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Book Reviews, Self-Publishing Book Review of the Week, Uncategorized, weekly self published book review

Self-Published Book Review: Sally and the Singing Whale

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.
When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review:

sally and the singing whale berinna hansen

BHBAfinalist72

Sally and the Singing Whale

by Betinna Hansen

ISBN: 9781478786412

 

Synopsis*:

“Whales are monsters,” Papa warns Sally. “They will eat you up!” This is the beginning of the story, a beautiful adventure that is sure to charm both children and parents. Sally is always in a good mood and sure to come out on top, but when she sneaks onto her father’s ship, something unexpected happens –Sally is thrown overboard and swallowed by a whale! This heartwarming book is as exciting as it is layered. It is about a little girl’s love for her father, her growing independence, and the beauty of the natural world. But it also touches on the fear of the unknown –a fear that, Sally learns, has nothing to do with reality. PRAISE: Author Betinna Hansen was accepted to the Rutgers University Council on Children’s Literature, where Sally and the Singing Whale was described as “Magical” and likened to the classic children’s story Pinocchio and the biblical story of Jonah. “Sally and the Singing Whale is a book that you will want to read and re-read for its depth and timelessness.” –Denise Dowling Mortensen; Children’s book author of Bug Patrol and Good Night Engines/Wake Up Engines.

“Betinna Hansen is a gifted storyteller whose words create beautiful pictures in my head!” –Peter Catalanotto; Author/Illustrator of Emily’s Art and Monkey & Robot. To learn more go to www.singingwhale.online

 * courtesy of Amazon.com

Reviews

Sally and the Singing Whale is a children’s picture book written by Betinna Hansen and illustrated by Tata Bobokhidze. Sally wants to go to sea with her dad, who’s a fisherman, but he’s just not willing to let her come along with him. When she asks why, he tells her that whales are monsters with sharp teeth. Sally has had many exciting adventures and loves seeing new things, but she’s both scared and skeptical of her father’s description of the whales. Her dad wants her to stay safely at home in her little treehouse that’s perched in a sunny clearing among hills and mountains. But Sally has other ideas, and while she looks sleepy as he sings her their lullaby, she’s ready to adventure once again as soon as he leaves. Sally gets dressed and follows him to the harbor where his ship is waiting. She stows away in what seems a perfectly safe place, but suddenly finds herself in the belly of a very large whale.

Betinna Hansen’s children’s picture book, Sally and the Singing Whale, is a lush and lovely fantasy about a girl’s interaction with a whale. I loved the feeling I got when reading this tale, that it was set when men like Sally’s father went whaling in ships often much smaller than their targets, and admired how Hansen is able to interject a sensibility into the fishermen’s mindsets after Sally and her father’s lullaby is sung by a pod of whales. Tata Bobokhidze’s illustrations are a masterful blend of rich colors, striking watercolor washes and marvelous little touches that bring each of these panels to life. Each and every page is suitable for framing and would make a grand themed wall in a child’s room. I found myself pausing and getting lost in each frame as I read of Sally’s adventures. The details are wonderful — check out the little eyelashes on the whale, follow Sally’s path as she enters the whale’s baleen-fringed mouth and take a moment to find where Sally is hiding on the ship. There’s so much to enjoy about this book, both for children and those fortunate adults who happen upon this book when it’s story time. Sally and the Singing Whale is most highly recommended.

 

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Self-Published Book Review: Tea With the Queen

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.
When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review:

tea with the queen charles lunsford

beverly hills book awards winner

Tea With the Queen

by Charles Lunsford

ISBN: 9781478766551

 

Synopsis*:

What do you give someone who has given you everything? What do you give your mother as a birthday present when she turns ninety years old? I gave my mother this story that you are about to read. My sister asked my mother what kind of party she wanted and with the wink of an eye she exclaimed, “a tea party!” Invitations were sent out to one and all to have “Tea with the Queen.” You were to wear your finest tea party attire; suits, ties, dresses and of course, hats. I sat down to read my new fairy tale to my mother and her guests from a copy I had printed by the local printer, with clip art I found on the internet and bound in black vinyl, I began to read the story aloud. You see, I come from a long line of storytellers. From my grandmother, to my nieces and nephews, we loved standing up to retell the history of our family.

 * courtesy of Amazon.com

Reviews

Once upon a time, the question was asked: “What do you get the 89-year-old queen who has everything?” Her family home for her birthday, of course! And that’s just what Princess Dawnellen sets out to get for her mother, Queen Bettyruth, in Charles Lunsford’s book, Tea With the Queen.

This adorable book begins with the queen bemoaning her upcoming 90th birthday, not because of her age but because her sons won’t be there to help her celebrate. Her very caring daughter, Princess Dawnellen, decides to make it happen and give her mother a party to end all parties, but all of the princesses’ brothers are spread out in the region! Can the princess make it happen? Will everyone be home for the party?

Based somewhat on a true story (the author’s sister asked their mother what she wanted for her birthday, and she answered, “A tea party!”), I thought this was a really cute tale about a daughter trying to do right by her elderly mother who has given her everything all of her life. The beginning half dragged a little bit, but once the decorating for the party began, things kicked into high gear. I especially liked the arrival of different people, with each arrival done in various humorous ways. My only [minor] quibble was that there was barely any attention given to the problem at-hand. We went from the queen wishing to see her sons to preparations being made for a party. I would liked to have read about some minor conflicts in the princess’ quest to bring her brothers home. There was also a subplot with the queen and her husband, King Bernard, who had suffered from a number of ailments and could no longer talk. I admit that a few scenes had me a bit teary-eyed, moved by the depth of their love for each other.

One of the most important parts of books for children are the illustrations, and I think they were well-done in this case. I believe that the author noted on Amazon that he used clip-art. The pictures were therefore simple but vivid and colorful, giving even more life to the characters therein. My only issue with the pictures was that Princess Dawnellen and her siblings looked a little young to be in their 70s or even 60s; while I’m guessing about their ages, I don’t think I can be too far off since the queen’s children all had grandchildren of their own. Even if they’re young grandparents, their pictures made them look to be no older than their early 30s, if that. The queen, on the other hand, did look to be elderly, though she could have done with a few more wrinkles.

I thought that the theme of family love was very well portrayed, and it was fun meeting everyone in the extended family. Even so, I will make one minor note. One of the couples included in the book is homosexual, which I had no problem with. The thing that did give me pause, however, was that one half of the couple looked at the other’s behind and smiled. Due to the language in general, I think this book is aimed for slightly older children (maybe 10 and up), but that aside was a little too much even for me, and I’m quite a bit older than 10! While I realize that this book started off as a gift to the author’s mother, thereby making that scene “no biggie”, it’s now on Amazon and posted as a children’s book, so I think that one sentence should be edited out.

Insofar as the editing in general, I don’t think that this book was professionally edited. It’s only 56 pages long, and I managed to find well over the ten grammatical errors we need to note, with the first ten being found in the first 6 pages. Most of the mishaps were punctuation missteps, but there were also a few instances of incorrect word usage and one time that “they’re” was used when it should have been “their”. I strongly urge the author to have this book edited now that it’s being seen outside of the family because it has important themes that shouldn’t be lessened by bad grammar.

Due to the typographical issues, it is with a heavy heart that I give Tea With the Queen 3 out of 4 stars; the minor issues I mentioned don’t warrant a lower drop in the rating. I also recommend this book to older children or tweens as well as adults who like children’s books based on family and love. Fans of fairy tales may also want to give this tome a try.

And with that, MsTri was done with her review, and they all lived happily ever after.

Tea with the Queen is a heart warming true story written in fairy tale form. The book is a testament to family values, family diversity and most importantly, family love. Worried she will not see her beloved family on her birthday, her daughter conspires to have family members converge on the castle for a birthday tea. The lessons she and her husband have taught their children and grand children are time old lessons of honesty, integrity and love. I was a reading/language arts teacher for 40 years and I highly recommend Tea with the Queen for every classroom library.

– reviewed by Michael on Amazon

What a delightful book! I was enchanted to learn the fairy tale had been inspired by the author’s real life: a desire by his 90-year-old mother to have a birthday tea party. I recommend this for kids over age 7 because of its length and a few ‘adult’ words kids may not know. I do feel it would be perfect read aloud at story-telling events and at bedtime. The illustrations are a lot of fun and enhance the plot. The essence of the book is the importance of generational love and how love and family traits continue to live on in future generations. Who doesn’t agree and appreciate that message?!?

– reviewed by Amy Light on Amazon

 

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Self-Published Book Review: Dear Folks — A Farm Boy Leaves Home to Fight in the Great War and Falls in Love with an English Lass

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.
When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review:

Dear Folks: A Farm Boy Leaves Home to Fight in the Great War and Falls in Love with an English Lass walt hazelton

 

Dear Folks: A Farm Boy Leaves Home to Fight in the Great War and Falls in Love with an English Lass

by Walt Hazelton

ISBN: 9781478793632

 

Synopsis*:

A true story of war and romance. Raised by devout parents on a Canadian farm, naive 17-year-old Walter enlists in the Canadian Infantry during World War I. After six months of training, his unit is active in the trenches near Ypres, Belgium, where he encounters the horrors of warfare, poison gas, and rat-infested trenches. After being sent back to England to recover from illness, Walter falls in love with an English lass-and the relationship blossoms. They become engaged, but there are obstacles. She has been raised in a low-income community, while Walter’s father is a well-educated, practicing doctor. Amid all the uncertainties of war, the two lovers postpone their marriage and continue to see each other as often as possible. But when the war suddenly ends, Walter is shipped back home-alone. Can their wartime romance survive an ocean of distance? Take a step back into history and experience this true story firsthand through Walter’s letters to his parents. Dear Folks is a warm and wonderful read about youth, love, war, and commitment.

 * courtesy of Amazon.com

Reviews

Fascinating Read About Life in the Trenches of WWI
Great read. Fascinating to hear a first-hand account of what it was like to fight in the trenches in WWI.

Great book!

I am almost done reading this and have really enjoyed this. Its even more fun to read because I am related to everyone mentioned in the book. I love seeing all the letters that Walter wrote during his time away at war and hearing about how things were back then. Very good read!

– reviewed by LauraJ on Amazon

An intimate and compelling portrait of a young man in the throes of both love and war, drawn from his letters home, by his own son.

– reviewed by Carol Morris on Amazon

 

 

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Self-Published Book Review: My A.R.R.A.: Growing Into Me

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.
When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review:

My A.R.R.A.: Growing Into Me J.C. Sykes

cipa evvy 3rd place book award

My A.R.R.A.: Growing Into Me

by J.C. Sykes

ISBN: 9781478787051

 

Synopsis*:

“A bird doesn’t sing because it has a voice, it sings because it has a song”

  • Maya Angelou

A memoir of inspiring perseverance over misguidance.

In this inspirational memoir, we meet a young woman forced to grow up too quickly when she marries at sixteen.  After only five months of nuptials, she loses her husband to an extended prison sentence, and become a single mother who must quickly learn independence.  Under extreme adversity and depression, the teen finishes high school on time to become a college graduate of her hearts passion.  Carlen shares her life story in the hopes that others will be motivated to persevere in the face of overwhelming  odds.  Inspired by a quote passed down from her father, “A quitter never wins and a winner never quits”, Carlen attacks her obstacles head on.  Will Carlen continue to maintai her sanity against all odds?

 * courtesy of Amazon.com

Featured Review

Your strength and courage to get through every obstacle you encounter is simply Amazing!!
(Verified Purchase)

Other Reviews

Good Read.

Its hard to think that real people do actually experience hardships and tragedies like this but I Love that the author was able to overcome her obstacles and come out better for them. Interested in what the next book will bring.

– reviewed by MissBC on Amazon

Usually when I start to read a book I never finish it but this book was actually good. It’s like you could feel everything she went through just by reading the different chapters. It also brings out different emotions when you start getting deeper into the book, because it’s something you can relate to and I cried a lil while reading it, because it hit so close to home. I can honestly say I love this book and I think she did an amazing job 😍

– reviewed on Amazon

 

 

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Self-Published Book Review: Unwelcome Opportunity

Book reviews are a great way for self-publishing authors to gain exposure. After all, how can someone buy your book if he or she doesn’t know it exists? Paired with other elements of your book promotion strategy, requesting reviews is a great way to get people talking about what you’ve written.
When we read good reviews, we definitely like to share them. It gives the author a few (permanent) moments of fame and allows us to let the community know about a great book. Here’s this week’s book review:

unwelcome opportunity richard battle

Unwelcome Opportunity: Overcoming Life’s Greatest Challenges

by Richard V. Battle

ISBN: 9781977201645

 

Synopsis*:

All of us will face challenges in life–we have control over how we respond to them. Author Richard V. Battle knows all about this. Over one ten-month period, he experienced divorce, two heart procedures, and a cancer diagnosis. He could have chosen any number of negative paths through that time. Instead, he chose humor, peace, and the Word of God, which led him out of fear and into what he later named his book on the experience: Unwelcome Opportunity. Full of entertaining anecdotes as well as forty-seven passages from Scripture, Battle’s Unwelcome Opportunity: Overcoming Life’s Greatest Challenges will help others also see the possibility, hope, and light in any situation.

 * courtesy of Amazon.com

Featured Review

Richard Battle, the author of four other books, has dealt with severe hardships during his life. He wrote, “Surviving Grief by God’s Grace,” to deal with the loss of his son. In his most recent book, “Unwelcome Opportunity: Overcoming Life’s Greatest Challenges,” Battle had recently gone through a divorce and was now being faced with health issues. In less than a year, he was tested with prostate cancer and needed to have two serious heart procedures. It didn’t seem fair that he was being handed these trials because he took care of himself and was fitter then most men his age. Rather than dwelling on the negative or thinking, “Why me?” He proactively took charge of his health by following his doctor’s advice and using his faith to carry him through. As his challenges would arise, he would sink further down into his faith rather than darkness. This allowed him to not only survive, but also thrive.

As I read “Unwelcome Opportunity,” I was very impressed with the author’s unwillingness to allow himself to be consumed by darkness. He had already faced the loss of his son and his marriage and was now having to deal with health issues that didn’t seem fair for someone who was active. I really admired him for relying on his faith and using prayer to overcome everything that was placed in his path to test him.

“Unwelcome Opportunity” begins each chapter with a meaningful bible quote.  I would read each one and reflect on it before reading the chapter. This allowed me to obtain a better frame of mind for the material that was to follow. He also offers scriptures and inspirational quotes to place further emphasis on his writings. I can’t imagine being able to hold on to my faith as strongly as he did while he went through his challenges. My faith in God has always helped me overcome personal and health crises, yet I don’t remember being able to stay as steady as he did. Battle’s faith did not let him down as he pushed through his trials.

“Unwelcome Opportunity: Overcoming Life’s Greatest Challenges,” by Richard V. Battle would make an excellent gift for someone who is faced with challenges. Readers suffering from personal or health related issues will find comfort in Battle’s words.

– reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views

Other Reviews

What do you do when you experience a divorce, two separate heart procedures and a cancer diagnosis all within a ten-month period? If you or yours are facing one of life’s demanding tests, Unwelcome Opportunity – Overcoming Life’s Greatest Challenges is an essential read. Richard Battle faced multiple tests in a short period of time and shares how he, with God’s daily provision, overcame them. You’ll be glad you read his pilgrimage drawn from a period when the world caved in on him! – Mike Huckabee, Former Governor of Arkansas, Two time U. S. presidential candidate, Author and commentator

Unwelcome Opportunity is a poignant, moving, and inspirational memoir/Christian living book that will take readers on a thought-provoking journey while entertaining them at the same time. Unwelcome Opportunity is written by author Richard V. Battle, and Richard throughout Unwelcome Opportunity Richard will take his readers on the journey of his life and the many significant moments in it. The journey the reader will encounter is at times heartbreaking because of what Richard went through and the events that significantly impacted his life however it is also an uplifting book in which Richard will make you smile thanks to his positive outlook and inspiring passages. If you are a reader who is looking to read a memoir that is unlike anything you have read before and a memoir that is the perfect combination of inspiration, fact, and poignancy then Unwelcome Opportunity is the book for you and should not be missed.

Unwelcome Opportunity is written by the incredible Richard V. Battle, and in his book, he shares his story and the many pivotal moments in his life. The reader will follow Richard as he explains that he had two heart procedures in a ten month period as well as go through a divorce and receive a cancer diagnosis. However, despite all of this, Richard shares many inspiring passages about how he overcomes this and especially thanks to God and his help, and this book lovers is the premise of the incredible Unwelcome Opportunity!

Unwelcome Opportunity is a poignant, moving, and compelling piece of nonfiction that will help, inspire, and captivate its readers from the very start until the very end. Unwelcome Opportunity is an influential, powerful book because it deals with many poignant topics and God.

Unwelcome Opportunity is an exceptional book not only for the author’s candor but also the information he has so expertly laced throughout the book. The information will help readers overcome hardships with his passages and wisdom as well as his discussion of God and how God helps.

Richard V. Battle is a remarkable person for two reasons; the first is because he is honest and brave to write his story, and the second is because he is an exceptionally talented author. Richard’s impeccable writing is a joy to read and flows beautifully throughout so that the reader will feel compelled to read non-stop. Richard is a pure literary talent, and so I applaud him for being so brilliant!

Overall Unwelcome Opportunity is an insightful, informative, inspiring book and I would say if you are a reader who is interested in the topics explored and coming out the other side, then this book is for you and so Unwelcome Opportunity gets five stars from me!

Thank you so much for reading book lovers! I appreciate it so much, I love discussing wonderful books with all of you so please comment below and let me know your thoughts. Do you see yourself reading this book? Do you love the genre? Please let me know your brilliant thoughts below and I will be sure to comment back. Thank you so much again for reading!

– reviewed by Aimee Ann on Red Headed Book Lover

This book is for everyone. Those that have everything going for them and have never experienced disappointment or failure because it will prepare them for that moment in time when they may need the truths in this book has to offer and it is for that person feeling defeated and need to know they are not along both physically and spiritually.

– reviewed by uhoo on Amazon

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