May 2016 Wrap-Up

So I didn't think I would get that much read during the month of May, but luckily I surprised myself. I actually managed to read 9 books and none were graphic novels (although one was a short story).  I also did really well and managed to read something for all of my challenges so here we go with that update:

GOODREADS: 51/100
WHAT AN ANIMAL IX: 10/12
CLOAK & DAGGER CHALLENGE: 11/20
HORROR READING CHALLENGE: 11/16
NEW RELEASE CHALLENGE: 31/30

So here's the dilemma...I have already reached my New Release Challenge goal and know I have plenty more scheduled.  Should I up my goal or just leave it and be glad I accomplished it so early?

I read a lot of good books this month and had 3 5-paw reads, 5 4-paw reads and 1 3-paw read. Booker T also managed to add his thoughts on at least 3 of the books I read, even if his opinion of cats remains unchanged.

So how are you guys doing on all your challenges and was May a good reading month for you?

TTT - 10 Beach Reads

This top 10 weekly meme is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and can be found HERE.  Each week they focus on lists which cover various topics related to books and reading. 

I really don't go to the beach and haven't even visited one since I was a kid.  And I don't typically read a lot of romance or contemporary (which I have to admit is a category that kind of confuses me so maybe I do read quite a bit - who knows!), but when I think of beaches, I think of dogs! (Imagine that).  So therefore, I am feature 10 doggy reads I would like to get to this summer!

This one releases July 5, 2016 but luckily I got an advanced copy from Penguin First to Read.

You have to love this cover and this one just came out this month!

Anyone who follows my blog knows I had to add a horror in the mix somewhere.  It's one I always wanted to read and my husband bought me the best edition for Christmas last year.

This one comes out in August.

Another new release slated for mid-June.  See, I'm trying to get some ARC's off my shelf as well.  

Multi-tasking at its finest.

"Filled with stories, spells, charms, and exercises, The Book of Dog Magic shows you how to understand your pets on a deep, even psychic, level."  I'm game to give this one a try.

Look - a boxer on the cover !  As a special surprise, I will have an interview from this author coming in the next few days!

OK.  This one doesn't come out until August, but as much as I love this series, I know I will grab it and devour it the moment it is released!

Just ordered this from Amazon and it should arrive next week!

I recently grabbed this for my Kindle for $1.99 so I really should make time to read it.

So there you have it.  Not your typical beach reads, but then again, I doubt I would be caught on a typical beach (not really a beach sort of gal).  What made your list this week?  Maybe I will find some things to add to my "reading out of the box" list.

P.S.  I have no idea why my font changed in mid-post and to be honest, I'm not really interested in fixing it right now!

A Very Rich Cat (Lawyer for the Cat Review)

TITLE: Lawyer for the Cat
AUTHOR: Lee Robinson
PUBLISHER: Thomas Dunne Books
PUBLISHING DATE: May 10, 2016

FROM GOODREADS: Sally Baynard is one of the best lawyers around. In the years since her divorce from Family Court Judge Joe Baynard, she dedicated herself to representing the worst and craziest Charleston, S.C. had to offer. But none of the murderers, burglars, or angry divorcing clients compared to Sherman, the dog her ex-husband appointed her to represent. Although the miniature Schnauzer found his way into her heart (and brought his handsome vet Tony along too), his case was a thorny one. With that business out of the way, Sally is happy to move back to non-canine clients... until a probate judge asks her about a cat.

Agreeing to represent Beatrice, a black cat who's the beneficiary of a multi-million dollar trust and a plantation, Sally must put her wit, charm, and brains to the test, choosing among three colorful potential caregivers while dodging the former owner's angry son. Meanwhile, Sally must juggle the demands of the court with those of her aging mother and make a decision about Tony, who wants to get more serious. Lawyer for the Cat is Southern women's fiction at its most delightful, featuring strong, smart characters, a charming setting, and plenty of adorable critters.

MY THOUGHTS:  I absolutely loved Robinson's "Lawyer for the Dog" book so when I saw this sequel was available, I had to request it. Although I am much more a dog person than a cat person, I had such confidence that the author would provide me with a great read that I couldn't wait to dive into it.

Sally Baynard, a South Carolina attorney, was appointed guardian ad litem for Sherman the Schnauzer in the first book, and this time around, she is representing Beatrice, a cat whose owner has died. Sally is left to determine who is the best beneficiary for the millions of dollars and old antebellum mansion which has been left for Beatrice, as well as who will best provide for Beatrice's needs.

All of my favorite characters are back from the first book - Sally's mother and her caretakers, Tony the vet and Sally's new love interest, Sally's ex husband and Judge who got her into handling animal cases in the first place and Sally's wonderfully canny secretary. There are also new characters introduced and throughout the book, I really was unable to figure out who could best meet Beatrice's needs until the very end. Oh, and how could I forget Beatrice. She is just what a reader would expect in a cat character who is now a millionaire - aloofness, distrust and mysteriousness.

I flew through this book and although the end left me completely satisfied, there are still some things which need tied up. This makes me wonder if Robinson has another sequel in mind. And if so, what animal will she be forced to represent the next time?

If you love animals and good women's fiction, then this might be the book for you. Although it is the second in the series, and I highly recommend you read all about Sherman first, one could very well pick this book up without having read "Lawyer for the Dog" and completely enjoy it.

I received a copy of this ARC from Thomas Dunne Books in exchange for an honest review.

RATING: 5 paws

BOOKER T'S THOUGHTS:  Beatrice is a cat.....I am a dog.  Mom says the book is great and I believe her, but dogs chase cats by nature so Beatrice gets 1 paw!  (Talk to the paw Beatrice!)

 

Stacking the Shelves (66) It's Only Been 2 Weeks?????

Stacking the Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves or TBR piles, may it be physical or virtual.  This means you can include books you buy in a physical store, online, books you borrow from the library or friends, review books, gifts and of course, ebooks! The original meme was started over at Tynga's Reviews.  Clicking on the book should take you to the Goodreads page.  

So I didn't get a post up last week due to time constrictions, so yes, this appears to be a lot of books.  And yes, it actually IS a lot of books but oh well!

I bought the first ones during the Book Outlet Mother's Day Sale:



I got each of the Battlepugs books for less than $3.00 and while I still have to get Vol. 1 from Amazon, that's a darn good price for hardback graphic novels. I have also been eyeing the Stephen King Companion for a while so I jumped at it as well.

I had to run to my not-so-local library this week (and by not-so-local I mean the one that's 5 miles away instead of 2) and of course I had to bring new books home.


Hallow Point as a total impulse grab and wouldn't you know it is the second book in a series! Why don't that put that crap on the cover somewhere. I specifically looked before I checked out. At least it looks like I can get the first one from my library's Overdrive system.

And finally, review books. From Netgalley, Edelweiss, authors and publishers I received:


I'm excited to get to all of these (eventually) and am thrilled to get approved for "Jonathan Unleashed" and "Zoo City."

I know I have some Kindle books I grabbed either as freebies or on sale, but I will just have to showcase them next week.

 So what did you add to your shelves this week????

Weekend Reads (05/27/16)

This week has been both stressful and relaxing and everything in between.  As you are reading this, I am headed out of town for the day to take my Grandfather to visit his relatives' graves for Memorial Day.  Most of his family was from a small (and by small I mean hole-in-the-wall small) town so it's about an hour and a half drive from his house into the hills of WV.  I shouldn't be home too late though.

Booker T scared the crap out of me Monday.  I came home for lunch and let him and Cass out back while I was grabbing a sandwich.  I walked out on the back porch and saw T lying on the ground, unable to get up.  I ran to him and encouraged him, holding his head and after about 2 minutes (seemed like forever) he got up and started walking around.  I think he had a seizure.  He had one a few years back and the vet recommended against medicating him regularly unless they were a regular occurrence.  Our first boxer did the same thing years ago.  Needless to say, I took off the rest of the day to keep an eye on him (and calm my nerves).  He is doing fine and by that evening, was back to his old self.  We had storms all over the place Sunday evening and he is terribly afraid so we think the stress of that had something to do with it.  In fact, his last seizure was right after a storm.

I have a 4 day weekend so I hope to plant some flowers in the backyard and hopefully read - a lot! Here's what's up for this coming week:



I am more than half way through "My Best Friend's Exorcism" and really enjoying it. It's full of 80's references which I absolutely adore. Hopefully it won't take long to finish it up. I also need to get to "Bite the Biscuit" so I can move on the next in the series

So what are your weekend plans?

A Wonderful Short Story Discovery!

TITLE: Red as Blood and White as Bone
AUTHOR: Theodora Goss
PUBLISHER: Tor Books
PUBLISHING DATE: May 4, 2016

FROM GOODREADS: Red as Blood and White as Bone by Theodora Goss is a dark fantasy about a kitchen girl obsessed with fairy tales, who upon discovering a ragged woman outside the castle during a storm, takes her in--certain she’s a princess in disguise.
  

MY THOUGHTS: This is a recent short story published by Tor.com which I grabbed almost the instant I saw it because I fell in love with the beautiful cover. Klara works in the kitchen of a noble home in Eastern Europe. She is obsessed with fairy tales and prior to a large, upcoming ball, finds a worn and torn young lady collapsed outside the castle. Thinking she is a princess in disguise who has come to win the hand of the young eligible nobleman, Klara takes her in and hides her in her bedroom. Unbeknownst to Klara, all is not as it seems and maybe in her obsession with fairy tales, she has overlook some important clues.

I really enjoyed "Red as Blood and White as Bone." It is a engrossing, gothic tale and perfect to read before bed one night during a spring storm (on Friday the 13th nonetheless). I thought Goss's writing perfectly complimented the setting and while I knew part way through where the story was headed, it didn't make the journey any less enjoyable.

Being a short story, it's hard to say more and not give too much away. However, if you like fairy tales and dark, gothic settings, I doubt you will find this short tale a waste of your time. 

RATING: 4 PAWS

BOOKER T'S THOUGHTS:  Mom won't let me say anything...something about spoilers, so you will have to read this story to see what I'm giving it 4 paws as well!!! 

 

Waiting on Wednesday (57)

"Waiting on" Wednesday" is weekly meme hosted over at Breaking the Spine which spotlights upcoming anticipated releases.

October 11, 2016

 FROM GOODREADS: A terrifying tale of a young family who move into an apartment building next to a graveyard and the horrors that are unleashed upon them.

One of the most popular writers working in Japan today, Mariko Koike is a recognized master of detective fiction and horror writing. Known in particular for her hybrid works that blend these styles with elements of romance, The Graveyard Apartment is arguably Koike’s masterpiece. Originally published in Japan in 1986, Koike’s novel is the suspenseful tale of a young family that believes it has found the perfect home to grow in to, only to realize that the apartment’s idyllic setting harbors the specter of evil and that longer they stay, the more trapped they become.

This tale of a young married couple who are harboring a dark secret is packed with dread and terror, as they and their daughter move into a brand new apartment building built next to a graveyard. As strange and terrifying occurrences begin to pile up, people in the building begin to move out one by one, until the young family is left alone with someone... or something... lurking in the basement. The psychological horror builds moment after moment, scene after scene, culminating with a conclusion that will make you think twice before ever going into a basement again.

WHY I'M WAITING:  This sounds like an awesome horror read and that cover is chilling.  However, a little back story...our home is 116 years old and the basement is more like a dungeon (I hate even looking down the stairs at it)...therefore I'm not really sure I should be reading a book which says it will make you think twice before going into a basement again!  

What are you waiting for this week? 

 

COYER Summer Vacation 2016!!!!!

It's time for Summer COYER once again and I am thrilled.  It runs from June 18th - September 2nd and anyone who is interested can sign up now at Because Reading Is Better Than Real Life.  I first joined COYER last summer and have never for a moment regretted it.  I've met some great people and won some great prizes, but more importantly, read a lot of great books and shared them with others.  COYER is a wonderful community of individuals and I can't wait to get chatting with them again.

I don't have any real specific goals this year but since during this one you can read whatever you like, I hope to get at least 25 books off my TBR pile.  Should be doable huh?

Oh, and many thanks to Stormi, Michelle and Berls for hosting this fun event several times each year!