Category Bit of everything

Sep 8 2016

Book Release – Little Birdie Grows Up

I had the pleasure of reviewing a Turtles Magical Adventure on audio a while back so I’m stocked to see this as a new release. 🙂

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LITTLE BIRDIE GROWS UP

Media Pack.

 

Join us in celebrating the release of Little Birdie Grows Up

Little Birdie Grows Up is a picture book about a fuzzy little blue bird that yearns to fly up in the big blue sky. His Mama encourages him and he tries his best. He is charming and sweet and the illustrations are delightful.

About the author

Wanda published her first children’s book, The Lilac Princess, in 2014. Next came her wonderful tale of Tad, in A Turtles Magical Adventure published, March 2016.
Wanda Luthman has her Masters of Arts in both Mental Health Counseling and Guidance Counseling from Rollins College located in beautiful Winter Park, Florida. She worked at a local Community Mental Health Center for 10 years before transferring to the Public School System as a Guidance Counselor. She’s worked at a High School for the past 18 years. She has also been an Adjunct Professor at the local Community College and worked with teens who had lost a loved one through Hospice. She has always loved reading and writing and wrote many books and poems as a child growing up in Missouri. She presently resides in Brevard County Florida with her husband of 21 years and 2 dogs. Her daughter is away at college, like Little Birdie, she has left the nest.

From the Author

“I want to inspire young children to be the best people they can be. If I can capture children’s imaginations and entertain them, they’ll catch the underlying positive character message in each of my books.”

 

Website/blog   https://wandaluthman.wordpress.com

Facebook fan page  https://www.facebook.com/wluthman/

Twitter  https://twitter.com/wandalu64

 

 

 

 

 

Quotes from reviews

“Wanda Luthman does a very good job with this book. Lots of colorful pictures. Lots of rhyming that small children could quickly learn. Highly recommend this book for children ages one to five.”

 

“Although “Little Birdie grows up” is written for very young children, who cannot fail to be immediately and deeply attracted to Bryce Westervelt’s vivid pictorial narrative, it is a book which most likely will also engage genuine adult interest.”
“This was the first picture rhyming book I have read and the first time a book has made me cry – but a good cry. Little Birdie Grows up is such a beautiful story.”

 

Where to find Little Birdie Grows Up

 

Ebook        https://www.amazon.com/Little-Birdie-Grows-Wanda-Luthman-ebook/dp/B01I08WY7A/

Hardback  https://www.amazon.com/Little-Birdie-Grows-Wanda-Luthman/dp/0692745106

Paperback https://www.amazon.com/Little-Birdie-Grows-Wanda-Luthman/dp/0692745092

Audiobook – Listen to a sample here.

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Birdie-Grows-Up/dp/B01K5GBODK

 

 

Sep 6 2016

AudioBook Review – 36 Hours

Great shorter listen this week, by a narrator who I’ve had the pleasure of listening to before. Kevin’s voice is really deep, gritty but easy on the ears 🙂

Review as follows

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  • 36 Hours: The Blackout Series, Book 1 | [Bobby Akart]
    36 Hours: The Blackout Series, Book 1
    UNABRIDGED
    Reviewed: 06/09/16

    “Thought provoking”

    It was nice to listen to Kevin again, and this premise interested me a lot due to the science of it. I must admit there was a lot to take in at first. But as each first chapter introduced us to the characters and to what was coming, I got more and more sucked into the story.

    Preppers do have the mentality attatched to them of being a bit on the wacky side, but I think in all honesty having some sort of stock about you really isn’t. Especially with the way the world seems to be heading. Maddison was a fab Mom and did everything she could to help calm her daughter down and protect her from even her own thoughts at first.

    Alex totally different gal, you think she’s this quiet kid who just wants to do what kids do, but she rescues her mom from a mugger with a golf club! There were some really tough moments in this story. And the more we got to know Maddy and Alex, and her husband Colton. The more we were routing for them being re-united.

    I think my only grip is that it’s so short. I know there’s a sequel, but I feel it’s actually really part of this story. It stopped at a good place after they met up, but the only thing that led me to want more was the bonus chapter/teaser.

    Still excellent listen, Kevin has a deep, but soothing tone I really like. He puts great twists with his male and female characters and I’m happy to listen to anything he narrates because of that. Next one please 🙂

    This audio book was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.

Sep 4 2016

Flooding Improvements – DIY Large scale

This year has been one consistent monopoly of doing things. From December and altering the whole back of the house, to the flooding after xmas.

We had to make some big decision on things, and sorting out the flooding problem was one of the first. No point having a nice house, if the water comes over the doorstep and ruins the new flooring.

So, work commenced….

 

 

This next lot of jobs might just about do us in, but even more so will be worth it, finishing off the flagging to the bottom wood stores, coal bunker and the pond. And starting work on the driveway. EEEK.

It’s been tough, it will be tough. But the results of that hard work, more than worth it. 🙂

Sep 2 2016

AudioBook Review -Full Share

Back with the crew on the Lowis! If you love sci fi character driven stories, this is the one for you….

Review follows.

Full Share: A Trader's Tales from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper, Book 3 | [Nathan Lowell]
Full Share: A Trader’s Tales from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper, Book 3
UNABRIDGED
Reviewed: 02/09/16

“Excellent Listen”

I was so excited to get back to Ish and the crew. What a fantastic series this has been.

However, this was a great listen. There’s so much going on here, with a new crew member coming aboard and the uncertainty of Ish losing his place on the ship. This novel defo has a much sadder undertone, and Jeffery did a fab job as usual, with all the characters and especially the woman, it amazes me how much each person really has their own twist and voice. I am in awe of what narrators do. But the amazing writing, and drinking and food also still makes me want to drink more coffee and find out how to make spicy beefalow 🙂

I really did enjoy the full journey though, and the fact that Ish and Bev get together is just perfect, I wondered of the three who he actually might end up with if the opportunity arose. At most points through this book, I kept thinking, come on, I’m routing for him… the ship and almost dying, wow, really great writing and really awesome deductive work from Ish and the crew to get to the bottom of that problem. A mystery I was happy to follow, as I was with the problems they were having with the new crew member CC.

I was looking forward to the next one, but now I’m not so sure. And I have to say, I think the only thing with it that’s bothered me is the preview chapters and then subsequent wanting to skip the first few in the next new book. I also got a taster of the next book, (book 4) before I cut the off switch. And I’m sad if there isn’t anything really written of his academy days, I mean to skip 4 years of his life… seems a huge switch. Maybe it will work or not, but sigh. I really wanted to see what happened there too.

I am very much still looking forward to hearing the next book and following on with Ish and maybe Pip and Bev…. guess we’ll see when I get there.

Thanks for the great entertainment this week already pre ordered the next 🙂

Aug 31 2016

AudioBook Review – Errant Contact

Still so far behind in getting some of my reviews in and on here. I’m trying. I’m catching up on my pile, but then things like this come across my facebook news feed and I just HAVE to have it, and then as soon as one books finished, this was on my playlist!

Review follows as usual, but I REALLY want to shout about how much I loved this book. This writer is amazing… and I’ve been totally entertained by it for the last few days. 🙂

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Errant Contact | [T. Michael Ford]
Errant Contact
UNABRIDGED
Reviewed: 31/08/16

“Excellent story :)”

You can’t help but be a big fan of certain narrators, but what I really love about following them around, is they come across some of the most amazing stories I might not have found otherwise.

I have no expectations when I first start with a new book, and I have to admit, the ‘female’ pov of Larie was a little different from a male narrator. I think I was only a little jarred by this because I just presumed at the start that it was a guy, till she spoke, lol. But Greg does wonderful inflections and voices, and I was soon swept away into this new and exciting and scary world.

For me, what matters most, is really decent characters. I thought the writer had both side of this nailed. Great, alien creatures and a sentient AI and human characters who were smart, and stupid. 🙂 lol at Max. He was such a doofer of a character, but throughout the book he had some really life changing moments… and I found myself really liking him as well.

Kodo, and Kalayya were really fun. but I have to say the writer has a thing for names beginning with a K… Komega, Krik….. and was there some more. It didn’t stop me enjoying the book 🙂

There were a few very tense moments. Some that had me on the edge of my seat, (literally pretty hard while driving) and of course, some extreme teary ones.

I do wish there was some interaction with the crew of the Jeff at the end

Fantastic story and narration. This is a book I’d highly recommend… and I do hope there’s a lot more in store for the ship and her crew… I kinda know it’s going to be nasty with the new threat heading to Earth… but… eeek. Hope I can get to listen in soon. I daren’t go see if it’s already out on amazon…