POK POK The Drinking Food of Thailand

A cookbook featuring 50 recipes for Thai drinking food--an entire subset of Thai cooking that is largely unknown in the United States yet boasts some of most craveable dishes in the Thai canon, inspired by Andy Ricker's decades in Thailand and his beloved restaurant, Whiskey Soda Lounge. 

A celebration of the thrill and spirit of Thai drinking food, Andy Ricker's follow-up to Pok Pok brings the same level of authority, with a more laid-back approach. Just as America has salted peanuts, wings, and nachos, Thailand has its own roster of craveable snacks: spicy, salty, and sour, they are perfect accompaniments for a few drinks and the company of good friends. Here, Ricker shares accessible and detailed recipes for his favorites: phat khii mao, a fiery dish known as "Drunkard's stir-fry; kai thawt, Thai-style fried chicken; and thua thawt samun phrai, an addictive combination of fried peanuts with makrut lime leaf, garlic, and chiles. Featuring stories and insights from the Thai cooks who taught Ricker along the way, this book is as fun to read as it is to cook from, and will become a modern classic for any lover of Thai cuisine.

POK POK The Drinking Food of Thailand was an interesting cookbook filled with recipes I had never heard of before that I was interested in trying. The way they were laid out made it easy to find what I was looking for and the instruction were easy to understand!

You Can Change the World

Inside the Book

Title: YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD: BE A CHANGE WIZARD AND GET IT LIKE YOU LIKE IT
Author: Bever-leigh Banfield
Publisher: Twinkle Entertainment
Pages: 366
Genre: Nonfiction

BOOK BLURB:

You have an ultimate magic within you, capable of transforming yourself, your life and everything that exists. You needn’t fear change, leave it to others, or get stuck with whatever happens next. You can pull heaven right out of your hat with the alchemy of your heart and mind. You just have to know how to use your abracadabra presto change-o. You can make things disappear or pop up because you are the change you crave. Your dream is a reality somewhere, ready for you to experience it by making change your BFF. Tap into who you’re meant to be, and the special thing you’re meant to do – with this book about your mission in life, and how you can have it materialize to be happier, healthier, wealthier, wiser, and make the world a better place.

Amazon

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Meet the Author

Bever-leigh Banfield, M.F.A. is a writer, actress, voice over artist, host and speaker. She has penned numerous celebrity interviews, one of which, published in Essence magazine, won the American Diabetes Association National Media Award for journalism. As an actress, Bever-leigh has performed in television shows, movies, Broadway and off-Broadway theater and national commercials. Her voice has been heard in TV and radio ads, as an ABC network announcer, in animated films and cartoons, and as narrator of planetarium space shows at landmark Griffith Observatory in Hollywood. Ms. Banfield holds an M.F.A. from the Yale University School of Drama and a B.A. from Stanford University. She has lived in Europe and the Caribbean, and traveled in Africa, South America, and across the United States. She has been gifted with psychic perception since childhood, and as an intuitive, has experienced a vision of world peace. Creating is her joy. Her debut non-fiction book You Can Change The World is about helping you be who you are meant to be, and do what you are meant to do – live your dreams, and change the world for the better!

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER

My Review

I have to say that I found YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD: BE A CHANGE WIZARD AND GET IT LIKE YOU LIKE IT to be very very boring. It was just nothing new to me and I felt like the book did not teach me anything I did not already know. It was a bit of a struggle to finish the book and I kept hoping for something to happen to draw my interest.

God Bless My Family By Hannah C. Hall and Steve Whitlow

Book Description

Thank you, God, for family! It is so special to have mommies and daddies, grandmas and grandpas, and brothers and sisters and cousins who love each other. Keep us close and safe, Jesus. God Bless My Family!

The newest book in the bestselling A God Bless Book series, God Bless My Family,helps little ones see and cherish how families love each other and work together. It also shows how we are all part of God’s great big family and how much He loves His children!

My brother makes me belly laugh. With him, it’s fun nonstop! “Let’s climb this tree, just you and me. I’ll see you at the top!”

It’s raining out. Let’s stay inside. We’ll dress up, dance, and sing! I’m glad God gave these inside-days For doing sister things!

Whether it is a gift at a baby shower, a bedtime read with mommy and daddy, a sweet way to increase sibling bonds, or a fun book to read with grandma and grandpa, God Bless My Family is a wonderful way to celebrate the love and closeness between family members.

God Bless My Family By Hannah C. Hall and Steve Whitlow  is a very sweet and heart warming book that is perfect for young children as it uses cut pictures and easy to understand words to teach the importance of family. Beyond that it also teaches children to be grateful for their family and the importance of God. The puppy pictures are very cute and child oriented!

SEEKING A FAMILIAR FACE

Book Title:  Seeking a Familiar Face: The Transformational Journey of Connecting with God by May Patterson
Category:  Adult nonfiction,  175 pages
Genre:  Christian Living
Publisher:  Exploration Press
Release date:  September 2017
Tour dates:  Dec 11 to 29, 2017
Content Rating:  G

Book Description:

The greatest adventure of your life awaits. And it will change everything.

Ever feel disappointed? Like your life isn't as fulfilling as you had always dreamed it would be? Are you laden down with responsibilities, feeling overwhelmed and empty, or maybe even a bit caged?

You're not alone.

Many people in the Bible felt the same way. Most had difficulties. Some felt stuck. Others were depressed, afraid and uncertain. And some just wanted to get closer to God. So they set out on life's adventure —seeking God—and encountered the One who fulfilled their longings and changed their lives forever.

The same can happen for you.

Seeking a Familiar Face guides you on the transforming journey of connecting with God, through simple, yet extraordinary ways. It doesn't matter if you are already seeking Him or just getting started, this book will encourage you to go a little farther toward locking hearts with God.

In this book you will discover engaging narratives from ten biblical characters, along with stories, humor, and practical ideas for seeking God. There are thought-provoking questions at the end of each chapter to discuss with a friend or a group. Most of all, "Seeking a Familiar Face" will offer you fresh hope for deepening your intimacy with God.
​

Buy the Book:
Amazon
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Video of May Patterson explaining
how she came to write her book:​

Meet the Author:

May Patterson has been writing and teaching bible study classes for several years. Her new book, “Seeking a Familiar Face,” was birthed from a Bible study she wrote in 2014 called “A Time to Seek.” She was trained in small group dynamics for over ten years at Bible Study Fellowship, serving as a leader for four years. She has written for several magazines including Focus on the Family, Upper Room Magazine and Shattered Magazine, among others. She is married to her dear friend, Mike, and they have three grown children. She loves to tell stories, laugh, and talk about the adventure of seeking God.

Connect with the Author:  Website ~ LinkedIn ~ Facebook

It's Never Game Over

Inside the Book

Title: IT’S NEVER GAME OVER
Author: Cristina G.
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 145 ebook/268 paperback
Genre: Nonfiction/Self-Help

BOOK BLURB:

It’s the end of the year but you have the impression it’s the end of your life?

Start the New Year with a plan. Don’t make a resolution, make a habit!

Whatever your situation might be now, you have the power to change it.

• Depression can be overcome.
• You can lose weight and find love.
• You can heal and transform your life.

Believe you’re happy, and you’re half way there.

Amazon

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Meet the Author

Cristina G. was born in Romania during one of the harshest communist regimes that ever existed.

The tenth child of a farmer’s family, she has six sisters and used to have four brothers, now only two.

Aged eight, she read Les Misérables by Victor Hugo and fell irremediably in love with books. Since then she kept dreaming of writing for many years, and she wrote a lot, but never thought of publishing.

In 2012, after living in Italy for ten years, Cristina became a blogger.

In June of 2014, with the help of a British friend, she moved to the UK. Here, although her expectations were not great, Cristina fulfilled the dream she never dared to dream before.

Cristina G. is now a registered author and dedicates her life to writing focusing on human behaviour, emotions and feelings.

Her latest book is the self-help/nonfiction, It’s Never Game Over.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

BLOG | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

My Review

It's Never Game Over was an interesting self-help book. As a psychology student I found the book to be both useful and helpful as it gave me a different perspective on issues that I was studying out of a dry text book. This book made those issues more real and helped me to get a better grasp on how people can overcome them.

Chasing Phil The Adventures of Two Undercover Agents with the World's Most Charming Con Man by David Howard

A thrilling true crime caper, bursting with colorful characters and awash in ‘70s glamour, that spotlights the FBI's first white-collar undercover sting
 
1977, the Thunderbird Motel. J.J. Wedick and Jack Brennan—two fresh-faced, maverick FBI agents—were about to embark on one of their agency's first wire-wearing undercover missions. Their target? Charismatic, globetrotting con man Phil Kitzer, whom some called the world's greatest swindler. From the Thunderbird, the three men took off to Cleveland, to Miami, to Hawaii, to Frankfurt, to the Bahamas—meeting other members of Kitzer's crime syndicate and powerful politicians and businessmen he fooled at each stop. But as the young agents, playing the role of proteges and co-conspirators, became further entangled in Phil's outrageous schemes over their months on the road, they also grew to respect him—even care for him. Meanwhile, Phil began to think of Jack and J.J. as best friends, sharing hotel rooms and inside jokes with them and even competing with J.J. in picking up women.
 
Phil Kitzer was at the center of dozens of scams in which he swindled millions of dollars, but the FBI was mired in a post-Watergate malaise and slow to pivot toward a new type of financial crime that is now all too familiar. Plunging into the field with no undercover training, the agents battled a creaky bureaucracy on their adventures with Phil, hoping the FBI would recognize the importance of their mission. Even as they grew closer to Phil, they recognized that their endgame—the swindler's arrest—was drawing near… 
 
Anchored by larger-than-life characters, framed by exotic locales and an irresistible era, Chasing Philis high drama and propulsive reading, delivered by an effortless storyteller.

My Review

Chasing Phil The Adventures of Two Undercover Agents with the World's Most Charming Con Man by David Howard was a fun and interesting book that reminded me a lot of the TV show White Collar at the same time it was actually better because it was real. I wonder if some of White Collar was based off of this book as they seem to mirror each other in some ways!

Night in Jerusalem

Inside the Book

Title: NIGHT IN JERUSALEM
Author: Gaelle Lehrer Kennedy
Publisher: PKZ Inc.
Pages: 246
Genre: Historical Romance

A bewitching love story that is also an extraordinary portrait of Jerusalem, its faith, spirituality, identity, and kaleidoscope of clashing beliefs, Night in Jerusalem is a novel of mystery, beauty, historical insight, and sexual passion.
David Bennett is invited to Jerusalem in 1967 by his cousin who, to the alarm of his aristocratic British family, has embraced Judaism. He introduces David to his mentor, Reb Eli, a revered sage in the orthodox community. Despite his resistance to religious teaching, David becomes enthralled by the rabbi’s wisdom and compassionate presence. When David discloses a sexual problem, Reb Eli unwittingly sets off a chain of events that transforms his life and the life of the mysterious prostitute, Tamar, who, in a reprise of an ancient biblical story, leads both men to an astonishing realization. As passions rise, the Six Day War erupts, reshaping the lives of everyone caught up in it.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

______________________

Meet the Author

Gaelle Lehrer Kennedy worked as an actress and writer in film and television in the United States and Israel. Night in Jerusalem is her debut novel, which she has adapted to film. She lives in Ojai California with her husband and daughter.
She writes, “I lived in Israel in the 1960s, a naive twenty-year-old, hoping to find myself and my place in the world. The possibility of war was remote to me. I imagined the tensions in the region would somehow be resolved peacefully. Then, the Six Day War erupted and I experienced it firsthand in Jerusalem.
I have drawn Night in Jerusalem from my experiences during that time. The historical events portrayed in the novel are accurate. The characters are based on people I knew in the city. Like me, they were struggling to make sense of their lives, responding to inherited challenges they could not escape that shaped their destiny in ways they and the entire Middle East could not have imagined.
I have always been intrigued by the miraculous. How and where the soul’s journey leads and how it reveals its destiny. How two people who are destined, even under the threat of war and extinction, can find one another.
Israel’s Six Day War is not a fiction; neither was the miracle of its victory. What better time to discover love through intrigue, passion, and the miraculous.
Writing this story was in part reliving my history in Israel, in part a mystical adventure. I am grateful that so many who have read Night In Jerusalem have experienced this as well.”

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

My Review

Night in Jerusalem was a well written historic romance novel that stayed true to the time period. I personally liked the historical aspects best as I felt the romance felt just a little fake to me. Besides for the fake feeling romance I really did enjoy the novel, the plot, and the characters! David Bennett was a great character especially with how he was so will to embrace his religion in the face of the feelings of his family.

CATHADEUS

Book Details:

Book Title:  Cathadeus (Book One of the Walking Gates)
Author:  Jeff J. Peters
Category:  YA Fiction,  344 pages
Genre:  Fantasy
Publisher:  Wise Ink Creative Publishing
Release date:  Dec 8, 2017
Tour dates: Dec 4 to 15, 2017
Content Rating: PG-13 (fighting scenes)

Book Description:

It has been six hundred years since the Alchemists fused together men and beasts to form strong, mindless slaves. Now, their most vicious creations have attacked the mystical Walking Gates, slaughtering their Keepers and isolating their cities. Wounded in the brutal attack, Braxton Prinn’s mother is on the verge of death and he makes a desperate journey to find the reclusive elven master who can save her. But when he discovers an ancient magic, Brax is caught up in an even greater struggle and soon finds himself hunted for his power. Drawn into the chaos of an impending war and pursued by enemies on all sides, Brax must fight to save his mother and her race from slipping into darkness. Though his untamed magic may be the greatest threat of all . . . ​

What Readers are Saying about Cathadeus:

 “Jeff J. Peters’ strong cinematic writing style allowed me to easily visualize the story and feel that I was right there alongside the characters.”
- Alison W.

“Jeff J. Peters’ writing is so smooth and easy to read – I can’t tell you how much of a pleasure it was…and how quickly you end up being drawn into the story because of it.”
- Amanda R.

“Cathadeus is the best kind of fantasy story - you get to learn along with a flawed main character while you get lost in a richly designed world. You can’t help but keep reading. A cleanly written pairing of characters you wish you could spend more time with and an enthralling world built around them. Cathadeus is the kind of story that plays perfectly off of your imagination, with characters grounded in reality to make it feel like you could really be there.”
- Ryan N.

“Jeff J. Peters definitely has storytelling skills...The story stayed on my mind when I wasn’t reading it. Young readers will be drawn in this imaginative story, while they relate to Braxton’s struggles with temper, insecurity, and young love. Cathadeus is dramatic, with an anxious tone—at times bleak, as the story keeps you wondering until the final battle if good will prevail.”
- Elizabeth C.​

Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Indiebound
​Barnes & Noble
Add to Goodreads

Read the Prologue

​

Meet the Author:

JEFF J. PETERS was born in South Africa and immigrated to the United States as a teenager, where he fell in love with all things fantasy. He obtained degrees in digital electronics and computer science and worked as an IT professional for more than twenty years. In 2014, he left his corporate position to focus full-time on writing. Cathadeus is his debut novel. He is currently working on the sequel.


Connect with the author: Website ~ Facebook

Abuse of Discretion

Inside the Book

Title: ABUSE OF DISCRETION
Author: Pamela Samuels Young
Publisher: Goldman House Publishing
Pages: 352
Genre: Mystery

BOOK BLURB:

A Kid’s Curiosity … A Parent’s Nightmare

The award-winning author of “Anybody’s Daughter” is back with an addictive courtroom drama that gives readers a shocking look inside the juvenile criminal justice system.
Graylin Alexander is a model fourteen-year-old. When his adolescent curiosity gets the best of him, Graylin finds himself embroiled in a sexting scandal that threatens to ruin his life. Jenny Ungerman, the attorney hired to defend Graylin, is smart, confident and committed. She isn’t thrilled, however, when ex-prosecutor Angela Evans joins Graylin’s defense team. The two women instantly butt heads. Can they put aside their differences long enough to ensure Graylin gets justice?
Unbeknownst to Angela, her boyfriend Dre is wrestling with his own drama. Someone from his past wants him dead. For Dre, his response is simple—kill or be killed.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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Meet the Author

Pamela Samuels Young has always abided by the philosophy that you create the change you want to see. She set giant-sized goals and used her talent, tenacity and positive outlook to accomplish them. Pamela consequently achieved success in both the corporate arena and literary world simultaneously.
An author, attorney and motivational speaker, Pamela spent fifteen years as Managing Counsel for Toyota, specializing in labor and employment law. While still practicing law, Pamela began moonlighting as a mystery writer because of the absence of women and people of color depicted in the legal thrillers she read. She is now an award-winning author of multiple legal thrillers, including Anybody’s Daughter, which won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Fiction, and her new release, Abuse of Discretion, a shocking look at the juvenile justice system in the context of a troubling teen sexting case.
Prior to her legal career, spent several years as a television news writer and associate producer. She received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from USC and earned a master’s degree in broadcasting from Northwestern University and a law degree from UC Berkeley School of Law. She is a frequent speaker on the topics of teen sexting, child sex trafficking, self-empowerment and fiction writing.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

My Review

So many books like Abuse of Discretion focus only on the adult justice system and this is the first fictional novel that I have read that focused on the justice system for minors. I personally found this interesting especially as the case had to so with sexting which is becoming more and more of an issue lately. 

THE SOLICITOR

 

Inside the Book

Title: THE SOLICITOR
Author: Sean Keefer
Publisher: Four Hounds Creative
Pages: 386
Genre: Mystery

BOOK BLURB:

When you make your living fighting for justice, the last place you expect to wake up is behind bars.
Attorney Noah Parks has spent his life keeping people out of jail.  When he’s charged with the murder of a candidate for Charleston County Solicitor he finds himself on the wrong side of the law for a crime he says he didn’t commit.
No longer fighting for others and now relying on the help of the few people he does trust, Noah must fight to clear his name and find the real killer before it’s too late.
His search will lead him through a maze of deceptions, lies, family turmoil and treachery that spans generations.
The Solicitor is set in historic Charleston and the surrounding South Carolina Lowcountry where under the surface things are not always as genteel as they appear.

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

______________________

Meet the Author

While growing up in South Carolina, Sean didn’t realize it, but he was absorbing the styles, mannerisms, idiosyncrasies, dialects and the culture of his home.   Add to this the time he spent traveling the other Carolina for school and then North America for work, he collected a vast array of experiences and observations from which to draw upon and bring together in his writing.
After studying law in North Carolina, Sean settled in Charleston, South Carolina and instantly became enamored with the people as well as the city.
One day he started writing and the words, generally, kept flowing. A page became a chapter which ultimately became a book known as The Trust.  After this the process started again and The Solicitor was the end result. Hopefully, if you are reading this you either have, or soon will have, your very own copy of one or both.
The experience of taking two novels from conceptualization to print has been one of frustration peppered with increasing amounts of reward.  Each step from the first words hitting the page to ultimately holding a book in hand has been a personal reward.
When Sean is not writing he practices Family Law and works as a Domestic Mediator and lives with his Wife and an ever-expanding pack of rescue canines – the current count is 4.  As well, Sean can frequently be found wandering the lowcountry of South Carolina with his camera, playing guitar in assorted venues around Charleston or exploring the underwater world of the southeast.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

______________________________________________

My Review
THE SOLICITOR was an interesting novel that kept me entertained and interested in not only the story line, but also in the characters. Noah Parks was easily my favorite character and I enjoyed the author's use of role reversal as he went from defender to client. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy legal fiction and mystery novels!

Fliers 20 Small Posters with Big Thoughts by Nathaniel Russell

The perfect present for buds and dormroom inhabitors, this collection of viral fake fliers is at once strange, thought-provoking, and hilarious. Printed on heavy, cardstock-like paper, these 20 "fake" fliers both celebrate and embody surreal posters--like the kind plastered all over college campuses, only taken to the next level. As a bonus feature, the sturdy paperback comes with a french-fold jacket that, when removed, opens up to reveal a larger poster. Images include a photo of a found duck mistaken for a dog that the poster is now keeping and an anonymous group posting about a quiet universe. There is something in this collection for everyone who ever looked at a postered telephone pole or coffee house bulletin board and wondered "is there more out there?"

My Review

Fliers 20 Small Posters with Big Thoughts  by Nathaniel Russell was both funny and boring. I found some of the fliers rather amusing and some rather boring in nature. That aside the book was a cute idea I just feel like it would be better received on social media or YouTube then in direct book form as I am not sure what to do with the book now that I have already gone through it once.

Twofer Murder

Book Details:

Book Title:  Twofer Murder by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult fiction, 400 pages

Book Title:  Twofer Murder by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult fiction, 400 pages
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  November 17, 2017
Available for review in:  Print, ebook (mobi, ePub, PDF)  & audiobook  (Audible)
Will send books:  USA & Canada
Tour dates:  Dec 4, 2017 to Jan 19, 2018
Content Rating:  PG + M (Please be aware that TWOFER MURDER is a murder mystery. There are depictions of murder and some violence--though easy on the gore contents. No f-words but there may be some mild profanity, and mild religious expletives such as "damn", "hell" and "Oh God!". Some depictions of brief sexual content (kissing). No drug use or underage drinking among the protagonists.)

Book Description:

Twofer murder? What’s a twofer murder?

Twofer Murder is a treat for fans of best-selling author Lauren Carr’s fast-paced mysteries! Lauren’s latest novel contains the main characters from her three successful series: Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose mysteries. The guys go away for a fishing weekend only to get caught up in the murder of a journalist investigating fraud at a timber company. Meanwhile, the ladies are spending the weekend in the presidential suite at a posh resort where Jessica Faraday is to accept a lifetime achievement award for her late grandmother at a murder mystery writers conference. But before they have time to get their facials, they get wrapped up in their own real mystery when an up and coming author ends up dead!

Lauren Carr’s Twofer Murder is a 2-for-1—making it a must-read for any mystery fan!
​

Buy the Book:
Amazon
Add to Goodreads

​Watch the trailers:
​

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, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

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

My Review

Twofer Murder by Lauren Carr was another wonderful Lauren Carr mystery book. If anything I would say that this one is the best one so far as it combines all my favorite mystery elements and characters in one book. I always love it when TV shows, movies, or books bring different characters together and Lauren did a wonderful job with bringing all of my favorites together without making the book feel forced or fake! I would love to see more books in the future that bring characters from different series together again!

Ghost Owl

Guest Interview with Ghost Owl Author Nancy Schoellkopf

What genre do you write?

I like to write quirky stories with a spiritual bent that don’t fit neatly into the usual categories
like romance, mystery or sci fi. When pressed, I’ve taken to calling them magical realism.

How did you become interested in writing these quirky stories?

I’ve always enjoyed fairy tales, mythology, and the stories of indigenous peoples. When I was
growing up in Catholic school, the nuns used to read to us from Lives of the Saints. I was
enthralled with those old tales supposedly about real, historical people who had wild
miraculous powers. And they told us they were true! I loved that.

Are there novels in this genre that have influenced you?

I love the novels of Sue Monk Kidd. Her stories are rich with ritual and symbolism. Margaret
Atwood’s Maddadam Trilogy is a fascinating story of a dystopian future tinged with hope that
something completely new is being created. And in Bel Canto, Ann Patchett creates a small
paradoxically magical space right in the middle of an intense hostage stand-off. It’s amazing
and beautiful. Still I have to point out that it’s likely none of these books would be labeled as
magical realism, but they struck me that way.

Is there a specific ritualistic thing you do during your writing time?

I don’t really have any rituals like that, but I do think of my writing as a practice. Musicians do
scales, baseball players do batting practice, and we writers need to sit down, keep our hands
moving and fill the page with stuff. A daily practice has helped me develop flow, so when it’s
time to write, my characters may spring to life and guide me. Otherwise, I’m just sitting here
writing about writing.

What’s your next project?

My next project is to update my website! But I also have an idea for an anthology of essays and
poems on how to keep an open heart during crazy times. Watch for a call for material.

Book Details:

Book Title:  Ghost Owl by Nancy Schoellkopf
Category:  Adult Fiction,  181 pages
Genre: Literary / Women's Fiction with magical realism
Publisher:   Butterfly Tree Publishing
Release date:  October 2017
Format available for review:  Print and ebook (PDF)
Will send print books to: USA & Canada
Tour dates: Nov 20 to Dec 8, 2017
Content Rating: PG-13 (There are a few non-explicit sex scenes)

Book Description:

Ghost Owl is a magical story of discovery, as a young woman seeks to understand her potential and confront her own shadow. Mariah Easter wakes up in the middle of the night to discover the world is as bright as noon—but for her eyes only. Urged by her godfather, she embarks on a mission to peer into the dark spaces normally hidden from view, leading her to confront the sinister nature of power, the vulnerability of the ill, and the hidden life of a homeless man: a journey that will bring healing to herself and the man she loves.

This compelling and inspirational tale, the third installment of the Avian Series, invites the reader to ponder the extraordinary treasures hidden in the ordinary events of daily life.

Buy the Book:
Amazon
Add to Goodreads
​

Meet the Author: 

Nancy Schoellkopf is the author of the Avian Series of novels including Yellow-Billed Magpie and Red-Tailed Hawk, as well as the short story collection Rover and Other Magical Tales. She has been telling stories and writing poems for many lifetimes. It goes without saying that she’s needed a second income, so this time around she happily taught amazing children in special education classes in two urban school districts in Sacramento, California. A full time writer now, she enjoys lavishing attention on her cats, her garden and her intriguing circle of family and friends.

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

MY Review

Ghost Owl by Nancy Schoellkopf was a well-written book that I simply had to read after how much I enjoyed reading the previous books in the Avian series. Yellow-Billed Magpie and Red-Tailed Hawk were both great books that made Ghost Owl by Nancy Schoellkopf a must read for me. I greatly enjoyed how the story line was both similar and different from the previous books. It was easy to find myself liking Mariah Easter as she set out to discover more about herself and her power. Overall, I hope the author decides to expand the series!

The Heart of the Matter

Inside the Book

Title: THE HEART OF THE MATTER
Author: P Nelson
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 205
Genre: Erotic Romance/BDSM

BOOK BLURB:

Eric Danvers thought he had found the perfect submissive before she was swept right out of his arms.

Now pining after the one woman he can’t have, Master Eric finds himself stuck in a gruelling cycle of emotional torture that has nothing to do with his BDSM lifestyle. Just as he was about to take a hiatus from The Cage and the lifestyle altogether, Master Eric is asked to take on the role of training Dom for one of the new subs. Rather than agreeing, he’s coerced into the role and finds there’s more to his new training sub than meets the eye.

Elizabeth Williams is a sub on a mission.

Elizabeth Williams has read every single book on BDSM she can get her hands on, and she feels as if this is the lifestyle for her. After saving up for an entire year and working an extra job, she finally had enough money to enter the couples training program at the most exclusive BDSM club in Vancouver. Unfortunately, as soon as Elizabeth and her boyfriend are accepted, he decides that he wants a different sub. Elizabeth decides not to let go of her dream and enters the submissive training program.

Master Eric soon finds that Elizabeth Williams may be more sub than he can handle. He loves her brattiness, but he knows it hides a pool of inner hurt that cried out to his Dom instincts to heal. Elizabeth falls for Mater Eric as soon as she meets him and really believes she cannot help her brattiness. She wants to give him her true submission, but she might not be able to set aside her past hurts to move on. Read the story of Master Eric and Elizabeth in The Heart of the Matter.

Amazon

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Meet the Author

P Nelson has just started her journey in Erotic Romance this year with her debut novel Take My hand. The Rehabilitation of Master Dillon is a prequel novel to Take My Hand focusing on the character of Master Dillon. Nelson calls Vancouver her hometown and is married with one young daughter. At 6.00pm most days she can be found with a G&T in one hand and either her daughter or a good book in the other.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER

My Review

THE HEART OF THE MATTER was a well written erotic romance novel that I personally found very interesting as it explored a different romantic dynamic. I found the characters to be well written with a nice background on each of them. I was also happy with the length of the book as it was not too short of too long.

The comic book story of video games

A complete, illustrated history of video games--highlighting the machines, games, and people who have made gaming a worldwide, billion-dollar industry/artform--told in a graphic novel format.

Author Jonathan Hennessey and illustrator Jack McGowan present the first full-color, chronological origin story for this hugely successful, omnipresent artform and business. Hennessey provides readers with everything they need to know about video games--from their early beginnings during World War II to the emergence of arcade games in the 1970s to the rise of Nintendo to today's app-based games like Angry Birds and Pokemon Go. Hennessey and McGowan also analyze the evolution of gaming as an artform and its impact on society. Each chapter features spotlights on major players in the development of games and gaming that contains everything that gamers and non-gamers alike need to understand and appreciate this incredible phenomenon.

The Comic Book Story of Video Games The Incredible History of the Electronic Gaming Revolution by Jonathan Hennessey; artwork by Jack McGowan was an interesting book that I greatly enjoyed as a video game fan. I liked the comic elements of the book as it kept the book interesting and not too dry and boring!

Otherworld

“Full of high stakes, thrillers, and fantastic twists and turns, fans of Ready Player One are sure to love this addictive read.” —Buzzfeed.com
 
"A fantastic journey from start to finish." —Hypable.com
 
“A potent commentary on how much we’re willing to give up to the lure of technology.” —EW.com
 
New York Times bestselling authors Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller imagine a world in which you can leave your body behind and give into your greatest desires in the first book in a new trilogy perfect for fans of Ready Player One and James Dashner’s The Eye of Minds. The future is now. And the future is terrifying.

That’s how Otherworld traps you. It introduces you to sensations you’d never be able to feel in real life. You discover what’s been missing—because it’s taboo or illegal or because you lack the guts to do it for real. And when you find out what’s missing it’s almost impossible to let it go again.

There are no screens. There are no controls. You don’t just see and hear it—you taste, smell, and touch it too. In this new reality, there are no laws to break or rules to obey. You can live your best life. Indulge every desire.

It’s a game so addictive you’ll never want it to end. Until you realize that you’re the one being played. Welcome to Otherworld, where reality is dead. Step into the future. Leave your body behind.

The frightening future that Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller have imagined is not far away. Otherworld asks the question we'll all soon be asking: if technology can deliver everything we want, how much are we willing to pay?

“An engaging VR cautionary tale.” —The A.V. Club

"[A] fast-paced adventure." —Publishers Weekly
"Authors Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller keep the action nonstop.” —Shelf Awareness

Otherworld was a well written book that I decided to read because it reminded me of west world which I very much enjoyed. This book gave off the same sort of vibe. It reminded me a lot of the TV show and I found that I really enjoyed the book and I would love to see more books like it!

Depression in Later Life

Title: DEPRESSION IN LATER LIFE: AN ESSENTIAL GUIDE
Author: Dr. Deborah Serani
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Pages: 286
Genre: Self-Help/Psychology

BOOK BLURB:

The geriatric population, defined as men and women 65 years and older, is the fastest growing population in the world. Little attention has been given to the mental health of the aging, and often treatable disorders are overlooked entirely. Depression is one of the leading mental disorders in any age group, but among the elderly, it is often viewed as a normal part of aging. But it’s not. Depression at any age requires attention and treatment.

Depression in Later Life is a go-to guide that introduces readers to depression among the aging and elderly. It looks at both sufferers who’ve been diagnosed in their younger years as well as those with a new diagnosis, and reviews the symptoms, the diagnostic process, treatment options including alternative and holistic approaches, and long-term care for those experiencing mild, moderate, or severe depression. With real stories throughout, the book illustrates the many forms depression can take, and Dr. Serani offers a compassionate voice alongside practical advice for sufferers, caregivers, and families.

BOOK IS AN AWARD WINNER: 2016 Gold Medal Winner, Psychology, Foreword Review https://www.forewordreviews.com/awards/books/depression-in-later-life/.

Amazon

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Meet the Author

Dr. Deborah Serani is a psychologist in practice over 25 years, an associate adjunct professor at Adelphi University and a TEDx speaker on the subject of depression. She is also a go-to expert on psychological issues. Dr. Serani is the author of the award-winning books, Living with Depression, Depression and Your Child: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers and Depression in Later Life: An Essential Guide published by Rowman & Littlefield.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

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My Review

Depression in Later Life was a well written book designed to bring attention to a very over looked issue. I have a mother who is getting older and who is thankfully treated for depression, but this book taught me a lot about the other people who are not being helped. It inspired me to look into what is being done about the issue in my community!