRwcM/w424-h640/812wMCcj+jL._SL1500_.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: YA Thriller</div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: January 31, 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 396</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Nova Albright was going to be the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High—but now she's dead. Murdered on coronation night. Fans of </span><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">One of Us Is Lying</span><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"> and </span><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">The Other Black Girl</span><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"> will love this unputdownable thriller.</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Nova Albright, the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High, is dead. Murdered the night of her coronation, her body found the next morning in the old slave cemetery she spent her weekends rehabilitating.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Tinsley McArthur was </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">supposed</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"> to be queen. Not only is she beautiful, wealthy, and white, it’s her legacy—her grandmother, her mother, and even her sister wore the crown before her. Everyone in Lovett knows Tinsley would do anything to carry on the McArthur tradition.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />No one is more certain of that than Duchess Simmons, Nova’s best friend. Duchess’s father is the first Black police captain in Lovett. For Duchess, Nova’s crown was more than just a win for Nova. It was a win for all the Black kids. Now her best friend is dead, and her father won’t face the fact that the main suspect is right in front of him. Duchess is convinced that Tinsley killed Nova—and that Tinsley is privileged enough to think she can get away with it. But Duchess’s father seems to be doing what he always does: fall behind the blue line. Which means that the white girl is going to walk.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Duchess is determined to prove Tinsley’s guilt. And to do that, she’ll have to get close to her.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />But Tinsley has an agenda, too.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Everyone loved Nova. And sometimes, love is exactly what gets you killed.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For Black History Month this year, I decided I wanted to really focus my reading on books by Black authors, and as I'm currently on a YA horror/thriller kick, this was a great book to start me off. I was immediately drawn into the story, and although one of the two characters started out comparing situations to <i>She's All That</i>, I saw some serious <i>Bring it On</i> vibes at the beginning of things. In both cases Gabrielle Union is the reason for the comparisons (and even though she's over 40, she could probably STILL play a convincing teenager). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This story is told from two perspectives, her best friend Duchess and her arch-enemy Tinsley. They ultimately have the same goal of finding out who killed Nova and will stop at nothing to do it. Duchess wants justice for her friend and Tinsley desperately needs to clear her name, because she's the number one suspect after a drunken rant goes viral. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'd love to tell you that I saw all the twists and turns coming, and figured out who the killer was immediately, but that would be a big fat stinking lie. This book consistently had me second-guessing myself, and I didn't really figure out who the killer was until Tinsley and Duchess did. That basically never happens to me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As an added bonus, this book gave me up close and personal insight into how Black police officers can be viewed in their community, and the extra pressure it puts on them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall I give The Black Queen 4.76854 out of 5 stars. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3wdhgup" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jumata Emill is a journalist who has covered crime and local politics in Mississippi and parts of Louisiana. He earned his BA in mass communications from Southern University and A&M College. He’s a Pitch Wars alum and a member of the Crime Writers of Color. When he’s not writing about murderous teens, he’s watching and obsessively tweeting about every franchise of the Real Housewives. Jumata lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and is the author of The Black Queen and Wander in the Dark.</span></span></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-45381454063688174952024-02-21T19:26:00.000-08:002024-02-21T19:26:29.791-08:00*Review* The Unofficial Dollywood Cookbook by Erin Browne<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGnHQCTHkp5u5aBhPuafNz4RVX0KaKXsDapcLjwj5wapAAoZwrIeWU6NiAvcJz2bfi9OYQalX4TvZozw0iTY_sQGhbA1yzfspLuPcoDAPdT6jGpGiWtn5Qz6tjAlcAA72re6ODhpzdoYL-a81YLlxCc_eCPyInThm4EDUJVPwMmGHx9yqfwfN2693Q0E/s1500/81vsjwoiY8L._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1151" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGnHQCTHkp5u5aBhPuafNz4RVX0KaKXsDapcLjwj5wapAAoZwrIeWU6NiAvcJz2bfi9OYQalX4TvZozw0iTY_sQGhbA1yzfspLuPcoDAPdT6jGpGiWtn5Qz6tjAlcAA72re6ODhpzdoYL-a81YLlxCc_eCPyInThm4EDUJVPwMmGHx9yqfwfN2693Q0E/w492-h640/81vsjwoiY8L._SL1500_.jpg" width="492" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: Cookbook</div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: April 4, 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 240 </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700 !important; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Bring the fun of Dollywood right to your own kitchen with 100 of the most delicious foods from Dollywood and its surrounding parks.</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />From favorite snacks and main dishes to refreshing drinks and popular desserts, Dollywood has some incredible food. And now, you can recreate all of your favorites—and discover some new favorites—with these 100 recipes in </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic !important; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">The Unofficial Dollywood Cookbook</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />You’ll learn to make:<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />-Frannie’s Famous Fried Chicken Sandwich from Grandstand Café<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />-Meatloaf Stackers from Granny Ogle’s Ham ‘n’ Beans<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />-Fruity Pebbles Funnel Cakes from Crossroads Funnel Cakes<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />-And much more!<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Perfect for everyone from Dollywood super fans who miss those familiar flavors in between trips to fans who have never visited but still want to experience the amazing food, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic !important; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">The Unofficial Dollywood Cookbook</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"> has all the recipes you’ll need to make treats worthy of Dolly Parton herself.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have never been to Dollywood and before reading this cookbook didn't really know a whole lot about Dolly Parton either. I'm familiar with a few of her songs and knew what she looks like, but that's about it. After reading this cookbook, I feel like I know quite a bit more about Dolly Parton herself, and she seems like a pretty fantastic human being. I also feel like I know a fair bit about Dollywood now too (it seems to be a theme park along the lines of Silver Dollar City in Branson). And I have all of this information because it was included as information explaining the various different recipes and their inspiration. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I unfortunately did not have the opportunity to try any of the recipes from this book while I had access to the eARC, so I can't tell you if they are actually good, and I wouldn't know if they were at all accurate anyway. But boy, when I tell you this book made me so hungry. I was basically salivating over the recipes, and not only do I intend to buy myself a copy of this book so that I can actually try them out at home, but I also really wanna go to Dollywood now just to eat all the food. And while I'm no slouch in the kitchen, I'm also not a gourmet chef, but these recipes seemed fairly simple, with easy to follow instructions. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall I give <i>The Unofficial Dollywood Cookbook</i> 4.8756 out of 5 stars. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3I9ObTC" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Erin K. Browne is the blogger and photographer behind </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic !important; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Brownie Bites</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">, where she shares approachable, easy recipes that are as fun to make as they are to eat. She especially loves pop culture and fandom-inspired recipes, with Dollywood being a major source of such inspiration as the park is just a short drive from her home. Outside of the kitchen, Erin enjoys reading in a cozy chair, hiking in the mountains, and exploring the country in her family’s RV. She currently lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, with her husband, Matt, her two children, Jasper and Shelby, her goofball corgi, Dewey, and the sweetest kitty who ever lived, Ham. Learn more at <a href="http://BrownieBites.net">BrownieBites.net</a>.</span></span></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-14933652530722297772024-02-21T19:11:00.000-08:002024-02-21T19:11:52.444-08:00*Review* The Man or the Monster by Aamna Qureshi<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUALik2l6YVVh5fMQFINbTiFnWod9UOTVlWoORiCWR3zAWFXGKVvW0ZlUULtBRzwqAHDEsu1LdmgQWpqD5Et7J18RY25QFaJHXe5xd_YtegOVlmO8zOnzXS_M73lKJxobq_usxnMlNbftw2ofzmJXIHn74c2WIcuz9mWP-ymgW32fl9PtGGhYee0WAn5Q/s500/51sG8F3cPDL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="323" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUALik2l6YVVh5fMQFINbTiFnWod9UOTVlWoORiCWR3zAWFXGKVvW0ZlUULtBRzwqAHDEsu1LdmgQWpqD5Et7J18RY25QFaJHXe5xd_YtegOVlmO8zOnzXS_M73lKJxobq_usxnMlNbftw2ofzmJXIHn74c2WIcuz9mWP-ymgW32fl9PtGGhYee0WAn5Q/w414-h640/51sG8F3cPDL.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: YA Historical Fantasy</div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: August 30, 2022</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 450</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She made her decision. Now she has to live with it.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Durkhanai Miangul sealed her lover’s fate when she sent him through a door where either a lady or a lion awaited him. But her decision was only the beginning of her troubles. Durkhanai worries that she might not be the queen her people need or deserve when conflict threatens her kingdom.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Her presumed-dead father comes back with a vengeance and wishes she join him in his cause. But her family’s denial of his revenge forces Durkhanai to take matters into her own hands and she must decide whether to follow the traditions of her forefathers or forge a new path on her own.</span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received a copy of this audiobook through Netgalley. This is my honest review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I went into this book not realizing that it was the second book in a duology. This means that there was a lot of background information that readers are expected to have that I didn't. For instance, I have no idea why Asfandyar was in the arena facing the challenge in the first place. I can make some assumptions based on what happens in <i>The Man or the Monster</i>, but I don't know for sure. Which also means there are aspects of the court intrigue that I just don't have a full understanding of. But while I was listening to this audiobook, it didn't actually occur to me that it might be a sequel. I honestly kind of assumed I'd get some flashbacks to see where things went wrong between Durkhanai and Asfandyar. In spite of the missing background information, I felt like I understood the way this world worked as much as I was supposed to at the time, now I'm not so sure that's true. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This story was told from a few different perspectives, which allowed me to see a broad range of the events as they were happening, but also led to frustration as certain characters were clearly unnecessarily at odds with each other, they just didn't know that. I do feel like this approach helped me to feel less lost by coming into the tale halfway through. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The narration was a little rough for me at first, trying to listen through the accent, but once I got used to that, it sounded perfect. It helped to transport me across the world to another land and pulled me into the story. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall I give <i>The Man or the Monster</i> 4.2875 out of 5 stars. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/44wMV6e" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Aamna Qureshi is a Pakistani, Muslim American who adores words. She grew up in a very loud household, surrounded by English (for school), Urdu (for conversation), and Punjabi (for emotion). Through her writing, she wishes to inspire a love for the beautiful country and rich culture that informed much of her identity. When she's not writing, she loves to travel to new places where she can explore different cultures or to Pakistan where she can revitalize her roots. She also loves baking complicated desserts, drinking fancy teas and coffees, watching sappy rom-coms, and going for walks about the estate (her backyard). She currently lives in New York. Look for her on IG @aamna_qureshi and Twitter @aamnaqureshi_ and at her website <a href="http://aamnaqureshi.com">aamnaqureshi.com</a>.</span></span></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-5215536257299540592024-02-12T16:07:00.000-08:002024-02-12T16:07:20.490-08:00*Review* Smarty Ants by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmiN3wQBOfbnmbdso4RMb00w_UcuZKPjDu6QIabusdBs9AtFfL94X4rYAza1Kpg0Ff_LQ955lUcW08kK-PrvRserA_N0oEJ_2Z1MH3t3Hw9HAe3wQIichguCjMUbT_1g70xW-7BFHZapUpWdtf7_FKYg90ciAXuJ8wlnTPoweQPerkBVDW7GhDMTuLMas/s500/511oAGKG3iL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="402" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmiN3wQBOfbnmbdso4RMb00w_UcuZKPjDu6QIabusdBs9AtFfL94X4rYAza1Kpg0Ff_LQ955lUcW08kK-PrvRserA_N0oEJ_2Z1MH3t3Hw9HAe3wQIichguCjMUbT_1g70xW-7BFHZapUpWdtf7_FKYg90ciAXuJ8wlnTPoweQPerkBVDW7GhDMTuLMas/w514-h640/511oAGKG3iL.jpg" width="514" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: Children's 3-7 years</div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: August 1, 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 37</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Ants are busy little creatures, and these smarty ants are extra busy using their math skills! They are ready to build one gigantic home, filled with everything an ant could want. But what happens when disaster strikes? Dynamic author duo Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call (</span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Mootilda’s Bad Mood</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"> and </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Cold Turkey</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">) use simple addition, word play, and rhyming text to create a memorable math book that you will want to read over and over again.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This was a cute mathematical story about ants building a new house. The story itself progresses through the numbers 1-10, with some very simple sums as we go along, and then we even count back down from 10-1. Additionally, the story made a point of emphasizing all the words that contain ant, which I found cute. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The illustrations were super bold and colorful, really drawing your attention in and providing items for the children to count as you read along. I could read this book a few times before I'd want to hide it for a while to read something else. Overall I give <i>Smarty Ants</i> 3.9758 out of 5 stars. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/43N0Nsd" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Corey Rosen Schwartz is the author of The Three Ninja Pigs and a significant number of other rhyming picture books. She lives with her family in Warren, NJ, but is getting antsy and plans to relocate soon.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kirsti Call is an inhabitant of Antover, Massachusetts, where she can't stop reading and writing books. She's the author of Mootila's Bad Mood, Cold Turkey, Cow Says Meow, and The Big Scream. Find her at <a href="http://www.kirsticall.com">www.kirsticall.com</a>.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Erin Taylor loves to travel: by plane, train, automobile, and pencil. She has lived in three different hemispheres and strives to reflect her world experiences in her artwork. When Erin's feet are on the ground she loves time with her family, getting lost in the wild, and visiting the zoo. Drawing is a daily necessity, just like eating, which she also enjoys quite a bit!</span></span></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-74353874027042460462024-02-12T15:53:00.000-08:002024-02-12T15:53:45.513-08:00*Review* The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn by Amber Logan<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4cmx6BiEHnVBWrctZ8W1buS_giDtqJEDD2bVtf1rncydjNocIpWRsGfS9RQVpPlwMfmjnU7yO7weYcZxziGEjkw1kT8HJ2nZFk0l4d9IoNIMjnohfDBVbRZu8IIPRA9XOATtXIOKskqtkF2z3RqixsZ58SgXZ5ddvn8l1gVJDOeTzvJeuS6BVtpXM1k/s1500/81Hdrq2PH9L._SL1500_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="970" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4cmx6BiEHnVBWrctZ8W1buS_giDtqJEDD2bVtf1rncydjNocIpWRsGfS9RQVpPlwMfmjnU7yO7weYcZxziGEjkw1kT8HJ2nZFk0l4d9IoNIMjnohfDBVbRZu8IIPRA9XOATtXIOKskqtkF2z3RqixsZ58SgXZ5ddvn8l1gVJDOeTzvJeuS6BVtpXM1k/w414-h640/81Hdrq2PH9L._SL1500_.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: Mystery</div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: November 15, 2022</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 466</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cracked doesn’t always mean broken.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Grieving her mother’s death, Mari Lennox travels to Kyoto, Japan to take photographs of Yanagi Inn for a client. As she explores the inn and its grounds, her camera captures striking images, uncovering layers of mystery shrouding the old resort—including an overgrown, secret garden on a forbidden island. But then eerie weeping no one else in the inn seems to hear starts keeping her awake at night.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Despite the warnings of the staff, Mari searches the deep recesses of the old building to discover the source of the ghostly sound, only to realize that her own family’s history is tied to the inn, its mysterious, forlorn garden . . . and the secrets it holds.</span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received a copy of this audiobook through Netgalley. This is my honest review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I listened to this audiobook over three months ago, and I still think about it often. For me, it was a ghost story wrapped up in a mystery. There were a lot of things about the story that didn't seem to make much sense at first, like why Mari was invited to take photos of Yanagi Inn in the first place, since the owner seems to avoid it as much as possible. But as I learned more about the inn and Mari's connection to it, everything made so much more sense. I imagine a second reading/listen with the knowledge I now have would reveal some details and clues that I missed on my first listen. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Although the story got off to a slow start for me, once Mari started exploring the inn, I was drawn into the story in a big way. I wanted to know why she was so strongly discouraged from roaming around the grounds and why she kept hearing crying in the middle of the night. I was excited to see the reactions to her secret project. I really just wanted to ignore my responsibilities and keep listening. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The narration fit the character perfectly, at least the way I pictured the character in my mind. Although it's possible the narrators voice led to the picture in my head. Overall I give <i>The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn</i> 4.99836 out of 5 stars. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3RBnlsI" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Amber A. Logan is a university instructor, freelance editor, and author of speculative fiction living in Kansas with her husband and two children—Fox and Willow. In addition to her degrees in Psychology, Liberal Arts, and International Relations, Amber holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When she’s not writing, Amber enjoys trips to Japan, exploring unusual vegetarian foods, and reading Haruki Murakami.</span></p></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-57220955343641984692024-02-12T15:17:00.000-08:002024-02-12T15:17:24.178-08:00*Review* Who Made This Mess by Laura Gehl<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_KVDlxxxNhHSM4SuXx-p8f7vn0GJJENxLUQ7ql9O1auvIvFyCgU4R29ZJAX-DEkaFWtxuuGReVn73znon89PgnvNH3vhBHSy2A1-LdmQGud3neE1IFel4ez1UPk5uuNB2QTE4zAawh6kUlvbr_f_85Ls3WhVz3_2wIa3k8AgG7wp-PmWCzx2aGqPKY-8/s500/51TyEYlLKYL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="402" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_KVDlxxxNhHSM4SuXx-p8f7vn0GJJENxLUQ7ql9O1auvIvFyCgU4R29ZJAX-DEkaFWtxuuGReVn73znon89PgnvNH3vhBHSy2A1-LdmQGud3neE1IFel4ez1UPk5uuNB2QTE4zAawh6kUlvbr_f_85Ls3WhVz3_2wIa3k8AgG7wp-PmWCzx2aGqPKY-8/w514-h640/51TyEYlLKYL.jpg" width="514" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: Children's 3-8 years</div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: August 1, 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 37</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Mud splattered everywhere, tangled-up wool in huge piles, and carrot tops strewn about—what in the world is happening in this animal village? It’s quite a mystery! But thanks to rhyming clues, everyone will be able to easily guess the animal culprits—or will they? In this laugh-out-loud, expectation-defying picture book, Laura Gehl (</span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">May Saves the Day </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">and</span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"> The Hiking Viking</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">) uses a rhyming mystery to help readers adjust their outlook, keep an open mind, and learn not to make assumptions.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This rhyming story is about a farmer who is woken to loud mooing from outside and when he goes to investigate he finds messes upon messes. Throughout the story, the reader is asked who they believe made each of the messes, but the actual answer is never the obvious one, but rather a silly alternative. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The illustrations were colorful and bold, and also rather silly. I would have no problem reading this book several times as it had me giggling (although I'm sure it would get a little old after a while). I imagine the kids would appreciate when they learn the answers that aren't so obvious with multiple readings. Overall I give <i>Who Made This Mess</i> 4.3976 out of 5 stars. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3rF4sdT" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Laura Gehl is the author of popular picture books, board books, and early readers including One Big Pair of Underwear, My Pillow Keeps Moving, I Got a Chicken for My Birthday, the Peep and Egg series, and the Baby Scientist series. She lives in Chevy Chase, MD with her husband, four children, and large stash of dark chocolate.</span></span></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-13246799034594329052024-02-12T15:09:00.000-08:002024-02-12T15:09:54.560-08:00*Review* Stronger Together by Terry Crews and Rebecca King Crews<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLMwhuuSnG9YNcIZ8Z6sfECG0lUI8ZVmlJ31zSZnDcE92hkc31Z8CsZhCk-6c9QXIJrlcoCTqE1d0Fu0Ys7Q5o-ZGQoRG1FvBJQ-a_JgIycYcgdcBOcXFBID7m_m7Y5awL7UUC_uGfr70GqjrPfQMClyTpUMTLhgPxZZRaqwqjdJ-alMFqirkGJvaeAY/s500/51fRgNyBjTL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbLMwhuuSnG9YNcIZ8Z6sfECG0lUI8ZVmlJ31zSZnDcE92hkc31Z8CsZhCk-6c9QXIJrlcoCTqE1d0Fu0Ys7Q5o-ZGQoRG1FvBJQ-a_JgIycYcgdcBOcXFBID7m_m7Y5awL7UUC_uGfr70GqjrPfQMClyTpUMTLhgPxZZRaqwqjdJ-alMFqirkGJvaeAY/w640-h640/51fRgNyBjTL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Genre: Memoir</div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: April 15, 2021</div><div style="text-align: center;">Duration: 4 hours, 44 minutes</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important; font-weight: 700 !important;">America’s Got Talent </span><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700 !important;">host and comic personality Terry Crews and his wife, singer Rebecca King Crews, share the staggering ups and downs of their relationship and how they weathered the myriad crises that have rocked their marriage. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">In a unique narrative, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important;">Stronger Together </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">begins on the day everything fell apart. In their own voices, Terry and Rebecca recount D-Day, as they call it - the moment that Terry admitted his unfaithfulness and addiction to porn, and Rebecca told him not to come home. Charting a course back to their earliest days, each one shares more about their difficult childhoods. Growing up in Flint with a devout mother and abusive father, Terry became fascinated by superheroes, landed a career in the NFL, then in Hollywood, while hiding an addiction to porn that fueled a toxic masculinity that led to that awful day. Rebecca, whose father died when she was a child, recounts being the only biracial child in Gary, Indiana, her passion for singing, her early pregnancy, her devotion to God, and her blind faith in Terry despite the challenges of being an NFL wife, her passion for motherhood, and the emotional pain when Terry’s hidden addiction was exposed. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As they share their journey, the mistakes they made, the moments that shifted their worlds, and ultimately, what put them back together, they provide hope, reflection and comfort. In this audiobook, you will also hear the kindness in their voices, and what it sounds like to have a partner who truly listens, respects and loves. The book includes a final coda about the year 2020 when the couple endured Rebecca’s breast cancer diagnosis and controversy around Terry’s social media comments. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Honest, intimate and filled with hope, Terry and Rebecca make you feel if they can survive it, you and your partner can, too.</span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This book is only available as an audiobook, but that just so happens to be my favorite way to indulge in celebrity memoirs so that was perfect for me. I really liked the way this audiobook was presented, with each person telling their part of things as it became relevant. It felt like they were right in front of me, telling me their story. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was really interesting to me to hear about how they each grew up, and how those experiences shaped them, especially Terry's story. I apparently have really only known feminist Terry, so it was a bit of a shock to me to hear some of the beliefs he had and the ways he acted before their D-Day. But that also gives me a measure of hope if we could just get the men to want to change for the better. He also briefly speaks about his sexual assault and the blowback he received from speaking about it during the Me Too movement, which just goes to show that women also have some work to do, because Me Too should be for everyone who has ever been victimized, regardless of their gender. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall I give <i>Stronger Together</i> 4.56438 out of 5 stars. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3UFP9OU" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Amazon does not provide any information about that author. </div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-32264729093305797392024-02-10T21:10:00.000-08:002024-02-10T21:10:15.626-08:00*Review* Sense of Play by Dana Meachen Rau<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfxyyoprjiDUhdA0PnkHVpZGuHuO1OpLW9ZgjubG4pkd1Jtx0fb6uuqpRa5e2zrac5jzcFmO51iu0jO6F58lnS0jYzVx_1Dr24TjtaPNZebSrfGC-NawHWtRN0bWpWx1Mr0naRNdwOMHtiayrfS-zx4t6DiXIrkBKEscMB0NvBVsx2XgkRNm0ntwsS_WA/s500/41AE1MMxXEL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="402" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfxyyoprjiDUhdA0PnkHVpZGuHuO1OpLW9ZgjubG4pkd1Jtx0fb6uuqpRa5e2zrac5jzcFmO51iu0jO6F58lnS0jYzVx_1Dr24TjtaPNZebSrfGC-NawHWtRN0bWpWx1Mr0naRNdwOMHtiayrfS-zx4t6DiXIrkBKEscMB0NvBVsx2XgkRNm0ntwsS_WA/w514-h640/41AE1MMxXEL.jpg" width="514" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: Children's 3-7</div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: August 1, 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 37</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Joy and Chip wake early for a full day of play. Inside, outside. Riding bikes, reading books. Taking turns, sharing treats. And no day is complete without creating an adventure with their imaginations. Chip is Blind. Joy has sight. Their day is filled with so much more than play. They see the world together. Dana Meachen Rau describes a simple, joyful day between siblings celebrating the senses beyond sight—the sounds, smells, tastes, and textures that make playing together play so much fun.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is a story about a brother and sister who spend their day playing together in different ways...and the ways in which their play looks different based on the fact that Chip is blind while Joy is not. The story really seemed to focus on inclusion in spite of the children's differences, because Joy never left Chip out of the fun. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The illustrations were bold and really helped to showcase the different ways that Chip and Joy played together. I would definitely be willing to read this book a few times since it teaches children not to exclude others who may be different from them, and does it in a fun way. Overall I give <i>Sense of Play</i> 3.9857 out of 5 stars. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3ruP1F7" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dana Meachen Rau worked as a children's book editor before launching into her writing career. Since then, she has written more than 350 books for children, including picture books, early readers, nonfiction, and biographies for preschool to high school. Visit Dana's website at <a href="http://www.danameachenrau.com">www.danameachenrau.com</a> to learn more about her and her books.</span></span></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-26537269212411407112024-02-10T20:16:00.000-08:002024-02-10T20:16:16.697-08:00*Review* Queen's Catacombs by Jordan H. Bartlett<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpbf4VMaUkhyMhuIklkDHB3g-BnbdRZMiIJcyIuvq20cEOyVH6z3OJsefkAb7QiD4phy2OCmYAqub9FZgdB2zhJCnnoZFgoh4iWGrUCM3P7WTyqgHoevapmawxYtlSVueHNTER2GyyaEOuy-TnNUQTUdUYEA8Igr-Vq7DJH21VxdkVe1MagLMPkJBYMRw/s1500/81XMZbq3qqL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="970" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpbf4VMaUkhyMhuIklkDHB3g-BnbdRZMiIJcyIuvq20cEOyVH6z3OJsefkAb7QiD4phy2OCmYAqub9FZgdB2zhJCnnoZFgoh4iWGrUCM3P7WTyqgHoevapmawxYtlSVueHNTER2GyyaEOuy-TnNUQTUdUYEA8Igr-Vq7DJH21VxdkVe1MagLMPkJBYMRw/w414-h640/81XMZbq3qqL._SL1500_.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Genre: Fantasy</div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: March 14, 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 410</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700 !important;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Winning the crown was only the beginning.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jacs, now the rightful Queen of Frea, seems to be Queen in title alone. She scrambles to learn the customs and traditions of a Realm she had only read about in books. The Council of Four have her firmly under their thumb, and their ideas for the Queendom are oppressive and outdated. Their knowledge of her mother and Master Leschi’s whereabouts is the only leverage they need to make the new Queen dance to their tune.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jacs is determined to find those who were taken from her and do what’s right for her Queendom. But in her search for answers, Jacs uncovers a much darker truth from the Queendom’s past that will forever change its future.</span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received a copy of this audiobook through Netgalley. This is my honest review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I seem to be making quite the habit lately of starting book series out of order. That is what happened here with <i>Queen's Catacombs</i>, as it is book two in a series and I've not read or even listened to book one. This is important information, as many of my struggles with this book would probably have been non-existent had I simply read the first book first. The biggest of those was keeping all the characters positions and relationship to Jacs straight (although some of that problem may also be attributed to the fact that I was listening to the book rather than reading). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Queen's Catacombs</i> is what you would get if you wrote a fantasy novel with Barbieland as your original world inspiration. All of the positions that are typically filled by men in our historical or typical fantasy worlds are filled by women in this novel, a fact I was constantly having to remind myself of when titles like Lord and Master were being used, and my initial inclination was to put a male face in that place. And the oppressive female dominance feels just as wrong in this book as it does in the recent Barbie movie. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Even with my struggles putting faces to names, I was absolutely drawn into this story and the intrigue of the queendom. I wanted to see how Jacs would solve her problems and assert the authority that she was supposed to have, even though the Council of Four was not interested in a Lowerite having any real power. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The narration felt like it fit the main character really well, but it didn't feel like there was much difference in the way most of the female characters spoke. The male characters voices did have a slightly deeper tone and felt at least natural adjacent as it was narrated by a woman. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall I give Queen's Catacombs 3.9856 out of 5 stars. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3utDzLU" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700 !important; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Jordan H. Bartlett </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">is a New Zealand-born Canadian with a love for children’s literature and female empowerment. She grew up reading books about boys for boys and found it hard to find a strong female heroine she could relate to. Bartlett wrote </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic !important; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Contest of Queens </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">to give young readers that character she so longed for in a world where gender norms are reversed. Bartlett currently resides in Banff, Alberta where she works as a Speech Language Pathologist and is a certified yoga instructor.</span></span></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-39778956451221729152024-02-10T19:55:00.000-08:002024-02-10T19:55:04.876-08:00*Review* Poemhood: Our Black Revival edited by Amber McBride, Erica Martin, and Taylor Byas<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiyFvJh9g71uviQzBQKRruoN5UkqzFuC-ecTeMbZZ7zQYyeVnVl50HJPM4SKHb9Yzavsm36VT_ijBfoAw9dwdMwRp4TaEBzAzFiLplInprtMlSKgWMxMZeorACzhJ0OZpr9vwtNtIey1prmEgQTdakRrRrUBXv8IQEkRtYGQey1BUBcQGdkj2kW6qUmbk/s1500/81BoBUdENGL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="993" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiyFvJh9g71uviQzBQKRruoN5UkqzFuC-ecTeMbZZ7zQYyeVnVl50HJPM4SKHb9Yzavsm36VT_ijBfoAw9dwdMwRp4TaEBzAzFiLplInprtMlSKgWMxMZeorACzhJ0OZpr9vwtNtIey1prmEgQTdakRrRrUBXv8IQEkRtYGQey1BUBcQGdkj2kW6qUmbk/w424-h640/81BoBUdENGL._SL1500_.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: Poetry</div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: January 30, 2024</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 160</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700 !important;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Starring thirty-seven poets, with contributions from acclaimed authors, including Kwame Alexander, Ibi Zoboi, and Nikki Giovanni, this breathtaking Black YA poetry anthology edited by National Book Award finalist Amber McBride, Taylor Byas, and Erica Martin celebrates Black poetry, folklore, and culture.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Come, claim your wings.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lift your life above the earth,</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">return to the land of your father’s birth.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What exactly is it to be Black in America?</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, for some, it’s learning how to morph the hatred placed by others into love for oneself; for others, it’s unearthing the strength it takes to continue to hold one’s swagger when multitudinous factors work to make Black lives crumble. For some, it’s gathering around the kitchen table as Grandma tells the story of Anansi the spider, while for others it's grinning from ear to ear while eating auntie’s spectacular 7Up cake.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Black experiences and traditions are complex, striking, and vast—they stretch longer than the Nile and are four times as deep—and carry more than just unimaginable pain—there is also joy.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Featuring an all-star group of thirty-seven powerful poetic voices, including such luminaries as Kwame Alexander, James Baldwin, Ibi Zoboi, Audre Lorde, Nikki Giovanni, and Gwendolyn Brooks, this riveting anthology depicts the diversity of the Black experience by fostering a conversation about race, faith, heritage, and resilience between fresh poets and the literary ancestors that came before them.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Edited by Taylor Byas, Erica Martin, and Coretta Scott King New Talent Award winner Amber McBride, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important;">Poemhood </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">will simultaneously highlight the duality and nuance at the crux of so many Black experiences with poetry being the psalm constantly playing.</span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I won a copy of this book through Goodreads. This is my honest review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm not going to lie and pretend like I immediately understood every poem in this collection. In fact, there were some that I'm still not sure I really get even with the super helpful outros that followed every poem. But in my experience, that's kind of the nature of poetry. Sometimes I just don't get it, and these poems deriving from the Black experience, which I clearly do not have, left me with even less inherent understanding overall. But every poem in this collection was followed by a short explanation, so even when I didn't know what event the poem was referencing or drawing inspiration from while reading the poem, I still got that insight in the end. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The poems that I did understand while reading the first time, hit kind of hard. They tended to reference more recent events, and while I still can't entirely relate to the experiences described, I felt like I was getting a different perspective on the events, often deeper or more personal. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I will likely revisit these poems at some point in the future, and like with most poetry, rereading will hopefully increase my understanding of the themes even more. Overall I give this collection 4.6397 out of 5 stars. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3UDX92G" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700 !important;">Amber McBride </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">is currently an assistant professor at the University of Virginia. She received her MFA in poetry from Emerson College in 2012. She also served as the media assistant at the Furious Flower Poetry Center. Her poetry has appeared in various literary magazines, including </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important;">Ploughshares</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important;">Provincetown Arts</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important;">Willow Springs</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">, the</span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important;"> Cincinnati Review</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">, the</span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important;"> Rumpus</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">, and others. She has been nominated twice for Best on the Net awards. Her debut YA novel in verse, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important;">Me (Moth),</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> was a finalist for the Morris Award and National Book Award in Children’s Literature and won the John Steptoe–Coretta Scott King Award. Her sophomore novel in verse, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important;">We Are All So Good at Smiling,</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> received four starred reviews.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700 !important;">Erica Martin </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">is a freelance editor and a poet. Her debut poetry collection, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important;">And We Rise</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">, was an ABA Indies Introduce selection as well as an ABA Indie Next pick. She has been featured by </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important;">Oprah Daily</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> and enjoys making a difference in the world through political activism, reading, and writing. When she’s not reading and writing, you can find her editing, baking pies, or watching </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important;">The Vampire Diaries</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> for the millionth time.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700 !important;">Taylor Byas </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">is a Black Chicago native currently living in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is the first-place winner of the 2020 Poetry Super Highway, the 2020 Frontier Poetry Award for New Poets, and the 2021 Adrienne Rich Award for Poetry. She is the author of the chapbooks </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important;">Bloodwarm</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> and </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important;">Shutter</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> and her debut full-length collection, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important;">I Done Clicked My Heels Three Times</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">. She is also a coeditor of the forthcoming </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic !important;">The Southern Poetry Anthology, Volume X: Alabama.</span></span></p></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-11998307363722634102024-02-09T22:07:00.000-08:002024-02-09T22:07:03.219-08:00Semi-Annual Check in Post 2024<div style="text-align: left;"> Hey y'all. So it's been a little over a year since I did one of these things, and I did not do a very good job of meeting the goals I set for myself in last years' (I think I only read about 6 months worth of children's books, and I still need to write the reviews for half of them!) But it's been a new year for over a month which means I once again have some motivation to "make some changes and get serious about my blogging!" But like, I've learned some lessons from my mistakes in the past. This year I am not trying to read and review a kids book every single day to work on padding my Netgalley feedback percentage. While it is still a great way for me to make up for my Netgalley hole, it was clearly too much for me to maintain, so I'm not doing it. What I do plan to do this year, with the goal of improving that feedback percentage, is read and review a children's book for every non-children's book I get through Netgalley. That means I'll get at least one review written for every two books I download, and will help me with my goals. But first, I need to get all my backlogged reviews written and posted and uploaded on Netgalley. I don't even know what my actual reading percentage on Netgalley is because of how many reviews I currently need to write, so over the next several days, I hope to make a very serious dent in those. Wish me luck. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm also currently battling my arch-nemesis to read more books than she does. As of about 8 pm this evening, we are tied with 26 books read for the year (she was ahead of me this morning). As the race is currently neck and neck, that may slow down my review writing some, but I'm hopeful that it will not as reading more books just means I have more reviews I need to write, and I will struggle more and more with the reviews if I put them off too long (and I'm already 6 months behind so...) </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Finally, I've been making a more concerted effort to read books that I've won through Goodreads giveaways, but also books that I've purchased at the thrift store. I make those book selections a bit of a game that I may bring to my Facebook page on a more regular basis where I've been having my Facebook friends vote on a selection of 5 books to determine which one I should read next. So far it's been adding an extra shot of dopamine for me as they interact with my post. This has had the added benefit of my husband being less annoyed by my personal library of books since I'm reading more physical books now as well. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And that is basically what's going on for me bookishly. Do you have any goals, bookish or otherwise, you are working on this year? - Katie </div>Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-60929461221874631242024-02-09T21:30:00.000-08:002024-02-09T21:31:32.251-08:00*Review* The Art of Extreme Self-Care by Cheryl Richardson<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSlv8CYGU6OK9oFSQenUJyPyik8y0HSPt_NE6NFhQQycwTlpJnI7c_mTPFfBOsLJWAOQJjoU47z786efd9eDHOqi7UuDn0fqEgVJG4RFexMgfGExaOgMhDkI1xttVHY5DgN2ptvPw06kG1HNH4vy7RaXSE93sk69Tvmdghy9WblmVTOd4xscqlBfVT54/s1500/718p5vogjJL._SL1500_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="971" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSlv8CYGU6OK9oFSQenUJyPyik8y0HSPt_NE6NFhQQycwTlpJnI7c_mTPFfBOsLJWAOQJjoU47z786efd9eDHOqi7UuDn0fqEgVJG4RFexMgfGExaOgMhDkI1xttVHY5DgN2ptvPw06kG1HNH4vy7RaXSE93sk69Tvmdghy9WblmVTOd4xscqlBfVT54/w414-h640/718p5vogjJL._SL1500_.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: Self-Help</div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: January 1, 2009</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 162</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">"For the last 20 years I've dedicated my personal and professional life to the importance of self-care by teaching from my own experience," writes Cheryl Richardson. "In the past, I've sacrificed my health and my relationships for work, given to others at the expense of my own needs, and watched my dreams slip through the cracks of a busy life. As a result, I've learned a lot about what it takes to put an end to the madness. . . . From years of personal experience, as well as coaching great men and women, I've come to understand that selfishness leads to selflessness. When we care deeply for ourselves, we naturally begin to care for others - our families, our friends, our greater global community, and the environment - in a healthier and more effective way. We tell the truth. We make choices from love instead of guilt and obligation. And we soon realize that we're all connected and that our individual actions affect a greater whole."<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />This updated edition of Cheryl's best-selling handbook </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">The Art of Extreme Self-Care</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"> brings her message home to readers with a new section about forming and running a successful support group, as well as updated resources so readers stay inspired and motivated. Her practical, action-oriented program outlines 12 strategies to transform your life one month at a time, each one challenging you to alter one behavior that's blocking your path. Chapters include "End the Legacy of Deprivation," "Find Your Passion," "The Absolute No List," and "Does That Anger Taste Good?" (Hint: it really doesn't.)</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is one of the rare books that I read for a reason other than winning it through a giveaway or receiving a review copy through Netgalley or the publisher. It was not a book that I picked up just because I wanted to improve myself though. I was considering joining a group of theoretically like-minded people wanting to meet and improve ourselves. The idea sounded intriguing because I'm a hot mess and could definitely use some work. But this book just isn't the one for me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A major issue I had with this book is that the advice comes from a place of serious privilege. Many of the suggestions for "extreme self-care" absolutely require disposable income. One of the examples given was a suggestion made to a coaching client to hire a maid service to clean the house once a week for the man's wife so that he could get laid more. And if you have the income to pull things like that off, great, but most of us do not, and there just weren't a lot of suggestions that don't require financial investment. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Beyond that, a lot of the advice presumes that the reader has a large and reliable social group, a wide array of people to approach for different issues. Because "don't do this all alone!" And that's not bad advice when you have loads of local friends and family you can lean on. But for an introvert with three kind of close friends, I literally can't be leaning on my friends as much as is suggested in this book without becoming a serious burden for someone else. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was also bothered by how many of the resources were other works by the same author. It felt very self-serving to me because the idea really seems to be to go out and get those resources too to help with your extreme self-care, which would obviously lead to further lining the author's pockets. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All that being said, I don't read a lot of self-help books, so I don't know if this is standard for the genre or not. But for me, this book was a 1.4632 out of 5 star read. It's real saving grace is that it was short and quick. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/486hTDm" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Cheryl Richardson</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"> is the </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">New York Times</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"> best-selling author of several books, including </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Take Time for Your Life</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Life Makeovers</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Stand Up for Your Life</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">The Unmistakable Touch of Grace</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">You Can Create an Exceptional Life</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"> with Louise Hay, and </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Waking Up in Winter: In Search of What Really Matters at Midlife</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">. Her work has been covered widely in the media including </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Good Morning America</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">The Today Show</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">CBS This Morning</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">USA Today</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">, </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">Good Housekeeping</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">, and </span><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">O Magazine</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">. Cheryl hosts an online community on Facebook at Facebook.com/CherylRichardson, and on Twitter and Instagram under username coachoncall. Visit her website at: CherylRichardson.com</span></span></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-58414412255798574412024-02-09T21:08:00.000-08:002024-02-09T21:08:41.688-08:00*Review* Jester by Brielle D. Porter<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRvx1TLwpu1JCalsjbfdsrAiFFP8jttcFPemTy3zGnJryGekzebd5B1-NTXa1SS1N7LCRC0-VPV8Wos8RxrKN8I8395L-JhnLxL6FAfox8kCgYl0o7H5A44dHTRLaRZora42smg9laPLEB_6IzMZxPqIEKa9V_5E46xK6qUwcW67g5rw2ZhRrwiFXaqU/s500/51Wt+2MPZ4L.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="323" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRvx1TLwpu1JCalsjbfdsrAiFFP8jttcFPemTy3zGnJryGekzebd5B1-NTXa1SS1N7LCRC0-VPV8Wos8RxrKN8I8395L-JhnLxL6FAfox8kCgYl0o7H5A44dHTRLaRZora42smg9laPLEB_6IzMZxPqIEKa9V_5E46xK6qUwcW67g5rw2ZhRrwiFXaqU/w414-h640/51Wt+2MPZ4L.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: YA Fantasy Romance</div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: August 9, 2022</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 450</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What happens in Oasis, stays in Oasis.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lisette’s father killed the King. His execution leaves Lisette alone, disgraced, and without the magic he intended to pass on to her. In Oasis, that’s a problem. Glutted with enchanted performers, Oasis is a sin city where courtiers pay in gold to drink, gamble, and above all, be entertained. To survive on its competitive streets, Lisette peddles paltry illusions in place of magic.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Desperate to prove herself, Lisette enters into a deadly competition to be chosen as the highest-ranked magician in the world, the Queen’s Jester. But her rival, the irritatingly handsome Luc, possesses the one thing Lisette does not—real magic. Lisette will do anything to win, but when evidence implicating the Queen in her husband’s murder surfaces, Lisette must choose between redeeming her family name, or seizing the fame she’s hungered for her entire life.</span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received a copy of this audiobook through Netgalley. This is my honest review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This book was a wild ride. As far as I could tell, it seems to be set in fantasy Vegas, so typical laws just don't really apply there, but it's also a place known for it's amazing magical shows. Just imagine trying to survive and thrive in that world, when your family's magic has been taken from you. That's exactly what Lisette is trying to do. Not only that, but her dream is to become the jester for the queen, one of the highest honors in the realm, but to do that, she's got to put on the absolute best show. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was cheering for Lisette's success from the get go, because I just can't help to root for the underdog in all things. But she was also just a really fun character and I loved her sass, so I wanted good things for her for those reasons too. Then there was the relationship between Lisette and Luc. Their interactions were always full of the best quips. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Although the twists in this story didn't take me by surprise, I didn't see all of them coming from the start. Some of them definitely almost snuck up on me, but their footsteps were just a little too loud for me to miss. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The narration felt perfect for the story and the opposite gendered voices didn't bug me at all. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall I give Jester 4.3067 out of 5 stars. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/44SEmCP" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Brielle D. Porter decided to become a writer after a well-meaning elementary school teacher told her she had a gift for it. Stolen moments under the covers reading anything from Harry Potter to William Goldman solidified the desire to tell stories herself one day. Jester is her debut novel.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Brielle lives with her husband and three sons on a lavender farm in Northern Idaho. When she’s not writing, she can be found running and beekeeping. Only ask her about her hobbies if you have plenty of time to spare.</span></p></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-30999695780410500902024-02-09T20:53:00.000-08:002024-02-09T20:53:57.158-08:00*Review* Betty the Yeti Hates Spaghetti by Mandy R. Marx<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzsxQciTPDphERw_zj40QbPDBAJnh7gM0HUmZI-R2WJKC-nDtPmdiZs0fOqk6VLGj_LgDPOaumvC1mqqwNs3hGZF8Hgid-8-o4gPIFpYZ9cRlWeeyNxH5Ge1svE4DXLt8m8VT7i465a6NSM3fMz5bc-4AdhQChvdW_jUj3NYaltjAXT9NvwcY9zWaA54M/s2560/81OIPscLXrL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1672" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzsxQciTPDphERw_zj40QbPDBAJnh7gM0HUmZI-R2WJKC-nDtPmdiZs0fOqk6VLGj_LgDPOaumvC1mqqwNs3hGZF8Hgid-8-o4gPIFpYZ9cRlWeeyNxH5Ge1svE4DXLt8m8VT7i465a6NSM3fMz5bc-4AdhQChvdW_jUj3NYaltjAXT9NvwcY9zWaA54M/w418-h640/81OIPscLXrL.jpg" width="418" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: Children's 5-8 years</div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: July 31, 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 32</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Betty and her family of yetis just moved to their new apartment. Betty's never lived around humans before now. When friendly neighbors bring the Yetis dinner, Betty eats spaghetti for the first time and it's nothing like she expected! Will Betty adjust to a new neighborhood, new foods, and new friends?</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is a story about a yeti named Betty whose family moves into a new apartment in a building with humans. Betty really didn't want to move because she liked her home and everything was familiar and comfortable there. In the new building, some of the human neighbors come to visit and invite the yeti family to dinner where they're having spaghetti. But Betty has never had spaghetti before, and it's very different from what she usually eats and she just doesn't want to try it. But then she makes friends with the neighbor girl and realizes things in her new home might not be as bad as she feared. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The illustrations for this book were very colorful and fun. I wouldn't mind reading this book several times because I appreciate the message and it was just a cute little story. Overall I give it 4.738 out of 5 stars. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/44RAiCF" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mandy R. Marx is a writer and editor. She lives in a chilly town in Minnesota with her husband, daughter, and a white, silky haired pup. She has a curious mind and stays on the lookout for yetis. In her spare time, Mandy enjoys singing, laughing with friends and family, and walking her pup through what she suspects is a magical forest.</span></span></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-85739286930123841492024-02-09T20:47:00.000-08:002024-02-09T20:47:57.326-08:00*Review* Sammy the Sasquatch by Claire Marie<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfd4P_Ra5zUqTxM6HOXf_ksH9uYP4qnShdkDW_s2HfgvviibR-I-_iFE3X_2t5WO0BJ5ciWTli3Kn76oFwmIrzHvkCC4g2o4sdM8X6EjkDq5HCgw1EGcH-STtwZdAQ90GD40RBcbqfNgMBj_3GwfY8IJa_fzH15A1u9MRzUflJYB_5k5cX94RNrRE-9o/s500/519mfBoyWvL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfd4P_Ra5zUqTxM6HOXf_ksH9uYP4qnShdkDW_s2HfgvviibR-I-_iFE3X_2t5WO0BJ5ciWTli3Kn76oFwmIrzHvkCC4g2o4sdM8X6EjkDq5HCgw1EGcH-STtwZdAQ90GD40RBcbqfNgMBj_3GwfY8IJa_fzH15A1u9MRzUflJYB_5k5cX94RNrRE-9o/w640-h640/519mfBoyWvL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: Children's 3-7 years</div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: April 18, 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 30</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Little readers and their loved ones are invited to the magical world of Crittertopia and introduced to the Critter Elders whose magic helps keep it safe in Claire Marie's new and empowering children's book </span><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;">Sammy the Sasquatch: Welcome to Crittertopia</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">. Readers in the 4 to 8-year-old age group and beyond meet Sammy the Sasquatch and her friends in Crittertopia who gently teach us all about doing lockdowns, </span><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">locks, lights, out of sight</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">, and how kids can be empowered to keep themselves safe.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">In </span><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;">Sammy the Sasquatch</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">, Sammy and her Forest Friends show readers around Crittertopia and help teach them how they can keep it safe from curious humans who accidentally wander in. The Critter Elders teach kids how to do a lockdown, "locks, lights, out of sight," and normalize this practice in a trauma-informed (non-scary) way.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">With a delightful blend of informative content, magical setting, and adorable illustrations, </span><span class="a-text-bold a-text-italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700;">Sammy the Sasquatch</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> is the first children's book to clearly teach the steps of doing a lockdown through an imaginative yet relatable story. This book also provides a four-page learning guide to support parents and caring adults on how to have trauma-informed conversations with kids on emergency preparedness.</span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is a story about a sasquatch named Sammy who is taking your children on a tour of her hometown. They end up at her school, which is very much like a human school when an unexpected human shows up and they have to enact their special human security protocol. They talk about being very quiet and turning off the lights and hiding, and it was at about that point that I realized this was basically describing a lockdown drill, which just made me sad, because I hate that that is a thing students in America have to do on a regular basis for safety. But I can see how this book could help teachers of very young students explain it to their classes to make the drills themselves less scary. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The illustrations were very bold and colorful, and as fun as they can be considering the subject matter. I wouldn't want to read this book more than one as the subject matter makes me angry, but I also came to the book after my kids were old enough to not need this kind of coddling to practice for a potential school shooting. So in spite of my feelings on the subject matter, I give this book 4.328 out of 5 stars. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/46YTbp1" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">School Emergency Management Expert, Trauma Informed Practices Consultant, and former Reserve Law Enforcement Officer, Claire Marie has led efforts to support community and systems level trauma informed and resilience practices through education, implementation, and evaluation since 2015. Her work spans across K-12 school emergency preparedness & management, school safety & prevention systems, community service agencies, and law enforcement mental health and wellness. She is passionate about approaching emergency preparedness through a trauma-informed lens and supporting others to do the same.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Working as a leader in K-12 school safety and emergency management, Claire Marie often hears about young kids and adults struggling with lockdown drills. In her new book, Sammy the Sasquatch: Welcome to Crittertopia she hopes to support adults in lifting the veil of secrecy and silence around practicing lockdown drills through trauma-informed stories along with a magical world that safely introduce kids to different practices that empower them to keep safe, every day, regardless of what is going on in the world around them.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Connect with Claire Marie at <a href="http://www.SammyAndFriends.org">www.SammyAndFriends.org</a>, on Facebook at Sammy & Friends, and on Instagram @WelcomeToCrittertopia</span></p></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-42748066243595566912024-02-09T20:35:00.000-08:002024-02-09T20:35:47.869-08:00*Review* The Boy King's Tale as Told by Geoffrey Chaucer by Michael January<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kivBBR-gVf1Ju4xHysxyqXI0MDBXhZGIu741dd9theN4J1dFeJPOxZJbi0XZT3JmRRS3W1hWM-EmVwy6kIcE8XJV8OPpNFiSt-vbpKR1XodGQVylkpzKE1PLUhNGoEhH4FEgxc_WgUrBYwopyVNIfNYowS2PD2paNu_6tTggfXQmEpCMSEII0bdrN8o/s500/51MzB0ZuLWL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="328" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kivBBR-gVf1Ju4xHysxyqXI0MDBXhZGIu741dd9theN4J1dFeJPOxZJbi0XZT3JmRRS3W1hWM-EmVwy6kIcE8XJV8OPpNFiSt-vbpKR1XodGQVylkpzKE1PLUhNGoEhH4FEgxc_WgUrBYwopyVNIfNYowS2PD2paNu_6tTggfXQmEpCMSEII0bdrN8o/w420-h640/51MzB0ZuLWL.jpg" width="420" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Genre: Historical Fiction</div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Published:</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 209</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The true adventure of young King Edward III. In The Boy King’s Tale, two entwined love stories, young and old, lead to betrayal, murder and the near overthrow of a kingdom in this epic story of son and bride, mother and lover, in the extraordinary tale of the earliest days of one of England’s most revered kings, Edward III. Parts of the story have been glimpsed before, the folly of a king and the beautiful queen who raised an army to defeat him and place her young son on the throne in his place, but here is told of the queen’s plot with her lover to murder her son and his young queen bride, to place their infant prince on the English throne that they might rule in absolute power. The dark and twisted world of medieval politics, war, glory, love, sex and romance, and the fate of the future are in the balance on one fateful night when rescue or death was held on the turn of a confession to a faceless monk. Told by English court poet, Geoffrey Chaucer, as one of his tales, on the day death bells toll from the steeples of Westminster.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received a copy of this audiobook through Netgalley. This is my honest review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This story was told as a story within a story, much like <i>The Princess Bride</i>, it just uses a very well known English author as the main storyteller. It seems to tell the true story of King Edward III, but I don't know enough of British history to even begin to guess at how accurate the story is. I'm also not really sure what was gained from writing the story as if it were being told by Chaucer. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All that aside, I was absolutely engrossed in the tale. The intrigue of court and a woman conspiring against both her husband and her son in an attempt to wield her own power over the land. It honestly felt like she was just up there conspiring to kill everyone who might possibly be against her and her new man. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The narration was mostly pleasant, although I did have a small issue with the opposite gendered voices feeling a little bit like caricatures, but only slightly as there wasn't a real heavy emphasis on them. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall I give The Boy King's Tale 3.9743 out of 5 stars. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3Q486Zi" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Michael January is a writer for film and television as well as a travel writer and photographer. His "Favorite Castles" book series is in its fifth edition with "Favorite Castles of Germany" and "Favorite Castles of Switzerland" as well as England, Wales and the Castles of Ireland. He regularly writes of historical connections and has followed in the literal footsteps the Romantic writers. "The Secret Memoirs of Mary Shelley: Frankenstein Diaries - The Romantics" was his first historical novel. Next followed the WWII adventure and love story of pilots in the Battle of Britain, "Aces". He also appears in the screenwriting documentary and companion book from Harper Collins "Tales From The Script: 50 Hollywood Screenwriters".</span></span></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-21681869241853138122024-02-09T19:51:00.000-08:002024-02-09T19:51:11.372-08:00*Review* The Orphan Witch by Paige Crutcher<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-PgS1TLUY2X8JXmdORHzj2Qd7OeJRaUGNJkYwBR-uNLoOmMhOziQbx1jnoxqtRwjI9OmpMJ4NzFldSk8E7mULty-4uiwrxoOJwDyf749Fkw9AaL40GA3TlC61DH3N4yFYDqZG7E8SvaFeRoeEiBTfNH2hq7nIjx_VvMtUYVCPXWglYmYa8SzPVzWAL_8/s500/51eV26q-J6L.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="326" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-PgS1TLUY2X8JXmdORHzj2Qd7OeJRaUGNJkYwBR-uNLoOmMhOziQbx1jnoxqtRwjI9OmpMJ4NzFldSk8E7mULty-4uiwrxoOJwDyf749Fkw9AaL40GA3TlC61DH3N4yFYDqZG7E8SvaFeRoeEiBTfNH2hq7nIjx_VvMtUYVCPXWglYmYa8SzPVzWAL_8/w418-h640/51eV26q-J6L.jpg" width="418" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: Fantasy</div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: September 28, 2021</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 348</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="a-text-italic" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;">A deeper magic. A stronger curse. A family lost...and found.</span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Persephone May has been alone her entire life. Abandoned as an infant and dragged through the foster care system, she wants nothing more than to belong somewhere. To someone. However, Persephone is as strange as she is lonely. Unexplainable things happen when she’s around—changes in weather, inanimate objects taking flight—and those who seek to bring her into their family quickly cast her out. To cope, she never gets attached, never makes friends. And she certainly never dates. Working odd jobs and always keeping her suitcases half-packed, Persephone is used to moving around, leaving one town for another when curiosity over her eccentric behavior inevitably draws unwanted attention.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />After an accidental and very public display of power, Persephone knows it’s time to move on once again. It’s lucky, then, when she receives an email from the one friend she’s managed to keep, inviting her to the elusive Wile Isle. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. However, upon arrival, Persephone quickly discovers that Wile is no ordinary island. In fact, it just might hold the very things she’s been searching for her entire life.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Answers. Family. Home.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />And some things she did not want. Like 100-year-old curses and an even older family feud. With the clock running out, love might be the magic that saves them all.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was excited to dive into this book after enjoying another witch book by Paige Crutcher, and <i>The Orphan Witch</i> did not let me down. In fact, I enjoyed it even more. Although I was not immediately sucked into the story, having no issue putting the book aside to do housework, by halfway through, prying my Kindle out of my hands to get me to stop reading was looking like a serious necessity. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While there was one major mystery that needed to be solved, it felt like there were several minor connected mysteries as well that kept me guessing about what role exactly different characters would play in the solution to the main problem. And not everyone that Persephone interacts with is what they seem to be, in both good and bad ways. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall I give <i>The Orphan Witch</i> 4.185 out of 5 stars. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3mrkzJN" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Paige Crutcher is the author of THE ORPHAN WITCH. She is a former journalist, and her work appears in multiple anthologies and online publications. She is an artist and yogi, and when not writing, she prefers to spend her time trekking through the forest with her children, hunting for portals to new worlds.</span></span></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-85009377710257280672024-01-17T19:38:00.000-08:002024-01-17T19:38:02.220-08:00*Review* Pitter Patty Finds Another Day by Andrew Hiller<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdv_6gg7DhbMPY-uc9H4R8KTdzb1X0eJOpzECy-VZq7R-D8GazGv_Yr_70E4X_JnxzXrLd838lOdzAMURdxLEwwYOTXgXguqple6WFnHSKS7dzEHbOKEtPojF6b7k9_PiD6MNutQJaBTQqjjBYmdrptq56ZhK5TAg2eTDcsd1ae_Qq-zLW3CPjw5eyVVY/s1360/71uINSawGuL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="1360" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdv_6gg7DhbMPY-uc9H4R8KTdzb1X0eJOpzECy-VZq7R-D8GazGv_Yr_70E4X_JnxzXrLd838lOdzAMURdxLEwwYOTXgXguqple6WFnHSKS7dzEHbOKEtPojF6b7k9_PiD6MNutQJaBTQqjjBYmdrptq56ZhK5TAg2eTDcsd1ae_Qq-zLW3CPjw5eyVVY/w640-h640/71uINSawGuL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: Children's 3-6 years</div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: May 16, 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 42</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Children's picture book; read aloud for 3 to 6 year olds.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pitter Patty is a sad little cloud looking for a friend, but people are not friendly to rain clouds</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and keep singing to her to "come back another day." Can this little cloud find a friend? Can she</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">make it to another day?</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Uses open dyslexic font.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The bright pictures follow a young cloud find a place of acceptance.</span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is a story about Pitter Patty, a raincloud. She spends her days hearing children and adults alike wishing she'd go away and come again another day. I know I used to sing that nursery rhyme sometimes even when it wasn't raining myself. This makes her very sad, because she really just wants people to like her, but when you live somewhere that gets rain regularly, and it interrupts your plans, you just wish it would stop sometimes. So Patty travels until she finds a place where the people don't ask her to go away, but instead come out to play in her rain. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This story honestly made me feel a bit sad while I was reading it, so it would be great to read with kids to teach them some empathy if nothing else. The book makes it really easy to put yourself into Pitter Patty's figurative shoes and see how it would feel if everyone always wanted you to go away. I felt like the story would also be good for teaching children to worry more about going where they're wanted, because that feels so much better than being somewhere they're not really wanted. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The illustrations were both colorful and gray...as a rainy day. Overall I give Pitter Patty Finds Another Day 3.976 out of 5 stars. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/46VykCX" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Amazon has no information about the author available.</div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-39815557503656690792024-01-17T19:16:00.000-08:002024-01-17T19:16:10.845-08:00*Review* The Devil's Glove by Lucretia Grindle<div style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhchYyzWrU4qGUnk6Ix70tAXx7YsZiC1vCKWOigVEozx6wGdDSI73vrzlkAIdRreFtcfd4LC0LtPnFn8nmeDOv-oa9mgla7Z3C2DFhZhIKacxqWlMbL-YyIx9Ub09TP5iiyuQPUiStk1rKZpHPh1-z2W1Fpuc6IpYdYcCj-D1a16PjRqBuPa2njsbwo4rg/s500/41Cnd7DbFoL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhchYyzWrU4qGUnk6Ix70tAXx7YsZiC1vCKWOigVEozx6wGdDSI73vrzlkAIdRreFtcfd4LC0LtPnFn8nmeDOv-oa9mgla7Z3C2DFhZhIKacxqWlMbL-YyIx9Ub09TP5iiyuQPUiStk1rKZpHPh1-z2W1Fpuc6IpYdYcCj-D1a16PjRqBuPa2njsbwo4rg/w426-h640/41Cnd7DbFoL.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: Historical Fiction</div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: May 1, 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 482</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Northern New England, summer, 1688.</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Salem started here.</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />A suspicious death. A rumor of war. Whispers of witchcraft.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Perched on the brink of disaster, Resolve Hammond and her mother, Deliverance, struggle to survive in their isolated coastal village. They're known as healers taught by the local tribes - and suspected of witchcraft by the local villagers.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Their precarious existence becomes even more chaotic when summoned to tend to a poisoned woman. As they uncover a web of dark secrets, rumors of war engulf the village, forcing the Hammonds to choose between loyalty to their native friends or the increasingly terrified settler community.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As Resolve is plagued by strange dreams, she questions everything she thought she knew - about her family, her closest friend, and even herself. If the truth comes to light, the repercussions will be felt far beyond the confines of this small settlement.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span class="a-text-bold" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Based on meticulous research and inspired by the true story of the fear and suspicion that led to the Salem Witchcraft Trials, THE DEVIL'S GLOVE is a tale of betrayal, loyalty, and the power of secrets. Will Resolve be able to uncover the truth before the town tears itself apart, or will she become the next victim of the village's dark and mysterious past?</span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have a horrible habit of going into books blind, judging them solely on their covers and titles. Because I enjoy books in pretty much every genre, this works passably well for me, but it means I never really know what to expect from the books I pick up, and sometimes the covers and titles mislead me. That was definitely the case with this book, as I was expecting something more horror themed. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, there were definitely some horrifying events that occurred throughout the course of this story, and some heavy mystical elements at play as well. And once I got past my initial disappointment about the actual genre of the book, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I felt immersed in the tale, as if I was in the village with Resolve and her mother. Trying to walk the line between helping the villagers and not being accused of being a witch and put to death. I spent a fair portion of the book angry about the Puritan ideals because it felt like they were oppressing me too. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall I give <i>The Devil's Glove</i> 4.137 out of 5 stars, and definitely recommend it for anyone with even a passing interest in the Salem Witch Trial period of American history. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3IKjEva" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lucretia Grindle grew up and went to school and university in England and the United States. After a brief career in journalism, she worked for The United States Equestrian Team organizing ‘kids and ponies,’ and for the Canadian Equestrian Team. For ten years, she produced and owned Three Day Event horses that competed at The World Games, The European Games and the Atlanta Olympics. In 1997, she packed a five mule train across 250 miles of what is now Grasslands National Park on the Saskatchewan/Montana border tracing the history of her mother’s family who descend from both the Sitting Bull Sioux and the first officers of the Canadian Mounties.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Returning to graduate school as a ‘mature student’, Lucretia completed an MA in Biography and Non-Fiction at The University of East Anglia where her work, FIREFLIES, won the Lorna Sage Prize. Specializing in the 19th century Canadian West, the Plains Tribes, and American Indigenous and Women’s History, she is currently finishing her PhD dissertation at The University of Maine.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lucretia is the author of the psychological thrillers, THE NIGHTSPINNERS, shortlisted for the Steel Dagger Award, and THE FACES of ANGELS, one of BBC FrontRow’s six best books of the year, shortlisted for the Edgar Award. Her historical fiction includes, THE VILLA TRISTE, a novel of the Italian Partisans in World War II, a finalist for the Gold Dagger Award, and THE LOST DAUGHTER, a fictionalized account of the Aldo Moro kidnapping. She has been fortunate enough to be awarded fellowships at The Hedgebrook Foundation, The Hawthornden Foundation, The Hambidge Foundation, The American Academy in Paris, and to be the Writer in Residence at The Wallace Stegner Foundation. A television drama based on her research and journey across Grasslands is currently in development. THE DEVIL’S GLOVE and the concluding books of THE SALEM TRILOGY are drawn from her research at The University of Maine where Lucretia is grateful to have been a fellow at the Canadian American Foundation. She and her husband, David Lutyens, live in Shropshire.</span></p></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-819285584629633867.post-39438446200611891242023-11-05T11:59:00.001-08:002023-11-05T11:59:57.233-08:00*Review* Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_HlfHINQrjd_S49sLEPS8zK3SG72vL06l3cg3JKXIkkQintMWW-o-flynmGFpfg1lTt8gzK9WZmhGBNIal8P9r5sgPjjbIEIbIP7wlUvTYLjqCx-AK0c83SAGRKq5Jg8e-f-AqcyzB95R6RojMbojo6ZfX8HjaekrH_2kOu4_0D7rSjr4hidVAkj1JQ/s500/51ZficjavML.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_HlfHINQrjd_S49sLEPS8zK3SG72vL06l3cg3JKXIkkQintMWW-o-flynmGFpfg1lTt8gzK9WZmhGBNIal8P9r5sgPjjbIEIbIP7wlUvTYLjqCx-AK0c83SAGRKq5Jg8e-f-AqcyzB95R6RojMbojo6ZfX8HjaekrH_2kOu4_0D7rSjr4hidVAkj1JQ/w426-h640/51ZficjavML.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Genre: Thriller</div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Published: July 11, 2023</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pages: 389</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/s1920/Synopsis.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HhTnCjBCgS4qhSEv54Kr0zzryLh_XExfdccBVrEQhaFS3dy0b_UQKpd-k8TUqOo9QhrpBvYZLoePdpOUN5FpmwhkuwMNbWq0-eiWpIbtJVEmn8Wg8i5IUd-qn6ASL5Ub2nRpbU-sbtZ2RpcirsI7O9NumUZ78Hu1H7wCiq_FfkTePXfT9P7axMjC/w400-h225/Synopsis.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When Christa joins a tour group heading deep into the snowy expanse of the Rocky Mountains, she's hopeful this will be her chance to put the ghosts of her past to rest. But when a bitterly cold snowstorm sweeps the region, the small group is forced to take shelter in an abandoned hunting cabin. Despite the uncomfortably claustrophobic quarters and rapidly dropping temperature, Christa believes they'll be safe as they wait out the storm.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She couldn't be more wrong.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Deep in the night, their tour guide goes missing...only to be discovered the following morning, his severed head impaled on a tree outside the cabin. Terrified, and completely isolated by the storm, Christa finds herself trapped with eight total strangers. One of them kills for sport...and they're far from finished. As the storm grows more dangerous and the number of survivors dwindles one by one, Christa must decide who she can trust before this frozen mountain becomes her tomb.</span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/s1920/Review.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9wahyvweC81Xf88CD99vJzg9zwWUn0BoVb3A1FOpoN2RvyOa6Y3gV8HTcxmWwrnP1njRbdWeamuHvsIKsTAJPDMXsZPFD0nV6q0oik24bMVK9Nmh7xdsiFPIZ6b7J4HuRdF_SrfJCobpM5x4DMi1FSJq5NJe83nsdys5zFaYr9sKiFOfW60v-Lm8/w400-h225/Review.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This book was one that my son selected from Netgalley for me to request. I'm not sure what his thought process was for his selections, but this was definitely a book I wouldn't have requested myself as I tend to avoid thrillers for the most part, as I often find them predictable. This book was anything but predictable. I was left guessing again and again who the killer might be, and only really figured out it just before the reveal. Once I figured it out, I started thinking about the previous clues and misdirects, and honestly, the killer really thought things through for this one. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In true horror movie fashion, the group doesn't completely stay together like we all know they should, which is what allows the killer to pick them off as they do. But I could also easily see this book being turned into a movie, especially since it had a bit of a <i>The Shining</i> feeling to it towards the end. I really felt the terror and distrust throughout the story. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall I give this book 3.98 out of 5 stars and am thinking I should let my son pick books for me to read more often. - Katie </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/s1920/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXC5k5gJe5bu6dd38o71OFqTtYbwb3plheRFxDLPELf12q-IRtenGC2dsd3A40hx9V6MUDd5E0Cn1zq1slKgtAidP8PVSrplmF-p2VNee5j3l6vK7ozT0Qe_IFC4T03HiiPVPCOtrohcGK2sCrTBwG_xz0q_T4PjCT27a-6wucCri9druRzGY6Z_L/w400-h225/Buy%20the%20Book.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3kAbVry" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amazon</span></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/s1920/About%20the%20Author.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2fXvcjBDGD0ou108EGq1379HPutLTJTcWeXCPyPzp0C_AHzZcQTXj3hJ1T5JXTGLVrjUML1calv6t-mF2ONnoAtOFapLvyxnuSPh8rBLqn9kjGDki4OXx81t8Sfcs7Lq1jH8TiWbRGiJ3yKTMVu3qaLFC_G_ox4BYesJWgIg92iWIxCx_JCMnmPK/w400-h225/About%20the%20Author.PNG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 0px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Darcy Coates is the USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen horror and suspense novels.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 14px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">She lives in the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cat, and a collection of chickens. Her home is surrounded by rolling wilderness on all sides, and she wouldn't have it any other way.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0f1111; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: -4px 0px 0px; orphans: 2; padding: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You can hear about her next book by joining her newsletter: <a href="http://www.darcycoates.com/updates">www.darcycoates.com/updates</a></span></p></div>
Just Another Girl and Her Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16895231437169823163noreply@blogger.com1