Blog Archives

The Trick

11/29/2017

Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Atria Books (September 19, 2017)

A deeply moving, humorous story of a boy who believes in everything and an old man who believes in nothing.
In 1934, a rabbi’s son in Prague joins a traveling circus, becomes a magician, and rises to fame under the stage name the Great Zabbatini just as Europe descends into World War II. When Zabbatini is discovered to be a Jew, his battered trunk full of magic tricks becomes his only hope of surviving the concentration camp where he is sent.
Seven decades later in Los Angeles, ten-year-old Max finds a scratched-up LP that captured Zabbatini performing his greatest tricks. But the track in which Zabbatini performs his love spell—the spell Max believes will keep his disintegrating family together—is damaged beyond repair. Desperate for a solution, Max seeks out the now elderly, cynical magician and begs him to perform his magic on his parents. As the two develop an unlikely friendship, Moshe discovers that Max and his family have a surprising connection to the dark, dark days the Great Zabbatini experienced during the war.
Recalling the melancholy humor of Isaac Bashevis Singer and the heartbreaking pathos of the film Life is Beautiful—this outstanding first novel is at once an irreverent yet deeply moving story about a young boy who believes in magic and a disillusioned old man who believes in nothing, as well as a gripping and heartfelt tale about the circle of life.

“The Trick is a lyrical, uplifting, and funny story that will tug at all of your heartstrings. A true miracle from the first to the last page.” (Armando Lucas Correa, bestselling author of The German Girl)

“Sweet, funny, magical.” (Kirkus)

“Bergmann’s novel, a pleasing blend of Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants and Jonathan Safran Foer’s Everything is Illuminated, puts magic back into everyday life.” (Booklist)

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

Review:
Moshe Goldenhirsch grew up in Prague in the 1930's. His family was far from perfect and Moshe decides to run away. Moshe comes across a circus run by the Half-Moon Man and is entranced by his magic tricks; he eventually is eventually taken on as an apprentice by the Half-Moon man. Moshe eventually transforms into the Great Zabbatini, a Persian mentalist. However, as the war grows, Zabbatini's facade is broken and he is found out as a Jew. In 2007, Max Cohn is trying to deal with his parent's divorce. As his parents are moving out, Max finds a record of the Great Zabbatini's performance and one of his tricks is a spell for eternal love. The record happens to be scratched on the eternal love spell sending Max on an adventure to find the real Zabbatini and ask him to perform his spell.

This dual time story was an emotional journey that ranged from sorrowful to sweet. The writing flowed seamlessly as the alternating time lines switched between Moshe and Max. Moshe's story drew me in with the complexity of family issues and his desire to find escape within the magic of the circus. I was further impressed with Moshe's transformation to Zabbatini and his path to becomming a mentalist. The suspense grew as Zabbatini interacted with officials from the Nazi party. Seeing some of the mentalist tricks in action was very intriguing. Max's character evoked a lot of sympathy as his parents went through the trials of divorce and Max clung to the hope of a magic spell. When Max did fine Zabbatini, the tone of the story changed as both characters found hope in one another. The relationship they formed was similar to grandparent and grandchild and exactly what the other needed at the time. I loved the eternal love spell that Zabbatini performed as well as the unlikely connection that he found. Overall, an emotional story that incorporates history, magic and hope.

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

About Emanuel BergmannEmanuel Bergmann was born in Germany and is a journalist and translator. He has been living in Los Angeles since 1990. His first novel, The Trick, is an international bestseller.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

9 Comments

Shadow By The Bridge

11/24/2017

4 Comments

About the Book:
Shadow by the Bridge by Suzanne Zewan

Publication Date: November 1, 2017
No Frills Buffalo
eBook & Paperback; 368 Pages

Genre: Historical Mystery

11-year-old Fritz Reynolds recalled his father telling him that man is the only creature who can find amusement in killing. Little did he realize that those words would become the theme for his teenage years growing up in the rural hamlet of Linden, New York. In this coming-of-age story, Fritz takes us back to a simpler time when neighbors gathered at the general store to listen to radio shows, drank barrel-aged cider, and worshiped at the Baptist church every Sunday. All was picturesque in his close-knit farming community until terror was unleashed on them.

Review:
In 1917, 11-year old Fritz Reynolds is trying to find a good place to set his fox trap in the woods of Linden, NY. He stumbles upon a couple in the woods, thinking that the couple was just looking for some alone time, Fritz hides behind a rock. Instead, Fritz ends up witnessing the brutal murder of the women who ventured into the woods. As Fritz runs away, he is sure that the murderer catches a glimpse of him. Terrified, Fritz keeps the sighting to himself. When the woman is found, she is so brutally beaten that she cannot be identified and more so, the murderer is never found. Years later, another murder shakes the small town of Linden. This time it is a neighbor and obviously committed with forethought. Fritz is immediately reminded of the brutal murder he witnessed before. Several years later, three more beloved residents of Linden are murdered. With no arrests and no good suspects, the residents of Linden are thoroughly shaken. Fritz and his family decide to move on, but the memory of the murders continues to haunt Fritz.

I happened to grow up in Batavia, NY which is right outside of Linden, NY and mentioned quite a lot in the book. So, I have of course heard of the Linden murders and have been to the small town on numerous occasions as well as several of the landmarks mentioned in the book. I enjoy reading about local history and was glad that some new light has been shone on this unsolved mystery in a thoughtful and respectful way. The description of the town, farms and shops created a perfect image in my mind. The main characters names may have changed slightly and Fritz's character was fictional; however, the timeline and details of the case were presented with historical accuracy and detail while the writing drew me into an intriguing mystery. One thing I was surprised to learn was that the Linden murder investigations were among the first to use some new forensic techniques that were being developed such as plaster facial recreations, fingerprinting and using different 'tells' to see if someone was lying. While the Linden murders are still officially unsolved. Shadow By The Bridge provides interesting insight into just who might have committed such awful crimes.

About the Author

Suzanne is coordinator at Genesee Valley Educational Partnership and is an adjunct professor at Buffalo State College. She has a M.A. in English and Creative Writing and a M.S.Ed. in Career and Technical Education. Other publications include a poem in Jigsaw (2014), a short story and two poems in Jigsaw (2016), and a short story in Amaranth Review (2016).

4 Comments

Nadya's War

11/21/2017

0 Comments

Title: NADYA’S WAR
Author: C.S. Taylor
Publisher: Tiny Fox Press
Pages: 300
Genre: Historical Fiction

BOOK BLURB:

Nadezdah "Little Boar" Buzina, a young pilot with the Red Army's 586th all-female fighter regiment, dreams of becoming an ace. Those dreams shatter when a dogfight leaves her severely burned and the sole survivor from her flight.

For the latter half of 1942, she struggles against crack Luftwaffe pilots, a vengeful political commissar, and a new addiction to morphine, all the while questioning her worth and purpose in a world beyond her control. It's not until the Soviet counter-offensive at Stalingrad that she finds her unlikely answers, and they only come after she's saved the life of her mortal enemy and fallen in love with the one who nearly kills her.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

Seven of us zipped through the overcast sky, a dozen meters beneath the cloud layer. Gridnev flew lead and a girl named Tania from First Squadron flew on his wing. Alexandra and I cruised next to them about thirty meters away. I pictured myself as a modern version of my ancestors who rode into battle on horseback, courageous and strong. If only they could see me now, sailing through the air to drive off the invaders. I wondered if they’d be proud or jealous. Maybe both.

The four of us escorted a flight of three Pe-2s from the 150^th High-Speed Bomber Regiment across the snowy landscape. That unit was led by Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Polbin who I’d heard was quite the commander. I’d also heard he enjoyed music and sang well, like me, which made me think we’d get along—even if he was a die-hard communist and loyal to Stalin.

The twin-engine Peshkas flew nearly as fast as our fighters, something I was grateful for. I’m certain the three crew members inside each bomber were thankful as well, since unlike the German Heinkels and Stukas, these planes were tough to catch for any aircraft. That being said, I was glad I was in my Yak-1. I wouldn’t have wanted to fly one of those bombers at all, no matter how prestigious they were. They were still big targets, and far less nimble than the fighter I had. I prayed we’d keep them safe.

All the Pe-2s, however, did have fresh, winter paint jobs. Their off-white and tan colors hid them well in the surroundings, and if I wasn’t paying close attention, I’d even lose sight of them from time to time. Their target was a rail depot the Germans were using to bring in supplies and troops headed to Stalingrad. Obliterating it would disrupt logistics and force the Luftwaffe to keep it safe once rebuilt.

With luck, the Germans wouldn’t spot the Peshkas until the bombs were already dropping and they were headed home. I fantasized about how easy of a mission this could be as we went deeper into enemy lines. Those thoughts almost turned into dreams as the drone from my fighter’s engine combined with the dreary sky nearly put me to sleep, despite the digging pain in my arm.

“Tighten up, Little Boar,” Gridnev called out over the radio.

My eyes snapped to the formation. I’d drifted away from the bombers by a good fifty meters sideways and at least that in altitude. I glanced over my shoulder to see Alexandra off to my right. She’d stayed with me even as I wandered. “Reforming now. Thought I saw something below and wanted a better view.”

C.S. Taylor is a former Marine and avid fencer (saber for the most part, foil and epee are tolerable). He enjoys all things WWII, especially perfecting his dogfighting skills inside virtual cockpits, and will gladly accept any P-38 Lightnings anyone might wish to bestow upon him. He’s also been known to run a kayak through whitewater now and again, as well give people a run for their money in trap and skeet.

His latest book is the historical fiction, Nadya’s War.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

Review:
Nadya has earned the nickname of Little Boar as a pilot within the Russian Red Army’s 586th all-female fighter regiment during World War II for her fierce determination and charging the enemy. Nadya dreams of becoming an Ace pilot and bringing pride to her family for her service during the war. However, when an aerial fight leaves Nadya as the only survivor and with burns and trauma, she struggles to fly again. Nadya soon finds herself addicted to morphine and able to fly, bent on revenge to shoot down the German Pilot who killed her friends. She also finds herself under investigation with a very dangerous man. With the help of her friends, her mechanic Karla and new partner, Alexandra, Nadya continues to fly and come closer to becoming an Ace as well as shooting down the German pilot.

Nadya's war pulled me into the world of female pilots during the war. While I was aware that women from several countries fought in the war, I did not know about the Russian all-female fighter regiment. Nadya's point of view was very interesting, since she is very eager to prove herself, but does not fall in line with Stalin's values; primarily, Nadya is still religious. The aerial fights drew me in the most, I could see the details of the planes and feel the adrenaline of the maneuvers. The characters that made of the regiment were all interesting, however, I do wish some of the others were fleshed out more. Nadya was steadfast in her beliefs, to the point of being boorish, earning her a nickname. At points she did seem immature, although, like many of the others fighting in WWII, she was very young. The romance that was introduced was very surprising, especially for Stalin's Russia, this was ok with me, but didn't seem to have enough of a prominent role. The story arc seemed to be lacking something for me, I felt like I was waiting for something that didn't happen. Either the romance or the revenge story needed to come to a head in a bigger way. Overall, an intense story of women fighter pilots in World War II.

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

0 Comments

The IT Girls

11/16/2017

1 Comment

About The It Girls
• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (October 24, 2017)

From New York Times bestselling author Karen Harper comes a novel based on the lives of two amazing sisters . . .
One sailed the Titanic and started a fashion empire . . .
The other overtook Hollywood and scandalized the world . . .
Together, they were unstoppable.
They rose from genteel poverty, two beautiful sisters, ambitious, witty, seductive. Elinor and Lucy Sutherland are at once each other’s fiercest supporters and most vicious critics.
Lucy transformed herself into Lucile, the daring fashion designer who revolutionized the industry with her flirtatious gowns and brazen self-promotion. And when she married Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon her life seemed to be a fairy tale. But success came at many costs—to her marriage and to her children . . . and then came the fateful night of April 14, 1912 and the scandal that followed.

Elinor’s novels titillate readers, and it’s even asked in polite drawing rooms if you would like to “sin with Elinor Glyn?” Her work pushes the boundaries of what’s acceptable; her foray into the glittering new world of Hollywood turns her into a world-wide phenomenon. But although she writes of passion, the true love she longs for eludes her.
But despite quarrels and misunderstandings, distance and destiny, there is no bond stronger than that of the two sisters—confidants, friends, rivals and the two “It Girls” of their day.

Purchase Links
Harper Collins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Review:
Sisters, Lucy and Elinor Sutherland grew up on the sleepy island of Jersey. They were insatiably curious and had large ambitions; ambitions far bigger than the island. Upon meeting the notorious Lillie Langtry one day in their youth, the sisters decide that they will one day become much more. Through time, hard work and dedication, the two women eventually do realize their dreams. Lucy transforms into Lady Lucille Duff-Gordon fashion designer and entrepreneur extraordinaire. Elinor becomes Elinor Glyn, scandalous romance writer whose books went onto the big screen. Both Lucy and Elinor became the 'It' girls of their day; however, while both women excelled in their career goals, their dream came at a price in other areas of their life.

Elinor and Lucy quickly pulled me into their world of daring, creativity and determination. I was amazed at what these two women accomplished in their lives, especially for women living in the early 1900's. The story follows Lucy and Elinor from their youth through later life bouncing back and forth between the two women. The writing showed the 'it' factor of each woman without laying it out. Lucy had amazing grit while opening up her own fashion enterprise and ingenuity enough to make change in the fashion world. Even though I knew of Lucille Duff-Gordon, mainly through her voyage on the Titanic, I never knew of her impacts on the fashion world and how they are carried through to the present. Lucille was the first to use live models and do runway presentations, she also led the way to get women out of corsets and into more natural silhouettes. I did not know much about Elinor Glyn, but it seemed that her style of romance writing had an impact on many people. It also seemed that she made an impact on Hollywood romance as well! While the sister's careers and social standings skyrocketed, I was surprised to see that their personal and family lives took a toll. Both women struggled in marriage and didn't seem to have strong relationships with their children, often living in separate countries. This imbalance, to me, was a strong commentary on the lives of women at the time, showing that even successful, strong women had to choose either career or family. Overall, a wonderful portrait of two strong, important women in history.

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

About Karen Harper
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author KAREN HARPER is a former Ohio State University instructor and high school English teacher. Published since 1982, she writes contemporary suspense and historical novels about real British women. Two of her recent Tudor-era books were bestsellers in the UK and Russia. Harper won the Mary Higgins Clark Award for Dark Angel, and her novel Shattered Secrets was judged one of the best books of the year by Suspense Magazine.

Find out more about Karen at her website, and connect with her on Facebook.
ᐧ

1 Comment

Purple Turtle Graded Readers Level One

11/14/2017

6 Comments

Boxed Book Set Details:

Book Title: Purple Turtle Graded Readers Level 1 (12 Titles)
Category: Children's Fiction,
Genre: Educational
Publisher: Aadarsh Pvt. Ltd.
Release date: April 1, 2017
Tour dates: Oct 30 to Nov 24, 2017
Content Rating: G (informative content intended for and available to children & their parents/educators to enhance and support learning. Suitable for: Family audiences with younger children.)

Boxed Book Set Description:

A1 Edutainment takes you to the world on an amazing new reading programme with Purple Turtle. The first level of Purple Turtle Graded Readers includes a set of 12 books with interesting stories and activities and 150 word count. This level is exclusively for learners who have just started reading. It is based on ATOS and Lexile reading level system.

To read more reviews, please visit Purple Turtle's page on iRead Book Tours.

Buy the Boxed Set:

Amazon

Watch one of the book trailers:

Meet the Publisher:

Purple Turtle is India’s 1st International brand with its educational content in several languages sold in more than 30 countries including Russia, China, US and UK. The character of Purple Turtle has delighted children across the globe through beautifully created Purple Turtle books, rhymes and videos available on YouTube.

Purple Turtle was created with the idea to spread education through a wide range of innovative books for children. To give them the experience of convenient online learning, Purple Turtle also brings both learning and entertainment on a common platform to give a wholesome learning experience to young minds.

Connect with the publisher: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Enter the Giveaway!

Ends Dec 2

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review:

The Purple Turtle Graded Readers Level One are perfect books to introduce a variety of topics to young children. Throughout the twelve books, Purple Turtle introduces children to a daily schedule, opposites, colors, senses, animal sounds, family members, numbers, shapes, feelings, fruits and vegetables and household items. Each books is 18 pages and a perfect size to fit into tiny hands. The sentences are short and each reinforces recognizable words and concepts that the books is trying to convey.

My toddler absolutely loved the Purple Turtle from the moment we opened the box. He immediately began handing me books to read. With the length of each story, he could easily pay attention to several stories in a row. The colorful, simple pictures featuring the same cast of characters in each book is wonderful for introducing a new or more difficult concept to children. The sentence and word structure of each story also reinforced word recognition with a group of words repeating throughout the story. Some of my son's favorite stories are The Lost Bag, The Animal Parade, and Purple's New Shoes which introduce shapes, animal sounds and colors. In The Lost Bag, we love finding all of the objects with the indicated shape among the pictures as well as all of the airport vehicles. My son loves animals, so he enjoyed repeating the animal sounds in The Animal Parade. In Purple's New Shoes we enjoyed naming the colors and finding everything else pictured that was that color. The last four pages of each book are fun interactive activities for your child that relate to the topic for further reinforcement. These books will continue to grow with my child as he is able to go from being read to to reading himself and move up through the box set levels.

Since these books were published in India there are a few things that are a little off if you are an American reader. For example, there is a camel sound included in The Animal Parade and what I would call a ladybug is referred to as a ladybird in Counting Insects.

These books were received for free in return for an honest review.

6 Comments

A Midsummer Night's Dream Coloring Novel

11/12/2017

0 Comments

Beauty and the Beast: Coloring Novel Edition

Beauty and the Beast is a treasured fairy tale passed down through generations that explores the love story of a beautiful young girl captured in the enchanted castle of a frightening beast. Now, Beauty and the Beast has been creatively reimagined in this delightful Coloring NovelsTM edition which includes 56 colorable designs as well as featured art by author and artist, Emilyann Girdner. This is a short story length publication.

Buy on B&N/Amazon

Sense and Sensibility: Coloring Novel Edition

Perfect for fans of romantic classics like Pride and Prejudice and Downton Abbey, Sense and Sensibility (a Jane Austen novel) tells the tale of the lovely Dashwood sisters. They face difficult times after their father passes away and must each find a suitable husband if they are to be accepted in society. This special Coloring NovelsTM edition features vintage 1800s inspired pattern designs as well as adapted digital artwork by Emilyann Girdner.

Buy on B&N/Amazon

A Midsummer Night's Dream: Coloring Novel Edition

Inspired by Greek mythology, A Midsummer Night's Dream follows the adventures of young Athenian lovers, a group of actors, the Duke and Duchess of Athens, Theseus and Hippolyta, and the fairies who inhabit nearby moonlit woods. This classic tale is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare written around 1594 to 1596. The play is one of Shakespeare's most popular works and is widely performed across the world. This Coloring NovelsTM edition is the public domain version and has 40 imaginative colorable illustrations including featured artwork by author and artist, Emilyann Girdner. This is a novella length publication. Buy on B&N/Amazon

The Labyrinth Wall: Coloring Novel Edition

The fantasy charm of Eragon meets the gritty flare of The Hunger Games in the Amazon Best-Selling Obsidian Series books which offer a surprising and fresh magical labyrinth adventure. Imagine a labyrinth world from the perspective of its native people... Araina’s lonely teenage life is forever altered when she witnesses a man with supernatural powers emerge through a rippling wall into the dark and deadly labyrinth she calls home. Araina must solve many mysteries surrounding the newcomer and the labyrinth she thought she knew so well. And, as a result of the stranger’s arrival, Araina’s creators have unleashed a series of attacks against the labyrinth inhabitants. She must decide if she will trust potentially deceitful allies in order to survive. “It is a book that all fantasy lovers will find addictive and thrilling.” — Readers’ Favorite

An Amazon Best-Seller A Dante Rossetti International Award Finalist Reader’s Favorite 5 Star Rated Buy on B&N/Amazon

About Coloring NovelsTM: Novels have been refused the love of artistic interactivity and brilliant colors for far too long. Not anymore... Coloring novels were dreamed up by author and artist, Emilyann Girdner. She launched Coloring Novels™ because she wanted to bring the joy of reading novels and coloring together. Reading is an inspiring experience, so you are invited to color the provided pictures, draw your own art, and jot down your ideas as you enjoy this adventure. For more coloring and reading enjoyment, collect all classic stories available by Coloring Novels™.

*Note that colored pencils are ideal for this paper. Markers and some gel pens may bleed through pages. Attempting to color the paperback edition covers may cause smearing and is not recommended.

About the author:

Emilyann Girdner is the creator of Coloring Novels™ (a new novel format) and author of Amazon Best-Seller, Dante Rossetti Award Finalist, and Reader’s Favorite 5 Star rated young adult fantasy novel, The Labyrinth Wall.

Emilyann discovered at a young age that reading imaginative books gave living an extra flavor. She has loved stories ever since. She has appeared at events with organizations such as Barnes & Noble stores, Wizard World Comic Con, Supercon, AltCon, and MegaCon Fan Days. KCFV 89.5, City Surfing Orlando, Miami.com, and Tallahassee Magazine are some of the media outlets that have mentioned Emilyann. Emilyann tries to love God and others in all she does.

She believes that imagination sparks beauty in the soul. Emilyann’s writing and art have appeared via many publications, some of which include Sound & Communications Magazine, The TV Shield, Center for Work Life, Easter Seals Florida, and Examiner.com. Discover more of her writing and art at www.emilyanngirdner.com.

Get a FREE eBook and access to exclusive content by joining Emilyann's newsletter list. Visit the following link to subscribe: http://emilyanngirdner.com/free-fantasy-ebook/

Follow on social media:

Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Pinterest

Follow The Book Tour

Enter the giveaway below

Entry -Form

Review of A Midsummer Night's Dream:
Everyone knows Shakespeare's classic story of A Midsummer Night's Dream. The night of Greek lovers Theseus and Hippolyta is interfered with by the comedic fairies of the woods. This is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays and I have had to read it several times throughout my school career. I adore the addition of the coloring pages and wish that this addition was available when I was in school, the coloring would have made the reading assignments that much more enjoyable as well as provide a great creative interlude while reading. The 40 coloring pages range from intricate designs to simple flowers and scene portraits. One of my favorite coloring pages is Titania's crown, that I have included below. I love how I could finally make her how I always pictured. Overall, a wonderful new way to enjoy a beloved classic.

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

0 Comments

Night In Jerusalem

11/10/2017

1 Comment

Title: NIGHT IN JERUSALEM
Author: Gaelle Lehrer Kennedy
Publisher: PKZ Inc.
Pages: 246
Genre: Historical Romance

A bewitching love story that is also an extraordinary portrait of Jerusalem, its faith, spirituality, identity, and kaleidoscope of clashing beliefs, Night in Jerusalem is a novel of mystery, beauty, historical insight, and sexual passion.

David Bennett is invited to Jerusalem in 1967 by his cousin who, to the alarm of his aristocratic British family, has embraced Judaism. He introduces David to his mentor, Reb Eli, a revered sage in the orthodox community. Despite his resistance to religious teaching, David becomes enthralled by the rabbi’s wisdom and compassionate presence. When David discloses a sexual problem, Reb Eli unwittingly sets off a chain of events that transforms his life and the life of the mysterious prostitute, Tamar, who, in a reprise of an ancient biblical story, leads both men to an astonishing realization. As passions rise, the Six Day War erupts, reshaping the lives of everyone caught up in it.