The Underground Toy Society Saves Peggy by Jessica D. Adams DIY Mom Book Review

Janice was a little girl who desperately wanted a baby doll for Christmas, so she asked Santa for one in her Dear Santa letter. Janice is thrilled when she receives her new baby doll, Peggy, under the Christmas tree. Janice and Peggy are inseparable as Janice is growing up. But, as is often the case with children and their toys, Peggy is set aside in favor of other interests and activities, until one day when she’s inadvertently left behind.

The Underground Toy Society Saves Peggy is a sweet story of a little girl and her beloved baby doll, told from the doll’s perspective. It’s clear that the author is relating the story of her own life and her mother's doll Peggy, and the love shines through beautifully. How wonderful that she has these loving memories of her dear mother and is willing to share them with readers.

I LOVED the illustrations in this book. They’re adorable drawings, created by the author’s two daughters (I’m assuming, from what's included on the book description page). What a lovely way to get the entire family involved in this labor of love. There’s even a photo of the famous Peggy at the end of the book and the cover is Janice and Peggy sitting happily together. 

This is the second book I’ve read by Jessica Adams and I have to say she has quite a creative imagination. Her stories are thoughtful, sweet and endearing. I'll definitely read more from this author!

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

DIY Mom Blog Book Review of Edelaine's Folly: Book One of the Idoramin Chronicles by Morigan Shaw

Cali is a resourceful, clever girl who lives a carefree farm life in Edelaine with her loving parents Bethal and Erwin. Everything changes when a yet unknown evil unexpectedly swoops in and leaves death and destruction in its wake.

Cali is understandably devastated, but she quickly finds there’s no time to dwell on her losses. She jumps into action and claims her destiny and the family legacy she never knew she had.

Edelaine’s Folly,Book One is a wonderful, action-packed adventure for youngsters as well as adults. I was initially drawn to this book because of the gorgeous, colorful cover and I’m glad I decided to download it. 

The book started ever so slightly slow and I wondered where the author was planning to take the story. However, I realized that this was her way of laying the groundwork for what was to come. I feel it was a clever way to fully introduce readers to the character of Cali and the land of Edelaine. 

As I’ve said many times before in my book reviews, I LOVE books that place female characters in strong, important roles and Edelaine’s Folly definitely does this. This series is an excellent way to encourage young girls to begin reading fantasy books. Although the main protagonist is female, I genuinely feel that boys will enjoy reading this book as well. There’s plenty of action, adventure and strong supporting male characters here too.

This is definitely a series worth getting into and I intend to continue reading on! 

5 of 5 Stars, Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan DIY Mom Book Review and Thoughts

On a Sunday afternoon, photographer and single mother Rachel Jenner and her eight year old son Ben leave a wooded area of Bristol Park when Ben asks if he can run ahead. Rachel agrees and that’s the last time she sees Ben. A full-scale search is launched, with DI Jim Clemo as point man. 

When media hounds and a nasty blogger successfully turn public opinion against Rachel, the additional stress adds to the family’s mounting grief. The clock is ticking and as the days fall away, the chances of finding Ben alive sharply decline.

What She Knew is a clever suspense novel, filled with many twists, turns, red herrings and revelations. Long buried secrets are dragged out into the light and formerly trusted friends and family members soon find themselves suspects.

I found Ms. Macmillan’s writing to be engrossing, with several story layers to keep things moving at a brisk pace. The book is 560 pages long, but it goes fast. I was thoroughly immersed in the story from beginning to end and was surprised when I finished the book in little over a day.

I had definite mixed feelings about What She Knew. A few things irked me about this book, not to the point where I wanted to stop reading, yet enough for me to mention them in my review. The first thing was that there was much ado made about Rachel allowing eight year old Ben to “run ahead” of her in the park, but I found this to be a bit thin. It wasn’t as if Ben was a toddler and they were walking through Times Square. Rachel beat herself up repeatedly about that one decision and was made out to be a Bad Mother in the public eye because of it. It just didn’t ring true to me.

The second thing was the ridiculous manner in which DI Clemo confronted Rachel’s sister Nicky about their unusual childhood. Why was he holding Nicky accountable for this when Nicky herself was only nine when the event occurred? She was a child at the time and Clemo’s viciousness seemed way out of line to me.

Then, and I’ve noticed other readers mentioning this, why are all the female characters in books lately so darn dysfunctional? And why are female authors still writing about them in this manner? How about writing about some really strong, fully functioning women? They certainly exist, so authors PLEASE start including them in your books.

Lastly, the revelation of who the abductor was came out of left field. I honestly didn't think readers had the proper background regarding this particular character. I also had to wonder how this person managed to pull off the abduction so quickly and conveniently, given that the tree swing was still literally swinging when Rachel entered the clearing. The ending was a bit contrived in my opinion, yet still satisfactory as far as endings go all the same.

Despite what I considered plot flaws, I’d still recommend reading What She Knew to anyone who enjoys a suspenseful whodunit style of read.

3 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman DIY Mom's Book Review and Thoughts

Since I’ve recently discovered a fondness for the Harry Potter book series, I’ve made it a goal to search out other fantasy books. I’m not sure I’d call Neil Gaiman a true fantasy author per se, since his books really do seem to run the gamut as far as genre, but his books are definitely… let’s say.. out there. 

I’ve had The Graveyard Book in my Audible library for years. Yes, years, from when I still had an Audible account. I could just never seem to listen to the entire book (or any book) all the way to the end – through no fault of the book at all. I just don’t seem to be able to stay connected when listening to a book. My mind begins to wander and before I know it, I’ve missed several chapters of a book. 

From the little I was able to store in my ADD brain, The Graveyard Book was pretty interesting. So interesting that I decided to go out and purchase it at Half Price Books, only because I couldn’t find it at any of my local libraries. How dare they. So I plunked down 8.99 for a ten year old, less than perfect book because I was that determined to read it. For those interested to know my feelings on Half Price Books, I’m not impressed with their habit of paying consumers pennies on the dollar for their used books, but then selling said books at a premium.

So, back to The Graveyard Book. It’s a story about a baby who narrowly escapes being slaughtered by a mysterious man named Jack. His parents and older sister aren’t so lucky. The baby manages to climb quietly out of his crib and toddle his way to the local graveyard, where Mr. and Mrs. Owens, two of the graveyard's inhabitants, discover him. They decide to “adopt” the boy and name him Nobody, Bod for short. Silas is tasked with Bod’s guardianship because he can come and go from the graveyard, since he’s neither dead nor alive (can you guess what Silas is?). Bod grows up in the graveyard and becomes friends with the dead, is given Freedom of the Cemetery, learns how to Fade, pals around with a witch, and has a brief but unsuccessful stint at school.

Illustrations by Dave McKeon

The Graveyard Book was interesting enough to keep me reading. It’s not long and contains some spooky looking loose sketches that I found fit the book nicely. I had my doubts about the slaughtering-the-family business at the beginning. This is a children’s book after all and I wondered if that might be a bit intense for some youngsters. It certainly isn’t told in a graphic manner and doesn’t go on for too long, but the entire book is fairly dark in subject matter. Just something for parents to be aware of I suppose.

Gaiman gives a nod to Rudyard Kipling at the end of the book and many readers might recognize The Graveyard Book's similarities to Kipling’s Jungle Book. Retellings are always popular and Gaiman has definitely taken the idea and uniquely spun it.

Source: Amazon.com

Gaiman seems to be one of those writers who bounce around when it comes to genres. After reading The Graveyard Book I decided to begin reading American Gods, which is definitely NOT a children’s book. I couldn’t get past the second chapter. I knew early on that the book just wasn’t for me.

I would, however, recommend reading The Graveyard Book and can give it a solid five stars. It’s short and entertaining enough to keep kids and adults interested.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Eleanor Oliphant is thirty and lives a regimented and simple, single and solitary life. Every day is the same as the day before for Eleanor and she prefers it that way. She doesn’t socialize at work or outside and spends the weekends listening to radio programs or reading books whose covers have caught her attention at the library, regardless of their subject matter. The only other person she speaks regularly to is her abusive Mummy.

When Eleanor’s computer goes on the fritz, she’s forced to contact Raymond, the firm’s new IT employee, who insists on being chatty and walking her to the bus stop. Unfortunately, elderly Sammy has taken a tumble on the street. Raymond quickly rushes to his aid and convinces reluctant Eleanor to help as well. Despite her need to remain anonymous, Eleanor slowly finds herself drawn to Raymond and his mother, and to Sammy and his large family.

It’s rare that I can zip through a book in a day, but when I do, I know it’s because I’m absolutely in love with it. While there’s some undeniably depressing and tragic subject matter in Eleanor Oliphant, there are many, MANY truly delightful breaks of sunshine and happiness.

I adored Gail Honeyman’s writing. Deadpan, dry, yet highly intelligent humor, to me, is hilarious and there is definitely tons of it here. It’s not often that I literally laugh aloud while reading a book (especially in public) but I did several times while reading this one. Ms. Honeyman’s sense of humor is classic.

The characters are wonderfully genuine and realistically flawed. My heart ached for Eleanor. I know what it’s like to endure abuse and how it can destroy your spirit. Yet I also know that you can’t let that pain consume you, and that it’s okay to trust people again. 

This is touching, quirky and spectacularly splendid reading! I absolutely cannot say enough good things about Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and I can’t wait for the movie to come out.

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton

The Dark is Rising Children’s Fantasy Book Series by Susan Cooper - Mixed Feelings and Reviews

Since becoming immersed in the wonderful world of Harry Potter I’ve found myself searching for similar books to read. Someone mentioned Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising series on a Harry Potter Goodreads thread so I decided to try them. I found that I had mixed feelings about the series and wanted to share them with readers.

Naturally, I began with Book One, Over Sea, Under Stone, which is the tale of Simon, Jane and Barney Drew, three siblings on holiday in historic Cornwall with their parents and mysterious Great Uncle Merry. The children discover an ancient map they eventually come to believe leads to a long lost grail, which is said to be one of the keys to fighting the powers of the Dark. The children embark on a perilous journey to save humanity from evil.

I had so much trouble getting into this book that I stopped after seventy-five or so pages. It was slow moving and uninteresting to the point that I thought I was done completely with the series. When I posted my disappointment with the book on Instagram, I was told by a fellow Bookstagrammer that she too had had trouble with Book One, but she advised that I not give up on the series. She suggested I begin again with Book Two, The Dark is Rising, which she assured me was far better. I did and she was right.

The Dark is Rising (which I couldn’t quite understand why Book Two is the namesake of the entire series…In my mind this would have been better suited for the title of Book One) centers around young Will Stanton, who on his eleventh birthday becomes aware that he is the last of the Old Ones – immortal protectors of Good against Dark. With the help and guidance of the original Old One, Merriman Lyon, Will must collect all six of the Circle of Signs – Wood, Bronze, Iron, Fire, Water and Stone – which must be joined together to help him fight the powers of the Dark.

Book Two was incredibly entertaining and compelling – far better than Book One and I’m happy that I listened to the advice of my fellow book lover. I enjoyed the characters, plot and non-stop action in this one. The relationship between Will and Merriman was wonderful. I was so encouraged to keep reading that I went on to Book Three.

Book Three, Greenwitch, brings the characters from Book One and Book Two together. It’s much shorter than the first two installments and I didn’t enjoy it as much as I enjoyed Book Two. Here’s the thing with these books, and I’ve noticed this popping up in reviews – adults seem to enjoy this series, but children aren’t nearly as impressed. Susan Cooper began writing the series in the 1960s and the dialogue and subject matter is definitely dated. I wondered if this could be part of the reason today’s children are finding the series slow and boring (as indicated by some of the “kid” reviews I’ve read). I can only speculate on this of course. 

Ultimately, I would definitely recommend reading the second book in the series – The Dark is Rising. It's the book that the movie The Seeker was based upon. I feel this particular book is written in a way that it can stand alone and you don’t necessarily have to read any of the others. But, of course, if you do enjoy this one as much as I did then reading the other books in the series is a definite option.

Have you read this series? What did you think? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

The Magic of Harry Potter and How I’ve Come to Love the Book Series

I admit that I’m extremely late getting to the Harry Potter Party, but I recently began reading the book series. When Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone came out I was a busy single mom of three young children with a ton of responsibilities and reading just never seemed to fit into the schedule. When the movie was released, I took my youngest son to see it and I was in total awe. Sure, it was long, particularly for children, but it was truly magical.

Now that I have more time to read for my own enjoyment I find myself happily gravitating to children’s books and the Harry Potter series was a natural choice. I decided to read the series, in order of course, and have completed the first two books – the aforementioned Sorcerer’s Stone and The Chamber of Secrets.

Regarding Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone, at first I wasn’t all that impressed with J K Rowling’s writing – that is, the mechanics of her writing. What I do think is she’s an amazing world-builder and that’s what makes this series so phenomenal. Readers become completely engrossed in the magical world of Hogwarts, Magic and Muggles. Sure, there are some glaring plot holes that adult readers might find glaringly obvious, but when we remember that this is a children’s book series these things are easily forgivable. And the author's writing improves tremendously as the series progresses.

There’s no denying that J K Rowling’s success with the Harry Potter series has probably far surpassed anything anyone could have ever imagined. It’s not often that a book is turned into a movie, but an entire book series being spun into a movie series is quite an awesome feat. And let’s not forget that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios continues to break visitor records year after magical year. A clear indication that there's no short supply of Potterheads in the world. Affection for the series shows no signs of waning anytime soon.

Would I recommend reading the series? Absolutely! The books are fun, fast-paced, non-wordy, and spectacularly glorious. Readers can quickly find themselves immersed in the tales of Harry, Ron, Hermione and the rest of J K Rowling’s characters. If you read for the sheer pleasure of it, then I encourage you to begin the series. If you read the Harry Potter books as a child, I encourage you to revisit as an adult. You’ll be seeing things through an entirely different perspective.

Book Review of The Little French Bistro by Nina George

Sixty-year-old Marianne Messmann has had enough of her loveless, one-sided marriage of forty plus years. Lothar Messman is an overbearing oaf who has no idea how to show Marianne the love and affection she so desperately wants. For far too long, Marianne has blamed herself and when she becomes overwhelmingly despondent during their Paris vacation, she wanders off to end it all. When her suicide doesn’t go as planned, Marianne uses the near death experience to embark on an adventure of self-discovery and reinvention.

I read Nina George’s “The Little Paris Bookshop” and was less than enthusiastic about it. In it, George writes from the male perspective and I couldn’t find it convincing or compelling. The Little French Bistro, by comparison, was fabulous. Writing from the female perspective, to me, makes the author’s voice so much more believable and enjoyable.

The Little French Bistro brings a lovely cast of characters together. The 60+ crowd has great deal of experience with life, love and loss to teach younger generations and this theme shines through beautifully in this book. I loved every single character here. The author does a wonderful job of creating believable, likable characters that peel away layers to reveal their genuine hopes, dreams, thoughts, feelings and faults.

I can’t say enough good things about The Little French Bistro. It’s definitely worth reading and the characters will stay with you long after you’ve finished. Thanks to the publisher and the now defunct Blogging for Books for a complimentary copy.

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

Review of Children's Book "Meeting Grandmom" by Jessica D. Adams

I have another children's book recommendation and this one is from Indie author Jessica D. Adams. Jessica is an occupational therapist, with two daughters. She writes children's books in her spare time. Her Underground Toy Society series includes seven installments. Meeting Grandmom is a standalone book that I can highly recommend to readers. Below is my book review.

Janiece and Janelle never met their maternal grandmother because she passed away when their mom, Jessica, was still a girl herself. One stormy night, when the girls are playing in their mother’s bedroom, they’re suddenly transported to another place and time. Although scared, the girls hold hands and venture forward on an adventure they’d never forget.

What a sweet, charming and emotionally charged book this is. It’s a lovely tribute to the author’s daughters and to her mother. I loved the imaginative way the author presented the story and showed the care and tenderness among the book’s characters. I can highly recommend this book!

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

Book Review of Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn in Anticipation of the Upcoming HBO Series

Camille Preaker is a reporter at a low-budget newspaper in Chicago. When the editor wants to send Camille to investigate the vicious killings of two pre-teen girls in her hometown of Wind Gap, MO, she’s reluctant to go. Recently released from a mental health facility, Camille is still fragile. She knows going back will only dredge up memories of her dysfunctional childhood. Against her better judgment, Camille agrees to cover the story, but it just might end up being the death of her.

I read and loved Gone Girl and had Sharp Objects on my TBR for ages. HBO’s upcoming series, starring Amy Adams, made me move the book up on my list. 

Unfortunately, HBO has not yet released the trailer for the series, which is slated to air in "Summer of 2018" according to the HBO website. I guess we'll have to wait it out.

This one was definitely dark and twisted. There’s a lot of dysfunction going on here. I had a love, hate relationship with Camille. I hated the way she seemed strong and capable one minute, and needy and pathetic the next. Many of the other characters were highly unlikable and downright strange. It just goes to show that you do not need to create likable characters to have a likable book. And liked it, I did.

Gillian Flynn certainly has a dark imagination. She’s also a fabulous writer. The character detail, story descriptions, plot twists…basically everything…is so detailed, fleshed out and intricate that  I found myself in awe that this was her debut novel.

By now, most readers know what’s behind Camille’s hospital stay. However, I’d have to say that Sharp Objects should most definitely come with a trigger warning. Knowing ahead of time that the topic of cutting is prevalent here is important for some readers.

I enjoyed this book, as creepy as it was. It was interesting and extremely compelling. I finished it in less than a day. I’m now looking forward to watching the series.

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton

Book Review of Two Girls Down by Louisa Luna

I managed to snag a copy of Two Girls Down by Louisa Luna from my local library. I’d heard some good things about it and was excited to read it. For the most part, I enjoyed the book. The story was intriguing, but slowed here and there.

Two young girls are kidnapped from a strip mall parking lot while their mother is shopping inside a store. The wealthy grandmother hires PI Alice Vega, who, in turn, partners with ex-cop Max “Cap” Caplan. Although the police are investigating the case, they don’t seem to be getting anywhere so the Feds (one agent, it seems) are brought in. Eventually, all teams work together to find the girls before it’s too late.

The biggest issue I had was with Vega’s character. There was a certain amount of backstory given, but not quite enough to make me understand her “tough as nails” exterior. She seemed too one-dimensional to me. As some other reviewers have mentioned, there was an air of “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” about this book – same lone wolf female with a hacker friend she could rely on for Intel, with a law enforcement sidekick at the ready.

I liked Caplan’s character much more than I did Vega’s character. I found him more relatable. I enjoyed the relationship he had with his daughter – even if she seemed to be too good to be true as far as sixteen-year-old girls go…a little too perfect in my opinion.

I could have done without the odd romantic thoughts both Vega and Caplan seemed to have about each other at inappropriate times…what the heck was that about?

There were A LOT of characters in this book, which made it slightly difficult to keep track of everyone. I had an inkling about who the kidnapper was pretty much right away. I just didn’t get the why. When all was revealed, it seemed a little too thin and farfetched, but not terribly so.

I’d like to see Vega and Caplan’s stories become a series. There are certainly possibilities for a series here. All in all, this is a good detective novel.

4 of 5 Stars, Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

Book Review of Zen Camera by David Ulrich

I LOVE photography and I love photography books. I'm always looking for new ways to improve my photography skills, so when I had the opportunity to review David Ulrich's new book Zen Camera I grabbed it. I was not at all disappointed. This is a gorgeous book, filled with tons of great photography advice!

As the book’s subtitle states, Zen Camera by David Ulrich is a creative awakening with a daily practice in photography. It’s meant to inspire photographers to see creatively and to live authentically.

Zen Camera begins with an introduction, and a chapter on the basic principles and methods of photography. From there, the book is divided into six separate and distinct lessons to include:

• Observation
• Awareness
• Identity
• Practice
• Mastery
• Presence

A chapter titled Photography and Awakening, the Terrors and Pleasures of Digital Life is included at the end of the lessons and addresses photography in the 21st century.

This book is filled with tons of expert information to enable photographers to begin their own Zen photography journey. There aren’t as many photos as I’m used to with photography books, but the photos that are here are certainly stunning. I don’t think the sparse amount of photos takes away from the value of the book, however.

The quality of this book is wonderful. The pages are glossy and the hard cover is sturdy, which makes this a great book to display on a coffee table. I’d recommend it to anyone who’d like a new perspective on photography. Thanks to the publisher and Blogging for Books for a complimentary copy.

5 of 5 Stars, Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

Book Review of The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

It's time for another book review! I've chosen The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. If you haven't yet read it, I'd highly recommend doing so. If you've seen the movie, I urge you to read the book. There's so much more here than was included in the movie. Well worth the read!

Eleven-year-old Liesel Meminger is a foster child who has recently arrived in a small town outside Munich, Germany during WWII. Liesel has been sent to live with Hans and Rosa Huberman, presumably for the small stipend they’ll receive. Liesel is still suffering from the loss of her little brother and the difficult and somewhat mysterious separation from her mother. She takes an immediate like to Hans, who is kind and thoughtful, but takes much longer to warm up to the abrasive Rosa.

Liesel makes friends with next-door neighbor Rudy and establishes herself as a self-proclaimed book thief. Becoming unlikely friends with the Mayor’s wife Ilsa affords Liesel the opportunity to read the books in the Mayor’s massive library. Along the way, Liesel is witness to the atrocities of war, heartbreaking events, love, loss and other life-changing events.

I saw the movie The Book Thief several years ago and loved it. When I decided it was time to read the book I was absolutely captivated. Although the book is 550 pages long, I read it in just two days – it was THAT good.

The book is different in several ways, ways in which I won’t go into in my review. Suffice it to say that I’m glad I saw the movie first and then read the book. I think I might have been disappointed with the movie version if it had happened in opposite order. This just goes to show how well the author has written this important piece of fictionalized history. The time period, location, mood, characters, etc. come to life as the story unfolds.

I was surprised at some of the other reviews, stating that the book was just plain depressing. I’m not at all sure how a book that deals with the systematic extinction of a race of people can be written about in an uplifting, happy way. Yet, the book is so much more than a story about a German girl who is living in Nazi Germany during WWII. There are many lovely, tender elements to be found in The Book Thief. The additional anniversary edition footnotes written by the author (at the end of the book) provide wonderful insight.

I think it’s extremely important that all generations read books like The Book Thief. This is part of history and, as poet and philosopher George Santayana said, "Those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it." This is a book that is emotionally draining, but very much worth the read!

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

The Tiniest Elf by Uncle Amon Book Review Share and One Day Freebie!

I've read many of Uncle Amon's children's books over the years and I'm always impressed with them. When it comes to this author, I know I'll be downloading an activity-packed, kid-friendly eBook that will be sure to appeal to a wide range of ages. 

The Tiniest Elf is FREE today and tomorrow only and I encourage you to grab it while you can during this freebie promo. To convince you, continue reading on to my book review below!

These stories center on Twinkletoes the elf, who was the tiniest Christmas elf. In the first story, Twinkeltoes is a sad little elf. He was so tiny, he couldn’t perform any elf chores. Although the other elves were nice to Twinkletoes, he was very sad that he wasn’t much help. Even Santa couldn’t cheer him up. Things become serious when Twinkletoes begins to realize his sadness has greater consequences.

There are four other Twinkletoes tales in this one book and each one is an adorable story for children! They’re each sweet with happy resolutions that children will be sure to enjoy. There are also some great kid-friendly activities at the end of each story. As is usual with Uncle Amon’s books, kids get plenty of quality stories, puzzles, jokes and more. Great value!

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton for DIY Mom Blog

God's Love is the Message of Kristie Wilde's So Great a Love Children's Book

So Great a Love answers the question of whether or not God really loves us. Written in a manner that even very young children will grasp, this book explores the animal world and points out the many examples of God’s love for us all.

What a sweet and lovely children’s book this is. Although it’s short (perfect for young children), it’s filled with charming illustrations and positive messages for youngsters. In my experience, children are drawn to animal picture books. So Great a Love uses the animal kingdom as a way to show children just how much God loves us, and it works perfectly. I read this to a group of preschoolers and they were captivated.

I can highly recommend this book to parents, grandparents and caregivers of toddlers, preschoolers and early readers. So Great a Love is well worth adding to any children’s book library. Thanks to the publisher, Book Crash and the author for providing a complimentary copy!

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

Magician's Mayhem by R. S. Mollison-Read is a Wonderfully Exciting and Magical First Book in the Elden Forest Series - FREE BOOK!

By now, readers will know that I LOVE children's books. So when I saw that Magician's Mayhem by R. S. Mollison-Read is currently FREE on Amazon I knew I had to grab it. What a wonderful children's book this is! Below is my book review. I encourage readers to grab this one to enjoy with their children or to read themselves!

Magician’s Mayhem is the story of Tobin and Darcie’s quest to find out who is responsible for causing so much destruction and mayhem in Elden Forest. Tobin is trying to get to the bottom of what caused the destructive explosion in his backyard and Darcie is searching for her missing magician grandmother. The two embark on a journey filled with magical and sometimes dangerous events.

This book throws the reader into the action at the very start. I was immediately interested in the characters and the story’s plot. It’s a non-stop tale of magic, intrigue and surprising adventure. I liked Tobin and Darcie’s characters and found myself rooting for them.

The author’s writing is wonderfully intelligent and engaging. One thing I’d note is that the vocabulary might be a bit challenging for younger readers – the book states that it’s geared toward 8 – 14 year olds, but I feel the younger crowd might struggle with some of the words used.

This is the first book in a series and it’s a great introduction to Tobin and Darcie’s stories. I especially appreciated that there’s no cliffhanger here. There’s a clear resolution to the Magician’s Mayhem story. Yet there’s a promise of a second compelling book in the form of a generous excerpt at the end of this book. Magician’s Mastery Book 2 is the second installment in the Elden Forest series and, judging from Chapter 1, this looks like a fantastic continuation. I know I’d read it! 

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton for DIY Mom Blog

Everyday Watercolor by Jenna Rainey is Packed with Tons of Informational Watercolor Tips, Tricks and Advice for the Novice Painter

I love all types of art. I've tried just about every medium possible to create paintings, greeting cards and ACEOs. I do love watercolor, but I must admit I've been baffled about how honest to goodness watercolor artists achieve those great effects you see on Etsy and Instagram. So when I had the opportunity to read and review Everyday Watercolor by Jenna Rainey I grabbed it. I'm so glad because I was incredibly impressed with this book!

Everyday Watercolor is a contemporary watercolor guide for newbie artists to follow over a thirty-day period. The author begins with the basics of brushstrokes and ends with step-by-step, fully completed watercolor projects.

Everyday Watercolor is packed with eye-catching illustrations and informational tutorials set up with easy to follow instructions. There are five sections within this book:

• Technique
• Form, Perspective and Light
• Complex Shapes and Forms
• Value, Volume and Depth
• Application       

Within each of these five sections is a wealth of tips, tricks, techniques and advice for even the most novice watercolor artist. The author has a lovely conversational style of writing, which makes the reader feel as though they’re being personally taught the art of watercolor.

© 2017 Jenna Rainey

The illustrations are beautiful and highly motivating. Even if one decides not to pursue the art of watercolor, this book is coffee table worthy just for the pictures alone. It’s fun to watch the artist turn a few well placed splotches of color into a beautifully detailed painting. I loved that the author included those oh so popular cacti that we've been seeing all over the place lately!

 

© 2017 Jenna Rainey

I’d highly recommend Everyday Watercolor to anyone considering taking up the art of watercolor painting. There’s so much valuable information here that you can’t go wrong. Thanks to Blogging for Books, the publisher and the author for providing a complimentary copy of this book!

5 of 5 Stars, Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

Angel on Assignment by Wanda Carter Roush is a Sweet and Encouraging Faith-Based Book for Children!

Angel on Assignment is an award-winning, faith-based children’s book, written by Christian mother and author Wanda Carter Roush. The author shares how the story idea came to her while caring for her youngest daughter, who has severe epilepsy. Wanda’s hope is that this book will “stir an awareness that angels are among us”.

What a sweet and endearing book this is. It’s short – just 21 pages with the “Let’s Make an Angel” section, but it’s packed with positive, encouraging words for children. The illustrations are colorful, expressive and adorable – sure to capture the attention of even very young children.

I loved the message in this book. Angels are sent from Heaven to look after us. They appear several times in the Bible and this book is a wonderful kid-friendly way to explain this. I highly recommend this book. Thanks to Book Crash, the publisher and the author for providing a complimentary copy!

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton

Another Adorable Bedtime Story for Toddlers and Preschoolers from Uncle Amon

HERE'S ANOTHER ADORABLE UNCLE AMON BOOK FOR TODDLERS AND PRESCHOOLERS. IT'S CURRENTLY FREE ON AMAZON, THRU 8/25/17

It’s nighttime and not just human children are getting ready for bed – cute and sleepy animals are being tucked into bed too. Patchwork Bear lives in Teddy Bear Hollow with Mommy Bear, who tucks him in bed and kisses his pink gumdrop nose. Rosie and Robbie bunny chat a bit before drifting off to sleep. Ollie and Cuddles the owls are off to dreamland as well.

This is another wonderful Uncle Amon book. I loved the illustrations! The various baby animals are colorful and adorable.

Goodnight Animals is sure to become a bedtime favorite for young children. It’s perfectly suited for its intended toddler/preschool audience. I’m sure I’ll be reading this book to my grandkids for many nights to come!

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton

This book is FREE on Amazon until 8/25!

An Excellent Easter Gift - God's Easter Miracles by Lee Ann Mancini

DIY Mom is participating in the God's Easter Miracles book tour here. In celebration of the book release and tour, we've reviewed the book here too!

God’s Easter Miracles takes place on Easter Sunday. The sea kids are at Sunday school and are having fun making Easter-themed crafts. Miss Linda, the Sunday school teacher, organizes an Easter egg hunt for the children. Paul has a difficult time understanding the process and feelings get hurt. Miss Linda takes the opportunity to teach the children about sharing, friendship and the true meaning of Easter.

This is the second book I’ve read by Lee Ann Mancini and I was just as impressed with God’s Easter Miracles as I was with God’s Gift. The story is kid-friendly, with gorgeous and expressive illustrations. Ms. Mancini explains some unique and complex subjects in terms that children will understand.

The book is a sturdy book, in a generous size. This would make an excellent gift. As a care provider, mother and grandmother I’m sure God’s Easter Miracles will be a much-loved addition to the family library. Thanks to the publisher and BookCrash for providing me with a complimentary copy!

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton

ENTER TO WIN A FREE SIGNED PRINT COPY OF GOD'S EASTER MIRACLES HERE!