This is a very moving story about a dog and his boy. I found the first couple of chapters hard to read mainly because I do not like to read about animals being neglected or abused. I loved Patrick and Oz's relationship with each other, especially when they both had a lot of sadness and issues to work through. I gave this book a 4 out of 5. #NetGalley #TheDogWhoLostHisBark
Remember the phrase "be careful what you wish for because you just might get it?" In this story, by Susan Montanari, a tree is convinced it would hate being a Christmas tree because it hates lights, decorations, and people. However, life for the tree doesn't exactly turn out as expected. A charming story of a tree's physical and personal growth and the unconditional love of children who find the best in everything. I gave this book a 4 out of 5. #NetGalley #TheHalloweenTree
I understand the book was a dreamscape with different characters representing different moods or aspects of the author's anxiety and frame of mind and I commend the courage and creativity that went into the finished effort. It reminded me a bit of Alice in Wonderland. I got confused several times though, trying to keep up with the constant changes in characters and surroundings. I think I would have appreciated the book much better if I'd been able to read it all in one sitting. I gave this book a 2 out of 5. #NetGalley #ChildoftheHeart
A lovely story of a leaf who is afraid to fall. Kids will identify with the leaf's anxiety in leaving its comfortable and familiar surroundings and finding the confidence to do something new. Children will see how the leaf grew and evolved by achieving its goal. The life cycle of a leaf is described which adds another educational dimension to the book. I gave this book a 4 out of 5. #TheVeryLastLeaf #NetGalley
A doctor, a lawyer, a teacher, a young girl, a farm worker, a Hollywood actress, and a relative of Jane Austen come together in this book to form the Jane Austin Society, so they can preserve the location and some of the artifacts of Austen's last home in Chawton, England. Each character is struggling with loss or grief of some sort. They are also loners in their own way, either through choice or circumstance.
You do not have to be a fan of Jane Austen to love and appreciate this story, but with all the references to her books and characters, it would help. I couldn't help but feel some of the characters in this book had "pride and prejudices" of their own, in terms of their perceptions of others and their inability to express their true feelings. I could easily see this book becoming a book club favourite! I gave this book a 4 out of 5. #NetGalley #TheJaneAustenSociety
This book is a tale of two long-lost sisters: Alex seems to have her life together as an advocate for children at risk and is in a loving relationship, while Ruth seems to be a mess with a history of substance abuse and is once again on the run from trouble. Alex and Ruth take turns being the narrator in alternate chapters. Both of them are full of secrets, which are slowly revealed throughout the book.
Roz Nay does a great job with the unreliable narrator, drawing the reader into each sister's story. The plot flowed smoothly even when relating events from the past. There were some unexpected twists and turns which made for a very enjoyable read. I gave this book a 4 out of 5. #NetGalley #HurryHome
Lily has taken extra precautions to make sure she and her daughter, Maisie, are living in a secure house. Imagine Lily's fright when a man appears on the security camera in her garden wearing a mask of Maisie's face! It gets much worse in the morning when they wake up in what looks like their house in every detail...until they look out the window. This book will definitely have you triple-checking your locks at night! I felt tense and anxious the whole time I was reading this book but I couldn't put it down! Lily is a clever and brave mother who will do anything for her child. I did find, however, that Maisie seemed older than 5 years old in terms of her thoughts and actions. I loved how the ending left you hanging with a couple of new questions. I gave this book a 4 out of 5. #NetGalley #WhileYouSlept
I am a big fan of World War II fiction, but sometimes it's hard to find a new aspect about the war that hasn't already been written about. The Paris Library, by Janet Skeslien Charles, is based on the role that staff from The American Library in Paris played during the war. Books and reading played an important role in boosting morale, providing a sense of normalcy but also an escape for a brief time from dark times. Staff continued to help not only their regular "subscribers" but also delivered books to Jewish citizens at great risk to themselves, and to soldiers, whether on the field or injured an in hospital.
The Paris part of the story revolves around Odile, a young librarian, and her family and fellow staff at the American Library in Paris. The other part of the story takes place in America, and revolves around the struggles of a young girl named Lily. Odile is older now, and is Lily's next door neighbour. Together they forge a bond that helps them both heal and survive life's tough moments.
I thought this book was excellent. I was invested in the characters and the author made them seem real, by revealing their faults as wells as their strengths. As a fellow librarian myself, I also loved the references to the Dewey Decimal System, and now want to read the books the staff recommended to their subscribers. I gave this book a 5 out of 5. #TheParisLibrary #NetGalley
Cliff and Michelle go to their cabin deep in the woods to try and work on their marriage. Cliff goes to investigate a strange light late at night and doesn't return. When local police enforcement come up empty, Michelle decides to try and follow his path. She comes across a cabin just like theirs and Cliff is inside, but that is where any similarity to her former life ends. Michelle seeks help from someone that has supposedly disappeared in her other existence. Can she make anyone believe her, and will she ever get back to her real life?
I liked the pace and plot of this story for the first two thirds of the book. I found the idea of different universes or realities interesting. However, the book's original description made it sound more suspenseful or scary than it really was. I was originally intrigued with the references to Wicca but, for me, it got to be too much. I also felt Michelle's character changed near the end of the story: after having so much difficulty getting people to believe her, she doesn't extend the same courtesy to others when they really need it, and she also goes back on an important promise. This was a hard book for me to rate; while there was a lot of things I liked about it, the things that bothered me took it from a great read to an average read. I gave this book a 3 out of 5. #NetGalley #TheCabinOnSouderHill
Is a Worry Worrying You? is an interesting book that discusses different types of worries, giving very imaginative examples and offering solutions on how to alleviate that worry. The book also includes the different types of feelings and symptoms worry can cause in a child, and what a child could do to make them feel better. This book would be a great curriculum resource for teaching Kindergarten children about feelings. The illustrations are interesting and really personalize the many facets of worry for children. I gave this book a 4 out of 5. #IsAWorryWorryingYou? #NetGalley
What You Wish For" by Katherine Center is a feel-good read in a time when we all need to feel good. Samantha (Sam) is a school librarian who moved away from "The One" (Duncan) when it looked like he was settling down permanently with someone else. However, when Duncan comes back into her life. he is no longer the man she once knew. Then again, Sam is no longer the same person Duncan once knew either. Both of them have lived through trauma, with the mental or physical scars to prove it. Will they be able to "choose joy" not only for themselves, but with each other? I had some concerns during the first half of the book with the negative way epilepsy was being portrayed. However, as the story unfolds, this negativity made a lot more sense. I was in love with Sam and Duncan's love story right up until the end. I have to say I was a bit disappointed with the ending: after building so much anticipation, their final realization felt a bit flat. I also felt the Epilogue mentioned the other characters more than it mentioned Sam and Duncan. This would have been a 5 star rating for me except for the "fizzle not sizzle" at the end. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review. #NetGalley #WhatYouWishFor
Kelly and her son TJ move to Ohio to live in the house her husband inherited from his grandmother, before he was killed by a drunk driver. Things get really get spooky when her son's Alexa Dot begins to emit sounds of a young girl crying and asking for help in the middle of the night. Will Kelly be able to convince Rob, a super attractive cop, that she isn't crazy? Will they figure out who this voice belongs to and be able to help in time?
I was super intrigued with the idea of a ghost talking through Alexa (although I may never look at my own Alexa in quite the same way again). For a good chunk of the book this made me feel chills and suitably creeped out. I also liked the attraction and conflicted feelings between Kelly and Rob.
*Spoilers: However, I felt the amount of conversation and information that came through Alexa just got to be way too unbelievable. I also didn't like Tom's voice suddenly having the ability to come through Alexa either; it felt too convenient and contrived. I found myself wanting to know why these girls were taken in the first place, but no reason was given (although we never really know why some people do the things they do anyway). I don't understand why the whole will issue was included in the story either: it wasn't necessary to the story and really didn't amount to anything. I gave this book a 3 out of 5.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #UndertheWillows
This graphic novel would be suitable for primary grade readers. The book contains 4 stories that are inter-connected and focus on the friendship of Fox and Rabbit. Children will like the repetition of certain phrases and the appearance of the turtle at the end of each story. Children may also like the desire to come up with things that begin with "f" but I found it a bit forced. This book was just okay for me, not great. I rated it a 3 out of 5 stars. #NetGalley #Fox&Rabbit
The only thing better than reading a well-written book full of substance and defined characters is learning something at the same time. I found the author's descriptions of bridge-building and the suffrage movement to be interesting and informative without being too heavy. Readers with connect with Emily as she struggles to fulfill her husband's dreams while placing her own on hold. Readers with empathize with and champion for Emily as she tries to balance the overwhelming responsibilities of building a bridge and being an advocate for women as well as a wife and mother. I gave this book a rating of 4 out of 5.
#NetGalley #TheEngineer'sWife
