Movie Review and Giveaway: My Christmas Hero

Synopsis: 

In My Christmas Hero, US Army reservist and orthopedic physician, Nicole Ramsey (Bure) is dedicated to serving military service members and their families at the Joint Military Base in Lacey, Washington, home of I Corps and the 62nd Airlift Wing. This Christmas, with the help of many dedicated heroes, Dr. Ramsey is on a mission to honor a special fallen soldier and bring much needed healing to her own family.

 

Watch My Christmas Hero on Great American Family starting

November 24th & Great American Pure Flix starting December 1st!

Website: LINK

My Review:

I thought My Christmas Hero to be a fun and entertaining Christmas time romance. I have always adored Candace Cameron Bure and was excited that she was one of the main performers in this movie. Of course, she does not disappoint. The movie was a delight to watch that brought on a lot of smiles and warmed my heart. A beautiful story of love, hope and faith. I loved it and am looking forward to watching it again closer to Christmas. 

I am giving My Christmas Hero a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for viewers who love to watch clean and heartwarming Holiday Romantic movies. 

I received an early screener link to watch My Christmas Hero from Great American Pure Flix but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Disclosure:

Many thanks to Great American Pure Flix for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

Giveaway: 

3-month subscription to Great American Pure Flix 

Leave a more than two word completed sentence telling me who will be watching My Christmas Hero with. Don’t forget to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.

Winner’s name will be drawn on December 4, 2023.

Giveaway Rules:   

Giveaway is limited to US winners only.        

Two word comments will be deleted and will not be entered into the giveaway.

Winners will have to reply to email that is sent to you to let you know you have won within 24 hours.
If no response, a new winner’s name will be drawn and you forfeit the prize.

Winners from previous Momentum campaigns within 90 days and those who have won a Great American PureFlix subscription in the last 6 months, will be disqualified. 

Review: Forever Lovely, A Regency Time Travel Romance by Linore Rose Burkard

Forever Lovely, A Regency Time-Travel Romance 

by Linore Rose Burkard

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Blurb: 

When Miss Margaret Andrews travels to the future to find her missing sister, she never expected to find true love. In 1819 England, Margaret is a bluestocking with dreams of becoming an inventress, but when the Tallit, a magical time-travel shawl, goes awry she finds herself stranded in 21st Century Manhattan. At a Jane Austen conference, she meets Stewart Russell, a grad student studying early British female writers. Stewart is immediately taken with Margaret and her effortless use of the speech and manners of Jane's day—until she claims to be FROM Jane's day! Worse, due to a mix-up, he is a wanted man and the clock is ticking. Margaret must find a way to get them both back to 1819—before the unthinkable happens.

If you enjoyed the time-travel romance of Outlander, then you'll love Margret and Stewart's story in Forever Lovely. Buy now before the price changes!

My Review: 

Forever Lovely, A Regency Time-Travel Romance is the second book from Linore Rose Burkard’s Forever in Time series. I have not had the chance to read the first book Forever, Lately yet. I believe each one can be read as a stand alone. I thought Forever Lovely to be a wonderfully sweet romance. I adored reading Stewart and Margaret’s story. It was entertaining to see two people from two different centuries come together. I loved it.

I give Forever Lovely, A Regency Time-Travel Romance five stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy reading historical romance and time travel books. I would love to go back and read the first installment from the Forever in Time series to see what happened previously.

I received a digital copy of Linore Rose Burkard’s Forever Lovely, A Regency Time-Travel Romance from the author, but was not required to write a review, nor a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.


View all my reviews

Spotlight Book Tour and Giveaway: Delaware from Railways to Freeways / First State, Second Phase by Dave Tabler

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  Delaware from Railways to Freeways / First State, Second Phase by Dave Tabler
Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 110 pages
Genre: American History, Colonial
Publisher: Dave Tabler
​Publication Date: Nov 1, 2023
Content Rating: G. None needed. Works for all audiences.

"Delaware from Railroads to Freeways by Dave Tabler is a visually stunning book that takes readers on a captivating journey through Delaware's 19th-century history. With engaging narrative and stunning graphics that seem to leap off the page, this book provides an immersive and enthralling reading experience as Tabler chronicles the rich history of Delaware. This is his second installment of a three-part series on the history of Delaware – the First State.... For Delaware natives and enthusiasts, this is probably one of the best-illustrated background books of Delaware's 19th-century history as you can find about the First State. It is truly a captivating book." -- AuthorsReading

"Dave Tabler’s Delaware from Railways to Freeways is a fascinating history text covering important sites and artifacts from the first state. The book includes a wealth of historical and social insights into the production techniques and ultimate significance behind the early Delaware artifacts and events it covers. It makes note of the geographical importance of certain buildings and landscapes as well. Detailed images appear on each page of the book alongside brief, evocative descriptions of their meaning and significance. The result is an involving pictorial history of the evolution of Delaware, complemented by distinguishing coverage of the development of the state’s transportation infrastructure." -- Foreword Reviews

​"Tabler’s second entry in a trilogy covering the history of Delaware rides the rails into the First State’s storied past, covering the tumultuous yet prosperous 19th century and the dawn of the 20th, that era of iron, steam, Civil War, suffragettes, technical marvels, and surprises both fun—like the history of scrapple, or the suspender-and-pants rig known as a “breeches buoy” used to rescue mariners—to the morbid, like public whipping posts or the jolting tale of a child’s corpse being sent through the mail. The stories of trends, people, and material goods that Tabler highlights, in short and inviting bursts of text, are interesting and well buttressed by the copious illustrations." -- Booklife

"The contents are entertaining and varied, offering glimpses of little-known aspects of American history, from Colonial-era enmity between Whigs and Tories to inventions such as the Manby mortar, a cannon-like device used in rescuing people from sinking ships, to a bartending goose." -- Kirkus Reviews
 
"Delaware from Railways to Freeways is the second book in a series that began with Delaware Before the Railroads and whose planned conclusion is Delaware from Freeways to e-Ways. In his preface, author Dave Tabler touts the advent of the railroad, saying that it “ushered in a prosperous era for the First State” due to Delaware’s “strategic location” on the Delaware Bay. The book is mostly photographs, all of which are vibrant and compelling and include objects that would not be present in most histories of the state, such as John Jones’s adjustable peach sorter: an 1874 invention that revolutionized peach sorting. Or the crawlspace in the home of Quaker couple Daniel and Mary Corbit, in which they hid a fugitive slave in 1845. Tabler’s captions are bite-sized yet satisfying, offering readers a plethora of history without making them feel overworked. ...More a coffee-table book than a proper history, Dave Tabler’s Delaware from Railways to Freeways is a worthy read for any devotee of Delaware’s past." -- Indie Reader
 
"Delaware from Railways to Freeways offers readers a captivating journey through Delaware’s lesser-known history. It is an excellent choice for those who relish reading about unusual facts and harbor a passion for history, even if it occasionally leans toward trivia. This book provides a valuable contribution to understanding Delaware’s rich heritage." -- Literary Titan

---

Book Description:

Delaware from Railways to Freeways covers eye-opening information about the region and its residents from 1800 to 1907. Laying out a captivating journey through pictures and offering up little-known anecdotes, entertainingly educational stories, and a comprehensive deep dive, Tabler gives insightful commentary on inventions, contributors to society, and transformative technology. History lovers of all ages will immensely enjoy this trove of 19th-century lore.

Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ B&N  ~ BAM
Indiebound ~ BookShop ~ BookBub
add to goodreads

Meet the Author:

Ten year old Dave Tabler decided he was going to read the ‘R’ volume from the family’s World Book Encyclopedia set over summer vacation. He never made it from beginning to end. He did, however, become interested in Norman Rockwell, rare-earth elements, and Run for the Roses.

Tabler’s father encouraged him to try his hand at taking pictures with the family camera. With visions of Rockwell dancing in his head, Tabler press-ganged his younger brother into wearing a straw hat and sitting next to a stream barefoot with a homemade fishing pole in his hand. The resulting image was terrible.

Dave Tabler went on to earn degrees in art history and photojournalism despite being told he needed a ‘Plan B.'

Fresh out of college, Tabler contributed the photography for The Illustrated History of American Civil War Relics, which taught him how to work with museum curators, collectors, and white cotton gloves. He met a man in the Shenandoah Valley who played the musical saw, a Knoxville fellow who specialized in collecting barbed wire, and Tom Dickey, brother of the man who wrote ‘Deliverance.’

In 2006 Tabler circled back to these earlier encounters with Appalachian culture as an idea for a blog. AppalachianHistory.net today reaches 375,000 readers a year.

Dave Tabler moved to Delaware in 2010 and became smitten with its rich past. He no longer copies Norman Rockwell, but his experience working with curators and collectors came in handy when he got the urge to photograph a love letter to Delaware’s early heritage. This may be the start of something.

connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ pinterest ~ instagram ~ goodreads

Interview: 

What is the most difficult part about writing for you?
Uncovering the emotional truth in a historical scene. When history is written without a heartbeat, it reads like a tedious list of dates, battles, and treaties that feel a world away from our own. So, my task is to dig out the human heart beating at the center of those events.

For example?

I’m working right now on the third book in my series about Delaware history, “Delaware from Freeways to E-Ways.” One of the segments deals with the first airport built in Delaware. The federal government swept through at the beginning of WWII and instructed the state to create airports in each county for defense purposes. The move required the use of eminent domain to get the airports built quickly. Now, I could have related the story in a very neutral tone and just told that reader that land was acquired, that the building began on thus and such date and completed in x number of months. I could have talked about the capacity of the airport, and what types of military uses it was put to. Instead, I focused on the impact of eminent domain on the very last family to hold out. This family had lived on that land for generations. Their ancestors were all buried nearby. This wasn’t just a parcel of land. It was their home, and they couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Their story made the news, and so I had lots of firsthand material on how eminent domain wrecked this family’s life. But of course, they were the tip of the iceberg. In the end 50 families suffered the same fate. And that’s a story that's not often told in traditional history books.

Tell us about the process for coming up with the cover of “Delaware from Railways to Freeways”.

I worked with book cover designer Onur Burc, whom I found through Fivver. He’s based in Istanbul, and so he brings no pre-conceived notions about what Delaware is or isn’t. We worked together on my first book, “Delaware Before the Railroads.” So, a template was in place, as this is a three-book series. I wanted to carry over the type treatment, and at least several visual elements. The first book cover had a map of Delaware, a ship, and the state seal. For “Delaware from Railways to Freeways” I told Onur I wanted the state map and something to do with railways pointing to freeways. He came up with the brilliant idea of the state map as a literal portal, through which a locomotive passes. As it rolls through the opening, the train tracks below magically turn into a roadway.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

I think about my 8th grade geography teacher, Mr. Jarboe, quite often. On the very first day of class, he wrote “Pizarro was a Pig Farmer!” in huge letters on the chalkboard. Rather than present Francisco Pizzaro, the mighty conqueror of the Inca empire, through a series of triumphs, Mr. Jarboe focused instead on how the man rose from humble beginnings. Pizzaro’s pig farming years happened to line up exactly with an 8th grader’s age. Mr. Jarboe, through his energized history storytelling, wanted us to understand that anyone can start from an unimpressive background and pull themselves up to greatness. He clearly loved breaking through to young minds and was always conscious of bringing his audience along with the narrative. He would stride throughout the classroom waving his arms, bouncing up and down, eyes aflame. Mr. Jarboe, though impressive, didn’t seek to impress. Mr. Jarboe, though entertaining, didn’t seek to entertain. This teacher, like all great teachers, sought to usher his listeners into a new world, to challenge them to live through that world viscerally, and to leave them forever changed by the experience.

What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

Oddly enough, my favorite authors were not initially history writers. I was, and am, hugely impacted by masters of the short story such as Chekhov, O’Henry, Saki and Maupassant. Each in their own way can pare a tale down to its essence. Every utterance in their writings has a purpose. There’s no fat, no long-winded digressions. Short story writing is akin to history writing in that, without filling page after page with minutiae, the wise writer captures the gist. I find I’m regularly presented with the challenge of creating a fully fleshed out narrative with a limited set of facts. The economical methods of the short story author, in this scenario, have served me well.

Enter the Giveaway:

DELAWARE FROM RAILWAYS TO FREEWAYS Spotlight Book Tour Giveaway

Book Tour and Giveaway: Nursery Rhymes For Kinder Times by Pam Gittleman

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times®, Vol. 1 by Pam Gittleman
Category:  Children's Fiction (ages 2 to 5), 46 pages
Genre:  Children's Picture Book
Publisher:  Mascot Kids, an imprint of Amplify Publishing Group
Release date:   Oct 3, 2023
Content Rating:  G.  Suitable for everyone.

Book Description:

What happens when Three KIND Mice put their heads (and bodies!) together to get some cheese on top of the counter? Will Humpty Dumpty be left in pieces when his friends notice that he's fallen off the wall? And who will get bags of wool--and toys and books--from Baa Baa BRIGHT Sheep? Read all about the beloved characters from traditional nursery rhymes in this endearing collection of eight updated rhymes that nurture kindness, empathy and gratitude!

Buy the Book:
Kinderbooks
Mascot Books
Amazon ~ B&N ~ BAM
Target ~ Bookshop.org
add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Pam has been an early childhood music educator for over twenty-five years with a passion for singing, rhyming, reading stories, and making music with preschoolers.

When Pam noticed that some children seemed unfamiliar with traditional nursery rhymes, and that parents and teachers were avoiding them because of their outdated, dark, and inappropriate nature, she set out to modernize them. Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times® provides a memorable way to build language, musicality, and literacy through songs, stories and rhymes that nurture kindness, empathy, and gratitude. The inclusion of resources that support social and emotional learning (SEL) make it easy for parents and teachers to engage with the children they love.

The rhymes in the book can also be enjoyed as songs on the Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times album recorded by Raffi and Lindsay Munroe, as well as in videos on the Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times® Show on YouTube. (www.linktr.ee.com/forkindertimes)

Aside from making music with young children, Pam loves dogs and dark chocolate. She lives in New York with her husband, and loves when her children, grandchildren, and granddogs come to visit!

Pam collaborated with Dan and Catherine Markowitz for art and design of the book.

connect with author: website ~ X/twitter ~ facebook ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ instagram ~ goodreads

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Enter the Giveaway:

NURSERY RHYMES FOR KINDER TIMES Book Tour Giveaway

My Review: 

Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times: Helping to Raise Kind Kids, One Rhyme at a Time! by Pam Gittleman is a cute book for very young readers. I enjoyed following the three kind mice as they go through various well known nursery rhymes. The author makes her own twist to each one and turn them into learning lesson of being kind. The lines have a good rhyming flow to them. After each story ends, the three kind mice make an appearance and asks the reader to answer a question by pointing to an emoji on the page. I could just picture a young toddler giggling throughout this book as it is read to them out loud. I thought it was delightful.

Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times: Helping to Raise Kind Kids, One Rhyme at a Time! includes artwork and designs by the talented team of Dan and Catherine Markowitz. I loved their different illustrations and brightly colored picture. They were a great addition to the book. 

I think Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times: Helping to Raise Kind Kids, One Rhyme at a Time! is a five star read. I highly recommend it for readers between the ages of three and six years old. I think it would be a great placement in a public children’s library. 

I received a hard cover copy of Pam Gittleman’s Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times: Helping to Raise Kind Kids, One Rhyme at a Time!  from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Legend of Gasparilla by S T Fernandez

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the LEGEND OF GASPARILLA by S.T. Fernandez Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: THE LEGEND OF GASPARILLA

Author: S.T. Fernandez

Pub. Date: November 7, 2023

Publisher: Azalea Press

Formats:  Hardcover, Paperback, eBook

Pages: 355

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/THE-LEGEND-OF-GASPARILLA

Bridgerton meets Pirates of the Caribbean in a story many argue is not a myth but a legend.

Admiral José Gaspar of the Spanish Royal Navy had it all: the love of his life, Joséfa de Mayorga; the confidence of the King; and a plan to become one of the most successful merchants in all of Spain. But when a jilted former lover accuses him of stealing the crown jewels, he escapes Sevilla only to realize he’s duped into piracy, further staining his legacy. Gaspar continues down an immoral path he works relentlessly to resist. The dream life he yearned for with Joséfa slowly slips away, his reputation far too ruined to be worthy of her honor.

After having her beloved ripped from her life, Joséfa and Gaspar’s friends work tirelessly to clear his name to no avail. When fate finally hands her a chance, she sets sail to find José, but fate is both friend and foe. Joséfa discovers the man she lost is different from the viscous pirate she rescues from certain death.

When infamous pirate hunter Lieutenant Kearny of the USS Enterprise sets his sights on the new pirate, Gaspar must decide between a dark and perilous addiction to piracy or living a subdued life in the shadows. His darker inhibitions may take his soul hostage, and Joséfa’s love may not be enough to save him.

 

My Review: 

The Legend of Gasparilla is a historical pirate romance from the new to me and talented author, S T Fernandez. What a fabulous introduction for me. I adored this story so much. I loved this action packed romance with José and Joséfa. There was no way in predicting what could happen with these two. So many twists and turns. I thought it was a great book to read and excellent way to get away from the modern day stresses of life.

I am going to give five stars for The Legend of Gasparilla. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy reading historical romance, particularly those with pirates. I would love to read more by the talented S T Fernandez. 

I received a paperback copy S T Fernandez’s The Legend of Gasparilla from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

 

About S.T. Fernandez:

S.T. Fernandez, known as Stephanie, is originally from Orlando, Florida, and was born to two parents from La Isla del Encanto, Puerto Rico. She now resides in the beautiful small beach town of Ventura, California with her husband and their two wiener puppies.

Stephanie is an avid reader of all levels of spicy, steamy romance—mostly in fantasy, historical, or paranormal genres. Just as much as she enjoys disappearing into a good book, creating a story that readers can disappear into brings her immense joy.

She is currently working on her second book in the fantasy romance genre, full of wonderfully diverse characters and themes. S.T. Fernandez’s fantasy romance intertwines Puerto Rico’s Taino indigenous culture’s beautiful themes and language into a fantasy world. She is thrilled and excited to present it to readers when completed.

www.stfernandez.com

Instagram: @stfernandezwrites | TikTok: @stfernandezwrites

Twitter: @stfernandez | Facebook: Click Here to Join S.T. Fernandez’s Official Fan Group

Goodreads

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE LEGEND OF GASPARILLA, US Only.

Ends December 5th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

11/1/2023	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Blog Spotlight/IG Post
11/2/2023	Introvert Booklover	Excerpt/IG Post
11/3/2023	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt/IG Post

Week Two:

11/6/2023	Writer of Wrongs	Excerpt
11/7/2023	Lifestyle of Me	Review
11/8/2023	jlreadstoperpetuity	IG Review/TikTok Post
11/9/2023	GryffindorBookishNerd	IG Review
11/10/2023	Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's	Review/IG Post

Week Three:

11/13/2023	the original B00K nerd	IG Review/Facebook Post
11/14/2023	traceyreadsandrambles	Review/IG Post
11/15/2023	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
11/16/2023	@anitralovesbooksanddogs	IG Review
11/17/2023	jaimes_mystical_library	IG Review

Week Four:

11/20/2023	Callisto’s calling	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic
11/21/2023	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
11/22/2023	@froggyreadteach	IG Review
11/23/2023	Locks, Hooks and Books	Review
11/24/2023	Confessions of the Perfect Mom	Review/IG Post

Week Five:

11/27/2023	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
11/28/2023	Popthebutterfly Reads	Review/IG Post
11/29/2023	@lexijava	IG Review
11/30/2023	The Momma Spot	Review