Building the Book Pile #252

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!  A Weekly meme inspired by Stacking the Shelves

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

I can't believe we are already in the last week of September :/ I really need to finish up/ start that TBR pile (slacking with that lately)... so I wasn't reading, instead I watched Bones (the series expire on Oct 21 on Netflix and I need to finish it), I watched the new season of Fuller House, and I started watching Hannibal on Amazon - that is a good one. I also have been cooking some dinners lately which is a bit different around here and I finally got around to paining the baseboard heater covers in the living room - its been about a year since we painted the rest of it.

I's a little meh lately - it is officially the beginning of Autumn now and it is 90 degrees here in Vermont! COME ON! I want fall, leaves, blankets, sweaters, warm drinks, and cozy book time darn it!

Anywho...I have been reading children's books, they make me happy - obviously I need to up my game back to MG and YA - lol

The shop has scarves, cowls, hats and baby booties now... :)
Go take a look and if you have requests let me know.

  Giveaways  on Cover2CoverBlog!


Giveaway for $100 gift card

Coming up on the Blog

Early Reader Review: Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani (GN)

Early Reader Review: Lady Stuff: Secrets to Being a Woman by Loryn Brantz (GN)

Recent Reads: The Rusty Old Postbox  by Suana Sanchez Gonzalez (Youth)

Recent Reads: The Third Coin by J.A. Howard (YA)

Monthly Re-Cap: September 2017 

Books Received this Week   

     

Glow by Megan Bryant from Netgalley and Albert Whiman and Company

Helped Sourcebooks and won a blogger giveaway - wanna see the books? 
Watch the video HERE

One Christmas Bear by Anne Vittur Kennedy from Booklook Bloggers and Thomas Nelson for review.

 

Have you missed anything lately?

Week of  September 18 - September 23

Early Reader Review: The Call of the Swamp by Davide Cali (Youth) - 4 stars
Blog Blast w/ Giveaway: The Wondrous World of Violet Barnaby by Jenny Lundquist (MG)
mini Bloggiesta To Do List - Runs Sept 21-24
Early Reader Review: Lady Mechanika la Dama de la Muerte (GN) - 4 stars

Comment and leave me a link to your Round-up/ STS/ Weekly...anything, post and I will happily stop by and say hello!

Happy Reading!

Early Reader Review: Lady Mechanika La Dama de La Muerte by Joe Benitez

Source: From Netgalley and Diamond Book Distributors in exchange for an honest review. this in no way alters my opinion or review.

Lady Mechanika: La Dama De La Murete by Joe Benitez
Series: Lady Mechanika
Publisher: Benitez Productions
Publication Date:   September 26, 2017

 

Format: Ebook

Rating:


 




Goodreads Synopsis: 

After suffering a tragic loss, Lady Mechanika takes a trip to a small Mexican village just in time for their DIa de los Muertos celebration. But the festivities turn truly deadly after the arrival of the Jinetes del Infierno, the mythical Hell Riders. Collects the complete Lady Mechanika Day of the Dead special, La Dama de la Muerte.

Other Volumes - click the images for reviews

   

Review: 
This installment of Lady Mechanika is a weird one - it kind or sits outside of the volumes but you should have read volume 1 for a little bit of backstory. In this book, Lady Mechanika goes off on her own and ends up in Mexico. She finds out that there are some evil men running around scaring towns into providing tithing.  She takes it upon herself to seek them out and teach them a lesson for their wrongdoings. 

This was a pretty violent installment, there was a lot of shooting and blood, but there was also a lesson about Dia de los Muertos and what festivities take place to celebrate and show that death is not to be feared. There is a little bit of Mechanika's flashbacks but not much still, I am still waiting to learn more about her origins so I will continue to read these.

Mini Bloggiesta To Do List: Sept 21-24

"The idea behind Bloggiesta is to spend four days working on perfecting your blog and connecting with other bloggers who are doing the same thing. Spread the word and get all your friends to come and fiesta with us!"

-Join in using the Button Below-

Mini Bloggiesta Fall 2017 Officially Starts TODAY September 21st and will run until the 24th. Get your To-Do Lists ready!

YAY it is another Bloggiesta!!! Now to do all the things I avoid normally :/

So for my list I would like to:

• Back up the blog
  
• Update my "Reviews by Author" Tab  
• Update my TBR spreadsheet with recent books in/out 
• Clean up my inbox 
• Participate in the Twitter Party 
• Here are the deets (#bloggiesta @bloggiesta): 
• Saturday, September 23 @ 2pm EST!
• Do a mini challenge 
• Briana @ Pages Unbound: Creating a Discussion Post Strategy
• Prep some October reviews  
• Visit as many Bloggiesta blogs as possible (IF NOT ALL) to cheer people on :) If I found a spot to comment I did :)
  

 

Added Items:
If I think of anything else, I will add as I go and strike trough as I complete tasks. 

• Plan Blog Ahead schedule/list of posts to do. 
• Check footer, fix any issues, dates etc.

Blog Blast w/ Giveaway!: The Wondrous World of Violet Barnaby by Jenny Lundquist

 

The Wondrous World of Violet Barnaby by Jenny Lundquist

Violet Barnaby searches for the joy in life after losing her mother in this sweet and funny follow-up to The Charming Life of Izzy Malone. Violet Barnaby is a having a blue Christmas. She’s still grieving the loss of her mother, and to make things worse, her dad has just married Melanie Harmer, a.k.a. the meanest teacher at Dandelion Hollow Middle School. But on the day Violet and her dad are packing up and moving into the new house they’ll share with Melanie and Melanie’s two children, Violet finds a letter her mother wrote to her before she died, asking Violet to enjoy Christmas, along with a Christmas Wish List—things her mom wants her to do during the holiday season. On the list are exactly the kinds of things Violet doesn’t want to do this year, like Be Someone’s Secret Santa; Give Someone the Gift of Your Time: Volunteer; and Bake Christmas Cookies. Violet shows the letter to her friend Izzy’s Aunt Mildred, who calls a meeting of the Charm Girls, a club Izzy and Violet belong to along with their friends, Daisy and Sophia. Aunt Mildred decides she will give them each a charm to put on their bracelet if they do all of the tasks on the Christmas Wish List, which Violet is not too happy about. She’d rather forget about the list completely, but feels compelled to honor her mother’s wishes. And when Izzy’s crush confides a big secret to Violet, Violet feels like she is stuck between her best friend and the boy who she just might have a crush on, too… 

   

Praise for The Wondrous World of Violet Barnaby

"[an] emotionally perceptive novel of grief and recovery." - Kirkus 

You'll fall in love with Violet and love every minute of living in her wondrous world! - Stephanie Faris 

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * IndieBound

About the Author
Jenny Lundquist was born and raised in Huntington Beach, California, where she spent her time unsuccessfully learning how to surf. When she was younger, she wanted to be either a rock star or a published author. After she taped herself singing and listened to it on playback she decided she'd better opt for the writing route. Jenny is the author of multiple YA and Middle Grade titles including Seeing Cinderella, The Charming Life of Izzy Malone, The Wondrous World of Violet Barnaby and the forthcoming The Carnival of Wishes and Dreams (2019). 

Find the Author

Website * Facebook * Twitter

     

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway 

Ends 10/10/17 

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. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Early Reader Review: The Call of the Swamp by Davide Cali

Source: From Netgalley and Eerdman's Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

The Call of the Swamp by Davide Cali
Publisher: Eerdman's Books for Young Readers
Publication Date:  September 25, 2017

 

Format:  Ebook

Rating:
 


 


Goodreads Synopsis: 

A sweetly offbeat adoption story

Boris is a normal kid: he goes to school and rides his bike and climbs trees, just like all the other children. It doesn't matter that he has scales and gills, or that his parents found him in a swamp when he was just a baby. But one day Boris catches the scent of his old home, and suddenly he's not quite sure where he belongs. He journeys to the swamp, filled with questions, and eventually discovers the only answer he needs.

From the creators of The Queen of the Frogs comes an enchanting, nuanced story about adoption and family. 

Review: 
This book was a strange one and I like strange books for all ages! I have read The Queen of the Frogs by Cali and really enjoyed it. I love the style of the illustrations - they are sketchy and muted and different from a lot of children's books - but in a good way.

The Call of the Swamp is another gorgeous book - the images are very detailed and have realistic bits and playful bits too. The book is about a kid named Boris learning where he belongs ad what it means to belong. It is a very heartfelt story with questions and some answers, but there are a lot of things to think about while reading this one.

I think that this is geared for an older audience in the children's book realm and I think parents will enjoy this one as well. I appreciated the artistic style and the story was charming and thought-provoking.

Building the Book Pile #251

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!  A Weekly meme inspired by Stacking the Shelves

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

This week FLEW by so quick... but it was pretty fun. We are back to full normal hour weeks at work, which always feels weird - it feels like I am leaving so early when I leave at my normal time now.
But on Tuesday, after about 7 years with only tattooed outlines for fairy wings on my back, I started filling them in SO EXCITED about this. Having the outlines done were pretty painful, the artist used a very thick liner and so it was not fun. It took me this long to work up the courage to start filling them in and they are beautiful so far. Today I am peeling and itchy (if you have tattoos - you probably get it, if not - it is all part of the healing process). I sat for way longer than I should have so next time I will go for shorter but I already have the appointment on the books :) I took Wednesday off of work because clothing was no fun but the rest of the week was pretty low key.

How was your week? Do you have tattoos? If so, what do you have? If not, do you want them, what would you get?

The shop has scarves, cowls, hats and baby booties now... :)
Go take a look and if you have requests let me know.

  Giveaways  on Cover2CoverBlog!

Coming up on the Blog

Early Reader Review: The Call of the Swamp by Davide Cali (Youth)
Blog Blast w/ Giveaway: The Wondrous World of Violet Barnaby by Jenny Lundquist (MG)
mini Bloggiesta To Do List - Runs Sept 21-24 - join us here
Early Reader Review: Lady Mechanika la Dama de la Muerte (GN)
Recent Reads: The Third Coin by J.A. Howard (YA)  

Books Received this Week   

   

I went a bit crazy on Netgalley on Friday :/ But I needed books for the HoHoHo Readathon in November! (I also grabbed some other ones - no shame)

How to be Perfectly Unhappy by The Oatmeal, Matthew Inman from Netgalley and Andrew McMeel Publishing for review

Christmas at Mistletoe Cove by Holly Martin from Netgalley and Bookouture for review

Baseball Bats for Christmas by Kusugak from Netgalley and Annick Books for review

Random Illustrated Facts by Mike Lowery from Netgalley and Workman Publishing Company for review

 

Have you missed anything lately?

Week of  September 11 - September 17

Recent Reads: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (YA) - 5 stars
Recent Reads: Doris Morris and the Invasion of the Neighbors by Janet Kelly (Youth)  - 4 stars
Waiting on Wednesday : Black Moon Rising by DJ McHale
Recent Reads: I am Bat by Morag Hood (Youth) - 4 stars

Comment and leave me a link to your Round-up/ STS/ Weekly...anything, post and I will happily stop by and say hello!

Happy Reading!

Early Reader Review: I Am Bat by Morag Hood

Source: From Netgalley and Soucebooks Jabberwocky in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

I Am Bat by Morag Hood
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Publication Date:  September 5, 2017

 

Format:  Ebook


Rating:
 


 



Goodreads Synopsis: 

I am bat.
I love cherries. They are juicy and red and delicious and...
My cherries! Some of them are missing.
Who took my cherries? Was it YOU?

Join the grumpily adorable Bat as he searches for his missing cherries in this vibrant and hilarious picture book.

Review: 
I am Bat is an adorably simple book about a bat that loves cherries. The text is short and easy to read and the images are large and bright. The little bat is the main character and he dislikes some things and loves others - cherries being the main thing. He is grumpy and a little nasty to the reader and very possessive over his cherries, he even blames the reader when they go missing, but other cute things happen and he is ok again.

I think this could be a fun book to use for interactive reading - the stealing of the cherries lends itself to 'where did they go?' 'who took them?' questions that can be posed to young listeners to the story. It is a chance to learn about both animals and fruits but also why sharing is important. 

Overall this was a very endearing book and I thought the little grumpy bat was very funny.

Recent Reads: Doris Morris and the Invasion of the Neighbors by Janet Kelly

Source: From Bobaloo Books in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

Doris Morris ... and the Invasion of the Neighbor by Janet Kelly

Series: Doris Morris #1
Publisher:  Bobaloo Books
Publication Date:  March 10, 2016

 

Format:  Hardback

Rating:

 



Goodreads Synopsis: 

Doris Morris is the first in a series of beautifully illustrated children's books about a cat, called Doris, and what she gets up to with her family.
In the first of the series, The Invasion of The Neighbours, she has to deal with the bullying behaviour of Gangsta and Lizzie who keep coming in through Doris's cat flap when the family are out, and making a mess so that Doris gets into trouble. When Amy and Ted, the children, find out, they go out of their way to put things right - with a fabulous happy ending.

Review: 
This book is too adorable - it is about a cat named Doris who is fuzzy and dirty and a typical house cat. She can be temperamental but the kids love her and she has it pretty good in the Morris household. When two neighborhood cats start coming in and messing up her house and her happiness the children in the house help her make it all right.

The lesson at the end of this rhyming book is a very cute one - family is always there for you and I loved the vibrant illustrations throughout. Doris is a huge purple fluff of a cat in most the images and  I loved the color pallet. I think that kids and parents will really enjoy reading this book together.


About the Author:
Janet Kelly is a journalist and author, having acclaim with her novels ‘Dear Beneficiary’ and ‘For The Last Time’. She has vast marketing experience and runs Bobaloo Books, the publisher behind the Doris Morris series. 

Facebook: DorisMorris
Twitter: @dorismorriscat

Waiting on Wednesday: Black Moon Rising by D.J. MacHale

Black Moon Rising by D.J. MacHale
Series: The Library #2

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date:  October 3, 2017

Synopsis:  

The next fast-paced, thrilling adventure from bestselling author D. J. MacHale! Check out a book and fall under its spell . . . literally.

Marcus is an agent of the Library--a place filled with tales that don't have an ending. Mysteries that won't be solved until Marcus and his friends Theo and Lu step in to finish them. Before it's too late.

Because mysterious accidents are disturbing a middle school in Massachusetts. Windows shatter for no reason. Bleachers collapse at a pep rally. Most of the students think they're just having a string of bad luck, but Marcus suspects something a lot more dangerous. Something like witchcraft. When the black moon rises, this story must come to an end . . . one way or another.

Why I Am Waiting:
I read book 1 in this MG series and it was amazing! I love a good story about a Library too and so this is adventure, a library, and some spooky all wrapped into one package - can't wait for this installment! What is even cooler is that you can read these books in ANY order after reading book 1 ... So go grab #1 now :)