Book Reviews
I didn't read all of these books by month, but I did get around to writing them up in the month that they are posted.
May 2023
Dear Star Baby by Malcolm Newsome
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a wonderful book about a difficult topic!
Loss of a pregnancy is difficult for adults, and explaining it to a child is always hard. This book could be a great help for those children who wonder what happened to their unborn sibling.
The illustrations in this book are wonderful and go well with the story.
I recommend this book highly.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I picked this up because multiple people recommended it to me. I am so glad that I listened to them and read this! What a wonderful, well-written story!
I loved that we got a peek into the life of a female scientist over several decades. The way she lived her life probably wasn't so unusual for the times, and I felt we got to know her well during the course of the story.
I highly recommend this book.
My Brother's Best Friends by Rebel Bloom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I picked this up as a Kindle Unlimited choice.
It was a fun, easy read and I enjoyed the journey to the end of the story. It was fun watching how the characters interacted with each other to come to a compromise.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys this type of book.
Cheetahs: Fun Facts About Cheetahs by Arnie Lightning
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I picked this up as a Kindle Unlimited choice.
It was a run of the mill facts book for children. It was entertaining, but nothing I really needed to know. It was fine for a child to read.
I would recommend it for a child who might be interested in learning about cheetahs. There is nothing too in-depth about this book, though.
My Best Friend's Triplet Brothers by Rebel Bloom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I picked this up on Kindle Unlimited on a whim.
I knew where the story was going from the beginning, but I enjoyed the journey getting there.
This was an easy, quick read and I would recommend it to those who like this type of book.
The Second Life of Mirielle West by Amanda Skenandore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I heard the author speak on a panel, and it intrigued me to read the book. I am so glad that I did. It was well-written and well-researched.
I really enjoyed this story, and I learned a lot about Hansen's disease as the story progressed. Well done!
I recommend this story highly.
Teddy's Day: On a Bearish Adventure Through Everyday Life by Peter N. Liptak
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I got this book in order to write an honest review.
The book goes through a bear's daily adventures. It seems to me that the author tried to put too much into the book. It touches upon colors and at some points, I felt that the bear was going to get into some kind of trouble and start an adventure. The book just never feels like it really settles on what it wants to be about.
The illustrations were interesting and fun.
This books wouldn't be high on my list of recommended books. It was just OK.
Spelling for Kids: An Interactive Vocabulary and Spelling Workbook for Kids Ages 5-13 by Bukky Ekine-Ogunlana
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I received a copy of this book to write an honest review. I did not, however, receive the audio that is mentioned in the text. I think that the book would have more value to a new reader/speller with an audio component or with a teacher, parent, or tutor to help guide them along.
The spot where the student should be writing is very small.
I do think that the information in the book is worth giving to a new speller, but the way it has been presented should be changed a little.
The Nuts: Bedtime at the Nut House by Eric Litwin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a cute little story about misbehaving nuts who are supposed to be in bed.
This would be a great bedtime story with its adorable, wonderful illustrations that go beautifully with the words.
I definitely recommend this book!
The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I picked this up because of a friend's recommendation. I loved it!
I found it amazing that so many books were discussed, but not one spoiler was given! I was familiar with most of them, so I was paying attention and looking for a spoiler, but none was given.
I would have given this 5 stars, but I only wanted to bump it up from 4 stars toward the end. The ending made the whole book worth reading.
The list of books discussed here was an amazingly perfect list. Loved it!
1000 Fun Facts for Immature Adults: Random Trivia and Weird Truths You Should Know Vol. 1 by Bryan Spektor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I got this book in order to write an honest review.
I love random facts and useless information, so this book was right up my alley! There was something for everyone in this book.
I recommend this book for short reading sessions, since there are so many sections to choose from.
The Make-Up Test by Jenny L. Howe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I read this just for fun. It was a cute story and, as usual with romances, we knew how it would end. The fun is finding how we get there.
The book kept me interested for the majority of the story. It had its ups and downs, but those are to be expected.
I recommend this book as a fun read.
Revamped: A Vampire Comedy by Shirley Goldberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I received a copy of this book in order to write an honest review.
I enjoyed the story, but it took a while to get off the ground. I had suspicions about what was happening, but it wasn't confirmed for a while.
I noted at the end of the story that it was part of a series, but I don't seem to see the other books that are in the series, nor do I know what number in the series this is.
I do recommend the book.
Shadecraft #4 by Joe Henderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have loved this series so far. My only complaint is that each volume ends with the reader wanting more.
