I feel like I learned something that I didn’t know about World War 2 with this book. Got to know people I’d never heard of before. I mean I get that there’s no way that school can teach everything that happens in history. I do think that there are ways that more can be added. That’s just my opinion. Anway. My point is that I learned something new with this book. I fully recommend it.
Once Upon a Dance donates all proceeds to charity.
A heartwarming story of gratitude. An important reminder to enjoy the journey.
Travel to a mysterious island alongside Frankie to make a wish on a magic feather. The path to the hidden feather will only be revealed through patience, wits, and joy. But time is running out, and wishes are only granted on one special day. Dance along with the creatures of the forest and a professional ballerina in this interactive story exploring movement and dance fundamentals with a powerful message about what’s important in life.
Frankie’s Wish is ideal for children 4-7. It features Frankie (no pronouns), Auntie Duke (she), a dinosaur, a gorilla, and an eagle. Major themes include gratitude, asking for help, friendship, self-affirmation, and believing in yourself. Dance-It-Out!s are above level (language-wise) as they’re intended to be initially enjoyed with a caregiver or teacher. (~700+Lexile)
Ballerina Konora joins the pages with photos and suggestions for movement exploration. Three books in one: readers can enjoy the story, act out the tale in their own way, or try Konora’s suggested activities, designed by an award-winning ballet teacher to develop body awareness and movement knowledge.
Concepts and Movements in this Story:
Bridge Pose (*4-5s may need help with this movement)
Twirling
Squatting/Waddling
Balancing on One Leg
Jumping
Stretching
Reaching
Swaying
Upper Body/Head/Forearm/Shoulder Isolation
Moving with Resistance
Centering/Breath
Small Motor Skills (Rotating, Writing, Counting, Closing into Fist, Opening Palm, etc)
Quality of Movement (Calm/Wild, Powerful, Joyful, etc.)
This movement journey is ideal for dance, creative movement, physical education, homeschool, kindergarten, first-grade, or second-grade activities. The Dance-It-Out! series features diverse characters, and books make a great gift for boys or girls interested in dance, ballet, gymnastics, or yoga, or reluctant readers who enjoy getting up and moving.
"This is a delightful book for readers who appreciate both an uplifting story and the invitation to interact with it using both their bodies and their minds."
Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)
About the authors
Once Upon a Dance is an award-winning mother-daughter collaboration.
Ballerina Konora climbed the ballet ladder to pro, and she’s thrilled to be living her dreams dancing with Ballet Idaho. Along the way, she danced iconic roles such as Sugar Plum Fairy and Cinderella.
Teacher Terrel taught dance for decades and was honored by her City Council for “embodying the spirit of partnership and commitment to children in our community” for her work with young dancers. She’s breathed ballet from every angle and worked in early childhood education, for non-profits supporting kids, and as a university English teacher as a Peace Corps volunteer.
Once Upon a Dance 2021/2022 Awards: Mom’s Choice Gold Award, Family Choice Award, Royal Dragonfly First Place, PenCraft Award First Place, Firebird First Place, Pinnacle: Best Book Juvenile Fiction, Independent Press Award Winner, International Impact Book Award Winner, Outstanding Creator Awards Winner, Readers Favorite Certified Great Read, Indie’s Today 5-Star Recommended, The Wishing Shelf 5-Star, Literary Titan 5-Star Award.
I am in love with this story and the idea behind it. The story itself is beautiful. The artwork is beautiful. The story is so inspirational. They then went to the next level. They made it even greater by including interactive dances the reader can do while reading the story. I wish that I had a job in the library reading just so I can watch this book come to life. I want to pick up copies for all my loved ones with children. Fully recommend!
Toxic Effects (The Memory Thieves Book 2) 367 Pages Blackstone Publishing September 20, 2022 Book Links: Blackstone, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon Book trailer on YouTube: https://youtu.be/FnAWUsX6VzI Book one Adverse Effects Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52534773-adverse-effects Don’t forget to be afraid Neuropsychiatrist Cristina Silva cannot escape her past. The voice in her head of her former identity won’t let her. Cristina also can’t quite manage to force herself to forget the ex-boyfriend she dumped: handsome police detective Gary Wilson. Soon after beginning her new job at the Longwood Memory Center, Cristina receives a startling phone call from her contact at the FBI: an assassin is crisscrossing the country, killing anyone connected to the now-defunct pharmaceutical company ReMind—people like Cristina. The shadowy criminal enterprise Zero Dark is back. Indeed, an assassin is tracking Cristina, a literal femme fatale known as Dama Branca. Like Cristina, DB’s memory was robbed by Zero Dark. Transfixed by the brilliant doctor, DB’s unsure what’s preventing her from killing Cristina. DB has memory glitches and longs to interpret them. Whether or not these have to do with Cristina, she doesn’t know, but she senses their fates are entwined—with any luck, not fatally. Danger lurks in the shadows. Cristina’s spurned lover, Wilson, is investigating the suspicious deaths of local teens, convinced they’re not accidents. Before their bewildering ends, all the victims exhibit bizarre behavior, and there are now terrified whispers among their friends of a hooded boogeyman called Sack Man. One exceptional young man, Reggie Horne, is clearly in the middle of this bedlam. Wilson vows to prevent Sack Man from claiming Reggie as his next casualty. And when Cristina’s in danger, Wilson is never far away. Just as it becomes apparent their two stories are entangled, the peril shoots sky-high. With at least one killer in their wake, they must quickly determine what’s real and what’s not. Unlocking Cristina’s memories could save many lives—her own included.
“Shulkin’s smart, page-turner Toxic Effects redefines crossed, crisscrossed, and double-crossed. A really great read.” -Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times bestselling author of Sleepless City
“A wicked smart medical thriller.” -Dea Poirier, bestselling author of Next Girl to Die and Find Me in the Dark
“This was my first medical thriller and I couldn’t put it down. Joel seamlessly integrates more twists and turns than a Formula One Race. Highly recommend” – Brian Cuban, Bestselling author of The Addicted Lawyer and The Ambulance Chaser
MY REVIEW:
This book is all over the place. I’m blown away by it. It starts out very intensely. We see two people get killed! I’ll leave it at that. I do have to say that I haven’t read the first book yet. This book seemed to stand on its own for me, but I do plan to go back and read the first book anyway. I really love the writing style of this author. The author really knows how to pull the attention of the reader and keep it until the very end. I definitely recommend this book. I’ll have a more detailed review in another blog.
A deadly, incurable disease creeps silent through Chattanooga. And its victims aren’t random. When inexplicable human rabies cases appear in Tennessee, disease ecologist Letty Duquesne jumps at the chance to trace the virus back to its source. But the closer Letty gets to finding the outbreak’s origin, the further someone will go to stop her. With an unwanted promotion threatening to take Letty far from the fieldwork she loves, this outbreak feels like her last chance to make a difference. It’s not something she can ignore, especially now. The spillover of zoonotic diseases to the human population is on the rise and violent animal attacks—like the one that killed her sister—are becoming all too common. Something in nature has gone very wrong. Local authorities would rather she go home, but Letty can track a source animal like no one else. With the help of disgraced detective Andrew Marsh, Letty follows the virus’s epidemiological trail. But her every move is watched. And the source animal is closer than she thinks. Inhuman Acts is a pulse-pounding thriller. Gripping and intricately paced, Brooke L. French’s debut novel will keep you on the edge of your seat.
This book was so amazing! I really wasn’t expecting half of the things that popped up! I also really LOVE that my hometown (Marietta) was referenced in the book! That is so rare! I won’t say too much because I don’t want to give too many spoilers. But I really wasn’t expecting the ending at all. I was expecting something else entirely! I’ll have a more detailed review of this in a separate post! I need somebody to read this and contact me so we can talk about it! And oh my! The cover!!!!
Story: I was really thrilled about this book as it was. I’m new to medical thrillers, but I was very curious. It got even better for me when my hometown (Marietta, Georgia) was referenced in the book. This is the first book I’ve ever read where it was referenced. It totally made me happy! But I digress. This was an intense ride through the whole book. I still wasn’t prepared for the ending. I was over in one corner with my theory. I was sure of myself. Convinced it would be the thing. So the actual thing slammed me in the face. I had to set the book down and read it again!
Characters: I can’t remember any of the names, but I was so on Letty’s team. She was trying so hard to get the answers that she was seeking. She knew she was in the right. Even when everything was falling apart around her, she kept going. It was hard not to root for her. I felt the same way about the cop/detective that they suspended for not letting something go.
Critiques: None
Narration: Hearing the narration made the story so much more intense for me. It made things so much more intense!
Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. My enjoyment completely increased when I couldn’t even predict the ending. Not that the ones I have predicted are less enjoyable. I can’t explain it. There was even the nod to my hometown! I will probably read this book again in the future. I’ll defintiely be willing to give other books by this author a chance. It’s well worth the read.
I am still blown away by this book. I’m most likely going to read it again one day. I’m also going to read anything else about this that I can. There are so many things that I didn’t know. I mean, to be fair, I was basically a kid when most of this went down. This book covers a scandalous affair. It also covers some of the heavier side effects of affairs. There are references to gaslighting and mental abuse as well. I went into the book blindly and I’m really not sure what I was getting into. Once I figured it out though, I was blown away. I definitely recommend this book.
Story: This story is a rerelease. I’ve read it before. I actually read the original story as well. It’s one of my favorite classics if I’m being honest. I was wondering how they were going to pull of certain things that happened in the classic version in this one. They were very clever about it. I was highly impressed. Especially with their spin on Beth.
Characters: I mean do I even need to gush about the popular characters from a beloved classic? My favorite character will always be Jo March. There’s just something about her energetic soul that appeals to me.
Critiques: None
Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book very much. Technically this is my second time reading it. Since it’s been rereleased though, I don’t know if I can count it. It’s been a while since I read it the first time. There is a possibility that there are additions to this version. Either way, I recommend it.
Hag of the Hills J.T.T. Ryder 286 Pages The National Library of Norway February 25, 2022 “Nothing is unconquerable; even our gods can die.”
Brennus is destined from birth to become a warrior, despite his farmer’s life. But when the Hillmen kill his family and annihilate his clan, he now has the opportunity to avenge those who he loved.
Brennus must survive endless hordes of invading Hillmen and magic-wielding sidhe, aided by only a band of shifty mercenaries, and an ancient bronze sword.
Failure means his family and clan go unavenged. Victory will bring glory to Brennus and his ancestors.
I didn’t hate this book. I didn’t really love it either. I found most parts of this book really inspirational and uplifting. It’s like no matter what happened, they were able to rise up and overcome it. There were parts that I also found really disturbing. I was almost as disturbed by those parts as I was the entire Lord of the Rings book. Luckily, it wasn’t quite that bad. I did like the book. I wouldn’t ever read it again, but I do recommend it.
When a little girl asks her Baba to tell her a story about a princess and a monster what she hears is so much more―the true tale of her grandmother’s escape from a prisoner of war camp in Siberia to freedom, all with the help of a secret message hidden in a nesting doll. The perfect happily ever after!
About Carola Schmidt
Carola Schmidt lives in Curitiba, Brazil. Called Carolina at birth, she was nicknamed Carola by her Baba (grandmother) Amelia who emigrated to Brazil from Ukraine. Wanting to know more about her grandmother’s homeland, Carola traveled to present-day Ukraine. She returned understanding that our memories are like a favorite blanket creating a cozy feeling of belonging. It was in Ukraine where she decided to write this story―a tale of how she imagined her missing family history and their escape from a difficult time long ago. Today, Carola writes children’s books and works as a pediatric oncology pharmacist, helping children going through cancer treatments.
This is a children’s book. My review will be shorter than my normal reviews. I do want to say I really enjoyed this story very much. I feel like I learned so much while reading it. I wish the story could have been a bit longer. It did feel a bit rushed. It was beautiful though. I’m so glad that I had the chance to read this. The artwork is inspiring as well. It’s just so detailed. So complex. There aren’t enough words to describe the beauty of the artwork.
Story: I didn’t love this book. I mean I didn’t hate it. There are worse books out there. I did contemplate putting it down a few times in all honesty. I pushed through it. I don’t think I’ll ever be rereading it, but I can honestly say that I’m glad I finished it. I think not knowing what happened would have probably driven me nuts.
Characters: I can’t really give a good analysis on the characters. They all kind of blended together to me. If I ever read this book again, I’ll update this part of my review.
Critiques: Nothing
Final Thoughts: I’m not saying that this is a horrible book. Really. I’m sure there will be many people who pick this book up and absolutely love it. I genuinely hope so. This author put a lot of work and research into this book. I’m sad that it just wasn’t a book for me. There were parts that just weren’t for me at all. I recommend anybody who loves historical books give it a chance.
Stars Books & Tea 