I read this in one morning. It’s not a long book. In fact, it’s more of an encyclopaedia for the bests of Harry Potter (although I’m not too sure if it’s a complete one as there aren’t that many). Now, if you read this book expecting a novel, well I am going to tell you now, go to your local library and read it. It’s not worth buying (unless you want to support the publisher and the charity).

I can’t say much about ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’. I mean, I read through it and thought the creatures were interesting, but now, writing this review, I’ve forgotten most of the creatures and what they do. I really like J. K. Rowling’s graphical descriptions and the magical words she oozes so easily. One day, I hope to be as magical as her.

Other than what’s above, the book is really short. I read it in an hour… or an hour and a half. Somewhere around that. That’s really fast for me. So, it’s not that long. But if you really like J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter world, and you want to add this to a collection you’re building, I’ll go ahead and recommend it. I recommend a read (from your library or where ever) in any case for all fans of the books.

Title: Of Beasts And Bonds
Author: N.D. Jones
Publisher: Kuumba Publishing
Series: Death and Destiny # 2
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:

"Of Beast and Bonds" by N.D. Jones

My Thoughts......

This novel was a the second in the 'Death and Destiny' which featured.....Special Agent Assefa Berber and Dr. Sanura Williams picks up where book one left off [from the extensive world built around Western African lore and their culture]. The readers gets a paranormal romance [darker preternatural element] that was quite complexed. in how this author presents this dramatic story to the reader. How will this couple have a relationship and 'the fate that will fight against them? Why wasn't this relationship not complete? What did Sanura's father have to do with that situation? How would these two main characters deal with 'adversity, strife, betrayal, death, trials and tribulations?' How will 'having faith, love and strength' aid these two as the deal with all that is put in front of them? To find out all these answers to the questions and much more you will have to pick up the well written read and see for yourself how well this author brings it all out to the reader.

Be ready for a interesting long mythology ride as this author take you in a story full of 'strife, turmoil, mythical depictions, murders, vivid imagery, battles, destruction's, betrayals and death.'

The characters from [Sanura, Assefa, Rashad, Makena, Mike, Mimi Wata, Omar, Greg Zareb, Omar, Sam, Stephen, Manute, Dahad, Najja, Michael, Cynthia, Eric, Rachel, Pilar, Paul] and to name a few were well developed, strong, willed, portrayed with imaginations that were off the chart giving the reader one good read that will definitely keep your attention to the end. This author really knows how to give the readers some interesting 'hot sexy love scenes.' In the end will these two Assefa and Sanura [ Fire Witch and Cat of Legend] get their HEA?

If you are looking for a very strong and entertaining read [of African Mythology with some urban fantasy/paranormal romance] then you have come to the right place for "Of Beast and Bonds" will give it all to you.

I received a copy by winning a complementary read of 'Of Beast and Bonds' and this is my honest opinion.

Hello, everyone! Last month, I gathered a round-up of adaptation news from the past six to seven months that I had covered in my bookish rounds posts. The six to seven months was an arbitrary number, and I had missed some adaptation news in choosing that limit.

*Note: Not all of these are strictly Young Adult adaptations -- some are more "kidlit" (e.g. The Little Prince, Tuck Everlasting, etc.) and some had franchises in MG/YA but may not be anymore (e.g. Harry Potter & Cursed Child, Fantastic Beasts, etc.), but I thought that all would be relevant to the YA community.

2016 Young Adult and Middle Grade Adaptations

 

JANUARY:

 

• Shadowhunters (The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare) | Official Twitter Page | TV Show | Premiere: January 12, 2016 on Freeform / ABC Family | More clips at IMDB.

• The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey | Official Twitter Page | Movie | Release Date: January 22nd, 2016 | More clips at IMDB.

MARCH:

• The Divergent Series: Allegiant (part I) by Veronica Roth | Official Twitter Page | Movie | Release Date: March 18, 2016 | More clips at IMDB.

• The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (Author/Illustrator), Richard Howard (Translator) | No official Twitter Page (?) | Movie | Release Date: March 18, 2016 (in the U.S.) | More clips at IMDB.

APRIL:

• The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling | Official Twitter Page | Movie | Release Date: April 15, 2016 | More clips atIMDB.

• Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt | Official Twitter Page | Broadway Musical | Opening Night: April 26th, 2016 | More clips at Official Website.

MAY:

• Alice through the Looking Glass (Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll) |Official Twitter Page | Movie | Release Date: May 27, 2016 | More clips at IMDB.

JULY:

• The BFG by Ronald Doahl | Official Twitter Page (UK, not sure where US one is) | Movie | Release Date: July 1, 2016 | More clips at IMDB. 

• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany | Official Twitter Page | London play, 2 parts | Opening Night: July 30th, 2016 | More information at Official Website. 

OCTOBER:

• Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life by James Patterson | No Official Twitter Page(?) | Movie | Release Date: October 7, 2016 | More information to come at IMDB. 

• A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness | Official Twitter Page (& here?) | Movie | Release Date: October 14, 2016 | More clips to come at IMDB. 

NOVEMBER:

• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling | Official Twitter Page | Movie | Release Date: November 18, 2016 | More clips to come at IMDB.

DECEMBER:

• Let It Snow by Maureen Johnson, Lauren Myracle, and John Green | Official Twitter Page(?) | Movie | Release Date: December 9, 2016 | Maybe more information to come at IMDB. 

• Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiars (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Peculiars) by Ransom Riggs) |Official Twitter Page | Movie | Release Date: December 25, 2016 | More clips to come at IMDB.

And for the rest....

 

 

RELEASE DATES NOT YET CONFIRMED*

A Calender of 2016 Young Adult and Middle Grade Adaptations. Click to enlarge the image.

*For these movies, the release date is listed as 2016, but the actual date has not been confirmed. Whether they will actually be released this year is yet to be determined.

• Nerve by Jeanne Ryan | Official Twitter Page | Movie

• Fallen by Lauren Kate | No Official Twitter Page(?) | Author's Twitter| Movie

• The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani | No Official Twitter Page(?) | Author's Twitter | Movie

• A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket | No Official Twitter Page(?) | Author's Twitter | Netflix

• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery | No Official Twitter Page(?) | Movie

• Ashes in the Snow (Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys) | No Official Twitter Page(?) | Author's Twitter | Movie

• 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher | No Official Twitter Page(?) | Author's Twitter | Netflix

• Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver | Official Twitter Page | Movie

• Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli | No Official Twitter Page(?) | Movie

ONGOING TV SHOWS:

*Can't make a calender of adaptations without nodding to the successful ones that are still running!

• The third season of The 100 by Kass Morgan premieres January 21st.

• The sixth season of Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard returns January 12th.

• The seventh season of Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith returns January 29th.

 

*Note: Since Alex Skarsgård is playing Tarzan and has bulked up for the role, I figured that his character was probably not meant to be like the Disney version anymore.

Joining us in the Ruins this morning is Cat Rambo, fantasy and science fiction author, and guest editor of the recent Women Destroy Fantasy issue of Fantasy Magazine. While she has over 170 pieces of fiction under her belt,  The Beasts of Tabat is her debut novel . . .

Another book I am really, really late reading! It’s fascinating, though, so if any of you have been putting off trying it, stop! The story of the American ambassador to Germany in the years just before WWII, In the Garden of Beasts tells a complicated story of tangled expectations, loyalties, and friendships. While I’m not sure I ultimately view the Dodds as positively as Larson does, I did find their story riveting.