Thursday, March 14, 2024

Book Review: The Secrets of the Hidden Workforce by Lisa Toth

This morning, I have a rather unique business "memoir" style book to share! Check out The Secret of the Hidden Workforce, learn about author Lisa Toth, read my thoughts on the book and be sure to enter the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.


 

​Book Title:  The Secrets of the Hidden Workforce by Lisa Toth
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18+),  142 pages
GenreNonfiction Occupational
Publisher:  Yorkshire Publishing
Release date:  March, 2024
Content Rating:  PG. Suitable for all adults 17+
Many of our posts contain affiliate links.
Should you purchase an item via our links--we may receive slight compensation from an
affiliate partner.  
 

About the Book

Radio show host, Lisa Toth shares how she created a staffing agency for the developmentally disabled population. Over the years, Toth has helped thousands of individuals with disabilities find work that Is not only a good fit for their strengths, but also work they find fulfilling. Readers will enjoy this collection of inspiring stories, as well as the honest candor with which Lisa shares the lessons she learned along the way. She and her clients have faced daunting obstacles and challenges that would make many give up. It's the challenges that make the successes extra sweet for all of them.
 
My Review

Readers Should Expect to Be Inspired. I love reading stories of people following their passions, finding their paths in life and creating a career that is fulfilling to them and serves others. Lisa Toth has found her calling and her passion for working with differently-abled individual shines through in this book as she details her experiences and endeavors in tapping into the "hidden workforce." Readers will be inspired by both the author's passion for her work and by the individual stories that she highlights.

 

The Secrets of the Hidden Workforce is Easy to Read From the Very Beginning. The author has a very easy to read writing style, blending stories and experiences with educational tidbits about the differently-abled and the challenges and triumphs they face in the workforce. The author does a wonderful job creating a well-written, well-organized book that is informative and inspiring while also being personal, real, and heartwarming. 

 

Would I Recommend The Secrets of the Hidden Workforce by Lisa Toth? I enjoyed reading this book, learning about the author and her work, and reading the stories of a "hidden" group that I hadn't read or really learned about before. For those sharing Toth's interests, her insights and business development experiences are educational. For those interested in supporting and understanding the obstacles and challenges face by differently-abled individuals in the workplace, this book is an interesting read from beginning to end. 

   

Buy the Book 
 
Meet the Author
Lisa Toth, CEO Owner at Rise Staffing is passionate about employment. Her favorite thing is matching people with great employers! In addition to this workToth is the host of the successful radio show "The Hidden Workforce," a show about the positive impact people with different abilities bring to the workforce. 

connect with the author: website facebook 


Enter the Giveaway
The Secrets of the Hidden Workforce Book Tour Giveaway



Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Memoir Spotlight: To Be Loved: Ain't Gonna Be Denied by Ronald D. Steele

This morning, I have an autobiographical novel in our book spotlight! Check out To Be Loved: Ain't Gonna Be Denied and learn about author Ronald D. Steele.


 

Book Title:  To Be Loved: Ain't Gonna Be Denied by Ronald D. Steele
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+), 463 pages
Genre:  Memoir / Autobiography
Publisher:  Ronald D. Steele
Release date:   July 31st, 2023
Content Rating:  PG-13 + M


Many of our posts contain affiliate links.
Should you purchase an item via our links--we may receive slight compensation from an
affiliate partner.  
 

About the Book


Born in poverty and violence, without love, the author goes to the streets to find love, becoming successful at everything he applies, even crime.

Convicted for a crime the victim said he did not commit, at 19, he was convicted and sentenced to 15 years for robbery. Determined to correct the injustice, the author turns to writing. Over 18 months and on the brink of suicide, the author's letters led the sentencing judge to reduce the sentence by 10 years.

So begins the journey of a self-made man.

The author seeks counseling, which was a social taboo and a Godsend. The author confronts the past, determines his future, adopts positive thinking discipline, and uses the ex-con stigma to qualify for a college program. He graduates with a B.A. degree, pursues a career in public affairs in the federal government, serving seven cabinet secretaries, and serving as president of a writers guild, travels the world, sues the agency and local police, and retires at the top of the salary pyramid, a husband, father, and grandfather.

​The author illustrates the many life lessons he learns to steer readers from the pitfalls he faced.

Additionally, the author inspires readers to think positive, be true to their beliefs, and believe in themselves, even when family and friends may not, and, regardless of their past mistakes, have the attitude that you "ain't gonna be denied."
 

Buy the Book
Amazon B&N 
Apple ~ Google ~ Kobo
add to Goodreads
 
 
Meet the Author


Ronald D. Steele is a versatile talent, renowned as a writer, photographer, world traveler, and ardent tennis player. With a career spanning over two decades in federal government public affairs and information technology, Steele’s remarkable journey is a testament to his adaptability and dedication. As a freelance journalist, his work graced media outlets nationwide, and he made appearances on various television and radio stations.

Steele’s leadership as the president of the African American Writers Guild from 1989 to 1992 underscores his impact in the literary world. Born in Manhattan, he now calls Prince George’s County, Maryland home.
 

connect with author: website X ~ facebook instagram 






Friday, March 1, 2024

Poetry Spotlight: Gratitude by A.H. Morris

This morning, I have a book of poetry to share with our readers! Check out Gratitude, learn about author A.H. Morris and be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.


 

Book Title:  Gratitude: Two Hundred Short Poems by A. H. Morris
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+), 214 pages
Genre:  Poetry
Publisher:  BluePen
Release date:   Nov 2023
Content Rating:  PG-13 +M
Many of our posts contain affiliate links.
Should you purchase an item via our links--we may receive slight compensation from an
affiliate partner.  
 

About the Book

Travel through the human condition with succinctly worded verses that linger long in your mind even after you've closed the book. These poems offer a different perspective and a lovely way to view the world.
Buy the Book

Meet the Author

A.H. Morris was born in NYC in December of 1949. He lived there until he married for the first time in 2006. He and his wife, Melissa, moved to New Canaan, Ct where they continue to live. His first book of poetry, Secrets of the Universe, was published in the fall of 2000. His daily meditations are the source of inspiration for these poems.


connect with author: X ~ facebook ~  instagram goodreads


Enter the Giveaway

GRATITUDE; TWO-HUNDRED SHORT POEMS Spotlight Book Tour Giveaway



Friday, February 16, 2024

Book Review Spotlight: Roses in December by Mark A. Gibson

This morning, I have a historical, family saga in our book review spotlight! Check out A Song that Never Ends, learn about author Mark A. Gibson, read my thoughts on the book & enter the book tour giveaway at the end of this post. I had the opportunity to review both books in this series--so stop back tomorrow for my thoughts on the second book!


 
 
Book Title:  Roses in December (Hamilton Place Book 2) by Mark A. Gibson
Category:  Adult Fiction 18 yrs +,  358 pages
Genre:  Family Saga Fiction, Thriller, Historical Fiction
Publisher:  Hamilton Press (Self)
Release date:   April, 2024
Content Rating: A soft R for the following: Language, although appropriate for situation, does have a smattering (perhaps 5 uses over 350 pages) of the F-word. Sexual situations are more so implied than graphic. There is no use of derogatory descriptions for persons, sexes or races. No graphic violence is described.
 
About the Book

Jimmy Hamilton overcame childhood tragedy to become a hero in Vietnam, only to die there in 1967. All but forgotten, Jimmy leaves behind a young wife, an infant son, and a man wracked by guilt.

Circumstances allow Becca, his young widow, to be manipulated into an abusive, loveless union with Jimmy’s brother and into raising her son ignorant of his father’s true identity—a wrong she knows must be set right…but how? When?

Like Jimmy before him, James, Jr. is an intellectually gifted, albeit troubled man. Hamstrung by the false narrative of his life and then tormented by an unspeakable loss, his days are spent treading the knife’s edge between present day reality and a past he’s incapable of forgetting.

With his final act of bravery, Jimmy unknowingly saved the scion of a powerful Washington family. In so doing, he set in place circumstances that just might draw his son back from the abyss…but only if he can somehow make it home from Vietnam.

Roses in December concludes the Hamilton Place series, an epic family saga extending from the Great Depression to present day. Through war and peace, love and loss, triumph and tragedy, follow the Hamilton family on their journey from a run-down farm in South Carolina, through the jungles of Vietnam, to the top of the world in New York City, and through the gardens of stone at Arlington.
 
My Review
 
Roses in December is the Perfect Continuation of this Family Saga. This series should definitely be read in order, and, while you could read this book without picking up A Song That Never Ends, you really need to begin at the beginning with this family drama to develop the most character connections and see the rewards in some of the outcomes. This novel picks up from the first book and carries readers forward into Jimmy's life and family's ups and downs. If you read the first book, yo,u will fall immediately into sync with the author's storytelling style and the realistic feel of his scenes and character interactions.
Expect Characters to Love--and Hate. As with the first novel, dysfunction and emotional experiences fill this historical novel as readers find some new and returning characters playing out the storyline. Despite the adversity and emotional challenges--there is a feeling of goodness and hope woven alongside. There is a sense of resolution, closure and satisfaction for readers--even involving some of those not-so-likable characters.
Would I Recommend Roses in December? I loved this series. This book continues the saga in the same real-world, emotional, relatable way as the first novel and keeps the story family and life focused.  The entire series takes readers on an emotional journey that will tug at the heart, bring moments of hope and offer an ending that satisfies and feels "right". If you enjoy family-focused, historical dramas--this series is well worth a spot on your reading list.
 
Buy the Book
 
(preorder now!)
Amazon


 
CONCLUDE THIS EPIC FAMILY SAGA:

 

Book Title:  A Song that Never Ends (Hamilton Place Book I) by Mark A. Gibson
Category:  Adult Fiction 18 yrs +,  338 pages
Genre:  Family Saga Fiction, Thriller, Historical Fiction
Publisher:  Hamilton Press (Self)
Release date:   January, 2024
Content Rating: A soft R for the following: Language, although appropriate for situation, does have a smattering (perhaps 5 uses over 350 pages) of the F-word. Sexual situations are more so implied than graphic.There is no use of derogatory descriptions for persons, sexes or races. No graphic violence is described.

Many of our posts contain affiliate links.
Should you purchase an item via our links--we may receive slight compensation from an
affiliate partner.  
 

About the Book

 
Home.
For over three hundred years, that’s what the Hamilton family has called a shrinking swath of farmland in the Appalachian foothills of South Carolina.

Home.
That’s the failing tobacco farm where Walter and Maggie Hamilton choose to raise their three children. Walter has big plans to make the farm more profitable, but his plans are interrupted by World War II and family heartbreak. Walter returns from the war a changed man, and finds Maggie, too, has changed; neither of them for the better. But at least their family is together at...

Home.
More than anything, that’s where their eight-year-old son, Jimmy Hamilton, wants to be. However, after an unspeakable tragedy, he’s sent away from the only life he’s ever known—to live with a kindly uncle in North Carolina, far from…

Home.
That’s where Jimmy is finally going to be, unless fate has plans of its own…

A Song that Never Ends is the first installment of the Hamilton Place series, an epic family saga extending from the Great Depression to present day. Through war and peace, love and loss, triumph and tragedy; follow the Hamilton family on their journey from a run-down farm in South Carolina, through the jungles of Vietnam, to the top of the world in New York City, and beyond the gardens of stone at Arlington.
 
My Review
 
A Song that Never Ends Transports Readers into the Hamilton Family. From the first few pages of this novel, the scenes, the characters, the emotions, and the storyline felt real. The ups and downs of a family touched by life's events, tragedies and glimpses of happiness and hope.  Rural life, wartime emotions, family dramas, and a story that draws readers in and doesn't let go, even with the cliffhanger ending of this first book in the series! Readers will literally step into the cover art into a different time and place and journey with the family inside.
Expect Characters to Love--and Hate. Dysfunction and tragedy dot this historical novel as the cast of characters plays out the family's story.  It's impossible not to root for peace and absolution--even for the less likable characters.  The strength of the character development and emotionally realistic flow of the plot make this a book that you won't want to set aside.
Would I Recommend A Song that Never Ends? I enjoyed the emotional journey of this book--and looked forward to reading the next installment as soon as the last page ended.  There are times to smile and feel "at home" in the story--and times to feel the pain and family dysfunction as well. If you enjoy well-written, well-developed, historical family sagas, you should add this series to your reading list. This novel is not a standalone and doesn't end with resolution and closure for readers, so expect to eagerly await the second book of the series! 

Buy the Book 
 
 
 Meet the Author

Mark A. Gibson is a physician who practices Cardiology in the mountains of rural North Georgia. He was raised on a small farm in upstate South Carolina—the last postage-stamp sized sliver of a much larger parcel granted to the family by land grant from King Charles II in 1665—and may or may not have once gotten in trouble for digging up his mom’s calla lily bed in search of the family’s long-lost charter.

Dr. Gibson graduated from the Citadel in Charleston, SC with a BS in Biology. Afterwards, he received his medical degree from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia, SC. He received his Internal Medicine training through the University of Tennessee Medical System and Cardiology training through the Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center. He served for eight years on active duty with the US Air Force, before leaving the military for private practice.

Although a cardiologist by profession, Dr. Gibson is a dreamer by nature. He is a self-styled oenophile who enjoys travel and fine food. In his spare time, he builds sandcastles and dreams of distant shores.

Roses in December represents Dr. Gibson’s second offering to the world of literature, and the conclusion of his Hamilton Place Series. All previous publications have been of the professional, peer-reviewed, medical variety, and make for lovely sleep aids.


Connect with the author: amazon  ~  X/Twitter  

Enter the Giveaway
A SONG THAT NEVER ENDS (Hamilton Place) by Mark Gibson Book Tour Giveaway



Thursday, February 15, 2024

Book Review Spotlight: A Song That Never Ends by Mark A. Gibson

This morning, I have a historical, family saga in our book review spotlight! Check out A Song that Never Ends, learn about author Mark A. Gibson, read my thoughts on the book & enter the book tour giveaway at the end of this post. I had the opportunity to review both books in this series--so stop back tomorrow for my thoughts on the second book!


 

Book Title:  A Song that Never Ends (Hamilton Place Book I) by Mark A. Gibson
Category:  Adult Fiction 18 yrs +,  338 pages
Genre:  Family Saga Fiction, Thriller, Historical Fiction
Publisher:  Hamilton Press (Self)
Release date:   January, 2024
Content Rating: A soft R for the following: Language, although appropriate for situation, does have a smattering (perhaps 5 uses over 350 pages) of the F-word. Sexual situations are more so implied than graphic.There is no use of derogatory descriptions for persons, sexes or races. No graphic violence is described.

Many of our posts contain affiliate links.
Should you purchase an item via our links--we may receive slight compensation from an
affiliate partner.  
 

About the Book

 
Home.
For over three hundred years, that’s what the Hamilton family has called a shrinking swath of farmland in the Appalachian foothills of South Carolina.

Home.
That’s the failing tobacco farm where Walter and Maggie Hamilton choose to raise their three children. Walter has big plans to make the farm more profitable, but his plans are interrupted by World War II and family heartbreak. Walter returns from the war a changed man, and finds Maggie, too, has changed; neither of them for the better. But at least their family is together at...

Home.
More than anything, that’s where their eight-year-old son, Jimmy Hamilton, wants to be. However, after an unspeakable tragedy, he’s sent away from the only life he’s ever known—to live with a kindly uncle in North Carolina, far from…

Home.
That’s where Jimmy is finally going to be, unless fate has plans of its own…

A Song that Never Ends is the first installment of the Hamilton Place series, an epic family saga extending from the Great Depression to present day. Through war and peace, love and loss, triumph and tragedy; follow the Hamilton family on their journey from a run-down farm in South Carolina, through the jungles of Vietnam, to the top of the world in New York City, and beyond the gardens of stone at Arlington.
 
My Review
 
A Song that Never Ends Transports Readers into the Hamilton Family. From the first few pages of this novel, the scenes, the characters, the emotions, and the storyline felt real. The ups and downs of a family touched by life's events, tragedies and glimpses of happiness and hope.  Rural life, wartime emotions, family dramas, and a story that draws readers in and doesn't let go, even with the cliffhanger ending of this first book in the series! Readers will literally step into the cover art into a different time and place and journey with the family inside.
Expect Characters to Love--and Hate. Dysfunction and tragedy dot this historical novel as the cast of characters plays out the family's story.  It's impossible not to root for peace and absolution--even for the less likable characters.  The strength of the character development and emotionally realistic flow of the plot make this a book that you won't want to set aside.
Would I Recommend A Song that Never Ends? I enjoyed the emotional journey of this book--and looked forward to reading the next installment as soon as the last page ended.  There are times to smile and feel "at home" in the story--and times to feel the pain and family dysfunction as well. If you enjoy well-written, well-developed, historical family sagas, you should add this series to your reading list. This novel is not a standalone and doesn't end with resolution and closure for readers, so expect to eagerly await the second book of the series! 

Buy the Book 
 
CONCLUDE THIS EPIC FAMILY SAGA:
Book Title:  Roses in December (Hamilton Place Book 2) by Mark A. Gibson
Category:  Adult Fiction 18 yrs +,  358 pages
Genre:  Family Saga Fiction, Thriller, Historical Fiction
Publisher:  Hamilton Press (Self)
Release date:   April, 2024
Content Rating: A soft R for the following: Language, although appropriate for situation, does have a smattering (perhaps 5 uses over 350 pages) of the F-word. Sexual situations are more so implied than graphic. There is no use of derogatory descriptions for persons, sexes or races. No graphic violence is described.
 
About the Book

Jimmy Hamilton overcame childhood tragedy to become a hero in Vietnam, only to die there in 1967. All but forgotten, Jimmy leaves behind a young wife, an infant son, and a man wracked by guilt.

Circumstances allow Becca, his young widow, to be manipulated into an abusive, loveless union with Jimmy’s brother and into raising her son ignorant of his father’s true identity—a wrong she knows must be set right…but how? When?

Like Jimmy before him, James, Jr. is an intellectually gifted, albeit troubled man. Hamstrung by the false narrative of his life and then tormented by an unspeakable loss, his days are spent treading the knife’s edge between present day reality and a past he’s incapable of forgetting.

With his final act of bravery, Jimmy unknowingly saved the scion of a powerful Washington family. In so doing, he set in place circumstances that just might draw his son back from the abyss…but only if he can somehow make it home from Vietnam.

Roses in December concludes the Hamilton Place series, an epic family saga extending from the Great Depression to present day. Through war and peace, love and loss, triumph and tragedy, follow the Hamilton family on their journey from a run-down farm in South Carolina, through the jungles of Vietnam, to the top of the world in New York City, and through the gardens of stone at Arlington.
Buy the Book
 
(preorder now!)
Amazon
 
 Meet the Author

Mark A. Gibson is a physician who practices Cardiology in the mountains of rural North Georgia. He was raised on a small farm in upstate South Carolina—the last postage-stamp sized sliver of a much larger parcel granted to the family by land grant from King Charles II in 1665—and may or may not have once gotten in trouble for digging up his mom’s calla lily bed in search of the family’s long-lost charter.

Dr. Gibson graduated from the Citadel in Charleston, SC with a BS in Biology. Afterwards, he received his medical degree from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia, SC. He received his Internal Medicine training through the University of Tennessee Medical System and Cardiology training through the Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center. He served for eight years on active duty with the US Air Force, before leaving the military for private practice.

Although a cardiologist by profession, Dr. Gibson is a dreamer by nature. He is a self-styled oenophile who enjoys travel and fine food. In his spare time, he builds sandcastles and dreams of distant shores.

Roses in December represents Dr. Gibson’s second offering to the world of literature, and the conclusion of his Hamilton Place Series. All previous publications have been of the professional, peer-reviewed, medical variety, and make for lovely sleep aids.


Connect with the author: amazon  ~  X/Twitter  

Enter the Giveaway
A SONG THAT NEVER ENDS (Hamilton Place) by Mark Gibson Book Tour Giveaway



Thursday, February 1, 2024

Book Review: The Black Leopard's Kiss & The Writer Remembers by Laury Egan

This morning, I have a literary piece to share! Check out The Black Leopard's Kiss & The Writer Remembers, read my thoughts on the novellas and learn about author Laury Egan.



Book TitleThe Black Leopard's Kiss & The Writer Remembers by Laury A. Egan
Category:  Adult Fiction (18+), 306 pages
Genre:  Literary, with magical realism
Publisher:  Spectrum Books
Release Date: Dec 16, 2023

Content Rating:  PG + M.  Language is moderate; scenes of attempted incest and lesbian encounter.  

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