Book Review: Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins

Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins is a picture book about a bear that loves cooking good food and being left alone. But when his hard-boiled goose eggs turn out to be real, live goslings, he starts to lose his appetite. And even worse, the goslings are convinced he's their mother. Bruce tries to get the geese to go south, but he can't seem to rid himself of his new companions. What's a bear to do?

Mother Bruce is a book about a bear reluctantly taking on the role as mother to a group of baby geese. I loved the humor of the book, and the illustrations of the grumpy bear warming up to the little birds, against his will, and caring for them were simply delightful. I found the images of him feeding and wearing the goslings to be both sweet and funny. His attempts to get the grown geese to fly, and his eventual solution, made me smile. 

Mother Bruce might not deliver a big moral, but as I have know people like the bear (and might just be one myself) I have to admit that there is some truth behind the fun of the book. While some might bluster about caring for others or being put out by an unexpected turn of events, they are often the very people that will step up and do what is right- even when it might not be the path they had planned.  

Book Review: Starstruck by Leslie Davis

Starstruck by Leslie Davis is a contemporary romance that I had trouble putting down. Actress Cassidy “C.J.” Hayes is famous for her role in The Alchemidens, a fantasy show where she plays a kick-ass heroine. Her rising success has brought her quickly under Hollywood’s glaring spotlight. It also gained her the unwelcome attentions of an obsessive fan who wants more than just an autograph. Aiden Darrow is both a well-respected screenwriter and a writer of lesbian romances. As a big fan of actress C.J. Hayes, Aiden is astounded when the woman of her dreams ends up moving into the house next door to her. Their attraction is undeniable, but Cassidy is understandably nervous about getting too close to anyone. Aiden, meanwhile, is trying to separate reality from fiction because Cassidy is nothing like the character she portrays so well. All through her childhood, Aiden dreamed of a hero to come rescue her, but can she be the hero that Cassidy so desperately needs now?

Starstruck is a realistic lesbian romance. Both Cassidy and Aiden have trauma in their past or present to deal with, and are struggling with letting another person in. Cassidy is dealing with a stalker that has escalated from wanting to get close to Cassidy to wanting to kill her, because if he cannot have her no one should. Aiden grew up in the foster system, and escapes from the real world through watching movies and writing. When the woman of her fantasies moves in next door, separating fiction and reality should have been hard, the real Cassidy is wonderful in her own way and the attraction cannot be denied. Of course conflict, including communication fails, assumptions, and so on take place. Real danger from the stalker and character growth and interactions are present as well. The balance of completely realistic relationship and personal fears and doubts with the concerns of high profile people, are address very well. I also liked the little cameo of characters I recognized from previous books by the author.

Starstruck is a pretty perfect contemporary romance. It dealt with problems the characters might face in the real world, and they reacted as anyone might. I like that the fact that the gender of Aiden and Cassidy are more of a side note than anything else for me. LGBT issues are raised, but it was organic rather than feeling forced or done for effect. I had trouble putting this book down, and have added Davis to me list of authors to watch and read regularly.

Book Review: Lumiere by Jacqueline E. Garlick

Lumiere is the first book in the young adult The Illumination Paradox series by Jacqueline E. Garlick. Seventeen-year-old Eyelet Elsworth has only one hope left: finding her late father’s most prized invention, the Illuminator. It’s been missing since the day of the mysterious flash—a day that saw the sun wiped out forever over England. But living in darkness is nothing new to Eyelet. She’s hidden her secret affliction all of her life—a life that would be in danger if superstitious townspeople ever guessed the truth. And after her mother is accused and executed for a crime that she didn’t commit, the now-orphaned Eyelet has no choice but to track down the machine that was created with the sole purpose of being her cure. Alone and on the run, she finally discovers the Illuminator—only to see a young man hauling it off. Determined to follow the thief and recover the machine, she ventures into the deepest, darkest, most dangerous part of her twisted world. That is when her real adventure begins. 

Lumiere has a great premise and interesting start. It follows the search for a machine created for curing and helping people twisted and corrupted for the use to kill and gain power. However, it is more about the people searching for the machine than the machine itself. Eyelet is on a razors edge, she has lost her mother and father, and is in danger of losing her hope, and her own life. She meets others with their own secrets and troubles. Urlick has big secrets of his own, and spends most of his time either tinkering or protecting those he has in his care. I liked that underdogs group together, not necessarily on purpose, in order to be safe and fulfill their goals even when they think they are at cross purposes.

Since this is the first book in a series, there is a good amount of character and world building. It was done at a good pace for the most part, but I will admit to having stalled out on my enthusiasm about two thirds of the way through the book. I liked the characters, liked the premise and steam punk feel, but feel like a few of the crises towards the end dragged the book out rather than adding to the drama. There were certainly a few unexpected twists, and I was happy with the shifts and changes to my understanding of the characters and world as they came. However, the ending left me a little unsatisfied as it left readers on the edge wondering if our main characters would find each other again and what happened to some of the secondary characters.

Lumiere is a good start to a series, although I think it lost a little steam in trying to cover too much ground and do too much. The characters, danger, and puzzles were all good. However, I feel like the sheer volume of them got to be a little overwhelming. 

Book Review: Baby Crochet Design: Hats and Boots by Graziana Materassi

Baby Crochet Design: Hats and Boots by Graziana Materassi that offers patterns matching caps and booties range in style from cute little animal motifs to fruit and flower-adorned costumes. Sixteen unique crochet patterns feature complete instructions for hats and booties, accompanied by full-color illustrations. A pretty pink piglet, wide-eyed owl, busy bee, sweet strawberry, and a tropical pineapple are but a few of the playful designs. The hat patterns can be adapted to accommodate the heads of older children as well.

Baby Crochet Design is a useful resource for those looking to make a variety of fun hats and matching booties for babies and young children. The owl and fruit hats were very cute, but I have to say that there were new designs that seemed fresh and new to me. They are ll worth making and learning the patterns for, but I did not find them overly special. Unfortunately there were also some minor formatting issues with the digital galley I received, which I havre to assume were fixed before the final version was released. There was nothing lacking or wrong with the patterns, my only problem was that I frequent several craft stores and craft communities and have seen similar patterns over the years.

Baby Crochet Design is a good resource for those looking to make a variety of baby hats and matching booties. I did not find the designs included to be anything new or previously unavailable, but they were cute.

Book Review: Burkheart Witch Saga Box Set Books 1-3 by Christine Sutton, Julia Whelan

Burkheart Witch Saga Box Set Books 1-3 is an urban fantasy series by Christine Sutton, the audiobook is read by Julia Whelan. The women of the Burkheart family are special. As witches, they have magical abilities.These witches serve the side of good as they battle werewolves, vampires, evil witches and all manner of fairy tale creatures. Follow their family as each generation fights to survive in a world of fairytale magic.Will the Burkheart line survive or will the forces of evil win out in the end?

Red Snow, Book 1: When Kayla embarks on a drive from Washington to Texas, she is just doing her job. When the black 1967 Impala starts showing up at every turn, she starts to think it might be more than coincidence. When the mysterious driver leaves her a note, she is engulfed in a race for her life. Kayla is tasked with defeating vampires, werewolves, and evil witches that threaten to destroy her happiness and her very life! Will she get her happily ever after, or will she fall victim to the evil that courses through her veins? Red Snow is an urban retelling of a classic fairy tale.

Let Me In, Book 2: Kayla has returned home to find that the fairy tale continues. She finds out some facts about her family history that may be her ultimate undoing. With the help of a coven of witches, Kayla is tasked with defeating vampires, werewolves, and evil witches that threaten to destroy her happiness and her very life! Will she get her happily ever after, or will she fall victim to the evil that courses through her veins? This novella will take you through a whirlwind as you join Kayla on another fairy tale adventure.

One Wish, Book 3: Little Grace is all grown up with a baby of her own on the way, but the fairy tale magic that follows her family is not done with them yet! A devastating loss has hit the Burkhearts, shaking the entire family to its very core. There is little time to grieve before evil witches, werewolves, vampires, and a force that Grace can't even imagine try to ruin the family. Can Grace make everything right? Can the family band together and defeat the evil that threatens to destroy them? Listen to this third installment in the series and see if everything can be righted with just one wish.

Burkheart Witch Saga starts off pretty good. Kayla is just trying to get away from her leads than pleasant mother and make a life for herself when she finds herself dragged into a world of witches, werewolves, vampires and more through no fault of her own. I liked Kayla's spunk and willingness to fight for herself and those she cared about, and to do the right thing even when it hurt. Grace has the same spark and determination in the next book, and I liked that David occasionally gets to step out of the background and help out. Later other background and side characters get a chance to step up as well. However, most of the time the majority of the characters were a little flat, and while the fairy tale connection was clear, they felt uninteresting and predictable. Since I listened to the audiobook I found the fact that the chapters did not reset after each book to be confusing. There was more that one point in which I wondered if I was listening to an epilogue to one section or a prologue or first chapter of the next. Frankly by the end I only kept listening because I had already invested so many hours into the book that I had to hear the final resolution. Then the book ends with a tease for the fourth book!

There was nothing particularly wrong with the book, I just started to loose interest after a bit, and it started to feel repetitive even when the big bad and heroine changed. I think if I took it one book, or part, at a time with other reading in between I would have felt a little differently. 

Book Review: Boundary Crossed by Melissa F. Olson

Boundary Crossed by Melissa F. Olson is the first book in the Boundary Magic series. I had already read the second book, Boundary Lines, and needed to go back and read how it all started because of how much I liked the world. Now that I have two of these books read, I need to read the a novella that comes between to two as well as a previous series as I wait Boundary Born to be published. The joys, and heartache, of finding a new favorite author!

After her twin sister’s brutal murder, former US Army Sergeant Allison “Lex” Luther vowed to protect her niece, Charlie. So when two vampires try to kidnap the baby, it quickly turns into a fight to the death—Lex’s death, that is. She wakes up to two shocking discoveries: she has miraculously survived the fight, and baby Charlie is a “null,” gifted with the ability to weaken supernatural forces, and a target for creatures who want to control that power. Determined to guarantee her niece’s safety, Lex makes a deal with the local vampires. She sets out with the mysterious—and undead—“fixer” Quinn to track down whoever’s responsible for the kidnapping, sharpening her newfound magic skills along the way. But the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous her powers become.

Boundary Crossed is perfect beginning to a series that has already been added to my must read list. Lex has a rough history and is still reeling from her time on the front lines and the loss of her twin sister. When she finds two people toting around her niece and gets herself involved the the world of magic, vampires, and other Old World residents she gets more than she bargained for. This is a solid introduction to Lex’s family, the witches that help her, and the vampires that run the town. There is so much more to this story though. I love the combination of missed movie and modern media references, especially when combined with the love of older movies and children’s movies. The juxtaposition only start there, and make the series such an interesting read. There characters each have their own flaws and damage, as well as hidden strengths. 

Boundary Crossed is a great start to an urban fantasy series. Fans of the genre that are looking for an author with wit and some seriously good characters need to give Olson a read. She has just been added to my must read list, not just my to be read pile.  

Early Book Review: Bears Make the Best Reading Buddies by Carmen Oliver, Jean Claude

Bears Make the Best Reading Buddies is a picture book written by Carmen Oliver and illustrated by Jean Claude. It is currently scheduled for release on March 1 2016. All the students in the class are assigned reading buddies, except for Adelaide. She already has a great reading buddy, a bear! Adelaide is quite persuasive as she explains to her language arts teacher and the reader, that bears really do make the best reading buddies.

Bears Make the Best Reading Buddies is a fun picture book. I never knew bears were such great reading partners, although I do not recommend anyone go out and try their hand at getting one of their own! Did you know that bears sniff out good books, or that their claws are just right for turning pages? Adelaide knows this, and tells her teacher and the readers about all the things that make her bear the best reading buddy ever. While the idea of snuggling with a bear for reading, along with although bonus features listed in the book, is terribly tempting, I think I will stick to kids and cats as my reading partners. I think the silliness will keep the target audience reading, while helping them become better reading buddies and cheerleaders for themselves and each other as they grow their reading skills.

Bears Make the Best Reading Buddies is a fun book that will encourage readers to find the perfect reading buddy, whether it is a stuffed bear, cat, dog, sibling, parent, or classmate. I do not recommend a real bear, but the book makes it temping. A fun book encouraging new readers to keep reading and growing, regardless of who their reading buddy is. 

Book Review: The Rock by Monica McCarty

The Rock is the eleventh book in the Highland Guard series by Monica McCarty. The first time he caught sight of Elizabeth Douglas, Thomas MacGowan thought she was a princess. To the son of the castle blacksmith, the daughter of the powerful Lord of Douglas might as well be. When it becomes clear that his childhood companion will never see him as a man she could love, Thom joins Edward Bruce’s army as a man-at-arms to try to change his lot. If he’s harbored a secret hope that he could close the gap between them, he faces the cold, hard truth when Elizabeth comes to him for help. She might need the boy who used to climb cliffs to rescue her brother from the hands of the English, but she would never see the son of a smith as a man worthy of her hand.

The Rock is the story of a smithy’s son that befriended the children of the local lord. Growing up he loved the daughter, and had a solid friendship (albeit with some power issues) with the son. However, as adults Thom is still in love with Elizabeth and she isa he practical Lord’s daughter prepared to marry fir standing and power as is tradition. There is where the struggle lies, Thom is willing to risk everything for the woman that has scorned and rejected him any every turn, and Elizabeth admires and lusts after Thom but is so rooted in the mindset of doing what is expected and duty that she is rarely willing to risk anything. There is plenty of daring-do, as Thom saves the day for Elizabeth and everyone else again and again, but because I was regularly frustrated by Thom’s devotion and Elizabeth in general I just could not enjoy this one. I liked the side stories, and background action, but the romance of this particular installment was not one that kept me happily turning pages. It might be time for me to put this series away for awhile.

The Rock is the first book by McCarty that I had trouble finishing. The writing style has held up, and the complicated interactions, wit, and action are all still there. I just could not like the main characters this go round, and that rather ruined the read for me. 

Early Book Review: The Sandwich Thief by André Marois, Patrick Doyon

The Sandwich Thief by André Marois and Patrick Doyon is a children’s book that straddles the line between illustrated chapter book and graphic novel, It is currently scheduled for release on March 1 2016. I think elementary school through high school age readers will enjoy the book. Marin loves the sandwiches his parents make for him—every day they're different and more delicious than the last. One morning, someone dares to steal his favorite sandwich: ham-cheddar-kale. Furious, Marin begins a fevered and famished investigation to unmask the thief. The days go by, the suspects multiply, and Marin's sandwiches continue to disappear. 

The Sandwich Thief is a fun, and funny, mystery that will appeal to transitional readers, and more advanced readers that enjoy mystery, humor, and illustrations or graphic novels. Poor Marin has foodies for parents, and his lunches are definite evidence of that. While he has talked then out of some of the more elaborate meals, he still gets some pretty great sandwiches. When they start going missing Marin is on a mission to solve the crime. I like that once he comes clean and shares the problem with his parents a solution is found that not only catches the culture but keep Marin from getting himself into more trouble. There were some little things that bothered me here and there through the story, overall I found it to be good fun and I think it will have broad appeal to elementary and middle grade readers. My two kids will certainly get a kick out of the humorous aspects of the story. 

The Sandwich Thief is the first in a series, but it does not require readers to continue to solve a cliff hanger. Return readers will do so because the like the characters, wit, and art style rather than because they are trapped into doing so because of unresolved endings.  

Book Review: Death Before Decaf (A Java Jive Mystery, #1) by Caroline Fardig

Death Before Decaf  is the first book in the Java Jive Mystery series by Caroline Fardig. After her music career crashes and burns spectacularly, Juliet Langley is forced to turn to the only other business she knows: food service. Unfortunately, bad luck strikes yet again when her two-timing fiancé robs her blind and runs off with her best waitress. Flushing what’s left of her beloved café down the toilet with her failed engagement, Juliet packs up and moves back to her college stomping grounds in Nashville to manage an old friend’s coffeehouse. At first glance, it seems as though nothing’s changed at Java Jive. What could possibly go wrong? Only that the place is hemorrhaging money, the staff is in open revolt, and Juliet finds one unlucky employee dead in the dumpster out back before her first day is even over.  The corpse just so happens to belong to the cook who’d locked horns with Juliet over the finer points of the health code. Unimpressed with her management style, the other disgruntled employees are only too eager to spill the beans about her fiery temper to the detective on the case. Add to the mix a hunky stranger who’s asking way too many questions, and suddenly Juliet finds herself in some very hot water. If she can’t simmer down and sleuth her way to the real killer, she’s going to get burned.

Death Before Decaf  is a cozy mystery that has great characters and depth, which is not always true of the genre. There is a huge backstory here, a=one that we get bits and pieces of through out the story, and which adds to the atmosphere and character development. I liked Juliet from the beginning, she has faced some serious issues in the recent past and is working hard to move on with her life and find some peace and happiness. She is a little traumatized and cautious, but when the first week of a new life includes butting heads with staff and finding a dead body, well it is understandable. I would like to find out more about Juliet’s musical past, but I expect that to come like the rest of her past as the series continues. I liked Peter, and the tension between them as well. However I have to say that there were moments when I wanted to kick them both for being blind. Even in the beginning of the story readers are well aware they love each other, and have from the beginning, but both are too stubborn or scared to do anything about it. 

Death Before Decaf  is a engaging and entertaining read. I really enjoyed it and avoided other important things like sleep or cooking dinner so that I could keep on reading. I am looking forward to the next book in the series, Mug Shot, which I have a galley request in for on Netgalley so hopefully I will be reading it soon.