I spy Tom Watson’s Trouble at Table 5 Series

Fun fact: my children used to read Stick Dog and Stick Cat books by Tom Watson. They even got to meet him once.

Check out these chapter book series!

Molly gets things stuck in her head sometimes. When she sees a jar of candy on Principal Shelton’s desk, she absolutely needs to know how many candies are in that jar!

Luckily, her two best friends, Simon and Rosie, are ready to help her find the answer—even if it means detention for all of them!

Simon always has a lot to say. And sometimes he can’t stop talking—even in the middle of class.

When Simon gets in trouble for jabbering at school, his best friends, Molly and Rosie, think up a plan to keep him from getting grounded at home! It involves cars, suds, and pink plastic flamingos!

But will their big plan turn into an even bigger disaster?

Molly, Simon, and Rosie are determined to build the best science fair project in school history. To do that, they’ll need to attract tons of fireflies.

Will their bright idea get them a glowing grade or will it flicker out before the fair even starts?

The weather outside is frightful! The temperature is dropping fast, and Rosie, Molly, and Simon are determined to come up with a way to keep their feet from freezing off on their walk to school.

But can they finish their plan before the next snow-pocalypse?

Time out! Simon got Max Brutus’s prized World Cup soccer ball stuck in the tallest tree in Picasso Park! Now he’s in more trouble than a tater tot in ketchup. Can his friends at Table 5 help him get the ball before the big game? Or has Simon’s luck maxed out? 

Uh-oh! Molly’s parents have a secret. They want to move to a new house—maybe even a new town. But Molly can’t leave her best friends Rosie and Simon behind!

Now the trio from Table 5 only have three days to come up with a scavenger hunt that will remind Molly’s parents of all the things they love about their house and neighborhood…before the moving vans come and Molly has to go. 

I spy Night Fright Series Youth

Youth fiction books for ages 7 to 12 years old.
Check them out.

Wolver Hollow is not a normal town. The adults are too busy shuffling off to work at the old coffin factory to notice or care, but the kids know all about monsters, ghosts, and strange lights in the sky. Strange things happen in Wolver Hollow. Creepy things.

But fifth graders Parker and Lucas are determined to debunk one of Wolver Hollow’s legends: Over a hundred years ago, Bockius Beauregard was vaporized in an unfortunate accident and all that remained was his magnificent mustache. People say it returns every year, on the anniversary of Bockius’s death, seeking a lip to claim as its own! When the boys try to prove the story is fake, the find more than they bargained for.

Wolver Hollow is not a normal town. The adults are too busy shuffling off to work at the old coffin factory to notice or care, but the kids know all about monsters, ghosts, and strange lights in the sky. Strange things happen in Wolver Hollow. Creepy things.

Madeline Harper does not like lima beans and she’s not afraid to make that clear. But when she gets sent to bed for not eating her vegetables, she’ll find something far worse than her mother’s frustration. A lima bean scorned is a terrible thing and it will not stop until Madeline Harper eats her vegetables!

Youth Series – Astrid & Apollo

Another set of Youth fiction books to read!

At the Hmong July Fourth Soccer Festival, Astrid and Apollo are excited to join their dad as he watches his favorite soccer team compete. But when they have to babysit their little sister, Eliana, too, they don’t know what snack she keeps asking for. To keep her from crying, they buy almost everything they see at the festival. Will they end up with a whole stroller full of yummy food?

Astrid is afraid of the dark and doesn’t want to go on her family camping trip. But her twin brother, Apollo, is excited. When they encounter scary things such as crawly bugs and the creepy dark, Apollo helps his twin through them. And when they encounter the scariest thing of all, Astrid might just be the one to save the starry campout.

Dressed in their traditional New Year clothes, Astrid and Apollo attend the Hmong New Year Festival. While at the noisy and jam-packed celebration, they accidentally become separated from their family and end up lost in the crowds. Follow along on their adventure as they try to find their way back to their mom, dad, and little sister, Eliana.

It’s the twins’ first time fishing. Astrid and Apollo can’t wait to ride on their Uncle Lue’s fast boat and get goofy pictures with all the fish they catch. But Apollo keeps catching things that are not fish! When a storm brings them to shore, Apollo starts to feel like he’s a fishing failure. Can the twins turn the day around and help Apollo find the fun in fishing?

Youth Series – Azaeleah Lane

Check these out!
I have briefly glanced at these books and they’re awesome!

Azaleah can’t wait for her class field trip to the National Zoo in Washington D.C., especially when her teacher announces the chance to earn extra credit. But when Azaleah gets home, she quickly realizes extra credit isn’t as easy as she thought. Azaleah’s younger sister Tiana can’t find Greenie, her stuffed animal, and she’s sure he’s been stolen. With Mama at the restaurant and Daddy at work on a big case, it seems Azaleah is the only one available to track down the stolen stuffie. Can Azaleah get to the bottom of the mystery in time to finish her extra credit?

Azaleah’s big sister, Nia, has been cast as Willa Wonka in the school musical, and the entire Lane family is looking forward to the show. Azaleah has even helped plan a surprise dinner party for Nia at Avec Amour, Mama’s restaurant. But then the real drama starts. At the first rehearsal, all sorts of things go wrong: missing batteries, sets falling over, props misplaced . . . It’s so many things, in fact, that Azaleah suspects “foul play.” And when the special effects on Nia’s costume don’t work at dress rehearsal, Nia is a nervous wreck. To top it all off, the high school journalism class is covering the performance for the school blog, and the director doesn’t have time to replace Nia’s costume. Nia has to wear it without the special effects. Azaleah becomes determined to make sure the musical isn’t ruined for Nia. Azaleah has to get to the bottom of the mysterious rehearsal troubles, and finish party preparations, before the curtain goes up.

Youth Series – Finn Caspian

Eight-year-old Finn is the first kid born in space and he spends his days looking for a new planet to call him with his three best friends and his robot, Foggy.

He’s used to wild, galaxy hopping adventures. But when Explorer Troop 301 gets stuck on a planet that’s about to explode, Finn and his friends will have to face giant aliens, a leader with mind control powers, and one evil, fluffy bunny rabbit in order to save the planet . . . and themselves.

Blast off into a brand-new adventure inspired by the popular award-winning kids’ podcast! Like the podcast, the books are sort of like Scooby-Doo meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in space. The story centers on Finn Caspian, an 8-year-old boy aboard The Famous Marlowe 280 Interplanetary Exploratory Space Station. He and his friends Abigail, Elias, and Vale are Explorers Troop 301, taking off from the Marlowe to explore uncharted planets, help the occasional alien, and solve a mystery that threatens to destroy the Marlowe.

Finn Caspian, his three best friends, and his robot Foggy are excited to explore a brand-new planet . . . until Finn’s mom makes them bring along an annoying new robot named Voltronix Zu.

Putting up with Voltronix’s bragging is bad enough, but when he accidentally turns the planet inside out, the Explorers get attacked by angry rock giants! Can the four friends find a way to save the planet—and the bubble aliens who live there—before Voltronix causes a volcanic disaster?

Finn’s best robot bud, Foggy, comes down with a weird virus while exploring a planet full of dancing robots. But he won’t let Finn help him. Foggy only wants to dance the Hokey Pokey with his new robot friends!

Now Finn and Explorers Troop 301 have to find a cure before the robots attack. But can Finn also fix his friendship with Foggy? Or will his robot BFF stay on the two-stepping planet forever?

Explorers Troop 301 has explored a lot of planets hoping to find a place to call home. But their latest mission feels like the most boring ever—until they get chased by giant ANTibodies straight into the planet’s open mouth! Uh-oh! This planet is really a ginormous, planet-sized alien and the explorers are her lunch! 

Can Finn and his friends make it through all thirty-five stomachs, battle an army of ants, out-whiz a super-computer in a deadly game of trivia, and find a way out? Or are they doomed to be part of the planet’s balanced diet?

Youth Series – Mindy Kim

Check these youth series out to read!

Mindy Kim just wants three things:
1. A puppy!
2. To fit in at her new school
3. For her dad to be happy again

But, getting all three of the things on her list is a lot trickier than she thought it would be. On her first day of school, Mindy’s school snack of dried seaweed isn’t exactly popular at the lunch table. Luckily, her new friend, Sally, makes the snacks seem totally delicious to Mindy’s new classmates, so they decide to start the Yummy Seaweed Business to try and raise money for that puppy!

When another student decides to try and sabotage their business, Mindy loses more than she bargained for—and wonders if she’ll ever fit in. Will Mindy be able to overcome her uncertainty and find the courage to be herself?

Mindy is excited to celebrate the Lunar New Year! Even though it’s the first one without her mom, Mindy is determined to enjoy the day. She decides to make traditional Korean New Year food, a rice cake soup that’s her favorite. But things aren’t going quite to plan, and the celebration doesn’t feel the same as it did before.

With the help of her family and friends, can Mindy find a way to still enjoy her old holiday traditions, and create new ones along the way?

All Mindy Kim has ever wanted is a puppy of her very own. After all, having all the toy dog plushies in the world isn’t quite the same thing as a real one! She wants a dog to take on walks, teach tricks, and cuddle with. She knows she has what it takes to be the perfect pet owner, and she thinks a dog would be a perfect gift for her upcoming birthday.

But her dad isn’t so sure she’s ready for the big responsibility. Can Mindy prove to her dad that she can handle a new addition to the Kim household?

t’s time to pick a class president, and Mindy really wants to win—and she’s basing her entire campaign on snacks and being kind, so how could she NOT be chosen?

But there is one big thing that Mindy is not sure she can do—make a speech to her class about why she would be the best pick for president. Can Mindy face her fears and show the class—and herself—that she can be the best class president ever?

Mindy is super excited to go to South Korea to visit her grandparents! She has never taken such a big trip before, and she can’t wait to see her family again. Plus, Dad’s girlfriend, Julie, is also going to meet the family for the first time.

Mindy and Julie decide to make a traditional Korean meal for the family as a thank-you for hosting. But after a few mishaps, Mindy fears they are cooking up a big disaster in the kitchen! Can Mindy and Julie make sure their meal passes the most important taste test of them all?

Mindy Kim loves food—from her beloved Korean staples to pizza! When a local pizza place advertises a trivia competition, Mindy can’t believe that the big prize is unlimited pizza for a whole year!

Mindy is confident she and her dad can take the top spot. But Dad is worried he might not understand all the cultural references. And he wants Mindy to know that the most important thing is to always try your best, even if you don’t win. Can Mindy and her Dad have fun together, win or lose?

Youth Series Books – Lolo

I am going to try to post series of books because I think it is important!

Keep reading!!

For Lolo, every day’s a new adventure. Whether it’s earning gold stars at school or returning a lost ring, she’s ready for anything. Follow along with Lolo as she learns lessons about sharing, being brave, and being a good friend. In these easy-to-read stories, we meet the curious, fun-loving, adventurous Lolo, a girl living in South Africa with her mother and grandmother, Gogo. Woven with heart and humor, and illustrated with charming black-and-white drawings, these stories are perfect for the beginning reader. In Here Comes Lolo, Lolo gets a gold star at school, longs for a cute floppy hat, finds a missing ring, and helps to rescue a dog, all with her trademark humor and quirky style.

Hooray! Hurrah! Hurray! for Lolo, the energetic, curious, and fun-loving girl at the center of Niki Daly’s series of books for beginning readers. She’s thoughtful, funny, and always ready for anything. Whether it’s helping to babysit baby Bongi or learning all about the library, she’s sure to do it with kindness and humor.

In this collection of easy-to-read stories, we meet Lolo, a girl who lives in South Africa with her mother and grandmother, Gogo.

Serpent and Dove

So I read this book….

• Author: Shelby Mahurin
• Series: Serpent & Dove (Book 1)
• Hardcover: 528 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen
• Date: September 3, 2019

What the book is about:

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

As a huntsman of the Church, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. But when Lou pulls a wicked stunt, the two are forced into an impossible situation—marriage.

The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.

What my thoughts are:
When I first read it I was not sure about it.  It took me a while to get into the style of how it was written.  The book kept flipping back and forth between Lou, the witch and Reid, the witch hunter.  I think about half way through the book the story seemed to pick up the pace for me.  I was glad that I kept reading this story.  I decided to give it a chance.  Not everyone does that.

The story had fantasy, action, and romance.  There were so many different moments in this book.  As I said earlier in the book, I was a bit confused and it felt slow.   Then later in the book there were moments where I laughed out loud at Lou’s colorful language.  Lou showed such bravery throughout the story which left me impressive.  She stood her ground which in my eyes makes her a strong character.  She also manipulates to get what she wants in order to survive.  I believe she was like that because she had to survive. I loved how she eventually shows a soft side to Reid.

Reid on the other hand was stuck in his ways being on one path only.  I love how Lou changes his mind slowly.  He realizes there’s more to thinking of one way of things.  Reid also uncovers secrets which leaves him in the state of shock but he learns how to cope.  He also keeps his word to Lou.

The villains in this book made me ponder a bit.  At first I thought the archbishop was behind it all.  In a way he was but then there was another character who was really out of this world.  I was hoping that character would not survive but somehow that character may be in the next book?  I wonder if there will be more villains or just the one?

Since this book had 528 pages, it was pretty fast pace.  The setting kind of reminds me of fantasy/medieval times area.  It was just a fun story to read to escape the world of reality.  I know some people liked this book while others did not care for it.   I thought it was pretty good.  The ending had quite a bit of things happening and some of it left me shocked.

Am I going to read the next one?  Yes I am!   I want to see what happens next with Lou and Reid!

 

The Sea Before Us

The Sea Before Us
By Sarah Sundin

Series: Sunrise at Normandy (Book 1)
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Revell
Date:  (February 6, 2018)

In 1944, American naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton arrives in London to prepare for the Allied invasion of France. He works closely with Dorothy Fairfax, a “Wren” in the Women’s Royal Naval Service. Dorothy pieces together reconnaissance photographs with thousands of holiday snapshots of France–including those of her own family’s summer home–in order to create accurate maps of Normandy. Maps that Wyatt will turn into naval bombardment plans.

As the two spend concentrated time together in the pressure cooker of war, their deepening friendship threatens to turn to love. Dorothy must resist its pull. Her bereaved father depends on her, and her heart already belongs to another man. Wyatt too has much to lose. The closer he gets to Dorothy, the more he fears his efforts to win the war will destroy everything she has ever loved.

Okay I admit the cover caught my attention…the pretty blue!!  I love the color blue who doesn’t?   I admit the cover did remind me a bit of Wonder Woman.  Anyways the plot of this book sounds interesting.  I wonder how much research the author did when she wrote this or did she just write from her imagination.  I like how friendship turns to love from the summary plot but it makes me wonder will it last?    It is going in my to read pile.  I have too many to reads again!   Yikes!!    

Book Review: Frozen in Ice by Alyssa Rose Ivy

 

Synopsis:

An undying love threatened by darkness…

James’ worst nightmare has come true. From the grave his father has poisoned the woman he loves, and James will do anything to save her.

Ainsley is stuck in a world she barely knows. She struggles to come to terms with the new life she never asked for and her intense connection with James.

When darkness threatens to destroy everything, they must face their greatest fears and the possibility their love is no match for the darkness.

My Take:

This is a series.  I have not read the first book but could pretty much get the concept of what the whole story was about in this second book.

The main characters James and Ainsley realize that are kindred and try to get used to the idea.  Well at first I thought kindred meant as in ‘Kindred: The Embrace’ as in vampire but it seems more geared towards the concept of being a mate to each other.  That is how I interpret it.   As the two get used to each other, James has a hunch his father is behind this as I figured out that his father is not a nice guy.    Ainsley is trying to get used to this kindred thing along with the world James is from.

James comes from a world that gives off a feel of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ and medieval times!  I was thrilled with this.   There are lots of interesting charters that pop up and I loved it.  Some characters are from James’ world as others are from Ainsley’s world (aka modern world that we live in today).  I sort of think of it as a realm too.  Pretty neat!!

As the story goes on, I wanted to know what was going to happen next.  Would James and Ainsley be able to survive?  What would his father do?  What about the rest of the amazing characters?  I will say this though, there is one aspect in the story that totally caught me off guard which I loved.   Now I want to know what is going to happen next.  Alyssa Rose Ivy has left me with a cliffhanger and hopefully that will soon be remedied.

So go check out this series!  You will not regret it.  By the way, the covers are stunning.  I love the one that I have.  I may have to get the first to have the complete set.   I did win the book from Alyssa Rose Ivy Facebook page which was awesome because I never ever win anything so thank you!!!

Alyssa Rose Ivy

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