Chocolate The Consuming Passion Book Review

Title: Chocolate: The Consuming Passion

Author: Sandra Boynton

Genre: Nonfiction, Chocolate, Food, Humor,

Plot: We all love chocolate (if you don't, why are you reading this book?) and there is nothing better than chocolate. We can have chocolate straight up, hot or cold, dark or milk, cover almost anything in chocolate and still be down for more chocolate later on.

This adorable little book covers all things chocolate (please don't eat the book, it isn't covered in chocolate), as well as giving a few fascinating chocolate facts and handy charts that explain how white chocolate is not real chocolate.

Likes/Dislikes: My kids love Sandra Boynton's board books so obviously I had to read her chocolate book when I spotted it at the library. My kids looked through it too and asked for chocolate. I strongly recommend buying some chocolate to nibble while reading this book, it will help satisfy the cravings.

Rating: PG-all ages (though not for young readers who will eat the book)

Date Reviewed: Dec 17th, 2019

Only Dead On The Inside Book Review

Title: Only Dead On The Inside

Author: James Breakwell

Genre: Nonfiction, Humor, Parenting, Survival Guide, Self-Help,

Plot: Quick! It's the zombie apocalypse and you have kids, what do you do? Since most of us probably can't answer that questions without thinking about it first, James Breakwell has written a handy guide to have around when the inevitable occurs.

Shopping with kids, making meals for picky eaters and just about everything else is ten times harder to do with kids than without. Throw in an end-of-the-world scene complete with the wandering undead looking for snacks and parenting successfully just flew out the window. Or did it? The kids might not be a huge fan of the blankets over their windows, being quiet all the time and the cardboard ketchup sandwiches when the real food runs out, but they are still alive, right? Call it a win-win and move onto more important things like securing the basement door.

Likes/Dislikes: I've followed James Breakwell on Twitter and other platforms for several years now and was tickled pink to finally get a hold of his book (I bought it for my husband and then immediately took it away and read it). This was hilarious! Combining the feel of a self-help parenting book with a survival manual while flipping it side-ways and injecting zombies and a wonderful dose of humor made this book truly unique. I couldn't put it down. My kids liked all the comics sprinkled throughout too, so win-win.

Rating: PG-12 and up, mainly for reading level and content (zombies, parenting, humor associated with parenting that only parents will understand).

Date Reviewed: Dec 17th, 2019.

Love And Death Among The Cheetahs Book Review

Title: Love And Death Among The Cheetahs

Author: Rhys Bowen

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Series,

Plot: With this latest installment in the ongoing saga that is Georgie's life in the 1930s, Georgie is on her honeymoon with the dashing Darcy O'Mara. After a long and bumpy journey, they finally arrive at their destination and begin to settle in with the locals who are an odd bunch, to say the least. But shortly into the trip, Georgie begins to suspect that Darcy didn't whip out this magical trip to Africa at the last minute just to amaze her. He is actually here on his secret spy business.

Needless to say, that knowledge does not sit well with Georgie and she begins to investigate his sneaky business. She gets a bit waylaid when a body is discovered and the question comes up of whether or not the dead man was connected to Darcy's shady dealings or not.

Likes/Dislikes: This is the 13th book in the series. I enjoyed reading about Darcy as a main character rather than the dashing hero who saves the girl at some convenient time. I don't really care for Georgie, even after watching her grow a bit over the course of the series. She's just not assertive enough and comes up with some really dumb ideas sometimes. In this particular book, it is very obvious that they were invited to an orgy. Even Darcy figured it out eventually and rumor has it that he's been around the block. All in all, this was a fun read but it won't make it to my favorites' list.

Rating: PG-16 and up, mainly for content (dead bodies and talk of orgies).

Date Review Written: June 4th, 2019

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley for my honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

It's A Love Story Book Review

Title: It's A Love Story


Author: Lincee Ray

Genre: Christian, Nonfiction, Memoir, Humor, Sequel

Plot: If Hollywood is any reliable indicator, we all love a good love story. If there is rain, a tall dark handsome hero and chocolate thrown in, all the better! We could spend our whole lives surrounded by things we love, enjoying the people we love and doing the activities we love.

So why don't we? We enjoy those things for a reason and they make us happier than other things. Why not own up to the factor that we are addicted to Cadbury eggs and can only watch The Bachelor in our fuzzy socks? Those things that we love make us who we are and ultimately, the ability to love these things comes from the One who loved us so much that He gave the ultimate sacrifice. Trying to fill that void inside with cookies and concert tickets is a temporary band-aid for the true love we are all looking for. But until we get that unconditional love, we can at least enjoy those other void-fillers.

Likes/Dislikes: I enjoyed I Hate Green Beans quite a lot more than I expected to so I got very excited to see a second book by Ray. This book doesn't go on about The Bachelor in fine detail; instead, it covers lots of things that Ray loves. Concerts on summer nights, fishing with her niece, watching humanity come together after a horrific hurricane and the simple joy of a classic Disney princess movie. All of these little pieces make up Lincee Ray and prompt us to examine the little pieces that make us up. We might be over the moon for brownies or enjoy walks by the beach with amazing sunsets in the background. We were designed with the ability to love because our God loves us and wants us to be able to love. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more by Lincee Ray.

Rating: PG-14 and up, mainly for reading level

Date Reviewed: May 7th, 2019

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Revel Bloggers for my honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions in the above review are my own.

How To Raise A Reader Book Review

Title: How To Raise A Reader


Author: Pamela Paul and Maria Russo

Genre: Nonfiction, Parenting, Reading, How-To, Book Lists

Plot: Raising a kid who loves to read is a lot of work and requires years of consistent and age-appropriate effort. But it is not as daunting a task as it sounds. Authors Pamela Paul and Maria Russo draw on their own experiences raising their children to be readers and break this goal down into manageable steps and achievable mini-goals, complete with handy book lists to get the ball rolling.

From babyhood and the exciting toddler years (where, yes, you have to do the bulk of the reading) to the early readers and then middle grade independent readers who devour everything in sight and binge on their favorite series and then finally the teenage years where they are off in worlds of their own and only require the smallest parental guidance in their reading adventures. This book covers all four age groups and has several additional lists in the back for further reading.

Likes/Dislikes: This was a delightful little book to read and I definitely found the beginning chapters on toddlers and babies very inspiring and encouraging. I read the early reader and middle grade sections a bit disinterestedly as I am not in that category yet with my budding readers. I found the teen chapter to be a bit amusing considering that I would not have welcomed any parental interference in my reading choices as a teen. Thankfully, the advice for that section was to be very hands-off with the teenagers.

I didn't really like that graphic novels were so strongly recommended. I can see the appeal for younger readers like mine but after that, I want them to read more words and less pictures. I also found it amusing that internet use is encouraged to go hand-in-hand with the reading experience. I use the internet to read book reviews and find new books all the time.

Rating: PG 15 and up (geared more toward parents)

Date Review Written: April 27th, 2019

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley for my honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

The Minimalist Kitchen Book Review

Title: The Minimalist Kitchen


Author: Melissa Coleman

Genre: Nonfiction, Cookbook, Organizing, Lifestyle,

Plot: Minimalism is all the rage right now but how do you minimize the kitchen and yet keep it functional in a way that suits your family's needs? A kitchen is arguably the most important part of the house and it is certainly the busiest part of many houses. Keeping it streamlined, efficient and functional is a daunting and challenging task. Throw in minimalism and the game is up. Or is it?

Author Melissa Coleman uses her own kitchen and experience with minimalism to show us how to have a functional and minimal kitchen arrangement. The best part is that this particular room's level of minimalism can be tailored to your own specific needs. If you have both a blender and a food processor but only use one, the obvious solution is to donate the unused item and make yourself a smoothie with the other one. But if you have twenty forks and use every single one of them, it might be more productive to sort the collection of spoons instead.

Likes/Dislikes: This is a surprisingly large book but in a nice size. Coleman gives simple tips and advice for streamlining the kitchen items and even provides sample grocery lists for an organized shopping, storage and cooking experience that will free up mental space, shelf space and cooking time. If you always know how much of something you have and need for every recipe, you won't buy multiples or store more than you will consume. The rest of the book is filled with delicious recipes that range from Overnight Oatmeal to Kitchen-Sink Lentil Bowls and Roasted Vegetable Sandwiches. The Immunity Smoothie recipe looks especially enticing. This is definitely the type of book I would want to buy and then study with a highlighter and sticky tabs to mark all the recipes I want to make.

Rating: G-all ages, geared toward adults (cause what kid wants to minimize the kitchen?)

Date Review Written: April 12th, 2019

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley, lost that digital copy and found it at my local library. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

The Warrior Maiden Book Review

Title: The Warrior Maiden

Author: Melanie Dickerson

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Fairy Tale Retelling, Christian, Romance, Action/Adventure, Series

Plot: Mulan is 18 years old and resigned to the fact that she will have to marry someday to take care of her mother. But Mulan has big dreams to see the world and do more with her life than just cooking, cleaning and having babies. She wants a different existence than that of her long-suffering mother. So when the opportunity arises out of unfortunate circumstances, Mulan doesn't miss a beat and takes it. But will her risk be worth it or would it have been better to marry the butcher's son instead?

Wolfgang is the son of a duke but on the battlefield he is just a 20 year old boy trying to prove himself just like all the other soldiers. Like the short archer who nearly bested him in the competition, Wolfgang has his secrets and holds them close. But when he accidentally discover's Mulan's secret, will he be able to add it to his list of secrets or will everything collapse around him?

Likes/Dislikes: This is the 9th book in a series with an established world and characters peppered from previous books. That being said, this book reads like it is a stand-alone so we shouldn't get too lost. Unfortunately, this book was not at all what I was hoping to read. I adore the story of Mulan and really wanted a cool retelling where the character is just as butch, tough and feminine as the original. This version of Mulan is frustrating. She is the stereotypical unusual beauty who doesn't fit in with her little village and is clumsy. She overthinks the littlest things. Furthermore, the story itself was frustrating. They all meet up for some random competitions and then immediately go out to battle followed by another battle and then another one in such rapid succession that there is hardly any breathing room. In that span of that week, Mulan crushes hard on the only handsome dude around and her secret gets discovered by him.

Needless to say, this was not the right book for me to enjoy from all of these minor but annoying plot decisions and I did not finish the story.

Rating: PG-15 and up, mainly for reading level (nothing graphic)

Date Review Written: April 27th, 2019

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Booklook Bloggers for my honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

How To Be A Happier Parent Book Review

Title: How To Be A Happier Parent


Author: K. J. Dell`Antonia

Genre: Nonfiction, Parenting, How-To, Toddlers, Teens,

Plot: Parenting is hard. It is a thankless job with a life-or-death element to it which keeps things interesting and is riddled with moments of bliss, fury, sorrow and disgusting mystery substances. Many parents cope till the college years by diving into a hobby, taking up recreational drinking or just waiting till that next kid-free vacation. But what if there was a way to be a happier parent that didn't involve smuggled chocolate, expensive counseling or even a whole lot of effort on our part?

Enter K. J. Dell'Antonia's amazing book, How To Be A Happier Parent. Drawing from years of experience writing parenting articles, interviews with over a thousand parents, loads of research and data, and her own experience parenting four rowdy kids in New England, Dell'Antonia targets ten problem spots in the family and gives grounded advice and tips for how to deal with these areas, make them more efficient and less of a struggle and thus, make you a happier parent.

Happiness is in reach for parents everywhere now. You just need a quick solo trip to the bookstore, a library or one day shipping to unlock the mysteries.

Likes/Dislikes: I loved this book! The cover was gorgeous, the writing style was very even paced without getting bogged by random facts or droning on and on about something useless, and the solutions for each problem area are real and actually something I can implement in my family. I especially enjoyed the chapters on chores, discipline and siblings. I have three girls and they are already driving me crazy with their sibling disputes. This book reassured me that these disputes are natural and (mostly) harmless. My kids are still at the age where they need to be constantly monitored but I'm looking forward to letting them handle their own arguments in the future. This book, while geared toward parents of older children and teens more than toddlers, gave me permission to parent the way I've been parenting and to "do me," as Dell'Antonia instructed.  Every parent needs to own and read this book!

Rating: PG-16 and up, mainly for reading level and content (it's a parenting book for parents)

Date Review Written: April 6th, 2019

August by Niki Giovanni

Apples fall   peaches harvested

One kind of pear is pickled

Blackberries turn your fingers blue

Some cucumbers get pickled

Biscuits bake or they are fried

Grits are cooked real slow

Green tomatoes in bacon fat

Then it's time to go

From Grandmother's country home

Back up to the city

I'd rather stay in the barefoot South

where everything is pretty

~ Love Poems by Niki Giovanni

Daughter Of The House Book Review

Title: Daughter Of The House


Author: Victoria Cornwall

Genre: Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction, Series,

Plot: Twelve year old Evelyn Pendragon is young, spirited and curious about the world around her but hedged in by society's rules, expectations and opinions of her gender. She adores her gentle governess Miss Brown but longs for her parents' love and attention. Still, she is content with the company of her loving older brother Nicholas.

Right as her life is about to drastically and tragically change, Evelyn makes a new friend. Drake Vennor is a year older than Evelyn with ambitions to become the greatest landscape gardener of the century. To accomplish this, he becomes an apprentice gardener on the Pendragon estate and slowly falls in love with the lonely daughter of the house.

As the years crawl, creep and fly by, society and the expectations of a bygone era will test Evelyn and Drake to the breaking point.

Likes/Dislikes: I'm not entirely sure what I expected from this book and am still not completely sure I liked what I got. The bulk of the story occurs when Evelyn and Drake are teenagers, laying the foundation for the rest of the story but making me wonder when they would grow up and fight back like adults. Once that happened, the sense of timing was weird. They really should have waited a day or two before trying to elope - they probably would've succeeded with more planning in that regard. And the final twist at the end with Mawgan was predictable. I also didn't care for the cliche of one night together leads to a baby but I liked how it tied in with all the other dads and babies running around in the story. All in all, while it is not my favorite story, it wasn't a bad story either.

Rating: PG-17 and up, mainly for reading level and content (one rather mildly graphic sex scene and lots of implications and suggestions sprinkled throughout)

Date Review Written: April 12th, 2019

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Choc Lit. Publishers and wasn't required tow rite a positive review. The opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Book Girl Book Review

Title: Book Girl

Author: Sarah Clarkson

Genre: Nonfiction, Christian, Reading, Educational, Books, Reading Lists, Family

Plot: Influenced from a young age to love books and reading, Sarah Clarkson became a book girl. Now, in her own book with a little book girl of her own on the way, Sarah explores what it means to be a book girl and how to apply the lessons learned in her books to everyday life.

The book is divided into ten chapters with their own little theme and two or three accompanying book lists which fit that theme. There is a chapter on making reading lists with advice on ways to maximize your reading (don't just binge on all those yummy mysteries or romances―throw in some poetry, nonfiction and a biography or two). There are also chapters on taking action in life, cultivating the soul and healing the soul after a great grief.

For each chapter, Sarah draws on her own experience and what books taught her about life before giving her recommendations for our own future reading.

Likes/Dislikes: This book strongly reminded me of my childhood and teen years wrapped up in the classics and devouring everything I could find. I'm a bit more picky about what I read now though I do binge-read whatever attracts my interest at the time. I liked a lot of the reading lists in here, especially the one for children and the one on books to help navigate the current culture. I did have a tricky time reading this book though as it is very obviously written by someone who is college educated and used to writing very long wordy and repetitive essays to convey her point. This type of format is all fine and dandy but not my preferred format of reading and I zoned out several times as she went on and on about something she had already mentioned several times before. Other than that, I really enjoyed this book.

Rating: PG-14 and up, mainly for reading level

Date Review Written: April 4^th, 2019

Book Love Book Review

Title: Book Love


Author: Debbie Tung

Genre: Nonfiction, Graphic, Teens, Bookworms, Art, Comic, Books

Plot: The love of books has fueled an entire industry for centuries but more importantly, it has fueled the imaginations of readers all over the world. Books inspire us, connect us to complete strangers, provide conversation starters, distract us, inform us and force us to expand our horizons and consider other worldviews and whole worlds. Books comfort us when we are feeling blue or in need of some companionship in a lonely point of our lives. Books can be our shelter or the diving board of life. And you are never too old or too young to pick up a book and dive in.

Through her beautifully drawn artwork, Debbie Tung visually captures what it means to be a book lover, to value reading real books in a digital world and what the definition of book love really is. This is one book that every book lover should have on their shelves.

Likes/Dislikes: I told my husband he has to buy me a copy of this book and he said, "You want a book about reading books?" I enthusiastically said yes and shoved it in his face to look at but he was more amused than interested. Fingers crossed that I get a new book for Mother's Day. In the meantime, this book is perfect. The size is adorable and very travel friendly, the artwork is beautiful while still being accessible to non-artistic people like me and it exactly captures what every reader goes through. Plus, it smells amazing! You have to buy this book!

Rating: G-all ages. Highly recommended

Date Review Written: March 25th, 2019

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, lost that digital copy and found it at my library. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

A Royal Pain Book Review

Title: A Royal Pain


Author: Rhys Bowen

Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Series, Romance, Action/Adventure, 1930s, England, Royalty

Plot: Thirty-fourth in line for the throne might hold sway in Harrods department store but not in the areas where it counts. Georgiana is twenty-two and living on her in the family house in London and just barely getting by. She makes a half living by opening people's houses for them when they come to town but the season is ending. Furthermore, her family wants her to marry a prince she doesn't care for and she has fallen madly in love with a very unsuitable Catholic Irish boy.

As if all of that wasn't enough on her plate already, the Queen decides that Georgiana is the perfect person to play host to a young German princess just out of a convent school. The Queen is hoping to pair the princess with her wayward oldest son but needs to do it subtly. Unfortunately, Georgi has no money, no maid and this princess talks American like a real gangster. On top of that, people start dying all around her. So inconsiderate of them.

Likes/Dislikes: I'm not entirely sure why I like this series as it is rather girlish in character and wording. Most of Georgi's problems irritate me since I can see several different ways for her to get out of them. But I like Darcy and I really like Belinda. I wish Belinda was in the stories a lot more than she actually is. She just kind of flits in and out with a new boyfriend every few chapters. There was one spot in this particular story where Georgi is almost raped but it isn't graphic and she gets away. It still should be mentioned for trigger warnings. This is the second book in the series.

Rating: PG-16 and up, mainly for content (talk of sex, attempted rape, murders)

Date Review Written: March 15th, 2019

Sweet Revenge Book Review

Title: Sweet Revenge: Passive-Aggressive Desserts For Your Exes And Enemies


Author: Heather Kim

Genre: Nonfiction, Cookbook, Teens, Sweets

Plot: Nothing hurts like getting dumped by your sweetheart or being stabbed in the back by someone you thought was a trusted friend. All of that grief, anger and pain can lead you to make some questionable decisions and we all want revenge for the pain we were caused. So why not channel that energy and bake some divine sweets that will show your ex just exactly who he or she lost when they broke your heart?

With over 50 jaw-dropping and sweet-tooth-satisfying recipes in this slim volume, you will well on your way to baking some piping hot revenge and delivering (or devouring) it in style.

Likes/Dislikes: This book is definitely written for teens with a strong teen voice and plenty of their lingo sprinkled throughout. The humor is very sarcastic and exactly the type needed after a painful breakup. In between the recipes there are pages that give the reader a crash course in baking - from the different types of flours available to how whipped the cream should be. There are also plenty of little nuggets of wisdom hidden in here with the predominant ones being that revenge is best baked away and that we need to find healthy relationships in our lives. Some of the recipes are pretty simple and straight-forward with a clever twist while others are more involved. My husband liked the idea of butterscotch bacon and candied chicken skin as well as Doritos chip sugar. There were several recipes I thought sounded delicious while a few had me in disbelief. All in all, a fun little cookbook.

Rating: PG-16 and up, mainly for reading level

Date Review Written: March 15th, 2019

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley for my honest opinion and wasn't required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Herding Cats Book Review

Title: Herding Cats


Author: Sarah Andersen

Genre: Fiction, Comic, Art, Young Adult,

Plot: Sarah Andersen took to the vast internet to display her budding creativity and found a niche that suited her perfectly. She also just so happened to strike a cord with her audience of socially awkward millennials who could relate very strongly to her comics. This quickly propelled her to a position of fame in the internet-fueled artist's world.

But what exactly is fame like for a modern day comic artist? There are hordes of pets, the daily battle of getting up for work vs staying in bed all day is a hard one and every day is the same unless it is fall. Then every day is glorious till the leaves die and Halloween is all done. So to sum up, life is pretty much the same regardless of your level of fame. But we can still enjoy this great collection of life through an artist's eyes.

Likes/Dislikes: I already liked Sarah's comics just from seeing them on social media so coming across this book was a treasure. It turns out that this is her third published collection which means I have some back-reading to do but that is always fun. Sometimes I start series in the middle on purpose just to make sure it will be worth all my time and emotional investment. In this particular edition, we get a peek at what life is like for Sarah now that she is famous (it's not that different) as well as seeing her reactions to cute dogs, what she does based on the seasons (it's indoors all year round except when it's fall), and several other fun panels. There is also an illustrated essay for young artists looking to share their work on the internet and another one on how to deal with cruel internet trolls. All in all, a great one-sitting read that will brighten anyone's day.

Rating: PG-12 and up, mainly for content (it's clean, just might fly over kids' heads. My toddler just likes the dog pictures).

Date Review Written: February 22nd, 2019

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley, lost that copy and then looked it up at my local library. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Potato Book Review

Title: Potato


Author: Rebecca Earle

Genre: Nonfiction, Object Lesson, Essay, History, Food,

Plot: Potatoes are one of the four biggest global crops and make up the base for a lot of America's favorite foods. Mashed potatoes at Grandma's for the holidays, French fries smothered in ketchup or lightly salted on a summer's evening, Aunt June's famous potato salad with a hint of bacon, a perfectly baked potato with a dollop of sour cream or scalloped potatoes dripping in butter. Potatoes are the starchy goodness that make up the bulk of our favorite comfort foods. But they are more than that. There are red potatoes, gold potatoes, white potatoes, purple potatoes, black potatoes, finger potatoes and sweet potatoes all with their own unique tastes, textures and flavors. Some are great for boiling while others do better baked.

We know how Ireland has a long history with potatoes but some of us might not know that potatoes originated in South and Central America. They were the food of the Incas till the Americas were discovered and potatoes sailed across the sea. The varieties of potatoes grown by the ancient Incas are mind-boggling and all of them sound delicious.

Likes/Dislikes: I love potatoes. I love growing them and eating them and reading about them. An object lesson on them was surprising and not necessarily something I have ever read before or would likely pick up. But since I like potatoes, I gave it a shot and really enjoyed it. I have a short attention span however so I had to read it in chunks but that's okay, it gives me a good break from everything else going on in my reading life. I did really want more recipes though.

Rating: G-all ages, 14 and up mainly for reading level.

Date Review Written: February 19th, 2019

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley for my honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Murder From Scratch Book Review

Title: Murder From Scratch

Author: Leslie Karst

Genre: Murder Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Sequel,

Plot: Sally Solari grew up in the restaurant business and is still heavily involved with it. Except instead of working for her dad in the family restaurant, she now runs her very own establishment. Inherited from a great aunt, the Gauguin is a tidy trendy little place filled with irate chefs and plenty of delicious smells. When Sally gets a craving for some family cooking, she drops by her dad's place and gets more than she bargained for. A distant cousin needs a place to live with her dog and Sally has an available couch.

It turns out that cousin Evelyn is super sweet, blind and recently in the news. Her mother was found dead in the house one day. But because of Evelyn's disability, she has plenty of reason to think her mother's death wasn't an accident. Sally, every resourceful and just a tad too nosy for her own good, takes up the case.

Likes/Dislikes: I love cozy murder mysteries and foodie stories. This sounds like the perfect combination with the added element of a blind character essential to the plot. Unfortunately, Sally didn't jump off the page at me and the mystery set up wasn't enough to hook me and draw me in to finish the story. The writing style was cozy but also a bit slow and off. It felt like a lot of the descriptions and dialogue taking place were only there to hit the word count and did nothing to paint the scene or propel the story forward. Ah well, there's always a hit and a miss with mysteries.

Rating: PG-14 and up, mainly for content (it's a murder mystery).

Date Review Written: February 14th, 2019

I received a copy of this courtesy of Netgalley for my honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions in the above review are my own.

Murders And Metaphors Book Review

Title: Murders and Metaphors


Author: Amanda Flower

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Bookshop, Sequel, Winter,

Plot: Violet Waverly does not like winter and January in the Niagara Falls region is known for harsh and bitterly cold winters. Since she can't spend the cold season curled up indoors with a book, she helps her grandma Daisy run their magical bookshop while she secretly cares for the magical tree living inside the bookshop. On top of that, she sits in on the local writing group and teaches two days a week at the nearby college while procrastinating on her dissertation.

So it would seem that her hands are pretty full. Throw in a murder and now Violet is busier than ever. Charming Books and the Mortons' vineyard cooperate to host a book signing for local celebrity author Belinda; but when Belinda is found dead, old wounds reopen and Violet must dig deep to prove that her friend is not the killer. And this time, the bookshop's hints are not very helpful at all.

Likes/Dislikes: This is the third book in an enchanting series which I've just discovered. It is obviously a sequel but stands well on its own without confusing the newbie reader or spoiling any previous mysteries. It is also very unique. The bookshop is magic with the books flying around and popping up in odd places, there is a talking crow and an adorable kitty cat. The chief of police is a Native American which is not something we see everyday and the author is a Christian which is rare where murder mysteries and magic are concerned. I loved it! I would've picked someone else as the killer because it felt too obvious to me but the whole mystery kept me intrigued and following along happily. While the idea of the bookshop trying to help and using Little Women to provide clues was neat, I felt that it ultimately distracted from the whole mystery and did nothing to provide any clues at all. A different book would've been a better choice. All in all, a good mystery.

Rating: PG-14 and up,mainly for content (it's a murder mystery)

Date Review Written: February 1st, 2019

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley for my honest opinion and wasn't required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Pie Hard Book Review

Title: Pie Hard

Author: Kirsten Weiss

Genre: Murder Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Food, TV Reality, Sequel

Plot: Val Harris has her own little cozy pie shop that is doing well. It's not going to make her rich anytime soon but she's not living on the street either and has employees so that's a plus. She lives in a little converted shipping container and her landlady is her friend and employee, Charlene. Together they form Baker Street Bakers and stick their noses into trouble whenever trouble comes around. Detective Grumpy Cop supports her meddling - with the argument that she needs a PI license first.

Val has her hands full when Charlene surprises her with a reality TV crew to film their little pie shop for their show, Pie Hard. Uncertain but lured in with the promise of publicity, Val reluctantly goes along with the scheme. When producer Regina turns up dead, Val decides that TV reality might not be so hot for business after all.

Likes/Dislikes: A pie shop isn't something you hear about every day and a murder mystery with a reality tv crew always sounds intriguing. Unfortunately, this mystery never quite gripped me like previous mysteries. I didn't feel connected to or interested in the characters (I don't really know how old they are or what they look like either). And I really would've had Maureen be the killer because it would've stumped my husband. But I liked the pies and the recipes at the back of the book and I liked Grumpy Cop (whose name eludes me because of reasons), and I thought it was a well-constructed mystery that kept me guessing till the end. It just won't top my favorites list.

Rating: PG-14 and up, mainly for content (it's a murder mystery).

Date Review Written: February 1st, 2019

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley for my honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America Book Review

Title: Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America


Author: Matt Kracht

Genre: Nonfiction, Bird Guide, Humor,

Plot: Birds are beautiful intelligent creatures who provide us with hours of entertainment in various forms. At least, that is what die-hard bird enthusiasts want us to believe. In reality, birds are jerks and in this hilarious field guide, Matt Kracht explains why with very colorful language and pictures.

We'll meet such classics as the White-Breasted Butt Nugget and the Bland Sparrow. Each bird belongings to its own unique group, such as Lump, Long-Legs or Murder Birds. And all of them have their own unique and noisy call as well as annoying habits and migratory patterns. So settle down and prepare to look at birds in a whole new light.

Likes/Dislikes: This book is a riot to read! Sprinkled with plenty of dry humor, sarcastic commentary and adult language, this is a field guide for every bird enthusiast and their bored partner. While reading it, I showed it to my husband (the bird enthusiast) who then proceeded to read almost the whole thing while laughing. I think it passed the test. My favorite are the Murder Birds.

Rating: PG-16 and up, for language.

Date Review Written: January 24th, 2019

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley for my honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Restaurant Weeks Are Murder Book Review

Title: Restaurant Weeks Are Murder


Author: Libby Klein

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Murder Mystery, Food Competition, Romance, Sequel,

Plot: Poppy McAllister is busy opening a cozy little Bed and Breakfast on Jersey Shore with her aunt Ginny while baking delicious gluten-free and other Paleo treats with her Italian boyfriend Gia in his little shop. Thus her hands are quite full, but she still agreed to join her ex-fiance Tim and his assistant in an intense cooking competition meant to boost his restaurant's publicity.

In a convenient twist of fate, the four celebrity judges and two chatty hosts end up staying in Poppy's little b&b for the intense competition week. This gives her some handy publicity as well as some insider clues as to everyone's personalities. On day one, sparks are flying with ingredient sabotage. This only escalates into fist-fights, equipment sabotage and finally, cold-blooded murder. Who could possibly committed such a cruel crime and is anyone else in danger?

Likes/Dislikes: This is a sequel and throws us into the chaos at the beginning, so several characters aren't clearly introduced but we are expected to just roll with them. It was an easy read that had a big enough pool of suspects to keep me guessing while not overwhelming with all the different characters to keep track of. I loved the use of accents to help differentiate the characters. I don't like love triangles though and the cliffhanger was very frustrating, but it added an extra element to the story which was nice. It was hard to tell how old Poppy is. And I loved her aunt Ginny and her cat; they were a riot! All in all, a very entertaining and humorous story. I'm definitely going to look up the prequels now.

Rating: PG-14 and up, mainly for content (hints of affairs, nothing graphic)

Date Review Written: January 24th, 2019

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley for my honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions in the above review are my own.

Cherry Scones And Broken Bones Book Review

Title: Cherry Scones And Broken Bones


Author: Darci Hannah

Genre: Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Food, Bed and Breakfast, Murder Mystery, Romance, Sequel,

Plot: Whitney went from high powered and stressed out advertising executive to cherry baker and running her family bed and breakfast. All it took for this drastic change of pace was a painfully misplaced ad during the Super Bowl and murder. Now she's firmly settled into a nice baking routine and there are now guests in the b&b, thanks to her advertising skills and price slashing techniques.

To further boost their publicity, celebrated portrait artist Silvia Lumiere has booked a room for the whole summer. She comes every year to spend the summer painting and mingling with the locals who all adore her or simply tolerate her, depending on their personality. While Whitney has high hopes, these quickly evaporate under the never-ending stream of complaints and verbal abuse heaped on her by Silvia.

When Silvia turns up dead, no one is really too surprised. But Whitney must work to clear her name and save the reputation of her little bed and breakfast while she still can.

Likes/Dislikes: This is a sequel and reads like one in several places but can fully stand on its own just fine. I was able to meet all the characters, pick up on the backstory and enjoy this mystery without becoming confused or spoiling the first mystery (which is excellent because now I want to go read it!). The formatting was a bit off and several words were only half there so some translating was required but this will be fixed in editing before publishing, I'm sure of it. One minor annoying thing was that Jack's hair was described as ginger in the first half and then cinnamon in the second half; which color is it supposed to be? During another scene, everyone wades in waist deep water. It is only after doing this that a character decides he needs to completely strip before swimming back to the boat. Other than those little things, this was an excellent book and I look forward to more cherry delights!

Rating: PG-14 and up, mainly for content (lots of talk of sexual harassment from an older female character but nothing graphic)

Date Review Written: January 24th, 2019

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley for my honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Six Cats A Slayin Book Review

Title: Six Cats A Slayin


Author: Miranda James

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Christmas, Cats,

Plot: Charlie Harris has a nice routine down with a cozy schedule. He and his fluffy Maine Coon cat, Diesel, are getting set to rock Christmas and settle in for the holidays. But they weren't expecting a basket full of new arrivals for the holidays. With curious kittens wandering the house in need of a permanent home, Charlie doesn't think he needs anything else on his plate right now.

But when curiosity over the suspicious new neighbor turns deadly, Charlie and his friends find themselves knee-deep in a murder mystery. And all he wanted to do was a nice quiet Christmas and enjoy his new grandbaby.

Likes/Dislikes: I gave this book a really good try but the writing had a disjointed jarring feel to it and the conversations between the characters were all clipped and short. I really enjoyed the references to other books I've read and the adorable little kittens, but I don't think Charlie and I will be solving any mysteries together for awhile.

Rating: PG-14 and up, mainly for reading level.

Date Review Written: January 19th, 2019

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Netglley for my honest opinion. I wasn't required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

God Bless Our Christmas Book Review

Title: God Bless Our Christmas


Author: Hannah C. Hall

Genre: Christian, Children, Christmas, Series, Animals, Board Book

Plot: Christmas comes only once a year. With all the anticipation, sometimes we can get a little too wrapped up in waiting for it and then enjoying to remember what it is supposed to be about. So here is a little book to help with that.

From the polar bear family to a fluffy little owl, each family gives thanks for their own special Christmas day as well as the greatest gift of all. From gift wrapping with care to snow angels and hot cocoa with friends and baking delicious cookies with grandma, Christmas is a magical time for everyone.

Likes/Dislikes: This is an adorable book and my kids loved it! My only complaints are that on the very first page, a line is written in red ink and then highlighted in white to make it look special but it just makes it hard to read, and the whole story takes place on Christmas day rather than having a couple of pages leading up to it. But all in all, adorable and I highly recommend it to everyone.

Rating: G-all ages

Date Review Written: January 8th, 2019

The Devoted Life Journal Book Review

Title: The Devoted Life: A Creative Devotional Journal


Author: Marjorie Jackson

Genre: Christian, Nonfiction, Journal, Devotional, Spiritual, Creative, Self-Help,

Plot: The market for devotionals is a very large one. We can search and find just about any type of devotional for every walk we might find ourselves on. There are devotionals for teen guys and girls, young adults, senior adults, kids, moms, for busy people, for the dark days of our lives, for gratitude and many other areas of life. Some of these devotionals come with built-in spaces for journaling our thoughts - usually just a few lines at the end of the chapter. Some come with companion journals but that is an extra purchase.

Enter Marjorie Jackson's little creation. Here we have, in a gorgeous dusty rose faux leather cover, a complete devotional journal. There are thirty-one sections with their own unique cover picture for us to color followed by a brief story or encouraging thoughts. Then come the fun journal prompts. After that comes another hand-drawn picture for us to fill in. At the back of the journal are some creative pages for us to do with as we please. And finally, what journal isn't complete with a lovely ribbon marker to keep our place?

Likes/Dislikes: I love journals. I have something of an addiction to smelling them, touching their gorgeous blank pages whispering of potential and hunting down the loveliest covers. So getting a hold of this extra special journal was a must for me. I really like the journal/coloring book combo that is going on here; it is unique and really makes me want to color all the pictures in. The introduction was admittedly two pages too long in my opinion and I feel like the space for each journal prompt is not enough. I like the 365 Questions journals even though the spaces are tiny in those, but I wanted longer journaling space with this. All in all, lovely but not really the journal for me.

Rating: G-all ages, geared more toward teens and adults.

Date Review Written: January 5th, 2019

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed in the above review are my own.