Coo by Kaela Noel

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Original, heart-warming and quirky! Coo was raised by pigeons and has spent her childhood living on a rooftop, never coming into contact with another human. That all changes when one of her flock is injured and she needs to get help. The author does a fantastic job of detailing Coo's world, from the unique language of the pigeons, to Coo's charming reactions as she starts interacting with humans. I read this aloud to my 9 and 12 year old and we all loved it! Perfect for grade 2 and up as a read aloud or grade 4 and up if they're reading it on their own.

Feels Like Falling by Kristy Woodson Harvey

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

This was my first book by Kristy Woodson Harvey and I really enjoyed it. If you enjoy Elin Hilderbrand, you'll probably be a fan too. Told from the viewpoints of Gray, a 35 year old, newly divorced mom of an 8 year old and Diana, a newly single, down-on-her luck 40 year old that is currently between jobs and between homes. This is a light beach read but with beautifully developed characters that you will fall in love with and that will have you tearing up in the end. I really enjoyed the new definitions of family and the strong female bonds that developed. Thank you to Kristy Woodson Harvey, #TallPoppyWriters group and #NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

Hold On, But Don't Hold Still by Kristina Kuzmic Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰ Every mom needs to read this book. Kristina Kuzmic has a funny but raw and honest way of telling it how it is and encouraging moms to be kind to ourselves. Part memoir, part mom handbook, this is one that I will come back to to remind myself that no one is perfect and I'm doing just fine.

The Elephant's Girl By Celesta Rimington

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

I read this aloud to my 9 and 12 year old and we all loved it! Packed with adventure, mystery, a friendly ghost and facts about elephants, this book has something for everyone. Great character development and perfect pacing. If you're a fan of "The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate or "The Magician's Elephant" by Kate DiCamillo you don't want to miss "The Elephant's Girl". Thank you to Crown Books and #NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. This title is scheduled to be released on May 19, 2020

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackay

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Love, love, loved this sweet story and will continue to read it again and again. Not only do I want to frame every gorgeous illustration but it was also brimming with insights into life and the importance of mindfulness. I read this with my 9 and 12 year old as part of a Family Book Club event with our local bookstore and we all agreed that we couldn't decide which page was our favorite because we loved them all.

Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

A fantastic middle-grade read aloud especially if you frequent Cape Cod or are a lover of weather or sharks as there are lots of mentions of all three. My kids also enjoyed that there are anagrams hidden throughout the story that she details in the author's notes and gives hints about on her website. This was a great quarantine-homeschool activity! Perfect for 3rd-8th graders.

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

Twisty and dark! Told from the viewpoints of Rose Gold and her mother Patty, we learn the story of how Patty ended up in prison for munchausen by proxy and follow the events that occur after her release. I was concerned that this was going to be too dark for me but it was just right. Perfectly paced and chilling conclusion. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for allowing me to read a pre-release in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (Audio Version)

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

Reminiscent of The Heart's Invisible Furies and Mrs. Everything, this sprawling novel spans the lifetimes of Maeve & Danny Conroy against the backdrop of the home that they were exiled from. I listened to this on audio book and I highly recommend it. I may need Tom Hanks to read all of my future audiobooks.