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Gadrella by Tricia Gardella – Review by Julie Johnson

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GadrellaGadrella by Tricia Gardella
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is such a fun book!! First off, the illustrations in this book practically jump off the page!! They are very brilliant and vivid, very eye-catching and colorful. Next, I love the play on words for this character from the author’s last name!

Gadrella is a witch but she’s tired of the same old look. She doesn’t want a pointy hat or a black cat or all the typical things that a witch is “supposed to have”. She starts to make some changes and at the next meeting, her friends think she is a monster…that is until they try her new potion!

Kids will love this holiday themed book! It’s a great way to talk about differences and how it’s ok to break the mold sometimes.

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Ink and Intrigue at Ivy Tree Inn (Ariadne Winter Mystery Series) by Ellen Butler – Review by Julie Johnson

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Ink and Intrigue at Ivy Tree InnInk and Intrigue at Ivy Tree Inn by Ellen Butler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a great historical fiction read with a bit of an Agatha Christie vibe. Ariadne (love this name!) wants so desperately to be an investigative journalist. However, this is set in 1958 when women were expected to have a far more different role than the women of today. A unique situation presents itself for Ariadne and she’s able to be a journalist, but is it going to be without controversary? You can bet not!

A very enjoyable read by an author that I’m becoming more familiar with. I’ve read two other books of hers that I’ve enjoyed. This is the first book in a new series and I look forward to reading more!

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A Safe Place (Philly Heat Series) by Becky Flade – Review by Julie Johnson

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A Safe Place (Philly Heat series, #6)A Safe Place by Becky Flade
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have been a fan of this series since the very first book I read in it! If you love suspenseful books with a romantic storyline, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed! It’s great if you can read these in order as there are details that will make more sense that way but if you come across any of them and have to dive in, you’ll be ok and wanting even more to go back to the beginning.

I’ve learned to clear my schedule for the day when picking up one of Becky Flade‘s books as I can’t hardly put them down once I’ve started.

This book is full of twists and turns and made my eyes leak a couple of times. My heart really goes out to Kat and all that she’s been through. Maddi has a heart of gold and I found myself wanting to pull her out of the pages of the book at times. Nate? Well, who wouldn’t want to fall for him!

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

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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

This is such a heartwarming story!! Things are not always as they seem and sometimes people project things differently because of how they are treated by others. In this story, Beefy has good things happening but he’s mad. Really and truthfully, he’s probably more hurt. He takes these feelings out on others instead of directing them towards the offenders. When the foster sibling crew get ahold of Beefy, they learn a lot from him, and they from him. Love, courage, and friendship can never be over rated!

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London Detective Agency (London Detective Agency Series) by Stephanie R. Caffrey – Review by Julie Johnson

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London Detective Agency: The Complete SeriesLondon Detective Agency: The Complete Series by Stephanie R. Caffrey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a great series of reads. I found the characters to be very identifiable and the storylines believable. I love the level of suspense throughout, along with the romance that played out as well. Ups and downs and lots of chemistry will have you wanting to read more from this author!

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Railway to Murder (A Buck Greene, Railroad Special Agent, Mystery) by Danny J. Bradbury – Review by Julie Johnson

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Railway to MurderRailway to Murder by Danny J. Bradbury
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my first read by this author. I grabbed it up as I enjoy a good historical read and I also enjoy westerns to a point. The chapters are relatively short, making this seem like a quick read. The characters are believable and you almost feel as if you are in the pages of the book with them at times. I love a good murder mystery too, and this one will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat.

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Down By The River by Tricia Gardella – Review by Julie Johnson

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Down By The RiverDown By The River by Tricia Gardella
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My favorite part of this book was the illustrations. They are very colorful and well done! The story is a good one, that focuses on the nature surrounding the river. It has a rhythm throughout with the wording that will make it a fun read. Use this book to teach new words and about environmental awareness!

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Hi Little Brother, I Love You by Deniese Dennis – Review by Julie Johnson

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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 such a sweet book and would be great read to a young child who is about to be promoted to the oldest or older sibling. This book speaks of how the new baby brother will be much loved and what all they will do together. While most siblings will have some rivalry, this book will help keep the focus on being kind and sweet to each other, while sharing their things.

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Heaven Only Knows (A Silver Buckle Romance Series Book 3) by Laurie Lewis – Review by Julie Johnson

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HEAVEN ONLY KNOWS (A Silver Buckle Brides Romance Book 3)HEAVEN ONLY KNOWS by Laurie Lewis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another great read in this series! Each book is a stand-alone but it would be beneficial to read these in order to learn the family dynamics between these seven very handsome Brockbank brothers.

This book is primarily set in New Orleans so you will get to experience some of the history through the eyes of our cast. I absolutely love Agata’s name. I’ve never heard that before but I love the name and her story will tug at your heart. Barrett is loveable as well!

I recommend this and look forward to the next book in this series!

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It’s Cool To Be Kind by Shermaine Perry-Knights – Review by Julie Johnson

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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: 4 of 5 stars

What are you best at? Several friends investigate this question in this very inspiring read. One might not find a way to walk on lava but how about helping someone tie their shoes? That would show a kindness that is rarely found these days.

This is a great read but I do disagree with the last two pages of this book. I do not believe that everyone deserves a trophy in life. Other than that, this was a very enjoyable read.

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

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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

I am a fan of Detective Dylan! He’s a super sleuth who uses clues and his notebook to find the culprit and solve the mystery. He’s at camp with his family and friends and a trophy for the Camp Leaf Games goes missing. Dylan is determined to find who stole the trophy so that it can be returned and the games will be played.

This is a great book with very short chapters. It would be great for those 8-12 to read independently or for any age to read aloud. The end of the book has different words that might be new or difficult along with their definitions. I highly recommend this book!

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A Tale of Two Crushes by Cori Cooper – Review by Julie Johnson

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A Tale of Two CrushesA Tale of Two Crushes by Cori Cooper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love stories by this author! They are clean, quirky, and full of fun! You don’t have to be a young adult to appreciate the writing style and stories either! Holland just moved from Arizona to Colorado and the adjustment is a bit. The climate change alone would do me in but add in teenage angst, trying to fit in, and life in general. It’s a familiar scene for anyone who’s been a teenager before! I felt like I was there in the hallways with Holland and her friends, but I really never ever want to go back to high school!

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The Viper’s Bloodline Awakened (The Gods’ Scion Series) by Winnifred Tataw – Review by Julie Johnson

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The Viper's Bloodline Awakened: The Fifth Book in the Urban Fantasy series The Gods' ScionThe Viper’s Bloodline Awakened: The Fifth Book in the Urban Fantasy series The Gods’ Scion by Winnifred Tataw
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you enjoy a lot of drama, teenage angst, action, dark magic, fantasy, and more, you’ll love this book. I do caution you though, make sure to read this series in order as there are a lot of characters and moving parts. If you pick this up out of order, you’ll be slightly confused for a bit and might not want to finish this spectacular series. I do believe this is my most favorite book in the series. It’s hard to say much more without giving anything away! This author has a way of writing to keep you on the edge of your seat and wanting more with each book!

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Cam Creates a Hero (Courage Tales Series) by Dagmara Sitek – Review by Julie Johnson

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

The world needs more kids like Cam!! While this is a kids book and a work of fiction, I wish this was a true story! Cam sees a need in his community for a hero and he designs a robot to help others. When his original design fails, Cam becomes upset until he’s inspired to revive his robot in a different way. This is such a touching story and I found myself tearing up as I read it. This book has wonderful illustrations but the story is one that impact many people of all ages. Please read this book and share it with others!

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

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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

Kids everywhere are going to love this story of Luca and his art class! Adults will love it too! I laughed out loud at several pages of instances that Luca was imagining himself in. The illustrations are very well done and colorful. I love the rhyming in the book and the story if very fun and imaginative! Time to get creative and ask your littles, “what would you do with glue?!”

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A Pig and a Poke by Tricia Gardella – Review by Julie Johnson

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

If you’ve ever grown up in the country, you’ve probably tried to catch a greased pig or two! Angela has a great strategy to win the greased pig. Bruce the bully has other plans though and thinks he can beat Angela at her own game. I love the pictures of the race. They are very colorful and make you want to jump in the pen with them!

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Decisions Matter (Buddy the Blue Corgi Series) by Suzanna Lynn – Review by Julie Johnson

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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

Another great story of Buddy and his siblings! This book focuses on honesty. Buddy is being blamed for the trash being dumped over every night. He knows he’s not the one doing it but can’t prove who it is until one night he catches them. However, he’s the one left standing in the mess as the real culprit got away before the humans got to them.

I am really enjoying this series! It is written from a Biblical basis and there is a Bible verse at the end of the story. It’s a great way to share these Truths with young ones! The illustrations are also very well done throughout the story. I highly recommend this series!

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The Secret Aftermath (The Discoveries of Julia Xero Series) by Gloria Oliver – Review by Julie Johnson

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The Secret Aftermath: An Urban Fantasy Thriller (The Discoveries of Julia Xero Book 2)The Secret Aftermath: An Urban Fantasy Thriller by Gloria Oliver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book picks up where Book 1 (The Secret Humankind: An Urban Fantasy Thriller leaves off. Julia sure can’t catch a break no matter how hard she tries to get ahead! Lots of action, drama, and adventure as Julia tries to thwart off a new enemy trying to beat her down.

This has been an enjoyable series so far and I look forward to more!

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The Places We Call Home by Kim Ann – Review by Julie Johnson

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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 great book to share with young ones in your life. Curl up together and read about different home structures, both physically and from within. Learn about where different people can live and how they may set up their homes. The illustrations are very well done and vibrant. They will engage the youngest of readers learning more about homes. Most importantly, home is where all the love begins!

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Unmasking a Cowgirl (Match Made in Montana Series) by Rachelle Paige Campbell – Review by Julie Johnson

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Unmasking A Cowgirl (Match Made in Montana Book 3)Unmasking A Cowgirl by Rachelle Paige Campbell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love this series! It’s a great clean romance with a bit of a slow burn. There’s also the feature of enemies to friends to a relationship. I love getting to reconnect with characters from the previous books too! I don’t want to give anything away so just trust me when I say you need to read this one!

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

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Good Things Take Time (Buddy the Blue Corgi, #2)Good Things Take Time by Suzanna Lynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is such a beautifully written book about the importance of patience!! Buddy is seeing his brothers and sisters going away from the farm. People come and look at them everyday. Momma explains that it’s time for them to go to their forever homes. One day, Buddy looks around and he’s the only pup left in his litter. His mom very lovingly explains that his time hasn’t come yet.

The illustrations are very colorful and well done! The story does come from a Biblical basis and there is one Bible verse quoted within at the end. This is a great book for any library and I highly recommend it, especially if you know someone struggling with patience.

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Miss Georgiana Darcy’s Quest For Love ~ A Pride And Prejudice Variation Novelette (Love Through The Ages Series) by TL Clark – Review by Julie Johnson

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Miss Georgiana Darcy’s Quest For Love: A Pride And Prejudice Variation Novelette (Love Through The Ages; stand-alone historical books by TL Clark)Miss Georgiana Darcy’s Quest For Love: A Pride And Prejudice Variation Novelette by T.L. Clark
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars

This very quick-read novelette features one of the Pride and Prejudice characters that Ms. Jane Austen wrote about. Georgiana is looking for love and a house party ensues to find her a suitable partner.

This book is so short that it’s hard to say much more about it without giving away any parts. I did find it a bit difficult to get into but once I did finally “get in the groove”, it was almost over. It’s an enjoyable read but not a favorite of mine.

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Made to Love Her (Moore Family Saga Novella) by Michele Sims – Review by Julie Johnson

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Made to Love Her: Romantic Suspense Novella (Moore Family Saga)Made to Love Her: Romantic Suspense Novella by Michele Sims
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars

This is a pretty short read (about 60 pages) so the story moves pretty quickly. Cade and Lecia are going to Greece where Cade is playing several concerts with his band during the Millennial Olympic Games. It’s been awhile since Cade and Lecia have been away by themselves having small children at home. Pretty quickly, drama starts to ensue in an elevator (I hope I never experience what they did!) and things escalate from there.

This book kept my attention throughout and I read it in just under an hour. I have not read any of this author’s previous work and I felt a little disjointed at times, like I should already know these characters. An enjoyable book overall with a suspenseful storyline!

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You Are Special (Buddy the Blue Corgi Series) by Suzanna Lynn – Review by Julie Johnson

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

Buddy is a Blue Corgi and he doesn’t look like the other siblings in his litter. He doesn’t know it until one day a horse on the farm points it out. Buddy becomes very upset until his mom comes to comfort him.

This book is a great way to talk to kids about differences, whether it be in the way they look, different abilities, etc. There is a Bible verse at the end and this is written to be very inspirational. I highly recommend this book! The reader even gets to meet the real life Buddy at the end of the book!

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Forever to Fall (Buckeye Falls Book 5) by Libby Kay – Review by Julie Johnson

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Forever to Fall (Buckeye Falls, #5)Forever to Fall by Libby Kay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I absolutely love this series!! I love all the characters and Buckeye Falls sounds like the kind of place that I could find a forever home in.

I love the story of Mallory and Beckett’s childhood. It’s one that girls dream of. You “marry” your best friend and just love life. Such an innocent type of love. Does that kind of love really exist though into adulthood? Can it grow into something more? Beckett is coming back to the farm for his friend Evan’s wedding. Beckett remembers how he felt about Mallory, but does she? So many unanswered questions as these two are then thrust into best man and maid of honor duties.

I wish I could visit Buckeye Falls and get some of those apples they keep talking about!

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren – Review by Julie Johnson

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An Ember of Hope: War of DestinyAn Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve enjoyed this series of books and this one did not disappoint either. There are some very dark moments for Matthew in this book but ultimately, he receives the redemption he’s been seeking. The writer of this series has put a lot of thought into the character development and storyline and I highly recommend reading these in order. While this book takes place between books 2 and 3, you could read this one out of order but should probably read those books first for better context.

A very challenging series but an enjoyable one!

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Andrew’s Armor by Jill Monaco – Review by Julie Johnson

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

Andrew’s parents have a treasure chest for him from the time he’s just a baby. They are always encouraging him, telling him how strong and courageous he is. As Andrew grows, different toys appear in the treasure chest. One day, he finds some armor in there. He puts it on and runs around feeling stronger and braver than ever! Then, one day something happens and he puts his armor away. Nothing makes me feel strong or brave anymore. Notes start appearing on his armor, encouraging him to put it back on.

This book is very well written and describes the spiritual relationship of picking up our armor daily and fighting for the cause of Christ. It is a great way to encourage young children to be strong and brave, while also teaching them Biblical principals.

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Midnight Falls by John Evans – Review by Julie Johnson

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Midnight FallsMidnight Falls by John (ronin) Evans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I almost put this book down before finishing it. It started off very rough, very slow, and I wasn’t quite sure where it was going. There was enough there to keep me intrigued so I made it through. There are twists and turns you won’t see coming and the story ended up coming together well in the end.

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Picking Pismo by Emi Hilton – Review by Julie Johnson

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Picking PismoPicking Pismo by Emi Hilton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed reading this clean romance novel about Claire, her sister Alexis, and Dr. David Clark. Who knew an orthodontist appointment could lead to a whirlwind romance amidst the losses that have been recently faced! Enjoy seeing these two souls, along with a young girl, grow up and learn more about life and love in the process.

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Murder in Prospect (An Eve Sawyer Mystery) by Jane Suen – Review by Julie Johnson

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Murder in Prospect: An Eve Sawyer MysteryMurder in Prospect: An Eve Sawyer Mystery by Jane Suen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is such a fun series to read and you just never know where Eve is going to end up next. She’s in a mining town in Colorado when she begins to have suspicions about the recent death of a friend’s uncle. Then, as what usually happens when Eve is around, another death occurs and Eve finds herself having to solve another mysterious murder.

A great book that will keep you entertained for a few hours!

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