Dumbo Thoughts and Musings

DUMBO has to be everyone's favorite elephant. After all, he is so cute and those big ears what's not to love. Well, Dumbo is about to again get the big screen treatment in an all-new movie set to release on March 29, 2019.

Have you ever thought about joining the circus? If so what would you be or do? If I'd ever join a circus I would work with the animals. Most likely the horses and dogs. Brushing them so their coats would gleam beneath the lights as they went through their choreographed dances. The horses would have their hooves polished and would flash as they trotted beneath the tent.

The dogs would prance and jump - excited to hear the crowds cheer them on.  The littlest one would have no fears dancing around the ring and in a moment of exuberance leap upon ever climbing mounting block until she could lightly leap upon the backs of one of the horses.

The excitement of the show would slowly ebb away as the night came in and then the norma; quiet of crowd-less seats would fill the night. The animals would need a soothing hand to once again brush them down allowing them to relax for the next few hours. The horses would be offered water and feed (hay). The dogs would run around chasing one another as if a show had never taken place or as if they were children released from the confines of a schoolroom. And when my tasks of care would be done I'd visit with the other caregivers discussing our four-legged friends and the amusing events or exasperating events that filled our day.

What would you do? Give your imagination wings and let it take you away to the circus of your dreams. Who knows maybe there is a Dumbo waiting for your loving attention.

About The Movie (Synopsis)

From Disney and visionary director Tim Burton, “Dumbo” expands on the beloved classic story where differences are celebrated, family is cherished, and dreams take flight.   Circus owner Max Medici (Danny DeVito) enlists former star Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) and his children Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe (Finley Hobbins) to care for a newborn elephant whose oversized ears make him a laughingstock in an already struggling circus. But when they discover that Dumbo can fly, the circus makes an incredible comeback, attracting persuasive entrepreneur V.A. Vandevere (Michael Keaton), who recruits the peculiar pachyderm for his newest, larger-than-life entertainment venture, Dreamland. Dumbo soars to new heights alongside a charming and spectacular aerial artist, Colette Marchant (Eva Green), until Holt learns that beneath its shiny veneer, Dreamland is full of dark secrets.  

“Dumbo” soars into theaters on March 29.

Website: https://disney.com/dumbo

DUMBO Trailer

Their Ranch Reunion ~ Review

Their Ranch Reunion
Rocky Mountain Heroes #1
By Mindy Obenhaus

Carly Wagner loves her life in Ouray, Colorado. Though at times she has a few regrets in regard to her late husband. She has a delightful young daughter Megan. She owns and runs a successful B and B which she has hopes of expanding into the next house over. She just needs to buy out the half share that belongs to Andrew Stephens.

Andrew Stephens has just sold his company at a good profit and is in the process of purchasing another. Since leaving for college he's hardly been back to Ouray and he has some regrets especially as he was too late to say goodbye to his mother. But he's back and looking to give his grandmother's home a remodel so it can become a rental property.

With 8 weeks to get his grandmother's house into shape Andrew is more than a little surprised when Carly demands that he stop destroying her house. Hurt that his grandmother did this and never informed him of this change. And how could she give anything to the woman who broke his heart all those years ago? 

But when Carly's very livelihood is threatened Andrew does what he can to help out. He puts his skills to use to help Carly restore her inn and home. And he is about to lose his heart once again to the only woman that he's ever loved. But Carly loves her smalltown life and Andrew seems destined to be forever tied to Denver with his new business about to become a reality in just weeks. Can these two hearts find a home together or they be driven further apart than they were just months ago?

If you are looking for a staycation gentle read this would make a good choice. The story has a steady pace and is neither frantic nor draggy. The characters are relatable and not cliche as the story unfolds. If you are looking for a read that leaves you with a feel-good-feeling when you reach the conclusion this is one you'll want to add to your to-be-read pile.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.


About the Book:

The Rancher Next Door...

Single mom Carly Wagner is surprised to learn she'll have to share ownership of the home she's inherited with her first love--and first heartbreak--Andrew Stephens. The man who fled their tiny Western town is back and standing in the way of her dreams to expand her B and B. Now a successful businessman, Andrew has eight weeks to buy Carly out. But Carly's too stubborn to persuade--and too beautiful to ignore. When fire ravages her inn and she and her daughter move into their shared property, Andrew's in over his head. Time is running out and Andrew must decide: leave and chase another deal...or stay and chase Carly's heart.

Author: Mindy Obenhaus Genre: Contemporary Romance Publisher: Love Inspired Release Date: August 1, 2017 ISBN: ​9780373622955

Almost Home ~ Review

Almost Home
By Valerie Fraser Luesse

Anna and Jesse Wiliams are looking for a fresh start after losing almost everything - between the Depression, the war, and the poor weather over the last few years everything has been in a downward spiral. But a chance for Jesse to find employment in a government munitions plant finds them leaving Illinois behind (hopefully temporarily) for Blackberry Springs, Alabama. Anna and Jesse find themselves renting a room from Dolly and Si Chandler. The home was once a grand showplace and has been in Dolly's family for several generations but times and taxes have taken a toll on the home.

Dolly has turned her home into a boarding house to make the annual tax bill and she has an array of people calling her home theirs for the time being. There are Evelyn and Harry Hastings (professors from Chicago), Joe Dolphus (from Missippi), and the Clanahans (a most disagreeable couple from Reno).  When a young man from Dolly's past needs a place to recover from the trauma of war she offers a room to Reed Ingram.

Blackberry Springs is a tight-knit community that welcomes all the newcomers who are happy to call it home. And Dolly's home sits on something known locally as "the loop" and it is here that Anna finds new friends, especially Daisy Dupree who left what she knew behind falling the death of her beloved Charlie in the war. Daisy is almost as scarred by her pain as Reed and this pain seems to draw the two together in a mutual "I get your pain" sort of way.

Almost Home is a more than just a WW2 era book that focuses on those who find themselves left behind. Rather this a book that focuses on forging on in the face of pain and loss. Looking for a chance to continue on. And there is a mystery one that focuses on the past of Dolly's house before her family came to call it home. The mystery centers on a young bride Catherine O'Dwyer and the man she married Andrew Sinclair. Following their wedding, the two disappeared with evidence pointing towards their deaths. But Anna isn't satisfied with this story and is determined to discover the truth behind their disappearance and if there is indeed pirate treasure hidden in Dolly's home.

I highly recommend this book it is on a whole an enjoyable read. It is historical fiction but it also an examination of life and what makes us or breaks and how we can rise above that which pulls us into a dark place. This book is yet another example of Valerie Fraser Luesse's literary skills.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.


About the Book:

The things that tear us apart can also bring us together

With America's entrance into World War II, the town of Blackberry Springs, Alabama, has exploded virtually overnight. Workers from all over are coming south for jobs in Uncle Sam's munitions plants--and they're bringing their pasts with them, right into Dolly Chandler's grand but fading family home turned boardinghouse.

A struggling young couple from the Midwest, unemployed professors from Chicago, a widower from Mississippi, and a shattered young veteran struggling to heal from the war are all hoping Dolly's house will help them find their way back to the lives they left behind. But the house has a past of its own.

When tragedy strikes, Dolly's only hope will be the circle of friends under her roof and their ability to discover the truth about what happened to a young bride who lived there a century before.

American Omens ~ Review

American Omens
By Travis Thrasher

Cheyenne Burne is into programming to her it is everything and her job working for Acatour comes with all the perks. But nearly a year ago her father, Keith Burne, disappeared after he turned all old world on her when he became a Christian. But her father's disappearance isn't the only one Cheyenne has become aware. And when she gets a mysterious message from a "familiar stranger" from her father Cheyenne is sent on a journey that lands her in the middle of a group of Christians who are battling against the powers that are trying to eradicate them.

But an apparently soulless FBI agent who is less than upstanding is tasked with stopping those who what to reintroduce the world to Christ. And no one and nothing will stand in his way - not even the woman he "loves".

Now, this is the world that we are soon to enter and it is not a pretty picture. Technology is everywhere and perhaps the scariest aspect of it is called the SYNAPSYS - a device that holds one's memories and can be used for sinister purposes that the vast majority has no idea is even possible (even most of the programmers are unaware of this). And books are almost non-existent (big major turnoff in my opinion of this future). Anything even hinting at religion is frowned on and highly discouraged. Free speech and the freedom of ideas has been severely restricted due to an extreme interpretation of the Sedition Act of 1918 in combination with the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Social media as we know it today is gone. Amazon destroyed by Acatour. Welcome to tomorrow you just might want to leave it far away into the future but it is just around the corner.

This book is an engaging mix of futuristic suspense that will keep the reader flipping pages. I will admit that there are a lot of characters and one is often wondering just how these stories will all connect which is another attention grabber. This book when ended could easily have a continuation in the story but the storyline that is presented is wrapped up within this book. I think mid-teens and up would enjoy this book if dystopian suspense is in your reading diet.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through their book launch program.
About the Book:

“This is your wake-up call, Cheyenne. You’ve been sleeping your whole life, dreaming those dreams. The alarm clock is about to go off, and there won’t be any way to press the Snooze button. So just keep walking. Keep breathing. And maybe start believing.”

The year is 2038 and Cheyenne Burne is a brilliant young programmer working for Acatour, the world’s top technology firm. Her father converts to Christianity, and he suddenly disappears without a trace. When a stranger hands Cheyenne a coded message that sends her on a collision course with a clandestine group of believers, she must put her life in the hands of those following a man known only as the Reckoner.

Operating in the shadows and living off the grid, this mysterious prophet assembles a ragtag team to help him take the battle for transparency to the top. With a ruthless FBI agent closing in, can Cheyenne and the others expose the truth and lead a return to God in America before it’s too late?

Beauty in Hiding ~ Review

Beauty in Hiding
Beauty in Flight #2
By Robin Patchen

Harper Cloud finds herself running. The dead bodies that were in Red's living room and the tampering with his Gatorade have convinced her that they both need to disappear. And they need to go somewhere unexpected where Red's grandson Derrick won't find them.

Nutfield, New Hampshire seems about as unexpected and off the beaten path that Harper can find. Now she needs to be sure they stay off the grid so that whoever is looking for them will find nothing. But with access to Red's funds no longer an option Harper has to make what little money they have left last until she can find a job.

When their new landlord Jack Rossi takes an interest in them and their plight Harper fears she knows just what his interest is and that he's no different than the other men in her past. Jack seems to truly care about Red and his vacillating mental state. He's even gone so far as to help out if Harper needs someone to stay with him.

Jack knows something is off about his new tenants - after all, why would they move into Nutfield if they have no familial ties to the area and no promise of a job. Something is off he's just not sure what. And it is obvious that Harper will do anything to take care of her Gramps.

But the very thing Harper feared is seeking her and he won't be satisfied until he makes her pay for what she has done.

This is the second book in the Beauty in Flight series and the intensity that concluded the first book carries over into this one. And don't expect a quick conclusion as this is the middle book in the series and the ending will leave you wondering just what is going to happen next. I for one am wondering but at least the third book will very shortly be released. I do think Harper seems to be her own worst enemy as she seems to rebound from one relationship to another almost immediately.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.


About the Book:

Harper’s second chance at life will become a second stint in

prison if anyone connects her to those two dead men. 

Nutfield, New Hampshire, is as good a place as any to hide from the murderer Harper left behind in Maryland. All she has to do is lie low and make enough money to keep herself and Red alive until she can figure out who her enemies are. 

Jack Rossi isn’t sure what to make of his beautiful new tenant and her confused grandfather. Something's not right, but the love he sees between them and the care she takes of the old man convinces Jack they're trustworthy. As drawn as he is to Harper, she’s his tenant, so she’s off limits.

Derrick, Harper's ex-boyfriend and Red’s grandson, needs to find his grandfather and get his hands on the old man’s money before Derrick ends up with a bullet in the skull. And when he gets his hands on Harper, she’ll be sorry for what she’s put him through.  

Harper and Jack grow closer, but so do her enemies. If Harper can’t trust Jack with the truth, she may lose more than just this glimpse of true love. She may lose her freedom—or her life. 

Between Two Shores ~ Review

Between Two Shores
By Jocelyn Green

Catherine Marie Duval was named Stands-Apart by her mother Strong Wind and as she is both French and Mohawk she feels this name has set her path as one between two worlds. Following the death of her mother, Catherine went to live with her father Gabriel to help him. But Catherine's Mohawk heritage is seen as a hindrance by her father - her savagery was something that kept her from being the French lady she was meant to be (his opinion). But Catherine's heritage allows her to more easily trade with those who come to her family's trading post.

War has come and the area is suffering from the destruction wrought by war and losses brought by several poor growing seasons. When offered a chance to help bring about the end of the war by aiding the British Catherine is torn. But the prospect of ending the starvation and needless deaths a prolonged war would produce has her reluctantly placing her trust in Samuel Crane - the man who 5 years earlier broke her heart.

Catherine and Samuel had a shared history one that found them both at the mercy of her father - she as the half-breed disappointment and he as a ransomed prisoner. A friendship grew into a hope of a future together until Samuel left and never returned until once again a prisoner. But Samuel has information that would allow the British to take Quebec and force a surrender of all French forces.

Between Two Shores takes place in 1759 Montreal and the world is at war as England and France look to expand their respective empires. Unfortunately, those caught between these two warring nations find themselves forced to choose sides. And this book presents just such a choice. Does one go against one's heritage to save one's people or does one stand against the enemy even if it comes with a terrible price that ultimately costs more in the end? Catherine Duval is caught in just such a dilemma only she is caught not between two worlds but three.

This book is well written but has some very disturbing scenes that one would naturally expect with a war going on. I will admit there were some facts that floored me - I didn't know that the French government paid for the scalps of Britsh settlers. This is a fact that is a key point in the book as the reader will discover but still a little unnerving. Fans of colonial North American history will most likely be the first to pick up this book but this would an excellent choice for a book club selection.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.


About the Book:

She Has Always Moved Between Worlds,

But Now She Must Choose a Side

The daughter of a Mohawk mother and French father in 1759 Montreal, Catherine Duval would rather remain neutral in a world tearing itself apart. Content to trade with both the French and the British, Catherine is pulled into the Seven Years' War against her wishes when her British ex-fiancé, Samuel Crane, is taken prisoner by her father. Samuel claims he has information that could help end the war, and he asks Catherine to help him escape.

Peace appeals to Catherine, even if helping the man who broke her heart does not. But New France is starving, and she and her loved ones may not survive another winter of conflict-induced famine. When the dangers of war arrive on her doorstep, Catherine and Samuel flee by river toward the epicenter of the battle between England and France. She and Samuel may impact history, but she fears the ultimate cost will be higher than she can bear.

Courting Mr. Emerson ~ Review

Courting Mr. Emerson
By Melody Carlson

George Emerson has finally bowed to the pressure to retire as a High School English teacher. He didn't have to but the budget cuts had him being encouraged to do so. And then the attitude of most of his students was less than encouraging. But now retirement is stretching out before him. George has always been a very set in his ways conservatively dressed person. He has few friends and no family, all in all, a very lonely person, at least that is Willow West's impression of him when she comes seeking a recommendation letter for her soon to graduate grandson.

Collin is a very serious and conscientious student and George is more than happy to provide him with the letter his grandmother requested. And when His grandmother asks that he attend a graduation party for Collin, George reluctantly agrees though social gatherings are not his thing.

Willow sees it as her mission to help George Emerson loosen up as he enters retirement. And when he goes from Mr. Emerson to George she sees that as a huge step in the right direction. Now if she can get him to dress casually when attending social events it will be a great victory.

George is in a quandary where Willow is concerned sometimes he feels drawn to her and at other times she annoys him to no end especially when she pushes her way into his life and day with suggestions on improving what he doesn't feel needs change.

George has no interest in adding people into his life. He's had others in his life - friends, family, and pets - and lost them all. To his way of thinking, God either doesn't exist or God hates him. After all, everyone else must have been good enough for God if he is to believe what his Grandmother told him but he wasn't good enough for God to want him. But Willow sees it differently - if only she can get George to see it too.

Courting Mr. Emerson is an interesting book. Some moments I really enjoyed it and others I was a bit Georgish in my feelings towards the story. But overall it was an enjoyable read though at times I may have felt like slamming the door in Willow's face if I'd been George (not that I would have, but she probably would not have made it past the front door). Willow seems like a caring person just a  bit too caring if you don't like feeling closed in. As I said I'm more of a George than a Willow personality type so I can sympathize with his feelings at times.

And a word of warning: don't plan a hot air balloon trip as a surprise.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.


About the Book:

It's never too late to fall in love

When fun-loving artist Willow West meets buttoned-up George Emerson, it's not exactly love at first sight. More like an intriguing project at first sight. Willow makes it her mission to get the obsessive-compulsive, newly retired English teacher to loosen up and embrace life, but even she has to admit it seems like a lost cause.

A confirmed bachelor, George vacillates between irritation and attraction whenever Willow is around--which to him seems like all too often. He's not interested in expanding his horizons or making new friends; it just hurts too much when you lose them.

But as the summer progresses, George feels his defenses crumbling. The question is, will his change of heart be too late for Willow?