Wednesday, June 21, 2023

Book Review - Bizard the Bear Wizard by Chrissie Krebs + Giveaway

 

  

Bizard the Bear Wizard by Chrissie Krebs is about a bear who is given magical powers. Bear was just an average bear who enjoyed sleeping and eating. He was content with his quiet life.  Everything changes when a tornado sweeps through the land.

The tornado took the wand from a neighboring powerful but eccentric wizard who is casting a spell, and lodges it into Bear’s head. Now he looks like a bear with a unicorn horn on his head. Bear isn’t excited, especially since the wand seems stuck. 

Bear and his friends realize that he is able to grant wishes because of his new appendage. When other animals find out, they travel to Bear to grant his wishes. He is overwhelmed and doesn’t want to cast any more wishes. So, when an evil wolf (unbeknownst to Bear) asks for his own wand, Bear is all too excited to get rid of the responsibility. Will Bear be able to see through Wolf’s wish in time and save the animals from harm?

The graphic novel was a fun and quick read. It was filled with humor and witty jokes. I didn’t care for the drawing style as it looked a bit silly. However, a young audience might not care about the drawing style as much as the story. The graphic novel teaches young readers that sometimes a situation can work out in their favor even if it's something they didn’t want. I would be open to reading more of Bizard’s adventures or graphic novels by the author.

 **Disclosure - I received a free unedited version of this book in exchange for an honest opinion** 

   


 

About The Book:

Title: BIZARD THE BEAR WIZARD

Author: Chrissie Krebs

Pub. Date: June 20, 2023

Publisher: Margaret Ferguson Books/Holiday House

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook

Pages: 160

Find it: Goodreadshttps://books2read.com/BIZARD

An ordinary bear gains extraordinary magical powers in this hilarious early graphic novel reader.

Bear was just an average bear, until the day a tornado lodged an out-of-control wizard’s wand in his head. Now he looks a bit like a cross between a bear and a unicorn. He is none too pleased, but it seems he might be stuck with the wand for the foreseeable future.  

Even worse, he now has the ability to grant wishes—something he wants no part of. He’d much rather spend his days dozing away. His friends give him a new name—Bizard the Bear Wizard—and he reluctantly accepts his new magical powers and starts granting wishes to everyone in the forest.

But when the evil wolf and his bad guys threaten them all, Bizard knows it’s time to embrace his magical destiny. Only he and his newly wanded head can save the day now. Along the way, Bizard’s friends, Fox, Owl, and Squirrel, all bring their own brand of kooky support to his antics as he uses . . . and accidently misuses, his powers.

From the talented author-illustrator Chrissie Krebs comes the first of two hilarious younger graphic novels about Bizard and his friends.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

 

About Chrissie Krebs:

Chrissie Krebs has illustrated several picture books, including Pig in a WigA Dinosaur Ate Dad's Hair, and There's Something Weird in Santa's Beard. She also illustrated Rodney Loses It by Gerard Bauer, which was named a CBCA Children’s Book of the Year for Early Childhood. She lives in Australia. Visit her at chrissiekrebs.net. 

 

Website | Instagram | Goodreads | BookBub

 




Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of BIZARD THE BEAR WIZARD, US Only.

Ends June 27th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

6/12/2023

The Chirpy Bookaholic

Excerpt/IG Post

6/12/2023

A Dream Within A Dream

Excerpt

6/13/2023

Two Chicks on Books

Excerpt/IG Post

6/13/2023

YA Books Central

Excerpt/IG Post

6/14/2023

onemused

IG Post

6/14/2023

The Momma Spot

Review/IG Post

6/15/2023

OneMoreExclamation

Review/IG Post

6/15/2023

@stargirls.magical.tale

IG Review

6/16/2023

@froggyreadteach

IG Review

6/16/2023

Country Mamas With Kids

Review/IG Post

Week Two:

6/19/2023

A Blue Box Full of Books

IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post

6/19/2023

@get.outside.and.read

IG Review

6/20/2023

Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

Review/IG Post

6/20/2023

FUONLYKNEW

Review

6/21/2023

Two Points of Interest

Review

6/21/2023

@enjoyingbooksagain

IG Review

6/22/2023

Nerdophiles

Review

6/22/2023

Jeff_of_allmedia

IG Review

6/23/2023

@evergirl200

IG Review

6/23/2023

Little Red Reads

Review/IG Post


Thursday, June 15, 2023

Book Spotlight - The Girl Who Lost a Leopard by Nizrana Farook + Giveaway


About the Book:

Title: THE GIRL WHO LOST A LEOPARD

Author: Nizrana Farook

Pub. Date: May 9, 2023

Publisher: Peachtree

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 224

Find it: Goodreadshttps://books2read.com/THE-GIRL-WHO-LOST-A-LEOPARD

From the author of The Girl Who Stole an Elephant comes another thrilling escapade set in fictional Sri Lanka.

Selvi is a free spirit who loves climbing in the beautiful mountains behind her home. There, she befriended Lokka, a leopard with a beautiful coat and huge golden eyes. Together, they roam the wilderness as they please.

But when hunters come with bows and arrows, Selvi knows she must stop them before they hurt Lokka. But what can she do against such powerful enemies, especially when the friends and family she turns to for help are not all they seem to be? To rescue her leopard friend, first Selvi must outwit the poachers and expose the mastermind behind it all.  

With breezy chapters and lush, atmospheric settings, this action-adventure is a superb pick for young readers who enjoy stories with peril, friendship, and close encounters with the natural wild.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

 

Grab the first 2 books in the series now!

The Girl Who Stole an Elephant

The Boy Who Met a Whale

 

 

About Nizrana Farook:

Nizrana Farook was born and raised in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and the beautiful landscapes of her home country find their way into the stories she writes. She has a master's degree in writing for young people, and lives in Hertfordshire, England with her husband and two daughters.


Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 




Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE GIRL WHO LOST A LEOPARD, US Only.

Ends June 20th, midnight EST

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

6/5/2023

#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee

Excerpt/IG Post

6/5/2023

YA Books Central

Excerpt/IG Post

6/6/2023

The Chirpy Bookaholic

Excerpt/IG Post

6/6/2023

A Dream Within A Dream

Excerpt

6/7/2023

Two Chicks on Books

Excerpt/IG Post

6/7/2023

A Blue Box Full of Books

IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post

6/8/2023

@jlreadstoperpetuity

IG Review/TikTok Post

6/8/2023

Country Mamas With Kids

Review/IG Post

6/9/2023

Ariandher.books

IG Review

6/9/2023

@get.outside.and.read

IG Review

Week Two:

6/12/2023

@evergirl200

IG Review

6/12/2023

Lifestyle of Me

Review

6/13/2023

OneMoreExclamation

Review/IG Post

6/13/2023

Little Red Reads

Review/IG Post

6/14/2023

@froggyreadteach

IG Review

6/14/2023

@stargirls.magical.tale

IG Review

6/15/2023

The Momma Spot

Review/IG Post

6/15/2023

Two Points of Interest

Review

6/16/2023

@thrillersandhistoricalfiction

IG Review

6/16/2023

Nerdophiles

Review


Sunday, June 11, 2023

Book Review - The Night the Lights Went Out by Karen White

 


The Night the Lights Went Out by Karen White is about a young woman who is trying to survive the fallout from her divorce. Merilee Talbot Dunlap’s marriage ended after finding out her husband had an affair with one of their kids’  teachers. She moves with her two children to the Atlanta suburb of Sweet Apple, Georgia and tries to start over. 

Merilee isn’t a stranger to starting over. For this fresh start, she wants to keep a low profile but her efforts to remain anonymous might be dashed when a secret local blogger starts posting about the scandalous events that caused her marriage to dissolve. Merilee tries to settle down and find peace in the cottage she is renting out from the town matriarch, Sugar Prescott. 

 

Sugar Prescott is a feisty elderly woman who is stubborn and temperamental. However, Sugar sees something of herself in Merilee and finds herself opening up to her. Sugar has kept her own tragic past a secret from others and she refused to open herself up to others her entire life. 

 

Merilee enjoys hearing about Sugar’s past and the two women feel like kindred spirits. They bond with each other over their respective trauma. It helps Merilee find a place to belong as Merilee struggles to fit in with the other school moms, who are better off financially than she is. Their lifestyles are also different from Merilee, who has to work to support her family.

 

Sugar is suspicious when Merilee befriends the Queen Bee of the group, Heather Blackford. Merilee finds herself drawn to Heather and enjoys spending time with her even though Sugar is against the friendship. As Merilee spends more time with her neighbors and community members, she realizes that everyone isn’t as nice as they seem and everyone is hiding something.

 

I thought the book was an interesting read. The story has a dual timeline: the present narrated mostly by Merilee and the past narrated by Sugar. Other parts of the story are peppered with the anonymous blog posts.  It was interesting seeing the story told from different points of view. I liked reading the blog posts because they shared little tidbits that we wouldn’t be exposed to otherwise. It made me feel like I was a part of the Sweet Apple community reading about the local gossip and how the townspeople were reacting to it. Out of the two storylines, I did find myself enjoying Sugar’s past and waiting to learn more about the grumpy elder.

 

The book started off strong but towards the middle, it became boring and repetitive before picking up again. I did get annoyed at how some characters’ behavior throughout the book. Sugar felt like she was entitled to act a certain way because she was an older woman. It was also infuriating how stubborn Merilee was. For example, she was advised that someone she was close to shouldn’t be trusted and even when the facts were laid bare in front of her, she still didn’t believe it. When she was in hot water and she needed a friend and help, she refused to listen to what other people said even though it was for her benefit. She continuously avoids practicing common sense to safeguard herself. 

 

I also didn’t like that Sugar nor her parents refused to acknowledge when a neighbor was deviant or seek help from cops. I felt like that person knew that he could get away with bad acts which is why he targeted her family. I also didn’t like how Merilee was treated by her family. They treated her so abhorrently but yet she continued to try and seek help from them, but ignored those who have her best interest at heart. I feel like this book was littered with mean characters who were only motivated by their own interests and needs.  

In my opinion, the author didn’t provide adequate closure to the story line and regarding some of the characters. It felt like the author just wanted to focus on the happy parts for Merilee and provide closure for Sugar. Be advised that there is a mystery arc to the novel, if that's something you are interested in.

Friday, June 9, 2023

Book Spotlight - The Galactic Zookeeper's Guide to Heists and Husbandry by A.C. Huntley + Giveaway


About The Book:

Title: THE GALACTIC ZOOKEEPER'S GUIDE TO HEISTS AND HUSBANDRY

Author: A.C. Huntley

Pub. Date: June 1, 2023

Publisher: Bena House

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 394

Find it: Goodreadshttps://books2read.com/THE-GALACTIC-ZOOKEEPERS-GUIDE-TO-HEISTS-AND-HUSBANDRY

For eight years, Saffron Savage has been stuck on a dilapidated zoo-planet on the outskirts of the galaxy. Her mountains of overdue student loans make it impossible to afford the cost of leaving, and her sleazy coworkers force her to work demoralizing jobs on a daily basis. Desperate to escape, she hatches a scheme that might just be crazy enough to work: steal the zoo's rare, two-headed llama and sell it to the highest bidder.

When the poorly planned theft lands Saffron and her stolen companion as unwitting stowaways on an outbound ship, she must pose as an animal rights activist on a mission to return the animal to its home planet. To her surprise, the ride comes with some perks - an instant chemistry with Captain Michael Reyes and burgeoning friendships with the ship's motley, animal-loving crew. Other than the lie that's snowballing out of control, Saffron finds herself settling into this quirky, ship-bound life.

If only the buyer wasn't the most notorious, cut-throat mob boss in the galaxy. Or there wasn't a warrant out for her arrest.

The Galactic Zookeeper's Guide to Heists and Husbandry is a fast-paced space romp about second chances, rediscovering purpose, and finding family in unexpected places.

About A.C. Huntley:

Ace is a creative artist who authors science fiction novels, paints impressionist art, and dabbles in film. She lives in suburbia with her husband and child where she dreams of adding a dog, a few cats, a snake, a bat-house, and some chickens to the family.

Find A.C.- https://linktr.ee/theaceofhuntley

 





Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card, International.

Ends June 20th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

5/22/2023

#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog

Excerpt/IG Post

5/23/2023

The Reading Life

Excerpt/IG Post

5/24/2023

Two Chicks on Books

Excerpt/IG Post

5/25/2023

Cara North

Guest Post/IG Post

5/26/2023

Sadie's Spotlight

Excerpt/IG Post

5/27/2023

Fire and Ice

Excerpt

Week Two:

5/28/2023

A Dream Within A Dream

Excerpt

5/29/2023

The Momma Spot

Guest Post

5/30/2023

Rajiv's Reviews

Review/IG Post

5/31/2023

@allyluvsbooksalatte

IG Review/Tik Tok Post

6/1/2023

A Blue Box Full of Books

IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post

6/2/2023

Confessions of the Perfect Mom

Review/IG Post

Week Three:

6/5/2023

@froggyreadteach

IG Review

6/6/2023

@jypsylynn

IG Review

6/7/2023

@jlreadstoperpetuity

IG Review/Tik Tok Post

6/8/2023

Country Mamas With Kids

Review/IG Post

6/9/2023

Two Points of Interest

Review

Week Four:

6/12/2023

Brandi Danielle Davis

IG Review/Tik Tok Post

6/13/2023

Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's

Review/IG Post

6/14/2023

Nerdophiles

Review

6/15/2023

@evergirl200

IG Review

6/16/2023

The Chirpy Bookaholic

Review/IG Post