Cranky Chicken by Katherine Battersby

 

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Published: September 7, 2021

Genre: Middle School

Source: Finished copy

Rating: 5

See what other readers are saying about it HERE!

Blurb:

Narwhal and Jelly meet The Bad Guys in this heartwarming, brightly illustrated, and downright hilarious chapter book about what happens when a very cranky chicken is befriended by a very cheerful worm.

Cranky Chicken is, well, cranky. With one cranky eyebrow, cranky eyes, and even cranky, scratchy feet. But then one day, Cranky meets a very friendly worm named Speedy who wants nothing more than to be friends. Young readers will love seeing the mismatched friendship grow over the course of three charming and laugh-out-loud short adventures as Chicken and Speedy become BFFs (Best Feathered Friends) and Speedy shows Chicken how to look on the bright side. 

Review:

I read this several times over the past few weeks. First with my own kids, then by myself, and a couple more times when I took the book to the school I work at. Everyone, including me, loved it! I totally relate to this cranky chicken and I loved how the worm, wormed himself into the heart of the chicken. It's a funny book that will have you and your child in stitches! 

Buy the book:

Amazon

Amazon UK

About the Author:

Katherine is the critically acclaimed author and illustrator of eleven picture books, including Trouble, Perfect Pigeons and the popular Squish Rabbit series, which have been published around the world. Her first graphic novel, Cranky Chicken, releases soon. Her books have had glowing reviews in The New York Times, received starred Kirkus reviews and have been shortlisted for numerous awards. She is regularly booked to speak in schools, libraries and at festivals and she is a passionate advocate for literacy and the arts. She currently lives in Ottawa, Canada, with her poet husband, their book obsessed baby and a wonderfully ridiculous dog.

Visit her at: www.katherinebattersby.com

New Release Review—Charmed (Willow Springs 3) by Laura Pavlov

 

⭐ ℕ𝔼𝕎 ℝ𝔼𝕃𝔼𝔸𝕊𝔼 ⭐

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐚 𝐏𝐚𝐯𝐥𝐨𝐯 𝐢𝐬 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝! 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐬𝐬!

#1Cʟɪᴄᴋ: http://mybook.to/CharmedLauraPavlov

Crew Carlisle is enemy number one.

He’s also my new boss.

I need this internship as much as Crew needs an ego lobotomy.

He’s arrogant, cocky, and annoyingly good looking.

Our families have despised one another since long before I was born.

The man loathes me, and he makes no effort to hide his contempt.

But everything I thought I knew isn’t as it seems.

And Crew isn’t who I thought he was.

I’ve never fully given my heart away, and this is the last man that I should give it to.

But walking away isn’t as easy as I expected.

Crew Carlisle is my kryptonite.

And falling for my nemesis is not an option.

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/CharmedGR

Review:

Charmed 

Let me tell you, this series has been the absolute best! Each book gets better and better. I love the character development of each girl. What makes this series the best though is the fact that it centers around female friendships. Healthy female friendships! Each girl gets a book about their personal struggles and of course falling love. 

This book is about sweet Maura. Maura’s family has always had drama with another family in town for generations. So much so that Maura doesn’t tell her father about where she is interning. With the enemies son, Crew. Crew is such a jerk upon meeting him! A big ole jerk that I could help but love. 

The chemistry between the two is on fire and it was only a matter of time before the two gave into those fantastic feelings. These books are so addictive; I devour them in just a day. I love how Maura gives as good as she gets. She doesn’t let Crew slow her down. 

Now I have to wait for the next book! Which I’m very excited for. 

*Thank you to the author for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are subjective but my own. 

𝐶𝑎𝑡𝑐ℎ 𝑢𝑝 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠:

Book 1 - Frayed - http://mybook.to/FrayedLauraPavlov

Book 2: Tangled - http://mybook.to/TangledLauraPavlov

 

 

Laura Pavlov writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance that will make you both laugh and cry. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, mom to two awesome almost-grown kids, and dog-whisperer to a couple of crazy puppies. Laura resides in Las Vegas where she is living her own happily ever after.

Website: https://bit.ly/3hoxrIL

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/2M3MzRv

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3g4jroa

Instagram: https://bit.ly/2TKf5Zs

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3kVyWjk

Join Pav-Loves Readers: https://bit.ly/2XAK9vF

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2NSnGcK

BookBub: https://bit.ly/3ii8Vdp

   

Review—Burn (Fuel Series 3) by Ginger Scott

 

★NOW AVAILABLE★

𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧, the final book in the Fuel Series by Ginger Scott, is LIVE! This second-chance romance completes this angsty, steamy, new adult trilogy.

Purchase 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 (1) here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097TTSBN8

Purchase 𝐖𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐤 (2): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097SBSX3J

Purchase Burn (3): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097SCCH12

The Fuel Series link: https://amzn.to/3j5mQ7S

“The whole Fuel Series is one I rate alongside the best I have ever read. It’s one I will read over and over.” – The Saucy Bookshelf

𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧

Dustin Bridge’s world is about speed. About the edge. His life has been carved by cutting corners and making moves, following impulsive decisions while weighing the facts at hand.

On the track, that has never steered him wrong.

In life, though? That’s another story.

On the cusp of greatness, the world’s up-and-coming racing star seems to be living the perfect story. A hero to his hometown. A partner to his best friend. A man poised to take the throne, to become the greatest, and to reap the rewards and attention that come along with it.

He’s been branded the track’s most eligible bachelor. And rarely does he cross a finish line without a dozen screaming, adoring women brandishing his name on glitter-covered T-shirts across their chests, just hoping he’ll break his own rules and take one of them to bed.

But he won’t. As loose as Dustin may be on the road, he’s become disciplined in life. He let love in completely—once. For one person. Hannah Judge. And she wrecked him.

And now, she’s back.

Review-

Wow. What a rollercoaster! I thought the ending of book two couldn’t change my mind or my opinion about certain circumstances that Hannah felt she needed to do. I didn’t think my heart could take what I was about to read in book three either! And I was right! My heart rate was erratic because all I wanted was too see our hero and heroine finally happy. 

My investment into these amazing characters lives was on point. I felt every emotion and the angst is perfectly done! Dustin and Hannah have such a long road ahead of them. But I knew that if anyone could make it, it would be them. Like most Scott books, I was sad to see it end. I fall in love way too fast and am always a little bit sad to say goodbye. Good thing I can re-read and go through that rollercoaster again!

*Thank you to the author for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are subjective but my own. 

 

Add them to your TBR!

𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗙𝗧: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58077726-shift

𝗪𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗞: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58077746-wreck

𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗡: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58077766-burn

Find more books by Ginger Scott here: www.littlemisswrite.com

Review—Wreck (Bk 2) by Ginger Scott

 

★NOW AVAILABLE★

𝐖𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐤 is LIVE! This is the second book in the brother’s-best-friend, friends-to-lovers Fuel Series by Ginger Scott. Don’t miss this angst-filled read! 

★★★★★ "I’m just going to put and say it—Wreck totally wrecked me! Dustin and Hannah completely tore my heart into pieces.” – The Lovely Books

Purchase 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 (1) here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097TTSBN8

Purchase 𝐖𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐤 (2): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097SBSX3J

Pre-order Burn (3): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097SCCH12

𝐖𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐤
When Dustin Bridges left Camp Verde to try to make it on his own, he left half his heart behind. A life with Hannah Judge was just too dangerous. A mountain of chaos and violence was always aiming for the target on Dustin’s back, and that made giving up the only person he ever loved feel necessary.

But impossible isn’t a word Dustin believes in. Defying odds is what he’s good at. It’s how he’s survived. And when fate calls him home, he sees it as his chance to take back his girl, to make his heart whole and to put his makeshift family back together.

Just one thing. That family? And more importantly, that girl? They want nothing to do with him.

When Dustin left Hannah without a word, he broke a promise. More than that, he broke a bond. He broke Hannah. The life she saw in her future was gone in a blink, and in its place she grew a heart of stone and a craving for danger.

But isn’t danger what Dustin Bridges is really all about?

 

Review-

“Because we’re real, and we’re forever. And even the fucking hands of fate with all their destructive power can’t undo our destiny.”

I’m just going to put and say it—Wreck totally wrecked me! Dustin and Hannah completely tore my heart into pieces. The ending! I’m glad we don’t have to wait too long until the conclusion. I don’t think I could take it. 

The book starts off four years later; after the ending of book one, we were all left heartbroken. Could these two soulmates ever find their way back to each other? Only one way to tell but so many things happen! Dustin and Hannah both have grown and changed so much. Yet, they’re both still the same. The feelings they have for each other can never go away. At least not for them. 

Overall, Scott hit the spot. My heart is heavy and not fully satisfied until I can get more of our main characters. I have to know asap how everything turns out! 

*Thank you to the author for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are subjective but my own. 

*Burn completes their love story in their mid 20s. Coming July 30^th!

Add them to your TBR!

𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗙𝗧: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58077726-shift

𝗪𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗞: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58077746-wreck

𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗡: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58077766-burn

Find more books by Ginger Scott here: www.littlemisswrite.com

New Release—Shift Bk 1 by Ginger Scott

 

★NOW AVAILABLE★

𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭, the first book in 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 by Ginger Scott is LIVE! Buckle your seatbelt, it’s gonna be a wild ride!

Purchase 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097TTSBN8

Pre-order Wreck: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097SBSX3J

Pre-order Burn: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097SCCH12

“An adrenaline rush of a romance that made my heart race and my soul shake. So HEADY. So HEART-POUNDING. So HEARTFELT. So YES!!!” – Karen, Bookalicious Babes Blog

Shift

Dustin Bridges has always had two things he could count on—his fearless instincts behind the wheel and the support of his two best friends, Tommy and Hannah Judge. 

Dustin brought the speed. 

Tommy, the brains. 

And Hannah . . . she was the glue that held everyone together. 

Together, they were unstoppable. 

From the dirt tracks of their youth to the late-night drag races under a desert moon as teens, the Judge siblings pushed and watched in awe as their friend edged closer to his dream. Always racing, always running. That was Dustin’s gift and curse. And while his life at home was unbearable, his world with the Judges always seemed perfect. 

Growing up with people makes for a special bond. But sometimes life has a way of testing just how strong a relationship is. And falling in love with one of your best friends, not to mention your other best friend’s sister? Well, that can be the toughest test of all. 

Heartbreak doesn’t know what it’s up against, though, because when there is a prize to be won, nobody bets against Dustin Bridges. 

Review-

Ginger Scott books always leave me with a heavy dose of nostalgia. She writes the teenage years so well that it always takes me back to when I was that age. That teenage angst is no joke. The way this book ended makes me want to WEEP. But don’t let that scare you—because this story is so beautifully told. Plus, you don’t have to wait long for the other two books. They both will be out in July. 

Dustin and Hannah have a connection. One being the fact that Dustin is Hannah’s brother, Tommy’s, best friend. So yes, this is a brother’s best friend novel. One of my favorite romantic tropes. The two have always had a connection but have never acted upon it. See, Dustin is from the wrong side of the tracks. He has terrible parents and his only solace is the Judges. A wonderful family that treats him as their own. 

I loved that the story centered around racing. I’m not too familiar with it but it makes me interested enough to go and find one to watch. Dustin is good at it and wants to race after high school. Hannah is a grade younger. 

Overall, I enjoyed this book very much. To say I need the second book is an understatement! I can’t wait to see how everything plays out. 

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are subjective but my own.

Wreck and Burn

(Books 2 and 3)

Wreck continues Dustin and Hannah’s story four years later, and book 3, Burn, completes their love story in their mid 20s. 

𝗔𝗥𝗖 + 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗨𝗽𝘀: https://forms.gle/c25bCrziSQuPC2dPA

Add them to your TBR!

𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗙𝗧: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58077726-shift

𝗪𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗞: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58077746-wreck

𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗡: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58077766-burn

Review—Made in Korea by Sarah Suk

 

Publisher: Simon and Shuster for Young Readers

Published: May 18, 2021

Genre: Own Voices, YA Romance

Source: E-ARC

Rating: 4.5 Stars

See what reviewers are saying HERE

Blurb:

Frankly in Love meets Shark Tank in this feel-good romantic comedy about two entrepreneurial Korean American teens who butt heads—and maybe fall in love—while running competing Korean beauty businesses at their high school.

There’s nothing Valerie Kwon loves more than making a good sale. Together with her cousin Charlie, they run V&C K-BEAUTY, their school’s most successful student-run enterprise. With each sale, Valerie gets closer to taking her beloved and adventurous halmeoni to her dream city, Paris.

Enter the new kid in class, Wes Jung, who is determined to pursue music after graduation despite his parents’ major disapproval. When his classmates clamor to buy the K-pop branded beauty products his mom gave him to “make new friends,” he sees an opportunity—one that may be the key to help him pay for the music school tuition he knows his parents won’t cover…

What he doesn’t realize, though, is that he is now V&C K-BEAUTY’s biggest competitor.

Stakes are high as Valerie and Wes try to outsell each other, make the most money, and take the throne for the best business in school—all while trying to resist the undeniable spark that’s crackling between them. From hiring spies to all-or-nothing bets, the competition is much more than either of them bargained for.

But one thing is clear: only one Korean business can come out on top.

Review:

Made in Korea is a must read! Valerie and Wes are those characters you root for from beginning to end. They’re fun, realistic, and you can’t help but fall in love with them. I liked how the story was told in a unique and interesting way. It was different but in a good way. It wasn’t cliche; more like a breathe of fresh air.

An easy and fast-paced story; this is one that checks off everything you could want in a book and more. It’s about two “rivals” who end up having a tons of chemistry but also are competing when it comes to selling those beauty products to the school! Why is this trope so fun? I never wanted the book to end. 

Overall, I thought this ended perfectly. Kind of like an ice cream with a cherry on top! It was sugary sweet and I loved every minute of it. 

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are subjective but my own. 

Buy the book:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

About the Author:

Sarah Suk (pronounced like soup with a K) lives in Vancouver, Canada where she writes stories and admires mountains. When she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the water, taking film photos, or eating a bowl of bingsu. You can visit her online at sarahsuk.com and on Twitter and Instagram @sarahaelisuk.

Review— Crescendo: A Silver City Story by Lilith K. Duat

Blurb:

In an era of Britneys and Christinas, 17 year old April Lee hit it big with her debut album "This Girl Punx", and the hit singles "Skid Sister" and "Confusion".
She was top of the charts and took the pop-punk world by storm. Now, at 22, she's hit rock-bottom.

May Hart is a Victorian goth fae princess. She’s all tortured wailing and flowy skirts. Snow white skin, jet black hair, ice blue-grey eyes. She’s part Ice queen, part murder of crows. As front-woman for the band Ethereal, her haunting vocals made hits out of the songs “Plastic Garden”, “The Eternal” and “Take me from Death”. Now is the time to go solo. Can she succeed? Of course she can.

When both women are tapped to record the theme-song to a new super hero movie, they begin to grow close. But the business is very two faced and both April and May carry with them dark secrets. Can they look past each other's hurt and find love and stellar careers?

CRESCENDO is part of SILVER CITY STORIES and is a first-time lesbian erotic romance intended for adults only. It deals with dark subject matter, abuse, violence and celebrates sexual expression between consenting adults

 Review:

Crescendo is a story about two women in the entertainment industry that eventually grow close and fall in love. April and May are what I like to call, on fire! They complimented each other very well. I liked their relationship a lot. This is a novella, so it’s fairly short. Short, fast, yet still satisfying! Smoking hot chemistry and music go so well together! If you’re looking for a sexy, easy read, this is the one for you!

*Thank you to the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are subjective but my own. 

Buy:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Release Day Review—Badly Behaved by Meagan Brandy

 

Blurb:

I'm a Monet.

A chameleon.

I'm whatever I must be.

And what I must be is a flawless daughter, a skilled socialite, and the perfect prize to the man who signed along the dotted line.

Not that I'm complaining.

I'm all for a contractual agreement, a quick and clean catapult into the next phase of rich girl life. One that takes little thought, less effort, and zero devotion.

It's exactly what I want.

An impassive life.

A calculated future.

Or, it was until the lights went out, darkness took over, and I learned what it meant to live.

To feel.

To fall.

But everyone knows what thrives in the night burns in the light and flames were among us.

There is no escape.

No turning back.

No ending within my control.

My mother always says our choices determine our consequences.

I hate it when she's right.

__

This is an all-new 103k word standalone romance about a rich girl and the trouble she finds herself in when she catches the eye of a guy unlike the ones in her world.

Review:

Badly Behaved was so good! I loved it from start to finish. Jameson is that female protagonist that you can’t help but love the heck out of. She’s strong yet vulnerable. I think that’s what I adored most about her. 

Let me tell you, I thought this book was hot. And if you loved Brandy’s Boys of Brayshaw series, then you won’t want to miss this one! Ransom and Jameson were on fire. Their story is one that I can jump on board with because it dealt with a female lead that gained love and a family when she wasn’t even looking for it. 

She grew up in a somewhat loveless upbringing. Which brings her to the here and now where Jameson didn’t believe in fairytales or all they entailed. It takes three beautiful boys to show her there’s more to life than just loneliness. 

I also enjoyed a certain couple in the book so much. It came as a surprise even though it shouldn’t have. They were my favorite though! Overall, I enjoyed this entirely too much. I got nothing done because I just had to finish this beautiful love story. 

*Thank you to the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are subjective but my own. 

Buy Links:

Amazon US → https://amzn.to/3dITbP7

Amazon CA → https://amzn.to/3rUFhyx

Amazon UK → https://amzn.to/3mq0mjn

Amazon AU → https://amzn.to/3fQ2Rdt

Universal → https://geni.us/BBEFB

Paperback → https://geni.us/BBPBNL

 

Meet Meagan Brandy:

Meagan Brandy is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of New Adult and Sports Romance books. Born and raised in California, she is a married mother of three crazy boys who keep her bouncing from one sports field to another, depending on the season, and she wouldn't have it any other way. Starbucks is her best friend and words are her sanity.

 

Connect with Meagan Brandy:

Website: https://www.meaganbrandy.com

Newsletter: https://www.meaganbrandy.com/newsletter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meaganbrandyauthor/

Facebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2z4WUkK

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meaganbrandyauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeaganBrandy

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/2u9O47Z

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2Oi35LW