#MMBBR #Review #NovelAdvice - Practical Wisdom for Your Favorite Literary Characters by @jaybushman

Novel Advice: Practical Wisdom for Your Favorite Literary Characters by Jay Bushman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was pretty interesting and fun! I loved the premise of our favorite literary characters writing into a advice columnist to get help on an issue or concern. There was snark, humor and some advice that will make you look at your favorite characters in a whole new way! This book is perfect for lovers of reading who want to take a deeper and interesting dive into the literary characters biggest issues/concerns. 

View all my reviews

About the book:  

Jay Bushman won an Emmy for his work as a writer and transmedia producer on the groundbreaking series ‘The Lizzie Bennet Diaries,” an interactive, modern adaptation of the Jane Austen classic Pride and Prejudice. Now, he is back with his first book NOVEL ADVICE: PRACTICAL WISDOM FOR YOUR FAVORITE LITERARY CHARACTERS (Tiller Press; Hardcover; November 2020) which offers words of wisdom from Bushman’s alter ego, advice columnist Aunt Antigone, to some of the most beloved characters in fictional literature.  

 

What suggestions would Hester Prynne need to cope with the judgmental neighbors? What if Mrs. Bennett from Pride and Prejudice asked for tips about managing her financial woes? Discover what Aunt Antigone has to say when Ophelia and Ishmael ask about their dating woes, when Dr. Jekyll searches for the perfect work/life balance, or when Scarlett O'Hara wants tips about the best way to handle stress.

#MMBBR Start the year off right with these awesome books from @simonschuster via @adamsmedia #WorkFromHomeHacks @ajavuu #MindfulMeditationsforMindlessMoments #CourtneyEAckerman #TheWordADayVocabularyWorkbook #Francine Puckley

Start the year off right with these awesome books that will help you slide into the new year as a more mindful, more organized and a more intelligent person!!!

This book has been such a help, since I am working from home 4 days a week. This book has everything you need from setting up your space, to routine and schedules to overcoming those nasty distractions and so much more. I loved that it was practical advice and not some crazy off the wall ideas! Much needed, as I am still getting used to this new normal of WFH!

Work From Home Hacks by Aja Frost

Be as productive as possible at work while never leaving your home with Work-From-Home Hacks! These 500 tips offer simple solutions for every WFH situation so you can stay focused, happy, and even enjoy your workday.

 

Author Aja Frost covers everything from staying productive (and how to refocus when you feel productivity waning), making your home an effective office, limiting distractions (even for parents with kids at home!), building a good routine, establishing good communication habits, managing teams effectively, and maintaining good work/life balance.

 

Whether you’re adjusting to a permanent work-from-home schedule, are looking to improve a long-standing remote work routine, or just need some advice for the occasional WFH days, this book is here to help. It will be out in December.

I loved this book that is jam packed with great, easy ways to be more mindful and to shutout outside distractions while doing daily tasks and to use those tasks to connect with yourself and your body. I have tired a bunch of them and love them so much! I highly recommend this to anyone who like to mediate.

The Illustrated Book of Mindful Meditations for Mindless Moments by Courtney E. Ackerman

Who’s got time to meditate when there’s a sink full of dishes, dinner hasn’t been made, and it feels like your to-do list is endless? You do! With The Illustrated Book of Mindful Meditations for Mindless Moments, you can turn everyday, boring tasks into moments of calmness, openness, and gratitude.

 

Instead of trying to carve out a daily mediation time, try to make the most of the time you have: from the two minutes you spend brushing your teeth to the time it takes you to eat your lunch. Take note of the weight of each dish and admire its cleanliness as you empty the dishwasher, or spend a minute after you get in bed considering the smoothness of your covers and noticing how cozy you are.

 

Meditation is a great way to destress, reduce anxiety, and improve your mood, and this book is packed with ideas for turning all of your least favorite tasks into some of the most peaceful moments of your day. Mindfulness is just a folded basket of laundry away! 

 

I cannot wait to dive into this book on January 1!!!What better time than then to learn a new word everyday! I love that it is a workbook and that I take a few moments a day to improve myself. I love that there are little prompts, activities and trivia each day that will help these new words stick in my vocabulary. I highly recommend this book for the work lover in your life!

The Word-A-Day Vocabulary Workbook by Francine Puckley

Improve your vocabulary one day at a time with this fun interactive workbook! In The Word-a-Day Vocabulary Workbook, you’ll discover new words with definitions, etymology, trivia, and writing prompts to help you remember the words and learn how to use them correctly.

 

Whether you’re looking to exercise your brain, improve your vocabulary in everyday speech, or simply win your next crossword or Scrabble game, this book will improve your odds—and you’ll have fun doing it! The book will be out in January.

#MMBBR #Review #WrappedUpInChristmas by @janicemarielynn via @HallmarkPublish

 

I read this book in less than 24 hours! It is a must read holiday book!

A gift of warmth
to heal two hearts…

Sarah Smith in Pine Hill, Kentucky has had her heart broken in the past. She pours herself into her work at church and into special projects—like making a quilt for a wounded warrior.

Bodie Lewis is lost. All he’s ever wanted was his career as an Army Ranger, but he was injured in an explosion that killed his brothers in arms. In the hospital, he receives a handmade quilt. Later, he sets out on his final mission: to find and thank its maker.

Bodie expected Sarah to be an elderly lady, not a lovely young woman. When she mistakes him for a handyman, he doesn’t immediately set her straight. Instead, he sets about repairing the home she’s turning into a bed and breakfast. Sarah’s presence and the spirit of the small town bring Bodie something he thought he’d left far behind on the battlefield: hope.

This heartwarming military romance includes a free quilt pattern from the Quilts of Valor Foundation and a new Hallmark original recipe for Cinnamon Swirl Bread.

#FirstLine - “I’ll pay somebody fifty bucks to take my place, “ Cole Aaron offered his fellow firefighters at the Pine Hill Fire Department. 

This book was everything I need to on Christmas Eve. It was sweet, had amazing characters and a setting you wish you could escape into. I loved that there was a lot of heart wrapped into the story, as well at patriotism, humor, small town relationship and romance. It was beautifully written and allows the readers to be pulled in and watch the story unfold. I felt like I was inside a Hallmark movie and I love every minute of it. A must read for Christmas lover like myself! Highly recommend!!!

#MMBBR #Showcase #TheLiesYouTold by @harriet_tyce via @GrandCentralPub

 

In the playground it's the law of the jungle But at the school gate, there are no rules at all... When Sadie Roper moves back to London, she's determined to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. First, she needs to get her daughter settled into a new school-one of the most exclusive in the city. Next, she's going to get back the high-flying criminal barrister career she sacrificed for marriage ten years earlier. But nothing goes quite as planned. The school is not very welcoming newcomers, her daughter hasn't made any friends yet and the other mothers are as fiercely competitive as their children. Sadie immediately finds herself on the outside as she navigates the fraught politics of the school gate. But the tide starts to turn as Sadie begins to work on a scandalous, high-profile case that's the perfect opportunity to prove herself again, even though a dangerous flirtation threatens to cloud her professional judgment. And when Julia, queen of the school moms, befriends Sadie, she draws her into the heart of the world from which she was previously excluded. Soon Sadie and her family start to thrive, but does this close new friendship prevent her from seeing the truth? Sadie may be keeping her friends close, but what she doesn't know is that her enemies are closer still... Dark, addictive and compelling, The Lies You Told is a compulsive psychological thriller from a master storyteller. 

#MMBBR #Review #TheNaughtyList @thconway1 #christmasbooks

The Naughty List by Thomas Conway

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

#FirstLine - They did not miss Santa Claus.

This book was simply the best. I had the pleasure to both read and listen to this amazing story. I felt like the story played like a movie in my mind. It was sweet, had adventure and unlikely heroes. It was one of those books/audiobooks that kept me glued to the page and sitting in my car after I arrived at my location. I loved the premise and how the story played out was filled with love, adventure and the true spirit of Christmas. I HIGHLY recommend this book to get yourself in the holiday spirit and as a gift for those who may need a gentle reminder of what the season is all about! I loved this book so much and will read it every year at Christmas! 

View all my reviews

#MMBBR The #HandmadeCharlottePlaybook by @followcharlotte is the perfect holiday gift! @TarcherPerigee

THE @Handmade Charlotte PLAYBOOK (published by @TarcherPerigee this fall), by Atlanta-based artist, frequent TV guest, and nationally syndicated craft authority Rachel Faucett, makes the perfect holiday gift for our cooped-up times. The unique 100+ crafts, snacks, and games within these gorgeous pages will inspire kids of all ages to turn off their screens and collaborate, using the ordinary to create the extraordinary. Order the book by Christmas Eve and you’ll be eligible to download the brand new Bonus Bundle with new and never-before-seen projects you can enjoy this holiday season and all year long. If you’ve previously purchased, you’re still eligible to receive the bonus content! 

Learn more HERE: http://bit.ly/HMCbundle 

@handmadecharlotte @tarcherperigee #handmadecharlotteplaybook #handmadecharlotte #playbook #HandmadeCharlottePlaybook #HMCPBbonusbundle #getcrafty 

#MMBBR #BlogTour #Review #FirstLine #AuntIvysCottage by @KHarperAuthor via (partners) @chicklitcentral and @Bookouture

Aunt Ivy’s Cottage by Kristin Harper

Clearing out the attic, Zoey opens the carved trunk and smiles as she picks up the small, leather-bound diary hiding inside. Curious, she leafs through the pages, and realises this will change everything…

All Zoey’s happiest childhood memories are of her great-aunt Ivy’s rickety cottage on Dune Island, snuggling up with hot chocolate and hearing Ivy’s stories about being married to a sea captain. Now, heartbroken from a breakup, Zoey escapes back to the island, but is shocked to find her elderly aunt’s spark fading. Worse, her cousin—next in line to inherit the house—is pushing Ivy to move into a nursing home.

With the family clashing over what’s best for Ivy, Zoey is surprised when Nick, a local carpenter and Ivy’s neighbor, takes her side. As Zoey finds comfort in his sea-blue eyes and warm laugh, the two grow close. Together, they make a discovery in the attic that links the family to the mysterious and reclusive local lighthouse keeper…

Now Zoey has a heartbreaking choice to make. Nick’s urging her to share the discovery, which could keep Ivy in the house she’s loved her whole life… but when Zoey learns that Nick and her cousin go way back, she questions if the man she‘s starting to have feelings for really has Ivy’s best interests at heart. Will dredging up this old secret destroy the peace and happiness of Ivy’s final years—and tear this family apart for good?

A stunning and emotional read about old secrets, new love and never forgetting the importance of family. Perfect for fans of Mary Ellen Taylor, Robyn Carr and Mary Alice Monroe.

#FirstLine - The daffodils that were meant to brighten the room were already going limp in their vase and Zoey Jansen felt as if she were wilting, too.

I loved this book. It was like a Hallmark movie in book form. It had all the staples of a great feel good read...a great setting, family dynamics and issues, romance, angst and a fulfilling, heartwarming and satisfying ending. This story made me miss my aunt and grandma. It made me grateful for the memories I have and things we were able to go together when they were alive. I loved this book and it made my heart super happy! It was just what I needed and I cannot wait to read the other book by this talented storyteller!!!

About the author

Ever since she was a young girl, there were few things Kristin Harper liked more than creative writing and spending time on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, with her family. Eventually (after a succession of jobs that bored her to tears), she found a way to combine those two passions by becoming a women’s fiction author whose stories occur in oceanside settings. While Kristin doesn’t live on the Cape year-round, she escapes to the beach whenever she can.

https://www.kristinharperauthor.com/

https://twitter.com/KHarperAuthor

Purchase links: 

Amazon: https://bit.ly/31dWybr

Apple: https://apple.co/3dtbHL2

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2GUQGx5

Google: https://bit.ly/357nOK5

#MMBBR #Showcase #FirstLine #TheMove by #FelicityEverett via (partner) @HQstories

#FirstLine - It was a miracle.

The Move (paperback, 11/10)

From the author of the bestselling The People at Number 9…

Karen has packed up her life and is making The Move. She’s on her way to the idyllic country cottage which her husband has painstakingly renovated for her. They’re escaping the London bustle and the daily grind. And they’re escaping their past.

A fresh start in a beautiful, peaceful village. It will be different here, right?

But something is awry. The landscape, breathtaking by day, is eerie by night. The longed-for peace and solitude is stifling. And the house, so artfully put together by her husband, has a strange vibe. Now that Karen is cut off from her old friends and family, she can’t help wondering if her husband has plans of his own, and that history might be repeating itself.

#MMBBR #Review #FirstLine #NeverAfter by @MelissadelaCruz Thanks to (partner) @MBeatie and @MacKidsBooks for the #free #reviewcopy

 

Real life and fairy tales collide in Never After: The Thirteenth Fairy, book one in the new middle-grade Never After series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Descendants series, Melissa de la Cruz.

Nothing ever happens in Filomena Jefferson-Cho’s sleepy little suburban town of North Pasadena. The sun shines every day, the grass is always a perfect green, and while her progressive school swears there’s no such thing as bullying, she still feels bummed out. But one day, when Filomena is walking home on her own, something strange happens.

Filomena is being followed by Jack Stalker, one of the heroes in the Thirteenth Fairy, a series of books she loves about a brave girl and her ragtag group of friends who save their world from an evil enchantress. She must be dreaming, or still reading a book. But Jack is insistent—he’s real, the stories are real, and Filomena must come with him at once!

Soon, Filomena is thrust into the world of evil fairies and beautiful princesses, sorcerers and slayers, where an evil queen drives her ruthless armies to destroy what is left of the Fairy tribes. To save herself and the kingdom of Westphalia, Filomena must find the truth behind the fairytales and set the world back to rights before the cycle of sleep and destruction begins once more.

#FirstLine - Once upon a time in the days of old, eleven fairies gathered at court before a child to hold.

I loved this book so much. I loved the nod to so many beloved characters from nursery rhymes and other stories I adore from childhood. I loved the adventure and fantasy. I loved the story with so many important themes for young readers; being proud of who you are and where you come from, being brave and taking on challenges, the importance of reading, the fact that friendship is earned not blindly given, that things are not always as they appear and so much more. I am really hoping that another book is being written for this series, as the ending seemed to leave it open. (Addition: I looked it up and and this story is book one in a new series. This news pleases me to no end!!) I truly want more. This would be a great book to read together as a family because everyone from young reader to adults will love it. I highly recommend this book!!!

#MMBBR #Reviews #ChildrensBooks by @PAPress (partner) #MarianneDubuc #MichelaFabbri #DavideCali @maria_dek

These books are simply adorable! They capture the imaginations of young readers both through the incredible stories and the unbelievably amazing illustrations. There is something for every reader with these titles, from early readers to more advanced readers. 

 See my reviews of each below!!!

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WHAT DO YOU WANT, LITTLE FRIEND? 

by Marianne Dubuc 

 

ISBN: 9781616899448 

Price: $8.95/ Board Book / Ages 1 – 4  

A simple story with a big heart. This book illustrates giving loving compassion and what it means to be a good friend!

   🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉

A happy kitten playing with a kite accidentally injures a little  

bug!  The  kitten  wants  to  know  what will  make  the  little  

friend feel better: to march like the ants or fly like the birds?  

Nothing  seems  to  work  until  finally  the  kitten  asks  and  the  

little friend shares the answer--a kiss! Little ones will love the  

whimsy and warmth of this sweet story as one small creature  

learns to care for an even smaller little friend. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  

Marianne  Dubuc  is  an  award-winning  author  and  illustrator  of  many  picture  books,  which  have  been  translated  into  twenty-five  languages,  including The  Fish  and  the  Cat, Up  the  Mountain Path, Otto and Pio, and Little Cheetah's Shadow. She lives in Montreal. 

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I AM CAPYBARA 

by Michela Fabbri 

ISBN: 9781616899455 

Price: $17.95/ Hardcover/ Ages 4 – 8 

 

This book is so sweet. Such a great book to create dialogue with your children about loving ourselves, while also embracing our differences. There is so much to love about this story because it speaks to really enjoying all the little things that makes life great!

        🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉

A capybara is not a mouse or a beaver or a bear and has all sorts of  

surprising  traits  to  discover.  But  while  every  capybara  has  teeny  

tiny  ears  and  a  gigantic  nose,  this  endearing  capybara  happens  to  

love poetry and the opera and even dressing up as a whale! Fabbri's  

irresistibly  charming  illustrations  and  witty  monologue  reveal  the  

wonders  to  be  discovered  by  trying  new  things,  learning  about  

someone you don't know, and embracing community and family. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  

Michela Fabbri lives in Genova,  Italy. She operates a small B&B, and creates comics on her daily  life. This is her first book. 

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WHERE THE WORLD ENDS:  

A Zip, Trik, and Flip Adventure 

written by Davide Cali, illustrated by Maria Dek 

ISBN: 9781616899370 

Price: $17.95/ Hardcover with Jacket/ Ages 4 – 8  

A fun story about three friends setting out to figure out where the world ends. They end up asking neighbors and friends, following some advice and disregarding others. Will they find what they seek? Read to find out.

🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉🖉

From  the  author  of  Good  Morning,  Neighbor comes another 

extraordinary adventure for three friends. Zip, Trik, and Flip set off  

to  find  where  the  world  ends. The  trio  journeys  across  fantastical  

landscapes with  countless  delightful  details for  young  readers  to  

discover. The three friends maintain their spirit and determination,  

enjoying  the  journey  as  much  as  the  destination  before  returning  

home again. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  

Davide  Cali  is  an  award-winning  children's  book  author  of  more  than  fifty  books,  including  A  Funny Thing Happened on the Way to School, The Queen of the Frogs, and When an Elephant Falls in  Love. He lives in France and Italy. 

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:  

Maria Dek studied art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and University of the Arts, London.  She is based in Bialowieza, Poland, in the oldest forest in Europe. Her prior books include A Walk  in the Forest and When I am Big. 

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🖉 ABOUT PRINCETON ARCHITECTURAL PRESS:🖉 

For nearly  forty  years, Princeton Architectural Press has  been a leading publisher  of  books  on architecture, design,  and visual culture. In recent years, the Press broadened its scope, introducing a children's list and a line of stationery  products. We've made  our  reputation  by identifying  new  trends  and  publishing  first  books  on  emerging  talents,  as  well as definitive works on established names, and by creating books of unsurpassed design quality and production  values.  Founded  in  1981 with the  publication  of Letarouilly's  Edifices  de  Rome  Moderne,  which  is  still  in  print,  Princeton Architectural Press has produced nearly 1,000 intelligent and stimulating publications.  In 2017,  the Press  received the Arthur Ross Award for Excellence in the Classical Tradition from the Institute of Classical Architecture &  Art.

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