Review: Kobee Manatee: A Wild Weather Adventure

For this review, I chose Kobee Manatee: A Wild Weather Adventure by Robert Scott Thayer.

I requested ARC copy of the ebook through Netgalley in exchanged for a honest review.

Here is a brief description from Goodreads:
Winner, Silver Medal in the Children's Adventure Category, 2015 Readers' Favorite International Book Awards
Finalist, Children's Educational Category, 2015 USA Best Book Awards

Loaded with surprises and exciting facts about weather, this thrilling tale follows Kobee Manatee as he travels across the mighty Atlantic Ocean into the strong Gulf Stream current . . . during hurricane season! His daring adventure begins when Kobee decides that he wants to surprise his sister Kim, who lives in the Bahamas, on her birthday. Will Kobee and his friends, Tess and Pablo, be able to travel safely from their home in Key West, Florida, through all of the wild tropical weather coming their way? Each page includes in-depth, scientific details titled “Kobee’s Fun Facts,” which expand on the weather events that the characters encounter along the way. 

My son and I read this book together.  My son, Ethan, is 6.  He will be 7 in 15 days.  We both loved the illustrations.  They were so colorful and my son's attention during the entire book.  This is a great way to teach children about the weather and it's educational and fun!  Ethan likes to talk about the weather due to his older sister always giving her weather reports.

Ethan and I want to read Kobee Manatee: Heading Home to Florida, too.

☆☆☆☆☆

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Recommend this book? Yes! Author? Yes!

Read more from this author? Yes!

Happy Reading!

Melissa 

Review coming next: In Deep with the FBI Agent by Lynne Silver

FTC Disclosure: The Publisher/Author/Book Tour Company has provided me with a copy of this book for review or I have purchased the book with my own funds.  The opinion I share about the story are mine and have not been influenced by the The Publisher/Author/Book Tour Company if received for review.

Release Day Blitz: Forbidden

Title: Forbidden: Her British Stepbrother

Author: Lauren Smith

Release date: January 12th 2016

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance

About FORBIDDEN

He's her first. He's her everything. He's her . . . stepbrother.Kat has always been a good girl. She studies hard and never stays out too late. But when sitting in a pub on her birthday, she realizes she's a nineteen-year-old virgin who's never really lived. And she wants tonight to be the night that changes.

Then she sees him walk in. He's tall, dark, handsome, and straight out of her deepest fantasies. His voice makes her knees feel weak, and when he smiles, she imagines him doing wicked things to her in bed. From the look in his eyes, she knows he's imagining it too. So when he asks if he can walk her home, she hears herself whisper yes . . .

Go grab your copy of FORBIDDEN!!

Buy sites:

Amazon

B&N 

iBooks

                                                  Kobo

                                                     Google Play

About Lauren Smith

LAUREN SMITH, winner of the 2014 Historical International Digital Award, attended Oklahoma State University, where she earned a B.A. in both history and political science. Drawn to paintings and museums, Lauren is obsessed with antiques and satisfies her fascination with history by writing and exploring exotic, ancient lands. She is currently an attorney in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

You can learn more at:
LaurenSmithBooks.com
Twitter
Facebook

Goodreads

Excerpt:

“I find you fascinating,” Tristan said. Their faces were so close, his lips a mere breath from hers, and it made her head spin a little with a strange, excited dizziness. His gaze dropped to her lips as his voice softened to a low murmur. “I made a promise tonight, and I won’t break it, even it if bloody well kills me.”

Kat shivered and when she spoke her voice was husky. “But after tonight?”

         With a curve of his lips, Tristan leaned in half an inch closer. “After tonight…I could fuck you here, in this bed and leave you so sated you’d wouldn’t want to get up for days. The things I could do to you to make you purr, make you moan and beg… After being with me, no other man would satisfy you.” The tips of their noses brushed as he leaned a tiny bit closer. Every muscle in her body tensed in heady anticipation, and her heart thudded against her ribs so hard it hurt.

Those images his words created, his body on top of hers, his weight trapping her while he owned her in every way…why did it sound so wonderful and frightening all at the same time?

Kat’s lips parted, but no words came out at first.  He seemed like a man who before now got everything he ever wanted. She didn’t want to be another thing he got simply because he wanted it. She was a woman worth fighting for, and Kat wanted him to earn it. Her father used to say “a good man will climb to the highest branch for the ripest apple, rather than pluck the low hanging fruit.” She deserved a man who was willing to work for her.

“But not tonight,” she replied softly, almost teasing. Her heart pounded at a wild pace and her hands shook as she clenched them together.

As though it were the most natural thing in the world, he slid an arm around her waist, pulling her into his body. Her hands came up on instinct, settling on his chest, but she didn’t push him away.

 “Not tonight,” he agreed. “But that one kiss at the Pickerel? It was only the beginning.” His arm around her waist tightened.

His words, so determined and confidant, made her shiver. There was no denying his confidence was appealing, but this was her sex life they were talking about. She had never been the type of girl to just give in to a guy, so why was saying yes so tempting?

Review: Al "Trunk" Mahoney, Defensive Line

For this review, I chose Al "Trunk" Mahoney, Defensive Line by Jean C. Joachim.

I received a copy of the ebook for a honest review of this book.

Here is a brief description from Goodreads:
When his wife walked out on him, Al “Trunk” Mahoney’s plans for the family he’d never had went up in smoke. A top-ranked defenseman in the NFL, Trunk’s success on the gridiron didn’t translate to the rest of his life. Hooking up with women was easy for the sexy lineman, but Trunk’s secret closed the door to marriage. Would the happiness he yearned for always be just beyond his reach?

Beautiful Carla Ricci, bar owner and independent woman had her choice of men. A love-‘em and leave-‘em lady, she’d made a decision that ruled out 99.9% of men for marriage. She didn’t care. Then Trunk Mahoney came along. Carla resolved to remain true to herself. Could her willpower hold indefinitely, or would she settle for an affair that would break her heart?
Caution: locker room language.

A snippet:

“Mary moved out. Left me. Took the furniture.” He spit it out, fast. It hurt less that way, like ripping off a bandage.
Carla grasped his muscular forearm, and her eyes softened. “Well, shit. I’m sorry, Trunk. What happened?”
“Damned if I know.” He took a gulp of his beer.
“Didn’t she say anything?”
“‘I’m leaving. My lawyer will be in touch. Took the furniture. You can have the house’.” 


The surprises in this book was wow!!  I can not believe the surprises especially the one.  Now, you have to read the book to find out these surprises especially the one that knocked me down.  I can not think how I would of felt.  Yes, I do know.  I would be mad as hell if I was Trunk, but he took it very well.  My favorite part was when Trunk found the stone house and the memories of his mother.  Sweet and sad.  

This book had everything I look for in a book.  Surprises, romance, and lots of emotions.  Very well written.  I hope there are more books in this series.

☆☆☆☆☆
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Recommend this book? Yes! Author? Yes!

Read more from this author? Yes!

Happy Reading!

Melissa 

Review coming next: Kobee Manatee: A Wild Weather Adventure by Robert Scott Thayer.

FTC Disclosure: The Publisher/Author/Book Tour Company has provided me with a copy of this book for review or I have purchased the book with my own funds.  The opinion I share about the story are mine and have not been influenced by the The Publisher/Author/Book Tour Company if received for review

Calling All Readers!

Call all Readers!!

Today I was chatting with Jean C. Joachim on Facebook when she posted using library cards for ebooks in Overdrive.  Some of her fiction books are not in all these libraries.  It got me thinking that if her books are not all there then other authors' books are not there, too.  I know I have search for different books in the 3 libraries I have cards with and many did not come up.  Now I did not know I could recommend a book or 2 until today.  I want to see if we can help out Jean and her fellow authors by adding their books to the digital libraries we have library cards.  I also want you to post with tips on how you got more than 1 library card.  In Pa, I can share my tips with you all in a separate post.  I will post the link here for you all once I have it done.

So, let's get started.  Sign into your digital library.  When you search for an author or book and nothing comes up, you will see at the bottom to the right should be a "add titles you recommend" to click.  Click that and it takes you to books by this author/book that you can recommend.  Now when I have done this, it only lets you do 2 books.  Pick the books you want to recommend.  You can get an email if you want to be put on hold. 

Now let's say that this author is someone that has books in this ebook library.  You search for that author and you don't see a book you want to read.  There is a "Additional Titles to Recommend" to click on the left side.

Thanks everyone!!
Happy Reading!
Melissa

Waiting on Wednesday: In Deep with the FBI Agent

This week's Waiting on Wednesday pick for me is:

In Deep with the FBI Agent by Lynne Silver

Publication Date: January 12, 2015.

When I saw that Miss Lynne Silver wanted reviewers for this book, I knew I had to sign up.  This is the third book in the Alpha Heroes series.  I already read and reviewed book #1 (Hot Nights with the Fireman) and Book #2 (In Bed with the Bodyguard).   I have been looking forward to this book since I read book #2.   I am starting to read this book tonight.  I got an ARC from Netgalley. 

I will add the description as soon as it is up on the site.
Melissa
Here is a brief description from Goodreads:


FTC Disclosure: The Publisher/Author/Book Tour Company has provided me with a copy of this book for review or I have purchased the book with my own funds.  The opinion I share about the story are mine and have not been influenced by the The Publisher/Author/Book Tour Company if received for review.

Review: How to Draw Sharks

For this review, I chose How to Draw Sharks by Arkady Roytman.  Published by Dover Publications.

I requested ARC copy of the ebook through Netgalley in exchanged for a honest review.

Here is a brief description from Goodreads:
With this step-by-step guide on how to create images of the marine world's fierce predators, kids can learn to draw creatures from the top of the ocean's food chain in just a few simple steps. This easy-to-follow book illustrates the use of basic geometric shapes to form 31 varieties of sharks, from the great white and the hammerhead to the tiger, bull, and saw sharks. Blank practice pages offer plenty of room to perfect your style.


I have not reviewed a How to Draw book, but my kids love them especially my daughter, who loves anything to do with art.  I received a digital copy of the book from Netgalley.  Now I had it emailed to my ipad's Kindle app, but it did not work.  I did not get anything.  So, I went back into Netgalley to download the file itself and I was able to review it.

I did not realize there are so many sharks.  Some of them I never heard of.  I definitely want to get this book for my 15 year old daughter, who loves to draw especially marine animals, and my youngest son.  With my son, we could draw them and then look them up on the internet to find out more about these sharks.  

Each shark was broken down into 4 steps.  Being a mom to a special needs child (my daughter), I know she can do this book. 

My favorites sharks are: 
-White Shark
-Zebra Shark 
-Bull Shark
-Wobbegong (Carpet) Shark

☆☆☆☆☆
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

Recommend this book? Yes! Author? Yes!

Read more from this author? Yes! Publication? Yes!

Happy Reading!

Melissa 

Review coming: Al "Trunk" Mahoney, Defensive Line by Jean C. Joachim

FTC Disclosure: The Publisher/Author/Book Tour Company has provided me with a copy of this book for review or I have purchased the book with my own funds.  The opinion I share about the story are mine and have not been influenced by the The Publisher/Author/Book Tour Company if received for review.

Review : Meditations through Coloring

For this review, I chose Meditations through Coloring and published by River Grove Books.

I requested ARC copy of the ebook through Netgalley in exchanged for a honest review.

Here is a brief description from Goodreads:
Meditation is a stress-reduction technique implemented the world over. Although the techniques vary, people from across the globe embrace meditation as an essential part of their daily practice. As scientists and psychologists explore this ancient path today, they are discovering alternatives to traditional meditation. One of these is coloring. Coloring is a low-stress activity that invokes deep focus and relaxation. The act of coloring can unlock hidden creative potential while alleviating stress by allowing the practitioner to concentrate on specific patterns and colors while letting go of any worries and concerns. This volume showcases images inspired by the ancient art form of henna tattoos, known as mehndi. Throughout the world, mehndi is incorporated into special celebrations and rites of passage, ranging from weddings to childbirth. Experienced meditation practitioners and general readers alike will enjoy.  Meditations through Coloring as they explore intricate patterns and the calming interaction of color and space on every page.


I have not reviewed an adult coloring book before, but I have read that they help to lower stress.  I received a digital copy of the book from Netgalley.  Now I am not sure if it the entire book since it has listed 96 pages.  The book started off with explaining about Meditation being a discipline, some history, and why it helps.  My favorite ones are the elephants.  I would pay this for me and my daughter.  

I am only giving 4 stars since I do not know if I got the entire book or not.

☆☆☆☆

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Recommend this book? Yes! Publication? Yes!

Read more from this publication? Yes!

Happy Reading!

Melissa 

Review coming next: How to Draw Sharks by Arkady Roytman.  Published by Dover Publications

FTC Disclosure: The Publisher/Author/Book Tour Company has provided me with a copy of this book for review or I have purchased the book with my own funds.  The opinion I share about the story are mine and have not been influenced by the The Publisher/Author/Book Tour Company if received for review.