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The Druids Lair (Warrior #2)
The Druids Lair (Warrior #2)
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The second of, I believe, five e-book novellas based around the life of Caratacus, this is framed the same as the previous entry (The King in Rome, in that it is presented as Caratacus recounting his life - warts and all - to a minor Roman historian whilst in captivity/exile in Rome.

If that previous novella was centred around his younger life, then this one is around (roughly) his teenage years, where he is sent to be mentored by the Druids of Briton and initiated into their ways.

As is often the case, Caratacus must also find some way of dealing with the local bully, who is both older and stronger than the new initiates.

As a novella, this also must stand on it's own, as it were, complete with an opening, the main body of the story and then a conclusion within a relatively short number of (digital) pages!
  
The Adventures of Pugalugs: The Beginning
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Adventures of Pugalugs: The Beginning by Jessica Parish and with artwork by Helen Poole was amazing. This is the first in what the author hopes to be a set of over thirty books about a little pug puppy. These books are even based on a pug’s real adventures. There are some “Coming Soon” titles on the inside of the book that I look forward to seeing because I have a lot of hope for this series.

 Pugalugs is a pug puppy born in early November along with his brother and sister. Like many puppies he was so small he could fit in his owner’s hand when he was born. Most of the time Pugalugs spent his time cuddled up in a little bed with his siblings, all nice and warm, even if they did occasionally kick each other in the head. Then one day Pugalugs opens his eyes for the first time and the fun really begins.

 He tries so many new things while exploring the seemingly huge house he lives in. While little puppies do sleep a lot he also tires puppy food for the first time and attempts to eat a slipper. He also slides across the kitchen floor and attempts to climb the staircase with his brother’s help while his sister watches them. Then like all puppies (and children) do he imagines all the fun things he will be able to do outside when it is warm out and he is a little older and bigger.

 What I like best is that the entire design is great for children. It contains a medium about of text on each page, but it is broken up into smaller sections. The bright, bold colors mixed with the simple artwork shows children exactly what the story is trying to tell them about without unnecessary details. The only thing I can think of to complain about regarding this book was the fact that two of the three puppies are the same color. Since one of these is the main character it may have been a good idea to give him a distinguishing characteristic besides saying that he is bigger than the other.

Toddlers who love animals, especially dogs will enjoy having this book read to them over and over again. It may also quickly become a favorite of the beginning reader. Adults will enjoy seeing their children’s reactions to the silly adventures of Pugalugs. With all that being said I rate this book a perfect 4 out of 4. Animals hold the attention of most children very well and this book takes full advantage of that. The story is so sweet while teaching children fun facts about puppies (such as being born with their eyes closed). It also may be interesting to note that both of my daughters, who I normally can’t get to sit through the shortest book, sat with me until I finished reading the entire thing and then my oldest asked me to read it again. That alone is the best review I can give any book. Altogether this book is wonderful.


https://www.austinmacauley.com/book/adventures-pugalugs-beginning
https://nightreaderreviews.blogspot.com/2019/07/review-adventures-of-pugalugs-beginning.html
  
Sifting Through the Clues
Sifting Through the Clues
Daryl Wood Gerber | 2019 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Jenna Must Sift Through the Suspects to Find a Killer
Spring has sprung in Crystal Cove, and the town is celebrating all things book club. Clubs from neighboring towns have come to advertise their clubs and Jenna Hart is letting the Cookbook Nook be used to host some of the book discussions happening during the week. But she’s most excited about the progressive dinner that her own book club, the Mystery Mavens, is planning for Saturday night. However, the night ends in tragedy when they arrive at their last stop and find their final hostess, Ivy Beale, dead on her kitchen floor. Ivy had a reputation of knowing everyone’s secrets, and Jenna had seen her clashing with several people in town recently. Was that what got her killed?

One thing I love about the series is the different themes that author Daryl Wood Gerber works in via the town’s events, and book clubs is one that will appeal to all readers. The mystery is strong, with some unusual elements that Jenna must figure out in order to solve the case. I felt the suspects are good and kept me guessing as I went along. The climax was a lot of fun and perfectly wrapped things up. There is a large cast of characters, and I love spending time with them. However, at times it can be hard to remember all the connections, so I was thankful for the list of characters at the beginning of the book. My biggest issue is the relationship between Jenna and Cinnamon Pritchett, the chief of police. They are supposed to be good friends, but I don’t see it based on their interactions here. I get why Cinnamon behaves the way she does, but we need to see more of the friendship between them. We got over a dozen recipes at the end, some sweet and some savory, and many of them give us regular and gluten free versions. Fans of Daryl’s other series will enjoy the Easter eggs she slipped into this book; I know I did.