It's the Little Things: HOPSCOTCH by Steve Cushman

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're taking a moment to appreciate the little things in life.  The beauty of nature, the warmth of our family, the comfort we find between the pages of a great read, or even the smile finding one of those nifty painted and hidden rocks brings, if just for a moment.  Today, we celebrate all those little things that add up to big things and make life worth living....because let's face it, that's not always the easiest thing to do.  The title on deck today reminds us of all this and more as we join what may be considered a child's game, but can also serve as a portal to our youth in SO many ways.   Ready or not, here comes today's book of choice...

Hopscotch

by

Steve Cushman

9781604891782

Livingston Press

About the book...

Hope can come in many forms, and in the novel Hopscotch, it comes in the form of a hopscotch board drawn on the sidewalk leading to the entrance of a hospital in Greensboro, North Carolina. Despite the hospital’s cleaning crew’s efforts to remove the board, it mysteriously re-appears every day. Eventually physicians, hospital employees, and patients, including Emily, an 8-year-old fighting cancer, and Stan, an Iraqi War veteran, are drawn to this hopscotch board. Hopscotch is a story about the healing power of hope and how the simplest thing can effect and change so many lives for the better.

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The story is told through the eyes of its characters and, bountiful though they may be, they each leave their mark on our hearts as we discover just what secret joys a simple hopscotch board can uncover.  For some, it brings back memories of days shared with loved ones since past when better times were the norm.  For others, it allows them to have a piece of their childhood returned to them despite the heavy health issues with which they are currently dealing.  For still more, it helps heal the wounds of the heart, body, and soul, as they adjust to their new realities and try to regain the balance they thought lost forever.  It was touching and beautiful, introducing us to people that could come from our own life paths, and while there were still times of darkness, it reminded us to continue reaching towards that light.

From the beauty of a sunrise (okay, sunset...because really...I'm going to bed about that time!) to quality time with the family, a quiet moment all to yourself for reading to a girls night celebration of epic proportions, or perhaps even a simple game from childhood days...it's not what you do, but rather that you DO it and appreciate the moments lived without taking them for granted.  Sounds easy, right?  Yeah...think about your own day to day...do YOU take the proverbial time to "smell the roses"?  I thought not, and I'm guilty too.  We're too RUSH RUSH RUSH in order to keep up with the world around us, but as this story so aptly reminds, tomorrow is not a promised for any of us.  So, make the best of your day TODAY!  There's never going to be a perfect moment to tackle that project, start on the path to reaching that goal, or make amends with someone who has done you wrong, if we don't take the first step on our own volition.  

Recommended for all those who consider themselves lost souls as well as anyone simply needing a lift in their day.

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About the author...

Steve Cushman earned an MFA from UNC-Greensboro.  After working as an X-ray Technologist for twenty years, he currently works in the IT Department at Moses Cone Memorial Hospital.  His debut novel, Portisville, won the 2004 Novello Literary Award. He’s published a second novel, Heart With Joy, as well as the poetry chapbooks, Hospital Work and Midnight Stroll.  Cushman lives in Greensboro, North Carolina with his family.

SITE

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Special thanks to Sydney at JKS Communications for the copy for review as well as the chance to bring this title to you.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, or those promotions on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now via Livingston Press, so stop by your favorite virtual retailer to snag your copy today.

Until next time, remember....if it looks good, READ IT!

The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

 

Today, we're diving into the Glanagerie bottle (more on that in a moment) after the first book in what is posed to be an EPIC new series!  It's a work of Middle Grade Fantasy that will have readers making comparisons to a particular wizardry story, but for all the RIGHT reasons.  Don't believe me?  Ah yes, I figured you may need more than simply a nudge in the right direction...though count your lucky stars, it could be hundreds of quills flying at you and poking you in the rear end!  *ahem*  Anyway, let's get down to business because today's post starts out as magic filled as the story itself.

 

 

 

What you're looking at is a box.

SURPRISE!

Okay, just kidding, but only just.

THIS box is what arrived on my doorstep so many odd days ago.  If you look carefully there, it has book spines on the side with rather peculiar titles that spark the imagination from the word go.  Well, of course I couldn't wait to see what was inside, so a few tape slices later and...

 

 

We're in...but into what is the real question.

I mean, the "specially created for" bit was lovely and mysterious, especially if you noticed who exactly the box was FROM (take another look...go ahead)...and what's with this newspaper inclusion...

 

 

Why, it looks like a discarded copy of Scriven This, the go to guide for news in the scrivenist community!  Why yes, I'd love to adopt a Hairie...and sour scrub sounds rather helpful, but what's with the double moon business?  All thoughts I had, and answers I intended to find, but first, MORE UNPACKING because, after all, it was a magical box, and while that was all fun and dandy, the magic was still to be revealed....

 

 

OMG!

Is that what I think it is?

Yes...yes it was/is.

It is my very own Glanagerie Bottle and for those not currently in the know, it allows the user to experience worlds from their imagination and test their magical mettle while in a (relatively) safe environment.  SO COOL (and pretty!)!  I knew I had to keep it close at hand as I prepared to start reading...

 

 

The Crowns of Croswald

by

D.E. Night

9780996948654

Stories Untold Press

 

About the book...

In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret…

 

For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken. Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems. When Ivy’s magic––and her life––is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever.

 

 

 

AMAZON  |  NOOK  |   iBOOKS  |  KOBO  |  INDIEBOUND

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From the first page turn, you know you're in for quite a treat.  There's magic, mystery, and the potential for mayhem hiding around every corner...and that's only the beginning!

Much like the boy living under the stairs and making as little noise as possible, young Ivy grew up knowing what it felt like to go unnoticed (except in times of trouble), unwanted (unless there was a chore to be done that no one else was willing to do), and, for the most part, unloved.  Such a sad case to report, but report it I must...although if you were paying attention, you may have noticed I said "for the most part" regarding the lack of love.  You see, while parental love was missing and even the guidance or instruction of other relatives, she did have Rimbrick...a crafty little dwarf who had more up his sleeve than you could possibly imagine.  One day when the scaldrons (dragons that fit into magical resizing cages and keep the kitchens in the business of hot prepared food) run amiss (okay, one in particular), Ivy takes a leap of faith beyond the boundaries of her homestead and into the arms of a magical destiny she...knew...nothing...of!  *GASP!*  That's right...there's more to our girl than meets the eye and while she discovers her own heritage, the world is about to find something they didn't realize they were missing (darn Forgotten Room!)...or should I say SOMEONE (times two!).

You can't help but love our girl Ivy and she is as lovely as her last name dictates.  She's a friend through to the end, courageous, genuine, and always there for those in need.  She's had a rough time of life thus far, but she's not one to give up even when things seem hopeless, even when fear seems greater than all the good in the world, even when there's a cute boy she's got a bit of a crush on popping up pretty much EVERYWHERE and she's not exactly making the best impression.  Ivy stays true to herself, which makes her all the more endearing, and embraces what fate has in store for her, but you better believe she's not about to take it lying down.  Along the way, we make fast friends with few (Fyn, Rebecca, Winsome...and more!) and enemies aplenty (let's start and end with the Dark Queen, okay?  Okay....), after all, people don't always like what (or who) they don't understand. 

In the end, all I can say is what an adventure! To think all that Ivy had uncovered and overcome in the past year (only a year?!)...and yet there are so many more harrowing experiences to come, if she survives the Dark Queen ♛, that is. Sorry, no spoilers here because really and truly, you need to experience this one for yourself!  As for me, I'll be eagerly awaiting the next adventure into the lands of Croswald, wherever that might take us, and pondering over all we learned between these pages and trying to procure my own hairie until that blissful day.

 

 

 

 

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About the author...

 

D.E. Night lives, dreams, and writes in South Florida amid her menagerie - two dogs, and two cats - with her husband.  The Crowns of Croswald is her first book.  She draws inspiration from silver-screen storytellers, magical imaginings, and her younger brothers.  A day spent in Croswald, or another whimsical world, is her favorite kind of day.

Site  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram

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Special thanks to Meg at JKS Communications and author D.E. Night for the chance to bring this title to you as well as the awesome sauce box to review!  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, this promotion, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is set to release JULY 21,2017 (as of this post), so mark your calendar, or pre-order your copy today!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

 

 

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: The Origins of Benjamin Hackett by Gerald M. O'Connor

Hey guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're hitting you with a ONE TWO LITERARY PUNCH!  That's right.  You, my lucky friends, get TWO posts this glorious Sunday in lieu of one.  Excited? You should be because there's a little something for everyone.  Take THIS post for instance...

First up, we've got a SPOTLIGHT trained on a Fiction title that's about to celebrate its BOOK BIRTHDAY tomorrow (CONGRATS!) via Down & Out Books.  It's a "coming of age" novel and, from the sound of things, houses enough secrets to have anyone coming apart at the seams.  Curious?  I know I am, but alas, a teasing spotlight is all you get for now.  Ready?  Set?  READ!

The Origins of Benjamin Hackett

by

Gerald M. O'Connor

9781943402465

Down & Out Books

About the book...

All families have secrets. Most go untold…

In the summer of  ‘96, Benjamin Hackett has come of age, technically. And in the midst of the celebratory hangover, his world is whipped out from under his feet. His parents have finally shared their lifelong secret with him; he’s adopted.

At the age of 18, the boy still has some growing up to do, and with the help of JJ, his loquacious consigliore and bodyguard, he embarks on an adventure that’ll put to bed a lifetime of lies.

Over the course of five days, they find themselves caught up in the darker side of Cork. But when they sweep through the misfits blocking their way and finally discover the truth of it…now that’s the greatest shock of all.

The Origins of Benjamin Hackett is a tender tale of heartache and displacement told through a wry and courageous voice. Set in Ireland, it’s a timely reminder that the world hasn’t moved on just as fast as we fancy. Now, in this emotionally charged story, Gerald M. O’Connor explores conditioned guilt and its consequences in a country still hiding from the sins of its past.

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Advanced praise...

“‘The Origins of Benjamin Hackett’ by Gerald O'Connor is a raucous and riotous coming-of-age story that is brutal, tender and hilarious.”

– Paul D. Brazill, author of A Case of Noir and Guns of Brixton

“O’Connor doles out killer dialogue that adds oodles of character to this hero’s journey. Told with the lilt and panache of Joseph O’Connor and Dermot Bolger in their novels of the ‘90s, Gerald O’Connor is the new and improved voice we've been waiting for.”

– Gerard Brennan, author of Undercover and Wee Rockets

“Visceral writing that inherits a long Irish tradition. O’Connor’s narrative contains sharp characterization, and has an assured voice, while dramatizing conditioned guilt with humor and style.”

– Richard Godwin, author of Apostle Rising, Mr. Glamour, One Lost Summer and others

“If you’re expecting the usual coming-of-age tale, you’re in for a big shock. This is a tale big on heart and one which the author, Gerald O’Connor, has hied religiously to the advice of Harry Crews for writers, to ‘leave out the parts readers skip.’ None of those parts remain in these pages. An auspicious debut!”

– Les Edgerton, author of The Death of Tarpons, The Bitch, The Genuine, Imitation, Plastic Kidnapping, Bomb and others

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About the author...

GERALD M. O’CONNOR is a native Corkonian, currently living in Dublin with his long-term partner, Rosemarie, along with their three children. He writes character-driven novels of various genres by night and is a dentist by day. When he isn’t glued to the keyboard, he enjoys sci-fi films, spending time with his family and being anywhere in sight of the sea. He is currently working on his second novel, The Tanist.

SITE  |  TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK  |  GOOGLE+

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Special thanks to Sydney at JKS Communications for the chance to participate in this promotion.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, or those promotions on the horizon, feel free to click through the links above.  This title is set to release tomorrow via Down & Out Books, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!