BOOK REVIEW: Thursday by Ann Bonwill

Thursday

Author: Ann Bonwill

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Publication Date: 1st June 2022

Book Description:

When a little girl learns about her parents’ divorce on a Thursday, it ruins her favorite day of the week. But her stuffed-unicorn friend steps in to help, taking her on adventures to cheer her up and staying by her side to comfort her when feelings are hard. Then, slowly, the little girl and her unicorn friend awaken to the natural world that surrounds them as life continues to shift and change…until the day that Thursday can become just Thursday again. Told with great sensitivity and beauty, this is a book of healing and hope for children experiencing divorce and a testament to the power of friendship in helping us to overcome life’s biggest obstacles.

Buy Links:

Amazon US | UK

MY REVIEW

This was a very moving story indeed. A young girl gets devastating news on her favourite day of the week, Thursday, that her parents are getting a divorce. This shattering news causes the young girl to withdrew as she tries to accept her new reality. Her stuffed unicorn comes to her rescue, showing her how to cope with change and how to adapt to her new reality.

I saw this book on Amazon First Reads and the cover just won me over, so I thought I'd give it try, and I'm glad I did as it won me over right from the get-go. It's very magical in parts but it's also a very serious book with an important subject matter, which I think the author handled with care.

WHAT I LIKED

I loved the colourful illustrations and the varying emotions expressed throughout, showing children who have to deal with these situations that they will go through ups and downs and how to deal with those moments as they come. I also liked that it showed progress and transition of the young girl's state of mind and her transformation from start to end. Although it was a short read, I felt as though we were taken on a long journey. It was well executed in terms of giving us a beginning, middle and end. It didn't feel rushed or incomplete. It matched the theme of the struggles of coping with divorce. You can't rush these things. The healing process takes time, and that's exactly what this book expressed. It's an important lesson to learn surrounding this subject matter. It's necessary to get it across to the readers that getting back to a semblance of normality after divorce is a climb, and that's exactly what the author shows us.

WHAT I DISLIKED

I don't know if it was just on my end but the text was so small and I couldn't zoom in. It would have been nice to have bigger text, something easier to read considering the target audience.

I'm not sure how effective using a stuffed animal will be compared to using actual people as support, but the stuffed unicorn as the girl's aid and guide just made the story feel a little surreal at times. I appreciated the metaphor behind it all and the need to express the young girl sinking into a disillusioned state, but I just felt the use of a stuffed animal was a little impractical for such a heavy subject matter.

I also didn't like that the parents appeared distant, or at least they didn't feel prominent in the process of helping the little girl through her struggles. Given the role they play in family breaking apart, it would have been nice to have them engage a little more with the little girl, to acknowledge her struggle. Perhaps it was the author's way of showcasing that parents often disregard the level of pain caused to their children when they divorce, or at least perhaps they aren't aware of the extent of help some children need following divorce. Perhaps that's why there was a lack of interaction between the little girl and her parents throughout the book? I just didn't like the lack of comfort and support she received from her parents.

VERDICT

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read that is very relevant and much needed. I would definitely recommend it for the entire family as going through issues such as divorce and family separation requires unity and a lot of support.

RATING

Source: Amazon First Reads

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Guardians of the Sea by Eva Pohler

Guardians of the Sea

(Vampires and Gods, #3)

Author: Eva Pohler

Publication Date: May 14th, 2022

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy

Book Description:

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

After enduring Delphine’s dangerous training regimen, the young gods and demigods embark on a mission to take down the corrupt shipping company once and for all, to liberate victimized communities up and down the Mediterranean and nearby seas. But unforeseen conflicts cause the young gods and demigods to question the nature of their mission, their purpose, and their relationships with one another.

In the face of impossible choices, how important are love, loyalty, and friendship? Moreover, how far should one go to defend those who can’t defend themselves? Should one sacrifice everything?

Read the surprising conclusion of The Vampires and Gods Series. For lovers of Greek mythology, paranormal romance, and action adventure stories.

Here’s what readers are saying about this series:

“Vampires and Greek Mythology combined in one fabulous adventure!”–Brie Strauss, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★

“I absolutely cannot wait for more Adventures. I tried not to read so fast but honestly I couldn’t be patient. This book blew me away and I honestly just need more.”–Southernmermaid85, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★

“Must read!! Anything this author writes is amazing to read. It’s what got me into loving anything about the greek gods! And her vampire series is so interesting as well! This book combines both and draws you in!!”–Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★

“Everything I’ve come to love and expect from Eva’s book, was to be found in this latest episode, constant drama, intrigue and adventure, not forgetting the romance. Can’t wait for more!”–Traceyann, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★

“I really liked the new characters that were introduced in this book. The story was interesting and had a lot of twists and turns.”–Kathy E, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★

If you like enemies-to-lovers romance and heart-breaking love triangles combined with fast-paced, high-stakes action, then this series is for you.

Buy Links:

Amazon US | UK | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play

Blog Tour Spotlight & Giveaway - They Called Him Marvin by Roger Stark

They were just kids, barely not teenagers, madly in love and desperately wanting to be a family, but war and a B29 got in their way…

By Roger Stark

Release Date: September 1, 2021
Publisher:  Silver Star Publishing
Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-0578855288; 333 pages; $17.43; E-Book, $2.99

18-year-old Pvt Dean Sherman goes to church with a friend in Salt Lake City. He meets 16-year-old Connie that will become his wife. After Pearl Harbor Dean applies for pilot training and is accepted. Dean joins Connie's Mormon Church and they secretly become engaged.
By the time Dean has commissioned a pilot, Connie is 18 and they marry and are together for a year and a half before he ships out as an Airplane Commander of a B-29.  Connie is pregnant with their son, Marvin.

A Japanese family is introduced, the Kyoshis. She is an important member of the Community Council he is a builder of water guns used in fighting fires and is the neighborhood fire captain.  A son Reo will go off to war and train as a fighter pilot. 12-year-old Son Riku has a reappearing role in the story concerning the B-29's bombing of Japan. They also have 6-year-old twin sisters that are sent to Hiroshima early in the story for their safety.

The crew of 44-69966 arrives in India after a month of flying. Letters start arriving for Connie. Discussion of the B-29s development of strategic purposes is explained.
In Japan Reo Kyoshi goes off to war and the Firebombing of Tokyo occurs. 15 Square miles burned down to the sidewalks. 100,000 casualties and a million people homeless. The Kyoshi survive the conflagration but lose their home.

Marvin is born. Dean returns to duty and his plane is transferred to the Marianna Islands in the Pacific. Some 67 love letters are exchanged between Dean and Connie.

Dean’s plane is shot down over Nagoya Japan, the crew is captured and sent to Tokai Army Headquarters. Connie keeps writing letters that cannot be delivered. She has no idea he is in a Japanese prison.

Prison conditions are horrible, beatings and interrogations constant. Connie receives the war department telegram listing Dean as MIA.

A sham trial is conducted the crew is found guilty and their sentence is carried out the next day.

Almost 50 years later, Dean comes to Connie in a dream/vision and confirms his love for her and that they will yet have a life together.

Buy Links:

Amazon US | UK | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Kiss of Darkness by Taylor Aston White

Kiss of Darkness

(Curse of the Guardians, #1)

Author: Taylor Aston White

Publication Date: May 5th, 2022

Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance

Book Description:

He despises her… almost as much as his beast craves her.

Kyra’s seen and survived the worst things imaginable, all because of the magic she was born with. Trapped by her secret, she has no choice but to serve Councilman Gallagher or risk everything she has tried so hard to build. Because despite black magic being banned, her very survival depends on it.

When she’s commanded to summon a Daemon, a Breed notorious for their corruption and brutality, she’s torn between keeping her secret and doing the right thing.

Xander’s hate for black witches was notorious, but nothing frustrated him more than the one witch that brings trouble with a capital T. With dark amber eyes, and a controlled strength that fascinated his beast – the monster he’s cursed to share a soul – Xander will do anything to push her away.

So when he’s forced into protecting her, he must put aside his prejudice and ignore his growing desire that’s an insult to his past.

Because he’s had an entire childhood to remember why you can’t trust black witches.

And he definitely can’t trust Kyra Farzan.

Buy Links:

Amazon US | UK

Cover Reveal - Pack of Secrets by Amara Mae

Pack of Secrets

(Celestial Artifacts, #1)

Author: Amara Mae

Publication Date: September 6th, 2022

Genre: New Adult Urban Fantasy

Book Description:

As the daughter of the Seattle alpha, Grace is expected to carve out her place in a shifter pack still reeling from the horrors of war. Only Grace has two major problems with fulfilling her father’s expectations: she’s an omega—meant to support, not lead—and she was born with her inner wolf caged, unable to shift. Determined to become the asset her pack needs, she’s spent her life training to steal a magical artifact rumored to have the power necessary to release her wolf.

Unfortunately, things never go as planned.

The theft triggers an enraged guardian, one that her inner wolf can’t seem to resist, and Grace realizes she’s in way over her head. She’ll need the help of a small but capable team to journey to a foreign land and track down a mythical tree.

Easy peasy for an outcast burglar with a fractured psyche, right?

To complicate matters further, her father is acting weird, her best friend just made out with her, and she’s pretty sure a dragon is on their tail.

Across the world from the only home she’s ever known, Grace must face the questions she never dared to ask. Deadly secrets begin to unfold, and Grace will have to decide: Is unleashing her wolf worth risking everything?

Buy Links:

Amazon US | UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play | iBooks

About the Author

Amara Mae is a new adult urban fantasy author who has written additional genres under other pen names for more than ten years. Fantasy has always been her first book love, and she's researched and generally geeked out for years to build the Fractured Earth world which will be home to her Celestial Artifacts and several other series. She resides in the rainy Pacific Northwest, where she enjoys real and imagined adventures alongside her husband and their five boys and two dogs.

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Book Blitz & Giveaway - Ice Floe by Melissa Birling

Ice Floe

Author: Melissa Birling

Publication Date: April 28th, 2022

Genre: YA / NA Fantasy / Paranormal Romance

Book Description:

SECRECY IS SAFETY. SISTERHOOD IS EVERYTHING.

Seventeen-year-old Glacia didn’t plan to track a kidnapper, stick a middle finger to the government, and fall into a forbidden summer fling. This is simply what happens when you’re the resident odd girl out, in a shoal of all-female mermaids whose values are a little cracked. Or a lot cracked, if you consider government-endorsed murder and the seizure of male infants to be an issue.

When society rules, family, and romance collide, Glacia fights back the best way she knows how: by taking the matter into her own combat-trained hands and kicking some tail. The problem is, no amount of training can prepare Glacia for the crime circle she discovers, secrets she unveils, and human guy she can’t get out of her head. Glacia finds herself at a crossroads where she must decide whose rules to follow. Who she can trust. And ultimately…who lives and who dies.

Buy Links:

Amazon US | UK

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Book Blitz & Giveaway - Master of Death by M.H.B.

Master of Death

(Kisses of Sorrow, #2)

Author: M.H.B.

Publication Date: April 28th, 2022

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Book Description:

One night.   

Two futures. 

Almost three years of repair. 

Four beating hearts healing from pain.  

Five lives forever tied.

Falling for my boss, Damon Dreygon, was never part of the plan.

I was meant to seek from him what my boyfriend, Harvey Stark, refused to give me–someone to kiss me, someone to touch me, and maybe even someone to heal my wounds.

Instead in Damon, I found a mentor. I found a dark prince minus the charming part. Most importantly, in Damon, I found my voice coupled with my own strength.

This was never supposed to hurt Harvey.

Damon and I were never meant to be together.

With each choice, an entirely different future greets me, yet a few things remain the same: we’ve all known pain, we’re all in need of healing, and we’ve all hurt each other in very different ways.

All I wanted was for this melancholy to disappear so that I could find peace.

But peace is hard to reach when you’re too busy chasing secrets.

Secrets I wish would’ve stayed buried.

Secrets that meddle with my dreams.

Secrets I’ll be taking to the grave . . .

Buy Links:

Amazon US

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Bridges by Linda Griffin

Bridges

Author: Linda Griffin

Published by: The Wild Rose Press

Publication Date: April 25th, 2022

Genre: Adult Historical Romance

Book Description:

In 1963, Neil Vincent, a middle-aged World War II veteran and “Christian atheist” is working at Westfield Court as a chauffeur. He spends most of his spare time reading. Mary Claire DeWinter is a young, blind, Catholic college student and reluctant heiress. To secure her inheritance, she has to marry within a year, and her aunt is pressuring her to marry a rich man who teased and bullied her when she was a child. Neil and Mary Claire shouldn’t even be friends, but the gulf between them is bridged by a shared love of books. Can they cross the bridge to more?

Buy Links:

Amazon US | UK | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Book Blitz & Giveaway - The Last Beekeeper by Rebecca L. Fearnley

The Last Beekeeper

Author: Rebecca L. Fearnley

Publication Date: April 20th, 2022

Genre: Adult / YA / Dystopian / Fantasy

Book Description:

Solma is a fighter. Trained by her village Steward to protect their community from the predators of their harsh world, she is fierce and loyal. But how can she protect her friends and family from crop failure and starvation? With flying insects extinct for over a century, nowhere on the forsaken continent of Alphor is safe and Solma is terrified her little brother, Warren, will be one of the next to die. The villagers cling to life, waiting for the Earth Whisperers—mysterious nomads with a strange magic that helps plants grow—to arrive.

But then Warren finds something. Something impossible. When the first bee in a hundred years crawls out of the earth, Warren forms a strange bond with the creature and Solma fears he might have a new power. One that leaders of Alphor would kill for. As she and Warren fight to keep the bee secret and safe, word of this miracle sweeps the continent. Allies and enemies alike descend on the village. Some demand the bees for themselves, others want to destroy the colony to level the odds. When words become threats and then violence, Solma and Warren are caught in the conflict, and now it isn’t just the bees in danger.

When whoever controls the bees controls the world, how will Solma and Warren know who to trust?

Buy Links:

Amazon US | UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Blog Tour Spotlight - Sand Dollar Lane (Moonlight Harbor Series Book 6) by Sheila Roberts

USA TODAY  bestselling author Sheila Roberts will have readers laughing and swooning in turn as two rival business owners compete for the homes and hearts of Moonlight Harbor…

By Sheila Roberts

Book Information
Release Date: April 26, 2022
Publisher:  Harlequin/MIra
Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-0778386353; 368 pages; $9.99; E-Book, $7.99

Book Description:

Brody Green is finding it hard to recover after being dumped by his fiancée, Jenna Jones, then watching her walk down the aisle with someone else. Jenna is determined to make up for her love defection and find him the perfect woman, but Brody is done with love. First a divorce, then a broken engagement. From now on he’s keeping things light, no commitments. Luckily Brody’s business is booming. Beach Dreams Realty is the best real estate company in town. And the only one. Until…

Lucy Holmes needs a new start. In business, in love, in…everything. If ever there was a cliché, it was her life back in Seattle. She was a real estate broker working with her husband until she caught him trying out the walk-in shower in a luxury condo—with another agent. She’s always been the more successful of the two, and with him gone, she’s determined to build a business even bigger than what she had. Moonlight Harbor is a charming town and it has only one real estate agency. Surely there’s room for a little competition.

Or not. Looks like it’s going to be a hot market in Moonlight Harbor. And maybe these two competitors will make some heat of their own.

“Lighthearted and full of colorful, quirky characters and surf-side warmth… Roberts’s picturesque coastal world is sheer delight and will appeal to romance and women’s fiction fans alike.” —Library Journal

Buy Links:

Amazon US | UK

BOOK REVIEW: Bibi Blundermuss and the Tree Across the Cosmos by Andrew Durkin

Bibi Blunderbuss and the Tree Across the Cosmos

Author: Andrew Durkin

Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy / Adventure

Publication Date: 11th March 2022

Book Description:

Twelve-year-old Bibi Blundermuss is terrified of trees. Being around them makes her dizzy and sick to her stomach—even comatose. So, when her only to chance to find her missing parents means climbing a magic tree in the forest near her home, she almost doesn’t take it. 

When Bibi grits her teeth and scales the trunk, the tree grows—so violently that she and her cat Eek are catapulted into another world. Here, she befriends a herd of elk, on the run from a pack of vicious white lions. And she discovers, to her amazement, that her mother is a witch who has been protecting the elk with a poison flower spell, which keeps the lions away.

Yet the longer Bibi stays in the world of the elk and lions, the less sure she is that her mother is truly on the elks’ side—or even on Bibi’s side. In the end, a dangerous journey into the lions’ lair and a reunion with both parents uncovers a secret that changes Bibi’s life forever. Drawn into an epic snowbound battle against an army of zombie trees, she must face her greatest fear to discover her greatest power..

Buy Links:

Amazon US | UK

MY REVIEW

Bibi Blunderbuss never quite understood why her parents uprooted her from Portland to their new woodland house, and she won't be getting any answers from them anytime soon as they vanished six months ago, which was around the same time her nightmares started. Bibi has hylophobia, a fear of trees or forests. Since all her friends stopped calling her after her hylophobia started, she seeks comfort from Grandma Ivy and her cat, Ekaterina (Eek). On one eventful morning, however, Bibi's medication management routine doesn't go quite as planned after she witnesses Eek being chased into the forest by a swarm of bees. With Eek in danger, Bibi makes the decision not to take her medication as it makes it hard for her to think straight, and Eek needed her fully focused.

What Bibi discovers as she enters the forest to find Eek is beyond her wildest imagination. Not only does she happen upon an unusual tree, she also hears the voice of her mother calling to her, telling her she needs her help and that she needs to climb the tree. With her fear of trees and her anxiety kicking into overdrive, Bibi isn't sure what to do. Of course she wants nothing more than to find her parents. But can she trust the voice calling out to her? Is it really her mother's voice? With Eek taking the first step by jumping onto a tree branch and the tree suddenly starting to grow, taking Eek into oblivion, Bibi is left with no choice but to follow suit. The tree takes Bibi and Eek into outer space and deposits them on another planet before disappearing again, leaving them stranded.

With Bibi having lost track of Eek in a forest full of dead trees, she quickly discovers that hylophobia is the least of her worries as she has stumbled upon a war between a herd of elk and a pride of lions, the latter of which are trying to eliminate the former. Bibi gets caught up in a battle of survival while trying to keep herself and Eek safe and also trying to locate her parents. After being rescued by an Elk named Corineus, Bibi discovers that her mother isn't who she thought she was, and her mother just might be the only person who can stop the war and put an end to the lions. However, many of the Elk think Bibi's mother betrayed them and sided with the lions, though Bibi refuses to accept this. To prove everyone wrong, she decides to find her mother and find out just what she has got herself caught up in.

Having been away from her mother for months and having only just discovered there are things about her mother she knew nothing of, will Bibi truly be able to push aside her doubts and trust the person she has known her whole life?

WHAT I LIKED

There is never a dull moment in this book. It's action and adventure from start to finish. The story is straightforward, and the characters likeable. I liked the inclusion of Bibi's Zulu heritage. It wasn't an extensive exploration, but the little mention here and there was a nice addition. 

Great imagery. The world building was fabulous. Very vivid descriptions made the setting materialise as you read along. The magic tree gave me a real Jack and the Beanstalk vibe. You could see Bibi and Cornelius fleeing from the Trolliclawians. It was very visual, and that's just how I like it.

WHAT I DISLIKED

I loved the inclusion of the other planet, but the introduction was very sudden. We transitioned from Bibi's reality to this other reality so quickly that it seemed a little implausible. If you exclude Eek, there were no indications to a supernatural existence that when it did happen it just seemed as though you jumped into another story completely. Some indication or clues to something unusual or otherworldly would have been nice so that the transition didn't seem so out of place.

I wasn't quite sure what to make of the world of talking animals and no explanation as to the reason why these animals were talking. I did wonder if it was because of Bibi's background, in which case perhaps it wasn't a world of talking animals and the animals could only talk to Bibi and her family. This wasn't explored as the interaction between the animals in the book did not extend beyond Bibi and her family.

I also found it strange that Bibi was surprised about her mother's revelation as to her heritage and supernatural gifts, yet she didn't question the talking cat living with her, as though it was normal to have a talking cat. Again, it made me wonder if everyone would be able to talk to Eek.

It became a little repetitive when Bibi arrived on this new planet. Sometimes, it seemed as though we were going around in circles as Bibi was trying to find her mother and understand just what was going on in this new world of hers. The story dragged on a little and these prolonged intervals killed some of the suspense, especially with characters just revealing surprises as opposed to having Bibi discover these life changing moments or incidents on her own.

VERDICT

This was an enjoyable read. At times, it defied logic, mostly due to lack of explanation, but it has an ensemble of likeable characters and wonderful magical moments full of action and adventure.

RATING

Source: Author

Cover Reveal - Master of Death by M.H.B.

Master of Death

(Kisses of Sorrow, #2)

Author: M.H.B.

Publication Date: April 28th, 2022

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Book Description:

One night.

Two futures.

Almost three years of repair.

Four beating hearts healing from pain.

Five lives forever tied.

Falling for my boss, Damon Dreygon, was never part of the plan.

I was meant to seek from him what my boyfriend, Harvey Stark, refused to give me–someone to kiss me, someone to touch me, and maybe even someone to heal my wounds.

Instead in Damon, I found a mentor. I found a dark prince minus the charming part. Most importantly, in Damon, I found my voice coupled with my own strength.

This was never supposed to hurt Harvey.

Damon and I were never meant to be together.

With each choice, an entirely different future greets me, yet a few things remain the same: we’ve all known pain, we’re all in need of healing, and we’ve all hurt each other in very different ways.

All I wanted was for this melancholy to disappear so that I could find peace.

But peace is hard to reach when you’re too busy chasing secrets.

Secrets I wish would’ve stayed buried.

Secrets that meddle with my dreams.

Secrets I’ll be taking to the grave . . .

Sequel to:

About the Author

M . H . B . graduated law from a Canadian University. She loves spending time with her partner and her German Shepherd Dog. She has a passion for animals and enjoys the simple things in life: books, music, chocolate, sunny days, and overall wellness. When she is not writing, her mind is in another world, with a book in hand.

Author Links:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Instagram

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