Hello furbulous library guests
and
Welcome to the Mewton-Clawson Library at BBHQ
Thank mew for joining me in the stacks today, and just before mew dive into this week's post, just look what I found in the BBHQ Photo Archive. All the way from April 7th 2007, like eons ago, but don't I look so cute and utterly furbulous?
Anyhoo, I know that mew're all waiting for the next installment in the Prudence saga. If mew weren't here last week, click here to catch up on all the gossip.
So, last week, in a brief recap, Prudence headed off Down Under to go pursue a sheep farmer from Woolmaroo called Bonza. Now, Bonza has actually lured her there to save poor Melvyn from her rather evil mittens, and they are truly evil mittens, I'm not making it up.
Erin gave me an update the other night at our weekly Zoom Bridge Game, and apparently, Prudence arrived in OZ and hastily made her way to Woolmaroo by train, where, upon arriving, Bonza had gone off on a walkabout with a flock of sheep.
Thereby leaving Prudence at the empty sheep station with two of the farm hands, who are now placating her while she acclimatises to the inferno heat. They have given her a room above the wool shed, so she's being well looked after.
And then Hissy Furrton came into the library yesterday, and she'd just bumped into Clawdia Von Meowson and Melody Fluffworth at the Nip and Nom Tea Shoppe between Mewton-Clawson and Fuskerton.
"Mew'll never believe what I just heard!" Hissy said as she barged into the library, carrying two cups of lavender catnip tea and two rather large slices of Marjorie Tufts' epic chocolate brownies with catnip sprinkles.
"What?" I replied as I continued to stamp books.
"Is there anywhere a little more private," Hissy whispered conspiratorially.
"Just give me a minute to process these returns, and we'll go to my private reading room," I said.
Hissy wandered off down the 'F' aisle, and I waved Oswald over to me. "Oswald sweetie, can mew take over the library desk for me while I go and have a quick word with Hissy?"
The chief library mouse nodded. "Sure thing, Amber. I'll get Chedds to come and help me, if that's ok?"
"Of course," I replied. " And don't forget to add a few extra cheese cubes to your wages for the day as my way of saying thank mew."
"Mew are the best boss ever!" Oswald beamed as he tapped his radio and said. "Chedds, please can mew come to the front desk."
I wandered off down aisle F and found Hissy holding a new book called Feline Furbulousness in Five Foolproof Steps by Furrlista Pawter ex-supurr-meowdel.
"Oh my, I think I'll have to borrow this later," Hissy grinned. "At my age, I need all the help I can get!"
I nodded, took the book from her, placed it in her basket and headed for my private reading room, closing the door once Hissy was inside.
"Now then," I smirked. "What's the gossip on the street?"
Hissy sat down on my plush velvet sofa and placed the drinks and brownies on the low table in front of us.
Passing me one of the drinks, I flipped the lid off and took a sip as Hissy gathered her rampaging thoughts, corralled them and put them in order. "Well, I couldn't believe my ears at the Nip and Nom just now," she began. "Clawdia and Melody are horrified!"
I broke a piece of the brownie off and popped the chocolaty deliciousness in my mouth, savouring the explosion of flavours.
"It seems that Prudence arrived at the sheep station and that hunky ozzie man cat had gone on a walkabout," Hissy said. "And the worse thing was, she'd only missed him by a day. Apparently, it's an annual thing and happens every year!"
"Oh dear," I replied. Obviously, I couldn't let on that Erin and I had come up with this rather devious plan.
"Yes, and the farm hands don't know how long he will be," Hissy added. "And when Prudence asked what the duration of the walkabout was, the reply she got from Buzz the chief shearer was. How long is a piece of string?"
"Oh my!" I feigned mock horror. "That's not good."
"No," Hissy said, taking a sip of her lavender catnip tea.
"What's Prudence going to do now?" I enquired, stuffing more brownie into my mouth.
"Well, Clawdia told Prudence to come home immediately."
"And?"
"Prudence said no, because she will look stupid chasing halfway around the world for love."
"Oh my!" I replied, trying to keep my face as neutral as possible.
"Then Melody said fluff what anypawdy thinks, just come home."
"And what happened next?" I asked, silently praying that she wasn't going to come back and make a play for young Melvyn again. His therapy bills were costing me a fortune!
"Clawdia then said that Prudence had seen a flyer on the train advertising a dating cruise for senior cats, called This Ship has Sailed, Last Chance Dating Extravaganza. Which is leaving Cairns in about a week, and Prudence has booked a ticket for the three-week dating pageant with the proviso that if mew don't meet your true love onboard, there's a full refund!"
"No way!" I breathed a sigh of relief as I reached down the side of the sofa and pulled my iPaw tablet out. Quickly typing in Mewgle's search engine, I discovered the cruise. It was at the top of the page and offered guaranteed true love to all those onboard.
"WOW! It says, Create cat-tastic connections in far-flung foreign climes, get lost in love and find your twin flame or your money back. That's how confident we are at Feline Forchoone Furbulously Flashy Vacations!" I chuckled as I clicked through the link and began to read. "It also says the ship is called Furr-tastic Flurrtations, and it looks pretty plush. It says here that all travellers need to have a full medical before boarding and that full travel insurance for the duration of the trip can be offered at an extra cost just in case of piracy, abductions or any other hostile event which may occur while they cruise around the seas. Oh, and further insurance is required in case of unforeseen weather anomalies, being washed overboard and subsequent retrieval by local authorities to get mew back onboard the ship. Or if they are out at sea, retrieval by onboard staff."
"That doesn't sound good," Hissy said, taking a bite of her brownie.
"Sounds fluffing dangerous to me," I replied, taking a sip of my tea. Then added. "But it sounds purrfect for Prudence; may she have the time of her life!"
Hissy and I clinked our cups together and toasted Prudence bon voyage, all the while I was thinking, I can't wait to tell Erin! MOL
So that's this week's update: Melvyn is still free, and I'm praying that Prudence finds true love on the cruise. I'll update mew more next week.
Anyhoo, let's dive into this week's post.
The P.A. is also joining in Friday Fill-ins Blog Hop with the pawesome 15 & Meowing and Four-Legged Furballs.
1. I like to pretend _____________________.
2. Why anyone wants to _________________ is beyond me?
3. I have a lot in common with _________.
4. I tend to be optimistic about _________ but pessimistic when it comes to _________.
The P.A.'s answers are...
1. I like to pretend the world I create at BBHQ is real when I'm writing the adventure stories. I see all the action and events unfolding in my mind's eye like a movie as I'm writing. It's great fun! LOL
2. Why anyone wants to participate in adrenanlin rush sports is beyond me? I'm more of a feet firmly on the ground type of person; the thoughts of bungy jumping and the like, fills my mind with visions of snapped bungy cords, failing parachutes and a very swift plummet to solid ground etc... each to their own, and if that is what floats your boat I'm thrilled for you, it's just not for me.
3. I have a lot in common with anyone who loves cats as much as I do, and I know many of you visit BBHQ very regularly, and I can't thank you enough! Have I told you lately how epically epic you all are? Yes, readers here at BBHQ are officially EPICALLY EPIC!
4. I tend to be optimistic about life in general but pessimistic when it comes to reading about world events. I try to minimise and limit my exposure to bad news or news in general.
As it's the last Friday of the month, we're also joining in the furbulous...
Do stop by Mudpie's supurr meowvellous blog at www.mochasmysteriesmeows.com to join in.
Parsley couldn't take the pace way back in 2018 when we'd just harvested the catnip crop.
This photo does make us laugh, and laugh and laugh!
Let's see what I've got to show mew this time!
Onyx Storm
Empyrean Book Three
by
Rebecca Yarros
Here's a little snippet of the book blurb:
After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty.
Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.
Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.
Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.
Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.
Today, as it's Fiction on Friday, it's my NON-CAT book choice of the month.
Mew may remember back in November I reviewed Fourth Wing by Recca Yarros, and I must admit I was so smitten with it, so much so, that I got my own fluffing dragon, yep it's true. His name is Maximus Inferno the Sixth, but I just call him M.I.6. for short.
We make a great team! MOL
I reviewed book two, Iron Flame, at the end of last month, so if mew missed it, click here to catch up.
Anhoo let's finish the series so far...
If mew're looking for a book that combines thrilling battles, heart-wrenching secrets, and a dash of dragon magic, then look no further than Onyx Storm! This third installment in the Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros is an absolute whirlwind, and believe me when I say, it will have mew gripping the edge of your seat from the very first page!
Violet Sorrengail has come a long way from her days of struggling through lessons at Basgiath War College. With the battle horns blaring and enemies appearing from every shadow, our fierce heroine is thrust into a world where trust is a luxury and danger lurks in the most familiar faces. Talk about being thrown into the deep end! But Violet is no ordinary protagonist; she’s got strength, quick wit, and a determination that could rival the fiercest of dragons—quite literally, as she’s out to save her beloved dragons, family, and, of course, that certain someone special.
As Violet sets off on her journey beyond the Aretian wards, the story spins an enchanting tale of courage and resilience. The vivid landscapes of unfamiliar lands bring an exciting freshness to the narrative, and the stakes literally increase with every wing beat. We’re treated to an array of new characters, each with their own secrets and motivations, and just when mew think mew have it all figured out, a curveball comes hurtling your way.
Violet’s quest for allies isn’t just a physical journey; it’s also an emotional rollercoaster that challenges her beliefs and convictions. Plus, let’s not forget the pulsating magic that flows throughout the story, adding layers of intrigue and excitement!
Onyx Storm is a must-read for anypawdy who loves a good fantasy filled with action, secrets, and enough heart-stopping moments to keep mew flipping pages long into the night.
A Totally Top Paw Read!
The only downside is that we've got a long wait for book four to arrive!
Paperback: 544 pages
Audio: 23 hours 52 minutes
My Rating Scale
Ratings of:
Onyx Storm
Overall Enjoyment
Other Fun Blog Hops to Join in Today
I really hope mew enjoy the book if mew choose 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 forget that all my previous reviews can be found on my Book Review page.
Until next time...
Keep calm and read more books
Amber
graphics created with paid licence www.canva.com
