Beautifully illustrated motavational book for dancers 12 and up

Ballerina Wisdom for Dance and Life is a short motivational book filled with creative inspiration and stunning illustrations. The illustrations paint a charming backdrop depicting the beauty and graceful expression of dance while the practical advice offers encouragement to help pre-professional dancers (ages 12 and up) to develop faithfulness and self-dedication in the face of the rigorous hard work required to reach their dreams and realize their passion with confidence and joy.

Book Review: Ballerina Wisdom for Dance

I’m happy to give this book 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend Ballerina Wisdom for Dance and Life as a gift for dance students, as well as those who have practiced their craft for years and could use a motivational pick-me-up to rekindle their zeal and renew their devotion with a reminder to stay the course even when feeling overwhelmed or spent as they put on their dance shoes to perform this graceful expressive art form.

 

About the author: Once Upon a Dance

Ballerina Wisdom for Dance and Life is brought to you by the mother-daughter duo, Once Upon a Dance, named a Top 10 Author (2022) by Outstanding Creator Awards and honored with over 50 book awards and a Kirkus Star. They donate all royalties to charities through 2030. Teacher Terrel grew up dancing, and she taught dance for decades. Ballerina K is living her dreams as a professional ballerina.

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As BookHookup I received a free review copy of this book from Blackberry Book Tours but was not 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.

Must read murder mystery couched in a darkly fantastical world

I’m not a fan of explicit gore portrayed in much of today’s horror genre but I do enjoy elevated horror and dark fantasy thrillers that leave something to the imagination. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Umbrate by A.D Jones, but the back cover intrigued me. A detective story in a world with Humans, Dwarves, Elves, and “the shadowy Umbral populace.” I read the opening pages and decided to give it a read and so pleased I did.

The story unfolds through the perspective of the complex human protagonist, Detective Vanic Bradley. A good guy, but troubled and flawed, and full of regrets. But he is good at his job. The “shadowy” Umbrals are introduced through Vanic’s nightmares as he relives a haunting encounter. Its physical features sounded zombieish. I thought, Oh no! The Umbrals are zombies. (Zombies are my least favorite ghouls because they tend to be mindless, indestructible, decrepit creatures that kill and turn people into zombies often within a shallow predictable plot. That is not the case in Umbrate. The Umbraals are calculating humanoids that can be the good guys or the bad guys and live integrated into society elevating the question of who to believe and trust.

One of the things I enjoyed most in this story is Vanic’s growth as a character. As the plot unfolded I cared about him more and more as his viewpoint transformed. He faces difficult choices in an extremely high-risk situation that gradually brings about personal growth and an evolution of his Umbral perception and with it, mine.

I recommend Umbrate to readers who enjoy unpredictable, suspenseful, high-stakes murder mysteries couched in a darkly fantastical world. This whodunnit crime mystery is rife with action, danger, and adventure, with a dash of romance and plenty of drama. The writing hooked me at the start and pulled me along to a satisfying end. I highly recommend this book to people who like elevated horror, dark fantasy, and detective stories. I'm happy to give it 5 out of 5 stars.

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I received a copy of this book through Black Phoenix Book Tours and 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.

 

 

Crime thriller that won't disappoint!

Fireson Bay by G. G. Stokes is a psychological thriller rife with action, suspense, drama, romance, and clever unpredictable plot twists. Agent Bay takes on a dead cop case and with the help of small-town Coroner Dr. Lucretia Cook is soon on the trail of a serial killer. I was into it from the start and the breathtaking pacing kept the pages turning with the discovery that all the victims are all serial killers. I was thinking, this would make a great movie!

 

Cook and Fireson fall in love and their relationship adds depth to the plot with all kinds of things raising questions about her. She’s a secretive person with a dysfunctional family past. When an attempt is made on her life it raises more questions. Does she know something that could help catch the serial killer? OR Is she a serial killer? OR is she a woman who has suffered great loss in the past and it affects her present?

Check out the TikTok Review here 

Bookhookup Review: Fireson Bay

I don’t want to say too much because I wouldn’t want to spoil this read for anyone. I think it will make my top ten list for 2024. What I will say is that I loved untangling this murder mystery and trying to figure out who dunnit. But I didn’t know until the reveal at the end. If you enjoy crime thriller mysteries that take a twist that turns everything on its head Fireson Bay will not disappoint! Highly recommend it to those who enjoy books like DCI Harry Grimm CrimeThrillers by David J. Gatward. Fireson Bay delivers it all with a side of romance. I am happy to award Fireson Bay 5 out of 5 stars and I look forward to reading Fireson Bay: Resurrection (book 2).

 

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As BookHookup, I am a longtime book reviewer. I received a free review copy of this book from the author 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