A counting book for toddlers using the carol, The 12 Days of Christmas.  As you read the book with your child, the child can count along with the verses of the carol.  The illustrations are bright and colorful.  Each page corresponds to a verse with each animal or person doing something different and wearing different outfits.  This is a cute book for your toddler and a good way toa remember the song for you.

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Before beginning my review, would like to mention a **trigger warning** here. There is mention of sexual abuse at the beginning of the book. Not graphic mind you, but enough to turn your stomach so it had taken me quite aback. But the whole scene was handled pretty well by the author so kudos to her.

How To Love a Duke In Ten Days is book 1 of the newest series by Kerrigan Byrne titled Devil You Know. TBH, I was waiting for the latest in her other series, Victorian Rebels, which is a series I’ve come to love over the years. So this new venture left me a bit intrigued. Of course, I was going to check it out no matter what and so glad that I did! Just how do two fools fall in love in 10 days? Well, you’ll just have to read to find out. Devil You Know is also based in the Victorian-era England, much like Victorian Rebels, though I didn’t think there’s any connection between the two. Not yet at least.

When the story opens up, we find our heroine, Alexandra, studying in a school for females named de Chardonne. Located in Switzerland, de Chardonne seemed to be a famous educational institution for the young and affluent females, daughters and such, of the peerage. Alexandra came to be here because of the same. Even if her family’s financial situation was quite dire, as it was mired in deep debts, they still wanted her to be ready for the world. This school would educate her to navigate the world of peerage and such, though Alexandra knew that if her family’s secret is out in the world, she would not be welcomed by the Ton.

Mostly an introvert, Alexandra found friends in two other girls who come from somewhat similarly odd family backgrounds. Cecelia, a tall, pleasantly plump girl who could compete with any valkyrie in her stature. She was gorgeous in her own way but had no idea of her appeal; the bookish sort who sported glasses and saw goodness in everyone. She also had sad family secret that made her life miserable while at home. In de Chardonne, she found friends in Alexandra and Francesca, who, on the other hand, was tall, statuesque and undoubtedly striking. Her family background was a little too complicated, and since it played no big part in this story, I’ll refrain from mentioning it too.

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Another wonderful Judy Moody adventure. I loved these books growing up and I still love them today. They are nice, easy reads that still incorporate great messages and entertaining stories. This one focuses on balancing new friends and old friends, a topic that is very relatable. The story does a good job presenting the excitement of forming relationships with new people and the resulting struggle of keeping previous friendships in your life with very good messages along the way.

There is also bonus content at the end including "10 Things You May Not Know About Megan McDonald" (which includes a little anecdote about the real-life inspiration to that traumatic newt storyline from Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid) and "10 Things You May Not Know About Peter H. Reynolds" as well as how to say "Hello" and "Later" in various languages as featured in Judy Moody's Way Wacky Uber Awesome Book of More Fun Stuff to Do.

A great book about friendship, class projects, and problem solving told in perfect Judy Moody fashion.

“I never thought about it before, but I'm proud to be human. We're ever so flawed. We're frail, confused, violent, and we struggle with so many issues. But all in all, I'm proud to be a Daughter of Man.”

This book has been sat on my self for about 8yrs give or take, so the only hope or expectation is that I would still enjoy like I would have in my early 20s. This book came out back when vampires and werewolves were at their peak but for some reason, out of the supernatural squad angels didn't quite make it up there.

So the plot, this book starts six weeks after the Angels came to earth and unleashed the apocalypse, nobody knows why. All they do know is that life is now about survival, surviving the street gangs during the day and the Angels at night. The story picks up with Penryn, her mum and her sister attempting to flee from their home, but are interrupted by a bunch of brawling Angels. Penryn makes a split second decision, she causes a distraction to give her mum time to run with her sister. When the feathers settle her wheelchair bound sister is snatched up.

Penryn has little options, she chooses to help the injured Angel Raffe and make a bargain with him in the hopes of rescuing her sister. Penryn is a likeable character, you won't find her wallowing in self pity or crying every minute. She's had a lot on her shoulders from a young age, her sister had the accident which lead to her being in the wheelchair, her dad is gone and her mum has series mental health issues. The kind that result in bodies. Penryn has one goal, not the fate of the mankind, but keep her family together and keep her mum safe.

This is a solid read and I really enjoyed it, things took a much darker turn towards the end and I found myself physically cringing away at times. It did feel a bit like a lot of information suddenly got thrown my way, but there was no way we could have come across it until we got to Angels nest. Going forward it will be interesting to see what's really going on with the Angels, there are clearly bad guys lurking and it's more than just the apocalypse.

Something darker is coming, and it's leaving half eaten bodies in its wake.

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Title: The Final Days

Authors: Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein

Publish Date: November 1, 2005 (first published in 1976)

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 480 pages

Source: Personal copy

Date Read: April 16-22, 2020

Review

A thrilling day by day account, starting around late January 1973 and going to August 9, 1974. This book is both a stand alone on what happened to end Nixon's presidency and yet it also a great sequel to All the President's Men. I think this book is better written than Men because there is no focus on Woodward's and Bernstein's working relationship or how to publish articles in the paper while lawyers from the White House and the Washington Post went head to head in court. The sole focus of the story was how the house of cards that Nixon built came crashing down around everyone. 

I have to say there are more than a few similarities that a reader can make between Judy Nixon and Ivanka Trump. Man, Judy was a real dope to believe her father past the time of his resignation and how she coddled him when Dick was living up to his name. I can't believe she married an Eisenhower, much less the former president's grandson - what the fuck did he see in her, I don't know. I do know that dear David Eisenhower believed in his father-in-law's guilt and tried to open Judy's eyes; for that she lashed out at David and dug in her heels. David was as astute as to Richard M. Nixon's darker side as his grandfather. Pat Nixon was pretty much drunk the entire time (I mean EVERY DAY), probably since summer of 1972 after the news broke. She didn't even try to get herself involved in her husband's PR campaign. 

Seeing how Nixon threw Haldeman and Ehrlichman under the bus, then backed up that bus and drove it over them again and again was fun, especially after reading what these three stooges did in Men. At the same time, John Dean had already turned state's evidence, so watching Dean throw Nixon on under that same bus and driving it over him and his very special personal attorney from Boston gave me a downright giddy feeling. 

I was surprised by new VP Gerald Ford's insistence of keeping a low profile, but enough public support of Nixon to show an united front. Ford didn't want the job in the executive branch - he was happy on the legislative side of Washington DC. It was as if Ford was in a wholly different administration while the rest of the White House was crumbling. He was as big of a rube as Judy Nixon. But this book did make me want to read more about his presidency. 

A fun and interesting ride through politics.