Forever Yours (The Forevermore Series Book 2) by Monica Burns

    Sarah Jane knew grandma Anna didn't have much time left. She'd been sick for a long time. Still her heart ached when she thought about losing her grandmother.  Sarah Jane's daughters begged great-grandma Anna to tell the tale one last time. It was a story they could   cling to when great-grandma Anna was gone.

  A beautiful story with all the ingredients you could possibly want. This loving story has been crafted to stay with you forever. Characters who leap off the page to capture your attention and enough spark to melt your heart. I really enjoyed this book. You will be angry and surprised in equal measures with this one. Ms. Burns doesn't disappoint. She should be an auto buy for you, I know she is for me. The winding tale that is this story will keep you wondering  what else could possibly happen. Get this book to find out!

    I didn't find any issues.

     I gave this one 5 cheers out of 5 because this is destine to be a classic!

    

20 Fun Facts About Summer

 

1. The first modern Olympic Games were held in the summer in 1896 in Athens, Greece.
2. The first day of summer is between June 20th and June 22nd every year. The first day of summer is called the summer solstice, and the day varies due to the Earth’s rotation not exactly reflecting our calendar year.
3. The last day of summer is September 20th.
4. Watermelon is one of summer’s best summer treats. Did you know that watermelons are not a fruit, but a vegetable instead? They belong to the cucumber family of vegetables.
5. The Eiffel Tower actually grows in the heat of the summer. Due to the iron expanding, the tower grows about 6 inches every summer.
6. If you love ice cream, the summer season should be your favorite. July is national ice cream month.
7. Another interesting fact about summer is that television shows used to only be reruns during the summer months. The idea being that everyone was outside enjoying the weather.
8. A June fun fact is that the month of June is named after the Roman goddess Juno.
9. The first women’s bathing suit was created in the 1800’s. It came with a pair of bloomers.
10. The “dog days of summer” refer to the dates from July 3rd to August 11th. They are named so after the Sirius the Dog Star. This star is located in the constellation of Canis Major.
11. Frisbee’s, invented in the 1870’s as a pie plate, but in the 1940’s, college students began throwing them around. They have since stopped being used for pie plates and are now a summertime staple.
12. For a July fun fact, Roman general Marc Antony named the month of July after Julius Caesar.
13. July is national blueberry month.
14. The longest day of the year is on the summer solstice.
15. Mosquito’s are most prevalent during summer months. Mosquito’s have been on earth for more than 30 million years.
16. Most theme and water parks are on a summer seasonal schedule. Most amusement parks have a full time season from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
17. August was named after Julius Caesar’s nephew. He had received the title of “Augustus” which means “reverend”.
18. The first National Spelling Bee was held on June 17th, 1825.
19. More thunderstorms occur during summer than any other time of year. They are also take place more commonly in the south east of England.
20. Ice pops were invented in 1905 by an 11 year old boy.

Hopefully these fun facts have you excited for the summer. Now you’ll be able to plan an epic getaway and create long lasting memories with friends and family.

Conceptus by Brian Herskowitz

     Laura had been running for a long time. It didn't matter how hard she ran or where to, the nightmares followed. Her nightmares kept her on the path, never wavering until they brought her full circle.  Now what would she do?

     This is a powerful book.  Yet another look at how a split second can change your life in so many ways. The meat part of the book is fantastic. It really is a page turner. The characters are fleshed out and engaging.  It will have you looking over your shoulder for awhile. This one also shows us how once again religion is molded to fit what you want it to be. I think you'll like this one.

   I found a few issues inside the bigger issue. The bigger issue is the lead in story to start the book with doesn't need to be there. There are many other ways to bring the information into the meat of the book. The smaller issues have to do with perception more than they are misleading information. It's an easy fix.

   I gave this one 4 cheers out of 5 because of the above issues.

The Royal Reason Why Brides Wear White

 Queen Victoria spent the majority of her reign wearing black, to mourn the death of her husband Albert. Yet, she is credited with kicking off a very different fashion trend: Brides wearing white on their wedding day.

After her wedding, Victoria wrote in her journal of her dress, "I wore a white satin gown with a very deep flounce of Honiton lace, imitation of old. I wore my Turkish diamond necklace and earrings, and Albert’s beautiful sapphire brooch." Little did the 21-year-old queen know that the white satin gown she wore would begin the trend of bridal dressing for centuries to come.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in a re-enactment of their marriage ceremony, 1854.

ROGER FENTONGETTY IMAGES

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At the time of Queen Victoria's wedding to Prince Albert, it was common for wedding dresses to come in a variety of colors—but Victoria chose a white dress. White gowns were not popular, as keeping a white dress white after it was worn was exceedingly difficult. White outfits, therefore, were viewed as a sign of wealth.

There are competing theories on why Queen Victoria wore white. "Victoria had chosen to wear white mostly because it was the perfect color to highlight the delicate lace," writes Julia Baird in Victoria The Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire. She especially wanted to show off the lace to support lace makers in England.

"Before bleaching techniques were mastered, white was a rare and expensive color, more a symbol of wealth than purity," Baird wrote. "Victoria was not the first to wear it, but she made it popular by example. Lace makers across England were thrilled by the sudden surge in the popularity of their handiwork."

Historian Jennifer Steadman, however, believes Victoria chose white aware of its perception of innocence in the media. "She wanted to be seen as [Albert's] wife, so she didn’t wear the red ermine robe of state. She wore white. After that, all representations in...fashion magazines picked up on that. The white wedding dress became the standard symbol for innocence and romance," Steadman explains. Agnes Strickland’s 1840 biography of Queen Victoria backs up Steadman's theory on public perception: Strickland wrote Victoria was dressed on her wedding day "not as a queen in her glittering trappings, but in spotless white, like a pure virgin, to meet her bridegroom."

Victoria was not the first to wear a white dress on her wedding day, nor was she even the first royal woman (Mary, Queen of Scots wore white on her wedding day in 1558), but she certainly was the most influential. White wedding dresses quickly became the norm, not the exception, following Victoria's nuptials.

News... News>>> Important

 I have reached a heartbreaking decision. Starting today I will NOT accept any more books for review. I will continue to work on the books I have. If you'd rather I didn't please send me an email and I will delete the copy you sent me or send the books back. No one but me has access to the books sent for review, so there isn't a need to worry someone else will have them. It's been 11 years of reading and reviewing for authors all over the world. I have given 110% to my blog and the authors. I've always posted my reviews in more places than anyone else. Right now it's right at 30 places. It takes a lot of time to read the book, then write the review and make sure it gets posted on 30 different sites.

I thought it was appreciated but I'm not so sure any more. Lately I'll have one day of 300 views on my blog, the next 3. I review for enough authors to have a fairly steady readership, but after 11 yrs, it's a pitiful one. I've done all this work for free. I have never charged anyone for the hours and hours it takes to do this work.

Yes, I enjoy the work. Yes, it's fun for me. Recently though it's been tons more work. When I started the blog, it was to help get authors newest read out to the public. It was to share my love of reading. I'm not sure it makes a difference. I know on Amazon, which by the way, I fought for weeks with Jeff Bezos and his staff to be allowed to post for my authors, people appreciated my reviews because I have over 1,000 Yes the review helped votes.

This is where I stand as of today. I can't see wasting my time reviewing if people don't care. Enjoy the weekend and next week. If you have anything to say, please email me. Thanks. macladie25@yahoo.com

Sunflower Season: A Historical Romance Charity Anthology for Ukraine

 SUNFLOWER SEASON is a charity collection featuring stories (some never-been-published and some old favorites) by over 70 -- that's right -- SEVENTY of your favorite Historical Romance authors. ALL royalties will be donated to humanitarian relief in Ukraine.

Featuring novellas, stories and novels by Christi Caldwell, Amalie Howard, Royaline Sing, Bree Wolf, Virginia Heath, Caroline Lee, Golden Angel, Nicole Locke, Natasha Blackthorne, Sabrina Jeffries, Lenora Bell, Amy Quinton, Janna MacGregor, Annabelle Anders, Rachel Ann Smith, Eva Devon, Sandra Sookoo, Tabetha Waite, Diana Bold, Sadie Bosque, Cheryl Bolen, Erica Monroe, Kate Bateman, Cara Maxwell, Tracy Sumner, Jenna Jaxon, Jane Charles, Eliza Knight, Mariah Stone, Robyn DeHart, Wendy LaCapra, Hildie McQueen, Madeline Martin, Amy Rose Bennett, Ava Bond, Piper Huguley, Fenna Edgewood, Kathryn Le Veque, Caroline Linden, Nancy Yeager, Dawn Brower, Celeste Barclay, T.L. Christianson, Lauren Royal, Michele Pollock Dalton, Glynnis Campbell, Rose Pearson, Erica Ridley, Sydney Jane Baily, Deb Marlowe, Rebecca Paula, Amanda Mariel, Christine Sterling, Ava Stone, Lauren Smith, Sawyer Quinn, Caroline Warfield, Jessica A Clements, Jude Knight, Anna St. Claire, Tamara Gill, Gina Conkle, Charlie Lane, Terri Brisbin, Bronwen Evans, Emmanuelle de Maupassant, Merry Farmer, Tammy Andresen, Cecelia Mecca, Meredith Bond, Christine Donovan, Lana Williams, Carrie Lomax, Eve Pendle, Bethany Bennett, Bianca Blythe, Maggie Dallen, and Samara Parish.

Again, ALL proceeds will be donated to Ukrainian relief efforts. We are not affiliated with any charities but are only doing what we can to provide help for the innocent people who've lost so much as a result of this senseless tragedy.

Early Thursday: A War, A Hurricane, A Miracle! by Linda S. Cunningham

     Walt is from South Louisiana. He's twelve years old and his Papa calls him Boy. Walt didn't know what his future would be like but he knew he didn't want it like his life now. He wanted his Mama to be happy and healthy. He wanted his family, except his Papa, to have a home where their lives would be good. They wouldn't have to struggle.

     This book is a good one. It's hard to read, in a way, because of the hard story it tells. It hits at the center of your heart and then shreds it. It's an important story to be told though. Too many live like this. The writing is good. The characters well defined and three dimensional. I recommend this one for teens and adults. It will give you  a clearer center of gravity. It will teach valuable lessons.  Add it today to your TBR pile or library.

     I did find issues. It really drags. It beats a point to death. It jumps to too many characters. Keep it somewhat simple. Last, it isn't as focused as it could be.

    I gave this one 3 cheers out of 5 because of the issues above.