Review: IncrediBuilds: Harry Potter: Stag Patronus Book and 3D Wood Model - Jody Revenson

Patronuses are one of the most difficult and powerful defensive charms a witch or wizard can conjure. This book gives a behind-the-scenes look at how this magic was imagined, designed, and brought to life for the Harry Potter films. Readers will get a look at how the filmmakers crafted each Patronus s ethereal appearance, how Harry Potter s stag saved him from the Dementors, and how the mysterious doe led him to the Sword of Gryffindor. Finally, participate in the magic by building your own stag Patronus with the included do-it-yourself wood model, and paint it any way you like!

Harry Potter Series:
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: Illustrated Edition (Illustrated by Jim Kay)
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: 20th Anniversary House Editions
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Illustrated Edition (Illustrated by Jim Kay)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Illustrated Edition (Illustrated by Jim Kay)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Illustrated Edition (Illustrated by Jim Kay)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Play Script written with John Tiffany & Jack Thorne)

Pottermore Presents:
Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies (Short Story Collection)
Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists (Short Story Collection)
Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide (Short Story Collection)

Incredibuilds:
IncrediBuilds: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Erumpent (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
IncrediBuilds: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Niffler (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
IncrediBuilds: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Swooping Evil (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
IncrediBuilds: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Thunderbird (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
IncrediBuilds: Harry Potter: Aragog (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
Incredibuilds: Harry Potter: Buckbeak (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
IncrediBuilds: Harry Potter: Hedwig (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
Incredibuilds: Harry Potter: Hogwarts Express (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
Incredibuilds: Harry Potter: House-Elves (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
Incredibuilds: Harry Potter: Quidditch (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
IncrediBuilds: Harry Potter: Sorting Hat (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
IncrediBuilds: Harry Potter: Stag Patronus (Deluxe Book and Model Set)
Incredibuilds: Harry Potter: Thestral (Deluxe Book and Model Set)

Other Harry Potter Books & Products:
Funko Pop 2019 Harry Potter Advent Calendar
Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Guide to Hogwarts - Matthew Reinhart
Harry Potter - Creatures: A Paper Scene Book
Harry Potter Hedwig Owl Kit and Sticker Book (Model & Sticker Book)
Harry Potter: Magical Film Projections: Patronus Charm (Activity Book)
Harry Potter Talking Sorting Hat and Sticker Book: Which House Are You? (Model & Sticker Book)
Harry Potter: The Character Vault - Jody Revenson
Harry Potter: The Marauder's Map Guide to Hogwarts - Erinn Pascal (Activity Book)
Harry Potter: Winter at Hogwarts: A Magical Colouring Set (Colouring Book, Gift Tags & a build your own 3D Firebolt in a Keepsake Box)
J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World: Magical Film Projections: Creatures (Activity Book)
Metal Earth: Harry Potter Gringotts Dragon (3D Puzzle)
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter: The Official Guide

Visit J.K. Rowling's website or the Pottermore website for more information

Review:
I've reviewed quite a few of these Incredibuilds model kits now so I'm sure most of you know what to expect from these kits. The models come as a sheet of wood and you have to pop out the pieces and follow the instructions to slot them all together making, in this case, a model of Harry's Stag Patronus. I've found all of these models fairly easy to build and they've all held well even without using any kind of glue so you don't need to buy additional materials. Of course you can paint them if you like but I've left all of mine as plain wood and they're still really cute bookshelf decorations.

Each model comes with a small booklet with insider information about the Harry Potter books and movies. This booklet talks about the Patronus spell, has a section on the Dementors that it repells, talks about the effects they used to create both Dementors and Patronuses in the movies, talks about Dumbledore's Army and the different Patronuses each of the characters creates. It's not a large book so you'll be able to read through it very quickly but it's a nice accompaniment to the model.

I've really enjoyed making these model kits, I think I've done nearly all of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts ones now so I'm hoping they might come out with a few new designs but to be honest I'm starting to run out of shelf space to store them all anyway! These do make great gifts for Potterheads though so I'd recommend them as gifts for any HP fans in your life.

Source: Purchased

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Review: The War Priest - Ann Aguirre

Dour. Dutiful. Dogged.

Personal tragedy drove Callum McRae to join the Order of Saint Casimir fifteen years ago; now he’s in charge of a hold he hasn’t lived in for years. Supplies are scarce, he has no knack for dealing with people, and the Gols are at the gates. To make matters worse, he’s also battling an attraction so powerful and forbidden that it imperils his very soul…

Canny. Cheerful. Charming.

Joss Bristow seems bright and cheerful, but she’s hiding a well of sorrow that fuels her music. She’s also prone to leaping before she looks, exactly how she ends up besieged at Burnt Amber. Though she wanted to get to know Callum better, she never imagined that falling for him could cost her life.

He’s the dark of night, and she’s the sun that shines just for him. Two wounded souls have never needed each other more, but between his holy vows and the devastation of war, the odds are stacked against them…

Ars Numina Series:
The Leopard King
The Demon Prince
The Wolf Lord
The Shadow Warrior
The War Priest
The Jaguar Knight (release date to be confirmed)

Visit Ann Aguirre's website for more information

Review:
Callum left his home fifteen years ago to join the Order of Saint Casimir as a priest and he never looked back. He certainly didn't expect to have to come back years later and take control as the hold leader in the middle of a war. The Gols are closing in and battle is looming, supplies are running low and Callum is totally out of practice when it comes to dealing with so many people. Joss is Callum's total opposite, cheerful and empathic to his cold and stoic, she knows exactly how to keep people's spirits up even in the most dire situations. She has admired Callum from afar and wants nothing more than to get to know him better but his plans to return to the priesthood are a huge barrier between them. Joss is exactly what Callum needs though and she might be the only person who can help him get through the challenges that lie ahead.

I've been a fan of Ann Aguirre's Ars Numina series since the beginning but The War Priest was definitely my favourite book so far. I absolutely loved the romance between Joss and Callum. She's such a sweet and warmhearted character while he comes across as really dour and grumpy so at first glance you wouldn't think they fit well together. You'd be totally wrong on that though because Joss is absolutely everything that Callum needs, he locked his heart away after a tragedy and has been in a kind of frozen stasis ever since but Joss's sunshine personality burns through that ice and lets her through to the warm and loving man hidden deep inside.

I loved that their relationship develops slowly, the attraction is there from the beginning but it takes time for them to build a friendship and grow trust before Callum realises that Joss is the most important thing in his life, even more so than the vows he took. Even then his vows to the Order of Saint Casimir are taken seriously, Callum respects the order and he doesn't just walk away because he has feelings for Joss. He talks about it with his brothers and requests permission to leave from the head of the order. These two are ridiculously adorable together and I was so happy with the way things turned out for them.

That isn't to say this story is all easy though. They are in the middle of a war and facing danger on all sides so there is plenty of action happening here. It was nice to see some of the previous characters make cameo appearances and there was a lot of great progress made between the different factions who are all fighting against the Gols. I'm already looking forward to the next book and can't wait to see how this series ends.

Source: Received from Ann Aguirre in exchange for an honest review

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Release Blitz: Starbreaker - Amanda Bouchet

I'm a huge fan of Amanda Bouchet's writing, I love her Kingmaker Chronicles fantasy romance series and I also really loved Nightchaser, the first book in her science fiction romance trilogy so I couldn't wait to read the sequel Starbreaker. I was lucky enough to get an early review copy of Starbreaker and even though I've been struggling to read in the last couple of months I absolutely devoured it so I can't recommend this series highly enough even if you're in a reading slump! I'll be posting my review ASAP (but you might have noticed I'm also in a blogging slump so it may take a couple of days, my ability to concentrate has been shot to hell recently. Thanks Covid!) but I wanted to shout about the book today on release day and I have a fab excerpt and giveaway to share with you below thanks to publisher Sourcebooks.

Starbreaker

by Amanda Bouchet

Publication Date: 4/28/2020 (TODAY!)

THEY NEVER WANTED TO BE HEROES

Captain Tess Bailey and Shade Ganavan are still the galaxy’s Most Wanted, and with revolution in the wind and the universe on the brink of catastrophic war, the situation couldn’t be more desperate. Despite the Dark Watch scouring the known Sectors for them, rebel leaders have handed the crew of the Endeavor a delicate and dangerous mission: break into Starbase 12 and free renowned scientist Reena Ahern. She’s the only one who stands a chance of tipping the odds in their favor for the first time in decades.

BUT PULLING OFF THE IMPOSSIBLE IS WHAT THEY DO BEST

The clock is ticking. As their attraction builds and secrets are revealed, Tess and Shade must decide if they trust each other enough to execute this impossible prison break. They could change the course of history, but they’ll be risking everything… They’ll just have to tackle one crisis at a time.

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Tr79gb

B&N: http://bit.ly/3an8fiU

Apple: https://apple.co/3d2CAEN

Kobo: http://bit.ly/3cWL1BA

IndieBound: http://bit.ly/33nRjpJ

BAM: http://bit.ly/2IRGse0

Bookshop: https://bit.ly/2UoMgSS

About the Author:

Amanda Bouchet is a USA Today bestselling author of Fantasy Romance and Sci-fi Romance. She was a Goodreads Choice Awards top 10 finalist for Best Debut in 2016 with her first novel, A Promise of Fire. For more about Amanda's books with equal parts adventure and kissing, connect with her at www.amandabouchet.com.

Author Website: www.amandabouchet.com



GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Excerpt:

I toyed with my soup to look busy, little surges of adrenaline spiking inside me and keeping me on edge. I’d been here for an hour and had worked up a sweat and lost my appetite—the opposite of what you wanted in a restaurant where the food smelled so freaking good.

While Shade polished off his lunch, I used my spoon to poke at a few recognizable vegetables and what the menu called beef. Steak and beef were just generic terms for red meat these days. I didn’t know what kind of cattle—another generic term—they raised on Korabon for food. I’d never been here before, had never planned on coming. Shouldn’t be here now. Time was running out.

I set the spoon back in the bowl. A glance toward the basket of thickly sliced trigrain bread made my stomach flip over, rejecting even that. Anxiety killed my appetite as fast as a Dark Watch patrol showing up and barking out “Background checks!” to everyone in the room.

Shade sighed. “Baby, it’s more suspicious not to eat.”

I sighed back at him. “It’ll make the return trip if I try.” The few bites I’d managed weren’t sitting well. “Do you really want a soupatastrophe on your hands?”

His quick smile blazed across the room. It ignited a little flame in my chest that helped ease some of the tightness there. “Given the choice, there are other things I’d rather have in my hands.”

“I didn’t say in, I said on. There’s quite a distinction.”

“Ah. My mistake.” He wiped his mouth with his napkin, probably hiding a grin.

I mashed my lips together and forgot to be nervous for a second. I even managed a bite. Just one, though.

Shade took a moment to look at me hard. I got the message he couldn’t say out loud over the coms. Eat. Keep your strength up. He and I were the only ones who knew I’d drawn more of my unique A1 blood.

Or maybe it wasn’t that unique. Maybe these Mornavail I’d heard about were out there somewhere, healing faster and never getting sick. Like me—an evolutionary step up. And also like me, hiding from the Galactic Overseer, who wanted our blood to create an army of super soldiers.

Fun times across the eighteen Sectors. My grimace had nothing to do with my soup this time.

“My picture was just all over a database for bounty hunters. Now, you have my enormous bounty on your head. How can you eat?” We should be lying low and delivering the food we still had for the Outer Zones, not sitting in a restaurant on a highly monitored rock.

“I may be new to life in the Dark, but I’m a fast learner. Fresh food only comes around so often in a space rat’s life. It’s tragic to waste it.”

“Shade’s right,” Fiona whispered over the coms. “Eat the damn soup,” she hissed.

“Shhhh!” Jax scolded quietly.

A laugh churned inside me. Briefly, my eyes collided with Shade’s again. It was hard not to focus on him. A handsome man treating me to a meal in a not entirely shabby establishment had never happened before today. Too bad we couldn’t sit together and only one of us had an appetite.

“Fine.” I steeled myself and took a bite so that everyone would stop hounding me. “Happy?”

Shade huffed, evidently unconvinced.

I forced down another mouthful, chewing and swallowing carefully. At least my battle with the soup got my mind off Ahern. And the food would do me good. The six bags of blood I’d taken from my own veins in as many days hadn’t totally wiped me out, but I hadn’t been able to completely shake it off yet, either. Beef—or whatever this was—would help.

The two women occupying the table next to Shade’s threw him flirty glances and leaned over to ask him a question about desserts. The waitress immediately joined in, having already attempted to draw Shade into conversation twice. I got it. It wasn’t often that tall, dark, and smoldering sat alone in a restaurant.
They finally left him alone after deciding on a choco seed dessert loaf to share. The waitress went to get it.

“Wow, you really are a wanted man,” I grumbled, a hint of tartness in my voice.

Shade’s small snort vibrated over the com, tickling my eardrum. “I want their dessert.”

“You are their dessert.” He was six foot two of solid yumminess with a healthy appetite, broad shoulders, a square jaw, and scarred knuckles that said I can protect you with my bare hands. I’d even bitten him and knew for a fact he tasted good. “But trust me, neither wants to share.”

Humor sparked in his eyes, and for the first time in an hour, I forgot why we were here.

The happy lapse didn’t last. My heart kicked when the door opened again. An older couple walked in, and the waitress for my corner threw me a dirty look, clearly wanting me to get lost so she could give my table to someone who might actually eat something.

I’d love to, I growled inside my head. If Daniel Ahern would just show up.

If Ahern wanted us to rescue his scientist wife from her extended stay in the imperial prison system, he needed to get his rebel butt in here and give me his new intel before a Dark Watch patrol spotted two of the galaxy’s Most Wanted through the floor-to-ceiling windows, stormed in, and Shade and I were toast.

***

Excerpted from Starbreaker by Amanda Bouchet. © 2020 by Amanda Bouchet. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

Review: Sin & Lightning - K.F. Breene

One thing has become incredibly clear to Alexis and Kieran, if they hope to last in the arena of Demigods, they'll need a more robust defense team.

They must take two incredibly dangerous journeys, seeking the prized talents other Demigods would kill for. Except, there is a reason other Demigods don't have these magical workers--they are as ruthless as they are dangerous, and the last thing they want is to be on a Demigod's team.

If that isn't enough, Alexis has received an invitation from Demigod Lydia, the only Hades Demigod who hasn't openly declared war. She's talking like they could be allies, but those of Hades cannot be trusted. A trap is just as likely as a handshake. Still, it's a chance they must take.

Any one of these trips could be their last, but to back down would be the most dangerous of all.

Demigods of San Francisco Series:
Sin & Chocolate
Sin & Magic
Sin & Salvation
Sin & Spirit
Sin & Lightning
Sin & Surrender

Visit K.F. Breene's website for more information

Review:
This series is honestly just getting better and better with each instalment. With Kieran trying to cement his place as the demigod of San Fransisco he needs to prove that he's powerful enough to hold the territory. He already had a strong team with his six but he still needs other powerful allies and preferably to get at least one of the other demigods on his side if he wants to protect not just the territory but also Lexi and her wards. Lexi has unusual but powerful magic and if Kieran can't prove himself then the other demigods are going to start fighting to steal her from him.

Lexi knows that Kieran needs more powerful magic users on his team and with the help of Bria she is determined to help him recruit some. Of course this involves putting herself in danger but she has a unique way of looking at the magical world that could be key in convincing some people that Kieran is a demigod worth allying themselves with. I actually really enjoyed seeing Lexi tracking down potential team member, she's really good at connecting with people and she will fight to the death for anyone she considers a friend or family member. There are some fab new additions to their team that we get to meet here and I'm really looking forward to learning more about them as the series continues.

However it isn't all plain sailing, and some enemies are very good at hiding their evil intentions. The whole team faces a lot of danger in this instalment and there were some heart stopping moments when it all comes to a head towards the end of the book. Things are definitely ramping up and I think the action is only going to build up even more as the series continues. It's definitely going to be interesting when we get to meet the rest of the demigods and I can't wait to see how much chaos Lexi and Kieran cause at the upcoming meeting. This series has definitely become a favourite and I'm sure fans will love this latest instalment!

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

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Cover Reveal: A Rolling Scone - Nancy Warren

A Rolling Scone: A Culinary Paranormal Mystery by Nancy Warren

Releasing May 20th!

Amazon -- getbook.at/ARollingSconeNW

will be free with kindle unlimited

Butter, sugar, flour — and Death!

British amateur bakers must turn out the perfect scone in this week’s filming of The Great British Baking Competition.

When baking contestant and fledgling witch Poppy drops a plate of practice scones on the grounds of Broomewode Manor, she finds more than dirt and brambles. There’s a body in the bushes!

Can she keep her cool while solving mysteries, trying to master witching skills, and still turn out a decent scone?

Taste this culinary cozy mystery series from USA Today Bestselling author Nancy Warren. Each book is a stand-alone mystery, though the stories are linked. They offer good, clean fun, and, naturally, recipes.

#witchescozymystery #cozymystery #mysterynovel #TheGreatWitchesBakingShow

Review: Golden in Death - J.D. Robb

'Doctor Kent Abner began the day of his death comfortable and content'

When Kent Abner - baby doctor, model husband and father, good neighbour - is found dead in his town house in the West Village, Detective Eve Dallas and her team have a real mystery on their hands. Who would want to kill such a good man? They know how, where and when he was killed but why did someone want him dead?

Then a second victim is discovered and as Spring arrives in New York City, Eve finds herself in a race against time to track down a serial killer with a motive she can't fathom and a weapon of choice which could wipe out half of Manhattan.

In Death Series:
Naked in Death
Glory in Death
Immortal in Death
Rapture in Death
Ceremony in Death
Vengeance in Death
Holiday in Death
Midnight in Death (Novella)
Conspiracy in Death
Loyalty in Death
Witness in Death
Judgement in Death
Betrayal in Death
Interlude in Death (Novella)
Seduction in Death
Reunion in Death
Purity in Death
Portrait in Death
Imitation in Death
Big Jack (Available in the Remember When Anthology or separately)
Divided in Death
Visions in Death
Survivor in Death
Origin in Death
Memory in Death
Haunted in Death (Novella)
Born in Death
Innocent in Death
Creation in Death
Eternity in Death (Novella)
Strangers in Death
Salvation in Death
Ritual in Death (Novella)
Promises in Death
Kindred in Death
Missing in Death (Novella)
Fantasy in Death
Indulgence in Death
Possession in Death (Novella)
Treachery in Death
New York to Dallas
Chaos in Death (Novella)
Celebrity in Death
Delusion in Death
Calculated in Death
Thankless in Death
Taken in Death (Novella available in the Mirror, Mirror anthology or separately)
Concealed in Death
Festive in Death
Obsession in Death
Devoted in Death
Wonderment in Death (Novella)
Brotherhood in Death
Apprentice in Death
Echoes in Death
Secrets in Death
Dark in Death
Leverage in Death
Connections in Death
Vendetta in Death
Golden in Death
Shadows in Death

Faithless in Death

Forgotten in Death

Abandoned in Death

Desperation in Death

Encore in Death

Payback in Death (September 2023)

Visit J.D. Robb's website for more information.

Review:
I can't quite believe that I've actually caught up with this series, let alone that fifty books (plus multiple novellas) in and I'm still totally in love with this world and the characters. That's some kind of magic right there, but come on this is J.D. Robb aka Nora Roberts, queen of romance, so it probably shouldn't be that surprising! I was intimidated by the length of this series and put off starting it for a long time but once I got hooked in I couldn't stop reading and I'm amazed by how quickly I got through these books. I'm not sure what I'll do with myself while I wait for the next one to publish, perhaps I should start a reread?

Anyway, if you're a fan of this series then you'll already know exactly what to expect from Golden in Death, it has the same humour, the same brilliant and often quirky characters, the futuristic gadgets and the weird murders that Eve has to work her butt off trying to solve. It has strong friendships, one of my favourite fictional romances and my ultimate book boyfriend. All the magical ingredients that will keep me coming back for more even if there are another fifty books published in the future. I'm definitely not done with this world yet.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Night of the Dragon - Julie Kagawa

Evil and hope clash and burn in the epic and shocking conclusion to the Shadow of the Fox trilogy.

All is lost.

Kitsune shapeshifter Yumeko has given up the final piece of the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers, in order to save everyone she loves from imminent death. Now she and her ragtag band of companions must journey to the wild sea cliffs of Iwagoto in a desperate last-chance effort to stop the Master of Demons from calling upon the Great Kami dragon and making the wish that will plunge the empire into destruction and darkness.

But even with their combined skills and powers, this most unlikely team of heroes knows the forces of Evil may be impossible to overcome. And there is another player in the battle for the scroll, a player who has been watching, waiting for the right moment to pull strings that no one even realised existed...until now.

Shadow of the Fox series:
Shadow of the Fox
Soul of the Sword
Night of the Dragon

Visit Julie Kagawa's website for more information.

Review:
I've been a fan of Julie Kagawa's writing for years but I honestly think that the Shadow of the Fox series is her best one yet. I've been caught up in this world from the beginning and I'm really sad that it's now time to say goodbye.

It's so hard to review the final book in a trilogy because I want to encourage everyone who hasn't started this series yet to dive straight in but I don't want to go into too much detail because I don't want to give away spoilers. What I've loved most about these books has been the fantastic Japanese mythology and all of the wonderful yokai & kami creatures that Julie Kagawa has introduced us to along the way. Our band of characters has been through so much since the first book but it all comes to a head in Night of the Dragon and they're facing more danger than ever before.

I'm not going to lie and tell you this is an easy end to their journey, this book prefers to grab you by the throat while it slowly rips your heart out, but what I will say is that I loved every minute of it. There are definitely heartbreaking moments in this book but there are also really sweet and heartwarming ones to balance that out and it was definitely a fitting end to a much loved series.

Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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