Atonement (The McIntire County Series Book 1) by Winter Austin – Review by Katie Kearney

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Atonement (The McIntire County Series: #1)Atonement by Winter Austin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

New to me author and I seriously can’t wait for more. This book was exactly what I needed a my bit of a reading slump I was having. The storyline was easy to follow and wasn’t easy to give the answers away. I like a book that I can’t figure out immediately. The characters each brought their own style to the storyline and I was completely hooked from start to finish. I’m excited to see where this series goes next. Four big stars and highly recommended.

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A Forever Kind of Thing by Carrie Thomas and Melinda Harris – Review by Candida Hopper

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A Forever Kind of ThingA Forever Kind of Thing by Carrie Thomas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a great read. I was pulled in from the beginning. I truly enjoyed the author’s writing style. Mina and Wes have had a rough start in their lives. These two became quick friends and their feelings grew from there, and then one day Wes leaves and Mina has no idea where he went. A few years later they end up at the same high school. Mina and Wes have missed each other over the years but they both have changed. There are a lot of emotions and ups and downs while they navigate their feelings. I look forward to reading more books by this author. I highly recommend this book.

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A Forever Kind of Thing by Carrie Thomas and Melinda Harris – Review by Katie Kearney

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A Forever Kind of ThingA Forever Kind of Thing by Carrie Thomas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book man! It has a big piece of my heart that I willingly gave. These authors are new to me but I’m definitely looking into them each for more. The characters in this book from page one had me wishing I lived in their world, I was completely hooked. Wes and Mina had my emotions all over the place. There wasn’t any point where I wasn’t 100% invested in this story. I’m so glad I happened to see this book. It’s definitely in my top ten for this year and I can’t wait to read it all over again eventually. Five stars all the way and highly recommended.

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Notebook Mysteries ~ A Party to Remember (Notebook Mysteries Series) by Kimberly Mullins – Review by Amanda Glaspie

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Notebook Mysteries ~ A Party to RememberNotebook Mysteries ~ A Party to Remember by Kimberly Mullins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is proof good things come in small packages. The beginning felt choppy and didn’t feel like the normal writing style for this series but it quickly fell into the groove we know and love. This Christmas novella was the perfect mix of mystery and family. Definitely don’t pass on this fast and fun read.

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Notebook Mysteries ~ A Party to Remember (Notebook Mysteries Series) by Kimberly Mullins – Review by Sheri Schrader

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Notebook Mysteries ~ A Party to RememberNotebook Mysteries ~ A Party to Remember by Kimberly Mullins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Notebook Mysteries: A Party to Remember is a novella in the Notebook Mysteries series. The story is best enjoyed after reading at least some of the other books in the series. The story is a fast read kicking off the Christmas holidays for me. Emma is intrigued when she receives a party invite to take place in Chicago instead of New York. Why Chicago, and who is on the guest list?
After reading the rest of the series, I was excited to see a new adventure for Emma and her friends. Her instincts are acting on overdrive after the party invite arrives. There is also a Christmas wedding in the works. Everyone is busy because of the wedding and the holidays. I like that so many of the recurring characters make an appearance in this book. The story is fun, festive, and left me looking forward to more stories about Emma and company. If you enjoy intrigue, historical fiction, and great characters, give this series a try. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

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Oscar and Emmy Lose a Friend (Oscarand Emmy Series) by Terri Sabol – Review by Katie Kearney

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Oscar and Emmy Lose a Friend: A story about pet loss and saying goodbye to a furry friend. Ages 5-11 and kindergarten through grade 5.Oscar and Emmy Lose a Friend: A story about pet loss and saying goodbye to a furry friend. Ages 5-11 and kindergarten through grade 5. by Terri Sabol
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book I was iffy on from the start I mean it’s a hard subject matter but I’ll be honest by the end I’m actually really glad I got it. Sometimes as parents we sugar coat hard stuff for our kids, this book took a hard situation for people of all ages really and handled it with clear information but also the heart side of it. My nieces thought it was a good book to help kids understand this part of pet owning and such. The illustrations were beautifully done.Four stars for a good story that touched our hearts.

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Ignite My Heart (North Fork Series Book 2) by Alicia Street – Review by Megan Pesek

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Ignite My Heart (North Fork Series Book 2)Ignite My Heart by Alicia Street
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ignite My Heart was an easy and engaging read. Blake is smart as a whip, but can’t land a permanent teaching job. Morgan is a single father looking to find help with his daughter after relocating. Blake’s brother has the perfect plan to get Morgan to hire Blake as a nanny. It’s a tempting job, but Blake has a lot of baggage that may prevent her from fulfilling all the duties of nannying. Especially when Morgan is nothing short of stunning.
The story was easy to follow. The ending was a bit rushed, but still exactly what I needed from this book.

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Atonement (The McIntire County Series Book 1) by Winter Austin – Review by Toni Sellers

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Atonement (The McIntire County Series: #1)Atonement by Winter Austin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Such a good mystery-suspense novel with a little bit of romance thrown in. I was drawn in very quickly and didn’t want to put it down. All of the characters were so well written and great for a small town. I also loved that the main characters PTSD was present and addressed in the book, I think it is an important part of the story and a reality that does not always get enough attention, with how it can affect a person and those around them. Alot of emotions and twists and turns, I definitely can’t wait for the next book.

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Atonement (The McIntire County Series Book 1) by Winter Austin – Review by Shadel Ayerbe

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Atonement (The McIntire County Series: #1)Atonement by Winter Austin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Atonement (The McIntire County Series Book 1) by Winter Austin is a romance suspense

A cunning killer’s bizarre scheme entangles McIntire County deputy Nicolette Rivers after a spate of mysterious suicides in the tranquil Iowa hamlet of Eider. The Priest will stop at nothing to expose Nic, a former marine sniper suffering from PTSD, and her terrible secrets. Nic is tasked with working with Eider police investigator Con O’Hanlon to find out what caused the suicides. She consistently rejects his assistance, but the obstinate Irishman persists.

Every page had you hanging on every sentence and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen. It is a very unique story with even compelling people. The story really transports you into this world. I couldn’t put the book down.

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Amaleigha Makes a New Friend by Janice Pratt – Review by Katie Kearney

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Amaleigha Makes a New FriendAmaleigha Makes a New Friend by Janice Pratt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a cute book that I enjoyed reading with my nieces ages 10 and 11. Each of them took turns reading, each did very well so it was easy to read and understand. This story actually really had them wanting to also have a pen pal. It’s a story that also had us learning new things about a different place so that was fun, it also had some difficult subject matter but this author handled it wonderfully. My nieces really got hooked and it opened a lot of different conversations with them about different parts of the world. The art work wasn’t every page but when it was there it was colorful and well done.Over all we’d give this book a four star rating and my nieces would like more stories like this.

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The Master of Demise by Nadija Mujagic – Review by Trista Martin

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The Master of DemiseThe Master of Demise by Nadija Mujagic
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow!!! I immediately went looking for another psychological thriller the second I finished this!! I can’t believe I haven’t read more of this genre! This author did a fantastic job of keeping me guessing. I was all about the who? Why? How? the entire book. Will read more by this talented author.

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A Forever Kind of Thing by Carrie Thomas and Melinda Harris – Review by Trista Martin

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A Forever Kind of ThingA Forever Kind of Thing by Carrie Thomas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a cute YA second chance romance. These two meet as young kids, both residing on the poor side of town one in a trailer park and one in a boys home. Instantly hit it off, until one day he is just gone. Fast forward a few years and her life is vastly different and he is once again in the boys home. They have to learn to navigate even a friendship with all the changes that have occurred over the years. Cute, recommend to anyone you likes a high school romance.

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A Death on Fools Lane (An Eve Sawyer Mystery) by Jane Suen – Review by Carla Clemmons

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A Death on Fools Lane (Eve Sawyer Mystery #4)A Death on Fools Lane by Jane Suen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a great cozy mystery! I just recently started reading this genre and I loved how this one wrapped up the story. I did not realize this was the fourth book in a series but was still able to follow along with the characters. I will go back and read the other three as I really enjoyed the author’s writing style. There was an unexpected plot twist that took me by surprise. I think Eve, Randall and Cassie make a great team and flow well together. I really like Eve’s personality and how she just wants to jump right in and her friends support that part of her with ease. I will definitely be reading more from this author starting with book one in this series!

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Killer Smile by Allan Evans – Review by Lorralei Hoerner

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Killer SmileKiller Smile by Allan Evans
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was a great book!! I really enjoyed Killer Blonde but this story had me at the edge of my seat! While you can read this as a standalone I recommend reading Killer Blonde….and Detective Cade is back!! Cat and mouse, mystery, suspense/thriller, crime….

Detective Cade Dawkins is back after stopping a serial killer….but the tides are turning after he is notified of a website that has Cade on their radar….this website is serial killers now targeting him. Once this notice is out whom will outsmart whom? Will Cade be more in danger or will the killers get him before it is to late!!

Another great read and I cannot wait to read more!!

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The Mother’s Threat by Susan Specht Oram – Review by Ashley Mertz

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The Mother's Threat: A compelling domestic thrillerThe Mother’s Threat: A compelling domestic thriller by Susan Specht Oram
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A Mother’s Threat by Susan Specht Oram is available now in eBook, Audio book, and Physical Book
⭐️⭐️⭐ Book Review

A Mother’s Threat introduces us to Violet Cleaveland who is working on opening her very own security business. When she takes on her first client she doesn’t realize her mother is going to be her biggest threat (hence the name of the novel). A Mother’s Threat, full of family drama, tackles quite a few hard topics: child abandonment, mental abuse, and manipulation. This was my first time reading a novel written by Specht Oram. It was a short, simple, to the point type of read. Almost too simple for me hence the 3 stars. I wish there would have been more back history of the relationship for Violet and Daisy. There were some brief snippets of why they had the relationship they had but not much to go off of. I understood the concept of the story but it didn’t seem like there was enough there to write a 230 page novel about. I did enjoy Specht Oram’s writing style. Her characters were down to earth and simple. Her story line flowed and kept the reader interested. At the end of the day, I would not hesitate to give this author another try in the near future.

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Killer Blonde by Allan Evans – Review by Lorralei Hoerner

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Killer BlondeKiller Blonde by Allan Evans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was a very good cat and mouse crime thriller that felt like this could happen in real life. Murder, mystery, mayhem, danger, twists and turns and some intense moments….the thrill of the kill by this mystery serial killer and the detective whom is out to track them down…..

Someone is out to and has their eyes on tall, beautiful blonde women and to make a statement and end their life. Planning, stalking and the methods…one by one, women are dying. Detective Cade Dawkins is highly known and out to put an end to this killer. Will Detective Cade find this serial killer before more it is to late or will the killer outwit the law.

Great read and highly recommended….looking forward to more from this author!

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Notebook Mysteries ~ A Party to Remember (Notebook Mysteries Series) by Kimberly Mullins – Review by Rebeca Elliott Figueiras

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Notebook Mysteries ~ A Party to RememberNotebook Mysteries ~ A Party to Remember by Kimberly Mullins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This short novella is part of the Notebook Mysteries series and makes for a quick and easy read. This can be read as a standalone, but to truly appreciate the background and characters I recommend reading the rest of the series.
Emma and Jeremy are once again set on solving a mystery, this time at Christmas after being invited to a party. Emma begins investigating almost immediately, sensing something is off which is just one of many reasons I love her.
As per usual when reading this series, the author’s easy flowing writing style heightened my enjoyment by painting vivid imagery of both characters and scenery.
As always I eagerly await more from the series!

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Notebook Mysteries ~ A Party to Remember (Notebook Mysteries Series) by Kimberly Mullins – Review by Jennifer Crain

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Notebook Mysteries ~ A Party to RememberNotebook Mysteries ~ A Party to Remember by Kimberly Mullins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My second Notebook mystery, I chose this for the cover- not only does it show a stunning Victoria era dress, it is very festive. Normally I don’t read a ton of Christmas novellas, but this one was intriguing, especially because it centered around Emma, a character I very much enjoyed in A Parisian Intrigue.

The entire story line revolves around the 5 W’s of the party- the who was pretty easily figured out, but the rest took until the end of the novella to uncover. I enjoyed how this was kept down to a novella- I think the idea, while great in the less than 150 pages, would have suffered in a longer text.

I enjoyed finding out more about Hen, and can’t wait to figure out if her story line continues. Like A Parisian Intrigue, the pacing and world building of this novella made it a one night, but rememberable read. The only thing I wish was stronger was the conclusion, which I thought was rushed.

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Killer Smile by Allan Evans – Review by Jennifer Crain

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Killer SmileKiller Smile by Allan Evans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I rated this a star lower than the first book, 4 stars instead of 5, because I personally didn’t care for the brutal descriptions of the murders, and felt it wasn’t needed in parts to allow the story to keep on moving. I felt the story dragged at times; for example, it was obvious from the get go there were two killers, but the time it took to get there was slow.

I did enjoy the comical name and reoccurring jibes of the task force name (Five Below). My favorite quotation from the book was”The other two grad students grinned. One said, “Murder vacation: band name.” because it comically relieves a relatively dark book (I felt this one was darker than book #1). I did think the reoccurring stereotypical cop jokes got old after the first few references to donuts. Although I did connect with Cade in his dislike of elevator music.

All in all, I would read book #3 of the series when it comes out and see where it is going.

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Atonement (The McIntire County Series Book 1) by Winter Austin – Review by Rebeca Elliott Figueiras

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Atonement (The McIntire County Series: #1)Atonement by Winter Austin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This romantic thriller is the first book in the McIntire County series, and I was hooked from the start. It’s a well-written novel that you can’t help but try to solve the mystery alongside the characters and the well-placed twists throw you for a loop in the best way.
The best display of the great writing is in the character of Nic and her battling with PTSD. Now a Sheriff’s deputy she begins investigating a string of apparent suicides, but her PTSD is affecting her worse as her past is brought ever closer to the surface. As someone familiar with the effects of PTSD it was interesting to see how this would be written and I must say that I was impressed. Obviously not everyone’s PTSD is the same, but this showed a deep understanding of how it can affect the person suffering and those close to them.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship develop between Nic and Con, his understanding and patience as she resists his help and eventually seeing the relationship become more was rewarding among the negativity being faced.
This was a great read and I look forward to reading the rest of the series!

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When We Fell Again by Julie Archer – Review by Jennifer Gordon

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When We Fell Again: An angsty, second chance rockstar romanceWhen We Fell Again: An angsty, second chance rockstar romance by Julie Archer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An enjoyable and engaging contemporary romance with a rockstar second chance at love theme. Band Idol Rev’s frontman Jordan and tour manger Lex have a complicated history, but now they are having to work together on the bands comeback tour. Whilst Jordan is determined to win Lex back and change his behaviour to make their relationship work this time round, Lex is just as determined not to fall for her ex again. However their undeniable chemistry is still there and so are their old feelings and soon they both decide that their relationship is worth a second chance. Then someone from Jordan’s past starts playing hell with his life which leads him on a path of self destruction, threatening both his future with the band and his relationship with Lex. When Jordan’s past demons come back to haunt him Lex is worried that he’s going to break her heart for a second time. The angsty storyline along with the realistic characters kept me happily turning the pages. The chemistry between Lex and Jordan sizzled off the page and I liked how their relationship developed throughout the story. The descriptive narrative brought the setting vividly to life and made me feel immersed in the couples world.

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Killer Blonde by Allan Evans – Review by Jennifer Crain

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Killer BlondeKiller Blonde by Allan Evans
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

From right off, the cover builds suspense and intrigue- whom is the attractive woman in the red dress, and why is she standing on a parapet off a building?

First impression of the book was this was one I was going to stick with, because it was well written and fast-paced, and in a style that I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. For characterizations, I loved how the governor gives Investigator Cade Dawkins the hardest time, only in order to build his own importance and build confidence in his constituents for the next election. I felt for the citizens of Minnesota as Cade works to find the killer.

I enjoyed the soccer-loving authors’ reference to the game, although dislike his taste in the English Premier League and his key players, but thought he wrote about the passes/plays in soccer quite effectively. For whatever reason, I laughed over the line “The killer goosed the gas pedal,” I don’t know if that is regional slang or not!

I can’t wait to read book #2 of this series, and I would recommend this one to anyone that enjoys fast-pasted, thriller-style mysteries.

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Killer Smile by Allan Evans – Review by Tanya Wall, September 2023

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Killer SmileKiller Smile by Allan Evans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is like watching Criminal Minds – if you like that series, you’ll enjoy this read. Out on the dark web, there is a challenge for serial killers to come and outsmart the detective that took down the Blonde Killer. I wasn’t sure I was going to get into the story at the start, but I kept reading and was glad I did – the ending took me by surprise! I didn’t read the first book in the series, but was able to get up to speed in this sequel pretty quickly.

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Amaleigha Makes a New Friend by Janice Pratt – Review by Tausha Treadway

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Amaleigha Makes a New FriendAmaleigha Makes a New Friend by Janice Pratt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Amaleigha Makes a New Friend by Janice Pratt. I enjoyed this book so much. Its a great kids book but even as a old lady, I enjoyed it. Amaleigha’s class has decided to be pen pal’s with kids from other countries. When Amaleigha picks a young boy from Ukraine they become fast friends. Vova is 9 years old and loves going to school and playing with his friends. No one had a clue that while they were pen pals that a war would break out in Ukraine and Vova would go from a happy go lucky child to a child scared to death for him and his family. Bombs are going off all around him and his dad has signed up with the Ukraine Services. No knowing what might happen to his dad scares Vova the most. This is such a great book for ages 4 to 8 but like I said I think all ages will enjoy it. Such a educational, emotional read.

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Atonement (The McIntire County Series Book 1) by Winter Austin – Review by Jennifer Gordon

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Atonement (The McIntire County Series: #1)Atonement by Winter Austin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a gripping first book in a new series and I was hooked throughout. Former marine sniper and current McIntire County deputy Nicolette Rivers is investigating a rash of unexplained suicides in the small town of Eider, Iowa. Nic suffers from PTSD and has her own deadly secrets, but things become dangerous for her when her investigations result in her becoming involved in a devious killer’s twisted plot. Eider police detective Con O’Hanlon is also assigned to uncover the truth behind the suicides, but Nic keeps refuses his help. However, when tragedy strikes Con is willing to help cover up the fallout, whilst ‘The Priest’ is keen on exposing Nic’s secret. This was a romantic suspense with plenty of drama and plot twists that kept me guessing as to the outcome of the story. The small town setting came alive though the descriptive narrative, making me feel immersed in the story. I felt engaged with the main characters, Nic and Con and found them both likeable and relatable. Nic’s PTSD was dealt with honestly and sensitively as part of the storyline. An entertaining and enjoyable read and I look forward to book two in the series.

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A Forever Kind of Thing by Carrie Thomas and Melinda Harris – Review by Tausha Treadway

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A Forever Kind of ThingA Forever Kind of Thing by Carrie Thomas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Forever Kind of Thing by Carrie Thomas and Melinda Harris. This is a great young adult romance. Its about Mina who is a odd girl that hates school because she is bullied and treated horribly. This small town has treated her nothing short of inhumane. She feels like she is all alone in the world until 5th grade and a weird boys shows up for his first day of. They become instant best friends. They do everything together and eventually fall in love. They have both been handed hard losses in life and they are surviving the best they know how. Now they found each other everything seems a little easier. When out of the blue Wes and his family move with no notice to Mina. She is lost again. Going on without Wes is hard but she manages and has a pretty successful ride. Her mom marries someone that has money and Mina inherits the benefits of that. She’s wearing cute clothes, got all the cool friends and even has a boyfriend when Wes shows up at her college after getting transferred. What will Mina do? Will she give up her new friends and life to go back to Wes? Such a heart wrenching young adult read.

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Rocketship Made of Stars (I am an Alien) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Jules Herbert

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Rocketship Made of Stars: Naming Constellations (I am an Alien)Rocketship Made of Stars: Naming Constellations by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A young girl Shirl and her Alien friend Eee-ahh go to school together and the lesson is about constellations. This is a fantastic read to engage young ones in science and learning with fun illustrations from a very creative author.

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Rocketship Made of Stars (I am an Alien) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Carrie Reed

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Rocketship Made of Stars: Naming Constellations (I am an Alien)Rocketship Made of Stars: Naming Constellations by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great artwork, I love how colorful the book is. This is a fun book to teach kids about stars and constellations, especially the with the back of the book listing different constellations and the shape they would appear in the sky. Very informational and fun to think aliens are out there.

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Notebook Mysteries – A Party to Remember (Notebook Mysteries Series) by Kimberly Mullins – Review by Jules Herbert

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Notebook Mysteries ~ A Party to RememberNotebook Mysteries ~ A Party to Remember by Kimberly Mullins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This fantastic Christmas Novella has the feisty Emma handling lots as she always does when an invitation spikes her suspicions and you immediately know a new mystery is on the way.
This amazing author continually draws me into her world so effortlessly with each and every book I read. The Creative storylines, wonderful characters and descriptive writing of this truly talented author can not be missed! Do yourself a huge favour and read all her fantastic books.

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Notebook Mysteries ~ A Party to Remember (Notebook Mysteries Series) by Kimberly Mullins – Review by Julie Johnson

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Notebook Mysteries ~ A Party to RememberNotebook Mysteries ~ A Party to Remember by Kimberly Mullins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this series and this little novella didn’t disappoint!

It’s Christmas time…a time of cheer, happiness, and overall well wishes for everyone. Parties are in full swing and Emma and Jeremy receive an invitation to a local party. Others in their company do as well. However, the invitation is not sitting right with Emma. Something just seems off about it.

As life goes on, there are some insiders scoping out the party location. Certain aspects of the location change over a few days and Emma receives word of it. She’s prepared for the party and whatever will happen therein.

These stories are just great little cozy mysteries with historical aspects thrown in. Some of the books in the series are full-length, while others are more novella style such as this one. There is always at least one adventure taking place, and usually more are starting in the background. Emma is a strong character to endure all the things that are thrown at her, often times last minute.

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