BEA'S BOOK NOOK "I can't imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once." C. S. Lewis “If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.” ― Oscar Wilde

Showing posts with label 2014 What An Animal Reading Challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2014 What An Animal Reading Challenge. Show all posts

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Jax & Bea Review The Midnight Queen by Sylvia Izzo Hunter


Publisher: Ace
Series: Noctis Magicae #1
Format Read: Print
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 2, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

In the hallowed halls of Oxford’s Merlin College, the most talented—and highest born—sons of the Kingdom of Britain are taught the intricacies of magickal theory. But what dazzles can also destroy, as Gray Marshall is about to discover…

Gray’s deep talent for magick has won him a place at Merlin College. But when he accompanies four fellow students on a mysterious midnight errand that ends in disaster and death, he is sent away in disgrace—and without a trace of his power. He must spend the summer under the watchful eye of his domineering professor, Appius Callender, working in the gardens of Callender’s country estate and hoping to recover his abilities. And it is there, toiling away on a summer afternoon, that he meets the professor’s daughter.

Even though she has no talent of her own, Sophie Callender longs to be educated in the lore of magick. Her father has kept her isolated at the estate and forbidden her interest; everyone knows that teaching arcane magickal theory to women is the height of impropriety. But against her father’s wishes, Sophie has studied his ancient volumes on the subject. And in the tall, stammering, yet oddly charming Gray, she finally finds someone who encourages her interest and awakens new ideas and feelings.

Sophie and Gray’s meeting touches off a series of events that begins to unravel secrets about each of them. And after the king’s closest advisor pays the professor a closed-door visit, they begin to wonder if what Gray witnessed in Oxford might be even more sinister than it seemed. They are determined to find out, no matter the cost…

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Bea Reviews Dragons Wild by Robert Asprin

Publisher: Ace Fantasy
Series: Dragons #1
Format Read: paperback
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

First in a brand new series from the "New York Times" bestselling creator of the Myth and Phule novels.

A low-stakes con artist and killer poker player, Griffen "Grifter" McCandles graduated college fully expecting his wealthy family to have a job waiting for him. Instead, his mysterious uncle reveals a strange family secret: Griffen and his sister, Valerie, are actually dragons.

Unwilling to let Uncle Mal take him under his wing, so to speak, Griffen heads to New Orleans with Valerie to make a living the only way he knows how. And even the criminal underworld of the French Quarter will heat up when Griffen lands in town.
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Monday, September 8, 2014

Review, Excerpt & Giveaway of Cursed by Angela Addams

Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Series: The Order of the Wolf #1
Format Read: Kindle book
Source: ebook from the author for an honest review & I own the Kindle book
Release Date: July 29, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon*ARe* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Her biggest mistake comes with fangs…and a nose for tracking her down.

The Order of the Wolf, Book 1


Wherever there’s a lying, cheating scumbag who’s broken a woman’s heart, Vengeance Dealer Darcy Wells is there. So what if she isn’t the most skilled witch around? She’s only using one spell, which leaves the hapless male suffering tormenting lust for one woman. Her.

The beautiful part? This curse comes equipped with a blinding agent, allowing her a clean getaway. Unrequited lust, coming right up! As far as Darcy is concerned, it’s justice served. Her next target: Raven Glock, rock band bassist and drop-dead-gorgeous sex god.

When Raven lays eyes on the luscious Darcy, he gives her what he promises all the starry-eyed groupies who toss their panties at him—one unforgettable night in his bed. Sex with Darcy is so epic that he forgets his cardinal rule: to get her out before morning.

At the crack of sunrise, Darcy serves Raven a face full of cursed ash. But something goes horribly wrong…and she finds herself magically tethered to one pissed-off werewolf.

Worse, breaking the spell could cost her everything…maybe even her life.

Warning: Sexually explicit language, tattoos, piercings, and giant…um…feet. Wet panties are a given. Author assumes no responsibility for spontaneous ravishment of significant others, pool boys, or local pizza delivery personnel.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Group Review of Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs



Publisher: Ace
Series: Mercy Thompson
Format Read: Hardcover & eGalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 2, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Mercy Thompson’s world just got a whole lot bigger…

A collection of all-new and previously published short stories featuring Mercy Thompson, “one of the best heroines in the urban fantasy genre today” (Fiction Vixen Book Reviews), and the characters she calls friends…

Includes the new stories…
“Silver”
“Roses in Winter”
“Redemption”
“Hollow”

…and reader favorites
“Fairy Gifts”
“Gray”
“Alpha and Omega”
“Seeing Eye”
“The Star of David”
“In Red, with Pearls”

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Bea Reviews Cactus Soup by Eric A. Kimmel, Pictures by Phil Huling

Publisher: Two Lions
Format Read: Kindle Book
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Release Date: January 15, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

When a group of hungry soldiers ride into San Miguel, the townspeople don’t want to share their food. They hide their tortillas, tamales, beans, and flour and put on torn clothes to look poor. But the Capitán is not fooled. He asks for a cactus thorn to make some cactus soup, and before long he has tricked the townspeople into giving him salt and chilies, vegetables, and a chicken as well! Whimsical watercolors by Phil Huling add to the humor in this southwestern twist on the classic Stone Soup tale.

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Bea Reviews Chu's First Day of School by Neil Gaiman, Illustrated by Adam Rex

Publisher: HarperCollins
Series: Chu
Format Read: hardcover
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: June 24, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe* | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

It is Chu's first day of school. Chu is nervous.

He hopes the other boys and girls will be nice. Will they like him?

What will happen at school today?

Will Chu do what Chu does best?

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Bea Reviews It's Raining Cats and Frogs! by Harriet Ziefert, Illustrated by Ethan Long

Publisher: Blue Apple Books
Series: ¡Hola, English!
Format Read: eGalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 14, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

This bilingual series will appeal both to Spanish-speaking ESL students and English-speaking kids who are learning Spanish. It's Raining Cats and Frogs features plural words and idiomatic expressions. It explores the difference between real and pretend and engages young children in selecting appropriate clothing for wet weather.

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Bea Reviews Little Roja Riding Hood by Susan Middleton Elya

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile 
Format Read: epub
Source: We Give Books free read
Release Date: April 10, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

While Roja picks flowers on the way to her grandma's, a mean wolf sneaks away with her cape to surprise Abuelita. But Grandma's no fool and Roja's no ordinary chica. They send that hungry lobo packing with a caliente surprise!
This sassy retelling of Little Red Riding Hood has accessible Spanish rhymes and fresh illustrations, with hip cultural details throughout.

Monday, July 28, 2014

Bea Reviews Alfred Ollivant's Bob, Son of Battle: The Last Gray Dog of Kenmuir by Lydia Davis

Publisher: NYR Children's Collection 
Format Read: eGalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: August 19, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Bob, Son of Battle, is a sheepdog so canny and careful of his flock, so deeply devoted to his master, James Moore, and so admired for his poise and wisdom by the residents of a small village in the rugged mountains of England’s North Country, that young though he is, he is already known as Owd Bob. In a recent contest, Bob has proved himself a matchless sheepdog, and if he wins the trophy two more times, he’ll be seen as equal to the legendary sheepdogs of yore.

But Bob has a real rival: Red Wull, with his docked tail and bristling yellow fur, a ferocious creature, just like his diminutive master, Adam McAdam, a lonely Scot, estranged not only from his English neighbors but from his son, David. McAdam just can’t stop belittling this strapping young man, all the more so since David began courting Moore’s beautiful daughter Maggie. But what McAdam really wants is for his beloved Wullie to wrest the prize from Bob once and for all.

The story takes a darker turn when a troubling new threat to the local flocks emerges. A dog has gone rogue, sneaking out at night to feast on the flesh and blood of the sheep he is bound to protect. Again and again, new sheep fall prey to this relentless predator; again and again, he slips away undetected. This master hunter can only be among the boldest and sharpest of dogs . . .


Bob, Son of Battle has long been a beloved classic of children’s literature both in America and in England. Here the celebrated author and translator Lydia Davis, who first read and loved this exciting story as a child, has rendered the challenging idioms of the original into fluent and graceful English of our day, making this tale of rival dogs and rival families and the shadowy terrain
between Good and Bad accessible and appealing to readers of all ages.

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Bea Reviews 10 Little Fish by Harriet Ziefert, Illustated by Elliot Kreloff

Publisher: Blue Apple Books
Series: ¡Hola, English!
Format Read: egalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: Ocotber 14, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:
Teachers and parents of ESL students will cheer when they discover the ¡Hola, English! series, as will those seeking to expose English-speaking kids to Spanish. Ten Little Fish combines numbers with simple adjectives ("fish above, fish below; seven fish, fast and slow") and simple verbs ("swim and dive fish, here are five fish").

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Bea Reviews It's A Firefly Night by Dianne Ochiltree

Publisher: Blue Apple Books
Format Read: egalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: May 14, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

"One, two, three, four, five. My jar's like a light bulb that's just come alive." The lilting verses in this concept book chronicle a girl's capture and release of ten fireflies. Kid-readers will count up and down along with the song-like text. Interesting information about fireflies is included in the book's final spread, adding a touch of accessible nonfiction to this charming not-just-for-bedtime offering.

Saturday, July 5, 2014

Bea Reviews The Cow in Patrick O'Shanahan's Kitchen by Diana Prichard

Publisher: Little Pickle Press
Format Read: egalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: November 25, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

How now, milk cow? In this rib-tickling tale of a young boy faced with a very unusual breakfast guest, readers are treated to a deliciously humorous lesson in just where their next meal might come from. Join Patrick and his father as they face (and feast with) The Cow in Patrick O’Shanahan’s Kitchen.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Bea Reviews Cat-Eye Witness by Patricia Fry

Publisher: Matilija Press
Series: Klepto Cat #2
Format Read: Kindle book
Source: the author in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 7, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon* | * affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Savannah and Aunt Margaret open the old Forster home to the Hammond Cat Alliance for a fundraiser to help rehabilitate the abused horses rescued months earlier from the catnappers. Before the afternoon is over, the collected funds go missing and someone is murdered in an upstairs bedroom.
Suspicion surrounds Iris, a local waitress and Savannah’s new best friend. The only witness to the murder is Rags, Savannah’s cat. With the assistance of a cat psychic and Rags’s good friend, Charlotte (the young girl with Downs), the cat helps to “paw” the killer…but not before an attempt is made on Rags’s life. The case is solved only after Rags comes face-to-face with the killer for the second time.
Detective Craig Sledge is new to this book, as is Damon, Iris’s errant son. Sledge finds this to be one of the muddiest cases he has ever worked, with inconsistent clues and no apparent motive. He’s constantly surprised, perplexed and impressed by the cat’s uncanny ability to come up with clues he has missed. His fascination with the attractive Iris Clampton also mystifies the detective.
In this story, one of the rescued horses goes into labor and there’s a night of high drama at the ole corral as veterinarians Savannah and Michael work to save the foal. This experience renews Savannah’s deep interest in horses and riding, which ultimately serves to help her bond with a very important surprise character who finds his way into her life and Michael’s just as they prepare to say their wedding vows.

While Rags is the animal star, he isn’t the only animal featured in this story. Layla is back in all of her tangerine beauty. And Rags makes friends with Buffy, a perky almost Himalayan and the inseparable duo, Walter, an all black cat and his sidekick, Lexie, a charming afghan mix. Savannah’s new ride, Peaches, also debuts in this story. An incident with this mare adds another dimension to Savannah’s and Michael’s relationship. Can he hold her with open arms?

Some say this is a love story with a mystery in the background. And it’s a story of family and friendship as newlyweds Margaret and Max continue to be a meaningful part of Savannah’s and Michael’s world.

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Saturday, June 14, 2014

Bea Reviews Chu's Day by Neil Gaiman and Illustrated by Adam Rex

Publisher: HarperFestival
Format Read: Board book
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: June 24, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

(modified) Blurb from goodreads:

A New York Times bestselling picture book from Newbery Medal winning author Neil Gaiman and acclaimed illustrator Adam Rex now available, by popular request, as a board book.

Chu is a little panda with a big sneeze. When Chu sneezes, bad things happen. But as Chu and his parents visit the library, the diner, and the circus, will anyone hear Chu when he starts to feel a familiar tickle in his nose?

Chu's Day is a story that shows how even the smallest child can make big things happen.

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Bea Reviews Does a Beaver Sleep in a Bed? by Harriet Ziefert, Illustrated by Emily Bolam

Publisher: Blue Apple Books
Series: Think About...
Format Read: ePub
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository*  | Barnes & Noble 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from the publisher:

This title explores and explains that while every animal sleeps, only some have beds. A funny, kid-like question ("Does a beaver sleep in a bed?") is paired with a silly scenario (a beaver gnawing at a headboard). A turn of the page reveals the answer, a picture of the critter in an authentic setting (a beaver asleep in his lodge), and a few facts about that animal's sleepytime habits and habitat. The pattern follows with a baboon, polar bear, bumblebee, horse, and dog, culminating with people in different kinds of beds. A final "Think About" spread presents kids, parents, and teachers with activities that relate to and extend each book's subject matter.


Sunday, June 1, 2014

Bea Reviews Dog Gone, Back Soon by Nick Trout

Publisher: Hyperion
Series: Cyrus Mills #2
Format Read: eGalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: April 8, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository*  | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

When Dr. Cyrus Mills returned home after inheriting his estranged father's veterinary practice, The Bedside Manor for Sick Animals, the last thing he wanted was to stay in Eden Falls, Vermont, a moment longer than absolutely necessary. However, the previously reclusive veterinarian pathologist quickly found that he actually enjoyed treating animals and getting to know the eccentric residents of the tiny provincial town-especially an alluring waitress named Amy.

So Cyrus is now determined to make Bedside Manor thrive. Not an easy goal, given that Healthy Paws, the national veterinary chain across town, will stop at nothing to crush its mom-and-pop competitor. And the rival vet practice isn't Cyrus's only competition; a handsome stranger shows up out of nowhere who clearly has a mysterious past with Amy. To top it off, Cyrus finds himself both the guardian of a very unique orphaned dog and smack in the middle of serious small town drama.

This charming sequel to The Patron Saint of Lost Dogs is a wild and delightful ride through one jam- packed week, where Cyrus must figure out how to outsmart the evil veterinary conglomerate, win back Amy's heart, solve several tricky veterinary cases, find a home for an orphaned dog, and detangle himself from an absurd case of mistaken identity. DOG GONE, BACK SOON brims with Nick Trout's trademark humor, charm, and captivating animal stories, and is proof that all dogs, lost or not, on four feet or two, deserve a second chance.

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Bea Reviews Odin's Ravens by K.L. Armstrong & M.A. Marr

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Series: The Blackwell Pages #2
Format Read: hardcover
Source: owned by the reviewer
Release Date: May 13, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Seven kids, Thor's hammer, and a whole lot of Valkyries are the only things standing against the end of the world.

When thirteen-year-old Matt Thorsen, a modern day descendant of the Norse god Thor, was chosen to represent Thor in an epic battle to prevent the apocalypse he thought he knew how things would play out. Gather the descendants standing in for gods like Loki and Odin, defeat a giant serpent, and save the world. No problem, right?

But the descendants' journey grinds to a halt when their friend and descendant Baldwin is poisoned and killed and Matt, Fen, and Laurie must travel to the Underworld in the hopes of saving him. But that's only their first stop on their journey to reunite the challengers, find Thor's hammer, and stop the apocalypse--a journey filled with enough tooth-and-nail battles and larger-than-life monsters to make Matt a legend in his own right.

Authors K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr return to Blackwell in the epic sequel to Loki's Wolves with more explosive action, adventure and larger-than-life Norse legends.

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Bea Reviews Whaley's Big Adventure: Presented by Carole P. Roman, by Alexander Luke

Publisher: Red Feather Publishing
Format Read: paperback
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: December 29, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Join Whaley on his big adventure in the ocean as he meets Whales of all different sizes. Written and illustrated by 5 year old Alexander Luke, and presented by his grandmother, award-winning children's author Carole P. Roman, this oceanic adventure of whale-sized proportions will teach youngsters about the different whales that live in the oceans.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Bea Reviews Seven Wild Sisters by Charles de Lint, Illustrated by Charles Vess

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Series: Newford #12
Format Read: Hardcover
Source: local library
Release Date: February 4, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

This full-color, illustrated companion novel to The Cats of Tanglewood Forest from two masters of modern fantasy is a captivating adventure about magic, family, and the power in believing in both.
When it comes to fairies, Sarah Jane Dillard must be careful what she wishes for. She may have thought she wanted to meet the fairies of the Tanglewood Forest, but that was before she knew the truth about them. When Sarah Jane discovers a tiny man wounded by a cluster of miniature poison arrows, she brings him to the reclusive Aunt Lillian for help. But the two quickly find themselves ensnared in a longtime war between rival fairy clans, and Sarah Jane's six sisters have been kidnapped to use as ransom. Her only choice is to go after them, and with the help of several mythical friends--from the Apple Tree Man to a cat called Li'l Pater--she'll have to find a way to untangle herself from the fairy feud before she and her sisters are trapped in their world forever.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Bea Reviews Kitty Steals the Show by Carrie Vaughn

Publisher: Tor Fantasy
Series: Kitty Norville #10
Format Read: paperback
Source: owned by the reviewer
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe* | Barnes & Noble 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:


Kitty has been tapped as the keynote speaker for the First International Conference on Paranatural Studies, taking place in London. The conference brings together scientists, activists, protestors, and supernatural beings from all over the world—and Kitty, Ben, and Cormac are right in the middle of it.

Master vampires from dozens of cities have also gathered in London for a conference of their own. With the help of the Master of London, Kitty gets more of a glimpse into the Long Game—a power struggle among vampires that has been going on for centuries—than she ever has before. In her search for answers, Kitty has the help of some old allies, and meets some new ones, such as Caleb, the alpha werewolf of the British Isles. The conference has also attracted some old enemies, who’ve set their sights on her and her friends.

All the world’s a stage, and Kitty’s just stepped into the spotlight.