A few weeks ago, Matt and I were enjoying a lunch at a great Mexican restaurant, Flores, and this beautiful piece of art caught my eye. The artist’s name is in the lower right hand corner. I immediately thought of my good friend, Resa, at graffitiluxandmurals.com because she has an eye for stunning street art that she shares on her blog. I had to get some photos, so I pulled out my cell and took a few. Then I sent them to Resa, and she was thrilled to include them in a post last week. Since I was on a blogging break, I’m sharing her fabulous post today where she not only spotlights this gorgeous painting, but many other faces that will take your breath away.
Please click on over to Resa’s blog for more! She is an amazing seamstress, photographer, artist, and friendwho raises the bar when it comes to supporting others. 💖
In addition to Resa’s blog post, if you saw mine from Monday, you’ll know that my haiku “The Reveal” was published on Gobblers by Masticadores. Well, Resa left a comment on Gobblers, and here’s one of her lines: “This Haiku is so pretty, I want it to be a longer poem.” Not only did she inspire me, but she challenged me too. I met the challenge head on, doing my best to create a series of six haiku – #1 is the original.
(1) The Reveal
in the night abyss shimmering with white diamonds hope winks with promise
(2)
optimism shines through each gem pushing aside sierra-sized angst
(3)
mystery flows from one star to the next for our steady pondering
(4)
wonder breathes beneath darkness in its cluster of bright luminaries
(5)
glimmers emit warmth fulfilling souls longing for pure enlightenment
(6)
peace sinks into hearts entwined with a promise from one momentous wink
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I hope peace found you through this haiku series, and thanks again, Resa, for using the mural I sent you, andfor your continued kindness!Thanks to all of you for stopping by,and I wish you a magical December. 💖
All available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Click on sidebar imagefor more info, and to purchase for your holiday shopping!Thank you! ❤️
In the last few days since Cora’s Quest was released, it has reached Top New Release in Baby and Toddler Beginner Reader Books, #1 New Release in Children’s Self-Esteem and Self-Respect, and #1 New Release in Children’s Mammal Books! I’ve never paid attention to Amazon’s Best Seller’s Rankings, but I’ll admit it’s a great feeling to see these headlines pop up! 🎉👏🏼 Thank you to those who have offered Chris and I good wishes, and who have already purchased copies. I’m delighted to share Cora’s first review, 5 stars, from a fabulous writer herself, D. L. Finn from dlfinnauthor.com:
Cora’s Quest is a sweet story about a deer’s family outing. Cora is enjoying the forest until things change quickly, and now she needs to find her courage. A fantastic story to read to your little ones or for young readers to enjoy. The illustrations are beautiful and full of color, and the story is woven into a lesson that will resonate with children and their families. Here is an engaging passage: “An owl hoots/from its lofty perch./ The wind howls,/swirling around Cora./Grunts and growls/in the distance/steal her courage!/ They act like thieves!” I can easily recommend this story for young readers and those who read to them.
Thanks again, Denise! ❤️🙏 And if you’d like to purchase a copy of Cora’s Quest, please click on the image below that will take you to Amazon. Also available on Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.
Now for some book reviews…I always seem to be long overdue in sharing book reviews, but the intention is always good! Reading has been a slow-going process, but I’ve read eight wonderful books that I’ll highlight in two separate posts. I give all of these books 5 glowing stars and can highly recommend…
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Size Always Matters by Sally Cronin is a tool that can be used as reference repeatedly throughout the years. Cronin shares her story of reaching a point of literally life or death, choosing life. She mustered up the willpower and fortitude to lose 154 lbs while studying nutrition, and later, becoming a nutritional therapist and health consultant. I admire her for being transparent with her weight struggles in order to help others because it’s not always easy to shed the mask. She compiled a program that worked for her, so she lays it all out from page to page for us to absorb and utilize.
I remember when I was young, my dad used to say, “Good health is no laughing matter.” I couldn’t really grasp the full, profound meaning of his words at a young age because honestly, I thought I had all the time in the world to live! Now in my early sixties, I can attest to him being right. I’ve had my share of health issues, not food related, but I’m sure we all know that what we eat makes a difference for the better or worse. Cronin delves into the scientific formulas behind the simple concept of dieting, exercising, and hesitantly stepping on the scale to check those numbers – numbers that can make or break a day. She underscores the necessity to identify the physical, emotional, and mental attachments we have to food. She talks in depth about obesity and reiterates that it’s not about yoyo dieting. It’s about making a serious lifestyle change.
So, if you need to lose 10 lbs or 110 lbs, this book will serve as a beneficial guide to you attaining your goals. As a bonus, Cronin includes delicious recipes at the back of the book, which I intend to try, such as the Tomato Tostada, Baked Frittata, and Vegetable Casserole. Are you getting hungry? The last several months have been more of ‘grab pre-cooked dinners and go’ due to being busy and a hot, hot summer! But now that the temperature has dropped, I’m back in the kitchen, cooking dinners like old times. To learn more about Sally’s books, visit her at smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com.
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Orion’s Gift by Anneli Purchase is a riveting story involving romance and intrigue in the beautiful setting of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. The author creates a vivid world with landscape and climate that she knows well from her visits to this terrain. I loved this detail and felt as though I was there. Sylvia and Kevin are easy-to-like characters but authentic carrying their own baggage, running from their abusive spouses. Their paths cross, sparks fly, but can their evolving love endure the danger lurking around each corner? Their fear and secrets from each other have a way of creating a gap. I enjoy a good romance, but this book isn’t your usual love story. Abuse is always a heartbreaking topic to read about or to discuss. However, as I turned the pages, I hoped that Kevin and Sylvia would find peace and happiness at the end. Orion’s Gift is the first book I’ve read from Anneli Purchase, and I know it won’t be the last. I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Engaging, compelling, action packed told in a vivid setting with dialogue that flows smoothly to the end. I couldn’t put it down! To learn more about Anneli, please pay her blog a visit at wordsfromanneli.com.
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I’ve read several books by D. L. Finn, both poetry and fiction, so I knew that Sounds in the Silence would be another can’t-put-it-down book. Finn engages the reader with this mystery written in a dual timeline spanning from the 1920s to the 1960s. We have the privilege of meeting Helen and Charles in 1924 who are madly in love, well liked, and enjoy throwing extravagant parties. They have a great time with their friends but insert Prohibition, and evil begins to loiter from the local church, keeping an eye on them. My concern for this lovely couple grew as I turned the pages. In the later era, Maria and Logan are a delightful, young couple who have a dream of owning a successful inn. They discover the perfect old house with a beautiful lakeside setting. However, its charm from decades ago has turned into dilapidation – livable, but renovations are needed before opening the doors to the public. While working diligently on the restorations, they realize they aren’t the only occupants living in the grand old house. A ghost seeks justice for a murder that occurred forty years earlier. Maria, especially, can’t ignore her curiosity, so she and Logan dive deep into uncovering what actually happened in the 1920s. But in doing so, they find themselves in danger. Their rescue pets add amusement and warmth to the tale and become useful in solving the mystery. Sounds in the Silence is a captivating novel filled with tender moments of romance, intense mystery, and paranormal elements. To find out more about D. L. Finn’s books, visit her at dlfinnauthor.com.
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Three-Penny Memories by Barbara Harris Leonhard is a powerful poetic account of the author’s life. Leonhard speaks of her own life-threatening illness at six years old, and then later on when she is unable to carry a baby to term. However, most of the poems provide a moving glimpse into a mother-daughter’s relationship. I was struck by Leonhard’s queries: “How can a daughter question her love for her mother while helping her to navigate the progression of Alzheimer’s? Can she learn to love the stranger that her mother has become?” These are questions that can only be answered by someone who has cared for an Alzheimer’s patient. In “Daughter, Like Mother” Leonhard writes, “I can relate, Mom, to how histories crumble/How memories burn off/like the dew in hot sun/Our paths align/You held me/Now I hold you.” While reading this emotional and beautiful memoir, I felt pain, joy, conflict, and devotion between mother and daughter. Leonhard’s memories make me pause, remembering when my brother-in-law had Alzheimer’s, and my sister was his caregiver. She is a retired nurse, but even so, caring for him in the various stages of the disease was both physically and emotionally challenging. The disease took his life eight years ago. This is a provocative collection about accepting and coping with the hand that life deals us – poetry that will truly touch your heart and soul. To learn more about Barbara, visit her at https://extraordinarysunshineweaver.blog.
I hope you enjoyed my reviews. Each book comes in e-book and paperback. Simply click on the images to purchase your copy on Amazon.
Thank you for stopping by, and please don’t leave empty-handed. These books would make great Christmas gifts! Happy holiday shopping! ~ Lauren ❤️
Ghosted by Paula Light had me captivated from the very first chapter. Lily is the delightful protagonist who suddenly deals with the loss of her brother, Jack. A gap of time has passed since they have spoken, so she lugs around this guilt daily. But she also doesn’t take his death lightly as niggles of suspicion occupy her mind. The story touches on three genres I enjoy: suspense, mystery, and romance. And it was fun to read about familiar cities in Southern California that were major pieces from the puzzle of my past – Anaheim (my childhood backyard with great memories of Disneyland), Fullerton (my high school stomping ground), Buena Park (where my husband and I said “I do”), and I-5 (the highway we have traveled a million times).
Lily’s heart becomes confused from the attention of two men, one solid and reliable, and the other who begins to feel like her soulmate, wooing her with “flowery flirtatiousness.” She deals with sorrow that many of us can relate to. Even the popular act of flipping houses finds its way into the story. Paula’s storytelling transports us back to earlier years and then into the future with many twists and turns along the way. I found myself laughing, a bit tearful, and sighing throughout. The language is real as though I stepped into the scenes, living the events with Lily and her authentic supporting characters.
One sample of Paula’s writing that I’d like to highlight is “Sweet girls didn’t want to harbor ugly feelings. We wanted to be emotionally generous and forgiving. Loving and nurturing. We didn’t seek revenge. We boxed up those nasty feelings, wrapped up the box nice and snug in glittery paper, plopped a pretty bow on top, and stuffed that sucker far back in the mental storage room.”
How many sweet girls out there can share Lily’s contemplations? Can you feel her struggle with emotions she believes should be ignored?
And during a somber time in Lily’s life, Paula’s description is poignant and beautiful…
“…It was freezing in here. But suddenly the cold lifted, and I felt a swirl of warmth wrap around me like a hug. I closed my eyes and let the feeling envelop me. It was a soft blanket of comfort, and smelled like lemons, reminding me of Mom’s citrus scent. It was the closest I’d felt to her in a long time, and I sensed she was simply trying to reach out to me and provide a bit of calmness.” These lines brought forth loving memories of my mom who passed away over a decade ago.
And a sample of the passion: “But the feelings, oh God, the feelings – those were sharper than ever. How I’d drowned in a sea of bliss when he kissed my breath away with waves crashing at the edge of the world…”
The emotions grab you right off the page, and if it were feasible, I would have nestled into my comfy sofa with a cup of coffee or glass of wine, depending on the time of day, and read until the turn of the last page. But life has its way, so instead of resisting, I took my time and looked forward to each quiet moment when I would either laugh, cry, or cheer for Lily. When I reached the end, I felt good about Paula’s conclusion. Yet, as with any great book, melancholy sank in because I had finished! So, I encourage you to grab your cup of tea or coffee, or to pour your glass of wine, settle into your favorite chair, and immerse yourself into the world of Lily. Highly recommended for those who enjoy a compelling mystery and suspense, a good laugh, and just enough passion to entice. 5 glowing stars!
I’ve enjoyed reading three books that not only entertained, but they educated as well, and kept me from doing chores around the house. 🙂 And I hope after you read my reviews, you’ll leave with a book or two or three!Forget the chores; they’re not going away anytime soon…….
D. Wallace Peach owns that special talent to create believable, sensational kingdoms in stories so captivating that I can’t put her books down. Her latest novel, The Necromancer’s Daughter, is no exception. While fantasy was never my preferred genre, Diana’s books have converted me. Her compelling storytelling sets her apart from other fantasy authors. In this new tale, Diana’s authentic world-building and characterization that either warmed my heart or made my blood boil kept me engaged once again. The expressive language in every paragraph portrayed a vivid scene where I felt as though I was watching the movie instead of reading the novel. And while I never gave dragons much thought, I will now……with a gentle regard. The main characters: Aster, Barus, Joreh, and Teko, had a special way of flowing into my heart generating empathy. I was immediately drawn to Aster’s charm and compassion, hoping she would find fulfillment once she reached the finish line of her journey.
Where battle and bloodshed are not devoid in this story, love, friendship, camaraderie, and a heartwarming father-daughter relationship, prove to deepen the tale as Aster stands by her convictions even when she knows the enemy deems them sinful. Of course, the grace of good struggles against the persistence of evil, and the characters are faced with life-changing decisions where the consequences don’t always present clarity. I tend to get emotional, so I found myself fighting back tears in some parts which surprised me. I didn’t expect to grow so attached to the female protagonist and her circle of support. But their feelings of love, anger, confusion, and realization were palpable on each page.
I absolutely loved this book – my favorite so far of Diana’s. The Necromancer’s Daughter was not only action-packed, but Diana wove magic into the tale, along with sweet and subtle romance. Highly recommended for all fantasy genre enthusiasts, and even those who aren’t but who are willing to be converted!
The concept of Robbie Cheadle and her son, Michael, teaming up to create delightful and educational children’s books does not rest in its infant stages. Not only do they write entertaining stories that showcase Robbie’s incredible fondant, they also incorporate significant messages for the readers to assimilate. I’ve read several of their fabulous collaborations, so I had no doubt that Haunted Halloween Holiday would be just as adorable and clever.
This Halloween tale stars Count Sugular and his wife, Witch Honey. They are thrilled to be invited to a Halloween Party by the Sugarpop Bats, which they plan to attend, so they decide to hire a caravan for an enjoyable weekend with their family. I love how each character is introduced with its own cute and clever limerick, and the color photos of cake fondant to correspond with the story add great depth and are simply fabulous.
The characters’ appearance and their personalities are all expertly created by this mother-son duo. Not only is this book a perfect treat for children to read during Halloween, but as I mentioned before, the authors include underlying messages and lessons within the story that can be applied to real life. I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend for anyone, any age, who enjoys a Halloween treat of a great story and vital lessons to take away.
Amanda in France: Fire in the Cathedral by Darlene Foster is my first book to read in Darlene’s Amanda series, and I was pleasantly surprised. Amanda is a twelve-year-old girl who loves to travel to different countries, and in this story, she is fortunate to visit Paris with her best friend, Leah, and Leah’s Aunt Jenny. I gather that Amanda has the innate ability to either invite trouble or trouble seeks her out! Sure enough, when peculiar things begin to happen, Amanda can’t let them go. The sleuth in her stays on the trail to the very end until the mystery is solved.
The characters are engaging and authentic and so is the flowing dialogue. As Amanda and Leah observe the many historical landmarks, so does the reader. And when they learn the backstory, the reader becomes enlightened as well. Darlene integrates into this tale the fire that broke out in the Notre Dame cathedral in April 2019. The reader ascertains this devastating news through the eyes and heart of Amanda, only to feel the same disappointing discovery and empathy. Yet, there’s more to the story…
Amanda in France may be intended for youth, but I found it to be entertaining and delightful. Amanda is a likable young girl that everyone will love to read about. That this series includes an educational element is a benefit for all ages. I look forward to reading more of her adventures, and I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a good mystery and loves to travel to faraway lands!
Baydreamer Writes ~ Lauren Scott, Author 