I'm Signing Up for Bout of Books 14

Well, I've always wanted to do a read-a-thon but they are usually on weekends when I have something going on with the kids.  So, I've never felt like I could join in because I'd be lucky to get an hour read let alone 24 hours.

Bout of Books is a week-long challenge and there is no reading requirement.  Here is the blurb:

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 17th and runs through Sunday, August 23rd in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 14 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I've been in a bit of a reading slump after reading 3 books during our 10 day vacation in July.  Nothing seems to really be exciting me and there are so many other things going on that have been taking me away from my reading.

Since this is our last week of summer (school starts next Monday), this is the perfect week to make the time to sit on my porch and read.  My goal is to read two hours each day at the minimum. The four books I have chosen have a total of 1,273 pages, give or take. That figures out to be 181 pages/day that need to be read to finish all four book in these 7 days. Probably not realistic on my part since I do have some commitments this week, but hey, you gotta have a goal right? So, here are the books I'd like to read to this week:

A SMALL INDISCRETION BY Jan Ellison

30 LESSONS FOR LOVING by Karl Pillemer, PhD

THE SOMEDAY JAR by Allison Morgan

AMONG THE TEN THOUSAND THINGS by Julia Pierpont

These are all books that I am behind on reading and reviewing. I am hoping this Bout of Books is the kick in the pants I need to get back on track. I'm also finishing up two books, BELOW THE WATER LINE, which I am loving and THE TRUTH ACCORDING TO US, which is going slow for me. I would like to have these finished before I start on on the other books on Monday. 

Be sure to check out the Bout of Books Blog for any info throughout the week! I plan to do a mid week and wrap up post to let you know how I did! 

Children's Book Review: Oliver and Jumpy - Stories 16-18 By Werner Stejskal

OLIVER AND JUMPY
Stories 16-18

By: Werner Stejskal

Illustrated by: Maycee Ann Reyes (16-17)
Marvin Alonso (18)

Published: October 28, 2014

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services

Fiction/Children's Book

eBook Only

Werner Stejskal is very persuasive when it comes to asking for readers to read and review his books. He is obviously proud of his writing and wants to get it in the hands of as many readers as possible. And he is certainly correct in being proud. His stories are quite good and would easily engage children, especially fans of animals and silly stories.

Oliver is a black tomcat and his best friend, Jumpy, is a Kangaroo. Their stories include silly adventures with vivid illustrations to keep even the youngest child interested. These books are only available as an eBook. These eBooks offer a way for you to take these books everywhere you go...on your kindle, smartphone, and tablet.

In story 16, Who Am I, Oliver is taking a nap under a tree when a coconut drops on his head. He wakes up with quite a bump on his head and without any memory of who he is. He asks his fellow forest dwellers, including chickens, a squirrel, and a horse, if he is one of them. He then runs into his best friend, Jumpy. Will Jumpy be able to help Oliver remember who he is?

In story 17, Up the Tree, Oliver decides he wants to climb the big tree. On his way, he runs in to many animals who make their home in the tree. When a storm hits, Oliver climbs even higher and finds a surprise at the very top of the tree.

Photo from Moon Crystal provided by author

In story 18, Moon Crystal, you really need to use your imagination. Oliver and Jumpy have been requested to travel to the moon and do so by riding in a spaceship that is tossed by the friendly giant. Once on the moon, they need to collect moon crystals that are used to make people well. Hopefully, after a few mishaps, Oliver and Jumpy will be able to carry out their task and return home with the crystals.

Out of the three stories, I liked Who Am I the best. Each story uses imagination and silliness along with teaching a lesson. The tales moves quickly using both dialogue and narration. The pictures are vivid and even though they use different illustrators, it is hard to tell the difference.

With over 30 stories in this series, you and your child can read about Oliver and Jumpy for many nights to come.  The stories allow for "pop up text" to make it easier for your early reader to follow along.

All of the eBooks range from free to under $3.00, so it is easy to add a new one to your Kindle library and continue on with the adventures of Oliver and Jumpy.

Werner Stejskal

Born in Vienna, Austria, I am now living in the paradise of Perth, Australia with my wife, two married children and three grandchildren. I worked many years in the printing industry and later for the United Nations in Vienna. My wife had been a pen-friend, whom I visited in Hong Kong and finally got married to. After an eventful life, finally retired, I began to write children's stories, had them illustrated through Odesk, narrated them myself for YouTube and finally published the ebooks on most platforms. I will publish 17 books with three stories each in English, before translating into several other languages. My dream is to see "Oliver and Jumpy" animated as a TV series.

For more information:
Website: http://www.bedtimestory4you.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/werner.stejskal?_rdr=p
Twitter: https://twitter.com/OliverandJumpy
Amazon: Werner Stejskal on Amazon

I'll be linking up with Booking Mama's Kid Konnection on Saturday. Kid Konnection is a feature that allows other bloggers to participate and share about children's and YA books.

If you'd like to purchase a copy of OLIVER AND JUMPY, Stories 16-18, click the photo below:




Thanks to the author for sending a copy of his book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. I was not compensated in any way for this review. If you choose to purchase the books through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com. 

Books That Came My Way in July 2015

I haven't accepted many books this summer because I'm trying to catch up on all the great books I received this spring. Plus I took a blogging and reviewing break to focus on family. I read three books on my vacation and am about done with two more. So there will be reviews coming. School starts for us in just two weeks! I don't even want to think about it. I'm subbing right away that first week, so I won't get back into my routine right away. It will be a bittersweet two weeks as the kids enjoy the last few days of summer and even though I am craving routine again, I don't want these summer days and nights to end. 

As always, if I am choosing to read a book, then you can be sure that I truly think it is worthy of my time. Of course, some books just find their way to my mailbox without my previous knowledge. I am only going to spend time reading and reviewing books that I enjoy. If I'm not feeling it, I'm going to put it aside. I can't get to all these great books that come my way, but at least I can tell you about them here and I hope to review them just as soon as I can!

Enjoy these few books that came my way in July!

If you would like to purchase any of these books, 

clicking on the photo of the book will take you directly to Amazon.  

If you choose to purchase, I will receive a small commission 

without you having to pay any more for your purchase.  

I appreciate your support of SincerelyStacie.com reviews. 

I'm linking up with The Deliberate Reader to share our stacks of books for May.

To see  her Stack of Books as well as other bloggers Book Stacks, click HERE. 

Books for Review

THE SOMEDAY JAR
A Novel
By: Allison Morgan
Published: July 7, 2015
Publisher: Berkley
Format: Paperback

This is one of those books where the cover got my attention. Then when I read the synopsis, I knew it was one I had to read. It reminds me of Lori Nelson Spielman's THE LIFE LIST (see my review HERE) that I just loved. I can't wait to read this one!

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMON-DROP MARTINIS...
Real-estate broker Lanie Howard figures she has the perfect man, the perfect job, and the perfect life. Then she stumbles across her old Someday Jar, the forgotten glass relic where she stashed all the childhood wishes—no matter how crazy—that her father encouraged her to write down on the backs of Chinese restaurant fortunes. She used to be fun once! What happened to her?

DON'T CHOKE ON THE RIND.
Although Lanie is wary of uncorking her past, when an attractive stranger saves her from a life-or-death encounter with a lemon peel at the bottom of a martini glass, she realizes that life is way too short for regrets. Now, jar in hand, Lanie decides to throw caution to the wind, and carry out everything she had once hoped to do, even if it means leaving her perfectly “perfect” life behind.

BELOW THE WATER LINE
Getting Out, Going Back, and Moving Forward in the Decade after Hurricane Katrina
By: Lisa Karlin
Published: July 3, 2015
Publisher: Centennial
Format: Paperback

I'm participating in a book tour for this book. I'll be reviewing this book on August 24, 2015. I usually enjoy these types of memoirs that discuss tragedy and their courage to overcome obstacles. I think this book will highlight a lot of issues still causing problems after Hurricane Katrina.

Lisa Karlin's memoir describes her family’s hurricane evacuation experiences and all that followed in the decade after Hurricane Katrina. In August 2005, Lisa, her husband, thirteen-year-old daughter, eleven-year-old son, and two dogs evacuated New Orleans for what they thought would be a two-day “hurrication.” Her day-by-day account of the weeks that follow vividly chronicles the unprecedented displacement of thousands of Americans, and on a personal level, describes how her family makes the trifecta of major life decisions: where to live, where to work, and where to enroll their children in school. Lisa Karlin provides a personal commentary on how everyday life has been impacted by Katrina’s aftermath and how, a decade later, there are still lingering effects of one of the most devastating events in American history. 

THE BOURBON KINGS
The Bourbon Kings #1
By: J.R. Ward
Published: July 28, 2015
Publisher: NAL
Format: Hardcover

JR Ward is raved as an amazing storyteller. I'm not into paranormal romance which she is well-known for, but this book really intrigued me. Even those this is still touted as a "romance novel", I'm still interested to see how I like it. As you can see, it is the first in a series of books, so I'm sure her fans will be thrilled to continue the saga.

For generations, the Bradford family has worn the mantle of kings of the bourbon capital of the world. Their sustained wealth has afforded them prestige and privilege—as well as a hard-won division of class on their sprawling estate, Easterly. Upstairs, a dynasty that by all appearances plays by the rules of good fortune and good taste. Downstairs, the staff who work tirelessly to maintain the impeccable Bradford facade. And never the twain shall meet.

For Lizzie King, Easterly’s head gardener, crossing that divide nearly ruined her life. Falling in love with Tulane, the prodigal son of the bourbon dynasty, was nothing that she intended or wanted—and their bitter breakup only served to prove her instincts were right. Now, after two years of staying away, Tulane is finally coming home again, and he is bringing the past with him. No one will be left unmarked: not Tulane’s beautiful and ruthless wife; not his older brother, whose bitterness and bad blood know no bounds; and especially not the ironfisted Bradford patriarch, a man with few morals, fewer scruples, and many, many terrible secrets.

As family tensions—professional and intimately private—ignite, Easterly and all its inhabitants are thrown into the grips of an irrevocable transformation, and only the cunning will survive. 

THE SUMMERTIME GIRLS
By: Laura Hankin
Published: August 4, 2015
Publisher: Berkley
Format: eBook

Friendships, secrets, Maine setting come together for a story I'm sure to enjoy. It reminds me of books by authors Wendy Wax and Barbara Delinsky that I loved.

When two lifelong friends reunite for one more summer in small-town Maine, they must bridge the gap caused by the dreams and secrets that tore them apart…

Ally Morris and Beth Abbott were beyond inseparable. From the very first time they met, the girls knew they’d found a once-in-a-lifetime friendship. But sometimes, life can’t help but get in the way.

As time goes by, disappointments and petty resentments begin to alter what they once thought was forever. Ally’s boho lifestyle leaves her drowning in confusion and cheap whisky, while a terrible secret threatens to shatter Beth’s carefully controlled world. By the time they need each other most, Ally and Beth are nearly strangers to each other.

When a family crisis prompts Beth to contact Ally for help out of the blue, the girls reunite in Maine. But the distance between them is overwhelming. To save their friendship, Ally and Beth will have to confront painful moments in their past and redefine who they are—before their incredible connection fades away for good.

CHILDREN'S BOOK OF MAGIC
30 Magic Tricks for Young Wizards
By: Konrad Modzelewski
Published: April 22, 2015
Publisher: Appetite for Education
Format: eBook

I thought our daughter would enjoy reading this book and trying out some of the magic tricks. Knowing the secrets and illusions behind some tricks will be fun to learn.

Children's Book of Magic will take your child into a fascinating world of magic and illusion. The secrets are revealed by a young, yet famous illusionist Konrad Modzelewski. The book is not only great entertainment, but it will also:

improve your child's memory 
boost their creativity 
develop their manual, acting and interpersonal skills, as they can perform the tricks in front of their parents, teachers or friends 
introduce them to basic physics concepts 

The book contains 30 magic tricks with beautiful and funny cartoons as well as detailed explanation and tips on how to perform them. Three difficulty levels make the book perfect for children starting from 4, up to 9 years of age.

Abracadabra, Hocus Pocus... With this book you'll not limit yourself to these magic words, but you'll actually do magic! You'll be able to break the law of gravity, make objects disappear or even read people's minds.And the best thing is you will need just a few everyday items such as coins or markers. Have a magical time!

Books I Purchased

THE GLASS KITCHEN
A Novel of Sisters
By: Linda Francis Lee
Published: June 17, 2014
Publisher: St Martin's Press
Format: eBook

I've been wanting to read this book ever since it came out. I love the cove and the fact that it is about sisters. This was as Daily Kindle Deal so I snagged it for just $1.99. Remember, you can always check out the Daily Kindle Deals by clicking on the right side of my blog that says DAILY KINDLE DEALS.

Portia Cuthcart never intended to leave Texas. Her dream was to run the Glass Kitchen restaurant her grandmother built decades ago. But after a string of betrayals and the loss of her legacy, Portia is determined to start a new life with her sisters in Manhattan... and never cook again. 

But when she moves into a dilapidated brownstone on the Upper West Side, she meets twelve-year-old Ariel and her widowed father Gabriel, a man with his hands full trying to raise two daughters on his own. Soon, a promise made to her sisters forces Portia back into a world of magical food and swirling emotions, where she must confront everything she has been running from. What seems so simple on the surface is anything but when long-held secrets are revealed, rivalries exposed, and the promise of new love stirs to life like chocolate mixing with cream. 

The Glass Kitchen is a delicious novel, a tempestuous story of a woman washed up on the shores of Manhattan who discovers that a kitchen—like an island—can be a refuge, if only she has the courage to give in to the pull of love, the power of forgiveness, and accept the complications of what it means to be family.

THE ESSENTIAL CAKE BOSS
By: Buddy Valastro
Published: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Atria
Format: Paperback

During a trip to Half-Price Books my daughter spotted this book. She is a huge fan of the show Cake Boss and has the DVR set to record every episode. So, while her cousins were visiting we made cupcakes and decorated them with Buddy's Buttercream Frosting. You can see in my photo above that she has marked several pages of recipes and techniques she wants to try. It  looks like we will be eating a lot of sweets in our future.

Everyone who works at Carlo’s Bake Shop gets an on-the-job education on how to bake like a pro. Now you can get that training in The Essential Cake Boss, a collection of Buddy’s recipes and techniques that are the building blocks of his show-stopping desserts. You’ll learn to work with baking and decorating equipment, bake perfectly moist cupcakes and cakes, and work magical effects with frosting and fondant. With Buddy’s inspiring enthusiasm and stories from the bake shop told in his inimitable voice, The Essential Cake Boss provides you with the tools for making his most popular, signature creations. A unique chart lets you mix and match cake flavors, frosting, and liqueur syrup to create your own personal trademark cakes. Plenty of gorgeous, step-by-step instructional photos let you follow Buddy as he shows how to create his artistic flourishes and decorations. An incomparable dessert education,The Essential Cake Boss will become a beloved reference for aspiring and skilled bakers alike.


Bursting with delicious, tried-and-true recipes, how-to boxes and sidebars, and numerous tricks of the trade, The Essential Cake Boss is a rare treat—a fun, accessible guide to baking, all in a gloriously designed, fully illustrated package worthy of the Cake Boss’s unique artistic vision.

Children's Bedtime Stories - National Book Lovers Day with Casper Mattresses

Reading to our kids has been important from Day One. Our oldest was read to every night before bed and then when our second son was born just a little over a year later, I had to make room on my lap for two. Of course, he was also hearing the stories while in the womb. Then a few years later, our daughter and I were able to relive all our favorite stories that I had loved reading to the boys, as well as some new favorites.

Casper Mattress - source

Sunday is National Book Lover's Day and I'm joining with Casper Mattresses to bring you my favorite Children's Bedtime Stories.  Casper is a sleep startup that launched a little over a year ago with one perfect mattress. At Casper, we know that bedtime is the best time. We also know that reading a good book is so much better than counting sheep (we've got a hotline that reads bedtime stories to prove it). Casper has created a mattress that contours to your body while retaining a bounce and a cool temperature. Their mattresses are designed, developed, and manufactured in the USA! Casper offers a 100 night trial guarantee, a 10-year warranty, and free delivery.  Be sure to check them out at https://casper.com/mattresses.

Sleep is good, he said, and books are better. 

George R. R. Martin

So, in celebration of National Book Lovers Day, I wanted to share with you my favorite books that were read to our kids at bedtime. Many of these have been read so often over the years that I can recite them by heart! These are also books that I am holding on to in hopes of reading them to my grandchildren some day. I also frequently give these books as new baby gifts to share that special moment of cuddling and reading to your child. Some of the books I mention below are currently out of print (our boys are 15 and 14 already), but you may be able to find them at garage sales, used book stores or ebay. They are all classics in my mind!

By clicking on the titles of the books, you will be taken to Amazon. 

If you choose to purchase, I may receive a small commission 

without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. 

Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com. 

We loved starting bedtime with some of our favorites which always included one or two Sandra Boynton books. These are REQUIRED reading for kids. The stories are silly and get kids and parents to have fun while reading.  The above books are our favorites and ones that I usually include in new baby gifts too.

Pajama Time! - Read this first and get your kids excited to get ready for bed by putting on their pjs and brushing their teeth. You can put yours on too and get everybody excited about Pajama Time! Jamma, Jamma, Jamma, P! J!

Blue Hat, Green Hat - This one always made our kids giggle.  It's a silly story that describes what different animals are wearing, some the wrong way. You'll see a turkey wearing pants on his head....OOPS, or shoes on his head....OOPS, and finally turkey gets it right only to dive in the pool fully clothed....OOPS. 

Snuggle Puppy A Love Song - A great reason to snuggle with your child and smother them with hugs and kisses.  Oh, and you'll have to sing too! You can make up your own tune to the words, "OooOOo! Snuggle Puppy of mine! Everything about you is especially fine! I love what you are! I love what you do! OoooOOO! I LOVE YOU!" 

Doggies - This is a great one for teaching counting with your kids in a silly way. Our boys always giggled during this one. Ten different dogs are featured, each with a unique bark. Each page repeats the barks from the previous page. "One dog. Woof! Two dogs. Woof! Yap yap! Three dogs. Woof! Yap yap! ...nnn... ...nnn... ...nnn..."  Your kids will love hearing you pretend to bark along and will want to count the dogs on the pages.

Kitten - DK Publishing - When the kids were little, we were the owners of two cats. This story about two kittens, Pickles and Pepper, reminded them of our cats. The kids always got a kick out of this story of two kittens hiding from each other. "Where can Pickle be hiding? I can see you, Pickle!"  

The Very Hungry Caterpillar - A classic that should be in EVERY child's library.  The kids loved reciting all the foods the caterpillar ate and then waiting for us to say..."He was a big, fat caterpillar." in a loud, raspy voice. A great gift idea for new babies and toddlers!

Hide and Go Peep! - Since I grew up on a farm, I loved reading books to the kids that involved farm animals. When three baby chicks go missing, all the farm animals gather together to find them.  The book teaches animal sounds and shows actual photographs of baby animals with their parents. So cute!

You have to have fun at bedtime or the kids won't look forward to it. By incorporating these fun and silly stories into our story time, we got the kids excited to listen!

Inside a Zoo in the City - I love read-along books. These books allow your kids to get involved in the reading too as each page builds on the previous page. In among the words are pictures to cue your child to read-along. Even though we read this at bedtime, this book tells the story of a zoo waking up in the morning to get ready for its visitors. Before they could read, the kids loved feeling like they were reading along with us.

Tumble Bumble - I've given this one several times as a gift because it is such a fun story.  I've read this one so many times, I can read it by heart. It tells of several animals from a bug to an alligator to a baby pig who stroll through town and enter a house and along with a few more friends find a bed to take a nap in together. It teaches counting as well. The best part was the last page where our sons couldn't wait to say, "HOORAY!" 

Favorite Bedtime Tales - I wanted to not only share new stories with our kids but classics from our childhood as well. This book features five family classics that every child should have read to them at least once. If you notice in the photo above, I hid it a bit because it is completely falling apart. This was a much-loved book and proves the classic are just as fun as the new stories.  The stories featured in this compilation are THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, THE THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF, GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS, THE LITTLE RED HEN, and THE GINGERBREAD MAN. 

Baby Einstein: Violet's House - Our kids grew up when Baby Einstein videos were really popular. I swear it is part of the reason our kids love music so much.  So, when we had our girl, I had to get this book for her. It was a favorite because it is a huge book and had lots of touch and feel items on each page. Of course it ended with Violet being tucked into bed for the night, so it was a perfect book to get our daughter ready for bed.

Guess How Much I Love You - This is a popular one given as a new baby gift. That was how it came into our life. Big Nutbrown Hare and Little Nutbrown Hare are having a competition over how much they love each other and they show it by reaching high, hopping, and jumping high. But Big Nutbrown Hare can always go higher than Little Nutbrown Hare. But as Little Nutbrown Hare gets tucked in for the night, he thinks he has come up with the way to show that he loves the most.  But, of course, a parents love is always more and Big Nutbrown Hare shares the classic saying, "I love you right up to the moon - and back." 

I Love You As Much... - This is a story for a mother and her child since the story revolves around the love between a mother and her baby. "Said the mother horse to her child, 'I love you as much as a warm summer breeze.' "  A mother camel, sheep, whale and many more share how much they love their child until the end when a mother is tucking in her baby for the night saying, "I love you as much as a mother can love." 

Going to Sleep on the Farm - A boy is in his jammies and is quite possibly trying to avoid bedtime by asking his dad questions about their farm. He asks his father, "How does a cow go to sleep - tell me how? How does a cow go to sleep?" After the father answers, the boy proceeds to ask about all the animals on the farm in the same way. Repetition and gorgeous illustrations explain about animals getting ready for bed and soon the boy is asleep as well. It's a very sweet story and one to be sure to get your child ready for bed.

Time for Bed - This is my ABSOLUTELY FAVORITE BEDTIME BOOK. Did I mention that our kids are 15, 14, and 10? Well, I STILL recite this book every now and then at bedtime. In fact, writing about this book just gets me teary. We read this book EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. I know this whole book by heart and it is very special to me. I give this one as gifts all the time. It's time for the animals to get ready for bed starting with a mouse, "Its time for bed little mouse, little mouse. Darkness is falling all over the house.". Each animal family gets ready for bed with their own little rhyme. Gorgeous illustrations and a dreamy story will be sure to get any child snuggled up for bed.


I hope you have enjoyed all these books and have been able to reminisce about either your own childhood stories or ones you read to your kids. If you haven't started reading with your child at bedtime, now is the time to start. The memories you share will be priceless. Thanks for allowing me to share these memories with you. This may be one of my favorite posts because it caused me to stop and remember those glorious memories of rocking our kids and reading stories to them every night. Precious memories that I hope each of them will carry on to their children some day.  Then I will be able to snuggle up at night with my grandchildren and read these stories over and over again. Someday......

I will be linking up this post with other bloggers on BOOKING MAMA'S KID KONNECTION on Saturday. Other posts related to children's and YA books will be shared there. Be sure to click HERE to see all the other great children's books posts.



Thanks to Casper Mattress for the great idea for this post. I appreciate them allowing me to reminisce about bedtime stories along with sharing about their mattress. Be sure to visit their website, HERE.