AlyCat and the Monday Blues Release Day Guest Post and Giveaway!

Release Day! by Alysson Foti Bourque

The release of the very first Alycat book, Alycat and the Thursday Dessert Day, was so unbelievably exciting. I think that I would rank it at the top of my “most amazing experience” list—right after my wedding day and birth of my children, of course. We have added some really enticing aspects to the upcoming author visits to make the kids jump for joy! This time around, the author visits will have an Alycat mascot that will make an appearance with a bright blue dress covered with sparkly musical notes! She is super cute! During the Monday Blues reading, there will be a music video shown of Alycat’s talent show performance with the original song from the book. This song is written by myself and produced by The Music Box and Holbrook Multi Media —both located in Lafayette, LA. The book will contain the lyrics of the song at the end—just like Thursday Dessert Day had a recipe for Alycat’s Popcorn Popsicle.

I am looking forward to meeting new smiling faces at upcoming book events and introducing them to Alycat. I cannot wait to reconnect with those who I have met from the previous book tours, school visits, and events also. I want to hear what they think of Alycat's newest adventure and how they think it compares to the first book. The greatest part of the Monday Blues book is that it provides tools to young readers to turn a not-so-good day into a great day through lessons learned by Alycat. I am thrilled to imagine that Alycat is a part of people’s home library and bedtime routine. She is a part of my family and I’m happy to get to share with the world!

Alycat and the Monday Blues

by Alysson Foti Bourque

See my review HERE.

GIVEAWAY

Win one of 5 prize packages which includes:

• a signed copy of Alycat and the Monday Blues,
• an Alycat plush toy,
• a bookmark,
• a drawstring Alycat Sports pack
• and a wristband (open to USA and CAN only)

(Ends Oct 14)
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Or link to the giveaway:
https://goo.gl/3LMybL

Book Review: Alycat and the Monday Blues by Alysson Foti Bourque

This is a delightfully fun children’s book!

Alycat and the Monday Blues
by Alysson Foti Bourque

Hardcover: 38 pages
Publisher: Mascot Books (September 12, 2017)
ISBN-13: 978-1684012459
Genre: Children, Music, School
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

One Monday morning, Alycat wakes up with the dreaded Monday Blues—she's certain that everything will go wrong. But even when mishaps seem to ruin her day, she finds out that helping a friend can lead to discovering hew own hidden talent and curing the Monday Blues!

Review:
Alycat wakes up dragging one Monday Morning. She doesn’t want to go to school and doesn’t know what talent she can share for the school talent show. Mother encourages her to go to school where she is sure to feel better and find inspiration for her talent.

Alycat has a mishap during the day but it helps her find a talent to share. She makes up words to go with a friend’s instrument and they even bring her father into the group playing another accompanying instrument. The song is fun and I enjoyed singing it to my five-year-old granddaughter. She enjoyed the story and tried to sing the words too by the end.

The book is fully illustrated and shares a good story for children going to school but sometimes experiencing reluctance. The book came with a card with a code that allowed us to access the songs and coloring pages. My granddaughter was quite excited about these too, even though my version of the song wasn’t quite the same as the online song. 😊.

I enjoyed this light read and recommend it for sharing with early school age children.

I received this print book from the auhotr through iRead Book Tours.

SEE THE AUTHOR GUEST POST AND GIVEAWAY POST HERE!

Book Review: Yak and Dove by Kyo Maclear, Illustrator Esme Shapiro

This sweet story, with lovely illustrations, delivers a nice message of friendship.
Yak and Dove
by Kyo Maclear (Author), Esme Shapiro (Illustrator)

Age Range: 4 - 8 years
Grade Level: Preschool - 3
Hardcover: 56 pages
Publisher: Tundra Books; Ill edition (September 19, 2017)
ISBN-10: 1770494944
Genre: Animals, Children, Friends
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0

Sometimes the unlikeliest friends form the greatest friendships. A funny, charming picture book from a dynamic duo.
Friends Yak and Dove are complete opposites. Yak is large and Dove is small. Yak has fur and Dove has feathers. Yak is polite. Dove is ill-mannered. Yak likes quiet. Dove likes noise. One day as Yak and Dove list their differences they come to the conclusion that maybe they aren't meant to be friends. In the hope of finding a new best friend, Yak holds auditions. But when a small feathered contestant sings Yak's favorite song, the two begin to think that maybe they are alike after all . . .
Yak and Dove whimsically captures the highs and lows of friendship through the three interconnected tales of two very different friends.

Review:
Yak and Dove are close friends in spite of their many differences. Yak is big, furry and polite. Dove is small, feathered and abrupt to the edge of rudeness. The pair see twins and wonder what it would be like to be so close and connected. Suddenly they are challenging their own friendship and decide they are not well suited as friends after all. Marmot helps Yak audition for new friends but in the end Yak and Dove remember all they share and care about. This portion of the book is fun, the message meaningful and the illustrations are full and lovely.

The book then becomes confusing as it moves to what seemed to me to be unrelated, and disjointed additional stories. At that point it lost my attention as well as the attention of my four year old granddaughter. The book would have been better without the strange jump and could have been shortened which would fit the intended audience even better. I can recommend the first portion of the book but am sorry I was lost on the remainder.

I received the ebook through NetGalley. It qualifies for my NetGalley challenge.

Sunday Post September 17, 2017/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday September 18, 2017

I am linking with Sunday Post at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading now at The Book Date.
Thank you to Sheila for the years that she handled this meme.
Thank you to Kathryn for taking up the baton.

What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

We were thankful to have had minimal weather from Hurricane Irma as she passed northeast. The rest of the week was catch-up in the office with more coming up this week.

I enjoyed my listening and reading. I finished three books: two audio books and one ebook again. I posted three reviews plus my usual memes.

I visited only 27 blogs last week.
Shout out this week is for Booklover Book Reviews. This is an active book review blog.
Thank you to all the nice people who visit me.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post September 10, 2017/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday September 11, 2017.

• ATBR- Audible Review: Koban, Volume 1 by Stephen W. Bennett; Alien Invasion, Genetic Engineering, Sci Fi; my rating 4.5.

• eTour- Book Review: Love, Murder & Mayhem, an Anthology; Mystery, Sci Fi; my rating 4.25.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway September 15, 2017. Open Worldwide. Ending 9/21/2017.

• eAuthor- Book Review: ReWired by S. R. Johannes; Teen, Suspense, YA; My rating 4.0.

• Sharing Beyond Books #320 Comment Giveaway September 9, 2017. Open Worldwide. Ending 9/23/2017.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement September 17, 2017.

Finished Reading:

1. Audible/MP3 (TBR)

Valor's Choice (Confederation, #1)
by Tanya Huff
Marguerite Gavin (Narrator)
This is an engaging space fantasy.
I pulled this from my Audible TBR shelves for "V" in my Alphabet Challenge.
Click on book title for full description.

2. eBook/Kindle (Tour)

Love, Murder & Mayhem: 
Cosmic Tales of the Heart Gone Deadly Wrong
An Anthology
My review of this interesting collection is linked above.
I received this review invite from Bookish Indulgenges with b00k r3vi3ws.
Click on book title for full description.

3. Audible/MP3 TBR

Skinwalker: Jane Yellowrock, Book 1
By Faith Hunter
Narrated By Khristine Hvam
Series: Jane Yellowrock, Book 1
I really enjoyed this shapeshifter story.
I picked this from my Audible TBR for "S" in Alphabet Challenge.
Publisher's Summary
Jane Yellowrock is the last of her kind - a skinwalker of Cherokee descent who can turn into any creature she desires and hunts vampires for a living. But now she's been hired by Katherine Fontaneau, one of the oldest vampires in New Orleans and the madam of Katie's Ladies, to hunt a powerful rogue vampire who's killing other vamps.
©2009 Faith Hunter (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Currently Reading:
1. eBook/Kindle (NG)

The Clockwork Dynasty
by Daniel H. Wilson
I am midway though and enjoying this well crafted tale.
I received this through NetGalley.
Click on book title for full description.

2. Print Book (iRead)

Alycat and the Monday Blues
by Alysson Foti Bourque
I will be posting a review, author Guest Post and Tour Giveaway on September 21, 2017.
I received this title through iRead Book Tours.
One Monday morning, Alycat wakes up with the dreaded Monday Blues—she's certain that everything will go wrong. But even when mishaps seem to ruin her day, she finds out that helping a friend can lead to discovering hew own hidden talent and curing the Monday Blues!

3. Audible/MP3 (ABB)

The League of Governors
Written by: Wendy Terrien
Narrated by: Brian Callanan
Length: 10 hrs and 46 mins
Series: The Adventures of Jason Lex, Book 2
This sounds like a fun read/listen.
I received this audio title from the narrator through AudioBook Boom.
Publisher's Summary
Jason Lex just saved the world. Now he's immersed in training as a new Rampart Guard to protect the shield that enables humans and cryptids like Skyfish, Bigfoot, and the Black Shuck, to live side-by-side and danger-free. A summons from the League of Governors, the clandestine organization that presides over the human-cryptid treaty, takes a suspicious turn when Jason's dad and sister disappear on their way to League headquarters. Jason must find them before things go bad, so he follows their trail to London, where he discovers the League of Governors may not be the benevolent organization everyone believes.
Injured and alone, Jason doesn't know whom to trust. After a shocking loss sends him reeling, news about his family forces Jason to make a terrible choice. When he learns of a secret plan to enslave the world, Jason must risk his life to defeat a powerful enemy and reunite what's left of his family. But can he stop a dominating adversary, and again save the world, before it's too late?
©2017 Camashea Press (P)2017 Camashea Press

4. eBook/Kincle (NG)

On the Chase (Rocky Mountain K9 Unit Book 2)
by Katie Ruggle
I enjoy this author 
so I am looking forward to reading this.
I received this through NetGalley.
An Amazon Best Book of the Month
“Vivid and charming.”—CHARLAINE HARRIS, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series
Injured in the line of duty,
His orders are simple:
Stay alive.
But when a frightened woman bursts into his life, Hugh and his K9 companion have no choice but to risk everything to keep her safe.
The sole witness to a horrific crime, Kaylee Ramay flees to the Colorado Rockies to start a new life. There she becomes Grace, a dog kennel employee desperately trying to avoid attention—especially from dangerously attractive K9 Officer Hugh Murdoch.
Because Hugh is tall, dark…and nothing but trouble.
Hugh is anxious to get back in the field after an act of heroism left him warming the bench.
Until then, he and his K9 partner Lexi spend their hours teasing the town’s mysterious newcomer. But when their simmering attraction is nearly cut short by a sniper’s bullet, Hugh’s mystery woman must come clean about the secrets she keeps…
Or both of them will pay the price.

5. ebook/Print (LBC)

A Matter of Character,
Sisters of Bethlehem Springs Series #3
by Robin Lee Hatcher
I can now get to completing this in the next two weeks (for 10/7 or 14 meeting).

September 10, 2017 - I am back reading on track in the One Year Bible, with one week still to catch up. I am working on getting back on track. I have been reading along with my husband and others from our church. I hope to take more time this year, staying on the day and listening to the companion commentary online.

I completed three books and posted three reviews. That keeps me at two current reviews with one NG to post this week for the book  release.
I am still about three titles behind linking my reviews to Goodreads, Amazon and Audible.
I am down to 5 NetGalley titles (so I may start requesting again) and still 2 author titles in my queue, the others are instafreebies that I do want to get to but not the same commitment.

We're working on two fiction books soon to add to eTreasure's NetGalley page.

Welcome to Mailbox Monday.

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. This Meme started with Marcia at A Girl and Her Books (fka The Printed Page) and after a tour of hosts has returned to its permanent home at Mailbox Monday. Thanks to the ladies sharing hosting duties: Leslie of Under My Apple Tree, Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit and (yours truly).  
Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.
I picked up one tour book and one audiobook for review and listed a NetGalley title I forgot to list last week.
I selected my two Audible credits for August and bought on $.99 kindle title. 
As usual, I picked up more free kindle titles as usual. (Note these are in my Amazon library, NOT on my Kindle until I download and transfer them.)

Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

I received this title through NetGalley but forgot to list it last week.

On the Chase (Rocky Mountain K9 Unit Book 2)
by Katie Ruggle
See full description above under Current Reading.

I received this title through iRead Book Tours.
I will be posting a review, author Guest Post and Tour Giveaway on September 21, 2017.
Alycat and the Monday Blues
by Alysson Foti Bourque
See full description above under Current Reading.

I received this audio title from the author/narrator through AudioBook Boom.

The League of Governors
Written by: Wendy Terrien
Narrated by: Brian Callanan
See full description above under Current Reading.

Won

NONE

Purchased

I selected my two August Audible Credits:

Koban: The Mark of Koban, Volume 2
By: Stephen W. Bennett
Narrator: Eric Michael Summerer
Duration: 22 hrs and 11 mins
I wanted this to continue this alien sci fi series.

After It Happened
By: Devon C. Ford
Narrator: R. C. Bray
Duration: 12 hrs and 38 mins
This is post-apocalyptic after a pandemic.


I purchased one Kindle title for $.99


Trackers 2: The Hunted (A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Series)
by Nicholas Sansbury Smith
I have book one and want to start this series.

Free

Here are some of the Free Kindle titles I picked up. (All of these may still be free):
 
Familiar Trouble (Familiar Legacy Book 1)
by Carolyn Haines

Jarek (Scifi Alien Weredragon Romance) (Dragons of Preor)
by Celia Kyle, Erin Tate

A Brush Creek Brides Duo: A Wedding for the Widower & A Companion for the Cowboy
by Liz Isaacson

Broken World
by Kate L. Mary, Emily Teng

Between Mountain and Sea: Paradisi Chronicles (Caelestis Series Book 1)
by Louisa Locke

Winter's Secret: Clean Wholesome Mystery and Romance
(Northern Intrigue Book 1)
by Lyn Cote

and a few more:
Kiss of Magic Romance, Book One by Mary Leo
The Major's Faux Fiancee (Dukes of War Book 4) by Erica Ridley
Essence Of The Creator (Unveiling The Unseen Book 1) by Alana Plummer
Must Love Murder: A Sketchy Matchmaker Mystery by Etta Faire
Before the Leap (Gold Valley Romance Book 1) by Liz Isaacson, Elana Johnson

I added 74! free Kindle titles to my library this week. Titles found linked through Bookbub, Bookfun, Ereader News Today, Free Par-tay, Ignite Your Book, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.

Sunday Words of Encouragement September 17, 2017

We were happy to be back in our home church. Our Sunday School teacher presented a great message titled “Slow Fade” which I will share soon. Pastor started a new sermon series titled Tension. This series will be four weeks, addressing tension in Faith, Marriage, Family and Life.

Most of us try to avoid tension because it brings discomfort. Tension often leads to negative outcomes. Some people may bring or foster tension in circumstances. There is an old saying “Hurting people hurt people.”But tension also has benefits. Tension is a normal, accepted and welcome part of everyday life. Tension is necessary in music, for electronic equipment, and for vehicle operations. Tension is needed in our body for movement.

Avoiding tension can create stagnant situations and problems. Where there is tension, there is power. The scripture is full of tension. Jesus uses tension to move people by poking at people. Tension is also evident in the old testament, for example, God created tension by hardening Pharaoh’s heart.

God will use tension to move us in faith. We need to recognize the opportunity to pray in the tension. And the opportunity to grow closer to God.

Point: God uses tension to bring us to a decision point that leads us to increased, solidified faith and relationship with God.

Tension creates the opportunity for God's power to be displayed. When the disciples asked Jesus whose sin caused the blindness, Jesus stated: “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. John 9:1-3. Also see v.39. If we follow Jesus, we live in tension with this world. John 15:13-19 and John 16:1.

Don't abandon your faith when you face tension. Instead, lean into the Spirit. In this world we have trouble but Jesus has overcome the world. John 16:33. Jesus sends His followers out as lambs among wolves. You can be eaten or rely on Him for protection and growth. Jesus brought division to the world, not peace. Luke 12:49-52.

We either surrender to His Way and Will or we reject Him. Jesus tells us to “Gear up” to face the day to day world. Ephesians 6:10-18. Will you allow God to use tension in your life?

I think this song fits this message!

A Verse for Today:

John 16:33 NIV
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Jesus, thank you for overcoming this world and reminding me to "gear up" to face this world of trouble.