Book Blast: Finding Fuzzy by Cat Michaels

Title: Finding Fuzzy: A "You-Decide Tale" of a Lost Friend (Sweet T Tales) | Author: Cat Michaels | Illustrator: Irene A. Jahns | Publication Date: March 26, 2014 | Publisher: 2101 Ink | Pages: 44 | Recommended Ages: 5 to 10 | Reviewed by: Renee (Mother)

Summary: Illustrated chapter book for early readers (Gr. K-3)

Blue sky ...
Warm sea ...
Sugar-sand beach ...
The perfect family vacation on the Carolina coast ...

Except the trip takes a nosedive when Jenna loses Fuzzy, her plush blue rabbit pal. Jenna learns to carry on without him. But when she stumbles across a secret, she faces the toughest decision of her young life. And YOU, the reader, will help her make that choice and come up with the ending of this You-Decide tale. Don't worry. Cat shows you how in her book and on her website.

So, slip on your flip-flops and join Jenna at the shore. It's time to decide YOUR ending for Finding Fuzzy.

Caution: Irene A. Jahn's ocean-themed watercolors have been known to cause beach fever.

"Finding Fuzzy" placed second in the Purple Dragonfly Writing contest, a national contest for children's book authors, in the category of chapter books.

Book Preview

Purchase

Amazon

The Buzz About the Book

"Finding Fuzzy is an early chapter book featuring the opportunity for children to create their own ending to a sweet, summertime story. The main character, Jenna, has a decision to make when she discovers that her beloved stuffed bunny she had lost is now being used to protect a litter of kittens. After weighing out all of the possible outcomes, it is up to the reader to decide what happens next in the story. I thought this was a unique concept that will interest children, especially ones who are interested in writing their own stories (like my daughter!). I recommend this book to parents, homeschoolers, and teachers with children between the ages of 5 and 10." ~ Renee @ Mother Daughter Book Reviews

"The story is sweet, and suitable for all children. The book is set up to get kids to think and discuss what they would do in a certain situation--in this case, giving up a precious friend (the stuffed bunny.) I could see using this in either a classroom setting or as a bedtime story. The watercolor illustrations really capture a beachy mood and create a great visual for kids as well.. " ~ 5 Star Review, Nikki B., Goodreads

"Cat Michaels has put young readers in a position to solve the dilemma. Readers must brainstorm and utilize their critical thinking skills to write the ending to Jenna's story. This quick to read chapter book has small colorful illustrations that help readers imagine the beach. Readers will also find that the author has created a world where they use all five senses. The back of the book has tips for parents and teachers to help their readers.. " ~ 5 Star Review, Kristi B., Goodreads

"This is a book with a difference. The space where the ending should be is blank, leaving readers with the opportunity to take a far more pro-active role in the unfolding of the story. It's time to get creative. It's time to give the story your own ending! There's room for a picture as well, so the budding author can test out their illustration skills too!" ~ 5 Star Review, Peachy Emma, Amazon

"The genius here is that Cat has picked the perfect storyline to make your would be writers put themselves into Jenna’s shoes and truly understand how she feels.It’s the stuffed animal, every child has one and every child is very attached to it. This is a great book for it's educational value as far as letting the kids use their imagination to come up with their own conclusion. ----5 stars for this one!" ~ Bookroom Reviews, Amazon

About the Author: Cat Michaels

CAT MICHAELS started writing stories in fourth grade and hasn’t stopped since. After earning an M.S. degree in special education from the University of Kansas, she spent two decades helping students from kindergarten to college reach their potential.

She also managed communication and resource development programs for an international high-tech company that included writing press releases and articles for trade journals. After recession and downsizings, she returned to her education roots, serving at a community college as a writing coach and learning specialist for students with Asperger’s syndrome and learning disabilities.

Cat spins tales of everyday life, with a twist of magic or twinge of mystery, that open young minds to new ways of thinking and looking at the world. Illustrations by watercolor artist Irene A. Jahns help bring that world to life. Cat and her family live in North Carolina where she designs playful gardens, dabbles in all things digital, and writes.

* Download free pdf of chapter 1 and You-Decide pages by visiting http://www.catmichaelswriter.com/finding-fuzzy-a-you-decide-tale-of-a-lost-friend.html *

Website Pinterest Twitter Facebook Goodreads Google+

FREE Short Story Offer

Subscribe by email to Cat's Connections to receive updates, special offers, and to be among the first to hear about new releases by Cat Michaels. PLUS, when you sign up, you will receive a short story penned just for adults, Driving Down to Dillon: A Very-Short Story of Love and New Beginnings by Cat Michaels. Click on the cover below to subscribe to Cat's Connections.

PLUS... email subscribers to Cat's Connections will also receive 5 extra in the giveaway below.

* Giveaway *

Prize: One winner will receive a $30 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash prize

Contest ends: September 19, 11:59 pm, 2014

Open: Internationally

How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. One winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If a winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Cat Michaels and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Birthday Blowout: Big Pharma, Big Agri, Big Conspiracy by Dina Rae

Big Pharma

Big Agri

Big Conspiracy

By Dina Rae

Blurb-

Introduction

Big Pharma's and Big-Agri's growing power happens mostly behind the scenes. For whatever reason, mainstream media leaves these giants alone except in terms of business profit margins. Before researching the two industries, I knew nothing more than most people-a vague recognition of the terms Big Pharma and Big Agri. A few magazines articles along with some radio talk show episodes was all it took to ensnare me into obsession.

As curiosity turned into research, I could not help but speculate that these industries are involved in conspiracy on a global level. This is a subject that impacts anyone who has ever taken medication, seen a doctor, and/or eaten food. If you are intrigued about the elite inner circle of these two empires, Big Pharma, Big Agri, and Big Conspiracy is the perfect place to begin your journey in searching for the proverbial man behind the curtain. This book is an introduction to history, fact, and conspiracy theory of these growing industries. A follow-up book is currently being outlined. For the record, I am NOT a doctor, just a nerd who loves to learn new things.

  

What is Big Pharma?

Big Pharma is a term that refers to the giants of the pharmaceutical industry. Collectively, they made approximately $690 billion in 2012 and are projected to exceed one trillion in 2014. That's more than the GDP of Saudi Arabia and Iraq combined. Because of the immense profitability, many question the ethics involved in research, FDA approval, manufacturing, and prescriptions of the pharmaceuticals. Big Pharma doesn't just sell pharmaceuticals; they influence the entire healthcare industry.

Who is Big Pharma?

Generally, Big Pharma consists of the biggest drug companies who make more than three billion dollars each year. Of the top eleven giants, six are headquartered in the U.S. These companies spend multi-millions of dollars each year to lobby Congress for legislation in their favor. U.S. pharmaceutical companies reportedly have 1,100 lobbyists who make sure they are represented.

Whose political campaigns are funded by Big Pharma?

In 2012 Big Pharma favored the Republicans, but they also hedged their bets by backing the Democrats. About $16.2 million was spent by the top twenty pharmaceutical companies for Democratic and Republican campaign contributions. The top three that donated over one million dollars in campaign funds were Pfizer, Amgen, and Abbott, with Merck a few dollars shy of one million.

Some of the biggest giants are listed below.

Top 10 Pharmaceutical Companies

(based on 2012 pharmaceutical revenues in billions)

http://www.drugwatch.com/manufacturer/

Manufacturer     2012 in Billions


Johnson & Johnson.………$67.2

Pfizer……………………….$58.9

Novartis……………………$56.7

Roche…………….………..$47.8

Merck……………….……..$47.3

Sanofi……………….……..$46.4

GlaxoSmithKline………….$39.9

Abbot Lab …………………$39.9

Astra Zeneca…………………$28

Bayer………………………….$24.3

Johnson & Johnson: They sell drug-store drugs like Tylenol, Band-Aids, and baby shampoo.

Ethicon, a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson, makes surgical items. One of their products, a vaginal mesh implant, is currently under fire. They have 1800 lawsuits filed against them.

Pfizer: Lipitor (cholesterol problems), Viagra (erectile dysfunction), Celebrex (arthritis), and Lyrica (neuropathic pain) are some of their most advertised. Despite their huge sales, they claim huge overhead in taxes, advertising, and research and development. Later on I will go more into R&D, as they really aren't paying for all that is claimed. The tax-payer unwittingly pays for much of their R&D.

Novartis: Gilenya (Multiple Sclerosis) and Diovan (hypertension) are some of their top sellers.

Merck: Singulair for asthma and Zetia for cholesterol are some of their big movers. They also manufacture several vaccines.

Abbott Labs: Klacid (antibiotic), Biaxin (bacterial infections), Luvox (anti-depressant), and Synthroid (thyroid) are some of their many products.

Big Pharma claims they are in the business of curing and controlling diseases. Their real mission, like all businesses, is to increase profits. Unlike most businesses they do not have to play by the same rules. Their twenty-year patents given out for each of their new drugs give them a monopoly. This prevents other countries from making cheaper versions. TRIPS (international intellectual property rights organization) legally protects them from others cutting into their profits.

Can they patent plants found in remote places of the world?

Yes. They can and they do, especially in the rain forest, through a process called bio-prospecting. They get away with it by paying indigenous people a stipend for exploration of new plants. To patent something suggests that it's an invention. How are plants grown in the rain forest an invention? Again, Big Pharma does not have to play by the rules. They pay for the legislation that enables them to take what they want.

Many of these companies will protect their empires at any and all costs. Lying to Federal Drug Administration, submitting fraudulent data, bribing doctors, omitting side effects, and bullying the supplement industry are some of the ways they play ball. Lastly, some conspiracy theories claim Big Pharma hide cures to terrible diseases to continue steady, gigantic profits.

What is Big-Agri?

This book began with exploring the inner workings of Big-Pharma from a lay-person's perspective. My research constantly overlapped another mammoth industry called Big-Agri.

Big-Agri is short for big agriculture or farming corporations that are taking over the farming industry on a global level. This kingdom controls many aspects of farming such as crop production through technology and pesticides. One of their main contributions to the world's food supply is the controversial use of GMOs or genetically modified organisms. Later on in this book I will elaborate on GMOs. GM stands for genetically modified and then there is the term GE for genetically engineered. These terms basically mean the same thing and will be used interchangeably for the purposes of this book. GM/GE/GMOs are a growing business of genetically engineered food.

GMOs have led to other modified things such as glow-in-the dark cats, cabbage with scorpion venom, less flatulent cows, vaccinated bananas, cancer medicine eggs, and mass carbon eating plants. The possibilities are endless, producing results that make for a great horror/sci-fi movie. Much of the GMO food has earned the nickname "Franken-food".

The giant corporations that make up Big-Agri are Dow AgroSciences, DuPont, Monsanto, and Syngenta. Other corporations that make up the business include machinery (John Deere), ADM (grain transport), and AB Agri (animal feeds, micro-ingredients, and biofuels). In this book, I will be referring to Big-Agri in strictly crops, food, or pesticides.

Monsanto (largest seed and pesticide manufacturer in the world)

In 2013 fiscal year Monsanto's net sales were $14,861,000,000. Net profits were $7,653,000,000. That's a gross profit of 51%! They reported a net income of $2,482,000,000 after research and development and other expenses. Research and Development costs will later on be more fully explored. At face value, according to their own site, www.monsanto.com, that's about 17% profits-not a bad return!

DuPont, www.dupont.com
This corporation has its fingers in many pies, including healthcare/Big-Pharma. For the purpose of this book, DuPont will be placed among the Big-Agri companies. Some of their biggest selling products are herbicides/insecticides and GMO seeds. Their agriculture products division had an outstanding 2013-9.9 billion in sales, primarily through their GMO corn seeds. Seven million acres planted their corn in 2013 compared to two million acres using the seeds in 2012.

Dow-AgroSciences, http://www.dowagro.com/products/

Their main products are herbicides/insecticides and GMO seeds. Dow-AgroSciences is a subsidiary of Dow-Chemical. Their gross sales in 2012 was $6,400,000,000. A little interesting trivia found on their own website shows that Dow AgroSciences was originally called DowElanco and then joined with Dow Chemical and Elanco Plant Sciences. Why is this important? Because Elanco Plant Sciences is part of Eli Lilly, one of the Big-Pharma mammoths earlier mentioned. Big Agri and Big Pharma are constantly overlapping.

Syngenta, www.sygenta.com

This global corporation's main products are herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and GMO seeds including flowers. In 2012 they grossed 14,202,000,000 in sales with $6,984,000,000 in gross profits. $2,292,000,000 was left over after operating expenses. Syngenta is still a young company. According to their website, they offered to invest one half of a billion dollars in Africa at the 2012 G8 Summit. Humanitarian or smart business? Syngenta projects that they will sell 25 billion dollars in sales by 2020.

Throughout this book I will present the facts and cite sources. Some sources will be hyperlinked and other sources will be mentioned on the bibliography page of the book. The conspiracy angle is yours to agree or disagree with. At the very least, you will hopefully have a different perspective on this very important subject.

Chapter One: Codex Alimentarius

Chapter Two: FDA and USDA: Puppets or Protectors?

Chapter Three: What is a GMO?

Chapter Four: Most Harmful Chemicals in Food

Chapter Five: Organics

Chapter Six: Natural Remedies

Chapter Seven: The Rise of Anti-Depressants

Chapter Eight: ADD/ADHD: Is it a Real Disorder?

Chapter Nine: Why Are Medical Bills and Drugs so High?

Chapter Ten: Black Box Drugs

Chapter Eleven: Vaccines: Prevention or Profit?

Conclusion/Bibliography


Excerpt:

Chapter One

Codex Alimentarius: What is it and why is it important to Big Pharma?

New World Order Conspiracy Theory

In order to understand how the Codex works, it is imperative to understand the concept of New World Order conspiracy theory also known as globalization and one world government. New World Order or NWO universally refers to an elite group of people who belong to the inner circles of government, industry, media, religion, academia, and other influential segments of society. These people actively conspire to abandon all boundaries of nations. Why? Because once the world abolishes all nations and cultures, it can then be restructured under one rule.

Yes, it sounds crazy, but the Bible has plenty to say about the subject. In Genesis God scatters everyone to the four corners of the earth after the Tower of Babel story. In this story people began speaking the same language. Some clergy believe this detail signifies a breakdown of different cultures. Therefore, this story documents the world's first attempt at a one world government.

In Revelation the Bible ends with the world being ruled by the Anti-Christ who rules the world under a single government, and then is eventually defeated by Jesus. The United Nations and/or European Union and/or Bilderberg meetings and/or certain global alliances are examples of the onset of New World Order. Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye best lay out a realistic example of this scenario in their best-selling Left Behind series.

Whether you are a religious fanatic, tin-foil hat wearing freak, or plain old average Joe, you have to wonder if this theory holds weight. Every now and then the elite lose their control and an insider goes rogue, something doesn't end up destroyed, and mistakes are made, allowing us common folk a glimpse of what could/will be. By the way, NWO spells own backwards.

Under NWO, there will be one currency and one set of laws. Those who don't agree and don't comply with the new government will be exterminated.

Most conspiracy theorists believe one of the biggest goals of the New World Order elite is depopulation. This involves exterminating all who are uneducated, poor, physically or mentally impaired, and/or in some way a hindrance to power. The total world population would be shaved down to under one billion people.

The elite inner circles have somewhat of a valid argument for murder. Population in the world has exploded exponentially since the 1800's. If this trend continues, the world won't be big enough to feed or medicate everyone. This is how Big-Pharma and Big-Agri fit into the conspiracy.


About the author:

Author Dina Rae has four published novels in thriller, horror, and paranormal genres. Her passion for conspiracy theory is obvious as she continues to mix fact into her fiction, leaving readers wondering about the truth. She holds a Master of Arts from Roosevelt University. Ms. Rae continues to guest on multiple conspiracy radio shows, convinced that New World Order looms around the corner. Big Agri, Big Pharma, and Big Conspiracy is her first nonfiction book.

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Birthday Blow Out
Organized By The Avid Reader Book Tours

Blog Tour/Review: Make Every Day Meaningful by Randal A. Wright

Tour Schedule

Make Every Day Meaningful: Realize, Record, and Remember Life's Grand Lessons, by Randal A. Wright
2014, 240p, Non-Fiction
My Rating=5 Stars
Source: Received copy from publisher for an honest review



Sometimes day-to-day life hardly feels journal-worthy. But Randal Wright demonstrates how you can use experiences from your life to make better decisions, feel increased gratitude, recognize your strengths and weaknesses, more easily prepare talks and lessons, create a personal history for your posterity, and find God in your daily life. Make the world around you—every minute of every day—your classroom. 

So, I'm quite sporadic in my journal keeping. I'll go through long periods of not keeping one and short periods of keeping one. I do enjoy going back and reading what I've written, and finding the lessons I've learned from certain experiences seems easier to identify in retrospect. I felt that a major point he made in his book is that when we know we're going to record what happened in our lives each day, we will be encouraged to make different, and hopefully better, choices.

At the end of Chapter 1 (pp. 12-13), he says that at the completion of this book, there are eleven patterns you will have, including:

* Recall the experiences from your life that have taught you meaningful lessons.
* Record a meaningful experience in ten seconds and in a way that you never forget it.
* Enjoy an endless supply of material for conversations, lessons, talks, books, or articles.
* Easily write a multi-volume history of your life to leave for posterity.
* Better understand why you feel the way you feel and act the way you act.
* Find more joy, happiness, and meaning in your daily life.

I thought that was quite a bit to promise and at the end I felt that he delivered! There are lots of great experiences and stories he shares from his own life and the lives of others. I like his explanation of three-word summaries and can see how they are useful once you have a plethora of stories recorded. If you think you've lost most of your memories, he shares approximately 600 memory cues to help you retrieve lost memories. Reading through some of those brought a lot of memories back to me and that list alone will take a while to work through. He issues challenges at the end of some of the chapters and working through this list is one of them (end of Chapter 12). 

I loved reading this book and felt uplifted as I finished each chapter. I've started a gratitude journal a few times over the years and I'm currently keeping one. I can even see the value in that as I went back and read what I had recorded in previous years and was able to remember some of what I was going through at the time. I thought he did a great job of taking the topic of journal keeping and explaining the importance of it so that we can, indeed, make each day meaningful. It does take some time and effort to record our experiences, but it's well worth it all in the end!

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books & Things

Randal Wright has been fascinated by the study of families for many years. Seeking ways to raise righteous children led to his receiving a B.S. and M.S. with emphasis in the family area and then a Ph.D. in Family Studies from Brigham Young University. He worked for many years as an Institute director for the Church Education System and taught at BYU in the religion department. He has written several books in the past on family topics including Families in Danger: Protecting Your Family in an X-rated World, Building Better Homes and Families and The Case for Chastity: Helping Youth Stay Morally Clean. He has spoken across the United States, Canada and England and has been a frequent speaker at BYU Campus Education Week and the Especially for Youth program for many years. Randal and his wife Wendy live in Austin, Texas and are the parents of five children and sixteen grandchildren.

Website

Blog Tour/Review: The Cinderella Theorem by Kristee Ravan

A themed book tour through Prism Book Tours.

The Cinderella Theorem

(The Lily Sparrow Chronicles #1)

by Kristee Ravan

YA Urban Fantasy

Paperback, 367 pages

March 17th 2014



Fairy tales are naturally non-mathematical. That is a fact, and fifteen-year-old Lily Sparrow loves factual, mathematical logic. So when her mother confesses that Lily’s deceased father is (a) not dead, (b) coming to dinner, and (c) the ruler of a fairy tale kingdom accessible through the upstairs bathtub, Lily clings to her math to help her make sense of this new double life (1 life in the real world + 1 secret life in the fairy tale world = a double life).

Even though it’s not mathematical, Lily finds herself being pulled into a mystery involving an unhappy Cinderella, a greasy sycophant called Levi, and a slew of vanishing fairy tale characters. Racing against the clock, with a sound mathematical plan, Lily attempts to save her fairy tale friends while proving that normality = happiness.

I love how original this story was! Lily Sparrow is 15 years old and absolutely loves math. Her life is turned upside down when her mother reveals some things that are not compatible with her orderly, mathematical life. She's never bothered to learn about fairy tales and now her life is full of them so she needs to learn them quickly. She tries hard to be rational and logical and return things to "normal." She thinks she has things figured out but makes a bigger mess of things and needs to fix it.

I liked Lily. She experienced a lot of growth as she went from a girl that didn't believe in the nonsense of fairy tales to a girl that wanted to fix her mistakes and show that she truly cared about others. There were parts that you expect to find in a book about fairytales and then there was so much more added to it which kept my attention. I also love that I laughed out loud. A lot. 

There are some great characters that Lily works with and I loved getting to know them all. She feels frustration at first and like she's letting people down and her parents encourage her to embrace the role she was born to fill. I liked the villains, too, and learning more about them and how they became villains. I also like that they aren't too scary and look forward to seeing where they go from here.

I'm someone that tolerates math so was interested to see how the author would incorporate math into her story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading more! I felt that I learned more about both fairytales and math while reading it so I feel smarter now than I was before I started. The ending was great and left me wanting more, so I was glad to get a sneak peek into the next book, Calculating Christmas (which is hopefully coming soon). If you or someone you know loves math, this book is a no brainer! If you don't enjoy math, you will still find plenty about it to love, so give it a chance!!

My Rating=5 Stars

*I received a copy from the tour host for review. My opinion is 100% my own.*

Amazon

Calling for Reviewers!

We're looking for reviewers! You don't need a blog to sign up, but you do need to at least post a review on Amazon. Other sites (blog, Goodreads, etc.) are also appreciated. Reviews must be completed by the end of November. To sign up, please fill out this form.

Kristee Ravan lives in Oklahoma with her husband, daughter, and pet fish, Val (short for Valentine). She wanted to be many things as she grew up including a general, an artist, and an architect. But she never bothered to say, "I want to be a writer when I grow up." She was always writing stories and thought of herself as a writer anyway. She sent her first story to a publisher in the sixth grade. (It was rejected - in a nice way.) When she is not making up stories in her head, she enjoys reading, juggling, green smoothies, playing dollhouse with her daughter, and hearing from her fans. You can contact Kristee at the facebook page for her Lily Sparrow books: The Lily Sparrow Chronicles.

Website - Goodreads - Facebook - Amazon

Tour-Wide Giveaway

5 copies of The Cinderella Theorem (print for US winners, ebook for international winners)

Ends August 31st 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour!

August Dates:

11 - Launch

12

Kelly P's Blog

Coffee Books & Art

13

Bookworm Lisa

Shannon's Blog

Simplistic Reviews

14

Skye Malone's Blog

Wonderous Reviews

Mythical Books

15

Rockin' Book Reviews

Sarah's StoryLines

The Wonderings of One Person

17

Katy's Krazy Books

Letters from Annie (Douglass) Lima

18

The Crazy Antics of My Creative Mind

My Devotional Thoughts

The Written Adventure

19

Tween 2 Teen Book Reviews

Mel's Shelves

My Life, Loves and Passion

20

Katie's Clean Book Collection

Book Briefs

Deal Sharing Aunt

21

A Backwards Story

Little Lisa

22

Coffee, Books and Me

I Am A Reader

Dividing by Zero

24 - Grand Finale

Blog Tour/Review: How Much Do You Love Me? by Paul Mark Tag

Tour Schedule

How Much Do You Love Me?, by Paul Mark Tag
2014, 258p, Historical Fiction
My Rating=5 Stars
Source: Received copy from publisher for an honest review



Lovers James and Keiko marry quickly before James goes to World War II and Keiko to an internment camp. Sixty years later their daughter Kazuko, born in the camps, uncovers a secret that could overwhelm the family. Discover the very definition of human love and self-sacrifice in this saga of war, mystery, and romance.

This story is set in WWII and shifts back and forth between 1941-42 and 2000. In 1941, James and Keiko are in love and want to get married. He's white and she's Japanese and they're not sure how their families will handle the news. Then, Pearl Harbor is bombed and they move their plans up since they know war is coming and James is planning to enlist. Their families take the news fairly well and James isn't too worried about leaving until the government decides to send all the Japanese-Americans to internment camps.

In the year 2000, Keiko has had a stroke and is in the hospital. Her daughter, Kazuko and her son Patrick are worried about her. They get a visitor, a man by the name of Takeo Sato who knew her mother's family at the Japanese internment camps. As Kazuko starts talking to him, he reveals stories that her family has never told her and she starts to sense that her mother is keeping a secret from her. She turns to her Aunt Shizuka for answers, but she's not talking. Their father, James, now has Alzheimer's so they can't turn to him, either.

I loved the history, the characters and the mystery in this book! I haven't read a lot of books about the Japanese internment camps and I feel like I have a better understanding of why this isn't really talked about. Keiko's family showed a lot of strength and courage through a difficult time for all of them. As Keiko's daughter, Kazuko, started looking for the family secret, I was wracking my brain trying to figure out what it could be. I figured it out a little bit before the reveal, and it is stunning. And then after that, there was another reveal that I didn't see coming which stunned me even more. It made the story that much better to me, too. 

I loved the flashbacks and getting bits and pieces of the story here and there. I loved Keiko's relationship with James, her in-laws and her immediate family. Her daughter Kazuko was a loving daughter and sister and determined to find answers to her questions. She really had to dig deep and I enjoyed going on her journey with her. This is a book that I am still thinking about and it's definitely worth reading!!

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books & Things

Paul Mark Tag graduated with multiple degrees in meteorology from Pennsylvania State University and worked for the Naval Research Laboratory as a research scientist for over thirty years before retiring to write fiction. For years prior to retirement, and the following year exclusively, he honed his skills writing short stories. These have been published in StoryBytes, Potpourri, Green’s Magazine, and The Storyteller, as well as The Errant Ricochet: Max Raeburn’s Legacy.In 2005, he self-published his first thriller, Category 5,which took advantage of his knowledge of meteorology and weather modification, followed by Prophecy and White Thaw: The Helheim Conspiracy. With his historical novel How Much Do You Love Me? he has switched genres. He lives with his wife, Becky, in Monterey, California.

Book Blast: Guardians: The Girl by Lola StVil

Guardians: The Girl by Lola StVil

******OVER 450 FIVE STAR REVIEWS!*******

Sitting there in the car, a part of me bitterly resented what she was doing to me. I knew it wasn’t her fault. But does she have to be so… alluring? I need to focus on something else besides the spot between her earlobe and neck. It looked so soft. Her lips were slightly parted as she looked out the window. I wanted to part them further with mine. I put both my hands on the steering wheel. I could not allow myself to let go until she was out of the car. Suddenly she leaned in and kissed me. It was far better than I could even begin to explain to you. I’ve fought and died a slow and painful death on earth. And nothing, NOTHING can compare to how hard it was for me to pull away from her lips. I don’t think any angel could to do it twice in a lifetime…

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo

Excerpts

“Your courage is in your tears. Every time you cry, you lose a little bit more of it. That’s why you’re so breakable. Not because you’re human, because you’re always shedding courage from your eyes.”

 ~~~

Marcus, choose me. Choose the path that is perilous and leads to certain annihilation because it’s also the path that leads to me. They can’t understand that we are powerless to stop what we have for each other. But we know. We know that if we don’t bend to the will of this love, it will break us.

~~~

“I heard this guy say once that he thought if he said ‘no’ to doing drugs then the fight was over. But it turns out he had to say ‘no’ each and every day. I didn’t get it until I met you. When I first fell for you, I said ‘no’ to it. Then the next day the feeling came back. Now every single day, I have to say ‘no’ to being with you.”

Praise

“This book shows a whole other side of angels the good, the bad, and the ugly. Each character has their own story or “core” . This is only the beginning. Where can I find the second book?” ~Maya Twitty

“Could not put it down!!” ~Misty

“I didn’t actually chose this book on purpose but I got it because it was free. After reading the first chapter I was hooked…and devastated. How could you let that happen Lola? I definitely recommend that you read this book…with a box of tissues.” ~Amazon Review

Author Lola StVil

Lola was seven when she first came to this country from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. She attended Columbia College in Chicago, where her main focus was creative writing. In addition to plays, she also writes screenplays and short stories.

She has been commissioned to write for ABC, CBS and Princeton University. She won the NAACP award for her play “The Bones of Lesser Men”. In addition to being nominated for LA Weekly awards. Her work has also received positive reviews from The LA Times, Variety and LA Weekly. This is her first novel.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 9/7/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Audio Book Blast: The Typewriter Girl by Alison Atlee

Author Alison Atlee's The Typewriter Girl is now an audio­book, nar­rated by Audie win­ner Ros­alyn Lan­dor, and in celebration she'll be touring the blogosphere from August 4-29 with HF Virtual Book Tours!

Audible Audio Book Edition
Audible.com Release Date: April 4, 2014
Listening Length: 12 hours and 39 minutes
Publisher: Audible Studios
Language: English
ASIN: B00JH0L9HW

Genre: Historical Fiction

A Pub­lish­ers Weekly Best Books of the Year pick: The Type­writer Girl is a “spec­tac­u­lar debut, set in a per­fectly real­ized Vic­to­rian England.”

When Bet­sey Dob­son dis­em­barks from the Lon­don train in the sea­side resort of Idensea, all she owns is a small valise and a canary in a cage. After an attempt to forge a let­ter of ref­er­ence she knew would be denied her, Bet­sey has been fired from the typ­ing pool of her pre­vi­ous employer. Her vig­or­ous protest left one man wounded, another jilted, and her char­ac­ter per­ma­nently besmirched.

Now, with­out money or a ref­er­ence for a new job, the future looks even bleaker than the deba­cle she left behind her.

But her life is about to change … because a young Welsh­man on the rail­road quay, wait­ing for another woman, is the one finally will­ing to believe in her.

Mr. Jones is inept in mat­ters of love, but a genius at things mechan­i­cal. In Idensea, he has con­structed a glit­ter­ing pier that astounds the wealthy tourists. And in Bet­sey, he rec­og­nizes the ideal tour man­ager for the Idensea Pier & Plea­sure Build­ing Company.

After a life­time of guard­ing her secrets and break­ing the rules, Bet­sey becomes a force to be reck­oned with. Together, she and Mr. Jones must find a way for her to suc­ceed in a soci­ety that would reject her, and fig­ure the price of sur­ren­der­ing to the tides of love.

Praise for The Typewriter Girl

“Atlee’s outstanding debut unflinchingly explores … the unforgiving man’s world of Victorian England.” –PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review)

“Easily one of the most romantic books I’ll read all year … John and Betsey are compelling and worth rooting for.” –DEAR AUTHOR (a Recommended Read)

“Sweeps readers to a satisfying conclusion.” –LIBRARY JOURNAL

Buy the AudioBook

Amazon UK
Amazon US
Audible.com

About the Author

Alison Atlee spent her childhood re-enacting Little Women and trying to fashion nineteenth century wardrobes for her Barbie dolls. Happily, these activities turned out to be good preparation for writing historical novels. She now lives in Kentucky.

For more information please visit Alison Atlee's website. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Goodreads and Pinterest.

The Typewriter Girl Blog Tour & Book Blast Schedule

Monday, August 4
Review at Peeking Between the Pages (Audio Book)
Book Blast at Mina's Bookshelf
Book Blast at Princess of Eboli
Book Blast at Literary Chanteuse
Book Blast at What Is That Book About

Tuesday, August 5
Review at A Bibliotaph's Reviews (Print)
Book Blast at So Many Books, So Little Time

Wednesday, August 6
Book Blast at Let Them Read Books

Thursday, August 7
Book Blast at Mari Reads
Book Blast at Book Lovers Paradise

Friday, August 8
Book Blast at Book Blast Central

Saturday, August 9
Book Blast at Caroline Wilson Writes

Sunday, August 10
Book Blast at Book Nerd

Monday, August 11
Review at Just One More Chapter (Audio Book)
Book Blast at Gobs and Gobs of Books

Tuesday, August 12
Book Blast at Queen of All She Reads

Wednesday, August 13
Review at Historical Tapestry (Audio Book)
Book Blast at The Lit Bitch
Book Blast at CelticLady's Reviews

Thursday, August 14
Review at A Bookish Affair (Print)
Guest Post at Historical Tapestry

Friday, August 15
Review at Brooke Blogs (Audio Book)
Guest Post at A Bookish Affair

Saturday, August 16
Book Blast at Broken Teepee

Sunday, August 17
Interview at Closed the Cover

Monday, August 18
Review at The Maiden's Court (Audio Book)

Tuesday, August 19
Book Blast at Layered Pages
Book Blast at Always with a Book

Wednesday, August 20
Book Blast at Literary, Etc.

Thursday, August 21
Review at Books in the Burbs (Print)
Book Blast at Bibliotica

Friday, August 22
Review at Bibliophilia, Please (Audio Book)

Saturday, August 23
Book Blast at Reading Lark
Book Blast at Ageless Pages Reviews

Sunday, August 24
Book Blast at Passages to the Past

Monday, August 25
Review at Flashlight Commentary (Audio Book)
Book Blast at Historical Fiction Connection

Tuesday, August 26
Interview at Flashlight Commentary

Wednesday, August 27
Book Blast at Susan Heim on Writing

Thursday, August 28
Review at Luxury Reading (Print)
Review at The True Book Addict (Audio Book)
Review at Jorie Loves a Story (Print)

Friday, August 29
Interview at Jorie Loves a Story

The Typewriter Girl Swag Giveaway

One copy of The Typewriter Girl (Audio Book or Print)
Set of earbuds in a cute typewriter print pouch
A Typewriter Girl Happily-Ever-After t-shirt (features last lines from famous novels)
A vintage style postcard "from" Idensea, the setting of The Typewriter Girl
A "dream wildly" ribbon bookmark with typewriter key charms

To enter, please complete the Rafflecopter giveaway form below. Giveaway is open to residents in the US, Canada, and the UK.

Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on August 29th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on August 30th and notified via email.
Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway