Jerry's Mystery -- A NetGalley Review

Jerry is now in 7th grade, got to love all those hormones starting.  There is a new kid in school and he is from France.  The girls swoon over his accent and good looks.  Jerry has to deal with jealousy and revenge in this book.  Of course, his friend Wilcox helps him through, with his meditation and looking for the Higher Self.  Jerry soon realizes that not everything needs to be dealt with and to always be his better self.

A wonderful book for those in the middle grades having to deal with not being the popular kid anymore, or just dealing the jealousy.  This book also helps to teach compassion, even when it is thought it should be given. 

Thank you Larson Publication and NetGalley for the free copy of this book for my honest opinion.

A Tale of Two Daddies and A Tale of Two Mommies -- A NetGalley Review

This review is for both "A Tale of Two Daddies" and "A Tale of Two Mommies"

Two books for young children to help them understand what it would be like to have, or what their friends have at home with two daddies or two mommies.  One friend asks the other about which helps with what part of their life.  A wonderfully written books by Vanita Oelshlager, and beautifully illustrated by Kristin Blackwood (Daddies book only) and Mike Blanc.  I feel that these would be a good books for a preschool or kindergarten class, or a similar age group library story time, when talking about families, and how they can be different for each person, that is if the school will let them talk about this type of family.


Thank you VanitaBooks, LLC and NetGalley for the free copy of this book for my honest review.

Jerry's Madness -- A NetGalley Review

Jerry's Madness is the sequel to Jerry's Magic by W.W. Rowe.  In this book, Jerry is having issues keeping his anger under control, but what 11 year old doesn't have that problem.  He gets his first kiss, deals with his friend being bullied to the point he wants to commit suicide, and learns how to be nice to even his enemies.

At first, I was thinking about this book from the view of the 8-12 year old range, and thought, "How would an 8 year old deal with the suicide attempt?" I was in this age range in the mid-90s and I don't think I would have been able to handle it then, but the bullying has gotten worse, or at least not handled as well, now than it was then. So many children are attempting or committing suicide at earlier and earlier ages.  I think that every child in this age range needs to read it.  Let everyone see what could happen when they feel so picked on, abused, and neglected. Everyone needs to learn how to control their anger and learn about forgiveness. 

This book, like the first one, has a lot of talk of the Higher Self, meditation and karmic spirituality with his homeless friend Wilcox.


I was given a copy of this book from Larson Publications and NetGalley for free to give an honest opinion.

Jerry's Magic -- A NetGalley Review

This book takes place in the late 1940s, and people are still feeling the effects of The Great War (World War II).  Jerry and his mother are some of those people.  His father had been killed during the war, leaving him with anger issues, and his mother seems to have gone loony.  Jerry becomes friends with a highly eccentric man, Wilcox, he calls The WonderWorker, who lives in the junk yard.  When Jerry tells Wilcox about his family situation and how he wants to be the "man of the house", Wilcox gives him "magical" items to sell to his friends.  When the magic turns out to not work, Jerry must do some work to get back all the money he had already spent on the sodas, floats, and chocolate bars he had already bought.

This book is perfect for the 8-12 year old age group.  I feel that it could help those that are struggling with the lost of a parents, or those in low socioeconomic situations, to know that there are those around you that can help, but you must also stay true to yourself at all times.  There are religious undertones in the book, by talking about the higher self and g-d.

Thank you for writing this book W.W. Rowe!


I was given an electronic copy of this book for free by Larson Publications and NetGalley to give an honest opinion.

When the Moon Was Ours -- A NetGalley Review

Miel and Sam are inseparable, always together, friends becoming lovers.  No one in the town knows about either one's past; only what has happened since they got to the town.  Sam arrived at a young age when his mother got a job, and Miel fell out of the old town water tower when they took it down.  Of course, what the Bonner sisters wanted they always got.  So when they found out secrets that Miel and Sam were keeping they used them to get the roses that were growing out of Miel's wrist. 

In this book the characters deal with LGBTQQA+  identification, love, trust, being bullied, being bullies, and overall, self knowledge.  With this book, we learn about the Afghani and Pakistani tradition on basha posh as well as hints of the Hispanic La Llorona folklore and healing rituals done by curanderas and curanderos.   One thing that was not expected in a YA book was the sex on the page about Miel and Sam's first time.

I, however, had to read this book twice to really be able to follow the story.  During the first read, it took me several weeks to just get through the first half of the book.  After starting the second half of the book, I didn't want to put it down.  When I read it the second time, it only took me a few hours to read, as I was finally understanding what was happening.  I am sure that knowing the ending make it easier, however. 



Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book for an honest review.

The Romanov Ransom -- A NetGalley Review

Ever wanted something so bad that you would do anything for it?  The Russians (U.S.S.R.) and the United States sure do in Anne Armstrong Thompson's "The Romanov Ransom".  The book itself was released in 1977, and takes place about the same time.  One man from the United States is caught in the U.S.S.R., and is now in prison for being a spy.  The United States would love to have him back, but the Russians want something in return.  They want the 12 missing Fabergé eggs, made specifically for Czar Nicholas Romanov's family  by Peter Carl Fabergé himself.  Where are they located?  Hank and Leslie are on the case!  But, so are the KGB and a group that wants the return of a czarist nation.  Who are the people to which they are talking?  Could she actually be ....?  Could he be ...?  Are some of the Romanov family still be alive?  Will the man in prison survive?

Intrigue, mystery, action, and some romance.  A good book for those interested in how the U.S. government works, the removal of the Romanov's and the conditions and treatment in Russian prisons, at the time.

Thank you Endeavour Press and NetGalley for this giving me this ebook free for an honest review!