Lost and Found by Natalie Shampanier – Children’s Book Review

 

Lost and Found by Natalie Shampanier is a children’s poetry and picture book, illustrated by David Benitez Pavon.

The story is about a toy dinosaur that’s abandoned and left at a toy shelter. It attempts to escape but despite a lot of hard work, the escape plan fails. The toy dinosaur then receives a surprise and everyone gets a happy ending.

Here’s the synopsis:

Forgotten toys at a summer camp ground

Are tossed into the camp’s Lost and Found.

But Dino Boy refuses to spend his days on a shelf

He sets out to escape and find a home for himself.

A ballerina, a hippo, and a mood ring tag along

On this great adventure to find where they belong.

 

Lost and Found is written in the form of rhymed quatrains and it’s simply beautiful. I absolutely loved it! And I think parents will be reading this rhymed story to their children over and over again.

Though it’s a quick read, Lost and Found handles several important themes, including abandonment, friendship, team work, and family.

The illustrations by David Benitez Pavon are beautiful.

Overall rating: 10 stars!

About the author

Natalie has been rhyming ever since she was small,

And she’s still only pushing five feet tall.

She couldn’t keep rhyming while working as a shrink,

Somehow patients prefer prose when feeling on the brink.

She went on to write movies inspired by her childhood,

In a little-known town called Hollywood.

Her last film, “Paper Spiders” was a critical success,

But her kids are her greatest achievement nonetheless.

Raising her three wildlings is always a riot

She enjoys absolutely no peace and quiet.

Her nonverbal 10-year-old who speaks only in signs

Inspired this picture book with limited lines.

Thank you for giving Natalie’s bio a look,

Hope you enjoy reading her latest book.

Connect with author Natalie Shampanier via Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Add Lost and Found on Goodreads and get it via Amazon.

  

Note: I received a free copy of Lost and Found from its author Natalie Shampanier. This did not impact my review in any way. 

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The Best 7 Books I read in 2022

I’m super late writing and publishing this annual post. It’s February! Everyone has already announced their best books of 2022.

Last year was a busy year for me. There were months where I didn’t read a thing (books whether fiction or non-fiction). And then there were months where I consumed books like crazy! (Think the summer months :D)

I barely made it to my target of 24 books last year. That’s why I’m sticking with another 24-book target for 2023. Should I manage to read more–and it doesn’t look like I will, based on the first 2 months–I may increase my reading target to 28 or 30 books.

Reviewing the list of books I read and looking at my to-read list for 2023, I think it’s safe to say I’m addicted to cozy mysteries. No surprise, because I’d like to write a series myself…

But enough with the rant, let me share with you my best books of 2022.

 

Best fiction books of 2022

I read more fiction than non-fiction last year. Though I had planned to have a kind-of-balance. But overall, 2022 lacked everything you can call a balance.

The only good news was that I read all 24 books in my reading target.

 

Bound by Kirsten Weiss

Bound is the first book in The Doyle Witch Mystery Series by Kirsten Weiss. Kirsten had sent me the book for an honest review a while back.

I wanted to have the perfect setting when I started reading the book. So, it took a while to get there, and the setting was never perfect.

Suffice to say I finished it in a couple of days. I felt like I needed the rest of the series beside me to go through.

Bound by Kirsten Weiss got all 10 stars (out of my usual 5) :D

So, it’s a must-read and one of my best books for 2022!

 

Alchemy, Arsenic, and Alibis by Shea MacLeod

I had downloaded Alchemy, Arsenic, and Alibis via Shea Macleod’s newsletter (I think). It’s a novella and the fifth book in The Deepwood Witches Mystery series. I absolutely loved it and finished it in a day!

I immediately picked up the second book I had from MacLeod, which was the first book in the series. However, it didn’t match the excitement and fast-pace of Alchemy, Arsenic, and Alibis.

Overall rating for Alchemy, Arsenic, and Alibis by Shea MacLeod: 10 stars (compared to my usual 5).

Both Bound and Alchemy, Arsenic, and Alibis are paranormal cozy mysteries.

 

Ellery’s Magic Bicycle by Maria Monte

Ellery’s Magic Bicycle is a children’s picture book. Written by Maria Monte and illustrated by Zoe Saunders, the book is about friendship, memories, and bringing the two together.

I highly recommend it if you have little ones at home.

 

A Murder Spells Trouble by K.J. Emrick and S.J. Wells

A Murder Spells Trouble is the first book in The Kilorian Sisters: Witches of Shadow Lake Mystery Series by K.J. Emrick and S.J. Wells.

It’s a fun, magical, and fast-paced paranormal cozy mystery.

I gave it an overall rating if 4 stars but it makes it to my list of the best books of 2022.

I haven’t written the review yet. But once I do, I’ll update it here and add it to the Book Reviews page here on the blog.

 

Inheriting Her Ghosts by S.H. Cooper

I read Cooper’s Inheriting Her Ghosts as part of the finalists’ books for the Book Blogger Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA), in which I was a judge in 2022.

It’s a gothic, historical, horror novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.

It’s one of the last books I read in 2022 and obviously haven’t sat down to write the book review. But I plan to do so and to participate in the BBNYA blog tour for Inheriting Her Ghosts.

Overall rating for Inheriting Her Ghosts by S.H. Cooper: 5 stars

 

The Case of Sampson’s Leap by Alison Golden

By now, you should know that Alison Golden publishes at least 1 Detective Inspector Graham book each year and being on her ‘street team’ I’ll be reading and reviewing that book.

I’ve already started the new DI Graham book, published in late 2022. I’ll be writing my review of the new book, titled The Case of the Uncommon Witness sometime in February. So, stay tuned!

For 2022, the book I read was The Case of Sampson’s Leap and it offered a unique kind of mystery. It got a 5-star rating from me!

 

The Beast and the Bethany: Revenge of the Beast by Jack Meggitt-Phillips

I had almost forgotten about this one. The Beast and the Bethany: Revenge of the Beast is the second book in the children’s series The Beast and the Bethany by Jack Meggitt-Phillips.

Like the first book, this one was funny, fast-paced, and super enjoyable.

I highly recommend it for children and grownups alike.

 

Non-fiction books

 

I wanted to have a ‘best non-fiction books’ section but I honestly only read or rather finished 2 non-fiction books.

These were:

•   The One-Page Marketing Plan by Allan Dib
•  Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business by Frances Frei and Anne Morriss

 

The books were different; one focused on marketing, while the other was about managing your core business and how to set yourself apart from the competition.

I must say that the examples used in Uncommon Service were rather outdated. The ideas left food-for-thought, but it’s impossible to apply one or more of their ideas or even case studies to a Middle Eastern company, specifically FinTech or software as a service (SaaS).

I’ve yet to finish writing reviews for both books. So, I’ll be updating this post and the Book Reviews page with links once I finish writing those reviews.

The One-Page Marketing Plan by Allan Dib offers lots of content marketing tips. I guess it’s a book that would have served me better had I read it a few years ago. Still, there’s lots of ideas and tips in there.

You can find some of the tips and quotes I’ve used on my professional Instagram account here.

The Chocolate Clouds by Marc Remus - Spotlight

Today, I’m happy to feature one of my favorite authors! It’s Marc Remus, folks! If you’ve been following my blog, you’ve probably seen me review many of his books.

Today, I’m shining a spotlight on a book that’s been on my to-read list and that’s a semi-finalist in the Book Blogger Novel of the Year Award.

Meet… *drum roll*

The Chocolate Clouds by Marc Remus

 

 

Book info

The Chocolate Clouds by Marc Remus

Publisher: Misty Moon Books

Length: 227 Pages

Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Adventure

Publication Date: 31 December 2021

 

Book blurb

Everybody in Sugarland is overweight because there’s no food other than sweets. For decades, delicious Chocolate Clouds soared above Choco-Locoville, the hometown of ten-year-old Henry. They would melt in the intense summer sun and chocolate would drip from the sky. Henry’s family collected the drops and made a fortune, building a candy empire that controlled Sugarland’s food supply.

One morning, Henry wakes up to the shocking news that the Chocolate Clouds have disappeared. With the family‘s empire in jeopardy and Sugarland at risk of starvation, Henry now ventures beyond the scary Monster Mountains and embarks on a wild journey.

Along the way, he befriends magical creatures, learns about healthy food choices, and discovers that the Chocolate Clouds didn’t just disappear but were actually stolen. Now he must visit the creepy Barebone Island, where monsters are said to live…

 

Add The Chocolate Clouds on Goodreads.

Find the book on Amazon Canada, Amazon US, and Amazon UK.

 

Stay tuned for my book review of The Chocolate Clouds by Marc Remus, which I expect will be amazing!

 

About the Author:

Marc Remus is an award-winning German painter and author. His books have received more than twenty literary awards and have been translated into seven languages.

Remus was educated in the United States, graduated with a BA in art and illustration from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA, and lived in Japan and Central America for many years. He has traveled to almost seventy countries and visited over a thousand cities, of which he has painted over two hundred. His work has been featured on TV and in many magazines and newspapers in Germany, USA, and Mexico.

During his art studies in California in the 1990s, Remus took his first children’s book illustration class. His college teacher inspired him to start writing and not just illustrating. The result was a picture book called Painting Brian, which led to his first book and eventually to the Magora series. In the early 2000s, Remus studied for four years at the Institute of Children’s Literature. In 2016 the Magora book, which he had initially written more than twenty years before, was finally published. During the five years that followed, eight more books were published, and Remus received many literary awards for his achievements.

Having a sweet tooth since childhood, Remus embarked on a new journey in 2019. Surrounded by many overweight friends and family members, Remus came up with an idea to teach children a healthy way of eating without preaching. This idea resulted in The Chocolate Clouds. It took the author two years to illustrate the book. With over 150 drawings, it is a rarity in children’s literature.

Today, Marc Remus is working on a new children’s book while The Chocolate Clouds are being translated into more languages. He continues to eat chocolate.

 

Discover the Magora series in my book reviews. 5-star reads!

Magora: The Gallery of Wonders (Book 1)

Magora: The Golden Maple Tree (Book 2)

Magora: The Bridge in the Fog (Book 3)

Magora: The Uprising (Book 4)

The Language Thieves

 

Connect with Marc Remus via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and his website.

 

About BBNYA:

This year, the Book Bloggers' Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) is celebrating the 50 books that made it into Round Two with a mini spotlight blitz tour for each title. BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 10 finalists and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website or take a peek over on Twitter. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.

 

Check out more BBNYA spotlights on Nadaness In Motion

All the Whys of Delilah’s Demise by Neve Maslakovic

Becoming Animals by Olga Werby and Christopher Werby

Earthlings: The Beginning by Ray Star

Emma and the Minotaur by Jon Herrera

The Iron Crown by L.L. Macrae

Miss Percy's Pocket Guide to the Care and Feeding of British Dragons by Quenby Olson

Ascension of the Phoenix by Jessica Piro

By the Hand of Dragons: Rook by Alexzander Christion

Don’t Think a Single Thought by Diana Cambridge

Dragon's Reach by J.A. Andrews 

The Oracle Stone by Talli L. Morgan

Ellery's Magic Bicycle by Maria Monte; illustrated by Zoe Saunders – Book Review

My newest book review is of children's book Ellery's Magic Bicycle. This one is super short but perfect for children ages 2 and up.

Ellery's Magic Bicycle by Maria Monte and illustrated by Zoe Saunders is a beautiful children's book.

The story is about Ellery who discovers a bicycle. But not just any bicycle. It's a magic bicycle. Ellery begins to play with the bicycle every day. In a way, the bicycle becomes her best friend.

But when she grows old, they drift apart. But will Ellery find and remember the great times she's had with her magic bicycle? Will grown-up Ellery rekindle that friendship?

Check out Ellery's Magic Bicycle to find out.

I must say the artwork is absolutely stunning and colorful. 

Whether you're reading Ellery's Magic Bicycle to family or children at a nursery, I'm sure children will love the beautiful and colorful illustrations by Zoe Saunders. I'm over 30 and I loved them too!

Kudos to author and artist for this lovely and quick read.

Learn more about author Maria Monte via her Website and connect with her via Facebook and Twitter. 

The Beast and the Bethany: Revenge of the Beast – Book Review and Blog Tour

The moment I learnt that the new Beast and the Bethany book has been published and is available for review, I jumped on the blog tour by @TheWriteReads!

And the new book doesn't disappoint!

In this blog post, I'm sharing my book review of The Beast and the Bethany: Revenge of the Beast.

Synopsis:

Lemony Snicket meets Roald Dahl in this riotously funny, deliciously macabre, and highly illustrated sequel to The Beast and the Bethany in which Bethany and Ebenezer try to turn over a new leaf, only to have someone—or something—thwart them at every turn.

Once upon a very badly behaved time, 511-year-old Ebenezer kept a beast in his attic. He would feed the beast all manner of objects and creatures and in return the beast would vomit him up expensive presents. But then the Bethany arrived.

Now notorious prankster Bethany, along with her new feathery friend Claudette, is determined that she and Ebenezer are going to de-beast their lives and Do Good. But Bethany finds that being a former prankster makes it hard to get taken on for voluntary work. And Ebenezer secretly misses the beast’s vomity gifts. And neither of them are all that sure what “good people” do anyway.

Then there’s Claudette, who’s not been feeling herself recently. Has she eaten something that has disagreed with her?

Book title: The Beast and the Bethany: Revenge of the Beast

Author: Jack Meggitt-Phillips

Number of pages: 288 pages

Genre(s): Middle grade, fantasy, humor

Publisher: Farshore Books

Publication date: 30 September 2021

Book Review by Nadaness In Motion

 

"There was fear in their eyes, and that fear looked awfully like respect."

The Beast and the Bethany: Revenge of the Beast is the second book in The Beast and the Bethany book series by Jack Meggitt-Philips.

Revenge of the Beast opens with a flashback to Ebenezer Tweezer's life and when he first met the beast. The chapters alternate between the past and the present, where Bethany lives with Ebenezer in his 15-story house.

In the present, Bethany is on a mission to "de-beast" the house, her life, and Ebenezer's from all things beast-related. And it's going swimmingly!

"Why do we need to de-beast?" Ebenezer asked. "Claudette killed the beast, I'd say that's pretty thorough de-beasting already."

But things aren't what they seem. While Bethany is trying to get rid of all reminders of the beast, the beast is secretly alive and plotting his revenge...

And what a revenge it is!

"Throw me at the one with the unpleasant face, if you want to have some fun."

Like the first book, The Beast and the Bethany, Revenge of the Beast is filled with laugh-out-loud speech and events.

"I bought [these paintings] myself. If we got rid of them we wouldn't be de-beasting, we'd be de-Ebenezering!"

In addition to the old cast, we meet many new characters, all integral to the book's progress and to the characters' development.

Revenge of the Beast sees a lot of growth for the pompous, selfish, 500-year-old Ebenezer. There's also development for Bethany but since she's young (11-ish?), we see her become easily influenced by others and ignore her instincts.

There were moments where I was laughing, others when I wanted to hug Bethany, and then there were moment where I was "Noooooo" and "Focus, Bethany!"

If you're reading Revenge of the Beast, you'll likely be talking to yourself so make sure no one is in the room with you or they'll think you're crazy. And if they see the book you're reading, they'll probably get a confirmation of that craziness.

Overall, Revenge of the Beast is a 5-star must-read children's book. 

Overall rating of The Beast and the Bethany: Revenge of the Beast by Jack Meggitt-Philips: 5 stars.

 

Note: I received a free copy of The Beast and the Bethany: Revenge of the Beast as part of a blog tour via The Write Reads Blog Tours. This has not, in any way, affected my review.

Note: Can't wait for book 3 in the series.

 

Add The Beast and the Bethany: Revenge of the Beast by Jack Meggitt-Phillips on Goodreads.

Purchase the book via Amazon.

Check out my review of book 1 The Beast and the Bethany

About the Author

Jack Meggitt-Phillips is an author, scriptwriter, and playwright whose work has been performed at The Roundhouse and featured on Radio 4.

He is scriptwriter and presenter of The History of Advertising podcast. In his mind, Jack is an enormously talented ballroom dancer, however his enthusiasm far surpasses his actual talent.

Jack lives in north London where he spends most of his time drinking peculiar teas and reading P.G. Wodehouse novels.

Connect with author Jack Meggitt-Phillips via Twitter.

 

Check out my review of book 1 The Beast and the Bethany

Looking for more middle grade fantasy fiction?

Here are a few titles I recommend: (Links will take you to my book reviews)

Looking for Dei by David Willson

Magora: The Gallery of Wonders by Marc Remus (Book 1)

Magora: The Golden Maple Tree by Marc Remus (Book 2)

Tales of the Forest by Johanna Aldridge

Ronaldo, the Flying Reindeer Academy by Maxine Sylvester

 

 

The Beast and the Bethany by Jack Meggitt-Phillips – Book Review

My newest book review is for The Beast and the Bethany and it's part of a blog tour with The Write Reads. 

It was a different read to say the least... but here's the full review. If you've read this book, let me know your thoughts.

The Beast and the Bethany by Jack Meggitt-Phillips and illustrated by Isabelle Follath is unique and unexpected story with equally unique characters.

When I picked up this book, I didn't know what to expect. But what I felt after I finished it was that I didn't want it to end and that I wanted to hug the author and characters.

The Beast and the Bethany is about a mean and evil man, a mean and evil beast, and a meaner girl. And all of them learn lessons and two of them discover other sides to themselves.

The book opens with: "Ebenezer Tweezer was a terrible man with a wonderful life."

And no kidding!

Ebenezer Tweezer is nearing his 512^th birthday. He lives "a wonderful life," and has literally everything he could ever need and everything he doesn't need.

But what gives Ebenezer his young looks and never-ending life? A massive beast resides in his attic. Every year, the beast asks for a "meal," which Ebenezer readily provides and in return gives Ebenezer a potion that stops his aging.

This year, however, the beast asks for something new. He wants to eat a child. Ebenezer, who never had feelings or a reason for them, is shocked by the request.

There's a ton of humor in The Beast and the Bethany, literally never a dull moment!

"For the first time in his life, Ebenezer was sad that he didn't have a family of his own. It would have saved so much time and energy if he could have just fed one of his children to the beast."

Enter Bethany. There's a reason this book is called "The Beast and The Bethany" because Bethany is literally a creature herself. She's a rude, mean, and angry little girl.

If this beast thinks he's large and in charge, he's got Bethany to deal with and change its life!

One of the things I liked about The Beast and the Bethany is the themes and lessons, like the quote below. There are also the themes of learning, discovering one self, learning not to be selfish, and many more.

"A wonderful life can turn someone into a terrible person. It makes you forget that there people in the world who have problems, and this can stop you from really caring or worrying about others.

So, you can understand how Ebenezer Tweezer came to be one of the most selfish men who ever lived. After spending nearly 512 years without difficulty, Ebenezer had never really learned about pain or sadness."

I was often jarred when the author spoke directly to the reader. I never like that it novels and works of fiction, it brings me out of the story. I accept it in non-fiction because the book needs to be conversational. Here, it doesn't work for me.

That said, I've never seen character development as amazing as I've seen in The Beast and the Bethany. Simply brilliant! And one of the reasons it deserves 5 stars!

Despite the three mean characters and how the story begins, The Beast and the Bethany left me feeling happy and hopeful. I was also 100% entertained.

So do I recommend this story? Absolutely! I loved it and I look forward to reading the second part in the series. Don't worry it's not a 100% open ending.

Overall rating for The Beast and the Bethany by Jack Meggitt-Phillips: 5 stars

 

Note: I received a free copy of The Beast and the Bethany by Jack Meggitt-Phillips as part of The Write Reads blog tour for the book. This did not impact my review in any way.