#MMBBR Huge Book Showcase!!!! Happy Sunday Funday!

As a blogger, I get lots of books.  

Some I request, some I don't, but all of the books that I receive get exposure on my blog! 

 I usually save up until I have a bunch to share with you!    

I want to share all the books that cross my path with my viewers.  My hope is that you will pick up something you see on my blog and LOVE it as much as I do!  Many of these book will still be read/reviewed by me, but I wanted to share them with you now!!!!!

ENJOY!!!! 

 

Legendary mega-seller Jackie Collins chronicles passion and power in one of America's most glamorous families.

A vicious hit. A vengeful enemy. A drug addled Colombian club owner. A sex crazed Italian family. And the ever powerful Lucky Santangelo has to deal with them all, while Max-her teenage daughter is becoming The "It" girl in Europe's modeling world. And her Kennedyesque son, Bobby, is being set up for a murder he didn't commit. But Lucky can deal. Always strong and unpredictable with her husband, Lennie, by her side she lives up to the family motto-Never cross a Santangelo.

Lucky rules. The Santangelos always come out on top. An epic family saga filled with love, lust, revenge and passion. 

http://amzn.to/1iHah2b

Known for her “hilarious and spot-on”* memoirs I’ve Still Got It…I Just Can’t Remember Where I Put It and If It Was Easy, They’d Call the Whole Damn Thing a Honeymoon, Jenna McCarthy turns her comedic talents to fiction with a novel about picking yourself up out of the gutter when life kicks you to the curb…

“I don’t love you anymore.”

For Charlotte Crawford, the worst part about being dumped after twenty years of marriage is that her husband, Jack, doesn’t want another woman; he just doesn’t want her.

Forty-two and clueless, Charlotte is a fish out of water in a dating pool teeming with losers. Just when she thinks she’s finally put her failed marriage behind her, it comes back to bite her in the ass…hard. Without warning, Charlotte finds herself staring down the barrel of a future she wouldn’t (she would totally) wish on her worst enemy.

Engaging, fearless, and relentlessly funny, Pretty Much Screwed is a story of love, loss, friendship, forgiveness, turtledoves, taxidermy, and one hilariously ill-placed tick.

*Celia Rivenbark, New York Times Bestselling Author 

http://amzn.to/1iHasuf

The USA Today bestselling author presents a heartfelt novel about two sisters struggling toward new lives and loves.

Welcome to Hartley-by-the-Sea in England’s beautiful Lake District, where two sisters who meet as strangers find small miracles tucked into the corners of every day....

When Lucy Bagshaw’s life in Boston falls apart, thanks to a scathing editorial written by her famous artist mother, she accepts her half sister Juliet’s invitation to stay with her in a charming seaside village in northern England. Lucy is expecting quaint cottages and cream teas, but instead finds that her sister is an aloof host, the weather is wet, windy, and cold, and her new boss, Alex Kincaid, is a disapproving widower who only hired her as a favor to Juliet.

Despite the invitation she offered, Juliet is startled by the way Lucy catapults into her orderly life. As Juliet faces her own struggles with both her distant mother and her desire for a child, her sister’s irrepressible optimism begins to take hold. With the help of quirky villagers, these hesitant rainy day sisters begin to forge a new understanding…and find in each other the love of family that makes all the difference.

Includes a Preview of Kate Hewitt’s Next Novel 

http://amzn.to/1FVLKLm

When 15-year-old Carolyn moves from New Jersey to Alabama with her mother, she rattles the status quo of the junior class at Adams High School. A good student and natural athlete, she’s immediately welcomed by the school’s cliques. She’s even nominated to the homecoming court and begins dating a senior, Shane, whose on again/off again girlfriend Brooke becomes Carolyn’s bitter romantic rival. When a video of Carolyn and Shane making out is sent to everyone, Carolyn goes from golden girl to slut, as Brooke and her best friend Gemma try to restore their popularity. Gossip and bullying hound Carolyn, who becomes increasingly private and isolated. When Shane and Brooke—now back together—confront Carolyn in the student parking lot, injuring her, it’s the last attack she can take.

Sarah Bannan's deft use of the first person plural gives Weightless an emotional intensity and remarkable power that will send you flying through the pages and leave you reeling. 

http://amzn.to/1iHaKBr

In the summer of 1966, Christina Hardcastle—“Tiny” to her illustrious family—stands on the brink of a breathtaking future. Of the three Schuyler sisters, she’s the one raised to marry a man destined for leadership, and with her elegance and impeccable style, she presents a perfect camera-ready image in the dawning age of television politics. Together she and her husband, Frank, make the ultimate power couple: intelligent, rich, and impossibly attractive. It seems nothing can stop Frank from rising to national office, and he’s got his sights set on a senate seat in November.

But as the season gets underway at the family estate on Cape Cod, three unwelcome visitors appear in Tiny’s perfect life: her volatile sister Pepper, an envelope containing incriminating photograph, and the intimidating figure of Frank’s cousin Vietnam-war hero Caspian, who knows more about Tiny’s rich inner life than anyone else. As she struggles to maintain the glossy façade on which the Hardcastle family’s ambitions are built, Tiny begins to suspect that Frank is hiding a reckless entanglement of his own…one that may unravel both her own ordered life and her husband’s promising career. 

http://amzn.to/1Jjc6XO

From New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent comes a richly imagined, provocative new series set in the dark mythology of the Menagerie… 

When Delilah Marlow visits a famous traveling carnival, Metzger's Menagerie, she is an ordinary woman in a not-quite-ordinary world. But under the macabre circus black-top, she discovers a fierce, sharp-clawed creature lurking just beneath her human veneer. Captured and put on exhibition, Delilah in her black swan burlesque costume is stripped of her worldly possessions, including her own name, as she's forced to "perform" in town after town. 

But there is breathtaking beauty behind the seamy and grotesque reality of the carnival. Gallagher, her handler, is as kind as he is cryptic and strong. The other "attractions"—mermaids, minotaurs, gryphons and kelpies—are strange, yes, but they share a bond forged by the brutal realities of captivity. And as Delilah struggles for her freedom, and for her fellow menagerie, she'll discover a strength and a purpose she never knew existed. 

Renowned author Rachel Vincent weaves an intoxicating blend of carnival magic and startling humanity in this intricately woven and powerful tale.

http://amzn.to/1j0z3tU

A goldfish named Ian is falling from the 27th-floor balcony on which his fishbowl sits. He's longed for adventure, so when the opportunity arises, he escapes from his bowl, clears the balcony railing and finds himself airborne. Plummeting toward the street below, Ian witnesses the lives of the Seville on Roxy residents.

There's the handsome grad student, his girlfriend, and his mistress; the construction worker who feels trapped by a secret; the building's super who feels invisible and alone; the pregnant woman on bed rest who craves a forbidden ice cream sandwich; the shut-in for whom dirty talk, and quiche, are a way of life; and home-schooled Herman, a boy who thinks he can travel through time. Though they share time and space, they have something even more important in common: each faces a decision that will affect the course of their lives. Within the walls of the Seville are stories of love, new life, and death, of facing the ugly truth of who one has been and the beautiful truth of who one can become.

Sometimes taking a risk is the only way to move forward with our lives. As Ian the goldfish knows, "An entire life devoted to a fishbowl will make one die an old fish with not one adventure had."

In the tradition of Garth Stein's The Art of Racing in the Rain and Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City, Bradley Somer's Fishbowl is at turns funny and heartbreaking. 

http://amzn.to/1iHb5Eh

n explosive new Eve Duncan thriller from the New York Times #1 bestselling author

Eve Duncan is the most sought-after artist in the field of forensic sculpting. Dedicated to her work ever since her daughter Bonnie was taken and killed at the age of seven, Eve feels a sense of duty to those whose lives were lost and whose bones are now in her hands. When a sheriff in California contacts her with a request for help on the reconstruction of the skull of a nine-year-old girl whose body has been buried for eight years, his intensity and investment in the case puzzle her. But when the ghost of the girl begins communicating with her, Eve finds herself wrapped up in the case more intensely than she could have ever imagined. Not since Bonnie has Eve had such an experience, and suddenly she finds herself determined to solve the murder and help the little girl find peace. Except that the killer is still out there, and he knows Eve is on the case. And he won’t rest until anything and anyone that could reveal his identity is eliminated... 

http://amzn.to/1FVMn7H

Julie Halpern's Maternity Leave tells the profane, profound and just plain funny story of a professional woman who thinks she's ready for a baby but her maternity leave proves otherwise.

Thirty six year old Annie Schwartz-Jensen is a middle school teacher on maternity leave-a time she imagined as uninterrupted, blissful bonding with her baby. Instead she is dealing with her body leaking from every possible orifice, a baby who won't sleep, a husband who still wants to have sex with her (is he nuts??), single friends who are clueless, and a mother who picked now to take a vacation. The only people who REALLY understand Annie are the wonderful people she spends sleepless nights with on QVC: Keep those velveteen table runners and non-jiggle stretch pants coming!

As Annie navigates life with her new baby, she realizes that not all Mommies are created equal. But she is determined to find her way, love her baby, her husband, herself---even if she has to wear nipple protectors for the rest of her child-bearing life. 

http://amzn.to/1KDpziC

New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery creates the small-town destination for romance in charming Fool's Gold, California—where a loner cowboy finds the one woman who can capture his heart...

After Phoebe Kitzke's kind heart gets her suspended from her job in LA, she swears off doing favors—until her best friend begs for help on the family ranch in Fool's Gold. Unfortunately, sexy cowboy Zane Nicholson isn't exactly thrilled by the city girl's arrival.

Thanks to his brother's latest scheme, Zane has been roped into taking tourists on a cattle drive. What Phoebe knows about ranching wouldn't fill his hat, but her laughter is so captivating that even his animals fall for her. One slip of his legendary control leads to a passionate kiss, but she's exactly the kind of woman a single-minded loner needs to avoid.

In his arms, Phoebe discovers she's a country girl at heart. Yet no matter how much the small town feels like home, she can't stay unless Zane loves her, too…but is this cowboy interested in forever? 

http://amzn.to/1KDpSKj

Meet the Mitchell brothers of Fool's Gold, California—five gorgeous men who've left a trail of broken hearts in their wake…

Maya Farlow learned the hard way to depend only on herself, so when she fell too deeply for the bad-boy charms of Del Mitchell, she did the only thing she could—she ran. Stunned, Del left Fool's Gold to make his name and fortune in extreme sports.

Now ten years later, Maya's been hired to promote her hometown's new slogan, The Destination for Romance. The celebrity spokesman is none other than Del, the man she dumped but never forgot. Awkward!

Although Del's not the type to hold a grudge, he's determined to avoid falling a second time for the woman who broke his heart. He's a daredevil, not an idiot. Trouble is, in all his adventures, he never found a rush as exhilarating as Maya's kiss. Maybe risking his heart will prove to be the biggest thrill of all… 

http://amzn.to/1KDq6Ba

Out of all the mysterious boarders who call Sanctuary home, no one is more antisocial or withdrawn than Maxis Drago. But then, it’s hard to blend in with the modern world when you have a fifty foot wingspan.

Centuries ago, he was cursed by an enemy who swore to see him fall. An enemy who took everything from him and left him forever secluded.

But Fate is a bitch, with a wicked sense of humor. And when she throws old enemies together and threatens the wife he thought had died centuries ago, he comes back with a vengeance. Modern day New Orleans has become a battleground for the oldest of evils. And two dragons will hold the line, or go down in flames. 

http://amzn.to/1KDqnnC

Ronan Truelove barely survived his first encounter with his father and the Bend Sinister. Now, he’s determined to become one of the Blood Guard, a sword-wielding secret society sworn to protect thirty-six pure souls crucial to the world’s survival.

Eager to prove he’s got what it takes, Ronan is sent on his first mission with his friends Greta and Sammy to visit a weird-sounding school and take a series of tests called the Glass Gauntlet. Paper and pencils and nerdy scholarship—where’s the life-or-death challenge in that?

But the Glass Gauntlet is actually something much more dangerous: head-to-head competitions against ruthless opponents. Nothing and no one are what they seem. Who can he trust, and who will kill him? Ronan has to figure it out fast because his enemies are multiplying, and soon he will have to pass the ultimate test: facing his father again and standing up to those who threaten not only him and his friends but also the world. 

http://amzn.to/1NFzi93

Sometimes life, as well as death, is about second chances. Luckless Telly Martin doesn't have a clue. An awful gambler trying to scrape by as a professional poker player, he becomes the protégé of world famous poker champion Clutch Henderson. The only catch…Clutch is a ghost.

Telly and Clutch must navigate the seedy gambling underbelly of Las Vegas learning to trust each other in order to win the elusive International Series of Poker, repair their shattered personal relationships and find redemption in this life and the hereafter.

http://amzn.to/1KDqVKl

Showcase: Evitable Destiny by Izabela Monick @IzabelaMonick

Since Chris's mother died when he was sixteen years old, he has lived for only one goal: seeking revenge on his mother’s ex-lover, Kevin.  Determined not to repeat his mother’s mistake, Chris vows never to fall into love’s seductive, deceptive clutches.

With Kevin’s business teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, Chris senses his chance. He kidnaps Kevin’s stepdaughter, Julia, and sets a ransom—if Kevin cancels a company-saving business deal, then Julia will be returned. The scheme seems perfect—until Chris’s long-suppressed feelings for Julia bubble to the surface.  Julia, meanwhile, proves a resilient captive with a knack for pushing Chris’s buttons, even as her own feelings for her kidnapper become increasingly conflicted.

As the passion between Chris and Julia heats up, other forces come into play. Chris isn’t the only one who wants Julia, nor is he the only one willing to abduct her to satisfy his needs. Julia’s life—and perhaps Chris’s only chance at love—are in danger.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Izabela Monick is the author of the suspenseful romance novel Evitable Destiny, a complex mix of love, hate, trust, betrayal, and steamy sexual encounters. Izabela lives in New York with her husband and two children. She works as an accountant during the day and writes at night. Since she was young, Izabela has loved both math and writing, but when she picked an accounting career to pay her bills, she still dreamed of becoming an author. Finally, she found the courage to sit down and write her own novel. Now, Izabela delights in shocking her readers with unexpected twists and turns while keeping her plots brimming with heated passion until the final page. 

How Stress at Work Inspired My Writing

Writing my debut novel Evitable Destiny was a great experience, but because I’m a new author, I’m not in the position to give tips to other authors. Instead, I would like to share something from my writing experience that I found interesting.

The idea to write a novel came to me during a business meeting when all eyes in the room fell on me, waiting for an answer to a question I didn’t hear because I was daydreaming. I worked as an accountant, and I loved my job, but after the corporation I worked for acquired another company, most of the new work fell on my shoulders, and it wasn’t fun anymore. Every day, stress was pumping adrenaline into my veins; work had to be done and deadlines had to be met. Exercise didn’t help to get rid of the tension, nor did beer or wine. The only thing that did help was writing. As I would drive home after work, I would think about the plot of my book. At night, when all my chores were done and my family was asleep, I would sit down in peace and write, bringing my characters to life. My emotions during the work day affected the mood of my story in both positive and negative ways. On the most stressful days, my hero would be really mean to the heroine, but when I got a promotion, Chris bought Julia a wagon of flowers. If someone at work behaved in a way I didn’t understand, later that night, my characters would be doing weird things. I never noticed it at the time, but during editing, when the scenes weren’t working too well and I had to rewrite them, I knew where it was coming from. Sometimes I wonder if other authors experience something similar.

Writing a novel was an amazing experience and a lot of fun even though it was extremely difficult, especially in the beginning. Although I can say that I’ve learned a lot, there’s still an ocean of knowledge waiting for me to dive into it. Releasing my moods and feelings into a book was a great stress therapy that I strongly recommend to others. Today, when I think about my book, I have a feeling that Chris would have been nicer if my employer hadn’t acquired that new company.

#MMBBR Blog Tour: CROOKED LITTLE LIES by Barbara Taylor Sissel @BookSparks #FRC2015

More information on this #FRC2015 selection, click HERE

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Critically acclaimed author Barbara Taylor Sissel’s third novel, CROOKED LITTLE LIES is about the disappearance of a 23-year-old man who wreaks havoc on his small town and unleashes the dark and painful secrets of a woman he’s barely met. Fans of Winter’s Bone and Mary Kubica’s The Good Girl will love this cold thriller by rising women’s lit star, Barbara Taylor Sissel.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:  On a cool October morning, Lauren Wilder is shaken when she comes close to striking Bo Laughlin with her car as he’s walking along the road’s edge. A young man well known in their small town of Hardys Walk, Texas, Bo seems fine, even if Lauren’s intuition says otherwise. Since the accident two years ago that left her brain in a fragile state, she can’t trust her own instincts—and neither can her family. Then Bo vanishes, and as the search for him ensues, the police question whether she’s responsible. Lauren is terrified, not of what she remembers but of what she doesn’t.

Unable to trust herself and unwilling to trust anyone else, Lauren begins her own investigation into the mystery of Bo’s disappearance. But the truth can prove to be as shocking as any lie, and as Lauren exposes each one, from her family, from her friends, she isn’t the only one who will face heart-stopping repercussions.

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Sometimes you see a book a few times here and there and you can wait to read it.  When the #FRC2015 and blog tour come along for CROOKED LITTLE LIES I wanted in!  This book did not disappoint!  It was one of those books that kept me guessing.  Life is busy and sometimes books do not keep our interest, but CROOKED LITTLE LIES was NOT one of those books.  I was kept interested, entertained and engaged.  I had the book with me (At all times) so I could sneak in reading any chance I had.  I was kept guessing the whole way.  This is a fabulous Fall read, a great book for book club and just a flat out great story!  4.5 stars!  

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Barbara Taylor Sissel is the critically acclaimed author of Evidence of Life and Safe Keeping. She is an active member of the Indie Book Collective and World Literary Café, (previously known as the Women’s Literary Café) and the League of Extraordinary Authors. A one-time editor for a small regional press, Barbara also writes and edits for the public relations field and a number of other clients, including best-selling authors.

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#MMBBR Showcase w/ excerpt: Maternity Leave: A Novel by Julie Halpern @julie_halpern @StMartinsPress

MATERNITY LEAVE is the story of a professional woman who thinks she’s ready for a baby but her maternity leave proves otherwise. It is largely based on Julie’s own experiences as a new mother, and has so far been called “hilarious, poignant, almost painfully accurate”* and “a keenly observed portrayal of the most challenging time of your life”**  “with a lot of well-timed profanity.”***

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“Maternity Leave is a hilarious, poignant, almost painfully accurate look at the first few months of motherhood. It begins with a hysterical birth scene and takes us through Annie’s transformation from a self-involved, Buffy-obsessed geek-type person into a full-fledged mom, all without losing her basic identity. It’s warm and funny and very, very real. I loved this book!”
—Maddie Dawson, author of The Opposite of Maybe*

“Maternity Leave is the laugh-out-loud funny novel you’ll beg all your ‘mommy’ friends to read, as well as a keenly observed portrayal of the most challenging time of your life . . . a time so complex and unpredictable that all the parenting how-to books in the world

aren’t enough to prep you for it… the first three months of your child’s life.”

—Julia Fierro, author of Cutting Teeth**

“With a lot of well-timed profanity, Halpern is hilarious and brutally honest as she exposes what it’s like for a first-time mother. A hilarious and perceptive novel for women…”

—Library Journal***

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JULIE HALPERN is the author of five young adult novels and one picture book for young readers. MATERNITY LEAVE is her first novel for adults. Prior to her life as a full-time mom and author, Julie was a school librarian. In her imaginary spare time, she enjoys traveling, watching television for grown-ups, and eating baked goods. Julie lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, author and illustrator Matthew Cordell, and their two children.

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48 Days Old

The in-laws have arrived. Thankfully they offered to stay in a hotel. Dawn, Zach’s mom, claimed it was to give our family space, since our nights are so tough. I’m guessing it has more to do with the gross-out factor of our house. I don’t think Mimi could handle the random patches of spit up that we never bothered to clean off the carpet (I figure we’ll get to them all at once when Sam’s done with his spit up phase. Or we’ll get new carpet).

It’s hilarious watching the battle of the grandmas. There is a constant neediness emanating from their Chico’s jackets. I can tell Zach’s mom is trying to be diplomatic, but I also see a fire in her eyes when Mimi wants a turn that burns, “It’s my grandbaby by blood.” Slightly scary. I can’t wait until we have dinner with my mom tonight. Three grandmas in one place. I hope Sam still has all of his limbs when it’s all over.

Dinner

Sam slept through most of the parental dinner at Indian Palace, until I had to nurse him. I’m getting better at feeding him in public, although it didn’t help when Mimi felt the need to act as my guard dog and barked, “That’s what breasts are made for!” at anyone who dared glance my way. Since I was wearing my nursing cover and most of my torso was concealed by the table, I think it mainly made Mimi look like a raving lunatic instead of a protective mother-in-law.

The conversation between bites of palak paneer and aloo gobi went something like this:

My mom: “So I’m Grandma [finger quotes]. What would you like to be called?” [Ballsy move on my mom’s part to stake her claim on the classic Grandma, but she always thought Bubbe made her sound too old. Plus, her mom was Grandma, so she wanted to continue the tradition.]

Dawn (Zach’s mom): “I always thought I’d be called Mimi because that’s what Zachy called his grandma.”

Mimi: “But my name’s Mimi.”

Dawn: “But the baby doesn’t know that.”

Mimi: “The baby doesn’t know anything yet, and even if he doesn’t know it now he will know it someday. I thought he could call me Mimi.”

Dawn: “I understand that Mimi is your name, but it’s not your grandma name. My mom was a Mimi, and it is important to me that my grandbaby know his family connection.”

Mimi: “Are you saying I have no family connection?”

Dawn: “You know I’m not saying that, nor have I ever said that. You know what I mean. It was my mother, for God’s sake.”

[Huffy Silence.]

Mimi: “Your point is valid. I propose a compromise.”

Dawn: “I’m listening.”

Mimi: “How about you’re Mimi, and I’m Mimi Two?”

Dawn: “Like we’re both called Mimi? That will confuse the poor boy.”

Mimi: “No. Like Mimi Part 2. The number. The sequel. Kids love sequels.”

Dawn: “I suppose that could work.”

Thus, Zach’s mom became Mimi, and Mimi became Mimi 2, The Sequel. And my mom retained her reigning title of Grandma.

Copyright © 2015 by St. Martin’s Press LLC.

#MMBBR #SRC2015 Review: Star Craving Mad by Elise A. Miller @BookSparks @eliseamiller

DESTINATION: GET TO KNOW NEW YORK

Week of August 31: Star Craving Mad by Elise A. Miller

Maddy Braverman, thirty and single, has taught first grade at an elite private school in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village for the past six years. Angry at herself for not moving on, Maddy is distracted from her pity party with a new student—Lola Magdalena, daughter of A- list celebrities Nic and Shelby Seabolt—a last-minute addition to her class roster.

When Lola breaks her arm on the playground, Maddy has the chance to meet with Nic in his TriBeCa apartment. Maddy’s celebrity fantasies turn to reality—make out sessions, sex and even a Hamptons holiday bash that leave Maddy yearning for Nic’s love.

How would you feel to have a peek into the lives of a celebrity family...maybe a bit Star Craving Mad???  This book was a fun escape from life and a light summer read.  I thought the premise was interesting and I thought there was a lot of funny moments.  This is one of those books that is fun to read with a friend, so you can share thoughts and "what-ifs" together!  4 stars

A former actress and private school teacher, Elise hosted and curated New York City’s East Side Oral (the reading series your mother warned you about), which showcased the talents of Jonathan Ames, Ned Vizzini, Amy Sohn, Darin Strauss, and many more. Her work appears in the anthology Because I Love Her, on nerve.com and Fresh Yarn.com. Chapters from her forthcoming novel have been published on Northern Liberties Review, Elephant Journal, and in Wild River Review. Elise is currently an SFG kettlebell instructor and fitness trainer, as well as creative writing coach. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, two kids, two dogs and a rotating cast of ants and dust bunnies.

#MMBBR Review Round-Up @SilverDolphin

Smithsonian Sticker Creations line (July 2015; $15.95; Ages 6 and up, 64 pages) –

Dinosaurs and Under the Sea – engage young readers with an innovative, hands-on approach to learning. Each 64-page bookpresents kid-friendly facts about dinosaurs and sea creatures and sticker activities to complete on every page. The interactive format comes with more than 175 reusable stickers plus 5 oversized 3-D stickers, and a pull-out framed play scene, allowing children to create their own prehistoric dinosaur scene or underwater adventure.

REVIEW:
These books are such fun!!!  It helps to bring to the life the world under the sea and the world when dinosaurs roamed the earth!  They have amazing 3-D playscene boards (which are super sturdy and so cool looking), amazingly brilliant a realistic stickers, and activities galore.  There are puzzles, maps, scenes where you can create fun images, guessing games with matching, mazes and so much more!  These are the types of books that are great for road trip, rainy days, birthday gifts and many other special events.  My boys really get lost in all these books have to offer and we love reading all the fun facts that each book contains.  This is something that kids of various ages will love and cherish.  I seriously love them!  5 HUGE stars!

The Smithsonian Everything You Need to Know Fact Cards series (June 2015; $19.95; Ages 5-7 and 7-9; 275 cards), divided into Grades K-1 and Grades 2-3, is specially tailored for inquisitive minds of different ages. Each box includes 275 fact cards featuring categories that range from space to history to health, chosen to compliment the curricula for each grade level. The facts are paired with beautiful color photographs, illustrations, and diagrams that will capture young imaginations.

Review:
I could rave for hours on how much I love these fact cards.  My boys and I had once bought Chat Packs, which are such fun.  But now when we are sitting eating dinner, snuggling before bed and driving in the car we are reading these fun fact cards.  I have to be honest when I say that much of the things I am learning  are things I had previously not known!  I was fascinated learning fun fact on all the US Presidents (grades 2-3),  facts on outer space (grades k-1) and so much more.  we are still working our way through both sets and feel like this is what sparks the love of learning, super interesting little tidbits of facts here and there.  The boys will actually ask to take out the cards and read.  This is also great for conversation starters with your kids.  I am in LOVE with these cards! 5 stars

Silver Dolphin expands their Young Explorer and Discover lines with Smithsonian Young Explorers: 50 States (April 2015; $18.95; Ages 6 and up; 32 pages). Smithsonian Young Explorers: 50 States comes packed in a sturdy travel case with an illustrated poster and a giant 130-piece floor puzzle of the United States.

Review:
My son and husband had a great time putting this puzzle together.  It is such fun to see them doing this activity together.  There was a lot of fun dialogue about which states they have been to and which states they want to go to in the future.   My son love geography and history, so he loved the puzzle and the fact book that came with it!  This is great fun for all ages.  The puzzle was very colorful, with state capitals starred and pictures of what each state is know for.  Love this puzzle!
5 stars

Friendship Tales, a new series of interactive board books from best-selling nature illustrator Maurice Pledger. (April 2015; $10.95; Ages 3 and up; 16 pages), Ping-Ping Panda In Friendship Tales: Ping-Ping Panda's Bamboo Journey is searching for some tasty leaves with the help of her hummingbird friend, but as they roam through the forest, all they find are other animals' favorite foods. Will Ping-Ping find something to satisfy her rumbling tummy? Help Ping-Ping and her friends explore the forest in this interactive story with flaps to lift and colorful, detailed scenes by best-selling nature illustrator Maurice Pledger.


Review:
I love lift and flap books.  They are so fun to read. Ping-Ping is very hungry and her hunger takes he on a walk to find her favorite food, bamboo.  Along the way she comes across from friends who are very willing to help her find the bamboo.  The illustrations are just gorgeous and the friends she comes across are very sweet and kind to her.  This is a book that young kids will love and have fun lifting the flaps to see what is underneath!  5 stars
(PS I will also be using this book in my class Art Through Stories)

In Friendship Tales: Dottie Dolphin Plays Hide-and-Seek (April 2015; $10.95; Ages 3 and up; 16 pages), when Dottie Dolphin dives deep into the ocean to play hide-and-seek with her siblings, she discovers a wonderful world of ocean animals. Join Dottie and her new friends beneath the waves in this interactive story with flaps to lift and colorful, detailed underwater scenes by best-selling nature illustrator Maurice Pledger.

Review:

I love lift and flap books.  They are so fun to read.  Dottie the dolphin goes on trip to find her brothers and sister during a game of hide-and-seek.  During her search she come across a lot of underwater animals that help lead her back to her family.  With beautiful illustration and a sweet story this book is one all small kids will love, I know I did...5 stars
(PS I will also be using this book in my class Art Through Stories) 

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#MMBBR Children's Review Round Up

In the spirit of Hergé's Tintin or Carl Barks' Uncle Scrooge, The Kurdles is an all-ages comic spiced up with a teaspoon of strange. Sally is a teddy bear who gets separated from her owner while on a drive in the country. Desperate to find her way home, she stumbles upon Kurdleton, home to a most peculiar group of characters in the midst of a crisis; their forest house has grown hair, eyes, and a mouth! The creatures work with their new friend to keep Kurdleton from growing legs and running away! Goodin, an animation industry veteran (American Dad, Rugrats), delivers a timeless classic in his debut graphic novel, introducing an unforgettable and charming cast of characters. Printed in an oversized format to showcase Goodin's stunning, hand-painted artwork, The Kurdles will capture the imagination of both parents and children.

My Review:

This is a fun adventure book about a bear that was tossed out of the car by a girl who would have rather had her giraffe.  The bear then has an adventure through the woods with a group of lovable misfits!   The illustrations for so interesting and fun to look at!  It is one of those books that each time you look at it you see something you did not see before!  The only criticism that I have is some of the language is a bit harsh.  For example,  I was a bit uncomfortable with the way the mother spoke to her daughter on page 6.  But this is just my personal option!  I would love to hear what others have to say! Let me know!  4 stars

In this first book of the series, readers are introduced to a lovable little alligator named Dozi. Living in a swamp in central Florida, Dozi observes wondrous colorful lights over a distant amusement park. Eventually, the curiosity of the little alligator gets the best of him and he heads off to discover the strange and fascinating new world of humans.

While hiding inside one of Orlando’s popular theme parks, Dozi makes the decision to stow away in the unsuspecting Hoxwinder family’s minivan after the family has finished visiting the park. During the long over-night drive home from Florida, Dozi befriends young Byron Hoxwinder in the very back of the vehicle. The family arrives home without anybody but 9-year old Byron Hoxwinder realizing they have brought a young alligator home with them.

My Review:
What a sweet story about an unsuspecting friendship between a boy and an alligator.  My boys and I love the rhyming, the really cute pictures and the story was just adorable!  I cannot wait to develop this book into a lesson for Art Through Stories!  4.5 stars

Do you have an angel friend? Young India has a special friend an angel friend Julia.

My Review:
A sweet story about a girl and her imaginary friend.  This book highlights the joy of imagination and the love of the things we cannot see, but feel with the heart. Any little girl would just adore this book! 4.5 stars

An incredibly cool, close-up look at the skulls of mammals, birds, fish and reptiles. Dozens of Images of animals (including their scientific name), fun facts, jokes, wordplay and off-the-word, fascinating trivia related to each animal. Plus, there's a "match the skull" quiz at the end of the book and some links for related web sites. Your young scientist is going to love this book!

My Review:
What a fascinating book about animals and their skulls.  This book is wonderfully illustrated with both real life pictures of each animal and a skull for the animal too.   It also contained funny and cute cartoon illustrations for many of the animals!  My boys have gone back to this book repeatedly to look at the skulls and to read the interesting fact that go with them.  It was great timing to get this book because we had just done a fun summer project of Owl Puke and this was a perfect book to read with that.  This would also be great for the classroom!  4.5 stars