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Dark Sky at Dawn (Free Men and Dreamers Book 1) by L.C. Lewis – Review by Anantha Rusum
Dark Sky at Dawn by Laurie L.C. Lewis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
My knowledge of American history is limited to my children’s social study academia. This was a very interesting read for me where the author takes us through the post Independence times with such detail. Through the eyes of the two main characters , Jed and Hannah, the author cruises through the struggles faced during those times, slavery, freedom, espionage, war and corruption. The story is set in early 1800s and a lot of research has gone into this book , and the author has done a wonderful job seamlessly blending the history with fiction. This was a very informative read for me.
Magic Wanda (Grandma’s Closet) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Anantha Rusum
Magic Wanda by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
There are so many wonderful things hidden in Grandma’s closet and Carrie keeps opening them one after another. This time, she picks up a wooden flower, these are magical flowers which do not like to be wet. Carrie seeks grandma’s advice but grandma wants her to explore on her own.
More than the magic itself, it is a beautiful bond between the grandma and the granddaughter which are a highlight of this story. The illustrations can be a little better . But the overall heart of the story is set in the right place. Children will love this story.
Beach Ball Blunder (The Adventures of Cray Series) by G Pa Rhymes – Review by Anantha Rusum
Beach Ball Blunder by G Pa Rhymes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a very cute story for children to own up to their responsibilities even if things do not go right. Cray the seal loves to blay beachball. The beachball spins out of control and causes inconvenience to few of his friends. Cray initially lies that it was not his ball but later a blame game starts and things get out of control. Cray steps up and owns up his mistake which makes him a very brave seal. The rhymes are simple and meaningful and illustrations are really nice. I would recommend this book to all kids.
Sasha Smart by Shermaine Perry-Knights – Review by Anantha Rusum
Sasha Smart: Short Stories for Girls by Shermaine Perry-Knights
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a very insightful book which teaches the value of mindfulness and positive thinking to the kids.
Just yesterday I was at an event, and a lady casually questioned another lady “What’s your daughter good at?”. The other lady took a moment to answer and said “singing”. It took me an effort to suppress my answer “What if it is nothing?”. This book is an affirmation of the same message. The pressure to perform has its weird effects on children. This book promotes softer emotions like bouncing back after disappointment, appreciating differences, expressing oneself and handling peer pressure.
I liked everything about the book except the title “Short stories for girls”. I am a mother of two boys and I think this book is relevant to boys as well. Hope the author considers this review for the title of her next book.
A New Day for Cray (The Adventures of Cray Series) by G Pa Rhymes – Review by Anantha Rusum
A New Day For Cray by G. Pa Rhymes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a very cute story about a crab who is very playful, bullies and pinches his friends. The story conveys a strong message to the kids not to bully others and it is the kindness which is the basic foundation of friendship. The illustrations are very beautiful and characters are adorable. I loved all the characters, the crab, Gull, tortoise, fox. I overall enjoyed the book.
The Round Box (Grandma’s Closet) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Anantha Rusum
The Round Box by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a lovely story about a little girl who is missing her Grandma. Grand ma has moved across town and the little girl is missing her grand ma. She is very sad, nothing around her pleases her. Then she opens her Grand ma’s closet and finds a fascinator hat. The girl wears the hat and all her imagination comes alive. It’s a very heartwarming story, good for a bed time read.
Hope For A New World (Gaia’s Voice Series) by Renee W Peek – Review by Anantha Rusum
Hope For a New World by Renee W. Peek
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This sci fi fiction and fantasy book takes place in the future, 100 years from now, when we have done enough damage to the environment. Maddison Bear’s Heart, an environmental lawyer, is assigned a task to speak to Gaia, mother Earth by the Hopi people. When they come to know that a new planet is ready to welcome them, they board a space craft to begin their new life. But there are a lot who are left behind . Greed and misunderstanding comes in the way and there is harm to befall both on the space craft and the people who are left behind, mostly women who depend on hope.
This is a very interesting story, but there are too many characters and too many perspectives, which made it a little confusing for me. Hopefully as the series progresses, things get a little less tangled.
Overall , quite an interesting book.
Nessie and the Living Stone (Nessie’s Grotto) by Lois Wickstrom and Jean Lorrah – Review by Anantha Rusum
Nessie and the Living Stone by Lois June Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have always enjoyed Lois Wickstrom’s books. The books are as fascinating to adults as much as young readers. In this book the young boy Craig is determined to find the Loch ness Monster Nessie. But his sister Linda comes in the way and keeps ruining his chance of success. Will Craig find Nessie? What extent would he go to find Nessie? What lessons he learns on the way? That is the summary of this book.
The book has some wonderful illustrations and a valuable morale for the readers. Do pick up a copy if you haven’t done it yet. Its worth a read.
Mission Improbable: Vietnam (A Blanche Murninghan Mystery) by Nancy Nau Sullivan – Review by Anantha Rusum
Mission Improbable: Vietnam by Nancy Nau Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Mission Improbable is the third in the Blanch Burningham mystery and can be read as a stand alone novel. It follows the protagonist Blanche and her friend Jean to post war Vietnam where Jean is searching for her lost mother and Blanche finding answers about her father herself. Jean is an offspring of a Vietnamese mother and a U.S officer who had served in Vietnam. Jean grew up with her father and now is on a mission to Vietnam to find about her long lost mother with few vague clues. Blanche agrees to help her, as she has her own vested interest in knowing more about her father who also served in the Vietnam war.
This was a very interesting book, the reader gets to know a lot about Vietnam , specifically Saigon, in the post war era, the landscape, culture and the food. There are also first hand accounts of the soldiers who actually served in the Vietnam war, which makes the book a lot more informative.
I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to everyone.
Raining Fish and Frogs by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Anantha Rusum
Raining Fish and Frogs by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this cute little picture book , which talks about how tornadoes are formed . A fisherman was trying to catch fish to make trout , but the lake was quiet . Then a tornado is formed and it sucks all the fish and frog from the lake and drops them everywhere in the town . It finally drops a trout at the fisherman’s home and he enjoys his meal.
Very nice story , great illustrations.
Porter and Midge (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series) by Jennie Chen and Giselle Nevada – Review by Anantha Rusum
Porter and Midge: Paws for Safety: A Kid’s Guide to Safe Dog Interactions by Giselle Nevada
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I picked this book because of a personal experience , when my son went to pet a German Shepherd and got bitten .
This book resonates with my experience and first things first , I made my son also read this book. Animals are adorable and it is never their fault when they growl , especially the pets .
There is a way to approach the dogs, first ask the permission of the owner , understand their temperament and then pet the dogs according to how the owner instructs you to do .
In this book , Laura and CJ have two adorable pets , Porter and Midge . This book teaches the kids how to safely engage with the dogs in a very interactive way . I wish there are more such books for kids to engage with the pets .
Joy’s Christmas Escape (The Marshal’s Mail Order Bride Book 1) by P. Creeden – Review by Anantha Rusum
Joy’s Christmas Escape: The Marshal’s Mail Order Bride Book 1 by P. Creeden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
An old fashioned christmas romance, bringing two souls in distress together. Joy Is a school teacher and happy with her life until her grand mother passes away with a lot of debt to clear.
A vile man demands a large sum of money to clear off the ransom, the other alternate option is she be his mistress. Joy decides to escape the bad goons and enlists herself as the mail order bride, which is not a choice to her liking.
Jack lost his sister to the fire and now has her children to take care of. He keeps looking for the nanny but the minister insists that he get a mail order bride. As a result Joy arrives in Jack’s house, and falls in love with his nephew and niece, and life in Denver in general. But will Jack and Joy fall in love and does the miracle of Christmas work on them?
I didn’t know about the mail order Bride and got very curious and researched on the topic. I was really surprised to know that there is actually such thing and people are still getting married enlisting themselves in the agencies.
I look forward to reading more in this series.
1897 A Mark Sutherland Adventure (Mark Sutherland Adventures) by Kimberly Mullins – Review by Anantha Rusum
1897 A Mark Sutherland Adventure by Kimberly Mullins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A very enjoyable historical adventure book, set in 1897, the story is about a reporter from Chicago Tribune, Mark Sutherland, who lives on the edge. He loves travelling and reporting on the odd and eccentric. Marks wants to go to Yukon and witness the gold rush, thinking it would be on similar lines as the 1849 California gold rush. As he embarks on this adventure, he meets more friends along the way, each one with their own reason to travel to Yukon. There is romance, adventure, a lot of historic information and the adrenaline pumping to see what happens when we witness the gold rush. Overall a very enjoyable read.
Whisper Creek (Logan McKenna Mystery Book 7) by Valerie Davisson – Review by Anantha Rusum
Whisper Creek by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It was good to catch up on a Logan mystery again. Logan and Ben are now engaged. Logan has made an music video with the help of her students, which has gone viral. While visiting Oregon, Logan is distracted with the video when she stumbles upon a dead body.
When her friends turn out to be the prime suspects, Logan starts investigating the murder to find out who the true murderer is. But with endless motives , accusations and lies involved, it gets really tricky, and it is very difficult to guess who the murderer is.
This book was a real page turner, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Safe Harbor (Logan McKenna Series Book 5) by Valerie Davisson – Review by Anantha Rusum
SAFE HARBOR: Logan Book 5 by Valerie Davisson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A skillfully written crime novel with a lot of attention to detail, Safe Harbor is the fifth in the Logan McKenna mystery series.
Logan, is on vacation along the pacific coast of Oregon with her family, which includes her boy friend and her daughter’s family. As they enjoy the scenic Oregon and all the attractions it has to offer, a murder occurs in a small town, and Logan gets caught into it as one of the suspects. And then she finds herself dragged into the investigation. The book is just not a mystery, but it also deals with the themes of forgiveness, healing, family, love and community.
This is my first of the books in the series, I had to dig a bit about the characters, but the plot could be read standalone. I enjoyed this mystery.
Lucky Break (Trentbridge Tales Book 2) by Lee Wood – Review by Anantha Rusum
Lucky Break by Lee Wood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
When Peter discovers a genuine masterpiece from Picasso in a junk shop, he gets his big lucky break he has been waiting his whole life for. As he finds more and more art pieces he becomes more profitable and his competitors are up on the race to question how he is doing it.
Then there is murder, and the detective James Sheldon gets involved. He has to fix all the pieces of the puzzle together to find out the murderer. But as the suspect list gets bigger, more secrets and dark pasts are revealed.
This book is an out and out thriller. I read it in one go. Looking forward to read more from this author.
Chasing Cheer (Emerald Hollow Book 1) by Heather Schneider – Review by Anantha Rusum
Chasing Cheer by Heather Schneider
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Christmas has arrived in the book stores already ! I enjoyed this hallmark Christmas romance, a very festive and engaging read. Holly Claus visits the small town of Emarald Hollow to find out why Christmas cheer is so abundant there. Holly travels around the world collecting Christmas cheer with which she powers up north pole and it’s operations, but she feels something is lacking in her work.
Ash Hayes is building up a tourism business at the town, and he is keen on making the town a desirable destination for people to visit.
When Holly and Ash meet, romance is in the air, but neither of them is looking for love. But the cheer and the magic have their own plans and there could actually be a possibility of love between the two of them.
It is a festive setting, beautiful romance and a fistful of magic. A perfect holiday recipe !
Mr. Barsins’ Toy Emporium by Lois Wickstrom – Review By Anantha Rusum
Mr. Barsins’ Toy Emporium by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I picked up this book thinking it is another picture book, but this one is for a slightly older audience, but enjoyable nevertheless.
Four friends are drawn to a toy emporium for different reasons, they are all seeking something which they do not. The toy emporium holds the answers to their longings, imaginary friends, adventures, mystery, drama and danger lurking in the corner.
It is a very creative story where the friends in the toy shop influence the real kids to do something good or evil.
It was quite a cool tale, except that I felt the flow was not smooth at times. There were abrupt changes in the narrative.
But overall I enjoyed it.
Rocketship Made of Stars (I am an Alien) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Anantha Rusum
Rocketship Made of Stars: Naming Constellations by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
There are many times I read a Lois Wickstrom book and wonder how simple and meaningful they are.
Especially when you write for young children, a trivial topic can make such a huge difference to their lives. In this book Shirl and her alien friend Eee-ahh, head to school together where the topic of discussion is Constellations. Eee-ahh shows different planets and connects the dots so easily to show the children different constellations.
This is such a cool book to engage in conversation with any kid. Would highly recommend it.
Oscar and Emmy Lose a Friend (Oscarand Emmy Series) by Terri Sabol – Review by Anantha Rusum
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 was a difficult and an emotional book to read. The toughest decision in life is when we decide to put a pet to sleep. And explaining it to children is very critical . This book covers the subject.
Oscar and Emmy are very fond of their stray feral cat Shadow which lives in their neighborhood and comes over for food. Over a time, they see a difference in Shadow. The family has to take a tough call about putting Shadow to sleep.
It was a very difficult book to read for me, but the awareness does help.
Amaleigha Makes a New Friend by Janice Pratt – Review by Anantha Rusum
Amaleigha Makes a New Friend by Janice Pratt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Amaleigha Makes A New Friend is a cute addition to the Amaleigha series by Janice Pratt. I absolutely love the beautiful illustrations in this sweet children’s story, they really help to bring the whole story to life. The story is sweet, interesting, educational, and has meaningful messages about friendship, helpfulness, compassion, and making a difference. The author sprinkled in a little drama and angst too, which gives the story an added element of interest.
Amaleigha’s third grade class learns a lot about the Ukraine when her teacher assigns their class a pen pal program. The class will be exchanging letters with student in the Ukraine, and Amaleigha’s pen pal is Vova, a nine-year-old boy. Through exchanging letters back and forth with Vova, Amaleigha learns about him, his family, and life in the Ukraine. With war on his doorstep, Amaleigh worries for her friend. Things seem quite dire. She and her classmates all want to help and decide on a class fundraising activity to try to make a small difference. And so, a sweet story is born.
As with Amaleigha’s other stories, this book also promotes the idea that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. The messages are inspirational and easy for children to understand.
Happy reading!
Lilly Tames Her Worries by Carole Heaney – Review by Anantha Rusum
Lilly Tames Her Worries by Carole Heaney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a pretty neat book for coping with anxiety and worries, not only for children but for adults as well. The author has come up with such a clever and simple story that we cannot help being in awe with it. Lily forgets her best pal, Hun Bun, her stuffed bunny, at home. Hun bun has always been with her and helps her get through any anxiety or stress. On the day Hun Bun is not there, Lily gets anxious. Her heart beats faster and her belly does flip flops. She goes to the school nurse who teaches her breathing exercises. She also teaches Lily to ask herself the reason for her anxiety.
It is a meaningful book with colorful illustrations. We all will gain something reading this book.
Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend by Terri Sabol – Review by Anantha Rusum
Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend: A Story About Trap-Neuter-Return by Terri Sabol
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book covers a topic close to my heart. The story is primarily about the TNR program, which is very informative in handling stray and feral cats. It is a beautiful story about a family which has a lot of stray cats coming to their door step. It is about how they educate themselves about the TNR program and how it comes useful to them. With beautiful illustrations and lot of information, this book acts like a guide to any pet lover. I highly recommend this book.
Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Anantha Rusum
Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book has a unique storyline, where a romance between two emotionally injured characters develops around gardening. It is an emotional roller coaster as the two main protagonists are complex.
Holly had to witness a tragedy in the past first hand and is emotionally healing herself working as a nurse and a gardener. Kit is a passionate gardener, but he is also dealing with his past, a complex muddle of guilt and violence. When Kit hires Holly, sparks fly, a passionate romance develops between them. But when things take a turn, will trust sustain between them. Can the passion develop into a life long relationship?
This is my first book of this author. I enjoyed it. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Ten Little Starfish by Kim Ann – Review by Anantha Rusum
Ten Little Starfish: A Counting Book by Kim Ann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is such a cute book for toddlers and pre-kindergarteners. Each page contains beautiful illustrations of ocean creatures like star fish, crabs and the beach as the children learn to count from one to ten. The rhymes in each of the book are very entertaining and easy for children to grasp. I would definitely recommend this book.
How to Catch Little Boys and Eat Them by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Anantha Rusum
How to Catch Little Boys and Eat Them by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a pretty cool retelling of Jack and the BeanStalk. This is told from the perspective of the giant.
The giant lures little children to come to his castle, and sells them the magic beans, the golden harp and golden eggs. When Jack comes up to the castle, the giant tries to play the same trick on Jack.
But Jack plays a counter trick on the giant. He offers to do an infomercial for the giant to lure more little boys to come up the castle. The giant believes him , oblivious of the tricks Jack has up his sleeve.
I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling of my favorite fairy tale with bright illustrations.
Hole in the Rock by Rebecca Bischoff – Review by Anantha Rusum
Hole in the Rock by Rebecca Bischoff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Hole in the Rock is a fast paced adventure book for children aged 8-12 but I thoroughly enjoyed the book . I think it has a message for adults as well. The story is centered around 12 year old Lizzy , an animal lover, whose ideals do not exactly match with her parents. She has her own share of adventures with her friends and does not like her father’s job. Things take a drastic turn when her father decides to move their home into a cave. Lizzy makes few choices and they do not always turn out right. Her parents set few expectations and that does not always turn out right.
The story is mainly about both Lizzy and her parents understanding that actions lead to consequences, which might cost us dearly, not everyone agrees to our actions and we all make mistakes.
There is a huge lesson to be learnt from this book for everyone and I highly recommend it.
Tally and the Angel: Book Three, Japan by Eleanor Dixon – Review by Anantha Rusum
Japan by Eleanor Dixon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Japan is the third book in the Tally and the Angel series by Eleanor Dixon.
This is the first of the series I read, so was a little confused with some details and I had to research the background. Tally, her dad and her angel Jophiel go to Japan on an adventure and learn about Japanese history, culture and traditions. She makes friends with Yoshie and Miyu and hits off instantly. But then a mystery unfolds itself and it is upto Tally and her “not-so-predictable” angel Jophiel to solve it, There is a ghost queen, sumo wrestling and a cursed drum in the centre of this mystery.
It’s an interesting plot, I wish I had read the books in order . It can be read as a standalone book but some research has to be done to understand who is who.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book nevertheless.
The Guardian of Whispers (The Reeds of West Hills Book 1) by B. E. Padgett – Review by Anantha Rusum
The Guardian of Whispers by B.E. Padgett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This middle grade fantasy book is like Avengers ,Twilight or any other super hero book/movie where every child finds out that he/she has a super natural power. They find out the power, they struggle to gain control over it. They have to go to a gifted school or a school of magic where they have to be trained to control their power. There they face challenges and it is upto them to face the hurdles and emerge victorious with their evolving powers.
I love these type of books. This book is centred around twins Frank and Jon, who figure out they have fascinating abilities, one can read minds and other can see future. But the gifts are never gifts, one has to pay the price. They are to attend a new school, and Jon gets into trouble. Will Frank and his new friends help Jon from the trouble and getting expelled?
I enjoyed it thoroughly, it was an easy read and I hope to read many more of this series.
