Kate and the Kid by Anne Rothman Hicks and Kenneth Hicks

                   

 RATED 4.5 STARS

Kate sees a little girl in the window of her apartment building and it is the first step to a relationship that she never saw coming.  Kate has lost her job, thinks she may lose her boyfriend and worries about going on unemployment.

Her neighbor asks her to watch the little girl, Jenny who the neighbor refers to as Creephead and she reluctantly agrees.

Jenny has difficulty communicating so she does so with her doll Miranda and Kate seems to be able to break through to the child by talking directly to Miranda as if it is no big deal.

Nobody is exactly sure what Jenny has been through.  They only know that her mom left her and is nowhere to be found.  Kate slowly builds a relationship and helps Jenny scale the wall that she has surrounded herself with only to be thrown into a situation that is dangerous and frightening.

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I really liked this book.  Kate was in a no win situation and still she opens her heart to Jenny.  She was torn and didn’t always do the exact right thing but in the end, she did.

Jenny was well written as a child who has been through too much and doesn’t trust relationships.  Her use of the doll to communicate was a coping mechanism that children do use.

Speaking of the doll, I think Miranda was my favorite character.  She told it like it was and really helped Jenny through a tough time.

The boyfriend, I was not crazy about.  He was in love with Kate or was he?  Was he a commitmentphobe or on the brink of making a commitment?  Could he open his heart to the new situation or would he just walk away from Kate?  It was hard to figure him out so I had a hard time liking him but in the end he redeemed himself.

This book had an entertaining story and I would recommend that you read it. You can buy it here: Amazon

Mira's Hope: The Sword of Lumina Book 2 by Erin Elliot

 RATED 4.5 STARS

When I met these characters in book 1, I liked them all and nothing in this book made me like them any less.   The heroes are on the path to find the Sword of Lumina and when we first meet them, they are on their last legs.  Tark and Elenio have little or no stamina left and Galena is dying as they go along.  The men have to take turns carrying her and keep on the look out for Rau’s minions.  Only the goddess, Mira can help them.

The three friends travel on after Galena is revived and they go to a village where they find a group of Rau’s minions have attacked.  They are determined to help and they become the heroes of the villagers.

Tark stays behind to train elves to become warriors and Galena and Elenio continue on to the West Woods to find the cave and the Sword of Lumina.  Galena knows she will face the challenge of her life but finding the sword is the only way to return their country to its former self.

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This book really shows the growth of the author’s talent to weave a story that is complex and interesting.  Galena’s powers grow as the story continues and she does some delightful things and some awesomely strong things.  Elenio continues to be her strength and support.  Tark reluctantly lets the two go off on their own because he feels a strong urge to contribute to the fight against Rau in a more active role.  His role as a trainer gives him renewed purpose.

Rau and his creatures are as disgusting as ever and Rau is coming to the end of his rope and takes a horrible stance that could mean the end of the elves.

This book was exciting and absorbing.  I really liked it even more than the first installment and can’t wait to read the next book!

You can find Mira's Hope here:Fire and Ice Young Adult Books

KidzKorner: Summer Break

I'm going on Summer Break and after today I won't be doing KidzKorner until after Labor Day.  Before I go though, I wanted to talk about Summer reading.  When I was a kid the library at school was open all summer for a summer reading program.  It was so cool to go to the school when it was closed and look through the library door to the empty halls.  It felt like a privilege, like getting to go backstage.
Anyway, I met some of my best friends in that library.  I found Mrs. Piggle Wiggle and found my love of historical fiction.  I met Betsy, Tacy and Tib.  I remember finding a book whose name I can't remember about an orphan girl who moves in with her aunt and the description of the fried chicken they had for dinner.  I couldn't wait to go to the library each week.
So, go to the library, folks.  Take your kids.  Get lost in the picture books.  Some of the most beautiful artwork in the world is in the pages of picture books.   Don't believe me?  Find the book Hiawatha and check out the illustrations.

Find a book series to read at bedtime.  Harry Potter isn't the only one who has a great series.  Or choose an author and read those.  I have always loved the stories of Edgar Eager as they always have at least half magic.  

You can't go wrong with Beverly Cleary either.  From Henry Huggins to Ramona to The Mouse and the Motorcycle.  Cleary gets kids and kids love to read her stories. 

Let your youngest find the books that appeal to their eye and your older kids find an author they love.  Not only will summer fly by with outdoor fun but the evenings will go by in a flash with the help of good books.  Have a wonderful summer and until I see you again, Keep on reading!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Crazed Reckoning by Valerie Clarizio

RATED 4.5 STARS

Nick Spinelli is back  and another problem is plaguing him and his lady love.  An old pact made by two families will affect  Shannon’s geo caching vacation and throw Nick and her into another situation fraught with danger.

Nick has wanted to propose to Shannon but keeps putting it off because these terrible situations keep haunting them.  Shannon has such a deep and abiding love for Nick that you want them to be a happy couple.

There are a lot of twists and turns in the story and Shannon’s friend gets embroiled in the drama right along with her.  The women are kidnapped and Nick goes on the hunt to save them but can he find them in time to save their lives?

I really like these characters and though the situations they get in are some what fantastical, they are always entertaining.  I like the holiday themes the author has chosen and I enjoy reading them.  This story has a lot of sex in it so it is not for the younger set.  So beware if you have a youngster under seventeen years old!  That being said, I would highly recommend this book.

KidzKorner: The Sixties Pt. II

This week I am continuing my favorite books written in the sixties.  This bunch is for older kids to read or for you to read to your kids.

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

This is the story of the survival of a Native American girl on her very own island.

Harriet the Spy by Leslie Fitzbaugh

Harriet wants to be a spy but it turns out being one is not all it's cracked up to be.

The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary

A little boy and a mouse bond over a toy motorcycle.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

A brother and sister run away from home and hold up in the Museum of Art and become embroiled in the mystery of a certain statue.

You'll find these books to be relevant today and most enjoyable so until next week, keep on reading.

Teacher Appreciation Week

Have a happy week, Teachers!!!

Covert Exposure by Valerie Clarizio

Covert Exposure by Valerie Clarizio

 RATED 4.5 STARS

Detective Nick Spinelli gets the bad news that because his partner retired he is assigned to Children’s services for the holiday season.  Spinelli is assigned to work with Shannon O’Hara who takes an instant dislike to him and he thinks she is an angel but that she has too soft a heart.

Little did they know that the murders that were taking place would pull both of them into a plot to find the killers.  Spinelli goes undercover as a Mall Santa where Shannon is already a volunteer elf.

As they get to know each other their feelings grow but the murderers have other plans for the pair.

I loved this little book.  It is the first in a series and I know I’ll keep on reading.  Spinelli is a good detective who has fought his way up from a horrible upbringing. Shannon is a sweetheart of a girl who has a heart of gold.  She really touches the hard boiled Spinelli in a special way.

The murders led to a plot that I didn’t expect and I love it when a mystery like that unfolds.

High marks for Clarizio and her cast of characters!