Year: 2020

Review+Giveaway: Fun Fun Fun World

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The Devastorm 5 is an alien warship whose prime directive is to seek out planets to invade and conquer in tribute to the almighty Alien Queen. The only problem is that the crew of the Devastorm 5 is the worst in the fleet. Despite being the losers of the alien army, Pilot Minky still considers himself the best pilot in the galaxy. Rounding out the crew is sober Science Officer Illy, cranky Commander Hoytch, silly Security Officer Von and the slimy Political Liaison Eggy, they are a dysfunctional crew to say the least. After being chided by other more successful members of the Queen’s Alien Army, Minky vows to conquer EARTH once and for all. And he does! But Minky doesn’t realize that he’s only captured an amusement park called Fun Fun Fun World. The only human to witness the invasion is Javi Camacho, the son of the park’s lead engineer. Javi is an avid consumer of conspiracy theories and paranormal activities, so the presence of aliens only confirms his suspicions. Javi has been on the hunt for the reclusive creator of Fun Fun Fun World, famed animator Franklyn Funger- who Javi suspects is still alive and hiding in the park somewhere.

After posing as the park’s colorful mascot characters, the crew sends the Queen Earth’s most prized treasure- the Churro. Jealous of Minky’s success, Eggy plots a coup with Franklyn Funger. Eggy’s shenanigans trigger the emergency signal back to the mother ship and reveal to the Queen that Earth hasn’t been taken after all. The Queen’s most evil warrior, Vang, heads to Earth to blow it up because if she can’t have it then no one can! Eggy and Minky mend their rift and must band together with Javi and Funger to save the park and save the world!

This was such a fun little adventure! In this story we follow a crew of misfits as they are doing everything they can to conquer a planet and redeem themselves as well as learn to work together. As with any group of aliens (or people) there are growing pains, hurt feelings and bad decisions. Add to that a precocious child who just wants an amusement part to find it’s old magic again and you have a roller coaster ride of mishaps and shenanigans.

The art style and coloring are perfect for not only the subject but also the targeted age range of the story. The colors are super vibrant and bring out that over the top, super fun motif!

Now for the giveaway! Enter the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win one copy of Fun Fun Fun World. Please keep in mind that Oni Press will be sending the prize, so I will be supplying them with the winner’s information once the giveaway has ended. If you’re unable to see the widget below, click on “a Rafflecopter giveaway” to be taken to the giveaway.

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Happy reading!

Review: Why Does Daddy Always Look So Sad?

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Author: Jude Morrow
Publisher: Beyond Words Publishing
Date of Publication: April 7, 2020

Why Does Daddy Always Look So Sad? is the story of one man’s journey to parenthood, and how his autism profoundly affected that journey, for both better and worse. Growing up autistic, Jude Morrow faced immense challenges and marginalization, but he was able to successfully—though not without difficulty—finish university and transition into the working world and eventually parenthood. This book is a view of life and love through the eyes of an autistic adult, who went from being a nonverbal and aggressive child to a hardworking and responsible father to a non-autistic son.

In this poignant and honest memoir, Jude defiantly uses his voice to break down the misconceptions and societal beliefs surrounding autism, bringing hope to all who live with autism as well as those who care for someone on the spectrum. Jude views his autism as a gift to be shared, not a burden to be pitied, and as he demonstrates through his candid recollections and observations, autistic people’s lives can be every bit as happy and fulfilling as those who don’t have autism.

I knew that Jupiter has seventy-nine known moons and where the swimming pool was located on the Titanic, yet I didn’t know how to connect with this beautiful child who called me “Daddy.”

I wasn’t entirely knowing what to expect with this memoir as I’m not hugely knowledgeable about those on the Autism Spectrum, but it is something I would like to know and understand more about. This book follows the author’s journey as he grew up and moved through life, living with having Asperger’s. There were a number of struggles that he expertly described in a way that the reader could really understand and empathize with. It was touching to see it through his eyes as he came to realizations and came to accept his condition so that he could not only enjoy his life but build a wonderful relationship with his son. Though I’m not on the spectrum in any way, there were situations he described that I empathized with greatly due to having high anxiety.

I really enjoyed going through Morrow’s story the way he told it. His introspection and self examination allows the reader to fully immerse themselves in what he describes and his emotions during his experiences, even when he has a hard time understanding them himself. It was a wonderful view not only into what he has experienced with his condition, but also what other’s around him experienced.

Jude Morrow presented with communication and social difficulties early in life, which led to a diagnosis of Asperger Type Autism at the age of 11. Despite having educational challenges, Jude progressed through secondary school and graduated from the University of Ulster with an honors degree in social work in 2012. Jude now works as a social worker and is a motivational speaker and advocate for all things autism. When not speaking, writing, or social working, Jude loves spending time with his son, Ethan, enjoying the outdoors, cooking, and reading.

Thank you again to Beyond Words Publishing for offering me a copy of this book. Happy reading!

Review: Pandora's Legacy

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What starts out as a typical family vacation to Grandma and Grandpa’s house quickly erupts into supernatural mystery and peril when three siblings accidentally break an old, mystical jar hidden deep in the woods, revealing they are descendants of Pandora and their family has been tasked for generations with protecting the very jar they just broke… As magical monsters pour out of the fractured relic and run amok, Charlie, Janet, and Trevor must find a way to capture all of the creatures in order to save their family—and potentially the entire world—before it’s too late. Writer Kara Leopard ([Super]Natural Attraction) and illustrators Kelly & Nichole Matthews (Jim Henson’s Power of the Dark Crystal) weave an otherworldly tale about finding help in the unlikeliest of places, learning the truth about your family history, and most importantly of all, talking cats.

I was really excited reading the description of this graphic novel, descendants of Pandora who have to deal with Pandora’s box being opened? Yes please. The banter between the siblings and the humor woven throughout was spot on and helped the story move along quickly. The artwork was so vibrant and dynamic and I loved how each of the monsters shown were illustrated.

There were points where things were written in Greek and one instance where Korean was used and I wish there had been a translation somewhere on the page. You could definitely tell the context of what was being said, but I’m sure younger readers would really like a translation, even if it was through a footnote.

Overall it ended up being a fun and quick read that was full of laughs. I did really enjoy it and flew through it.

Happy reading!

Things To Do While in Isolation

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I know things are uncertain for a lot of us right now with the pandemic. Those of us who are high risk are definitely feeling the anxiety and stress of the situation, but it’s hard for everyone. While in self isolation a lot of people could go a little stir crazy, so here’s some things you could do to take your mind off things.

Read! You knew this was coming. Start a new series, tackle your TBR, finish those books you are still in the middle of! I had a big plan for this weekend to do just that, but then I feel asleep – oops!

Keep an eye out for your local businesses – Since we’re self isolating as much as possible, local businesses that depend on walk in traffic are really hurting. And this doesn’t just affect the business itself, but it’s employees. If you need a new stack of books, check out if your local bookstores are doing curbside pickup or have special deals going on for online orders. Even though we are looking out for ourselves we also need to look out for everyone else too.

Break out the puzzles and games – These are great stress busters, especially if you have heightened anxiety over the situation. Spend time having fun with your loved ones and breathe.

Reorganize and clean – Ok, if you’re anything like me this probably causes a lot of nervous energy that you don’t know how to use. Either you do something or you’re going to end up crying your eyes out. I have plans in the next couple days to probably reorganize my bookcases, just because it is something I know will utilize that energy.

This is a fearful time no matter where you live in the world. Please be compassionate and caring towards each other, have empathy and remember that we all live on this planet. Don’t hoard products, just take what you need, don’t get in fights over things such as toilet paper when people are literally fighting to stay alive.

Keep safe and healthy!

Review: Hotel Dare

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Olive and her adopted siblings Charlotte and Darwin are spending the summer with their estranged grandma at her creepy hotel and it’s all work and no play. They’re stuck inside doing boring chores but they soon stumble upon an incredible secret… Behind each room door of the hotel lies a portal to a different strange and mysterious place. The simple turn of a knob transports them to a distant magical world filled with space pirates. Behind the next door are bearded wizards. Down the hall is a doorway to a cotton-candied kingdom. But once the doors are opened, worlds start colliding, and only one family can save them before they tear themselves apart. Written by Terry Blas (The Amazing World of Gumball) and illustrated by the talented Claudia Aguirre (Kim & Kim), this world-hopping fantasy tale breaks down the door to imagination and dares you to embrace the idea that family is everything.

This was such a fun and wild adventure! I love stories like this that weave diversity and real life issues so seamlessly. They aren’t overt, they are just there – and that’s something I applaud. This story follows three children going to visit their grandmother and help her with her hotel. What they fall into however is an intriguing mystery involving portals to other worlds, little sprinkles of mythology and tons of adventures.

The art style is so fluid and vibrant, plus the color palette is really punchy and bright, which made the story dynamic and fast paced. Overall it’s a story of family, even when that family is a found family and it was a great read!

Happy reading!

Review: Love Looks Pretty on You

DeAnneLeave a comment

Filled with wisdom and encouragement, every single page is a testament to the power of words, and the impact they can have on the relationships you build with others. And most importantly, the one you have with yourself.

Lang Leav captures the intricacies of emotions like few others can. It’s no wonder she has been recognized as a major influencer of the modern poetry movement and her writing has inspired a whole new generation of poets to pick up a pen.

Love Looks Pretty on You is truly the must-have book for poetry lovers all over the world.

Here’s the story of my life. Hoping they would care about me or wishing they wouldn’t care so much.

I’ve never heard of Lang Leav before, but when I saw the cover of this book I was immediately sucked in. I picked it up on a whim and am so happy I did. While the writing perhaps isn’t as atmospheric or lyrical as a lot of other poets, it is very raw and compelling.

The poems and prose in this collection are empowering and honest while they cover a number of subjects such as love, loss, growth as we move through life and the relationships we build with others – especially females.

Leav’s poetry and prose were so easy to read and have a great flow. I will definitely be picking up more of her books in the future!

Happy reading!

Can’t Wait Wednesday 3/18/20

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40276268 – vintage old pocket watch and book

Can’t Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings based on the meme Waiting on Wednesday by Breaking the Spine. In this weekly post people share a book that they’re excited about being released.

This week I wanted to talk about The Mall by Megan McCafferty. I’m lucky enough that I received an ARC of this one and it’s super high on my TBR. All I had to hear about this one was that it’s set in the 90s in a mall, and I was there!

The year is 1991. Scrunchies, mixtapes and 90210 are, like, totally fresh. Cassie Worthy is psyched to spend the summer after graduation working at the Parkway Center Mall. In six weeks, she and her boyfriend head off to college in NYC to fulfill The Plan: higher education and happily ever after.

But you know what they say about the best laid plans…

Set entirely in a classic “monument to consumerism,” the novel follows Cassie as she finds friendship, love, and ultimately herself, in the most unexpected of places. Megan McCafferty, beloved New York Times bestselling author of the Jessica Darling series, takes readers on an epic trip back in time to The Mall.

The Mall comes out from Wednesday Books on June 9th, 2020 so make sure to check back for my review!

Happy reading!

How I Listen to Audiobooks

DeAnne3 Comments

I tend to read a lot of books and a huge contributor to that is listening to audiobooks. I’m able to listen to them at work depending on what I’m doing, so that ends up helping a lot. Also, depending on the speed of the narrator’s speech, I almost always listen at 2x speed or faster.

I use a few different apps to listen to audiobooks, here are the ones I use the most.

Libby – I use Libby to access my library’s catalog. It does sometimes take longer cause I have to put books on hold, but my library has a pretty good selection overall.

Scribd – I know Scribd has had some issues in the past with clear messaging and that put a lot of people off, but it’s one of my favorite apps to use. No you can’t constantly listen to super new, super popular books and the selection does get narrowed as you listen to more books before the monthly reset – but I’ve never not had audiobooks to listen to, just a smaller selection. Plus it’s a great deal considering all the content it has.

Audible – For a long time I was only subscribed to the Audible Escape program (formerly Audible Romance Package) but I recently got a full subscription again. With that and access to the Escape package there are a huge amount of audiobooks I can access. Yes, it is the more expensive choice, but they are reliable in what they carry and I can almost always find what I’m looking for. Plus, if you have Kindle Unlimited there are a number of books you can listen to the audiobooks to through Audible.

While I know there are more apps out there that a lot of people enjoy, these are the main ones I enjoy using.

What apps do you use? Happy reading!

Kindle Deals 3/16

DeAnneLeave a comment

Since a lot of people are having to stay inside while we weather the current pandemic, some people may use some of that time to pick up some new books. So what do you do if you can’t go out and buy them, but need something to read now? You can pick up some kindle ebooks for low prices! As a general disclaimer I am in the United States and these prices could change at anytime, so double check before buying.

Most of these I haven’t read, but I thought they sounded interesting or I had heard of them. Also, I’ve made sure that if they are part of a series that only the first book is included.

Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft
Price: $3.99

History is filled with stories of women accused of witchcraft, of fearsome girls with arcane knowledge. Toil & Trouble features fifteen stories of girls embracing their power, reclaiming their destinies and using their magic to create, to curse, to cure—and to kill.

The Fever King
Price: $0.99 (or Kindle Unlimited)

In the former United States, sixteen-year-old Noam Álvaro wakes up in a hospital bed, the sole survivor of the viral magic that killed his family and made him a technopath. His ability to control technology attracts the attention of the minister of defense and thrusts him into the magical elite of the nation of Carolinia.

The Will and the Wilds
Price: $4.99 (or Kindle Unlimited)

Enna knows to fear the mystings that roam the wildwood near her home. When one tries to kill her to obtain an enchanted stone, Enna takes a huge risk: fighting back with a mysting of her own.

Maekallus’s help isn’t free. His price? A kiss. One with the power to steal her soul. But their deal leaves Maekallus bound to the mortal realm, which begins eating him alive. Only Enna’s kiss, given willingly, can save him from immediate destruction. It’s a temporary salvation for Maekallus and a lingering doom for Enna. Part of her soul now burns bright inside Maekallus, making him feel for the first time.

Reverie 
Price: $1.99

All Kane Montgomery knows for certain is that the police found him half-dead in the river. He can’t remember anything since an accident robbed him of his memories a few weeks ago. And the world feels different—reality itself seems different.

Hopefully some of these seem interesting to you and you have something to read while being home.

Make sure to stay safe, everyone! Happy reading!

Review: Nancy Drew – The Palace of Wisdom

DeAnneLeave a comment

Nancy Drew is seventeen and good at everything…ESPECIALLY solving crimes. But her totally-in-control-and-obviously-running-perfectly-smooth-(but-not-really) life hits a snag when a mysterious message drags her back to the hometown she left behind. There she’ll have to find out which of her friends are still her friends, which are enemies, and who exactly is trying to kill her…and (hopefully) stop them before they succeed.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love Nancy Drew, so when I saw a graphic novel version I had to check it out. This is definitely a new take on Nancy and while her attitude towards needing to solve mysteries came through, some of the other aspects of her personality were off for me.

I completely understand and appreciate the need to modernize and add diversity to make it current, but with characters as classic as Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys it’s hard to do without too drastically changing things. This one, while enjoyable and a fun mystery/adventure, just fell a little flat for me in regards to the true legacy that is Nancy Drew. For people who’ve never been exposed to the originals or the case files, this would likely be a great introduction, but for me not so much.

Happy reading!