Titan Books; 348 pages; $7.99; Amazon

I've had the worst blogging experiences trying to write my review for Alien: Covenant: The Official Movie Novelization. After reading the novel last month, I had set up the basics for my review - images, buy link, etc., but then, abracadabra, the post was magically deleted. Frustrated, I put aside writing the review for a few weeks. Then I slowly worked on a long review, where the first few paragraph talked about the history of novelizations. Over the weekend, I dabbled a little more with the review, and then early yesterday morning I finished writing it. I did a little editing and I was seconds away from clicking the  'publish' button when suddenly the entire text disappeared within a flash. I went to use the "undo" button, but it wasn't available, as if my review was never written. After a few cuss words came flying out mouth, I calmed down and began to write what you are currently reading. No, it's not the review I wanted to post, but it is what it is, and hopefully a few readers will enjoy it.

Why did I read a novelization to begin with?

Well, I wanted to watch the science fiction-horror flick Alien: Covenant, but I knew the one-screen theater in my town would never get the movie becasue it was rated R, which is normally a no no for a volunteer-run theater. Instead of waiting for the film to be released to Blu-ray (Next month, right?), I decided to read the novelization.

Alien: Covenant: The Official Movie Novelization is written by Alan Dean Foster, based on the screenplay by John Logan and Dante Harper. Alien: Covenant is a sequel to the 2012 film Prometheus, as well as being a prequel to the original Alien (1979). This isn't the first time author Alan Dean Foster has ventured into the Alien universe, as he also wrote the novelizations of Alien, Aliens, and Aliens 3.

The novel opens up with a prologue (aka, Chapter 1), where we see the creation of David, the synthetic android that appeared in Prometheus. The following chapter introduces the colonization ship Covenant that is bound for a remote planet called Origae-6, carrying two thousand colonists and a thousand human embryos. After the ship is damaged from a stellar neutrino burst, the android named Walter wakes up the crew from stasis.

Disney; 66 minutes; Walmart

Being released on DVD today from Disney Home Entertainment is Minnie's Happy Helpers, featuring six 11-minute episodes and one bonus episode ("Teed Off!"). There are no special features or extras on the single-disc, though it does come with a FREE Magnetic "Helper" Chart.

After Mickey Mouse Clubhouse series ended, Disney Junior debuted it's replacement series, titled Mickey and the Roadster Racers, earlier this year. Each episode is divided into two 11-minute segments. One segment would center on the Sensational Six \(Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Daisy, and Pluto) racing around Hot Dog Hills and other parts of the world and the other segment centers on Minnie, Daisy, and Cuckoo-Loca racing around Hot Dog Hills, helping their friends with odd jobs.

Voice-cast for the series includes: Voice Cast: Russi Taylor as Minnie Mouse; Tress MacNeille as Daisy Duck; Bret Iwan as Mickey Mouse; Daniel Ross as Donald Duck; April Winchell as Clarabelle Cow; Jim Cummings as Pete; and Bill Farmer as Goofy.

Episodes on the DVD are:

• Egg-Xasperating! - The Happy Helpers babysit Clara Cluck's egg.

• Happy Hula Helpers! - In Hawaii, the Happy Helpers gives hula dance lessons for a birthday party.

• Tea Time Trouble! - Before the Happy Helpers can have tea with the Queen in the London, they must fix the clock known as the Big Ben. Meanwhile, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy learn how to be gentleman.

• Happy Birthday Helpers! - The Happy Helpers must race around town to save a birthday cake.

• Bed, Breakfast And Bungled! - Clarabelle helps the Happy Helpers take care of a bed and breakfast.

• Gone Fishin'! - The Happy Helpers (and Donald) accidentally invade Mickey and Goofy's camping trip.

Bonus Episode

• Teed Off! - The Happy Helpers join the big golf tournament as caddies.

Fox Home Entertainment; 390 minutes;

Now available on Blu-ray from Twentieth Fox Home Entertainment is Prison Break: Event Series, featuring all nine exciting episodes from the reboot season (aka, the fifth season). Produced by Paul Scheuring, the series stars
Wentworth Miller, Dominic Purcell, Sarah Wayne Callies, Amaury Nolasco, Paul Adelstein, Robert Knepper and Rockmond Dunbar.

Prison Break: Event Series (also known as Prison Break: Resurrection) is a sequel mini-series to the series Prison Break that aired on Fox from 2005 to 2009.

Picking up seven years after season four finale, Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell is mysteriously released from prison and is given a picture of Michael in the Ogygia prison.

Since T-Bag has now forgiven everybody for sending him back to prison, he tracks down Michael's brother, Lincoln Burrows, and gives him the picture. After telling Michael's wife Sara about the picture, Lincoln, along with C-Note, travel to Sana'a, Yemen to see for himself if Michael is actually alive.

This is Prison Break, so of course Michael is somehow alive, sporting several new mysterious tattoos, and must once again find a way to escape from a prison, as well as unraveling another "hard to follow" conspiracy plot.

The only featurette is "A Return Home: The Making of Prison Break Event Series."

During my early childhood, I was addicted to books. When I started teaching special needs children, ages six- nine years old, I wanted to influence their desire to read. I read aloud every day and left them hanging on the next conflict in the story until the following morning. During the day, we sang songs, and I required them to follow each word with a finger. I played word games on the chalkboard and kept their inattentive brains engaged in learning. Now that I know the value of a therapy dog, I would have had one in my room. In my day, I had set up a reading center for the students sit on the floor and read to stuffed animals.

After I retired from teaching, the desire to write about service dogs went to the top of my to-do-list. I called service dog organizations around the U.S. to ask questions and do research. One day while in a grocery store, I met a young boy with a dog wearing a vest. I assumed he was a puppy raiser since I had learned about them for other dog organizations.

When I spoke to him, he clarified. “No, Mam. This is my diabetic alert service dog.” His mother gave me permission to interview him and I wrote my first magazine article. It was published in Club House Magazine in 2010. The story, Scent with Love, won in the Dog Writers Association, 2011. It also was nominated for a Maxwell Medallion Award. I received a monetary award and a trophy for the boy involved and myself. It was a thrill and certainly gave me some confidence to continue writing.

After writing Scent with Love, I started writing Seven Days to Goodbye. My characters and setting came from experiences and memories. I used our first Aussie, our favorite beach, and I had interviewed another mother about her son with autism and discovered how his service dog changed his life. I became involved with PAALS and they helped me write my stories correctly. I am proud to be involved with their expertise and share my book and author visits proceeds with them. They always have a waiting list for people needing a special companion.

My favorite parts of Seven Days to Goodbye are the interactions with Logan, a seven-year-old boy with autism, and Sydney, the service dog who has been trained to help children with autism.

“Syd-ney, Syd-ney,” Logan screamed in a high-pitched voice, flinging his hands in the air.
Sydney looked to me for permission. I, of course, said, “Okay!” And he darted to Logan.
Not wanting to interrupt their greeting, I walked slowly towards them. “Hi, Logan. You’re awake early.”
He jumped up and down, repeating, “Syd-ney, Syd-ney, Syd-ney.”

Meet two women in different eras but both with unfailing conviction in Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould's new book, My Daughter's Legacy. Therese Jennings cannot abide the thought of owning slaves. But when trouble befalls her family, can she reconcile her obligations with her beliefs? Nicole Talbot's life is back on track after years of substance abuse. But when facts she uncovers cast doubt on her family's legacy, she must risk all that she's gained-her fresh start, her family's trust, and her growing relationship with a new man-to unlock the secrets of the past.

Celebrate the release of Mindy and Leslie's new book by entering to win the $75 Visa Cash Card Giveaway (details below) and by attending their author chat party on August 1!


One grand prize winner will receive:

• One copy of My Daughter's Legacy
• One $75 Visa Cash Card

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 1. The winner will be announced at the My Daughter's Legacy Facebook party. RSVP for a chance to connect with Mindy, Leslie, and other readers, as well as for a chance to win other prizes!

RSVP today and spread the word-tell your friends about the giveaway via social media and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 1st!

Harvest House Publishers; 398 pages; Buy Link; Blog Tour

Now available from Harvest House Publishers is the historical drama My Daughter's Legacy, book three of the Cousins Of The Dove series, by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould.

Unlike most of my reviews, I keeping the book synopsis extremely short for this one, as I don't want to give away too many spoilers with this title.

My Daughter's Legacy weaves together two different stories that are over one hundred fifty years apart. 

In the present day Virginia, the story centers on a recovering-addict named Nicole Talbot, who is working at a therapy center during summer break from college. 

In 1864, the story centers on Therese Jennings, a young woman who works as a governess during the day and tends to wounded soldiers at night.