Once, when explaining—that is to say, justifying—my interest in Andrea Dworkin to a receptive acquaintance, I began by insisting on Dworkin’s literariness. It seemed a less perilous way to recuperate her in their esteem than her politics. Literariness can be curious, ahistorical, a supple cover for all kinds of quirks, under which the unseemly or […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2023/01/26/risk-originality-commitment/
The Love Undercover series was one of my favorites, so when Marcus by Lori Foster published I scooped it up. For fans, Marcus appeared as a child in Getting Rowdy and was adopted by one of the guys. He’s now a police officer and crushing on his neighbor….
Marcus
by Lori Foster
Series: Love Undercover #4.5
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Source: Purchase
Purchase*: Amazon *affiliate
Rating: 
Heat Level: 
They’ve been crushing on each other for months… So what’s holding them back?
A sizzling new Love Undercover novella
For Marcus Bareden, Lucy Cortland is more than the girl next door. She’s beautiful, funny and easy to talk to. He’d really like to get closer, but something about her occasional wariness sets off his spidey sense. When he was nine, Marcus was plucked from an abusive situation and adopted by the most amazing parents a boy could wish for.
Lucy Cortland spent years overcoming an awful youth. Now, she’s got a great job, her own place and a super sexy neighbor. Marcus is warm, kind and they’ve become good friends. She’s only known him a few months, but their chemistry is undeniable. Yet for Lucy, getting close isn’t possible.
Lucy believes no one could love her after what she’s been through. No one could understand…except maybe the guy next door, who knows how it feels to be mistreated and how hard it can be to learn to hope—even love—again.
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Marcus was a quick and engaging romance filled with best friends, romance, and a cute cat that I devoured in one sitting. It’s a novella in the Love Undercover series but works as a standalone and is a light intro to the world. Fans of the series will love hearing about beloved characters and there is even a Rowdy moment. Be still my heart.
Lucy Cortland hides herself under oversized clothes, has an enormous heart, loves to bake & cook and watch the fights with the guys. She is friends with her neighbors, all guys including Marcus and they get together on fight night. The guys handle the pay-per-view costs and she feeds them appetizers and homemade cookies.
Marcus has been crushing on her for months, but Lucy is a little skittish, and he isn’t sure if she is interested. Lucy is definitely interested, but why would a guy like Marcus ever look twice at her?
The romance that unfolded was sweet, and Foster wrapped it up in a bow. It delivered confessions, sweet moments, and tender reveals. The reasons for Lucy’s hesitation were deep-rooted, & heartbreaking. Foster lightened the story with some laughs and a cute cat. All the feels in this novella.
Amazon
Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. Lori has published through a variety of houses, including Kensington, St. Martin’s, Harlequin, Silhouette, Samhain, and Berkley/Jove. She is currently published with HQN.
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Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2023/01/marcus-by-lori-foster.html
Seventh-grader Jack Mathias is an adventurer at heart. Mercilessly pranking all those around him and always eager to find the next mountain to climb, life is full of endless possibilities. But when a harsh reality check enters Jack’s carefree world, he and his best friend Gene seek to find a way to enjoy the last few days of freedom before the dreaded Summer School begins. After discovering a mysterious message from the olden days of Boonetown, the two boys and their friend Edgar embark on a dangerous journey. With high hopes of finding a life-changing secret, the Boonetown Bandits begin an adventure like no other, with endless twists and turns along the way.
Jack Mathias and the Boonetown Bandits by G.M. Savage is a high-stakes adventure story with plenty of action to go around. Each step of the boys’ journey is fraught with peril, as unexpected dangers lurk around every corner. The characters are real and memorable, growing and developing their friendship as the quest continues. Jack, the lovable rogue; Gene, the scholar; and Edgar, the gentle giant, all learn more about each other and themselves as they travel into the wilds near the raging Gauley River.
This action story is engaging and has a lot of positive energy. The author perfectly portrays the mind and behavior of middle school kids making this a relatable read for young readers. This thrilling read about Jack’s journey involves many adventures, from camping in the wild to whitewater rafting on rapids allowing young readers to dare to be adventurous. I found myself daydreaming of these adventures as I was reading.
A good romp about friendship and the joy of the journey, Jack Mathias and the Boonetown Bandits is a middle-grade action adventure novel that will entertain preteens and teens alike. This is an exciting story about three friends and their quest for hidden secrets; this captivating narrative is perfect for a lazy afternoon of reading fun.
Pages: 203 | ASIN : B0BCM56KBV
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/26/jack-mathias-and-the-boonetown-bandits/
The Owl-Headed Wand, written by Daniel Peyton, takes readers to another world. A young boy named James is a homeless orphan that is tricked into stealing from a Master Wand-Maker. James is caught by the master wand maker, but he makes a deal to work off his punishment. The Master wand maker, Othano, is kind to James and teaches him many things. James finally feels at peace until one day, the Fire elves threaten all of Yohan and James’ new home. This leads James to make new friends and discover that he is braver than he ever thought. He also learned about the Owl-Headed wand and what it means to him.
Daniel Peyton does a splendid job in worldbuilding, Yohan. I loved that he mixes elves, witches, and wizards together along with other species. The map at the beginning of the book is an excellent addition because it really helped me imagine the direction everyone was going. I looked back at the map several times to see where the characters were.
James is a well-developed character that captivates readers with his backstory and continued strength and determination. His story will touch the heart of readers and bring about strong emotions as they follow along as he shares his tale with Othano and Giles.
Othano is probably my favorite character in the story! While the book is about James, Othano’s character is kind and caring. His gestures to James were so heartwarming. Giles was another fantastic character. She was strong and fierce as the Commander of the Wind elves, but she was also kind and gentle with James. She was exceedingly protective of him. Daniel Peyton has mastered the art of creating an emotional response with his readers. Each character stirs up strong feelings in readers, from rage to tears of joy.
The Owl-Headed Wand is an extraordinary young adult fantasy novel with which to start the new year. The adventure James takes readers on as he seeks to clear his and Othano’s name is exhilarating. The bond between characters is heartwarming and gives readers hope for those less fortunate. I hope this is not the end of James, Othano, and Giles’s story and that there will be more in the future!
Pages: 316 | ASIN : B0BPHWW6P5
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/26/the-owl-headed-wand/
Cassie is finally getting to return to her school building after learning from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. She did not love going to school in her living room on a laptop. She missed her friends and teachers. Now that there is a vaccine, she can return to her school and be with her class in person again.
Cassie’s Big Change: Going from the Living Room to the Classroom is more than a story about returning to school. Author Tamera Foley uses this children’s story to validate the feelings many young children have had during the pandemic and the emotional struggles they felt. She uses Cassie’s writing assignment to show children different ways to express themselves and let others know how they feel. It shows children that the adults at school and home care about how they are feeling and that what they feel is important and real. I loved the part where the children were sharing their feelings on the playground, and they were not superficial remarks like you might expect in a kid’s book. Instead, they show just how aware children are of the world around them and the impact that things like COVID-19 have had on their world.
The childrens book Cassie’s Big Change: Going from the Living Room to the Classroom is beautifully written and shares ways that children can express their emotions in a positive and safe manner, be it through clay models, writing a story, or talking one on one with a teacher or parent. Tamera Foley shows kids that they have a voice and that their feelings are important. This is a wonderful children’s book that any elementary classroom would benefit from having.
Pages: 44 | ASIN : B099B13X7T
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/26/cassies-big-change-going-from-the-living-room-to-the-classroom/
In Being Transparent, Wilda Rodriguez tells the heartbreaking story of how she dealt with her son’s drug addiction. This emotional book is a collection of journal entries that she wrote over the years, and it depicts the raw and honest nature of her emotions. Rodriguez struggles to cope with the most challenging season of her life, unsure of where she went wrong as a mother. In her hopelessness, she finds refuge and relief in religion. Wilda focuses on reminding people that there is a God out there. You also gain internal peace and tranquility by being transparent with him and trusting him to do the right thing.
Wilda Rodriguez has bared herself in front of her readers by sharing her brutally honest story in Being Transparent. Her intimate thoughts are openly written so that people can connect with them and feel less isolated. Through this inspirational book, she illustrates how being transparent with herself, God, and others gave her journey a head start and eventually led her to heal. Furthermore, Rodriguez has shared in-depth the steps she took that gradually helped her gain inner peace and acceptance. Finally, she has written her realistic experience in a raw and honest tone which exhibits how discombobulated and tangled she really was.
Rodriguez has written this book authentically from the core of her heart in hopes of reaching out and helping those in similar situations. The author also discusses how addiction affects not only the victims but those around them too. She narrates the events that took place over the years while offering truth, answers, and comfort as well. People usually feel suffocated and helpless in such situations, which is why she advises them to embrace reality and trust in God’s plan; by doing so, she rekindles their hope and helps them through an impossible time.
Being Transparent: My Story: Facing my son’s drug addiction is Wilda Rodriguez’s heartbreaking and inspiring memoir. Her true story shares the pain she experienced the questions she had no answers to, and the path she took to self-healing and acceptance.
Pages: 57 | ASIN : B0BMRVVBZ1
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/26/being-transparent/
The Celine Bower Story by Carly Brown is the gripping story of a young woman who decides to take revenge into her own hands and punish men who rape women. This crime thriller begins with Celine tracking down her target and seducing him in a bar. Her plan includes drugging him and then punishing him for his actions. Following this event, readers are then shown the series of events that lead to the initial assault on her.
There are some extremely sensitive topics faced throughout this fantasy novel, particularly those of rape, which I feel are handled well and approached in a sensitive way. Brown hooks readers into her storyline from the beginning with thrilling action. She then takes readers back in time to show how the characters end up in that situation they are in. Learning how Celine comes to have supernatural abilities that take her character to new heights is exciting, as well as watching her hone her new skills. With robust and engaging dialogue, readers are fully immersed in the story and quickly become invested in the characters’ future.
Readers get to know the characters through how the author describes their actions; for example, “John glared around at the other guys in the place as if to dare them to try and interfere.” The reader can tell this character is protective of what’s his, wants to show off to others, and is up for a fight with anyone. The reader can imagine the characters and their behavior through Brown’s descriptive talents, allowing them to feel like part of this fascinating story.
The Celine Bower Story is a riveting crime thriller with a strong woman protagonist. Bringing in an element of dark fantasy with supernatural components gives this novel a unique feel and will appeal to readers of many different genres. If you are looking for a story where the bad guys get what is coming to them, this is the thriller for you. I hope readers will see more of Celine Bower in the future.
Pages: 257 | ASIN : B093XT9B3L
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2023/01/26/the-celine-bower-story/