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[Anthology Review] Grim Edited By Christine Johnson & CoffeeAM Black Forest Cake Flavored Coffee
All of the short stories in Grim are retellings of classic fairy tales – and not the sanitized, Disney versions, oh no, these stories stay true to the essence of the original tales, which are much darker, grittier, and, in some cases, bloodier. There’s a good selection here with some modern retellings, some set in the fairy tale settings of olde (in a kingdom far far away during an indeterminable time), and yet others set in a technologically advanced future with a definite Sci-Fi feeling. To give you an idea of the many different characters encountered throughout this collection, you will find psychics who live in a trailer park, a…
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[Book Review] Miss Spelled By Sarah Belle & Ritual Grounds Coffee Roasting Night Sky
Lou, a 30-year-old school teacher, turns to a magic spell found on the internet to erase her past with an ex-from-hell – an ex who turns out to be her new fiancés nemesis. Of course the spell backfires in a big way and Lou is left scrambling to put the jagged pieces of her perfect life back to the way it was before.
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[Novella Review] Nightlife: Hazardous Material By Matthew Quinn Martin & Joe Coffee Wake Up Joe
If you've never heard the real life urban legend of the Polybius arcade games, I highly recommend Googling it before reading this novella – I really think it will increase your enjoyment of the story. According to the legend, which may or may not have some basis in reality, in the early 80’s a handful of Polybius game cabinets were placed in a select few arcades in Portland, Oregon. Apparently, the game was highly addictive, to the point of long lines forming and fights breaking out over who got to play next game, and reports were made of players exhibiting symptoms such as blackouts, amnesia, and night terrors. Periodically “men in…
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Monday Coffee News
Happy Monday! Here's what's been going on in coffee news these past 2 weeks: Starbucks introduced new mini-sized Frappuccinos, Keurig announced they'll be releasing a reusable coffee filter compatible with their 2.0 brewers, and THC-infused coffee pods are hitting the market. Also, the creators of the Space Cup, used by espresso-drinking astronauts aboard the International Space Station, launched a Kickstarter campaign offering backers a chance to get their hands on one of there own.
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[Book Review] Renovation By Lane Robins & Aroma Ridge Cinnamon Mocha Twist
JK Lassiter can pick up psychic atmospheric readings just by walking into a room and with the touch of his hand, assimilate memories, good and bad, along with the overpowering surge of physical and emotional feelings attached to them. These gifts have proved to be more of a curse to JK, one he has to manage with medication and protective gloves to stop from being completely overwhelmed by. Now 28 years-old, he’s tired of his life being ruled by his abilities – which is why he’s excited when a new career path flipping houses opens up, offering a road towards independence and a chance towards a new, normal life. The…
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[Book Review] Ghost House By Alexandra Adornetto & Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce
17-year-old Chloe Kennedy can see dead people. It’s a gift she’s had since she was 6, but managed to block with her mother’s help. Now, with her mother gone, the ghosts are back and they want her attention. With her father lost to his own grief, it is decided that Chloe and her younger brother will spend winter vacation with their paternal grandmother at her English country estate turned Bed and Breakfast, Grange Hall. Almost from the moment Chloe sets foot on the estate, the spirits that haunt it make themselves known. One of those spirits is Alexander Reade, a devastatingly handsome gentleman ghost Chloe feels a strong, unshakable attraction…
books, mindful living, and everyday magic
