Theme Reveal For A-Z Blog Challenge 2020

Hello, all. It is approaching April again and that means it is time to do the annual A-Z Blog Challenge that I participate in every year. This year I thought I would change it up and do something different but alas, my mind says, "nope!"

So, what am I going to do? Well, that is the whole purpose of the theme reveal. 

So, get on with it...right?

Here it is...my big reveal...drum roll, please

...I said, DRUM ROLL!   bah, dah, dah, dah....bing...

I am doing a children's book review every day beginning with the letter of the day. 

1. I reserve the right to leave off the words: the, a, and an
However, I also reserve the right to keep them if it fits the letter of the day. HA!
2. I am also reserving the right this year for the following: some of my books are from a series. The letter of the day will come from the title of the book not from the series itself.
2. The review will likely not be as extensive as I usually would write for a book. This means I may or may not add the author or his/her links to a buy now page. II may or may not add a synopsis either. The only exception to that will be if it is a book tour that I am part of.
3. There may or may not be giveaways attached to a book, again depending on if I am with a tour.
4. Some of the books that I will be reviewing will come from my own personalTBR pile and some from Kindle. All will get an Amazon review and Goodreads review.
5. If you comment with a link, I will come visit your page and reciprocate. I appreciate you commenting and reading as I am sure you do too.
6. If you would like to be added to my sidebar linky for this challenge, let me know in a comment only with your link and I will add. I will not add however any kind of adult theme related links. This is to my discretion after I visit your blog.

HAPPY BLOGGING! Until then, keep visiting my page for new reviews, spotlights, and giveaways!
~Michelle

#Spotlight & #Giveaway: Notes to My Son by Eric Lynn @Ross @iReadBookTours #parenting #parenthood #family

Book Title:  Notes to My Son by Eric Lynn Category:  Adult Non-fiction 18 yrs +,  128 pages Genre:  Parenting Publisher:  Sharknado Prss Release date:   September 9. 2019 Content Rating:  G: It's advice for what parents should talk to their children about. Book Description: “THE GREATEST GIFT FOR DADS OF ALL AGES AND IN ALL STAGES.” “Your path is your own.”  “No one can tell you how to walk it.”  “Responsibility lies with you.”  These are just some of the important conversations we are gently reminded to embrace within Notes to My Son. With parenting, there are so many things we need to do and take care of, but what conversations are we having to be sure we truly impart the wisdom of our lives into our loved ones? Are we having difficult conversations, asking hard questions, and talking about things without regret?  Don’t let another day pass by without this book.  In Notes to My Son, you’ll discover twenty-five topics to inspire deeper, more meaningful conversations throughout your child’s life, even if your child is now an adult on their own.

Click to View Book Trailer Buy the Book: Amazon.com  Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author: Eric Lynn spends his professional life managing workforce solutions for small, mid-sized and Fortune 1000 companies. With years of professional experience, Eric understands the value of preparation. Thus when his wife, Ashley, became pregnant, Eric sought a way to prepare for his new role as a father. Something shifted within him causing him to ask different questions of life. As he awaited the arrival of his first child, future conversations with his son, Summit, began to take shape. Eager to prepare for this new role, Notes to My Son was born. The Lynn family lives in Colorado where they enjoy climbing 14ers, skiing, playing tennis and appreciating the abundance of all nature has to offer. Eric and his family hope that the relatable life wisdom shared in this book touches the hearts of all who read it. ​Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Facebook Giveaway: a Rafflecopter giveaway

St. Patrick's Day #Giveaway Hosted By Author Wally Runnels ends March 26, 2020 @wallyrunnels2 @mmhudson1968

Are you feeling lucky? Do you have your lucky shamrock near?

Welcome to author Wally Runnels' St. Patrick's Day Giveaway!

This giveaway is being co-hosted by Reading Author's Network/Away We Go Media.

There will be two winners! Each will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card and a signed copy of Wally Runnels latest book, Twisted Love. 

                                                                READ REVIEW HERE

About Wally Runnels:

Wally was born in San Diego, traveled through Mexico, and Latin America. He was raised on the border at his family's ranch, whose original deed was recorded in 1870. Hanging out between two countries, he met a lot of unusual people: Hollywood types, Border Patrol Officers, professional trackers, smugglers, and people he won't mention by name. He'll remind you no matter how weird a story can get, it'll contain some grain of truth.

Disclosure: This giveaway is being sponsored by author Wally Runnels who is responsible for prize distribution. No other blog associated with this giveaway is responsible for the prizes. This giveaway begins March 12, 2020 @ 12 AM MST and ends March 26, 2020. This giveaway is an International Giveaway. TWO WINNERS will each receive a signed copy of Wally Runnels' book, Twisted Love and a $10 Gift card from Amazon. Note: If the winner is outside the U.S. only a Kindle of the book can be given. Countries or territories that do not allow giveaways will be excluded. All entries will be verified and winners notified via email.You must enter both of the mandatory entries to be qualified. Winners must respond within 48 hours with complete mailing or forfeit their prize.

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#Review & #Giveaway: Teetering On Disaster by Michaela Renee #memoir

Publisher:  Bowker (January 11, 2019)

Category: Memoir/Self-Help/Non-Fiction

Tour dates: March/April, 2020

ISBN: 978-0578430805

Available in Print and ebook, 316 pages

About the book:

Michaela Renee Johnson was just 12 years old in 1992 when a financial slump forced her family to move from an upscale area in Sacramento to a 27-ft trailer in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, with no electricity or running water — so no Nintendo or MTV. It wasn’t exactly the life that every adolescent dreams of, but it was, in fact, their reality.

My review:

I am a fan of memoirs so, this book interested me from the start. I was intrigued to read about a family that went from wealth to virtually nothing and survived to tell the tale. This is how the first half of the book surely was.

The tale she tells is heart-breaking at best and yet inspiring at the same time. Even though today, in the new millineum, her brothers and herself would have found themselves in foster care, her parents did what they had to do. When it came down to it, the fact that they were a close knit family is truly what allowed them to survive.  

Overall, the first half of the book is what I expected to read and yes, she made it out as did the rest of her family, this is not a spoiler but, the truth.

Then came the second half of the book. This section see the author as grown up and wading through the aftermath of growing up poor. She managed it and we are told so but then, the book takes a turn to tell of her love life. A life rot with ugliness and mistakes. A life of confusion and ultimately, what?

I did not like this section and was disappointed in the reading of it. I found it to be like a second memoir, it did not seem to match with the first half, although, I understood.  My heart ached for her at every telling of the lovers in her life that simply did not fit.

I read on though and finished it but in the end, I was left with...nothing. The book seemed to drop off at the end. I wondered who her new husband ultimately was, even though, I could guess. I wondered how she finally ended up with a son. Again, not spoilers but information about her on the back of the book.

I wish I could give the book more than 3 stars because I would like to but this time, I really can't.

The book was just okay for me.


I ultimately wonder...is life now okay for her?

About the author:

Michaela Renee Johnson is a licensed psychotherapist, Be You Find Happy podcast host and an award winning published author. She inspires happiness by encouraging people to speak their truth with grace, and live a courageous life of authenticity.

Her business Be You Find Happy holds workshops and conversations on happiness in spite of life’s setbacks and has landed her speaking opportunities across the nation.

She lives in Northern California with her husband and son. She enjoys traveling and has visited 19 countries; she loves the ocean and everything in it. She rarely finds herself without an activity whether it be hiking, yoga, tinkering the garden, golfing, reading or spending time outside.

In her most simplest she loves poetic quotes and all things metaphysical.

Website: http://www.michaelarenee.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelareneej

Amazon

Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway This giveaway is for one autographed print copy and 2 ebook copies of the book. Print is open to the U.S. only and ebook is available worldwide. There will be 3 winners. This giveaway ends April 21, 2020,midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

#Spotlight" Photographs by James Garcia Jr

Photographs
James Garcia Jr

Genre: Women’s Fiction
Publisher: James Garcia Jr

Date of Publication: March 3, 2020

ISBN: 9781655811678

ASIN: B083H87YJ6

Number of pages: 390

Word Count: 84,798

Cover Artist: Maria Zannini

Tagline: One night, two exceptional women meet; one black, one white. Both carry broken hearts and one has been dead sixty years.

Book Description:

One night, two exceptional women meet; one black, one white. Both carry broken hearts and one has been dead for sixty years.

In 1956, film actress Allison Belle abandoned the glamour of Hollywood for Fresno, California, and an idyllic new life.

In 1959, she disappeared altogether.

Sixty years later, real estate agent Joanna Johnson steps unsuspectingly into the old Belle house and a story long forgotten.

A devastating personal event opens a hidden door into the actress’s world. The mystery behind what broke Allison’s heart and what ultimately happened to her is revealed slowly by a series of long lost photographs the agent uncovers; the relationship she builds with the actress’s ninety year old husband; and through a series of “dreams” she has where she relives the moments captured by each photograph - herself a participant in them.

The closer Joanna gets to the truth, the closer she gets to suffering the same fate.

Amazon     Smashwords

Excerpt:

“In these daydreams and dreams that I have glimpsed, I have seen the best of a woman who was so pleased to have left her past life.” She held out her hands and motioned around her. “She loved this place and everything about it. I have seen her happier doing yardwork than she appears in any red-carpet premiere photo on the Internet, and I’ve seen many of those. I have heard her laugh and shared sweet moments with her.”

“So, what happened to her?” John asked.

Joanna grew silent. “I wish I knew.” She sighed and thought it over. “I believe her last moments were spent in isolation. Richard appears in fewer and fewer of the memories toward the end. I’m not sure why. He’s in Hollywood now, so perhaps the pull of that life tugged him back. One of the last moments I spent with her, for lack of a better explanation, she was sitting by this window.” Joanna turned and pointed behind her.

“What was she doing?” John asked.

Joanna stared at the spot. “Nothing. Well, drinking. Drinking pretty heavily, actually. In the end, I think it was all she had.” She turned back around, and her gaze settled on the pool. She lifted a hand to her face.

“What is it?” Shelly asked.

“The first night I stayed here, I found an old bottle of Scotch in a cabinet that would not open to me. When it finally did, that’s when I found the first photo. It was her booze. I had entirely too much of it and ended up in the pool.”

“Why?” Shelly asked.

“I think I was trying to kill myself.”

“Oh, my God,” Shelly said. “Because of your engagement?”

Joanna shook her head. “No. I think it was Ally. I saw an outline of somebody standing on the ledge of the pool. When I came up for air, she was gone. But she had been there. I really don’t understand it myself.” Both faces were glued to hers. “I found the previous renter.”

“The zoo guy?” John asked.

“Director Eggars,” Shelly added.

Joanna nodded. She looked into Shelly’s eyes. “He really didn’t want to talk to me once I told him about the house. Know what he said to me?”

Shelly shook her head.

“He said, ‘Please don’t tell me you ended up in that pool.’” Joanna looked from one to the other and back at the pool. “His wife ended up in the pool, too. I get the feeling it had happened more than once. That last time, he got her and their kids out of here and never came back.”

“Is the pool haunted?” John asked, turning around to face it.

“I don’t think it’s the pool,” Joanna answered. “But I wonder if Ally tried to kill herself and every woman who stays here feels the same compulsion. Perhaps that’s what she was staring at when I sat with her. Maybe she was preparing herself…” She grew silent while she contemplated this.

“Maybe she didn’t try,” John said. “I know it sounds creepy, but maybe she succeeded.”

“John!” Shelly recoiled.

“I told you it was creepy,” he defended himself.

“It would explain much,” Joanna said. “Except what happened to the body.”

About the Author:

James Garcia Jr. was born in Hanford, California. He moved up the road to Kingsburg with his family as a child. After graduating KHS, he attended Reedley College where he met his wife. The family still makes its home in Kingsburg which is typically the setting of his fiction.

He was the 1994 winner of the Writers International Network/Writers Inter-Age Network writing contest in the horror category. He is the author of the Dance on Fire edgy vampire series and the stand-alone paranormal, Seeing Ghosts.

During the day, he is a manager at Sun-Maid Growers of California.

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/JamesGarciaJrFanPage/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danceauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danceauthor38/

Website: https://jamesgarciajr.jimdofree.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3483458.James_Garcia_Jr_

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