» Children

Mailbox Monday…01.30.12

The Book Faery — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:47:22 +0000

Mailbox Monday is where other bloggers write about the books they received the previous week. The Mailbox Monday is now going on a blog tour with the host for the month of January being at At Home With Books. Visit the blog to see what books made it’s way and check out the others who are participating like me in the Monday Mailbox Meme.

Keiko the Koala by Jill Ann Storti – Everyone shares one thing in common. We are all different from each other and it is our diversity, which makes each person unique. “Keiko the Koala” is so much more than a book. It’s a powerful tool for parents to teach their children how to build strong relationships and self esteem. Young children will cherish Keiko in their formative years because he is comforting and entertaining. This exciting story is immediately rewarding to children, as they hear about the adventure of a koala bear, who finds himself lost in the forest. As he meets other animals, he quickly learns that he is different from other bears. You feel the anticipation as Keiko searches for a way out of the forest. While on his journey, he meets a young boy named Cody and they become friends. Cody is sad because he is different from other kids. Keiko teaches him that being different is what makes us special.

Six Ways To Keep The “Good” In Your Boy by Dannah Gresh - When bestselling author Dannah Gresh was body-slammed by her 12-year-old son, she was hit with reality: raising a boy is a whole new ballgame!

A boy’s relationship with his mom during the formative age between 8 and 12 is vital to his future well-being. So how can moms teach sons to be honest, confident, and respectful when the world and situations encourage them to make bad decisions and grow up too fast?

Dannah’s practical experience and research, along with advice from her husband, Bob Gresh, provide a mom with six proactive ways to help her son:

honor his body in a healthy way
get outside to play unplugged
live out his faith

All summaries come from Barnes & Noble book overviews.

Are Books Really Dead? {Guest #Author: T.M. Wallace}

The Book Faery — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:28:03 +0000

There are nasty rumours floating around the web these days about the demise of the book. Some people in the industry are afraid that the rise of the e-book means that the printed copy of a book will soon be extinct. Many tie the future of the book to the baby boomer generation: that is to say, the book will die out after that generation leaves. As a writer and educator, I like to believe that there is room for both e-books and the printed copy in our complicated modern world.

As a writer who loves to read and write printed books, I can’t help getting a little nervous when people say that the printed book is on the verge of extinction. Yet, there is a place for different kinds of books, just as there is room for many different kinds of art. In fact, saying that there is no place in the world for the printed book is a bit like saying there is no room for paintings, that all the visual arts will be replaced by the electronic versions of themselves. At the extreme end, it is like saying that our lives in this physical world will be replaced by lives in a digital one – and that is simply not going to happen.

As an educator, I can see that the printed book is still very much alive and well. While the new generation is reading more electronic versions of both fiction and non-fiction books in the classroom, the majority of students still read the printed versions of books. Younger children are still absorbed by picture books and that early experience with paper. Even though children are at the same time exposed to all kinds of computer learning games, the experience of reading a paper book remains an important and primary way of learning about the world. The library is still a favourite place for students of all ages and book fairs are still popular, especially as a fund-raising activity.

There is room for both printed books and e-books in the modern world, but that necessitates a lot of change within the book industry. There is no doubt that publishing is becoming a complicated business. It used to be enough to print and publish the paper copy of a book and distribute that book via physical bookstores and libraries. Now, the same book has to be published simultaneously in many different e-book formats such as; mobi, epub, azw, ereader and pdf, just to name a few. This plethora of ebook formats has aptly been referred to as the “Tower of eBabel.” Yet, this confusing variety of ebook platforms only highlights what is driving ebook pubishing in the first place: the fact that people like choice.

Now you can choose whether to read a paper book or an ebook of the same novel. Right now my husband is reading a paperback novel. However, he will at various times also read on his ipad or his kindle – this depending entirely on the situation. When he reads in bed at night, he reads on his ipad, which is back-lit. In his sunny backyard, he reads on his kindle. (The kindle has E-ink which, like the printed book requires bright light for optimal reading.) When having a bath or when going to the park, he takes along the paperback version, which is much more forgiving of moisture and sudden falls.

Happily, the end result of all this choice is that people can read more, and more often. Literacy is even more important (and more accessible) with the rise of the internet than it has ever been in the past, and the future is brighter for authors and readers alike. No one really knows what the future holds for the printed book, but there is no reason to assume that a new technology must completely supplant the old way of doing things. Like many thousands of others, I have elected to enjoy the choices that technology offers. I am happy to read an e-book or a paper version of a book as the mood strikes me. In my world, both paper and E-ink peacefully co-exist.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…T. M. Wallace lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and four children. At eight years old, she won a short story contest and was published in a local newspaper. She wrote her first book at ten years old called The Adventures of Pinkstar, about a stuffed rabbit who magically comes to life. T. M. Wallace received her Master’s degree in English Literature from Carleton University and a degree in Education from the University of Ottawa. In 2010 her latest book, Under A Fairy Moon, was a quarter-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel awards.

You can visit her website at www.tmwallace.com. Follow her on Twitter (@TMWallace1).

Addy Marten sets out to explore her new neighbour’s beautiful garden, and especially the rows of mysterious stone statues that she has glimpsed through her bedroom window. Instead of the enticing hideaway she has imagined, however, she finds herself trapped in the Median Realms, and an unwilling pawn in a game of Fairy Chess. She must use all her courage and wits to win the game and free herself from malicious fairy creatures and their twisted fairy-tale world.

Paperback: 222 pages

Publisher: Brownridge Publishing (July 19, 2011)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0986865702

ISBN-13: 978-0986865701

Under a Fairy Moon, T.M. Wallace {#Book Review}

The Book Faery — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:17:16 +0000

Addy Marten sets out to explore her new neighbour’s beautiful garden, and especially the rows of mysterious stone statues that she has glimpsed through her bedroom window. Instead of the enticing hideaway she has imagined, however, she finds herself trapped in the Median Realms, and an unwilling pawn in a game of Fairy Chess. She must use all her courage and wits to win the game and free herself from malicious fairy creatures and their twisted fairy-tale world.

Paperback: 222 pages
Publisher: Brownridge Publishing (July 19, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0986865702
ISBN-13: 978-0986865701

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…T. M. Wallace lives in Ontario, Canada. She received her Masters degree in English Literature from Carleton University and has a degree in Education from the University of Ottawa. Writing for children is a passion that began early in her youth when she started writing stories for the local paper. Her first novel, “Under A Fairy Moon” was a quarter-finalist in the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards.

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS…First, you know that I HAD to get a copy of this book since I absolutely LOVE fairies, bad and nice, (as if it’s not obvious…haha). Second, I LOVE this cover. I’m honestly drawn to this cover whenever I see it. To me it evokes secrets, magic, and adventure in a hidden world. GORGEOUS! And that is exactly how the book was. It was a delight to read Under a Fairy Moon with the kids. Each night they looked forward to the next adventurous scene. When I asked my 10 year old son what he thought about the book he said…

UNDER A FAIRY MOON was so descriptive that I could envision myself as Connor fighting a skeleton to save Addy. (side-note: Hearing my kids use words like “envision” just absolutely blow my mind…you can tell they read a lot and/or pay attention to how others speak when describing something.) I very much enjoyed all the different magical creatures and people in the story. I recommend this book to other kids like me who like to pretend to be in other worlds filled with magical things and adventures.

Our book Rating: 4 out of 4 stars

I received a copy to review for the book tour with Pump Up Your Book in exchange for my honest opinion. No monies were given for this review. I am however a LinkShare/B&N affiliate.

Today’s B&N #FREE e-books {#Book #Spotlight}

The Book Faery — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:43:41 +0000

I love my Nook Color and I love getting free e-books for my Nook even more. So many free books to choose from! If you’d like to be a Nook Friend so we can borrow books between each other, feel free to add thebookfaeryreviews@gmail.com as a friend.

Please note that these were FREE as of TODAY. I can not guarantee that they will be free at a later time from this post. Hopefully you’ll get the chance to download them while they remain free.

Below are today’s latest free finds (click the covers to the download pages)…

SELF-HELP

BUSINESS / FINANCES

ADULT FICTION

CHILDREN’S FICTION

YOUNG ADULT FICTION

CLASSICS

MISCELLANEOUS

Found any new free ebooks lately?

I am a LinkShare affiliate. Some images contain a Linkshare which compensates me a little.

A Mother’s Journey to Self-Publishing {Guest #Author: Kirstan Graham + #Giveaway}

The Book Faery — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 08:26:20 +0000

Since I was a young child I have been entranced by the written word. I devoured every book set in my path and always saw myself someday creating my own books. It wasn’t until recently that I finally found the motivation and inspiration to achieve those dreams. I had left a successful career in graphic design to raise my daughter and together we explored the world through books and outdoor adventures at our local zoo. Facing my mortality after a cancer diagnosis I wanted to focus my energy on creating something lasting for her to remember our time together.

Like me, my daughter is a voracious reader. At only 15 months she was demanding her favorite books be read repeatedly, sometimes our reading sessions would last hours, and I was always looking for new material that engaged her. She would be most entertained by books that set forth questions and required participation with flap flipping or object hunting. Mostly she gravitated to animals. Any animals really, but she particularly loved those she could find at the zoo.

We would play games as we went from exhibit to exhibit. I would ask, “I see something yellow, can you find something fuzzy, yellow and tall?” Her exuberant cries of “I see it! I see him! What he doin Mama?” would follow and I would bask in the wonder of a child’s ability to comprehend her world.

A child’s wonder and a mothers love, that is the heart of I see… Savannah. It is a book that captures the adventure and curiosity of my young daughter, and incorporates my motherly desire to follow along on her discovery. Thankfully, my prognosis is good, and I will hopefully be here to share her world for many years to come. But just in case, I know I spent my energy distilling this time into a book that will not only be a lasting gift to her, but perhaps also a gift to be shared by many other parents with many other adventurous children.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Kirstan was all about her traditional career until she looked into the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen. Since that amazing moment she has focused on wielding her ten-plus years of graphic design experience, a B.A. in Arts & Letters, and every other creative bone in her body to start her own freelance venture, allowing her to be lost in those eyes every single day.

A lifelong Portland native and greyhound enthusiast, she enjoys spending time in Stumptown with her husband, baby girl, two adorable whippets and their super fluffy kitty. When not behind her Mac working on the latest graphic design project on the desk, she can be found fusing glass, reading, catching a movie, or generally anywhere there is nature, art or dogs.

CONNECT WITH KIRSTAN ON HER…Website, Blog, Graphic Design Business, Etsy Store

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS…Thanks to the author, since LittleOne and I enjoyed the cute e-book so much, we’re giving away a copy of I See…Savannah to a lucky commentor of The Book Faery Reviews so that you can share it with a little one. All you have to do is leave a comment for the author!

Of course liking our The Book Faery Reviews Facebook Fan Page or The BookSnatchers Fan Page, subscribing to our enewsletter or RSS Feeds also gives you extra entries (leave a comment for each) but not a requirement. This giveaway runs now through the remainder of September. Good Luck!

Your Baby, Binoculars, and African Animals! Join your child on a safari of discovery as you both spy animal clues through your trusty binoculars. Each animal is revealed after three clues and your child will love being engaged by the simple text and whimsical characters while using their powers of observation to guess who they will find next. Meet these five unique animals on your journey: Elephant, Rhinoceros, Giraffe, Lion, and Zebra.

The first in a series of books designed to emphasize early literacy development by engaging children in print motivation and simple narrative skills — the ability to describe things and events. Whereas many books for younger children are too busy with overcomplicated illustrations, this book is delightfully rendered in a sleek and fluid style which appeals to younger readers. This book is intended for children 0-6 years, using ebook devices, younger children will have more fun with adult participation. Twenty-two full page color illustrations ideal for Kindle on iPad/iPhone and other color devices.

Pub. Date: March 2011

Publisher: DKGraham

Format: (eBook)

Age Range: For infants or children in preschool

Series: I see… Animals Series #1

I’m Not Fat Because I Wanna Be, LaNiyah Bailey {#Book Spotlight + #Giveaway}

The Book Faery — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:45:11 +0000

I’m Not Fat Because I Wanna Be is a story written by 6 year old LaNiyah Bailey who struggled with being made fun of by other kids because of her weight. As a parent who’s dealt with this with one of my own children over the years, I’m amazed at this young girls bravery. The fact that she openly shared what she went through so others in her situation could feel a little better about themselves just makes me feel as proud as if I was her parent. In a world so caught up on looks, we’re not realizing the pain and bad examples we set for our children. They see us point out others who are different, therefore, they do too. Then when our loved ones face the problem Miss Bailey did, it puts things into a different perspective for us (and sadly it took a child’s pain to see it). I hope more of us rethink our old thoughts and behaviors. I know it has been a real eye opener for me and my husband over the last 4-5 years. Instead as parents and adults we should be telling the children that we are ALL beautiful and unique. That we don’t have to look like the super model or mannequin at the store. We were made individually therefore we will all look different.

I HIGHLY recommend sharing this book with other adults who work with other children dealing with weight issues and even those who don’t. It’s the perfect launch into a more in-depth conversation about bullying and self-image. Visit the author’s site for additional resources that will surely help you in your discussion.

You can read my daughter’s review of I’m Not Fat Because I Wanna Be HERE. She’s also hosting a book giveaway there now through the rest of August. Be sure to stop by if you get the chance and leave her a comment for a chance to receive a copy of I’m Not Fat Because I Wanna Be by LaNiyah Bailey.

In her debut book “Not FAT Because I Wanna Be” 6 year old, author/youth advocate, LaNiyah Bailey, details the struggle of Jessica, a fictional girl who has an underlying medical issue that causes her to gain weight. Bullied by her peers, Jessica learns to accept her body and eventually opens up about her condition to her classmates. – FROM AMAZON

Paperback: 42 pages

Publisher: CreateSpace (March 2, 2011)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1461006767

ISBN-13: 978-1461006763

BUY THE BOOK… Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Author Site - Autographed Hardback | Author Site – eBook

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…LaNiyah Bailey is a 6 year-old kindergartner from Chicago. In such a short period of time this 6 year old, has been through a lot.

Born October 9, 2004 she came into the world “smiling” at 6 lbs 9oz. At that time LaNiyah’s parents knew she was “special.” LaNiyah has a cool and true story to tell about how she now deals with kids taunting and teasing her because she’s “different.”

LaNiyah had to learn that everyone is not your friend and that the old saying: sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt me, was not true. She learned that words can hurt a lot more than sticks and stones.

But with the love and support of her family, she has over come many obstacles, which is why she wanted to share her story and let the world know, that there are other reasons some people are not “normal” and we should look at a persons heart and intentions, versus what they look like on the outside.

Visit the author’s website: www.NotFatBecauseIWannaBe.com

~World of Ink Tour Schedule for LaNiyah Bailey~

August 1^{st -}MomnBaby Network – Author Spotlight

August 2^{nd -}The Writing Mama – Author/Book Spotlight

August 3^{rd -}Roth’s Inspiring Books & Products – Book Review

August 4^{th -}Rambling of a Coffee Addicted Writer—Author Spotlight

August 5^{th -}Families Matter Blog—Interview

August 6^{th -}American Chronicle—Author Spotlight

August 7^{th -}Writing to the Hearts of Children—Book Review

August 8^{th -}The Crypto-Capers Review—Book Review | Strands of Thought – Interview

August 9^{th -}World of Ink Network – Book Spotlight

August 10^{th -}BlogCritics – Book Review

August 11^{th -}Rambling of a Coffee Addicted Writer—Book Review | Home School Blogger – Book Review

August 12^{th -}Families Matter Blog—Book Review | Health, Beauty, Children and Family – Book Review & Giveaway

August 13^{th -}Literal Exposure – Book Review & Giveaway

August 14^{th -}Roth’s Inspiring Books & Products – Interview

August 15^{th -}The Maggie Project – Guest Post: Back Story of I’m Not Fat Because I Wanna Be | BiblioReads.com – Book Review

August 16^{th -}Stories for Children Magazine FG Interview

August 17^{th -}BlogCritics: Mom Prefers—Author Spotlight

August 18^{th -}Inspired by Savannah – Book Review

August 19^{th -}The Writing Mama – Interview

August 21^{st -}Children’s and Teen Book Connection – Guest Post: Why LaNiyah Wrote her book & Review

August 22^{nd -}Mymcbooks Blog – Interview & Giveaway

August 24^{th -}The Book Faery Reviews – Author Spotlight | Book Snatchers – Book Review

August 25^{th -}Writers On The Move – Guest Post: What it is like Writing a Book as a Youth Author

August 28^{th -}Utah Children’s Writer Blog – Guest Post: Why is it Important to Write?

August 29^{th -}BTR’s World of Ink Network: Stories for Children show.

Live Radio Interview at 8pm EST at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork or call in to listen or ask questions (714) 242-5259. You can also listen on demand after the show airs!

We received a copy for reviews as part of the World of Ink Tours. No compensation was received and all opinions are our own.

August Free e-books from Sourcebooks

The Book Faery — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 02:25:52 +0000

Now until Monday the 8th, Sourcebooks is giving these ebooks away for FREE. Grab them while you can. I most definitely did for my Nook Color.

Click the image to go to the Nook Book download page or click on the book title to go to the Amazon page.

In honor of The Vampire Next Door, book 3 in the sassy paranormal romance series by Ashlyn Chase, book 1, STRANGE NEIGHBORS will be available for FREE from 8/2/11-8/8/11! How can a who is witch afraid of the dark and a vampire who can’t survive in sunlight find a way to be together?

Jeanette Baker is a beloved romance author, and Sourcebooks Casablanca is proud to be bringing her books back in print! With Catriona, a captivating tale of love, danger, and a passion that endures across the boundaries of time, heading back into stores this month, LEGACY will be available for FREE from 8/2/11-8/8/11!!

Are you looking for an adventurous book full of goblins, pixies, fairies and more? Book 2 by Jennifer A. Nielsen, Elliot and the Pixie Plot, hits stores this month but you can start the series from the beginning for FREE this week only (8/2/11-8/8/11) by reading ELLIOT AND THE GOBLIN WAR.

Haunted Mysteries {#Book Trailer}

The Book Faery — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:29:32 +0000

The kids and I loved Chris Grabenstein‘s books The Crossroads and The Hanging Hill. When I posted on Facebook how much we loved the series, Chris himself replied back and offered to send them a copy of book three in his Haunted Mysteries series, The Smokey Corridor to add to their collection. We are very much looking forward to reading it and the kids are hoping to bring him by their book blog over at BookSnatchers as a guest in the near future.

Book 1: The Crossroads

Book 2: The Hanging Hill

Book 3: Smokey Corridor

Book 4: Black Heart Crypt (Release Date: August 23, 2011)

5 Marketing Basics {Guest #Author: Karen Cioffi}

The Book Faery — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 12:31:04 +0000

Having yearly, monthly, and/or weekly marketing goals are crucial to achieving success. With goals, you know where you’re heading and can work toward that end.

Marketing goals can be considered a marketing plan, and it will have a number of steps or objectives that must be set in motion and accomplished.

Whether you’re trying to sell a product or services, five of the bare basic marketing strategies are:

1. Create a presence and platform
Creating an online presence and platform can be initiated by creating a website or blog. First though, you’ll need to be sure of your niche because the site name and content should reflect your area of expertise is.Remember, plan first. Choose a site name that will grow with you. Using an author as an example, if you choose a site name, Picture Books with [Your Name], you’ve limited yourself. What if your next book is for young adults?

Some authors create sites with the name of their book. This is a good strategy for pure focus on that one book, but again, what happens when more books become available. Will you create a site for each of your books.

While you can do this, you will be stretching yourself thin and diluting your main focus: you as the author of multiple books.

Leave room to grow; it’s always advisable to use your name as the site’s name.

In addition, with today’s gone-in-a-second attention span, it’s a good idea to keep your site simple. Sites that take a few seconds or more to load may cause you to lose potential buyers.

2. Increase visibility
Writing content for your readers/visitors is the way to increase visibility. The word is: Content is King. Provide interesting, informative, and/or entertaining content that will prompt the reader to come back.Also, be sure your content is pertinent to your site, and keep your site and content focused on your platform.

To draw traffic to your site, promote your posts by using social media. You can also do article marketing which will increase your visibility reach.

3. Draw traffic to your site
Another strategy is to offer your readers free gifts, such as an e-book relevant to your niche. This will help to increase your usefulness to the reader.This is considered organic marketing; it funnels traffic back to your site with valuable content and free offers.

4. Have effective call-to-actions
Your site must have call-to-action keywords that will motivate readers to visit and click on your links.

Keywords to use include:

Get your Free gift now for subscribing
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Free e-book to offer on your own site
Buy Now
Sign up
Don’t hesitate, take advantage of our expert services
Be sure to bookmark this site

5. Develop a relationship with your reader
You get the idea, motivate the reader to want what you’re offering and give him/her a CLEAR and VISIBLE call-to-action. Make it as simple as possible for the visitor to buy what you’re offering.

It’s been noted that only 1% of first time visitors will buy a product. Usually, only after developing a relationship through your newsletter, information, and offers will your potential customer or client click on the BUY NOW button.

While it will take some time and effort to implement and maintain these strategies, it will be worth it in the long run. Think of it as a long-term investment.

Happy marketing!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Karen Cioffi is an author and ghostwriter. Her new MG/YA fantasy book, Walking Through Walls, is based on an ancient Chinese tale.

Longing to be rich and powerful, twelve-year-old Wang studies the legend of the mystical Eternals. Certain they are real, he journeys to their temple and begins an apprenticeship with the Eternal Master. There he enters a world of magic where not everything is as it seems, and where he learns the magic formula to ‘walking through walls.’

Illustrator: Aidana Willow Raven
Genre: MG/Tween/YA
Publisher: 4RV Publishing
Publication Date: July 2011
ISBN: 978-0-9826594-7-2
Pages: 61

BUY THE BOOK… Amazon | Barnes & Noble | 4RVPublishing

(New York, New York) – The ability to slip into different eras and cultures through reading is the most glorious way to enjoy literature. Travel along through cyberspace to learn more about this 16th century ancient Chinese based tale, Walking Through Walls by Karen Cioffi.

To celebrate this unique ancient Chinese tale’s book release, we welcome your visit and encourage you to follow along through the below tour. Leave a comment with your email address and automatically be entered at a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift certificate, Writing for Children One Step at a Time e-Book, or Writing, Publishing, and Marketing – You Can Do It e-Book.

July 1 – Kelly McClymer – Book Review

July 2 – Renee Hand – Book Review

July 5 – Deb Hockenberry – Book Review and Interview

July 7 – Kathy Stemke – Book Review

July 8 – Donna McDine – “An Effective Book Marketing Strategy: Joint Ventures”

July 9 – Dianne Sagan – “Writing for Children: Finding Age Appropriate Words”

July 11 – Stephen Tremp – “Rewriting a Folktale”

July 13 – Heidi Thomas – “Book Promotion: The Foundation”

July 15 – Nancy Famolari’s Place – Book Review

July 18 – Kristin Johnson – “Is Your Character One, Two, or Three Dimensional?”

July 19 – Elysabeth Eldering – Book Review

July 21 – Susanne Drazic – Book Review

July 23 – Margaret Fieland – “Writing Focus, Determination, Perseverance, and Positive Thinking”

July 25 – Maggie Ball – “Successful Writing Strategy: Know Your Intent”

July 27 – Susanne Drazic – “Storytelling – Keep Your Reader Engaged”

July 28 – The Book Faery Reviews - Author Guest Post and Book Review

July 30 – Beverly McClure – “Writing for Free – A Means to an End: Visibility”

Mailbox Monday…07.11.11

The Book Faery — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 04:06:11 +0000

Mailbox Monday is where other bloggers write about the books they received the previous week. The Mailbox Monday is now going on a blog tour with the host for the month of July being A Sea of Books. Visit her blog to see what books made it her way and check out the others who are participating like me in the Monday Mailbox Meme.

Perfect You by Holly Skelton (Children’s Fiction) Future Review & Author Guest Post @my children’s book blog BookSnatchers. - In this letter from God, children will discover He has blessed them with gifts and talents that make them unique and able to serve the world in a very special way! Could the gift of bravery make you a police officer or firefighter, or could your compassion help you to be a great doctor or teacher? The possibilities are endless!

Perfect You is a story for parents to share with their children to encourage them to discover their talents so that they can live a life of purpose and happiness. – FROM THE BOOK BACK

Cry to Heaven by Anne Rice (Adult Fiction) Latest hardback book purchase for my personal shelves. - Anne Rice demonstrates her power to enthrall the reader as she makes real for us the exalted and fearful life of an extraordinary society–the eighteenth-century world of the castrati, the male sopranos whose glorious voices, unmatched by any singers since their time, brought them the adulation of the royal courts and grand opera houses of Europe. This is a novel that charms, shocks, and moves us by its portrayal of passionate and fascinating lives, by its re-creation of a strange and exotic moment in history–and by the ways in which it considers, and adds resonance to, our deepest images of the masculine and the feminine. It is a mesmerizing feat of storytelling. – FROM B&N (I am an affiliate.)

The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly (Fantasy Fiction) Latest used book purchase for my personal shelves. - High in his attic bedroom, twelve-year-old David mourns the death of his mother. He is angry and alone, with only the books on his shelf for company. But those books have begun to whisper to him in the darkness, and as he takes refuge in his imagination, he finds that reality and fantasy have begun to meld. While his family falls apart around him, David is violently propelled into a land that is a strange reflection of his own world, populated by heroes and monsters, and ruled over by a faded king who keeps his secrets in a mysterious book… The Book of Lost Things.

An imaginative tribute to the journey we must all make through the loss of innocence into adulthood, John Connolly’s latest novel is a book for every adult who can recall the moment when childhood began to fade, and for every adult about to face that moment. The Book of Lost Things is a story of hope for all who have lost, and for all who have yet to lose. It is an exhilarating tale that reminds us of the enduring power of stories in our lives.

Altar of Bones by Philip Carter (Thriller Fiction) Latest hardback book purchase for my personal shelves. - “They didn’t have to kill him…He never drank from the altar of bones.”

Cryptic dying words from a murdered homeless woman in present day San Francisco unlock a decades-buried secret that changed history. Now a pair of ruthless assassins are sent to cut the few living “loose ends.” And a young, resourceful woman on the run encounters a determined man with his own connected past and vengeful agenda. Forced to partner for survival and answers, a fast-paced and deadly game of cat and mouse ensues, taking them across the globe from the winding streets of Paris to the faded palaces of Budapest to the frozen lakes of Mongolia…where destiny, passion, and further betrayal await them.

The Altar of Bones has it all: The Russian mob. KGB spies. Presidential assasination. A doomed Hollywood legend. Deathbed confessions. Corrosive power. Shattered families. Guardians of an ancient religious icon housing a secret others will kill to possess. The dark promise of immortality. And it delivers on its ambitious premise to leave you stunned and breathless at the end.

The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue (Fantasy Fiction) Latest hardback book purchase for my personal shelves. - Inspired by the WB Yeats poem that tempts a child from home to the waters and the wild, The Stolen Child is a modern fairy tale narrated by the child Henry Day and his double.On a summer night, Henry Day runs away from home and hides in a hollow tree. There he is taken by the changelings—an unaging tribe of wild children who live in darkness and in secret. They spirit him away, name him Aniday, and make him one of their own. Stuck forever as a child, Aniday grows in spirit, struggling to remember the life and family he left behind. He also seeks to understand and fit in this shadow land, as modern life encroaches upon both myth and nature.In his place, the changelings leave a double, a boy who steals Henry’s life in the world. This new Henry Day must adjust to a modern culture while hiding his true identity from the Day family. But he can’t hide his extraordinary talent for the piano (a skill the true Henry never displayed), and his dazzling performances prompt his father to suspect that the son he has raised is an imposter. As he ages the new Henry Day becomes haunted by vague but persistent memories of life in another time and place, of a German piano teacher and his prodigy. Of a time when he, too, had been a stolen child. Both Henry and Aniday obsessively search for who they once were before they changed places in the world.The Stolen Child is a classic tale of leaving childhood and the search for identity. With just the right mix of fantasy and realism, Keith Donohue has created a bedtime story for adults and a literary fable of remarkable depth and strange delights.