E-Arc Book Review: The Beginning of Everything by Jackie Fraser

I received an E-arc from Netgalley and the publisher for an exchange of an honest review.

Author: Jackie Fraser
Publisher: Dell
Pages: 352
Date: September 26, 2023

SUMMARY:
After escaping a bad relationship, Jess Cavendish is running and leaving it all behind, carrying just a few treasured belongings in her knapsack. She needs to start over, but that means sleeping where she can and making the most of her slim savings. Luckily, she comes across a recently sold, unoccupied house. It couldn’t hurt to stay there while she saves up enough to get her own place, right?

Gethin Thomas is also looking to move on after the end of a long-term relationship. He’s returned to his hometown, anxious to renovate the fixer-upper he bought and move out of his sister’s cramped guest room. When he walks through the door one morning, he finds Jess, who’s ready to run again, and surprises them both by offering to let her stay. It feels like the right thing to do, but Jess doesn’t want a handout. They strike a bargain: Jess will help with the restoration, furnishing, and decorating in exchange for room and board.

While they peel wallpaper and shop for new furniture, an unexpected friendship develops as they bond over music and food, and slowly open up to each other about their pasts. When it’s time for Gethin to move in, he convinces Jess to be his official housemate and she agrees—so long as he lets her pay rent. The connection between them soon shifts to an attraction that seems both inevitable and overwhelming, and Jess must decide what she wants. With so much hurt in her past, can she risk loving again? She was brave enough to reach for a new life—and now a future she hadn’t even dreamed possible could be just within her grasp.

REVIEW:
This was written beautifully with real characters who are going through so many things emotionally. I loved Gethin and Jess connect on different levels. They were strangers, then friends, then perhaps something more? It’s a different vibe on what a love story is.

I loved how the emotional hurdles that Gethin and Jess go through. Gethin dealing with his ex and all the drama. Jess dealing with emotional baggage from many things. They both listened to each other and got along really well. I got the feeling Gethin and Jess were a bit older. I would estimate maybe in their late 30s and early 40s? It’s a different change of pace than younger folk.

Designing a house together was pretty neat to see. I don’t think I could do that. I loved how Jess had an eye for designing. I was hoping she would get a business started and Gethin would help her?

I would recommend this book if you are looking for a heartwarming contemporary romance fiction. It is different and I think you have to have patience with this book since it’s a bit heavy on the pace and learning how to cope.

Ruling Destiny by Alyson Noel Review

I received an E-Arc by the publisher and Netgalley for an honest review.

Author: Alyson Noel
Date: June 6, 2023
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Pages: 496
Website

SUMMARY:
The second I stepped through the doors of Gray Wolf Academy, my world disintegrated. Here, time is malleable. It can be manipulated, shifted. Changed. And for those of us who Trip―or travel through time―the possibilities are infinite and perilous.

Now my life is caught in the secrets of everyone around me. Arthur, the eccentric billionaire who rules this school. Killian, who could be the only honest person here…or the biggest liar. And Braxton, magnetic, gorgeous, and unfathomable. The only thing I trust about him is our electric connection.

Whether we’re Tripping through Renaissance Italy or thieving from a ball in Regency England, my life’s become a web of lies and strange truths. And beneath the surface is an elaborate puzzle, filled with cryptic symbols and priceless treasures scattered across history―all somehow connected to my strange ability to see through time.

But Arthur has a dangerously ambitious agenda. And if what my dad taught me is true, I’m not just a threat to everyone at Gray Wolf.

…I’m a threat to time itself.

REVIEW:
This second book picks up from the first book. What will happen next?

Natasha tries to focus on simple things but that does not happen. One thing after another and yet she realizes there are agendas everywhere. What is the truth? What is the lie? Who has what secret? Will Natasha be able to figure it all out? Who’s her enemy and who is her truth? I liked how she had to figure things out. It made the story interesting.

I loved the history and time traveling and magic aspects of the story!! It was so intriguing to me. The tarot cards were a nice touch. It felt like a puzzle. Twists and turns!

There is a triangle love interest here which I could see coming. I don’t mind them once in a while. I enjoyed both Braxton and Killian but while reading you have to be thinking one of them is a villain right? You gotta read the book to find out. I liked both characters but I think I leaned towards more to Killian. I blame the accent!

So if you are looking for mysteries, drama, time traveling..then this book is the one to read. You should probably read the first book “Stealing Infinity” then this one! The book comes out June 6, 2023!

Psstt…aren’t the covers pretty though??

I spy Pink Covered Fiction Books

I spy Fiction books with pink covers!!

Which one will you pick up today to check out?

Jana Suleiman has never really fit in—everyone always sees her as too aloof, too cool, too perfect. The one time she stepped out of her comfort zone she ended up with a broken heart and a baby on the way. Aaaand lesson learned. Now she’s a bridesmaid for a destination wedding in Serengeti National Park, and almost everyone she knows will be there. Her five-year-old daughter. Her mom. Her friends. Even her potential new boss. And of course (because who doesn’t love surprises!) her gorgeous-but-not-to-be-trusted ex.

Fortunately, Anil Malek is a great dad, even if Jana hasn’t quite forgiven him for lying to her all those years ago. Determined to show he has no effect on her whatsoever, she and the bridesmaids concoct a go-wild list to get Jana through the week. Sing karaoke? Sure. Perform their high school dance routine in front of strangers? Okay. But the more she lets down her guard, the less protection she has against her attraction to Anil. And Jana soon realizes it’s one thing to walk on the wild side . . . and quite another to fall for her ex all over again.

Fern Brookbanks has wasted far too much of her adult life thinking about Will Baxter. She spent just twenty-four hours in her early twenties with the aggravatingly attractive, idealistic artist, a chance encounter that spiraled into a daylong adventure in the city. The timing was wrong, but their connection was undeniable: they shared every secret, every dream, and made a pact to meet one year later. Fern showed up. Will didn’t.

At thirty-two, Fern’s life doesn’t look at all how she once imagined it would. Instead of living in the city, Fern’s back home, running her mother’s lakeside resort—something she vowed never to do. The place is in disarray, her ex-boyfriend’s the manager, and Fern doesn’t know where to begin.

She needs a plan—a lifeline. To her surprise, it comes in the form of Will, who arrives nine years too late, with a suitcase in tow and an offer to help on his lips. Will may be the only person who understands what Fern’s going through. But how could she possibly trust this expensive-suit wearing mirage who seems nothing like the young man she met all those years ago. Will is hiding something, and Fern’s not sure she wants to know what it is. 

But ten years ago, Will Baxter rescued Fern. Can she do the same for him?

Annie Walker is on a quest to find her perfect match—someone who complements her happy, quiet life running the local flower shop in Rome, Kentucky. But finding her dream man may be harder than Annie imagined. Everyone knows everyone in her hometown, and the dating prospects are getting fewer by the day. After she overhears her latest date say she is “so unbelievably boring,” Annie starts to think the problem might be her. Is it too late to become flirtatious and fun like the leading ladies in her favorite romance movies? Maybe she only needs a little practice . . . and Annie has the perfect person in mind to be her tutor: Will Griffin.

Will—the sexy , tattooed, and absolutely gorgeous bodyguard—is temporarily back in Rome, providing security for Amelia Rose as excitement builds for her upcoming marriage to Noah Walker, Annie’s brother. He has one personal objective while on the job: stay away from Annie Walker and any other possible attachments to this sleepy town. But no sooner than he gets settled, Will finds himself tasked with helping Annie find the love of her life by becoming the next leading lady of Rome, Kentucky. Will wants no part in changing the sweet and lovely Annie. He knows for a fact that some stuffy, straitlaced guy won’t make her happy, but he doesn’t have the heart to say no.

Amid steamy practice dates and strictly “educational” tutoring lessons, Annie discovers there are more layers to Will’s usual stoic attitude. As the lines of their friendship become dangerously blurred, Annie reconsiders her dream guy. Maybe her love life doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to be real.

Nash Morgan was always known as the good Morgan brother, with a smile and a wink for everyone. But now, this chief of police is recovering from being shot and his Southern charm has been overshadowed by panic attacks and nightmares. He feels like a broody shell of the man he once was. Nash isn’t about to let anyone in his life know he’s struggling. But his new next-door neighbor, smart and sexy Lina, sees his shadows. As a rule, she’s not a fan of physical contact unless she initiates it, but for some reason Nash’s touch is different. He feels it too. The physical connection between them is incendiary, grounding him and making her wonder if exploring it is worth the risk.

Too bad Lina’s got secrets of her own, and if Nash finds out the real reason she’s in town, he’ll never forgive her. Besides, she doesn’t do relationships. Ever. A hot, short-term fling with a local cop? Absolutely. Sign her up. A relationship with a man who expects her to plant roots? No freaking way. Once she gets what she’s after, she has no intention of sticking around. But Knockemout has a way of getting under people’s skin. And once Nash decides to make Lina his, he’s not about to be dissuaded…even if it means facing the danger that nearly killed him.

Book Review: The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent

Author: Carissa Broadbent
Pages: 502
Publisher: Nasyra Publishing
Date: August 16 2022
Website
Instagram

SUMMARY:
Human or vampire, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always – always – guard your heart.

The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

But winning won’t be easy against the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.

Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown… and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.

But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone – but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.

SUMMARY:
I picked this book up from my local library because I was looking for a vampire book to read. To my readers who know me by now…*grins* I decided to give this book a shot. I’m so glad I did because holy cow! This was an adventure and a whole new world to jump into.

I could not stop reading this book. From the beginning to the end, I was fully immersed in this world. Just like when I read Jay Kristoff “Empire of the Vampire” and like Jennifer L. Armstrout “From Blood and Blood” those worlds just stayed with me. Carissa did the same thing! Yup I’m going to have to buy her book and have it my shelf.

Okay let’s dive in and let me ramble right?

Vampires..well there are certain kinds of vampires in this book which is a different concept. I love it! I wasn’t expecting wings with vampires but it did work. I would say about 90% of the vampires in this book are bloodthirsty ones and can be scary. It’s not “Twilight”…there is lots of blood mentioned in the story…so readers be aware. It was a very very interesting take on vampires. It created a different kind of world which I want to know more of.

Oraya has quite the task to do! Along the way she has experiences that got her thinking on many things. I loved this for her. I enjoyed how she has a mind of her own. I felt bad for her since she was in the world of vampires and had to be alert at all times and couldn’t experience some human moments. The young lady had been through so much and she still has more to go through. I loved her sass and her skill with fighting. Even she possesses a gift of magic but I’m curious where did she get that? How does this come into play? I loved how she used her magic on Raihn.

Her relationship with Raihn was interesting. So much banter between them which I loved. At first I thought they were just going to help each other out but as time went by it evolved to something more. It was almost like a slow burn. They did have two steamy moments which was done nicely. Just something about that them they fit so well together. I will say the ending caught me off guard and now I wonder what will happen with their relationship?

Both characters have been through quite a bit. Some of their background is told in this book so it gives you a better picture of how they are now. I loved their stories.

Kejari games…that takes you to a whole another level. It did give off a tiny ‘Hunger Games’ feel. This had a lot more going on with magic, blood and vampires. It kept me hooked on the story and made me want to know what was going to happen next. It was pretty fast paced too.

Mische, I loved this character in the book. I am hoping she shows up in the next book. She is just a likable character and has a great relationship with Raihn in a sisterly way! She also connects with Oraya which is more of a friendship. I loved how Raihn and Oraya took concern for Mische when she was injured. That showed compassion there. I loved that!

The ending left me with tons more questions! I’m ready for book two now which I may have to go check out from the library sometime this week..maybe like tomorrow if I have time?

I spy Graphic Novels

I spy Graphic Novels…

Looking for all kinds of superheroes?
Finding true self?

Check these out!

There’s more to the mobsters, mystics, and mermaids at the last stop on the D/F/Q trains: Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue.

Zatanna’s not your typical New Yorker. She walks her giant rabbit on a leather leash down the boardwalk, lives in a colossal architectural wonder known as the Golden Elephant, had her first kiss in the Haunted HellGate ride–and wouldn’t have it any other way.

But the time for having fun in Luna Park comes to an end when a mystic’s quest for a powerful jewel unravels everything Zatanna thought she knew about herself and her beloved neighborhood. Mysteries and magic surround her as she reveals the truth about her family’s legacy, and confronts the illusion that has been cast over her entire life.

It seems like years, but it’s only been a few days since Raven Roth recovered her memories; trapped her demon father, Trigon, in her amulet; and had her heart broken for the first time. But she doesn’t have time to think about the past…she has to focus on finding a way to get rid of Trigon for good.

Garfield Logan still can’t believe he has powers that allow him to change into different animals, but the price of knowing that his parents kept this secret hidden from him just feels too high. And what’s more, his difficulty controlling these abilities could have unexpected consequences.

Both are seeking answers from the one person who seems to have them all figured out: Slade Wilson.

When their paths converge in Nashville, Raven and Gar can’t help but feel a connection, despite the secrets they both try to hide. It will take a great amount of trust and courage to overcome the wounds of their pasts. But can they find acceptance for the darkest parts of themselves? Or maybe even love?

Zahn is one of Krypton’s elites: wealthy, privileged, a future leader. Sera is one of Krypton’s soldiers: strong, dedicated, fearless. Their rule-bound society has ordained that their paths should never cross.

But groundquakes are shaking the planet’s surface. Rebellious uprisings are shaking the populace. Krypton’s top scientists–Jor-El and Lara–conduct a secret experiment that is meant to reform their planet from the cellular level up. Zahn and Sera must join forces to investigate the hidden dangers truly threatening Krypton. In the process, they form a bond that will endure past the end of the world…

Sixteen-year-old Willow Zimmerman has something to say. When she’s not on the streets protesting City Hall’s neglect of her run-down Gotham neighborhood, she’s working nights at the local dog shelter. But despite how much she does for the world around her, she’s struggling to take care of her sick mother at home. She’s got no time for boys (though there’s one she really likes), and no means to adopt the amazingly loyal stray Great Dane, Lebowitz, that follows her around.

Without health insurance and with money running out, a desperate Willow reconnects with an estranged family friend E. Nigma–party promoter, and real estate tycoon. Nigma opens the door to an easier life, offering Willow a new job hosting his glamorous private poker nights with Gotham City’s elites. Now Willow is able to afford critical medical treatments for her mother and get a taste of the high life she’s never had.

Then everything changes: Willow and Lebowitz are attacked by one of Gotham’s most horrific villains, the monstrous Killer Croc. When they wake after the fight, they can understand each other. And Willow has powers she never dreamed of.

When Willow discovers that Nigma and his poker buddies are actually some of Gotham’s most corrupt criminals, she must make a choice: remain loyal to the man who saved her mother’s life, or use her new powers to save her community.

Scott Free wants nothing more than to leave Apokolips for planet Earth, and he knows exactly how to do it. But his plan never involved falling in love with the head of the Female Furies, Big Barda—the one person tasked with ensuring he never escapes.

From Varian Johnson, the author of the Coretta Scott King Author Honor book The Parker Inheritance, and Afrofuturist artist Daniel Isles (a.k.a. DirtyRobot) comes the story of an escape plan that will take a miracle to pull off. Luckily for Scott, everyone calls him Mister Miracle! Okay, no one calls him that…yet.

Women change the World….they’ve been doing it for centuries. Now New York Times bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson has gathered female and nonbinary writers and artists to reveal the women making our world better day by day. Real-world heroes who exemplify the best of Wonder Woman herself: her strength, compassion, and commitment to truth, equality, and justice. 

Taylor Barzelay has the perfect life. Good looks, good grades, a starting position on the basketball team, a loving family, even an adorable corgi. Every day in Taylor’s life is perfect. And every day is torture.

Taylor is actually the Galaxy Crowned, an alien princess from the planet Cyandii, and one of the few survivors of an intergalactic war. For six long, painful years, Taylor has accepted her duty to remain in hiding as a boy on Earth.

That all changes when Taylor meets Metropolis girl Katherine “call me Kat” Silverberg, whose confidence is electrifying. Suddenly, Taylor no longer wants to hide, even if exposing her true identity could attract her greatest enemies.

Book Review – The Witches of Bone Hill by Ava Morgyn

I received an E-Arc by the publisher and marketing assistant Kejana Ayala (thank you!) and the author, Ava Morgyn and Netgalley for an honest review.

Author: Ava Morgyn
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Date: September 26, 2023
Pages: 416
Website
Instagram

SUMMARY:
Cordelia Bone’s meticulously crafted life and career in Dallas are crashing down around her thanks to a philandering husband with criminal debts. When her older, carefree sister, Eustace―a cannabis grower in Boulder―calls to inform her that the great aunt they never met has died and they must travel to a small town in Connecticut to deal with the estate, she sees an opportunity to unload the house and save herself.

But once there, the sisters learn they are getting much more than they bargained for. The Victorian mansion they stand to inherit is bound in a dynasty trust controlled by their late aunt’s aging attorney, who insists they retain and inhabit the house but keeps them in the dark about the peculiar rituals of their ancestors. Not to mention a sexy, tattooed groundskeeper with a shrouded past who refuses to leave the carriage house and a crypt full of dead relatives looming at the property line.

As both women grapple with their current predicament, they come face to face with a haunting family secret, the truth of what happened to their mother, and the enemy that’s been stalking them from the shadows for generations. In a twisting torrent of terror and blood, the sisters must uncover the power within them to heal their fractured relationship, reverse their mysteriously declining health, and claim the lineage they wanted to escape but now must embrace if they are to survive at Bone Hill.

REVIEW
I could not stop reading this book. I literally was hooked on the story from the beginning to the end! I had to know what was going to happen next with the sisters!

I got this ebook from the publisher which was so nice. It was an awesome surprise! Thank you Kejana Ayala and author, Ava Morgyn.

Like I said this book had me hooked! Each chapter had me wanting to know what was going to happen next for Cordelia and Eustace. The two sisters inherit a house from an aunt they never knew and things happen!! Weird things happen! So many mysteries…so many things!

At first I thought the book would be a whimsical book but it’s a bit dark with a tiny bit of horror. So if you are looking a dark but quick paced story about witches with some creepy bits in it, then this book is for you. Just to warn you if you don’t like creepy things then maybe not read this book, ok? Creepy bits meaning: history is a bit creepy, death is mentioned, an animal is hurt badly (so animal lovers just heads up!), and there is someone who dies. I could all the creepy things happening because I kept focusing on what was Cordelia and Eustace’s next move ? Will they survive this? What will they uncover next? What is so special about this house? I had tons of questions that I wanted to know.

I love how both sisters got each other’s backs. I love Eustace’s quirky moments which made me giggle. I love Cordelia going into investigation mode. The sisters made a great team and I loved how they learned more about their family history. The sisters both have secrets of their own and eventually they are told. Are they still sisters?

There was some romance happening with Cordelia and the groundkeeper which was nice!!! I liked how the romance slowly was incorporated in the story. I loved the groundkeeper’s background story too. Do they get their happy ever after? You’ll have to find out.

I will point one thing. Eustace did cook a nice meal for her sister and invited the groundkeeper to join them. While eating Cordelia and the groundkeeper who is named Gordon ends up saying some funny things. Why is that? Blame it on Eustace, hahaha! It was funny. I wished the book had a few more of these moments.

Who’s the villain in the story? It had me guessing and you’ll have to read it to find out.

Go pick this up when it comes out because it’ll be a great autumn/Halloween read! If you like witches with a bit of spookiness and creepy elements here and there then this is the one for you. I may pick this up since the cover is so pretty too!

Currently Reading

So…… reading five books is too many right?!

Anyone else do this? Add more when you are reading?

Two ebook arc books (which is not released yet. Both are from Netgalley and the publisher). Reviews will be coming soon!

Then a book that I got from the library book sale..well I rescued it before it got sold off because the story was fascinating to me.

Then I checked these two books out today from my local library because I felt like it.

Are you going to read any of these? Add them to your to read pile?

I spy Chapter books for Young Readers

Check out these chapter books for young readers.

Are you looking for about dogs’ adventurers?
Check!

A young girl’s adventure in Norway?
Check!

Legends and adventure??
Check!

Family life and facing prejudice?
Check!

Talk to animals?
Check!

Gizmo is a city dog, so when he moves to the village of Puddle with his journalist human, he doesn’t know WHAT to expect. Certainly not FLOWERS. Or BEES. And he couldn’t have even imagined MUD. Luckily he’s got Jilly, the wolfhound next door, to show him around.

But Jilly has a problem. Her puppies are going to be adopted by new owners who live far away — she’ll never see them again! Gizmo has got a nose for a story, and a great idea to help Jilly. What if the dogs of Puddle started a newspaper to get the word out and keep these pups closer to home? Stop the presses!

Her name was Rype. That wasn’t really her name. It was what the strangers called her. She didn’t remember her real name. She didn’t remember anything at all.

Rype was hiding in the hollow of a tree trunk when they found her. She was hungry, small, cold, alone. She did not speak their language, or understand their mannerisms. But she knew this: To survive, she would have to go with them.

In fourteenth-century Norway, the plague has destroyed the entire village of Skeviga. To stay alive, Rype, the only one left, must embark on a sweeping adventure across Europe with the son of an English ship captain and a band of troubadours in search of a brighter future and a new home.

Twelve-year-old Valentina wants to focus on drawing the real world around her and hopefully get into art school in Bogotá one day, but Papi has spent his life studying Colombia’s legendary creatures and searching for proof of their existence. So when Papi hears that a patasola—a vampire woman with one leg—has been sighted in the Andes, Valentina and her younger brother Julián get dragged along on another magical creature hunt.

While they’re in the Andes, a powerful earthquake hits. Valentina and Julián fall through the earth…and find an alternate Colombia where, to Valentina’s shock, all the legends are real.

To get home, Valentina and Julián must make a treacherous journey to reach this land’s ruler: the madremonte, mother and protector of the earth. She controls the only portal back to the human world—but she absolutely hates humans, and she’ll do anything to defend her land.

Nothing’s gone right for Lawrence since he had to move from Charlotte to Larenville, North Carolina, to live with his granny. When Lawrence ends up in one too many fights at his new school, he gets expelled. The fight wasn’t his fault, but since his pop’s been gone, it feels like no one listens to what Lawrence has to say.

Instead of going to school, Lawrence starts spending his days at the rec center, helping out a neighbor who runs a chess program. Some of the kids in the program will be picked to compete in the Charlotte Classic chess tournament. Could this be Lawrence’s chance to go home?

Lawrence doesn’t know anything about chess, but something about the center—and the kids there—feels right. Lawrence thought the game was over . . . but does he have more moves left than he thought?

Alice Tonksdesperately wants to make friends at boarding school but, being autistic, she’s always found it hard to fit in. Then she discovers she is a“switcher” and can talk to animals. As she starts to explore her newfound abilities, to her horror she learns that creatures are going missing. Only Alice holds the key to solving the mystery and finding the culprit, but she’ll need to harness her full powers first. And to do that she’ll need a bit of help from her new friends—both human and animal.

I spy Children Fiction Picture books today

Check out these picture books that I saw today!

Self-esteem, friendships, animals, adventure, life, coping and fun!

Aren’t the covers so colorful and fun?

Hi, hello. My name is Capybara and I think it’s important to be a great friend. Take it from me, I have 4,382 friends!

Capybara will do anything for his friends. But it’s exhausting—and when Capybara meets a potential new friend who doesn’t seem to be responding to his advances, Capybara learns a valuable lesson. His friends like him just for who he is!

From the creator of Smug Seagull and Just be Jelly and illustrator of Shine Like a Unicorn comes a funny, heartwarming story about friendship.

This book is an excellent teaching tool for lessons on friendship and creating boundaries within those relationships. It is a funny story for families to share, and a great read-aloud at home or in the classroom! 

A stirring, thoughtful story about the pressure to perform and the support of a true friend.

When Bear sits down at the piano, he makes beautiful music, and the other animals can’t get enough. “More, more, Pianobear!” they shout. But sometimes Bear just wants to relax. Even when he tries to escape to a quiet tree branch, the voices follow him: “More! More! More!” Finally Bear snaps. No one seems to understand why he’s so upset—except Zebra. Zebra loves Bear’s music, but she doesn’t ask him to start playing again. Instead, she brings over a book…

This infectious read-aloud invites kids to use their powers of imagination–along with some stamping, blowing, and flapping–to save their book from an adorable baby dragon’s flammable sneezes!

First, you’ll see there’s an egg in your book. Then, a darling little dragon hatches from it! But whatever you do, don’t tickle its nose, because you don’t want it to sneeze. ACHOO! UH-OH!

What do you do with a grumpy kraken, a sickly sea serpent, and a tearful gigantic tortoise? You sing them a tune, of course! Following the sea shanty rhyme of “What Do You Do With . . . ,” a ship’s crew of sailors has to contend with a coterie of mythical sea creatures, all demanding comfort and attention. As each creature threatens to swamp the ship, the quick-thinking crew knows just what to do to save the day, from serving pancakes to mopping a sweaty forehead to sharing an umbrella to keep the rain away. But what happens when the sailors have had enough? Back matter includes information about the sea creatures featured, music and lyrics, along with a brief history of sea shanties.

New friends to meet, new worlds to explore…

Amelia is a shy little girl with a big imagination. After an injury, she finds solace in stories―fairy tales about faraway lands and magical creatures. When two children move in next door, Amelia wonders: Can she play with them? Can she be as brave as the heroines in the stories she reads? With the help of a little bird outside her window, Amelia finds the courage she needs to embark on a journey in her new wheelchair…where she discovers that there is magic to be found just outside her window.

On a rainy Saturday, a young girl feels as gray as a pigeon. Since moving from China to New York City, Mom, Dad, and Grandma have been very busy working. But a trip to Mom’s favorite Chinatown store to find the best produce, seafood, and spices for dinner just might turn the girl’s day around.

Later on, Dad steams, boils, fries, and stir-fries all the ingredients while girl and Grandma taste-test. After cozy goodnights, a final dream spread shows the family walking hand-in-hand in rainbow colors–an affirmation of love and support even on rainy, gray days.

I spy Fantasy Fiction books

I spy fantasy fiction books…..

Aren’t all the covers sooooooooo pretty!??

Dragons

Demons

Queens

Fantasy

What will you read?

Long ago, humans betrayed dragons, stealing their magic and banishing them to a dying world. Centuries later, their descendants worship dragons as gods. But the “gods” remember, and they do not forgive. 

Thief Arcady scrapes a living on the streets of Vatra. Desperate, Arcady steals a powerful artifact from the bones of the Plaguebringer, the most hated person in Lumet history. Only Arcady knows the artifact’s magic holds the key to a new life among the nobles at court and a chance for revenge. 

The spell connects to Everen, the last male dragon foretold to save his kind, dragging him through the Veil. Disguised as a human, Everen soon learns that to regain his true power and form and fulfil his destiny, he only needs to convince one little thief to trust him enough to bond completely–body, mind, and soul—and then kill them.

Yet the closer the two become, the greater the risk both their worlds will shatter.

L.R. Lam

This sensational epic fantasy follows an emissary for the king as he gathers a group of strangers and embarks on a dangerous quest across a war-torn land.​

The war is over, but peace can be hell.

Demons continue to burn farmlands, violent mercenaries roam the wilds, and a plague is spreading. The country of Eidyn is on its knees. 

In a society that fears and shuns him, Aranok is the first mage to be named King’s Envoy. And his latest task is to restore an exiled foreign queen to her throne.  

The band of allies he assembles each have their own unique skills. But they are strangers to one another, and at every step across the ravaged land, a new threat emerges, lies are revealed, and distrust could destroy everything they are working for. Somehow, Aranok must bring his companions together and uncover the conspiracy that threatens the kingdom—before war returns to the realms again.

Justin Lee Anderson

Five hundred years of peace between queendoms shatters when girls inexplicably stop being born. As the Drought of Girls stretches across a generation, it sets off a cascade of political and personal consequences across all five queendoms of the known world, throwing long-standing alliances into disarray as each queendom begins to turn on each other—and new threats to each nation rise from within.

Uniting the stories of women from across the queendoms, this propulsive, gripping epic fantasy follows a warrior queen who must rise from childbirth bed to fight for her life and her throne, a healer in hiding desperate to protect the secret of her daughter’s explosive power, a queen whose desperation to retain control leads her to risk using the darkest magic, a near-immortal sorcerer demigod powerful enough to remake the world for her own ends—and the generation of lastborn girls, the ones born just before the Drought, who must bear the hopes and traditions of their nations if the queendoms are to survive.

The Drought of Girls has ended, but the rift it broke open between the Queendoms is not so easily healed. Political tensions roil the senate of Paxim, where Queen Heliane vows to make her son Paulus the nation’s first ruling King or die trying. Scorpican troops amass on the border of Arca, ready to attack. And within Arca itself, its young, unready queen finds her court a nest of vipers and her dreams besieged by a mysterious figure with unknown intentions.

As iron and magic clash on the battlefield and powerful women scheme behind the scenes, danger and violence abound. Can anyone stop chaos from ripping the Queendoms apart?

G.R. Macallister