Waiting on Wednesday: Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks
Publisher: First Second Books
Publication Date: August 27, 2019

Synopsis:  

Every autumn, all through high school, they’ve worked together at the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world. (Not many people know that the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world is in Omaha, Nebraska, but it definitely is.) They say good-bye every Halloween, and they’re reunited every September 1.

But this Halloween is different—Josiah and Deja are finally seniors, and this is their last season at the pumpkin patch. Their last shift together. Their last good-bye.

Josiah’s ready to spend the whole night feeling melancholy about it. Deja isn’t ready to let him. She’s got a plan: What if—instead of moping and the usual slinging lima beans down at the Succotash Hut—they went out with a bang? They could see all the sights! Taste all the snacks! And Josiah could finally talk to that cute girl he’s been mooning over for three years . . .

What if their last shift was an adventure? 

Why I Am Waiting:
I really enjoy books written by Rainbow Rowell and this is a graphic novel :) I am so excited to check this one out.

Blog Tour w/ Excerpt and Giveaway! Claiming T-Mo by Eugen Bacon #ClaimingTMoBlogTour

CLAIMING T-MO by Eugen Bacon

Release Date: 8/13/19
Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy
BOOK PAGE


About the Book

In this lush interplanetary tale, an immortal priest flouts the conventions of a matriarchal society by choosing a name for his child. The act initiates chaos that splits the boy in two, unleashing a Jekyll-and-Hyde child upon the universe: named T-Mo by his mother and Odysseus by his father. The story unfolds through the eyes of these three distinctive women: Silhouette, Salem and Myra - mother, wife, and daughter. As they struggle to confront their fears and navigate the treacherous paths to love and accept T-Mo/Odysseus and themselves, the darkness in Odysseus urges them to unbearable choices that threaten their very existence.

BUY LINKS: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Goodreads

T-Mo happened exactly one week after the puzzle-piece woman with fifty-cent eyes.One night, black as misery, Salem Drew stood, arms wrapped about herself, at the bus depot three streets from the IGA where she worked late shifts. A bunch of commuters had just clambered onto a number 146 for Carnegie, and Salem found herself alone at the depot.She waited for a night express bus to take her back to a cheerless home that housed equally cheerless parents. An easy wind around her was just as dreary, foggy as lunacy. There, just then, the shadow of a woman’s face jumped into her vision.Salem blinked. Was the woman real or a figment of thought? Singular parts of her were easy to file, were possibly real: maroon hair, rugged skin the color of coffee beans. And the scar . . . But all put together, cohesion was lost.The puzzle-piece woman stood head lowered, quiet in the mist. When she raised her face, silver shimmered from one good eye, petite and round as a fifty-cent coin. The other eye was broken, feasibly some bygone injury. Even though it was as smooth and flawlessly round as the right eye, it held no sight. The coin perfection of its shape was embedded in scar tissue, a disfigurement that needed nothing but a single glance to seal the hideousness of it.If Salem thought to speak, to ask, “Who are you? How long have you been standing there, watching me, and why?” the mighty keenness of the woman’s good telescopic eye, the one that filtered, turned inward, then came back at her without translation, threw it right out of Salem’s mind.Thunder like the hammering of a thousand hooves did it. Salem ran without a scream, all the way through all that night, never minding the night bus when it whooshed past. All she minded was the gobbling eye, and the unwarned sound of deep belly laughter that chased behind.

About the Author 

Eugen Bacon is a computer scientist mentally re-engineered into creative writing. She has published over one hundred short stories and articles, together with anthologies. Her stories have won, been shortlisted and commended in international awards, including the Bridport Prize, L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest, Copyright Agency Prize and Fellowship of Australian Writers National Literary Awards. Her creative work has appeared in literary and speculative fiction publications worldwide, including Award Winning Australian Writing, AntipodeanSF, Andromeda, Aurealis, Bards and Sages Quarterly, and New Writing (Routledge). Eugen’s latest books: Writing Speculative Fiction: Creative and Critical Approaches from Macmillan International, May 2019, and her debut novel, Claiming T-Mo, from Meerkat Press, August 2019

Find the Author

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Building the Book Pile #311

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

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Such ... a ...long....week...I am so tired.
It was a lot of fun though and I got to meet a lot of the new students. I also kicked off my next class, which is Social Psychology, should be fun. Not too much reading this week but that is ok.

If you enjoy the blog and want to share some love and caffeine, you can buy me a coffee via Ko-fi

Share about your week with me in the comments below!

 

  Giveaways  on Cover2CoverBlog! 

Coming up on the Blog

Blog Tour w/ Excerpt: Claiming T-Mo by Eugen Bacon (Fantasy, Sci-Fi)
Waiting on Wednesday
Blog Blast: Thaddeus of Beewicke by Louis Sauvain (YA)

Books Received Recently...
For Review

    

The Brilliant Dark by S.M. Beiko from ECW Press for review. 

The Call of the Rift: Flight by Jae Waller from ECW Press for review.

Meet me in the Strange by Leander Watts from Meerkat Press as a gift. 

Have you missed anything lately?

Review Wrap Up: A Cookbook and Puzzle Book from Rockbridge Press - 3 and 4 stars
Review: How to Make A Mom by Claressa Swenson (Youth) - 3 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!

Review Wrap Up: A Cookbook and Puzzle Book from Rockbridge Press

Source: Both books are from Callisto Publishing Group and Rockbridge Press in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review. 

Dessert Cooking for Two: 115 Perfectly Portioned Sweets for Every Occasion by Robin Donovan
Publisher: Rockbridge Press
Publication Date:  July 30, 2019

 

Format: Paperback

Rating: 







Goodreads Synopsis: 

Guilt-free indulgence—dessert delights just for two.
Say goodbye to pre-packaged sweets and hello to fresh and flavorful desserts. From The Very Best Chocolate Chip Cookies to Cinnamon Sugar Monkey Bread, Dessert Cooking for Two helps you create delicious desserts that are just the right size for two. Enjoy all the fun treats you crave without worrying about overindulging or wasting lots of leftovers.
Never made your own desserts before? Dessert Cooking for Two keeps things simple with recipes that use equipment you already own—plus tips to make things easier. You’ll also get helpful guides for melting chocolate, mixing ingredients, working with pastry dough, and other dessert-making techniques.
Dessert Cooking for Two includes:
115 yummy recipes—Dessert Cooking for Two satisfies your sweet tooth with a huge variety of small-portion treats, including Pumpkin Mini Pies, Blackberry Vanilla Bread Pudding, and Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Cake. Handy kitchen hacks—Become a dessert expert and master important skills at home—like how to create the perfect workarounds when you don’t have specialized equipment. Pick your perfect dessert—Recipes are indexed by both flavor (so you satisfy your current craving) and by leftover ingredients (so you make magic with whatever you have on hand).
Cooking for two has never been sweeter than with Dessert Cooking for Two.

Review: 

If you are looking for a cookbook for a couple versus a family of four, this is a great one, it is pretty much recipes scaled way down for two of everything- one for you and one for your partner.

What I expected, for some reason, was that these would be quick and pared down recipes for desserts, however that is not quite it. What you have to know going into this is that timing more most of these is the same as if you are baking a whole batch, but the ingredient list is the pared down part so that you don't have 50 cookies in the house. For me, I think for the effort put in, I would prefer to have something to show for it and I would like to have a full batch and then if I didn't want them at home I could bring them to work.

All that said, I did try the No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars and they were a hit. I really loved them and so did the hubs. And this book has a lot of no-bake recipes which is awesome!

So if you only want a few sweets in the house at a time and you are excited to learn some new no-bake dessert recipes, this would work for you.

Challenge Accepted!: 100 Word Searches
Publisher: Rockbridge Press
Publication Date:  July 23, 2019

 

Format: Paperback

Rating:








Goodreads Synopsis: 

Want thrilling ways to boost your brainpower? Challenge Accepted!
Find out how exciting word search books for adults can be. Challenge Accepted! is an easy-to-read collection of large-print word searches designed to stretch the skills of new and veteran puzzlers alike. Up your game with 100 searches featuring 25+ clues each―plus more diagonals and shared letters than your usual word search books for adults. Get ready for hours of brain-teasing fun!
Go beyond other word search books for adults:
100 challenging puzzles―Word search books for adults can help you develop your memory, concentration, and focus.Enhance your vocabulary―Discover interesting words drawn from a variety of themes―including wine, opera, computers, genetics, and more.Easy-to-read pages―Large type with clean and clear layouts make these puzzles easier on the eyes whether you’re at home or out and about.Take on one of the most engaging word search books for adults you’ve ever seen. 

Review: 
I am loving this puzzle book. I love word searches and all sorts of puzzles, they help me take my mind off the stress of the day and keep my brain going. 

Each page has a list of words and then the puzzle and the size is perfect. Each puzzle has a theme so you can pick and choose if you aren't feeling the 'birds' option.

The puzzles are not super easy, which is great, but they are easy enough to be a mindless thing to do when you want to relax but not watch TV. 

Early Reader Review: How to Make a Mom by Claressa Swensen

Source: From the author in exchange for review. This in no way alters my opinions or review.

How to Make a Mom by Claressa Swensen
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date:  September 1, 2019

 

Format: Ebook without images 

Rating:







Goodreads Synopsis: 

The easy to follow recipe book on how to make a perfect mom. Note: every mom is special and unique! You may need to change this recipe a little to fit your own needs. A children's short story combined recipe book.

Review: 
How to Make a Mom is a fun, short, and sweet (literally if you make the cookies) about how to piece together a great mom. Luckily, this recipe also makes cookies as well, just in case your mom has different ingredients. 

While my review copy did not have the illustrations, probably because my computer has been acting up, it was still a very cute and easy read. 

The steps and sections are clear and the way the author describes awesome moms using ingredients for a recipe is unique and engaging. There are only eight so it is very simple and can be read pretty quickly, at least for me (an adult reader without a child). 

I think that young readers and their moms (or dads) will really enjoy this one and who can say no to a great cookie recipe as well?! Overall this was great fun.. now I am off to buy the ingredients to make this recipe.

Video file from the author, I hope the upload works properly - fingers crossed :)

About the Author:

Claressa Swensen resides in Northern Utah with her husband, baby girl, and her two dogs. She has written four children’s books, including Teensy the Littlest Fairy and Dino Dino Doing Homework. Her books are currently available in seven Barnes & Noble locations across Utah. Her work has been featured in Readers Favorite and over 10 different reading blogs. 

Author Facebook 

Building the Book Pile #310

<

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

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Break week is over, my new class starts tomorrow and work kicks off with orientation for the new class of students too... so it is going to get busy again. I feel like there hasn't been a lazy period yet lol. Summer is giving way a little and mornings are starting to be a little brisk... and pumpkin beers and foods are starting to appear... as are HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS!!! WOOOO

💀💀💀💀💀 YAY!

If you enjoy the blog and want to share some love and caffeine, you can buy me a coffee via Ko-fi

Share about your week with me in the comments below!

 

  Giveaways  on Cover2CoverBlog! 

Coming up on the Blog

Review Wrap Up: A Cookbook and Puzzle Book from Rockbridge Press
Review: How to Make A Mom by Claressa Swenson (Youth)


Books Received Recently...
For Review

        

The Big Book of Silly Jokes for Kids by Carole Roman - from Rockbridge Press and Callisto Publisher's Club

The Hippo at the End of the Hall by Helen Cooper - from Librarything early reviewers and Candlewick Press


Super Cool Space Facts by Bruce Betts- from Rockbridge Press and Callisto Publisher's Club

A Warm Friendship by Ellen DeLange - from Netgalley and Clavis Publishing

Have you missed anything lately?

Blog Blast w/Giveaway! Watch Hollow by Gregory Funaro (MG)
Blog Tour: Review - Wild Horse by Kyle Richardson (YA)- 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!

Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway - Wild Horse by Kyle Richardson

Wild Horse by Kyle Richardson
A Young Adult Superhearo Novella
Publisher: Meerkat Press
Publication Date:  July 30, 2019

 

About the Book
Grady has found a crack in the wall—a crack to the outside world. But all he knows about life outside the compound comes from books, magazines, and a photograph of a creature that no longer exists. Things change when he meets a girl with raspberry-yellow hair, and a secret that could lead them to a world beyond the walls. A world where their abilities could change everything … or lead them both to ruin. 

Additional Buy Links 

 Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Book Page

Grady finds it in the spring, when the leaves are sprouting from the trees in tiny pink-green buds. There are no trees in the courtyard, there's only dirt and rocks and other kids that look like Grady—their heads shaven, their clothes loose and gray, the skin under their eyes a creamy blue and red. But Grady has found a crack in the wall, a crack that wasn't there before—a crack that isn't supposed to be. Whenever the guards aren't looking, he leans his face against the wall and peers through the crack at the world outside. He does this with his left eye first. Always his left eye first. The gap is so tiny it's like squinting through a nostril. But in that nostril there's the sky, purple as a bruise, and beneath it there are scrawny trees with tiny pink-green buds. Today the trees bend and sway, like they know Grady's watching. Like they're dancing just for him. And his cracked lips spread until he's smiling, big and dumb. 

This is when he hears the voice. "What're you looking at?" The voice comes from behind him, small and smooth and wild, like the picture of the horse taped to the ceiling above his cot. It knocks something loose in him, something that tumbles free, something that falls but doesn't seem to ever land. Whatever it is, it just keeps on falling, lost somewhere inside him. Grady frowns and squirms, but the stupid feeling doesn't quit. "Go away," he tells the voice. He doesn't bother to turn. "I'm looking at spring," he adds, "but you wouldn't know what that is."

The voice that's like a wild horse, it tells him, "I do too know what spring is. And I know that you're mean and I don't like you." Then the voice is gone, and a guard walks by, and Grady looks away from the wall as if the crack isn’t there at all. And stomping away from him straight across the courtyard, like she's trying to knock the world off orbit with the weight of her footsteps alone, is a skinny girl with loose gray clothes and raspberry-yellow hair.

Grady raises his eyebrows. Whatever that thing is inside him, it tumbles even faster.

Format: Ebook
Source: From the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

Rating: 

Review: 

This was a very interested novella about a dystopian world where kids with powers are kept locked in. Grady and Cassie are some of those kids and it happens that they are able to escape into the outside world and live together for a while. This novella is a bit odd, but it is beautifully written and it seems like a run to the finish line so it is pretty fast paced and leaves the reader wanting more. It has a few themes, the dystopian society, the powers, but it is also about falling in love and learning about those feelings and how they can change as you change. 

I enjoyed following along with Grady, and really felt for him and wanted to help him fight his way through everything. And while he felt for Cassie, she seemed too aloof for my liking, it might be because of her powers, but she never really seemed committed to anything. 

As noted, this was a short work, but it had me pretty invested from start to finish. If you like dystopian worlds, and scifi/ fantasy, this is a great quick read.

About the Author

Kyle lives in the suburban wilds of Canada with his adorable wife, their rambunctious son, and their adventurous daughter. He writes about shapeshifters, superheroes, and the occasional clockwork beast, moonlights as an editor at Meerkat Press, and has a terrible habit of saying the wrong thing at the most inopportune moments. His short fiction has appeared in places such as Love Hurts: A Speculative Fiction Anthology and Daily Science Fiction.

Find the Author

 Website | Twitter | Goodreads

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Blast:Trailer and Giveaway! Watch Hollow by Gregory Funaro

Tour Stops

Watch Hollow by Gregory Funaro

About the Book
Deep within the enchanted woods in the town of Watch Hollow stands the once-grand Blackford House, whose halls hold a magical secret: a giant cuckoo clock that does much more than tell time. But when the clock’s gears cease to turn, an evil presence lurking among the trees begins to come out of the shadows.  

When Lucy and Oliver Tinker arrive in Watch Hollow, they have no idea that anything is wrong. A mysterious stranger has made their father an offer that’s too good for him to refuse. All Mr. Tinker needs to do is fix the clock at Blackford House and fistfuls of gold coins are his to keep.

It doesn’t take long, however, for the children to realize that there is more to Blackford House than meets the eye. And before they can entirely understand the strange world they’ve stumbled into, Lucy and Oliver must join forces with a host of magical clock animals to defeat the Garr—a vicious monster that not only wants Blackford House for itself, but also seeks to destroy everything the Tinkers hold dear.  

Praise for WATCH HOLLOW

“Filled with clever, magical, and instantly likable characters, Funaro’s excellent, fast-paced, and twisty mystery—packed with suspense, facts, magic, and an incredible, deeply thought-out world—will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next chapter.” ―Booklist (starred review)

“A well-wound tale of good versus evil.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“The magically sentient house, creeping woods, and resident monster establish the story’s shivery Gothic feel, which will more than satisfy readers in search of a pleasantly scary read.” ―Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“There is magic, there is good and evil, and there is love all woven into a suspenseful and entertaining mystery. A well-crafted story that should be a hit with readers who enjoy a a good scare.” ―School Library Journal (starred review)  

 About the Author

Gregory Funaro grew up in Cranston, Rhode Island, and wrote his first story, The Ghost in the Window, in the fourth grade. He considers this to be his finest work, but unfortunately it has been lost to time. His first book for Disney-Hyperion, ALISTAIR GRIM'S ODDITORIUM (2015), was a New York Times best seller and an Amazon Best Book of the Month. His other works for children have received starred reviews from Kirkus, School Library Journal, and ALA Booklist. Check out WATCH HOLLOW, the first book in his series for HarperCollins, as well as its sequel, THE ALCHEMIST'S SHADOW, coming in 2020. Greg also teaches drama at East Carolina University, and is busy working on his next novel.  

Find the Author

WEBSITE / TWITTER @GregoryFunaro / GOODREADS / FACEBOOK / INSTAGRAM

Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter

2 Winners will receive a Signed Copy of WATCH HOLLOW by Gregory Funaro.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway