Reviews written by C.J. Redwine

What I Loved: I never expected to love a paranormal romance so much, but PROPHECY GIRL hits all the right notes. It's funny, swoony, and absolutely thrilling, and I couldn't bear to stop reading. What makes the book for me is the heroine....

The Cupcake Queen is a fun, charming story with some valuable examples of kindness, respect, and charity for others. I enjoyed Kylie Jean, the main character. I was a little hesitant about her at first because in the first chapter she tells the reader that she's pretty and that she...

What I Loved: When I was younger some of my favorite books were stories about ballerinas. I was fascinated by the ability to tell a story through dance. Probably because I have zero talent in that arena. DANCE OF SHADOWS delivers a vivid look at the high-pressure...

What I Loved: On the surface, this is a ghost story, but in reality this is a heartbreaking, hopeful, and often insightful look at the things that can break us and what it takes to get better. The author combines deft prose with a modern voice to...

What I Loved: There's so much to love about this book that I hardly know where to start. The entire reading experience was like I'd hopped in the Tardis and traveled back to New Orleans, circa 1950. Every single detail of the setting and the world was...

When a rainy day ruins Princess Addison's fun plans for the morning, she gets very, very angry. Her mother steps in a helps her deal with her anger by telling her it's okay to feel angry, and it's okay to take a break in her room, but that princesses never...

This story is a fun, engaging way to teach young readers how to count. Every page takes the reader through Monster's messy room, counting prickly bears, bug cookies, and stinky shoes, among other things. The rhymes are fun, and the illustrations are bright and colorful. All in all, this is...

What I Loved: Where do I even begin? This was one of those "Who cares if I have to get up in the morning? I'm going to keep reading!" books. It's dark, haunting, suspenseful, and poignant, and I found it absolutely compelling. I'll start...

What I Loved: This story is set in a fantasy world that strongly reminds me of China, which is one of my favorite settings. The Empire, the caste system, the two child law and the abandonment of girls, the refusal to acknowledge the worth of anyone with...

What I Loved: This is a fast-paced, action-packed story that still delivers plenty of heart. As a huge fan of the show Supernatural, I really loved the world-building in this book. Plenty of obscure preternatural creatures, enough lore/explanation naturally seeded into the narrative to make the reader...

What I Loved: As an avid fan of Downton Abbey, I really enjoyed CINDERS & SAPPHIRES. The story swings from the privileged (but tension-filled) life of the Earl of Westlake's family to the difficult (and no less tension-filled) lives of the servants who take care of the...

PIGS IN PAJAMAS is a lively story with a lovely rhythmic rhyme that will immediately fascinate young readers. Each page is bursting with color and life, and there are so many details to discover that a young reader will be captivated anew each time. My favorite...

What I Loved: The illustrations are bright, colorful, and immediately draw a young reader in. I read the book to my daughter who is nearly 3, and she loved the pictures. There are simple, recognizable items on each page, and young readers like to point out what...

What I Loved: I hardly know where to start gushing about this book. Full disclosure: I'm a huge fan of classic Gothic novels! THE MADMAN'S DAUGHTER (a retelling of Wells' The Island of Dr. Moreau) reads like a classic Gothic novel but with more relatable characters for...

What I Loved: The premise is fascinating. Robots who stage an uprising to take over the earth? Sign me up! This is definitely a book with high stakes, not just for each individual character, but for the world itself. I enjoyed the way...