Needles, the Forgotten Christmas Tree by Richard Wagner

 

Needles, the Forgotten Christmas Tree by Richard Wagner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is about the power of never giving up. Needles was teased and taunted by the bigger trees in the lot. He always vowed to stand up taller but he was still shorter and had fewer branches than the others. He was the last tree on the lot when he was delivered to a family who subsequently put him on the curb. A sweet young girl named Emily and her mom see Needles and take him home for their tree. Needles had a very important job to do now and he was going to be the best Christmas tree ever!

This is a super cute book that can be read anytime of the year but especially around the Christmas holidays. It has a great message of perseverance!

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Look! There are No Dinos Inside of This Book (Look No See Series) by Jimmy Vee

 

Look! There Are No Dinos Inside Of This Book by Jimmy Vee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dangerous Dave will have the kiddos laughing as they try to explain to him that there are, in fact, dinos inside of this book! This is a super fun, rhyming, interactive story that will have the kids pointing to the obvious while Dangerous Dave is trying to convince them otherwise.

A great book for a preschool or kindergarten class up to around 2nd grade. It's fun to read out loud to them but would be great to have them read it to you as well!

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The King's Gold (Kingdom of Mir) by Lois Wickstrom

 

The King's Gold by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another great story from Lois Wickstrom! In this story, the King's goblet is missing. He tasks Wynnie, his young advisor, to locate it. Wynnie pretty much already suspected where it was and she quickly found the goblet. Before she'd let the King have it back, she asked a series of questions and established a new relationship between the King and a thief.

This is a great story to read aloud or have read to you. Kids will love the dragon and the story!

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Finding Cleo: A Sensual Romantic Suspense by Jennifer Raines

 

Finding Cleo: A Sensual Romantic Suspense by Jennifer Raines
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am a fan of Jennifer Raines and this book did not disappoint! It has everything you'd want in terms of emotions: happiness, sadness, worry, regret, love, anger, and the list goes on! She spends a good deal of time getting you emotionally invested in the lives of her characters to the point that you feel like they may be your next door neighbor. Then you just can't help but be sucked into the story and before you know it, a few hours have passed by and your done reading the story. This one is no exception!

Let's talk about this book cover first though....it's gorgeous! I love the setting and the colors. Book covers often times don't get enough credit. While I realize that they are rarely in the control of the author, they deserve some love too!

Cleo is doing everything she can to live her life without her father, who was "accidentally killed" while doing some research. For all intents and purposes, she's without her mother too but by choice after she moved on with her life and another man.

Jack is interested in the unsolved mystery of a Scandinavian man and soon learns the whereabouts of his daughter. He's interested in pairing up with her to see if they can put this mystery to bed....but Jake's also trying to see what, or who else, he can put to bed.

There are twists and turns, ups and downs and Cleo and Jack seek out answers about Cleo's dad. They learn more about each other and have an undeniable attraction that needs to be investigated as well.

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The Forgotten Garden: A Children's Chapter Book about Kindness, Teamwork, and the Magic of Pollinators by G Pa Rhymes

 

The Forgotten Garden: A Children's Chapter Book About Kindness, Teamwork and the Magic of Pollinators by G Pa Rhymes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Anytime I pick up a G Pa Rhymes book, I know I'm in for a great story! This one was a little longer than others I have read but it's such a fun adventure to be on! G Pa Rhymes and his friends from the Boardwalk find a bottle with a note in it. They soon discover that there is a Forgotten Garden that needs attention. They spend some time locating this garden and along the way picking up new friends and solving riddles.

This is a great book to read aloud to younger ones or would be a great nighttime chapter read for a budding reader. There are a lot of rhymes and riddles and we see the characters from other books come into the scene.

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Reign of Fear (Fearless Book 4) by Glede Browne Kabongo

 

Reign of Fear by Glede Browne Kabongo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked this one up because the back synopsis grabbed me from the get-go. Then I saw it was book 4 of a series, and the last book for that series at that. I almost put it back but decided to give it a go and I'm so glad that I did. This can be read as a stand-alone, although you miss some history with the characters involved. That just entices me to go back and read the previous stories in this series!

Abbie and Kristina have some long-standing history between them. They haven't seen each other in years and that's probably for the best. You see, Kristina was madly in love with the man Abbie is married to. As soon as she saw the ring, Kristina vowed revenge.

Abbie is cool, calm, and collected just as any neuropsychologist should be and since she and Ty have married and started a family, Abbie is all about protecting them at all costs. Kristina is a bit of a hot head and really underestimates the lengths that Abbie is willing to go.

This story filled with rage, anger, jealousy, and so much more will keep you on the edge of your seat. There are twists and turns around every corner and your mind will be questioning your choices should you have been in the book. It's one to plan to read marathon-style so get your drinks and snacks ready before you settle in and have to finish before you quit!

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Just Desserts and Murder: A Temperance Matthews Cozy Mystery (Little Bakery Cozy Mystery Series Book 1) by Lucinda Race

 

Just Desserts and Murder: A Temperance Matthews Cozy Mystery by Lucinda Race
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love a good introduction to a new author and this is apparently the start of a new series too!
Temperance Matthews has dreamed for years of opening a bakery in the beautiful Oak Hollow. One day that dream came to fruition, but it was so very short lived. Her bakery goes up in flames and a body is found on site. It's bad enough that she lost her dream bakery, but she soon learns that her assistant has lost her boyfriend, as he was the victim. Another person was stabbed too! A lot of questions start to swirl and it's not long before the Temperance finds herself leaning on her background in the FBI. How can she ever prove who did this?

This is such a fun, cozy read! I love Hank, Temperance's dachshund dog and faithful companion. The story will keep you engaged and I'm very excited for the next adventure for these two. While this is the first book in the series, the author has already let us know that these books can be read as standalones.

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