~Luminous~

– by Samantha Wilcoxson

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My Review . . .

LUMINOUS: THE STORY OF A RADIUM GIRL (Highly Recommended!) is a Historical Fiction Novel by Samantha Wilcoxson; it opens in Ottawa, Illinois, in 1924 and centers around nineteen-year-old Catherine Wolfe and the young women who worked for and were deceived by their employer, Radium Dial.

Unaware of the danger involved in the use of Radium paint, though their employer knew the risks, employees of Radium Dial were instructed to use a fine camel hair brush, dip it in the paint, and then put it in their mouth to create the point needed to write the luminous numbers on watch dials. 

Wolfe, strong in faith and perseverance, though in crippling pain as she and her coworkers suffer the physical ramifications of radium poisoning, refuses to give up their fight in court against the company that destroyed and, for some, ended their lives. 

Reading Wilcoxson’s book is my first time hearing about this truly heart-wrenching story told through a fictional lens; the author creates characters you can’t help but care about. 

I want to thank Coffee and Thorn Book Tour for providing me with an eBook of LUMINOUS at the request of an honest review. 

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ABOUT LUMINOUS

Catherine’s life is set on an unexpected course when she accepts a job at Radium Dial. She soon finds out that the excellent pay is no recompense for the evil secret that lurks in the magical glow-in-the-dark paint. Catherine Donohoe takes on the might of a big corporation and becomes an early pioneer of social justice in the era between world wars.

Emotive and inspiring – this book will touch you like no other as you witness the devastating impact of radium poisoning on young women’s lives.

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TAMMY THE TROLL: A DANCE IN THE FOREST 

Story by – Dina McDermott 

Illustrated by – Cristian Gheorghita

Reading Age – 3 – 6 years

‘Kids will love dancing along with Tammy, Ballerina Konora, and their new friends in this sweet adventure that’s perfect for preschool and kindergarten kids and classrooms.

Readers are invited to stretch, spin, jump and more as they act out the journey to find Tammy. Kids can use a scarf as a backpack, a paddle, butterfly wings, a towel, and a pillow to enhance the fun and explore movements, dance fundamentals, and early-learning concepts.’

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~My Review~

Once Upon A Dance Books encourage children to explore interactive adventures using their imaginations, dance, and play. 

The bottom of each beautifully illustrated page in TAMMY THE TROLL: A DANCE IN THE FOREST includes easy-to-follow step-by-step dance moves that align with the story, be it marching in a forest, dodging sticky spider webs (Eek!), or trying to stay balanced in a canoe (be careful!).

What’s better than reading books to children or having them read them to you??

Acting out the story with them through dance— it’s my favorite activity! If specific movements are difficult for you or a child, change them, have fun, and enjoy the adventure! 

Highly Recommend! 

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~About the Author~

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~Illustrated by – Cristian Gheorghita~

~eBook/Once Upon A Dance Publishing~ 

~July 28, 2023~ 

~Available On Amazon~ 

~TAMMY THE TROLL: A DANCE IN THE FOREST~  

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Well Cool Cats and Kittens, due to limited means on my end, some aspects on my site have changed. My goal is to get my site looking as close to the way it was as possible.

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For those whose books are on my TBR list for review, no worries, I have not forgotten you, I promise.

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The Scots of Dalriada: Fegus Mór

By Rowena Kinread

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~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~

Rowena Kinread grew up in Ripon, Yorkshire with her large family and a horde of pets. 

She began writing in the nineties. Her special area of interest is history. After researching her ancestry and finding family roots in Ireland with the Dalriada clan, particularly in this era. Her debut fiction novel titled “The Missionary” is a historical novel about the dramatic life of St. Patrick. It was published by Pegasus Publishers in April 2021 and has been highly appraised by The Scotsman, The Yorkshire Post, and the Irish Times.

Her second novel, “The Scots of Dalriada,” centres around Fergus Mór, the founder father of Scotland, and takes place in 5th century Ireland and Scotland. It was published by Pegasus in January 2023.

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~My Review~

THE SCOTS OF DALRIADA: Fergus Mór is Rowena Kinread’s second novel—set in fifth-century Ireland and Scotland—centers around four of Erc ‘the Ferocious’ sons, Princes of  Dalriada—Fergus, Loarn, Angus, and their half-brother, Cartan, who’s venomous ways thrust his three younger brothers into exile. 

To stay alive, the trio must split up, and thus follows their varied adventures until the day they meet again . . .

‘Together they achieve more than they could possibly dream of.’

As a fan of Historical Fiction, I really enjoyed reading THE SCOTS OF DALRIADA—a bit of a love story mixed with a dollop of deception, intrigue, and, of course—Murder!

Recommend!

I look forward to diving into Kinread’s first novel, THE MISSIONARY (set in Ireland, France, and Italy), and her short story series, MURDER IN MUNICH Books 1 & 2. 

Thank You, Vanguard Press and Coffee And Thorn Book Tour, for providing me with an eBook of THE SCOTS OF DALRIADA at the request of an honest review. 

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~eBook~

~Vanguard Press~

~January 26, 2023~

~Available On Amazon~

~The Scots of Dalriada~

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CLEAN AIR

by Sarah Blake

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~My Thoughts~

Izabel spends hours on her tablet, taking her back to a time before The Turning when the drinking water was clear, the air quality was tolerable—a time when going outside wasn’t fatal…

‘[S]he taps on [the news feed of] 2020. The summary popped up. A bad year. A global pandemic. Everyone is wearing masks then, too. She was eight years. Her mother was alive. They were happy.

The novel opens in 2042; Izabel is a housewife who lives with her husband, Kaito, once a surgeon, who now works from home as a robot technician, and their four-year-old daughter Cami. 

‘The emergency warnings were and weren’t a surprise. When the trees had turned, two weeks before, to the south of them, it was clear people were going to die. A lot of people.’

Home—is now a plastic dome with air filtration systems for the few who survived the pollen apocalypse.

‘Izabel had thought no one would kill another person again. Not after what they’d be through.’

Oh, how wrong she was. A serial killer on the loose coupled with Cami’s sleep-talking about the murders makes for an interesting read in CLEAN AIR by Sarah Blake. 

Thank you, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, for providing me with a paperback ARC of CLEAN AIR at the request of an honest review. 

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~Wicked Bleu~

Book Two – Paranormal Suspense

– by E. Denise Billups 

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~About The Author~

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~My Thoughts~

WICKED BLEU –  Simone Doucet Series – Book Two – by  E. DENISE BILLUPS 

Though I have not read TAINTED HARVEST, Book One in the Simone Doucet Series—wherein an ancestral specter awakens Doucet’s second sight, thus enabling restless spirits to vie for her attention—I had no trouble navigating the storyline in Book Two, WICKED BLEU, which features a spectral pull from a being whose plight and intentions reveal in the Prologue. 

Here is a snippet:

‘Your light gives me hope, another chance to set matters right before returning to that ultimate sleep. Fear, not my wiles. I may wander into your warm flesh, alive again, to roam beneath wrought-iron terraces, strut to the beat of sultry jazz in my beloved city once more. For a century, I’ve waited for someone to hear my story.’

‘Can’t you see the distance I’ve traveled?’

The novel opens on February 16, 2020, in Brooklyn, New York, and centers around Simone Doucet and her three Brownstone roommates: Stacy Sahara Alanis, Mitchell Hu Young, Jude Michael Foster, and a ghost who was murdered one hundred and three years ago. 

Wanting to get away from the mysterious ghost, Doucet and her roommate’s venture to New Orleans, Louisiana, to take advantage of the seven-day complimentary Mardi Gras hotel accommodations she received for a travel magazine article she wrote about the aforementioned hotel, the Bourbon Orleans—that’s—you guessed it—haunted. 

Having stayed there before, Doucet has never experienced anything paranormal, that is, until this trip. Having awakened her second sight, the spirit that’s drawn to her the most is the one she’s worked so hard to evade, a lady of the night in 1917 who lived a dangerous life in Storyville, near the French Quarter; her name is Bleu.

‘Visions of her past and horrific death beset Simone….But why are the images fragmented? Has Bleu forgotten what happened the stormy night she died? Can Simone uncover Bleu’s murderer and reunite her with her loved ones before it’s too late?’

You will have to read the book and find out for yourselves. 😉

From this reader’s perspective, WICKED BLEU ticked all the boxes for me, so now I ask you…

Would you care to partake in a Supernatural tale? 

Possession? 

Witness a romance or two? 

Try and solve a centuries-old murder whilst you are seamlessly thrust to and fro from present-day to events from the past in search of answers?  

If you answered yes to one or all of the above, then I encourage you to dive into the Simone Doucet Series, starting with TAINTED HARVEST, then WICKED BLEU, and… 

I hear there is going to be a Book Three!

Insert *squeeeeeeee* here

Thank You, Coffee And Thorn Book Tour, for inviting me onboard the tour, and Next Chapter Publishing, for providing me with an eBook of WICKED BLEU at the request of an honest review. 

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~The Grumpy Goat~ 

Illustrated by Ethan Roffler 

A Dance-It-Out Creative Movement Story for Young Movers 

~All royalties donated to Seattle Humane~ 

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THE GRUMPY GOAT: A Dance-It-Out Creative Movement Story For Young Movers

Illustrations by: Ethan Roffler

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~About The Authors~

Written by: Once Upon A Dance – ‘Brought to you by a mother-daughter pair donating all profits to charity. Ballerina Konora is living her dreams as a Ballet Company Artist. Her mother, Teacher Terrel, taught creative movement and ballet for decades and was recognized by her local City Council for embodying the spirit of partnership and commitment to children for her work with young dancers. She’s breathed dance from every angle and has worked in education and child development and with various non-profits supporting kids and families.’

Chapter Book: 39 pages

Ideal For Ages: 4 – 7

Major Themes Include: problem-solving, the value of family, and kindness to animals.

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~My Thoughts~

Aspen (no pronouns)and Sycamore (she) Saps love to hear stories about the unique hats Mee’s (she) customers ask her to create and Mama’s (she) exciting stories as a Firefighter saving people and sometimes bringing home a rescued family pet waiting to be reunited with its owner. Aspen hoped one day soon, they could have a pet cat or dog, never anticipating that a Grumpy Goat named Gary, Piaz–a fun-loving yet temperamental pot-bellied Pig, and a rescued raspberry-blowing Lama named Lulu would be a part of the family. At the same time, they try to figure out what is making Gary so Grumpy.

This is my first time reading a Once Upon A Dance book, which amps up the fun with movement and laughter during story time, be it with your students, children in your care, your children, or, in my case, my granddaughter—and I can’t wait!

Highly Recommend!

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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.’

Once Upon a Dance has received the following endorsements/awards:

• Kirkus Reviews Starred Review
• PenCraft Award First Place Winner
• Mom’s Choice Gold Award Recipient
• Family Choice Award
• Firebird Book Award First Place
• Royal Dragonfly Book Award First Place
• B.R.A.G. Medallion Award
• International Impact Book Award Winner
• Maincrest Media Award Winner
• Golden Boar Cover of the Year
• Pinnacle Book Achievement Award – Best Book Juvenile Fiction
• Outstanding Creator Awards Winner (Best Children’s Book, Winter 2022)
• Readers Favorite Certified Great Read
• Love Reading 4 Kids Indie Books We Love
• Literary Titan 5-Star Book Award
• Indie’s Today 5-Star Recommended
• Wishing Shelf 5-Star Emblem

Thank you, Blackberry Book Tour and Once Upon A Dance, for inviting me to participate in the Blog Tour for THE GRUMPY GOAT at the request of an honest review.

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~Cloud Cover~

by Jeffrey Sotto 

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~About The Author~

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~My Thoughts~

The novel CLOUD COVER, by Jeffrey Sotto, opens in April of 2010, wherein twenty-nine-year-old Tony, our main character, works as a creative writing teacher to teens at the Gold’s Community Art Centre in Toronto, Canada, and, unbeknownst to him—his life is about to change.

Five years later, Tony has a new job at Melo and Co, a marketing and consulting firm, and teaches part-time at the community centre, where he first sees the handsome and much younger Antonio, a fellow teacher. 

To his friends and coworkers, life appears to be going well for Tony, that is, until changes in his work habits prompt questions from his boss. 

What they don’t know, and what the reader learns early on in the narrative, is that Tony is struggling with mental health, grief, and body image.

Sotto does a great job of weaving Tony’s heartbreaking past between present-day events that paint a clear picture of his mindset. 

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Here Is A Snippet:

‘“Everybody approaches life from their own narrow point of view. But to live what other people go through and feel their joy and pain and to share in it … it may not solve the problem, but it makes people feel less lonely. And I think that is magical.”’

No truer words were ever spoken, in my opinion.

Highly Recommend! 

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~DEAD WINNER~

– by Kevin G. Chapman

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~My Review~

New York City Trusts & State Attorney Rory McEntyre, who likes to play the hero in RPG video games, finds himself thrust into the role in real life when his college friends Monica Willams and her husband Tom walk into his office holding a winning lottery ticket worth sixty million dollars. 

When Monica later finds Tom dead in their apartment from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, she turns to Rory for legal representation when homicide detectives Mason and Berkowitz consider Monica a suspect. 

As detectives delve deeper into Tom’s presumed suicide, the winning lottery ticket goes missing as evidence of his shady business dealings rises to the service. 

‘As Monica and Rory search for the ticket, their relationship heats up well beyond attorney and client. Rory has the chance to win the girl of his dreams, but does he have what it takes to be a real hero? 

‘And is Monica everything he wants to believe she is?’

 ‘If he’s not careful, Rory could end up like Tom – a Dead Winner.’‘

If you enjoy reading mystery thrillers with a dash of organized crime for flavor and main characters you will love and love to hate, then I think you will like DEAD WINNER, with an ending I did not see coming until a well-placed reveal clued me in. 

Thank you, Lilyan, of Coffee & Thorn Book Tour And First Legacy Publishing, LLC, for providing me with an eBook of DEAD WINNER at the request of an honest review. 

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*Squeeeeeeeee!*

Stranger Sins (I am Legion)

– by Michaelbrent Collings 

~Written Insomnia Press ~ 

~Available – TODAY!~

 ~Stranger Sins~ 

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