3.8 Stars
This is a cozy, warm, and feel-good book about life, relationships, family, and personal independence. Nat is a pretty fun character though she does obsess a little too much about her age.
We see she takes up more than what she can handle just because she loves her family. Yeah, some of it is annoying. But we also see even spine in her to realize she is no pushover. Connor is a compassionate younger man who seems to become an integral part of Nat’s mad mess in the mansion.
The pace is decent, and the narration is fluid. I could sustain my reading pace, so that’s a plus. There are a couple of reveals and some conflict towards the end. Of course, it’s all resolved, and we get the happy ever after.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Aria & Aries and am voluntarily leaving a review.
*****
Read the full review here.

3.8 Stars
This illustrated children’s book is an abridged version of the original work, The Secret Garden. The book is great for kids who like more pictures than words. However, I do wish the graphics were a little more charming. The feeling of magic, which is crucial for the story, doesn’t seem to come out to its fullest. Still, the book is a nice little read to teach kids about plants, nature, friendship, and affection. I’m really glad that the author chose not to use the part about India in her illustrated work. Giving kids biased and one-sided views of a country they aren’t familiar with wouldn’t be good.
Overall, this is a cute and sweet version of the original book for the little munchkins.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.

4.5 Stars
Oh, my! This is such a cute little book with colorful and bright illustrations. I’m so glad I started reading children’s works. Ben is a cutie pie who loves to draw and make others happy. The book is about how he brings together the kids from his class and more people from across the globe to join the Happiness Club. While the story is sweet, it’s the illustrations that grabbed my attention. And the question at the end of the book is something we all need to think about.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Linguacious and am voluntarily leaving a review.

3.7 Stars
The book is a part of a series where Mina Mistry, a cute little school girl, plays a detective to solve crimes suitable for her age. The book was fun to read, though the plotline seemed a little farfetched.
The illustrations were really nice, giving Mini a top knot and messy hair. I love that hairdo. The characters and pets are diverse, and there is obviously a message about animal care. This is the kind of book kids would like to pick up and read on their own. The mystery part is going to attract them and keep them hooked.
Overall, it’s a fun read.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Sweet Cherry Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.

4.2 Stars
As a fan of Holmes, I was curious to see how the author adapted the book for children. I first time I read The Hound of Baskervilles was in my eighth class. It was my special English textbook. I fell in love with the plot and began reading other cases of Holmes.
The adaptation is a summarized version of the original, and it managed to retain the crucial elements in terms of clues and crime-solving techniques. However, the atmosphere and setting took a hit.
That said, this book would be a great choice to introduce Holmes to the younger kiddos and get them interested in the series. The illustrations were sharp, though some of them made me chuckle. Guess that would be perfect for kids.
Overall, a good adaptation in simple and easy language that kids can read for themselves.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Sweet Cherry Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.

4.3 Stars

Let’s talk pumpkins! This cute little is book is about teaching patience and the importance of nurturing plants to kids. The author chose a pumpkin for her book. She has also shared fun facts towards the end.
The book is simple, sweet, and easy to follow for little kiddos. The illustrations are cute when you look at them the second time.
While I know about pumpkin competitions, racing in rivers by floating on the pumpkin is something totally new to me. It sounds like a fun activity.
In my country, India, pumpkin is used more like a vegetable (though it is a fruit). The orange, green, yellow, and white (ash gourd) variants are used almost throughout the year. We make quite a few dishes with pumpkin. The Halloween carving is, of course, nothing something very common.
I remember we had the pumpkin creeper in our kitchen garden when I was a kid. My grandparents’ home had a couple of them. Almost every home until a few decades ago had a kitchen garden, and pumpkin was an inherent member of it.
This was a sweet book to read, and I went back in time to my childhood for a few minutes.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Capstone Editions and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#LetItGrow #NetGalley

That’s a cute little book about dreams and girls wanting to be anything they want, even pirates. The illustrations are pretty cute. I like the play of colors and the overall soft tone of shades used for the pictures. The story was what a little kiddo would love as a bedtime story; adventurous and cute without being scary. The ratings are more for the illustrations than the story. Since mine is an ecopy, I couldn’t listen to the musical bits.
The name Sofia has been spelled in two ways (Sofia and Sophia) in the book.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Clavis Publishing for the ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.

There are hardly any books I like to rank more than the highest. If I could, I’d give this one 5+ stars. Why? I love, love, love the illustrations. The purple sky, the big-eyes Usha with her top knot, Aarti and Gloria with their cute hairstyles are just too good to describe.
I’ve been hoping for the publisher to approve my request ever since my friend reviewed this book. Finally, I got my hands on it and didn’t even wait for a second to read it.
Being a children’s book, it comes with a moral about how different perspectives see the same thing in a different light. Math is also involved but only towards the end.
The best part is the recurring attempts by Usha to master the cartwheel. Flippety Thump! Lol. I knew a kid who did the same in my house every evening. Boy, how she tried to get it right! Usha reminded me of the kid (now all grown up) and made me smile even wider. Do I need any more reasons to say that I love this one?
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Charlesbridge Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#UshaandtheBigDigger #NetGalley

3.5 Stars
Mia Moretti travels from Melbourne to Florence to heal from the psychological and emotional scars left by a life-threatening condition. She also wants to get back her art and paint again.
She meets a local mechanic, Luca, who sweeps her away across the country, making her smile, help her face her fears, and paint again. But when a tragedy strikes them, can they let love keep them together, or will it tear them apart?
I picked the book for its setting more than anything else. The story started out great, and that was a plus. The writing is easy to follow, and I finished the book in two days. The imagery is beautiful (obviously, it’s Italy!), and I could picture it with ease. More so because I’m a fan of David Rocco and watched his Dolce Vita series set in Florence, Sicily, Amalfi, and Napoli.
After a light 2/3 of the book, the last 1/3 went totally out of balance. Though the book talks about Mia’s recovery from cancer, it doesn’t get too intense until after 65% or so. And then, it almost gets overwhelming, pushing one heavy emotion after another on the reader.
There’s little breathing space, and that too is shadowed by intense agony and grief. This unexpected shift didn’t work for me. The tone was set by then, and I knew there would be some conflict. But based on what flowed until then, I wasn’t expecting something this forceful. It does have a decent happy ending, but I only heaved a sigh of relief that the book was over.
Maybe if the story has a non-linear narration to space out things, it would have been easier to handle. Also, the insta-love would have had a better chance of convincing the readers.
What surprised me was the age of the characters, which slipped my mind after the initial chapter or two. Mia is 19 years old. Yeah, she’s quite mature for her age (not always, mind you), but the book is a typical romance and reads like the one with 25+ characters. Though 19 is not terribly young, she is still a teen and acts like one only when the author needs some ripples or touches of conflict.
The talk of art was lovely to read. There was nothing technical, and the focus is on how Mia lets go and starts to embrace her talent. The side characters are well-etched and do their bit to bring some cheer into the book.
If not for the 1/3rd of the book, where Mia’s character is developed, and Luca is almost messed up, this one would have been a four-star for me.
Overall, it’s an enjoyable read with a wonderful setting, but be prepared for an extra-emotional last section and some heavy drama.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bookouture and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#HerTuscanSummer #NetGalley

3.5 Stars

The Lily Garden was created by Caroline’s mother more than thirty years ago. After her mother’s death, followed by her father’s accident, Caroline leaves Lake Summers and goes to live with her aunt in Chicago.
The story starts with Caroline working in her aunt’s successful business empire. Her daughter Lee is ready to graduate and has her future decided for her as the heiress of the business. Caroline and Lee have a two-week summer break to look at other options and travel to Boston.
A message from Maxine, the woman who cared for Caroline like a mother, forces her to change her plans. The Lily Garden would be demolished, and they need to find a way to stop it somehow.
Then we have Aaron, a historian and a professor who moves to the town for a year. He has his own past to deal with. When paths cross, Caroline has to decide if she wants to play it safe or take a plunge and see where things go. She also has to face her past, and things are not what she thought them to be.
The premise is great, and I love the cover. After reading The Bluebell Girls last year, I had high expectations from this one.
A young widow with a teenage daughter going back to her childhood town to fight for the last memory of her mother was enough to make me pick this book as soon as I could. The writing was easy to read, and the setting was wonderful. The author can create vivid imagery of the landscape and its people. The side characters are well-etched and added a lot to the book.
So what made me give it just 3.5 stars?
I was looking for the ‘terrible secret’ that was supposed to be revealed in the book. The ending of the blurb goes-

“But then Caroline learns a terrible secret about the day her mother died. If she continues fighting to save the garden, she may uncover more painful truths that will affect her whole family. But if she leaves now, she will have to give up a future with Aaron and the beautiful town that has always been in her heart…”

But the secret doesn’t get revealed until almost 82-85% of the book. And when it’s done, it’s underwhelming because the scenes rush by one after another. Things get sorted in the last 15% of the novel, though we still don’t know the answer to some questions. There’s a hint, and guess we’ll have to make do with that.
For someone with so many lovely memories of the place, it seems odd that Caroline didn’t want to go back even once. Yeah, she has created her own version of some of the past incidents. However, it doesn’t really change the story.
Caroline is pretty much a hesitant and tentative character, prone to panics for the slightest of issues. It does make her real, but it also makes her a weak character to carry the weight of the story.
I felt Lee was better etched for her age, and Caroline’s character shadows her in many places. I think it’s the limited third-person narrative that resulted in this.
There are a few chapters from Aaron’s perspective (limited third person), but they leave us with more questions than answers. We get a gist of what would happen soon to tie up the loose ends, but it left me dissatisfied. I wanted more from the book. The relationship between Aaron and Caroline was okay. It wasn’t explored enough for me to root for them.
The side characters are the strength of this book. They bring color and life and make the story more interesting. The relationship between Caroline and Maxine was great. It was one of the positives of the book.

Overall, the story is sweet and heartwarming, but it needed better treatment to shine. The author did a better job with other book(s), and I hope to read that kind of magic from her again.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bookouture and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#TheLilyGarden #NetGalley