I'm Going to Give You a Bear Hug! by Caroline B. Cooney & Illustrated by Tim Warnes ~ Review + Giveaway

My Review:

A fun filled new picture book by best-selling children's writer, Caroline B. Cooney. The musical, fun-filled, and silly poem goes through the many different kinds of hugs, accompanied by the bright and whimsical, yet classic illustrations that tie this book together.

A lovely read, perfect for bedtime, and sharing with the young ones in your life. I loved the rhyming verses, filled with funny word pictures, and cheerful tone.

The pages were bright, and fit perfectly with the poem, and I loved the bight colors and how the illustrator captured the poem well, and brings it to life.

Overall, a lovely read, that is perfect to share with the young ones in your life!

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

About the Book:

I’m Going to Give You a Bear Hug!, written by bestselling author Caroline B. Cooney, is a playful and comforting bedtime book that imagines all the wonderful ways a child might give and receive a hug.


Whether it’s a big bear, gasp for air, knock over a chair hug or a wet and drippy, slimy, slippy fish hug, children will giggle their way through all the imaginative examples. Cooney’s sweet and simple rhymes encourage playful interaction between parent and child and ultimately help them wind down before they snuggle into bed and drift off to sleep.

 Author: Caroline Cooney knew in sixth grade that she wanted to be a writer when "the best teacher I ever had in my life" made writing her main focus. "He used to rip off covers from The New Yorker and pass them around and make us write a short story on whichever cover we got. I started writing then and never stopped!"

When her children were young, Caroline started writing books for young people -- with remarkable results. She began to sell stories to Seventeen magazine and soon after began writing books. Suspense novels are her favorites to read and write. "In a suspense novel, you can count on action."
To keep her stories realistic, Caroline visits many schools outside of her area, learning more about teenagers all the time. She often organizes what she calls a "plotting game," in which students work together to create plots for stories. Caroline lives in Westbrook, Connecticut and when she's not writing she volunteers at a hospital, plays piano for the school musicals and daydreams!

Illustrator: Children's author / illustrator Tim Warnes' first book was published in 1995; since then he's worked on more than 65 books, which have been translated into 18 different languages (9 of these he wrote). He also writes a twice weekly comic strip, Chalk & Cheese.

Awards include the Nottinghamshire Children's Book Award for I don't want to go to bed! which features the popular Little Tiger character (after whom Little Tiger Press were named). Bravo Boris! and The Great Monster Hunt, both illustrated by Tim, were chosen by The Reading Agency for the 2011 Summer Reading Challenge.

Tim's married to illustrator Jane Chapman. He loves comic strips, wearing fancy hats and reading bedtime stories!

Enter to win a copy of this book. US residents only. Ends February 5th, 2017.  Please comment below with your favorite animal and why, along with your email address encoded [youremail at yahoo dot com]--so I can contact you if you win. 

Cherish by Gary L. Thomas ~ Review

My Review:

Cherish. A word  spoken and vowed, but oft overlooked and forgotten. Though it's a small word, it can make a world of difference in transforming a marriage.

I was very intrigued by the title of this book, and after I read the description I knew that I had to read it. I had previously read Mr. Thomas's book, Sacred Search, which is one of my favorite relational books that I have read, so I had high hopes for this book and it did not disappoint. I love how Mr. Thomas uses stories from his own marriage, and that of people that he knows to show Cherish in action, as well as how he deftly points to the gospel throughout.

This would be a great book for people to read before marriage, as well as anyone who is married, because I don't think it would ever be bad to learn of more ways to cherish and understand your spouse. I loved the way that Mr. Thomas talks about the different aspects of cherishing someone, from forsaking all others, and learning to treasure your spouse in the ways that make them who they are, to accepting their stumblings, learning their love language and loving them how they desire to be cherished, and how to encourage them for Christ and eternity.

I'm not married, but I immensely enjoyed this book, it was comprehensive, conversational, and concise. And even though I do not have a spouse, I thought that this book was very edifying nonetheless, and even though I know that it was not the direct aim of the book, it led me to think of how I treat other Christians and people in day to day life in light of the gospel. This book has a strong biblical foundation, and I loved how it was continually pointing readers to the cross of Christ, and how that should change how we treat others, most especially a spouse.

Overall, a fantastic read, and despite not being married, I found that I got so much out of it, and would recommend others like me to read it as well. I will definitely be revisiting this book again and again over the years.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

An Uncommon Courtship by Kristi Ann Hunter ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

Trent Hawthorne follows through on his promise to marry the girl with whom he was trapped in a cellar, even though he doesn't know her. After the wedding he rushes them to his London home, but is rarely ever there. When Trent's brother, Griffith suggests that Trent should court his new wife, Trent decides to take more of an interest in his new bride.

Adelade is used to being ignored as the second daughter of Lady Crampton, always in the shadow of her beautiful sister, Helena. Adelade loves to read and knows many facts that others would never think to learn, but she knows little about playing the games of society, and social graces.

I love how Trent's mother comes to visit Adelade, and get to know her new daughter-in-law, willingly teaching her how to move about in London society. Adelade is kind and genuine, quickly making friends among Trent's household and among her new peers.

I think my favorite part was watching Trent come to admire and respect Adelade, from trying his best to avoid her to anticipating her company. I liked his respect for marriage, and his willingness to try to get to know Adelade, and his protectiveness over her. Griffith is a good brother and friend, and though he has good ideas, he doesn't know much about courting a woman either, as he is unmarried.

I was so happy to see Trent get his own story, and I like how he grows over the course of unexpected events. This is a well written read, and I loved the interaction between Adelade and Trent as they discover their new life together. I really liked Griffith, and hope that I get to read his story soon!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

A Love for Leah by Emma Miller ~ Review

Lucie's Review: 

Leah has come home to rejoin the Amish Community at Seven Poplars, she had left when she married Daniel and become a Mennonite Missionary. Leah is ready to remarry so she asks for Sarah Yoder's help to find her a husband.

When Thomas Stutzman asks Ellie, the school teacher, to marry him, she says, "No," and suggest that he should ask Sarah Yoder for help to find a mate. Just rejected, Thomas is in no hurry to ask the Amish Matchmaker for help.

Sarah matches Leah and Thomas together, but neither of them likes the match, so Sarah offers them a deal, if they give it 6 wks and still don't like each other, she will find them someone else.

Leah helps Thomas with his dream of organic farming, and since she still has a car she drives him around to help him make business appointments. I like that Thomas helps Leah to laugh again, he has a great sense of humor and like to have fun. Leah and Thomas get along well as they get to know each other, they bring out the best in each other.

But for two different people who comes from different mindsets, they still butt heads, and Sarah gives them good counsel.

Overall a fun and enjoyable read, I loved how the story come together, liked that Leah get's a second chance at love. Thomas is a funloving, hardworking man, who enjoys the beauty around him and thinks more than he let's on. I really hope Ellie get's her own story soon!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Still Life by Dani Pettrey ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

Avery Tate is forced to come face to face with the past that ostracized her, as a crime scene photographer, when her best friend, Skylar, goes missing the only clue is a photograph of Skylar, dead.

Avery calls in crime scene investigator Parker Mitchell when she discovers that Skylar's trailer has been ransacked. Avery has admired Parker for a long time, but he's still in love with his first love who was murdered.

Will they get to the bottom of this chilling case?

Avery finds herself again drawn to Parker, as he helps her to face her past and find the forgiveness that she is denying. Avery is a resilient, self-made woman, who stays true to her friends.  Parker also struggles to move on from the past, the love that haunts him. As the murderer closes in on Avery, the stakes rise as his obsession grows.

Parker is a man of integrity and attention to detail that makes him brilliant at his job. He struggles to honor the memory of his first love, but he doesn't want to lose Avery either.

Declan is back again as well, investigating a ship of illegal immigrants, while trying to keep Tanner out of trouble. Tanner is a woman who drives him crazy with her kind heart and compassionate spirit that often overrides her concern for her own safety.

Full of twists and turns, this is one suspenseful thriller of a read, though a bit more graphic in violence and morbid in subject than I typically read. I love how they work together to solve the case to find closure and to bring justice to Skylar's killer. I can't wait ti read the next book in the series and read more about Tanner and Declan!




Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

The Matchmaker Brides Collection by Kim Vogel Sawyer, Amanda Cabot, Diana Lesire Brandmeyer, Lisa Carter, Ramona K Cecil, Lynn A Coleman, Susan Dietze, Connie Stevens & Liz Tolsma ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

The Homegrown Bride Emmie stays behind when her family moves to Kansas to help her grandmother run the boarding house. She plays matchmaker for their bachelor boarders. But her head can't help but turn when Landon Knipp moves to town to open a store, as their paths cross they form a friendship, and perhaps more.

The Unmatched Bride is probably one of my favorites. Deborah is hired by Robert to sort through his daughter, Emily's many suitors, many of whom are after his fortune. But as Deborah helps them, Emily turns the tables and plays matchmaker as well!

Playing Possum Thea and Cage are childhood friends who pretend to be engaged to avoid the hapless matchmaking schemes of the Possum Trot Matchmakers. But as they spend time together, they wonder if maybe their engagement shouldn't be just pretend.

Hog Trough Bride Rose doesn't want her sister Violet to have to dance in the hog trough, so she tries to set her up with their neighbor, but ends up spending more time with him than her sister!

The Tinman's Match Xander is a tinsmith who travels the area plying his trade, and often in his travels he meets men who would like to be married, and women of  a similar bent. So began to match make, being careful in his pairings, but when he finds a match for Sarah, her cousin Jo, insists on coming with to make sure that she approves of the match. Xander and Jo butt heads over most things, but throughout the journey, they begin to find that their differences aren't so vast after all.

Miss Matched Mitch is a doctor, who joins Grace's father's practice, he is a man of integrity and faith who prays for each of his patients. Grace has been assisting her father for years, and is a supporter of the scientific method, so she comes up with a method for matchmaking her friends. Full of humor, this was a fun read from the start.

The Backfired Bride Jared and Lyla are childhood friends set on leaving their hometown, but they worrying about their family, Jared's father, and Lyla's aunt. So they come up with a plan to try to get them together, meanwhile Jared's father thinks that Jared and Lyla are the ones that should be together. A sweet humorous story.

Sing of the Mercy Sarah is a cook who sings while she works at the Hash House. Quinn is the newly elected mayor of the gold mining town in SD, and he wants to make the town respectable for families. So he enlists Sarah to help him find potential brides for the miners, and to help teach the miners some manners. I loved Quinn and how he goes out of his way to help the citizens of the small town.

A Match Made in Heaven  Len is the new pastor in town, and after the news paper features him in an article, he starts getting letters from all over the country asking for help finding a mate. He enlists Cora's help, and they begin to try matchmaking for each with hilarious results.

Overall, this was a wonderful collection, full of humor, and great storylines. There were very creative premises, and I loved reading and trying to figure out how it was going to work out in the end. I think some of my favorite ones were when the tables got turned on the matchmakers :) I wonderful read, enjoyable to the last.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Good Good Father for Little Ones by Chris Tomlin and Pat Barrett ~ Board Book Review

My Review:

What is a good father like?

A young bear learns about the many roles of a good father, as he asks the many animals in the kingdom. Originally a full length children's book based on the popular worship song, it has been adapted for younger children, into board book form.

A charming read, with delightful illustrations that are adorable and fitting for the story and the age group of the readers.

Overall, a lovely book that would be a sweet gift for a young child. Sturdy and well bound, it is made to fit perfectly into little hands. A lovely book about being a good father, and the Father above, who is the Best Father of All.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Because You're Mine by Colleen Coble ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

Alanna Connolly is the fiddle player in a four woman Celtic band, her husband Liam was killed in a car explosion, and she is pregnant with their unborn child. Alanna marries Barry, the band manager shortly after her husband's death, and Barry take her to an isolated estate close to a swamp full of gators.

Jesse, Liam's best friend was driving the car when it combusted, he survived, but still hasn't regained his memory. Alanna is wary of Jessie, who take over Liam's place in the band as the drummer, she believes there is more to the car crash than meets the eye.

As strange things begin to happen at the estate, Barry's mood swings and unkept promises make it difficult for the band to practice, Alanna doesn't know where to turn or who to trust.

This book was hard to get into, and very different from anything that I had ever read by this author in the past. It was very dark, and it was hard to read, as Alanna made so many bad choices in the beginning, and I didn't know what to think of Jesse. So it was kinda a slow start for me, but I kept hoping that it would pick up and find a happy resolution. '

I liked that Alanna turned back to her faith, and Jesse also explores what he believes even though his parents try to discourage him. Jesse doesn't remember everything, but he doesn't like the man that he was and he wants to change.

This book has many twist and turns along the way, and there are definitely plenty of surprises, but I still had difficulty enjoying this book because of how dark it was. So I would warn fans of Ms. Coble that it is much darker than much of her previous works, but you may enjoy it if you are a fan of darker suspense. But for me personally, it just wasn't for me.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Wed by Necessity by Karen Kirst ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

Sparks fly when Caroline Turner and Duncan Mckenna meet, and neither are what they seem at first glance. Duncan is Caroline's father's new stable manager, and on a stormy even he insists on accompanying her on a ride, they find themselves stranded overnight, and Caroline's father insists that they marry. Caroline's mother is far from pleased, as Duncan is far from the prized husband who would help Caroline's social status. And their marriage begins on a far cry from wedded bliss, Duncan doesn't help matters by throwing out most of her belongings because they won't fit in his cabin.

Will they make their marriage work, or just make each other miserable?

Duncan is a man of faith, and once he calms down, he realizes that he could have handled things better, and tries to be kinder to Caroline. He finds out that she doesn't know much about cooking, cleaning or keeping a house, so he takes time to show her so that they can share the load together.  I like his patience with her, and his kindness and understanding.

I Caroline is surprised to find that she likes to be able to take care of her own house, and she takes pride in her accomplishments. Caroline struggles to trust, as she has never been able to depend on very many people in her life. I admired her willingness to learn the things that she didn't know how, and her compassion for others.

Overall, a well done story, I loved the cameos from past characters, and how this story came together about to people willing to give each other a chance. A sort of retelling of Taming of the Shrew, except that Caroline isn't a horrible person, she just wasn't taught to do for herself. An enjoyable read.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Courting the Cowboy by Carolyne Aarsen ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

Ella Langston is an artist, who has been having trouble lately finding the inspiration for her art, so her mother suggests that a change of scenery might help. So she rents a cabin outside of Cedar Ridge, Alberta, Canada, where she finds that she is next door neighbors with the landowner's widowed son, Cord and his three children.

Cord is a hardworking rancher, and a good father to his three children. He wants to be there for his children, but there aren't always enough hours in the day. Ella helps Cord see that there are some things that he can rearrange on his list of priorities, but he senses that she is keeping something from him.

Paul, Suzy, and Oliver adore Ella, and are friendly and welcoming to her from the start, they love her dog, Pablo, who is very good with children. And when Suzy asks for help with an art project, Ella can't say no. Ella is a great teacher an helps the children with their projects.

I like that Cord recognizes and appreciates the changes that he sees in his children, and makes an effort to spend more time with them. I like that he makes time to talk to Ella too, and get to know her.

Overall, a great read from beginning to end, with great characters, humor, and well done relationship building. Fast paced and heartwarming, a great read for the cold winter months.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."