Hail to Spring!

Hail to Spring!

Charles Ghigna

Springtime brings all kinds of weather. Sometimes that weather includes hail. Join a little kitten and puppy as they explore their world and enjoy the adventure of hail. They encounter all sorts of animals and places as they explore. Puppy and kitten will learn all about hail as they run through the city and countryside.

Bright, colorful illustrations fill each page. Large font, rhyming lyrical words, and simple vocabulary make this a fun to read book for young children. The story is told with the illustrations and tells the reader all of the things that the hail does to make to the world. At the end of the book, the reader will find interesting and fun facts about hail. The publisher has included additional resources online. The website has projects, games, and more that children can access to learn more about the subject. Parents will enjoy the rhythmic reading style and the education the children are learning while having fun. This book would make a great addition to any classroom and could be used for science or story time reading.

I received this book free of charge from Children's Lit in exchange for my honest review.

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Beth K. Vogt

Vanessa and Logan were high school sweethearts. But two years after their rushed wedding they called it quits. Hurt feelings and regret kept them from keeping in contact afterwards. Fast forward eight years and Vanessa is engaged. Her fiance wants to combine a medical conference with their wedding in Destin, Florida. Vanessa never expects to run into Logan. He left years ago with the storm chaser company that he started while they were married. But a hurricane and mutual friends keep throwing them together unexpectedly. Now they must decide whether to let things go or find out what when wrong.

The story starts slowly and the ending is known from the beginning. The author brought the beach scenery alive. She used flashbacks to tell the relationship between the couple. The story is character driven and deals with emotions and mixed signals. It wraps up quickly with the main three characters resolving their relationships.

I received this book free of charge from Book Club Network in exchange for my review.

Ellie Goes Back to School

Ellie Goes Back to School

The Amazing Adventures of Ellie the Elephant

Marci Fair

Ellie is a little scared to start school in a new place. Thankfully she has her friend Pudgy who has been to school before. The story takes the reader through a pictorial journey of the day in the life of a kindergartener. The two friends learn that school is not scary and that making new friends is fun.

School can be intimidating to a young child. The author has written a cute book with bright, colorful photography that explains school in simple terms. The vocabulary is age appropriate and the pictures are playful and help minimize any fears a child might have. It would be a great book to have for the parents of children just starting school or transferring to a new school. Using the stuffed animals as characters helps lighten a potentially heavy subject. At the back of the book, young readers are encouraged to join in the fun by sharing pictures of their own stuffed animals.

I received this book free of charge from Bostick Communications in exchange for my honest review.

Maybe Today

Maybe Today

A Simple Approach to a Soul-Satisfying Life

David Butler & Emily Belle Freeman

When you wake up in the morning are you on the path to a soul-satisfying life? The authors have taken this thought and broken it down into five simple steps that lead the reader into a simple, but beautiful way to live a stress free and fulfilled life. Set against a back drop of gorgeous photograph, each page has large font and thought provoking quotes.

The book was inspiring for the photography alone. But the words were just as powerful. Written in a rhythmic style that doesn't require a ton of words, the authors pointed out the five patterns that lead to a holy and soul-satisfying life. I enjoyed reading the book and think it would make a wonderful gift or personal devotional.

 

I received this book free of charge from Shadow Mountain Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Irish Meadows

Irish Meadows

Courage to Dream Book 1

Susan Anne Mason
 

Brianna and Colleen are two sisters who don't get along. They, along with their family, live on a horse farm. Their father has aspirations for them marrying well. But both girls have different ideas for their future than their father. As each girl grows up and matures, she realizes what is important and what is worth fighting for.

The book reads like a family saga. The writing flows well and kept me moving through the story. The characters were more numerous than a typical historical romance. The book is laid out so that the main story lines are completed at the end of the book, but characters are set up for the next book in the series. The message of forgiveness and faith was woven throughout the story without it being preachy. I enjoyed the story, but the characters didn't grab me. I didn't fall in love. I will check out more by this author, since I really enjoyed her writing style. I'm just hoping the characters grab me more in the next book.
 

I received this book free of charge from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for my honest review.

Coloring Dream Mandalas

Coloring Dream Mandalas

30 Hand-Drawn Designs for Mindful Relaxation

Wendy Piersall

Coloring has been shown to relax and help adults focus. Artful drawings with a dream theme fill each page and give the viewer a beautiful picture before it's even filled in with color. Some of the mandalas include inspirational quotes as well.

The artwork that fills this book is amazing. I can speak from personal experience that coloring these mandalas is relaxing and calming. The size is great for sliding into my book binder and the pages stay open while I'm coloring. Although the book is marketed to adults, children will enjoy it as well. Both of my children needed some busy work during a meeting and enjoyed using colored pencils on the mandalas. The book would make an excellent gift. I have several and highly recommend them.

I received this book free of charge from Ulysses Press in exchange for my honest review.

Through Waters Deep

Through Waters Deep

Waves of Freedom Book 1

Sarah Sundin

Jim is an officer in the Navy just before the war breaks out. He reconnects with Mary, an old school friend from years ago. Mary quietly works behind the scenes at her job as secretary in the Navel Yard. When she discovers what looks like sabotage she and Jim work together to try to solve the mystery. 

I've read one other book and a novella by this author and really enjoyed them. But this book is now my favorite of hers. The characters were authentic and had depth. The plot of the story came alive with her descriptions, but I never felt bogged down in the details. The mystery and suspense fit well with the romance of the story and the time period. I felt like I was reliving a part of history as well as enjoying a great story. Those who enjoy historical fiction, especially WWII, will really love this book. But anyone who enjoys mystery or romance will also enjoy it. This is an author to put on your favorites list. 

I received this book free of charge from Litfuse Publicity in exchange for my honest review.