Pepper Parrot's Problem with Patience: Review

Pepper Parrot's Problem with Patience: A Captain No Beard Story (Vol. 2)
Author: Carole P. Roman
Publisher: Createspace
Pages: 38

Summary:

The crew of the Flying Dragon are sailing again. This time, new crewmember, Pepper Parrot is having a hard time keeping up with the drills. Captain No Beard and his mates join together to help Pepper achieve her goals with patience and tolerance.

My Thoughts:

This is another Captain No Beard story. The kids and I really liked the first one but I think that I liked this one even better. That is because it teaches children to be patient. (We could all use a little more patience in this house, especially me.)

Pepper the Parrot can't seem to get the drills right and begins to get frustrated. The whole crew joins together to help Pepper learn the drills and also to learn how to be patient. So not only will it help kids understand that if they are patient and keep trying they can do anything they set their minds to, but it also shows them how they can be helpful to others who are losing their patience. This is a fun little series with a great message!

*I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Camelot's Cousin: Review

Camelot's Cousin
Author: David R. Stokes
Publisher: Telemachus Press
Pages: 330

Summary:

When a Dad tries to dig a hole in his Northern Virginia yard to bury the remains of the family pet, he chances upon something buried years before--a mysterious briefcase. Its contents include a journal with cryptic writing. The father turns to his friend--and boss--Templeton Davis, a former Rhodes scholar and popular national radio talk show host, for help figuring out what he's found.

They soon realize that they are in possession of materials that were hidden more than 60 years earlier by a notorious deep cover agent for the Soviet Union--Kim Philby. And buried with the materials were clues to the identity of the most effective spy in the history of Cold War espionage.

Long a mere footnote in history, the story of this man's treachery reaches the pinnacles of power and geopolitics. It's a story that begins just before the Second World War breaks out and reaches the depths of the decades-long stand off that followed.

The trail leads to a picturesque town in Vermont, the streets of New York City, the corridors of power in Washington, DC--but most importantly, Oxford, England, where Davis realizes that the beautiful city of spires on the Thames was once also a city of spies.

The Oxford spies may never have reached the level of public notoriety as those from that other British stronghold of academia--Cambridge--but clearly the story had never been completely known--or told. And it was a very dangerous mine of detail in which to dig, a fact borne out by a couple of suspicious deaths left in the wake of Templeton Davis's travels.

Davis would discover that at the moment when the world came closest to unparalleled disaster, secrets were being betrayed at the highest levels. He would also come to understand that what he had learned connected to a time of great sorrow for mankind--the Kennedy assassination.

At a crucial moment, Templeton Davis quickly develops a bond borne of necessity with a beautiful young woman from Russia--someone with her own secrets. And when what she knows is combined with what the famous broadcaster has learned, the two unlikely heroes find themselves in grave danger, yet poised to rock the world. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

A man is attempting to dig a grave for his family dog when he uncovers an old briefcase that was buried in his yard. Inside the briefcase was a journal filled with a coded message that he couldn't decipher. He hands the journal over to his boss, Templeton, to see if he could figure it out. Templeton is extremely interested in it and travels all over the world following clues hoping to uncover the mystery of this journal. Learning these secrets may just cost him and those around him their lives.

I love anything having to do with spies and espionage so I really enjoyed this book. It was a very interesting story and it held my interest from beginning to end. There was some history mixed in with the fiction which made it even more intriguing. It really makes me want to research more about this topic to find out what was history and what wasn't. It definitely kept me on the edge of my seat wondering who was going to make it out alive and who would die for these secrets. I look forward to reading more by Stokes.

*I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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The William S Club: Review

The William S Club
Author: Riley Banks
Publisher: Aussieicon Books
Pages: 326

Summary:

A beautiful Australian journalist who changed her name and fled her homeland. A billionaire property magnate who dredges up her tortured past. An elite club with a secret they have killed to protect.

Sydney is the one place Charlotte Burke swore she'd never return but The William S Club have other plans.

Lust, sex, violence, blackmail and even murder, they will stop at nothing to keep their secret hidden, pushing Charlotte and the other players towards their dangerous end-game. (Goodreads)


My Thoughts:

This book is definitely for an adult audience. I didn't realize how much sex there would be in this book before reading it. I'm not a fan of erotica so I felt that the story could have done without some of it. But if you took that out of the equation for me it would have been excellent. It's not really an erotica novel but it does contain some explicit sex scenes. The suspense kept me hooked! If you are into that genre then this book will be perfect for you. This thriller is action packed with a bit of romance mixed in.

The William S Club is full of secrets and has affected Charlotte's life in ways that she doesn't even know.  She witnessed her mother's death and has spent her life avoiding her father at all costs. She has even changed her name. Now she is an investigative journalist and is invited to go on a press trip but she doesn't know that the trip might mean the end of her. She starts falling for Damon but soon everyone around her starts dying. Charlotte may just be sleeping with the enemy . . . or the brother of the enemy. :)

*I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Redemption on the River: Review

Redemption on the River
Author: Loren DeShon
Publisher: Loren DeShon
Pages: 390

Summary:

Silas Jacobson pulled a trigger, killed his father, and ended up months later face down in Memphis mud, trying to forget the girl who betrayed him.

Silas buries his father on the farm, his guilt in himself and leaves home seeking to forget past mistakes. He travels on Mississippi steamboats and meets his best friend in a brawl, his worst enemy in a cathouse, and a mentor and lover at a New Orleans faro table. Fighting, fornicating, and cheating at cards are a grand time, but there's another woman, a girl on a mission of her own, who saves his life and offers the opportunity to redeem himself.

Silas staggers out of the mud to go to her, but he finds that she's deceived him from the start. He'll risk his neck for her—he owes her that much—but love is no longer possible. His shot at redemption comes down to his conscience, the two women, a poker game, and the turn of a card.

Redemption on the River is historical fiction set along the Mississippi River in 1848. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

Silas felt responsible for his father's death and leaves home to try and forget. He ends up on a Mississippi steam boat and meets the love of his life but realizes that she has a secret past and has deceived him. He will still risk his life for her. Silas grows a lot as a person throughout the story. He was raised on a farm that did not own or use slaves. Because of this he didn't realize how horrible being enslaved was until his travels and until he witnessed it.

This was a pretty long book at almost 400 pages but I really, really liked it. I love historical fiction so it was fun learning about the parts of this book that truly did happen. I found it very interesting and there are facts in the back of the book that I really enjoyed looking through. It seems like I learn more while reading historical fiction books than I did in school! (haha) There is a lot about fighting, gambling, and slavery in this book so if any of this interests you then you'll probably enjoy it too and of course there's a love story thrown in. I learned a lot that I didn't already know by reading this book. You should check this one out!

*I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Captain No Beard: Review

Captain No Beard: An Imaginary tale of a Pirates Life
Author: Carole P. Roman
Publisher: CreateSpace
Pages: 40

Summary:

Captain No Beard and his pirate ship The Flying Dragon set sail for a voyage of the imagination with his fearless crew of four: First Mate Hallie, Mongo the Monkey, Linus the loudmouthed lion, and Fribbit the floppy frog. Normally a young boy named Alexander, his cousin Hallie, and three stuffed animals, once they board his bed their world is transformed into a magical vessel, sailing the seven seas on dangerous and exciting adventures!

My Thoughts:

I love pirates, probably even more than my kids do! So we were really excited to read this book. Captain No Beard (I absolutely adore that name) and his crew sail the seas and go on some amazing adventures. This book will really get your kid's imagination going! The illustrations in the book are wonderful. They are bold and colorful.

This is a very fun and imaginative read that I think will appeal to both boys and girls. Definitely check it out, your kids will love it! (I'm sure you will too!)

*I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Tales of Tomasewski: Review

Tales of Tomasewski
Author: Del Staecker
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Pages: 213

Summary:

Chicago’s best rogue cop is hard at work.

Tales of Tomasewski is terrifically entertaining. As brilliant veteran cop Jake Thompson outwits one twisted criminal after another, the plot cooks, the dialogue snaps, and the lean prose surprises with great bursts of humor, insight, and gritty poetry. (Jim Zervanos, author of, Love Park)

Jake Thompson, aka Jan Tomasewski, is in cop purgatory—for doing the right thing. Jake has a nose for cases that punish him for doing what’s right. In fact, the hospital issued him a frequent-patient card with extra points—for habitually doing the right thing. A crayon box full of victims, villains, and friends vibrantly color the cases Jake encounters on Chicago’s gritty Southside and follows to the Caribbean, Hong Kong and beyond. (Joyce Faulkner, award winning author of, Username) (Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed reading this book. It's not a novel really, each chapter is a separate short story. This made it for a really fast read. It's not the most intense or complex crime book but it is a lot of fun.

The main character makes a major career mistake and is now stuck in a department that he hates. He feels like he'll never get out and is counting down the days until he can retire. There are several instances where he goes out of his way to solve big crimes thinking that they will be his ticket out but nothing seems to work. It would be very discouraging to be in his place. Even though he is a hero, he isn't treated as one. The author did a wonderful job portraying the characters and making them very likable and memorable. I really loved Jake. He had flaws and he wasn't perfect (who is?) and this made him even more lovable for me. I would love to read more about him in future books. This was a fun and entertaining read with some humor thrown in.

*I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Can't and Able: Review

Can't and Able
Author: Cynthia Fabian
Illustrator: Daniel Stevens
Publisher: Strategic Book Publishing
Pages: 28

Summary:

What does it feel like when you just can't do what the other kids, I mean stars, do? Can't kept trying, but he never seemed to shine as brightly as the other stars, and was always teased and bullied by others. Can't feels that he is less than the other stars and just cannot shine. It wasn't until Can't realized he Can, that everything changed for him. Find out how Can't became a hero and ultimately became Can. Able is the star who had it all. Able helps Can't to realize that he can really shine. Connect with Can't, Able, and all the stars that live in their neighborhood and beyond in the star-studded children's book Can't and Able: An Inspirational Story. The colorful artwork by Daniel Stevens creates beauty and fun throughout the universe. And as we all know, the star is the limit!

My Thoughts:

Can't is a star who is always bullied because he can't shine as brightly as the other stars. But when can't becomes a hero he realizes that he CAN.

I think the message in this story is wonderful. Can't is such a horrible 4-letter word. I try to always correct my kids when they say they can't do something and then I tell them to try. When they find out they can do it they feel so proud of themselves. You can do anything you want with a little hard work and belief in yourself. I think that was exactly the point the author was trying to get across in this story.

My daughter really enjoyed the brightly colored illustrations. If you have a kid in your life who thinks that they "can't", then maybe this is the book for them. Let's teach them that they can do whatever they set their little hearts and minds to.

*I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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The Pact: Jodi Picoult

The Pact
Author: Jodi Picoult
Publisher: Avon
Pages: 496

Summary:

For eighteen years the Hartes and the Golds have lived next door to each other, sharing everything from Chinese food to chicken pox to carpool duty-- they've grown so close it seems they have always been a part of each other's lives. Parents and children alike have been best friends, so it's no surprise that in high school Chris and Emily's friendship blossoms into something more. They've been soul mates since they were born.

So when midnight calls from the hospital come in, no one is ready for the appalling truth: Emily is dead at seventeen from a gunshot wound to the head. There's a single unspent bullet in the gun that Chris took from his father's cabinet-- a bullet that Chris tells police he intended for himself. But a local detective has doubts about the suicide pact that Chris has described.(Goodreads)

My Thoughts:

Chris and Emily have been friends since the day they were born and their friendship evolves into a more romantic relationship. Everyone believes that they are soul mates and that they will eventually get married. So when Emily ends up dead from an apparent suicide pact the family is shocked. But there are doubts to this story and Chris becomes a murder suspect.

I believe this is the first Jodi Picoult book that I have read and I really enjoyed it and had a hard time putting it down. I easily fell in love with the main character, Chris, and felt that he was very well-developed. It is a heartbreaking story and it is horrible to see how one very sad event can completely tear families apart.

The trial that goes on in the story really kept my interest. It was probably the most interesting part of the book in my opinion. The suspense kept me reading. I do have some complaints about this book though. I wish that Emily would have been developed a little more and that there would have been more to her side of the story. I would make the whole story a little more complex and believable. Especially the part about her wanting to commit suicide. I really didn't like her at all and found her to be selfish. Yes, her reason for suicide would have been life changing but it would have turned out just fine. Perhaps she just sees it as the end of the world as a lot of teens do. But what makes me even more aggravated is the situation she put Chris in. You don't do that to somebody you love and care about!

The ending left me happy but is it realistic? I don't know. I don't want to go into too much detail about it thought so I don't spoil it for anyone. So yes I enjoyed reading it, some things could have been better, and I will check out more books by this author. Do any of you have any books to recommend to me by Jodi Picoult? Are you a fan?

* I paid for this book with my own money.

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I Want To Do Yoga Too: Review

I Want To Do Yoga Too
Author: Carole P. Roman
Publisher: CreateSpace
Pages: 24

Summary:

Hallie and her mother go to the yoga studio. Hallie wants to join her mom's yoga class, but she isn't allowed. She complains to the babysitter, who gently guides her through four yoga poses. Hallie learns that not only is yoga easy, but fun as well.

My Thoughts:

Hallie and her mom go to the yoga studio where Hallie is left in the playroom while the adults go to their yoga class. Hallie complains that she wants to do yoga too. The babysitter has her stand like a tree and an airplane and has her flap her knees like a butterfly. The whole time Hallie keeps complaining that she wants to do yoga too, little did she know she was doing just that. Once Hallie realizes that she was doing yoga all along, she is a very happy girl who decides that she loves yoga. She wants to come back to do it again and again.

This was a pretty cute little story. I think that it reminds our children that they need to be patient. It also introduces them to yoga and they can get up and do the poses right along with Hallie. Anything to get my kids up and active is fine by me! I've been thinking a lot about starting to do yoga lately and this book has made me realize that maybe it wouldn't be so hard to do with my kids around after all. They would probably love to join in and do it along with me!

*I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Evermore: Review

EvermoreAuthor: Alyson Noël
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Series: The Immortals #1
Pages: 301

Summary:

After a horrible accident claims the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever Bloom can see people's auras, hear their thoughts, and know someone's entire life story by touching them. Going out of her way to avoid human contact to suppress her abilities, she has been branded a freak at her new high school — but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste.

Damen is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head - wielding a magic so intense, it's as though he can peer straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. And she has no idea just who he really is - or what he is. The only thing she knows to be true is that she's falling deeply and helplessly in love with him.

My Thoughts:

I hadn't heard anything about this book but I was walking along in my library with my daughter and the cover caught my eye. I thought it was absolutely beautiful! I read the summary and I decided to give it a shot. When I was done reading it I checked out the reviews on Goodreads and it seems like everyone hated it! I guess I was just on of the few who actually enjoyed it. So I just want to warn you that you may want to check out other reviews of this book too in case I'm just weird. :) But I'm going to give you my honest take on it. A lot of people were saying that it's just a bad rip off of Twilight but I couldn't tell you because, once again, I'm one of the few who hasn't read that series.

Ever and her family are in a car accident that claims the lives of her mom, dad, and little sister. She is the only one that survives and she comes out of the accident with psychic powers and the ability to see auras and such. Ever is kind of moody and negative and always goes around with her hood up and headphones in her ears. Some readers were complaining that this was annoying and that she was whiny and unappreciative of what she does have. Her aunt took her in a gave her a huge room with anything that a girl could ever need or want. So yes, maybe she wasn't showing appreciation for all of those things but I can't really blame her. No amount of "stuff" can take the place of her family and the life that she lost. I didn't find her hood and headphones annoying. I saw it as a means of escape for a teenage girl who just lost her family. Maybe that is just the way that she is dealing with it. The music could also help to drown out all of the "psychic noise".

Anywho, one thing that did bother me was her friends Miles and Haven. Miles was the typical gay guy stereotype and Haven was the typical goth stereotype. I just wish that they would have been a little different than you would expect a gay guy or goth character to be. That there was just a little more to them. If that makes any sense?

Then Damen enters the picture. He's Mr. Mystery because Ever can't see his aura or get any psychic "reading" off of him, which baffles her. So she is drawn to him and when they are together it's almost as if she's a normal teenage girl again. I wish there was a little more background on Damen but maybe it will explain him a little more in the next book.

Since I seem to be one of the only ones who liked this book I would recommend that you try to borrow or find this book at your library if you are interested in reading it. That way you have nothing to lose if you end up not liking it. Have any of you read this book? I am interested in hearing your thoughts!

*I borrowed this book from my library.

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Scented Adventures of The Bouquet Sisters in Fairyland

Scented Adventures of The Bouquet Sisters in Fairyland
Author: Susan Liberty Hall
Publisher: Inkwell productions
Pages: 83

Summary:

Fairy Tale or True Life? Scented Adventures of The Bouquet Sisters in Fairyland is an interesting combination of both! Your Children will be delighted to share the mystical adventure of the Bouquet Sisters, as they fly around the World on their very own magic flying carpet. They are instructed by a beautiful team of Fairies called The Pretty Fiery Lights, who take them to learn from the Good Doctor (Gary Young) at his farm in Utah. The children learn about the Essential Oils and are sent on 7 Missions to anoint the Children of the World and pray for the Miracles needed to heal our World. This book will teach children the importance of prayer in changing things for good and to take care of their own health. The exquisite artwork of Josephine Wall and the Aroma Scent Release feature will engage their senses in beauty and the sweet scent of Sacred Oils.

My Thoughts:

I was really excited to review this book because it was a fairytale and it also included scents throughout the story so you can actually smell the essential oils that are mentioned in the book. I thought that was a very creative and unique idea. The artwork in this book is absolutely beautiful.

There is healing and religion thrown into this book which I am fine with but it almost seems that the book focuses more on preaching the author's beliefs and marketing the essential oils that are for sale in the back of the book than on the story itself. I felt like the author was trying to push her beliefs on to the readers and some of them are a bit much for me. Everyone has their own beliefs and I completely understand and accept that. I just don't agree with them all. For example, I am a Christian and I listen to hard rock but I don't think that means that I am going to call upon something evil rather than God in my life. I just really think all of this took away from the story. With that being said, I think it is great that this book teaches kids to help the earth and the people on it. It also teaches some great lessons such as being kinds to others, praying, eating well and taking care of your body.

I don't know. It's kind of a toss up for me. I think that the book would have been a lot more interesting if it focused more on the fairytale side of things. I think that it would be a bit much for children but maybe some adults would find it more intriguing. Have any of you read this book? What are your thoughts?

*I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Hex Hall: Review

Hex Hall
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Series: Hex Hall #1
Pages: 323

Summary:

Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters. 
  
By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.
  
As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

My Thoughts:

Sophie Mercer is sent to a reform school for Prodigium after she cast a spell at her prom that doesn't go as planned. While at Hex Hall, Sophie gains enemies, a vampire friend, and a crush. Mysteries unravel and Sophie realizes that she may be in danger. A secret society is looking to destroy her . . .

I REALLY liked this book. That may be because it's a book about witches. I have always loved witches. When I was a kid I wished that I was one. Who doesn't want powers? Who doesn't want to be able to say the magic words and your room cleans itself? I have always been fascinated by witches. But that's not the only reason I liked this book. I really liked Sophie. She has a sarcastic sense of humor and is very witty. I'm like that and I really like that in a person. It brought humor into the story.

This is a really fastpaced and easy read. I was never bored and the plot never moved too slow. So if you're looking for a light and fun read full of magic, this book is for you. I just know that I need to find out what happens next in the life of Sophie Mercer. Luckily I already have the second book on my shelf waiting for me!

*I borrowed this book from the library.

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