#BlogTour #BookPromo ATasteOfChristmasSpirit #SusanBuchanan #RachelsRandomResources

 

A Taste of Christmas Spirit

AN ALL-NEW CHRISTMAS SPIRIT BOOK FOR 2025

CAN LARA ADD A DASH OF MAGIC THIS CHRISTMAS?

The Sugar and Spice bakery sparkles with holiday spirit as Jacob serves up more mouthwatering festive treats, and Christmas spirit Lara tries to sprinkle her magic over those finding the time of year difficult.

Ollie is at his wits’ end. A debt from years ago comes back to haunt him just as he and his girlfriend are buying their dream home.

Rose is dejected as her college sweetheart has dumped her now they’re in their final year. She’s not looking forward to Christmas alone, nor her twenty-first birthday on Christmas Eve.

Sacha has recently moved to Winstanton following the failure of his business. He’s too embarrassed to confide in his family, but can he find the friendship he so desperately needs and begin to trust again?

Diana tries to find her new normal after the unexpected death of her husband earlier this year. All her plans for retirement have been thrown out the window and she feels lost. She needs a renewed sense of purpose and to find her place in the world.

Can Lara provide the answer to a joy-filled Christmas?

A story of hope, love, friendship, community, and of course, Christmas spirit.

For fans of Sarah Morgan, Philippa Ashley, Jenny Colgan and Cathy Bramley.

Praise for the Christmas Spirit series:

‘Christmas all wrapped up!'
'Right from page one you are drawn into all the joys of Christmas!'
'A lovely story about love, friendship and hope all wrapped up in a lovely Christmas jumper!'
'You can taste the hot chocolate, see all the Christmas lights and feel the warmth of a Christmas hug.'

Purchase Link - https://books2read.com/u/4997jw

Author Bio – 

Susan Buchanan writes contemporary romance, women’s fiction and romantic comedies, usually featuring travel, food, family, friendship, community – also Christmas!

Her books are Sign of the Times, The Dating Game, The Christmas Spirit, Return of the Christmas Spirit, A Little Christmas Spirit and Just One Day – Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn, The Leap Year Proposal and You Can’t Hurry Love

As a freelance developmental editor, copyeditor and proofreader, if she’s not reading, editing or writing, she’s thinking about it.  

She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Society of Authors and the Alliance of Independent Authors. 

She lives near Glasgow with her husband, two children and a crazy Labrador. 

When she’s not editing, writing, reading or caring for her two delightful cherubs, she likes going to the theatre, playing board games, watching quiz shows and eating out, and she has recently discovered a love of writing retreats.

 

Social Media Links –

https://www.facebook.com/susancbuchananauthor

X @susan_buchanan and Instagram @AuthorSusanBuchanan and Threads @authorsusanbuchanan and BlueSky @susanbuchanan.bsky.social

And on her website www.susanbuchananauthor.com

 

Giveaway to Win a signed and dedicated paperback of A Taste of Christmas Spirit (Open to UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Gleam box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Gleam from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

https://gleam.io/lJuA1/win-a-signed-and-dedicated-paperback-of-a-taste-of-christmas-spirit-open-uk-only

#BookReview #MollysBigRedKite #ChildrensBook #RobertPGraves #EmilyHercock

 

Molly's Big Red Kite is a heartwarming story about resilience, emotions, and the power of forgiveness. When Molly's beloved red kite is broken her frustration quickly turns to sadness. But with the guidance of the wise Mr. Oslo, she learns that it's okay to feel upset-and that letting go of anger can lead to something even more beautiful. This beautifully illustrated book helps young readers navigate their emotions while introducing the foundational concept of forgiveness in a gentle, accessible way. Perfect for parents, educators, and librarians seeking meaningful, diverse stories that nurture emotional intelligence and empathy.

A successful white-collar professional by day working as a project manager for a large multi-national health care equipment company, Robert is an openly gay man living in Buffalo, NY. Robert’s first diagnosis, chronic clinical depression, came when he was 16, even though he had been battling depression since the age of nine when he had his first episode of self-harm ideology. As he was coming out, his depression morphed into bipolar depression disorder, which went untreated and undiagnosed until he was 44. The untreated mania manifested as an anonymous sex addiction that lasted over 20 years, enduring through the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Only after finally addressing his sex addiction with his therapist did his bipolar disorder come to light, and his treatment with pharmacology help him end his addiction. With the help of ongoing therapy and careful medication management, Robert has evolved to lead a relatively quiet life in his forties, where he enjoys boating, gardening, and volunteering in the community with various organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association. He also has a cat named Bacchus and a French bulldog named Lily. 

Through his many years of therapy, he learned to forgive others and accept his family and friends for who they are. Now he has turned the focus inward, forgiving himself for the reckless decisions through all those years and finally accepting himself as he is: a successful, healthy, gay man living with bipolar depression.

Molly’s Big Red Kite

Written By Robert P. Graves

Illustrated by Emily Hercock 

Review by Heidi Lynn’s Book Reviews 

First, I want to thank Robert P. Graves and Emily Hercock for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review. 

Robert and Emily both make a great team as a writer and illustrator coming together to create Molly’s Big Red Kite! Robert creates a story that deals with a topic that is so important these days that kids and adults can both benefit from the lesson in this book. Emily plays out this cute story with her beautiful pictures. I smiled and wondered if anyone else would notice that Molly’s dress is the same pattern as the kite. I also thought it was cute how the owl just swooped down and started talking to her. It was a very cute book. I think the kids enjoy it. 

I love how Robert dedicated his book to his nieces and nephews and let them know they were his world! 

#BookReview #SemiWellAjusteddespiteliterallyeverything #AlysonStoner #MacmillianPublishers

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER*

Actor-dancer Alyson Stoner's revelatory and incisive memoir—from family violence and betrayal, to eating disorders and religious trauma—may begin in Hollywood, but its chilling relatability will resonate with anyone navigating identity, privacy, purpose, and mental health in a digital age. 

Raised on soundstages and studio lots from the age of six, shuffling between auditions for Disney Channel, Cheaper by the Dozen, or Missy Elliott music videos, Alyson Stoner experienced many of the defining moments of childhood inside the bizarre fishbowl of Hollywood. From working eighty hours a week at eight years old, to learning how to distinguish fan mail from kidnapping plots, to TV execs saying they weren’t “anorexic enough” to stop working and get help, Alyson struggled to find stability and sanity in a chaotic world. 

In Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything, Alyson shares their powerful story for the first time, detailing a turbulent home life fractured by substance abuse, harrowing accounts from rehab, the messy process of discovering their sexuality in church, rebuilding a life after an early professional peak, and charting a path of self-discovery and advocacy. With striking introspection, Alyson connects the dots across the entertainment industry ecosystem, child development, and media culture, exposing the “toddler to trainwreck pipeline” of child stars and sparking timely conversations about success and society’s enchantment with fame. 

Bold, entertaining, warm, and galvanizing all at once, Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything is more than a personal memoir: it’s a beacon for industry reform, a road map for breaking the bonds of generational trauma, and a testament to the freedom and strength that come from finally trusting your own voice and power.

Alyson Stoner (they/them) is a multi-disciplinary entertainer, author, and the founder and CEO of Movement Genius, a mental health company providing therapist-led content to improve well-being. As the writer and host of the award-winning Dear Hollywood podcast, Stoner advocates for industry and policy reform centering the protection of children in traditional and digital media. With multiple certifications and fifteen years of group facilitation experience, they’ve led and contributed to programming for the United Nations, the World Health Organization, LGBTQIA+ centers, and leading universities. 

During childhood, Stoner appeared in over 200 films, TV shows, and tours, including Camp Rock, Phineas & Ferb, Step Up, Cheaper by the Dozen, and iconic music videos with Missy Elliott and Eminem. Today, they’re focused on impact-driven and community-based initiatives, such as designing Artist Wellbeing Essentials, a robust digital toolkit including expert-led education and tools for performers to pursue their passions in a healthy and sustainable way.

https://www.alysonstoner.com/

https://m.facebook.com/alysonstoner/

https://twitter.com/alysonstoner

https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCBza-oDKEaRps26VQOHJ35g

Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything

Written By Alyson Stoner

Review By Heidi Lynn’s Book Reviews

Oh as soon as I heard that Alyson Stoner wrote her memoir Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything you know I had to read it!! If you know me you know I am a huge fan of all things pop culture and celebs. I grew up watching Alyson busting her killer dance moves with Missy Elliot on her music videos, acting alongside Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers in Camp Rock (that I am a huge fan of) and acted alongside Hillary Duff in Cheaper By The Dozen. Yes, she shares all those stories on how she reached those milestones in her life. However, it was an eye opening look into what really happens of a child star getting into the entertainment business roller coaster of a ride you put on during your journey. 

I commend Alyson for being brave and opening up sharing deeply personal stories that you have experienced with your readers. I am so sorry that you had to go through all of that! Many times while reading the book I felt your pain and wanted to jump in the book rescuing you from the situation you were in. 

I appreciated Alyson giving her readers a heads up on the trigger warnings in her Author’s Note. Very few authors do so. I am thankful that she cared about her readers' mental health before telling her story. Those triggers are child abuse, addiction, eating disorders, domestic violence, mental illness, rape, gun violence, surgery, body modification, greif, micro aggressions, suicide, death and general trauma. 

Alyson gave us an inside backstage pass to give us a glimpse of what it is like for a child to make a name in the industry as an actress and as a dancer. She shares stories of what it was like to go on auditions, when she met Missy Elliot, etc. There were a lot of pop culture references made that I can remember in time when that happened. Oh I had to laugh when she said she probably shouldn’t have seen the famous Madonna, Britney and Christina kiss at the award show but she did. 

There was a part in the book that made it extremely hard for me to read where I just wanted to go and snatch her out of the book and rescue her. It was when she was sexually violated by that guy after saying no! No means no! The way he was talking to her, oh it creeped me out!! I don’t blame her for dislocating herself from the situation. That is what I did when I was put in the same situation. But what got me heated was the message Alyson got after that he has done this to multiple girls before!! 

The story of how she discovered her sexuality made me smile ear to ear. The way she described the first date and how she was all tongue tied was just so cute! 

Alyson is a very gifted writer and a beautiful storyteller. Through everything she has gone through and overcome she has become a stronger person for that. This is a must read book to put on your TBR list.