Book Fidelity
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Reviews
    • By Title
    • Favorite Authors
    • Book Series
  • Challenges
    • Rory Gilmore Challenge
    • A Book From Every State
    • Horror Books
  • About
    • For Readers!
    • For Authors & Publishers
    • Celia's Faves

Book Spotlight: Whispers for Terra

5/26/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
​Whispers for Terra
By Nancy Houser-Bluhm
Genre: Magical Realism
 
Suffering from job fatigue, Mary, a speech pathologist, finds herself at a crossroads.  Feeling a diminished sense of purpose, she finds solace in a nearby woods.  It’s in these woods she discovers she is more than she knows.  The earth spirits sense her ability to communicate and choose her to deliver a message that will influence our earth’s soil and everything that comes from it.
 
Seeking to enlighten humanity, an initially reluctant Mary is emboldened by a ninety-seven-year-old patient to embark on a journey of inner healing and outer discovery.  Mary soon encounters others who have also been marked to carry the earth’s message. As their collective efforts turn into an expansive movement, the impact of the earth’s message amplifies, and the earth begins to sense something new: relief.
 
Whispers for Terra is a story of hope, inspiration, and finding one’s path, showing us the impact individual and small group actions can make to heal our earth. 
 
All we have to do is listen. 
 
 

About the Author

Picture
 Nancy Houser-Bluhm has lived in the foothills west of Denver, Colorado for over 20 years with her husband and miscellaneous pets. She hails from Michigan but always had a longing for the mountains after growing up watching Bonanza. Their current piece of heaven is called the Bluhmerosa.  For some years she and her husband, Jon traversed the country moving from Michigan to Oregon, back to Michigan and then to Colorado. Once a rock climber, she now spends time with biking, skiing, camping, enjoying nature and yoga; oh yes and with writing. 
 
Nancy received her first monetary writing award of $3.00 for a poem submitted by her middle school. Coinciding with the late 1960’s it pertained to war.  About the same time, she won a statewide essay contest which took her to a presidential inauguration.  She realizes she has outted herself and can never again use attending a presidential inauguration in the party game One Truth, Two Lies. 
 
Like the character in her first novel, Nancy’s pursuit of personal growth and awareness, led her down numerous paths. In the 1990s, Journey Seminars was her effort to bring entry level knowledge on such topics as dreamwork, Feng Shui, and homeopathy to her community. 
 
Authentic communication with herself and others has been an ultimate life quest, sometimes to the chagrin of others.  A lifelong journaler, Nancy produced her own journal with excerpts from her past journal wisdoms and her husband’s art.  She offered classes highlighting the power of the practice through gathered techniques. Nancy has had numerous prompted memoir-based articles in a local mountain newspaper. After working forty years as a Speech-Language, both in the schools and health care, she retired from being a full-time worker bee. It was then she began a blog and ventured into the arena of writing her first novel. 
 
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Whispers-Terra-Nancy-Houser-Bluhm-ebook/dp/B0936YS5GK
 
 
B&N
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/whispers-for-terra-nancy-houser-bluhm/1139340076?ean=9781736212318
 
 
Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57820979-whispers-for-terra
 
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jnbpine
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nancybluhm
 
 
 
Excerpt: 
 
 
I didn’t know my World Was about to be rocked. As I prepared to step into the patient’s room, I only knew how my jaw felt as it tightened when I saw the last-minute speech language evaluation order placed at my station. My body had been settling into a feeling of relief for the end of the day. Barbara, a nurse, knew I would be off in ten minutes, but she also knew the policy stated that new evaluations had to be initiated the day they were ordered. Somewhere in me, I knew this wasn’t her fault, but I also sensed too much pleasure in it for her, and irritation was an easier emotion for me right now.
As I entered the patient’s room, I lifted my head and smiled broadly. As a kid, I was told my smile could light a room. And now, Mr. Talbot would never know I was anything but excited to help him. My soul knew the real story.
I reached for the clipboard and my sleeve slid down. I saw Mr. Talbot look at the mole on my arm, then look questioningly at me. He had no idea the mole had developed over a few short months. I shrugged and gave him a look of “Eh,” but my inner self was mirroring his same questioning look. Although most of my patients qualify as elderly and look the frailer part, Mr. Talbot, with his twinkling blue eyes, allowed me to envision the handsomeness he carried when he was younger.
 
I was relieved to read he was NPO, meaning nothing by mouth, and only tube feeding for now. He’d be safe from the risk of aspirating for the time being; he needed more strength and the medical staff needed more time to put a plan in place.
 

0 Comments

Review: Magic Bites

7/11/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
​
Magic Bites
Kate Daniels #1
by Ilona Andrews

Synopsis

Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up magical problems. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta’s magic circles. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she’s way out of her league—but she wouldn’t want it any other way… 




Review

I had been curious about books by the author Ilona Andrews (the husband and wife writing duo), and I thought I would try out this series. I'm very glad I did, as it was a very different book than I'm used to. I usually like my fantasy/urban fantasy with some romance, and this had a very small inkling of that - but it was not the focus of it at all. I really enjoyed that change because it meant I got to focus on the world-building which is done well. 

Now, I'm going to be honest - it took me awhile to get into this book. The world-building took a bit to take shape, and it was a slower-moving story. All these facets add to what makes the book interesting - I just had to get used to the pace. Now, Kate Daniels is a different story. I loved her from the very beginning. There isn't much focus placed on her looks (or lack thereof, which seems to be the case in some moments) which I LOVED. Instead, the emphasis is on her badassness....badassery? You know what I mean. Kate Daniels is a strong woman and she feels no need to hide it, nor does she play the damsel. Her thoughts are always on what she's doing and what has to be done. 

I especially enjoyed the sparring between Kate and Curran, the Beast Lord. Curran is the leader of the shape-shifters. Their banter bordered on flirting, which was a little something extra I enjoyed. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to the next book in the series! 
Picture
0 Comments

Review: Dark Touch

5/11/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Dark Touch
by Aimee L. Salter

Synopsis
​
Tully isn't alone in her skin. Whenever she touches someone, they feel everything she feels. All her ugliness. All her darkness. All her pain. 

The only thing she wants is to be left alone--and to finally get out of her small Oregon town.

But then she meets Chris. He's everything she's not. Light. Trusting. Innocent. And he wants Tully.

Tully knows she should spare him the heartache of being with her. But when he touches her, she's not sure she'll have the strength to push him away--until he learns about her dark past, and what really goes on in her ever-decaying home.

From the author of Every Ugly Word comes a poignant, emotionally raw story about the violence that plays out behind closed doors and the all-consuming passion of first love.

Picture
Review

I received an ebook copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 


I really enjoyed this book! It was unlike other YA books that I've read...and I've read quite a bit.

Tully is a young girl who has gone through some very tough times in her life that started with the death of her mother. Now, without her, she's stuck in a home, terrified of her father who doesn't know how to be a father, and with a special "gift" of her own. Whomever she touches ends up feeling whatever she is feeling. Not the best thing when Tully is already feeling isolated. 

​Then Tully meets Chris and all bets are off.

I don't need to feel the pull toward him,
​to be measured by him and know I come up short. - Tully

Salter did a wonderful job in combining a true-to-life kind of story, that of a young girl struggling through losing those closest to her while having to isolate herself, and adding a magical element to it. 
0 Comments

Review: The Stone Prince

4/28/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
The Stone Prince
by Gena Showalter

Synopsis

Reduced to kissing the marble statue in her garden, Katie James is amazed when it warms to life in her embrace. Trapped for many years as a statue, Jorlan en Sarr must convince Katie to fall in love with him or he will once again turn to marble.

Review

Romance Read Thursday is back readers! Sorry for the hiatus - let's get back to it!

​That super short synopsis does not doe this book justice! This is my second Showalter book and I think she's become one of my go-to authors. Possible spoilers ahead. 

Katie is a strong and independent woman who is embarrassed by the stone prince that sits in the garden of her newly acquired house. Unable to help herself, she gives the statue a kiss - and feels it come alive beneath her touch. Jorlan en Sarr is a being stuck in a curse/spell on earth when his actual home seems to be among the stars (yup, an alien folks). Jorlan will slip back into that spell if he doesn't get Katie to fall in love with him. Katie finds herself endeared to him - but will it be enough to stop the spell?

I LOVED this book! It was adorable and just the right kind of light and funny read I needed. I have been reading the Fever series and it has done a number on my nerves - so I definitely needed this. Katie and Jorlan are so funny together, but also very sweet. I enjoyed reading from both of their POVs and especially Jorlan learning about modern times. If you are looking for something short, sweet, and funny to read - look no further. 

I'll tell you what a woman's job is, it's building her self-discipline
​so she doesn't kill every man she sees. - Frances

0 Comments

Review: Love me, Love Me Not

2/22/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Love Me, Love Me Not
by Alyxandra Harvey

Synopsis

Dating isn’t easy when you’re in the middle of a blood feud.
 
​
Anastasia Vila’s family can turn into swans, but just once she’d like them to turn into responsible adults. 

After hundreds of years, they still cling to the blood feud with the Renard family. No one remembers how it started in the first place—but foxes and swans just don’t get along. 

Vilas can only transform into their swan shape after they have fallen in love for the first time, but between balancing schoolwork, family obligations, and the escalating blood feud, Ana’s got no time for love. The only thing keeping her sane is her best friend, Pierce Kent. 

But when Pierce kisses Ana, everything changes. 

Is what Pierce feels for her real, or a byproduct of her magic? Can she risk everything for her best friend? And when the family feud spirals out of control, Ana must stop the fight before it takes away everything she loves. 

Including, maybe...Pierce. 

Review

I enjoyed reading this book that is loosely based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. I really enjoyed the magical realism in making the characters be swans (this is not a spoiler, you find out on the first page). Ana is the main character of the story and she comes from the family of Vilas. In order for a Vila to turn into a swan, she needs to fall in love. Ana is a pretty busy human and has absolutely no idea that her best friend Pierce is actually super adorably in love with her. I loved Pierce for his bookishness and all around - niceness. It was also such a great thing to read about a boy falling in love with the girl and the girl being oblivious.

Due to the story being based on Romeo and Juliet, the opposing family turns into foxes (get it?). There is reason to believe the treaty between the two families is broken, but both parties deny it. So what is causing things to go wrong? That is what Ana decides to find out. 

I recommend this read to anyone who enjoys magical realism. I don't come across it that often - and my best example of it is Francesca Lia Block. If you find yourself a fan of hers or would like to try it out, you will be happy you did!
0 Comments
    Powered by Curator.io
    Picture

      Want to receive monthly highlights from Book Fidelity? Sign up!

    Subscribe to Book Fidelity!
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Alpha Hero But Not A Douche Hero
    Angels
    Anthology
    Anxiety
    Arranged Marriage/marriage Of Convenience
    Author Spotlight
    Awesome Women Doing Awesome Things
    Badass Heroine
    Bad Boy
    Better Luck Next Time
    Biker Guy
    Billionaire Bad Boy
    Book Blast
    Book Blitz
    Book Haul
    Bookish Gift Ideas
    Book Pile
    Books About Books
    Book Spotlight
    Boy Next Door Romance
    Campus Romance
    Cemetery
    Challenge
    Children's Lit
    Christian
    Christmas Read
    Christmas Romance
    Chronic Pain
    Classic
    Coffee
    Collection
    Coming Of Age
    Con Man
    Contemporary
    Cover Reveal
    Cozy Mystery
    Crafty
    Crime Fiction
    Cross Stitch
    Curvy
    Death
    Death As A Character
    Dystopian
    Enemies To Lovers
    Entangled Pub
    Erotica
    Erotica Lite
    Existentialism
    Fae
    Fairy Tale Re Telling
    Fairy Tale Re-telling
    Fake Relationship
    Fantasy
    Fantasy Realism
    Fantasy Romance
    Feminism
    Fever Series
    Fiction
    Final Girls
    France
    Friendship
    Friends To Enemies
    Friends To Lovers
    Funny
    Gargoyles
    Geek Love
    Gift
    Giveaway
    Greek Gods
    Grumpy Hero
    Hacker Girl
    Hard Science Fiction
    Highlander
    Hispanic Fiction
    Historical Fiction
    Historical Romance
    Hockey Romance
    Holiday Read
    Holocaust
    Horror
    Hot Rocker Romance
    In Progress
    It's A Movie!
    Karen Marie Moning
    Las Vegas Baby
    Library
    Life Of A Reader
    Literary Fiction
    Love Story
    LoveStruck
    LSBBT
    Magical Realism
    Marriage Of Convenience
    Meh
    Memoir
    Mental Health
    Meta
    Monthly
    Murder Mondays
    Mystery
    Nerdy Hero
    Nerdy Heroine
    Netgalley
    New Adult
    Newsletter
    New York
    No Male POV
    Nonfiction
    Non Fiction
    Non-Fiction
    Novella
    Paranormal
    Paranormal Romance
    PG/PG-13 Rated
    Philosophy
    Plus Size Heroine
    Poetry
    Political Fiction
    Promo
    Psychology
    PTSD
    Racism
    Rape Culture
    Readathons
    Reading Habits
    Recovery
    Regency Romance
    Retelling
    Revenge Love Story
    Rich Boy
    Romance
    Romance Author
    Romance Read
    Romance Read Wednesday
    Romance/Thriller
    Romantic Suspense
    Romantic Thriller
    Sage's Blog Tours
    Science Fiction
    Scorched
    Scots
    Second Chance Love
    Self-Help
    Series
    Sexy
    Short Read
    Short Stories
    Short Story
    "soft" S&M
    Sports Romance
    Spotlight
    Starbucks
    Steampunk
    Suspense
    Suspenseful Romance
    Sweet Candy Press
    Tag You're It!
    Talia Hibbert
    TBR
    Texas
    Texas Bloggers
    There's A Dog!
    Thrift Book Haul
    Thrift Books
    Thriller
    Trigger Warning
    True Crime
    Urban Fantasy
    Vacation Fling
    Vaginal Fantasy
    Vaginal Fantasy Friday
    Vampires
    Werewolves
    Western
    Workplace Romance
    Xpresso Book Tours
    Xstitch
    Ya
    Young Adult
    Zine

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.