Gracie Meets a Ghost (REVIEW)

 

Gracie Meets a Ghost

Author: Keiko Sena
Category: Illustrated Children's Book

Suitable for: All Ages, ideal for ages 3-6

My Rating: 4 Stars

Format Read for Review: ARC e-book from the publisher

Pages: 32

This book will bereleased, Oct. 1, 2016

Description: Gracie the bunny has poor eye sight so she has to get glasses. Her friends tease her a bit, but she is a trooper about it. One day while playing she accidentally loses her glasses. She spends the night searching for them alone on a mountain. She comes across a ghost but it is unable to scare her because she can't see! The ghost agrees to find her glasses just so they can scare her, but once they find them for her she doesn't even get a chance to thank them because the sun comes up and the ghost vanishes!

In Short: This is a cute book for entertainment. It's very comical but doesn't teach anything. This could be a good book to cheer up kids who aren't happy about having to get their first pair of glasses. This could also be a fun bedtime story.

Pros: This book is well written, well translated, and should be easy for children to read. The art is really cute and funny. The story is quite comical. I liked the part where Gracie kept blindly poking at poor animals thinking they were her glasses. "What a rooooood bunny!" In the end Gracie has her glasses again and is happy.

Cons: I would have liked to have seen a clearer moral/lesson or more emphasis on self-esteem with glasses.

I recieved a free copy of this book in return for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links to Amazon. 

COVER REVEAL - Managed Hearts by Jerica MacMillan

Managed Hearts

Players of Marycliff University

Book 3

Jerica MacMillan

New Adult Romance
Release Date: October 24, 2016

Blurb

Do you choose your dream job—or the guy you’ve always wanted?

Three years ago Hannah met a sexy surfer while on vacation in Westport, WA.  After a whirlwind summer romance, he ghosts. She’s tried to move on, but no other guy has ever measured up.  And now she comes face to face with him on the first day of her new internship.  To make matters worse, he’s one of her managers, and he has no idea who she is.

Matt’s tired of being the third wheel around his friends, especially when he was the only one who ever wanted a girlfriend. And then Hannah Glover shows back up in his life—the girl who simultaneously made him want a relationship and ruined him for anyone else without him even realizing it.  He wants her now more than ever, but she doesn’t trust him after the way he ended things before.  Which should be fine since he’s her manager at his first job out of college, and their company has a strict no fraternization policy.  But Matt just can’t seem to help himself where she’s concerned.  And she won’t be an intern forever, right?  

Will he be able to convince Hannah to give them another shot?  Or will their past and their present conspire to keep them apart?

If you love steamy new adult romance, check out the third installment in the Players of Marycliff University series now!

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Excerpt

His smile grew bigger. “You seem a little nervous.”

She chuckled. “Yeah, a little.” She waved a hand around. “I’m just not sure what to expect here. What this is. What you want, exactly.”

His fingers flexed on her hips again. “Just you. Just this. Us. Another chance.” His voice dropped lower. “I missed you.”

Hannah’s breath stopped in her throat at that declaration. At least Matt didn’t mince words. That hadn’t changed. He’d always been direct with her, especially about the fact that he wanted her, from the very beginning. But she pulled away and turned toward the couch, shaking her head. “You missed me, huh? Really?”

She turned back to him, arms crossed over her chest and eyes narrowed. The coffee table stood between them now, providing a needed barrier. His hands on her body and his lips on her skin short-circuited her brain. And that statement from the guy who’d just left her hanging was ridiculous.

He stuffed his hands into his pockets, his face serious. “Yeah. I did.”

She tilted her head, one eyebrow creeping up her forehead. “Since when? Yesterday? Friday? Or before?”

At least he had the grace to look sheepish at the last question. One hand came up to rub the back of his neck, and he dropped his gaze for a moment before looking her in the eyes again. “Look, I’m sorry about what happened before. About the way things ended.”

Hannah snorted. “Ended? You mean the way you left me hanging?”

He nodded. “Yeah, it was a dick move. I’m sorry. Really, I am. I was young and stupid, and I didn’t realize what I was giving up when I let you go like that.”

“You didn’t let me go, Matt. You ghosted me. At least if you’d had the balls to end things I would’ve had some closure.”

He nodded again, his mouth twisted in a grimace, his blue eyes pained. “I know. Believe me, I’ve regretted it since I realized you’d stopped emailing me me, and I didn’t know what to do about it or how to make it up to you, especially with you still in high school three hours away and planning on going to college on the other side of the state. I figured it was better for both of us to just let it go. It was shitty of me to treat you that way and not have the balls to have a hard conversation, and for that I’m so sorry.” He took a step around the coffee table so he could get close to her, but she moved away and held up a hand. “Please, Hannah. I am sorry. Do you want me to beg?”

Other Books in this Series

Summer Fling

One summer is all they have ...

Lance is a notorious player on and off the football field who never sees a girl more than twice.  But with graduation now behind him, his days of carefree flirting are numbered.  As soon as his summer internship is over, his parents expect him to return to Texas to take his place in the family business.  He’s done everything he can to delay the inevitable, and he’s determined to live it up his last summer as his own man.

Abby comes from a world where men don’t stick around.  Lance’s interest does nothing but put her on guard, especially when she finds out he’ll be leaving in less than two months.  With two years left of college and a mom who relies on her for everything, Abby doesn’t have the patience for relationships that are doomed from the start.  But Lance's persistence wears down her defenses.  Abby convinces herself they’ll just have a summer fling, and she’ll be able to come through unscathed.

Will Abby be able to maintain her distance?  Or will they both be heartbroken when the summer ends?

Join my Book Club for a free copy!

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Convenient Fall

Sleeping with your roommate is a bad idea, right?

Megan Davidson is scrambling to find a new place after Abby, her roommate and best friend decides to move in with her boyfriend Lance.  With just a week until classes start, the open spot left in Lance’s old house looks like her best option.  She moves in with Matt and Chris, shameless flirts and notorious players.

Chris Watkins first met Megan at their Fourth of July party over the summer, and he’s wanted her ever since.  She’s now tantalizingly close, and he doesn’t want to keep his hands to himself, even if it’s the worst idea ever.  Chris doesn’t do relationships, but once with Megan just isn’t enough.

With ground rules in place, it seems like everything’s working out fine.  But will Chris’s history catch up to him and ruin everything?

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About the Author

Jerica MacMillan is a lifelong reader and lover of romance.  Nothing beats escaping into a book and watching people fall in love, overcome obstacles, and find their happily ever after.  She was recently named a semi finalist in Harlequin's So You Think You Can Write competition.

Jerica is living her happily ever after in North Idaho with her husband and two children.  She spends her days building with blocks, admiring preschooler artwork, and writing while her baby naps in the sling.  Join her Book Club at www.jericamacmillan.com and get a free book!

Book Mail - Scrubs by L. M. Nelson

BOOK MAIL! 

(Latest book mail photographed on top of one of my scrub tops.) 

If you like shows like "Grey's Anatomy" and "Scrubs" you will want to check out this series by L. M. Nelson. Descriptions off Amazon with links below.

Scrubs

Randy Hanson, charming playboy and son of a wealthy doctor, strives to reach one goal—graduating from medical school. Medical school is challenging enough without the added stress Randy is faced with in combatting constant badgering from one of his classmates, suffering through countless and unnecessary ‘pimping’ acts from higher level medical personnel, and coming to the aid of his best friend, Jim Ryan, as he recovers from personal turmoil. Randy’s life turns upside down and becomes even more complicated when he realizes he is developing deep emotional feelings towards a spunky collegiate sorority girl by the name of Jane Davine. Jane is facing her own demons with a domineering father and attempting to overcome the life-altering death of her mother.

Randy and his friends take on the stress of medical school together and lean on each other, bonding as professionals, growing and maturing into responsible adults, and becoming closer friends than they had ever been before. Will they all meet their goal and graduate together, or will the pressure become too much for them to handle?

Sand and Sutures

Sand and Sutures, the second book in the Scrubs series, follows Randy Hanson, Jim Ryan, and Bruce Buckman into their residency, where they continue their specialized medical training. As they work to establish their reputations as physicians, they struggle to find balance between their careers and their responsibilities as husbands and fathers. Throughout this journey, they celebrate successes, encounter unexpected hurdles, and help each other navigate through some of life's most difficult challenges.

Visit the author's blog here. 

I can't wait to read these! Pick up a copy and read with me! 

The Mystery of the Courthouse Calamity (REVIEW)

The Mystery of the Courthouse Calamity

Author: Constance Barker
Category: Paranormal Mystery, Cozy Mystery

Suitable for: Pre-teen thru Adult

My Rating: 5

Format Read for Review: Kindle

Pages: 61

Description: This story is about Eden and her husband Luke and their paranormal team. They get a call from the mayor of a small town called Manchester. Although the mayor is skeptical about ghost hunters, he feels he has no choice because the town's courthouse is having a lot of ghostly activities.  When the team arrives the action quickly begins, they immediately start to experience the ghostly activities themselves. With their equipment and doing research on the history of the town they get to work on trying to find out who is haunting the building.

In Short: I really enjoyed this short story that is full of ghostly action. There was always something happening that I just couldn't put the book down.

Pros: Great characters and was at times funny. Full of action that kept me wanting to find out who was haunting the courthouse.

Cons: I had no notable issues with this book.

Parent's Guide: Clean. 

This book is only $0.99 on Amazon

Abiku: A Battle of Gods (REVIEW)

Blog Tour & Review

Released Today, Sept. 16, 2016:

Abiku: A Battle of Gods 

Author: Elizabeth Salawu
Category: Paranormal Erotica

Suitable for: Adults only

My Rating: 4 Stars

Format Read for Review: ARC

Pages: 61

Description: A young biracial woman named Dayo gets herself into a unique situation when she finds herself married to a Thunder God. While already in a long distance relationship with a mortal she didn't think there was any harm in fooling around with a mysterious man in her dreams. Little did she know, she wasn't dreaming.

In Short: This book is written in the format of Dayo writing a letter. She is a humorous and entertaining character who tells her story in a quick manor, but without leaving out any graphic details. This book will be appealing to those who like erotic novels that also have elements of myth and magic.

Pros: I read a pre-edited version of this book and thought it was still pretty well written. Only a few typos that I'm sure will get taken care of before release. The way Dayo talks is very comical to me, she is incredibly animated and has funny perspectives on things. I think the humorous language of the book is one of the big perks of it. I like the way Dayo says, "anyhoos" after she finds herself babbling. Some of the phrasing and 'Pidgin English' was entertaining. At first I had a hard time following the dialogue but there was a very thorough glossary in the back!

The plot is very fast paced and even if I didn't agree with Dayo's actions I was along for the ride. She really got herself into a pickle as a result of only thinking with her 'jajaina'. After the shit hit the fan there was the most shocking yet agreeable plot twist at the end. Dayo's fate is left untold but the possibilities are intriguing and that is where the second book will come in I imagine.

The paranormal aspects and learning the meaning of "Abiku" was fun for me. I actually would have liked to see more of that, or have it drawn out longer. The ending was really exciting, where you get to see the powers and realm of the Gods.   

Now, if you like your erotica to have a lot of variety in it you won't be disappointed with this one. It certainly isn't vanilla and the scenes aren't redundant.

Cons: Because of the short "message in a bottle" style of the book we miss out on some character development and detailed settings. I would have liked to see the setting better, because I have never been to Nigeria. I also at times had trouble understanding Dayo. She falls into bed easily and cheats on a seemingly great guy. The sex scenes were very fast paced and based completely on lust with very little emotions. Some parts I didn't understand what was going on.

Parent's Guide: This is definitely an adult only book. There is graphic sex, drug use, and some violence.

Find this book here on Amazon. It is free with Kindle Unlimited!

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Maxwell the Monkey Barber (REVIEW)

 

Maxwell the Monkey Barber

 

Author, Illustrated: Cale Atkinson

Category: Children's Book (Illustrated)

Suitable for: All ages, ideal for ages 3-6

My Rating: 5 Stars

Format Read for Review: Kindle copy from the author/publisher

Pages: 32

Description: A fun illustrated story about a caring Monkey Barber who solves all his friends' problems by styling their hair. The cute pictures are accompanied by entertaining rhymes. If you want more details about this book I'm including the full description off Amazon at the bottom of this post.

In Short: The Dr Seuss like rhymes and bright, colorful, adorable images will entertain kids. I recommend this book for any child who loves rhyming books or exotic animals. The story doesn't have an obvious lesson for kids but has good vibes of friendship and generosity and it is very humorous. Maxwell the Monkey Barber is quite the problem solver and such a good friend.  

Pros: The art is awesome. The pages are full of color with beautiful detailed images of adorable animals. My favorite was the one with the baboon who's hair was so long and out of control that many other animals were living inside of it. The animal's little faces are poking out and they all look so happy, despite being trapped in hair, it's really cute and funny. The text is easy to read and is all in fun rhymes with a repeated phrase to hold the child's attention and get them reading along.

Cons: I have no notable issues with this book.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in return for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links to Amazon. Find buying options on Amazon here.

Description off Amazon:

Maxwell the monkey operates a barbershop, where he offers everything from a trim to a chop. He excels at helping his fellow animals look shipshape and feel their best, no matter how unruly their locks. Whatever the coiffure quandary, Maxwell is your monkey. He tames Baboon’s curls, styles Lion’s mane, and trims Bear’s beard, exclaiming each time: “Your hair’s the best I’ve seen today!”

All’s well until Elephant comes in, feeling sad because he has no hair. Can Maxwell help? Of course! After some careful thinking, he devises a solution to help even Elephant feel his best.

Cale Atkinson’s bright, cartoon-like digital illustrations beckon readers into Maxwell’s world in this playful tale. Rhyming text, speech bubbles, and a refrain make this story a fun read-aloud accessible to early readers. Full of personality and style, Maxwell has a genuine charm and enthusiasm for helping others that kids will find immediately contagious.

LEVELING

Grade Range: PreK–3

Fountas & Pinnell: J

Reading Recovery: 17

Lexile: AD 520L

COMMON CORE

L.1.1,1f,2,2a,2d,4,4a,5,5a,5d

RF.1.1,2,3,3a,3b,3f,4,4a,4b,4c

SL.1.1,1a,1b,1c,2,4,5,6

W.1.1,3,5,6,8

RL.1.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9,10

Puggle's Problem (REVIEW)

 

Puggle's Problem

 

Author: Aleesah Darlison

Illustrator: Sandra Temple
Category: Illustrated Children's Book

Suitable for: All ages, ideal for 3-7

My Rating: 5 Stars

Format Read for Review: E-book from the author/publisher

Pages: 34

Description: A cute, fun illustrated story about a baby echidna named Pipp Puggle who is getting frustrated that his spines haven't come in yet. All of his puggle friends have their spines and he wants his too. He goes to all of his friends, various other Australian animals, to help him figure out how to make his spines grow. In the end he has to learn patience and his spines do start to grow.

In Short: This is such an adorable story and it teaches patience, grit, accepting yourself and others. I would recommend this book for all small children and as a bed time story. It teaches children "waiting and not getting upset and believing good things will happen."

Pros: This book has everything I look for in a children's book. Beautiful art, an entertaining story, and some sort of lesson or moral. This book is cute and funny while also being loaded with great messages. Pipp works so hard to try to get his spines and he never gives up. In the meantime his mother is encouraging him to be patient and telling him he is fine the way he is. I love that this book introduces a lot of different animals, ones that are not common in my neck of the woods. There is a kookaburra who encourages Pipp to laugh, a kangaroo who teaches him to hop, a wombat, a koala and many more. Pipp the puggle is the cutest thing ever, he is so squishy, I'm sure kids will love him.

Cons: I have no issues with this book.

Disclaimer: I received a free e-copy of this book in return for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links to Amazon. This book is available in kindle and paperback formats on Amazon. 

Release Announcement - The Pinkaboos Books 1 & 2

Released Today: 

The Pinkaboos: Bitterly and the Giant Problem

&

The Pinkaboos: Belladonna and the Nightmare Academy

By: Jake Gosselin and Laura Gosselin, Illustrated by: Billy Kelly

Fun, action packed chapter books for children 5-10. 

Great gift for kids who like Harry Potter. 

It may be pink, and the hero may be a girl, but boys will love the excitement and danger of this story as well. The central theme of these books is overcoming your fears, being loyal to your friends, and using teamwork and creativity to solve problems. It also teaches that pink isn't weak!

Read my full review of the book here. 

Find more information about this book by following this affiliate link right to Amazon.

Read my full review of the book here. 

Find more information about this book by following this affiliate link right to Amazon.

Bedtime Blues (REVIEW)

Bedtime Blues

Author: Shawn Hannold

Illustrated by: Melissa Bailey
Category: Illustrated Children's Book

Suitable for: all ages, ideal for ages 4-8

My Rating: 5 Stars

Format Read for Review: Kindle

Pages: 20

Description: This is a short illustrated children's book that is cute and funny and about a little boy who fights going to bed at night with every excuse he can think of. Then in the morning he doesn't want to get out of bed!

In Short: If you know a kid that doesn't like bedtime, get them this book. It is very comical, you can read it together and in the end it reminds the kids that if they can't find a way to go to sleep they'll be too tired in the morning.

Pros: The art is a beautiful watercolor and color pencil style. The little boy is funny and adorable and all his excuses to stay awake are so funny and also relate-able. I was definitely that kid, it was such a struggle for me to sleep. I think kids who are night-owls will love this book and it would be one more distraction keeping them up at night!

This post contains affiliate links to Amazon. Click on the image of the book cover to find buying options on Amazon.

Upcoming Giveaway News and Sign Ups!

Here's what I've been working on! 

I've been making the banner in preparation for an amazing Halloweenish giveaway that will take place the entire month of October, 2016. 

We have a handful of author's already signed up for the fun so be sure to check back Oct. 1st for an awesome giveaway and your chance to win a bunch of great prizes! Entering will be like our previous giveaways, through Rafflecopter. It is free and easy and mostly involves visiting author's websites and social media to gain entries!

If you would like to have your book(s) included, or even a product from your Etsy (or similiar) store included in the giveaway please contact me at: ODBookReviews [at] gmail [dot] com

Donations received on the blog this month will go toward making the giveaway even better.