May 7, 2022

Mother’s Day is early this year. And we have a Cinco De Mayo birthday among the grandkids — a Sweet Sixteen. May is an easy month for family birthdays. We have SIX in April!

I have good memories of honoring mothers at our church as a child. There were some spinster teachers in the congregation whom we always acknowledged. They had ‘mothered’ many children. It takes more than biology to be a mom!

The weather has been all over the map with a little rain and a little snow. Now a few sunny days to warm the soil and welcome new seedings. And set the grass growing.

Books – Books – Books

Lots of books to catch up on the reviews! There’s a new release coming next week. Where Healing Starts will release by author Angela D. Meyer on May 12, 2022.

This is the second book in the Applewood Hill series. I will be reviewing the first book, Where Hope Starts sometime this weekend.

The books can be read out of sequence. I did that because I am in a blog tour for Where Healing Starts. I’m not sorry, but if I had read Where Hope Starts before, it would have explained a bit about the Hannigan family’s issues. Both books are faith-based pleasure reading. The new one, Where Healing Starts has a special price for a few days until release.

Angela D. Meyer is publishing with the Mosaic Collection Books. The Mosaic Collection is a group of women who write faith-based novels featuring contemporary settings and historical fiction.

Reviews Are Important

Reviews are important to authors and other readers. Your opinion of a book is valuable. It doesn’t have to be a novel or endless tome of writing to get your point across. But, it is important for you to share your opinion. I have written Guide To Write a Review. It is included in a package of tools to make your review easier to write. Additional tools help you manage your own library and include some coloring pages for your enjoyment. The Read and Review Readers’ Journal is available on Etsy. With a printable download, you can be writing your first reviews in a short time.

I hope you enjoy the Read and Review Readers’ Journal as much as I do. I’ve not been a person who made good use of a journal. But, I’m reading so many books during this season of illness that I want to have a good place to start notes to get reviews written.

Reviews are good at

• Your Blog
• Purchase sites such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble or BookBub
• In your social media posts.

Are the Days Longer?

We’re well into ‘daylight savings time’ for 2022. Of course, each day only has 24 hours, no matter when your alarm goes off. Time ‘schmeres’ for me because I am often awake at daylight. In the winter, much before daylight. Summer finds the dog and me awake in early morning and late evening. Meals get away from us. We start doing things at daylight in the morning and breakfast can become haphazard. Eventide finds us in the same condition. Supper comes late because we’re busy! SAVING time is sort of joke…a hoax. If you will believe an hour has been added or saved in your say, you will believe anything!

I haven’t read any bad books this week. Some were more attractive than others. For the most part, I’ve had a good reading week and hope that I can get some more reviews written. Reviews help authors and readers. And I sort of like to spread my opinion.

Tomorrow’s post is scheduled to go off in the wee morning hours so I can share it on social media before I have to leave the home office. If you will scroll down through the Where Healing Starts post, you will find more links in the blog tour. The tour is focused on the release of this new book. There are some fun Rafflecopter events in which you can participate. There is an opportunity to win an Amazon gift certificate.

May 15, 2022

Maybe someday I will get caught up with the reviews. Today, I may be offending SEO and search engines everywhere because I have TWO new posts.

They are totally different with the exception of involving history.

WOLF — A Story of Hate is a Holocaust memoir. Different than many because the author’s horrific experience was lived in a corporate death/labor camp. The prisoners were Jewish, mixed with many other people of different nationalities and ethnicity. They were typically worked to death, with starvation and indescribable conditions being added death tools. Lest we forget! Give yourself a learning read with this book written by Zeev Scheinwald and his daughter, Ella Scheinwald.

A few decades earlier, but the Germans again. the Reluctant Rebel tells a tale of the Bath Riots in El Paso – Juarez in 1917. Local governments were cruelly treating Mexican workers for probable infestation of typhoid causing vermin. Meanwhile, German spies were trying to get a foothold in Mexico and Texas. Riots, Spies, and Romance all join to make another one of Parris Afton Bonds’ steamy novels a fast-paced read.

Caught in an assumption!

I was given a beautiful print copy of Where Treasure Hides by Johnnie Alexander this spring. It was part of an activity on the Facebook Mosaic Collection Readers’ Group. I do so enjoy this group. You will be sure to notice that I review books published by The Mosaic Collection Books frequently.

HOWEVER, this debut novel was actually published by Tyndale House Publishers. In the first writing of my review, I said the book was published by The Mosaic Collection Books. The author liked the review, but corrected my assumption about the publisher.

No matter who had the publishing honor, this is a book worth your time. Treat yourself to a copy!

Speech Management

I had an interesting experience this week. I wrote a review for WOLF — A Story of Hate which was flagged because of the way it was written. I tried three different versions to get one printed. It seems the problem was the word HATE. And writing about the author’s opinion of other people’s (nationality named) attitude and treatment of Jews. When I took the “hate speech” out, the review was published! It didn’t make a huge difference in the shortened review. But, it is a bit disturbing that we can’t speak historical truth — at least SOME of us can’t. Color me STEAMED!

May 31, 2022

Closing out the merry month of May with a big post. I wrote about WOLF the last time. This book is part of a collection published by Amsterdam Publishers. There are 14 books in the collection. while I will read them all, reviewing each one is not in my ability. The collection is very impressive and joined by a smaller one of four books featuring children of the Holocaust. Amsterdam Publishers has a mission to stand against antisemitism and Holocaust denial. Amsterdam Publishers — Holocaust Memoirs has my thoughts on the books in the collection and the mission.

Remember our author friends benefit from reviews about their art. Subscribers can download their free copy of Book Notes to keep track of review notes. Plus, we’re going to be adding a new item for new subscribers. I just have to get past my ‘work-life-of reading! And have ongoing access to other new things that will be coming to the Resource Library at Cardinal Bluff.