Book Review - The Dark Ascension Series: The Lost Ones

About the Book
Before Captain Hook became Never Land’s villain, there were two siblings seeking a home . . . 

In The Dark Ascension Series: The Lost Ones James and Marlene have always felt out of place in their humdrum fishing village, longing to escape the quiet lives their parents envision for them. But when Marlene’s birthday wish transports them both to an unsettling, magical paradise called Never Land, they discover an unexpected alternative: the chance to stay forever with the charismatic Peter and his Lost Boys. 

As the twins delve into the island’s violent secrets, their actions reignite a conflict between the fractured Lost Boys—and for the first time in their lives, James and Marlene find themselves at odds. With a war brewing and their memories slipping away every minute they spend in Never Land, they must choose whether to stay or go. But even if the twins stand together, Never Land--and Peter--won’t allow them to leave so easily. 

How far are James and Marlene willing to go to chart their own destinies? And if the price for freedom is losing their true selves--and each other--is it worth the cost?

 
My Take on the Book
I have always loved the Peter Pan story, and in this story, you get taken behind the scenes to better understand who Captain Hook is (or at least was) and why he is the way he is regarding how he feels about Peter Pan. The story humanizes James Hook as a boy and as a man and lets you see and understand him on a deeper level. In the end, you get to see the decisions that James makes and how this impacts his life and, in the end, turns him into the Captain Hook that you know. The book is a great read and something that really made me rethink and reconsider how I felt about Captain Hook, and it will do the same to you too!

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Book Review - The Dark Ascension Series: The Wicked Ones

About the Book
In The Dark Ascension Series: The Wicked Ones, Drizella and Anastasia only know one thing for certain: they will never end up like their mother, Lady Tremaine. When their father left them as young girls, he took what was left of their family’s fortune and their mother’s dignity with him. A few years and one deceased stepfather later, the only version of Lady Tremaine that Drizella and Anastasia know is a bitter and cruel head of house. Anastasia and Drizella have promised themselves―and each other―that they'll be different. They'll find love, see the world, and never let their hearts go cold.

But both sisters are all too aware of what it can mean when cast into disfavor with their mother, and fueled by Lady Tremaine’s tendencies to pit the daughters against one another, Drizella and Anastasia are locked into a complicated waltz of tenuous sisterhood. On the cusp of the royal debut party―their one chance to impress the Prince and live up to their mother’s expectations―the sisters at last get a glimpse of what life could be like outside of Lady Tremaine’s intentions: Drizella discovering a love of science and Anastasia sparking a secret romance. But never underestimate the power a mother whose greatest talents lie in manipulation, and the sisters may learn that even the cruelest of hearts can spill blood.

This first book in the new Disney Villains Dark Ascension series by National Book Award-winning author Robin Benway explores the complex sibling rivalry between the two wicked stepsisters from Cinderella that turned them into the characters we know today.

 

My Take on the Book

As a Disney fan, I have to say that I love these stories that make you consider characters and stories in a whole new way. In this book, you will get to see characters that you have come to know, love, and despise, such as Drizella & Anastasia, their mother, Lady Tremaine, and, of course, Cinderella.

In this book, you get a brand new story that delves deeper into the lives of the stepsisters and the backstory of who they were in the movie. The book is definitely not a lighthearted tale; while I do not condone the bullying that they did to Cinderella, the author does allow you to see them in a new way and allows you to see how they became the people that you came to know them as.

The plot was easy to follow, and it does interweave well with the overall Cinderella story, too. You get to learn so much about Drizella and Anastasia and gain better insight into their dreams, their wants, and more. In the end, the sisters have some large decisions to make about who they are and who they want to be, and whether they will do what they must do to escape the grasp of their mother.

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Book Review - Kid Beowulf – Songs and Sagas

About the Book
Kid Beowulf Songs and Sagas collects five original stories from the world of Kid Beowulf. Learn the secrets of monsters and slayers in Shild and the Dragon. Laugh out loud in Lookin’ For Lingonberries! Adventure with knights in Paladins Tale. Survive a Viking raid in Lay of the Last Survivor and escape bumbling bounty hunters in Boudi’s Bounty. Join twin brothers Beowulf and Grendel on a series of side quests from the award-winning graphic novel series Kid Beowulf!

My Take on the Book
This was a great addition to the Kid Beowulf series. What I loved about this was that it offers you five stories that were a ton of fun and allow you to delve deeper into the characters that you love. The graphic novel is great for kids, whether they love history or not. The art is great and really pulls you into the story, Through the five stories in this book you explore the pre-event origins of what might have happened before some of the big events you may have read about in some of the other books. I have been a fan of this series in the past and this book just solidifies that I continue to be a fan! If you love graphic novels and stories that bring in adventure and a great plot, then this is for you! 


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Book Review - Moo Hoo

About the Book
In Moo Hoo, grab your tissues and meet Milton, a bawling bull who learns to embrace his tears and all his big feelings in this relatable read-aloud perfect for fans of Grumpy Monkey, The Day the Crayons Quit, and The Story of Ferdinand.

Milton has a wonderful life.

But he cries . . . A LOT.

He cries when he's sad. Obviously.

And also when he's happy,

and scared, and nervous, and frustrated,

and, well, you name it.

Milton's friends are baffled by his tears, which only makes him cry more.

Until Milton meets Wanda.

This warm-hearted, rib-tickling read-aloud will make you laugh yourself to tears as it gently affirms feeling all your feelings and embracing exactly who you are.

My Take on the Book

This book was perfect for exploring the importance of finding great friends who will accept you, no matter who you are. At the same time, the book also lets kids know that if they have a lot of emotions, it is ok, and they should just be themselves. This was an excellent book for young kids and parents to share! It will allow you to have meaningful conversations after reading it together!

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Book Review - Forever Fairies: Lula Flutters

About the Book

Join the four newest Sprout Wings on their adventures in the Magic Forest in Forever Fairies: Lula Flutters! These Forever Fairies will learn all there is to know about how fairies help save the day.

Welcome to the Forever Tree!

The new Sprout Wing fairies, Lulu, Nova, Coco, and Zali, can’t wait to explore their home in the Forever Tree. Soon they’ll try out to see which fairy pod they each belong to, starting with the swift and sporty Flutterflies! Lulu wants to stay close to her friends, but there are four different pods, each with a special talent―plus mischievous trolls stirring up trouble! Will the Sprout Wings be fairy friends forever?

My Take on the Book

For any young reader that is fascinated by fairies you will love this series. In the first book, the author does a great job at getting you to know the story's main characters through a fun and interactive story that brings in friendship, some mystery, and a bit more. The story is fun, and the characters are memorable. This is the great start to a great new series that I hope will be around for a long time!

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Book Review - My First Baby Signs

About the Book

Babies have so much to say long before they can talk! My First Baby Signs provides babies, parents, and caregivers with a way to communicate!

• Learning simple signs together with your baby is a game changer!
• Signs encourage babies to communicate basic needs and wants, and helps you understand them.
• My First Baby Signs uses story to introduce over 40 key American Sign Language (ASL) signs and pairs them with visual and written guides on how to do each sign.
• The story shows signs in context and is the perfect way for you and your baby to learn and practice signs together.
• Gentle, softly colorful illustrations throughout aid in learning.
• Includes a helpful index of the signs for fast and easy reference, from ''All Done'' and ''Banana'' to ''Wash Hands'' and ''Water.''
• Sturdy padded hardcover book.
• Ages 0–3.
• Book measures 6-7/8'' wide x 8-3/4'' high.
• 48 pages.

Author Lee Ann Steyns is the creator of Signing Babies, where she teaches community and virtual baby sign language classes. She is also the mother of two and lives in Vancouver, Canada, with her husband.

My Take on the Book

This was a great book for new parents to use with their babies. As the book explains, your child has a ton to say before they can talk, and the book really guides you on how to introduce and use the most useful signs with your own child! The book is filled with imagery to help you and your child to better understand the signs themselves. This is a must-have for new and expecting parents.

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Book Review - Remove, Replace, Restart: The Essential Maintenance Manual for Your Engine for Success

About the Book
In Remove, Replace, Restart: The Essential Maintenance Manual for Your Engine for Success, have you ever felt that you're treading water professionally, that you're coming up against limits in terms of what you can achieve? If so, says Christian Greiser, it might be high time to take some time out. Careers progress through distinct phases: we climb the career ladder, we change direction or set up a business, and, eventually, we retire. As different as these phases are, so too are the rules of success that govern them. If we are to keep succeeding, we must mentally 'shift gears' and realign ourselves accordingly along the way. We must take an honest and sometimes challenging look at our own character: understanding the inner driving forces behind our previous successes, questioning our behavior patterns, and discarding the behaviors that no longer serve us. In this way, we can transition to the next phase of our life and career and come back stronger than before.

Passionate 'career technician' Christian Greiser is here to help us do just that. In this humorously written new book, he draws on insights from his many years of experience as an executive coach. He incorporates research findings, case studies, and exercises to show how we can reset our mental attitude and achieve success and fulfillment in the next phase.


My Take on the Book
What was great about this course is that the author has done a great job of challenging leaders to take innovative steps to change up their leadership for the benefit of all that they work with. I appreciated all of the practical examples found throughout the book that really show the examples and principles shared in the book itself. Not only do you get case studies, but the author also weaves in personal stories to increase the readers' understanding of the overall concepts. I found that these really allowed me to better understand the concepts, and the book provided a very practical approach to amping up my own leadership potential. Get ready to follow this amazing roadmap to help you become an even better leader.

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