REVIEWS | A Cat Family Christmas & Daisy Woodworm Changes the World

Description

Count down the twelve days til Christmas in this delightful advent book. With a nod to nostalgic Victorian advent calendars, open up tiny but sturdy flap ‘doors’ on each one of the 24 pages to reveal little details and surprises.

Peer inside the cupboard doors and different-sized tins in the busy Cat Family kitchen to find the missing ingredients for the cake. Open all the front doors on the street when the Cat Family go carol singing.

This is a whimsical Christmas book that gives the Victorian advent calendar tradition a contemporary twist for advent calendar door–hungry hands. Every page is rich with Liberty print–style patterns and William Morris–inspired friezes.

The Cat Family is full of character and personality, and the picture painted of the holiday season in this charming picture book will fill you and your family with Christmas cheer!

(Goodreads)


Review

Get this one before the 12 days of Christmas start!

This lift-the-flap advent book features beautifully illustrated pages of a cat family during Christmas as they prepare and celebrate the holiday season. The placement of the various flaps was done cleverly and will be so much fun for readers to explore as they progress through the story.

Not only are the activities engaging, but the story itself is as well, as it counts down the 12 days of Christmas. As you flip through the book, note the different animal families, which include rabbits, badgers, and foxes (among others!). It is lovely to see the various families as they board the sleeper train! Even the houses display snowmen outside (e.g., snow-cats and snow-ducks!)

This book is so much fun to read with your little ones as you approach Christmas day. The last page ends on Christmas Eve.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

This Book in Three Words

Cozy, Festive, Cats!

Values/Themes

  • Family
  • Holiday Traditions
  • Togetherness

Favourite Part

I loved to see all of the animal families boarding the train!

Feelings

  • Lighthearted
  • Relaxing
  • Fun

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 5 Stars


Description

Thirteen-year-old Daisy Woodward loves insects, running track, and hanging out with her older brother, Sorrel, who has Down syndrome and adores men’s fashion. When her social studies teacher assigns each student an oral report and project to change the world for the better, Daisy fears the class bully–who calls her Woodworm–will make fun of her lisp. Still, she decides to help Sorrel fulfill his dream of becoming a YouTube fashion celebrity despite their parents’ refusal to allow him on social media.

With the help of her best friend, Poppy, and Miguel–the most popular boy in school and her former enemy–Daisy launches Sorrel’s publicity campaign. But catastrophe strikes when her parents discover him online along with hateful comments from a cyberbully. If Daisy has any hope of changing the world, she’ll have to regain her family’s trust and face her fears of public speaking to find her own unique and powerful voice.

Daisy Woodworm Changes the World includes an author’s note and additional resources.

(Goodreads)


Review

When prompted with the question, “How can one save the world?” Daisy immediately thinks of Sorrel, her brother who has Down Syndrome, and how she could best support his ambition to become a fashion icon and youtube star.

Daisy and Sorrel are faced with many obstacles, and with the representation of Down Syndrome, another strength of this book is how Daisy, with the help of her friends, family, and teacher, can make the world a better place. I liked that this story showed how important it is to reframe goals and ask for aid when needed. I loved Sorrel and the strong bond between the two siblings. Regarding the pacing, the last half of the book flowed very nicely. I also wanted to know more about Daisy, but this may be something to look forward to in the future. This book is well-suited for a middle-grade audience/classroom. Daisy wants to study insects so cool facts about insects are provided.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

This Book in Three Words

Uplifting, Inspiring, Realistic

Values/Themes

  • Goal setting
  • Self-Esteem
  • Friendship
  • Family
  • Economic disparities

Favourite Part

Several friendships blossom throughout the book.

Feelings

  • Emotional
  • Hopeful
  • Uplifting

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 3.75 Stars

QOTD: What is the last book you’ve read? Let us know!

The Sunday Post #14 and More!

Hello, everyone! Today we are linking up with

Olivia Update 🐾

Olivia is the best company and this week was no exception. Although I was ill earlier in the week with a cold, she cuddled with me and has been incredibly sweet. She would curl up into a ball beside me each day and wouldn’t leave my side.

Olivia likes to go on evening tours in the apartment. I pick her up so she can see everything in the apartment that is eye-level for me (e.g., countertops, bookshelves, windows, etc.). She’s not a climber and is about 14.5 years young, so I like to ensure she doesn’t miss out on the sights!

Watch Olivia with our current read here.

Reading/Watching Update

Reading

CW = Content Warnings (if available)

Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty. I am still reading and enjoying this short story collection.
CW

A Winter’s Promise by Christelle Dabos with Hildegarde Serie (Translator). I am enjoying this one so far. This book is a buddy read with @officiallyreads!
CW

Recently Read

Indigenous Relations: Insights, Tips & Suggestions to Make Reconciliation a Reality by Bob Joseph and Cynthia F. Joseph. I thought this was a highly valuable read. I picked it up from the library and couldn’t stop flipping through it. I have requested 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act for further reading.

The next three books are eARCs received from NetGalley and their respective publishers this week. All opinions are my own. Reviews are to come for Hungry Ghost and Cat Family Christmas closer to their release date, but we suggest you keep all three titles on your radar.

Hungry Ghost by Victoria Ying. This book is an informative YA/contemporary/graphic novel focusing on mental health, eating disorders, and family relationships and influences. I’m so thankful to NetGalley and First Second Books for this title.
Release Date: April 25th, 2023
Review to come
CW

Cat Family Christmas by Lucy Brownridge and Eunyoung Seo (Illustrations). This children’s book is an engaging advent lift-the-flap book that displays over 140 doors to open. It shows the Cat Family decorating, baking, and preparing the house for the holiday. Thank you to NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children’s Books for this title.
Release Date: November 8th, 2022

Cat’s Don’t Like Christmas by Andy Wortlock and Nahum Ziersch (Illustrator). Olivia and I loved this one. Thank you to NetGalley and Splash Books for this title.
Click here to see the full review.

DNF

Olivia and I decided to DNF Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert. Although the story was decent, there was content we weren’t comfortable reading, so we decided to pass.
CW

Watching

The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5. We just finished episode 7. At this point, I’m ready for The Testaments.
CW

Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Catching up on this show next week.
CW

The Watcher. This show is about a family that moves into a stunning house in a new and “safe” community; however, soon after their arrival, they receive a suspicious letter from a stalker who is watching the family. Almost finished, and I have some theories!
CW

The Haunting of Bly Manor. I rewatched this series with Olivia and it was definitely worth the rewatch. There are so many easter eggs to find.
CW

This Week on the Blog

Next Week on the Blog

  • Book reviews
  • Top Ten Tuesday

QOTD: What did you read this week? let us know!

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top ten portuguese words i love

We are excited to link up with Top Ten Tuesdays, hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl.

I’m so excited to share my top 10 Portuguese words I love with you all! My family comes from the Azores, and some of these words will be food related, but I hope you enjoy learning them. When I last visited Porto, I was amazed by how many dishes from my childhood were being made 🍃. If you ever visit Portugal, make sure you taste some of these wonderful foods!

I tried to do the pronunciation as best as I could for these haha. And although I speak Portuguese, it is rusty and needs to be improved!

1. As Queijadas (de leite)

Pronunciation: Kay-sha-das

The word “Queijada” makes me SO incredibly hungry. And that is because I am reminded of these creamy milk tarts my mother used to make when I was growing up. I love them so much and with some adaptations I can make these at home.

2. (Um) Guardanapo

Pronunciation: Gwer-de-nah-pu

It literally just means napkin haha. But I love saying it!

3. (Uma) Biblioteca

Pronunciation: Bib-lee-oh-tek-uh

Can you guess?

A library!

4. (Uma) Formiga

Pronunciation: For-mee-guh

An ant! I love how this one sounds!

5. (Um) Golfinho

Pronunciation: this one’s a bit hard for me to type, so I’ll link google translate!

A dolphin!

6. (As) Batatas

Pronunciation: Bah-tah-tas

The potatoes!

I absolutely love potatoes. Roasted, fried, in soup. You name it!

7. Puxar

Pronunciation: Pu-shar

This is actually the verb “to pull”! Very useful to learn this one quickly.

8. Saudade

Pronunciation: best to hear this one.

This is a very complex word. Saudade is a very deep feeling of melancholy/sadness/nostalgia.

9. (O) Gato / (A) Gata

Pronunciation: Gah-to; Gah-tah

Cat! Olivia’s request 😸

10. (Um) Beija-Flor

Pronunciation: Bay-jah-flor

Hummingbird.

QOTD: How do you like to eat batatas?
Let us know!

REVIEW | Cat’s Don’t Like Christmas! by Andy Wortlock and Nahum Ziersch (Illustrator)

Description

It’s Christmas time! It’s here again!

But first I need to say…

I think you’re making too much fuss

about this holiday!

Our adorable little cat is back this Christmas and he thinks there might be a little too much fuss this holiday season. Cats aren’t great with change and there’s plenty this time of year, in such a short period of time! For little and big readers, this is the funny, festive, companion to the award winning, Cats Don’t Like That! by Andy Wortlock and Nahum Ziersch.

Enjoy this special holiday treat and get your festive paws on a copy today!

(Goodreads)


Review

This feline-tastic book is an adorable and hilarious picture book detailing all of the annoyances cats face during a busy family Christmas. Each page features a clever rhyme and is beautifully illustrative of the narration, full of wit and charm!

As a mega cat lover, I feel like there is also an important tale to tell here: with compassion and empathy, we can enjoy Christmas while not pestering our pets too much, if only our family and guests let them have adequate quiet time in addition to love, and affection.

Make sure to read until the end because every page features a hidden mouse! Enjoy finding these together with your little ones (or, in my case, my cat Olivia who was eager to spot them!).

Highly recommended! Purrfect for kids and adults, too!

Thank you to NetGalley for this review copy. All opinions are my own.

This Book in Three Words

Witty, Charming, Cute

Values/Themes

  • Cats during Christmas time
  • Awareness of feline friends during the holidays
  • Scavenger Hunt

Favourite Part

Clearly, our favourite part was the mouse scavenger hunt!

Feelings

  • Funny
  • Lighthearted
  • Adorable

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 5 Stars

QOTD: What is your favourite Christmas-time picture book? This is a new favourite for us!

Review | Tacos for Two by Betsy St. Amant

Description

Rory Perez, a food truck owner who can’t cook, is struggling to keep the business she inherited from her aunt out of the red–and an upcoming contest during Modest’s annual food truck festival seems the best way to do it. The prize money could finally give her a solid financial footing and keep her cousin with special needs paid up at her beloved assisted living home. Then maybe Rory will have enough time to meet the man she’s been talking to via an anonymous online dating site.

Jude Strong is tired of being a puppet at his manipulative father’s law firm, and the food truck festival seems like the perfect opportunity to dive into his passion for cooking and finally call his life his own. But if he loses the contest, he’s back at the law firm for good. Failure is not an option.

Complications arise when Rory’s chef gets mono and she realizes she has to cook after all. Then Jude discovers that his stiffest competition is the same woman he’s been falling for online the past month.

Will these unlikely chefs sacrifice it all for the sake of love? Or will there only ever be tacos for one?

(Goodreads)


Review

I’ll be frank: You’ve Got Mail is one of my all-time favourite movies. I watch it nearly every Christmas, it’s the film that made me fall in love with coffee shops and NYC as a setting, and I cannot think of a better RomCom. Of course, that leaves me searching for a similar read, and I’m always on the lookout for an adaptation with similar vibes.

Betsy St. Amant did a great job with Tacos for Two and crafted two characters I enjoyed reading. You learn that there is much more than meets the eye with these two, especially Jude, who could easily fit into one stereotype but breaks the mould. Pair that with delicious food and cooking scenes, and it combines to make one super cute RomCom.

Perhaps it’s because I know the plot of YGM so well that I found it predictable, but some creative decisions kept me engaged. And it was so much fun to see the cooking lessons unfold!

I recommend this one if you are looking for a cute RomCom with a cooking contest, themes of family heritage, a second-chance romance, and You’ve Got Mail vibes. And if cilantro is a divisive spice in your household, watch the drama unfold!

Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

Content Warnings

This Book in Three Words

Scrumptious, Adaptation, Cute

Values/Themes

  • Family Heritage
  • Forgiveness
  • Trust
  • Second Chances
  • You’ve Got Mail Influenced/Adaptation

Favourite Part

I really enjoyed all of the cooking scenes! And Jude coming into his own as a chef.

Feelings

  • Hopeful
  • Lighthearted
  • Cute

My Ratings:

Writing Style: 3.5
Characters: 4
Plot Development: 3.5
Originality: 3.25
Engagingness: 3
Insightfulness: 3.5
Comprehensiveness: 3.5
Impactfulness: 3.5
Spice: Mild
Makes you want to eat? YES (but no cilantro, please!)

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 3.5 stars

QOTD: Do you enjoy romance books centred around food? Let us know!

Review | Jackal by Erin E. Adams

Description

It’s watching.

Liz Rocher is coming home . . . reluctantly. As a Black woman, Liz doesn’t exactly have fond memories of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a predominantly white town. But her best friend is getting married, so she braces herself for a weekend of awkward and passive-aggressive reunions. Liz has grown, though; she can handle whatever awaits her. But on the day of the wedding, somewhere between dancing and dessert, the bride’s daughter, Caroline, goes missing—and the only thing left behind is a piece of white fabric covered in blood.

It’s taking.
As a frantic search begins, with the police combing the trees for Caroline, Liz is the only one who notices a pattern: a summer night. A missing girl. A party in the woods. She’s seen this before. Keisha Woodson, the only other Black girl in school, walked into the woods with a mysterious man and was later found with her chest cavity ripped open and her heart missing. Liz shudders at the thought that it could have been her, and now, with Caroline missing, it can’t be a coincidence. As Liz starts to dig through the town’s history, she uncovers a horrifying secret about the place she once called home. Children have been going missing in these woods for years. All of them Black. All of them girls.

It’s your turn.
With the evil in the forest creeping closer, Liz knows what she must do: find Caroline, or be entirely consumed by the darkness.

(Goodreads)


Review

This book was one of my most anticipated books of the year. When October came around, I knew I had to use my audible credit to purchase it because I couldn’t wait for a hold from the library, and I definitely couldn’t wait for the next day to grab the physical copy. It was a cold, chilling evening, and I had to start this book that very night. And I’m so glad that I did.

Immediately, I was drawn into Adams’ world, intrigued to understand the mystery behind the missing girls and how our main character would unravel the mystery within. Given the engaging synopsis, how could I not? There was a slow build as the story progressed, which I enjoyed. There were themes such as social horror, racism, and classism that were horrifying but important to read.

As you progress, the story only gets better and better. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but I was satisfied with the ending. I recommend reading the physical book as the middle of the book was a bit slow, and I think I may have enjoyed reading the hardcover copy even more. And I think this would have been a good one to tab, highlight, and write notes.

I highly recommend you pick this one up before October 31st, but of course, check out the content warnings and the themes. Horror readers: add this to your TBR.

Content Warnings

This Book in Three Words

Impactful, Atmospheric, Haunting

Values/Themes

  • Social horror
  • Missing girls
  • Racism
  • Classism

Favourite Part

The entire ending – you’ll want to hold until because that last quarter of the book was so chilling!

Feelings

  • Dark
  • Mysterious
  • Tense

My Ratings:

Writing Style: 3.5
Characters: 3.75
Plot Development: 4
Originality: 4.5
Engagingness: 3.75
Insightfulness: 4.5
Comprehensiveness: 3.5
Impactfulness: 3.5
Narration: 3.75

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 4 stars

QOTD: Do you enjoy reading
horror? Let us know!

The Sunday Post #13 & More!

Hello, everyone! Today we are linking up with

Olivia Update 🐾

Like many of us, Olivia has loved the extra treats associated with the holiday season. We may have given her an extra squeezie or two over the past couple of weeks – she is still enjoying her cat food pizzas! And catnip. There has also been extra playtime with her catnip banana toy.

Now, Olivia has a new habit. When my partner and I sit down, she will jump up on the couch beside us and make a little “peep,” which means she would like us to place a pillow upon our laps. Then, she jumps up and lies on the cushions. Extra comfort!

Life Update

I cut my own hair last week! It took a long time, but I’m pretty happy with the result! You can check out the final result here:

Reading/Watching Update

Reading

Currently, Olivia and I are reading Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert. We are enjoying it, though it is darker than we thought it might be for a YA Fantasy/Mystery/Horror. There is a page that details harm done to an animal, and we couldn’t read that section. Nonetheless, the story overall has been good, though if there is more of this type of material, we will DNF.
Content Warnings

Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty. This book is a collection of short stories which are also dark and reflective. They take place on an indigenous reservation in Maine. It makes for good night-time reading, and I’m so happy I acquired this title from my library. 
Content Warnings

Jackal by Erin E. Adams. Recently, I finished this audiobook – review to come! It’s a story about missing girls and has commentary on racism, poverty, classism, etc. It was also quite scary at times and was a great debut novel.
Content Warnings

I haven’t requested/received new ARCs this week.

Watching

The Handmaid’s Tale Season 5. We just finished episode 6. I enjoyed the last episode and the focus on Esther, Lydia and Serena’s stories, in particular. I’m curious to see what the next episode will be like, and of course, as the series has one season remaining, we are looking forward to watching The Testaments and how it will compare to the book.
Content Warnings

Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. I haven’t watched an episode this week, but I’m sure we’ll get back to it next week. I didn’t care for where it ended last. 
Content Warnings

The Watcher. Pretty intriguing so far! This book is about a family that moves into a beautiful house in a new and “safe” community; however, soon after their arrival, they receive a suspicious letter from a stalker who is watching the family. Even more terrifying, it’s based on a true story. I remember watching the relevant Buzzfeed Unsolved episode years ago, so I’m curious to see how it will unfold.
Content Warnings

The Midnight Club. We just finished this one and enjoyed it! Classic Mike Flanagan. This thriller is about a group of terminally ill teens staying at a hospice who regularly meet to tell each other spooky stories. They also make a chilling pact: the first to pass away must provide a sign from the afterlife. It starts off feeling more like horror but has softer stories as well. It was great, and I’m looking forward to Fall of the House of Usher by Mike Flanagan!
Content Warnings

This Week on the Blog

Next Week on the Blog

  • Book Reviews
  • Top Ten Tuesday

QOTD: What have you recently
been watching/reading? Let us know!

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Review | seven years: poems on heartbreak and healing


Happy Publication Day!

Description

Some people say that each cell in your body replaces itself after seven years. At the end of the seven years, you are a physically and mentally new person. “seven years” is Alyssa Harmon’s debut collection of poems on heartbreak and healing. Each chapter represents a new stage in the relationship and healing process, and these poems tell the story of a failed relationship and the healing journey that resulted because of that. If your heart was broken in a way that you’re not sure can be healed, this book is for you.


(The Storygraph)


Review

This poetry book is an excellent collection. It spans over seven years in the healing process after heartbreak. While the themes deal with a failed relationship, I also feel that the poems can apply to loss or the hurdles one faces, though this may not be the intended motivation behind these works. Poetry is so personal and may be interpreted in different ways.

Many poems have intriguing titles inviting you to read them (e.g., kalopsia, calidris, and lacheism.) Others have more straight-forward titles, such as “a halloween nightmare,” and provide interesting stories, some of which I connected with quite a bit.

I recommend looking into the poetry collection, especially if the synopsis calls out to you. You may find it best to read this with a cup of tea and tissues by your side. I also recommend tabbing your kindle e-book or physical copy as you go along for future reference.

Thank you to BookSirens and Alyssa Harmon for a review copy. All opinions are my own.

Content Warnings

Values/Themes

  • Heartbreak
  • Self Empowerment
  • Relationships

Favourite Part

My favourite poems were:

  • fortune teller
  • monophobia
  • mirrors
  • lacheism
  • the doctor’s office
  • you can’t relight a used match.

Feelings

  • Emotional
  • Hopeful
  • Reflective

My Ratings:

Writing Style: 3.75
Originality: 3.5
Engagingness: 4
Insightfulness: 4
Comprehensiveness: 4
Impactfulness: 3.75

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 4 stars

QOTD: Do you enjoy
poetry books? Let us know!

Review | a cat cafe christmas

Description (from Goodreads)

Veterinarian and animal lover Kara Ingalls needs a Christmas miracle. Opening the Meow and Furrever Cat Café to find loving homes for adorable, adoptable cats was a dream come true—but with more cats than customers, it’s quickly turning into a nightmare. If Kara can’t figure out some way to get the café out of the red, it won’t last past the holidays.

Marketing guru Ben Reese may be annoyingly smart and frustratingly bossy, but when he hatches a plan to put the café in the “green” by Christmas, Kara realizes that she’d be a fool to turn down his help. And so what if he turns out to be an excellent problem solver and nerdy-hot—he can’t even handle fostering one little kitten. She needs to keep their relationship professional and focus on saving the cafe.

But if Ben and Kara can set aside their differences—and find homes for all the cats by Christmas—they might discover that, by risking their hearts, they’ll have their own purr-fect holiday . . . together.


Review

My cat Olivia and I were looking forward to this book as it was a romance during Christmas featuring cats!

However, unfortunately I felt the romance fell pretty flat as did the plot. I think this would have benefitted from more editing and care into formulating characters/names/descriptions/etc. The resolution of the book, as well, left me feeling underwhelmed.

We really enjoyed the cafe, the cats, and the fundraising ideas. Chaos was such a cool cat to learn about!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced review copy- all opinions are my own.

Content Warnings

This Book in Three Words

Cats

Christmas

Challenges

Values/Themes

  • New horizons
  • Christmas
  • Romance
  • Friends
  • Family

Favourite Part

The best part about this book was definitely the cats – I loved learning about every single one of them.

Feelings

  • Romantic
  • Cute
  • Lighthearted

My Ratings:

Writing Style: 3
Characters: 3
Plot Development: 3
Originality: 3
Engagingness: 2.5
Inisightfulness: 2.5
Comprehensiveness: 2.5
Impactfulness: 3

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 3 stars

QOTD: Do you enjoy book set
during Christmas time?