Category: book review

March 31, 2020

Highland Sword Book Review

From USA Today bestselling author May McGoldrick comes Highland Sword, the third book in the Royal Highlander series.

About Highland Sword

Fleeing to the Highlands after her father’s murder, fiery Morrigan Drummond has a score to settle with Sir Rupert Burney, the English spymaster responsible for his death. Trained to fight alongside the other rebels determined to break Britain’s hold on Scotland, she swears to avenge her father’s death—until a chance encounter with a barrister as proud and principled as she is presents her with a hard choice…and a bittersweet temptation.

Aidan Grant has never encountered another woman like dangerous beauty Morrigan—and he has the bruises to prove it. Yet she could be the key to defending two innocent men, as well as striking a death blow to the reprehensible Burney. Convincing Morrigan to help him will take time, but Aidan is willing to wait if it means victory over corrupt government forces and freedom for his people…and Morrigan’s hand in marriage. Can two warriors committed to a cause stand down long enough to open their hearts to a love fierce enough to last…forever?

My Thoughts

I was introduced to this series of books a few months ago and fell in love with the strong female leads and the passionate plots. The stories takes place in Scotland during a time when England was doing everything they could to destroy their way of life. It is in this backdrop that we have a group of incredibly strong women ready to fight to maintain their way of life and beliefs. You don’t need to read the other books in this series to enjoy this one, but I would highly recommend it so that you gain a better understanding of the characters history and the way that they connect to each other.

Morrigan has seen many awful things in her young life, including the murder of her Father. She has vowed revenge and will stop at nothing. She is full of fire and determination, she has learned to fight and goes on many missions. It is this fierceness that tends to get her in trouble but is also what attracts Aidan to her.

Aidan is the calm in her storm. He is a barrister who fights for justice. He wants to see his people free and he will do anything within the law to ensure this. He falls for Morrigan but understands how vulnerable she is and how she has been hurt in the past. He is patient and kind – always in tune to her feelings and mindful of them (how can you not fall in love with his character!). He will do anything to protect her. Their feelings for each other evolves slowly and at times you worry that her past will prevent them from having a future together. This was a beautiful story during a time period that was not kind, that you will not want to put down.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 4.5/5

About the Author

Authors Nikoo and Jim McGoldrick (writing as May McGoldrick) weave emotionally satisfying tales of love and danger. Publishing under the names of May McGoldrick and Jan Coffey, these authors have written more than thirty novels and works of nonfiction for Penguin Random House, Mira, HarperCollins, Entangled, and Heinemann. 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 with SMP Swerve.

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

March 23, 2020

Explore Your Unconscious Mind with DK Canada: Dreams

Learn how to interpret your dreams and use your unconscious mind as a tool for self-help with this in-depth guide to dream analysis.

About Dreams

Have you ever dreamt you were being chased? How about a dream that your teeth were falling out? With an open mind and some guidance you will be able to shed light on how the images and emotions we experience in our sleep can be deeply connected to waking life.

Explore the psychological function and meaning of dreams, and learn to unlock their power for self-improvement. With interpretations of dream images and themes, Dreams will show you how to interpret and control your dreams to address issues and imbalances in your life, as well as improve your psychological wellbeing.

Find out how, when, and why we dream. Discover how to keep a dream diary, the significance of nightmares and recurring dreams, and the secrets of lucid dreams. Dream interpretation has been practiced around the world for years, and now you can learn how to decode your own dreams to find the personal messages, using your own dream journal.

My Thoughts

“Who looks outside, dreams; who looks insides, awakes” – Carl Jung, page 19 Dreams.

Dreams are one of those amazing topics that we love to talk about, that keep us up wondering and can also cause worry. I still remember when I woke up after a nightmare of my teeth falling out – I woke up in a sweat, feeling inside my mouth to ensure I still had all of my teeth. It left me with the most awful feeling for two days straight (and a constant fear that they were going to just start dropping out of my mouth!). I had no idea what brought on this irrational fear and why my mind for several days afterwards could not turn it off.

This book starts off by talking about the theory of dreams, healthy sleep, sleep hygiene, dream pioneers and dream skills. I liked learning about the history of dreams but I found the dream skills section very helpful. So many times, I wake up feeling anxious from a dream but I can’t recall my dreams or why I was left feeling this way. Or I will have a feeling of deja vu during the course of my day that has left me wondering, has this happened before in my dreams? I liked how it spoke about a journal and documenting important things in the dream like where are you, who is there, how do you feel and what events led up to the dream? All important factors when you are trying to recall your dreams. She also includes a few case studies to give you a better understanding of how to break down your dreams.

The dream directory is extensive but please be cautious. The author even gives a simple caution that sometimes, one size does not fit all. Dreams are not simple and need to be weighed based on your own history. The dream directory covers a range of topics including: people, childhood, sex, house, travel, places, pressure, loss, animals, nature and water. Each topic explained the dream and then had an action item below explaining what you may have been feeling and how to potentially interpret that dream.

This is a great starting point for those who love to try to decipher their own dreams (or want to start) or those who want to gain a better understanding of their emotions, their thoughts and how this impacts their sleep and their dreams.

“Dreams are today’s answers to tomorrow’s questions” – Edgar Cayce, page 189 Dreams.

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

About the Author

Rosie March-Smith is a registered psychotherapist with the UK Council for Psychotherapy and a Member Emeritus of the UK Association for Humanistic Psychology Practitioners. She has been in private practice for more than 20 years and works with dreams, Gestalt methods, psychodrama, and the transpersonal. A former journalist, she wrote internationally as a freelance contributor to newspapers and magazines, traveling widely to research articles on education and mental health issues. She is the author of two Open University publications on counseling skills and relationships.

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

March 23, 2020

Explore the Science Behind Magic in DK Canada: Science is Magic

Discover the astounding science behind illusions and magic tricks.

About Science is Magic

Join comedian and author Steve Mould to find out the scientific secrets behind amazing magic tricks. Learn how to bend water with a balloon, how to create ghosts with mirrors, and how to turn water into juice. Packed with optical illusions, pranks, and fun facts, this book is a must-have for any aspiring scientist or magician.

Kids will love impressing their friends and families with simple magic tricks that teach them valuable science lessons at the same time. Each trick is explained using step-by-step photography, and the science behind each magic trick is explained clearly and simply. Interspersed throughout the book are profiles of famous magicians and illusionists, such as Harry Houdini and David Blaine, and stories of how they used science when performing their most famous tricks.

Our Thoughts

I think it is safe to say that the world that our kids knew only two weeks ago has been completely shaken. I know for myself that so many times in the last week, I have woken up thinking this must be a really bad nightmare and when will this end. I can’t even begin to imagine how this appears to our children, as they may be trying to understand the information and struggle with telling us how they feel.

I know that I have seen plenty of homeschool schedules circulating, learning plans and advice. In our home, we have decided not to do this with our youngest. We want to add some stability but we also appreciate that he is scared and missing his friends, family and soccer. We created a schedule with him that does include working through a math workbook, reading, soccer work outs and most importantly time to Facetime his family (I cannot wait for this all to end to give my parents and siblings a hug!).

For reading and science, we are looking for fun. I don’t want this to be feel like a chore for him and to be honest, one week into social distancing and ensuring we are staying at home, we are all cranky so adding more stress in to this mix will not be a good idea.

Science is Magic is the perfect resource for young children. It is full of facts, activities and real life examples. The book has special pages dedicated to science tricks, science wonders and pages called How Do They Do It? I was a bit nervous about the activities and what I would have to have on hand at home, but they were all items that you would have and wouldn’t mind sacrificing up in the name of science (except maybe the oil one!). Many needed paper, water, paper plates, cup, paper clips, etc.. Your child may need some help with them depending on their age but they were not difficult to complete, and to be honest it was a great break for us parents too (I think we all need a good daily laugh especially right now). I even enjoyed learning the science behind the tricks. Our personal favourite is magnetic fingers, we are still trying to prove it wrong! Not only does the book contain great activities but they can also read through it like a regular book and learn about things like Houdini, reading minds, cosmic auroras and rocky mysteries.

Science is Magic will be a great resource for parents as we navigate these difficult times. It is full of exciting science topics that will engage your child and keep learning fun, especially during a time when everything feels overwhelming. You don’t need to buy extra supplies or waste food supplies to complete the experiments (a huge bonus right now as we try to conserve as much as possible). And most importantly, it gives parents and their kids a great break from their new daily routine to just have fun.

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

About the Author

Steve Mould is a science expert and comedian with a physics degree from the University of Oxford. He has a YouTube channel with over 200,000 subscribers, and his videos regularly achieve hits in the hundreds of thousands. One of these videos (about “self-siphoning beads”) went viral worldwide, gaining nearly 2 million hits and being mentioned in The New York Times and on the BBC. Scientists later discovered why the beads performed in the mysterious way they did and dubbed it “The Mould Effect.” Steve also hosts a radio show on BBC Radio 4 and is part of the live comedy/science trio Festival of the Spoken Nerd.

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

March 17, 2020

Alycat and the Tournament Tuesday

Get ready to have fun and learn all about talent, skill and luck, with Alycat and the Tournament Tuesday.

About Alycat and the Tournament Tuesday

A “Mom’s Choice Award Winner”! Alycat’s brother, Bugsy, is playing in a golf tournament with some of his friends, and wants to use his lucky ball to win the game. But when Alycat forgets his lucky ball at home, Bugsy learns what luck is really all about. Can Bugsy win the tournament without his lucky ball? Alycat and the Tournament Tuesday is part of the Alycat Series: alycatseries.com.

Our Thoughts

This is a super sweet book that both parents and children can appreciate. Do you have a lucky pair of socks or underwear? A lucky hat? Or perhaps a ritual that may seem silly to others but is something that you swear by? That item that you have to have, otherwise you feel that you will lose?

I think we can all appreciate the concerns of Bugsy in this story. He swears by his lucky ball for when he plays golf. He truly believes that he needs that ball in order to succeed and win. It doesn’t matter that he was encouraged by his parents and sister that it isn’t the ball that makes him win – that it is his natural skill and how much he practices. In a twist of events, his lucky ball was left at home and his sister wanting to help him tries to trick him but was unsuccessful when he realizes her trick. Can he still win? Can he find the courage to belief in himself?

I loved this beautiful story. It was easy to read to my child and the illustrations helped capture his attention. But more importantly, it was the plot itself that was so important. Even at the young age of six, my son felt he needed to have a certain lucky item on his person during his soccer games. He is a wonderfully talented soccer player who practices daily, so I was surprised that he felt (and still feels), he needs his lucky item in order to win. I want him to understand and believe that it is HIM that will decide the outcome of his success, not a physical item on his person. This story sparked a great conversation of ‘lucky items and superstitions’ and how it is us, as a an individual, who decides our future. This is a fantastic read for all young children that I strongly encourage parents to read and speak to their child about. It doesn’t matter if your child is an athlete – a lot of times they carry over these beliefs into tests, assignments, presentations. It is so important for children to be empowered and to know that they hold the key to success.

You can pre-order a copy of this book here.

About the Author

Alysson Foti Bourque is the author of the award-winning Alycat series. Alysson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a Juris Doctor degree from the Southern University Law Center.

After practicing law for six years, she traded in writing trial briefs for writing children’s books. Alysson enjoys public speaking opportunities at schools, conferences, and festivals nationwide. She hopes to inspire people of all ages to follow their dreams and believe in themselves wholeheartedly.

You can connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

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The Giveaway!

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

March 16, 2020

Henrietta and Inspector Howard Series Spotlight Tour

Dive into the world of Henrietta in this exciting series.

A Girl Like You

A GIRL LIKE YOU: Beautiful Henrietta Von Harmon works as a 26 girl at a corner bar, Poor Pete’s, on Chicago’s northwest side. It’s 1935, but things still aren’t looking up since the big crash and her father’s subsequent suicide. Left to care for her antagonistic mother and seven younger siblings, Henrietta is persuaded to take a job as a taxi dancer at a local dance hall. Henrietta is just beginning to enjoy herself, dancing with men for ten cents a dance, when the floor matron suddenly turns up murdered. The aloof Inspector Clive Howard then appears on the scene, and Henrietta unwittingly finds herself involved in unraveling the mystery when she agrees to go undercover for him in a burlesque theater where he believes the killer lurks.

Even as Henrietta is plunged into Chicago’s grittier underworld, she struggles to still play the mother “hen” to her younger siblings and even to the pesky neighborhood boy, Stanley, who believes himself in love with her and continues to pop up in the most unlikely places, determined, ironically, to keep Henrietta safe, even from the Inspector if needs be. Despite his efforts, however, and his penchant for messing up the Inspector’s investigation, the lovely Henrietta and the impenetrable Inspector find themselves drawn to each other in most unsuitable ways.

You can buy this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and IndieBound.

A Ring of Truth

Newly engaged, Clive and Henrietta now begin the difficult task of meeting each other’s family. “Difficult” because Clive has neglected to tell Henrietta that he is in fact the heir to the Howard estate and fortune, and Henrietta has just discovered that her mother has been hiding secrets about her past as well. When Clive brings Henrietta to the family estate to meet his parents, they are less than enthused about his impoverished intended. Left alone in this extravagant new world when Clive returns to the city, Henrietta finds herself more at home with the servants than his family, much to the disapproval of Mrs. Howard―and soon gets caught up in the disappearance of an elderly servant’s ring, not realizing that in doing so she has become part of a bigger, darker plot.

As Clive and Henrietta attempt to discover the truth in the two very different worlds unraveling around them, they both begin to wonder: Are they meant for each other after all?

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and IndieBound.

A Promise Given

Anxious to be married, Henrietta and Clive push forward with their wedding plans despite their family differences, made worse now by Oldrich Exley’s attempts to control the Von Harmons. When the long-awaited wedding day arrives, there is more unfolding than just Clive and Henrietta’s vows of love. Stanley and Elsie’s relationship is sorely tested by the presence of the dashing Lieutenant Harrison Barnes-Smith and by Henrietta’s friend Rose―a situation that grows increasingly dark and confused as time goes on.

As Clive and Henrietta begin their honeymoon at Castle Linley, the Howards’ ancestral estate in England, they encounter a whole new host of characters, including the eccentric Lord and Lady Linley and Clive’s mysterious cousin, Wallace. When a man is murdered in the village on the night of a house party at the Castle, Wallace comes under suspicion―and Clive and Henrietta are reluctantly drawn into the case, despite Clive’s anxiety at involving his new bride and Henrietta’s distracting news from home.

Delicately attempting to work together for the first time, Clive and Henrietta set out to prove Wallace’s innocence, uncovering as they do so some rather shocking truths that will shake the Linley name and estate forever.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and IndieBound.

A Veil Removed

Their honeymoon abruptly ended by the untimely death of Alcott Howard, Clive and Henrietta return to Highbury, where Clive discovers all is not as it should be. Increasingly convinced that his father’s death was not an accident, Clive launches his own investigation, despite his mother’s belief that he has become “mentally disturbed” with grief. Henrietta eventually joins forces with Clive on their first real case, which becomes darker―and deadlier―than they imagined as they get closer to the truth behind Alcott’s troubled affairs.

Meanwhile, Henrietta’s sister, Elsie, begins, at Henrietta’s orchestration, to take classes at a women’s college―an attempt to evade her troubles and prevent any further romantic temptations. When she meets a bookish German custodian at the school, however, he challenges her to think for herself . . . even as she discovers some shocking secrets about his past life.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and IndieBound.

A Child Lost

When Clive, anxious to distract a depressed Henrietta, begs Sergeant Frank Davis for a case, he is assigned to investigating a seemingly boring affair: a spiritualist woman operating in an abandoned schoolhouse on the edge of town who is suspected of robbing people of their valuables. What begins as an open and shut case becomes more complicated, however, when Henrietta―much to Clive’s dismay―begins to believe the spiritualist’s strange ramblings.

Meanwhile, Elsie begs Clive and Henrietta to help her and the object of her budding love, Gunther, locate the whereabouts of one Liesel Klinkhammer, the German woman Gunther has traveled to America to find and the mother of the little girl, Anna, whom he has brought along with him. The search leads them to Dunning Asylum, where they discover some terrible truths about Liesel. When the child, Anna, is herself mistakenly admitted to the asylum after an epileptic fit, Clive and Henrietta return to Dunning to retrieve her. This time, however, Henrietta begins to suspect that something darker may be happening. When Clive doesn’t believe her, she decides to take matters into her own hands . . . with horrifying results.

You can pre-order this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and IndieBound.

About the Author

Michelle Cox is the author of the multiple award-winning Henrietta and Inspector Howard series as well as “Novel Notes of Local Lore,” a weekly blog dedicated to Chicago’s forgotten residents. She suspects she may have once lived in the 1930s and, having yet to discover a handy time machine lying around, has resorted to writing about the era as a way of getting herself back there. Coincidentally, her books have been praised by Kirkus, Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist and many others, so she might be on to something. Unbeknownst to most, Michelle hoards board games she doesn’t have time to play and is, not surprisingly, addicted to period dramas and big band music. Also marmalade.

You can connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway

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Disclosure: This is a spotlight tour, I did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions are my own.