Monthly Re-Cap: October 2017

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people!

Happy Halloween! 🎃👻
I hope that your month of October was a spooktacular one! This month was a busy one: my Husband's birthday and party, we had a friend visit, I had a dentist appointment and another tattoo appointment, there was a Halloween parade in town on Saturday too... I am ready to relax but know that is not going to happen because tomorrow is November and we are full steam ahead on the holidays!

It was a great month though and I am exited for November, especially because other than weekly Book Pile posts I have most of the month pre-scheduled thanks to Blog Ahead!! 😬 

Speaking of which, during Blog Ahead the goal was 31 posts scheduled for after October and I prepped all 31 posts! YAY and I got my TBR Pile done too - this was a VERY productive month!

How was your month? What did you read?

~~Books I Read in October~~
                                

How did I do on my October TBR?
4/4 DONE! Woot I was on a roll!


~~Links to Some Reviews~~
Dino Riders #1: How to Tame a Triceratops by Will Dare (MG) - 3 stars
Shadow Study (Study #4, Soulfinder #1) by Maria Snyder (YA) - 4 stars
Scion of the Fox (The Realms of the Ancients #1) by SM Beiko (YA) - 4 stars
My Zombie Best Friend by Terry Lowell (MG) - 4 stars 
Dog Daze (Honey Moon #1) by Sofi Benitez (MG) - 3 stars
How to Be Perfectly Unhappy by Matthew Inman (Adult, GN) - 4 stars
Random Illustrated Facts by Mike Lowery (GN) - 5 stars


~~Reviews Up This Month From Previous Re-Caps~~
Welcome Home, Beaver! by Magnus Weightman (Youth) - 4 stars
Phoebe and her Unicorn in the Magic Storm by Dana Simpson (GN/MG) - 4 stars
Quantum Entanglement for Babies by Chris Ferrie (Youth) - 4 stars
Quantum Physics for Babies by Chris Ferrie (Youth) - 5 stars
Optical Physics for Babies by Chris Ferrie (Youth)- 5 stars
Rocket Science for Babies by Chris Ferrie (Youth)- 5 stars
Shark Lady by Jess Keating (Youth) - 5 stars
Crib and the Labours of Hercules by Gerald Vinestock (MG)- 3 stars


Reviews still on their way to you:
Coming in November...
Nick the Knight, Dragon Slayer by Aron Dijkstra (Youth) 
The Giant Pumpkin Suite by Melanie Heulser Hall (MG) 
The Death of Death by K.N. Parker (YA)
The Painting by Charis Cotter (MG/YA)
Once Upon a Leaf by Dawn Jarocki and Soren Kisiel (Youth) 
Quiet Girl in a Noisy World by Debbie Tung (GN, Adult)
Breaking Up is Hard to Do...But You Could've Done Better by Hillary Campbell (GN, Adult) 
Northstar Volume 1 by Jim and Haigen Shelley (GN)

Coming in December...
The Very Very Very Long Dog by Julia Patten (Youth)  
Washington DC Monsters by Rebecca Moeller (Youth) 

Coming in 2018 ...
Crafty Cat and the Great Butterfly Battle (Crafty Cat #3) by Charise Mericle Harper (MG, GN) 
My Bed by Anita Bijsterbosch (Youth)
Fish-Boy by Vanita Oelschlager (Youth)

Early Reader Review: How to be Perfectly Unhappy by Matthew Inman

Source: From Netgalley and Andrew McMeel Publishing in exchange for review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

How to be Perfectly Unhappy by Matthew Inman

Publisher:  Andrew McMeel Publishing
Publication Date:  October 31, 2017

 

Format:  Ebook

Rating:


 



Goodreads Synopsis: 

Matthew Inman—Eisner Award-winning creator of The Oatmeal and #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You—serves yet another helping of thoughtful hilarity in this charming, illustrated gift book for anyone who is irked by the question: "Are you happy?"

In How To Be Perfectly Unhappy, Inman explores the surprising benefits of forgetting about “happiness,” and embracing instead the meaningful activities that keep us busy and interested and fascinated.

Review: 
I requested this book because of the cover - it was one of those 'hm, I think I need this in my life' moments. I am so glad that I read this to. It is comics but it is about being unhappy and how that is ok. The author talks about how people only think there is happy or unhappy but you can be unhappy but still fulfilled and content.   

The artwork was a lot of fun and kind of macabre, but that is how it is supposed to be and the author makes some very good points about happiness and embracing meaningful things versus striving for happiness. Happiness is the end game -you should be happy when you finally have everything you need.

I really liked this and happened upon it when I needed it. If you are looking for a comic style self help, this might be for you. 

Building the Book Pile #257

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

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Another week done, wow, this year is going by so fast! I thought it would eventually start to drag but NOPE. This week was a busy work week but I finished a few books too and FINISHED my October TBR yay! I am trying to do a bit more reading before the holidays though. 

This weekend we got to go out and play for a pre-Halloween thing, our town does a parade with a brass band and we dressed up and walked the town in the parade, there were so many people! We had a blast! What are you doing for Halloween? Do you go out with kids? Truck or Treat? Parties? Stay home and watch scary movies or read scary books?! Let me know in the comments :)
 

Don't forget to visit my knits shop!!
There are a few new hats up and more scarves coming soon. I am prepping for a work craft show, so if there is anything you are liking that is online now - go buy it! I will be taking my whole stock with me to the show.

  Giveaways  on Cover2CoverBlog!
 
 
   
 

Coming up on the Blog

Early Reader Review: How to be Perfectly Unhappy by Matthew Inman (GN, Adult)

Monthly Re-cap: October 2017

Waiting on Wednesday

TBR Pile: November 2017

Blog Blast: Back to December by Heather McCoubrey (YA) 

Books Received this Week   

Switched  by Jen Calonita from Netgalley and Sourcebooks for review.

The Very Very Very Long Dog by Julia Patton from Netgalley and Sourcebooks for review. 

 Have you missed anything lately?

Week of October 22 - October 28

Blog Blast w/ GIVEAWAY! - Haven by Mary Lindsey (YA)

Recent Reads: Dog Daze (Honey Moon #1) by Sofi Benitez (MG)- 3 stars

Early Reader Review: Random Illustrated Facts by Mike Lowery (GN)- 5 stars

Early Reader Review: Welcome Home, Beaver by Magnus Weightman (Youth) - 4 stars

Blog Blast w/ GIVEAWAY!- Better off Undead by James Preller (MG)

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 Blast w/ Giveaway!: Better off Undead by James Preller

About the Book

Liz Szabla at Feiwel and Friends has acquired James Preller's Dead (But Cautiously Optimistic), pitched as The Walking Dead meets The Mysterious Benedict Society. In the “not-too-distant future,” a seventh-grade undead boy has to adjust to middle-school life as a zombie, and with three unlikely friends, he navigates a mystery involving global warming, disappearing bees, and billionaire developers... and more zombies.

It's slated for fall 2016; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio brokered the deal for North American rights.


Buy the Book

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

 Praise for BETTER OFF UNDEAD

"Adrian Lazarus is a middle school zombie, the result of an accident that left him “as undead as a toenail and not really thrilled about it.” ...This cautionary tale is more than just a brain-eating gross-out. Set in the not-too-distant future when humanity is suffering from numerous self-inflicted woes, this story’s villains are the Bork Brothers, owners of K & K Industries, “the richest, most powerful corporation on the planet” and also the source of much of the planet’s environmental troubles. ...This uproarious middle grade call to action has considerable kid appeal and a timely message." ―School Library Journal

Praise for THE COURAGE TEST

"Preller stirs doses of American history into a first-rate road trip that does traditional double-duty as plot device and coming-of-age metaphor. . . . Despite the many plot threads, the story never seems overstuffed or weighed down by agendas. . . . Additionally, not only does the author slip cogent historical facts and insights into his simply told narrative without disturbing its flow, he offers more detail, plus sources of information, in an afterword." ―Booklist, starred review

About the Author

James Preller (born 1961) is the children's book author of the Jigsaw Jones Mysteries,

Photo Content from James Preller

which are published by Scholastic Corporation. He grew up in Wantagh, New York and went to college in Oneonta, New York. After graduating from college in 1983, James Preller was employed as a waiter for one year before being hired as a copywriter by Scholastic Corporation, where he was introduced (through their books) to many noatable children's authors. This inspired James Preller to try writing his own books. James Preller published his first book, entitled MAXX TRAX: Avalanche Rescue, in 1986. Since that time, James Preller has written a variety of books, and has written under a number of pen names, including Mitzy Kafka, James Patrick, and Izzy Bonkers. James Preller lives in Delmar, New York with his wife Lisa and their three children.

Find the Author

 Website /  Goodreads /  Facebook

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

3 Winners will receive a Copy of BETTER OFF UNDEAD by James Preller.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Early Reader Review: Welcome Home, Beaver! by Magnus Weightman

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

Welcome Home, Beaver! by Magnus Weightman
Publisher: Clavis
Publication Date: November 1, 2017  

 

Format: Ebook


Rating:


 



Goodreads Synopsis: 

Beaver is seeking adventures, but he has lost the way. Now he wants to go home again. Does he live in that hidden hole underneath an oak tree? In the nest high up on the roof? Or in that big tower of mud? Architect Magnus Weightman takes you along on a visit of numerous fabulous animal dwellings. Will you help Beaver to find his own home?

Review: 
This was a cute book about a beaver that leaves home only to realize that he doesn't know how to return. The illustrations and text follow him as he passes by all sorts of other animals and their dwellings in search of his home.

This was a very simple yet adorable book. The images are very detailed and I think parents and young readers will love this book for a few reasons. The book teaches readers about different types of animal dwellings while beaver is looking for his home. It is presented as questions and answers, so that not only do you see the image but you learn about how the homes is built.  Readers will learn who the homes belong to and some of the features of those homes.

The illustrations are wonderfully done, 2-page spreads and have so many fun things to look at for those listening to the story and reading it. The details are what make this book stand out. They help the story along very well.

Overall I think that this is a fun book for both young readers and parents, and I think that you have to see it in order to appreciate all of its beauty.

Early Reader Review: Random Illustrated Facts by Mike Lowery

Source: From Netgalley and Workman Publishing Company in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

Random Illustrated Facts: A Collection of Curious, Weird and Not boring things to know by Mike Lowery
Publisher:  Workman Publishing Company
Publication Date:  October 31, 2017

 

Format:  Ebook

Rating:
 


 


Goodreads Synopsis: 

A collection of illustrated trivia unlike any other. From glow-in-the-dark cats to Jupiter's diamond showers to the link between dancing goats and the discovery of coffee, here are up to 100 obscure and fascinating facts brought to life in Mike Lowery's quirky, hilarious style. Each illustrated fact is paired with a handwritten web of related tidbits, recreating an entertaining dive down a trivia rabbit hole. 

Review: 
This was so much fun to read. I loved sharing some of these facts with my husband and friends while/after reading them and the pictures make learning it all so much more fun and easy. I think that everyone would get a kick out of this book for some reason or another.

It has different sections - History, Animals, Food, Everyday things, and Science, each were equally fun. I think the Animals section was my favorite. And I think the Food section was my least favorite - there are some facts that you just don't need to know - I may never eat jelly beans again (sad face).

It was a lot of laughs and I think even as a gift or just a coffee table book this is a great book to have. 

Recent Reads: Dog Daze by Sofi Benitez

Source: From Netgalley and Rabbit Publisher in exchange for review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

Dog Daze by Sofi Benitez

Series: Honey Moon #1
Publisher: Rabbit Publishers
Publication Date:   May 31, 2017

 

Format:  Ebook
Rating:


 




 Goodreads Synopsis: 

WANTING TO START A BUSINESS together to earn some spending money, Honey Moon and her friends have a magical idea. In the town where every day is Halloween night, Honey and friends start a dog–walking service called the Sleepy Hollow Howlers. But when the business becomes more than the girls can handle, dog–walking suddenly takes on a new leash and fur flies with disastrous and entertaining results.

Review: 
I requested this book from Netgalley from the Graphic Novels and Comics list and did not expect it to be a full length written children's book so it took me a while to get through it on my computer. Reading on my computer is difficult sometimes.

The book is about a girl names Honey Moon who lives in Sleepy Hollow, a town where it is always Halloween, so weird things happen. I didn't see many of those weird things in this book though. The story starts with Honey finding a lost dog, meeting a new friend, and starting a summer dog-walking business. The obstacles she comes to though aren't really about the dog- walking or the dog she found, but about her new friend - a foster girl. Honey hopes to find her a new home much like the lost dog she found.

The book was cute, maybe a bit longer than I would have liked, but good. The plot was a bit scattered and I would have liked to learn more about this Sleepy Hollow/ Halloween all the time weirdness but that didn't really come up. Overall it was a fun way to start the Honey Moon series.