Book Review: The Wish and the Peacock by Wendy S. Swore

Book Description:

Paige's favorite family tradition on the farm is the annual bonfire where everyone tosses in a stone and makes a wish. This time, Paige's specific wish is one she's not sure can come true: Don't let Mom and Grandpa sell the farm.

When Paige's younger brother finds a wounded peacock in the barn, Paige is sure it's a sign that if she can keep the bird safe, she'll keep the farm safe too. Peacocks, after all, are known to be fierce protectors of territory and family.

With determination and hard work, Paige tries to prove she can save the farm on her own, but when a real estate agent stakes a "For Sale" sign at the end of the driveway and threatens everything Paige loves, she calls on her younger brother and her best friends, Mateo and Kimana, to help battle this new menace. They may not have street smarts, but they have plenty of farm smarts, and some city lady who's scared of spiders should be easy enough to drive away.

But even as the peacock gets healthier, the strain of holding all the pieces of Paige's world together gets harder. Faced with a choice between home and family, she risks everything to make her wish come true, including the one thing that scares her the most: letting the farm go.

Rorie's Review:

If you think that this is a simple book, geared towards younger kids, you will be wrong. Yes, this is probably geared towards a younger audience, but it is a perfect read for adults as well. I was immediately caught up in Paige's story, and honestly, was kind of in awe of how much she knew how to do. I did not grow up on a farm, and I am extremely lacking in most of the skills she has mastered at 12 years of age.

My heart ached for her whole family, but especially for Paige. When her dad died, she came to the conclusion that it was completely her responsibility to keep the farm running and pretty much gave up the rest of her life to do so. I admired her grit, but just wanted to give her childhood back to her.

The storyline has a pretty heavy theme, but it's written in such a way that it's not too much of a downer - although in some parts tissues are highly recommended. I hope that I can get my kids to read this book, because it is such a great story.

Tarah's Review:

Right away I was pulled in by the cover. I like the bright colors and the happy feel of the cover. It does feel like a middle grade cover, and since that's who it's marketed towards it really hits the mark there. However, I struggled the whole book with the main characters age. I didn't feel like a lot of it was believable at age 12. Not the farm chores, I think she could have done all those, or the pranks, those were definitely the appropriate age, but the way she thinks and describes things. All of that would have been more believable if she had been in high school.

The pacing of the book was really slow. It wasn't until over halfway through that things began to really happen. I think that pacing might be kinda hard for a middle grader reading this book.

All that being said, it's a very touching story, and I cried multiple times. Make sure you have a box of tissues with you when you read.

Andrea's Review:

I really enjoyed Wendy Swore’s book, A Monster Like Me, so I was excited when I heard she had a new book coming out. When The Wish and the Peacock arrived I was a little hesitant to read it. The cover wasn't very appealing to me (although I think it would probably really appeal to its young target audience), and the focus on the peacock wasn't grabbing me. However, once I took the time to sit down and read the story I enjoyed it.

I really felt for Paige as the death of her father added a huge weight to her shoulders. She felt his loss deeply, and even felt guilt for not being there to help prevent his accident. She tried to keep up with a lot of the farm work on her own, and that meant giving up on her childhood. Her maturity was well beyond her years. When she learned that her mom was going to sell the farm it was devastating and she, her younger brother and a couple of friends did what they could to sabotage the sale.

There's a lot of emotion included throughout the book, and I cried several times. The first part moved a little slowly for me, but things picked up for the second half, and I really liked the happy ending. I'd recommend this to my kids.


Title: The Wish and the Peacock
Author: Wendy S. Swore
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Published: February 2020
ISBN: 1629726087
Source: Advanced reader copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are our own.

Purchase: Amazon | Deseret Book

Blog Tour: The Christmas Doll by Jason F. Wright

The Christmas Doll by Jason F. Wright

Illustrated by Howard Lyon

Book Description:

Christmas is fast approaching, but in the Saxton home, there is no money for gifts. Could there still be something special for Gail underneath the tree?

In The Christmas Doll, best-selling author Jason F. Wright shares a true story from the life of Gail Saxton Miller, billionaire businesswoman and owner of the Utah Jazz NBA team. But Gail's childhood was vastly different from her life now—facing poverty in the 1940s, the Saxton family made ends meet by turning their small home into rental apartments and made do with hand-me-downs and secondhand items.

However, their humble circumstances didn't stop the Saxtons from being rich in what mattered most: self-less acts of love, the rewards of a job well done, and the hope and renewal we can feel through Jesus Christ. All of these lessons come together at Christmastime, when Gail learns of love and sacrifice through a single, precious gift.

The Christmas Doll teaches a wise lesson about the true meaning of the holiday. Christmas isn't just about beautiful decorations or shiny, expensive gifts; it's about the miracle of Jesus to make old things new, revitalize our lives, and bring out the best in humankind to care for another.

Review:

The Christmas Doll tells a wonderful message about the renewal that Jesus Christ gives to each of us. We can be healed and the broken can be fixed. This message of second chances is told by sharing Gail Saxton Miller's story of when she was a young girl and she received a beautiful doll for Christmas. She treasured the doll and never went without her. But, as the year went on the doll became quite worn and eventually was relegated to the shelf. Due to love and care from a family friend, Gail was surprised with a refurbished doll (that she later learned was her cherished doll). Not only is the message a wonderful and timely one, but the illustrations are exquisite.

About the Author:

Jason F. Wright is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today best-selling author, creator, and speaker. His work has appeared in over 100 newspapers, magazines, and websites across the United States, including the Washington Times, the Chicago Tribune, Forbes, CNN.com and FoxNews.com. Jason and his wife, Kodi live in Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley. They have two girls, two boys, and a 110-pound Goldendoodle named Pilgrim who thinks he’s a lapdog.

About the Illustrator:

Howard Lyon was born and raised in Mesa, Arizona. He has studied art in Italy, France, and most recently at the Grand Central Academy in New York. Over the past twenty years, he has worked in the video game industry as an art director, concept artist, and freelance illustrator. Howard and his wife and three children live in Utah.

Title: The Christmas Doll
Author: Jason F. Wright
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Published: October 2019
ISBN: 1629726117
Source: Review copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

Purchase: Amazon | Deseret Book | Barnes & Noble | BAM | Indie Bound

Book Review: Paul, Big, and Small by David Glen Robb

Paul, Big, and Small by David Glen Robb

Book Description:

Paul Adams has always been short, but he’s an excellent rock climber. And his small size means he can hide from the bullies that prowl the halls of his high school.

Top on his list of “People to Avoid” are Conor, from his Language Arts class, Hunter, who hangs around the climbing gym, and Lily Small, who happens to be the tallest girl in school. But he might be able to be friends with a new kid from Hawaii who insists that everyone call him “Big.” He’s got a way of bringing everyone into his circle and finding the beauty in even the worst of situations.

When the three of them—Paul, Big, and Small—are assigned to the same group project, they form an unlikely friendship. And Paul realizes that maybe Lily isn’t so bad after all. He might even actually like her. And maybe even more than like her.

Paul and Lily team up for a rock-climbing competition, but when Lily is diagnosed with leukemia, Paul ends up with Conor on his team. And when Paul learns that Conor is dealing with bullies of his own—as well as some deep emotional pain—he realizes that the bullying in his school has got to stop.

Paul, Big, and Small is about the turbulent, emotional lives of young adults who are struggling with life’s challenges openly and sometimes in secret.

Rorie's Review:

Wow. Just...wow. If you're looking for a book that will make an impact, this is the one. Before I was even halfway finished with this story, I knew my older two kids needed to read it. Really, everyone needs to read it. Having been bullied to some extent in my middle and high school years, I could relate a bit to the misery that was high school for Paul. I completely understood the feelings of just wanting to be invisible and not draw attention to yourself. This story gives you all the feels and then some. There is more than one story going on and the author really makes you think about the situations that are happening in a different way. Kind of an uncomfortable way, to be honest. 

I LOVED Big. His character made me smile every time he was present. The world would be such a better place if we had more Bigs and less Hunters in it. 

I highly recommend this story.

Andrea's Review: 

I really enjoyed Paul, Big, and Small, and encouraged my kids to read it. Not only is it well-written, but the messages are important for all ages. The bullying aspect was hard to read, but it's so important to know that everyone is fighting their own battles. We don't know what most people are going through and kindness goes a long way.

My favorite character was Big. I loved his cheerful, friendly attitude, and aspire to be more like him. He truly was the sunshine to those around him.

I liked the rock climbing aspect of the story. I've done a little climbing, and have friends and loved ones who are really into it. It was heartwarming to see the confidence it gave Paul. We each have something we are good at, and it was wonderful to read about how Paul didn't need to be tall or strong to succeed at climbing.

I also have friends and loved ones who are very short, and was able to connect to Paul and understand some his struggles.

I saw the other day that the audio book is available and I started listening to it. It's a great book to re-read or listen to multiple times. I highly recommend this book.

Tarah's Review:

Once I dove into this story it was really hard to put it down and focus on other things. It's very insightful and thought-provoking. It broke my heart how Paul felt he had to be invisible, and being noticed made everything worse. I loved how the author brought in the aspect of putting people in boxes and judging them before knowing them at all. I think we all tend to do this to some extent and really, we should all be like Big and look for the beauty around us. I'm intensely curious as to Big's backstory. I appreciated Paul's dad, and his insights. I was shocked when he told Paul he needed to apologize to Small. What a wonderful way to handle that situation. Which brings up the point that none of us are perfect, and even if, in our mind, we think we are right, we should still think about our impact on other people.

It also hit home to me how much of a difference good friends can make in a life. My kids have dealt with this, and it was a part of the story that I could really relate too. After reading this it made me really recommit to being nice to others, and thinking before I speak to or about others. This is definitely a book I want my children to read and really act on.
 
Kember's Review:

I really liked this book. I liked how almost any one could relate to this book. You really come to know the characters and feel what they are feeling. One thing I really liked was how they rock climbed. I like this because with in all the hard stuff going on they found something that made them happy. Or with Big, he focused on the beautiful stuff in life. I wish more people could see the good in today's world. I like this story because it taught me how important good friends are. They can help you or hurt you. I will most definitely read this book again. I would recommend this book if you are starting Jr. High or middle school. Or any one else who wants to read a good book.


Title: Paul, Big, and Small
Author: David Glen Robb
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Published: October 2019
ISBN: 1629726028
Source: Review copies from the publisher. All opinions expressed are our own.

Purchase: Amazon | Deseret Book

Blog Tour: Dragonwatch: Master of the Phantom Isle by Brandon Mull

Dragonwatch: Master of the Phantom Isle by Brandon Mull

Book Description:

Cursed by the Key of Forgetting, Seth has lost all memory of his past—his relationships, his experiences, and who he really is. For now he will align with his new mentor, Ronodin, the dark unicorn, who takes him to the Phantom Isle, the secret gateway to the Under Realm. Though Seth is not formally a prisoner, Ronodin wants to use him and his shadow charmer powers for his own dark ends. 

Kendra is frantic to find her missing brother, but the quest will take her and her companions, including Warren, Tanu, and Vanessa, far from Wyrmroost to Crescent Lagoon—a recently fallen dragon sanctuary made up of many islands and underwater domains. Its caretaker has regained a foothold on one of the islands. If Kendra and her friends can save that sanctuary, they might uncover the answers they need to rescue Seth. 

With each sanctuary the dragons overthrow, Celebrant, the Dragon King, comes closer to the dawn of a new Age of Dragons. With the forces of darkness on the march, can Kendra and her allies gather enough power to win the epic dragon war?

Braden's Review: (age 11)

I really liked it because it was awesome and amazing I really like the details of the story and the 
storyline. I have wondered what would become of Seth after Wrath Of The Dragon King. I loved
Mull’s imagination and all the twists and turns. It is definitely another inspiring novel.


Joey's Review: (age 14)

Brandon Mull returns to Fablehaven with a sequel that's wandering yet still sure to please fans with familiar characters, nods to early adventures, and new thrills among the dragons of Wyrmroost. I think he really nailed the “not knowing anything about your past part of the story for Seth. Although the “find another treasure to save everyone” story line is getting a bit repetitive.

Caden (age 12) review:

It's finally here! And the 3rd book of Dragonwatch is one of the best. Brandon Mull, as usual, has a story to tell. He can accurately portray the characters emotions especially in the Phantom Isle. He shows the confusion of Seth and the split of emotions for Kendra between her duty as a caretaker and as a sister to Seth.

It was good to see some old faces (especially Calvin, he's my favorite), and some new ones also. I enjoyed how there never was a boring part and the entire story was action-filled and kept moving.


I would definitely recommend it and will be reading it again myself too!

Tarah's Review:

I echo Caden's review, and will just add, that since it has been quite awhile since I read the 1st and 2nd book, I was a little lost with the characters. There are so many of them, and I just had a hard time remembering who they all were and what they had done in previous books. It didn't really take away my enjoyment, but I will admit I was puzzled some of the time.
 
Collin's Review:

I have been looking forward to reading the third book in the Dragonwatch series for a very long time.  Dragonwatch: Master of the Phantom Isle picks right up where the last book left off.  I did need to refresh my memory on what happened in the previous book before I could get started on this one, as it has been too long for my brain to remember all that happened in the last book.

Brandon Mull always tells a good story. There is always lots of action and unexpected things happening in each of his stories. This story was very good. My son sat down and read it in one sitting, turning page after page until he finished the whole thing. I also enjoyed reading it, though to me it felt as if the character development of each of the new characters we met could have been done better. I felt that Seth, Kendra, Knox, and Tessa passed each of the challenges they faced too easily this time. Many of their friends and protectors sacrificed a lot to help them, even though in some cases they had just met them. It may have just been the mood I have been in as I read it (I have been under a bit of stress at work, so wasn't as focused on the story as I probably would have been at other times) I still recommend it, however, as Brandon Mull is a great story teller. I love to read about the different mythological places and creatures that I haven never heard of before. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I can't wait to see how Seth, Kendra, Knox, and Tessa and the others they work to solve the problems they still need to overcome.

About the Author: 

Brandon Mull is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Fablehaven, Beyonders, and Five Kingdoms series. A kinetic thinker, Brandon enjoys bouncy balls, squeezable stress toys, and popping bubble wrap. He lives in Utah in a happy little valley near the mouth of a canyon with his four children and a dog named Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Brandon loves meeting his readers and hearing about their experiences with his books.

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Title: Dragonwatch: Master of the Phantom Isle
Author: Brandon Mull
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Published: October 2019
ISBN: 1629726044
Source: Review copies from the publisher. All opinions expressed are our own.

Purchase: Amazon | Deseret Book

Blog Tour: A Monster Like Me by Wendy S. Swore

A Monster Like Me by Wendy S. Swore

Book Description:

There are trolls, goblins, and witches. Which kind of monster is Sophie?

Sophie is a monster expert. Thanks to her Big Book of Monsters and her vivid imagination, Sophie can identify the monsters in her school and neighborhood. Clearly, the bullies are trolls and goblins. Her nice neighbor must be a good witch, and Sophie’s new best friend is obviously a fairy. But what about Sophie? She’s convinced she is definitely a monster because of the “monster mark” on her face. At least that’s what she calls it. The doctors call it a blood tumor. Sophie tries to hide it but it covers almost half her face. And if she’s a monster on the outside, then she must be a monster on the inside, too.

Being the new kid at school is hard. Being called a monster is even harder. Sophie knows that it’s only a matter of time before the other kids, the doctors, and even her mom figure it out. And then her mom will probably leave — just like her dad did.

Because who would want to live with a real monster?

Inspired by real events in the author’s life, A Monster Like Me teaches the importance of believing in oneself, accepting change, and the power of friendship.

Rorie's Review:

Everyone needs to read this book. Young, old, in-between, everyone. There is so much that we can all learn from the characters in this story. I laughed, I cried - both happy and sad tears, I was heartbroken and filled with joy. I know I'm completely gushing, but that's just how good this book was. Sophie's life as a "monster" was so hard to read about, especially when the bullying came to a head. I felt her despair and ached for her. Despite all the bad, I could see how many people she had that loved her and saw past the mark on her face. 

Aside from the story being really good, I enjoyed all of the excerpts from The Book of Monsters that we got to read at the beginning of each chapter. These excerpts had a lot of valuable life lessons in them as well. 

This is definitely a keeper and one that I will encourage all of my kids to read.

Andrea's Review:

I was drawn in right away and really felt for Sophie, especially regarding the situation in the grocery store. And, reading that those words were what really happened to the author made it even worse. 

There were several touching moments where the reader got to witness the best in people, and the worst in others (the bullies at school). It was eye opening to get a glimpse into one of the bully’s home lives to understand a little better about why he was probably acting the way he was.

The messages about kindness and how our actions, not our appearance, are what makes us a monster or not were wonderful. 

I didn’t notice that the book said how old Sophie was. Some things made me think she was in middle school but then other things (like her very active imagination) made her seem younger. Her obsession with monsters actually became a bit much for me, but I think the intended audience would probably really enjoy that.

The story left things hanging a bit at the end, but enough is implied that it gives the reader a happy ending. It is definitely worth the read and one I'd like my kids to read.

Tarah's Review:

Another great Middle Grade read that everyone should read, but make sure you have some tissues with you! I know the bulk of this story is about bullying, and about believing in yourself, but the part I loved most was about Autumn. It really struck me how friendly she was, and how accepting. Maybe we should all take that lesson to heart more than anything. Especially since her life wasn't all roses either. She was going through some pretty hard times, but was happy, patient with others, helpful and friendly. When my kids read this, that is the lesson I want them to take away. Life is going to be hard, and sometimes it isn't going to go how you want it to, but you have a choice about how you respond to your trials and those people around you. 

All of the minor characters made for a great read. I didn't love that Sophie immediately classified everyone and put them in a little box and then refused to let them be something different, but we definitely do that in our own lives, don't we?

This was a good read that really makes you think.

Title: A Monster Like Me
Author: Wendy S. Swore
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Published: March 2019
ISBN: 1629725552
Source: I received an eCopy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase: Amazon | Deseret Book   

Blog Tour: Just in Time: The Rescue Begins in Delaware by Cheri Pray Earl & Carol Lynch Williams

Just in Time: The Rescue Begins in Delaware

by Cheri Pray Earl & Carol Lynch Williams

Book Description: 

Dover, Delaware 1776: George and Gracie need to rescue their parents. Instead they find themselves time-traveling into the middle of the American Revolution. Not only that, but one of the twins changes into an animal with each time travel. This time Gracie is a horse. They end up helping Caesar Rodney make his famous ride into Philadelphia to vote “yes” for the Declaration of Independence. But time is running out to rescue their parents. 

Review:

This book is perfect for elementary school age readers. In fact, the story reminded me a lot of The Magic Treehouse series, and all of my kids loved them when they were in 1st-3rd grade. As it is written for younger readers, this is a very quick read.

This is the first book in the series, and we get introduced to George and Gracie and their somewhat eccentric grandpa. We find out what happened to their parents, and they get to work together back in history to help solve a problem. I wish there had been a bit more backstory and detail, but then again, I have to remind myself this book is written for children, and all of that stuff really doesn't work for a kid's book.

I think my kids would really like this series, and if I can get my hands on a hard copy, I'd love to let them read it. I especially like how they get to learn a bit about history while being entertained by the crazy shenanigans that George and Gracie get involved in.

About the Authors: 

Cheri Pray Earl graduated with her master's degree in creative writing from Brigham Young University (BYU) in 1995 and has taught creative writing and literature courses for the BYU Honors Program and the English Department for more than 25 years. She was awarded BYU Honors Professor of the Year in 2005 which she brags about every chance she gets. Cheri writes the middle-grade novel series, Just In Time, with Carol Lynch Williams and published a non-fiction children’s book for American Girl in 2009, co-authored with the late Rick Walton. But in real life she writes young adult and adult novels. She won her first real writing contest, the Utah Original Writing Competition, in 1994 for her YA novel, Flat Like Me, and took Honorable Mention in 1997 for her YA novel, The Swan. She’s currently working on an adult mystery novel and a contemporary adult novel. Cheri’s most recent children’s book, Mr. Dietsche, is a middle-grade novel based on her childhood in Dodge City, Kansas that her agent, Steve Fraser from JDLIT, is this very minute shopping around. That’s Secret Agent Steve. See more of Cheri's stories at dustingforfingerprints.wordpress.com

Carol Lynch Williams is the author of more than 30 books for middle grade and young adult readers. Her novels include The Chosen One, Never that Far, Messenger and Never Said. Her most recent book is the novelization of the movie Once I Was a Beehive. Carol has an MFA from Vermont College in Writing for Children and Young Adults and teaches creative writing at BYU. She runs Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers, a week-long writing conference for the not-faint-of-heart writer (www.wifyr.com). As well she is a mentor for those who want to write for kids and teens. Her best creative effort, however, are her five daughters.

Tour Dates:

Feb 18: Bloggin' Bout Books/Peggy Urry Writer
Feb 19: Min Reads and Reviews
Feb 20: LDS Writer Mom
Feb 21: My Book a Day
Feb 22: Literary Time Out / The Bibliophile Files

Giveaway
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Title: Just in Time: The Rescue Begins in Delaware
Author: Cheri Pray Earl & Carol Lynch Williams
Publisher: Mirror Press
Published: February 2019
ISBN: B07ML8WJBD
Source: I received an e-copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase: Amazon

Blog Tour: Westly: A Spider's Tale by Bryan Beus

Westly: A Spider's Tale by Bryan Beus

Book Description:

This is tale of a caterpillar named Westly who is destined to be a Monarch butterfly and the next king of the butterfly kingdom. But sometimes things don't turn out the way we plan. When Westly emerges from his cocoon he is nothing like he expected. As a spider he must rediscover who he is. Adopted by the "dirt eaters," Westly is determined to make a difference. He is determined to belong, to be loved, and most importantly, to become who he was born to be.

Review:

I've enjoyed reading Westly: A Spider's Tale with my eight-year-old. It's not unusual for him to try to get me to read a lot more than one page to his one page, but I was happy to see that with this book, he stopped me if I kept reading when it was his turn. Although the title, cover, and book blurb give away that Westly is not a butterfly, Westly not knowing what he really was pulled my son into the story.

There aren't a lot of illustrations, but the few that are sprinkled throughout the book are great.

I really like the messages found in the book. Westly started out sure of who he was, but he used his position to put himself above others, and get out of work. The other caterpillars revered him as the prince, so his downfall was sad in a way, but it really made him into a much better bug.

About the Author/Illustrator:

Bryan Beus – which rhymes with Zeus – is the winner of the Kirchoff/Wohlberg Award from The New York Society of Illustrators. He works full time as an illustrator for magazines, book covers, film and game conceptual art, and more. When not writing and drawing, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Amanda, mindful meditation, drinking root beer floats, and eating far too many Sour Patch Watermelons. Westly is his debut novel.

Website

Title: Westly: A Spider's Tale
Author: Bryan Beus
Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing
Published: September 2015
ISBN: 1629720682
Source: I received copy from the publisher in exchange for a review.

Purchase: Amazon | Deseret Book

Blog Tour: Curse of the Broomstaff (Janitors #3) by Tyler Whitesides

Tour Schedule

Book Description:

A secret society of Janitors with wizard-like powers continue their battle, and now, the stakes are even higher. The Bureau of Educational Maintenance is after Alan Zumbro and this time they mean business - deadly business. Spencer, Daisy, and their little team of rebels must find the source of all magical Glop and destroy it before it can destroy the world as we know it. No small task with the BEM and their monster toxites at their heels. It's a wild and dangerous ride as they follow the trail of clues all the way to the hiding place of the mysterious aurans: guardians of a secret landfill. What they discover there will change the way Spencer sees himself, not to mention the fate of the rebels.

Book Review:

Have I mentioned my love for Juvenile Fiction? I must has mentioned it a time or two. This whole Janitor series gets me excited to read these three books to my kids. They might be a little young for it, but I think I'm going to try anyway. All of the books are clean and fun.

Curse of the Broomstaff has Spencer discovering new abilities, reforming old friendships, making new allies, and having to deal with his germaphobia in the middle of a landfill, and bathroom, and lunchroom. Daisy stays sweet but a little less naive and more deadly with her cleaning supplies.  I have a harder time relating to Spencer because I'm not a 12 year old boy (don't get me wrong, he's a great character, it just that...well, I'm not a boy, and I honestly think young boys are weird) but Daisy, she's a character that just makes me smile. While people may make fun of her and ignore her and her random thoughts, I think she's got things figured out pretty well. She definitely knows what it takes to be a loyal friend.

It doesn't seem to be the final book in the series like I thought it would be, so the problem is I now have to wait for the next book to come out...sigh. But if you are looking for good books for your kids to read, or if you are like me and just enjoy Juvenile Fiction, then this is a great series for you to try out.

About the Author:

Tyler Whitesides worked as a janitor at an elementary school to put himself through college. He graduated with a degree in music. In addition to writing novels, Tyler is an avid composer and arranger of instrumental music. He is married to his lovely wife, Connie, who teaches third grade.

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Title: Curse of the Broomstaff (Janitors #3)
Author: Tyler Whitesides
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Published: September 2013
ISBN: 1609076052
FTC FYI: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase: Amazon | Kindle | Deseret Book 

Princess Academy: Palace of Stone

Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was very excited when I saw the ARC for the sequel to Princess Academy on NetGalley. Sadly, I didn't enjoy Palace of Stone as much as its predecessor. Miri and her friends were still great, but the bulk of the story moved along at a snail's pace for me. The new challenges they found living in the palace just didn't excite me like their struggles in the first book. The characters also didn't seem as deep. Perhaps re-reading Princess Academy would have helped.

Overall it was a good story, but it didn't live up to my expectations.