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    My Town : Hospital

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    Experience the excitement of a busy hospital in My Town : Hospital! There are endless stories your...

The Perfect Family
The Perfect Family
Robyn Harding | 2021 | Fiction & Poetry, Thriller
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A tense look at a family pushed to the brink
The Adler family looks perfect to outsiders. Good jobs for husband Thomas and wife Viv, two lovely children in Eli and Tarryn, and a gorgeous home. But things begin to crack when they wake up one morning and find that gorgeous home covered in eggs. They are sure it was just a prank by some neighborhood kids. But it's followed by a smoke bomb, punctured tires, and more. Thomas sets up cameras, but they only catch shadows. The police offer little help. As things escalate with each supposed prank, the family grows more and more fearful. Especially because every family member is keeping a secret--and as the violence against them grows, the secrets only get worse.

"But the people who lived there only looked perfect. They had done horrible things."

This is definitely a page-turner with some twists. There's a lot going on in THE PERFECT FAMILY--each family member has secrets and lies. It's an interesting premise, that dark secrets can pull everyone apart, even entire families. I was always expecting just a little bit more: a slightly bigger secret or surprise than what happened here. Still, the book offers an excellent commentary on keeping secrets and putting pressure on your children. It was difficult to find a character to root for, though the two Adler children were certainly sympathetic. I also found the ending to lack a bit of resolution.

"I realized that everyone in my family had secrets. And mine might be the worst of all."

Overall, though, this mystery offers thrills and twists. While it wasn't perfect (ha) for me, I enjoyed it. It's not my favorite Robyn Harding book, but it's worth a read. The twisted dynamics of the Adler family are intriguing and often terrifying, especially as the suspense ramps up. 3.5 stars.

I received a copy of this book from Gallery Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
  
Mickey on the Move: Farming
Mickey on the Move: Farming
Michelle Wagner | 2022 | Children
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Mickey on the Move Farming is about a little boy who is severely deaf in both his ears. This adventure is the second that comes after Mickey on the Move. This book discusses cochlear implants and what might happen if they get wet. If you want to learn about Mickey and his cochlear implants, read Mickey on the Move.

As Mickey on the Move: Farming continues to talk about the cochlear implant and what it is like for Mickey to enjoy the great outdoors. Mickey enjoys raising his chickens, gardening, and helping with his dad's vineyard. However, he enjoys the outdoors and other fun kids' things like swimming. There is one worry while Mickey enjoys the outdoors and some summer fun and stands hampered by weather with his current cochlear implant.

 In this book Mickey on the Move Farming, we are introduced to a new accessory to the aqua cochlear implant (which I believe is an addition or add-on). We see Mickey with these wants he been when he offers this. What summer fun or outdoor fun and nature is he going to enjoy?

What are cochlear implants? - A cochlear implant is a small electronic device that electrically stimulates the cochlear nerve (nerve for hearing). The implant has external and internal parts. The outer part sits behind the ear. It picks up sounds with a microphone. It then processes the sound and transmits it to the internal part of the implant.

What will he do with his newfound freedom with some water-safe cochlear implant? What adventures will he do and go on? This picture book shows Mickey enjoying some of the great outdoors with his new, improved aqua cochlear implant? The picture book is done well. It is an excellent book for children to learn about others that may be different. Also, remember that children that are deaf or have severe hearing loss want to be like any other child or children.
  
Spine Chillers: Empty Eyes
Spine Chillers: Empty Eyes
Nancy Gray | 2018 | Children, Horror
10
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Well Written Plot (2 more)
Believable Characters
Lots of Spookiness
A Spooky Read
I'm a sucker for a good horror story. When I saw that Spine Chillers: Empty Eyes by Nancy Gray was available for review, I knew it was a story I would be interested in. Luckily, it was a great read.

Empty Eyes is a short read, and the chapters are also fairly short. Combine that with a book that has great pacing, and you've got the recipe for a winner. I found myself so enthralled in this book that I never wanted to stop reading. I was always wanting to know what would happen next. Not once did I find myself becoming bored with Empty Eyes, nor do I think it's too fast paced where it becomes difficult to understand what's going on. The pacing was perfect and consistent throughout.

This is a middle grade novel, and the world building suits this age group. Even though I'm not in the middle grade age group, the plot still felt realistic and spooky! There were a couple of plot twists which I enjoyed, and all my questions were answered by the end of the book. Everything is explained perfectly throughout the book for a middle grade student. Nothing was dumbed down either. I did enjoy the plot immensely. Ian is at a school carnival one night when he encounters some bullies. Desperate to get away from them, he runs into an abandoned house. While hiding in the house, he is confronted by two children wearing gray hoodies with black eyes. They want to be Ian's friend, but Ian is terrified. The children decide they will be Ian's friend regardless of if he wants them too. He develops a black mark near his heart that pulses. Grown ups can't really see the mark, but Ian and his best friend can. Soon, Ian is behaving in a way that he never has before. Will Ian ever return to his former self or are the black eyed children controlling him?

I found the characters in Empty Eyes to be enjoyable. They also acted their age instead of coming across as sounding younger than their actual ages. I think many children (and adults) can relate to the character of Ian who is constantly bullied in school. I admired Duane, Ian's best friend. I loved how loyal he was to Ian throughout the whole ordeal. The black eyed children were very creepy characters, and I was really impressed with how they were written.

Trigger warnings for Empty Eyes include some swearing, some violence, thoughts of murder (although this isn't graphic), sneaking out, and bullying.

All in all, Empty Eyes was a very enjoyable spooky read. Even though it is written with a middle grade audience in mind, I found myself really getting pulled into the story. I would definitely recommend Spine Chillers: Empty Eyes by Nancy Gray. I believe any age group aged 12 and above would find this story to be a creepy read that will draw them in immediately from the very first page and not let go until it's over.
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(A special thank you to Lola's Blog Tours for providing me with an eBook of Spine Chillers: Empty Eyes by Nancy Gray in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
  
How To Talk So Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7
How To Talk So Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7
Joanna Faber | 2017 | Education, Philosophy, Psychology & Social Sciences
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>

The highly rated <i>How To Talk</i> books were developed by Adele Faber as a guide for parents who face daily struggles with their children’s behaviour. Now her daughter, Joanna Faber, and childhood friend Julie King, are parenting experts themselves, and have made their own contribution to the series. This latest addition, <i>How To Talk So Little Kids Will Listen</i>, is a survival guide for parents with children between the ages of terrible-twos to the semi-civilised-sevens. Covering topics from food battles to sleep issues, parents are bound to relate to something in this book, and be able to put some of the advice into practice.

The majority of the content encompasses the tried and tested methods that Joanna and Julie encourage parents to consider as part of a parenting workshop. Split into topics, the reader is given a set of tools to work with that may help to turn a difficult situation away from a tantrum and a harassed parent. These tools are demonstrated with real life stories from the Mums and Dads who used them.

As well as the usual behaviour troubles that most children develop, the book also includes ways to cope with children who have sensory issues or find themselves diagnosed with Autism. These youngsters do not process the world in the same way as other people their age, which can be very frustrating for parents. Armed with a new set of tools, adults will be able to support their children as they grow up in a world they do not understand, and make them feel safe and understood.

Illustrated with cartoons, each chapter ends with a short summary of ideas to try in any situation. By providing these recap points, parents can locate a tool or idea in a moment of desperation and put into practice immediately. The layout and clear headings offer an easy way of locating the relevant information, meaning that harried parents do not have to skim paragraphs and pages to find what they are looking for.

By including the real life scenarios, Joanna and Julie highlight that there is no one-size-fits-all when it come to dealing with unruly children. Each child is different and needs to be treated appropriately. However, the experts provide enough information so that when one tool fails, there’s another standing as backup.

After reading <i>How To Talk So Little Kids Will Listen</i>, you will feel empowered to tackle anything your child throws at you. Of course there is no guarantee that you will become a parenting master over night, but you will be more confident about dealing with the little rascals.

<i>How To Talk So Little Kids Will Listen</i> is a book that feels realistic with no psychological jargon to make you feel inadequate. Joanna and Julie are both parents and have had to resort to taking their own advice, and sometimes failing. It is clear the writers are human and not a childless psychologist who believes he knows what he is talking about. So, if you are tearing your hair out and do not know what to do to make your child happy, this <i>How To Talk</i> series is definitely something to check out.