News
12-2-24 - Hello and welcome. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Thank you for visiting my website.
Book/author recommendations for December are two Stephanie Plum series books, Dirty Thirty - Book 30 and Now or Never - Book 31 by Janet Evanovich. If you have never read any of Ms. Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series books, then you should start with book 1 which is One for the Money. Her novels have been on the NYT, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Amazon bestseller lists. It's easy, fun reading of contemporary mysteries that feature Stephanie Plum, a former loungerie buyer from Trenton, NJ who becomes a bounty hunter to make ends meet when she loses her job.
My fantasy series, Royal Blue, Mimi the Mad Queen, will no longer be on Kindle Vella which is dissolving its site, but the series is in progress on Substack, but it will also be an ebook sometime in 2025. I will post it here on my website when it arrives - Substack link is: https://giuliettapassarelli.substack.com.
Wishing you a wonderful Christmas. Come visit once a month when I bring you more news and new writing prompts. Merry Christmas! All best, Giulietta
10-1 and 11-1-24 - Welcome. I seem to be late posting. Will do better next time. Hope you had a fun Halloween and you are enjoying the fall season of colors.
Book/author recommendations for October/November are: My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout. It is a fiction novel of love, complicated love between mothers and daughters. It has much openness and has gotten much praise, one from The NY Times Book Review as a book in the "100 Notable Books" category. Second recommendation is The Leisure Seeker by Michael Zadooran. It's an interntional bestseller and a major motion picture. It's noted as an authentic and funny love story by Pubishers Weekly. The Robinas have shared a wonderful life for more than 60 years. They are now in their 80's and Ella has cancer and John has Alzheimer's and they are yearning for one last adventure. Hope you give these good novels a try.
You can find many of my writings on Medium at https://gpass3woj.medium.com and on Substack at https://giuliettapassarelli.substack.com. My poem collection Heart Like a Wheel is on Amazon and can be found via my home page here on my website. If you would like to sign up for my email list where I do a once-a-month writings update with writing news, free links to my writings, and book/author recommendations for all ages from Picture books to Adults. Sign up on my home page or go to my landing page at https://adept-musician-1119.ck.page/0116aa7e4e.
I hope you have a wonderful November and a Happy Thanksgiving. All best, Giulietta
8-1 and 9-1-24 - Welcome to my website. I'm late again posting. Summertime has been busy. I hope your summer is going well.
Book/author recommedations for Aug/Sept are: The Edge of Nowhere by C.H. Armstrong - a well-written novel - story set in Oklahoma in the 1930's, when drought and unsustainable farming turned the area into the Dustbowl. Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle by Toms Venuto - it is known as "the bible of fat loss" and contains body transformation secrets of the leanest people in the world. Both books well worth reading for enjoyment and for learning about the body and how to become very fit.
Many of my poems and stories are on Medium. Go here to view my writings: https://gpass3woj.medium.com and the link for my poetry page on iPoetry is: https://medium.com/ipoetry/giulietta-passarelli/home. My fantasy series, Royal Blue, Mimi the Mad Queen is on Kindle Vella at: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=royal+blue%2C+mimi+the+mad+queen&rh=n%3A21165462011&ref=nb_sb_noss.
Have a happy rest of your summer and a wonderful September and Labor Day weekend. All best, Giulietta
7-1-24 - Welcome to my website. I'm a bit early posting for July 1, but the next couple of weeks will be extra busy for me and I didn't wish to be late posting. July 4th weekend is coming up soon and I hope you have a wonderful holiday.
Book/author recommendations for July are: Bitter River by Julia Keller for young adults or adults. A 16-year-old was found at the bottom of Bitter River but she didn't drown being dead before her body hit the water. The cover says that the main character, Bell Elkins, is one of the most fully realized characters in fiction today. A well done novel. Next, is The Girl Thief by J.A. Schneider, a new psychological thriller with heart pounding moments and twists.
Many of my poems and stories are on Medium. Go here to view my writings: https://gpass3woj.medium.com and the link for my poetry page on iPoetry is: https://medium.com/ipoetry/giulietta-passarelli/home. My fantasy series, Royal Blue, Mimi the Mad Queen is on Kindle Vella at: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=royal+blue%2C+mimi+the+mad+queen&rh=n%3A21165462011&ref=nb_sb_noss.
Happy Fourth of July!! Sign up for my email list and get news and book/author recommendations for all ages once a month. Sign up box is on my home page here. Wait for the box to come up or use my contact page to send me your email. Thanks for reading and being a part of my day. All best, Giulietta
6-1-24 - Hello and welcome. Hoping you had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. Now on to the summertime with June 20th not too far away. Seasonal summer weather has been here already on the eastern seaboard shore areas. Soak up the sunny days while they last.
Book/author recommendations are for June: Cry to Me by J.A. Schneider. An intense romantic suspense fiction thriller that will keep you going until the end, and out of my mind by Sharon M. Draper. Ms.Draper is a Coretta Scott King award-winning author. It's about an 11-year-old student with cerebral palsy, who struggles to overcome her physical disability and the perceived disability that other school children feel she has. A very compelling story. Recommended for ages 10-14 and grades 5-8, for adults also, and the ageless. It is fiction.
If you haven't yet checked out my fantasy series, Royal Blue, Mimi the Mad Queen, you can do so on Kindle Vella at: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=royal+blue%2C+mimi+the+mad+queen&rh=n%3A21165462011&ref=nb_sb_noss.
Mimi episodes have also started on Substack at: https://giuliettapassarelli.substack.com where I have several substacks, Giulietta's Substack for news and poems, The Footrest which is about nutrition and being sugar free, and Royal Blue, Mimi the Mad Queen, where all the episodes are not completed yet, but they are complete on Kindle Vella.
My poem collection, Heart Like a Wheel, is published on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/r.html?C=2EIU1YSKTC6SW&K=HL5XSQH8AUQ3&M=urn:rtn:msg:2023052207301902c3afc051c940568db45e9e6a50p0na&R=2E9UYHUQJ2I65&T=C&U=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB08PJN77PK%3Fref_%3Dpe_3052080_397514860&H=5BUHZWJ6WYKPUDOMVN2T3RLGRJGA&ref_=pe_3052080_397514860.
I also have a new poetry book in the works and a YA novel to be published this year. Sign up for my emails so you can stay informed.
Wishing you a wonderful healthy summer and safe travels making new memories. Also, Happy Father's Day to all dads on June 16th.
5-1-24 - Hello and welcome. Somehow I missed April, I think because of the unusual and rare Easter holiday in March. I apologize for missing the first of April with news. But May 1 is around the corner; only three more days of April. It's been a busy month for me. I hope you had a wonderful month.
Two book/author recommendations for this month are Dreamland by Nicholas Sparks, a love story about risking everything for a dream, and Something Blue by Emily Giffin, a novel where someone with a 'perfect life' can lose it all--and then find everything. Both are fiction and for adults.
If you haven't yet checked out my fantasy series, Royal Blue, Mimi the Mad Queen, you can do so on Kindle Vella at: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=royal+blue%2C+mimi+the+mad+queen&rh=n%3A21165462011&ref=nb_sb_noss.
Mimi episodes have also started on Substack at: https://giuliettapassarelli.substack.com where I have several substacks, Giulietta's Substack for news and poems, The Footrest which is about nutrition, and Royal Blue, Mimi the Mad Queen, where all the episodes are not completed yet, but they are complete on Kindle Vella.
My poem collection, Heart Like a Wheel, is published on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/r.html?C=2EIU1YSKTC6SW&K=HL5XSQH8AUQ3&M=urn:rtn:msg:2023052207301902c3afc051c940568db45e9e6a50p0na&R=2E9UYHUQJ2I65&T=C&U=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB08PJN77PK%3Fref_%3Dpe_3052080_397514860&H=5BUHZWJ6WYKPUDOMVN2T3RLGRJGA&ref_=pe_3052080_397514860.
Thanks for visiting and come back and visit for more news and new writing prompts. Have a wonderful Spring. All best, Giulietta
3-1-24 - Hello and Happy Leap Day! March is about to approach us and is a special month because Easter falls on March 31 this year. So, color your Easter eggs early for display in March.
A book/author recommendation for this month is The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave, an adult novel. It is a mystery thriller with twisted plots, but has no violence, gore, or abuse. If you love mysteries, this is a good story, it has suspense, is well written and well paced.
If you haven't yet checked out my fantasy series, Royal Blue, Mimi the Mad Queen, you can do so on Kindle Vella at: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=royal+blue%2C+mimi+the+mad+queen&rh=n%3A21165462011&ref=nb_sb_noss. Mimi episodes have also started on Substack at: https://giuliettapassarelli.substack.com where I have several substacks, Giulietta's Substack for news and poems, The Footrest which is about nutrition, and Royal Blue, Mimi the Mad Queen, where the episodes are not completed yet, but they are complete on Kindle Vella.
My poem collection, Heart Like a Wheel, is published on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/r.html?C=2EIU1YSKTC6SW&K=HL5XSQH8AUQ3&M=urn:rtn:msg:2023052207301902c3afc051c940568db45e9e6a50p0na&R=2E9UYHUQJ2I65&T=C&U=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB08PJN77PK%3Fref_%3Dpe_3052080_397514860&H=5BUHZWJ6WYKPUDOMVN2T3RLGRJGA&ref_=pe_3052080_397514860.
Come back for more publishing news every month and book/author recommendations. Wishing you a wonderful March and a Happy Easter too!
2-6-24 - Hello and Happy February! I'm a bit late this month, but glad it's still the first week in February. Hoping all is well with you and you are enjoying my website. Every month there's new news and new writing prompts, and new book/author recommendations. You can subscribe to my email list via my Contact Page here by sending me a note with your email address or via my landing page at: https://adept-musician-1119.ck.page/0116aa7e4e.
I have two book/author recommendations for you this month: Bitter Pill by Fern Michaels and a YA book, Waterfall by Lauren Kate. Both authors are NYT bestselling authors. I loved these novels and I believe you will too.
Wishing you a very Happy Valentine's Day! Much love to you and may it light your way throughout the year. Happy reading!
1-1-24 - Happy New Year! We're having much rain and stormy weather now and then here on the East Coast with a few sprinklings of sunny days. Was glad to have the sun shining again.
First book/author recommendation is Dirty Thirty by Janet Evanovich. Hope you are a fan of the Stephanie Plum series. Evanovich never disappoints. Also, a YA novel, Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross. It is a wonderful and romantic new series. Quite lovely and enchanting.
I hope you take a look at my YA and adult fantasy series, Royal Blue, Mimi the Mad Queen. She's quirky and fun and has a despicable sister that keeps giving her trouble and has turned her husband, the Prince, into a frog, and so on. Check out the complete series of Mimi on Kindle Vella, and Kindle Vella does offer free tokens to get started. Also, episodes of Mimi have now started on Substack.com.
Wishing you a wonderful year. Come back and visit. All best, Giulietta
12-1-23 - Merry Christmas! Being overly busy and health issues kept me away. Sorry to be late. Will tell you more in the New Year. All best, Giulietta
11-1-23 - Welcome to my site. Thanks so much for visiting. We're still having plenty of rain on the East Coast, but we have had intermittent summery days too, along with some cold nights.
I have two book/author recommendations. For YA, the fifth book in The Selection series by Kiera Cass, The Crown. A superb series that I enjoyed immensely, so it can be enjoyed by adults also. You will love the story and how well Ms. Cass' storywriting flows. For middle grade, book four of The Small Spaces Quartet, Empty Smiles, by Katherine Arden. Terrifyingly fun. A chilling ghost story.
My fantasy series, Royal Blue, Mimi the Mad Queen, for all ages and adults, is on Kindle Vella and is complete. You can get started here: https://www.amazon.com/Royal-Blue-Mimi-Mad-Queen/dp/B0BGW3TNK2/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=royal+blue&qid=1665615135&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI5LjU4IiwicXNhIjoiOC45OSIsInFzcCI6IjcuNDIifQ%3D%3D&s=falkor&sr=1-1.
Mimi is also on Substack, a few episodes at a time and not complete at: https://passarelli.substack.com/p/4bfff874-83d6-443e-ab6c-27dd9ea5edd1.
Wising you a Happy Halloween and a wonderful November and Thanksiving. All best, Giulietta
10-1-23 - Hello and welcome. Hope your days have been sunny and bright. There's been much rain on the East Coast, but even gloomy days hold wonders and much writing.
I have two book/author recommendations. The fourth YA novel in The Selection Series, titled The Heir by Kiera Cass, NYT bestselling author. It's a beautiful story from the beginning 'til now and I'm sure will continue in the next one of the main character finding her own happily ever after and finding true love. The second recommendation is a non-fiction novel, Survive and Thrive: How to Build a Profitable Business in Any Economy, (Including This One) by John Meese. A great book for entrepreneurs. So, a fantasy and real life.
I hope that you might try my poem collection, Heart Like a Wheel, which has been published on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/gp/r.html?C=2EIU1YSKTC6SW&K=HL5XSQH8AUQ3&M=urn:rtn:msg:2023052207301902c3afc051c940568db45e9e6a50p0na&R=2E9UYHUQJ2I65&T=C&U=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB08PJN77PK%3Fref_%3Dpe_3052080_397514860&H=5BUHZWJ6WYKPUDOMVN2T3RLGRJGA&ref_=pe_3052080_397514860.
Come sign up for my email list to get publishing news, book/author recommendations for all ages, pre-school to adult, and some free writings of mine. There's a pop-up for signing up when you first enter my website on my main page or go to my landing page at: https://adept-musician-1119.ck.page/0116aa7e4e.
Wishing you a wonderful Fall season and good weather. Thank you for visiting. Please come again. All best, Giulietta
9-1-23 - Hi and welcome to my website. It's been a joyous morning and my stomach is warm from breakfast. My bookcase holds many books that I've read and I usually donate quite a bit when I'm finished reading but only after keeping them usually for a long time, and some I never part with.
I have one YA book/author recommendation in The Selection series by Kiera Cass, The One, the third book in the series. The exciting story continues and definitely keeps you rooting for the main character. Well worth a read. A series not to be missed.
For middle grade, try author Sharon Draper who writes The Clubhouse Mysteries, one being The Buried Bones Mystery. A fun mystery for middle graders and for the ageless.
My fantasy series Royal Blue, Mimi the Mad Queen is now on Kindle Vella which began on Tumblr staying there for a long time. Please visit, https://www.amazon.com/Royal-Blue-Mimi-Mad-Queen/dp/B0BGW3TNK2/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=royal+blue&qid=1665615135&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI5LjU4IiwicXNhIjoiOC45OSIsInFzcCI6IjcuNDIifQ%3D%3D&s=falkor&sr=1-1
to get started.
Have a wonderful September and fall season. I'll be back with more news and new writing prompts on October 1st. All best, Giulietta
8-1-23 - Welcome. Jersey has had such hot weather in July with intermittent thunderstorms, but still has been a good month for swimming and sunning by the pool or on the beach, and hopefully August will turn out good swimming and vacationing weather also. Hope you were able to do some of both and you brought a book or two with you. Here are some book/author recommendations: for middle grade and the ageless, Greenwild by Pari Thomson - it's an exciting story about an eleven-year-old that has to find her Ma, a journalist, that has vanished in the Amazon rainforest. She searches for her, and her chase leads her through a hidden doorway into another world. It's adventursome and is the first book in this new series. The world she enters is very descriptive and fantastical.
I didn't mention Christmas in July but since I'm writing this close to the end of July for August, I would like to tell you about my poem collection titled Heart Like a Wheel available on Amazon. Use this link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/r.html?C=2EIU1YSKTC6SW&K=HL5XSQH8AUQ3&M=urn:rtn:msg:2023052207301902c3afc051c940568db45e9e6a50p0na&R=2E9UYHUQJ2I65&T=C&U=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB08PJN77PK%3Fref_%3Dpe_3052080_397514860&H=5BUHZWJ6WYKPUDOMVN2T3RLGRJGA&ref_=pe_3052080_397514860. It makes for a wonderful gift.
If you like fantasy, my fantasy series, Royal Blue, Mimi the Mad Queen, is on Kindle Vella. You can start here: https://www.amazon.com/Royal-Blue-Mimi-Mad-Queen/dp/B0BGW3TNK2/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=royal+blue&qid=1665615135&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI5LjU4IiwicXNhIjoiOC45OSIsInFzcCI6IjcuNDIifQ%3D%3D&s=falkor&sr=1-1. For all reading ages, YA, and adults. It's fun and quirky.
Also, remember I update my writing prompts each month also, along with the news and book/author recommendations. Take a look under tab, Writing Prompts.
Thanks for visiting. Have a Happy August! All best, Giulietta
7-1-23 - Hello and welcome. The weather for July 4th here in Jersey is looking very good.
I have two YA author/book recommendations this month. The first is Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly, a NYT bestselling author. The story is fiction and a reimagining of Cinderella. Next is the second book in The Selection Series titled The Elite by Kiera Cass. The series continues unfolding the competition to win Prince Maxon's heart.
Wishing you a safe and happy summer, making time in your days to read and explore during vacation and throughout the summer too. My home page at the bottom has the link to my Bookshop listing of books to read. My list keeps growing, so return to see what's new each month or you can go here https://bookshop.org/shop/allages78-4_. Thanks for visiting.
6-1-23 - Hi. Welcome to my site. Hope springtime is going well for you.
The book I have to recommend this month is a YA book titled Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta. It is an award-winning contemporary novel and a mystery.
I now have two newsletters on Substack - Giulietta's News which keeps you posted on various writings of mine and free links to them, and it's about other interesting things too and sometimes a poem, and The Footrest Newsletter on nutrition and healthy living. You can connect here: https://giuliettapassarelli.substack.com.
My fantasy series, Royal Blue, Mimi the Mad Queen is now complete. All episodes are live on Kindle Vella. Begin here: https://www.amazon.com/Royal-Blue-Mimi-Mad-Queen/dp/B0BGW3TNK2/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=royal+blue&qid=1665615135&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI5LjU4IiwicXNhIjoiOC45OSIsInFzcCI6IjcuNDIifQ%3D%3D&s=falkor&sr=1-1.
Thanks for visiting. Please come again. Have a wonderful and safe summer. All best, Giulietta
5-1-23 - Hello and Welcome. April has brought showers and flowers are blooming, some beginning, some ending.
I have an adult book by Janet Evanovich to recommend, Going Rogue, Rise and Shine Twenty-Nine, from the Stephanie Plum series. Number Thirty will be out in October, Dirty Thirty, which I am looking forward to. Evanovich never disappoints giving us the amazing and funny stories of Stephanie Plum as a bounty hunter and her dysfuntional family, two boyfriends, one serious, and one flirtatious. It's easy reading and fun keeping us in the loop that has lasted since 1994 in this series.
Also, come check out my Royal Blue, Mimi the Mad Queen fantasy series which has 20+ live episodes on Kindle Vella. You can begin here:
https://www.amazon.com/Royal-Blue-Mimi-Mad-Queen/dp/B0BGW3TNK2/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=royal+blue&qid=1665615135&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI5LjU4IiwicXNhIjoiOC45OSIsInFzcCI6IjcuNDIifQ%3D%3D&s=falkor&sr=1-1.
Wishing you a happy May and Memorial Day. Thanks for reading. Come back and visit. I update my website every first of the month.
4-1-23 - Hi and Happy April! I hope my news finds you in good health. There's much in April to love, a holiday, and April showers brings flowers of forsythia, sweet pea, daisies, tulips, freesia, daffodils, peonies, and azaleas too.
For book/author recommendations, I have a middle grade book to recommend titled We Are the Song by Catherine Bakewell. It's a wonderful fantasy and beautifully written. I highly recommend it. I also believe it's a book that YA and adults will love also. Here's a summary from Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58891961-we-are-the-song?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=pF2YGbvEF4&rank=1.
Also, my Royal Blue, Mimi the Mad Queen fantasy series has 20+ live episodes on Kindle Vella. You can begin here:
Have a Happy Easter and wishing you a wonderful month of April. Thanks for visiting. Please come again.
3-1-23 - Hello, and welcome to my site. I wonder how many winter fans there are since I am a fan of winter weather minus the blizzards. Hope this newsfeed finds you well.
For starters on book/author recommendations for YA/adults, Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. It received the honor of Best Historical Fiction by Goodreads Choice Awards. It is a captivating mystery of a young abandoned girl that raised herself to adulthood in the marshlands of North Carolina. Also, for YA, The Stolen Heir, a novel of Elfhame by Holly Black. Holly Black never fails to entertain us with her gift of writing fantasy. I loved both of these novels.
Though I've mentioned this on my Home Page, I'd like to remind you that my fantasy series, Royal Blue, Mimi, the Mad Queen, from the beginning, has moved to Kindle Vella at: https://www.amazon.com/Royal-Blue-Mimi-Mad-Queen/dp/B0BGW3TNK2/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=royal+blue&qid=1665615135&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI5LjU4IiwicXNhIjoiOC45OSIsInFzcCI6IjcuNDIifQ%3D%3D&s=falkor&sr=1-1. You can start the first episodes here. There are more than twelve live episodes which will continue to the end of the adventures of Mimi. Mimi has been on Tumblr for over three years, but her beginnings have been removed. She will stay on Tumblr for another week, then will move to Kindle Vella where the entire series will stay, episode by episode added weekly to bi-weekly.
Have a wonderful March and may the March winds blow you in the right direction for reading and in life. Thank you for visiting. Please come again.
2-1-23 - I'm posting February news early since it's still ten days away, but January is often a busy, reorganizing month for me with many family birthdays and events. I'm happy there's been no snow yet so far here in Jersey and hoping where you live that the weather hasn't been too harsh.
The book/author recommendations this month are: first, for YA, (which I'm recommending again) titled Pretty Dead Queens by Alexa Donne. It's so well written and a mystery that will keep you going until the end. I highly recommend this novel. I gave it five stars on Goodreads who describes it as a YA mystery set in a small town haunted by a copy cat killer. The second is non-fiction and for middle grade titled Clara, Clara Barton in Early New Jersey by Mae Kramer Silver. It's a wonderful story of her life and so fascinating. Though middle grade, it's certainly great reading for all ages and very informative. A well-written creative endeavor.
Thank you for visiting. Hope you visit again to keep up on publishing news, my writing prompts tab, and book/author recommendations which are updated every first of the month. Have a wonderful February and a Happy Valentine's Day to you.
1-1-23 - Happy New Year! Welcome to my site. The holidays so far have been busy and fun too. Hope you had wonderful holidays at Christmas and New Year's.
I'm recommending again a YA novel titled, The Second Death of Edie and Violet Bond by author Amanda Glaze. It's suspenseful and a paranormal story of twin seventeen year olds who are mediums. A very enticing story. It will keep you interested until the end.
My next YA recommendation is Pretty Dead Queens by Alexa Donne. A thriller with a copycat killer on the loose.
I have entered more episodes of my fantasy fiction series, Royal Blue, Mimi the Mad Queen, on Kindle Vella. There are thirteen live episodes now and more to come. Here's the link: https://www.amazon.com/Royal-Blue-Mimi-Mad-Queen/dp/B0BGW3TNK2/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=royal+blue&qid=1665615135&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI5LjU4IiwicXNhIjoiOC45OSIsInFzcCI6IjcuNDIifQ%3D%3D&s=falkor&sr=1-1.
For free writings of mine and news updates, book/author recommendations for all ages, join my email list via my website at the pop-up box or here: https://adept-musician-1119.ck.page/0116aa7e4e.
Thank you for visiting. Please come again. Wishing you a very happy, healthy New Year all year.
12-1-22 - Hello, and welcome to my site. I hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving, full of abundance and love with friends and family.
I'm recommending a YA book this month titled The Second Death of Edie and Violet Bond by author Amanda Glaze. A very moving story, magical, and a great work of historical fiction.
My poem collection, Heart Like a Wheel, is available to buy on Amazon. It makes a good present for poetry lovers.
My fantasy fiction series, Royal Blue, Mimi the Mad Queen, from the beginning, now has eight live episodes on Kindle Vella at: https://www.amazon.com/Royal-Blue-Mimi-Mad-Queen/dp/B0BGW3TNK2/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=royal+blue&qid=1665615135&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI5LjU4IiwicXNhIjoiOC45OSIsInFzcCI6IjcuNDIifQ%3D%3D&s=falkor&sr=1-1.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a Merry Christmas. Please come again to visit. News, book and author recommendations, and writing prompts are updated every first of the month, so hoping you make my site a regular visit. Thank you and all best to you always, Giulietta
11-1-22 - Hello and welcome. If you're new to my site, thank you for visiting.
An adult book/author recommendation this month - Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert - according to the author, she notes for readers to be aware of a topic that you may be sensitive to because the story touches on the process of healing after an abusive relationship.
Another adult read for ages 22+ is Witch Upon a Star by Jennifer Harlow. Third in the Midnight Magic Mysteries but can be read independently. The story stands on itself. It's a dark, supernatural, paranormal romance containing a very powerful vampire, one of the most powerful in existence.
My fantasy fiction series Royal Blue, Mimi the Mad Queen, is now on Kindle Vella. There are five episodes live at:
You can catch some current episodes where Mimi is now Aunt Tillie Mae of Utah because of a spell cast upon her by Felda, her despicable sister Irwina's witch, on Tumblr at: https://www.mimithemadqueen.tumblr.com.
Have a wonderful and safe Halloween. All best to you, Giulietta
10-1-22 - Hello and welcome to my website. I hope this day finds you well. Some fall weather has sprung in NJ. Cool nights are a nice change.
I have a YA book/author recommendation - Reiffen's Choice (The Stoneways Trilogy), Bk 1, by S. C. Butler. It's great fantasy. It is a magical world that Reiffen and his friends live in where animals talk, there are dwarves, and shape-shifting bears. Very well written.
For a spooky Middle grade novel, try Dead Voices by Katherine Arden.
Keep an eye out for the episodes of my Mimi the Mad Queen series from the beginning which is coming to Kindle Vella soon. I will post the date here when it arrives.
Wishing you a wonderful October and Halloween.
9-1-22 - Hello. Welcome to my website which is updated every first of the month.
My new book/author recommendations this month include Hey, Good Looking by Fern Michaels, who is always a good storyteller, and Game On, Tempting Twenty-Eight by Janet Evanovich, the Stephanie Plum series, a series of fun, mystery, and lively conversation. Stephanie Plum is quite a quirky character as a bail bonds enforcement agent. Ms. Evanovich never disppoints.
New is my creation of a free newsletter, The Bewitching Hour, #1 and #2 already posted, on Substack for tips on writing and writing prompts for fun and practice. Go here to read and subscribe https://giuliettapassarelli.substack.com.
Wishing you a happy September. Keep reading, keep writing, be safe and well.
8-1-22 - Hi and welcome to my website which I update every first of the month.
I have one middle grade novel to recommend, out of my mind by Sharon Draper, a New York Times bestseller. It's for ages 10 and up. Ms. Draper is also a two-time Coretta Scott King award winner. I loved this book. Here's a summary: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6609765-out-of-my-mind.
If you like poetry, here are a couple recommendations:
The Essential Blake by William Blake and Ariel by Sylvia Plath.
My Mimi the Mad Queen series on Tumblr has a new episode, Episode 9. A new witch has entered the scene to help Aunt Tillie combat the spells from Mimi's despicable sister Irwina's witch Felda who is trying to zap Aunt Tillie back into Mimi's body and return her to Boot Castle. Come join the fun episodes from the beginning when Mimi became Aunt Tillie Mae of Utah
https://www.mimithemadqueen.tumblr.com.
Wishing you a wonderful August. Be safe and well.
7-1-22 - Hello and welcome. I just finished author Kelly Barnhill's first adult book titled When Women Were Dragons. I give it a five star rating. A magical story. I also recommended her novels in June and May also. She's super special and I hope you try one of her books. Here's a link for a summary: https://www.amazon.com/When-Women-Were-Dragons-Novel/dp/0385548222/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1U5O3BADEWOC4&keywords=when+women+were+dragons&qid=1656435920&sprefix=when+women+were%2Caps%2C208&sr=8-1.
I'm reading Blue Clouds: A Collection of Soul's Creative Intelligence by Carolyn Riker on Kindle - her poetry is so settling and beautiful - https://www.amazon.com/s?k=blue+clouds%3A+a+collection+soul%27s+creative+intelligence&crid=15R5JM61X04OR&sprefix=blue+clouds+a+collection+soul%27s+creative+intelligence%2Caps%2C78&ref=nb_sb_noss
Try poems by Muhammad Nasrullah Khan called God, Do You Understand My Language? which is on Kindle and so very lovely and amazing. I loved it. Definitely a five-star book. I hope you give it a try. Here's a link: https://www.amazon.com/God-You-Understand-Language-Nasrullah-ebook/dp/B0B3KT6JPL/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2KAWDTLV7H308&keywords=God+do+you+understand+my+language&qid=1656436806&sprefix=god+do+you+understand+my+language%2Caps%2C58&sr=8-1.
June has been a beautiful month, my birthday month, with lots of sunshine here in Jersey. Please visit again for more author/book recommendations, news, and writing prompts. Happy 4th of July to you. Be safe and enjoy.
6-1-22 - Hello to all my visitors and welcome. Last month I recommended an author, Kelly Barnhill, who is a fantastic author. She writes middle grade novels and has been awarded in 2017 the John Newberry Medal and has also received the World Fantasy Award, the SFWA Andre Norton Nebula Award and the PEN America Literary award. She has written her first adult novel which is now available, When Women Were Dragons. I highly recommend Ms. Barnhill and her novels, The Witch's Boy and The Girl Who Drank the Moon. They are truly five star books.
Here are some summary links: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20312461-the-witch-s-boy?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=NXr7OHWsAK&rank=2 and https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28110852-the-girl-who-drank-the-moon?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=XkjzMilbQ6&rank=1.
Newly read and recommended is Anna-Marie McLemore, author of Blanca and Roja. It is magical and beautiful. It's YA, for young adult ages. Here's a summary from Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36952596-blanca-roja?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=WG2tNMCLXh&rank=1.
Wishing you a wonderful Memorial Day's weekend. Hoping to hear from you and that you return for a visit.
5-1-22 - Hello. Welcome to my website and newsfeed. I have a couple of author/book recommendations for you. One middle grade book, (10-18) and for the ageless, is The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill. Ms. Barnhill never disappoints. She is the author of The Girl Who Drank the Moon also, a Newberry Medal winner, and this month on May 3rd, her first adult book When Women Were Dragons will be out, but you can also pre-order it now. Here's a summary of The Ogress and the Orphans from Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58328436-the-ogress-and-the-orphans?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=ZJsIWxG9Ej&rank=1.
Another recommendation for you for YA and the ageless is Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard which is Bk 1 in the series. She is a wonderful author and this book is wonderful too. Here'a a summary: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54513688-realm-breaker?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=qdwlez6ZCj&rank=1.
Keep reading, keep writing. Have a wonderful month of May. Come again to visit.
4-1-22 - Hello and Welcome. I have finished my fifth middle grade novel titled Stuck in the Middle of the Moon. Will keep you posted for a future publishing date.
Here are a few book/author recommendations for April - For adults, Game On: Tempting Twenty-Eight by Janet Evanovich. Her Stephanie Plum series continues to the delight of her fans. Here's a summary from Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56898191-game-on?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=pslEeadkNH&rank=5.
For middle grade, Orphan Train Girl by Christina Baker Kline, a wonderful read - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34126019-orphan-train-girl?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=30BVIU8mFY&rank=1.
For YA, We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson. The reading age recommended for this novel is 14+. Wonderfully written story - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23677341-we-are-the-ants?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=nVqfc2ldIJ&rank=1.
Wishing you a wonderful April. Keep reading, keep writing, keep coming back.
3-1-22 - Hello and welcome. The writing world is brimming with so many good books it's hard to be able to read them all, so I make recommendations each first of the month so you might try some.
Stolen by Lucy Christopher is definitely YA/adult, but more for the older age of 18+ or new adult and older. Here's a summary from Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6408862-stolen?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=DxIm5CSNp7&rank=2. The novel has also received several literary awards.
Another recommendation is the beautiful poetry collection by Jewel titled, a night without armor which was a national bestseller. So heartfelt and open. For new adults and older. See a summary here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/102331.A_Night_Without_Armor?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=NHw02btOLT&rank=1.
Hope your February had some good memories and many good days. Wishing you a wonderful March.
Come again. Keep reading.
2-1-22 - Hello. Welcome to my site. Here in Jersey we're deep in snow. I have a few book/author recommendations. The first is for adults Every Fifteen Minutes by Lisa Scottoline. Here's a summary from Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21853628-every-fifteen-minutes?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=AqIdoTRXQV&rank=1.
Middle grade books for those that read and can be read to:
Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream For Me by Daniel Beaty; Bone Dog by Eric Rohmann; and Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds. I've read all these and they are delightfully written.
I hope February brings all good things to you. Before you leave, my writing prompts section has been updated with new ideas for you. Also, if you wish to follow my blog articles, fiction stories, and poems on Medium, you can do that at: https://medium.com/@gpass3woj/follow.
Thanks for visiting. Come again.
1-1-22 - Hi and welcome. I hope your Christmas was merry and you are in good health.
Still working on a middle grade fantasy novel. Almost done. Many of my poems and articles are available at medium.com/@gpass3woj/follow if you would like to follow me there. To become a member supporting writers go here: https://gpass3woj.medium.com/membership. My poetry page at iPoetry on Medium is here: https://medium.com/ipoetry/giulietta-passarelli/home.
Book/author recommendations are for YA: The Selection by author Kiera Cass. This is Book 1 of the series. It is a fiction fantasy and an excellent novel. Here's a summary from Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10507293-the-selection.
Also for YA, Summer Bird Blue by author Akemi Dawn Bowman is wonderfully written and a story that deals with the grief of losing her sister, her partner in music, and finding the way back to what the main character, Rumi, loves doing https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35716237-summer-bird-blue?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=ZOQxoumvMH&rank=1.
I update my website every first of the month with news, book/author recommendations, and new writing prompts.
Wishing you a very Happy and Healthy New Year! Thanks for visiting. Please come again.
12-1-21 - Hello. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. There's always much to be grateful for and I thank all that follow me here and visit my website.
Book/author recommendation for upper middle grade (grades 5-9): See You At Harry's by Jo Knowles - it's about starting middle school, a gay issue of the main character's brother, and a fatal accident. It's well written but because of the heavier issues, I would suggest for ages 12 and older. A recommendation for adults is The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman. Here is a summary from Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56898179-the-book-of-magic.
If you know someone that likes poetry or maybe for yourself, my poem collection Heart Like a Wheel is available on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Heart+Like+a+Wheel+poem+collection&ref=nb_sb_noss. Makes a good present especially for those that love poetry or reading.
I hope you enjoy your holiday get togethers. Be safe and if you have more than one day off, then don't forget to get some reading in. Stay well. Happy Holidays!
11-1-21 - I am two days late from updating on the first of the month, but I was in the emergency room this week for a falling accident, hence, I'm a bit late getting my site updated.
But I do have two book/author recommendations, one for middle grade titled, Dark Waters by NY Times bestselling author Katherine Arden, following up after Small Spaces and Dead Voices. It's deliciously spooky and a haunting story and Poison for Breakfast by Lemony Snicket. It's claimed that this book is appropriate for all ages, so I listed it under middle grade, I would say, upper middle grade, 11+ and over and all ages beyond that. Lemony Snicket is never disappointing and oddly interesting and fun in a phenomenal way. I love his books and do recommend them.
If you wish to be able to read all my writings on Medium and the writings of many talented others, you can sign up here: https://gpass3woj.medium.com/membership. And you can cancel your membership at anytime, if you want to try it even for just a short while.
Or you might buy me a coffee at: https://ko-fi.com/giulietta18021.
I hope you had a good Halloween and that you have a November full of good memories. Come visit again.
10-1-21 - Hi and welcome. Happy Autumn. Hard to believe October has arrived, but glad it's here.
I only have one book/author recommendation for you this month. For adults mostly, and maybe YA, 13+. Poison for Breakfast from the famed author of the A Series of Unfortunate Events novels, thirteen in the series, by Lemony Snicket. His new novel is quite different, but just as encompassing, fun, intelligent, and phenomenal. Lemony never disappoints. His imagination is far beyond many of us. Traveling along with him is never a dull ride as he takes us on a journey of clues to solve a mystery. Here's a summary from Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56769614-poison-for-breakfast?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=eksnZwNfoC&rank=1.
If you'd like to be a part of my email for news and free writings, go here: https://adept-musician-1119.ck.page/0116aa7e4e.
If you'd like to buy me a coffee go here: https://ko-fi.com/giulietta18021.
Have a wonderful week and see you in November, on the first. Thanks for visiting and come again for new news and new writing prompts. A happy October to you.
9-1-21 - Hello to my visitors. I hope you are well and having a good summer.
The author/book recommendations for this month are: For YA, Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare - third novel in the Shadowhunters series The Dark Artifices. Great writing and storytelling. For a summary you may go here - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13541056-queen-of-air-and-darkness?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=qqsj9DMaI3&rank=1.
Also, here's one for middle grade, Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly. Here's the summary link - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41180656-lalani-of-the-distant-sea?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=RHcaFbuQ0D&rank=1. Hope you enjoy them as well as I did.
I've updated writing prompts again, as always each first of the month. You may wish to take a look. I recommend books also to my email followers and include free writings of mine. Should you wish to sign up, if you haven't already done so on my home page pop-up, you may go here to add your email for news and updates https://adept-musician-1119.ck.page/0116aa7e4e.
Thank you and please come back. Stay well.
8-1-21 - Hi to new visitors and those returning. Summer still here and I hope you are enjoying it whatever you're doing or planning. My author/book recommendations follow:
Kabungo by Rolli - a middle grade novel - very wonderfully imaginative for those who read, including those that can be read to. Here's a summary https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25986803-kabungo?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=XSXiNNg6Qg&rank=1. Next, for YA, there's Reiffen's Choice - Book One in The Stoneways Trilogy by S. C. Butler, a magical fantasy https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1132872.Reiffen_s_Choice?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=MzIhvcdXrb&rank=1.
Hope you find time to take many adventures through reading this summer. I've updated new writing prompts and hope you try some. There is over a year's worth of them here. Also, free writings of mine have been added. You can sign up and never miss a story, article, or poem via my Home Page box. If you've missed it, please go back to the Home page and wait for the pop-up. If you still have a problem, just let me know via my Contact Page and forward your email address and I will add you to my mailing list. You can always unsubscribe.
Stay tuned for more new news next month, always on the first of the month. Have a wonderful August and for those returning to school, be safe. Stay well.
7-1-21 - Hello and welcome again. Hope you're keeping safe and well. I have several book/author recommendations, one adult/YA and two middle grade novels. The first adult/YA is The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts by Lillian Jackson Braun, a fun story she weaved and a mystery https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43313803-the-cat-who-talked-to-ghosts?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=cgrvIvcQr2&rank=1.
For middle grade, there's Zombie Mombie Saves the Day by Kelly Lucero and Clarissa by Giulietta M. Spudich. Zombie Mombie is in poetic form and can be read to young ages and read by middle graders.
It's fun and has great illustrations https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57130062-zombie-mombie-saves-the-day?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=Gm8tARQe4w&rank=1.
Clarissa was such an imaginative story, a mystery to be solved, and some heartwarming spots. I loved the story. Here's a summary: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54884698-clarissa?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=naqSnW8rSv&rank=1.
Come back and visit again and have a wonderful Fourth of July weekend. Be safe.
6-1-21 - Welcome. As we move into summer, I hope you do much reading. Here are a few recommendations: In the adult fiction category, The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51791252-the-vanishing-half?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=aBrFOnX8KI&rank=1, in non-fiction The Obesity Myth by Paul Campos. For YA fiction, The Subtle Knife, part of the Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41637836-the-subtle-knife?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=WeZ9jWyUYB&rank=1. Don't forget to check out my new writing prompts and free writings which are added to every first of the month. I wish you a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! Keep readng, keep writing.
5-1-21 - Hi and welcome! I hope you've been reading and writing, if you like to write. For reading, I have a new book/author recommendation, Caught Dead Handed by Carol J. Perry, a Witch City Mystery. It's a very likeable mystery that takes place in Salem, Mass that involves a murder, a psychic, and a witch. The book is plotted out very well. I'm sure you'll enjoy it - for adults and YA. Here's Goodreads' link for a summary, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19083257-caught-dead-handed?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=ej05CJDYfU&rank=1.
I've added new writing prompts and update website every first of the month. Keep reading, keep writing.
4-1-21 - Hello and Happy Spring! Hoping you are staying well. I have one author/book recommendation for you in the adult category, Faye Faraway by Helen Fisher, a debut novel. It was wonderfully written. The main character time travels back into her past. Here's a summary link for this novel from Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54304108-faye-faraway?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=kmUYvM0FUS&rank=1.
A few new 2021 March book releases are: Janet Evanovich and Steve Hamilton in The Bounty; James Patterson in The Palm Beach Murders; and being released tomorrow is James Patterson's and David Ellis' novel titled The Red Book.
There are new writing prompts for you also. Keep reading, keep writing.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend and Spring.
3-1-21 - Hello and welcome. I have a new YA novel to recommend. Ghost Flower by Michele Jaffee is thrilling and keeps the mystery until the end - a psychological thriller and ghost story. You can read a summary for it at this link https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11782157-ghost-flower on Goodreads. Also, a middle grade mystery by James Patterson titled Ali Cross. Click here for a summary,
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44286536-ali-cross?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=5p4FdAZbEs&rank.
Other news - I'm close to finishing the middle grade fantasy novel I've been working on which I've mentioned before titled Stuck in the Middle of the Moon. If interested in my book updates and other writings, please sign up at the box on this page or forward your email via my contact page. Thank you for visiting and stay well.
2-1-21 - Hello visitors and welcome. Hope you are well and enjoying the site. I have one author/book recommendation for adults this time by Brit Bennett called The Mothers. It's excellent reading aend writing. This is Ms. Bennett's first novel and it is a NY Times bestseller and she has been awarded the same honor for the second novel she's written titled The Vanishing Half. For more of a summary on The Mothers, click here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28815371-the-mothers?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=6B3ITHwWLF&rank=1.
I've posted new writing prompts. Also, please leave your email with me to join my updates list here at my Contact page or when you see the box upon opening the News tab.
A reminder - my new book of poems is now available on Amazon. It's titled Heart Like a Wheel - https://www.amazon.com/gp/r.html?C=2EIU1YSKTC6SW&K=HL5XSQH8AUQ3&M=urn:rtn:msg:202012050926554fbf0c7b3f074ac781be8bc82840p0na&R=1V8FMAGYOID68&T=C&U=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB08PJN77PK%3Fref_%3Dpe_3052080_397514860&H=2WIOCWMARZ7UQS2TB8G0QRQQMTAA&ref_=pe_3052080_397514860.
Wishing you a wonderful February. Thank you for visiting.
1-1-21 - Hi and Welcome. Wishing you all a Happy, Healthy New Year. I'm so grateful for all that have visited my website this past year and supported me. Thank you much.
My new book Heart Like a Wheel, a poem collection, is now available in Kindle format also besides paperback available now on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/r.html?C=2EIU1YSKTC6SW&K=HL5XSQH8AUQ3&M=urn:rtn:msg:2020120915333662354771a7344729a6f8bfd993d0p0na&R=3K7YQDQ3WSRUY&T=C&U=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB08PJN77PK%3Fref_%3Dpe_3052080_397514860&H=HA27EMPQQAU8I34UESMKUWKGOQAA&ref_=pe_3052080_397514860. The purchasing link is also listed on my Home page and Works page.
For author/book recommendations, if you like paranormal fantasy fiction novels, When Darkness Comes by Alexandra Ivy is for you. It's the first book in the Guardians of Eternity series. For more about this exciting read, please look here on Goodreads:
Remember, I update my website every first of the month, and you can sign up to be part of my email list by forwarding your address on the Contact page here or when the box comes up under my News tab. If you missed it, please click to another tab, then come back to the News tab. A box will appear within five seconds. Thank you much. Have a great year.
12-5-20 - Welcome. The new news is my first book has been published - Heart Like a Wheel - a poetry collection now available on Amazon. It will be available soon in Kindle format, if that is your preference rather than book form. The purchase link is posted both on the Home page and the Works page. Thank you for visiting.
12-1-20 - Hello and welcome visitors. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are staying safe.
New book/author recommendations are one YA, and one for adults: YA - Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36896898-spinning-silver?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=O2eovnSqsi&rank=1.
For adults - Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45294613-dear-edward?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=irqn8zFUpe&rank=1.
I posted new writing prompts and do so every month. Take a look, writers, and those who want to write and not sure how to start. Maybe these will help you to begin.
My own poem chapbook is in the process of being published titled Heart Like a Wheel. I will keep you posted when it's completed. I hope you take a moment to sign up for my updates for publishings and new writings on the signup box that pops up in five seconds on the news page or you may send me your email via my Contact page; and check out some of my writings on Medium under the Free Writings tab where I've posted links for them. Have a wonderful December and merry holidays. Stay well and safe.
11-1-20 - sorry, this was replaced by December. I goofed when editing. So, adding a Happy Thanksgiving to you and thanks for your time and support.
10-1-20 - Hi from NJ. Hope you are enjoying your visit here. I'm back with new book/author recommendations, and new writing prompts. First book is a YA novel, but surely crosses the line to adult as many YA books do. It's titled Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson and is a NY Times bestseller, an Amazon Best Book of the Year, and a Kirkus Best Book of the Year. It is a wonderful adventure and classic fantasy *https://amzn.to/2GcPvbR. I am recommending this book again this month as I did last month. Second is Igniting Darkness by Robin LaFevers, the second in a duology and part of the Fair Assassins series books *https://amzn.to/30hPZnE, continuing the stories of the daughters of Death. Both fantasy novels are excellent reads and hard to put down. And for adults, some poetry by William Blake - The Essential Blake selected by Stanley Kunitz. In this collection, he notes The Poet's Motto: I must Create a System or be enslav'd by another Man's. I will not Reason & Compare: my business is to Create. Blake is definitely essential.
Hoping the season of Fall brings you good health and much reading.
*PS - as an Amazon Associate, I do receive a small commission for any books purchased from the links above or below. Thank you.
9-1-20 - Hello again. I'm a bit early updating my site which I do on the first of each month. I had some problems not having internet, so I thought since it's back on, I would update earlier than on the first just in case the problem returns.
I have a YA/adult novel to recommend titled Sorcery of Thorns by author Margaret Rogerson https://amzn.to/3lkJl9l. It's a NY Times bestseller, an Amazon Best Book of the Year, A Kirkus Best Book of the Year, a NY Public Library Top ten book for teens, though it definitely crossed over to adult, and a Bookpage Best Book of the Year. It also is an Indie next top ten pick. I totally agree and believe you will find this novel very enchanting, thrilling, and impressive. The story is magical and descriptively compelling. Here is a link to see a summary of the story https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42201395-sorcery-of-thorns?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=dmux8Fmwxm&rank=1. I hope you give it a try.
Keep reading and for those who love to write, keep writing, and check out the Writing Prompts tab here on my website. There is over a year's worth of writing prompts here for you. And on my Free Writings tab you will find that my blog continues there via Medium.com which has turned into many fiction short stories, poems, and some non-fiction too.
8-1-20 - Hi from NJ. I have one book/author recommendation for YA titled Charlotte Cuts It Out https://amzn.to/39BiC2G, authored by K. A. Barson. Charlotte is a junior in high school and part of the cosmetology arts program. While preparing for the big event, the Winter Style Showcase, everything does not turn out as Charlotte expected and wished for. Things start to change with her best friend Lydia too and what they dreamed doing together and accomplishing her plan which takes an unexpected turn and gets a wrench thrown into it. The story is full of life and keeps your attenton until the end.
I am currently reading a YA novel titled Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson, a NY Times bestseller. Will fill you in more next time. So far, it's an amazing fantasy adventure story filled with sorcery.
7-1-20 - Hello and welcome. My recommendation this month is a book entitled When Darkness Comes by Alexandra Ivy https://amzn.to/2VxORKj. It's for adults and YA. Amazing paranormal romance novel, the first in the Guardians of Eternity series. Here's a glimpse into the story:
She glared into his mocking expression. "We have nothing to discuss."
"Oh no," he drawled, "nothing beyond the fact that your employer was just barbequed to a crisp, the fact that I'm a vampire, and the fact that thanks to your stupidity, you now have every demon in the vicinity after your head. Nothing at all to discuss."
With a firm tug of his hands, he pressed her back against his chest, his chin resting on the top of her head.
"Destiny has nothing to do with where you came from or who your parents might be," he said fiercely. "Destiny comes from the heart, and the soul. You could never be anything less than extraordinary, Abby Barlow."
It's deliciously wicked, sexy, wildly charming. A fun romance between the main character Abby Barlow and the vampire Dante. The story, dialogue, and actions take you to exciting places and is filled with the likes of vampires, demons, witches and a human, all part of its uniqueness.
Enjoy the 4th. Happy Holiday! Stay safe and well.
6-1-20 - I hope you are well. It's been a difficult time for all, especially those who have been lost to COVID or infected. Let's look forward with hope and see a light at the end of the tunnel.
I have one YA recommendation from Cassandra Clare - Chain of Gold, The Last Hours trilogy, Book One,
https://amzn.to/2XMCsCC. It is a new series in the Shadowhunter World. If you know about Shadowhunters, you know that they have angelic powers to fight demons. Though they are human, other humans or mundanes cannot see them when fighting demons. It is a special world and the characters are unique. This first book offers an artist's drawing of the characters in color which is special. I highly recommend this novel and Ms. Clare's many other book series that are worldwide famous. Thanks for visiting. Wishing you a lovely summer and good health.
5-1-20 - Hello from Jersey. It's the first of the month again, and I'm hoping you're well and able. It's a hard time for the world right now, but we have many heroes working the front lines. My gratefulness goes out to them in this trying moment for us. For those who are able and visiting my website, my first book/author recommendation this month is for middle grade and titled, A Box of Bones by Marina Cohen. A mystery with a bit of spookiness. A very good and fun read https://amzn.to/3dF0c1S.
For those who love to write, Anne Lamott's bird by bird is excellent reading. It's very encouraging and supportive for writers https://amzn.to/2AqhVff. Confessions of a Wallflower (I may have mentioned this book before as a recommendation) by Juansen Dizon. His poetry, quotes, and personal journal about depression are so honest, healing, and beautiful. It's a good book to go back to from time to time https://amzn.to/2SYhCyA.
There are new writing prompts as always. My blog has turned into my writings and poems on Medium.com. You can view them using the links under my Free Writings tab. If you like my writings there, you can clap at the end of the writing and follow me and I always welcome comments.
I wish for everyone to be safe and to stay well. Thank you always for visiting.
4-1-20 - April is here. Hope you are all well and reading while home. Temperatures here in Jersey moving along in the 50's. Spring has not sprung yet, but we've had a few days when it felt almost like summer in March.
I have one middle grade recommendation for you and one YA. The novel for middle grade is titled, Race to the Sun, by Rebecca Roanhorse. It is full of Native American lore and a fun fantasy https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36353103-race-to-the-sun. My second recommendation is a YA fantasy titled Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42248816-scavenge-the-stars?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=OP7949GPIP&rank=1. It is Book 1 of a duo and a very terrific story that has dueling and a main character with much soul, worth, and fire. I recommend this book highly.
On another note, I want to let you know that my blog has been stagnant for a while, because it's turned into my writings on Medium.com. If you look under the tab here on my website called Free Writings, you will find all the links to my blog writings there, fiction stories, and poems that I've posted. You can read three free a month on Medium.
Thanks for visiting and please come back as often as you like and I welcome comments. You can leave your email address with me via my contact page if you are interested in receiving occasional notices of new updates and publishings. Stay well.
3-1-20 - Welcome to March. Here in Jersey, snow has stayed away this winter so far. No stormy weather school days off for kids, but I'm enjoying the cold, dry weather much. I have two new book/author recommendations for middle grade. The first is From the Desk of Zoe Washington, author Janae Marks https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45169415-from-the-desk-of-zoe-washington?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=xclspPfLhE&rank=1. Loved the persistence of this 12-year-old African American girl.
The second novel I recommend is entitled The Unteachables, author Gordon Korman https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38376037-the-unteachables?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=5yUUkxhPSJ&rank=1. A hilariously funny story and heartwarming.
New - I have left a new poem for you entitled Frog Eyes at my Poems tab. Enjoy.
New - new link added under my Free Writings tab for a Medium publishing entitled Mad Venture.
As always, come back for more on the first of each month and anytime to see if I've added anything new or any new links for publishings. And you may join my email list for updates and publishings by notifying me via my contact page. Thanks for visiting.
2-2-20 - updating a day late. Sorry fans. I had my days mixed up. Overworked this week. But there's wonderful book/author recommendations this month. For YA, try K. A. Barson's Charlotte Cuts It Out, humorous and relatable, and/or Casey Daniels' Tombs of Endearment. Previous books from Casey are Don of the Dead and The Chick and the Dead for mystery lovers. If you are a Cassandra Clare fan of her Shadowhunter novels, Chain of Gold, the first in The Last Hours trilogy, is due for release on March 3, 2020. For adults, there's Lisa Scottoline's Someone Knows, a stunning thriller. Hope your February is filled with lots of fun reading. My writing prompts are updated if you would like to take a look. There is a year's worth of writing prompts here which will stay until there's a need to condense. New on site is a new tab for free writings. There you will find links to articles and poems I've written and published on Medium.com. Enjoy and thanks for visiting.
1-1-20 - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I hope your holidays were spectacular, fun, and heartwarmingly full of cheer. I've listed two book/author recommendations both in YA, Alice in the Know by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, and The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black which is third in the Folk of the Air trilogy. Ms. Naylor has written twenty-one books in the Alice series. This one is about Alice's summer between junior and senior year. She's sixteen. The book brings us more about Alice, her friends, and her family. The Queen of Nothing has deception, magic, and twists. It is dark and dangerous. Holly Black has drawn deep, deadly lines in the Faerie world she has created. Best to start from Bk 1 and then keep going.
Just a reminder that my writing prompts, news, and book/author recommendations are updated every first of the month. If you'd like to be notified of publishings and receive occasional updates on other writings and news, please leave your email address via my Contact Page. You can always unsubscribe. Thank you for visiting. Happy Holidays!