Amanda's Books and More

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Stunning Sunrise and a Linky

I'm interrupting my Christmas holiday photos to share this stunning sunrise that I saw last week from my house. The clouds were pretty neat too.

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Here's a peek at
my latest post

on 1camera1mom:

Atlanta - Part 4
Pics from our trip to the States.

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My Latest Book Review:

The Exciting New Dragon Chameleon Series

Dragon Chameleon: Paths of Deception by [Wilson, Sarah K. L.]

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I've decided that my Picture Perfect Party Linky will now run from Tuesday to Tuesday and I will no longer host the Make My Saturday Sweet weekend blog hop. Please feel free to link any family friendly post below!

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*** If you want to comment or join the linky, then please make sure this page's permalink loads as http and not https! Also, my blog is hosted by Blogger, which uses cookies to improve your browsing experience. And, it's best viewed in Google Chrome. ***

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Now on to my blog hop...

Come link up your Wordless Wednesday

(with or without words) or any picture post

at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.

Join me on this fun and easy blog hop!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Twitter

Facebook
Instagram

and

Here are the easy rules:

Follow me on one or more links above or via email.
Link-up any family friendly post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
If possible, copy the button code below and add it on your linked post or blog's side-bar.
Tell others about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

The Button Code:

This is a Wordless Wednesday blog hop.
Please load page as http and not https.

How to use the linky widget:

First make sure that you load this page as http and not https if you want to see the linky. Type in the name of your blog post under Link Title, then type in your email under Email Address (which I don't sell to anyone), then copy your permalink to your post (most link parties ask for blog posts and not blog homepages) and paste that under URL (make sure that you use http:// or https:// only once), then click Submit Link and that's it!

Visit my Blog Hops page to see the hops that I often link up to.

Thursday, January 10, 2019

The Exciting New Dragon Chameleon Series!

Dragon Chameleon:

Rogue's Quest

About the Book:

Title: Dragon Chameleon: Rogue's Quest | Author: Sarah K. L. Wilson | Genre: Fantasy Adventure | Pages: 112 | Recommended Age: Young Adult

Book Description:

It takes a special kind of magic to hide in plain sight.

A new series by USA Today bestselling author, Sarah K. L. Wilson.

I've been hiding all my life but now I'm doing it for my country.

My partner in crime?
A chameleon dragon who takes things way too seriously.

They keep telling me that the world hangs in the balance, but I try not to take things like explosions, spies, and illicit magic too seriously.

After all, I get to ride a dragon!
That is ... when she lets me.

Perfect for dragon lovers everywhere, DRAGON CHAMELEON: ROGUE is episode one of a brand new series set in the world of DRAGON SCHOOL. It's the perfect beginning for readers new to this fantasy world but still contains hidden gems for long-time fans. Enjoy!

Expect a new episode every second Wednesday. Always free in Kindle Unlimited.

Purchase on Amazon

My Review:

If you’ve read Sarah K.L. Wilson’s Dragon School series, you’re going to thoroughly enjoy her new Dragon Chameleon series set in the same world with a few new characters and new forces of evil to battle. Rogue’s Quest follows the life of a street kid named Tor Winespring and his dragon Saboraak. Tor gets introduced at the end of the Dragon School series. He helps the efforts to save lives when his city is burning to the ground. Hubric takes him under his wing at that time and promises to return for him and give him the opportunity to become a dragon rider. Rogue’s Quest picks up with Tor still waiting for a promise from Hubric that he is beginning to think was a lie. Follow Tor as he gets thrust into an adventure bigger than he ever wanted. And just when the story is getting really good, it ends on a cliffhanger that will leave you breathless and wanting more!

Disclosure: I purchased this book on Amazon Kindle. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Dragon Chameleon:

Paths of Deception

About the Book:

Title: Dragon Chameleon: Paths of Deception | Author: Sarah K. L. Wilson | Genre: Fantasy Adventure | Pages: 96 | Recommended Age: Young Adult

Book Description:

It takes a special kind of rogue to spy on an enemy.

A new series by USA Today bestselling author, Sarah K. L. Wilson.

I'm in a bit of a jam.

The basics?
I have about a hundred magic users chasing me, three people depending on me to help them out and some super weird markings on my arms.

They say this city is full of deception, that it will eat an honest man alive.

Good thing I'm no honest man.
I'm just a street-wise kid with a very serious dragon, and she'll get me out of any trouble I fall into. Right, Saboraak?

Perfect for dragon lovers everywhere, DRAGON CHAMELEON: ROGUE is episode one of a brand new series set in the world of DRAGON SCHOOL. It's the perfect beginning for readers new to this fantasy world but still contains hidden gems for long-time fans. Enjoy!

Expect a new episode every second Wednesday. Always free in Kindle Unlimited.

Purchase on Amazon

My Review:

Paths of Deception is the second book in Sarah K.L. Wilson’s new Dragon Chameleon series. It begins with Tor waking up from his concussion brought on by magical torture, only to discover that they still aren’t out of danger. His little group seems to think that he isn’t very useful and can be bossed around. Sure, he’s just a street urchin from a destroyed city, but there’s more to Tor than that.

What I like about Tor is that he’s learned to survive by trusting his instincts and he has a big heart even if he denies it. Some cool things happen in Book 2. There are plenty of things that will keep you wondering too. Typical of Sarah K.L. Wilson’s Dragon School series, this one ends on a high note in the middle of another crisis. I can’t wait for Book 3!

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book. This is my honest and voluntary review.

The Complete Dragon School Series:

First Flight (Book 1)

Initiate (Book 2)

The Dark Prince (Book 3)

The Ruby Isles (Book 4)

Dragon School Books 5 and 6

Dragon School Books 7 and 8

Dragon School Books 9 and 10

Dragon School Books 11 and 12

Dragon School Books 13 and 14

Dragon School Books 15 and 16

Dragon School Books 17 and 18

Dragon School Books 19 and 20

More Books by Sarah Wilson:

Unweaving Chronicles

The Ex-Pacifist

The Splitting

The Matsumoto

About the Author:

Sarah K. L. Wilson

USA Today bestselling author, Sarah K. L. Wilson, hails from the rocky Canadian Shield in Northern Ontario where she lives with her husband and two small boys. Her interests include the outdoors, history, and philosophy. Her books are always about fantastical adventures in other worlds.

Website | Twitter

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Holiday Dishes and a Linky

We ate a variety of delicious dishes over the Christmas holiday. Most of the food was prepared by my talented mother-in-law. Our last meal, before heading back home, was fish and chips from the harbor.

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Here's a peek at
my latest post

on 1camera1mom:

Atlanta - Part 3
Pics from our trip to the States.

*********************

My Latest Book Review:

Prince of Secrets and Shadows

*********************

I've decided that my Picture Perfect Party Linky will now run from Tuesday to Tuesday and I will no longer host the Make My Saturday Sweet weekend blog hop. Please feel free to link any family friendly post below!

*********************

*** If you want to comment or join the linky, then please make sure this page's permalink loads as http and not https! Also, my blog is hosted by Blogger, which uses cookies to improve your browsing experience. And, it's best viewed in Google Chrome. ***

*********************

Now on to my blog hop...

Come link up your Wordless Wednesday

(with or without words) or any picture post

at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.

Join me on this fun and easy blog hop!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Twitter

Facebook
Instagram

and

Here are the easy rules:

Follow me on one or more links above or via email.
Link-up any family friendly post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
If possible, copy the button code below and add it on your linked post or blog's side-bar.
Tell others about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

The Button Code:

This is a Wordless Wednesday blog hop.
Please load page as http and not https.

How to use the linky widget:

First make sure that you load this page as http and not https if you want to see the linky. Type in the name of your blog post under Link Title, then type in your email under Email Address (which I don't sell to anyone), then copy your permalink to your post (most link parties ask for blog posts and not blog homepages) and paste that under URL (make sure that you use http:// or https:// only once), then click Submit Link and that's it!

Visit my Blog Hops page to see the hops that I often link up to.

Thursday, January 3, 2019

Prince of Secrets and Shadows

Prince of Secrets and Shadows

About the Book:

Title: Prince of Secrets and Shadows (The Order of the Crystal Daggers - Book 2) | Author: C.S. Johnson | Publisher: Prodigy Gold Books | Pages: 250 | Genre: Historical Fiction

Book Description:

Full of spies, secrets, and plenty of suspense, Prince of Secrets and Shadows is the second book in The Order of the Crystal Daggers, a spy adventure series from C. S. Johnson.

PRAGUE, 1870

After joining the Order of the Crystal Daggers, led by her dauntless grandmother, Lady Penelope, Eleanora Svobodová set out to save her kingdom from oncoming devastation.

And she failed.

Following the attack on Prague Castle, Eleanora is determined to redeem herself. She sets out to win Karl's trust while distancing herself from Ferdy, whose secrets and lies have done nothing to stop her from falling in love with him. As she struggles to let him go, questions about the mission and her mother's past cause a rift between Amir and Lady Penelope and add to the growing discord between Eleanora and her brother.

But when a cunning provocateur arrives in Prague, Eleanora discovers there is an even more deadly game afoot, one that reaches into Amir's past and threatens Lady Penelope's future. Now, the members of the Order must work together if they are to uncover the true enemy hiding in Bohemia.

Can they work together despite their divisions? Or will their division lead to even more destruction?

Purchase on Amazon

My Review:

The first book was amazing and the second book even more so! There are so many players on C.S. Johnson's figurative chess board, with a few duplicitous characters, that it's hard to keep all the details straight, but that just keeps it exciting. The intrigue, danger, and romance just keep coming. Who will turn on whom?

Ella is still new at being a spy and this is evident in her actions and reactions. She has to learn to recognize her weaknesses, including her care for her brother. Even with all the espionage, her zeal for the truth and for freedom perseveres. But defining truth and freedom is the real clincher. To complicate things, she's in love with the foolhardy younger brother while pretending to be in love with the focused and driven heir. The ending is moving and will leave you hanging. I can't wait for Book 3!

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest and voluntary review.

My Review of Kingdom of Ash and Soot

(The Order of the Crystal Daggers - Book 1)

C.S. Johnson Author Interview

About the Author:

C.S. Johnson

C.S. Johnson is the author of several young adult novels, including sci-fi and fantasy adventures such as the Starlight Chronicles series, the Once Upon a Princess saga, and the Divine Space Pirates trilogy. With a gift for sarcasm and an apologetic heart, she currently lives in Atlanta with her family.

Website // Newsletter // Facebook // Twitter

Instagram // Pinterest // Google Plus

Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Happy New Year 2019 and a Linky!

Happy New Year 2019!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with friends and family. We visited my in-laws on South Africa's West Coast for 10 days. Here are some family pics and a few Christmas decorations, including two wire-beaded sheep parading as reindeer! The sheep were at the neighbor's house. Amanda helped her grandma make the beach themed Christmas wreath a couple of years ago and it still looks good. The cat and dog belong to my in-laws.

I've decided that my Picture Perfect Party Linky will now run from Tuesday to Tuesday and I will no longer host the Make My Saturday Sweet weekend blog hop. Please feel free to link any family friendly post below!

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RIP Benny!

We have some sad news! Our dear family dog, named Benny, passed away two days ago. We had a kind family looking after our pets while we were at my in-laws' beach house. They came in twice a day to feed the dogs and cats and to take the dogs for a walk. The mother walked Benny who was going slowly the last couple of days while her husband and their young son took Koda on a bigger walk. The family also made use of our pool, so the dogs got more attention than just a couple of walks a day. (It's summertime in South Africa, in case you're wondering.) Thankfully, Benny never showed any signs of illness. It was just his time to go. He was 14 years old and died in his sleep. We adopted him from an animal shelter as a puppy and was a big part of our lives.

Robbie walking Benny, Jessica walking Koda

Benny (with a haircut), Me, Koda, and Amanda
(we adopted both dogs from shelters)

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Here's a peek at
my latest post

on 1camera1mom:

Atlanta - Part 2
Pics from our trip to the States.

*********************

*** If you want to comment or join the linky, then please make sure this page's permalink loads as http and not https! Also, my blog is hosted by Blogger, which uses cookies to improve your browsing experience. And, it's best viewed in Google Chrome. ***

*********************

Now on to my blog hop...

Come link up your Wordless Wednesday

(with or without words) or any picture post

at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.

Join me on this fun and easy blog hop!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Twitter

Facebook
Instagram

and

Here are the easy rules:

Follow me on one or more links above or via email.
Link-up any family friendly post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
If possible, copy the button code below and add it on your linked post or blog's side-bar.
Tell others about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

The Button Code:

This is a Wordless Wednesday blog hop.
Please load page as http and not https.

How to use the linky widget:

First make sure that you load this page as http and not https if you want to see the linky. Type in the name of your blog post under Link Title, then type in your email under Email Address (which I don't sell to anyone), then copy your permalink to your post (most link parties ask for blog posts and not blog homepages) and paste that under URL (make sure that you use http:// or https:// only once), then click Submit Link and that's it!

Visit my Blog Hops page to see the hops that I often link up to.