Month: June 2026

BIRDBRAINS: A Lyrical Guide to Washington State Birds by Susan Rich, Stephanie Delaney, and Hiroko Seki

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I recently was offered this book by the authors’ very pleasant publicist. Since it was okay that I did NOT live in Washington, I happily accepted it since I do love birds (but don’t know much about them).

This was such a unique approach to learning about and celebrating birds! A “lyrical guide” is how it’s framed, and each entry has hand-drawn art depicting the bird, as well as a poem. It was really a delight to look through this book and I am so thankful for the print copy I received. I thought as I read this that it would make a lovely gift for someone living in or moving to Washington State, or really just for anyone who loves and is interested in birds!

Thank you so much for thinking of me and reaching out!

Here’s the scoop:

Birdbrains: A Lyrical Guide to Washington State Birds is a one-of-a-kind Washington State bird guide. The anthology includes original pen and ink sumi-e paintings by artist Hiroko Seki, bird fact notes, and short poems/stories/memoir. Poems/prose are bird-focused rather than human centered. The bird notes include information about song, call, mating rituals, habitat, migration, climate, dark comedy, and fun facts.

Birdbrains brings to the stage 107 species of Washington birds in the words of ninety-eight talented poets and writers. The contributors come from different regions of Washington State, from other parts of the USA, and even from faraway lands such as Ireland. In the mix of talent, there are contributions from four Washington State Poet Laureates (Elizabeth Austen, Claudia Castro Luna, Kathleen Flenniken, and Derek Sheffield), three Pulitzer Prize winners (Rae Armantrout, Ted Kooser, and Diane Seuss), and a special collaborative poem by Ann Teplick’s young students at Seattle Children’s.

(summary from Amazon)

Product Review: the Makana Mask

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My friends over at Team Chic Execs sent me an offer to trial a Makana Mask – https://makanamasks.com/ – and to give some feedback. I don’t really get too many offers for non-book items but a mask is something I can use and I was happy to give it a try.

I ordered a black mask in medium and it arrived promptly with a heavy duty filter.

My focus was on three questions:

  1. How it does it fit/feel?
  2. Can I breathe in it comfortably?
  3. And this is specific to me – can I sing in it?

Since COVID, I keep masks around for travel as we travel by plane often. I also have a lot of allergies and I keep masks for when I’m going down to clean in the basement as I’m allergic to dust and mold (it’s my excuse to clean as little as possible lol). And finally, I do a lot of singing – both at church as a cantor and choir member, and in community theater. Having a good mask, especially for rehearsals when others might be ill or if I have a scratchy throat, is key!

So here’s what I found:

  1. The mask fit securely and was soft and comfortable. It really sealed and I did not feel like air was going out the sides, etc. It also did NOT fog up my glasses (which I wear mostly for distance). My family could still hear my speaking voice distinctly, too.
  2. Yes – I could breathe in it. Here’s where things got a little tricky – I could breathe, but I couldn’t exert myself and breathe/pant without feeling like I was using up the air. Again, it’s got a strong sealed fit (for safety), and I was using a heavy duty filter, so a lot of air wasn’t creeping in. But for strolling around my basement and sitting down doing stuff without exertion, I was totally fine. Would I put it on and go for a run? No.
  3. To be honest, like the “I’m not going to go for a run in this” point above, I really couldn’t get enough air to sing in it. I’m a high soprano and I require a lot of air. That did not work with this mask. However, they do make another filter that is considered light duty and “breathable”. I did wonder if perhaps that would fit my needs for singing.

Info on the mask and filters and how to buy them can be found here: https://makanamasks.com/shop/ (note: this is NOT an affiliate link for BBNB).

Thank you for sharing this product with me and getting my feedback! I appreciate it! Below is a picture of me “modeling” it.

Like Snow Before Sun by Marianne Rabalais Sulser

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Coming out June 9 is a beautifully written piece of historical fiction from Atmosphere Press: Like Snow Before Sun.

Marianna Rabalais Sulser tells the story of Jeanne LeJeune, a young woman who is part French, part Mi’kmaw, in 1700s Nova Scotia. I did not know much about Nova Scotia and Acadia during the time of the French and Indian War, and it was so interesting to read of how the people tried to not take sides and just live their lives, only to be turned upon by the British and displaced to other areas against their choice. This is a piece of history I did not know about and it was so interesting to read Jeanne’s story against this backdrop.

Beautifully written, with a story that highlights the upheaval at that time for Acadians, Like Snow Before Sun is highly recommended for those who enjoy historical fiction and stories of strong women.

Thank you to my friends at Books Forward for my copy to review!

Here’s the scoop:

INSPIRED BY TRUE STORIES

Which will you sacrifice-the father that raised you, or the nation you adore?

Acadia, 1755. Jeanne LeJeune has always lived between worlds-the fierce daughter of a French merchant and a Mi’kmaw woman, she is torn between the quiet rhythms of village life and the wild heartbeats of her mother’s people. But when her father is seized by English soldiers, her fragile peace shatters.

To win his freedom, Jeanne agrees to guide an English officer through the wilds of Nova Scotia-a choice that entangles her in the coming storm of war. What begins as a wary alliance soon becomes a journey fraught with danger, betrayal, and passion.

As the drums of conflict echo through the untamed heart of the forest, Jeanne must face an impossible choice: betray her heart to save her father or risk everything for the nation who shaped her soul.

Lush, romantic, and unflinching, Like Snow Before Sun captures a love tested by loyalty, loss, and the devastating cost of survival.

Here’s a bit about Marianna from her website: https://www.mariannesulser.com/about-the-author/

Bookouture Blog Tour for The People Next Door by Carla Kovach

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I’m excited to be part of the tour for this new novel that is SO suspenseful and thrilling! It’s The People Next Door by Carla Kovach. It kept me guessing the whole book and I also kept thinking how it would make a GREAT limited series for Netflix. I really like stories told from different points of view, too.

Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour.

Here’s the scoop:

Dear Neighbour. I know who you are. I know what you did…

After that summer, I swore I’d never come back to Clover Lane. But when my aunt left us her house, I couldn’t say no. The last in a neat row of houses with white fences and countryside views, it was the life I’d always dreamed of for my family. They deserved it, even if I didn’t.


As the last boxes are unpacked and neighbours drop by to welcome us, I see the sparkle back in my daughter Morgan’s eyes and know we’re safe. I won’t ever let her near the woods where my best friend went missing, but welcome gifts and a coffee date with my neighbours have me feeling like we belong here. But then the first letter arrives, and my perfect new life shatters…


Suddenly, I notice curtains twitch as I unload the car and I find myself looking over my shoulder every time I leave the house. When more letters arrive and rumours poison the street, I start double-locking the doors at night. How much do I really know about the people next door? Are my children safe? Is there anyone I can trust?


Someone in this close-knit community thinks they know what happened that summer. I know they’re wrong, but my worst fear is realised when the last letter drops: Morgan is missing…

If you loved reading The Housemaid, The Perfect Marriage and The Girl on the Train, you will devour this absolutely jaw-dropping psychological thriller from Carla Kovach.

Buy links – NOT affiliated with BBNB:

Here’s a bit about the author:

Carla has been writing seriously since her mid-thirties. She started by writing stage plays which led to her producing and directing her own full length piece of theatre. After that, she decided to write films and books where she began by self-publishing. In the past, she has acted in a few indie films and has also co-owned a photography and video production company.

Right now, she is a full time crime and thriller author living in Worcester with her husband, Nigel and Poppy the cat.

Okay – hold the phone a minute here. Carla — we are practically NEIGHBORS! I live near Worcester as well. We could get together and drink coffee and chat about books and writing and theater if you want!

The Windsor Affair by Melanie Benjamin

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I love Melanie Benjamin’s novels but I truly adored this book! I love anything to do with the royals and it was so interesting to have a book that is largely written from the viewpoint of the Queen Mother. And it involves that crass Wallis Simpson who stole the heart of a king! So fun to read about the characters as they are all real people.

I highly recommend it to those who enjoy historical fiction related to the royals from not too long ago!

Thank you for my copy!

Here’s the scoop:

Description

A scandalous affair. A power struggle for the throne. A sensational rivalry between an English queen and an American social climber. In this electrifying novel, the New York Times bestselling author of The Swans of Fifth Avenue tells the story of the Abdication of Edward VIII—and the two women at the center of it all.

“As deliciously dishy as an English cream tea and the royal gossip whispered over it!”—Kate Quinn, author of The Astral Library

Feuding Windsor brothers and their wives—some things, it seems, never change. The Windsor Affair recreates the cataclysmic events that nearly toppled the monarchy and incited the power struggle between Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and Wallis Simpson. Told from the perspective of both women, the novel propels readers into the fabulous world of the debonair Prince of Wales, café society of the 1930s, and the glittering private lives of the Windsors. The first novel to be dedicated to this infamous rivalry, The Windsor Affair brings us all the gossip and intrigue between the two very different—yet perhaps more similar than they would admit—wives of royals.

As Queen, Elizabeth would become the symbol of British pluck and courage during World War II and remain a British institution the rest of her long life. Wallis would be forever forced to enact the World’s Greatest Love Story even after it sours, as she goes from being admired to vilified and, ultimately, pitied. Against the backdrop of the Abdication Crisis, World War II, coronations, funerals, births, and deaths, these two women maintain a biting, sharp-tongued feud—until age and the long arm of history bring about a kind of understanding. For the last communication between these bitter rivals was a simple, surprising message: “In friendship, Elizabeth.”

Blog Tour for HARRY ALTMAN: BUFFALO’S MASTER SHOWMAN by Susan Fenster

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I’m shouting it out today for a new historical fiction novel that sounds really interesting, especially if you love the history of live entertainment as I do!

Entertainment history often focuses on the performers audiences recognized, while the people creating the spaces behind those moments disappear into the background. Susan Fenster’s Harry Altman: Buffalo’s Master Showman centers on one of those overlooked figures and the world that surrounded him.

Synopsis:
The rise of Harry Altman unfolded during a period when entertainment was changing rapidly and audiences were searching for something larger, louder, and more immersive than before. Through casinos, nightclubs, and performance venues, Altman became part of that transformation, helping shape experiences that kept crowds returning night after night.

What appeared glamorous from the outside carried enormous pressure behind the scenes. Success depended on constant movement, financial risk, and an ability to keep pace with an industry that rarely stopped changing. As public habits evolved and new entertainment models emerged, the structures Altman built began losing their footing.

Susan Fenster reconstructs this vanished world through archival discoveries, historical fragments, and surviving records that reveal how quickly influence can fade once an era passes. Rather than presenting a straightforward rise-and-fall story, the book examines the instability beneath visibility itself.

Harry Altman: Buffalo’s Master Showman explores memory, reinvention, and the uneasy reality that some people help define an era without remaining part of the story that survives afterward.

Author bio: 

Susan Fenster is a nonfiction author and historian whose work focuses on New York State and the evolving cultural life of the region.

With degrees in history and journalism from Buffalo State University, she brings together long-form research and narrative storytelling to examine how people, businesses, and communities shaped their time. Her work draws extensively from archival sources, including newspapers, business records, and local collections.

She has spent more than 30 years writing about the region and lives in Williamsville, New York.

Visit Susan at her website.

Amazon: https://bit.ly/4a8Qrsm (not affiliated with BBNB)

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/243895850-harry-altman