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Saturday, 8 September 2012

Tiger's Destiny by Colleen Houck, review by alice

Tiger's Destiny (The Tiger Saga, #4)Tiger's Destiny by Colleen Houck
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

EDIT: have changed my rating to a 4star, purely for the ending. for me its the perfect ending to a not so perfect series, and for me this is where i bow out of this series, i wont be reading tiger's dream, the ending for this one was the best and its gonna stay that way in my mind
EDIT: now having finished the full book and read the ending, i think that was a good ending and have no idea WHY there is a 5th book, i wont be reading it, for me Tiger's destiny had the perfect ending and im going to keep it that way

Thanks to the publisher for giving me this book for review

The first thing I want to say, is im not sure how honest a review can be when we haven’t been given the whole book to review.
Ok here I go with my review, I can say much since I know some of you haven’t read this series and I don’t want to give anything away.
The pros – ive always loved how colleen can weave a story, I love the mythology and the world she has created with this series. This author has a way with words that will always leave me wanting to read more no matter how angry I get at the characters.
I love both ren and kishan, tho ren is still my fave tiger  hes always been the strongest of the two brothers in this series.

The con - really there is only one con, and that is Kelsey herself, the amount of times in this series I have wanted to reach into the book and tell her to pick one of the brothers and let the other one go to find happiness elsewhere, is no joke. And really, why let lokesh do that to you, I don’t get it. She is constantly whinging and second guessing herself. Shes not a very strong lead female. She always gets there in the end, but its a lot of complaining and groaning to do it. And shes always thinking “I love ren, no wait I love kishan” omg woman choose already and be done with it, its getting old.
All I want to see is ren and kishan wake up and realise that Kelsey isn’t worth it, after tiger’s voyage and the way ren treated her, I just cant believe that she still wants him and poor kishan, I feel so bad for him. Ive always loved ren but I want them both to be happy.
I want to see how this series ends as I want the brothers to have a happy ending, at this point I don’t see Kelsey actually being the one for either of them, the way she acts, I hope she redeems herself in the last book.

Well that’s all I can really say expecially since I don’t know how the book ends, so does it have a cliffhanger that will leave you hanging for the last book, I don’t know, you will find out yourself when you read the book.

I give this book 3.5 stars


View all my reviews

Moonlight by katie salidas review by alice

Welcome to best books blog
Today on the blog we have a review for the upcoming novella by katie salidas called moonlight. its about fallon (if you have read her immortalis series you know who that is)

Katie Salidas is a Super Woman! Endowed with special powers and abilities, beyond those of mortal women, She can get the munchkins off to gymnastics, cheerleading, Girl Scouts, and swim lessons.  She can put hot food on the table for dinner while assisting with homework, baths, and bedtime… And, She still finds the time to keep the hubby happy (nudge nudge wink wink). She can do all of this and still have time to write.
 And if you can believe all of those lies, there is some beautiful swamp land in Florida for sale…
Katie Salidas resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mother, wife, and author, she does try to do it all, often causing sleep deprivation and many nights passed out at the computer. Writing books is her passion, and she hopes that her passion will bring you hours of entertainment.

LINKS
website http://www.katiesalidas.com/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Katie-Salidas-Author/214780936916
Twitter http://twitter.com/QuixoticKatie
Linkedin http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=58814031&trk=tab_pro




Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Katie-Salidas/e/B003APXXWO/


SYNOPSIS

Good girls don’t wear fur, or fight over men, and they certainly don’t run around naked, howling at the moon.

But then, no-one ever called Fallon a good girl.

As a human unofficially mated to an Alpha werewolf, Fallon is being pressured to “become”...or be gone.

Her mate Aiden, the interim leader of the Olde Town Pack, is in a position that demands he either choose a wolf mate...or leave the pack forever. No matter how hot the sex with Fallon is, he can’t ignore centuries of tradition.

Become a wolf or not. If only the choice were that simple. Fallon’s options are further clouded by the overt presence of other females desperate to be the Alpha’s mate. And when these bitches get serious, it’s not just claws that come out. If Fallon wants to keep her man and take the title she’ll have to exert a little dominance of her own.



BOOK EXERPT


Moonlight
Excerpt 2
Copyright © 2012 by Katie Salidas

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.



Someone knocked on the door, a soft almost tapping sound. It was my turn to growl, only this time it was out of frustration. I wasn’t ready to end our moment.
“I’m busy.” Aiden shouted to the door.
“Sorry, boss.” Diana said. “Micah is here and the rest of the council are meeting in the conference room.”
“Bad timing,” I grumbled.
“We’ll have to continue this later.” Aiden’s shoulders sagged.
 “Do you want me to join you in council?”
“No. I need to give them the good news though. That should get them off my back. For now, you get that sexy ass into a shower and be ready for me to ravage you again later.” He stood and retrieved his boxers and pants.
“Is that all I am to you?” I joked as I sat up on the desk.  “Your little play thing.”
“No, that’s just one of the perks.” He stole one last kiss and headed for the door. “I won’t be long. I promise.”
“You better not.”
He walked out, passed Diana and headed down the hallway. She stood in the doorway and once Aiden had walked out of sight turned to me and sneered. I sat proudly on top of Aiden’s desk, naked from the waist down, and crossed my legs.
“You think you’re untouchable, don’t you?” Diana spat at me.
“You’re treading a very thin line, lady.”
“Tough words for a human. I could shred you right here.”
“So do it. What are you waiting for? Oh, right… Aiden would have your head for that.”
“Accidents happen.” An evil glint shone in her eye and a smile spread across her face.
I wasn’t going to let her scare me. I glared back at her.  “They do, don’t they? I’d feel terrible if my fist just accidentally found your face. Cut the crap. You don’t want me for an enemy.” As soon as I became Female Alpha, I planned to make her life hell.
“Why, because your fucking the boss?” She rolled her eyes. “Oh yes, I heard. Half the pack heard you. You’re quite the little slut, aren’t you? Just walking into the boss’s office and screwing him as loud as you can for all to hear. Bet you feel like you’re something hot, don’t you?”
I folded my arms in front of me.
“Lemme tell you a little secret. No one wants a human mating with the Alpha. The council won’t allow it, and I won’t stand for it.”
I smiled. “Well that’s just fine by me. I won’t remain a human for long.”
She scoffed. “Not everyone survives the transition. There are ways to swing the odds either way.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Why? Are you scared?” She sashayed toward me. Her smug expression sent my blood boiling.
I gritted my teeth to stop me from saying anything else. I knew what she was doing, trying to get me to snap and she was dangerously close. I was no match for her yet, so I couldn’t challenge her to a fight, but once I transitioned, she would slowly and painfully eat every last word.
“I’m going to tell you one last time.” Her voice went deadly quiet.  “Leave Aiden and this pack… for your own safety.”
I couldn’t help the shiver of fear that threatened to reveal itself. I turned away hoping to keep it hidden and give off the vibe that she was not worth my attention. “Get it through your head. Aiden and I are already mates,” I said with as much conviction as I could muster.
“You’ll never be his true mate.”
Something slammed hard into the back of my head. Before I could register the pain the world went dark and I felt myself freefalling into nothingness.


 MY REVIEW
ADULT NOT YA
First off let me say im a HUGE fan of katie salidas's work, whether its her paranormal or erotica books
YAY finally got to read about fallon (if you have read katies immortalis series you will know who i mean, and if you havent GO GET IT NOW!!! LOL)

fallon is such a fun, sassy character and i loved every minute of her book. her deliema in this novella is about her and aiden, who is the alpha of his wolf pack. she needs to decide if she should change from human and become a wolf, its a hard decision but her choice she makes i was very happy with.

you get to see more about alyssa and lysander (main characters from immortalis series) was so happy to see them make a cameo :)

i really want to know more about brady (aiden's brother) he was such a sexy character :)

the sex scenes between fallon and aiden were HOT!!! but so well written that makes katie a master erotica writer :) (thats my opinion anyway lol)

a book is never complete without the antagonists and this was in the form of diana and micah, man diana was a bitch but she got what she deserved :)

all in all this was a simply amazing one sit read and i really wanna read more about these characters :)

great story katie, loved every minute of it :)

if you havent read anything by this amazing author then you definitly need to.

im eagerly awaiting more books from katie :)




THANKS FOR STOPPING BY BEST BOOKS BLOG, I HOPE YOU WILL TRY KATIE'S WORK AND ENJOY IT :)

Friday, 7 September 2012

Getting the Pretty Back by Molly Ringwald review by Susan M Dusterhoft


Ok, I have to admit it...the pretty in pink girl can write and she has a lot of really good things to say! In a previous post I wrote, You Just Never Know..., I talked about where we find our inspiration. I found a whole bunch of inspiration throughout this entire book. It's literally falling off the pages, so to speak.

What is surprising to me that someone like Ms. Ringwald would have anything of value to inspire me. I mean seriously here, she's an actress and a mother. Two things that I am not. She has gobs more money than I do, so why should she be writing a book on how to "get the pretty back". What could she possibly have to say that would make me listen, let alone want to read? 

Well...try this:

"Life seems particularly skilled at throwing distractions, obstacles, and outright roadblocks in our path. One of the hardest parts of dealing with the inevitable complexities of managing to pursue what inspires and fulfills us is that much of the time we get in our own way." 

"Once you start living your life entirely for someone or something else - whether it's familial, social, or professional responsibilities wholly motivating you - then you find yourself in a life that doesn't seem to belong to you."
And for those of you that are single...here's a little something just for you on the "great aspects to being unattached" (from page 114 of Getting the Pretty Back: Friendship, Family and Finding the Perfect Lipstick by Molly Ringwald):
The ability to travel anytime, anywhere without having to sync up your schedule with anyone else's.
Not having to switch off holidays to be with "his" family or "your" family.
Being in charge of the remote.
Handing back the child (after he or she crashes from the sugar high).
Flirting with whomever you choose.
Psychic space.
More talk about sex - less about real estate.
Sanctionable selfishness.
Making an "X" in the bed.
Falling in love again.And if this isn't enough of a reason to read this book, then perhaps you'd like to read why on the fact that even though good friends can be really inspiring, there is "nothing quite so demoralizing as a bad friend." Clearly, this is a book that all of us women, no matter the age, should be reading. Rating: 5 stars

A Modern Witch by Debora Geary review by Susan M Dusterhoft

I've been reading a few fun and quirky paranormal books as of late and that was what I was expecting when I found Debora Geary's "A Modern Witch". But I can definitely tell you that this one was way more than what I was expecting...and in a very good way!



I was hooked almost immediately with Lauren and her friend Nat. I don't know if it was due to the fact that the story was based in Chicago and Berkeley and the fact that I used to live near Chicago growing up as a child and I live near Berkeley now. (How uncanny is that?) Perhaps it is due to the fact that there are so many other elements in the story that I could relate to...family, similar to those portrayed by Nat's family and by Nell, Jamie, Sophie, Aunt Moira, Jennie, little Aervyn and the rest of the clan. I know what it is...it's because Ms. Geary has weaved in the new (modern) elements of today's real life with history, tradition, and a deeper understanding of the things around us and how they can enhance our lives.


Actually, I think it is really all of the above and so much more. I really felt that the story was believable in the sense that perhaps there really are people out there that have "gifts" that they don't really understand but somehow have tapped into them in order to make their lives easier. Whether one could call that being a "witch" is subject to the "user" and if they choose to believe in it or not. I am sure that there are many "users" out there that hold very strong beliefs.


The vivid descriptions of what Lauren goes through as she learns to harness her newly found powers is extraordinary. There were points throughout the story truly made me feel that I was standing/sitting right alongside her as the developments unfolded. This was especially so during the big circle gathering when Lauren was finally able to show the family that she was up to being little Aervyn's channeler. Their kindred spirits are entwined with love and trust for each other and themselves.


Now as much as I would love to tell you what little Aervyn does during the circle, I won't! You'll just have to read the story for yourself. But I will say this, it was not at all what I was expecting! In fact everything that little Aervyn does is not what I would expect a four year old to do, but that is what makes him a truly loveable character.


One of the things that I love about this story is seeing several women really come across as being strong and independent, yet loving and family oriented. Not a lot of mushy romance, but more real life with a bit of mystical, magical and surreal moments. I really didn't want the story to end and am glad there are more books in this series
4 stars

Sunday, 26 August 2012

Tiger's Destiny by Colleen Houck Spotlight/Giveaway






Welcome to Best books stop on the Offical Tiger's Destiny Tour. 
On the blog today we have a Author Spotlight and Book spotlight and at the end will be a rafflecopter link to the giveaway and also a link to the original post for the next stop :)



Author Spotlight



Colleen Houck’s New York Times bestselling Tiger’s Curse series has received national praise with the fourth book, Tiger’s Destiny, debuting September 2012. Colleen is a lifelong reader whose literary interests include action, adventure, science fiction, and romance. Formerly a student at the University of Arizona, she has worked as a nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter for seventeen years. Colleen lives in Salem, Oregon, with her husband and a huge assortment of plush tigers.


Book Links


Barnes and Noble Links
Nook

Book Depository

Author links



Sypnosis

With three of the goddess Durga's quests behind them, only one prophecy now stands in the way of Kelsey, Ren, and Kishan breaking the tiger's curse. But the trio's greatest challenge awaits them: A life-endangering pursuit in search of Durga's final gift, the Rope of Fire, on the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal.

It's a race against time--and the evil sorcerer Lokesh--in this eagerly anticipated fourth volume in the bestselling Tiger's Curse series, which pits good against evil, tests the bonds of love and loyalty, and finally reveals the tigers' true destinies once and for all



  a Rafflecopter giveaway


check out jean's blog for the next stop :)
http://www.jeanbooknerd.com/2012/08/tigers-destiny-blog-tour-schedule.html?spref=fb

Friday, 17 August 2012

Flying Blind by Deborah Cooke review

Flying Blind (The Dragon Diaries, #1)Flying Blind by Deborah Cooke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Yep you guessed it another dragon book I must be going through a dragon reading stage in my life :D flying blind is the fist book in the dragon diaries series.

The book follows Zoe she is the only female dragon of her kind they call her the Wyvern, while the males are the Pyr they can change from human to dragon in seconds. Apart from poor Zoe who’s powers are not showing up for her. I really liked Zoe I kind of felt for her even as the only one of her kind she is still an oddball that struggles to fit in and I liked that fact because it made her seem more real in a way. I also loved that she had lots of teen drama going on in her life that made me laugh. I loved watching her grow through the book and see what she had to overcome.

The storyline in the book was different and action packed. While there was a lot of normal teen stuff to laugh about there was more shocking life threatening things that had you gripped and begging that everything would be ok. I loved the way the author could have you laughing one minute and the next you were shocked and holding on to the book with two hands and your mouth hanging open in surprise.
My only fault had to be that Zoe was WAY! To trusting and I wanted to slap her and say open your eyes! But overall the book was a fast and enjoyable read.
4 stars


View all my reviews

Thursday, 16 August 2012

Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn review

Voices of DragonsVoices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’m a sucker for a good dragon book and what stood out in this book was that it was based in our world but across the border there are dragons. People are not aloud to cross into dragon land and the dragons are not aloud to cross into human land. It’s a great start to the story.

The story was fast into the action and Kay was a really nice character and I really enjoyed the book but I was shocked to learn this was a stand alone (NO!!) And not the start of an ongoing series (disappointed face).

The ending of this book would have made a great beginning to book two. I felt all the way through that this had to be a series not a stand alone. While the book was amazing I do feel that I wanted to learn more about the dragons and what would happen next? But now I well never hind out (cries) yes there was a great built story line action and adventure a single book was not enough for me and I was left thirsty for more.
4 stars

View all my reviews

Wednesday, 15 August 2012

Article 5 review by alice


Book Blurb

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard for her to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.

That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings—the only boy Ember has ever loved.

 
Hardcover, 362 pages
Published January 31st 2012 by Tor Teen 
 
 
My Review
this will be a short and sweet to the point review
wow this book was just WOW.
the characters and what they go thru, really make you think of the future and what that could mean for either us or our children or children's children.
the one and only thing i didnt like about the book was there was no explantation for the War, who was it with? who won? why did it happen?
none of those questions were answered, i hope in the 2nd book it is.
chase, hes just a swoon worthy bad boy/good boy :)

definitly give this book a go, it was a one sit read for me :)

thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy to read 
 

 


Book links



the demon bride by dianna hardy review/spotlight by alice

Author Spotlight

Dianna Hardy is a UK-based, multi-genre author of paranormal things, dark things, poetic things, sexy things, taboo things, and sometimes funny things. Writes about witches, demons and angels.

She's a Scorpio, a hermit, loves nature, animals, walking barefoot, the woods after rain, and summer days.

If you have to put her in the genre box, she writes about what you may consider to be "the paranormal", including paranormal romance, urban fantasy, gothic poetry and occult books.

Website -  www.diannahardy.com
Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4414284.Dianna_Hardy
Twitter https://twitter.com/thewitchingpen

Amazon page http://www.amazon.com/Dianna-Hardy/e/B003AGRHFC/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1345094958&sr=8-2

Book depository page http://www.bookdepository.com/search?searchTerm=dianna+hardy&search=search




Book Blurb

(Book Three of The Witching Pen Novellas)

Two thousand and eleven years after the birth of the Failed One, the Witching Pen will be made manifest on Earth by the Great Shanka Witch of the Old Scrolls. By her hand, the Earth will rumble and shatter, and all dimensions will bleed into one.

The true purpose of the Witching Pen has been revealed, and it must be destroyed before an apocalyptic prophecy comes true. There's just one problem -- the Pen is indestructible.

As everyone searches for much needed answers, Elena lays down plans for a rad
ical mission to save her mother from the Shanka's shadow world.

Meanwhile, Mary has finally discovered who she really is, and what that means for the human race.

What Mary doesn't know, is that Gwain has been searching for her for over ten thousand years, and had lost all hope of finding her. Now that he has her, he's faced with an impossible choice: does he save the woman who altered his very existence, or does he sacrifice her to save mankind?

(Book length: novel - approx. 70,000 words)





My Review

OMG this book has to be the best of the series, love gwain and mary's relationship. and learning more about everything that has happened in the first two books (wont be saying cus i dont like spoilers) so if you wanna know then you need to read the books

holy hell that ending, i know its the end of this series and that its the beginning of the new series, and i just cannot wait to read that series to find out more about gwain and mary. and i do hope that amy will be in the book too, i need to know what happens with her and paoblo.

the world that the author has created is just amazing, the age old deliema of good vs evil is just a refreshing take on it in this book and i for one just loved the way the author writes about angels and demons :)

for me this series is a must read and i urge you all to either buy the ebooks, or buy the paperback or even wait until the ominbus comes out in paperback. i know il be buying all 3 in paperback form :)

thank you dianna for giving me a EArc for review :)





 PUBLICATION DATE for the demon bride ebook is 31ST AUGUST 2012


the blog loves comments so please leave a comment and let me know what you think of the book :)
Alice

Hunting Lila by Sarah alderson review


Zoomed through the book in less then a day. I'm so glad I finally got around to reading the book it had been seating on my shelf for a while and even my friend had borrowed and read the before telling me it was AMAZING!! I finally got the hint and read it.

The book had a strong and fast start. Lila is likeable I did find that I sometime found her to childish but I over looked that because of her character history also everyone can be childish at times right (or is that just me) Lila had a strong heart even in the face of danger and that was what I liked about her.

I loved the mystery and action and the added bonus of supernatural all together it made the book something really exciting and special. I have to say that the book was well worth the read I felt there was something for everyone in the book.
4 stars.

Tuesday, 14 August 2012

The Moon Stealers and the Quest for the Silver Bough by Tim Flanagan

The Moon Stealers and the Quest for the Silver BoughThe Moon Stealers and the Quest for the Silver Bough by Tim Flanagan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was a really nice surprise the book was really well written and had such rich detail that made the book shine and come to life. While I would have loved the book to have been longer (did not want the book to end) I felt the author packed the book with everything I needed...Action, mystery great adventure and lots more that I was hooked.
While some of the books I read have a really slow start this book was different the book had a spooky and chilling start that begged you to continue reading while you prayed the characters would be alright. The characters were well thought out and easy to read about as they made the book that much more interesting and exciting.
When I look back at the book I find that I see it like an amazing jigsaw that slowly comes together as you read along. The whole way I was at the edge of your seat waiting for the next piece to fall into place and find out what happened next and I'm so pleased I read the book because it was so different unlike anything I had read before and now i just want more!
I gave this book 5 stars and I can't wait to see what the author writes next.




View all my reviews

Monday, 13 August 2012

3000 likes giveaway!!

Can you guys believe it best books Facebook page finally hit 3000 likes and the blog has over 800 Google followers. I was happy to do a really big giveaway but money is tight so i hope you like the give away i can do....
 below are the prizes 


give away is international and is open to people that can get free shipping through book depository. 

Defiance (Defiance #1)
Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making

Earth Girl
2788. Only the handicapped live on Earth. While everyone else portals between worlds, 18-year-old Jarra is among the one in a thousand people born with an immune system that cannot survive on other planets. Sent to Earth at birth to save her life, she has been abandoned by her parents. She can’t travel to other worlds, but she can watch their vids, and she knows all the jokes they make. She’s an ‘ape’, a ‘throwback’, but this is one ape girl who won’t give in.

Jarra invents a fake background for herself – as a normal child of Military parents – and joins a class of norms that is on Earth to excavate the ruins of the old cities. When an ancient skyscraper collapses, burying another research team, Jarra’s role in their rescue puts her in the spotlight. No hiding at back of class now. To make life more complicated, she finds herself falling in love with one of her classmates – a norm from another planet. Somehow, she has to keep the deception going.

A freak solar storm strikes the atmosphere, and the class is ordered to portal off-world for safety – no problem for a real child of military parents, but fatal for Jarra. The storm is so bad that the crews of the orbiting solar arrays have to escape to planet below: the first landing from space in 600 years. And one is on collision course with their shelter.

personalized cup 

And the last prize is a special made cup with the best books logo...
it well also say 3000 likes give-away winner..then your name and if you have a favourite book quote that can be added to if not to long :D 

three winners will be picked one prize each...
the first name picked will get first pick..
second next pick...
and the last person picked will have what's left...

Ode to Icky, by Maranda Russell Review by Susan M Dusterhoft


Ode to Icky, by Maranda Russell is the story of Icky, the Cat and her owner, Candy. Candy is up to another of her money-making schemes and Icky is going to help her. The idea is courtesy of Candy’s older sister Kayla and her brand new “Icky” smelling perfume. 

Icky has been relegated to the backyard because he refuses to bathe. So Candy sees an opportunity and decides she can make a few extra bucks by making her own perfume using some of Icky’s stinky fur. Mixing the fur with water and using a few of her mom’s half empty perfume bottles, Candy creates Ode de Icky…or rather Ode de Iche because the former name didn’t sound fancy enough. 

Candy sells the perfume the next day, makes some quick cash, but then has to live with the “stinky” consequences.

This is a wonderful story that teaches children the concept “for every action, there is a reaction or consequence.” Some good and some are not so good. In the case of Candy, the reaction is her mother’s anger for dumping out her expensive perfume and the confiscation of the money Candy received from selling the homemade perfume. 

Beautifully illustrated, this is a great book that shows how important it is to think things through before doing something. Not all ideas are good ideas, and Candy had to find out the hard way just how bad an idea it was to sell fake perfume that smells like her stinky cat, Icky. I highly recommend adding this book to family libraries and K-4 schoolrooms.

This is the second children's book by Maranda Russell that I have had the pleasure to review. Maranda is a highly talented children's book author and I highly recommend her! Rating: 5 stars