Showing posts with label Young Adult. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Young Adult. Show all posts

Thursday, October 8, 2020

Book Review/Giveaway - Breathless by Jennifer Niven

 


I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the BREATHLESS by Jennifer Niven Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:


Title:
 BREATHLESS

Author: Jennifer Niven

Pub. Date: September 29, 2020

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 400

Find it: GoodreadsAmazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

 

From Jennifer Niven, the New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places, comes an unforgettable new novel about a sensitive girl ready to live her bravest life--sex, heartbreak, family dramas, and all.

 

Before: With graduation on the horizon, budding writer Claudine Henry is making plans: college in the fall, become a famous author, and maybe--finally--have sex. She doesn't even need to be in love. Then her dad drops a bombshell: he's leaving Claude's mother. Suddenly, Claude's entire world feels like a lie, and her future anything but under control.

 

After: Claude's mom whisks them away to the last place Claude could imagine nursing a broken heart: a remote, mosquito-infested island off the coast of Georgia. But then Jeremiah Crew happens. Miah is a local trail guide with a passion for photography--and a past he doesn't like to talk about. He's brash and enigmatic, and even more infuriatingly, he's the only one who seems to see Claude for who she wants to be. So when Claude decides to sleep with Miah, she tells herself it's just sex, nothing more. There's not enough time to fall in love, especially if it means putting her already broken heart at risk.

 

Compulsively readable and impossible to forget, Jennifer Niven's luminous new novel is an insightful portrait of a young woman ready to write her own story.

 

My Thoughts: I wasn't certain when I began Breathless if I was going to enjoy it or not because I found the main character Claude kind of obnoxious and all the talk about her virginity and all. But as we get deeper into the story and Claude's world gets pretty much upended and snatched from under her that I begin seeing a different side of her and my heart opened up to her and the things she was going thru. I did enjoy the time we got to spend on the island and the romance between Claude and Miah so much! 

 I feel like due to some of the subject matter that this may be more of an upper teen read but one that is well worth taking the time to read and discuss and can't imagine not seeing it in the young adult section of libraries everywhere! 4/5 stars for me!

About Jennifer:

Jennifer Niven is the New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places and Holding Up the Universe, as well as the popular Velva Jean series. She is also the author of several non-fiction books, including Ada Blackjack, The Aqua-Net Diaries, and The Ice Master, which was named a top non-fiction book by Entertainment Weekly. Her New York Times bestseller All the Bright Places is soon to be a major motion picture starring Elle Fanning. Although she grew up in Indiana, she now lives with her fiancé and literary cats in Los Angeles, which remains her favorite place to wander.

Photo: Justin Conway

 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

 

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive a Finished Copy of BREATHLESS, US Only.

 

Rafflecopter Code:

<a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/21/2020

Two Chicks on Books

Review

9/22/2020

YA Books Central

Excerpt

9/23/2020

@ChristenKrumm

Review

9/24/2020

onemused

Review

9/25/2020

notinjersey

Review

 

Week Two:

 

9/28/2020

Kait Plus Books

Excerpt

9/28/2020

Word Spelunking

Review

9/30/2020

What A Nerd Girl Says

Review

10/1/2020

Eli to the nth

Review

10/2/2020

Becky on Books

Review

 

Week Three:

10/5/2020

Rajiv's Reviews

Review

10/6/2020

Do You Dog-ear?

Review

10/7/2020

Book-Keeping

Review

10/8/2020

Gimme The Scoop Reviews

Review

10/9/2020

Books Beans and Botany

Review

 

Week Four:

10/12/2020

BookHounds Ya

Review

10/13/2020

biancabuysbooks

Review

10/14/2020

Momfluenster

Review

10/15/2020

A Gingerly Review

Review

10/16/2020

two points of interest

Review


Our Friendship Matters Book Trailer Blitz by Kimberley B Jones


OUR FRIENDSHIP MATTERS

Kimberley B. Jones
Rhetoric Askew Publishing, LLC
YA

Two teenage friends, Sasha and Leah, live a comfortable life in the affluent St. Louis suburbs. They attend a well-established private Christian academy and the only thing on their mind as they enter their senior year is graduation and their senior prom. When tragedy strikes, however, the best friends are torn apart because of social tensions, ignorance, miscommunications, and fear.

Our Friendship Matters reveals a fictional story mirroring real-life cultural tensions and racial injustice – a young black boy, Mitchell, is mistaken for someone else and tragically killed by police. Tensions rise among the community, citizens are angry. One night, while Sasha is out, she sees her old childhood friend protesting the death of Mitchell. Curious about him and wondering if there is anything, she could do to become involved, Sasha talks to her friends about it. Sasha’s white friends are not interested in getting involved and her parents forbid her from taking part. Sasha’s makes a momentous decision to go against all the advice she is given and joins her old friends in protest. The fight for justice in Mitchell’s name causes a rift in her relationships.

An argument with Leah drives a wedge between them and leads Leah to take the opposite viewpoint, taking sides with those who are supporting different viewpoints, while Sasha’s boyfriend is jealous of the time she is spending with her old friends, he breaks off their relationship. The girlfriends, one black and one white, are unaware of an escalating war between the groups they support, and chaos and fear continue—lines are drawn and sides are chosen.

Our Friendship Matters is a beautifully thoughtful coming-of-age story about two friends who are forced to take a deeper look at their culture through different angles. The easy-to-read story is full of drama, well-rounded characters and a positive narrative that will engage readers of all ages

 

 



As I pulled up into Ricardo’s driveway, Victoria and two other girls who attended Eastview were standing there holding signs that said, “Justice for Mitchell.” I was sweating more than ever. Scared of both the police and the girls I didn’t even know who were going to be getting into my car.

“I didn’t know you were doing signs. I would’ve made me one.”

Ricardo and some guys were busy placing things in the car's trunk.

“Are you okay? The time is now,” said Ricardo.

“I’m ready but a little nervous, too.”

“You shouldn’t be nervous. All we are going to do is go downtown and making a statement that we want justice. Once we are done, we’ll come back home. I won’t let anything happen to you but, if something breaks out, I need you to look for Victoria and get in your car and go home. And if something happens to me, I need you to look for Victoria then go to my house and warn my peeps.”

As the girls got into my car, Victoria told me I could march, and chant the same thing they were planning on saying.

I was missing Leah. This could have been a positive moment that we could’ve shared together. I was still hoping she would come to her senses and realize that our fight from our disagreement was all crazy.

We arrived downtown, and I parked in the garage.

“Why didn’t you park on the streets?” Victoria said.

“My parents always told me to park in the garage so nothing would happen to my car.”

She laughed at me and said, “Well, you are driving a Mercedes. I would do the same if I had an expensive car.”








 

 

Amazon → https://amzn.to/2RKybNF

 

 


Kimberley B. Jones is a small country girl from St. George, SC. She followed her heart in college writing children books. Recently she decided to challenge herself and branch off to novels. She is your typical nomad who moves from place to place. Not by choice, but her husband serves in the military. She has a bachelors and masters in early childhood education. Kimberley is represented by Rhetaskew Publishing company and is best known for her debut novel, Our Friendship Matters. When she is not writing, she is either thinking of another topic or reading. She loves writing, it gives her a chance to escape into another human character and express herself, other than being your typical mother and wife. If you don’t want to be on her bad side, then she needs her white chocolate mocha every morning. Some days Folgers breakfast blend coffee is okay.






http://www.pumpupyourbook.com

Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Cover Reveal/Giveaway for Living Dead Girl by Kelly Gunderman

 

Today Kelly Gunderman and Rockstar Book Tours are revealing the cover and an exclusive content for LIVING DEAD GIRL, her YA Paranormal Thriller Book which releases November 1, 2020! Check out the awesome cover and enter the giveaway!

On to the reveal!



Title: LIVING DEAD GIRL

Author: Kelly Gunderman

Pub. Date: November 1, 2020

Publisher: Kelly Gunderman

Formats: Paperback, eBook, Audiobook

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon

Read for FREE with a Kindle Unlimited Subscription!

In this young adult thriller perfect for fans of Pretty Little Liars, Thirteen Reasons Why, and Sadie, a teenage girl is about to find out how far would she will go to get revenge on those who have taken everything from her.


When seventeen year old high school senior Kaitlyn Davis is almost raped and then brutally murdered at a party by three boys she goes to school with, she uses her dying breath to swear that they will pay for what they’ve done. When she wakes up the next morning, she is a bit blurry on the night before and gets a big surprise - she’s alive? How?

Soon, things start getting weird - it seems as though no one can see her or hear her, and no matter what she does, she can’t seem to feel anything, such as temperature. She can still move things around and touch others, and the room suddenly drops about suddenly drops about thirty degrees wherever she is, but why?

That’s when she is forced to accept it - she’s dead. At first Kaitlyn grieves the loss of her short life - there are so many things that she is going to miss out on, so many things that she will never get to do. But then she gets angry, and she remembers her promise to get revenge on those who had taken her life.

Setting out to give them what they deserve, Kaitlyn has no plans to stop until she gets the revenge she desires.

 

Exclusive Excerpt!


Chapter 1

 

                “You can’t seriously be wearing that, Kaitlyn.”

                I glance at Dana and grin.

                “Why?  What’s wrong with it?” I ask her, innocently.

                “It’s fucking ugly.”

                I ball up the gold sequined tank top and throw it at her.  “Oh, you just want to wear it,” I tease, knowing full well she would never touch something that was covered in sequins. Or the color gold. Dana always told me how she thought gold clothing was gaudy, even though I thought the color complimented her skin tone quite well.

                She rolls her eyes and picks it up like it’s an old sock, holding it between her index finger and thumb, contorting her face as though she had just smelled something rancid.  She flings the tank top on the bed and plops down next to it, smoothing out the creases that have formed in my purple comforter.

                “I wish Mark was going to be there tonight,” she says, looking forlorn.

                I wrinkle my nose and stare at her.  “Why?  He’s such a douche.”

                “No he isn’t!”

                “You’re defending him because you have a crush on him.  Even though he’s slept with half the girls in the senior class and it’s only January.  It’s disgusting.  You always have crushes on guys who only want one thing.”

                Dana grimaced. Obviously I had hit a sore spot with her. She glares at me. “You’re just pissed because you never get any.”

                “And you do?” I fire back, hoping I sounded as bitter as I felt.  My boyfriend, Eric, had broken up with me two months ago after we had been together for a year and a half. His reason?  I wanted sex, and he didn’t.

                “Hey, at least my boyfriends put out,” she fires back.

                “It’s not my fault he wasn’t ready.”

                “What seventeen year old guy isn’t ready?  Especially after being together for that long?  Be realistic.”  She lies down on the bed on her back, draping her head over the side.  This position exposes her slender throat and long, beautiful neck.   She peers up at me, seductively, before smirking

                God, she is so beautiful, was the thought that echoed in my head every single time I saw her.  I bite my lip to keep my thoughts to myself. Still, that smirk playing on her lips tells me she can already read my mind without me having to say anything at all.

                “I don’t know.  I guess we just weren’t right for each other,” I say to her.  It wasn’t Eric I was thinking about right now, anyway.  It wasn’t Eric I had been thinking about the entire time he and I were together, either. Part of me wonders if he knew that.             

                “Oh please,” she says, rolling her eyes and looking up at the ceiling.

                “’Oh please’, what?  You’re telling me you’ve slept with every guy you’ve dated?”

                “Not every guy.  Some of them were just good for kissing.”

                Now it was my turn to roll my eyes.  Sometimes I wondered if she exaggerated some of her experiences.  She was seventeen and had a new boyfriend every week.  There’s no way that she could have slept with all of them, right?

                “Maybe you should find a girlfriend, if you’re so anti-boy,” she says with yet another sly smile.  Keep your cool, I tell myself, swallowing the lump in my throat.  I could use this moment to tell her that I have, actually, thought about what it would be like to kiss her, to run my fingers up her spine, to lose myself with her under the covers… but I don’t.  I can’t.

                Instead, I laugh - a high-pitched, fake laugh.

                Luckily, she buys it.

                “Really, Kait.  We have to take you shopping.  You have nothing good in here.”  She gets off the bed, walks over to my closet, and starts rummaging through it to find something that she would deem “party-worthy.”  The problem is, I don’t really have anything that she likes - I never do.  I usually borrow her clothes, and it looks like I might be doing just that again tonight.

                “I know, my mom never lets me buy anything I actually like.”

                “Ugh.  Let’s go alone, then.”

                “My mom pays for my clothes, you know that,” I tell her, kind of embarrassed.  What seventeen year old girl needs to rely on her mom to buy her clothes?  I wish my mom would just give me money - like normal moms.  But no, mine makes sure she comes with me so she can approve of anything that I pick out first.

                Dana gives me a disappointed look and shakes her head, pushing the tops in my closet aside.  She pulls out a black halter top and a red cherry print all over it.  Pondering it for a moment, she sighs and puts it back.

                “Not all of us have parents who give us our own credit card,” I mutter. She either doesn’t catch it, or she just doesn’t acknowledge it if she does.

                “Alright,” she says, and walks back over to the bed, her bare feet leaving small imprints in the pale pink carpeting as she moves.  “I think I might have something you can borrow.  Let’s see…”

                She leans over the bed and digs through her duffel bag, throwing pajamas and socks aside.  She pulls out a short red dress and brings it over to me.  I look at it, and my jaw drops.

                “There’s no way,” I tell her, shaking my head.  “I can’t wear that.”  Not only is the dress short, it has a dip in the neckline that would reveal a bit…too much. My parents would never even let me leave the house in something like this.

                “You have to,” she tells me.  “It’s hot.  You’re hot.  Plus,” she says, inching her way back over to the bed and dipping her hand into her duffel again, “it matches mine.”

                “When did you get these?” I ask, snatching the red one out of her hand.  The price tag is still attached, and when I glance at it, I instantly consider dropping it in horror.  The tag read $499.95. 

                “You paid $500 for this?”

                She just shrugs.  “It’s not like I paid for it.  Either of them, actually.”

                “What did you do this time?”

                “Wore mine under my clothes after trying it on.  I used mom’s Amex for yours.”

                “Dana!”

                “What?  I could have brought necklaces, too.”

                “You can’t really plan on keeping these.”

                “Why?  Mom’s drunk so often she doesn’t even bother looking at the bill.  And dad’s never home because he’s always out somewhere screwing the flavor of the week.”

                “But still.  You stole that dress. It’s just not right.”

                “And?” she was getting frustrated, and it was easy to tell I was actually getting on her nerves.

                “Whatever,” I tell her, taking the red dress. She paid for mine, even if it meant she used her mom’s credit card. Mine wasn’t stolen, so I shouldn’t think too much on it, right? After all, I did need something nice to wear to this party tonight.

                “I thought the red would look nice with your complexion.  And your hair,” she says, reaching out to touch the tip of my auburn hair.  She had always told me she was jealous of my hair; it hadn't come out of a bottle and she loved that it was a naturally deep red.  What she wouldn’t envy, however, was the fact that I couldn’t even go out in the sun for five minutes without burning, or the spattering of freckles that covered my nose when I didn’t wear layers of concealer.

                But Dana?  Dana was drop dead fucking gorgeous.

                And she knew it, too.

 

About Kelly:

Kelly Gunderman was born a child of the late eighties in small-town Pennsylvania. A bibliophile in her own right, she is hoping to one day surpass the number of pages she has turned with those she has written of her own accord.

Having recently completed her Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Development, Kelly suddenly found herself with a bit more free time than usual, and began her immediately successful foray into blogging and Freelance Writing, which subsequently led to her renewed desire to finally put her ideas and imaginings “on paper.”

Focusing primarily on the Young Adult genre, Kelly’s first novel, Finding Me, was published by Swoon Romance, and she is currently working on putting even more stories on paper.

She currently resides in her original home town with her husband, their two daughters, and a few cats that constantly challenge the sanity of all with their ill-advised attempts at what can only be assumed to be world domination.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

Giveaway Details:

1 signed paperback copy of Living Dead Girl (U.S.)

1 Kindle copy of Living Dead Girl (International)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, August 31, 2020

Blurb Blitz/Giveaway - Angel Within by C.B. Barlow



 

 

Angel Within by C. B. Barlow 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GENRE: YA Urban Fantasy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

 BLURB: Sixteen-year old Rachel has an over protective but loving mother and a boring but safe life. All this changes in a blink of an eye. Rachel is now an orphan and learning she is more than human. She is thrust into a new world of friends, family and love along with fears, foes and evil. Evil that seeks to destroy her and all she holds dear. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

 Excerpt: They say your whole life flashes before your eyes right before you die. Well for me, it didn’t, it was only the last couple of months. That might be, because that was when my whole world changed. In those months, I had lost a loved one, been attacked, run for my life, seen suffering, and fought for revenge. But it hadn’t all been bad. I had learned the truth about myself, made new friends, strengthened old friendships, become part of a family, and fallen in love. My vision was getting blurry, but I could still see Isaac standing over me, beautiful, angelic Isaac. If he was the last thing I saw on this Earth before I died, I would consider myself lucky. Although I wish…Suddenly there was a bright light, so blinding that I closed my eyes. This must be the infamous white light everybody sees before they die. The pain was getting worse. I didn’t want to die. I’m only sixteen years old. None of this should have happened. I should have been at home with Mom watching TV, hanging out with friends, or going to a football game. It’s kind of funny, a couple months ago that was the only thing that mattered. Going to a football game.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

AUTHOR Bio and Links: Cindy has lived most of her life in Erie, Pennsylvania, just a stone’s throw away from where her main character lives. She traded in the bitter cold winters of Erie for the sizzling hot summers when she moved to Phoenix, Arizona. She is an avid reader of all genres of books and has a passion for anything angel related. When she is not working full time as a Registered Nurse, she enjoys writing. Recently Cindy decided to mash up her enjoyment and her passion into a book. She hopes her readers will have as much fun reading this book as much as she did writing it. 

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/C-B-Barlow/e/B08CC17L6D 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBBarlow1 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20486914.C_B_Barlow 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

 C. B. Barlow will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. RAFFLECOPTER: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Cover Reveal/Giveaway - Bandits and Ball Gowns by Christina Bauer


This post is part of a Cover Reveal Tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Christina Bauer will be awarding a Fairy Tale Charm Bracelet to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

One Prince Finds True Love ... And Risks It All

Elle Cynder has fallen hard for Alec, the 'prince' of Le Charme Jewelers. Time for some happily in their ever after, right?

Not so much.

While the new couple shares joyful moments--and sizzling kisses--serious trouble is brewing. Elle's evil stepmother, Marchesa, schemes with none other than Alec's twisted father, Legend. Their plan? Destroy Elle and Alec, along with everything the young lovers hold dear, including Bry, Knox, and Wilhelm.

Another Royal Freezes His Heart ... But For How Long?

As a prince of the dark fae, Jacoby focuses on one goal: avoid assassination. Marrying Elle would certainly aid in that cause, considering how she's both a Cinderella life template and a powerful fae warden. Even better, Jacoby doesn't truly love Elle. In court life, deep romantic attachments only mean certain death.

Then Jacoby notices Elle's youngest stepsister, Agatha.

For the first time in his life, Jacoby's cold heart warms with true affection. The elven prince struggles to ignore his feelings, but it might be a losing battle. And what would the prince's newfound emotions mean for Elle and Alec? Could Jacoby really stand by and watch another's true love be destroyed?

Buckle up for a wild ride as Cinderella's time-honored story gets some all-new twists.

FAIRY TALES OF THE MAGICORUM

1. Wolves And Roses
2. Moonlight And Midtown
3. Shifters And Glyphs
4. Slippers And Thieves
5. Bandits And Ball Gowns

About the Author:

Christina Bauer thinks that fantasy books are like bacon: they just make life better. All of which is why she writes romance novels that feature demons, dragons, wizards, witches, elves, elementals, and a bunch of random stuff that she brainstorms while riding the Boston T. Oh, and she includes lots of humor and kick-ass chicks, too.

Christina graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School with BA’s in English along with Television, Radio, and Film Production. She lives in Newton, MA with her husband, son, and semi-insane golden retriever, Ruby.

Be the first to know about new releases from Christina by signing up for her newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/CBupdates

Stalk Christina On Social Media – She Loves It!

Blog: http://monsterhousebooks.com/blog/category/christina
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorBauer/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CB_Bauer
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christina_cb_bauer/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-bauer-481b12139
Web site: http://monsterhousebooks.com/authors/cbauer

  Christina Bauer will be awarding a Fairy Tale Charm Bracelet (https://www.amazon.com/Fashion-Vintage-Fairytale-Wonderland-Bracelet/dp/B013JRL41E/ref=sr_1_2) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, August 23, 2020

Book Tour/Giveaway - The Wonders of the Peculiar Parasol by Mark M Even



The Wonders of the Peculiar Parasol by Mark M. Even

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

GENRE: Young Adult 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

BLURB: The Wonders of the Peculiar Parasol is an outstanding fantasy that shows how Mandy discovers her magic under strange circumstances. It focuses on how Mandy will get home and how she'll discover her real purpose in coming to this land, providing the basics of how this new world operates in a manner that elementary-level readers can readily understand: "The parasol and the dragonstone work together to sense the presence, or lack of presence, of the inner magic of the person holding the parasol. The dragonstone uses the infinite power of the sun to tap or channel or access that magic. And one way it does that is to transport an individual to Storyworld.” As Mandy harbors a secret, puzzles out how to use the dragonstone, and interacts with her family while battling lizards and building an army, young readers will relish the blend of real-world family dilemmas and fantasy world encounters. (D. Donovan, Midwest Book Review) 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

NOTE: The book is $0.99.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

 Excerpt: She opened the parasol and placed it on her shoulder. Just as she started twirling it, she heard the creak of the back door to the house open. Grandma rushed out, waving her arms and shouting, “Mandy, wait! Don’t!” Too late, it’s my turn! Mandy thought. A blue glow fell across her. Her vision blurred in the blue light. She felt like she was standing still… and spinning at the same time. Indistinct, blurred images appeared and disappeared in front of her, quickly fading away. She felt frustrated; she couldn’t quite make out what the images were. Finally, she found herself standing on a desolate hillside. Below spread an open vista of hundreds of acres of land covered in boulders. Across this landscape, large and small vents spewed steam, which condensed into shimmering silver, white, and blue water vapor rising into the stark blue sky. Turning to her right, Mandy saw a large unevenly formed mountain some distance away. On top of the mountain sat what appeared to be an old stone castle with massive parapets and what Mandy thought was… a drawbridge. There were some… creatures flying around the castle and in between the fortifications and towers. “I wonder what those are,” Mandy said aloud, squinting her dark hazel eyes to try and make out their shapes. Behind Mandy, a deep bass voice loudly said, “Oh… no! How did we get to Talon?” 

 

From The Author:

What do you miss most in this "new world"?  I've got many things that come to mind: going to my favorite restaurant for a nice dinner with friends and/or family, travel (I have had 3 separate trips cancelled or re-scheduled into 2021), BASEBALL -- either on TV or at the game (I have a ticket package at the Minnesota Twins), and going to the theater (I've had tickets for 3 separate musicals in Minneapolis that are now scheduled for fall of 2021).

And actually, as I think about it, if push came to shove, I could make do without any of the things listed above (well, except maybe baseball).  As most people have, I've been coping with the "new world" of masks and social distancing.  I've been able to play golf regularly and do some fishing.  My grandkids are all close-by and we are able to meet for dinners or family gatherings, and we've even worked in some social contact with friends and other relatives.

But, the one thing I miss the most is going to the MOVIES!  My wife and I would often go to the local cinema (or the IMAX for some of the blockbusters) whenever a new movie would come up.  There's nothing better than sitting in a theater recliner, watching an action/adventure movie on the big screen, and sharing a tub of popcorn with your sweetheart.  As a big Marvel Universe and DC superhero fan, I was looking forward to all of the new flicks scheduled to come out -- Black Widow, the next Wonder Woman, the new X-Men, and others.  And, I have to admit, I concede to going to a chick flick now and then, in order to keep the peace.

Catching a new movie (or TV Series) on Netflix or some other streaming service just isn’t the same (although The Mandalorian came pretty close).

I crave the big Surround Sound and becoming immersed in the story and action of good movie – it doesn’t even have to be a great movie – I just want to be entertained for 90 minutes or more and be blown away by special effects and plot twists.


If we can start attending movies again, it will start feeling more normal to me.

Stay healthy!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

AUTHOR Bio and Links: I retired from almost 40 years working for IBM in Mar, 2017. I’ve been married for 43 years to my wife, Joyce and have 3 children and 8 grand-children. I enjoy golfing, fishing, bird-watching and travel. Shortly after retiring from IBM in 2017, I was at a small-town celebration in northern Wisconsin and noticed that a number of the little vendor booths were people selling children’s books that they created and self-published. I looked at these and told myself that I could write something like that. And I did, but these were the type of books that were targeted at small kids and needed vibrant pictures and artwork. In the spring of 2018, I was visiting my niece and her family, and she told me of this wonderful idea for a story for a children’s book and after talking with her about it, we agreed to collaborate and I took on the task of writing the story. After many iterations, The Wonders of the Peculiar Parasol became a reality. www.dragonstonestories.com (Mark Even website) 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Even-Books-106679040686753

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19679689.Mark_M_Even 

www.gocwpub.com 

(Cresting Wave Publishing) Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Wonders-Peculiar-Parasol-Dragonstone-Story/dp/0988904829 

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 Mark M. Even will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. 

RAFFLECOPTER:

 a Rafflecopter giveaway