Thursday, February 28, 2013

Goodnight Baseball




Goodnight Baseball is written by Michael Dahl  and Illustrated by Christina Forshay. It is created in partnership with Sports Illustrated Kids. 

This book is very cute. It goes through a baseball game as a young fan would see it and wraps up nicely leaving your child ready for bed. I think the pictures are beautiful, the book is easy to read and follow and the whole thing is  very calming. I would definitely buy this for my son and I recommend it to anyone with a young boy or baseball fan! 

Review from my Five year old son-"That was a really funny book and the moon was a baseball! That was even funnier!"

*** I was given this book by the publisher in exchange for an open and honest review***

Sweetheart In High Heels



Sweetheart In High Heels by Gemma Halliday

This is a short story that only took me 39 minutes to read. It surrounds Valentine's Day and is an easy read.

Very cute story and I can see the story line being a true frustration for a lot of couples (lack of time, work getting in the way, ect) but there really was no mystery for me. I knew who did it very early on and there was no twist or surprise. That being said, I still liked it.

This IS part of a series and I think I will go back and start with number one and read them in order so I can fully understand all the characters and events.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Notorious Nineteen



Janet Evanovich is back once again with Notorious Nineteen.

This book was not her best work but I still loved every minute of it. I laughed hard at all of the Tiki scenes and enjoyed all of the regular characters plus there were even a few returning characters.

Ranger and Morelli both played big parts in this book and I am still torn between the two.

I personally think this series is best read in order. You can easily pick up any one of the books and not be too lost because she does give you the basic information but to really get the characters and all their quirks, it is best to start with One For The Money and go through them in order.

So now that I have caught up on this series, does anyone want to share their thoughts on it? Which book was your favorite? Least favorite? Would you read another one?

The Cats On Ben Yehuda Street



The Cats On Ben Yehuda Street by Ann Redisch Stampler and Illustrated by Francesca Carabelli

This book is a romance book for kids! Follow this older couple as they are brought together by a love of cats.

This book was a little tough to read and was a little long for my son, but overall, we thought it was a cute book and perfect for any cat lover out there. The pictures were done nicely and it is a great story line.

Review from by five year old son- "This book is cute cuz it has lots of cats and they look cool."

***This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an open, honest review***

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Daniel For Lunch



Daniel For Lunch, the Tasty Tale of Daniel in the Lion's Den by Kelly Pulley is a great book. I recommend it to kids of all ages. The illustrations are outstanding, the story is written well and is fun to read! The lions are not scary or intimidating so it is great even for the younger children.

I personally loved how the words flowed. It was almost song like to me and I found myself really getting into it.

Review from my five year old son- "I like this book and the lions did not even eat Daniel!"

****This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*****

Giggle, Giggle, Quack



Giggle, Giggle, Quack by Doreen Cronin, Pictures by Betsy Lewin

Farmer Brown goes on vacation and leaves instructions  for his brother Bob on how to take care of the animals. There is a quirky duck who knows how to write so he writes his own instructions for Bob. So thanks the the duck, the animals get pizza, the ducks get a bath and so on. Then Farmer Brown finds out what has been going on.

This book is very funny and silly. The pictures really bring it all together and make this a great story! I recommend this children's book to anyone who likes to be silly and laugh!

Review from my five year old son- "I like this book alot because the duck is funny. He holds the pencil in his mouth and writes silly notes!"

Monday, February 25, 2013

Explosive Eighteen



Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich is not one of her best books but I still did enjoy the read. There is some confusion about Stephanie's trip to Hawaii and what happened there I feel like we are missing some pieces but maybe she will fill us in in book number nineteen.

That being said, there were still quite a few funny parts that had me laughing. Lula is always funny to me and I love reading about these two ladies chasing after the ad guys and how they catch them (it is never easy).

So, now that we have gotten almost all the way through the series (I will begin reading number 19 next), who is your favorite character?  Think all the way back through all the books, which person is the best and most memorable to you?

Friday, February 22, 2013

Good Night Devos For Little Boys



Good Night Devos, 365 Bedtime Devotions For Little Boys

This book has VERY short and to the point devotions that are perfect for a young boy. I can easily expand on the day if I need to and the lessons are relevant to his life. This book has been right on with what he needs to hear that day from making better decisions to ending your day with God.

I am VERY glad I found this book. It has really changed our lives and gives us a great topic every night to bring us closer to God!

Review from my five year old-"I do not like that there are no pictures in this book but I like to read about God everyday!"

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Smokin' Seventeen



Dead bodies keep showing up and somehow Stephanie is involved. Time to shake things up in Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich.

Welcome Vordo. If you do not know what I am talking about, then trust me, you want to read this book! There are some majorly sexy, hot, incredible, steamy scenes in this  book. Who with, you ask? Well, you will have to read it to find out, I am not gonna tell you!!!!

To me, the Vordo made this book. I have never laughed so hard while reading a book in my life. People kept looking at me because I could not help it, I was laughing out loud!!!! This was a great read that is perfect to escape into!

Monday, February 18, 2013

The Biggest And Toughest



The Biggest and Toughest, the short story of David's Big Faith by Kelly Pulley
This book had AMAZING illustrations. Very bright and sharp. The story was good, though this version is a little harsh for the younger children in my opinion but overall I thought it was a great telling of this popular Bible story. 

Review from my five year old son-"It was a little scary but only a little. The pictures were really cool and I liked looking at them."

*****I was given this book by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review******

Sizzling Sixteen



Vinnie is in trouble and needs Stephanie, Lula and Connie to help him! Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich is hilarious, non stop action. This book intrigued me from the moment I picked it up and kept my attention all the way through.

I personally love how Ranger is always there. Something happens and he is there. He has Stephanie's car tracked and always knows where she is. This makes it easy for him to find her, protect her and just show up behind her which makes me laugh every time. I especially love when she blows up a car and he shows up laughing.

Have you ever thought about how you would react to a man like that who tracks your every move? Would you love it or hate it? Would you feel like you have no privacy or would you feel cherished? Would you feel betrayed or protected?

Friday, February 15, 2013

My Trip To The Hospital



My Trip To The Hospital by Mercer Mayer

This Little Critter book is just as cute as the rest of the series. Follow the Little Critter as he gets hurt playing soccer, rides in an ambulance to the hospital, takes x-rays, gets a cast and learns to walk with crutches. He is brave and does not give up! What a great role model!!!

The pictures are colorful and stand out! It is easy to follow this book!

Review from my five year old son- "This book is awesome! He gets to ride in an ambulance and did you know that there is a mouse and spider on every page that you have to find?"

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Finger Lickin' Fifteen



Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich is finger lickin' good!

Lula witnesses a murder and we all know how dramatic she is so this is a book you will WANT to read just based on that one fact alone!

I know alot of people want Stephanie to grow up, but personally, I love her just the way she is! She can not easily catch a bad guy, she can not make a decision on the men in her life (lets face it, if we were in her situation, we would not be able to make that decision either!) Her life is not perfect and I for one, am tired of reading about these people with their perfect little lives! I hope Stephanie does NOT change!

Lula is a hot mess in this book as usual and I love her for it. Her outrageous outfits, constant eating and witty remarks make her an amazing character. This book does not change that and that makes me a happy reader!

Monday, February 11, 2013

Fearless Fourteen



Janet Evanovich made a great comeback with Fearless Fourteen in my opinion.

Stephanie is torn between Ranger and Morelli, both are pulling for her attention. Morelli has lurkers around his house, breaking it, digging up his basement and causing chaos. Ranger wants Stephanie to do some overnight work for him (I feel faint).

This is a must read for all of the Stephanie Plum fans. After reading this book, I would like to re-post a previous question........ Ranger or Morelli? Mysterious or stable?

I think I am more of a Ranger fan now. I DO love Morelli, but he is almost too stable for me, I need a little excitement and mystery. What about you? What are your thoughts?

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Fox In Socks



Yes, I do realize that everyone knows who Dr. Seuss is and we all know about his books but this book is special to me so I wanted to share it with you. Fox in Socks is the very first book that my son read all by himself. We had never read it before but it was on our shelf. He pulled it down and started to read it by himself!

Now, he read it slowly as he stumbled over the words and as an adult, I found it harder to read as it is a big tongue twister but it IS a fun read and I had my son laughing at me as I tried to read all the way through. Alot of made up words that fit together to make reading fun!

Review from my five year old son-"This is a funny book and I laugh at the pictures and how funny my mommy reads it!"

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Lean Mean Thirteen



Janet Evanovich is back with Lean Mean Thirteen.

In this book Stephanie has to confront her ex-husband and well.....lets just say, they get off on the wrong foot and that sets the scene for the book.

Joyce is back and of course is stirring up trouble, Lula, Connie, Grandma, Ranger and Morelli are all here.

While this was not my favorite of the Stephanie Plum series, I still found it funny and entertaining and worth the read. I am looking forward to Fearless Fourteen.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Twelve Sharp



Ranger NEEDS Stephanie! Hello?! This has no choice but to be a GREAT book!!!!Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich is funny, and full of twists! You will be shocked, excited and on edge from the moment you pick up this book.

Secrets are reveled that will blow your mind, catch you off guard and keep you wanting more.

Morelli is jealous of Ranger and Stephanie gets put in the middle of these two men (I think I  may be drooling).

Lula, grandma and Sally keep the comedy going and the outfit changes.......well, you will have to read it to believe it!

This has been my favorite book! I love all the action and amazing descriptions!

Friday, February 1, 2013

Go Diego Go, Antarctic Adventure



What little boy does NOT like Diego? My son and I just read the book, Go Diego Go, Antarctic Adventure by Sarah Albee and illustrated by Alex Maher.

This book has alot of great information about Emperor Penguins but it is not overwhelming to a young child. It is easy for a child to read this book but there are quite a few words on the page so it is harder for a beginning reader.

Diego helps the Penguin, showing great life skills that every child should learn (helping others), there is a little Spanish and some great illustrations. This was a wonderful book!

Review from my five year old- "I love Diego. He goes on an adventure and gets to play with penguins and he even gets to help them!!"