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 Woolly and Me
Woolly and Me
Quentin Gréban | 2018 | Children
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Woolly and Me by Quentin Greban is a story that shows the power of a young child's imagination. This is a charming book that is packed full of playful imagination and lots of love. A little girl has a woolly mammoth for her best friend. She plays with him and nurtures him and includes him in everything that she does.

They ride in the car, go to the grocery store together, paint fun pictures, go biking outside, take ballet lessons, and teaches him how to use the bathroom properly. She gently comforts him when he is frightened of monsters at bedtime or gets scared on the roller coaster at the local fair. She bandages up his many boo boos when he has been hurt.

At the end of the story there is a twist. The twist will both surprise and delight the reader sparking both conversion and laughter. The illustrations are whimsical, witty and fun. I enjoyed the book and I highly recommend it to readers of all ages.
  
Dark Tomorrow
Dark Tomorrow
Jeremiah Franklin | 2018 | Dystopia, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Action Packed Read
I will start by saying that whatever you do, don't start to read this right before bedtime because once you start you won't be able to put it down as that's what happened to me and so I read it until I reached the last page.

The author's worldbuilding is so realistic that you are immediately transported into the middle of this post-apocalyptic world that has been decimated by a virus and you can practically hear the ever-present crows.

Sawyer, Sara, and Mason are truly a force to be reckoned with as we learn of their heartaches and witness how strong they are to endure the harshness and perils of the world. All the characters, from the good to the bad are strong and well developed.

The author has written this in such a way that you often feel like it could really happen. This action-packed powerhouse of a story will keep you on the edge of your seat and I highly recommend it
  
The Lodgers (2017)
The Lodgers (2017)
2017 | Horror
Bizarre, enjoyable.
269. The Lodgers. This was a bizarre tale, but I enjoyed still... It takes place in 1920 Ireland and tells the story of twin siblings Rachel and Edward as their 18th birthday approaches, and a destiny to fulfill... Not to weird right? But I didn't mention that they have to follow some strict rules in this house!! And one of the big ones is bedtime, because the night belongs to their parents, ya know the ones that died a few years back, by committing suicide in a lake... yea. Did I mention that their parents were also twin siblings? And their parents before them?? So there is that. Edward is a ghost of a person, never leaves the house completely depends on Rachel, and seems to be ok with succumbing to their fate, while Rachel is looking for a way out, and she might be a little more devious than she lets on. You be the judge! Some cool imagery, and definitely creepy at times, a cool tale to check out... filmbufftim on FB
  
The Girl on the Train
The Girl on the Train
Paula Hawkins | 2016 | Mystery, Thriller
8
7.6 (173 Ratings)
Book Rating
Wow, I really didn't expect to like this book that much. I had recently read Gone Girl, which this isn't that similar other than it features twisted, damaged people, but was looking for something that felt close to the same. I was almost sorry that I decided to pick this up as I literally could not put it down and ended up staying up past my bedtime yesterday.

Rachel, the narrator, is an alcoholic mess who had just reached my OMG-just-quit-whinging-already! threshold when the author wisely moved the story forward. She still had her pathetic moments but I empathized with her and hoped she'd stop drinking and get help. The book was paced well and had just enough of the other two points of view from Megan and Anna as not to feel like an intrusion. I wasn't surprised by the whodunnit aspect since I had long suspected that character, but kudos to the author for keeping me on my toes with the other possibilties. I really enjoyed reading about the characters, situations and would be interested in Paula Hawkins' next book.
  
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Matefinder (Matefinder, #1)
Leia Stone | 2014
8
7.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
I do not consider myself an expert on werewolf and vampire lore, but I do find them highly fascinating. Matefinder is a quick read, with an interesting story and unique characters.

I have had this book sitting on my nightstand for almost a year, waiting for me to pick it up. I am so glad I finally did. Kai and Aurora's story kept my eyes glued to the page till I finished it well past my bedtime last night.

Aurora is a strong female lead and she carries a powerful gift with her. She has overcome so much, survived so much. Discovering who she is and the strength and power she carries is an incredible thing to witness. Passionate (clean) kisses, intense fight scenes, tenderness, and a family/pack bond that is thicker than blood. If you enjoy books with vampires and werewolves, I recommend Matefinder to you.

**I would consider the rating to be PG-13.**

I received a complimentary copy of Matefinder from the author as part of a giveaway that I won. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
  
YU
Yours Until Dawn
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Yours Until Dawn is an enchanting novel about a nurse, Samatha Wickersham, and Gabriel Fairchild, a man left scarred and blinded from war.

The banter and encounters with each other throughout the book are wonderful. The wit made me laugh out loud many times. Out of all the romance books I've read, in which some you like the heroine more than the hero and vice versa, Samantha and Gabriel are two of the most well drawn out characters, and I liked them equally. I grew to love these characters, and they are definitely two of my favorites ever.

The big 'surprise twist' near the end I figured out pretty early in the book, but it shocked me still the same because I was hoping it wasn't the case, but alas, it was. While it kind of jolted the book off it's path, the end almost made up for it, but I still think it would have been a better book if TM hadn't written that part. Still, on the whole it's a terrific book.

Yours Until Dawn will keep you up way past bedtime, as it did with me, so I'd recommend starting it early as you will not be able to put it down. A wonderful, touching book. Magical!
4.5/5 stars
  
A World Full of Animal Stories: 50 favourite animal folk tales, myths and legends by Angela McAllister is a beautiful and interesting book of folktales and legends that celebrate animals and culture. These stories are brought to life as the reader travels the globe to Africa, Asia, North and South America, Europe, Australia and Oceania.

It is a book full of cultural stories, with strong messages and wonderful illustrations. Familiar stories such as The Billy Goats Gruff, The Nightingale, and The Ugly Duckling are in the book so the reader will learn where those stories came from. In the contents guide it has each of the stories listed under the continent they belong to, with the country that relates to the story in brackets next to its title, which is useful for finding a specific story or learning about a certain region.

The stories are not long, which makes it perfect for bedtime stories. One story a night will give your child something to think and talk about. This would also would be great for the classroom, particularly when learning about different cultural stories and traditions.

I received an ARC of A World Full of Animal Stories from NetGalley via Quarto Publishing Group and Frances Lincoln Childrens. 
  
Waking Gods (Themis Files #2)
Waking Gods (Themis Files #2)
Sylvain Neuvel | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.6 (9 Ratings)
Book Rating
Sleeping Giants was one of my favorite books of 2016 so I was super excited to read Waking Gods. As with Giants, I was hooked from page one and found myself delaying bedtime in order to finish it. The format and structure of this duology, along with the author's writing style, is great. Telling the story through interviews, case files, log transcripts, and character pov's is unique and interesting and works quite well, in my opinion.

I have to say I was surprised by a lot of the events in Waking Gods. I'm not sure exactly where I expected the story to go after the first book but this wasn't it lol. The sheer number of deaths, especially the deaths of certain main characters, was definitely a shock.

The ending, including the reason for and solution to the impending apocalyptic doom, felt somewhat underwhelming after so much build up. The subplot involving Eva could have used a little more development as well.

Overall, I truly enjoyed Waking Gods and The Themis Files as a whole and I still think it would make a great movie! Sylvain Neuvel is a talented author and I'm looking forward to reading whatever he comes out with in the future. *Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!*
  
Sanctum (Asylum, #2)
Sanctum (Asylum, #2)
Madeleine Roux | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry, Mystery, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Thriller, Young Adult (YA)
6
8.0 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
3.5 stars
Once again, Madeleine has kept me up way past my bedtime, scared to go to sleep with the lights off. It worries me that I felt so compelled to read Sanctum, the second book in the Asylum series, considering how much I hate being scared. But I did feel compelled and I did read the book - with the lights on, I might add. Of course, to help relieve some of my fear, I did my best to read the whole book in one sitting instead of trying to sleep with unanswered questions scrambling around inside my head. The pictures provided in Sanctum, thankfully, were a lot less creepy than those in Aslyum, though the plot left the same fearful chill. It was pretty amazing to watch everything come together and grow into something so much bigger than I could have ever imagined. Even if I hadn't been aware beforehand that there is a third book, I would immediately know that Dan's story is not over - not when he still possesses that red stone. I don't claim to be a fortune teller, but I foresee more trouble heading Dan's way and I have a feeling that stone is at the center of it. It'll be interesting to see how Madeleine intertwines more into this already complex story. I look forward to unraveling more of Daniel Crawford's mysteries.
  
The Berenstain Bears Go Christmas Caroling
The Berenstain Bears Go Christmas Caroling
Mike Berenstain, Jan Berenstain | 2019 | Children, Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
If you're a Berenstain Bears fan growing up. Then this book is a must-have for your collection or your child's bookshelves. This book deals with the Christmas season and the tradition of Christmas caroling. This one put the bear family on a sleigh and caroling of Jingle Bells.

Sister Bear seems to have questions about some of the Christmas carols that are sung. You learn about some sweetly. This book takes us on a journey through the neighborhood and sings songs. The pictures are done well. Quick and easy to read.

It is also good to add to your advent calendar if you open new books and old ones for your advent calendar. You can create a new tradition by doing so. You can just read it at bedtime. Children will learn new things throughout the book and teach a lesson differently.

The Berenstain Bears Go Christmas Caroling is good for the season and holiday. These books are best for teaching and just learn some lessons. Children will learn something from each book. The pictures are done well. They are cute and enjoyable. Parents will want to read these books to their child or children throughout the year. These books are classics and a favorite. They will become a favorite of your child or children once you get them reading them. They are a favorite of mine and still are.