About the Book: ​
Title: The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Author: Neil Gaiman
Release Date: June 28, 2016
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Coming of Age
Format: Ebook/Paperback/Hardcover/Audio
 
UK National Book Awards 2013 “Book of the Year”
“Fantasy of the very best.” Wall Street Journal
 
A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. Although the house he lived in is long gone, he is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock, and her mother and grandmother. He hasn’t thought of Lettie in decades, and yet as he sits by the pond (a pond that she’d claimed was an ocean) behind the ramshackle old farmhouse where she once lived, the unremembered past comes flooding back. And it is a past too strange, too frightening, too dangerous to have happened to anyone, let alone a small boy.
 
A groundbreaking work as delicate as a butterfly’s wing and as menacing as a knife in the dark, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is told with a rare understanding of all that makes us human, and shows the power of stories to reveal and shelter us from the darkness inside and out.
 
“[Gaiman’s] mind is a dark fathomless ocean, and every time I sink into it, this world fades, replaced by one far more terrible and beautiful in which I will happily drown.” New York Times Book Review

Review: 

Forty years after he has left his childhood home, a man returns for a funeral and reminisces about a childhood adventure he had with the young girl who lived at the house at the end of the lane.  Lettie Hempstock lived at the farm at the  end of the lane with her mother and grandmother.  Lettie always called their backyard pond her ocean.  Lettie took him under her wing and together they had amazing and dangerous adventures that involved magic, monsters and other worlds.  As an adult, when he sits at the pond that Lettie called an ocean, he is not quite sure if the adventures he remembers really happened or if he and Lettie had wonderful imaginations.


Fantasy and imagination combine for a wonderfully woven and absolutely captivating fairy tale.  Characters leapt off the page and were people that I would love to know.  Told mostly from the perspective of children, innocence and raw emotion dominate. I loved the tone of mystery, discovery and friendship.  The monsters, Hempstocks, fleas and varmints were created uniquely.  I loved that the three Hempstock women worked the farm and their form  of magic alone, completely without the need of men.  Neil Gaiman has once again created a magical world that sucked me in and made me wish that I could once again experience the wonders of childhood.  This is one of my new favorites!

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

About the Author: 
Neil Gaiman is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Neverwhere, Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, Anansi Boys, The Graveyard Book, Good Omens (with Terry Pratchett), The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains; the Sandman series of graphic novels; and the story collections Smoke and Mirrors, Fragile Things, and Trigger Warning. He is the winner of numerous literary honors, including the Hugo, Bram Stoker, and World Fantasy awards, and the Newbery and Carnegie Medals. Originally from England, he now lives in the United States. He is Professor in the Arts at Bard College.
Visit his website at http://www.neilgaiman.com
 




About the Book: 
​
Finally! Here is a proven, practical way to drink alcohol and lower your risk for problems. Up until now, there have been two primary messages when it comes to drinking alcohol. One is “just say no,” which for the majority of the population is not an option. The other is to “drink responsibly.” But what does that mean? If you ask five random people to define responsible drinking, you will most likely get five completely different answers. This invalidates the term because it can be defined in so many different ways. Party with a Plan® gives a concise and research based formula that teaches people how to drink and lower their risk of negative consequences. It’s like creating a speed limit for drinking. If you stick to the speed limit, your chance of problems is minimal. However, the more you go over the speed limit, and the more often you go over the speed limit, the more you put yourself and others at risk. This book is long overdue!

About the Author: 
​
Randy Haveson knows addiction. As an alcoholic in long-term recovery (May, 1984), he has dedicated his life to helping others make more empowered choices in their lives. He is a 25 year veteran in the substance abuse field with extensive experience as a counselor, Director of Health & Alcohol Education at highly accredited universities, and speaker on over 100 campuses, speaking about harm reduction, self-esteem, leadership, and supporting students in recovery.

Connect with the author: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

 
A Guide to Successful Drinking
A Guest Post by  Randy Haveson
 
For years we’ve heard the same messages about alcohol. “Be responsible” or “drink in moderation.” But what do those mean? Ask five random people to define those phrases and you get five different answers.  Wouldn’t it be great if there was a “how to” guide for drinking? A way to know what is safe and what is not.  Well, now there is.
 
Party with a Plan® is a research based formula that teaches people the difference between low-risk and high-risk use of alcohol. Just like we know wearing a seat belt lowers our risk for added harm in case of an accident. Just like we know wearing a helmet lowers our risk for additional harm when we ride a bicycle or motorcycle. Now we have low-risk guidelines that teach people how to use alcohol and lower their risk for problems. Imagine no more deaths on the highway because of alcohol, no more alcoholism, no blackout mishaps, or alcohol induced violence. By following the Party with a Plan® guidelines, you too can be a successful drinker!

"Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall is the best vivid fantasy YA book of the year." --Entrada Publishing

On a distant world of forests floating on an ocean around a star,
a blight threatens to plunge all life into darkness.
But three friends seek the light.
Together, they will Fall and be lost.
And at the very Root of darkness, they will find themselves.
But will it be enough to help them find their way home?

The world of Cerulean

Light and water flow from the ocean into the roots of the Great Trees, up through the boughs, and out over the lush canopy. But the once vibrant treescape has grown dim over generations of arboreal life, and the creatures of the forest have forgotten the light.

Barra, a young, willful Listlespur, finds her late father's hidden journal, and reads about the old world and the mysterious plague her father believed destroyed it. He wrote that he warned the Elders. He urged them to take action. Those were his last words.

Together with her two best friends, Barra will explore every bark, wood, and leaf of the Great Forest to relight her world and complete her father's story, even if she has to travel beneath the Fall.

​
​Buy the book:   Amazon ~ Author Website

​Author's Bio:

Aaron Safronoff is author of the Discovery Award winning science fiction novel, Spire. Since his debut, he's published a sequel, Fallen Spire, and a novella of literary fiction, Evening Breezes.
​
Safronoff's diverse background includes the formal study of computer science, bio-chemistry, and culinary arts. However, most of his career has been in the videogame industry in quality, production, and design.

Today, Safronoff is the co-founder and Chief Storyteller of Neoglyphic Entertainment, and is busy writing his fifth novel, the second installment of the Sunborn Rising series.

​Connect with the author: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook


Review: 
The world of Cerulean seems ideal, a world of forests floating on an ocean around a star;  a variety tree top creatures,called Arboreals live among the woven together tree tops.  However, their light has been slowly diminishing and the threat of the Creepervine from below has been slowly making its way to the treetops.  Barra Swiftspur, a young Listlespur has found her father's diary that documents the Creepervine.  After her father's death from the Creepervine Barra and her friends Plicks and Tory want to save their world from the Creepervine, but it will be dangerous and they will have to travel to what seems like a whole other beneath the treetops, beneath the Fall.


Sunborn Rising is an absolutely grand adventure in a wonderful world.  Meant for middle-grade audiences, I was still absolutely fascinated by the world of Cerulean, the characters and their quest.  The world building was magnificent.  At first I thought I would have some trouble picturing this world of trees on an ocean, but I loved all of the descriptions of the woven together tree tops, the dwellings that were created, the unique animals that were often combinations of two animals that we know (my favorite is definitely the Kolalabat) and each of the environments.  The vibrant, detailed pictures helped with this and added an extra element to the world of Cerulean.  Barra, Tory and Plicks were awesome characters.  They each have different personalities, strengths and weaknesses but manage to work together and use their strengths to navigate beneath the fall.  Overall, this is an exciting middle-grade adventure that has enough excitement for everyone.

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

​Inside the Book
Title: Floor 21
Author: Jason Luthor
Publisher: Scout Press
Pages: 355
Genre: Sci-fi/Dystopian
The last of humanity is trapped at the top of an isolated apartment tower with no memory of how they got there or why. All travel beneath Floor 21 is forbidden, and nobody can ever recall seeing the ground floor. Beneath Floor 21, a sickness known as the Creep infests that halls of the Tower. A biological mass that grows stronger in reaction to people’s fear and anger, the Creep prey’s on people by causing them to hallucinate until they’re in a state of panicking, before finally growing strong enough to lash out and consume them. Only a small team known as Scavengers are allowed to go beneath Floor 21 to pillage the lower levels in search of food and supplies.
Jackie is a brilliant young girl that lives far above the infection and who rarely has to worry about facing any harm. However, her intense curiosity drives her to investigate the bottom floors and the Creep. To deal with her own anxiety and insecurities, she documents her experiences on a personal recorder as she explores the secrets of the Tower. During the course of her investigation, Jackie will find herself at odds with Tower Authority, which safeguards what remains of humanity, as she attempts to determine what created the Creep, how humanity became trapped at the top of the Tower, and whether anyone knows if escape is even possible.
For More Information

• Floor 21 is available at Amazon.
• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

Review: 
An infestation of the Creep has taken over the world.  A living, reactive, muscle-like, goop, the Creep has spread out over the surface of the Earth and forced the remaining people to the higher levels of tall towers.  When you touch the Creep or live around it, the Creep can give you hallucinations and make you see demons out of the corners of your eye. However, the deeper you go into the Creep, the more dangerous it becomes.  The Creep has the ability to entangle a person and dissolve them.  With humans living at the top of towers, Tower Authority has emerged.  The more privileged live on the top floors, while the less privileged live lower.  They all follow the rules set by the top floor, Floor 1.  Jackie lives on Floor 4.  She is super inquisitive and wants to know all about the Tower, the Creep and the world outside that she has never seen. However, none of this is allowed.  Jackie would love nothing more than to be a Scavenger, those who go to the lower, uninhabited levels to find supplies and food to bring up to people.  Jackie's friend Mike and her hero, Vick are Scavengers, but they have to keep going lower and lower to find things, this Scavenging though, Mike wants to try to find the source of the Creep's power and eliminate it.


This is a YA dystopia book with a splash of horror.  I was very intrigued by the idea of the Creep, a different and unique threat that caused a trying set of circumstances for those in the Tower. The story is told through a series of recordings, first by Jackie, then by Vick, then Jackie again.  Jackie has a lot of questions that she isn't even supposed to be asking, so the recorder is a good outlet for her.  Jackie's character is a bit typical for a teenager, but her investigative skills and bravery are commendable.  She does end up figuring out some things about the Creep and the Tower itself. Vick's recording were very enjoyable for me, he was literally in the thick of the Creep with his Scavenging team and the action and danger really picked up. There are still a lot of questions left to be answered, such as: Where did the Creep come from?  Is there anyone else out there in the world?  How long have people been forced up into Towers? and How the heck are they still Scavenging meat? Overall, a fresh breath in the YA dystopian genre.


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

​Meet the Author

Jason Luthor has spent a long life writing for sports outlets, media companies and universities. His earliest writing years came during his coverage of the San Antonio Spurs as an affiliate with the Spurs Report and its media partner, WOAI Radio. He would later enjoy a moderate relationship with Blizzard Entertainment, writing lore and stories for potential use in future games. At the academic level he has spent several years pursuing a PhD in American History at the University of Houston, with a special emphasis on Native American history.
His inspirations include some of the obvious; The Lord of the Rings and Chronciles of Narnia are some of the most cited fantasy series in history. However, his favorite reads include the Earthsea Cycle, the Chronicles of Prydain, as well as science fiction hits such as Starship Troopers and Do Androids dream of Electric Sheep?
For More Information

• Visit Jason Luthor’s website.
• Connect with Jason on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Book: 
See the enchantment of the Disneyland resort in a whole new way with "The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt." From Main Street U.S.A. to New Orleans Square, Walt Disney lovingly designed every detail to immerse guests in the magic of his theme parks.

See Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure through new eyes when you discover fantasy, thrills, and dreams around every turn. Whether you’re perusing the shops, waiting in line, or riding attractions, there’s plenty to uncover for even the most knowledgeable Disney fan.

If this is your first visit or your five hundredth, you will discover something new with "The Great Disneyland Scavenger Hunt."

Buy the Book:  Amazon  ~  Books-a-Million  ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Powell's Books  ~  Chapters.Indigo.ca

About the Author: 
Catherine Olen has enjoyed a love affair with the magic of the Disney theme parks for as long as she can remember, counting herself among Disneyland passholders for the last twenty-five years. Previously, Olen owned and operated Hollywood Grave Hunter and is the proud author of The Final Curtain: Celebrity Deaths and The Upside of Undertaking, chronicling her previous career experiences. She has been a correspondent to Entertainment Tonight (US and France), The Biography Channel, Reelz Network, and the Mark & Brian radio show.

Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Pinterest  ~  Instagram

About The Memory Painter

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Picador (July 5, 2016)
What if there was a drug that could help you remember past lives?
What if the lives you remembered could lead you to your one true love?
What if you learned that, for thousands of years, a deadly enemy had conspired to keep the two of you apart?
Bryan Pierce is an internationally famous artist, whose paintings have dazzled the world. But there's a secret to Bryan's success: Every canvas is inspired by an unusually vivid dream. Bryan believes these dreams are really recollections?possibly even flashback from another life?and he has always hoped that his art will lead him to an answer. And when he meets Linz Jacobs, a neurogenticist who recognizes a recurring childhood nightmare in one Bryan's paintings, he is convinced she holds the key.
Their meeting triggers Bryan's most powerful dream yet?visions of a team of scientists who, on the verge of discovering a cure for Alzheimer's, died in a lab explosion decades ago. As his visions intensify, Bryan and Linz start to discern a pattern. But a deadly enemy watches their every move, and he will stop at nothing to ensure that the past stays buried.Praise
“... hang on for a wild and entertaining ride around the world and through the centuries back to ancient Egypt.” Library Journal (starred review)
“Gwendolyn Womack's tale dazzles.” US Weekly (Standout Spring Novels)
“A sweeping, mesmerizing feat of absolute magic...” ?M. J. Rose, New York Times bestselling author of The Witch of Painted Sorrows
“The guy-meets-girl story as you've never heard it before...A mind-explosion of a journey ensues that involves time travel, mystery, love, and a whole lot of plot twists.” Refinery29
“A page turner that will keep readers up late into the night. Readers who love adventure, romance and fantasy will love this book.” The Vancouver Sun
​
Review: 
Lovers, friends, enemies- souls that are continuously playing out their roles in each successive life until they remember their purpose.  In the present, Bryan Pierce wakes up from an extraordinary dream and feels the need to paint everything that occurred.  He can recall everything about the life of the person he has dreamt about, including the ability to speak their language and perform any special skills that they had.   Bryan isn’t just recalling a dream, he is remembering an entire past life, all of the memories have come flooding back at once.  Most of all, he remembers the woman from his dream and when he finally meets her in his current life as Linz Jacobs after she recognizes one of his paintings from her dream, he sets in motion a chain of events thousands of years in the making.

The Memory Painter is incredibly unique with vivid writing that pulled me into the book much like people were pulled into Bryan’s paintings.  I love the idea of past lives and The Memory Painter used the concept in a creative, magical and intense way.  First of all, the past lives that Bryan and eventually Linz remember took me back in time to a wide range of periods and different historical figures.  A mystery is teased out with each progressive life as Bryan and Linz are able to piece together their memories, an antagonist appears.  One soul has been tearing them apart and killing them off in every lifetime, this aspect had me completely engaged.  I thought I had everything figured out as to who the soul was and why they were acting how they were; however with a roller-coaster of twists and turns and finally remembering their first lives in Egypt, everything is turned around.  I was continuously pulled into the story as each past life was revealed and Bryan and Linz currently tried to figure out their entwined pasts.  Overall, this story is incredibly engaging and inventive, a perfect story to sink your teeth into and devour in one sitting.
 
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 


Buy the Book: 
Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | iTunes

​About Gwendolyn Womack
Gwendolyn Womack began writing plays in college and majored in Theatre at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. She received an MFA in Directing Theatre and Film from California Institute of the Arts and currently lives in Los Angeles with her family. The Memory Painter is her first novel.
Find out more about Gwendolyn at her website, connect with her on Facebook and Twitter, and see what she's pinning on Pinterest.

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