Rant

Rant: An Oral Biography of Buster Casey
by Chuck Palahniuk
Doubleday
ISBN: 978-0-385-51787-4
$24.95 319 pages

I am having a really rough time writing a review for this one. I could sum the review up in 2 words or 20 pages. The 2 words are: Mind Blowing, this is one book that I will keep and add to my collection. Words just really cannot describe how I felt reading this. I have never read anything by Chuck Palahniuk and really had never heard of him until requesting this one for review, needless to say I am adding him to my favorite author list, and will be dishing out some major bucks to get all of his earlier books. (lol)

Will try to have the review up by this weekend, even if it is the two words above MIND BLOWING as this was one mind blowing experience and my head is still spinning and the wheels in my brain are ever so constantly turning.

As you can see the cover art is intriguing and enticing which originally drew me to read the blurb in the catalog before requesting this one for review.

Edgar Font's Hunt For A House To Haunt Adventure One

Edgar Font’s Hunt For A House To Haunt
Adventure One: The Castle Tower Lighthouse
by Patrick H. T. Doyle

An enchanting story that introduces Garrett and Audrey to some pretty wondrous adventures that delivers a positive message to children everywhere. Garret and Audrey are brother and sister, and as they head to China to join their father they have no clue of the great adventure that lies ahead. The children usually stay with their aunt while their father is off on his trips as an architect but this year the children’s aunt is asked to join their father for the summer in China. The children end up spending most of their time with Edgar Font, their grandfather. Edgar is on a quest of finding the perfect place to haunt when he passes away, and their summer adventures begin, their adventures will be remembered a lifetime. Their first adventure begins at an abandoned lighthouse which is full of puzzles, ghosts and mystery. As their adventure continues through the lighthouse they must rely on everything they know and the lessons that they have learned along the way to ensure they will make it out without being harmed.

The Castle Tower Lighthouse is a children’s book that everyone will fall in love with no matter your age. The author writes with such skill that lights an imaginitative spark in the reader. The illustrations are absolutely wonderful and the message the story delivers is of a positive one. This is sure to be a series you will want to keep and treasure for years to come. I intend to collect each in the series for my grandson to enjoy, which I am sure will ignite another book lover in our family. I cannot wait until Edgar Font’s Hunt For a House To Haunt Adventure Two: The Fakersville Power Station comes out in July. I am ready to enjoy another great adventure with Edgar Font on his search for the perfect place to haunt.

You will not want to miss the website and blog devoted to Edgar Font, they will add to your enjoyment, check them out at:

http://edgarfont.com
http://edgarfont.blogspot.com

The blogspot gives you so much informative information, which includes how the author came up with the story. Here you will find the information about Edgar Font, Audrey and Garrett. Be sure to read the top 10 questions that are asked relating to the story as you will find some very interesting facts.

The Edgar Font series is highly recommended for everyone. It has been such an honor and a pleasure to be able to review such a treasure that will be added to my collection to pass on from generation to generation. A message to the author: not only have you created such a great story for children, you have accomplished reaching readers of all ages with this series and need to be commended. I personally thank you, Bravo!

The author has created a treasured collection for readers of all ages!!!!!

Butterfly Lullaby by Sharon J. Bainbridge

Butterfly Lullaby Fairytale

By Sharon J. Bainbridge

http://www.butterflylullaby.com/

http://www.butterflylullaby.co.uk/

Published by Butterfly Lullaby

Illustrated photographs by Sharon J. Bainbridge

Fairy costumes designed & made by Sharon J. BainbridgeStory by Sharon J. Bainbridge

Brilliant & Delightful with vivid color and detail.

5 stars

Butterfly Lullaby Fairytale is very delicately done with bright vivid colorful illustrations of children in beautiful costumes set to the enchanting backgrounds.

Promotions include photographs where you can become one of the characters in the story. You have your photo taken in costume or you can send in your image and they will transform it into fairy art. They also talk of the characters visiting real places from the story which include Plantasia, Swansea, Wales, Castell Coch, Cardiff, Wales, Upwey Wishing Well, Weymouth, Dorset.

Butterfly Lullaby is the enchanting fairy story about a little Butterfly Fairy called Princess Melody. And a very jealous Prince puts the Princess under a magical spell. Princess Melody runs away as she is frightened for her mother’s safety.

The evil Prince leaves Wet Springs and destroys his new found land. Magical fairies are called upon, but can the spell be broken and will the Queen, Princess, and Fairyland be saved?
Butterfly Lullaby was written with special children in mind and in the heart of the author. The child’s name is Jodie, who suffers from Cystic Fibrosis. And the author Sharon J. Bainbridge has a special dedication to Jodie on page 3. Above that a portion of the proceeds from the sales of this storybook will be contributed to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust in finding a cure.

Not only is this author very talented with the writing of this story, but to the photographs, the designing of the costumes, she also is a lady with a big heart wanting to help children with Cystic Fibrosis to find a cure. So I would like to highly recommend that everyone pick up a new copy of Butterfly Lullaby whether you have little ones or not, the story is very well written, the illustrated photographs are vivid and lively and so brilliantly colorful that everyone will want to add this treasure to their own collection.

A Must Have!

Do You Know Why Butterflies Fly? by Tom McWhirter

Do You Know Why Butterflies Fly?
By Tom McWhirter
Art work by Mary Meade
Chupp Road Press
ISBN: 978-0-9761853-0-7

Do You Know Why Butterflies Fly? Is beautifully written, the hardback cover is amazing and with the movement of the book you can see the butterflies fly. The author Tom McWhirter has a great imagination and has produced a lovely children’s book for all to enjoy and treasure.

The story contains bold and vibrant imaginative images of illustrator Mary Meade, the art work is superbly done to ignite the imaginations of all. The story is for children of all ages and in the process is teaching children to have courage to face their fears and to have faith in themselves to change and become something much greater than they every imagined. It delivers the idea of not being afraid, to try new things and to pursue their dreams. The story is both engaging and amusing, although addressed to children and young readers, can be enjoyed by the entire family together.

The children’s book will appeal to both the young readers and their parents and will be a treasure to read together time and time again.

The author grew up in rural North Carolina, he had a country boy heart and soul, and his best friend was his imagination. His parents were concerned and gave him a stern lecture on his imagination and its proper place in reality. “Tom McWhirter took this discussion to heart and immediately shut down his imagination.” Years later he began a daily practice of meditation and rediscovered his imagination, and this book is full of his new re-found imagination.

I highly recommend this children’s book, it is a delight and a treasure to keep for generations to come.

Happy Birthday to Whooo? by Doris Fisher

Happy Birthday to Whooo?
by Doris Fisher
Illustrated by Lisa Downey
Sylvan Dell Publishing
976 Houston Northcutt Blvd., Ste. 3, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
ISBN: 978-0-9768823-1-2 $15.95

Happy Birthday to Whooo? A Baby Animal Riddle Book is designed for children ages 4 to 8, has a handsomely designed jacket displaying owls on the front cover and the back displays12 additional animals.

Doris Fisher effectively reaches her intended young audience. The book contains bold and vibrant images of illustrator Lisa Downey, the pages alternate with oil paintings of an animal family and a birth announcement. The birth announcements contain clues to the animal’s identity, offering facts of the weight and height and turn the page and you find more facts about the baby animal. The book contains riddles introducing 12 different animals and will engage and amuse the young reader. The book contains a section entitled “For Creative Minds” that everyone is sure to love, this section contains information about the animal families and fun facts about the 12 animals introduced in the birth announcements.

As for illustrator Lisa Downey, her page design is colorful, vivid and eye-friendly that transports the reader into the heart of the story.

You will find “Learning Links” and “Teaching Activities” on Sylvan Dell Publishing’s website that will help both teachers and parents expand the learning possibilities. The website is: www.SylvanDellPublishing.com

The book is addressed to children and young readers, but can be enjoyed by the entire family. The book will excite your children and they will want to read this one over and over again. As an added bonus in the back of the book there is a “Make Your Own Birth Announcement” great for a new baby in the family whether it be human or animal.

I highly recommend this one and give it 5 stars!

Future Syndicate by J Alan Erwine

Future Syndicate
Edited by: J Alan Erwine
Nomadic Delirium Press, Denver, CO
ISBN: 1-4196-5459-4

Future Syndicate is a collection of eight stories about how crime in the future may be.

The collection contains the following:
“An Ingenious Adventure” by Jason Sizemore
“The Gallows on the Garden Path” by Bret Tallman
“One to Spare” by Jason Andrew
“Running Down on a Thousand” by Rebecca SW Bates
“A Torturous Wrong Turn” by J Alan Erwine
“Cell” by Lavie Tidhar
“Mina’s Kiss” by Bruce Horner
“Face Dances” by Rebecca m Senese

Future Syndicate is an anthology and begins with “An Ingenious Adventure” by Jason Sizemore. In the story Garwin Hayes is a flash genius, he can remember information at a glance, and however he is not very bright or smart. Garwin and his friends attend a Chez Cola parade when one of the employees with Chez Cola shows up to destroy the secret recipe to the cola. In the mist of the scuffle the recipe flies through the air to land at Garwin’s feet and he picks it up and with him a flash genius he gets a glimpse of the recipe, everyone knows that he remembers things in a flash, so now the pursuit begins. Garwin and his friends try to escape but end up being chased, this is a highly entertaining story you will not want to miss.

“The Gallows on the Garden Path” by Bret Tallman is a tale of revenge. A family of brutal criminals known as The Cray’s, & with a character named Wallace “Pants” Zybisco, they set off to pull a heist to punish the man who had Cray’s surrogate father killed.

“One to Spare” by Jason Andrew involves a character named Race, she is a motorcycle courier. Through this short story takes you on a motorcycle chase as Race tries to deliver her package.
“Running Down on a Thousand” by Rebecca S.W. Bates is also about a courier. A time traveler or prophecy courier who delivers hallucinogenic payloads to provide the receiver with a message.

“A Torturous Wrong Turn” by J Alan Erwine This short story is about a smuggler who is caught and the government that has captured him wants his information.
“Cell” by Lavie Tidhar Monk is taken throughout the prison searching for relics and signs of an ancient civilization.

“Mina’s Kiss” by Bruce Horner This short story is based on Kovit Correto who is a professional assassin that reads the minds and memories of those he kills.

“Face Dances” by Rebecca M. Sense is the final story. This short has a character named Nick who is a burglar that can change his faces. Nick is offered a job due to his unique skill, and this job is one that he cannot refuse. For this job he is assigned a partner, Casey and she has the same gift as Nick.

I normally do not read short stories, but I did enjoy all of the stories above, they were a change from the norm for me and was a delightful change.