It is often said among appellate litigators that oral arguments rarely affect the outcome of a case. The written arguments—the briefs—are the coin of the realm. Perhaps for that reason, most analysts of the marathon five-hour oral argument in the affirmative action cases before the US Supreme Court in late fall concluded that nothing of […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/01/19/when-oral-arguments-matter-sherrilyn-ifill/
Blood is Thicker Than Lots of Stuff by Chris Tullbane is the second audiobook in the Many Travails of John Smith. This urban fantasy series features a San Diego’s supernatural mediator, and struggling private investigator. In this episode, a simple cheating spouse case goes to the wolves. Snark, suspense and a motley cast of characters await you….
Blood is Thicker Than Lots of Stuff
by Chris Tullbane
Series: The Many Travails of John Smith #2
Narrator: Joel Richards
Length: 10 hours and 38 minutes
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Rating: 
Narration: 5 cups Speed: 1.4x
“Messy divorce? Check.
Emotional stability of the involved parties? Questionable.
Possibility of bloodshed? High.
Yep; it was definitely starting to sound like one of my cases.”In addition to being San Diego’s supernatural mediator, John Smith is the city’s least successful private investigator. Those two careers collide when what was supposed to be a simple infidelity case draws the attention of the local werewolf pack. John soon finds himself pressed into service mediating a separation between the pack’s married leaders.
Even under normal circumstances, divorce is hell. But when werewolves are involved? It’s murder.
{
“@context”:”https://schema.org”,
“@type”:”Review”,
“datePublished”: “2022-12-28T05:00:00+00:00”,
“description”: “Blood is Thicker Than Lots of Stuff by Chris Tullbane is the second audiobook in the Many Travails of John Smith. This urban fantasy series features a San Diego’s supernatural mediator, and strug”,
“publisher”: {
“@type”: “Organization”,
“name”: “Caffeinated Reviewer” },
“url”: “https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2022/12/blood-is-thicker-than-lots-of-stuff-by-chris-tullbane.html”,
“itemReviewed”: {
“@type”: “Book”,
“name”: “Blood is Thicker Than Lots of Stuff”,
“author”: {
“@type”: “Person”,
“name”: “Chris Tullbane”,
“sameAs”: “https://christullbane.com/” },
“isbn”: “” },
“author”: {
“@type”: “Person”,
“name”: “Kimberly”,
“sameAs”: “https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/” },
“reviewRating”: {
“@type”: “Rating”,
“ratingValue”: 4.5,
“bestRating”: “5”
}
}
This is chalking up to be a fun series. John lives in his parent’s basement and is a private investigator in our world and a mediator for the supernatural world. He’s currently under the protection of the vampire house. John isn’t supernatural, but for some reason, he cannot be enthralled.
In Blood is Thicker Than Lots of Stuff, John is working on a simple cheating spouse case in the human world when things go sideways and he ends up in the middle of a werewolf problem that quickly becomes a vampire problem.
I am loving all the characters. From the vampires offering dating advice to Bill, the veggie demigod who leaves John with his ward, Jee Sun aka “Tiny Flower”, while he deals with business. The Vampire Queen was ready to pop John’s head off a few times, and I laughed as the tale gained speed and kept me entertained.
John impressed me with the way he handled things, even the Vampire Queen. He has zero finesse but his ideas aren’t bad. He honestly is an excellent negotiator, even if some of it is sheer luck.
This series is best read/listened to in the order of its release. We see character growth and the world building is ongoing, even if Tullbane does a stellar job of bringing new readers up to speed. It truly is a fun series.
Joel Richards narrates and brings both the story and characters to life. He hits on the humor perfectly while capturing the snark, suspense and tones of both characters and the storyline.
Amazon* | Audible
Blood is Thicker Than Lots of Stuff by Chris Tullbane delivers when a simple cheating spouse case goes to the wolves. #urbanfantasy #audiobook #JoelRichards #audiobookreview
Click To Tweet
Chris Tullbane began as a gleam in someone’s eye, but birth and childhood were quick to follow. He’s been fortunate enough to live in Spain, Germany, and all over the United States of America, and is busy planning a tour of the distilleries of Scotland. He currently lives in Nevada with his angelic wife and ever-expanding whisky collection and occasionally ventures outside to peer upwards, mutter to himself about ‘day stars’, and then scurry back into the house. Chris is the author of two series; The Murder of Crows and The Many Travails of John Smith, as well as a collection of novelettes and stand-alone novels, Stories from a Post-Break World, which are set in the world of The Murder of Crows.
Joel Richards was the kid who did crazy things just to have a good story to tell afterward. On deciding to make his affection his profession, he received a BFA in acting and a BA in English from the University of Utah, and later an MA in oral storytelling from East Tennessee State University. He has narrated over 150 audiobooks (fiction and nonfiction) and continues to tell his original stories to live audiences.
Never miss a post by adding Caffeinated to your Inbox
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Source
Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2022/12/blood-is-thicker-than-lots-of-stuff-by-chris-tullbane.html
Embolden is a collection of poems by Sonee Singh organized according to specific themes. The first theme of objects and places includes knowledge, lore, magic, and mythology. The objects include concepts (poems such as ‘Energy’) and range from tangible to transient (‘Bubble’ and ‘Egypt’). The second theme of nature revolves around flora, fauna, and the weather (poems: ‘Solstice,’ ‘Seasons,’ ‘Noseeums’). The third theme of numbers highlights the significance of numbers in the poet’s personal life and their significance in numerology and cultures (poems: ‘Eight,’ ‘Twelve,’ ‘108’). The fourth and fifth themes are practices and beliefs, and symbols, respectively: rituals, mythical and spiritual (poems: ‘Mantra’ and ‘Cure’); emblems, signs, and ancient wisdom (poems: ‘Dot,’ ‘Sacred Geometry,’ ‘The Fates’).
Singh weaves little realizations into all of her poems—not grandiose profound ones but small everyday recognitions of a life being lived that instill an awareness of the world around her. The concept of energy in spaces, of how to balance and purify them, is seen in poems such as ‘Agni,’ ‘Smoke,’ and ‘Energy.’ Mindfulness evoked by music is seen in ‘Strings’ (‘less to prove and less to pursue’) and in ‘Dualities’ (‘it’s hard to keep track’)—also subtle comments on today’s overwhelming, consumptive lives. ‘Eight’ plays with form in both word and symbol—‘an infinity turned up,’ or ‘an eight turned horizontal,’ as does ‘108’. The practice of seeking comfort in confiding, almost confessing, to strangers is seen in ‘Sharing,’ and the sound of wholeness (aum) that gently reminds readers that each is a part of a whole in ‘Wisdom Says.’
The quotidian objects and scenes written about are done so thoughtfully and in a comforting manner. The single splashes of color on each page and the line illustrations are appealing in their simplicity. The book can be read aloud to children and adults alike, teaching readers to slow down and observe the world around them and to learn from and be inspired by a blend of nature and cultures.
Embolden is an inspirational collection of poetry that will leave readers with much to think about. This collection has something for everyone as it touches on so many different areas of life. It is the type of work you gain more from with each reading, and you will always gain new insight each time you pick it up.
Pages: 242 | ISBN : 0645450197
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/12/28/embolden/
Harmony is your typical village; secluded, close-knit, peaceful, and quiet. That was why the city-living Watsons found it to be the perfect spot to grow their little family. They added to their little family Phoebe and Fred, the brilliant Basset hounds, as well as a truckload of gossip and weary villagers. But, in a world where talking dogs are as impossible as flying pigs, will a loving family be enough to reassure the bassets that they will not again be thrown out and abandoned?
Phoebe and Fred by Nathaniel S. Johnson tells the story of two lovely not so ordinary basset hounds that found their way into a charming family. When Watson lost their dog, Billy Beau the Black Lab, Henry Watson was thrown into despair and almost swallowed by loneliness. His wife and kids thought a new addition to the family to replace their previous dog was the only way to save him, and it turned out the bassets were the best thing that happened to their whole family. Things, however, took a turn for the worse when one morning, the bassets did something that no ordinary dog could do.
Phoebe and Fred is a lighthearted story. I found the book straightforward and a solid read. There were not lengthy conversations, but they were sure long enough to warm my heart. The Bassets were particularly intriguing, and I was somewhat confused why the villagers were so weary of them. My blood boiled at some point, and I was dismayed by how petty Reverend Treadwell was and so delighted that Kyle, the sheriff, had some faith in the hounds.
Phoebe and Fred is a humorous story about two amazing Basset Hounds and the family that falls in love with them. The writing was immaculate, the characters were on point, and it was a delight to picture life in the small town in my head just from the description. Children will find this book an absolute delight, and fur parents might as well too.
Pages: 88 | ASIN : B0BMLPJSLH
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/12/28/phoebe-and-fred/
Jada and Lilly are playing outside when they find a little kitten. They want to take it home, but Jada’s mom tells them that they must first call the animal shelter to ensure the cat doesn’t already belong to someone. Jada’s mom says that they can adopt the kitten if no one claims it, but warns that owning a cat takes a lot of time and love. Jada does her best to learn everything she can about owning a kitten and hopes the day will come for her to adopt that happy little kitten.
This is a wonderful children’s book that will educate young readers and show them what it takes to be a pet owner. There is a lot of things to consider and this book does a great job of showing the various things that kids will need to think about before adopting a kitten. I enjoyed seeing how Jada was so determined to learn about caring for kittens. This will inspire young readers to do their own research and find out what it takes.
If you are a parent that wants to teach your child about adopting a pet then this picture book will be a great start as it will inspire lots of conversations about the subject. Beatific is a fun and educational book that will be a wonderful resource at animal shelters or for any parent or teacher that wants to educate their children.
Pages: 26 | ASIN: B085G83G77
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/12/28/beatific/
Wonderful, Marvelous, Magnificent You by Abbey Feldkamp is a story of self-empowerment. We are taken on a journey page by page through the whimsy of the gorgeous illustrations beckoning us forward to recognize the intricacies that make us all unique. More precisely, it makes us wonderful, marvelous, and magnificent.
This children’s book has succeeded with the message of allowing children to see how and what makes others unique and then introspectively analyze themselves. It also has accomplished growing minds to see that even if they are messy, loud, or mischievous, these are things that are part of the process of becoming uniquely themselves.
I love that this book praises children in a positive light for just being them. It is essential to spread this message to our children and even remind adults from time to time that our differences make us great. Our differences are what will propel us forward as we grow as a people and to be accepting of others so that they, too, can grow. This book would be a great addition to anyone’s library, and I hope many will read this book and take away the positive affirmations that continuously shine through the book.
Wonderful, Marvelous, Magnificent You is a beautifully written children’s book that shares the love of Jesus with readers and encourages them to see the special qualities of others and of themselves. Children will see diverse characters in the illustrations, allowing them to find an image that represents themselves. This provides a strong message that Jesus loves everyone regardless of their appearance.
Pages: 20 | ASIN: B0BKR6T4YC
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/12/28/wonderful-marvelous-magnificent-you/
Coming Full Circle: A Sweeping Saga of Conservation Stewardship Across America, by father-daughter team Budd Titlow and Mariah Tinger, is indeed as broad a saga as the subtitle advertises. The bulk of the novel follows a family line’s evolving relationship with the natural world, beginning with Thaddeus Adams in 1820 down to twins Shiloh and Sunny Childers-Nkosi in 2024. In the early generations that relationship means learning to coexist with the natural world, such as Thaddeus in his hunting and exploring on the frontier or his immediate descendants confronting poachers, while later generations take to government agencies and even the U.S. Senate to confront lobbyists, business interests, and short-sighted government officials.
Titlow and Tinger write in their prologue that their goal is to illustrate the concepts of biodiversity and the circle of life. These themes are what make the wide-ranging story feel coherent. For example, they show us what these concepts look like up-close when Thaddeus reflects on the cycle of birth and death among the wildlife he encounters on the frontier, while later on we get a broader view as Sunny and Shiloh speak about passing environmental protection legislation.
The authors are open about their goal of promoting conservation efforts, and at times the characters’ reflections and speeches can feel deeply personal. Most of the characters, heroes and villains alike, provide a very focused perspective of the singular idea they are meant to convey. This is a compelling story about conservationism with little deviation from that narrative theme. That said, Titlow and Tinger do succeed in drawing the reader in to this family’s story. We see the central characters’ entire lives, often from birth to death, good times and bad, and by the end it’s hard not to feel almost like a part of this family so that even those not committed to the book’s social/political message can’t help but root for these people. This impassioned and edifying book is ultimately worth reading for nature-lovers and those who find such wide-ranging stories compelling.
Pages: 688 | ASIN: B0BG98CCWF
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/12/28/coming-full-circle/