Join Dorothy on her magical adventures as she cleans up after the messy Lees family house every night, but with a mischievous twist!
From putting things in the wrong places to discovering newfangled contraptions like mobile phones and washing machines, Dorothy’s antics are sure to tickle your funny bone.
This hilarious poetry picture book is perfect for kids aged 2-6 who love a good laugh and don’t mind a bit of dust in their fairy tales.
BOOK REVIEW
Dorothy Dustbucket is a cute and funny children’s book about a fairy who cleans a family’s home at night while they sleep. It is a sweet and hilarious story poem accompanied by illustrations that the kids will love. Dorothy’s cleaning hijinks will keep the kids entertained and laughing. It is cleverly written and perfectly designed to hold the attention of little ones with poetry and color.
Although I received a free digital copy of this book, I plan to buy a print copy for my grandchildren because I know they will love this fun and funny cleaning fairy.
Thanks to Zooloo’s Book Tours for the free digital copy. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christina has had a successful career in the Art, Design and TV Industry before owning her very own Art Gallery.
Inspired by her love of reading and doodling, Christina decided to put pen to paper and create ‘Dorothy Dustbucket.’
Splitting time between Europe and the UK, she lives in the beautiful county of Cheshire, along with her husband and two children, who provided much of the inspiration for the children’s books.
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week’s topic is Top Ten Books With One-Word Titles.
When Tara Connelly is released from prison after serving eighteen months on a drug charge, she knows rebuilding her life at thirty years old won’t be easy. With no money and no prospects, she returns home to live with her siblings, who are both busy with their own problems. Her brother, a single dad, struggles with the ongoing effects of a brain injury he sustained years ago, and her sister’s fragile facade of calm and order is cracking under the burden of big secrets. Life becomes even more complicated when the cop who put her in prison keeps showing up unannounced, leaving Tara to wonder what he wants from her now.
While she works to build a new career and hold her family together, Tara finds a chance at love in a most unlikely place. But when the Connellys’ secrets start to unravel and threaten her future, they all must face their worst fears and come clean, or risk losing each other forever.
The Connellys of County Down is a moving novel about testing the bounds of love and loyalty. It explores the possibility of beginning our lives anew, and reveals the pitfalls of shielding each other from the bitter truth.
BOOK REVIEW
The Connellys of County Down is a riveting combination of family drama and romance that deals with making mistakes, starting over, and judging others. It’s also about a family that is worn down from hard times, but still tries to help each other. It’s a heartwarming novel.
Issues that some of the characters deal with are control, keeping secrets, prison sentences, and hoarding. The romance is a nice touch that does not overtake the main themes of the book. The relationships between the siblings are very realistic and show their ups and downs. They are far from a perfect family, and that makes the book better.
The audiobook was narrated by Barrie Kreinik, who expertly conveyed all of the personalities, emotions, trials, and fears of the characters. I was riveted by the performance.
My rating is 4.5 stars, rounded up to five on sites with no half-star option.
I received a free copy of this audiobook from MacMillan Audio. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tracey Lange was born and raised in New York City. She graduated from the University of New Mexico with a degree in psychology before owning and operating a behavioral healthcare company with her husband for fifteen years. While writing her debut novel, We Are the Brennans, she completed the Stanford University online novel writing program. She currently lives in Bend, Oregon with her husband, two sons, and beloved German Shepherd.
Barrie Kreinik is an actor, singer, writer, and audiobook narrator based in New York City. She was nominated for a 2023 Audie Award for her narration of A House Full of Windsorby Kristin Contino.
On January 29th, Barrie performed in the first public reading of Dublin Noirby Honor Molloy as part of Origin Theatre Company’s 2023 1st Irish Festival.
Barrie’s narration of Michelle Hart’s debut novel We Do What We Do in the Dark was named one of the Best Audiobooks of 2022 by the New York Times.
Indie Weekend is my effort to help Indie Authors with marketing. Marketing is probably the biggest task authors have, and if I can help even a little, I’m happy to do it. You can help too by sharing this far and wide with your social media followers. Below please see a description, review, and buy links for Tell Me a Story in 99 Words, a collection of 99-word stories by Annette Rochelle Aben.
BOOK DESCRIPTION
(From the Author on Amazon) “It has been a desire of mine since I was a young person to write stories. I had to start somewhere, so I chose to start by writing very short stories. That bring said, I welcome you to a collection of short stories, very short stories as each of the stories is only 99 words in length. Meet memorable characters. See something of yourself in many of the scenarios. Experience a wide range of emotions. Be inspired to write stories of your own. Return to your favorites and enjoy them again and again.”
BOOK REVIEW (In 99 Words!)
*I couldn’t resist a 99-word book review for a 99-word story collection!
This collection of 99-word flash fiction covers a range of emotions and situations, from fear to loneliness to joy, and more. It proves the point that much can be said in just a few words. I especially enjoyed “A Beginning At The End,” about finding a friend, “A Case of Big Amy,” about a bride getting surprised on her wedding day, and “Celestial Consorts,” about the sun and the moon. Some of these stories will shock and sadden you. Some will make you smile. But they are all 99-word gems for you to explore and find your own favorite.
*If you read the book, please leave reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, as well as anywhere else you review books. Some people feel very daunted by writing a review. Don’t worry. You do not have to write a masterpiece. Just a couple of lines about how the book made you feel will make the author’s day and help the book succeed. The more reviews a book has, the more Amazon will promote it.
*Please click on the “share” buttons below and share these books with your Twitter, Facebook, and WordPress followers. A little bit of help from all of us will help Indie authors go a long way!
The Book Blogger Hop is run by Billy@CoffeeAddicted Writer. Every week, there will be a prompt with a book-related query. The aim of the blog hop is to provide bloggers with an opportunity to follow other blogs, discover new books, make friends with other bloggers, and gain new followers for their own sites.
I love a good “happily ever after” most of the time, even though I know that’s not what life is really like. Books are an escape from reality most of the time. But depending on the book, the “happily ever after” doesn’t always work and a dose of reality is needed.
What are your thoughts about the “happily ever after?”
This is a hard-boiled detective story set in the 1950s. It’s the first book in the Jake Adkins PI series. There is plenty of 50’s terminology, such as using “dame” for woman. Jake is a no-nonsense detective whose mind seems to either be on his case or the opposite sex. There is a lot of objectification of women, but that is generally true to the genre and the 1950s setting.
There is a bit of humor in the book. I liked the opening after Jake found out that his client wanted him to prove that she was guilty, and I enjoyed this line: “..this was the first time a prospective client had walked into my office protesting their guilt.”
The plot needs to pick up pace at times and could use a bit more action. But the ending was exciting, and overall this is a true hard-boiled detective story that fans of that genre will enjoy.
I received a free copy of this book via Zooloo’s Book Tours. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leopold Borstinski is an independent author whose past careers have included financial journalism, business management of financial software companies, consulting, product sales, marketing, and teaching.
There is nothing he likes better so he does as much nothing as he possibly can. He has traveled extensively in Europe and the US and has visited Asia on several occasions. Leopold holds a Philosophy degree and tries not to drop it too often.
He lives near London and is married with one wife, one child and no pets.
The powerful true story of the champion Thoroughbred racehorse who gained international fame in the tumultuous Civil War–era South, and became the most successful sire in American racing history
The early days of American horse racing were grueling. Four-mile races, run two or three times in succession, were the norm, rewarding horses who brandished the ideal combination of stamina and speed. The stallion Lexington, named after the city in Kentucky where he was born, possessed these winning qualities, which pioneering Americans prized.
Lexington shattered the world speed record for a four-mile race, showing a war-torn nation that the extraordinary was possible even in those perilous times. He would continue his winning career until deteriorating eyesight forced his retirement in 1855. But once his groundbreaking achievements as a racehorse ended, his role as a sire began. Horses from his bloodline won more money than the offspring of any other Thoroughbred—an annual success that led Lexington to be named America’s leading sire an unprecedented sixteen times.
Yet with the Civil War raging, Lexington’s years at a Kentucky stud farm were far from idyllic. Confederate soldiers ran amok, looting freely and kidnapping horses from the top stables. They soon focused on the prized Lexington and his valuable progeny.
Kim Wickens, a lawyer and dressage rider, became fascinated by this legendary horse when she learned that twelve of Thoroughbred racing’s thirteen Triple Crown winners descended from Lexington. Wickens spent years meticulously researching the horse and his legacy—and with Lexington, she presents an absorbing, exciting account that transports readers back to the raucous beginning of American horse racing and introduces them to the stallion at its heart.
BOOK REVIEW
I am a fan of the Triple Crown races and I was amazed that 12 of 13 Triple Crown winners can be traced back to Lexington. I definitely wanted to read his story. Lexington (originally named Darley) ran at a time when horses ran multiple four-mile heats, and while injured. It would be unheard of today. He passed his incredible stamina on to many Triple Crown winners, including Secretariat.
This book is a reminder that the modern-day racehorse is a descendant of war horses who rode fearlessly into battle. While today’s horse breeding is a pastime for the wealthy, and thoroughbreds are treated with great care, horses of the past worked hard and were constantly put in danger.
The contributions of the enslaved in pre-Civil War times are also explored. “Enslaved men and boys were the ones in the barns, riding the horses, feeding, medicating, and training.” In fact, Lexington’s first trainer was Harry Lewis, a formerly enslaved man who had been freed.
This book is meticulously researched and written with care. I especially enjoyed the story of how Lexington’s skeleton was rescued from an attic in the Smithsonian. Anyone who loves horses and racing will enjoy this book.
My rating is 4.35 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
From Kim Wickens: “I first became aware of Lexington while reading a book about the racehorse Man o’ War. The authors compared his inspiring public appeal to Lexington’s. “Both horses,” wrote Page Cooper and Roger Treat, “had that indescribable quality of greatness which lifted those who saw them out of their ordinary lives and made them conscious that they had witnessed something that would stir their memories as long as they lived.” I wanted to know more about the nineteenth century horse.”
It’s been a great vacation week filled with mostly RESTING. Most vacations have a lot of planned activities, but I spent mine reading and relaxing. We went to a church family cookout on the 4th of July and I just ran around town with one of my favorite cousins today, but other than that I’ve been kicking around in the recliner, reading, and looking at mountains. It’s been glorious.
Sadly I’ve got to leave today and I’m headed back to work tomorrow. Here are a few pictures I took.
*A mini-review consists of a book review and buy links.
This is beautifully written, captivating historical fiction set in two timelines: During World War II when women are being called into the workforce, and after World War II when the same women are forced to give up their jobs. I think of the earlier timeline more as flashbacks than a true dual timeline novel, as eventually the reader is only shown the post World War II timeline.
Forced out of her job as a riveter in Los Angeles, and with nowhere to go after the war ends, Hazel ends up in Laguna Beach as an assistant to a well-known artist, Hanson Radcliffe. Hanson is an alcoholic with a secret past. Determined to do a good job and also dealing with Hanson’s many personality problems, Hazel doesn’t want to reveal her own heartache–she has a secret past too.
I absolutely loved every bit of this book. Hazel’s journey from lonely girl in Wichita to working with airplanes in Los Angeles seems to end sadly, but takes a new direction in Laguna Beach. I loved all of the quirky characters and the sense of community. The Pageant of the Masters is a real event in Laguna Beach, and it was a treat watching Hazel become part of it. I could see the live depictions of classic paintings come alive through the author’s descriptions. The Hotel Laguna is also a big part of this book and comes alive as almost a character unto itself.
This is a journey of discovery set in a magical place. I recommend it to everyone.
I received a free copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
Indie Weekend is my effort to help Indie Authors with marketing. Marketing is probably the biggest task authors have, and if I can help even a little, I’m happy to do it. You can help too by sharing this far and wide with your social media followers. Below please see a description, review, and buy links for Water Music by Marcia Peck.
BOOK DESCRIPTION
(From Amazon)
The bridge at Sagamore was closed when we got there that summer of 1956. We had to cross the canal at Buzzards Bay over the only other roadway that tethered Cape Cod to the mainland.
Thus twelve-year-old Lily Grainger, while safe from ‘communists and the Pope,’ finds her family suddenly adrift. That was the summer the Andrea Doria sank, pilot whales stranded, and Lily’s father built a house he couldn’t afford. Target practice on a nearby decommissioned Liberty Ship echoed not only the rancor in her parents’ marriage, a rancor stoked by Lily’s competitive uncle, but also Lily’s troubles with her sister, her cousins, and especially with her mother. In her increasingly desperate efforts to salvage her parents’ marriage, Lily discovers betrayals beyond her understanding as well as the small ways in which people try to rescue each other. She draws on her music lessons and her love of Cape Cod—from Sagamore and Monomoy to Nauset Spit and the Wellfleet Dunes, seeking safe passage from the limited world of her salt marsh to the larger, open ocean.
BOOK REVIEW
First of all, this is gorgeously written. The author has an amazing ability to convey feelings while describing the characters’ surroundings. For example… “I knew the temperature by sound and by feel: the hot dry ratchet of grasshoppers, low pressures that lifted the hairs on my arm, those moody overcast days with air as smooth and chill as pencil lead. In every sound and smell I dared find happiness, as if happiness were as prevalent as the taste of salt.”
Twelve-year-old Lily’s coming-of-age story finds her discovering truths and secrets about herself and her family, and it all unfolds in a sad and beautiful way during one Cape Cod summer in 1956. The author, in words, paints a picture of each character so well that they instantly appear in the mind’s eye. Relationship struggles between mother and daughter, husband and wife, brother to brother, and more are all laid out for the reader to see through Lily’s eyes. This book sometimes quakes with emotion, and I definitely felt Lily’s reality. Since I am all about the “feels,” this completely worked for me. I also enjoyed the way music and emotion were often tied together. The plot was not tied up neatly at the end, and I think that was a great choice. That is not what life is like. This is a beautiful, musical, emotive novel that fans of literary fiction and historical fiction will love.
My rating is 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 on sites with no partial star option.
I received a free copy of this book. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
(Marcia Peck in her own words) (excerpt from Amazon bio)
They say all first novels are part memoir, and indeed I did grow up in Belleville, New Jersey, my family did spend our summers on Cape Cod, and I had a marvelous cello teacher who very much resembled Alphius Metcalf. It took me a long time to write WATER MUSIC; in some ways, my whole life.
Growing up, I was a cat person. But I’ve learned to love dogs—even the naughty ones, maybe especially the naughty ones.
All in all, I look for the rhythms and sounds of music echoed in language and aspire to transpose some of that into my writing.
*If you read the book, please leave reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, as well as anywhere else you review books. Some people feel very daunted by writing a review. Don’t worry. You do not have to write a masterpiece. Just a couple of lines about how the book made you feel will make the author’s day and help the book succeed. The more reviews a book has, the more Amazon will promote it.
*Please click on the “share” buttons below and share these books with your Twitter, Facebook, and WordPress followers. A little bit of help from all of us will help Indie authors go a long way!
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