Review: Fergus and Zeke and the Great Farm Field Trip

 

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* Book 6 in the Fergus and Zeke series *

The classroom is learning about farms and where food come from. They are going on a field trip to the farm and the class pets - Fergus and Zeke sneak into a backpack. They are so happy to be going to the farm too. 

But they have a hard time on the farm. They're too small to enjoy most moments. But they do end up having fun.

My Thoughts: I love this series. Fergus and Zeke are super cute. I love how they participate in activities on the sly. A funny charming book about having fun on your own terms.

Cover Thoughts: Fantastic

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A must have series for your early readers for your school and public libraries.

Review: The Diva Goes Overboard

* Book 17 in the Domestic Diva series * 

Sophie's frenemies mother is getting remarried. At the engagement party, the would-be groom collapses and dies. Right before he died, Orson asked to talk with Sophie about something important. Sophie was going to meet him to speak in private.

At the reading of the will, Sophie was given Orson's antique store and instructions that she will know what to do. Before long, Sophie discovers a secret room. There's a bulletin board with pictures of women on it. Sophie isn't sure what to do with the board, but she digs into the case.

She hears rumors about Orson's past. Rumors that could explain about the board of pictures. What could have happened between Orson and the past? Can Sophie solve the murder and the mystery of why Orson left her the store?

My Thoughts: This series is one of my favorite cozy series. Clearly, I've been reading it a long time and I'm happy to keep reading them. I love catching up with the characters. I love all the foodie moments. The mystery was interesting with the added mystery of the photo board. I love the idea of a secret book - especially behind a bookcase. Looking forward to the next installment of this series! 

Cover Thoughts: Charming

Source: ARC sent for review

Library Recommendations: A fantastic series for your cozy readers - give this one to your Halmark Mystery fans. 

This book talks a lot about Charcuterie boards, so I created one. 

Although I really love the idea of a cookie board. 

We are creating a candy board at the library this summer. 

Picture Book Wednesday: Amy Wu and the Ribbon Dance

Amy is always on the go - she wants to dance with ribbons. When her friends are coming over to dance, she's excited to dance with ribbons. But she doesn't have anything that will work. Maybe that doesn't matter.

Amy Wu books are wonderful, I really love them. I love how she attempts to problem solve ways to dance with ribbons without the ribbons. The ending of the book is great. Add this one to your school and public library collections. 

* Book sent for review

Top Ten Tuesday: Library Holds

 This week's topic is books I'm excited to read - which are hold for me at the library. I get most of my books at the library. 

Have you read any of these? Or are they on your reading list?

Middle Grade Review: The Spy Ring

School is out for the summer and best friends Rachel and Joon can't wait to spend the summer together. But Joon's family has to move. They can't find any houses close by, so they've widen the search. It's possible they won't be spending the summer together. 

But they overhear Rachel's almost stepfather talk about an old family heirloom. The ring supposedly belonged to Anna Smith Strong. According to local legend she was the only female member of the famous Culper Spy Ring. 

After a little cleaning of the ring, Rachel and Joon discover there's a clue in the ring. The clue leads them on scavenger hunt through town and through history.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. Yes, it's a modern story but it's also set in history. I love books about the American Revolution. I love how they saw pieces of town differently because of their hunt. They paid more attention and noticed pieces from the past.  I love how determined Rachel and Joon were to uncover the truth about Anna "Nancy" Smith Strong. It hasn't been historically proven that Nancy was a spy for George Washington. I loved going on the hunt with these two friends. 

Cover Thoughts: Love it

Source: book sent for review

Library Recommendation: A fantastic historical modern mystery with lots of action and moments of friendship. Highly recommended for your school and public libraries. 

Picture Book Review: How This Book Got Red

 

Red Panda is tired of reading books about Pandas - and not seeing himself viewed. Red Panda decides to write her own book. But it's hard to write and everywhere she goes, she sees black and white pandas. She gives up. But what she doesn't know, a group of other red pandas discover her manuscript, and they love it. But it's not finished.

This book is a great example of the need to see yourself within the pages of a book. I love how she writes her own book when she can't find herself within the pages. This is a great book to share with the readers of all ages and to discuss representation. 

* Book sent for review

Library Recommendation: This is a must have picture book for school and public libraries. 

Library Joy (3)

As summer reading approaches, I'm reminded of my younger self.

I loved the summer reading program. But one of my best memories was when I worked at the library. 

I started working there as a teenager.

Because it was a small library, I was exposed to lots of different jobs. One of my favorites was being allowed to go to the store for the annual end of summer reading ice cream sundae party. 

I could get any toppings and I got them all. It was so much fun. I don't remember how many people were there or what toppings I purchased. I just remember how it felt to be responsible for the party. 

What are your favorite ice cream toppings?

Rockstar Book Tour: Beastly Beauty

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the BEASTLY BEAUTY  by Jennifer Donnelly Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 About the Book:

Title: BEASTLY BEAUTY

Author: Jennifer Donnelly

Pub. Date: May 7, 2024

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 336

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/BEASTLY-BEAUTY

*"A dreamy, sublimely written tale." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

From New York Times bestselling, award-winning author Jennifer Donnelly comes a revolutionary, gender-swapped retelling of Beauty and the Beast that will forever change how you think about beauty, power, and what it really means to follow your heart.

What makes a girl "beastly?" Is it having too much ambition? Being too proud? Taking up too much space? Or is it just wanting something, anything, too badly?

That's the problem Arabella faces when she makes her debut in society. Her parents want her to be sweet and compliant so she can marry well, but try as she might, Arabella can't extinguish the fire burning inside her -- the source of her deepest wishes, her wildest dreams.

When an attempt to suppress her emotions tragically backfires, a mysterious figure punishes Arabella with a curse, dooming her and everyone she cares about, trapping them in the castle. As the years pass, Arabella abandons hope. The curse is her fault -- after all, there's nothing more "beastly" than a girl who expresses her anger -- and the only way to break it is to find a boy who loves her for her true self: a cruel task for a girl who's been told she's impossible to love.

When a handsome thief named Beau makes his way into the castle, the captive servants are thrilled, convinced he is the one to break the curse. But Beau -- spooked by the castle's strange and forbidding ladies-in-waiting, and by the malevolent presence that stalks its corridors at night -- only wants to escape. He learned long ago that love is only an illusion. If Beau and Arabella have any hope of breaking the curse, they must learn to trust their wounded hearts, and realize that the cruelest prisons of all are the ones we build for ourselves.

  My Thoughts: I do love Jennifer Donnelly's books. This was a different twist on the Beauty and the Beast story. I admit, I took me a little bit to get into it. I really liked the architecture moments. This was a really clever book. I do wish there had been a list of names because my brain doesn't work like that. There were lots of twists that I didn't see coming. The descriptions of the book were fantastic.  I loved how this book talked about female emotions and how powerful they are. I loved the message of this book - and the ending. 

About Jennifer:

Jennifer Donnelly is the author of A Northern Light, which was awarded a Printz Honor and a Carnegie Medal; Revolution (named a Best Book by Amazon, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, and the Chicago Public Library, and nominated for a Carnegie Medal); the Deep Blue series; and many other books for young readers, including Lost in a Book, which spent more than 20 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. She lives in New York's Hudson Valley.

 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads | Amazon

Meet Jennifer! 

Giveaway Details: 

1 winner will receive a finished copy of BEASTLY BEAUTY, US Only.

Ends June 4^th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the Tour:

Week Three:

5/19/2024	Triquetra Reviews	Review/IG Post
5/20/2024	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
5/21/2024	@bookish_aly_cat	IG Review/TikTok Post
5/21/2024	@dreaminginpages	IG Review
5/22/2024	nerdophiles	Review
5/23/2024	A Backwards Story	Review/IG Post
5/23/2024	YA Book Nerd	Review/IG Post
5/24/2024	@jaimes_mystical_library	IG Review
5/25/2024	@celiamcmahonreads	IG Review

Picture Book Wednesday: This Book is Banned

This book talks about book banning in a light-hearted way, but it gets the point across for even the smallest of readers. While book banning is a very serious matter, this book is humorous. 

If you're looking for a way to explain book banning to young children, this is it. The ending is really well done. Add this book to your school and public library. 

* Book sent for review 

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors

 This week's topic is authors I would love a new book from.

I don't have 10, just the big three:

Jane Austen

Louisa May Alcott

LM Montgomery 

Wouldn't it be amazing to have a new book discovered by these authors? 

Middle Grade Review: Unstuck

 

Lyla is stoked that her English class will be spending time creative writing. She can't wait to start her fantasy novel. She might even make it part of a series. Lyla even creates the perfect opening sentence. But after that, she can't seem to write a single word.

Nothing is helping. Her teacher is trying by giving her all kinds of helpful hints. They don't help.

To make matters worse, drama creeps into the rest of her life. Her best friend attends another school and they are drifting apart. Her sister is applying for college. Dahlia isn't sure she wants to go to college.  

Most of her life, Lyla has been second to her perfect sister. For once in her life, Lyla could eclipse her sister. If only she could find the words.

My Thoughts: A fantastic book about writing and more importantly the process of writing. I spend a lot of time thinking about writing too. I loved the moments between the sisters. Things were tense between them as secrets are spilled. I felt bad for Lyla and her friendship drama. I enjoyed her moments with Journey. I loved the moments of Lyla in the library - and I loved that it was a place of sanctuary for her. I love that. This was a great blend of drama: friendship, family, and writing. Barbara Dee does it again!  

Cover Thoughts: Perfect

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A must have middle grade book for your school and public library collections! 

Review: The Housemaid

 

* First Book in a trilogy * 

Mille's out of prison and out of a job. When she lost her job, she lost her apartment. Millie's been living in her car. She needs to find a job pronto - or risk going back to prison. She stumbles across a job opportunity where she would work as a housekeep as a live-in maid. She thinks it's a dream come true.

But her boss, Nina, is nothing like she seemed in the interview. She's moody, jealous, makes giant messes, and lies. Millie thinks she's losing her mind with the whiplash. Can she last long enough to create a life for herself?

My Thoughts: I loved this book. I read it quickly, unable to put it down. There were twists and turns that I never saw coming. Just when I thought I had a handle on the story, everything changed.  I don't want to say too much without spoiling things. If you slept on this book like I did - go forth and pick this one up immediately!  I can't wait to read book 2. 

Cover Thoughts: Love it

Source: My Library 

Library Recommendation: A must have trilogy for your library.

We are passing this author's books all around the library. And there are so many people waiting to read her books. 

Library Joy (2)

I have always been a great and terrible library patron.

I have memories of taking home stacks of books in high school. I lived across the street from our local library. In middle school, the books in the library jumped from children's books to adult books. I went through Mary Higgins Clark, Victoria Holt, and Phyllis Whitney. Those three authors kept me reading for ages. I walked home with as many books as I could carry.

And I haven't stopped taking out library books. I take out too many and never have time to read them all. 

Do you take out more books that you can read?

Vacation Photos

Last weekend, we traveled to visit some friends. It was a long overdue visit.

Here are some pictures:

We took a few hikes to see some waterfalls:

We went to a winery:

we explored some caves:

and we saw the Northern Lights:

Such a fun trip!

Picture Book Wednesday: A Mouse on the River

Mouse is headed down the river - follow him on his journey.

This is the second mouse book (Mouse's Wood) and it's equally charming. The illustrations are soft and gorgeous. There are dye-cuts and tabs that give the reader a closer look into both nature and inside homes and boats. The story winds along the river along with the main character. 

These delicate features mean this isn't a book for the library collection, but one for personal collections. This book makes a great gift. 

* This book was sent for review

Top Ten Tuesdays: Authors that Make Me Laugh

 This week's topic is about book quotes. There are so many great quotes, but I stopped writing them down a while back. So - here are authors that always make me laugh.

Here are some of their books:

New to me authors that make me laugh:

Do you read these authors? Do they also make you laugh?