Blog Tour/Review: All Pets Allowed!

New dog, no tricks!

Becket Branch has one birthday wish—a dog! Dogs are outgoing and friendly, and they live life loud, just like Becket. Becket’s twin, Nicholas, wants a pet more like him—a peaceful, quiet indoor cat. When their parents take them to the shelter to choose a dog and a cat, it should be Becket’s biggest BEAUTIFUL ALERT ever. But Becket’s dream dog, Dibs, turns out to be a super-shy scaredy-pooch. Meanwhile, Nicholas’s kitty, Given, loves being the center of attention and greeting visitors to Blackberry Farm.

Can Becket and Nicholas learn how to love Dibs and Given as they are—even if they aren’t exactly the pets the twins dreamed of?

With black-and-white drawings throughout by award-winning illustrator LeUyen Pham (Real Friends), this second volume of the Blackberry Farm series offers a gentle message about embracing new friends who may not match preconceived expectations.

“A welcome addition to the engaging Blackberry Farm series.”

-Booklist

PRAISE FOR THE BLACKBERRY FARM SERIES:

“A sparkling story of weathering change.”

–Booklist, starred review

“Becket is an outgoing, refreshingly self-confident protagonist…Readers will appreciate her ability to bounce back from whatever life hands her. Pham’s sketch drawings scattered throughout enhance the energy and humor of the story. Give this to kids who enjoy stories with plucky female protagonists.”

–School Library Journal

“Warm and amusing as Becket and her two siblings navigate their new life on a farm.”

–Kirkus Reviews

“An enjoyable novel for young readers beginning to explore the world on their own terms.”

–Horn Book Magazine

“Becket’s narration vibrates with energy and cheer…Pham’s black and white illustrations…have just the right amount of comic flair to match the vibrant humor of Becket’s story.”

–The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Perfect…This fun and colorful novel will surely make you happy and brighten up your day.”

–Newsday

Review: This was a nice book in a early Middle Grade series that I think will appeal to many! And I really liked the illustrations in the book (I think more books should be illustrated!). Overall, I would definitely recommend trying this series!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

About Adele Griffin:

Adele Griffin is the acclaimed author of Tell Me No Lies and Be True to Me, as well as Sons of Liberty and Where I Want to Be, both finalists for the National Book Award as well as the middle grade series The Oodlethunks and Blackberry Farm. She lives with her husband and children in Brooklyn, NY. You can find her online at adelegriffin.com or on Twitter: @adelegriffin.

Top Ten Fictional Crushes!

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl blog

Hi, everyone! The topic for Top Ten Tuesday this week is fictional crushes. I had a lot of fun putting together my post this week! I'm keeping to just book crushes, because if I included TV and movies? No way I would be able to keep it to just ten! I am also keeping it just to contemporary reads, because adding historical guys to this list would make it way too long!

Wesley from Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle

Nicholas from You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle

Daniel from So We Meet Again by Suzanne Park 

Teddy from Second First Impressions by Sally Thorne

Dominic from Battle Royal by Lucy Parker 

Sam from I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

Chris from Ten Rules for Faking It by Sophie Sullivan

Drake from How Sweet It Is by Dylan Newton

And from two books releasing this Fall, two guys who I could not leave off the list:

Dante from No Ordinary Christmas by Belle Calhoune

Miguel from The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox

Which characters are on your TTT list this week? :)

Review: The Collectors (Fright Watch #2)

Review: The Collectors (Fright Watch #2) by Lorien Lawrence

The Ladies in White want you to join their family—forever. . .

After defeating the Oldies, Quinn and Mike thought that things would settle down on Goodie Lane. But then new neighbors move in. Maybe it’s because they all work at the interior design firm, but Abigail, Eleanor, Jade, Brea, and Cami seem to always be together, dressed in only white.

After everything that happened last summer, Quinn’s a bit wary of the Ladies in White, but her friend Lex is thrilled that someone in town finally has some style. But when Lex starts volunteering at the Ladies’ design firm, things get strange. Lex is acting less like herself, and Quinn begins seeing strange shadows lurking in their neighborhood. She knows the Ladies are to blame; she just has to prove it.

Twisty and haunting, The Collectors is the second book in the Fright Watch series, which SLJ called “Perfect for fans of Goosebumps and Stranger Things” and Booklist called “Reminiscent of R. L. Stine’s Fear Street . . . [Fright Watch] can be counted on to deliver chills.”

-summary and cover via Goodreads

Plot: This was so spooky and good! I loved reading about Quinn and her friend Mike solving the mystery of the Ladies in White.

Characters: As with the first book, I think Quinn is a fantastic main character! And the supporting characters were also great!

The Cover: I really like it! It's spooky, and fits the book well.

Overall: I read The Stitchers last year and loved it (In fact it was one of my favorite books in 2020!), so I was really looking forward to this next book. And it lived up to my high expectations! It was so good, and I hope we get more books in the Fright Watch series (Werewolves? Zombies? Vampires? Or something else delightfully spooky!), because I would eagerly read them. Overall, this is a MG series I highly recommend reading!

I received an e-ARC of this book from the publisher.

Upcoming Graphic Novels For the Rest of 2021!

Hi, everyone! I thought it would be fun today to feature some Graphic Novels that are releasing for the rest of this year! All of these books sound fantastic, and I can't wait to read them!

Listed in no particular order.

Tidesong by Wendy Xu

Captain Bun Super Bonbon (Bunbun & Bonbon #3) by Jess Keating 

The Awakening Storm (City of Dragons #1) by Jaimal Yogis, illustrated by Vivian Truong

Salt Magic by Hope Larson and Rebecca Mock

Minnie Mouse: The Perfect Book by Brooke Vitale 

Horse Trouble by Kristin Varner

Himawari House by Harmony Becker

The Secret Garden on 81st Street: A Modern Retelling of the Secret Garden by Ivy Noelle Weir, illustrated by Amber Padilla 

Just Roll with It by Lee Durfey-Lavoie, illustrated by Veronica Agarwal

Manu by Kelly Fernandez

Yummy: A History of Desserts by Victoria Grace Elliott 

Are any of these on your TBR list? :)

Want-To-Read Wednesday: YA Books!

Want-To-Read Wednesday is a feature on my blog, where every week I share five upcoming books I want to read based on the topic of the week. For more information about it, go here.

Hi, everyone! The topic today is YA books. Featuring books with weddings, time travel, fairytales, K-pop, and school papers, there's something for everyone!

It All Comes Back to You by Farah Naz Rishi 

Your Life Has Been Delayed by Michelle I. Mason

Briarheart by Mercedes Lackey

Idol Gossip by Alexandra Leigh Young

Not Here to Be Liked by Michelle Quach 

What YA books are on your TBR list? :)

Top Ten Books I Wish I Could Read Again for the First Time!

 Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl blog

Hi, everyone! The Top Ten Tuesday topic for this week is books I wish I could read again for the first time. This was actually really hard for me to put together a list, because I wouldn't really want to read any books I've loved for the first time again? Because I feel like I read them exactly when I was meant to, and they impacted me the way they did partly because of when I read them? (I'm not talking rereads, because there are plenty of books I've continued to love via rereading them.) I don't know, maybe I'm overthinking this?? (It would not be the first time I've overthought things!) BUT I did want to participate this week (I want to write TTT posts more often.), so here are ten books I loved so much, I wish I could read again for the first time! (You know, if I did not overthink things!)

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon

United We Spy by Ally Carter

It's Not Me, It's You by Stephanie Kate Strohm

Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley

The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill

Rent a Boyfriend by Gloria Chao

You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle

Books Can Be Deceiving (Library Lover's Mystery #1) by Jenn McKinlay 

What books are on your TTT this week? :)

Mini Review: The Duke Who Loved Me (The Duke's Estates #1)!

Review: The Duke Who Loved Me (The Duke's Estates #1) by Jane Ashford 

The Duke of Tereford is accustomed to getting his own way, but she's going to teach him a thing or two about love...

James Cantrell, the new Duke of Tereford, has inherited a dukedom in disarray and is overwhelmed by his unaccustomed responsibilities. Then he gets an idea. Cecelia Vainsmede served as liaison between James and her father, and she knows a great deal about business matters, his own in particular. She's also quite pretty. Ever the pragmatist, he suggests a marriage of convenience.

Cecelia has always been good at working with James, but she doesn't understand how he can be so obtuse. He clearly doesn't realize that he's the duke she's always wished for, or that his offer is an insult. But when a German prince arrives in London and immediately sets out to woo Cecelia, James will have to come to terms with what he really feels for her. Is running away worth the cost of losing her, or will the duke dare to win her once and for all?

Bestselling author Jane Ashford takes you to a dazzling Regency England you won't want to leave!

-summary and cover via Goodreads

Mini Review: I really enjoyed reading this book! I loved the authors writing, and I know I'll be checking out more of her books in the future. I liked the sense of humor in the book! Cecelia was a great lead, and I liked James, even though he was an idiot and insensitive with how he treated Cecelia for most of the book. The side characters were great, and I'm happy to see the next book is about Harriet! Overall, I would definitely recommend reading it!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Review: Battle Royal (Palace Insiders #1)

Review: Battle Royal (Palace Insiders #1) by Lucy Parker 

Beloved author Lucy Parker pens a delicious new romantic comedy that is a battle of whisks and wits.

Ready…

Four years ago, Sylvie Fairchild charmed the world as a contestant on the hit baking show, Operation Cake. Her ingenious, colorful creations captivated viewers and intrigued all but one of the judges, Dominic De Vere, the hottest pastry chef in London. When her glittery unicorn cake went spectacularly sideways, Dominic was quick to vote her off the show. Since then, Sylvie has managed to use her fame to help fulfill her dream of opening a bakery, Sugar Fair. The toast of Instagram, Sugar Fair has captured the attention of the Operation Cake producers…and a princess.

Set…

Dominic is His Majesty the King’s favorite baker, the go-to for sweet-toothed A-List celebrities, and a veritable British institution. He’s brilliant, talented, hard-working. And an icy, starchy grouch. Learning that the irksome Sylvie will be joining him on the Operation Cake judging panel is enough to make the famously dour baker even more grim. Her fantastical baking is only slightly more troublesome than the fact that he can’t stop thinking about her pink-streaked hair and irrepressible dimple.

Match…

When Dominic and Sylvie learn they will be fighting for the once in a lifetime opportunity to bake a cake for the upcoming wedding of Princess Rose, the flour begins to fly as they’re both determined to come out on top.

The bride adores Sylvie’s quirky style. The palace wants Dominic’s classic perfection.

In this royal battle, can there be room for two? 

-summary and cover via Goodreads

Plot: Everything about that summary suggests that this would be my type of book. And it definitely was! There were so many hilarious moments in this book (The moments where they were tasting the contestants baking were some of my favorites!), with lots of heartfelt ones, too! And I so hope the next book in the series will be about who I think it will be, but more on that in a minute...

Characters: I loved all the characters in this book! Sylvie was wonderfully quirky, and Dominic was such an unexpected perfect match for her! The royal couple were much more involved in the story than I thought they would be, but that's a good thing. They were two of my favorite characters from the book! And I hope the next book is about Pet and the guy who I think will be her love interest, because based on the end of Battle Royal, I think it will be adorable!

The Cover: It's so cute!

Overall: This was an excellent romance, that I would highly recommend!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Want-To-Read Wednesday: Graphic Novels!

Want-To-Read Wednesday is a feature on my blog, where every week I share five upcoming books I want to read based on the topic of the week. For more information about it, go here.

Hi, everyone! The topic this week is Graphic Novels. I'm really looking forward to reading all of these books!

Captain Bun Super Bonbon (Bunbun & Bonbon #3) by Jess Keating 

Yummy: A History of Desserts by Victoria Grace Elliott

Tidesong by Wendy Xu

Himawari House by Harmony Becker

Witches of Brooklyn: What the Hex?! by Sophie Escabasse

Do you want to read any of these books? What GNs are on your TBR list? :)

Review: How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe!

Review: How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

The Hating Game meets I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter in this irresistible romance starring a Mexican American teen who discovers love and profound truths about the universe when she spends her summer on a road trip across the country.

When her twin sister reaches social media stardom, Moon Fuentez accepts her fate as the ugly, unwanted sister hidden in the background, destined to be nothing more than her sister’s camerawoman. But this summer, Moon also takes a job as the “merch girl” on a tour bus full of beautiful influencers and her fate begins to shift in the best way possible.

Most notable is her bunkmate and new nemesis, Santiago Phillips, who is grumpy, combative, and also the hottest guy Moon has ever seen.

Moon is certain she hates Santiago and that he hates her back. But as chance and destiny (and maybe, probably, close proximity) bring the two of them in each other’s perpetual paths, Moon starts to wonder if that’s really true. She even starts to question her destiny as the unnoticed, unloved wallflower she always thought she was.

Could this summer change Moon’s life as she knows it?

-summary and cover via Goodreads

Mini Review: This was a beautifully written YA novel, that I would definitely recommend to anyone who thinks it sounds interesting! (And I love the cover of it!)

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Review: Under the Milky Way!

 Review: Under the Milky Way by Vanessa Barneveld

Nothing ever happens in Dawson, Colorado.

Until high school senior Cassidy Roekiem’s mom checks into a “wellness center,” but nothing is wrong with her.

Then people start seeing lights in the sky and missing chunks of time, but the town insists nothing is going on.

And now Hayden, the new boy at school who keeps to himself and is more than a little mysterious, starts to notice her like it’s nothing out of the ordinary.

Suddenly, “nothing” is starting to feel a whole lot like something. And everything leads back to Hayden. The boy she’s starting to fall for. The boy with too many dark secrets for his kind heart. The boy she’s pretty sure isn’t human…

-summary and cover via Goodreads

Mini Review: This was a good YA book! It had plenty of twists and turns, and the ending made me gasp! I would definitely recommend this novel to any fans of sci-fi books, or anyone who just wants a good book!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

Want-To-Read Wednesday: Picture Books!

Want-To-Read Wednesday is a feature on my blog, where every week I share five upcoming books I want to read based on the topic of the week. For more information about it, go here.

Hi, everyone! Want-To-Read Wednesday is back from a long hiatus today, and I am so happy about that! The topic for today is Picture Books. I've listed five that are on my TBR list! 

Thanks for Nothing (A Little Bruce Book) by Ryan T. Higgins

Set Your Alarm, Sloth!: More Advice for Troubled Animals from Dr. Glider by Jess Keating, illustrated by Pete Oswald

Kind as a Princess (Disney Princess) by Catherine J Manning, illustrated by Sarah Conradsen 

Norman Didn't Do It!: (Yes, He Did) by Ryan T. Higgins

Big as a Giant Snail by Jess Keating, illustrated by  David DeGrand 

Do you want to read these, too? What Picture Books are on your TBR list? :)