Erik over at This Kids Reviews Books posted a fantastic review on the fractured fairy tale Little Dead Riding Hood by Amie and Bethanie Borst.
Category: Book Reviews
Talon, Come Fly with Me By Gigi Sedlmayer
TALON, COME FLY WITH ME by Gigi Sedlmayer is a wonderful and inspirational story for adults and children alike. It is the tender story of a girls love for the mighty condor, a vulture and nearly extinct. Matica, who because of a genetic disorder is, at age ten, no bigger than a two year old. She lives in Peru and the Indians there fear her and refuse to allow their children to play with her. Without friends and only her four-year brother as a playmate, Matica befriends two condors who eventually give her their egg to protect, nurture and eventually take care of the young hatchling to protect it from poachers.
This beautifully written story deals with disability and the fear of differences as perceived by others and a young girl’s love and devotion to the condors. At times you will laugh, but you will always be amazed. The book is the first in a series of heartwarming adventures.
I loved that Sedlmayer wove information about the condors into her story. While reading TALON, COME FLY WITH ME, I learned a lot about condors that I would never have known otherwise. Though the main character is a female, the book is not gender specific in that Matica could just as easily been a boy. It is certainly appropriate for people of all ages, but I heartily recommend it to the 9-12-year-old readers.
To learn more about the author
Author’s blog – Talon, Family Book Series
Blogspot – Talon
Facebook pages – Gisela Sedlmayer or Talon
Twitter – @GigiSedlmayer
Goodreads – Profile Page
Amazon Author Page – Gigi Sedlmayer
To buy TALON, COME FLY WITH ME
Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, Books-a-Million, Indie Bound, iBooks, Indigo, Google Books, Alibris, AbeBooks.com
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Update from Josie
Whoa! Did you say I’m one year old today! No way!
It has been a busy year for me. Being born was hard work, but here I am one year later – a big girl! My Grammie posted photos from my younger days on earlier posts, but she’s dropped the ball lately and hasn’t posted anymore pictures in a long time. I will try to bring you up to date.
Let’s start with April. I had my baptism at a really old church where someone named George Washington used to go. Mommy and Daddy had a party for me before we went to church. There were lots of family and friends there.
This is me with my Godparents and parents. Uncle Todd (Daddy’s brother), Daddy, Me, Mommy, Aunt Stephanie (Mommy’s sister)
The next day was Easter so my cousin Mallory and I got to visit the Easter Bunny.
Sometimes in spring it was really warm so I could go out without a jacket, like on this day when I went hiking with my daddy.
Other times I had to be bundled up.
In May, we moved clear across the country to Oregon because my Daddy is a Lieutenant in the Coast Guard and that was where they sent him. On our way from Virginia to Oregon we stopped in Ohio to visit our family.
We also stopped at some pretty interesting places along the way to Oregon.
Mt. Rushmore
Badlands National Park
Yellowstone National Park
A gondola ride over Spokane Falls
In June we came home to Ohio for my aunt’s wedding. This was the first time I rode on a plane.
Daddy had a cheese Coney when we got to Cincinnati. I tried to get his cheese, and as you can see I succeeded.
I got to stay at Grammie and Grampie’s a lot because Mommy and Daddy were in the wedding and had a lot to do. We had lots of fun! I was so happy to see Grammie, I just had to give her a big kiss.
Shopping with Daddy at The Home Depot is okay, but I’d rather shop for toys.
I got all dressed up in my red, white, and blue for the 4th of July.
Mommy and Daddy took me to a parade and a clown gave me a big red nose.
I have a dog named Riley. She is a good dog. I really love her, but she thinks I’m a pest. I just want to love on her and share toys with her. I even share my food with her. When Daddy’s ship comes in, my Riley dog and I have lots of fun with Daddy.
When Daddy puts my toys together, I get to help him! I’m a very good helper.
I love to go to the beach and play in the sand. Sometimes I even eat it…
Or fall face first in it…
Where we live now, I have a playroom. My mom cleans it up and puts all my toys away. Silly Mommy, doesn’t she know I’m going to take them all out again?
Daddy couldn’t be here for my birthday, but my cousin Brynn, Aunt Stephanie and my MawMaw and PawPaw came to help me celebrate.
Birthdays are fun, but are stressful too!
Brynn and I had fun together and even dressed alike.
I’m ready for cake! How about you?
Happy Birthday Josie! Grammie Loves YOU!
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NEST By Esther Ehrlich
Naomi Orenstein (known as Chirp because she loves watching birds and can tell you just about anything about them) and Joey Morell live across the street from each other. Joey has two older brothers who have bad reputations, and Naomi is afraid of them and a bit afraid of Joey, even though they are in the same grade. They are as different as night and day, or so they think. But as the story unfolds, they have a lot in common. They are very bright students, and they both live under difficult circumstances.
This is a story of tragedy, hardship, love, and friendship. It is about a camaraderie born of trust and a need to connect with someone who understands. The plot and characters are both well crafted. The characters are true to life. Chirp and Joey could easily be the kids down the street.
When I first started reading Nest, I wasn’t sure it was going to be a book I would enjoy. As I got to know Chirp, I found I wanted to know more about her, why she and Joey seemed to have a connection, and how Chirp, with Joey’s friendship, learned to come to terms with the way life had changed for all in the Orenstein household. It was a book I couldn’t put down.
Nest is for ages 8-12, but I would recommend it to anyone age 8 – adult. It deals with some tough subjects such as illness, death, and abuse, and the unlikely bond of friendship that was formed by two children living under different circumstances. It is a heartwarming and unforgettable story.
I was given this ARC by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
To find out more about the author visit
Web page – Esther Ehrlich Author
Facebook – Esther Ehrlich, Author page
Twitter – @EstherEhrlich
Goodreads – Esther Ehrlich page
Buy the book on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Indie Bound, iBookstore, Random House
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Sunflowers for Tina
Sunflowers for Tina Downey
In remembrance of a wonderful person and a fellow blogger.
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WHAT I THOUGHT I KNEW By Alice Eve Cohen
Alice Eve Cohen’s memoir is honest, deeply moving, and at times humorous. At age 44, Alice is happy with the way her life is going. Divorced, she has found Mr. Right and is headed down the path to marriage. Her adopted daughter is thriving, and her career as a storyteller and performer is flourishing. What more could she want? She was settled into the life she wanted when suddenly she started experiencing mysterious symptoms. After a visit to her gynecologist, the doctor told her she was going through menopause. She had a hard belly and eventually after x-rays and months of other tests, she had a CAT scan. Her diagnosis was a shock. She was six months pregnant, was a DES daughter who would undoubtedly deliver her baby early, and she had no prenatal care up to now. She had been on medications and there was a possibility the baby would be born with problems.
How could she be pregnant? All these months the doctors had been telling her she was depressed, menopausal, anemic, preoccupied with the possibility of having cancer, and she was supposedly infertile. She was high risk and no doctor wanted to take her on as a patient because of the six months she had no prenatal care.
Alice considers all of her options, openly and honestly. She is genuine and straightforward and doesn’t hesitate to describe exactly how difficult it was for her to make the decision she did concerning her baby. It is hard to talk about her story without giving too much away so I will leave it here. It is a book you won’t want to put down. I recommend this as a five-star book.
To learn more about Alice Eve Cohen visit
Her webpage – Alice Eve Cohen
Facebook – Alice Eve Cohen Page
Twitter – @AliceEveCohen
Goodreads – Alice Eve Cohen
To buy WHAT I THOUGHT I KNEW
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powells, BooksAMillion, or your favorite local bookstore
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In Rhapsody
Here is another amazing and beautiful poem by my friend Morgan over on BooknVolume.
In Rhapsody, like Diamonds
Glittering in the Waning Light of Day,
Time does Sparkle and Scintillate
In Your Presence,
While the Hours Shift,
And Midnight turns,
The Palest Moon and Transcending stars,
Ask only for Your Smile,
Like a Rhapsody of Diamonds.
.
~Morgan~
.
.
.
Beautiful Photograph found on Pinterest. Credit Acknowledged to the Amazing Original Photographer.
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No One Could Have Guessed the Weather by Anne-Marie Casey
NO ONE COULD HAVE GUESSED THE WEATHER had its good points and bad. I loved the story of the four women and the friendships they formed while they juggled the responsibilities of work, home, children, and the difficulties those duties encompassed. While Lucy struggles at first with the down-sizing of every aspect of her life, she is the one who is the strongest character. Julia, who is stressed out to the point of leaving home and family, works hard at figuring out how to make her life less demanding. Christy is a trophy wife to a much older man and has everything, but yet is not really happy with her marriage. Her husband uses his money to control her. Christy was definitely the weakest character. Robyn just works at getting by day by day, and becomes stronger with time. The link among these women is the commonality of their situations; the problems they face individually are the same.
There was a lot of time spent developing the characters, which I normally love. However, Casey didn’t get into the plot until half way through the book. I kept waiting for the four women to connect and it just didn’t happen soon enough for me. I love reading and rarely find a book I don’t like, but I struggled to finish this one. I give this one three stars.
Find more about the author on
Webpage Anne-Marie Casey
Facebook Anne-Marie Casey, author
Goodreads Anne-Marie Casey
Buy NO ONE COULD HAVE GUESSED THE WEATHER
Your favorite local bookstore
I received this book from Library Thing Early Reviewers in exchange for an honest review.
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The Meryl Streep Movie Club by Mia March
THE MERYL STREEP MOVIE CLUB, debut novel by Mia March is the story of a family who think it is all they can do to tolerate each other during Thanksgiving and Christmas, the only times they get together. When Aunt Lolly decides to call everyone home for an important announcement, sisters Isabel and June, their cousin Kat, and Aunt Lolly discover that their misconceptions about each other are just that. You will be amazed at the artful way the author brings the characters to life, as they discover themselves and come together as a loving family discussing each Meryl Streep movie’s message on movie night. I much prefer to read than to watch a movie, so I wasn’t sure this book was for me. I’ve only seen one Meryl Streep movie (“Out of Africa”) and couldn’t imagine how those movies could form the basis for the book. I was astounded! I had it all wrong. They didn’t form the basis for the story, they enriched it. This was truly an enjoyable read. Check it out!
Find out more about Mia March.
FaceBook author page Mia March
Twitter @March_Mia
Goodreads Mia March
Buy THE MERYL STREEP MOVIE CLUB
Your favorite local bookstore
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Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio
On May 2, 1933 Seattle is blanketed with an unexpected snow, a blackberry winter. Single mother Vera Ray rushes home from the night shift to wake three-year-old Daniel only to find him missing. She finds his teddy bear in the snow, but no clue to what happened to him or where he might be. A desperate and grieving Vera searches in vain to find her son.
Turn the calendar forward to present day Seattle. Once again on May 2nd, Seattle awakens to an unexpected heavy snowstorm. Reporter Claire Aldridge is given an assignment by her boss at the Seattle Herald to cover this blackberry winter as well as the earlier one. While investigating the earlier storm, Claire learns of Daniel’s abduction and is determined to solve this mystery. What Claire never expected to find was a connection to Vera.
The story of BLACKBERRY WINTER by Sarah Jio is well-thought out with a plot that will hold your interest from beginning to end. The present is woven intricately with the past, blending two stories into one. The characters were true-to-life. This is definitely a book for your “must read” list. It is a quick read, but don’t hurry through it. You’ll want to savor each and every page.
More about Sarah Jio and her books can be found at:
Webpage Sarah Jio
FaceBook author page Sarah Jio, Author
Twitter @sarahjio
Goodreads Sarah Jio
Instagram sarahjio
You can buy BLACKBERRY WINTER at:
Or at your favorite local bookstore
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