This Is How You Lose The Time War Book Review

Title: This Is How You Lose The Time War

Author: Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Genre: Fiction, Science Fiction, Romance, Time.

Plot: The Time War is slowly and meticulously waged in the tiny moments of each day, stretching years into the distance. A small tweak here, a snip there and the ripple effect takes over. Each side is convinced that they will win in the end and only Time will tell if that claim is true.

Red is the best at what she does. She was built for this war, in many ways, but she is more than her design. She is thorough and does a good job. Commandant is pleased. But one day she finds a letter in the rubble and unknowingly sets off on a path that will burn across the threads of Time itself.

Blue is also the best at what she does. She was grown by Garden and lovingly cultivated at arms' length to be the best. She matches Red stride for stride and taunts her with her words spanning across the echoing distance.

Each is convinced that they will win the war, but who will lose it?

Likes/Dislikes: This book was amazing! It was shorter than I expected it to be (novella length) and so breathtakingly gorgeous that I read it in one day and haven't fully recovered. I told my husband he has to read it and buy me a copy for my personal library. I liked both protagonists which rarely happens. I loved everything about this story! Trust me, you have to go read it!

Rating: PG-16 and up, mainly for reading level and content (some talk of sex but in the same vein as eating or sleeping).

Date Reviewed: February 6th, 2020

The Search For Rasha Book Review

Title: The Search For Rasha

Author: Paul B. Skousen

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Sequel, Action/Adventure, Ancient Egypt.

Plot: As is the way with sequels and adventures, things are going well and all seems to be heading toward a lovely happy ending until the unthinkable happens. Rasha is kidnapped and dragged off into the desert by bandits, leaving her lover Bassam determined to save her.

But crossing the great Sahara to rescue his sweetheart will test Bassam in ways he hasn't been tested before and the rescue mission could go horribly wrong.

Likes/Dislikes: This is a sequel, which I didn't know when I picked it up, but it is set in Ancient Egypt and weaves a very exciting story. It just would've meant more to me if I had read the backstory. This isn't about the love blossoming between Bassam and Rasha, it is about their continuing relationship and trying to save and preserve their lives. It was very well written and very well researched.

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

Date Reviewed: January 22nd, 2020

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

The Ice Maid's Tail Book Review

Title: The Ice Maid's Tail

Author: Mandy Morton

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Cats, Series, Fantasy.

Plot: Blizzard after freezing blizzard buries the tiny feline town in feet of cold frozen snow. Food becomes scarce in some households and a deep chill settles into the bones of the furry residents. Hettie Bagshot and Tilly Jenkins eventually emerge from their tiny home to scout out the neighbors and perform several rescue attempts for snowed-in friends. When they are out delivering food with Bruiser and Poppa, they get word from their friend Fluff that kittens have gone missing in the snow,

Knowing the odds of finding the poor frozen kittens alive are slim, Hettie and Tilly get down to business immediately and make the acquiescence of the snowed in residents of the Wither-Fork Woods estate - including the odd couple fostering orphan kittens. Have the kittens simply run away or is something more sinister afoot?

Likes/Dislikes: This book caught my eye because it appeared to be a mystery where everything is normal except for the teeny tiny fact that everyone is a cat and, to my delight, this is true! All of the characters are cats and they act like civilized humanoid cats, complete with wearing clothes, talking and living in big houses. I loved it!! The mystery itself was very interesting and certainly unique. This is the 8th book in the series and I haven't read any of the other books but it stood up very nicely on its own. I look forward to more adventures with Hettie and Tilly!

Rating: PG-15 and up, mainly for content (hints of witchcraft, ghosts, bloody deaths, etc. but nothing graphic)

Date Reviewed: January 22nd, 2020

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 Paper Bag Princess 40th Edition Book Review

Title: The Paper Bag Princess

Author: Robert Munsch

Genre: Fiction, Children, Classic, Illustrated, Fairy tale, Princess, Dragons.

Plot: Princess Elizabeth is spunky, clever and madly in love with the handsome and pretty Prince Ronald. But there's a tiny wrench in her wedding plans: a local dragon. This dragon further throws things into chaos by attacking and burning down the castle, including all of the fine clothes in Elizabeth's wardrobe and then the dragon carries off Prince Ronald as his captive snack for later.

Undaunted by these events and the lack of decent clothes, Elizabeth determines to rescue her handsome prince. So she dons a paper bag and sets off on her mission, armed only with her wits and patience.

Likes/Dislikes: For 40 years, readers young and old have adored this simple and beautiful story. Elizabeth is a princess but she doesn't let that get in her way as she firmly establishes herself as the hero in her story. She is resourceful (see: the paper bag) and clever with a large store of patience at her youthful disposal. On top of that, she knows how to tell when someone is throwing her shade and how to put them back in their place. Her confidence has inspired girls everywhere and will continue to do so with this beautiful special edition of the classic book.

I read this a couple of times as a kid and always remembered it as the story with the girl wearing the paper bag. It wasn't until I was older that more of the story's subtle undertones clicked for me. Now I'm on the hunt for a copy for my girls so they can grow up with this book nestled in their subconscious. They can defeat dragons wearing only a paper bag and walk off into the sunset if they so choose.

Rating: G-all ages. Highly recommended.

Date Reviewed: January 11th, 2020

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

The Innkeeper's Daughter Book Review

Title: The Innkeeper's Daughter


Author: Michelle Griep

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance,

Plot: Johanna Langley is 25 and runs the Blue Hedge Inn with the occasional help from her ailing mother and rambunctious ten year old brother. Business isn't exactly booming and the inn has seen far better days but Johanna is determined to keep it afloat because if she doesn't, she could end up in the workhouse and separated from her family who depend on her heavily. With this type of stress on her shoulders, Johanna doesn't have time for Alexander Moore.

Alexander Moore is an officer in the Bow Street Runners and has accepted an incredibility dangerous undercover mission to expose a high stakes plot against the British crown. His life depends on his mission and he never thought a pretty face would complicate things quite so much as Joanna's pretty face does. While he would love nothing better than to swoop in and save the day for her, his crucial mission must come first or a great many lives will be lost.

Likes/Dislikes: 1808 in England is an exciting time for historical fictions and this story does not disappoint. It does take a little bit of a slow boil at times and is a squeaky clean romance so if you want something a bit more passionate then best look elsewhere. On the flip-side I would have no problem letting my tweens and teens read this if they wanted to. All in all, a nice little story. This is the second in a series but it is a stand-alone story which is so nice.

Rating: PG-13 and up, mainly for reading level.

Date Review Written: November 3rd, 2018

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

Risen Book Review

Title: Risen

Author: Angela Hunt

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Biblical Retelling, Novelization,

Plot: It is dangerous times for everyone in Jerusalem and Roman Tribune Clavius is very aware of this fact. He is sent to qualm a riot caused by Barabbas and then off to close up the crucifixions for that day. The man in the middle of a trio is quite clearly dead but he still has his men double check before taking down the body. A job nicely done.

Or so he thought. When the body goes missing, Clavius is sent to search for it. Many of the Jewish leaders claim that the man was calling himself the Son of God and suspect his followers of stealing the body to further propel this theory. Clavius goes on the hunt and begins his investigation in the halls of Herod Antipas and ends up in the Garden of Gethsemane. He meets many colorful characters and the reality of what happened to the body will shake his world to the roots.

Likes/Dislikes: For me, biblical retellings can be hit or miss and this was definitely a hit. I have not yet seen the movie (with three kids under five, we are knee-deep in Disney and anything animated right now), but it is now most definitely on my must-see list. I was a but disappointed to find out that Rachel didn't make it into the movie due to time constraints but that makes the book even richer for me.

Rating: PG-16 and up, mainly for reading level and content (mostly a love affair and some death, obviously).

Date Review Written: November 3rd, 2018

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Bethany House Publishers and wasn't required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

The Adventures Of Lettie Peppercorn Book Review

Title: The Adventures Of Lettie Peppercorn


Author: Sam Gayton

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Children,

Plot: Little Lettie Peppercorn is 12 and she runs this joint. She cooks, cleans, tidies, keeps watch through her telescope and takes in new customers at her inn. She seems quite content with running the show and never misses a beat. There are some odd bits to her world though. Her house is on stilts, her mother told her to never go outside and her mother disappeared. No one knows where she is or what happened to her.

One evening while her father is off drinking at the local pub, a stranger who calls himself an alchemist and has an icy beard arrives. Once he is all settled in with a room, he shows her an incredible invention called snow and sends Lettie off on the adventure of her life when he tells her that he knows where her mother is.

Likes/Dislikes: This is a really cute little story complete with some lovely illustrations to hence the experience for young readers. This book is geared toward kids 8-12 and at that age, I would've been all over this book. It feels special, magical and unique. The best part is there is just enough fantasy and reality to make it believable and a very memorable story for anyone who wants to meet little Lettie for themselves. My girls are too young for the story right now but they are enjoying looking at all the pictures and carrying the book around.

Rating: G-8 and up.

Date Review Written: November 2nd, 2018

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

Where We Belong Book Review

Title: Where We Belong


Author: Lynn Austen

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Egypt,

Plot: Growing up in the rough and tumble of the Chicago streets in 1892 is hard on orphaned sister Rebecca and Flora Hawes but they make it work and they survive. From there, their unconventional personalities and love of adventure propel them out into the world to do good deeds and impact the people around them for the greater good.

Traveling from Chicago to Cairo and thence into the great Sinai Desert is a long journey peppered with many dangers, new sights and smells, and incredible experiences. But soon the sisters - along with their sturdy young butler Soren and a plucky young girl named Kate - find themselves trapped in a fierce sandstorm and must wait to see if they will survive the danger or perish at the end of their journey.

Likes/Dislikes: The main attraction to this book for me was the idea of another exciting adventure in Egypt. I love reading books set in Egypt, especially in this time-period. But this book is dense and very long, written in a rambling manner and the bulk of it is all in flashbacks from all four of the main characters which can get a bit confusing after awhile. There isn't a lot of time spent in Egypt like I'd imagined either. I really don't have much interest in Chicago during any time-period. Oh well, better luck next time.

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

Date Review Written: November 2nd, 2018

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Bethany House Publishers and wasn't required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Eating With Peter Book Review

Title: Eating With Peter


Author: Susan Buckley

Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir, Romance, Food, Travel

Plot: Susan lives nice and comfortably in her own little comfort zone till she falls in love with Peter - an older man who takes her on a whirlwind adventure. He challenges her to expand her comfort zone and try new things - especially foods. For their honeymoon they travel the world and try all kinds of different new foods, making friends along the way and saving recipes to use in their own little kitchen when the honeymoon tour ends.

For readers who enjoy books about food and travel, this is a true delight!

Likes/Dislikes: I love this book! It takes a nice quiet tone and pace and pairs up well with a rainy day for a good long reading session. There are twenty-seven recipes too so when the reading is done, we can cook too!

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

Date Review Written: September 25th, 2018

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

Who Cares If They Die Book Review

Title: Who Cares If They Die?


Author: Wendy Dranfield

Genre: Suspense/Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary,

Plot: Dean Matheson is on his way to becoming a detective his small town. With that goal in mind, he works the streets as a beat cop and keeps his eye open for odd cases that can help launch his career. So when he gets the call about an apparent suicide, he tunes into his instincts and starts to ask the questions no one else seems to be asking.

Meanwhile, Beth is the new prison psychiatrist and is trying to find her place in her new town as well as get a foot in the door career-wise. She catches Dean's eye early on and could prove to be a useful element to his investigation or a lovely distraction. But when the killer ramps up his game, Beth might just be his next target.

Likes/Dislikes: While the premise of this story sounded intriguing and just a shade darker and grittier than what I usually read, the writing style proved to be a massive letdown. Written in first person present tense, this story jars and jabs across the page with the very strong feel of a debut novel with a hasty editing job. In addition to this, Dean is married but has been cheating on his wife and he is torn between wanting to continue the affair and saving his marriage. Once Beth walks in, he completely looses focus and goes sideways after her. I couldn't finish this book as the writing style was so terrible. It did have a lot of promise though, just some bad execution.

Rating: PG-16 and up, mainly for content and reading level (affairs, murders, etc.)

Date Review Written: October 11th, 2018

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