Book Review: 'A Very Witchy Spelling Bee' by George Shannon

✰✰✰✰½ Cordelia loves spelling more than anything. She even spends her playtime practicing spelling and spells. So when she sees a sign for The Witches' Double Spelling Bee, she knows she just has to enter. Her mother is hesitant. After all, Cordelia is just a child witch, but Cordelia is adamant. She has studied and practiced. She's ready to win. 

The defending champ is a force to be reckoned with, but Cordelia isn't afraid of Beulah Divine. Even when Beulah bends the rules and doesn't play fair, Cordelia keeps her calm. Soon it's down to the last round. With nothing on stage to work with, has Cordelia met her match? 

The Bottom Line: This fun tale featuring colorful, humorous illustrations is perfect for storytime. With a surprise twist ending that's sure to please, this picture book is a seasonal winner. 

Details: A Very Witchy Spelling Bee written by George Shannon & illustrated by Mark Fearing. Picture book published by Harcourt Children's Books in 2013. 32 p. ISBN: 978-0-15-206696-3 

Book Review: 'The Ghost Belonged to Me' by Richard Peck

 

✰✰✰✰ Young Alexander Armsworth is seeing things, strange things. There are signs of a haunting in the barn on his family's property. He's determined to get to the bottom of this, but his spunky neighbor, a girl named Blossom Culp, keeps nosing around. Then one night, the ghost of a young girl named Inez confronts Alexander with a spooky message. With the help of Blossom, Alexander will have to think fast to avoid a tragedy. Will he and Blossom be able to set things right and help a ghostly girl finally rest in peace? Check out this classic ghost story for a hauntingly good read. 

The Bottom Line: This book was the basis for the 1978 made-for-television movie, Child of Glass. I remember the movie as a creepy ghost story. While the book takes place in the early 1910s, the plot of the movie was updated to the present (late 1970s) era. Still a fun read over 40 years later, enthusiastically recommended for middle grade and young adult readers. And if you enjoy Blossom's character, there are several more books featuring her.

Details: The Ghost Belonged to Me by Richard Peck. Paperback edition published by Puffin Books in 1997. 176 p. ISBN: 978-0-14-038671-4 

Book Review: 'Elevation' by Stephen King

✰✰✰½ All Scott Carey wants to do is enjoy his home as he recovers from a nasty divorce. Unfortunately, who can work from home with the new neighbor's dogs running amok in your lawn? With all that is going on, it's little wonder that Scott is losing weight. Or is he? The bathroom scale registers a loss in weight, but Scott looks as pudgy as ever. By the time Scott tells his friend, Dr. Bob Ellis, that he's losing weight on the scale, but still looks the same, he is sure there's something unusual going on. As a retired medical doctor, Ellis is skeptical at first. However, as the days and weeks pass by it's evident Scott is indeed losing weight.

As Thanksgiving approaches, Scott weight loss continues, and he is still at odds with his new neighbors. While Missy is approachable, her wife, Deirdre, seems to have a chip on her shoulder. It's no wonder though; their restaurant is fast approaching inevitable failure due to the town's prejudices. Just when it looks likes their animosity can't get any worse, something magical happens during the annual Thanksgiving 12K run that will forever change Scott, Missy, and Deirdre's lives. 

The Bottom Line: With a bittersweet ending, this easy-to-read novella is a suspenseful weekend read. If you enjoy a mashup between horror and science fiction, check out this book. It will make you think about finding common ground between people who are at odds with each other. 

Details: Elevation by Stephen King. Hardcover published by Scribner in 2018. 160 p. ISBN: 978-1-9821-0231-9 

Book Review: 'The Good, the Bad, and the Witchy' by Heather Blake

✰✰✰✰ Darcy Merriweather is still learning her craft. Up until a year ago, she didn’t even know she was a Wishcrafter. Now she’s learning the ropes from her Aunt Ve and adjusting to life in the Enchanted Village. Life here is simply magical.

Working at As You Wish, a personal concierge service, keeps the family busy. When Floracrafter Harriette Harkette decides to hire them to plan her 80th birthday celebration, the whole town is buzzing. It seems that Harriette is the envy of the town with her new creation, the midnight black Witching Hour rose.

Darcy is hard at work. Unfortunately, when a delivery boy is found dead, his ghost quickly attaches to Darcy. She’s stuck with him until she can solve the mystery of his untimely death. In an odd twist Harriette's stunning new roses have perished as well. How is that possible?

With help from her new friends, her misbehaving dog, and the handsome Police Chief, Darcy is on the case. She’ll need to crack both mysteries or else she’s stuck with a ghost forever. You’ll be on the edge of your seat as you root for Darcy to solve the mysteries in time.

The Bottom Line: The Enchanted Village is always entertaining, and the third installment of this series is simply a magical treat. With just the right combination of magic, gardening, and romance, this cozy is the perfect weekend read. Highly recommended for fans of cozy mysteries with a splash of the supernatural.

Details: The Good, the Bad, and the Witchy: A Wishcraft Mystery by Heather Blake. Paperback published by An Obsidian Mystery in 2013. 320 p. ISBN: 978-0-451-23969-3

Book Review: 'Moneyball' by Michael Lewis

✰✰✰½ The million dollar question was, how could one of the poorest teams in baseball become one the biggest success stories of the year? Not all the teams in baseball have the same resources; there’s a huge discrepancy between them. So it comes down to making the best out of what you have, and nobody does that better than Billy Beane. Beane was a talented baseball player with lots of promise himself before he quit. Where he failed in playing the game, he excelled in recruiting and managing. Using new baseball knowledge and theories that needed testing, Beane was able to cobble together a winning team out of misfits. Before the end of the book, you’ll be pulling for this team of eccentric players.

The Bottom Line: At times riveting and other times dry, this book encourages the reader to think outside the box. It presents information about baseball and statistics in a way that was new at the time. Following the challenges and triumphs of one of the poorest teams in baseball is fascinating. You will be amazed at what can be done with limited funds, and you will be rooting as the team tries to break a record. Recommended for sports fans and those interested in statistics.

Book Club Notes: Well, our second foray into the HYBRID book discussion format was an improvement. Again, half of us chose to attend in-person, while the other half joined us via Zoom. Initially, we were excited about this topic and book. Yet, actually reading it proved challenging as several of our members got bogged down in the technical aspects of the writing. The movie, on the other hand, was fantastic! The movie was able to show the human side of the topic, while the book focused on the technical aspects of statistics. On a scale of 1 - 5, with 5 being the highest: the movie garnered 4.25 stars, and the book received 3.9. Recommended for book clubs interested in sports and statistics.

On a positive note, discussion questions for both the book and movie are plentiful, so I didn’t have to create my own. Here are some links to check out: LitLovers and Sports Engine.

Details: Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis. Paperback published by W. W. Norton & Company in 2004. 336 p. ISBN: 978-0-393-32481-5  

Book Review: 'Bad Axe County: A Novel' by John Galligan

✰✰✰✰ Interim sheriff Heidi Kick has a lot on her plate. She's married to a local baseball legend, is the mother of three young kids, and half of the county would prefer a man to be sheriff. Nevertheless, Heidi doesn't let anything stand in her way, and she has a job to do. 

When the local librarian is beaten, Heidi discovers that there's more going on in her county than she knew. With a teenaged girl is missing and in danger, Heidi follows the clues and discovers just how deep local, illegal activities have been buried. 

Just when you think you have this one figured out, there's another twist in the path to lead you down the wrong way. Suspenseful and entertaining, this Midwest mystery will keep you guessing.

The Bottom Line: This is the first book in the series, and I'm hooked. I don't usually read thrillers, but I received this one in a goody bag at a conference a few years back. Gritty, dark, and fast-paced, Galligan has a knack for making the reader turn pages; I couldn't put it down. And being as it was set in Wisconsin, I could easily picture the setting. Highly recommended for fans of thrillers, mysteries, and police procedurals. I'm definitely looking forward to the next installment.

Details: Bad Axe County: A Novel (Book 1) by John Galligan. ARC edition published by Atria Books in 2019. 336 p. ISBN: 978-1-9821-1070-3 

Book Review: 'The Beauty of Black Mermaids Coloring Book' by N. D. Jones

✰✰✰✰ This stunning coloring book features Black mermaids and mermen. There's even an adorable merbaby! What's not to like about images of a dreamy life under the sea? There are seventeen underwater scenes featuring merfolk and sea creatures. Additionally, there are eight pages featuring inspirational quotes, and you also get a few word games at the end. Prepare to be enchanted.

The Bottom Line: This inspiring coloring book is dedicated to and features quotes by author bell hooks. It is #3 in N. D. Jones' Fantasy in Black series of coloring books. Each page is a sensual delight. The illustrations were actually done by Ika Sirana, and I would have liked to see her name on the front cover too. If there is another book, I hope the pages are perforated. Also, please note that if you are using marker, place a blank sheet of paper behind the page you are working on to prevent bleed through. (See my sample below.) Enthusiastically recommended for everyone who enjoys coloring with a nautical theme.

Details: The Beauty of Black Mermaids Coloring Book ((Fantasy in Black, Book 3) by N. D. Jones. Paperback published by Kuumba Publishing in 2022. 68 p. ISBN: 978-1-7352998-9-1 [NOTE: I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This was made possible via the Early Reviewers program at LibraryThing.]

I selected this inspiring page to color for review. I used Crayola markers.