Book Review: Under the Lilacs

Under the Lilacs by Louisa May Alcott

Under the Lilacs
by Louisa May Alcott

4.5 out of 5 stars

Ben has run away from the circus, and he finds compassion and generosity in the house under the lilacs. He is basically adopted by Miss Celia and her brother, Thorny, and while he is grateful for their kindness, it’s difficult for Ben to adapt to a country life after all the excitement and thrills of traveling with the circus.

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Book Review: Basil and the Big Cheese Cook-Off

Basil and the Big Cheese Cook-Off by Catherine Hapka

Basil and the Big Cheese Cook-Off (The Great Mouse Detective Book 6)
by Catherine Hapka, David Mottram (Illustrator)

4 out of 5 stasr

Basil and Dawson are visiting Paris to investigate threats to the International Cheese Cook-Off competition. Basil thinks that Ratigan must be involved somehow, but they can’t find any clues that point in his direction. They meet several suspicious mice, but no one has a motive for threatening the cooking competition. Basil reaches a dead end in his investigation until the final clue from an unlikely source falls into place.

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Book Review: Unmarriageable

Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal

Unmarriageable
by Soniah Kamal (Goodreads Author)

1 out of 5 stars

DNF at page 49.
Alys and her four sisters are attending the biggest wedding of the year, and their mother, Mrs. Binat, is hoping that they will catch the eye of rich bachelors. Alys is not interested in hunting for a husband, until she meets the handsome Valentine Darsee.

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Picture Book Review: Follow the Flyway

Follow the Flyway by Sarah   Nelson

Follow the Flyway: The Marvel of Bird Migration
by Sarah Nelson (Goodreads Author), Maya Hanisch (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

In this picture book, we see different birds creating their nests, hatching their young, and teaching them to swim and fly. Then they all migrate south for the winter. Along the way, they hunt for food, rest by rivers or ponds, and instinctively follow the southern route their ancestors have taken for thousands of years.

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Book Review: Deadly and Dangerous Animals

Ben Rothery's Deadly and Dangerous Animals by Ben Rothery

Ben Rothery’s Deadly and Dangerous Animals
by Ben Rothery

4 out of 5 stars

This book has sections about teeth and claws, and hunters who work together in teams or who hunt alone. We learn about the fastest animals, the stealthiest animals, the ones with the best eyesight, and ones that can mimic plants to fool predators. Each page is full of factoids about amazing animals!

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Picture Book Review: 101 Ways to Read a Book

101 Ways To Read A Book by Timothée de Fombelle

101 Ways To Read A Book
by Timothée de Fombelle, Benjamin Chaud (Illustrator), Karin Snelson (Translator), Angus Yuen-Killick (Translator)

4 out of 5 stars

Did you know that there are many ways to read a book? You might read in a window seat with the sun streaming in. You might read under the table, at the beach, in a blanket fort, on the train, or at the top of a ladder. You could read alone, or share your books with others. You might slouch, or walk, or snuggle in bed, or use your head as a bookmark. Maybe you are the type of reader who leans their chair back at a dangerous angle. Maybe you hog all the cushions.
But it surprisingly rare to see anyone actually sitting up in a chair to read!

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Book Review: Jane and the Final Mystery

Jane and the Final Mystery by Stephanie Barron

Jane and the Final Mystery (Being a Jane Austen Mystery #15)
by Stephanie Barron

4 out of 5 stars

Jane knows she is nearing the end of her life. Her health has been deteriorating for months and the doctors give her six months to live. However, when her old friend Elizabeth Heathcote is in trouble, Jane and her nephew Edward are ready to help. Elizabeth’s son, William, has been accused of murdering a schoolmate at Winchester College, a boys’ boarding school. Jane’s nephew Edward tells her all about the boys college and how William endured hazing and cruel pranks. But could William have lashed out at his tormentors to the extent of murdering one of them?

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Book Review: The Duke’s Last Word

The Duke's Last Word by Sophie Leigh Fox

The Duke’s Last Word (Love, Most Ardently, #1)
by Sophie Leigh Fox (Goodreads Author)

3 out of 5 stars

Willa is shocked when her father announces that his gambling debts are so pressing that she will have to marry a duke in order to pay off the debt or they will lose their home. James, the duke in question, has to fulfill a legal clause that requires him to marry if he wants to keep his inheritance. Willa’s father is only too happy to make a deal with James, but Willa is fiercely independent and refuses to marry the duke. James is hoping to change her mind, and uses all his charm to beguile her into marriage. Can Willa trust her heart and happiness into James’ keeping, or is he just greedy for his inheritance?

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Book Review: The Elusive Mrs. Pollifax

The Elusive Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman

The Elusive Mrs. Pollifax (Mrs. Pollifax, #3)
by Dorothy Gilman

5 out of 5 stars

Mrs. Pollifax is recruited to deliver some passports to the Underground Resistance in Communist Bulgaria. It seems like a straightforward courier job, but nothing is ever straightforward with Mrs. Pollifax. She befriends a group of young hippie tourists, and when one of them is arrested for espionage, Mrs. Pollifax suspects that something else is going on.

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