Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More


Journaling Fame by Allison KugelJournaling Fame by Allison Kugel

Thanks Jaime Katz of Full Scale Media, I am giving away one print copy of Journaling Fame by Allison Kugel.

Description of Journaling Fame by Allison Kugel

Journaling Fame takes readers inside the turbulent mind and precocious soul of celebrity journalist, Allison Kugel, as she recalls the evolution and fall out from a near paralyzing anxiety disorder while navigating a decade interviewing some of Hollywood’s most famous (and infamous) names. Between numerous celebrity interactions and harrowing memories of youth and adolescents, she attempts to piece together the moments of her life that, both, built her career and fostered severe panic attacks that threatened to undo it all.

Allison provides an ultimate insider’s guide into the celebrity journalism and publicity machines that the public doesn’t see, along with shared personal memories of high-profile Hollywood friendships. She pulls no punches when going into excruciating detail about her experiences with anxiety, panic attacks and obsessive compulsive disorder. Her memoir seamlessly weaves in and out of her professional triumphs and personal struggles with self-examination, humor and irony. 

For a decade, Allison Kugel was entrenched in the culture of celebrity, as an entertainment, pop culture and political journalist whose work was quoted and re-printed by hundreds of media outlets, worldwide. She is co-founder and co-creator of the Upitch App, the world’s first mobile application matching press releases and story pitches with targeted journalists. She is a lifelong philanthropist for various animal and children’s charities. Allison splits her time between Florida and New York with her hilarious son and a willful Shih Ztu.

About Allison Kugel

For a decade, Allison Kugel was entrenched in the culture of celebrity as an entertainment, pop culture and political journalist whose work was quoted and re-printed by hundreds of media outlets, worldwide. She has interviewed more than 200 newsmakers from film, television, music, sports, fashion and politics.

She is now co-founder of the Upitch app – “Tinder” for PR and journalists. Kugel is a lifelong philanthropist for various animal and children’s charities, including Project Night Night. She and her son live in Florida and New York.

Giveaway of Journaling Fame by Allison Kugel

This giveaway is open to the U.S. only and ends on May 13, 2017 midnight pacific time.  Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Minger`s Tale by R.B.N. BookmarkMinger`s Tale by R.B.N. Bookmark

Publisher: Create Space (Mar 18, 2016)
Category: Satirical Biography, Humor, Memoir
Tour Date: Mar & Apr, 2017
ISBN: 978-1517428396
ASIN: B01DJAXURM
Available in: Print & ebook,  278 Pages

A Minger's Tale

British slang definition: “ A minger is a male or female who fell out of the ugly tree at birth and hit every branch on the way down.”

A Minger`s Tale is not so much of a biography, but more of a “Boyography”.

It is a humorous account of growing up in the back streets of Manchester, England during the 1960`s and 70`s.

“Do pastures greener exist for the colour blind –and how would they ever know?

This is the conundrum Bookmark is faced with and the results are akin to a dog looking for a lamp post in a blackout.

Bookmark does indeed find some of lifes lamp posts, but more often than not he just winds up getting his feet wet.

My Thoughts Minger`s Tale by R.B.N. Bookmark

Wow, I thought I had a rough time as a kid.  What I endured was not much compared to what R.B.N. Bookmark (Ribban) endured.  First, it’s important to know the definition of a “Minger”.  “A minger is a male or female who fell out of the ugly tree at birth and hit every branch on the way down.”  When I read that, I envisioned the old ‘Road Runner’ cartoons.  That poor Coyote always got hurt in the end.  He hit every rock, fell off cliffs, exploded, etc.  It was funny!  The different was that Coyote got what he deserved for going after Roadrunner.  Ribban did not usually go looking for trouble but it found him.  He was born into it.

With humor, Ribban tells his story of growing up in one of the poorest parts of England, Manchester. Life was hard and the people in it did not make it any easier.  The entire neighborhood seemed like one big dysfunction from the way Ribban describes it.  I laughed so much at his expense and antics, he wants the reader to.  He lightens the load while still telling his truth.  Sure, there were times he got to laugh as a kid but not as much as I laughed reading his story.  I felt sad for what he had to go through.

It takes a lot of talent to make comedy out of tragedy but that is just what Ribban has achieved.  I admire his courage and his ability to make a better life as an adult.  ‘A Minger’s Tale’ is well written, full of humor, and tragic.  It reminds me somewhat of ‘Running With Scissors’ by Augusten Burroughs. I highly recommend ‘A Minger’s Tale’!

5/5

I received the ebook version for my honest review.

About R.B.N. BookmarkMinger`s Tale by R.B.N. Bookmark

“Hindsight & perforated toilet paper
are what sets us apart from the apes”: rbn bookmark

Originally from Manchester in the UK, R.B.N. Bookmark left the damp north of England behind him and exiled himself to the frozen north of Scandinavia where he has remained these last 25 years.

He began writing 3 years ago, urged on by family and friends
A Minger`s Tale-Beginnings eventually saw the light of day in March 2016.

The books quirky humour portrays the flipside of life in northern England during the 1970`s through to the mid 1980`s.

Website: http://www.rbnbookmark.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RBN-Bookmark-988776994541136/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rbnbookmark

Buy Minger`s Tale by R.B.N. Bookmark

Amazon.com
Amazon UK
Barnes&Noble
IndieBound
Book Depository

Giveaway Minger`s Tale by R.B.N. Bookmark

There is still time to enter the giveaway to win a copy of ‘A Minger’s Tale’ for your very own!  This giveaway is for the winner’s choice of one print or ebook. Print is open to Canada, UK, and the U.S. only however, ebook is open worldwide.  This giveaway ends on April 28, 2017 at midnight pacific time.  Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow Minger`s Tale by R.B.N. Bookmark

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Mar 2 Kick Off & Giveaway

Carole Rae’s Random Ramblings Mar 3  Review

Writer G. Goodreads Reviewer by Apr 28 Review

Oluwa Goodreads Reviewer by Mar 3 Review

BookSpin Mar 6 Guest Post

Amanda Amazon Reviewer Mar 7 Review

Greg Amazon Reviewer by Mar 8 Review

Cindy’s Notebook Mar 10 Excerpt

Second Book to the Right Mar 13 Excerpt & Giveaway

Urban Book Reviews Mar 15 Review

Cate Amazon Reviewer by Apr 5 Review

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus Apr 10 Review

Mary Lou Amazon Reviewer by Apr 28 Review

Minger`s Tale by R.B.N. Bookmark

Six Days in Leningrad Paullina SimonsSix Days in Leningrad Paullina Simons


Six Days in Leningrad is the memoir of the famous author of ‘The Bronze Horseman’ series, Paulina Simons.  It is about the journey behind ‘The Bronze Horseman’. Paulina was born in Russia and soon after she started writing her first story, she traveled from the U.S. to Leningrad with her father to do some research.  (Note: Leningrad is now known as St. Petersburg). 

It had been a quarter of a century since Paulina and her father visited their homeland and it was not what they expected.  They found a city that looked war torn as if it had gone back in time.  They saw buildings in disarray, bombed fields that wouldn’t grow food, and huge families living together in small rooms.  Despite that, they also met up with old family friends that were still as warm and inviting as ever.

 Six Days in Leningrad is the story of Paulina Simons family history and the nation they came from. Though it has a slow start, it is a poignant story and history that reads very much, like a novel. At times I felt like I was there with Paulina and her father, witnessing what has become of her childhood home. 

My grandparents fled from Russia as Jews being persecuted.  They wouldn’t talk about it but I imagine from the few words they did speak, that they were in one of the Jewish ghettos.  I hate to imagine what they went through and know they wanted to protect us from their reality.  I have read quite a bit about Russia and its history.  I don’t feel any kind of tie to it but am curious about it, as I am about many countries and their histories.

4/5

I received a ebook from Edelweiss and this is my honest review.

About Paulina SimonsSix Days in Leningrad Paullina Simons


Paullina Simons was born in Leningrad, USSR, in 1963. At the age of ten her family immigrated to the United States. Growing up in Russia Paullina dreamt of someday becoming a writer. Her dream was put on hold as she learned English and overcame the shock of a new culture. 

After graduating from university and after various jobs including working as a financial journalist and as a translator, Paullina wrote her first novel Tully. Through word of mouth that book was welcomed by readers all over the world. 

She continued with more novels, including Red Leaves, Eleven Hours, The Bronze Horseman, The Bridge to Holy Cross (also known as Tatiana and Alexander), The Summer Garden and The Girl in Times Square (also known as Lily). Many of Paullina’s novels have reached international bestseller lists. 

Apart from her novels, Paullina has also written a cookbook, Tatiana’s Table, which is a collection of recipes, short stories and recollections from her best selling trilogy of novels, The Bronze Horseman, The Bridge to Holy Cross, (also known as Tatiana and Alexander) and The Summer Garden