Ten days, two rivals, and a busload of tourists. How bad could it be? For archaeologist Emilia Flores, landing a fellowship to work at the ancient ruins of Pompeii in Italy is a dream come true. The only catch? She’ll be digging alongside her infuriating nemesis, TJ Mayer, who’s been a constant thorn in her… Continue reading Tour Wars (Romancing the Ruins #3) by Carla Luna

This review was originally published in March 2017 on our Gypsy Road site. Some schools take a sight word approach to reading, while others take the classic phonics approach. At Eclectic Foundations, the vintage McGuffey Readers form the base of a classic approach to language arts. For the past few weeks, we have been using Eclectic Foundations Language Arts Level B with our youngest son, with good results! About the Program Currently available in three levels, this language arts program is available in either physical or downloadable format. McGuffey Reader - Key words are learned and there are reading passages to work toward fluency. This pairs with the phonics word cards, where students learn the parts of speech by coloring the words appropriately. (You can purchase this book, or it can be downloaded for free here.) Phonics Cards - These are printed on cardstock and easily torn into word cards. By coloring each word appropriately, the student learns about parts of speech. Teacher's Guide - This outlines each day's lesson, covering the reading portion, phonics practice, handwriting, and grammar lessons. Some days are longer than others. (See Lesson 54, on right) Student Workbook - There are poems for the student to read aloud, cursive instruction, copywork, and grammar practice in the pages of this book. Phonics Practice Sheets - This spiral-bound book is made of laminated sheets for easy reuse. Students practice writing the words they are learning in the phonics section. You could feasibly skip the phonics portion and use a different program (if you already have one that you like) with the McGuffey section. Our Experience We used this set with our younger son, who has his own struggles. When you have a child with a hearing and speech disorder, it makes mastering phonics incredibly difficult. After all, if you are hearing ‘A’ pronounced as ‘O,’ it’s going to be very difficult to learn how to spell those ‘A’ words. So we generally have avoided teaching phonics and just gone straight for the sight word approach. However, the phonics approach worked really well for him as long as he was able to correctly hear and say the vowel sound. With those vowels, or other sounds, that he struggles to comprehend correctly, the phonics did not help. Again, though, for those he could correctly identify, it increased his spelling ability tenfold! While he could take or leave the McGuffey Reader (he’s more into airplanes and action these days), the passages were short enough that he did not get frustrated in reading them aloud. Even though the difficulty continued to increase, the length stayed fairly short, and so they were manageable bits. Also, he really enjoyed the write-on / wipe-off workbook because…he likes that sort of thing. He struggled a lot with the cursive handwriting portion of this set, and I think it was because there were no cursive models. At the top of the page, the letter of the day is written in cursive, but the words to copy are written in print. He cannot translate from print to cursive, and so this made it impossible. I ended up writing each of the day’s words in cursive and then having him copy those. Pros : It covers the basics, and lays a really strong foundation for later grammar and language arts skills. It’s rigorous, and can be tailored up or down to ability. Materials are spiral-bound for easy use. It’s very affordable, and you can build on the supplies from previous sets. Cons : The McGuffey Reader doesn’t line up with the phonics lessons, so that can be a bit confusing. Cursive handwriting workbook is modeled with print letters. Check out some sample lessons from Level B, and see what others are saying about Eclectic Foundations over at the Schoolhouse Review Crew!

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Like many of the reviewers I first read Ms. Whitney as a young adult and was happy to find this copy and pick it up for some leisurely summer reading. I do take a bit of umbrage at the reviewers who try to paint this book with the social brush of today. Any work is a product of its times and should be judged in that context. To that end this book, which won an Edgar Award for juvenile mystery, is smooth, pleasant read. Ms. Whitney develops her characters well and paints an enchanting setting. It does deal with gender roles, disability, financial hard times, and aging, all from the lens of a young girl. Although there are clear gender roles (the women do all the food preparation, for example), that was the norm in 1960 to set it otherwise would have made it difficult to relate to the intended audience. However, there is nothing the protagonist, Susan, does not do or is prohibited from because she is a girl. Also Gene's disability is treated, again inside the context of the time, with compassion and empathy and some amount of empowerment. I am still looking for a copy of the first Whitney mystery I read, Mystery on the Isle of Skye. Whitney writes well and this mild read was a welcome change from the much more "in your face" work of more contemporary writers. Recommended if you want a quiet nostalgic well-written read.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, amalgam is a mixture of different elements. This definition is fitting for the contents of this book, aptly titled “Amalgam-Man,” by J. Matthew Neal, as…

Looking for Jane Austen gifts for the Elizabeth Bennet in your life? Check out this list, Darcy! Fans of this classic author will love the eclectic mix included for every style of fan.

Elody Lorrent’s heart was fused to another at an early age. But what happens when life takes a tragic turn and she’s left behind to pick up the pieces? Burying her husband found a way to bury her soul as well. Elody now lives for her kids. Her chance at love was lost the moment… Continue reading If Only You Fell (If Only #2) by Stefanie Castro

Orville Mouse and the Puzzle of the Last Metaphonium by Tom Hoffman is an expertly written fantasy novel. It’s the fourth in a series about the Metaphysical Adventurer (a.k.a. world-hopping) Orville Wellington Mouse. Orville is a shaper, meaning he’s magically gifted, and when a highly interactive dream about a ghost and a book fair leaves him with a weird book in a language no one can read, his sassy girlfriend, Sophia, and their loyal ally, Proto, join him on a quest to decode the book. The results uncover a long-lost piece of ancient history and when the adventurers enter the surreal world of Elysian in search of a friend’s long-lost wife, they take on the mysterious Shadow King, accompanied by an austere monk who’s more than he seems. Will Orville be able to find reality and solve the puzzle of the Last Metaphonium? Tom Hoffman is a delight to read. His world is endlessly complex, varied, and filled with flights of fancy, yet completely true and simple as well. The characters ring with a deep, supple humanity, and I was captivated, wanting to know what would happen next. Action, comedy, mystery, adventure, romance—it’s all here. Orville’s many little quirks make him thoroughly well-rounded, and the underlying theme that love and honesty can overcome fears was handled as melodiously as the concept of the piano-like Metaphonium, in which sets of keys provide portals to other worlds. Quiet sidekick Proto absolutely steals the show, his fears that he’s not loved and accepted threading a delicate subplot that is as poignant as it is satisfying. Verbally enchanting, emotionally human, and philosophically relevant, The Puzzle of the Last Metaphonium blends many genres into a really fun read.

Eclectic Arts Language Arts

List of best books on alan turing review. Discover the good books on alan turing for elementary, intermediate and advanced readers.

Book Details: Book Title : Behind Her Smile: The Adventures of a Tall Girl from WVA and Her Life as a Stewardess by Beverly Golden Cu...

Take individual action steps to create an empowered publishing experience with the workbook 10 Secrets to a Bestseller (An Author's Guide To Self-Publishing Workbook) by Tim McConnehey. As a professional author, you want your book to shine. You want your book to look like a traditional printing house has published it. You also wish to maintain creative freedom, control over the process, and one hundred percent of the royalties. Utilizing the worksheets provided in the book, you can produce a beautifully published book that rivals traditionally published works. Each worksheet includes a brief overview of what you will be addressing. Written in a refreshing style that exudes confidence, this guide makes certain you will begin your publishing journey with your best pages forward. Are you ready to self-publish? Tim McConnehey's 10 Secrets to a Bestseller is a brilliant, take-you-by-the-hand workbook for the self-publishing author. Self-published authors are about a dime a dozen now, and sadly with the advent of easy publishing came a major decline in quality books. This has become an issue for me, so much so that a few years ago I seriously thought about boycotting all newly released books. Grammar, spelling, punctuation, writing technique; these suddenly seemed to become relics from the past. A few years later, formatting issues reared its ugly head, merging into a sea of chaos for most self-publishers. I was appalled. Having written a novel, I wanted to maintain my rights, but not sacrifice quality. What to do? Enter 10 Secrets to a Bestseller! Now, my novels can have the quality of a traditional publishing house while I get to control the most essential part of my book; my creativity and freedom. If you want your book to look professional, but want to self-publish, this is the workbook for you!

Title: Enthrall Climax Author: Vanessa Fewings Genre: Erotic Romance Release Date: February 12, 2018 Cover Designer: Drue Hoffman at Buoni Amici Press Hosted by: Buoni Amici Press, LLC. Rating: 4.5 Stars Told in the first person. Alternating persons. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for review from Buoni Amici Press and the author. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". The strikingly dominant Cameron Cole and his beloved Mia Lauren return for the eagerly anticipated finale of the erotic romance series by USA TODAY bestselling author Vanessa Fewings. The romance has never been hotter. The danger has never been higher. Mia Lauren is set to become the wife of powerful billionaire Cameron Cole. A lifetime of realized dreams and fulfilled desires lay ahead...but their entire world is about to come crashing down. An intimate betrayal fractures Cameron’s empire, springing forth new threats from every direction. Everything is at risk. Everyone is in danger. Before Mia and Cameron can relish the rewards of the journey, they must survive its climax. Some passions live forever. This isn't the end. This is the climax. ENTHRALL CLIMAX is the final novel of the ENTHRALL SESSIONS, the bestselling erotic romance series by Vanessa Fewings. **Mature Audiences only **Contains dark themes and explicit content.** ▾ Click Banner To Tweet ▾ My Thoughts: Mia Lauren is a little confused as to where she goes from here. Cameron Cole has had to make adjustments so as not to insight suspicion. A secondary character to pay attention to is Shay. He has a connection to both main characters but it’s a little bit of a mystery to figure out exactly what that connection is. To get a real sense as to what Enthrall is all about, the ending is not the best place to start. It’s best to start at the beginning. If you are a reader that doesn’t like to read about the “clubs” that will push your limits than this series is not for you. You have to have an open mind and this author certainly will help with that. Cameron is who he is but we get to see Mia grow in confidence and this is another reason to not start this series here. One being that it would be like reading the end of a story first and another would be not seeing Mia’s personal growth. There’s a lot of raw emotion here and there seems to be an outside force that weaves itself throughout the story. I knew that this was the end but not wanting it to end, I took my time reading this one – the author knows what is going to draw my attention. The ending shows happy characters but is it really over? It might be but that doesn’t mean you can’t go back and read the series again. Vanessa Fewings is the USA TODAY bestselling author of the ENTHRALL SESSIONS. THE CHASE is the first in her sizzling new romantic trilogy from HQN Books followed by THE GAME. The third book in the series THE PRIZE will be released in June 2018. Prior to publishing, Vanessa worked as a registered nurse and midwife. She holds a Masters Degree in Psychology. She has traveled extensively throughout the world and has lived in Great Britain, Germany, Hong Kong, Cyprus and the USA. Born and raised in England, Vanessa now proudly calls herself an American and resides in California with her husband. For more info on Vanessa: VanessaFewings.com a Rafflecopter giveaway Hosted By: SaveSave

The Competition by Katherine Collette is an eclectic redemption narrative exuding understated charm, humour and an authentic feel-good vibe. Read my review.

Citadel, the only city on the planet Edalide, has a holy mission: exterminate the demons from the Flooded Forest. The unholy, vicious animals were a mistake made by their god that must be corrected. Or at least, that’s what everyone’s been told. When Olivia, a nonverbal autistic nineteen-year-old, has a chance run-in with a “demon,”… Continue reading Citadel by C. M. Alongi

Here's a list of all the Bookstagram influencer programs I've found for easily requesting free ARCs and books from publishers for review!

Heritage Cove is in full swing for the festive season and as the temperature dips, who will be lucky in love this Christmas? It’s December in Heritage Cove and along with the village Christmas tree, frosty mornings and the promise of the most wonderful time of the year, the new waffle shack is about to… Continue reading Christmas at the Little Waffle Shack (Heritage Cove #2) by Helen J. Rolfe

For fans of Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale and Martha Hall Kelly’s Lilac Girls, this powerful novel of fate, resistance, and family —by the international bestselling author of The Sweetness of Forgetting and When We Meet Again—tells the tale of an American woman, a British RAF pilot, and a young Jewish teenager whose lives intersect in occupied Paris during the tumultuous days of World War II. When newlywed Ruby Henderson Benoit arrives in Paris in 1939 with her French husband Marcel, she imagines strolling arm in arm along the grand boulevards, awash in the golden afternoon light. But war is looming on the horizon, and as France falls to the Nazis, her marriage begins to splinter, too. Charlotte Dacher is eleven when the Germans roll into the French capital, their sinister swastika flags snapping in the breeze. After the Jewish restrictions take effect and Jews are ordered to wear the yellow star, Charlotte can’t imagine things getting much worse. But then the mass deportations begin, and her life is ripped forever apart. Thomas Clarke joins the British Royal Air Force to protect his country, but when his beloved mother dies in a German bombing during the waning days of the Blitz, he wonders if he’s really making a difference. Then he finds himself in Paris, in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, and he discovers a new reason to keep fighting—and an unexpected road home. When fate brings them together, Ruby, Charlotte, and Thomas must summon the courage to defy the Nazis—and to open their own broken hearts—as they fight to survive. Rich with historical drama and emotional depth, this is an unforgettable story that will stay with you long after the final page is turned. AMAZON : https://amzn.to/2Gwvqbd 4,5 stars This story was fantastic, I don't usually read this type of books but from the moment I read the synopsis I wanted to read it and I'm so glad I did!The Room on Rue Amelie was a heartbreaking and emotional story!The writing was beautiful and flawless and the story touched me in so many ways! The beginning was a little bit slow in my opinion but after a few chapters I couldn't put it down wondering what will happen next!The Room on Rue Amelie is a powerful story, I was emotional while I was reading it, especially in the end!The characters felt so realistic!I loved Ruby and Charlotte but especially Ruby because she was such a strong heroine!Thomas was also an interesting character! This book is definitely a must read!If you are looking for a unique story this is definitely for you!

Do you love cheerful rooms packed and layered with color, objects, pattern and texture? Are you a fan of a more bohemian eclectic style at home? LA-based blogger and designer Justina Blakeney debuts her first book, The New Bohemians , this week which spotlights 20 creatives living in the United S

Character, plot, and realism are among the things that get me reading a book. Dusties (Dusties Series Book 1) by Brett Murrell has all these elements expertly woven into the story. I felt pulled into the narrative in just the same way one would feel following characters of The Maze Runner. The setting is dystopian, disturbing, and a dying world. Remnants of a small colony wake up to a world that is something else from what they’d always known it to be, and must struggle to make sense of what is happening. But their time is limited as the encroaching darkness hastens. The only hope of escape from the darkness is shrouded in mystery, traps, and a path of uncertainty. Can they unveil a path out of the darkness before it inundates their soul? Brett Murrell begins the story in the most impressionable of ways, a way that leaves the reader with no choice but to pay attention: “It began unpleasantly. A boy of seventeen dreamt of a dark place and a monster so large, so swift, and so terrifying that the sight of it stole his breath away. He awoke to find a mob carrying him.” The setting creates an unsettling feeling in the reader and this begins from the very start of the narrative. What is interesting about this spellbinding opening into the Dusties series is the author’s ability to sustain the interest and attention of the reader, and he does this with the arresting narrative voice — it is hypnotic — and the realism he injects into the characters. The story has a strong appeal for fans of epic fantasy and adventure, a tale infused with a rare sense of humanity, a work of entertainment that is as transporting as it is delightful.

The Book of Lost Friends is a beautifully told story that follows Hannie Gossett, a former slave, as she tries to find her family after the Civil War, and Benny Silva, an idealistic high school tea…

Have you heard the term book influencer? Here's what it means, plus 7 different types of book influencers (also known as book reviewers).

If you sell a book or any other product on Amazon, or if you are a reviewer, then you must be familiar with some important review rules and the mistakes that may cost you those reviews. In this pos…

This is an advertisement for SheSpeaks/St. Martins Press As an avid Anglophile and reader of historical fiction, I had to pick up Victoria by Daisy Goodwin the moment I could. I love reading about her 63 year rein, her 9 children and her fairy tale love with her husband

Organizing Your Home with SORT and SUCCEED: Five simple steps to stop clutter before it starts, save money and simplify your life (SORT and SUCCEED Organizing Solutions) by Darla DeMorrow is a book that teaches readers how to not only get organized, but to stay organized, and how an uncluttered space will have a positive impact on more than just your storage space. DeMorrow's organization system, as detailed thoroughly in her S.O.R.T. and Succeed steps, is a blueprint for how to get started, setting realistic goals, practical application, avoiding pitfalls, and getting your space into a state where the order endures. There was so much in this straightforward book that I loved. DeMorrow offers her wisdom in a smooth and natural narrative, pointing out the obvious in a way that forces a reader to re-evaluate how they view their space. Certainly, it left me with a great deal to think about, and even had me laughing a bit. An example of this is when she says, "This might explain why we so often park $30,000 cars on the driveway, while we store $3,000 worth of junk in the garage." There's no question in my mind that armed with Organizing Your Home with SORT and SUCCEED (SORT and SUCCEED Organizing Solutions) by Darla DeMorrow, I will be able to finally make my home into the sanctuary I deserve, saving me money and eliminating stressors that create an imbalance in my home, as well as my mind, body, and spirit.

Today’s book review roundup is an eclectic mix of love, grief, chaos and just downright disaster. It includes; Ainslie Hogarth’s Motherthing, Coco Mellors’ Cleopatra and Frankenstein, Yomi Adegoke’s The List...Read More

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One Soul's Journey is the second collection of short slice-of-life stories by Barbara Daniels Dena. Containing both fictional and autobiographical tales, this anthology is an original piece of work covering decades of the author's life experiences. The book begins with Dena sharing anecdotes from her childhood, witnessing the Jim Crow laws in effect during the late 50s and early 60s in Arkansas. Some of the other tales include a little girl and her mother losing her baby sister with chaotic ramifications, the life of an Irish Setter at a dog rescue center, a mother and son volunteering as dressed mascots at the local zoo, striking up a burgeoning friendship with her first customer at the flower shop, delivering flowers to the wrong address, and many more. If you love to read heartwarming and wholesome short stories, One Soul's Journey is a must-read for you. Barbara Daniels Dena's smooth prose and skillful storytelling style make the narrative a breeze. Complemented by some truly fascinating tales, it makes for a fantastic reading experience. Dena has a way with words that will have readers engaged from the outset, and some of the stories have revelations thrown in along the way that will leave you pleasantly surprised. These stories have underlying themes of compassion, kindness, and love and highlight how helping others can go a long way to making you feel fulfilled. I had a wonderful time reading the book and recommend it to anyone who is looking to raise their spirits through a relaxing read.

Carey Douglas has worked for home remodeling and design gurus Melissa and Rusty Tripp for nearly a decade. A country girl at heart, Carey started in their first store at sixteen, and—more than anyone would suspect—has helped them build an empire. With a new show and a book about to launch, the Tripps are on… Continue reading The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren