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 fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fantasy. Show all posts

Friday, March 25, 2022

Could I Be As Brave as Bilbo? #TolkienReadingDay

 

I'm delighted to be participating in Tolkien Reading day. It's held on the 25th of March each year. The 25th of March is the date of the downfall of Sauron, the Lord of the Rings, and the fall of Barad-dûr. It's been organized by the Tolkien Society since 2003 to encourage fans to celebrate and promote the life and works of J.R.R. Tolkien by reading favorite passages.

Friday, December 18, 2020

EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: Layla by Colleen Hoover


I've never read Ms. Hoover but many of my blogger friends are big fans and this book sounds interesting. I don't know when I'll get to it, but I want to read it. Today, I'm part of the blog tour for the book's release. I have an excerpt with an intro by Colleen herself, and a giveaway. Enjoy!

Saturday, May 9, 2020

Bea Reviews The Gryphon's Lair by Kelley Armstrong

Series: Royal Guide to Monster Slaying #2
Read As A Stand Alone: Yes, but not recommended
Publisher: Puffin Canada
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: June 2nd, 2020
Buying Links: Amazon* | Apple Books* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Books | Kobo |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

The exciting follow-up book in the fantastical duology for ages 10-14 by NYT bestselling author, Kelley Armstrong.

Rowan is now the Royal Monster Hunter, and her twin brother, Rhydd, is destined to be king. But her mother's cousin Heward is still determined that his children be the ones to inherit the titles, and will stop at nothing to show that Rowan and Rhydd are too immature to properly lead. After the gryphon that Rowan captured in Book One gives birth but then dies, Rowan is left with a baby gryphon she knows she cannot keep. And it grows faster than anyone can imagine . . .

In order to save face after an accident involving the troublesome gryphon, Rowan, with the help of her friends Dain and Alianor, along with an entourage of monstrous companions, must make a journey to the mountains to release the gryphon back into the wild. What starts off as a simple enough task soon becomes a dangerous quest, as the group encounters numerous rare and deadly monsters along the way, including wyverns and ceffyl-dwrs. Nothing is easy when you're a "monster magnet" like Rowan.

Can she prove herself worthy of the title of Royal Monster Hunter? Find out in this exciting second book in the Royal Guide to Monster Slaying duology!

Friday, May 8, 2020

Friday Memes: Cursed by Thomas Wheeler and Illustrated by Frank Miller

I'm participating in two Friday book memes, Book Beginnings On Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reader, and The Friday 56, hosted by Freda's Voice.

Every Friday, share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

Thursday, April 30, 2020

Coming to Facebook - The Great Fantasy Debate!


I got this press release today and decided to share. Most press releases I just delete but this looks fun and interesting.

Penguin Random House has a cool new project for fantasy readers, a video series called The Great Fantasy Debate, premiering on their Facebook Page this coming Tuesday, May 5th. It features top science fiction/fantasy authors and comedians debating fantasy topics, such as: Should dragon ownership be legal? Is a degree from Hogwarts worth it?

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Bea Reviews I'm A Gnome! by Jessica Peill-Meininghaus and illustrated by Poly Bernatene

Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: August 13th, 2019
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository*  | * affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Fans of Mo Willems and Dev Petty's I Don't Want to Be a Frog will love this humorous tale about one gnome's journey to prove he is unlike the other magical creatures in the forest.

Join Gnome (that's spelled G-N-O-M-E--don't ask why the G is silent!) as he travels through the magical forest to attend the annual Gnome Festival.

Along the way he encounters elves, dwarves, trolls, and fairies. But don't be mistaken. He is NOTHING like those magical creatures. Well, maybe he is . . . but only a little bit!

When Gnome finally arrives at the festival, he realizes that all the traits he thought made gnomes different from the others actually made them alike--and that's just fine.

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Bea Reviews A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying by Kelley Armstrong

Series: A Royal Guide To Monster Slaying #1
Publisher: Puffin Canada
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: August 6th, 2019
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:

Monster hunting isn't for the faint of heart—the first in a brand-new middle-grade series by NYT bestselling author, Kelley Armstrong.

Twelve-year-old Rowan is next in line to be Queen; her twin brother, Rhydd, to be Royal Monster Hunter. Rowan would give anything to switch places, but the rule is, the oldest child is next in line, even if she is only older by two minutes. She resigns herself to admiring her royal monster hunter aunt's official sword and having tea with dignitaries with her mother, the queen. But a tragic event breaks up longstanding rules, and now Rowan finds herself in hunt of a dangerous gryphon.

Accompanied by a feisty and determined baby jackalope and a giant wolf that barely tolerates her, she sets off on a journey that will see her join forces with other unlikely allies: a boy who has ambitions of his own to hunt monsters, and a girl from a nearby clan with hidden motives for befriending Rowan. It will take all of Rowan's skills, both physical and diplomatic, to keep this journey on track. The future of the kingdom depends on it.

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Bea Reviews Ash and Quill & Smoke and Iron, Books 3 & 4 in The Great Library series, by Rachel Caine


Publisher: Berkley Books
Series: The Great Library #3
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: Trade paperback, June 12th, 2018
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google PlayiBooks* | Kobo
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

The unforgettable characters from Ink and Bone and Paper and Fire unite to save the Great Library of Alexandria from itself in this electrifying adventure in the New York Times bestselling series.

Hoarding all the knowledge of the world, the Great Library jealously guards its secrets. But now a group of rebels poses a dangerous threat to its tyranny....

Jess Brightwell and his band of exiles have fled London, only to find themselves imprisoned in Philadelphia, a city led by those who would rather burn books than submit. But Jess and his friends have a bargaining chip: the knowledge to build a machine that will break the Library's rule.

Their time is running out. To survive, they'll have to choose to live or die as one, to take the fight to their enemies--and to save the very soul of the Great Library....


Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Giveaway! The Cold Eye by Laura Anne Gilman

Giveaway, The Cold Eye, Laura Anne Gilman, Bea's Book Nook

The Cold Eye is the second book in the Devil's West trilogy and it was fantastic. The trade paperback has just been released and the author is giving away a copy to a US reader. But there's a twist! Laura Anne wanted to do something a little different so I came up with what I hope I will be something fun.

To enter, you will need to have read either The Cold Eye or the first book, Silver on the Road. Why? Well, in order to enter, you will need to write a poem, any style, or song lyrics inspired by or based on one of the books or the series so far. Pick a character, an event, an image, anything from the books that appeals or calls to you. Nor do you need to write something long, it can be short. Now, the winning entry will NOT be judged on quality. Have fun with this, don't stress. I'll use random.org to pick the winning entry. Put your work in the comments below and leave a way for me to contact you if you win.

The giveaway ends March 28th at 11:59PM Eastern time. US only. No purchase necessary. VOID where prohibited. Please read my Giveaway Policy and Privacy Policy. The winning comment will be chosen by random.org.

Go wild! Have fun!

Blurb ~

In the anticipated sequel to Silver on the Road, Isobel is riding circuit through the Territory as the Devil's Left Hand. But when she responds to a natural disaster, she learns the limits of her power and the growing danger of something mysterious that is threatening not just her life, but the whole Territory.

Isobel is the left hand of the old man of the Territory, the Boss—better known as the Devil. Along with her mentor, Gabriel, she is traveling circuit through Flood to represent the power of the Devil and uphold the agreement he made with the people to protect them. Here in the Territory, magic exists—sometimes wild and perilous.

But there is a growing danger in the bones of the land that is killing livestock, threatening souls, and weakening the power of magic. In the next installment of the Devil’s West series, Isobel and Gabriel are in over their heads as they find what’s happening and try to stop the people behind it before it unravels the Territory.

Monday, October 16, 2017

Bea Reviews The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O'Neill

Bea's Book Nook, Review, The Tea Dragon Society, Katie O'Neill
Publisher: Oni Press 
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 31st, 2017 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble | web comic | Comixology
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

From the award-winning author of Princess Princess Ever After comes The Tea Dragon Society, a charming all-ages book that follows the story of Greta, a blacksmith apprentice, and the people she meets as she becomes entwined in the enchanting world of tea dragons.

After discovering a lost tea dragon in the marketplace, Greta learns about the dying art form of tea dragon care-taking from the kind tea shop owners, Hesekiel and Erik. As she befriends them and their shy ward, Minette, Greta sees how the craft enriches their lives—and eventually her own.

Friday, October 6, 2017

Read a NEW Short Story by Amanda Bouchet & Enter to WIN A Copy of Heart On Fire!

 

Even though Heart on Fire isn't out until January, Amanda Bouchet has written an original piece from Griffin's point of view especially for her fans, and we're sharing it with you! And there's a giveaway!

But first, a little about the new book, Heart on Fire. :)

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Happy 80th Birthday to The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien!

Stack of Hobbit books and tea cup, Bea's Book Nook
My print  copies of The Hobbit and one of my teacups


80 years ago today a delightful little book by an English professor was released and became not only an instant hit but a lasting success and a classic. Little people who lived in holes in the ground, different little people who lived underground mining, mysterious folk of the woods, fire breathing lizards who guarded their hoard, a twisted lonely creature who loved riddles; yes, I'm talking about The Hobbit. It was first published on September 21, 1937.

I grew up reading myths and fairy tales, soaking up heroes and monsters like a sponge soaks up water. But I didn't discover fantasy until 5th grade when my English teacher would take time at the end of class to read from The Hobbit. To be honest, I don't remember what we learned that year but I remember her reading this book. She didn't read it everyday but on those days when she got through her lesson plan early and we'd behaved, she would read aloud to us. At that rate, it took most of the school year but I was hooked. My parents, one of whom was also an English teacher, happily bought me my own copy.

I loved everything about The Hobbit - the world, the humor, the adventures, the people, the excitement and the wonder and the thrills. And the dragon! I loved dragons in the myths and fairy tales I'd read but encountering one in more recent writings was exciting. Later I moved to The Lord of Rings which was a different, more sober take on Tolkien's world but was still exciting and full adventure and wondrous beings. But The Hobbit holds a special place in my heart to this day. I own multiple editions but sadly it's been years since I read any of them. I think it's time for a re-read. And tea and cakes of course.

image found on Pinterest

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Jax Reviews The Brightest Fell by Seanan McGuire with a Giveaway

Jax, Review, The Brightest Fell, Seanan McGuire, Giveaway, Bea's Book NookSeries: October Daye #11
Publisher: DAW
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 5th, 2017 
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:

For once, everything in October “Toby” Daye’s life seems to be going right. There have been no murders or declarations of war for her to deal with, and apart from the looming specter of her Fetch planning her bachelorette party, she’s had no real problems for days. Maybe things are getting better.

Maybe not.

Because suddenly Toby’s mother, Amandine the Liar, appears on her doorstep and demands that Toby find her missing sister, August. But August has been missing for over a hundred years and there are no leads to follow. And Toby really doesn’t owe her mother any favors.

Then Amandine starts taking hostages, and refusal ceases to be an option.

Thursday, August 31, 2017

Bea Reviews The Brightest Fell by Seanan McGuire with an Excerpt

Bea's Book Nook, Review, The Brightest Fell, Seanan McGuire, Excerpt
Series: October Daye #11
Publisher: DAW
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 5th, 2017 
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:

For once, everything in October “Toby” Daye’s life seems to be going right. There have been no murders or declarations of war for her to deal with, and apart from the looming specter of her Fetch planning her bachelorette party, she’s had no real problems for days. Maybe things are getting better.

Maybe not.

Because suddenly Toby’s mother, Amandine the Liar, appears on her doorstep and demands that Toby find her missing sister, August. But August has been missing for over a hundred years and there are no leads to follow. And Toby really doesn’t owe her mother any favors.

Then Amandine starts taking hostages, and refusal ceases to be an option.

Monday, December 26, 2016

Bea Reviews An Import of Intrigue by Marshall Ryan Maresca

Bea's Book Nook, Review, An Import of Intrigue, Marshall Ryan Maresca
Series: Maradaine Constabulary #2
Publisher: DAW Fantasy
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: November 1st, 2016
Challenges: Finishing the Series Reading Challenge
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:

Mixing high fantasy and mystery, this is Marshall Ryan Maresca’s second novel in the Maradaine Constabulary series, companion to DAW’s Maradaine Novels.

The neighborhood of the Little East is a collision of cultures, languages, and traditions, hidden away in the city of Maradaine. A set of streets to be avoided or ignored. When a foreign dignitary is murdered, solving the crime falls to the most unpopular inspectors in the Maradaine Constabulary: exposed fraud Satrine Rainey, and uncircled mage Minox Welling.

With a murder scene deliberately constructed to point blame toward the Little East, Rainey is forced to confront her former life, while Welling’s ignorance of his own power threatens to consume him. And these few city blocks threaten to erupt into citywide war unless the constabulary solves the case.

Monday, December 19, 2016

Early Review: The Cold Eye by Laura Anne Gilman

Review, The Cold Eye, Laura Anne Gilman, Bea's Book Nook
Series: The Devil's West #2
Publisher: Saga Press
Source: the author and the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: January 10th, 2017
Challenges: Finishing the Series Reading Challenge | NetGalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge
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:

In the anticipated sequel to Silver on the Road, Isobel is riding circuit through the Territory as the Devil's Left Hand. But when she responds to a natural disaster, she learns the limits of her power and the growing danger of something mysterious that is threatening not just her life, but the whole Territory.

Isobel is the left hand of the old man of the Territory, the Boss—better known as the Devil. Along with her mentor, Gabriel, she is traveling circuit through Flood to represent the power of the Devil and uphold the agreement he made with the people to protect them. Here in the Territory, magic exists—sometimes wild and perilous.

But there is a growing danger in the bones of the land that is killing livestock, threatening souls, and weakening the power of magic. In the next installment of the Devil’s West series, Isobel and Gabriel are in over their heads as they find what’s happening and try to stop the people behind it before it unravels the Territory.
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Sunday, November 27, 2016

2017 Nora Roberts/JD Robb Release Schedule


Woo Hoo! It's that time again when Ms. Roberts shares her release schedule for the next year. I love this look at what's coming up and planning my reading (and reviewing) around the release dates. As always the info is in graphic form and dates are subject to change.


Friday, November 25, 2016

Review & Excerpts: Children of Amarid and The Outlanders by David B. Coe


Review, Excerpt, Children of Amarid, David B. Coe, Bea's Book Nook
Publisher: Lore Seekers Press
Series: The LonTobyn Chronicles Book #1
Format Read: Paperback
Source: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: June 30, 2016
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* |Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

For a millenium, the Children of Amarid have served the people of Tobyn-Ser. Drawing upon the Mage-Craft, which flows from the psychic bond they forge with their avian familiars, the Mages of the Order have fulfilled their oaths by healing the injured and ill, repelling invasions by the land’s enemies, and caring for the people in times of crisis. They are governed by laws handed down by Amarid, the first of their kind, who committed the Mage-Craft to the people’s protection. Only once in a thousand years has a mage defied those laws. Theron, a contemporary of Amarid, sought to use his powers to gain wealth and glory. For that he was punished, though not before he brought down a terrible curse on his fellow mages and all who would come after them.

Recently, dark rumors have spread across Tobyn-Ser. Children of Amarid have been seen destroying crops, vandalizing homes, massacring men, women, and children. Have the mages forsaken their oaths? Has Theron returned from beyond death to take his vengeance? Or does Tobyn-Ser face a new threat, one it is ill-prepared and ill-equipped to face? With the land in turmoil and faith in the Mage-Craft badly shaken, it falls to Jaryd, a young mage with extraordinary potential, but little knowledge of the power he wields, to find and destroy Tobyn-Ser’s enemies before they destroy all he holds dear.

CHILDREN OF AMARID is the first volume of the LonTobyn Chronicle, David B. Coe’s Crawford Award-winning debut series. This is the Author’s Edit of the original book.

Friday, October 7, 2016

Sophia Rose Reviews Burning Bright by Melissa McShane

Series: #1 The Extraordinaires
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Source: publisher in exchange for an honest review
Format: eARC
Pages:  318
Release Date: August 15th, 2016 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

In 1812, Elinor Pembroke wakes to find her bedchamber in flames—and extinguishes them with a thought. At 21, she is old to manifest magical talent, but the evidence is unmistakable: she not only has the ability to start fires, but the far more powerful ability to control and extinguish them. She is an Extraordinary, and the only one in England capable of wielding fire in over one hundred years.

As an Extraordinary, she is respected and feared, but to her father, she represents power and prestige for himself. Mr. Pembroke, having spent his life studying magic, is determined to control Elinor and her talent by forcing her to marry where he chooses, a marriage that will produce even more powerful offspring. Trapped between the choices of a loveless marriage or living penniless and dependent on her parents, Elinor takes a third path: she defies tradition and society to join the Royal Navy.

Assigned to serve under Captain Miles Ramsay aboard the frigate Athena, she turns her fiery talent on England’s enemies, French privateers and vicious pirates preying on English ships in the Caribbean. At first feared by her shipmates, a growing number of victories make her truly part of Athena’s crew and bring her joy in her fire. But as her power grows and changes in unexpected ways, Elinor’s ability to control it is challenged. She may have the power to destroy her enemies utterly—but could it be at the cost of her own life?

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Excerpt: Silver on the Road by Laura Anne Gilman, an Alternative History Novel

Bea's Book Nook, Excerpt, Silver on the Road, Laura Anne Gilman, Alternative History

This book came out last year in hardcover and now it's releasing in paper back. I enjoyed it so much that I asked the author, Laura Anne, if I could do an excerpt. isn't that a gorgeous cover? You can check out my review here then go down and read the excerpt. Book two, "The Cold Eye", comes out in January and I'll be reviewing it in December.

Laura Anne Gilman is the author of the popular Cosa Nostradamus urban fantasy series of novels and novellas, and the Nebula award-nominated The Vineart War trilogy. Her newest project is the Devil’s West series from Saga / Simon & Schuster, beginning with 2015’s Locus-bestseller SILVER ON THE ROAD, and continuing with THE COLD EYE.