Greenwood by Michael Christie

Greenwood by Michael Christie was nominated as a finalist in the Forest of Reading Evergreen category. It follows generations of the Greenwood family, specifically Jacinda (Jake), Liam, Willow, Harris and Everett.  What makes this book different from others is that it begins in the year 2038, giving a brief synopsis of the appropriate family member as the story works its way back to 1908. The story then winds forward again though the years and generations, filling in the gaps and expanding upon why the characters became the way they did. I found this an interesting device as some of the characters seemed shallow or unlikeable until I fully understood their history and the events that created their personalities. Through the telling of the story, the author provides a lot of interesting facts about trees and the repercussions of not looking after these vital resources.  I gave this book a rating of 4 stars.

Healthy Instant Pot Mini Cookbook by Nili Barrett

This is a delightful cookbook for Instant Pot recipes intended to feed 1 or 2 people. The author includes an introduction to Instant Pots for new users, as well as recipes for breakfast, entrees, soups, stews, sides, veggies, snacks, appetizers, and desserts. The recipes contain"nourishing, whole foods" and offer suggestions for keto and vegan substitutions. Each recipe also provides the nutrition information per serving, and helpful tips to make meal preparation even easier. There are photographs included for about a third of the recipes in the book. I made the Layered Chicken Enchilada Casserole and Classic Beef Stroganoff recipes. Both meals were delicious and easy to make. My husband commented that the Stroganoff was especially flavorful. I gave this book a rating of 4 stars.
I would like to thank #NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of #HealthyInstantPotMiniCookbook in exchange for my honest review.

Diabetic Dessert Cookbook by Elena Troyanskaya

This diabetic cookbook contains 3 chapters: the first chapter offers dieting tips and recommended foods to eat, the second chapter has pie and cake recipes, and the third chapter provides cookie and brownie recipes.

My husband's two favorite things to eat are peanut butter and bananas, so as soon as I saw the Peanut Butter Banana Cake recipe, I knew I had to make it. It was delicious! The cake was light, tasty, and very moist. I then tried the Banana Peanut Butter Cookies recipe. The cookies were also very good, and no one would be able to tell they were "diabetic."

I wanted to try the New York Cheesecake recipe, but although it listed instructions for the crust, there were no crust ingredients listed in the recipe. There are also no photographs of any of the recipes in the book. The omission of these two factors kept me from giving this otherwise tasty cookbook a rating of 5 stars.

I received an advanced copy of this book from BookSirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I gave this book a rating of 4 stars.

The Secret She Kept by J.S. Ellis

Anthony's good friend, Lottie, has been murdered. Before she died, Lottie lent Anthony her laptop as his was broken. He finds a bunch of videos Lottie recorded outlining a dark relationship she was in with his long-time friend Davian. Anthony can't believe Davian would behave this way, but when the evidence grows against him, Anthony decides to hang on the laptop and try to uncover the truth.

This story was fast-paced with lots of twists and turns. The reader will constantly question whose version of the truth is real. I found Anthony's character a bit strange. He acted suspiciously and seemed paranoid about the police asking questions about him. I also couldn't understand why he wouldn't have given the laptop to the police right away.

I would like to thank BookSirens and Black Cat Ink Press for allowing me to read this advanced copy for free, in exchange for my honest and voluntary review. I gave this book a rating of 4 stars.

Juvenile Review - Ruby's Birds by Mya Thompson

Ruby is a busy and sometimes noisy young girl who learns from her neighbor Eva that she has to be quiet and still to see birds, like a warbler on its way through from Costa Rica. Ruby then teaches what she has learned to her family. There is more information at the back of the book about seeing birds at your home or in your city. There is also a list of 14 different birds that the author and illustrator have scattered throughout the book for the reader to go back and find. This is a cute and informative book that children will love. I would like to thank BookSirens for allowing me to read this advanced copy for free in exchange for my honest and voluntary review. I gave this book a rating of 4 stars.

Juvenile Review - Hope and Freckles by Bill Kiley

Wow. What a powerful and meaningful way to explain the plight of refugees to children through the story of a mother deer, Hope, and her fawn, Freckles. I found myself getting emotional when I made the connections between this book and what has been happening with refugees in our world. Younger children will empathize with Hope and Freckles story, while older children should be able to grasp the parallels between the book and reality. Everyone, and everything, on this planet deserves to be together in a place where they feel safe, and this book shows this concept to children in a brilliant way. I would like to thank #NetGalley and #MascotBooks for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I gave this book a rating of 5 stars.

Juvenile Review - The Old Man and the Penguin by Julie Abery

A wonderful book based on the true story of Joao, a retired bricklayer in Rio de Janeiro, who finds a penguin covered in oil on the beach. Joao takes the penguin home and cleans, feeds, and nurtures Dindum back to health. When Joao tries to release Dindum to the sea, Dindum won't go. It is only when Dindum's natural instinct kicks in that he returns to the sea, but he comes back to Joao for eight months every year. This story, told in rhyme with beautiful illustrations, would be an excellent resource when teaching children about the environment and the hazards animals and humans face when we don't look after our planet. I would like to thank #NetGalley and #KidsCanPress for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I gave this title 5 stars.

Juvenile Review - Sometimes When I'm Sad by Deborah Serani

Sometimes When I'm Sad, by Deborah Serani, is an excellent and valuable resource for young children, parents, teachers, or educational support staff. The book follows a young boy's frequent sadness, and the different levels and ways that this can present itself. After seeing a counselor, the boys learns many different ways to cope with and reduce his sadness, which help him feel much better. The simple wording makes it easy for a child to understand, and the beautiful illustrations further cement the feelings and information being conveyed. At the end of the book, the author, who is a psychologist, includes a guide for adults, as well as information on spotting sadness in different ages of children, and ways to reduce a child's sadness. I received an advanced review copy of this book for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.