The Call of Dreamwalkers by Rafaele Desire

Firstly, I would like to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial publishing for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of this childrens/young adults book.

4 out of 5 stars.

Would have been 5 out of 5 if the book had been properly edited. There are problems with grammar, punctuation and repetitive words. There were also lots of cases where the author was obviously going to say one thing but changed their mind and ended up leaving un-needed and extra words through-out.

Now let's look at the story rather than all the technical guff.

Good Ole Mike! He has to be one of my favourite characters and his GROWTH! I like it.

This isn't an idea that I've seen before so it was really enjoyable to read.

This book holds great messages for teens and children alike. The story touches on bullying, sexual abuse, bad home lives, honesty, kindness, and many more things that need to be talked about in life.

I pretty much read this book in a single sitting, the first 20 pages was last night and once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down again and ended up reading until 6am in the morning. Whoops.

The colourful beams and rainbow kind of remind me of the television show 'Captain Planet'.

Thanks for a really enjoyable read.

The Great Weather Diviner: The Untold Origin of Punxsutawney Phil by Rob Long; Andrew Dolberg

First off, I'd like to thank NetGalley and Morgan James Kids publishing for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of this children's novel 'The Great Weather Diviner' by Rob Long; Andrew Dolberg.

4 out of 5 stars.

One full star is due to the fact that the book looks at the world's issues in a new and improved manner.
There is talk of global warming, without properly talking about it and in the back of the book it has facts on different animals and how they're suffering in the world today.

'To become a legend, a young groundhog must unravel a shocking secret to stop a weather catastrophe.

When a mysterious flood strikes the small mining town of Punxsutawney, Junior the groundhog embarks on a journey to uncover why nature itself has turned on his people. As Junior and his new friends adventure through the fantastical world of Erda, he realizes that there's more to his family and their weather-controlling powers than he ever imagined.'

When I first started reading this, I wasn't sure if I liked it or not, but as I kept reading, I was quickly pulled into Junior's world. I found the book hard to put down.

There were a few spelling and grammar errors that should be considered. Including punctuation problems like having the " in the wrong places and using other punctuation incorrectly.

However, those minor details apart, I found the story to be adventurous and gripping. I found myself disappointed at the end because it was over but excited that it hinted at another novel.

A great story to teach young humans to look after their planet rather than destroying it.

Lizzie by Edward Rand.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, BloodChuckles Press, and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of this book.

I have a love-hate relationship with this book.

Firstly, we didn't need over 500 pages to tell us this story, and we didn't need the ADHD that was the first 10 chapters. In the beginning I had no idea what was going on and it took a long time reading to actually understand what was happening. The author would jump around with subjects, treating each like they were his most passionate subjects. However, they would then change the subject only to jump back to it a page later. It was hard to stay focused. On top of it, it's quite clear that this has not been properly edited as there were many mistakes (typos) and I found the authors constant shortening (or nicknaming) of words to be frustrating as I would often have to try and figure out what the lingo was, they were using.

Somehow, I managed to keep reading until the end and it even got interesting a few times.

The one thing I don't understand is why you would name a book about a character that isn't the main character or even the main subject until the last 8th of the book? This is not a book about Lizzie, this is a story about Lizzie's parents and then finally about the little girl. It's also about a lot of other characters and I questioned this often throughout the book. I was disappointed by the end in general.

This has been done before and often a whole lot better.

However, I will give the author credit in his determination. Also, their story-telling skills aren't bad and with a bit of work this unfinished feeling story could be quite brilliant.

It wasn't very scary which also disappointed me, I probably wouldn't recommend this, because it often comes off feeling like it's written by someone under twenty with no life experience.

The sex scenes were very male focused and felt off in the way that it seemed like the writer didn't really know what they were talking about, which is a shame.

All in all, I sometimes enjoyed the read and sometimes it was a struggle to keep going.

The Horror at Pleasant Brook by Kevin Lucia

Thank you to NetGalley and Crystal Lake Publishing for this Advanced Readers Copy of this book.

Four stars out of five (4/5).

Trigger words: Animal death, character death, gore, and violence.

Although it was very similar to a book I've read lately I still found this book to be an enjoyable read, once I got past the surprise of this being another horror with spreading masks and black goo. Same with the idea of the infection sort of making everyone "one" entity.

There were a few errors throughout the novel, usually just simple spelling mistakes or a word missing etc.

It was nothing that made it unreadable.

The Horror at Pleasant Brook is a small-town horror that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

I was sort of disappointed at the end of the novel as it was ended, and not how I expected it to end. But if I were to take stars off a book for that then I wouldn't be able to get any 5-star books.

The book was a little slow to start off, but once it got going it was hard to put it down.

I would recommend this to a friend or my readers and I would probably have bought this if I hadn't got it free as an Advanced Readers Copy. As someone who doesn't get scared often, this kept me on my toes.

Super-Earth Mother: The AI that Engineered a Brave New World by Guy Immega

Thank you to NetGalley and EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing for this novel's ARC.

Five Stars and I don't give that score lightly.

Super-Earth Mother is a science fiction novel with a difference. An A.I. controlled spaceship is created on the moon and travels the cold, lonely expanse of space, searching for an Earth-like planet to re-create humanity.

The A.I. isn't really the main character, it's more like the first narrator: God-like and watching.

I really enjoyed reading this novel. The subject was something that I was super interested in and the writing was well enough done that it was easy to read and read rather fast.

There is one triggering feature and that is the cannibalism. I had no problem with it, but others might.

I don't think there's room enough for a second book in a series, but I would read another book by this author.

I would recommend this to family and friends, and would also recommend to my readers.

Merciless Waters by Rae Knowles

Thank you to NetGalley and Brigids Gate Press. LLC for this book's ARC.

4 out of 5 st.,brars.
🌠🌠🌠🌠

The rusalka (plural: rusalki) is a feminine entity, often malicious toward mankind and frequently associated with water. Not unlike the Mermaids, said to be dark spirits wronged by men in life, often the reason for their deaths.

I've always been fascinated with sea creatures, whether they're myths or not.

Aboard the ship Scylla, there is no future or past. Jaq, her fickle lover Lily, and their all-female crew exist in an endless present. It's better this way. At least it keeps Lily by Jaq's side, where she belongs. But the meddling gods care little for Jaq's longing, and despite her protective rituals, their punishment arrives all the same.

I found myself confused when I first started reading as we were just thrown into the middle of it all, with no real oast or introduction to the world or characters. It took me to 50% or more of the book to actually catch on to what was going on, what our girls were and weren't and how everything got this way.

However, once questions started getting answered I caught on and I was able to enjoy this for what it was.

I only really liked one character and that was the snake, Ambrose.

Although, this was a fresh read, I wouldn't pick it up again as I didn't connect with it enough.

Nina the Starry Bride 1 by RIKACHI (manga)

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for this beautiful ARC!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Nina the Starry Bride 1 by RIKACHI

5 stars out of 5!
🌠🌠🌠🌠🌠

I thought it was going to be stupid. But, I'm a little bit in love with this series and now I'm going to have to read all the rest and tell everyone about them. But not too much, we don't want to spoil anything, do we??

The art is amazing, and everyone is beautiful in their own way. I'm a little bit in love with Azure.

Anyway, this manga is about an orphan: Nina who is plucked off the streets because she has the same coloured eyes as a dead priestess who is also a princess. Alisha, is the princess who was killed. This is about her journey on womanhood and learning how to embrace yourself.

I really enjoyed this and anyone who enjoys Manga will surely enjoy the book as well.

Fantastic read.

Downpour by Christopher Hawkins

Thank you to NetGalley and Christopher Hawkins for this ARC!

4 out of 5 Stars.
🌠🌠🌠🌠

I'm only taking a star off because for about 30 minutes I was just as confused as everyone else in the book.

This was a proper slow burn horror, though it did start off with some coy horror moments there at the beginning, it still was pretty slow to get into things. I found myself too focused on why the main couple were fighting and what she'd done to deserve to be treated like he was treating her.

I almost forgot what I was reading. Almost.

Downpour kept me so rivetted that I forgot I was supposed to cook dinner.

I read this from cover to end in a single sitting, yes, dinner waited.

I've always loved a good biological horror, chemicals and toxic substances the rain always makes for a good realistic horror story, especially with Global Warming and Earth's ecology in a constant statis of change. How can we not be afraid for possible polutants to change our once habitable planet into something inhabitable for us.

This came off as those clouds being some sort for extra terrestrial planet maker, aka a machine to change our planet into something better for alien life. We talk about Terraforming as if it's something that won;t happen. Maybe we won't create it, but there's someone out there that will.

I highly recommend this, it was thoroughly enjoyable.

The book itself is easy to read and I didn't find any noticable plotholes which is lovely.

Worth the read.

Haru: Book 1: Spring - by Joe Latham

Thenk you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for this ARC.

3 out of 5 Stars.
🌠🌠🌠

Story and Illustrations by artist Joe Latham.

This is a graphic novel about the characters 'Haru', a bird who dreams of flying, and their friend Yama, a boar, who are used to being on the outside. But when Yama finds a seed they are swept into a journey to save their world.

It's a seed, right? Esentially a seed of evil. Lmao.

First, I'd like to bring up the art. It's cute, but not terribly eye catching, which is one of the reasons I couldn't give this graphic novel a 4 or a 5 out of 5 like I usually would. I'm usually an easy win with graphic novels, but this honestly bored me. Cute, yes, but exciting and adventurious feeling? Nope. Just didn't take me there.

I feel bad, but I'm always Honest.

There was hardly any information at any time and they barely talked, considering one of them was supposed to be super talkative? The pig, right? Anyway. I made myself finish it, but felt no differently after.

Sorce Book 1: Belly of the Beast by Charles Armstrong

I would like to give thanks to NetGalley and Sorce, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles for the ARC of this novel.

5 out of 5 stars.
🌠🌠🌠🌠🌠

This was so well written and I honestly could find hardly any faults in the publication. There was one case of a missing word, which an editor should be able to spot, since I did.

The worldbuilding of this entire novel was smooth and seemless, I found myself learning about the world of Sorce and its characters without having to ask questions. My questions were always answered and in a way that wasn't overbearing or too much information. It was good to just dive into a world and find out about as we adventured there. The plot was fantastic.

The edition I recieved as an ARC featured 32 beautifully drawn illustrations by Kira Night.

It's a story of our main character Sera who has always longed for travel and adventure. With the help of a pig-shaped Deadringer she embarks on a journey that could pull apart everything everyone knows. Who is Sera? What does she believe in and how, with her friends' support can she free her people?

The typesetting in this publication is beautiful and it made me linger over ever single page.

This is a book that takes you on a magical journey pushing the limits of science and beliefs.

Fantastic fantasy fiction for children and adults of all ages. I would highly recommend this for a classroom or bedroom bookshelf. Any library would be lucky to have a copy.

Over and out.
George.

Ivy in Bloom by Vanita Oelschlager 🌒🛁📱

Thank you to NetGalley and VanitaBooks, LLC for the ARC. 🌠🌠🌠
Three stars.

Yes, if you must know, I'm on a Oelschlager binge. I'd rather binge books than food, but now I'm thinking about a good cup of tea.

The illustrations for this were done by Kristin Blackwood. Love that last name, so dramatic sounding. It made me sigh.

The cover is so sweet, I love wild flowers and the font used it really creative, you know it's going to be poetry before you even read the word poetry.

... I'd almost wished that I'd had this book when I was a child, but the random religious ending that totally came out of nowhere took me off guard and reminded me of my grandparents whom don't speak to me because I don't go to church. I still respect religion. I just wouldn't read this over and over like I would with Vanita's other books. It's still a beautiful book of prose and the art is cute as heck.

I think this would make a great gift to a young christian girl. The art is totally worth it and the prose is good, I enjoyed it even despite the religious ending. I was just caught off guard I think.

This would be great for a sunday school library too! A+