It is not well understood how heavily the shadow of the violent breakup of Yugoslavia hangs over Ukraine. Vladimir Putin and his allies frequently cite the case of Kosovo, which was once Serbia’s southern province and declared independence in 2008, as a precedent for Russia’s recognition—and subsequent annexation—of Crimea in 2014 and parts of eastern […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2023/01/11/reconstructing-ukraine/
Sophia Rose is here today with an early review of A Chance Inheritance by Carolyn Brown, where three women return home in hopes of a second chance. Grab some hot cocoa and enjoy!
A Chance Inheritance
by Carolyn Brown
Genres: Women’s Fiction
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon *affiliate
Rating: 
Three women return home in search of second chances in this heartwarming short story from New York Times best-selling author Carolyn Brown.
What do a runaway bride, a free spirit, and a corporate exec have in common? Besides all being down on their luck, Lainie, Jodi, and Becky are Lizzie Cornell’s granddaughters. Upon inheriting their grandmother’s home and family bait shop, the three cousins return to Catfish, Texas, grieving Lizzie’s passing and hoping to find the fresh start they all need.
Turns out cohabitating together and running the Catfish Fisherman’s Hut isn’t at all like the idyllic summers they spent as children on the banks of the Red River. The days are long and hot, the tourists demanding and rude. And then there’s Chris, a local river guide who seems to have eyes only for Becky.
But Lizzie’s death has set in motion a chain of events that will cause a new generation of Cornell women to come together. And thanks to this chance inheritance, some local fishermen, and the love of their Granny Lizzie, the Cornell cousins discover that sometimes an ending is really the beginning of a brand-new happily ever after.
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A runaway bride is joined by her feisty cousins in running their late gran’s bait shop on the Red River in this women’s fiction about starting over. And, in the second tale, a woman finds getting her childhood wish of finding her dad might not be what she imagined. Carolyn Brown does it again with the downhome country charmers.
A Chance Inheritance begins with some endings- a grandmother’s death and a failed wedding- that lead to a new beginning for three women who need new starts. Lainey realized just in the nick of time that she didn’t want to marry a control freak, Becky is tired of going to work and seeing her ex flirting with other women, and Jodi’s life has gotten into a rut and no substance so Lizzie’s will leaving them her bait and snack shop along with her house on the river is just the jumpstart they all needed and Becky gets an additional romance out of the deal.
Elements of this one are present in other books previously published in full-length novels. The fishing scene is new, but a shared inheritance among three women who start out less than pleased with each other is familiar. This novella was engaging, but also felt like it could have been further developed around the central story and tied up more of the surrounding details.
The second novella, The Three Wishes, introduces the story when a young girl, Jessica, finds a bottle on a Florida beach and her much older sister and mother play along that it has a genie so she makes three wishes- to find a shell, to find her father, and to find true love. The first comes true the next day, but it isn’t until after her mother’s death that she finds clues in her mother’s things as to her father. And, following up in finding her father leads her to the potential for the last wish coming true.
The Three Wishes drew me in and made me heart sore for her a little when she gets her answers, but not for long. Carolyn Brown knows how to tuck the bitter in with the sweet so the story is one of healing and happiness involving a feisty small town romance. Definitely a magical story. All in all, a pair of charmers with small town folks finding life’s answers and a bit of romance. Those who enjoy laid back, heartwarming women’s fiction should definitely reach for this pair of novellas.
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A Chance Inheritance by Carolyn Brown delivered a magical story of healing and happiness wrapped in a feisty small-town romance #SophiaRose #bookreview
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Author Carolyn BrownNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Carolyn Brown was born in Texas and raised in southern Oklahoma. These days she and her husband make their home in Davis, Oklahoma, a small town of less than three thousand people where everyone knows everyone, knows what they are doing and with whom, and read the weekly newspaper to see who got caught. A plaque hangs on her office wall that says I know the voices are not real but they have such great ideas. That is her motto and muse as she goes through the days with quirky characters in her head, telling their stories, one by one, and loving her job. She has been married almost half a century to a retired English teacher that she calls Mr. B and he does not read her books before they are published because she cannot afford a divorce. They have three grown children.—and enough grandchildren to keep them busy and young. When Carolyn is not writing she likes to sit in the back yard and watch the two tom cats protect the yard from all kinds of wicked varmints like crickets, other cats, spiders and blue jays.
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Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.
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Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2023/01/a-chance-inheritance-by-carolyn-brown.html
Divine. Messy. Human. is an excellent work of art that covers the broad spectrum of what it is to be human. The book’s title should give the reader advanced notice that you’re in for a ride on the rollercoaster that is quite honestly “Us” or what we call “being human.” Though this book speaks to what we might call the “human condition,” it really is quite spiritual in its constitution and meaning, with the understanding that spirituality isn’t something that one needs to aspire to. Instead, this book speaks to the spiritual and the physical, or the manifest world as one and the same, and that we need only align our Higher and Lower Selves to take full advantage of our Divine Humanity.
The absolute beauty of this book, Divine. Messy. Human. It is about a subject that eludes most people: “As within, so without.” Whenever the said subject is approached, the average person automatically assumes a posture of spirituality, thinking they need to “straighten up and fly right.” The problem is that this way of thinking often steers us in the wrong direction regarding our most beneficial path in this life.
Amanda Kate has done an outstanding job of taking the human experience and removing the “mysticism” or “spiritual materialism” from the equation. The way she brings the subject matter into the realm of “everyday folk” that can be understood by the individual as she lays out her views of what it means to be human, not from the elevated platform of a titled position, but from a first-hand, honest “human” perspective.
If there were one negative thing I could say about this book, that one thing would quite possibly be the most positive aspect of the entire work, which is the fact that we are very messy as humans, a fact the author drives home by laying “herself” bare in as an example. This self-help book is filled with the message of self-acceptance and self-empowerment. It is a must-read for those that want to take control over their lives and live with peace in their heart and souls.
Pages: 197 | ASIN : B0B1M7FG1L
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/11/divine-messy-human/
Lina is happily gardening and playing outside when her father tells her some sad news. They’re moving. At their new home, Lina makes a new friend in the old farmer across the road. They share their love of farm animals, educate one another, and help implement a regenerative agricultural practice.
Lina is a hardworking and inquisitive child whose passion for life is evident from the first page of this vibrant children’s book. There is a variety of lessons young readers will pick up throughout the story, but the one that stood out to me the most was Lina’s determination. When Lina hears some disheartening information from her friends at school, she works for months to prove them wrong. There are many children’s books where a lesson is learned quickly, but I appreciated how the lesson learned in this book is achieved over a long period of time, and through the child’s own hard work. This is a fantastic message to send to kids. Young readers will also learn about farming, sharing information with others, and being adaptable.
The artwork by illustrator Yana Gorbatiyk is rich and brilliant and makes each character look adorable. Lina’s chicken was very cute and I loved seeing it on the page every time. Young kids will be drawn to all of the bright imagery in the book.
The Little Regenerative Farmer and The Dairy Farm is an educational picture book that shares several valuable life lessons, some of which are rarely seen in other children’s books. This is a heartwarming story that spreads a positive message that has the potential to improve the world.
Pages: 43 | ASIN: B0BNWHTGTR
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/11/the-little-regenerative-farmer-and-the-dairy-farm/
Novo The Space Robot: How to Solve the Mystery of Crying, written by Charly Froh, is a whimsical story about a robot named Novo that lives on planet Infinita. It is a usual Monday morning when he goes about shopping and when he arrives home, his beautiful venus-bot flowers are ruined by a storm. Novo is so upset he begins to cry and cannot make the tears stop flowing, which makes matters even worse for Novo. So what will Novo do to make the tears stop before he rusts?
This charming children’s book is incredibly sweet from front to back. The illustrations are incredibly captivating and playful. The story is written with young readers in mind, given the simplicity of the verbiage, and is easy to follow along. I loved the message of expressing one’s emotions and being able to verbalize them as well, especially to our friends or family. It shows the importance of communication and how healing it can be. Demonstrating talking our feelings out is the best remedy. There is also a message of having confidantes and being a part of a community that comes together to help one another through difficult times.
Novo The Space Robot: How to Solve the Mystery of Crying is a well-written children’s book with fun characters and a meaningful message. I believe this would make an excellent addition to any reader’s library, especially families with young kids learning about emotions and how to express themselves positively.
Pages: 40 | ASIN : B0BNVKL6KQ
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/11/novo-the-space-robot-how-to-solve-the-mystery-of-crying/
Vivian needs some treasure to make today’s adventure a success. Her mother’s necklace will work perfectly. Now, the first quest is to get it out of her mom’s jewelry box without her noticing. She plans on bringing it back when she’s done playing, but when she loses one of the stones during her fun-filled adventure, she and her brother search for the stone until the sun sets. Will she find the stone? Will her mother forgive her?
Author Brandy Clark has written a fun-filled adventure that is built upon something most children will be able to relate to. Taking something that is not theirs. Vivian is a lively character that exudes a passion for life and the lesson she learns through the story is vividly portrayed thanks to the fantastic artwork by illustrator Jade Fang.
I enjoyed how the valuable life lessons are delivered in this wonderful children’s book. I did not even notice it until near the end of the story. How Vivian’s brother gave up his time to help his sister. I liked how subtly this was handled in the story. When Vivian comes to the realization in the story that she made a lifelong ally, so does the reader, and this sudden awareness is so much more impactful.
Vivian’s Perfectly Imperfect Adventure is a delightful picture book that teaches young readers an important lesson while entertaining them with vivid artwork and an enjoyable story.
Pages: 32 | ASIN: B0B9RDPRK2
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/11/vivians-perfectly-imperfect-adventure/
Clumsy Nelson by Serena Lane Ferrari follows an adorable yet clumsy little seal. Nelson has a terrible week, full of accidents and needing help at every turn, whether it be swimming in the ocean or moseying along the beach. His fellow aquatic friends shame him for all his mishaps, but are these mishaps his fault? Or are they created by something Nelson has no control over?
In this charmingly illustrated children’s book, we are given bits of information about the main character, Nelson, that at first seems to be causing himself grief, but soon we realize he is the story’s victim. This story is exceptionally well written and was obviously thought out to its fullest extent. It succeeded in telling children about the importance of keeping our oceans and beaches pollution-free and the entire earth. It sheds light in a way that young minds, on a fundamental level, can discuss these issues clearly and start conversations about what can be done to help keep the world clean. I feel that kids can grasp serious scenarios such as this when displayed in such a manner as this author has done.
I loved this story right off the bat. Nelson is such a cute and loveable character. You can’t help but be attached and sympathize with him when his friends are not so nice. This picture book would be a great addition to anyone’s library or classroom. Highlighting critical environmental issues and promoting self-esteem, this children’s book will entertain and educate readers for years to come.
Pages: 37 | ASIN : B08HX52P45
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/11/clumsy-nelson/
An interview with one of the buzziest debut writers of 2023, Deepti Kapoor
Original source: https://www.amazon.com/amazonbookreview/interviews.html?ref_=abr_widget_nav&theme=light
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