Coding for Kids: Scratch ~ Review

Coding for Kids: Scratch 
Learn Coding Skills, Create 10 Fun Games, and Master Scratch
By Matthew Highland

Coding for Kids is aimed at kids 6 years and older. The basics of coding and Scratch are laid out in easy to understand language that assumes you are starting this book with no previous knowledge from which to draw upon. Younger kids will need a parent (or another adult) to help them out when they first start using Scratch - but with this book, even the coding novice parent will be able to help their child navigate this new world,

I really think this is easiest to understand book on coding I have ever picked up and examined. If you can only get one book this is the one to go with. The text is straightforward and not confusing and the numerous illustrations allow you to verify that you are indeed on the right track with what you are doing.  I like that there is a glossary of terms in the back of the book - mark it with a tab - trust me you will make frequent trips to this page until the terms become familiar. The knowledge that you gain from this book is well worth the price.

*You will need access to a computer or tablet with an internet connection so if you don't have this at home check with your local library as many offer public access computers that you may be able to use and as your work in Scratch is saved in your account you will be able to use it anywhere.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Learn to code and make awesome games with Scratch!

Learn coding concepts and skills and start creating your own games right away! Coding for Kids: Scratch is a complete guide that makes mastering this programming language fun and easy for children (ages 6+).

From sprites and code blocks to scripts and scorekeeping, Coding for Kids: Scratch helps you discover everything you need to know to create 10 amazing games that you and your friends can play. Watch your confidence grow with step-by-step instructions and clear directions that keep things simple―even as the games you’re making get more challenging. Game on!

Coding for Kids: Scratch includes:

• Coding for kids―Learn Scratch terms and concepts, then use them to build games you can start playing immediately.
• Create 10 games―Cake Clicker, Dino Hunt, Crystal Keeper, and more―code, play, and share 10 cool games.
• Master Scratch―Simple directions, full-color screenshots, and projects that get more difficult make mastering Scratch a breeze.

The Killing Tide ~ Review

The Killing Tide
Coastal Guardians #1
By Dani Pettrey

Gabby Rowley broke his heart when she left 6 months ago but now she is back in Wilmington, North Carolina, and under Finn Walker's watchful eyes thanks to the threat on her life. Investigative reporting is her life and it has once again caused her to be on the wrong side of a gun - a gun from which she barely escaped.

With the expose she did on drug dealer Xavier Fuentes having put her on the top of his list of enemies Gabby has no choice but to return home - her boss has given her no choice in the matter and her big brother Noah is more than happy to help her home. But to further protect Gabby she's being hidden at the guest loft next to Finn's home. Can you say AWKWARD??

Unfortunately for those determined to keep her safe Gabby is very resourceful at evading them when she is on the scent of a story and the case that has just landed in the laps of the Coast Guard Investigative team of which Noah and Finn are a part of has her interest peaked. One member of the Coast Guard has been murdered, another has been attacked, and then there is the ship that just exploded following a potentially suspicious death. How can she ignore a story that demands that the truth be revealed?

The Killing Tide is the first book in the Coastal Guardians series and believe me if this series is like Dani Pettrey's previous series the excitement will just go up. Not to give anything away but the climax is more than a little intense. And you'll never see it coming so don't assume anything...

Overall this is a good read that fans of Dani Pettrey will enjoy - the location has changed with as we are taken to the coastal regions of North Carolina and our heroes are with the Coast Guard. What we learn in this first book is that there are definitely some stories to discover about the officers who call Wilmington home and I for one am most anticipating book 2 which I believe the final few pages hint at what is to come. For those who like to know the genre of their books, this is a contemporary romantic suspense. And if you read it just before bed, well you may not get too much sleep (unless you have very strong will power) as you may fall into the "just one more chapter" trap.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own. 



About the Book:

A corpse that only leads to secrets.

An old flame with danger written all over her.

Things are about to get very complicated.

When one Coast Guard officer is found dead and another goes missing, Coast Guard Investigative Service special agent Finn Walker faces his most dangerous crime yet. His only clues are what little evidence remains aboard the dead officer's boat, and the direction the clues point to will test Finn and the Guard to their limits.

When investigative reporter--and Finn's boss's sister--Gabby Rowley arrives, her unrelenting questions complicate an already volatile situation. Now that she's back, the tug on Finn's heart is strong, but with the risks she's taking for her next big story, he fears she might not live through it.

Thrown together by the heinous crime, Finn and Gabby can't ignore the sparks or judgments flying between them. But will they be able to see past their preconceptions long enough to track down an elusive killer, or will they become his next mark?

The String ~ Review

The String
By Caleb Breakey

If you are looking for the next book that will keep up until the glow of morning is on the horizon - well you have found it with The String.

Trenton University has come under the controlling influence of someone who calls him(or her)self The Conductor. The Conductor has learned long-buried secrets about both students and staff at the university that is being leveraged in a cruel and twisted manner to an end that no one suspects. And with the lives of those nearest and dearest threatened most soon break to the Conductor's sick demands. And those that try to fight back let's just say they aren't about to make the same mistake twice.

But when the Conductor decides to add Markus Haas to his string he may have met his match. But he knows Markus's secret a secret that could take everything away from him and make him the final piece in the elaborate scheme that is soon to be revealed. Can Markus stop a master manipulator or will he die trying to save everyone?

If you like suspense with a psychological factor to it and like to be just a little creeped out in your reading The String will give you this and more. Secrets and long-hidden truths have come together against those who have thought themselves safe. What would you do to protect yourself, the life you live, and your loved ones? This book presents just such a moral dilemma and each character is about to be revealed. If you like the works of Ted Dekker, Stephen James, and Robert Whitlow you need to give this book a try.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations - all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.


About the Book:

Welcome to the string. 

Let's go over the ground rules.

Rule #1: Participation is mandatory.
Rule #2: If any one person refuses to play, the threats to all players will come to pass.

Game on.

Get ready for a deadly social experiment as a sociopath known as The Conductor delivers disturbing threats and twisted moral dilemmas to unsuspecting students and staff.

As a powerful instinct for self-preservation sweeps through the campus, one man has a grave decision to make. Will university cop Markus Haas play the game to protect those he loves? Or will he break the string and incite massive chaos--and even death?

Want to purchase the book or learn more about it check-out the following:

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Light from Distant Stars ~ Review

Light from Distant Stars

by Shawn Smucker

Light from Distant Stars is an interesting book that takes the reader on a journey through the life of Cohen Marah in a series of flashbacks of memory as he deals with a situation in his present-day life and ponders a question that is heavy upon his heart and soul. Can you kill someone without doing the deed?

As we are taken through Cohen's life we get to understand him and his relationship with his father - a relationship that is hard to define as it is one that also includes that of employer/employee. After leaving his position as a pastor following a total breakup of the Marah family Cohen's father takes on the duties of a funeral home with the upper floor being his and Cohen's new home. 

The gruesomeness of his father's new profession leaves a permanent impression on Cohen especially when he walks in on an especially troubling scene. A scene which leads him to seek a short escape from this new life and brings him into a most unique friendship (of a sort) with two young people who are attempting to find and stop something that Cohen can't explain. He just knows that it is dark and evil.

Cohen's memories are interspersed through the present as he and his sister Kaye struggle to come to terms with the loss of their father. And Cohen has the added guilt of his last conversation with his father weighing on him.

If you want a twist of suspense in your reading Shawn Smucker definitely gives it in this book. I don't think there is as much speculatism in this book as his previous titles (The Day the Angels Fell and The Edge of Over There) but there is an underlining thread of it that is subtly present. Overall this is a good read. The family dynamics add something to the story and I can't really say I empathize with his parents in any way but I do like Cohen and Kaye. Those who like the writing of Frank Peretti, Ted Dekker, and Erin Healy will most likely enjoy this one.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

When Cohen Marah steps over his father's body in the basement embalming room of the family's funeral home, he has no idea that he is stepping into a labyrinth of memory. As the last one to see his father, Cohen is the primary suspect.

Over the next week, Cohen's childhood memories come back in living color. The dramatic events that led to his father being asked to leave his pastoral position. The game of baseball that somehow kept them together. And the two children in the forest who became his friends--and enlisted him in a dark and dangerous undertaking. As the lines blur between what was real and what was imaginary, Cohen is faced with the question he's been avoiding: Did he kill his father?

In Light from Distant Stars, master story weaver Shawn Smucker relays a tale both eerie and enchanting, one that will have you questioning reality and reaching out for what is true, good, and genuine.

Want to learn more or purchase a copy for yourself? 

Check out the following:

                 Shawn's website  Shawn's Facebook  Shawn's Twitter  Shawn's Instagram 

Amazon  Barnes and Noble  ChristianBook.com  Goodreads

State of Lies ~ Review

State of Lies
By Siri Mitchell

What if what you knew as fact started crumbling around you? Georgie Brennan finds herself in just such a situation following the death of her husband. 

When Georgie Brennan's husband heads out to make a purchase for a kitchen repair she never expected he wouldn't come back. Sean was the senseless victim of a hit-and-run driver a driver how has disappeared. Eight months are quickly jumped over and we find Georgie still dealing with the loss of Sean and the effect it has had on not only her life but that of their 6-year-old son Sam. Let's just say it isn't easy.

Then strange things start happening. Unexplained noises beneath the house. Unscheduled repairs. Is someone trying to kill her or is she losing it with all the stress she is under? Time is running out and Georgie doesn't know who she can trust in this new life she finds herself in the midst of.
I've read Siri Mitchell's historical fiction in the past and found it to be enjoyable so I was interested in how a contemporary mystery would play out. I'm not really into the first-person viewpoint which I know some people like. I prefer a little more showing in my books but the writing was good overall. The book is approximately 350 pages and when it hits page 130 (give or take a page or two) the book starts to pick up in the action and presentation. Overall this is a good read and if you push past the beginning that is setting the stage you will be glad that you did so. 

This book takes a whole lot of unexpected twists so one isn't exactly sure where exactly it is going to end up. The action takes place in and around the D.C. area so you are assured of an interesting political aspect to be thrown into the mix. And when this is over you just might be looking over your shoulder too.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

One woman is forced to question everything she knows in this 

domestic suspense novel from award-winning author Siri Mitchell.

Georgie Brennan may be a world-class quantum physicist, but she grapples with life as a single mother after her husband is killed. When she receives a message from beyond the grave, it leads her to question the details of her husband’s death.

As she follows the clues he left behind, her discoveries increasingly implicate those closest to her. When her father is nominated as the new United States Secretary of Defense, she must uncover the truth before his confirmation hearing—even as the same people who killed her husband are now after her. Nothing is as it seems. Lies are truth; enemies are friends. Even her child is at risk. As every possibility but one disappears, Georgie may find herself to be the antithesis of everything she’s thought herself to be.

Underestimating Miss Cecilia ~ Review

Underestimating Miss Cecilia
Regency Brides: Daughters of Aynsley #2
By Carolyn Miller

Cecilia Hatherleigh has always preferred Edward (Ned) Amherst to any other man of her acquaintance. Ned has acquired the reputation of a rake, dragging the family name through scandal, yet for some reason, Cecy can't turn her sights onto other more upstanding gentlemen (much to her mother's consternation). But never over the years has Ned shown the slightest interest in Cecy in regards to a romantic attachment to her sorrow.

Over the years Ned Amherst has called the Aynsley daughters neighbors and friends. Cecilia has always faded into the background as the middle daughter who was shy and softspoken. She'd never attracted his notice in any particular way but she seemed to understand him for all his faults. When others hint at a possible match between them he can't imagine such a thing ever happening with his little friend. And thanks to his unfortunate attentions to a certain Mrs. Hale the year previous he knows that he will be less than welcome as a suitor to any daughter of society. 

But when Cecilia and Ned both take an interest in the plight of the common people whom those of privilege believe to be beneath their notice it is possible that a chance at something more could bloom between these neighbors. But by the time Ned truly notices what he has waiting for him, it may be too late.

Underestimating Miss Cecilia focuses on the plight of the working class, the Irish, and the Gypsy in this era that almost made poverty a crime of the greatest offense even as wages were cut. And the forgiveness of God vs the forgiveness of man is examined. Can we accept the forgiveness of God and yet refuse to offer the same grace shows us to ourselves? Can we extract enough penance and self-punishment to truly deserve the forgiveness that we seek? These are the questions that Ned wrestles with.

Those familiar with Carolyn Miller's previous Regency Brides series will enjoy yet another glimpse into this world with previous characters making appearances either directly or in a comment from other characters. The nice thing with these books is that one can read each on its own without having read the others in the series and this second book in the Daughters of Aynsley is no exception. If you are looking for a gentle read this is one to consider for that long weekend that deserves a pleasant read to go with it.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.


About the Book:

Will a shrinking violet and a prodigal son come together to better their world?

Cecilia Hatherleigh has many secrets in her shy, sweet heart⁠—but none bigger than her unrequited love for Edward Amherst, the earl's son next door. Her love has persevered over many years, even when he grows to be a bit of a rake. Yet despite his fondness for females, he never seems to see her as anything more than the quiet younger sister, and nothing Cecy does has changed that. Rather than pining after his perhaps unworthy love, she decides to turn her focus toward living out her newly found faith. Now she's determined to follow God's leading to make a better world for the poor and dispossessed around her.

A London riot awakens Edward to the responsibilities due his family name. It's time to turn his life around to please his noble father⁠—and that means restoring his abandoned legal career and making a marriage of convenience. Neither will be easy, given his past and the prejudices of the upper echelons of society to which he belongs.

When misadventure strikes at a house party, these two are thrown together even as their lives are upended. If Cecy can't trust God, overcome her shyness, and find her inner strength, the good work they've both done may be for naught--and neither will ever find true love . . .

Well known for her authentic Regency romances set against less-explored, true historical backgrounds, best-selling author Carolyn Miller continues her newest series with a clean, wholesome tale sure to please her many fans.

Ever Faithful ~ Review

Ever Faithful
Vintage National Parks #3
By Karen Barnett

It is 1933 and the country is still suffering from the Great Depression and Nate Webber's family is no exception to this lack. When Nate is given a chance to help his family by joining the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) he accepts this opportunity. But he will leave everything he knows behind can a young man from Brooklyn adapt to the wilderness that is Yellowstone? He's willing to try.

Elsie Brookes has grown up knowing the beauty that the wilderness can offer and she knows better than most the danger that fire is and the high cost it can extract. She's determined that this year when everyone else leaves the park that she too will be joining them - this year is the year she finally goes to college if she can save enough money that is. But can taking on a second job as a teacher for the new fellas of the CCC be the answer to her tuition needs. And can she teach a bunch of men who may have little to no education? This is one challenge that Elise is just a tad nervous about undertaking.

When the extreme dryness puts the park in danger the CCC troop is called on to more than pull their weight as they quite literally learn on the job. But when suspicious fires threaten not only all their hard work and lives questions need to be answered and fast before a tragedy occurs that could destroy everything.

This book is historical fiction with a touch of romance and mystery thrown in. For those who are fascinated by our National Parks, this series is a great way to experience them at their beginnings. The books do not have to be read together and this book is easily able to be read as a standalone book with no lack of enjoyment or understanding of what is taking place. The characters are relatable and one can easily empathize with the various states they find themselves in. This is a TBR must add title you won't be sorry to have spent a few hours in the grandeur that is Yellowstone.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher WaterBrook Multnomah - all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and honestly given with no expectations placed upon me.


About the Book:

Vibrant historic Yellowstone National Park comes to life in this 

romantic mystery about a man hiding the truth, braving the 

west to become something more—and the woman who must confront his deception.

A man who can't read will never amount to anything—or so Nate Webber believes. But he takes a chance to help his family by signing up for the new Civilian Conservation Corps, skirting the truth about certain "requirements." Nate exchanges the harsh Brooklyn streets for the wilds of Yellowstone National Park, curious if the Eden-like wonderland can transform him as well.

Elsie Brookes was proud to grow up as a ranger's daughter, but she longs for a future of her own. After four years serving as a maid in the park's hotels, she still hasn't saved enough money for her college tuition. A second job, teaching a crowd of rowdy men in the CCC camp, might be the answer, but when Elsie discovers Nate's secret, it puts his job as camp foreman in jeopardy. Tutoring leads to friendship and romance, until a string of suspicious fires casts a dark shadow over their relationship. Can they find answers before all of their dreams go up in smoke?

Get a sneak peek at the book