Flash the Donkey Makes New Friends Review

Flash the Donkey Makes New Friends Review

Flash the Donkey Makes New Friends is an adorable kids book about a donkey's life and how he comes to meet and make new friends who give new meaning to his life. I loved the Christian aspects of the book! The illustrations were beautiful and don perfectly for a young child so as to be cute and age appropriate. I found the book to also be a good beginner reader book as the words are simple and not too hard to understand with a bit of adult help!

David Travels to the Past

Book Details:

Book Title:  David Travels to the Past by María José Mosquera Beceiro and Gonzalo Martínez de Antoñana 
Category:   Middle-grade Nonfiction,  72 pages
Genre: Educative graphic novel
Publisher:  Saure
Release date:   August 2016
Available for review in: print and ebook (ePub) 
Will send print books: USA, UK and Australia only (2 copies for Canada)
Tour dates:  Nov 14 to Dec 2, 2016
Content Rating:  G (Graphic novel written by educational experts.)

Book Description:

David is a young and restless apprentice painter who wants to know everything about painting. His intelligent teacher, the Master Messina, invents a way of transporting David through time to prehistory. They go there looking for the origins of art, but once they are there nothing will be as they thought.

In a second adventure they travel towards the unknown art of Mesopotamia. This time they won´t go alone. The sympathetic and intelligent Angela will travel to the past with them bringing her particular point of view.

Buy the Book:

USA: Amazon  ~  Kindle ~  Barnes & Noble

UK: Amazon  ~ Kindle

Australia: Fishpond  ~  Booktopia ~ Kindle

Meet the Author and Illustrator:

María José is a teacher. She won international illustrations awards.
Gonzalo has a degree in art history. He works in museums and as a tourist guide.

Connect with them: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook ~ Pinterest

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My Review

David Travels to the Past by María José Mosquera Beceiro and Gonzalo Martínez de Antoñana is a graphic novel about David, his painting Master, and his Master's niece's hypnotic journey through time to learn about painting and art.

The illustrations were masterfully done in a cartoon like style that would appeal to children. However some of the illustrations have hunters killing animals and being killed by animals; nothing is too graphic, but there is blood. This might make the book unsuitable for young children. Most of the story is told in speech bubble form along side the illustrations.

The story take place in two major time periods during the time of cave men and Mesopotamia times. The two time periods each have their own story and are some what separate from each other in that they each have their own section.

 “I received a free copy (or ARC) from the publisher (or author). No review, positive or otherwise, was required—all opinions are my own.

Killer in the Band: A Lovers in Crime Mystery by Lauren Carr

Book Details:

Book Title: Killer in the Band by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult fiction,  430 pages
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  Oct 3, 2016
Available for review in:  Print and ebook: mobi (for Kindle), ePub, PDF 
Will send books:  USA & Canada
Tour dates:  Oct 10 to 28 and Oct 31 to Dec 2, 2016
Content Rating:  PG (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!

Book Description:

Summer of Love & Murder

Joshua’s eldest son, Joshua “J.J.” Thornton Jr., has graduated at the top of his class from law school and returns home to spend the summer studying for the bar exam. However, to Joshua’s and Cameron’s shock and dismay, J.J. moves into the main house at Russell Ridge Farm, the largest dairy farm in the Ohio Valley, to rekindle a romance with Suellen Russell, a onetime leader of a rock group who’s twice his age. Quickly, they learn that she has been keeping a deep dark secret.

The move brings long-buried tensions between the father and son to the surface. But when a brutal killer strikes, the Lovers in Crime must set all differences aside to solve the crime before J.J. ends up in the cross hairs of a murderer.


Praise for Lauren Carr’s Mysteries:

“Lauren Carr could give Agatha Christie a run for her money!”
- Charlene Mabie-Gamble, Literary R&R

“As always, Lauren Carr brings an action-packed story that is almost impossible to put down. Her mystery plots have so many twists and turns that I didn’t know if I was coming or going. And the action just didn’t stop from the very beginning till the very end.” - Melina Mason, Melina’s Book Reviews


Buy the Book: Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble 

Watch the Trailer:

Meet the Author:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real Gnarly) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with Lauren: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

My Review

The first thing that made me interested in this book was the fact that it was written my Lauren Carr. Lauren has a gift for writing a great story while keeping it clean. I love how her books never have me cringing after a horrific scene or asking myself if that bit of adult content was needed because she never included things like that in her books.

This is my first time reading a book written by her without Gnarly in it and while I have to say I miss the furry guy this book did just fine without him. The characters were all well developed that I continued to learn more and more about as the book progressed. The plot line was well thought out and it moved as a nice steady pace that kept me on the edge of my chair. 

All in all I was very pleased with this book and I plan to keep reading books my Lauren Carr!

SCREW YOU! Startup Business Tips to Destroy

Book Details:

Book Title: SCREW YOU! Startup Business Tips to Destroy Doubt, Especially Inside You (Tips 1-20)
Author: Tim Carthon
Category:  Adult non-fiction, 156 pages
Genre:  Business & Economics / Entrepreneurship
Publisher:  CreateSpace®
Release date:  Nov 7, 2016
Tour dates:  Nov 7 to 25, 2016
Content Rating:  G

Book Description:  

How many times in your life have you been dissuaded from following your entrepreneurial dreams due to either fear of failure (be that fear from yourself or others) or doubt due to the unknown?

Startup business infrastructure specialist Tim Carthon’s new book, SCREW YOU! Startup Business Tips to Destroy Doubt, Especially Inside You (Tips 1-20); the first in his new 5-part business tips book series, gives you streamlined, powerful tips for pivotal decision points that can make all the difference in your business and its startup outcomes.

SCREW YOU! is the quintessential ‘Break glass in case of a fear and doubt emergency’ business tips book for aspiring entrepreneurs; bringing energy to your warrior and light to the unknown so that you can tell fear and doubt “SCREW YOU!” and never let either of them rule your lives again.

Buy the book:   ScrewYouBook.com

Watch the trailer:

Meet the Author:

Known as ‘The Fiery Truth-Teller,’ Tim Carthon is a long time at-risk youth advocate, keynote teacher, author, and educator, and a proud father of his namesake TJ. Mixed with his passion for telling the “fiery truth” and helping people, he is using his extensive knowledge of and perspective on business infrastructure to ‘uniquely’ assist individuals in inner cities to remove fear and doubt and follow their business ownership dreams. Tim accomplishes this through his exclusive E2 Seminar™ (Economic Enlightenment Seminar) and SBI Workshop™ (Startup Business Infrastructure Workshop™). His saying and life’s motto: “Your life was not given to you for you. It was given to you for you to be a blessing to someone else.”

Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Instagram  ~  Youtube

Turning to Stone

TURNING TO STONE (Book #4)

Forensic accountant Alabaster Black has always been steps ahead of her former employer, Rendition, a clandestine and apparently lethal organization. Once the star investigator of financial crimes, she fled from the United States to Italy, under a new name: Bianca Nerini. She carries on her work with a group of trusted friends, although a mysterious contact by the name of Loki reaches out to her on occasion. In this fourth installment, Bianca is in Naples against the Camorra, a crime syndicate unlike the American or Sicilian mafia.

Meet the Author:

Gabriel lives in Boston, Massachusetts. He is the author of the Roma Series, available from Winter Goose Publishing. Gabriel has also written numerous short stories and essays found online and in print.

Connect with the author:  Website ~Twitter  ~ Facebook

My Review

Turning to Stone if the 4th book in the Corporate Citizen Series. So far I have read Roma Underground, Wasp's Nest, Threading the Needle, and Turning to Stone. After reading each book so far I have said something along the lines of the next book could not possibly better only to stand corrected. So instead this time I am going to say that this one was the best one I have read so far so the next one, and the last in the series, is probably going to blow me away! 

The author did a brilliant job in crafting this book and his attention to detail is astounding in how he takes so many pieces and strings them together into the perfect plot line that comes together as the reader reads more and more.

I loved the way that the author has managed to give each book its own unique plot line while still having the books blend together as a series. 

The Stages of Grace: Life and Love in the Face of Alzheimer's by Connie Ruben

Book Details:

Book Title:  The Stages of Grace: Life and Love in the Face of Alzheimer's by Connie Ruben
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction,   149 pages
Genre: Memoir, drama
Publisher:   Xlibres
Release date:  July 2015
Format available for review:  Print and ebook (PDF)
Will send print books to: USA & Canada
Tour dates: Nov 21 to Dec 9, 2016
Content Rating: PG (There are a couple of swear words such as "asshole" but no F words)

Book Description:

This book was written out of a desire to share with others who have loved ones with Alzheimer's disease what I have experience as Grace' caregiver and friend. I wanted to capture the emotions, the expected and the unexpected issues, the painful times as well as the humorous and loving moments that Grace and I have shared as a result of this disease. This is not mean to be a handbook for dealing with Alzheimer's disease, but I hope that by sharing my feelings and experiences, readers may recognize they are not alone on this particular journey.

Buy the Book:  Amazon  ~  Amazon.ca

Meet the Author:

Connie Ruben is an entrepreneur with well developed management skills. She has run several large companies, and prides herself on empowering others to work to their full potential. Connie also has an intimate knowledge of the challenges and joys of caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s disease, as her mother-in-law Grace was diagnosed with advanced Alzheimer’s disease in 2003. While Connie still struggles to balance her work life and home life, her understanding of this disease has made it easier for her to negotiate the demands of being a caregiver, as well as a wife, mother, and employer. She has written this book in order to share the insights she has gained as Grace’s primary caregiver and friend. Most importantly, Connie wants this book to assure others that caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease can be enjoyable, life-affirming, and emotionally significant.

Connect with the author: Website 

Doodletopia Fairies: Draw, Design, and Color Your Own Super-Magical and Beautiful Fairies

Doodletopia Fairies: Draw, Design, and Color Your Own Super-Magical and Beautiful Fairies is a book that teaches the reader how to draw all sorts of different Fairies. The fact that there were so many different ones was something that I thought was a big plus. However the downside is that this book is meant for someone with a bit of drawing experience and as a novice with no experience the book was not quite simple enough for me. I would have prefered step by step bullet instructions instead of paragraph style. There were pages where the reader can add detail to sketches, but not spaces to sketch.

Say & Pray Devotions By Diane Stortz

Say & Pray Devotions By Diane Stortz 

Book Description

Say and Pray devotions with your little ones today!

Your youngsters want to be just like you. How exciting! Help them grow in their faith and learn more about God’s love with Say & Pray Devotions.

Say & Pray Devotions features short devotions and lots of labeled illustrations so your little one can practice identifying objects and words on their own! This book is a great tool to start a devotional time with little ones, as it will help you teach them about God, and the labeled pictures will help start a life of faith.

This is a nice complement to the bestselling Say & Pray Bible.

My Review

I have so far read a few of the books in this sort of genre and while I feel they are all great for kids I really liked this one. It had very cute pictures and they were all labeled which made it great for a young child just starting to learn how to read. The content was also perfect for young children who have parent who are trying to teach them to be Christians. Each page just has a few lines on it so it is kept very simple. In addition to all that the book is made from a very sturdy material so it won't rip easy.

Loreena's Gift by Colleen M. Story

Book Details:

Book Title:  Loreena's Gift by Colleen M. Story
Category:  Adult fiction,  350 pages
Genre:  Literary with Fantasy/Supernatural elements
Publisher:  Dzanc Books
Release date:  April 12, 2016
Available for review in: print and ebook (PDF)
Will send print books:  USA
Tour dates:  July 18 to Aug 5, 2016
Content Rating:  PG -13 + M (There is some profanity and short sexual assault scene.)

Book Description:

A BLIND GIRL'S TERRIFYING "GIFT" ALLOWS HER TO REGAIN HER EYESIGHT--BUT ONLY AS SHE FERRIES THE RECENTLY DECEASED INTO THE AFTERLIFE.

Loreena Picket thinks she knows herself. A blind young woman who lives with her uncle, a reverend at a small-town church, she's a dutiful niece and talented pianist for the congregation.

But they're both hiding a terrible secret. Loreena can kill people with the touch of her hand.

While her uncle sees her as an angel of mercy, helping usher the terminally ill members of his flock into the afterlife, Loreena has her doubts.

Torn between doing her uncle's bidding and the allure of the fleeting moments when her eyesight returns on the journey to the other side, Loreena cooperates with her uncle until her troubled older brother returns to town. When she reveals her power by saving him from a local drug dealer, she is drawn into a sinister and dangerous world that will test the true nature of her talent and force her to consider how far she is willing to go to survive.

An exciting debut that crosses fantasy and literary fiction, Loreena's Gift is a thought-provoking meditation on life and death and what ultimately lies beyond this world.

Buy the Book:  Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  Book Depository  ~  Chapters Indigo

Meet the Author:

Colleen M. Story writes imaginative fiction and is also a freelance writer, instructor, and motivational speaker specializing in creativity, productivity, and personal wellness. Her latest novel, "Loreena’s Gift," was released with Dzanc Books April 12 2016. Her fantasy novel, "Rise of the Sidenah," is a North American Book Awards winner, and New Apple Book Awards Official Selection (Young Adult). She is the founder of Writing and Wellness (writingandwellness.com) a motivational site for writers and other creatives. 

Connect with the author:  Website  ~ Twitter  

Westobou Gold

Shady investigators and shadier politics stir an unexpected concoction that threatens the lives of those at Moccasin Hollow in a spiteful plot against ex-SEAL Craige Ingram and the woman he loves.

Book Details:

Book Title: Westobou Gold (Moccasin Hollow Mystery Series Book 2)
Author: Hawk MacKinney
Category:  Adult fiction, 224  pages
Genre:  Mystery/Suspense
Publisher:  Sage Words Publishing
Release date:  Oct 9, 2016
Tour dates:  Nov 14 to 25, 2016
Content Rating:  R (Graphic murder and sex scenes throughout the book.)

Book Description:  

The Indian Queen would risk torture and worse to keep her secrets from these barbarians in suits of metal and their search for cities of gold. They never found the gold. Empires rose; empires fell, the centuries passed. Legend became fireside myths, but no treasure was ever found. Yet, among the grey-green drapes of wisteria and wild jasmine along the misty shrouded lowlands of bayous and marshes of the Westo River, the folktales persist.

In the lazed creep of a near-tropical dawn lit the pungent Turkish coffee permeates Moccasin Hollow. Beyond the kitchen door Lucky, Craige Ingram’s German shepherd gnaws a favorite bone. Looted burial mounds seem a world away until plundered mounds on Moccasin Hollow land brings amateur archaeologist PI Craige Ingram into the cross-hairs of kidnapping. Stealthy hideaways are concealed in old colonial brick-lined river grottoes beneath the big house of Ardochy plantation. Sex-tape underage blackmail and thrill killings on federal land spur a medical examiner’s preliminary postmortem to more than a hired cleaner’s quickie cover-up passed off as drug deals gone sour. Greed tangles a witch’s pigswill of illicit affairs and murder-to-hide-murder. Shady investigators and shadier politics stir an unexpected concoction that threatens the lives of those at Moccasin Hollow in a spiteful plot against ex-SEAL Craige Ingram and the woman he loves.

Buy the Book:  Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble
Watch the book trailer:

Meet the Author:

Internationally acclaimed author and public speaker, Hawk MacKinney began writing mysteries for his school newspapers. He served in the US Navy Reserve for over 20 years, and was a tenured faculty member at several state medical facilities, teaching postgraduate courses in both the United States and Jerusalem, Israel. Since retiring Hawk has authored several novels that have received national and international recognition. Moccasin Trace, a historical novel, was nominated for the prestigious Michael Shaara Award for Excellence in Civil War Fiction and the Writers Notes Book Award. The Cairns of Sainctuarie, his science fiction series, includes The Bleikovat Event and The Missing Planets, with a third book in the works. Hawk’s latest project focuses on The Moccasin Hollow Mystery Series. Book 1 in the series, Hidden Chamber of Death, was released early 2016.

Connect with the author:  Website 

Bloodrealms by Aurora Whittet

Book Description for Bloodrealms (Book #2):

Werewolf princess Ashling Boru's eighteenth birthday is only a year away, which means that she only has twelve months before she is claimed and fulfills her prophecy to unite the packs and lead her people. Her father decrees that her four suitors must fight in the Bloodrealms, the werewolves' ancient underground fighting world, and the winner will have King Boru's choice to win Ashling's hand. The wolf laws are rigid and barbaric, and Ashling's illicit love for Grey, if discovered, will mean his death. But when Ashling and Grey get trapped in the blood-soaked depths of the Bloodrealms, they find ancient horrors far greater than Ashling's father's rule.

With betrayal around every corner and old nemeses set to destroy Ashling, she is more divided than ever between the destiny she didn't choose and the love that she did. To make matters worse, her decision will not only set the course of her future, but the future of her entire race.

Buy Bloodrealms:  Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Author's Bio:

Aurora Whittet started out as a wild red-haired girl in Minnesota dreaming up stories for her friends to read. Mama’s Knight: A Cancer Story of Love is just the latest in a string of acclaimed works. Her first official writing endeavor became The Bloodmark Saga, featuring a werewolf princess-turned-ruler who falls in love with a human boy. Her first novel in the Bloodmark Saga, Bloodmark, came out in 2013, followed by Bloodrealms in 2014 and the final book Bloodmoon in 2016.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

My Review

WOW! I thought Bloodmark by Aurora Whittet was amazing and I did not think anything could top it, yet Bloodrealms by Aurora Whittet was just as amazing if not more so. I found Bloodrealms by Aurora Whittet to have a bit more focus on Ashling Boru’s relationship with Grey and I found her to be a bit more mature in this book, but that makes sense because she is almost 18 in Ashling Boru’s and in the last book she was 16. I liked the fact the Ashling is growing as a character as the series continues it makes me feel like I actually know her and understand her as a person. I also liked the bits of horror mix in it has an element of suspense and an edge of horror/fear to the book. I was given this book for free from the author or publisher.