(NewsUSA) -  

“Mrs. R. Snugglesworth – Attorney-at-Law”
by Amy Flanagan       

Mrs. R. Snugglesworth is 70 pounds of low-to-the-ground PRECIOUS. She is The Best at Finding Slightly Used Sandwiches and The Best at Loving Ham -- and now she's looking for her next big challenge. To her surprise, she stumbles into the canine legal system and discovers a passion for the law. Dog law, that is.  

In two wags of a tail, she enrolls at Wagsworth Legal Academy. Turns out it’s not that easy learning to be The Best at Law School. So when she finds out her dear friend Pitter-Patter needs her help, she can’t wait to take on her first case. She’ll just juggle her Wagsworth legal classes, naps, walks, naps, chasing tennis balls, snacks, naps and work with Pitter-Patter. What could possibly go wrong?  

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3CeAzoe.

“Scars and Scales”
by KC J. Hutchins  

Ten years have passed since the slaying of the Omni dragons, which had subjected the world with their power. Thus, it was a celebrated day when the sorceress queen Delsey and her army slayed these beasts. But soon, the witch set her sights on conquering the rest of the world. Who could oppose her? No one except the single Omni survivor known as Xerxes.  

Freed after years of torture, the dragon seeks to unite the lands against the queen with a mix of creatures -- difficult when he possesses trust issues. Through his journey, Xerxes learns to trust others including a hot-headed werewolf, a silver-tongued dwarf, a timid yet strong elven princess, a pacifist giant, a bounty hunting leprechaun and a lazy gargoyle. Their bonds will be tested as their enemies lay outside a strategic stronghold vital to winning the eventual war.

Purchase at https://bit.ly/3LS53PF.

“Truthful Misconceptions”
by Con Trong Bui  

In this fascinating and refreshing view of scriptural concepts, the author stirs our thinking processes in a manner that energizes the reader. For example, he asks where God resided before He creating the heavens and the Earth?  

Con Trong Bui puts forth a few difficult questions and provocative assertions of his own in “Truthful Misconceptions,” a book that explores Christian scripture, its symbolism and interpretation thereof, draws intriguing comparisons between Christianity and other world religions and comes to unique conclusions about Biblical writings and teachings. Whether or not a reader identifies as a Christian, the author’s ideas are accessible to anyone and provide much to consider about truth and beliefs stemming from religious doctrine.

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3C1gLnG.

“Muskka”
by A.B. Dulz  

“Muskka” is the story of a young boy who was born in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He was raised by his grandparents after his father was assassinated and his mother abandoned her family. His family flees the dangers of Kandahar and continues to move until reaching Karachi, Pakistan, all while evading extremists who are abducting and murdering people who were affiliated with the Afghan government.  

The family settles and begins learning a new language and way of life in Pakistan as rioting erupts in the streets, closing most stores and making it difficult to survive. The patriarch of the family decides to send his two eldest sons to America, with hopes of sending the rest of the family later. The young boy must survive long enough to see the promised land.

Purchase at https://bit.ly/3zTcLnO.

NOTE: BookTrib’s Bites is presented by Booktrib.com.

(NewsUSA) - “This is a work of fiction -- really.” It’s hard for poet Pasquale Trozzolo to convince us that his brilliant “UN/Reconciled:” (Kelsay Books) is not intended to portray any person, or combination of persons living or dead. Attribute that to the passion dripping from each vignette in this marvelous collection of 29 poems on a journey to the center of that most complex human experience: romantic love gone off.  

The collection reminds couples that relationships take work, even when in a powerful love. It is essential to capture the magnetic tension experienced in the first weeks and months of the relationship and find ways to keep discovering it, even as the mundane of ordinary life interferes.  

“I’m hoping this little story will remind people that all love stories have happy starts filled with excitement and that positive tension that is hard to describe,” Trozzolo says. “We need to continue to work to find ways to capture that excitement, even when 50 years go by. Not every relationship is worth saving, but some are. And all of them are worth remembering.”  

Trozzolo is an entrepreneur and founder of Trozzolo Communications Group, one of the Midwest’s leading advertising and public relations firms. He also has spent time as a racecar driver and grad school professor. Then, just before the pandemic, he found himself semi-retired and with what he says was too much time on his hands.  

“I began living out as many retirement clichés as possible,” he recalls. “Why not try poetry? The problem is, after a lifetime of ignoring it -- I fell in love. I hit the books to learn, and read several textbooks with words like villanelle, pantoum and sestina. And I enrolled in online poetry classes at Oxford University and Stanford.”  

Here’s an example of feelings conveyed in one of the poems from “UN/Reconciled:”  

Our third anniversary -- you greeted me at the door.    

How Was Your Day?    

All I hear are low notes and misery.
Tell me instead of boats and clouds,
of speed and sex and dreams and bad ideas.
Tell me without the clutter. Be impersonal.
Shocking. Off-kilter. Abduct me with a dangerous tale.
Tell me you like the way I hold my drink.
Touch my hand. Whisper something stirring.  
Make me nervous. Be my stranger.  
Just for tonight.  

Writes Shawn Aveningo Sanders, author of “What She Was Wearing,” “Like a siren’s sultry song haunts the sailor, a mysterious woman floats in and out of the speaker’s life. Trozzolo takes us on a poetic journey through a salacious love affair that has such a hold on him that he still sees her everywhere … The poem vignettes deftly echo the brief, dangerous moments the two lovers shared.”  

Marcela Sulak, author of “City of Skypapers” and “Mouth Full of Seeds,” describes the work as “equal measures sly and sincere, impenitent and indulgent. This paean to passion will charm with bittersweet delight.”  

Setting it all up in the book’s preface, Trozzolo writes, “What started quickly turned into -- well, I don’t know how to describe it. All I know is that I’ve been writing poems about you for decades—still, not sure if I’ll ever be able to stop or forget. And the truth -- I don’t want to stop -- or forget.”

To learn more, visit pasqualetrozzolo.com.

To purchase the book, go to https://amzn.to/3SHBUIB.

(NewsUSA) -  

“Dancing in the River”
by George Lee    

Drawing on his own life experiences, George Lee has fashioned an unforgettable coming-of-age story about fate and faith, the power of imagination and storytelling, and the wonder of English literature.  

Growing up in a small, riverside town, Little Bright is thrust into the political whirlwinds along with his family during China’s Cultural Revolution. When a reversal of the winds of reform blows through the land, however, he learns the once-forbidden tongue: English. At college, he adopts a new English name, Victor, and begins to place himself under the tutelage of Pavlov, Sherlock Holmes and Shakespeare.  

When the story unravels, however, Victor’s un-Chinese passion and tension threaten to topple his moral world and mental universe. Now, he must wade into an uncharted journey to unlock the dilemma and to unearth his destiny.

Purchase at bit.ly/3KBGTIr.

“Old Paradigms Die Hard”
by Jamil Hasan  

In the face of war with Russia, Ukraine has built a sovereign digital economy, or a national “State in a Smartphone,” by leveraging digital technologies, cryptocurrencies, and digitized artwork, to rebuild their financial system and fund their government and military.    

This book sheds light on how Ukraine has built this “State in a Smartphone,” a brand-new paradigm, and how other nations around the world could do the same, especially when faced with extreme adversity. This book demonstrates Ukraine’s incredible resilience through Crypto Hipster podcast interviews with founders, artists and government officials in Ukraine from February to May 2022. Jamil Hasan, host of the Crypto Hipster Podcast, is a six-time author in blockchain and cryptocurrency.

Purchase at http://bit.ly/3UzBsxZ.

“It's A Very If Not You Then Who? Christmas!”
by David and Emberli Pridham  

It’s Christmas time at the Fairley house, and that means it’s time for Christmas traditions! Whether it’s decorating the tree, hanging lights, or watching Christmas movies, everyone has a favorite. But Brooke thinks it’s time to invent a new tradition, maybe something frozen and frosty and fun.  

If you like fun, informative, and factual kid’s books such as “The Magic School Bus,” then you’ll love the new STEM series “If Not You, Then Who?” The book, geared for children ages 4 to 9, aims to teach children about the inventions and patents in everyday life and inspire them to create their own. This series aims to show that no dream is too big, and no dreamer is too small to succeed.

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3zL85RO.

“Giggles Galore”
by Carole P. Roman  

Treat yourself and your child to this fun-filled book of jokes, riddles and exciting bits of information. Entertain your friends and family with a wide variety of jokes that include funny foods, animal antics, jolly jungles, farcical farms, dizzy dinosaurs, hilarious holidays and a host of humor from all over our wacky world.  

Fun facts are sprinkled throughout the book. There’s even a section where budding comedians can learn to create new jokes. And join the author’s beloved character, Susanna Maya Logan, for a short story about why we must use humor wisely, or it may not be considered funny by everyone.  

A great tool to help a reluctant reader, “Giggles Galore” is the perfect way to practice social skills and develop friendships.

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3ePolZA.

NOTE: BookTrib’s Bites is presented by Booktrib.com.

(NewsUSA) - Amanda Given, an author, speech language pathologist, yogi, mother, mental health advocate and child at heart, has given us a charming story with colorful and playful illustrations that will help any child, young or old, open up and learn to deal with their feelings, all by learning about Balloon Breath.  

This obviously is an important topic for children and their parents or guardians. So much has been written about the difficulty of young children to understand and control their emotions, with strategies from learned scholars and therapists on how to cope. Yet sometimes, it’s the simplest of stories to which children can best connect, putting them in a position to learn and grow.  

That’s why “BALLOON BREATH” does such an impressive job of helping children open up and deal with their feelings. The book, geared primarily to pre-schoolers in the 2-to-5 age range, is a simple tale in which Lonnie is frustrated with the behavior of his brother, Curly, who has taken his blanket, and dominated the channels on the TV set to his own liking and without consideration of his brother. Lonnie feels like he is going to explode with anger.  

Fortunately, his favorite babysitter, Scarlett, comes over and tries to instill happiness into the atmosphere with fun activities, by eating, pretending to be lions, going to the upbeat sunroom -- anything to create a cheerful mood. Finally, Scarlett explains what she does when she gets mad: “Sit criss-cross applesauce. Take a DEEP breath in. That’s it. Now exhale all the air out.”  

The babysitter extends her ritual to what she calls Balloon Breath, allowing Lonnie to take deep breaths into a balloon and blow the mad thoughts right into it. “Let the air out of your balloon and say goodbye to all those yucky, icky thoughts,” Scarlett says. The exercise leaves Lonnie with nothing but happy thoughts. Scarlett has effectively saved the day.

A NEW FAVORITE OF YOUNG READERS

The author’s own 10-year personal journey with depression helped her find purpose in writing and teaching yoga/meditation to children. Amanda is a child at heart with a grownup soul. She has playful energy that is shared when she teaches children fun and creative yoga poses.  

“I wrote my book to help children and their caregivers manage their big emotions,” says the author, whose story is complemented with marvelous illustrations by Polina Hrytskova. The book also includes fun and easy activities for parents, adult guardians, teachers and children to reinforce the message.  

Reviewers say their children loved the book, found it easy to understand and couldn’t get enough of it.   “I have read this book a few times already to my preschool class (three-year-olds), and they love it! The illustrations are colorful, and the storyline is simple enough for little ones to follow. I also enjoy that this book has a little lesson plan/activity guide at the end of the book to extend the lesson,” says Amazon reviewer Brianna.  

For a delightful book with a simple yet valuable message, pick up a copy of Balloon Breath for your children. As Given says, “Kindness is always inside of us. I hope Lonnie finds a happy, cozy and safe place in your heart. He’s always there to remind you to inhale and exhale.”

Learn more at www.amandagiven.com.

(NewsUSA) -  

“Red Chaos”
by Ed Fuller and Gary Grossman         

In this third book in the Red Hotel series which reads like breaking news, Russian President Nicolai Gorshkov is one step closer to monopolizing the oil industry and funding his expansionism plans past Ukraine and Latvia. Russian-backed attacks have shut down the Suez Canal and other key shipping routes, making it nearly impossible for the West and the Middle East to transport oil.  

One man slips out of the shadows to stop Gorshkov’s maniacal plans: Dan Reilly, a freelance State Department and CIA consultant, who is drawn into a web involving the current American president, a United States senator, a Chinese businessman, and the death of a young girl.

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3PC41rM.

“Against The Grain”
by Anne Dimock  

Every small act of history is a drama of time, place and people. Welcome to Jamestown, New Jersey, where, in 1962-1964, six characters intersect in a conflict of change and complacency. During desegregation battles in the early 1960s, one African American family in a leafy NJ suburb experiences barriers more quiet and hidden than in the South.   When the oldest child, Fleur, a high school student, gets an after-school job in an upscale store on Main Street, she becomes the catalyst for change no one in her town expects. Some want to help her, others want to impede her and some end up doing both. Fleur learns the limits of trusting her future to others, while making and defending her own decisions.

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3cNYzDV.

“Cherry Bomb”
by Willard Thurston  

An intellectually snobbish, would-be writer living in his employer’s treehouse. The exhibitionist thespian daughter of a beleaguered preacher. A “muscled mercenary thug” with little compunction for killing, whether for hire, vengeance or sport. A sinister Iranian-Russian plot to shuttle a nuclear artillery shell to America’s borders and elicit under-the-radar diplomatic concessions. What do they all have in common?  

A variety of characters, agendas and events head on a collision course toward each other with unexpected results. It’s a tragi-comedy of errors as plans are foiled, idealism and naivete bumble into danger and the wicked are stymied at every turn. Says Beth Kallman at Author Connections: “Taking an intellectual lens to the mayhem of modern society, these are raw, searing reflections of how time, competition and greed are eroding our collective moral compass.”

Purchase at http://www.wgthurston.com.

“Alphabet of the Invisible”
by Lev Green  

Our world is blessed with an array of color. Yet for all the color, visible light is a minute part of the much more broad electromagnetic spectrum. More than 99 percent of the electromagnetic spectrum is invisible.  

The same applies when we consider who each of us is as a human being. Appearance is very important. But of immensely greater importance are a large number of qualities that are invisible, as these qualities truly define who we are.  

Here you will find an alphabet of invisibility: 26 invisible qualities that define who we are. Each of the 26 qualities is not adjectival but instead a noun, as each is a powerful force. This is intended as a vehicle for learning and discussion.

Learn more at www.alphabetoftheinvisible.com.

NOTE: BookTrib’s Bites is presented by Booktrib.com.

(NewsUSA) -  

“The Music We Make”
by Michelle Rene DeBellis         

“An electric whirlwind of every type of emotion.”-Reedsy.com    

Grieving an accident that takes his mother’s life, Santiago DeAngelo succumbs to opiates and receives inspiration from his late mother for a song to heal him. As he struggles to write it, he falls into a love triangle with two women who inspire the music, one of which seduces him into a shot at fame.  

But when both relationships suffer betrayal, DeAngelo must decide the value of his life in a moment that may end it. “The Music We Make” explores the power of love and music to overcome our demons and live from our hearts.

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3gKhYaO.

“Death March Escape – Author Pays Tribute to Dad, 25,000 Prisoners”  

In “Death March Escape,” author Jack Hersch tells the incredible story of his father’s two escapes from Nazi death marches in the final months of the Second World War. His father’s feat was so remarkable that Jack recently traveled to Enns, Austria -- the site of the escapes near Mauthausen Concentration Camp -- to speak at the dedication of a memorial commemorating them, as well as memorializing the 25,000 emaciated prisoners who passed through Enns on those marches.   In an emotionally riveting story, Jack’s book details his father’s year in Mauthausen and both escapes. Jack digs deeply into his father’s life and his own, revisiting and reflecting on his father’s time at the hands of the Nazis, when even mere survival was an impossible challenge.

Purchase at  http://jackhersch.com.

“The Ghosts of Lewis Manor”
by Marcia Maidana  

Seraphina must choose the lesser of two evils -- the ghosts that haunt her or the murderer who hunts her. Born with a rare ability -- or curse--Seraphina can see and hear the dead. During the early days of the London Blitz, she is confronted with hundreds of lost souls wandering the streets.  

As the war escalates, her parents send her away to the home of an old friend in the English countryside to preserve her sanity. But there are monsters lurking in the hallways and the surrounding woods of the mansion -- not all of them ghosts.  

Seraphina must use her gift to help solve the gruesome mysteries of Lewis Manor’s past in order to prevent her own murder in the present.

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3xifZzW.

“Mrs. Rabbit’s Friendsgiving Dinner”
by Carole P. Roman  

Mrs. Rabbit’s large family is all too busy to come home for their annual holiday dinner. She is feeling a bit lonely and, out of habit, she prepares a large feast. But to her growing dismay, she realizes she has no one to share it with.   Her doorbell rings, and one by one, her furry forest critter friends ask to join her. Soon enough, her holiday table is brimming with tasty dishes. The best part of a holiday dinner, she learns, is not the food but the company that shares it with you. A wonderful holiday tale for children primarily ages four to seven, from noted children’s author Carole P. Roman.

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3xpONPX.

NOTE: BookTrib’s Bites is presented by Booktrib.com.

(NewsUSA) -  

“The Midnight Call”
by Jode Millman       

Who would ever suspect that their mentor, teacher and friend is a cold-blooded killer? Attorney Jesse Martin didn’t -- at least not until she answers the midnight call.  

Late one August night, her mentor and popular high school teacher, Terrence Butterfield, calls, admits he's killed someone and pleads for Jessie's help. She rushes to his aid, unaware that she’s risking her love, career, life and that of her unborn child. Does Jessie’s presence at Terrance’s home implicate her in the gruesome murder of the teenage boy found in the basement? Why does Terrance betray Jessie? Follow Jessie’s quest to untangle the web of lies and uncover the shocking truth behind the homicide.

Purchase this new revamped edition at https://amzn.to/3R2Wjsf.

“Pandemonium: Live to All Devices”
by Bill Harvey  

From an Emmy Award-winning author, an all-too-possible near future in which the latest media/technology revolution triggers sudden unprecedented changes in world politics.  

Twenty years in the future ... a U.S. president seizes total control of all U.S. missiles, the power grid, the banking system, and every computer-like device in America, as he hides in a nuke-proof bunker while a robot version of himself sits in the Oval Office.  

Five psychic agents belong to a cosmic intelligence not of this Earth -- this is their hidden connection. They are up against Rebels in a hidden war. With the President under their control, the Rebel leader is hatching a plan to start WWIII. With the scope of Asimov and the prescience of Bradbury, Bill Harvey makes the greats proud.  

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3AKlXMg.

“Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex”
by Carole P. Roman  

Templeton Academy -- the superhero high school -- is finally open. The prestigious academy is recruiting the best of the best to enroll in its student body. The school is as mysterious as it is exclusive. Grady Whill thinks there is nothing special about him to make the grade. However, his best friend, Aarush Patel, has been selected and thinks Grady has the right stuff. Even school bully Elwood Bledsoe is attending.    

If Grady is fortunate enough to be picked, his guardian has forbidden him to attend. Will a family secret prevent Grady from becoming the superhero he was destined to be? From Carole P. Roman, the award-winning author of more than 50 children’s books, targeted for readers from 8 to 18 years.

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3bzTXRm.

“Breaking Arrows”
by Luis Figueredo  

An eight-year-old Indian child is dead. The innocent boy’s death is cruel, torturous and needless. Jeremiah Tiger, chief of the Kialegee Tribe, realizes he must fight for his impoverished tribe against the State of Oklahoma and the wealthy and influential Muscogee Nation.    

The battle is seemingly unwinnable. Jeremiah’s only option is to develop a tract of land in Broken Arrow that the Muscogee Nation claims to own.    

Jeremiah brings in tenacious attorney Pierce Evangelista to prove the Kialegees’ treaty rights to the land. Evangelista suspects that the Kialegee will struggle to withstand the blowback and unscrupulous tactics of Oklahoma politicians, the Muscogee Nation, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Jeremiah and Pierce face legal, unethical, and life-threatening conflicts. And the outcome will affect many people for generations to come.

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3LD1QmQ.

NOTE: BookTrib’s Bites is presented by Booktrib.com.

(NewsUSA) - If you want to gain greater control over the things you do in your life, an illuminating place to begin is in understanding how your personal brain chemistry shapes those dynamics. Your brain is constantly seeking comfort. Whether it’s recovering from a stressful event that gets your adrenaline pumping or the slow drip-drip of low-lying stress, how you handle yourself boils down to how you’re hardwired, by what’s embedded in your inherited neurochemistry.

In OVERRIDE: Discover Your Brain Type, Why You Do What You Do, and How to Do It Better (Citadel Press), co-authors Clinical Psychologist Dr. Connell Cowan and Physician of Internal Medicine Dr. David Kipper note that while we are biologically and psychologically predisposed to perform these comfort-seeking behaviors, we can override them if we so choose. We can decline to perform our most self-sabotaging behaviors and even reduce — if not eliminate entirely — the desire and temptation to perform them in the first place.

Understanding your brain’s chemical tendencies, the authors say, explains how you set your stress relief in motion, and by understanding your tendencies, you’ll be able to make healthy life decisions for the better.

In exhilarating, illuminating, and frequently funny style, you’ll go from identifying your personal neurotype -- through an easy and accurate test -- to understanding your vulnerabilities, and break out of self-defeating patterns to make meaningful change with a science-based approach.

Your neurochemistry puts you into one of two tribes: Swords are coded to be particularly sensitive to stimulation, novelty, reward, and external expression, while the Shields of the world are coded to be more cautious, sensitive to avoiding harm and danger, and internalizing emotions. The coping styles we revert to under stress have evolved to help us survive, but they are also the root cause of our most destructive and stubborn behaviors.

OVERRIDE details a path to change that can start immediately and last a lifetime. Complete with easy-to-use strategies and exercises, here are engaging micro and macro insights into iconic human problems, backed up by the latest scientific research into why we are the way we are.

The authors come with topnotch credentials. Cowan co-wrote Smart Women/Foolish Choices, a runaway bestseller that spawned an entire genre of books dealing with male/female dilemmas. The book spent nearly a year on the New York Times bestseller list, sold millions of copies, has been published in 23 different languages, and was made into a hit musical. His second book, Women Men Love/Women Men Leave, also became a NYT bestseller.

Kipper has practiced internal medicine for over three decades. He has appeared as an expert commentator on all major networks, has produced numerous programs on health and health care, appeared on the Today Show, and contributes to the Huffington Post. Dr. Kipper is currently a co-host for ABC radio’s The Medical Show, a weekly national call-in show addressing all areas of medicine.

Combining groundbreaking research with inspiring and revelatory real-life stories of struggle and transformation, OVERRIDE will reveal the blueprint of your DNA and give you a practical, easy-to-grasp, yet revolutionary framework for achieving the life you really want. It is most definitely worth your time.

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3QGNK4G.

(NewsUSA) - The NBA season tipped off  Tuesday, October 18th with no true consensus favorite to take this year’s Championship title. The NBA Championship futures market at BetUS.com shows the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors tied at +600 (6-to-1) odds to win the 2023 Championship, followed closely by the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers, both of which are paying +700 (7-to-1). The Milwaukee Bucks round out the top five, paying +800, or 8-to-1. These odds will change as the season progresses, however.     

An offseason full of big trades has resulted in what ESPN’s well-known sports betting analyst, David Purdum, is predicting to be “one of the most competitive NBA seasons in decades.”     

This means that both bookmakers and bettors are hard at work gauging this season’s teams.  And for those bettors willing to put some money down on their team early in the season, it means higher returns than would be available as the season progresses, according to Barry Barger, senior betting analyst at BetUS.     

“Futures markets in sports betting are betting lines that are offered on events that are set to occur sometime away, as opposed to the next game on a team’s schedule. Once the bettor has placed a bet on his/her odds of choice, they have locked in their bet at the odds provided at that time and will be paid out at that rate should their wager be a winner when the event occurs,” Barger says.     

“The big advantage to betting your team to win the Championship now, versus ‘waiting to see how things go’ during the season is that right now, you can bet any of the 30 teams in the NBA to win the Championship at what we call ‘plus money,’ or positive odds.  

For example, even this season’s favorites like the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors will pay +600, or 6-to-1, if you bet them now to win the Championship.  No matter what team you bet, you’re going to win multiples of your original stake if your team wins it all this year,” Barger says. “That won’t be the case as the season progresses.”     

But betting the future 2023 Champion isn’t the only future or ‘prop’ that is popular with NBA bettors these days.       

NBA futures allow you to bet not only on the NBA Championship, but also on who will win the Eastern or Western Conferences and even the division champions. Betting on the number of regular season wins a particular team will have is also a popular wager.     

“And unique to this year, the prop that has fans really excited is when -- and where -- Lebron James will break Karim Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record,” Barger adds.     

Other popular NBA futures and props include betting odds on NBA Rookie of the Year, NBA Coach of the Year, NBA Defensive Player of the Year and NBA Regular Season MVP to name a few.     

In short, the appeal of future bets is that they offer potentially larger returns and provide a longer time horizon over which your bet will win or lose, providing more entertainment value while you cheer on your pick or picks over the course of the season, Barger concludes.

(NewsUSA) -  

“A Spying Eye”
by Michelle Cox       

In this sixth book of the series, while in London, Inspector Clive Howard and Henrietta Von Harmon search for the missing panel of a famous Renaissance painting, of which Hitler’s top men are also in pursuit. Meanwhile, in Chicago, Oldrich Exley threatens to cut off financial support for the Von Harmon brood if Elsie continues with her plan to marry Gunther -- a situation full of complications.

Clive and Henrietta’s search takes them to Chateau du Freudeneck in Strasbourg, France -- the ancient seat of the Von Harmons and home to three eccentric distant relatives. Things take a deadly turn when several Nazi officers also arrive at the chateau in search of a “valuable item.” Henrietta uncovers a shocking truth, and the pair are forced to trust themselves to a suspicious French servant.

Purchase at https://amzn.to/39EtqS1.

“Dear Franklin”
by Jake Ryan  

When her dad undergoes emergency open-heart surgery after collapsing at his gym, it’s pretty much the worst thing that’s ever happened to 11-year-old only child Hannah Brody. In response, she turns to a long-unopened diary that becomes the outlet for her deepest fears and darkest secrets.  

To her surprise, she finds that not only is she not alone, but that support can come from the most unexpected places. Funny, richly textured and moving, “Dear Franklin” is a story of resilience in the face of near tragedy, an inspiring tale for middle-graders and others on how to cope when confronted with life’s unexpected twists and turns. Written and based on his real-life experience by life coach Jake Ryan, a TikTok sensation at @freejakeryan.

Purchase at https://bit.ly/3wR1rHp.

“A Very Long Way”
by Naomi Fryers  

Naomi was born a free spirit who loved to entertain people with stories. From knocking about the outskirts of Melbourne’s northern suburbs until the late 1990s to finding herself enrolled at a socially uncomfortable elite private girls’ college, she developed some increasingly problematic coping strategies for life’s challenges. While living it up on Melbourne’s iconic Chapel, her university degree concluded, but her buried accumulative volatility did not.  

Her challenges eventually culminated in Naomi’s dramatic nervous breakdown. Her rock bottom climaxed with her riding in the back of a divisional van and being locked up in a psychiatric ward. The decade subsequent, however, she learned to embrace a comeback journey that involved personal development, advocacy and ultimately rediscovering her bold and free-spirited inner self.

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3F9x2qF

“Can You Spot the Leopard: An African Safari”
by Karen B. Winnick  

“Can You Spot the Leopard?” is author/artist Karen B. Winnick’s newest picture book, an adventuresome African safari presented through poems and full-color paintings. Readers begin at sunrise, climbing into a jeep for a bumpy ride to view the wondrous animals as they would on a real safari.  

All the poems are based on real observations of what animals do in the wild, related in an accessible way. There’s even a sighting, finally, of the elusive leopard, before returning to safari camp under a starry night. At the back of the book, further information is related about each animal. A fun, informational, educational adventure to read and reread. The author is an animal enthusiast and president of the Los Angeles Zoo Commission.

Purchase at https://amzn.to/3RpygU0.

NOTE: BookTrib’s Bites is presented by Booktrib.com.