Easter Elf by Rochelle Groskreutz with illustrations by Leah Di Pasquale is such a unique and fun picture book that I’m telling everyone they need to order one for the young readers in their lives. If the name Easter Elf, doesn’t make you look twice, the colorful and playful cover will have you pulling it off the shelf for a closer look. And then you’ll be hooked, because it just gets better from there.

The Griffins of Castle Cary by Heather Shumaker is a delightful ghost story with high stakes for the characters that I love in a middle-grade tale. A trio of American siblings travel to the English countryside to spend a week with their aunt who lives in a small cottage on the grounds of a Mendip Manor and the ruins of Castle Cary—long believed to be haunted. As they explore their temporary home and make some new (rather odd) friends, strange happenings put everyone on edge.

On a snowy Wisconsin evening with just a smidge of the remaining holiday chocolate at my side, I cozied up on the couch to read Amanda Zieba’s latest romantic, candy-inspired story, Champion Chocolatier: Reality Bites. Zieba’s writing has a wit that comes through in both the dialogue and creative plot, hooking the reader (me included) immediately.

Meena Meets Her Match by Karla Manternach is a sweet treat of a read that I highly recommend for young readers and their parents. Meena is a relatable main character with her own set of quirky traits that make her instantly likable. From the ups and downs of friendship and the misunderstandings of elementary school to an even bigger worry, this story takes us on Meena’s journey in a skillfully written way. The vivid descriptions will transport grown-ups back to the classroom!

I do love a good paranormal story, and recently picked up The Sisters by Wisconsin author Janet Kay. This story is an interesting tale set on historical Galveston Island, Texas that weaves in an ample supply of ghostly entities and reincarnated souls.

A few years ago, I met Kelly DiNardo at a writing conference in Madison, Wisconsin. Kelly was an instructor that year, and we struck up a conversation where I learned that she had recently relocated to Madison from the East Coast. I have to admit I was fascinated by her freelance writing career, which included publication in well-known national magazines.

Happy Release day to author Rex Owens and the final book in the Irish Troubles series--Dead Reckoning!

Midnight Teacher: Lilly Ann Granderson and Her Secret School by Janet Halfmann is an incredible treasure of a story, bringing readers into the life of this little-known and exceptionally brave teacher who ignored the law of the mid-1

In just a few short days (March 6 to be precise) a wonderful middle-grade novel hits the shelves with the release of The Stupendous Adventures of Mighty Marty Hayes. It was a treat to read this book in advance. It’s a fast-paced adventure about kids who have a love for science, a fascination for all things spy related, and are just realizing that they have inherited some special talents.

Today I welcome author Sara Dahmen. Besides being the creator of excellently-written women’s historical fiction novels, she is an event planner, an artisan, business owner, wife, and mother of three. Her research for her new novel Widow, formerly titled Dr.