Middle Grade Review: Breaking the Ice

 

Harper loves hockey. She used to eat, sleep, and play hockey. But ever since her competitive nature accidentally injured a teammate, she took herself off the team. She hasn't put skates on since. Harper can't quit all together, which is why she has a job at the hot chocolate place at the rink. 

She befriends a new boy - Jason, who's been making waves in the figure skating world. She's enjoyed talking with someone who doesn't know about her past. He challenges her to get back on the ice. 

For Harper it's not that simple. Then she's pressured into mentoring a younger hockey player. Harper keeps herself sidelined, but it's getting harder and harder. Will her old friends and her new friends help her break her self-imposed ban from the ice?

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. There's a little bit for everyone here: sports, friendship drama, romance, and healing. It's about believing in yourself. I felt badly for Bea, Harper's best friend. And I'm glad she pushed herself back into Harper's life. I like how all the athletes had different pressures on them but also how they worked through them. I loved the showcase at the end. Warning: it WILL make you want to drink hot chocolate and maybe experiment with flavors. 

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

 Previously Published as: Cocoa Crush

Library Recommendation: A great sports book with a little romance and a lot of hot chocolate. Highly recommended for your school and public library. 

Picture Book Review: The Case of Old MacDonald and His Farm

Funny things are happening on the farm. They are so strange that Farmer MacDonald calls the police for help. 

Readers will enjoy this silly story and that ending. Mark Teague is an auto-read for me.  I so enjoy his books. 

Personal Post: On Flowers and Gardens

The past few weeks have been filled with flowers and gardening.

I'm not a gardener, but I would like to learn.

Last year, I bought a raised bed and planted flowers. It was lovely.

This year, I went:

1. To a plant store with my friends and I bought a violet. I took tons of pictures. You can see some here and here. I'm happy to report the violet is still alive

2.  to the flower and garden show at Epcot and loved their different stations. 

3. to a plant store with my folks and we bought some flowers for their garden.

4. went to a tulip farm and got some flowers

5. to a plant store in town to buy some flowers for my raised bed

6. purchased some flowering bushes and planted those. Plus some sunflowers from my parents. And we went to a plant shop supporting the library where I first started working. 6

I'm not a fan of dirt under my fingernails and I hate wearing gloves because my hands sweat. But I do love flowers, so I just have to deal with the dirt. I don't know much about the different types of flowers, but they are so pretty.

A few photos from the above adventures:

Lilac bush in the back yard

Plants from adventures #3

 

Plants at the garden from #5

My raised bed from #5 this summer

Found flower in the garden from #6

flower beds from #6. I love how they came together. Can't wait to watch them grow.

Are you a flower person or a gardening person? Do you have a favorite flower?

Review: Seyoon and Dean, Unscripted

 

Twenty years ago Dean and Seyoon's parents competed in a wilderness reality TV show. They were both betrayed by one of the friends and lost the show. Now the show is being rebooted with relatives of former contestants. 

When they arrive at the filming site, they have a meet cute moment. They exchange words. Before too long, all the contestants are sent through a course. Seyoon and Dean end up together. She saves him. They both end up making the team after four people are eliminated. Seyoon is the last one to make the competition. 

The contestants are encouraged the team up and form an alliance. It makes sense for Seyoon and Dean to team up given their family histories. But neither of them are prepared for how quickly everything changes. One minute, they are strangers, now teammates, now fake dating to outwit their competition. But will it?

My Thoughts: I love reality TV show books. And this one was fantastic. I loved how Seyoon and Dean had different skill sets. She had survival skills and Dean had strategy skills. Both Seyoon and Dean have baggage and reasons for wanting to win the million-dollar purse. But there are plenty of misunderstandings and miscommunication. There are secrets and betrayals. I loved the behind the scene moments. I loved the fake dating moments while filming and the private moments between Seyoon and Dean. I didn't want this book to end. 

Cover Thoughts: Fantastic:

Source: My Library

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

Romance Review: The Earl That Got Away

* Book 2 in the Sirens in Silk books *

Naila has regretted calling off her engagement. She never imaged that she would see him again. But he turns up at her sister's wedding. Her sister is marrying a member of the English peers, as an American. In the time apart, Basil has changed.

He's inherited an Earlship. He's still White, which was a problem with her family. He's still a bachelor, and one of the most eligible bachelors. He's still bitter about Naila's rejection.

They are pushed together more and more during the wedding celebrations. Could there be lingering feelings on both sides?

My Thoughts: I mistakenly read this one first. The first one is an enemies to lovers trope. This one is a Persuasion retelling - a second chance romance. I really loved this book; I tore through it. I'm a sucker for Jane Austen retellings. I love how these were connected (with sisters as the main characters). I love that Naila was interested in architecture and wanted to save the English ancestorial homes and how she worked to accomplish her mission. I need to go back and read the first book and I hope there are more books coming soon.

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for your public romance collection

Picture Book Review: Garden Books

Just a few garden books, also great for the garden theme for Summer Reading

A dandelion isn't sure what she could be.

This book goes through the growth of the flower and how to changes over time. There is also an end page that shares information about dandelions. The illustrations are cheerful.

This book follows the life of a seed what it needs to grow and flourish. 

I love how this book shows the steps of flowers and acknowledges that it's hard to wait. I love the message that every seed is beautiful and different. 

Not technically a gardening book, but this one is about the sun. The squirrel is pretty certain that someone is stealing the sun, but bird explains that the sun goes to bed and gets up at different times during the year. 

This is part of a series of picture books. Squirrel and Bird are a great pair, I love them. There are end pages that share information about light and dark and seasons. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Books from Favorite Authors

 This week's topic is Favorite Books from Favorite Authors. And I have a lot of favorite authors. This is a hard week. How to choose? Also how does one choose a favorite book from these amazing writers?

Meg Cabot

This is the book that changed my life

Sarah J Maas

I loved this entire series, but this ending destroyed me.

Jessica Burkhart

I'm picking the first one of the series, but honestly, I loved them all

Sarah Dessen

Despite the terrible library scene, this is my favorite. I love the chaos. 

Morgan Matson

Ok, I love Morgan's YA books, but this one really got me.

Barbara Dee

All the stars for this one. 

Jennifer Lynn Barnes

I've been a fan since Perfect Cover. I'm a little behind on the Grandest Game books. But this is the series I recommend the most.

Ally Carter

I still want MORE of these books. I loved them so much.

Judy Blume

I read this book until it fell apart and then read it some more as a kid.

LM Mongomery

I Love the Anne movies, but this is the trilogy that I re-read over and over again. I think I only read the Anne books once all the way through.

Any similar favorite authors or favorite books?