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Lindsay (1771 KP) rated The Costume Contest (Mariana Books Rhyming #2) in Books

Oct 14, 2021  
The Costume Contest (Mariana Books Rhyming #2)
The Costume Contest (Mariana Books Rhyming #2)
Roger Carlson | 2020 | Children
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Are you shopping for Halloween theme books for your child or children? Well. “The Costume Contest” by Roger Carlson is a good one to have on your child’s bookshelves. It deals with Halloween, and it also helps with cooperation and conflict solution.

We meet Aaron and Ava for this story. The story behind this is sweet. Will Aaron help his little sister out with her costume and the contest? You will see that Aaron wants to be something different for Halloween? But did Aaron promise to be a cat with Ava or not?

Children will learn about conflict solutions and solving problems through cooperation. I like how the two kids figure out their trick-or-treating costumes between themselves, though with parents’ support. What does Aaron decide to do?

The author put this story on Halloween, focused on friendship, and saw what happens when they trick-treating. Who ends up willing to participate in the costume contest? The pictures are so colorful. Are the different costumes you see while Aaron and Ava are trick or treating? This book is a sweet story and has a few teaching lessons through the book.

Parents will enjoy having this book on their shelves. Children will want to read this book again and again. It is suitable for the Halloween season, along with some teachable lessons for children.
  
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David McK (3576 KP) rated Hearts of Stone in Books

Feb 9, 2022  
Hearts of Stone
Hearts of Stone
Simon Scarrow | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
6
5.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Not quite what the blurb makes out
Whilst I do associate Simon Scarrow with the genre of historical fiction, these tend to be set further back in history: mainly around the time of the Roman Empire; there or thereabouts.

Until recently, I've tended to avoid his few works that are more contemporary in nature, only recently (towards the end of last year) reading Blackout as I felt they were 'too close' (if that makes sense) for comfort for me in that there are still people alive who lived through the setting.

I must admit, I did quite enjoy Blackout so thought I would also give this a go, due to the roughly the same (WW2) setting.

This novel flits back and forth between then and 'now' (of 2013), as the descendants of the main 1940s settings character start to discover more about their ancestors - in particular, as history teacher Anna uncovers the story of her maternal grandmother Eleni, who participated in the Greek resistance on the island of Lefkas during 1943.

The whole had-a-German-friend in 1939 thing almost seems incidental to the story (he's not), until roughly about the final third.

And yes, I did pick up on the arguments in favour of teaching history (a subject I did, mostly, enjoy in school) passages.
  
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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post

Mar 13, 2022  
Read part of the first chapter from the Christian historical romance novel THE SPARK OF LOVE by Amanda Cabot on my blog. Be sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win all three books in the Mesquite Springs series, a keychain, and reader stickers.

https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/2022/03/book-blog-tour-and-giveaway-spark-of.html

**BOOK SYNOPSIS**
She's determined to start a new life in the West . . . if only the old one would leave her alone.

When a spurned suitor threatens her, heiress Alexandra Tarkington flees New York for Mesquite Springs in the Texas Hill Country, where her father is building a hotel. But the happy reunion she envisions is not to be, as her father insists she return to New York. Instead, Alexandra carves out a niche for herself in town, teaching schoolchildren to paint and enjoying the company of Gabe Seymour, a delightful man she met on the stagecoach.

But all is not as it seems. Two men, each with his own agenda, have followed her to Mesquite Springs. And Gabe, an investigator, is searching for proof that her father is a swindler.

With so much to lose--and hide from one another--Alexandra and Gabe will have to come together if they are ever to discover whether the sparks they've felt from the beginning can kindle the fire of true love.
      
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Merissa (13063 KP) rated Wulfgang (Bad Oak Boys #3) in Books

May 20, 2023  
Wulfgang (Bad Oak Boys #3)
Wulfgang (Bad Oak Boys #3)
Erin M. Leaf | 2016 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Silas needs a break from the rock n roll lifestyle of Bad Oak, so he decides to go back to his teaching roots for the summer and leave all the werewolf madness behind him. What he doesn't realise is that Wulfgang is about to make an appearance in his life, and that means a BIG change, in more ways than one.

I loved the fact that Silas is a calm character who accepts who he is and what has occurred. Too many times, the story is taken over the with angst of changing, whereas this story was able to concentrate on bringing a broken pack together and making it stronger, the politics that Bardulf is dealing with, and the dangers of aconite to the wolves.

This is a smoothly-paced and exceedingly well-written story, full of love, humour and angst, with characters that are well-rounded and delightful. If I had one warning about this book, it would be not to read the last few chapters in an airport, where people look at you strangely when you start crying! Absolutely and definitely recommended!

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 15, 2016
  
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Paul Kellett (118 KP) rated This War of Mine: The Board Game in Tabletop Games

May 27, 2019  
This War of Mine: The Board Game
This War of Mine: The Board Game
2017 | Adult, Adventure, Exploration, Modern Warfare, Video Game Theme
8
8.0 (4 Ratings)
Tabletop Game Rating
Very immersive experience (4 more)
Great solo game
Stands out as a piece of art
Great teaching tool
Great storytelling game
Brutally hard (1 more)
Adult and disturbing depictions of war
Brutal Survival game
This War of Mine is a game of civilians struggling to survive in the middle of a war. It is harsh, brutal and contains scenes that some players might find distressing.

It is gritty, realistic and very hard. It's a remarkable game that really makes you think and can stand as a piece of art, capable of teaching about the harsh realities of war and humanity.

You play as a group of 3 (or 4) civilians trying to survive. You have to rebuild your shelter to try and barricade against the cold and other raiding groups.

A fully cooperative game, no player controls a single character but takes turns deciding what the group will do and resolving situations.

Split into phases, you spend the day building up your shelter, adding beds, workshops and other items that might ease your struggles.
You will try different combinations of things to try and work out the most efficient and vital components to build first. Depending on the whim of the various encounter and event cards as to how well these things will work.

The night phase is the main part of the game. You need to send people out to scavenge the nearby ruined buildings, post a guard to protect your shelter and try to get some rest. This is a fine balancing act and you will be forced to push the survivors to breaking point in order to do any of these things.

Scavenging brings danger from snipers, soldiers and other aggressive survivors trying to defend their property.
You pick one of 3 locations to investigate and build an encounter deck. As you explore, you reveal cards, find valuable resources, food, medicine, bandages, weapons and parts crucial to building better items in your shelter.

While scavenging, you will be told to reference numbered paragraphs in the Book of Scripts. This tells the story of what and who you find and it is this that brings home the grim reality of what you are doing.
You will have to make some terrible decisions - do you return home empty handed and risk one of your group dying from hunger or illness or do you steal the supplies you need from the old couple you found hiding in the ruined apartment?

This game is definitely not for everyone but I firmly believe that everyone should experience it at least once.
I borrowed a copy from someone in my game group and played a couple of short games before handing it back but I found myself thinking about it a lot afterwards and ended up buying it myself.

This War of Mine is definitely much more than just a boardgame. It is art. It is a lesson in humanity and the harsh reality of war.
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