BY: Harry McLaughlin
PUBLISHED BY: Zaptoons
PUBLISHED IN: 2010
ISBN: 9780615368542
Pages: 130
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

After crows destroy his crop, Badhat, a prairie dog, drifts around the wild west. He stumbles upon a small town called Dagnabit. Badhat scares off a gang of gophers, and he becomes a local hero. The town offers him a job as sheriff, and he takes it.

A young prairie dog calling himself The Kid, starts following Badhat around. The Kid wants to be a deputy.

Just when Badhat starts to adjust to the sheriff life, Rumpus and his gang of gophers come up with a plan to run Badhat out of Dagnabit.

This is a hilarious spoof of the western genre. The author has done a wonderful job creating fun characters that kids will enjoy reading. Badhat: A Wild Western Legend is a fast read, just under 130 pages. It reminded me of some of the cartoons I watched as a kid. Reading Badhat was a pure delight.

I would like to thank the author for sending me this copy to review.

BY: Andy Andrews
PUBLISHED BY: Thomas Nelson
PUBLISHED IN: 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7852-3103-5
Pages: 248
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

When digging up a withering wax myrtle tree, Author Andy Andrews stumbles upon an old metal container. He finds inside it several Nazi artifacts and pictures, believed to have belonged to Lt. Josef Landermann. Being an author, Andy wants find out more about this man. He discovers that Josef died during WWII when a German U-boat went down in the Gulf of Mexico.

Andy puts his other writing projects aside and begins interviewing people about Josef. Surprisingly, he stumbles upon a startling truth, Josef Landermann is still alive.

Andy Andrews has cleverly written this delightful true story. I was instantly hooked to this intriguing tale of life, sacrifice and forgiveness. This is a must read.


I would like to thank Thomas Nelson for sending me this copy to review.

Jennifer from Crazy for Books has created this meme.

If you'd like to participate, here's Jennifer's instructions:


Every day I seem to find another book blog that I start following. In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blog Hop to give us all bookies a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed!


So, if you'd like to participate, just repost this on your blog, sign MckLinky and check out other blogs in MckLinky! Let's connect and make new book bloggy friends!! So, if you consider yourself a book blogger, come join the fun!

Yesterday, I received the book "Pinesport Divide" in the mail to review. I hope to start reading it this weekend.

Jennifer from Crazy for Books has created this meme.

If you'd like to participate, here's Jennifer's instructions:


Every day I seem to find another book blog that I start following. In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blog Hop to give us all bookies a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed!


So, if you'd like to participate, just repost this on your blog, sign MckLinky and check out other blogs in MckLinky! Let's connect and make new book bloggy friends!! So, if you consider yourself a book blogger, come join the fun!

ISBN: 978-0-9790357-0-8
Ages: Young Adult
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

“Zan-Gah” is set in the prehistoric times and focuses on a boy named Zan-Gah. A young girl from his tribe is murdered by a lion. The tribe sets out to kill it. Zan single-handedly kills the lion. The tribe celebrates the kill, but Zan is not happy. He wonders where his twin brother, Dael, is. He has been missing for over year.

Zan goes on a coming-of-age quest to find his brother. He must leave his tribe, and face many dangerous situations by himself. Zan will risk his own life to save his brother.

“Zan-Gah” is a fast read, just under 150 pages. The author, A.R. Shickman, has written a wonderful coming-of-age story set in the prehistoric world. The descriptions and actions in the book are well-written. Male readers will enjoy reading about Zan’s adventure into the unknown, and female readers will like the love that Zan has for his twin. I recommend this book to everyone.


Reviewed by Billy Burgess
In this sequel, Zan-Gah is now grown with a wife, and he is respected through out the tribe. His twin brother, Dael, is not as respected, and is full of anger. The two are the opposite of each other.

The tribe has moved to the Beautiful Country, the same unknown land that Zan saved Dael at in the first book. Dael has evil in his heart, and leaves the tribe. He gathers other men from the tribe, and want to begin a war against his brother’s people. Dael and his men tattoo their bodies and shave off their hair.

The relationship between the Zan and Deal will never be the same.

“Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country” focuses more on Dael than Zan. This is a completely different book than the first, and is much darker. Once again, Zan is a loveable character. He loves his people and even his troubled brother, Dael - who has become an evil character. The first book was a coming-of-age story, while the sequel is about war and sacrifice. Fans of the first book will want to read the sequel. I must warn you that this book is much darker. I enjoyed reading about the characters again, but at the same time I had mix-feelings about the sequel.

-I would like to thank the author for sending me these copies to review.

Jennifer from Crazy for Books has created this meme.

If you'd like to participate, here's Jennifer's instructions:


Every day I seem to find another book blog that I start following. In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blog Hop to give us all bookies a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed!


So, if you'd like to participate, just repost this on your blog, sign MckLinky and check out other blogs in MckLinky! Let's connect and make new book bloggy friends!! So, if you consider yourself a book blogger, come join the fun!

BY: Delia Parr
PUBLISHED BY: Bethany House
PUBLISHED IN: 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0670-2
Pages: 352
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

“Hearts Awakening” is set during the 1840s on the Dillon’s Island that is located in the Susquehanna River. Elvira Kilmer has always wanted a husband and family of her own, but feels that she is getting to old and that her dream will never come true. She moves to Dillon’s Island in hope of a new life. She takes a job as a housekeeper at the Smith residents.

Jackson Smith is a handsome widower with children. Both Jackson and Elvira start to have feelings for another, but their relationship maybe in jeopardy when she learns of Jackson’s first marriage scandal.

This is a simple story about the plain looking Elvira falling in love with her boss. Elvira’s character is likeable, and you do at times feel everything she is feeling. Jackson is an interesting character, with a somewhat harming past. Even with the simple plot, I ended up liking this cute romantic tale. If you like romance books, check this book out.

I would like to thank Bethany House for sending me this copy to review.

BY: Judith Miller
PUBLISHED BY: Bethany House
PUBLISHED IN: 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0642-9
Pages: 364
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Book one in the “Daughters of Amana” series is set in Main Amana, one of the seven villages settled by devoted Christians who believe in living a simple life. Johann Ilg has lived her entire live there and is devoted to God. A part of her has longed to see the outside world, but stays loyal to her community.

The Schumacher family leaves the big city life and moves to the Amana community. Their daughter, Berta, doesn’t care for the change, and she wants to rebel.

Meanwhile, Johanna stumbles upon a dark secret.

There have been dozens of books released in the last few years about the Amish/simple life communities. “Somewhere to Belong,” stands out from some of the others by using great descriptions of what life would have been liked in the late 1800s. I liked that the author threw in a bit of mystery. It’s a great read.

I would like to thank Bethany House for sending me this copy to review.