Rich culturally immersive time-travel read

Invisible Footprints in Time by Irwin Wislesky offers an imaginative real-world take on time travel. The story centers around protagonist Maxine Samuels, a 55-year-old research scientist who questions why humanity has lost its spiritual connection to a higher power. Her goal is to find a way to revitalize that connection. She hopes to find the answers she seeks in the past. She has an idea of how to time travel but questions if it is possible to visit the past without leaving any “footprints.” This leads to another question. Have time travelers already visited the past? And if so, did they alter the future for their own benefit? Wislesky raises many pertinent questions relevant to time travel in this intriguing story as Maxine considers both ethical and historical aspects of time travel as she moves back in time to visit ancient cultures looking for answers. 

Book Review: Invisible Footprints in Time

For me, the story started out slow as Maxine celebrates her birthday. Her son Patrick comes for a visit and through their conversation, much of the time-travel techno-babel is introduced for how things work. It felt a little like a time travel brochure author info dump, but it didn’t last long. Once the story reached the lab, team, and the excitement of their first try at time-travel, I was hooked. The “science” was believable enough, and the relationship between Maxine and her son added another level of interest and emotional involvement. Something else I appreciate is that the story takes place in 2075, in a futuristic world that is not a dark dystopian mess like so many time travel scenarios depict. I appreciated this change-up.

@donnasundblad #BookHookup Book Review Invisible Footprints in Time #invisiblefootprintsintime#booktok #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookreviewer#bookblogger #wislesky #booktasters ♬ original sound Donna Sundblad

BookHookup awards Invisible Footprints in Time with a strong 4 stars. My favorite parts of the book include the visit to Puru’s ancient past where Wislesky provides a sense of culture and setting that captivated my senses. I was impressed by the amount of research he delivered within the story line itself. And without including spoilers I have to say I really enjoyed the plot discoveries in regards to their trips to the past and how even small things can make a difference in the future. I recommend this book to fans of time travel and think those who enjoyed the Marc McKnight Time Travel Adventure series will love this book. I also recommend it to readers with interest is ancient mysteries.

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As BookHookup, I am a longtime book reviewer. I received a free review copy of this book from BookTasters and have not received compensation for reviewing or recommending it. Some links in this post are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliate sites.

A perfect choice for young active listeners

Brielle’s Birthday Ball by Once Upon a Dance is a whimsical story written with toddlers and early-readers in mind. This magical picture book illustrated by Stella Mongodi captures the essence of childhood birthday excitement as Brielle receives a magical gift that takes her to an out-of-this-world birthday celebration. The authors add another layer of fun with interactive dance movements that prime the child’s imagination to act out the story. It’s a perfect choice for young active listeners. It engages them to get up and move as the story unfolds. For young pre-readers, realistic illustrations add visual interest and make it an easy “pretend to read” book for kids who know the story. This book has the potential to be a childhood favorite, and the original storyline will invite re-readings for both story listeners and early readers.

 

Book Review: Brielle's Birthday Ball

I recommend this book to children interested in dance, and to those who enjoy fantastical stories ages 3-7. I’m happy to give this book 5 stars and recommend it along with other Dance-It-Out! Creative Movement Stories for Young Movers books like: Princess Naomi Helps a Unicorn and Joey Finds His Jump!

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As BookHookup, I am a long-time book reviewer and received a free review copy of this book in collaboration with Blackberry Book Tours. I have not been compensated for reviewing or recommending it. Some links in this post are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliate sites.

About the Author: Once Upon a Dance 

Once Upon a Dance offers movement, breath, joy, connection and imagination through stories.

Their catalog (25 books across four series) offers positive role models, whimsical stories, and diverse characters. Alongside movement and dance, the books feature themes of empathy, friendship, the value of practice, self-acceptance, sibling relationships, anger management, and working toward goals.

Ballerina Konora is living her dreams as a full-fledged ballet Company Artist. Teacher Terrel arrived in Seattle after a Peace Corps stint teaching English and dance. Complementing decades of teaching dance, she worked in early childhood education and for non-profits supporting kids. Terrel was recognized by her local City Council for "embodying the spirit of partnership and commitment to children in our community" for her work with young dancers. She serves on Pacific Northwest Ballet's Board of Directors and on a National Dance Education Organization committee.

Stories are lovingly crafted, and royalties are donated to charity partners. A few highlighted honors:

• 40+ Book Awards

• Family Choice Award

• Mom’s Choice Gold Award Recipient

• PenCraft Award: First Place

• Firebird Book Award: First Place

• Royal Dragonfly Book Award: First Place

• Pinnacle Book Achievement Award - Best Book Juvenile Fiction

• Outstanding Creator Awards: Best Children's Book, Top 10 Author of 2022

• Kirkus Reviews Starred Review

Visit DanceStories.com to learn about the mother-daughter team, browse books, or discover learning resources.

Follow Once Upon a Dance on social media for sneak peaks, dance photos, and the latest on their goofy cats.

Emotionally charged heart-wrenching story

Montpelier Tomorrow is an emotionally charged, heart-wrenching story that grabs you like a riptide and drags you along through the everyday life of Colleen Gallagher, a mom in her mid-50s who was widowed in her 20s as she was expecting her third child. As the story opens, she is working toward retirement. But life takes a turn when she visits her adult daughter, Sandy when her second baby is due. That’s when Colleen learns that her son-in-law, Tony, has been diagnosed with ALS. None of them really understands the impact of what this will mean to their future, but it doesn’t take long for the fatal disease to start to steal Tony’s abilities to function. 

About the Book Montpelier Tomorrow

Author Marylee MacDonald does an excellent job not only capturing the details of juggling Colleen’s role as a mom, grandma, and Mrs. fix-it around the house, as well as donning the hat as the cook, but also follows her into her new role as the caregiver of her son-in-law who is not easy to get along with. She captures the raw emotions that rock their everyday world where all the usual chores, repairs, diaper changing, childcare, etc. still clamber for attention, but Tony’s care takes on first place. Feeding him a single meal takes hours, showering him requires a feat of strength, just getting him out of the house to transport him is a challenge. Colleen meets each challenge while her daughter continues to work to keep their medical insurance. Amid it all, MacDonald captures the raw emotional roller coaster of negative emotions like hopelessness, depression, feelings of alienation, and the loss of control as she steps away from her job as a kindergarten teacher for a semester. Problems sleeping exacerbate the situation as the family faces the heartbreaking truth that ALS will take Tony’s life. 

Book Review: Montpelier Tomorrow

While this is not a happily-ever-after read, it is an emotionally engaging read, filled with flawed characters, and it reminds you that even a mother’s love can’t fix everything. The inclusion of small sensory details places the reader right there, seeing everything that’s happening, hearing the sounds, and smelling the aromas, scents, and odors of her environment. I loved MacDonald’s writing style and I recommend this book to people who enjoy Women's Literary Fiction that touches the heart, those who have been affected by ALS, and for caregivers currently caring for someone suffering from a devastating disease. I’m happy to give this book 5 stars. 

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As BookHookup, I am a longtime book reviewer, and I received The Hired Hand as a free review copy from BookTasters and have not been compensated for reviewing or recommending it. Some links in this post are affiliate links. We participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliate sites.

About Author Marylee MacDonald

Marylee MacDonald grew up in Redwood City, California, married her high school sweetheart, and worked as a carpenter in California and Illinois. When she's not writing, she's hiking in the red rocks of Sedona, walking on a California beach, or plucking snails from her tomatoes.

Her short stories have won the Jeanne Leiby Chapbook Award, the Barry Hannah Prize, the Ron Rash Award, the Matt Clark Prize, and the American Literary Review Fiction Award. Her short story collection, BONDS OF LOVE AND BLOOD, was a Foreword Reviews' INDIEFAB Finalist, and her novel, MONTPELIER TOMORROW, was a Gold Medal winnerhttps://maryleemacdonald.com in the Readers' Favorites annual book awards. Her most recent short story collection, BODY LANGUAGE, contains stories about the resilience of the human spirit. To help writers who haven't been able to find an agent, she wrote THE BIG BOOK OF SMALL PRESSES AND INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS.

She currently splits her time between Tempe, Arizona, where her husband is a professor, and Santa Rosa, California, where she tries to stay out of the way of fires.

Find out more at: https://maryleemacdonald.com

Closed door romance charged with tender passion

Set in mid-eighteenth-century England, The Heir and the Enchantress by Paullett Golden, (The Enchantresses Book 5) delivers a romance that woos seventeen-year-old Hazel Trethow and twenty-year-old Harold Hobbs into a relationship neither wants. While this romance novel is part of a series, it is a complete story and can be read without reading the previous books. My only regret is that I haven’t read the first four books. 

 

About the Book: The Heir and the Enchantress

As the story opens, Hazel has her mind set on marrying for love rather than getting trapped in an arranged marriage with the man she was betrothed to as a child. She fancies herself a matchmaker and puts a scheme in place to find a love match for herself and her best friend, Agnus. The consequences are disastrous and she finds herself trapped in a scandal that will ruin them both.

Harold Hobbs, her betrothed, is busy trying to save his family from ruin due to his father’s poor choices. He has no intention of marrying Hazel but before he makes the announcement to his father, he meets her. The encounter surprises them both as attraction sparks a change of mind. But then the scandal erupts and in a very clever plot twist they end up married. I’ll say no more because I don’t want to spoil this multi-layered plot that pits the young couple against the manipulation of their controlling fathers. The author throws a very interesting, non-conventional Nana into the mix that adds humor and much more.

@donnasundblad Book Hookup Review The Heir and the Enchantress #bookhookup #bookreview #bookreviews #bookrecommendations #cleanromancebooks #cleanromancebooktok ♬ original sound - Donna Sundblad

Book Review: The Heir and the Enchantress

The Heir and the Enchantress is emotionally satisfying and delivers an optimistic ending. The unpredictable plot is rife with secrets, obstacles, and family challenges. The complex characters' strengths and weaknesses make the drama believable. As for the romance, Golden embraces a closed-door approach charged with tender passion. Her tasteful portrayal of desire made me melt. I think people who enjoyed the Carla Kelly's Regency Romances Series will find The Heir and the Enchantress to their liking. I loved every aspect of this book and am happy to give it 5 stars. I recommend it to people who enjoy historical romance, closed-door romance, and regency romance.

Other books in this series include:

The Earl and The Enchantress (The Enchantresses Book 1)

The Duke and The Enchantress (The Enchantresses Book 2)

The Baron and The Enchantress (The Enchantresses Book 3)

The Colonel and The Enchantress (The Enchantresses Book 4)

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As BookHookup, I am a longtime book reviewer. I received a free review copy of this book from BookTasters and have not received compensation for reviewing or recommending it. Some links in this post are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliate sites.

 

About the Author: Paullett Golden

Celebrated for her complex characters, realistic conflicts, and sensual portrayal of love, Paullett Golden writes historical romance for intellectuals. Her novels, set primarily in Georgian England, challenge the genre's norm by starring characters loved for their flaws, imperfections, and idiosyncrasies. Her plots explore human psyche, mental and physical trauma, and personal convictions. Her stories show love overcoming adversity. Whatever our self-doubts, love will out.