Review: Unicorn on a Roll by Dana Simpson

Expected publication: May 26th 2015
by Andrews McMeel Publishing

Unicorn on a Roll is book #2 in the Heavenly Nostrils series by Dana Simpson. Book two picks up when Phoebe and her unicorn, Marigold Heavenly Nostrils, have been best friends now for a year.

From Goodreads.com:
In this second volume of Heavenly Nostrils the reader is invited on a journey into the lives of Phoebe and Marigold as they navigate the difficulties of grade school, celebrate the winter holidays, and explore their superhero/supervillain personas together. Join in the fun, as Phoebe competes against Dakota for the leading role of “Lisa Ladybug” in their fourth-grade play—or as she struggles to “manage” the PR debacle related to her nose-picking-scandal. (“I will neither confirm nor deny the events surrounding Boogergate.”) Witness a band of unicorns staging an “intervention” and learn all the details of Marigold’s secret crush on a mysterious creature she has never seen. Perhaps most important, watch as this surprising friendship between a charming, nine-year-old dreamer and a vain, mythical beast forever changes both of them for the better. 

The book is appropriate for the younger set, middle graders and up mostly, though some upper elementary might enjoy it as well. It's funny enough and has enough good humor for even adults to enjoy it. The cartoon has been compared to Calvin and Hobbes. 

One example of the humor is a 4 panel page on p.42 with Phoebe discussing with her father what to get Marigold for Christmas. 

Phoebe: I just know Marigold is going to get me something incredible for Christmas. She's my best friend and I want to get her something special too. 

Dad: Well, What does she like? 

Phoebe: Mostly herself.

Dad: And she has one of those already. 

Phoebe: You see my problem. 

It's really a cute book. It would be fun to share with younger children, but it's also enjoyable on your own as an adult. I am planning to share it with my adult daughter who I think could use a laugh. 

I gave this book 4 stars for the art, the humor, the continuity, and the general plot that it follows. 

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Campbell's Soup and the Kama Sutra

Note: This is a repeat of a blog post from several years ago when the blog wasn't totally dedicated to books and book related things. It is book related though.

One of my most embarrassing hearing mistakes so far happened when I was working as a book clerk at Media Play years ago.

A woman and her teenage daughter came in when it was almost closing time. So, the book department was pretty much empty except for me and my ride home. The woman approached me at the desk and at the time we had a pocket size guide to sexual health that some company was pushing for the holidays on the counter. She glanced at the book and then asked me for what I thought was the Kama Sutra. I was thinking, "Wow. She must have some open relationship with her daughter if she can look at a book like that with her in tow."

I didn't repeat the title like I usually did. I just walked her over to the section and pointed out where the Kama Sutra books were. She looked at me blushing and puzzled. It dawned on me. I said, "That wasn't what you asked for, was it?"

"No. The Campbell's Soup book. The cookbook." 

I was thoroughly embarrassed. At least she wasn't totally offended and I knew where the book was that she wanted. So, she walked out a satisfied if slightly embarrassed customer. And I lucked out that she wasn't offended enough to complain to management about my showing her and her daughter books on sexual health when all she wanted was as cookbook. 

After that I learned to repeat back whatever title people gave me before I showed them the book or search results. Didn't totally stop mistakes, but it lessened the really embarrassing ones.

Waiting on Wednesday #75 - Day Shift by Charlaine Harris

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. 

This week I am waiting on the second book in the Midnight, Texas series by Charlaine Harris. Day Shift is due out May 5. 2015.

Synopsis from Goodreads.com: 

There is no such thing as bad publicity, except in Midnight, Texas, where the residents like to keep to themselves. Even in a town full of secretive people, Olivia Charity is an enigma. She lives with the vampire Lemuel, but no one knows what she does; they only know that she’s beautiful and dangerous.

Psychic Manfred Bernardo finds out just how dangerous when he goes on a working weekend to Dallas and sees Olivia there with a couple who are both found dead the next day. To make matters worse, one of Manfred’s regular—and very wealthy—clients dies during a reading.

Manfred returns from Dallas embroiled in scandal and hounded by the press. He turns to Olivia for help; somehow he knows that the mysterious Olivia can get things back to normal. As normal as things get in Midnight…

Why am I waiting on this book? I read book one in the series, Midnight Crossroad, and enjoyed the story and the cast of quirky characters. Olivia was very much an enigma even in book one. Manfred had the point of view of an outsider since he had just moved to Midnight in the first book. I'm curious if he is more accepted now in book 2, and what kind of problems the unwanted attention he draws to the town will cause. 

What book are you waiting on this week? Leave a link or a title in the comments so we can check it out too. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday - Process by Sarah Stodola

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of  Should Be Reading.

Anyone can participate. just do the following.

Rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t  give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

Published January 20, 2015
by Amazon Publishing

On Joan Didion 41% through on my Kindle:

In writing workshops, participants are often provided with a "writing prompt", a picture or a trinket that can be used as the catalyst for a story. For Didion, this concept is key.

Stodola is talking about Didion's process of taking something from a newspaper or other source and springboarding into writing. "For example, she read an account where a man was on trial for killing his farm's foreman. Her novel Run River starts with a murder on the banks of a California river."

The book is quite interesting. It talks about the writing lives of  several authors with different styles of work habits and writing. From pantsers to plotters, there is a variety to choose from.

What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments below so we can check it out. And Happy Reading!

Do you listen to audiobooks?

Sometimes I listen to audiobooks in lieu of reading a book or to revisit an old previously enjoyed book. It's also good practice if you have a Cochlear Implant.They're great for the occasional one-hour commutes or longer trips as well.

I mostly take out the audiobooks from my local library system or borrow them from friends. Currently, I am revisiting A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore. 

From Goodreads.com:

Charlie Asher is a pretty normal guy, the kind of fellow who makes his way through life by being careful and constant. And Charlie's been lucky. He's married to a bright and pretty woman who actually loves him for his normalcy, and who is about to have their first child.

Yes, Charlie's doing okay. That is, until the day his daughter, Sophie, is born. Just as Charlie turns to go home, he sees a strange man in mint-green golf wear at his wife's bedside, a man who claims that no one should be able to see him. But see him Charlie does, and from here on out, things get really weird. . . .

People start dropping dead around him. It seems that everywhere he goes, a dark presence whispers to him from under the streets. Strange names start appearing on his nightstand notepad, and before he knows it, those people end up dead, too. Yup, it seems that Charlie Asher has been recruited for a new job, an unpleasant but utterly necessary one: Death. It's a dirty job. But hey, somebody's gotta do it.

This book is read by actor Fisher Stevens. It was originally released in 2006. 

Why do I like this book? Mainly because it's offbeat and funny. Occasionally, it is also thought provoking.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book:

“Charlie had Sophie strapped to his chest like a terrorist baby bomb when he came down the back steps. She had just gotten to the point where she could hold up her head, so he had strapped her in face-out so she could look around. The way her arms and legs waved around as Charlie walked, she looked as if she was skydiving and using a skinny nerd as a parachute.” 

“It was watching Madeline Alby eat cheese with every ounce of her being, like it was the first and best time, that made him realize that he had never really tasted cheese, or crackers, or life. And he didn't want his daughter to live that way. He'd moved her into her own room the night before...He hadn't slept well, and had gotten up five times during the night to check on her, only to find her sleeping peacefully, but he could lose a little sleep if Sophie could go through life without his fears and limitations. He wanted her to experience all the glorious cheese of life.” 

“How much humanity has been spoiled for the confusion of movement with progress, my friend?” 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are many more. I'm enjoying listening to the book. I find that there are things that I have forgotten, so it's almost like nodding at an old friend who still has a few surprises for you.

So, what's your take on audiobooks? Do you listen to them too? If not, why not? 

Or do you read Christopher Moore too? Do you have a favorite book?

Thanks for coming by. And Happy Reading!

Review: Stiff Penalty by Annelise Ryan

Expected publication: February 24, 2015
by Kensington Books

Assistant Coroner Mattie Winston has her hands full in Stiff Penalty by Annelise Ryan. This is book six in the Mattie Winston mystery series. There are 3 mysteries in the book that run concurrently. One is the mystery of who is calling her and hanging up. The second is who is following her. And the third is who killed the high school math teacher Derrick Ames with a barbecue fork through the heart. And to top it all off, Mattie is pregnant.

Hurley and Richmond are the main characters that work with her. They are both police. Hurley is also her love interest. And she has to find a way to tell Hurley she is pregnant before someone else does. 

On her way home one evening, Mattie is shot at by an unknown assailant. As a result, she ends up with constant police protection for pretty much most of the book. 

Why did I give this book 4 stars instead of 5? The format was a little confusing. Part of it is told directly and part of it is told to her psychiatric counselor. Sometimes the transitions are rough. The other reason it gets 4 stars instead 5 has to do with my opinion of the ending. I wasn't as satisfied as I could have been, but it is still a good ending. It is definitely open to another  book in the series.

It gets 4 stars because the characters are well developed and interesting. The plot is good and moves well. There is humor. And the writing is good. I would read another book in the series without hesitation. I really liked the Mattie Winston character.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Waiting on Wednesday #74 - Shadow Study by Maria V. Snyder

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. 

Expected publication:
February 24, 2015 by Mira

From the publisher: 
New York Times bestselling author Maria V. Snyder wowed readers with Poison Study, the unforgettable story of poison taster Yelena. Now she's back with a new tale of intrigue. 

Once, only her own life hung in the balance… 

Oddly enough, when Yelena was a poison taster, her life was simpler. But she'd survived to become a vital part of the balance of power between rival countries Ixia and Sitia. Now she uses her magic to keep the peace in both lands—and protect her relationship with Valek. 

Suddenly, though, they are beset on all sides by those vying for power through politics and intrigue. Valek's job and his life are in danger. As Yelena tries to uncover the scope of these plots, she faces a new challenge: her magic is blocked. She must keep that a secret—or her enemies will discover just how vulnerable she really is—while searching for who or what is responsible for neutralizing her powers. 

Yes, the days of tasting poisons were much simpler. And certainly not as dangerous… 

Why does this book appeal to me?

This is the first book in a new series, The Soulfinders. The plot sounds good. And I like the idea of Yelena having been a former poison taster. It's different. From some of the reviews of related series, it looks like it will have some humor to it as well. Other reviews indicate that it will be action packed and fast moving. I hope this is true. Looking forward to a good fantasy read.

What book are you waiting on this week? Leave a link or the title in the comments so we can check it out. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday - Stiff Penalty by Annelise Ryan

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of  Should Be Reading.

Anyone can participate. just do the following.

Rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t  give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

Add caption

"It was  nice to have a place to run to, but the location of the cottage meant I was only a stone's throw away from the home I had shared with David. I know this because I've thrown stones at it a time or two." Mattie Winston, our sleuth/heroine, is speaking as part of the recap before the action in this book starts. at location 55 on my Kindle.

Mattie Winston, once an ER nurse then an OR nurse, is now an assistant to the Coroner. As part of her job, she is required to look into causes of death. The setting for the mystery is small town Sorenson, Wisconsin. 

The synopsis from Goodreads.com:

Deputy coroner Mattie Winston knows a thing or two about dead bodies. That's why she's on the case of Derrick Ames, a high school math teacher stabbed to death with a barbecue fork straight to the heart. Sure, she's turned up some motives and a few suspects, but nothing adds up. Especially when the evidence points to Ames's teenage son. Newly pregnant Mattie can't believe it, even as her own long-estranged father may be following her. But one thing's certain, she'd better start figuring things out fast, or a deadly perpetrator could be subtracting two more victims from the population of Sorenson, Wisconsin.

 I'm beyond location 55 now and I am still enjoying the book. What's your teaser this week? Leave it or a link in the comments so we can check it out. Happy Reading!

Waiting on Wednesday #73 - Unicorn on a Roll by Dana Simpson

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. 

And now for something completely different... Unicorn on a Roll - Another Phoebe and her Unicorn Adventure by Dana Simpson is due  out May 26, 2015. Phoebe and her friend Marigold Heavenly Nostrils have been compared to Calvin and Hobbes. There is the same sort of snarky humor involved. And even though it says that it is aimed at grades 4 and up, there is definitely humor for the and up. 

Book one of the Heavenly Nostrils Chronicles, Phoebe and her Unicorn has quite a few pages available to preview on Amazon.com
so you can get an idea of what kind of humor is involved. In book one, Phoebe skips a rock across some water and hits the unicorn in the head. The unicorn had been transfixed by its reflection in the water and grants Phoebe a wish. After several failed attempts at wishes, she finally succeeds with having the unicorn become her best friend. 

Book two picks up a year later. Synopsis from Goodreads.com
In this second volume of Heavenly Nostrils, titled, Unicorn on a Roll, the reader is invited on a journey into the lives of Phoebe and Marigold as they navigate the difficulties of grade school, celebrate the winter holidays, and explore their superhero/supervillain personas together. Join in the fun, as Phoebe competes against Dakota for the leading role of “Lisa Ladybug” in their fourth-grade play—or as she struggles to “manage” the PR debacle related to her nose-picking-scandal. (“I will neither confirm nor deny the events surrounding Boogergate.”) Witness a band of unicorns staging an “intervention” and learn all the details of Marigold’s secret crush on a mysterious creature she has never seen. Perhaps most important, watch as this surprising friendship between a charming, nine-year-old dreamer and a vain, mythical beast forever changes both of them for the better.

What book are you waiting on this week? Please leave it or a link in the comments so we can check it out. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday - The Serpent of Venice by Christopher Moore

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of  Should Be Reading.

Anyone can participate. just do the following.

Rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t  give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

My teaser this week is from The Serpent of Venice by Christopher Moore. The Fool from Fool is now in Venice and disrupting things along with his sidekick Drool and his pet monkey Jeff.  Christopher Moore uses elements from Shakespeare and Poe and makes them his own in his twisty way. 

This scene is when the Fool wakes up after being slipped a mickey, while he is being walled in by one of his betrayers.

"Not poisoned? said I. "Shame I was enjoying my resurrection. I had hoped to come back taller, but then tall as well as roguishly handsome would be gilding the lily wouldn't it." pp 16-17

I haven't gotten far into the book yet, but so far so good. I usually enjoy Moore's twisted sense of humor. Applying it to Shakespeare and Poe just makes it more delicious. 

So, what's your Teaser for this week? Please leave it or a link in the comments so we can check it out. Happy Reading!

Housewitch by Katie Schickel

"But the stories always have it wrong. they paint the witches as all good or all evil. Let me set the record straight: Witches are just as dysfunctional, selfish, narcissistic, neurotic, and messed up as anyone else. At least in my experience." It's one of Allison's thoughts from about 63% through the Housewitch preview I was blessed to receive.

Allison Darling is a witch. It's taken years for her to admit that it's true and only after her magic seems to be returning to her does she finally admit it.Allison was abandoned by her mother when she was young. She is summoned to her deathbed. Her mother informs her that she will no longer be able to protect Allison and her family from the Dark Witch.

Meanwhile back in Monrovia, Massachusetts, Allison has been desperate to fit in. When she is invited to host a party for the Glamour Girls Soap, she jumps at the chance. These are the women of power in town. They have their fingers in every pie. As Allison recovers her magic, she finds that she is not the only witch in town.

From Goodreads.com:

The Glamor Girls have a hand in everything in Monrovia, from bake sales to business deals. This is what Allison’s wanted her whole life—to be liked. To be popular. To belong. What’s more, she’s not the only one in town. There’s more to the Glamour Girls then it seems… and once you’re a Glamour Girl, there’s no going back. Allison must use her rediscovered magic to defend Monrovia, protect her marriage and her children, and reclaim her legacy. Fighting tooth and nail for her family is easy, but what about for herself? Is it too late to confront her own demons and become the woman she dreams of being? 

 I read the preview and I loved it. The writing in this novel has been compared to Alice Hoffman's Practical Magic and John Updike's Witches of Eastwick. I was easily pulled into this novel and the world that Katie Schickel built. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this novel when it comes out on February 17, 2015 from Forge Books.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the preview in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Review: The Cursed by Heather Graham

Published May 27th 2014
by Harlequin MIRA

What if you could see ghosts? And not just the ones that haunt your house, but other ghosts as well? Hannah O'Brien is used to seeing Melody and Hagen, the house ghosts, but is surprised when the ghost of a man murdered outside her house appears to her asking for help.

Hannah runs a bed and breakfast in the house she grew up in in Key West. Special Agent Dallas Sampson decides to take a room after realizing that Hannah might be in danger from whoever killed his friend, Jose, also an FBI agent.

Hannah calls her cousin Kelsey who is also an FBI agent and a member of a special unit referred to as The Krewe of Hunters. This special group all have some kind of special insight or ability to see things that most people don't, like ghosts.

The case in the present is linked to a missing piece of treasure from the past. They need to find the treasure, but more than that they need to find out who killed Jose and who is a danger to Hannah and them all.

The characters are almost equally strong. Hannah is a little weaker than the rest which makes Dallas want to protect her all the more. Her weakness is understandable considering she is the only one in the group who is not an FBI agent. Still, she is a pretty tough cookie.

It's a good book. I give it 4 out of 5 stars. My only complaint was that there was no clue as to where the treasure was and I think there should have been a little more foreshadowing. There were plenty of surprises. This isn't the first Krewe of Hunters book that I've read. This one is 12th in the series. I haven't managed to read all of them yet. I would recommend the series to those who like romance with their mysteries and enjoy the paranormal aspect as well.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Waiting on Wednesday #72 - A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. 

Expected publication: April 7th 2015
by Sourcebooks Landmark

Synopsis from Goodreads.com: 

For nearly 300 years, the mysterious journal of Jacobite exile Mary Dundas has lain unread — its secrets safe from prying eyes. Now, amateur codebreaker Sara Thomas has been hired by a once-famous historian to crack the journal's cipher. But when she arrives in Paris, Sara finds herself besieged by complications from all sides: the journal's reclusive owner, her charming Parisian neighbor, and Mary, whose journal doesn't hold the secrets Sara expects.

It turns out that Mary Dundas wasn’t keeping a record of everyday life, but a first-hand account of her part in a dangerous intrigue. In the first wintry months of 1732, with a scandal gaining steam in London, driving many into bankruptcy and ruin, the man accused of being at its center is concealed among the Jacobites in Paris, with Mary posing as his sister to aid his disguise.

When their location is betrayed, they’re forced to put a desperate plan in action, heading south along the road to Rome, protected by the enigmatic Highlander Hugh MacPherson.

As Mary's tale grows more and more dire, Sara, too, must carefully choose which turning to take... to find the road that will lead her safely home. 

Why am I waiting on this book? It sounds interesting. The synopsis reminds me of the Da Vinci Code. It sounds like there is adventure and romance both in the present and the past described by Mary's journal. I want to know more about what's up with Sara and what it means "to find the road that will lead her safely home."

What book are you waiting on this week? Share a link or the title in the comments and we'll check it out.
Happy reading!

Teaser Tuesday - The Cursed by Heather Graham

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of  Should Be Reading.

Anyone can participate. just do the following.

Rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t  give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

Published June 1, 2014
by Harlequin MIRA

The Cursed by Heather Graham is #12 in the Krewe of Hunters series. This time the action takes place in Key West, Florida. Hannah O'Brien runs a B&B from the house she grew up in. She has always been able to see the 2 resident ghosts, Melody and Hagen. Now she is seeing others as well. She is in danger from a group called Los Lobos and their leader, The Wolf. Agent Dallas Samson is working on the case because his co-worker was killed while deep undercover by Los Lobos, they think. Dallas stays at the B&B so he can keep an eye on Hannah, and in turn gets a paranormal eyeful as well.

Melody was elegantly perched on the sofa. Hagen was standing by the mantel. And Agent Dallas Sampson was seated across from Melody, looking as if they had just been deep in conversation. Dallas turned to Hannah, "I've just met your charming residents," he told her, then continued with a slight rebuke in his voice. "It would have been polite to introduce us."

The Cursed is a paranormal mystery with some romance thrown in as well. I've not been to Key West yet, so I am finding the bits about the island interesting. It sounds like an interesting setting for this mystery. The Wolf seems to think there is a treasure of some sort within the walls of the B&B. It will be interesting to see if he is wrong or not. And who is he anyway?

So far, I am enjoying the book. The teaser is from 31% through the Kindle edition. I am currently at 66% through the book.

What book is your teaser from this week? Share a link or the teaser in the comments so we can check it out!
Happy Reading!