Hellandback Is Award-Winning Book for Kids

Title: Hellandback Kids
Subtitle: Be Careful What You Wish For
By LL Helland
ISBN 978-1534852187
Genre: Children's/Middle Grade
Available on Amazon at http://dld.bz.bRffR
Winner of The Pinnacle Book Achievement Award,
The Mom's Choice Award,
Royal Dragonfly Award

Reviewed by Krista originally for  Cubicle Blindness

 

When the four Hellandback kids visit their great-grandmother in a strange Scottish hospital, they unknowingly fall into a series of bizarre adventures in an alternate reality. With only their own ingenuity, the Hellandback kids must rely on help from a mystic guide, unearthly creatures, and talking animals as they encounter the black plague, deformed beings, a life sucking immortal, and a long trek from exile. Throughout their adventures, the Hellandback kids learn valuable life lessons, and of course, to be careful what they wish for.

Summer vacation is coming to an end, and the Hellandback kids are off to Scotland. After finding a very long and curious toenail in Chris' room, his father decides it's time they should go get acquainted with their great grandmother.
Upon arriving they discover that she is living in an old Hospital and she's not alone. Each child is eventually sent to separate points in time where the only way to return home is to overcome their own weaknesses and overpower the creatures they come across.

With the combination of a mythical guide and several variations of beings to help or deter their way. The Hellandback kids have to become stronger and bolder if they want to survive and return home again.

Each of the Hellandback kids have very different personalities and their trials use those to both support and hinder the struggles they have to endure. At first I was unsure if the story was going to take a more humorous turn or horror story. There were definitely moments of fun, both in dialogue and imaginative creatures. But there are some really tough situations and scary beings that come into play also. If your picking a book for a younger reader make sure they can handle that.

The fact that the children have to learn about life lessons and each experience their own array of battles. The reader can gain a lot of insight from these adventures as well, no matter the age. There are some pretty intense moments, but also those that made me smile and laugh a bit. My favorite character was Brittany, although they all will eventually show very caring and daring sides. Each have their own distinct personalities and their own battles to fight.

This read was definitely something different and unexpected. It makes you think and very enjoyable as well. It gives a whole new meaning to "Be Careful What You Wish For"

Learn more with these two Youtube videos: Kids

http://youtu.be/OpAsC2Pig7k

http://youtu.be/KiNnrSzhO4I

The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Romantic Reading Escapes Reviewer Gives Novel a WOW!

Title: Loving David
Author: Gina Hummer
Books website link: www.lovingdavidnovel.com
Genre: Contemporary / Romance
ISBN: 1466343303
Name of Reviewer: Kathryn Hamilton
Reviewers link: romanticreadingescapes.com
Reviewers rating 4.5

Reviewed by Kathryn Hamilton

WOW! I am one big blubbering mess right now. From laughter to tears SOBS, this book raised every possible emotion to the surface. I had read somewhere that the author, Gina Hummer, has been compared to Nicholas Sparks in her writing...well, let me assure you that it is my belief that Nicholas Sparks must be channeling his inner Gina Hummer when he writes, not the other way around, because she is the queen at eliciting that WOW response from me.

David King, a well known British Hollywood actor in his early 30's, is trying to enjoy a private vacation in Southern California away from the hustle and bustle of L.A. When a fan catches a glimpse of him, David is forced to hide away in the most convenient place he can find at the time....the back floorboard of Charlotte's jeep. Charlotte is a romance writer in her mid 40's and is on a writer's retreat with her divorcee and widowed fellow writer friends. Before David has a chance to escape the uncomfortable floorboard, Charlotte takes off down the highway, almost wrecking her jeep when she notices a pair of piercing emerald eyes staring at her through the rear view mirror. After getting past the point of almost macing David to blindness, a beautiful friendship develops. Don't be misled by thinking this is just another Hollywood celebrity focus...it definitely is not. As a matter of fact, David's celebrity status is rarely touched...the focus remains on Charlotte and "Loving David."

"Loving David was the easiest thing I've ever done. It was effortless. I fell more in love with him every day to the point where I thought I would burst."

I love the slow-building relationship between Charlotte and David that Gina Hummer gave me. She allowed me, the reader, to really develop a strong connection with the main characters and envelope them in such a way as to invoke in me every smile, tingle, pain, and angst that Charlotte felt when interacting with David. Charlotte is a very strong woman who has experienced love and loss of love in life before. However, Charlotte didn't let her circumstance break her. She has such compassion for those whom others would spit on had they experienced the betrayal Charlotte experienced in life. But, she tends to make lemonade out of lemons and moves on in life....enter David, the sexy and handsome Brit who can have any blonde bombshell he wants, but he just wants to find someone to love him for who he is and not for his high celebrity status. He is what I would call a hot and sexy hometown boy with love for his family and strong roots to keep him grounded. He is definitely a swoon-worthy hero. He is perfect for Charlotte, no matter the age difference.

The secondary characters in the novel are stellar as well:

Emma - the near 80 year old widowed writer with a libido made me laugh out loud with her first impressions of David and her flirtatious banter.

"Nice huh?" Emma said. "I may have a whole new reason to change my Depends today," she said as she nudged Karen, who shrieked.

Karen and Hendra - the straight-laced, no nonsense, 'play by our ya ya sisterhood rules' women whose strength and resolve melts when exposed to David's natural charms. They are complete busy-bodies when it comes to Charlotte, but completely acting - and advising - out of love and in Charlotte's best interest.

"It's not like you're gonna have some great romance with him. Have a fling with him. A little sex never hurt anybody." Karen paused. "I mean safe sex."

Olivia - the selfish *bleep* I really enjoyed hating. She is a blonde Barbie-doll who will stop at nothing to manipulate and use others in the name of love, but with her, there is a fine line between love and revenge for not loving her back. She is completely hate-worthy.

This book is chocked full of love, romance, angst, heartache, and sadness. I don't normally comment on a book cover or title, but both, in this case, are so significant to the story of Charlotte and David, they are perfect. The 'happily ever after' in this book is in the eye of the reader. Gina Hummer brings to the table a big-screen worthy novel that is touching and sensitive to anyone with compassion and feeling. The writing is smooth and fluent, making it a fast read. But, don't mistake this novel for being just another romance; it contains its share of steamy sex, angst, heartbreak, and hurt to keep this story with you a long time after finishing. I give this book 4.5 stars and recommend it to all the Tissue-Owner's Book Clubs with a hankering for that next great read.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Reviewer Loves New Mystery

Title: Special Interest

Author: Aaron

Genre: Cozy Mystery/humor

SBN-13: 978-1460972335 
ISBN-10: 1460972333

Published by CreateSpace

Review Originally published on  A Cozy Readers Corner

Imagine a quiet world free of fossil fuel polution. Clean air to breathe. No noise from automobiles or factories. An atruistic scientist imagined it and made it his life’s work to find a replacement for fossil fuels. When he discovers an inexhaustable source of electric power he is murdered by a special interest group trying to find the formula. 

As a precaution he has hidden the formula in four parts in places around the world. Only one person will know how to find the four pieces to the formula. A wild and often hilarious pursuit ensues as the energy industires scramble to possess the prize.

 

Megan's Review: A Cozy Readers Corner

Joe has just relocated after having a broken engagement and being forced out of his accounting job. Everything appears to be getting along nicely with his new life until his flowerbed reveals a mysterious clue to a murder. Soon Joe is involved in a risky operation involving a new energy source that could change how the world operates. Joe soon finds out that there are limited people that he can trust and many special interest groups are after the clues to this energy source and will stop at nothing to obtain the information, not even murder. Joe doesn't want to be involved in this scheme but soon a love interest and his best friend are entangled as well and he finds that he has no choice but to help solve the puzzle. 

 Overall I thought the author had a creative idea and I was captivated and wanted to know how the story would end. The characters' motives were hidden well until the end of the book when the author did finally start to place doubt in your mind about who was the good guy and who was the bad guy. The science behind the energy source was unique too - would be nice if such a thing existed!

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Two Hot Novels Reviewed by World of Ink Network

Title: Virginia Templeton Mini Romance Novel Series

Author: Madison Montgomery

Author Website: http://booksbymadisonmontgomery.blogspot.com/

Genre: Hot Romance

Publisher: FIDELI

ASIN Number: B008969S2S – Every Man Wants Her

ASIN Number: B0096DX1U8 – It’s Never Enough

Publication Date: 2012

 

 

Reviewer: World of Ink Network

About the Mini Novels:

 

Every Man Wants Her - Virginia Templeton can turn heads in any room and get the attention of any man she wants. She’s married to a rich, powerful businessman, but she wants a divorce. She owns a luxurious condo building, complete with a dashing man to enjoy on the side, but he wants another woman. Who is the winner or is there one?

It’s Never Enough – Virginia Templeton finds sometimes what you want in life and have is never enough. This very sexy woman who uses her good looks and dirty tricks to manipulate people is out to take advantage…Beware!

Overall Thoughts:

These mini novels are sexy fast-paced lunchtime stories. Both mini novels are loaded with lots of hot bed scenes (prepare to blush) and strong characters. Madison Montgomery does a wonderful job of really letting you into the mind of the main character Virginia Templeton. You find out this very sexy woman is more than she seems to be as you read the series. Virginia is not only interested in men and how they can please her in and out of the bed, she is also very successful and smart.

 

I must note there is a lot of adult content, but if you liked Fifty Shades of Gray or don't mind a steamy read, I highly suggest reading the Virginia Templeton mini novel series by Madison Montgomery.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Tonawanda News Writer Calls Book A Must Read

Title: Monkey Mind: A Memoir of Anxiety

Author: Daniel Smith
Author Website: http://monkeymindchronicles.com
Genre: Nonfiction
Publisher: Simon &  Schuster
ISBN: 978-1-4391-7730-3
Grade: 4/5 stars

 

Review by Jessica Brant, Blog Writer and Freelance Writer for the Tonawanda News

‘Monkey Mind’ author proves that through self-deprecating humor and with a little bit of faith, anxiety is manageable

 

If the American Psychiatric Association ever decided to conduct a search for the new face of anxiety, then Daniel Smith could be their poster child.

The author of ‘Monkey Mind: A Memoir of Anxiety’ details every pang of anxiety ever felt throughout his young adult life. During the most arbitrary of day-to-day decision-making, such as what condiments to put on his roast beef sandwich, to more high-risk situations such as when he lost his virginity and left for college in Boston, Smith describes each instance with great finesse, prescribing the reader with just the right dosage of research and wit.

According to Smith, there are two types of anxiety sufferers in the world: stiflers and chaotics. A stifler will throw a smile to the public, but throw back a bottle of gin in private. As a chaotic anxiety sufferer desperately trying to remain a stifler, however, Smith operates by throwing everything onto the table: emotion, sometimes in the form of physical discomfort and outbursts, and also his sanity.

It is his candidness and willingness to tell-all that makes Smith an easy character to sympathize with. His explanation of the term “monkey mind,” whose origins lie in the practice of Buddhism, offers insight into the inner workings of many anxiety sufferers’ minds. An individual with a “monkey mind” has an uncontrollable consciousness, where thoughts jump, flip, and swing in every direction. Buddhist practices, Smith writes, are designed to tame these “monkeys of the mind.”

Throughout the novel, Smith discovers the triggers of his anxiety, such as the implications that the freedom of choice brings. Another is his mother, “Hurricane Marilyn,” who, ironically, is a psychotherapist suffering from anxiety herself, whose cliental consists mainly of individuals suffering from it too. As a young Smith presses one ear to the central-air vent in his parents’ bedroom listening in on his mother’s sessions, he realizes that the mother who raised him was not the unafflicted woman he heard in that room, who was able to turn her anxiety off for the time-being. Smith only wished he had that much control.

Quirky characters provide Smith’s story with life. The reader encounters Esther, the curvaceous, provocative twenty-something-year-old who worked with Smith at a bookstore when he was 15 and took his virginity by engaging him in a ménage a trois. And Joanna, Smith’s first love, the woman who made him realize that he hit rock-bottom. The reader finally meets Brian near the end of his story, the no-nonsense therapist who forced him to get a grip. 
 

Although Smith’s life is, for the most part, muddled by fear and doubt, his writing has not been. Bold comparisons and attempts at self-mockery turn woes into comic relief—like when he describes his awkward nail biting habit and extreme armpit sweating dilemma--and make his venting sessions entertaining—like when he comically discusses his fear of contracting HIV on his way to a therapy session. The book is sure to put a smile on more than one face.

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  The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Award-Winning Author Pens Cozy Mystery

Hot Chocolate
Genre: Cozy mystery novel
By Dawn Greenfield Ireland, award-winning author
Book launch/tour

 

I recently read a great book I just had to share with you. If you like Grandma Mazur in Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, you'll love Hot Chocolate. The characters are all quirky and funny, and, when you aren't laughing out loud, you'll be smiling! It’s a hilarious cozy mystery novel set in the very wealthy Houston suburb of River Oaks. Filled with quirky, eccentric characters involved in murder and chocolate, this book is like watching a Woody Allen movie - even the minor characters are quirky and wonderful.

Here’s the plot: The middle-aged Alcott sisters, heiresses to the Alcott chocolate fortune--Madge, Lila Mae and Dorothea--are fit to be tied. In the midst of busy lives, they must deal with their ninety-two year old father, Bernie, who has become quite the handful. His nurse Bambi, is another kind of handful, but when they decide they must move Bernie to an assisted living facility, the generous severance package they offer to Bambi is not enough to ward off a lawsuit brought by Bambi's husband, Jimmy Ray Chaline. Luckily, the Alcotts, very wealthy and well-known in Houston society, have a great lawyer. Chances are good that the suit will be dismissed as frivolous.

Hot Chocolate is a captivating tale with vivid and fun characters. I could almost visualize myself socializing with them, and I definitely enjoyed their interactions with one another. They felt like real sisters, albeit high-society ones. Dorothea is typically the "baby" of the family, and definitely likes being the center of attention. Lila Mae relies on astrology and believes that proper Feng Shui arrangements in a room can make all the difference. Madge, as the oldest, has some unusual habits. Even the peripheral characters, like the staff at each of their homes, as well as Lila Mae's astrologer, felt like important pieces of the production. I also enjoyed close-ups of the relationship between Chance (a detective with the police force) and Lila Mae, not a typical pairing.

 

Anyway, I know you will love this book, so grab a copy and you’ll also get about 60 bonuses including a preview of many other new and exciting novels along with terrific self-help tools. ENJOY! http://bit.ly/HtChoc

 

Submitted by Denise Cassino

"Make your book an Amazon #1 Bestseller"

Publicist & Book Marketing Specialist

303 838 3399

skype: denise.cassino

www.BestsellerServices.com

www.mybestsellerlaunch.com

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Ralph Zernoff Writes Self-Empowering Novel

Title: All-That-Is

Author: Raphael Zernoff
Genre: Inspirational/Self-Empowering Novel
ISBN 978-1-291-09787-0
KINDLE USA: http://www.amazon.com/ALL-THAT-IS-ebook/dp/B009M5OXBG
PAPERBACK: http://www.lulu.com/shop/raphael-zernoff/all-that-is/paperback/product-20443930.html

 

Synopsis 

The book presents a story of a young man Tnesdog (god-sent, spelling in reverse) who belongs to an ancient family, who treasures a secret knowledge about humanity.

The world is not what most of us have been taught about it, according to the storyline. In ancient times, there were many powerful and highly developed civilisations who emerged and disappeared leaving various pieces of information for posterity. The remote past of humanity explains where we come from, and what we are capable of.

Anaid (Diana in reverse) a descendent from the forgotten continent of Mu, and later Atlantis, identifies Tnesdog as the one who will embrace the knowledge of Ra and then hand it down to his fellow humans, who prefer to live in a new reality free of fear and limitation. While assimilating the information in the form of energy that expands one's consciousness, his life radically transforms from an average jaded life to an explosion of synchronicity surrounded by wealth and self-acceptance.

The approach to the crossing of the threshold of 2012 creates a perfect opportunity to share the knowledge of all-that-is with others. Tnesdog learns that it is the time of a splitting-prism. It means that now all human desires and preferences are being magnified. Hence, those embracing more joy in free expression, and other creative means, will experience even more of the same. Conversely, those who choose to stay in the lower energy will experience the passage of time in a magnified lower energy manner. Tensdog learns that everyone may choose in what fashion they prefer to cross the threshold year.

What the reader can find in this book is a point of view that emerges from a diverse myriad of other points of view. This is the royal way to illumination. Namely, the understanding that everything is a part of one the same existence. Therefore, all points of view are valid and once you know it, you may choose what you prefer without invalidating other perspectives that are not compatible with your preference in any given moment. The author encourages the reader not to believe in, and blindly accept anything that he says, or you might learn from the protagonist. Readers are encouraged to observe what works for Tnesdog, and to then see what works for them. If it brings bliss, happiness, wealth and an exciting adventure, it may be a good idea to follow it, if this is what one prefers. At the same time if the recipients feel that they are not ready for change, and they prefer to continue their lives full of suffering, problems and self-devaluation, it would not be taken away from them, because it is an equal choice they have made. It is up to them how they want to lead their lives.

ALL-THAT-IS by Raphael Zernoff, a new inspirational novel available on paperback&ebook
KINDLE UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/ALL-THAT-IS-ebook/dp/B009M5OXBG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1349535075&sr=1-1

KINDLE USA: http://www.amazon.com/ALL-THAT-IS-ebook/dp/B009M5OXBG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349535199&sr=8-1&keywords=Zernoff
PAPERBACK: http://www.lulu.com/shop/raphael-zernoff/all-that-is/paperback/product-20433372.html;jsessionid=1D6762A194CA69C8B3118B90DAD1AB16

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget : Publisher: R.Z.