The New Adventures of A.R. Achnid ~ Spotlight with Giveaway

Book Details:

Book Title: The New Adventures of A.R. Achnid (Revised Edition)

Author: Sandi Smith
Illustrator: Kathy Lee
Category:  Children's Fiction,  126 pages

Genre: Children's Chapter Book, Animals, Bugs and Spiders

Publisher:  Mindstir Media
Release date:  January 3, 2017
Content Rating: G

​Book Description:

Harold! There goes that spider! See, he is running on the floor! That spider has to go. He cannot live here anymore!!! Oh, no! Beth looks very, very angry. What has A.R. Achnid done now? Well, before A.R. got into big trouble with Beth, he had a lot of wonderful adventures.

There are ten different adventures in this book. There is the time he went to the circus and rode on a balloon and then had some shoo fly pie. Another day, A.R. and Rex (a Great Dane, who is A.R.’s best friend) decided to walk all the way into town, and they had such a wonderful time. Then, A.R. and his family went to New York City for the biggest craft fair ever (which was for spiders only), plus many, many other adventures.

Unfortunately, in the tenth story, A.R.’s current living situation is going to need an adjustment. Something changes in the lives of Harold and Beth (the humans) that will make things very difficult for A.R. Come along with A.R. for some fun, and find out what small bundle will cause problems for A.R. and his family.

As A.R. says, “Spiders rule!”
​

Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble
Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Sandi Smith spent her time as a young girl combing the shelves of the public library. She has always enjoyed the magic that books have to offer and was inspired by her high school English teacher, Mr. Coolidge to embrace the arts. The author found her calling as a writer early one morning as her first story came to her in the form of a poem. Since then she has written more than 15 children’s books, with her most popular series about the adventures of an adorable spider in the A.R. Achnid series.

Sandi is happily married to her inspiration and husband of 40 years, John. She continues to write for her two precious grandchildren. When she’s not penning a new story, Sandi and John like to camp, kayak and to enjoy the simple life in their home in Pembroke, NH.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest

Watch the book trailer:

BOOK SPOTLIGHT TOUR SCHEDULE:

June 18 - Words And Peace - book spotlight / giveaway
June 18 - Reading Authors - book spotlight / giveaway
June 19 - Blooming with Books - book spotlight / giveaway
June 19 - Books for Books - book spotlight
June 20 - #redhead.with.book - book spotlight / giveaway
June 20 - fundinmental - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
June 20 - Writers N Authors -  book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
June 21 - A Mama's Corner of the World - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
June 22 - Library of Clean Reads - book spotlight / giveaway
June 25 - Writers and Authors - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
June 25 - 100 Pages A Day - book spotlight / giveaway
June 26 - T's Stuff - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
June 27 - Locks, Hooks and Books - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
June 28 - Cheryl's Book Nook - book spotlight / giveaway
June 29 - This and That Book Blog - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
July 2     - The Autistic Gamer - book spotlight / giveaway
July 3     - Rea-View All About It - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
July 4     - Paulette's Papers - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
July 5     - Bound 2 Escape - book spotlight / giveaway
July 6     - Rockin' Book Reviews -  book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
July 9     - Svetlana's Reads and Views - book spotlight / giveaway
July 10   - Vithyas Blog - book spotlight
July 11   - Bookworm for Kids - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
July 12   - JBronder Book Reviews - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
July 13   - Cover2CoverBlog - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

Enter the Giveaway!

Win a hardcover copy of

The New Adventures of A.R. Achnid

(open to USA and Canada - 1 winner)

Ends July 21, 2018

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The Wounded Shadow ~ Review

The Wounded Shadow
The Darkwater Saga #3
By Patrick W. Carr

Oh, my! This is a fantastic conclusion to the Darkwater Saga. Picking up where The Shattered Vigil left off we are again faced with the utter collapse of the northern continent unless the Vigil can somehow overcome their loses and access the knowledge that Willet Dura has hidden away within his vault.

But the darkness that is the Darkwater is spreading and the Vigil and the Kings and Queens of the northern continent are being hunted. The Vigil know why they are a target of Cesla's now corrupted nature. But the reasoning behind the targetting of the rulers is unknown. If they can solve this mystery perhaps they can stop the darkness or at least halt its spread.

But nothing is ever easy and still Willet hasn't earned the trust of the Vigil have a scrying stone. With Willet, Bolt, Rory, and Gael out of contact with the remaining Vigil they are on their own as the coming battle with the evil of the Darkwater Forest draws ever closer. Using his skills as a reeve Willet follows what they do know - hoping that some long-forgotten truth will be discovered giving them the answers they so desperately need.

Meanwhile, Pellin, Allta, and Mark are on a quest of their own. But the knowledge and aid that Pellin seeks will come with a heavy cost. Along the way they make a discovery that changes everything they thought they knew about those who carry the dark vaults of the Darkwater. But is the knowledge something to which they use to their advantage or has it come too late to make a difference.

Toria Deel and Fess are own their own mission to help those guarding against the Forest. With Wag to aid them, they are a formidable force. But the Forest is vast and the boundaries ever growing. And the enemy - well, let's just say that he is not about to follow rules when victory is his aim.

Ealdor, whom the Vigil view as a symptom of Willet's mind slowly succumbing to his time within the Darkwaters, is a pivotal part of the story. Not to give anything away and spoil it but it is quite interesting.

I really believe this is the best book of the series - which is really saying something because I've thoroughly enjoyed them all. Now you can't read these out of order they must be read as they were released or you'll totally miss out on key moments that explain later scenes. The Vigil can't be fully appreciated in relationship to Willet without the previous books. This would be an excellent summer reading project if you have the time.

For those who have read Carr's previous series, The Staff and The Sword, you will not feel as if you are in the same story with key names of characters and places changed. No this is a unique and unto itself story world. The characters come to life under Carr's skillful craftsmanship and will stay with long after you have closed the book. This is a fantasy but should appeal to a wider audience as the fantasy is not an over the top smacking you in the face not letting you ever forget it fantasy. There is a subtle thread that hints at the Fall throughout providing an additional layer to the overall story. Those who enjoy the works of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis should enjoy this book and series.

I was provided a complimentary review copy of this book by the publisher - Bethany House with no expectations of a positive review ~ all opinions expressed are my own.

About the Book:

The Final Battle over the Darkwater Has Begun. 

Will Anything Be Able to Stop the Evil Sweeping across the North?

The kings and queens of the northern continent lay siege to the Darkwater Forest, frantic to contain its evil. But rumors of gold and aurium have lured deserters and the reckless into its shadow, creating a growing army that can see in the dark and fight like the gifted. Desperate after the death and dissolution of their greatest ally, Willet and the rest of the Vigil seek the truth of what lies at the heart of the evil they face. They delve the mind of an ancient enemy and find an answer far worse and more unimaginable than they had feared. 

But while they seek to understand their past and peril, danger stalks the cities of the north striking at the rulers of the kingdoms. As Willet and the rest of the Vigil search for answers, the Vigil is scattered with an ever-growing darkness around them. They must discover a path to keep their land safe or risk losing the world

When We Say Father ~ Review

When We Say Father
Unlocking the Power of the Lord's Prayer
By Adrian Rogers and
     Steve Rogers

When we say Father we come to the name with certain expectations or disappointments all based on our previous experiences with our own fathers. But this is not how we should come before our Heavenly Father. Rather we need to reset our thinking because God our Father is so much more than what we've ever experienced in our current physical experience.

Prayer is a conversation with God and we've been given an example of how we are to begin this conversation with the Lord's Prayer. We are to come before God addressing his nurturing nature - that of an ideal father. We come before God addressing Him as Father but we must realize that He is not the Father to all but rather to those who have accepted His gift of being born into His family.

I really like When We Say Father and how each line of the prayer is addressed and explained - putting it into perspective for our own lives. When we pray we are to start out by addressing God directly exalting His name. We then ask for His will to be done - in other words, we put God and His wants first in our conversation. By putting God first we don't focus on ourselves - who would start off a conversation with someone saying, "I want such-and-such and this-and-that." Self-focus distracts us from a full and meaningful conversation with God. Only after we focus on God do we ask Him to provide for our daily needs (when we worry about the day-to-day things we are insulting God by not trusting Him to provide).  We follow this by asking for His forgiveness and His assistance to avoid temptations that would lead us into future sins. We end our conversation as we began it focusing on our Father, His kingdom, and His everlasting glory.

This is a lovely book that helps one to understand in a more complete way the gift of prayer. The small size makes it easy to handle and to keep readily handy. You'll want to reread this book as you grow in your daily prayer life with the various scripture references it will prove to be a valuable aid.

I was provided a review copy of this book by the publisher BH Publishing with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. 

About the Book:
Adrian Roger's last written manuscript before his passing in 2005, has been edited and brought together by his son Steve, as a final joint work. When We Say Father takes the Lord's Prayer and breaks it down to its most basic components for readers to easily learn how to pray from the ultimate source, Jesus himself.

The Kremlin Conspiracy ~ Review

The Kremlin Conspiracy
By Joel C. Rosenberg

In 1999 a series of attacks on civilian apartments left Russia and her citizens in a panic. From this crisis, Aleksandr Luganov arose as the champion of the people taking leadership against these attacks and smoothing his path to leadership of the nation. It was during this time that Oleg Kraskin began his own rise within the Russian government because of his engagement with Luganov's daughter Marina.

Meanwhile in the United States Marcus Ryker was moving up in his own life after a few life-changing incidents. Military service, Secret Service, marriage to his childhood sweetheart Elena Garcia. When an attack by terrorist comes to the White House Marcus makes a name for himself that gains him national and international attention.

As the years pass the respective jobs both men have takes a toll on them both. As tensions mount, choices will have to be made - ones that could have far-ranging ramifications both personally, nationally, and globally.

As one of the characters says, quoting Solzhenitsyn, "In keeping silent about evil, in burying it so deep within us that no sign of it appears on the surface, we are implanting it, and it will rise up a thousandfold in the future. When we neither punish nor reproach evildoers, we are not simply protecting their trivial old age, we are ripping the foundations of justice from beneath new generations." This is a bold statement that quite aptly describes the entirety of this book.

Can a good man or woman stand by when evil is being done and take no action to stop or right what is being done? This is the question that both Oleg and Marcus must decide for themselves. And what they decide will change everything for them both.

I really enjoyed this book once I was able to get into it. The early pages of the story just seemed to drag for me. But getting past the character introductions the action and the story seemed to read quicker. The author takes creative liberties with current events and creates a believable and entirely plausible story. 

I was provided a complimentary review copy of this book by Tyndale House Publishers with no expectations of a positive review ~ All opinions expressed are my own.


About the Book:

Everything he learned to protect our president, he must use to take out theirs.

With an American president distracted by growing tensions in North Korea and Iran, an ominous new threat is emerging in Moscow. A czar is rising in the Kremlin, a Russian president feverishly consolidating power, silencing his opposition, and plotting a brazen and lightning-fast military strike that could rupture the NATO alliance and bring Washington and Moscow to the brink of nuclear war. But in his blind spot is the former U.S. Secret Service agent, Marcus Ryker, trained to protect but ready to kill to save his country.

Goodreads title page

Goodreads author page

Amazon

Covert Assassin ~ Review

Covert Assassin
Justin Hall #13
By Ethan Jones

Everyone's, well mine at least, favorite intelligence agent is back with a new mission. CIS is assisting in trying to locate a missing British agent- one whose disappearance is highly suspicious. But each lead takes Justin Hall and Carrie O'Connor into a more intricate web of misdirection, omission, and half-truths.

This mission will find Justin and Carrie working with different international intelligence agencies whose help may be more hindrance than aid. And when a potential threat to a foreign dignitary is uncovered time and conflicting intelligence is working against them.

Covert Assassin by Author Ethan Jones is the latest Justin Hall thriller and what a mess of undercutting by foreign intelligence agencies! With a threat that could upend the current political balance in not only the region but the world, Justin and Carrie have their work cut out for them. The most difficult part of this assignment staying alive long enough to determine who to trust.

If you like intense no let up action this is one book you don't want to miss out on. And if you haven't read any of the previous Justin Hall books that won't be a problem as it easy to get into these books from the opening line and not feel as though you are missing something vital to the story. Highly recommended and word of warning you'll want to stay up late to find out just what comes next!

Smallfoot ~ Upcoming Movie Trailer

What if the world you thought you knew was more than you ever imagined? Well, that is the premise behind the upcoming Smallfoot.

An adventure for all ages, with original music and an all-star cast, “SMALLFOOT” turns the Bigfoot legend upside down when a bright young Yeti finds something he thought didn’t exist—a human. News of this “smallfoot” throws the simple Yeti community into an uproar over what else might be out there in the big world beyond their snowy village, in an all-new story about friendship, courage and the joy of discovery.

Additional Info.:

“Smallfoot” stars Channing Tatum (“The LEGO® Batman Movie,” the “Jump Street” films) as the Yeti, Migo, and James Corden (“Trolls,” “The Emoji Movie”) as the Smallfoot, Percy. Also starring are Zendaya (“Spider-Man: Homecoming”), Common (“Selma”), LeBron James (upcoming “Space Jam 2”), Gina Rodriguez (“Jane the Virgin”), Danny DeVito (“The Lorax”), Yara Shahidi (TV’s “Black-ish”), Ely Henry (TV’s “Justice League Action”), and Jimmy Tatro (“22 Jump Street”).

“Smallfoot” is directed by Karey Kirkpatrick, Annie Award-winning director of “Over the Hedge.” The film is produced by Bonne Radford (“Curious George”), Glenn Ficarra (“Storks,” “The is Us,”) and John Requa (“Storks,” “This is Us”). Serving as executive producers are Nicholas Stoller, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Jared Stern, Sergio Pablos, and Kirkpatrick. The creative team includes editor Peter Ettinger, and composer Heitor Pereira.

The film is set to debut in theaters on September 28, 2018.

From Warner Bros. Pictures and Warner Animation Group, “Smallfoot” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SMALLFOOTMovie/

Poppy ~ Book Spotlight with Giveaway

Will she choose the solitude she’s always known, 

or Noah’s sweet embrace?

Book Details:

Book Title:  Poppy (The Montgomery Sisters, Book 2) 
Author:  Kat Flannery

Category:  Adult Fiction,  170 pages

Genre:   Historical western romance

Publisher: Picco Press

Release date:  May 18, 2018

Tour dates: May 28 to June 15, 2018

Content Rating: PG

About the Book:

Poppy Montgomery has always been good with a gun and could fight her way out of anything. Tough as nails and a sharp shooter, her beauty deceives the outlaws she’s after.

Hot on the trail of the Clemmons gang, a group of outlaws who rob trains and killed an innocent woman and child a few months before, she is determined to make them pay for the sin’s they’ve committed by bringing them to justice.

Pinkerton, Noah Shaw is investigating a ring of stage robberies and knows the Clemmons gang is behind them. Told to track down the infamous redheaded bounty hunter, Noah gets more than he bargained for when he arrests Poppy for assault.

Handcuffed together the pair must work together to stop the robberies, and figure out who is behind them. But what happens when love interferes and thrusts Poppy into discovering emotions she never knew existed? Will she choose the solitude she’s always known, or Noah’s sweet embrace?

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ iBooks

Barnes and Noble ~ Kobo ~ Playster 

Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Kat Flannery’s love of history shows in her novels. She is an avid reader of historical, suspense, paranormal, and romance. She has her Certificate in Freelance and Business Writing.

A member of many writing groups, Kat enjoys promoting other authors on her blog. Kat enjoys teaching writing classes and giving back to other aspiring authors. She volunteers her time at the local library facilitating their writing group. She’s been published in numerous periodicals throughout her career

Her debut novel CHASING CLOVERS has been an Amazon Top 100 Paid bestseller. LAKOTA HONOR and BLOOD CURSE (Branded Trilogy) are Kat’s two award-winning novels and HAZARDOUS UNIONS is Kat’s first novella. Kat is currently hard at work on her next series, THE MONTGOMERY SISTERS.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook 

BOOK SPOTLIGHT TOUR:

May 28 - Working Mommy Journal - book spotlight / giveaway 

May 28 - Rockin' Book Reviews - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

May 28 - Jaquo Lifestyle Magazine - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

May 29 - Elizabeth McKenna Romance Author - book spotlight / giveaway

May 29 - A Mama's Corner of the World - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

May 30 - My Reading Journeys - book spotlight / giveaway

May 30 - The Book Drealms - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

May 31 - Library of Clean Reads - book spotlight / giveaway

June 1  - 100 Pages A Day - book spotlight / giveaway

June 4  - Jorie Loves A Story - book spotlight / author interview

June 4  - Blooming with Books - book spotlight / giveaway

June 5  - T's Stuff - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

June 5  - Writers N Authors - book spotlight / giveaway

June 6  - StoreyBook Reviews - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

June 7  - Locks, Hooks and Books - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

June 8  - Paulette's Papers - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

June 8  - Don't Judge, Read - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

June 11 - Literary Flits - book spotlight / giveaway

June 12 - Svetlana's Reads and Views - book spotlight 

June 13 - Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

June 14 - Bound 2 Escape - book spotlight / giveaway

June 15 - #redhead.with.book - book spotlight / giveaway

June 15 - The Book Girl  - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway

Enter the Giveaway!

Ends June 23, 2018

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