The Snowman's Revenge, a review

I recently had the chance to review the children's book "The Snowman's Revenge" by Mark Smythe. It tells the story of a snowy day where the children are kept home from school and they take the opportunity to build a snowman. At the end of the day they go into the warm house, and the snowman decideds he wants revenge because they left him out in the cold.

This was a really cute story that I enjoyed reading with my children. The illistrations were very colorful and captivating, and the story taught a lesson about revenge. My 6 year old has read the book numerous times, and he said he thinks it is funny!

Grade: A

Book was given to me to review from the Cadence Group

Nick of Time, a book

I just finished reading "Nick of Time (A Bug Man Novel)" by Tim Downs. This book is about Nick Polchak, the bug man. He is all set to marry his fiance in a week, and he decides to go to a meeting of the Vidocq society in a faraway city where he is drawn into a murder mystery that could keep him away from his wedding....

This is the first Bug Man novel that I have ever read, so I felt like I was pulled into the middle of a story. That being said, I really enjoyed the story and the characters. I am encouraged to check out the first books at the library. I am a fan of murder mystery type books, and this book was on the lighter end of the spectrum as far as murder goes. A very enjoyable read.

B

This book was given to me by the publisher, Thomas Nelson, to review.

The Soldier's Wife, a book

Wow, what a powerful book. When I received this book to review, I put it to the side as I had a few other books to read first. When I finally made my way to this book, I could not put it down. What a compelling story! The book follows the story of a woman who lives on the Isle of Guersney during WWII. She has 2 daughters and her mother in law to look after while her husband is away fighting in the war. I don't want to give too much away in explination, but just trust me when I say that this is a great love story, and also a tearful tale.

The woman in this book is such a strong character. She is a person that I would like to think I would be like in such a hard time. She does everything possible to protect her children from the horrors of war, and at the same time finds compassion for all people. I would say this is a must read!

A+

The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy was given to me to review from the publisher, Hyperion.

The Keeper of Lost Causes, a book

I recently read the book “The Keepers of the Lost Cause” by Jussi Adler-Olsen. It is a story about a detective that had a traumatic event recently where he is shot. He is having issues dealing with the event, and has not much interest at work when he returns. His boss creates a position for him, at the request of the government, forming a new department for special cases that have been unsolved for some time. He has an interesting assistant as well. We follow the story as he starts to take interest in a case.

I really enjoyed this book. The story was very intriguing, and it really pulls the reader in. The characters are easy to identify with, and you take a genuine interest in the outcome of the case. It is told by two separate characters, but it takes awhile to understand who the other perspective is coming from. It is a really interesting story. If you liked “The Girl Who” stories, this is certainly the book for you.

I was given an electronic copy of the book to review from the publisher, Penguin, through the NetGalley website.

Angel Song, a review

I am not going to spend much time on this book because I had a very difficult time reading it to the end. I found the book to be pretty dull and ordinary, and while I loved the idea behind the book, I didn't think the book followed through. The idea was that an angel was helping a woman through a tough time with a song.

I was given this book to review from Thomas Publishing.

Long Gone, A book review

This is a story about Alice, who is the daughter of rich and famous parents and is trying to make a life for herself without her family's money or influence. She is offered a job as a art gallery manager. She thinks that this is almost too good to be true, and it turns out that the case. Her new boss is found murdered, and she is the prime suspect. As the story progresses, we find out that things are not as they seem.

This is the typical murder mystery, and sometimes that is just the kind of book that you want to read. It is a well written story with an intricate plot and interesting characters.

I would recommend reading this book to those who enjoy a good mystery full of twists and things you wouldn't expect.

This book was given to me in electronic form to review from netGalley by the publishers HarperCollins.

House Divided, a book review

House Divided was a great drama set in Washington DC about scandal and cover-ups in the government. It all started when a murder is being investigated by local police, and the FBI step in to take over the case. From there we follow the winding tale of several intelligence agencies and what happens when people follow their own rules...

This was a very entertaining book with several characters that make you wonder if they are with the good guys or playing for the other team. It also deals with several issues in current events, such as warrant less wire tapping.

I would recommend this book to anyone that is interested in crime mysteries as it will certainly make you think and leave you unable to put the book down! Will be looking for more books from Mike Lawson.

This book was given to me electronically to review from netGalley for the publisher Grove/Atlantic Inc.