M.M. Hudson's Blog, page 8
July 12, 2024
#Spotlight & #Giveaway: Mirrored Wounds by Rebecca Christo #womensfiction #novels #thrillers
Mirrored Wounds
Genre: ContemporaryWomen’s Fiction, Psychological Mystery
Laura's life was finally good.She'd freed herself from the clutchesof an abusive partner, left an unrewarding career as an interiordesigner to follow her dreams of becoming a writer, and was finallyhappy. And things were only getting better. Her very first novel hadstruck a chord with readers and become a bestseller, but when themurder she'd described in its pages suddenly gets played out in reallife, with her beloved husband as the victim, it is obvious to herthat she looks guilty, despite having an alibi that would have beendifficult to fake.
As the investigation proceeds, withlittle or no progress being made, bizarre happenings in thesecurity-protected home she'd shared with her husband have herquestioning her own sanity, despite the reassurance of her therapist.Could she have murdered the first man to ever make her feel trulyloved and secure and then just ... forgotten somehow? Surely not. Butas even more troubling events come to light, with no logicalexplanation besides her own guilt, she finds herself questioningeverything she knows to be true ... including her own innocence.
Avid dog lover and Author RebeccaChristo was born in Toronto,Ontario, where she developed an early love of both reading andwriting. Of particular interest to her was creating a story withemotionally mature content that was still entertaining enough to beread for fun on a relaxing vacation. She hopes she’s succeeded withher very first published novel: Mirrored Wounds.
Whenshe’s not travelling with her husband, Darcy Christo, Rebeccaenjoys spending time with him, her children Ali, Brittany andMaxwell, and her puppies (Lucy and Winston) in Wasaga Beach, Ontariowhere she currently lives.
Followthe tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
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June 25, 2024
#Spotlight: Double Scoop of Murder by Lena Gregory #Audiobook #CozyMystery
3rd in SeriesSetting – Watchogue, Long Island, New YorkAudiobook (June 25, 2024)Publisher Tantor AudioListening Length – 6 hours and 39 minutesASIN B0D67ZB8TBAudio CD: ASIN : B0CZ31MZVKGemma Halliday Publishing (November 21, 2023)Number of Pages 226Digital ASIN : B0CCLT922FPaperback ISBN-13 : 979-8879730982ABOUT THE BOOK:Danika Delany is loving running her uncle’s old-fashioned malt shop on eastern Long Island and putting her own modern spin on the treats they serve. Life is finally looking up for her! That is, until local billionaire Maxwell Crumbholtz dies and leaves his fortune in the form of a treasure hunt. Chaos descends on Watchogue, and Dani and the rest of the gang from the Coffee & Cream Cafe join the melee when they enter the contest, try to decipher the clues, and go in search of the treasure. But Dani digs up more than she expected when she discovers a dead body buried instead of a treasure! To make matters worse, a witness claims to have seen Dani at the scene of the murder. Now, instead of a four-billion-dollar payday, Dani is on the hunt for a killer.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lena Gregory is the author of the Bay Island Psychic Mysteries, which take place on a small island between the north and south forks of Long Island, New York, the All-Day Breakfast Café Mysteries, which are set on the outskirts of Florida’s Ocala National Forest, the Mini-Meadows Mysteries, set in a community of tiny homes in Central Florida, and the Coffee & Cream Café Mysteries, which take place in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, New York.
Lena grew up in a small town on the south shore of eastern Long Island, but she recently traded in cold, damp, gray winters for the warmth and sunshine of central Florida, where she now lives with her husband, three kids, son-in-law, and four dogs. Her hobbies include spending time with family, reading, and walking. Her love for writing developed when her youngest son was born and didn’t sleep through the night. She works full-time as a writer and a freelance editor and is a member of Sisters in Crime.
Website: http://www.lenagregory.com/
Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14956514.Lena_Gregory?from_search=true
Audiobook Purchase Links – Amazon
June 21, 2024
#SPotlight: No Horsing Around by Shannon Kennedy #Giveaway #YA #Bookseries
No Horsing Around
ShamrockStables Book 6
byShannon Kennedy
Genre:YA Teen Drama Fiction
Whenthe school year ends, Sierra and her friends plan to have a horsygood time riding their horses, teaching summer day camp, and helpingtheir favorite riding instructor arrange a wedding to the localanimal-control officer. Difficulties arise before they even passtheir final exams. Robin wants to work at the vintage car lot withthe beautiful, classic Mustangs she loves. However, her parents aresending her to horse camp whether she likes it or not and shedoesn’t!
Meanwhile, Vicky intends to trainhorses. Does her dream job mean she can’t spend time with herboyfriend before he leaves for college? Horse camp brings in muchneeded income to the McElroy’s Shamrock Stable, so how can atalented athlete like Sierra tell her family she wants to join thehigh school basketball and soccer teams at their training campsinstead of teaching little beginners again?
After a stunning performance inthe spring musical, will Dani ever be able to let her glory-hungryparents know she’d rather be at the barn this summer, not on stagein a theatrical company in Oregon? Catch rider, CeCe worries shewon’t be ‘emancipated’ and allowed to remain with the peoplewho offered her a ‘real’ home but are her new friends too busy tohelp when she needs them most?
It’s a drama-rama summer atShamrock Stable. What will the five of them do to stay together andensure each girl’s dreams come true?
**Don’t miss the rest of theseries!**
ShannonKennedy lives and works at her family business, a riding stable inWashington State. Teaching kids to ride and know about horses since1967, she finds in many cases, she's taught three generations offamilies. Her life experiences span adventures from dealing cards ina casino, attending graduate school to get her master's in teachingdegree, being a middle and high school teacher, and serving in theArmy Reserve - all leading to her second career as a publishedauthor. She recently retired from teaching school and plans to writemore books for Fire & Ice YA, the Stewart Falls Cheerleadersrealistic fiction series and the Shamrock Stable series about teengirls and their horses. Visit her at herwebsite, www.shannonkennedybooks.com tolearn about her books.
Followthe tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!
$20Amazon
June 20, 2024
#Review: The Pants Project by Cat Clarke #OlderMiddleGrade #YA
TRIGGER ALERT & NOTICE: It actually pains me to have to add this warning to my review. However, let it be noted, that I review a variety of books with subjects that may not resonate with all. This particular book deals with LBTQ+ subjects and also, bullying. If this is not a subject that does not resonate with you, please move on. I do ask for open mindness and kindness always with ALL of my reviews. DO NOTE that all of my reviews are 100% my own personal opinions. These views may differ with yours. ~Michelle, Reading Authors Network
ABOUT THE BOOK: Whoever wrote the uniform policy decided (whyyy?) that girls had to wear skirts, while boys were allowed to wear pants. ugh!
MY REVIEW:
It is tough growing up as it is, but even tougher when you don't feel right in your own body. What is worse is when someone makes you dress or act a certain way because society deems you should. The main character, Liv, feels exactly like that. He is a boy and he knows it.
There were. two major things I loved about this book. The first of which was the main character had two Moms. It showed that families come in different sizes, shapes, genders, and colors. It also pointed out that all families deal with the same kinds of issues no matter what.
The second thing I loved is acceptance. In the case of Liv, he never felt like he was a girl and was stuck wearing clothes that he did not feel was him. He eventually made friends that accepted him just as he was. Yay!I loved the use of pronouns too. Double Yay!
Unfortunately, the subject of bullying was presented as well. The character was subjected to a variety of bullying, from other students, adults, and even from his original best friend. I saw the character, Liv deal with this but also deal with trying to protect his Moms. The feelings presented were real and, as the reader, I could step into this.
In addition, the book presented a few minor themes and those did not go unnoticed.
Over all, this is a solid book and one that I am glad to read. More books need to be written about transgender children so maybe, they do not suffer like so many have.
I give this book 4 stars.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Cat was born in Zambia and brought up in Edinburgh and Yorkshire, which has given her an accent that tends to confuse people.Cat has written non-fiction books about exciting things like cowboys, sharks and pirates, and now writes YA novels. She lives in Edinburgh with a couple of cats, Jem and Scout, who spend their days plotting to spit up furballs at the most inconvenient times. She likes cheese A LOT, especially baked camembert.
June 17, 2024
Ghosts by Caroly Watson Dubisch& Mike Dubisch #giveaway #YAFantasy #graphicnovel
Graphic novels-YA Fantasy
Date Published: 05-23-2024
Publisher: Abigail Books
Laura has only just come to terms with moving to the strange town of Deluge, when she is mysteriously transported into a painting that is displayed in the school library. Shocked by her sudden relocation she realizes she’s been brought back home to Seattle, Washington, but it isn’t the Seattle she left behind. Has she also stepped backwards in time?
About the Author
Mike and Carolyn began collaborating artistically at the School Of Visual Arts in New York City. They married soon after graduating and began working together. Their first major project was designing rides on the Turn of the Century Carousel that was displayed in Grand Central Station in New York, The LA Auto Show in California, also in Washington DC and New Orleans. Their comic book adaptation of the Japanese fable Urishima Taro, initially created for a fundraiser for the tsunami victims in Japan, was licensed by FOX in 2013.
Mike is well known for his fantasy art and comics, including art for Star Wars, Dungeons & Dragons, and Aliens VS Predator. Carolyn is a multiple award winning author and illustrator of numerous children’s books, working with multiple publishers and authors, and has appeared in Highlights For Children magazine. Their most ambitious project, the all-ages graphic novel series The People That Melt In The Rain, is the product of over ten years of development.
Contact Links
Preorder Links
June 10, 2024
#Review: Mei's Mermaid Mission by Crystal Z. Lee #multicultural #mermaids #childrensfiction
About the book:This picture book follows Mei as she travels all over the Asia Pacific region to gather the team of MIRA mermaids in order to stop Pirate Polymer from polluting.
My review: Do you love mermaids or have family that does? Do you care about the oceans, the animals in it, our world? Then, this is the book for you!
This book features a sundry of mermaids that have been in mythological legends in Asian areas of the Pacific ocean. In addition, the book features real land masses, animals that near extinction, and world pollution.
Even if the author just featured these ideas, it would be a good book; but she took it up a notch and wrote a great story that appeals to all.The story line is, there is a pirate polluting the oceans and her mission is to find and stop him. Along the way, she meets mermaid friends and animals who help her accomplish this mission. A nice little twist happens at the end. Of course, I won't tell you what that is, read the book.
I seriously loved everything about this book. The story was great and the illustrations superb. If that was not enough to make me happy, the back of the book highlighted the following glossaries: Animal glossary,cultural and historical references, geographical glossary, and note about areas mentioned. Wow!
Run,don't walk and get you a copy of this book. It should be in all classrooms and home school teaching.
5 stars!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author. The views here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Michelle, Reading Authors Network
Where to find the author:
Crystal Z. Lee grew up in a bilingual household in Taiwan and in California. She is an avid traveler and has visited over thirteen countries in Asia. Her favorite travel memories include hiking the forests of Borneo, boating in Phuket, cruising down the Yangtze River, chasing butterflies in Taiwan, attending literary festivals in Hong Kong, and visiting family in Singapore. Crystal is the author of children's books A Unicorn Named Rin and Kai the Dancing Butterfly. Her poetry was recently included in the UK anthology, Tabula Rasa. She is also the author of a novel, Love and Other Moods.Book on Amazon
June 9, 2024
Review: This Book Will Make You An Artist by Ruth Millington #childrensnonfictionbooks #video
Hi everyone. I decided to make this fantastic book into a video review. Check it out on my Bookstagram. While you're there please give me a follow too. I would greatly appreciate it.
Michelle, Reading Authors Network
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8BKSYQJF0I/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Review: You Are A Story by Bob Raczka @childrensbooks
Blurb: An empowering reflection on the many things we are and the ways we relate to the world.
My Review: Do you listen to other people's stories? Do you know you have your own to tell? Seriously, you do!
This darling children's picture book tells the tale of how YOU are unique and only you can tell your story.
The "story" in the book stays true to a picture book as it is simple and easy to understand. It is the illustrations that really do it for me. Bold and large the pictures make this book, and the words enhance it. This is different as usually, it is the other way around.
This would be a great book for preschool through kindergarten and pair it with an enrichment about self or write their own stories.
4 stars!
Disclosure: I checked out this book from my local library. The views here are 100% my own and may differ from yours. ~Michelle, Reading Authors Network
June 5, 2024
#Review: Ode to a Pug by Jill Rosen
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A precocious pug delights in shenanigans which drive
her frazzled owner to declare she will give her pup away!
Laugh along with the snorting, snoring and gaseous clown
of the canine world as its owner struggles to reign
in the messes and mayhem of a new addition.
But there is nothing that a fewlicks and cuddles can’t fix, right?
A true delight that any family can relate to,
Ode to a Pug is full of heart… and a lot of slobber.
MY REVIEW:
Do you own a pug or think they are so adorable?
This author owns a pug and pens the cutest poem to her beloved dog. However, she has such a hate/love relationship. Her pug is cute and everything but the dog does some unsavory things like chew her favorite chair and poop on the carpets. Ugh, what is this pug owner to do? Give him away of course, that is until the day, she does not.
I do not currently own a dog but I can relate to many of the things this owner/author wrote about. It was quite amusing and yet, I could feel her frustrations. I laughed out loud at some of them.
The author's illustrations were cartoon-ish and added so much to the overall children's book. This was just simply too cute!
4 stars.
Michelle, Reading Authors Network
#Spotlight: Soar a Burning Sky by Steven Michael Beck #YAFantasy #bookseries
Soar a Burning Sky
Echoes of EonTheraBook One
Genre: YAEco-Dystopian Fantasy
Long before the Great Clock of Stars began turning, the destiniesof Earth and its soul were entwined. For centuries these twin worlds,Earth and EonThera, existed in harmony, in perfectbalance. However, as SOAR A BURNING SKY opens, EonThera is nowdivided and aflame. Earth’s radically shifting climate not onlywreaks havoc upon its own, but rains hell upon those occupying itssoul. Reluctantly, T’Aura, the last of EonThera’sshape-shifting Change Masters emerges from seclusionand, in a final act of desperation, resolves to gather warriors fromthe very realm responsible for EonThera’s suffering: Earth itself.
Four seemingly ordinary teenagers heedthe steward’s call, embarking on a journey that scatters themacross the treacherous climes of Earth’s surreal doppelgänger. Inthe unfolding chaos, their fates converge, ultimately guiding themtoward theirs and the Change Master’s true calling: to restore TheTicking, the equilibrium necessary to prevent the body and itssoul from perishing together. Only by re-opening the GuardianGate—the portal that circulates the Ticking’s life-givingenergy between the twin dominions—can T’Aura and hernew TerraTo’Kai reveal to both worlds therelationship they actually share: that each requires the other inorder to survive.
SOAR A BURNING SKY is a Young Adulteco-dystopian fantasy complete at 105,000 words. With itscaptivating characters, its intricate world-building, and itsheart-pounding set pieces, it would be perfect for fans of SuzanneCollins and James Dasher.
Join Patreon and get started for free! Newmaterial released twice weekly!
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=5680864
Tounderscore there’s always more that can be done, when you subscribeto Soar A Burning Skyon Patreon.com,regardless of which tier you select, each provides the most sensibleway to combat Climate Change . . .
BYPLANTING TREES!
Beit a pair of these emerald guard, a cluster, a grove, or even anentire forest, you can personally engage in the battle now, today.For every dollar we donate when you subscribe, Onetreeplanted.orgwill plant trees in your honor, in a geographic zone-of-need of yourchoice.
STEVENMICHAEL BECK bringsa lifetime commitment to pushing the state-of-the-art in media andentertainment. He is an award-winning storyteller, filmmaker,screenwriter, designer, illustrator, sculptor, and author. Thediversity of his portfolio which includes feature films, commercials,and theme park and attraction design, coupled with his artistic andwriting talent, allows him to transcend the boundaries of any onemedium and create truly unique story-driven experiences.
Afterfour decades in the film industry, Steve’s current passion isbringing to life his epic narrative: Echoesof EonThera -- aYoung Adult dystopian saga that explores the impact of climatechange, hoping to inspire the next generation to heed the call toaction. At its core, Echoesof EonThera helps usrecognize that: “Ittakes many to save a world, but only one to make a difference.”
Soara Burning Sky, thefirst volume in theEchoes of EonThera series(still in manuscript form), recently won the Grand Prize for Fantasyat the Chanticleer International Book Awards as well as a First Prizefor Young Adult Fiction. Other accolades include the Literary TitanBook Award for Teen Fiction/ 2023, The International Firebird BookAwards/ 3rd Quarter, 2023, and honorable mentions from both the NewEngland Book Festival and the Southern California Book Festival for2023.
Steven MichaelBeck graduated with honors from Art Center College of Design, earninga Bachelor of Arts degree in Illustration, Graphic Design, andAdvertising.
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