My review: Every woman, no matter how "fit" she is, has a dreadful fear of being attacked. In Deadly Secrets the author takes our female protagonist through the fear and horror of a stalker, letters sent to antagonize and strike fear into her heart, a hired rough-you-up instigator, and other fear driving escapades. The male protagonist, who is the sweetheart detective on the case, is close at hand trying to find the scoundrel that is driving all this fear.
A pretty fast paced, driven story with good character development and descriptive scenes that drill the story into the mind's eye, Deadly Secrets is a strong faith based story where the lead characters are Christ loving Christians who depend on their loving God for direction and protection.
I highly recommend this book to all who are looking for a driven, Christian story where the bad guy is bad but there is no horrific language and gore. Where the good guy gets the bad guy in the end. And where the lovely lady is rescued.
This is a story adults will enjoy. It is one you can hand your teen to read; and one you can give your Grandmother to enjoy.
My thoughts: Most all of us have desired to plant an apple or orange or peach seed from a delicious piece of fruit we've eaten and grow our own delicious fruit. The same is true for young Bobbi - an active, curious, young farmer's daughter. She's enjoyed her apple and wants to grow more just like it!
She approaches her Grandpa on the family farm and asks him to help her plant her apple seed so she can grow her own apples and even make delicious applesauce. Grandpa proceeds to tell her that seeds don't usually grow into trees that bear the same type of fruit. He then shows her how to graft a branch onto another "basic" apple tree and get the type of apple she desires.
This is basic tree grafting and doesn't get into the genetics of plants and how to propagate new species, etc. It is simple grafting and growing. And it is such a sweet family story of gentle education and on-hand learning. Not everyone has the opportunity propagate their own fruit and grow it, but for those who do it surely gives a grand sense of accomplishment and a reaping of delicious benefits.
This is another of Feeding Minds Press children's books that I absolutely love.
About the book: Bobbi’s family loves apples! The only problem? They can’t agree on which type to grow! Gala? Granny Smith? McIntosh? When Bobbi discovers the solution – grafting – her family comes together to care for one very special tree. The result? Apples for all!
This children’s picture book, written and illustrated in the fun and colorful style of Mary Peterson, introduces young readers to the fascinating world of apples, apple trees, and the science of tree grafting.
Perfect for curious kids who love nature, gardening, and learning where food comes from, this STEM-aligned story makes a great classroom resource or gift for budding gardeners, scientists, and apple lovers! Filled with engaging facts about apples, tree grafting, and the heartwarming theme of compromise, APPLES FOR ALL! is not just a delightful read that will resonate with young readers, but also a valuable educational resource. Informational backmatter includes fun apple facts, an apple variety guide, and an applesauce recipe!
Feeding Minds Press, a project of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, is committed to fostering awareness and understanding of agriculture through education. Our books, including APPLES FOR ALL!, aim to help young readers understand where their food comes from, its journey to their plate, and the role of agriculture in our lives. Explore our website, Feedingmindspress.com, for accompanying lessons, activities, and videos that enhance the learning experience.
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of the book to facilitate a review. Winner's prize copy is provided by and mailed directly to the winner by publisher or publicist. Chat With Vera is not responsible for lost or misdirected prizes.
My thoughts: Lovely shades of blues and pinks are used throughout the book to present the story of Beatrice's delight in the garden at night and the sweet song of the Nightingale bird. Feminine and gentle illustrations speak of grace and loveliness that the spirit feels when experiencing beautiful music - that of the cello or the Nightingale. Just as hearing bird song brings a bit of beauty to the listening mind and heart, soothing and enriching, relaxing and bringing a calming spirit deep within the being, so does the beauty of blooms, gardens, and kind beings we meet. Beatrice would be one of those kind people and she would be the bringer of the beauty of music to people. And then tagging alone with Beatrice's music would be the song of the Nightingale that Beatrice found so sweet and enriching.
This story is lovely. It is encouraging to someone desirous of pursuing musical richness. It is one that children can benefit from hearing. Picture book biographies are a delight and a source of much enrichment for children.
Backmatter about Beatrice is included and sure to aid parents, and older readers, in learning more about this rare event and charming personality.
Of note: Beatrice came from a musical family and lived surrounded by music. This provides a good environment for children to develop their own interest in and talent for musical skills.
About the book: In 1924, an audience of more than one million listeners across the world listened in amazement to the first live radio broadcast of a nightingale accompanying the young cellist Beatrice Harrison.
On May 19, 1924, a duet between a young cellist and a male nightingale was broadcast across the British Commonwealth as far away as Canada, India, and Australia to over one million listeners. It was an unprecedented collective experience made possible by the invention of the radio and a new microphone that picked up sounds of nature.
Beatrice Harrison, considered one of the greatest cellists of the 20th century and a musical prodigy, was that cellist. This biography describes Beatrice’s singular dedication to music from a very early age.
At the age of eighteen months, Beatrice attended her first concert. Catching sight of a cello and hearing it for the first time, she was bewitched and immediately began asking to play it. She got her first cello when she was about eight years old. Later, her parents moved the family to Germany so Beatrice could study with one of the best cello teachers. There, at age seventeen, she was awarded a prestigious prize, the youngest artist and only cellist to win at that time.
Back in the UK, the family moved to Surrey, England and Beatrice’s career flourished. One evening while Beatrice was practicing her cello in the garden, she heard a creature repeating the music she was playing. It turned out to be a nightingale. She played many nights with the bird and was completely enthralled. Wanting to share the experience, she convinced the head of the newly formed BBC to take a chance on a live broadcast from her garden. The resulting duet was a smashing success and Beatrice received more than 50,000 letters in response. Overnight, she became known as the Lady of the Nightingales and for twelve years thereafter the cellist and the bird were broadcast annually to BBC listeners from her garden in Surrey.
DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions expressed are solely my own and are freely given.
The Blobs are back—and this time, the galaxy’s survival depends on a goofy crew of outcasts, a stolen stash of ultra-powerful space gems, and one very unexpected hero learning what it means to do the right thing.
The Blobs: Vol Two will be available for purchase wherever books are sold starting April 7th! Click HERE to learn more & to purchase your books!
About book #2 - The Blobs: Attack of the Glitches: Fans of Dog Man, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and Captain Underpants will love this hilarious, high-stakes adventure about friendship, courage, and what it takes to protect the place you call home.
The Blobs are back—bigger, braver, and in more danger than ever. Cadetski and his crew of misfit Blobs finally make it to their new home, Planet Splotch, only to realize they’ve accidentally stolen the most powerful artifacts in the galaxy: the Doomsicles.
Now, they’re on the radar of every villain in the galaxy, especially King Neptune: a tyrant with plans for domination who wants the doomsicles back … and isn’t asking nicely. With their new world on the brink of invasion, Cadetski and the gang must dive into the planet’s deepest secrets, face impossible odds, and discover that real courage isn’t about size or strength, it’s about sacrifice. And when one Blob is believed to be a galactic “Chosen One,” things go from bad… to bonkers.
Packed with laugh-out-loud chaos, surprising heart, and clean comedy, The Blobs: Attack of the Glitchies cranks the adventure to the max.
My review - The Blobs: Vol 2: Attack of the Glitchies - With the World's interest sharpened and focused on space programs, peopled trips around the moon, rockets landing, etc. it is easy to see how this kid's space adventure with weird critters would appeal to young readers. A clean story with friendships and overcoming bad all wrapped in the comedy of the weird, the funny, the alien world of space travel is spot-on engineered for fun.
This early readers' book for ages 8 to 12 is a chapter book will pages full of text and a sprinkling of small graphic pictures as well as full page scenes. It is the second book in the series and is filled with creatures mechanical as well as seemingly living beings (of a sort). Weird stuff of the absurd that is totally kid-loving stuff variety. Freaky. Simply cute overload. So there's a lot of visual fun that guides the reader's mind through the story helping to visualize all the critters and monsters that populate the story.
The character of "Lord Zord" is monstrously mean, loud, terrifying. The Glitchies are the underlings of "Lord Zord" and serve him with fear and trembling. And somehow they have lost their "Doomsicles."
The Blogs are rotund big-eyed creatures that have just escaped (as the book opens) in their "pod" the clutches of Lord Zord. And surprise..... they have the doomsicles.
What I didn't like... use of the word "freaks" to degrade someone. Yet this fit the personality of the speaker.
I like the comradery of the Blobs. Their kindness. Their friendliness. I like the extras at the back showing "drawing" the Blobs.
And just who or what are "The Blobs" and what's book #1 all about?
About the book - The Blobs: Crash Landing: SURVIVAL MODE: ACTIVATED. Five unlikely Blobs must escape their planet before it’s destroyed by an incoming meteor, but a crash landing as they flee throws them into an adventure bigger than their galaxy. From the mind of viral YouTube creator Justin Stuart (JStu) comes an illustrated series that turns catastrophe into the ultimate cosmic thrill ride.
The Blobs Volume 1: Crash Land launches readers into a universe where disaster and discovery collide. Justin, whose YouTube empire has garnered over 11 million subscribers, transforms his signature storytelling style into an illustrated adventure that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with favorites like Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dog Man—while blazing its own path through the cosmos.
This series masterfully weaves heart-pounding action with genuine laughs, creating a story that resonates with both established JStu fans and new readers. As our heroes navigate their way through an unknown world, they discover that sometimes the biggest adventures reveal the most important truths about friendship, courage, and finding your place in the universe.
Perfect for:
Adventure seekers ready to discover their next favorite series
Fans of sci-fi who love their action with a side of humor
Readers who devoured Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dog Man
Anyone looking for a story that's both wildly entertaining and genuinely meaningful
My review - The Blobs: Vol One: Crash Landing - The Blobs Vol. One reads like a fun, lively futuristic story about Blobs escaping their planet (via an escape pod) before a meteor crashes into it destroying everything. (Akin to a story of humans trying to escape Earth before annihilation by a planetary strike.) The story line is easy going and yet it captures the essence of dread at having to leave all behind.
The various Blobs and other creatures on the planet that are in the escape pod become friends and share experiences and the ups and downs of "life."
The illustrations are pure fun and delight, and kids 8 to 12 will find the story and illustrations perfect for them. The chapters are a good length. The text is full page with small illustrations sprinkled throughout plus some full page drawings. The font is large and easy-to-read. I love that the vocabulary is well done with good word use plus some fun words for expressiveness.
Definitely clean reading showing developing friendships and challenging situations.
I received a complimentary copy from David C. Cook for this review. Opinions are mine alone.
Where you can purchase: The Blobs: Vol Two: Attack of the Glitchies - click here
GIVEAWAY
$10 Amazon Gift Card
Begins April 3
Ends April 12, 2026 @ 11:59 p.m. EDT
*Note: This giveaway is limited to US winners only, & those who haven't won via another blogger's campaign. Winner will have 24 hours to respond to notification. (Note: this is a shorter than our usual notification allowance.)
DISCLOSURE: Many thanks to David C. Cook for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own. #TheBlobsVolTwoMIN
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