#Bookreview of Word Fun Riddles & Crisscross Puzzles

By: Helene Hovanec

Publisher: aka Associates

Publication Date: January 13, 2025

ISBN: 979-8989035755

Reviewed by: Diana Coyle

Review Date: January 31, 2025

In Word Fun Riddles & Crisscross Puzzles by Helene Hovanec, readers are presented with a puzzle book that is broken down into two sections: Word Fun Riddles and Crisscross Puzzles. In the back of the book, it contains all 50 answers to both sections of the book.

In the Word Fun Riddles section, there are 25 puzzles offered in which to solve them, you need to find the one letter in the word in the left column that is not in the word supplied in the right column. You then write the letter down on the middle line provided between both columns. When you have filled in all the lines, read down the middle column of letters and it will reveal the answer to each puzzle riddle. Each riddle provided will have the puzzler laughing out loud at the silly answers.

In the Crisscross Puzzles section, there are also 25 puzzles to solve. These are basically puzzles in which you find the appropriate word to fit in the specific number of boxes provided. Avid fans of this puzzle type might know it by the name “Fill In” puzzles.

Ms. Hovanec created this puzzle book to provide children with an endless number of hours sharpening their minds, while also entertaining them as they solve each puzzle. By providing kids a pen and paper puzzle, it engages their five motor skills while also improving their focus. As they are writing, it reinforces memory learning and builds cognitive connections for them. The ultimate goal of this book is to encourage learning and provide a sense of accomplishment when the child finishes each puzzle.

This reviewer loved solving each puzzle in both sections and found the riddles worthy of laughs. Especially enjoyable was Puzzle Pooch, the eyeglass wearing dog, who is your puzzle coach throughout the book. Puzzlers of all ages will enjoy these puzzles, while looking for Puzzle Pooch scattered throughout the pages, offering you encouragement to keep solving all the puzzles in the book.

Ms. Hovanec has been hooked on puzzles all her life. She is a former elementary school teacher who is constantly trying to teach children by providing them with educationally fun puzzle books. Amazingly, she is the author of over 60 puzzle books for children and adults.

Quill says: If you love puzzle books, no matter what your age, Word Fun Riddles & Crisscross Puzzles is sure to tickle your fancy as well as your funny bone. It comes highly recommended!

For more information on Word Fun Riddles & Crisscross Puzzles, please visit the author's website at: puzzlepooch.net

 #Bookreview of Born to Trouble

By: Regan Walker

Publisher: Regan Walker Publishing

Publication Date: February 27, 2025

Reviewed by: Lily Andrews

Review Date: January 28, 2025

Regan Walker's Born to Trouble is an illuminating work of historical fiction that focuses on “a man born to much trouble all his lifetime." It also intends to provide a historical narrative of a power struggle that resulted in grave betrayal at a period of highly layered internal conflict and self-interest.

Following his father's death, Alexander is inaugurated as Chief of Clan Donald and Lord of the Isles. He is of a magnificent built, upright stance, golden hair, and piercing blue eyes and is married to Catherine, with whom he has four boys. It is in the fifteenth century, and he and his family have been awaiting the return of King James to Scotland after being imprisoned in England during the rule of two of its monarchs for eighteen years. With a glorious coronation imminent, Alexander believes King James must be wary of Duke Murdoch's long-standing alliances, as well as his army of Albany supporters fighting in France under the command of his younger brother, John Stewart, Earl of Buchan.

In reaction to growing criticism of his leadership, King James moves quickly to retake his ancestral kingdom and detain Duke Murdoch and his son. He summons the main Highland chiefs to a parliament in Inverness later on, but they are assaulted and arrested as accusations of treachery reverberate across the region. Alexander and his mother, who are among the invitees, are imprisoned for weeks, and two of his Highland nobles are put to death without a trial. Alexander, unsure of what might have led King James to be so harsh and unscrupulous, must decide whether to accept the promise of power and rank in exchange for his devotion or stay behind bars.

Everything changes, however, when he discovers, following a careful choice, that some of his family were executed at the king's command. Everyone around him is consumed by anger and a desire for vengeance, and he quickly realizes that he might have to lead the lordship and the men of Ross into battle, which would entail walking on a path steeped in blood.

This narrative deals with deep issues of oppression, self-interest, betrayal, and revenge. Set in a historically relevant era and a highly charged political atmosphere, it builds the bully-underdog dynamic right away. A well-chosen figure, the protagonist's popularity and brilliance earn him broad support among his people until he is compelled to make judgments that appear out of proportion to his age. His deeds initiate a sequence of events that imply a readiness to give up oneself for the good of others, a concept that is ultimately tested.

By thoroughly examining these endeavors, the author skillfully depicts early Scottish aristocratic society. She ably discusses the political climate and key historical occurrences by examining the king's, lords', and other political intrigues and disputes. Examining what happens to the protagonist when he mopes in the tumultuous and romantic circles is one of his novel’s standout features.

Quill says: Born to Trouble is a masterfully written historical fiction work with detailed illustrations and an insightful narrative that profoundly gives the story a worthy conclusion. Not your typical one-sit read, it strikes a mix between fiction and history to keep the reader interested. This is a flawless fictional exposition with a lasting aura for anyone interested in ancient Scottish history.

For more information about Born to Trouble, please visit the author's website at: www.reganwalkerauthor.com

 #AuthorInterview with Dorothy Love

Today, Feathered Quill reviewer Katie Specht is talking with Dorothy Love, author of A Season of Saigon.

FQ: Tell our readers a little about yourself. Your background, your interests, and how this led to writing a book?

LOVE: I can't remember a time when I wasn't obsessed with stories, both writing them and reading them. In high school  I fell in love with journalism and edited my school paper. I worked at the University Press as a college student first as a volunteer general stories reporter and later I had a paid position as co editor. After graduation I taught for several years, earned a master's degree and a doctorate before pursuing a full time career as a novelist. I wrote a dozen novels for YA and middle graders before turning to writing for women. A Season in Saigon is my twenty-first novel.

FQ: Tell us a little about your book – a brief synopsis and what makes your book unique.

LOVE: A Season in Saigon is inspired by the women who worked in Vietnam as writers and photojournalists during the war.  Many of them worked for newspapers but in the 1960's discrimination against women in the newsroom was pervasive, and many women were confined to writing about food and fashion. So they funded their own travel to South Vietnam in order to write important stories, but  were then humiliated and obstructed by the military and the male journalists who regularly told them they didn't belong there. Tallis Reed, my protagonist, is a fashion writer who is essentially black-balled after making a wrong decision at her magazine. She buys a one-way ticket to Saigon to redeem her mistake and to salvage her career. But she's unprepared for life in a steaming, wary city teeming with refugees and orphans, soldiers and spies.  And she's unprepared to fall in love with Nick Landry, an American doctor volunteering at a civilian hospital. This book was completed, but not yet published when Kristin Hannah's novel The Women came out last year. Her book opened the door for conversations about the war and the toll it took on the nurses who served, and its publication increased my confidence that A Season in Saigon is arriving at a time when readers want to know more abut this chapter in our history. No book is truly unique, but A Season in Saigon, like Hannah's book is told from a woman's point of view, and shines a light on the experiences of another group of women whose stories have been largely unexamined in fiction. Most of the fiction about the war is written by men, for men. A Season in Saigon is a woman's story. It's both an adventure tale, and a sweet love story that I hope will educate readers too young to have lived through the tumultuous 1960's and the war, and that it will entertain older readers who can recall the music, the politics, and the culture of the times.

FQ: What was the impetus for writing your book?

LOVE: As a former journalist working at the university in 1969, I was in the middle of that era, so this story is a part of my lived history. A couple of years ago I discovered a handful of nonfiction books about the women who covered the war, and as the author of many other historical novels, I was fascinated by their stories, and a bit annoyed, really that they had done such important work over there, and for the most part, nobody knew about them. A Season in Saigon is my attempt to rectify that oversight.

FQ: Please give our readers a little insight into your writing process. Do you set aside a certain time each day to write, or only write when the desire to write surfaces?

LOVE: After twenty previous books of various lengths and set in various time periods, I've developed my own system. Historical fiction done right requires a tremendous amount of research, background reading, tracking down primary sources. I usually spend however long it takes to complete this process. Then I develop an outline, and follow it through to the end. In  the revision stage, some of that research gets weeded out and then there are gaps in my knowledge that must be filled in during multiple rounds of revision.  I am not infallible; I'm certain there are details I have gotten wrong, but readers are usually forgiving if they see that you've made a real effort to be accurate.

FQ: What was the hardest part of writing your book? That first chapter, the last paragraph, or something else?

LOVE: With this particular novel, getting the details right was a huge challenge. It's set in Saigon, a city halfway around the world and takes place fifty-seven years ago amid the chaos of a controversial war. I've traveled to the locales of most of my other books but it wasn't possible to visit  Saigon. I relied upon memoirs and upon more than six hundred photos in an effort to paint an authentic portrait.  I've tried to balance the various American perspectives with the perspectives of the Vietnamese, using  countless official  transcripts, newspaper clippings,  and interviews. Thanks to the magic of the internet, I was able to chat online with a few of the men who were there.  Some of their comments were funny, some were poignant, some profane, but underlying all of it was the sense of having been part of a brotherhood. This book is the most emotionally challenging one I've written.  I'm sure I have made mistakes but I  hope I have done justice to everybody.

FQ: The genre of your book is Historical Fiction. Why this genre?

LOVE: Historical fiction from a female perspective has always been my favorite to read and to write. Among the historical novels of which I'm most proud are Mrs. Lee and Mrs. Gray (TNZ Fiction/HarperCollins) based on the journals of Mary Custis Lee and on her correspondence with Selena Gray, an enslaved woman at Arlington; and Carolina Gold from the same publisher, based on the life of Elizabeth Allston Pringle, a woman rice planter.  I hope A Season in Saigon, while set in the twentieth century, also will engage and entertain readers.

FQ: Do you have any plans to try writing a book in a different genre? If so, which genre and why?

LOVE: I'm currently at work on a murder mystery set in a small Texas town in 1956.  There's a romance element to it but I hope to serve readers a slice of life of Texas in the 50's.  It's new territory for me but I enjoy a challenge. We'll see how it goes and whether I can pull it off.

FQ: Who are your favorite authors?

LOVE: I read widely for research but for pleasure I love historical fiction. A few of my favorite authors in the genre are Susan Meissner, Lisa Wingate, Erika Robuck and Kate Quinn.  They're masters not only at creating characters to root for, but their attention to detail has earned my admiration. Susan's novel about the San Francisco earthquake and Kate's novel about the women who worked at Bletchley Park during the Second World War are outstanding. And I don't think there's anyone left on Planet Earth who has not read Lisa's searing Before We Were Yours. Erika has a novel coming out in August set in Vietnam, about Dickey Chapelle, a female photojournalist who worked there until her death in 1965. I can't wait to read it.

FQ: If you were to teach a class on the art of writing, what is the one item you would be sure to share with your students and how would you inspire them to get started?

LOVE: I have taught at writers' conferences and workshops nationwide and enjoy it. Here's the lesson I try to impart: The building blocks of fiction are actually pretty simple (it's only the execution that is difficult). Someone has a high-stakes goal. Some force, either internal or eternal, or both, motivates her to pursue it. Conflicts, both internal and external stand in the character's way. Readers read to find out whether the character will reach her goals, and how she reaches them and how she is changed, or not changed, by the experience.  I inspire them to get started by having them read The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers by Christopher Vogler.  It never fails to get writers excited and to get the creative juices flowing.  I use it to varying degrees in my own work.

FQ: Are any of the characters based on real people you know? If so, how closely does your character mimic the real person?

LOVE: The only real person portrayed in A Season in Saigon is Ann Bryan, the woman who most inspired this novel. Like many of her contemporaries, Ann worked on the women's pages at a newspaper before heading to Saigon. In her case, she went to Germany first to work at Overseas Weekly, and was then assigned as bureau chief for the Weekly in Saigon.  In Saigon she developed a reputation for truth telling that so infuriated the US military that they tried to take her paper off the streets. Ann took them to court and won. At her death in 2009, one of the Major Generals who had worked with her said she was beloved among the troops and that the Weekly was the only paper that told the truth as it was happening, As a single woman, Ann adopted an infant daughter from a Saigon orphanage and later, after her marriage to Frank Mariano, a reporter for ABC News, they adopted a second daughter. Ann was one of the last Americans out of Saigon in 1975. I have tremendous respect for her, and wanted to acknowledge her in the pages of the novel. In the story, she becomes Tallis's boss, mentor, and friend. I hope she would be pleased with my story.

 #Bookreview of The Greatest Band That Never Was

By: Jeff Meshel

Publisher: Atmosphere Press

Publication Date: January 14, 2025

ISBN: 979-8-89132-499-2

Reviewed by: Kathy Stickles

Review Date: January 27, 2025

The Greatest Band That Never Was is a riveting story that is filled with everything a reader could want in a story. There is emotion, humor, drama, music, relationships, fun and confusion for all of the characters. It is a story that gives readers a chance to believe that dreams can come true. The book is heart-warming and will grab you immediately and keep you completely addicted until the very last page. Spanning over seven hundred pages, author Jeff Meshel has created something truly epic and I just could not stop reading once I started.

At the beginning of the story, the author presents us with two separate stories that will eventually come together as the book continues. The separate storylines are both wrapped around one old song; with an almost forgotten band in one decade and a paralegal named Shelly Griffin in another decade. As Shelly connects the song to a local hometown beer and a family-owned brewery that is about to shut down, we find that the band from long ago is actually the creator of this magical piece of music. The author goes back and forth flawlessly showing how the band, Decapede, forms and how, in a future time, Shelly hears a song and decides that she is going to bring the band who sang it, if she can figure out who they are, back together to save a failing business.

As readers observe Decapede come together and then break apart, these wonderful characters become a part of our own family. From Aaron Wainwright, who is the leader and creator of the band; to Sam Miller, an amazing singer who seems to appear out of nowhere; to Kathleen, the simple waitress who turns out to be an incredible singer and one that both Aaron and Sam want to be with. All the members of the band have a story to tell about themselves and their ability to interact with the others. Of course, everything falls apart as they are neither ready or able to be the overnight sensations that the world wants them to be.

Everything becomes even more interesting when Shelly decides to bring the band back together and make them famous again in order to save her new friend’s business and gift the song and Decapede back to the world. Can she bring everyone back and, if she does, what is going to happen between the band members, given the problems that broke them up in the first place? How will all of these clashing personalities work together decades after they dropped out of sight?

The Greatest Band That Never Was is an incredible tale that takes readers on a nostalgic trip into the past filled with music and emotion and it is a trip that should not be missed. Everything about the storyline and writing is outstanding. While Jeff Meshel has proven with this book that he is a wonderful writer, I have to say that his character development is beyond any that I have seen before in a book. It is obvious to this reader that he stands out among other writers with his ability to craft each and every character into a person that we care about and cheer on. Each of the characters have such a distinctive personality and an interesting, well-developed backstory and you cannot help but adore them, whether they are at their best or their worst in any given moment. Even with the number of characters and the long length of this book, Jeff Meshel never once lost control of it. It remains flawless throughout and keeps you wanting more.

I cannot recommend The Greatest Band That Never Was strongly enough. Regardless of what draws you to a story as a reader: music, great dialogue, an extremely well-crafted plot, a lot of twists and turns, or a remarkable and diverse group of characters, you are guaranteed to find it in the pages of this book. I can honestly say I was very sad to see this story end!

Quill says: It is not very often that a reader is offered such an enchanting, heart-warming, and truly epic story that is so fabulously written. It is so wonderful to find a book where you do not expect as much as you are given. The Greatest Band That Never Was is just such a book and I have no doubt that it will be a great success.

For more information about The Greatest Band That Never Was, please visit the author’s website at: jmeshel.com.

 #Bookreview of Cooling our Environment: An Architect's Vision to Combat Global Warming

By: Kalpana Sutaria

Publisher: Atmosphere Press

Publication Date: December 10, 2024

ISBN: 979-8891325418

Reviewed by: Diana Coyle

Review Date: January 16, 2025

We look at buildings as a place where we live, work, and play. We take for granted that those existing buildings may or may not have been built with our environment in mind. In Cooling our Environment: An Architect’s Vision to Combat Global Warming by Kalpana Sutaria, we learn that professionals in the building industry are presently implementing sustainable building practices to create green buildings and infrastructures to lower emissions as best we can. All our activities, whether they are for work or play, are continually warming our planet. If we don’t make serious changes now, our planet and generations to come will experience unnecessary suffering.

Through our actions, global warming plays out in future weather events that will lead to increases in droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and hailstorms. The intensity of these weather events has been increasing over the past decades, causing severe devastation across the United States. Because of these severe weather changes, we must pay careful attention to our actions, and that of future generations, to address the severity of our present situation. In order to do this, we must use cleaner energy sources such as wind and solar power.

Sutaria presents a valid argument that if we and future generations don’t start taking responsibility for our actions, we are setting ourselves up for future devastating disasters. We need to be educated in not only how we, as individuals, can conserve for our planet, but as a whole we must all take responsibility to preserve our planet for generations to come. Part of this education comes from understanding how our homes, schools, and work places are being built. We need to get our local politicians involved and make them just as accountable for helping protect our future environment. They are the ones allowing areas to be built up, so let’s hold them accountable so we can collectively work toward a better, healthier, and environmentally friendlier place for future generations can grow up in.

The author has done her research and it clearly shows in the diagrams she provides and the statistics she shares. While reading, this reviewer had to take a minute or two to pause from time to time to actually let these statistics sink into her thoughts. Honestly, with everyone’s schedules being jammed with family and work routines, we all collectively don’t put much thought to what our future generations are going to be dealing with because of our present day actions. We don’t think about how buildings are being built, or what materials they might be using to build them. We don’t hold our local city and state departments accountable enough when they grant building permits. We have to wonder if they are truly taking the time to see what the builders plan on using to build the structures. But as Sutaria states, the time is now to start making changes before it is too late to do so. We all need to be held accountable for what future generations are going to have to deal with due to unfriendly environmental actions today.

Quill says: Cooling our Environment: An Architect’s Vision to Combat Global Warming will make readers stop and take a look at the footprints they are creating today. After reading this book, readers will be equipped to put into practice positive changes in order to shape a healthier environment for our future.

For more information about Cooling our Environment: An Architect’s Vision to Combat Global Warming, please visit the publisher's website at: atmospherepress.com/books/cooling-our-environment-an-architects-vision-to-combat-global-warming-by-kalpana-sutaria/

 #Bookreview of Year of the Snake Zodiac Predictions 2025

By: Barbara Hall

Publication Date: January 3, 2025

ISBN: 9798305910278

Reviewed by: Rebecca Jane Johnson

Review Date: January 15, 2025

Ringing in a new year brings new unknowns about the future. Rest assured, the librarian, teacher, and writer Barbara Hall’s Year of the Snake Zodiac Predictions 2025 gives helpful forecasts about the year ahead.

This book presents the perspectives of Chinese Astrology and Feng Shui as a friendly support to our intuition. After providing some background and stories about snake mythology in Asian culture, this book proceeds through each of the twelve animals in the zodiac, revealing insights that can guide readers to making wise moves in 2025. Learn which Zodiac sign you were born under, and live with confidence in your strengths because the year of the snake has something unique for you. This book is complete with advice on design and style of your living space or work space to optimize harmony. Subtle forces will be at play throughout the year and, according to this wisdom, 2025 will be a year to use the snake’s qualities of strategic thinking, adaptability, and patience to confront whatever life dishes out in the areas of personal growth, health, wealth, career, and relationships.

Beginning January 29, 2025 until February 17, 2026, the Wood Snake rules the lunar cycle. The Wood Snake’s qualities are elegance, introspection, resourcefulness, and patience. It is best, according to Hall, to set intentions at the new moon and be grateful at the full moon each month. Curious about how your compatible companions will fare this year? This book reveals insight about navigating within nature, culture, family, intimacy, and society so that you and your loved ones can be in alignment and harmony.

This is a well-researched book, written in a practical, accessible, and personal way for an audience that ranges from those who are seasoned students of astrology to those who consult astrological wisdom for fun. The book contains translations for Chinese characters and auspicious symbols. It tells some of the story of the snake in the Zodiac. Nothing is missing from this elegant presentation. Every essential aspect is covered, leaving the reader feeling confident to plan the year ahead armed with wisdom.

Quill says: Year of the Snake Zodiac Predictions 2025 presents a method and sound advice for the coming year from the Chinese Zodiac and Feng Shui that can help readers navigate the ups and downs of this year with informed wisdom to bring growth, wealth, and connection to you and your loved ones in 2025.

For more information about Year of the Snake Zodiac Predictions 2025, please visit the author's website at: barbarahall.ca.

 #Bookreview of Touchpaper

By: David Dodds

Publication Date: December 20, 2024

ISBN: 978-1-068566-90-5

Reviewed by: Shrubaboti Bose

Review Date: January 10, 2025

Touchpaper by David Dodds is a fantasy novel that slowly unravels amidst the cobbled streets of Edinburgh, recounting various challenges faced by its protagonist, Drew Macleod. Initially, he leads a lackluster and almost sedentary life, but everything changes one day when an other-worldly creature tries to kill him. The fine line separating the mortal world from the supernatural realm starts disintegrating, marking the beginning of an exhilarating journey of self-discovery and personal development. Hunted by several mysterious forces at the same time puts Drew under a lot of pressure, but he also finds friendship and acceptance within this new and unfamiliar community.

As the plot progresses, we are introduced to many interesting characters such as Traggheim, a dzarf with exceptional craftmanship and mechanical prowess; Alyssum, a highly spirited healer who offers him timely advice and some much-needed compassion as well as understanding; then there is Garm; Mamma Harbinger, Harkin the bloodcap, and more. Characters often draw inspiration from their past experiences and lend their strength to the main character in the form of unwavering support, as demonstrated by Drew’s best friend Jamie. It is no surprise that readers usually appreciate such sincerity and genuine companionship between two characters and feel moved to mentally cheer for them.

Archer, the ancient daemon who had rescued Drew on the night of the ambush, eventually assumes the role of his mentor, training him in basic survival techniques and combat skills. However, increasing stakes force Drew to finally come to terms with his new environment and the sheer importance of forming new allies. He gradually becomes acquainted with different members of this strange world and falls in love with a charming angelii, Ashnil. Despite internal strife and differences, this motley group of people from all walks of life quickly form alliances and unite their forces to fight against the evil aelve queen, who is notorious for her greed and cruelty.

Although the protagonist lacks the charisma one would expect from the main ‘hero,’ it seems justifiable in how Drew remains an amateur at best until the end, returning the symbolic torch of leadership back to Archer again. As a story narrated in the first person’s point of view, Drew holds the central space of the novel by default. And yet, almost ironically, the compelling presence of secondary characters undermines the significance of his role and gives us rather the impression of a naive character who is constantly in need of guidance or validation, far from being ready to take on the mantle and even less so in single-handedly organizing a battle against the otherwise clever and manipulative queen. Her final choice of deliberately walking into the trap that Drew had devised doesn’t really align with the rest of her character portrayal and comes off as slightly underwhelming.

Nevertheless, what makes this story particularly engaging is the way in which all the characters have been presented with their own individual personality and worldview. They are simultaneously different, original and realistic, making it enjoyable and also easier for readers to sympathize with their struggles and dilemmas. The author keeps the tone lighthearted, and the storytelling simple and captivating. There is some worldbuilding, but it is one that requires minimum investment in order to comprehend, which is bound to appeal to a larger readership than fantasy novels that feature extremely complex or confusing worldbuilding. With a curious blend of traditional and urban myths, this story holds our interest effortlessly, following an invisible chronology that binds the events together coherently.

Quill says: As a fast-paced fantasy novel with a group of different people working towards one common goal as a team, reflecting the subtle nuances and beauty of friendship, Touchpaper delivers!

For more information on Touchpaper, please visit the author's website at: daviddoddsauthor.com.