Day: January 16, 2023

The Grassroots of ‘Roe’

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A few days before Thanksgiving in 1968 my mother, Beatrice Kornbluh, a labor lawyer and member of the National Organization for Women (NOW), took time away from her job and three daughters to address her newly elected representative to the New York State Assembly, Franz Leichter. “Dear Franz,” she wrote, “Enclosed is an abortion repeal […]

Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2023/01/16/grassroots-of-roe/

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The Backup Plan by Jill Shalvis

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The Backup Plan by Jill Shalvis is the newest standalone romance novel in the Sunrise Cove series. An inheritance attached to a Wild West B&B has Alice returning home. She and two people she once thought of as friends must work together to reopen the B&B. Along the way, friendships will be renewed and love will be found. You’ll want to snuggle up with this five cup read.

The Backup Plan by Jill Shalvis

The Backup Plan
by Jill Shalvis
Series: Sunrise Cove #3
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate

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New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis returns to Sunrise Cove with a heartwarming tale of three people who are brought together when they’re bequeathed an old Wild West inn that has the potential to pull their lives apart, but instead turns into the gift of a lifetime.

When Alice receives a call about an unexpected windfall, she’s stunned to learn the gift is a falling-apart-at-the-seams old Wild West B&B she once considered home—and she’s inherited it along with two strangers. Except they weren’t always strangers. Once upon a time, they were friends. One is her ex-BFF Lauren. The other is Knox, the only guy to ever break her heart, all while never even knowing she existed.

It turns out their lives are unknowingly entangled because they once separately helped the same woman without expecting anything in return. Years later, Alice, Lauren, and Knox are broken in their own way, with their own history—and secrets— causing them to start out on the wrong foot with each other. But according to the will, they must renovate and be partners in the inn for one year or else lose their inheritance.

Stuck together, they make a list of rules to keep the peace—rules that end up doing the opposite, but by some miracle they find what they didn’t even know they were looking for—acceptance, true friendship, and in a case (or two!), true love

Family friends ROMANCE Small-town

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Coffee Dates with the Backup Plan

  • First Date: I love the premise for the Backup Plan. Alice, Knox, and Lauren each inherit a part of the Last Chance Inn after Eleanor passes away. Alice is Eleanor’s granddaughter and grew up at the inn. Lauren was her best friend and dated her brother, who died in a car accident that caused a rift between them. Knox’s mom was an alcoholic who worked as a maid at the inn. Eleanor gave him odd jobs and encourage him along the way. Their inheritance comes with stipulations. The three of them must fix it up and have thirty days to do it.
  • Second Date: House rules and working towards fixing up the inn, blend with each person’s experiences with Eleanor and the past. We see the girls work on their fragile friendship and discover their personalities, weaknesses, fears and secret hopes. We learn Alice crushed on Knox as a teen, but he barely looked at her. I loved the banter, snark and chemistry between them.
  • Third Date: Alice has said from the beginning she’ll leave at the end of the thirty days and it was interesting to see the three of them work together, grow individual and learn about the past through emails Eleanor wrote to her sister. I was fully invested from Lauren’s budding romance with a local to the slow-burning, give and take romance developing between Knox and Alice that was red hot.

Fans of small-town romances will devour this one. It had all the elements I love in a Shalvis novel. It’s the perfect read for a snowy Sunday afternoon by the fire.

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The Backup Plan by Jill Shalvis delivered a charming, sexy, heart-felt tale perfect for a cold winter's night. #NewRelease #bookreview #ContemporaryRomance
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About Jill Shalvis

Jill Shalvis

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras with her family and far too many assorted quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s latest, ONE IN A MILLION, on shelves and e-readers now, and get all her bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold.

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Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2023/01/the-backup-plan-by-jill-shalvis.html

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Of Space & Time

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Revolution, space, and a healthy amount of dystopia await you in Of Space & Time by Ray LeCara Jr. As you journey through this exciting book, readers are pulled into a SciFi world where they explore the futuristic cities that author Ray LeCara Jr creates. Throughout this novel, we will find gripping stories that leave us wanting more. It creates a world and gives us the space to create some of our endings. From dystopian futures on different planets mixed with some extremely relatable pandemic futures, these five short stories include it all.

Of Space & Time is a collection of thought-provoking short stories. In decorated worlds, LeCara brings us on a journey through space. This action-packed book was one read that kept you turning page after page. Readers will find themselves in the shoes of the protagonists facing their trials and tribulations. The beauty of these stories is that they hook you in quickly and don’t let go. LeCara makes sure readers want to keep reading with the fascinating characters and original storylines. Hop aboard a spaceship and make your way through the different universes in Of Space & Time.

Science Fiction writer Ray LeCara JR brings the literary universe to life that includes many different layers in each of his compelling short stories. With relatable subjects, world events, and history, he gives readers a great SciFi short story compilation. I would recommend this collection for any SciFi lover. They would be great for older teens to adults who are interested in reading exhilarating short stories that take readers on an adventure through space and time. When readers have finished this collection, they are left with questions of their own to ponder and consider about the future of mankind and our exploration of space.

Pages: 157 | ASIN : B0B8TGWHJB

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Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/16/of-space-time/

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Dark Awakenings

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Dark Awakenings is a collection of Ray LeCara’s most haunting short stories. Throughout each one, a different character is featured with his/her unique backstory. The only thing these tales have in common is that each of these characters’ recently experienced some life-changing event. After that, the same kind of slithering darkness crept into their lives. The darkness’s desire to force them into horrors they are taught to run away from is evident in every story, heedless whether it’s a broken-hearted girl or a priest. They are awakened to the haunting dark lurking alongside them, the one everyone knows about but no one dares to speak about.

This collection of five creepy stories has been written and compiled by LeCara to bring your worst fears to life. LeCara, being a fan of Stephen King and Clive Barker’s spooky stories himself, included elements of a very similar unadulterated horror in his book Dark Awakenings. As a result, each story was better than the last and even more challenging to put down.

LeCara’s storytelling skills are so enthralling that these already scary plotted stories somehow sounded even more atrocious. I completely lost myself in his excellent writing style and felt perplexed by the story’s entrance. Nevertheless, these 5 haunting stories were as spooky and captivating as it gets. After finishing this book, I kept glancing over my shoulder and struggled to tell fiction and reality apart. The setting of each story is different yet akin, and even though each character’s fate is subsequent, it is definitely unpredictable and inconspicuous.

The mysterious and creepy plots kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. However, people sensitive to horror plots should steer clear because the name Dark Awakenings definitely rings true.

Pages: 127 | ASIN : B0BDT441Y2

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Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/16/dark-awakenings/

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Haunt

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In an attempt to flee from a world that has turned her life upside down, Charlotte and her darling horse are only met with more complications—running into a serial killer. Having no choice but to stay with him after becoming a wanted woman herself (for a crime she did not commit), Charlotte and her newfound companion are thrust into situations previously unimaginable. A man with a dark and haunting past, and a woman who fears a dark and haunting future, these two souls collide in a thrilling romance.

Haunt by Christina Maraziotis is a book that makes itself very clear right away: it is not for an audience who cannot handle certain topics and themes. At the front of the book, before getting to the story itself, there is a list of trigger warnings, so readers will know what they are getting into with this novel ahead of time.

The characters and settings in Haunt are truly ones to be remembered as they all feel full, fleshed out, and alive. Even characters who aren’t important are given full personalities and recognizable traits. The story itself is nothing less than a page-turner, and readers will most definitely feel themselves eagerly turning the page to see what will happen next—good or bad.

The writing in this novel is eye-catching. The style is complex at times, fightings with itself to have beautiful words and prose and then having sentences that feel out of place, much like the characters feel at times. The formatting can also be distracting; there are often POV changes that can be disorienting for the reader. While some may find these a deterrent, they are actually brilliant literary elements that add to the haunting and intricate storyline.

Haunt is truly a thrilling western story with characters readers will yearn for, feel for, and never forget. Readers will feel their own hearts break as they look into the minds of characters that they normally wouldn’t and have to choose whether their actions are justified.

Pages: 920 | ASIN : B0BKY7ZH23

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Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/16/haunt/

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A Plan to Save the Planet

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A Plan to Save the Planet by Glenn Weinreb is a fascinating research-based book on how to do exactly what it says- to save the earth. This book consists of Weinreb’s ideas on how to live in a more “green” way, using political and capitalist influence to help reduce the number of Carbon emissions into the atmosphere. He acknowledges that he understands Carbon’s attractiveness to make a profit. This is the perspective Weinreb takes as he covers each excuse people use against being more “green” while presenting it in a research-based way that is easy to understand. Overall, this book is an excellent look into saving the planet by cutting down on Carbon emissions using real-life examples and potential solutions.

For the most part, this book was an exciting read, but I felt that some of the statements made could make people who may disagree with the ideas in the book less receptive. For example, in the first few pages, the author writes that people who don’t support decarbonization “believe it is unimportant or prefer someone else to be inconvenienced.” When writing persuasively, statements such as this can harm one’s argument, especially if the reader is offended from the beginning of the text.

Despite this, I think there were some great points made throughout. These points are so successful because Weinreb supports them with graphs, data, and other reliable sources of information. I think this book would be an excellent read for people passionate about creating a greener world by reducing carbon emissions, as well as educating those who may not be as passionate about it.

A Plan to Save the Planet: How to resolve climate change at the lowest cost and in a way that is politically feasible is an informative book covering an important topic that affects everyone. The author has presented his findings in a way that the average reader can understand, and will not need a degree in science to understand the process he has laid out. I recommend this book to those who want to make a difference and, as the title says, save the planet for future generations to come.

Pages 166 | ASIN : B0BNLWCZ2D

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Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/16/a-plan-to-save-the-planet/

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Poetry to Heal

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Poetry to Heal by Rodney Lyttaker is a collection of Christian-based poems and a few evocative songs that will inspire and comfort readers. It’s a curated collection of pieces on love, faith, grief, and gratitude, which are recurring themes throughout the book. The poems are short, impactful, and largely revolve around the author’s faith. Lyttaker’s poems are deeply personal, and his deep love for family and friends. The reader also gains a glimpse into the poet’s life and his nostalgic reflections on becoming a rockstar as a teenager, the tragic loss of his parents, and the devastation of Covid-19.

The poems are short, untitled, and appear to flow from one to the next so that the entire book connects each piece smoothly. The author uses wording that expresses his emotions and state of mind in a compelling way as he contemplates his faith while reflecting on the people he loves. I especially enjoyed the comforting words and passages throughout the poems and songs. Lyttaker expresses the same devotion to his faith as he does towards his father and family, which is refreshing and enjoyable to read.

I found the short sentences and concise writing ideal for expressing the author’s thoughts and emotions. A significant amount of gratitude and appreciation for life is a nice break from heavy reading, as Lyttaker’s style evokes more emotion and connection than thought-provoking analysis.

Poetry to Heal by Rodney Lyttaker is an inspirational and emotionally charged collection of poetry and songs. This book is direct in its content and theme of love, acceptance, and letting go of loved ones. It’s a well-written collection of poems and songs, with simple, easy-to-visualize wording and metaphors, with many references to nature, faith, and perseverance. It’s an easy read that’s enjoyable, simple, and comforting.

Pages 108 | ASIN 1664247041

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Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/16/poetry-to-heal/

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