Jack Gregson & the Forgotten Portal (book one) by Peter Wilson

 

Book Details:

​Book Title: Jack Gregson & the Forgotten Portal (book one) by Peter Wilson
Category:  Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12), 174 pages
Genre: Fantasy/Mystery
Publisher:  Crystal Publishing, LLC
Release Date: June 2018
Format available for review: ebook (mobi file (for Kindle), ePub, PDF)
Tour dates: January 31 to February 11
Content Rating:  PG. My book is rated PG because there is no sex--not even a suggestion. The language is appropriate for a 10-year-old. (Similar to Harry Potter.)

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Book Description:

​Something has changed at the Gregson Manor. An evil force from the family's past has returned to upheave their lives. 

Jack and his cousins explore the family secrets as they are pulled through a portal into a universe of endless worlds and possibilities. 

Together, they race to escape and destroy the evil Theorden and his followers who strive to unlock the power of the Forgotten Portal and wreak havoc on Gregson Manor and the World.

Buy the Book
Amazon
add to goodreads

Meet the Author:

Peter Wilson is an award-winning writer based in Sydney, Australia. His first novel, Jack Gregson & the Forgotten Portal has won awards internationally, in both the USA and United Kingdom, and has quickly become a favourite with young readers. Peter’s second book in his trilogy series, Jack Gregson & the Forgotten Sons, is set for release in 2021. In addition to children’s and young adult content, Peter is also interested in writing for the adult market and is currently working on a crime thriller set in his home city, Sydney.

connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads

My Review

Jack Gregson & the Forgotten Portal (book one) by Peter Wilson was a great start to this middle school fiction series. I have to say I liked the clean read aspect of it that kept the book free of sexual content, while still taking the reader on a fantasy adventure. Jack was quite easily my favorite character and I look forward to reading more about him in book two!!

Olive and the Valentine's Spell by Helen Millman

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  Olive and the Valentine's Spell by Helen Millman
Category: Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7),  38 pages
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Publisher:  Mascot 
Release date:  February 1, 2022
Format available for review:  Print- hardback, ebook (pdf)
Will send print books out:  USA
Tour dates: February 1 to February 14, 2022
Content Rating:  Rated G. Suitable for everyone

Book Description:

​Olive is a sweet elementary school boy who is afraid to go to school on Valentine’s Day. . .because he thinks he’ll have to get married! Olive’s mom joins in his fight to defeat the “princess of love,” but along the way he learns an even bigger lesson, discovering the true meaning of love.

Olive and the Valentine’s Spell is an inspiring children’s book for all ages that shines a humorous light on Valentine’s Day and overcoming your fears.

Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ B&N ~ Mascot​

Meet the Author:
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Children’s author Helen Millman is a loving wife and mom. Her three young boys continually inspire her with their wild adventures and vivid imaginations. They even helped inspire her to write her new book, Olive and the Valentine’s Spell!

While living in Vero Beach, FL, she spends her time writing, reading, singing, and growing through her life’s experiences. She knows the importance of “seeing the bright side of life” and encourages her readers to “choose love, even when it seems impossible”. A friendly, optimist Helen has always loved to read to her own children and remembers how much her imaginative voices really helped bring the stories to life. She invites her readers to gather with a beloved book, for it truly is one of the best places to snuggle, giggle, imagine, and make unforgettable memories - together.
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connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ instagram

My Review

Olive and the Valentine's Spell by Helen Millman was a very cute kids book with great pictures! I really liked the Valentine theme of the book as most holiday book s focus on Christmas or Easter so this one was a nice breath of fresh air among holiday genre books.

ROMANCING THE DARKNESS (Book One) by Tyler R. Snyder

 

Book Details:

Book Title: Romancing the Darkness (Book 1) by Tyler R. Snyder
Category:  YA Fiction (Ages 13-17), 260 pages
Genre:  Fantasy 
Publisher:  Crystal Publishing, LLC
Release date:   November 2021
Formats Available for Review: print-softback USA, e-book (MOBI for Kindle, EPUB, PDF)
Tour dates: January 31 to February 11
Content Rating:  PG-13 + M: There is no sex, but it is implied. The violence is typical for this genre (attacking monsters and a war). The language does include light profanity (hell, damn, ass). 

Book Description:

Monsters of Mythical Proportion
Worlds of Magic and Power
Forbidden Love
And DEATH. DEATH is the consequence...

When Tristan defies Ambion’s only law—royal and common blood cannot mix, he discovers the consequences are real. The young guardian finds himself in a world where love and hate, war and peace, duty and betrayal blur into darkness. As his world devolves into a battle for survival, he learns only an Angel can save Ambion from the destruction wielded by the Dividers. Is Tristan the Angel destined to save the world or will he succumb to the wiles of a dark goddess?

​“Boy! Hey boy, let me show you the end.” Tristan looked in horror as tens of thousands of men and women were hooded figures. Explosions erupted everywhere, and the black sky spewed red lightning all around the warriors. A ground shaking roar forced Tristan to cover his ears. When he looked up, a massive golden dragon breathed fire upon the world: fire engulfed the horizon. “The end will begin with ash.”   

Buy the Book:
Amazon

Meet the Author:

Tyler Snyder was born in 1984 in Medford, Oregon.

As a child, he was captivated by movies, video games, and Dungeons and Dragons, along with the worlds these activities created. The original spark that ignited Tyler’s imagination was when he wanted to see a movie similar to The Legend of Zelda, but the closest film at the time was The Dark Crystal. That itch, to this day, has still not been scratched. This led him to books and stories like the pastimes he adored and gave him exposure to a much grander well of ideas and possibilities. Meeting like-minded friends who shared the same hobbies, Tyler developed a passion for creating new worlds. In Romancing the Darkness, Tyler explores his world, Ambion, and the countless decisions confronting his characters.

Mr. Snyder currently lives in Wyoming with his wife, Sandra.

connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads

My Review

ROMANCING THE DARKNESS (Book One) by Tyler R. Snyder was a good read that proved an enjoyable way to pass some time and have me waiting on the edge of my seat for book two! It was easy to be pulled in to Tristan's journey and I found myself quickly captivated by both him and the events surrounding him!

Jack Gregson and the Stolen Sons

parallel universes 

Book Details:

​Book Title: Jack Gregson & the Stolen Sons (book two) by Peter Wilson
Category:  Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12), 193 pages
Genre: Fantasy/Mystery
Publisher:  Crystal Publishing, LLC
Release Date: December 2021
Format available for review: print-softback (USA only)  ebook (mobi file (for Kindle), ePub, PDF)
Tour dates: January 31 to February 11
Content Rating:  PG. My book is rated PG because there is no sex--not even a suggestion. The language is appropriate for a 10-year-old. (Similar to Harry Potter.)

Book Description:

Dark Mystery
Ancient Prophecy
Family Secrets

When a loud, incessant knocking disturbs the peace at Gregson Manor, David and Rosie once again travel through the mysterious portal, where they encounter darkness, chaos and impossible impossibilities.

Only by fulfilling an ancient prophecy and uniting unlikely allies can they save parallel universes.

A dormant sun awaiting new dawn,
Two stolen sons their mothers mourn.
One will wake from whence they laid,
The other repeats a mistake once made.

​Who are the sons?   

Buy the Book
Amazon
add to goodreads

Meet the Author:

Peter Wilson is an award-winning writer based in Sydney, Australia. His first novel, Jack Gregson & the Forgotten Portal has won awards internationally, in both the USA and United Kingdom, and has quickly become a favourite with young readers. Peter’s second book in his trilogy series, Jack Gregson & the Forgotten Sons, is set for release in 2021. In addition to children’s and young adult content, Peter is also interested in writing for the adult market and is currently working on a crime thriller set in his home city, Sydney.

connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads

My Review

Jack Gregson & the Stolen Sons (book two) by Peter Wilson was a good read. David and Rosie once again travel through the portal, where they find themselves faced with a prophecy that must be fulfilled if they are to save the parallel universes. This was a nice clean read that is a great book for young teens, especially those that enjoyed book one! 

L'Origine: The secret life of the world's most erotic masterpiece by Lilianne Milgrom

 

Book Details: Book Title:  L'Origine: The secret life of the world's most erotic masterpiece by Lilianne Milgrom Category:  Adult Fiction (18+), 255 pages Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher:  Girl Friday Books - a new imprint from Girl Friday Productions Release Date: 2020 first edition. October 2021 re-released by Girl Friday Books Tour dates: February 1 to February 21 Content Rating:  R. My book does not have bad language and only one descriptive sex scene, but the protagonist is a painting whose explicit depiction of a woman's lower torso and genitals has made it a controversial work of art for over a century and a half. Book Description: The riveting odyssey of one of the world's most scandalous works of art. In 1866, maverick French artist Gustave Courbet painted one of the most iconic images in the history of art: a sexually explicit portrait of a woman's exposed genitals. Audaciously titled L'Origine du monde (The Origin of the World), the scandalous painting was kept hidden for a century and a half. Today, it hangs in the world-renowned Orsay Museum in Paris, viewed by millions of visitors a year. ​As the first artist authorized by the Orsay Museum to re-create Courbet's The Origin of the World, author Lilianne Milgrom was thrust into the painting's intimate orbit, spending six weeks replicating every fold, crevice, and pubic hair. The experience inspired her to share her story and the painting's titillating, clandestine history. L'Origine is a tale of survival, replete with French revolutionaries, Turkish pashas and nefarious Nazi captains. Hold onto your berets for a riveting ride through history.   Buy the Book: Amazon ~ B&N Bookshop ~ Powell's Waterstone's add to goodreads Meet the Author: Paris-born Lilianne Milgrom is an internationally acclaimed artist and award-winning author residing in Washington DC. In 2011, she became the first authorized copyist of Gustave Courbet’s controversial painting L’Origine du Monde, which hangs in the Orsay Museum in Paris. Milgrom spent a decade researching and writing L’Origine: The Secret Life of the World’s Most Erotic Masterpiece. Her debut novel has been awarded six literary honors including the Publisher’s Weekly 2021 US Selfies Book Award for Best Adult Fiction. connect the author:  website ~ twitter ~ instagram

ASHES TO INK: A MEMOIR by Lisa Lucca

 

Book Details:
Book Title:  ASHES TO INK: A Memoir by Lisa Lucca
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18+),  267 pages
Genre: Memoir
Publisher:  JuJu House Publishing
Release date:  October 2021
Tour dates: Feb 1 to Feb 21, 2022
Content Rating:  PG-13. There is some bad language (several f-words), sexual scenes (not explict), and cigarette and marijuana smoking.

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“Lisa Lucca weaves the past and present into a vividly written and important story with many layers: family secrets, fathers and daughters, love and sexuality, and at the core, forgiveness. What touched me most was the call to action to become the love of your own life. Read, learn, and become!” — Laura Munson, New York Times bestselling author and founder of the acclaimed Haven Writing Retreats.
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“In this raw and gripping memoir, Lisa Lucca has perfectly captured the unique ripple effects of life with a gay parent. With little representation in popular media, people who grow up with (or find out about) LGBTQ+ parents/caregivers are often left to wonder if there’s anyone else who really understands. Ashes to Ink is proof we are not alone, and that love truly does win.” — Jordan Budd, Executive Director of COLAGE, National LGBTQ+ family organization

“Fresh, warm, sassy, and smart... Lisa’s voice is a delight! I was enchanted by this book.” — Alexia La Fortune, Author of Sex, Love, and Spirit

"Ashes to Ink… a power punch of a book written by the glorious Lisa Lucca. Filled with rage and anger and sorrow and more unleashed anger…and much humor and love...human emotion in each chapter. Lisa's memoir is all about LOVE, the wanting, the needing, the longing, the acceptance, the fear of love, the need for love. From a parent whose lifestyle flattens her to the seeking of love with men who challenge her (unconsciously) to finding the right one. This is a memoir about family - the down and dirty - about love, about searching... and forgiveness. This book is filled with so much truth, so many untamed feelings, so much rawness… a memoir that gives you ample time to hold your breath and exhale. Read it, devour it, allow yourself to creep into the uncomfortableness. Life is filled with discomfort and unease - Lisa gives us all the rare opportunity to see ourselves in the dazzling, and magnificent mirror she holds up for us." — Amy Ferris, Marrying George Clooney, Confessions from a Midlife Crisis

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Book Description:

Acceptance struggles to emerge from a cocoon of family secrets . . .

After her parents' divorce in 1974, Lisa Lucca's idyllic Midwestern childhood is shattered when she learns her father is gay. Sworn to secrecy, she begins carrying the emotions of her family like a cracked bucket, making a mess as she embarks on a life of rebellious choices.

Decades later, faced with the aftermath of her father’s death, Lisa revisits the complicated relationship she had with him, delving deeper into the stories she’s held about love, sexuality, and the family she comes from with a shimmering clarity that arises from her grief.

A story of heartache and the power of forgiveness, Ashes to Ink shines a light on the challenges of living true to who we are, especially for single parents.

Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Indiebound ~ Target

Meet the Author:

Lisa Lucca’s work has been published in several publications and anthologies, most recently in Crone Rising. She is the co-author of the epistolary memoir, You Are Loved, with her partner, Mark Mathias, a love story she will continue telling in her next book.

She shares a home with Mark in the high desert of southern New Mexico where she continues her work as a life coach, and hosts a weekly public radio show, Live True, bringing insightful and engaging interviews to her listeners. The show streams globally at lccommunityradio.org where the shows are available in the archives.

connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodread

FOLLY AT THE FAIR

 

Book Details:

Book Title: Folly at the Fair (An Annie Oakley Mystery) by Kari Bovee
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 + yrs), 322 pages
Length: 9 hours, 48 minutes
Genre:  Historical Mystery, Cozy Mystery
Publisher:  Bosque Publishing
Release date:   June 2020
​Formats available for review: audiobook (audible download), MOBI (for kindle), EPUB, PDF)
Tour dates: Jan 10 to Feb 4, 2022
Content Rating:  PG +M for mature themes, mild swearing

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Book Description:

She never misses a target. But unless she can solve this murder, she’ll become one…

Chicago World’s Fair, 1893. “Little Sure Shot” Annie Oakley is exhausted from her work with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. But when a fellow performer scuffles with a man who threatens her harm, she has to keep her eyes peeled. And when the heckler is found dead under the Ferris Wheel, Annie won’t rest until she proves her defender is innocent.

Before she can rustle up any clues, an old friend asks Annie to protect her young daughter. And as more bodies turn up around the grounds, she’s going to need all her sharpshooting skills just to stay alive.

Can Annie live up to her reputation and put a bullseye on the killer?

Folly at the Fair is the third book in the Annie Oakley mystery series. If you like strong heroines, Wild West adventures, and suspenseful twists and turns, then you’ll love Kari Bovée’s fast-paced whodunit.

Buy the Book:
Audible ~ Amazon
Add to Goodreads

  Meet the Author:

When she’s not on a horse, or walking along the beautiful cottonwood-laden acequias of Corrales, New Mexico; or basking on white sand beaches under the Big Island Hawaiian sun, Kari Bovee is escaping into the past—scheming murder and mayhem for her characters both real and imagined, and helping them to find order in the chaos of her action-packed novels. Bovee writes the award-winning Annie Oakley Mystery Series and the Grace Michelle Mystery Series, and has more ideas than time for many, many more.
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​Connect with the author:  Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram
~ Pinterest

My Review

Folly at the Fair (An Annie Oakley Mystery) by Kari Bovee was another great addition to the series! I have to say I really love how Annie is a strong female character in a western themes series, this is the first Western I've read/heard where the main character is a strong capable female. I really loved Annie in this book with how she had so much on her plate, but she still stepped up to bat any way!