AWARENESS TOUR: Alycat and the Copycat by Alysson Foti Bourque, Illustrated by Chiara Civati - REVIEW + GIVEAWAY!

Today, we welcome The Children's Book Review as we join their AWARENESS TOUR already in progress featuring the latest addition to a great kid's series you won't want to miss! Let's get between the epages of author Alysson Foti Bourque's recent release starring your favorite feline friend and mine...

Alycat and the Copycat

Written by Alysson Foti Bourque

Illustrated by Chiara Civati

Ages: 6-8 | 32 Pages

9781455628094

Pelican Publishing

The 8th book in the award-winning Alycat Series – Alycat and the Copycat

“Science doesn’t freak meowt!” Alycat is excited that it’s Science Fair Day, but why is her classmate copying almost everything about her, from the shirt she’s wearing to the project she’s doing? Soon Alycat learns, through patience and kindness, that two similar things can be better when they work together. This latest addition to the kitten picture-book series includes STEM themes; plus instructions for making your own glitter volcano!

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookshop.org

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This story had me freaking MEOWt! 

I love the STEM themes because, let's face it, we need more women in these fields. The love of the subject matter is shown through her volcano experiment as well as get attire. I love the vibrant colors used throughout the illustrated pages. They really capture the eye, while snagging your heart, letting you catch all the feels running around in this story. Speaking of feelings, we've got a great shot of confidence for wee ones embracing these harder subjects early on, and making them their own, plus encouragement from friends, friendship vibes in general, and learning that the things we love and the fields we extend our interests to are better for the extra attention from others than not. In this case, her "copycat" who really is just another kindred spirit that shared her interests... but I get it, it can be hard to recognize it as such at first glance... which makes it all the better that stories like this help introduce those ideas at a young age!

A great addition to the series, and a story that readers both young and young at heart will love. 

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About the author...

Award-winning author, Alysson Foti Bourque, began her career as a teacher after graduating from the University of Louisiana Lafayette with a degree in Elementary Education. She earned a Juris Doctor law degree from the Southern University Law Center in 2007 and was honored to serve her state as Asst. Attorney General for 8 years. In 2016, Alysson began writing children's books, including the Alycat Series and the Rhyme or Reason Travel Series. Alysson founded Expound Publicity to help authors market their books and was a news contributor for tv segments KidLit Picks and BookEnds.

Find Alyson and Alycat online at www.alycatseries.com.

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST

TWITTER | YOUTUBE

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~~~ GIVEAWAY ~~~

Enter the giveaway for a chance to win an eight-book set, including a copy of Alycat and the Copycat and an Alycat plush. One lucky winner will also win a $50 Amazon gift card!

Alycat and the Copycat: Book Giveaway

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Special thanks to Bianca at The Children's Book Review for the chance to bring this tour to you and to the author for the guest post. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This post is sponsored by Alysson Foti Bourque. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.

Be sure to check out the rest of the stops on the tour for more bookish fun!

TOUR SCHEDULE

Tuesday, March 11, 2025 The Children’s Book Review Book Review of Alycat and the Copycat

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 Confessions of a Book Addict Book Spotlight on Alycat and the Copycat

Thursday, March 13, 2025 Barbara Ann Mojica’s Blog Book Review of Alycat and the Copycat

Friday, March 14, 2025 icefairy’s Treasure Chest Book Review of Alycat and the Copycat

Monday, March 17, 2025 The Fairview Review Book Review of Alycat and the Copycat

Tuesday, March 18, 2025 Country Mamas With Kids Book Review of Alycat and the Copycat

Wednesday, March 19, 2025 Mommy’s Block Party Book Review of Alycat and the Copycat

Thursday, March 20, 2025 Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers Book Review of Alycat and the Copycat

Fridau, March 21, 2025 Cover Lover Book Review Book Review of Alycat and the Copycat

Monday, March 24, 2025 Crafty Moms Share Book Review of Alycat and the Copycat

Tuesday, March 25, 2025 Deliciously Savvy Book Review of Alycat and the Copycat

Wednesday, March 26, 2025 Book Zone Reviews Book Review of Alycat and the Copycat

Thursday, March 27, 2025 Q&As with Deborah Kalb Author Interview with Alysson Foti Bourque

Friday, March 28, 2025 Twirling Book Princess Book Review of Alycat and the Copycat

Monday, March 31, 2025 One More Exclamation Author Interview with Alysson Foti Bourque

Tuesday, April 1, 2025 A Blue Box Full of Books Book Review of Alycat and the Copycat

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

Let the joys of commencement commence!: WILL THE PIGEON GRADUATE? by Mo Willems - REVIEW!

Graduation...a milestone in everyone's life on some level, and yet some look at it with joy, and others trepidation.  Is it truly something to fear, or something to make certain we've got the tasseled hat all ready to go for?  Let's take a bird's eye view at the matter with the infamous Pigeon in his latest adventure...

Will the Pigeon Graduate?

Written and Illustrated by

Mo Willems

9781454960430

Union Square Kids

For fans of the series, you know the pigeon and his wily ways...most recently when he tried to drive a sleigh, and was deciding whether a roller coaster ride was what he REALLY wanted.  Today, he's taking his first steps into the world of ADULTING, or at least NEW adulting, as he ventures forth into the unknown.  Okay, that sounded scary, let me rephrase.  He's possibly taking his first steps into the FUTURE as he contemplates whether or not he will graduate.  It's something everyone faces at some point in their lives, whether it be from elementary to middle school, middle to high school, college to...LIFE.  We all have milestones we're reaching for or tracking towards, and that next step into something COMPLETELY new can be scary.  There's so many questions unanswered, and so many questions to ask, and so many things that haven't even been thought about yet, but we're certain they're important that just escaped our minds.  The thing to remember though, the thing that makes it LESS scary....we've all been there, and while unknown, it doesn't have to be feared.  There are new roads to walk, new places to see, new people...and pigeons...to meet, and new goals to reach.  True, there will also be new challenges, but having faith in our own abilities to "fly" will help us truly soar.

A great addition to the series, and a great pick for those about to commence their commencement ceremonies in the near future.  If the Pigeon can do it, why can't we?  

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About the author...

Mo Willems is a number-one New York Times bestselling author and illustrator and the inaugural Education Artist-in-Residence at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He has been awarded three Caldecott Honors for his picture books, and two Theodor Seuss Geisel Medals and five Geisel Honors for his celebrated ELEPHANT & PIGGIE early readers. His debut book, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, was inducted into the Picture Book Hall of Fame. Mo began his career as a writer and animator on Sesame Street, where he garnered six Emmy Awards.

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Special thanks to the Union Square Kids team for the copy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the series, or the author, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now wherever books are sold.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

Time to be FOR REAL with... BEARSUIT TURTLE MAKES A FRIEND by Bob Shea - REVIEW!

Hi there friends!

Time to jump between the epages of a NEW TITLE coming to you via Abrams Books for Young Readers NEXT WEEK!  It's a storybook title that while fun, and creative, it reminds us of a very important lesson to be learned at any age.  Filled with friendship, finding your true self, and more, let's take a closer look at today's ebook of choice...

Bearsuit Turtle Makes a Friend

by

Bob Shea

9781419771552

Abrams Books for Young Readers

Release Date: 03/25/25

This is the story of a FOR REAL bear and a FOR REAL bear expert that discover while it's great to be whatever you want to be, the best thing to be is your FOR REAL self.

I love the imagination shown here, and our friend's dedication to his chosen self. I love how even though his new friends tries to discredit his claims, when things seemingly check out, he's down to support him! The FOR REAL bear facts at the end check out out, but what really check's out is the fact that these two acquaintances are well on their way to becoming besties, and that is something FOR REAL to celebrate.

A great read for wee ones at story time, bedtime, or practically ANY TIME because there's never a bad time to be FOR REAL.

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About the author...

Bob Shea is an acclaimed children’s book author who has written and illustrated over a dozen picture books, including the Dinosaur vs. series and Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great. Shea’s characters have appeared on Playhouse Disney, PBS Kids, and Nick Jr. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, Colleen, and their son, Ryan. He and Colleen own Perfectly Nice, a graphic design studio.

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Special thanks to Anneliese at Abrams Books for Young Readers for eARC for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is set to release March 25th, 2025, so mark your calendar or preorder your copy today!

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

Crack Goes the Cascarón: An Eggcellent Not-Just-for-Easter Shellebration! by Sara Andrea Fajardo, Illustrated by Rocío Arreola Mendoza - REVIEW!

Tis the season for spring filled holidays, and today we're stepping into the traditions of the Latine community as we explore an EGG-cellent celebration that's definitely all it's CRACKED up to be!  Let's step between the pages of a new Storybook title that shares the story of Tori and his familia as they make preparations to see just who should claim the crown as cascarone king/queen!

Crack Goes the Cascarón

An Eggcellent Not-Just-for-Easter Shellebration!

by

Sara Andrea Fajardo

Illustrated by

Rocío Arreola Mendoza

9780593805671

Knopf Books for Young Readers

This fun filled and colorful tale shares with us a tradition that I hadn't heard of before, but found rather EGG-citing!  Colored eggs (or this year potatoes considering the prices 🤣) were always something that brought to mind Easter.  We would hard boil them, let them cool and dry, then die them, or draw on them, or use those little shrinky sleeves to make them MORE than what they were.  We'd use the plastic ones to fill with little treasures or candies and place them in baskets for giving, or outside for egg hunts.  THIS tradition, uses the eggs themselves, emptied, dried, and FILLED with all kinds of things...but most commonly, confetti...and Toni has his eye set on being crowned king of the celebration!  He has it all planned out, and ready to go...but his family isn't EGG-actly taking it lying down.  They may have some plans of their own that are going to shove an EGG shaped obstacle in his path to being ruler!  

I love how the family gets in on the fun, and I ADORE who actually becomes the champion...or rather protects their title.  😃  It sounds like a great way to be playful with family and friends, challenge each other to friendly competition, and carry on a celebration that started somewhere back in the 1800's.  The story along with the EGG-cellent illustrations really bring this party from page to life...as does the HOW-TO on how to make your own!  So, this year when Easter rolls around, maybe you'll start a new tradition in your family...or perhaps surprise them with all you've learned about this one!  😉

And now, for a peek behind the INSPIRATION FOR THE STORY from the author herself....

I wanted to write a book that was a celebration of my latinidad without it being centered on identity. Something that felt like both a celebration and invitation to join in on the fun. 

 

I was inspired by my prankster family. As a kid my brothers loved playing jokes on my sister and me, swapping out our cereal for Legos or tying all the spoons together so that when we pulled one out, we'd get 20 clattering ones instead. 

 

And then, there was my grandmother who on Día de los inocentes (Peruvian April Fools Day) would spare no one. Everyone was a target for one of her pranks. She was tiny, barely grazing five feet, and looked so unassuming, she was the last person anyone would ever suspect. That's where the Abuela character came from. In fact the characters are also named after my family members, Toti is my uncle who is the non-stop entertainer, and Carlita, is my cousin who is whip smart, nothing gets past her.

 

In a nutshell, this book is my homage to fun loving Latine families and one of my all-time favorite traditions, cascarones. It's impossible not to have fun when you have a cascarón in your hand.

About the author...

Sara Andrea Fajardo has been on a life-long path of telling stories: first as a photojournalist, then as a multimedia storyteller for humanitarian aid organizations, and now as a children’s writer. She has lived in Peru, Finland, Japan, Kenya and currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, with her husband and two children.

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About the illustrator...

Rocío Arreola Mendoza is a freelance illustrator and co-founder of Cúrcumas Creative Studio. She has worked with Matamoros City’s Government in Mexico, making commercial illustrations for social media and printed campaigns. She lives in Mexico with her husband, child, and cats.

Special thanks to the Alessandra at Random House Children's Books for the copy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, or the illustrator, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now wherever books are sold.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

My name is...No?: THAT'S NOT FUNNY, DAVID! by David Shannon - REVIEW!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Whether childhood was many many moons ago, or just the other day, we all have moments from those days where we might have mistaken our name for the word NO.  I mean, everyone gets into things sometimes, right?  Everyone let's temptation get the better of them?  Well, today's little lad gets into more than MOST!  Let's check out the latest addition to the No, David! series from author/illustrator David Shannon...

That's Not Funny, David!

Written and Illustrated by

David Shannon

9781546123187

Orchard Books

This is a series that kiddos can relate to and adults can sigh at while trying not to laugh!  If you've stepped into David's world before, this new adventure may not be as surprising because honestly, he gets up to A LOT, but for those newly brought into the circle (*raises hand*), you're in for a few gasps, giggles, and guffaws at the very least.  From artwork created by idle hands and an ill placed marker to finally understanding why cats have and USE their whiskers, there's a little something for everyone to either look fondly back at, or consider from a new angle (and age!) like never before.  Honestly, the joke in my house is that I was born an adult, so many of the antics I can totally say I haven't done first hand, but I mean I know a story about my mom (from her youth) and a screw that ended up somewhere it shouldn't, and who HASN'T reveled in the moment you managed to make someone jump out of their skin...even if it WAS unintentional...mostly.  *ahem*

A fun way to look at childhood through the child's eyes, and another way to take on the challenges that rearing up kiddos can bring...with patience, kindness, and a whole lot of smiles. 

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About the author...

David Shannon entertains us with young David's mischievous shenanigans in this lighthearted story that's sure to leave readers of all ages laughing. With millions of copies in print and five sequels, No, David! hit the ground running in 1998 and was a Caldecott Honor Book, a New York Times Best Illustrated Book, and a classic for over 25 years. Based on a book the author wrote and illustrated when he was five, David captures the timeless no-no's familiar to every child.

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Special thanks to the Scholastic Books team for the ARC for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the series, or the author, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now via Orchard Books.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

Time to show your green and gold!: IT'S NOT EASY BEING A LEPRECHAUN by Marilyn Sadler, Illustrated by Steph Laberis - REVIEW!

Time to show your green and gold!

St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner, and while today's Storybook selection can be read anytime, why not shine the spotlight on it when four leaf clovers, pots of gold, and LEPRECHAUNS are the talk o' the day?  🍀  Ladies and gents, let's step between the pages of today's featured title...

It's Not Easy Being a Leprechaun

By

Marilyn Sadler

Illustrated by

Stephanie Laberis

9780593810330

Random House Books for Young Readers

The outfit.

The color choices.

The clover.

The gold.

So many ways being a leprechaun can be challenging, and make that life on the other side look greener (ironically), but would it TRULY be?  I mean, the life of a fairy seems flight filled and carefree, until you think about the HEIGHTS you'd have to travel to. Beavers seem to have community, be burly, and active, and yet all that BUILDING seems pretty energy consuming!  The life of a King can certainly be grand, but what about the BIG castle with SO MANY rooms...empty.  Connor O'Connor, our leprechaun in question, is truly considering all his options, after all, what better way to discover what he really wants to be.  What he comes to find out in the end is that it's not so much about being someone else, but about being yourself...and that's also the secret to being a good FRIEND.

A clever way to get a timeless message across to readers of all ages, filled with wonderful illustrations that POP right off the page.  It's a story that you'll reach for during the holidays, but also any time you need a little moral boost.  I can definitely see it being a favorite during story time, and LOADS of fun to act out with all the voices...because really, what other way is there with a FUN story like this?  😉

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About the author...

Marilyn Sadler is a children's book author, television producer, and screenwriter. Among the dozens of books she has written are the bestselling Random House Beginner Books It's Not Easy Being a Bunny, It's Not Easy Being Santa Claus, It's Not Easy Being a Ghost, and It's Not Easy Being a Leprechaun. Her picture book Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century inspired the classic Disney Channel movie of the same name. Ms. Sadler's work has received many honors, including an IRA Classroom Choice Award and a Parents' Choice Award.

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Special thanks to Alessandra for copy for review as well as the chance to bring this title to you. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the series, the author or the illustrator, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is available now wherever books are sold.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

Calling all the hip cats and cool chicks!: NORTH BEAT CHRISTMAS by Jenna Zark - REVIEW!

Groovy to you!

We're gonna take a second to relax, unwind, and inhale the moment as we take a gander between the epages of a title that came my way recently.  It's the third release in The Beat Street series from author Jenna Zark, a collection of Middle Grade Historical Fiction tales that brings us to the streets during a time of change, and style.  So if you can DIG IT, let's get between the epages of today's featured title...

  

North Beat Christmas

The Beat Street Series, Book 3

by

Jenna Zark

About the book...

When Christmas is weird instead of wonderful—you can’t just give up.

Twelve-year-old Ruby Tabeata and her older brother Ray are visiting their father in the artists’ neighborhood of North Beach, San Francisco as Christmas approaches in 1958. What should be a glorious holiday turns sour as Ruby and Ray discover their father’s growing addiction to alcohol.

When Ruby finds work at a popular bookstore near her dad’s home, new friends and adventures distract her from worrying.Ruby’s experiences lead her to a daring decision to help her father—and a surprise that brings new meaning to her life. Read more about Ruby’s Beat Generation family in The Beat on Ruby’s Street and Fool’s Errand.

AMAZON

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This is a story for all the cool cats and hip chicks out there.  Whether you're an old soul, or someone that still revels in the culture, it opens the window on the beatnik lifestyle while tying in the everyday challenges that plague any/every generation.  The desire to live our own way on our own terms.  The ill taste that asking others for help can leave in our mouths.  The want to love what we have while still looking to rise to the next level as we see it to be.  I really felt for Ruby and her brother Ray.  I mean, I didn't grow up in their lifestyle, nor do I know anyone that had first hand experience, but through reading these stories (as well as others), you gain some experience in their world.  I wanted to reach in and help them so badly.  All Ruby wanted was to be with her dad.  All Ray wanted was to help his sister out while trying to take care of them both.  All they both got were obstacles bigger than them both, a father that was lost in his own addictions, and more trouble than either deserved from SO many sides.  What they also got, or rather saw more clearly, was who their true friends really were, and that hard choices have to be made sometimes for the greater good of both themselves and others.

This is not a light and airy tale, but it does give readers a glimpse into a time and place in history that was very real for many, for better or worse.  It shows that strength can sometimes be hard to find on our own, but getting help from others is not a weakness. It also reminds us that prejudice and close-mindedness is not a symptom of yesterday, but rather an ongoing issue that is worth fighting against, one voice at a time.

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About the author...

Jenna Zark is a columnist, lyricist, playwright, and novelist. Her most recent book, Crooked Lines, was published under a traditional contract with Koehler Books and received 6 honors in 2023, including the first prize in the Overcoming Adversity Memoir category from Next Generation Indie Book Awards and the silver award in the Religious/Spiritual category from Nautilus Book Awards. Zark's first novel The Beat on Ruby's Street won the Gold Award in 2016 from the Wishing Shelf Awards. It is now joined by Fool's Errand, part two in what has become the Beat Street Series for middle-graders. Zark's play A Body of Water was published by Dramatists Play Service and produced at Circle Repertory Company in New York. Other plays were produced in the Twin Cities, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and elsewhere. Zark is also a member of a lyricist’s collective in the Twin Cities. She’s still trying to figure out if it’s harder to write a play, a novel, or a song. To share your thoughts on that or learn more, please visit jennazark.com .

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Special thanks to Pam (author assistant extraordinaire) for eCopy for review as well as the chance to bring this title to you. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the series, or the author, feel free to click through the links provided above.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

Happy BOOK BIRTHDAY Week to... DIAMOND OF THE SEASON by Tamara Gill - REVIEW!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers!

Today, we're celebrating the BOOK BIRTHDAY week arrival of a NEW Historical Romance series you won't want to miss!  It promises all the romance you can handle with a backstory that'll have you feeling for some while falling for others in no time flat.  Ladies and gents, let's take a closer look at today's featured title...

Diamond of the Season

Heiress, Book 1

by

Tamara Gill

About the book...

She was meant to find a husband—falling for her guardian was never part of the plan.

Lady Rosalind has one goal for her London Season—to secure a respectable husband who will provide her and her younger sisters with the stability their late father never did. As the new ward of the enigmatic and dangerously handsome Duke of Ravensmere, she should be focused on making an advantageous match. Instead, she finds herself drawn to the very man she cannot have.

Lord Nathaniel Blake never expected to inherit a dukedom, nor did he anticipate becoming the guardian of six young ladies thrust into society’s ruthless marriage mart. Bound by duty and honor, he knows Rosalind is off-limits. But when she steals a kiss beneath the shade of a willow tree, his carefully constructed restraint begins to unravel.

Determined to maintain propriety, Nathaniel tries to keep his distance, yet passion simmers between them. And when whispers of scandal arise—her father’s secret family, a conniving companion with designs on the duke, and rivals eager to see Rosalind ruined—she realizes that securing a match is the least of her worries.

With the stakes higher than ever, will Rosalind risk her reputation for the only man her heart desires? Or will duty and deception tear them apart before they have a chance at love?

AMAZON

Shorter than some, but not enough so to be considered a novella, this is the perfect afternoon escape for Historical Romance fans.  It's got steam, it's got heart, it's got history, HIS story, and HER story.  It's got secrets being kept for all the right reasons, new back stories written as a kindness, and futures surely unplanned that just might come to fruition...in the best possible way!  Our leading man is stubborn, but not without kindness.  Our main leading lady is strong, if yet untested by the ton.  Watching their world's collide was both beautiful and breathtaking (steam alert!), but I honestly can't wait for another tour of London to see what's in store for the next sister.  Author Tamara Gill penned a fantastic start to what seems like a very promising series, and genre fans...I'd get started now so as not to miss all the fun!

About the author...

Bestselling author Tamara Gill writes steamy, swoon-worthy Regency and Time-Travel romances with strong, intelligent heroines and heroes you can't help but love. She's an Australian author whose love of writing and reading romance was rekindled while raising her three children. When Tamara is not writing or jetting off to England for more research, which she believes you can never have enough of, you can find her online or by visiting her website. 

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TIKTOK

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Special thanks to author Tamara Gill for the chance to participate in this release as well as the eARC for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the next in the series (SQUEE!!), or the author, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is newly available THIS WEEK with the second planned for release next month, so click on over to snag your copy today!

Until next time, remember... if it looks good, READ IT!