#BookReview A Dog of My Own by Richard Clark

 

Richard Clark has made yet another super cute novel!

This time around Jonas wants a dog, and by luck and chance he gets one! I thought the idea behind this story was super unique and I had never thought much about renting a dog before. It was a silly topic that I would have loved to read as a kid.

The book was an easy enough read, and would definitely be a perfect fit for any middle grade reader (or a story to read to younger kids). Who doesn’t want to rent a dog who’s super famous? I also think the adventures and shenanigans that Jonas goes on is epic and the perfect plot for this book!

The pacing of this book was awesome and it felt like the perfect length. I couldn’t see any real cons other than I want more from this author and soon! His characters are believable and lovable, and his stories are truly unique. I don’t know how Richard gets inside the head of a kid, but he manages to make it extremely realistic. It almost feels like a kid is behind this book (with the expertise of a great writer and awesome editor). Jonas is perfectly flawed (like any kid) and full of creativity and fun!

Even the ending was super cute and sweet! I kind of wish there were more adventures for Jonas, Chloe and Rascal on the way!

Five out of five stars! What a treasure!

 

Find out more about this book on:

Goodreads – A Dog of My Own

Amazon.com – A Dog of My Own

Amazon.ca – A Dog of My Own

 

Find out more about another book by Richard Clark, 8th Grade Fugitive on:

Goodreads – 8th Grade Fugitive

Amazon.com – 8th Grade Fugitive

Amazon.ca – 8th Grade Fugitive

Check out the author Richard Clark on:

Twitter – @RClarkBTD

www.mybestfriendsecretagent.com

Facebook

 

Check out another amazing book by Richard Clark My Best Friend Is a Secret Agent:

Goodreads – Secret Agent

Amazon.com – Secret Agent

Amazon.ca – Secret Agent

 

If you enjoyed the review, check out another book you might enjoy! #BooKReview Hercufleas by Sam Gayton

And give me a shout out on Twitter if you read this review! #briarsreviews @ReviewAlholic

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#BookReview Harry’s Lovely Spring Day by NGK

 

Harry’s Lovely Spring Day is a whimsical, cute adventure for all to enjoy!

To begin with, the cover is absolutely stunning! Lots of bright colours, flowers, butterflies and a lovely font all mashed together make for the perfect eye catching cover!

The water colour trees that are the background for the acknowledgements and information at the front of the book are also a nice touch! It was very pretty and set the mood.

The story itself is about Harry (who is a cute, little mouse who lives in a box) during spring. His house blows away suddenly, and he has to deal with this tragic problem! Harry meets Katie, another cute mouse (but she has an umbrella, a bow and a rain coat!) and begins to chat with her. Harry learns how nice it is to help others in rough times from the cute mouse Katie. Additionally, he learns how to thank those who help him and the importance of being kind. The ending is super cute (but I won’t spoil it for you).

The story is told through full pictures and circular ones. The creativeness and uniqueness of this idea really caught my eye, since I haven’t seen a storybook told like that before! In fact, all of the colours were quite lovely and I really enjoyed the pictures. There was also a cute rhyming scheme (that was sometimes forced, but kids don’t normally notice that kind of stuff) that carries on like a beautiful tune.

I would definitely want to read more in this series (even as an adult) because of how cute it was! The book is sweet, full of nice pictures, and definitely something I would want to read to kids! I could see this being a lovely reading buddy or bedtime read!

Five out of five stars!

I found this book on Bookbub!

 

Find out more about this book on:

http://www.harrythehappymouse.com/

Goodreads

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

 

If you enjoyed this review, why not check out another book you might enjoy? #BooKReview Hercufleas by Sam Gayton

Comment below with your favourite children’s books!
And give me a shout out on Twitter if you read this review! #briarsreviews @ReviewAlholic

#BookReview Schmuck the Buck: Santa’s Jewish Reindeer by EXO Books

 

Schmuck the Buck is yet another hit by EXO Books!

Recently, I’ve been on a picture books/children’s books binge so of course I would be interested in another goofy, picture book full of Christmas mischief!

This book felt like my inner sarcastic child’s dream of a Christmas story. Forget the main reindeer team! Those losers aren’t as school as Santa’s Jewish reindeer, Schmuck the Buck! His real name is Larry, but we call him Schmuck. Because, let’s be honest, those nasty reindeer who called Rudolph names picked on everybody else too!

This poor reindeer is the biggest nerd in his high school, but that doesn’t bring him down! He got a degree in Accounting and even went to Yale! This is the type of awesome I strive to be!

The humor was down right hilarious. I was almost laughing out loud from the silly jokes and gags that littered this book. Texting the parents about batteries? That is the kind of hilarity only the goofiest kids would think of!

I felt like this story was the perfect way to show kids that you don’t have to be the popular “Rudolph” character. You can be super cool and get your own starring role as a normal kid with different interests!

It is a little “longer” – there are small paragraphs instead of just one word on each page. I think it was the perfect way to tell this story though! It’s a real winner! I would love to see this book alongside all of the Rudolph merchandise in my local book stores.

I’m not sure where to rate this book. It is satirical and ironic, but it also was pretty G rated. I think some older kids would find this absolutely hilarious, while younger ones could just enjoy the pictures. I’d maybe suggest reading this to children aged ten and up, because they would probably get some of this humor. But, it’s definitely something adults would love to read!

Overall, I loved this cheesey, funny and lovable story! It’s definitely worth the read! I mean, who wouldn’t love a book with an HR reindeer named Shirley? That just seals the deal.’

Five out of five stars!

P.S. Shout out to Karina Shor the illustrator! I absolutely loved the pictures. They were classic and elegant yet childish and fun!

I received a free copy of this book from EXO Books in exchange for an honest review.

 

Check out this book on:

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com

Barnes & Nobles

Chapters/Indigo/Coles

 

Want to check out another book review of an EXO Book’s book? Then check out my review of The Last Day of Captain Lincoln! #BookReview – The Last Day of Captain Lincoln by EXO Books

What else do you want to see on my blog? Let me know in the comments below, tweet me at @ReviewAlholic or tell me on Facebook!

#BookReview Bella’s Very Wonderful Day

 

This book is seriously the cutest I’ve ever seen! The cover alone is so adorable!

The moral of the story – that a bad day can be good if you change the way you look at it – is the best theme I’ve seen in a long time! It’s such an important lesson to teach children (and adults!) that I can’t help but highly recommend this book. It’s a short and sweet book (it’s a picture book with about 15 pages), so it would be an excellent bedtime read! Or something short to keep everyone busy for a few minutes!

Bella’s day seemed to be going really wrong in this story, but with a little bit of imagination she was able to see the good in things! The art that goes along with the book is absolutely STUNNING. It’s full of bright and fun colours and is super imaginative! The illustrator deserves a lot of props for how beautiful the pictures were! I’d pick up the book just for the artwork, but the added theme makes it an absolute must read and recommendation from this reviewer!

Overall, I thought this book was oh so sweet! If you are having trouble deciding what book to read, you should definitely pick this one! I can’t give it enough praises! Sophie Carmen has done an excellent job with this little book!

Five out of five stars!

I found this book via BookBub!

 

Check out this book on:

Goodreads – Bella’s Very Wonderful Day

Amazon.com – Bella’s Very Wonderful Day

Amazon.ca – Bella’s Very Wonderful Day

 

Find more books by the author Sophie Carmen on Goodreads!
Or check out more books by the illustrator Fuuji Takashi on Goodreads!

 

If you enjoyed this review, check out another book you might enjoy! #BooKReview Hercufleas by Sam Gayton

Also give me a shout out on Twitter if you read this review, and tell me what else you’d like to see on this blog! #briarsreviews @ReviewAlholic

#BookReview Goodnight, Swampy the Little Monster by Ellie J. Woods

 

Goodnight, Swampy the Little Monster is an adorable picture book full of colourful art!

I loved the colour contrasting in this book! For me, having adorable pictures with bright, exciting colours if a must for a children’s book! The oranges and blues really hit me, which I appreciated! Having Swampy be a light green was also a nice addition that contrasted the orange background.

I also really enjoyed the fact that some pages were just pictures showing the story. For me, I can see those pages being talking points with parents and children together. I would have loved to use this book for reading buddy time back in grade school to be able to use it for teaching experiences! Overall, I think the art and storyline are super adorable and work really well together!

There is rhyming involved in this book, and if you’re not a stickler for perfect rhymes then you’ll be fine with this book. I can see little kids loving the cute rhyming scheme and singing along with it. There are points in the sentences where the number of syllables didn’t match, but it doesn’t take away from the book.

The story itself is how Swampy gets ready for bed. I think it’s a lovely story and has lots of room for conversation with children. It’s fun, rhymes and has good themeing. It didn’t switch it’s theme halfway, and works really well!

Overall, this book is super cute! I’d definitely put this book on a child’s bookshelf or recommend my local libraries and schools pick it up!

Five out of five stars!

I managed to score this book via BookBub!

 

Check out this book on:

Goodreads – Swampy

Amazon.com – Swampy

Amazon.ca – Swampy

Check out Ellie J. Woods on Goodreads! https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16733954.Ellie_J_Woods

 

If you enjoyed this review, check out another book you might enjoy! #BooKReview Hercufleas by Sam Gayton

Comment below – what is your favourite children’s novel?

And while you’re at it, give me a shout out on Twitter if you read this review! @ReviewAlholic

 

Photo from Goodreads.

#BookReview Poison by Punctuation by Kelley Kaye

 

This sequel is another thrilling yet cozy mystery that is set in the halls of a high school!

We continue on in this book with Emma and Leslie in yet another pickle. This time around, a student was murdered! The suspense is excellent in this story – I felt myself being pulled in even farther into the story as each page went by. It really hooks the reader and makes them feel committed! Throw in some A grade comedy, fantastic character development and lots of education allusions and you’ve got one epic book!

These two sleuths are basically the adult versions of Nancy Drew! The wittiness and cuteness of this book makes it the perfect relaxation novel. I also found it to be the perfect binging novel (although you could easily put this book down and jump back into it). It’s also a G to PG rated book – there’s nothing graphic or overly worrisome. Teens and adults alike will easily be able to read and enjoy this book!

It was a real delight seeing Emma and Leslie and their fantastic chemistry together again! The two of them make the perfect best friends for a fun, cozy story! I can almost feel them radiating their positivity off the pages! And on top of that, they are hilarious! I also have a strong love for the secondary characters as well! The other teachers are all interesting and truly characters.

Hunter was a real breakout character for me. I loved seeing more of him in this novel and I hope in any future books he’s hanging around more!

I loved all the quotations between the chapters – that’s one major part of this series that raises it above all the others! The Shakespeare quotes always get me! I love it!

My final comment – I loved that adoption became a big part of this book. The awareness of adoption, while out there, isn’t spoken about enough (in my honest opinion). Thank you Kelley for expanding the conversation!

Kelley Kaye is the Queen of cozy, comedic mysteries! I will definitely be looking for more books by her and I highly recommend picking up this must read novel!

Four out of five stars!

I received a free copy of this novel from the author Kelley Kaye in exchange for an honest review.

 

Check out this book on:

Goodreads – Poison by Punctuation

Youtube – Book Trailer – Poison by Punctuation

Amazon.com – Poison by Punctuation

Amazon.ca – Poison by Punctuation

 

Check out the first book in this series, Death by Diploma, on:

Goodreads – Death by Diploma

Youtube – Book Trailer – Death by Diploma

Amazon.com – Death by Diploma

Amazon.ca – Death by Diploma

Find out more about Kelley Kaye on:

Goodreads – Kelley Kaye or Goodreads – Kelley Kaye #2

YouTube – Kelley Kaye

http://www.kelleykaybowles.com/

Twitter – @KelKay1202

Facebook – Kelley Kaye

 

If you read this review, give me a shout out on Twitter! @ReviewAlholic

#BookReview Single Chicas by Sandra C. Lopez

 

Single Chicas by Sandra C. Lopez is a fabulous anthology full of heart warming, heart breaking and funny stories about latina women!

This is one of those gems you don’t find too often – a series of stories that you can relate to, even if it’s not about you. The collection ranges from stories about a brother getting married and changing, to a woman trying to figure out why she wasn’t “perfect” enough since her boyfriend dumped her, to a studious girl nicknamed “Virgin Mary” as a joke. The stories tell many different views of a woman’s life, and it was just so fantastic! Even when I couldn’t relate fully to one of the story’s, it felt like it matched many of my friends.

I highly recommend this collection! The stories are short yet sweet, and can easily be binged or taken one piece at a time. It’s a feel good series of stories that make will make you proud to be a woman (or know strong women)!

My favourite was definitely the first story, where the sister is wondering why Benny (her brother, Benito) is marrying a girl he barely knows. It feels like the relationship could be not only siblings, but when you question a close friend’s choicest since you know them so well.

All of the stories ranged from a 3 star to a 5 star rating (the ones I related to obviously being higher) but they all were fabulously written and a delight to read. I was never bored and never wanted to put the book down! There were definitely some Latina/Latino themes within this book, and I think they were addressed well! I don’t fit into that community, but reading the stories gave me a real insight into some of the traditions (and sometimes issues) that come from their lives. Seeing the rebellion and the changes in the women was relatable even if you aren’t in that community. I think it approaches the themes in a mature fashion, and it’s easy to read, relate to and understand.

You’ll want to pick up this series if you like – comedy, a splash of romance, drama, women’s fiction, or general fiction. The stories are rather sweet and thoughtful, and won’t bring your day down at all. I highly recommend it, and it is a definite must read in my mind!

Five out of five stars! I will definitely be on the lookout for more books and pieces of work by Sandra C. Lopez in the future!

I received a free copy of this book from the author Sandra C. Lopez in exchange for an honest review.

 

Check out this book on:

Goodreads – Single Chicas

Amazon.com – Single Chicas

Amazon.ca – Single Chicas

Check out Sandra C. Lopez on:

Goodreads – Sandra C. Lopez

Sandra-Lopez.com

 

Comment below – have you read this book yet? Do you plan too?
And give me a shout out on Twitter if you read this post! #BriarsReviews @ReviewAlholic

 

Photo from Goodreads.