Book Review: The Grumpy Gardener: An A to Z Guide from the Country's Most Irritable Green Thumb by Steve Bender

The Grumpy Gardener: An A to Z Guide from the Country's Most Irritable Green Thumb by Steve Bender. Gardeners from across the country have turned to Southern Living Senior Garden Editor Steven Bender for his keen knowledge and gardening know-how with equal doses sarcasm and sidesplitting humor for nearly 35 years. This book collects some of the wit and wisdom from the magazine columnist in a single A - Z volume, providing gardeners from coast-to-coast with his valuable tips for planting, troubleshooting, and growing flowers, vegetables, shurbs, trees and more. Sidebars throughout the book - "Ask Grumpy" - help readers tackle common garden problems ("How do I get ride of little house ants?"), and readers from the past 35 years take part in the book when Grumpy shares his favorite reader's responses to some of his advice, his favorite rules for gardening, and Q & A's covering your favorite plants and flowers are all inside. Additionally, beautiful line-drawings and illustrations throughout make the book as beautiful to look at as well as entertaining to read.

The Grumpy Gardener: An A to Z Guide from the Country's Most Irritable Green Thumb is a wonderful resource, and highly entertaining for any garden enthusiast to thumb through for reminders or to simply enjoy the dry humor and snark that accompanies the information throughout the book. I love that the information is very accessible, even for those that have no gardening experience, or have had little success with their gardening attempts thus far. I learned many things about plants I thought I knew well, and will adjust my gardening accordingly. I feel like going back to re read occasional will help remind me of important things, and maybe bring things I missed the first time around or forgot to my attention. The sidebars of reader responses, questions with Bender's answers, and line drawings add an extra layer of humor, and occasionally beauty, to the book as a whole. I will be referring back to this volume regularly, both when garden planning and when I am stumped on how to fix or maintain something that should be growing.

Book Review: Brave Red, Smart Frog: A New Book of Old Tales by Emily Jenkins, Rohan Daniel Eason

Brave Red, Smart Frog: A New Book of Old Tales is a middle grade book written by Emily Jenkins and illustrated by Rohan Daniel Eason. This is a collect of seven classic fairy tales told in the authors personal style.

There once was a frozen forest so cold, you could feel it through the soles of your boots. It was a strange place where some kisses broke enchantments and others began them. Many said witches lived there -- some with cold hearts, others with hot ovens and ugly appetites -- and also dwarves in tiny houses made of stones. In this icy wood, a stepmother might eat a girl's heart to restore her own beauty, while a woodcutter might become stupid with grief at the death of his donkey. Here a princess with too many dresses grows spiteful out of loneliness, while a mistreated girl who is kind to a crone finds pearls dropping from her mouth whenever she speaks.

Brave Red, Smart Frog: A New Book of Old Tales is a nice collection of classic tales, some more well known than others. I liked that Jenkins stuck to the fairy tale tradition of telling these stories with the same heart, but her own personal touch. The characters are not flat, which often happens with those that are considered known already, rather they are rich in personality and humor. I enjoyed the collection, and think that many others will enjoy the combination of humor and empathy that threads through the stories. The fun illustrations added an extra layer of enjoyment and whimsy- adding a special something to the reading experience as a whole. 

Book Review: 50 Wacky Inventions Throughout History: Weird Inventions that Seem Too Crazy to be Real by the Walter Foster Jr. Creative Team

50 Wacky Inventions Throughout History: Weird Inventions that Seem Too Crazy to be Real by the Walter Foster Jr. Creative Team is a nonfiction book for children that illustrates how wonderful and wacky the creative mind can be. Have you ever heard of a bike TV? Or a bird diaper? The 50 inventions highlighted in this book range from useful, to entertaining, to downright silly. These mind-boggling inventions and gadgets from yesterday, today, and tomorrow will surprise and delight fun-fact lovers of all ages.

50 Wacky Inventions Throughout History: Weird Inventions that Seem Too Crazy to be Real offers information and images that capture the imagination and interest of readers. I liked that while some of the inventions might seem ridiculous, the inventors and the reasoning behind each invention is offered, but not mocked. The silliness of the inventions is not left out, but at no point are the idea or people involved made fun of. This is important in my eyes, because making light of inventors might discourage readers that might have some wonderful ideas. The illustrations in the book are fun and cartoony, breaking up the text a little so that more reluctant readers will feel less overwhelmed by the amount of text and information. This was a fun and informative read, and one that I can see many taking the time to re read. 

Book Review: Fowl Language: The Struggle Is Real by Brian Gordon

Fowl Language: The Struggle Is Real by Brian Gordon is a collection of comics about parenting, some were already published by Fowl Language online while some of it is brand new. Fowl Language is a comic for any parent or caregiver. The joy, frustration, wonder, and misery that are all part of caring for the next generation told via cartoon ducks. I follow the comic on Facebook, so I already had seen a few, but for some reason they never get old. 

Fowl Language: The Struggle Is Real is funny, sometime poignant, and almost always relatable. I love that Gordon includes the moments that we struggle with it all as well as the moments that make it all worth while. Anyone that enjoys the online comic will want to at least take a look at the book, but adding it to the home library might help get through the harder nights. This would also be a great gift to new or expecting parents, and those sending their kids out into the world on their own. 

Book Review: Hedgehog Wisdom: Little Reasons to Smile by Carolyn Parker

Hedgehog Wisdom: Little Reasons to Smile by Carolyn Parker is based on the popular Huffy Hedgehogs Instagram. The book is filled with pictures of the most adorable prickly pets as they dress up, chow down, and make you laugh out loud, all while promoting positive thinking and good vibes. Though spiny, huffy, and timid, these little pincushion creatures are too sweet for words, and will win your heart in no time!

Hedgehog Wisdom: Little Reasons to Smile is a fun and sweet little book that offers simple but true advise about happiness, mindfulness, and being yourself along with pictures of Hodge Huffington and Marshmallow Fluff the hedgehogs in the middle of various poses and activities. Humor and sincere goodwill flow through out he book and made me aww more than once. The result is cute, fun, and sweet. It is enough to lift the heart after a rough day (or week) and is worth glancing through when you need a smile or moment of cute.

Book Review: Serafina and the Splintered Heart (Serafina) by Robert Beatty

Serafina and the Splintered Heart is the third (and final) book in the Serafina series by Robert Beatty. Something has happened to Serafina. She has awoken into a darkness she does not understand, scarred from a terrible battle, only to find that life at Biltmore Estate has changed in unimaginable ways. Old friends do unthinkable things and enemies seem all around. A mysterious threat moves towards Biltmore, a force without a name, bringing with it violent storms and flooding that stands to uproot everything in its path. Serafina must uncover the truth about what has happened to her and find a way to harness her strange new powers before it's too late. With only days to achieve the impossible, Serafina fights to reclaim herself as the Guardian of Biltmore, friend of Braeden, daughter of her Pa, and heroine of the Blue Ridge Mountains and all the folk and creatures that call it home. 

Serafina and the Splintered Heart is an emotional and exciting read that wrapped up the adventures of Serafina and characters in and around the Biltmore beautifully. I was nervous picking the book up, that it might not meet my extremely high expectations- but I should not have feared it was beautifully done. Serafina character continued to grow and get even more complex as she faces huge challenges to save Biltmore with those she trusts- and learning to trust someone that could destroy everything. The specifics of Serafina's crisis, and the larger dangers fancing everyone in or near the Biltmore are very well done and kept me so anxious that I serious read the book in a day, because there was no point in which I felt safe walking away. I loved the role perseverance, trust, and friendship all play in the story. The character arcs and struggles they face in their own minds, and against an old enemy make this series conclusion such a must read that I am lacking the right words to recommend this book (and the entire series) enough for middle grade readers through adults. 

Serafina and the Splintered Heart is a book that I put off reading too long. I was so eager to get my hands on it because I loved the previous two books- but I was terrified that it would fall short. Thankfully, the author and his creation more than met my expectations. To make me even happier, the promise of a related series in the near future has me chomping at the bit to get my hands on everything that comes next. 

Book Review: Rewilding: Giving Nature a Second Chance by Ann Love, Jane Drake

Rewilding: Giving Nature a Second Chance by the sister writing duo of Ann Love and Jane Drake is a children's non fiction book that is currently schedule for release on October 10 2017. Rewilding is an important environmental movement to restore habitats to their natural state in order to support native species and make room for animals to move freely. In this comprehensive look at rewilding, the authors present examples from around the world where endangered animals have been rehabilitated and returned to their natural habitats. From pandas and peregrine falcons to jaguars and wolves, the story of these animals testifies to the fact that with good management, the extinction of species can be avoided. This book also relates how cities have begun to restore nature by planting everything from tiny rooftop gardens to huge parks on disused land.

Rewilding: Giving Nature a Second Chance can be a valuable resource in classrooms, for research, or for an interesting read for anyone that is interested in the environment and wildlife. It is written for a middle grade audience, but I think teens and adults can learn from it as well. I was interested to read about rewilding, and how it is becoming more popular, or at least more well known beyond the people that already try to minimize out impact of the environment. I found the information to be well organized, accessible, and interesting. I know my daughter (my personal animal expert) will be rereading some of the sections, particularly about wolf habitats since they are her current obsession. The photographs throughout the book are full color and simply stunning. I could just browse through the book to enjoy those images. 

Early Book Review: Cinderella and the Furry Slippers by Davide Cali, Raphaelle Barbanegre

Cinderella and the Furry Slippers is a picturebook written by Davide Cali and illustrated by Raphaelle Barbanegre. It is currently scheduled for release on October 10 2017.

Cinderella is dying to go to the ball. She's seen pictures of the fancy castle and the handsome prince, she's heard the fairy tales about true love, she's found the perfect dress in Princess magazine and she's even found an ad for a Fairy Godmother. She's all set. Except the fairy godmother doesn't look like the one in the ad. And the castle doesn't look like the picture. And the prince well, Cinderella decides her fairy-tale ending is going to look different--and be a whole lot more fun.

Cinderella and the Furry Slippers is a fun take on the Cinderella story, and shows kids that getting what you want is not always the answer. Cinderella wants to go to the ball and dance with the prince, but nothing goes quite like she expects. Furry slippers and a less than ideal prince show her that the grass is not always greener. I liked Cinderella's willingness to change things up when they do not go as planned, and the way the fractured fairy tale changes the story. It was fun and entertaining. The artwork was a little cartoony for my preferences, but I think it matches the story and many will love this read. 

Book Review: Bonnie and the Beast by Alexa Black

Bonnie and the Beast by Alexa Black is very short, I would call it a short story rather than even a novella. The Beast's castle has been lonely since an angry sorceress cursed her years ago, and resigned herself to it a long time ago. But now a woman has promised to brave the curse, and for the first time in too many years the Beast has someone to talk to—and perhaps even break the curse. But tricking people into visiting your castle isn't how you find a soulmate. And looking stranger than a werewolf doesn't help.

Bonnie and the Beast is at a bit of short erotica. The Beast is waiting for a promised girl to come to her castle and make the attempt to break a curse. I still have no idea what the beast looks like and could not even hazard a guess because five eyes and some serious claws and teeth? I felt like there was room for a bit of character growth, or at least some insight into them. There was a little bit of information on each through the story, but not enough to let me care about either. It seemed like it was an excuse to write a sex scene between a curvy girl and a female something rather than a story. I was annoyed at the length, and at the lack of character depth. A bit more story would have been appreciated but this might just be what someone else is looking for. 

Book Review: The Crooked Sixpence (The Uncommoners) by Jennifer Bell, Karl James Mountford

The Crooked Sixpence is the first book in The Uncommoners series written by Jennifer Bell and illustrated by Karl James Mountford. When their grandmother Sylvie is rushed to the hospital, Ivy Sparrow and her annoying big brother Seb cannot imagine what adventure lies in store. Soon their house is ransacked by unknown intruders, and a very strange policeman turns up on the scene, determined to apprehend them, with a toilet brush. Ivy and Seb make their escape only to find themselves in a completely uncommon world, a secret underground city called Lundinor where ordinary objects have amazing powers. There are belts that enable the wearer to fly, yo-yos that turn into weapons, buttons with healing properties, and other enchanted objects capable of very unusual feats. But the forces of evil are closing in fast, and when Ivy and Seb learn that their family is connected to one of the greatest uncommon treasures of all time, they must race to unearth the treasure and get to the bottom of a family secret before it’s too late.

The Crooked Sixpence is a fantasy coming of age story with great middle grade characters and compelling world. While the idea of object holding magic and family secrets about magic, are not new ideas, I think the characters and action made the concepts fresh and exciting. The caring and grit Ivy has made me happy. I love seeing girl characters using both compassion and intelligence to save the day rather than one or the other. The family relationships and secret were well done, although more could have been done with Ivy and Seb. I found that they went from the typical siblings that annoy or ignore each other to perfect team without really addressing anything or even noticing. I did think that the mistrust of those they met in Lundinor, and the coming understanding and acceptance of the way it works was very well done. I enjoyed the world building and character development, and I would love to learn more about the creatures and object that populate the realm. 

The Crooked Sixpence is one that I had a had a couple false starts with, only because it was not what I was in the mood to read the first couple times I picked it up. Once I actually get reading past the first couple pages I was completely engaged. I enjoyed the characters, the story, and the world. I look forward to seeing more from this series.