Nighttime Reading Center

All are on my radar to read. I hope to read these books soon. This is my Book haul for this month.

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Book Details:

Book Title:  The Nutcracker Conspiracy (A Thorny Rose Mystery #4) by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  388 pages
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:   January 30, 2020
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!

Book Description:

Three years ago, the nation gasped in horror when the President of the United States barely escaped an assassination attempt that left two dead—the vice president’s wife and the attempted assassin.  Even after numerous investigations proved otherwise, conspiracy theorists argue that the assassin was acting on orders from the CIA, FBI, and every federal agency within a hundred miles of the capital.

Aspiring Author Dean Conway is the last person Lieutenant Commander Murphy Thornton wants to spend his Saturday afternoon when they end up at the same wedding reception table. While their wives tend to bridesmaid duties, Murphy is trapped listening to Dean’s latest work-in-project—completing the manuscript of an investigative journalist who’d disappeared months earlier.

“She was number twelve,” Dean says.

“Twelve?” Murphy asks.

“Twelve witnesses connected to or investigating The Nutcracker shooting have died either in an accident or suicide.”

Two days later, Dean dies suddenly―but not before sending a text message to Murphy:

 “13”

Meet the Author:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Chris Matheson Cold Case, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty-five titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

A popular speaker, Lauren is also the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls iRead Book Tours. She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German Shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Instagram

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North! Or Be Eaten is the second book of this Wingfeather Saga series. Though we start in Glipwood forest it seems like we get a bit about Tink and Janner and the Igiby family. I would suggest reading book 1 first. Though, I only got book 2. It was just as good without needing to read book 1. Though, I think it would be best if you want to know how and why we start where we do in “North!, or Be Eaten.”

We seem to be following Janner the most throughout the book. Though we get glimpses Tink. It seems that both Tink and Janner are what this book is about. Though the way Igiby family acts will they be able to survive.

What will happen to Janner and Tink and Leeli? Will they be able to stick together. Will they be killed by the Fang of Dang or the Stranders? I got the feeling something is up with their grandfather. Who wants the Igiby grandfather?

Will the sibling embrace their special talent or gifts? Will they allow Fangs and Gnag the nameless and others to betray them. It was an enjoyable read. Though a bit of it made me take a while to read. Once you get into the book it adventure of a ride.

The images that are drawn are wonderful. I love them. The author does a wonderful job of writing the story. I was more surprised at how it ends. There are quite a few twisted and turns throughout the book. Young adults and children will enjoy this book/ series. Good for middle-grade children and up.

The book is really clean and teaches some lessons as well as throughout the book. You would be surprised that this teaches about the importance of family, grace, friendship, trust, and sibling rivalry

The Green Dress is about a woman who is staying with the Robinson family. There seem to be strange illnesses or deaths occur. It seems to be about a woman named Sarah Jane Robinson. What is going on in the house is strange.

Harriet seems to bring in a Dr. Weaton. She moved into the Robinson family household but things seem to happen more once Lizzie passes away. But we do not know who it is. As the story goes on and more death occurs. The suspicions rise. Who is killing the Robinson family members and why?

The author does a wonderful job of having you trying to figure out the culprit. You get a history of some of the members. What a way to show some true colors in some folks. This story has you wanting to turn the pages and rooting for the heroes to save the day. You are pulled in emotionally as well. I was guessing Dr. Beers or even Mrs. Robinson. Can Michael and Harriet save the Robinson family members or will it all go bad?

Book Description:
Three high-spirited 17 year olds, with intelligent quotients in the genius range, accompany their teacher and mentor, Carolina Lovel, to Frascati, Italy, a few weeks before they are to graduate from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women. Carolina's purpose in planning the trip is to remove her gifted, creative students from the Wood Rose campus located in Raleigh, North Carolina, so they can't cause any more problems ("expressions of creativity") for the headmaster, faculty, and other students – which they do with regularity. Carolina also wants to visit the Villa Mondragone where the Voynich Manuscript, the most mysterious document in the world, was first discovered and search how it is related to a paper written in the same script she received on her 18th birthday when she was told that she was adopted – a search that will fill in all of the missing pieces of her past and help each of her students to discover something meaningful within themselves.

Book Description:
 
Seventeen-year-old Dara Roux and her two best friends, Mackenzie Yarborough and Jennifer Torres, the three collectively referred to as the FIGs (Females of Intellectual Genius) because each has an intelligence quotient in the genius range, have just returned from Frascati, Italy. It was there that their much loved teacher and mentor, Carolina Lovel, discovered that her birth parents were gypsies, and that she had a connection to the Voynich Manuscript, the most mysterious document in the world. Now, with graduation from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women behind them, Dara asks Mackenzie, Jennifer, and Carolina to help her locate her birth mother when she learns that she might be living in New York City. All the young women have to work with are five addresses, and when Mackenzie prepares a grid showing the location of all five addresses, four of the locations form a square with the fifth in the middle—which is also Grand Central Terminal. Relying on Dara’s gift for speaking and understanding foreign languages, the black and white images that stir musical cadences in Jennifer’s mind, and Mackenzie’s mathematical calculations that normally provide numerical solutions and answers to life’s most difficult questions but now keep showing the number “61”, the determined young women tirelessly go from one address to another in search of Dara’s mother. Their determination turns to desperation, however, and they ignore caution and the dissonant chords Jennifer frantically scribbles on her eight-stave musical paper as they pursue one final address—the one located in the middle of Mackenzie’s grid. Encountering a dark hidden society and sub culture more dangerous and terrifying than they could have imagined, it is there that Dara learns why she was abandoned as a seven year old in a candy store all those years ago.

 

Book Description:
 
The three FIGs—Females of Intellectual Genius—as they are called, have graduated from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women after returning from New York City where Dara learned why her mother abandoned her all those years ago, and they are now attending universities where they can further their special talents. This means they will be separated from each other and from Carolina, their much-loved mentor and teacher who is “one of them,” for the first time in their young lives. They vow to try living apart for one semester, in the so-called real world that doesn’t include the orphanage; but if things don’t work out, they will come up with another plan—a plan where they can be together once again. Dara is invited through Yale University to take part in an exciting archeological project in China. Jennifer, once again visualizing black and white images and the unusual sounds of another cadence that seem to be connected to Mackenzie, is engrossed in creating her next symphony at Juilliard. Mackenzie, because of her genius at problem-solving, is personally chosen by a US Senator to get involved in a mysterious, secret research project involving immortality that is being conducted in a small village in China—not too far from where Dara is involved with the archeological site. Once there, however, she finds herself facing a terrifying death from the blood-dripping teeth of an ancient evil dragon. Her best friends, the FIGs and Carolina, rely on their own unique genius and special talents to save her as she discovers the truth of her birth parents.

Book Description:

Jennifer Torres, one of the three FIGs (Females of Intellectual Genius) who is a genius in both music and art, is the last to leave the closed rehearsal for her upcoming performance over Thanksgiving break at Carnegie Hall when she hears something in the darkened Hall. Recognizing the tilt of the woman’s head and the slight limp of the man as they hurry out an exit door, she realizes it is her parents who were supposedly killed in a terrible car accident when she was 15 years old. Devastated and feeling betrayed, she sends a text to Carolina and the other two FIGs—THURGOOD. It is the code word they all agreed to use if ever one of them got into trouble or something happened that was too difficult to handle. They would all meet back at Carolina’s bungalow at Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women to figure it out.

As soon as they receive the text, because of their genius, Dara starts thinking of words in ancient Hebrew, German, and Yiddish, while Mackenzie’s visions of unique math formulae keep bringing up the date October 11, 1943. That is the date during World War II when the Nazis—the Kunstschutz—looted the paintings of targeted wealthy Jewish families and hid them away under Hitler’s orders. And as Carolina waits for the FIGs to return to Wood Rose, she hears warnings from Lyuba, her gypsy mother, to watch for the nightjar, the ancient name for the whip-poor-will.

As they search for “The Nightjar’s Promise” and the truth surrounding it, Carolina and the FIGs come face to face with evil that threatens to destroy not only their genius, but their very lives.

 

Meet the Author:

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Did you wonder what generation you were born into? What about the Technology that made you who you are? Well, GenTech is a book that may help with that. It a book about the American story through technology.

I have found this book to be interesting. I even found it to be informational. I now know why my grandma and my mom both seem different than me. Though not by age much but by technology. Mom seems to be born during the Boomer Generation, Technology - Space Generation, and grandma was born during the Silent Generation, Technology – Radio Generation. I was born during the Millennials Generation, But my Technology – The Cable Television Generation or PC-CP Generation.

I seem to of come of age during three different Generations. As I know, I experienced the Cable Television and the PC/CP Generation and a bit of the Net Generation as well. I was born in the last month of 1986. So I am not exactly sure which Technology Generation I fall into. As my Coming of age is spaced though more than one.

Other than that. This book was enjoyable. I do believe it explain most of America and us as we try and make our world better. It does explain Generations better then laters and or what we are dubbed when we are born. I believe the technology does make us who we are and our country as well. The technology that we grow up on is what defines us more than anything else. Some historical events will define us as well.

When I Meet You is well done. It another story about genealogy. We are brought in with Jillian being with her dad on a trip to Denver. She does not know why. But her reaction to the steamer trunk brings us to the start of Jillian's journey in finding out who the owner is.

I enjoy the way, the author brings the past to life and the future together. Though she does it with clues given to her. We will not be able to solve the mystery until the end. Jillian also is pulled to look at her family history or at least into the steamer trunk that she was given by her mother.

The timelines go back and forth between the 1909 storyline and the present-day timeline. Could have Jillian found someone special. Norlan seems to be more occupied to feed two hundred people. Will he be able to create a menu for that many people. Will get the help he needs as well.

There are historical events. The story is mostly on the train from Ohio to Denver. Pinkerton seems to be the one mostly corresponding that is sent to a woman that is the owner of a trunk that was abandon at Denver's Union Station. Whatever happened to the owner?

I Hate, Hate, Hate This Time of Day, is a book about an elephant that does not like going to bed. Know any children that are like that. I am sure you do. We all have either gone through it or done it ourselves.

Well, this book focuses on that time of day. This is a good bedtime story. It creates a routine for Edgar with his mom. Though Edgar seems to think that playing and having fun is best. Though can you make it fun to get ready to go to bed.

The author does this quite well. I love the pictures. It easy to read. I love Edgar's response each time his more asks. Children just love to play and have fun. Maybe this book will help with bedtime.

Big and Little Activity Devotional is a good activity to do with your child or children. This book is good for you and your child to have some 1 on 1 time. As it is to help discuss the faith and the lord in a fun way.

It will help with doing something together and talk about the bible. Though activities. There are quite a few different activities to do throughout the book. I used mostly to color and destress myself. This book is really good for this time that we are in as well. With all the time we have off and you can not go to church this activity book can help you with that. You do that by doing these activities on a Sunday.

You can even use it as a thing to unwind your day as well. There is a side for your child to use and aside for the adult to use. There Color by Number and other activities. You can discuss the different passages and chat while coloring.

A Curse of Mayhem is the second book of the series of Alyssa McCarthy Magical Missions. It is good. I seem to start up once again with Alyssa doing magic. How does she get this magic of hers? This seems interesting that she doing this and her ordinary person.

Do we find that there this person named Errol? Does Alyssa need to do somethings to defeat Errol? What they are you find out as she struggles to control her magic. It seems that she gets herself into trouble. Will her mentors be able to help or even Simon?

This book for me was slow going. It was adventures, but not as exciting as the first book. It is good with is as it is funny with animals that show up out of nowhere. Will Alyssa be able to save her loved ones and her friends?

If you are looking for a good book for your child or children this is good for them. As it teaches confidence in a person, responsibility. This is shown throughout the book. Not all at the same time. It has some fantasy to it. Good for fantasy fans and lovers of fantasy.

Well, I found a book to fall into during this strange time. That book is The Fright of Figi, it quite a good book. Once you get into it. This book is about a girl that somehow attracts magic into her life. Why this happens I do not know.

Her name is Alyssa and she lives with her Uncle and cousin. When things start happening, no one believes her. She gets into trouble. Will she get save herself and friends and family. Things get more interesting one she is kidnapped by an evil wizard.

This is good for middle-grade children and ages 8 to 12 years old. The author does a really good job with the plot of the story. The characters are developed well. If you are looking for a good fantasy book for your child or children this one is good. This one as a young girl as a hero.

This is a series. It is a good one at that. Alyssa McCarthy Magical Missions. I can not wait to pick up the second book. I am wondering if her friends from the previous book are going to need to help her or if she ends up doing it herself.

The mysterious Music box is a well-hidden game of lost and find. Though it not all easy to find the music box. There seems to be a reason for two other people trying to find this music box that belongs to a friend from school.

Though why would someone want to break in and take a music box that has nothing in it. There seem to be quite a bit of people wanting Rosa music box. Could there be something inside the box that can solve a mystery of some treasures that came from world war II Germany?

There seem to be two other people that are trying to find this music box. What could be so special about it? If you enjoy riddles and puzzles, then this book and series are for you. If you are looking for a good series or book for your children of middle-grade schoolers this is it. These books are good for them and they will learn a little bit as they read.

The Sleepwalking Vampire is a unique story. This book got some original to it. Though this one was more entertaining and interesting read. I am not into vampires much at all. The way this book is focused on a friend's family member and her problem. It different in a way as the child think she is a vampire.

They think she a real one or at least one of them does. This mystery seems funnier. The way this one goes makes it believable. These detectives not own need to solve one mystery but two. They find out that jewelry is going missing.

This book and whole series is a good one for middle-grade children. If you enjoy solving puzzles and riddles and trying to figure out who done it? This book and series are good for your child or children. I do recommend it and each book has its mysteries to solve. This is a good Halloween story or book.

The miner's gold is a good mystery for young children. Though that enjoys solving puzzles and riddles this book is good for them. It gears towards Middle-Grade children. This one is about a Miner's Note and a bit about the Gold rush.

This series is written well. It seems that each book or some of the books reference a piece of the case from an earlier book. This one does mention Case #1 and Case #4. Which to me are Book 1 and Book 4? Each book as its mystery. There are some similarities with something with cases or Mysteries.

This one has the three detectives to invited to find the hidden treasure. What an adventure they go on. But they also have to help out on a movie set. Find out what they have to do. What adventures they get themselves into.

The Crows Call is a good story. I enjoyed it. The storyline is about the Kings. If you remember Michelle from the Prayer Jars series. Well, we meet up with Michelle and Ezekiel once again. You will be surprised when you do.

I am glad to see them once again. We get to see a bit more of their storyline. Though this takes place mostly around the King's greenhouse and the King's family. There something tragic that happens, and those remaining have to deal with it. They seem to deal with it in different ways.

Though this seems to be mostly Amy King and Jared's story? How will Amy deal with the tragic events that hit her and family? Wanda seems to show how everyone deals with grief in their way. Though we see each family member cope in different ways.

Henry seems to be the one that struggles the most. How will he deal with it? Everyone seems to tell him what to do. There seem to be a silver lining to his way. He seems to attach to a crow and when to train it. Will he be able to?

Little Words Matter Jumbo Coloring Book is a coloring book. It got different activities for children to do in it. There words and pictures to color. To tracing a letter. There is also Connect the dots activities in the book. There are many different activities for children from ages toddlers to kindergarten to maybe even elementary school.

I do not know if the contributor had this in mind when they release this, what good timing to have this release around when a pandemic has made us have to social distance. I know the Coronavirus did not make this to happen as it did. No one saw it coming well mostly us citizens.

With schools closed and kids home with their family. This looks to be a good time to get your young children and toddlers to color and learn at the same time. This is no different than before only know it just seems like it a good to have. Parents that home school or even do not but have to do so now. This is a way to have your little one be entrained and learn will teaching your other children as well.