Watch That, Read This (2)

A new blog post series here on the blog.

This one features Hallmark movies and romance books - both favorites of mine.

I enjoyed all these of these movies - there's a mix of newer ones with older movies.

 

Country Music and romance

 

Traveling, Ireland, and finding love

 

Small town charm plus local artists

 

Small towns, locals only, tourists, and love

 

Fashion designers who fall in love

 

Home improvements and love

Have you seen any of these movies or read any of these books?

Review: The Bounty

 

Fox and O'Hare are on loan to Interpol to catch a thief in Vatican City. The thief's identity surprises them both. As does the fact that Nick's Dad bypasses the ring on display for a piece of paper. 

The paper is the beginning of a treasure map left behind by the Brotherhood. The rumor is that the treasure map leads to gold bars worth a massive fortune today.

But one clue leads to the next and that's when everything goes wrong. Fox teams up with his father and leaves Kate out in the cold. But just like always, Kate isn't giving up. She tracks the father and son team down. Plus she calls her own father in for back-up.

Now they're on the run from both the Brotherhood and Interpol. But they are determined to stop the Brotherhood from finding the treasure first. And they can't trust anyone because there is a mole.

This is the biggest case of O'Hare's career and she's not going to let anything or anyone stop her.

My Thoughts: This is the 7th book in the Fox and O'Hare series and I think it's the best one yet. Yes, I'm a sucker for treasure hunts and that might have something to do with it. Also I love seeing the Nazis lose.  I did miss the members of the old team. And some of the crazier A-Team type stunts. These books read like a movie - lots of action, danger, and sexual tension. Once you start one of these books, it's very hard to put it down without finishing it. So looking forward to the next one. 

Cover Thoughts: Love it - Love the Eiffel Tower in the background

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: Grab this one for your thriller section and where this series is already popular. 

Picture Book Wednesday: A New Day

 

Sunday is tired of being a day. No one appreciates her. The other days are surprised but ban together to determine they need a new day. So they hold auditions...it doesn't go well.

A really funny picture book with great illustrations. Which day would you choose? Personally I like Puppy Day or Pie Day. Which day would you create? I'm a little surprised no one suggested book reading day. The ending was sweet and the message is great: a little more kindness and a little more appreciation of each others works nicely. 

Library Recommendation: A must have picture book for your school and public library

Top Ten Tuesday: Animals in Books

 This week's topic is all about animals we loved in books. I do love animals in books, particularly dogs. But I also never grew out of that horse loving phase... Here are a few books I enjoyed where the animals stole the show - sometimes.

Horses:

Canterwood Crest series by Jessica Burkhart

Rose Legacy Trilogy by Jessica Day George

Goats and Parrots and More:

Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare

Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

Cats:

The Good Ones by Jenn McKinlay

Dogs:

Playing for Keeps by Jill Shalvis - Jill Shalvis writes great animals, but I think Lollipop is my favorite. But it's hard to pick.

Alicorn:

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

That's all I can think of, but I KNOW there are more!

Review: Make Up Break Up

 

Annika believe in the fairy tale romance, which is why her app is all about second chances. She's won a few prestigious awards but her app isn't out yet and her funding has dried up. She needs to win the EPIC pitch in order to survive. 

But her nemesis Hudson Craft moves into the building. His app makes breaking up with someone easy and less personal. 

Annika can't believe the same guy who created the app is the same guy she spent a week in Vegas with. Part of her still adores him, but the other part can't wrap her brain around the guy who created the app in the first place. He's her direct competition, but there's still chemistry sparking between the two of them.

It's a very bad idea...

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this second chance romance. I loved the friendship between Annika and June. I loved the banter and pranks between Hudson and Annika. I really liked the technology aspect - especially the parts where Annika and June inspired other girls who are interested in STEAM. I admire how Annika wanted to create her success on her own terms - through hard work and determination. This was a really fun entertaining read.

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My library

Library recommendation: Highly Recommended for your adult romance collection

Fun Fact: Lily Menon writes YA under Sandhya Menon (The Dimpleverse books)

Review: Pop-Up Earth

 

This is a super fun book to read and timely with Earth Day this week.

This book contains 5 pop-ups.

The first one talks about the beginnings to Earth and the different layers

Others talk about: life under water, volcanoes,  biodiversity, and Earth's long life.

The pop-ups are fantastic and detailed. Plus the side bars give interesting information. This is not a book for your library's collection but instead a book to pour over with family or friends.

Book List: Criminal Minds (YA)

 

I've been binging Criminal Minds (I'm halfway through the series). It's a LONG series. It's sometimes hard to watch because it's really disturbing but also really interesting. I can't wait it too close to bed because...no one wants those kinds of nightmares.

But I've been thinking about books that are similar. So I made a list. It's YA books because I don't like to be too scared. And YA generally ends happily (the bad guy loses).

YA Book List:

Naturals series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Killer Instinct by S.E. Green

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

To Catch a Killer by Sheryl Scarborough

The Body in the Woods by April Henry

Not Pictured:

In the Hall with the Knife by Diana Peterfreund

Dangerous Girls (republished as I'll Never Tell) by Abigail Haas

Pretend She's Here by Luanne Rice

What other books would you add to this list?

Librarian Thoughts: Native American Books and the Dewey Decimal System

For several years, I've been weeding our nonfiction collection and trying to make it browsing easier for the patron by changing the Dewey Decimal Numbers. Our collection is NOT large but no one wants to go to three different places on the shelf looking for books about Castles. So I've moved the call numbers and grouped them together in the most helpful place (IMHO) on the shelf.

But I could never figure out how to change the Native American books - until now. I've been seriously thinking about this problem for months. All the of the Native American books have the same call number and it's not a logical call number to me for so many books. As the pandemic hit, I came up with the solution on who to ask.

I work close to the casinos in Connecticut. The Pequot Museum is amazing. I've been there twice and I'm looking forward to going back. 

Best of all, they have a library. So I was going to go and talk with the librarians there and ask their recommendations (and I still am, once it's safe.)

But I recently purchased this book from Abdo

and I was trying to figure out where to place it. I purchase many of my JR nonfiction from Abdo because their website gives you the Guided Reading Letters (which my library uses). When looking up those letters for other books, I notice Abdo's website includes a Dewey call number.

I have to be honest, I look at most of these Dewey call numbers as suggestions. But this one didn't make sense to me (and it still doesn't). The call number they suggested was 975.004

Which I then looked up on Library Thing and it's the number for South Eastern US (975) - I couldn't figure out the .004

But it made me think - why am I not putting Native American tribe books in the state books. 

I put the National Parks books in the with corresponding states. There are books about significant matters that happened in the states with the state books. (Chicago Fire)

 This way, someone won't have to search through all the books looking for the two books on the same Native American tribe that aren't next to each other on the shelf (a pet peeve.)

So...that's my new plan.

Native American tribal books will be moved to their states/regions. 

I'm not sure why it took me so long to realize this...but I'm glad because it's logical to me.

* While it's easier to find Own Voices fiction (Especially with the new imprint), it's harder to find nonfiction. But the good news is Dr. Debbie Reese and Jean Mendoza came up with a list!

I know I'm going to be ordering some new books.

** Here's a quick picture I made for work about choosing different books that the Little House books.

Thoughts?? Where are your book on Native Americans shelved?

Review: Starfish

 

Ellie's so tired of everyone not seeing her and only seeing her weight. She wishes she had support, but even her family criticizes and teases her.  To make matters worse, her best friend moves away. Ellie has her father, but even he turns on her, bringing her to a therapist. 

Ellie shares with the therapist her Fat Girl Rules - the rules she tries to live by. She just wants to live without shame, without ridicule, and with love. Is that really too much to ask?

My Thoughts: I heard really great things about this book - and it did not disappoint. I loved it! 

Some quick thoughts: 

* I wanted to hug Ellie so tight

* I loved her new friend Catalina (and how she made Ellie realize that everyone has their own fight to fight)

* I loved that the library (and the librarian) was her safe place

* I loved the moments with the therapist and how she worked with Ellie to understand her feelings

* I loved the mental health aspect

* I loved that this book is a novel in verse

* I really didn't like Ellie's mother (but I did understand her)

* Her siblings weren't great either (most of the time)

* I loved the new shop her father took her to

* Her father was great!

* I loved how Ellie just wanted to be herself and not be defined by her weight - a great look at weight and children (especially girls) and how damaging it is to value thinness above all else. 

* Debut novel  - I can't wait to see what Lisa Fipps writes next 

Cover Thoughts: Perfect

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for your school and public libraries.

Picture Book Wednesday: Simon and the Art Museum

 

Simon and his parents are at the art museum. Looking at ALL the art. Simon is bored but his parents aren't ready to leave...

I really enjoyed this book about art museums. I felt for Simon. He was bored but he solved his problems by becoming art, people watching, and eating cheesecake. This is a great introduction to museums for kids. Plus the art work was fun.

Cover Thoughts: Cute - captures the book perfectly

Library Recommendation: A great picture book for your library collection

More museum books:

Top Ten Tuesday: Colorful Cover

 This week's topic is all about colorful covers. And I'm going with the cheery yellow. Yellow for sunshine. These are upcoming/recently released books that I'm looking forward to reading!

  

   

 

Review: Stowed Away

 

* Book 6 in the Maine Clambake Mystery series *

Julia and her family are getting ready for tourist season in Maine. When an old acquaintance arrives to help look at the family homestead, Julia isn't thrilled to see her old rival. But Wyatt is happy to see Julia. She invites Julia, Chris, and Quentin for dinner on her boyfriend's yacht. Her boyfriend is a reclusive billionaire who rarely shows his face.

After a pleasant dinner, the group goes their own way. But the next day, tragedy strikes. Wyatt calls Julia with the news that Geoffrey is dead - murdered. Quinten and Wyatt ask for Julia's help. She can't really say no, but she wishes she could. 

Instead, Julia pokes around Geoffrey's life and undercover that everything that glitters isn't gold...

My Thoughts: I adore this series - but fell behind reading it. I'm happy to be back. I love spending time in this small Maine town with great food, lots of friends, and of course murder. This book shared so much about the characters pasts. From Julia and her time in high school to Chris and his family to Quentin - who has been a closed book most of the time. It's nice to delve more into characters' lives. Of course the murder was entertaining and no, I didn't see the twist coming.  Another great addition to series.

Cover Thoughts: Charming

Source: Purchased while on vacation in Maine

Library Recommendation: A great cozy series for your library's collection