I loved reading these characters dark and disturbing stories. I don’t think I have ever been where they took me. How will it end? Nothing can stop me from finding out. My guess, they can’t all die…can they? Someone has to be left standing…don’t they?
I couldn’t put it down.
The explosive conclusion blew me away…
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of His Affliction: A Desecrated Conclusion by C A Rene.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
I heard he was crazy, that his feelings were all dead.
I heard the bad things he did was because of the monster in his head.
He likes to deal out pain, reveling in his victims’ screams.
He likes breaking hearts, ripping them apart at the seams.
Everything became better, because he went away.
But none of that mattered, since a part of him stayed.
Now he’s back, looking for what he left behind.
They all whisper the same things, about his affliction of the mind.
People say he’s broken, this man Brody Landry.
But I think he’s beautiful, a perfect Prince for me
ABOUT C A RENE (from her website)
First off… Call me Chrissy!
I’m
so glad you’re here, whether it’s because you found me from reading my
books or hit a link, I’m just ecstatic you decided to check me out.
In
my books you will find complete inclusivity and I refuse to be kept in
any specific box. I write across all genres and dabble in just about
everything.
To keep up with all new releases and teasers for all my upcoming books, you can follow me on any social media platform!
Lover
of all things dark. I love to read it, write it, own it, eat it,
whatever it. My addictions include Coffee, books, and WINE, in that
order.
Jason Parent is one of those authors whose stories I eagerly anticipate and Unbalanced did not let me down. The cover does go with the story, giving a glimpse into Jaden Sanders despair.
I love the character of Royo, and his life partner, Rickie, who is a
bit flamboyant. I read about his purple Lycra pants and smiled at the
picture that formed in my head. It reminds me of a couple of gay friends
I had when I lived in Michigan. I have been reading about more diverse
characters in the past year and am glad I have expanded my reading
genres. Royo is incorruptible and loves nothing more than putting the
pieces of a crime together, like a jigsaw puzzle.
Jaden lives across the hall from the dead woman. There is so much to
Jaden’s story that I am not even going to try and tell it. I will tell
you, my heart aches for him. His sister is his sole support system,
since the death of his girlfriend. The more I read, the more I fear for
his sanity. He is Unbalanced, but I do not see him being the cause of
her death…but ya never know. Does he take his medication? Is it helping
or harming him? I am so suspicious of the doctor, but I won’t tell you
why. You will have to find out for yourself, and I do recommend doing
so.
Prosecutor Heather Laughton is out to make a name for herself and is
throwing Jaden to the wolves, when he kills the men who invaded his
home. I felt disgusted and angry.
As more is revealed, I bounce back and forth about Jaden. Something
wicked is going on and I need more pieces of the puzzle. My heart was in
my throat through most of the book. The suspense, pacing and my need to
know drove me on, searching for answers, wanting to protect him and
take down those who wished him harm.
I read so many great books it’s hard for me to get so riled. I am
only halfway through and I am so poed for him. I cannot imagine what I
would do in Jayden’s place, but I doubt I could keep from standing up
and losing it in front of one and all.
At times I felt Royo was like Columbo, bumbling and tenacious, like a
dog with a bone. He won’t stop until he has the answers. I felt he was
on Jayden’s side, but why doesn’t he follow the questions he has? What’s
taking him so long to open his eyes, see their importance? I feel Jason
Parent is torturing me…and Jaden. LOL He sure knows how to get my blood
pumping, my heart pounding. Even when I had doubts, I felt Jason Parent
was leading me where he wanted me to go.
Officer Megan Costa is a new recruit who Royo remembers from the a
class he taught at the Academy. She is bright, diligent, not afraid to
share her opinion. I would love to see more of her. Royo, I liked even
more at the end. I know Jason Parent does stand alone novels and I have
only seen him do one series, the Cycle Of Evil, but…
What do you think Jason? Could there be another story for Royo and Costa?
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Unbalanced by Jason Parent.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
By-the-book Detective Asante Royo can only clean up Fall River’s filth for so long without getting dirty. When he’s called to an apparent suicide at an apartment complex notorious for its prostitution and drug trade, he doesn’t shed a tear for the life wasted. Yet something about the scene haunts him, and when his investigation gets swept under the rug, he has a hard time living with the stain.
Jaden Sanders is an unstable loner who lives across the hall from the crime scene. When three men break into his apartment, Jaden is ready for a fight. He kills two of his attackers in self-defense then stalks and stabs the third in the back. Jaden is soon arrested for murder.
With no clear motives for the home invasion or Jaden’s violent response, Royo must uncover the true story before more people get hurt. His only leads are derived from the version of events extracted from a truly unbalanced mind. Is Jaden a victim being steamrolled by cold justice or a murderer capable of killing again?
ABOUT JASON PARENT
In
his head, Jason Parent lives in many places, but in the real world, he
calls New England his home. The region offers an abundance of settings
for his writing and many wonderful places in which to write them. He
currently resides in Southeastern Massachusetts with his cuddly corgi
named Calypso.
In a prior life, Jason spent most of his
time in front of a judge . . . as a civil litigator. When he finally
tired of Latin phrases no one knew how to pronounce and explaining to
people that real lawsuits are not started, tried and finalized within
the 60-minute timeframe they see on TV (it’s harassing the witness; no
one throws vicious woodland creatures at them), he traded in his cheap
suits for flip flops and designer stubble. The flops got repossessed the
next day, and he’s back in the legal field . . . sorta. But that’s
another story.
When he’s not working, Jason likes to
kayak, catch a movie, travel any place that will let him enter, and play
just about any sport (except that ball tied to the pole thing where you
basically just whack the ball until it twists into a knot or takes
somebody’s head off – he misses the appeal). And read and write, of
course. He does that too sometimes.
WOW! Two Nights In Lisbon by Chris Pavone was a very pleasant surprise. I can’t say exactly why I grabbed the book. The cover is nothing special, though as I look closer there is more to see the more I look.
Ariel had remade herself after the end of her marriage. Now, she has found the last piece of the puzzle for her happy ever after…until…He’s gone.
She’s alone in Lisbon, Portugal with nothing but questions. Where is he? Apparently she doesn’t know him as well a she thought. Could something from his past come back to haunt him? Is he in trouble?
Ariel loves mystery novels, and it’s a good thing. She will need the knowledge she gained from reading them to plan her own investigation. She had been an actress and trained herself to be observant, aware of her surroundings.
Near the end, a flash, and my questions are answered about him….But, not really.
Two Nights In Lisbon by Chris Pavone may seem a bit slow, methodical, but it could also be a blueprint on how to take revenge and get justice.
So many twists and turns, and, best of all, book surprises. I love book surprises that keep me flipping pages and an author’s ability to shock and awe me, again and again.
The pacing was spot on, making me want to peek ahead, but I resisted the urge. Can you? The more I think about the book, the better it gets. Excellent job, Chris.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Two Nights In Lisbon by Chris Pavone.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
You think you know a person . . .
Ariel Price wakes up in Lisbon, alone. Her husband is gone—no warning, no note, not answering his phone. Something is wrong.
She
starts with hotel security, then the police, then the American embassy,
at each confronting questions she can’t fully answer: What exactly is
John doing in Lisbon? Why would he drag her along on his business trip?
Who would want to harm him? And why does Ariel know so little about her
new—much younger—husband?
The clock is ticking. Ariel is
increasingly frustrated and desperate, running out of time, and the one
person in the world who can help is the one person she least wants to
ask.
Tautly wound and expertly crafted, Two Nights in Lisbon
is a riveting thriller about a woman under pressure, and how far she
will go when everything is on the line. With sparkling prose and
razor-sharp insights, bestselling author Chris Pavone delivers a
stunning and sophisticated international thriller that will linger long
after the surprising final page.
ABOUT CHRIS PAVONE
CHRIS PAVONE is author of four international thrillers: THE EXPATS (2012), THE ACCIDENT (2014), THE TRAVELERS (2016), and THE PARIS DIVERSION (2019). His novels have appeared on the bestseller lists of the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and IndieNext; have won both the Edgar and Anthony awards, and have been shortlisted for the Strand, Macavity, and Los Angeles Times Book Prize; are in development for film and television; and have been translated into two dozen languages.
He has written for outlets including the New York Times Book Review and Magazine, the Telegraph, and Salon; has appeared on Face the Nation, Good Day New York, All Things Considered, and the BBC; and has been profiled on the arts’ front page of the New York Times.
Chris grew up in Brooklyn, graduated from Midwood High School and Cornell University, and worked in publishing for nearly two decades at Dell Magazines, Doubleday, the Lyons Press, Regan/HarperCollins, Clarkson Potter, and Artisan/Workman, in positions ranging from copy editor and managing editor to executive editor and deputy publisher; he also wrote a (mostly blank) book about wine, and ghost-wrote a couple of nonfiction books. Then his wife got a job in Luxembourg, and the family moved abroad, where Chris raised their twin boys and started writing THE EXPATS. They now live again in New York City and on the North Fork of Long Island with an Australian Labradoodle named Wally.
The creepy cover for The Doll does fit the creepy story inside of a trip to an island of dolls that it is wise not to touch, but a young girl finds them so irresistible…so beware, what is done cannot always be undone and the ending undone me, which was worth a star on its own.
Shade and the Crystal Orb is the finale for the series by Marilyn Peake. I have enjoyed my adventures with her and look forward to what comes next for Marilyn.
Shade and Kai are off to school…senior year at Ocean View College. Shade is a Ghost Whisperer and Kai is an empath. They are BFFs.
We are off to a good start. Shade has the same roommate, Carrie, who went to Romania with her, and they are in the same dorm room, #58. The familiar gives her confidence, makes her feel more comfortable coming back.
I love going to dinner with them. The servers and guests…well, ya have to read it to enjoy it as much as I did. Put a smile on my face, cracking me up. Yeah, it does bring to mind Harry Potter, but that just makes it easier to visualize and makes it that much more enjoyable.
Shade will be studying Kelpies this year and is off to Scotland for a research project. Her friend Li will be accompanying her. Will they see the Loch Ness Monster?
Kelpies are shapeshifting spirits inhabiting the lochs in Scottish folklore. It is usually described as a black horselike creature able to adopt human form. I love the shapeshifter that can become whatever she wants, whether whale, dolphin, fish… We have selkies, which are seal shapeshifters. That’s pretty darn cool too.
“The magical world is as complex as the real world.”
Things are going too smoothly and I am waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop. I hope my spidey sense are wrong, but what would be the story in that?
Then, POW. Marilyn, you rocked my boat. I am amazed.
Marilyn Peake’s writing is enthralling, riveting. I cannot look away.
There are six books in the Shade series and I am sad to see it end. The books are not filled with gore, erotica, or savagery, but draw the reader into circumstances and characters and we have to know how it will end…and talk about surprises…the stories about the Loch Ness Monster are true, but..
I love how Shade came full circle.
I cannot imagine how Marilyn Peake could have done any better. The finale hit all the buttons and I am sure my review did not do it justice. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVED IT!
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Shade and the Crystal Orb by Marilyn Peake.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Crystal orbs are tricky things. They can be windows into the future or nothing more than smoke and mirrors.
During
the first semester of her senior year at Ocean View College, Shade
takes a class on the kelpies and begins researching their situation.
This group of magical beings is confined to a very small area of the
Earth: the lochs and pools of Scotland. The Blue Men of the Minch or
storm kelpies are confined to an even smaller area: the stretch of water
between the northern Outer Hebrides and mainland Scotland. The kelpies
are considered dangerous. Having the power to control weather, they’ve
been blamed for storms and shipwrecks. Shade wonders if they’ve been
falsely accused and turned into scapegoats.
At the beginning of
their second semester senior year, Shade and her friend Li Zhang receive
financial grants to go over to Scotland to complete a research project
on the kelpies. While there, they meet a number of these magical beings.
Things take a dangerous turn when Shade and Li get swept up in a
situation among the kelpies and two other magical groups, the Fin Folk
and asrai. When Shade and Li meet Nessie the Loch Ness Monster, things
take twists and turns that forever change the lives of everyone at Ocean
View College.
SHADE AND THE CRYSTAL ORB is Book #6 in a YA
Paranormal Mystery / YA Urban Fantasy series. This is the final novel in
the main storyline of the SHADE series.
ABOUT MARILYN PEAKE
Marilyn Peake is the author
of both novels and short stories. Her publications have received
excellent reviews. Marilyn’s one of the contributing authors in BOOK:
THE SEQUEL, published by The Perseus Books Group, with one of her
entries included in serialization at THE DAILY BEAST. In addition,
Marilyn has served as Editor of a number of anthologies. Her short
stories have been published in seven anthologies and on the literary
blog, GLASS CASES.
Awards: Silver Award, two Honorable Mentions and eight Finalist
placements in the ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards, two Winner
and two Finalist placements in the EPPIE Awards, Winner of the Dream
Realm Awards, and eight Top Ten Finisher Awards in the Preditors and
Editors Readers Poll.
Jeff Gunhus writes some fabulous horror novels and when I saw this one in his newsletter I realized it was different than what I was used to from him. It is personal, written from the heart, and I LOVED IT. Caroline & Mordecai The Gand sends a subtle message through a fabulous adventure with a girl that wants things to be like they were before her father died.
Thirteen year old Caroline lost her father, her friend, and her grief is overwhelming. She does have her mother, who has her own struggles with her own loss, Abby and her Aunt Betty, but nothing fills the void.
When she fell from the tree, she entered a world that would open her eyes as she finds her way through her sorrow. Her adventure will take her back to herself.
I feel this is a book everyone who has suffered a loss would benefit from. Even in sadness there is happiness, smiles with the tears…
May you feast on your dreams
If you check out Jeff Gunhus, you will see why this book came to be. It may be a middle grade read, but I feel it holds a wonderful message for us all.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Caroline & Mordecai The Gand by Jeff Gunhus.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Caroline loses her spark. It takes a great adventure for her to find it again.
When Caroline loses her father in a car accident, she can’t shake the feeling that it was her fault. Consumed by grief, she has a difficult time readjusting to a world that has changed so dramatically for her. Not long after her father’s death, a strange window opens in the middle of the small lake behind her house. She climbs up an old oak to peer inside, but falls out of the tree and discovers that the window also serves as a door into a different world.
Enter Mordecai the Gand, a mysterious traveler who befriends Caroline and promises to help her find a way back home since the window she fell through has disappeared. The two set out on a series of adventures that include visiting a tree village populated by a tribe known for eating travelers, running into a witch under a spell of her own making, hiding in a cave with a dragon encased in a wall of ice (prone to melting by campfire), all the while being pursued by a mysterious entity call the Creach which promises to devour Caroline and trap her in an eternity of despair.
As they navigate these adventures and this new world, Caroline slowly discovers that she is meant to help each of the characters she meets. As she battles internally whether to stay or return home to the sadness and grief waiting for her there, she must regain perspective and open her heart to the act of caring and to the joy of love itself. In the end, she must demonstrate great courage, loyalty, and caring as the plot unfolds, becoming the active hero of her own story
ABOUT JEFF GUNHUS
Jeff Gunhus is the USA TODAY bestselling author of thriller and horror novels for adults and the middle grade/YA series, The Templar Chronicles. The first book, Jack Templar Monster Hunter, was written in an effort to get his reluctant reader eleven-year-old son excited about reading. It worked and a new series was born. His books for adults have reached the Top 30 on Amazon, have been recognized as Foreword Reviews Book of the Year Finalists and reached the USA TODAY bestseller list.
After his experience with his son, he is passionate about helping parents reach young reluctant readers and is active in child literacy issues. As a father of five, he leads an active life in Maryland with his wife Nicole by trying to constantly keep up with their kids. In rare moments of quiet, he can be found in the back of the City Dock Cafe in Annapolis working on his next novel or on JeffGunhus.com.
I am loving the covers for the Unicorn Island series by Donna Galanti.
From Donna Galanti: It’s been a wonderful journey writing the Unicorn Island series and it all started with my publisher who said, “I’d like for you to write a book about a girl who has to take care of a unicorn.” And of course, I said YES to that because … unicorns! They are magical, wondrous, and mysterious. 🦄
Unicorn Island is a magical story that has everything a young mind could want in an adventure, with plenty of fantasy and fact to inspire…the young and the old alike.
Foggy Harbor has begun to feel like home since Sam made a friend and discovered a magical island full of unicorns and other magical creatures. Now…their immortality is threatened and she searches for a cure, finding a secret from her past that links her to the future of the herd.
Sam had learned her Uncle Mitch’s legacy was to protect the herd and keep the secret of the island that was hidden by a fog bank. He was training Sam and her friend, Tuck, to be unicorn protectors.
When Donna Galanti mentioned elephants evolution and tusks (yes, I am talking real elephants), I had to check it out and see if it was real. I urge you to do the same.
Love. Selflessness. Devotion. Courage.
“…Science and magic together can create wondrous things…”
I loved this wonderful adventure into the magical world of Unicorn Island, with fabulous characters and magical creatures that work together to save the unicorns and the island. Not only does it have a gorgeous cover, but it holds factual tidbits at the end of the story to inspire young minds.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Unicorn Island: Secret Beneath The Sand by Donna Galanti.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
In Book 2 of the
series, Sam and Tuck are on their way to becoming unicorn protectors
when they discover new secrets about the island that threaten unicorns’
existence! From Epic! Originals, Unicorn Island is a middle-grade illustrated novel series about a young girl who discovers a mysterious island full of mythical beasts.
Sam
can’t believe how much her life and luck have changed since she came to
Foggy Harbor: First, she discovered that unicorns are real, and now
she’s on her way to becoming an actual unicorn protector! With her new
friend, Tuck, by her side during Uncle Mitch’s lessons, Sam finally
feels like she’s home.
But as the long-buried dangers of Unicorn Island begin to surface and a mysterious scourge spreads throughout the herd, Sam learns the truth behind Aunt Sylvie’s disappearance and her own connection to the island. With determination, courage, and fierce loyalty to one another—and to their code as unicorn protectors—the kids set out to protect the island’s secrecy and the unicorns’ very existence.
Downloadthese fun Secret Beneath the Sand activities!
ABOUT DONNA GALANTI
Donna Galanti is the author of the bestselling paranormal suspense
Element Trilogy and the children’s fantasy adventure Joshua and The
Lightning Road series. Donna is a contributing editor for International
Thriller Writers the Big Thrill magazine, a writing contest judge at
nycmidnight.com, and regularly presents as a guest author at schools
and teaches at writing conferences. She’s lived from England as a
child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer. Donna also loves teaching
writers about building author brand and platform through her free
training series at yourawesomeauthorlife.com. Visit her at donnagalanti.com.
First off, I would like to thank Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Girl In Ice by Erica Ferencik. It blew me away. I loved everything about it, from the title, to the cover, to the story inside.
The Girl In Ice was thawed out by the research team studying climate change on an island off the coast of Greenland. The Arctic Circle…I can’t imagine being there at any time, let alone when danger lurks. Where will it come from? I figured it out pretty quick, but I could not be certain. Didn’t matter anyway. The writing kept me glued to the pages.
Valerie ‘Val’ Chesterfield was already somewhat acquainted with the research being carried out. Her brother, Andy, had been a part of it…until he was found outside, frozen. Well, that makes me very suspicious. When the Girl In Ice was found and no one could understand her, Val, being a linguist who specialized in Nordic languages, was called in to help. She didn’t believe the story about her brother, so now she can find out for herself what really happened.
The Girl In Ice is desperately trying to communicate with them.
I love when an author can include things that interest me, like climate change. It makes the story more believable, except for the girl in the ice coming to life. I don’t think I can believe that could happen, but hey, there are those that believe in cryogenics, so…….
I watched Val grow, change, develop into an strong, independent, loyal person that has yet to find her place in the world, but happy to be in it.
The world building was so realistically created that I almost believed I could feel the cold, hear the snow squeaking under my feet, and it made me wonder…about what research Erica Ferencik did. Her detailed descriptions allowed her to paint so vividly with words an environment so harsh, otherworldly…and I was lost in it.
A sense of danger arose early and hung on every page. I had a feeling about some things that come to pass, but Erica Ferencik supplied plenty of book surprises to keep me on my toes. I ignored everything around me, except coffee and restroom breaks. I read hundreds of books a year, so that is not any easy thing to do.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Girl In Ice by Erica Ferencik.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
From the author of The River at Night and Into the Jungle comes
a harrowing new thriller set in the unforgiving landscape of the Arctic
Circle, as a brilliant linguist struggling to understand the apparent
suicide of her twin brother ventures hundreds of miles north to try to
communicate with a young girl who has thawed from the ice alive.
Valerie
“Val” Chesterfield is a linguist trained in the most esoteric of
disciplines: dead Nordic languages. Despite her successful career, she
leads a sheltered life and languishes in the shadow of her twin brother
Andy, an accomplished climate scientist stationed on a remote island off
Greenland’s barren coast. But Andy is gone: a victim of suicide, having
willfully ventured unprotected into 50 degree below zero weather. Val
is inconsolable—and disbelieving. She suspects foul play.
When Wyatt,
Andy’s fellow researcher in the Arctic, discovers a scientific
impossibility—a young girl frozen in the ice who thaws out alive,
speaking a language no one understands—Val is his first call. Will she
travel to the frozen North and meet this girl, try to comprehend what
she is so passionately trying to communicate? Under the auspices of
helping Wyatt interpret the girl’s speech, Val musters every ounce of
her courage and journeys to the Artic to solve the mystery of her
brother’s death.
The moment she steps off the plane, her fear
threatens to overwhelm her. The landscape is fierce, and Wyatt,
brilliant but difficult, is an enigma. But the girl is special, and
Val’s connection with her is profound. Only something is terribly wrong;
the child is sick, maybe dying, and the key to saving her lies in
discovering the truth about Wyatt’s research. Can his data be trusted?
And does it have anything to do with how and why Val’s brother died?
With time running out, Val embarks on an incredible frozen odyssey—led
by the unlikeliest of guides—to rescue the new family she has found in
the most unexpected of places.
ABOUT ERICA FERENCIK
Oprah chose Erica Ferencik’s debut novel, The River at Night as a #1 Pick, calling the book “the page-turning novel you’ve been waiting for, a heart-pounding debut.” Entertainment Weekly named it a “Must Read,” and calls the novel “harrowing…a visceral, white knuckle rush.” Miramax has recently optioned the novel for a film. Her new novel, Into the Jungle, one woman’s terrifying journey of survival in the Bolivian Amazon, will be released on May 28, 2019. Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review, calling it: “[A] ferocious fever dream of a thriller…Ferencik delivers an alternately terrifying and exhilarating tale.” Her work has appeared in Salon and The Boston Globe, as well as on National Public Radio.
Book Title: The Mirabal Sisters: From Caterpillars to Butterflies by Raynelda A. Calderon Category: Children’s Non-Fiction (Ages 8-12) Genre: Children’s Book Publisher: Cayena Press, Inc., 48 pages Release date:March 2022 Content Rating: G. Suitable for all readers.
MY REVIEW
The Mirabel Sisters is a wonderfully illustrated look into a moment in time in the Dominican Republic during the rule of the dictator, Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. Because of these sisters, November 25th was declared International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women in their honor.
Kudos to these brave ladies, and those that supported them. I am happy to share their story and the courage they showed. The book and illustrations work together to tell their inspirational story.
The sisters were just people, people who loved to read, paint, worked in the family store, and, even though the youngest, Dede, was not killed, she was left to raise the children and tell their story. They are the true definition of heroes, which I feel is bandied around all too easily nowadays.
Recommended age group: Grades 4 – 6, Ages 8 – 12. The MIrabel Sisters would be a great addition to any library.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Mirabel Sisters by Raynelda A Calderon.
5 Stars
Book Description:
Born in a small town in the Dominican Republic, the Mirabal sisters lived at a time when the country was under the merciless rule of a dictatorship. Their deaths on November 25, 1960 (at ages 36, 34, and 25), have received international coverage. In their honor, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is observed annually on November 25.
Raynelda A. Calderón, a Dominican native who lives in Queens, NY, is a children’s book author who has worked in public libraries for more than 15 years. She holds a doctorate in leadership in higher education, and she has taught Information Literacy at various colleges, most recently at Bronx Community College. As a librarian, working with children inspires Raynelda to write about the accomplishments of Hispanic women in history. She hopes to inspire young readers to follow their passions and never take no for an answer. Raynelda is the creator of the first Hispanic Heritage wall calendar that honors the accomplishments of Hispanic Americans in the United States. She lives with an untamed Shih Tzu, Toby, and a much attached Chihuahua, Maya. She spends her free time thinking (and drafting) about books to write, or painting, crocheting, or crying over abused dogs.
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Book Details:
Book Title: Pen Pal Gals: Friends Foreverby Julie Thiessen Category:Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12), 64 pages Genre:Juvenile Fiction/Early Chapter Book Publisher: Mascot Release date: February 1, 2022 Tour dates: February 1 to February 21, 2022 Content Rating: Rated G. Suitable for everyone
MY REVIEW
I remember the days of snail mail. Do you? When I would go to the store, sorting through the different stationery, choosing the perfect one. Friends Forever by Julie Thiesssen includes a few pages of Pen Pal Gals stationery at the end of the book.
Summer vacation and Reese is on her way to Lake Shore Retreat with her family. As she packs, I remember packing for vacation myself. But, we sure were packing much different things.
Reese’s mom noticed that something was bothering Reese and asked her about it. She was hesitant, then shared, “…wish I had a friend to share it all with”. Sometimes wishes come true and just because the adventure ends…for now,,…that doesn’t mean the friendship developed won’t continue. They can be PEN PAL GALS.
Julie’s daughter, Reese, was the inspiration for Pen Pal Gals, because she loved writing letters to family and friends. Shows how much we can learn from the children around us.
I love this. I know how much I look forward to a package to arrive, so to anticipate a letter from a best friend, a family member from far away, a Christmas card, a Birthday card…there will always be a place in the world for snail mail.
I have seen two different age groups for the Pen Pal Gals book 6 – 8 and 8 -12, so you decide. As for me, I am glad I got a chance to read it and plan to share it with my nieces, so I think Friends Forever will get lots of love.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Friends Forever by Julie Thiessen.
5 Stars
Book Description
Meet Reese and Addie―two girls, one great friendship. It’s summer
break! Reese is on her way to vacation at Camp Lake Shore with her
family. When Reese meets a new friend, Addie, the two immediately
connect and form a lasting friendship. Swimming, boating, laughing, and
soaking up the sun are just a few highlights of their summer vacation.
The girls become best friends. When their vacation comes to an end,
Reese realizes she may never see Addie again. Determined to stay in
touch forever, can Reese and Addie find a way to continue their
friendship and share their adventures?
Julie Thiessen always had a passion for creativity, design, and
adventure, but above all, she values her lifelong friendships. With her
bachelor’s degree in graphic design and the inspiration of her daughter
Reese, she created and branded Pen Pal Gals for all to share the gift of
an everlasting friendship. Thiessen lives along the beautiful Central
Coast of California with her husband, two daughters, and son.
