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Book Review: Diary of a Wimpy Kid #1 - Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

7/10 I enjoyed the series as a kid, and I decided to reread it as an adult. I find the book just as hilarious as when I was a kid, and the illustrations bring back fond memories of reading the books in my childhood. Though Greg Heffley appears to be sociopathic and his family is very strange, this book still managed to make me laugh all these years later. I might even read the whole series…

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Book Review: The Afterlife Calls #6 - The Poltergeist’s Ship by K.C. Adams

9/10 After everything that’s happened in the past year, Niamh finally gets a break when she books a cruise. After the time she’s had lately, Edie doesn’t want to go, so it’s Ben volunteers to go with her. Things go awry quickly, however, when a poltergeist begins to mess with the ship’s passengers. Couple that with some insane static from every electronic on the ship, and this vacation is no…

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Book Review: The Bad Guys #14 - They’re Bee-hind You! by Aaron Blabey

8/10 Hopping universes isn’t easy, and you’d better bee-lieve that things are getting even crazier. Still determined to get the One to her destiny, our heroes find themselves in a new universe with a new foe to face. Or a million, because, you know, bees. Meanwhile, the B team is still on the hunt for these mysterious Others. As both teams progress, things get darker and darker. Can they fight…

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Book Review: What’s After Life? by John Burke

9/10 A collection of stories from Burke’s more expansive book called ‘Imagine Heaven’, ‘What’s After Life?’ succinctly explores the experiences of those who have had near-death experiences. Offering just enough to whet the appetite for what’s to come, this book is an excellent, quick read that will stir your heart and turn you toward contemplating the One behind it all. If you’re curious but…

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Book Review: Myrtle Clover Mysteries #25 - Mystery Loves Company by Elizabeth Spann Craig

10/10 It’s Valentine’s Day, but it’s not love in the air. It’s murder. When the florist ends up pushing up daisies, Myrtle is eager to jump in and start interviewing suspects. That’s what usually happens after all. But her sidekick, Miles, is pretty glum about something and isn’t as enthusiastic as usual. Still, he goes along with his friend as they look into Bradley, North Carolina’s latest…

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Book Review: Frozen Charlotte #2 - Charlotte Says by Alex Bell

8/10 Jemima arrives at her new post at a reform school in the hopes of moving past the terrible tragedy of a fire that consumed her mother and stepfather along with most of her belongings. The school, however, turns out to be as far from a safe haven as anything. With a headmistress who seems as strange as she is strict, troubled girls afraid to receive more punishment, and the reunion with an…

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Book Review: Lady Marjorie Snellthorpe #1 - Death of a Blogger by Dawn Brookes

8/10 The first book in a spin-off series, Death of a Blogger introduces us to Marjorie Snellthorpe, a side character in the Rachel Prince Mysteries who is now center stage. With Rachel entering a new phase of life, Marjorie will soon need a new traveling companion. Enter Edna, a snarky cousin-in-law with a bone to pick because of sticky inheritance issues. The two women are nothing alike, but…

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Book Review: Myrtle Clover #24 - A Toast to Murder by Elizabeth Spann Craig

8/10 Only Myrtle Clover can go to a wine-tasting and be completely nonchalant about finding an unexpected body. Then again, she’s found so many, so she’s all ready to solve a murder. There’s no shortage of suspects, from a rival business owner to a disgruntled neighbor to the victim’s daughter. Nobody is talking though despite plenty of motives and a lack of alibis. Myrtle and Miles begin to…

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Book Review: The Bad Guys #13 - Cut to the Chase by Aaron Blabey

8/10 Now that there are two teams, A and B of course (and everybody is COMPLETELY okay with being on Team B, right Joy?), things are really cooking. Team A has just gone through the doorway into another dimension, and Team B is out in space trying to find some mysterious group called “the others.” Between the two teams, the fate of the universe hangs in the balance. No pressure. This book is a…

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Book Review: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder #0.5 - Kill Joy by Holly Jackson

8/10 In this prequel to Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, we see Pip and her friends coming together for a mystery party. Pip isn’t thrilled, but as the night progresses and more questions come up, she finds herself drawn in and wanting to solve the mystery before everybody else. As the night turns more serious, Pip becomes determined to win the game. But are things really as simple as they…

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Book Review: Christianity Uncomplicated #4 - What Exactly Is the Gospel? by James Finke

8/10 In the fourth book in the Christianity Uncomplicated series, we delve into the big question: What exactly is the gospel? The answer to this question is important for all humanity. Chapter by chapter, James Finke goes through various questions about the authenticity, authority, and key points of the gospel message. With simple, clear language, Finke answers the question and encourages deeper…

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Book Review: The Bad Guys #12 - The One?! by Aaron Blabey

8/10 With more power than he knows what to do with, Mr. Snake is faced with a deadly choice. And once he makes it, things will never be the same. Wounded by his past, and the perceptions of those he wanted to be friends with, he is lured in by the promise of power, and he makes a horrible decision. But not all is lost. Agent Fox is not just a normal fox. But what does it mean for her to be The…

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Book Review: Christianity Uncomplicated #3 - The Bible Uncomplicated by James Finke

8/10 In the third book of the series, author James Finke uses his experience as a risk assessor to outline reasons to believe the Bible is the word of God. Using simple language he explains many reasons why he is willing to risk putting everything on the line for the Bible. His straightforward response is refreshing and is a joy to read. If you have read any of the other books in the series and…

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Book Review: Darwin Awards #5 - The Darwin Awards Next Evolution - Chlorinating the Gene Pool by Wendy Northcutt

8/10 Astounding stupidity abounds in these cautionary tales of those who have received a Darwin Award. Full of humor, this book will leave you in disbelief and awe at the incredibly idiotic ways that both men and women (but mostly men) have met their untimely demise (or survived but can no longer pass on their genes). It’s Survival of the Fittest, and unfortunately for the people in this book,…

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Book Review: The Bad Guys #11 - Dawn of the Underlord by Aaron Blabey

8/10 The Bad Guys saved the world from the alien invasion and things seem to be going great. But Mr. Snake has been holed up for months in his room and won’t come out. Mr. Wolf is concerned, but is shunned every time he tries to help. But Mr. Snake needs his friends more than ever, as a dark, evil power grabs ahold of him and begins to slither into his mind. Wil Mr. Snake give into the power? Or…

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Book Review: The Completionist Chronicles #1 - Ritualist by Dakota Krout

8/10 After being paralyzed by an explosion, his wife leaving him, and his whole world falling apart, Joe doesn’t have much hope for living. At least he doesn’t until a company shrouded in secrecy offers him a chance to have a whole new life. After signing the contract, Joe becomes a part of a video game unlike any other. As he navigates a new world full of magic, lore, and almost limitless…

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Book Review: Darwin Awards #4 - The Darwin Awards 4 - Intelligent Design by Wendy Northcutt

8/10 I’m this fourth installment of the Darwin Awards Series, we find even more stupidity that, unsurprisingly, takes a few more people out of the gene pool. It’s actually impressive how some of these people won the award, like filling your house full of gas to try and kill bugs. Is it really any big shock that a fireball ensues? If you enjoyed any of the other books, this one will make you…