Oscar - D.L. Smith

                Oscar is a story that will tug at any animal lover’s heart strings. Told from the point of view of a newborn puppy who, along with his littermates, is left to die in the freezing cold. Although his siblings don’t make it, Oscar is lucky enough to be found by a little girl who gives him a lifelong home. Through some ups and downs and a steep learning curve for a family who have never owned a dog, Oscar’s story is a feel-good read that can be enjoyed by both old and young. My one problem with the story is that the wording seemed a little off, not very realistic, and a bit stilted. There was no flow to the writing which did distract from the story a bit. The dialogue was often a bit strange because people don’t really speak the way it was written in the book. I still liked the book because the story itself is so lovely and Oscar is brought to life with the author’s writing. I read the digital version of this book and it read well on my ereader. As for the cover, who wouldn’t love it with the sweet dog pictured on it!

A Mystical Bond for Two - David Parker, Mary Jo Parker

                Let me start this by saying I first took an interest in this book because of the cover. I thought it would be something my young niece would be interested in but as I read the synopsis I found it was a book for older readers. The cover, for me, was a bit misleading because of the cartoon-like character on it. Although a very attractive cover it is a book more for young adults or older readers than the cover portrays. Upon reading what the book was about, I decided to try it anyway because of my interest in the fantasy genre. The authors have created an entertaining and well thought out world of pixies. It’s very detailed, right down to describing the bath house that the main character, Gennick, and his father go to while working far from home. The story involves Gennick and his bond of love for his betrothed, Lieta May, and how they discovered this bond, overcoming obstacles along the way. The story itself didn’t hold my interest as I found there wasn’t enough action or adventure to keep me entertained. However the description of the pixie world kept me reading. The style of writing is one I liked so with a bit more adventure I think I would have enjoyed this book. I read the digital version of this book and it formatted well to my ereader. There are a few versions of the cover and the version I had was the one with Lieta May.

Danny Boyle and the Ghosts of Ireland - William Graham

                This is the second book in the Danny Boyle series that I’ve read and I liked it even more than I liked the previous one. In this book, Danny and his family head off to Ireland for a family vacation. While there, Danny encounters some of Ireland’s “good” ghosts and he and his sister end up trying to help them in their fight to stop the “evil” ghosts from taking over the bodies of humans. This is a great book for those young readers who are just getting into chapter books. It has lots of action with a supernatural aspect that is sure to keep young minds interested. The characters are likeable and believable for the age they are written. The storyline has lots of action and excitement and I loved the setting. The relationship between Danny and his sister is an interesting bond that shows how much they love each other no matter how much they may argue. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any young reader. I read the digital version on my ereader and it formatted well. The cover is attractive and lends to the ghostly aspect of the book. This is a great read!