The Viper’s Bloodline Awakened (The Gods’ Scion Series) by Winnifred Tataw

 

The Viper's Bloodline Awakened: The Fifth Book in the Urban Fantasy series The Gods' Scion by Winnifred Tataw
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you enjoy a lot of drama, teenage angst, action, dark magic, fantasy, and more, you'll love this book. I do caution you though, make sure to read this series in order as there are a lot of characters and moving parts. If you pick this up out of order, you'll be slightly confused for a bit and might not want to finish this spectacular series. I do believe this is my most favorite book in the series. It's hard to say much more without giving anything away! This author has a way of writing to keep you on the edge of your seat and wanting more with each book!

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Cam Creates a Hero (Courage Tales Series) by Dagmara Sitek

 

Cam Creates a Hero by Dagmara Sitek
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The world needs more kids like Cam!! While this is a kids book and a work of fiction, I wish this was a true story! Cam sees a need in his community for a hero and he designs a robot to help others. When his original design fails, Cam becomes upset until he's inspired to revive his robot in a different way. This is such a touching story and I found myself tearing up as I read it. This book has wonderful illustrations but the story is one that impact many people of all ages. Please read this book and share it with others!

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Luca Magoo, Don’t Eat The Glue (Luca Magoo Series) by Megan Delgado

 

Luca Magoo, Don't Eat The Glue: A back-to-school tale that encourages positive classroom behavior and creative expression. by Megan Delgado
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kids everywhere are going to love this story of Luca and his art class! Adults will love it too! I laughed out loud at several pages of instances that Luca was imagining himself in. The illustrations are very well done and colorful. I love the rhyming in the book and the story if very fun and imaginative! Time to get creative and ask your littles, "what would you do with glue?!"

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Life's Too Short by Abby Jimenez

 

Life’s Too Short by Abby Jimenez
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars

This book was a difficult read for me, mainly because I know and have known, several people with ALS (Amytrophic Lateral Sclerosis) throughout my life. I almost couldn't finish this book once the subject was brought up but I am so glad that I did. Also, I wasn't overly impressed with how ALS was portrayed in this story. It affects everyone differently but I don't feel like this was an accurate representation at all. I'm not an expert on it though, just have seen a lot in my lifetime.

I wanted to give this book 4.5 stars because I truly enjoyed the storyline throughout. However, the language was a major turnoff for me. I almost quit reading it because of that, but by the time I was about to put it down, I was already invested in Vanessa, Adrian, and Grace's story. I was not completely surprised by the ending, I could see it coming about halfway through. That's not an issue for me though and no points taken away for that. What really upset me was the whole "gender" issue at the end of the story. It had nothing to do with the overall story itself and could have definitely been left out.

I appreciated Vanessa's take on life and how she was able to get Adrian to respond (well, most of the time anyway). I tend to be a bit more pessimistic about life but reading this book inspired me to start looking for more stars than potholes. Everyone could use a Vanessa in their life to remind them to look on the bright side even when things are tough. I do think she could have benefitted from some counseling with Adrian though and how doing the counseling together could have further deepened their relationship.

Overall, a decent read minus the issues mentioned above.

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A Pig and a Poke by Tricia Gardella

 

A Pig and A Poke by Tricia Gardella
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you've ever grown up in the country, you've probably tried to catch a greased pig or two! Angela has a great strategy to win the greased pig. Bruce the bully has other plans though and thinks he can beat Angela at her own game. I love the pictures of the race. They are very colorful and make you want to jump in the pen with them!

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Decisions Matter (Buddy the Blue Corgi Series) by Suzanna Lynn

 

Decisions Matter: A picture book about learning right from wrong by Suzanna Lynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another great story of Buddy and his siblings! This book focuses on honesty. Buddy is being blamed for the trash being dumped over every night. He knows he's not the one doing it but can't prove who it is until one night he catches them. However, he's the one left standing in the mess as the real culprit got away before the humans got to them.

I am really enjoying this series! It is written from a Biblical basis and there is a Bible verse at the end of the story. It's a great way to share these Truths with young ones! The illustrations are also very well done throughout the story. I highly recommend this series!

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The Secret Aftermath (The Discoveries of Julia Xero Series) by Gloria Oliver

 

The Secret Aftermath: An Urban Fantasy Thriller by Gloria Oliver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book picks up where Book 1 (The Secret Humankind: An Urban Fantasy Thriller leaves off. Julia sure can't catch a break no matter how hard she tries to get ahead! Lots of action, drama, and adventure as Julia tries to thwart off a new enemy trying to beat her down.

This has been an enjoyable series so far and I look forward to more!

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The Places We Call Home by Kim Ann

 

The Places We Call Home: A picture book to remind us that home is where all love begins. by Kim Ann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a great book to share with young ones in your life. Curl up together and read about different home structures, both physically and from within. Learn about where different people can live and how they may set up their homes. The illustrations are very well done and vibrant. They will engage the youngest of readers learning more about homes. Most importantly, home is where all the love begins!

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Unmasking a Cowgirl (Match Made in Montana Series) by Rachelle Paige Campbell

 

Unmasking A Cowgirl by Rachelle Paige Campbell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love this series! It's a great clean romance with a bit of a slow burn. There's also the feature of enemies to friends to a relationship. I love getting to reconnect with characters from the previous books too! I don't want to give anything away so just trust me when I say you need to read this one!

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Good Things Take Time (Buddy the Blue Corgi Series) by Suzanna Lynn

 

Good Things Take Time by Suzanna Lynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is such a beautifully written book about the importance of patience!! Buddy is seeing his brothers and sisters going away from the farm. People come and look at them everyday. Momma explains that it's time for them to go to their forever homes. One day, Buddy looks around and he's the only pup left in his litter. His mom very lovingly explains that his time hasn't come yet.

The illustrations are very colorful and well done! The story does come from a Biblical basis and there is one Bible verse quoted within at the end. This is a great book for any library and I highly recommend it, especially if you know someone struggling with patience.

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Miss Georgiana Darcy’s Quest For Love ~ A Pride And Prejudice Variation Novelette (Love Through The Ages Series) by TL Clark

 

Miss Georgiana Darcy’s Quest For Love: A Pride And Prejudice Variation Novelette by T.L. Clark
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars

This very quick-read novelette features one of the Pride and Prejudice characters that Ms. Jane Austen wrote about. Georgiana is looking for love and a house party ensues to find her a suitable partner.

This book is so short that it's hard to say much more about it without giving away any parts. I did find it a bit difficult to get into but once I did finally "get in the groove", it was almost over. It's an enjoyable read but not a favorite of mine.

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Made to Love Her (Moore Family Saga Novella) by Michele Sims

 

Made to Love Her: Romantic Suspense Novella by Michele Sims
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars

This is a pretty short read (about 60 pages) so the story moves pretty quickly. Cade and Lecia are going to Greece where Cade is playing several concerts with his band during the Millennial Olympic Games. It's been awhile since Cade and Lecia have been away by themselves having small children at home. Pretty quickly, drama starts to ensue in an elevator (I hope I never experience what they did!) and things escalate from there.

This book kept my attention throughout and I read it in just under an hour. I have not read any of this author's previous work and I felt a little disjointed at times, like I should already know these characters. An enjoyable book overall with a suspenseful storyline!

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You Are Special (Buddy the Blue Corgi Series) by Suzanna Lynn

 

You Are Special by Suzanna Lynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Buddy is a Blue Corgi and he doesn't look like the other siblings in his litter. He doesn't know it until one day a horse on the farm points it out. Buddy becomes very upset until his mom comes to comfort him.

This book is a great way to talk to kids about differences, whether it be in the way they look, different abilities, etc. There is a Bible verse at the end and this is written to be very inspirational. I highly recommend this book! The reader even gets to meet the real life Buddy at the end of the book!

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Forever to Fall (Buckeye Falls Book 5) by Libby Kay

 

Forever to Fall by Libby Kay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I absolutely love this series!! I love all the characters and Buckeye Falls sounds like the kind of place that I could find a forever home in.

I love the story of Mallory and Beckett's childhood. It's one that girls dream of. You "marry" your best friend and just love life. Such an innocent type of love. Does that kind of love really exist though into adulthood? Can it grow into something more? Beckett is coming back to the farm for his friend Evan's wedding. Beckett remembers how he felt about Mallory, but does she? So many unanswered questions as these two are then thrust into best man and maid of honor duties.

I wish I could visit Buckeye Falls and get some of those apples they keep talking about!

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An Ember of Hope (War of Destiny Series) by Theresa Van Spankeren

 

An Ember of Hope: War of Destiny by Theresa Van Spankeren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've enjoyed this series of books and this one did not disappoint either. There are some very dark moments for Matthew in this book but ultimately, he receives the redemption he's been seeking. The writer of this series has put a lot of thought into the character development and storyline and I highly recommend reading these in order. While this book takes place between books 2 and 3, you could read this one out of order but should probably read those books first for better context.

A very challenging series but an enjoyable one!

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Andrew’s Armor by Jill Monaco

 

Andrew's Armor by Jill Monaco
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Andrew's parents have a treasure chest for him from the time he's just a baby. They are always encouraging him, telling him how strong and courageous he is. As Andrew grows, different toys appear in the treasure chest. One day, he finds some armor in there. He puts it on and runs around feeling stronger and braver than ever! Then, one day something happens and he puts his armor away. Nothing makes me feel strong or brave anymore. Notes start appearing on his armor, encouraging him to put it back on.

This book is very well written and describes the spiritual relationship of picking up our armor daily and fighting for the cause of Christ. It is a great way to encourage young children to be strong and brave, while also teaching them Biblical principals.

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Midnight Falls by John Evans

 

Midnight Falls by John (ronin) Evans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I almost put this book down before finishing it. It started off very rough, very slow, and I wasn't quite sure where it was going. There was enough there to keep me intrigued so I made it through. There are twists and turns you won't see coming and the story ended up coming together well in the end.

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Picking Pismo by Emi Hilton

 

Picking Pismo by Emi Hilton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed reading this clean romance novel about Claire, her sister Alexis, and Dr. David Clark. Who knew an orthodontist appointment could lead to a whirlwind romance amidst the losses that have been recently faced! Enjoy seeing these two souls, along with a young girl, grow up and learn more about life and love in the process.

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