Middle Grade Review: House with No Keys

* Book 2 in the Delta Games series *

Sarah and her two best friends are excited to test out the new escape room; it's supposed to be very hard. It's challenging, but they do beat it - barely. They leave a good review and that's when everything goes sideways.

The creator of the room is opening an Escape Room in their town. It's going to compete with the escape room they work at. And worse, they are using the Delta's positive review as advertising. The three friends are dumbfounded. They are invited to play the first game. 

Can they escape the house on time? Will they sort out this misunderstanding?

My Thoughts: I loved this book - it develops the friendship and relationships. The games are clever and entertaining to read. I wanted to wrap these three in a hug; they were so naive. No one should be taking advantage of them like this. I did enjoy how everything worked out. While I've never been to an escape room, this book makes them see so fun (and challenging). I can't wait to see what happens next! 

Cover Thoughts: Clever

Why I Read this Book: I loved the first book

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A must have series for your public and school library's collection

Picture Book Review: Best Buds

Spencer is new to town and his mom is worried about him making friends. But right away, he makes friends with a plant. He learns about plants and finds new friends everywhere. Does he really need human friends?

This is a cute story about friendship and being yourself. All the plants have different traits and personalities. Spencer knows what he likes...and what he doesn't. The pictures are lovely. The ending is very sweet. 

Board Books

Just a few new to the library board books:

Yaya and Boo books are so much fun! They are so good at hiding, just like MoMo.

The photography are fun to pour over as you search for hidden object, especially Scout the Bear.

A must have board book for your collection

** This makes a super cute gift too

This book is super cute with pictures of all the animals at the farm and what they like to do. The photographs are fantastic, and the rhymes are cute. Readers of all ages will enjoy this one. 

An adorable book about puppies and getting ready for bed. The photographs are too cute for words. This rhyming story is simply perfect. 

This is an amazing vocabulary book. The photographs of children are mixed with illustrations. Kids can learn to identify animals, the sounds they make, and what they eat

Christmas Crafting

 

It is time to start ALL the crafting.

I have several ideas on what to make this year. 

I can't share them here in case of spoilers. 

But are do you make crafts for the holidays? Do you like getting handmade gifts?

What do you make? Or what do you like to receive as gift?

Bookstagram: Kiss Me in New York

It's that time of year again, when I want to be tucked up with hot chocolate reading holiday stories like this one.

 

Picture Book Review: Thanksgiving Books

Just a few picture books and board books for Thanksgiving:

This is board book is stinking adorable. I love the photos of puppies. Full of Thanksgiving and puppy moments, this book is perfect to pour over again and again. I hope this is a series of holiday and animal books.

I loved Corduroy as a child, so I love seeing more books with him and Lisa. This hits all the Thanksgiving notes. 

Animals and people gather food together for the colder months of fall.

While this rhyming book isn't strictly a Thanksgiving story, it does showcase how animals and people are very similar when it comes to gathering food and family. 

In this book, there's room for everyone at the table.  There's room for new and old traditions, new and old friends, and room to give thanks for people and the earth. And of course there's always room for dessert.

This is a sweet diverse story that highlights important pieces of the day - not just the togetherness but the thankful and happiness part. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Outside My Comfort Zone

 This week's topic is books I've read and enjoyed that are outside my comfort zone. To be honest, I don't pick up many books that are outside my comfort zone. There are too many that I want to reads and not enough time to read them. 

This was classified as Horror: It was a light thriller, which I did enjoy

I don't read too many nonfiction books, but I was curious about Lewis and Tolkien

This was really disturbing, but I didn't realize that before I read it:

That's all I have from this year....

Middle Grade Review: The Steps

 

Ruby doesn't feel safe. Her mother and aunt died in a car accident a few years ago. Her father and his wife fought so viciously that they forbade their daughters to talk anymore. Sterling was Ruby's best friend. Ruby doesn't feel safe in her own house after her father married again. 

One night Sterling appears at Ruby's window begging for her help. Apparently, their grandmother's dog is barking up a storm, and he likes Ruby better than anyone. When Ruby goes in to subdued him, they find their grandmother tied up and her ring stolen.

Everyone in the family wants the family fortune. And they are willing to do almost anything to get their hands on it. Is someone out to get her?

My Thoughts: A younger YA novel/older upper middle grade. Ruby is 14 and I just wanted to wrap her up in a hug. She's not had an easy life and could use a friend. It's hard to know who to trust in this book. I loved Ruby's chess friends - they added humor and friendship to the story. I loved the police officer. The last bit of the book was lots of action and danger, which kept me turning the pages quickly. 

Why I read this book: The tagline

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: Highly recommended thriller/mystery for your middle grade or YA collection

Picture Book Review: I Hate Everything

One little ghost hates everything - but his friend convinces him otherwise.

I have this sentiment too sometimes. And this is a sweet story about friendship and helping to look at the world a little differently. It's a great way to start talking about mental health and kids. 

Weekend Outing: Cider Mill

A few weekends ago, we visited B.F. Clyde's Cider Mill in Mystic

I heard about it recently and we had a free weekend.

Yes, there were plenty of people, but it was also really cool to see.

Pictures:

The lovely sign

The Mill

Outside the Mill 

The outside of a store

The truckload of apples

Not the best picture, but the conveyer belt of apples going into the mill

The press

The press #2

Just about ready for the apples to come out.

The ceiling

Family pictures 

The goods: Donuts and Cider Yum!

We tried various baked goods, and I have to say the Apple Crisp Cookie was my favorite 

I'm really glad we went; it was a lot of fun. And it was great people watching. 

Review: She Gets the Girl

 

Molly had a terrible high school experience; she didn't have any friends. She's determined that college will be better. Maybe she'll also get the girl she's been pining over for years. But when she arrives on campus, she's stunned to learn she has a single.

All her dreams go out the window. How is she supposed to meet anyone?

Luckily for her, she meets Alex. Alex is smart, confident, and pretty. Alex knows how to make friends. She decides to help Molly - not just out of the goodness of her heart, but as a way to prove herself to her girlfriend. 

Molly doesn't have any problem talking with Alex; it's just everyone else that makes her anxious. Can they both help each other and get what they want?

My Thoughts: This was a fun read - perfect for older high school students. I love books set in college. I loved the banter between Molly and Alex. Both of them had issues that they needed to work through. I really loved the moments in the food truck. The five step plan was highly entertaining. I loved the ending. This book has sequel which is a holiday novella. 

Why I read this: I loved Make My Wish Come True, a holiday romance from these authors.

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

 Library Recommendation: A fun romance for your collection

Review: Hocus and Pocus and the Dragon Next Door

 

* Book 2 in the Hocus and Pocus series * 

Hocus and Pocus walk around the neighborhood with Jinx, handing out her potions. They discover a new friend - Bye-Bye. Bye-Bye is a dragon and has a little trouble with too much fire. Pocus is scared. Hocus is determined to save the day. 

My Thoughts: This is a cute story about trying to understand each other. The dogs and dragon do not speak the same language. But the dogs still want to help. Sometimes it's hard to be brave. I felt badly for Pocus. He had a hard time overcoming his fears; but I love that he learned what worked for him. The ending was funny! The illustrations are charming. I'm looking forward to book 3 next year. 

* Book sent for review

Picture Book Wednesday: Dinosaur Books

Just a few picture books and board books for:

The dinosaurs want to dance! 

This board book is really cute! The illustrations are brightly colored and interactive. This will be one kids want to read again and again. 

Crunchazaur was hungry! He ate everything in sight. Fluffy and Potato were called in to save the day with their cuteness. Luckily they had a plan.

This is a funny story that readers will enjoy often. 

The students are taking a field trip when a lunch box goes missing. The student chases after their lunch box. The travel pod accidentally leaves them behind. The student attempts to eat their lunch, but many dinosaurs want to share...

This wordless picture book is so much fun! The ending is funny and sweet. Sharing is caring and sometimes it can save your life! 

* 4th book in the Field Trip series

The little dinosaur in this book is super cute, but whatever you do, don't wake the BIG one!

These interactive books are super cute and fun. We use them often for storytimes are my library. The ending of this one is great! 

Top Ten Tuesday: TBR books

 This week's topic is 10 books on your TBR list, which is a lot to choose from as I have many many books checked out from the library. Here are a few I have waiting for me to read.

Have you read any of these? Which should I start with?