Tag: Book Review

The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn Blog Tour and Review

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The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn

by Amber Logan

Black Phoenix Book Tours

January 18-21

Cracked doesn’t always mean broken.

Grieving her mother’s death, Mari Lennox travels to Kyoto, Japan to take photographs of Yanagi Inn for a client. As she explores the inn and its grounds, her camera captures striking images, uncovering layers of mystery shrouding the old resort—including an overgrown, secret garden on a forbidden island. But then eerie weeping no one else in the inn seems to hear starts keeping her awake at night.

Despite the warnings of the staff, Mari searches the deep recesses of the old building to discover the source of the ghostly sound, only to realize that her own family’s history is tied to the inn, its mysterious, forlorn garden . . . and the secrets it holds.

See the book on Amazon here.

“The Secret Garden is hallowed ground for so many readers, and Logan has clearly honored it and made an elevated piece of work.” —Keri Wilt, speaker, historian and great-great-granddaughter of Frances Hodgson Burnett, author of The Secret Garden

“The gradual but compelling unraveling of this family mystery captivated me. Heartfelt celebration of female friendship across the Pacific!” —Naomi Hirahara, Edgar Award-winning author of Hiroshima Boy and Clark and Division

About Amber Logan

Amber A. Logan is a university instructor, freelance editor, and author of speculative fiction living in Kansas with her husband and two children―Fox and Willow. In addition to her degrees in Psychology, Liberal Arts, and International Relations, Amber holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge.

https://camcatbooks.com

https://www.instagram.com/amberalogan

https://twitter.com/AmberAnnLogan

https://www.facebook.com/AmberAnnLogan

Camcat Books

https://camcatbooks.com

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https://www.twitter.com/camcatbooks

https://www.facebook.com/camcatbooks

Review:

Story: First of all, I want to say how beautiful I find the cover. I hope that it never changes. Well, maybe some tweaks here and there, but the same for the most part. I really enjoyed this book. I went into it blindly like I do with most books. I really enjoyed reading it. I loved learning some more about Japanese culture. I have to be honest, there were a few times that I thought this was going to wind up being a horror novel. I had some theories on how the book was going to end up. I was wrong. The ending was still very beautiful. I really enjoyed it.

Characters: We follow Mari in this story. She takes a trip to Japan after her mother passed away. She found herself struggling with grief and unable to go on. Then she discovers that she’s been offered a grant to photograph an inn. I really liked her, but there were some things she did and thought that I didn’t agree with. I loved the maid! I forget her name, but she was so quirky!!! I’d have liked to see more of the sister in the book if I’m being honest.

Critiques: None

Narration: I really feel like the narrator got as into this story as I did. I didn’t want to stop listening. I will most likely listen to this audiobook again because of how good the narration was.

Final Thoughts: This was such a beautiful story. It is a story that really invokes thought and reflection on life. That being said, it’s also got a very quirky and sassy flare to it as well. I feel like that kind of breaks up the heavy of the story overall. I probably would have finished this book in one sitting had I had the chance. I will be rereading this in the future. It’s just so beautiful!

Dragonborn Blog Tour And Review

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Dragonborn

by Donna Sundblad

Blackberry Book Tours

January 16-19

YA, 343 pages.

Link for the book

Dragons. Magic. Rents in time. Dragonborn follows the journey of the young prison guard, Ervig Greenfields, as he seeks out dragons to remove a curse. The dragons offer him access to the Labyrinth of Times, which purges dark magic. But there’s a catch. To enter, he must take the Dragon Oath—an oath to secrecy that requires allegiance to the dragons and a promise to fight alongside dragonkind for centuries, never to return to his own time.

Dragonborn conjures up a winning recipe with prophecies of destiny, humans, and dragons working together to navigate through time to put the pieces in place. Dragons of the Thornose and Goldenhorn clans must learn to work together and to trust the humans. Not all humans, but the handful of people chosen to be Dragonborn. Together, they must overcome the spirits of evil living within the magically protected Book Darkmore. The Dragonborn, and their dragons, become seeds of change in this epic tale, of sacrifice for the greater good. Ride along with them as they slip through a tear in time to the past to change the future.

About the author

Originally from the Chicago area, Author Donna Sundblad now makes her home in the foothills of NW Georgia with her husband, cat and birds. As a child she entertained friends and family with tales from her overactive imagination. By the time she was a young teen, she started to put pen to paper and her love for writing blossomed.

The original inspiration for The Inheritance stemmed from her own journey to find Truth. Even though she grew up in a religious home, it was at age 29 she finally met Jesus Christ in a real way. That relationship changed her life for eternity. While The Inheritance doesn’t tell people what to think, it is Donna’s hope that it will cause people to think about what they believe and why, because their eternal destination depends on whether or not is based on the Truth.

Donna’s upcoming epic fantasy, Dragonborn, is available for pre-order for the Kindle, due out Oct. 4. This clean, cuss-free fantasy adventure carries readers across time as generations of humans and dragons learn to work together to rid the world of the evil living in the Book of Darkmore. The problem is, the book can’t be destroyed. How can humans and dragons win this race to stop the evil? Only time will tell.

https://donnasundblad.wordpress.com

https://www.instagram.com/luvofwriting/

https://www.facebook.com/donnasunblad

My Review:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Story: I didn’t really care for the beginning at all. If it wasn’t for that, this book would get a full five stars. It’s a really adorable story other than that. I really enjoyed it. I especially loved the dragons’ way of speaking. It was very unique and yet familiar at the same time. I’m really hoping that this is a series so that I can continue reading. I believe I remember it being referenced at the end. I could be wrong though.

Characters: I’m horrible with names. If the book had been told completely from the first person’s point of view, I would have put this book down. He wasn’t relatable at all. The rest of them were really wonderful Especially the dragons.

Critiques: There were parts I felt were a bit too jumpy. This may be a me thing. I do have ADHD.

Final Thoughts: I’m very thankful that I listened to my gut and kept reading. I didn’t like the beginning of the book at all. He really bothered me and made me feel very uncomfortable. I felt like I connected with the daughter more than anybody. I won’t get to much into that. I don’t want to spoil too much of this book for potential readers. I definitely recommend pushing through the beginning. It seems really frustrating, but it’s worth the wait. I promise.

ARC Review: And Finally by Henry Marsh

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

Title: And Finally

Author: Henry Marsh

Release Date: January 17th, 2023

Page Count: 242

Start Date: December 29th, 2022

Finish Date: January 17th, 2023

Review:

I’m not going to lie, I don’t really know what I was expecting when I picked up this book. I actually can’t even tell you why I picked it up. Once I found out what it was about, I was fully expecting a book full of depressing chat. I was expecting for this book to make me feel awful and overwhelmed. Especially when I found out that a doctor wrote it. However, I am happy to say that I was completely wrong. In fact, I am very impressed with how transparent the doctor was as he wrote this book. He even Made it easy for anybody to follow along with. If it was a little too complex, he took the time to explain it. I’m very impressed and very thankful that I read the book.

ARC Review: The Devil You Know by P.J. Tracy

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

Title: The Devil You Know

Author: P.J. Tracy

Release Date: January 17th, 2023

Page Count: 294

Start Date: January 2nd, 2023

Finish Date: January 16th, 2023

Review:

Story: This is the third book in the Detective Margaret Nolan series. I really enjoyed it very much. I’m going to have to get it in audio when it releases to go with my other two audiobooks in the series. I’m bound to reread it eventually. These books are pretty dark, but not too dark. I don’t know how to really explain it better than that. I had trouble trying to predict anything that happened. Something I enjoy doing with mysteries. I sincerely hope that there are more books in this series.

Characters: I really enjoyed the multiple perspectives. The other two did the same thing. I guess it’s kind of obvious that Nolan is my favorite of all of them. She’s just so level headed. She’s constantly surrounded by very negative colleagues who would rather shut the case down quickly than accurately. Not her though. She’s tough, but she’s fair. She’s willing to hear people out.

Critiques: None

Final Thoughts: I can’t believe I’ve completely read all three books in this series. I really enjoyed them much more than I could ever explain. I want to see more books in this series. I’m a little sad that I don’t have any more books in this world to read if I’m being honest. I also love that this is written by a mother daughter team. That makes it even more wonderful in my opinion. These books can all be read as standalones, but I fully recommend reading them all. I know the authors also have other books out. I’ll be checking them out as soon as I can.

ARC Review: Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame by Meg Long

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

Title: Swift the Storm, Fierce the Flame

Author: Meg Long

Release Date: January 17th, 2023

Page Count: 413

Start Date: January 2nd, 2023

Finish Date: January 16th, 2023

Review:

Story: I really enjoyed this book very much. I found the main character really relatable. The story was fast-paced and action-packed. It was full of intrigue and allure. It was easy to get sucked into this world and crave for more. There were parts I didn’t like as much as the rest, but that’s with all books. It’s also a personal thing for me. I also wish that I could have gotten some more for the end of the book. It makes me think that there will be more books to come in the future! I really hope so.

Characters: I really related to Remy so much. She’s got so much guilt over things she felt she did wrong. Especially feeling like she betrayed the only friend she really had. There were traits about her that I didn’t really care for, but I completely understood why. I liked her companion and the companion’s wolf as well. I wish there were more of her and that I remembered her name.

Critiques: None. Especially not if the book has a sequel eventually.

Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. The author has another book that I thought I had read. I just found out I didn’t. I will definitely be reading it. It might actually be a book before this. I’m not really sure. I kind of hope so. There are things that were referenced in this book that I really would like to see played out.

The Grumpy Goat Blog Tour And Review

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The Grumpy Goat

by Once Upon a Dance

January 13-16

Chapter book, 39 pages.

Link for the book

Once Upon a Dance donates all proceeds to charity.

Aspen & Sycamore Saps live on Maple Street with Mama and Mee. The family enjoys the blackberry bushes growing in the yard until the plants spread out of control. The kids want to get some animals to help, but first they’ll need to convince Mama and Mee. Will their new animal friends help? Or will things get a little crazy?

Move along with the quirky collection of animals, firefighters, and more, joined by a professional ballerina. This interactive story will get kids off the couch, exploring movement and dance fundamentals.

The Grumpy Goat is ideal for children 4-7. It features Aspen (no pronouns), Sycamore (she), Mama (she), Mee (she), firefighters, a goat, a pig, and a llama. Major themes include problem-solving, the value of family, and kindness to animals. Dance-It-Out!s are above level (language-wise) as they’re intended to be initially enjoyed with a caregiver or teacher. (~700+Lexile)

Ballerina Konora joins the pages with photos and suggestions for movement exploration. Three books in one: readers can enjoy the story, act out the tale in their own way, or try Konora’s suggested activities, designed by an award-winning ballet teacher to develop body awareness and movement knowledge.

Concepts and Movement in this Story:
• Core Strength
• Arabesque (from knees)
• Hands and Feet Locomotion
• Balance
• Weight Shift
• Climbing
• Quality of Movement (Slow/Fast etc.)
• Pliés and Jumps
• Body Part Isolation (Fingers, Thumb, Elbows, Feet, Shoulders, Chin, Tongue, etc.)
• Levels
• Fine Motor Skills
• Coordinated Movement with Voice
• Spinning
• March (Skip)
• Breath In/Out
• Falling
• Shapes
• Counted Movements
• Focus
• Spinning Jump
• Donkey Kick

This movement journey is ideal for dance, creative movement, physical education, homeschool, kindergarten, first-grade, or second-grade activities. The Dance-It-Out! series features diverse characters. Books make a great gift for boys or girls interested in dance, ballet, gymnastics, or yoga, or reluctant readers who enjoy getting up and moving.

About the authors

Once Upon a Dance is an award-winning mother-daughter collaboration.

Ballerina Konora climbed the ballet ladder to pro, and she’s thrilled to be living her dreams dancing with Ballet Idaho. Along the way, she danced iconic roles such as Sugar Plum Fairy and Cinderella.

Teacher Terrel taught dance for decades and was honored by her City Council for “embodying the spirit of partnership and commitment to children in our community” for her work with young dancers. She’s breathed ballet from every angle and worked in early childhood education, for non-profits supporting kids, and as a university English teacher as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Once Upon a Dance 2021/2022 Awards: Mom’s Choice Gold Award, Family Choice Award, Royal Dragonfly First Place, PenCraft Award First Place, Firebird First Place, Pinnacle: Best Book Juvenile Fiction, Independent Press Award Winner, International Impact Book Award Winner, Outstanding Creator Awards Winner, Readers Favorite Certified Great Read, Indie’s Today 5-Star Recommended, The Wishing Shelf 5-Star, Literary Titan 5-Star Award.

https://onceuponadance.com/

https://www.instagram.com/once_uponadance/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/20931758.Once_Upon_a_Dance

https://www.facebook.com/OnceUponADanceViralDancing

My Review:

This is the cutest book! I really enjoyed it. I also really enjoy that it’s so interactive. Each page has wonderful dance moves that can be performed to go with the story! How amazing is that? I fully recommend this. I think it would be beneficial of all ages.

Ash & Sun Blog Tour and Review

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Ash and Sun
Jonny Thompson

October 4, 2022
Chantry Publishing House
404 pages

Tour Dates: January 11-15
Blog Link: https://travelling-pages.com/blog-tour-ash-and-sun/

Book Links:

https://bookshop.org/a/55169/9781738666003

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62968014-ash-and-sun

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3HzOyHQ

Book Summary:

After a 200-day suspension, all that Sergeant Adam Jennings wanted was a win on his return to the Global Investigation Bureau (GIB). But when a simple warehouse fire begins to look more like a homicide investigation, he is forced to watch as the entire case begins to unravel, slowly revealing the dark underbelly of a world that should not exist. Saddled with an unwanted new partner, and a tarnished reputation, Jens is forced to tread a thin line between right and wrong as he tries to discover just what the truth really is.

Author Links: 

www.jonnyonthepage.com 

https://www.instagram.com/TommyJohnson04

My Review:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

This book is a very quirky and fun read. There are things referenced that just blew my mind. The only issues I had with the book were the constant use of the watch name. It kind of became redundant. I think this is a personal ism for me. The other issue I had was that it ended with a cliffhanger and I don’t have access to the second book! I fully recommend the book. I’m very thankful that I was able to read it.

Note: Will post a longer review later in a separate blog.

Ash and Sun Giveaway

Go check out the other bloggers who participated in this blog!

Ghost Agents Trilogy Blog Tour and Review

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Ghost Agents

Nita DeBorde
Mabelonia Press

Book Links:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58569840-ghost-agents

Amazon

An organization that has operated in secret for centuries… a mystery that threatens to burn it all to the ground… and she’s the only agent who can stop it…

To the residents and tourists of Galveston Island, Claire Abelard is the friendly young woman who works at the local candy store by day and leads ghost tours of the island’s haunted locations by night. They don’t realize this persona is a cover for Claire’s real job as an agent of the Bureau for Historical Preservation, a clandestine organization that monitors and assists energy projections, or the entities more commonly known as “ghosts.”

When projections begin disappearing from around the island, Claire worries that history may be repeating itself. She launches a dangerous investigation and uncovers a sinister, arcane organization whose agenda threatens not only Galveston’s ghosts, but everything she has worked her whole life to protect.

The truth behind the disappearances rocks Claire’s world to its core and shows her that ghosts aren’t the only things that can come back to haunt you.

To stay up to date with new releases and other news, sign up for Nita’s email list – http://eepurl.com/hBxSsz

Author Links:

https://debordewriter2010.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/ndeborde

https://www.instagram.com/nitadeborde/

Facebook – www.facebook.com/debordewriter    / @debordewriter

Twitter – @DeBordeNita

My Review:

I really enjoyed all three of these books. They are dark and mysterious. They are quirky and hilarious. Most importantly, they are unique. Claire is just such an enjoyable character to read about. And it seems like many people in her world adore her. I’d love to see this a movie or television series one day. I’d also love to see audiobooks of them. If that ever happens, I will buy all of them and listen to the books again.

ARC Review: The Tudors In Love by Sarah Gristwood

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

Title: The Tudors in Love

Author: Sarah Gristwood

Release Date: December 13th, 2022

Page Count: 571

Start Date: December 11th, 2022

Finish Date: December 12th, 2022

Review:

I’ve read many books about King Henry VIII. Mostly fiction if I’m being honest. It’s always had me curious to learn more about that time frame. Most of the books that I’ve read have mostly focused on him and sometimes his wives. This covers the family in general. This was very informative. I actually wound up buying a copy so I can read it a second time and make highlights and notes. I’d also like to explore the book references made in the book for further reading on the family. I really recommend this for all the history buffs who love to read about the time period and about the Tudors.\

Women of the Regency Blog Tour and Review

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Real Women Of The Regency: Romance, Affairs, Fashion, Authors to Actresses & Women Leaders
Leah Gail

Book Links:

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3F2Uer0

Step into the incredible real-life stories of the women who defined the Regency.

Real Women Of The Regency will spark your curiosity and provide valuable insights into the cultural, historical, and social changes that rocked the early 19th century.

An exploration into the remarkable women who shaped the Regency period, this book offers readers a thoughtful glimpse into the authors, actresses, artists, and women leaders who made enormous waves in an era of radical upheaval and political change. The often-overlooked contributions of black women of the Regency, and the hidden world of lesbians. And not to miss the rules of romance to the scandalous affairs.

Artfully written with engaging prose and insights into the real lives and legacies of great women. Here are just a few of the women you will find inside;

* Elizabeth Lamb, one of the most influential of the political hostesses of the Regency.

* Letitia Elizabeth Landon, one of the most prolific writers of the era.

* Dido Elizabeth Belle, born into slavery and became a British heiress.

* Mary Shelley, a novelist who wrote the Gothic novel ‘Frankenstein’.

* Elizabeth Fry, created the association for the improvement of female prisoners.

* Anne Lister, the first modern lesbian.

* Eleanor Coade, known for manufacturing neoclassical statues.

* Jane Austen, an English novelist primarily known for her six major novels.

* Mary Prince, an abolitionist and autobiographer.

* Lady Caroline Lamb, Anglo-Irish aristocrat, novelist and known affair with Lord Byron.

* Jane Harley, an English noblewoman, and another lover of Lord Byron.

* Sarah Siddons, one of the greatest English actresses.

This book reflects on the immense beauty and culture that we can find in this amazing period, along with the female pioneers who pushed for change and helped usher forth advancements in art, literature, fashion, politics, and much more. Real Women Of The Regencyis a must-read for fans of Regency films and literature, history buffs, and anybody who wants to gain a deeper appreciation for these period-defining women.Are you ready to uncover the stories behind the women of the Regency? Then scroll up and grab your copy today!

Author Links: 

https://leahgail.com/

https://www.instagram.com/leahgailauthor/

https://www.facebook.com/leahgailauthor

My Review:

Title: Real Women of the Regency

Author: Leah Gail

Release Date: October 12th, 2022

Page Count: 208

Start Date: December 8th, 2022

Finish Date: December 10th, 2022

Review:

This book is full of historical information. I learned so much from it. I also really enjoyed the sassy comments from the author. It’s not every day you read a nonfiction historical book and get some comedy from it. I enjoyed this so much that I bought copies for two people who are important to me. I also have plans to reread it to take notes and make a list of the books referenced in it so that I can get them and read them too. I definitely recommend this book.

Real Women of The Regencyhttps://cdn.woorise.com/e.js