April Book Reviews Part 1! @ChrissyH_07 @WendyJayneScott @judypost #writingcommunity #bookreviews #whattoread

Following the Green Rabbit: a fantastical adventure

“Following the Green Rabbit” is a fun read for upper middle-grade readers and those adults who enjoy an adventure into the unknown. Twelve-year-old Bryony and her sister, eight-year-old Bethany, explore beyond the area they are allowed. Bethany follows a large green rabbit and ends up at the house of a kind couple who appear to be from another time. She is given a gift of a wooden bird and led back to the place where she entered this world. Under the care of the housekeeper, the sisters await the arrival of their new tutor while Bethany keeps searching for the rabbit. When the rabbit appears again, he leads the girls to the same place, where things have changed for the worse. The girls and their new tutor are thrown into the issues the villagers are dealing with. I love how history is weaved into the story, talking about the treatment of women and witchcraft, along with day-to-day life in the 1700s. Seeing cruelty and fear through children’s eyes also offers their hope and belief in things working out. A great time-travel historical fiction story that held me captive. I’d love to see another green rabbit story and can highly recommend this for children and those young at heart.

Mythical Creatures Writing Prompts: 31 Creative Activities for Kids (Deluxe Colour Edition) (Aspiring Author Series)

By WJ Scott

I bought “Mythical Creatures Writing Prompts” for my oldest granddaughter, who has written a few stories independently. I have enjoyed past books in this series and used them to encourage my grandchildren to create stories. Now, I will give my granddaughter this as a gift so she can work on and enhance her budding love of writing. I loved the colorful pictures, and the room allowed for the children to write a story. All the prompts offered a good place to get started on a fantasy story, like “You befriend a lost mermaid who asks you to help find her missing sisters.” This is a book that can inspire creativity and allow a place for it to be explored.

The Body in the Attic (A Jazzi Zanders Mystery #1)

by Judi Lynn

“A Body in the Attic” not only has a murder to solve, but friendship, family, and house flipping. Jazzi flips houses with her cousin, Jerod, and a contractor, Ansel. While cleaning the attic, Jazzi finds a body in a chest that turns out to be her aunt, who supposedly left town years ago. While they continue fixing the house, she tries to figure out what happened to her aunt. I enjoyed the mystery and trying to figure out who did it. I got half of that part right but was surprised with a twist at the end. Jazzi’s cooking and weekly family meals were charming and offered some humorous moments. What surprised me was how interested I became in house flipping and the improvements throughout the story. I started thinking of ways to enhance my home. George, the pug, and her friendship and interest in Ansel, who was in a bad relationship, were pleasant additions. A fun whodunit that I enjoyed. I look forward to reading more in this series!

I only post my 4 & 5-star reviews. If I don’t like a book, I won’t finish it. It doesn’t feel right leaving a review in that case, but I have been known to email the author:) Life is too short not to enjoy every book you read!

Always embrace your inner child and read a good book! D. L. Finn

September Book Reviews @WendyJayneScott @Sandra_Cox @BalroopShado @bakeandwrite @StephenBentley8 @MrAlldredge @SpotInMyHeart @WAKENOVELLA @kay_castaneda @BauerJ1138 @bookishaly @llkane2152 @harmony_kent

FALLOUT

by Harmony Kent

“Fallout” is a post-apocalyptic story that left me thinking and then rethinking again. Set in space where humans settle after the earth becomes uninhabitable, a virus is released changing their way of life. My favorite character, Priya is alone and brutally attacked. Her strength and relationships with the other characters had me rooting for her, and I loved the pet she acquired. Told through several POVs, the reader gets a full picture of a complicated situation that I enjoyed. The characters are flawed and realistic. It surprised me how many times there was a new twist I wasn’t expecting. This is a glimpse into the human condition where power, lies, and manipulation have taken over society. Ms. Kent skillfully gives us a dark peek into a possible future in the hands of a cruel leader. This is a great science fiction read that I recommend.

Moments We Love

by Balroop Singh

This is a thoughtful collection that shows life through potent images. There are three sections Love, Harmony, and Life, but the essence of existence connects it all. I was drawn to the sweet poetry dedicated to Ms. Singh’s grandchildren, and “Redwoods” was a favorite, but I fully enjoyed the beautiful words throughout the book. I love how nature is mixed into the poems and felt like I was sitting next to Ms. Singh watching the sunset with her. There is a surreal quality to “Moments We Love” that shows another way of looking at things. I highly recommend this collection if you are a fan of poetry.

Makita (Cats of Catarau, #3)

by Sandra Cox

I read “Shardai (Cats of Catarau #1)” and loved it. So, I had very high expectations for this story and wasn’t disappointed! Makita died and was in a beautiful place but insisted on using a life to go back to her best friend, Bennie, the dog. He needed her was her only thought. I’m a huge fan of animals, especially cats, and Ms. Cox has a way of getting into a cat’s mind that makes me believe and root for them. A darker subject was introduced into this tale, a Pit Bull fighting-ring. My heart broke, thinking of all the pain and suffering these animals go through for greed and profit. Luckily the sadness balances out with the ingenuity of the animals, along with trust, and loyalty. It was a heartwarming story of a cat and her devotion to her animal family. If you love animals, especially cats and dogs, this novel is for you.

Death Among Us: An Anthology of Murder Mystery Short Stories

by Stephen Bentley, Greg Alldredge, Kelly Artieri, L. Lee Kane, Michael Spinelli, Robbie Cheadle, Kay Castaneda, Justin Bauer, and Aly Locatelli

I bought this anthology because I was already a fan of Robbie Cheadle. I loved her historical fiction based on real-life stories as expected, but the other authors and their work also intrigued me. This collection is a great variety that includes horror, sci-fi, suspense, and mystery set in various locations that all held my attention. There’s a brief introduction to each author, and I enjoyed getting to know them before reading. It’s a great assortment of short stories and a fantastic way to be introduced to new authors. I highly recommend “Death Among Us.”

Ferrasium (The Windflowers Trilogy #1)

by Wendy Scott

This was set in ancient Egypt, but it reminded me of ancient Rome, too. A young girl Kalli was taken from her family for a test all girls go through once they reach puberty. Her life changed in horrible ways from that point. It was a cruel and brutal world she found herself a part of that forced strength from her. While I bonded and rooted for Kalli, there were other storylines giving a complete picture of her situation. After an animal was killed in the beginning, I almost put the story down. I didn’t though because it already invested me in it. My first thought was that person who did that needed to pay for that cruelty. I felt a lot of emotions reading this, which speaks well for Ms. Scott’s ability to tap into that. This is a full story that dives deeply into the dark side of humanity with betrayal, greed, power, slavery, and privilege. I will be reading the next installment to see what happens to Kalli next.

Fairy Dust (Bedtime Tale #1)

by W.J. Scott

A young girl named, Evelyn, didn’t believe in the unseen or magic. Evelyn finds out whether it is real or not in this sweet story. I found the characters charming, full of wonder, and uncertainty. The last line summed up my personal belief, which I won’t share here and ruin the ending. I will definitely be reading this with my grandchildren!

Embrace your inner child by reading a great book! D. L. Finn

More July Book Reviews @WordDreams @rhanidchae @rijanjks @WendyJayneScott @BetteAStevens @bakeandwrite

I was going to wait and post these as August Book Reviews, but there are so many I thought it might be better to post now. I will do an August Book Review in a couple of weeks. Several of these reviews are for short stories, along with historical fiction, poetry, and prehistory fiction. All suited for summertime reading.

As usual, I only post 4-5 stars reviews of indie books I’ve read.

While the Bombs Fell

by Robbie Cheadle, Elsie Hancy Eaton

“While the Bombs Fell” is told through the eyes of a young girl in England during WWII. From food rations to bombs falling, it was a fascinating look into war from a child’s eyes. It was written much like a journal or someone retelling their memories—which it was. I was drawn into what it would be like to live through this period via Elise’s descriptions. Between supplementing their food with a garden, going into the bomb shelter during raids, or the children finding ways to entertain themselves, I felt like I understood what she went through. I loved the addition of recipes at the end. This is a great peek into what it was like to survive in wartime, especially for children.

My Maine: Haiku through the Seasons

by Bette A. Stevens

“My Maine” is a fantastic collection of nature haiku. Going through the seasons, I would I’d found my favorite one, but I hadn’t because they were all good. It was impressive with the limited wordage of the poems that so much information came across. The pictures added more depth to the words, and I enjoyed learning some new details along the way. This is an excellent blend of poetry, photographs, and facts about Maine. If you love nature and poetry, you will enjoy this book. I highly recommend this!

Survival of the Fittest (the Crossroads Trilogy Book 1)
by Jacqui Murray

I’ve never read a novel set 850,000 years ago. The details and obvious research were amazing, as was the story. Xhosa is a strong female in times when males rule the tribes. I loved her character and how she looked at the world through her senses, instinct, and duty. It repulsed me when they ate their kill without cooking it, but I had to remember they didn’t have control of fire yet. Ms. Murray takes the reader deep into that period, where I could easily imagine how it might have been living then. I was rooting for Xhosa and her tribe as they tried to survive other tribe’s attacks and nature. I loved the relationships that developed as they met up with others fleeing the same situation. I’m completely hooked on this moment in history and storyline. I will definitely read the rest of this series and highly recommend it.

Slimmer: A Contemporary Romance

by Wendy Jayne

I could relate to the main character, Pippa, trying to lose weight for an upcoming event. Determined to fit into a smaller dress, Pippa wanted to impress the man she had a crush on since she was a teenager. Her struggle and attempts were amusing. Satisfied with the outcome and Pippa’s conclusions, I appreciated this short story!

A Soldier’s Children

by Jan Sikes

I loved this short story about two young girls abandoned by their mother while their father was away at war and declared MIA. Jennifer, at fourteen years old, takes over the care of herself and her younger sister. This was so well-written I was feeling a lot of emotions reading it including anger at the mother to cheering Jennifer on. All the small details brought it to life for me. If you love heart-warming stories, this is a must read!

Jewel

by Jan Sikes

Jewel, her sister, and mother lived in poverty. Her mother became sick and couldn’t take care of her girls. The mother found new situations for them both to give them a better chance of a better life. Jewel took everything in stride thrown at her. This short story had a fairy tale quality to it with an adult subject. I enjoyed the theme of a young girl who came from nothing and found her place in the world.

Visitors: Short Story Mystery

by WJ Scott

Two brothers are sent to live with Aunt Sally because their mother is sick. I loved how Brodie took care of his little brother Tom on the journey there with their aunt. When they arrive, the town appears to be hiding something which made me very curious. The place felt so real and strange at the same time. I enjoyed the boys trying to find the secret with the aide of their aunt’s dog. The reason surprised me and made this an exciting and highly recommended short read!

Voodoo or Destiny: You Decide

by Jan Sikes

Two friends are drinking away Claire’s pain. All in good fun, Claire and Jade make a Voodoo doll resembling the husband who just left Claire for another woman. Ms. Sikes wrote this in a fashion that felt authentic to me. There was a woman betrayed and heartbroken with a friend trying to cheer her up. I could easily imagine sitting with these two women, making a doll to work through all the bad feelings with an unexpected outcome. This short story was a quick read, but a complete story that I thoroughly enjoyed—and highly recommend!

Megamax

by Rhani D’Chae

This short story takes us to a future I hope doesn’t happen but feels very real. Prisoner Maxwell Drake is a part of the fighting ring in the Seattle prison. The fights are brutal, bloody, and controlled by the warden for profit. It immediately drew me into the story, including the predicament of being forced to do something Maxwell didn’t want to and the consequences of refusing. I want to know more about this world and Maxwell and can’t wait for the novel! I recommend this story that takes the reader into an action-filled glimpse of what could be.

UPDATES

There will be no blog post next Sunday. August 4th. There’s a family wedding and my son is coming down for a visit. (Plus, I have my weekly older grandkid stay, and it’s fair time, too). So, I will enjoy these happy celebrations and devote my full focus to family and fun. I will be back August 11th or the last weekend of summer before school starts here. Whew!

Embrace your inner child this summer by reading a great story! D. L. Finn

“The Button” Blog Tour Link 9-13

I’m thankful to fellow Rave Reviews Book Club member Wendy Scott for sharing her blog with me today. Please head to today’s “The Button” post over on Wendy’s blog. But, before you go please check out Wendy’s amazing “Author Bio” and “Amazon Link” to her award winning multi-genre book catalog. Let’s thank Wendy for being ultra-supportive to other author’s by supporting her!

TODAY’S BLOG LINK

Wendy Scott:

Wendy Scott has a New Zealand Certificate in Science (Chemistry), which allows her to dabble with fuming potions and strange substances, satisfying her inner witch.
Wendy writes fantasy, children’s and romance novels.
One of the creeds she lives by is to always – Live a life less ordinary!

Gold Medal Winner The Wishing Shelf Book Awards UK 2015.
Silver Medal Winner Readers’ Favorite Book Awards 2016.
Blue Treat Award Rave Reviews Book Club 2017.
Gold Quality Marks BooksGoSocial 2017.

Please visit Wendy’s websites to learn more, read her blog or to leave her a message.
She loves hearing from readers.
http://www.authorchildrens.com
http://www.wendyjscott.com
http://www.hieroglyph.ws
http://www.tails-wjscott.com

For updates on TC’s adventures or if you’d like to suggest a song for her next book drop by http://www.hieroglyph.ws

If you’d like to receive updates from Wendy about her upcoming releases or special reader offers please sign up for her newsletter via the contact form on her websites ~Thanks.

Pen Names
WJ Scott~ Children’s
Wendy Scott ~ YA / Fantasy
Wendy Jayne ~ Romance

WENDY’S AMAZON PAGE

Embrace your inner child by reading a good book! D.L. Finn

First Book Reviews of 2018

I ended 2017 with a “reading and review” count of 54 indie books (that total doesn’t include non-indie books I read and rated). This is a huge increase from 2016 where I read and reviewed 19 indie books. While I hope to improve on that, I am happy to break 50 books read in any year!

I’m making a list of must-reads for this year. So far, it has 25 books on it in with Yvette Calleiro’s Chronicles of the Diasodz series first on the list. After that is the rest of Larry Landgraf’s Into Autumn series–and this list will only grow once I look at all the books waiting on my Kindle! It’s going to be another year of amazing indie books and sharing the reviews along the way!

Here are my first five reviews of this year (books I gave my grand-kids for Christmas):

Amazing Matilda: The Tale of A Monarch Butterfly

by Bette A. Stevens

This is a sweet story about a caterpillar named Matilda and her friends. She immediately wants to fly, but is given the advice to be patient and keep trying– when she can’t. The book is illustrated by the author and that adds another level of depth to the book. The story has a lesson that not only kids can learn from, but also the adults who read the book with them. I can’t wait to give this to my grandchildren and will enjoy our reading time together with this delightful tale!

Wish Fish 1: Discovering the Secret

ByLynn Miclea

This is a sweet children’s story about two fish, Ray and Roxy, who live in the ocean. The fish duo who go too far into the ocean, get caught in a fisherman’s net, and almost get eaten by a bigger fish find they need to depend on their friendship and love to survive. They learn some important lessons on their adventures—including believing in yourself. It is a good message for children and the adults reading along with them. I bought this for my grand-kids and can’t wait to read it with them!

Halloween Writing Prompts: 13 Spooky Activities For Kids (Aspiring Author Series)

by WJ Scott

This is an interactive book for kids who want to be writers or love to create. It opens with some writing suggestions, then has 13 pictures with a tagline to provide a starting point. I love the Halloween theme that includes a black cat, a witch and other “spooky” prompts. This would be good in a classroom or at home. I bought this for my grand-kids and plan to enjoy it with them. Great idea!

Friends: An African Adventure (Fauna Park Tales #2)

by Maretha Botha

“Friends: An African Adventure” is the second book in the Fauna Park Tale series I have bought for my grand-kids. It’s an exotic tale set in an African desert and told through a bird’s perspective, Hope. The characters are fully developed and engaging, while the artwork provided by Ms. Botha is heartfelt. Flame the dog gives the reader an example of protecting those who can’t protect themselves– and what friendship and bravery are. He keeps his promise to be a hero. Another Fauna Park Tale I will enjoy reading with my grand-kids!

The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too!

by Bette A. Stevens

I bought this book to give as a gift to my grandchildren. Reading through the book before giving it to them, I found it taught me a few things, too. First, I had no idea a tangram is a seven-piece puzzle with specific shapes. A pattern is provided to cut out and get started along with the history of it. There are many ways to put the pieces together, but the book supplies shapes to make– with clues or riddles as to what they are. Although, this is a very clever and educational book for children, I appreciated the added bonus that an adult can sit down and enjoy it with the kids!

D.L. Finn (dolphin) is my pen name. I know some of you know my real first name, but for those who don’t– any guesses? Next week I will be sharing my first name, so you don’t have to keep calling me D.L.!

Happy 2018! Embrace your inner child, D(?).L. Finn