How far has the Islamic Republic of Iran advanced along the road from solidity to collapse? Are the protests that were prompted by the death in police custody of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, on September 16 comparable to the strikes and demonstrations that led to the Shah’s downfall in 1979, or has Amini become […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2022/11/24/khameneis-dilemma-christopher-de-bellaigue/
Democracy can get a good person up in the middle of the night to read the newspapers online. When the news is bad, I fit a definition of literacy in the nineteenth century: someone has to tell me what is in the papers. Not long ago I was asking, How could Herschel Walker be one […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2022/11/24/georgias-battle-over-the-ballot-darryl-pinckney/
Today I am excited to share a snippet & giveaway to celebrate the release of A Cursed Noel from award-winning author Cecy Robson. This is a standalone novella in her urban fantasy series, the Weird Girls. Grab a cup of cocoa and check it out before grabbing your copy!
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Aric Connor was that werewolf, the one destined for glory and the envy of his kind. Until his father’s brutal murder sent him down a dark path he couldn’t escape…
Aric avenged his father, but it wasn’t enough. Nothing was ever enough.
Now, when he’s not executing vicious monsters, Aric grieves in his self-imposed isolation, sinking further into despair.
In a daring move, his packmate acquires the help of the of the town hag, Mimi. And Mimi knows just the gal to snap Aric out of his downward spiral.
Using a forbidden spell, Mimi transports Aric to a different place and time, where festive holiday decorations rule the land and where his love Celia Wird waits in peril.
Will Aric be able to save Celia and her family from a fate worse than death? With monsters, mayhem, and a major snowstorm hitting the area, it will take a Christmas miracle to save Celia, and for Aric to become the leader the world needs.
*previously published in Shifters and Mistletoe: A Wolf Shifter Novella Collection. The events in this novella take place after Gone Hunting.
She throws back her head, cackling like she heard me, but then it’s like the common sense she lacks jars the humor right out of her.
“No. Mustn’t toy with the space-time continuum. No, no, no. Magic doesn’t like that. Perfect balance and all.” She resumes her levitated pacing but only manages a few strides. “Unless it’s brief and for the benefit of good,” she reasons.
“Huh?”
She does a little dance. Odd, seeing she’s one bad levitation away from a broken hip. “The world needs her,” she insists. She stops dancing, appearing sad. “She just doesn’t know how much, yet.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” I snap, shocking me and Mimi by managing to talk.
She pats my face a few times, giddy and evidently impressed. “You are a strong one, Aric Connor. Yes, you are.”
My voice slurs as Mimi adds another dose of mojo. “What are you talking about?” I repeat.
“Not what, whom,” she replies. She frowns. “The dark ones like her.”
© Cecy Robson, LLC A Cursed Noel, 2022.
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Cecy Robson is an international and multi-award-winning author of over twenty-five character driven novels.A registered nurse of eighteen years, Cecy spends her free time creating magical worlds, heart-stopping romance, and young adult adventure. After receiving two RITA® nominations, the Maggie Award, the Award of Excellence, and a National Reader’s Choice Award nomination, you can still find Cecy laughing, crying, and cheering on her characters as she pens her next story.
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Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2022/11/release-day-blitz-a-cursed-noel-by-cecy-robson.html
A barrage of threatening letters, a car bomb, and a heart attack rip apart what was once a close-knit family of adopted brothers.
Randy and Bobby, along with fellow band member and best friend, Danny, receive fan mail that turns menacing. They ignore it, but to their detriment. The sender turns up the heat. Violence upends their world. It rocks the relationship between the boys and ripples through their family, nearly killing their dad.
As these boys turn on each other, adopted brother Brian flashes back to that event in Arizona where he nearly lost his life saving his brothers. The scars on his face and arms healed, but not his heart. Would he once again have to put himself in harm’s way to save them? And, if faced with that choice, will he?
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/11/01/fan-mail-book-trailer/
Keith is just a man looking for love in Hot Passionate Sex: A Man’s Way to Love, written by Donell McCollon. However, during his childhood, he didn’t see his parents showing affection for one another. The only romance advice he got was from older men that didn’t have successful relationships. Keith had many sexual partners, but only two pleased him and his overactive sex drive. Keith could go multiple times a row, and most women couldn’t keep up with that. The two women that could keep up ended with one being the woman of his dreams and the other his worst nightmare.
Hot Passionate Sex: A Man’s Way to Love was a quick read but enjoyable. The sex scenes were written out well enough to imagine them in my mind. It starts with a set that makes the book hard to put down! I loved that it paused for a moment, and we learned about Keith’s childhood. The whole story kind of reads like a memoir even. I liked that.
Keith was a great character. I felt like he really developed as the story went on. He was definitely selfish when he was younger but grew up quite a bit once he met the love of his life. Pamela was another great character. She seemed like someone easy to be with and be around in general. Finally, Tammy was a surprising addition and led to a dramatic end. My mind was blown as her character developed and the story progressed. The author made this a must-read just for that ending!
Overall, I really loved this book. The only part I didn’t like was when Keith was thinking about how women should hold value to themselves and not give themselves to whomever. So many women enjoy sex as just sex. If both parties are consenting adults and there is mutual respect, it shouldn’t matter.
Hot Passionate Sex: A Man’s Way to Love is a surprising and tastefully written story about a man discovering who he really is and what he actually wants and needs from a relationship. This unique romance story told from a man’s perspective is one that will entertain readers.
Pages: 134 | ASIN : B0B1TGHG9K
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/11/01/hot-passionate-sex/
A seven-year-old boy lives in the village of Biggersville. This is a village of giants. The problem is he has stopped growing. Little Otto is much smaller than the rest of his classmates and family. He wants desperately to be bigger like everyone else to fit in. One day his best friend ends up in trouble, and it turns out that his small size is the one thing that can help her out of her predicament. Can being different be a good thing after all?
Otto: The Not-So-Little Giant is a wonderful children’s book exploring a common fear among children. They fear being different and standing out among their friends and peers. It is hard when you are different and not like the other kids in class, and Otto struggles to find where he fits in. However, the message of acceptance and love from his parents is apparent and heartwarming. He has one genuine friend who stands up for him no matter what and doesn’t care that he is much smaller than her. This shows kids that there are good people out there that will like them for who they are.
Author David Mulholland gives Otto a great personality, and, despite his desire to be bigger, he is a great kid with a big heart that wants to be helpful to his parents and friends. I feel this showcases that even if you are smaller or different, you can still make a big difference in the lives of the people around you.
Otto: The Not-So-Little Giant is a well-crafted children’s story that is perfect for early elementary students and their families. I can see this making an excellent story for out load reading to a class or in a library. It will take children on an exciting adventure and teach them the value of self-esteem and friendship.
Pages: 24 | ASIN : B0B75N33TX
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/11/01/otto-the-not-so-little-giant/
A Home for Sally is a heartwarming picture book about one little puppy that is born missing one of her paws. She spends months and months in a kennel because no one wants to adopt her with her missing paw. She watches as all her siblings and friends find new homes, and she is left waiting alone. One day a family comes in and finally notices her, but will they have it in their hearts to take home the puppy with a missing paw?
Adopting a pet is a big decision and one that requires an even bigger heart if the animal has a disability or medical issue. Author Stenetta Anthony shows children in this amazing story that it is important to wait for the right situation and not rush into things. Lots of people adopted the other dogs, but it took patience for Sally to find the right family for her. Teaching children to be patient and wait for the right time in life is hard, and this story will help them understand the value of being patient.
While I enjoyed most of this story, one line stood out that did not feel right to me. When Sally was looking in the mirror and saying negative things about herself, she said that her friends had said those things to her. If they were really her friends, they would not be telling her that she was unloveable or unwanted. However, Sally showed grace and the depth of her golden heart when she was worried about them not being adopted when she found her forever home. Showing kindness to those that are not always kind to you is a great message for children to see in action.
A Home for Sally is a well-written children’s book that will teach children about patience, being kind, and never giving up on their dreams. It is a wonderful book for families and classrooms and would be a great book to read to children who are looking to get their first pet.
Pages: 30 | ASIN : B09515GN7G
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/11/01/a-home-for-sally/
If Trees Could Testify is an exciting crime novel about a cold case involving the murders of two well-off, elderly siblings. After police received a tip of dubious origins, a father and two sons are arrested for the murders. The story follows Alex Reynolds and his legal team in rural North Carolina and the surrounding areas as they try to untangle the details of the decades-old case. We meet quite a colorful cast of characters ranging from a biker with hooks for arms to an overeager, over-green public defender to an old Sheriff who may not have been all that he seemed.
The author, William D. Auman, just so happens to be the defense attorney who worked on the actual case on which If Trees Could Testify is based. The tale is laid out extremely well, giving the reader a period of discovery through flashbacks and pithy legal banter. The author also adds a nice bit of history for the locations, such as Madison County, Asheville, and the French Broad River, really bringing them to life.
The dialog is snappy but sometimes falls into the trap of having too much legal-ese. Auman blunts these moments with the author’s notes, which some may find helpful, but it breaks up the flow for me. The dialog seems a little too idealized at times, where the good guys are overly good, and the bad guys are really bad. Sometimes I felt like the author may be too close to the material. However, he is very passionate about the law and adequately defending people who are innocent until proven guilty.
If Trees Could Testify is an intriguing legal drama that offers readers suspense and some surprising moments. Actual crime readers will enjoy this thrilling novel as they follow along with Alex and his team to get to the bottom of this mysterious murder.
Pages: 286 | ASIN : B099KT1PBR
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/11/01/if-trees-could-testify/
Val McDermid on ‘1989,’ music as a time machine, and reading for sheer pleasure
Original source: https://www.amazon.com/amazonbookreview/celebritypicks.html?ref_=abr_widget_nav&theme=light
do not pretend to be easy reads, yet they are all completely consuming.
Original source: https://www.npr.org/2022/10/26/1131550848/3-books-in-translation-that-ask-a-lot-and-allow-the-reader-to-ask-a-lot-in-retur