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CUTTER (Devils’ Spawn Daddies Series) by Victoria Saccenti – Review by Katie Matthews

Cutter: Devils' Spawn DaddiesCutter: Devils’ Spawn Daddies by Victoria Saccenti
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have read books by this author previously and I really liked her writing style so I was looking forward to getting stated with this one. Overall I enjoyed it, I’ve read quite a few stories in this genre so nothing really surprises me although I would say that DD/LG is probably one of my least favourite to read however the story was much more than that. There was a lot of action that kept my interest throughout and the characters were great to read about. They had their own things going on. I did really like Cutter, he was a great character to read about and the chemistry between him and Emily was undeniable!
I would recommend this book and I am looking forward to reading more from this author again in the future.

@katiem
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Cray Saves the Day (The Adventures of Cray Series) by G Pa Rhymes – Review by Katie Matthews

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

Another wonderful book about Cray and his friends. In this book the author touches on the subject of dropping litter and trying to save our oceans and beaches from the rubbish that people leave behind after they have enjoyed their days out. The story again is told in a lovely rhyme that is really engaging for children. My 4 year old really enjoyed this story. For slightly older children this book would be a great introduction to the subject of dropping rubbish and how it can have an effect on our environment.

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

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

Another really cute and fun story about Cray on the Bay and his friends. The authors lovely rhyme throughout the story is so engaging and my 4 year old loved the story. There is a great moral to the story to about lying and how it is always better to tell the truth, something that we always teach children so this story would be a great starting point to encourage discussions about the subject. Again the story was accompanied by beautiful, colourful illustrations that complement it well.

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A Miracle In Muffin: A True Story by Darlene Duemo – Review by Katie Matthews

A Miracle In Muffin: A True StoryA Miracle In Muffin: A True Story by Darlene Duemo
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is not the usual book that I read however I do love cats so I thought I would give it a go. The story was sweet and you could really feel how important God and faith is to the author – whom this story is based on and this really came across well in the story. I can imagine people who have a particularly strong faith would find this book lovely to read and especially for younger children who are learning about prayer and believing. The book was well written, a nice short story for young children/adults to enjoy.
Whilst it was not my kind of story I did enjoy reading it.

@katiem
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Fade into the Night (Philly Heat Series) by Becky Flade – Review by Katie Matthews

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

Another amazing story by this author – I really enjoyed it. I loved that the story is told through multiple POV’s I always find this enables me as a reader to fully understand each of the characters. It definitely helped in this story as I wasn’t too sure about Sadie’s character but it did enable me to kind of understand some of the ways she acted towards Noah. I really liked Noah – think I might be a little bit in love with him to be honest! He had a vulnerability that I liked about him.
There were some great twists and turns in the story which kept me guessing about what was going to happen and the action was there the whole way through.
Overall a great read and one that I would highly recommend.

@katiem
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Relic Hunters: Betrayal of the Gods (Relic Hunters Series) by Martin Ferguson – Review by Katie Matthews

Betrayal of the Gods (Relic Hunters Book 5)Betrayal of the Gods by Martin Ferguson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So, I haven’t read any of this series previously but I actually found it pretty easy to read and follow. This isn’t my usual genre to read either but I thought the synopsis sounded interesting so thought I would give it a try. I was really impressed with the authors writing style, his writing was very engaging and I know my attention was kept throughout. It was easy to read and was a perfect book for YA readers. There was quite a lot going on in the story, it was very fast paced and full of action but at the same time it wasn’t confusing and easy to follow. The characters are really interesting and I would certainly like to read the previous books in the story to find out more about them.
Overall a really good read and one that I would highly recommend.

@katiem
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A New Day for Cray (The Adventures of Cray Series) by G Pa Rhymes – Review by Katie Matthews

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

This was such a cute read for young children about how being nice to people means that you end up with far more friends around you and to make you feel happy. Cray was a little crab who liked to pinch his friends who often moved away when they saw him coming. Cray had to learn his lesson the hard way. I like how this story provides talking points for children about how they behave and what is nice and not so nice. The story had a lovely rhyme to it which is bound to capture children’s interest alongside some beautiful and colourful illustrations.
A really lovely story that my 4 year old especially enjoyed!

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Sasha Smart by Shermaine Perry-Knights – Review by Katie Matthews

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

This was such a lovely collection of short stories about Sasha and some of the things she comes across in her everyday life. I really liked the length of the stories, I can imagine children reading one each night before bed. Each one provides different opportunities for children to think about what they would do in Sasha’s position. There are some illustrations in the book to accompany each story but this book probably would be more suitable for children 7 and up I feel.
Overall a lovely book of short stories that I would definitely recommend for young readers.

@katiem
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Nessie and the Viking Gold (Nessie’s Grotto) by Lois Wickstrom and Jean Lorrah – Review by Katie Matthews

Nessie and the Viking Gold (Nessie's Grotto)Nessie and the Viking Gold by Lois June Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve really enjoyed these longer length books from this author. I love the magic that comes through in this story as we go along with Craig, Linda and the Loch Ness Monster. With all the superstitions around the Loch Ness Monster and does it really exist I like that these books are opening up some magical and imaginative world underneath the loch where the monster lives. It’s great for getting children’s creativity and imaginations going.
This was another great read. It was a lovely engaging story with nice illustrations to accompany.

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The Scent of Snow (The Winemakers Series) by Giovanna Siniscalchi – Review by Katie Matthews

The Scent of SnowThe Scent of Snow by Giovanna Siniscalchi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Yet again another wonderful read by this very talented author. This novella was so beautifully written that I couldn’t put it down and more to the point I didn’t actually want to!
It was so lovely to be back with Pedro and Anne again! I just loved the connection between them, it really was so genuine and beautiful. You could almost feel the love pouring off the pages at times. I really did feel for Pedro because as much as he loves Anne, he cannot let his past demons go with how he was treated by his father. It was so painful for him that it made him not want to be a father himself.
As with all of the other books in this series, the author does an amazing job of transporting us to Portugal and with all of the rich detail and descriptive language in the story you really do feel like you are there with the characters.
I 100% recommend this read but would also recommend you read Pedro and Anne’s full-length story (The Taste of Light) before reading this wonderful novella.

@katiem
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The Round Box (Grandma’s Closet) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Katie Matthews

The Round BoxThe Round Box by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was such a lovely children’s story that will definitely spark some imagination. Carrie certainly got more than she bargained for when she tried on her Grandmothers fascinator! The magic begins the moment she places it on her head. One thing I really love with the witing in this book is the way that font changes for the lovely descriptive words the author uses – this could provide quite a few talking points for children when talking about how to improve sentences by adding these wonderful words.
This is a really lovely story and one that will definitely create some imaginative thinking from the children reading it.

@katiem
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Elusive Surrender (Sinful Duets Book 3) by Via Mari – Review by Katie Matthews

Elusive Surrender (Sinful Duets #3)Elusive Surrender by Via Mari
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Elusive Surrender Box set is another wonderful set of stories from a very talented author. This box set features 2 books – Elusive and Tenacious.

Elusive – Sheldon and Alexis

This series just continues to get better and better. Elusive was a fantastic 5 star read, I loved every single minute of it! I love this author, she had such an amazing writing ability, her stories are just an absolute pleasure to read – she creates some brilliant characters and I am always completely absorbed in their story. I love Sheldon, he was definitely book boyfriend material! I loved Sheldon for her dominance but Alexis was certainly one who could hold her own but the passion and sparks between them was off the charts! Their story is definitely a steamy one!! Fantastic read and highly recommended!!

Tenacious – Allie and Nick

Yet again another 5-star read from Ms Mari – absolutely love her books! Allie and Nick’s story was so captivating to read. I loved them both so much. Allie was a great female lead -strong, sassy and definitely independent! The chemistry between the two of these characters was scorching hot – I mean seriously hot! I think they are definitely my favourite couple from this series (and I have loved all the previous ones too)! There was so much going on in this story that I literally could not put it down and read it in one sitting! Ms Mari’s writing is so exciting to read, she brings her story to life on every single page and I adore her work. I cannot wait to read more from her in the future and I certainly recommend this 5-star book to other readers!

@katiem
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Nessie and the Living Stone (Nessie’s Grotto) by Lois Wickstrom and Jean Lorrah – Review by Katie Matthews

Nessie and the Living Stone (Nessie's Grotto)Nessie and the Living Stone by Lois June Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another wonderful read from this author. This is the first time that I have read one of her longer children’s books and it was great. A lovely introduction to chapter books for children. The story was fun and easy to follow with so many opportunities to encourage children’s imaginations. The illustrations that accompanied the story were well drawn and thought out – they added an extra depth to the book by bringing some of the story to life. Craig and Linda had a great sibling relationship and I enjoyed following their story as they tried to uncover the mystery of the Loch Ness monster and try to find her. Beneath the story are some important messages for the children and this author always does, I love how she weaves these into her stories.
This was a great read and one that I would highly recommend for children.

@katiem
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Sweet Dreams by Claire (Capture the Light Series) by Nanette Littlestone – Review by Katie Matthews

Sweet Dreams by Claire (Capture the Light, #2)Sweet Dreams by Claire by Nanette Littlestone
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a wonderful read to start off my 2024 reading journey! I really enjoyed this book; it was easy to read with really lovely characters who were likeable and relatable. I read this story in one sitting as I was so engaged in everything that was going on. I’ve not read anything by this author previously so I will definitely be on the lookout for more of her books to read. The authors wonderful descriptive language really did make me feel like I was right there in Ireland in a bakery at times!
Although this is book 2 in the series, I read it perfectly well as a standalone but having met some of the characters now I would definitely like to read book one and learn more about them.
I really liked Claire, she is that kind of character that draws you in and you kind of wish she was real as you know she would be a great friend to have. I admired her determination to be what she wanted regardless of her mother wish for a predictable life! She wanted to go after her dreams.
Finn was a great character too and I loved this connection these two seemed to have. They had a great genuine chemistry and I was rooting for them from the beginning!

@katiem
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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 Katie Matthews

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

Another wonderful book in this series and I love that it helps children to learn how to be respectful to dogs and helping to keep themselves safe as well. The story is well written and accompanied by beautiful illustrations. I read these books with my little boy who loves them for their rhyming content. I think that they are lovely engaging stories and the characters CJ and Lora and their lovely dogs Porter and Midge are really loveable. I really enjoy these stories and think they are a great addition to any child’s bookshelf!

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

Hope For a New World (The Hope Series Book 1)Hope For a New World by Renee W. Peek
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This isn’t my usual genre to read and I honestly wasn’t sure whether I would enjoy this book or not but I was genuinely intrigued by the synopsis so thought I would give it a go. It was an interesting read and the authors attention to detail was amazing. The characters in the story were intriguing and the storyline very unique. It certainly made me think about a few things! This is the first book that I have read by this author and although maybe not my complete cup of tea I would definitely like to read the next book.

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A King So Savage (The Savage Duet) by April Moran – Review by Katie Matthews

A King So Savage (The Savage Duet #1)A King So Savage by April Moran
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a story to finish my 2023 reads with. I loved this story from beginning to end. It was exciting, dark, dangerous and so much more. I have to say I LOVED Ava! She was so fun to read about. She was not going to lie down and take whatever King threw at her, she definitely had a backbone and stood up to him. King is one of those characters that you know you shouldn’t like but can’t really help it – he is dark and he is absolutely a villain – he is not a nice person but his protectiveness of Ava to some extent makes him a little bit likeable. The cliff-hanger at the end has me eagerly anticipating book 2!

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Auctioned Surrender (Sinful Duets Book 2) by Via Mari – Review by Katie Matthews

Auctioned Surrender (Sinful Duets #2)Auctioned Surrender by Via Mari
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This duet contains two absolutely amazing reads. The author’s writing is so captivating you can’t help but carry on reading long after you really want to stop. The duet contains Auctioned and Relentless.

Auctioned

It’s been a long time since I struggled to review a book, I sat here for ages trying to think of the words to do this story justice and I really cannot find them. Auctioned is hands down my favourite read of 2021! I already knew I would love it because I love this author but I was completely hooked from beginning to end – I almost wish I hadn’t read it because I would love to go back and read it again for the very first time. I 100% adored and loved Damian – he was everything I wanted from his character and more. The chemistry between him and Bryanna was off the charts! I loved reading about them and wanted more after the story had ended! There was so much to this story that I was so invested in it and the characters. A truly beautiful read.
I cannot recommend this book and the series enough – they are all amazing reads and I just completely adore this author and her amazing writing!

Relentless

This was a phenomenal read! I adore this author and think I’ve given 5 stars to all of her books but this one was just amazing. I was hooked from beginning to end and I actually cannot wait to re-read it again and that is something I rarely do! I just loved Dereck and Layla, their story was just so exciting to read so many twists and turns I literally couldn’t put it down, I needed to find out what was going to happen next on the turn of almost every page. They had such a great chemistry too, that definitely made for good reading! I can’t wait to read more from this author again! I love her book so much!

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Dangerous Rhythm (The Echo Series Book 4) by C.R. Alam – Review by Katie Matthews

Dangerous Rhythm (The Echo Series, #4)Dangerous Rhythm by C.R. Alam
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Yes!! I loved this story so, so much! I loved the characters, the plot, everything really! Curtis was exactly as I wanted to be, however with what he witnessed we begin to see a little bit of vulnerability creep in. How amazing was Lina! She is my favourite character! She’s fierce, independent and just an all-round amazing woman!! The connection that these two had was great and I loved the chemistry between the two of them.
With a few twists and turns in the story along with amazing characters this story kept me engaged from beginning to end and I would 100% recommend it!

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A Journey for Dorothy (The Reluctant Wagon Train Bride Series) by P. Creeden – Review by Katie Matthews

A Journey for Dorothy (The Reluctant Wagon Train Bride #8)A Journey for Dorothy by P. Creeden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really loved this read. I was completely swept up in the authors wonderful writing form the very beginning. I love historical romance story – they are absolutely my favourite to read – and this was a great one. I loved the setting for the story, the authors fantastic descriptive language meant I could easily imagine what was going on. The characters of Dorothy and Elias we both so lovely to read about, they were likeable and relatable. A marriage of convenience started their journey together but what follows was so much more.
I would definitely recommend A Journey for Dorothy. It was a great read!

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Triple Trouble at Amberwood (The Amberwood Hall Ballet School Series) by Eleanor Dixon – Review by Katie Matthews

Triple Trouble at Amberwood: Book Four in your favourite middle-grade haunted ballet school... (Amberwood Hall Ballet School 4)Triple Trouble at Amberwood: Book Four in your favourite middle-grade haunted ballet school… by Eleanor Dixon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another great read from this series. I can really imagine the authors target audience enjoying these books. They are a great length and would definitely engage the younger readers imagination. There’s lots going on in these stories but not too much to confuse readers, the story is easy to follow and understand. Lauren is a great main character and I can imagine young readers would engage with her and her friends. This book will certainly enhance a young readers imagination through the ghostly goings on.

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Renewed (Fateful Justice Series) by Sara Vinduska – Review by Katie Matthews

Renewed (Fateful Justice Book 6)Renewed by Sara Vinduska
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Renewed was a great read and I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the suspense that the author brought into the book, it definitely kept me engaged throughout. The characters were great to read about and were well developed. I really liked Ruby and Hayden, they seemed to have e genuine connection. Ruby was desperate to escape her past and I loved that Hayden stepped up to help protect her after she had helped to save his life.
Ive not read anything by this author before but I really enjoyed her writing style so I’ll definitely be looking to read more from her and from this series.

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Encounters With Old Coyote by Laura Koerber – Review by Katie Matthews

Encounters with Old CoyoteEncounters with Old Coyote by Laura Koerber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a really intriguing and interesting read. I have read books by this author previously so thought I would give this one a go. The main character in the story, Andrea, is a ghost. It was actually a really thought provoking story and for Andrea it was about her looking back on her journey along with Coyote. The author really brings this characters story to life with her wonderful and engaging writing style. Her descriptive language was great as I was taken along with Andrea as she remembered her memories and brought them to life again.
A really interesting read and one I would recommend.

@katiem
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Whispered Surrender (Sinful Duets Book 1) by Via Mari – Review by Katie Matthews

Whispered Surrender (Sinful Duets #1)Whispered Surrender by Via Mari
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Whispered Surrender is a fantastic book containing two amazing stories Wayward and Undercover by the very talented Via Mari.

Wayward

I was hooked from beginning to end with this thrilling and exciting dark mafia read! It had everything I love in a story and more! I was swept along with the characters story and also to all of the places their story took me! The authors writing was beautifully detailed, I could imagine all of the places she was describing. I did feel like I really knew the main characters Jay and Sasha and I was so invested in their story from the past to the present to their future.
I have read quite a few books by this author and she never fails to bring me a story that I love but I can honestly say that this one is absolutely my favourite of hers – it was simply an outstanding read! It has gotten me very excited for what’s to come from the series and I cannot wait!!

Undercover

I absolutely LOVED this story! It is yet again another amazing read by the very talented Via Mari! I was hooked from beginning to end and I could not put it down at all! I loved Marenah and Matt! Their story was definitely full of action and a lot of steamy moments! I love how Ms Mari has intertwined characters from her other two series into this new one – although it is not necessary to have read them this book reads perfectly as a standalone.
I thought Marenah was a fantastic character, so strong, independent and she could definitely hold her own when it came to it! I loved reading about her!
I think I fell in love with Matt pretty much straight away! There was just something about him, so genuine and likeable.
The moment that Marenah and Matt met I just knew (and hoped) that there would be something between them, apart from the attraction and chemistry there seemed to be something a little deeper there.
I am really looking forward to reading more from this series and as always this author! I 100% recommend this amazing read to others!

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Raining Fish and Frogs by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Katie Matthews

Raining Fish and FrogsRaining Fish and Frogs by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Raining Fish and Frogs is another interesting children’s book from Lois Wickstrom. Its an introduction to different weathers but in a fun and engaging way for children. The story is accompanied by some beautiful illustrations that are sure to capture children’s interest from the start. There’s a great science project at the end of the book too – something we’ve come to expect from this author. I’m sure little enquiring minds would be wanting to find out more about whether a tornado can in fact suck up fish and frogs!

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Murky Murder (A Maid Ivy Cozy Mystery Book) by Hazel Smith – Review by Katie Matthews

Murky Murder (A Maid Ivy Cozy Mystery, #4)Murky Murder by Hazel Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Murky Murder was a fun cozy mystery read and one that I really enjoyed. I haven’t read anything by this author previously but I definitely will be reading more from her. I really liked Ivy, she’s a great character. The authors writing was really engaging to read and the descriptions of the hotel really helped me to imagine what I was reading. There were so many twists and turns in the story which I loved as it kept me entertained from beginning to end. Ive not read many cozy mystery books but I can definitely say this was great and I’ll be exploring the genre more in the future and absolutely reading more from this author again.

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I Am A Bold Asian Boy (Asian Family Series) by Yobe Qiu – Review by Katie Matthews

I Am a Bold Asian Boy: A Positive Affirmation Book for Asian Boys (Asian Family Series)I Am a Bold Asian Boy: A Positive Affirmation Book for Asian Boys by Yobe Qiu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a really nice read and full of such positivity. The story is aimed at Asian boys as the title suggests but I think if read in a setting all of the children who might listen to this could benefit from some of the positive messages that come across in the book. The story is beautifully illustrated and would definitely capture the interest of young children.

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A Christmas Amish Courtship (Amish Courtship Series) by Jennifer Spredemann – Review by Katie Matthews

A Christmas Amish Courtship (Amish Courtship #3)A Christmas Amish Courtship by Jennifer Spredemann
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a really nice, relaxed read and one that I really enjoyed. This is the first book that I have read by this author and I will definitely be looking forward to reading more from her in the future. Andy and Anne were lovely characters to read about. Andy was so sweet in the way he went about trying to court Ann, I loved the innocence in the letter writing and how their relationship developed through this.
This was a lovely, heart warming story and one that I would recommend.

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Quick Affirmations for Children (Quick Affirmations Series) by Kim Ann & Yobe Qiu – Review by Katie Matthews

Quick Affirmations for Children: A to Z of Easy Motivations for Creating Better days - Positive Affirmations for Happy ChildrenQuick Affirmations for Children: A to Z of Easy Motivations for Creating Better days – Positive Affirmations for Happy Children by Kim Ann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I just absolutely loved this book! I think it is so important for children to feel positive about themselves from a young age and I loved all the positive affirmation in this book. it was presented in such a lovely way, with beautiful, bright, colour illustrations. The collage of positive affirmations at the end of the book was lovely.
I would definitely make this book one that I read regularly with my child so they can practice positive affirmation from an early age.

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Baking a Bicycle (Invisible Magic Wand Book 7) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Katie Matthews

Baking a Bicycle: Invisible Magic Wand Book SevenBaking a Bicycle: Invisible Magic Wand Book Seven by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Baking a Bicycle is another lovely children’s book in the Invisible Magic Wand story. Caspian and his Grandpa introduce us to another magical story where Caspian wishes for a bicycle for his unbirthday. Together Caspian and his Grandpa bake a bicycle and have a magical adventure on it.
I love how these stories will capture children’s interest and introduce them to magical ideas.
The story is easy to read and the illustrations are bright, colourful and engaging.

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