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Code Dog by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Darian Vester

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Code DogCode Dog by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Such a great story for young readers, I’d recommend for upper grade school levels-middle grade. Although Timmy questioned it, I did like the friendship with the children. They went on this adventure to find the time capsule together, even Beth who was very worried about their science project. I loved Cody and so glad that the kids involved her in the search for the time capsule. I like how the author included a way for the kids to communicate with Cody that wasn’t a gimmicky talking dog. The story ends with a happy ending and I know this is a stand alone but honestly I would love to see more adventures with this trio and their dog.

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Mistaken Identity (London Detective Agency Series) by Stephanie R. Caffrey – Review by Darian Vester

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Mistaken Identity (London Detective Agency Book 1)Mistaken Identity by Stephanie R. Caffrey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. I wish we would’ve known more about what all the Fitzgeralds did, maybe because I’m a nosy person, but we do get to see this guy be a villain for sure. That characters are great, the first interaction between Patrick and Evie is hilarious and I did feel a little something between them; this book does have a slow burn with their relationship which I enjoyed since they were able to focus on the case instead of just themselves. I fell in love with James instantly, funny best friends are the best. (I seen that book two stars him so I’m definitely going to need to read it). Overall I felt the story was original and I like that I wasn’t able to predict what was going to happen next.

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A Girl, Stuck (Found Families Series) by Kelly Elizabeth Huston – Review by Darian Vester

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A Girl, Stuck (Found Families #3)A Girl, Stuck by Kelly Elizabeth Huston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Honestly I was judging this cover, it made me feel like I was going to be reading a historical novel, didn’t grab my attention at first. Once you learn where the cover is from you’re instantly all “ooooooo.” It’s great, I actually love the cover now. I really loved all the characters in the book, I wish there was a sequel just so I could get some more of Leo, he’s great. Definitely a ride or die friend. I felt an instant connection with Harry and Trey, I love them together, even with the small space no touching rules. Not going to lie my anxiety was going when Harry came home to Trubetzkoy but she came through with some bad ass moves that I wasn’t expecting. I don’t know how to talk about the ending without spoiling it. I wasn’t expecting it and then I was trying to figure out what I missed for her to have guess right and I didn’t see it at first. I will say, I’m glad there’s a happy ending, I think my only complaint is I fell in love with everyone I want more, I would love to see what happens when Harry moves away.

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Fuller Sight by John Stone – Review by Darian Vester

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Fuller SightFuller Sight by John Stone
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“Make your best choices and then forgive and love yourself unconditionally.”

This is a book that has you thinking about things in the end. I like that it’s Danny’s mother with him after he commits suicide. There are a couple moments of Danny’s life of him as a kid after his moms death to try to help you get a view of how things are but I preferred the moments we got to see leading up to that final day. The author also included past life moments, I’ll admit at first I was asking why is this here? But I found myself to really enjoy them, I like the idea of reincarnation and am glad that it was included near the end of the story. Thinking about the book, it is a little sad, everything that’s going on in their lives you can’t help but feel for Danny and Sam but the ending is kind of peaceful, I thought it was a good way to end the story. I recommend the book for readers who enjoy spiritual reads.

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Hay Goes Home (The Adventures of Cray Series) by G Pa Rhymes – Review by Darian Vester

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Hay Goes Home (The Adventures of Cray)Hay Goes Home by G Pa Rhymes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have fallen in love with Cray and his group of friends. My son is currently obsessed with foxes so we couldn’t wait to read about Hay. The story is easy for little ones to follow along and for young ones to read. It’s a great book to read if you’re wanting to go over rhyming words with kids. I enjoyed the illustrations and I’m sure kids will as well. I also liked the 8 tips to build courage by Misty Black in the end. Going over these plus the bravery from the book will also help kids wanting to encourage their friends or family.

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Perfect Office Pact (Perfect Romance Series) by Maria Jane – Review by Darian Vester

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Perfect Office PactPerfect Office Pact by Maria Jane
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a nice slow burn, clean read, romance. I feel Mira’s character started out strong; I really liked that she knew what she wanted, wasn’t going to take any crap, and pushed herself. During the half way point she really started to bug me and I felt she needed to get over herself. I enjoyed the other characters, Cade is great and I’m glad they developed a friendship. Usually having so many characters to keep up with bothers me but I felt the amount of characters interacting in the book was good and no one clashed to make it confusing. I really liked her friends and glad to see there are other books with her friends romances. I do wish there was more of the actual relationship of Mira and Declan but I am glad they got their happy ending. The short time we see them together I feel they had good chemistry so I’m not mad with the ending.

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Beach Ball Blunder (The Adventures of Cray Series) by G Pa Rhymes – Review by Darian Vester

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Beach Ball Blunder (The Adventures of Cray on the Bay)Beach Ball Blunder by G Pa Rhymes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such a great book for kids to help them understand that accidents do happen and that it’s okay if they do but it’s better if we don’t lie about them.
The story is easy for Little’s to follow along and I think some will connect with Grey. It’s a good reminder for them that their friends (or family) will forgive them in these situations.
Like all the other stories, Erica Leigh did a great job illustrating.

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Sasha Smart by Shermaine Perry-Knights – Review by Darian Vester

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Sasha Smart: Short Stories for GirlsSasha Smart: Short Stories for Girls by Shermaine Perry-Knights
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I would recommend this book to young readers around the elementary age. I think the illustrations are great at showing her anxiousness before the story and the outcome after. I really like the positive thinking this book brings; I also think this helps parents realize that even our young age children feel pressure to succeed in school. Overall, I think it’s great the book reminds readers it’s okay to relax and try again.

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Fade into the Night (Philly Heat Series) by Becky Flade – Review by Darian Vester

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Fade Into the Night (Philly Heat series, #5)Fade Into the Night by Becky Flade
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this without reading the others in the series, I tried to look into them and believe they can all be read as standalone. Saying that it Such a good read! I have been binge watching Criminal Minds lately so I was pretty excited when I seen he was working for the BAU. The story never dragged on, right from the beginning you knew what was going on. The characters never played games with their feelings, which I loved. It was all straight to the point: “I don’t want to be around you, you’re not trusted and I want you here.” With books like these I always find myself trying to figure out who the killer is and what is going to happen next and I’m always glad when I am wrong. I like the unpredictability of the book, it was definitely one that was hard to put down.

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Deja Brew All Over Again: A Runaway Bride Romance (Love on Tap Series) by Sylvie Stewart – Review by Darian Vester

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Deja Brew All Over Again: A Runaway Bride RomanceDeja Brew All Over Again: A Runaway Bride Romance by Sylvie Stewart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It only took me a day to read this book. I couldn’t put it down, it’s definitely my favorite of the series. (Should I say so far? Is it possible there will be more with Lynn?)
There’s an instant chemistry with Miller and Maisy. Their relationship moved fast but it worked, it felt like I was reading characters who have known each other for years. Bear is awesome, I couldn’t help myself thinking who would name their kid Bear? But his personality is great and you just can’t help falling in love with this kid. I’m glad that Miller got along with him so well too. The family gets some closure with the Doctor and their father’s death and I’m really glad they got this, they needed this. My only fault with the story is the fire and the break in. I felt those were big things and them just being a fluke doesn’t sit right with me. Also, I know “don’t judge a book by its cover.” The cover looks great, I would pick this up in a store just looking at it, but that guy just doesn’t say Miller to me.
This is just a light, feel good story, it has a little spice but not so much that it takes away from the story.

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A New Day for Cray (The Adventures of Cray Series) by G Pa Rhymes – Review by Darian Vester

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A New Day For Cray (The Adventures of Cray on the Bay)A New Day For Cray by G. Pa Rhymes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved the illustrations in this book, the late sunset and seashells were my favorite pages. The story is great and teaches kids a good lesson, especially not waiting for something bad to happen to you before finally being kind to others. I don’t know other parents who have a pinching problem but I have met some who have kids to who like to bite and hit, I think this will be a great book for them as it shows all of Cray’s friends leaving him because they don’t like the pinching. I even like that the author included Fox telling Cray he doesn’t like him playing that way. The book is short and filled with rhymes that will help keep the attention of young children. Definitely a good book for teachers to read with young children.

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Savage Start: A High School Bully Romance Prequel (Hidden Valley Elite Series) by Isla Vaughn – Review by Darian Vester

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Savage Start (Hidden Valley Elite #0.5)Savage Start by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ve not read book one, Savage Lies, before reading the prequel, being 30 and reading a New Adult about teenagers doesn’t appeal to me but I really liked this prequel and it has me interested in book one. I hope the series explains more of Riley’s uncle, it just seems off to me that this guy bought her a “race car” but can’t help them. This is a nice short background about the characters that I’m sure everyone who has already read Savage Lies will love. I seen that Cole is the bully in book one and I’m not gonna lie, it makes me sad because I already really like him, not sure how I’m going to handle him being mean but I do look forward to how it all plays out.

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Hope For A New World (Gaia’s Voice Series) by Renee W Peek – Review by Darian Vester

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Hope For a New World (The Hope Series Book 1)Hope For a New World by Renee W. Peek
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love the concept, I love that Gaia is speaking to them and that her speaking to them isn’t a new thing, it’s something that’s been going on (for some) for years. The author gives a character list at the beginning of the book which is great to be able to go back to check out but it did bother me a tad that there were so many. I feel it’s just harder to connect with a character when there’s so many POVs to keep up on.
I love how these people connect and work so well with each other, it was amazing when they saved the ship and I really liked the part of them needing to be outside with Adelphi for healing. With the bad blood between them and the military it was nice to see them be civil with each other. It was a nice spiritual community book.

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Pursuit into Darkness (War of Destiny Series Book 2) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Darian Vester

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Pursuit into Darkness (War of Destiny #2)Pursuit into Darkness by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I went into this book without reading the first book of the series. It was easy to catch onto things, I felt there was enough time between the books to not be confused about book two. I think I will go back and read the first book just to see if the author explains more about the vampires, I love reading the different types of vampires everyone comes up with. I like that these vampires do need blood, are fighting to not be killers, people know about them, and I really like that they get injured. They are out in the night and avoid daylight, I’m not sure exactly what daylight does to them, I’m assuming only weakens them since Julia was out during the day.
Speaking of, I couldn’t stand Julia. I really enjoyed the other characters, I think Rab was my favorite but Julia was just too selfish for me. I know she’s the main character but she really had to make everything all about her. I hope she gets better character growth in the rest of the series.
I was rooting for Samual since the beginning, I instantly liked his character, I’m not 100% on his and Valentinos relationship but like I said, I plan to go back to book one to get my unanswered questions. I like the cause of the resistance and he makes the book worth sticking around to read.

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Porter and Midge: Paws and Playtime: A Kid’s Guide to a Happy Dog (Porter and Midge Children’s Book Series) by Jennie Chen and Giselle Nevada – Review by Darian Vester

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

Such a great book for families thinking of getting a puppy or even those who just got a new puppy (or an older shelter dog).
There’s great ideas of things to do with your pup to keep them entertained and help with their training, I like that the book says “not too many times and not for too long” when suggesting the dog takes the lead during a walk. Kids will enjoy the rhyming sentences in the story, the illustrations I’m back and forth on. I like how realistic everything looks, especially all the different dogs. But I think younger kids will like them better if things were more vibrant. I like the reminders for parents at the end of the book. Even if you’re familiar with dogs it’s just a good reminder to know that kids are different and will need to learn how to really interact and care for the animals.
Overall I enjoyed the book and recommended to families who are thinking of adding a new furry member into their lives.

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Children of the Wild (Children of the Wild Series) by Krysta Tawlks – Review by Darian Vester

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Children of the WildChildren of the Wild by Krysta Tawlks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Such a great historical fantasy, I was hooked from the beginning. I loved that no time was wasted getting to the point that something different was going on with Elbert. I love that even while he was going through this and discovering himself, his family stuck with him. This story definitely left me wanting more, I know their father felt Juni would carry this magic but I feel Finn also will, so I wish we could get a series with this book. I enjoyed the flow of the book, there’s no dragging out and the ending doesn’t feel rushed with the trappers.
I feel readers of all ages will love this book, older readers will get a Tuck Everlasting feel while you’re wanting to protect Valora and her family.

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Christmas Cove by Sarah Dressler – Review by Darian Vester

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Christmas CoveChristmas Cove by Sarah Dressler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Most Christmas stories are predictable, what’s nice about this one is I got some wrong.
Going in I was worried about the instant connection with America and Leo. Their chemistry felt like they’ve known each other for years. I laughed at all of her “dateline” worries. Would have been hilarious for her fear to have been something around that for the bonfire. But when we actually get to see what was on their letters my heart exploded.
I do wish we would have gotten more with the situation with Leo’s brother. Especially since the book doesn’t feel like it ends on a cliffhanger.
I loved all of the characters we meet, they’re all so happy but I still felt the different personalities, they weren’t flat.
I really just recommend this book to anyone who loves Christmas romances or wants to be put in a Christmas mood. This definitely had me wanting to play Christmas music and pray for snow.

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Baking a Bicycle (Invisible Magic Wand Book 7) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Darian Vester

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Baking a Bicycle: Invisible Magic Wand Book SevenBaking a Bicycle: Invisible Magic Wand Book Seven by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is book 7 of the Invisible Magic Wand series, I’ve not read the others but after reading I went to check them out and I believe they don’t need to be read in order. I love how imaginative this story is and I think it will encourage kids to want to create something just like Caspian did. I also really like that he tried different techniques with his baking. I’m not 100% with the illustrations but the bright colors and large lettering are really nice.

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Detective Dylan and the Case of the Missing Mail (A Youth Sleuths Chapter Book Series) by MJ Murray – Review by Darian Vester

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Detective Dylan and the Case of the Missing Mail: A Youth Sleuths Chapter Book SeriesDetective Dylan and the Case of the Missing Mail: A Youth Sleuths Chapter Book Series by MJ Murray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such a great book for young readers getting into chapter books. I recommend for younger elementary students. The story is easy to follow along, has adventure and wonderful characters, you get a little pov of their dog. I know kids who have siblings will relate with the relationship between Dylan and his sister Emily. I feel the story introduces the right amount of characters for kids to try to guess who took the mail and the illustrations go really well with the chapters. The author also includes a link through TeachersPayTeachers for teachers or homeschoolers to check out some worksheets to go along with the book. There’s also a list of high frequency words in the end, I really like they included educational resources.

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Almost and Forever by Angela K. Parker – Review by Darian Vester

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Almost and ForeverAlmost and Forever by Angela K. Parker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ugh, Hope and Adam are sickly sweet. I loved them together even when I didn’t want to. I was shocked in the beginning with Ivory, I thought she disliked Adam was going to a horrid girlfriend. Obviously I was wrong, I loved the twist with her in the end. I can support her stalking. I do feel things with Adam and Hope happened a little too quickly, I know you can’t decide when you fall in love but a few more months of him grieving would have made me feel a little better. I like that Ivory wasn’t just pushed to the side in the story. It makes things more believable and I like that they were both connected to her in some way. Definitely recommend to readers looking for a fast paced romance.

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Chasing Cheer (Emerald Hollow Book 1) by Heather Schneider – Review by Darian Vester

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Chasing CheerChasing Cheer by Heather Schneider
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book. It was such a great holiday romance, it has me wishing it was almost Christmas. If you’re looking for a book to put you in the holiday mood, this is it. The idea about needing “cheer” to light up the North Pole is fantastic, I liked Holly’s little stories of places she usually frequents to get cheer. In this book the elves don’t make toys, they make dreams, which I loved. I felt like I was watching a Hallmark movie with how easy the chemistry came between Holly and Ash, it didn’t feel rushed; I felt that seeing Holly interact with other characters made their romance flow nicely. I do wish we could have gotten an answer about the magic in Emerald Hollow but I still enjoyed the book and recommend to anyone looking for a clean romance with a happy ending.

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Born to Die (The McIntire County Series Book 2) by Winter Austin – Review by Darian Vester

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Born to Die (The McIntire County Series: #2)Born to Die by Winter Austin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I did not read book one of this series, although I feel they can be read separately since we are told what does happen in book one and book two reads as a great stand alone, I feel I should go back and read the first to get a better chemistry between Cassy and Boyce. I do like them together and I did like the romance, but I felt like something was missing and I that’s on me for not reading the first one. Saying that I really enjoyed the story, you’re hooked right from the beginning. It’s a nice mystery with suspense and I like the added family drama from both characters. I wasn’t suspecting Boyce’s mother to try to come around Cassy, I do wish there was a little more drama with the FBI but there are other murders to be solved. I really liked Cassy’s character; I’ve seen other reviewers say she has had great character growth since the first book. I feel she’s kind of badass, she went through so much in book one, leaving her with PTSD, it’s nice that we see how she is still scared of going into the woods, but she’s working through it and still trying to do her job and she’s doing a great job at it as well.

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Amaleigha Makes a New Friend by Janice Pratt – Review by Darian Vester

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Amaleigha Makes a New FriendAmaleigha Makes a New Friend by Janice Pratt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love the concept of this book and I like that it encourages pen pals and learning about other countries/cultures. There are nice facts about Ukraine and I do think it’s a good book to start the conversation of the war over there. The book actually caused me to do my own research because the term “old country” was used frequently. I spoke to a couple people and we all see that phrase as like a third world country. I feel this is a good book for older kids because the mentioning of people getting shot when leaving their home might scare younger kids. The book is longer than most children stories but there illustrations are great and they make a nice break between pages.

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Murder Creek by Jane Suen – Review by Darian Vester

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Murder Creek (Eve Sawyer Mystery, #1)Murder Creek by Jane Suen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a nice, clean, cozy mystery and a great book for younger readers getting into the genre. Our main character could be in school for investigative journalism but I feel she would have been better as only a detective. She was good at talking to people and linking things together. I think instead of random details about food the author could have included more on the main character, like her love for writing or other details in her life showing her connection to nature. I enjoyed the ending, I like that she solved the case and more with what happened to Lacy.

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Complicated Choices by Risa Nyman – Review by Darian Vester

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Complicated ChoicesComplicated Choices by Risa Nyman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I felt the book had a younger tone of voice, abbreviations like WTF and IRL were used. Saying that I think younger crowds will enjoy this, maybe as young as middle school who are venturing into young adult books. Not going to lie, other reviewers had me believing her uncle was going to play a more major role, still a horrible guy but he doesn’t make much of an appearance. I loved the friendship between her and Maddie, she sounds like a ride or die best friend which I love reading. Chad had me questioning things, he sounded too good to be true and after his plan to help Claire I honestly wasn’t sure if he could be trusted. But I’m glad it turned out to just be silly teenager thinking. After finding out who Harry’s real father is I would have liked to see more of what happened after that, if Claire decided she was still going to stay close to home or if her college plans went back to what they were before. Still a great read though.

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Lilly Tames Her Worries by Carole Heaney – Review by Darian Vester

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Lilly Tames Her WorriesLilly Tames Her Worries by Carole Heaney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such a great book for kids of all ages! I know a lot of kids have security blanket or toy and this is a good book to read with them when you’re trying to have them not take it everywhere. I definitely suggest reading it if you notice your child is starting to show symptoms on anxiety, the main character tries some exercises to calm her anxiety that you can try with your kids. The author also mentions grounding methods in the back of the book. I also loved the illustrations and them showing the “Heebie-jeebies.”

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Murder in a Gated Community by Laura Koerber – Review by Darian Vester

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Murder in a Gated CommunityMurder in a Gated Community by Laura Koerber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thought the book was going to be a Cozy Mystery, it’s not, you find out who the murderer is instantly. That’s not a bad thing, I really enjoyed the book. I wish things with Hazel would have ended differently, I feel it would have been funny if she was taken to jail. Anyone in a nosey HOA would have loved seeing that. At first I didn’t care for Jane and Leslie but I’m glad to see their friendship, along with Andrea, grow.

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Broken. (Green St. Girls Series) by N.D. Jackson – Review by Darian Vester

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Broken. (Green St. Girls #2)Broken. by N.D. Jackson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the second book of the Green St Girls but I believe it can be read as a stand-alone. I really like that Indigo is her own person and that the company is hers. I liked the idea of someone sending threatening letters and calls over this software I just didn’t like how the author tried to tie in her past in the threats. I’m glad indigo trusted Gideon enough to tell him about what happened to her and it helps us understand why she is so against finding a person. It just wasn’t believable that her father would be the person making threats. I really thought the relationship with Gideon and Indigo was cute, I’m glad they got a happy ending.

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Goldilocks and the Six Simple Machines (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Darian Vester

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Goldilocks and the Six Simple Machines (Science Folktales #3)Goldilocks and the Six Simple Machines by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thought the retelling was great. It was a nice way to add stem to the story without making it boring. Kids don’t realize that they’re using these methods in their everyday life, like how they pour the milk into their bowls. I also liked that in this version, Goldilocks is trying to help make things better instead of being a nuisance like in the original. Like other readers I found the illustrations to be lacking and don’t match the cover you’ll see on purchasing sites.

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A Match Made in Montana (The Millers of Marietta Book 2) by Elsa Winckler – Review by Darian Vester

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A Match Made in Montana (The Millers of Marietta, #2)A Match Made in Montana by Elsa Winckler
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lifetime movie with a little steam to it. All of the characters are lovable in this story and I love moving to a small town trope. I felt the chemistry between Craig and Annie instantly, things start off with a steamy book and I’m glad there’s more to the story other than “beading nipples.” I liked seeing them work together but I would have liked to see Annie actually working her B&B that she worked so hard for. What I didn’t like was how fast their relationship took off in the end. Yes I did say they had a connection but I don’t feel it was enough for an instant love. The book was a nice, light hearted read and I recommend it to those looking for a sweet, happy ending romance.

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