Friday 30 December 2022

Love To Read? Book Reviews with Amber at The Mewton-Clawson Library #223 featuring **Merlin The Magical Fluff ** by Molly Fitz PLUS Friendly Fill-Ins + Photo Fails Blog Hop

Book Reviews with Amber at The Mewton-Clawson Library Catmas Edition ©BionicBasil®

Hello gorgeous library guests 

and 

Welcome to the Mewton-Clawson Library at BBHQ 

Thank mew for joining me in the stacks today.

I do hope mew've all been having an ameowzing week, if mew saw Wednesday's post, mew'll know we had a nice Catmas, and I did get some new books to share with mew which was epic.

Amber's Book Reviews #223 ©BionicBasil® Amber on the Sofa

This was me on Wednesday enjoying some lounge time on the settee with the P.A., we had the fire going and it was really toasty as we watched Scrooged with Bill Murray.

I'm going to wish mew a fabulous Mew Year with oodles of blessings, and now let's dive into this week's post.


Part of The Mewton-Clawson Library ©BionicBasil®
Amber's Book Review Library Mice Divider ©BionicBasil®
Today the P.A. is also joining in Friday Fill-ins Blog Hop with the pawesome 15 & Meowing and Four-Legged Furballs.
 1. _____________________ is my focus word for 2023.
2. 2022 was ____________________
3. _________ is the most important lesson I learned over the past year.
 4. I hope 2023 is the year that _________.

The P.A.'s answers are...

 1. Stillness is my focus word for 2023.

2. 2022 was interesting, although my apathy hasn't gone away yet, here's hoping that it will next year! LOL

3. Not stressing about getting things done, is the most important lesson I learned over the past year. 

 4. I hope 2023 is the year that finally brings some new books/adventures for The B Team. You know, I never used to experience lulls in my creativity, and it's hard sometimes to tap into the once overflowing pot of ideas at this point in my life.

Amber's Book Review Pink Dot Divider ©BionicBasil®

Today, as it's the last Friyay of the month, we're also joining in the furrbulous...


So do drop by the marvellous Mudpie's blog at www.mochasmysteriesmeows.com to join in.

Pet Photo Fails  ©BionicBasil® Melvyn's Modelling Blooper

 Melvyn's Modelling Blooper, see his proper modelling picture here

Amber's Book Review Pink Dot Divider ©BionicBasil®

Let's see what I've got to show mew this time!

Amber's Book Review Divider ©BionicBasil®

This week's top book pick is...

Amber's Book Reviews #223 What Are We Reading This Week ©BionicBasil®Merlin the Magical Fluff by Molly Fitz
Mewton-Clawson Library Copy

Merlin The Magical Fluff


by

Molly Fitz

       Here's a little snippet of the book blurb:      

My name is Gracie Springs, and I am not a witch… but I’m pretty sure my cat is.

I first started to get suspicious when he jumped just a little too high while chasing after a robin in our front yard. I knew for sure when he opened up his mouth and addressed me by name!

The first thing he told me? That he doesn’t like the name I gave him—even though “Fluffy” fits him like a warm sweater at Christmas. Now we’ve compromised on “Merlin the Magical Fluff,” which according to him references his long and proud lineage just fine.

After that small matter was settled, he informed me that I must uphold his secret or risk spending the rest of my life in some magical prison. I agreed, not knowing it would turn into a full-time job of covering his tracks and fibbing our way out of some pretty tight spots.

Amber's Book Review Mice Divider ©BionicBasil®

This novel was purrchased as part of a three-book box set on Audible. But I thought I'd split it up into three reviews.

This is a nice quick read/listen cozy cat mystery. Merlin is a magical kitty who is essentially a witch, with his owner Gracie as his human familiar, so it's quite a quirky tale in that respect. 

The story begins with a murder in which Gracie turns out to be the chief suspect, and it all unravels from there. The plot thickens as Gracie tries to clear her name and Merlin is on paw to direct the proceedings as we all know that it's the cat who is really in charge! MOL

The story is nicely paced with lots of stumbling blocks and dead ends for our main characters to traverse. And there is a bit of a shocker towards the end when we discover that one of the characters has duped everyone, and isn't who they say they are.

I've knocked one star off, as the narrator, I felt wasn't right for this role, look it wasn't bad, but it could have been a little better as far as the narration was concerned. That tiny issue aside it was an enjoyable story which I think if mew like your cozy's, mew'll like this.

And a quick spoiler for books two and three, the story really does develop well.


Audio: 3hours 26 mins
paperback: 236 pages
Amber's Book Review Library Mice Divider ©BionicBasil®
My Ratings Scale

Amber's Book Review Paw Ratings Scale Pink ©BionicBasil®

Amber's Book Review Pink Dot Divider ©BionicBasil®

Ratings of:

Merlin The Magical Fluff

Overall Enjoyment

Amber's Book Reviews 4 Paw Rating ©BionicBasil®

Amber's Book Review Divider ©BionicBasil®

Other Fun Blog Hops to Join in Today


          Brian's Home   Catblogosphere    Feline Friday   Nature Friday    Flashback Friday   Friendship Friday           

Amber's Book Review Pink Dot Divider ©BionicBasil®

I really hope mew enjoy the book if mew decide to read it.

It's time for me to say BFN or bye-for-now as mew know the drill, so many books, so little time and I'll be back next week with another specially paw-picked book just for mew, and don't furget that all my previous reviews can be found on my Book Review page.

And if mew missed any posts this week, here are the catch up links:





See mew in 2023!

Keep calm and read more books

Amber 


Amber's Book Reviews Pink Review ©BionicBasil®





Amber's Book Review Pink Dot Divider ©BionicBasil®

& @BionicBasil® on Instacat

Don't furget to subscribe and never miss another review! 

Amber's Book Review Pink Dot Divider ©BionicBasil®
 graphics created with paid licence www.canva.com 

Wednesday 28 December 2022

Welcome to The BBHQ Midweek News Round-Up ~ The BBHQ Annual Catmas Card Parade and The BBHQ Catmas Tree - WE'VE GOT MICE! Smooch and Fudge's Catmas Kerfuffle, And Melvyn's Modelling The Top Bandana Pick

Midweek News Round Up with The B Team ©BionicBasil® Catmas Edition 2022

Epically Festive Wednesday Greetings Furiends

Welcome to the BBHQ midweek news round-up!

How's your pawliday week going? 

We had a delicious lunch with Nanny and Grampaw, then we did another lunch for Boxing Day, and do check out our Boxing Day post as we shared some truly epic boxes. 

Smooch was here yesterday with a festive rerun of  Smooch Around the World, where he and his furbulous pal Shadow went to meet Santa Paws at the North Pole.

And if mew missed our Catmas Day selfie, click here to see our festive furmily pawtrait for 2022.

We do hope your week has been magical, and now let's dive into this week's news.

Midweek News ©BionicBasil® Catmas Post Divider

First up in the news 

The BBHQ Annual Catmas Card Parade and The BBHQ Cat Tree - WE'VE GOT MICE!

Thank mew to everypawdy who sent us a Catmas card, we love them! 

These are all the ones which arrived before the big day, although we do know a couple more are still in transit, so we'll update when they get here.

Watch on YouTube click here.

Thank mew so much, we love each and every one!

And here's this year's BBHQ Catmas Tree.

The BBHQ Midweek News Round-Up ©BionicBasil® The BBHQ Catmas Tree

We decided to go for a red and white theme, and we did get some new decorations. Check these out!

The BBHQ Midweek News Round-Up ©BionicBasil® The Catmas Tree Mice

And if mew'd like to see the mice in a video, click here to watch on YouTube.

We are hoping to purchase more of these cute mice in the New Year when hopefully they are on sale.

Midweek News ©BionicBasil® Catmas Post Divider

Next up in the news

Smooch and Fudge's Catmas Kerfuffle


Can mew believe that these two flumpits were getting into it over a frost-bitten catmint plant?

The BBHQ Midweek News Round-Up ©BionicBasil® Smooch and Fudge's Catmas Kerfuffle

Mew know, I sometimes wonder what goes through their floofy brains! MOL

And we think Fudge's floof just gets bigger and bigger!

Midweek News ©BionicBasil® Catmas Post Divider

And finally this week

Melvyn's Modelling The Top Bandana Pick


The BBHQ Midweek News Round-Up ©BionicBasil® Melvyn's Modelling The Next Top Bandana Pick Jingle Yowl All The Way

Doesn't he look absolutely festively furbulous?

Check out his videos on:




Each clip has a different soundtrack, which one do mew like best?

Which one should he model next?



The options from the top left in a clockwise direction:

1. Catmas Cats

2. Festive Unicorns

3. Candy Canes

4. Jingle Yowl the Way

5. New Years Pawty

There is only the New Years Pawty one left of the festive bandanas, so Melvyn will model it on next week's post

Midweek News ©BionicBasil® Catmas Post Divider

That's us done for today. Amber will be back on Friday with another fab book just for mew and it's also the Photo Fails blog hop, and we've got lots of those to share! MOL

In the meantime

Stay Fluffy ©BionicBasil® Catmas Edition

Epically festive purrs

Wing Commander Basil & The B Team 














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Graphics created with paid licence www.canva.com 

Music in Catmas Card Parade Video used under www.soundstripe.com license. Artist: Daniele Muston - Track: All Together Now

Tuesday 27 December 2022

**RERUN** Smooch Around The Wurld and Today We're Smooching All Offur The North Pole with Shadow as My Pawesome Travelling Companion

Woo Hoo Pawsome Pals

Smooch here, and how are mew doing today?

So dudes and dudettes, we're going to be Smooching All Offur The Planet as we Smooch Around the Wurld ~ how much fun, so much fun!

Oh and because The B Team doesn't use conventional means of travel, I'll be using the TTTB aka the Time Travelling Telephone Box to go on my little jolly's, so thank cod I won't have to use an airport as I don't think I'd get through security with all the extra covert hardware I travel with! MOL

Furst though I have to do my travel checklist:

Oh, and I've already had all my travel vaccinations, as mew neffur know, and I always think it's better to have the lot rather than risk getting some foreign lurgy which in turn ruins your jolly's. 

So, where are we going today?

Today pawesome pals, we're headed way, way, way up north to find the magical land of Santa Paws!

So with Shadow's travel card ready, I hopped in The TTTB and moments later landed in the front garden at Chez Shadow.

Now some of mew may not know that Shadow like myself is a tripod, tripawd, tripawed or 3 legged kitty - I'm sure there's some purrliticolly correct terminology to use but I always say tripaw! MOL 

So how epically epic, that not one but TWO tripaws head out on the adventure of a lifetime, OH MY COD it's gonna be so much fun.  

Anyhoo I digress, the TTTB landed in Shadow's front garden and I opened the door and let my terrific travelling companion hop in.

"Hiya Shadow dude, come in, don't hang about out there in the cold," I chuckled.

"Smooch dude, oh my cod!" Shadow said as he entered the TTTB and looked around the bridge. "Mew guys have the best toys effur, jeez I gotta sign up and join The B Team for sure!"

We paw bumped and I replied, "Dude we'd love mew to join, anytime just say."

"So Smooch what have mew got planned for me?" Shadow asked eagerly.

"Oh my cod, we're going up north to find Catmas," I laughed as I saw Shadows expression.

"Mew mean we're going to see Santa Claws?" 

"Yes indeedy we are, and mew just need to hit that red button and we'll be there in a jiffy," I answered.

Shadow peered at the red button and grinned madly. "Dude thanks so much fur this," he said as his paw came down hard and the TTTB vanished.

TTTB Launch Button  ©BionicBasil®

11.56733200098234444r seconds later we landed.

And this is what happened next... 

Shadow & Smooch in Smooch Around The Wurld Catmas Scrapbook ©BionicBasil® 5

We tried snowshoeing but we both got stuck in a drift, it was hilarious; Note to self, tripaw cats can't snowshoe! MOL MOL  We fed all Santa's reindeer with some extra speshal carrots, they're the ones that make them fly, and the highlight of our trip was getting to go on the pre-Catmas test flight.

When I tell mew that sleigh is fast, jeez it's supurr-sonic guys; me and Shadow loved effury single moment and we whooped and hollered in delight fur the entire lap of the wurld. In fact we're surprised that some of mew didn't hear us! MOL

We definitely found Catmas and guys when I tell mew, Shadow and I had the best time, but we can't talk about the Catmas Casino incident with the mistletoe, the cat fairy and the sled aftur far too much catnip-nog [like eggnog only more potent] - needless to say we won't be invited back to that establishment anytime soon!! MOL MOL 

We both gave our letters to Santa aftur he hauled us free from another snowdrift, and said that he'd do his bestest to help as many shelter and homeless anipals as pawsible this year aftur he read our requests.  

And that brings us to the end of our adventure today and when I say what a trip, it was epically epic, it truly was!

Thanks so much for joining Shadow and I on our epic northern adventure,and I'll be back before mew know it sharing another far-flung destination, so hope mew can join me.

And if any of mew would like to accompany me on any future excursions which no doubt will be terribly exciting, possibly a little bit dangerous [might be furry dangerous at times] and definitely a once in a lifetime oppurrtunity, send an email to:

deardrbasil @ gmail . com

With Smooch Around The Wurld in the subject line and a nice picture of yourself [which we can clip] plus your name, age and a couple of fun facts about mew, and who knows mew could be joining me on the adventure of a lifetime!

We'll be back tomorrow with our midweek news, so do join us then as mew know how much we love your company! 

Until next time

Keep Calm 

and 

Don't Furget Your Scarf

Smooch ~ Wurld Traveller and Adventurer Extraordinaire





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