Book Review - Swimming Home by Mary-Rose MacColl

 

Catherine Quick is a young fifteen-year-old that loves to swim. She arrives in London from her native Australia after her beloved father passes away. She feels connected with her father when she swims. However, living in London with her aunt Louisa, Catherine feels everything she holds dearly to her has been taken away.

Louisa is a surgeon in London and is well known for her fight for equality for women. She has strict opinions and views on the appropriate behavior for her young niece. Louisa wants Catherine to focus on getting her education as she did. However, Catherine is rebellious and she is trying to find a way to fit into her new life. Louisa can't help to worry about Catherine's choices as she deals with her own past trauma.  During a chance meeting with American banker, Manfred Lear Black, Louisa decides to bring Catherine to NY to train to swim the English Channel. Louisa is hesitant at first but, then she tries to listen to her heart.

I thought the novel was a rather boring and drawn-out read. I had a hard time connecting to any of the characters. I didn't care for Louisa as a person because she claims she wants equality for women but, makes choices for other women without their knowledge or consent. However, she was upset when someone did the same thing to her.

Book Review - All the Children Are Home by Patry Francis

 

Dahlia and Louie Moscatelli are foster parents who provide long-term foster care for children Jimmy, Zaidie, and Jon. Their lives turn upside down when Agnes, a six year old native girl, comes to live with them.

When they decided to become foster parents, they had a few ground rules. They didn't want no newborns, no delinquents, and no girls. When Dahlia was younger, she suffered through a horrid incident that has left her a victim in her own home. She is afraid of the burden of being a girl.

Louie and Dahlia consider their family to be complete but, when a social worker turns up at their door, they have a hard time saying no. Agnes is a young girl who has been abused and neglected and suffers from emotional damage. 

Agnes Juniper is a rambunctious six year old that has no memory of her Native American roots. Agnes knows nothing about herself other than the box of trinkets she received from her mother. She knows she has a sister as she recalls some dreams of her sister. As the years pass, the Moscatelli family find themselves at odds with outside forces.

The book was an endearing read with a lot of heartfelt moments. I enjoyed seeing the children grow up and try to find their own paths. I felt like the book was a bit incomplete in the end and I am hoping that the author plans to continue the story with happens to them in the later years. I am excited to read other books by the author.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.**

Book Review - Watch Over Me by Nina LaCour

  

 Mila is used to being alone. She is eager to find her own place to belong. Perhaps, this is why she agreed to a second chance at a remote farm surrounded by waves and flowers. However, Mila didn't know that the place was haunted by ghosts.

Mila just graduated from high school and has aged out of the foster care system. She is offered a teaching job and a place to live on an isolated farm near the Northern California coast. Mila is excited to have a home that she can calls hers. However, she didn't know that the place is haunted by the past and her old memories are resurfacing.

The novel was a quick and interesting read. I like that the author created an interesting story of how Mila needed to let go and accept her past before she can find a place to belong. I found that the some of the characters were mysterious or overly friendly or "aggressive" without including Mila in the reason why. I did find that the novel was a quick read and felt that the author could have gone into more detail about certain things. However, I am excited to read books by the author.

 **Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - Orphan Eleven by Gennifer Choldenko + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

Four orphans eagerly wait for an opportunity to escape from the Home for Friendless Children. Lucy, one of the orphans, used to love to talk and sing. Now, she no longer speaks as she believes silence is the only way to protect herself.

After a tumultuous journey, the orphans find work and new friends aboard a traveling circus. Lucy loves being able to take care of the elephants but, for her to secure the job of the elephant handler, she will need to speak to the elephants and warn others of danger. If Lucy doesn't cope with her fear of speaking, she will lose her chance to join the circus. Meanwhile, the matrons of the orphanage are eager to get Lucy back at the orphanage.

The book was a fun and cute read. It was nerve-wracking following the orphans' journey for a home and a place to belong. I liked that the author included a section about notes on the book. It was shocking to find out how much of Lucy's story was based on horrifying events. The novel was a heartwarming and enjoyable read and perfect for fans of the author.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

 

 

About the Book:

Title: ORPHAN ELEVEN

Author: Gennifer Choldenko

Pub. Date: May 26, 2020

Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook

Pages: 320

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

Four orphans have escaped from the Home for Friendless Children. One is Lucy, who used to talk and sing. No one knows why she doesn't speak anymore; silence is her protection.

The orphans find work and new friends at a traveling circus. Lucy loves caring for the elephants, but she must be able to speak to them, and to warn others of danger. If Lucy doesn't find her voice, she'll be left behind when the circus goes on the rails. Meanwhile, people are searching for Lucy, and her puzzling past is about to catch up with her.

About Gennifer:

With more than 2 and a half million books sold, Choldenko’s best known Tales from Alcatraz series, has been called “A cornerstone series in contemporary children’s literature.” Al Capone Does My Shirts—the first book in the series—was a Newbery Honor Book and the recipient of twenty other awards. All four books in the series were Junior Library Guild selections and garnered many starred reviews. Gennifer’s newest novel: Orphan Eleven will be out May 26. Publisher’s Weekly has said this about Orphan Eleven: “This uplifting tale of hope, survival and belonging has all the ingredients to become a beloved middle grade book.” Gennifer lives in the San Francisco Bay area with her loyal husband and naughty dog.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of ORPHAN ELEVEN, US Only.

Rafflecopter Link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba21120/?

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

7/13/2020	Twirling Book Princess	Excerpt
7/13/2020	Forever Lost in Literature	Excerpt
7/14/2020	For the Love of KidLit	Excerpt
7/14/2020	Trapped Inside Stories	Excerpt
7/15/2020	Little Red Reads	Review
7/15/2020	Jazzy Book Reviews	Excerpt
7/16/2020	JaimeRockstarBookTours	Instagram Stop
7/16/2020	Jaime's World	Excerpt
7/17/2020	TheReadingCornerforAll	Review
7/17/2020	Two Chicks on Books	Interview

Week Two:

7/20/2020	Lifestyle of Me	Review
7/20/2020	popthebutterfly	Review
7/21/2020	Do You Dog-ear?	Review
7/21/2020	Krisha's cosy corner	Review
7/22/2020	Rajiv's Reviews	Review
7/22/2020	BookHounds YA	Interview
7/23/2020	Two Points of Interest	Review
7/23/2020	Log Cabin Library	Excerpt
7/24/2020	Books and Zebras @jypsylynn	Review
7/24/2020	Hurn Publications	Excerpt

 

Book Review - Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith

Photo Credit - Amazon

Alice never really believe in luck as she had her fair share of bad luck. However, she still believes in love. Alice has been in love with her best friend, Teddy for years. When Teddy's eighteen birthday arrives, she buys him a lottery ticket attaching a note professing her love for him. The unimaginable happens and Teddy wins the lottery.

Teddy and his mother are overjoyed by the news because they have been struggling financially At first, they are stunned by their good luck but, then  Teddy gets swept up in the fame and fortune of being the youngest winner of $140 million.  With Teddy's sudden influx of cash, things between him and Alice begin to change.

I found the novel to be a fun and entertaining read. It was interesting to see how different people would spend their lottery winnings. I enjoyed most of the characters but, did find them to be a bit annoying. Alice was so blinded by her grief and then her love for Teddy that she didn't take the time to considered other people around her. While I understand and appreciate her need to give money to the less fortunate (I loved Teddy's idea in the end on what to do with his wealth), I didn't like that she was trying to force her way on Teddy. Especially when she mentioned her main motivation behind volunteering. I wish there was more development on some of the characters but, overall it was a nice cozy young adult romance novel.

 **Disclosure -  This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book of Review - A Circle of Elephants by Eric Dinerstein + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

Nandu is a thirteenth-year-old elephant drive who lives in the Royal Elephant Breeding Center in the jungle. The King's elephants in the compound are protected in the stable. Nandu and his friends at the center are tested when an earthquake hits Nepal, which the locals deem to be a bad omen. Nandu and his elephant, Hira Prasad, have an unbreakable bond but, becomes strained when a series of event upturn their lives. Will Hira Prasad and Nandu be able to keep their bond? Is the earthquake a sign for more evil to come?

This novel was one of the best novels I have read this year (yes, the year did just start). The author wrote the novel so beautifully, that I felt transported to Nepal being surrounded by lush foliage and being there with Nandu. I love how the characters felt so real because they were flawed people trying to do the best with what they have. Overall, I love this book and I can't read more books by the author.

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no any extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**  

About The Book:

Title: A CIRCLE OF ELEPHANTS

Author: Eric Dinerstein

Pub. Date: January 22, 2019

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 288

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, iBooks, TBD

From the author of What Elephants Know, a 2017 ALA Notable Children's Book and winner of the 2017 South Asia Book Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature, comes this stunning companion novel about the complex relationship between people and nature coexisting in the Borderlands of 1970s Nepal.

Thirteen-year-old Nandu lives in the newly established Royal Elephant Breeding Center on the edge of the jungle. Here, the King's elephants are to be raised under the protective watch of the stable. Nandu-along with his adoptive father Subba-sahib, his mentors, friends, and the rest of the elephant drivers-is tested by man and nature as earthquakes, drought, wild herds, and rumors of poachers threaten the Center.

When Nandu's world is thrown into turmoil, so, too, is the world of Hira Prasad, the Center's powerful bull elephant. An unbreakable bond of brotherhood drives Nandu and Hira Prasad together as they struggle to maintain the delicate natural order of life in the Borderlands.

Dinerstein's poetic prose and scientific expertise come together in this breathtaking tale that transports the reader to the center of dangerous conflicts and heartbreaking friendships.

About Eric: 

Eric Dinerstein is Director of Biodiversity and Wildlife Solutions at RESOLVE. Previously, he was Lead Scientist and Vice President for Conservation Science at the World Wildlife Fund. His areas of specialty include tropical mammals, large mammal biology, biogeography, bats, rhinos, seed dispersal and community ecology. With the World Wildlife Fund, he led many of the organization's most important scientific projects, including the Global 200 Ecoregions, examples of which form the basis of his book TIGERLAND AND OTHER UNINTENDED DESTINATIONS. Dinerstein is also the author of THE KINGDOM OF RARITIES, THE RETURN OF THE UNICORNS: The Natural History and Conservation of the Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros and WHAT ELEPHANTS KNOW: A Novel, among other articles and publications.

He attended Northwestern University and Western Washington University, and did his post-graduate studies at the University of Washington (Organization of Tropical Studies) and the National Zoological Park's Conservation and Research Center.

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Giveaway Details:

3 winners will win a finished copy of A CIRCLE OF ELEPHANTS, US Only.

Giveaway Link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba2879/?

Tour Schedule:

Week Two:

1/21/2018- Lifestyle of Me- Review

1/22/2018- Loie Dunn- Review

1/23/2018- YA Books Central- Interview

1/24/2018- The Layaway Dragon- Excerpt

1/25/2018- Two Points of Interest- Review