Book Babble - August 2016

Hello and welcome to my August 'Book Babble' :-)

Wow, I have been blogging for seven months!  I am so proud of myself.  I'm not a natural diary style, reflective writer.  After my failed attempt at blogging #365PictureBooks last year I honestly had my doubts that I'd make it anywhere near this far through the year.

OK ... so it is the September 2nd and I'm a couple of days late with my August post.  Sorry about that if you were waiting.  Luckily I keep it updated throughout the month or a couple of days out sick would have ended up in more of a delay!  

I do also have to apologise if you are wanting some fantastic Children's & Teen book suggestions.  Oops!!!  I've gone completely Adult only in August.  It's been my escape from everything else.  #soz not soz

On Work & Volunteer Work.....
It's been a busy month at school and with SLANZA.  The SLANZA PD team has been moderating a really thought provoking 'Content Curation' online course.  These are always so interesting and even as a moderator we are constantly learning something new.  The conversations that arise from each discussion starter are a great place for bring new information to everyone's fingertips who is participating.  Even though it is only a two-week online course, there is always so much work that goes into them 'behind the scenes'.  MT I take my hat off to you for all you have done getting these modules off the ground and all the amazing work you do.  You are a truly inspirational person :-D   

And at school we have just signed up for Wheelers ePlatform1.  Nearly 1,000 eBooks with only a small handful that we already had available in our own collection.  Such a fantastic variety of Picture Books, Fiction & Non-Fiction appropriate for our Primary School students, as well as some great Teen and Adult reads.  Having these eBooks means our older students (particularly the year 6's) have access to reads that we don't provide at school (gotta think what is appropriate for most of our students), AND they will be able to continue reading awesome, amazing, fantastic books over the Summer Holidays before they head off to Intermediate School.  Oh yeah ...  and our staff also have access to these eBooks so lots of great reading opportunities for them too :-D   

I have catalogued them all in our ILS ... boy did that take a while!!!!!  But by doing this I am able to add them to reading lists that direct the students towards books more appropriate for their reading age - Junior (kinda year 1-2 / early readers+), Intermediate (year 3-4'ish), Senior (year 5-7'ish) and Teen/Adult (everything else ;-P ).  The ePlatform does have different age options, however 'Children' covers Picture Books through to Tween/Teen reads.  That's OK if the students are confident finding their own thing and being aware of how they can determine if it is appropriate, but that's not how most of them choose their reading material ... they really do 'judge a book by it's cover'!!!  

So I was seen doing a very happy chair dance today when our access was FINALLY sorted out.   I did restrain myself and gave the IT guy a high-five rather than the 'happy dance hug' I really wanted to do!!!  We had had no eBook issues at all last term, and I thought it was just because my very few eBook enthusiasts had just decided not to read any more of our small collection.  Nooooooo that is not what was wrong.  Our link was broken!!!!  And it had nothing to do with our ILS or Wheelers.  All I'm gonna say is ... N4L!!!!!  Small typo, and none of our students letting me know they couldn't get on!!!   Aaaaarrrrggghhhhh!!!!!  Anyhoo it is all fixed now.  Classes are being booked to re-acquaint them with this fantastic, awesome, brilliant resource, and my really really keen eBook reader will be a happy camper.  She has been asking me for two weeks when she can get back on!!!  

On Movie Adaptations.....
You know how 'The Book Is ALWAYS Better'?  Well I've found a movie that I can finally argue this statement with.  I finally watched The Dressmaker.  I read the book in December last year after hearing how awesome the movie was, and not being able to get to it.  Knowing that the book is always better, I was expecting epic & awesome things!!!  Well after reading the book I refused, REFUSED, to watch the movie.   I only rated it 1 star on my Goodreads list and didn't review it.  I am not a fan of Literature, and to me this book is definitely Lit.  Don't get me wrong, this is a very well written book, however it is soooooooo freaking descriptive to the point of being, IMHO, freaking boring.  Too much blah, blah, blah!  It has taken me over 9 months to build up the courage to watch the movie.   O.M.G!!!!  The movie was so so so good!!!  Yes the dresses were divine.  Yes the setting was so well done.  And the characters were just perfect.  Definitely well worth watching!!!   Just don't read the book!!!!! 

On Audiobooks.....
I was stuck in the back seat on a recent trip to Auckland.  Being a nice mummy I let my oldest sit in the front as his super-duper long legs don't fit in the back of the Ute.  Actually nor do mine.  I've threatened my husband that if we take his vehicle again HE is sitting in the back and I am driving!!!!!  Bloody uncomfortable.   Anyway back to the book ..... I was rather bored as both teenagers were listening to their own music, and it's very hard to have a conversation with the driver from the back seat, and I just can't read in a moving vehicle.  So jokingly I emailed some friends and said I should have downloaded an audio book and played it through the car speakers.   Have you been taking note of the kind of books I've been reading lately??????  That would have been so hilarious!!!!

Anyhoo before the return trip I DID find some Audio books on iBooks and downloaded a book of Mina Carters to listen to.  I had to actually do a search by author or collection (paranormal romance) rather than typing in 'Audio Books'.  Only a small selection comes up if you search for audio books.               OMG! I am such a ditz!!!  There is a whole tab for audiobooks.  Amazing how you can't see what is, quite literally, under your nose!!!  So a hint ... if you are an iBooks user ... at the top of the 'Favourites' page there are two options ... Book or Audiobooks.

Ya know what?????  I enjoyed it after I got used to someone else's voice reading out loud.  Still a couple of "OMG am I really listening to this" moments, however, the sex scenes in the story aren't until close to the end and not really that graphic.

I can highly recommend that if you love books and have a long trip coming up, or actually if you are doing some menial task that doesn't require a lot of concentration, then download an audio book or two and listen away.  There are even some more 'conventional' books out there, and I found a Stephen Fry set I'd like to get hold of for my next trip.  

Actually thinking back, in my early 20's when I was doing the Auckland work commute I had purchased 3 or 4 books on tape.  Boy that was a while ago!!!!!  It is certainly clearer listening to eAudio than scratchy tapes.

Alrighty .... so here is WIBR this month ....  Oh yeah, apologies again for the lack of Children's & Teen reads :-/

NOTE: ** Denotes sexual content (school librarians use your discretion)

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Dark Bk30 Dark Carousel** / Christine Feehan [eBook]

5 Stars

Adult. Paranormal.
Goodness gracious.  I can't believe that this is the 30th book in this series!!!  Christine Feehan in such a prolific writer, and manages to keep the series fresh, yet familiar.  I particularly like how she is giving a new take to the Dark series by setting the newer ones in different countries, as well as integrating the stories into the 21st Century.  She has cleverly woven the characters (both good and bad) into previous books and we now get to meet them in more detail.

For fans of Christine Feehan, you are going to love this new book.  If you haven't been hooked yet, then you are in for a great reading experience.   You don't need to read the books in any particular order, however IMHO you should read them in order to get the most out of the stories :-) 

There is not quite so much sex in this book.  It's more about the relationships and the fight with the Vampires.  Don't get me wrong ... there are some great romance scenes in here, and like many of the books the whole 'lifemate' thing does happen earlier in the storyline. 

Dark Carousel is set predominantly in the United States where we are introduced to Tariq, an ancient Carpathian, who owns a series of nightclubs and has a passion for carousel horses.  Charlotte, who also has a passion for carousel horses, and her best friend Genevieve are on the run from some ruthless killers, and they use one of Tariq's nightclubs to try and draw them out.         

I also really love how we are re-introduced to some of the ancients from the monastery as well as the triplets - Thomas, Mataias & Lojos, and get more of an insight into the back-story of the Carpathians.  

Dark Hunter Bk27 / Dragonmark** / Sherrilyn Kenyon [eBook]
4 stars
Adult.  Paranormal.

Another awesomely prolific writer :-D  This is also part of two other series: Dragons Rising #1 & Lords of Avalon #5.

We meet Illarion, one of a few surviving dragons and who was made human centuries ago.  I love how this book covers his back-story, finding his mate and then jumping to modern times  as well as including a number of other key characters in many of Kenyon's books.  The only downside, IMHO, was that the focus of the latter part of the book was taken off Illarion and his mate, but actually it worked really well and was still a really really good read. 

If you haven't guessed already ... I really really really REALLY like Sherrilyn Kenyon.  Her writing just hits all the right notes with me! 

Delroi Connection Bk1 / Invasion Earth** / Loribelle Hunt [eBook]
3 stars
Adult.  Paranormal.  Sci-Fantasy
Aliens are invading Earth and they are only after one key resource .... our women!  Apparently there are not as many females being born on Delroi and of course humans are very compatible with this alien race.  Enter some very scrummy Delroi warriors and some kick-arse human females and you have an enjoyable alien romance.

Bk2 Leaving Earth
Bk3 Stolen Earth
Bk4 Claiming Earth

Imp series Bk2 Satan's Sword** / Debra Dunbar [eBook]

4 stars

Adult. Paranormal.
Sam's next adventure is just as good a read as the first.  

Her brother Dar is in trouble and only Sam can help him out.  Of course there is the case of homeless people missing from her properties that she also needs to sort out, and an Angel whose good side she needs to stay on.  Oh yeah, and trying not to get killed by the demons!   

Not as many laugh-out-loud moments, but I am really coveting Sam's new horse and her dog!   

Note: The sex scenes in this series are negligible.

Bk3 Elven Blood

Bk4 Devil's Paw

Project Rebellion Bk1 / Perfect Mate** / Mina Carter [Audio Book]
3 start
Adult.  Paranormal.
An alternative way of getting your fix of reading / books.

This is the first in a Werewolf / Vampire / Zombie series.  The military have a super secret project they have been working on for a few years now ... and it's about to come back and bite them on the arse!!!  Quite literally!!!

Lots of blood and gore and the sex scenes don't kick in till nearly the end.

If you can get over having someone read-aloud to you in a voice you maybe weren't expecting, then go for it!  A great idea for long road trips, or if you are doing some menial task that requires your hands and eyes but not your ears :-D 

Redstar werewolf pack Bk1 / Once Bitten** ** / Loribelle Hunt [eBook]

3 stars

Adult. Paranormal. Erotica.

Pure escapism!  Werewolf romance.  Multiple partners.  Short reads.  Just the kind of book to read when you want to escape from the reality of your life, and probably not in a public place :-P

Bk2 Twice Shy

Bk3 Third Time Lucky

Book Babble - February 2016

Hmmmm interesting!  On reviewing the books I read last month 9 were eBooks vs 4 paperbacks.  Actually of the 219 books I read in 2015 (72 being picture books I reviewed), 106 were eBooks .... making my physical book total 41!!!!  Wow, that's quite scary!  I'll be interested to see what the breakdown is this month.

Electronic devices give instant access to reading material making them a handy tool for those of us keen to keep up our reading - especially when we finish a book in a series and just can't wait till the book shop or library opens again on Monday morning.  I always thought that I'd read more physical books over eBooks  - I love the tactility of a physical book (smell, feel, page turning.... Mmmmmm books!).  I remember when eBooks & eReaders first became available I honestly thought they wouldn't ever really take over from 'real' books ... at least not in my own reading collection.  Now my TBR pile numbers in the hundreds ... in eBooks alone!!!!

I read an interesting article recently re owning physical books vs leasing eBooks - yes it was aimed at Amazon, but in reality it is can relate to any provider of eBooks.  I hadn't actually given any thought to all those eBooks I've been buying but it got me thinking about the amount of money I've been spending on books (both physical & eBook) and the longevity of the use of these books.  Most of us assume that when we buy an eBook or app online we own it.  In actuality we are only leasing or renting long-term the use of this item.  We can't lend it out to anyone else.  We can't on-sell it.  And if the provider decides for some reason that they are no longer stocking that item it can be removed from our collection, or they may go out of business and cease to exist at all!!! 

On the plus side, you don't have to worry about the binding falling apart after one or two readings (sometimes during the first reading). It doesn't get misplaced among your many bookcases or packing boxes. It can't be damaged by excess moisture or the family pet. And if you are a library you don't have to chase overdue items!  At the end of the day we have to trust that the providers of our eBooks are going to be around for a very long time .... after all I honestly can't see our use of eBooks and the like reducing anytime soon (unless we all end up in a dystopian world where power and access to the Internet is no longer available - Nooooooooooo!).   We have to decide at the time of purchasing wether a physical book or an eBook is going to be the best fit for our need.

On a different topic .... For our PD teacher only day at the start of the term we had the pleasure of Mark Treadwell's company.  He has done a lot of research into how the brain works and he is a strong advocate of visual and oral language over the written and read.  His presentation was highly interesting and extremely thought provoking. For more information about Mark and his research visit his website.  

However at the end of the day it reiterated to me my belief that we need a variety of platforms to ensure our students (and actually anyone that wants to learn) are able to learn and gain knowledge in a way that best suits their needs. As part of this variety of platforms we should also be providing multiple formats of material enabling our learners to find the information they need in a way that continues to promote their lifelong learning. 

Whilst I love reading books not everyone gets the same pleasure from it. It could be that the font is too small, the size of the book may be off-putting, there are too many words, not enough visual clues, it's just plain boring ..... there are just so many reasons.  Providing multiple formats of 'reading' material ensures that our students can continue to grow their thirst for knowledge, gain a love of reading and set them firmly on their path as lifelong learners.  Formats of reading material are as varied as the genres that are available.  They can be physical books, eBooks, audio books, graphic novels, videos, oral retellings (either being read to, or like our traditional myths and legends, being handed down from generation to generation at social gatherings), magazines, Internet files ..... the list goes on. 

As a library our responsibility to our members (yep read an article recently that called library visitors members rather than users - sounds so much better) is to provide a space they feel comfortable in with a variety of 'areas' to cater to their different requirements; approachable staff that are willing and able to help with the many and varied needs of our members; a willingness of the library and staff to adapt to the constantly changing information landscape keeping them at the forefront of Information & Library Services; and above all else, a variety of appropriate resources to assist and tempt their curiosity.  'Appropriate' being that different libraries serve different communities and whilst we don't (or shouldn't) censor our resources we certainly need to be mindful of the special circumstances of each library community. 

So here is WIBR this month ....... Sorry it's a bit of a 'paranormal' joy ride!   Trying it in alphabetical order this time rather than the order in which I read them.  Next month I'll try sorting them in alpha order AND by age category.   Gotta try thinking outside the square and come up with the process that works best.  Definitely typing my notes up as I read/finish a book is the easiest tho :) #cleverthinking

NOTE: ** Denotes sexual content (school librarians use your discretion)

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3013 Bk 11 Genisis** / Laurie Roma [eBook]

4 stars

Adult. Paranormal. Erotica

If you like your romance of the Sci Fi / Alien variety then this is a really good series to get hooked on. The erotica component comes mostly from the fact that this series is about multiple partner relationships ... hence things get a bit 'racey' in the bedroom scenes.  In saying that there is really only one scene that is rather descriptive.  

The storylines are well written and are easy to follow if you are reading one of the series as a standalone.  However following the series in order gives you a better understanding of the whole concept of inter-alien race relations and how they are all trying to rebuild from a war that wiped out so many of them. 

A nice bit of escapism!

Crow / Leo Timmers [Paperback]
4 stars
Picture Book 0-6

Poor Crow!  He's all alone and really wants some friends.  But all the other birds are afraid of him because he's scary-black!  What's a poor crow to do?  ...... How about give himself a makeover!

A gorgeously simple story about trying to fit in.  Lots of bright illustrations.


My favourite line (purely for the adults) is .... "Now Crow looked like a tit!" (A bird of course .... what did you think I meant???)

Entwined Realms Bk 1 Stone Guardian** / Danielle Monsch [eBook]

4 Stars

Adult. Paranormal. 

You don't see many paranormal books with Gargoyles as the main characters. Whilst this is a romance at heart, it has a really decent storyline (and not much at all in the way of sex scenes). 

Larissa is a human woman, born on the day that Earth and a magical realm collided. She has lived her entire life in a human city protected by he father & brothers, with no contact with magic. That is until one night she is attacked by a group of Zombies. Watch out normal ... Hello world full of all sorts of magical creatures and beings wanting her for some unknown reason. 

A really enjoyable series starter. 

Entwined Realms Bk 2 Stone Embrace** : A a stone Guardian after-scene / Danielle Monsch [eBook]

4 Stars

Adult. Paranormal. 

Tying up the end of book one with meeting Larissa's overprotective family. A nice quick read. 

GhostWalker Bk 12 Spider Game** / Christine Feehan [eBook]

4 stars

Adult. Paranormal.  

I do love Christine Feehan's work and especially enjoy the concept of the GhostWalker series. I did however find there was a tad too much sex in this one - it nearly overrode the storyline :(   Almost verging on 'erotica'. 

Even though you can read these books as stand-alone stories it is much better to read them in order.  Especially as Trap and Ceyenne's story actually starts during the previous book, which gives you a bit more insight into much of this story. 

Making It Up As I Go Along / Marian Keys [eBook]

4 stars

Adult. Non-Fiction. Memoirs. 

OK, this book is completely 'left field' from my normal reading - which is quite eclectic already!

The blurb sounded interesting so I downloaded a sample to see if it stood up to the hype. Oh Boy!  Did it ever!  Keys had me hooked from the start with her 'Cast of Characters' and her 'Lexicon' of Irish words. I was having visions of 'Mrs Browns Boys' in my head as I was reading it.  I got to the end of the sample and there was no way in heck that I wasn't going to download and read the rest of it. I seriously considered buying a paperback copy so I could share it but I wasn't willing to wait for a trip to the shops or to find out they didn't have it yet as its only just been released!

A great book to dip in and out of at will!   

The Marvels / Brian Selznick [Hardback]

4 stars

YA. Adventure. Visual narrative. Text Free (approx 2/3 of book)

Breathtaking!  The first 380'ish pages are the visual story of Billy Marvel and his family over 5 generations. There is so much depth to the black & white images. Take the time to 'read' each page and tell yourself the story as it unfolds. Be prepared for surprises that take you back a number of scenes to reacquaint yourself with the 'new' storyline. There is terror, heartbreak, joy, love, anger and sadness imparted in the images. So awesome!

The rest of the book is the story of young Joseph Jervis after he runs away from school and goes looking for his uncle. It's intreaguing, heartwarming and heartbreaking in turns. And it will make you rethink the whole first part of the book. 

A truly awesome read. Be prepared to let your imagination take off!  Oooh .... and the page edges are GOLD!

This is more of a Tween / YA read than his previous two books. I would be happy giving it to our more sophisticated year 6 students, however there is so much depth to the book that I don't know how much of the story they will 'get'. 

A Max Starr Novel Bk 1 Dead to the Max** / Jasmine Haynes [eBook]

4 stars

Adult. Paranormal. Crime. Romance. 

Thirty'ish year old Max Starr is a down-on-her-luck accountant. Two years previously she witnessed her husbands murder and ever since she has been psychic - but don't let her hear anyone call her that ... she is quite happy to be crazy, not psychic!

This first book introduces us to Max who is very emotionally scarred, her ghost of a husband, the yummy Detective DeWitt Long and the first of the murder victims whose spirit is now inside Max. To help her exorcise this spirit Max must try and solve the case. 

Quite an interesting series although I found it rather uncomfortable at times - mostly with the detailed recall of Max & the victims abusive childhood memories.  It has a good storyline and really good character depth.  Be prepared for quite a few explicit sex scenes though - both of the ghostly and real type.

A Max Start Novel Bk 2 Evil to the Max** / Jasmine Haynes [eBook]

4 stars

Adult. Paranormal. Crime. Romance.

OK, if you are wanting a 'nice' crime novel where the details of the crime are glossed over, the process of solving it moves along logically and there is a 'happy' ending .... you're not going to get it by reading the Max Starr series.  After all, life's not all about what we see through our rose-coloured glasses!

This series is messy, violent, full of explicit sex scenes, twists and turns within the crime and although the victims 'killer' is apprehended, the really bad guy is still out there.  

I read this book because I wanted to see where the series was going.  I must admit I was a bit dubious about it and unsure if I would finish. It starts off with a quite graphic sex/murder scene. Whilst there are less sex scenes than the first book they seem to be more explicit. (I'm no prude, but I did find them a bit too much!). However the storyline moves along really well and it is a really intreaguing crime novel. The character depth and the scene building has been very well written. 

By the time I got to the end of the book I just wanted to start the next one. You are drawn into the details of Max's life, the possibility of her relationship with Witt and the hints that are coming out about the instigator of these crimes. Whilst the main crime is solved there is that need to follow the story to its ultimate (hopefully) conclusion. 

Muddle & Mo / Nikki Slade Robinson [Paperback]
4 stars
Picture Book 0-6.  New Zealand author
This is one of those really simple stories where the images DO make a difference.

Muddle (the duck) and Mo (the goat) are friends.  Unfortunately Muddle is a bit confused about the fact Mo doesn't look or act like him.


I absolutely love the look on Mo's face when Muddle informs him he is a "funny colour for a duck!".  And the look of horror on Muddle's face when he thinks that HE is a goat!  Brilliant!!!!

A great read for fans of 'Baa Baa Smart Sheep'.


Preposterous Rhinoceros / Tracey Gunaratnam [Paperback]
4 stars
Picture Book 0-6
I loved, loved, loved, loved, loved this book.  It's silly, it's colourful, and it's about reading books.

All the animals in the jungle love story time.  And the best person to read books to them is King Lion.  But oh the disaster ..... King Lion has lost his voice.  Who can the animals pick to read their favourite book?    Luckily Rhinoceros offers.  Unfortunately he doesn't actually know how to read.

The animals all offer suggestions of how Rhinoceros can learn to read, with much hilarity ensuing as he takes their ideas quite literally.


A fantastic read-aloud.  Great to use for prediction as well.

Wild Operatives Bk 1 The Right to Bear Arms** / Vivienne Savage [eBook]

3 stars

Adult. Paranormal. Romance. 

A light romantic read. 

Book Babble - January 2016

What I've Been Reading (WIBR) during this first month of the new year is a bit of an eclectic collection. 

There are so freaking many books in my TBR pile - both physical & digital :-/   I just HAVE TO buy books when I see them waving out to me to snag my attention. I don't necessarily read them all straight away ... hence my TBR pile numbers in the hundreds ... but it certainly helps feed my eclectic taste in reading material - yay!

My preferred genre is Young Adult. It's so well written with themes that are designed to engage the reader - not so much of the boring ... Woops sorry ... I mean literature style of writing that a large selection of adult books are in.  I know I'm a 40-something adult, but no one should be limited in their reading by a label or 'age level' of the books they wish to read.  Or even their job alone ... If that were the case I'd be mostly reading young children's books (primary school librarian here!) or adult books. 

As a young teenager (and yes I know that there was very little to nothing in the YA genre back then) I was reading Leon Uris (historical fiction / war books) and Stephen R. Donaldson (my first foray into the fantasy genre). Definitely not something most teenagers were reading, and certainly none of my friends. Prior to this I had been reading Trixie Beldon (kids American sleuth mysteries ... and OMG I've just found out written 20yrs before I was born!!!), and lots of non-fiction and fiction horse books (yep ... brought up on a farm and quite horse mad). 

Kids, teens, and adults alike should be reading what they want - or should I say 'what they can'. Reading ability, time, the pressure of studying and the inclination to read all play a large part in this. 

- If someone chooses to read 'above their age'... let them ... within reason and as long as the content is appropriate! There is a lot of stuff out there that 'can' be read but shouldn't necessarily be read until the reader really is of a certain age!  They should not be limited to stick to what 'other people their age' are reading, especially if they are bored by the concepts or styles of writing aimed at our younger generation. 

- If someone chooses to read material that is aimed for a much younger audience ... let them! Don't give them grief or make fun of their style of reading. Some of us read 'younger' books as a way of relaxing before delving back into the more thought-provoking or heavier concentration of some adult books - or study books. Some of us read them for our jobs (yay!  This is an awesome reason to be a school librarian!). Some of us read them to learn how the younger generation thinks - after all for some of us it was quite a while ago ;-)  And some of us read them because we are not confident readers, or they are a stepping stone on the way to building a love of reading. 

Just let them read .... even if it is an electronic device with an IMGUR app!!!  It's still reading!  And you may be surprised with the conversations you end up having with your non-reading electronically-attached teenager :-o 

Anyway, here is WIBR this month ....... In the order I read it rather than alphabetically.  So much easier to make notes about the book as I am reading them, rather than at the end of the month like I had originally planned on doing #cleverthinking

NOTE: ** Denotes sexual content (school librarians use your discretion)

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Shifter Squad Bk5 Corpse Thieves** / J.C. Diem [eBook]

4 stars

YA. Paranormal. 

Kind of an 'Anita Blake' for teens.  Kick arse heroine who has accidentally been changed into a werewolf, and is fighting off a vampirism change being forced upon her by her psycho vampire mother.  'Hot' boyfriend. Only one sex scene and no multiple partners (therefore moderately safe for high school libraries). Just lots of monsters and the bonds of her new 'family' of miss-fit were-creatures. 

Shifter Squad Bk6 Snake Charmer / J.C. Diem [eBook]

4 Stars

YA. Paranormal.

More monsters causing mayhem - this time of the snake variety - and the kidnapping of one of the team. Lexi grows into her alpha status. 

Hot boyfriend turns out to be a bit of an 'arse' as he decided to stay with his 'real' family and his 'true' mate. Lexi goes AWOL in her were form.  No sex scenes in this book. 

Shifter Squad Bk7 Vampire Matriarch** / J.C. Diem [eBook]

4 stars

YA. Paranormal. 

Lexi takes the 'bull by the horns' and goes in search of her mother as her vampirism curse gets worse.  Turning into a new hybrid and in need of revenge she goes after Reece to pay him back for leaving her.

One main sex scene towards the end of the book, and lots of 'heard' vampire sex.  

Shifter Squad Bk8 Web Master** / J.C. Diem [eBook]

4 stars

YA. Paranormal. 

Note to self: don't use these books to teach cooking .... "He put [the steaks] in a frying pan to cook then chopped up vegetables and set them to steam.” (ch. 29, Excerpt From: Diem, J.C. “Web Master.” Seize The Night Agency, 2016-01-02). Yeah, nah!  Were-creatures especially would prefer their meat under-cooked not burnt to a crisp!  

I started out thinking that "I just want to get this book done with so I can read the final one in the series".  I kind of felt 'ho-hum' about the storyline. Yeah ... Wow!  I was not expecting THAT to happen!  About halfway through the energy got really ramped up and I just didn't want to put it down. Then I finished it and found out I've got to wait nearly 2 months for the final installment.  Nooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!

The Great Zoo of China / Matthew Riley [Paperback]

5 stars

Adult. Fantasy. 

I've heard this book described as 'Jurassic Park with dragons'.  I actually purchased a paperback of it last year and it's been sitting on my TBR as a 'really gotta read'. 

I have got to admit I have not read any Matthew Riley books before. I was really tempted with 'Troll Mountain' but it was a three-part eBook release at that time. 

I was hooked with the introduction. It was a thought provoking look at China vs The rest of the world (well USA really) and how we 'see' the two countries. There are lots of little snippets of factual info throughout the book making it seem more realistic. 

What an exciting read right from the start! And yes it is a Jurassic Park with dragons ... however in saying that I actually enjoyed it more than JP.  One of my favourite quotes when CJ asks her brother what he thinks about the zoo ... 'It's all pretty cool and impressive ... if you never saw fucking Jurassic Park' (p. 80) - yup!

Keeping with the JP theme you know right from the start that something horrendous is going to happen, and that there is going to be lots of action-packed tense moments until the end. 

Wicked-Awesome!

Despite the hefty size of the book, it is actually a quick read - double-spacing and 'sketches' of the facility help with this. 

One Week Girlfriend Bk1** / Monica Murphy [eBook]

2 stars

YA (R18). Contemporary Romance. 

This is a mature YA read.  The two main characters are in their early 20s. 

Her - 'white trash'. Works in a bar to support both her and her 13yr old brother. Mum is a looser. 

Him - rich college football star. Dodgy family background. Pays her to be his girlfriend for Thanksgiving visit to family. 

Coming of age themes for early 20s. Themes of sexual abuse/molestation (during teen years - not current time period). 

The Steamborn Series Bk1 Steamborn / Eric R. Asher [eBook]

4 stars

YA. Steampunk. 

Great start to a new dystopia-style steampunk series for teens where bugs/insects are key to the storyline. I would be happy to issue it to our more sophisticated Year 6 readers at TPS. 

Josh & Alice are both strong main characters. Love the setting and the secondary characters. 

Looking forward to the next one in the series coming in 5 days. 

Claimed by the Dragon Bk1 / Meghan Spence [eBook]

2 stars

Adult. Paranormal. 

Gah! This is actually one book broken into parts. This first book introduces you to the main characters and sets the scene but ends very suddenly - just as you are getting into the story. 

Perfected Bk1 / Kate Jarvik Birch [eBook]

2 stars

YA. Dystopian. Sci-Fi. Romance(?)

This is a rather different premise. Humans being genetically engineered to be 'pets' for the rich and elderly. Not sure if I really enjoyed it!?!?!?  It is well written, is an intriguing concept and certainly makes you think about what humankind is capable of. However it just doesn't 'sit right' with me. It kind of has connotations of sex slaves :( ... but that is probably just me. 

Girls are raised in kennels (yes ... that is what they are called!) and taught all the important things about being a perfect pet - how to sit, smile, look beautiful, make conversation with adults and most importantly, learn two skills that their new owners can show off (dancing, singing, music ...). Nope, reading and other skills (that we would find important) are not taught. At age sixteen they are then auctioned off, going to their new home with only the dress on their backs and a number for a name ... because their new masters will provide everything they need including their new name.   The kennels aren't the only references comparing them to dogs :( 

Young Hank Zipzer Bk1 Bookmarks are People Too! / Henry Winkler & Lin Oliver [Paperback]

5 stars

Children 7-12. School Stories. Humour. Dyslexia friendly. 

Such a cool (and quick) read about a young boy who has learning difficulties. He is such a humorous and interesting boy. Students that don't like school or who have learning difficulties of their own will be able to relate to Hank who is in Grade 2. 

Written with quite short chapters and a number of black & white illustrations that help tell the story, these books also have widely spaced font and lines making it a really good book for our struggling readers.  Suit students in Year 2 to 4. 

Would also make a really good read-aloud. 

Great job Mr Winkler & Ms Oliver :)

Hank Zipzer the world's greatest underachiever Bk1 Niagra Falls, or Does It? / Henry Winkler & Lin Oliver [Paperback]

5 stars

Children 7-12. School Stories. Humour. 

This series follows Hank during his year in Grade 4. He's constantly getting into trouble even though he tries really hard at school.  It is told in a way that any student will enjoy, however those with learning difficulties can really relate to the problems (and solutions) that trip Hank up. 

It hooks readers right from the start ... with that dreaded call to the principals office ... over the loudspeaker so EVERYONE can hear!!!!  I really like 'Papa Pete' - Hank's grandpa - and the way he discusses things with Hank in a way that makes sense. 

This would be a really good read-aloud book - descriptive, humorous and something that will hold the students attention (both boys and girls). 

Whilst it is about a boy with learning difficulties it is not written in the same Dyslexia friendly way as the 'Young Hank Zipzer' series. 

Loveswept #213 Leprechaun / Joan Elliott Pickart [Paperback]

4 stars

Adult. Romance. Contemporary. 

OMG! Found this at my new favourite pre-loved book shop today (The Little BookShop). I've got to read it 'cause this is one of my first 'adult book authors' I ever read. So cool :)

The Steamborn Series Bk2 Steamforged / Eric R. Asher [eBook]

5 stars

YA. Steampunk. 

Fantastic!

Really like the characters. They all have so much depth to them. Shows the fallibility that is inherent in each of us regardless of age, especially around war and making choices that are right at the time but can have such horrendous repercussions later. 

Bloody awesome continuation to the series. Looking forward to the third book.