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It’s Cool To Be Kind by Shermaine Perry-Knights – Review by Crystal Brehant

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It's Cool To Be Kind: A Children's Book on Kindness and FriendshipIt’s Cool To Be Kind: A Children’s Book on Kindness and Friendship by Shermaine Perry-Knights
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a great story about how being kind doesn’t require someone to do really big things. That being kind can be little things like helping someone tie a shoe, or helping carry bags of groceries. You can make a difference every day by being kind and helping others. I think it has a great lesson. The extras at the end really add a lot to this book too.

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Gadrella by Tricia Gardella – Review by Crystal Brehant

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GadrellaGadrella by Tricia Gardella
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a really cute story. I love the vibrant colors of the illustrations. It’s a great book to explain to kids that it is okay to be different. That they can be whoever they want to be. That trying new things can turn out really well. I read this with my 7 year old son. He loved that it was a story about witches.

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War Bunny (War Bunny Chronicles) by Christopher St. John – Review by Crystal Brehant

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War Bunny: Book 1 of the War Bunny ChroniclesWar Bunny: Book 1 of the War Bunny Chronicles by Christopher St. John
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A world with no humans and animals rule and it is predator vs. prey. One bunny questions why they must be prey. When she questions the elders, she’s ousted and left vulnerable. This is a great story for kids and teens about standing up for yourself and having courage. It’s a unique twist on a post-apocalyptic world. I think this is perfect for older kids and young teens.

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The Final Bite by Naomi Valkyrie – Review by Crystal Brehant

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The Final BiteThe Final Bite by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don’t know how she does it. Little “bites” (pun intended) of stories, but filled with so much they don’t leave you lacking. I just want to consume (oops, not intended) every single book Naomi has written. They are fun, entertaining, quick reads that make you want to “devour” (also intended) them in one sitting. Her storytelling is unmatched. Her stories are magical and paranormal, but they are unique. They are always full of witty banter and loveable characters. They suck (okay last one I swear) you in, bring you into their world, and leave you satisfied.

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Whisper (The Entian Curse) by Kay Ross – Review by Crystal Brehant

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Whisper (The Entian Curse, #1)Whisper by Kay Ross
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am someone who reads a lot. At least fifty books a year, to over 100 books in a year. I love those Hallmark romance stories, I love magical, paranormal, thriller, crime, young adult, etc. You name it, and I love it. Even if I read stories that are pretty similar in plot, I still enjoy reading them.
Having said that, there is something so amazing about finding a story that is so incredibly unique, you’re absolutely captivated. This is one of those stories. I don’t come across them too often, even with the amount of books I read.
This story is funny, dramatic, emotional, and over all just a fantastic read. I can’t wait to read more in the series in the future.

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Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills (Donut & Peanut Collection) by Debbie Sullivan – Review by Crystal Brehant

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Finally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social SkillsFinally Friends: Donut the Dog & Peanut the Squirrel Learn Social Skills by Debbie Sullivan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What an adorable story! A puppy trying so hard to be friends with a squirrel! The puppy, Donut, doesn’t understand why the squirrel keeps running away. Should she smile more? Does her breath stink? Should she do a little dance? Can she figure out a way to be friends with Peanut? Read to find out! I read this with my 7yo son and we both enjoyed it.

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Beefy Goes From Bully To Buddy (Courage Tales Series) by Dagmara Sitek – Review by Crystal Brehant

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Beefy Goes From Bully To Buddy: Children's Book About Bullying (Courage Tales)Beefy Goes From Bully To Buddy: Children’s Book About Bullying by Dagmara Sitek
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Beefy is a bully, but why? I read this book with my 7yo son. This story of how Beefy the bully becomes a friend has a lot of lessons in it. It explains why some kids may be bullies, and how we can help them become more friendly versions of themselves. There is a surprising twist that we did not see coming, but was very entertaining. My son and I loved it.

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The Keeper (Fall River Series) by G. K. Brady – Review by Crystal Brehant

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The Keeper (Fall River, #1)The Keeper by G.K. Brady
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book one in the Fall River series. This reads like a Hallmark movie, but with much more depth. I LOVE these types of books and movies. Small town, boy and girl in trouble. Boy saves girl while she also saves him. There is much more to it than this though. That is a very quick summary. There’s more trouble and drama than that. So much at work to keep these two apart. It’s witty, fun and a little steamy. Perfect for a cozy read.

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The Fixer (Fall River Series) by G. K. Brady – Review by Crystal Brehant

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The Fixer (Fall River, #2)The Fixer by G.K. Brady
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book two in the Fall River series. Another Hallmark romance type story, but again, with more depth. I love the banter between these two characters. It’s what makes me fall in love with these types of stories. The witty back and forth of the snarky enemies to lovers vibe. Fast-paced city loving, small town hating woman versus small town, passionate, loveable charmer, both stubborn to a fault, who will win?!

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The Discovery of Magic (The Intrigue of Magic Series) by L. J. Evias – Review by Crystal Brehant

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The Discovery of Magic (The Intrigue of Magic, #1)The Discovery of Magic by L. J. Evias
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a hefty book at over 500 pages long. It felt a little daunting before I started. The plot had me super interested though. VERY quickly after I started reading, I was hooked. I read this book much faster than I thought. I just couldn’t put it down. There is SO much in this book. So much detail, magic, drama, and the characters are wonderfully written. It is quite intense at times, but in such a good way. Despite being fantasy and including magic, it feels very real. You are transported into the characters world. What more can you ask for from a book, but to escape into it? I can’t wait to read future books in this series.

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Hi Little Brother, I Love You by Deniese Dennis – Review by Crystal Brehant

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Hi Little Brother, I Love You: A Sweet Gift Keepsake Book Welcoming a New Baby Brother to the Family.Hi Little Brother, I Love You: A Sweet Gift Keepsake Book Welcoming a New Baby Brother to the Family. by Deniese Dennis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a really cute story. It is about a big brother telling his little brother how he will take care of him as he grows. He explains what they will do, and how they will have fun. It is a really sweet. I think it would be perfect for an older sibling who is welcoming a new sibling into the family.

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The Man Who Dealt in Death (The Colton Fen Series) by Marlena Frank – Review by Crystal Brehant

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The Man Who Dealt in DeathThe Man Who Dealt in Death by Marlena Frank
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book seems to have so much wrapped into one story. You’ve got suspense, westerns, romance, mystery, paranormal and so much more. It has a little bit of intrigue for everyone. Colton, the main character, is such a likeable character. He is quite easy to love. The book keeps you entertained the whole way through. I don’t think I have read any books by this author before. I enjoyed this book enough to look out for future books!

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Down By The River by Tricia Gardella – Review by Crystal Brehant

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Down By The RiverDown By The River by Tricia Gardella
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A cute story about what goes on in and around rivers and lakes. It is a good book to get kids interested in nature. The illustrations are beautiful. I have read quite a few books by this author with my 7 year old son. We always enjoy them.

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Detective Dylan and the Thief of Camp Leaf (A Youth Sleuths Chapter Book Series) by MJ Murray – Review by Crystal Brehant

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Detective Dylan and the Thief of Camp Leaf (A Youth Sleuths Chapter Book Series 3)Detective Dylan and the Thief of Camp Leaf by M.J. Murray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another Detective Dylan story! My 7 year old son and I have read a few of these in the series. We always find them to be fun and entertaining.
This one deals with Dylan going to camp with his sister. He is pretty bummed at first, especially when it rains the first few days. Then, things start to look up when it’s time for camp games! But, the trophy goes missing! The camp owner says no games until the trophy is returned. Looks like a mystery perfect for Dylan! He ends up being joined by his sister, his dog, and a couple others on the hunt for the suspect. The list ends up getting bigger and bigger before they track down the culprit. Read to find out who stole it, and more importantly, why!

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Fate, Frankincense & Funerals by Naomi Valkyrie – Review by Crystal Brehant

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Fate, Frankincense & FuneralsFate, Frankincense & Funerals by Naomi Valkyrie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This author… I am obsessed with her books. I cannot get enough of them. She has a way of putting an entire world in a short book. This one is no different. A part of me was like wait, I need more! But it didn’t leave me feeling like I was missing anything. I would probably still feel that way if she wrote a book that was 700 pages long. Her books are cozy. Not really like a cozy, fireplace, leaf vibe. More like a witchy, supernatural, potions and magic kind of cozy, if that makes sense.
On to the actual story here. This story has shifters. Not the usual wolves though. There is nothing usual about this author’s stories. In this one, we have a few different ones. Including the main character – a vulture shifter. Acheron, leaves his safe place to follow a “call within”. Why did he feel this? Was it a mistake to follow this pull? Can he get his happy ending? Read to find out! Seriously, you need to read.

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Cam Creates a Hero (Courage Tales Series) by Dagmara Sitek – Review by Crystal Brehant

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Cam Creates a HeroCam Creates a Hero by Dagmara Sitek
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a really sweet book. Cam is a foster kid with a mission. There are a few darker mentions in this story, so be prepared. It is handled very well though. I believe in kids knowing these types of things happen in life. This author touches on them gently and beautifully. This story mentions real life things, including heavy emotions, but also includes a little imagination for the young reader. Cam feels a lot of sadness and tries to build a robot. Can he succeed? Is there hope out there when so many bad things happen? This is the perfect book to answer that question.

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Lapidius: Book 1 (A Nation Found Series) by Matthew Runals – Review by Crystal Brehant

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LapidiusLapidius by Matthew Runals
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a chunky book. At over 400 pages, it’s defintely on the larger size to tackle. However, it needed to be. There was so much detail and world building in this story. There was just so much altogether. You get sucked into a different time and place. It is exactly what you want from a book. This book is geared towards kids, but more so the teenage years. (Depending on the child) Though this is a heavy book with a TON of detail, it is easy to read.
The main character finds himself in what is to be like a military school. He soon has a group of friends who are all training essentially for a game. This will get them ready for the war that is brewing around them. These friends soon discover that there are monsters and magic within.

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Luca Magoo, Don’t Eat The Glue (Luca Magoo Series) by Megan Delgado – Review by Crystal Brehant

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Luca Magoo, Don't Eat The Glue: A back-to-school tale that encourages positive classroom behavior and creative expression.Luca Magoo, Don’t Eat The Glue: A back-to-school tale that encourages positive classroom behavior and creative expression. by Megan Delgado
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a silly story! First of all, I love when children’s books rhyme. It usually is more likely to keep a child’s attention. Second, this story had my 7 year old son cracking up the whole way through. I think it would make any little kid laugh. Maybe even some adults. Morals in kids books are fantastic. Sometimes, kids just need to smile and have fun. This book is perfect for that.

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A Pig and a Poke by Tricia Gardella – Review by Crystal Brehant

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A Pig and A PokeA Pig and A Poke by Tricia Gardella
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a very unique children’s story. I don’t think I have read anything like it. It was really cute. There are a few different morals included in this story. One about standing up to your bullies. Another about never giving up. I think kids will get a kick out of Angela’s mission.

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You Are Special (Buddy the Blue Corgi Series) by Suzanna Lynn – Review by Crystal Brehant

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You Are Special (Buddy the Blue Corgi, #1)You Are Special by Suzanna Lynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My seven year old son and I are loving the Buddy series! These books are so cute! We love Buddy and his siblings! This one talks about how being different is a GOOD thing. It makes us special and unique. I think that is something that every little kid needs to hear. Sometimes the adults too! I have always made it a point to teach my kids that “weird” is actually awesome!

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The Places We Call Home by Kim Ann – Review by Crystal Brehant

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The Places We Call Home: A picture book to remind us that home is where all love begins.The Places We Call Home: A picture book to remind us that home is where all love begins. by Kim Ann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a cute story about where our homes really are. I read this with my seven year old son and we both liked it. It had cute illustrations. The moral of the story is perfect. I also love when children’s books rhyme. It just makes them flow nicely and keeps the attention of kids.

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Good Things Take Time (Buddy the Blue Corgi Series) by Suzanna Lynn – Review by Crystal Brehant

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Good Things Take Time: A picture book about learning patience (Buddy the Blue Corgi)Good Things Take Time: A picture book about learning patience by Suzanna Lynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the first book I have read in this series. I read this with my seven year old son. We are both enjoyed it! It has a great lesson wrapped up in an adorable kids book. What more can you ask for? We cannot wait to read more in this series. I love how the story is based on a real life pup! The real Buddy is so cute!

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Decisions Matter (Buddy the Blue Corgi Series) by Suzanna Lynn – Review by Crystal Brehant

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Decisions Matter: A picture book about learning right from wrong (Buddy the Blue Corgi 3)Decisions Matter: A picture book about learning right from wrong by Suzanna Lynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book I have read in this series. I read this with my seven year old son. We liked this one even more than the first! We loved how we got to meet Buddy’s cat siblings. My son loved how one cat sibling was a mature kitty, while the other was a little naughty. He thinks it’s very realistic to how cats are in real life.

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Where’s Gramma? by Tricia Gardella – Review by Crystal Brehant

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Where's Gramma?Where’s Gramma? by Tricia Gardella
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is such an adorable story about what this Gramma gets up to! She is constantly on the move and her grandkids must find her! The illustrations are super cute as well. They are very imaginative and fun. I think most kids would love to read this book and find out where Gramma goes!

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Andrew’s Armor by Jill Monaco – Review by Crystal Brehant

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Andrew's ArmorAndrew’s Armor by Jill Monaco
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a cute story. It had beautiful illustrations. Andrew feels strong and brave until something happens and he gets upset. After being made fun of, he no longer feels like he is a brave and strong boy. He mopes around, feeling bad about himself. Will Andrew find his courage again? You must read to find out!

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RELEASE (REWIND Series) by Rowan Shaw – Review by Crystal Brehant

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Release (Rewind #5)Release by Rowan Shaw
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the first book I have read by this author. I haven’t read the other books in this series. As I was reading, I did feel a little lost at times. I suggest reading the previous books before this one. However, the writing was really good. It had me intrigued throughout. After I finished reading, I found myself wanting to read the others in the series!

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Porter and Midge: Paws and Pastries A Kid’s Guide to Homemade Dog Treats (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series) by Jennie Chen and Giselle Nevada – Review by Crystal Brehant

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Porter and Midge: Paws and Pastries: A Kid's Guide to Homemade Dog Treats (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series)Porter and Midge: Paws and Pastries: A Kid’s Guide to Homemade Dog Treats by Giselle Nevada
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this series of books. They give great information in easy to read ways. I love the rhyming that are in these stories. The pictures are always cute as well. The story was short and sweet. I love the MANY recipes included at the end. I always find it such an awesome thing when extras are included at the end of stories.

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G is for Gossamer: A Children’s SMART & SOPHISTICATED ABC’s Book by Miss Whitaker – Review by Crystal Brehant

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G is for Gossamer: A Children's SMART & SOPHISTICATED ABC's BookG is for Gossamer: A Children’s SMART & SOPHISTICATED ABC’s Book by Miss Whitaker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

WOW! The illustrations in this book are absolutely stunning! I had to go through it multiple times. I love that this is an ABC book that isn’t the same as all of the others. A for Apple, B for ball, C for cat, etc. It not only introduces new words, but prompts conversation. I read this with my 7yo son. He is at a 5th grade reading level but loved this book as well. I love that all of the definitions were in the back to help in case you didn’t know a word. As an advanced reader, I didn’t know one of the words myself. I hope more books like this are put out in the future. Especially with those stunning pictures!

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Crystal Brehant

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love that we got a back story for Matthew. It was great seeing more about him and what happened to him. This is an epic story of self discovery, and forgiveness. I definitely think you should read the other books in order to really understand this one. The story of Matthew’s trauma and his struggles afterwards can be quite difficult to read. It is also relatable for anyone who has gone through trauma themselves. I really enjoyed this book!

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The Crown of Stones Trilogy Box Set (The Crown of Stones Series) by C. L. Schneider – Review by Crystal Brehant

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The Crown of Stones Complete TrilogyThe Crown of Stones Complete Trilogy by C.L. Schneider
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The first book in this series grabbed my attention from the very first line! Not only that, it KEPT my attention! Edge of my seat, intense action the whole way through. I felt for Ian the entire time and wanted to just hug him and put him in my pocket to protect him. A great character! Very good fantasy story with magic! Love it!
The second in the series is another great fantasy story. Again, nonstop action and intense moments. You can’t help but to feel horrible for all Ian has gone through. This is definitely a series I would suggest reading in order. If you enjoy fast paced books, this one is for you! I thoroughly enjoyed it. I could not wait to read the third story.
The third book in an epic fantasy series. Just like the first two, I didn’t want to put this book down. The world, the characters, the action, everything was very well written. Rarely does a sequel live up to the first book, but both the second and the third not only did that, but surpassed it. The only complaint I had was that it ended.
I would highly recommend this series to any reader who loves fantasy stories.

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