Katie's Really Bad Day by Kathleen Jeffrey

Katie is always anxious about tests, but one day she was so anxious, she couldn’t take the test.

Everyone in the class knew because she started scribbling on her desk and crying.

Her teacher quickly told Katie she had some coping mechanisms, and her friend said he understood.

KATIE’S REALLY BAD DAY highlights the themes of caring, friendship, learning to cope with and to solve problems together, and knowing that others have similar problems.

The gorgeous illustrations enhance the book’s themes.

A gentle, lovely read that will help children there is always a solution to things.  5/5

Thank you to the author for a copy of this book.  All opinions are my own.

Spotlight of Fireflies in Winter by Eleanor Shearer

PHOTO CREDIT:  TYPORAMA

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FIREFLIES IN WINTER

ELEANOR SHEARER

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ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS COURTESY OF AN E-MAIL FROM ELISHA KATZ AND THE PUBLISHER'S WEBSITE.

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A gripping novel of two young women fighting for survival on the edge of the wilderness, and the love that simultaneously sustains them and threatens their very existence, from the author of the Good Morning America Book Club pick River Sing Me Home.

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February 10

Berkley Publishing

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PRAISE FOR FIREFLIES IN WINTER:

“Fireflies in Winter is simply luminous. Eleanor Shearer powerfully explores the fragile spaces in history where Black citizens negotiate freedom, the harsh choices frequently forced upon them, and the powerful force of love within those spaces. A book to treasure.”—Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Briar Club

“Lyrical, luminous, subtle and moving. A story of resilience in an unforgiving world, as starkly beautiful as a northern winter.”—Fiona Valpy, bestselling author of The Dressmaker’s Gift

“Shearer is adept at writing quietly beautiful, heart-wrenching passages. Under her mastery, history is alive in new and wondrous ways. Truly a book for these times; a testament to love, and the indomitable human spirit.”—Chikodili Emelumadu, author of Dazzling

“Eleanor Shearer has a compelling way of taking a chamber in history we think we know already, then leading us through hidden doors into chambers off it we had no idea were there. Fireflies in Winter does this abundantly and deserves to be seized upon not just by book clubs but by school libraries.”—Patrick Gale, Sunday Times bestselling author of A Place Called Winter

“Beautiful… Shearer thoroughly grounds her story in the realistic details of a history most readers won’t be familiar with, and she conveys the joys and dangers of life in Nova Scotia, where humpback whales leap in the ocean and bear attacks can be fatal. It’s a subtle and morally complex depiction of the price of freedom.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Powerful… combines vividly drawn characters with an emotionally engrossing narrative that explores both the power of love and the difficult choices sometimes required to survive.”—Library Journal (starred review)

“Both a fascinating examination of the cost of freedom and a moving account of love outside society’s expectations… [A] triumph of spare but powerful storytelling.”—Booklist

“Haunting, atmospheric and compelling, Fireflies in Winter showcases Shearer’s trademark intelligence, imagination and delicacy of touch.”—Jessica Moor, author of The Keeper

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ABOUT FIREFLIES IN WINTER:

Nova Scotia, 1796. Cora, an orphan newly arrived from Jamaica, has never felt cold like this. In the depths of winter, everyone in her community huddles together in their homes to keep warm. So when she sees a shadow slipping through the trees, Cora thinks her eyes are deceiving her…until she creeps out into the moonlight and finds the tracks in the snow.

Agnes is in hiding. On the run from her former life, she has learned what it takes to survive alone in the wilderness. But she can afford no mistakes. When she first spies the young woman in the woods, she is afraid. Yet Cora is fearless, and their paths are destined to cross.

Deep among the cedars, Cora and Agnes find a fragile place of safety. But when Agnes’s past closes in, they are confronted with the dangerous price of freedom—and of love….

With evocative prose and immersive storytelling, Fireflies in Winter is a powerful novel about love—love for the wilderness in all its unforgiving beauty, and love between two women who risk everything to be together.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Photo: © Lucinda Douglas-Menzies

Eleanor Shearer is a mixed-race writer and the granddaughter of Windrush generation immigrants.

She splits her time between London and Ramsgate on the English coast so that she never has to go too long without seeing the sea.

For her Master’s degree in Politics at the University of Oxford, Eleanor studied the legacy of slavery and the case for reparations, and her fieldwork in St. Lucia and Barbados helped inspire her first novel.

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FOLLOW :

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Book Blogger Hop - 2/13/2026

                                    

Question of the Week:

How do you feel about the current state of romance novels? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee-Addicted Writer)

My Answer:

I don't read romance, so I don't have a comment.  :)

Spotlight of The Fourth Princess by Janie Chang

PHOTO SOURCE:

TYPORAMA

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THE FOURTH PRINCESS

JANIE CHANG

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ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS COURTESY OF AN E-MAIL FROM ANGELA MELAMUD OF ANGELAMELAMUD AND THE PUBLISHER'S WEBPAGE.

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From the bestselling author of The Porcelain Moon comes a haunting Gothic novel set in 1911 China.

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February 10, 2026 

William Morrow Paperbacks

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PRAISE FOR THE FOURTH PRINCESS:

“Masterful plotting and mesmerizing characters will draw readers into this deliciously atmospheric tale set in 1911 Shanghai. Elegant prose and polite restraint are perfectly juxtaposed with secrets and intrigue, with an ending so unexpected it took my breath away.” - Donna Jones Alward, author of When the World Fell Silent

“Rich in historical detail and a palpable sense of unease that will deliver all the shivers, this luminous Gothic tale will haunt readers long after they turn the last page.” - Kimberly Brock, award-winning author of The Fabled Earth

“Janie Chang brings early-twentieth-century Shanghai to life in this beautifully layered tale of secrets, superstition, and resilience. A lush and atmospheric novel that lingers long after the final page.” - Genevieve Graham, bestselling author of Letters Across the Sea

“Evocative, propulsive, and impossible to put down, The Fourth Princess is a beautifully written story, rich with flawless historical detail and lingering atmosphere.” - Madeline Martin, New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Book Society

“Janie Chang turns her hand to the Gothic, with splendid results! Elegant prose, lush atmospheric settings, and two surprising and resourceful heroines make The Fourth Princess a Gothic jewel to cherish.” - Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Briar Club

“Filled with richly drawn characters and lush historical detail, The Fourth Princess immediately drew me into its twisty, atmospheric embrace and didn’t let go. This is a wonderful Gothic you won’t want to miss – I adored every page of it!” - Kris Waldherr, author of Unnatural Creatures

“The Fourth Princess is a luminous blend of history, mystery, and emotional depth that immerses readers in a world of secrets and resilience, illuminating the inspiring strength of women navigating love and loss amid shifting empires.” - Jennifer Robson, USA Today bestselling author of The Gown

"The Fourth Princess has all the elements that make Gothic fiction so compelling. With well-drawn characters I couldn’t help but root for and twists you don’t see coming, I could hardly put it down. Chang never disappoints!” - Heather Webb, USA Today bestselling author of The Hope Keeper

“In The Fourth Princess, Chang spins a Gothic tale with all the intricacies, elegance, and allure of a fine silk web. Amid a Shanghai mansion, on the cusp of the Great War, the entangled lives of two women lure the reader down a path of tragedy and deception, culminating in an ending with unforgettable twists. A story of intrigue not to be missed.”- Kristina McMorris, New York Times bestselling author of Sold on a Monday and The Girls of Good Fortune

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ABOUT THE FOURTH PRINCESS:

Two young women living in a crumbling, once-grand Shanghai mansion face danger as secrets of their pasts come to light, even as the mansion’s own secret threatens the present.

Shanghai, 1911. Lisan Liu is elated when she is hired as secretary to wealthy American Caroline Stanton, the new mistress of Lennox Manor on the outskirts of Shanghai’s International Settlement. However, the Manor has a dark past due to a previous owner’s suicide, and soon Lisan’s childhood nightmares resurface with more intensity and meld with haunted visions of a woman in red. Adding to her unease is the young gardener, Yao, who both entices and disturbs her.

Newly married Caroline looks forward to life in China with her husband, Thomas, away from the shadows of another earlier tragedy. But an unwelcome guest, Andrew Grey, attends her party and claims to know secrets she can’t afford to have exposed. At the same party, the notorious princess Masako Kyo approaches Lisan with questions about the young woman’s family that the orphaned Lisan can’t answer.

As Caroline struggles with Grey’s extortion and Thomas’s mysterious illness, Lisan’s future is upended when she learns the truth about her past, and why her identity has been hidden all these years. All the while, strange incidents accelerate, driving Lisan to doubt her sanity as Lennox Manor seems unwilling to release her until she fulfills demands from beyond the grave. 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

**Photo taken from 

the author's website**

Janie Chang is a Globe and Mail bestselling author of historical fiction.

Born in Taiwan, Chang has lived in the Philippines, Iran, Thailand, New Zealand, and Canada.

Her novels often draw from family history and ancestral stories. 

She is the author of Three Souls, Dragon Springs Road, The Library of Legends, and The Porcelain Moon; and co-author of the USA Today bestseller The Phoenix Crown, with Kate Quinn.

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FIND HER ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Website

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Keeper of Lost Children by Sadeqa Johnson

We meet Ethel, Ozzie, and Sophie.

Ethel is a wife in post-war Germany longing for a child.  She became lost in the streets one day and found herself at an orphanage to ask for help.  She couldn't help but fall in love with the children as soon as she saw them.

Ozzie is a black man who joins the army after the war in hopes of being in the intelligence area of his base.  But despite having a perfect score on an aptitude test, he is relegated to working on automobiles.

Sophie is a high school girl who lived on a farm and gets a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school.

How are these three characters and three time periods connected in this wonderful, well-written book.

Based on the life and work of Mabel Grammer, you know you will always have a beautiful read when it's a book by Sadeqa Johnson.  5/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book.  All opinions are my own.

Friendly Fill-Ins - 2/13/2026

                                                  

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FRIENDLY FILL-INS:

1.  A Ted Talk that I found helpful was done by ____.

 

2.  If I could make my own candy heart it would say_______.

3.  I _____ early in the morning, but I _____ late at night.

4.  _____ is what I love most about myself.

  MY ANSWERS:

1. A Ted Talk that I found helpful was done by - I don't know what a Ted Talk is so I have no answer.

2.  If I could make my own candy heart it would say:  BE KIND!!

3.  I get up early in the morning, but I don't go to bed late at night either.

4.  Being helpful as well as organized is what I love most about myself.

 

Ours Is A Tale of Murder by Nora Murphy

So many hints at someone who would kill someone else, but who is it?

Three families in an exclusive neighborhood who are connected by murders and who really are unconnected.

We have the main characters that have the reader guessing who they are talking about:

1. Klara - who was an attorney, but go pulled into marriage.
2. Mary - who we see cleaning out her son’s old room.
3. Henry - who lost his job probably because of an obsession he has and has moved back with his parents.

The reader goes through the first 70% of the book getting background information on all three characters and has the reader wondering what it is all about and then we meet Kate and Janet.

This is the third book I have read of Nora Murphy’s.  A bit confusing at first, but cleverly carried out and has you still guessing when it’s over.  4/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book.  All opinions are my own.