Review: Penny’s Day on the Farm

Title: Penny’s Day on the Farm
Author: Eugenie Gloria Wong, Juliana Castro (illustrator)
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Publisher: Hasmark Publishing
Source: Author
Format: Paperback
Release Date: June 4, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Are you looking for a captivating picture book that instills confidence in your child and models how to make friends?
Look no further than Penny’s Day on the Farm by author Eugenie Gloria Wong.

This rhyming picture book follows Penny, a little girl with a room full of stuffed animals who are her friends. On the evening before her first day of school, the words on a mysterious note whisk her away into a magical realm where animals talk and unexpected friendships blossom.

With a newfound friend by her side, Penny navigates how to reach out to others through teamwork, kindness, and embracing new experiences. She discovers the magic ingredient that makes friends flock to her and learns that moments of adventure can begin with a simple wish … and an open heart.

Penny’s Day on the Farm is filled with heartwarming and humorous illustrations by Juliana Castro. This book is from the series The Adventures of Pierre and Penny LePockets, which strives to teach children life lessons and build their self-esteem through fantastical adventure stories.

Review:

Penny is excited for her first day of school tomorrow. Before she goes to sleep, she finds a note with a spell that transports her to a farm. She meets all kinds of animals on the farm, and teaches a group of pigs how to play soccer. After making friends with animals on the farm, Penny is ready to make new friends at school. 

This was such a fun picture book! I liked that it showed how easy it was for Penny to make friends with animals, so then she can use those skills to make friends with kids on her first day of school. I loved the illustrations! They were vibrant and colourful. I would have loved reading this book when I was a kid. 

Penny’s Day on the Farm is a beautiful picture book!

Thank you Eugenie Wong and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!

Have you read Penny’s Day on the Farm? What did you think of it?

Review: Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie

Title: Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie
Author: Jackie Lau
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Atria Books
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Format: Ebook
Release Date: May 7, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

A charming rom-com about a young woman’s desperate attempts to fend off her meddling mother…only to find that maybe mother does know best.

Mark Chan this. Mark Chan that. 

Writer and barista Emily Hung is tired of hearing about the great Mark Chan, the son of her parents’ friends. You’d think he single-handedly stopped climate change and ended child poverty from the way her mother raves about him. But in reality, he’s just a boring, sweater-vest-wearing engineer, and when they’re forced together at Emily’s sister’s wedding, it’s obvious he thinks he’s too good for her. 

But now that Emily is her family’s last single daughter, her mother is fixated on getting her married and she has her sights on Mark. There’s only one solution, clearly : convince Mark to be in a fake relationship with her long enough to put an end to her mom’s meddling. He reluctantly agrees.

Unfortunately, lying isn’t enough. Family friends keep popping up at their supposed dates—including a bubble tea shop and cake-decorating class—so they’ll have to spend more time together to make their relationship look real. With each fake date, though, Emily realizes that Mark’s not quite what she assumed and maybe that argyle sweater isn’t so ugly after all…

Review:

Emily Hung is the only one out of five sisters who is single. She’s a published author who also works as a barista, so she doesn’t have time to date. At her sister’s wedding, her mom tries to set her up with Mark Chan. Her mom is constantly talking about what a great guy Mark is, which automatically turns Emily off him. When her mom sets her up on a date with Mark, Emily decides to have a fake relationship with Mark to get her mom off her back. However, when her family friends start appearing during their fake dates, Emily realizes they have to start going on real dates to prove to her mom that the relationship is real. As Emily starts to enjoy their dates, she starts to realize that the guy her mom picked out for her may be a better match than she thought.

I loved this story! I found Emily to be such a relatable character as a writer. Her comments and references to the publishing world were so accurate and often funny. I loved the relationship between Emily and Mark. Their “third-act-breakup” wasn’t too intense, which made the ending light and fun. It had such a heartwarming ending!

Love, Lies, and Cherry Pies is a fun rom com!

Thank you Atria Books for providing a copy of this book.

Have you read Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie? What did you think of it?

Review: An Inconvenient Wife: A Modern Tudor Mystery

Title: An Inconvenient Wife: A Modern Tudor Mystery
Author: Karen E. Olson
Genre: Contemporary, Thriller, Mystery
Publisher: Pegasus Crime
Source: Once Upon a Book Club Box
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: April 2, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

This astonishing crime novel—inspired by the Tudor era—takes the reader into the world of Kate Parker, who has just married billionaire Hank Tudor when a headless body is discovered near their summer home . . .

Kate Parker knows what she’s getting into when she marries billionaire businessman Hank Tudor—she’s his sixth wife, after all, and was by his side (as his assistant) when his fifth marriage to actress Caitlyn Howard fell apart.

But honeymoon plans go awry when a headless body is discovered near Hank’s summer home, forcing Kate to contend with two more of his exes: Catherine Alvarez—the first—who lives as a shut-in with her computers, carefully following Tudor Enterprises; and Anna Klein—the fourth—who runs a bed-and-breakfast where she and her wife keep a steady eye on things—particularly Hank’s children, Lizzie and Teddy.

In this clever and suspenseful reimagining of Tudor era betrayals, these three women become entwined in a deadly game of cat and mouse—with each other, Hank, and Hank’s brilliant fixer, Tom Cromwell—as Kate seeks to solve the puzzle of who the murdered woman is, who killed her, and whether her death has any connection to the other headless body from eight years ago.

Review:

Kate Parker married her former boss Hank Tudor, and became his sixth wife. Their honeymoon was cut short when a headless body was found on one of Hank’s properties. Through the investigation, Kate has to deal with two of Hank’s ex-wives: his first wife Catherine who lives as a shut-in and Anna Klein who runs an inn and looks after Hank’s children. These three women become involved in the investigation, questioning their roles in Hank’s life and if he is behind the murder.

This was such an amazing Tudor adaptation. I love reading about Henry VIII and his wives. This story was cleverly adapted into modern time, while also following the true story and creating a suspenseful mystery. The final chapters kept me guessing with all the twists, and the ending gave me goosebumps! It’s one of my favourite book endings!

An Inconvenient Wife is a must read for Tudor fans!

Content warnings: murder, divorce, adultery, agoraphobia

Have you read An Inconvenient Wife? What did you think of it?

Review: Promposal

Title: Promposal
Author: R.H. Bird
Genre: Young Adult, Romance
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Source: Publisher
Format: Ebook
Release Date: March 4, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Luca Esposito is in detention again. “Guess who’s selling her prom tickets?” Nathan asked with a goofy grin. “It’s Piper Kraft. Your ex.” Luca’s heart stopped. They broke up ten months ago, but he can’t get Piper out of his mind. Could this be his chance to win her back? Just two she hates him, and there are only twelve hours to prom. The clock is ticking. Can he pull off the world’s most amazing Promposal and recapture the girl he loves?

Review:

1990: While sixteen-year-old Luca Esposito is in detention, he finds out that his ex-girlfriend, Piper, is selling her prom tickets because she didn’t have a date. Even though he broke up with her months ago, he can’t stop thinking about her. Then, his friend gets into a fight that is threatened to continue after prom. His friend wants Luca there to help him out. Luca tries to get Piper to accept his invitation to prom, and then figure out how to get them ready for the big night.

This was a cute YA rom com, which was told from the perspective of the male main character. It wasn’t really clear from the beginning that the story was set in 1990, but from the lack of cell phones, I suspected it wasn’t set in recent years. The characters felt like real teenagers in the way that they had no filter with what they said at times. 

Promposal is a fun prom-themed rom com!

Thank you R.H. Bird, The Wild Rose Press, and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a digital copy of this book for a sponsored campaign. 

Content warnings: bullying, alcohol use

Have you read Promposal? What did you think of it?

Review: Amber Brown is Not a Crayon: The Graphic Novel

Title: Amber Brown is Not a Crayon: The Graphic Novel
Author: Paula Danziger, Victoria Ying
Genre: Children’s, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: May 21, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Even when her best friend is moving away, Amber Brown is always bold, bright, and colorful. #Amber Brown is out now on Apple TV+

Amber Brown and Justin Daniels are best friends. They’ve known each other for practically forever, sit next to each other in class, help each other with homework, and always stick up for each other. Justin never says things like, “Amber Brown is not a crayon.” Amber never says, “You’re Justin Time.” They’re a great team—until disaster strikes. Justin has to move away, and now the best friends are fighting. Will they be able to work it out before it’s too late?

Along with the ups and downs of shared custody, the Amber Brown chapter books are beloved for tackling relatable dilemmas with thoughtfulness, humor, and plenty of puns.

Review:

Amber Brown and Justin Daniels are best friends and neighbours. They sit beside each other in class and do everything together. When Justin’s parents put their house up for sale, Amber and Justin start fighting. Amber feels like she’s lost her best friend before he’s even moved away. They must try to make up before Amber loses her best friend forever. 

I loved the Amber Brown books when I was a kid, so I was excited to read this graphic novel. These stories show kids dealing with relatable problems, like parents divorcing, friends moving away, and bullying. I really enjoyed this graphic novel!

Amber Brown is Not a Crayon is a great children’s graphic novel!

Thank you Penguin Young Readers for providing a digital copy of this book!

Content warnings: parents divorce, bullying

Have you read Amber Brown is Not a Crayon: The Graphic Novel? What did you think of it?

Review: Falling Hard for the Royal Guard

Title: Falling Hard for the Royal Guard
Author: Megan Clawson
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Avon
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 2, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Despite living in an actual castle, happily ever after is evading Margaret ‘Maggie’ Moore.

From her bedroom in the Tower of London, twenty-six-year-old Maggie has always dreamed of her own fairy-tale ending.

Yet this is twenty-first century London, so instead of knights on white horses, she has catfish on Tinder. And with her last relationship ending in spectacular fashion, she swears off men for good.

And then a chance encounter with Royal Guard Freddie forces Maggie to admit that she isn’t ready to give up on love just yet… But how do you catch the attention of someone who is trained to ignore all distractions?

Can she snare that true love’s first kiss… or is she royally screwed?

Review:

Twenty-six-year-old Maggie Moore lives at the Tower of London with her father. She’s always dreamed of her own fairytale romance, but all she has is a deadbeat ex-boyfriend following her around. After she literally stumbles into a Royal Guard one day, she starts to believe in love again. However, Maggie has a hard time getting his attention, since the Royal Guards are trained to ignore distractions. Maggie wants to find true love, whether she must swipe through Tinder or convince her Royal Guard that she’s the one for him.

This was such a fun romance! I loved seeing what life is like for residents of the Tower of London. It’s such a unique lifestyle, with residents not locking their doors and having trouble getting food delivered. Maggie has some horrific dates with men she met on Tinder, which anyone who has used dating apps would relate to. 

Falling Hard for the Royal Guard is a fun rom com!

Content warnings: death of parent (off page)

Have you read Falling Hard for the Royal Guard? What did you think of it?

Review: Alterations

Title: Alterations
Author: Ray Xu
Genre: Middle Grade, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Union Square and Co.
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: January 30, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

For fans of Gene Luen Yang’s  American Born Chinese  and Svetlana Chmakova’s   Awkward , this funny yet poignant middle-grade coming-of-age story highlights the struggle of feeling invisible while yearning to be seen by all. 
 
Kevin Lee is having a really bad week. Although he lives in a crowded Toronto apartment above the family’s alterations and dry-cleaning store, he mostly goes unnoticed. School isn’t exactly an oasis either—being one of the few Asian kids makes for some unwelcome attention. But when Kevin’s class plans a trip to Thrill Planet, a spectacular theme park, will he finally have a chance to turn his life around, or will it just be another day for Kevin Lee?

Review:

Kevin Lee is having a bad week. His mom is always wanting him to help in her dry cleaner shop, he gets teased at school about his lunch, and he gets in trouble for hitting another student with a basketball in gym. He’s also always fighting with his older sister, who wants her own bedroom. The week ends with Kevin going on a class trip to the new theme park Thrill Planet, which he’s so excited about. Kevin must decide on that trip if he’ll continue to let the teasing by his classmates get him down, or if he’ll take a chance to show them how brave he really is. 

This was such a great graphic novel! It’s set in the early 90s in Toronto. I love reading books set in my hometown because everything is so familiar. I especially liked the Thrill Planet theme park, which resembled Canada’s Wonderland! This story would be relatable for many young readers. Kevin’s family were immigrants to Canada. His parents were divorced and his mother had to work constantly to make ends meet, which made Kevin and his sister feel like they didn’t get enough attention from her. I’m sure many young readers will relate to this story!

Alterations is a great middle grade graphic novel!

Thank you Union Square and Co. for sending me a copy of this book!

Have you read Alterations? What did you think of it?

Review:Halfway to Harbor (The House on Sunrise Lagoon #3)

Title: Halfway to Harbor (The House on Sunrise Lagoon #3)
Author: Nicole Melleby
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary, LGBTQ
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 7, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

If you want to get to know Harbor Moore, you need to know three things:

1. Sometimes she signs her name Harbor Ali-O’Connor to match her siblings.
2. She misses her dad a lot, but she doesn’t want to be away from her moms and siblings, either.
3. She just might have her first crush.

Harbor is excited to spend the summer working on her jump shot in an elite basketball league. But the games take place near her dad’s house—hours away from her beloved Sunrise Lagoon. Suddenly, she’s spending every weekend at her dad’s and getting to know Quinn, a girl whose smile makes her feel warm inside. Still, Harbor can’t help wondering what’s going on at home. Why is Sam hanging out with Harbor’s best friend? Has Marina’s friend Boom taken her place in the house? What have the twins “borrowed” this time for one of their disastrous scientific experiments?

When it comes time to decide whether Harbor will stay and play basketball with her team—and Quinn—all year round, or continue to live on Sunrise Lagoon, Harbor thinks she knows what to do . . . but is it the right decision?

Review:

Harbor is the oldest of the Ali-O’Conner sisters. She is the only one who has a dad, who she visits on alternating weekends. When her dad asks her if she wants to join a basketball league for the summer, which would mean her spending every weekend at his house, Harbor is eager to join. Staying at her dad’s house would give Harbor a room of her own and some peace and quiet from her four sisters. However, while Harbor is getting some quiet time at her dad’s house, the excitement at the Ali-O’Conner house continues without her. Harbor must decide if she’d like to live with her dad and have her own space or stay with her siblings in Sunrise Lagoon.

I loved seeing Harbor’s story in this book! In the previous two books, which were about Harbor’s younger sisters, both girls viewed Harbor as the oldest sister who had a lot of privileges they didn’t have. However, in this book, Harbor felt just as left out at times just like her sisters. Harbor was growing into a teen and beginning to feel romantic feelings, so she was questioning who she liked. She had some good conversations with both of her parents about these feelings and the way they made comments that made her uncomfortable. I really love reading about the Ali-O’Conner family, so I hope there will be more books in this series!

Halfway to Harbor is a great middle grade story!

Thank you Algonquin Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death, funeral, homophobia

Other books in the series:

Have you read Halfway to Harbor? What did you think of it?