Bea Reviews Front Runner by Felix Francis

Series: Jefferson Hinkley #2
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Son's
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 13, 2015
Challenges: What An Animal
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit*   | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Jefferson Hinkley is back in the newest Dick Francis thriller by the New York Times–bestselling author of Damage.

In his role as an undercover investigator for the British Horseracing Authority, Jeff Hinkley is approached by a multi-time champion jockey to discuss the delicate matter of losing races on purpose. Little does he know that the call will set off a lethal chain of events, including the apparent suicide of the jockey and an attempt on Hinkley’s own life. Never one to leave suspicious events alone, Hinkley begins investigating the jockey and the races he may have thrown. But there are others out there who intend to prevent his inquiry from probing further . . . at any cost.

Bea Reviews Kitty Saves the World by Carrie Vaughn

Publisher: Tor Books
Series: Kitty Norville #14
Source: my local library
Release Date: August 4, 2015
Challenges: Finishing the Series | What An Animal
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* |  | iTunes | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

The final novel in the New York Times bestselling series

It’s all come down to this, following the discoveries made by Cormac in Low Midnight, Kitty and her allies are ready to strike. But, when their assassination attempt on the evil vampire Dux Bellorum fails, Kitty finds herself running out of time. The elusive vampire lord has begun his apocalyptic end game, and Kitty still doesn’t know where he will strike.

Meanwhile, pressure mounts in Denver as Kitty and her pack begin to experience the true reach of Dux Bellorum’s cult. Outnumbered and outgunned at every turn, the stakes have never been higher for Kitty. She will have to call on allies both old and new in order to save not just her family and friends, but the rest of the world as well.

ARC Review of Valiant Heart by Angela Addams

Series: The Order of the Wolf #6
Publisher: Samhain Publishing 
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: November 10, 2015
Challenges:  Finishing the Series |  NetGalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge | What An Animal |
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe*  | iTunes | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

When the choice is love or loyalty, no matter what she chooses the heart will bleed. Slay the beasts. Save the day. Such is Ariana’s role in her first mission for the Queen. She has no reason to think the rest will be any different…until, in the heat of battle, she uses her powers to heal an injured Order Huntress.Her gift doesn’t go unnoticed. Lance, her very own Hunter, zeroes in, and a differentbattle is on. Lance is hot and very attentive, but this Amazon is determined to stayindependent.

Lance has prepared his whole life to battle alongside his mate. Now that he’s found her, nothing and no one else matters. He’s not letting her go.For the Queen’s second mission—bring the Oracle into the tribe—Ariana risks takingLance’s bond to get more power. She never expected her body to crave more pleasure, her heart to lower its defenses.As the battle rages on between Huntresses and beasts, there’s a foul plan in play that will force Ariana to decide where her loyalty lies. The cost of her choice could be a life.

Warning: Contains a squirm-worthy love triangle, plus some scenes of debatable consent between a take-no-crap Huntress and a super-hot playboy with a come-hither smile and a come-multiple-times tongue. 

Bea Reviews Forsaken by S.J.Harper

Publisher: AllRomance Ebooks
Series: Fallen Siren #3
Source: the author in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: July 2, 2015
Challenges: Finishing the Series | What An Animal
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe*  | iTunes | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Join Agents Emma Monroe and Zack Armstrong.
She protected him. He loved her.
They can trust one another with their lives, but what about their hearts?

Special Agent Emma Monroe is a Fallen Siren seeking redemption. Thousands of years ago, she was banished from Mount Olympus by Zeus and cursed by Demeter for failing to prevent the kidnapping of Persephone by Hades. Now she’s working for the FBI, seeking salvation while searching for and finding the missing. Her partner, Zack Armstrong, is a werewolf with a grievance of his own.

The former Black Ops sniper who once carried out a string of questionable assignments is atoning for his past. Ironically, Zack’s just discovered an important piece of his past has been magically wiped from his memory—an affair with Emma. It doesn’t matter she used the spell to save his life, that’s something he’ll never know. With trust eroded and love overshadowed by betrayal the only thing holding them together is the job.

When the son of multi-billionaire Roger Maitlan is kidnapped and his babysitter murdered in cold blood, Emma and Zack travel to New York to work the case. They go undercover, infiltrating a playground of private dungeons where those who are rich and powerful can live out fantasies without consequence. What they find is a conspiracy born of a twisted mind and fueled by greed. The clock is ticking. Will Zack and Emma be able to find the missing boy and their way back to one another? 

Jax & Bea Review Mercy Thompson: Hopcross Jilly by Patricia Briggs & Rick Hoskin, Illustrated by Tom Garcia

Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Series: Mercy Thompson Graphic Novels
Source: Jax - NetGalley; Bea - purchased
Release Date: July 2, 2015
Challenges: What An Animal
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Mercy is a shapeshifting coyote and honorary member of the Tri-Cities werewolf pack. When the pack stumbles upon the buried bones of numerous dead children, she shapeshifts into a mystery of the legendary fae - a mystery that draws Mercy's stepdaughter Jesse into the fray! The supernatural romance series Mercy Thompson continues in this all-new, original story by New York Times bestselling author, Patricia Briggs, exclusively created for the comic book medium!

This 168 page hardcover collects the six-issue Mercy Thompson comic book series by PATRICIA BRIGGS, RIK HOSKIN, and TOM GARCIA and features the original script and line art to issue #1, along with character designs and sketches by Tom Garcia.

Bea Reviews Monkey: Not Ready for Kindergarten by Marc Brown

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers 
Source: won from publisher
Release Date: June 23, 2015
Challenges: What An Animal
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit*  | iTunes | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Marc Brown, creator of the beloved Arthur books and TV show, offers a charming new character—and a fun and reassuring story about preparing for the first day of school.

Kindergarten is only a week away . . . but Monkey is NOT ready. What if he gets on the wrong bus? What if they don’t have any red crayons? What if he doesn’t like the snacks? What if he doesn’t make new friends? There are so many thoughts running through Monkey’s head!  But step by step, his family eases his worries: they get him a new backpack, help him read books about school, prepare his lunch, and make sure Monkey is excited—and ready—for the Big Day.

Bea Reviews The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly

Publisher: Gallery Books
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: January 27, 2015
Challenges: NetGalley and Edelweiss ARCs  | What An Animal
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit*  | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

It is a secret the Chinese government has been keeping for forty years.

They have found a species of animal no one believed even existed. It will amaze the world.

Now the Chinese are ready to unveil their astonishing discovery within the greatest zoo ever constructed.

A small group of VIPs and journalists has been brought to the zoo deep within China to see its fabulous creatures for the first time.

Among them is Dr. Cassandra Jane ‘CJ’ Cameron, a writer for National Geographic and an expert on reptiles.

The visitors are assured by their Chinese hosts that they will be struck with wonder at these beasts, that they are perfectly safe, and that nothing can go wrong.

Of course it can’t…

GET READY FOR ACTION ON A GIGANTIC SCALE.

Bea Reviews The Forgotten by Heather Graham

Publisher: Harlequin Mira
Series: Krewe of Hunters #16
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: July 29, 2015
Challenges: NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge | What An Animal | COYER Summer Scavenger Hunt
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe*   | iTunes | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Murdered by a dead man?

A woman named Maria Gomez is murdered in Miami, apparently by her husband—who'd been presumed dead, slain by a crime boss. FBI agent Brett Cody can't believe it; dead or alive, the man had loved his wife. He also can't help feeling guilty, since he was responsible for protecting Miguel and Maria Gomez.

A few miles away, Lara Mayhew has just begun working at a dolphin research facility. She loves her new job—until a dolphin brings her something unexpected from the deep. A human hand. More body parts show up, and when Brett looks into the situation, he discovers that the dismembered corpse is Miguel's.

Soon, rumors of crazed zombies abound in the Miami media, and the Krewe of Hunters, an elite FBI unit of paranormal investigators, is called in. Brett and Lara find themselves working with the Krewe—and working closely together. An elderly crime boss who's losing his memory seems to be key to solving this case, but…there's no motive. Unless Brett and Lara can uncover one in the Miami underworld. And that means they have to protect themselves. And each other.

Bea Reviews Shifting Hearts by Dominique Eastwick

Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Series: Wiccan Haus #1
Source: the author in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: July 31, 2015
Challenges: What An Animal
Buying Links: Amazon*  | ARe* | Kobo*  | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

The last of his kind…

Rekkus is the last of the great Black Tiger weres, and he’s happy to stay that way. Working as security for the Wiccan Haus, a magical spa for inner healing, he has enough danger to keep him busy. Unfortunately, the Fates are not content with him being comfortable.

Alone and discouraged…

Dana has walked away from everything—her fiancé, family, job, and apartment. A stay at the Wiccan Haus may be the only way she can move on. But what she finds isn’t what she expects, nor is it what she thought she’d been seeking.

If they can open themselves up they might discover that being together can be better than being alone and learn that passion can burn in those who least expect it.

Meet the unusual residents of the Wiccan Haus.

The staff can get a little hairy, and not all of the guests eat what’s served in the dining hall. But the Rowan siblings do what they can to make the resort a place of healing and peace, using all of their years of practice. At the Haus, where humans and paranormals reside side by side, everyone in need of the services are welcome. If some happen to fall in love then all the better.

Welcome to the Wiccan Haus.

Bea Reviews What's In Your Pocket? by Ruth Symons & Laura Watkins

Publisher: QEB Publishing
Series: Storytime
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 1, 2015
Challenges: NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge |  What An Animal |
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Josh loves to be close to his mum at night in her pouch, or ‘pocket', as he calls it. Though, soon he must sleep on the grass like the older kangaroos. One day, Josh's mum has a surprise about what is in her pocket: "It needs lots of love and care." Josh racks his brains to try and think and, after the help of several friends, gives up. What could the surprise be? And will he love it as much as his mother says he will? A sweet story about gaining a new sibling and how children can welcome a new member to the family. QEB's popular Storytime series are charming books that combine colourful illustrations with heart-warming narrative, each with its own unique message or young children. The series is ever expanding and now comprises 36 titles.

Bea Reviews Mayhem by Angela Addams

Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Series: The Order of the Wolf #5
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: August 11, 2015
Challenges: Finishing the Series |  NetGalley and Edelweiss ARCs | What An Animal
Buying Links: Amazon* | ARe* | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

He will rock her world… once he shows her how he really howls.

By night, Mayhem howls out monster rock hits to roaring crowds, and lives the rock ’n’ roll dream. But lately he wants more than empty sex marathons with lusting fangirls. When he spies a beautiful redhead at his latest album launch party, his wolf howls only for her.

He can taste her sweetness and innocence hovering just beyond his grasp, but it’ll be a delicate task showing her the side of his life no one ever sees. When the sun rises, and his wolf form takes over.

Fledgling rock magazine editor Hannah knows the minute she lays eyes on Mayhem that she won’t fit into his world. But that doesn’t mean she can’t fantasize that she’s the only woman wrapped around his smoking-hot body.

One kiss—one perfect kiss—and Mayhem is ready to seal the deal of and for a lifetime. But before he can properly introduce Hannah to both halves of himself, she is gone without a trace. And the rapidly cooling trail smells distinctly of Hunter…

Warning: Contains a pack alpha/rock star with an attitude. He’s HOT. As in whole-lot-of-trouble hot. Set-your-panties-on-fiyah hot. Make-you-want-to-climb-into-this-book hot. Sensitive readers be warned, once he zeroes in on his mate, he’s not above breaking a few rules to get what he wants.

Bea Reviews Wolf Trouble by Paige Tyler

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Series: SWAT #2
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: August 4, 2015
Challenges:  Finishing the Series | NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge | What An Animal |

Buying Links: | ARe* | Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble | BAM | IndieBound | iBooks*
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

He's in trouble with a capital T...

There's never been a female on the Dallas SWAT team and Senior Corporal Xander Riggs prefers it that way. The elite pack of alpha male wolfshifters is no place for a woman. But Khaki Blake is no ordinary woman.

When Khaki walks through the door attractive as hell and smelling like heaven, Xander doesn't know what the heck to do. Worse, she's put under his command and Xander's protective instincts go on high alert. When things start heating up both on and off the clock, it's almost impossible to keep their heads in the game and their hands off each other.

Bea Reviews SEAL Wolf Hunting by Terry Spear

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Series: Heart of the Wolf #16
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: July 7, 2015
Challenges: NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge | What An Animal
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe*  | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Paul Cunningham is one of the only bachelors left on the SEAL wolf team, and he's less than thrilled to hear he's been volunteered for a local charity bachelor auction.

Lori Greypaw suspected that her grandmother would use the auction as an opportunity to fix her up. So she's not surprised when she "buys" Paul to help Lori renovate her mountain cabin for a week. Lori's had a crush on the sexy SEAL wolf for years, but he proves to be handy with more than a hammer when two fugitives come knocking and he'll do anything to protect the woman he's falling for

Bea Reviews Top Dog: The Story of Marine Hero Lucca by Maria Goodavage

Publisher: Dutton 
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 23, 2014
Challenges: NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge | What An Animal
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Kobo | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

The New York Times bestselling author of Soldier Dogs returns with the incredible, true story of K-9 Marine hero Lucca, and the handlers who fought alongside her through two bloody wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
 
In Top Dog, Maria Goodavage takes readers into the life of Lucca K458, a decorated and highly skilled military working dog. An extraordinary bond develops between Lucca and Marine Corps dog handlers Chris Willingham and Juan Rodriguez, in what would become a legendary 400-mission career. A Specialized Search Dog, Lucca belongs to an elite group trained to work off-leash at long distances from her handler. She served alongside both Special Forces and regular infantry, and became so sought-after that platoons frequently requested her by name.

The book describes in gritty detail Lucca's adventures on and off the battlefields, including tense, lifesaving explosives finds and firefights, as well as the bravery of fellow handlers and dogs they served with. Ultimately we see how the bond between Lucca and her handlers overcame the endless brutalities of war and the traumas this violence ignites.

Here is a portrait of modern warfare with a heartwarming and inspiring conclusion that will touch dog lovers and the toughest military readers.

Bea Reviews Tempest Reborn by Nicole Peeler

Publisher: Orbit
Series: Jane True #6 
Source: purchased
Release Date: May 28, 2013
Challenges: Finishing the Series |  What An Animal
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe* | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Anyan may be trapped in an evil dragon and Blondie may be gone, but Jane knows one thing: she's not about to give up. She's ready to tear down heaven and earth to save her lover, despite those who believe he's lost.

Luckily for Jane, those who've given up on Anyan do not include those closest to her. Defying The Powers That Be, Jane and Company form their own crack squad of misfits, in whose hands the fate of the world may well rest.

With a little help from her friends, the Universe, and lots of snacks, Jane embarks on her greatest adventure yet, confident that with great sacrifice comes great reward. The question is, who will be that sacrifice?

Bea Reviews Pine and the Winter Sparrow by Alexis York Lumbard, Illustrated by Beatriz Vidal

Publisher: Wisdom Tales 
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: February 1, 2015
Challenges: May 2015 Clean Sweep ARC Challenge | NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge | What An Animal
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:

Have you ever wondered why pine trees stay green all winter long and don t lose their leaves like other trees? According to an ancient legend attributed to the Cherokee Indians, it was a simple act of kindness towards an injured little bird that earned pine trees this very honor. Retold by award-winning author Alexis York Lumbard, this story invites readers to experience a world where trees and birds speak and interact with each other, and which shows us that no act of kindness and sharing goes unrewarded. Featuring beautiful paintings by multiple award-winning illustrator Beatriz Vidal, you will never look at pine trees in the same way again!" 

Bea Reviews The Rhyme of the Magpie by Marty Wingate

Publisher: Alibi
Series: Birds of a Feather #1
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: June 2, 2015
Challenges: Cruisin' Through the Cozies | May 2015 Clean Sweep ARC Challenge | NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge | What An Animal
Buying Links: Amazon* | OmniLit* | Kobo | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

For readers of Laura Childs, Ellery Adams, and Jenn McKinlay, the high-flying new Birds of a Feather mystery series from Marty Wingate begins as a British woman gets caught up in a dangerous plot when her celebrity father disappears.

With her personal life in disarray, Julia Lanchester feels she has no option but to quit her job on her father’s hit BBC Two nature show, A Bird in the Hand. Accepting a tourist management position in Smeaton-under-Lyme, a quaint village in the English countryside, Julia throws herself into her new life, delighting sightseers (and a local member of the gentry) with tales of ancient Romans and pillaging Vikings.

But the past is front and center when her father, Rupert, tracks her down in a moment of desperation. Julia refuses to hear him out; his quick remarriage after her mother’s death was one of the reasons Julia flew the coop. But later she gets a distressed call from her new stepmum: Rupert has gone missing. Julia decides to investigate—she owes him that much, at least—and her father’s new assistant, the infuriatingly dapper Michael Sedgwick, offers to help. Little does the unlikely pair realize that awaiting them is a tightly woven nest of lies and murder.

Review & Giveaway - Bite the Biscuit by Linda O. Johnston

Publisher: Midnight Ink
Series: Barkery & Biscuits Mystery #1
Format Read: paperback
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: May 8, 2015
Challenges:  Cruisin' Through the Cozies |  May 2015 Clean Sweep ARC Challenge |  What An Animal |
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:

Carrie Kennersly, a veterinary technician, has become known for offering healthy and popular dog treats at the clinic where she works. When the local bakery's owner moves away, Carrie jumps at the chance to convert it into the Barkery, a shop to make and sell her canine delights.

But Myra Ethman, co-owner of another pet product store, hates the new competition. At the Barkery's opening party, she badmouths Carrie's homemade dog biscuits, insisting she'll find a way to shut the place down. So when Myra is found dead with a Barkery biscuit beside her, Carrie must prove she didn't do it before she's collared for murder.

Bea Reviews Bristly Hair and I Don't Care! by Nadia Budde

Publisher: NorthSouth 
Format Read: eGalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: May 1, 2015
Challenges:  What An Animal | May 2015 Clean Sweep ARC Challenge | NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble | 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from publisher:

A funny book about liking the way you look! Everyone occasionally dreams of being a little prettier, taller, slimmer . . . And Nadia Budde’s quirky characters are no different. Some wish they had more hair, some wish they had less. The only one who doesn’t care about his appearance is Uncle Ike—he doesn’t care what his looks are like. Nadia’s catchy rhymes and funny characters will appeal to readers of all ages and (hopefully) help us see that we’re all perfect just the way we are!

Bea Reviews The Tiger by Federico Brremaud, Illustrated by Federico Bertolucci

Publisher: Magnetic Press
Series: Love Volume #1
Format Read: eGalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: March 1, 2015
Challenges: NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge | What An Animal
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

A day in the life of the king of the jungle, this lavishly illustrated story follows a single majestic tiger through a wordless adventure of survival as it hunts prey and defends itself from other would-be killers defending their territory. This exciting tale is told without narration or dialogue, conveyed entirely through the beautiful illustrations of Federico Bertolucci. A beautiful, all-ages title that explores genuine natural behavior through the dramatic lens of Disney-esque storytelling. Like a nature documentary in illustration.