What's Happening (12-21-19)...

So I'm doing things a tad bit differently this year and will be combining all of my regular weekend posts.  This will enable me to add more content on Fridays and it is just starting to make more sense.  I'll still be linking up with Stacking the Shelves at Tynga's Reviews and Sunday Post at Caffeinated Reviewer.  Both blogs are awesome so make sure you check them out. 

Let's just admit it - Christmas is here!  Where did the time go?  It's like WHAM!  And Christmas is here.  The good think is that I'm officially on break until January 6th.  Yay!  Of course that means January will be dismal as usual but hey, you can't have everything right? 

As you are reading this, Apollo is probably home.  His timeline got moved up when we were contacted Thursday and the breeder said he was finished nursin and we could get him early if we wanted. So we are getting him Saturday morning.  I'm typing this on Friday so all I can say is man, I hope we are ready.  And be prepared for puppy/Cass pics galore!  Here is one she sent us Wednesday and basically said that he was just chillin'.  I hope he likes to "chill" a lot. 

So we have been watching some TV.  We binged the whole Watchmen series in a few nights and I actually really liked it.  It was pretty darn weird but I was so curious and that last episode!  I started watching Virgin River on Netflix but haven't gotten very far.  We plan on watching the Star Wars series on Disney as well as The Witcher series while off.

Oh, I almost forgot.  I finished the finale of The Masked Singer.  Such an odd show but I became totally obsessed.  Can I say that the Rottweiler got ripped of and totally should have won!  I knew it was Chris Daughtry from the first show because I love his voice (well, and maybe him too).  So I bet some therapists would have a field day with the idea that I find him even hotter now that he was a Rottweiler.  

I have been reading but need to be reading more.  If you saw my Top Ten Tuesday this week you know what books I'm working on.  If you didn't, HERE is a link.

I also got a few digital arcs.  Of course there are dogs present with Who Rescued Who and Gabby.

And then The Last Smile in Sunder City sounds like the beginning of a great urban fantasy series which might have a touch of humor as well.

I actually received a few physical books from publishers as well and I need to get some pics this weekend so I can put them here and on Instagram.  I hope you all enjoy your weekend and thanks for stopping by.  Are you reading or watching anything good???

A Very Seasonal Read - A Wedding on Christmas Street

TITLE: A Wedding on Christmas Street
AUTHOR: Ivy Pembroke
PUBLISHER: Sphere
PUBLISHING DATE: Out now but only in the UK (that I can find)

FROM GOODREADS: 

Sam is about to propose to his girlfriend Libby, and his neighbours in Christmas Street all think they know the right way to do it. With their 
help - and sometimes hinderance - Sam gains a fiancée and the wedding planning begins.

Meanwhile, Sam's nine-year-old son Teddy and his friend Pari - with their constant companion Jack the street dog - are fascinated by the arrival of a mysterious new neighbour on the street who has rented the empty, run-down house. Their attempts to spy on her are thwarted by her staying indoors with the curtains drawn most of the time. But soon Christmas Street begins to work its magic and Millie is reluctantly drawn into street activities. 

As Millie starts to relax into thinking she can have a different life, maybe even with Jasper, the local carpenter, someone turns up from her past to threaten that. But with all of the street looking out for her, Millie's Christmas will be filled with hope and promise. 

MY THOUGHTS: Earlier this year I feel in love with A Dog Called Jack (you can find that review HERE). Then I learned there was a second one coming, so I proceeded to stalk the internet until I was able to find a release date overseas.  I actually preordered this book from Book Depository which should tell you how excited I was since I rarely preorder books. It arrived at the end of October and I purposely saved it for the holiday season and I'm glad I did!

Once again the reader is pulled into a little area of world called Christmas Street.  The area is quite magical and makes me long for a small, quaint neighborhood where people get along and lifetime friendships are made.  Again, that says a lot since I'm basically a homebody.  So when the book starts, we have fast-forwarded through some time.  Libby is now living with Sam, who is anxious to propose and make everything official.  The kids have started a new grade and have a new teacher, and they have taken it upon themselves to become neighborhood spies.  There is a secretive new lady living in an older house on the street and a new handyman that has been "adopted" by the residents.  And I can't forget to mention Libby's mother who comes to visit.  She is totally every new husband's nightmare mother-in-law.

Just like the first book, A Wedding on Christmas Street was a good mixture of drama and humor.  There were some very lighthearted parts as well as some serious issues the author chose to tackle.  But whether the street was celebrating or in turmoil, they were doing it together.  The friendships between an unlikely group of individuals is one of the things that Pembroke makes shine. I really can't think of any character I didn't like (well, the mother-in-law came close) and again, my favorite would have to be the grumpy old widow Bill.  I love his cynicism and his grouchy exterior because he also has a soft interior which awaits discovery.

Finally there is Jack.  I love Jack and while he is still the bond that holds the street together, he wasn't as prevalent as in the first book.  Jack is still the street dog and everyone takes on a responsibility for him and while he is still around, of course you could guess that I wanted more.  I do love that on most nights, Jack chose to sleep at Bill's.  See, dogs CAN sense good human beings.

So overall A Wedding on Christmas Street was a perfect read for this time of year.  I will be honest and admit I didn't quite love it as much as the first novel, but it is still a very strong and vert enjoyable read.

RATING: 4 PAWS

2 Bloggers 1 Series - Iron & Magic

This month Stormi and I continued on with the Kate Daniels series....sort of.  Several of our followers told us we really needed to read Iron and Magic, a spin-off, before reading the last book.  So despite the fact that neither of us cared much for Hugh, we took the plunge.  Read on for my thoughts and then go check out Stormi's  @  Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My!

Be forewarned, you might be spoiled if you continue on.

TITLE: Iron and Magic (Iron Covenant #1)

AUTHOR: Ilona Andrews

PUBLISHER: NYLA

PUBLISHING DATE: June 26, 2018

FROM GOODREADS: 

No day is ordinary in a world where Technology and Magic compete for supremacy…But no matter which force is winning, in the apocalypse, a sword will always work. 

Hugh d’Ambray, Preceptor of the Iron Dogs, Warlord of the Builder of Towers, served only one man. Now his immortal, nearly omnipotent master has cast him aside. Hugh is a shadow of the warrior he was, but when he learns that the Iron Dogs, soldiers who would follow him anywhere, are being hunted down and murdered, he must make a choice: to fade away or to be the leader he was born to be. Hugh knows he must carve a new place for himself and his people, but they have no money, no shelter, and no food, and the necromancers are coming. Fast. 

Elara Harper is a creature who should not exist. Her enemies call her Abomination; her people call her White Lady. Tasked with their protection, she's trapped between the magical heavyweights about to collide and plunge the state of Kentucky into a war that humans have no power to stop. Desperate to shield her people and their simple way of life, she would accept help from the devil himself—and Hugh d’Ambray might qualify.

Hugh needs a base, Elara needs soldiers. Both are infamous for betraying their allies, so how can they create a believable alliance to meet the challenge of their enemies? 

As the prophet says: “It is better to marry than to burn.” 

Hugh and Elara may do both. 

MY THOUGHTS: So let's get this out of the way - I didn't like Hugh at all when I picked up this book.  While I found him somewhat more tolerable at the end of this book, I still don't like him much.  Also, that cover!  That's not what I expected Hugh to look like.  I kind of feel like the covers don't stand up to the those on the Kate Daniels' books.

So Kate's Dad no longer has any use for Hugh.  And since that's all that Hugh has ever known, he's pretty much struggling.  Luckily some of his Iron Dog soldiers impress upon him the importance of not looking for answers in the bottom of a liquor bottle so they head out to form an alliance which might just keep them all alive.

Enter Elara Harper.  She runs a community in Kentucky rumored to be filled with witches.  Her group needs help defending their land so a shaky alliance comes together when Hugh and Elara marry.  We are also visited by Clan Bouda in this book and Hugh has to finally answer for some of the despicable things he did in the past.  I think this needed to be done if Hugh is to ever be redeemed as a character.

Moving on.  So I REALLY like Elara.  She is smart and snarky and she throws some of the best put downs toward Hugh that I've ever heard. She is not happy about the union between them even if it does make sense and she has no plans on making Hugh's life easy.  Now on to Hugh.  I will admit I did see some character growth during the book but when you start out at rock bottom, it's hard to move up.  There were a few touching scenes with a small rescued girl and he did save a dog/dire wolf during one part of the book.  The dog then attaches himself to Hugh so I'm assuming he senses some good qualities in the man.

So overall I am glad I read this and I am anxious for the next Iron Covenant book.  Maybe Hugh will continue to grow on me but the pressing question after that ending is "What the heck is Elara???"  I do believe Hugh finally met his match!

RATING: 4 PAWS

Can't Wait Wednesday (241)

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight highly anticipated books.  It is based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme which used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

So the public has spoken - Cass is now a full-time contributor to Can't Wait Wednesday.  That means each week you'll see two books here. Of course Cass is already lobbying for an increase in salary (at least he works for treats - and bandanas).

FROM GOODREADS: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea meets Frankenstein in Frances Hardinge’s latest fantasy adventure

 

The gods are dead. Decades ago, they turned on one another and tore each other apart. Nobody knows why. But are they really gone forever? When 15-year-old Hark finds the still-beating heart of a terrifying deity, he risks everything to keep it out of the hands of smugglers, military scientists, and a secret fanatical cult so that he can use it to save the life of his best friend, Jelt. But with the heart, Jelt gradually and eerily transforms. How long should Hark stay loyal to his friend when he’s becoming a monster—and what is Hark willing to sacrifice to save him?

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  Let's be honest, it's basically the cover.  But then I did look further and see Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea meets Frankenstein...plus the cover.  

CASSIUS'S PICK:

FROM GOODREADS: Ocean’s Eleven meets The Secret Life of Pets in this hilarious and delightfully illustrated novel following a ragtag group of pets who will do whatever it takes to avoid being sent to the pound.

Butterbean knew she wasn’t always a good dog. Still, she’d never considered herself a BAD dog—until the morning that her owner, Mrs. Food, fell in the hallway. Admittedly the tile was slipperier than usual, mostly because Butterbean had just thrown up on it.

Now Butterbean and her fellow pets have to come up with a grand plan to support themselves in case Mrs. Food is unable to keep taking care of them. When they discover a mysterious man in their building who seems to have lots of loot, they plan a heist. Oscar the mynah bird is the brains of the operation. Walt the cat has the necessary slyness and slink. Marco and Polo are the reconnaissance rats. And Butterbean...well, no one would ever suspect a cute little wiener dog, right? Can these animal friends can pull off the heist of the century?

WHY CASS CAN'T WAIT:  First of all, there are no bad dogs, only bad owners.  Also, I think Butterbean sounds like a lot of fun and I can't wait to meet her friends.  I am also in need of books to share with Apollo when he arrives and I thought this looks good. 

However, do not look for Apollo to take over blogging anytime in the near future.  I think Mom has all the help she needs - woof woof!

WHAT BOOK CAN'T YOU WAIT FOR THIS WEEK???

TTT - My Winter TBR (actually just the rest of the month)

The top 10 weekly meme used to be hosted by The Broke and the Bookish they  handed over the reins to ThatArtsyReaderGirl who can be found HERE.  Each week she will focus on lists which cover various topics related to books and reading.

So this week's topic is my winter TBR but let's be honest, right now all I can think of are the books I need to finish this December!  So here we go....

I still need to get through the second third of this one for my buddy read with Stormi.

I'm over 50% done with this one and hope to get it finished soon.

I'm saving this one for next weekend to read to Cass.

Both anxious and curious to see how this series ends.

I really need to get started on this but Stormi has already started it and she has me nervous.

Well, there you have it.  I start vacation the 21st so wish me luck!

What's Happening (12-14-19)...

So I'm doing things a tad bit differently this year and will be combining all of my regular weekend posts.  This will enable me to add more content on Fridays and it is just starting to make more sense.  I'll still be linking up with Stacking the Shelves at Tynga's Reviews and Sunday Post at Caffeinated Reviewer.  Both blogs are awesome so make sure you check them out. 

So I swear, where is the time going?  Can you believe less than 2 weeks until Christmas?  I managed to get a lot of our decorations up last weekend but the tree will go up this Sunday.  I love our tree but we've never been a family to have it up all month long.

So we've been watching some odds and ends on TV.  We started "The Watchmen" and I'm not sure what to think about it.  Also, we finished "Castle Rock Season 2" and I've come to the conclusion that it was like taking 10 Stephen King books, reading a page from each, and expecting it to make sense!  Mr. Barb thought it had a happy ending, but then he totally missed something.  So then he was like "Well, that was a bummer."  

I have been reading but not as much as I would like.  This weekend I need to finish The Wedding on Christmas Street and also work on The Stand.  I also need to make Christmas cookies which is impossible to read during.  

I did get a few books for review this week.  Catherine House is described as a Gothic thriller, which I tend to enjoy.  And I am THRILLED to have an arc of Highfire. I need to know more about the Flashdance-loving, vodka-drinking dragon.   Wicked as You Wish is a YA Fantasy but I've heard good things about the author so I'm willing to give it a try.  

And finally, I think many of you saw the announcement but the puppy has a name - APOLLO CRUZ and will be home in 9 days.  I will also leave with a picture of Apollo's big brother Cassius, looking dapper in his birthday bandana.  You can also glimpse some of his toys and his new bed in the background.

So hope you all have a wonderful weekend and week ahead.  Are you adding any good books or are you on a ban until after the holidays?

Best Female Characters - Chuckles Christmas Selection

So, it's time for all the year-ending lists so many of us love to complete and share.  This year Chuckles, over at Chuckles Book Cave has created a Christmas Selection for each day of the month.  I loved so of her ideas so much that I just had to participate on 4 or 5 select days.  Just something extra for the month.  Check out here original list HERE and join in on the fun!

Although it isn't the topic she picked today, it is one I missed earlier so today I'm sharing.....

BEST FEMALE CHARACTERS

I actually have two from the Discovery of Witches trilogy.  Diana Bishop is awesome and another favorite is Ysabeau de Clermont.  She can be ruthless at times but overall she rocks!

Another series where I have more that one favorite.  Of course Kate Daniels is a great female character but I also love her best friend Andrea.

No list is complete without Veronica Speedwell!

I wouldn't EVER want to babysit her but as far as characters go, Rosa is a wonderfully evil little girl.

So Violet is actually pretty unhinged but she made a great character. 

I love Gert - foul mouth and all!

So glad I read this trilogy last month and got to know Lilly.  An older female character with brains!  Oh, and her love of dogs doesn't hurt.

So do you have any favorite female characters this year???