About the Book Trespasser, Thief, Assailant—these were never titles Nora planned on. She was just trying to protect her sister. With the help of her little brother and his best friend, Nora embarks on a life-or-death quest that could rock the very fabric of their society. After breaking into the royal palace, Nora discovers that the ancient power of the sacred stones is more than just a legend. But in her desperate attempt to help her sister, Nora may have awoken something deep inside the earth—a power she doesn’t fully understand. As Nora flees, she accidentally encounters Prince Kyn, heir to the Liardian throne. She narrowly manages to escape, but now the young prince knows who she is and what she looks like. Eager to prove himself to his father, Prince Kyn leads a mission to find Nora and bring her back to House Liard. Unfortunately, his search is riddled with obstacles he never saw coming. Kyn soon realizes he needs Nora’s help more than he could have possibly imagined. In fact, the whole world does. Reviewshorty, easy, and fun read, Nora and the Sacred Stones, is a simple story that readers will enjoy. Although the characters in the story are teenagers, the story is written in such a way that it would be good for middle graders to read. Although with the age difference between the characters and middle graders, they might not relate to it as much. This story would also be a fun “mother and daughter” read or for a middle grade book club, in this short and easy to follow story that readers will enjoy.
Genre: fantasy Publisher: Eagle Gate Publishing, an imprint of Covenant Communications Publication date: June 1, 2021 Number of pages: 107 Disclosure statement: A complimentary review copy of this book was provided from tour groups, publishers, publicists, authors, and others, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, Or borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR borrowed from Deseret Bookshelf, OR pre-ordered/purchased for review, including Audible. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
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 About the Book Paige’s favorite family tradition on the farm is the annual bonfire where everyone tosses in a stone and makes a wish. This time, Paige’s specific wish is one she’s not sure can come true: Don’t let Mom and Grandpa sell the farm. When Paige’s younger brother finds a wounded peacock in the barn, Paige is sure it’s a sign that if she can keep the bird safe, she’ll keep the farm safe too. Peacocks, after all, are known to be fierce protectors of territory and family. With determination and hard work, Paige tries to prove she can save the farm on her own, but when a real estate agent stakes a “For Sale” sign at the end of the driveway and threatens everything Paige loves, she calls on her younger brother and her best friends, Mateo and Kimana, to help battle this new menace. They may not have street smarts, but they have plenty of farm smarts, and some city lady who’s scared of spiders should be easy enough to drive away. But even as the peacock gets healthier, the strain of holding all the pieces of Paige’s world together gets harder. Faced with a choice between home and family, she risks everything to make her wish come true, including the one thing that scares her the most: letting the farm go. About the Author Wendy S. Swore and her family are farmers. She writes part-time, particularly in winter when her farming chores give her time to plant seeds in her imagination. She is a member of SCBWI. She was named the Idaho Farm Bureau District 1 Woman of the Year in 2018. ReviewThis story is about change. And how change is not easy. It's about having a dream. But sometimes our dreams can change and we have to let go of old ones to pursue the new ones. It's about moving forward in life after a loss of a loved one, even when it's hard. This story was a bit hard to get into, as the pacing didn’t seem to flow the same from beginning to end. The story also seemed to be stretched out to three hundred pages.
Genre: children’s, middle grade, fiction Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publication date: February 4, 2020 Number of pages: 304 Disclosure statement: A complimentary review copy of this book was provided from tour groups, publishers, publicists, and authors, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, Or borrowed from Kindle Unlimited OR pre-ordered/purchased for review. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.  About the Book Flip-flops for the beach, sassy flats for shopping or black heels for a night out on the town--Mom's closet has the perfect pair of shoes for any occasion. Playing dress-up for a while can be fun, but at the end of the day, one little girl learns that she doesn't need to be in a hurry to fill her mom's shoes. About the Author Yvette Cragun is the third of nine children. Growing up in a big family meant life was always an adventure. Yvette started devouring books at a young age and still truly enjoys getting lost in fictitious worlds. She started writing stories in 2011 with encouragement from her husband, big sister and mother-in-law. Her six children are her inspiration and her greatest blessing. About the Illustrator Myra Romano grew up reading all the books, drawing all the time, driving tractors, racing snowmobiles and drag racing her 1985 Chevy Citation. Her love and passion for art grew as she went on to the Columbus College of Art and Design and received her BFA in advertising and illustration. After graduating, she worked at a number of different dot-com companies including americangreetings.com. Working in the industry for 10 years, she received many acknowledgments and awards until making the decision to start a family. With her boys now almost grown, she has the opportunity to come back to her passions and has started a new chapter in her life, illustrating and writing children’s books and licensing her artwork. ReviewWhat an absolutely delightful read! The reminiscence of being a little girl and childhood and trying on and wearing “Mom’s” shoes is the main highlight of this story. The colorful and charming pictures introduce new shoes at the turn of every page, sharing in the little girl’s dream of all Mom’s shoes. There is also rhyming on each page, which correlates with the types of shoes. And the pictures are sweet, adorable, and colorful, bringing to life the story of Shoes. Author Yvette Cragun and illustrator Myra Romano have come together and created the perfect read for every little girl or even those of us that are still little girls at heart and love our shoes! Genre: children’s, picture book Publisher: Pink Umbrella Books Publication date: January 20, 2020 Number of pages: 32 Disclosure statement: A complimentary review copy of this book was provided from tour groups, publishers, publicists, and authors, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, Or borrowed from Kindle Unlimited OR pre-ordered/purchased for review. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own. Tour ScheduleFollow along with the tour schedule HERE.
 About the Book Check out the book trailer HERE. When Tinseltown hits a dry spell, a down-on-his-luck drifter and his lightning bug buddy turn 1930s Hollywood upside down for the next big headline. Join Don and Shutterbug on a romp through cinema's Golden Age as they shake up the town! About the Author Merry Gordon is a writer, editor and teacher who ransacks vintage clothing shops and daydreams about having Bette Davis eyes. She lives in Arizona with her husband, children and dog, who all look great in fedoras. About the Illustrator Eddie Gordon is a husband, dad and graphic designer in Arizona. He spends any free time trying to learn guitar, fixing things his kids break and attempting to impress his wife (with varying degrees of success). ReviewReaders will be intrigued with the story of the cinema’s Golden Age in this fun picture book by Merry Gordon and illustrated by her husband Eddie Gordon. The story is interesting and great fun with rhyming, as well as references to making money taking photos at Tinseltown and Hollywoodland and what to do when the theaters shut down. But, it’s the amazing black and white pictures that helps make the story really come to life. The idea of crafting the pictures in black and white to match the time period was genius. Readers are going to thoroughly enjoy this marvelous book!
Genre: children’s, picture book, Golden Age Publisher: Pink Umbrella Books Publication date: January 14, 2020 Number of pages: 32 Disclosure statement: A complimentary review copy of this book was provided from tour groups, publishers, publicists, and authors, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, Or borrowed from Kindle Unlimited OR pre-ordered/purchased for review. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own. About the Book For young readers and families, Don’t Blame the Mud paints a vivid and accurate picture of sin and God’s plan of redemption. Written by best-selling children’s author Marty Machowski, this beautifully illustrated picture book teaches children how to recognize the lure of temptation and the truth that bad choices lead to bad consequences. One day, Max takes the muddy path along the creek home, disregarding his mother’s reminder to keep his school clothes clean. After crashing into a mud puddle, he tries to hide his mistake and discovers the stain of his sin goes deeper than the mud he can wash away. In this lovable, relatable, and heartwarming tale, Max learns his heart needs to be cleaned, and Jesus is the only one who can wash away his sin. By clearly articulating the gospel, Don’t Blame the Mud helps parents create an environment of confession so kids can own up to their own mistakes—in the freedom of Christ—rather than place the blame elsewhere. Parents, teachers, and caretakers can help children identify with the real-life draw of temptation and the real-life consequences of sin, understanding the value of God’s salvation through the cross. Instead of teaching kids how to deal with a problem, Machowski uncovers the real issue of sin and provides a gospel answer. About the Author Marty Machowski is a Family Life Pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church, a Sovereign Grace Ministries church in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, where he has served on the pastoral staff for more than twenty years. As leader of their children’s ministry, Promise Kingdom, he has worked for many years to develop curriculum and devotional material that connect church and home. His passion is equipping families to understand the Bible as one gospel story and help them share that with their children. He is the author of The Gospel Story for Kids series including Long Story Short: Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God (OT); The Gospel Story Bible; and the Gospel Story Curriculum: Finding Jesus in the Old Testament and the forthcoming Old Story New (NT): Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God and Gospel Story Curriculum: Following Jesus in the New Testament. He and his wife Lois and their six children reside in West Chester, Pennsylvania. About the Author Born into a military family. Raised in Hawaii. One foot in the surf, one foot in school. Loved art since kindergarten through college and beyond. Drafted in '66, served in the infantry, out in '70. Worked in journalism as a political cartoonist for 22 years. Spent the next 22 years as a syndicated cartoonist. Got into fiction writing in 2009 with the first of eight novels as of 2019. More stories to come...along with bronze sculptures, water-colors, and historical fiction. So many stories, so little time. ReviewAuthor Marty Machowski and illustrator Craig MacIntosh have come together and crafted a fun and unique children’s picture book about temptation and the consequence to making bad choices. Portraying temptation as mud is a unique way of capturing the attention of children in a fun and positive learning environment. This is not only a great parenting tool for teaching about temptation and consequences of bad choices, but also showing how God plays a role in it all. The story is fun and enjoyable and there are great parenting resources in the back of the book. A great read for children.
Genre: children’s, parenting Publisher: New Growth Press Publication date: May 27, 2019 Number of pages: 32 A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Read with Audra. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own. About the Book An adventure novel about four lucky kids and a mysterious, but thrilling ride for fans of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or Jurassic Park! CastleCorp and the famous Castleton brothers are unveiling the World's Greatest Adventure Machine! The roller coaster is an experience like no other, and four lucky kids have won the chance to be the first to ride it. There's Trevor, whose latest stunt got him in trouble at school again. There's Devin, whose father is pushing him to be the next Internet sensation. Nika's wealthy grandfather isn't too pleased about her participation. And Cameron, he'll be the first to tell you, is a certified genius. The whole world is watching. But as the kids set off on their journey, they begin to realize that there is perhaps more to their fellow contest winners than meets the eye. And the Adventure Machine? It might just have a mind of its own. Join the contestants on their wild ride if you dare. Your adventure starts now! About the Author Frank L. Cole was born into a family of southern storytellers and wrote his first book at age eight. Highly superstitious and gullible to a fault, Frank will believe in any creepy story you tell him, especially ones involving ghosts and Big Foot. Currently, along with his wife and three children, he resides in the shadow of a majestic western mountain range, which is most likely haunted. Potion Masters The Transparency Tonic is Frank’s 11th published book. He is an active promoter of reading and using imagination and has been to more than 200 schools presenting to kids. Audible ReviewFrank L. Cole has written a wonderful adventure story that kids will have a delightful time reading. The story is about a group of kids that become friends and their adventures. This story is humorous, filled with friendship and lots of fun. There are several main characters of the story and it’s great to see the perspective of each. This story has a bit of a feel similar to that of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as well as at the end leaves readers with several unanswered questions. Overall this is a fun and delightful story that young readers are sure to enjoy.
The audible narrator, Mike Golczynski, was fun and entertaining reader. He really brings Cole’s story to life by using different voices for the various characters throughout the story. His voice is likeable and keeps listeners enthralled throughout the entirety of the story. Genre: children’s, middle grade, adventure Publisher: Delacorte Publication date: November 13, 2019 Length: 5 hours and 47 minutes An Audible download code was provided by the author. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.  About the Book What if hundreds of plastic toy dinosaurs suddenly came to life- Could you find a way to stop them...? Iggy Risner is your typical wise-cracking twelve year old. When his younger brother, Oz, wakes him in the middle of the night claiming he heard a monster in the attic, Iggy takes him upstairs to prove him wrong. But instead of a flesh-eating beast, they discover hundreds of their toy plastic dinosaurs that have mysteriously come to life. When the dinos escape the attic and start terrorizing young kids in the neighborhood, and trampling flower beds, somehow Iggy, Oz, and their friends must catch the plastic dinos of doom before the damage escalates. But what do you do when your parent's doubt your story, and a group of clueless neighborhood bullies stand in the way? For Iggy & Oz- Catching the little beast may prove to be easier said, than done. About the Author J.J. Johnson grew up in Pryor Creek Oklahoma. Attending Oklahoma Baptist Universtiy with a major in Student Ministry and a minor in Sociology. He currently resides in Edmond Oklahoma where he lives with his wife Ashley and children. ReviewJ.J. Johnson has written a cute story that brings to life the very active imagination of two brothers and their friends. This story is told from the view point of twelve-year-old Iggy, with some funny inserts every now and again from his younger brother Oz. Not only does Johnson bring to life the active imagination of kids, but also some real-life experiences and relationships with parents and peers, including friendship and bullying. This is a great read for any middle grader ready for a dinosaur adventure.
Series: Iggy & Oz Genre: middle grade Publisher: Dark Sided Geeks Publication date: September 17, 2019 Number of pages: 101 Other books in the series: 2-Iggy & Oz: The Soda POP Wars (coming soon) 3-Iggy & Oz: The Living Snot (coming soon) A review copy of this book was provided by JustRead Publicity Tours, as well as a copy purchased for review. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own. The Cracking of Monday Egg (Egg World Allegory #1) by B.T. Higgins -- Blog Tour Review + Giveaway
11/26/2019
 Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for The Cracking of Monday Egg by B.T. Higgins, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! About the Book Title: The Cracking of Monday Egg Author: B.T. Higgins Genre: Middle Grade Fiction Release Date: November 21, 2019 An Egg World Allegory The Maker created Monday Egg for a very important reason. Monday just doesn’t understand it yet. Being an egg with arms and legs has its advantages. Monday can run like the wind and climb trees easily, but he is an egg. What happens when he cracks? The Cracking of Monday Egg is the story of a cranky crow, a sick little girl, a kind squirrel, and Monday’s struggle to deal with his own crackability. About the Author B.T. Higgins lives in the wild urban jungles of Alaska with his wife and four children. As you might expect, he is an avid fan of long naps and noise-canceling headphones. He has been a garbageman, a propane technician, a teacher, a tutor, a musician and an exotic-bird-cage scrubber, but writing stories is, by far, his favorite job. CONNECT WITH B.T.: ReviewThe Cracking of Monday Egg is a cute and fun story about an Egg Man who must learn how to deal with the “cracking” of his fragile shell and how after it is healed it is stronger. It is also about discovering friendship, evil, kindness, and sacrifice. This book on the surface is a delightful children’s story, but the author does a fantastic job of also digging deeper and connecting the story to love and healing of the creator. There are simple lessons taught within the story that children and adults alike will be able to relate to their own lives. This is a fabulous book that is both fun and inspiring! Series: Egg World Allegory Genre: middle grade fiction Publisher: Emerald House Group, Inc. Publication date: October 31, 2019 Number of pages: 206 A review copy of this book was provided by JustRead Publicity Tours. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own. Giveaway(1) winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card & free collection of short stories by the author!  Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule shown below. Giveaway will begin at midnight November 22, 2019 and last through 11:59 PM EST on November 29, 2019. US only. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Giveaway is subject to the policies found here. ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE Tour ScheduleFollow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
About the Book You know Latter-day Saints don’t have horns, but do you know how that rumor got started? Do you know which country’s population has the highest percentage of Latter-day Saints? And did you know that President Monson didn’t like pizza? No matter how well you know your religion, you’re bound to find some surprising trivia about Latter-day Saints in this fun collection of fascinating facts! About the Author Rebekah Pitts has lived on three continents but in only two countries. She finds her greatest joy from raising her 6 children on motherly love, large words, and random tidbits of information. Rebekah grew up studying the encyclopedia, dictionary, and, her personal favorite, the Book of Mormon pronunciation guide. Currently residing in Utah, she can drive to any one of 10 different temples in 1 hour or less. She is an award winning lyricist and the author of 250 Fascinating Facts about LDS Temples and 250 Fascinating Facts about Latter-day Saints (publication March, 2019). ReviewThis is such a great book with so many fun and interesting facts about a variety of people and subjects from the Latter-day Saints. Some of these facts are more well-known and others not so much. But all these facts are fascinating and interesting. Although more of a resource for children or teens, this book is a great resource for those that don’t already know a lot about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Genre: Christianity, LDS, reference, trivia, nonfiction Publisher: Cedar Fort Publication date: February 1, 2019 Number of pages: 128 A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Valerie’s Review Crew. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own. About the Book Here we have a heartwarming tale of a young, poor shepherd boy, his life in the hills, and his encounter with Mary, Joseph, and the new baby Jesus. Upon meeting the Savior, he decides to give his only possession of any value, but he learns that physical things are not always the best gifts we can give. Walk the hills with the drummer boy and you will find the best gifts are sacrifice, service, and love. ReviewThis is such a sweet story of a young drummer and his encounter with the baby Jesus. It’s about selflessly giving, serving, and loving, a perfect book for the holiday season. This is a wonderful book full of fun rhyming and charming and colorful illustrations. Young readers will enjoy this pleasant book.
Genre: children’s, picture book Publisher: Cedar Fort Publication date: September 10, 2019 Number of pages: 17 A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Valerie’s Review Crew. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own. |
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