Kit Lit Review Winget's Book for Middle Grades

Title: A Smidgen of Sky

Author: Dianna Dorisi Winget

Author site: http://www.diannawinget.com
Genre: contemporary middle grade
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (2012)
ISBN# 9780547807980

Reviewed by Sue Morris originally for  Kid-Lit Reviews

About the Story:  Eleven-year-old Piper Lee’s mama is engaged to marry Ben Hutchings, a prison guard.  Piper’s daddy disappeared while flying his Piper Cub plane and is presumed dead.  Piper refuses to believe this, and keeps waiting for the day he walks back through the front door.  Five years is a long time to wait.  Ben also has a daughter who is Piper’s age, but they are as different as a horse and a zebra.  Piper is looking for a plan to stop the wedding of her mama and Ginger’s daddy and finds one in Operation Find Tina. 

 

What I Thought:  A Smidgen of Sky is wonderfully written, with distinctive characters and full of Southern charm.  Piper Lee is the narrator and her voice is unforgettable.  She is holding on to her father’s memory, hoping he will find his way home and life can return to normal.  Mama has made her peace and is ready to move on by marrying Ben.  Piper doesn’t understand this and plans to stop the wedding.  She finally gets her plan when finding out Ginger’s mother left her shortly after being born.  The plan is to reunite Ginger with her mother, who will then reunite with Ben.  How Piper does this is both humorous and heartbreaking.  The debut middle grade novel A Smidgen of Sky, is a wonderful read kids will love. Ms. Winget explores blended families, single parents, death and mourning, Internet predators, and a few others as Piper Lee grows from a petulant ten-year-old to a wiser eleven-year-old.

 

Find the author online:

 

http://www.diannawinget.com/

 

http://www.twitter.com/DiannaMWinget

 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5573825.Dianna_Dorisi_Winget

 

 

 

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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.

Psychologist Pens First Psychological Mystery

Title: Shadow Play
Author: D.A. Lampi

Publisher: North Star Press

Genre: Mystery
ISBN: 0878396896

Purchase signed copies at author's Web site.

Also find it at
Barnes and Noble: 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadow-play-d-a-lampi/1115165341?ean=9780878396894

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Play-Debbie-Lampi/dp/0878396896

Reviewed by Annelyse Blatch originally for Everything Books and Authors

Synopsis: Shadow Play: 

Psychiatrist Grace Rendeau struggles to make sense of her husband’s untimely death. Left a widow with two children, Grace forges a new life for her family, abandoning her private practice and moving to Minnesota to take on a prestigious position at the Rochester Forensic Center for the Criminally Insane, work that will allow her to spend more time with her children.

At the Center Grace is immersed in a maelstrom of lives in disarray, the anguish and struggle of the inmates to regain a footing in sanity and face the devastating consequences of their criminal actions. In striving to heal her patients, Grace herself finds healing, a new strength, and a sense of possibilities.

Among the possibilities is a budding romance with Alex Sawyer, a divorced doctor engaged in humanitarian work. Romance blossoms into love and Grace accompanies Alex on a medical mission to Indonesia. They return committed to a new life together.

But their joy is short lived. Grace returns home not to her children, but to an empty House – and a chilling kidnapper’s note. It makes no demands and holds out no hope for the return of the children. It is clearly an act of pure vengeance.

Suspects are legion: a disgruntled security guard at the center with a grudge against Grace; Alex’s bitter ex-wife; a recently escaped insane inmate. Enemies known and unknown haunt Grace’s every waking hour. Where are her children? What has happened to them? Who is attempting to destroy her?

Grace’s riveting story illuminates the hopes and fears of every wife or husband, mother or father, woman or man, caught in life’s turmoil and striving to overcome it.

Reviews: 

Bart King of crime Book Beat reviewed An Unfortunate Death and gave it a and a very favorable review, saying, "...it's a conventional wisdom that the kids of shrinks are whacked. Ms. Lampi knowingly examines such a case  using her protagonist to reveal the potentially malignant impacts of an analysts's own talents turned inward. The author does so in a 'lite' romantic style. She avoids excessive belligerence and eschews bump-and-grind intimacies. Rather, she builds her mystery, increases tensions and evolves relationships through cinematic-like crafting. I look froward to future installments."

 http://www.crimebookbeat.com/search/label/Debbie%20Lampi%20-%20Suspense

Other reviews: 

Everything Books and Authors, reviewed by Annelyse Blatch. 

http://www.everythingbooksandauthors.com/1/post/2013/05/book-review-shadow-play-by-da-lampi.html

I have been very lucky to receive some fantastic debut novels to review and I was not let down by Debbie Lampi's `Shadow Play'. This beautifully written novel deserves a lot of praise. Fast paced and not lacking in suspense, I would recommend this novel to any adult who likes quality time with a good mystery.

The characters are strong and well written with air of secrecy about all of them. They each have a past that laces them together even during conflict. Bud appears rough and malicious but is he really? Josie always has an excuse. What is her purpose? Is Alex really who he says he is?

Grace is a psychiatrist healing from the death of her beloved husband 2 years prior and raising her children, Dane the innocent 5yr old boy who loves dinosaurs and Caleigh, the typical moody teenager... or is she? Beginning a new job in a new town, Grace hopes this will be healing for them all as she is finding her place in the world as a widow, trying to put one foot in front in of the other and get to Dane's ball games on time. Earth shattering events take place that both full her with love and emptiness at the same time. Grace must overcome her fears and doubts if she is to have any future. From Minnesota to Indonesia and Puerto Rico, Debbie Lampi takes us on a journey of self-discovery entwined with the all-enduring mothers love. Can it conquer all?

Other Blurbs: 

“A gripping story of one woman’s struggle amid life’s best hopes and worst fears, full of drama, intrigue and suspense, and rich with insight into the complexities of the human spirit.”
Paul Negri, former president and publisher of Dover Publications, Inc.

“No author writing today knows the unexpected dark corners of the human mind like Debbie Lampi. Ms. Lampi proves this point with terrifying conviction in her page-turner Shadow Play, a new psychological thriller that puts the tenacious and vulnerable Grace Rendeau, MD in the cross hairs of a quietly individual. Miss a night’s sleep, but don’t miss this one!”
John Klawitter, Hollywood Writer/Director

D.A. Lampi probes the psyche of her characters in a voyeuristic and sensual way. Shadow Play is a novel (based) on the complexity, beauty, and darkness of the human soul.
Annelie Wendeberg
Author of The Devil’s Grin

AUTHOR BIO

 I attended New York University and The New School for Social Research where I earned a Master of Arts in psychology. I am a member of Sisters in Crime and the Twin Cities Sisters in Crime. My first novel, Shadow Play, was published by North Star Press in June 2013.
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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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eleanor Vincent's Memoir on Parenting Goes Digital

Book Title: Swimming with Maya (Dream of Things Pub. March 2013)

Author: Eleanor Vincent
Genre: Memoir/Parenting
WOW! Blog Tour Dates: 10/14/2013-11/15/2013
Book Hashtag:  #SWMaya
Print Length: 340 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0988439042
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Dream of Things (March 26, 2013)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00BCMCUX0

Book Summary:    In a memoir that has been called "heartbreaking and heart-healing," Eleanor Vincent shares an inspiring true story of courage, creativity, faith, and sheer tenacity as she seeks to find balance after unthinkable tragedy.

Previously available only in hardcover, Swimming with Maya demonstrates the remarkable process of healing after the traumatic death of a loved one. Eleanor Vincent raised her two daughters, Maya and Meghan, virtually as a single-parent. Maya, the eldest, was a high-spirited and gifted young woman. As a toddler, Maya was an angelic tow-head, full of life and curiosity. As a teenager, Maya was energetic and independent - and often butted heads with her mother. But Eleanor and Maya were always close and connected, like best friends or sisters, but always also mother and daughter.

Then at age 19, Maya mounts a horse bareback as a dare and, in a crushing cantilever fall, is left in a coma from which she will never recover. Eleanor's life is turned upside down as she struggles to make the painful decision about Maya's fate.

Ultimately Eleanor chooses to donate Maya's organs. Years later, in one of the most poignant moments you will ever read about, Eleanor has the opportunity to hear her daughter's heart beat in the chest of the heart recipient. Along the way, Eleanor re-examines her relationship with her daughter, as well as the experiences that shaped Eleanor as a woman and as a mother to Maya.

An inspirational/motivational true story recommended for anyone who has experienced tragedy, who is grappling with traumatic experiences of the past, or who wants to better understand the strength and healing power of the human spirit.

Author Bio:

Eleanor Vincent is an award-winning writer whose debut memoir, Swimming with Maya: A Mother’s Story, was nominated for the Independent Publisher Book Award and was reissued by Dream of Things press early in 2013. She writes about love, loss, and grief recovery with a special focus on the challenges and joys of raising children at any age.

Called “engaging” by Booklist, Swimming with Maya chronicles the life and death of Eleanor’s nineteen-year-old daughter, Maya, who was thrown from a horse and pronounced brain-dead at the hospital. Eleanor donated her daughter’s organs to critically ill patients and poignantly describes her friendship with a middle-aged man who was the recipient of Maya’s heart.

Since the initial publication of Swimming with Maya in 2004, Eleanor has been a national spokesperson on grief recovery and organ donation, appearing on CNN and San Francisco’s Evening Magazine. She has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, and been interviewed on radio and television programs around the country.

She was born in Cleveland, Ohio and attended the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and received an MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College, where she occasionally teaches writing workshops on creative nonfiction and memoir.

Her essays appear in the anthologies At the End of Life: True Stories about How we Die(edited by Lee Gutkind); This I Believe: On Motherhood; and Impact: An Anthology of Short Memoirs. They celebrate the unique and complicated bonds between mothers and daughters, making hard decisions as a parent – whether your child is 14 or 40 – and navigating midlife transitions with grace and authenticity.

She lives in Oakland, California.

Finding Eleanor online:

http://www.eleanorvincent.com/
https://www.facebook.com/eleanor.vincent
https://twitter.com/eleanor_vincent
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/eleanor-vincent/8/895/a95
http://about.me/eleanorvincent

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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.

Photo Book for All Ages on Down Syndrome

Title of Book: Not Even the SKY is the LIMIT!

Author: Denise Zarrella
Author Website: http://tinyurl.com/nouc27m
Publisher: Halo Publishing, Int.
ISBN: 978-1-61244-199-3 (hard cover)
$14.95
Publication Date: September 2013
Genre of Book:  Photo book for all ages on Down Syndrome

Review provided by World of Ink Network

 

About the Book:

Not Even The SKY Is The LIMIT, is a book showcasing the abilities of children and adults with Down Syndrome. The book is the result of the author’s own beautiful journey to find out what life with her daughter would be like. Turn the pages and you’ll see that people with Down Syndrome are able to enjoy doing everything everyone else does. In fact, as you see here, not even the sky is the limit!

Not Even The SKY Is The LIMIT, is inspired by the authors daughter Gianna, who has Down Syndrome. The book is also meant for adults, who will clearly see by turning the pages that there are no limits to what those living with disabilities can do.

A portion of the proceeds from the book will be donated to organizations that improve the lives of people who live with Down Syndrome.

Our Thoughts: This is a beautiful book to show how every person is special no matter what.

BOOKTRAILER:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7TPZEIUFfk&feature=share&list=UUjcOpPUInovIAsrR8HLtxYA

 

About the Author: 

Denise Zarrella is an Emmy Award-winning reporter who has spent the past two decades covering hard news. She has met with historic figures, including U.S. Presidents and rock stars, but the people she has been most touched by are the children at the center of many of her stories.

Zarrella began her career at Fox’s “America’s Most Wanted,” where she researched cases involving unsolved crimes and missing children. From there, she shifted gears to news and headed to Atlanta, where she became an Associated Producer at CNN’s World Headquarters. While at CNN, she began reporting for TBS’s morning show “Interact America,” and her on-air journey began.

She left CNN and TBS to become a full-time Anchor/Reporter at WBBJ, in Jackson, Tennessee. She has also world in Champaign, Illinois, and Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, which returned her to her hometown in the Poconos.

Find out more about Denise Zarrella, her book and World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/nouc27m

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

 

SUBMITTED BY:

Virginia S Grenier 

Founder & Partner, World of Ink Network

Bringing Authors and Readers Together

http://worldofinknetwork.com

Office: 435-625-1743

Follow us on Twitter

Like us on Facebook

Award-winning Author & Editor

http://vsgrenier.com 

Member of League of Utah Writers/HWG chapter

http://heritagewriters.tripod.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.

Mmmmm. Tasty Review for Pork Chops!

Title: Pork Chops and Applesauce: A Collection of Recipes and Reflections

Author: Cynthia Briggs

Website: http://www.cynthiabriggsbooks.com/
Genre: Cookbook/Essays
ISBN: 1403381658

Reviewed by Elizabeth Tropp originally for Amazon

 

We all have favorite foods with a story connected to them. Maybe an old family recipe that has been passed down through the generations. Usually the stories are oral history but in Pork Chops and Applesauce author Cynthia Briggs decided to design a cookbook that connected the recipes to their "story". Most of the stories are fun, family memories connected to the stories although a few feel like a stretch...more of an advertisement for a local business in Briggs' New Mexico hometown.

As far as the recipe side of this dual cookbook/essays book they are, for the most part good, down home cooking. Nothing too gourmet, nothing too difficult. Just dishes that everyone in the family (even the infamous picky eater) will like. There's a wide variety of dishes: salads, appetizers, entrees, desserts, beverages. Truly a soups to nuts type of cookbook.

This book seems like a great choice as a gift, either for someone who likes cooking (or needs to learn how to cook) or for someone who enjoys family essays.

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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.

WOW Book Tour for Toni Piccinini Book

The Goodbye Year
By Toni Piccinini
Author's Webssite (Link): http://tonipiccinini.com/home.html

ISBN-10: 1580054862

ISBN-13: 978-1580054867

Genre/Category:  Family Relationships / Motherhood
Five Stars
 Reviewed by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto originally for her BringOnLemons blog

•  

The Goodbye Year is a great book for parents and non-parents alike. Even though the book focuses on a child’s senior year and those specific challenges, even a parent of young children or a non-parent can relate to loving, letting go, and the last time for something special. Piccinini offers love and support as well as some fabulous recipes. She is an encouraging friend who went from dreading those “lasts” to enjoying her own new-found freedom and flexibility. The optimism, support, and humor throughout The Goodbye Year drew me in and kept me interested through and through.

We’ve all been in a situation where we knew it was the end of something special. I remember that feeling the last day of first grade. While the other children were laughing and enjoying the celebratory picnic I was thinking how we would all have different teachers next year and things would never be the same again. I was not able to express the sorrow that came with that ending but as a child I just knew I was sad. Similar feelings came over me the last day of summer camp, the last day before my best friend moved away, and the last day of school each and every year. After reading The Goodbye Year I feel better equipped to lead my children through those ‘lasts’. I have to admit before I started reading I assumed this particular book wouldn’t apply to me since my children are just starting school, but I really have a lot of take-aways and would certainly recommend The Goodbye Year to anyone who has experienced love or loss of any kind.

Piccinini considers herself a bossy-but-loving Italian and that love shines through on each page. I felt her wrapping her arms around me with love and encouragement. She empowered me to try new recipes, enjoy little moments I would otherwise have missed, and somehow though we have never met, we have shared laughter. I hope Piccinini has a new project or two lined up because I look forward to reading more from her.

 

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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.

Veteran Goodbye Woman Gives Other Parents College Advice

Book Title: The Goodbye Year

Author: Toni Piccinini (Seal Press Pub. October 2013)
Genre: Health & Well Being
WOW! Blog Tour Dates: 10/7/2013-11/7/2013
Book Hashtag: #TGYPiccinini
 Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Seal Press (September 10, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1580054862
ISBN-13: 978-1580054867

Book Summary:   For many mothers, a child’s senior year brings about a serious look back on the past eighteen. Every event—from Halloween to Mother’s Day—becomes The Last Time.

Toni Piccinini knows exactly what that’s like, and in The Goodbye Year, she offers the loving support every soon-to-be Empty Nester needs. Think of Toni as your bossy-but-loving Italian auntie, with modern sensibilities and a packed pantry. With the wisdom she’s acquired from saying goodbye three times to her own children, she reassuringly holds your hand while encouraging you through the insanity of the college application process, the rejections and the acceptances, and the teary dorm drop-offs. Even better, she reminds every mother that the best is yet to come—freedom, creativity, flexibility, and the Me Years.

Author Bio:


My writing career started when I stapled my first "book" together and launched it at a reading attended by my brother, Scotty, and our Boxer, Lonesome. The title-less story was a mash-up of Hansel and Gretel, The Six Swans, and a Box Car Children adventure, with the protagonists (sister, brother, and dog) risking everything in their quest for a magical lump of coal that would save the town. It was an immediate success. During the fifty years between my first and second book, "The Goodbye Year: Wisdom and Culinary Therapy to Survive Your Child's Senior Year of High School (and Reclaim the YOU of You)" I have--in no order of importance or chronology--opened a "Top 100" San Francisco restaurant, published scientific articles on the efficacies of antibiotics, sang the National Anthem at high school football games, published essays, recipes, and cookbook reviews, and sent three children off to college. I live in Marin County California, which is a long way from my Western Pennsylvania hometown, Heilwood. I am busy on my next book, which may revisit the power found in a magical lump of coal. Thank you for checking in.

Finding the author online:

http://tonipiccinini.com/home.html

http://tonipiccinini.com/goodbyeyear.html

https://twitter.com/Bellatonicooks 

 
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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.