iread Archives - Page 2 of 17 - Working Mommy Journal

June 9, 2025

Pei’s Pineapple Cakes

Pei’s Pineapple Cakes is a charming story of courage, adventure, and the love between grandchildren and grandparents.

About Pei’s Pineapple Cakes

While visiting her grandmother in central Taiwan, Pei finds herself in the middle of a mystery. The pineapple cakes from her grandmother’s bakery have disappeared! Soon Pei is collecting clues as she embarks on a quest to find the missing pineapple cakes.

From traditional Taiwanese artisan craftsmanship to picturesque villages of central Taiwan, Pei discovers the beauty of her grandmother’s hometown. This is a charming story of courage, adventure, and the love between grandchildren and grandparents.

Pei’s Pineapple Cakes is an elaborately illustrated picture book that makes an ideal gift:

-Real locations from central Taiwan make for an inspiring geographical, historical and cultural reading experience
-Storyline sparks dialogue around kindness, empathy, courage, and resilience
-Exquisite illustrations of Taiwanese artisans’ craftsmanship foster appreciation for heritage and traditions
-Bilingual text in English and Mandarin encourages learning in both languages

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, B&N, BAM.

Enter to win a signed copy of Pei’s Pineapple Cakes (US only) here.

About the Author

Crystal Z. Lee is a bilingual writer who divides her time between the U.S. and Asia. Crystal grew up in Taipei and later returned to live there in her adult years. Some of Crystal’s fondest memories in Taiwan include boating at Sun Moon Lake, chasing butterflies in Maolin, making pineapple cakes and eating her way through night markets with her family. Besides children’s books, Crystal’s other published works include poetry and a novel. Her other book about Taiwan is titled Kai the Dancing Butterfly. She is also the author of Mei’s Mermaid Mission, A Unicorn Named Rin, and Love and Other Moods.

You can connect with the author on their website, Instagram and Goodreads.

About the Illustrator

Allie Su grew up in Yunlin county, Taiwan. She often finds her illustration inspiration from the great outdoors. One of her favorite places to hike in Taiwan is Sun-Link-Sea Forest in Nantou. She adores Taiwanese cuisine and night market foods, such as stinky tofu, vegetarian noodles and taro pastries from Taichung. Allie also illustrated Mei’s Mermaid Mission and Kai the Dancing Butterfly.

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

May 22, 2025

Higher Love

This heart-wrenching family drama delves into the enduring impact of secrets, the power of unconditional love, and the strength found in facing our pasts.

About Higher Love

In 1986 Austin, Texas, sixteen-year-old Stephanie steps into sixty-two-year-old Lauren’s life, her uncanny resemblance cracking open a buried past. Claiming to be the daughter of the child Lauren gave up for adoption forty-five years ago, Stephanie upends Lauren’s life—already complicated by her remarriage to Brett after thirty-three years apart. Stung by her adoptive grandmother’s deception, Stephanie stays, her past of tragedy and self-harm forging a fragile bond with Lauren and Brett. When Stephanie’s trust fund evaporates, crushing her college dreams, Lauren sacrifices all to give her a future—only to face a bittersweet twist that echoes the past and changes everything. This heart-wrenching family drama delves into the enduring impact of secrets, the power of unconditional love, and the strength found in facing our pasts

You can pre-order the book on Amazon.

Enter to win a signed copy (US only) here.

About the Author

Joanne Kukanza Easley, a retired registered nurse who worked in the cold, stark environment of operating rooms and the highly charged setting of psychiatric facilities, now resides in the Texas Hill Country. There, she crafts fiction centered on complex women of the twentieth century. Her debut novel, Sweet Jane, garnered multiple accolades, including the adult fiction prize at the Texas Author Project, and was a finalist for prestigious honors like the Sarton Award and the Eric Hoffer Award, among others. Her second book, Just One Look, was selected as a May 2022 Pulpwood Queen Book Club Pick. Her third novel, I’ll Be Seeing You, revisits characters from Sweet Jane. Her fourth novel, Higher Love, a continuation of her third, is slated for release in Spring 2025. Easley’s award-winning short stories and poetry have been featured in various anthologies.

You can connect with her on her website, X, Facebook, Instagram and Goodreads.

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

April 22, 2025

I’ll Be Seeing You

From Joanne Kukanza Easley, the multi-award-winning author of Sweet Jane and Just One Look, comes I’ll Be Seeing You—a raw, gripping saga of one woman’s wild ride through five decades, fueled by ambition, derailed by booze, and haunted by the past.

About I’ll Be Seeing You

From Joanne Kukanza Easley, the multi-award-winning author of Sweet Jane and Just One Look, comes I’ll Be Seeing You—a raw, gripping saga of one woman’s wild ride through five decades, fueled by ambition, derailed by booze, and haunted by the past.

Lauren’s done with ranch life. Spotted by a modeling scout at the 1940 Fort Worth Stock Show Parade, she ditches Palo Pinto County for Manhattan’s glitz. But when her dream crashes, she drowns her sorrows in liquor and lovers. By twenty-four, she’s a widowed, divorced mess, hopping cities until Austin becomes her last stand. After a decade of chaos, she claws her way to sobriety and builds a thriving business, yet peace is still out of reach.

Then, in 1985, the past storms back: Brett, her third husband, wants to reconcile after thirty-three years apart. Reeling from old wounds, Lauren turns to Jane, her AA lifeline. The clock’s ticking—will she rewrite her story or let it burn?

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

You can enter to win a signed copy of this book here.

About the Author

Joanne Kukanza Easley, a retired registered nurse who worked in the cold, stark environment of operating rooms and the highly charged setting of psychiatric facilities, now resides in the Texas Hill Country. There, she crafts fiction centered on complex women of the twentieth century. Her debut novel, Sweet Jane, garnered multiple accolades, including the adult fiction prize at the Texas Author Project, and was a finalist for prestigious honors like the Sarton Award and the Eric Hoffer Award, among others. Her second book, Just One Look, was selected as a May 2022 Pulpwood Queen Book Club Pick. Her third novel, I’ll Be Seeing You, revisits characters from Sweet Jane. Her fourth novel, Higher Love, a continuation of her third, is slated for release in Spring 2025. Easley’s award-winning short stories and poetry have been featured in various anthologies.

You can connect with Joanne on her website, X, Facebook, Instagram and Goodreads.

Disclosure: I did not receive compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

April 1, 2025

Foster’s Leash

Follow along in Foster’s Leash to see rescue dog Pepper and her foster family navigate the foster process, the feelings that come with it, and how one leash makes all the difference.

About Foster’s Leash

Fostering animals isn’t easy. Suddenly, you’re living with a strange dog that needs your help. And once you’ve finally bonded, it’s time to say goodbye. But hard things are worth doing, especially when they change lives.

Follow along to see rescue dog Pepper and her foster family navigate the foster process, the feelings that come with it, and how one leash makes all the difference.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Mascot Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org and Books a Million.

The Giveaway!

Enter to win a Target gift card here.

About the Author

Sarah Sommer is an award-winning children’s picture book author who aims to tell stories that evoke emotion. As a former professional musician, Sarah values the way words, art, and stories come together in picture books. Having fostered many German shepherds, Sarah is passionate about animal advocacy and helping others. Sarah wrote this book to showcase the foster process and inspire others to open their hearts and homes.

You can connect with the author on their website, Facebook, Instagram and Goodreads.

Disclosure: I did not receive compensation for this post, all opinions expressed are my own.

March 18, 2025

The Third Element

In The Third Element, join entrepreneur, engineer, and speaker Randy Lyman as he unpacks his own journey and shows us exactly how our emotional experiences—the pains, the joys, and everything in-between—are both our greatest obstacles and our most powerful assets.

About The Third Element

Sure, you may have the discipline—the drive, strength, and perseverance it takes to build the life of your dreams. Yes, you may have the intellect—the understanding that you have the power to shape your own reality and a foolproof, step-by-step plan to do so.

So why isn’t all the planning, hard work, and visualization working? And when you do finally start achieving success, why does it still feel like something’s missing?

When it comes to creating abundance or finding inner peace, most people assume that mind-body alignment is enough. But we’re still missing one critical element—the long-neglected key to manifestation.

Each and every one of us holds the answer to unlocking the life of our dreams: the power and limitless potential of the Third Element.

Join entrepreneur, engineer, and speaker Randy Lyman as he unpacks his own journey and shows us exactly how our emotional experiences—the pains, the joys, and everything in-between—are both our greatest obstacles and our most powerful assets.

And this book is going to show you how to use it.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

About the Author

Randy Lyman is a multi-millionaire entrepreneur, physicist, and author of The Third Element, a transformative guide to unlocking abundance through emotional mastery. With decades of experience building Inc. 500-recognized businesses and fostering cultures of belonging, Randy empowers leaders and individuals to align their emotions with their goals. He blends science, spirituality, and practical wisdom to create actionable strategies for growth, success, and fulfillment. Randy’s work is dedicated to helping others break through emotional barriers and live in alignment with their highest potential.

You can connect with Randy on their website, Instagram and Facebook.

The Giveaway

Enter to win a a gift box, including a signed copy of The Third Element (US and Canada) here.

Disclosure: I did not receive compensation for this post, all opinions expressed are my own.