Colleen Houck's Blog, page 12

Book Reviews For Kids By Kids- The Mark of Athena and The School for Good and Evil

For those of you who are looking for new books appropriate for middle grade that both boys and girls might enjoy, this is the place to look!

Every month, a new book (or two) will be added for review right here and they will be reviewed by the best critics, KIDS! That’s right, the one’s who read them will be the judge!

This blog is written by my quirky and adorable niece, Madelyn. She’s super sweet and quite ambitious in everything she sets her mind to. She’s quick to help and give hugs, two of my favoritist things!

 First, for those just tuning in, may I introduce Madelyn . .

“I’m a freshman who recently started high school. I have a HUGE love of books. My entire family are book nerds. I have a sister named Madison and a brother named Michael. It’s hard for me to find boring books. I read all the TIME!”

And now, introducing our 21st middle grade book review for kids, by kids!

                      Book Review of The Mark of Athena
                   By Rick Riordan


Book Commercial


This book is the third in the Heroes of Olympus Series. The book starts with Greeks and Romans finally meet. The main characters are Piper, Jason, Leo, Annabeth, Percy, Frank, and Hazel. They get off on the wrong foot and don’t become best buds. The Seven leave to start their quest. Annabeth has to take care of the task of finding the Athena Parthenon and is separated to face her biggest fear. The book ends in an unexpected way and leaves you with a cliffhanger.
I love this book. I love all the Percy Jackson books. This was a great book and really drew me in and made me enjoy this book. I recommend this book to anyone who loves Greek mythology.





                              Book Review of The School for Good and Evil
                         By Soman Chainani

Book Commercial

The story takes place in a town where children are taken by a man called, “The School Master,” to live in a school for villains or fairytale heroes. Two friends named Sophie and Agatha are seemed as perfect candidates for the School. They are taken by the school master and things seem to be going fine until Agatha is put in the school for good and Sophie is put in the School for Evil. The entire school year is more about if the girls are in the right school or not. They are faced with many challenges and eventually discover who they truly are.
I enjoyed the book. I loved the message that you don’t need a prince to save you and think that it fits in with this book. I did not enjoy the ending. I believe it ruined the point of the story. But this was a good book and was very interesting. I recommend it for people who love fairytales.

Here’s a list and links to the other books we’ve reviewed:

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

The Blackthorn Key By Kevin Sands

A Map to Everywhere By Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis

Greek Mythology by Ken Jennings

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine

The Tale of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler

Wednesdays in the Tower by Jessica Day George

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery by Deborah and James Howe

A to Z Mysteries: White House White Out by Ron Roy

The Sisters Grimm: The Problem Child by Michael Buckley

Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets (In full color) by Dav Pilkey

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Invasion of the Overworld by Mark Cheverton

Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke

The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis

Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony Di’Terlizzi and Holly Black

Artemis Fowl, book 1 by Eoin Colfer

The BFG (The Big Friendly Giant) by Roald Dahl

How to Train Your Dragon: How to Break a Dragon’s Heart, Book # 8 by Cressida Cowell

~ Till next time,

Linda Louise Lotti

Minotaurs: Punishment from Poseidon

 

The origin story of the Minotaur is one of punishment given by the god Poseidon to the disobedient King Minos of Crete. King Minos sacrificed his most prized bull each year to Poseidon, but one year a calf was born that was so exquisite he chose to sacrifice a lesser bull in order to save the prized one for himself.  Poseidon was not fooled by the immolated calf, and punished King Minos by his wife, the queen gave birth to a half human half bull child.

 

Since King Minos we have seen Minotaur in movies and books.  In the 1st Percy Jackson book titled, “The Lightening Thief” Percy had to fight off a Minotaur as he was rushing to enter the boarder of Camp Half-blood.

*Watch the battle below

In Dante’s Inferno, Dante and Virgil meet the Minotaur as they are looking for the gate to the Seventh Circle of Hell. The Minotaur is among those damned for the violent natures.

 

I guess this is a hint to all of us to keep our temper in check and maybe take a Yoga class.

 

 

 

 

There are also modern stories of the Minotaur.  This epic re-telling of the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur is told by Asterion, the Minotaur himself, when visited by Ovid the playwright and poet.

Asterion tells Ovid about his childhood, living in the palace with his evil step father King Minos, his mother and his many brothers and sisters. You get to find out all about his adventures before and during the labyrinth.

 

 

 

Even on the battlefield of Narnia we see Minotaur. Minotaur were not among the creatures that Aslan brought forth from the ground at the birth of Narnia, so were not sure where they came from. However Puddleglum, Eustace and Jill noticed carved images of Minotaurs on a giant-made bridge as they searched for Prince Rilian.  During The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe the Minotaur worked for the White Witch and were even at the sacrifice of Aslan on the Stone Table.  There is no doubt in my mind that they are fierce unyielding opponents ready for war.

 

 

 

Lets go back in time again and check on King Minos and his family. . .

Living with a Minotaur child proved challenging.  He had no natural source of nourishment and began to devour humans for sustenance. King Minos soon commissioned Daedalus to construct a labyrinth to hold the Minotaur. Some myths say that seven youths and seven maiden, drawn by lots, were to be sent seventh year to be devoured by the Minotaur.  As the third sacrifice approached, Theseus volunteer to enter the labyrinth and slay the monster.  Here is a children’s poem that tell the fate of Theseus.

 

The Myth of the Minotaur

 by Paul Perro

Thousands of years ago

Before history had really begun,

There was a king called Minos.

He wasn’t a very nice one.

King Minos had a pet monster,

A giant with the head of a bull.

This monster liked to eat people

Its hunger was insatiable.

This scary creature had a name

It was called the minotaur.

It had sharp teeth that could bite

And pointy horns that could gore.

The minotaur lived in the labyrinth,

A maze of long corridors.

The king kept it locked up there

Behind big strong oak doors.

Every now and then

He’d give the monster a treat.

He’d throw some people into the maze

For the monster to eat.

One day, a hero called Theseus,

A very brave young man

Decided to put a stop to this,

And came up with a plan.

He volunteered to be sacrificed

To the giant with the bull’s head

But he did not plan to be eaten,

He planned to kill it instead.

Minos’s daughter, the princess,

Thought Theseus was cool.

She decided to help him in his quest

And gave him a ball of wool.

Theseus let out the wool

Behind him, as he explored,

So he knew he could find his way out again.

He also carried a sword.

When Theseus found the minotaur

It gave a terrible bellow.

But our hero was not afraid

He was a courageous fellow.

The minotaur lowered its horns and charged

Theseus jumped aside.

He stabbed the monster with his sword

The monster fell down, and died.

Then Theseus followed the trail of wool

And found the way out once more.

And nobody ever was again

Eaten by a minotaur.

So it sounds like the only good Minotaur is one stuck in a Labyrinth.

-Shara

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Falling for Apple Pie!

                                                 Falling for Apple Pie

November is here and that means Thanksgiving is right at our doorstep, so I thought it would be fun to share some of my personal favorite pie recipes with you. After all, there is no dessert that says “home” or “holiday” like a pie.

Here’s a holiday rhyme to start things off,

When all the leaves are off the boughs,

And nuts and apples gathered in,

And cornstalks waiting for the cows,

And pumpkins safe in barn and bin,

The Mother says, “My children dear,

The fields are brown, and autumn flies;

Thanksgiving Day is very near,

And we must make Thanksgiving pies!”

My husband’s birthday falls on October 22nd and when I asked what special dessert he’d like, he asked me to bake a pie.

Starting from scratch we will make a buttery, flaky pie crust.

Pie Dough

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Makes enough dough for one double or two single crust pies.

~2 ½ Cups flour

~1 Tablespoon sugar

~1 Teaspoon salt

~2 sticks (1 Cup) unsalted butter, very cold

~1 Cup water (drop a few ice cubes in and set it aside)

Directions:

Whisk the flour, sugar and salt in large bowl.
Dice butter into ½ inch pieces.
Sprinkle butter cubes over the flour and begin working them in with a pastry blender (you can also use a large fork). When all of the butter pieces are the size of tiny peas (this won’t take long), stop. Yes, even if it looks uneven; you’ll thank me later.
“Glue it together”. Start by drizzling ½ cup of the ice-cold water (but not the cubes) over the butter and flour mixture. Use a rubber spatula to gather the dough together. You’ll probably need an additional ¼ Cup of cold water to bring it together, but be careful to add 1 Tablespoon at a time. Once you’re pulling large clumps with the spatula, take it out and get your hands in there. Gather the damp clumps together into one mound, kneading them gently together.
Divide the dough in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Let the dough chill in the fridge for one hour, but preferably at least two, before rolling it out.(If you look close enough you can see specks of butter in the dough)

*You can prepare this dough in advance and it will keep in fridge for about a week, and in the freezer longer.

Lattice Apple Pie

~ ½ Cup unsalted butter

~ 2 Tablespoons flour

~ ½ Cup white sugar

~ ½ Cup brown sugar (packed)

~ ¼ Cup water

~6-8 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced

~Cinnamon

Directions:

Peel and slice Granny Smith apples (thicker slices for crunchier pie, thinner for softer bite)
Preheat oven to 425 Fahrenheit (220 C)
In a bowl, toss the sliced apples with enough cinnamon to coat them lightly
Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add white sugar, brown sugar, and water; then bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and simmer 5 additional minutes.
Take pie dough and roll into circular shape about ¼ inches thick. *Can you see specks of butter? This is perfect because it will make the crust flaky and buttery! Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, and use lattice method for top crust. (You do not need to bake the crust before filling). *Notice that the pie filling is still sitting in a saucepan while you made a lattice top pie crust? This is very important.
Now gently pour the pie filling mixture over the top of the crust, being careful not to spill over the edges. First try to fill the gaps in the crust, and then feel free to cover the pie entirely.
Bake at 425 (220 C) for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 F (175 C) for another 35-45 minutes. Watch for the crust to be a light golden, bubbly state.

*Because the sauce is on top of the crust, it not only forms a nice presentation with an amazing top crust, but the bottom crust does not get wet, so is able to quickly cook and set in the first 15 minutes of baking. After that, the sauce moves down, blends with the juices and sugars from the apples, and results in what I consider the best apple pie ever.

 

Thanksgiving Feasting

When the Halloween pumpkins are gone,

And the leaves have all fallen to ground,

When the air has turned windy and cold,

Then Thanksgiving will soon be around.

Thoughts of loved ones all feasting together,

Pleasant pictures from past times appear

To dwell in each heart and each mind-

Then Thanksgiving is finally here!

The kitchen has scrumptious aromas,

The dining room looks oh, so fine,

Decorations with pilgrims and turkeys,

And now we are ready to dine!

First the napkins are placed on our laps;

Now the prayer for the meal to be blessed,

Then we stuff the good food in our tummies,

And we hope for it all to digest!

By Joanna Fuchs

 

~ “Till next time,

 

Linda Louise Lotti

 

Dress up the Reignited Book Cover Contest

Ah, to walk out your door and feel the chill upon your cheek as you gaze upon the street and see pops of yellow, orange, pink, green and gold!

The smell of chimneys and fresh pine fill the air while sounds of wind rush through the trees and leaves crunch beneath your boots.

The sun’s warmth lingers as the new wind carries an excitement that touches your soul.

“Fall is here! Fall is here!”, our hearts shout with a twinkle in our eye and a lightness to our step. “Fall is here! Fall is here!”

I just can’t help it, the beauty of fall excites me! I love everything that this season brings. Traditionally, our fall contest is tied in with the theme of Thanksgiving which is currently going on but in celebration of the new and upcoming book Reignited, we wanted to throw in an extra contest and play “dress up”! 

Introducing . . .

Dress up the REIGNITED Book Cover Contest!

For those of you who have read the Reawakened books already, you’d know Lily is the 17 year old heroine from New York who comes from money but doesn’t let it get to her head. She’s a talented artist, smart, brave and a bit sassy.

She finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time when a mummy rises from the dead and binds himself to her. He is an Egyptian to die for in every sense of the word!

Here’s how the contest will work,

Create and design a pin where you dress up the REIGNITED book cover  on Pinterest (check these examples below)
Share your Pin by providing the link in the comments below for other’s to check out!

That’s it! If you haven’t read the books, hurry and pick them up and join the contest! You won’t be disappointed.

One Grand Prize Winner will receive  a Dream Lily Package including (Advanced E-book of REIGNITED, books, perfume, jewelry, and more!)

Plus four runner ups will receive an advanced E-book of REIGNITED!

This contest will run for the month of November and December because the holidays get busy and we want everyone to have a chance to participate!

Good luck and happy pinning!

Linda Louise

November Thankful Contest and October Art Contest Winner!

Just days ago, the whole town was alive with music and laughter. Parades, carnivals, and parties; dancing, eating, and singing. Yes, it was Halloween. The adults danced and danced in costumes both scary and silly while the trick-or-treaters paraded the streets, feasting on skittles, sour pops and all sorts of sweets. The air was filled with excitement and magic that night but now, the streets and sidewalks have gone quiet. Costumes and candy wrappers litter the floor of the children’s rooms and the jack-o-lantern’s light has long since gone out.

For those of you who participated in October’s Contest of the Month, a huge thanks! We received some awesome art entries and thought I’d share a couple with you!

And the winner of October’s art contest . . .

Emma Scharf

Congrats! The winner will receive an ASPIRING ARTIST prize package! It will also include REAWAKENED.

November Thankful Contest

What better way to start the holiday season with a focus on the things we have and less on the have nots. November is a wonderful time for reflection and pause, a time to show our gratitude for our many blessings. And, yes, we all have them despite our circumstance.

For this month’s contest, we invite you to write a quick two to three paragraph essay about what you’re thankful for and to perform a random act of kindness.

For those of you who’d like to participate, it’s easy.

Simply post your thankful essay in the comments below and share what you have done or will do as your random act of kindness. It can be as simple as having a friendly conversation with some one who might need a friend or buying a Starbucks for the person in line behind you or writing a note of thanks to someone who touched your life for good.  One random participant will win a special YA book package and a runner-up will win a small personalized gift from Colleen. Both winners will also win an official signed copy of Tiger’s Curse for a friend new to the Tiger’s Curse Series!

Have fun with this one!

~Till next time,

Linda Louise Lotti

November Book Club and October chat winner announced

A huge thanks to all who participated in the Goodreads chat with author Lori M. Lee during the month of October.

As promised, one lucky participant is randomly chosen to win each month. What is in this month’s prize package? The winner will receive a book from Lori M. Lee and a book of choice from Colleen Houck (Tiger’s Curse, Tiger’s Quest, Tiger’s Voyage, Tiger’s Destiny, Tiger’s Promise, Reawakened or Recreated).  

And. . . the winner is

Ashley

Congrats!

Now, it’s time to announce our November featured book of the month!

Welcome to …

If you’re just tuning in, or are new to this online book club, it’s super easy to join. I host the club on Goodreads and each month you get the chance to ask authors questions. You can ask anything from what they like to eat to what they’re writing right now. You don’t have to read the book to participate and every month I choose one lucky person from the chat to win a prize! The prize includes the book or books I’ve read from that author that month as well as your pick of any one of my books as well and some extra fun stuff I throw in! What’s the catch? There is none, this is just a great way for us authors to network and for you, the readers, to branch out and have fun! So, for our next book pick,  I’m excited to feature . . .

Illuminae

by authors Amie kaufman and Jay Kristoff

A little teaser

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival mega corporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto one of the evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again!

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

 

 

Learn more about this series here, and to get your hands on your own copy, click here.

I’m very excited to check out this author and their novel!  Also, you can participate in an ongoing chat with Colleen, Amie and Jay asking just about anything you’d like on Goodreads throughout November!

Also, remember that you don’t need to read the book to participate. It’s a GREAT opportunity to get to know the authors and ask any questions you’d like!

For fun there will be a GIVEAWAY for one lucky participant! 

Happy reading everyone!

Book Reviews for Kids by Kids-Harry Potter and the order of the Phoenix

For those of you who are looking for new books appropriate for middle grade that both boys and girls might enjoy, this is the place to look!

Every month, a new book will be added for review right here and they will be reviewed by the best critics, KIDS! That’s right, the one’s who read them will be the judge!

This blog is written by my sugar ‘n spice and everything nice niece, Madison. She’s the best little helper around and a pure joy to be with. She has a sharp mind and has an infectious smile. She wants to be a teacher and likes helping others!

First, may I introduce for those just tuning in, Madison:

 “Hi I am a seventh grader and I like to read. I have read a lot of book series including, The Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer, and The Whatever After Series by Sarah Mlynowski. I love to write fantasy stories and mystery stories. I am the youngest of three in my family. My older sister is named Madelyn who is 14 and my brother Michael who is 20. I love my family and my friends.”

 And now, introducing our 20th middle grade book review for kids, by kids!

Book Review of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
By J.K. Rowling



The Book Setting
 This book takes place at Hogwarts the school of witchcraft and wizardry and the ministry of magic. It is also commonly at professor umbridge’s office, for any painful detentions..
 
Main Character Descriptions
 
Harry Potter– he is the main character of all the books. He is very famous. Throughout this book he has a very bad temper used in many situations.
 
Hermione Granger– she is another main character. She is the smartest kid in the class in all books. She is kind and a bookworm.
 
Ron Weasley– he is the third main character in the book. He is an average student. He can be kind and stupid sometimes.
 
Professor Umbridge– she is the last main character in the book. She is the defense against the dark arts teacher. She can be very bossy and sassy at sometimes.
 
Personal Review
 
I loved this book. It had very many mystical adventures. It is a good sequel to the 4 th book where most of the characters are 15 now. My favorite part of the book was when professor Dumbledore took down some ministry aurors. I would recommend this series to anyone. It is an amazing series.

Facts: Lexile Measure: 950L

Stay tuned for more book reviews!

Here’s a list with links to the other books we’ve reviewed:

The Blackthorn Key By Kevin Sands

A Map to Everywhere By Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis

Greek Mythology by Ken Jennings

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine

The Tale of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler

Wednesdays in the Tower by Jessica Day George

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery by Deborah and James Howe

A to Z Mysteries: White House White Out by Ron Roy

The Sisters Grimm: The Problem Child by Michael Buckley

Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets (In full color) by Dav Pilkey

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Invasion of the Overworld by Mark Cheverton

Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke

The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis

Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony Di’Terlizzi and Holly Black

Artemis Fowl, book 1 by Eoin Colfer

The BFG (The Big Friendly Giant) by Roald Dahl

How to Train Your Dragon: How to Break a Dragon’s Heart, Book # 8 by Cressida Cowell

~ Till next time,

Linda Louise Lotti

Falling for October

October is the month of apple festivals, family picnics, pumpkin carving, fireside cookouts, bountiful harvests, crisp days and bright fall colors. The summer evenings have gone to sleep while the air is growing wild with energy welcoming the October eves.

When the pretty leaves carpet the ground and a chill is carried on the wind it’s time to dress in flannel and scarves and cozy socks. The apples and leaves, chimney smokes and pumpkin pies potpourri the air. The sun sets, the fire roars and hot soup, fresh bread and cider are laid on the dinner table. Now this, this is when autumn has settled in and I feel most alive!

When you think of the fall season, it’s easy to get excited about the holidays, the decoration boxes coming out again, the smells of cinnamon, nutmeg and spice and all the delicious foods! Then you have the cozy blankets, when you curl up with a good book by the fire.

There is such beauty at this time of year with the bright colors and fog reaching over the mountains. Just outside the window when I was living in Portland, Oregon there was a beautiful little stream at the base of tall pines and brightly colored trees. Here’s a picture (sorry its bad lighting),

I now live in Tucson, Arizona at the moment and in October, this is what the landscape looks like,

(My middle child, Lex insisted on being in the pics)

It’s not hard to choose which one I’d prefer. I’m not saying the desert doesn’t have its own beauty, because it does, I’m just saying I really really really miss the beauty of the changing leaves (to name one).

It’s been said there’s no place more beautiful than New England in Autumn. I mean, just look at the pictures, could you argue?

If I could take a walk here, I’d get lost in its beauty with every step. How about you? Doesn’t it just provide great scope for the imagination? My walks wouldn’t be walks, they’d be, as Henry Thorough puts it, “sauntering”. His exact words were, “I have met with but one or two persons in the course of my life who understood the art of Walking, that is, of taking walks- who had a genius, so to speak, for sauntering.”

  He has described going for walks in more detail in his essay entitled, Walking. Here’s a quote from the essay,

“But the walking of which I speak has nothing in it akin to taking exercise, as it is called, as the sick take medicine at stated hours—as the Swinging of dumb- bells or chairs; but is itself the enterprise and adventure of the day. If you would get exercise, go in search of the springs of life. Think of a man’s swinging dumbbells for his health, when those springs are bubbling up in far-off pastures unsought by him!”

For those of you who might not know who Henry Thoreau is, here’s a quick introduction.

Henry David Thoreau lived from 1817-1862, born and raised in Concord, MA. He was an American poet and author, a philosopher, a surveyor and a historian. He’s famous for several essays and a book entitled “Walden”. He lived simply and loved nature. In his essay entitled, October, or Autumnal Tints, he gives an achingly beautiful fall scene. He writes as though the reader was his walking companion at that very moment, and allows the reader to feel as though they were with him. He goes beyond gorgeous descriptions to making statements about perception itself, not as an abstract subject, but as an ever present, concrete example. He writes in a way that teaches the reader how to see as opposed to what to see. It’s a how to perceive manual so to speak.

Let me show you. Here are some excerpts of his essay,

October, or Autumnal Tints

“October is the month of painted leaves. Their rich glow now flashes round the world. As fruits and leaves and the day itself acquire a bright tint just before they fall, so the year nears its setting. October is its sunset sky; November the later twilight…

The Red Maple

 By the twenty-fifth of September, the Red Maples generally are beginning to be ripe. Some large ones have been conspicuously changing for a week, and some single trees are now very brilliant. I notice a small one, half a mile off across a meadow, against the green wood-side there, a far brighter red than the blossoms of any tree in summer, and more conspicuous. I have observed this tree for several autumns invariably changing earlier than its fellows, just as one tree ripens its fruit earlier than another. It might serve to mark the season, perhaps. I should be sorry, if it were cut down. I know of two or three such trees in different parts of our town, which might, perhaps, be propagated from, as early ripeners or September trees, and their seed be advertised in the market, as well as that of radishes, if we cared as much about them.

At present, these burning bushes stand chiefly along the edge of the meadows, or I distinguish them afar on the hill-sides here and (l there. Sometimes you will see many small ones in a swamp turned quite crimson when all other trees around are still perfectly green, and the former appear so much the brighter for it. They take you by surprise, as you are going by on one side, across the fields, thus early in the season, as if it were some gay encampment of the red men, or other foresters, of whose arrival you had not heard.

Some single trees, wholly bright scarlet, seen against others of their kind still freshly green, or against evergreens, are more memorable than whole groves will be by-and-by. How beautiful, when a whole tree is like one great  fruit full of ripe juices, every leaf from lowest limb to topmost spire, all aglow, especially if you look toward the sun! What more remarkable object can there be in the landscape? Visible for miles, too fair to be believed.

The Elm

 Now, too, the first of October, or later, the Elms are at the height of their autumnal beauty, great brownish-yellow masses, warm from their September oven, hanging over the highway. Their leaves are perfectly ripe. I wonder if there is any answering ripeness in the lives of the men who live beneath them. As I look down our street, which is lined with them, they remind me both by their form and color of yellowing sheaves of grain, as if the harvest had indeed come to the village itself, and we might expect to find some maturity and flavor in the thoughts of the villagers at last. Under those bright rustling yellow piles just ready to fall on the heads of the walkers, how can any crudity or greenness of thought or act prevail?

Fallen Leaves

 Down they have come on all sides, at the first earnest touch of autumn’s wand, making a sound like rain…A queen might be proud to walk where these gallant trees have spread their bright cloaks in the mud…The frost touches them, and, with the slightest breath of returning day or jarring of earth’s axle, see in what showers they come floating down!… It is pleasant to walk over the beds of these fresh, crisp, and rustling leaves. How beautifully they go to their graves!

 

Let your walks now be a little more adventurous; ascend the hills. If, about the last of October, you ascend any hill in the outskirts of our town, and probably of yours, and look over the forest, you may see well, what I have endeavored to describe… Objects are concealed from our view, not so much because they are out of the course of our visual ray as because we do not bring our minds and eyes to bear on them.”

As I mentioned earlier, I LOVE the fall season! The Autumn feeling I get warms me from the rose in my cheeks to the tinkle of my toes and reaches to my heart of hearts. I love Autumn because the colors are stunning. The air is refreshing. The drinks are warm, the atmosphere is amazing. The movies are scarier. My walks are longer. The ground crunches beneath my feet. The songs are soothing. The clothes are comfier. The pumpkins greet you at every door. The blankets are plentiful, the candles are fragrant, the chimneys smoke.

Just a few of my favorite things,

The trees, the colors, the weather!

The soaps and candles, all the smells of cinnamon, nutmeg and spice!

Hot chocolate and apple ciders, cinnamon rolls and pumpkin bread!

Reading poetry and great classics, pondering and exploring nature!

Cozy socks, blankets, fires, and warm drinks!

Halloween costumes, jack-o-lanterns, pumpkin pies and parties!

Flannel, fall colors, and fall fashion!

Romance!!!!!

All of this has made me want to go out for pumpkin pie and cider!

Till next time~

Linda Louise Lotti

 

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October Book Club and September Chat Winner Announced

A huge thanks to all who participated in the Goodreads chat with author Josephine Angelini during the month of September.

As promised, one lucky participant is randomly chosen to win each month. What is in this month’s prize package? The winner will receive Book Two of The Trial By Fire Series and a book of choice from Colleen Houck (Tiger’s Curse, Tiger’s Quest, Tiger’s Voyage, Tiger’s Destiny, Tiger’s Promise, Reawakened or Recreated).  

And. . . the winner is

Yara

Congrats!

Now, it’s time to announce our October featured book of the month!

Welcome to …

If you’re just tuning in, or are new to this online book club, it’s super easy to join. I host the club on Goodreads and each month you get the chance to ask authors questions. You can ask anything from what they like to eat to what they’re writing right now. You don’t have to read the book to participate and every month I choose one lucky person from the chat to win a prize! The prize includes the book or books I’ve read from that author that month as well as your pick of any one of my books as well and some extra fun stuff I throw in! What’s the catch? There is none, this is just a great way for us authors to network and for you, the readers, to branch out and have fun! So, for our next book pick,  I’m excited to feature . . .

The Infinite

by author Lori M. Lee

A little teaser

The walls of Ninurta keep its citizens safe.

Kai always believed the only danger to the city came from within. Now, with a rebel force threatening the fragile government, the walls have become more of a prison than ever.

To make matters worse, as Avan explores his new identity as an Infinite, Kai struggles to remind him what it means to be human. And she fears her brother, Reev, is involved with the rebels. With the two people she cares about most on opposite sides of a brewing war, Kai will do whatever it takes to bring peace. But she’s lost her power to manipulate the threads of time, and she learns that a civil war might be the beginning of something far worse that will crumble not only Ninurta’s walls but also the entire city.

In this thrilling sequel to Gates of Thread and Stone, Kai must decide how much of her humanity she’s willing to lose to protect the only family she’s ever known.

Learn more about this author and her books at lorimlee.com to get your hands on your own copy, click here.

I’m very excited to check out this author and her novel!  Also, you can participate in an ongoing chat with Colleen and Lori asking just about anything you’d like on Goodreads throughout October!

Also, remember that you don’t need to read the book to participate. It’s a GREAT opportunity to get to know the authors and ask any questions you’d like!

For fun there will be a GIVEAWAY for one lucky participant! 

Happy reading everyone!

The Crocodile Temple of Kom Ombo

-before reconstruction

The temple of Kom Ombo is an unusual double temple in Kom Ombo in Upper Egypt.  It was constructed during the Ptolemaic dynasty by Ptolemy VI Philometor (180-145BC)  and it was added to by each new Ptolmy.  Some additions to it were made later during the Roman period.  The building is unique because it built for two triads of deities.  There were two courts, halls, sanctuaries and rooms for each god. The southern part of the temple was dedicated to Sobek, the god of fertility and the creator of the world with his wife Hathor and Khonsu their son.  The northern part of the temple was dedicated to the falcon god known as Haroeris or Horus the Elder (Harwer) and his wife Hathor-ta-sent-nefert and their son Panebtawy (Lord of the Two Land).

*after reconstruction

*The god Haroesis with his consort

Much of the temple was destroyed by earthquakes, the Nile, and builders who used it’s stones to create other projects.  It was once used as a church, but in 1893 Jacques De Morgan cleared the debris and restored the temple.  He was the director of antiquities in Egypt during the 19th century.  He also worked at Stonehenge and the Persepolis.

 

*Pharaoh offering Lotus, Papyrus, and incense to the gods

 

*The Pharaoh being bathed by the Gods, proving that he was the chosen one  of the gods and therefore equal.

 

 

 

 

One of the reasons it is called the Crocodile Temple is because over 300 crocodile mummies were found at Kom Ombo.  One almost 4 meters long crocodile coated with resin had over 25 mummified hatchlings attached to it’s back, and was thought to the be reincarnation of Sobek.  The Nile was infested with innumerable crocodiles, who would lay on the bank waiting to devour humans and animals.  The ancient Egyptians believed if they honored the crocodile as a God, then they would be safe from attacks.  Inside the temple was a well where they kept a crocodile, they kept him there to purify him.  After the death of this crocodile they mummified and buried with ceremonies equal to a king.

 

 

 

 

The temple was also used for civic purposes as a mental and surgical hospital.  Several surgical instruments and usage are carved in the outer walls. I’m sure that those in the medical field will see some carvings of tools used today.  Scalpels, measures, and something that looks like a pumpkin scooper to me. It proves that ancient Egyptians were advanced.

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