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Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated The Toad in Books
Jun 18, 2018
<a href="https://awindowintobooks.wordpress.com">Full Review</a>
The Toad by Elise Gravel is part of the Disgusting Critters Series. It is a non-fiction picture book about all things toads. The book shows how toads relate to frogs, their habitat, and food. It also shows that there are different kinds of toad breeds. Beyond talking about the different kinds of toads, the readers learn about their skin and the bumps. Readers learn that the pests that toads eat help to keep the insects at a reasonable amount so we humans don't have to deal with them as much.
The text in the book is presented in an easy way to read which is both entertaining and funny. The illustrations are a great visual that accompanies the text.
I received an advanced readers copy from Penguin Random House Canada and Tundra Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Toad by Elise Gravel is part of the Disgusting Critters Series. It is a non-fiction picture book about all things toads. The book shows how toads relate to frogs, their habitat, and food. It also shows that there are different kinds of toad breeds. Beyond talking about the different kinds of toads, the readers learn about their skin and the bumps. Readers learn that the pests that toads eat help to keep the insects at a reasonable amount so we humans don't have to deal with them as much.
The text in the book is presented in an easy way to read which is both entertaining and funny. The illustrations are a great visual that accompanies the text.
I received an advanced readers copy from Penguin Random House Canada and Tundra Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Alice (117 KP) rated The Thursday Murder Club in Books
Mar 3, 2021
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and Penguin Books for review purposes
I love Richard Osman so I so wanted to love this book but truthfully, I struggled! I'm going to chock it up to the fact that I'm just not a mystery reader so that aspect didn't even keep me hooked. I guess this cosy mystery was just too cosy that I ended up drifting off to sleep more than once and if this wasn't an arc I would have seriously considered DNF-ing which I really didn't want to say! It picked up pace a lot by the halfway mark though and I actually found myself actually invested in the story and I did enjoy all the twists and turns that occurred and finding out just why everyone did what they did but I just didn't love it unfortunately!
I love Richard Osman so I so wanted to love this book but truthfully, I struggled! I'm going to chock it up to the fact that I'm just not a mystery reader so that aspect didn't even keep me hooked. I guess this cosy mystery was just too cosy that I ended up drifting off to sleep more than once and if this wasn't an arc I would have seriously considered DNF-ing which I really didn't want to say! It picked up pace a lot by the halfway mark though and I actually found myself actually invested in the story and I did enjoy all the twists and turns that occurred and finding out just why everyone did what they did but I just didn't love it unfortunately!
Bookapotamus (289 KP) rated Go Ask Fannie in Books
May 29, 2018
I really enjoyed Go Ask Fannie by Elisabeth Hyde. The characters were very well-defined, as well as likeable, and the story progressed so, so well and it was a very satisfying read from start to finish.
Fannie, is not the character I presumed her to be! But a clever feature of the story that I really enjoyed! The three siblings followed, Lizzie, George and Ruth, as well as they patriarch of the family, Murray, are going through some stuff. A LOT of stuff. There are secrets, and fighting, and lots of unspoken words. It was a sneak peek into a weekend of this family, and all the issues they possess. And also all the Love.
I'm a big fan of Elisabeth Hyde now - and will definitely look out for anything else she has written! I received a copy of Go Ask Fannie as part of the Penguin First to Read program in exchange for my honest review.
Fannie, is not the character I presumed her to be! But a clever feature of the story that I really enjoyed! The three siblings followed, Lizzie, George and Ruth, as well as they patriarch of the family, Murray, are going through some stuff. A LOT of stuff. There are secrets, and fighting, and lots of unspoken words. It was a sneak peek into a weekend of this family, and all the issues they possess. And also all the Love.
I'm a big fan of Elisabeth Hyde now - and will definitely look out for anything else she has written! I received a copy of Go Ask Fannie as part of the Penguin First to Read program in exchange for my honest review.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Chosen Ones in Books
Oct 20, 2018
I have never read anything by Howard Linskey before but if this book is anything to go by, I won't be making that mistake again ... what a great read and even though this is book number 4 in the series, I don't think it's totally necessary to have read the previous ones. Yes you may miss out on some of the back story and relationship building that has gone on before but I think there is enough provided to give you a good idea but not so much that it becomes tedious.
The writing flows well making it easy to read and with great characters, creepy and disturbing storyline and a great ending, I have no hesitation in recommending this to those who enjoy a good police procedural with a psychologically thrilling edge.
Thanks go to the publisher, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph, via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review and for introducing me to another fantastic British author.
The writing flows well making it easy to read and with great characters, creepy and disturbing storyline and a great ending, I have no hesitation in recommending this to those who enjoy a good police procedural with a psychologically thrilling edge.
Thanks go to the publisher, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph, via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review and for introducing me to another fantastic British author.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Choice: Escape Your Past and Embrace the Possible in Books
Oct 21, 2018
“Our painful experiences aren’t a liability—they’re a gift. They give us perspective and meaning, an opportunity to find our unique purpose and our strength.” ― Edith Eger, The Choice
Oh my goodness, I can't even begin to tell you how good this book is. It's not just another Holocaust survivors life-story, it's so much more than that ... it's extraordinary!
Dr Eger is now 90 years old and what an amazing woman she is ... this book tells the story of being a teenager and her relationship with her parents and sisters, the truly horrific time she spent being a prisoner of the Nazis, her astonishing strength and bravery before, during and after the war and of her life once freedom had been achieved.
Once again, I can't tell you how good this book is. It's beautifully written and flows exceptionally well. Highly recommended.
My thanks go to the publisher, Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review.
Oh my goodness, I can't even begin to tell you how good this book is. It's not just another Holocaust survivors life-story, it's so much more than that ... it's extraordinary!
Dr Eger is now 90 years old and what an amazing woman she is ... this book tells the story of being a teenager and her relationship with her parents and sisters, the truly horrific time she spent being a prisoner of the Nazis, her astonishing strength and bravery before, during and after the war and of her life once freedom had been achieved.
Once again, I can't tell you how good this book is. It's beautifully written and flows exceptionally well. Highly recommended.
My thanks go to the publisher, Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The Diary of a Young Girl in Books
Jan 25, 2019
The Diary of a Young Girl
We have all heard about or read this book. I remember reading it in high-school as a project. And since I never had written a proper book review, I decided to read it again.
I went to the library, and they only had the short Penguin version, with the most important diary entries of Anne Frank. It is only 65 pages. So, I decided to also grab another book – The Last Seven Months of Anne Frank by Willy Lindwer, so I can write a full overview.
This is a diary of a young girl, and she was writing these stories during two years of hiding. Anne Frank and her family are Jews and they live in The Netherlands. After the Germans invade, many people are captured and go to designated camps. A few manage to escape and go into hiding. Anne’s family hides in her father’s office.
If you are reading this diary, without knowing anything about history – this could be a happy story. These diary entries are filled with love and hope, dreams of a young girl, beliefs, opinions, descriptions of her first crush and planning a future.
But this is not a happy story. This girl doesn’t get the chance to grow up. This girl doesn’t get the chance to experience freedom, and live to get to know her grandchildren. This is a sad story of not just Anne Frank, but all these people that have gone through that painful journey.
While this book deserves to be read by every person, and this history needs to keep being told many years after us, I feel the need to make a proper book review.
This is not a well-written book, with a great plot and amazing description. So based on that, this doesn’t stand up to the standards. But this book has a meaning that makes up for all the amateur writing. After all, this was a teenager writing it, without even knowing this will someday be shared with the world.
To all of you that haven’t read it yet – I highly recommend it. If you don’t want to go with the long version, read the short Penguin one, like I did.
I went to the library, and they only had the short Penguin version, with the most important diary entries of Anne Frank. It is only 65 pages. So, I decided to also grab another book – The Last Seven Months of Anne Frank by Willy Lindwer, so I can write a full overview.
This is a diary of a young girl, and she was writing these stories during two years of hiding. Anne Frank and her family are Jews and they live in The Netherlands. After the Germans invade, many people are captured and go to designated camps. A few manage to escape and go into hiding. Anne’s family hides in her father’s office.
If you are reading this diary, without knowing anything about history – this could be a happy story. These diary entries are filled with love and hope, dreams of a young girl, beliefs, opinions, descriptions of her first crush and planning a future.
But this is not a happy story. This girl doesn’t get the chance to grow up. This girl doesn’t get the chance to experience freedom, and live to get to know her grandchildren. This is a sad story of not just Anne Frank, but all these people that have gone through that painful journey.
While this book deserves to be read by every person, and this history needs to keep being told many years after us, I feel the need to make a proper book review.
This is not a well-written book, with a great plot and amazing description. So based on that, this doesn’t stand up to the standards. But this book has a meaning that makes up for all the amateur writing. After all, this was a teenager writing it, without even knowing this will someday be shared with the world.
To all of you that haven’t read it yet – I highly recommend it. If you don’t want to go with the long version, read the short Penguin one, like I did.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The Evidence Against You in Books
May 22, 2019
It's the day Izzy's father will be released from jail.
She has every reason to feel conflicted - he's the man who gave her a childhood filled with happy memories.
But he has also just served seventeen years for the murder of her mother.
Now, Izzy's father sends her a letter. He wants to talk, to defend himself against each piece of evidence from his trial.
But should she give him the benefit of the doubt?
Or is her father guilty as charged, and luring her into a trap?
This is an utterly amazing thriller,
The story is told in a very good way in that the past and present are told in alternating way and we get to find out facts about the case in drips.
Lots of twists and turns and keeps you wanting to know whats going to happen next and leaves the best to the very end.
A must read for 2019!
Highly Recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin UK Michael Joseph and the author for the chance to review.
She has every reason to feel conflicted - he's the man who gave her a childhood filled with happy memories.
But he has also just served seventeen years for the murder of her mother.
Now, Izzy's father sends her a letter. He wants to talk, to defend himself against each piece of evidence from his trial.
But should she give him the benefit of the doubt?
Or is her father guilty as charged, and luring her into a trap?
This is an utterly amazing thriller,
The story is told in a very good way in that the past and present are told in alternating way and we get to find out facts about the case in drips.
Lots of twists and turns and keeps you wanting to know whats going to happen next and leaves the best to the very end.
A must read for 2019!
Highly Recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin UK Michael Joseph and the author for the chance to review.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Your Closest Friend in Books
Jul 7, 2018
What a unique story and nothing like anything I've read before. You are thrown into the middle of a terrorist attack at the beginning of the story and not knowing whether she is going to survive or not, Cara confides her deepest secrets to the young lady who plucked her to safety. Secrets that should have stayed hidden as they are now used against her.
The writing style is easy to read and flows really well with each chapter written from the perspectives of the 2 main characters - Cara and Amy - which works extremely well for this book and the story. I did feel there was a bit of a lull in the middle but it certainly makes up for it as we move towards the thrilling conclusion.
Never having read anything by these authors before (Paul Perry and Karen Gillece ), I will most certainly keep my eyes open in future and thank you to the Publisher, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph, and NetGalley for once again introducing me to yet another great book that would likely have passed me by.
The writing style is easy to read and flows really well with each chapter written from the perspectives of the 2 main characters - Cara and Amy - which works extremely well for this book and the story. I did feel there was a bit of a lull in the middle but it certainly makes up for it as we move towards the thrilling conclusion.
Never having read anything by these authors before (Paul Perry and Karen Gillece ), I will most certainly keep my eyes open in future and thank you to the Publisher, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph, and NetGalley for once again introducing me to yet another great book that would likely have passed me by.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Down to the Woods in Books
Nov 3, 2018
This is only the second of M.J. Arlidge's books starring DI Helen Grace that I have read but the eighth in the series however I don't feel it absolutely necessary to have read them all as this stands up well on its own.
What a great story this is with scenes of peril, suspense, graphic descriptions of the aftermath of gruesome murders, twists, turns and red herrings, with fantastic and interesting characters especially DI Grace and the introduction of a new character, DS Joseph Hudson [I am very interested to see how their relationship develops in future stories] and all wrapped up in a great mystery set in the beautiful setting of The New Forest ... what more could you want?
Definitely recommended to fellow readers who don't mind a bit of blood mixed with action ... M.J. Arlidge does not disappoint with this book and my thanks go to the Publisher, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph via NetGalley for providing me with a copy in return for an honest review.
What a great story this is with scenes of peril, suspense, graphic descriptions of the aftermath of gruesome murders, twists, turns and red herrings, with fantastic and interesting characters especially DI Grace and the introduction of a new character, DS Joseph Hudson [I am very interested to see how their relationship develops in future stories] and all wrapped up in a great mystery set in the beautiful setting of The New Forest ... what more could you want?
Definitely recommended to fellow readers who don't mind a bit of blood mixed with action ... M.J. Arlidge does not disappoint with this book and my thanks go to the Publisher, Penguin UK - Michael Joseph via NetGalley for providing me with a copy in return for an honest review.
Alice (117 KP) rated The Magpie Society: One for Sorrow in Books
Mar 3, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing me with an advance copy
I had such high hopes for this book but unfortunately, I just didn't love it! I think it was tailored towards a younger audience as the writing style seemed a little on the younger side although there was frequent swearing and references to slightly older themes it seemed that the authors didn't really know their demographic. I can usually never guess what's going to happen in a mystery book but I predicted almost every single thing that happened fairly early on. I also just didn't care much for either of the main characters (or the side characters). I'm such a fan of Zoe and thought this series sounded so promising but I don't know if I would be in a rush to continue it! My copy had some printing errors too but I was able to figure out what was going on with that pretty quickly and it didn't affect my experience too much.
I had such high hopes for this book but unfortunately, I just didn't love it! I think it was tailored towards a younger audience as the writing style seemed a little on the younger side although there was frequent swearing and references to slightly older themes it seemed that the authors didn't really know their demographic. I can usually never guess what's going to happen in a mystery book but I predicted almost every single thing that happened fairly early on. I also just didn't care much for either of the main characters (or the side characters). I'm such a fan of Zoe and thought this series sounded so promising but I don't know if I would be in a rush to continue it! My copy had some printing errors too but I was able to figure out what was going on with that pretty quickly and it didn't affect my experience too much.