Wednesday, March 31, 2021

A Heart's Forgiveness (Book 2 in the Love's Road Home series) by Lena Nelson Dooley


Madeline's guardian has died.  She's on her own and waiting for the will to be read.  As she waits, she takes in a widowed woman who is pregnant.  She's helping her get better but having the baby is too much.  She asks Madeline to take care of her baby and dies. The man who worked with her guardian says he's a full partner and he's going to marry her.  He tells her to get rid of the baby.  Telling him she won't marry him makes no difference.

Wild Heart Books let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published April 6th.

She finds an ad for a mail order bride and she, the baby, and the couple she has working for her all leave to go to Golden, NM, to find the man who sent the proposal.  That will save her from a marriage she didn't want.

The man who gives them a ride to town is not happy she's here.  He was going to head off the bride to be but that backfired.  They stay in the hotel and Madeline and the baby go to visit the man who wrote to them.  Philip and the baby become friends right away.  It doesn't take long before she loves him, too.  He's old enough to be her grandfather so she's not sure about marriage.  The man who takes of him doesn't like her.  He thinks she's after Philip's money.

Then the man she ran from finds her.  Luckily the sheriff presses charges against him and he's in jail.

There is a good focus on God in this story.  

It takes a lot of work but everything turns out well.  And Madeline does get married but not to Philip...

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Lost, Found, and Forever by Victoria Schade


Justine has a rescue dog she loves.  He does tricks and amazes the folks at her shop.  Then she finds out someone is looking for him...

Berkley and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It is being published today.

She doesn't want to give Spencer up, but she would like to let the man who owned him before that he's OK.  He'd named the dog Leo and he wants to see him.  She agrees to a meeting.  Spencer recognizes him and things are going fine until he says he wants Leo back.  She refuses and leaves.  After all, Spencer is acting in a movie and earning money that she needs to keep her shop.

To be in the movie she has to take him to the set.  Griffin offers to let them stay at his apartment.  He'll be traveling and there will be no conflict.  The better they get to know each other, the mutual attraction keeps growing.  But their life styles are too different.  Best they let it be.  But that doesn't last.

Then he gets a promotion and goes even further away.  Justine sells her shop to her worker who big plans and goes back to movie making.  Will they ever get to be with each other?

My favorite part was the dog...

Monday, March 29, 2021

A Lethal Lesson by Iona Whishaw, Series: A Lane Winslow Mystery


This is an interesting read.  There are missing school teachers, a man who was a hit and run victim, and the police are trying to make sense out of it.

Touchwood editions and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published on April 27th.

A woman named Wendy was living with her father's brother's family.  When they tried to marry her to a elder man, she runs and changes her name.  They said they would come after her...

Rose is being harassed by a man who is drunk almost all the time.  She teaches his son.  When he tries to rape her, she defends herself with a knife.  Then she gets ready to leave the school and go home for safety.

The dead man is the one bothering her.  His son moves in with another family that welcomes him.  His mother is long gone.

Now, mix this altogether and you have a complex case.  The obnoxious man had a fight with his fellow ferryman and he's suspected of murdering him.  Rose is found unconscious at home and rushed to the hospital.  Wendy is taken captive and locked in the basement so her real father can run for office.  His wife does that.  And soon the cop's wife is teaching school.

It''s not safe out there in the country and trying to find the right answers is hard to do.  But they work the cases and eventually get the right answers.  Justice is served.

Sunday, March 28, 2021

Death with a Double Edge : A Daniel Pitt Novel by Anne Perry, Series: Daniel Pitt (#4)


It started with a young woman who enjoyed her men and was found beaten to death.  Then a lawyer was murdered.  Then a rich man's son was killed.  And the small young woman who was an assassin is found dead also.

Ballantine Books and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published April 13th.

Daniel Pitt is trying to connect the deaths.  He worked with the lawyer and regretted he did not know him better.

The more he searches and the questions he asks don't lead him very far.  His father warns him off of a suspect because he has lots of money and big ambition.  His father does some snooping of his own.  As they start to get closer to a  solution, Daniel's mother disappears.  She's been kidnapped.  The note from the kidnapper says to stop the investigation.

Instead of stopping it, they work harder on it.

Will they get his mother back alive?  Will the killer be discovered?

Saturday, March 27, 2021

The Vanishing Museum on the Rue Mistral by M. L. Longworth, Series: A Provençal Mystery (#9)


What a shock it was to go to open the museum and find it all had been stolen.  Especially since no one saw anything.  Who could have stolen it and why?

Penguin and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).It will be published on April 13th.

It was a collection of porcelain dishes for the most part.  There was no jewelry, no money, only old antiques.  They weren't worth much and they would be hard to sell.

While the police are trying to find clues about who would have stolen it, two men go up to the empty museum to talk and look for their own clues.  One is killed outright, the other one is in a coma.  That gives the police another case to work on.

It's slow going but one of them thinks he's figured it out.  The only problem is the killer gets home before he has left the apartment.  Will he manage to stay alive?

Friday, March 26, 2021

Stargazer : A Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito Novel by Anne Hillerman


Bernie is doing her regular cop duties when she finds out that someone has been killed and the person confessing to the killing is an old friend of hers.

Harper and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published April 13th.

The woman just says she's killed him and offers no details.  Bernie and the woman's brother and son think she couldn't have done it but a confession puts her in jail.

The man killed was her ex-husband.  As they ask questions, they find he had enemies.  Asking questions leads to more than one suspect.There was an issue with plagairism, they were breaking new scientific ground, and there was jealousy.  But he refused to sign the divorce papers his wife brought, so she could have a motive, too.

Leaphorn and Chee are getting older and they are thinking about whether they want to retire.  That creates some tension in their marriages.

The road to the killer is not a direct one and a lot of ground is covered before Bernie thinks she knows who did it.  But the killer is willing to kill again so she better stay on her toes!

Thursday, March 25, 2021

Dance with Death: A Barker & Llewelyn Novel by Will Thomas


Tsar Nicholas is in England and someone is trying to assassinate him.  Hr has his palace guard and the Russian police as well as the English police trying to keep him safe.

Minotaur Books and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published April 13th.

Nicholas has brought his lover with him.  His mother is trying to find him a bride in the royalty but he's not enthused.  Most of them are older than he is.

One of his relatives is visiting at the same time and they look alike.  A man tries to kill the relative but is stopped by the English detective.  Then the assassin's head is blown off.  There was another killer waiting for him.

The assassin takes shots at Llewelyn and his wife but it's to warn them off.

The Tsar is not safe.  His own relatives want him dead so they can take his place.  He's young and does things he shouldn't, like go on walks.

Will they be able to identify the killer?  Will they be able to save the Tsar?

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Murder in the City (Country Girl in the Big City Cozy Mystery Book 1) by Susan Harper


Bonnie is going to the city to go to college.  She's rooming with Katie, her next door neighbor at the farm.  She's a bit scared about living in apartment building, but Katie says they are nice.

Fairfield let me read this book for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

She's amused to see the dwarf goat in Katie's apartment.  She had wondered what happened to it.  As they bring her boxes up to the room, the door was left open and now the goat has escaped! 

They traverse through the apartment house looking for the goat.  One obnoxious man complains about the noise they are making but they are just knocking on doors and talking quietly.  He calls the police.  Then the girls hear the goat.  The silly thing is in the cop car...

They survive this fiasco even if the man is still angry.  

Then someone has shoved the mouthy man out his apartment window and he is dead.  The cops question the girls and everyone starts avoiding them.

Bonnie decides to find the murderer so they aren't suspects anymore.  She goes in open doors and windows looking for clues.  The cop that likes her tells her to knock it off.  Then he takes her up to the dead man's apartment to look for clues.  She finds a good one... 

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

The Silent Bullet by Arthur B. Reeve, Leslie S. Klinger (Edited by)


This book was first published in 1910.  The main character is Craig Kennedy and he is compared to Sherlock Holmes.  The writing style is old but the mysteries are good and will keep you reading.

Poisoned Pen Press and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published April 6th.

Kennedy is no slacker in detective work.  He uses methods that were not common then to get his information.  He always succeeds in these cases.

There are twelve stories here and comments made that seem unusual are explained in footnotes.  

In one story he even brings a dead man back to life.

He's smart and devoted to solving mysteries.  He can go under cover.  If I needed a detective, I'd ask him for help...

Monday, March 22, 2021

Animal Instinct : A K Team Novel #2 by David Rosenfelt


Corey and his dog Simon are retired now and they are private investigators.  It's a lot easier to investigate if you're not a murder suspect...

Minotaur Books and Edelweiss let me read this book to review (thank you).  It will be published April 6th.

The case starts with a woman being gunned down in a parking lot.  Corey knew her.  He had stopped a domestic violence incident between her and her lover, but she would not press charges.

Her boyfriend calls Corey and says he has something to tell him but he has to visit him to hear it.  Corey goes and finds him dead on the floor with his throat cut.  The worst part is that he knew someone had been in his house but he found nothing missing.  Unfortunately whoever was there was setting him up for a fall.  The cops find some clothes of his and a knife in a dumpster and he's soon arrested.

As he and his team try to determine what's going on and why, the body count keeps going up.  Some are supposedly suicides, Corey just missed being killed because his dog alerted him.  As more people die they are still trying to find out the scheme.  The closer they get, the more dangerous it is.  Whoever masterminded the scheme wants no living witnesses.

It's a complex medical fraud and you're not sure if Corey will be alive by the end...

Sunday, March 21, 2021

Clockwork Curses and Coal Steampunk and Gaslamp Fairy Tales edited by Rhonda Parrish


The fourteen fairy tales in this book are a bit gritty.  Humans who are injured have parts remade mechanically.  Some have no souls.  All of them are doing their best to stay alive.

World Weaver Press sent me an ARC of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

All the stories are intriguing and interesting.  Not everybody likes automatons so some people try to get rid of them.  No two stories are alike.

My favorite story was "The Coach Girl".  You read it and then come and tell me which one you liked best.

Saturday, March 20, 2021

The Murder Game by Carrie Doyle


Luke wanted to spend some time with an English girl, so he and his roommate headed out at night to meet up with two girls.  They met and were chatting until they heard a noise.  They never expected to be at the scene of of a murder...

Sourcebooks Fire and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published April 6th.

Luke is at at a boarding school and he likes it there.  But when they take his roommate into custody, he can't stand it.  He knows he's not the killer but if he tells them how he knows they both will suffer punishment.  He decides to try to find the murderer himself.

There are lots of suspects.  The woman who was killed was married but she still flirted and slept with other men.  The more questions he asks, the more teachers warn him off the investigation.

He bounces from suspect to suspect but when he finds the right one, he's by himself and is taken hostage.  The man is going after his girlfriend and will be back.  Can Luke get free in time to save himself and his girl?

This is a complex mystery.  You don't know who to trust or who you can count  on.  But Luke doesn't give up...

Friday, March 19, 2021

What the Devil Knows (Sebastian St. Cyr #16) by C.S. Harris


There was an ugly killer that killed two families years ago.  The suspect hung himself and the murders stopped.  Now, years later, another family has been killed in the same way.  Sebastian is asked to help with the investigation.

Berkley Books and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published April 6th.

As Sebastian begins looking into it, questions arise.  The man who committed suicide was murdered.  He finds that the taverns in this city buy from one or the other breweries.  They don't have a choice.  Those who don't comply lose their lives.

The deeper he digs, more bodies pop up.  Then some hoodlums come after him.  He manages to stay alive but he knows he's getting close to the truth.  He's especially worried when they come after him at home.  He fights well but there are three of them.  It's a good thing his wife had a gun.

As he continues to ask questions it gets more dangerous.  Will he find the killers or will they find him?

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson


She's happily married with two teenage daughters and a new baby boy.  Everything in her life is perfect until someone steals her baby...

William Morrow sent me an ARC of this book to read for review (thank you).  It will be published on April 6th.

She has no idea why anyone would want her baby and she's devastated he's gone.  She gets a note that tells her not to tell anyone about this or he will die.  When the kidnapper contacts her she's willing to do almost anything to keep him safe.  The woman who kidnapped him is old.  The first thing she asks is that she gives these pills to her husband's partner in business.  She tells Bree they are roofies.  

Bree goes to the event, gets the pills to him, and is on her way out when she sees him vomit and fall and die right in front of her eyes.  The pills weren't roofies.

The next thing she wants is Bree's husband in trade for the son.  Bree is torn.  she loves her son and her husband both.  But her husband has a secret he's kept from her.  He tells her the story and she's taken back because he doesn't feel guilty about anything he did.  The woman sends her pictures and she braces him with then.  It was worse than he told her.

Will she get her boy back?  Will she lose her husband?  Read it and see.

Wednesday, March 17, 2021

The Elephant of Belfast by S. Kirk Walsh


Hettie's goal is to become the first woman zookeeper.  They are only working her part-time but when they bring a three year old elephant in, she really wants to be her caretaker.  It's wartime and bombs are dropping.  Her mother wishes she'd take a job where she could earn more, but Hettie doesn't listen.

Counterpoint Press sent me an ARC of this book to read for review (thank you).  It will be pub;ished on April 6th.

Hettie's sister died while she was having a baby.  Her father has gone away with another woman.  Her mother doesn't even get dressed most days.  The only constant in her life is her friend, the elephant.

They survive several bombings.  Hettie is twenty and can't decide which man she likes best.

She gets moved to full-time at the zoo and she loves the animals.  So when they come to kill the ones that are dangerous because the bombing is too close, she's devastated.  She can't stop them, so she steals her elephant.

It's not easy to hide an elephant but she does what she can.  She even gets to stay in a convent complex...

Hettie's Mom goes missing during the bombing.  Is she dead?  Can Hettie save her elephant?

You'll find the answers to these questions as you finish reading the story.  War changes things and not usually for the better.

Tuesday, March 16, 2021

Two Tails on the Trail: Harry's Dragon Tales Book 2 by Lisa Reinicke


Harry is a troll and he has a small female dragon as his companion.  They are sleeping when all of a sudden the smoke alarm goes off...

BooksGoSocial and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It has beenpublished and you can get a copy now.

Harry finds that one of eggs he was going to have for breakfast just hatched another baby dragon!  This one is male.  He's blowing smoke and making the alarm go off.  He's cute but he doesn't respond very well to Harry's commands.

The dragons make messes, try to steal his food even when he gives them a plate of their own.  He takes them on a walk to o get more food that the people put out for Harry.  (A full troll is no danger to them.)  The dragons have trouble with their hobo sticks so Harry ends up carrying them all.

When they get home. he intends to give them a bath.  The female loves playing in the water.  The male has another opinion.  Harry has to fight with him to take a bath.

There's a glossary for the big words used, the illustrations are lovely, and I'm looking forward to the next book.  I think that male is going to be trouble...

Monday, March 15, 2021

Wilderlore The Acccidental Apprentice by Amanda Foody


He's an orphan.  One of the big beasts from the forest came into their town and wrecked houses, ate people and then left.  His mother was killed when the walls of their house fell and Barclay saw the monster eat his father. 

Margaret K. McElderry Books sent me an ARC of this book to read for review (thank you).  It will be published March 30th.

Barclay knows about Lore masters and has no desire to be one.  But when he gets thrown out of the town, he's glad he's got a friend with him.  She tries to teach him about the woods but it's not long before he, by accident, ends up with a beast living in him.  He can see the mark on his arm.  He is scared but after a bit he finds what beast has him and they get along pretty well.  He's a wolf and he gives Barclay some powers, too.

The adults and part of the children are lying about what has happened in the past.  Barclay and his friend, Viola, are trying to find out the truth.

There's lots of beasts in the woods, there are dangers besides, it's hard to stay safe.  Barclay will need his beast to save him and his friends.  Especially since not all of them are friends..

Do you think that Barclay will stay and be a Lore master or will go back to the town he grew up in?

Sunday, March 14, 2021

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn


During war people send messages in code.  This is a story of the code breakers.  They had to swear they wouldn't tell anyone about the content of the messages...

William Morrow sent me an ARC of this book to review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

They had machines that worked on the codes.  The people looked for the words that would crack it.  They had men and women both working on it.  The women had romances that didn't last long.  The war took a lot of victims.

There are three friends that find they can't share everything like they used to.

Then they find someone is turning secrets over to the enemies.  No one has any clue who it is.

One of the friends is in a mental asylum.  She's very smart but they plan to do a lobotomy on her.  She sneaks letters to her friends.  They aren't happy about it but they come.  By the time they arrive, she's figured out who the traitor is.  But can they prove it?

Being a code breaker works on you, but they aren't giving up.  They start digging for more info...

Saturday, March 13, 2021

The Memory Collectors by Kim Neville


The women in this story have an unusual talent.  They can feel emotions, good or bad, in physical objects.  This particular skill is almost like a curse.  Second hand items are not often full of good feelings.  Most are sad, angry, and every negative feeling you can identify.

Atria Books sent me an ARC of this story to read for review (thank you)  It will be published March 16th.

Ev is the older of two siblings, both female.  They've had deep trauma in their earlier lives and neither of them trusts the other 100%.

Harriet's mother held on to everything and then Harriet became a hoarder.  She's been evicted from her apartment so she buys a big vacant building where she can store her treasures.  Ev and Owen help her move what she had in the apartment but she also has a whole house full of stuff.  Without being aware of it, she's also acquired the goods that were from Ev's family.  Even the deathly scissors...

As they try to learn how to control their skill, they get caught up in their own world.  Can it be made manageable?

This was intriguing and unusual.  Not everyone ends happily ever after but it's a not a bad ending.  Get ready for touchy feelie feelings in the abandoned houses with boxes. 

Friday, March 12, 2021

Freiheit by Andrea Grosso Ciponte


This is a true story told in graphic novel form.  It's the story of The White Rose rebellion.

Plough Publishing House sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It will be published on February 16th.

A handful of students mount a campaign against the Nazis.  They send newsletter with encouragement to maintain their lifestyles and not give in.  That's hard to do but these people believe it must be done.

They try to hide it from the Nazis but they don't succeed.  When they are caught, they get sent to death.

Their belief was so strong that it has carried on through the ages.  They were not afraid to die.  Could you be that strong?

Thursday, March 11, 2021

Homer on the Case by Henry Cole


Homer is a homing pigeon and he lives with his boy and his granddad.   They keep taking him further from home to train him in flying distances so they can race him.

Peachtree Publishing and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published on April 1st.

The boy takes Homer to the park and while he's there they meet a girl with her own bird.  The birds get along well as do the humans.  Homer is the one who sees rats and cats stealing shiny things from humans.  They escape down the storm drainage.  Where would they be taking the goods?  They can't eat them...

When they steal granddad's pocket watch, Homer and his boy with the girl and her bird go down to retrieve it.  Unfortunately, Homer is not sure just where he found Snap the first time and then there is a rainstorm.  They tunnels start to fill but that gets Homer on the right track.

The jewels are all over a big alligator.  They go to tell the cops who, at first, think it;s a joke.  Then they call for back up and go to see.  It was no joke.

The jewels are recovered, Snap gets a new home, and the animals are cleaned up and ready for adoption.  I was especially glad to see his granddad get his watch back because he had a picture of his dead wife in it.  Now he can say hello to her every day again...

Wednesday, March 10, 2021

Winter, White and Wicked by Shannon Dittemore


She's lost the girl she was best friends with and decides to go after her.  She can take the big truck and haul a load on her trip.  But it's not going to be that easy...

Abrams Books sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published so you can get a copy now.

This is a fantasy novel that has horrors thrown in to keep your attention.  There are monsters that you can only kill by blowing their head off.  Some of the main characters have special powers.  The woman driver has a special relationship with the spirit of winter.  They start out as friends but as the trip goes on Winter starts to misbehave.

Sylvi finds she has a power she didn't know she had as she saves one of her passenger's lives.  She really doesn't want to find out about her heritage.  She knows she was an orphan until the tavern owner took her in.  Like it or not, she's going to learn about before the book ends.

They are on a road trip that is dangerous and destructive.  Not all of them make it to the end.  

It's an unusual story with lots of secrets and the use of magic and drugs to fight against winter's attacks, the monsters and even the rangers.  

You won't get bored reading this one!

Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan


Everyone is excited about the maiden voyage of the Pulaski.  It will eliminate several days of travel. Unfortunately it sunk and gained the nickname of the second Titanic.

Berkley and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published March 9th. 

The boat was built by a rich family in Savannah and they were all aboard.  Several other important families and people were also there.  The boat split in two due to a boiler accident and many died.  Even the lifeboats had leaks.

This happened years go, but when a history professor is asked to put together an exhibit with the articles and documents found, she agrees.  And looks for more information to expand the exhibit.  There are still relatives in town.

This is a deep look at an ocean tragedy that some survived.  The author makes you care about the ones lost and the ones saved.  The ocean is not forgiving and takes women and children as well as men.

She ties history together and creates a story to share with the people of Savannah.  

They may be gone but they are no longer forgotten.

Monday, March 8, 2021

The Dragon Ark by Curator Draconis, illustrated by Tomislaw Tomie


This oversized hardcover is all about dragons all around the world.

Abrams for Young Readers sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published so you can get a copy now.

The types of dragons are defined.  There's a whole squad that helps save the dragons and you meeet them in this book.

The dragons are all different sizes and different colors depending on where they are located.

The squad is trying to save the rarest dragon on earth.    You can be part of their search.  I wonder what makes it the rarest?

Sunday, March 7, 2021

Magical Creatures and Mythical Beasts by Professor Byron, Millie Mortimer, illustrated by Victo Ngai


This is a book that will introduce your young reader to several mythical beasts.  You get a magic flashlight to find the beasts.  It has a battery in it so so don't let the child swallow it - it's hazardous.

Abrams for Young Readers sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published so you can but a copy now.

The professor doesn't believe such monsters exist.  Half the time he's not looking when one shows up.  But Millie does believe and she has her special flashlight that shows them.

There are several tidbits of facts about the beast they are looking for.  They travel around Europe looking for them.  

Not only will your young one learn about these myths, they also can use the special flashlight to show them off.  Any child interested in fantasy will love this book!

Saturday, March 6, 2021

Ruby Falls by Deborah Goodrich Royce


She's newly married and moving into a new home.  The one she picks is perfect.  Too bad her husband isn't.

Post Hill Press published the book and sent me an an ARC (thank you).  It has will be published May 4th,

This story is creepy.  Ruby goes down in an underground cave with her father when she was six.  He gets his hand free from hers and then disappears.  It makes a big impact on her.  She searches but she cannot find him again.  Why would he desert her?

Life goes on.  She meets Orlando and after a whirlwind romance, they marry.

So much of what happens in this book is a lie you don't know what to believe.  Ruby finds her new husband is already married.  Even worse it's to a relative.  As the truth starts to unfold, times get rockier.

Who do you believe?

Jim Curious and the Jungle Journey: A 3-D Voyage into the Jungle by Matthias Picard


 Jim Curious wakes up in the morning, dressed in an old fashioned diving suit.  He heads outside and goes into the jungle.

Abrams Young Readers sent me a copy of the book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

He finds all kinds of animals as he snoops through the forest.  The ape in the tree bounces something off his head.

There are no words in this book.  But you get two pairs of 3-D glasses so you can see the illustrations stand out.

After his walk through the jungle, he goes back home.

I didn't use the glasses so I wonder what you will see that I missed!

Friday, March 5, 2021

Snow Birds by Kirsten Hall, Jenni Desmond (Illustrations)


This is an easy way to learn about birds.  There is a different bird on each turn of a page and there is bird song on most of them.  When winter is coming, help your children see the different birds.

Abrams Young Readers sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published so you can get a copy now.

There is text about the birds and it is well illustrated.  I still have fun identifying birds that pass through when migrating.  This is good way to learn all about how many varieties of birds there are.  I love snow owls.

What a good way to teach without hassles.

Thursday, March 4, 2021

One Girl by Andrea Beaty, Dow Phumiruk (Illustrations)


She's sitting on the porch in the dark when she sees a spark in a book.  That spark ignites her soul and she begins reading and goes where the spark takes her.

Abrams Books for Young Readers shared this book with me for a review (thank you).  It has been published so you can get a copy now.

She finds other children and creates a song for them.  Soon they are all singing and more books show up.

One person can make a lot of difference by sharing knowledge and books, even if you are one girl.

Wednesday, March 3, 2021

Wench by Maxine Kaplan


Tanya is an orphan that was taken in by a bar owner.  She learned all about how to handle things in a tavern.  Then her bar owner died and she was ejected from that life because he hadn't written a will...

Amulet Books sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

She joins the group that evicted her so she can get to the queen.  She plans to ask for the tavern.  But there is a little box that the men try to hide.  She doesn't know what is in it but she wants to find out.

It's a quill and it likes her.  She begins experimenting with it and finds that she can do many things with it.

This is an exciting fantasy tale that has several people involved.  Tanya learns she can do blood magic, which is even stronger.

She meets the queen, who has some plans to use her, she goes to the outlaw town and gets in trouble there.  

This is a busy tale with everyone having their own agenda.  Will Tanya be able to stay alive?

Tuesday, March 2, 2021

An Unexpected Peril by Deanna Raybourn


They are putting an exhibit together for the queen.  It's to honor a woman mountain climber.  It's going well until Stoker shows  Veronica where the rope was broken.  It was not a simple break, it was cut by a knife.

Berkley and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published today.

Veronica immediately wants to solve this murder.  Stoker tries to talk her out of it because they are working with royals.  She's bound and determined to find the truth but she won't advertise it.

Veronica is an illegitimate relative of the Royal Family.  When the princess goes missing, she is asked to fill in.  She does this twice and manages to carry it off.  The princess does this regularly so no one worries about her.  Veronica is watching how the family behave to see if she might find the killer.  She and Stokes argue but she doesn't give up.

The words flow in this book and Victoria pieces together a theory.  She was right but with a gun in the killer's hand it's not going to be easy to defend themselves...

The killer surprised me.  There was an illicit romance going on and this was a way to stop it.

This series is always a good read and there's tension and drama in all of them.  I recommend this series.  It gets better each book.

Monday, March 1, 2021

The Power of Yet by Maryann Cocca-Leffler


This book shows your young one that even if you can't do it yet, with time, growing, and practicing you will get to yet.

Abrams Appleseed sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published so you can get a copy now.

This encourages children not to give up.  They may make mistakes; that's all part of learning.  And maybe someone could work with them so they learn how quicker.

The little pig is sorry he can't do everything but he continues trying and at the end he's mastered one task.  

Sometimes it's easier for the book to demonstrate what to do rather than have a parent do it.  This one is perfect for that.

Nonna Marie and the Case of the Lost Treasure by Lorenzo Carcaterra

As Nonna Maria's longtime friend and sometimes colleague, Captain Murino of the Ischian caribineri never wanted to see harm brought to t...