Entertain some kids: Tales of Whimsy, Verses of Woe

by Tim DeRoche, Daniel González

#whimsyandwoe #NetGalley

This collection has the potential to turn kids who turn up their noses at poetry into poetry fans. The works included here are unique, sometimes odd and often funny. They are accompanied by cartoon-like illustrations. Most kids are sure to chuckle at ntries such as The One Man Band.

This title is definitely worth a look.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Redtail Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: January 24, 2023

Advance Praise

“This illustrated collection of verse indulges in fairy-tale absurdity and is sufficiently zany to have children and adults squealing with glee… A rare work of pure, unbridled fun.”
— Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Amusing, campy, gorgeously illustrated, and generously preposterous, DeRoche’s collection is a worthy addition to any middle-schooler’s bookshelf. Great for fans of Shel Silverstein and Lemony Snicket.”
— Publishers Weekly BookLife Reviews, “Editors’ Pick”

The Good Retirement Guide 2023

Everything You Need to Know About Health, Property, Investment, Leisure, Work, Pensions and Tax

by Jonquil Lowe

#TheGoodRetirementGuide2023 #NetGalley

The first thing that I want to note about this title is that it is geared toward British readers. For that reason, some of the specifics may not be as useful for those from other countries. However, that said, there are many good things to think about here and with a bit of research, readers can most likely find similar resources in their own countries.

There are a number of chapters that have to do with finances, including budgeting, pensions, tax and more. I like that there other sections that look at options for life as a retiree; for example, there are sections on leisure activities including adult education, the arts, dance, museums and more. There are also chapters on starting a business and even one on looking for paid work. In addition, there is a detailed section on health.

This is a book that includes a lot. Readers can tackle it by going straight through or by focusing on areas of interest.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.


Pub date: 03 January 2023

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kogan Page Ltd for this title.  All opinions are my own.

Now out:

The Writer’s Journey

In the Footsteps of the Literary Greats

by Travis Elborough

This book’s author chose an appealing and interesting topic. Where do writers go, do these places offer inspiration and what are their journeys like?

This book features beautiful photos and content about the travels of everyone from Maya Angelou to Jane Austen; from Lewis Carroll to Agatha Christie; from Fitzgerald to Flaubert and so many more, ending (alphabetically) with Virginia Woolf.

I think that this book would make a wonderful gift for the holiday season. I would like to buy the hardcover copy for myself. Read it in order or just move directly to a favorite author.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

Blog tour: I am the Light of the World by Michael Parker

Many thanks to Algonquin for this opportunity. Title is published today.

The author:

About this title:

“A GUT PUNCH OF A NOVEL—lyrical, mordantly funny, and wrenching.” —Kelly Link, author of Get in Trouble

The searing and unforgettable story of one decision that irrevocably changes the course of a young man’s life.

In the early 1970s, in Stovall, Texas, seventeen-year-old Earl—a loner, dreamer, lover of music and words—meets and is quickly infatuated with Tina, the new girl in town. Tina convinces Earl to drive her to see her mother in Austin, where Earl and Tina are quickly separated. Two days later, Earl is being questioned by the police about Tina’s disappearance and the blood in the trunk of his car. But Earl can’t remember what happened in Austin, and with little support from his working-class family, he is sentenced for a crime he did not commit.

Forty years later, Earl is released into an America so changed that he can barely navigate it. Determined to have the life that was taken from him, he settles in a small town on the Oregon coast and struggles to overcome the emotional toll of incarceration. But just as Earl finds a chance to begin again, his past returns to endanger the new life he’s built.

Steeped in the music and atmosphere of the 1970s, I Am the Light of This World is a gritty, gripping, and gorgeously written story of the impulsive choices of youth, redemption, mercy, and the power of the imagination.

Now out: My First Jungle Animals

This cloth book for the youngest children is one of several that is being published now. As is true for the others, this title is bright and engaging. Young ones will enjoy seeing the brightly colored jungle animals in this book that is made for little hands.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

Are you ready? Here We Go Again…

Unpublished Letters to the Daily Telegraph 14

by Kate Moore

#HereWeGoAgain #NetGalley

Here is the latest in a series that is published yearly by The Daily Telegraph. It consists of unpublished letters that were sent to the paper. Just a couple of the chapter headings include Family Trials and Tribulations, and Traveling Hopefully. Dip in and out. Many of the letters will make readers smile.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 03 January 2023

208 pages