M.M. Hudson's Blog, page 73

#Review: A Change of Habit by Patty Ptak Kogutek #AdultBooks #Memoir

Summary:
A Change of Habit recounts a spiritual journey that started when a religious eddy hurls seventeen-year-old Patty into a convent in the 1960s. Her deeply embedded guilt drives her to obey the Catholic Church, please her earthly father, and say yes to her heavenly Father. But in the convent, she fails to find happiness in religious rites and rules. Her time in the convent parallels changes wrought in religious life by Vatican II, including changes of names and attire. After leaving the convent following seven years of service, she assumes she can pick up her life and move on. But once the religious habit comes off , long-practiced habits of poverty, chastity, and obedience dog her into married life. Finally facing the reality mirror, she breaks out the debilitating patterns learned in the convent.

My review:
When I first saw this author's book being advertised somewhere, I knew I just had to read it. I did not want to read it because of the funky-sexy nun on the cover or for the title. I did not even want to read it because she lives here in my state. No, I wanted to read it because of this byline: "...Sister Mary Kateri to Sister Mary Vodka." 

The truth is, I have known and seen many nuns/sisters in my life-time so, I thought this one had to be just absolutely crazy to write such a book or downright funny. I was a bit wrong on both accounts.

The author writes a heartfelt and sometimes heartbreaking account as her life as a nun. She does not hold anything back as far as her concerns before entering the convent, her concerns during her time there, and her time after. She makes it clear to the reader the things that took place behind closed doors, that only the sisters were privy and not privy to, and that being in love with God was a whole different ball game than working for Him.

She writes about her Mother and Father who were incredibly supportive, especially her Father. He supported the convent while she was interned there but ironically or maybe not so ironically, she was unaware of how much her Father actually supported until years later after she left. Again, no holds barred.

She shares photos of herself as a sister that were just incredible to see. In full habit, she looked quite a bit different than the photo she presents for this book. Wow! Check out page 133!)

Later, she tells about her first marriage that turned out disastrous as she could not shake the life she had lead. Eventually though, she will meet the love of her life, of whom, she is still with and traveling around today. She speaks of him with as much passion as she does of being in the convent. I loved that!

Throughout the book, and the overall purpose of her writing was to share her seven secrets of how to get through life guilt free. Her life is poured out as she moves through each step. It is easy for me to follow.

So, was there any humor in the book? Well, yes, at times there was, and I easily chuckled. I recall her mentioning the convent as the "nunnery" at one point. That made me laugh out loud!

I really enjoyed this memoir and although my initial reason for wanting read the book was false, I came away with an excellent read.

This book gets 5 stars from me.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my open and honest opinion. The views here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~M.M. aka Naila Moon

Where to find the author:

Amazon
Goodreads
Facebook

#Review: The SockKids Say No to Bullying

Summary:
The SockKids focus on educating children and adults how bullying affects us all and what we can do about it.

Do you know where your socks go when they go missing in the washing machine? Well, the SockKids know! The SockKids are a mismatched family of socks that sometimes time travel through the spin cycle, teaching universal lessons of love and kindness, and focusing on creating a greater awareness of the many social issues that children are faced with today. The SockKids help to educate and encourage children from 2 to 92 to find solutions in helping to make this a better world.

My review:
Although I understand the premise for this book, I was not overly impressed. I think the author was trying to aim this book for middle grade children based on the lack of many illustrations. However, at least to me, the book came off flat and maybe should have been aimed for younger elementary. The book could have easily been refitted with more photos to make that happen.

It seemed a bit ridiculous that a pair of non-matching socks were supposed to be the heroes to help human children overcome bullying. In fact, it simply did not make sense at all. I think the book would have been better just to show kids how to overcome bullying.

Another problem I found with the book was that the author seemingly had two separate issues going on. The first was anti-bullying and the second helping others. Again, I see what he was trying to do but in truth, it would have been better to have had two separate books.

One thing this book did have going for it was the back 21 pages helped parents and other adults to help children who are being bullied. This included a Q&A and resources. This part of the book is excellent and I would recommend to the author publish this as a stand alone. This in my mind, was the only real saving grace for the book and why I am ultimately giving it three stars.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my open and honest opinion. The views here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. M.M.H, aka Naila Moon

Where to find the author: 
Amazon

C.L. Murphy's "Selfies In the Wild" Blog Tour- $200 Amazon or Paypal #Giveaway and Activities #SelfiesInTheWild #KidLit

This is a new book out by author C. L. Murphy. I will be hosting a stop on my blog in the near future but I wanted to spotlight this as there is a very generous giveaway attached to this tour.

In addition, the author has produced some fun activities to go along with this tour. Check it all out below and stop by on August 22nd to see what I have to say about the book.

ACTIVITIES


a Rafflecopter giveaway

#Spotlight: The Cat, The Collector, and the Killer by Leann Sweeney #cozymysteries

Summary:
Jillian Hart and police chief Tom Stewart are enjoying peaceful, newly wedded bliss in Mercy, South Carolina, until a woman is found wandering the streets one night. She's in her night clothes, disoriented, and carrying a kitten in a tote bag. A search of the woman’s house reveals many more cats, a maze of cardboard boxes—and a dead man.

 
Although the evidence suggests the frail woman is the killer, Jillian doesn’t believe she’s capable of such a crime. The dead man had many enemies in town, which means finding the real murderer may prove to be its own cat and mouse game..

Where to find the author:

Amazon

Tour #Giveaway: Dumbest Thieves, Thugs, and Rogues by Professor Leonard Birdsong #humor

Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my open and honest review. You can find that review HERE.
I am not responsible for the giveaway.
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The Professor, Leonard Birdsong, has delighted in telling you stories from his first two book series, Dumbest Criminal Law Stories and Weird Criminal Law Stories. Now he writes for fun and your enjoyment in his latest, Professor Birdsong’s Dumbest Thieves, Thugs, & Rogues. These stories are some of the best from around the world and should bring you many good laughs.

For instance: A thief in Phoenix just released from County jail on drug charges ran laps around the jail celebrating his freedom, then tried to carjack a truck belonging to the jail. The Miami man arrested for stealing a corpse from a casket at a funeral home. An Orlando bandit who broke into a convenience store by bashing in the front door with his head. The awkward thief who burglarized an Albuquerque home only to be confronted by the 66-year- old wife and her 70-year- old husband who held him at gunpoint in his car loaded with their household possession until police arrived. The San Jose thug who confessed to murder by cutting out the middle man and presented himself to the Santa Clara County jail with his confession. An impatient Wendy’s drive-thru customer in Chicago, so hungry he opened fire on another driver who tried to cut in front of him; The thug who was sentenced to a year in jail for trying to sell a backpack of dirty socks as marijuana. The Norwegian prisoner gone rogue who used a surfboard to escape from an island prison. A Frenchman suspended from his job with pay for 12 years who sought compensation of $500,000 because he claimed his career was ruined. And so many other stories about dumb thieve, thugs, and rogues that will make you laugh out loud.

Buy it on $2.99 Amazon or Free with your Kindle Unlimited Subscription
About the author:Professor Birdsong received his J.D. from the Harvard Law School and his B.A. from Howard University. He teaches law in Orlando, Florida. After graduation from law school he worked four years at the law firm of Baker Hostetler. He then entered into a varied and distinguished career in government service. He served as a diplomat with the U.S. State Department with various postings in Nigeria, Germany and the Bahamas. Professor Birdsong later served as a federal prosecutor. After leaving government service, and before he began teaching, Professor Birdsong was in private law practice in Washington, D.C. 

 Find Pfr Birdsong on his website and on Twitter @Prof_Birdsong, on Literary Addicts and Goodreads. 

Giveaway:
 Professor Birdsong is giving away a $20 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky winner. Fill out the widget below to enter.


Entry-Form

#Review: Dumbest Thieves, Thugs, and Rogues by Professor Leonard Birdsong #humor #AdultBooks

Summary:
The Professor has delighted in telling you stories from his first two book series, Dumbest Criminal Law Stories and Weird Criminal Law Stories. Now he writes for fun and your enjoyment in his latest, Professor Birdsong’s Dumbest Thieves, Thugs, & Rogues. 

These stories are some of the best from around the world and should bring you many good laughs.

My review:
Prior to reading this author's book, I had seen some of his writings before. I always shook my head in disbelief as the audacity and just plain stupidity of some people. Here the author outlines real stories that just boggles the imagination.

The book itself, contains short stories gathered together in what I consider more of an anthology. The stories are easy to read and it took very little time to read the whole book.

Although the book is billed as a laugh out loud book, I did not get that complete feeling, although again, I shook my head and giggled a bit. As I read, I was also glad that I had not encountered many of these incidents either.

Overall, I thought the book was okay and it gets 3 stars from me.

Disclosure: I received a Kindle copy of this book for my open and honest opinion. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. This review is part of a Promotional Book Tours on behalf of the author. ~M.M. aka Naila Moon

#Spotlight & #Giveaway (Ends Aug. 5th): Candidate for Murder by Lauren Carr #Thriller #MurderMystery #Vote4Gnarly

Disclosure: I was asked to Spotlight this book on behalf of author, Lauren Carr. This is part of an on-going blog tour at iRead Book Tours.


Book Description:

It’s election time in Spencer, Maryland, and the race for mayor is not a pretty one. In recent years, the small resort town has become divided between the local year-round residents who have enjoyed their rural way of life and the city dwellers moving into their mansions, taking over the town council, and proceeding to turn Deep Creek Lake into a closed gate community—complete with a host of regulations for everything from speed limits to clothes lines.

When the political parties force-feed two unsavory mayoral nominees on the town residents, Police Chief David O’Callaghan decides to make a statement—by nominating Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s German shepherd, to run as mayor of Spencer!

What starts out as a joke turns into a disaster when overnight Gnarly becomes the front runner—at which point his political enemies take a page straight out of Politics 101. What do you do when you’re behind in a race? Dig up dirt on the front runner, of course.

Seemingly, someone is not content to rest with simply embarrassing the front runner by publicizing his dishonorable discharge from the United States Army, but to throw in a murder for good measure. With murder on the ballot, Mac Faraday and the gang—including old friends from past cases—dive in to clear Gnarly’s name, catch a killer, and save Spencer!




Author's Bio:


Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries. The twelfth installment in the Mac Faraday Mystery series, Candidate for Murder will be released June 2016.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real Gnarly) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with Lauren: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook
Giveaway:
Win a Fire Tablet, 7" Display, Wi-Fi, 16 GB (Open internationally) Winner will be person to use #Vote4Gnarly most often - Ends Aug 5, 2016

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#Review: When I Grow Up I Want To Be A Nurse!: Amber's Accidental Journey by Wigu

Summary:
When Amber gets injured on the soccer field, she is forced to confront the fears shared by many children—fears of blood, hospitals, and abandonment. During her treatment, Amber encounters nurses who help her overcome her fears. By discovering the good work nurses do, Amber realizes that not only can she return to the soccer field, but she can also turn to the field of nursing when she grows up—something she never thought she could do!

My review:
I have really come to really like this series of books. I know many nurses, as I used to work with a ton of them and had many take care of me too. I love that the book starts out with the nurses code of ethics and then the next page is a picture of Florence Nightingale with dedication.

The book follows along with a girl who reluctantly plays soccer, likes it, and subsequently breaks her arm. Following a school nurse visit, she ends up in ER where she meets a male nurse who helps her through the process of getting a cast put on her arm. This is very nice to allow children to see that even if they are hurt, they will be taken care of and it does not have to be scary.

As with other books I have read from this series, the cartoonish pictures are mixed with real photos of nurses, the hospital, and equipment. Even the fictional ER nurse comes "alive" in a real photo of him. I love that!
The book introduces the different kinds of nurses there are and what their job are. It also makes note that there are female and male nurses in the field and also, never enough!

I recommend for 6-8+ but the words in the book are best suited for a child who can read fairly well.
5 Stars!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my open and honest opinion. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ with yours. ~M.M. aka Naila Moon

Where to find the author:
Facebook
Amazon
Goodreads

#Spotlight: Sarah's Gifts Book 2- Believing In Magic by Erica Tucci #MiddleGrade

Disclosure: I was asked to Spotlight this book on behalf of author, Erica Tucci. This is part of an on-going blog tour.


Genre: Children’s fiction, paranormal, social issues
Publisher: Publish it Write
Date of Publication: July 18, 2016

Summary:

Sarah is a fifth grader who has psychic abilities - she can see spirits. At school she meets Leila, a fourth grader and finds out that Leila also has psychic abilities. She uses telekinesis to make things happen, but she uses them to get back at kids in school who taunt her. Knowing how it is to be taunted by her peers, Sarah befriends Leila and helps her learn how to use her powers in a good way. In the end, Leila encounters a situation in which her powers “save the day”.





Excerpt: Introduction Believing In the Magic

Sarah lay in bed. She had just started reading The Girl with the Silver Eyes by Willo Davis Roberts. Her digital clock on her nightstand read 8:30. Stifling a yawn, she turned the page to keep reading; she was engrossed in the book and finding out more about Katie.
“Just for the fun of it, Katie had shifted the air current then so that the pollen drifted under his nose; when he sneezed, Pastor Grooten had to grab for his sermon pages before they sailed off the lecturn.”
Wow! Sarah thought. To be able to move things by just thinking about it. How does Katie do it? But then she thought about what she was able to do. I can talk to ghosts. I wonder if there are others out there who have psychic abilities. I can’t be the only one! Katie was different, like her, just in a different way. Wouldn’t it be nice to meet someone else who was different. There have to be others like her somewhere. Sarah wished she could meet Katie. They could be best friends!
She delved into the book, reading passage after passage of Katie’s harmless pranks: making her horrible babysitter tremble at the sight of a floating fork and creating a gust of wind that caused a door to slam into her pesky neighbor’s face.
Sarah understood Katie’s predicament. Katie had silver eyes and was odd to people around her. Sarah felt the same way. Most people shied away from her because they thought she was “cursed.”
She was so enamored by the book that she read until her eyes became very heavy. She remembered when she was younger how her dad would say “Your eyes are getting heavy; you are getting sleepy, sleepy, sleepy” when he was trying to put her to sleep. How she missed her dad. She knew that he was okay on the other side since her grandmother who had come to her one day told her so. She wondered if he would come to her directly someday. It would be so nice to see him and talk to him, even if he was in spirit and not on the earthly plane anymore.
Turning off her bed lamp and laying her book on her nightstand, Sarah snuggled under her duvet and fell fast asleep. She had no problem falling asleep; in fact, she would fall into such a deep sleep, she would have the most vivid dreams. And that night was no different.
She was sitting in the back seat of her mom’s car peering out the window. The crow came up to her window and started tapping on it with his beak. He started talking to her telepathically. “Pay attention to the magic in the world,” he chirped. “You can create anything you like through magic. Your thoughts are powerful!”
Sarah woke up the next morning thinking about the dream and how she felt that crow was trying to tell her something, but what? She had to put it out of her mind for now since she had to get ready for school. She would ponder over it when she got home in the afternoon.

About the Author: 

Erica Tucci had a full life as a corporate manager of a Fortune 500 company, a healing arts business owner and an author. It all came to a screeching halt in June 2011 when she had a stroke. During her recovery, she gained much wisdom about what’s really important in life. Although she was a Reiki master, massage therapist and life coach as well as a corporate cog, she realized that her passion was her books. Her hope now is that the messages of her books will be an inspiration for others, young and old. Her most recent venture has been her Sarah’s Gift series, chapter books for 7-12 year olds about a young girl with psychic abilities, which speak to the children with special gifts, helping them deal with different life situations. Her other books include Moms and Their Young Spirited Boys (1998), Anything is Possible, a novel based on a true love story (2011), Zesty Womanhood at 40 and Beyond (2011), Radiant Survivor (2013 - Amazon bestseller), and most recently the first book of the Sarah’s Gift series Standing Up for Yourself (2016 - Amazon bestseller). The second book Believing In the Magic will be available for pre-order June 30 and is being released July 18.

For more information, visit
Website
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#Review & #Giveaway: Pete the Cat and (Your Child's Name Here) Magic Sunglasses by Kimberly and James Dean #PutMeInTheStory #MagicSunglasses Gift Bag

Summary:
Pete the Cat is having one of those days—the kind where nothing is going his way. But when Grumpy Toad lends Pete a pair of cool, blue, magic sunglasses, that gloomy, dreary day turns itself around!

As Pete the Cat travels through town, he meets friends that could use a little bit of magic. A hungry squirrel, a tipped-over turtle, and a lonely alligator all get a boost of positive vibes from the magic sunglasses. But what happens when those magic sunglasses break?

My review:
I have said it before and I will say it again, I love the "Put Me In the Story" books. I am so happy to get to review this one in particular because my grand-daughter is a huge "Pete the Cat" fan and for her to see her name is a win for sure.

In this book, Pete the Cat is not the only central character but so is my grand-daughter. She "gives" one of the characters in the book a pair of cool blue sunglasses. who in turn gives them to Pete the Cat. These sunglasses make every character in the book feel good and happy.  I smiled as  each character was happy. 

Additionally, I could not help from smile at the line drawn Pete and friends. I have come to expect the author, James, to create such a cute cartoon-ish book series. The fact my granddaughter is in the book too with photo and name is just awesome!

I do not have a cool blue pair of sunglasses but thought mine were pretty cool anyway to share this wonderful book. Do you have a pair? If not, go get some and pick up this book too. It is sure to bring out your smile and the smile of your favorite kid too!

Disclosure: I received this book in exchange for my open and honest opinion. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~M.M. aka Naila Moon
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Would you like to enter a giveaway for #Magic Sunglasses Gift Bag?
Note: There is only 6 days left for this. So, hurry!

 Includes:
·         Personalized Pete the Cat Rock On Tote Bag·         Personalized copy of Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses·         + 2 personalized books of winner’s choice from Put Me In The Story
Enter via the Rafflecopter by doing any of the following:·         Sharing your Sunglass Selfie! Share a selfie of you and your child wearing sunglasses with the hashtag #MagicSunglasses·         Sharing a Tweet·         Signing up for Put Me In The Story’s newsletter
Where to find the book:
Put Me In the Story