And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,They danced by the light of the moon. The shifting margin of sea and land, often lit by the moon, held a lure for Edward Lear, a tidal ambivalence. In 1836, when he was twenty-four and about to leave England to become a landscape painter, he […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2022/09/08/edward-lear-lyrical-coasts/
The faceless figure is beautiful, if sinister—ideally proportioned, like Da Vinci’s Vitruvian man. His skin is a mosaic of marbled scrap paper, stained in a spectrum of pinks and grays. Five dark tendrils sprout from his head and branch across the canvas, forming a tangle of thick, tubular foliage over an underlying grid of purple […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2022/10/07/felipe-baeza-beyond-the-skin/
Let it snow. Grab the hot cocoa, crank up the holiday music. Too soon? Agreed, but it is time to mark your calendar and sign up for our annual Ho-Ho-Ho Readathon. During the thon we encourage you to read or listen to as many holiday or winter themed books as you can. There will be fun events, contests, prizes and more. Get all the details below, then sign up and invite your bookish friends!
This year the annual #HoHoHoRAT will begin at 12:01 am Friday, November 18th and will end Wednesday, November 30th at 11:59 pm in your time zone.
So grab your holiday reads, your winter books, your yuletide murder-mysteries, your naughty & nice romances and even your holiday horror and get ready for some fun! Audiobook, library book, ebook, old book or new book. Don’t forget the hot chocolate!
BE AN ELF: We need Challenges hosts. Please email me, if you’d like to host a challenge for the event. You will need to provide a small international prize. Create a festive puzzle, exchange recipes, create a spine poem, make a bingo board, or come up with your own clever idea.
*linky will close November 27 at 8pm.
I signed up for the 2022 #HoHoHoRAT #Readathon! Come join the fun! Read holiday & winter books/audios. Take part in challenges, win prizes, and make new bookish friends! #readathon The magic happens November 18th-November 30th
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Don’t miss out. Sign up to get an email reminder one week before event starts.
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Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2022/10/ho-ho-ho-readathon-sign-up.html
Olga is an eighty-year-old woman who lives by herself in her beautiful home. She prides herself in her pure lineage and her independence, always pushing forward in life by herself. After World War II, Olga’s community had an influx of Polish immigrants who were displaced by the war and whom Olga possessed no sympathy for.
To Olga, these immigrants were unwanted guests. However, Olga decides to make the most of the situation by using them to her advantage, making different people think they will be her heir. In reality, she’s leaving everything to an animal charity.
Agnes is a fifty-something-year-old mother of three who is feisty and has no problem calling out whomever she considers a hypocrite. She feels as if she has enough trouble with her teenagers at home to put up with other people’s businesses. So when Olga and Agnes meet, it’s like two opposite worlds collide, and each seems to have met her match.
When three murders are committed, fingers are pointed, and claims are made, everyone seems to have a connection. Will they figure it out? or will they let their personal feelings get in the way of the investigation?
An Old Shrew, A tortured Soul, and Everyday Angels is a historical fiction murder mystery by author Anderson Rosina. Set in West Germany, post World War II, it follows the story of three murders committed within a refugee camp where many displaced families live as a community.
The characters are extremely well written, with in-depth reasoning behind their behavior and complex relationships between them. The ending of the book is foreshadowed throughout and can be seen if carefully analyzing these interactions; everything comes full circle.
The story is evenly-paced, with plenty of details and events that lead up to a great reveal. Every single storyline connects to this grand reveal that will leave the reader absolutely flabbergasted. This murder mystery will rope you in from the start and keep you hooked until the end. I´d rate it five stars for its masterful narration and intriguing storyline, which I highly recommend.
Pages: 186 | ASIN : B08NFLZRQP
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/10/07/an-old-shrew-a-tortured-soul-and-everyday-angels/
In The Value Equation: A Business Guide to Creating Wealth for Entrepreneurs, Christopher Volk takes the reader through different stages of entrepreneurship, giving lessons on how to invest and run a company. The author uses straightforward language that is both intriguing and appealing. Given he did not initially set out to be in entrepreneurship, Chris Volk shares the inspiration that can move even the uninterested. The author introduces the reader to the book by sharing strategies for acquiring wealth and running a business and offers realistic solutions.
Chris Volk starts the first chapter by discussing wealth creation and free enterprise. The author, with statistics, shares the key factors that determine the success of a business. I like that the author stated that a business starts with an idea, usually a solution to a problem. He uses a perfect example, that of Sergey Bin and Larry Page, to illustrate his models. The discussion about the two great men, how they met, and how they created Google is rousing. I like how the author is articulate and how he lays down his points when discussing a particular topic.
The second chapter is about Daymond John and the creation of FUBU clothing and hip-hop apparel. Like the first chapter, Chris Volk writes in-depth, talking about the steps John and other moguls took to succeed. The text teaches that hard work is not enough as resilience; patience and humility are all elements of success. Apart from the informative text, the author also includes images of known thriving businesses when discussing topics they relate to. The images add aesthetic value and are an excellent reference point for the text.
Chris Volk moves from simple topics to complex subjects with every new chapter. This enables the reader to first understand the basics before getting a deeper insight into how the corporate world works. The author writes about areas like the cost of capital vs. cost of equity, public stock equity returns, the circles of business, life, the formula to use and using other people’s money, among other topics. What makes Chris Volk stand out is that he tackles unique topics and starts discussions that authors from this genre do not tackle.
Certain features stand out from Volk’s writing, the author’s ability to translate business-speak to everyday lingo, the use of illustrations and tables, and the brevity of paragraphs that are detailed. I appreciate the excel sheets and sample corporate financial models for better perception.
The Value Equation is your ultimate guide to running a booming business. Everything from the author’s tales in entrepreneurship and investment, the pointers he gives, and the choice of topics in every chapter are worthwhile.
Pages: 256 | ASIN : B09ZKDGC69
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/10/07/the-value-equation/
Avoiding bullying behavior from their peers, navigating around their parents’ fights, and working hard to find hope in the ramshackle family manor of Seacrest, life as teenage twins Angelica and Clara Grace know it has never been easy. Trapped in a never-ending cycle of despair, desperation nearly overtakes the sisters…until everything changes. Meeting new friends and allies, Clara and Angelica are thrown into a marvelous adventure that spans the multiverse, facing deadly villains, exploring new realms, and encountering numerous new compatriots on a quest that will determine the fate of the universe itself.
The Warlock’s Curse by C.B. Oresky is a thought-provoking journey across the cosmos. Centered around two girls who are anything but ordinary, the story of overcoming personal problems and fighting to save countless lives has multiple layers of depth. This fantastic tale dares to explore multi-dimensional travel, differing modes of existence, and deep philosophical themes seldom found in middle-grade fiction. The bond between the twins can be stormy but always comes through in the end. I loved the ever-telescoping cast of characters, from gentle Phileus to the stalwart captain, as the book comes to a Tolkienesque end sequence that leaves the reader satisfied with the possibility of many more adventures to come.
While this intelligent story has many high notes, a few passages, particularly the House of Truth sequence, seemed to go on a bit long. The biggest detraction in the story for me was the interactions other characters had with Clara. A shy, often nervous girl, Clara must fight to overcome her inner fears. While reading the story, it seemed to me that Clara suffers from an anxiety disorder, which is a form of disability rather than the inherent character flaw others in the story treat it as. I would have loved to see Clara overcome her fears by receiving love and support from those around her rather than encountering impatience and disdain from nearly every member of the cast.
That said, this thrilling middle-grade novel is a memorable journey across the fabric of the universe itself. It is recommended for ages 13 and up due to its violence, mention of suicide, and advanced philosophical concepts. This thrilling race to protect the multiverse is perfect for any avid readers of complex fantasy adventures. The Warlock’s Curse is an incredible journey through familiar and completely new worlds as twins Clara and Angelica risk everything to protect life across the dimensions.
Pages: 371 | ASIN : B0B7KHB2RB
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/10/07/the-warlocks-curse/
Walking with Spirits: Paying It Forward During a Global Pandemic is author Jamie Lee Mumford’s no-nonsense, “crazy connection” to the other side. In a touching recount of the birth of her fourth child, Chayse, who was left non-verbal and confined to a wheelchair after a traumatic birth – yet possessed a gift to interact with those unseen, Mumford details how the pandemic almost ruined the ode to what would have been his twentieth birthday.
As Mumford journeys through life’s stages, so do the easing of her psychic veil. Through dreams, flashes of objects passing out the corner of her eye, or the clear-as-day spirits that came to say hello on birthdays, they all confirmed that whatever gifts had laid dormant at one stage were alive. Utilizing her own mediumship gifts and connecting to the energy of Chayse on the other side, the spirit realm nudged Mumford into recruiting specific people to drive a community pantry initiative in Chayse’s honor. What follows is nothing short of phenomenal.
A heartwarming read that evoked goosebumps at every stage. The synchronicities, the ciphers: undeniable. The biggest skeptics would not be able to refute the connection between mother (despite being earth-side) and son (passed) in this gripping memoir.
Walking with Spirits: Paying It Forward During a Global Pandemic is for readers seeking comfort post the death of a loved one or having trouble following their intuition. This one is a must-read. Beautifully and honestly written, the first few pages will grip your heartstrings. Mumford creates an immediate connection with the reader at a post-pandemic time when many need it most, highlighting the good possible in tragedy. Readers can trust the pages to bring them a sense of comfort, closure, and an understanding that those on the other side are not lost; you just need to acknowledge the signs and embrace them.
Pages: 255 | ASIN : B09QBMGPMS
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/10/07/walking-with-spirits/
The Mouse of the Opera by Tuula Pere is a story of a tiny and curious tiny wood mouse. It is a story of adventure and wonderment. It brings to light that even the smallest creatures can have passion and interest and demonstrates how important it is to not be afraid to be a trailblazer despite your limitations, such as being a mouse in Maurice’s case.
A small wood mouse named Maurice and his family lives under a rosebush next to the opera house. They become entranced with the gleaming opera house that plays beautiful music every night. Never actually being inside the place, he is desperate to see what happens inside the dazzling opera house with its luring music. With his eagerness to find out, he hitches a plan to get inside and explore, even though his mother forbids him. Once doing so, he causes such a stir on his tour through the place but gets to see everything it offers, filling him with incredible wonder and awe. He snatches some pastries from the restaurant, marvels at the fabric and gemstones in the wardrobe department, and finally gets to see the show in all its glory up close. All the while making a few friends who deliver safely back home.
I loved this sweet story with all the cute illustrations by Outi Rautkallio. I feel I have never read a children’s book involving the Opera and didn’t realize how interesting and exciting it could be. I would read this to my children to get their curiosities about it sparked and possibly create an outing because of it.
The Mouse of the Opera is a beautifully written children’s book filled with adventure. Children will learn about the Opera as they follow the little mouse on his journey of exploration. This would make a great story for music classes.
Pages: 40 | ASIN : B07H9F2VTQ
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/10/07/the-mouse-of-the-opera/