THE CHRISTMAS DRAGON / STRINGS by Ruthanne Reid

These are two exciting short fantasy stories that will take you into another world and leave you with some echoes in your mind after reading them...

The Christmas Dragon begins with a box on Katie's front porch.  It's Christmas and it might be a present from her uncle but why is it jumping around?  When a neighbor catches her looking at it, she tells him it's Mexican jumping beans.  I don't think so.

When she opens it, she finds a real pretty white baby dragon.  Nothing she has in the house is anything he wants to eat and when he vomits, he emits flames.  Since she has no idea what to do with him, she sets out to go visit her uncle and find out.

Even the trip to the uncle's isn't without incident.  She even meets a Fey on the way.  Somehow the two of them end up doing her quest.  Her uncle is gone but he has left a note saying she has to go to the Crow King.  The Crow King is not a nice guy.

I found myself flipping pages so I could read it faster and find out how it turns out.  If you like fantasy, you'll probably do that, too.

Strings is about the Fey named Grey.  He plays his music in bars and enhances his power with the love he feels there.  When the bar he's in gets invaded by a monster, he barely escapes alive.  Then he finds out he has been marked and there's no getting away; you have to kill the monster or die.

This is an age old war with monsters that are slices of old gods.  He will have to defeat it himself but he's talked into taking the bartender.  It's a good thing he did even if it's a shocking ending to the fight.  

This Fey seems to care about people more than most.  It might be because he's in hiding and spends as much time with them as he does.  I liked that touch.  

I enjoyed both these stories and will be watching for more in this series.  After all, the dragon hasn't grown up yet and I'm sure Grey will be even more fascinating in future tales.  Who doesn't like dragons and the Fey?

Ruthanne will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour: Rafflecopter Entry

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here:  Tour Dates

Happy reading.  Leave a comment and  good luck to you!

A Plague of Bogles by Catherine Jinks

This is the second book in this series and it seems I've been waiting FOREVER for it to come out!  It's just as good or maybe even a little better than How To Catch a Bogle.

HMH Books for Young Readers and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It was published January 6th, so head down to your local bookstore and pick up a copy.  If you haven't read the first book, grab that one, too!

Alfred, the Bogler, has retired.  Almost losing a child to the bogles scared him.  But he's got a soft heart...

When Jem, who is fending for himself, notices the name of his friend who used to bogle bait plastered all over a side show sign, he tries to go in and visit.  He doesn't make it but he meets a barmaid who is trying to do the same thing.  She believes they have a bogle in the tavern basement.  Jem finds Alfred and tries to talk him into helping her.  He offers to be the bait to get the bogle to come out.  He doesn't sing well, but he can sing and that entices them to make a grab.  He doesn't want to get eaten by a bogle but it would make him some money.  He also mentions them using Birdie's name at the side show in town.

Ms. Jinks' books are always fun, full of imagination, and danger.  Not only the bogles are dangerous, some people are, too.  There's lot of action, they have to get Birdie's name off the slanderous sign, there is more than one bogle, children are disappearing everywhere, and Alfred and Jem are run ragged.

I enjoyed the story and I enjoy these characters.  I'm sure they'll be back again.  Alfred's not giving up on Jem.  It will be fun to read their next adventure.

New Uses For Old Boyfriends by Beth Kendrick

All Lila wants to do is come home and be comforted by her Mom, enjoy the house she left to go out on her own and take some time to adjust to her life as it is now.  First she lost her job, then her husband left her for another woman, and she's not only emotionally shattered; she's poor.  Mom and home will make things better...

Penguin Group sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  It's publication date is February 3rd, so you can grab a copy then.

Both Lila and her mother have lived lives of privilege.  They get what they want with price no concern.  Lila's father has died and her mother has continued living that way.  Now with the business debts and her mother's shopping bills, it appears they will lose the house.  Mom doesn't want to give up the house.  She has no income but she's been a model in the past.  She has some very nice fashion dresses that are now hot again because of the retro style and the names of the makers.  When Lila asks her to sell some, she's possessive of those, too.  But something has to give.

While Lila and her mom are trying to save the house and stay alive, mom is also promoting Lila's old boyfriend.  He's a nice guy and Lila thought she loved him, but it's been a long time and she has baggage.  She also doesn't find his kisses exciting; they're more brotherly.  Mom's not ready to give up.

In the meantime, Lila has run across a guy that says he took her out one night but she doesn't remember it in the least.  He's gruff enough and odd enough that he catches her attention.  When his sister lets her in on a secret of his, she knows she needs him.  He can sew and she needs his help for this new dress shop she's going to create.

Her troubles aren't over, though.  There's another dream lost but more will come to take its place. Lila finds new girlfriends, makes peace with having less in life, and even has a chance for happiness again with her new boyfriend by the end of the story. 

This is a quirky tale about a wounded woman who learns to stand up on her own and take charge.  If no one else will do it, Lila learns to take care of herself.  That's a good life lesson for anyone.

Doctor Death, A Madeleine Karno Mystery by Lene Kaaberbol

She's a young woman who scorns being taught ladylike talents that will be useful in marriage.  She'd rather learn about science and use the brain she has for higher level studying.  It's not to be, though.  Her father keeps her in her place.  However, he has an interest in forensic science and examines dead bodies.  That's why he has the nickname Doctor Death.

Atria Books and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review.  It will be published February 17th, so watch for a copy then.

Madeline often gets to assist her father in his duties, so she learns along the way.  That's a good thing because when he's injured in a carriage accident and breaks both a leg and an arm on one side, she can take over the functions he can no longer do.  He doesn't like it, but he doesn't have much choice.

This was an interesting story.  It's set in 1894 and there is a lot of superstition and non-belief in things one can't see.  Bacteria isn't something that is apparent to the common folk.  Not even those in the medical field know that much about it.  But when a young girl dies with no known cause and the doctor finds mites in her nose, he thinks he has a clue.  They refuse to let him do an autopsy.  He's angry and sad.  He might have found something that caused her death. When there is another death and the body gets stolen, things get even more complicated.

With a literally wild boy from the circus, nuns that raise wolves, and numerous odd characters with a different sexual appetites, the story is not boring.  It kept me reading.  Sometimes my eyes got wide and I got a bit shocked.  Even the ending is not what I would call normal.  However, I am intrigued.

I think there may be more in this series.  If there is, then I'll have to see what adventures Madeline takes then.  Her life is exciting and very different from most women in late 1800's.

The Magical Animal Adoption Agency, Book 1 Clover's Luck by Kallie George

While following her escaped bird, Clover comes to the edge of the woods.  She's not supposed to go in, but she wants her bird back.  When she wanders into the forest, she finds a sign for help wanted at an animal adoption agency.  She's had real bad luck with pets.  Maybe this job would let her be around animals and she wouldn't lose them...

Disney Book Group and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  Publication date is February 3rd, and if anyone in your family likes magic, you'll need to get a copy of this book.

Mr. Jams is fine with Clover but wants to know how she can work for him and go to school.  She points out it's summer vacation.  He gives her a tour of the facility with all kinds of magical pets.  There's a cursed frog, fire salamanders, unicorns, fairy ponies, and even a small dragon.  He tells her what they eat and about The Wish Book and how to never, ever give an animal to someone who won't be a good owner and keep them forever.  She starts work the next day.

The only problem is that Mr. Jams has to go away on a special assignment and he leaves Clover in charge.  She wasn't quite ready for that.

Her problems first start when a "princess" comes in looking for a unicorn.  She's showing them off when more customers arrive.  The "princess" cuts the tail off a unicorn and runs!  However, the little girl and her father end up taking the poor unicorn home.

Most of Clover's match ups are accidental with folks taking home an animal they hadn't anticipated but they are happy with.  She even ends up taking the evil out of the witch who was threatening her.  You wouldn't think such an unlucky little girl would do that, but maybe she wasn't so unlucky after all...

I'm already looking forward to the next book in this series!

I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

Skylar is getting out of Creek View.  She's worked hard at her grades and her job and she's won a scholarship.  She's going to college and is going to make herself a new life.  And then her mom loses her job and starts drinking...

Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published February 3rd, so you can pick it up then.

Josh is back from war, less one leg.  He's having chats with in his head with his dead buddies.  His head is messed up from being in the war (no one goes and comes back the same) and he even thinks of suicide.  It might be best for everyone, including him.

I had a friend who went into the Vietnam war.  They made him a sniper.  When he got out, went through his counseling and came home, he drove the wrong way down the freeway and killed himself, along with some other folks.  This did not make his family happy; it made them feel guilty and terribly sad for all.  Suicide helps no one.

When Sky and Josh work together at the old motel, they find themselves becoming friends.  It could easily turn into more than that.  But Sky wants to go to college and Josh thinks he's damaged goods.  To add to the drama, Sky's mother has taken up with a guy that Sky hates.  It's a good thing she can use a room at the hotel for a haven.  Home has become a battle zone.

While Sky and Josh try to come to terms with their lives and what they want their future to be, there are things said and done that will take time to be forgiven.  

I found this story to be quite truthful about both main characters.  The author must have known a wounded warrior because Josh's reactions and feelings are quite authentic.  Graduating from school can be quite traumatic if you don't know what's coming next.  Both characters had a bit of growing up to do and they got a lot of it done in this story.  Ms. Demetrios certainly draws you in and makes you interested in her characters.  Try it and tell me what you think about it.

Ruffleclaw by Cornelia Funke

Ruffleclaw is an earth monster and lives under the shed.  However, he does like clean soft clothes to sleep on and enjoys the food from the fridge.  But somehow, sneaking in the house just isn't doing it.  He decides he's going to move in.

Random House Children's Books and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read this for review (thank you).  This review is early because the copy I downloaded will expire soon.  It will be in stores on November 10, 2015.  You might want to pre-order this one.

Ruffleclaw sneaks in the house and goes straight up to Tommy's room.  He's a boy so he's not as scary as an adult.  Tommy is sleeping, so he crawls in next to him.  When he starts snoring and Tommy wakes up, Ruffleclaw gets a rude awakening and finds out nobody in the household is happy about him joining them.

Just because he smells, eats constantly, spits, and drinks shampoo is no reason to be upset.  He thinks they should be charmed.  Tommy decides he likes him, but there's a long way to go before Mom and Dad might.

This is a cute story for young ones and I like how Ms. Funke solved the problems in this story.  It's fantasy and her imagination is out of this world.  I enjoy reading her books and this one was no exception.