Creation In Death
by:  J.D. Robb

Another great hit in the”In Death” series which is a futuristic setting taking place in 2060.

 I am a great fan of Nora Roberts writing as J.D. Robb and she never disappoints, I highly recommend this entire series.  J.D. Robb is a master of her genre and all her stories are entertaining and must reads.

Five Stars to the “In Death” series.

The Stephen King Library Desk Calendar 2008

Let Stephen King bring you days of dread, weeks of worry, and months of mayhem via this awesome spiral bound desk calendar.

This exclusive Stephen King Library Desk Calendar for 2008 is packed with essays, creepy facts, trivia, and games—365 chances to step into Stephen King’s chilling universe.

Find out your SK IQ with questions like, “Which King book’s original title was Second Coming?” and “Which novel serves as King’s homage to Rebecca?” Take the Dead or Alive quiz, which asks readers to recall which King characters survived their personal hell and which didn’t. You’ll also get a taste of The Dark Tower; King’s suggestions for the best movies to watch on a cold, wintry night; personal stories from King and some of his fans; and so much more.

There was a printing error of the second part of the two-piece selection beginning the week of March 31 which should have been continued on the week of April 7 was not included in the calendar. The corrected section was enclosed as labels with the missing text to place over the incorrect text that appears on the week of April 7.

Even with the printing error this is a great piece for all the Stephen King fans and a must have.

And Another Thing! Maxine on Life, Love and Losers
by John Wagner

I love Maxine and am totally amused by her cranky commentaries on life. In this book Maxine is back at it and her cranky attitude towards life, love and losers shines through.

Maxine will always bring a smile to your face, Maxine was born in 1986 through the hand of J Wagner for Hallmark Shoebox card line and from there she has grown into ornaments, cards, books, coffee cups, paintings just to name a few. Need a bit of humor pick up one of the great Maxine books and she will turn stressful situations into a good chuckle!

Enjoy

Whatever Tomorrow Brings
by Lori Wick
The Californians Series
ISBN: 978-0-7369-1945-6
Harvest House Publishers
http://www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Whatever Tomorrow Brings is the first in The Californians Series by Lori Wick.  Set in San Francisco in 1871, and is the story of the Donovans and they are beginning to face their lives in a different way as their lives are about to change forever.  Kaitlin is the eldest daughter and she is having to face life in rugged California after a devastating tragedy.

This is a spiritual story full of hope, endurance, strength, innocense and the gift of God’s love.  The title is clear in that we as christians will place our faith and trust in God and follow “Whatever Tomorrow Brings”.

Questions of spirituality, ethics and morals are all presented through detailed plot lines that could be woven into our daily lives as christians.  If you are looking for a story that will grab you and embrace all then this is the story you will not want to miss..  This is an exceptionally well written story with good character development and a story line that will draw you in.  I can highly recommend this one with no hesitation and look forward to the rest in this exceptionally well written series.

A Wild and Woolly Night
by Lorraine Lynch Geiger
Illustrated by Sharon Vargo
The RGU Group
Children’s book, Fiction, 32 pages, $15.95
ISBN-10: 1891795252
Reviewed by Terry South for Bookpleasures

“A Wild and Woolly Night” is a children’s picture book for children ages 4 to 12.  A hardback edition with a cover that is beautifully illustrated with a boy in his bed surrounded by a variety of animals.

This is an enchanting story of a little boy named Phillip, he is different from most children as he is eager to go to bed and sleep.  But Phillip’s bed time is a great adventure filled with different animals with each change of his bed covers.

Every page leads to a different adventure and discovery of a new animal: “he found a purple spread with tiny polliwogs. But when he climbed back into bed  They all grew into frogs.”  The pages are beautifully illustrated and the stories rhyme which will delight both you and your child.  The art work is superb and will ignite the imaginations of all.  A highly recommended children’s book that can be enjoyed by the entire family and will make the perfect bed time story.

Lorraine Lynch Geiger is the mother of five, grandmother to fifteen and resides in Sebring, Florida, and spends part of the year where she was born in Newfoundland, Canada.  She has published a young adult novel “Trouble at the Blueberry Patch”, and is a prize winning poet.

Sharon Vargo is the illustrator of many children’s books.  She is also the author and illustrator of “Senor Felipe’s Alphabet Adventure”. She has also had her acrylic paintings appear in magazines, murals and limited edition prints.  She currently resides in Carmel, Indiana with her husband, and their pet frog named Romeo, they have four grown sons.  She graduated from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York.

Stone Pizza
by Susan K. Mitchell
Illustrated by McNevin Hayes
The RGU Group
Children’s book, fiction, 29 pages, $15.95
ISBN-10: 1-891795-26-0
Reviewed by Terry South for Bookpleasures

“Stone Pizza” is a children’s picture book for children ages 4 to 12.  A hardback book with a cover that is beautifully illustrated with a coyote on the cover wearing a purple bandanna with yellow polka-dots, a pair of green sunglasses and holding a stone pizza.

A delightful tale involving the critters of the desert where food is hard to find.  Coyote finds no hospitality when he wanders into that stretch of the highway in the desert.  The story of Stone Pizza focuses on team work and sharing.  The book is engaging and a pure delight and offers a wonderful cast of characters.

The pages are filled with bold and vibrant imaginative illustrations, the art work is superb to ignite the child’s imagination.  I highly recommend this children’s book, both you and your children will enjoy reading this story together time and time again all while delivering a great lesson of sharing and team work.

Susan K. Mitchell is a full time preschool teacher with two young daughters of her own.  Stone Pizza is her first published children’s picture book.  She has written for several children’s magazines, she also writes monthly for Style & Living magazine.  She has also written non-fiction books, and a biography of actor Will Smith.  She currently resides in Texas with her husband and their two daughters.

McNevin Hayes currently resides in Pittsford, New York with his wife and their son.  His artwork has appeared in magazines, murals and galleries.

Rant

 

Rant: An Oral Biography of Buster Casey
by Chuck Palahniuk
Doubleday
ISBN:  978-0-385-51787-4
$24.95   319 pages
Review by Terry South for Quality Book Reviews

 I am having a really rough time writing a review for this one.  I could sum the review up in 2 words or 20 pages.  The 2 words are: Mind Blowing, this is one book that I will keep and add to my collection.  Words just really cannot describe how I felt reading this.  I have never read anything by Chuck Palahniuk and really had never heard of him until requesting this one for review, needless to say I am adding him to my favorite author list, and will be dishing out some major bucks to get all of his earlier books. (lol)

***And you have got to check out this new website from Random House /Double Day on Rant it is so cool!!!!

Will try to have the review up by this weekend, even if it is the two words above MIND BLOWING as this was one mind blowing experience and my head is still spinning and the wheels in my brain are ever so constantly turning.

As you can see the cover art is intriguing and enticing which originally drew me to read the blurb in the catalog before requesting this one for review.

Edgar Font’s Hunt For A House To Haunt

 

Edgar Font’s Hunt For A House To Haunt
Adventure One:  The Castle Tower Lighthouse
by Patrick H. T. Doyle

Edgar Font’s Hunt For a House To Haunt

Adventure One:  The Castle Tower Lighthouse

By Patrick H.T. Doyle
Reviewed by Terry South for Quality Book Reviews

An enchanting story that introduces Garrett and Audrey to some pretty wondrous adventures that delivers a positive message to children everywhere.  Garret and Audrey are brother and sister, and as they head to China to join their father they have no clue of the great adventure that lies ahead.  The children usually stay with their aunt while their father is off on his trips as an architect but this year the children’s aunt is asked to join their father for the summer in China.  The children end up spending most of their time with Edgar Font, their grandfather.  Edgar is on a quest of finding the perfect place to haunt when he passes away, and their summer adventures begin, their adventures will be remembered a lifetime.  Their first adventure begins at an abandoned lighthouse which is full of puzzles, ghosts and mystery.  As their adventure continues through the lighthouse they must rely on everything they know and the lessons that they have learned along the way to ensure they will make it out without being harmed.

The Castle Tower Lighthouse is a children’s book that everyone will fall in love with no matter your age.  The author writes with such skill that lights an imaginitative spark in the reader.  The illustrations are absolutely wonderful and the message the story delivers is of a positive one.  This is sure to be a series you will want to keep and treasure for years to come.  I intend to collect each in the series for my grandson to enjoy, which I am sure will ignite another book lover in our family.  I cannot wait until Edgar Font’s Hunt For a House To Haunt Adventure Two: The Fakersville Power Station comes out in July.  I am ready to enjoy another great adventure with Edgar Font on his search for the perfect place to haunt.

You will not want to miss the website and blog devoted to Edgar Font, they will add to your enjoyment, check them out at:

http://edgarfont.com

http://edgarfont.blogspot.com

The blogspot gives you so much informative information, which includes how the author came up with the story.  Here you will find the information about Edgar Font, Audrey and Garrett.  Be sure to read the top 10 questions that are asked relating to the story as you will find some very interesting facts.

The Edgar Font series is highly recommended for everyone.  It has been such an honor and a pleasure to be able to review such a treasure that will be added to my collection to pass on from generation to generation.  A message to the author: not only have you created such a great story for children, you have accomplished reaching readers of all ages with this series and need to be commended.  I personally thank you, Bravo!

The author has created a treasured collection for readers of all ages!!!!!

Happy Birthday to Whooo?

 

Happy Birthday to Whooo?

by Doris Fisher

Illustrated by Lisa Downey

Sylvan Dell Publishing

976 Houston Northcutt Blvd., Ste. 3, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

ISBN:  978-0-9768823-1-2  $15.95

Reviewed by Terry South for Armchair Interviews

Happy Birthday to Whooo? A Baby Animal Riddle Book is designed for children ages 4 to 8, has a handsomely designed jacket displaying owls on the front cover and the back displays12 additional animals.

Doris Fisher effectively reaches her intended young audience.  The book contains bold and vibrant images of illustrator Lisa Downey, the pages alternate with oil paintings of an animal family and a birth announcement.  The birth announcements contain clues to the animal’s identity, offering facts of the weight and height and turn the page and you find more facts about the baby animal.  The book contains riddles introducing 12 different animals and will engage and amuse the young reader. The book contains a section entitled “For Creative Minds” that everyone is sure to love, this section contains information about the animal families and fun facts about the 12 animals introduced in the birth announcements.

As for illustrator Lisa Downey, her page design is colorful, vivid and eye-friendly that transports the reader into the heart of the story.

You will find “Learning Links” and “Teaching Activities” on Sylvan Dell Publishing’s website that will help both teachers and parents expand the learning possibilities.  The website is:  http://www.SylvanDellPublishing.com

The book is addressed to children and young readers, but can be enjoyed by the entire family.  The book will excite your children and they will want to read this one over and over again.  As an added bonus in the back of the book there is a “Make Your Own Birth Announcement”  great for a new baby in the family whether it be human or animal.  I highly recommend this one and give it 5 stars!

Do You Know Why Butterflies Fly?

 

Do You Know Why Butterflies Fly?

By Tom McWhirter

Art work by Mary Meade

Chupp Road Press

ISBN:  978-0-9761853-0-7

Reviewed by Terry South for Bookpleasures

Do You Know Why Butterflies Fly? Is beautifully written, the hardback cover is amazing and with the movement of the book you can see the butterflies fly.  The author Tom McWhirter has a great imagination and has produced a lovely children’s book for all to enjoy and treasure.

The story contains bold and vibrant imaginative images of illustrator Mary Meade, the art work is superbly done to ignite the imaginations of all.  The story is for children of all ages and in the process is teaching children to have courage to face their fears and to have faith in themselves to change and become something much greater than they every imagined.  It delivers the idea of not being afraid, to try new things and to pursue their dreams.  The story is both engaging and amusing, although addressed to children and young readers, can be enjoyed by the entire family together. 

The children’s book will appeal to both the young readers and their parents and will be a treasure to read together time and time again. 

The author grew up in rural North Carolina, he had a country boy heart and soul, and his best friend was his imagination.  His parents were concerned and gave him a stern lecture on his imagination and its proper place in reality.  “Tom McWhirter took this discussion to heart and immediately shut down his imagination.”  Years later he began a daily practice of meditation and rediscovered his imagination, and this book is full of his new re-found imagination.

I highly recommend this children’s book, it is a delight and a treasure to keep for generations to come.