About the Book: 

Elliston is a highly successful workshop leader and trainer, who offers wisdom learned the hard way—by experience – as well as through rigorous study and certification in many areas of professional training that aid her in her work -- Values Realization, Parent Effectiveness Training and Reality Therapy. She is a faculty member of the William Glasser Institute. Glasser is an internationally recognized psychiatrist and developer of Reality Therapy, a method of psychotherapy that teaches people they have a choice in how they choose to behave.

The methods Elliston offers in her book end the trauma and the drama, and minimize the possibility of confrontation. She gives YOU, the reader, the ability to take a strong, positive, confident—yet compassionate--stance with the “difficult person”—whether that is a relative, coworker, friend, one of your children or anyone else for that matter.

Elliston demonstrates how to:

• Identify the ways to talk to a “difficult” person
• Incorporate true incentives to help people change
• Make real the consequences of the “difficult” person’s action
• Increase success through acceptance and belonging
• Avoid being triggered by the “difficult” person allowing you to neutralize those hot buttons and communicate without judgment

Elliston lays out a proven script for peacefully transforming the difficult person’s behavior and the environment. She gives you the tools for successfully initiating and engaging in a conversation with a difficult person that would lead to change.

​

About the Author:
​
Sarah (Sam) Elliston is an expert in the art of Dealing with Difficult People. She is a top workshop leader and a member of the faculty of the William Glasser Institute, which espouses “Reality Therapy” to foster behavioral change.

But her instructional career began long before she even became aware that she was herself a “difficult person,” traits that began in Lincoln MA, where she grew up. For more than 30 years she has been teaching and training, first as a high school teacher in Ohio and Cincinnati—and then as an administrator in the not-for-profit sector.

Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

About the Book: 
Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: Crown (January 24, 2017)

“Do you think, inside, every one of us is a killer?”

This is the question that haunts the people of Salem, Massachusetts, in Brunonia Barry’s spellbinding, masterful new thriller, THE FIFTH PETAL (January 24, 2017; Crown), a tale of otherworldly powers, ancient myths, and a gruesome triple homicide. Ten years after her New York Times bestselling debut novel THE LACE READER became an international sensation, Barry revisits contemporary Salem, where the dark history of the paranormal continues to reverberate in the lives of the Whitney family and their neighbors. With its release, THE LACE READER became an overnight success, winning numerous awards and rave reviews from the New York Times, Washington Post, Time, New York, People, and being named an Amazon Best Book of the Month. Barry, born and raised in Salem, now returns with a complex brew of suspense, seduction, and murder in her highly anticipated novel THE FIFTH PETAL.

When a teenage boy dies suspiciously on Halloween night, Salem’s chief of police, John Rafferty, now married to gifted lace reader Towner Whitney, wonders if there is a connection between his death and Salem’s most notorious cold case, “The Goddess Murders,” in which three young women, all descended from accused Salem witches, were slashed on Halloween night in 1989. Now Rafferty must uncover who, or what, is killing the descendants of Salem’s accused witches, while keeping the town’s paranoia—all too similar to the hysteria that lead to the infamous witch trials—at bay.

As Rafferty begins to uncover a dark chapter of Salem’s past, he finds unexpected help from Callie Cahill, the daughter of one of the Goddess victims, who has recently returned to town. Discovered at the scene of the crime when she was five years old, Callie survived the mysterious massacre with only scratches on her arms and a perfect stigmata of a five-petal rose in the palm of her bloodied hand. Now Callie, who has always been gifted with premonitions, begins to struggle with visions she doesn’t quite understand and an attraction to a man who has unknown connections to her mother’s murder. Neither Rafferty nor Callie believes the main suspect, Rose Whelan, respected local historian and honorary aunt to Callie, is guilty of murder or witchcraft. But clearing Rose’s name might mean crossing paths with a dangerous force. Were the women victims of an all-too-human vengeance, or was the devil raised in Salem that night? And if Rafferty and Callie can’t discover what happened that night, will evil rise again?

Grounded in Salem’s true, dark history, Brunonia Barry paints a complex, eerie portrait of a modern New England town living in the past. With magical realism that will appeal to readers of Erin Morgenstern and gothic suspense echoing Deborah Harkness, THE FIFTH PETAL brings the world of Salem to life with Barry’s signature rich and twisting prose. Suspenseful, sinister, and masterfully composed, THE FIFTH PETAL is a haunting novel that will grip audiences long after the final page.

Purchase Links
Amazon | Books-A-MillionIndieBound | Barnes & Noble

Review: 
Long after the Salem Witch Trials in 1692, another seemingly familiar tragedy has struck the town.  In 1989, three young women were brutally murdered at the alleged site of the original hangings.  The women were attempting to  consecrate the ground in remembrance of their ancestors, the women that were hanged. The murdered women were dubbed the Goddesses and had seemingly bewitched the town, especially the men.  There were two survivors, five year old Callie Cahill, whose mother was among the murdered and historian Rose Whelan who had brought the women together and looked after them.  After the murders, Callie was taken in by a group of nuns in another town and Rose was left mentally unstable, a suspect in a crime she could never commit.  Presently, Salem's police chief John Rafferty would love to solve the 25 year old cold case, but has never had a reason to open it up. However, when the now homeless Rose is wrapped up in another death, John wants to clear her name for good.  Rose ends up on the news and, much to Callie's surprise, she learns Rose is alive.  Callie races back to Salem to help the woman she once called her aunt.  When Callie arrives, the suppressed memories begin floating back and she suspects that there is more than just foul play, and perhaps some magic may be involved.


This was a very intriguing murder mystery with just enough elements of the paranormal woven through to keep me guessing and enough history brought in to keep my interest.  I do really wish I had known that this was the second book in a series, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything.  One of the really interesting aspects for me was Rose's banshee.  I enjoyed learning about the different stories of banshee mythology as well as having the belief that the banshee could actually be responsible for the crimes.  The author did a wonderful job of playing the natural and supernatural and bringing them together.  There were several mysteries at play in  the story: who murdered the Goddesses? How were the Goddesses connected to the hanged women? and where was the missing Goddess?  The mysteries were all woven together well and I did not feel overwhelmed.  I really had no idea which element was responsible for what and I truly had no idea who was responsible for the murders till very near the end.  Callie and Rose were amazing characters.  Although Rose has a mental illness, I never felt like her character was belittled or demeaned, and Callie's faith in Rose was heartwarming.  Callie, who could have been easily taken advantage of was continuously strong and confident in herself and grew in her abilities. Overall, this is a complex modern-day murder mystery that artfully weaves in history and aspects of the paranormal that makes this book hard to put down.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.  

About the Author: 

Brunonia Barry is the New York Times and international best selling author of The Lace Reader and The Map of True Places. Her work has been translated into more than thirty languages. She was the first American author to win the International Women’s Fiction Festival’s Baccante Award and was a past recipient of Ragdale Artists’ Colony’s Strnad Fellowship as well as the winner of New England Book Festival’s award for Best Fiction and Amazon’s Best of the Month. Her reviews and articles on writing have appeared in The London Times and The Washington Post. Brunonia co-chairs the Salem Athenaeum’s Writers’ Committee. She lives in Salem with her husband Gary Ward and their dog, Angel. Her new novel, The Fifth Petal will be released in January 2017.

Connect with Brunonia
Website | Facebook | Twitter

About Orphan Train
• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Christina Baker Kline’s #1 New York Times bestselling novel—the captivating story of a 91-year-old woman with a hidden past as an orphan-train rider and the teenage girl whose own troubled adolescence leads her to seek answers to long-buried questions…now with an extended scene that addresses the number one question readers ask, and an excerpt from Kline’s upcoming novel A Piece of the World

“A lovely novel about the search for family that also happens to illuminate a fascinating and forgotten chapter of America’s history. Beautiful.”—Ann Packer

Between 1854 and 1929, so-called orphan trains ran regularly from the cities of the East Coast to the farmlands of the Midwest, carrying thousands of abandoned children whose fates would be determined by pure luck. Would they be adopted by a kind and loving family, or would they face a childhood and adolescence of hard labor and servitude?

As a young Irish immigrant, Vivian Daly was one such child, sent by rail from New York City to an uncertain future a world away. Returning east later in life, Vivian leads a quiet, peaceful existence on the coast of Maine, the memories of her upbringing rendered a hazy blur. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are vestiges of a turbulent past.
Seventeen-year-old Molly Ayer knows that a community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping her out of juvenile hall. But as Molly helps Vivian sort through her keepsakes and possessions, she discovers that she and Vivian aren't as different as they appear. A Penobscot Indian who has spent her youth in and out of foster homes, Molly is also an outsider being raised by strangers, and she, too, has unanswered questions about the past.
Moving between contemporary Maine and Depression-era Minnesota, Orphan Train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, and unexpected friendship.


Purchase Links
​HarperCollins | Amazon

Review: 
​
Molly Ayer is seventeen and has been kicked around the foster system in Maine for a good part of her life.  With her current family, she doesn't quite fit in; her foster mom isn't too sure of Molly and is convinced that she is a bad kid.  When Molly is caught stealing a copy of Jane Eyre from the library, she either has to do time in juvie or 50 hours of  community service.  Luckily, Molly's boyfriend hooks her up with 91 year-old Vivian, whom his mother works for.  Vivian needs her attic cleaned out from an entire lifetime of memories.  Molly agrees to the project and quickly finds out the she and Vivian share many experiences.  As boxes are unpacked, Vivian's memory unfolds and she shares her experiences as a rider on a orphan train, her troubled placements and how they have shaped her life. 



I love stories that parallel two time periods, so this book immediately appealed to me. I was also very interested in finding out about the orphan trains, a piece of American history that I didn't know much about.  With many dual time stories, I am drawn into one story much more than the other; however, I was very much drawn into Molly's story in the present as well as Vivian's in 1929-1943. More than anything, Orphan Train reminds us that family is more than blood and while the past may help shape us, it does not define us.  The history of the orphan train was intriguing to me, especially how the children seemed to be used more as a free employee to midwest families rather than a child.  I'm sure this was not the case with all, but it seemed to happen to plenty.  Vivian's story was surprising, moving, heartbreaking and showed the tremendous amount of strength and character that she needed to survive from being an immigrant to an orphan to an unwanted child.  Molly's story parallels some of Vivian's, although Molly did not have nearly as rough a time as a child floating through the foster care system as Vivian did at any point in her life.  Molly, however did tend to make everything more dramatic as teenagers tend to do and I would not say that Molly having to deal with her foster mom not respecting her choice to be a vegetarian was at all comparable to Vivian not having food or having to make squirrel stew to survive through the Depression.  I would say that some of the characters in the present needed a little more depth to them, I really wanted to know what foster mom Dina deal was. I also really wanted to know what happened to everyone after the ending.  While most things were happily resolved, I felt that there Molly and Vivian might have had more to say.  


This book was received for free from HarperCollins through TLC book tours. 

About the Author: 

Christina Baker Kline is the author of five novels. She lives out-side of New York City and on the coast of Maine.

Find out more about Kline at her website, connect with her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

About the Book: 
Seventeen-year-old Crystal White is the new girl on Starfish Island. Dragged to the remote community by her environmental activist father, she is eager to find fun that doesn’t involve touching fish guts or listening to local folklore.

During a midnight swim with some new friends, Crystal is pulled out to sea by the waves. Convinced she’s going to drown; Crystal is rescued by Llyr, a handsome stranger. As she searches for him in the following weeks, she finds there may be more truth to the Starfish legends than she thought.

Over a sizzling rollercoaster summer, Llyr introduces Crystal to magic she’d only ever dreamed of. But as Crystal comes to love Starfish Island, it begins to drive her family apart. A nearby power plant is devastating local marine life, and her parents are stuck in the middle. As the magic and mundane parts of Crystal’s life converge, she finds herself risking everything to save Llyr, her family and herself.


Buy the Book:  Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble



Review: 
Crystal is the new girl in Coney Bay on Starfish Island. Her father moved the family out to the small island in order to be able to advocate for the environment against SKANX, a company that is dumping toxic waste into the Atlantic. Trying to fit into island life, Crystal goes to a beach party with her new friend Rosie. When Crystal swims out too far, she is rescued by Llyr, a mysterious guy with a mysterious name. When Crystal can’t seem to find Llyr again, or any locals who even know of him, Crystal learns about a legend surrounding the island. Once she learns of Merfolk, Crystal is in for an interesting summer and a hot romance. 

A Thousand Salt Kisses is a young adult paranormal romance with mermaids and strong environmental undertones. As a lover of mermaids and the environment, I did enjoy this book; however it is probably not for everyone and if the other YA paranormal romance stories out there don’t float your boat, then this probably will not, either. Crystal is kind-hearted, caring and beautiful, which is why Llyr falls for her instantly. Llyr is handsome and mysterious, which is why Crystal falls for him instantly. Yes, there is insta-love, and yes, there are more absent than present parents; two YA tropes that are not left out. I did think that the merfolk lore was very interesting and it did actually explain some of the stranger things fairly well, such as their selective invisibility, ability to change from fins to legs, some of their powers and their existence near the island. I really do wish more of the Mer realm was explored, it sounded really interesting. Also, I’m glad that the Mer were actively involved in the fight against the ocean pollution. It seemed like a lot more could have been done with the SKANX plot line and made this book a little fuller than just the romance. When the mystery and danger of SKANX did rear its head near the end, things became much more exciting. An open ending really made me want to know what happens next (winter is coming), so I will probably check out the next book. A little thing that bothered me was the age difference in the relationship between some of Crystal’s friends, seventeen year old girls with twenty-six year old men was just strange to me. Overall, a decent young adult paranormal mermaid romance that may or may not be for you. 
​
This book was received for free in return for an honest review

About the Book: 
Apocalypse all the Time
Doesn't it seem as if someone issues a new apocalypse prediction every week? Y2K? The Mayan apocalypse? The Rapture? Doesn't it seem endless?  As opposed to the traditional trend of post-apocalyptic literature, Apocalypse all the Time is post-post-apocalypticism.  Marshall is sick of the apocalypse happening on a weekly (if not daily) basis).  Life is constantly in peril, continually disrupted, but nothing significant ever happens.  The emergency is always handled. Always.
Marshall wants out; he wants it all to stop...one way or another.


Review: 
​Marshall lives in a world where there is a new apocalyptic event every week or so, a zombie apocalypse, a flood apocalypse, a giant lizard apocalypse, the red plague, the blue plague and so on and so on.  Marshall is fed up with the ridiculousness of it all, sure the world changes, but never ends and not many people die since the Apocalypse Amelioration Agency takes care of everything so quickly.  Marshall is especially fed up with how the rest of humanity seems to act when each new apocalypse is announced- fornicating in the streets, looting, running around like the world will actually end.  Marshall just wants a normal day, go to work, grocery shop, take a drive.  He finally finds some sense of normalcy when he meets Bonnie.  Bonnie is as fed up as Marshall and has plans on just what to do about all these apocalypses.  

This was a very surprising book that I ended up loving. It is written quite matter-of-factly and sarcastically at points from Marshall's point of view after everything has happened.  The absurdity of everything is what really got me, even though Marshall's world is filled with horrific events on a weekly basis, there is a higher power- literally a figure in the sky- telling everyone that everything will be all right and fixing things.  This reminded me of the world we live in today, horrific events might not be happening to the same group of people, but every day we hear of something new and terrible happening somewhere.  I loved the way in which Marshall and Bonnie finally come to grips with the world they must live in with humor and ingenuity.  I did wonder how exactly the world got the way it was, but that wasn't really the point.  The ending was a surprise and definitely makes a point about the human condition in today's world.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

About the Book: 
​
No matter how old we are, where we live, or what we believe - there are times in everyone's life that cause us to struggle. An it's in those times that we want nothing else but a word of hope and instead are so often surrounded by trite platitudes and false promises.

This is not that.

This small book was written to be something different: to uplift those who need it, to bring grace and love and light to the darkest times, and to be a voice of hope in the world where hope is often at a premium.

Read it yourself and be uplifted, or gift it to someone going through dark days.
We all need a little hope in difficult times. This is just a place to start.

​Buy the Book: Amazon  

​

About the Author: 

Natalia Terfa is a pastor at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. She is passionate about grace, yoga, and reading. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and daughter - the love of her life.

Connect with the author:
​Website  ~  Twitter for Book ~ Twitter  ~ Facebook
​

A Guest Post by Natalia Terfa: 

 Why everyone should have a go-to devotional in their reading pile:


I have a confession to make.
I don’t like devotionals.
Yeah. I said it.
This author of a devotional doesn’t like devotionals.

Here’s why:
​
1.They make me feel so guilty
You know those daily devotionals you get on your own or as a gift that look so great and you imagine how amazing it is going to be to do them and you promise yourself you’ll get up early and everything?  Yeah, until day 4 or 5 and then all your good intentions go out the window and somehow you feel worse about missing them instead of better and your unopened book mocks you every time you see it.
Admit it, you do this too. I know this isn’t just me.

2.The cheese factor is through the roof
Oh my goodness. Sometimes these devotionals can be so cheesy. Flowery language and fluffy nonsense throughout the whole thing.  It’s too much to take in all that cheese right away in the morning. No, Jesus is not my boyfriend, and no going on a date with Jesus won’t solve my problems.  Someone just needs to give me some straight talk about faith and life.  Also, life isn’t always a garden of roses even when I have God in my life so you can just stop with the reminders that if I was faithful God would be to.  Which brings me to number 3…

3.The theology is either beyond comprehension or totally suspect
God doesn’t make bad stuff happen. I’m not sure I can say that enough times. Sometimes life just sucks and that’s all there is to it. And you can’t make it better with a trite platitude or with complex theology.  And honestly, good theology doesn’t make the crap of life go away either, but it helps make it not so horrible. 

So if I don’t like devotionals, why would I write one, and why should people read it?
I think I’ve written a devotional that isn’t any of the above… you can read it when you need it, as you need it, by what you need it for, and I think the cheese is limited and theology good.

But more than that - I think having something you can pick up at the start of a day you are dreading or at the end of a really bad day is important.  We all need an uplift now and again. This book gives it on days you need it most, and you can skip it if you’re doing alright.

Making good, true, honest words about God as a part of your reading list is important, because you never know when you’ll need it, but you’ll be glad you have it when you do. 
 
 

About the Book: 
ILLUSIONS OF MAGIC: LOVE AND INTRIGUE IN 1933 CHICAGO

BY J.B. RIVARD
Publication Date: April 17, 2016
eBook; 233 Pages
ASIN: B01EGSC8N8
Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery

READ AN EXCERPT.
​
The withering of vaudeville was bad enough in 1933. Because of the Great Depression, bookings for stage magician Nick Zetner disappeared. With his marriage cracking under the strain, Nick reluctantly accepts a devious banker’s deal: He earns a generous reward if he retrieves photos stolen during a break-in at the bank. Along the way, a love he thought he’d forever lost reappears. Despite his skill in the arts of magic, penetrating the realm of the thieves grows increasingly perilous, especially when it endangers his newfound romance.
Illusions of Magic seamlessly merges this tale with the true-life assassination attempt on President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt resulting in Chicago’s mayor, Anton Cermak, being shot. His lingering death and a lack of legal means for his replacement causes great civic and social upheaval in the city.
In modern style, this novel propels the reader through emotional highs and subterranean lows with knife-edged dialogue, easy humor, page-turning action and authentic history.'

Review: 

Nick Zetner is "The Amazing Mr. Z," a magician in 1933 Chicago; however with the depression and prohibition, not many venues are booking a magic act.  So, when Nick's brother-in-law offers him a different kind a job, Nick takes his chances and agrees to find and return stolen merchandise to a wealthy client. A bank has been broken into and all of the contents of the safety deposit boxes stolen, Nick will be paid a generous sum if he can return a specific envelope with scandalous pictures.  When Nick is hot on the trail of the photos, he finds that he may be in over his head in the world of thieves and gangsters especially when he discovers that his long-lost love, Iris may be mixed up in the whole mess. 


A quick historical fiction read about 1930's mayhem that brings the time period alive.  There was a great feel for the time period from jazz clubs, to bank robberies and strange guys in back offices cooking the books.  I loved the inclusion of the illustrations, they did a great job of helping me to envision the dress, atmosphere and people in the story, I wish there were more!  I was very interested in the historical backdrop where all of the events took place and was covertly influencing some of the characters- the attempted assassination of President-elect Roosevelt that ended up actually killing Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak.  This event ended up causing a lot of strife for Nick's character.  There wasn't a lot of characterization here, but it was more about the action.  From the title, I had envisioned Nick using ingenious sleight of hand to retrieve what he needed from the robbers, while it was attempted, it was not quite what I had thought.  Overall, an exciting adventure with robbers, cops, good vs. evil and a touch of romance in 1933 Chicago. 


This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

About the Author
Almost everyone is familiar with the illustrations in “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”. However, the number of illustrated novels published–for adult readers–declined steadily from the beginning to the middle of the 20th century, although not for lack of popularity. “Illusions of Magic” dares a return to the edgy, swirling arts of the illustrated story, with pen and ink illustrations by the novel’s author, Joseph B. “J. B.” Rivard, supplementing this exciting story.
As a young child, Rivard began drawing by copying newspaper comics. In his teens, he drew illustrations for his high school’s award-winning yearbook. He attended the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and his artworks have appeared in more than fifty juried exhibitions, earning many prizes and awards. He’s an artist-member of the Salmagundi Club of New York City.
Rivard’s writing draws on wide experience–he served in the U.S. Navy, graduated from the University of Florida, worked as a newspaper reporter, a magazine writer, and on the engineering staff of a U.S. National Laboratory where he wrote and co-authored many technical papers listed on Google Scholar. His broad background supports a wide array of significant publications, from short stories to song lyrics, from essays to novels. He calls Spokane, Washington home.
For more information, please visit the Illusions of Magic website.

About Let's Hug- 15 Hugs for Beginners

There must be over a millions ways to say "I love you" or "I care about you", but with a single hug, even without words, you can simply feel it. This book is for toddlers, and encourages children and adults alike to try out all possible types of hugs. It's everyone's gain.

It took seconds for the sweet testers who accompanied the writing of this book to adopt these 15 ways of showing love, to give and receive it. And our testers are not alone. Recent studies reveal that Oxitocin, the most fun hormone available, also known as the Love Hormone, is released into our bodies when we hug.

Hugs are proven to have a generally positive healing and relaxing effect, since they increase calm and happiness, reinforce our self esteem, and support our sense of connection to those who are close to us. If you'd like to validate these studies, go ahead and hug.

This book was beautifully illustrated by Yuval Israeli, and it's the second creative collaboration between Yuval Israeli and Efrat Shoham.

Buy the Book: Amazon

Review: 
A very cute and simple book where different animals illustrate different types of hugs.  Each page has a name of a hug and then a colorful illustration of endearing animals illustrating the hugs.  Some examples are a group hug, a pick me up hug and a head rest hug.  This is a good way to show children different forms of affection.  However, when reading I would also tell kids that some of the hugs are meant for grownup to grownup or grownup relative to child such as the hug and a kiss.

About The Unusualasaurus
Ages and ages ago, many different kinds of dinosaurs roamed our planet. Some were as large as whales, while others were the size of small dogs. Some were plant-eaters, while some ate other animals. Some had very long necks and tails, while others were tiny. Some had horns. Some had wings and could fly.

Despite all of these many variations, they were all part of the dinosaur family. And, as is often the case with family, they shared many common features.

No one has ever never whatsoever seen a live dinosaur or spoken to one of them. So, what if dinosaurs could really talk, or smile, cry, dream, dance, play and joke?

To answer all of these questions, all you have to do is become an Imaginesaurus, and meet the Unusualasauruses.

This book is aimed at children aged 4 to 120. It introduces the readers to different types of personalities, characters, and skills and thus helps us to spot them at a glance.

This book was beautifully illustrated by Lilach Ramati.

Buy the Book:  Amazon
​

About the Author: 
​Efrat Shoham is an Israeli writer and independent publisher (The Pink Camel).

Shoham grew up in a small agricultural village in Israel. Her father was a farmer and her mother – a teacher and librarian. She lives with her family in Tel Aviv, on a small street lined with eucalyptus, mulberry and loquat trees, where 3 rabbits from the nearby kindergarten run wild.

She thinks and believes that curiosity, imagination, humor, green fields, fresh mango or avocado and pink camels are some of the keys to a good and happy life.

Connect with the author:  Website  ~ Facebook

About the Illustrator of Let's Hug:
​
Yuval Israeli 
"I grew up in a kibbutz in the north of Israel and for years I live in Tel Aviv with Roy and our cat "tsimuki". I studied design and illustration at "Vital" the school of visual arts, which reunited later with "Shenkar".

I also learned classical painting in the "station studio".

I always paint pop icons and characters which affected me, and I also always paint portraits of friends. Besides, I always enjoyed painting all kinds of creatures from my imagination". 

About the Illustrator of The Unusualasaurus: 
​
Lilach Ramati

"I majored in visual communication in Holon Institute of Technology. I studied Interactive, but eventually my final project was an illustrated book. Today I work as a designer in games company".

About the Book: 
Title: Duck Squad
Author: John Arnold
Publisher: Createspace
Pages: 75
Genre: Fantasy
Three ducks escape from a university lab experiment and find sanctuary in a fraternity house. They discover human beings can be their friends – and enemies. Their adventures begin righting wrongs – and getting even.


BUYING LINKS:
​Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Review:

Several laboratory ducks at a university have become aware of just what their purpose is being stuck in their cages.  Thanks to some strange drugs from the laboratory Quock the duck has become smart enough to understand human language and even type, Guk the duck has become very fast and Op the duck has become very large.  With Quock’s new skill, he learns that the lab is preparing to eat all of the ducks.  He and Guk plan an escape and find refuge within a fraternity house with one of the kinder lab assistants.  Now, Quock and Guk have to find a way to rescue the rest of their friends and maybe even plan a little revenge.

This is a fun book packed full of adventure suitable for middle grade readers or anyone who loves animals.  I loved the personalities of the ducks and how they solved their problems.  Teamwork and creative thinking are in the forefront for these ducks, and there are definitely great lessons worked into the story.  I also enjoyed the human and animal relationships that are formed.  The ducks are very lucky to find a friend in Stan and it was fun to see how having the quirky ducks around Stan helped him out.  There was also a good mix of lighthearted humor as the ducks get their revenge on those who would rather eat them!  Overall, an exciting and fun children’s book for any animal lovers out there.
 
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

About the Author: 
​John Arnold has had his work presented in either a reading or production at American Conservatory Theater (San Francisco) playreading series; California Playwrights Festival, Sacramento; Out and About Theater, Minneapolis; Playwrights Center, San Francisco; Sacramento Theater Company; West Coat Ensemble, Hollywood; Aloha Theater, Kainaliu, Hawaii; Moving Arts, Los Angeles; Mercury Cafe, Denver; First Stage, Los Angeles; The Theater-Studio, New York, Prince William Sound Community College, Valdez, Alaska; Theater of Western Springs, Illinois; and others. His monologue “Bit” is featured on Fourth Wall Review.com. His screenplays have been finalists in the Art Color “Digital Cinema International Film Festival, Montreal, the San Francisco Global Movie Fest, Indie Film Fest, Switzerland and the Swedish International Film Festival.
His play “Saint George” was winner of the 2016 Play Competition – Thistle Dew Theater, Sacramento. His monologue “Aunt Velma Considers Changing Religion” was part of the 2016 One Act Play Festival, Phoenix Stage Company, Connecticut.
He is author of “Duck Squad,” “Autobiography of a Duck” and “Going Home” – available via Amazon.com.
You can visit John’s blog at http://johnharnold.wordpress.com.
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Read an Excerpt: 
The humans in the lab coats turned off the lights and left the room, shutting the door behind them. Quock listened carefully so he could hear them walk down the hallway and out through another doorway to the outside world.
 
Quock waited until there was no other sound in the building and he quacked at Guk who he could see in the cage next to him in the dim evening light from the lab windows.
 
            “Guk? Are you sleeping?”
 
            Guk wearily lifted his head from under his wing and quacked, “I was.”
 
            “Is Op asleep?” Quock asked.
 
            Guk looked over at Op’s plump, feathery figure in the cage next to him and then at all the sleeping Pekin ducks in all the other cages. He said, “Everybody’s asleep. Those drugs they give us make us sleepy. Why aren’t you asleep?”
 
            Quock looked around apprehensively. “Something’s happened to me.”
 
            Guk was wide awake by now. He stared at Quock.  “Like what?”
 
            “It’s like a cloud was lifted from my head,” Quock explained. “Suddenly I can understand.”
 
            Guk almost laughed. “Understand what? It’s the drugs they give us. They can make you think all kinds of crazy things.”
 
            Quock stared back at Guk. “No, I mean it. I can understand them. I know what they are saying.”
 
            “You mean – the humans in the white coats?”
 
            “Yes. The humans in the white coats. I can understand them now. And I can read what they write.”
 
            Guk shook his head. “There’s no way. It’s just gobbledygook.”
 
            “Oh, no it’s not,” Quock shook his head. “It’s serious.”
 
            Guk looked around at all the sleeping ducks in the room.
“How serious?”
 
            Quock took a breath and whispered. “They are going to eat us.”

One of my favorite things to do in the winter is to cozy up next to the fireplace with a warm drink, my dog and a book.  I can get lost for hours in a book this way, especially on a very snowy day.  So, for the Comfy Cozy Reading Weather Hop I am offering to you a few books that I was able to cozy up with in winters past.
Thanks for stopping by, and good luck!

In Bel Epoque Paris, Inspector Michel Devaux has been given a tip about several missing children. The missing children are all street children, pickpocket, runners, children of the poor. Michel figures the consequences of their lives have simply caught up to them. American artist Theodora Faraday, part of a group of artists known as the Revenants, manages to save a young orphaned girl from a fire one night, only to have her cousin Averill find the girl brutally murdered and arranged in a gruesome artistic display the next day. Michel suspects that the girl might be connected to the other missing children, and now suspects members of the Revenants as the murderers. 

A perfect historical mystery for this time of year, dark and intriguing. Floats the Dark Shadow brought me through the underbelly of Bell Epoque Paris, vivid descriptions of the catacombs, occult practices, medical examinations and the teachings of Taxil. I was also immersed into the beauty of the period with the vivid historical details of the buildings, artistry and people of the time which created a contrast for brutality of the murders. That being said, Yves Fey has not held back with the scenes involving the murderer and the chosen children, these scenes are horrific, yet just snapshots into the actions of the murderer. A colorful cast of characters, including many real historical figures, creates a clash between artistry and science as well as heart and mind as Theodora becomes involved with Michel. I loved the point of view of the murderer and actually wish that I could have read more. The murderer's obsession with Joan of Arc and the interwoven theme of fire. As in any well written mystery, Floats the Dark Shadow held me captivated through the end.In Bel Epoque Paris, Inspector Michel Devaux has been given a tip about several missing children. The missing children are all street children, pickpocket, runners, children of the poor. Michel figures the consequences of their lives have simply caught up to them. American artist Theodora Faraday, part of a group of artists known as the Revenants, manages to save a young orphaned girl from a fire one night, only to have her cousin Averill find the girl brutally murdered and arranged in a gruesome artistic display the next day. Michel suspects that the girl might be connected to the other missing children, and now suspects members of the Revenants as the murderers. 

​The Myer family lives in Montreal’s Mile End neighborhood. The neighborhood is mostly made up of Hasidic Jews and a few random Hipsters. Father, David is a professor of Jewish Mysticism, but no longer believes since the passing of his wife. Samara, is thirteen and secretly planning her bat mitvah. Lev idolizes his older sister and has found a task by helping his neighbor Mr. Katz. Mr. Katz is attempting to build the Tree of Life out of toilet paper rolls, dental floss and green painted leaves. 
There are a lot of things going on in this book concerning each family member as they go through cycles of hope, fear and loss. The writing is fantastically layered where details come out one by one. The characters are what truly make this story wonderful. Each character is searching for something, something to believe in, and something to hold on to. Samara and Lev have a great relationship and l love that when left to their own devices for dinner they make mac and cheese with M&M’s and pizza with gummy bears. As the Tree of Life infiltrates each of their lives, David, Sam and Lev have a chance at falling deeper. This story is wonderfully complex, one that you will have to sit with and think about. It combines science and religion, fantasy, heartbreak, family, and most of all, hope.

A pilot's wife is taught to be prepared for the late-night knock on the door that might come. But when Kathryn Lyons receives word that a plane flown by her husband has exploded near the coast of Ireland, she confronts the unfathomable one revelation at a time. Soon drawn into a maelstrom of publicity fueled by rumours that Jack led a secret life, Kathryn sets out to learn who her husband really was, whatever the knowledge might cost. Her search propels this taught, impassioned novel as it moving explores the question, How well can we ever really know another person?