August 2016 Wrap Up

I was all geared up for this to be an amazing reading month but I had a small reading slump after reading Harry Potter and the the Cursed Child and a really big slump that lasted almost 2 weeks after reading A Darker Shade of Magic (that was more due to life situations). I had planned on participating in the Bout of Books readathon but that 2nd slump kind of messed that up. Now I'm way behind on my reading goals and will need to catch up in September but it will be my birthday month and I'm sure I will be busy for a few days in there somewhere so we shall see how I do! I still read 2 books more than I did in July so it wasn't a total fail month at least.

Books I Read

1. Wednesdays in the Tower by Jessica Day George

2. Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall by Aaron Safronoff (review)

3. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, & Jack Thorne (review)

4. The Evil Wizard Smallbone by Delia Sherman

5. The Scourge by Jennifer A. Nielsen

6. The Peculiar Night of the Blue Heart by Lauren DeStefano

7. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

8. Fear the Drowning Deep by Sarah Glenn Marsh 

Pages Read
2648

Started But Didn't Finish

Challenge Progress

(See my overall progress here) 

New Places Visited

Isle of Man, United Kingdom (Fear the Drowning Deep)
Maine (The Evil Wizard Smallbone)

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Wednesdays in the Tower
Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
The Evil Wizard Smallbone
A Darker Shade of Magic
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The Evil Wizard Smallbone
The Peculiar Night of the Blue Heart
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A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic series)
Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall (Sunborn Rising series)
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ABC CHALLENGE PROGRESS
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Reviews Posted In August

The Jolley-Rogers and the Cave of Doom by Jonny Duddle (4 stars)

The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff (4.5 stars)

The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle by Janet Fox (5 stars)

Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan (5 stars)

A Most Magical Girl by Karen Foxlee (3 stars)

Darkstalker by Tui T. Sutherland (5 stars)

Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall by Aaron Safronoff (5 stars)

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, & Jack Thorne (4.5 stars)

Picture Book Reviews Posted in August
Super Happy Magic Forest by Matty Long 

13 Words by Lemony Snicket

Best Frints in the Whole Universe by Antoinette Portis

National Geographic Kids: Fun Books About Sports

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How did you guys do on your goals this month? What was your favorite book? 

The Sunday Post #34 - Slumps Are No Fun

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer

It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things you received, share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead, and more.

I'm getting a bit tired of telling you guys that I'm in a slump, a funk, or just not feeling 100% lately but that's how this past week has been. I just wasn't motivated to do anything. I guess it's a life slump because I haven't had a book hangover since the beginning of the month. Thankfully, I've been feeling more like myself for the past couple of days and am currently trying to catch up with my to-do list (that I neglected for almost two weeks!) I ended up reading absolutely nothing for the Bout of Books read-a-thon and I never got around to making any new bookmarks for September. 
I did get out of the house for a mental health moment and visited a lovely little garden that really helped lift my spirits. Outside of a book, nature is my happy place. My little butterfly and I had a lot of fun exploring. 

This Past Week On The Blog
Book Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Book Review: Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall by Aaron Safronoff
Picture Book Review: Best Frints in the Whole Universe by Antoinette Portis

Coming Soon
August Wrap Up
September TBR

Books I Finished This Week
None. :(

What I'm Currently Reading

Same books as last week.

I hope you all had a much more productive week! 

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, & Jack Thorne

Title: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Authors: J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, Jack Thorne

Series: Harry Potter #8

Publisher: Little, Brown UK

Publication Date: July 31, 2016

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Plays

Length: 352 pages
Format: Hardcover, Special Rehearsal Edition

Source: Purchased

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Synopsis: 

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, a new play by Jack Thorne, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage. The play will receive its world premiere in London's West End on July 30, 2016.

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn't much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and a father of three school-age children. 

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places. 

My Thoughts:  

**SPOILER FREE**

After nearly 10 years without a new Harry Potter book I was thrilled to hear about this. I was skeptical about the stage-play aspect of it but when push comes to shove, Harry Potter is Harry Potter and I knew I would read this as soon as I got my hands on it. 

The play format made this a very quick read but I took my time and savored it over nearly four days  (mostly because my toddler keeps me from reading as much as I'd like to). 

That first scene - while mostly just a quick version of the epilogue from 'the Deathly Hallows' - threw me back to the better parts of my childhood. Looking back on it now I can't help but think that even though 'the Deathly Hallows' came out when I was twenty-ish, that last book was sort of the end of my childhood. 

It was so nostalgic to return to that 'about to explore a new Harry Potter book' feeling. It reminded me of that time, long ago, when I was browsing through a magazine and came across the movie poster for the first Harry Potter movie. Now, I didn't have cable or internet or even a phone (yes, they existed, I just didn't have them) back then so that magazine was pure magic for me. I was so excited. I still have that piece of paper ripped from that magazine hanging on the wall in my library. It is just a piece of paper, yes, but that feeling is why I keep it. That feeling was all of my love and excitement for Harry Potter and I was pleased to experience it again after so long. 

Now that I've given a tiny example of my neverending love for Harry Potter I will try to get on to the actual reviewing. Well, sort of. 

I've been seeing a lot of negativity surrounding this book in the past week or so and I both understand and don't at the same time. I understand that it was sort of a let down. After all this time and all these fans wanting more from the Wizarding World, this is what we get? We wanted a full length novel! Better yet, a whole new series! But, it is what it is and that's not what it is, disappointing as it may be. 

I absolutely loved this book though. Yes, it has it's flaws. It's not the easiest thing to read if you're not familiar with plays. You don't get any in-depth character descriptions and if you didn't read the books or watch the movies you probably won't be able to picture the characters or know their mannerisms or anything. I had no problems with that, of course. I could even picture Albus and Scorpius perfectly from what I know of their parents. 

So I guess what I'm trying to get around to saying is that the only thing I didn't really like about this book is that it's not an actual book because I wanted an actual full length novel so badly. 

What did I love about this book? Everything else. 
I loved reading about my favorite characters again. I even loved seeing the characters I loathed (even though I was yelling "Oh, hell no!") I fell in love with Scorpius. I sympathized with Albus. I was disappointed in Harry. I loved them all and I am so utterly happy to have been able to read something new about them. 
I loved the plot. I often fantasized about how things turned out after 'the Deathly Hallows' when I was younger and yet this was a totally unique concept to me. It never crossed my mind. (Ok, maybe I didn't think on it that much.) I loved even the worst bits of it. The relationship between Harry and Albus was so painful to read about. I wanted so much better for them both.

Honestly, I just really enjoyed 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' for what it is. I do see myself re-reading it after re-reading the original series in the future (which I'm really overdue for). It was extremely nostalgic to return to a world that I plunged into for the first time nearly twenty years ago. Harry Potter was my childhood, it continues to be my present, and I know it will also be my future. This is one fandom that I will happily continue to be a part of. 

My Rating: 5 stars 

Book Review: Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall by Aaron Safronoff

I was given a free ecopy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Title: Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall 

Author: Aaron Safronoff

Publisher: Neoglyphic Entertainment

Publication Date: April 15, 2016

Genre: Fantasy

Length: 385 pages
Format: ebook

Source: author

Goodreads | Amazon 

Synopsis:

On a distant world of forests floating on an ocean around a star, a blight threatens to plunge all life into darkness.
But three friends seek the light.
Together, they will Fall and be lost.
And at the very Root of darkness, they will find themselves.
But will it be enought to help them find their way home?

The World of Cerulean
Light and water flow from the ocean into the roots of the Great Trees, up through the boughs, and out over the lush canopies. But the once vibrant treescape has grown dim over generations of arboreal life, and the creatures of the forest have forgotten the light.
Barra, a young ,willful Listlespur, find her late father's hidden journal, and reads about the old world and the mysterious plague her father believed destroyed it. He wrote that he warned the Elders. He urged them to take action. Those were his last words.
Together with her two best friends, Barra will explore every bark, wood, and leaf of the Great Forest to relight her world and complete her father's story, even if she has to travel beneath the Fall. 

My Thoughts: 

In an entirely unique world made of humongous trees intertwined together over an ocean with a sun at it's center, a handful of creatures are willing to find out what darkness is plaguing their homes. Barra, along with her friends Tory and Plicks, venture into the dark Middens (lower branches) to find the source of the creepervine fungus they found on an insect. They are attacked by a swarm of life-eating kudmoths and barely escape with their lives only to end up in the 'Fall', landing down upon the roots of the Great Trees. There, they try to find a way back up to their homes but the evil creepervine and it's fungus-puppets make it very difficult for them and they end up the farthest from home they ever imagined they could be.

This has got to be the most unique worldbuilding I've ever come across in literature and it's written so well. This world is so different from our own and so new and yet I never felt overwhelmed by the descriptions or information. It was so easy to imagine this world and it's creatures and the illustrations that are placed throughout the book made it even easier.
I loved the characters, the settings, and the plot. This book was honestly so much more than I expected. It reminded me so much of one of my favorite moves as a child, Fern Gully, along with the more modern beauty of Avatar, but only in that it has a similar otherworldly wonder to it.

The characters were easy to love and care for. Barra is so headstrong and curious. Tory and Plicks are both loyal friends and great supporting characters. The multitude of characters, from Arboreals to Aetherials and more, made this world so diverse.

The illustrations in this book are amazing.  is very talented and brings this story to life.
Not only are there plenty of illustrations within the book to help you with the visualization of the unique creatures, but there are even more illustrations and other great stuff (videos, etc) on the website that you can check out to further immerse yourself in this world. If you want to know what the Boil or the Reach looks like, you can!

Yes, there are very lovely illustrations but this is a full length novel that was entirely worth the read and I would highly recommend to anyone who loves fantasy, sci-fi, or adventures. Safronoff has created a world in Sunborn Rising that everyone should explore. It even has it's own soundtrack!

Seriously, if you are wondering what this book is about or if you might be interested in learning more about it, go check out the website! 

Or let this video help sway you towards buying and reading this book!

Picture Book Review: Best Frints in the Whole Universe by Antoinette Portis

Title: Best Frints in the Whole Universe

Author: Antoinette Portis

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Publication Date: July 5, 2016

Length: 40 pages

Format: Hardcover

Source: Borrowed

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Synopsis: 

Yelfred and Omek have been best frints since they were little blobbies. They play and snack, and sometimes they even fight, all in a language similar to but slightly different from, English. When Omek decides to borrow Yelfred's new spaceship without asking (and then crashes it), it sparks the biggest fight yet. Can these two best frints make up and move on?

Award-winning picture book creator Antoinette Portis delivers a new universe of cleverness and imagination in this hilarious, sweet, and otherworldly book about friendship. 

My Thoughts: 

On planet Boborp, 'teef' are long and tempers are short, but Yelfred and Omek know that best 'frints' are forever, so no matter who lost the eye ball in the peedle pit or who 'smackled' who's 'spossip' (spaceship), they know that they can 'flix' things and be 'frints' again.

This was a cute little story with a lot of made up words. Kids will have fun figuring out what they actually mean. They aren't difficult words but early readers might have a little trouble with them and might need the story read aloud. The story itself is still fun with it's colorful illustrations and the shenanigans of the little aliens will certainly entertain your little ones. 

The Sunday Post #33 - Can summer please just be over?

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer

It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things you received, share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead, and more.

August seems like such a long month and yet it is flying by for me. I haven't been in the mood to blog or basically get anything done lately. I guess I'm just in a funk? I'm tired of being cooped up indoors. I'm ready for Fall (though we don't really have that here in Florida.) Halloween always gets me in the mood to craft or create art and it's still way early but I'm ready for it. I've already started some of my spooky decor crafts and am brainstorming our costumes. I've also got my spooky TBR all planned out as well. (Forgive me, guys! Thinking about a change in season is the only thing keeping me sane right now!) 

This Past Week On The Blog
Nat. Geo. Kids: Fun Sports Books
Book Blast & Giveaway
Picture Book Review: 13 Words by Lemony Snicket
Book Review: A Most Magical Girl by Karen Foxlee
Book Review: Darkstalker by Tui T. Sutherland
Stacking the Shelves #70

Coming Soon
Picture Book Review: Best Frints in the Whole Universe
Book Review: Sunborn Rising: Beneath the Fall
Book Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Books I Finished This Week

What I'm Currently Reading

I'm not actually reading anything right now because I only just finished A Darker Shade of Magic but here's the two books I will mostly like start reading later tonight.

What I'm Listening To

I've been a bit addicted to the GOT Season 6 soundtrack. I haven't caught up with the show yet because I still need to finish reading A Feast For Crows and A Dance With Dragons. I've had to avoid spoilers like the plague but it's George R.R. Martin. I can guess what's going to happen to all of my favorites. Haha! Light of the Seven and The Winds of Winter are my favorites from this soundtrack and have been on almost constant repeat.

Have a great week! 

Stacking the Shelves #70

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by TYNGA'S REVIEWS that features the books we bought, borrowed, were gifted, and were given for review.

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FOR REVIEW

The Dream (the Rahtrum Chronicles #1) by R.K. McLay - A YA fantasy set in the Yukon Territory that is filled with mythical creatures and magic.

The Cartographer's Daughter by Kiran Millwood Hargrave - a middle-grade fantasy from the author of 'The Girl of Ink and Stars'.

Thank you Netgalley!

IN MY MAILBOX

I was lucky enough to win a BEA Grab Bag from the very lovely Laura over at 125 Pages a couple of months ago and she sent me a few extra goodies and even though it's almost a month early I am totally counting that gift card as a birthday gift and buying myself a few books off my wishlist! 

Many, many thanks and hugs to Laura for being so awesome! 

GIFTED/WON

The Quest for Merlin (Magimakia #1) by Rafael Lovato  

Shadow Angels by Richard R. Hall 

Thank you to the authors and BeachBoundBooks. 

BORROWED

A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic #2) by V.E. Schwab - I wasn't expecting this one to come in until next month so I'm  pretty darn close to forsaking the majority of my TBR list to read this next (I'm almost done with the first book). I do have other library books that are almost overdue though so we'll see. Also, I made bookmarks that match this cover and I'm giving one away! 

Return (Journey Trilogy #3) by Aaron Becker - We received the first two books in the mail a week or so ago and I've been holding off on 'reading' them to the kiddo until we picked this up from the library. I'm going to have to purchase it and complete the trilogy for our shelves because these books are so beautiful and imaginative. 

Book Review: Darkstalker (Wings of Fire: Legends) by Tui T. Sutherland

I received a free physical copy of this book from Scholastic Press in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Darkstalker

Series: Wings of Fire: Legends #1

Author: Tui T. Sutherland

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publication Date: June 28, 2016
Genre: Middle grade, Fantasy

Length: 

Format: arc / galley

Source: publisher

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Synopsis:

Three dragons. One unavoidable, unpredictable destiny. This is the beginning... of the end. 

In the SeaWing kingdom, a young prince learns he is an animus--capable of wonderful magic that comes with a terrible price.

In the mind of a NightWing dragonet, a thousand futures unfold--and almost all of them, she knows, lead to disaster and destruction.

And under three full moons and the watchful eyes of his NightWing mother and IceWing father, the most powerful dragon Pyrhhia will ever know is clawing his way out of his egg. Darkstalker, the dragon who will change the world forever. 

Long before the SandWing war, lifetimes before the Dragonet Prophecy... darkness is born. 

My Thoughts:

When an IceWing dragon prince falls in love with a NightWing and has two dragonets, Darkstalker and Whiteout, it creates a rift between the two tribes. Darkstalker is an animus like his father, Prince Artic, but the two are as different as night and day and get along even less.

An animus is a dragon with magical abilities but that magic comes with a heavy price. No one knows exactly how the magic works but it is thought that the more magic an animus uses, the more they lose their soul, go crazy, and become evil.
Fathom, a SeaWing animus learns this hard truth when his grandfather, Albatross, kills the majority of his royal family. He is then sent to the NightWing tribe to keep an eye on Darkstalker, the NightWing's first and only animus dragon and keep him from using his power.
Clearsight, a gifted NightWing who can see the future clearer than other seers, knows that there is darkness and destruction in the future, as well as war between the IceWing and NightWing tribes, and will do everything she can to make sure those timelines don't happen. But she never anticipated that love would block her 'sight' and hide the worst future of all. 

This was my first time reading anything by Tui T. Sutherland and I was not previously aware of the original Wings of Fire series until after I received this. I do believe this is a prequel series and I don't think it is necessary to read the Wings of Fire series first but I will be reading that series soon so I can make a more sound judgement in the future. 

I really enjoyed that the characters are dragons. I love fantasy and any mention of a dragon usually captures my attention but it's not often that we get to read about dragons from their perspectives, let alone in their own dragon world! Add in all the different dragon tribes, their special abilities, and the animus dragons, and I was hooked. 

All of the characters in this book were fantastic. I adored each and every one and found myself sympathizing with them. I often went back to the illustrations of the different tribes at the beginning of the book to see exactly what each type of dragon looks like. Even beyond their descriptions, their characters were so interesting, whether it was a mind reading dragon, a dragon that could see the future, or just a regular dragon with no magical abilities. I love anthropomorphic stories and this book really fueled that love. 

The worldbuilding was wonderful. There's a map of Pyrrhia at the beginning of the book that gives us a good look at where each tribe's kingdom lies. I particularly loved the SeaWing kingdom and how it was portrayed Not all of the kingdoms are described in detail but I'm looking forward to reading more about them all in future books in this series as well as the Wings of Fire series.  

These books are a must read for fantasy lovers, especially if you adore dragons! 

My Rating: 
4.5 stars

Book Review: A Most Magical Girl by Karen Foxlee

I received a free ecopy of this book from Netgalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. 

Title: A Most Magical Girl
Author: Karen Foxlee
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 2, 2016
Genre: Middle grade, Fantasy
Length: 224 pages
Format: e-ARC
Source: Netgalley

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Synopsis:
From the author of Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy comes the story of a friendship between two girls set in Victorian England, with magical machines, wizards, witches, a mysterious underworld and a race against time. 

Annabel Grey is primed for a proper life as a young lady in Victorian England. But when her mother suddenly disappears, she's put in the care of two eccentric aunts who thrust her into a decidedly unladylike life, full of potions and flying broomsticks and wizards who eat nothing but crackers. Magic, indeed! Who ever heard of such a thing?

Before Annabel can assess the most ladylike way to respond to her current predicament, she is swept up in an urgent quest. Annabel is pitted against another young witch, Kitty, to rescue the sacred Moreover Wand from the dangerous underworld that exists beneath London.  The two girls outsmart trolls, find passage through a wall of faerie bones, and narrowly escape a dragon, but it doesn't take long for Annabel to see that the most dangerous part of her journey is her decision to trust this wild, magical girl. 

Sparkling with Karen Foxlee's enchanting writing, this is a bewitching tale of one important wand and two most magical girls. 

My Thoughts:
Annabelle Gray is sent to stay with her two great aunts who run a little shop in London but when she gets there she finds out that they are witches and apparently so is she. Very shortly after, a wizard shows up, bragging about his dark wand and a machine that makes dark energy, and threatens the witches and all good magic.
Being the youngest witch and 'a most magical girl', Annabelle sent on a mission to find the all-powerful white wand... but having only just learned that magic exists--and wanting nothing more than to just go home--she is overwhelmed by the task. Luckily, she makes a reluctant friend in the wild, spirited girl named Kitty and together they face the dark terrors of London Under.

This was a fun little middle-grade fantasy adventure set in London but mostly London Under where a whole slew of magical creatures and other elements is hidden away. There's magic, trolls, dragons, and more. My only problem with this book is that it flew by so quickly. I kind of really wanted more. 

Something about this screamed Harry Potter to me as I read it. I couldn't help but imagine that Annabelle had entered into the 'Wizarding World' when she was sent to live with her aunts. The stuffy old wizards, the broomsticks and wands, and the setting just sort of cemented that in my mind. It's probably not fair to the author, who may have or may not have meant for that, but I really just couldn't help it. I would definitely recommend this to young Harry Potter fans that are looking for something simple and fun. 

My Rating: 3.75 stars

Children's Picture Book Review: 13 Words by Lemony Snicket

Title: 13 Words

Author: Lemony Snicket

Illustrator: Maira Kalman

Publisher: HarperCollins Canada

Publication Date: October 5, 2010

Pages: 40

Source: Library

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Synopsis:

13 words:


1. Bird

2. Despondent

3. Cake

4. Dog

5. Busy

6. Convertible

7. Goat

8. Hat

9. Haberdashery

10. Scarlet

11. Baby

12. Panache

13. Mezzo-Soprano

My Thoughts:

The bird is 'despondent' so his friend, Dog, sets out to find something to cheer him up after eating cake didn't do the trick.

I think the best word to describe this unique picture book is quirky. 

I'm not exactly sure what goal Lemony Snicket was trying to reach with this book other than maybe to teach a few new words. There are definitely a few words that children won't have come across regularly in other picture books. There are plenty of easy words for beginner readers but there are also some long, hard to pronounce words to spice things up. 

Also, this may be a good book to teach children about sadness and what they can do to help someone who is 'despondent'.

The illustrations weren't really my style but they, like the story itself, were pretty interesting. 

National Geographic Kids: Fun Books About Sports

I'm a little ashamed to say that I don't really pay attention to popular sports like football, baseball, or basketball these days. I've never been very athletic and tend to stick to simple things like cycling and hiking to stay active. I did enjoy sports and sports-like activities a lot as a kid but as an adult it's hard to find the time to join in. 

Now that the Olympics are in full swing, thoughts of sports I participated in as a child have resurfaced and I'm awaiting (or possibly dreading?) the days when I'll need to cart around my own child to softball games or karate matches. No matter what, I'll be my daughter's biggest fan and cheerleader.
In any case, I'll need to introduce her to the wide world of sports and what better way than with some fun books about sports from National Geographic Kids?

Many thanks to National Geographic Kids and Media Masters for providing review copies of these books for us to peruse and learn from!

National Geographic Kids: Everything Sports by Eric Zweig

64 pages

Everything Sports has an impressive array of facts combined with full page photographs that really capture the eye. Eric Zweig, with the help of sports reporter Shalise Manza, has compiled everything you might want or need to know about sports from the Olympics and it's history, to Hall of Famers, to what exactly sports balls are made of, and lots more. It features popular sports like American football, basketball, and baseball but also covers other sports such as fencing, discus, and even parkour, just to name a few. 

To top off everything you can learn from this book, it's full of trivia, multiple choice questions, and more to test what you have learned but in an incredibly fun and interactive way that is sure to keep kids coming back to test what they remember! This would be my go-to recommendation for anyone wanting to learn a little more about any sport! 

Funny Fill-In: My Gold Medal Adventure by National Geographic Kids

48 pages

This is a fun activity book that can be done alone but works best if shared with a friend or family member. Each full color spread has a picture and a story with blanks that you can fill with nouns, adjectives, body parts, and more to create a personalized and possibly hilarious tale revolving around sports!

Funny Fill-Ins are a great interactive activity that help build imagination, vocabulary, and an understanding of the different parts of speech. There are 22 different stories to fill in which makes them a perfect cure for boredom during rainy days or long car rides. They can also be used over and over if done in pencil! 

Weird but True Sports: 300 Wacky Facts About Awesome Athletics by National Geographic Kids
208 pages

Last but not least, this little book is packed full of wonderfully wacky, unusual, and sometimes downright silly facts about all things sports, from the record number of dogs on a surfboard to the life span of a NBA basketball. You're sure to learn a ton of great things about popular and lesser known sports activities from this vivid and enticing photo-filled book. 

This one has quickly become my favorite of the three. I'm really enjoying all of the fun facts and am sharing them with whoever will listen! 

 I think the great thing about sports though is that there is such a wide variety that you can either watch or actually participate in. It's tons of fun to cheer on your favorite athletes as well, especially when the Olympics roll around! These books are the perfect way to introduce kids to sports or entertain your little athletes.

Book Blast & Giveaway: Thirty-Four Going On Bride by Becky Monson

Thirty-Four Going on Bride by Becky Monson

Julia Dorning is about to lose it. Between her over-the-top wedding that her sister, Anna, took upon herself to create, and the under-staffed popular bakery that she runs, she can barely find time to breathe. All Julia ever wanted was a quaint wedding on the beach with family and friends. But now Julia has to contend with not only her sister's plans, but those of her future mother-in-law, as well. Not wanting to step on anyone's toes, especially her mother-in-law's, Julia just goes along with it. She can only take so much, though, and when her newest employee, Kate, makes things harder at the bakery, Julia has to find a way to simplify her life. Can she do it or will she end up a basket case? Find out how she does it in this hilarious conclusion to the Spinster series!

Author Becky Monson

By day, Becky Monson is a mother to three young children, and a wife. By night, she escapes with reading books and writing. In her debut novel, Becky uses humor and true-life experiences to bring her characters to life. She loves all things chick-lit (movies, books, etc.), and wishes she had a British accent. She has recently given up Diet Coke for the fiftieth time and is hopeful this time will last... but it probably won't.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest

Praise for the Book

"My favorite of the series!" - Author Jennifer Peel

"Becky Monson did it again!" - Amazon Reviewer

"It’s rare that I want to give a book six stars, but this is certainly one of them." -Blogger Connie Fischer, Bookworm2bookworm

Excerpt

“Pick it up, Julia! You can do this!”

I’m in the seventh circle of hell.

“Come on! Let’s move faster!” My sister Anna yells over the construction that we’re currently passing. As expected, we get a few whoops and whistles tossed at us from the workers. Pity flattery, I’m sure. Well, maybe not for Anna, but certainly for me. There’s absolutely nothing attractive about me right now.

To start, I don’t know if I’ve ever sweated this hard in my life. I look like I’ve taken a shower fully clothed. I’m sticky and perspiring, and it’s not even that hot outside. It’s a typical day near the end of May in Denver, Colorado. How did I let Anna convince me to do this? Oh that’s right, there was no convincing. She forced me. “It’ll be good for you,” she had said, lying through her devil teeth.

At this point I don’t know if my lungs will ever be the same. They actually ache with pain. And then there’s the ache in my calves, and really every other part of my body. Whoever thought of running as an extracurricular activity should be shot. A form of torture, yes. Exercise? I’d rather get a tooth pulled without Novocain.

$100 Blast Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 9/1/16

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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The Sunday Post #32 - Bookstagram!

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer

It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things you received, share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead, and more.

Gosh, I feel like I just wrote a Sunday Post yesterday. Time is going way too fast!
It's been raining so much lately. I wanted to watch the Perseid meteor showers but it has rained every night this week. We've mostly been stuck inside which is really no fun at all. I can't wait 'til October/November when it will start to cool off a little! 

I started a "Bookstagram" account to share my books on! I was starting to feel limited with what I could post on my personal account. I wanted that freedom back but I also wanted to post great pics of books because books and photography are two of my biggest passions. 


This Past Week On The Blog

Reviews
Super Happy Magic Forest by Matty Long (picture book)
The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle by Janet Fox
Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan

Other
Book Blitz & Giveaway: The Lost Knight 
Author Showcase Blitz & Giveaway
Top Ten Tuesday - Books I Never Wrote Reviews For
Bout of Books 17.0 Read-a-thon Sign Up & Goals
Stacking the Shelves

Coming Soon
Review: National Geographic Kids: Books About Sports
Book Review: A Most Magical Girl by Karen Foxlee
Book Review: Darkstalker by Tui T. Sutherland

Books I Finished This Week

What I'm Currently Reading

(ebook)
The Peculiar Night of the Blue Heart by Lauren DeStefano - I haven't had much success with reading this author in the past but this sounded like a great little spooky read so hopefully it doesn't disappoint! 

(physical book)
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
I will most likely be starting this today which means I finally get to use one of the two awesome bookmarks I painted just for this series! If you're new here, I am giving away the second 'Shades of Magic' bookmark that I made!

What I'm Watching

The Last Kingdom
This is based off of The Saxon Chronicles series by Bernard Cornwell (which I didn't realize until after I started the show and even though I own the first book in the series...)
I love historical shows and movies and I especially love the history of England and sword battles so I'm really enjoying this. 

I hope you all have a wonderful week!