Book Review: Marvin the Very Tall Bear Kindle Edition by T.A. Unwin

Posted on October 6, 2021 | Leave a comment

This charming tale revolves around Marvin, a Bear who yearns to be less towering so he can enjoy the simple pleasures of fitting through doorways, joining family meals, and playing on park slides like other bears. One fateful night, his wish unexpectedly materializes, leading Marvin on a journey that echoes the cautionary adage, ‘be careful what you wish for because you might just get it…’

The story’s message resonates deeply, offering children a gentle reminder that it’s perfectly alright to be different. Through Marvin’s adventure, it beautifully underscores the importance of embracing one’s uniqueness and recognizing the inherent value in being oneself. While I wished for more vibrant and prominent illustrations, the narrative itself shines as a delightful addition to any bedtime routine.

In essence, ‘Marvin’s Wish’ serves as a heartwarming testament to self-acceptance and the magic of being true to oneself, making it an excellent choice for children’s literature collections.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Kindle Edition, 16 pages
Published October 19th 2015

You can download it for FREE via Kindle on Amazon.

About the Author
T.A. Unwin is a writer and artist from London, now living on the Hampshire coast in England. Her childhood revolved around animals; looking after pets and writing stories about them. A passion for the natural world led to a Zoology degree followed by a Masters in Animal Welfare. Writing then took a back seat as the young adventurer set off to gain experience of working with different animals around the world. She trailed after the macaque monkeys in Gibraltar, as well as their monkey cousins in India, studied birds in Scotland, researched vultures in Namibia and spent ten weeks monitoring marine mammals from a boat in the Mozambique Channel. Currently she works part-time in a zoo and has finally returned to her favourite hobby – writing stories about animals. She has two noisy budgies who do their best to put a stop to this.

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Book Review: The Missing Rainbow (Lil Bub and Friends Presents Book 1) Kindle Edition by C. Hagerman

Posted on October 6, 2021 | Leave a comment

These past few days, during my break time at my day job, I’ve been reading these little short stories intended for a younger audience, which I find therapeutic because they’re just so full of positivity—talks about friendships, rainbows, butterflies, and whatnot. I thought they would keep me from stressing about this pandemic, politics, job-related incidents, and more. Some were cute, and some were nice. Others, I’m thinking of reading to my little nephews and nieces the next time I visit them. Anyway, enough of my rambling.

The first installment in the ‘Lil Bub and Friends Presents’ series, ‘The Missing Rainbow’ by C. Hagerman, revolves around the endearing friendship among a whale, a frog, and a bunny, whose joy in watching rainbows takes an unexpected turn when one disappears from the sky.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book for several reasons. Firstly, the illustrations are both colorful and adorable, capturing the attention of young readers effortlessly. While the text is simple, it occasionally veers towards repetition, which may appeal to some children but might feel slightly redundant for others. Nevertheless, the story remains highly engaging throughout.

One of the book’s standout qualities is its subtle yet valuable lesson on conflict resolution, skillfully woven into the narrative. By witnessing the characters navigate the challenge of the missing rainbow, children are imparted with important insights into cooperation, problem-solving, and the significance of friendship.

At just 19 pages, ‘The Missing Rainbow’ is perfectly suited for young readers eager to explore colors and language. Its accessibility also makes it an excellent resource for children learning English as a second language, providing both linguistic exposure and a delightful storytelling experience.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

You can download it for free on Amazon.

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Book Review – MonsterMind: Dealing With Anxiety & Self-Doubt by Alfonso Casas (ARC)

Posted on October 4, 2021 | Leave a comment

“This isn’t the triumphant tale of a hero who defeated his monster… it’s just the story of somebody…. who’s learning to live with them.”

In ‘MonsterMind,’ Alfonso Casas introduces readers to his inner demons — past traumas, social anxiety, sadness, doubt, and fear — which reside within his mind and manifest in his day-to-day life.

Reading this graphic novel unexpectedly struck an emotional chord with me. It vividly reminded me of my early post-college days when, despite obtaining my degree and believing I had everything under control, I found myself adrift in the complexities of the real world. Like the main character depicted here, I grappled with numerous challenges, battled through periods of depression, and harbored an overwhelming fear of the uncertain future.

What resonated deeply with me was how the author tackled these themes with a delicate balance of adorableness and humor. Casas skillfully acknowledges that everyone experiences anxiety and depression differently, reassuring readers that it’s perfectly normal not to be okay, to feel alone, and to seek help. This narrative emphasizes the importance of prioritizing one’s own well-being.

Despite the weightiness of its subject matter, ‘MonsterMind’ employs the power of art to connect with its audience. Through its humor, the novel doesn’t trivialize the struggles depicted but rather serves as a means to confront and navigate them. I believe this book holds universal appeal, especially in today’s climate, where the pandemic has not only impacted our livelihoods but also tested our resilience. I wholeheartedly recommend ‘MonsterMind’ as a poignant and timely read.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Harbound Copy, Expected publication: December 21, 2021

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher, Diamond Book Distributors, Ablaze via Netgalley for an impartial and honest review

About the Author
Desde que recuerda sabe que lo suyo es dibujar, no porque se le de excesivamente bien, sino porque lo demás se le da peor. Desde 2007 lleva colando sus ilustraciones en diferentes periódicos y revistas, hasta que en 2010 pone sus lápices al servicio de Julián Almazán para dibujar Marica tú, su primera incursión en el mundo cómic. Alfonso vive en Barcelona, continúa dibujando y espera que sus sueños sigan cumpliéndose. El último en hacerse realidad es lo que tiene en las manos. Amores minúsculos es su primer obra en solitario. Espera que no sea la última.

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Book Review – Misty Presents: The Jaume Rumeu Collection by Bill Harrington, Jaume Rumeu (ARC)

Posted on October 3, 2021 | Leave a comment

The Jaume Rumeu Collection offers readers a captivating glimpse into the eerie world of Misty, a renowned supernatural horror comic from the late ’70s targeted at young girls, transporting us back to an era steeped in chilling tales. Although I wasn’t even born when these comics first graced the shelves, the allure of Misty somehow found its way into my childhood curiosity during the ’90s.

For those less familiar, Misty was a weekly British comic magazine published by Fleetway, serving as a cornerstone of supernatural storytelling for its time. The collection exudes a nostalgic charm, with artwork that starkly contrasts the sleek, digital aesthetics prevalent in today’s comics and manga. The vintage feel of the graphics enhances the overall experience, evoking a sense of fond reminiscence for enthusiasts of classic horror.

What pleasantly surprised me was the collection’s academic depth, offering intriguing insights into the creative process behind these iconic works. Despite its brevity at just 128 pages, delving into the pages of the Jaume Rumeu Collection feels more like an enriching exploration than a mundane task.

This book undoubtedly stands as a must-read for aficionados of Jaume Rumeu’s work and serves as a valuable addition to any horror comics collection. Its fusion of nostalgia, scholarly discourse, and spine-tingling tales ensures a thoroughly satisfying reading experience for fans old and new alike.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Paperback, 128 pages
Expected publication: November 11th 2021 by 2000 AD

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher, Rebellion via Netgalley for an impartial and honest review

About the Author
Jaume Rumeu Perera was born in 1930 in Catalonia. He began drawing comics in 1952 when he signed to the art agency Creaciones Editorial, under the name Romeo, and debuting on the comic Johnny el Temerario (Johnny the Daredevil). A master of multiple genres, he drew science fiction, adventure, espionage, sports and romance comics and during his forty year comics career his work was published across Europe. In the UK he worked primarily romance and girls’ comics, adopting the pseudonym Homero in the late 1960s. For DC Thomson he drew Susette for Cherie and Juliette for Romeo, and for IPC, he drew comics for Tammy, Jinty and Misty. His work for Misty includes such iconic stories as The Black Widow, Spider Woman and The Loneliest Girl in the World. As the comics market shrank in the 1980s, he continued to draw comics across the continent, such as football comics for DC Thomson and horse comics for the Swedish and Dutch market. He retired from drawing comics in 1992, and died in 2003.

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Book Review: It’s Owl Good (The Super Adventures of Ollie and Bea) by Renée Treml (ARC)

Posted on September 28, 2021 | Leave a comment

This review will be short, and I want to tell you that I loved this book and would read this story to my little nieces and nephews.

It’s Owl Good by Renée Treml is an adorable story about an Owl named Ollie who wears glasses and is insecure about how others see him. With the help of Bea, a super-nice bunny, who has her struggles, they help each other accept their differences and what makes them unique and beautiful.

It is a beautiful little book that sends a good message and is great for kids to read. I finished it in 15 minutes, and it’s just all kinds of adorable and funny. The dialogues are simple, full of cute puns and the illustration is just as good as the story. It is absolutely delightful!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher, Capstone, Picture Window Books via Netgalley for an impartial and honest review
Expected publication: January 1st 2022 by Capstone (first published August 1st 2021)

About the Author
Renée Treml was born and raised in the United States and now lives on the beautiful Surf Coast in Australia. Her stories and illustrations are inspired by nature and influenced by her background in environmental science. When Renée is not writing or illustrating, she can be found walking in the bush or on the beach, and exploring museums, zoos, and aquariums with her family and superenthusiastic little dog.

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My 12th Anniversary with WordPress.com!

Posted on September 28, 2021 | Leave a comment

So apparently, I’ve been blogging at WordPress for 12 years now. That is on-and-off blogging, of course. I started when a lot of social media wasn’t as big as it is today. I didn’t begin with WordPress. I had my first blog with Xanga, and then I opened a Blogger account that I maintained for a good few years until a colleague enticed me to transfer to WordPress, so give and take, I’ve been blogging for 15 years now. It’s mainly just a journal for me, to be quite honest, and until now, it is a way to relieve my stress, and I’m glad to be able to share things with strangers all over the world. Some I become friends with, some just online acquaintances or what the Gen-Z calls now ‘online mutuals.’

I appreciate your time if you’re reading this and have already read some of my entries. Here’s to many more years of blogging!

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Book Review: World Class by Jay Sandlin (ARC)

Posted on September 25, 2021 | Leave a comment

World Class is a Young Adult graphic novel by Jay Sandlin, which centers on Adrian Molina, the Colombian Cannon, who received a scholarship to play football for an elite school. Then he meets the rich, powerful, and star of the school’s soccer team, Titan Evans, who immediately sees Adrian as a rival. After numerous bullying incidents from Titan, Adrian suffered anxiety attacks that may derail his scholarship and spot on the team.

Can we talk about that phenomenal cover first? The color, the drawing, the symbolism—just stunning! If you’re like me, who’s absolutely in love with this cover, then you’d love what is inside even more. The colors are popping; they’re vibrant in continuous panels and just a feast to the eye.

Story-wise, the novel doesn’t feel as fresh, but that did not diminish my enjoyment from reading it. I loved Adrian as a character. I loved that he is from Colombia because we don’t get to see many POC main characters.

I also loved that the author tackled important topics such as bullying, racism, and diversity. I think these aspects of the novel are where the author succeeded, making these topics the story’s focus and associating them with what’s happening in the current events.

I wished we got more of Adrian and his friendship with Luciano, I am personally rooting for them, but I loved how the author handled this relationship. The bullying part, which also relates to racism, was uncomfortable to read. As a person of color myself, I was horrified for Adrian. It felt a bit too much, with the supposed adult in the story not doing anything about it.

Overall, the novel is very entertaining. It is evocative in a way, and I wouldn’t mind reading a continuation of Adrian’s story. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Expected publication: February 22nd 2022

A copy of this graphic novel was provided by the publisher, Diamond Book Distributors, Maverick, Mad Cave Studios via Netgalley for an impartial and honest review.

Artists: Patrick Mulholland, Rebecca Nalty

Pre-order your copy now:

About the Author
Jay is an author and host of his podcast, GeekOPedia. In addition to World Class, he’s written Hellfighter Quin and Over the Ropes for mad cave studios. Find more on his other books and comics at JaySandlin.com

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Official Trailer: Spencer starring Kristen Stewart

Posted on September 24, 2021 | Leave a comment

Now, this looks absolutely smashing! Kristen looks the part, and she’s definitely channeling Princess Diana in these little snippets of her talking and those facial expressions!

The marriage of Princess Diana and Prince Charles has long since grown cold. Though rumors of affairs and a divorce abound, peace is ordained for the Christmas festivities at the Queen’s Sandringham Estate. There’s eating and drinking, shooting and hunting. Diana knows the game. But this year, things will be profoundly different. SPENCER is an imagining of what might have happened during those few fateful days.

Directed by Pablo Larraín
Written by Steven Knight
Starring Kristen Stewart, Jack Farthing, Sally Hawkins, Timothy Spall, Sean Harris

I’ve got a feeling that with all the raves she had been receiving since the film’s premiere in Venice last month, she’s getting that Oscar nod. I’m also curious to see if the BAFTA will also give her a nomination, at least. I cannot wait to watch it!

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Book Review—Transylvania’s History A to Z: 100 Word Stories by Patricia Furstenberg

Posted on September 23, 2021 | 2 comments

‘Transylvania’s History A to Z’ by author Patricia Furstenberg is a collection of 26 stories that let us burrow into the history and legends about Transylvania. These stories presented alphabetically have 100 words each.

Just a little story that I wanted to share before I continue telling you about this book—I’ve always wanted to go to Romania. When I visited Europe in 2019, I had Romania, Hungary, and Croatia on my list, but because of time (been staying in Europe for a month then) and money running out, I thought I needed to regroup and visit next time. It was still a great trip, but since then, I’ve become more interested in knowing more about the region and promised myself that I’d see these places soon. 

Going back to this short 68-page eBook (104 in paperback), I thought it was an excellent introduction, particularly for people like me who wanted to see a glimpse of Romania. And it has pictures to go with each story which add to the enjoyment of reading it.

My favorite amongst the 26 stories are the following:

A Paleolithic Murder is the opening story and also a very compelling one. In a hundred words, there is already a complete story of murder, love, and betrayal! So good!

Vlad the Impaler  – Yep, the very same Dracula in pop culture. I loved that it’s not a boring-ass description about him, but the author just summarized who he is and what he did historically.

X, I Sign My Letter with a Cross relates to the tension about the interracial relations discouraged between the Hungarians, the Germans, and the local Romanians. The Catholic and the Orthodox worshippers were also forbidden to marry during that era.

I’ve also learned about the X we put in letters and how it came to mean kisses. So apparently, the custom of placing “X” on envelopes, notes, and at the bottom of letters to mean kisses dates back to the Middle ages when a Christian cross was drawn on documents or letters to convey sincerity, faith, and honesty. The signer then placed a kiss upon the cross as a display of their sworn oath. That was a fun tidbit!

Overall, these stories are all interesting, enjoyable, and very short too. I kept going back and forth to connect one to another. You can read it in one sitting, and this is an excellent read for anyone like me who loves history! 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Date of Publication: August 20, 2021

Read it for free with your Kindle Unlimited subscription:

About the Author
Patricia Furstenberg is the author of contemporary novel ‘Silent Heroes, When Love and Values Are Worth Fighting For’ and of the Amazon Bestseller ‘Joyful Trouble.’ She writes contemporary fiction, historical fiction, poetry, haiku and children stories. All of her books include… dogs. Patricia believes each creature has a story and a voice, if only we stop to listen.

With a medical degree behind her, Patricia is passionate about mind, brain and education and the psychology behind it. Using her knowledge she crafts stories and poems that are great fun, as well as teaching empathy.

Patricia came to writing though reading, her passion for books being something she inherited from her parents. “When I write, I write,” she usually says.

When she’s not writing she likes to read, listen to music, dance and bake.
This Romanian born writer is living happily with her husband, children and dogs in sunny South Africa.
Patricia Furstenberg Author Page and Blog: http://alluringcreations.co.za/wp/

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Book Review: Echoes of the War by Sir James Matthew Barrie

Posted on September 23, 2021 | Leave a comment

Echoes of the War written by none other than Sir James Matthew Barrie, author of Peter Pan is a collection of four short plays about families affected by the first world war. The titles are: The New Word, The Old Lady Shows Her Medals (which is the basis for the movie Seven Days Leave,) A Well-Remembered Voice and Barbara’s Wedding. I got it for free on Kindle and read the whole thing over breakfast.

There’s a sense of nostalgia in each story/ play. It tackles human relationships, particularly between fathers and sons, and the things that people go through and are about to go through when someone close to them is about to do something that you’ve no control over. Such is the case with the great war, where people were much obligated to be part of it.

Out of all the four stories, my favorite is the elderly soldier with dementia trying to make sense of what’s happening around him. It was heartbreaking. I was so moved by it for some reason. The other three stories were good and just as interesting.

Benjamin Alire Saenz once said, “We all fight our own private wars.” And somehow in life, it is always true no matter how and where you applied that sentiment. This was a great read. Get your copy, since it’s free and it’ll very much be well worth a few hours of your time.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
eBook Publication Date: May 17, 2021
First published in 1918.

Download your free copy below:

About the Author
Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, OM (/ˈbæri/; 9 May 1860 – 19 June 1937) was a Scottish novelist and playwright, best remembered as the creator of Peter Pan. He was born and educated in Scotland and then moved to London, where he wrote a number of successful novels and plays. There he met the Llewelyn Davies boys, who inspired him to write about a baby boy who has magical adventures in Kensington Gardens (first included in Barrie’s 1902 adult novel The Little White Bird), then to write Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up, a 1904 “fairy play” about an ageless boy and an ordinary girl named Wendy who have adventures in the fantasy setting of Neverland.

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