Everybody “Every Body” a Praise Pals® children’s book that is a sweet story with Praise Pals® characters Carleigh and her pup Mickey. It’s a reflective and inspirational book that teaches children about positive body image, bullying and not to be a bystander. Real life Body Image Hero, Carleigh Joy O’Connell has co-authored the book, with her mom, Daryl Lynn O’Connell with Art Direction/Illustrations and Creator CathyAnn Sarra.
My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Received this book at bookcon. I really enjoyed this book. It’s such an excellent idea for children. The mitten is totally adorable and fits adults, too. It’s a blessing when mom does a mitten out of scratch for you. Kids really will enjoy this adorable book.
I won this amazing giveaway from the publisher Hachette. This was the Pollinators Giveaway. This includes Flower Garden for Pollinators, Aster Goldenrod honey, and hand-printed native seed packets. It was a wonderful surprised I received three books with this giveaway.
I love flowers and was hoping to read more about all the different flowers and how they help our environment.
A frighteningly fun picture book adventure from two monstrously talented children’s book icons–Marc Brown and R.L. Stine!
Are you are afraid of monsters? Do they make you shiver and shake and shut your eyes really tight at night?
Welcome to the Little Shop of Monsters! Do you want a SNEEZER? A TICKLER? Or one of the CREEPIEST monsters of all? Come on in and choose your favorite, if you dare (before one of them chooses YOU!).
Renowned children’s book creators Marc Brown and R.L. Stine join forces for the very first time-in Stine’s picture book debut-with a tale that is monstrously good fun.
2016 Children’s Choice Book Award Winner — Kindergarten-2nd Grade Book of the Year
My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars
It’s such a cute book written by two amazing authors. They did a splendid job with the rhymes and the images. Perfect for Halloween to scare the little ones for a short bit.
Author Biography
Robert Lawrence Stine known as R. L. Stine and Jovial Bob Stine, is an American novelist and writer, well known for targeting younger audiences. Stine, who is often called the Stephen King of children’s literature, is the author of dozens of popular horror fiction novellas, including the books in the Goosebumps, Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, The Nightmare Room and Fear Street series.
R. L. Stine began his writing career when he was nine years old, and today he has achieved the position of the bestselling children’s author in history. In the early 1990s, Stine was catapulted to fame when he wrote the unprecedented, bestselling Goosebumps® series, which sold more than 250 million copies and became a worldwide multimedia phenomenon. His other major series, Fear Street, has over 80 million copies sold.
Stine has received numerous awards of recognition, including several Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards and Disney Adventures Kids’ Choice Awards, and he has been selected by kids as one of their favorite authors in the NEA’s Read Across America program. He lives in New York, NY.
Everyone in my family has killed someone. Some of us, the high achievers, have killed more than once. I’m not trying to be dramatic, but it is the truth. Some of us are good, others are bad, and some just unfortunate.
I’m Ernest Cunningham. Call me Ern or Ernie. I wish I’d killed whoever decided our family reunion should be at a ski resort, but it’s a little more complicated than that.
Have I killed someone? Yes. I have.
Who was it?
Let’s get started.
EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE
My brother
My stepsister
My wife
My father
My mother
My sister-in-law
My uncle
My stepfather
My aunt
Me
My Review: Rated 4 out of 5 stars
A family of killers will have an unforgettable reunion. Each member has not only killed someone, but they have a closet full of skeletons that will unleash an unexpected family member who will bring to light the mystery of this family. Ernest narrates the story and brings funny moments to the story of Whodunit. Can the writer Ernest put together the puzzle pieces?
The story includes ten characters who each have killed someone. Ernest narrates the story for each character by dividing the book into parts by family members and going over what the family members did and how he got involved. He did a fantastic job connecting the dots for each murder and having Ernest tell everyone his conclusion about who the murderer was and why this all occurred.
The story was a little slow, but it piqued my interest after he spoke to his brother Michael, and the deaths and mysteries were unraveling. I expected the story to turn out differently than it did. Too much was at stake, with too many secrets. This story shows how money can cover any secret.
Sin & Mistletoe Anthology Alison Mackenzie, Amanda Holly, Isabella White, Jade Marshall, M Kay Noir Publication date: November 1, 2024 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday, Mafia, Romance
Synopsis:
This Christmas, forget about tinsel and trees.
Get ready for dark & dirty, jealous and possessive.
In the darkness, a tempting surprise waits for you. There will not be an exchange of gifts, only shadows waiting to claim you. This holiday season, forget about happiness and family.
Code of Knights and Deception by Eliza Hampstead Publication date: December 2024 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Time-Travel
Synopsis:
Outlander meets Black Mirror in this sizzling time-travel romance!
Sophia’s family vacation in England takes an unexpected turn when a visit to the historic Warwick Castle catapults her back to the year 1401. Stranded in a world vastly different from her own, she must adapt to the brutal realities of medieval life, ultimately discovering a strength and resilience she never knew she had. She finds unexpected friends and solace in her ancient surroundings, but her newfound peace is shattered by a violent attack. Driven to action, she disguises herself as a man and begins sword fighting lessons, determined to defend herself.
Henry, the castle’s enigmatic master-at-arms, is a chivalric knight with dark secrets. As he trains Sophia, their connection ignites a forbidden love that defies the strict social norms of the time. But their passionate affair is threatened by his deception, which could shatter the fragile world Sophia has come to cherish.
As danger looms and the truth about Henry comes to light, Sophia faces an impossible choice: return to her own time or risk everything to protect the man she loves and the new world she’s come to cherish.
Award-winning author Eliza Hampstead, a scientist by training, lives with her family in the UK. When she’s not writing, she spends her time as a geek. Playing all sorts of games (board games, video games, RPGs) and being a big fan of mediaeval history are only a few of the many hobbies she has. Passionate about fantasy, she’s always planning her next adventure.
Grab your free copy of the bonus story of how Mike met Charlie and how they spent their first hot night together by signing up to Eliza’s newsletter to receive information about new releases:
Before the sensational cases of Amanda Knox and Casey Anthony—before even Lizzie Borden—there was Polly Bodine, the first American woman put on trial for capital murder in our nation’s debut media circus.
On Christmas night, December 25, 1843, in a serene village on Staten Island, shocked neighbors discovered the burnt remains of twenty-four-year-old mother Emeline Houseman and her infant daughter, Ann Eliza. In a perverse nativity, someone bludgeoned to death a mother and child in their home—and then covered up the crime with hellfire.
When an ambitious district attorney charges Polly Bodine (Emelin’s sister-in-law) with a double homicide, the new “penny press” explodes. Polly is a perfect media villain: she’s a separated wife who drinks gin, commits adultery, and has had multiple abortions. Between June 1844 and April 1846, the nation was enthralled by her three trials—in Staten Island, Manhattan, and Newburgh—for the “Christmas murders.”
After Polly’s legal dream team entered the fray, the press and the public debated not only her guilt, but her character and fate as a fallen woman in society. Public opinion split into different camps over her case. Edgar Allen Poe and Walt Whitman covered her case as young newsmen. P. T. Barnum made a circus out of it. James Fenimore Cooper’s last novel was inspired by her trials.
The Witch of New York is the first narrative history about the dueling trial lawyers, ruthless newsmen, and shameless hucksters who turned the Polly Bodine case into America’s formative tabloid trial. An origin story of how America became addicted to sensationalized reporting of criminal trials, The Witch of New York vividly reconstructs an epic mystery from Old New York—and uses the Bodine case to challenge our system of tabloid justice of today.
My Review: Rated 4 out of 5 stars
The brutal murder of a young woman and her child will flip the lives of those living on Long Island on a Christmas night in 1843. The case against Polly Bodine will portray her as an evil witch who needs to get punished for the murders of her sister-in-law, Emeline Houseman, and her niece, Ann Eliza. Emeline and Ann were killed and burned in their home. It was a gruesome murder of two innocent lives. Can the court find Polly Bodine guilty of this heinous crime?
Polly’s trials will drag on for three and a half years and will be the talk of everyone who reads the newspaper or lives near where the court cases get held. The first case is in Long Island, but she has an unfair trial. Then, the case moves to Manhattan, where the newspapers will tarnish her reputation and create Polly as an evil witch, which will dissuade everyone in New York that she is guilty of the murders. A new trial will occur in Newburgh, where the jury will reach a decision.
Alex Hortis shared a story with which many people were unfamiliar. He researched the three trials thoroughly, providing readers with a glimpse into a trial that took place many years ago, was famous at the time, but got forgotten with time. I learned about this story when I saw Alex would be discussing the book at the exact location where the Newburgh trial took place. Sitting in the precise location where Polly Bodine stood trial made this rollercoaster case seem surreal. I was back to a moment in history. Organizing the book into four sections, naming each chapter, and providing dates when the events took place made the story easy to follow.
He provided detailed information about the court cases, Polly’s life, and the media frenzy that fueled the witch trial to portray Polly as guilty and a witch figure. In my opinion, Polly was guilty. Her running away when she found out about the murders, had written a mysterious letter to her lover, and was seen as the woman who sold Emeline’s property raised more questions than answers. You must read this epic trial to decide whether or not you find Polly guilty.
Author Biography
“[A] fascinating look at the crime and what came after…the reader is rewarded by the increasingly bonkers trials and their fallout.” -New York Times book review
“Hortis’s fastidious historical detail makes this episode come to life…. Fans of Daniel Stashower will love this.” -Publishers Weekly *STARRED* Review
This is the court house in Newburgh, where Polly’s final trial is held.
I got to meet @whoopigoldberg at @bookendsnj. I waited a long time to meet Whoopi. I remember when I was in middle school, I needed to write a biography essay. My love for Whoppi and her films led me to choose her life story. It was an epic moment to meet Whoopi and bond talking about fashion. Being able to bring someone a smile with an outfit is a feeling you will always take with you. Thanks, Whoppi, for being super cool!! #whoopigoldberg #bookevent #bookish #booktour #booklover #bookendsnj
I will be posting reviews from her two books soon.
She was loving my ladybug outfit theme. We both love two of the same shoe brands, Irregular Choice and Hot Chocolate Design.
BawB’s Raven Feathers is pure and simple. It kickstarts moments of self-reflection and inner peace, drawing on nostalgia while pushing the reader to live in the present and dream of tomorrow. Alternating brief chapters of prose with perfectly rhythmic, adult rhymes, this book holds appeal for the masses.
My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Another amazing book that has inspired me and made me open my eyes and see mistakes I have done in order for me to be happy. We live our lives being unhappy and blaming others for our mishaps. There is so much more to life and being happy. If we open our hearts, minds, and listen, we can touch others and make them see that life is worth fighting for. I myself, on many occasions, have felt that I don’t have strength, belief, and positivity to be able to do more with my life. To find a job that will bring me joy and feel that I can do anything, even those things that others might not feel I can overcome. You don’t want to miss these wonderful novels.
Author Biography
Robert (BawB) Chomany was born in Calgary with a clear view of the mountains to the west that drew him in and eventually introduced him to his spiritual side. BawB still resides in Calgary and seeks to maintain an inner balance and find happiness by simply living with a smile. BawB is the author of the BawB’s Raven Feathers series.
Bawb’s Raven Feathers is pure and simple. It kick-starts moments of self-reflection and inner peace by drawing on nostalgia and pushing the reader to live in the present and dream of tomorrow. Alternating brief chapters of prose with perfectly rhythmic, adult rhymes, with room to write down your own thoughts and inspiring ideas, this book holds appeal for the masses.
My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Won this book in Goodreads. I love this book because it had amazing inspirational poems that open a person heart and soul to see that every day will be better if you are open to making it a better day. Smiling is contagious, and we should always smile at life, people, animals. I loved that the books had a space for us to write our feelings in regards to the topic that the author was talking about. I think it’s a great book for someone who needs to find their purpose and meaning. There are many people out there who live like robots. No change in what they eat, do, wear. Life is full of wonders. We must have an open mind and heart, and life is short, so we need to make the best of it. A smile in the wind to Robert. Thanks. I highly recommend this book.
Author Biography
Robert (BawB) Chomany was born in Calgary with a clear view of the mountains to the west that drew him in and eventually introduced him to his spiritual side. BawB still resides in Calgary and seeks to maintain an inner balance and find happiness by simply living with a smile. BawB is the author of the BawB’s Raven Feathers series.
FabulousReader4Ever 