Copy Boy, by Shelley Blanton-Stroud – 4 Star Review!!!

Story Rating: ****
Cover Rating: A

When I first starting reading Copy Boy, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had a vague idea it would be something similar to a coming of age adventure, but that isn’t how it ended up at all, really. This book was absolutely fascinating, and I can’t honestly think of a book to compare it to (that I’ve read before). There are twists and turns at every corner. Just when you think you’ve got everything figured out, you’re taken for another loop.

Copy Boy takes an honest, raw look at walks of life we don’t always hear about. It takes a realistic look at a heroine who is far from perfect – and realizes that herself. The characters are ALL dynamic. Like in real life, the cast is constantly shifting, growing, falling back on hard times…

I highly recommend this story for anyone who wants to read a book that will surprise them, or who enjoys a raw, gritty look at the past. If you want a bad A main character and a story you could easily both see happening (and not), this book is well worth the read.

The cover is eye-catching and offers an accurate depiction of what readers should expect to find inside.

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Folly At The Fair, by Kari Bovee – 5 Star Review!

Story Rating: *****
Cover Rating: A

Being a rural girl, I’ve always loved learning about Annie Oakley. The concept of this book (and the entire series) is fascinating. The sharpshooting Annie Oakley turned sharp-eyed and quick-witted detective? It ends up making perfect sense in all senses of the word!

The beginning snatches you right up into the story, although it does leave you guessing, too. Without giving too much away, I can say that you’ll never understand the beginning until you’re much farther in the book. I rather enjoyed that. You’re given information and left wondering how it’s applicable to the overall plot, but somewhere within the story a lightbulb goes off in your head and you go, “How could I have not seen that?”

The story is fast-paced. There are twists and turns that have you scratching your head. Each time you think you’ve figured it out, you realize you’re wrong. I highly recommend Folly at the Fair to anyone who enjoys westerns, historical fiction, or mysteries. It’s got a little something for everyone inside!

The cover is engaging and offers you an accurate depiction of what you’ll find inside the story.

Halloween Monsters, by Eric Guth – 4 Star Review!!

Story Rating: ****
Cover Rating: A

This was an interesting book, filled with fun facts about varying types of monsters. There’s also a section at the back of the book dedicated to different types of animals that hold a place in folklore or superstition. My kids both really enjoyed the book. The two-year-old was fascinated with the images, and my 11-year-old loved the interesting facts. Even I learned a few things in this book.

The illustrations were enjoyable. My daughter especially enjoyed that the illustrations were in the shape of the monsters, but compiled of certain elements or attributes creating the monster’s story.

I had just one complaint about the book. The fonts used throughout the book were difficult to read in certain instances. If I could suggest a singular thing to improve the book, I’d suggest aiming for more readable fonts – especially since the book is meant for children, as they may find it even more difficult to read. That, however, is my singular complaint and myself and my kids really enjoyed the book.

The cover is eye-catching and offers an accurate depiction of what readers should expect to find inside the book.

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What Frees the Heart, by Karen A. Wyle – 5 Star Review!!

Story Rating: ****
Cover Rating: A

I was so excited for this book to come out. I read and fell in love with “What Heals the Heart” and was excited for another Cowbird Creek title to come out. Wyle did NOT disappoint. This story may have been even more gripping than the first, and I absolutely loved to see yet another “not so common” romance bloom.

One of the things I love best about this book is that it takes two flawed people and puts them together. Anyone who has read my reviews knows I love flawed characters because it creates a more realistic story for me. Perfect heroes and heroines are so hard to relate to. But I also love the combination of old fashioned and female empowerment Wyle uses in her stories. The females aren’t helpless, but they do need help. They can do much of everything on their own, but the few things they can’t, the hero can – while the heroine can do what he can’t. It’s less a damsel in distress and more a real union of meeting the other’s needs.

I highly recommend this title to anyone who wants a realistic yet swoon-worthy romance that will leave you begging for more. I also recommend it to anyone who enjoys westerns, historicals, or mostly clean romance.

The cover is engaging and offers an accurate depiction of what readers should expect inside the story.

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The Song Garden, by Vicky Weber (Illustrated by Zoe Mellors) – 5 Star Review!

Story Rating: *****
Cover Rating: A

This is a sweet, whimsical story about a young girl who is determined to create a “song garden” on her own, without the help of her parents. The story has a great lesson in it about being brave, taking chances, and not hindering your own creativity. Because, after all, there are no wrong choices when it comes to creating something. Throughout the book, there is information about music that children can learn.

My son really enjoyed this story. The illustrations are captivating and he really liked that the story had an older sister and much younger brother. That’s how our family is, so he kept saying the older girl was his sister and he was the little boy.

The cover is eye-catching and accurately depicts what readers should expect to find inside the story.

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Taino Tales: The Secret of the Hummingbird, by Vicky Weber (Illustrated by Olha Melnyk) – 5 Star Review!

Story Rating: *****
Cover Rating: A

This is a beautiful retelling of an old Taino legend about how the hummingbird was created. The way the story is retold is both easy for children to understand but not “dumbed down” either. I enjoyed the story and found the illustrations bright, colorful, and descriptive.

This book has quickly become my son’s favorite book. He has me read it to him at least once a day – and sometimes more! The pictures invite him to ask questions and look closer to see all the details. He calls it his “bird book” and sits eagerly waiting for the part where the man is transformed into a hummingbird.

The cover is very eye-catching and offers an accurate depiction of what readers should expect to find inside the story.

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Lazlo Learns Recorder, by Vicky Weber (Illustrated by Masha Klot) – 5 Star Review!!

Story Rating: *****
Cover Rating: A

This is an adorable children’s story about a lemur named Lazlo who starts a new school and gets to learn how to play recorder in music class. I enjoyed reading the story to my son and thought it had several valuable lessons hidden in the story. First, the book encourages a love of music (which my son definitely has) and second, it shares insight into starting a new school and making new friends.

My son, age two, loved the story. He pointed to the pictures as we read and identified what he knew, asked questions about what he didn’t. The illustrations are beautiful, colorful, and highly detailed.

The cover is very eye-catching and offers an accurate depiction of what readers should expect to find inside the book.

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Beyond the Moon by Catherine Taylor – Five Star Review!

Wow, where do I even begin with this one? The story starts right in the middle of the action, so we’re immediately swept into the thick of things. At first, it isn’t obvious how the story is going to play out. The tale is told through two character POVs and the shifts from one to the other are seamless.

From the beginning to the end, I didn’t want to put the book down. I just had to know what was going to happen, as I gripped the edge of my seat and read on furiously. The smallest details are taken care of, so you really feel transported into the character’s worlds.

The romance isn’t your normal time travel. I feel there was a good dose of science fiction and religious ideology entwined with the time travel narrative. I loved how everything was described and panned out. Although the book ends with a bit of mystery left, it’s an ending I quite enjoyed. I really can’t rave about this book enough and highly recommend you grab yourself a copy. If you enjoy romance, time travel, war novels, or – dare I say – science fiction and fantasy, you will love this book.

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Once in a Lifetime Opportunity Book Tour & Giveaway!

Once in a Lifetime Opportunity

by Jessica Hardy as told to Lizzie Ashworth

Genre: Memoir

Publication Date: November 4, 2019

In the mid-20th century, an entire generation of women found themselves caught up in a revolution. Young women tossed aside society’s rules that had governed women with an iron hand for hundreds of years. Suddenly women had agency, the right to their own identity. And their own sexual adventures. The story of Jessica Hardy and her seven-year marriage to Parker Grant brings that enormous cultural shift down to the personal level. As she enters college in 1966, Jessica is desperate to break out of her strict upbringing. Parker is her salvation, a graduating senior who becomes the love of her life. Newly married, they immerse in Parker’s duties as an air force officer and a world of their own making—nights in Las Vegas, windy Pacific beaches, and long summer days in the Philippine Islands. Slowly, with Parker’s encouragement, Jessica gains self-confidence and a sense of herself. But Jessica has a problem. She wants more. More knowledge, more experience, autonomy. Leaving no stone unturned, Jess breaks one rule after another—illegal abortion, drugs, one man then another, even time in jail. It’s an unexpected spiritual awakening that opens the door to the rest of her life. Once in a Lifetime Opportunity reveals this tumultuous time in a gut-wrenching portrayal of a woman determined to find her own way and the man who loved her.

Goodreads * Amazon

Early years of my life raced by with little time for writing as I pursued a technical career, raised children, and made questionable progress in learning to paint. Finally with time to write, I dedicate myself to stories of pleasure as well as the occasional editing project. I enjoy cooking, gardening, and time at the Pacific coast. Sunrise and sunset bring special moods, the twilight between two worlds–fully of creative energy. I love snuggling up with a good book most of all–and a cat or two.

Website * Facebook * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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Allison Shatters the Looking Glass by C.M. Stunich (Harem of Hearts, #3) – 5 Star Review!

Story Rating: *****
Cover Rating: A

Wow. I could not have asked for a better finale to this series, although I was really wondering how it was going there for a while. Like, you think it’s going to end one way and then it seems like it’s going to end another but it ends on an entirely different note all together. This third volume is hot, steamy, packed full of action, and as gritty and raw as I’ve come to expect from Stunich – with a touch of the whimsical, nonsensical that characterizes this series specifically. LOVED it, but kind of sad to see it end!

The cover is eye-catching and offers an accurate depiction of what readers should expect to find within the book.

Purchase: Amazon US   /   Amazon UK   /   Amazon CA