Book Review - Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Photo Credit - Amazon

Delsie loves storms, rainy weather, and tracking the weather. However, lately, there seems to be a storm brewing in her life. She has lived with her Grammy her entire life but, lately, she wishes she had a "regular family". And her best friend recently became friends with someone else. Delsie feels left out because she no longer fits in.

Ronan recently moved to live with his father at Cape Cod. He struggles to fit in and feels like an outcast. When he tries to make friends, he feels like his questionable past follows him around.  When he meets Delsie, he feels a connection with her. Together, the duo navigates their feelings on being abandoned and what they have lost but, also what they have gained.

When I first started reading the novel, a few times I was wondered (sometimes, out loud) how could kids be so silly and inconsiderate. And then I realized I know quite a few adults that say things and don't realize how hurtful their comments can be (myself included).  Some parts of the story reminded me of my own experiences with "best friends" that all of sudden decide your friendship is no longer cool or wanted.  Overall, it was an interesting book and I can't wait to 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 extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Description

From the author of the New York Times bestseller Fish in a Tree comes a compelling story about perspective and learning to love the family you have.

     Delsie loves tracking the weather--lately, though, it seems the squalls are in her own life. She's always lived with her kindhearted Grammy, but now she's looking at their life with new eyes and wishing she could have a "regular family." Delsie observes other changes in the air, too--the most painful being a friend who's outgrown her. Luckily, she has neighbors with strong shoulders to support her, and Ronan, a new friend who is caring and courageous but also troubled by the losses he's endured. As Ronan and Delsie traipse around Cape Cod on their adventures, they both learn what it means to be angry versus sad, broken versus whole, and abandoned versus loved. And that, together, they can weather any storm.

Author Bios

Lynda Mullaly Hunt is the author of New York Times bestseller Fish in a Treeand Bank Street Best Book One for the Murphys. She's a former teacher, and holds writers retreats for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, two children, impetuous beagle, and beagle-loathing cat.

Book Review - Beast Rider by Tony Johnston and Marí de Rhoads

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 Manuel is just twelve years old when he leaves his small town in Mexico. He travels across the US border, on a train to join his older brother in Los Angeles. Becoming a "beast rider" is dangerous but, Manuel faces other perils even if he manages to survive the jump on the train. 

The first time he is on the train, he is robbed then beaten and arrested by the Mexican police. Manuel doesn't allow his first defeat to deter him. He is attacked by an infamous Mexican gang and they leave him for dead. When he was about to lose hope, the villagers help restore his spirits and health. He leaves again for his journey and finally arrives in LA to be with his brother. He is excited that he is back but, then realizes he feels something is missing.

I thought the novel was an interesting read. However, I have conflicting feelings about this novel. While I thought it was brave that  Manuel risked everything to be with his brother. But, when he finally is reunited to his brother, he realizes that isn't what the heart wants. It's an interesting premise about what the heart and the mind wants. Although, I feel like Manuel risked and lost a lot before he learned what he really wants. I personally hoped Manuel would have found out what defined him before he lost his innocence.

 **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 any extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Review - Bite Me by Louise Cypress + Giveaway

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High School senior, Morgan Taylor-Jackson, can't wait to attend UCLA and leave her old life behind.  Her parents constantly bicker over their divorce. Morgan is known as the nerdy girl who hasn't been kissed yet. Her life turns upside down when she gets bitten by a small child and she is taken to the hospital. Upon returning home, she realizes that her body is going through a transformation but she isn't sure what to do.

Van Xander is descendant of Van Helsing. He believes all vampires should be destroyed even ones who abstain from human blood, who call themselves, Puritans. When Van is sent to investigate a local coven, Morgan becomes his prime target after a string of murders occur. While Van pretends to be interested in her, he notices that she isn't like the other vampires. Will Morgan become a full-fledged bloodthirsty vampire? Will Van be able to put aside his distaste for vampires and help Morgan?

The novel read like your average teenage vampire romance novel. It was packed with the basic predictable teenage drama along with a few twists. I found the book to be a fun and enjoyable read.  Even though, some parts were a bit over the top. For example, the dynamics between Van and his sister, Cassandra didn't feel like "normal" brother and sister interaction, at times.  I enjoyed the fact that the author incorporates popular vampire ideas, such as their weakness to silver. I like that she also included aspects, such as Puritans and groups of people who both wanted to kill and "help" the vampire race. I look forward to reading the book in the series.

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

Title: BITE ME

Author: Louise Cypress

Pub. Date: May 14, 2018

Publisher: Louise Cypress

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 303

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon

I fell in love with the slayer sent to destroy me. 

Morgan Taylor-Jackson can't wait for high school to end. In six months she leaves for UCLA and says goodbye to La Jolla, California and her parents' messy divorce. But when Morgan is bitten by a four-year-old boy, she becomes infected with a mysterious condition. Fever, insomnia, and a new bustline are only the beginning; Morgan morphs from nerd to bombshell.

As far as Van Xander is concerned, all vampires are evil, even the ones who reject human sacrifice and call themselves Puritans. When Helsing Incorporated sends Van to La Jolla to investigate the local coven, Morgan is his prime target. Pretending to be interested in her, Van asks Morgan out and puts her through a series of tests to determine her killer nature.

Morgan is thrilled to be dating a hot guy like Van and falls for him hard. As Van strings Morgan along, he grows increasingly guilty. Morgan is kind, compassionate, and a gooey romantic. Just as Van's mind begins to change, evil forces threaten everything. When prom night arrives, there are only two ways out of the ballroom: death or immortality. 

About Louise:

Louise Cypress believes in friendship, true love, and the everlasting power of books. She has never met a vampire, but she has been to a Love Sucks concert on Valentine’s Day. Louise can often be found curled up with a romance novel on Saturday night, diet soda in hand, secretly wishing bustles were back in fashion. Louise lives in San Diego, California, where the beach is crowded and summer is immortal.

BookBub | Amazon Link | Instagram | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card, International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rafflecopter Link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba2750/

Tour Schedule:

Week Two:

5/28/2018- To Be Read- Review

5/28/2018- BookHounds YA- Interview

5/29/2018- Two Points of Interest- Review

5/29/2018- The Howling Turtle- Guest Post

5/30/2018- Smada's Book Smack- Spotlight

5/30/2018- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post

5/31/2018- Wonder Struck- Excerpt

5/31/2018- Jaime's World- Spotlight

6/1/2018- The Book Girl- Interview

Book Review - Someplace Familiar by Teresa Tysinger + Giveaway

Photo Source - Amazon

Livy Johnson decides she needs a fresh start after her relationship crumbles with her abusive ex. With her fresh start, she can mend her broken heart and follow her dreams while becoming her true self. As luck would have it, she comes across a listing for her grandmother's old home in the small community of Laurel Cove, North Carolina. Livy believes the distraction of restoring her grandmother's cottage along with the happy memories from her childhood will help heal her ailing heart.

Jack Bowdon, the owner of Bowdon's Supplies, is nursing a broken heart along with being afraid to open up his heart and love again. He crosses past with his childhood friend, Livy, and offers to help repair her home. He hopes to spend time with Livy will help cheer him up. Will Livy and Jack be able to repair their love lives? Will they be able to get over their past?

The novel was an interesting read. It was about two simple people who are trying to find themselves and love while being true to God. The story was a bit slow moving for me along with having a lot of fluff and being very predictable. I felt like the last 50 pages in the book was used to stretch the page count of the book. In my opinion, if the book had the same material, but across less pages, it would have been more enjoyable.

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

About the Book

Book Title: Someplace Familiar
Author: Teresa Tysinger
Release date: May, 2017

Artist Livy Johnson needs a fresh start. That’s what a broken heart and forgotten dreams can do to a person. On little more than a whim, she reclaims her grandmother’s old home in quaint Laurel Cove, North Carolina and vows to restore its original charm. When she literally collides with childhood friend, Jack Bowdon, Livy wonders if she’s back for an entirely different reason.

Jack can’t believe his childhood crush is back. As the owner of Bowdon’s Supplies, and once again the town’s most eligible bachelor, he offers to help Livy with repairs. Together they embark on the project – and an undeniable whirlwind romance.

But it’s not all smooth sailing. Can they survive the destructive pain of their pasts and discover God’s grace waiting to renovate their hearts?

About the Author

Teresa Tysinger is a wife and mother transplanted from North Carolina to North Texas. When not working as the Director of Communications for a large downtown church, she writes charming southern romances inspired by grace. Her debut novel, Someplace Familiar, released this summer. She also is a contributing writer for the Fort Worth Moms Blog (part of the national City Moms Blog Network). A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Religious Communicators’ Council, and the Association for Women in Communications, Teresa has spent over a decade committed to telling stories of faith through written word. She loves coffee, caramel, and stories with happy endings.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Teresa is giving away a grand prize of a gift basket that includes a signed copy of the book, an Original Painting by Author’s Sister (artist Cyndi Browning), and a $10 Amazon Gift Card!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/ca5b

Book Review - A Forest, a Flood, and an Unlikely Star (Rwendigo Tales) by J. A. Myhre

Photo Credit - Amazon

Kusiima is a thirteen year old, boy but unlike the average kids his age, he has no time for school or having fun. An orphan living with his grandmother and sister, he has to work long hours to support his makeshift family. Kusiima barely makes enough to support his aging grandmother and his sickly sister when he was presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity. The owner of a prominent charcoal company asked Kusiima to accompany him to his next charcoal expedition.  However, when Kusiima realizes they are entering a protected forest where it is illegal to cut down the trees, Kusiima is surrounded by several decisions. Would Kusiima do what is best for his family? Will Kusiima be able to do what is right if it means that his family would suffer?

The short story was an interesting read. It showcased a lot of problems children from third world countries face that children in the first world would take for granted. Children in the United States complain about going to school when many children in other countries don't even have the option of attending school. However, I felt like while the story had a "happy ending", there might be a lot of topics that are too dark and stressful for the target age demographics such as AIDS, abandonment, children dying from starvation, lack of health care, degradation of natural environments, and hopelessness. While, it can be a good tool to let young ones to be more aware and to show them to treat others and Mother Earth with generosity and compassion it would be better to pair this with additional conversation to overwhelm young readers.

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

Book Review - Bringing Maggie Home by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Photo Credit - Amazon

Hazel DeFord has a deep and dark secret that continues to haunt her. In 1943, a young ten year old Hazel was picking blackberries with her younger three year old sister, Maggie.  Hazel momentarily leaves Maggie alone to discover Maggie has disappeared upon her return. 

More than seventy years later, Hazel is still haunted by the guilt while the mystery remains unsolved. Hazel's secret has strained her relationship with her daughter, Diane, who is frustrated by her mother's paranoia and being overly overprotective. Diane's daughter, Meghan, on the other hand, loves her grandmother's affection and attention. When Meghan is hurt in an accident, she decides to use her recovery time to visit her grandmother. However, when she arrives, she finds out her mother has also planned to tag along as well.  Diane and Meghan uncover Hazel's dark secret while visiting. Meghan is a cold case detective and volunteers to help her grandmother uncover the truth behind Maggie's disappearance. Will the three generations of DeFord women be able to survive each other? Will Meghan be able to solve the mystery behind Maggie's disappearance?

The novel had an interesting premise, but it failed to deliver. I felt like the story dragged on and on until the last few chapters and I felt like the book could have detailed some characters better. For example, Hazel and her late husband's relationship; did he know about Hazel's secret? I also felt that Meghan didn't really help much with solving the mystery behind Maggie's disappearance. Her partner had a bigger role in solving it and than she did while the "mystery" was quite obvious from the beginning. I like the author's writing style so I might be open to reading more of her novels.

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

Book Review - Another Day, Another Dali (Serena Jones Mysteries Book #2) by Sandra Orchard

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A valuable Salvador Dali painting goes missing and FBI Special Agent Serena Jones is asked to investigate the disappearance by her grandmother.  Unfortunately, her grandmother's friend wants to keep the forgery a secret. Serena hopes that since her grandmother is asking her for help, that she can finally earn her grandmother's affection. As Serena digs deeper into the case, it becomes clear that one of owner's family members might be behind the crime. Who is behind the forgery? Is the forger behind the murder of Serena's grandfather?

The novel is the second book in the Serena Jones Mysteries series. While each book can be read individually, I found it helpful and entertaining to read each book in the series. I like how this book focused less on how desirable Serena is and how men throw themselves at her which was very prominent in the first book. Along, with the character developments but once again, she has the two "main" men who both vie for her attention and she brushes them off without a reason why. The novel is fast paced and interesting but it left me craving more story line than just fluff.  If you a fan of the first novel or Sandra Orchard,  you would enjoy this book.

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

Book Review - Summer's List by Anita Higman

Photo Credit - Amazon

Summer Snow has gone through of life taking care of other people. She takes care of her ailing parents when they were in a car crash and then started running her retired grandmother's bookstore. She has never put herself first and she has "lost her way in love"  after she is in one failed engagement after another.  Grandmother Snow notices her beloved granddaughter a bit lost in life and decides to treat her to the youth that she never had. Will Summer be able to find love? Will Summer be able to find her passion in life?

The story has sweet elements of friendship, family and forgiveness with a bit of mystery.  The story is heavier on dialogue but offers very minimal descriptions. However, it was a quick and entertaining read even though it was very predictable.

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