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Digger Does It All (Not Really!)
Digger Does It All (Not Really!)
Brooke Vitale | 2021 | Children
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Digger Does it all (Not Really) is an excellent book to teach children about cooperation and teamwork. This book focuses on Digger. Will he do it all? Digger learns that he can't do everything at the construction site, but he has his talents.

Will he learn that it is okay for others to do what is best for them? He does not need to boast about doing everything himself but be himself. Will his friends at the construction site show him or let him know that he should do what he is talented at. They can work together.

Children will love reading this book. They will also enjoy looking at the pictures. The age is three years old and higher, but I feel it could be two years and up. I have a cousin that will love this book, and he will be turning two soon.

I love how the binding and book are on thick boards; You turn the pages, and it is decent. The plot of the story is excellent for all children. They will learn what will happen if someone is boastful and tries to do everything. They will know it best to be themselves. The parent can teach their children if they so choose.
  
Hell Train (The Cursed Manuscripts)
Hell Train (The Cursed Manuscripts)
Iain Rob Wright | 2022 | Horror, Paranormal, Thriller
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I think I can safely say that I am a fan of Mr Wright's work; rarely have I been disappointed with anything he has written and Hell Train is no exception.

At the beginning of the book, Mr Wright tells us that his inspiration is Stephen King's The Langoliers and whilst I can definitely see this (and understand because I love The Langoliers), Hell Train is very much an original story.

Mr Wright has a great knack of making the normal develop into something that is totally abnormal and here he does it again. A simple train journey in the middle of the day becomes something entirely different when the train enters a tunnel.

With characters that you love and some you love to hate, a plot that is intriguing and different, a pace that is relentless with no words wasted, with twists that will shock and scenes that might leave you feeling a tad queasy, Hell Train is a quick and enjoyable read and one that I would recommend to lovers of horror.

My thanks must go to Iain for accepting me into his "street team" and for allowing me to read Hell Train and to share my thoughts.
  
BO
Barefoot on the Beach
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
122 of 220
Book
Barefoot on the Beach
By Katlyn Duncan
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Renee may be thrilled to be planning her sister’s wedding, but after witnessing her mother’s two failed marriages, she has always vowed that she is better off on her own.
 
But when Renee discovers that Luc Hardy has moved next door, her world is knocked off kilter. Luc was her whirlwind summer romance as a teen and, more importantly, her first love. Now he’s back in West Cove, looking more handsome than ever.
 
There is no escaping the romance in the air this summer. With the wedding planning in full swing, Renee begins to believe that she might be able to put her childhood reservations about marriage aside.

Yet when her mother arrives, she stirs a torrent of emotions in Renee’s heart. She’s up to her old tricks again – boasting about her latest conquests – reaffirming Renee’s lack of faith in love.

As Renee’s happily-ever-after hangs in the balance, will Luc be able to convince her that true love can last forever?

This was a nice quick read and really sweet story. I’m not a romance fan normally but this was well written and enjoyable.
  
Comedy Can Be Deadly
Comedy Can Be Deadly
Ryan Rivers | 2024 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Murder Complicates Shakespeare
Levi has landed the role of Puck in the local theater’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Sho is happy with his role as stage manager until an accident forces him to take on the role of Lysander. Things are anything but smooth sailing with all the personalities in the cast and crew. But then some dies after falling from the upper platform of the theater. Was it an accident or murder?

I love this series, so I was so happy to get the latest entry. The plot is lots of fun with plenty of secrets on the way to the climax, which is the best version of this kind of climax I’ve read. The comedy was a little toned down, but that was a good thing, and there was plenty of laughs. I love how the main characters were developed here again, and the suspects helped pull us into the story. The last chapter sets up the next book, as always, but it’s a bit surprising given some of what happens here. There are some references to past stories, so I recommend you read them in order. You’ll appreciate the character growth more as well. But when you want to laugh while solving a mystery, this is a series you’ll love.
  
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Bad Girls Don't Die (Bad Girls Don't Die, #1)
Katie Alender | 2010 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
(This review can also be found on my blog <a href="themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).

When I first came across Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender, I know I had to read this book!! The synopsis sounded right up my straight. I love YA and I love paranormal/horror books, so put them together, and I'm in literary Heaven!

Fifteen year old Alexis and her thirteen year old sister Kasey have always been close until recently. Kasey has started acting different. Even the house feels different; it just feels evil. Alexis questions her own sanity. Is she going crazy or is something actually possessing Kasey?

Bad Girls Don't Die is such a refreshing title for a supernatural book. Usually they have the whole cliched scary title, but this book didn't. I didn't feel that it suited the book that well. I don't really want to go into it because of spoilers, but if you read the story, you'll see what I mean.

How gorgeous is that cover!?! I absolutely love it. It looks a bit ominous. I don't think it really suits the book as gorgeous as it is though. Kasey is obsessed with dolls, so I would've liked to see some dolls on the cover. Perhaps a scarier cover would've been more suited to the book as well.

The world building and setting were fantastic!!! I loved the description of the house. In fact, I'd love to live in a house like the one in the book! The author did a fantastic job of making the whole story come to life through the world building. Even the memories mentioned in the book are written really well.

The pacing was amazing! I devoured this book like I would a pizza (I love pizza)! In fact, I finished this book in less than 24 hours. Every spare minute I had was dedicated to reading this book. It is very fast paced, and each chapter leaves you wanting to read more.

As for the dialogue, there were a few words that I didn't think a 15 year old would use in everyday language, but that's probably more of a personal issue. Plus, it didn't happen often enough to take away from the book. There is mild swearing in this book, but it is very tame and not very often. The characters' dialogue flows freely making this book easy to read.

The characters are all well formed. Alexis comes across as a normal, every day 15 year old girl. She's an outcast at high school, and I think the author did a good job of portraying this. The character of Kasey blew me away! Kasey was my favourite character due to how the author had written her in the story. She's definitely a very strong character. I also loved the character of Megan. I liked how the author didn't make her a stuck-up cheerleader like most authors do when writing about cheerleaders.

All in all, I absolutely loved this book! In fact, after I finished reading Bad Girls Don't Die, I bought the next book in the series. I am definitely in love! This book did an excellent job of combining everything I love into one book.

I'd definitely recommend this book to EVERYONE aged 13+. It is amazing!
  
The Stolen Marriage
The Stolen Marriage
Diane Chamberlain | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Ok so let me just say the cover of this novel is absolutely stunning … all the water droplets are raised and the image is breath taking!!!!
After reading the synopsis of the story in the cover, I was hooked into wanting to read this and the novel did not disappoint. This is not only a multilayered, multifaceted novel of plots and characters but also genre of books. The writing is like watching a movie playing in your head … Chamberlain has a way at pulling you in and making you feel all different emotions throughout the story. Each character is written in a way that you feel like you know them and see their growth and there views and feel each of their stories. If you like historical fiction or mystery or self discovery or even romance, you will love The Stolen Marriage.
The book is set in 1943-1945 with an epilogue that is 1955. It starts out with Tess in Baltimore, which in these times is considered to have northern values and religions with a mix of cultures. Then the story continues into Hickory NC where southern religions, views on colored people, values such as money and family come into play. I am not going to summarize it too much and give too much away nor am I going to describe the synopsis of the book that is given because it is spot on. However, the first chapter draws you in with an accident and a death!!! Then the story unfolds where Tess makes a detrimental decision that changes her path in life drastically. Then its a wild, emotional and beautiful story about a marriage to someone she doesn't know and slowly gets to know, loosing people that are precious to her, loosing herself and finding herself when she becomes a nurse and uses these skills when the polio epidemic hits Hickory, how the town comes together during this time to build a make shift hospital in a very short time, losing and regretting the love of her life, finding out people are not what they make of themselves, secrets that come to light throughout the book, finding out that even though differences are evident you still can learn and overcome a way of thinking, and so much more.
The decisions she makes changes not only her path but others as well. And also the decisions others make change Tess and change the characters lives as well.
This book has race issues, religious issues, moral dilemmas, moral values, personal growth, finding ones true self, etc.
I highly recommend this book!!!!! It was an amazing read, compelling story telling and so many plots wrapped up in one incredible novel!