Book Review - Rhyme Crime by Jon Burgerman

Photo Credit - Amazon

Words have gone missing! Someone stole Marlow's smile. Who took Dingle's sneeze? What happened to Tumble's orange? There must be a thief going around taking words and replacing it with a rhyme. Can you help put the clues together to help capture the thief? 

I found the book to be silly and fun to read. The little tots I read it to found it hilarious and they ended up becoming a big pile of giggles. However, the children who were a bit older (around 5-7) found the book silly. They found the illustrations to be "gross". Overall, a fun and entertaining book that let kids guess out the ending.

Engagement Activities- 

1. How many rhyme pairs can you come up with in one minute? 

2. What is your favorite word? Why?

3. Can you draw your favorite toy? What rhymes with it?

4. What is your most prized possession? Why?

5. If you can have any silly superpower, what would it be?

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

Book Review - The High Season by by Judy Blundell

Photo Credit - Amazon

Ruthie Beamish has the house of her dreams. Even if she can't afford it. No matter what happens, she knows she will always have her house. To be able to afford the home that she shares with her daughter, they rent out the house during the peak season: the summer.  As Ruthie and Jem begin packing up their belongings for their annual exodus, the ritzy Hamptons crowd arrive. The beautiful socialite, Adeline Clay arrives with her gorgeous step-son and manages to turn Ruthie's life upside down. Little by little, Adeline starts to infiltrate all aspects of Ruthie's life including her family and her friends. When her job as a museum curator is threatened, Ruthie feels her entire life is crumbling around her. Will Ruthie be able to fight back? Will Ruthie be able to regain her old life?

I originally picked this novel because I read a few reviews calling it a "must read". I thought it was going to be the perfect beach reach for the coming Summer.  However, I felt disappointed as the book was underwhelming. Ruthie's great revenge plot seemed to be laughable at best and in the end, she ended up hurting the ones who cared about her the most. There was a lot going on in the story  but it didn't add much to the plot. The book was a bit over 400 pages and I felt that it was longer than it needed to be. I was drawn to the first few pages but felt my interest waning towards the middle of the book. I can see this being an enjoyable cozy beach read for some but it wasn't for me.

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

Book Spotlight - The Penderwicks at Last by Jeanne Birdsall + Giveaway

Photo Source - Amazon

About the Book:

Title: THE PENDERWICKS AT LAST

Author: Jeanne Birdsall

Pub. Date: May 15, 2018

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 256

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

The finale you've all been waiting for: The Penderwicks at Last is the final, flawless installment in the modern classic series from National Book Award winner and New York Times bestselling author Jeanne Birdsall!

Nine years, five older siblings, a few beloved dogs, and an endless array of adventures--these are the things that have shaped Lydia's journey since readers first met her in The Penderwicks in Spring.

Now it's summertime, and eleven-year-old Lydia is dancing at the bus stop, waiting for big sister Batty to get home from college. 

This is a very important dance and a very important wait because the two youngest sisters are about to arrive home to find out that the Penderwicks will all be returning to Arundel this summer, the place where it all began. And better still is the occasion: a good old-fashioned, homemade-by-Penderwicks wedding.

Bursting with heart and brimming with charm, this is a joyful, hilarious ode to the family we love best. And oh my MOPS--Meeting of Penderwick Siblings--does Jeanne Birdsall's The Penderwicks at Last crescendo to one perfect Penderwick finale.

About Jeanne:

Jeanne Birdsall grew up in the suburbs west of Philadelphia, where she attended wonderful public schools. Jeanne had lots of great teachers, but her favorites were: Mrs. Corkhill, sixth grade, who encouraged her intellectual curiosity; Mr. Tremonte, eighth grade algebra, who taught Jeanne to love and respect math; and Miss Basehore, second and fourth year Latin, to whom Jeanne (and Mr. Penderwick) will be forever grateful.

Although she first decided to become a writer when she was ten years old, it took Jeanne until she was forty-one to get started. In the years in between, Jeanne had many strange jobs to support herself, and also worked hard as a photographer, the kind that makes art. Some of Jeanne's photographs are included in the permanent collections of museums, including the Smithsonian and the Philadelphia Art Museum. Her work can be seen in several galleries, including the R. Michelson Galleries in western Massachusetts. 

Jeanne's home now is with her husband in Northampton, Massachusetts. Their house is old and comfortable, full of unruly animals, and surrounded by gardens.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of THE PENDERWICKS AT LAST, US Only.

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Rafflecopter link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba2744/?

Tour Schedule:

Week Two:

5/14/2018- Little Red Reads- Review

5/15/2018- Buttons Book Reviews- Review

5/16/2018- Will Read Anything- Review

5/17/2018- Two Points of Interest- Review

5/18/2018- The Desert Bibliophile- Review

Book Spotlight - Mayfly by Jeff Sweat + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

Title: MAYFLY

Author: Jeff Sweat

Pub. Date: May 8, 2018

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 320

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

Jemma has spent her life scavenging tools and supplies for her tribe in the their small enclave outside what used to be a big city. Now she’s a teen, and old enough to become a Mama. Making babies is how her people survive—in Jemma’s world, life ends at age seventeen.

Survival has eclipsed love ever since the Parents died of a mysterious plague. But Jemma’s connection to a boy named Apple is stronger than her duty as a Mama. Forced to leave, Jemma and Apple are joined in exile by a mysterious boy who claims to know what is causing them to die. The world is crumbling around them, and their time is running out. Is this truly the End?

About Jeff:

Jeff Sweat has made a living from words his entire career, starting out as an award-winning tech journalist for InformationWeek magazine and moving into marketing.

He led the content marketing team for Yahoo and pioneered its use of social media. He directed PR for two of the top advertising agencies in the country, Deutsch LA and 72andSunny. He now runs his own Los Angeles–based PR and marketing agency, Mister Sweat.

He grew up in Idaho as the middle of eight children—seven boys and one girl—and attended Columbia University in New York. Jeff lives in a big blue house in Los Angeles with his wife Sunny and their three kids, two cats, and a racing greyhound.

He loves to travel and writes everywhere he goes, even when there's not a desk. He likes karaoke, motorcycles and carpentry. He was once shot in the head with a nail gun, which was not a big of a deal as it sounds. But it still hurt like crazy.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive MAYFLY prize pack which includes buttons, custom art and maps, and a t-shirt, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rafflecopter Link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba2740/?

Tour Schedule:

Week Three:

5/14/2018- Daily Waffle - Excerpt

5/15/2018- F A N N A- Review

5/16/2018-Book-Keeping- Review

5/17/2018-Two Points of Interest- Review

5/18/2018- The Underground- Interview