Blog Tour and Giveaway: Bella and Bird Explore Sadness

Anytime we can start conversations with children about big emotions and managing their feelings, it’s a win. Books can help facilitate these important discussions, which is why I’m happy to showcase a new Bella and Bird book, Bella and Bird Explore Sadness by Deana Plaskon, an award-winning children’s author and licensed mental health professional.

Helping children understand their emotions, recognize that their feelings are normal, and learn the importance of talking about them is a meaningful step in the right direction.

 

Learn More About the Book Here:

 

Bella and Bird Explore Sadness

By Deana Plaskon

Illustrator: Lea Marie Rivotti

Bella and Bird Books (2026)

ISBN: 979-8987268452

Age Range: Ages 5–10 (32 pages)

Series: Bella and Bird — Emotion Explorers

Synopsis: "Molly cried. She really cried. When Molly comes into the pasture, gloomy and sad, Bella, the wise horse, and Bird, the wisecracking barn swallow, step in to help. Together, the friends set out to explore why Molly is sad and offer valuable lessons and better ways to cope. By the time Molly leaves the pasture, she's gained new insights, is in better control of her feelings, and has tools to take along with her.

Bella and Bird Explore Sadness provides a foundation for readers to explore, understand, and effectively manage sadness, and serves as an invaluable tool for starting honest conversations about big emotions."

 

You can purchase your own copy of Bella and Bird Explore Sadness at Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. To learn more about Deana Plaskon visit her website and connect with her at Facebook and Instagram. 

 

The Giveaway:

Big feelings, big prizes! I have partnered with Deana Plaskon to host a giveaway for Bella and Bird Explore Sadness. Follow along on this virtual book tour and enter to win one of five signed copies of Bella and Bird Explore Sadness. Feeling extra lucky? One grand prize winner will take home the complete set—signed copies of all three books in the series: Bella and Bird Explore Anger, Bella and Bird Explore Sadness, and Bella and Bird Explore Happiness. The giveaway ends at 11:30 PM MT on 9/24/26. Good luck!

 

Book Review: Habits of the Sea by Shea Ernshaw

Pages: 304

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: July 7, 2026

Publisher: Atria

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "The night Clay Lockhart’s wife dies, a violent storm tears their home—and the eight hectares of land beneath it—away from the Scottish coast, sending it adrift into the Atlantic. Thirty years later, twelve-year-old Ellie Mills discovers the fabled floating island off the coast of Nova Scotia and finds Clay still living in the weatherworn farmhouse perched on its highest hill.

When the island vanishes overnight, Ellie is left questioning whether it ever existed at all. But decades later, now in her thirties, the island resurfaces—and Ellie returns, determined to uncover the truth. What she finds is even Clay hasn’t aged a single day.

Faced with the impossible, Ellie learns that some mysteries aren’t meant to be solved—and that a life shaped by wonder may hold more promise than one bound by certainty.

Spanning centuries and coastlines, Habits of the Sea is a haunting, romantic journey through time, memory, and the invisible tides that pull us home."

 

 

Clay Lockhart's wife dies on the night a storm ravages his home along the Scottish coast, and the storm is so strong that it tears apart the strip of land his house is on and forms an island. This island floats away into the sea, adrift forever. People question Ellie's version of the story until one day twelve-year-old Ellie Mills spots the floating island off of Nova Scotia and ends up meeting Clay. The next day, the island is gone, and it has Ellie wondering if it even existed. Years later, the island returns and is spotted by many. Now Ellis is a grown woman and she wants to meet Clay once again and finally get some answers to her long-awaited questions. When she does, she finds out Clay hasn't aged at all. Habits of the Sea by Shea Ernshaw is a beautifully written and genre-bending sort of romance that transports readers.
 
Immediately the premise of Habits of the Sea sucked me in. I mean, what a concept! I was intrigued. People were even making comparisons to Outlander, and if you know me, you know that is right up my alley. Plus, Ernshaw, who is a new-to-me author, writes beautifully and lyrically. However in the end, Habits of the Sea had so much potential, but the romance really fell flat for me. I just didn't feel connected to the characters as much as I wanted to, and in turn, the pacing of the story felt slow to me at times.
 
What truly stood out in Ernshaw's work was her genre-bending and atmospheric storytelling. I appreciated the magical realism woven into the narrative as well as the Gothic elements, and her lyrical writing brought those elements to life beautifully. However, despite her outstanding writing, I found Habits of the Sea to be just okay in the end. Have you read Habits of the Sea? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

 

Book Review: The Three Graces of Pearl Street by Elizabeth Wellington Rollins

Pages: 416

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: September 1, 2026

Publisher: Atria

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

Goodreads says, "In this wise and warm debut novel, an Italian American grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter all named after the Roman myth of the Three Graces find their lives—and their secrets—colliding when, after years apart, they come to live under the same roof.

Graziella, a ninety-six-year-old former nun, spends her days running the parish’s food kitchen, convinced it is her responsibility to keep everyone fed in their working-class New York neighborhood. Her daughter, Grace, a respected psychology professor, appears accomplished and composed, yet finds herself unmoored as her personal life falters. Ella—Graziella’s granddaughter and Grace’s daughter—is weary of defending her vegan diet and anti-capitalistic lifestyle; blind to her own brilliance, she longs, above all, for a place to belong. Living together again, the three Graces reckon with the distances that have shaped them, and with what it means, at last, to be fully known.

Populated by unforgettable characters, The Three Graces of Pearl Street explores the delicate balance between tradition and modernity, and the quiet courage it takes to move through the world with true grace."

 

 

Graziella Valentini, a woman in her nineties, lives in New York's Little Italy. She helps out her community, works at the parish's food pantry, and is a well known and generous person who is always willing to lend a hand. After all, she was a former nun! Her daughter, Grace, is a psychologist in the city and is going through a divorce. She is at a major fork in the road of her life. Meanwhile, her daughter, Ella, is also going through some difficulties. She dropped out of MIT, is working at a thrift store in the city, and has lost her way. Things aren't great between the two women until a freak accident involving Ella brings them together under the same roof. Elizabeth Wellington Rollins’s debut novel, The Three Graces of Pearl Street, draws on the Roman myth of the three Graces. It’s charming and heartfelt, and it’s perfect for readers who enjoy generational sagas.
 
I adored Graziella from the start. Her brash demeanor, tough can-do attitude, and insightful observations about life were the highlights of The Three Graces of Pearl Street. After the untimely death of her husband, she has worked hard to pick herself up and channel that energy into giving back to her community. Her main project is the parish's food pantry, which she dedicates herself to day and night. When her granddaughter, Ella, moves back in with her, Graziella takes her under her wing and encourages her to work at the food pantry as well. She helps Ella get her life back on track. Then there's Grace who is navigating the challenges of her divorce and adjusting to being an empty nester. However, all three women are hiding secrets that living under the same roof will likely expose. Additionally, Ella keeps running into her former friend and crush, who happens to be her grandmother's accountant. As the Valentini women face numerous changes in their lives, it is comforting to know they have each other for support.
 
Rollins does a phenomenal job bringing Italian Americans to light. Quite often this book made me think about my grandmother, the Italian American immigrant experience, and even more about the culture. I enjoyed every aspect of that part of the novel - Graziella's Italian, her dedication to the church, the food pantry, her recipes, and more. Fans of Adriana Trigiani's novels will especially appreciate this aspect of The Three Graces of Pearl Street.
 
While I felt part of the story in the middle lagged a bit, overall, I thought it was an excellent debut. The story and the characters were so heartfelt and charming. It even brought a tear to my eye. Needless to say, I am a fan of Rollins and look forward to reading what she writes next.   

 

The Ultimate Fall Reading List

 

Fall is almost here, and so many great books are hitting the shelves. Bookmark this page for your next trip to the library or bookstore so you’ll know what’s coming out. There’s nothing better than curling up with a good book in the fall, and this list has something for everyone. I’ll keep adding to it as the season goes on. 

 

 Out Now:

The Matchmaker's Cottage by Kat Sloane 

The Unknown by Riley Sager 

Something About September by Julia McKay

Heart of Glass by Jennifer Hillier

Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty 

A Time of Witches by Madeline Martin (9/1)

 

 

September:

The Birthing Tree by Amanda Peters (9/1)

Under Story by Chloe Benjamin (9/1) 

Kiss Slay Replay by Rachel Harrison (9/1) 

The Three Graces of Pearl Street by Elizabeth Wellington Rollins (9/1)

The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon (9/8) 

Tempest by Victoria Aveyard (9/8)

Taipei Story by R.F. Kuang (9/8) 

The Witches of Cambridge by Alice Hoffman (9/8) 

 

 

The Thoroughbreds by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham (9/15)

Grim Tidings by B.K. Borison (9/15)

Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult (9/15) 

Falling for Peachtree Bluff by Kristy Woodson Harvey (9/15) 

Exit Party by Emily St. John Mandel (9/15) 

Free Falling by Lyla Sage (9/22) 

 

Hollywood Ending by John Green (9/22) 

Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley (9/22) 

Trust Fall by Lynn Painter (9/29)

The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman by Deesha Philyaw (9/29)

The French Illusion by John Grisham (9/29)

 

 

October:

The Witch by Freida McFadden (10/6)

Partita by Barbara Kingsolver (10/6)

Broken Rival by Tessa Bailey (10/6) 

Under the Orchard's Spell by Ann Adams (10/6) 

Life Out of Order by Audrey Niffenegger (10/6) 

What Happens at Nightfall by Lauren Willig (10/6)

 

 

Peck & Peck by Bonnie Garmus (10/13) 

Samantha: The Next Chapter by Fiona Davis (10/13)

The Royal Witch by Philippa Gregory (10/20)

A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Maas (10/27) 

 

 

November:

Whale Harbor by Mary Beth Keane (11/3)

Peregrine Hill by Nina de Gramont (11/10)  

Peculiar Stars by Rebecca Yarros (11/17)  

Birth of the Witch by Nora Roberts (11/17) 

 

Shop All Books Here:  

So, which books catch your eye? Let me know which books are on your fall TBR list in the comments below.  

10 Books to Read in September

 

September is here, and I can’t quite believe it—though I think I say that every year. There’s a chill in the air at night, back-to-school season is here, and that means mysteries and cozy fall reads are hitting the shelves. Here are the ones I’ve had my eye on.

 

1. The Three Graces of Pearl Street by Elizabeth Wellington Rollins (9/1)

"An Italian American grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter all named after the Roman myth of the Three Graces find their lives—and their secrets—colliding when, after years apart, they come to live under the same roof."

 

 

2. Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult (9/15)

"A riveting novel about the risks we take to protect the ones we love in a world where crisis is always just around the corner."

 

 

3. Falling for Peachtree Bluff by Kristy Woodson Harvey (9/15)

"Welcome to Peachtree Bluff: a cozy coastal town where family secrets refuse to be washed away by the tide and close-knit community is everything. Harvey reunites the Murphy crew just in time for pumpkin spice season, “we dare you not to wish you were a member of this family."

 

 

4. Hollywood Ending by John Green (9/22)

"Green makes his much-anticipated return to fiction with a behind-the-scenes Hollywood love story about finding someone to trust in an untrustworthy world."

 

 

5. The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon (9/8)

"A sweeping historical adventure inspired by the life of Grace O’Malley, the legendary Irish folk heroine who risked everything to defend her people."

 

 

6. Our Noble Selves by Kate Atkinson (9/15)

 "A thrilling tale of post–World War II London, where the peace proves as tricky to navigate as the past."

 

 

7. The Witches of Cambridge by Alice Hoffman (9/8)

"The brand-new series from the bestselling author of Practical Magic, following two brilliant young women in 1950s Cambridge, Massachusetts, as they become immersed in a mysterious secret group of witches at Radcliffe known as the Lilith Society."

 

 

8. Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley (9/22)

"The brand-new Miss Marple mystery from Lucy Foley, author of The Guest List."  

 

 

9. Grim Tidings by B.K. Borison (9/15)

 "A new whimsical, haunting romance. When a runaway grim reaper tries to save a life, she clashes with a skeptical Guardian, forcing them to form an unlikely partnership beyond the grave."

 

 

10. The Thoroughbreds by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham (9/15)

"Class is back in session! What has more high-stakes drama, tension, and intrigue than senior year at a New England boarding school?"

 

 

Which books are on your September TBR list? Let me know in the comments below.