What is a personal foul?
Your very own chicken.
Cute, clean jokes for children!
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Accidental Spy is one of the most entertaining books I've read in forever!
I was hooked! At the start of the book, the main character Professor Harvey Hudson is trapped in the depression trifecta: he's lost his job, wife, and self-respect. But wait! There's more. He's secretly paying the mortgage on his widowed mother's home while living in a dump over a poultry butcher shop, and the job at his old girlfriend's software company is kicking his butt. I could completely relate to Harvey's job security woes and his discomfort with his much younger coworkers. The fact that he knows absolutely nothing about the work at T&M exacerbates the problem and his deepening loss of self-worth. All in all, Harvey is a decent and lovable guy. The premise that he outsources his job to India absolutely sold me on picking this book up, and I was wholly behind Harvey's strategy proving to be a successful move. And it really did work like a charm until it didn't.
I was also completely caught up in Amaya's backstory and involvement in the Russian cyberattack plan. She's gentle and a total lady but feisty when she feels she's been wronged. I rooted for these two to click and find their HEA.The author's writing style was easy to read and deliciously witty. This was definitely a book I didn't want to put down; it was a five-star read for me from the start. However, there was at least one sentence (if not more) where I wanted to round that up to "11." ("Because I stole his wallet.")
With its outstandingly clever plot, witty, laugh-out-loud dialogue, and sympathetic main characters, I highly recommend THE ACCIDENTAL SPY to readers who enjoy spy thrillers and would like a lighter, less-than-serious take on the genre.I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The irresistible premise - the vengeful stories behind the names on the headstones - really caught my imagination!
Accusations is the fifth book of short stories in author Fran Lewis's Faces Behind the Stones series and is another interesting collection of tales from the grave. Headstone by headstone, the spirit of the person below ground narrates their life story and how they came to their final resting place. Many relate a story of a voice silenced too soon; others will need the reader to decide whether or not they deserved what happened.
There is quite a range of tales and circumstances for the reader's consideration. Although the first couple dealt with teachers and working in a public school district, the rest have few similarities or connections. Some tell of desperate situations and despair, with the speakers ending their misery themselves. Further into the collection, the stories get darker and more horrific in nature. Quite a few characters are horrible, horrible people. I couldn't stop reading.The stories are told in an almost stream-of-consciousness fashion and, at times, are difficult to follow. Some offerings still felt like rough drafts in need of additional polish. Still, I recommend ACCUSATIONS to readers who enjoy short stories and horror fiction.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.
Author:
Book Type: Paperback
3
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My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Tantalizing hints of wonderful adventures to come, highlighted with lovely pastel illustrations.
The Adventures of Captain Jimmy Jams by Summerton Thompson Connor is a lovely bedtime picture book to share with the young read-aloud listeners in your family. With its calm and pretty illustrations and fun prose, the book offers tantalizing hints of adventures to come once they are in Dreamland. (And there were nights this Boys' Mom would have tried almost anything!)
I loved how the author included items on the bed as crew members with fun nautical titles. Pretending their bed was a ship on the water would have hooked my boys, and many children may easily relate to this, having already experienced a similar idea from playing "The Floor is Lava."THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN JIMMY JAMS would be a nice calming-down story for the end of a busy day.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Absorbing tale of a teenage girl trying to come to terms with her mother's death.
When Ana Petruscu was eleven years old, she lost her mother and father in a double suicide, or at least that is what her maternal grandmother claimed. Yet three years later, at only sixteen years of age, she knew there was much more to the story than the tragically bare facts. Shuffled from one boarding school to another by her guardian/stepfather, Rogers, Ana repeatedly acts out and is expelled until finally she gets what she secretly wanted all along: to return to her childhood home in Bucharest â the house where her mother took her own life â where Ana can search for the answers she so desperately craves.
The Adventures of Miss Vulpe: A Coming of Age Story for Adults is the first book in a series by author Maria Elena Sandovici, and it is mesmerizing. Ana is such an interesting character: sixteen-going-on-thirty-five, still a child but deceptively clever and manipulative beyond her years. She needs to understand why her mother died the way she did to get on with her own life and have a chance to heal and grow and leave behind her path of self-destruction. The actions she chooses to gain those answers, under the guise of Miss Vulpe, are doomed to failure and heartbreak, and I couldn't look away. I was gripped by her story and the desire to learn her ultimate fate.This is the tale of a love triangle with long-lasting consequences for the participants and their children. The story unfolds from two points of view and timelines: Ana's present and Richard's past, the past setting the stage for how the present day has been impacted. The adults of the piece are conflicted but weak in character, unable to remove themselves from their situation. Though they make some good efforts, they ultimately return to become embroiled again and again in this no-win drama.
Kicking off the decades-long chain of events is Ana's grandmother, a product of a different, tougher time with traditional parenting skills and harsh interpersonal skills, especially with her daughter, Louise. Then there is Louise, the rebellious daughter who fails to meet her parents' expectations and leaves home without the protective skills imbued by a healthy layer of self-worth and self-esteem. She falls in love with Richard, trapped in an unwanted marriage, but refusing to divorce his wife, a young woman equally doomed to marital limbo, with an absentee husband and a surprise baby to rear on her own. And then there's Rogers, Richard's boyhood best friend, whose first name we never learn and whom Louise turns to in an ill-fated ploy to galvanize Richard into taking the steps he must take for them to be together finally. To find peace, Louise turns to drugs and winds up firmly in the grasp of addiction.The triangles continue to form throughout the book. Even well after Louisa's death, one-on-one relationships seem always to be impacted by the presence of a third party, whether it's an individual physically present at the time (i.e., the sisters' relationship with each other as children and their mother) or only their memory (i.e., the sisters' relationship with each other as young adults and their mother).
In addition to Ana's desire for answers, which she eventually gets, she has a deep, aching longing to return to her childhood home in Bucharest. The characters travel, the settings move all over the globe, and the author makes you see and feel the essence of every destination. Besides an unforgettable family drama, this book will certainly promote wanderlust in its readers.I recommend THE ADVENTURES OF MISS VULPE to fiction readers who enjoy young adult stories, family dramas, and immersive international settings.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
It is a fun, relatable story for children and adults.
The Adventures of Penny and Yaya: Lost and Found by Marsha S. Clarke is a fun and very relatable tale of the hunt for a misplaced toy. The story is a simple one straight from the life of every child and parent: a beloved toy isn't in plain sight and the search is on. The illustrations are clear, colorful, and uncluttered, making for easy-to-see pages when sharing at story time, and the author includes questions referring back to what was just read for listeners to answer. Honestly, I don't know how many times I've gone through this exact exercise with my sons (and husband.) I'm tempted to gift a copy of this book to each as a magic guide on how to find their stuff.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.
Three years have passed since the events depicted in the novel STONE AND ANVIL, and for the past and present crew members of the U.S.S. EXCALIBUR, life has taken many surprising twists and turns. Captain Elizabeth Shelby has been promoted to admiral and heads Space Station Bravo... while her former ship, the U.S.S. TRIDENT, has a new captain. Soleta has left Starfleet to embrace the perils of exploring her Romulan heritage. The powerful Zak Kebron serves as the EXCALIBUR's counselor and head of security.
And Mackenzie Calhoun? Well, Mackenzie Calhoun's still who he is.
As Si Cwan, prime minister of the New Thallonian Protectorate, prepares to marry off his sister Kalinda in a politically advantageous pairing that will strengthen his newly restored empire, the bride-to-be is abducted just before the wedding in a calamitous event that threatens to destabilize the entire sector -- especially since Kalinda's abductor is someone all too familiar.
As the EXCALIBUR, the TRIDENT, and the entire Thallonian fleet attempt to bring order to their sector of space, none could ever suspect that a mysterious alien force may also be playing a part in Kalinda's disappearance -- and that the entire galaxy may soon face a long-forgotten enemy.
Enora Byrnes, now in her last year of school, has grown up in Prineville and this has always been the way things were. As she approaches graduation, she is expected to make a decision on her future â how she is going to contribute to society henceforth, as an adult. Undecided and with few choices open to her, all she knows is that she does not want to go into the DMC. Her best friend, Bram, a few years older and of the same mind had been selected by the DMC never to be seen or heard from again. The DMC was for the elite in town: their children groomed for service since birth. Enora was not one of the elite. But as graduation nears, Enora is singled out for the DMC anyway and begins her training in addition to her school work eventually ending up at a training base several hours away.
With her recruitment, Enora begins to see improvements in the lives of her parents: better housing, increased water credits, better and more food. Enora feels obligated and stuck especially when things that the DMC does don't jive with what she and the rest of the population has always been told.When she and her partner are sent to the town of Renascence to neutralize a dangerous rebellion their doubts about the DMC and their role in the agency mount when the rebels turn out to be mere children and the DMC is hiding some horrible secrets below ground and behind locked doors in secret facilities there.
I really enjoyed this tale of a dystopian U.S. The author did a fabulous job of creating the world that Enora lives in. Enora seems like such a typical teenager on the brink of high school graduation with the usual angst associated with fitting in, living up to her parents' expectations, friends, and young love. Then there are some terribly tough decisions about her future and the horrible revelations that gradually unfold. And the story's not over â there's a Book 2! This story kept my attention and kept me reading late into the night because I couldn't find a good spot to stop. It is action-filled and thought-provoking. I recommend this book to readers that enjoy young adult books and those that like dystopian/post-apocalyptic tales as well.
During his lifetime, Alina and Milos de Florac's father, Guy, had been far more interested in his family and music than estate management, and the holdings, as well as the retainers that depended on its success, had all suffered due to its neglect. And when his beloved wife, Beatriou, and eldest daughter, Maria, tragically succumbed to the sweating sickness, he sank into immovable despair, and things only got worse. Not long after, he was found drowned, a suspected suicide, and his brother, Garsanc, and his wife, Marci, arrived, determined to set things right and repair the damage to the family name.
The brother and sister felt increasingly stifled, trapped under their new guardianship. Milos was constantly in trouble for one scrape or another. He was young and undisciplined; their father had been lax with the boy's education in estate management much as he had been. Nor were there the funds to send Milos as a page to the household of a knight where he could learn and trained as a squire before returning home to take up his duties when the time came.Although bright and musically-talented like her father, Alina was not considered a great beauty, and lacking an attractive dowry, her prospects for an advantageous marriage were dim. She dreamed of becoming a trobairitz, a female troubadour, traveling the country, perhaps the world, playing her lute, and singing songs of her own devising. She became alarmed by the parade of unsuitable men her aunt keeps thrusting in her path, and the threat of the convent starts to look more desirable.
As the tension at home mounted, the siblings formed an escape plan: they would join one of the parties of knights, merchants, and pilgrims traveling to the Holy Land on the pretense of praying for their father's endangered soul. Aunt Marci and Uncle Garsanc agree, glad to have the pair out of sight for a while as they continue to mend the damage to the estate all the years of neglect had wrought. Uncle Garsanc knows of a group preparing to depart soon and led by a reputable knight from right there in Provence, Baltazar de Aurignac. With money from Uncle Garsanc in their pockets and Alina's lute carefully wrapped for the journey, the young brother and sister set off for Lyon to join their new companions and head off on the trip of a lifetime.Author Malve von Hassell has written a wonderfully immersive tale set in 12th century France and Jerusalem. Set during the time of the Crusades, the long journey by horseback is interesting and exciting and so descriptive that I felt I was right there with Alina and Milos. The arrival in Jerusalem was full of sights and smells, dust and heat, color and antiquity. There are mystery and political intrigue galore that kept me turning the pages as I soaked up the atmosphere the author so skillfully and effortlessly crafted. ALINA is historical fiction, so real people and events are included in the story, and fact and fiction fit together flawlessly. It is amazing to me thinking about the massive amount of research this author did in completing this wonderful story. This realization only came to me later after putting the book down because I never felt like I was reading history; the story was so lively and entertaining.
I enjoyed that the book was told from Alina's point of view, and the thoughts and feelings of the young teenager felt true and natural. I also liked that she'd learned how to behave properly from her mother and had enough self-discipline to control her emotions and reactions to how she was treated at the court in Jerusalem. I felt this enabled her in her role as an onlooker of the various political schemes and drama. Well-behaved and a proper lady, she was useful yet overlooked and dismissed at times, allowing her the freedom to move about without being missed.I recommend ALINA: A SONG FOR THE TELLING for readers of historical fiction, especially those that would enjoy the 12th century setting of the Crusades, France, and the history of the Christian court in Jerusalem. The book is suitable for YA and adult readers, and I could see this as a read-aloud book for middle grades and younger and something the entire family would enjoy.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through France Book Tours.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Murder and the ever-present threat of the evil eye create an atmospheric story of danger and dread.
Even with 11 Emmys to her credit, when a tip from a confidential informant leads to a lawsuit against the television station where she works, crime reporter Marisol 'Mari' Alvarez is put on probation, quickly becoming persona non grata. Her disgrace hits bottom when she returns to work, and the boss publicly pulls her from the crime beat, assigning her to cover fluff pieces and filler. But old habits die hard and on her way to her first feature assignment, a new baby sloth at Busch Gardens, Mari sidetracks to the scene of an unfolding murder investigation only blocks from her own home. If she gets on location before the police button down the crime scene, people are more willing to talk about what they know.
When she and her photographer, Orlando, arrive, they discover a woman had been gunned down at point blank range as she answered the door. Whoever committed the murder had placed a gold coin with a crown on it on one of the dead woman's eyes, a possible sign that this was the work of the local gang, the West Tampa Kings. But for Mari, the murder becomes much more personal. The circumstances are eerily similar to those surrounding her own mother's murder ten years earlier. Fearing the two crimes could be related, Mari worries that her mother's unidentified killer has returned to their peaceful neighborhood.
All The Broken Girls was a fantastic thriller of a mystery! Mari, the disgraced reporter, had my complete and immediate sympathy. I admired how she kept her head up when all her coworkers were eyeing her, and her boss blamed her for the lawsuit when she knew she had the goods all along. I loved her relationship with her abuela and was fascinated by the inclusion of her practice of Santeria traditions, rituals, and belief system. I liked that Mari was clever and figured out the clues quicker than her police contacts. I felt her heartbreak as she identified with the two Rodriguez sisters and later discovered the betrayal of family members. I enjoyed the sprinkling of Spanish in her thoughts and dialogue throughout the story.
I also liked the police detective, Antonio 'Tony' Garcia, and the tension and eventual chemistry between the two main characters were fabulous. His family was delightful, especially his mother. I loved how she was so in charge of the family and her son. I liked how they and Mari's family were such an integral part of their neighborhood.
The setting in West Tampa was unique, and I enjoyed the geographical mentions and the tantalizing inclusion of the market and other real places. The descriptions of the Cuban-American community were both colorful and comfortable. The subtle references to traditional foods and dishes teased me to find the nearest Cuban-influenced restaurant "quick, fast, and in a hurry."
The action is constant, and I had trouble finding a good stopping point to put the book down. Consequently, I couldn't leave the story alone for long; it was that absorbing and exciting. There was a sense of urgency to see what happened next. There was that feeling that whoever was behind the murders was watching the heroine, and something terrible would happen. With a creepy stalker dude hanging around somewhere just out of sight, mysterious and puzzling notes cropping up, and the ever-present threat of the evil eye, the story had a continuous atmosphere of danger and dread.
I recommend ALL THE BROKEN GIRLS to readers of mystery and thrillers who like strong female protagonists and those who would enjoy the Cuban-American flavor of its West Tampa setting.
Many of the channelers eventually succumbed to the pressures of their responsibilities and, if they were lucky, ended up at the Refuge cared for by Miranda and her loving parents but forbidden from ever contacting their master intelligence again. One such resident is the mysterious (in Miranda's teenage-crush eyes), Brightside, who had been channeler to the great master intelligence, OMNIUM.
When the Information Police come knocking, Miranda discovers not everything at the sanctuary is as tranquil and mundane as she'd thought. Not only has Brightside been in communication with his old master but her mother is involved in something with him as well.Helping Brightside to escape, Miranda attempts to find out what is going on. She joins Brightside onboard a subspace ferry and next finds herself face to face with Altrius Prime, the highest political authority in the solar system (and the oldest one), who she prevents from committing suicide by making an unauthorized time jump.
As she disrupts his plans, Miranda herself makes the jump and ends up on a wooded mountainside in the year 1058. No sooner has she gathered her senses from the jump when she is attacked by a warrior from the invading horde known as the Holders of the Chain.Her rescuer is an apprenticed painter, Friskin York, who along with his master had been on the mountain to capture the magnificent vista. Miranda slowly falls for Friskin as the three travel to find a place of safety from the invasion and search for her parents who tried to follow her during her accidental time jump.
All Time is an engrossing story with great characters and vivid world-building not only of a far future but of the past. There are numerous twists and turns along the way as Miranda tries to understand her new reality and she doesn't always find herself welcome. There are unresolved issues in this first book that I hope to pursue in subsequent books in the series.I highly recommend this book for readers that like time travel stories and grand adventures.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Unique settings and intriguing double storylines make for a great two-for-one story.
Alone With a Tasman Tiger is the second book in author Jane Ellyson's Chic Charlie series and focuses heavily on Scott and Charlotte Harmon's friend, Sebastian. Readers new to the series should be able to easily slip into the current story without having read the previous novel; there's enough backstory mentioned for readers to catch up comfortably. With its intriguing premises, unique settings, and engaging characters, I didn't want to put the book down.
The plot is well-paced and compelling, beginning with the characters who are participating in the Australian survival competition television show Alone. I greatly enjoyed the day-to-day of the contestants and the insider view of this type of TV entertainment. Having heard that almost everything in Australia can kill you, I was on pins and needles the entire time that the contestants were in the bush, just waiting for something dire to happen. Part II switches to the yacht race from Sydney to Hobart and the Blue Gazelle that Scott is captaining. The author has the timelines of these two separate parts overlapping, and I liked how it worked out: there was no bouncing back and forth between the two major storylines. The day headings made keeping this straight simple and easy. The race is suspenseful, and danger comes quickly in the form of a terrible storm at sea, as well as the appearance of a mysterious and unidentified black yacht that is not part of the race.
The resolution to the story comes as quite a surprise and I liked how Charlotte/Charlie and Galina/Betty worked together to find the inexplicably missing Sebastian. This is the first book I've read by this author, and I'm now looking forward to reading book one in the series as well.
I recommend ALONE WITH A TASMAN TIGER to mystery readers, especially those who enjoy television survival shows and boat races.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A magic-laden plot with a nice touch of mystery and suspense!
From Frights to Flaws is the debut novel by young author Sunayna Prasad and the first in the planned seven-volume, middle-grade fantasy series, Alyssa McCarthy's Magical Missions. With its realistically relatable young heroine, her friends, and family members leading the action, this first book was a fun and imaginative adventure where good triumphs over great odds and the evil behind it.
A major strength of the story lies in the realistic portrayal of the pre-teen characters, with their friendships, rivalries, and squabbles. Alyssa and Hailey relate to each other like siblings, and 'mean girl' Destiny Cox brings conflict into the group of friends. Much of the dialogue feels authentic and true to life. I liked that the author had adults who made regretful decisions but later apologized for their hasty actions.The plot slowly divulges the main characters' backstories while maintaining the action's pace. The current menace is confronted and dealt with, and the book concludes on a positive note, leaving plenty of room for future adventures.
I recommend THE FRIGHTS OF FIJI to middle-grade readers who enjoy a magic-laden plot with a nice touch of mystery and suspense.
