Retrieved By Amber Polo Blog Tour Review & Giveaway!

Dog-shifters once again face the book-burning werewolves of Shipsfeather in this charming second installment of The Shapeshifters’ Library series.　

Godiva Anglesey, Chocolate Labrador, and the ruggedly handsome English Mastiff Cynerik are forced to team up against power-hungry werewolves when Cynerik discovers an ancient Ohio mound that may hold answers to their shifter history. Knowing the mound’s secrets could benefit the dog-shifters in the ongoing contest for power, ambitious werewolf pack Alpha Sybilla challenges timid Godiva to a battle for the territory. Already faced with a malicious book-worm infestation and a censorship threat to ban all anthropomorphic books in her library, Godiva, who has no interest in battling anyone, must turn from running her small town library to train for a challenge she believes she has no chance of winning. Just when things couldn’t get any worse, Godiva’s mother announces that family tradition dictates that Godiva must be married by Summer Solstice… to a Druid. Godiva doesn’t even know any Druids.

Godiva wants to run her library, retrieve books for library patrons, and keep people happy. She’s no hero. She doesn’t have what it takes to face down werewolves or save the world. Cynerik, however, believes differently. Together they must defeat the werewolves, save the town and its library, protect the most important archeological discovery in dog-shifter history… and, just maybe, find love along the way.
My Review:
 Lately, I've become a tea person.  Not just the run of the mill, paper wrapped tea in a bag variety, but the steep your own single cup loose leaf and spoon out your pleasure kind.  For me, this has become my me ritual, and the time I spend with my delicious steaming cuppa is my retreat.  It's special.  And silly as it may sound, Retrieved by Amber Polo fits right in that special time.
Released took me pleasantly by surprise, so much so that when I'm in a book rut, I page through my kindle and may just read a bit here and there.  If I can put it down, that is.
Imagine my girl geeky giddiness when asked to review the second book, Retrieved?  Oh, yes...please!!
Shipsfeather has weathered the were-storm of library burning and sure catastrophe.  Chronus and Liberty are enjoying their honeymoon (not to say I wasn't sorely disappointed...but that didn't last long!), and the shapeshifters curse has been broken.  Godiva is the head librarian now, and her office lovingly looks across the hall at Gris. All should be right and well in the world, right?
Wrong. Especially when the new pack lead of the book-hating werewolves has cleaned up her house (poor Harry) and taken control. 
New threats abound...the library is suddenly overrun with bookworms, children's books are being pulled off the shelves by irate library go-ers on a national stage, the biggest discovery of the shapeshifter's history has been taken over by the werewolves for..gulp...a golf course, poor Harry has no place to lay his paws, Gris is more aloof and rude to Diva as ever, and a Challenge has been issued to highest dog shifter in Shipsfeather by the library hating hating Alpha werewolf bent on taking over the town.
Poor Godiva, she just wants to run her library, eat chocolate, and run for her daily exercise.  If only she would notice Cynerik as more than just a loyal run through the woods Mastiff pal...
To say that I loved the sequel as much as I loved the first would be a slight understatement.  One complaint?  I missed Liberty and her dashing Chronus...
But, there is so much to love about Retrieved, from the witty and clever yet quaint story-telling (who knew the Dewey Decimal System could be such a descriptive device?!?!) to the tongue in cheek Starbark's and Zoogle, and the wonderful weaving of history incorporated into the legend of the werewolf/shapeshifter back story.  Cyn and Diva stole my heart, as did all of the loyal library loving shifters.  I loved how Amber Polo tells her story, weaving each detail with such precision that you simply cannot put it down. I simply cannot wait to see where the Shapeshifter's Library leads to next!
No spoilers here, but there is plenty of action to keep you on the edge of your seat, and you may just want to run out to your library and make sure no one is pulling your beloved children's book off the shelf.  Right after you enjoy hot chocolate and nice run in the snow!


Rafflecopter code for giveaway:
A Shapeshifter Public Library canvas book bag.
A print copy of "Retrieved," dog biscuits, and a tuft of genuine wolf fur. This giveaway is open only to US/Canada residents.

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Where to find Amber: Wordshaping Blog　|　Facebook　|　Goodreads　|　Twitter
Pinterest　|　Google+

Buy Links for Retrieved, Book two: Blue Merle Publishing　 | Kindle | Amazon Print | Barnes & Noble & Nook | Well Red Coyote Bookstore

Buy Links for Released, Book One: Blue Merle Publishing　| Kindle | Amazon Print | Barnes & Noble & Nook | Well Red Coyote Bookstore

Author Bio:A love of books drew Amber Polo into a career as a librarian. A greater love turned her into a writer.　The Shapeshifters’ Library　series is an urban fantasy filled with books, librarians and dogs and a library everyone will love.


Note: Review copy provided by author.

Christmas On Wherever Island Excerpt Tour & Giveaway!!!

An outrigger cut through the surf. The tallest boys ran into the waves and pulled the boat onto the sand. Through the crowd of children, Marti saw a tall, sturdy man in red shorts and a T-shirt jump from the boat. From the neck up he was a traditional Santa. White beard and red hat contrasted his black skin. Cliff and Marti watched children receive small gifts and candy from the boat and rush off.
Cliff called out. “Does Santa Mon have presents for big children?” He took Marti's hand and drew her close to Santa, whose puckish grin and green eyes reminded Marti of the Chicago ticket seller.
Santa nodded. “Christmas is a time of giving. So true. What gift does the gentleman have for his beautiful lady?”
Marti felt her face flush and wondered if Cliff blushed in the dark. How embarrassing that the Santa thought they were a couple. Cliff knelt and scooped wet sand. With a smile he stood and placed a perfect white scallop shell in her hand.
“A fine gift for your lady.” Santa nodded, pushed his boat into the water and called, “Merry Christmas to all,” and was gone.
Marti smiled at Cliff. “Ah...thanks.”
He looked at her. “Santa Mon was right. For a beautiful lady.” He leaned forward.
She turned to the side and his lips met her cheek. In this amazing romantic setting a handsome man kissed her and she desperately wanted to kiss him back. But she refused to be seduced by a tropical moon and ocean breeze. A vacation fling was not her style. She was loyal. She was loyal to Ben and ignored the voices inside her head reminding her Ben was with his wife.
Cliff whispered, “I'm sorry, Marti. That wasn't a good idea.”
She nodded and dropped the seashell. He bent and stuffed the shell in his pocket.
The hotel desk clerk walked past, calling in a sing-songy rhythm, “Time for Christmas cake! Santa Mon's lucky Christmas cake!”
Marti began to follow him.
“Wait!” Cliff took her arm. “The sun is ready to drop below the horizon. You must watch.”
“Yes,” the manager said, “you may see the green flash.”
“That's not real.” Marti was sure she'd read the green flash was a myth.
“The green flash is real.” Cliff nodded. “If you see one, they say your life will never be the same.”



About The Author:



Amber Polo has had a lifelong love affair with libraries and dogs. A fascination with lost ancient libraries and curiosity about why werewolves outnumbered dog-shifters in literature inspired her new urban fantasy series filled with librarian dog-shifters.

　

"Released" Book One of The Shapeshifters' Library celebrates St. Nicholas Eve as a magic night for the dog-shifters. They celebrate in the old style with wassail, gingerkucken, and old fashioned traditions. 　Share their fun. Read The Shapeshifters’ Library Book One.

　

TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY:



Enter to win a copy of The Shapeshifters’ Library, a Starbarks Coffee Hound mug, plus some treats for your favorite dog.

　

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Buy links for Released: Amazon

Book Trailer for Christmas On Wherever Island: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4enl721U0s

Review: Released by Amber Polo (And if you love libraries and sheep dogs...)

(Provided by author):

Released by Amber Polo

 
Love dogs? Love books ?Love libraries? Hate Book-burning werewolves?

Once long ago the Shipsfeather Academy was a training ground for an ancient race of dog-shifters whose mission was to protect the world’s knowledge. A powerful curse sealed these librarians in the basement of their building and gave the control of the town to a pack of book-burning werewolves.

Librarian Liberty Cutter watches in horror as the town’s public library goes up in flames and plans to re-establish the library in the abandoned Shipsfeather Academy building. Chronus, the Old English Sheepdog headmaster of the academyand leader of the dog-shifters, knows he must make some changes to continue to keep his pack safe. But even if he could persuade Liberty to believe in a talking sheepdog, how far can she be trusted? And will she ever be able to care for him as a man. He has to try, because Liberty Cutter and her staff of zany librarians may hold the key to the dog-shifters’ freedom…and the future of the town.

Being a book lover and an expert library loiterer, the chance to review a new book that somehow intertwined these two things definitely piqued my interest.  But, the real reason?  Bunnicula.

Let me explain.

Bunnicula was one of the first books I became obsessed with when I was younger.  Vampire bunnies draining vegetables to the pale, werewolf daschunds, and of course, the most lovable pup protecting his family.  Now, Released by Amber Polo is far from Bunnicula, but let's just say the cheese has transformed into charming.  And delight!

Once you get past the abruptness of being thrown into Liberty's life (in a frantic opening that introduces her and her situation in a frenetic and information overload way)...a librarian raised by her aunts who desperately wants to learn of her town's history as well as her own but whose library (dream job!!!!!) has mysteriously burned downed but is now being moved into the equally mysterious abandoned old school that always seems to have someone watching her from the shadows as she passes.  PHEW! Wait, the once part!!  At this point, the charming, if not adorable, and dare I say cute (I love sheepdogs) storytelling takes over and we find out the real mystery of this town.  The shape shifting dogs are the librarians of the world, protecting humans and working with them to make the most glorious libraries you can imagine.  And their arch enemies?  Werewolves who split from their canine cousins ages ago in their selfish wolfish ways who burn books and libraries in their quest to destroy both the books and their protectors forever.

The doggie librarians in Shipsfeather have been cursed to stay below grounds in the abandoned school which in turn keeps the werewolves out.  Will this stop the burning?  Or are the books and their caretakers doomed?

I simply adored this book...from the Dewey references (charming!!!!!) to the plethora of dog breeds that so represented their wonderful characters to Liberty herself, it was simply a delight to read. The other characters (Elsie, you mangy Alpha and Harry...we saw that Marley and Me!) added a rich and colorful layer that only made the read more enjoyable. Plus, a little romance thrown in? Who could resist? Sigh...a silver haired dashing man and sheep dog who loves books and a little adventure. Again, sigh...If there was one thing I longed for, it was an epic battle between the wolves and librarians (to really teach those book burners a lesson!), but there's always book two!

Quirky, quaint, and romantic, Amber Polo has delivered a breath of fresh air to this book blogger that was desperately needed.

Once in a while, you come across a story that isn't the newest most popular book obsession but is so worthy of being happily recommended that you know your book vacation would have been a little less sunny without it.  And here it is...

(Thank you, A Buckeye Girl Reads...always a delight.  For serious!!!  Book provided on Kindle for review...)

One lucky commenter from the tour will receive:  Prize pack to include:  Large canvas Shipsfeather Library book bag, 4 signed books by Amber Polo including The Shapeshifters’ Library Book 1: Released, Amber's Relaxation CD, 2collectible dogs, & a tuft of Arctic wolf fur.

Please comment away and make sure you find Release for your own reading pleasure...and to see who wins this battle of the books!!
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Tuesdays Musings...Released

The resignation letter in her briefacase would never be submitted.  This town needed a library.  It needed her. She couldn't leave now.

"We could try huffing and puffing."

Bliss smiled contentedly. "Magic is all around you.  Can't you see it?"

Just a few tidbits from my review of Released by Amber Polo...can't wait to share it with you!!!!!