Soulful Struttin’

by

Julia Pierre Hammond

illustrated by Ana Latese

I never thought the act of cleaning the house could be so joyful!

Soulful Struttin’ is a new children’s picture book by Julia Pierre Hammond, gloriously illustrated by Ana Latese, that takes household chores and turns them into a joyful Sunday family tradition. Like Clara, the young protagonist, I never thought cleaning up could be such a playful experience and joyful only when behind us. 

Clara’s father has two Sunday traditions:” singing and cleaning the house. While Clara (and probably every reader) thinks singing could be pretty sweet, she would heartily love to avoid the weekly cleanup. However, her playful, energetic, and upbeat father won’t even entertain doing otherwise. Soon, he has the entire family singing and swaying to his specially curated playlist of tunes to clean by. Time speeds by, and their home sparkles, as do everyone’s spirits. 

The illustrations add to the absolute joy, with pictures that fairly dance off the page. As a bonus, the author includes the family’s perfect playlist for readers to recreate in their own music app and the recipe for Grandma Sentelia’s Gumbo. Get that gumbo simmering on the stove early in the day and relax with a ready and delicious meal after the chores are complete. 

The plot reminds us all that chores go better with a positive attitude, compelling tunes, and the family working together as a team. Young readers will enjoy the fun story and vibrant illustrations, and everyone will have their favorite songs to add to the family’s musical playlist. 

I recommend SOULFUL STRUTTIN’ to those with young readers and listeners. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy via Netgalley.

See this and more of my reviews on Boys' Mom Reads!

Shrimping West Texas:

The Rise and Fall of the Permian Sea Shrimp Company

by

Bart Reid

An out-of-left-field topic told with humor and style.

Shrimping West Texas: The Rise and Fall of the Permian Sea Shrimp Company by Bart Reid is about the author’s experiences researching, starting up, and operating his West Texas shrimp company. For those that don’t know, the location of his operations was in the Trans-Pecos region of the state, in the Chihuahuan Desert, about 500 miles from the nearest large body of saltwater (the Gulf of Mexico) and about 800 miles from the nearest ocean. Assuming the inhospitable conditions of the setting, the idea this would be even remotely possible piqued my curiosity. What Reid relates is an amazing story of innovation, hard work, and determination, and his ability to tell his story is spellbinding; I read the entire book in one sitting. 

The author begins by explaining his very particular combination of background, education, work experiences, and skills that placed him in the unique position to, first of all, consider and then undertake the development of shrimp farming in an inland desert location, not only on his own behalf but for several others who saw the merit and possibilities of the industry. I enjoyed reading about all the different entities and resources he contacted trying to determine the feasibility of the idea and the mechanics of building, operating, and maintaining the resulting operation, from starting up to day-to-day. But, it is his recounting of obstacles met, successes and setbacks, people met and friends made, and the drawbacks to and riches found in small-town living where the book really shines. The author’s humor and engagingly personal delivery elevate his story, making it a favorite for the year. Frankly, I knew from the start I was in for a treat when he opened with an Aggie joke. 

I recommend SHRIMPING WEST TEXAS to readers of unusual non-fiction topics, anyone who eats food (get a peek at where some of it comes from), and every Aggie needs one or two on their shelf at home and at work. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Book Blog Tours.

Forward to Camelot:

The Final Edition

by

Susan Sloate and Kevin Finn

An exciting and unique time-travel adventure filled with intrigue and suspense.

Forward to Camelot: The Final Edition is a riveting and unique time-travel adventure by authors Susan Sloate and Kevin Finn and takes readers to an infamous time and place in American history: the days leading up to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas. The book is full of surprises and twists, the first of which is the time-traveler goes back in time not to avert the assassination but to surreptitiously obtain the president’s personal Bible, which Judge Sarah Hughes used to swear Lyndon B. Johnson in as Kennedy’s successor for a current day collector. However, the protagonist has another more personal agenda for going back to these specific dates: to find and warn the father she never got to meet that something was going to happen to him on November 22, 1963, that would result in his mysterious disappearance. 

The main character is Catherine “Cady” Cuyler, a successful daytime television soap star living in New York City, or at least she had been up until the book’s opening. Newly divorced and newly out of work, she’s surprised to discover a famous movie special effects designer wants her to star in his upcoming production. When she finally came to understand that the project involved time travel, it was a hard pass for her. Skeptical, of course, she’s also responsible for her elderly mother and can’t be away from her for the length of time the job would require. Still, her contact had been convincing. 

The story hits the ground running with an exciting and chaotic scene of rescue and a deadly conflagration in progress that immediately grabbed my attention. From there, things only get more rousing and exciting as Cady ends up in 1963 Dallas. The story of Cady’s and her mother’s lives were heartbreaking. Her father, alive and in person in 1963, is not at all who she expected, and the interactions between men and women at that time, especially in the workplace, were well portrayed. Life seemed much more formal only 60 years in the past. The story is packed with surprises, a new twist occurring just when you least expected it, and aspects of some of the numerous conspiracy theories that have been floated over the decades since the assassination made an appearance in the plot. With so much at stake in this riveting tale, I didn’t want to put the book down. 

I recommend FORWARD TO CAMELOT: THE FINAL EDITION to readers of time-travel stories, especially those interested in the 1960s or the Kennedy assassination. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

A Broken Reflection

by

Shelly M. Patel

A baffling series of murders are all connected to one couple.

A Broken Reflection by Shelly M. Patel is a dark and baffling tale of mystery and murder. When women connected to either Claire Bell or her husband, Stephen, become the victims of murder, the police take note and start asking very probing questions. Claire soon finds herself suspected of being a serial killer. 

Claire is the main character in this twisty tale of murder and deception and is as baffled as the police about who is killing women she has some connection to. She’s a mild and amazingly forgiving woman, especially considering her knowledge of her husband’s infidelities. However, she wouldn’t hurt a fly, let alone another human being. But why is she missing great blocks of time from her life? And what’s going on then that she doesn’t remember? 

The plot moves quickly, using multiple points of view to reveal the story. The reader learns early on that Claire is being watched, but it could be any number of mysterious people. While she wavers back and forth about her husband’s cheating, the killer seems to take those matters in hand for her as each one of her rivals becomes a victim. The different narrators all have an axe to grind regarding Claire, and the descriptions of their relationships with her vary greatly – almost as if they are not dealing with the same person. 

The story is easy to read, but there were a few places that required re-reading to figure out what the author was trying to say, and there were a couple of awkward transitions between points of view that were confusing. Still, the story was interesting, entertaining, and short. 

I recommend A BROKEN REFLECTION to readers of psychological or domestic thrillers. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

HappyHead

by

Josh Silver

Suspenseful young adult dystopian thriller where evil lurks behind a smiling face.

HappyHead by Josh Silver is a new young adult dystopian thriller about a mysterious residential treatment facility that claims its mission is to fight the rise of systemic unhappiness across society’s youth and its inaugural session of 100 hand-selected teen participants. From the outside, HappyHead appears to be a beautiful and luxurious spa-like opportunity for young adults who are seeking to improve personal growth or, for some, gain an advantage in their upcoming journey to achieve adult success. The reality may be something much, much different, and unexpectedly deadly. 

The story unfolds from the point of view of the main character, Sebastian “Seb” Seaton, a young man struggling with feeling loved and accepted for who he is by his family, especially his parents, and they don’t even know that he’s gay. Seb seems like such a regular kid, working through understanding himself, his feelings and beliefs, and others, while developing a foundation for his true persona. His attraction to the dark, wounded Finneas is achingly meant to be. His narration reveals a humorous and clever personality, and the snark is strong and entertaining. 

Nothing about the routine or treatment at the facility is what Seb expected, and, from the start, he feels unsettled and off-balance, like everyone is in on a joke except him (and so was I as a reader.) The smiling visages of the “Overalls” and HappyHead treatment staff are eerie and add to the constantly rising feeling of suspense. Several of the activities at HappyHead triggered my “AwHellNo” alarm and upped the terror of the story, such as the implanting of a ‘chip’ in the breast of the young participants. Each subsequent twist kept me glued to the story as the action and the fates of the characters careened forward. 

Quickly a fan of Seb’s “voice,” I was completely absorbed into Seb’s story. The descriptions of the facility and grounds are vivid, starting even before setting foot on the actual property. Set somewhere in the Scottish countryside, Seb’s parents literally drop him off in the middle of nowhere on a dead-end road, surrounded by tall reeds and sunflower fields obscuring the sight of any buildings or landmarks nearby. Later, there are scenes of confusing, undistinguishable white interiors and dark, dense woods, all confined within tall, electrified fencing, enhancing the pervasive feelings of desperation, isolation, and lack of individual control. 

With its sympathetic main characters and interesting range of intense secondary figures, suspense-filled atmosphere, and twisty plot, I recommend HAPPYHEAD to readers of young adult dystopian thrillers, especially those wanting complex but realistic LGBTQ representation. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through TBR and Beyond Book Tours.