THE WISH AND THE PEACOCK by Wendy S Swore #shadowmountainpublishing

THE WISH AND THE PEACOCK by Wendy S Swore. This was an interesting read. It was definitely from the eyes of a child. In the beginning I felt a little lost and didn't understand why Paige was acting the way she was. As the story unfolds more, things make more sense and the needed connections are made to truly understand Paige's way of thinking. Everyone deals with grief in a different way and this is a great story of how a child may react to a situation and follow through with the way they see the situation. It also shows how friends support, help each other, and band together for a cause. It is a good read for anyone, especially those children who have suffered some type of loss. It may help them put their feelings into words. I highly recommend it.

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Be Strong and Wish Big

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 ture: 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.

POTION MASTERS: SEEKING SERUM by Frank Cole #shadowmountainpublishing #bookreview #bhbookreview

POTION MASTERS: SEEKING SERUM by Frank Cole. This is a fantastic conclusion to the POTION MASTERS series, although, I secretly hope that there will be more from the same characters. My heart jumped, dropped, pounded, and ached throughout the entire book. The twists, turns, trials, and triumphs keep me turning the pages. It is such a fun adventure that I would highly recommend to anyone who loves magic, potions, adventure, and hereoism. It is a great way to start of the year with an explosion.

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Mezzarix has stolen the Vessel, the source of power for all potion masters, and is preparing to launch his final attack on the potion-making community—which includes his own family.

Gordy and his family have gone into hiding, but when his mom uncovers some new information, she takes Gordy into the underground network known as the Swigs, a haven for renegade potion masters and black-market potions, to secure support in the fight against Mezzarix. But when Scourges, rebel potion makers acting on orders from Mezzarix, attack the Swigs, Gordy barely escapes with his life and is forced to leave his family behind.

As the fight intensifies between B.R.E.W and the Scourges, it falls to Gordy and his friends—Max, Sasha, and Adilene—to locate Mezzarix's hidden headquarters, retrieve the Vessel, save the world, and unite the potion-making community.

The world of Potion Masters is full of fantasy and adventure as Gordy and his friends learn the power of friendship and loyalty, and to trust in their own individual talents.

OLIVE by Michelle Wilson

OLIVE by Michelle Wilson. What a fun book. I love Olive. She sounds like me and my kids. When something goes wrong, it goes wrong and snowballs. It was wonderful to see her family's reaction to Olive at the end of the day when she felt so bad. And I loved the Stop and Think sections at the end of the book. It's a wonderful way to start a conversation with kids and help them understand things such as feelings and how to fix mistakes. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with children, (or without because we all of those "Olive" kind of days.)

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Meet Olive. She’s optimistic and well-intentioned . . . and a magnet for mishaps. When Olive’s day goes from bad to worse, she wonders if her family and friends can love her in spite of her flaws.

Blog Tour Stops:

October 29: Bonnie Harris

October 30: LDS Writer Mom

October 31: The Typewriter Society (author interview)

November 1: My Book a Day

November 2: Dream Reader Kids

November 3: Green Gables Book Reviews

November 4: The Singing Librarian

November 5: Get Your Read On

November 6: Red Canoe Reader

November 7: Homeschool by the Beach

November 8: The Reader’s Salon

November 9: A Magical Kingdom Called Home

THE LAST MAN AT THE INN by R William Bennett

THE LAST MAN AT THE INN by R William Bennett. For some reason, I had it in my head that this was more of a contemporary version of a man's journey to Christ. So I was surprised and intrigued when I realized I was mistaken and the story was set in the time of Christ. I thought Simon's journey could be and is similar to many of our own personal journeys in coming to Christ. The close connection his family had to the Messiah was beautiful. It really took me, as a reader, to that time and I could imagine myself there, learning along side Simon and his family. It is worth reading and will stregthen a testimony of Christ as well as bring thought to those who are unsure of what to believe. It is a wonderful story I would recommend to everyone. 

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Simon considers himself fortunate after securing the final room at the inn in Bethlehem. While eating his supper, he sees a younger man and his pregnant wife denied lodging at the door of the inn. Simon momentarily considers giving up his space, but he is weary from his travels as a spice merchant and turns away from the thought.

Over the ensuing years, Simon traverses the popular trade routes, and each time he passes Bethlehem, he is reminded of that evening and plagued by guilt.

In time, the Savior begins his ministry, and Simon begins the life-changing process of trying to understand and believe the teachings and miracles of this man called Jesus—said to be the promised Messiah.

The Last Man at the Inn is the story of a journey of conversion we all take in one form or another, told through the eyes and heart of a common man. It is written to affirm the believer, to lovingly beckon to the undecided, and to call out to those who may not even know they are looking for something—only that there is a space in their soul that somehow needs to be filled.

GLASS SLIPPERS, EVER AFTER AND ME by Julie Wright

GLASS SLIPPERS, EVER AFTER AND ME by Julie Wright. This book . . . this book was so fun to read. It really takes you on a roller coaster of ride through an author's dream of what could happen beyond rejection. Of course there's a twist or a catch to that seven digit number. How Anders works into Charlotte's story and how Charlotte learns to love herself and to recognize what type of change is good for her is fantastic. I would highly recommend this book to everyone, not only for the fantastic love story, but for the underlying life lessons one can take away from this. This is definitely a must read.

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A modern, reimagined Cinderella story.

When aspiring author Charlotte Kingsley finally gets published, she thinks all her dreams have come true. But the trouble begins when her publicity firm reinvents her quirky online presence into a perfectly curated dream life. Gone are the days of sweatpant posts and ice cream binges with her best friend, Anders, replaced instead with beautiful clothes, orchestrated selfies, and no boyfriend. Only, that carefully curated fairy tale life is ruining her self-esteem and making her feel like a fraud.

When a bestselling author takes Charlotte under her wing—almost like a fairy godmother—she helps Charlotte see the beautiful person she already is and the worth of being authentic. But is it too late to save her relationship with Anders? The clock is quickly ticking towards midnight, and Charlotte must decide between her fairy tale life and the man she loves, before he's gone forever.

THE CANDY CANE CAPER by Josi S Kilpack

THE CANDY CANE CAPER by Josi S Kilpack. I am a Sadie Hoffmiller fan. I have loved all her mysteries. This was not my favorite one of hers. I did love the recipes (can't wait to try them) and the ending was perfect. I guess I was expecting a little more action since her last ones had so much in them. It was a wonderful cozy mystery that did lead me through her decetive skills so well. It really is a great addition to the Sadie Hoffmiller stories. I would recommend it to anyone.

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The theft of a friend’s priceless, family-legacy Christmas ornaments brings amateur detective and culinary expert, Sadie Hoffmiller, back on the case in a new standalone cozy mystery.

In the latest chapter to the Culinary Mystery series, amateur detective Sadie Hoffmiller continues combining her sleuthing with her cooking and baking to connect with people and gain information she might otherwise not have access to. Moreover, now that Sadie is married to Detective Pete Cunningham, she has a street-savvy husband to test out her crime-solving theories.

With Christmas approaching, Sadie is preparing for a large blended-family gathering—including many new grandchildren—in their home in Fort Collins, Colorado. Even with the festive chaos, Sadie drops everything when word gets out that her friend, Mary, is the victim of a holiday robbery. 

At ninety-four years old, and nearly blind, Mary knows this is may be her last Christmas and the last year to enjoy her family heirloom Christmas tree ornaments. She wants just one more holiday to display her ornaments and following Christmas Eve Mass, she’ll pass them on to her great-granddaughter, Joy. Though priceless to the family, the collection has been valued at $40,000, and the Christmas tree in the care facility has never looked so good. But before the ornaments can be retrieved by Mary, eleven of the most expensive ornaments are stolen. 

A holiday Christmas caper might be new to Sadie, but she’s ready to mix in her seasoned crime-solving skills with a pinch of new holiday recipes.

SMARTER THAN A MONSTER by Brandon Mull

SMARTER THAN A MONSTER by Brandon Mull.  This book is pure genius. Every child needs to read this book. It will cure any monster problems at home. Not only that, but it will help with other issues like taking baths, cleaning rooms, and other things that will help children understand how to be smarter than a monster. I would say it's this year's book to read.

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Little kids have big fears, which they often imagine to be scary creatures, like monsters. But this book helps explain how knowing "Monster Facts" can help kids outwit them.

Want to avoid monsters? 

Fact: Monsters love dirt and grime, so when faced with two kids, the monster will choose the dirty one every time. 

And if toys and clothes are all over the floor, you may get ambushed by a mess-loving monster. 

Survival Tip: Take baths and keep your room clean.

Smarter Than a Monster will arm young readers with practical advice in this innovative and imaginative parenting tool that teaches common sense and positive and healthy habits.