M.M. Hudson's Blog, page 33
October 29, 2021
Fire and Ice by Michele Barrow-Belisle #faerie #spotlight #giveaway #YA
Faerie Song Saga Book 1
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Lorelei knows nothing of Faeries or their dangerous bargains. But when she’s gifted two talents--music and healing--by the dark Faerie Zanthiel, she’s irrevocably convinced the Fey are real. Preferring invisibility over attention and fame, she shies away from her other-worldly abilities.
Until Adrius storms into her life.
The stranger with a dangerous mystique, and eyes that seem to see into her soul, turns up everywhere and knows more about her than any newcomer should. Including the condition of her mother, who is suffering from a mysterious illness neither modern medicine nor Lorelei’s gifts can cure.
Accepting his help to save her leads Lorelei into a thrilling world of Witches, Elves and Fey where nothing is as it appears. Even Adrius, whose feelings for her balance precariously between desire and danger, seems to be hiding behind half-truths. Yet, despite her better judgment, Lorelei can’t stay away.
And that proves to be her fatal mistake.
Ancient prophecy speaks of one who will prevent war between witches and faeries. Now, trapped in the Faery realm, Lorelei must find a way to fulfill the fated prophecy, or forfeit her mother’s life.
Time is running out, and the invisible tether binding her to Adrius and Zanthiel draws her deeper into their world. When crossing over might mean never coming back, can Lorelei find a way to save her mother? Or will one pivotal mistake put the fate of their world, and her soul in jeopardy?
**Only .99 cents!!**
Author, artist, teacher, lover of chocolate…Michele Barrow-Belisle has always lived with one foot in the real world and one foot in the imaginary. So, it follows that she would grow up to write about characters from those enchanting worlds she knows and loves so well.
As a fan of romanticizing the mundane, Michele’s young adult novels are populated with scintillating Witches, Elves and Fey, and her illustrated children’s books reflect her otherworldly imaginings. Her bestselling debut series Fire and Ice (Faerie Song Saga) is currently in development for a major motion picture.
Michele is a USA Today bestselling author, residing in southern Canada with her husband and son who indulge her ever-growing obsession with reading, writing and most importantly… chocolate.
$20 Amazon
October 28, 2021
Furious: Sailing Into Terror by Jeffrey James Higgins #spotlight #giveaway #thriller #suspense
Genre: Thriller, Suspense
Trapped on a storm-damaged yacht, a grieving woman must conquer her worst fears and fight for her life, in a story described as The Shining on a yacht.
Dr. Dagny Steele is on the verge of fulfilling her lifelong calling to become a pediatric surgeon when the sudden death of her daughter sends her into a crushing depression. Grief stricken and desperate to heal, she takes a leave of absence and sails across the Indian Ocean with her husband. Dagny begins to recover from her tragic loss when her voyage turns into a nightmare.
Isolated and hunted at sea, can she survive a deadly crucible?
Jeffrey James Higgins is a former reporter and retired supervisory special agent who writes thriller novels, short stories, creative nonfiction, and essays. He has wrestled a suicide bomber, fought the Taliban in combat, and chased terrorists across five continents. During his career, he made the first narco-terrorism arrest, convicted the world’s most prolific heroin trafficker, and arrested an Iranian operative trying to acquire surface-to-air missiles. Jeffrey received both the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Heroism and the DEA Award of Valor.
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
$10 Amazon giftcard – 1 winner,
Hardcover of Furious – 2 winners,
Furious mousepad - 1 winner
October 26, 2021
The Unofficial Hocus Pocus #Cookbook #Giveaway -3 winners! (Ends 11/25) @HomeJobsByMom @UlyssesPress
Who loves the movie, Hocus Pocus? I know I do! What better way than to celebrate it with a cookbook! YES!!!Welcome To The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook Giveaway!
This giveaway is part of our Fall Gift Guide. Stop by to see all the great giveaways and products!
GIVEAWAY DETAILSJoin the Sanderson sisters just in time for Halloween with this USA Today bestselling cookbook that is sure to put a spell on you!
Prize:The Unofficial Hocus Pocus CookbookThe Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook is filled with over 60 recipes for fare inspired by everyone’s favorite witches and their spells, potions, and schemes.
Three Lucky Winners Will Receive a Hardback Copy of the USA Today bestselling book, "The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook"!
Hosted By:Home Jobs By Mom
Good Luck! Enter Below
a Rafflecopter giveawayThree entrants will be selected by the entry form to win The Unofficial Hocus Pocus Cookbook by Bridget Thoreson. Open for entry in the United States, 18 years and older from 10/25/21 thru 11/25/21. No purchase is necessary. Void where prohibited. This giveaway is in no way endorsed, affiliated, or associated with Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media networking site. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email to claim their prize or a new winner will be selected. Once a winner is drawn and confirmed, the name will be announced on the Rafflecopter form. Ulysses Press will be responsible for sending the winners their prizes.
Thank You So Much For Visiting Today!Dracula Doesn't Drink Lemonade by Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones #review #bookseries #CountdowntoHalloween2021 #ScholasticBooks
Synopsis:
There's a new guidance counselor at Bailey Elementary School and he's giving the kids the creeps. No one understands why his skin is so pale, why he hides from the sun, or why his skin is deathly cold to the touch. But Counselor Drake couldn't really be Count Dracula, could he?
My review:
This book series about Bailey School Kids is one of a few about Dracula. The kids in third grade find out they have a new counselor for the school after a fight has broken out. One of the kids, who is in fourth grade, is called into the office and looks a bit paler after meeting Mr. Drake.
Rumors run amuck and the kids think he could be the infamous Count Dracula, C.D. for short. Hilariousness ensues as the kids try different things to find out for sure.
I loved the things the kids tried to do to find out if their counselor was indeed Dracula. Everything you might know about the vampire is in this book one way or the other. Being a Halloween kind of person, this humored me. Kids sometimes are so innocent in their doings and in this book, that is truly the case.
The book also touches a bit on kindness even when you may not particularly like someone. This is an undertone of the book but kid's reading the book will get it.
The other thing I like about this book is it was a chapter book. The print was larger and could help not only emergent readers but those than may have a problem reading smaller print.
This is a cute book and I love this series and look forward to reading more. 4 stars!
Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library. The review here is 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Michelle
Where to find the authors:
Debbie: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/11639.Debbie_Dadey
Marcia: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/11644.Marcia_Thornton_Jones
October 25, 2021
#Review & #giveaway: Chipper Makes Merry by Kimber Fox Morgan #childrenspicturebook #animals @kimbermorgan_writes @iReadBookTours
Category: Children's Fictions (Ages 3-7)
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Publisher: Simple Wonder Press, 34 pages
Release date: October 2021
About the book:
Tip toe, tip toe, crackle, crunch!
Chipper the Fox sneaks through the forest to spread cheer to his weary friends. Will his merry making be a success? Or will a smelly fish disaster and a log pile tumble ruin his plans?
“Chipper Makes Merry” takes you on Chipper’s arctic quest filled with lessons of love, kindness and determination.
My review:
Children are invited to follow along with Chipper the Fox as he tries to cheer up his friends. All of his friends are having a bad winter and Chipper tries but fails. Eventually, they come together and make each other happy.
I love that this sweet children's picture book is all about being kind to everyone. It shows children that you can do that by yourself or have the help of friends. The end (tiny spoiler) encourages kids to be just like them and be kind too.
The story was written poetically and repetitive enough for young children to enjoy along with the wonderful illustrations. The illustrations are bold and show the movement of the animals which pairs perfectly with the poetry.
Great first book from this author. Don't believe me? The author won "Mom's Choice Award" for 2021.
5 stars!
Disclosure: I received a book from the author. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Michelle
Where to find the author:
Morgan is a fun wife, and imperfect mom of 3 crazy kiddos and 2 little lemon (problematic) dogs. She tries to live her strengths the best she can. She likes to say she is creative, not crafty. Morgan is a homemade Halloween costume type of mom. She lets her kids mix the play doh. She bakes fun birthday cakes (cutely, but far from perfection). She loves a homemade valentine and a school project. Chipper the Fox is an extension of Morgan's creative strength. Originally designed as character to create merry during the holiday season, Chipper has grown and developed into a story of determination and love.
Giveaway:
October 21, 2021
#Spotlight: Shadowfalcon by F. Lockhaven and M.A. Owens #giveaway #Ya #sci-fi #bookseries
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Shadowfalcon
PanTech Chronicles Book 1
Genre: YA SciFi DystopianShadowfal
They’re oppressed and made to suffer. Will a monstrous twist of fate fly her into an unforeseen destiny?
Seventeen-year-old veterinarian Taylor despises the dictatorial corporation that oversees their lives. With its ruthless philosophy that adversity makes one stronger, she’s leery of her mother’s devotion to the organization. And when they enforce that principle by releasing a deadly beast on her village, the young woman’s animal-handling skills put her in mortal danger.
Working with a soldier who disagrees with PanTech’s policy, she battles the frightening threat to her home. But with his acts considered treason, Taylor and the new friend she’s falling for may find their solution was more lethal than the problem.
Can the heroic teenager survive long enough to take a stand against tyranny?
Shadowfalcon is the high-energy first book in the PanTech Chronicles YA dystopian series. If you like determined heroines, thought-provoking concepts, and intriguing visions of the future, then you’ll love F. Lockhaven & M.A. Owens’s suspenseful adventure.
Buy Shadowfalcon to spread freedom’s wings today!
F. Lockhaven uses several pen names to cover several of her favorite genres. She loves to read fantasy, paranormal, mysteries, and so much more.
Under the name Grace Lockhaven, she has written Quest Chasers and The Ghosts of Ian Stanley.
She has been working as well under F. Lockhaven, which is fantasy for teen and young adults.
Her favorite fantasy series are Harry Potter, Cirque Du Freak, and Spooksville.
She loves coming up with stories about witches and wizards, mythical gods, dragons, vampires, ghosts and demons.
Her favorite hobbies are reading, hiking, exercising, drawing and watching humorous anime with her family.
How did she meet the man of her life, Thomas Lockhaven?
She was working as a personal trainer on the first floor of the gym. Thomas heard her laugh from the third floor, and he just had to find out who that laugh belonged to. It took him weeks to find her, but he finally heard her laugh again while he was on the same floor.
Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
Detective Trigger 6-Book Box Set by M.A. Owens,
$15 Amazon gift card
-1 winner each!
October 20, 2021
The Ghost of Thorwald Place by Helen Power #giveaway #spotlight #thrillers #supernatural
Book Details:
Genre: Thriller/Supernatural
Published by: CamCat Books
Publication Date: October 5th 2021
Number of Pages: 368
ISBN: 0744301432 (ISBN13: 9780744301434)
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads |
Trust No One. Especially your neighbors.
Rachel Drake is on the run from the man who killed her husband. She never leaves her safe haven in an anonymous doorman building, until one night a phone call sends her running. On her way to the garage, she is murdered in the elevator. But her story doesn't end there.
She finds herself in the afterlife, tethered to her death spot, her reach tied to the adjacent apartments. As she rides the elevator up and down, the lives of the residents intertwine. Every one of them has a dark secret. An aging trophy wife whose husband strays. A surgeon guarding a locked room. A TV medium who may be a fraud. An ordinary man with a mysterious hobby.
Compelled to spend eternity observing her neighbors, she realizes that any one of them could be her killer.
And then, her best friend shows up to investigate her murder.
Praise for The Ghosts of Thorwald Place:“[An] enticing debut . . . Distinctive characters complement the original plot. Power is off to a promising start.” —Publishers Weekly
“A creative, compulsively readable mystery—haunted by strange entities and told from the unique perspective of a ghost. I couldn’t put it down.” —Jo Kaplan, author of It Will Just Be Us
Read an excerpt:Chapter 3
It takes forever for someone to find my body. At six, the elevator is called to the fourth floor, and an early riser greets the sight of my body with a shrill scream. He stumbles backward, clutching his briefcase to his chest. I get the impression that he’s never discovered a grisly crime scene before. I, on the other hand, am enveloped in the cool indifference that seems to accompany death.
He staggers back to his apartment, shrieking hysterically all the way. Several of his neighbors rush out into the hall. Each person is in various stages of undress. A pregnant woman wearing a silk bathrobe and only one slipper. A man whose face is coated in shaving cream, save for a single bare strip down his left cheek. The look of horror on their faces would have been amusing if I were in the mood for dark humor. The elevator doors slide shut, and I am launched to another floor, where I startle another early commuter. The elevator doors close on the stunned woman’s face, lurching toward its next stop. I’m destined for repetition. Perhaps this is hell.
The police finally arrive, call the elevator to the ground floor, and put it out of service. I have now informally met a quarter of the building’s occupants, which is more than I met in the two years I lived here. A handful of police officers form a perimeter, trying to block the sight of my corpse from the prying eyes of my nosey neighbors. I hover by the elevator door as forensic investigators get to work examining my corpse. I try not to watch—disgusted by the sight of my limp body, which is coated in blood that has begun to cake—but the process is mesmerizing. The flash of cameras, the murmur of voices, and the hypnotic movement of pencils as they scribble in pristine, white notebooks. The forensic experts step gingerly around the scene, careful not to disturb anything, as they scrutinize my body from all angles. As they work, I can’t stop staring at my face. My eyes are still open and glazed over with a milky white sheen. My skin is nearly white, a shocking contrast to the deep crimson gash across my neck. My lips are parted in a soundless scream. A forensic investigator in a white bodysuit steps in front of me, cutting off my view. Relief floods through me, and I turn away before the sight of my own corpse enthralls me once again. I know I gained consciousness only minutes after my death, because blood was still dripping where the arterial spray arched across the walls, looking as if an artist had decided to add a splash of color to the monochromatic gray. I was reluctant to leave my body, but I had no idea what else to do. I had no moment of shock, no moment of revelation where I realized I was dead. I knew it from the instant I opened my eyes and saw the world from the other side. A world which looks different in death. Everything is a little grayer, a little faded. Voices and sounds have a slight echo. It’s as though I’m experiencing everything through a thin film—some indescribable substance that separates the world of the living from mine.
But why am I still here? My body has been found; the police are clearly investigating. It won’t take long for them to figure out it was he who killed me. I leave the elevator and glance around the lobby. I don’t see any obvious doorways or bright lights to follow. How will I know where to go? I bite back the pang of disappointment when I realize that none of my lost loved ones are here to welcome me. No husband. No parents. No Grumpelstiltskin, my childhood dog. Where are they, and how do I find my way to them?
I’m self-aware enough to know that I’ve always feared the unknown, and it’s obvious that this hasn’t changed in death. Instead of searching for my escape, I stay locked in place, eyes glued to the crime scene investigators. After what feels like an eternity, the medical examiner deposits my body into a black bag and wheels it out of the building. I begin to follow. Maybe if I slip back into my body, I’ll awaken, and everyone will laugh, like this was all just one big misunderstanding.
I’ll spend the rest of my days wearing a scarf, elegantly positioned to hide my gaping neck wound, like the girl in that urban legend.
I slam into an invisible wall about a dozen feet from the elevator. Slightly disoriented, I shake my head. I press forward.
Again, I’m stopped by an imperceptible force. I reach out, and my hand flattens midair. I run my hand along this invisible barrier, but it seems to run as high as I can reach and down to the marble floor.
I follow the barrier, tracing my hand along it. It cuts across the entire lobby, but not in a straight line. It’s slightly curved. Beyond the wall, I can see the medical examiner exit the building with my body, leaving my soul behind. I slam a hand against the invisible wall once again, but there’s no give.
My attention is drawn by the sound of a familiar grating voice. Elias Strickland, the concierge, is speaking with a police officer who looks like he’s desperate to leave. The invisible wall can wait. I approach the pair to eavesdrop.
“We have excellent security here,” Elias says. His perpetually nasal voice is exacerbated by the tears that stream down his face. “How could this have happened? My residents will want an explanation immediately.”
“We have someone reviewing the security footage of the exits. If the killer left the building, we’ll have them on film,” the police officer says.
“If they left the building? Are you saying they might still be here?” Elias tugs at his cheap tie.
The killer might still be in the building. I look around and notice for the first time that the residents aren’t allowed to simply leave. Police officers guard the front door, questioning each individual before they allow them to go to work or to the spa or to do whatever they think is more important than mourning my death.
“What can you tell me about the victim? Ms. Rachel Anne Drake?” the police officer asks.
“Well . . .” Elias runs a hand through his thinning, brown hair. “She is—was—an odd one. She rarely spoke to anyone. She kept to herself. I think I was her only friend in the building.”
I stare at him, just now realizing that the tears streaming down his face are for me. I feel a pang of guilt. I’ve never considered us “friends.” I interact with him once every few weeks—only when I have mail to pick up or complaints about the security guards.
Elias continues, “She even had her groceries delivered. I haven’t seen her leave the building in months.”
The police officer suddenly looks interested. He pulls a small, wire-bound notebook from his pocket and uncaps his pen.
“Do you think it’s possible that she may have been hiding from someone?”
“Possibly . . . She was always really interested in the security in the building. Like that was the main reason why she moved here, not the fabulous party room or the services I provide as concierge.” I wince in pity as he says the word with a dreadful French accent. He should have picked a line of work that he could pronounce.
“Did she have any visitors?”
“There was a man who used to come around, but I haven’t seen him in a few months,” Elias says. At the police officer’s prompting, he continues on to describe him. I realize he’s talking about Luke.
The police officer asks a few follow-up questions, and I’m surprised by just how much Elias knows. He knows the date and time of my weekly grocery deliveries, that once every couple of weeks I’ll treat myself to pizza delivered from the greasy place down the street, and that I get a haul of books delivered every time BMV Books has a sale.
“Well, if you think of anything else, please contact us immediately.” I peer over the police officer’s shoulder to look at the scribbles in his notebook, but he’s used a shorthand that I can’t decipher.
A nearly identical police officer emerges from the security office holding a flash drive. He glances at the concierge, then turns to his partner and begins speaking rapid French.
“The video doesn’t show anybody leaving the building between one and two this morning. But apparently, there was a power outage for about five minutes, and the killer could have left during that window.”
“No! That power outage happened before I died. The power came back, and then he killed me.” I blink and glance around. I hadn’t thought I’d be able to speak.
It makes no difference. Neither police officer reacts to the sound of my voice. I look at Elias, but he’s watching the officers intently. I turn my attention to the rest of the people milling about, but none of them seem to have heard me either. But I’m not yet discouraged.
I approach the pot-bellied man standing the closest to the crime scene tape. He cranes his neck to see into the elevator.
“THERE’S NOTHING TO SEE HERE!” I shout into his face. He doesn’t react. I try to shake him, but my hands fall through his fleshy body. I feel nothing—no chill, no warmth—as I slide my hands through him. I examine his face, but it’s clear that he doesn’t sense me in the slightest.
I strategically progress through the lobby, shouting at each bystander, attempting to reach them through any means.
I try everything I can remember having seen in movies about ghosts—from waving my hands through their heads to shouting obscenities in their ears. No one reacts. No one so much as shivers.
I’m angry, disappointed, and beginning to feel helpless. I brace myself, preparing to do my calming breathing technique, but there are no symptoms of a panic attack. My body is overcome by the numbness of being incorporeal. I could get used to this. I suppose I’ll have to.
I glance around, noticing that the police officers have long gone, and they’ve been replaced by a cleaning crew of four burly men who are crammed into the elevator. They’ve already bleached the walls in an attempt to remove all trace of my messy execution. The lobby is nearly empty now. Only Elias stands at his station, compulsively wringing his hands in between fielding calls from curious residents and the media.
I survey the expansive, high-ceilinged lobby. Unlike the rest of the building, it was designed with the sole purpose of impressing visitors. The floors are marble, polished to near perfection. The wallpaper is a pale blue with gold foil accents in the shape of falling leaves. A hefty, ornate clock is the only decoration on the stretch of the wall across from the front desk. There are two wing chairs and a sofa positioned underneath it. It serves as a sort of waiting area, though in my two years living in this building, I’ve never seen a single person sitting out here.
I can only access half of the lobby, so I need to find a way around this invisible barrier. I approach the elevator and look down the hall to the right. I tentatively step through the wall. I’m in the guest suite that’s reserved for visitors of building residents. The bed is neatly made, with the corners of the bedspread tucked tightly. There’s a lounge area sparsely decorated with cool tones. A gray, leather couch is angled toward an impressively-sized TV.
The room is windowless, but a single painting of a blue sky over a grassy field hangs on the wall opposite the door, creating the illusion of something beyond.
I stride across the plain gray rug and easily pass through this wall as well. I’m in the ground-level parking garage, which is located below the building. I continue to walk until I slam against the barrier. It doesn’t hurt, but it’s disorienting.
I place my hand on the barrier and follow it around until I reach the wall twenty feet from where I entered. The barrier is clearly circular. Is it meant to keep me contained? I shake my head at that thought, then I continue to follow the barrier through the wall, out of the garage, and into the library.
With gorgeous oak-paneled walls and towering bookshelves, the building’s library is quite a sight to behold. The leather couches look comfortable, with antique copper lamps strategically positioned between them. I’ve been down here several times over the last two years, but I never dawdle. I usually grab a handful of books and hurry back upstairs to the safety of my apartment, where I can actually relax and enjoy my reading.
I walk through the room divider into the “party” area. The dim overhead lights reveal a bar in the corner, which is framed by tall mirrors, making the room seem larger than it actually is. I scan the rest of the room. Circular tables are set up around a polished dance floor. I quickly hit another barrier only a few feet into the room.
I follow this barrier, clockwise, until I’ve made an entire lap of the enclosure. I was right. It is a circle. There are no breaks or gaps in the wall; nothing I can slip through to escape. What is this barrier? Who put it here? I have so many questions and no one to answer them.
Back in the lobby, the cleaning crew has finished their sterilization of the elevator. A starchy-looking woman stands in Elias’ face, complaining loudly about the inconvenience of having only one operating elevator. I’m glad that my death is nothing more than a disruption to her “busy” life. Shouldn’t she be disturbed that a brutal murder occurred hours ago in that very elevator? That the killer hasn’t even been caught? Hell, she should be worried that it’s haunted.
She spins on her heel and leaves a bedraggled Elias in her wake. She scowls at the cleaners, who are gathering their supplies and politely averting their eyes from her shrewd gaze. She presses the elevator button and boards the other one, which was already idling on this floor. She didn’t even have to wait five seconds. I’d love to see what a convenient elevator experience is like for her.
After she’s left, Elias tips the cleaners and reactivates the elevator. The doors slide shut, as if sealing my fate.
A man in snug jogging shorts strolls into the building, salutes Elias, and heads to the elevators. Elias nods and returns to his station. I decide to head over toward him to see what exactly he keeps behind the desk. It lies just beyond the invisible wall, so I might be able to see what he always stares at so intently on his computer.
Just as I reach the edge of the invisible barrier, a powerful sensation of vertigo overcomes me. My skin begins to crawl. I stare down at my arms in astonishment. My entire body is vaporizing, shredding into a million pieces, wisps of flesh fading into the world around me. I squeeze my eyes shut tightly, willing the end to come quickly.
***
Excerpt from The Ghosts of Thorwald Place by Helen Power. Copyright 2021 by Helen Power. Reproduced with permission from CamCat Books. All rights reserved.
Author Bio:
Helen Power is obsessed with ghosts. She spends her free time watching paranormal investigation TV shows, hanging out in cemeteries, and telling anyone who’ll listen about her paranormal experiences. She is a librarian living in Saskatoon, Canada, and has several short story publications, including ones in Suspense Magazine and Dark Helix Press’s Canada 150 anthology, “Futuristic Canada”. The Ghosts of Thorwald Place is her first novel.Catch Up With Our Author:
HelenPower.ca Join In:This is a rafflecopter giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Helen Power & CatCam Publishing. There will be Five (6) winners for this tour. Each of the winners will each receive 1 print ARC edition of The Ghosts of Thorwald Place by Helen Power (US, Canada, and UK shipping addresses Only). The giveaway begins on October 1 and ends on November 2, 2021. Void where prohibited.
October 18, 2021
#Review: How They Croaked by Georgia Bragg #death #humor #CountdowntoHalloween2021 #middlegradeup
Synopsis:
Over the course of history men and women have lived and died. In fact, getting sick and dying can be a big, ugly mess-especially before the modern medical care that we all enjoy today. How They Croaked relays all the gory details of how nineteen world figures gave up the ghost.
My review:
I am not usually not one for explicit horror and this book is not it. I am just going to tell you that up front if you think it is. However, the beginning introduction has a warning and it should be adhered to. The book says, " If you don't have the guts for gore, do not read this book." They mean it and I will explain why. The reason I picked up this book to begin with is the title humored me. So, I suppose I am a little bit morbid.
This book outlines 19 people who most all of us are familiar with beginning with King Tut. Yes, they are all real people. The book gives a bit of background on all of the characters: who they were, how they came to power, how they lived, and how they died. Nothing is held back in this book and it can be rather gory. Well, you were warned!
An example would be (without spoiling), is King Tut. We all know that he died at the very young age of 19; but do you know how they prepared his body? Well, let me tell you. The book tells in graphic details right down to certain parts being stuffed in jars. Eww...
At the end of descriptions, a follow up page is written. Some, like King Tut again link to mummies, others like Pocahontas, links to people she knew, her nickname, etc. One character leads to simple sign language. Hmm...read the book to find out who that is.
Fascinating stuff!
I have to not the illustrator, Kevin O'Malley. His illustrations only enhanced a terrific book. Each chapter was introduced with a humorous look at each person. The illustrations were all done in black and white but are a funny take on what could be a very gory book.
I would want to say this is for adults only but truthfully, it is not. This book is aimed for the reluctant reader from middle school on. Kids eat this morbid stuff up and if they can read it, all the better.
I actually loved this book and giving it 5 pumpkins!
Disclosure: I purchased a copy of this book for my own collections. The views here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Michelle
October 14, 2021
#Review: Otis and the Scarecrow by Loren Long #picture books
My review:
Otis is a sweet old tractor that seemingly gets along with everyone. He plays games with the farm animals when all is quiet on the farm. They all like the game "silence" to see who can be silent the longest. Otis always wins.
However, one day a scarecrow shows up out in the pumpkin patch. He never talks to anyone and is always got a mean face and just stares. Everybody leaves him alone.
Nobody seems to like him until Otis decides to befriend him with the same game he plays with the animals. Hmm...I wonder who wins this time?
As picture books go, this one is illustrated wonderfully. The Fall colors of oranges. yellows, reds and browns are prevalent throughout. The pictures are bold and the reader can certainly insert themselves on a pumpkin farm.
Like many picture books though, the sentences are repetitive. This may throw off an older reading child as this is targeted for reading ages 3-7 but is clearly for preschoolers up to 4-5. The story is not overly as wonderful as the illustrations are but I think young kids would love it.
I would love to see the story expanded a bit maybe even by some magic of Fall the scarecrow comes alive and befriends them all.
For the reasons I stated above, I give this book three pumpkins.
Disclosure: I purchased a copy of this book for my own collections. The view expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Michelle
About the author:
I grew up in Lexington, Kentucky in the 1970’s. We had no artists of any kind in the family. We didn’t know any artists. I liked sports, especially baseball. My mother read to me a lot. But I have to admit, my favorite subject in school was gym class. I also liked to draw. My parents encouraged me to keep drawing.
websitehttp://www.lorenlong.com/
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October 13, 2021
Murder With Strings Attached by Mark Reutlinger #giveaway #Humor #mysteries #spotlight
Murder With Strings Attached
Genre: Humorous Mystery
Sometimes even the most carefully conceived burglary can take an unexpected turn. Florence Palmer has her eye on concert violinist Aaron Levy's priceless violin. Unfortunately, she finds it's already been stolen. Her surprise doubles when the virtuoso she'd planned to burgle offers to hire her to help him steal it back. But they're not the only ones looking for the missing violin. When Flo inadvertently becomes the prime suspect in a case of murder, she and Aaron need to clear her name. Will they find the real killer and get the violin back to its rightful owner without anyone else, especially themselves, being killed?
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Mark Reutlinger is the author of the novels "Made in China," "Murder with Strings Attached," and the "Mrs. Kaplan" cozy mystery series, as well as "Sister-in-Law" under the pen name M. R. Morgan. He is a professor of law emeritus at Seattle University. Born in San Francisco, Mark graduated from UC Berkeley and now lives with his wife, Analee, in University Place, Washington. When not reading or writing, Mark enjoys tennis, biking, playing the clarinet (in the Tacoma Concert Band), sports cars, and various arts and crafts. He doesn't know where he finds time for it all.
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