cold melting snow winter

Take a journey with “The Crystalline Chronicles”

With Apologies for my Nerdiness 5 of 5 stars If lock down has you jonesing for a good D&D session, then picking up “The Crystalline Chronicles” by Blake R. Wolfe might just be what the doctor ordered. I haven’t been able to sort out playing since my daughter was born almost four years ago, and...

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The Meaning of Words

The Tattler: Cancelled, Not Dead 5 out of 5 stars Sometimes, you read a word and think you know what it means, but are sorely mistaken. Read is an excellent example. We spell it the same way in present and past tense, and you have to examine the surrounding words when you’re reading to understand...

Write a New Story with Tabula Rasa

Inspirational Tale Not for the Light of Heart 5/5 Stars Sometimes the promotional materials for a book prepare you for the pages inside the cover. Other times, you’re left blindsided when the “Jewish” heroine is the most fervent believer in Jesus you’ve ever seen outside of the Bible. Rebecca is a young woman who has...

Self-Care: Good for the Soul and Productivity

Vacations and Quitting Time If you’ve ever been a mom (or any sort of caregiver really) and stepped into a counselor’s office, probably with much protest on your part, you’ve heard about how important “self-care” is. It’s like the buzz-word of the time. Especially during the past year and some change, when the entire world...

Lose Some Time with “The Tattler”

Descoteaux Delivers Another Hilarious Sci-Fi Adventure 4 out of 5 Stars As if celebrity aliens and loveable Bigfeet weren’t enough, the staff of “The Tattler” is back to the future with complicated time travel, absurd paradoxes, and imaginative creatures that would make the writers of Doctor Who weep with joy. The second installment of the...

Corn Pone, Bacon, and Coffee

A Southern Gal’s Take on “Spying on the South” 4 out of 5 stars The farthest north I’ve ever been is Washington, D.C., and as Hamilton taught us all not that long ago, that’s still the South. Though I reckon a lot of us deep Southerners would have a few words to say about that....

Have a laugh on the “The Tattler”

With Apologies to Kanye Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars If you’ve ever caught yourself spiraling down a YouTube conspiracy rabbit hole or wondering if those clouds on the tabloid really look like Jesus, then Chad Descoteaux’s “The Tattler” might be your next read. In “The Tattler,” young photographer Barry has fallen into using his...

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Cozy Up to a New Mystery Today

Join The Next Generation of Cozy Mystery Lovers In college, for one glorious year, I worked at the library. It was the best job I ever had, and sometimes I regret I didn’t become a librarian. I don’t know how it works where you live, but you can’t just randomly decide to be a librarian...

Cozy Up In Branson Falls With Third Kate Saxee Mystery Book

‘The Devil Has Tattoos’ Offers Funny, Thrilling Ride 5 out of 5 Stars **Review Contains Some Spoilers** The devil drinks coffee and has tattoos, and he can get both easily in Branson Falls now, much to the chagrin of many of its residents. Two new stores in the town have the more religious residents up...

Lake City Way’s Ninja Girl Will Fight Her Way Right Into Your Heart

4 out of 5 stars The thing I enjoyed most about this story is that the principal character, Gaby, is a strong, unapologetic lead. She is not a giggly, girly-girl, nor is she by any stretch of the imagination perfect. It is always great to see more of that in literature, especially that targeted at...