Sunny Bunnies: My Book of Feelings by Carine Laforest, illustrations by Animation Café is a delightful, cute, colourful book that helps children understand their feelings and emotions. 

Each page features a different emotion linked with a colour and an adorable Sunny Bunny. The page describes emotional and physical examples of how you are feeling with each emotion 

They are good examples of the emotions that a young child can relate to. It also provides ways a child can deal with negative emotions such as sadness, fear, and anger. 

I always appreciate children’s books that provide an opportunity for children and their parent/carer to discuss important topics. 

At the end of each page, there is a question to ask the child. For example, the page for joy is “When do you feel happy? This gives the child an opportunity to express their feelings and the caregiver to help with the development of expressing feelings. The book describes not only the emotional side of feeling but also the physical. (eg sadness may make you feel like crying). This also helps the child to recognise how others are feeling.

Another opportunity for carers to discuss the topic of feelings is the four exercises at the back of the book.

The target audience is pre-schoolers and kindergarten children but would be beneficial reading for older children with disorders such as autism.  I also believe in reading to children before they can fully understand any messages in a story, so they grow up knowing the lesson. It’s how my son learned he was adopted and never had any related issues. The lessons in this book could also be helpful for older children learning to read.

Thank you, NetGalley, Chouette Publishing, and CrackBoom! Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

My rating 4*

#netgally #chouettepublishing

Unnatural Ends by Christopher Huang

I was drawn into this story from the first chapter and it never failed in its promise of a great story. It is an absorbing well-crafted story and I felt I was there with the characters in their surroundings. 

It is a brilliantly written historical murder mystery with diverse characters.

I am looking forward to future books from Christopher Huang.

Siblings, Alan, Roger, and Caroline are called back to their childhood home, Linwood Hall in Yorkshire, following the murder of their father, Sir Linwood.

When his will is read, they learn that the one successful in solving his murder will inherit his entire estate.

Sir Linwood had been a domineering, controlling, and often cruel father. His life lessons for the children included strength of character to the extent of insensitivity and indifference. He expects these traits to dominate and for the siblings to each follow their course of investigation without sharing their knowledge.

But he underestimates his children. 

All three siblings were ado
pted as babies and two are of mixed race. After their initial individual enquiries, they soon share information, combine their knowledge and work together.

Their research and interviews reveal dark secrets in their past and their father’s mysterious life.

The siblings are the three main characters. Alan is an archaeologist, Roger an engineer, and Caroline a journalist (that is as far as her father knew who also believed she was certain to become a politician)

Other key characters include Iris Morgan (Roger’s fiancé), Giles Brewster (innkeeper), Detective Inspector Mowbray, and Lady Linwood (wife of the deceased).

In addition to the people, and due to Huang’s skilful writing and descriptions, Linwood Hall is an imposing and ominous character itself that dominates the landscape.

All characters (including the minor ones) were interesting, well developed, and (most of them) likeable.

The story of the siblings is so fascinating the ‘murder mystery’ takes a back seat to the gradual revelations of the past. Huang achieved this through varying POVs. Each character has a distinct ‘voice’ and reveals their past through flashbacks, but the storyline doesn’t get bogged down.

The author skilfully uses language to set the mood and the time. I felt I was right there in the mansion, shivering from the cold and morbidity. I wish I could write with the beauty and turn of phrase used in this book.

The story deals with sensitive issues including psychological and physical abuse but I felt it was not too graphic.

Thank you to NetGalley, Inkshares & Christopher Huang for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My rating 5*

Royals by Tegan Bennett Daylight

Precis

What happens when a group of teenagers is stranded indefinitely in a shopping centre, alone? With all the stuff they could possibly want … and a baby? Is it paradise – or hell?

With no phones and no internet, Shannon and her fellow prisoners are completely disconnected from the outside world… and their online lives. It’s hard to say whether they’ll be driven to delinquency, or – even worse – forced to make friends. Will the limitless bubble tea, Maccas, high-end trainers and tech equipment be enough to keep the six teens safe and happy until they can find a way out, or is this all the start of something more sinister?

My review

I was drawn to Royals out of curiosity based on the precis above. It intrigued me and I was interested to know what appeals to YA readers today. I think I should have chosen another story. 

The story begins with Shannon waiting to meet her brother in the shopping centre. She falls asleep and when she wakes she notices her phone is stuck at 5.17pm. The centre is empty and as she walks around the centre she meets 5 other teenagers, all with their phones stuck at 5.17pm.

They discover they not only have an endless supply of food from the food court they can take anything they need from all the shops.

I enjoyed the beginning, but it gradually got more and more boring and repetitious. How many times do you have to mention bubble tea, Maccas and Forty Winks? The concept was good but there was virtually no plot and little depth to the story.

The characters were a diverse group but the attempt to be an ‘inclusive’ story got a bit over the top. They all become likeable as the story unfolds.

The shopping centre itself has its own personality and character with food and items taken from the shops being replenished overnight.

Maybe I’m a stuffy old grandmother but the use of four letter words concerned me especially for the younger teens in the YA group.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Tegan Bennett Daylight for providing me with an ARC of this novel.  All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

@netgalley and @simonandschuster 

My rating 2* 

Keeping Up Appearances by Tricia Stringer

This is the first book I have read by Australian author Tricia Stringer, and it won’t be the last. From the first chapter, I was living in the little country town of Badara and was part of the community.

Tricia Stringer has developed characters you get to know and like and clearly depicts the town of Badara, a typical rural Australian town with a larger coastal town not far away. Tricia’s style has you hearing, seeing, smelling, and even tasting everything about the town.

The main character, Paige, is a single mother of three children who moves to Badara to escape her past. She struggles with fitting in and is reluctant to mix with the locals for fear of them pushing her to reveal her secrets..

What she doesn’t realise is most of the other women in town also have their own secrets about their past or family members.

The women have different personalities, struggles, and flaws, but they are friendly and supportive in true country fashion in welcoming Paige and trying to help her. 

However, Paige feels their generous gestures of welcome are interfering with gestures of charity. She joins the local exercise class and as she gets to know the other women and their stores, she relaxes and becomes more involved with town activities. 

She especially became involved in the planning and organisation of the Back to Baraba event to raise funds to repair the dilapidated hall where the classes are held.

But, it is not just Paige’s story. It is also the story of the residents and the town itself. The interaction between the characters is as important as those involving Paige.

The characters are believable and likeable even with their faults and secrets. I have lived in small rural towns and related to all the characters– I am sure I have met many of them.

Ms Stringer does not hold back on discussing sensitive issues in her book. Subjects such as 

Single mothers, drugs, infidelity, homosexuality, and drugs are dealt with sensitively and with empathy and dignity. 

Overall the story flowed smoothly and was a most enjoyable read. While the storyline is exceptional I felt it took second place to the characters and that’s not a criticism.

I was sorry when it finished, I felt I had got to know the characters and wanted to spend more time with them.

Thanks to Netgalley, Tricia Stringer and Harlequin Australia for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own

My rating 5*