Category: book review

October 7, 2019

The Widow of Rose House Book Review

Diana Biller’s debut novel is a gorgeous piece of prose, with a decidedly dark Victorian Gothic flair and an intrepid and resilient American heroine guaranteed to delight readers everywhere.

About the Widow of Rose House

It’s 1875, and New York’s Gilded Age is in full swing. After fleeing her abusive husband, Alva Webster spent three years being pilloried in the newspapers of two continents. Now he’s dead, and she’s returned to New York to start over, restoring Liefdehuis, a dilapidated Hyde Park mansion for her new home decoration book and hopefully her reputation in the process. So when the eccentric and brilliant Professor Samuel Moore appears, threatening her fresh start with stories of a haunting at her house,
she refuses to give him access. Alva doesn’t believe in ghosts.

A pioneer in electric lighting and a member of the nationally-adored Moore family of scientists, Sam’s latest obsession is ghosts. When he learns about a house with a surprising number of ghost stories, he’s desperate to convince its beautiful owner to let him study it. Can he find his way into her house and her heart?

My Thoughts

The Widow of Rose House is a fantastic five out five stars. I loved the characters, the plot and how different this story was.

First we have the amazing Alva, a strong independent woman who has gone through so much. She grew up in a privileged lifestyle that many would have desired but it had its own downfall – two parents who did not care nor show affection for her. They were cold and mean to her, which has had disastrous long term effects on her ability to trust others and build relationships. On top of this, she married a man she thought loved her but instead abused her both emotionally and physically. When she tried to escape, he made her life (for lack of better words), hell. You would think this would break her, but Alva keeps on fighting back and coming back stronger. She buys a rumored haunted house and lands a promising book deal. While financially she is making it, emotionally she is suffering.

Enter in Professor Samuel, who is everything she has always wanted in her own life. He comes from a family full of love and support, he has two parents that love each other very much and he has never felt the pain of disappointment in the people who should love him the most. He is also a brilliant scientist who has an obsession with the paranormal. In this case, he would do anything to study the house that Alva has purchased. What he doesn’t expect is Alva and his strong feelings for her.

I loved the way the plot develops in this story – I wasn’t expecting a ghost story (I don’t want to give too much away but I thought it would play out to be a trick not a real ghost) tied in with a beautiful story of forgiveness, healing and learning to trust. Alva wants to love and be loved, she just doesn’t know how to. Samuel wants nothing more then to show her how special she is. You keep rooting for the pair to be able to make it but never really know if they can. Is Alva too damaged from her past experiences in order to love Samuel the way he deserves? Can Samuel learn to ignore the pain when she pushes away and keep fighting for the two of them? Will they be able to survive the home that Alva purchased? Will her past continue to blackmail her and keep her hostage?

On a side note – I loved how she explored how women were treated during this time period. They had very little rights, were used as property, physically and mentally abused with the majority of society turning a blind eye. Even her own deceased husband and ex-brother in law did not even know their own Mother’s name (this is probably extreme but to them she was just someone who came from a good family name and married into an even better family name). I think this is a good reminder for all readers of how far we have come and why we need to continue to fight for women’s rights.

This was an excellent book from start to finish that I could not put down. I loved every aspect of this well written novel.

You can purchase a copy of this book here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Diana Biller lives in Los Angeles with her husband their very good dog. The Widow of Rose House is her debut nvoel.

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

October 7, 2019

The Last Thing She Said

“I’m working on the greatest mystery ever,” was the last thing noted mystery novelist Mercedes Livingston said.

About The Last Thing She Said

“I’m working on the greatest mystery ever,” was the last thing noted mystery novelist Mercedes Livingston said to seven-year-old Chris Matheson before walking out of Hill House Hotel never to be seen again.

For decades, the writer’s fate remained a puzzling mystery until an autographed novel and a letter put a grown-up Chris Matheson on the trail of a cunning killer. With the help of a team of fellow retired law enforcement officers, each a specialist in their own field of investigation, Chris puts a flame to this cold case to uncover what had really happened that night Mercedes Livingston walked out of Hill House Hotel. Watch out! The clues are getting hot!

My Thoughts

This is by far the best book in Lauren’s series and a fantastic mystery from start to finish with appearances from all of my favourite characters.

In this novel, we have the disappearance and suspected murder of a famous mystery writer and her husband at the centre of the plot. We learn that this famous writer was never killed, instead she was working with Chris Matheson’s Mom all along! Not to mention, the strange tie that Chris met her as a young child when he was dragged along to a conference right before her disappearance and it was him whom she trusted to clear her name.

As the story unfolds, we have a well developed plot that spans many years and murders that don’t seem at first glance to be connected at all. I think that is what I love the most about her writing – all of the incredible and complicated layers where at first nothing quite seems connected until we continue to turn each page and watch as Lauren writes her magic.

Chris has been tasked to clear the name of the woman his Mother had cherished as a close friend. This was not going to be an easy task since so many of those connected to the original investigation had passed away. As he relies on his friends and colleagues, the story unravels and we have several solved deaths that are connected which are surprisingly not so solved.

This is a well written, suspense building (but still humorous) novel from start to finish! A definite must read for book lovers of all genres.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

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

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr 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 two spoiled rotten German shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

October 7, 2019

Seven Letters Book Review

The first letter brings her to Ireland. The next six are a test of true love…

About Seven Letters

The Blasket Islands are the heart of Ireland – once populated with some of the most famous Irish writers, they are now abandoned, filled with nothing but wind and silence. Kate Moreton, a PhD student at Dartmouth, is in Ireland to research the history of the Blaskets, not to fall in love. She has a degree to finish and a life back in New Hampshire that she is reluctant to leave.

But fall in love she does, with both the wild, windswept landscape and with Ozzie, an Irish-American fisherman with a troubled past who shares her deep, aching love for the land. Together, they begin to build a life on the rocky Irish coast. But when tragedy strikes, leading Kate on a desperate search through Europe, the limits of their love and faith in each other will be tested.

My Thoughts

In this novel we meet the sensible, Kate, who is a PhD student conducting research on the Blaskets. She has made arrangements and traveled to Ireland in order to get a hands on experience of this beautiful land and to live first hand her research. Kate’s cultural background is Irish but she was raised in America, so this is almost like a homecoming for her.

When she arrives, she is taken away by the beauty of the Blaskets, her research and this new world opening up for her. What she didn’t expect was to meet Ozzie – an Irish-American, who fought for America in Afghanistan and who now is a fisherman. The two quickly fall deeply and madly in love – something you don’t expect from Kate.

The two have the most passionate love and are consumed by each other (and as a reader, you are consumed by their love!). They marry quickly and decide to embark on an unique honeymoon – that ultimately pulls them apart and sets the two adrift from each other.

This is a novel full of raw emotion, of this mad love that consumes two people in their passion and a heart wrenching pain that only love can cause. They see only each other but never really see each other in the present. They love each other with every fibre of their body without really knowing their past and future. When one conflict comes up, Kate runs and the two are torn apart. How do they fix this? How will they ever move forward? And will there be a future?

This is an intense novel that was fantastic from start to finish. I loved watching as Kate grew in her maturity and the understanding of her love and relationship with Ozzie. It is a powerful and moving novel that you just can’t put down.

You can purchase a copy of this book here.

Rating: 4.5/5

About the Author

J.P. MONNINGER, author of The Map That Leads to You, is an award-winning writer in New England and Professor of English at Plymouth State University.

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

October 2, 2019

Play With Art Book Review

Kids can get hands on and creative with this fantastic resource book from DK Canada: Play With Art

About Play With Art

The perfect starting point for teaching your little one about all types of art, delve into more than 50 fun art projects for kids. From handprinting and sponge painting to mapmaking and origami animals, this is the perfect book for a little learner starting on their art journey. Play with Art is simple, fun, and it’s packed with fun and creative hands-on activities to share and enjoy. This is a perfect addition to any classroom’s STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) library or home book collection.

Our Thoughts

Little ones love to get their hands dirty and explore the world around them and as parents we should encourage this. Art is so important in a child’s development – both my boys were in their highchairs painting by the age of one. They learn important fine motor skills that are crucial as they head off to school when they paint, colour and scribble. They learn to be creative and to use their imagination – skills that are not so easily taught in a classroom.

This beautiful, age appropriate hard cover book explores how to play with art. And yes – play with art because we should be encouraging young minds to play and have fun with their creations. Art is all about expression and perfection is in the eye of the beholder.

This book explores the following topics: painting and printing, paper crafts, drawing and colouring and making and creating. In painting and printing, we learn how to mix up colours, how to use different tools to create different effects – we even learn how to use fruit to create art. When my boys were young, finger painting and hand painting were by far their most favourite and they were also the best keepsakes I have of this time period. I have several containers full of their hand art and a few hanging on my walls. In the paper craft section, we learn some very important skills for young hands – folding and cutting. While I know this may seem silly, trust me these are very important skills that a child should learn at a young age (you may have to assist them with the cutting for safety reasons but this is ever so important for them to learn on their own). We also learn how to make stain glass (my personal favourite crafts for every season to hang up) and shadow puppets. We even learn how to turn ordinary household items into art (unleash that creative potential!).

This is a great resource for parents to help their child develop important artistic and fine motor skills in their early years (not to mention a lifesaver on school holidays and closures!). In bright colours, kid friendly font and large photos – your child explores their creative side using items commonly found in your home. Get ready to explore, get dirty and have fun with Play with Art!

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.

September 27, 2019

Little Adventures for a Big, Happy Life!

Introducing two new initial books in the new series, EQ Explorers designed to inspire and empower: Wally Whale’s Mighty Tale and Compare Bear’s Double Dare. Not only do these books impact children with their message – 100% of the profits of these books goes to help children and families in need around the globe through non-profit Kapalua Cove Foundation – a win win for all!

About Wally Whale’s Mighty Tale

Koa has heard that the secret to being mighty is written on Wally’s tail, and he wants to know what that word is. But when whale and boy meet, Koa discovers the word is smudged! Determined to find out Wally’s secret to happiness, Koa follows the whale through waves and reefs, trying to guess. And the answer is surprising… Wally helps Koa learn that the secret to being happy lies within; it’s an important key to being mighty and to living a big, happy life.

We find ourselves bombarded on screen and in books on the key to happiness but so many people find themselves unhappy. In this beautifully illustrated book, Koa learns that happiness is a choice. And it is a choice – everyday that we wake up, we have a choice on how to behave, how to think and how to tackle the day to day stressors. This can be difficult for adults to learn how to do – not to mention young children.

My favourite part: “No one and no thing has the power to make you happy or unhappy. You always have the power to CHOOSE whether you will be happy.”

It is important for children to learn at a young age, that happiness is found when we choose to be happy in those moments. We don’t need material items or chasing other’s dreams to make us happy – we have to find happiness in ourselves and the world around us. We have to learn to control our emotions so that we can be happy – how we react to others and events says a lot about us and in the long run this helps improve our own mental and physical well being. Children need to learn the tools that will help them identify and express their feelings in a positive manner and also learn from these moments.

You can purchase this book on Amazon.

About Compare Bear’s Double Dare

Compare Bear is unique – he does not do anything bears usually do, like climb trees, run, roar, or go fishing, all because he thinks he can’t do these things as well as other animals! Each time he compares himself to another creature, something strange happens… Danny helps Compare overcome these unexpected surprises and discover that daring to be yourself is an important key to living a big, happy life!

It is hard not to compare ourselves to others and sometimes feel not as good. It may make us want to give up or not try as hard. This book tackles those feelings of not being as good at something as someone else and wanting to give up. In this story, we find Bear who is timid and a bit scared and embarrassed around not being as good as others. He meets Danny, a young boy who helps him come out of hiding (literally!) and helps him realize how special he is.

My favourite parts: “..When I was learning to draw and my friend drew much than I did. I wanted to quit too. But then my teacher said, ‘Danny, the only person you need to be better than is who you were yesterday!'” and “who would you rather be: bit and pieces of all these other animals..or your original self?”

This is a very important message to young children (and teens) that we all have something about us that makes us special and shine. We don’t have to be like others (and shouldn’t want to be) because we are all unique in our own way and this should be celebrated. We should dare to be different and challenge ourselves everyday to celebrate this and try new things regardless of the outcome. This is a beautifully written and illustrated book, perfect for young children to learn how important it is to be themselves.

You can purchase this book on Amazon.

About EQ Explorers Books

Studies have shown that EQ is a key component to living a happy, successful life. And, unlike IQ, EQ can be learned.

The EQ Explorers books weave magical stories of friendship and learning, geared toward children ages 5-10. Each story stars a child and an animal who adventure together to discover and understand EQ principles, such as “happiness is a choice” and “be yourself—don’t compare.”

The principles taught in each book (i.e. the morals of each story) have been proven to help boost happiness and healthy human connections. They are intended to benefit child readers and their parents and caretakers alike.

“I spent more than two decades learning and practicing the principles in each EQ Explorers book,” says author Kim Linette. “And something very special happened: my happiness increased with each lesson I learned. Perhaps even more importantly, my children’s happiness increased with each principle they incorporated into their lives. I was inspired to create EQ Explorers in order to help other parents fast track the lessons that took me over 20 years to uncover and internalize, and to share this emotional understanding with their kids in a fun, connected way—cuddling up together with a book.”

About Kapalua Cove Publishing

The beautifully illustrated, creative-yet-relatable tales are the first offerings from Kapalua Cove Publishing, an independent imprint launched by Kim Linette in April, 2019. One hundred percent of profits from the sales of Kapalua Cove books go to help children and families in need around the globe through non-profit Kapalua Cove Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to provide resources and inspiration for children to dream big and develop emotional health. Direct donations are made to charitable initiatives and books are donated to orphanages, remote libraries, care centers, and more.

Visit their website here.

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