Posts

Oscar and Emmy Foster Kittens (Oscar and Emmy Series) by Terri Sabol – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

/0 Comments/in /by

Oscar and Emmy Foster KittensOscar and Emmy Foster Kittens by Terri Sabol
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oscar and Emmy Foster Kittens Is part of the Oscar and Emmy series. It is designed for children between the ages of 5 and 10 years of age. Twins Charlie and Abby have discussed with their mom the opportunity of fostering animals while they volunteer at an animal shelter. When they get the chance to foster three kittens, they learn both the joys and responsibilities of fostering animals. The children learn about responsibility, compassion, and nurturing not just a kitten, but this could be applied to all pets. As with all the books in this series, the author does an amazing job of teaching children about the responsibilities of pet ownership. The bright colorful illustrations really help to bring the story to life.

View all my reviews@tarab

Touched: Elemental Passions Book One by Skye Turner, Sloane Nicole, April D. Berry, C.J. Pinard, Danielle Jamie, Darlene Tallman, Julie Morgan, Livell James, Machelle Hanleigh, and Melissa MacKinnon – Review by Brittany Angel

/0 Comments/in /by

Touched (Elemental Passions #1)Touched by Skye Turner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Touched was a quick, entertaining read. It takes place in New Orleans, LA and, at first, is very reminiscent of the Wicked series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Which also takes place on New Orleans. I found LeBlanc and many of the supporting characters fun to read. Though this has multiple authors, it reads as though there was only one. I look forward to reading the next installment when it is released.

View all my reviews

4 R’s: Roped, Risked, Rescued, Romanced (4 R’s Series) by Julie Castle – Review by Karole Petty

/0 Comments/in /by

4 R's: Roped, Rescued, Risked, Romanced4 R’s: Roped, Rescued, Risked, Romanced by Julie Castle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I jumped right in on this new to me author with her box set of 4 different stories. The stories were all different which I enjoyed, made for a very good box set. Fell in love with the characters and in hate with others. They were very relatable and well rounded. I will recommend this author and will suggest this box set to anyone that is looking for a new author to get hooked on. I will be reading all her other work for sure.

View all my reviews

4 R’s: Roped, Risked, Rescued, Romanced (4 R’s Series) by Julie Castle – Review by Barbara Bohls

/0 Comments/in /by

4 R's: Roped, Rescued, Risked, Romanced4 R’s: Roped, Rescued, Risked, Romanced by Julie Castle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is an amazing set of 4 books in one. I love that I was able to keep reading story after story. I didn’t have to wait for the next one to publish and that made the material fresh in my mind. These book flow together and all contain the same intensity throughout them. These books are quick reads because the words jut flow off the pages. I felt like I just sat down to read them and then they were done. Each book focuses on a different set of characters. These characters all have growth and have experiences that help create the story line for the book. They have different tropes to the books, those include enemies to lovers and forced proximity. The steam is in each book but it is different in each as well. I just can’t get over how good these books are. There is spice, suspense, laughs, shocked moments, and push and pull with emotions throughout these books. If you are one that loves reading series, this would be the best way to do it. I recommend having a day free because once you start reading this, you won’t want to stop. So good.
Reviewed by: @bbohls

View all my reviews

Unicorn, Don’t Do That! by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Tori Mitton

/0 Comments/in /by

<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57128414-unicorn-don-t-do-that” style=”float: left; padding-right: 20px”><img border=”0″ alt=”Unicorn, Don’t Do That!: It’s okay if a Unicorn poops on your doorstep” src=”https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1613752303l/57128414._SX98_.jpg” /></a><a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57128414-unicorn-don-t-do-that”>Unicorn, Don’t Do That!: It’s okay if a Unicorn poops on your doorstep</a> by <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/331633.Lois_Wickstrom”>Lois Wickstrom</a><br/>
My rating: <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6453308359″>5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Stega gets invited to Benny’s house warming. But she wants to bring a gift she can give to Benny. She gets blueberries, walnuts, and honey. But eats them all. She brings Benny an empty coconut shell. He thinks it’s pretty and invites Stega inside to play. But she pooped outside the door, but it’s a rainbow! And it glows.
<br/><br/>
<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6813301-tori”>View all my reviews</a>

Queen of the Fairies by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

/0 Comments/in /by

Queen of the FairiesQueen of the Fairies by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Queen of the Fairies is a children’s book designed for children between the ages of 4 and 8 years of age. It is about a little girl who wants to write a book about the Queen of the Fairies. She realizes that she cannot just write about good fairies because if she writes just about the good fairies, then the bad fairies might play tricks on her. The bad fairies might even decide to take the book that she is writing about the fairies and then the Queen of the Fairies will never get to see it see it. This is a cute story with a surprise ending that was fun to read. The bright colorful illustrations really bring the story to life. Another wonderful book by this talented author.

View all my reviews@tarab

Drag Me Down (Full Throttle Cyborgs Series) by Landra Graf – Review by Barbara Bohls

/0 Comments/in /by

Drag Me Down (Full Throttle Cyborgs, #4)Drag Me Down by Landra Graf
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Let’s start with the obvious, you can read this book before reading the others in this series. There are characters that overlap between books but each book can be read as a stand alone. You don’t feel like you are missing out on anything if you are starting with this book. You will want to go and read the other books in the series. Now, let us talk about this book. It is amazing and fast paced. The action on the pages keep you turning them. When I say this book was a quick read, I don’t mean that by it being a short time span; I mean it because the action and pace of the story line is quick. Just when you grasp what happened, something else happens. The cars in this book just accelerates the story line and the pace which the author wants to take you through the story. Then the author adds in some amazing characters that help feed into the pace of this book. I felt like an adrenaline junkie while reading this book. When I finished it, I felt like I do things that are way out of my normal. lol. This book will have you thinking you can do some of this amazing stuff that the characters do because you can relate to them. The characters help drive home the chemistry in this book and I loved every second of it. I will be reading the rest of the series because if this book was the good, can you imagine what the whole series is like and how even more incredible it could be. This book contains a little of everything for everyone. I highly recommend reading it even if you don’t like romance, you will like the banter with the characters and the action in this book.
Reviewed by: @bbohls

View all my reviews

Will You (Pretend) Marry Me (Swan Cove Series) by Christi Barth – Review by Brittany Angel

/0 Comments/in /by

Will You Pretend Marry MeWill You Pretend Marry Me by Christi Barth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Who doesn’t love a sweet little romantic read? This was great in all the right ways. I think I will be picking up more novels by this author in the near future.

View all my reviews

Fay’s Kindness Parade (The Adventures of Cray Series) by G Pa Rhymes – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

/0 Comments/in /by

Fay's Kindness Parade (The Adventures of Cray)Fay’s Kindness Parade by G Pa Rhymes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fay’s Kindness Parade is Book Five in The Adventures of Cray series. In the latest adventure Turtle Fay is preparing to leave behind the chilly weather and head for somewhere warmer. She asks Cray to join her so they can spread kindness along the way. Before leaving they help a hermit crab find a bigger shell. As they cross the ocean, the group helps a lobster free himself from a rock, free a whale that was tangled in a net, and help a dolphin find his family. Throughout their journey others join them in their kindness parade and help spread love, joy, kindness, and happiness. The book is written in fun rhymes and includes beautiful illustrations that make learning about friendship, compassion, gratitude, and helping others. I am a huge fan of this series and look forward to reading more by this author.

View all my reviews@tarab

Perfect (Perfect Series) by Tricia Copeland – Review by Barbara Bohls

/0 Comments/in /by

Perfect (Perfect, #1)Perfect by Tricia Copeland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars

I am giving this book 4.5 stars because it is a completely new way writing a romance. I am not going to lie the reason I took.5 off in the stars in because, it took me a bit to figure out the flow of the book. I was a little confused when I started it as to how it was going to. My advice to y’all is to keep an open mind and through everything you have thought about romance novels out the windows. Once, I was able to grasp how the author was writing this book, I fell in love with it. I realized that I love the creative way she tackled this story line. The journey to find what truly makes one happy and what they want/need to feel loved completely. The journey of the main character is on of self doubt, finding inner strength, societal pressures, family pressure, loving but not loving enough, and finding what truly makes one happy. It was a great quick read and I couldn’t put it down.
Reviewed by: @bbohls
View all my reviews

Touched: Elemental Passions Book One by Skye Turner, Sloane Nicole, April D. Berry, C.J. Pinard, Danielle Jamie, Darlene Tallman, Julie Morgan, Livell James, Machelle Hanleigh, and Melissa MacKinnon – Review by Helen Dawkins

/0 Comments/in /by

Touched (Elemental Passions #1)Touched by Skye Turner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wonderful paranormal fae romance that is set in New Orleans. The book is written by a collection of 10 authors: Skye Turner, Sloane Nicole, April D. Berry, C.J. Pinard, Danielle Jamie, Darlene Tallman, Julie Moran, Livell James, Machelle, Hanleigh, Melissa McKinnon.

The book started a little slow but picked up about a third of the way through. The romance is insta-love/insta-lust with mystery, tension, and of course insane chemistry. I thoroughly enjoyed their love story, especially that it is a forbidden love. Aeris, who is fae, is very interested in humans outside of her home, Laric. But she is given several warnings from her older brother about them. Her curiosity wins out, and she decides to use glamour to watch humans. The twist is… Callum, a police detective, (human…..or is he?) can see her.

Aeris doesn’t understand how Callum could see her, but after some research, she realizes glamour does not work on other mythological creatures. Since Callum, must have mythological blood, she reveals to him that she is fae. But what type of creature is Callum?

There are lots of twists and turns that are executed perfectly. I was worried that the book would not flow properly considering how many authors are involved, but the story is seamless. There is steam, but it is toned down and is more plot than steam. The book was excellent and intricately woven. This is the first book of a five-part series, and I will definitely be reading all five.

View all my reviews

Breaking Apart (Finnerty and Liccione Mystery Series) by Wanda Venters, MD and Mary Rae, MD – Review by Kirsten Berkebile

/0 Comments/in /by

 

This is the second book of the Finnerty and Liccione Mystery Series. However it is the first one I have read. There are parts of the story that I’m confused with because I haven’t  read the first book. Overall the book was amazing. There is some trigging moments especially for those who have harmed themselves in the past. I do not recommend reading this book if you have ever felt that way. It was very eye opening for me how others view the world when they are in a vulnerable place. While it a fiction book the knowledge is real. I did enjoy reading the story and I’m glad that figured out the incident and helped someone who was struggling with a loss.

Breaking Apart (A Finnerty and Liccione Mystery, #2)Breaking Apart by Wanda J. Venters
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book of the Finnerty and Liccione Mystery Series. However it is the first one I have read. There are parts of the story that I’m confused with because I haven’t read the first book. Overall the book was amazing. There is some trigging moments especially for those who have harmed themselves in the past. I do not recommend reading this book if you have ever felt that way. It was very eye opening for me how others view the world when they are in a vulnerable place. While it a fiction book the knowledge is real. I did enjoy reading the story and I’m glad that figured out the incident and helped someone who was struggling with a loss.

View all my reviews

Hell Hath No Fury (Life is Hell Series) by Naomi Valkyrie – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

/0 Comments/in /by

Hell Hath No Fury (Life is Hell #2)Hell Hath No Fury by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hell Hath No Fury is Book Two in the Life is Hell Series. It is a paranormal F/F romance with drama, mystery, intrigue, demons, witches, shifters, fallen angels, magic, chemistry and a dash of humor. The story picks up with characters that we met in book one, Sheridan and Millicent, in the small town of Juniper Lake. Sheridan is a demon and Millicent is the deputy sheriff of Juniper Lake. Both are attracted to one another, but neither is brave enough to act on their crush so any chance of romance between them is slow burning. When Millicent gets a stalker who leaves her anonymous cryptic notes, and a creepy doll Sheridan is spurred into action and becomes determined to help her and keep her safe. Another brilliantly written story by this talented author who has a way of weaving an interesting and unique story that keeps the reader hooked. Looking forward to reading the next book in this fantastic series.

View all my reviews@tarab

Charlotte’s Control (The Control Series) by Maggie Sims – Review by Barbara Bohls

/0 Comments/in /by

Charlotte's Control (The Control Series)Charlotte’s Control by Maggie Sims
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved everything about this book. I loved seeing a female lead character be in charge, especially during the time period that this book takes place. I love the push and pull she has to do what her heart desires or what society claims is proper and right. Even though the leading male character is younger than what is expected, he shows an intellect that proves to be what the leading lady craves. Well, that and his ability to follow orders. There is this tension between them and it is a spicy push and pull. There is steam just coming off the pages of this book and I was so there for it. I haven’t read a book in this series but will definitely keep reading the entire series.  It was a quick read because I fell in love with the characters and with the story line. I felt transported into a whole other time and space. It was amazing. I can’t say much more without giving things away but I highly enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to anyone who wants historic romance with a side of spice.
Reviewed by: @bbohls

View all my reviews

Fay’s Kindness Parade (The Adventures of Cray Series) by G Pa Rhymes – Review by Tori Mitton

/0 Comments/in /by

<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209033210-fay-s-kindness-parade” style=”float: left; padding-right: 20px”><img border=”0″ alt=”Fay’s Kindness Parade (The Adventures of Cray)” src=”https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1708626185l/209033210._SX98_.jpg” /></a><a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209033210-fay-s-kindness-parade”>Fay’s Kindness Parade</a> by <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21769345.G_Pa_Rhymes”>G Pa Rhymes</a><br/>
My rating: <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6430296611″>5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Fay the sea turtle is on her way for the parade. When Fay asks Cray to join her for this parade. Along their journey they help every creature the come across. Doing acts of kindness, the other animals join in the parade to make it miles long through the ocean.
<br/><br/>
<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6813301-tori”>View all my reviews</a>

Scotland: Stunning, Strange, and Secret: A Guide to Hidden Scotland by Christy Nicholas Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

/0 Comments/in /by

Scotland: Stunning, Strange, and Secret: A Guide to Hidden ScotlandScotland: Stunning, Strange, and Secret: A Guide to Hidden Scotland by Christy Nicholas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Scotland: Stunning, Strange, and Secret: A Guide to Hidden Scotland is Book Two in The Hidden Gems Series. It is your definitive guide to all that Scotland has to offer written by a well traveled author. The author has expertly used her love of travel to discuss in-depth the hidden gems that Scotland offers for exploration that go beyond the usual tourist destinations. She describes both popular and little-known places as well as their history. I know at the top of my list of places to not miss out on would be the numerous haunted castles. The author discusses the history of Scotland, its myths, gods, beliefs, and superstitions which offer invaluable insight into its rich and varied culture. One of the myths that intrigued me was Bean-Nighe, AKA the “washer woman” in Scottish Gaelic who is seen as the omen of death. It is said that she can be seen near streams and pools washing the clothes of those that are doomed to death, turning the river red with their blood. Another one that I found interesting was about Brahan Seer, whose name was Coinneach Odhar, who was thought to be a prophet or seer with second sight. It was said that his visions were thought to come true. The author briefly discusses the origins of music beyond the well-known bagpipes that also started in Scotland. Artists and bands that originated from Scotland such as Annie Lennox, The Bay City Rollers, Sheena Easton, Simple Minds, and many members of the band AC/DC were born in Scotland. The author discusses how to plan your trip, the best time to go, travel expenses, extra costs that may be associated with the trip, travel insurance, passports and visas, travelers’ checks, places to visit, accommodations, transportation, and food. The book contains stunning photographs throughout that were taken by the author during her various trips to Scotland and she gives advice on how to get the best photos during your visit. She gives advice on camera and equipment, as well as things to consider such as scale, weather, perspective, lines, the rule of thirds, and lighting. I could go on and on about all the information this book contains because it truly covers ever aspect one could possibly think of from start to finish and is the only guide one would need when planning a trip to Scotland. I will be going back and reading the author’s book on England next because many of my ancestors originate from there.

View all my reviews@tarab

England: Cultured, Classic, and Charming: A Guide to Hidden England (The Hidden Gems Series) by Christy Nicholas – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

/0 Comments/in /by

England: Cultured, Classic, and Charming: A Guide to Hidden England (The Hidden Gems Series)England: Cultured, Classic, and Charming: A Guide to Hidden England by Christy Nicholas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

England: Cultured, Classic, and Charming: A Guide to Hidden England is Book Three in the Hidden Gems Series. It is your definitive guide to all that England has to offer written by a well traveled author with twenty-five years of experience traveling to England. The author has expertly used her love of travel to discuss in-depth the hidden gems that England offers for exploration that go beyond the usual tourist locales. She discusses the history of England, its myths, legends, beliefs, and superstitions which offer invaluable insight into its rich and varied culture. I was fascinated by the belief of the existence in fairies in Elva Hills situated on the bank of Bassenthwaite Lake and how the hill is supposed to hide a gateway to the Otherworld, which only opens at certain times of the year. This would be at the top of my places to explore, along with the numerous haunted locations. The author briefly discusses famous authors who were born in England such as Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Agatha Christie, and J.K. Rowling. Famous artists and bands such as Ed Sheeran, Cat Stevens, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Elton John, Queen, The Eurythmics, and The Who also originated from England. The author discusses how to plan your trip, the best time to go, travel expenses, extra costs that may be associated with the trip, travel insurance, passports and visas, travelers’ checks, places to visit, accommodations, transportation, and food. The book contains stunning photographs throughout that were taken by the author during her various trips to England and she gives advice on how to get the best photos during your visit. She gives advice on camera and equipment, as well as things to consider such as scale, weather, perspective, lines, the rule of thirds, and lighting. I could go on and on about all the information this book contains because it truly covers ever aspect one could possibly think of from start to finish and is the only guide one would need when planning a trip to England. I will be going back and reading the author’s book on Ireland next as it is my dream destination.

View all my reviews@tarab

Touched: Elemental Passions Book One by Skye Turner, Sloane Nicole, April D. Berry, C.J. Pinard, Danielle Jamie, Darlene Tallman, Julie Morgan, Livell James, Machelle Hanleigh, and Melissa MacKinnon – Review by Barbara Bohls

/0 Comments/in /by

Touched (Elemental Passions #1)Touched by Skye Turner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. I love that there are multiple authors that came together to create a unique story line and book. It is really well put together and you really can’t tell which author wrote what part. I feel like that makes the writing of this book top notch. It is seamlessly done and the steam that is poured into the pages, really made the book feel like it came from one author. I can’t imagine the amount of time and communication it took in order for the book to flow like it does. AMAZING!!! Let’s talk about the steam, it isn’t in your face like it can be in some books but it is there to really help the story line. The storyline would continue without it and be completely fine but it just adds the right amount of spice to make you blush but not sweat. I really enjoyed it. The characters are really well thought out and have amazing growth throughout the book. The fact that this book has spice, magic, mystery, supernatural entities, and romance; means it really hits a lot of marks for people to pick it up. I highly suggest reading this book for an escape and to just thoroughly enjoy reading.
Reviewed by: @bbohls
View all my reviews

Touched: Elemental Passions Book One by Skye Turner, Sloane Nicole, April D. Berry, C.J. Pinard, Danielle Jamie, Darlene Tallman, Julie Morgan, Livell James, Machelle Hanleigh, and Melissa MacKinnon – Review by Kirsten Berkebile

/0 Comments/in /by

This was an amazing book! Callus LeBlanc is an amazing detective who meets Aeris. Aeris is a Fae from the mystical realm of Laric.  Faes and humans are not supposed to interact with each other which is why Fae’s tend to cloak themselves. Little does anyone realize that these two are meant to be together. Can they weather the storm that lies ahead and be able to be together? Follow along with me as we journey into the magical realm of Laric and watch as Callum and Aeris’ journey has just begun. There is so much going on in this story but I really can’t wait until book 2 comes out.

Touched (Elemental Passions #1)Touched by Skye Turner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was an amazing book! Callus LeBlanc is an amazing detective who meets Aeris. Aeris is a Fae from the mystical realm of Laric. Faes and humans are not supposed to interact with each other which is why Fae’s tend to cloak themselves. Little does anyone realize that these two are meant to be together. Can they weather the storm that lies ahead and be able to be together? Follow along with me as we journey into the magical realm of Laric and watch as Callum and Aeris’ journey has just begun. There is so much going on in this story but I really can’t wait until book 2 comes out.

View all my reviews

Kris & The Pirates (The Adventures of Kris) by Art Blegen – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

/0 Comments/in /by

Kris & The Pirates: The Adventures of KrisKris & The Pirates: The Adventures of Kris by Art Blegen

Kris and the Pirates is book two in The Adventures of Kris series. It is a children’s chapter book geared towards children between the ages of ten to fourteen years of age. The book follows the adventures of a young girl named Kris as she becomes immersed into the stories she reads and shares the adventures alongside the characters in the book. Kris is not eager to attend a costume party with her family because she feels that dressing up in costumes is only acceptable at Halloween, not in March. To take her mind off the party she is reluctant to attend she decides to escape into the world of her book. The story takes her on an exciting adventure where she gets to sail the seas, go swimming, meet pirates, go on an island, and make friends with talking animals. Kris learns about friendship, overcoming fear, sailing, being brave, and how to overcome challenges. A fun and entertaining read.

View all my reviews@tarab

Code Dog by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

/0 Comments/in /by

Code DogCode Dog by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Code Dog is a children’s chapter book geared towards children between the ages of eight to twelve years of age. It follows the adventures of Timmy, Beth and Arthur as they follow the trail of clues in the hopes of finding a missing 200-year-old time capsule. The three friends get a bit of help from their old teacher, Mrs. Vance who gives them an old map, and her dog, Cody, who has special skills. Cody can tell your fortune, track, and can even speak in morse code through her tail. Timmy, Arthur, and Beth must follow the clues on the map which is a bit tricky because there is no X to mark the spot of where the capsule is located. They only have a limited amount of time to find the capsule if they want to win $1,000. This was an entertaining read with great characters, friendship, a super smart dog, fun, adventure, mystery, clues, codes, and investigation.

View all my reviews@tarab

Porter and Midge: Paws and Responsibilities: A Kid’s Guide to Welcoming a New Dog (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series) by Jennie Chen and Giselle Nevada – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

/0 Comments/in /by

Porter and Midge: Paws and Responsibilities: A Kid's Guide to Welcoming a New Dog (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series)Porter and Midge: Paws and Responsibilities: A Kid’s Guide to Welcoming a New Dog by Giselle Nevada
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Porter and Midge: Paws and Responsibilities: A Kid’s Guide to Welcoming a New Dog follows the young characters of CJ and Lora as they thoroughly research the proper way to care for a new puppy. The story is told through fun rhymes which makes learning about the responsibilities of puppy ownership and care easy and entertaining for children. CJ and Lora learn about socialization, vet visits, dental care, grooming, and training their new puppy. They also learn the importance of picking the right breed that will suit their family. The illustrations are bright, colorful, engaging and really bring the story to life. A great read for any child who is eager to learn about the responsibilities of puppy ownership and care.

View all my reviews@tarab

Sugar & Spice (Spicetopia Series) by Phoebe Alexander – Review by Barbara Bohls

/0 Comments/in /by

Sugar & Spice (Spicetopia Book 1)Sugar & Spice by Phoebe Alexander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is an amazing quick read. I fell in love with the characters from the start. They both had some serious growth throughout the short book. I was able to read this book in a couple hours and I honestly can’t wait to read the rest of the series. This book is a really good book t o start the series with because I feel like it is laying the groundwork for the rest of the series. You finally are able to put everything together at the end of the book. It is all wrapped up with a pretty bow that allows you to continue on. I loved the level of spice this book has. It actually really helped carry the story line. I don’t mean that in a bad way, the spice is part of the entire story and obviously the series based upon the name. So, I felt like it was just the right amount. If you are looking for a sweet little get away from the real world, I highly recommend this book. Knowing that it is a series, I am excited to see what happens next and who the book is going to focus on. It is hard to tell how amazing this book is without giving away things. I just can’t stress enough how good this quick little read was.
Reviewed by: @bbohls
View all my reviews

Before You Say I Do by Marina Hanna – Review by Tori Mitton

/0 Comments/in /by

<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209108548-before-you-say-i-do” style=”float: left; padding-right: 20px”><img border=”0″ alt=”Before You Say I Do” src=”https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1708791525l/209108548._SX98_.jpg” /></a><a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209108548-before-you-say-i-do”>Before You Say I Do</a> by <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18910355.Marina_Hanna”>Marina Hanna</a><br/>
My rating: <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6417721100″>5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Emma has a bad history of her past and what her ex has done to her. She is all about not settling. She has rules and boundaries, that is until she meets Liam. He’s usually a one and done kind of guy. Emma tries to keep Liam at arms length. But they both want more than just a hook up, and they are both falling for each other. Emma is so guarded but Liam breaks through it with her. I love the character building, and how they can work through things. There are lots of steamy parts but in all the right places to build up the story.
<br/><br/>
<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6813301-tori”>View all my reviews</a>

Detective Dylan and the Hunt for Home Plate (A Youth Sleuths Chapter Book) by MJ Murray – Review by Tori Mitton

/0 Comments/in /by

<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205892722-detective-dylan-and-the-hunt-for-home-plate” style=”float: left; padding-right: 20px”><img border=”0″ alt=”Detective Dylan and the Hunt for Home Plate (A Youth Sleuths Chapter Book Series, #2)” src=”https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1706140118l/205892722._SX98_.jpg” /></a><a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/205892722-detective-dylan-and-the-hunt-for-home-plate”>Detective Dylan and the Hunt for Home Plate</a> by <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/43717492.M_J_Murray”>M.J. Murray</a><br/>
My rating: <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6417698554″>5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Dylan, Emily, and their dog Theodore are trying to help Mr. Farner find the missing plates from the baseball field. They go check the playground where the Benny brothers are guarding the sandbox. But they don’t have them. There is also a birthday party at the park going on, they check there where a little girl is wanting a softball party. She doesn’t have it. They go on all these adventures to find the missing baseball plates. Well they end up going back to the start where a few smaller kids are playing pirates at the jungle gym. And wouldn’t ya know, they have the missing plates!<br />This was another absolutely adorable story of detective Dylan!!
<br/><br/>
<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6813301-tori”>View all my reviews</a>

Loris Opens Up His Heart (Courage Tales Series) by Dagmara Sitek – Review by Jaimie Salmon-Colburn

/0 Comments/in /by

Loris Opens Up His Heart: An Emotional Story For Kids (Courage Tales)Loris Opens Up His Heart: An Emotional Story For Kids by Dagmara Sitek
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I just loved this book!! You don’t read a lot about foster care and over coming many issues that can come with being put through the system. Especially a children’s book! This book had wonderful illustrations, but also a wonderful storyline. It really puts you in the shoes of a little boy who has been through a lot and must overcome a lot at the same time. In this book, Cam and Inaya are training for a charity run. The charity run is to raise money for a friend of theirs’s who is in the hospital needing open heart surgery. As you go along you see these two practice running, handing out fliers, and getting ready for the big run. One day after a run the two go home and meet their new foster brother. Loris keeps to himself. He doesn’t say much, he doesn’t play with the others, and he keeps to himself quite a bit. Cam and Inaya try over and over to get him to join them in stuff but he always says no. One day at school Loris stands up to a bully in their school. All the kids are scared of him, but Loris has been scared of worse. The foster siblings start to bond over things and Loris lets his guard down some. Race day comes and Cam hurts himself during the run. Loris takes over for him and helps with the rest of the race. The event is a huge success and the children bond even more. Such a wonderful book. Teaching great values while learning about courage, kindness, and overcoming many fears that pop up in different ways. I would defiantly recommend this book for children 10 and under, but it’s also a good book to show teens to encourage understanding and help stop bullying in my opinion. I can’t wait to read it with my girls.

View all my reviews

@jaimie0459

Queen of the Fairies by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Tori Mitton

/0 Comments/in /by

<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/179502461-queen-of-the-fairies” style=”float: left; padding-right: 20px”><img border=”0″ alt=”Queen of the Fairies” src=”https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1699880768l/179502461._SX98_.jpg” /></a><a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/179502461-queen-of-the-fairies”>Queen of the Fairies</a> by <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/331633.Lois_Wickstrom”>Lois Wickstrom</a><br/>
My rating: <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6417689109″>5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
The queen of fairies wants to write a book about fairies. All the good things fairies can do, help the kingdom and make the world pretty. And the bad fairies who play tricks and can be mean.
<br/><br/>
<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6813301-tori”>View all my reviews</a>

Before I Let You Go by Kellie Wallace – Review by Tori Mitton

/0 Comments/in /by

<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/203197423-before-i-let-you-go” style=”float: left; padding-right: 20px”><img border=”0″ alt=”Before I Let You Go” src=”https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1701724121l/203197423._SX98_.jpg” /></a><a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/203197423-before-i-let-you-go”>Before I Let You Go</a> by <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7190543.Kellie_Wallace”>Kellie Wallace</a><br/>
My rating: <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6417664677″>5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Elsbeth, and her sister Zara buy this beautiful fixer upper home. Zara is more of the super girly girl and sees no interest. Elsbeth sees an amazing future with this home. Elsbeth has always stayed close to home since her parents are getting older and her father is in final stages of his cancer. Elsbeth was dating Jeff, an investment banker. El always had her doubts about Jeff. Then it all comes tumbling down once El reads a text on Jeff’s watch.<br />Carol the girls’ mom calls El and tells her she needs to come home as their late aunt had left something for Elsbeth in her will. Elsbeth has a hot and cold relationship with her mother but definitely is a daddy’s girl. Elsbeth gets to her parents home, and looks at the will that’s left for her. Her great aunt left her an entire estate, well a whole dang island!! Go read for yourself!!
<br/><br/>
<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6813301-tori”>View all my reviews</a>

The Changed Man (The Olympic Peninsula Series, Book 4) by Cat Treadgold – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

/0 Comments/in /by

The Changed Man (The Olympic Peninsula series Book 4)The Changed Man by Cat Treadgold
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Changed Man is Book Four in the Olympic Peninsula series. It is a contemporary romance with family dynamics, drama, secrets, intrigue, mystery, suspense, angst, and conflict. The characters are interconnected from the previous books in this series, so it is best to read the previous books prior to this one. This story focus on the MC Jake O’Connell who has returned to Port Townsend for his brother David’s wedding. Jake has been estranged from the family and returned without letting anyone know that he was coming so his return causes quite a stir within his family. He has held a bit of a grudge against his brothers because they left him to run the family business while they ran off to pursue their dreams. Jake has left his life as the CEO of the family business in North Bend and has turned to a life of writing. The story focuses on how Jake has transformed his life, and the complex relationship Jake has with his family, especially his twin brother, the famous country singer Joe Bob Blade. When Jake meets Chiara, his brother’s son’s guardian, he feels an instant connection, but she is married. He wants her despite the obstacles that are standing in his way. This book builds on prior ones in the series and delves a bit deeper into the complicated lives and relationships of the O’Connell family. The characters were relatable, engaging, multi faceted, complex, and experienced tremendous growth throughout the story. The storyline was well written with intricate details that fully immerse you into the lives of this complex family.

View all my reviews@tarab

The Glow in Loretta’s Garden (Loretta’s Insects) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

/0 Comments/in /by

The Glow in Loretta's Garden (Loretta's Insects)The Glow in Loretta’s Garden by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Glow in Loretta’s Garden is Book Five in the Loretta’s Insects series. It is a children’s picture book that teaches children about the life cycle of fireflies. Loretta loves insects and while digging in her flower bed she finds glowing larvae. She places them in an empty ant farm and watches them as they dig little mud houses underground. After several days of observing the activity of the larvae Loretta notices that there are fireflies coming out so she takes the ant farm outside so they can fly free. She then spends time watching the fireflies and makes some interesting observations about how they flash. A cute and informative read that is a good resource for kids to learn about the life cycle of a firefly. The illustrations were okay, but I personally found the illustrations in previous books in this series more captivating and engaging. Overall, a great read.

View all my reviews@tarab