Happy World Book Day. Look over the reviews here on BookHookup and find your next read!
Thursday, March 2, 2023
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
Riveting spy novel with thriller plot lines and political overtones
Book Review: Empire by John Fullerton
As BookHookup, I am a long-time book reviewer and received a free review copy of this book in collaboration with Black Tide 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 Author John Fullerton
John
Fullerton was, for a time, a ‘contract laborer’ for the UK’s Secret Intelligence
Service, an experience that formed the basis of his recent Cold War spy
trilogy. He’s lived or worked in 40 countries as a journalist and covered a
dozen wars. Fullerton was employed by Reuters for 20 years with postings in
Hong Kong, Delhi, Beirut, Nicosia, Cairo, and London. Emperor is his tenth
novel. He lives in Scotland and has begun a new espionage series set in the UK
and Germany. For more information check out his website at https://johnfullertonauthor.scot/
Tuesday, February 28, 2023
Fairy tale for kids 2-6 in search of self worth
The story of Princess Fluffy Plumpkin reads like a modern-day fairytale with a moral. It opens with an unhappy Princess Fluffy. She may be royalty, but she doesn’t feel like it. The source of her unhappiness is how she looks. Even as a princess, she compares herself to her sisters with their short colorful fur. Her fur is not short or colorful and she feels that even her parents treat her differently. She tries and tries to change how she looks but nothing works. As a last resort, she follows her brother’s advice. His plan works at first but doesn’t bring lasting change.
This fairy-tale brims with encouragement and uplifting moments for kids 2-6 years old who see flaws in their appearance. Princess Fluffy Easts Pink is engaging. Filled with interactive illustrations that depict Princess Fluffy’s journey of discovery. She realizes the advantages to being different and overcomes her feelings of inferiority. This delightful story delivers an important message on a child’s level. We are all unique. A person’s value should not be based on how they look. This story’s message will help kids love themselves and learn not to compare themselves with others in search of self-worth. I highly recommend this book for young kids and early readers. I’m happy to award it 5 stars.
As BookHookup, I am a long-time book reviewer and I received this book as a free review copy 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 author Chris Roy
Chris Roy was raised on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He is a boxing trainer, and a tattoo artist.
Young Adult books:
- Sad Sally Salad
- Alex
Children’s books:
- When a Brave Bear Fights Cancer (by Carola Schmidt, edited by Chris Roy)
- Chubby’s Tale: the true story of a Teddy bear who beat cancer (by Carola Schmidt, edited by Chris Roy)
- Little Ricky’s Ambition (by Richard Lewis, Jr., edited by Chris Roy)
- Princess Fluffy Plumpkin Eats Pink
Saturday, February 25, 2023
Imaginative, fun, & gets kids moving
Daryl and the Dancing Dolls brings a magical touch to everyday life. It is the believable magic of childhood that used to keep me awake to see my stuffed animals and dolls come to life at midnight.
Daryl and the Dancing Dolls Book Review
Once Upon a Dance delivers another fun read for young children and early readers. The story centers on Daryl a truck driver who lives a routing life until one day when she is sent on a unknown delivery route in a special purple truck. That day, driving a purple truck on that unknown route, magic touches Daryl’s life when her cargo of dolls comes to life. I don’t want to say more to avoid spoilers but I can say this is a fun read filled with full-page colorful illustrations.
Within the pages of Daryl and the Dancing Dolls, Ballerina Konora joins the story-telling with photos and suggestions for movement exploration as she encourages kids to act out the story in their own way or to follow the dance-step photos. What a great concept. This book is entertaining and encourages interaction and imaginative play by an award-winning ballet teacher! Engaging! I give it five stars. While it is recommended for children six and up, I do think this story will appeal to children as young as four. And if they enjoy this story, I also recommend Frankie’s Wish by the same authors. It is just as imaginative, fun, and gets the kids moving.
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 Once Upon a Dance Authors
Once Upon a Dance is an award-winning mother-daughter collaboration.
Ballerina Konora climbed the ballet ladder to pro, and she’s thrilled to be living her dreams dancing with Ballet Idaho. Along the way, she danced iconic roles such as Sugar Plum Fairy and Cinderella.
Teacher Terrel taught dance for decades and was honored by her City Council for “embodying the spirit of partnership and commitment to children in our community” for her work with young dancers. She’s breathed ballet from every angle and worked in early childhood education, for non-profits supporting kids, and as a university English teacher as a Peace Corps volunteer.
Once Upon a Dance 2021/2022 Awards: Mom’s Choice Gold Award, Family Choice Award, Royal Dragonfly First Place, PenCraft Award First Place, Firebird First Place, Pinnacle: Best Book Juvenile Fiction, Independent Press Award Winner, International Impact Book Award Winner, Outstanding Creator Awards Winner, Readers Favorite Certified Great Read, Indie’s Today 5-Star Recommended, The Wishing Shelf 5-Star, Literary Titan 5-Star Award.
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
Four Square Miles where family survival meets organized crime
Four Square Miles the prequel by Keith Michael Preston unfolds through an omniscient third-person narrator looking in on a gritty inner four-square mile section of early 90s New York City. It centers on the Gento family where Mrs. Gento struggles as a windowed mother of two to not only make ends meet but to keep her children safe. Her oldest, Nuccio, has dropped out of school to support his family and worries about his attractive teenage sister, Maria, who is hanging out with the wrong people and placing herself in danger.
The Westerns, a rough group of gun pushers that come in and take over small corrupt towns and cities like Four Square, enter the picture, and clash with the local thugs plans' of controlling things.
For Square Miles the prequel moves along quickly as family life fiction is infiltrated by organized crime. The protagonist, Nuccio Gento, is a loyal son and friend, and protective brother who navigates hard times, young love with a girl with a disapproving father, and faces difficult decisions when he comes up against organized crime.
Book Review: Four Square Miles the prequel
In For Square Miles the prequel, family survival meets organized crime head on. It is tale of love, drama, sacrifice, corruption, and redemption with consequences. The characters feel real. No one is perfect, but many have good qualities. I hoped for the best for Nuccio as the pages turned. Could he come through it all on the right side of things? I recommend this book to readers who enjoy organized crime thrillers, family sagas, and coming of age in the 90s. While this book is a prequel, the story does stand on its own, but certainly whets the appetite to reach for Four Square Miles the layoff (Four Square Miles series), book 1 of 4. I give it a strong 4 stars.
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 Author Keith Michael Preston
Keith started writing as a screenwriter of numerous topics and genres. Although he still writes screenplays, he ventured into novel writing to share his work with the public. Keith's dream is to have one of his stories on a network station or the big screen. Keith is married with two sons and lives in New York. www.KeithMichaelPreston.com