Book Review: "Like A Brother" by Nathanael Lessore

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⭐ out of 5

It's been a while since I read and reviewed my last children's book but this first paragraph will still be the same as the last one, which says that each book I read and review starts off with the full 5 stars and I'm always hopeful that they will all still be stuck firmly in place by the time I close the back cover.  The most common reason for an otherwise 5 star book becoming a 4 star book is through the use of copyrighted and/or trademarked brands potentially without permission.  There has been one book so far that has had the star rapidly replaced thanks to a magic little sentence right at the back saying that the author had gained permission to use the brand name - it's only happened once so far in the hundreds of books that I've read and reviewed so far, but I'm always hopeful that it'll happen again and I'd love to read that magic little sentence again.

I was pre-approved by the publisher to read and review an ARC of this book a month before it was published.

Let's get going with the reading and reviewing shall we?

The buying information says that this book is for "11 years and up" and is 336 pages long which is too long for a middle-grade book unless it's a sci-fi or fantasy book, so the first star is already wobbly before I've even opened the book.  It also says that it's a "teen comedy" but 11 year olds aren't teenagers and I already don't know if this is a middle-grade or teen book!

I'm at the end of the second chapter and there have already been a couple of word choices that an 11 year old wouldn't understand and a mis-placed capitalisation that should have been picked up waaaay before the publisher put it into pre-publication circulation so the first star is already coming off at the end of the first page.

And now, on page 3, we've got two English football teams named, so the second star is already coming off... will I make it to the end of the first chapter without removing the third star??

I think the author is as confused about the ages of his characters as I am because they've just become teenagers, but the author hasn't said how long ago that was... was it this year?  Last year?  Longer than that?  According to my Kindle, I'm 2% of the way through the book and the utter confusion is making me take the third star off... there's 98% to go and only one star left before it officially becomes a DNF for me.

Less than a paragraph later and the author has used two celebrity names/brands which I can't see them giving permission for, so at only 2% and less than a chapter I'm removing the final star and declaring it another DNF unfortunately.

Book Review: "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee

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⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5

Each book I read and review starts off with the full 5 stars and I'm always hopeful that they will all still be stuck firmly in place by the time I close the back cover.  I'm not shy about removing stars but I always give my reasons for doing so within the review.

I've never read a classic book in my life but this was recommended by a friend and I've got a few more classics to try reading as well, but this is my first ever classic so I'll go into it with an open mind and try and remember that it was written a looong time ago.

Let's get going with the reading and reviewing shall we?

Well, I've read 6 pages so far and I'm starting to see how much books have changed over the decades.  Most of the paragraphs are way longer than they are now, but maybe that was the thing to do at the time this book was written?

I'm enjoying this book more than I thought I would, but the extra-long chapters and the rare speech is a bit off-putting.  I'm up to chapter 7 so far.

Up to chapter 9 now and it's time for a warming drink methinks.  There's a bit more speech now, but still barely any compared to today's books.

Up to Part Two now and I'm gonna stop for a breather after reading pretty much constantly all morning.  It's a good book, but some of the language that's used is horrific!  I guess it must have been common in the time that it was written though so the star is safe, but only because it's a classic instead of modern.

I've just finished reading my first ever classic book and while I didn't like some of the language, it was a different era back when it was written and published.  I doubt I'll read it again, but I'm glad I've got my first one under my belt now.

Book Review of: "The Toy Car: A short story" by Rose Tremain

Kindle Unlimited     Audiobook

⭐⭐⭐ out of 5 stars

Every book I read and review starts off in the same way, by me saying that each book starts off with the full passport of 5 stars and that I'm always hopeful that they will all still be stuck firmly in place.  I'm not shy about removing stars but I always give my reasons for doing so within the review - they don't just vanish.

This is a short story of only 48 pages so the author has got her work cut out to get the full load of stars!

I'm already at 20% and the first star is coming off for use of a couple of brand names, potentially without permission, so in fairness to past books which have had stars removed for the same reason, we are now down to 4 stars.

This is such a dull book that the teen reader it's aimed at would have given up by now, let alone an adult.  There's very little speech and the writing is just so boring that it's a struggle for me to read.  The second star is coming off at 58% and I'm grateful that it's such a short book so that I can hopefully finish it instead of giving up after only a few chapters.  Down to 3 stars now.

A disappointing end to a dull book.  It had so much potential that the author just didn't use.

Book Review: "My Summer In Israel" by Isaac Neuman

Kindle Unlimited     Hardcover     Paperback
⭐ out of 5 stars

If you've read any of my other recent book reviews, you'll already know that they all start off with the full library load of stars and that I'm always hopeful that they will all still be firmly in place by the time I close the back cover.

It's been a while since I last read and reviewed a children's book, but that's about to change.

Let's get going with the reading and reviewing shall we?

Oh dear.  I'm only on the first page of the book and the author is already treating it like an adult non-fiction book... a child would get confused about the numbers and explanations of each term used so the first star is coming off already.

The text is very hard to read because it's white text on a dark background and it's already giving me a headache, so after only 6 pages we are already down to 3 stars!

Now we've got what I assume is Hebrew that not even most adults would know even the basics of, let alone a child so the third star is, unfortunately, coming off.

As the book progresses, the explanations are getting harder and harder to understand because they are so blurry, so the final star is coming off and I'm giving up on it.  If a late 40's adult can't even finish the book then a child stands no chance!

Book Review: "Four Eids and a Funeral" by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Adiba Jaigirdar

Kindle     Paperback
⭐ out of 5

If you've read any of my other recent book reviews, you'll know that I start them all off in the same way and that is by saying that every book I read and review starts off with the full heart-load of 5 stars and that I'm always hopeful that they'll all still be firmly stuck in place by the time I close the back cover.  You'll also know that I'm not shy about taking off stars, usually for copyright or trademark infringement but if there's a magic little sentence then that star stays firmly in place.  I also always give my reasons for taking off stars, they don't just disappear for no reason.

Let's get going shall we?

I love reading and learning about other cultures and I'm hoping I'll come out of the other side of this book a better person cos right now I have to admit that I don't know what an Eid is or even how to pronounce it!  I'm guessing that it's a date because of the cover and this is a children's book, but I'm hoping I'll find out for sure as I read this book.

I'm also a romantic at heart, but comedy is a toughie for me... most comedic books, especially rom-coms don't usually even start a smile... will this book be any different?  I really hope so!

Oh dear, a trademark infringement already... I'll give the authors the benefit of the doubt, but one more mention of a trademarked or copyrighted anything and the first star is coming off.

I don't know anything about Ms Barnes but I already care and understand after a single chapter.  Will this book have me in tears rather than laughter?

Oh dear, there's a swear at the start of the second chapter that really isn't appropriate for such a young audience so the first star is coming off already unfortunately.

And now there's a well-known singer so the wobbly star has officially fallen... that's two stars lost in 2 pages - will they be the only ones?

And another even worse swear on the next page that is really only suitable for older teens rather than the younger teens that this book is aimed at... this book started off amazingly well and I could honestly see me enjoying every word, but not any more.  Will I get to 25% without losing another star?

And another swear two paragraphs later... how on earth did this book get published?!

In the space of only three pages, this book has gone from "great going!" to  "I give up already" because there's another trademark mentioned.  It was a fantastic first chapter but I'm quickly losing hope of regaining that sense of being desperate to keep reading unfortunately.

Now children who are still at school are able to legally drive!  Maybe I'm out of touch with America, but over here in the UK that's illegal until you've got at least your provisional driving license!  That's another star gone now!  After only two chapters I'm already down to 2 stars so there's only one possible one left to lose before I stop reading waaay before the end of the book!

I've made it through 6% of the book so far this afternoon and I've already had to take 3 stars off... will I make it to 10% without taking off the last one?

Apparently there's 6 hours and 45 minutes left in the book so it seems like a good opportunity to finish for the night and get stuck in again tomorrow.  Thankfully that chapter was considerably better than the previous ones so maybe the authors were both having bad days when they wrote them?

Chapter 6 was OK to good-ish so hopefully I'm over the not-so-good bits now.  Gonna aim for another chapter before lunch and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it'll leave me feeling more positive than negative about the book.

Thaaat's more like it!  This book definitely has it's good points so the bad ones can almost be put to one side.  I've got 6 hours and 8 minutes left in the book apparently so I'm gonna aim for one more as I've read two in just under an hour so I'm hoping I'll've read another one in plenty of time.

Just finished reading the third chapter of the morning and I think I get where the comedy bit of this rom-com is supposed to be, but it's  a bit gentle for me and I haven't even started to smile yet.

Just finished Act 1... does that mean that I'm a third of the way through the book or something?  The authors are well into the characters lives now which makes for better reading I reckon.

And there goes the final star for copyright usage.  Only 36% of the way through and I'm giving up unfortunately.

Book Review: "My Mom's a Witch" by Debbie Aubrey

Kindle:
Paperback:
⭐⭐⭐ out of 5

If you've read any of my other recent-ish book reviews, you'll already know that each book I read an review starts off with the full shedload of stars and I'm always hopeful that they'll still be stuck in concrete by the time I close the back cover.  You'll also know that I'm not shy about knocking stars off, but I always give my reasons for doing so.

The Kindle version promises that this book is "Funny magical fantasy fiction that's ever so slightly bonkers" which is a huuuuge statement to have to live up to when it comes to me and my sense of humour lol  If I even raise a smile, I'll consider it achieved, otherwise it's a nope from me.

Oh dear.  The second paragraph of the entire book and the first star is already wobbly because of the use of a well-known singer... will it plop off before the end of the first chapter?

There's another famous name, this time of a cartoon/film character so after only 2 paragraphs the first star has already plopped to the floor.

And a third famous name at the start of the second page... I'm already wondering if I'll make it to the end of the book with even a single star left!

Page 4 and a fourth famous name is dropped in without permission from the appropriate Trademark holder too, I bet.

And a fifth famous name on the fourth page, along with a well-known telly programme, so the second star comes off after only 4 pages... this isn't looking good unfortunately.

It was incredibly hard work, but I've finally got to the end of the first chapter... just a pity that it's already lost two stars.

Chaper two was OK... nothing to write home about, but I'm starting to understand the so-called humour now - it's just a pity that it's taken 17% of the book to get there!

The third and fourth chapters were good... the author is really getting into her stride now.  There were occasional typos but I could still understand what she was trying to get across.

I'm 51% of the way through the book now, so it feels like a good place to stop for the night... will I have nightmares about those descriptions of what happened in Scotland though?  I seriously hope not, but there's only one way to find out!

Nope, no nightmares, thankfully, so lets keep reading and reviewing the book shall we?

Chapter 7 was good, but I don't recommend reading it around the time you're gonna eat, like I have  ;-)

Oh dear... they didn't plan that very well, did they?  No spoilers, but with 31% to go and it being a children's book, I hope it'll be a happily ever after story!

I wasn't expecting any of *that*!  Could the end of chapter 9 be a hint of a potential sequel?

And we're back to using big brand names again, but I've already taken a star off for that, so the three stars are still safe.

I wasn't expecting the last chapter, but it was fun and I can see children loving it!

Book Review: "The Self-Sufficient Princess" by Sanguine Addams

Kindle Unlimited:

Audiobook:

Hardcover:

Paperback:

⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5

Every book I read and review starts off with the full shed-load of stars and I'm always hopefull that they will all be stuck firmly in place by the time I close the back cover.  Saying that though, I should also be completely honest with you about my removal of stars... they are usually for copyright or trademark infringement which always breaks my heart when I feel I have to make an otherwise very much 5 star book a 4 star instead.  I always give my reasons for dropping each star - they don't just suddenly disappear into thin air.  I've also replaced a star once due to a magic little sentence at the very back of the book and I'm more than happy to do it again if I read that magic sentence in a future book too.

I'm making a late start on this book so doubt I'll get more than a couple of chapters read before I head to bed, but at 370 pages, it's my longest one for a veeery long time so I'm in it for the long haul with my free week this week.

Let's get going and see how much I can read in the next couple of hours before I head to bed.

My Kindle is telling me that it'll take me 7 hours and 24 minutes to read so, in theory, I'll get it finished by bedtime tomorrow, but we shall see.

The first page was a completely different way to start a story!  I hope it'll continue like that so that each page isn't torture to read!

An awesome first chapter but the measurements of feet and inches rather than centimeters and metres might confuse non-American readers as this is definitely an American author who spells it "mom" instead of the British way.  The star stays purely because of where it was written and the author may never have dreamed that it'd leave America so to knock a star off purely because they couldn't see the future.

There have been a few opportunities to use brand names and book titles but the author has skillfully dodged getting the usual star knocked off which is a huuuuge relief.

I'm up to page 12 of the first chapter so they are going to be looong chapters, but it's a mid-teens novel that has been well-written so far so the star stays on for that reason too.

Wowsers.  What an end to the first chapter.  The first chapter was 13 pages long and I loved every word. There's gentle humour threaded through the authors carefully chosen words so it's got me wanting to keep reading until bedtime, safe in the knowledge that there prolly won't be any pleas of being better the next day or the threat of nightmares or not being able to sleep soundly because of what I've read (which is incredibly easy to do and the main reason that I don't read horror or thrillers).  So far, this book is definitely 10/10 from me.

Oh dear.  On page 23 the author has used the name of a very famous person who was offered the chance of royal life before she and her hubby rejected it... know who I mean without me naming her?  The author has named her so they had better tread even more carefully than normal unless they want serious trouble from the Royal Family!

And another couple of celebrity names means the first star is coming off unfortunately.

Up to chapter 3 now and I'm seriously loving this book so far... definitely one of those "should've been 5 stars" books.

And now the name of a well-known search engine.  In less than a chapter the second star is wobbly too... one more mention of a brand name or trademark or use of copyrighted material and the second star plops off already.  I had such high hopes for this book, but it's heading the way of so many others unfortunately!

Up to page 54 and it's almost my bedtime, but 54 pages in about an hour and a half ain't too bad and I'm on track for finishing a around this time tomorrow, but for tonight and with the image of Sir Chad and Mittens making me smile, it's time to stop reading for the night now.

Back for another day's reading and reviewing now... how far will I get today?

Do search engine names come under Trademark infringement laws?  I'm assuming that they do, so the fourth star starts off the day safely.

Chapter 4 was 19 pages long and I enjoyed that one too.  This review is already faaaar too long, so like with my other reviews I'll just comment on the big things from now on in this review.

So proud of Mittens, but one character with three names is a bit too much... I can't even remember what the third name is now lol

Up to page 221 now, so I've managed to put in a decent amount of reading today.

There haven't been any more reasons to knock off a star and bits and pieces have made my heart beat faster and even get reasonably close to tears of pride - the author has an amazing way with words, but I'm stopping reading for the night again now and I'll prolly finish reading and reviewing this incredible book tomorrow.

A third day of reading is about to start and, like yesterday, I won't comment on absolutely everything, just the noteworthy stuff.  How will the novel end... will I be laughing, groaning, shaking my head or sobbing?

Up to chapter 14 and the author is starting to raise my hopes with Gale and the newest suitor... will Gale get scared and shoo him away or will she gulp down her nerves and live happily ever after?

There's a second potential suitor in the next chapter... will Gale have the guts to be honest with him about who she is?

Judging by chapter 16 it'll be a tear-jerker ending so I'm gonna temporarily stop reading there, so that I don't have to answer the door with a tear-stained face... I'm up to page 308 so I haven't got a clue how many pages are left considering my subscription said that it was 300 pages long... it's a long read but sooo worth it.

Ah, sod it... I *will* keep reading and if I have to answer the door mid crying session then so be it!  I *have* to know what happens next and this book has got me pulled right into it, hook, line and sinker!

I was wrong about potentially bursting into tears... it rapidly went from emotional at the end of the previous chapter to joyful throughout chapter 17!  I'm up to page 331 so far and I'm gonna risk another chapter before I have my lunch - will this be a tear-jerking chapter or another upbeat one?

Wowsers!  I wasn't expecting *anything* that happened in that chapter!

What an ending... it's a warm, fuzzy ending with appropriate humour and the potential for tears, but none from me.  A definite must-read book that's one of those "shoulda been 5 stars" ones that gets a hearty recommendation from me.

Book Review: "BODY SWAP - Books 2, 3, and 4" by Katrina Kahler

Kindle Unlimited:

⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5

If you've read any of my other recent book reviews, you'll already know that every book starts of with the full whack of stars and that I'm always hopeful that they will all still be stuck firmly in place by the time I close the back cover.

I read the first book in this series in just over 2 hours yesterday and there's 3 in this one book, so I'm thinking it'll take around about 6 hours to finish this one in.  I'm not gonna rush it, if it's anywhere near as good as the first in the series then I'll devour every word.

Let's get going.

Oh dear, the first 5 pages were good again, but that dreaded copyright/trademark infringement has already cropped up, so heartbreakingly, after only 1% of this set of books, we're already down to 4 stars  :-(  I hope that magic sentence is at the back so that the star can be replaced!

Ah right, I know how old the main character is now so I know he's in the US equivalent of secondary school so the reading age is about right and it's definitely a Middle Grade book.

Ooh that chapter was good and it raised a small smile out of me.  The author has got everything spot on again so far in this book.

I'm still enjoying this book, it's just not as gripping as the first one in the series unfortunately.

Ooh!  *That* was a surprise ending to that book!  The author is dangling a piece of chocolate just out of my reach again!

Onto the second of the three books in this book but the third of the series of 4 (if that makes any kind of sense at all lol)

Oooh!  It's take 2.5 books, but there's finally a mention of Mum!  No spoilers, don't worry lol

Ooh!  Another cliff-hanger at the end of book 3!  There's only half an hour left until my bed-time so I'll read the last book tomorrow and constantly think about how it will end while I'm asleep lol

It's been 20 days since I last read this book and I've forgotten every word of what's already happened, thanks to my neurological disability but I'm hoping that I'll be able to quickly get back into the fourth book in the series and hopefully finish it before I head to bed.

Oooh!  Has the author decided to not only start winding down the book, but the entire series too?

I was right about winding down the series but wrong about how it would end - it's a happy-ever-after but not in the way I was expecting.

I'm sooo glad I discovered the first book and decided to carry on reading.

Book Review: "BODY SWAP: Catastrophe!!!" by Katrina Kahler

Kindle:

Paperback:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5

If you've read any of my other recent book reviews, you'll already know that every book starts off with the full boat-load of 5 stars and that I'm always hopeful that they will all still be stuck firmly in place by the time I close the back cover.  You'll also know that I'm not afraid to return a docked star if there's a magic little sentence that the author has put in.

Let's get going shall we?

Oooh!  I like the front cover... it's kinda giving me the feeling that it'll be like older comic book humour?  Let's see if that's the reality  :-)

Pretty much straight into the action and I've even raised a slight smile a few times, which is pretty much unheard of for me.  I'm enjoying this book so far and I hope it continues like that!

Oh yes, this is definitely a good book.  The author has well and truly got into the head of her character and the slight smiles are still appearing occasionally, which is incredible considering I'm only 36% of the way through the book.  I doubt I'll finish it before bedtime, but that's OK, I already feel lighter so I'll hopefully feel easier about going to sleep tonight and I'll stick my nose straight back into it when I wake up tomorrow.

What.  An.  Incredible.  Book.  I managed to get it finished in one sitting after all, but I can't wait to read the others now!  Definitely a must-read!

Book Review: "What are Mondays good for anyway" by Nicole Frankel

Kindle:
Hardback:
Paperback:

⭐⭐ out of 5

If you've read any of my other recent book reviews you'll know that I start them all off the same way, by saying that every book starts off with the full 5 stars and I'm always hopeful that they will all still be solidly stuck in place by the time I close the back cover.  You'll also know that I'm not shy about removing stars but that i always give my reasons within the review.  I've also  replaced a star thanks to the author of that book putting a magic sentence at the back of the book and I'm totally willing to do that again if necessary.

Let's get on with the review.

I'm already confused about the age range for this book as 3 year olds can't read and 8 year olds are rapidly gaining confidence in their reading independently ability, so I'll hopefully be able to see who this book as I read it.  Based on there only being 35 pages, I'm thinking it's a picture book so I can't see a 6-8 year old wanting to read it.

The main character is at school and having a spelling test, so that's kinda 7-8 year olds and a 3 year old would be doing disgusting things with their fingers by now, so it seems like the author really doesn't know much about their audience, so the first star is coming off.

Brand names are being used, potentially without permission, so we're down to 3 stars.

Now the author is using words that are unsuitable for the UK market ("trash can") and even the most bookwormish of bookworms would have given up by now, so the third star comes off and we're down to 2 stars.

I hate to say it, but I'm sooo glad this book was only 35 pages long 'cos the author just made so many mistakes throughout it.

Book Review: "Little Camel's Extraordinary Journey" by Vicky Feng

Kindle:
Paperback:

⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5

If you've read any of my other recent book reviews, you'll already know I start 'em all off in the same way, right?  With a couple of sentences just explaining that all the books I read and review start off with the full shebang of stars and that I'm always hopeful that they will all still be firmly in place by the time I close the back cover.  A recent addition to this first paragraph is that I am more than happy to replace a star that I've taken off if the book has a magic sentence that means that the author has taken the effort not to break the law.

Now that that's been said, let's get going with the reading and reviewing!

I'm loving the illustrations!  They are obviously computer generated, but they are sooo cute and adorable!

Oh boy.  It was good until the religious bit.  The first star is really wobbly at 70% - any more religion and off it comes.

At 90% the star plops off... young children don't need to be preached to in a story and they may not be being brought up Christian, so we're now down to 4 stars.

Just finished reading and it relied heavily on the illustrations throughout which is disappointing.

Book Review: "The Christmas Santa Lost His Magic!" Chad Currin

Kindle:
Paperback:
⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5

If you've read any of my other recent book reviews, you'll already know this first paragraph off by heart, right?  If this is the first review you've read of mine, I start them all off in the same way and that is by saying that every book starts off with the full shebang of stars and that I'm always hopefully that I don't have to take any off during my review.  You'll also know that if I *do* take any off, I always explain why within the review.

Let's get going with the review:

The first few pages have been good... the tension is building with the naughty elf!

Oooh!  Disaster strikes!  Will Santa be able to complete his mission in time?

This book was either written for the place mentioned in the last couple of pages, or it's been used without permission, so it's only fair that I take a star off, just like I've done with other books for the same reason.

Book Review: Just Shake It Off!" by Anh Sphabmixay

Kindle:
Paperback:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5

If you've read any of my other recent book reviews, you'll already know that I start each of 'em by saying that the book starts off with the full boatload of stars and that I'm always hopeful that none of the stars have gone overboard by the time I close the back cover.  You'll also know that I'm not shy about removing stars and that I'm always hopeful that the stars will all be stuck firmly in place by the time I close the back cover.  I've also replaced a star once and only once so far when the author said that they had used the brand names fictitiously and with permission.

Let's get going wih the review.

This is a great book that explains emotions in an easily accessible way... WTG and thank you to the author!

What a great, positive, worthy book and deserves every one of those 5 stars!

Book Review: "One in a trillion stars" by Anh Sphabmixay

Kindle:
Paperback:

⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5

If you've read any of my other recent book reviews, you'll already know that I start 'em all off in the same way as this one - by saying that each book starts with the full whackamundy of stars and that I'm not shy about removing stars if necessary but that I always give my reason for doing so within the review.  I've also gladly replaced a star when the author said that trademarks had been used fictitiously and with permission - it's only happened once so far, but I'm more than happy to do it again if necessary.

Let's get on with the review shall we?

It's a good little picture book, but it's waaaay too heavily reliant on the pictures because there are only 11 sentences in total in the entire book and there are frequently at least 2 pages of just images, no text so the first and only star comes off for that reason and some of the vocabulary is too advanced for such a young audience to.

A good book, that's worth getting, but I reckon it would be better with more words and more appropriate language for the child listener.

Book Review: "Silence is Goldfish" by Annabel Pitcher

Kindle:
Hardcover:
Paperback:

⭐ out of 5

If you've read any of my other recent book reviews, you'll already know that I start 'em all off by saying that each book starts off with the full truck-load of stars and that I'm always hopeful that they will all still be stuck firmly in place by the time I close the back cover.  You'll also know that I always give my reasons for knocking off any stars and that the usual reason for taking a star off a truly fantastic book is because of the use of trademarks or copyrights or whatever.  I've also replaced a star once so far because the author had taken the time and trouble to get permission to use the brand name and that one little sentence at the very end of the book was all it took for me to replace the well-deserved star and made the 4 star book back to the full 5 stars.  It's only happened once so far, but I'm more than willing to do it again each time it happens in future. 

Let's get on with the review, shall we? 

Oh deary me.  I'm only on the second page of the Kindle book and the first star is coming off for the use of a well-known film series... I seriously hope that's the only star lost and that it's replaced if there's that magical sentence right at the end, but for now, we're already down to 4 stars. 

Page 3 has brought another brand name but I've already knocked off a star for potential trademark infringement, so we're still at 4 stars.  It's a good book so far, written in the first person, but how the author managed to sneak two trademarks, in the first few pages of the book, through the production team before publication is beyond me! 

It's a good job that this is a teen book because of all the swearing so early on... not sure I'd want a 12 year old to read it though, so the second star is wobbly, but holding on by the skin of its teeth right now. 

More swearing in the second chapter but a good read despite that.  The second star is still very wobbly, but clinging on for dear life. 

Chapter 3 was good, but more un-necessary swearing that could have had the same effect without swearing, so we're down to 3 stars after 3 chapters, but I won't be taking off any more for trademark infringement or completely unnecessary swearing now, which is a relief. 

Chapter 4 was good... is this the start of the silence bit? 

It's very nearly lunchtime, so I'm gonna leave it there until I've finished eating then I'll crack on with it this afternoon. 

Back now, so lets carry on with the reading... I won't do chapter by chapter comments any more 'cos this review is already too long lol 

Oh dear, now there is talk about male bodies below the waistline... that's too much for 12 year olds so another star is, unfortunately, coming off.  If it was handled more sensitively then it would've been fine, but the more I read the less I think this author knows about her target audience unfortunately.  We're already down to 2 stars at only 10% of the way through, so it's not looking good that I'll even get to 25% and still be reading and reviewing, let alone finishing the book! 

And the final star comes off because of the way a character's name is written and pronounced several times that really isn't appropriate for the age group this book is aimed at, so at 17% I'm officially stopping reading 'cos I can't take any more stars off it now if I needed to.  I had high expectations for this book after all the positive reviews, but it's a huge disappointment to me unfortunately and I don't know how it was ever published.

Book Review: "Just Another Little Lie" by Eve Ainsworth

Kindle:
Paperback:
⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5

If you've read any of my other recent book reviews, you'll already know how I start 'em all off, right?  This book isn't any different:  Every book I read starts off with the full 5 stars and I'm always hopeful that they will all still be firmly in place by the time I close the back cover.  I'm not shy about removing a star if I feel it necessary, but I always give my reasons for removing each star within the review.

The first couple of chapters have been great and I'm already feeling sorry for poor Vee.  She's gotta be the adult instead of her mum, poor girl!

Poor Vee and Freddie... what an awful life for them to both live!  I hope that Mum gets help and that it's a happy ever after book!

Oh dear... the same thing has happened with this book as has happened to most books I read - the author has used a brand name potentially without permission, so the first star is coming off at 53%.

Oooh!  That's worrying!  I hope Mum'll be OK!

So far so good with the new mum, but is it too little, too late?

Oh no!  It *was* too late and now Vee and Freddie are in the poo!

What a heart-wrenchingly beautiful ending. A definite must-read.

Book Review: "In Defense of Animalhood" by Riya Aarini

Kindle:
Hardcover:
Paperback:
⭐ out of 5

If you've already read any of my other recent book reviews, you'll already know that I start 'em all off by saying that each book starts off with the full 5 stars and that I'm always hopeful that they will all still be firmly in place by the time I finish reading.  You'll also know that I'm not shy about knocking off a star if I feel it's necessary, particular for copyright or trademark infringement but that I always give a reason for knocking each star off.

Let's get going:

Ooh! I love the zebra image on the first page!  It makes a refreshing change not to be met with a page full of text, so top marks so far!

There's the first star gone after the use of a brand name... I hope that I can replace it if there's that magic sentence at the end of the book saying that it's been used with permission, but of all the books I've read, that's only happened once, so I'm not holding my breath unfortunately.

Two totally unnecessary swears takes the book down to 3 stars.

I haven't got a clue what age this author is writing for... it's written as too immature for adults but the swearing and words are too advanced for children!  Each of the animals have the same voice and personality too... this really hasn't been thought out well at all, so I'm knocking off another star at 46%.  I'm mightily relieved that it's only 76 pages long but I'm wondering if the final star will stay in place for the last 54%?

Oh boy, now it's glorifying making elephants drunk so the final star is coming off and I'm officially giving up.  This book had so much potential but the author just didn't think it through enough.
 

Book Review: "Because of You" by Eve Ainsworth

Kindle:
Paperback:
⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5

If you've read any of my other recent book reviews, you'll already know that they all start off with me saying that the book starts off with the full 5 stars and that I'm always hopeful that they will all still be firmly in place when I close the back cover.  You will also know that I give my reasons for knocking off each star and that I don't just knock stars off without reason.  Most 5 star books become 4 star books because of use of trademarked brand names or copyrighted material which is a real sore point for me so the star comes off for that reason.  I've rapidly returned the star for one book at the end of last year when the author (or was it the publisher/agent?) put in a single sentence on the last page saying that they had used the brand name fictitiously and with permission... it's only happened once, but that single sentence was all that was necessary for me to return the book to the full whack of stars.

Let's get on with the reading and reviewing shall we?

Ooh!  Tension in the first chapter!  This has the potential, if it carries on like this, to be a really good, 5 star, book!

I'm up to chapter 5 now and this book has had me hooked from the first page.  There has been an internet brand name used once so the first star is wobbly, but hanging in there right now.  This is definitely an easy must-read so far!

Oh dear, a swear word has just escaped the editing process so the first star is rapidly coming off so what should be a 5 star book is now, unfortunately, 4 stars.

This is still a good book, but the author seems to have lost her intensity now... the first few chapters were great but after a while they have become much less intense and interesting... not quite boring, but nowhere near as interesting either.

I've felt like Poppy many times in my life, but fortunately there weren't any mobile phones with the ability to video my utter humiliation back then.

Yup, chapter 10 was me throughout childhood, but it looks like maybe things are gonna turn a corner now... I hope!

Wow.  I've just finished reading and I'm fighting back prickly tears.  What an unexpectedly perfect ending.

Book Review: "The Disconnect" by Keren David

Kindle:

Paperback:
⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5

If you've read any of my other recent books, you'll already know that all the books I read and review start off with the full five stars and that I'm always hopeful that they will all be stuck firmly in place by the time I close the back cover.  You'll also know that I always give reasons for knocking off any stars instead of just saying "This isn't a good book.  1 star".  This is my first review of 2023 and reading has always been my escape and coping method so I'm gonna be doing a lot of reading and reviewing for very personal reasons to help me to cope with some devasting news I was given 4 days before Christmas Day 2022 so I'm starting off with a 4.5 star book that seems to have been popular with previous readers... will it be my first 5 star book of 2023?  I seriously hope so!

Let's get started shall we?

It's only 89 pages long, so it's a rapid read... will it be long enough to escape into the fictional world created by the author?

Has the author used a well-known clothing brand without permission?  I seriously hope not, but the first star is already wobbly after only a single page unfortunately.

Another two brand names on the first page of the second chapter so the first star is coming off unfortunately.  I've reinstated a star in the past when the author has said at the back of the book that the brand name was used with permission so I'm really hoping I'll be able to do that with this book too, but we shall have to wait and see I guess.

The first two chapters have been really good.  I like how it's written in first instead of third person as a change from the norm... it'll be interesting to see if the main character can complete the challenge and win!

The main character's memory is almost as bad as mine lol

I've read 3 chapters and I'm enjoying it so far... if it hadn't been for those brand names, this would still have definitely been a five star book so far.

I'm up to chapter 7 now and I'm well into this book... other than the use of big brand names (which I've already knocked a star off for, so I'm letting their use slide now) it's exactly the sort of book I've needed and I'll miss the main character at the end of the book.

Another two chapters read and still nothing to complain about lol  I'm just under half way through and I'm seriously enjoying it!

Right at the end of chapter 11 is a will-they-or-won't-they bit... no spoilers of course, but it'll be interesting to see how the author handles it!

What a great end to a fantastic book... there's nothing about having permission to use all those brand names so it's staying at a thoroughly well-deserved 4 stars.

Book Review: "Magpie" by Eve Ainsworth

Kindle:
Paperback:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5

If you've read any of my other, more recent, book reviews then you'll already know that I start them all off in the same way - by saying that every book starts off with the full shebang of stars and that I always give reasons for knocking any stars off.

I'm wondering what sort of book it'll be, after reading the description of it... there's only one way to find out I guess!

I've got another two of the authors books to read too and it doesn't say they are in a series so I'm seriously hoping that they are stand-alone novels.

Oh.  My.  Gosh.  I can already tell that this book is gonna have me in tears and I've only read the first chapter!

The ultimate test of this book will be if I manage to finish off my hot drink before it goes cold... that's always the sign of an awesome book for me.

Yep, this is a tear-jerker alright.  It's like the author starts out each chapter purely an innocently but by the end, my head is kinda going "get ready with the tissues 'cos the emotion is gonna spill out of your eyes..." then the chapter ends and we're back to normality again!  lol

My hot drink is just above tepid now, so one more chapter and it'll be cold lol

I have yet to find a single reason to even *consider* making a star wobbly let alone getting rid of it altogether.  This author really knows her audience and the fact that it's a first-person narrator is so refreshing too!

Chapter 3 wasn't quite as heart-wrenching as the first two, so I can actually breathe and relax now and my hot drink is, officially, cold.

I won't comment on any more chapters unless something significant needs to be mentioned, just take it as read that this is definitely worthy of all five stars in my eyes.

Ooh!  It's all getting nervously exciting now!  It's mentioned a social media brand though, so like with other awesome books that have done it, we're disappointingly down to four stars for potential trademark infringement... I'm seriously hoping that it's got a bit at the back to say that it's used fictitiously or with permission though!

Bullseye.  The bit I was hoping for after the story ended *is* there, so the fifth star jumps straight back on.

This is a definite must-read... especially if you like happy-ever-afters - no spoilers though, promise.