Search
Search results
Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated A Very Blessed Christmas Coloring Book in Books
Jun 14, 2018
A Very Blessed Christmas Coloring Book by Robin Mead brings scripture into coloring, while allowing me to color in a relaxed quite moment.
The images are a mix of secular and religious, all related to the Christmas season. There are some beautiful Biblical quotes related to the season too, surrounded by artwork to color.
This book has a section for Christmas crafts such as cutouts to make ornaments, bookmarks or even gift tags. I love that this coloring book is unique and is perfect for everyone. It is inspirational, filled with beautiful pictures of angels, snowflakes, trees, stocking, nativity and so much more.
I received this book from FaithWords via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The images are a mix of secular and religious, all related to the Christmas season. There are some beautiful Biblical quotes related to the season too, surrounded by artwork to color.
This book has a section for Christmas crafts such as cutouts to make ornaments, bookmarks or even gift tags. I love that this coloring book is unique and is perfect for everyone. It is inspirational, filled with beautiful pictures of angels, snowflakes, trees, stocking, nativity and so much more.
I received this book from FaithWords via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated The Devil's Music (Emory Crawford Mysteries #1) in Books
Feb 21, 2018
***I was provided with a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review***
The Devils Music was a quick, easy read at only 218 pages, but also an enjoyable one. The story is sprinkled with plant lore as well as bluegrass and folk music tidbits that add interest to the story. I would suggest not reading this book on an empty stomach, however, as the descriptions of all of the delicious sounding food served at various functions are sure to leave you hungry!
The Sleuth, Emory Crawford, is a likable protagonist. Even though she aspires to be a young Miss Marple, she has her faults, and they add to her charm. Her occasional fumbling around after clues makes her seem all the more genuine. I did appreciate the fact that she wasnt all-knowing despite the gift that she realizes she has part of the way through the story. She still had to rely on her wits and ability to make logical deductions, not solely on her intuition.
Overall, a nice start to a new cozy mystery series.
The Devils Music was a quick, easy read at only 218 pages, but also an enjoyable one. The story is sprinkled with plant lore as well as bluegrass and folk music tidbits that add interest to the story. I would suggest not reading this book on an empty stomach, however, as the descriptions of all of the delicious sounding food served at various functions are sure to leave you hungry!
The Sleuth, Emory Crawford, is a likable protagonist. Even though she aspires to be a young Miss Marple, she has her faults, and they add to her charm. Her occasional fumbling around after clues makes her seem all the more genuine. I did appreciate the fact that she wasnt all-knowing despite the gift that she realizes she has part of the way through the story. She still had to rely on her wits and ability to make logical deductions, not solely on her intuition.
Overall, a nice start to a new cozy mystery series.
Too Blessed To Be Stressed. . .Inspiration for Every Day: 365 Devotions for Women by Debora M. Coty is a sweet little devotional book. The devotionals are short, to the point, and easy to digest. This book is perfect for women on the go, fitting easily into a purse or computer bag, and makes a thoughtful gift as well.
Each devotion features the date, a title, Bible verse of inspiration, a short story, and prayer/thought to apply to our lives on that set date. There's a ribbon bookmark bound into the book to keep ones place until the next reading. The back of the book features a scripture index that list scripture used in the devotional alphabetically by each book found in the Bible. I like that the book isn't too big. It fits nicely on my bedside table but also would be a good fit for a bathroom shelf, office desk, or in a living room dedicated space for books to be intended to read daily.
I received this book from Barbour Publishing, Inc. and Shiloh Run Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Each devotion features the date, a title, Bible verse of inspiration, a short story, and prayer/thought to apply to our lives on that set date. There's a ribbon bookmark bound into the book to keep ones place until the next reading. The back of the book features a scripture index that list scripture used in the devotional alphabetically by each book found in the Bible. I like that the book isn't too big. It fits nicely on my bedside table but also would be a good fit for a bathroom shelf, office desk, or in a living room dedicated space for books to be intended to read daily.
I received this book from Barbour Publishing, Inc. and Shiloh Run Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Samantha Reece (16 KP) rated The Great Balance (Beyond the Balance, #1) in Books
Nov 14, 2018
T.A. Davenport has created a wonderful and exciting world in her novel The Great Balance. This is a book about good and evil with just the right amount of romance.
The characters in the book are very well developed. My personal favorite is Briellyn. She is the heroine of the novel, and she seems so real! She is a strong and confident business woman who is also so kind and good. I would love to have her as my boss! Another character I love is Eric. He is just all sorts of amazing. He is the perfect guy.
Ms. Davenport's writing is very vivid and easy to follow. The pace of her work is not too fast nor too slow. It is just right and makes you want to just keep on reading!
Also, the plot in this novel is so fresh and new! I loved the twist on the creation story from the Bible. I have yet to read anything that took a spin on Adam and Eve before, and it was really interesting!
All in all, T.A. Davenport has a special gift, and I am sure there will be more greatness to come!
*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
The characters in the book are very well developed. My personal favorite is Briellyn. She is the heroine of the novel, and she seems so real! She is a strong and confident business woman who is also so kind and good. I would love to have her as my boss! Another character I love is Eric. He is just all sorts of amazing. He is the perfect guy.
Ms. Davenport's writing is very vivid and easy to follow. The pace of her work is not too fast nor too slow. It is just right and makes you want to just keep on reading!
Also, the plot in this novel is so fresh and new! I loved the twist on the creation story from the Bible. I have yet to read anything that took a spin on Adam and Eve before, and it was really interesting!
All in all, T.A. Davenport has a special gift, and I am sure there will be more greatness to come!
*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
Kristin (149 KP) rated True Colors (The Masks, #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I was given an ARC e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
True Colors follows Caitlyn "Caity" Davis, a high school senior just trying to make her way through her final year alongside all her friends. Little does must she know that one night out will change her life forever. A mysterious stranger bestows an even stranger gift on her, and she must try and deal with the fallout. Can she find a way to cope with her new-found ability with the help of her cute neighbor, or will it be the end of her friendship and life as she knows it?
This book, like all of Melissa's books, pulled me in right from the start. The story is such a new and different one, and I absolutely loved her way of putting it into words. The characters are all entertaining, and they certainly evoke strong emotions: envy, anger, empathy, sorrow, etc. For Caitlyn, she can see all those emotions rolling across the faces of those around her, and I felt like I would have been an open book to her while reading her story. I cannot wait for the next book to come out, as this plot is so intriguing. And the nod to the "Betwixt" series was a great crossover!!
5 stars (because that's as high as Goodreads will let me go!)
True Colors follows Caitlyn "Caity" Davis, a high school senior just trying to make her way through her final year alongside all her friends. Little does must she know that one night out will change her life forever. A mysterious stranger bestows an even stranger gift on her, and she must try and deal with the fallout. Can she find a way to cope with her new-found ability with the help of her cute neighbor, or will it be the end of her friendship and life as she knows it?
This book, like all of Melissa's books, pulled me in right from the start. The story is such a new and different one, and I absolutely loved her way of putting it into words. The characters are all entertaining, and they certainly evoke strong emotions: envy, anger, empathy, sorrow, etc. For Caitlyn, she can see all those emotions rolling across the faces of those around her, and I felt like I would have been an open book to her while reading her story. I cannot wait for the next book to come out, as this plot is so intriguing. And the nod to the "Betwixt" series was a great crossover!!
5 stars (because that's as high as Goodreads will let me go!)
Merissa (11622 KP) rated Hidden (Dragonlands, #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2018 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)
I received this book as a gift from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
What happens if, at thirteen, you wake up and all the adults from your village have disappeared? What happens if you are suddenly surrounded by a thick, dense, immoveable fog? Is it there to keep you in... or others out?
This is the riddle that Sophia and the rest of the children are faced with early one morning. Then time skips on and you meet Tressa, Sophia's granddaughter. She is someone who has had to deal with the blows in her life and this means that she is not one to cower down and hide behind someone else.
Something is changing in the village and it is Tressa's turn to venture outside. Those who have gone before have never been seen or heard from. Once Tressa steps into the fog, all bets are off and she has to think on her feet.
There are twists and turns aplenty in this book with well described and believable characters for the most part. The one that I couldn't exactly gel with Henry but he was only a bit-part anyway. If you like the more mature fantasy then I think you will really enjoy this one. Definitely recommended.
December 19, 2018
What happens if, at thirteen, you wake up and all the adults from your village have disappeared? What happens if you are suddenly surrounded by a thick, dense, immoveable fog? Is it there to keep you in... or others out?
This is the riddle that Sophia and the rest of the children are faced with early one morning. Then time skips on and you meet Tressa, Sophia's granddaughter. She is someone who has had to deal with the blows in her life and this means that she is not one to cower down and hide behind someone else.
Something is changing in the village and it is Tressa's turn to venture outside. Those who have gone before have never been seen or heard from. Once Tressa steps into the fog, all bets are off and she has to think on her feet.
There are twists and turns aplenty in this book with well described and believable characters for the most part. The one that I couldn't exactly gel with Henry but he was only a bit-part anyway. If you like the more mature fantasy then I think you will really enjoy this one. Definitely recommended.
December 19, 2018
Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated The Girl Who Saved Christmas in Books
Jun 14, 2018
The Girl Who Saved Christmas by Matt Haig is a very charming story that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. It is the story of Amelia Wishart, who is the first child ever to receive a gift from Father Christmas. She never loses hope throughout the misery she encounters in her very young life and however much she would like to stop believing in magic and goodness, she never fully does. Her hope made that first visit possible, and, just a couple of years later, her hope might just save Christmas itself.
The story takes place in two locations that couldn't be more different: Elfhelm, where it is clean and only ever gets as cold as you want it to be, and in 1841 London, where it is dirty, cold and unfriendly place to orphans.
The characters in the story are quite fun. Amelia and Father Christmas both have strong personalities with a firm determination to get things done. Mr. Creeper is just as his name predicts, he is creepy and not a nice man at all. The guest appearances of a ruling head of state and a famous author are perfect. One passage was hilarious and it took me several minutes to sop laughing before I could continue reading. I was amused.
I recommend this book for read-a-loud's to children and for middle grade readers.
I received this book from NetGalley via Random House Children's Knopf Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.
The story takes place in two locations that couldn't be more different: Elfhelm, where it is clean and only ever gets as cold as you want it to be, and in 1841 London, where it is dirty, cold and unfriendly place to orphans.
The characters in the story are quite fun. Amelia and Father Christmas both have strong personalities with a firm determination to get things done. Mr. Creeper is just as his name predicts, he is creepy and not a nice man at all. The guest appearances of a ruling head of state and a famous author are perfect. One passage was hilarious and it took me several minutes to sop laughing before I could continue reading. I was amused.
I recommend this book for read-a-loud's to children and for middle grade readers.
I received this book from NetGalley via Random House Children's Knopf Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The Hairy Hand in Books
May 22, 2019
A gothic adventure for 8 -12 year olds, full of jokes, magical familiars and a gruesome cast of characters. When Septimus inherits a magical, treasure-finding Hairy Hand from his uncle, life suddenly becomes a lot more exciting - and dangerous!
Septimus feels out-of-place in his village where everyone else his age is called Darg or Smerg or Blaarg. Good, honest names that sound like you are have just swallowed something pointy or are sneezing into custard. Even his parents make him feel like a complete stranger. Especially his parents. Then he inherits something strange and frightening from his uncle. A Hairy Hand. It has the magical ability to find buried treasure which suits his parents (thieves by trade) down to the ground. However, instead of making his life better, it suddenly gets a lot more dangerous.
So, it is up to Sept to find out what else the Hand knows and put things right.
I enjoyed this humorous and moderately gruesome read which, I think, will appeal to its target audience.
Theres an amazing cast of ghastly characters, including Septs parents, Plog the Sneaker and Gertrude!
A fun and adventurous fantasy story of good versus bad, determination and resisting temptation.
The Characters and story line are varied and kept me guessing, laughing my way through the book at the antics and mishaps throughout, with a few cleverly woven in messages for those reading it.
If you are looking to introduce your children to Fantasy Adventure or yourselves or just as gift for someone then this truly would make someone very happy!
I highly recommend this fun book!!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Monster Books and Robin Bennett for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Septimus feels out-of-place in his village where everyone else his age is called Darg or Smerg or Blaarg. Good, honest names that sound like you are have just swallowed something pointy or are sneezing into custard. Even his parents make him feel like a complete stranger. Especially his parents. Then he inherits something strange and frightening from his uncle. A Hairy Hand. It has the magical ability to find buried treasure which suits his parents (thieves by trade) down to the ground. However, instead of making his life better, it suddenly gets a lot more dangerous.
So, it is up to Sept to find out what else the Hand knows and put things right.
I enjoyed this humorous and moderately gruesome read which, I think, will appeal to its target audience.
Theres an amazing cast of ghastly characters, including Septs parents, Plog the Sneaker and Gertrude!
A fun and adventurous fantasy story of good versus bad, determination and resisting temptation.
The Characters and story line are varied and kept me guessing, laughing my way through the book at the antics and mishaps throughout, with a few cleverly woven in messages for those reading it.
If you are looking to introduce your children to Fantasy Adventure or yourselves or just as gift for someone then this truly would make someone very happy!
I highly recommend this fun book!!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Monster Books and Robin Bennett for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated Ashley Bell in Books
Feb 19, 2018
This was the best Dean Koontz novel I've read since the first Odd Thomas. I loved Bibi, and there was a great cast of supporting characters, including her parents, her best pal Pogo, and her fiance, a Navy Seal named Pax. Not everyone was on Bibi's side, however, and once again Mr. Koontz proves that sometimes the scariest monsters are those who wear human faces.
This is one of those stories that is very hard to talk about without giving too much away, and I would not want to ruin the surprises for anyone who might choose to read the book. With that said, here's what I can tell you without spoiling anything.... The novel starts out with Bibi, a novelist, discovering that she has brain cancer. After hearing that she has less then a year to live, she surprises everyone (except maybe herself) by waking completely cancer free the next morning. As a celebratory gift, her parents send a psychic to Bibi, and during her reading, she discovers that her life was spared so that she could save someone named Ashley Bell. The journey that Bibi has to make in her quest to locate Ashley forces her to revisit places and experiences from her own past that she has long since forgotten.
The buildup in this novel started out slow but constant, and once it got moving I couldn't put it down. Any Dean Koontz fan, or any thriller fan for that matter, will love this one. While Dean Koontz may be thought of as a horror writer, and there are some paranormal elements to this story, non-horror fans should enjoy this one also.
<i>Note: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest </i>review.
This is one of those stories that is very hard to talk about without giving too much away, and I would not want to ruin the surprises for anyone who might choose to read the book. With that said, here's what I can tell you without spoiling anything.... The novel starts out with Bibi, a novelist, discovering that she has brain cancer. After hearing that she has less then a year to live, she surprises everyone (except maybe herself) by waking completely cancer free the next morning. As a celebratory gift, her parents send a psychic to Bibi, and during her reading, she discovers that her life was spared so that she could save someone named Ashley Bell. The journey that Bibi has to make in her quest to locate Ashley forces her to revisit places and experiences from her own past that she has long since forgotten.
The buildup in this novel started out slow but constant, and once it got moving I couldn't put it down. Any Dean Koontz fan, or any thriller fan for that matter, will love this one. While Dean Koontz may be thought of as a horror writer, and there are some paranormal elements to this story, non-horror fans should enjoy this one also.
<i>Note: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest </i>review.
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a> at the beginning of December).
When I was asked if I would review this book, I said yes without even thinking about. This book has been on my to be read shelf for awhile, and while it wasn't laugh out loud funny all the time, it was still laugh worthy.
The cover shows that this is going to be a humorous book with funny illustrations. I, personally, like the cover, and it drew me in.
There is one sign that you're a Facebook addict on each page as well as a full page illustration on the other to go with the sign. Some of these are funny while others are mildly amusing. Some signs used in the book include "you've already created a page for your unborn child," your partner angrily claims they've become a Facebook widow," and "you've had a face-off with Facebook." There's also suggestions to detox from Facebook such as "get sent to jail," "join Google+ instead," and "fall in love."
I enjoyed the illustrations the most if I'm honest. Gemini Adams, not only wrote the book, but also illustrated it. While most of them are cutesy, there area few which are kinda crude. Mostly, they only show women's breasts. There's no illustrations of crotches so worry not.
I believe this book would be a perfect stocking stuffer or gag gift for someone who is on Facebook a lot. I'm thinking of getting this book for my dad who is obsessed with how many friends he has and how many likes he gets.
(I received a free paperback copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review).
When I was asked if I would review this book, I said yes without even thinking about. This book has been on my to be read shelf for awhile, and while it wasn't laugh out loud funny all the time, it was still laugh worthy.
The cover shows that this is going to be a humorous book with funny illustrations. I, personally, like the cover, and it drew me in.
There is one sign that you're a Facebook addict on each page as well as a full page illustration on the other to go with the sign. Some of these are funny while others are mildly amusing. Some signs used in the book include "you've already created a page for your unborn child," your partner angrily claims they've become a Facebook widow," and "you've had a face-off with Facebook." There's also suggestions to detox from Facebook such as "get sent to jail," "join Google+ instead," and "fall in love."
I enjoyed the illustrations the most if I'm honest. Gemini Adams, not only wrote the book, but also illustrated it. While most of them are cutesy, there area few which are kinda crude. Mostly, they only show women's breasts. There's no illustrations of crotches so worry not.
I believe this book would be a perfect stocking stuffer or gag gift for someone who is on Facebook a lot. I'm thinking of getting this book for my dad who is obsessed with how many friends he has and how many likes he gets.
(I received a free paperback copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review).