Lilly Tames Her Worries by Carole Heaney

 

Lilly Tames Her Worries by Carole Heaney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sweet Lilly smells an awful smell one day. She soon realizes that it's her favorite bunny rabbit that goes everywhere with her. When her sister grabs her attention and they need to run out the door to catch the bus, Lilly realizes that HunnyBunny is not with her. She panics and isn't quite sure what to do. School is hard that day because she isn't feeling well. The school nurse teaches her about her amygdala and ways to calm herself down using the square breathing method. As other situations present throughtout the day, Lilly is able to build on her newfound strength and confidence to help her survive these other situations.

This is a super cute book that has excellent ideas for youngsters (and us older folk too!) in dealing with stress and anxiety. It would be a great book to have in any library and to share with those you love!

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I Am An Outer Space Alien (I am an Alien) by Lois Wickstrom

 

I Am An Outer Space Alien by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another great read by Lois Wickstrom!! She hasn't disappointed me yet, nor do I think she will. The illustrations in this book are so well done it's like they are popping off the page too! Young readers will love this story about Shirley, who is know known as Shirl, and how she doesn't feel like she fits in on Earth. She'd rather talk to aliens on her radio than play sports or eat creamed spinach like people on Earth do. Super cute read!!

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Shadowed Obsession (Shadow Defense Security Series Book 1) by Mavery Ellscott

 

Shadowed Obsession: An Action-Packed Romantic Suspense Thriller by Mavery Ellscott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is my kind of book right here!!! Give me a Navy SEAL or any other military character and a psychological maniac on the loose and weave some words together and you've got me hooked!!!

Keira O'Ryan is a PR rep and she loves her job. She's works with various entertainers so when a stalker shows up after her, it's not completely surprising. Not to mention that college ex-boyfriend who got really creepy. After receiving a series of photos on her phone, she starts to become even more alarmed.

Cade Hartford and a few of his retired military buddies run a security firm. He's recently moved in next door to Keira and senses that something is up with her. When she comes to him confessing the pictures and the strange happenings going on, Cade knows that he has to jump in and do something to be a great neighbor.

There are many things I want to say about this book but I'm not going to say much as to not ruin anything about it. Just know that if you're into a good psychological thriller, look no further than this book! It kept my attention all afternoon and I read it in one setting. The writing is very well done and the there are a few twists and turns that try to throw the reader off track (as well as the detectives). I did have it figured out pretty early but a few times I questioned whether I was right or not due to the the twists and turns. It wasn't quite as I suspected though! Buckle up and enjoy this read! I've already downloaded the prequel to this book and I look forward to reading it and future books by this author soon!!

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Leaving No Traces (A Commissario Scala Mystery in Rome) by P.J. Mann

 

Leaving No Traces by P. J. Mann
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars

If ever there was a need for a detective, I could only hope they'd be as dedicated and determined as Detective Scala!!

He's at it again, trying to sort out who is behind the disappearance of a woman last seen in a service station buying cigarrettes. All they have so far is her car and a lot of questions.

As Detective Scala digs into the case, he learns that his victim is involved in a couple of affairs. This makes his suspect list even longer than he originally thought. Also, everyone he interviews comes across as cagey and hiding information.

However, after a bunch of twists, turns, and adventures, along with a mandatory vacation, Detective Scala is able to cuff the appropiate people involved in this case.

Another very well written and entertaining mystery by P.J. Mann!

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Complicated Choices by Risa Nyman

 

Complicated Choices by Risa Nyman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars

Imagine having the weight of the world on your shoulders your senior year of high school. Responsibilities include keeping grades up, picking the right college, cleaning house, taking care of your baby brother, and taking care of your mother. That's Claire's situtation and she wasn't given a lot of choices as she entered into what should have been the best year of her life.

Claire's parents divorced a few years back and her mom went on a business trip earlier in the year. A few weeks after she returned home, she found out she was pregnant. She refused to tell Claire who the dad was and even left that spot empty on Harry's birth certificate. Everything changed when she got pregnant and Claire had to start picking up the pieces.

Claire's friends come to her aid but they have limited resources, especially when Uncle Pat starts to stick his nose into everything. Claire will stop at nothing to keep her little brother and mom together with her. Her senior year is nothing like she expected but she is also learning valuable lessons along the way.

This book was a challenging read for me. Maybe it's because I had to grow up fast and have "adult" responsibilites at a young age. Claire's story really resonated with me though. I found myself becoming angry at all the people around her who were letting her deal with all of this alone when some of them could have stepped up and helped her. Claire became so much stronger through this experience and learned to love, forgive, and plan a future that she wanted, not what others expected of her.

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The Anchor Knot (The Knot Series Book 2) by DonnaLee Overly

 

The Anchor Knot:securing the knot of truth (Knot, #6 by DonnaLee Overly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'll start off by saying that I was not aware that this was a book deep in a series when I picked it up. This can be read as a stand alone but for me, I'm going to go back and read the previous books to understand more of the back story.

This book is full of emotion...some that came to me a bit unexpected. There is also, as with any book with a political figure, lots of lies, secrets, grief and more. I appreciated that this was a clean romance novel with a sweet story of two people who are broken and needing each other.

I look forward to reading the previous books in this series and "catching up" on the characters!

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The Secrets they Hide (A Commissario Scala Mystery in Rome) by P.J. Mann

 

The Secrets they Hide by P.J. Mann
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my first read by this author and I'm looking forward to reading more by her! This is the second book in a series but was easily read as a standalone. I'm going to go back and read the first book in this series though!

This book held me from the beginning and didn't let up until the end. It's a riveting police procedural featuring a setting in Rome. What could be more interesting than a murder in a place known for their love? Just when you think you might have "whodunit" figured out, more plot twists and turns come up that will have you on the edge of your seat until the end.

Very enjoyable read!

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