Rachel's Day In the Garden Review

Welcome to a review of Rachel's Day In the Garden by Giselle Shardlow!

About the Book

Title: Rachel's Day in the Garden (A Kids Yoga Spring Colors Book) | Author: Giselle Shardlow | Illustrator: Hazel Quintanilla | Publication Date: December 23, 2014 | Publisher: Kids Yoga Stories | Number of pages: 34 | Recommended age: 3 to 6 years

Summary: Experience the benefits of yoga while learning about the signs of spring!

Join Rachel as she and her adorable puppy look for signs of spring in the garden. Crawl like a caterpillar, buzz like a bee, and flutter like a butterfly. Discover spring, explore movement, and learn the colors of the rainbow. The storybook includes a list of kids yoga poses and a parent-teacher guide.  

Kids Yoga Stories introduce you to engaging characters who will get your child laughing, moving, and creating. Reading is good for the mind AND body! The story links several yoga poses in a specific sequence to create a coherent and meaningful story. This spring yoga story for ages 3 to 6 is more than a storybook, but it’s also a unique experience for children. 

Rachel's Day in the Garden is the first book in a seasonal yoga book series. The summer yoga book is also now available: Ella's Summer Fun. The fall and winter ones are in production, coming soon!

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Sneak Peek

About the Author: Giselle Shardlow

Giselle Shardlow is the author of Kids Yoga Stories. Her yoga stories for kids get children learning, moving, and having fun. Giselle draws from her experiences as a teacher, traveler, yogi, and mom to write the stories. She can be found at the Kids Yoga Stories website or on her Amazon author page.

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Review:

Spring is a wonderful time to watch the world renew and grow new life. In this book, Rachel enjoys the outdoors in her own special way- through yoga! Incorporating some fairly basic yoga poses, Rachel and her dog Sammy enjoy the fresh spring air around them. Key words for each pose help link the poses to the story. Rachel can help people all over enjoy the beautiful spring world and yoga.

This was a very cute book. I love the bright colors and happy looking pictures. Rachel and her dog take a quick tour of the world outside and truly enjoy spring. I love the idea of incorporating yoga poses into the story as well. It's a fun way to really get kids (and even adults) into the book. This book just made me feel happy. I think it's a beautiful way to enjoy getting to know nature in new and fun ways!

Book provided for review.

 

Wedding Haters Book Blast

Welcome to the book blast for Wedding Haters by Melissa Baldwin!

The exquisite dress, the dazzling menu, the family drama . . . It’s the day every girl dreams of, and Madison Wales is no exception. Her wedding plans seem to be going perfectly thanks to her very talented wedding planner, Sienna Harris. That is, until her grandmother and her two overachieving, bullying cousins suddenly want to become very involved in her big day. But . . . why? Madison’s perfect wedding dreams are dashed as things slowly start to unravel. With family drama in her midst, she wonders if her cousins are behind each disaster or if she has truly become a paranoid bridezilla. Will Madison be able to withstand all of the pressure and finally stand up for herself? The idea of eloping with her fiancé, Cole, is looking better everyday, even if it means leaving her dream wedding behind. Will she make the right choice?

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Author Melissa Baldwin Melissa graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications; she has always had a love for writing. An avid journal keeper, she fulfilled her dream with her debut novel, An Event To Remember . . . Or Forget. Melissa resides in Orlando, Florida, with her husband and young daughter. She is a master at organization and multi-tasking. Her daily jobs include mother, chauffeur, wife, PTA President, Fitness Trainer, and now Author. When she has free time, she enjoys traveling, fitness, decorating, fashion, and taking a Disney Cruise every now and then.

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$50 Blast Giveaway

Enter to win an Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 5/11/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by readinglight.com. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Katie and the North Star Book Blast

Welcome to the book blast for Katie and the North Star by Bethany & Katie Lopez and Hetty Mitchell!

 

About the Book

Title: Katie and the North Star | Authors: Bethany Lopez and Katie Lopez | Illustrator: Hetty Mitchell | Publication Date: March 13, 2015 | Publisher: Independent | Pages: 26 | Recommended Ages: 2 to 6 

Summary: 

Katie and the North Star is a book filled with adventure, joy, and imagination. Join Katie as she learns why she can't keep the North Star all to herself.  

* PRICE DROP *

* "Katie and the North Star" is available as an e-book for only 99 cents from Amazon between April 23 and 25, 2015. Or, subscribers to Kindle Unlimited can grab an e-copy for FREE! *

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About the Authors: Bethany Lopez and Katie Lopez

Katie and Bethany Lopez are a mother and daughter writing team. Katie is currently navigating through the first grade. She loves reading, writing, and Shopkins. Bethany writes stories for all ages. She enjoys writing full time, and spending time with her family. Katie and the North Star is their first collaboration.

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* $25 Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)
Contest ends: May 7, 11:59 pm, 2015
Open: Internationally
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Bethany Lopez and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

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Caterpillar Shoes Book Blast

Welcome to the book blast for Caterpillar Shoes  by Angela Muse and Ewa Podles!

About the Book

Title: Caterpillar Shoes | Author: Angela Muse | Illustrator: Ewa Podles | Publication Date: March 26, 2015 | Publisher: 4EYESBOOKS | Pages: 28 | Recommended Ages: 0 to 8 

Summary: 

Patches is an energetic caterpillar who is trying to decide what activities to do. In the end, she doesn't put any limits on herself and lives her life to the full.

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About the Author: Angela Muse

Angela was born in California to a military family. This meant that she got used to being the "new kid" in school every couple of years. It was hard trying to make new friends, but Angela discovered she had a knack for writing. In high school Angela began writing poetry and song lyrics. Expressing herself through writing seemed very natural. After becoming a Mom in 2003, Angela continued her storytelling to her own children. In 2009 she wrote and published her first rhyming children's book aimed at toddlers. Since then she has released several more children's picture books and released her first young adult romance series, The Alpha Girls, in 2012. Angela's husband, Ben Muse writes suspense/thriller books that can also be found on Amazon. Check out what else she's working on by visiting www.4eyesbooks.com

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* $50 Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)
Contest ends: May 6, 11:59 pm, 2015
Open: Internationally
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Angela Muse and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

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Review: Just Like Elizabeth Taylor by Lu Ann Brobst Staheli

Title:		Just Like Elizabeth Taylor
Author:		Lu Ann Brobst Staheli
Publisher:		Back Yard Press
Pub. Date:		7/13/2013
Pages:		143

**Winner of the Utah Arts Council Original Writing Competition, Juvenile Division
**Winner of the League of Utah Writer’s Juvenile Novel & Diamond Quill Award

“I was named after a movie star. Elizabeth Taylor. Mom didn’t have any idea that my life—and hers—would turn out to be filled with those same unglamorous experiences her idol had faced. Life wasn’t all movie stars and parties.”

Twelve-year-old Liz Taylor has known for a long time that she would escape—escape the abuse against herself—escape her mother’s boyfriend Mark. Liz just doesn't know how or when. 
Then the perfect opportunity comes—money left on the table by Mark—and Liz is on the run. But a girl her age doesn’t have many options when it comes to hideouts, making a K.O.A. Kampground and a nearby middle school her perfect choices. 

If she can keep her true identity secret, Liz knows she can make it on her own, until she realizes she must face her situation head on if she is to save herself and her mom.

Summary and picture via Goodreads.

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Elizabeth Taylor was named after the movie star, but her life was anything but glamorous. Forced to live with her mother's abusive boyfriend and equally abusive son, Liz isn't sure she can take things much longer. One day she finally makes a break for freedom when she sees her chance thrown before her. Liz starts a whole new life, but she finds out that you can't hide from your past forever. Liz will be forced to find an incredible strength to save herself and her mother.

This book did not go where I expected at all. Elizabeth Taylor's world is pretty horrific. Her mother has an abusive boyfriend, and Liz herself has to deal the the boyfriends abusive son. Through it all Liz doesn't lose her sense of perspective though. She knows she has to get out of the situation she's in. When she finally sees a chance to escape, she takes it. Liz makes a relatively decent life for herself on her own all things considered, but naturally she doesn't want to get too close to anyone. There's one girl though who seems overly peppy and overly needy. Liz wants to avoid this girl, but she can't seem to escape being drawn into this world as well.

Watching Liz deal with all the things going on in her life were terribly sad, and it makes this book feel very heavy at times. Don't go into this book thinking that it's a fun light read or anything. However, there is a sense of hope and strength throughout the story. Liz is a fighter no matter what happens. That isn't to say she's unusually strong or anything. When she sees her past suddenly in front of her, she reacts in a way that's very believable. This doesn't take away from everything she does though. Elizabeth Taylor may not have a movie star life, but she is a heroine.

Book provided for review.

The Boxford Stories Book Blast

Welcome to the book blast for The Boxford Stories by Kristen Carson!

Welcome to the world of the Runyons and the Feldsteds, two Mormon families in 1970s Maryland. Far from their Western American roots, they cling to each other like exiles clutching a precious box of topsoil from the old country.

In The Boxford Stories you will meet Ada Runyon who always turns to Ruthalin Feldsted when she needs an ear—sharing her deepest confidences, her everyday musings, and her bits of horrified gossip. Yet Ada dies inside whenever Ruthalin’s country-cousin manners poke out in public.

Latham Runyon, a history professor, and Erval Feldsted, a hospital engineer, bond every Sunday night over gooey desserts and vigorous religious discussion, a game their children call Stump the Rabbi. Underneath their balding heads and graying temples, each man desperately seeks a sign that God would choose him as a buddy.

The Feldsted and Runyon children, running breathlessly through each other’s houses and backyards, have long considered each other substitute cousins. However, Ginni Runyon plots to change herself from the girl next door to the girl Marc Feldsted can’t live without.

And when Boxford’s Mormons mix with the rest of the town, everybody could use a field guide to the other species.

Laugh, cry, and shake your head with the Runyons and Feldsteds as they make their way through the decade that brought us leisure suits and urban decay."

AMAZON

 

Author Kristen Carson
Kristen Carson was born in Idaho, the caboose baby in a family of six girls. She studied at Brigham Young University.

Hearing tales of how green the grass was elsewhere, she pledged to move east of the 100th Meridian. Even though she’s never lived in the #1 place on her list (Lexington, Kentucky--have you seen those beautiful bluegrass hills?!), she enjoyed her years in Texas, Illinois and Pennsylvania. She currently lives in Indiana.

Kristen’s stories and articles have appeared in The Indianapolis Star, Chicago Parent, Indianapolis Monthly, Dialogue: a Journal of Mormon Thought and Irreantum.

She and her husband are the parents of four adult children.

She loves her two cats for their affection, their paranoia and their sense of entitlement. She takes long walks wherever she goes, because she thinks the best way to see the world is at 3 miles an hour. She loves cooking. All the chopping, stirring and inhaling lend the perfect capstone to her day.

Kristen is also an avid reader. No doubt she won’t live long enough to finish all the books on her list. Her favorite authors are Herman Wouk, Diana Gabaldon and Tom Wolfe.

Check out her blog, where she writes about whatever she’s reading and cooking

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 $50 Blast Giveaway
Enter to win an Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 5/4/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by readinglight.com. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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What Every 6th Grader Needs to Know Cover Reveal

Welcome to the cover reveal for What Every 6th Grader Needs to Know by Rachelle J. Christensen and Connie E. Sokol!

Is your daughter asking questions about friends, peer pressure, school, and even her weight? As a mom, are you wondering how to answer them? 

Welcome to the club. 

But you can relax. Because we’ve asked real sixth-grade girls to dish on their top secret questions. And, we’ve provided time-tested real-life answers that work. Add to that an enjoyable format. The “Just for Girls” section speaks right to your daughter in words and ways she understands. The “Just for Moms” section talks straight to moms, giving you information, resources, and easy-to-share answers. We include tips for how to start, handle, and enjoy the conversations no matter the situation. 

Create connected conversations with your daughter as you explore these life questions together. Get plain facts and jumpstart questions. Discuss the provided scenarios so she can practice responses to use in real-time. Download decorative cards with positive statements and fun fill-in sentences. Use What Every Girl Needs to Know About 6th Grade to make it happen. Together, answer questions and create connection. You got this.

Enter the Goodreads 3 Book Giveaway

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Author Connie E. Sokol

Connie E. Sokol is a mother of seven and a favorite local and national speaker for over fifteen years. She is a core contributor on KSL TV's “Studio 5 with Brooke Walker” and a national blogger for "Motherhood Matters" at www.ksl.com. She is a former TV and radio host for Bonneville Communications and newspaper and magazine columnist. Mrs. Sokol is the author of twelve books including Faithful, Fit & Fabulous; Create a Powerful Life Plan; The Life is Too Short Collection; 40 Days with the Savior; and Caribbean Crossroads. Mrs. Sokol marinates in time spent with her family and eating decadent treats.

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Author Rachelle J. Christensen

Rachelle J. Christensen is a mother of five who loves connecting with her children and wrote this book in answer to questions from her two daughters. She also has an amazing husband, three cats, and five chickens. An award-winning author, she has written several mystery/suspense novels, and she solves the mystery of the missing shoe on a daily basis. Rachelle graduated cum laude from Utah State University with a degree in psychology and a music minor. She enjoys singing and songwriting, playing the piano, running, motivational speaking, and, of course, reading.

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$25 Giveaway

Enter to win an Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 5/1/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by readinglight.com. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Review: The Boardwalk Antiques Shop by Julie Wright, Melanie Jacobson & Heather B. Moor

Title:		The Boardwalk Antiques Shop
Author:		Julie Wright, Melanie Jacobson, and Heather B. Moore
Publisher:		Mirror Press
Pub. Date:		1/12/2015
Pages:		315

Welcome to Tangerine Street Tangerine Street is a must-see tourist stop with a colorful mix of one-of-a-kind boutiques, unique restaurants, eclectic museums, quaint bookstores, and renowned bed-and-breakfasts. 

The Boardwalk Antiques Shop is an exclusive shop where every antique has a story, and each story possesses the gift to match true love. The customer who buys an antique also buys its story and soon discovers that its story unites the past with the present, creating an unexpected romantic future… “Where Every Antique has a Story” 

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE: Jennifer is newest owner of The Boardwalk Antiques Shop, inherited from her aunt. When Jennifer arrives in Seashell Beach, her first priority is to meet with a realtor to sell the place. She laughs out loud when she discovers the realtor’s name is Mr. Studly. But the more Jennifer gets to know Paul Studly, the more she finds reasons to stay and run the antiques shop herself. 

SOLVING FOR X: Abbie is only a little bit obsessed with antiques, okay, a lot. So when Holden, an out-of-town business executive, tries to purchase the tin soldiers that Abbie’s had her eye on, Abbie refuses to back down. The antiques shop owner issues a challenge: whoever comes up with the best story for wanting the soldiers, will become the new owner. Abbie isn’t about to let some fancy executive beat her out, no matter how charming he is. 

A STITCH IN TIME: When Cate learns that antiques dealer Henry Lancaster has purchased the sewing machine left to her by her grandmother, Cate is determined to get it back. What she isn’t counting on is that Henry has just as much claim as Cate. And it doesn’t help that Henry is good-looking and apparently single. Getting to know Henry becomes an unexpected surprise, sending her life into a sudden detour. Other books in the Tangerine Street Romance series: The Fortune Café. Books can be read in any order.

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Seashell Beach is an idyllic setting, and these three short stories show that love is always in the air there. The three stories all tie-in with one shop, The Boardwalk Antiques Shop. Everything there has a story, and every person who comes in seems to have one as well. Jennifer inherited the shop from an aunt she never really liked, but she begins to wonder if maybe she didn't know her aunt all that well. Abbie is a girl who loves to read and write a good story. So one day when she sees something she's dying for in the antiques shop, she's not pleased to see she has competition. Very handsome competition. Cate's beloved grandmother has just passed away, and Cate's cousin has sold the one thing that Cate truly wanted of her grandmother's- an antique sewing machine. Cate tries desperate to get the machine back, but the dealer who bought it is disarming in a number of ways. All three girls will find what they least expected at The Boardwalk Antiques Shop.

I read The Fortune Cafe, so it was fun to revisit the somewhat familiar town of Seashell Beach. The authors do an amazing job of painting a picture of this town. I really felt like I was there on a vacation myself. The three stories are all love stories, but they take very different approaches to love. Some of the characters like to jump right in while others are a bit more hesitant. Past and present seems to collide for all these people. I love the overarching storyline of The Boardwalk Antiques Shop itself. It almost becomes a character in the story.

Often when I read short story collections like this, I have a favorite or perhaps one I didn't like as much as the others. This wasn't the case with this book. They are all very fun and sweet at the same time. They all managed to keep my interest very well and tell a lot of story in just a few pages. I think this would be a perfect beach read. I mean you practically feel like you are there already anyway! These stories were very enjoyable and quick reads. They just made me feel happy, and who can stay away from a book like that? Check out this book if you love sweet romances that make you feel good.

Book provided for review.