Friday, May 23, 2025

Book Tour and Giveaway: War at the Ice Cream Store 2: Rocky Road vs The Sundae Storm by Cheryl DaVeiga

 



Book Details:

Book Title:  War at the Ice Cream Store 2: Rocky Road vs The Sundae Storm by Cheryl DaVeiga
Category:  Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7),  4 pages
Genre:  Children's Picture Book
Publisher:  Waterhole Productions LLC
Release date:   May 6, 2025
Content Rating:  G. This children's book is for everyone.
Book Description:

The sequel to the award-winning War at the Ice Cream Store: Bully Vanilli vs Mustachio Pistachio

It’s a perfect Sunny Sunday in July—The ultimate ice cream day! But wait… uh oh… Trouble is brewing down at the Frozen Frogg Ice Cream Store! A swirly, twirly, category five twister is out of control!! 

Could this be the first summer Sunday EVER without ice cream? (Say it isn’t so!) Or can the flavors and toppings whip up a plan before it’s too late? 
Buy the Book
Amazon
B&N ~ BAM
add to goodreads
Also For Your Reading Enjoyment:

Book Details:

Book Title:  War at the Ice Cream Store: Mustachio Pistachio vs Bully Vanilli—Collector's Edition by Cheryl DaVeiga
Category:  Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7),  32 pages
Genre:  Children's Picture Book
Publisher:  Waterhole Productions LLC
Release date:   May 2025
Format available for review:  print-softback (USA only), ebook (GIFTED KINDLE,  PDF)
Will send print books out:  USA
Tour dates: May 19 to June 6, 2025
Content Rating:  G. This children's book is for everyone.
Book Description:

New Collector's Edition—Reillustrated with enhanced story and bonus content. 

​In the Frozen Frogg Ice Cream Store, Bully Vanilli is the most popular ice cream and self-proclaimed king of the flavors. Lonely Mustachio sits at the back of the freezer. No one ever picks him.  Every night, after the store door is locked, Bully Vanilli begins his bullying and Mustachio is his favorite target. One night, Vully kicks Mustachio's bucket. Poor Mustachio falls SPLAT on the floor, and it's...  War at the Ice Cream Store! (And there's a song!)
Buy the Book
Amazon
B&N ~ BAM
add to goodreads
Meet the Author:

Cheryl DaVeiga is an award-winning songwriter and children's book author who loves to combine humor, rhyme, and wordplay to create stories and songs that bring on the giggles. You can find her books and animated sing-along song videos on her website for kids and kid-lovers—BiffBamBooza.com. Biff Bam Booza books have received numerous awards and high acclaim, including Mom's Choice Gold, Purple Dragonfly, Eric Hoffer, and Literary Titan book awards, Readers' Favorite 5-star ratings, and Kirkus Review Magazine features.  Cheryl lives in Tucson, Arizona, and spends her summers in her native New Jersey.

connect with the author:  website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ X ~ bookbub ~ goodreads

Enter the Giveaway:


My Review: 

War at the Ice Cream Store 2: Rocky Road vs The Sundae Storm continues the War at the Ice Cream Store series by Cheryl DaVeiga. I enjoyed the first book War at the Ice Cream Store: Mustachio Pistachio vs Bully Vanilli and was curious to see what battle would happen between the flavors at the Frozen Frogg this time around. I loved how the author used some humor and puns that I understood instantly that I could not help but to giggle at. Vanilli Nice and "when the syrup hits the fan" to name a few. i thought this was amusing tale to read while teaching a lesson to young readers. 

War at the Ice Cream Store 2: Rocky Road vs The Sundae Storm was illustrated from the talented artist, Nate Fakes. The pictures were fun, entertaining, and appealing to look at. They can make the youngest of readers hold their attention all throughout the story. 

I am giving War at the Ice Cream Store 2: Rocky Road vs The Sundae Storm five stars. I recommend it for readers who are between the ages of five and nine years old. I would be interested in reading more from Cheryl DaVeiga to see what she has in store for their readers. 

I received a soft cover copy of Cheryl DaVeiga's War at the Ice Cream Store 2: Rocky Road vs The Sundae Storm 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: Texas Divided by Sherry Shindelar



About the Book



Book: Texas Divided

Author: Sherry Shindelar

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release date: March 25, 2025

He thought he was rescuing her from the Comanche. Now the Civil War soldier must prove he isn’t the villain she thinks he is.

Driven by the looming expectation of becoming a suffocatingly proper lady, Morning Fawn is determined to escape the confines of her uncle’s plantation and return to her adoptive Comanche tribe. But with each failed attempt, her hopes dwindle, and she wonders if she’ll ever find her way back home or if that world is forever lost to her.

Devon Reynolds, disillusioned by the price of affluence and the horrors of war, leaves his privileged life to join the Texas Rangers and later the cavalry. In the military service, he finds purpose . . . until he loses his wife during childbirth while he is away. In an attempt to redeem himself, he takes one last fateful mission to rescue Morning Fawn from the Comanche. But the results force him to question the righteousness of his actions and the cause he serves.

When Devon returns to Texas as a Yankee spy, his path crosses with Morning Fawn once more. Determined to save her from the prison of her uncle’s house and to recover Texas from the Confederacy, Devon is drawn to her fierce spirit and unwavering resolve. But can two wounded souls, each fighting their own battles, find solace and love amidst the chaos of war?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Originally from Tennessee, Sherry loves to take her readers into the past. She is an avid student of the Civil War and the Old West. When she is not busy writing, she is an English professor working to pass on her love of writing to her students. Sherry is an award-winning writer: 2023 Genesis finalist, Maggie finalist, and Crown finalist. She currently resides in Minnesota with her husband of thirty-eight years. She has three grown children and three grandchildren.

 

 



 

More from Sherry

The Cotton Road

I loved the opportunity to tie the Texas frontier and the Civil War together in Texas Divided, the second book in my Lone Star Redemption series.

I have been an avid student of the Civil War for a couple decades. However, until I started researching for Texas Divided, I had no clue that the Yankees ever invaded Texas. But they did in November 1863. Why? It was because of cotton. By 1863, the Federal blockade of the Confederate coastline was fairly secure, and Texas became the golden gateway for funding the Confederacy.

Cotton from Arkansas, western Louisiana, and east Texas traveled the Cotton Road. This dusty trail ran from the railroad terminus in Alleyton, TX (about seventy miles west of Houston) by way of King’s Ranch near Corpus Christi to Brownsville and across the Rio Grande to Matamoros, Mexico, the largest cotton market in the world during the war. In regards to commercial activity, it rivaled pre-war New Orleans or Baltimore.

A young teamster wrote that from the watchtower at King’s Ranch, the main stop on the way to Matamoros, he could see hundreds of wagons on the road at one time, a long train of dust rising up as they traveled toward Brownsville and the Rio Grande.

At some points the trail was almost a mile wide due to traffic, and more than one hundred miles of it was desert with no water. Puffs of cotton clung to the sagebrush and cacti along the way and lingered for years after the war.

When the cotton reached Matamoros, it was loaded onto steamboats and/or wagons owned by Mexicans and transported to the mouth of the Rio Grande at the Gulf of Mexico. International ships from Britain, France, and other countries hovered there, sometimes hundreds at a time, waiting to fill their hulls with cotton. And the Yankees couldn’t stop them. If a Federal ship fired on a British, French, Mexican, or ship of another nationality, it could have been considered an act of war.

By 1863, cotton, which had sold for .10 cents a pound in 1860, now sold for as much as $1.89 a pound, and one bale averaged 450 – 500 pounds. The money made on the sale of cotton was the financial bloodline of the Confederacy. For example, in just one week in August, twenty thousand pounds of gunpowder arrived in Brownsville, purchased with proceeds from the sale of cotton.

That’s why the Federal Army invaded Brownsville in early November 1863. Their mission was to stop or at least seriously hinder the cotton trade. Doing so could save lives on the battlefield and perhaps bring an earlier end to the war.

The Yankees reached the city without any resistance. However, they found a meager one hundred and fifty bales on the Texas side of the river and could only gaze at the more than ten thousand bales stacked along the Mexican wharves. The Rebs had moved or destroyed everything of value.

The invasion lasted for several months and forced the Confederates to improvise and find new trails for the cotton shipments, hauling the loads via San Antonio to Eagle Pass and Laredo. Unfortunately, the Yankees only netted a hundred or so bales here and there.

Cotton continued to reign until the war efforts in the East bled the Confederacy dry. But for those few months at the end of 1863, hopes were high, especially amongst the two regiments of Texas cavalry fighting for the Union, Texans who abhorred the Confederacy and who had left Texas to avoid being forced into the Reb army. These men returned with the Federal troops in November 1863 to restore Texas to the Union and wreak havoc on the Cotton Road.

Lieutenant Devon Reynolds is one of these Texans, loyal to the Union, and determined to do his part to rescue Texas from the grip of the Confederacy. Except in his case, he trades his Yankee uniform for that of a Confederate and dons an eye patch, operating as a spy and saboteur. But his life becomes complicated and his mission uncertain when he runs into Morning Fawn, the woman he kidnapped from the Comanche eighteen months before. As far as she’s concerned, he ruined her life by sentencing her to her uncle’s plantation. Can he complete the mission and right the wrong? Texas Divided is a story of redemption, faithfulness, and perseverance. The characters come to an end of themselves and discover that God can make a way where there was no way.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 20

Texas Book-aholic, May 21

Blossoms and Blessings, May 22 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, May 22

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 24

Artistic Nobody, May 25 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 26

lakesidelivingsite, May 27

Books You Can Feel Good About, May 28

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, May 29 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, May 30

Holly’s Book Corner, May 31

Stories By Gina, June 1 (Author Interview)

Book Butterfly in Dreamland, June 1

Bizwings Book Blog, June 2

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Sherry is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54224/


My Review

Texas Divided is the second book from Sherry Shindelar's Lone Star Redemption series. I loved reading the first book, Texas Forsaken, and was excited to get my hands on this one. I enjoyed getting to know the main characters and taking this journey with them. Devon and Morning Fawn's story was full of adventure, love and faith. There are lessons to be learned, including the power of forgiveness. I thought it was great. 

I am going to give Texas Divided five stars. I have no doubt that lovers of clean Christian historical fiction, particularly American Civil War era, will love it as much as me. I look forward to reading the next installment from the Lone Star Redemption series. 

I received a paperback copy of Sherry Shindelar's Texas Divided from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Thursday, May 22, 2025

Spotlight and Giveaway: When Heaven Thunders (West Virginia: Born of Rebellion’s Storm #2) by Kendy Pearson



About the Book



Book: When Heaven Thunders (West Virginia: Born of Rebellion’s Storm #2)

Author: Kendy Pearson

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Release date: October 1, 2024

When the devil wears Blue and Gray,

doing the right thing can be a thorny matter.

His family is missing. Bushwhackers are sleeping in his bed. This war just got a heap more personal for Union Sergeant Fin Dabney.

Fighting guerillas in your own neck of the woods comes at a high price. Neighbors, kin, and even Fin’s best friend are on the wrong end of a rifle. But not all battles are fought amid smoke and blood. When Fin faces a murderer from his past, flesh and spirit collide, but only one can prevail.

Melinda Jane has waited a lifetime for Fin to declare his intentions. But now she has moved on to other interests—with disastrous results. Her choices have cost her Fin’s love and possibly her life.

Why was it he could draw down on the enemy and look death in the eye, but he could not bring himself to deal plainly with Melinda Jane?

He never told her how he feels. Now he may never get the chance.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Kendy Pearson is a worship leader, Bluegrass fiddler, and Civil War reenactment enthusiast. As a veteran high school teacher, she loves to discover a pocket of American history missing from the schoolbooks and turn that pocket inside out. Her novels lead fictitious characters through historical events and settings, engaging with period personalities. And she always includes a romantic thread to warm the heart. Every story is a journey through tragedy, secrets, regrets, and God’s undeniable grace.

She has received multiple lit awards and enjoys public speaking and teaching writing workshops. When she’s not clicking away on the computer or scaling mountains of research, she relishes ice cream, snowy days, fireplaces, and maple trees. Kendy is the mother of four grown children and lives with her sweet hubby and two amusing miniature dachshunds.

More from Kendy

Research and writing are so much fun! I always have some kind of theme in mind for every book I write. In keeping with my brand, Heart of History, I am turning two history pockets inside out with this second story of the “West Virginia: Born of Rebellion’s Storm” series. When Heaven Thunders is the eldest Dabney sibling’s story and brings two factors to light that are not commonly known about the Civil War.

First, Fin, the hero, faces various moral dilemmas just trying to carry out orders. He witnesses historically accurate atrocities and unfair tactics perpetrated by both Union and Confederate commanders and soldiers. Fin is in the thick of rooting out bushwhackers and guerillas who bring the battle to not just the soldiers, but to civilian homes and families, including his own.

Fin is a moralist, working desperately to find a way to do the right thing even when all his choices seem so very wrong. Can you imagine meeting your best friend on the battlefield and he’s the enemy? I tried to wrap my mind around the idea of neighbor against neighbor and lawless vigilantes molesting plain folks in the name of a cause. “We are in a war, yes, but it needn’t strip a man of his humanity or God’s favor.” (Col. Joseph Lightburn, Fin’s commander)

Secondly, Melinda Jane, the feisty family friend (who definitely wants to be more than Fin’s friend) represents another little-known pocket from history. I took a bit of my own heritage to heart for her background. For most of my life, I definitely resembled my kin of Irish ancestry. However, like Melinda Jane, I have Native American and African American genes also. We don’t think much about mixed race nowadays—it’s the fabric of our wonderful country! Unfortunately, many folks were not as accepting during the Civil War period. At that time, a variety of ethnicities were actually enslaved, which we seldom see represented in Civil War movies and stories.

My second main character’s “secret” lends to her heart of gold and a compassionate nature that shines through everything she does. “Izzy taught me we’re all born into bondage. It matters not a whit what color a man’s skin is or the color of his horse or house—we’re all in shackles and only Master Jesus holds the key.” (Melinda Jane)

Oh boy, did I enjoy working with Fin and Melinda Jane—and watching sparks fly! I hope they’ll make you smile as well.

Blessings from the Heart of History, my friends!

Kendy

Blog Stops

Book Looks by Lisa, May 14

Stories By Gina, May 15 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 16

Simple Harvest Reads, May 17 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, May 18 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, May 18

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 19

Devoted Steps, May 20

Guild Master, May 21 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 23

Fiction Book Lover, May 24 (Author Interview)

Inklings and Notions, May 24

For Him and My Family, May 25

Blossoms and Blessings, May 26 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, May 27

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Kendy is giving away the grand prize of a $40 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54234

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Book Tour and Giveaway: War at the Ice Cream Store: Mustachio Pistachio vs Bully Vanilli—Collector's Edition by Cheryl DaVeiga

 



Book Details:

Book Title:  War at the Ice Cream Store 2: Rocky Road vs The Sundae Storm by Cheryl DaVeiga
Category:  Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7),  4 pages
Genre:  Children's Picture Book
Publisher:  Waterhole Productions LLC
Release date:   May 6, 2025
Content Rating:  G. This children's book is for everyone.
Book Description:

The sequel to the award-winning War at the Ice Cream Store: Bully Vanilli vs Mustachio Pistachio

It’s a perfect Sunny Sunday in July—The ultimate ice cream day! But wait… uh oh… Trouble is brewing down at the Frozen Frogg Ice Cream Store! A swirly, twirly, category five twister is out of control!! 

Could this be the first summer Sunday EVER without ice cream? (Say it isn’t so!) Or can the flavors and toppings whip up a plan before it’s too late? 
Buy the Book
Amazon
B&N ~ BAM
add to goodreads
Also For Your Reading Enjoyment:

Book Details:

Book Title:  War at the Ice Cream Store: Mustachio Pistachio vs Bully Vanilli—Collector's Edition by Cheryl DaVeiga
Category:  Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7),  32 pages
Genre:  Children's Picture Book
Publisher:  Waterhole Productions LLC
Release date:   May 2025
Format available for review:  print-softback (USA only), ebook (GIFTED KINDLE,  PDF)
Will send print books out:  USA
Tour dates: May 19 to June 6, 2025
Content Rating:  G. This children's book is for everyone.
Book Description:

New Collector's Edition—Reillustrated with enhanced story and bonus content. 

​In the Frozen Frogg Ice Cream Store, Bully Vanilli is the most popular ice cream and self-proclaimed king of the flavors. Lonely Mustachio sits at the back of the freezer. No one ever picks him.  Every night, after the store door is locked, Bully Vanilli begins his bullying and Mustachio is his favorite target. One night, Vully kicks Mustachio's bucket. Poor Mustachio falls SPLAT on the floor, and it's...  War at the Ice Cream Store! (And there's a song!)
Buy the Book
Amazon
B&N ~ BAM
add to goodreads
Meet the Author:

Cheryl DaVeiga is an award-winning songwriter and children's book author who loves to combine humor, rhyme, and wordplay to create stories and songs that bring on the giggles. You can find her books and animated sing-along song videos on her website for kids and kid-lovers—BiffBamBooza.com. Biff Bam Booza books have received numerous awards and high acclaim, including Mom's Choice Gold, Purple Dragonfly, Eric Hoffer, and Literary Titan book awards, Readers' Favorite 5-star ratings, and Kirkus Review Magazine features.  Cheryl lives in Tucson, Arizona, and spends her summers in her native New Jersey.

connect with the author:  website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ X ~ bookbub ~ goodreads

Enter the Giveaway:
Enter Competition


My Review: 

War at the Ice Cream Store: Mustachio Pistachio vs Bully Vanilli (Collector's Edition) is the beginning of the Frank TL Frogg and Friends series by  DaVeiga. The book gives an interesting take on bullying by using different flavors of ice cream. It, also, shows that these different flavors are just as important as the others. When the most popular flavor becomes the elitist of the store, he becomes the bully and putting down those he finds are beneath him. I liked that the rest of the store decided to fight back and knock down the snob a notch. A good lesson for children to learn to never treat others as if they are not as good because another is different. Everyone needs to be picked up and treated kindly and fair.   

War at the Ice Cream Store: Mustachio Pistachio vs Bully Vanilli (Collector's Edition) was illustrated from the talented artist, Nate Fakes. The pictures were fun, entertaining, and appealing to look at. They can make the youngest of readers hold their attention all throughout the story. 

I am giving War at the Ice Cream Store: Mustachio Pistachio vs Bully Vanilli (Collector's Edition) three and a half stars. I would be interested in reading the next installment from the Frank TL Frogg and Friends series. I am curious what the author, Cheryl DaVeiga have in store for their readers. 

I received War at the Ice Cream Store: Mustachio Pistachio vs Bully Vanilli (Collector's Edition) from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Book Blast and Giveaway: The Atrocities of Hope by Michael Olukayode



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Michael Olukayode will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.



Nigeria is dealing with a level of disorderliness that is neither compatible with functionality nor with long life. Our problems did not start today; they have been with us for as long as we have existed as a country. But just like a disorder left untreated, our problem has incapacitated us, and the rate of deterioration is currently becoming alarming.

The long-term survival of our country is no longer as assured as it used to be. We are on a slippery slope with nothing to hold on to.

This book attempts to answer the 'what', 'why', 'who', and 'what is next' of our problems. As is always the case when truths are discussed, be ready to be offended.

But if you are open-minded enough to be offended and not switch off and open-minded enough to be offended and keep reading – you might learn one or two things at the end of this book.


Read an Excerpt

Nigeria as a country has been on a downward trend for decades, and anyone in touch with reality can see this. Of course, some will cloak wishful thinking with the shawl of patriotism or deny by faith the level of suffering going on in the country today, but it only takes an honest reflection for even the most positive ‘patriot’ to accept that things are not going well for our nation and that the probability of a better tomorrow is non-existent . . . if we continue down the same path.

Like most Nigerians, discussing the problems of Nigeria and praying for its peace, progress, and prosperity have been parts of my life since I have been old enough to think and pray.

But despite all the prayers, Nigeria has maintained its downward journey. Being burdened with an inquisitive mind and the ability to think about thoughts, I have contemplated the Nigeria question from an early age. I have always asked: Why are Nigeria’s better days always in the past?

Why does Nigeria keep going backward despite all the fasting and prayers?

I eventually outgrew fasting and praying for Nigeria to work—because I knew prayer without work is a waste of time and energy—but despite stopping the prayers and the fasting, I could not stop thinking about the ‘whys’ of our problems.

About the Author:


Michael, a self-described realist with a touch of cynicism, is a UK-based, Nigerian-trained psychiatrist and the author of The Atrocities of Hope: An Analysis of the 'Nigeria Problem.'

Michael's lived experience in Nigeria, his inquisitive mind, and his ability to pull back and observe despite being involved combine well with his skills as a mental health expert to create this work.

Michael is a fellow of the West African College of Physicians, the Faculty of Psychiatry, and is an affiliate member of the Royal College of Psychiatry. He plies his trade as a psychiatrist in the Northwest of England. He describes himself as a member of a speciality that helps you in the fight against your worst enemy: yourself.

Michael is a husband, a father, a brother, an uncle, a friend, a neighbour, a member of the public, a lover of music, and a lover of movies and books.

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/drkay18
Twitter: http://www.instagram.com/drkay18
Theads: https://www.threads.com/@drkay18

Amazon: https://amazon.com/dp/1779626762
Better World Books: https://www.betterworldbooks.com/product/detail/9781779626769
Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/9781779626769

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Book Tour and Giveaway: Renewals by Gregory F DeLaurier


 

Book Details:

Book Title:  RENEWALS by Gregory F. DeLaurier
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+), 276 pages
Genre:  literary fiction, amateur sleuths
Publisher:  Independently published/Gregory F. DeLaurier
Release date:   February 2025
Content Rating:  R. My book is rated R for one attempted child sexual abuse, not explicit. There is bad language throughout. 
Book Description:

When academic Richard returns to his hometown he discovers a scam that has ruined the city, he must unite his friends and family to uncover the truth, but this pits him against the scam’s architect, aging but violent drug kingpin Giacomo Duchamps, who could destroy everyone Richard loves should he fail.

Renewals captures the nature of a hardscrabble small town and those who live and struggle there, in this pitch perfect tale of corruption and renewal. It is the story of the renewal of a city but also the renewal of the lives of those who are lost or oppressed; a young woman trapped in sexual abuse and exploitation, a young ex-con searching for a better life, and others.
Buy the Book:
Amazon
add to Goodreads
Meet the Author:

​Gregory F. DeLaurier is a retired university professor who has returned to his first love, fiction writing. He lives in Melrose MA, and has a daughter in her 40s who lives in Brooklyn and a 21 year old son attending Berklee College of Music. His fiction and non-fiction are widely available.

connect with the author:  facebook goodreads

Enter the Giveaway:

My Review: 

Renewals is the fabulous debut from author, Gregory F Delaurier. I thought the writing style was different and unique. Within the first couple of chapters, I was intrigued with this story of mystery and suspense. The main character, Richard, finds himself in danger when he makes shocking discoveries and must do everything he can to protect those he loves. I enjoyed seeing the dialogue between him and those around him. The author sprinkles in humor all throughout between the characters that had me laughing out loud at times. Some of the scenes were so detailed at times that made me see the horror and sadness of the city and surroundings. I found this tale to be believable, fun, entertaining, mysterious, suspenseful, dangerous, and adventurous. I thought it was an overall great novel and a perfect start for Mr Delaurier's writing career. I loved it so much and had no problem of reading it in one sitting.
 
I am going to give Renewals a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it and believe fans of mysteries will not miss out on it. It is most definitely worth the read. I would love to read more like this from the talented, Gregory F Delaurier, and seeing where else he would take his characters, readers, and fans to next. 

I received a copy of Gregory F Delaurier's Renewals 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 Dada Base by Allen Brokken



About the Book



Book: The Dada Base

Author: Allen Brokken

Genre: Comedy

This book is a compliation of the most popular one-liners, head scratchers and total groaners shared on social media by Author Allen Brokken.

Awarded the prestigious Cool Dad Everyone Talks About by his own kids these wholesome jokes are sure to be a hit with your family.

Plus this book contains his complete Telling Jokes and Puns for kids class with free digital access to course videos.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

 

About the Author

Allen Brokken is a teacher at heart, a husband, and a father most of all. He’s a joyful writer by the abundant grace of God. He began writing the Towers of Light series for his own children to help him illustrate the deep truths of the Bible in an engaging and age-appropriate way. He’s dedicated 15 years of his life to volunteer roles in children’s ministry and youth development. Now that his own children are off to college, he’s sharing his life experiences at home school conferences and through his blog and newsletter at his website. You can get sneak peeks of the ongoing adventures of Lauren, Aiden, and Ethan (plus their pets!) and the #dadjokeoftheday on all the major social media platforms.

 

 

More from Allen

When you are an author the industry encourages you to “have a social media presence”.  As a new author that’s pretty intimidating because the focus is generally on long form writing which is very different than a 140 character tweet.  For the first couple of years I tried different things in the hopes of engaging an audience and nothing seemed to gel.

Then my son introduced me to TikTok.  He said, Dad sometimes your jokes are actually funny so why don’t you do them on Tik Tok?  I was skeptical at first, but I have been known to be pretty PUN-ny at dinner parties so I tried it.

Given that my office has a lot of Star Wars memorabilia from when I was a kid I landed on telling Star Wars jokes at first.  I had very little success only getting between 200 and 1000 view.  Then one day I told this joke and my Tik Tok took off.

“So my son was on his way to take his drivers test and I handed him my collectable life size Storm Trooper helmet.”

He looked at me and said, “What’s this for?”

I replied,”So you don’t hit anything.”

If you’re not familiar with Star Wars that joke is funny because Storm Troopers notoriously don’t hit their target.  Now I’ve broken the cardinal rule of joke telling, jokes that require the audience to do homework are not good jokes.  Which is just one of the many rules of joking around that I learned over the past couple of years.

As my joke list increased I found a group of them that did particularly well online and realized the might make a good joke book.  However, I also realized there are a lot of joke books for kids and I wanted to do something different with mine.  So I decided I should include my class on telling jokes for kids as a part of the book.  So in addition to a collection of funny jokes the book provides a workbook for learning how to tell your own jokes and access to my virtual class for kids on telling jokes and puns.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 16

Vicky Sluiter, May 17 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 18

Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 19 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, May 19

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 20

Blossoms and Blessings, May 21 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 22

Stories By Gina, May 23 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, May 24

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, May 25 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, May 26

A Reader’s Brain, May 27 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, May 27

Artistic Nobody, May 28

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 29 (Author Interview)

Giveaway



To celebrate his tour, Allen is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54219/


My Review

I found Allen Brokken's The Dada Base to be a fun filled book. It was full of humor and silliness that I loved to read. I could not help but to laugh out loud all throughout the book. I thought it was fun, amusing, and wholesome. I liked the clean jokes and loved how the author included pages that were interactive for the budding young comedians. An overall great and entertaining book for younger readers. 

I am going to give The Dada Base five stars. I highly recommend it for readers who are between the ages of seven and twelve years. I would love to read more like this one from Allen Brokken in the near future. 

I received a paperback copy of Allen Brokken's The Dada Base from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.