Book Review: The Moonshiner's Daughter by Donna Everhart

 The Moonshiner's Daughter:

A Southern Coming-of-age Saga of Family and Loyalty

by

Donna Everhart

Southern Historical fiction

Young Adult

Kindle edition/368 pages

Quote: "I ain't likely to take up something I hate, Merritt. No matter how good the money is. I might as well go out and be a prostitute, or something."~ Jessie Sasser

From the Cover:

Set in North Carolina in 1960 and brimming with authenticity and grit, The Moonshiner's Daughter evokes the singular life of sixteen-year-old, Jessie Sasser, a young woman determined to escape her family's past...

Generations of Sasser's have made moonshine in the Brushy Mountains of Wilkes County, North Carolina. Their history is recorded in a leather-bound journal, that belongs to Jessie Sasser's daddy, but Jessie wants no part in it. As far as she's concerned, moonshine caused her mother's death a dozen years ago.

My Review:

The Moonshiner's Daughter

The first time this book popped up on my Goodreads recommendations, I knew I had to read it!

I haven't read any of Donna Everhart's books, but this probably won't be my last.

I'm a sucker for anything Southern set, and the vivid characters Everhart has created makes them ones you won't easily forget.

From the beginning we see Jessie, a teenager struggling with so much already, in her young years.

At age four, she witnessed her mother die in a horrible accident. Now, with only her father and brother close, she struggles with feeling unheard, unappreciated, an eating disorder, trying to find her true friends, and learn who she is. All the while, having to hide what her family truly does.

Jessie has always felt moon shining was bad in every way. She's seen it kill her mother, make her uncle a mean alcoholic, who is also greedy. It has cost her brother his baseball career, her father put in jail, and caused violent tension between them and the neighbors.

Through most of this book, I wanted to cry for her, or scream at her to RUN!

She starts out with such strong convictions. Her reasoning is completely valid, and although she has typical(at not so) teenage problems, she seems to be unwavering on the issue of bootlegging.

By the last few chapters, I was ready to through the book, literally!

The story just seems to make a wide U-turn, and completely throw me off.

I won't say too much, but the ending was completely unexpected!

As a whole, the book was beautifully written. At times, I felt I was inside Jessie's world. To me, that makes a great book.

I did only give this one 3 stars. I just felt the end was sort of too unbelievable. Maybe, it just wasn't what I would have chosen, or how I would have ended Jessie's story.

I hope you enjoy this review.

Let me know if you've read this one, or any of Donna Everhart's other books.

Goodreads Giveaway Wins!(and future reviews)

 Goodreads Giveaways=Free Books!

Who doesn't love free books?

I have been using Goodreads Giveaways for years! I love that there are always so many listed for you to enter to win. There are print and ebook formats that you can choose from. You can narrow down your search by genre, and/or when the giveaway ends.

Or, like me, you can scan through the list and enter just about all of them. 

These books are posted/sponsored by either the author, or a publishing company;i.e. Random House.

There is no purchase necessary, and the only "rules" are agreeing to the terms of each giveaway.

For example, you must give your mailing address if you win a physical book in order for it to be sent to you.

You must agree to Goodreads terms and conditions, which basically says you cannot hold them responsible for anything. Once you enter the giveaway, it is solely under the author or publisher's terms and agreement.

I'm pretty sure we've all read similar before, but it is always a good idea to read through the rules, and make sure you understand them.

Goodreads has been such a wonderful website that supports all types of authors, readers, and reviewers. I have never had any issues with receiving a book I have won. I will add, there have been times, it has taken over a month to receive the book (physical), but, honestly, it's a free book!

I'm sure you have something to read while you wait. 

Each giveaway will show how many copies of that book are available to win. That can be anywhere from 1 to 100. It all depends on who is posting the giveaway. Usually, it will also show how many entries there are for each giveaway.

I will say, I have won a book where there were only 20 copies available, and maybe 2,000 entries.

I've also lost when there were 100 copies and only about 900 entries. It's all about luck.

My advice is to look through them often, and enter as many as you want.

Here are the 4 that I have won just in the last two months!

Hereafter: The Telling Life of Ellen O'Hara by Vona Groarke

Description:

(copied from Bookshop.org)

A lyrical portrait of a young Irish woman reinventing herself at the turn of the twentieth century in America

Ellen O'Hara was a young immigrant from Ireland at the end of the nineteenth century who, with courage and resilience, made a life for herself in New York while financially supporting those at home. Hereafter is her story, told by Vona Groarke, her descendant, in a beautiful blend of poetry, prose, and history.

The Nurse's Secret by Amanda Skenandore

Description:

(copied from Bookshop.org)

A thrilling historical novel of the dark side of gilded age New York City.

Based on Florence Nightingale's nursing principles, Bellevue is the first school of its kind in the country. Where once nurses were assumed to be ignorant and unskilled, Bellevue prizes discipline, intellect, and moral character, and only young women of good breeding need apply. At first, Una balks at her prim classmates and the doctors' endless commands. Yet life on the streets has prepared her for the horrors of injury and disease found on the wards, and she slowly gains friendship and self-respect.

Just as she finds her footing, Una's suspicions about a patient's death put her at risk of exposure, and will force her to choose between her instinct for self-preservation, and exposing her identity in order to save others.

On the Way to Christmas:Three Stories by Sheila Roberts, Melissa Ferguson, and Amy Clipston

Description:

(copied from Bookshop.org)

A Christmas Do-Over by Sheila Roberts

Darby doesn't want to go home for the holidays, but a career fail sends her slinking back to the small town she always wanted to escape. No one there is especially glad to see the former mean girl--especially not her sister, Erica, or childhood best friend, Gregory. Darby is working hard to be a better person, but has she eaten enough humble pie to make amends?

Dashing Through the Snow by Melissa Ferguson

When Willow's boyfriend of seven years dumps her on the eve of a romantic getaway, she decides to take the two-week train trip on The Christmas Express alone. Hurt as she feels, she can't anticipate how the hilarious rebound ride with conductor Oliver, elf Ian, and aging world adventurer Clarence will heal her heart--and renew her sense of worth.

A Perfectly Splendid Christmas by Amy Clipston

Kacey adores the metropolitan life, but when she gets away to help her sister during a family crisis and run her bakery, she falls in love with former classmate Drew. The problem: he's a small-town man, and she's a big-city woman. Is their love big enough to overcome such a major difference?

More Than You Can See: A Mother's Memoir by Barbara Rubin

Description:

(copied from Bookshop.org)

Barbara Rubin writes this story of joy and sorrow mixed with humor and rage as both mother and advocate for her daughter Jenn. In this role, she witnessed firsthand the battles that come when a person is the most vulnerable, but she also saw the gift of human kindness and the difference it can make in another person's life. She hopes that her journey, lived through her daughter's injury, will help others understand the lessons that can be learned from tolerance and will give hope to families whose paths have also been darkened by tragedy. This is her first book. Barbara resides in Washington Crossing, PA.

Wow! I don't know which one to read first!

Each one appeals to me for different reasons.

I'm always a sucker for a good memoir, or historical fiction based on fact. On the other hand, maybe a cozy holiday book soon would work. Ah!

Help me choose!

Which one should I read first?

Watch for the reviews of these books later, too.

Have you entered any book giveaways lately?

Have you won any? I'd love to know!

Book Review: The Locked Door by Freida McFadden

 The Locked Door

by
Freida McFadden

Psychological thriller

audiobook/ 8 hours

Quote:" Dad always says that If you're going to do something wrong, at least be smart enough not to let anyone see you do it."

From the cover:

Some doors are locked for a reason...

While eleven-year-old Nora Davis was up in her bedroom doing homework, she had no idea her father was killing women in the basement.

Until the day the police arrived at their front door. 

Decades later, Nora's father is spending his life behind bars, and Nora is a successful surgeon with a quiet, solitary existence.

Nobody knows her father was a notorious serial killer. And she intends to keep it that way.

Then Nora discovers one of her young female patients has been murdered. In the same unique and horrific manner that her father used to kill his victims. 

Somebody knows who Nora is. Somebody wants her to take the fall for this unthinkable crime. But she's not a killer like her father. The police can't pin anything on her.

As long as they don't look in her basement...

My Review:

This is my fourth read by Freida McFadden. I so wanted to love this book as much as the first 3 I've read. Sadly, I did not.

The book started out pretty well, and I'll even say had good bones, but somehow it just fell short of my expectations.

I almost felt like this book was made in haste, possibly falling into the quantity over quality trap.

For me, Nora just seemed a tad off. Not in a daughter of a serial killer way, but off as in the writer never really figured out who she was supposed to be.

She seems to have had, at one time, similar traits to her father, but then insists she is nothing like him.

She cannot remember her ex-boyfriend, or why she broke up with him years ago, yet she feels safe enough to hop in the sack after their second meeting.

Furthermore, she makes reference over and over to her father's type, yet never mentions any similarities in the one around her with those features.

I loved the idea this story had going, but there were just too many times I was going, "What? That makes no sense!" 

Right up until the very end.

For the record, I will definitely continue reading McFadden's books! Everyone can have an off project.

It wasn't my favorite, but for the sake of author's name, the idea of the story, and a few well played scenes, I'm giving,The Locked Door a 3-star rating.

Fall Book List for Kids!

Fall Book List 

for kids

The first day of Autumn, already? It's hit right on time here in Ohio! 92F yesterday, and 70F today. Sounds about right. Honestly, I'm always one that desperately clings to every last scorching heat wave, and holding out for a big crazy storm. We got a fairly good downpour for about 10 minutes yesterday. And...then, nothing.

I really do enjoy Fall, I just never seem to look forward to Summer ending. All three of my daughters, on the other hand, are pulling out hoodies, decorations, and pumpkin spice latte recipes before Labor Day. It does give me a chuckle and help my mood. I crochet little pumpkins with cinnamon sticks down in them, and they are rapidly taking over our decor!

I also homeschool my youngest, so constantly having a reading list is always on the forefront.

This seems to be the time that we stockpile our books and prepare for long days of binge reading.

(No complaints from me!)

We seem to acquire books from a little bit of everywhere. We have them gifted or given, we do a ton of library trips, thrift stores, and Thriftbooks which is actually having a great sale on children and YA books. Buy any 3, and get 1 free. Plus free shipping! I've also recently found BookOutlet, and they have pretty awesome prices. 

No matter how you get your books, Autumn has such a diversity of book choices. It's a great time to incorporate learning and lessons throughout the season. There is gardening/harvesting, nature changing, animal habits and environments, books about giving, celebrating, tons full of Fall recipes to learn and share.

I feel it is a great opportunity to get children interested in reading. There are so many choices to find their interests.

We like to have a little of everything. Here is a list I've put together. Some we have read, others are going on our list.

Fall Book List

for kids

The Little Yellow Leaf by Carin Berger

Look! It's the Candycorn by Danielle McLean

The Itsy Bitsy Pumpkin by Sonali Fry

Run, Turkey, Run by Diane Mayr

Friendsgiving by Nancy Siscoe

The Night Before Thanksgiving by Natasha Wing

We're Going on a Goon Hunt by Michael Rex

How Big Could Your Pumpkin Grow? by Wendell Minor

Turk and Runt: A Thanksgiving Comedy by Lisa Wheeler

Turkey Bowl by Phil Bildner

The Great Pumpkin Contest by Angie Rozelaar

Over the River and through the Wood by Emma Randall

Plumply, Dumply Pumpkin by Mary Serfozo

Gobble Up, Snoopy! by Charles M. Schulz

Thanksgiving at Our house by P.K. Hallinan

Little Blue Truck's Halloween by Alice Schertle

Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson

Where Do Diggers Trick-or Treat? by Brianna Caplan Sayres

The Berenstain Bears Big Halloween Party by Mike Berenstain

Little Monster(Ten Minutes to bed) by Rhiannon Fielding

There's a Witch in Your Book by Tom Fletcher

Frankenstein Doesn't Wear Earmuffs by John Loren

Sparkleton The Haunted Woods by Calliope Glass

Popcorn by Frank Asch

The Spooky Wheels on the Bus by J. Elizabeth Mills

Let It Fall by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Bat! by Lucille Colandro

The Leaves on the Trees by Thom Wiley

Treemendous: Diary of a Not Yet Mighty Oak by Bridget Heos

The Pug Who wanted to be a Pumpkin by Bella Swift

On Our way Home by Sebastian Braun

Happy Halloween, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt

Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell

Wow! We've listed over 30 Titles! This is a great list for Fall, Autumn, and Halloween books!

Have you read any of these? Which is your favorite? Are there any I missed? I'd love you to add them in the comments!

Happy Reading! and Happy Fall!

Book Review: Brain Damage by Freida McFadden

 Brain Damage

by 
Freida McFadden

psychological thriller/crime

Kindle edition/398 pages

Quote:" And none of that hurt. The truth is, I didn't feel it at all. What hurt is everything that came after."

Brain Damage

From the cover:

After years of hard work, Dr. Charly McKenna finally has it all. Prosperous career as a dermatologist? Check. Spacious apartment overlooking Central Park? Check. Handsome lawyer husband? Double check.

Then one night, a bullet rips through the right side of her skull, and she loses everything.

As Charly struggles to recover from her brain injury, she begins to realize that the events of that fateful night are trapped in the damaged right side of her brain. Now she must put the jigsaw pieces together to discover the identity of the man who tried to kill her...before he finishes the job he started.

My Review:

This one definitely is getting mixed reviews. Maybe, even myself included.

Personally, I think some of the reasons other readers gave it lower ratings, were the reasons I loved it.

As it is tagged a psychological thriller, I can see some being disappointed, or disagreeing with it. If it had been placed as a medical mystery, it may have been rated differently. I feel some readers felt misled from the beginning. This is the fourth book I've read by Freida McFadden, and it honestly is one of my favorites. I know I seem to say that a lot lately; especially about McFadden's books. They really do just keep drawing me in. This one definitely gets bumped up due to the medical aspects. I've always been fascinated with learning about the medical field and human biology. Brain Damage definitely gives you that. While McFadden isn't a brain surgeon, she does actually work with brain injury patients and the recovery process. She actually knows her stuff, and it shows in her writing.

This book gives you the story of a woman who is recovering from a gunshot wound to the head. It takes you through the mystery of solving the crime, but for me, it was so much more about Charly's journey through recovery. You get a behind the scenes look at the recovery process. All the stress, frustrations, repeating everything, and the struggles through memory loss. It is exhausting, mentally and physically, but Charly finally sees that it is all worth it.

Of course, no book is perfect, and there were a couple of things that I didn't agree with, but I didn't write the characters.

I will say there wasn't much suspense or thrill to the book, but I truly enjoyed the whole book.

I give it 5 stars!

Side note: A few years ago, I read  Left Neglected by Lisa Genova that I also enjoyed. These two books share the same brain injury but completely different stories. I definitely recommend checking them both out!

Book List~ Fall Vibes

Hello Fall!

How did we get here so quickly?

 Fall or Autumn here in Ohio really is a whole vibe of its own. It's the change in the air, the cooling temperature, the earthy scents, the crackling fires. The days get slower, and nights get cozier. Even our drinks change into something warmer. All of it just puts you in a whole new mood. Or at least it does for me. 

Around this time of year, I really start weeding through my stacks of books and trying to pick and plan out my reading list. I'm definitely a visual person, and book cover porn is a real thing.(Although, doing a Google search, I haven't found the right wording yet to get the type of results I wanted)*blush*

Fall book covers, and books, can be so diverse. You can find anything from an Autumn cozy romance, a creepy thriller, a spooky ghost story, a magical mystery, to a true crime.

That's really what my goal is for this list. A wide variety of Fall books to choose from. I can easily go from a cozy rom-com to something dark and full of suspense and mystery.

Do you have a specific way to choose your Fall book list? Do you prefer to stick with a theme?

I'd also love any suggestions that I don't have listed!

My Top 3 Cover pics

Whispers in Autumn by Trisha Leigh

The Bakeshop at Pumpkin and Spice

Autumn Chaos by Olena Nikitin

List of Great Autumn Cover Reads!

The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin

Where We Fall by Rochelle B. Weinstein

The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny

The Sowing Season by Katie Powner

Embers on the Wind by Lisa Williamson Rosenburg

Moral Compass by Danielle Steel

Halloween Season by Lucy Snyder

A Sweet Alaskan Fall by Jennifer Snow

Pumpkin Everything by Beth LaBonte

Halloween at the Graff by Jayne Sinclair

A Stranger in Town by Kelley Armstrong

Into Thin Air by Deborah Rogers

Dracula, My Love by Syrie James

Meet Me on Love Lane by Nina Bocci

One Tiny Lie by K.A. Tucker

Autumn in the Book Title List

Wicked Autumn by G.M. Malliet

Autumn Getaway by Jennifer Gracen

Autumn Bridge by Takashi Matsuoka

Autumn of the Grimoire by J.L. Vampa

Autumn Bones by Jaqueline Carey

Almost Autumn by Marianne Kaurin

The Autumn Murders by Robert Gott

Autumn Rose by Abigail Gibbs

Autumn Nights by Debbie Macomber

Autumn Falls by Bella Thorne

Wow! I'm so excited about all these books! Now, I have to decide which ones to read!

Which one has your favorite cover? I'd love to know if you've read any of these, or if you plan to!

I'm definitely going to do a list for children's books also, so keep checking back!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Dear Child by Romy Hausmann

 Dear Child

by
Romy Hausmann

psychological thriller/mystery/crime

audiobook/11 hours

Quote:

"We know how everything works. We have our own rules, you see. It's just that Mama forgets them sometimes. But luckily, she's got us, we remind her of them."~ Hannah

Dear Child

From the cover:

In a windowless shack in the woods, Lena's life and that of her two children follows the rules set by their captor, the father: Meals, bathroom visits, study time are strictly scheduled and meticulously observed. He protects his family from the dangers lurking in the outside world and makes sure his children will always have a mother to look after them. 

One day, Lena manages to flee- but the nightmare continues. It seems as if her tormentor wants to get back what belongs to him. And then there is the question whether she really is the woman called "Lena" who disappeared without a trace 14 years ago. The police and Lena’s family are all desperately trying to piece together a puzzle which doesn't quite seem to fit.

*SPOILER * This review may contain spoilers* SPOILER*

My Review:

I gave this book 3/5 stars. I usually don't start my reviews with the negative side, but when deciding to post a review, these 2 things kept popping up and making me hesitate and rethink the way to write it.

1. I opted for the audiobook, which lately has been hit or miss in my selections.

This one I really struggled to get into. I'm honestly not sure if it was the storyline, the audio speed, the translation, the narrators/characters, or just a combination.

There were at least 3 or 4 times that I went back a chapter or two and re-listened to see where I was in the story or if I'd missed something. It really just never gripped my attention.

I honestly didn't care for any of the characters. 

"Lena"/Jasmin seemed too day dreamy or misfocused. I didn't like her vibe from the beginning.

Hannah was too two-sided for me. One minute she's intelligent from her "study time", yet very unaware or over naive, even with the whole situation.

Lena seemed to have a very callous and selfish attitude about everything going on. The affair, the effects it had on others, etc.

Karin just seemed very disengaged throughout the whole book.

Jonathan, um, where was this kid???

I won't go on into the rest of the characters. You get the idea.

2. I instantly got Room by Emma Donoghue vibes.

I just couldn't get passed that. The alternate book cover is even almost identical. Crayon font and meant to be in a child's handwriting.

Other than how the abduction begins, there were too many similarities in the characters and situation.

Anyone who has read Room would not be able to ignore this. I kept reading to see if things ever changed directions, but almost to the end it was way too similar.

The book wasn't bad, it just wasn't what I expected and had almost zero suspense, mystery, or thrill. There was no real chase to it. Yes, the whodunnit factor was good, not great.

I definitely think I would have enjoyed the physical book better. 

I give Dear Child by Romy Hausmann 3 stars.

Book Review: Octavia Can Do It! by Liliana Tommasini

 

Octavia Can Do It!

by
Liliana Tommesini

Children's book

Kindle edition/ 36 pages

I received a free copy of this book from the author, Liliana Tommasini in exchange for an honest review.

You can purchase your copy here:Octavia Can Do It!

From the cover:

When Mama steps out of the kitchen, Octavia takes over with an" I can do it" attitude. But as flour and cocoa cover the walls, cabinets, and countertop, she starts to question herself. 

Will her cookies turn out as good as Mama's cookies?

Octavia Can Do It! is the hilarious story of a young girl who discovers that even the most independent people need a little help sometimes. 

My Review:

Have you ever been scrolling through Pinterest and see a picture of a recipe that looks soo good? You take a quick screenshot, or save the pin, and think "Oh, I can make that!"  No need to actually read the recipe or cooking instructions, right? Right!

I do this. A LOT!

How does it usually end up? Pretty much just how Octavia's cookies turn out.

That is exactly how I felt after reading this book. It's really a great lesson for us all.

Patience and asking for help are two things we really struggle with. I bounce between

I'm going to do it all myself, right now, and, 

who cares, let it wait until later. Someone else can figure it out.

It's probably not the best way to roll through life, but we have our days.

Octavia definitely wants to be independent and doesn't have time to wait for Mama to finish her phone call. All the ingredients, bowls, and measuring cups, are already there waiting to be made into delicious cookies! What could go wrong?

As Octavia and her brother Ludovic start adding and mixing things together, they may have a few messes and mix-ups, but they do get their cookie dough ready for Mama to help do the baking. How will they turn out?

This book also includes a cookie recipe at the end! I can't wait to see how ours turn out!

Ele:

She really enjoyed the pictures and characters. The names were a little hard for her to pronounce, but she thought they were neat! 

She loves to help bake, so she really got into the story, but she knew the cookies weren't going to be great when Octavia started messing up the recipe. Now, she wants to try the recipe herself to see how they turn out!(I'll be helping!) She also thinks the mom should've checked on the kids in the kitchen. LOL

Great little story.

We give it 4 stars!

Be sure to check out the author's website here:

Liliana Tommasini

Book Review: The Liar by Nora Roberts

 

The Liar

by
Nora Roberts

romantic suspense/thriller

Kindle/512pages

Quote: 

"You paid off a million dollars since January? That must have been one hell of a yard sale." ~Viola

The Liar by Nora Roberts

From the cover:

Shelby Foxworth lost her husband. Then she lost her illusions...

The man who took her from Tennessee to an exclusive Philadelphia suburb left her in crippling debt. He was an adulterer and a liar, and when Shelby tracks down his safe-deposit box, she finds multiple IDs. The man she loved wasn't just dead. He never really existed. 

Shelby takes her three-year-old daughter and heads south to seek comfort in her hometown, where she meets someone new: Griff Lott, a successful contractor. But her husband had secrets she's yet to discover. Even in this small town, surrounded by loved ones, danger is closer than she knows- and threatens Griff, as well. And an attempted murder is only the beginning...

My Review:

This book had three parts, The False, the Roots, and The Real. I honestly do not know if it was originally written or intended to be this way. 

I am glad that it was broken down, it was 512 pages total! But, I almost feel like I would have read it faster, and enjoyed it more, if it had just been made into three separate books, a trilogy.

Personally, I had moments where I thought, " Why is she starting another character's story, now? Am I ever going to finish this book?"

While, I did enjoy each of the characters, and they were definitely well-developed; I felt at times, it was just too much. The story started to stray away from the main storyline.

Shelby had way too much going on in such a short timeline to figure out where she was headed. Not to the point that it was unbelievable, but it was heading that way.

There were a few times I felt the words didn't mesh with the character she seemed to be. I understand that mental abuse and trauma can definitely change a person and how they feel about themselves, I just got the vibe that she flip-flopped from naive, blindsided, mouse, into this country raised, tough as nails gal a little too quickly. Again, just my opinion of how she was written.

I enjoyed how all her family came together to support her and help her find her way. It's very clear they have a close bond, that I can attest to being a country raised value. 

As for the mystery/suspense elements, I wasn't shocked at all. The bad guy/s were pretty obvious and the twist was not surprising at all. 

Mystery, romance, contemporary; I get that.

Suspense/thriller, nope. Not at all (for me)

I'm still going to give this one 5 stars. Overall, it was a great story and the characters made me keep reading.

Notes:

To be honest, I've known that Nora Roberts had written tons, and tons of books. I've only read 4 of her books. I feel like, she's one of those authors that I've heard the name and sort of know her genre of choice, I just never seem to grab one of her books to read. I actually went back through my Goodreads shelves and realized I do have a couple on my TBR list. Two that I already own.

She also has written over 63 crime books in the In Death(Eve Dallas) series under the pseudonym J.D. Robb

Totally guestimating, she has over 200 books to choose from! There's bound to be something of hers you'd enjoy!

Have you read any of her books? Which was your favorite?

Which one should I add to my list?

Book Review: Feeling All My Feelings/Feeling All My Anger by Kim T.S.

 Feeling All My Feelings
and 
Feeling All My Anger

by

Kim T.S.

I was honored to receive free pdf copies of both of these books from the author, 

Kim T.S.

You can also follow her on Goodreads, Click Here!

In these two books, Kim opens up a way to help everyone learn about different feelings. We all have feelings, and they are all valid. How we share them with others, and how we react, can make a huge difference.

Children need to see a healthy way to deal with all their feelings. Together we can set an example, learn, and teach each other.

Author's note from book:

We are firm believers that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to parenting. Learn about different methods, but trust your own instincts. Always be kind to your children, to others, and to yourself. Remember, that we are all just trying our best!

(both books were read aloud with my daughter. All opinions are our own)

Feeling ALL My Feelings

18 pages

Kyle is a little kid with a lot of BIG feelings- just like many kids! It's ok to feel all our feelings, because those feelings are normal and real. 

At the same time, there are things we can do to help us calm down when our feelings get TOO big!

Join Kyle and his friend, Tiny the Mouse, as they find ways to accept and overcome the littlest and biggest emotions.

Review:

This is definitely a little book that makes a big impact!

From the very beginning, Kyle comes to life with amazing illustrations by Chel Labayo

His character takes us through a variety of emotions and some of the ways he reacts to them.

Like when something is funny,... he laughs until his knees buckle.

Kyle learns that his brain is a superpower. He has the power to control his emotions and learns ways of coping when he is scared, sad, or angry.

It seems like such a simple message, yet I think each of us forget that we hold this power at times.

This is a story that can be read and definitely re-read over. A lesson we all need a reminder of.

Hooray! to Kyle!

My daughter absolutely loved the animation in his character. We found ourselves saying, "Hey, you make that face." several times throughout the book.

Feeling All My Anger

18 pages

It's important for everyone to remember that ALL feelings are okay. There's a reason for every feeling, including anger. Instead of hiding it, we should try to understand WHY we feel that way and find healthy ways to release it. Otherwise, our anger might explode!

Join Max the Lion as he tries to find ways to understand, accept, and overcome his anger.

Review:

Have you ever taken away your child's ipad or tablet? How did they react? If your kid is anything like Max the Lion, or my daughter, I bet there was some strong anger shown!

When Max doesn't get his way, he finds himself roaring with anger.

He wants to scream and shout. He wants to kick and run; and make his feelings heard.

Luckily, he has a mommy that sticks it out and is there for him when he's ready to be calm. He also has Tiny the Mouse to help him along the way. To understand his feelings and how they can hurt others if they aren't gotten under control.

Again, this book also helps us understand our emotions, and how we can help others express them in a healthy way.

Tiny the Mouse is a hoot! Make sure to catch all her little text. 

Maybe, she'll get a book about how she's feeling...

I adored both of these books, and so did my daughter. She'll be 9 this week, and these were easy enough for her to read alone if she chooses. We've already discussed them twice. Once, after reading, and again before I started writing this review. We both found we could relate to the characters, and remember a time when we've shown our emotions. We discussed how we dealt with them and if we used our super brain power to control them. If not, what could we have done different. 

Very clear and understandable message.

I think Kim T. S. has a wonderful series started here! I cannot wait for the next book!

5 stars all around!