One of my favorite movies to watch when I was a little girl was Dr. Dolittle (1967). No, not the Eddie Murphy one, I mean the original with Rex Harrison. 

"If we conferred with our furry friends, 

Man to animal 

Think of all the things we could discuss." 

And then for those of us dog owners who have looked at our dog staring at us and ever wondered what our dog was thinking, the book Kibble Talk by Cynthia Port is for perfect you. Spirited 9-year-old Tawny suddenly realizes she has the ability to talk to dogs after eating doggie kibble following a dare from her best friend. She soon learns her own dog, a lovable, but demanding Great Dane named Dinky (what a great name for a Great Dane) has a secret desire to become a lap dog. Tawny helps him fulfill his wish by entering him in a local dog show. And what category does he enter? Well, of course, "Best Small Breed", which leads to hilarious results with plenty of laugh out loud moments. Perfect pacing for middle grade readers, good clean humor, and fun characters, especially the dogs. Did you know Saint Bernards tell the worst jokes? Suitable for dog lovers and non-dog lovers of all ages.

I really love the genre of science fiction especially television series and movies, but when it comes to books I am a lot more picky about what I like and what I don’t.  I often find the plot in science fiction books to be too cerebral for my taste and find it difficult to connect with the characters and/or the environment. Therefore, I don’t often put science fiction books as one of my favorite categories. Hence, I have to admit I was a little hesitant when a friend approached me about beta reading her novel, The Gypsy Pearl, especially with the setting taking place on not only a space station, but three different planetary worlds. However, my hesitation was unwarranted, as the story literary grabbed me from the very first page, just like the fanep who changes everything for the young heroine in the story. Lia London wrote a very gripping and exciting adventure. The character of Caz Artemus is a strong, likable young lady who grew up on a city space station all her life. After getting in trouble, she is sent to a reform school on the planet down below which she is happy about (much to her father and sister’s protest and disbelief),  because she will finally have a chance to explore something other than the stale environment of the space station. Through Ms. London’s writing the reader can feel Caz’s need to go forth and grow, which she does, as she meets new friends along the way and cycles the gypsy pearl, thus sealing her fate in the world. The story is fast paced, and the imagery very descriptive placing the reader smack dab in the middle of the believable fantasy world Ms. London created.  The characters are well developed and engaging, and I especially like how smart the heroine is, as often female characters are dumbed down, but Caz is not only smart, but strong and brave too. I am glad I had the opportunity to take this incredible journey and I highly recommend it to others as this story is suitable for all ages. 

​The Gypsy Pearl by Lia London is available to purchase on Amazon. 

"New teacher Nikki Fallon is trying to ward off unwanted advances from the hunky football coach. She should. . . 

a) slap him silly. 
b) report him for harassment. 
c) invent an imaginary husband."

I don't know what it is about romantic-comedy that draws me in, but the newest novel by Lia London, Her Imaginary Husband, sure did not disappoint. Ms. London has an incredible grasp on writing dialogue (All those years in the theatre department at WOSC together I am sure. Go Wolves!) and while I was reading I visualized the whole story as a movie in my mind. (Hint-hint Hallmark!!)  It's a clean, lighthearted romance that entertains and educates. The characters were fantastic, from the likable heroine Nikki, to her bossy mother, to the two men who rival for her attention, to the secondary characters of the students Nikki instructs her rookie year as a English/American Lit teacher at a local high school. The dialogue is snappy, clever, and witty. The comic moments are funny without being over-the-top. There are several laugh out loud moments, but also a real sense of discovery as Nikki discovers herself and her place in her new world. I was crying happy tears at the end. 

I highly recommend. 4 Stars. 

I am happy to support indie writers and offer a recommendation to visit the Clean Indie Reads site. Home of flinch-free fiction. My good friend Lia started this site over a year ago and the response has been very positive. They also have a Facebook page. Check them out and happy reading! 

The Fargenstropple Case is celebrating it's 1st anniversary! Get your giggle on with "Outrageous British humour!" US or UK. Free Monday through Wednesday. 

I had a lot of fun participating in this particular collaboration and look forward to helping out on the second book. Hurry, Lia!

Lia London's newest collaborative fiction story is available for download from Amazon until December 4. Magian High is like Hogwarts, but it's not. Can desegregation work or was it doomed to fail from the start? 

Book Description: The Punkers moved towards us, and Amity and I were forced to back down the steps. When we reached the bottom, they formed a ring around us, all flying just a few inches above the ground. With their shoulders almost touching, they locked us in and began to rotate slowly around us, like a hovering wheel of stupid. Except that they all either had Water Balls or flaming thumbs. We’re not supposed to use any magic on campus except Flash Jumping to get to outbuildings for classes, but I knew no one would really see what they were doing. Amity and I found ourselves back-to-back like the trapped heroes in the movies always do, except that I knew we didn’t have any awesome moves to bust out with.

Remember to support Independent Authors.

 

**Pride Leads to Ignorance, Humility to Knowledge**Integrity is Power**Unity is Strength**Serving Others Serves Self; Serving Self Serves No One Else**Listen**Understanding and Anger Cannot Live Together**Truth is Recognized, Not Created**Empowerment is Not Entitlement**

~The Circle of Law--by Lia London

I am excited for my friend Lia and for the upcoming release of her first book, The Circle of Law. Having had a sneak peak, all I can saw is--it is imaginative, creative, and a wonderful fantasy adventure novel.  I highly recommend.