Display Ideas: October

October was the first month last year that I started this project. 

You can check out my ideas from last year here

October Dates:

October 14th: National Dessert Day

Display Idea: Cookbooks and/or characters who bake

Book List: Characters who cook (An older list)

Teen Read Week: Read for the Fun of It

October 9th thru 15th

Display Idea: Hot new Books

October 22nd Day: Make a Different Day

Display Idea: Characters who make a difference / characters who save the world

Perfect for fantasy or dystopian novels

Star Wars Reads Day:

Display Idea: 

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/183099541078960046/
Book List: Star Wars Books

Movie Tie In Displays:

Girl on the Train: Thrillers/Mysteries 

Middle School: School Books

 Come back next week for Halloween/horror book display ideas

Mysterious Saturday Review: Crowned and Dangerous

 * Book 10 in the Her Royal Spyness series *

Lady Georgiana is about to elope with her beau Darcy, when unexpected news reaches them. Darcy's father has been arrested for murder. Darcy leaves Lady Georgiana to rush to his father's side.

Lady Georgiana travels back to London, eagerly awaiting news.  When Darcy finally calls, he breaks things off with her. Lady Georgiana isn't going to take that lying down - she travels to Ireland.

She's determined to help clear Darcy's father's name.

My Thoughts: Another great addition to this series. I love Lady Georgiana didn't take no for an answer and how she was determined to help.  I loved learning more about Ireland during that time period. I loved the setting and meeting people Darcy's known all his life. I loved meeting Darcy's father. I enjoyed the princess from Darcy's past who flies planes and comes over also to help Darcy. I'm intrigued to see what will happen next.

Cover Thoughts: Cute
Source: My Library
Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for mystery sections

Adult Review: Lady Bridget's Diary

 * Book 1 in the Keeping up with Cavendishes series *

After Lady Bridget's brother receives the news that he's inherited a dukedom, the family moves from their American horse farm to England. They work on manners and understanding of English society before their entrance - which is a disaster.

Lady Bridget falls on her bottom. One sister is labeled a bluestocking and the other tells people she likes to ride horses - astride. None of the sisters make a good impression upon the ton, but everyone is talking about them.

Lady Bridget isn't thrilled with her debut, especially meeting Dreadful Darcy. His brother is much more amiable. But the more time she spends with Darcy, the more she begins to like him. Could he become something more?

My Thoughts: I adored this novel. I tore through it, not wanting to put it down. I loved how bits and pieces were from both Pride and Prejudice and Bridget Jones's Diary (yes I know, but trust me, it's true and it does work.). I loved the relationship with the siblings - their loyalty, their love, and their banter. I even liked the dragon dowager duchess, she grew on me. Bridget is clever, charming, and entertaining. I love her interactions with Lord Darcy from the beginning moments. I enjoyed the slow burn romance. I liked Lord Darcy - appreciated his back story and why he's so responsible. I enjoyed his relationship with his brother too. I loved the writings in the diary, how her sister would steal it and tease her, and how it went missing. I can't wait to read more about the Cavendish family!

Cover Thoughts: Charming
Source: My Library
Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for all romance sections in public libraries

Series Review: Baby Animals at the Zoo

All About Baby Zoo Animals series is perfect for your library - both school and public.

Young animal lovers will snap these up! The pictures are super cute and each photo corresponds with a page of text. There are a few vocabulary words explained, a short book list for more books, and a few websites for additional information. The text isn't overwhelming and gives a great introduction to the animals - including their habits, their relationships with their parents and siblings, how they grow, and what they eat. 

I bought six titles for my library and I think these will fly off the easy reader shelves.

Picture Book Review:Storybook Knight

Leo is different from the other knights. He's not interested in fighting, but he loves reading. His parents push him out the door to take care of a dragon. Leo packs books for his trip and it's a good thing he does because book help him win the day.

My Thoughts: How can I not love this one - about knights and dragons and books. It's magical, sweet, and entertaining. And it talks about the power of books. Illustrations are charming. My new favorite picture book! 

Cover Thoughts: Super Cute
Source: F&G sent for review
Library Recommendation: Highly Recommended for all public and school libraries. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Songs

This week's topic is all about audio, so I'm choosing awesome country songs that still make me want to sing and/or dance along whenever I hear them. They also take me back to college years where I fell in love with country music.

- meme from The Broke and the Bookish 

She's in Love with the Boy

Goodbye Earl

Mississippi Girl

There's More to Me Than You

This One's For the Girls

She Drew a Broken Heart

Suds in the Bucket

Get Over Yourself

Any Man of Mine

Bye Bye

Author Interview: Sarah Beth Durst

I'm so happy to be chatting with Sarah Beth Durst today because I loved The Queen of Blood. It's a fantastic story, you can read my review here - but trust me, it's amazing! It comes out tomorrow, so be sure to get your hands on a copy and ask your library if they have it or will be getting it.

Add it to Goodreads
Sarah's Website

Which of the spirits would you like to interact most with?

 I'd choose the air spirit that Daleina, an idealistic student who wants to be queen, flies on in THE QUEEN OF BLOOD.  It's basically an enormous ermine with bat wings -- I picture it looking like Falcor from The Neverending Story.  Granted, it would rather eat me than carry me...  In fact, it's unlikely that I'd survive more than ten minutes in Renthia.

For my new epic fantasy series, THE QUEENS OF RENTHIA, I created the most beautiful world I could imagine, full of extremes of nature: towering trees, endless glaciers, and sky-piercing mountains.  And I populated it with bloodthirsty nature spirits who want to kill all humans.

Would you rather travel for miles on foot or in the air with ziplines?

 I'd like to say ziplines, because I'd love to be the kind of person who would bravely zoom through the forest, hundreds of feet above the ground.  But I'd probably be a whimpering mess.  So I should stick to traveling on foot.

Part of the reason that I love to write (and read!) is that in books, I can be brave.  I can go on adventures.  I can defeat the massive evil.  I can travel to places I'd never dare go or that don't exist.  All without ever leaving my chair!

Would you rather be good at one skill or mediocre in several skills?

 Good at one skill, please.  It would be a nice bonus if I could choose what the skill was, but really, any skill could be a superpower if one were sufficiently amazing at it.  I admit that I'm not sure what I'd do if I had a skill like "really great at making animal sounds" or "can wiggle her ears independently," but I'd think of something...

 How many books are planned in this series?

 There are three books planned: THE QUEEN OF BLOOD, THE RELUCTANT QUEEN, and THE QUEEN OF SORROW.  I am loving writing these books so much!  It's been such an immersive experience.  Every day when I sit down to write, it feels like walking through the wardrobe into another world.

When does the next one come out because I need it!!!

 Book two will be out in July.  And book three will be out ten months after that.  So you won't need to wait a full year!  These books are on an accelerated publishing schedule, which makes me very happy.

Anything I didn't ask?

 My favorite foods are chocolate-covered strawberries, fresh raspberries, and pizza.  My favorite snack is Raisinets.  My favorite movie is Star Wars Force Awakens.  (It used to be New Hope, but Rey!!!)  My writing partner is Gwen.  She's a cat.  She contributes by stepping on the Caps Lock key and sleeping on print-outs of my manuscripts.  And that's pretty much everything there is to know about me.  Oh, I also have really, really curly hair that repels water like a duck.