Board Books for Curious Kids - Little Tiger Round Up

In a time of uncertainty, we could all do with a bit of stability, even a bit of routine in our lives.

For little ones unable to attend their normal play dates, to head out to nursery or to go to their usual groups, it can be just as strange.

And that's where Little Tiger can help.

I was recently sent a few of their latest board books, which are always made with love, and I've popped them together in this round up. Hopefully there is one that you think will put a smile on your child's face, or perhaps one that you can gift to give a pick me up to someone else in need.

Starting with my favourite ...

Cook With Me! Bunny Makes Breakfast

Peek inside kitchen cupboards, under bushes and into the henhouse, as you help Little Bunny gather ingredients for a delicious breakfast. Then discover the recipe at the back of the book to cook the yummy breakfast yourself!.

Read With Me 2020 #17

Hey there.

Welcome to another Read With Me.

Thank you to those who linked up last week.

I wanted to share with you what Tiny Owl Publishing have been doing to help children during these tough times. They have teamed up with some fantastic authors, illustrators and teachers and created some brilliant videos of these people reading their books.

My Sunday Photo #17 2020

A Bottle of Happiness Book Review

A while ago on Twitter I was lucky enough to win a book giveaway.

The book in question was A Bottle of Happiness by Ehsan Abdollahi.

Published by Tiny Owl Publishing, I was beyond chuffed to win this picture book (and under no obligation to review it).

Pim and his dog Tiddle went over the mountain. They found a rich market place. "Please may I eat one of those beautiful fruits?" Pim asked. "What will you give me in return?" said the man. "I haven't got anything," said Pim. "There must be something your people have that we don't," said a woman. 

Pim looked around. "I think we have more happiness that you have," said Pim. "Bring us some of that then," said the man.

But how can you bottle happiness?

I often say to my daughters' when they are at their happiness that I wish I could have some of what they've had to put them in such a good mood or when they are bouncing around, I'd love to be given just a smidgen of the energy that they seem to have constantly flowing around them.

A Bottle of Happiness is like a modern day fable.

Beginning by a mountain.

Read With Me #16 2020

Hey there everyone.

Welcome to this weeks Read With Me linky. 

Thank you to everyone who is continuing to link up during these strange times. I think it's nice to keep a smidgen of normality throughout it all.

I saw a post last week saying how much book sales have gone up recently and as much as this could have happened under better circumstances, it's nice to see people having the time to sit and enjoy a good book! 

My Sunday Photo 2020 #16

Strangers by C.L. Taylor Blog Tour

C.L. Taylor, who is a bestselling author of six stand alone psychological thrillers: THE ACCIDENT, THE LIE, THE MISSING, THE ESCAPE, THE FEAR and SLEEP, is back with her latest novel Strangers.

And I am here to share with you my thoughts on this latest dark and gripping story.

 Ursula, Gareth and Alice have never met before.

Ursula thinks she killed the love of her life.

Gareth’s been receiving strange postcards.

And Alice is being stalked.

None of them are used to relying on others – but when the three strangers’ lives unexpectedly collide, there’s only one thing for it: they have to stick together. 

Otherwise, one of them will die.

Three strangers, two secrets, one terrifying evening.

Unable to put down from the first page.

The first thing you read about is a woman standing over a body. So many questions from the beginning. Who is this woman? Is she a stone-cold killer or a person pushed to defend herself against harm? 

Read With Me 2020 #15

Hello and welcome to this weeks Read With Me.

Some of my linkies will be brief in the coming weeks.

This is because not only am I having to head into school on certain days to help care for certain children, I'm also having to do work from home as well as homeschooling my own children.

So I may be a tad busy!

But for now I'm here, still loving all of your book posts.

My Sunday Photo 2020 #15

Midge & Mo Book Review

As children get older they migrate from picture books, to worded books, all the way up to longer chapter books.

Now some younger ones struggle with these differences.

The more words there are on the page, the harder it becomes to engage with the a book because sometimes there is more of a focus on reading the words on the page correctly rather than concentrating on the actual story itself.

Midge & Mo is a brand new book written by Lara Williamson and published by the fantastic Little Tiger Group.

What this story aims to do is bridge the gap between those fabulous picture books and the more grown up chapter style books.

This is a tale that will help your little readers become more independent when reading.

Midge doesn't want to go to a new school. He wants everything back the way it was.

Mo is desperate to be Midge's friend but nothing she does makes Midge smile.

Is there anything Mo can do to help Midge feel happy again?

This is a beautiful tale for younger readers.

Read With Me 2020 #14

Hey there.

Welcome to this weeks Read With Me.

Thank you to everyone who is joining in still during these strange times.

We're now taking a break from homeschooling and making the most of not doing so much academic work.

My Sunday Photo 2020 #14

When Life Gives You Lemons by Fiona Gibson Blog Tour

Sometimes in life you really just need to smile, to find something to put a bit of positivity back into your life.

If you are a person that likes to read (like me) then Fiona Gibson is the author to give you a little joy.

This bestselling author is back with her latest novel, When Life Gives You Lemons ... just add gin and tonic! And I was lucky enough to get a slot on the blog tour to promote this utterly hilarious story.

Sometimes life can be bittersweet . . .

Between tending to the whims of her seven-year-old and the demands of her boss, Viv barely gets a moment to herself. It’s not quite the life she wanted, but she hasn’t run screaming for the hills yet.

But then Viv’s husband Andy makes his mid-life crisis her problem. He’s having an affair with his (infuriatingly age-appropriate) colleague, a woman who – unlike Viv – doesn’t put on weight when she so much as glances at a cream cake.

Viv suddenly finds herself single, with zero desire to mingle. Should she be mourning the end of life as she knows it, or could this be the perfect chance to put herself first?

When life gives you lemons, lemonade just won’t cut it. Bring on the gin!

Viv is a woman in her fifties. After a long struggle to have a second child, she was lucky to be surprised with her now seven year old daughter but happy families don't always last forever ...

MINE by Clare Empson Blog Tour

I'm so excited to be a part of this blog tour for the release of Clare Empson's latest novel MINE. I had the privilege of reading her first novel HIM last year (that was a story that really pulled me in) so I was beyond thrilled when I was given an ARC of MINE to get stuck into.

'Who am I? Why am I here? Why did my mother give me away?'

On the surface, Luke and his girlfriend Hannah seem to have a perfect life. He's an A&R man, she's an arts correspondent and they are devoted to their new-born son Samuel.

But beneath the gloss Luke has always felt like an outsider. So when he finds his birth mother Alice, the instant connection with her is a little like falling in love.

When Hannah goes back to work, Luke asks Alice to look after their son. But Alice - fuelled with grief from when her baby was taken from her 27 years ago - starts to fall in love with Samuel. And Luke won't settle for his mother pushing him aside once again... 

The blurb got me hook, line and sinker.

But as soon as I began to read I just knew this book wasn't going to be what I expected at all.

Beast Heart by Kyle Richardson Blog Tour

Are you a fan of stand alones of trilogies?

I have to admit that I like a bit of both. I love the idea of happy ever after and that feeling of completion when you reach the end of a story but I also adore the thrill of a cliffhanger.

So when I was given the chance by Meerkat Press to receive an ARC and join the blog tour for Kyle Richardson's novel Beast Heart - part of his Steambound trilogy - my excitement was palpable and of course my answer was a resounding yes.

When Gabby’s hand turns to steam, her mom hires an engineer to build her a clockwork glove. It’s the last thing Gabby wants—if only she could be normal. But when her mom is attacked by something monstrous, normal is no longer an option. Now the only person she can turn to is a grizzled detective, who promises to help her become something … more.

Meanwhile, Kemple’s foster dad treats him like a slave. And the beatings are getting worse. So when a rebellious girl named Josephyn arrives—with a plan to escape to the city—he doesn’t hesitate. But there are creatures in Iron Bay whose slashes are worse than skin-deep. And as Kemple evolves into something inhuman, his search for a cure begins.

They are strangers in a city where carriages rattle, airships rumble, and where their own dark pasts continue to haunt them. Soon their paths will collide, and the girl who slays monsters will come face to face with the boy who is becoming a beast.