Wolf at the Door by Joel McKay

 Joel McKay is a new author for me. Every once in a while I come across a new author and I am surprised how much I enjoy their stories. Joel McKay is a fabulous writer. I enjoyed this story!

The Deerborn family are hosting Thanksgiving at their home and there will be 12 people at their party, including the family. Char and Doug, the husband and wife who are hosting the party with their two children, Tommy and Charlotte, are an awkward bunch. And the awkwardness leads to a few unhinged moments in the story. And then a wolf comes knocking and barging in on their party. 

This was a fun story. It works well being a short story. I liked all the characters and the banter. This is a good spooky season book to put on the “to be read” list.

Thank you #NetGalley and IBPA for sending me the ebook to read and review.

#WolfattheDoor

Trauma Responsive De-Escalation by Micere Keels

 Using evidence-based strategies, Micere Keels has formed an engaging plan to help anyone who works with children, with de-escalating trauma based dysregulation. Using an “Acting-Out Cycle” model, Keels has formed a workbook with step-by-step guidance to learn techniques on how to notice and prevent the escalation of student misbehaviors stemming from traumatic events. While this workbook is mainly focusing on students, it can easily be applied to our children at home. 

Within this workbook, Keels points out that many children do not always have the learned skills of how to deal with stressors or triggers. As caregivers, it is up to us to learn how to identify, try to prevent an escalating event, and work continuously with children to help them learn these skills. 

This workbook is a step-by-step process with tips and exercises to learn, or relearn, necessary skills to help children. There are 15 lessons that go through the Acting-Out Cycle. While the lessons are short, they are very detailed and have graphs or charts to help you pinpoint specific know-how. 

The last section of this workbook is a “Comprehensive Classroom Management Planning Template”. This is like a teacher’s planner. It helps you get ready for the school year by identifying triggers, stressors, and coping mechanisms for you and your students/children. To further your training in this area, you can go to: www.trepeducator.org and find a handful of online classes and numerous resources. 

Overall, I feel this workbook is beneficial to all caregivers. With current events, personal events, and overall well-being of our children, this workbook can help give you guidance to work with children who don't understand how to handle and process traumatic events and the triggers they respond to.

Realm of the Exiled by T. L. Price

 

Realm of the Exiled, the prequel to the Exiled Elementals series, by T. L. Price, releases on September 27th, 2022!

If you have read the first book of the series, this little novelette will give you some extra history about Nhari, Kasha and Tiago. If you have not read the first book in this series, this is a great place to start!

Nhari, Kasha, and Tiago are close friends and elementals, each having different powers. All three have a reason why they live on the Realm of the Exiled, a harsh and unforgiving island. 

When Nhari meets demigod Vigot, the ruler of the Realm of the Exiled, Tiago and Kasha become suspicious and worried. 

While this novelette is short, it draws you in quickly and keeps your attention the entire time.     T. L. Price spends time in this story with character building. We learn a little bit of the history of these three and the growth of their friendships.There are a few loose ends in this novelette, that I am hoping will be cleared up in book one, Exiled No More. I do think this is a great start to what could be a fantastic series. Overall, I did enjoy this novelette and I look forward to reading the series. 

Thank you T. L. Price and Jazzy Publications for sending me this ARC. I enjoyed the story quite a bit and look forward to helping the team!

Unknowing, I Sink by Timothy G. Huguenin

 This is an awesome horror novella. I was able to read this within a couple of hours. I could not put this down until I finished it.

15 year old Julian got a new summer job working for Mr. V, an eccentric recluse living in a mansion. Julian is hoping to save enough money to buy a car for himself, and hopefully impress a girl he likes. 

This story is immersive and strange. I enjoyed every bit of it. It almost reads like poetry. The prose was smooth and elegant. 

Cursed Earth by D. T. Neal

 The Cursed Earth by D. T. Neal releases October 4, 2022

This book is amazing. A folk horror with a cult, an evil clown, black magic, and lots of mushrooms!

D. T. Neal does know quite a bit about mushrooms and it shows in this story. Neal is fantastic with visualizing in words the atmosphere, the scenery, and the characters emotions and actions. Fans of Ronald Malfi will enjoy this book. 

In a little town called Lynchburg in Pennsylvania, there is a huge mushroom business. This family owned  business shares their success by hosting a yearly Fungus Festival. This year is the 50th anniversary of the festival; and it falls on Friday the 13th. This story follows the story of a chef, a group of college friends, a gang, industrial spies and lots of festival goers. 

While it may seem that following so many views of the festival can be difficult to follow, Neal has the skills to make this easy to keep up. I never got confused as to who is who and what their role is in the story. 

The narration between all the characters flowed easily and smoothly. I enjoyed the banter and learning about the different types of mushrooms. 

The action scenes were also easy to follow. I found myself so engrossed and speed reading because I was so involved in what happens to each character. I came to care about what happens to all of the people in this story. 

Overall, I found this book immersive, engaging, and fun. I would definitely put this book as one of the best books I have read in 2022.

Thank you #NetGalley and #NosetouchPress for sending me this ebook to read and review. #TheCursedEarth

Dead Blood Book 1 by Jay Bower

 

A few weeks ago I read Jay Bower’s short story collection, Hanging Corpses. I found out soon after that one of those short stories, named New World Hunger, set the theme for a series he is writing, called Dead Blood. I ordered that one as soon as I could. 

So it comes in the mail. I put my current book down and open this book up. I turn to the first chapter and read it quickly. Yeah, this is going to be good!! That hooks me pretty quick. Then chapter 2 is done and I can’t put it down. So for two days I took my time savoring this story, ignoring the other book altogether. 

After a 5 year slumber, vampire Dorian Wilde wakes up to a world unlike one he fell asleep to in Brownsville, Illinois. The world is in the midst of a zombie apocalypse! And dead blood is nasty blood. He needs to find fresh blood, from the very few people he can find. He also needs to make his way to St. Louis, to get some answers as to what happened to everyone. So far everyone he meets is either consumed by his need for blood or gives vague answers to his questions. Now, he just needs to survive one day without being attacked by the undead or by humans that mean to kill him. By the end of this story, Dorian has had it with being nice and patient. I am going to need to read Book 2 and 3, which are out right now. I think Dorian is fixing to kick some ass and do a lot of killing. I’m excited to find out how his story plays out. 

There is quite a bit of gore and violence in this one, which I like. A whole lot of Dorian finding himself in precarious situations. All in all, this is a solid read. I definitely recommend it for vampire, zombie, and apocalypse readers that don’t want romance and glitzy dumb ass vampires. 

Demon Dagger by Russell James

 Demon Dagger by Russell James is a fast paced thrilling ride. It is under the horror genre, but I would say this is leaning more toward a thriller with some horrorish scenes. There isn’t a lot of thrilling action about the last three-fourths of the book. But it is a fun and exciting adventure!

The story starts out with a young kid, Drew Price, going into therapy because he sees monsters. His mother has been trying to find a therapist that can help him, until they finally find the right therapist. As the story progresses, Drew learns how to become a demon hunter. The story shifts between Drew’s younger years of training, to his older years of becoming a husband and father. During a family trip to a theme park, Drew’s son loses his soul. Thus begins the long road and process of getting his son’s soul back and ridding the world of a demon. 

Overall, this is a solid read. I did get bored with it occasionally and felt like skipping ahead. It has a lot of words for a simple story. 

Thank you #NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for sending me a copy of #DemonDagger by Russell James.

The Buzzard Zone by Ronald Kelly

 If you have seen the movie Train To Busan, then you know what I mean when I say this book is so full of emotion. For my very first Ronald Kelly book, I went with The Buzzard Zone. This is definitely a book meant for my bookshelf. 

This is a story about Levi Hobbs and his family surviving the zombie apocalypse. His family lives in Tennessee up in the mountains. At first they were pretty safe from the Biters. But soon, that luck changes and they are forced to leave their home. 

I know it seems the zombie genre is overplayed and is everywhere. Ronald published this book 4 years ago, so at that time, it was getting really popular. His story of the apocalypse is so well written, I wish I had read this as one of my first stories about zombies. This kind of writing is why I keep going back to a good zombie apocalypse book. 

I highly, highly, recommend this book for all zombie enthusiasts. For everyone else, if you can ignore the fact that this is about zombies, you will read a magnificent story.

The Witch's Cookbook by Fortuna Noir

 

This cookbook is beautiful. The artwork really draws you in, as well as the exceptional recipes it offers. 

Under each recipe title, there is a paragraph of history of the recipe or some facts about witchcraft and all it offers. There is also an occasional witchy tip. 

It is mostly plant based, with just a handful of recipes that have fish or ground turkey. 

This cookbook is definitely “Chef’s Kiss”! 

Thank you #NetGalley and The Quarto Publishing Group for letting me read and review #TheWitchsCookbook by Fortuna Noir

Sacred Lamb by Tom Seeley

 My first impressions, the cover is okay. Not very spooky or horror-like, but do not let this prevent you from giving this book a try. I absolutely loved it, I devoured it in two days!

Starring Kellyn West, a social media influencer. She is being hunted by a serial killer. An officer of the law saves her and helps her get to Sacred Lamb, a secret town where the survivors of killers live in safety and comfort.

Kellyn makes some friends and enemies in this town, as she struggles to settle into her new life. We follow along as the stories of the victims become known to us. And wouldn’t you know it, Sacred Lamb isn’t what it is meant to be. 

Thank you #NetGalley and TKO Presents for sending me a copy of #SacredLamb to read and review. 

Rocket Man: Master of the Universe by Yoel Bereket

 Now who couldn’t use a fantastic short satire story?! I gotta tell you, this was hilarious! If you have a couple hours and need a good laugh, albeit at the expense of a dictator and his bestie, you should give this one a go. As a warning though, I don’t think this will be for everyone!

Kim Jong Un is bored and depressed. His bestie Dennis Rodman is trying to help him get out of his funk.. One evening, Kim has a dream, to become a great world leader. With his trusted friend Dennis and the world thinking this is a great idea (leaving the planet), Dennis helps Kim jet off into outer space to begin his exploits of taking over the world. 

Thank you Yoel for sending this to me. Just like your previous book, Dreidel to the Grave, you wrote another fantastic story! I look forward to the next book about Rocket Man and his blunders!

The Whispering Policeman by Elizabeth J. Brown

 The Laughing Policeman by Elizabeth J. Brown

I picked this book up mostly because of the cover. It reminds me of the game We Happy Few. Then I read the synopsis and I knew I needed to read this. Boy, am I glad I got a hold of this book! This story is fast and furious!

Detective Constable Stephen Anderson is one hell of a detective. He is committed to his job, his family, and his friends. He is an all around well loved guy. One evening, after a significant case is closed, Stephen is enjoying a night out with his work buddies to celebrate. At the end of the festivities, he heads home, to a horrible sight. Stephen’s world comes crashing down around him.

Time passes.Then one night, Stephen wakes up, disoriented. He has no idea where he is or what has happened. Thus begins a story of horror, possession, magic, and gruesome scenes. 

Elizabeth J. Brown is a superb writer. The world building, character development and overall engrossing story, leave me begging for more. I need to read what happens next. While I wait for that book, I am going to read her other book, The Foundling.

Craft Your Own Cosy Scandi Christmas by Becci Coombes

 There is so much to do in this book, it would make a wonderful edition to anyone's holiday craft section on your bookshelf. 

In chapter one, it's devoted to decorating for Christmas. There is a great assortment of projects in this chapter. From making white clay ornaments to upcycled sock nisser, which is another word for gnomes. 

The second chapter is filled with recipes for edible gifts. I want to make all of these recipes. All the pictures make them look very yummy. Homemade marzipan, honeycomb, or fudge brownies in a jar. Or if you want to get real fancy, try making some Brunkager, which are brown cookies! YUM.

The third chapter is all about quick and easy crafts. The crafts rely on using some materials already around the house, such as an old sweater. The Christmas tree body scrub intrigues me quite a bit.

In the fourth chapter, another section devoted to Christmas comfort food! What I like about this chapter is the traditional name of these dishes is used. But in parenthesis, a more common name is used. Such as Frikadeller, is meatballs. Or Glogg, which is mulled wine. 

The fifth and final chapter is called Family Fun. There are three games for the family to learn and enjoy over the holiday season.

At the end of the book, there is a section that gives you templates when necessary for the activities and crafts.

I highly recommend this charming book! 

Thank you #NetGalley and #Pen&Sword for letting me read and review #CraftYourOwnCosyScandiChristmas ebook. 

Frenzy Island by Richard E. Rock

 I really did enjoy this fast paced, never ending adrenalin, and spectacular story. Richard E. Rock is a great writer that can fill you with hope and dread by the magic of his words. 

This story is about two sisters, Esperance and Godriva, stranded on an island that once held science experiments with detrimental consequences. Both sisters try to survive this harsh environment and find a way off the island. With the help from Cynthia, an employee of the company who owns this island, they are assisted in trying to leave the island before disaster strikes the island again.

The last 50% of this story was so fast paced and exhilarating. I found myself invested in finding out how this could all end. Boy was I impressed and now I must now what comes next. I need to know what happens!!