The Creativity Project: An Awesometastic Story Collection

Genre: Writing
Source: I purchased a copy

This is a book I will definitely read over and over again. Colby Sharp asked writers to submit two writing prompts. He then sent those prompts back out to the authors. Each other was asked to pick one of the two prompts someone else had written and write. There were no guidelines. The prompts were small cartoons, poems, words, sentences. The stories and poems that came out were wonderful. I read through it the first time in a couple of hours. Now I want to go through and mark those I want to use with my students. I also want to have my students do something similar in the classroom.  This book is awesome. I definitely recommend it to anyone young or old who loves to write.

Flying Jenny by Theasa Tuohy

Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction
Source: I purchased a copy

I love historical fiction. One thing that will make me love a book of this genre is when the story has so many details that I read with a pad and pen. I need to look some of this information up to find out if it is truth or just told so well it feels like truth. The story is set during the 1920's.  Women have had the vote for a while. Now they have stepped out  to try to find their place in the world. We find two women stepping into a world that is dominated by me. Jenny is a pilot who loves the freedom of flying for the fun of it. Women have begun to step into the pilot's seat for different types of challenges, endurance and speed challenges as well as stunt flying.  Laura is a reporter in New York. Due to her bohemian background, she has had to find her own way in the world since she was a small child. She meets Jenny while covering a story where a pilot is going to fly under the major bridges in New York City. That is when Laura realizes the pilot is a woman.  There worlds collide in many ways.  I felt more like I was reading a biography than a historical fiction book.  The whole thing was so well written I felt like I was a third character in the book just observing.  I had not heard of this author before. I will definitely look for more by them.  A very interesting book that I would recommend.

Tormented by Susan Clayton-Goldner

Genre:  Adult, Murder, Mystery
Source:  I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is a murder mystery of the highest caliber.   Father Anthony has been devoted to serving God and his church until he meets Rita Wittier. He tries everything to stay faithful to his vows.  He finally tells Rita how he feels about her. Rita is found dead by her daughter. When police first suggest it was a suicide her daughter is sure it isn’t. She is so sure that she convinces Father Anthony how much her mom loved her and that she would never kill herself.  The problem is Father Anthony is now one of the suspects along with several of Rita's family member. This story is so full of secrets that carry the story along.

Susan Clayton-Goldner has done it once again. She has created a storyline and characters that you really care about. She has put so many twists in it that I didn’t figure it out on my own.  I love when an author keeps me second guessing until the end.  This is the third book I have read by this author.  I highly recommend it as well as her other books. If you are looking for an author who can write and keep you on the edge of your seat then you have found her.

The Peeves by Michael Van Waes

Genre:  Middle Grade, Science Fiction

Source:  I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is one of the best books I have read this year.  It was such a fun book to read. Steven is a young boy who has panic attacks. His parents have tried just about everything to help him. His parents have divorced and Steven who is nicknamed Slim  is now at a new school. He discovers that the kid who bullied  him at his old school is now at this school.  When this former bully finds something that hits Steven in the back of the head. He has a major panic attack. Both parents are called to the school. They argue about who has to take Steven and his sister. When Steven's former bully flings something  that hits Steven in the back of the head he has a panic attack. Both parents are called to the school. They argue about who has to take Steven and his sister.  They find themselves at their father's job. Their father works in a lab. While waiting for their father, Steven's sister,  managed to steal her father's security card. This leads to the disaster that sets things in motion. They hear his fathers boss talking with a scientist about the new medicine. It hasn't been tested on humans yet.  When Steven accidentally bumps into the scientist spilling the contents of a beaker all over himself, he sets things into motion.  Unfortunately the PVC drug has a nasty side effect Every time Steven sneezes he lets loose a creature he calls a peeve. Now they have learned what it is. No one else can see them. Is the whole town going crazy? Can Steven find a solution before it is too late?  I read this in class one day since we had sustained silent reading. I talked about it to my students the day after I had read it. It has been checked out ever since. The students are standing in line to check it out the day it comes in.  I can't wait to buy a few copies for my students and a copy for my granddaughter. This is a perfect book for those reluctant readers in your class.

Murder at the Bus Depot: A Blue Plate Café Mystery by Judy Alter

Genre: Adult, Mystery

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

If mystery is your go to reading genre then you must check out Judy Alter’s series.

Her characters are well developed, the setting feels like any town you may have visited or gone through at one time. There is enough mystery here to carry you through from beginning to end.

The main character Kate Chambers operates a small café in the town of Wheeler, Texas. It is a town that is quaint but on the verge of losing some of it’s vital businesses.  Enter Dallas developer Silas Fletcher. He wants to help revitalize the town starting with the old bus depot. The bus depot was the site of a 30 year old unsolved murder. Kate isn’t thrilled with Silas’ plans for the old depot so she tries to save it because of its historical significance.  Enter another murder.  Kate decides that if she is going to save her town and keep its quaint charm then she is going to have to find the murderer on the loose.

This is the fourth book I have read by Judy Alter. However, this is the first one I have read of this series. It held up as a stand-alone book even though it was part of a series.  However, now I need to go back and read the first three in the series. From the time I was small mysteries were my favorite genre. As an adult who teaches middle school, I am more in tune with middle school mysteries than adult mysteries. So, when I come across an author who writes wonderful adult mysteries I want to shout his/her name from the top of the world, or at least from my blog. Please pick up a copy of this wonderful book. You will find the characters as charming, and the mystery as engaging as I did.

Guest Post: Randy Rawls

            

I was introduced to this author's writings when I was asked to review his book Jingle and the Magnificent Seven.  His books will engage you from the very beginning. So it is my pleasure to have  Randy Rawls write a guest post for my blog.

           My seventeenth book is underway. It’s the fifth in the Beth Bowman series. The idea came to me straight out of the headlines, a spin-off from the illegal immigrant problem. No, it’s not about a wall or the border guards who struggle to enforce our laws. It’s what can happen to young women who enter illegally and fall into the hands of unscrupulous people. As with Beth Bowman number 4, SAVING DABBA, I find myself digging into some dark areas I never considered before.

            When I look back, I see my evolution from a “pure” mystery writer (whatever that is) to one building on our social problems has been a gradual thing, beginning after I moved to South Florida. My first here involved the rape and murder of a 17-year-old girl. Then, a 13-year-old runaway, the kidnapping of a 5-year-old, a dirty politician, etc. As I look back, I see that each of those problems surface every day in news coverage. I even took a humorous poke at a fantasy/mystery about a terrorist group. And yes, that, too, was inspired by an actual event in S FL.

            Skipping a few of the incremental steps, we get to SAVING DABBA. As some of you know (not enough, I might add), Beth Bowman, a PI in S FL, is befriended by a group of homeless people. When someone or some group starts killing them, Beth is involved. From there we move into the business of “demonstrations.”

Now, don’t get me wrong. I support freedom of assembly and freedom of speech. I spent 20-plus years in the Army to help guarantee those rights. However, I also believe that freedom carries responsibility. Looting, burning, and stepping on the rights of others are criminal acts, not freedoms. This is the world that SAVING DABBA explores—a group who uses our constitutional freedoms as a business endeavor. The police are so busy protecting the demonstrators, they have little time to concentrate on its evil leadership. As things spiral out of control in Coral Lakes, FL, Beth and her friends take it upon themselves to act.

            So goes the story of SAVING DABBA. If you read it, and I hope you will, please accept it as I intend it—not to denounce those who march for worthy causes, but to denounce those who use our liberties to spread discord, hatred, and fear. And, to use each to enrich themselves.

            That’s the trip I’ve taken over my sixteen published efforts, starting with an arson and ending with SAVING DABBA. That’s Randy Rawls of today.

            Thank you, Sandra, for allowing me space on your blog.

Randy Rawls was born and reared in Williamston, North Carolina, a small town in the northeastern part of the state. From there, he says he inherited a sense of responsibility, a belief in fair play, and a love of country. As a career US Army officer, he had the opportunity to learn, travel, teach, and hone talents inherited from his parents. Following retirement, he worked in other ventures for the US Government. Every job has in some way been fun. Even the dark days of Vietnam had their light moments, and he cherishes the camaraderie that was an integral part of survival in that hostile world.

Today, he has short stories in several anthologies, and a growing list of novels to his credit. As a prolific reader, he reads across several genres and takes that into his writing. He has written mysteries, thrillers, an historical, and two fantasy/mystery/thrillers featuring a Santa Elf. The count is now at fourteen and growing. He is a regular contributor to Happy Homicides, a twice annual anthology of cozy short stories. He also has a series of short stories featuring a cattle-herding burro. Wherever his imagination will take him, he follows.

www.randyrawls.com

https://www.facebook.com/randy.rawls.315

Buy links for Saving Dabba

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Dabba-Beth-Bowman-4/dp/1984926691/ref=sr_1_1_twi_pap_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1520370020&sr=8-1&keywords=saving+dabba

Buy link for Jingle and his Magnificent Seven:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jingle-Magnificent-Seven-Randy-Rawls-ebook/dp/B0753D84HJ/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1520370495&sr=1-1&keywords=jingle+and+his+magnificent+seven

Swimming Between Worlds by Elaine Neil Orr

Genre:  Adult, Historical Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This book set in the early sixties to have been written today.  This book looks at segregation during the sixties. Although we no longer have segregation, or not to the extent we once had it, we still have racial issues.  As much as we want to ignore it this problem is still here. The story is told through multiple perspectives.  Tacker goes to Nigeria to help build schools.  He is considered a minority in Nigeria and learns what it is like to be discriminated against.  He returns to the United States still passionate about Africa and wants to help make a change.  He goes back to work for his father’s grocery.  When he lets an African American into the store; and the kid is attacked, Tacker decides he needs to do something.  Tacker has reconnected with Kate a girl from his high school. They have differing views on the racial situation. Tacker is able to change her mind.  The lives of these three people intersect so seamlessly.  Some of the racial tension could have come right out of our own newspapers.  This is the first book I have read by this author. I am glad I was offered the opportunity to read and review it.  Please take a moment and check it out. You really won’t be disappointed.

GUTS by Janet Buttenwieser

Genre: Adult, Memoir

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Most of us face one major incident in our life if we are lucky. Imagine that you not only have a serious illness but you have also had to suffer a loss and infertility. For a lot of people I know having to deal with just one of those things would be enough to turn their life upside down to the point that they couldn’t deal with it.  Here we have a woman who has faced so many issues yet through her story we find hope. Janet Buttenwieser’s memoir shows true courage. When faced with and treated for years for a mis-diagnosed illness, Janet pushed on. Beside her all the way was the man who would eventually become her husband, Matt.  What stood out to me so much was the true love he showed for her. When finally properly diagnosed and needing a colostomy bag, Matt didn’t shy away he continued to take care of Janet and encourage her. I’ve known two people with colostomy bags and both of them had spouses that embraced and encouraged them. 

Janet’s best friend Beth taught her how to live life to the fullest. She is the type of friend you need who teaches you how to stand up for yourself.  Her passing strengthened Janet even though I don’t think she realized it at the time.  All of us need a friend like that in our lives.

Then there are the children who came into Matt and Janet’s lives. I would love to see where they are today and how their lives have changed. I would venture to say that their lives are so much richer because of who their parents are.  If there is one lesson to be learned from this memoir it would be to learn to live life to the fullest no matter what your circumstances.  I really enjoyed this book. It is an emotional read.  Janet is one of those people who is able to weave words and feelings together to create a painted masterpiece.  I highly recommend this book.

Connect with Janet

Website

Blog

Twitter

Facebook

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

Genre:  Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Source:  I received a copy from Netgalley to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I am an eclectic reader. There are several things that will draw me to a book. First and foremost is if a book is a mystery. Check, this one is. Are there supernatural undertones? Check again.  This book also has multiple points of view and we bounce back and forth between time periods. 

We are taken into 1950 and a place called Idlewild Hall in Vermont. Idlewild is a boarding school. This seems to be a school where girls are place when their parents don’t want them around. Considering the time period these girls were shipped off or hidden away so they would not be an embarrassment for their parents.  Four of the girls become very close friends,  and then one mysteriously disappears. 

We are then transported to 2014.  The thread that connects the past to the present is the school. In the 1950s when one of the girls goes missing the head of the school figures she has run away. This just shows how little the school administration feels about their charges.  Her friends don’t believe that she ran away.  They think she was murdered.

In the present time Fiona Sheridan, a journalist gets involved when someone decides to reopen the school. She is going to do a story on the place. Her connection? Twenty years before, her sister’s murdered body was found on the school’s grounds. Her sister’s boyfriend has been in prison all these years, convicted of her murder. Fiona never believed that he killed her. She is determined to find out what really happened. You just know that this is not a good idea.

If I had to choose one of the time periods as my favorite it would definitely be the past. The author made me care so much about the girls that are considered broken.  Oh, did I mention the school has a ghost called Mary Hand? What is her backstory? This is what adds that exceptional creep factor. For some reason I seem to start these books at night and then can’t put them down until I finished them. The problem with this one is that is was just creepy enough to scare me whenever I heard a noise.   It has been a while since I’ve read a book that has so captivated me. I have not read any of her other works but that will definitely change.  There is something about the Gothic period set against the present time that seems to work.  I can’t recommend this book enough.  You definitely must read this book. I just wouldn’t recommend you read it at night or when it is stormy out, unless you want to have your pants scared off.

This book comes out March 20th. Be prepared.

To Save a Race by Kandi J. Wyatt

Genre:  Adult, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Christian

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

From Goodreads:

When Duke Callon divorces his wife and decides on an uncanny way of choosing his next duchess, Arianna's left with little choice. Faced with the intricacies of politics, Arianna struggles to find her place. Just as she thinks she has her footing, a decree, issued with the blessing of her husband, calls for the extermination of her entire race. 

A young innocent girl, a capricious duke, and a decree that will change everything. What will it take to save a race? 

My Thoughts:

I love everything Kandi has written so far.  However, out of all of her books her Bible based stories, set in an alternate time have become my favorite. In her newest book “To Save A Race” we have a steampunk version of the Biblical story of Esther. Arianna is a young girl who had lived with her uncle Marcos. Realizing she needed more ladylike training. For this reason she now lives with Lady Hemma and Lord Praus. Her uncle works for the Duke. She thinks it would be wonderful to be in the castle. The Duke divorces his wife and then eventually decides he wants to get married again.  He decides to screen the eligible women over a two month period. Each girl who passes the screening gets a night of dinner and sleeping with the Duke. This is of course appalling to Lord Praus and his son Kenden.  If a girl is engaged before the Duke makes this decree official then they are out of the running. Lord Praus wants to protect his daughter Pasha and his charge Arianna from such a fate. Kenden is willing to marry Arianna to protect her from this. Her uncle is content to let Arianna make the choice for herself.

If you know the story of Queen Esther from the Bible you will recognize it in this story. Kandi has once again taken a familiar story and put it in a different setting and been successful.  I loved the depth the story line takes. There was all the familiarity from the Bible with a fresh steampunk vibe. She creates characters that you love to hate. They were so realistic that at one point I wished I could grab the Duke by the collar and shake some sense into him. This is considered an adult novel. However, since it is such a clean read this is one I will place on my shelves at school. Young adults are looking for books with a touch of romance that is not so overpowering it makes them want to throw up. There are many themes, the biggest of which is love conquers all. These are themes that teens can and want to explore in a safe manner.  I can’t think of a better book to accomplish this.