Category Archives: Book Review and Content

Review and Author Interview: Jacqueline by Jackie Minniti

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Anaiah Press Blog Tour for Jacqueline by Jackie Minniti

 Jacqueline by Jackie MinnitiJacqueline
Jackie Minniti
Anaiah Press

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

When Jacqueline and her mother receive news that her father, a French soldier in World War II has been shot down, she refuses to give up hope that he’ll return home. She studies hard, prays to the saint in the book her father gave her, and visits the train yard where wounded prisoners arrive. As the Nazis who occupy her small French town begin to remove local Jews from the neighborhood, Jacqueline and her mother hide a boy in their home. Soon the Americans come to liberate France from German control, and … Continue reading →

Review: Protector by Jennifer Tubbiolo

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Protector by Jennifer TubbioloProtector (The Narthex Academy Series, Book 3)
Jennifer L. Tubbiolo
Relevant Pages Press

Amazon | Goodreads

The last thing Asher Haynes expects is to be drawn into another battle for his life. But when servants of the Dark Prince show up in Charleston looking for a powerful artifact, Asher finds himself caught in the center of the conflict. If the Dark Prince finds the artifact and his servants use it, they will unlock terrible power. Asher and the Seer Team are the only ones who can stop them.

I think my favorite thing about this story was the way Tubbiolo set up the story framework—the Seer Team and Dark Prince and the whole conflict that translated really well in terms … Continue reading →

Review: Life at the Speed of Us by Heather Sappenfield

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Life at the Speed of Us by Heather SappenfieldLife at the Speed of Us
Heather Sappenfield
Flux

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After the car accident that takes her mother’s life, Sovern stops talking. She tries to lose herself in dating the boy she shouldn’t, in the rush of speeding downhill on a snowboard. But when another accident disconnects Sovern from even more of her life, she embarks on a quest outside time with only a strangely familiar boy who doesn’t speak her language as a guide.

There were things about this book that I liked. I thought it was cool that Sappenfield used Sovern’s dyslexia throughout the story. She really hammered home the idea that just … Continue reading →

Review: Velvet by Temple West

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Velvet by Temple WestVelvet
Temple West
Swoon Reads

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After Caitlyn’s mom dies, she moves in with her aunt and uncle to a rural mountainside far from home. Discouraged and alone, Caitlyn wanders in the woods. Then a supernatural tornado-like thing nearly swallows her up. The boy who saves her turns out to be much more than the dark and swoony neighbor all the local girls wish they could get to know better.

But Adrian knows he’s placed Caitlyn in mortal danger. He is a vampire and his father, a demon (no, seriously,) wants to kill her. So the only way to protect her is to pretty much be with her constantly and, well, pose as her boyfriend, of course. Soon … Continue reading →

Review: This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

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This Is Where It Ends by Marieke NijkampThis Is Where It Ends
Marieke Nijkamp
Publisher

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It begins with the closing of the principal’s speech at Opportunity High. Confusion rustles through the auditorium as students discover the locked doors. Then one door opens, and a boy enters. A boy with a gun.

Four alternating viewpoints, each a student with a connection to the shooter, relate this tense, heartbreaking tale about a community ripped apart by violence. The story spans fifty-four minutes.

This Is Where It Ends includes a diverse body of characters across lines of race, religion, and sexual preference. As a YA reader and reviewer, I’ve commented before that I wish there were more … Continue reading →

Review: Faithgirlz Best Hair Book Ever!

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Faithgirlz Best Hair Book Ever by Kelsey HaywoodBest Hair Book Ever!
Faithgirlz (Kelsey Haywood)
Zondervan

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Best Hair Book Ever! is packed with tips on classic and new hairstyles as well as recommendations for hair care and styling products. Each section shows full-color pictures of various styles and steps that are easy to follow. The book also contains how-to instructions for making hair accessories and DIY hair products. The earlier pages recommend different hair styles for different face shapes and some helpful information on how to blow dry while minimizing heat damage.

Many of the styles are simple enough that an older child can manage them solo. My daughter is ten and has devoured this … Continue reading →