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True Colors (Landry’s True Colors Series Book One) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Michelle Austin

True Colors (Landry's True Colors #1)True Colors by Krysten Lindsay Hager
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a good 5 star read. I felt like I was reliving some of the things my teen daughter encountered when she was in school. The author does a great job with her writing and makes you feel like you are right there in the story feeling everything that Landry was. To go from being part of the group and having jealousy rear its ugly head causing her to be ostracized by her supposed friends was heartbreaking.
Overall this was a great read and I would suggest young teens to read this. My emotions were all over the place with the things she would go through and how she was treated. I look forward to reading more from this author and series. 1-click and get started today.

Reviewed by @mab54615
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True Colors (Landry’s True Colors Series Book One) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Mary Espinoza

True Colors (Landry's True Colors #1)True Colors by Krysten Lindsay Hager
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So let’s talk about nostalgia! I mean come on, every girl that was in middle school had to deal with drama at one point in time. I found that even though True Colors was a novel more geared towards the middle school aged audiences, I still found it entertaining. I found myself able to read the book quite easily as an adult who hasn’t been in middle school for a very long time! The author did a good job of touching on many of the topics that middle school girls go through on a daily basis! There were mentions of the trials of friendships, of course self esteem issues, bullying, we can’t forget the notorious gossiping, and of course trying to find your way through middle school and preparing for high school, oh yes and I almost forgot… boys! I personally do believe that this is a well written novel that many pre teen and teenage girls would enjoy reading. The book was not overly long, and was written on a level that they would be able to understand. Great job to the author for making such an age appropriate, entertaining book for the younger generations of females.

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Maru Espinoza, February 2023

Caspian’s UnBirthday (Invisible Magic Wand) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Amanda Gonzalez

Caspian's UnbirthdayCaspian’s Unbirthday by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Caspian gets unusual gifts from his grandfather, of course, they’re never what they appear to be. I love the imagination the author has in creating these books! Something so innocuous as socks can be great fun with just a little imagination. The illustrations are straightforward and make the story easy to follow and visualize. Whimsical and fun, this story has magical elements that are sure to inspire young minds!

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Manipulator’s War (Ruarnon Trilogy Book #1) by Elise Carlson – Review by Angela Hayes

Manipulator's War (Ruarnon Trilogy, #1)Manipulator’s War by Elise Carlson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

 

3 Stars

 

Manipulator’s War is the first book in the Raurnon Trilogy by Elise Carlson. It is a YA action/adventure fantasy with tests, trials, and challenges- as well as myth, murder, mayhem, assassins, threats, drama, and high stakes.
We meet Raurnon, the non-binary heir to the throne of Tarlah who has to step up and assume the throne when their parents are kidnapped. With war looming, and no one to turn to things take a complicated and dangerous turn. What happens makes for an intriguing adventure story.
Although I found the premise of this story interesting, I just couldn’t find my groove with this story as I found it hard to connect with the character/s, which then made it difficult to immerse myself in the adventure or invest in the outcome of their story. I also found the story quite slow in parts, and because of that I found my attention wandering a lot- and then it continued to lag and drag along the way, on and off, making for a bit of a choppy and somewhat frustrating read for me. I have put this down to this being the author’s debut novel and they were still finding their own writing groove. I think the rest of the series holds a lot of promise and I am curious to see where we go from here.
Happy Reading…

Thank you, Elise Carlson!

 

Reviewed by @angelahayes

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Lucky Stars by Fantasia Yu – Review by Ayla Phipps

Lucky StarsLucky Stars by Fantasia Yu
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the first book I have read by Fantasia Yu, and I am so excited to read her other work. One of the main things in the synopsis that drew me in was the space pirates and moon planets as I have never read anything with either before. Princess Mora is the first-born princess of Xitlych, and as such she has several obligations that embody her life. Darin is a “criminal”, pilot and the moment Mora first sees him she feels as if all the air in her lungs is gone.
Ten days, Princess Mora has been betrothed to Prince Fidge of Xot, to lead in the way of alliances to be made through the Nexus of Planets. While first impressions of his picture don’t sit well with Mora or her younger sister Pola, seeing him as a rigid geek, or principal look to him. The light in the tunnel for Mora is that she was accepted to the university of her dreams in the Bronze City, far away from Xot and Prince Fidge. After a long day of boring activities and duties Mora wants to see local statues, she has read about when doing her research on the moon planet. Meeting Gota, a local criminal that is often hired as a guide for official purposes due to her knowledge of the terrain and space pirates being afraid of her, Mora sees hope. Being a princess is smothering Mora, she dreams of being free of being a normal person no royal expectations associated to her, and when she meets Darin she has her chance, and she takes it.
Will Mora get to go to university? Can she escape her royal duties and have freedom? What will happen if Darin finds out the truth of her identity? The world created by the author truly is a fantastical one, the descriptions of the worlds, the customs and characters immerse the reader into her world. Being a short read this book was the perfect little escape on a lazy Sunday, I couldn’t put it down and look forward to reading more of the authors work soon.

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True Colors(Landry’s True Colors Series Book One) by Krysten Lindsay Hager- Review by Heather Knalls

True Colors (Landry's True Colors #1)True Colors by Krysten Lindsay Hager
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Landry is your normal teenage girl, feels invisible and left out. Her so called friends invite her to a modeling casting call for a tv show at a local mall and she is one of the finalists. Her so called friends ditch her and start making fun of her so she makes me friends with Devon and her crew. She makes the live show in her state but is not chosen as a finalist, however a few agencies want her to come for auditions. Soon she is torn between new friends and old and she’s not sure who to choose. What more could any teenage girl want, friends and game and fortune!

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Grace Under Fire (The Anderson Sisters Book 2) by Jennifer Raines – Review by Elizabeth Sanchez

Grace Under FireGrace Under Fire by Jennifer Raines
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I know nothing about farming, milking, or cheese production. That being the framework for Grace Uncer Fire had me questioning if I would enjoy it. But I took the chance and glad I did. The book was a little slow moving, but it did have a lot of drama that kept the story going. I was a little frustrated by how long it took Grace and Ryan to own their feelings for each other and Danny and the past. I think they didn’t quite realize their own feelings until far too long into the story. And I felt the info surrounding Danny was developed and revealed too slowly. We find out he died. Then much later we learn how. Then much later we learn the circumstances of why. Then nearly at the end, the full feelings and actions that day. So overall I feel like the author drug their feet a little and made the story much longer than needed… but overall I liked it. The characters and the past drama, the closeness of the families, etc were all likeable. I am happy that there is a pre story for Ella- I felt like there was a lot of details from the past hinted. So I look forward to reading Taylor’s law.

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Reviewed by @way2gosmartguy

True Colors (Landry’s True Colors Series Book One) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Ashley Sugar

True Colors (Landry's True Colors #1)True Colors by Krysten Lindsay Hager
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Glad those days are gone and makes me wonder how it’s been so long ago. Really good young adult book and coming of age read. And the friendships and the way young girls act to one another…it’s so spot on but also extremely sad. Seeing the way Landry was treated by her so called “friends” all the time actually made me sad and super angry for her. If Landry did something, there was always someone out there jealous of her or someone out there making up lies about her. The young girl bullies is something I can relate too as well. It happens a lot and I feel for Landry. Every time something went well for her, ericka was always there to talk down on her and bashing her behind her back. Making Landry feel like she doesn’t deserve what she’s achieving. Landry made it through a modeling competition but because ericka didn’t make it through, she had to start downplaying Landrys looks. Landry made it second place is this writing competition as well but because it wasn’t first place, ericka had something to say about that too. Friends don’t do that. So even though I really enjoyed this book, it also made me angry. I always say it’s a good book if you can bring out all kinds of emotions! I want to feel it all! So even though it made me mad, I loved it lol.

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Arrrgh! Me Hate To Wait! by Mary Bleckwehl – Review by Nina Maes

Great book on patience. I love the characters and illustrations. Fun children’s book with lots of adventure. It also has lessons in patience and how you think you want more than you have. I recommend this book to all care givers and preschoolers.
Arrrgh! Me HATE To Wait!Arrrgh! Me HATE To Wait! by Mary Evanson Bleckwehl
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great book on patience. I love the characters and illustrations. Fun children’s book with lots of adventure. It also has lessons in patience and how you think you want more than you have. I recommend this book to all care givers and preschoolers.

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True Colors (Landry’s True Colors Series Book One) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Felicia Bates

True Colors (Landry's True Colors #1)True Colors by Krysten Lindsay Hager
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was looking for a lighter read to get out of a bit of a reading slump and True Colors caught my attention. The writing and real life scenarios took me right back to middle school with cliques and struggles and oh, so much drama.. I can imagine this would be an incredibly relatable story for the younger audience and for that I would definitely recommend this book. The book was incredibly realistic with characters that felt like they could be in my own life, or could have been me many years ago. I would be curious to read more from this author in the future as well.

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True Colors (Landry’s True Colors Series Book One) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Nina Maes

This one is full of drama! It is a middle school read full of “mean girl” drama. It’s also about finding yourself and trying to fit in. I recommend this one to all ages, who like really life drama and adventures. Fast and enjoyable read.

True Colors : Landry's True Colors Series: Book OneTrue Colors : Landry’s True Colors Series: Book One by Krysten Lindsay Hager
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This one is full of drama! It is a middle school read full of “mean girl” drama. It’s also about finding yourself and trying to fit in. I recommend this one to all ages, who like really life drama and adventures. Fast and enjoyable read.

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A Mountain in the Air: A Trilogy by Laura Koerber – Review by Jenni Bishop

A Mountain in the Air: A TrilogyA Mountain in the Air: A Trilogy by Laura Koerber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars
A Mountain in the Air trilogy is three books in one. The first two novellas were previously published as Coyote’s Road Trip and Raven Woman’s Tavern. The third is brand new.
Coyote’s Road Trip is a blend of magical realism and set in a dystopian future. It is a short and unique tale as with Laura’s other books along this line. This story touches on the topic of climate change and its effects on the world. The mysterious Coyote Jim is a shapeshifter nature spirit as old as time. He gets up to mischief both good and bad but he is not intentionally malicious or out to hurt others. He has decided it’s time seeking to find and establish a new home. What ensues is truly an interesting road trip.
Raven Woman’s Tavern is set in a future that could well become a reality. This dark tale is a quick read, and I felt the story was a little disjointed and unfinished in some instances. Overall, the premise is interesting and there are a lot of players and different aspects being played out. Raven is not what she seems. She is always around and watches everything. She is all knowing, and all seeing and hands out life and death as she sees fit. But that is only part of the story the rest is about people trying to survive in small town on the fringes and a world that has been ravished and where the militia are the law.
A Mountain in the Air is also a magical realism tale and brings the stories together and to completion where any unresolved questions are answered. This novella as like the other two are set in a near future ravaged by climate change and combines characters connected from both Coyote’s Road Trip and Raven Woman’s Tavern. It is a bit of an emotional tale, a story of being at a liminal space, a transitional space, a “crossroads”, a story of life and death.

 

Reviewed by @jennadb

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The White Knight Cowboy (The Studs of Clear Creek County) by Stacy-Deanne – Review by Melissa Fink

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1Y70GABSYLYUK/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

The White Knight Cowboy Stacy-DeanneThe White Knight Cowboy Stacy-Deanne by Stacy-Deanne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The White Knight Cowboy book was a good short read! It had action, suspense, romance, and drama all in one story. The character building was good in this book. This book also had you wanting to know what happened next. If you love a good page turning book, this is the book for you. I can’t wait to see what the next book brings to the table.

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https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/124560446

Wild Lavender (Heart & Hand Series Book 1) by Nicole E. Kelleher – Review by Nina Maes

Amazing, this was my first from author. Very captivating story definitely had a hard time putting it down. Strong characters and loved the lead female character the most. This book has it all heartbreak, drama and adventure. I recommend this to more mature readers but anyone who love romantic, adventure stories and everything that comes with it.

Wild Lavender (Heart & Hand, #1)Wild Lavender by Nicole E. Kelleher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Amazing, this was my first from author. Very captivating story definitely had a hard time putting it down. Strong characters and loved the lead female character the most. This book has it all heartbreak, drama and adventure. I recommend this to more mature readers but anyone who love romantic, adventure stories and everything that comes with it.

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True Colors (Landry’s True Colors Series Book One) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Rachel Moss

True Colors (Landry's True Colors #1)True Colors by Krysten Lindsay Hager
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a good read! It felt relatable, and was also well written especially for a novel meant for someone younger. Some parts of this story felt a little juvenile to me, I guess because of age difference but it was still enjoyable. The storyline was cast paced so I felt like I read this one fairly quickly. I’ve read books by this author before and this one and enjoyed them all and this was no exception. I highly recommend reading this book, especially young adults.

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The White Knight Cowboy (The Studs of Clear Creek County) by Stacy-Deanne – Review by Jules Herbert

The White Knight Cowboy Stacy-DeanneThe White Knight Cowboy Stacy-Deanne by Stacy-Deanne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book I have read by this author and once again she drew me into the story with her vivid imagery and great characters. I don’t want to give too much away so I will just say it is an age gap romance between wonderful Interracial characters, Dusty and Lovely Jo. It is a truly heart warming read that will keep you entertained and turning page after page from start to finish.

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Lucky Stars by Fantasia Yu – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.

Lucky StarsLucky Stars by Fantasia Yu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Princess Mora is a young woman with a bright future, but that future is not necessarily the one she wants, but her royal duties come first and so she heads off to meet her future and the ones who were in charge of organising it, but Mora cannot stand convention and is always looking for an adventure. This time, the adventure finds Mora when she meets someone who works on the Moon she is visiting, but this person is much more interesting than the official events she has to attend, so on a whim, she decides to go on a tour to somewhere which was not on the official itinerary.

It is on this tour that she meets the dashing pilot Darin O’Joy, a rapscallion of the highest order, a bad boy and someone born with charm by the bucket load and Mora is immediately drawn to him, so when he agrees to take her sightseeing, she is overjoyed at the prospect of spending more time with him. Unfortunately, the rest of her party want her to come back to the Moon Palace and continue with her duties, but when opportunity knocks, Mora is more than inclined to take it.

Amid tours of the Moon she is visiting, attacks by space pirates and discovering fantastical people, beasts and places, Mora is torn by her official life and her current more adventurous one, not to mention that she hasn’t actually told Darin that she is a princess, which could cause some issues if she isn’t careful. What will Mora do, follow her duty, or follow her heart? This is a fantasy romance in a space age world which is full of excitement, adventure and space based shenanigans which will pull you in and leave you wanting more.

Reviewed by @roxsannel

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My Inner Critic By Christine Bernard – Review by Amanda Gonzalez

My Inner CriticMy Inner Critic by Christine Bernard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As an introvert myself, I found this book to be extremely relatable! I feel like I’ve found a mirror of myself within these pages, even if it is part fiction, and I enjoyed the ride. Everyone has their own story to tell, their own inner critic to deal with, and external struggles that they go through in life. I love how this author used her own story and was able to give us a story that so eloquently illustrates their own path. This is a must-read I’ll be recommending to my friends in the future!

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True Colors (Landry’s True Colors Series Book One) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Christine Baranek

True Colors (Landry's True Colors #1)True Colors by Krysten Lindsay Hager
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

True Colors
By : Krysten Lindsay Hager

This is such a sweet middle grade novel. One that I would have definitely recommended to my fifth grade girls and have had in my library back when I taught fourth and fifth grade. As a teacher, I felt that this book accurately portrayed middle school and how challenging school can be. Especially the drama, oh the drama! It brought back memories to my own middle school years but also to those students I teach. I definitely recommend this book!

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Savage Start (Hidden Valley Elite Prequel) by Isla Vaughn – Review by Juls Dick

Savage Start: A High School Bully Romance: Hidden Valley Elite PrequelSavage Start: A High School Bully Romance: Hidden Valley Elite Prequel by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Savage Start is the prequel to the Hidden Valley Elite series by Isla Vaughn. This was a great short read to introduce the main characters and give a background to what I think will be a really interesting series (which is now on my to be read list!). The story introduces Riley, a young girl who has had an unusual upbringing moving around the country running cons with her mother, and Cole, one of the Elites of his school who has a tough time at home. When Riley and Cole bump into each other at a party sparks fly and they are unable to forget each other. This was a perfect intro to the new series.

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Caspian’s UnBirthday (Invisible Magic Wand) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Angela Plate, February 2023

Caspian's UnBirthday (Invisible Magic Wand)Caspian’s UnBirthday by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Like all of her other books, this one is filled with imagination. Although I’m not sure how hot chocolate socks make you fly, it’s a cute and fun read. We look forward to reading all of this author’s books

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True Colors (Landry’s True Colors Series Book One) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Faith Jackson

True Colors (Landry's True Colors #1)True Colors by Krysten Lindsay Hager
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved reading this as an adult and as a parent. My 7-year old son could definitely relate to Landry even though he’s just in 2nd grade. He learned a lot about his personality, being accepted (or not), FOMO, and what it’s like to be true to himself. As an adult raising my kids alone, it taught me how to point him in the right direction and away from frenemies. Great work to the author, Ms. Lindsay Hager!

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True Colors (Landry’s True Colors Series Book One) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Kerry Carr

True Colors (Landry's True Colors #1)True Colors by Krysten Lindsay Hager
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a sweet short read. The author does an amazing job of bringing the leader character and all the people around her to life. The author does a really good Jo of captivating the feelings, thoughts and emotions of a young teenage girl and all the problems she encounters as she tries to navigate her way through life and find who she really is.

Landry is a normal teenage girl. She isn’t part of the popular crowd but she has her friends and she’s happy with that. Sometimes she wishes she was more interesting but that will never happy.
Until the day she enters a modelling competition with her friends. Landry doesn’t think she stands a chance of winning but she only goes to support her friends. So when she gets a call saying she had moved forward in the competition she thought her friends would be happy for her but boy was she wrong.
Her friends turn on her, completely ignoring her and blocking any attempts that Landry makes to talk to them.
Now she finds herself alone as she tries to navigate school, making friends with new people a potential crush and the modelling show how is she going to handle it all.
This brought back memories of my younger years as I remember how much of a awkward teenager I was and how hard u found it to fit in and find my place.

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Savage Start (Hidden Valley Elite Prequel) by Isla Vaughn – Review by Amelia Stansell

Savage Start: A High School Bully Romance: Hidden Valley Elite PrequelSavage Start: A High School Bully Romance: Hidden Valley Elite Prequel by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This the prequel to the series. I honestly cannot wait to read the first book. Right off the bat the characters are amazing. Riley just moved to Santa Monica, after hopping from city to city with her mom. She is ready to stay out and be “normal” kid for a while. Cole is the popular kid who seems to have the perfect life. These two together are fire.

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Lucky Stars by Fantasia Yu – Review by Faith Jackson

True Colors (Landry's True Colors #1)True Colors by Krysten Lindsay Hager
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved reading this as an adult and as a parent. My 7-year old son could definitely relate to Landry even though he’s just in 2nd grade. He learned a lot about his personality, being accepted (or not), FOMO, and what it’s like to be true to himself. As an adult raising my kids alone, it taught me how to point him in the right direction and away from frenemies. Great work to the author, Ms. Lindsay Hager!

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A Mountain in the Air: A Trilogy by Laura Koerber – Review by Bobbi Wagner

A Mountain in the Air: A TrilogyA Mountain in the Air: A Trilogy by Laura Koerber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a great collection of three short stories by this author. I have enjoyed reading this author from the first book I picked up. They are each unique from each other and well written. The author’s use of details made each story as well as characters come to life. There is a bit of suspense added which makes them entertaining to read. They are fast paced and easy to read. The characters are relatable and added to each story. I really enjoyed this collection and I highly recommend it

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Review by @bjwagner

A Mountain in the Air: A Trilogy by Laura Koerber – Review by Shelly Kittell

A Mountain in the Air: A TrilogyA Mountain in the Air: A Trilogy by Laura Koerber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This trilogy has been one of the best. Reading about Coyote and nature just leaves you with an indescribable feeling. This author has a way of writing that leaves you feeling like you are in the desert in with him. And the ghosts, Janey and her father, that’s just trippey. I can’t even imagine. I love the baby goat in the this adventure. It’s a really good book that has just what you need. I found my enthralled from the start. I have read the series from book 1. I do recommend it. It makes it easier to follow and it’s a lovely series. I love the native folklore touch to it. A definite must read.This trilogy has been one of the best. Reading about Coyote and nature just leaves you with an indescribable feeling. This author has a way of writing that leaves you feeling like you are in the desert in with him. And the ghosts, Janey and her father, that’s just trippey. I can’t even imagine. I love the baby goat in the this adventure. It’s a really good book that has just what you need. I found my enthralled from the start. I have read the series from book 1. I do recommend it. It makes it easier to follow and it’s a lovely series. I love the native folklore touch to it. A definite must read.

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Absolution by Anise Storm & Taylor L. Ray – Review by Dessalynn Acosta

AbsolutionAbsolution by Anise Storm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great book! Just the right amount of sex, violence, and love. Dom is a single, strong, wealthy entrepreneur that came from abandonment as a child, when a blast from his past appears, is it really her? Juliana disappeared years ago, yet here she is in front of him… fast, exciting read!

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Arrrgh! Me Hate To Wait! by Mary Bleckwehl – Review by Heather Hoke

Arrrgh! Me HATE To Wait!Arrrgh! Me HATE To Wait! by Mary Evanson Bleckwehl
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don’t think I stopped giggleling the entire book! The way these pirate piggies talk is so funny! And the names of them all bahahahahahaha I just couldn’t stop laughing! The illustrations are beautiful! And I love the pattern of how the book is written!

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Caspian’s UnBirthday (Invisible Magic Wand) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Heather Hoke

Caspian's UnbirthdayCaspian’s Unbirthday by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Caspian’s grandpa never disappoints with his crazy unbirthday presents. After Caspian opens his present, us readers can always anticipate a very amusing adventure for Caspian and Grandpa! This book definitely lived up to the fun expectation of an adventure as well. I giggled a few times while reading!

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