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A Toast for Laurent (Vine Valley Book 1) by Theresa Paolo – Review by Christine Baranek

A Toast for Laurent (Vine Valley, #1)A Toast for Laurent by Theresa Paolo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Toast for Laurent
By: Theresa Paolo

This is a very cute second chance romance filled with really sweet characters and a plot that just sucks you in from the start. Phoebe and Laurent made a pact in high school that if they weren’t married by the time they were 40 they would marry each other. But really they didn’t think that it was serious. Plus, doesn’t everyone make those promises with someone? This book explores what happens when one person wants to hold the other to that promise. However, the part that no one realizes when they make the promise is that by the time they are 40 they will be so different and changed by heartache and rejection. Watching Phoebe and Laurent navigate their fear of rejection and their changes from their previous relationships is part of the charm of the book. They have an undeniable chemistry and have to figure out whether acting on chemistry will be worth the risk. I definitely recommend reading this sweet book!

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

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

Annie was meant to marry Ted but thank goodness she dodged that bullet !

She moves to Montana from Sacramento to live her dream of cooking for people in her B&B and she looses herself in her romance novels … what is not to love about this darling girl !?

Craig O’ Sullivan is in town for the wedding and when he pops by the B&B I really did LOL I’ve a picture mind so I played out that scene a few times and each time I laughed louder 🤣

Our Annie is a little challenged technologically but she catches on quickly and Craig has helped her get her B&B updated , he’s a bit of a marketing guru and soon enough he’s helping the community 🥰

Annie and Craig must be one of the cutest couples of my reading year ! Despite the fact that both are scared of marriage they’re heading to their HEA very quickly 😉😘
I love how Annie talks to herself and gets teased , there she reminds me of myself 🤣

There was a hint of sadness as well with the loss of Annie’s folks and the strained relationship between Craig and his parents but there was redemption which was a gentle reminder of how important it is to communicate and not just assume ❣️

I love the people of Marietta 🥰

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Love Bites More (The Darkness & Light Duology, and the Love Bites World) by TL Clark – Review by Naomi McDonald

Love Bites MoreLove Bites More by T.L. Clark
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ll admit that I had a difficult time getting into the story at first. The way the characters interact with each other in the beginning felt a bit formal, but as I kept reading it grew on me.
This story has a little of everything – magic, suspense, danger, and of course, romance. The world-building is interesting and demonstrates the strength of the author’s imagination.
Good read. Give it a try.

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How to Catch Little Boys and Eat Them by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Michelle Mulvey

How to Catch Little Boys and Eat ThemHow to Catch Little Boys and Eat Them by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’m beginning to love this authors children’s books. The books are usually
Remakes of some of our
Favorites from childhood with a little twist. All the kids love these books and the pictures are amazing. Another great 4 star read from myself, a 3 year old, 4 year old and 6 year old

review by @xchellex

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Grand Slam (Ground Rule Book 3) by Bree Kraemer – Review by Heidi Sturgess

Grand Slam (Ground Rule Book 3)Grand Slam by Bree Kraemer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Heath seems to have it all, a successful career as a baseball player but one thing is missing , someone to come home to …

It’s now off season for Heath and he’s got no real hobbies , most of team mates have families or better halves so he gets a little bored and lonely at this time and his sister , Hannah is about to have a baby , he’s about to become an uncle ❣️

Grace , a woman with heart , she’s not had it easy with her family but she’s not going to jet them get the better of her and she has a heart for animals so she already won me over 🐾❣️

Now Grace and Heath are no strangers to each other , their paths crossed with the bachelor auction which benefitted the animal shelter and she left a lasting impression on Heath but it seems it went both ways but Grace believes she’s beneath him and gives Heath a hard time in winning her over …

I loved watching Heath encourage Grace and he really got me going with his protective nature of Grace where her family was concerned , they really irked me I must be honest !

Besides and Heath and Grace my heart was stolen by our 4 legged sweetheart Maggie and I think she should get the award for match making ❣️🐾🤣

This was a real feel good read and just what my heart needed !

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Lap Baby by Amy Q. Barker – Review by Heidi Sturgess

Lap Baby: Emotional Women's FictionLap Baby: Emotional Women’s Fiction by Amy Q. Barker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

How beautiful and serene is this cover !? When you look at it , it feels like you are sitting with each of the characters and you’re listening to their story you feel their heartache and anguish ….

What really hit me is that this story is loosely based on true events and that in fact there really is a policy where children under the age of 2 were in fact on parents laps and in case of emergency they had to be placed in the floor .., I know as a mom I’d want to cling to my baby and ensure that he / she feels safe in my arms I cannot even begin to imagine the anguish these woman went through …

So we follow the story of the 3 survivors , 20 years later . Julie , the flight attendant . Paige , the only baby to survive . Marie who survived but her baby didn’t and has blamed Julie for her loss .

We follow how each of the survivors had to deal with remorse , regret , resentment , grief and trauma .
While there is alot of sadness there was also healing , redemption , forgiveness and moments where I wonder if I could walk away like these women did … this is one of these reads I want every woman to read 📚❣️

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How to Catch Little Boys and Eat Them by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Lorralei Hoerner

How to Catch Little Boys and Eat ThemHow to Catch Little Boys and Eat Them by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is a cute, imaginative story about a Giant who believes he can outsmart a boy and trick them with gifts…but the Giant has plans for a tasty meal in Jack the human…..Giant’s have “to eat too” right?

When Giant’s plans have a twist with Jack the human…will Giant catch Jack and eat him?

Definitely read and find out!! I love this author’s books and her imagination creating these stories. The illustrations are great and go right along with the book….cute story!

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Hole in the Rock by Rebecca Bischoff – Review by Dawn Daughenbaugh

Hole in the RockHole in the Rock by Rebecca Bischoff
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Stars
Hole in the Rock by Rebecca Bischoff

  • Hole in the Rock is a fairly quick pace fun adventure aimed for middle school aged children 8-12 but I think younger may enjoy it as well but may not understand the message as well as an older kid . In this fun story we follow along with a girl named Lizzy as she learns a few lessons about how our actions may have certain consequences, making the right choices,importance of family and friends, having to take full responsibility for ourselves and our actions. Lizzy’s father is a taxidermist and she’s a animal lover who doesn’t like his job. When he decides to move his family to a cave. Everything is fixing to change. One thing that children and even adults will learn from this story is that everyone makes mistakes and not everyone will agree and our actions may have certain consequences but we learn from them . I highly recommend reading this book and I look forward to reading more from this Author.

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Soul Redeemed (War of Destiny Book 5) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Melissa Fink

https://www.amazon.com/review/R6915NYQH5XDY/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Soul Redeemed (War of Destiny #5)Soul Redeemed by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have read the whole series to War of Destiny, none of the books has disappointed. The author really blew me away with this story. This isn’t usually my typical type of books I read, but I loved them. The world building and characters was well thought out. The details was on point. There wasn’t unnecessary details. I can’t wait to read more by the author!

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https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/2741632872

Between Darkness & Light
https://www.amazon.com/review/R2IYV8TVCAV7AQ/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv, Between Darkness & Light (War of Destiny #3)Between Darkness & Light by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Between Darkness & Light is the third book in the series. Each book I got into, each one got just that much better. They were a page turner for me. This one was full of adventures. I never knew what was gonna happen next. That made me continue to read because I wanted to know what happened next. I highly recommend starting with book 1.

View all my reviews, https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/2128423493

Lost Soul

https://www.amazon.com/review/R3E7HSBTVVEFZ9/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Lost Soul (War of Destiny # 1)Lost Soul by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lost Soul is the first book in the series. I really loved the whole series. Lost souls had amazing world building and characters was well thought out. You can tell the author took time writing this series. Each book was very unpredictable, which kept you reading because you wanted to know what happened next. I highly recommend reading the whole series!

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https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/2487068408

Pursuit into Darkness

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

Pursuit into Darkness was another great book in this series. This is the second book and it didn’t disappoint. The details was on point. The world building and characters was well thought of. This book was a page turner for me. It had me wanting to know what happened next.

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https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/2101347052

Fallen Soul
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2PNWO88KHKB5J?ref=pf_ov_at_pdctrvw_srp
Fallen Soul (War of Destiny #4)Fallen Soul by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! What an amazing read this was. I read this book in a day. Fallen Soul will grab your attention from the very first page til the last one. The world building and characters was well thought out. This book was very unpredictable and it makes you wanting to know what happens next. I highly recommend you checking out this series. I also recommend starting with the first book before reading the rest!

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https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/4122676005

How to Catch Little Boys and Eat Them by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Maikalani Alexander

How to Catch Little Boys and Eat ThemHow to Catch Little Boys and Eat Them by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A great retelling of Jack and the beanstalk with a twist. What if giants really wanted to be our friends but didn’t know how diverse a palate could be ?
Twisting this store up making it fun and a bit quirky it was a cute quick weird. That had my boys giggling.

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Guarding the Crease (The Playmakers Series Hockey Romances Book 9) by G.K. Brady – Review by Emily H

Guarding the Crease (The Playmakers #9)Guarding the Crease by G.K. Brady
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

NHL Goaltender Wyatt Tompkins has burned his bridges with the Colorado Blizzards. He is trying to get back his career but is not holding out much hope. His reputation for being a bad boy who is a PR nightmare does not help. At an event he sees Serena Lamber the PR for the Colorado Blizzards, he expects a smile but instead is met with glares. What he doesn’t plan on that night is rescuing Serena from an attack and staying by her side. There is more to what he needs from Serena but he is not planning.

An unlikely alliance turns to a bit more between Wyatt and Serena. Wyatt is seeing his life and career in a new light. Getting a second chance at NHL, Wyatt is learning how to not be the I in team. Serena’s career is rocky too and she is trying to navigate the stormy waters while keeping her blossoming relationship with Wyatt under wraps. Can these two come together and build into something strong or are they too different to make it work?

I enjoyed this one, it was a bit of a surprise the way the story unfolded. I really liked Wyatt and Serena together. Had so many characters I was interested in reading about. I also liked the growth of Wyatt, he goes from being a bit of a tool to a very complex character who redefines who he is. Great read.

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Cruel Start (Hidden Valley Elite) by Isla Vaughn – Review by Stephanie Robb

Cruel Start (Hidden Valley Elite #4.5)Cruel Start by Isla Vaughn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the 4.5 installment in the Hidden Valleys series. Personally, I would read the book in order of the series in order to get the full context and character development but they can be read as stand-alone as well. In Cruel Start we are introduced to Phoenix and Aspen. The author definitely knows how to develop characters, write tension and keep you on the edge of your seat.

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Murder in a Gated Community by Laura Koerber – Review by Susan Ratchford

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

Murder In A Gated Community
By: Laura Koerber
Review by: Susan Ratchford
4 Stars

Not at all what I was expecting but Murder In A Gated Community by Laura Koerber was a really good read and a unique look on suburbia. Koerber put such wit and humor into this book I couldn’t help but smile the whole way through! With moments that are tragic yet beautiful and also very relatable! I loved Hazel’s story and the meaning behind every word! This novella is definitely worth your time if you want a meaningful story full of laugh out loud moments. This book was definitely deep and made me think about growing older and how life changes. Please if you have the time check out this unexpected gem you will be glad you did!

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How to Catch Little Boys and Eat Them by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Kelli Harper

How to Catch Little Boys and Eat ThemHow to Catch Little Boys and Eat Them by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Love this author for children’s books. My kids are becoming big fans. A loosely base retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk, but this is in the POV of the Giant. Great illustrations and a great deal of lessons to be learned here.

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Planting Hope by Jennifer Raines – Review by Stephanie Robb

Planting HopePlanting Hope by Jennifer Raines
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Planting Hope is a lovely contemporary romance following Holly and Kit as they navigate his gardening project. Jennifer writes really emotively and has well-developed characters. I would highly recommend this book.

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Goldilocks and the Six Simple Machines (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Kelli Harper

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

Goldilocks retelling. Great teaching about simple machines, I especially like that at the end of the story there is a description of each machine she used. The childlike illustrations just made the whole thing kids friendly. I like that her books are educational and fun.

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Hole in the Rock by Rebecca Bischoff – Review by Brandy Vaughn

Hole in the RockHole in the Rock by Rebecca Bischoff
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hole In the Rock by Rebecca Bischoff, is a unique coming-of-age story. It’s a fast-paced middle-grade novel inspired by an actual cave house in Moab, Utah. I remembered that I had driven but it several times on my road trips back and forth to my home state of Washington! Painted in huge white letters on the canyon walls is Hole In The Rock. It’s fantastic the author was inspired by the landmark to create this wonderful story. The characters come alive in the setting and have all kinds of family issues that young readers will relate to!

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Notebook Mysteries ~ Parisian Intrigue (Notebook Mysteries Book 6) by Kimberly Mullins – Review by Stephanie Robb

Parisian Intrigue (Notebook Mysteries #6)Parisian Intrigue by Kimberly Mullins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the 6th book in a cosy series, this time we are transported to Paris. The author is fantastic at transporting us to around the world. She brings to life the action, characters and historical setting.

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Shadowed Obsession (Shadow Defense Security Series Book 1) by Mavery Ellscott – Review by Amanda Haller-Doris

Shadowed Obsession: An Action-Packed Romantic Suspense Thriller (Shadow Defense Security Series Book 1)Shadowed Obsession: An Action-Packed Romantic Suspense Thriller by Mavery Ellscott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was such an explosive start to what looks like an amazing series! I have not read anything from this author before, but I will definitely be checking out her other works ASAP. The book starts off strong with action right from the start and we see the intense chemistry between Keira and Cade and it was steamy. He was such a strong and sexy hero and Keira was such an amazing heroine. She had a rough past that had definitely colored her present, but she pushed through. This book definitely had you feeling the suspense of who is after Keira and the author did an amazing job of multiple red herrings. I couldn’t put the book down until I finished the last page. It definitely had me guessing until the final reveal. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

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Goldilocks and the Six Simple Machines (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Stephanie Robb

Goldilocks and the Six Simple MachinesGoldilocks and the Six Simple Machines by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a wonderful retelling of Goldilocks and the three bears using STEM. This book is well written and beautifully illustrated. Another gem from Lois.

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Sleeping with the Enemy (Astoria Royals Book 3) by Deborah Garland – Review by Shannen Kern

Sleeping with the Enemy (Astoria Royals, #3)Sleeping with the Enemy by Deborah Garland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I always love this author’s books, and this dark romance is no different. You jump immediately into a tense situation in the very beginning, and it only gets more interesting from there. You can feel the chemistry between Riordan and Priscilla which gets steamier by the second. I was on the edge of my seat throughout this whole book with the drama, violence, and heated scenes full of passion. This author has such a way of writing that will hold your attention from the very first page to the very last. She knows exactly how to keep you engaged, not to mention creating a perfect story flow. I found myself completely invested in these characters just mere minutes after being introduced to them. If you love dark mafia romances, don’t pass on this on or you’ll definitely regret it!

Reviewed by @shannlynn

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Goldilocks and the Six Simple Machines (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Shannen Kern

Goldilocks and the Six Simple MachinesGoldilocks and the Six Simple Machines by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My kiddos always love it when I bring home a book by this author because they are always so fun! This one is a fun retelling of a classic children’s story with a nice change in character for Goldilocks. Instead of coming in and haphazardly going through the three bears’ house, she fixes items in their house! It is an interesting focus on STEM which we love in our house. The illustrations were simple and seemed almost like watercolors which was refreshing as they weren’t overwhelming with too many details. I also liked that the font would sometimes change to describe the words which I hadn’t seen before. We really enjoyed this book, and it sparked some creative ideas for both of my kids to see what they could ‘fix’ around the house with simple machines!

Reviewed by @shannlynn

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Love Is What It Is by Marina Hanna – Review by Beverly Finnie

Love Is What It Is: A holiday RomanceLove Is What It Is: A holiday Romance by Marina Hanna
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book. It was sweet & spicy. Of course some drama from the exes. Love is What it is, a book I wanted more from. By the time I got all cozy it was over. I felt there were some spots that were a little rushed but overall it was a sweet & spicy short romance.
Toni goes on vacation to get away with one man, which ends up being a disaster. When she takes initiative she never expects the results to change her life.
Mickey doesn’t want or is looking for love. A good time sure. He’s been there done that in the marriage department and he wasn’t impressed. What happens when he meets Toni and she completely tilts his access. Being in a place of money and power he needs to make sure this isn’t going to be another attempt at that.
Again I’ll say I enjoyed the book. The way the author wrote Mickey, he transformed, and that transformation worked out beautifully.
I intend to look into other books by this author because I’m intrigued and want some more.

@placexba
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Goldilocks and the Six Simple Machines (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Heather Goodman

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

My daughter loves all this authors kids books. This one wasn’t any different. She has a way of drawing you in and keeping you drawn in throughout the whole book. The watercolor like drawings in this book make it more appealing.

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Goldilocks and the Six Simple Machines (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Melissa Fink

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1INN5OOZTYG1O/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

Goldilocks and the Six Simple MachinesGoldilocks and the Six Simple Machines by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lois Wickstrom has done it again. This Goldilocks and the Six machines was a twist from the original story. I love how Goldilocks helped the bear fixed things. The pictures matched the story. The illustration was very colorful. The plot was well thought out. This was a cute and fun book for any 8-9 year old.

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https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/665961730

Tempting Fate (Black Shamrocks MC: Australia Book 1) by Bella Faust – Review by Tori Mitton

<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/122752753-tempting-fate” style=”float: left; padding-right: 20px”><img border=”0″ alt=”Tempting Fate: a dark and angsty love triangle romance (Black Shamrocks MC: Australia Book 1)” src=”https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1676658081l/122752753._SX98_.jpg” /></a><a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/122752753-tempting-fate”>Tempting Fate: a dark and angsty love triangle romance</a> by <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21631216.Bella_Faust”>Bella Faust</a><br/>
My rating: <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5712614907″>5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Oh my lanta! Okay first thing I absolutely love that we get a playlist of songs to listen to during the book.<br />Lilly is born into the biker world, when she was a teen she used Alex to make Zeke jealous. It ended up almost costing her life. Zeke swears he will do everything to protect Lilly forever. But when Lilly gets kidnapped by Alex the day he is released, what Zeke does. All the twists and turns you are not expecting! This book had me gasping for air through the whole thing!! I cannot wait to read the rest!!
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How to Catch Little Boys and Eat Them by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Kristin Boutelle

How to Catch Little Boys and Eat ThemHow to Catch Little Boys and Eat Them by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a very unique and creative read. It’s a combination of Jack and the Beanstalk and Hansel and Gretel. The story is very busy, and has a lot to keep up with what is going on. The illustrations are very well done. The author has done a great job in keeping the reader’s interest in the story.

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How to Catch Little Boys and Eat Them by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Betsy Melano

How to Catch Little Boys and Eat ThemHow to Catch Little Boys and Eat Them by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A modern and cute retelling of Jack and the Bean Stalk. The story has a twist at the end that made me giggle! The illustrations are great and the storyline is easily understood by young readers. I think some older elementary age kids would enjoy reading this too, especially if they have younger siblings, a great way to help kids who might need help reading out loud.

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Love Bites More (The Darkness & Light Duology, and the Love Bites World) by TL Clark – Review by Gabrielle

Love Bites MoreLove Bites More by T.L. Clark
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An interesting story about the strength of love. Friends Elan and Arwyn soon find that friendship may just be the beginning of what they want. When Hassan enters their world things begin to change. Emotions play a big role in this book and you are taken on a ride full of ups and downs. There is no stopping fate and these three men learn to follow their hearts. It was nice to see the way that their relationship grows and deepens. Each man has a distinct personality and together they are something that no one can tear apart. Theirs is a fast-paced story full of a good mix of emotion and action.

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Oathbreakers Anonymous by Scott Warren – Review by Christina Ford

Oathbreakers AnonymousOathbreakers Anonymous by Scott Warren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oathbreakers Anonymous was written with me in mind! It’s an epic adventure with some very unlikely heroes who are all trying to retain favor of the Gods. Aren’t we all, eh? I thought it was hilarious and read it in a day. I can’t wait to see more!

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