Loretta's Caterpillar (Loretta's Insects) by Lois Wickstrom

 

Loretta's Caterpillar by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loretta loves various types of bugs. This book focuses on monarch butterflies.

In May, Loretta sees a milkweed field full of monarch butterflies but shortly after seeing them, they disappear. This upsets Loretta, as she really enjoys looking at butterflies. She makes a trip to the milkweed field and sees lots of little "seeds" on the back of plants. She soon learns that these "seeds" are going to turn into caterpillars, which turn into butterflies. Loretta is able to watch the various stages in which a butterfly is formed.

I am a huge fan of Lois Wickstrom and her books!! This one is unique in that some of the words are different shaped to represent what they are saying. There is also a bit of information in the back of the book about monarch butterflies, milkweed plants, and where to obtain milkweed seeds. It also shows the differences in male and female monarchs. I learned a couple of things reading this book! This is a great book to read to anyone of any age and would be great in a homeschool, daycare, personal library, etc!

View all my reviews

The Authorpreneur Yellowpages by Winnifred Tataw

 

The Authorpreneur Yellowpages by Winnifred Tataw
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a different book for me to read but I'm trying to branch out. I chose to read this non-fiction book because I have a family member who is interested in building his business as an author.

This book is very informative for those who are wanting to branch out into the work of authorship. This is very much set up like a yellow page directory is, chocked full of information on various facets of writing and publishing. There is a checklist, a section describing the publishing process, talk of book covers with a list of resources for designers, and editing services. Other areas include publishing services, black owned and operated businesses, marketing tools, and how to obtain freelance work. Lastly, there is advice on how to find beta readers and how to/why to use an ARC (advanced reader copy). The author of this book ends with encouragement for the future writer.

If you're looking to get into the world of writing/publishing, this book would be a great resource to have handy!

View all my reviews

Grace Under Fire (The Anderson Sisters Book 2) by Jennifer Raines - Review by Julie Johnson

 

Grace Under Fire by Jennifer Raines
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

We meet up with Grace's family again in this second installment of the Anderson Sisters. Grace is an artesian cheese maker who's looking to buy her family's farm to keep it in the family. There is a lot of drama surrounding the farm and who could potentially be the next owner.

Ryan Wilson has known the Anderson family for many years. He grew up on the farm next door. His brother and Grace were very close friends until his brother's untimely death. Ryan's a runner...from people and situations. He does, however, enjoy flipping a great land deal over.

Can Grace and Ryan form an alliance to save the Anderson family farm?

This is an enjoyable read set in Australia. Jennifer Raines doesn't shy away from tackling difficult issues in her stories. The reader may find themselves in the family as they read these stories! I would suggest reading Taylor's Law if you haven't yet either! Both of these can be read as stand alones but I would recommend them both!

View all my reviews

Caspian's UnBirthday (Invisible Magic Wand) by Lois Wickstrom

 

Caspian's UnBirthday by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's Caspian's UnBirthday and Grandpa gifts him with a very unique gift. That gift will take Caspian and Grandpa on an unforgettable adventure for the day!!

This is a super cute book with superior graphics. The colors on the illustrations are very vibrant and capture the eye and will hold a listener or reader's interest while reading or hearing this story. Children will love the idea of an unbirthday gift and will likely ask for unique gifts, just as Caspian receives!

View all my reviews

Shore Lodge by Susan Specht Oram

 

Shore Lodge: A high-stakes psychological thriller by Susan Specht Oram
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a hard book to read....but it was so incredibly well written!!

Jacklyn Stone has recently lost her husband. Of course, she's absolutely heartbroken and things are happening that shouldn't. The bank accounts aren't exactly up to par, she's had a fender bender, misplaced her keys....all these things could be due to grief, or is it something more?

Dusty Stone is a contractor and the son of Jacklyn. He's recently convinced his mom to give him power of attorney over her health and finances. He's concerned that she's really losing it and needs help beyond what he or his sister Rose could provide.

Rose Stone is a hard-working single mother doing everything she can to provide for her son. She's not been the most attentive to her mother but agrees with Dusty's assessment to have their mom go to Shore Lodge for a short period of time to get some rest.

The situations that take place once Jacklyn becomes a resident of Shore Lodge are disturbing at best and horrifying at their worst. I really felt for Jacklyn in her grief and could see through several of these situations and why she reacted the way that she did.

This is my first experience reading a book by Susan Specht Oram but hopefully not my last. I'll be looking for more books as I found this one very intriguing and well written!

View all my reviews

The Muffin Shop Murder: A Delilah Crumbworthy Mystery by Holly Tierney

 

The Muffin Shop Murder: A Delilah Crumbworthy Mystery by Holly Tierney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Delilah has recently moved to Snowflake Valley and she's opening up a muffin shop. As she's getting to know the community, she meets some very interesting people who become friends to her. Those friends are starting to share some of the recent happenings around Snowflake Valley, including a recent murder at the shop that she's wanting to open.

Once Delilah gets opened up, she's running from open to close. There isn't much downtime at all and Delilah needs to hire some help. Once she starts that process, things start become more eerie. Can she keep this shop open and her sanity intact?

This was an enjoyable little mystery that I read in just a few short hours in one setting. There were a couple of times that I wanted to smack Delilah for the choices that she made but the ending made up for it all.

View all my reviews

Chatroom With A View by Glenn Maynard

 

Chatroom With A View by Glenn Maynard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you're a fan of psychological thrillers, add this one to your TBR and but read it immediately!!

Troy has been bullied his entire life and he's finally had enough. His family isn't well liked or respected in his community. The only reason Troy stays at home is to protect his mom from his dad. However, one night, Troy sees his parents in the cabin in the back yard and he realizes he has to go save his mom.

Veronica, who is Troy's ex-girlfriend, starts popping back up with some very important news. Next thing Troy knows, Veronica is moving into his house.

The holes become more numerous and deeper!

Just when you think you know what direction this book is taking, the pendulum swings and a new situation is introduced which further deepens the story. I was on the edge of my seat while reading this one!!

View all my reviews