Rainy Days With Amanda

 When another Tui Snider book came up on the docket for the Lone Star Literary Life bloggers group, I signed up to review almost immediately. Since reading and reviewing her book 6 Feet Under Texas for the first time in 2020, I've been a Tui Snider fan. Her historic and niche books are something different and more than just another coffee table book. Here's my book talk of  Buried Dallas–Fort Worth: A Photographic Journey through North Texas Cemeteries   by Tui Snider. About the Author  Tui Snider is an author, speaker, photographer, YouTuber, podcast host, and musician who researches historic cemeteries and symbolism, offbeat Texas travel, overlooked history, and haunted lore. As she puts it, “I used to write fiction–but then I moved to Texas!”  Snider’s best-selling books include Understanding Cemetery Symbols , 100 Things to Do in Dallas-Fort Worth Before You Die , Paranormal Texas , and many more. Snider has several books in progress and enjoys connec...

THE FREQUENCY By Randall D. St. Claire Mystery/ Speculative Thriller/ Thriller/ Suspense/ History   Publisher: Atmosphere Press Publication Date: July 21, 2026 SYNOPSIS ════════════════════════════════════ ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　 ︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶︶⊹ He didn’t expect his life to change in a single moment. He didn’t expect it to ask anything in return. Bronx Rousselle built his small life on purpose: a pawnshop in northern Minnesota, a few familiar faces, no debts he couldn’t count, no relationship anchors. Friendship, i n his experience, always came with a cost—and Bronx never owed much to anyone. Humor helped. If he laughed hard enough at trouble, it often lost interest. Then something finds its way into his hands. Old. Hidden. Mystical at first glance. Powerful enough to draw attention from people who don’t ask—they take. Curiosity bleeds into pursuit, and luck demands a toll. As it stretches from the American Midwest to the froze...

                                   THE LAST FAIRY WITCH By Jean M. Roberts Historical Fantasy Publication Date: March 31, 2026 ∞༺✦✮✦༻✧ SYNOPSIS ∞༺✦✮✦༻✧ Hannah Heronstone appears to have everything—a devoted husband, a beloved child, and a thriving business built on ancient herbal knowledge. Yet beneath the calm surface of her life, something old and malevolent stirs. A disturbing encounter with a friend from her husband’s past awakens Hannah’s suspicion that a coven of dark witches is gathering near Wentworth Manor. When Hannah, Peter, and Johannah journey to Ireland, her fears take terrifying form as she comes face to face with an unspeakable monster. A fairy offers her aid—but in a land where truth is slippery and magic demands a price, can such a creature be trusted? And where, across legend and time, can she find the Last Fairy Witch? Centuries earlier, Eithne is a young Irish slave whose gift...

    ZIVA THE GREAT By Cindy J. Vanous Children’s Fiction: Ages 6-12 Publication Date: 21 October, 2025 32 Pages Ziva the Great  is a heartfelt picture book for older children about a Maine Coon cat learning to trust again and a quiet girl named Elsie who understands gentle things. Ziva is loving with her family but startles easily around new people-until Elsie arrives. The girl moves softly, speaks softly, and never frightens her. Their friendship grows through small moments of closeness and calm. Together, they show young readers that healing takes time, trust can return, and even quiet hearts can find comfort again. Perfect for ages 8-12, this emotional animal story supports social-emotional learning (SEL) and is ideal for parents, teachers, counselors, and classrooms. Themes include emotional healing, resilience, friendship, overcoming fear, and the bond between children and animals. First off, this is a beautifully illustrated book. The detailing on each painted page...

                                                           Pillars of Creation A Quest for the Great Name in a Nietzschean World By Carlos Nicolás Flor Literary Fiction, Coming of Age Publisher: Atmosphere Press Publication Date: 22 July, 2025 Where is God amidst the mass graves, poverty, drug trafficking, and corrupt officials on the Texas-Mexico border? Yoltic Cortez, a college dropout and aspiring writer in his mid-twenties, grapples with this question while living in an impoverished colonia. His bedridden father warns him to prepare spiritually for the challenges ahead by returning to their religious traditions and confronting the "Devil in the desert." Encouraged by his mentor, the "Failed Poet," to pursue a literary career, Yoltic struggles to write his first book. His situation is further complicated when a young Mexican woman...