Series Spotlight: The Beaumont Series

THE BEAUMONT SERIES 

By: Heidi McLaughlin

A blurb for the first book:

I was never supposed to be a rock star. I had my life all planned out for me. Play football in college. Go to the NFL. Marry my high school sweetheart and live happily ever after.

I broke both our hearts that day when I told her I was leaving. I was young. I made the right decision for me, but the wrong decision for us. I’ve poured my soul into my music, but I’ve never forgotten her.

Her smell, her smile.

And now I’m going back.

After ten years.

I hope I can explain that after all this time.

I still want her to be my forever girl.

Hello Readers.

I found this series late on. I think it was 2017. Most of the books had already come out. I read the first one and I could not get enough. I bought all the ones that had been released when I was about halfway through with Forever My Girl. I was addicted. I proceeded to recommend them to anyone that would listen. I bought them as gifts for multiple people.

I had read the entire series at least three times. Then more books started coming. Heidi gave us a whole other series called The Beaumont Series - Next Generation. The books would release and I would read them in one setting. I hope that she writes more about these characters because they have become dear friends. I cannot recommend this series enough. It is really that good. 

InkedBookDragon

Books in the Series:

• Forever My Girl   2012
• My Everything (Novella)    2013
• My Unexpected Forever   2013
• Finding My Forever   2013
• Finding My Way   2014
• 12 Days Of Forever (Novella)   2015
• My Kind Of Forever   2015
• Forever Our Boys (Novella)   2017

Additional Books:

    TBS: The Next Generation

• Holding Onto Forever   2017 
• My Unexpected Love   2018
• Chasing My Forever   2018
• Peyton & Noah (Novella)   2018
• Fighting For Our Forever   2019
• Fighting For Our Forever...Baby Style (This Novella was only available in Jordyn's Army. JA was a charity anthology for Jordyn Preston and her fight against cancer. It was only available for thirty days.)   2019

Heidi McLaughlin's webpage

Amazon

*Blurb taken from Goodreads.

"A Change Would Do You Good"

Hello Everyone!

I believe that Sheryl Crow said it best when she sang that "A Change Would Do You Good.". We tend to fear change. It is frightening and unpredictable. No one likes it. We must embrace change. No matter how hard it may be.

This is the second time that I have decided to institute changes to the blog. Some of the changes that I mentioned before (see "Changes Ahead..." 11/28/17) were put into place. Some of them have yet to be started but I hope to bring them in soon.

Changes that are already in place:

• Author Spotlights
• Series Spotlights
• Blog Tours
• Email Subscription (just added)

Changes that have yet to be set in place:

• Giveaways
• Video Reviews

I would still like to apply all of the above changes to the blog in addition to these:

• Current Reads
• TBR Lists
• Reading Challenges
• Monthly Wrap-ups

Excited about the new changes that are coming. Thank you for reading. Be sure to sign up for the new email subscription. It is a great feature and I am very happy about being able to add it to the blog. 

InkedBookDragon

*A Change Would Do You Good [Recorded by Sheryl Crow]. Sheryl Crow. Hollywood, CA: A&M.

Series Spotlight: The Series of Unfortunate Events

A little blurb about the series:

If you have not read anything about the Baudelaire orphans, then before you read even one more sentence, you should know this: Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are kindhearted and quick-witted, but their lives are filled with bad luck and misery. All of the stories about these three children are unhappy and wretched and will most likely fill you with deep despair.

Hello Readers.

It has been years since I have read these books but I am thinking that a reread is in order very soon. They have been brought back into the forefront with the Netflix adaptation so I thought that I would spotlight them. This is a series that will draw you in on the first book and will carry you along until the end. You feel like you are a part of it. You are taken along these adventures and feel all the ups and downs as the children find their way. For those of you that have not read them, I highly recommend that you do. For those of you that have, join me in a reread. With this roller coaster, I could use a friend of two.

InkedBookDragon

Books in Series:

• The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #1)  -  1999
• The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #2) - 1999
• The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #3) - 2000  
• The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #4) - 2000
• The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #5) - 2000
• The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #6) - 2001 
• The Vile Village (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #7) -  2001                        
• The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #8) - 2001
• The Carnivorous Carnival (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #9) - 2002
• The Slippery Slope (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #10) - 2003
• The Grim Grotto (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #11) - 2004
• The Penultimate Peril (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #12) - 2005
• The End (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #13) - 2006

Additional:

Books 

• The Beatrice Letters - 2006
• Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography - 2002/2007
• The Puzzling Puzzles - 2004
• The Blank Book (Journal) - 2004
• The Notorious Notations (Journal) - 2006
• The Dismal Dinner (Short) - 2004
• 13 Shocking Secrets You'll Wish You Never Knew About Lemony Snicket (Short) - 2006
• A paperback release of the series, featuring restyled covers, new illustrations and a serial supplement entitled The Cornucopian Cavalcade happened with The Bad Beginning: or, Orphans!, The Reptile Room: or, Murder!, and The Wide Window: or, Disappearance!, but stopped after the third.
• Humorous quotes from the series were used in a book published under the Snicket name, Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid.
• All The Wrong Questions - Lemony Snicket's All the Wrong Questions is a four-part young adult series focused on Snicket's childhood working for V.F.D. It is set in the same universe as A Series of Unfortunate Events and features several of the same characters and locations. The first book was entitled Who Could That Be at This Hour?, and was released in October 2012. The second, When Did You See Her Last?, was released in October 2013, and the third, Shouldn't You Be in School?, was released in September 2014. The final book, Why Is This Night Different from All Other Nights? was released on September 29, 2015.**

Movie - Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events was released on December 17, 2004. It encompassed the first three books.

TV Show - A Series of Unfortunate Events was adapted into a series on Netflix. Season One (consisting of eight episodes that cover the first four books) was released on January 13, 2017.

Video Games - Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events is a video game based on the books and film (more so the film, as the name and many plot elements seen in the movie but not the book are seen) that was released in 2004 by Adrenium Games and Activision for PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, Game Boy Advance, and PC. 

Board Game - A board game based on the books was distributed by Mattel in 2004, prior to the movie. The Perilous Parlor Game is for 2–4 players, ages 8 and up. 

Card games - The Catastrophic Card Game. For 2-4 players, ages 14 and under.

Lemony Snicket's Page
Amazon


*Picture contains the covers from the original release and custom covers. The custom covers are by Juniper Books.
**All the Wrong Questions

Series Spotlight: Aurora Teagarden Series by Charlaine Harris

A little about the first book: REAL MURDERS* 

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris, this first book in the Aurora Teagarden mystery series combines the excitement of solving the crime and the charm of Southern hospitality. 

Aurora Teagarden, small town librarian and true crime buff, is looking forward to the monthly meeting of the Real Murders Society, a group of fellow crime enthusiasts who share a unique interest in historical murders. The Society meetings are the highlight of Roe’s social life in sleepy Lawrenceville, Georgia, and she’s ready for a quiet night of discussion, coffee, and cookies. But after she finds the body of a Society member in a staged crime scene eerily similar to the one the group was supposed to discuss that very night, Roe finds herself at the center of a murderous story of her own.

As the killer strikes again, it’s obvious that members of the Real Murders Society have become targets of a knowledgeable copycat. With the help of handsome police detective Arthur Smith and the town’s dashing new resident, mystery novelist Robin Crusoe, it’s up to Roe to discover if the murderer is one of the group’s own and to piece the perplexing puzzle together before another body appears.

Hello Readers.

This week's series that I want to spotlight is the Aurora Teagarden Series by Charlaine Harris. I chose this series to spotlight because I read it during a rough time in my life and it helped me through it. I was hooked from the first book and had to read every one that was available immediately. I started the series later so I didn't have to wait for the first eight books (1990-2003).

The author took a huge break with this series. It wasn't until 2016 that she brought us back to Aurora's world in her books. She had been involved with other projects so continuing this series took a backburner for a bit. I was delighted when I found out that another one was coming. 

Aurora will most likely either remind you of yourself or of someone you know. She has that familiar quality that is both lovely and reassuring. Her curiosity and intelligence tend to get the best of her and lead her into some interesting situations. I don't want to spoil it for you so I won't go into more detail. 

I highly recommed this series. I am sure many of you have encountered other works by this author but this is one that should not be ignored. I will admit, there is definitely some "Aurora" in me. I have a feeling that there is a little "Aurora" in all of us. 

InkedBookDragon

Books in Series:

• Real Murders               
• A Bone to Pick               
• Three Bedrooms One Corpse
• The Julius House
• Dead Over Heels
• A Fool And His Honey
• Last Scene Alive
• Poppy Done to Death
• All the Little Liars
• Sleep Like a Baby

Additional:
Short Story: "Deeply Dead" which appeared in Murder, They Wrote.

TV movies: "Aurora Teagarden Mystery: A Bone to Pick"
                    "Real Murders: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery"
                    "Three Bedrooms, One Corpse: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery"
                    "The Julius House: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery"
                    "Dead Over Heels: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery"
                    "A Bundle of Trouble: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery"
                    (Hallmark Movies and Mysteries Channel airs them.)

Charlaine Harris's Page

Amazon

*Blurb from Amazon
**Picture from www.recordedbooks.com

Series Spotlight: The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher

A little about the first book: STORM FRONT* 

In the first novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Dresden Files series, Harry Dresden’s investigation of a grisly double murder pulls him into the darkest depths of magical Chicago…

As a professional wizard, Harry Dresden knows firsthand that the “everyday” world is actually full of strange and magical things—and most of them don’t play well with humans. And those that do enjoy playing with humans far too much. He also knows he’s the best at what he does. Technically, he’s the only at what he does. But even though Harry is the only game in town, business—to put it mildly, stinks. 

So when the Chicago P.D. bring him in to consult on a double homicide committed with black magic, Harry's seeing dollar signs. But where there's black magic, there's a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry's name...

Hello Readers.

The first series that I want to spotlight is The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. The reason that it is first is because I fell completely in love with it after reading the first one. Granted, it has gotten much better with each addition but it had me. I found myself completely enthralled and then deeply saddened when each book concluded. 

Harry Dresden will take you to places that you never dreamed. These books are full of humor, action, romance, revenge, and so much more. They are beyond fabulous. The writing is phenomenal. I cannot rave enough about this series. 

I don't want to spoil it for you so I won't go any deeper. All I can say is that if you like this kind of series, read it. Read it immediately. It is truly that good. 

InkedBookDragon

Books in Series:

• Storm Front               
• Fool Moon                 
• Grave Peril
• Summer Knight
• Death Masks
• Blood Rites
• Dead Beat
• Proven Guilty
• White Night
• Small Favor
• Turn Coat
• Changes
• Ghost Story
• Cold Days
• Skin Game
• Peace Talks - No release date as of yet.      

Additional:

Book - Side Jobs - Short Stories

TV show - The Dresden Files (Not the greatest representation)
Graphic novels:

• Welcome to the Jungle
• Storm Front, Volume 1: The Gathering Storm
• Storm Front, Volume 2: Maelstrom
• Fool Moon, Volume 1
• Fool Moon, Volume 2
• Ghoul, Goblin
• War Cry
• Down Town
• Wild Card
• Dog Men

Roleplaying game - The Dresden Files Roleplaying Game

Jim Butcher's Page

Amazon

*Blurb from Amazon
**Picture from White Night

Changes Ahead...

Hello Everyone!

I have been thinking a lot about how I can make this blog better. I could sit down and write about all the events of my life but I am pretty sure that is not why you are here. You are here to read about books. Maybe you are here for recommendations to take you out of your comfort zone. Maybe you are just bored and trying to pass the time. No matter what brought you here, thank you. Thank you for taking the time to read the words of a nerdy tattooed bibliophile. I appreciate it.

As I was saying earlier, I want to make this blog better. Time for some changes.

• Giveaways. Yes, you read that right. Giveaways! I am still working on the details but I will be hosting giveaways from time to time. 
• Author Spotlights. Have not figured out the frequency yet but I will be doing spotlights on authors. This is a good way to introduce people to authors that they may never have encountered before. 
• Series Spotlights. Some books are a part of series and so reviewing every single book in that series may be exhausting. Not just to me but also to you. I will be discussing some series as a whole (or at least up to where they currently are). 
• Video reviews. I am not sure when I will start this one but I hope to post videos once in a while of me reviewing books. I feel that this will allow you to see me more as a person and not just a machine that reads and reviews books quickly.
• Blog Tours. I am currently in discussions with some authors about me taking part. This should be fun. 

There you have it. There are the new changes that will soon be intergrated into this blog. I am sure that I will think of more so keep a look out. You never know what you may find here. 

InkedBookDragon