Author: cvegnad

May 3, 2019

Highland Crown Book Review

Scottish pride, persuasion, and passion—this is Highland romance at its breathtaking best.

About Highland Crown

Inverness, 1820

Perched on the North Sea, this port town—by turns legendary and mythological—is a place where Highland rebels and English authorities clash in a mortal struggle for survival and dominance. Among the fray is a lovely young widow who possesses rare and special gifts.

A true beauty and trained physician, Isabella has inspired longing and mystery—and fury—in a great many men. Hunted by both the British government and Scottish rebels, she came to the Highlands in search of survival. But a dying ship’s captain will steer her fate into even stormier waters. . .and her heart into flames.

Cast from his home as a child, Cinaed is a fierce soul whose allegiance is only to himself … until Isabella saved his life—and added more risk to her own. Now, the only way Cinaed can keep her safe to seek refuge at Dalmigavie Castle, the Mackintosh family seat. But when the scandalous truth of his past comes out, any chance of Cinaed having a bright future with Isabella is thrown into complete darkness. What will these two ill-fated lovers have to sacrifice to be together…for eternity?

My Thoughts

I fell in love with this beautiful romance set in Scotland during a time of poverty, war and social unrest.

Isabella is that strong, independent female character that you can’t help but love. She is a doctor, which in itself is enough to be admired as women in general were not encouraged to do something like this during these time periods but she also is confident in herself and her skills and she never backs down. She is also a wanted woman by both the British and the Scottish people. Her deceased husband was proclaimed a rebel to the crown and the British want her for her knowledge. The Scottish people want her so that they can ensure she never speaks. She is torn in between and desperate to escape and ensure her families safety.

By luck, she crosses path with Cinead, a ship captain that imports weapons and other supplies to the Highlands. They meet at his weakest moment and she cares for him until he is strong again. This sets them off on a path of survival, hope and perhaps a chance at a new future?

I loved so much about this book from the plot, the writing to the characters themselves. I loved how Isabella was portrayed to the reader, she was strong, intelligent and calm in the face of so much disaster, death and pain. You immediately fall in love with her and want to know more about her and keep praying that everything will work out okay for her. The relationship that begins to blossom between her and Cinead leaves you wanting more. I would love to see a second installment of this story! This is a definite must read.

You can purchase a copy of this book here.

Rating: 4.5/5

About the Authors

Authors Nikoo and Jim McGoldrick (writing as May McGoldrick) weave emotionally satisfying tales of love and danger. Under the names of May McGoldrick and Jan Coffey, these authors have written more than thirty novels and works of nonfiction. Nikoo, an engineer, also conducts frequent workshops on writing and publishing and serves as a Resident Author. Jim holds a Ph.D. in Medieval and Renaissance literature and teaches English in northwestern Connecticut. They are the authors of Much ado about Highlanders, Taming the Highlander, and Tempest in the Highlands.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

May 1, 2019

Free Pizza Book Review

Then Brian receives a mysterious birthday card that says, Free Pizza. He soon discovers the card has nothing to do with food and everything to do with the big questions in his life.

About Free Pizza

Brian McSpadden is always hungry. Does he have a disease? Worms? Does it have something to do with his being adopted? He spends his days at his crazy friend Danny’s house, hoping for snacks, but nothing seems to fill the void.

Then Brian receives a mysterious birthday card that says, Free Pizza. He soon discovers the card has nothing to do with food and everything to do with the big questions in his life: where did I come from, why did my mother give me up and is there anyone out there who will like me the way I am?

My Thoughts

This cute, fun but full of emotions book introduces us to Brian. A young boy growing up with his adoptive parents and their two siblings. He struggles as any pre-teen would with this younger siblings – they drive him crazy. He struggles to find where he fits in with his family as he was adopted. He doesn’t feel close to them and struggles to find who he is. He is still learning right from wrong and is easily influenced by his closest friend in the world. The two together can get up to some pretty dangerous and adventurous acts!

His whole world changes when his birth mother is in contact with him. He so desperately wants to meet her and have her affection. He is full of questions and feels this may just be the void he needs to fill. This moment turns his whole family life upside down not only just his. We learn more about his adoptive father and mother, and we watch as they struggle with this new relationship growing.

This was a fun tale (Brian is still learning and can get up to some pretty crazy adventures with his best friend), not to mention the sibling love-hate relationships going on. But it also tells us a deeper story of how to we fit in, where do we belong and how do we figure this out. How do we remain true to ourselves during this transition – and how do we even know who we truly are. It is a great book for adults and young adults alike.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 4/5

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

G.C. McRae is the bestselling author of two young adult novels, three illustrated children’s books and a collection of original fairy tales. His writing is fall-down funny, even when the theme is darker than a coal miner’s cough. McRae reads to anybody at any time, in person or online, for free, which probably explains why he meets so many people and sells so many books.

In his latest work, Free Pizza, McRae spins the highly emotional themes from his decidedly unfunny childhood into a brilliantly comic yarn. After being given up for adoption by his teenage mom back when single girls were forced to hide unplanned pregnancies, his adoptive parents didn’t exactly keep him under the stairs but, well, let’s just say, there were spiders.

A lot has changed since then. McRae’s own children have now grown and he runs a small farm with his wife, who is herself an award-winning writer.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

May 1, 2019

Winter Frost Book Review

It all started with a chance encounter in the city with Blair, his late wife.

About Winter Frost

Chris Matheson and the Geezer Squad, working under the guise of a book club, dig into the events surrounding his late wife’s supposed death halfway around the globe. A state department employee shoots himself in the back three times. A CIA operative goes missing. A woman is targeted by an international assassin three years after being declared dead in a terrorist attack overseas.

Nothing is as it seems.

In his most personal cold case, Chris fights to uncover why the state department told him that Blair, the mother of his children, had been killed when she was alive. What had she uncovered that has made her a target? Who terrified her so much that she had gone into hiding and why are they now after him?

My Thoughts

This book had me on the edge of my seat right from the start – everything I thought I knew about Chris and his family was thrown right out the window and I never saw it coming.

This all centres around his late wife, Blair, who he thought had left him to advance her career only to be killed overseas. Imagine his surprise when so many years later, he sees her on a chance encounter! He is desperate to find out if this was truly her and if it was, why did she lie to him? Why did the government lie to him? Does he still keep moving forward with his life? Can he forgive her for their children’s sake? How does he even begin to tell his children?

What we uncover is a lot deeper and thicker then what first meets the eye – his wife was much more than she appeared and had uncovered something that made important people want her and those others who knew to disappear. They would stop at nothing to accomplish this.

I don’t want to give too much away but this book was by far the best in this series. I was not seeing any of those curve balls coming but they made the story. We learn so much about their history, find forgiveness to move forward and uncover one huge case of murders, deception and corruption. You will not want to put this book down!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Audible.

Rating: 5/5

The Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Now, Lauren has added one more hit series to her list with the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries. Set in the quaint West Virginia town of Harpers Ferry, Ice introduces Chris Matheson, a retired FBI agent, who joins forces with other law enforcement retirees to heat up those cold cases that keep them up at night.

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

April 23, 2019

Calm Mindfulness for Kids Book Review

Calm: Mindfulness for Kids shows that supporting a child’s positive mental health doesn’t need to be expensive, time-consuming, or difficult. Activities help children to de-stress, focus, and get moving while having fun.

About Calm Mindfulness for Kids

Teach your kids how to focus their thoughts and notice the world around them with this fun mindfulness kids activity book.

Mindfulness activities are a great way to teach children about their thoughts and feelings and how to understand them–while having fun at the same time.

This book is packed with activities–make a mindfulness jar, learn how to appreciate food with mindful eating, and get out into nature and explore the outside world. An illustrated journal section at the back of the book encourages children to make notes about their own thoughts and feelings.

Calm: Mindfulness for Kids has everything you need to know about focusing your child’s mind to help them enjoy and appreciate things that they take for granted every day, while boosting their confidence and self-esteem. Children are guided through each activity, to make sure they achieve maximum enjoyment and awareness. All children will learn and react to each activity in a different way and parent’s notes give advice on how to encourage children to embrace mindfulness in the modern world. Each specially designed activity is flexible for each child’s needs and inspires them to seek calmness and tranquility in all situations.

Our Thoughts

Mindfulness is something we hear a lot about in the news, media and research. It is an important to tool in the busy times we live in. It helps us to focus, pay attention and remain present in the moment.

Sometimes, children can be overlooked and brushed off as being too emotional or acting out. Children feel a lot of emotions but many don’t have the tools to help them understand their feelings and how to process them. We need to teach our kids these skills in order to be successful later in life.

What I really liked is this book is geared towards children. She writes to the child first – you as a parent can read a long and help but the child is the most important part in this book. She speaks to the child in a mature, open and caring manner that encourages your child to open up, read more and try each activity presented.

She presents six chapters and encourages your child to move through them in any order they need – the choice is up to them. The chapters include: focus, calm, move, change, care and reflect. Each chapter has activities, crafts and exercises that they can do alone or with a parent or a friend. Each section has helpful tools to encourage your child to reflect on the activity, exercise or craft – this helps to reinforce the learning process. We started with rainbow breath and unwind stress – these were also amazing for Mom too! Our next craft to try is energy slime!

This is an extremely thoughtful book for children of all ages to help them get in touch with their emotions, feelings and body and encourage a positive outlet for them.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Indigo.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

April 23, 2019

Celebrate Earth Day All Year with Did You Know? Earth

Learn all about our beautiful planet with this fun and exciting book guaranteed to answer your child’s biggest questions.

About Did You Know? Earth

This Earth encyclopedia answers all the probing questions children ask about our planet, in a fun question and answer format.

Can you freeze in a desert? How do living things become fossils? What is a biome?

Earth explains volcanoes, earthquakes, oceans, space, and much more! It focuses on the subjects that kids really want to know about and the questions they ask, helping them learn new information.

Get your children learning with this amazing book, which is packed with fantastic facts for curious minds.

Our Thoughts

This beautiful hardcover book geared towards children is a great way to get children interested in the world around them and why it is so important we do everything we can to protect it.

The book covers our planet basics (how did the Earth form, why don’t things float) to the Earth’s surface (sinkhole, fossil, soil) to the Blue planet (waterfalls, icebergs) to the air (seasons, lightning, tornadoes) to living on Earth and why we need to protect it.

The pictures are bright and bold with good movement around the pages. It really helps you to follow the content and to keep younger children entertained. The content is perfect for young children, it gives them just enough to spark their curiosity but not too much to overwhelm them. I loved how each section had a true and false block! Some of these really stumped me but we had a lot of fun learning the answers and new facts (like did you know it didn’t rain for 14 years in Arica, Chile between 11903 and 1918!).

What is so important about this book is not only the learning around how precious our planet is (and how vital this is to animals and humans) but how we are harming it. One part that stuck out to me the most, was the quote that ‘some scientists think there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish by 2050’. If that doesn’t scare you, I don’t know what will. Seeing that on paper, really helps to motivate you to do more.

This book provides you with not only an excellent learning opportunity for your child but to also start talking about the little ways that you can make a difference at home. Maybe you can recycle more, walk to school or work, participate in clean up days or even reduce the amount of water you use, start a garden. The possibilities are endless!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Indigo.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.