Good Luck Chestnut: And Other Lucky Colors of the World by Linda Gruenberg
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Children’s
Rated: 5 stars
Reviewed by Snapdragon
Good Luck Chestnut is a picture book full of colorful horses and colorful kids. In theory, the watercolor paintings illustrate horse colors, but in practice, they also capture the way children use horses as jungle gyms. The children sit backwards, hop on by leapfrogging, belly-flop off the horse into water, everything but sit forward in a saddle, riding-lesson proper. The names of horse colors are embedded in the text, while the various nationalities of the children visually round out the book’s concept. Any child should find themselves somewhere in the illustrations. This book is just yearning to be read aloud. The whole thing is a playground of rollicking slant rhymes hurtling itself toward the last simple message that every child deserves to hear.
Archives for June 2021
Book of the Month Poll Winner ~ Good Luck Chestnut: And Other Lucky Colors of the World by Linda Gruenberg
The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan
The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Genre: Historical, Fiction
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by LavenderIn late March 1944, as Stalin’s forces push into Ukraine, young Emil and Adeline Martel must make a terrible decision: Do they wait for the Soviet bear’s intrusion and risk being sent to Siberia? Or do they reluctantly follow the wolves—murderous Nazi officers who have pledged to protect “pure-blood” Germans?
The Martels are one of many families of German heritage whose ancestors have farmed in Ukraine for more than a century. But after already living under Stalin’s horrifying regime, Emil and Adeline decide they must run in retreat from their land with the wolves they despise to escape the Soviets and go in search of freedom.
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Caught between two warring forces and overcoming horrific trials to pursue their hope of immigrating to the West, the Martels’ story is a brutal, complex, and ultimately triumphant tale that illuminates the extraordinary power of love, faith, and one family’s incredible will to survive and see their dreams realized.
The Last Green Valley is inspiring as well as entertaining. A family who is ethnically German but living in Ukraine in 1944 is caught between the bear and the wolves (Stalin and Hitler). What a terrible decision. They do what they must to survive, and extreme danger is at every turn.
This family—the Martels—and their near relatives flee as refugees, and life is difficult, to say the least. Heart-breaking decisions must be made along the way, and the Martels suffer in different manners. Sometimes the troubles are physical, but sometimes they are mental and emotional and…haunting. How is this family going to survive such trials?
Emil Martel has lost his faith, even though his wife Adeline has not. Then they meet a man who appears to have lost his link with reality. This man changes Emil’s life in an unexpected way.
The manner in which the Martels deal with their troubles is quite moving. Their triumphs will feel like the readers’ triumphs. The author of this book has done a great job at making the characters and their world so real. This is a memorable story and should be on the reading list of anyone who enjoys true historical stories.
Stranded With Her Bullies by Sam Crescent
Stranded With Her Bullies by Sam Crescent
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by FernWhen a lockdown is declared, Daphne is forced to close her successful bed-and-breakfast for the foreseeable future, which she expects to spend alone. However, three men from her past didn’t leave with all the others. After twelve years, her high school bullies are back. She doesn’t know what game they’re playing, but she won’t be part of it.
Eric, Micah, and Dean intend to win her heart. What started as a challenge soon turns into more as the three friends band together to claim the woman of their dreams. There was only supposed to be one victor, but now they will all win.
Daphne doesn’t plan to fall for them, but when an opportunity opens up, they’re just too damn hot to turn down.
It’s a lockdown full of promise. Three guys, one girl, and many possibilities. Why not enjoy the moment, even if she doesn’t intend for it to last forever. Or will it?
Daphne had carried on with her grandmother’s B&B, a beautiful quaint place near the mountains. Closed until further notice due to the pandemic and the lockdown, she’s looking forward to the quiet as a chance to recharge her batteries and tinker with the B&B and be ship-shape when they reopen. She hadn’t counted on the three very determined men who flatly refused to check out or leave her premises. Eric, Micah and Dean had been her high school bullies – the three handsome, popular, intelligent men who had made her teenage years miserable. They were determined to win her over, but Daphne was equally determined never to let them have any sort of power over her ever again. Can they weather this storm together?
A part of me wasn’t sure if this was a little too soon for me. With much of the world still in dire trouble from the pandemic – and lockdowns and clusters still popping up here and there to keep society as a whole on their toes – I really wasn’t sure I wanted to read a story where, even loosely, the pandemic and lockdown was a part of the fictional world I immersed myself in. I feel strongly for some readers this won’t be the right fit – yet – and so I’m grateful the author was quite up front about those settings. I still don’t think I want to be reading too much about pandemic life and lockdowns, but I have to admit the references were fairly fleeting and limited to only sporadic comments throughout the story which I was grateful for.
I also wasn’t really sold on the idea that Daphne could overlook such horrible treatment through school from the trio of men and give in to her sexual craving for them. To actually enjoy the story I really needed to just disconnect my brain and try to go with the flow. I didn’t question the logic – regardless of how sexy they were or how hot the attraction, how could someone fall in love with the bullies who made her childhood hell? – and I just relaxed and enjoyed the sexy shenanigans.
Once I got to this place, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Three hot and handsome men with no one else around to judge or criticize Daphne or her choices… It was a decent fantasy. Readers looking for a steamy hot menage style of story – three men with one woman – should find that this suits their needs delightfully. While the three men are best friends, they are not sexually intimate, but they are open and communicate their desires and talk about the changing scenarios of their desires with Daphne, so there’s no real cheating (in the traditional sense) and while Daphne is kept in the dark about their discussions and bets/deals for some time, the men are all honest with each other.
I really don’t feel this will be enjoyed by every reader – both the style and plotline are a bit on the edge of what’s romantic verses what’s erotic/dark-romance, but for readers who want something a little edgier I feel this is a well written and quite intense storyline that should appeal to many. With plenty of intimacy and some intense scenes this is a very explicit story but a full length novel that should appeal to many.
Hell Raising and Other Pastimes by Jayce Carter – Spotlight and Giveaway
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Lots of people have told me to go to hell—I guess they finally got their wish.
I’ve finally accepted the fact I might not be entirely human, so you’d think life could give me a minute. Instead, I find myself sucked into hell at Lucifer’s demand, and I realize death is even more complicated than my life was.
I’m still searching for how to stop the missing spirits before it’s too late, and with no suspects other than Lucifer, I have to survive hell—where everything wants to kill me—so I can confront the devil himself. Not even my love life can be simple, though. Troy is terrified of his werewolf side hurting me, Kase and Grant are lying to me, and Hunter is keeping his own secrets. I know better than to trust anyone, especially the men who have taken over my life.
Get to Lucifer’s Court, find out the truth about the missing spirits, figure out exactly what I am, and try not to die along the way. Oh, and don’t fall in love with the men who will for sure break my heart and possibly get me killed.
Easy enough, right?
Enjoy an Excerpt
Hunter nodded, then tossed pieces of twine onto the table. “Rooms for the night. I’d say it’ll be better than sleeping on the ground, but they often rent these things by the hour.”
“Let’s just be glad they don’t have black lights here,” Grant said.
I nodded at the twine. “What’s with the rope? Does the bondage come complimentary? Come for the rooms, stay for the rope play?”
“You telling me you want me to tie you up, shadow-girl?” Hunter picked one up and reached across the table to catch my wrist. He tied it on me, the feeling of his strong fingers against me enough to make me wonder if the rooms might give us a second, spider-free, shot at sex. “These are enchanted to get us into the rooms. Think of it like a keycard, hell-style. We have four rooms, and the sigil on the bead matches the one on the door of the room.”
I twisted the string on my wrist. “There isn’t a bead on mine.”
“That’s because you’re approved for all the rooms.”
The statement sounded nice until math caught up with me and fucked me like it always did. “That means I’m not getting my own room, doesn’t it?”
Hunter didn’t even try to look sorry. “It isn’t nearly safe enough for you to sleep alone, shadow-girl. You’ll bunk down with someone else.”
“And let me guess—you’re offering?”
About the Author Jayce Carter lives in Southern California with her husband and two spawns. She originally wanted to take over the world but realized that would require wearing pants. This led her to choosing writing, a completely pants-free occupation. She has a fear of heights yet rock climbs for fun and enjoys making up excuses for not going out and socializing.
Buy the book at Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, or Totally Bound.
Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for June 30, 2021
Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly “blog hop”. For more details on how to participate, please click here.
NOTE: we also host the Friday Five–a fun writing prompt blog hop and would love to see you there!
Every month, we’ll have a giveaway with four winners — prizes for June will be winner’s choice of a $5 Amazon GC -or- a 3 month LASR Cover only ad! Enter on the Rafflecopter below (but make sure you also include your URL on the link list).
Today’s topic is: A person who inspired me
Broken by Elise Faber
*Broken by Elise Faber
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by LarkspurHe was forty years old.
He was single.
He had his dream job as GM of the Baltimore Breakers hockey franchise, and he was happy.Lie.
Because the woman he was in love with was married.
To a perfectly nice man who loved her and cared for her and treated her like the queen she was.
But then Lexi showed up at his house, tears in her eyes, Caleb out of the picture, and he finally had a shot.
A real shot.
At love.
The trouble was that Luc had spent almost the entirety of his adult life running from love. He didn’t do relationships, not any longer.
But . . . Lexi was hurt, absolutely devastated, and she needed care and gentleness and deserved all of the romance in the world.
So he needed to man up and find a way to convince her to give him that shot.
I loved reading Broken, it is a beautifully written story about Luc and Lexi. Luc, a former hockey player, is now the GM for the Baltimore Breakers hockey team. Luc immediately falls for Lexi, when she starts working for the Breakers as their attorney. When Luc finds out Lexi is married and he realizes he can’t date her, he becomes her best friend. Until Luc finally has a chance to win Lexi when she divorces her husband.
Elise Faber is one of my favorite authors. I think she is a wonderful storyteller and she does a fantastic job in telling Luc and Lexis’ story. I found this story to be light and refreshing with great plot weaving. The characters are well developed and realistic and I loved reading their story. At times I found this story to be both heartbreaking and heartwarming and there is a lot of underlying tension zinging between Luc and Lexi. It is slow burn at its finest and I loved all the interactions between Luc and Lexi; as two best friends slowly fall in love.
Luc is a good guy and the perfect boyfriend. I loved the way he treats Lexi; he is so patient with her and he never wavers in his feelings for her. Luc is charming, thoughtful and caring and totally dedicated to Lexi.
Luc and Lexi have so much passion about life, their relationship and for each other. They are perfect together. I never wanted this story to end and I loved being in Luc and Lexi’s world. I felt all their emotions as they were going through them and I enjoyed all their interactions. As an added bonus, this story takes place in the world of hockey, where Luc and Lexi both work and I love any book about hockey. I thoroughly enjoyed this upbeat story.
Sun, Sea and Satisfaction Guaranteed by Hannah Murray
Sun, Sea and Satisfaction Guaranteed by Hannah Murray
Publisher: Totally Entwined
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by MoonflowerWhat’s a vacation without a fling?
The last place Clio Reed wants to be in the middle of July is on a cruise ship in the Caribbean, but when the matriarch of the Reed family calls for a family vacation, everyone listens. Clio figures this vacation will be an exercise in annoyance and frustration, but she didn’t count on her great-aunt’s new husband—or his son…
Fox may be her new step-cousin, but after one look at the dark-haired, green-eyed hottie with the perpetual grin and amazing forearms, her feelings for him are anything but familial.
Maybe this cruise won’t be such a drag after all.
Definitely naughty, but oh so nice!
As someone who is also not a doer, this Family Vacation Week sounds like a nightmare! Not my idea of a holiday at all. However, if Fox turned up, then maybe it won’t be so bad. Or at least, that’s what Clio thinks. For saying she said once and done, it certainly didn’t work out that way.
This was a fun-filled frolic of a summer romance, with plenty of laughs and family hijinks to enjoy. The pace is fast as it all takes place over one week (and some of those days are skipped) but it gives you what you want. The characters are all wonderful, and I would love to see more of them.
A great book to enjoy in the sun and absolutely recommended by me.
Unbound by Kirsten Weiss – Spotlight and Giveaway
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kirsten Weiss will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Three Witches and a Metaphysical Detective…
Riga just wants to mentor three young witches and go home. Doyle witch Jayce wouldn’t take help if it landed on her. But when a man is murdered in front of their eyes, these two must learn to work together. Because a dead man is the least of their worries… Jayce Bonheim loves magic and Doyle, California. But she and her small town have been paying a deadly price for the fairy gate she and her sisters can’t close. Now, a society of dark magicians has returned to town, a deadly winged monster has come through the gate, and an old friend has been murdered. And the new mentor who’s supposed to help Jayce and her sisters seems to have an agenda of her own…
It was supposed to be a simple training gig for Riga Hayworth, not a murder investigation. Still reeling from a tragic mistake in her past, she’s determined to stay retired. But the murder and the town’s magic seem tied together. Can Riga resist the lure of an investigation?
A thrilling and funny paranormal mystery, packed with magic, mystery, and murder. Perfect for fans of Mercy Thompson, Supernatural, and Charlaine Harris. Buy Unbound and start reading this page-turning witch mystery.
Enjoy an Excerpt
Dear Ms. Hayworth:
Where to begin? I suppose I must begin with my hometown, Doyle, which is located on a fairy gate. A fairy queen came through that gate in the 1800s, decided she liked the look of the place, and stayed. It did not go well.
In all honesty, I’m not sure if that’s the beginning of the tale either. It’s only as far as our records go. At any rate, the fairy queen tormented the town until the Bonheim sisters, triplets and witches, booted her out. However, when they returned the queen to her land, they were unable to completely shut the door behind her.
That’s when we learned the queen’s presence in our world had had its benefits. It seems she prevented other creatures from Fairy from invading our world. Now that the queen is gone, they’re returning.
The Bonheims have done a yeoman’s job dealing with these incursions. But the open gate has attracted the attention of dark magicians, including, most recently, a black lodge.
You’ve been recommended as someone with deep experience in dealing with both black lodges and solo practitioners of the dark arts. I propose to engage you to mentor the Bonheim sisters in magical self-defense. Enclosed is a retainer, in the hope that you will accept the commission.
(Please note there are two Doyles, so be sure to come to the correct Doyle, located between Angels Camp and Bear Valley. Please note there are also two Bear Valleys. The one nearest to Angels Camp is the correct one).
Sincerely,
Helena Steinberg
About the Author:Kirsten Weiss has never met a dessert she didn’t like, and her guilty pleasures are watching Ghost Whisperer re-runs and drinking red wine. The latter gives her heartburn, but she drinks it anyway.
Now based in Colorado Springs, CO, she writes genre-blending cozy mystery, supernatural and steampunk suspense, mixing her experiences and imagination to create vivid worlds of fun and enchantment.
If you like funny cozy mysteries, check out her Pie Town – http://www.kirstenweiss.com/pie-town-mysteries, Tea and Tarot -https://www.kirstenweiss.com/tea-and-tarot-mysteries, Paranormal Museum- http://www.kirstenweiss.com/the-perfectly-proper-paranormal-mus-1 and Wits’ End – http://www.kirstenweiss.com/doyle-cozy-mystery-series books. If you’re looking for some magic with your mystery, give the Witches of Doyle – http://www.kirstenweiss.com/doyle-witch-cozy-mysteries, Riga Hayworth – http://www.kirstenweiss.com/riga-hayworth-paranormal-mysteries and Rocky Bridges – http://www.kirstenweiss.com/rocky-bridges-mysteries books a try. And if you like steampunk, the Sensibility Grey – http://www.kirstenweiss.com/sensibility-grey-steampunk-suspense series might be for you.
Kirsten sends out original short stories of mystery and magic to her mailing list. If you’d like to get them delivered straight to your inbox, make sure to sign up for her newsletter at her website.
BookBub | Instagram | Facebook | Email (she’ll answer you personally…which may be a good or a bad thing, depending on your perspective.
Book Series
Sensibility Grey Steampunk Suspense
Tea and Tarot cozy mysteries
Pie Town cozy mysteries
Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum cozy mysteries
Doyle Witch
Doyle Cozy
Riga Hayworth
Buy the book at Amazon.
Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books of the Second Half of 2021
Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
I’m beyond excited for all of these books.
Yes, I know that all I’ll be doing on September 7 is reading based on how many of these titles come out then. LOL!
1. The Bennet Women by Eden Appiah-Kubi
Publication Date: September 1
Why: It’s a retelling of Pride and Prejudice. How cool is that?
2. Empire of the Vampire (Empire of the Vampire, #1) by Jay Kristoff
Publication Date: September 7
Why: I love stories about scary vampires, and this one definitely seems like it fits the bill.
3. The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros
Publication Date: September 7
Why: This looks like a nice blend of mystery and dark fantasy.
4.We Are Not Broken by George M. Johnson
Publication Date: September 7
Why: Coming-of-age novels are the perfect thing to start September off with if you ask me.
5. Yusuf Azeem is Not a Hero by Saadia Faruqi
Publication Date: September 7
Why: It’s hard to believe that we’ll be observing the 20th anniversary of 9/11 this year. I’m curious to see how this book handles that topic, especially for readers who weren’t alive then or weren’t old enough to remember it.
6. Mary, Will I Die? by Shawn Sarles
Publication Date: September 7
Why: The idea of Bloody Mary freaked me out when I was a kid! I want to know why these characters were brave or foolhardy enough to try to summon her.
7. To Break a Covenant by Alison Ames
Publication Date: September 7
Why: Ghost stories are the best, and this one looks particularly fun.
8. Hello (From Here) by Chandler Baker
Publication Date: September 7
Why: I’m ready for a love story set during Covid-19 lockdowns. Do you all feel the same way?
9. The Shaadi Set-Up by Lillie Vale
Publication Date: September 7
Why: Online dating can be so complicated. I like reading books about characters who must navigate it.
10. A Lot Like Adios by Alexis Daria
Publication Date: September 14 (Look! We finally moved past September 7. Haha!)
Why: I don’t normally read many romance novels, but I do like the second chance trope. After the 2020 and 2021 so many of us have endured, I’m in the mood for happily ever afters for everyone.
The Pretenders by Joan Wolf
The Pretenders by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by MistflowerGentle Reader:
At the time it seemed like a good idea. Reeve and I had been friends since childhood, so when he needed to persuade his trustee to turn over his inheritance, we decided to pretend to get engaged. Reeve was the Earl of Cambridge, after all. It wasn’t fair for him not to have his money.
Who would have thought that Lord Bradford would insist we actually marry before he handed over the dibs? Who would have thought that my feelings for Reeve would change so radically, that I would want him as a lover as well as a friend? And who would have thought that someone would be trying to kill me before I even made it to the altar?
—- Deborah Woodly
Oh my goodness! The Pretenders is the epitome of a romance book. You just have to trust me on this. A Best Book for me is when the hero and heroine demonstrate to a reader what love is and how it feels. The writing style was fluent, articulate and chatty. There are several characters that were well developed and relatable. There were many vivid settings throughout the story. The length of the scenes and the speed at which the author distributed the story made for a perfect pace. I highly recommend this story to go on readers’ “to be read” list. It’s going on my keeper shelf. The hero, Reeve , is going on my book boyfriend list. The synopsis was the perfect commercial which gave me the highlights and caught my interest and attention. The plot was exciting, emotional with unexpected series of events. My review is just a bit of why The Pretenders is my new favorite book.
The heroine, Deborah, was my ideal heroine. She was independent, smart, responsible, caring, and loyal with a bit of rebelliousness. She was the hero, Reeve’s, best friend.
Reeve had similar characteristics, however he had an irresponsible streak as a result from some unfair set of circumstances. These unfair set of circumstances were what drove Deborah and Reeve together into their scheme. A scheme that had me laughing and shaking my head with a smile. This and much more will make more sense once the book is read. Therefore, without giving out spoilers, all I can suggest is to pick up this book and start reading.
There is a great deal of enjoyable depth to this book. Many layers, and plot twists. I have no choice but to be vague because I refuse to spoil anything. What I enjoyed most was seeing the transition between Deb and Reeve from childhood friends to something more. The chemistry between them was undeniable. The epilogue was exquisitely beautiful.
If you are looking for a heart touching romance book then this is an excellent possibility. I, for one, highly recommend The Pretenders by Joan Wolf.
