What a Bragger!

What a Bragger!

Lee Ann Mancini

Melissa likes to brag. She's always comparing everything she has to everyone else and announcing that what she has is better. Her friend, Corey, is angry and frustrated with Melissa. But his mom reminds him to pray for Melissa and treat her with kindness. Corey learns that Melissa is bragging to cover up her poverty. So when the teacher plans a birthday party he enlists his friends to help him make Melissa feel loved and special. As an added bonus to the story, there is a little fish symbol that children can look for on each page.

The bright, colorful illustrations fill each page. The vocabulary fits well with the intended age group. The story is sweet and entertained my children. The messages were faith based and my children were discussing them long after the book was finished. I also enjoyed the book, but especially appreciated the message of Christ-like love that was mixed in with the story. The story is rich with teachable moments. Parents and teachers will be able to use this book to teach messages about people who are different from us, having compassion, treating others with kindness regardless of their actions, thankfulness, and so much more.

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

Good-bye Magnolia

Good-bye Magnolia

Krista Noorman

Maggie loves photography. Her entire life is wrapped up in her wedding photography business that she started with an ex-fiance years ago. When an old college rival starts a competing business down the street, Maggie is afraid of losing everything. If she can get over past hurts, she must might find the love of her life.

The story begins when the two main characters are in college. The main portion of the story reads like part YA novel and part chick lit with lots of girl talk among Maggie's friends and angsty feelings for her rival. I enjoyed the photography theme since it's a hobby of mine. There was a few things with the secondary characters that felt left open, perhaps from a previous book or for an opening in another book. The relationships were realistic and fit with the plot lines.  The story has a faith element that is woven into the story, but doesn't come across as preachy. The story was wrapped up at the end with a romantic ending that will appeal to romance readers, especially those who enjoy Christian romance. 

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

Summer Brides

Summer Brides

A Year of Weddings Series

Beth Wiseman, Debra Clopton, Marybeth Whalen

Each bride in this story was jilted by her fiance. Now she has a second chance at love. But will she choose the man who left her at the alter or is there another man who can make her fall in love again. God often asks us to wait. Waiting on love is hard, but each of these brides finds out that God's plan is perfect in the end.

Each story was sweet and gave a little glimpse into the author's writing style. The inspirational message of faith, trust, and patience were woven into each story without coming across as too preachy. I enjoyed the visuals that each author brought into the plot to make it come alive. The characters were real and relatable. The book was a perfect summer read for when I wanted a great story, but didn't have a lot of time.

Raindrops Fall All Around

Raindrops Fall All Around

Charles Ghigna

Raindrops fall from the sky and land on everything. Join a little kitten and puppy as they explore their world and enjoy the adventure of raindrops. They encounter all sorts of animals and places as they romp and play in the rain. Puppy and kitten will learn all about rain 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 rain does to make the world special. At the end of the book, the reader will find interesting and fun facts about rain. 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.

A Windy Day in Spring

A Windy Day in Spring

Charles Ghigna

Warm wind makes spring enjoyable. Join a little kitten and puppy as they explore their world and enjoy the feel of the warm wind of spring. They encounter all sorts of animals and places as they romp and play in the springtime wind. Puppy and kitten will learn all about wind 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 wind does to make the world special. At the end of the book, the reader will find interesting and fun facts about wind. 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.

Look to the East

Look to the East

The Great War Book 1

Maureen Lang

Julitte lives with her adopted family in the small village of Briecourt. Long before France went to war with the Germans, the town has been at war. Two families have been feuding since before any of them can remember. So when the Germans invade their town, the Toussaints and the de Colvilles must decide whether to unite against them or stay in their feud. 

The book began by telling the story from two different view points; one of a Belgium man and the other from Julitte. It began slow and didn't pick up for me until about two thirds of the way through the book. But once it picked up I enjoyed the interaction between the villagers, the faith message, and a couple of the secondary characters. Most of the characters never really stood out to me, it was definitely more plot driven then character driven. This is a dark time in history and the author was able to convey the seriousness and hardships the villagers endured. There was a strong message of faith woven throughout the book, especially with the two main characters. Overall impression - In looking back after I finished the book, I can say that I liked it. But since it took so long to pick up for me, I can see others quitting before they get that far. There were some questions for me that weren't filled in after finishing the story, holes in the plot. While not a favorite of mine, I think the author is talented and readers who enjoy that period in history will really enjoy this story.

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

Autumn Brides

Autumn Brides

A Year of Weddings Series

Kathryn Springer, Katie Ganshert, Beth K. Vogt

Each bride in these three stories has a guy that is a friend, but nothing more. Or so they think. But friends make the best husbands, as each woman will learn. Join these autumn brides as they walk down the aisle with their best friend.

This was one of the best collection of novellas that I've read. Each story was sweet, romantic, and had elements of faith woven into the story. The authors wrote about the bonds of family, even those that aren't blood related. The stories were short and simple, but the characters had depth and were relatable. The heroes were the stuff of romantic dreams - flawed, but completely in love with their girl. Two of these authors were new to me, and one already a favorite. So it was nice to meet new authors and read more by a favorite. The stories convinced me to check out what else the new (to me) authors have written. Definitely one I would recommend.

I received this book free of charge from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.