Cover L♡ver Book Review

On Tour with  Prism Book Tours Welcome to the Cover Reveal for Fate and Fortune: Part One By Robin Daniels This YA Contemporary Romance is the first part in this new duology, coming September 20th 2018... Bryce has liked Paige since they were little but has never had the guts to act on his feelings. Paige is devastated over being dumped by her long-time boyfriend and can’t seem to move on. They’re stuck in a rut, until fate decides to pull them out. Both Paige and Bryce are talked into seeing a fortune teller at the annual Summer’s End Carnival. Neither of them buys into the mysticism, until the psychic’s predictions start coming true. Now, the most bizarre things are happening and there isn’t a clear explanation. Each of them must figure out if they’re the subject of an elaborate hoax or a bigger plan forged by destiny. *This book is part one of two. Books should be read sequentially. Goodreads │ Amazon About the Author The most important

White as Silence, Red as Song  is a great title. The cover art, in its simplicity, is rather striking. The protagonist’s concept of classifying a color to his emotions is stimulating. But surprisingly I didn’t enjoy the story. Leo (the protagonist) is immature and somewhat creepy. In reality, he’s a romanticized stalker. The writing style is a bit off-putting due to the short and choppy narration and the juvenile and synthetic dialogue. The novel was originally written in Italian so I’m assuming (hoping) much is lost or misplaced in translation. The dust jacket description is the best part of the book. It depicts a stirring tale that will pull you in and tease your emotions. But the story is unexciting, lacks deep and true emotion, and teeters (in my mind) on the edges of a B-rated movie script. I wanted to enjoy this book. Perhaps my expectations were set too high, seeing as this is lauded as Italy’s version of  Fault of Our Stars.  I just simply couldn’t connect wi

I’d Rather Be Reading  is a delightful book for the book-obsessed, story crusading fiction fanatic. Namely me. I’m part of this club and proud of it. I love reading, browsing, smelling, touching, talking about, and collecting books. Books helped shape my childhood and continue to inspire me as an adult. “I’d rather be reading” is pretty much my daily mantra. Fictional characters are living, breathing, authentic human beings in my head. Their sufferings make my heart hurt, their pleasures make me cheer, and I mourn (embarrassingly so) when I realize their story will soon end and we’ll eventually have to part ways. So. I said all that to say all this: If you share the thoughts in the previous paragraph, if your life wouldn’t be the same without reading, if books decorate every room of your house, if your wish list consists of books, bookshelves, and book related memorabilia—then you’ll want to add this little compendium of essays to your life. Yes, it will entertain you, but wil

First Impression Reviews are written after reading the initial ARC chapters of a book. They are not whole-book, full-story reviews. I love the title and cover, which initially draws me to a book. Normally, novels in the fantasy genre don’t grab my interest, but this one is particularly intriguing. The Swan Inn setting is described clearly, but not overdone, and it pulled me into the folklore and atmosphere of the city beside the Thames. I’m intrigued by what I’ve read so far, enough so to delve in deeper into this fantastical and suspenseful tale.                                                                                                            3 Stars I received an ARC excerpt from BOOKishFIRST. #MagicalMystery

First Impression Reviews are written after reading the initial ARC chapters of a book. They are not whole-book, full-story reviews. I don’t normally read YA, mystery, or stories of Royals, but the writing in this excerpt is superb. The story embraces vibrant scenes, engaging dialogue, and curious characters. I could picture Mackiel instantly, and got a good feel for his character. Crisp writing, intriguing characters, and authentic dialogue grabs me every time.                                                                                                            4 Stars I received an ARC excerpt from BOOKishFIRST. #RegalWriting

First Impression Reviews are written after reading the initial ARC chapters of a book. They are not whole-book, full-story reviews. I’m not a fan of omniscient narrators. They don’t allow me to sink into a character, to see their world through his/her eyes. This excerpt falls a bit flat. Although the descriptions are well written and paint a vivid scene, they’re overdone a bit. I like a Paris setting, but I didn’t really get a feel for the customs and idiosyncrasies of the City of Lights.  Overall, the omniscient narrator and the overuse of ‘ly’ adverbs kept me unfocused and uninterested.                                                                                                            2 Stars I received an ARC excerpt from BOOKishFIRST. #UnfocusedAndUninterested

First Impression Reviews are written after reading the initial ARC chapters of a book. They are not whole-book, full-story reviews. The odd and difficult to pronounce names of people and places had me fumbling around and rereading. I don’t like it when reading doesn’t flow smoothly because I have a gnawing feeling that I’m pronouncing things wrong. Rantala, Wiirtinen, Rauri, Lahti, Majimanidoo—and these are just on the first page! It feels as if this was written in a foreign country and was later translated to English, yet the setting is Northern Minnesota! One or two difficult to pronounce words is fine, but this many is tiresome. I didn’t read the entire First Look Excerpt. Perhaps a good story lies somewhere beneath the mire, but after fighting to read phonetically, I didn’t have the energy or desire to dig.                                                                                                           2 Stars I received an ARC excerpt from BOOKishFIRS

First Impression Reviews are written after reading the initial ARC chapters of a book. They are not whole-book, full-story reviews.   Wow! This overused word barely scrapes the surface of my awe. It’s difficult to describe how quickly this book grabbed me without sounding cliché with “It pulled me in with the first line” or “I was completely glued from the first page” but there’s no other way to state the truth. At least I can’t think one at the moment. I’m still trying to catch my breath.  I can’t imagine this not becoming a bestseller. I know, I’ve only read an excerpt, but unless something goes horribly wrong and the author changes her talented writer’s voice after the first few chapters, then this book will be a hit. Quite the thriller. I’m claiming my copy now.                                                                                                           I received an ARC excerpt from BOOKishFIRST. #HeartGrabbingThriller

Author: Kate Douglas Wiggin Narrator: Ann Richardson Length: 8 hours and 11 minutes Publisher: Post Hypnotic Press Inc. Released: Dec. 8, 2017 Genre: Classics Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm has delighted readers for over 100 years. Published in 1903, when girls were inevitably depicted as pretty, gentle and proper, Rebecca Rowena Randall burst onto the scene of children's literature. Sent to live with her prim and proper Aunt Miranda, who is expecting her much more demure sister, Rebecca is a "bird of a very different feather". She has "a small, plain face illuminated by a pair of eyes carrying such messages, such suggestions, such hints of sleeping power and insight, that one never tired of looking into their shining depths...." To her Aunt Miranda's continual dismay, Rebecca is exuberant, irrepressible, and spirited - not at all "proper" or "demure". She wins over her aunt soon enough, and the whole town, and thousa

Too Blessed To Be Stressed for Moms  is a witty devotional book (approximately 5” x 7”) designed for mothers. I love devotionals, especially ones that are short, to the point, and easy to digest, and this one fits the bill. With a short and fun  Stress Test for Mothers  in the introduction, moms can discover their baseline stress level before they begin the devotional journey, and perhaps look back when the book has been read to see how their stress level has improved. This hardback book is sturdy and attractive, fitting easily in a purse or computer bag. Each devotion contains Scripture verses, a 5-8 page short story, quotes, and a section titled, Navigating the Hood  (motherhood)   offering relevant questions and guidelines. There’s also an attached satin ribbon as a bookmark. And don’t skip over the dedication page—it is touching and inspirational. I like the appearance, tone, and motivation behind this book. The perfect gift for frazzled moms! 4 Stars  Co

Kingdom Files: Who Was David  is a uniquely presented story about the Biblical David, for reader ages 8-12.  The  Kingdom Files  series is designed to be an investigation for young reading detectives. Each case (book) is presented in three sections:  ·        Fact File – Information about a particular Bible character ·        Action File – Bible events showing the character in action ·        Power File – Information and memory verses to help the investigator in his/her own life Informational  Clue Boxes  are also included to help the reading detective throughout his/her investigation. This book investigates the life of David, the mighty warrior, King, and writer of Psalms. It reveals his early years, becoming a king, and his final days, including memory Scripture verses and “power-ups” (or applications) helpful in daily life.  The author, Matt Koceich, is a public school teacher. He relates well to young learners. In his series, he not only entertains, but

Kingdom Files: Who Was Esther  is a uniquely presented story about the Biblical Esther for reader ages 8-12.  The  Kingdom Files  series is designed to be an investigation for young reading detectives. Each case (book) is presented in three sections:  ·        Fact File  – Information about a particular Bible character ·        Action File  – Bible events showing the character in action ·        Power File  – Information and memory verses to help the investigator in his/her own life Informational Clue Boxes  are also included to help the reading detective throughout his/her investigation. This book investigates the life of Esther, the Jewish Queen of Persia. It reveals her being taken to the King’s castle, becoming Queen, and her plan to protect the Jewish people. It also provides memory verses and “power-ups” (or applications) helpful in daily life. I’ve always loved the story of Esther and her heroic choices. It’s a fascinating story allowing young reader

For you are a slave to whatever controls you. (2 Peter 2:19 NLT) I’ve read several of Tessa Afshar’s books and enjoyed them all.  Thief of Corinth  is a bit different because it includes Bible characters but isn’t based on actual Biblical events.  Ariadne is an interesting character, though I had a little more difficulty relating to her than to some of Ms. Afshar’s other heroines. I sympathized with her, but feel I would’ve made different choices than she did.  I’ve always enjoyed the author’s writing style. She moves a story forward with purpose and elegance, and shares many spiritual messages without being tedious. Some of her word choices and phrases make me pause and read again in admiration. This novel is a coming-of-age story. The journey to spiritual maturity was my favorite part. The pacing was a bit slow in the beginning, and although it never became a fast-paced page-turner (for me) it flowed steadily and produced a satisfying ending. Note: The audi