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In case this isn't already marked on your calendar, today we honor one of the most fabulous of mythical creatures: the unicorn. You may be thinking only small children love unicorns. But you would be wrong.  The unicorn is the national animal of Scotland and you will find them pictured on everything from wine glasses to backpacks. I keep remembering the scene in the movie Dodgeball when one of the characters is revealed to be a secret unicorn collector of epic proportion--for those who can relate, today is your day.

Below are ten books to celebrate National Unicorn Day at any age.


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Pop-Up Peekaboo! Unicorn by DK

Adorable pastel unicorns pop up from under large flaps.  So cute and fanciful.


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The Magic of Unicorns by Gina L. Grandi

A bright and beautifully illustrated picture book field guide to unicorns.  The mythology and history from around the world is sure to enchant young readers.

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Unicorn Food: Magical Recipes for Sweets, Eats, and Treats by Rachel Johnson

 Rainbows! Glitter! Cupcakes!  40 recipes for everything from Tie-Dyed Grilled Cheese to Glitter Pink Strawberry Marshmallows. Food fit for unicorns and those who love them.

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Uni the Unicorn by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

A unicorn who believes that little girls are real.  A girl who believes unicorns are real.  A beautiful story of friendship.

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Baby Unicorn: Finger Puppet Book by Chronicle Books

Introduce babies and toddlers to their first unicorn with this adorable little board book with an attached finger puppet.  Start the unicorn love early, they'll thank you for it later.

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The Magical Unicorn Society Official Handbook by Selwyn E. Phipps

 The official handbook about all things unicorn.  Where to find them, the powers they possess, what unicorns like to eat, and how to care for them should you be so lucky as to find one (and befriend it).  Gorgeous illustrations and text perfect for older readers.


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Paint by Sticker Kids: Unicorns & Magic by Workman Publishing

The modern version of paint-by-numbers, this activity book of numbered stickers creates ten different images of unicorns and their counterparts.  This kit even includes glitter stickers!

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Unicorn Bowling (Phoebe and Her Unicorn Series Book 9): Another Phoebe and Her Unicorn Adventure by Dana Simpson

The latest book in the wildly popular graphic novel series, Phoebe and Her Unicorn follows these best friends on their first ever bowling adventure.


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Into the Land of the Unicorns (Unicorn Chronicles) by Bruce Coville

The first book in a new series for adults, a young woman must take a message into the land of unicorns and find the oldest among them.  Pure unicorn fantasy.

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Unicorn Coloring Book: Adult Coloring Book with Beautiful Unicorn Designs

Channel your inner unicorn to come up with a colorful design for each of these 30 different unicorn images. The level of complexity ranges from beginning to advanced colorists.

With 45 tentacles, the Sollasina cthulhu could snatch food and creep along the ocean floor.

"Are you surprised that rich parents are bribing their rich kiddies into top schools? Shocked, even? Don't be."

Early Review: The Affair of the Mysterious Letter by Alexis HallThe Affair of the Mysterious Letter by Alexis Hall
Published by Ace on June 18, 2019
Genres: Adult, Fantasy & Magic, LGBT, Mystery & Detective
Format: eBook, Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 352
Source: NetGalley
Reviewed by: Tacoma
4 Stars

In this charming, witty, and weird fantasy novel, Alexis Hall pays homage to Sherlock Holmes with a new twist on those renowned characters.

Upon returning to the city of Khelathra-Ven after five years fighting a war in another universe, Captain John Wyndham finds himself looking for somewhere to live, and expediency forces him to take lodgings at 221b Martyrs Walk. His new housemate is Ms. Shaharazad Haas, a consulting sorceress of mercurial temperament and dark reputation.

When Ms. Haas is enlisted to solve a case of blackmail against one of her former lovers, Miss Eirene Viola, Captain Wyndham finds himself drawn into a mystery that leads him from the salons of the literary set to the drowned back-alleys of Ven and even to a prison cell in lost Carcosa. Along the way he is beset by criminals, menaced by pirates, molested by vampires, almost devoured by mad gods, and called upon to punch a shark.

But the further the companions go in pursuit of the elusive blackmailer, the more impossible the case appears. Then again, in Khelathra-Ven reality is flexible, and the impossible is Ms. Haas' stock-in-trade.

THE AFFAIR OF THE MYSTERIOUS LETTER is a delightful romp with fun characters and a smart voice. Fans of Sherlock Holmes and Fallen London may be particularly interested in this spin on the antics of 221b.

In THE AFFAIR OF THE MYSTERIOUS LETTER, Sherlock is a consulting sorceress named Ms. Haas. With a familiar attitude, Ms. Haas sweeps Captain John Wyndham on a series of escapades. I was less interested in the main mystery about the letter and more concerned with the day-to-day antics of our heroes. Captain John’s particular voice solidifies the Sherlockian experience.

This is a book that demands sequels. Ms. Haas and Captain John mesh well with the fantastical world Alexis Hall has created, so that I couldn’t help but crave more of Captain John’s amusing recollections of his adventures with Ms. Haas. THE AFFAIR OF THE MYSTERIOUS LETTER is a solid adaptation.

More Reviews:

Publishers Weekly

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If you're looking for more humorous fantasy with a historical spin, check out Soulless by Gail Carriger.

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Finder is a science fiction novel by Suzanne Palmer.


From Hugo Award-winning debut author Suzanne Palmer comes an action-packed sci-fi caper starring Fergus Ferguson, interstellar repo man and professional finder.

Fergus Ferguson has been called a lot of names: thief, con artist, repo man. He prefers the term finder.

His latest job should be simple. Find the spacecraft Venetia's Sword and steal it back from Arum Gilger, ex-nobleman turned power-hungry trade boss. He'll slip in, decode the ship's compromised AI security, and get out of town, Sword in hand.

Fergus locates both Gilger and the ship in the farthest corner of human-inhabited space, a gas-giant-harvesting colony called Cernee. But Fergus' arrival at the colony is anything but simple. A cable car explosion launches Cernee into civil war, and Fergus must ally with Gilger's enemies to navigate a field of space mines and a small army of hostile mercenaries. What was supposed to be a routine job evolves into negotiating a power struggle between factions. Even worse, Fergus has become increasingly--and inconveniently--invested in the lives of the locals.

It doesn't help that a dangerous alien species thought mythical prove unsettlingly real, and their ominous triangle ships keep following Fergus around.

Foolhardy. Eccentric. Reckless. Whatever he's called, Fergus will need all the help he can get to take back the Sword and maybe save Cernee from destruction in the process.

Hmm. I'm sad I didn't connect to this one like other reviewers seem to have connected with it.

Fergus Ferguson is a bit of an Indiana Jones type character, but he's having his action adventure in space. Fergus is a repo man, and he's on a mission to steal back a spaceship.

I think my issue lies in how action heavy Finder turned out to be. I love action, but this book was pretty full throttle the whole way through. When I started Finder, I thought "Yes! This is going to be so much fun!", but the level of fun kept going and the character-action scale tipped too far down on the action for me.

If you love nonstop action, though, without getting to know who you are rooting for, this might be a really great pick for you.

⭐⭐⭐★★

Review copy provided by publisher

I absolutely adored Next Year in Havana and am super excited to share information about the follow-up book, When We Left Cuba, out today! The cover is beautiful. I will have a review later this week, but in the mean time, enjoy the cover and the blurb :)

In 1960s Florida, a young Cuban exile will risk her life–and heart–to take back her country in this exhilarating historical novel from the author of Next Year in Havana, a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick.

Beautiful. Daring. Deadly. 

The Cuban Revolution took everything from sugar heiress Beatriz Perez–her family, her people, her country. Recruited by the CIA to infiltrate Fidel Castro’s inner circle and pulled into the dangerous world of espionage, Beatriz is consumed by her quest for revenge and her desire to reclaim the life she lost. 

As the Cold War swells like a hurricane over the shores of the Florida Strait, Beatriz is caught between the clash of Cuban American politics and the perils of a forbidden affair with a powerful man driven by ambitions of his own. When the ever-changing tides of history threaten everything she has fought for, she must make a choice between her past and future–but the wrong move could cost Beatriz everything–not just the island she loves, but also the man who has stolen her heart…

Book Links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2IcuzB8

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/2KQM6MG

iBooks: https://apple.co/2IjgX3m

IndieBound: https://bit.ly/2LoZFUz

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2rINd9V

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38193131-when-we-left-cuba

Learn more about When We Left Cuba including downloading the book club guide and more at: http://www.chanelcleeton.com/when-we-left-cuba

Chanel Cleeton is the USA Today bestselling author of Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick Next Year in Havana. Originally from Florida, Chanel grew up on stories of her family’s exodus from Cuba following the events of the Cuban Revolution. Her passion for politics and history continued during her years spent studying in England where she earned a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Richmond, The American International University in London and a master’s degree in Global Politics from the London School of Economics & Political Science. Chanel also received her Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law. She loves to travel and has lived in the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. 

Author Links:

Website:   www.chanelcleeton.com

Facebook:   www.facebook.com/authorchanelcleeton

Facebook Reader Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1545366192398558/

Instagram:   www.instagram.com/chanelcleeton/

Twitter:   www.twitter.com/chanelcleeton

Goodreads:   www.goodreads.com/chanelcleeton

Newsletter: https://bit.ly/2GFim2N

I skipped posting an update last weekend because I finally managed to spend some time down at the beach. 💙🌴🍹☀️🌊 The weather was wonderful on Saturday. On Sunday it turned really cold and rainy. I was just as happy to stay inside and read, though! Today's update is going to look extra heavy because I'm including the week before as well.

Posted Last Week(s)



Look at all those stars. 🤩

Finished Reading




A Hawk in the Woods by Carrie Laben ⭐⭐⭐⭐★ review

Children of Time (Children of Time #1) by Adrian Tchaikovsky - I'm still mulling over my thoughts, but I may land in the middle with this one. ⭐⭐⭐★★

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review

Finder by Suzanne Palmer ⭐⭐⭐★★ review

Currently Reading



The Last by Hanna Jameson - This is post-apocalyptic, and I'm loving it.

The Dark Game by Jonathan Janz - This one is a lot of fun, too.

Gardens of the Moon (Malazan Book of the Fallen #1) by Steven Erikson - Yikes! I'm taking part in a group read of this on Instagram. I'm actually enjoying the language a lot more than I thought I would, but I have no idea what's going on in this book.

Recent Acquisitions




Gardens of the Moon (Malazan Book of the Fallen #1) by Steven Erikson - I bought this on audio during Audible's $5 sale and then I ran into a print copy at the thrift store so I grabbed that one, too! I will totally conquer this book.

The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth #1) by N.K. Jemisin - This is another book I grabbed during the Audible sale. Lilyn and I are going to buddy read it later this year if you'd like to join us.

Kings of the Wyld (The Band #1) by Nicholas Eames - Another Audible grab. I was mad that I missed the recent Kindle sale so I was happy to be able to grab the audio.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid - I've heard so many amazing things about this book so I grabbed this one during the Audible sale as well. It's outside of my normal genres so I'm hoping I can make some room for it!

Nod by Adrian Barnes - I discovered this book while watching a "favorite fantasy books" YouTube video. It turns out it's more horror than fantasy so yay! I can't wait to read it.

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson - I order Elantris because I just really want to read it!

So what about you? Let me know what you're reading this week or leave me some links!


This post is being shared as part of Book Date's It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Caffeinated Book Reviewer's The Sunday Post.