Review of Book Full of Chills and Chuckles

Title: Crime Please!
Author: Ann Morven
Author's Amazon profile page.
ISBN-13: 9781470183974
Category: Crime fiction collection
Publisher: Darling Newspaper Press

Reviewed by Cathy MacLeod originally for Amazon  

This collection of short stories particularly impressed me with its diversity. Ann Morven ("diva of the whodunit") spreads farther here than do her novels, presenting tales that vary from the macabre to the magical. There are, of course, her signature whodunits as well (four of them). Also the elements of chills and chuckles that she mixes so adroitly.
I found her characters intriguing and their problems compelling. For entertaining crime this author ranks among the best.


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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. 

Insatiable Readers Blog Loves Alibi's Ghosts

Title: Alibi's Ghosts, The Larger-Than-Life Small World of a Medium's
Daughter
Author: L.S. Hullinger
Author website: www.lshullinger.com
Genre: middle grade paranormal, mystery novel
ISBN 0985186224


Reviewed by Gina for her blog  Satisfaction For Insatiable Readers



Whew! With a title like that, how can you NOT stop and take a look…or at least I knew I couldn’t. I love the  word play in the title; “larger than life”…small…and medium (though obviously not speaking about someone’s size in this case). It really makes a word loving  girl like myself sit up and take notice. Now, on to the story…

Alibi  (aka Alexandra Vernon) is a great kid through and through; in fact, it’s no
wonder the spirits choose to communicate with her….she’s a gem! She feels with
her whole heart and listens with her entire being despite the fact that those open aspects of her personality get her in trouble more often than not. Well, you can’t really blame the parents entirely, I mean if you found your child making Dagwood sandwiches every night three days in a row when they don’t even know what one is or vehicles moved without explanation and a somewhat guilty looking eleven year old close at hand, you might be skeptical to believe every word that leaves her mouth as well. LISTEN UP parents…the kid is not always fibbing! Such is the case here and thanks to Alibi’s mother she has a little
leeway (I should hope so considering her line of work) but it doesn’t mean
that she can explain away anything and everything away due to ghostly
influence…especially since some of those influences have to remain a secret!
(Aka her grandfather’s and cousin’s presence….SHHH!) Oh my; wasn’t life
suppose to be easier when you were eleven? *sigh* Anywho…

The character building here was just enough to get you involved in their lives without over educating you on the who/when/why/where/how of it all; a good balance for both the target audience and beyond. Their interactions with members of the community help show a world more accepting than that of witch-hunting times but yet not ready to set a place for their lingering aunt’s or uncle’s spirits at the supper table. This acceptance and non also extends to Alibi. We see and feel it with her friend Daisy who happens to come for a visit during this week of week’s. She’s always been jumpy of Alibi’s mother’s powers, let alone their ghost magnet of a house, but what will happen if she finds out Alibi sees ghosts too? That’s a story for another slumber party, but the results may surprise you. Moving forward…

This isn’t just a story about a medium, her daughter and the
community in which they live and serve. At it’s heart is a mystery that needs
solving and from the looks of things, Alibi’s gonna have to be the one to do
it. It requires a quick mind (check!), an uncanny ability to both listen AND
understand (check!), and a pureness of heart only obtained from wanting
nothing more than to help someone in need (i.e. no earthly gain for
oneself…check! Hey, clearing your name of trouble isn’t an earthly gain
folks…just a useful byproduct of giving your assistance….). For all those
reasons and more, it makes a great read for both the younger set and the young
at heart. Though dealing with spirits and the afterlife, it doesn’t do so in
an uber-creepy way leaving it accessible (hat’s off to the author on that
accomplish!) while helping to explain some of these concepts in an honest and
open manner.

In conclusion, a wonderful read from a new-to-me author
that I would recommend to one and all no matter the time of year. It’s a fast
read with a lot of heart that will raise your spirits higher than her cousin’s
crow (Poe) can fly (yep…her cousin had a pet crow that sorta warns her when
his pranking self is about…hehe). So if you’re ready to take on the problems
of the living with the help of those that have passed, grab your clue sheet to
record your observations and H.I.B.E.S. events (or Heavily Influenced By
Entity Spirits events) and embark on a little paranormal adventure with Alibi
and friends. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.

 

~ For more information on this title as well as her Hullinger's other works, visit her official
site or follow along on Twitter. This book was released in print June 2012
and should be available now on a bookstore shelf or online retailer near you. She has another work out right now entitled Cyndi Hazard, Empathic
Detective that from the chapter sample at ‘Alibi’s’ end…sounds
like another great pick for the old wish list!

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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 :

Maryetta Johnson Reviews New Barbara Mitchell Book on Stress

 

Title: Ten Powerful Stress Busters for the BAM VP Woman in You

Author: Barbara Mitchell, DCH
Author Site: http://www.thecalmingbreath.com
Category: Nonfiction/Self Help/Women's Health
Ebook ISBN: 978-0-9820209-4-4
Kindle Edition
Book Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A8INZ4C

Reviewed by Maryetta Johnson originally for Amazon

Reviewer's rating: 5.0 stars

This book taught me there is a counter-stress technique for every stressful situation which can be performed in a very few minutes at a moment's notice. Eight of the 10 methods included don't cost one red cent and only hypnosis would require a practitioner to get started, while aromatherapy would be an inexpensive investment for great peace of mind and joyous sensations.

Each chapter starts with an inspirational quote that sets the tone for the technique to be performed after reading background information about its proven scientific efficacy. Then we're told how to perform the technique and where to find further information about it. Thanks to the internet we can be transported instantly to the recommended websites while reading the book, or easily visit recommended YouTube sites later. It's a roundup of valuable information and although I've been very successful at practicing stress-reduction techniques for many years, the book gave me renewed fired-up motivation to keep doing what I'm doing and it taught me several new tricks as well.

For anyone who is new to stress management and who is committed to improving their health and the quality of their life, this book will save them from having to do years of research. Just like I always carry my purse for survival whenever I leave the house, now I also always carry the book's recommended techniques of BAM VP a handy acronym that reminds me where to start de-stressing and how to move through the process. So whether I'm stuck in traffic or negotiating with a used car salesman I know how to Breathe (deeply), Affirm (my goodness and that of others), Meditate, Visualize (my nervous system responds immediately to pictures of success), Progressively release excess tension from head to toe. Then I feel that I become the book's alternate version of the acronym which is Become A More Vibrant Person because, as the book says, stress can work for me making my life sweeter.

I can see how this book would also work for teenagers in preparing them to handle a lifetime of stressful situations. And men will also benefit from understanding the way stress works and how to control or to manage it.

 ~Learn more about Barbara Mitchell DCH, author of Ten Powerful Stress Busters When You Need a Timeout at:

http://www.thecalmingbreath.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.

Night Buddies Launches Today!

Night Buddies

Subtitle: Impostors and One Far-Out Flying Maching

Second in Night Budies series

Written by: Sands Hetherington
Illustrations by: Jessica Love
ISBN: 978-0-9847417-2-4
Releases February 1, 2013
Juvenile Fiction/Chapter Books for Ages 7 and up

Review by Fran Lewis from the World of Ink Network

Night Buddies, Impostors, and One Far-Out Flying Machine, the second book in the Night Buddies series, has a ton of mischief going on all over the Borough, done by a red crocodile and causing confusion and hard feelings everywhere.

For young John Degraffenreidt, lying awake at night is no reason to fret when it brings a bright red crocodile named Crosley out from under his bed. Night Buddies like Crosley promise a big adventure to any kid not sleepy yet--and tonight is no different! Out of bed, and into the city, John starts on a very special Program (Night-Buddies-speak for adventure) with his crocodile friend. Crosley is a unique, wacky character, the only red crocodile in the world for sure, but look-alikes have started popping up all over town, committing crimes, causing confusion, and making Crosley crazy at the sight of them. The imposters must be stopped, and Night Buddies John and Crosley are just the ones to stop them! Stakeouts and wild chases in a fantastic flying machine, far-out schemes to snare the imposters with the help of old friends and new ones, and a never-ending supply of Crusted Crème Fro-Madge frozen yogurt make for one totally super night.

 

Night Buddies John and Crosley have been enlisted to stop these crocs from continuing their crime spree. But, just how will they do it is really quite unique and just what kind of a program will this turn out to be. Imposters are those that pretend to be someone or something that they are not. How will everyone tell the difference between Crosley and his doubles you might say? Who created them and why? Then we learn more about how they intend to do this.

Author Sands Hetherington teaches children the importance of honesty, teamwork, caring, obeying the rules and the laws and how to be a good friend. Illustrations by Jessica Love to help bring the characters to life. Just what do you think? Can a young boy be best friends with a crocodile, solve crimes and freeze his parents with his special telescope pointed at them. Will they realize what he was missing for so long or will time be stopped? What happens at the end will surprise you? What happens to the moles and the impostors will renew your faith in kindness. An interesting story but at times hard to follow and many unusual words that required the author to put their translations and a glossary at the beginning which many kids might need to use or just make up their own meanings for these words from the context of the story.

Places where available for sale:

Amazon.com; BN.com; wherever books are sold.

(Dune Buggy Press titles are distributed by Delphi Distribution and are set up with wholesalers like Ingram and Baker & Taylor.)

About the Author:

Sands Hetherington, creator of the Night Buddies series of chapter books is delighted to have published his second title, Night Buddies, Impostors, and One Far-Out Flying Machine. Sands credits his son John for being his principal motivator in creating Night Buddies. He and young John developed the Crosley crocodile character in the series during months of bedtime story give-and-take. They collaborated many nights on escapades starring John and Crosley, until eventually it occurred to Sands why it was that Crosley was bright red. That was when the first book came together. Now, Sands is pleased to announce the second title in the series!

 

The first book in the Night Buddies series, Night Buddies and the Pineapple Cheesecake Scare is available anywhere books are sold.

About the Illustrator:

Jessica Love grew up in California, with two artist parents. She studied pintmaking and drawing at UC Santa Cruz, then went to study acting at The Juilliard School in NYC.

Jessica resides in Brooklyn, New York, toggling back and forth between her work as an actor and her work as an artist.

You can find out more about Sands Hetherington, Jessica Love and the Night Buddies series World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/bysdkbv

Follow the Night Buddies at

Fan Website: www.nightbuddiesadventures.com

Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/nightbuddies

Twitter: @Night_Buddies

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/nightbuddies2/

GoodReads Author Sands Hetherington

Publisher Website: www.dunebuggypress.com

To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit http://worldofinknetwork.com

----- 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.

Incorrigible an "Excellent Debut Novel"

Title: Incorrigibility

Author: Rayme Michaels
Link: lulu.com/spotlight/Rayme
Genre: Young Adult Comedy
ISBN: 978-1-105-46985-5

Reviewed by Amber L. Barr originally for Vampire and Immortal Books

"To truly appreciate the subtlety of Rayme Michaels's Incorrigibility, the reader must fully grasp the meaning of the title. To be incorrigible is to be especially set in bad habits to a point beyond redemption or reform. In the wicked comedy Incorrigibility, Mr. Michaels spins a tale that is crude, carnal, callous, and carefree. Mr. Michaels's writing style produces real-world twenty-something characters that leave the reader feeling he or she could have lived this novella at one time or another. Mr. Michaels' Incorrigibility makes the reader laugh, cringe, and maybe even want to slap a member of the opposite sex just for good measure. An excellent debut novella..." ~  Copyright 2012 with permission of Amber L. Barr www.vampireandimmortalbooks.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 :

Children's Picture Book on Tour!

Baby Come Home

By: Elizabeth Kail Arnita

Illustrations by: Diane Lucas
ISBN: 978-1-61244-087-3
Genre of Book: Children’s Christian Picture Book
Published by Halo Publishing Int.
Copyright 2013
All proceeds from book sales support Welcome the Children, a nonprofit helping children in poverty.
Places available for sale: Internet/Online, Church Book Store

Reviewed by World of Ink Network

Baby Come Home is a story of the young bird, “Baby”, who learns the value of unconditional love and acceptance after he decides to break free from the confinement of his cage and those who love him most. The story gives children a different perspective on rules and why we need to obey them while also offering a teaching on the unconditional love our perfect God has for His imperfect people.

Overall Thoughts:

Even though this book is considered a children's Christian picture book, there are no Bible references (verses quoted) in the actually text. In the author's notes you will find three or four Bible verses for those who want to use the book as a teaching tool in their church, family gatherings, etc.

The storyline itself is one that transcends any religious beliefs as we all at some point or another have broken rules, think we know better than those trying to guide/protect us and have found ourselves lead down a path we didn't think would end in consequences from our choices.

The book itself opens doors for parents, teachers or church leaders for open conversation with children. There are some scenes children might even ask questions because they don't quite understand what happened to Baby.

Even though the main character is a bird, children and adults alike will be able to relate to him, Sam (a human) and the events in the story. The illustrations are beautifully done and only add to each scene.

About the Author:

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Arnita is the youngest of 12 children. She learned early in life about family dynamics and the concept of sharing. After graduating in 1983, with a degree in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, Elizabeth married Shadi and they have been blessed with four fabulous children. Her love for the Lord has opened her eyes to a world in need and ignited her compassion for those who are less fortunate. She and her husband founded and continue to manage Welcome The Children; a non-profit organization that funds and supports children who are experiencing the reality of poverty. Elizabeth Arnita has designated all of the proceeds from her book sales to support WTC.

 

~Submitted by The World of Ink Network. It is touring author Elizabeth Arnita’s Children’s Christian Picture book, BABY COME HOME published by Halo Publishing Int. throughout January 2013.

You can find out more about Elizabeth Arnita, her books and World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/ayhg69o

 

Find out more about Welcome the Children at http://welcomethechildren.org/

To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit http://worldofinknetwork.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.

Free Book Fair and Writers' Conference in North Carolina

Dear Carolyn, Just five more weeks before our groundbreaking Book 'Em North Carolina Writers Conference and Book Fair! I'm asking you to please help us get the word out by forwarding this email to anyone you believe might be interested in attending. With more than 75 authors, publishers, literary agents and book promoters converging in Lumberton, North Carolina from coast to coast, we know we have something for everyone - from the youngest child to the oldest adult. So please forward this email to your friends, your fans, your readers, your family, civic organizations, book clubs, listservs and your co-workers. At our last event, we had attendees from as far away as New Jersey and Florida. This year we know of people chartering buses to attend the event and folks coming from as far away as Michigan and Illinois, so please encourage everyone to come to Lumberton! If you have any specific questions, you can always reach author p.m. terrell, the guru behind this event at patricia@pmterrell.com.   And, yes, I'll be appearing on three different panels.         DATE: February 23, 2013 TIME: 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM PLACE: Robeson Community College, Lumberton, North Carolina COST: FREE!

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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 :