The Schmutzy Family by Madelyn Rosenberg

Synopsis:
The Schmutzys are very messy all week long and Mama seems not to notice, but when Friday comes it is time for everyone to pitch in and clean up for Sabbath.

My Thoughts:
The Schmutzy family is an interesting children's book. I don't think I have ever read anything like it before. In The Schmutzy Family, the children are very messy and dirty. They love mud, earthworms, dirt, and frogs. If there's a mess to get into, they're going to find it and get into it. 

The mother doesn't mind. There are blueberry stains everywhere, and they even draw on the walls. The mother doesn't even bat an eye. That slightly bothered me. It's not realistic. If I would have done any of the things that they do when I was a child, I would have gotten into a heck of a lot of trouble. 


The only time the mother is bothered by the mess is Shabbos. Shabbos is the Jewish Sabbath. The book teaches a lot about the Jewish culture, which I did like. It even has a glossary for children and parents to look at together. Other than the book not being realistic at times, I enjoyed it.

I give The Schmutzy Family: 4/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://www.madelynrosenberg.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madelynrosenbergbooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/madrosenberg
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5861864.Madelyn_Rosenberg

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

Review Copy Cleanup 4.0

According to my Goodreads shelf, I have seven hundred review books that I need to read and review. I'm not entirely sure how accurate that is, but I do know that I have a lot of review books that I need to finish. That's why the Review Copy Cleanup challenge is perfect for me. It is hosted by Vicki from Biscuits, Books, and Tea, and Celine from Nyx Book Reviews.

Here are some of the guidelines:

• The Review Copy Cleanup 4.0 runs from 1 to 28 February It starts and ends at midnight according to your local timezone to avoid confusion.
• Every book you received for review counts towards the challenge, both e-books and hard copies (even audiobooks for review, if you have those), including all genres and lengths 
• Feel free to use the #RCCleanup hashtag on Twitter for your RCC related tweets or join in the Twitter party at http://tweetchat.com/room/RCCleanup and meet lots of awesome bloggers (:

I'm not entirely sure what my tbr will be yet, but I'm hoping to finish close to twenty books. Some of the books that I will definitely be reading are:

Horizon by Alyson Noel:

Daire Santos is the last of the Soul Seekers, and the only thing standing between the Richters and the destruction of everyone she loves. With her grandmother gone and Cade back in Enchantment, Daire must finally step into her destiny and lead the fight against the Richters. But what if that means sacrificing the person she loves most?

Bound to the Richters by blood, Dace struggles against the darkness growing inside him that threatens to claim Daire too. Though Daire refuses to give up on him, the choice may not be hers. An epic battle is on the horizon and the end of the world looms near. With such insurmountable odds stacked against them, is their love really enough to conquer all?

Fractured by Teri Terry:

How do you know where to go when you don't remember where you came from?

Kyla's memory has been erased,
her personality wiped blank,
her memories lost for ever.

Or so she thought.

Kyla shouldn't be able to remember anything. But she can - and she's beginning to realise that there are a lot of dark secrets locked away in her memories. When a mysterious man from her past comes back into her life, she thinks she's on her way to finding the truth. But the more she learns about her history, the more confusing her future becomes...

Set in a disturbing future world, FRACTURED is an engrossing, fast-paced read that establishes Teri Terry as a master thriller writer.

Nick and Tesla's High Voltage Danger Lab:

Nick and Tesla are bright 11-year-old siblings with a knack for science, electronics, and getting into trouble. When their parents mysteriously vanish, they’re sent to live with their Uncle Newt, a brilliant inventor who engineers top-secret gadgets for a classified government agency. It’s not long before Nick and Tesla are embarking on adventures of their own—engineering all kinds of outrageous MacGyverish contraptions to save their skin: 9-volt burglar alarms, electromagnets, mobile tracking devices, and more. Readers are invited to join in the fun as each story contains instructions and blueprints for five different projects.


In Nick and Tesla’s High-Voltage Danger Lab, we meet the characters and learn how to make everything from rocket launchers to soda-powered vehicles. Learning about science has never been so dangerous—or so much fun!

Are participating in the Review Copy Cleanup 4.0? If you are, leave a link to your post below, so I can check out which books you are reading. Also, if you've read any of these books, leave a comment and let me know what you thought of them.

Penguin on Vacation by Salina Yoon

Synopsis:
Penguin's tired of the snow and cold--so he decides to go on vacation! But where should he go? And what new friends will he meet along the way?

Seasoned illustrator Salina Yoon's spare text and bright, energetic illustrations bring this favorite character to life, ensuring that readers will be clamoring for more Penguin stories--whether they find their home in the cold or the warm.

My Thoughts:
Once again, Salina Yoon has written a great children's book. My friend's son loved Salina's first Penguin book, Penguin and Pinecone. He also loved Penguin on Vacation.

Penguin on Vacation teaches children the importance of friendship, just like Penguin and Pinecone did. The book also teaches children to make the best of a bad situation. When Penguin went on vacation, he was upset. Vacation was nothing like what he thought it would be. He couldn't sled, ski, or skate. Instead of moping and sulking for the remainder of his vacation, he did something about it. He made a new friend and learned new things to do. Then he took the thins he learned and showed his friends how to do it when he got home. He also made a life long friendship with crab. I hope that Salina Yoon writes more books about Penguin and his friends.

I give Penguin on Vacation: 5/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://salinayoon.com/Home.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salina.yoon.7?fref=ts
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/34806.Salina_Yoon

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

100 Ghosts by Doogie Horner

Synopsis:
Cut two eyeholes into a bedsheet and BOO! You’ve got yourself a classic Halloween icon. But what does that ghosts look like when he's shy? Or in love? Or a pirate, a llama, a Bona villain, or Russian nesting doll? 100 Ghosts explores every sort of spook in a series of whimsically haunting illustrations. It's a delightful collection for adults, children, and anyone in need of a friendly fright.

My Thoughts:
I'm not entirely sure what to say about 100 Ghosts. I didn't really have any feelings one way or the other about the book. It's just a book with pictures of different types of ghosts. When I pick up a book, I want something that intrigues me. It has to challenge me on an intellectual level. 100 Ghosts obviously didn't do that.

That being said, it was a cute book. The book made me chuckle quite a few times. I loved all of the geeky references. There were Star Wars and Harry Potter references, along with a few superheroes. The Harry Potter reference was my favorite. 

100 Ghosts would make a great coffee table book for Halloween. It might also make a cute book for children, although I'm not sure they would understand all of the jokes and references.

I give 100 Ghosts: 3/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://doogiehorner.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DoogieHorner
Tumblr: http://doogiehorner.tumblr.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DoogieHorner

I received this book from the publisher, Quirk Books, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

The Misadventures of Salem Hyde: Spelling Trouble by Frank Cammuso

Synopsis:
Salem Hyde just isn’t like other kids. For one thing, she’s stubborn, independent, and impulsive. For another, she’s a witch. Salem acts first and thinks later—which means most of her thinking involves coming up with excuses!
Good thing she’s been assigned an animal companion, Lord Percival J. Whamsford III. This over-anxious cat doesn’t like Salem calling him "Whammy,” and Salem doesn’t like listening to his long-winded explanations as to why she shouldn’t do something . . . like enter the class spelling bee.
Salem knows she can beat all her classmates at spells, no problem. Too late, she realizes the competition is about spelling words, not magic. And there’s nothing like a misspelled spell to cause all kinds of havoc!

My Thoughts:
The Misadventures of Salem Hyde is a great graphic novel. It had me constantly cracking up laughing. From the first page, I knew that this was going to turn into one of my favorite graphic novels. I loved everything about it. 

The plot was fun. I liked trying to guess what kind of crazy hijinks Salem and Whammy were going to get into next. The 'What Witch' test was one of my favorite scenes in the book. It was a spoof of 'Who's on First', which is one of my favorite comedy sketches of all time. The dinosaur scene at the beginning was also enjoyable. In fact, I don't think I went a page without chuckling.

I will definitely be buying The Misadventures of Salem Hyde when it comes out. The ARC I received was in black and white, but the final copy will be in color. I am excited to see that, and to fall in love with the graphic novel all over again. I can't wait for the next volume to be released.

I give The Misadventures of Salem Hyde: Spelling Trouble: 5/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://www.cammuso.com/index.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SalemHyde
Tumblr: http://salemhyde.tumblr.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/166614.Frank_Cammuso

I received a copy of this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

The Year of the Great Seventh by Teresa Orts

Synopsis:
Sophie has always felt out of step—an outsider, even amongst friends in her high school with all the hype about celebrity culture. Her life in L.A. seems to have been already written for her, but when her junior year starts, it all takes a drastic turn. When she crosses paths with the school's heartthrob, Nate Werner, they fall for each other in a way neither can understand. What they don’t know is that by giving in to their desires, they are unlocking an ancient Egyptian prophecy that threatens to return Earth to the dark ages.

To undo the curse, Nate and Sophie embark on an adventure that takes them across the country. But their quest is not only to save the world as they know it. It is also a fight for their very survival. Behind the scenes, there are those that are counting on them to fail.

My Thoughts:
The Year of the Great Seventh ended up almost being a DNF (Did Not Finish) for me. I was bored the entire time I was reading it. The only thing that had me continuing on was the hope that it would get better, which it did not.

When I first saw The Year of the Great Seventh on Goodreads, I thought the synopsis sounded intriguing. I love stories about any type of mythology. Sadly, the plot of the book did not deliver. 

I thought Sophie was very whiny and insecure. Nate was just a jerk. He was emotionally abusive to Sophie. If I was Sophie, I would have dropped him like a bad habit

In the end, the plot did pick up and get a little more interesting. However, I could have cared less whether the characters lived or died at that point. Due to my lack of interest in this book, it took me about a month to read. I don't think I will be reading any more books in this series.

I give The Year of the Great Seventh: 1/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://www.teresaorts.com/Home_2.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teresa.orts.9
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7012142.Teresa_Orts

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

My Dog, My Cat by Ashlee Fletcher

Synopsis:
In this bright new picture book, the author describes all the differences between her dog and cat, who don't always get along. Her dog barks; her cat meows. Her dog likes steak; her cat likes tuna. Her dog's tongue is wet; her cat's tongue is rough. But the story ends on a delightfully sweet note when the author reveals what her dog and cat have in common — a love of pizza and a love of their owner. The strong lines and fresh colors make this book an appealing read as young readers learn about normal behaviors for the two most popular pets, and that even the most different of creatures can find things in common.

My Thoughts:
My Dog, My Cat is an adorable children's book. The book teaches children the difference between dogs and cats. They both like different things. Also, there are some things that dogs can do that cats can't, and vice versa. For example, dogs have to use the bathroom outside. Cats can use a litter box. 

However, dogs and cats have a huge similarity. Dogs and cats both love their owners unconditionally. Owners should also love both of their pets unconditionally and equally. 


My Dog, My Cat is a great book for children that have pets. It is also a must read for animal lovers everywhere.

I give My Dog, My Cat: 4/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://www.ashleefletcher.com/welcome

I received this book from the publisher, Tanglewood Press, via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.