Category: Non-Leonberger Book Promotions

Reviews of books that are not about Leonbergers. They are books I want to promote.

War as seen from the Eyes of a Child

The focus of this blog is Leonbergers but sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but that are books that I want to promote. I recently read a gripping book about life in England during World War II called “While the Bombs Fell” by Robbie Cheadle and Elsie Hancy Eaton. It is a book that is easy to read and appropriate for older children, young adults and adults alike. I bought the book on Amazon, I loved the book and I wrote a review for it.

As far as I know it exists only as a paperback on Amazon. Publisher : TSL Publications (August 3, 2018), ISBN-10 : 1912416433, ISBN-13 : 978-1912416431, 100 pages, Item Weight : 4.5 ounces, Dimensions : 5.83 x 0.23 x 8.27 inches, it cost $16.14 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.

The front cover features planes in the air dropping bombs as search lights are searching for the planes. There are a mother and a girl standing at the bottom down of the page representing the ground.
Front cover of While the Bombs Fell by Robbie Cheadle and Elsie Hancy Eaton. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the paperback version of the book.

Amazon’s Description of While the Bombs Fell

What was it like for children growing up in rural Suffolk during World War 2? Elsie and her family live in a small double-storey cottage in Bungay, Suffolk. Every night she lies awake listening anxiously for the sound of the German bomber planes. Often they come and the air raid siren sounds signalling that the family must leave their beds and venture out to the air raid shelter in the garden. Despite the war raging across the English channel, daily life continues with its highlights, such as Christmas and the traditional Boxing Day fox hunt, and its wary moments when Elsie learns the stories of Jack Frost and the ghostly and terrifying Black Shuck that haunts the coastline and countryside of East Anglia. Includes some authentic World War 2 recipes.

This is my five star review of the book “While the Bombs Fell” by Robbie Cheadle and Elsie Hancy Eaton.

It is a short, gripping, beautifully written and easy to read book about the experiences of a little girl growing up in England during World War II.

The Life of little Elsie during World War II

This book tells the story of little Elise who lives with her family on a small farm in Bungay, Suffolk, England during World War II. Food and other products are rationed, there are shortages, lack of heating and electricity, and people struggle economically. At the same time the bombs are falling and there’s always the fear that you will be hit. The book tells us about the fear, about family life, the human connections, the animals, the daily life and various holiday celebrations, all from the perspective of a child. The book reads more like memoir than a novel, but it feels very real.

I grew up in Sweden, live in the US, and that is what I know. Therefore, I did not know much about the culture and how people live, or rather used to live, in WWII England. Therefore, by reading this book, I learned a lot about England, or the England of the past. It is obvious that the author is intimately familiar with past English culture and how it was living in England during this time. Elsie’s world was very different from what I know, and the times were very difficult, and you saw it all through Elsie’s eyes. Therefore, the book is very engaging. It is a reminder that life was very challenging for a lot of people during World War II.

I also really enjoyed reading about what they ate, the recipes, and the rose hips, the rosehip jam, and there were recipes at the end of the book. In Sweden rosehip and rosehip soup was a healthy staple food so I definitely recognized that. I remember rosehip soup with fondness. This book brings you into another world, it is very engaging, interesting, and eye opening, as well as an easy read. I highly recommend this beautiful little book.

The back cover is dark green and has a description of the book, as well as author names and title.
Back cover of While the Bombs Fell Robbie Cheadle and Elsie Hancy Eaton.

About Robbie Cheadle

I don’t have any information about Elsie Hancy Eaton. However, below is the information about Robbie Cheadle.

South African author, photographer, and artist, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated seventeen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated four poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.

Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

Robbie’s blog includes recipes, fondant and cake artwork, poetry, and book reviews.

Click here to visit is her Goodreads page

Click here to visit her TSL Publications Page.

Click here to visit is her Twitter account.

Click here to visit is her Facebook account.

These are her published books on Amazon.

My Other Reviews for Robbie Cheadle’s Books

Entertaining and Fun Vampire Stories

The focus of this blog is Leonbergers but sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but that are books that I want to promote. This past week we were on a family vacation in New Orleans. We’ve been to New Orleans many times before but this time we focused on the supernatural, magic if you will, ghosts, vampires, voodoo, and pirates. In the evenings I read a fairly new book about vampires, Vermillion Highways by David Lee Summers and Lee Clark Zumpe. I bought the book on Amazon, I loved the book and I wrote a review for it.

As far as I know it exists only as a paperback on Amazon. Publisher : Hiraethsff (January 14, 2026), ASIN : B0GHDTMVZ3, ISBN-13 : 979-8295554971, 116 pages, Item Weight : 5.7 ounces, Dimensions : 6 x 0.24 x 9 inches, it cost  $13.95 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.

The front cover features a female vampire on a background of mountains and a planet.
Front cover of Vermillion Highways. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the paperback version of the book.

Amazon’s Description of Vermillion Highways

Two of the finest minds in the genres have combined their resources and imaginations to come up with some of the gothiest (and, sometimes, ) goofiest vampire short fiction this side of Transylvania. David Lee Summers, of Tales of the Talisman and Scarlet Order fame, and Lee Clark Zumpe, mild-mannered reporter for a daily metro-Floridian newspaper and author of the Lovecraftian anthology Whispers from the Intoxicating Abyss, take you on a journey through tales that fit everywhere between Type O positive and Type AB negative. Vermillion Highways is a must-read even if you don’t care for the suckers.

My Five Star Review of Vermillion Highways

Lighthearted and Captivating Vampire Stories

We just returned from a family trip to New Orleans. To make the trip extra interesting we had a theme for our trip, vampires and voodoo. Naturally we visited vampire themed places, and we drank blood (pretend blood). In addition, in the evenings I read this book.

Vermillion Highways is a short collection (114 pages) of 40 short stories about vampires written by two great authors with humor and vivid imaginations. Each author contributed 20 stories. Some stories are around 10 pages long, and some stories are not even half a page. The stories are sometimes scary but for the most part they are just entertaining, imaginative, fun and comical. They are good stories with surprises and odd twists. At first, I was questioning whether you can really write good stories that are that short, but you can. If done right the very-short story format, or the flash fiction format, works.

I appreciated the flexible and more realistic take on vampires in this book. If you don’t strictly adhere to the orthodox depiction of vampires, you can write better stories. In this book vampires can sustain themselves by drinking blood from blood bags, or from people without necessarily turning them into vampires. It is the desperate or mean vampires that attack and kill people. The sun is not good for vampires, but it does not make them burst into flames, and they don’t sparkle in the sunlight either. A little bit of sunlight is manageable, like for albinos. They also don’t turn into bats, they can’t fly, they are not purely evil, and crosses are not as effective against vampires as you may think. However, they can live for thousands of years, and they have some special magical powers, such as mind compulsion and great physical strength. I prefer it when vampires are depicted this way.

In summary, this vampire book may not be very scary, but it is an entertaining and fun read. I highly recommend this lighthearted, modern and easy to read vampire book.

The back cover is red and has a description of the book.
Back cover of Vermillion Highways.

About David Lee Summer

I don’t have the author information for Lee Clark Zumpe but I do for David Lee Summers.

Photo of David Lee Summers author of Vermillion Highways.

David Lee Summers is an author, editor and astronomer living somewhere between the western and final frontiers in Southern New Mexico. He is the author of twelve novels. His short stories and poems have appeared in numerous magazines including Cemetery Dance, Realms of Fantasy, Star*Line, and The Santa Clara Review.

David also edited Tales of the Talisman Magazine for ten years. When he’s not writing, he operates telescopes at Kitt Peak National Observatory.

Click here to visit his website

Click here to visit his blog

Click here to see one of my review for The Astronomer’s Crypt another of David Lee Summer’s books.

Review of Balance of Nature

This is a Leonberger blog, but I sometimes post about books that are not about Leonbergers but books that I love and want to promote. With this post I would like to promote a truly great novel featuring Neanderthals and early Homo Sapiens. The book is called Balance of Nature by Jacqui Murray. It is the third book in a series called Savage Land.

Below is an overview of the three formats of Balance of Nature:

  • Paperback –  Structured Learning LLC (February 2, 2026), ISBN-10 : 1942101686, ISBN-13 : 978-1942101680, 305 pages, Item Weight : 14.6 ounces, dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.69 x 9 inches, it cost $15.99 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Kindle – Structured Learning LLC (February 2, 2026), ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0G45MFBWW, ISBN-13 978-1942101697, 307 pages. It is currently $4.99 on Amazon.com and free with Kindle unlimited. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Audiobook – Structured Learning LLC (March 8, 2026), ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GRG8XG1T, It is currently $14.99 on Amazon.com.  Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
The front cover features the title and author, a canine/wolf, a couple of humans or Neanderthals, and there is a large mountain in the background.
Front cover of Balance of nature. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the paperback version of the book.

Amazon Description of Balance of Nature

A tribe haunted by the past. Lies that threaten the future. A reason to find the truth.

Savage Land is the third trilogy about prehistoric man in the series, Man. Vs. Nature.Written in the spirit of Jean Auel, Savage Land explores how two bands of humans survived one of the worst natural disasters in Earth’s history, when volcanic eruptions darkened the sky, massive tsunamis crossed the ocean in crushing waves, and raging fires burned the land. Each of the tribes considered themselves apex predators. Neither was. That crown belonged to Nature and she was intent on washing the blight of man from her face. Join me in this three-book fictional exploration of Neanderthals. Be ready for a world nothing like what you thought it would be, filled with clever minds, brilliant acts, and innovative solutions to life-ending problems, all based on real events. At the end of this trilogy, you’ll be proud to call Neanderthals family.

In Balance of Nature, Book Three of the trilogy, the tribes face one final roadblock to reach what they hope will become their new home. They prevail but not without deaths and setbacks by collaboration and respect for the strengths of those they originally disdained. Now, in their homeland, where life should be about finding their place in a new landscape, instead, they find threats from old enemies and potentially lethal challenges.

Follow the courageous Yu’ung, the determined Kazeb, the mystical Shanadar, the pawed-and-clawed Canis and their tribes as they navigate a perilous world of tribal conflict, unexplained visions, and shifting loyalties. Their journey is a testament to resilience and the strength found in true leadership. Their personal struggles and heroic triumphs define this sweeping saga that ultimately leads to who we are today.

My Amazon Review of Balance of Nature

The Adventures of Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens by the Shoreless Sea

When I was young, I read Jean M. Auels’ novels set in prehistoric Europe and I loved them. Jacqui Murray’s books have a lot in common with Jean M. Auels’ books, but they are set at an earlier time. This series, Savage Land, takes place about 75,000 years ago (this is the third book in the series). In addition, we know more about prehistoric man now than we did back then and Jacqui Murray has certainly done her research. I loved Jean M. Auels’ books, and I love all of Jacqui Murray’s books. This book is a continuation of the previous book Badlands and is yet another thrilling prehistoric adventure involving both Neanderthals (the people and the clan) and Homo Sapiens (tall ones). Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens work together to reach a new homeland but there are some who have dark motives. There are hidden agendas, betrayal, and mysteries.

One aspect of this book and the previous books in this series and the previous series’ as well, are the Canis. Domesticated dogs probably did not exist 75,000 years ago, but they may have still interacted with humans, and the way the author uses them in the plots adds something to the stories that I really love. If you are a dog lover you will love Ump, Blaze, Ocha, Spirit, Ragged Ear, White Streak, and their loyalty, amazing abilities, and courage. There is a reference in the book to a previous book where Ump rescued Blaze and it brought back great memories of past adventures.

The book focuses a lot on Yu’ung who a female Neanderthal and a healer and she is also a leader of her tribe. There is also Fierce, the leader of a tribe of Homo Sapiens, Kazeb and Turk, the leaders of another Neanderthal tribe, and Shanadar a Shaman and mystic who lives at the outskirts of his Neanderthal tribe. There are many other characters both good and evil, of both species (Homo Sapiens / Neanderthals). The many characters added to the richness of the stories at the same time as the there is a risk for confusion. However, the author provided a list of the characters, their tribe belonging and role at the beginning of the book. I found this list to be very helpful. Whenever I was wondering “who is that dude again?” I looked at the list and there was no problem.

Another special feature I enjoyed was the “Questions You Ask” section at the end, where the author is listing answers to potential questions about Prehistory, Neanderthals, and the book. For example, you learn about Neanderthal genetics, how they lived, their use of fire, could they talk (yes), did they care for their sick (yes), the eruption of the super volcano Mt. Toba, and much more. There is also a bibliography.

Like all Jacqui Murray’s novels this novel is full of adventure, and it is captivating and realistic. You connect with the characters and their struggle for survival. The importance of cooperation and belonging for survival becomes clear and you will understand the advantage of everyone having a role and a purpose in the tribe. The book makes you wonder about all those millions of pre-historic humans who came before us so long ago. Our modern civilization has existed for a very short time, and it is easy to forget how privileged we are. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in adventure, especially if you are curious about prehistoric man.

Photo of the author, an overview of the author, and a description of the book.
Back cover of Balance of Nature. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the Kindle version of the book.

About the Author of Balance of Nature

Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular prehistoric fiction saga, Man vs. Nature which explores seminal events in man’s evolution one trilogy at a time. She is also the author of the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers and Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy. When not writing, she is grad schoolteacher, author of over a hundred tech ed resources including K-12 technology curricula, and an Amazon Vine Voice.

You can find her resources at her publisher, Structured Learning LLC. She lives in So. California with her husband of forty years, Labrador Casey, and lots of contact with her adult children, one a Cdr in the Navy, the other a SFC in the Army. Feel free to reach out to Jacqui at her blog, WordDreams, or her social media platforms.

These are some of her other books on prehistoric humans

These are some of my reviews or book blasts for her books

Only Kill the Evil Ones a Book Review

This is a Leonberger blog but sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but are books that I love and want to promote. This is another one of those posts. I recently read a brand new release, “That’s What Partners Do (Fourth book of An Outlaw’s Tale Series)” Paperback version – by Sara Flower Kjeldsen. It is a western featuring female gunslingers. Below I am giving an overview of the two formats for the book.

  • Paperback –  Publisher : Independently published (January 13, 2026), ASIN : B0GFJ2H8HL, ISBN-13 :  979-8242992252, 262 pages, Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.6 ounces, dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.6 x 9 inches, it cost $19.99 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Kindle – Publisher : Independently published (January 10, 2026), ASIN : B0GDRQZBKV, 214 pages. It is currently $3.99 or free with Kindle Unlimited. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
The title and author and a picture of showing a Stetson hat and running horses.
Front cover of That’s What Partners Do by Sara Flower Kjeldsen. Click here or on the picture to visit the Amazon.com page for the paperback version of the book.

Amazon’s description of the book

Sally has created a unique life for herself, but when a mission goes wrong, she’s forced to flee and leave everything behind – again. Her partner in crime, Jeremy, rides with her on a risky journey back to her hometown. While they’ve worked together for years completing missions in the darkness, they know little about one another.

She’s forced to face the past she doesn’t want to remember – and a sister she hasn’t seen in years. Her future plans are disrupted when she and her sister are kidnapped by an outlaw gang.

Will they escape, or is a dark new future waiting for them?

This is my five-star review for That’s What Partners Do by Sara Flower Kjeldsen

Only Kill the Evil Ones

I read the paperback version of this book, the fourth in a series about female outlaws in the wild west. They are Mary, Lydia and Sally. This book is focused on Sally, but all three women make appearances. These women are not evil, but they are skilled gunslingers who encounter cruel and evil men and are forced to defend themselves or innocent women and other people. As Sally, says, “I only kill the evil ones. I have never murdered an innocent person.“ Sally, is an interesting, brave, and tough character who is fascinated by tornadoes.

Sally and her partner in crime, Jeremy, are forced to leave everything behind and go on a risky journey back to her hometown. Along the way there are mishaps, tornadoes, they come across bandits and they have a terrifying encounter with human traffickers who kidnap women. Some of the adventures are breathtaking and scary nailbiters and I often found it impossible to put down the book. This book is a little different from the other ones in the series in the sense that most of the main characters in the series are showing up in the book. There is also steamy romance and extensive character development.

Like all the books in the series the book brings attention to the difficulties women faced back in the day while at the same time depicting women as strong and tough. The stories are fun and captivating while depicting gritty realism, violence, and sometimes moral ambiguity. It all makes for a great read, and I highly recommend this book.

Photo of Sara Flower Kjeldsen and the text of the Amazon description of the book.
Back cover of That’s What Partners Do by Sara Flower Kjeldsen. Click here or the picture to visit the Amazon.com page for the kindle version of the book.

About Sara Flower Kjeldsen

Sara is a Canadian multi-genre author who loves tea and adventures. This is a list of her published books https://saraflower.ca/my-published-books/

Other Books by Sara Flower Kjeldsen that I’ve reviewed

How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue

This is a Leonberger blog but sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but that are books that I love and want to promote. This is another one of those. I recently read “How Beautiful We Were” by Imbolo Mbue an author from Cameroon. It is a novel about Africans who had their land taken away by a dictatorial regime and given to a petroleum company called Pexton. They are being poisoned and oppressed and then massacred when they protest. It is a dark but hopeful tale. I read the hardcover version of the book.

It is fiction; however, the story is inspired by the author’s own experiences. The story is especially influenced by the struggle of the Ogoni people in Nigeria who had their land impacted and exploited for oil by Shell and the Nigerian government. They protested peacefully but were met with violence. I did not mention this information in my Amazon review. Based on my experience I am pretty sure Amazon would not have accepted a review for a novel that mentioned names of real corporations and people. However, I can say it here.

A black African holding a sign that says, “We condemn the killing of our people for oil.”
Protest in Washington, D.C. against the killing of Saro-Wiwa and others, November 1995. Elvert Barnes from Silver Spring MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0&gt;, via Wikimedia Commons.
  • Hardcover–  Publisher : Random House (March 9, 2021), ISBN-10 : 0593132424, ISBN-13 : 978-0593132425, 384 pages, Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.3 pounds, dimensions ‏ 6.3x 1.2 x 9.5 inches, it cost $11.95 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Paperback –  Publisher : Random House Trade Paperbacks (February 1, 2022), ISBN-10 : 0593132440, ISBN-13 : 978-0593132449, 384 pages, Item Weight : ‎ 2.31 pounds, dimensions 5.1 x 0.82 x 7.98 inches, it cost $10.10 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Kindle – Publisher : Random House (March 9, 2021), ASIN : B07XN8W4BC, ISBN-13 : 978-0593132432, 364 pages. It is currently 8.99 on Amazon.com. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Audibook – Publisher : Random House (March 9, 2021), ASIN : B081K5518W, Listening Length : 14 hours and 7 minutes. It is currently 0.99 on Amazon.com with membership. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
The title and author name and an illustration featuring two injured arms holding hands.
Front cover of How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue. Click here or the picture to visit the Amazon.com page for the hardcover version of the book.

Amazon’s description of the book

A fearless young woman from a small African village starts a revolution against an American oil company in this sweeping, inspiring novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Behold the Dreamers.

ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times, People • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, Esquire, Good Housekeeping, The Christian Science Monitor, Marie Claire, Ms. magazine, BookPage, Kirkus Reviews

“Mbue reaches for the moon and, by the novel’s end, has it firmly held in her hand.”—NPR

We should have known the end was near. So begins Imbolo Mbue’s powerful second novel, How Beautiful We Were. Set in the fictional African village of Kosawa, it tells of a people living in fear amid environmental degradation wrought by an American oil company. Pipeline spills have rendered farmlands infertile. Children are dying from drinking toxic water. Promises of cleanup and financial reparations to the villagers are made—and ignored. The country’s government, led by a brazen dictator, exists to serve its own interests. Left with few choices, the people of Kosawa decide to fight back. Their struggle will last for decades and come at a steep price.

Told from the perspective of a generation of children and the family of a girl named Thula who grows up to become a revolutionary, How Beautiful We Were is a masterful exploration of what happens when the reckless drive for profit, coupled with the ghost of colonialism, comes up against one community’s determination to hold on to its ancestral land and a young woman’s willingness to sacrifice everything for the sake of her people’s freedom.

This is my five-star review for How Beautiful We Were

Bitter Tears Arising from Oil Exploitation

This book is the story of the traditional animists people of Kosawa a fictional village in Africa. Their land has been given to an American oil company called Pexton by His Excellency, the cruel dictator of the unnamed country where they live. They continue living on their land, but oil spills, chemical spills, and accidents ruin the soil, kill their crops, and kills their children. They suffer terribly but at first, they just try to plead with Pexton but as things get worse, they begin protesting and eventually they take more forceful action. His Excellencies soldiers respond with extreme cruelty and massacres. News reports in western media about the situation are called fake news by His Excellency and his government. Their situation seems hopeless but Thula the daughter of Sahel who is an educated woman organize an uprising.

Over 2-3 generations we follow the lives of the villagers of whom several act as narrators for the story including Bongo, Sahel, Thula, Yaya, Juba and the children. We see the events through their eyes. There are also letters from some of them which carry the narrative. You really get to know the main characters well and you empathize and care for them. I felt like I knew them, their good sides and their weaknesses. In other words, the character development was excellent. The villagers were often superstitious. However, not only did that element add authenticity, there are a lot of superstitions here in the west that’s widely accepted, such as astrology and homeopathy.

Imbolo Imbue is a great author and she is a great storyteller who writes beautiful lyrical prose filled with emotion. Even though this is a fictional story it is inspired by real events that the author witnessed in her native country. It became obvious to me that much of what she was writing about was experienced. The book was sad, many people died, often cruel deaths, and there were torture, rapes, and children dying. On the other hand, the book was also hopeful, and the action was fast paced and suspenseful. It was a mesmerizing and perhaps a shocking story.

In summary, this book is captivating, emotive and beautifully written. It tells a gripping and authentic story despite being fiction. It feels real and it opens your eyes to the struggles of victims of oil exploitation. I loved this book and I highly recommend it.

Advanced praise and short reviews for the book How Beautiful We Were.
Back cover of How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue. Click here or the picture to visit the Amazon.com page for the paperback version of the book.

Adventures with a Dragon in Mandoreum

This is a Leonberger blog but sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but that are books that I love and want to promote. This is another one of those. I recently read “The Secret Dragon” Paperback – by Esther Moonstomp. It is a children’s book I bought for the children of friends of ours. Below is an overview of the two formats for the book.

  • Paperback –  Publisher : Troubador Publishing (July 4, 2025), ISBN-10 : 1836283881, ISBN-13 : 978-1836283881, 72 pages, Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.81 ounces, dimensions ‏ : 5.83 x 0.2 x 8.27 inches, it cost $7.70on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Kindle – Publisher : Troubador Publishing Ltd (July 28, 2025), ASIN : B0FCMZ6LMW, ISBN-13 : 978-1836288800, 38 pages. It is currently 3.99 on Amazon.com and free with Kindle Unlimited. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
The title and author name and an illustration of a girl holding a small green dragon.
Front cover of The Secret Dragon by Esther Moonstomp. Click here or the picture to visit the Amazon.com page for the paperback version of the book.

Amazon’s description of the book

When Saffy discovers a dragon statue at the bottom of her garden, her boring summer holiday becomes full of excitement. The statue is a real dragon called Lily.

She’s from the magical world of Mandoreum, a place that’s in danger and in need of Saffy’s help.

There are clues to solve, a wicked witch to battle and secrets to be kept at all costs. Will Saffy be able to save Mandoreum before it’s too late?

This is my five-star review for The Secret Dragon

A Friendly Dragon and the Magical Land of Mandoreum

I remember when I was a kid and we were asked to tell the class about our summer vacation as we returned to class. It was not fun when you hadn’t done much or gone anywhere but many other kids had done amazing things. In this story Saffy is having a boring summer holiday. They have not gone anywhere, and the weather is bad. This is when she discovers a statue of a dragon in her garden. The dragon, named Lily, comes alive and so begins a magical adventure. Lily participates in the rescue of a magical land called Mandoreum and fights a mean witch. She ends up having a spectacular summer adventure.

I think the themes of the book, magic, witches and a friendly harmless dragon is something that children would like. The description of the fantasyland Mandoreum is special and intriguing. The story is very imaginative, action packed and I believe it is a fun story for children. The book is well written, and it is a good story. I bought this book for the children of friends of ours, but I read it myself first. We have a two months old grandson, but he is still a little bit young for this book. This book is excellent for reading out loud to children, and for young readers. I highly recommend this sweet and fun book.

The Amazon description of the book and a witches hat at the bottom.
Back cover of The Secret Dragon by Esther Moonstomp. Click here or the picture to visit the Amazon.com page for the Kindle version of the book.

Click here to visit the author’s website

Female Gunslingers Once Upon A Time In the West

This is a Leonberger blog but sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but that are books that I love, and I want to promote. This is another one of those. I recently read “When Cottonfields Burn” Paperback – by Sara Flower Kjeldsen. Below I am giving an overview of the two formats for the book.

  • Paperback –  Publisher : Independently published (October 29, 2023), ASIN : B0CM1KZSGM, ISBN-13 :  979-8865779650, 173 pages, Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.5 ounces, dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.39 x 9 inches, it cost $11.99 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Kindle – Publisher : Independently published (October 28, 2023), ASIN : B0CM1PDNN8, 175 pages. It is currently 2.99 on Amazon.com and free with Kindle Unlimited. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
The title and author and a picture of burning cottonfields.
Front cover of  When Cottonfields Burn. Click here or the picture to visit the Amazon.com page for the paperback version of the book.

Amazon’s description of the book

A seasoned female outlaw.

Two young partners who stick with their leader no matter what.

Lydia is an outlaw who steals for a living. When she discovers that her daughter has been kidnapped by her ex-master, she and her two partners, Crow and Tyke, ride south to save the young girl. When she runs into her old friend, Mary, who was once an outlaw but is now settled down on a farm, she can’t resist forcefully bringing her along. After the shock wears off from being kidnapped, Mary pledges to help Lydia get her daughter back. The group rides to Arkansas where a battle on a cotton plantation awaits – and many unsavoury characters along the way.

When Cotton Fields Burn is a tale of adventure, betrayal, revenge, redemption, and unbreakable bonds between people who love each other.

This is my five-star review for When Cottonfields Burn by Sara Flower Kjeldsen

Gunfights for Freedom

I should say I read the paperback version of this book. This gripping and captivating story takes place at the end of the 19th century. Lydia a former slave and an outlaw discovers that her daughter has been kidnapped and illegally made into a slave by her former slave master. Lydia and her young companions Tyke and Crow assemble a team with the goal of freeing her daughter. I can add that illegal slavery was a practice that was prevalent after the civil war, and I did not know anything about it before reading this book. Therefore, I looked it up and I read more about it. I learned something about another dark chapter of history.

This book features a few characters from the first book in the series, The Broken & Foolish, which is also a great book. I was already familiar with these characters, especially Mary, but they were introduced well enough in this book. You can read this book without reading the first book. I can add that Lydia (and Mary) are both very skilled gunslingers and so are their companions. The book features a lot of violence and shootouts, many people die, but it is a Western after all, a somewhat feminist Western.

There are many intense and exciting situations. The story is fast paced but the character development is thorough, and it is easy to empathize with Lydia, Mary and the other protagonists. I think the book highlighted the fact that for many African Americans the end of slavery was not really the end of it, as I had thought. It brings attention to the evils of injustice and racism in the 19th century. At the same time, it is a hopeful book and an inspiration for standing up for yourself when you are being mistreated and justice is not coming to your aid. I highly recommend this captivating, fun, and fast paced book.

Photo of Sara Flower Kjeldsen and the text of the Amazon description of the book.
Back cover of  When Cottonfields Burn. Click here or the picture to visit the Amazon.com page for the kindle version of the book.

About Sara Flower Kjeldsen

Sara is a Canadian multi-genre author who loves tea and adventures. This is a list of her published books.

To read my review for the first book in the series; The Broken and the Foolish Click Here.

The Voices of Trees

This is a Leonberger Dog Blog but sometimes I post about other things such as this review and promotion of the Overstory by Richard Powers. This is a great Pulitzer Prize winning novel about Trees by Richard Powers.

Below is an overview of the four formats of The Overstory

  • Hardcover – Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company (April 3, 2018), ASIN : ‎ 039363552X, ISBN-13 :  978-0393635522, 512 pages, Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.85 pounds, Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.5 inches, it cost $13.61 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Paperback –  Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company (April 2, 2019), ASIN : ‎ 039335668X, ISBN-13 :  978-0393356687, 512 pages, Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.24 pounds, Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.2 x 8.3 inches, it cost $16.89 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Kindle – Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company (April 3, 2018), ASIN : B073VX7HT4, ISBN-13 :  978-0393635539, 513 pages. It is currently $2.99 on Amazon.com. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Audio Edition –  Publisher : Recorded Books (April 03, 2018), ASIN : B078PJ4Q9D, Listening Length : 22 hours and 58 minutes, it cost $0,99 with membership. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
The cover features a brown circle and a background of the woods. There is also the title, author name, and a medal stating Winner of the Pulitzer Prize.
Front cover of The Overstory by Richard Powers. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the paperback version of the book.

Amazon’s Description of The Overstory

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction

Winner of the William Dean Howells Medal

Shortlisted for the Booker Prize

Over One Year on the New York Times Bestseller List

Named One of the Best Books of the 21st Century by the New York Times Book Review

A New York Times Notable Book and a Washington Post, Time, Oprah Magazine, Newsweek, Chicago Tribune, and Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year

“The best novel ever written about trees, and really just one of the best novels, period.” ―Ann Patchett

The Overstory, winner of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction, is a sweeping, impassioned work of activism and resistance that is also a stunning evocation of―and paean to―the natural world. From the roots to the crown and back to the seeds, Richard Powers’s twelfth novel unfolds in concentric rings of interlocking fables that range from antebellum New York to the late twentieth-century Timber Wars of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. There is a world alongside ours―vast, slow, interconnected, resourceful, magnificently inventive, and almost invisible to us. This is the story of a handful of people who learn how to see that world and who are drawn up into its unfolding catastrophe.

This is my five star amazon review of The Overstory

This Novel will Change how you view Trees and Life

The main characters in this epic story Nicholas Hoel (Watchman), Olivia Vandergriff (Maidenhair), Mimi Ma (Mulberry), Douglas Pavlicek (Doug-fir), Adam Appich (Maple), Dr. Patricia Westerford, Neelay Mehta, Dorothy Cazaly Brinkman, and Ray Brinkman, all have interesting and sometimes tragic life stories that somehow connects them to trees. Their life stories are told in a captivating but fast paced manner that sometimes seemed compressed but for a good reason.

The book did not just tell us about the current personalities of the characters without giving the history. Our personalities are partially formed by our parents, grandparents, great grandparents, cultures far away from where we live, by nature and by trees. In some cases, the history of several generations was covered in a couple of pages. I am a curious person, and I found this kind of novel character development powerful and very entertaining.

In a fashion that reminded me of Stephen King’s the stand, the life events of the characters and their family history bring them together in the defense of old growth redwood forest in Oregon. There are also hints of paranormal phenomena. In Oregon, things get very wild and even violent and it became difficult for me to put the book down. It felt very real and very tense and mistakes were made, bad mistakes. The book is certainly a page turner.

The Overstory asks whether humans are the only ones that matter by challenging human-centered perspectives and exploring the lives, consciousness, and value of trees. The book shows that other beings have their own valuable and interesting experiences, and presents scientific ideas that trees have a form of communication and intelligence. I learned that trees communicate with each other through a network of fungi in the soil. By looking up the facts about this I found out that this was not fiction made up by the author. There is an entire new science on this topic called mycorrhizal ecology or biocommunication, sometimes referred to as the “Wood Wide Web”. Dr. Patricia Westerford is based on a real person, Dr. Suzanne Simard of the University of British Columbia. The book also points out that we humans do not understand the amount of destruction that we are causing to the world’s forests. This is a book that speaks for the trees, but in addition, the trees speak for us.

This is one of the most fascinating novels that I’ve read. It has an important message that some of us will understand but that some of us may not grasp. In any case, I can certainly understand the books popularity. I highly recommend it.

The black and brown back cover features praise of the book provided by various prominent people.
Back cover of The Overstory by Richard Powers. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the Kindle version of the book.

Doggie Haiku

This is a Leonberger blog, but I also post about other topics including book reviews for books that I love and want to promote. With this post I would like to promote Doggie Haiku: A Novella in Haiku for Dog-Lovers by Laura Stamps.

Below is an overview of the two formats of Doggie Haiku
  • Paperback –  Publisher : Prolific Pulse Press LLC (November 15, 2024), ASIN : 1962374327, ISBN-13 :  978-1962374323, 39 pages, Item Weight : 2.72 ounces, dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.83 x 0.1 x 8.27 inches, it cost $10.00 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Kindle – Publisher : Prolific Pulse Press LLC (November 15, 2024), ASIN : B0DKYNN7MM, ISBN-13 :  978-1962374330, 44 pages. It is currently $4.99 on Amazon.com but free with Kindle unlimited. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
The front cover features a beach with a woman in a chair and a chihuahua on the sand, as well as the title and name of author written.
Front cover of Doggie Haiku: A Novella in Haiku for Dog-Lovers by Laura Stamps. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the paperback version of the book.

Amazon’s Description of Doggie Haiku by Laura Stamps

Cindy is a shopaholic. She’s also the “Treat Lady.” There’s always a treat in her pocket for the neighborhood dogs. But what she really wants is a dog of her own. One day she sees Hazel at the local shelter. A tiny, frightened, senior Chihuahua. And she can’t resist. However, walking a dog in the snow is not her thing. So she applies for a transfer at her job. Soon Cindy and Hazel are on the road to the Florida office. To blue skies, sandy beaches, sunshine, and those Southern men. (Oh, my!) Let the adventures begin…!

What others say:

“In this charming novella, award-winning poet Laura Stamps gallops her way into our hearts one Haiku syllable and one cute doggie at a time. Her pace is fun and intentional. I read Doggie Haiku first thing this morning. It was a delightful way to start my day. Marvelous storytelling. Beautiful, fun, and very well done. You’ll laugh and smile!”

– Zaneta Johns, Author of Encore: A Collection of Poetry

“Absolutely LOVED it! This new novella by the super Laura Stamps is a delightful treat. Full of doggy fun and an owner’s adventures, it’s not to be missed. All the cute pictures will make you laugh out loud too. Don’t wait. Get it now!”

– Laura Besley, Author of 100neHundred

“This was such a fun read! If you want a dog (or to find true love), this charming and funny novel written in haiku is for you. You’ll smile through the adventures of Cindy (a certifiable shopaholic) and Hazel (her Chihuahua). Read it whenever your spirits need a lift!”

– Nolcha Fox, Author of Words into Elephants

This is my Amazon five-star Amazon review of Doggie Haiku

A Cute, Funny and Touching Adventure with a Dog

This poetry novelette takes the reader on an adventure with Cindy and her Chihuahua Hazel. Cindy loves dogs more than anything. One day she picks up a scared black and white chihuahua from the shelter. Poor Hazel had been abandoned. So, begin their adventure together. They move to Florida, where they meet people and dogs. Cindy goes on dates and takes Hazel with her, which ends in some accidents. Don’t worry, to Cindy dogs matter a lot more than men do.

It is a fun and lighthearted story full of humor and laughter, but also lots of doggy love. The story is told in the form of 123 Haiku poems, which adds to the fun. This short book is above all cute, funny and touching, and I highly recommend it to all dog lovers.

A picture of a beach and praise for the book.
Back cover of Doggie Haiku: A Novella in Haiku for Dog-Lovers by Laura Stamps. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the Kindle version of the book.

About the Author of Doggie Haiku

Laura Stamps is a poet and novelist who loves to create experimental forms for her poetry and fiction. Author of over 50 novels, novellas, and poetry books. Winner of the Muses Prize. Recipient of a Pulitzer Prize nomination and 7 Pushcart Prize nominations. Published in more than 2000 literary magazines and anthologies worldwide. Lover of Chihuahuas, Yorkies, and cats.

Click here to visit her website

Click here to visit the review for another one of her books :

One Evening in the Life of Jim Garraty

This is a Leonberger blog, but I also post about other topics including book reviews for books that I love and want to promote. With this post I would like to promote Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen: A Jim Garraty Story (The Reunion Duology) by Alex Diaz-Granados.

Below is an overview of the two formats of Comings and Goings

  • Paperback –  Independently published (July 1, 2025), ASIN : B0FFBJG5KQ, ISBN-13 : 979-8289407344, 51 pages, Item Weight : 4.6 ounces, dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.13 x 9 inches, it cost $9.99 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Kindle – Publisher : ADG Books via Kindle Direct Publishing (June 22, 2025), ASIN : B0FF5FLL87, 53 pages. It is currently $2.99 on Amazon.com but free with Kindle unlimited. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
Title and name of author written slanted across the front cover. In the background there is furniture in a small room.
Front cover of Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen by Alex Diaz-Granados. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the paperback version of the book.

Amazon’s Description of Comings and Goings by Alex Diaz-Granados

Boston, 1984. A party Jim Garraty never wanted to attend. A girl who didn’t look away. A night stitched together by mixtapes, quiet courage, and the ache of choosing to stay.

Jim isn’t chasing romance—he’s just trying to outrun the noise. But when Kelly Moore enters the room with her drink, her Rachmaninoff references, and her uncanny ability to see without pressing, everything shifts. Over cassette tapes and Heineken beer, conversations deepen, touch becomes language, and for the first time, intimacy feels less like performance and more like breath.

Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen is a quietly luminous companion to the Reunion Duology, capturing one night’s transformation from awkward beginnings to the kind of closeness that rewrites your inner dialogue. It’s about music, memory, and the rare kindness of someone meeting you where you are—with patience, humor, and unexpected grace.

This isn’t a story about first love.

It’s a story about the first time you didn’t have to explain yourself.

This is my Amazon five-star Amazon review of Comings and Goings

From Awkward Misery to Adventure

I think this novelette is best read as a companion to the author’s larger masterpiece Reunion: Coda. Alternatively, it serves as an introduction to the author’s writing style and storytelling prowess. The author has an exceptional skill in crafting and delivering compelling narratives that engage audiences, and this short novelette could be one of the many chapters in the life of the protagonist Jim Garraty, a man who will become a celebrated professor at Columbia University.

In this book Jim Garraty is a first year student at Harvard and he is attending a party where he does not know anyone except for a fellow student who is quite busy elsewhere and leaving him on his own. He feels lonely, awkward and out of place until a girl, Kelly Moore, takes interest in him and his miserable night turns into quite an adventure. What stands out about this book is the realistic description of emotions, inner thoughts, and the realistic dialogue. It serves as a prelude to what to expect from his other books. I highly recommend this short novelette.

An overview of the book, a photo of the author and an introduction to the author.
Back cover of Comings and Goings – The Art of Being Seen by Alex Diaz-Granados. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the Kindle version of the book.

About the Author of Comings and Goings

Alex Diaz-Granados (born 1963) has spent decades weaving words into stories, critiques, and screenplays, always with an eye for nuance and emotional depth. His journey began in the early 1980s as a staff writer and Entertainment Editor for his high school newspaper, later serving as Diversions Editor for Miami-Dade Community College’s South Campus student publication.

Fueled by a passion for cinema, he has been sharing his thoughts on film—raving about masterpieces and ranting about misfires—since 2003, contributing reviews to platforms like Amazon, Ciao, and Epinions.

Beyond criticism, Alex has collaborated with actor-director Juan Carlos Hernandez on several screenplays, including A Simple Ad, Clown 345, Ronnie and the Pursuit of the Elusive Bliss, and Sunny in the Village of the Crickets, all of which can be seen on YouTube. His writing extends to blogging, with general-interest articles once featured on Yahoo! Voices (formerly Associated Content).

As an author, Alex is best known for the Reunion Duology—the novella Reunion: A Story and its sequel Reunion: Coda. These works explore themes of nostalgia, regret, and the enduring bonds of friendship, set against the atmospheric backdrop of Miami and New York City. With cinematic storytelling and emotionally authentic characters, his work resonates with readers seeking a blend of memory and new beginnings.

Click here to visit the author’s website