Jessica

I thought this book was perfect. This book really kept my son's interest throughout and gave me the perfect way to get him interested in art. I love how at the end there is an index containing the information about each peice of art used throughout the book.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I read this with my 6 year old son. We had a blast! There is so much going on in the illustrations with Roly-Poly Monster hopping all over the page leaving a dotted line trail behind him as he explores the zoo. My son enjoyed tracing the trail with his finger! The story itself was written with a mix of words that he could sound out and others that I had to read. Taking turns reading became game and soon he was really concentrating on trying to sound out the larger more complicated words. I usually have a hard time getting him in the mood to read with me but this book grabbed his attention right from the beginning. It also gave me the perfect opportunity to show him how a map and key work using an illustrated railroad map in the book (his favorite page)! I had a hard time getting my tablet back from him.
Big round of applause to both the author and illustrator!

I really liked how this book began when the female main character was a young child. An innocent gesture of a very curious little girl causes a blood bond to be formed between herself and a vampire who lives next door. Everyone he kills while feeding she has a nightmare about the act. The vampire feels the little girl'suick girl's knowledge of his true nature is threat to him but can't seem to make himself ‘ttake care of the problem'. Years later he kidnaps her and curiosity turns to budding romance. The vampire is soon feeling emotions he thought had died the night he became a vampire. This was quick read consisting of around 100 pages. I liked the charaters and felt they worked well together. NOT A CLIFFHANGER (Yes there is a second in the series but the story doesn't just stop and require you to read the next book to know what happened with the main couple). I am curious to see where the next story takes us.

My six year old read this tonight to me for our ‘Three Books a Week For Summer Break Challenge'. This was perfect for him. Long enough that I felt it was sufficient for summer reading but also short enough that it kept his interest. The illustrations are bright and crisp. The sentences rhyme making it fun. Roly-Poly is full of energy just like my rambunctious little boy.

This is the best book I have read in a long time.
 
I can't fathom the courage it took to write and publish a novel admitting to one's transgressions and take ownership to them. The author's honesty and ability to take her emotions and turn them into a literary masterpiece has made her my new hero.
 
C.J. and Levi's relationship is not a happy one. C.J. doesn't realize the extent of her unhappiness until she meets Grant and instantly finds herself attracted to him. She knows the smart thing to do is to stay away from him but continually finds reasons to be near him. They share a lot of the same interests and hobbies making easy to enjoy each other. When they are apart C.J. finds herself thinking about him constantly.
 
This is a true story of a woman's journey down path towards love and happiness. Should she do the ‘right' thing and fight for her marriage to Levi who drives her absolutely insane? Should she take a chance on a man she has the time of her life with but has a reputation of being a man that ‘will never settle'? She feels her parents, brother, friends, daughter, and especially husband would never understand or forgive her if she broke up her marriage.
 
I recommend this book to everyone. It is geared towards adults but I WOULD NOT rate it XXX. So many books now are just a reason to read about sex. This one is not. I love how the author was able to describe intense feelings of love and lust with making it penthouse forum with a pretty cover.
 
I am pretty sure I am correct when I say that not only has this author had the courage to pour her heart out and publish it, she also put her face on the cover. 
 
I read this book in one sitting, at the beach, unable to put it down. I was so into the book that I forgot about sunscreen and now have a horrible sunburn. 

This is awesome!! Keeps my daughter busy and encourages her to be creative and unique. The front cove states: OVER 150 INSPIRING IDEAS TO GET YOU DRAW! That's exactly what this is. Each page is unique.

This was way better than I expected. Rosalind James has gained herself a new loyal fan. I used to read only books from this genre, but drifted away for a while. This book has inspired me to drift back.

This is the story of a blooming love between Zoe and Cal. Zoe is a career driven woman. Cal is an ex-NFL player. Cal meets Zoe when her car goes off the road in the snow. When Zoe catches the attention of a stalker, Cal is determined to protect her.

In a lot of romantic suspense novels either the romance, or the suspense is lacking. This does not suffer from that. There is sex but it is not distasteful. I recommend this to fans of Carla Neggers, Diana Palmer, Linda Howard.

I love the way this cookbook is physically put together. It is hardcover with a physical binding but on the inside it is help together with a ringed binder. I can prop it up and still flip through the pages.

Arcadia Britannica  
This is a collection of photographs taken by Henry Bourne at many British folklore festivals. These festivals are well known for not only their music and story telling, but also the wonderful display of costumes worn by the revelers. 
 
This isn't a book you pick up to read. As another reviewer stated, it is a ‘coffee table book'. There is a short introduction at the beginning of the book but other than that, it is full of colorful photographs of various costumes depicting modern day interpretations of British folklore. 
 
While looking through this book the first thing that popped through my head was...Look at all the wonderful costume ideas. I am already putting some of the costumes onto pattern. 

UPDATE: EVERYONE WHO COMES TO MY HOUSE PICKS THIS UP TO LOOK AT. LAST SATURDAY, WE HAD A BBQ PARTY. WE ENDED OUTSIDE AT THE PICNIC TABLE PASSING THIS BOOK AROUND AND RESEARCHING ALL THE FOLKLORE THAT INSPIRED THE MANY COSTUMES. TWO HOURS OF ENTERTAINMENT THAT NOT ONLY HELD THE ADULTS ATTENENTION, BUT THE KIDS ALSO. WE ALL HAD A GREAT TIME.

It is Ally-saurus' first day of kindergarten. Ally is obsessed with dinosaurs. At school she roars her hellos and chops her lunch like dinosaur. She also makes friend with a few princesses, an astronaut, a dragon, a lion, some pirates at recess, and boy who really likes his lunch box.

This is a cute story about making friends with people with different interests. It has cute illustrations that uniquely display all the children's imaginations. The ‘real world is drawn in black and white, but the children's imaginary selves are added in crayon.

This would be great for any beginner grade child who is nervous about starting school.

I received this goodreads first reads.

This book is very user friendly. It reads similar to cookbook letting you know the supplies you need before you start. I have read other jewelry/bead DIY books and so many are difficult to follow. The step by step picture instructions make it easy to follow than following a written instructions. Great design ideas.

This is a mystery novel with a gritty feeling. You have ex-cons, an S&M club, and detailed descriptions of violence, abuse, and death. The characters are complex and stay true to character. There are no major plot holes and the grammar is fine.

This story starts out slow, but picks up speed after about a quarter of the way into it. The story is easy to understand. The plot is unique, I have never read anything similar to this.

I enjoyed this story, and the author had me guessing the outcome until the very end. Ozzy Stone is now one of my favorite book boyfriends. He is polite, tough, sure of himself, and wise. There were a couple of times that I had to reread a chapter to make sure I had read it right. I think some of the rereads were wishful thinking. This story toes the line between darkly descriptive and darkly disturbing style.

This is not for everyone. If you enjoy mystery novels and mind a story that delves into riskier topics, you will enjoy this. I look forward to more Stone and Blade thrillers in the future.

I won this in a giveaway.

Easy to navigate instructional manual.

This is a great addition to my husband's automotive reference collection. Easy to follow, step by step instructions with in color photos to help aleviate any confusion.

This couldn't have came at a better time. One of the mechanics at my husband's shop was having difficulties tearing into the rear end of a Chevy at the exact time this came in the mail. The problem was remedied quickly with the help of this book.

Being a curious person, and a very nonmechanically inclined person I decided to thumb through this book myself. I actually understood what they were doing as they reassembled parts.

Miss Timberlane probably doesn't wear socks. Maybe she doesn't even have feet. I can't tell because she is always behind that enormous brown desk in our school office.

This is a really great book for children 4+. It is hard to keep a child's attention for long. This has the perfect balance of pictures to words. If a page has too few words, the child doesn't get enough time to investigate the illustrations without interrupting the flow of the story. If a page has too many words, a child's eyes will wonder and they won't focus on what is being read to them. The illustrations are bright and full of things to look at. The story gives the reader many opportunities to use their imagination in how they portray each character and scene. I highly recommend this book. It would make a wonderful addition to any child's, teachers, school, or public library.



Received book for honest review

This book is so cute. Lottie uses her new beach towel creatively to save the day over and over again in this cute book. My son (kindergarten) really enjoyed that he could successfully sound out most of the words in this book by himself. Most books that he can read by himself have a boring story line but this one didn't. He borrowed this book from the library and enjoyed it so much that we ordered a copy for him to add to his collection.

My counselor had me read this a while back when I first started taking suboxone. This helped me to better understand the road ahead of me.

Perfect for my six year old son to read alone or together. One of his favorite books.

Includes Danny and the Dinosaur; Happy Birthday, Danny and the Dinosaur; Danny and the Dinosaur Go To Camp.

Samantha Victoria nailed it with this one! This book is nicely written and wrapped in an amazing cover. I love the cover so much on this book that I want a blown up replica of it to frame and hang on my wall.

The way this book is written is what makes it so special. The words flow beatifully and the character's personalities stay consistant throughout the entire story. This story line is not all that original but it didn't feel like I was reading a story that I had already read like so many other books like this tend to do.


Cheyenne was raised in a Sons of Anarchy like family. She leaves town in hopes of putting her dysfunctional past behind her and begin a new life after her mother was murdered by a rival biker gang. She moves in with her best friend Tabby who also left the biker life behind for a fresh start. She meets Joss who happens to be a little bit of a bad boy himself with a closet full of skeletons. She tries to steer clear of but can't seem to stop herself falling for him.

I hope this author has more to come in the future. I received the book in exchange for an honest review but I would willingly have paid for it considering how much I enjoyed. I honestly feel guilty for having received this for free.

Winner of the Gulf Coast Chapter of Romance Writers of America's Silken Sands Self-Published Star Contest, Young Adult Category

Winner of the Maryland Romance Writers Reveal Your Inner Vixen contest, Young Adult category

Main characters: Jay (cyborg) and Tyler (outcast)

The book begins with a Jay, a cyborg, being commanded by her father/creator, Dr. Alexander Jay Durham, to kill him...

 
“I. Do. Not. Want... to do this... Father.”    Alex's eyelids flew open and he choked on a gasp. Real tears glistened in her eyes. It should have been impossible for her to fight the command, impossible for her to produce tears.    A malfunction or a miracle? Only time would tell. And Alex had run out of time.    He snatched a deep breath and clasped his hands, settling them into his lap. His eyelids drifted closed. “Cyborg Unit Gamma-Dash-One, commence sequence J-O-H-N-3-colon-16.”    “Commencing sequence J-O-H-N-3-colon-16,” the cyborg repeated. “I love you, Father.” And in one swift, efficient movement, she broke the old man's neck.     As humans often liked to do in such circumstances, she closed her eyes, honoring her creator and his contribution to this world with a minute of silence and utter stillness. She would have preferred to bury him but that was not part of the plan.

In honor of her creator she names herself Jay.

Jay moves to a middle class town and does her best to blend in and conceal her identity. She signs up for school, what would be more out of place than a teenage girl not attending school.

Tyler, high school student with a talent for writing music and portraiture, is tormented by the other kids in his class and often referred to as a freak. He wished he could go some place new and reinvent himself. He meets Jay and insta crush on the new hot girl.

 

Jay is doing her best to fit in but continually does things that a typical teenage girl wouldn't. She finds herself feeling emotions beyond what she programmed to feel.

 

This is a sweet story and so far I am really enjoying this book. 

John Collings' book Hell and God and Nuns With Rulers, gives us a peek into the life of a teenage boy named Tristan. His parents are Catholic and have injected as much religion into his life as possible. He goes to Catholic school, attends church every Sunday, and is now taking classes to be confirmed in the Catholic Church.

Tristan meets a boy named Edward at a party. They kiss, he likes it. His reaction to the kiss scares him. His entire life his parents and church has taught him that he should find a nice woman to marry and have children with. He worries that his feelings towards this other boy are a sin. As much as he tries, he can't make his feelings go away. He decides to have an ‘inside the closet' relationship with Edward. He quickly learns that things are hard to keep secret. All it takes is one slip up and you are the new town scandal. Everyone knows about their relationship, even his parents. No one treats him the same anymore, his father can't tolerate being in the same room with him.

My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book. The parts that talk about the pressures many Catholic teens feel were so familiar to me.

In first grade, we memorized the Our Father. In second grade, we learned everything we needed to know to receive the holy sacrament of Eucharist. The next year, we learned all about Mother Mary and topped it all off with Hail Mary—not the moment the Pittsburg Steelers made it to the Super Bowl, but the name of the prayer they said to make it there. In fourth grade, we worried ourselves sick about having to confess our sins for the first time. By the end of fifth grade, they forced us to memorize the Ten Commandments, and in sixth grade they asked us to not only to recite Apostle's Creed, but to understand it's meaning as well. I really struggled in the seventh grade...

I remember this too. My Catholic parents and teachers used God as a scare tactic to make me follow their rules. I was expected to be the perfect Catholic girl in every aspect of my life. I think some of the pressure is what turned me away from the religion the minute I was out of my parent's home.

Tristan's problems are far worse than mine ever were. This book gave me a realistic idea of how it must feel to be terrified of feelings you can't control. He feels happy when he is with Edward, but is a nervous wreck about the repercussions he might have face if he continues to have a relationship with him. How will his relationship with his parents, friends, and God come out after all of this? Is his attraction to other males a one time thing, or will he be like this forever?

Excerpts from the book that really stood out to me:

...”Have you had intercourse with that boy?” “Mom!” My dad sided with her. “Well, have you, Tristan?” “Dad, how could you ever think that? We've only gone on one date.” My dad turned away from me in digust. “Oh, but you've thought about having sex with that boy, haven't you?” I just sat there with nothing to say. Mostly, I just felt numb. My mom shook her head back and forth. “Tristan, where did you get this crazy idea about being gay? Television? Music? Public School?” “Mom, it has nothing to do with any of that. I just like boys.” My dad turned around to face me again, “No, Tristan, you do not just like boys. I will not have a gay son. Do you hear me? You are not gay. You're just going through some phase. We can fix you and you will want to be fixed.”

After this, his parent tell him he will be attending Sister Corregio's Apostolate to be taught how not to be gay.

This written from Tristan's point of view. The author is a very talented writer. He is an English teacher at an alternative high school in Colorado, the grammar in his writing is top notch.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants more insight into the conflict between religion and homosexuality. If you are greatly opposed to homosexuality you may find this book offensive.

Received through Goodreads First Reads

Parts of this book were great others were not so great. Skimmed through parts but I will put rest of series on my to read list. Lot's of sex.

Greif stricken heroine can't move forward with life plus a hero who has also experienced loss. Heroine is human and hero is selkie. They happen to be mates. Throw in a powerful bad guy wanting to use said heroine to procreate with.

It is a very cute book but it confused my son who is in kindergarten and learning to read. The animals in the book are fictious animals and my son doesn't get that even though the word is printed in the book it is not a real word. The pictures really grasp his attention. Kudos to the illustrator!

Super Fly Guy saves the day in each of the books. Good for children ages k-2 grade.

Well written but it felt rushed. It took me half the book to realize I had read this before.

Five Steps by Tim I. Gurung John is devasted after his wife and son die in an explosion. A month after the explosion he visits the site of their death. While looking around he finds a computer memory stick; the only thing saved on them is a list of five phone numbers. He can't help but wonder if the numbers are somehow connected to the explosion and decides investigate the people connected to them. Within a month he sells his home and most his belongings then sets of on a quest for answers. 
 
This is an inspirational story of moving past grief and finding reasons to live again.