Two Points of Interest

Saturday, October 2, 2021

Book Review - Bluebird by Sharon Cameron + Giveaway

In 1946, Eva was given the opportunity to leave behind the rubble of Berlin for the streets of New York City. Eva managed to escape the aftermath of the war but, ends up being a pawn in a struggle for power and intelligence. Eva knows the details behind a secret powerful project called Bluebird. Project Bluebird encapsulates the knowledge gained from performing mind experiments on people in the concentration camps. The knowledge can be deadly and tip the scale of power if landed in the wrong hands. Both the Americans and the Soviets want the details of the project and are willing to stop at nothing to get it.

Eva didn't come to America to be a pawn for the Americans or the Soviets. She doesn't want a new life either. She wants justice against one specific Nazi that managed to escape justice for their crimes. Eva is willing to put everything on the line to get it.

I thought the book was an interesting historic read. I never knew about project Bluebird specifically so, it was interesting to learn more about it from the author's notes. The narrative and the character interactions were confusing at times to follow along and long winded. I felt that some of the interaction between Eva and Jake didn't feel authentic at times. Overall, it's a good book for readers who love historic fiction novels.

**Disclosure - I received an unedited copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

About the Book:

Title: BLUEBIRD

Author: Sharon Cameron

Pub. Date: October 5, 2021

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Pages: 464

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

Author of Reese's Book Club YA Pick The Light in Hidden Places, Sharon Cameron, delivers an emotionally gripping and utterly immersive thriller, perfect for fans of Ruta Sepetys's Salt to the Sea.

A historical novel, set in postwar New York City.

In 1946, Eva leaves behind the rubble of Berlin for the streets of New York City, stepping from the fiery aftermath of one war into another, far colder one, where power is more important than principles, and lies are more plentiful than the truth. Eva holds the key to a deadly secret: Project Bluebird -- a horrific experiment of the concentration camps, capable of tipping the balance of world power. Both the Americans and the Soviets want Bluebird, and it is something that neither should ever be allowed to possess.

But Eva hasn't come to America for secrets or power. She hasn't even come for a new life. She has come to America for one thing: justice. And the Nazi that has escaped its net.

Grab The Light in Hidden Places now!

About Sharon:

SHARON CAMERON’s debut novel The Dark Unwinding was awarded the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators' Sue Alexander Award for Most Promising New Work and the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award, and was named a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection. Sharon is also the author of its sequel, A Spark Unseen; Rook, which was selected as an Indiebound Indie Next List Top Ten selection, a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection, and a Parents' Choice gold medalist; and The Forgetting, a #1 New York Times bestseller and an Indie Next Pick of the List selection, and its companion novel, The Knowing. The Light in Hidden Places received two starred reviews, was a Reese's YA Book Club pick, and received fantastic media coverage for Sharon's strong research and affecting prose. It has sold in 14 languages. Sharon lives with her family in Nashville, Tennessee and can be found at sharoncameronbooks.com.

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of BLUEBIRD. US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/21/2021	YA Books Central	Excerpt
9/22/2021	Kait Plus Books	Excerpt
9/22/2021	Rajiv's Reviews	Review
9/23/2021	Lifestyle of Me	Review
9/23/2021	Sometimes Leelynn Reads	Review
9/24/2021	Book-Keeping	Review
9/25/2021	Just Another Reader	Review

Week Two:

9/26/2021	Review Thick & Thin	Review
9/27/2021	Balancing Books and Bottles with	Review
9/28/2021	Fire and Ice	Review
9/28/2021	The Pages In-Between	Review
9/29/2021	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Review
9/30/2021	A Dream Within A Dream	Excerpt
9/30/2021	BookHounds YA	Excerpt
10/1/2021	Momfluenster	Review
10/1/2021	Locks, Hooks and Books	Review
10/2/2021	@Curlygrannylovestoread	Review

Week Three:

10/3/2021	Two Points of Interest	Review
10/4/2021	Lisa Loves Literature	Review
10/4/2021	@minnesota_mailer	Review

Thursday, September 30, 2021

September 2021 Haul Part 2!

I felt like the first half of the year went by slowly and now, its already the end of the year! Time really does fly when you are having fun. Honestly, I haven't do anything fun in the last two years so, I have no idea what I am even talking about.

I got a few sheet masks that I am excited to try. I got the new Facetory dream garden camellia mask. So far, all the masks I have tried from their newer "more expensive" line has been great. They do have "everyday" masks that are also a good value. I like the packaging of Needly's Peony jelly mask. It looks like a deflated ghost.

CBD has been popping up in beauty products a lot more recently. I have tried a few and the jury is out because a lot of "experts" say CBD has no effect in skincare products. I am not sure if the CBD actually makes a difference or the product itself is good without it. I got this new lip butter that has CBD in it and I am excited. It has a nice tropical scent and its called Truly Pineaple Haze CBD Glossy Lip Butter. Upon further inspection, I just noticed this product doesn't third party seal to verify their CBD claims. I have read that a lot of companies claim that their products have a certain level or grade but, without the third party verification service its hard to prove how true that is. However, I will still try the lip balm but, I would need to be better at read the labels in the future.

I heard great things about the brand called Nudestix. I got this new lip glaze in nude cherry. It is the perfect shade of red. I got a tinted lip balm from Honest Beauty. I have tried their lip balms and lotions and thought they were okay. They weren't anything noteworthy compared to other similar brands.

Lastly, I got three new masks that I am excited to try. I got the new Glow Recipe watermelon glow pore tight facial. I had mixed results with this brand but, I do love how good it smells. I got a cream mask from Sandawha and it just looks so pretty. I got another GlamGlow mask. I had mixed results with this one before. Hopefully, I get some Hollywood results this time around.

Did you get anything new this month that you are excited to try?

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Book Spotlight - Spirit Fire by Susan McCauley + Giveaway

About the Book

Title: SPIRIT FIRE (Ghost Hunters #3)

Author: Susan McCauley

Pub. Date: September 28, 2021

Publisher: Celtic Sea Publishing

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, TBD, Bookshop.org

Kindle Unlimited members will be able to read this for FREE!

Who—or what—is causing the fires in the French Quarter? A little girl? A long-dead prisoner? An evil presence calling to those beyond the grave?

In this spooky, fast-paced adventure, twelve-year-old Alex must fight smoke, flames, and ghostly prisoners to stop whatever’s causing the blazes—before more lives are lost.

Haven’t started the series yet? Grab books 1 & 2, BONES IN THE WALL & PIRATE’S CURSE for FREE with a KU subscription! Or get the audiobook for book 1 for FREE on Audible!

BONES IN THE WALL: Kindle, Audible

PIRATE’S CURSE: Kindle

About Susan:

Susan is an award winning author of paranormal, fantasy, and horror for adults, young adults, and middle grade readers. She first fell in love with the paranormal when she was three years old and scared witless on Disney's Haunted Mansion ride, but begged her parents to ride again and again!

Susan has lived on all three coasts of the United States, as well as having spent a few years in the U.K. She loves to travel, scuba dive, practice taekwondo (she's not a black belt - yet!), read, see movies, and go to the theatre. She's also passionate about animals and has a special place in her heart for cats. You can visit her on the web at www.sbmccauley.com

Giveaway Details:

2 winners will receive a finished copy of book 1 in the GHOST HUNTERS series & swag (Ghost Hunters bag, Evil Eye pendant from Turkey, series branded bookmark), US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/6/2021	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt
9/7/2021	A Dream Within A Dream	Guest Post
9/8/2021	Lexijava	Excerpt
9/9/2021	Writer of Wrongs	Guest Post
9/10/2021	Rajiv's Reviews	Review
9/11/2021	Jazzy Book Reviews	Excerpt

Week Two:

9/12/2021	bellesmiddlegrade	Review
9/13/2021	BookHounds YA	Excerpt
9/14/2021	YA Books Central	Excerpt
9/15/2021	Rockstar Book Tours	IG Post
9/16/2021	Wottaread	Excerpt
9/17/2021	Amy's Book Nook	Review
9/18/2021	Books a Plenty Book Reviews	Review

Week Three:

9/19/2021	dinipandareads	Review
9/20/2021	Don't Judge, Read	Excerpt
9/21/2021	I'm Shelfish	Excerpt
9/22/2021	Jaime's World	Excerpt
9/23/2021	The Bookwyrm's Den	Review
9/24/2021	hauntedbybooks	Review
9/25/2021	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Review

Week Four:

9/26/2021	@Curlygrannylovestoread	Review
9/27/2021	Locks, Hooks and Books	Review
9/28/2021	Books and Zebras @jypsylynn	Review
9/29/2021	The Momma Spot	Review
9/30/2021	Two Points of Interest	Review

Sunday, September 26, 2021

Book Spotlight - Pahua And The Soul Stealer by Lori M. Lee + Giveaway

About The Book:

Title: PAHUA AND THE SOUL STEALER

Author: Lori M. Lee

Pub. Date: September 7, 2021

Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 320

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents Lori M. Lee's middle grade debut about a lonely Hmong girl who discovers she's a powerful shaman warrior in this fantasy inspired by Southeast Asian mythology.

Pahua Moua has a bit of a reputation for being a weirdo. A lonely eleven-year-old Hmong girl with the unique ability to see spirits, she spends her summer days babysitting her little brother and playing with her best friend, a cat spirit no one else can see.
One day Pahua accidentally untethers an angry spirit from the haunted bridge in her neighborhood--whoops. When her brother suddenly falls sick and can't be awoken, Pahua fears that the bridge spirit has stolen his soul. She returns to the scene of the crime with her aunt's old shaman tools, hoping to confront the spirit and demand her brother's return. Instead, she summons a demon.

Thankfully, a warrior shaman with a bit of an attitude problem shows up at the last minute and saves her butt. With the help of this guide, Pahua will have to find her way through the spirit worlds and rescue her brother's soul before it's too late. Little does she know she'll have her own discoveries to make along the way. . . .

With its unforgettable characters, unique nature-based magic system, breathtaking twists and reveals, and climactic boss battle, this story based on Hmong oral tradition offers everything a fantasy lover could want.

About Lori:

Lori M. Lee is the author of speculative novels and short stories. Her books include PAHUA AND THE SOUL STEALER (Disney/Rick Riordan Presents), FOREST OF SOULS and the sequel BROKEN WEB (Page Street), and more. She’s also a contributor to the anthologies A THOUSAND BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS and COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES. She considers herself a unicorn fan, enjoys marathoning TV shows, and loves to write about magic, manipulation, and family.

Photo credit PrettyGeeky Photography.

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will win a finished copy of PAHUA AND THE SOUL STEALER, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/1/2021	Kait Plus Books	Excerpt
9/2/2021	YA Books Central	Excerpt
9/3/2021	Nerdophiles	Review
9/4/2021	Bibliosini	Review

Week Two:

9/5/2021	Rajiv's Reviews	Review
9/6/2021	Book-Keeping	Review
9/7/2021	The Bookwyrm's Den	Review
9/8/2021	booksaremagictoo	Review
9/9/2021	Sometimes Leelynn Reads	Review
9/10/2021	Log Cabin Library	Review
9/11/2021	Books a Plenty Book Reviews	Review

Week Three:

9/12/2021	Lifestyle of Me	Review
9/13/2021	Emelie's Books	Review
9/14/2021	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Review
9/15/2021	Locks, Hooks and Books	Review
9/16/2021	More Books Please blog	Review
9/17/2021	Discover Elysian	Review
9/18/2021	Don't Judge, Read	Review

Week Four:

9/19/2021	@pagesofyellow	Review
9/20/2021	TLC Book Nook	Review
9/21/2021	Fyrekatz Blog	Review
9/22/2021	The Momma Spot	Review
9/23/2021	Lexijava	Excerpt
9/24/2021	hauntedbybooks	Review
9/25/2021	BookHounds YA	Excerpt

Week Five:

9/26/2021	A Court of Coffee and Books	Review
9/27/2021	YA Book Nerd	Excerpt
9/28/2021	PopTheButterfly Reads	Review
9/29/2021	@fictitious.fox	Review
9/30/2021	Two Points of Interest	Review