Zadie is a little witch with a big heart. She often finds herself being a smart witch and kind sister, even when her two older sisters act selfishly and unkindly. Her greatest wish is to be the best witch she can be. So, Zadie is thrilled when an invitation to be picked at the Witch's Tea party to become an assistant to the most powerful witch in the land arrives at her house. At least she is thrilled until her older sisters tell her that she is not good enough and is too small to go to the party.
Adoriana Marik is a tattoo artist and merchandiser who lived in Mariupol during the Russian-Ukrainian War. She described her background and some history about Ukraine’s relationship with Russia before the current war seen through her perspective. Before the war began, there was tension in the air because of Putin’s threats of Ukraine. Marik put her documents in order and prepared for a hasty escape from Ukraine for herself and her dog, Yola. On February 23, 2022, Marik woke up to the sounds of explosions and the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Frannie and Willie look forward to their summertime visits at Aunt Bea’s cottage. When they arrive, they are greeted with a smile from good friend Miss Minnie and Aunt Bea’s delicious treats. With the promise of the best game they’ll ever play, the children roll colored stones hoping to find good fortune. Aunt Bea is hopeful that the children find value in her special game and encourages each of them to share what they’ve learned.
All I Know by Holly LaBarbera follows the early to midlife of Kai Martin, beginning when she is nine years old. Her idyllic life starts to upend in front of her eyes as she starts to observe and understand what is happening around her. Kai learns how to navigate life, with and without those she loves, as she experiences trauma - some inflicted on her and some as effects of her own decisions. Will she learn to love herself as she is? Will she triumph over trauma or be trampled by it? Reader beware: feel good book, this is not.
The Sleep Switch is a calming book for readers to experience before they drift off to sleep. The author takes readers across the human body to say goodnight to each part of them. Readers can follow along with characters who participate in multiple breathing exercises and repeat kind words to their bodies. Not only will this book relax readers for a calm and peaceful slumber, but it will also teach them to love themselves and all parts of their body.
Terry A. Repak’s Circling Home: What I Learned by Living Elsewhere engages the reader through her unique memoir as a mother of two young children who travels with Stefan, her husband and CDC epidemiologist, to Abidjan, Ivory Coast in West Africa. After living in Africa until the age of six with his refugee Polish parents, Stefan fulfills his dream of helping people during the AIDS crisis in the early nineties. Terry decides to put her writing career on hold to care for her newly adopted young daughter and accompany Stefan as he works for the CDC.
Miss Novak’s Christmas written by Robert A. Valle follows the story of a recent Slovakian immigrant, Anya Novak. She is a reserved and talented viola player, who despite her skills is extremely self-conscious. She doubts herself as a result of the many adverse experiences she faced in Slovakia, the most recent of which led her to move to Manhattan. The novella opens with Anya’s chamber group wrapping up rehearsal for their winter concert where Anya is told by her conductor that she needs to play bolder.
When Poppy’s husband Thomas makes dinner reservations at a special fancy local restaurant, Poppy doesn’t think much of it except that since they haven’t been able to spend much time together as of late because of Thomas’ busy work schedule, they’ll use this opportunity to spend some quality time with each other. Little does she know that Thomas definitely has an agenda for this dinner together, but it’s nothing even remotely close to what Poppy might be thinking.
What Was Left Of Her is a captivating story about a young woman named Cassie, who had just lost her beloved aunt who was like a mother to her and her sister Alex. Their aunt, Lucie, was a beautiful woman of class and refined elegance, and anyone who knew her could attest to the fact that she seemed out of place in the small, downtrodden town where she spent most of her life. Why she never left was a mystery. How she died was a mystery.
The Snow Queen is an adventurous fairy tale book about how an evil snow queen manages, with the help of an ice wizard, to possess both children and teenagers, to try to fulfill her misplaced thirst for fame, wealth, and love. The queen's hidden secret is that she feels unlucky, having never found someone who could truly love her. In the book, her first victim is an innocent and fatherless teenage boy named Adam. The queen traps Adam within a kaleidoscope that the ice wizard skillfully makes for her.
