Jane Litte's Blog, page 69

Open Thread for Readers for September 2022

Got a book you want to talk about? Frustrated with a book or series? In love with a new one? Found a buried treasure? An issue that keeps popping up in the books you are reading? Just want to chat about stuff in general?

REVIEW: Cadence and Kittenfish: A Mermaid Tale by Judith L. Roth, illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett

If a kitten hates the water … can it come to love a mermaid? Find out in this story about setting goals, problem-solving, and (eventually) making friends.

Cadence is a very busy little mermaid—dancing with dolphins in the morning and practicing Tai Chi at the lighthouse in the afternoon—but something is missing. She really wants a kitten!

When she discovers a family of felines onshore, Cadence can’t believe her luck. But, as the mermaid tries to play with one of the kittens, she soon discovers...

REVIEW: A Dog’s Guide to Being Human by Shanna Silva, illustrated by Agnes Ernoult

A hilarious and heartwarming picture book sharing a dog’s hard-earned wisdom about living a happy life.
My humans have brought home a tiny baby. It is up to me to teach her how to fit in!
Smudge has a new family member: a baby girl. And he has a LOT to teach her about fitting in with the humans. Like don’t drink from the toilet (the humans don’t like it). But DO share your snacks (especially with Smudge). And make as many friends as you can–yes, even the occasional cat. There’s so much to go t...

REVIEW: Operation Pineapple Express: The Incredible Story of a Group of Americans Who Undertook One Last Mission and Honored a Promise in Afghanistan by Scott Mann

An edge-of-your-seat thriller about a group of retired Green Berets who come together to save a former comrade—and 500 other Afghans—being targeted by the Taliban in the chaos of America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.

In April, an urgent call was placed from a Special Forces operator serving overseas. The message: Get Nezam out of Afghanistan now. Nezam was part of the Afghan National Army’s first group of American-trained commandos. He passed through Fort Bragg’s legendary Q course and served...

REVIEW: The Church of Baseball: The Making of Bull Durham: Home Runs, Bad Calls, Crazy Fights, Big Swings, and a Hit by Ron Shelton

From the award-winning screenwriter and director of cult classic Bull Durham, the extremely entertaining behind-the-scenes story of the making of the film, and an insightful primer on the art and business of moviemaking.

Bull Durham, the breakthrough 1988 film about a minor league baseball team, is widely revered as the best sports movie of all time. But back in 1987, Ron Shelton was a first-time director and no one was willing to finance a movie about baseball—especially a story set in the mi...

REVIEW: The Physician’s Daughter by Martha Conway

A compelling novel of female perseverance and the role of women in society set in the aftermath of the American Civil War. For readers of Tracy Chevalier.

In a world made for men, can one woman break free from tradition and walk a new path?

It is 1865, the American Civil War has just ended, and 18-year old Vita Tenney is determined to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a country doctor like her father. But when her father tells her she must get married instead, Vita explores every means of ...

Review : Pack of Lies (Monster Hunter #1) by Charlie Adhara

Julien Doran arrived in sleepy Maudit Falls, North Carolina, with a heart full of hurt and a head full of questions. The key to his brother’s mysterious last days might be found in this tiny town, and now Julien’s amateur investigation is starting to unearth things the locals would rather keep buried.

Perhaps most especially the strange, magnetic manager of a deserted retreat that’s nearly as odd as its staff.

Eli Smith is a lot of things: thief, werewolf, glamour-puss, liar. And now the manag...

JOINT REVIEW: Ruby Fever by Ilona Andrews

Ilona Andrews’ new book in the Hidden Legacy series, the conclusion to Catalina and Alessandro’s romance, is now out. Here, Sirius and I review it together. –Janine

Janine: Ruby Fever begins with Alessandro proposing to Catalina and Catalina accepting his proposal. They are very much in love but in this book, they are not yet married. We also see the Baylors touring their new compound/complex, a former resort they now plan to turn into their home.

It wasn’t clear to me how they could afford the...

Republishing Out of Print Books – It’s Not as Easy as You Think

When I began posting reviews of Dinah Dean’s long out of print Russian Series set during the early years of the nineteenth century, it was with the knowledge that Ms. Dean was deceased and that I had seen no signs of her books being digitally released. But then – a miracle! Cover & Page Publishers began reissuing them. Millie Page then offered to write a brief article for us describing the steps behind what it takes to rescue these OOP books. –Jayne

Why Great Books don’t get Reissued: A Guest P...

REVIEW: The Ice King by Dinah Dean

A man with a heart of ice, and the lady with the compassion to forgive his secrets

Orphaned and alone in the world after her uncle’s death, Tanya is overjoyed to be offered four weeks in St. Petersburg society before she must take up a dreary position as a companion. Little did she expect kindness from cold-hearted Prince Nikolai, a cousin of her host. But at her first ball, he dances with her four times!

When a suitor tries to take liberties, it’s Prince Nikolai who comes to save her, fighting...