👶👶👶👶: In the Lives of Puppets, by TJ Klune

Oh, TJ Klune, your talent is absolutely incomparable! WHAT AN IMAGINATION👏👏👏!!!

Mr. Klune never ceases to captivate me with his wonderfully whimsical worlds! He cobbles together the most endearing characters in the most peculiar worlds. And he always manages to convey an important message about humanity. This particular novel focuses on the significance of family and the importance of keeping those you love close by. I sang "We're in this love together" in my head the whole time I was reading this one! But if Al Jarreau isn't your jam, then I'd recommend "The Power of Love"! You're welcome😜!

This Pinocchio retelling was also fascinating because it takes place in a post-apocalyptic society where the robots have taken over...

You can always count on Klune to easily transport readers, grab them by the heartstrings, and never let go! His quirky casts will stay with you long after the last page is turned. 

I will add that this book had more adult themes than his previous two, just as a heads up!

"𝑵𝒐 𝒄𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒛𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆. 𝑰𝒕 𝒔𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂 𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒏, 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒚, 𝒂 𝒅𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆."

Many thanks to partner, @torbooks for this #gifted copy! What a joy to read another novel by this incredibly talented author!

Read 4/25/23

👶👶👶👶👶: Feather and Flame, by Livia Blackburne

 

🎉𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙋𝙔 𝙋𝙐𝘽 𝘿𝘼𝙔 𝙇𝙄𝙑𝙄𝘼 𝘽𝙇𝘼𝘾𝙆𝘽𝙐𝙍𝙉𝙀!🎉

𝘍𝘌𝘈𝘛𝘏𝘌𝘙 𝘈𝘕𝘋 𝘍𝘓𝘈𝘔𝘌, 𝘉𝘠 𝘓𝘐𝘝𝘐𝘈 𝘉𝘓𝘈𝘊𝘒𝘉𝘜𝘙𝘕𝘌

𝘗𝘜𝘉 𝘋𝘈𝘠: 𝙏𝙊𝘿𝘼𝙔, 6/14/22

Well, for those of you that have followed me a while, you probably know I am a Disney FANATIC!!! So, as soon as I got wind of the fact that a sequel to Mulan was coming out, I was all over it!

Well, Livia Blackburne did NOT disappoint! This novel lured me in from the first sentence, "𝐴 𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑝 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑟'𝑠 𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑘. 𝐼𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑓𝑙𝑦 𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑝 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑢𝑛𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑒𝑑 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑎 𝑣𝑖𝑔𝑜𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑠𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑟𝑚 𝑗𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑠𝑒."

That gives you just a glimpse of the imagery you're in for when you pick up this fabulous book! I don't know if Ms. Blackburn was hand-picked by Disney to write the sequel, but I was sure impressed!

The story picks up after Mulan has saved China, and has settled down training a group of female warriors. She is suddenly beckoned by the emperor and a familiar face accompanies her on the journey. From there, she embarks on another adventure that is filled with action, suspense, and excitement as she ascends in power. It's full of girl power from the get-go and I just loved it! Throw in a little Disney romance, and I'm sold!

I just hope they make this into a movie sequel too; what fun that would be! Now, I must read the first book in The Queen's Council series, Rebel Rose, about none other than, Belle🌹!

Many thanks to Disney Books and NetGalley for gifting me with this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review😊!

Read 6/15/2022

👶👶👶👶: Our Little World, by Karen Winn

What a moving debut novel by author Karen Winn. I don't usually gravitate toward fictional crime dramas (especially ones involving a child), but when the publisher reached out saying the protagonist, Bee, would capture my heart, I just couldn't resist. And boy was she right. Bee was such a captivating character, as was her sister, Audrina, and I felt every emotion right along with her. Throw in the 80s setting, the sisterly bond, and the coming-of-age uncertainties, and this novel was a definite win.

@kbookwriter did an incredible job in allowing the reader to experience the palpable fear of the community, and the genuine angst of the teenagers in the story. And despite having to put the novel down a few times because of the chaos of life, the story was SO vivid that I never forgot the characters or the situation they were in when I had to put it down. In other words, it was deeply affecting.

There was more to the narrative than just the overarching tragic mystery. The author delves into the themes of sibling rivalry, family dynamics, survivor's guilt, and the angst that children of immigrants experience (of which I have first-hand knowledge).

This one is definitely worth your time, my friends!

Many thanks to Dutton Books, Penguin Random House, and Net Galley for gifting me with this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Read 6/10/22

👶👶👶: The Lowering Days, by Gregory Brown

What an ethereal novel. If ever you're looking for a book to make you contemplate life and ponder your place in the world, this is the one. All at once life affirming and melancholy, this novel examines old wounds and new heartbreak, mistakes made and bonds formed along the way. It explores the human condition in its many diverse forms.

And wow, can Gregory Brown write! His words are lyrical and profound and allow the reader to envision the landscape with ease. Honestly, it's hard to believe this is his debut novel. Although it was somewhat depressing, I never felt like putting this one down. It sticks with you and makes you aware of the natural world around you; it makes you grateful for all your people as well. It also brings to light so many social issues and wrongs that our nation has imposed upon our native people.

I'm so grateful to @harperperennial and their #oliveinfluencer program for surprising me with this gorgeous novel! I had no idea it was headed my way!

Read 4/9/22

👶👶👶👶: Making Faces, by Amy Harmon

📚♥️Review and Rave♥️📚

🌷What can I say that hasn't been said before about Amy Harmon? I'm sure I've mentioned that she is a master with words. I'm convinced I've told you she'll break your heart with her stories, only to make you stronger and more alive by then end. I'm positive I've expressed the fact that she understands the human spirit unlike any author I've ever read. Oh, and as I've likely remarked, she is so incredibly talented and writes SO MANY different genres.

📚Well, this novel is no exception. In this beautiful coming-of-age story, the reader embarks on a moving journey that at times enrages, sometimes enlightens, and more often than not entrances. She is able to touch on difficult topics with grace and ease, never making the reader overly uncomfortable, but showing the boundless possibilities of leading with love.

🔥Amy has allowed me to enjoy genres I would never normally pick up: romance (without the bawdy salacious overtones), fantasy (without an extreme suspension of disbelief), YA (without condescending implications), and mythology (without eye-rolling surrealism). To put it simply, she just gets it. She understands how to lure in her readers, how to create just the right amount of tension, and where to draw the line.

♥️So, I want to thank you Amy, for sharing your amazing talent with us. We are ever so grateful and are certainly better for it♥️.

Read 2/11/21

👶👶👶: The Hated Ones, by Mike Fiorito

This novel is unlike any I've ever read. It reads like a non-fiction account of a young man growing up in the Projects in Queens. It is so raw and real, but it is indeed a fictionalized account - an "every street kid" kind of novel. The writing is beguiling from the very first short story. With his all-encompassing writing, Fiorito pulls no punches and let's his readers know from the beginning:

"𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑶𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒌𝒊𝒅𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒗𝒖𝒍𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒇𝒊𝒍𝒕𝒉𝒚, 𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒕, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒔𝒕. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒆𝒔. 𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑶𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒆."

It is so far from what I normally read, and yet I was fully immersed. It is a story of hope - a coming-of-age story in a world where the odds are stacked against the protagonist. And ultimately, it is a story of redemption.

I am duly impressed @mike3fio ! Thank you for sharing your talent.

Many thanks to TLC Book Tours for including me in this tour and to Mike Fiorito and Bordighera Press.

⚠️crude language, racist attitudes, drug use, sexual content

Read 1/16/21

👶👶👶👶: Lightning Strike, by William Kent Krueger

🎉🎉𝑯𝑨𝑷𝑷𝒀 𝑩𝑶𝑶𝑲 𝑩𝑰𝑹𝑻𝑯𝑫𝑨𝒀!!!🎉🎉!!!

💯𝑊𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑚 𝐾𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝐾𝑟𝑢𝑒𝑔𝑒𝑟 has quickly risen to the top of my must-read authors list. A master storyteller, Krueger lures his readers in with his lyrical descriptions and imaginative narratives.

✔His newest novel is no exception... a mosaic of cozy mystery, historical fiction, and coming-of-age adventure - this one has it all! I was intrigued from the get-go as I followed young Corcoran O'Connor through the winding road to his discovery alongside his dad. With a motley cast of characters, this novel moved along at a quick clip and had some unexpected surprises en route. I appreciated that there was plenty to throw me off the scent and each time I had someone pegged, I turned out to be wrong.

🤷‍♀️I must admit, I'm not much of a cozy mystery reader, but now, thanks to Mr. Krueger, I can certainly understand the lure. To boot, I learned quite a bit about the Indian Relocation Act of 1956 and what it did to the Native American Community... so incredibly tragic.

😲I honestly had no idea this was a prequel to his 17-book series until I just looked it up on Amazon to review! All I knew was that I was so taken with 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑇𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝐿𝑎𝑛𝑑, that I was beyond thrilled when Atria Books gifted me with this Advance Reader's Edition. Thank you so much!

Read 8/24/21

👶👶👶👶: The People We Keep, by Allison Larkin

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗪𝗲 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽, by Allison Larkin was such a surprise to me. I'm generally not a huge fan of this type of fiction, but somehow, this raw, heartrending narrative grabbed me and just wouldn't let go. April was such a wounded, beautiful little bird and I couldn't help but root for her from the get-go. Of course, that didn't keep me from getting incredibly irritated with her decisions along the way.

Ms. Larkin has done a tremendous job of creating a protagonist that was both strong and incredibly unsteady - a product of her unfortunate upbringing. Larkin leads her readers on a roller coaster of emotions, creating endearing characters that stay with you long after the final page is turned.

So, if you're looking for a novel that is as compelling as it is disheartening, charming as it is frustrating - this is the one for you. It will leave with a feeling of gratitude for your loved ones, along with a desire to run and hug your most treasured family and friends.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for gifting me with this advanced reader's copy!!!

Read 8/3/2021

👶👶👶👶: The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones, by Daven McQueen

Well it took me long enough to pick up this gem! It came highly recommended by a Bookstagram friend and was so kindly gifted to me by another Booksta buddy!

And what a wonderful novel it was. I absolutely fell in love with the sweet friendship formed when Juniper Jones sees beyond the color line of mid-1950s Alabama, and decides to take Ethan, a biracial young man, under her wing.

A true friendship forms against all odds as they share countless adventures together in the summer of 1955. With endearing characters in the spirit of love and acceptance, this one will be sure to capture your heart.

Read 6/15/21

👶👶👶👶: Monster, by Walter Dean Myers

WOW. WOW. WOW. That is how I feel after having read and then watched Monster, by Walter Dean Myers. I am so psyched that I was given the opportunity to pre-screen this new @netflixfilm . A MILLION thanks to @booksparks for this amazing opportunity!

📖First off, the book, albeit super short, was absolutely profound. It hit my Mama heart hard. It's an easy read (I finished it in a couple of hours), but it will absolutely make you think about how life can change in the blink of an eye, especially for our youngsters😢.

🎬The Netflix adaptation was absolutely EXQUISITE! It was actually co-produced by John Legend, which immediately caught my attention. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time - honestly, just as nervous as can be. Kelvin Harrison, Jr. absolutely killed it in his role as 16-year-old Steve Harmon, a young man that is in the midst of this life-altering situation. And Jennifer Hudson who played his mother, was so incredibly formidable. I felt her emotion right alongside her. Jeffrey Wright, who played his father, was also incredible 👏!

Read 5/5/21

👶👶👶: Have You Seen Luis Velez?, by Catherine Ryan Hyde

This is the third book I've read by Catherine Ryan Hyde; this one was chosen for our book club. If I'm honest, the stories Hyde writes are always saccharin sweet and have plenty of sentimental value but seem to lack profundity. She often tackles hot-button topics - this story revolves around an instance of police brutality and systemic racism. In my opinion, such topics demand depth and discernment because of the sheer gravity of the situations.

Suffice to say, Ms. Hyde's messages are always solid and it is evident through her writing that she has a heart of gold. She persistently writes feel-good stories that don't require a lot of thought, but make readers' hearts swell nonetheless.

You can check out more of my reviews on mamasgottaread.blogspot.com or follow me on Instagram @mamasgottaread .

Read 3/4/21

👶👶👶: Cormorant Lake, by Faith Merino

Faith Merino is a truly skilled writer that has the ability to conjure vivid imagery. Her debut novel certainly has several "things that make you go hmmm...", but it was compelling and moved along at a rather fast clip. The story and setting were melancholy and somewhat dark as the deeply flawed characters were put in unforeseen situations. Their impulsiveness constantly kept me guessing about what would happen next.

I'll admit, I struggled with several decisions made by the individuals, but at the same time, there was the understanding that this was all they knew. This knowledge allowed for some grace.

Overall, this was a solid debut that hits shelves February 2nd.

Many thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for gifting me with this early review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Read 1/29/21 

👶👶👶👶👶 This Is How It Always Is, by Laurie Frankel

You know the books that give you a full understanding of something you could never quite grasp before? The ones that unravel a complicated matter, and lay it before you in such a way that your eyes are opened to new ways of seeing things? Well, this is one such book for me. Laurie Frankel wowed me with her thoughtful, beautifully-rendered novel about Claude, the youngest of 5 brothers who expresses from a young age that he wants to be a girl. Frankel opened my eyes and allowed me to consider a situation so far out of my experience, that it seemed inconsequential. From my limited perspective, I judged and perhaps even condemned something I knew so little about.

That, to me, is the joy of books. They open the world to us from the comfort of our very own homes. Where would we be without the authors that tell these important stories?

I am better for having read this novel, because it gave me more empathy; it challenged my preconceived notions; it made me recognize my judgmental nature. The characters were so real, so raw, so powerful. Not only was Poppy compelling, but her parents handled the entire situation so well.

It's a difficult thing, sometimes, to accept situations outside our norm. But personally, I think it's so important to, at the very least, try to understand where others are coming from. I've said before, I strongly believe that we weren't put on this earth to judge others. So the only way to avoid doing so is to listen and learn from one another or to just pick up a good book and inform ourselves.

"This is how it always is. You have to make these huge decisions on behalf of your kid, this tiny human whose fate and future is entirely in your hands. Who trusts you to know what's good and right and then to be able to make that happen. You never have enough information. You don't get to see the future. And if you screw up - if with your incomplete, contradictory information you make the wrong call - nothing less than your child's entire future and happiness is at stake. It's impossible. It's heartbreaking. It's maddening.But there's no alternative."

Read 10/17/20 

👶👶👶👶👶 Running Barefoot, by Amy Harmon

Just when I thought I could not be surprised by Amy Harmon's talent, she blows my mind yet again! It is unfathomable that this exquisitely talented writer can write within SO MANY genres and each of her novels is an absolute masterpiece!

It's probably no surprise to many of you that I am generally not a big romance fan. If I'm honest, the romance novels I've tried have ended up feeling contrived and either too gushy or too steamy. However, this sweet romance was just perfection. It is a beautiful coming of age love story, with depth that spans many years, and allows the reader to grow right along with the characters. It is beautifully rendered, and brought me right back to my own days of young love.

Ms. Harmon's characters are so genuine, so palpable, so relatable, that by book's end, the reader feels as though they've known them for a lifetime. Samuel is such a formidable character, and the dynamic between him and Josie is just magnificent.

So, my friends, even if you're not a romance fan, do yourself a favor and read this loveliness... because it just has so much depth and beauty. I promise, you won't be sorry you picked it up.

Read 10/23/20