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Cavie’s Magical Wish by Julie Huetsch (Book Review)

Join Cavie, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel rescue dog, on an adventure with his friends, Finley the frog, and Rory, the rabbit. Their journey takes a surprising turn when they meet Hummer, a tiny hummingbird needing help. When Cavie’s brave act earns him a magical wish, he has to decide what to wish for. With surprising moments and a big decision to make, Cavie uses his wish to bring hope and happiness to dogs in need.

Cavie’s Magical Wish highlights the values of kindness, compassion, and dog rescue and adoption. These messages are positive for young readers, their families, and dog lovers everywhere! The heartwarming tale is sure to inspire and delight!

Author Julie Huetsch is thrilled to introduce her new children’s book, Cavie’s Magical Wish, the first of her Cavie Tales™ series. Drawing from her personal experiences with dog rescue and her love for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Julie’s heartfelt connection to these themes shines through in her writing with sincerity and warmth.

Julie is dedicated to making a difference. A portion of her book sales support The Cavalier Rescue, which helps dogs needing rescue and rehabilitation.

Siski Kalla’s illustrations are enchanting with their vibrant colors and striking details. Each scene is beautifully created, capturing the charm and personality of the animal characters. Her artwork adds an extra layer of magic and warmth to the entire reading experience.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery.  I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

Cavie’s Magical Wish is a touching children’s picture book showing how one dog’s thoughtfulness changed many puppies’ lives. 

Cavie, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, is bursting with energy and ready to play with his friends. Not just any games but games that young readers play at recess. Cavie and Finley, the frog, enjoyed a round of tag while Cavie and Rory, the rabbit, played hopscotch. During the hopscotch game, Cavie’s impeccable hearing caught a chirping sound. Curious, Cavie followed the sound and walked upon a sad and troubling scene; a poor hummingbird had been caught in the silken strands of a spider’s web. For those with arachnophobia (fear of spiders), rest assured that the illustrator graciously left the 8-legged arachnid out of the book. PHEW! 

Cavie lends Hummer, the hummingbird, a paw and sets them free from the web. At this point, Hummer lets Cavie and readers in on a little secret: the tiny bird is magical! Hummer offers Cavie a single wish as thanks for the life-saving good deed. You might guess two of the three illustrated wishes. Here’s a hint for the third: think about what power Krypto and Underdog have in common. 

As Cavie ponders his choices, he recalls his time in a puppy mill: a place no dog deserves to be. Cavie mentions that for several years, he lived in a dog crate, a small cage, and was never allowed to go outside. He didn’t have a family to take care of him either. But now, he has a soft bed, delicious food, and a loving family. Being rescued was the happiest moment in his life, and he wanted all his old friends to feel loved and happy, like him. 

Readers of all ages will fall in love with the dog with a heart of gold. I recommend sharing this moving story with your family and consider giving a dog (or cat, if you prefer felines) their forever home! Also, ask your child what they’d wish for. Maybe it can become a reality like Cavie’s beautiful wish.

Amazon’s recommended reading age is 2-8 years. 

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Meet the Author

Julie Huetsch is thrilled to introduce her new children’s book, Cavie’s Magical Wish, the first of her Cavie Tales™ series. Drawing from her personal experiences with dog rescue and her love for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Julie’s heartfelt connection to these themes shines through in her writing with sincerity and warmth.

Julie shares her heart and home with two wonderful Cavaliers, Granger and Sophie. Granger’s inspiring rescue journey, saved from a puppy mill by The Cavalier Rescue and adopted into Julie’s family, initiated her passion for writing Cavie’s Magical Wish. Despite his challenges of having a heart condition, hearing loss, and separation anxiety, Granger has become a cherished family member and claims the title of king of their castle! Meanwhile, Sophie is on her own special mission, training to be a touch therapy dog. She will soon be spreading joy to children in hospitals—a role that is perfect for sweet Sophie!

Cavie’s Magical Wish highlights the values of kindness, compassion, and dog rescue and adoption. These are positive messages for young readers, their families, and dog lovers everywhere! This heartwarming tale is sure to inspire and delight.

Julie is dedicated to making a difference. A portion of her book sales support The Cavalier Rescue, which helps dogs needing rescue and rehabilitation.

Website Link

 

 

Reedsy Author Link

 

 

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Kissed by Death: Trueborn Heirs Series (Book 3) by Nyna Queen (Book Review)

The stunning finale to Nyna Queen’s original Trueborn Heirs Trilogy.

 

A terrible secret. An impossible choice. And a love worth dying for…

After the horrible disaster at the Summerball, Alexis Harper and her allies are running out of time. Not only has the murder messed up all their careful plans, but Alex is also threatened to become the focus of the investigations. In search of the missing pieces in this enigmatic puzzle, she and Darken embark on a perilous journey to an abandoned prison camp deep in the mountains — and make a discovery more shocking than anything they could have imagined. A discovery that, if revealed, will shake the country to its very foundations.

At the same time, the Spider and the Forfeit find themselves at an emotional crossroads. At this point, it’s all or nothing. But just as they reluctantly admit their feelings for each other, events force them apart and suddenly Alex is faced with a terrible choice: to run and safe her own life or to stay and fight for the truth and the man she loves, even if it may cost her life.

As Alex spins a crazy spider’s trap, one thing soon becomes clear—one way or another, she will end up being kissed by Death…

 

Buckle up for witty banter, steam, and plot-twists that will leave you breathless.

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(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 

Kissed by Death by Nina Queen far exceeded my expectations, and the bar was set pretty high after reading By a Thread (book one) and Web of Lies (book 2). 

Kissed by Death had suspense, explosions, life and death missions, mic drop moments, pain and torture, and betrayal. Finally, over a long wait, we had Alex and Darken locking lips and other body parts. 😀

These two, in joined or separate scenes, always kept me on the edge of my seat. When Darken made a person wet themself, I laughed because I knew it would happen. I love being right. (Name withheld to avoid spoilers). During the Master’s hissy fit, I could practically see the spit flying out of his mouth and Alex’s shit-eating grin. 

Every bit of this story was spectacular, and I can’t wait to read Josepha’s story; the summary is located in “What’s Next.”

Final note: I love Alex’s spider senses and her ability to run 30 miles without breaking a sweat. 

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score:  
❤ 

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About Nyna Queen

Nyna started reading fantasy books at the sweet age of six (in fact, as soon as she could read) and never got out of it. After she finished her law degree, she finally decided to commit herself to a career as an author. When she isn’t reading a book or dreaming up another story, she works as a lawyer, indulges in way too much coffee and enjoys long walks in the sun. If you are looking for Nyna, you’ll likely find her behind her laptop, hitting the keys, writing down her latest novel ideas – careful, if you speak to her now, she might not remember later!

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Kissed by Death: Trueborn Heirs Series (Book 3) by Nyna Queen (Book Showcase)

The stunning finale to Nyna Queen’s original Trueborn Heirs Trilogy.

 

A terrible secret. An impossible choice. And a love worth dying for…

After the horrible disaster at the Summerball, Alexis Harper and her allies are running out of time. Not only has the murder messed up all their careful plans, but Alex is also threatened to become the focus of the investigations. In search of the missing pieces in this enigmatic puzzle, she and Darken embark on a perilous journey to an abandoned prison camp deep in the mountains — and make a discovery more shocking than anything they could have imagined. A discovery that, if revealed, will shake the country to its very foundations.

At the same time, the Spider and the Forfeit find themselves at an emotional crossroads. At this point, it’s all or nothing. But just as they reluctantly admit their feelings for each other, events force them apart and suddenly Alex is faced with a terrible choice: to run and safe her own life or to stay and fight for the truth and the man she loves, even if it may cost her life.

As Alex spins a crazy spider’s trap, one thing soon becomes clear—one way or another, she will end up being kissed by Death…

 

 

Buckle up for witty banter, steam, and plot-twists that will leave you breathless.

Kindle Purchase Link

Print Purchase Link

 

 

 

 

  • WOW! This Book is EXACTLY why I fell in LOVE with the Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Genre!” — Read Between the Lines

  • “I absolutely loved this book! Once started, I just didn’t want to stop reading.” — Elbcrout

  • “After just a few pages you immediately feel like a part of the world, as you are observing from within, watching the events unfold.” — the_survivor

  • “Nyna Queen does an exceptional job diving deep into the minds of her characters, and her imagery and use of metaphors are at the expert level.” — T&S M

  • “I’ve put Nyna Queen on my author watch list. This is superb storytelling.”Tiella150

  • Ms. Queen has positioned herself as one of the best new authors I have ever read. Excellent work.” — Colleen

  • “I couldn’t put this book down. It has a really unique group of characters and a fresh story.” — Amazon Customer

  • “The story is brought together with seamless writing and world-building. The author brings familiar together with the unfamiliar to where everything seems normal. If you want a book with a mystery interwoven with suspense and a sprinkling of a romance then this book is for you.” — Tabby

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A beam of moonlight broke through the drifting clouds, reflecting from solid black eyes not five feet from him.

Darken’s hand jerked toward his sword, pulling it halfway out of its scabbard before he realized it was Alex.

Mother’s mercy and Jester’s grace! And the Blind Child’s cursed eyes in the dark! If the moon hadn’t chosen to blink through the cloud cover at that moment, he might never have known she was there.

Alex let out a soft, silvery laugh as she stepped from the shadows between the trees, her pale face and blond braid seemingly floating bodiless in the darkness around her.

“Jumpy, aren’t we? Expecting an attack, Forfeit?”

The wind carried over her scent, a floral note of jasmine from the perfume she’d worn this afternoon mixed with a hint of feminine sweat from the run, and something so specifically Alex—both sweet and sharp and slightly musky—it unleashed a stream of lava into his blood, burning through his veins and setting his loins on fire. Need almost swept him off his feet.

Darken clenched his jaw and curled his hands into fists. They were on a mission, for heaven’s sake!

Moving with iron control, Darken sheathed his sword and forced himself to relax back against the wall of the shelter, crossing one foot over the other.

“Actually, I was getting worried about you. What took you so long? I thought you might have gotten lost.”

A sharp smile parted Alex’s lips like the flash of a knife’s blade. She rocked forward on her toes. “Lies! I’m almost half an hour before our scheduled meeting time.”

Darken lifted a surprised eyebrow. “How do you know?”

“Shaper, remember?” She tapped her temple with one finger. “We have an extremely good sense of time, like an internal clock, especially with the help of the sun and moon. Speaking of which”—she nodded up at the sky which was a ragged puzzle of clouds and blinking stars—“we only have a few short hours until dawn. If I want to be back at the Canterbury Estate before sunrise, we should get moving.”

Darken cocked his head to the side. “You seem quite eager for someone who just ran over thirty miles.”

“Oh, that! Phst!” Alex waved a hand. “Not worth mentioning. Please, don’t make any concessions on my behalf, I’m all good to go. Unless, of course, you need some more time to rest your royal footsies from your journey?” 

A honey pie would have wilted in comparison to the sweetness in her voice.

Darken locked his teeth and performed a slightly stiff bow. “I’ve only been waiting for you, milady.”

 

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Buy book 1 and 2 today!


Amazon Purchase Link

 

About Nyna Queen

Nyna started reading fantasy books at the sweet age of six (in fact, as soon as she could read) and never got out of it. After she finished her law degree, she finally decided to commit herself to a career as an author. When she isn’t reading a book or dreaming up another story, she works as a lawyer, indulges in way too much coffee and enjoys long walks in the sun. If you are looking for Nyna, you’ll likely find her behind her laptop, hitting the keys, writing down her latest novel ideas – careful, if you speak to her now, she might not remember later!

 
 

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A Curse of Mayhem: Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions Book 2 by Sunayna Prasad (Book Review)

A CURSE OF MAYHEM by Sunayna Prasad

Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12),  173 pages


History, like magic, has a habit of repeating itself.


It’s been six months since thirteen-year-old Alyssa McCarthy left magic behind for good. Or so she thought…

Then the enchanted objects that protected her disappear. Now a skeleton named Errol has cursed her with magical powers that keep getting her in trouble. Suddenly strange things are happening with disastrous effects, and if Alyssa can’t remove the magic, she will lose everything she holds dear. In order to get rid of her unwanted wizardry, Alyssa will have to boost her bravery and confidence and determine who Errol really is. But every time Alyssa uses an enchantment, Errol is one step closer to getting his flesh back and becoming alive, and he will do anything to achieve his goals…even if it means destroying Alyssa’s happiness.

Originally published in 2016 as “Wizardry Goes Wild” and “The Unruly Curse” in 2019, “A Curse of Mayhem” is book two in the exciting and suspenseful “Magical Missions” series.

 
BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Kobo
Add to Goodreads
 
 
 
I received a complimentary copy of this book from 
iRead Book Tours.
I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
 

Since my (pre-teen) daughter gave me such valuable feedback regarding The Frights of Fiji, I enlisted her again in the review for A Curse of Mayhem (Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions, Book 2). 

 

Cover:  She thought the winged person was creepy and didn’t understand who it was supposed to be since she didn’t recall a flying kid in the story. The birdman didn’t bother her; in fact, she thought he looked comical. 

Plot:  We both agreed there were plot holes again. We didn’t understand how Alex, the godfather, forgot about magic and Alyssa’s kidnapping. 
We weren’t sure how mortals could be so confused magic exists when there is a magical zoo in Nebraska. 


Characters:  
She liked the winged unicorn-zebra, and so did I.  

 

Extras:  We both agreed the community service hours for students are a good idea. It teaches young people to take care of our world, and it’s important to take care of your community/people. However, realistically, I don’t think many schools will make it a requirement for school. Maybe for a class, though. 

While there were some hits and misses in this story, it was more enjoyable than The Frights of Fiji. It did represent how I believe a person would react to unwanted powers and the lack of control over them. 

On a final note: My daughter said the ending was “Ahhh, so sweet.”  She’s right; it was adorable. 

 
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤1/2
 
BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Kobo
Add to Goodreads
 
 
 
 
Meet the Author:
Author Sunayna Prasad
 
Sunayna Prasad enjoys writing fantasy books for children, as well as cooking, creating artwork, watching online videos, and blogging. She has also written The Frights of Fiji, and A Curse of Mayhem. She constantly in creating and brainstorming new ideas.
 
Connect with the Author:   website ~ twitter goodreads
 
 

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The Frights of Fiji: Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions by Sunayna Prasad (Book Review)

The frights of Fiji (Alyssa McCarthy Magical Missions #1) by Sunayna Prasad

(Ages 8-12)

 
A world of magic and adventure awaits…


Sent to live with her strict, aloof, and uncaring uncle after her parents are killed in a car accident, twelve-year-old orphan Alyssa McCarthy longs for the life she used to have—one filled with fun and love. Then one stormy night, a message appears in the raindrops on the window that will change everything.

“Your life will never be the same again, as magic will interfere.”

Before long, Alyssa is kidnapped by Master Beau, a banished sorcerer with a mysterious connection to her who can only regain his power by weakening hers. Suddenly hurled into a world of wizardry filled with fantastical beasts and marvelous technology beyond her wildest imagination, Alyssa must defeat Master Beau if she ever wants to get home again. But Master Beau will stop at nothing, including using Alyssa’s friends, to ensure he is triumphant.

Originally titled “From Frights to Flaws”, this story is the exciting and enchanting first book in the “Magical Missions” series.

 
BUY THE BOOK:
Amazon  ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Kobo
Add to Goodreads
 
 
 

Alyssa McCarthy

I received a complimentary copy of this book from 
iRead Book Tours.
I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 
My pre-teen and I had mixed feelings about The Frights of Fiji by Sunayna Prasad. There were parts we enjoyed a lot and sections we weren’t particularly fond of at all. 


Our Likes: We both agreed colored sleet was cool. 🙂 
When we read about the wizards using magic to conjure a meal, we talked about what full meal we would create. She shocked me when she said a pepperoni calzone, oreo ice cream cake, and Dr. Pepper float. I really thought she’d say mac and cheese. 


Since dolphins are her favorite animals, she was captivated by the dermaidens. They are half-human, half-dolphin beings. She adored their unique talent, but I won’t disclose it. You’ll have to purchase the book to find out what it is. 


She thought the names given to magical versions of non-magical tech such as iPhone, iPod, iPad, and much more were funny. Example: WiPhone, WiPod, and WiPad. I asked her what she thought they’d call a magical version of a Wii. Her response, in a French accent, was “Wii Wii.” 😀


Our Dislikes: While this book DOES NOT have mature language or adult content, it does have scenes that might make your child uncomfortable. There’s a moment where Uncle Bruce physically assaults a child. Since this book is for 8-12-year-olds, this altercation might upset younger readers. My daughter and I spoke about her feelings regarding it. She said, “He shouldn’t have smacked her. It’s rude and unnecessary.” I agree. I also told her no adult should ever hit a child. She said, “Well, yeah, duh.” 😀


We also thought there were some plot holes. She didn’t understand why the godfather didn’t seem very worried Alyssa was taken or expressed anger for what the wizard did to her or the other girls. Again, I agree with her. 


Since the book was intended for her age group, I asked her to score it. She said the book was just alright, so she gave it a 3. 

 
 
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: 
 
 
 
 
Meet the Author:
Author Sunayna Prasad
 
Sunayna Prasad enjoys writing fantasy books for children, as well as cooking, creating artwork, watching online videos, and blogging. She has also written The Frights of Fiji, and A Curse of Mayhem. She constantly in creating and brainstorming new ideas.
 
Connect with the Author:   website ~ twitter goodreads
 
 
 

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