Archives for June 2021

Friday Five Writing Prompt Challenge for June 11, 2021

June 11, 2021 By 1 Comment

Each Friday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly five word writing prompt. For more details on how to participate, please click here.

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 five words to use as your prompt are: essay, sound, question, game, defend

Even if they manage to drink socially a time or two, or even more, eventually it will become effective in around half always in stock cialis prices an hour. There are people who order tadalafil online think that these issues can be sorted out with a proper solution if determined. However, moderate drinking does not harm the sexual icks.org generic levitra performance in serious way. levitra samples A new poll finds that over 90% of Americans say sex education should be taught in schools.

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Filed Under: Friday Five Writing Prompt Challenge, Miscellaneous Musings Tagged With: , , ,

The Girl Who Fell to Earth by Sophia Al-Maria

June 10, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Girl Who Fell to Earth by Sophia Al-Maria
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Genre: Historical, Memoir, Non-Fiction
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

Award-winning filmmaker and writer Sophia Al-Maria’s The Girl Who Fell to Earth is a funny and wry coming-of-age memoir about growing up in between American and Gulf Arab cultures. With poignancy and humor, Al-Maria shares the struggles of being raised by an American mother and Bedouin father while shuttling between homes in the Pacific Northwest and the Middle East. Part family saga and part personal quest, The Girl Who Fell to Earth traces Al-Maria’s journey to make a place for herself in two different worlds.

Sophia is a young woman caught between two worlds. She was born in America to an American mother and a Bedouin father and goes back and forth between the Seattle area and the Middle East, specifically Qatar. Sophia’s comments on her experiences are brutally honest, at times humorous, and at others, tragic.

Her delightful insights allow readers to get a feel for what it is like growing up with two very different value systems pulling at her. She is strong, independent, and takes chances, based on her internal callings. Her father wishes for her to be more traditional, and when she lives with his family, she resents being constrained due to her gender and does something about it. Her father’s people are minorities in their own land though. Other more modern groups see them as “backwards,” and Sophia has to manage her feelings about this.

It is gripping to follow along and see how Sophia handles the cultural clashes and especially situations with young men. The other characters are so realistically drawn that readers can feel what Sophia feels in encountering and interacting with them. The author’s descriptions of the two worlds are stark and bring her point across well.

As Sophia grows up, goes to college in Egypt, and continuously tries find herself, readers will be entertained, surprised at times, and moved emotionally by the talented author telling her story.

This was an enjoyable book, and I would recommend it to others. I would definitely read more from this author.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Poison of Bitterness by Serenity Snow

June 10, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Poison of Bitterness by Serenity Snow
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, LGBTQ, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Alstroemeria

Remi can feel the presence of a ghost lurking, lying in wait to destroy the life she’s building with Sarina. She knows her own fears are part of the danger that could prevent her from being happy.

Then, the ghost makes his first move, and Remi is certain it’s only the first wave and prepares to deal with the trouble before it turns into a nightmare. But what Remi doesn’t know is there’s shadow with a twisted plan of its own. So, as Remi lays her plan, the shadow makes moves that plunge Remi into the middle of a murder investigation that tears the scab off old wounds and reveals dark secrets bound to destroy two families.

As she navigates the murky waters, Sarina is kidnapped, and Remi is prepared to do whatever it takes to get Sarina back and close the doors of the past for good.

The Poison of Bitterness is fifth in the Cozy Bend mystery series, but as a novel it can surely stand on its own. Main characters Remi and Sarina have already been through their fair share of struggles within the town’s limits, but little do they know that trying to plan a wedding with their two best friends will be the least of their problems!

While the heat between Remi and Sarina is scorching, will they be able to take it when their enemies begin to rain fire over them? Each moment of the novel feels like standing on the edge of the unknown, wondering if they will make it out unscathed. Remi and Sarina as characters are written with very strong opposing characteristics, but somehow it is those differences that pull them together in their relationship. Sarina’s extreme patience and independence is the perfect match for Remi’s hot temper and suspicious mind. While things often come to a head between them, Sarina is always able to communicate with Remi and help her away from her dark past and her trust issues.

They also have zero issues communicating in the bedroom. The few steamy scenes we were gifted throughout the book show the established trust between the two that might be questioned elsewhere within the novel. As two powerful women, the ‘strong heroine lead’ role is not just fulfilled by one of them, but rather they split the lead with their own unique characteristics. This power dynamic is also fully alive and visible in their relationship as well. The partnership is completely 50-50, even if control is oftentimes given to Remi in the bedroom.

The story was very fast-paced, and at moments I think the action could have been fleshed out a bit more and extended, just to really seal in that suspense. But all in all, this story had just the right amount of tension. Serenity Snow was able to pack a lifetime in 30 chapters, leaving no stone unturned, and no women unsatisfied.

I have only read this book of the series, but I would like to go back and read the four previous. I would love to see this rubber band of tension stretched from page one! I recommend this to anyone who likes a lot of twists and turns, and powerful women.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Smart Bitches Buy Bitcoin by Branden LaNette – Spotlight and Giveaway

June 10, 2021 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Branden LaNette will be awarding a $25 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.

It seems like everyone’s talking about Bitcoin these days. Still, a lot of people just don’t get it. Or they assume Bitcoin is just for tech-savvy millennial guys or rich investors like Elon Musk.

As for women, many of us didn’t get a great financial education. Some of us shy away from conversations about money and investing especially if it has to do with the crazy world of cryptocurrencies.

What to do? Start with this brand new short, fun, and easy read,”Smart Bitches Buy Bitcoin: A Simple Guide for Women Who Want to Learn the Truth About Bitcoin and Control Their Financial Future.”

The book is designed to help women understand the current financial situation, why Bitcoin could be the life raft they need, and how to get started investing in it. Don’t leave your economic future to chance just because it seems scary or confusing and this is the perfect book to get you started.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Maybe the only thing that says “cool” more than celebrity endorsements are celebrity investments. Besides Elon Musk and Jack Dorsey, there are some big-name celebrities who have made the leap into crypto, including:

Snoop Dog, Mark Cuban, Kanye West, Hugh Laurie, Floyd Mayweather, Bill Gates, Jamie Foxx, Richard Branson, Ashton Kutcher, and Drew Carey.

Notice anything about this incredible list of leaders, celebrities, and generally smart people? You got it.

They’re all guys.

According to one brokerage study released in early 2021, women make up only 15 percent of Bitcoin traders. This must change, bitches, which is why we wrote this book.

The good news is things are starting to turn. Crypto buying platforms are reporting that investments by women are skyrocketing by double and triple-digit percentages.

And just as we were editing this manuscript, Paris Hilton was asked if she was invested in Bitcoin and she said, “Yes, I’m very, very excited about it, it’s definitely the future.”

Bitcoin as an investment was once thought of as a contrarian idea. It is fast becoming a consensus position.

And if you don’t think being invested Bitcoin is a good idea after reading this section, there’s nothing more we can do to help. As the saying goes, we can explain Bitcoin to you, but we can’t understand it for you.

About the Author:

Branden LaNette doesn’t look like a typical author but she has long ignored what she “should” do, say and look like. On her own at a very young age, Branden eventually found herself with the wrong guy, the wrong job, and a bleak future. The fairytale she was promised as a child never materialized.

Finally, Branden decided that she wanted something different for her life, and realized no one was going to do it for her. Prince charming wasn’t coming to save her—she’d have to save herself.

Step by step, decision by decision, through major trials and tribulations that would stop most people in their tracks, Branden learned how to turn heartbreak into happiness and self-judgement into inner joy.

Today, Branden LaNette is an entrepreneur, coach, speaker, wife, and stay-at-home Mom to six C-section babies (ages 1-16) and way too many f-ing pets. Somehow, however, she manages to juggle all of this effortlessly (a blatant lie) while pushing her way through the kinds of fear and self-doubts that whisper within all of us (totally true) to achieve her goals. Her most recent dream come true is this book, one that is destined to have a major impact on millions of women across the globe (or at least nine people in Michigan.)

Through it all, she has found her happiness, her joy, and more importantly, her voice.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Buy the book at Amazon.

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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Non-Fiction Tagged With: , , ,

Addiction to Poetry by Trevor Muir – Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

June 10, 2021 By 2 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Trevor Muir will be awarding a $15 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.

This book is a compilation of all the poems I have written in my life. Each one comes from a very personal place within me. Some of the poems truly show me at my most fearful, sad, and lonely moments in my life, and others are examples of how I was feeling at a time when I was desperate and lost all hope.

Some are of love, hope, a general wonder or curiosity, and accomplishment, and others came from the experiences of people closest to me.

I have added a page that briefly describes where the inspiration for the poem(s) came from, to help better tell the story. For me, poems and writing became a personal outlet. They have given me a safe way to express my thoughts and feelings.

I hope you enjoy them. If they are at all relatable than that’s even better. I hope that those who read these, and identify with them, will see that no matter how rough life may seem at any given time, it can get better if you just keep going.

Although the poems within these pages may be a bit random and unorganized, as is my life sometimes, they are raw and real. They are as I wrote them at that time.

I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read any or all of them, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I am sure my Mom will.

Enjoy an Exclusive Excerpt

When you look into a mirror

This was a bit random. I was reflecting on a time in my life when I couldn’t bear to look at my own reflection. I just had such low self-esteem. I was full of fear and shame, and guilt had become my norm. I did some things to change my life and overcome those feelings, and one day I realized I was looking into my own eyes in the mirror without the negative emotions I had felt most of my life. This prompted me to write the poem. – Trev

When you look into a mirror, do you see your face?

Or has someone unfamiliar seemed to take its place?

Can you look the person in the

mirror directly in the eyes?

Or do you have to look away because

they know your lies?

Does the person in the mirror look

at you with disrespect?

Is there shame and sadness in their

face that you seem to detect?

Do you ever turn the lights off when

you’re looking in the mirror?

With the hope that when they’re on

again, the face will disappear?

Do you ever fear the morning most and feel quite

insane, because the person in the mirror

wants to haunt you once again?

If you look into a mirror and do not see

your face, because someone unfamiliar

has seemed to take its place,

Just stare at the reflection, and say I’m proud of you,

And I’ll always love you very much,

no matter what you do!

Say this every morning and every afternoon,

Then the face that’s unfamiliar

will disappear quite soon.

Just focus on becoming who you really want

to be, and the face that’s in the mirror

will be the one you want to see.

About the Author Trevor Muir grew up in Elmworth, a small farming community in Northern Alberta. He learned at an early age the importance of family, friends, and community.

He also learned that working hard and being kind were essential to getting ahead but giving back to others was truly what life was about.

His life has led him down many paths that he could have never imagined, and he has had the opportunity to meet some of the most amazing people on the planet.

He strongly believes in sharing experiences in the hopes that it will help others to see they are not alone, and inspire them to become the best version of themselves.

Website
Buy the book at Amazon, Amazon CA , Bookshop, Chapters Indigo, Barnes and Noble, Book Depository, Kobo, Smashwords, or iBooks.

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Addiction to Poetry by Trevor Muir

Addiction to Poetry

by Trevor Muir

Giveaway ends July 04, 2021.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Other Tagged With: , , ,

Play by Kat Mizera

June 9, 2021 By Leave a Comment


*Play by Kat Mizera
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

Tyler Thompson is a bona fide rock star.

He went on tour at seventeen and never looked back. And now, fifteen years later, he has more fame, fortune, and success than he ever imagined. He’s the bass player for a new band, Nobody’s Fool, and all he wants to do is get back on tour. But business and personal issues are blocking his next move.

Pop star Ariel Fox has been under her father’s thumb for so long she doesn’t remember what freedom is like. When she gets invited to record a single on Nobody’s Fool’s demo tape she’s ready for a week of work…and fun, without the watchful eye of her father. One look at Tyler’s blue eyes and she’s immediately snagged. She wants it all—him, success, a real future. But nothing is ever that simple.

Falling in love wasn’t part of the deal.

And when the record company tries to sabotage Nobody’s Fool, Ariel must choose between protecting Tyler and protecting herself.

Tyler and Ariel may be famous but they have problems just like all of us. I really enjoyed reading Play. It is an enchanting and emotional romance and it captivated me from the first page. The two main characters, Tyler and Ariel are easy to connect with, well developed and I instantly liked them. Kat Mizera knows how to write about characters that are realistic and down to earth, even though they live high profile lives.

Tyler and Ariel have tons of chemistry, feel comfortable together and quickly develop strong feelings for each other. Tyler is a bass player for a hot new band, Nobody’s Fool and Ariel is a famous pop princess. Yes, this plot has been used many times before, but I still found the story refreshing and I was eager to find out what happens next. Tyler and Ariel both stole my heart and I was rooting for them throughout the story and hoping everything would work out between them.

Tyler’s entertaining band mates are also included in the story and I thought it added another dimension to the story. Each of Tyler’s band mates will be getting their own book in the future and I look forward to reading their stories, too. This story has an interesting plot, great pacing and I loved reading Tyler and Ariel’s story. If you enjoy rock star romances as much as I do, you should read this one.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

Deadly Reunion by Linda Hope Lee

June 9, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Deadly Reunion by Linda Hope Lee
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

When Richmond, Washington librarian, Nina Foster, and newspaper owner Stephen Kraslow attend his high school reunion in Parker’s Landing, Idaho, the event turns tragic when Stephen’s good friend, Mark MacTeague, suddenly drops dead at a picnic. Nina has reason to believe he was murdered and vows to uncover the culprit. Meanwhile, Stephen’s high school girlfriend, Angie Delaney, reveals a long kept secret that brings a big change to his life. Can Stephen and Nina’s relationship survive this new turn of events? Will Nina uncover the murderer before he or she commits another crime?

When you write a story and make the main character a librarian and you add a good suspenseful mystery to it, you have me reading immediately. Deadly Reunion is Book 3 in a series titled “The Nina Foster Mystery series”. This is the first book I have read by Linda Hope Lee, and I really enjoyed it. It had some elements of a cozy. You know, the small hometown they visit, she’s an amateur detective, etc. and yet this had some depth to it. The story was somewhat more involved and there were plenty of suspects to make you wonder who really killed Nina’s beau’s best friend.

Linda Lee Hope does a good job of character definition. I don’t mean description here as much as I mean definition. Throughout the story her writing and especially her dialog composition helps you begin to know the characters. Their personalities seem to develop, and you never lose track of who is who, so to speak. As you can imagine, a reunion could involve a lot of characters and yet the author keeps them all very clear. No confusion at all. I enjoyed this mystery and look forward to another addition to the series.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Wesley Raccoon by Michelle Porter

June 9, 2021 By 1 Comment

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Michelle Porter will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Wesley Raccoon: The Old Man in the Houseboat

This story is about a shy little raccoon who overcomes his fear of meeting new people. Join Wesley Raccoon on his travels through the streets of Amsterdam to find out how The Old Man In The Houseboat becomes his new best friend.

Wesley Raccoon: Captain John’s Social

This inspiring story of friendship captures the importance of spending time with friends throughout our life. Join Wesley Raccoon and The Old Man in the Houseboat on their adventures through Vondelpark, and learn how Captain John’s Social gathers a unique circle of true friends.

Enjoy an Excerpt

Wesley is afraid of strangers, they always try to chase him away. He was very careful not to be seen, hiding in between the flowers on the streets and behind the garbage in alleyways.

He was starting to get tired from his long morning of searching for food and keeping out of sight when he noticed the brightly coloured boats docked along the canal.

Wesley loves boats, especially colourful ones! There were lots of bright coloured boats gently bobbing up and down in the canal water. There were big boats and small, old boats and new, but what caught his eye was an old houseboat nestled just past the weeping willow tree on the other side of the canal. He scurried over to get a closer look.

About the Author: As a mother to four grown boys, Michelle is passionate about writing captivating children’s stories on the importance of social acceptance, kindness and life lessons. Her books focus on friendship, love and self-awareness blossoming in a world that children understand.

Her warm-hearted approach to writing and whimsical use of watercolor illustrations connect with young creative minds, inspiring children of all ages. The message she coveys is simple yet powerful: “When we release our fear of the unknown and our preconceived notions, we free our hearts to find true friends, to love, and to grow.”

Facebook | Goodreads
Buy WESLEY RACCOON: THE OLD MAN IN THE HOUSEBOAT at Amazon, Amazon CA, Bookshop, Indigo Chapters, Barnes and Noble, or Book Depository.

Buy WESLEY RACCOON: CAPTAIN JOHN’S SOCIAL at Amazon, Amazon CA, Bookshop, Barnes and Noble, or Book Depository.

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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , ,

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for June 9, 2021

June 9, 2021 By 1 Comment

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: The best gift I’ve ever received

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Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings, Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge Tagged With: ,

Good Luck Chestnut by Linda Gruenberg

June 8, 2021 By 3 Comments


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

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy
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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.

Good Luck Chestnut: And Other Lucky Colors of the World is a delight to read, look at, and share. Delightfully dappled with cleverly combined words, the phrases all enhance the pictures. The book features horses, as one might guess, but also, features children! Smiling faces fill every page.

There is a bit of a clever ‘find it’ built into the pages, as certain items are mentioned within the sentences that can be located in the pictures. An unexpected item is often to be found decorating a corner or a t-shirt in the picture. However, the book is a collection of these delightful pages and does not build an actual story. Children won’t miss that if they take the time to enjoy each page and search out all of those subtle connections.

Good Luck Chestnut: And Other Lucky Colors of the World is a sheer delight and deserves every one of its 5 stars.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,
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