Happy Halloween!

Out of the Mouths of Babes

I'm always telling you about the books I like so this week I decided to talk to a few friends and find out their favorites to share with you.  These experts know what they're talking about because they're kids!!

Corrine is a Fancy Nancy fan.  If you aren't familiar with Fancy Nancy you should look her up.  She is adorable and funny and loves all things fancy and French.  Corrine is pretty fancy herself as you can see here:

Harrison is a big brother now and has had loads of experience with books since his mom is a librarian.  He is loving How Do Dinosaurs Say I'm Mad? by Jane Yolen right now.  He's a little cutie as you can see here:

Brennan is my son's God child and he is into any book based on the movie "Cars" these days.  What can we say, he loves vehicles!  His former favorites are Little Bee by Edward Gibbs and a baby version of All the Places You'll go by Dr. Seuss.  He's a little darling as you can see here:

Dakin is my little cousin.  He is actually my cousin, John's, grandson. So we are probably second cousins twice removed or third cousins or one of those cousin things I can never figure out!

He is loving Mo Willems' Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus these days.  Actually, any of the pigeon books by Willems are on his list. He's pretty long in the cute department too!  Here he is:

So, trust me, you can't go wrong with any of these books because the experts have spoken!  So, until next week, Keep on reading!

Belialish Incident by D.B.Crawford

  

RATED 5 STARS

Vince Bocca is a full time restaurateur and a part time detective.  One day, the owner of a bank comes to him and asks him to find out what he can about Mark Overdale and what happened to the money he embezzled from the bank and supposedly gambled away due to an addiction.

Vince agrees to take the case and goes about finding clues using modern technology, his own contacts, his good deductive reasoning and help from a surprising source, Nancy Overdale, Mark’s emotionally unstable wife.

Through many twists and turns, Vince carries on until he gets the answers that are available, even if they aren’t the ones the bank owner, Thomas Walker, hoped to get.

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I didn’t tell too much about the plot because I don’t want to spoil a minute of this thriller.  There were so many unexpected plot twists and turns, that to tell some of them would spoil some of your fun in reading this story.

I can say I loved Vince.  He had a great restaurant with some yummy sounding dishes which I enjoyed reading about.  His detective skills were  a bit old fashioned but I loved that about him.  He was in a committed relationship with Hannah, a local nurse.  When Nancy Overdale showed up I thought poor Hannah would be dumped but Vince was loyal as he was kind and he stayed true to his love.  His relationship with Police Lieutenant Dahl was strained but ultimately cordial and they worked together well.

I loved watching Nancy Overdale grow through the course of the investigation.  She became an integral part of the team and even though she developed a bit of a crush on Vince, she didn’t act on it and spent her time digging up facts and  building her emotional and physical strength back up.  I loved seeing so many sides to her.

I never got a hint of what was going on in all of the mystery until it was revealed to me.  I love that in a book.  I’m never quite as happy when I have it all figured out before the end.  Kudos to Crawford for a well-written, suspenseful book.

You can buy this book here :Melange Books

John Chapman and Other Legends

KIDZKORNER











I love old American legends.  Every year in elementary school, I couldn't wait until the teacher showed us the little movie of Johnny Appleseed that was released by Disney.  It was my favorite and I showed it to my students every year until I retired!  He's joined here by some other favorite American legends.

Johnny Appleseed by Steven Kellog

I love Kellog's illustrations!

Paul Bunyan Swings His Axe by Dell J. McCormick

My favorite lumberjack and his huge appetite( in more ways than one)

Pecos Bill by James C. Bowman and Laura Bannon

Raised by coyotes!  What's not to love??

John Henry: An American Legend by Ezra Jack Keats

A story of strength and determination.

A Picture Book of Davy Crockett

Born on a mountain top in Tennessee.......

Betsy Ross by Becky White

Can't forget that a woman can be a legend too.

Disney's American Legends

This is a video featuring Johnny Appleseed, John Henry and others.  I don't usually do this but I recommend this one for sure.  A great Christmas gift for any kid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have fun with these legends and until next week, keep on reading!!

COVER REVEAL : FROZEN

With the popularity of the movie, Melange publishers is bringing an anthology of short stories from sweet to sensual romances for the winter.  Women's fiction is popular and here's a sneak peek at the cover. There are some of my favorite authors in here doing their take on winter romance. Don't let it go!

Check it out here:Melange Books

The Sword of Lumina: Mira's View by Erin Elliot

RATED 4 STARS

In anger, the god Haulua creates a monster, Rau, who is now the ruler of the Land of Tormiro.   He has blocked the elves’ ability to do magic except for one lone girl.  Galen has noticed that when she tries a little magic, she doesn’t experience brutal pain as others do so she tries a little and keeps it on the lowdown. Only her dear father knows she can use her power.

Her friend, Elenio, who is her confidant and the man she loves, finally confesses his love for her and they plan to have a commitment ceremony soon.

However, before they can reveal their plans for the future, Rau sends in his minions, the Torloqs, to find Galen whose magic he senses.  The Torloqs massacre the elves and kill Galen’s father among them.

Galen is determined to leave the village to protect it and along with Elenio and her brother, Tark, sets off on a journey to find the sword of Lumina which was created by the goddess, Mira.  It is said that the sword has the power to return Tormiro to the land it used to be and to vanquish Rau and his evil minions if the right elf finds it.

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Every quest story needs a hero that you can believe in and Galen is that kind of heroine.  She is strong and brave yet soft and vulnerable in her love for Elenio.  She is willing to use her magic even at the risk of her own peril.  She befriends Morgo, the cave elf who helps them on their journey underground and learns more magic from him.  Galen makes quick decisions and most of them are for the best.

Elenio is the perfect man to love.  He is supportive and loving and can fight his way through battles where the odds are against him.  His love for Galen is true and based on a life long friendship.

Tark is everyone’s older brother.  He doesn’t want Galen to go off by herself even if it means leaving his young family behind.  He teases her and worries about her in equal measure.

Morgo seemed blah at first but his personality finally shone through as he spent time with our heroes and became a beloved friend and an interesting character.

Rau was completely evil and single minded in his desire to cause the death of Galen.  He killed randomly and had no regrets.  He does have an Achilles’ heel however.  He has to grovel at the feet of the god, Haulau and be concerned for his own life.  I liked that Rau was afraid of the god.  It made him more interesting.

There are a lot of familiar elements of all quest stories but I liked the way Elliot put this team together.  The ending of the book was a cliff hanger so I am looking forward to finding out what happens to Galen and her friends. 

You can buy Mira's View here:Fire and IceYA.com

The E's Have It

KIDZ KORNER






I own a Kindle and I love it almost as much as I love a good book in my hands.  Lots of kids who are a little older don't really show an interest in books so I love the idea of those kids having Ebooks.  This week I'm concentrating on books for kids who are a little older and have a Kindle or an iPad or a Nook.
Here they are, in no particular order.

My Monster Farts by Kate Clary

Now come on, what kid could resist a story about a boy with an invisible monster who farts and always gets the boy in trouble??  Not me, I must confess.

Get Lost, Odysseus by Kate McMullen

I've always been a sucker for the Greek myths and this sounds like a hoot.  Haydes, the god of the darkness, tells the story of Odysseus on his way back from the Trojan War with a few twists.

The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis

This is the first installment of the Narnia Chronicles.  If you want to find out how the two worlds were able to connect in The Lion,the Witch and the Wardrobe then this is the book for you.

The Ruins Of Gorlan, Book 1 of the Rangers' Apprentice Series by John A. Flanagan

I also have a weak spot for fantasy books.  Give me some elves, a few trolls, and some brave hero or heroine and I'm yours.  Hope your kids feel the same.

So, fire up the Kindle or the iPad or the Nook and until next week, keep on reading.
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Don't forget that today is the day to comment to qualify for the drawing to win the book Everything I Need to Know I learned from A Little Golden Book.