Author: DeAnne

Review | Awkward

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Cardinal rule #1 for surviving school: Don’t get noticed by the mean kids.Cardinal rule #2 for surviving school: Seek out groups with similar interests and join them.On her first day at her new school, Penelope–Peppi–Torres reminds herself of these basics. But when she trips into a quiet boy in the hall, Jaime Thompson, she’s already broken the first rule, and the mean kids start calling her the “nerder girlfriend.” How does she handle this crisis? By shoving poor Jaime and running away!Falling back on rule two and surrounding herself with new friends in the art club, Peppi still can’t help feeling ashamed about the way she treated Jaime. Things are already awkward enough between the two, but to make matters worse, he’s a member of her own club’s archrivals–the science club! And when the two clubs go to war, Peppi realizes that sometimes you have to break the rules to survive middle school!

I absolutely loved this little graphic novel. I would say it pretty perfectly captures some of the feelings people have at middle school age, feeling such as isolation, having a hard time making friends and fitting in and just how competitive cliques/groups can be.

So many of the characters were able to be identified with and there were some real issues that were discussed, as well as some humorous subjects that kept what could be heavier topics, refreshingly light.

I really loved the artwork as well, as it gave the story vibrancy and made sure that every setting was more than just a background.

Awkward is currently available on Kindle Unlimited so be sure to check it out. Happy reading!

Writing Update | 5/14

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So, I haven’t really mentioned writing since Camp Nanowrimo ended. I didn’t do as well as I wanted, but I was ok with that because at least I wrote something in the month of April.

Well, the reason I haven’t mentioned it is because since the end of April…I haven’t written anything. I’ve been in both a reading slump and a writing slump.

These things happen. I’ve been working to get myself more organized and in a better head space since I know that’s what’s going on. Once I can get myself back to an even keel things will flow again.

I’ve been reading through and doing slight edits on some of my projects, but not stressing myself out over the lack of writing as well. If you’re experiencing similar things, be kind to yourself. A lot of my free time as of late has been dedicated to self care and that’s just the way it has needed to be.

How is your writing going? Be kind to yourself and don’t feel too bad if things aren’t flowing. Let things happen as they will and stay safe!

Can’t Wait Wednesday | 5/13

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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 have to talk about Where Dreams Descend. The first thing I head about this book was that it was Moulin Rouge meets Phantom of the Opera, and I had to get my hands on it. I’m excited to be included in the blog tour for it but sad that it’s publication date got pushed back to August 25th. Make sure to check it out!

In a city covered in ice and ruin, a group of magicians face off in a daring game of magical feats to find the next headliner of the Conquering Circus, only to find themselves under the threat of an unseen danger striking behind the scenes.

As each act becomes more and more risky and the number of missing magicians piles up, three are forced to reckon with their secrets before the darkness comes for them next.

The Star: Kallia, a powerful showgirl out to prove she’s the best no matter the cost

The Master: Jack, the enigmatic keeper of the club, and more than one lie told

The Magician: Demarco, the brooding judge with a dark past he can no longer hide

Where Dreams Descend is the startling and romantic first book in Janella Angeles’ debut Kingdom of Cards fantasy duology where magic is both celebrated and feared, and no heart is left unscathed.

Happy reading!

Cover Reveal | Lyrics and Curses by Candace Robinson

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Lyrics & Curses
Candace Robinson
Published by: Filles Vertes Publishing
Publication date: November 10th 2020
Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

Lark Espinoza could get lost in her music—and she’s not so sure anyone in her family would even care to find her. Her trendy, party-loving twin sister and her mother-come-lately Beth, who’s suddenly sworn off men and onto homemaking, don’t understand her love of cassette tapes, her loathing of the pop scene, or her standoffish personality. For outcast Lark, nothing feels as much like a real home as working at Bubble’s Oddities store and trying to attract the attention of the cute guy who works at the Vinyl shop next door—the same one she traded lyrical notes with in class.

Auden Ellis silences the incessant questions in his own head with a steady stream of beats. Despite the unconditional love of his aunt-turned-mother, he can’t quit thinking about the loss of his parents—or the possibility he might end up afflicted with his father’s issues. Despite his connection with lyric-loving Lark, Auden keeps her at arm’s length because letting her in might mean giving her a peek into something dangerous.

When two strangers arrive in town, one carrying a mysterious, dark object and the other playing an eerie flute tune, Lark and Auden find that their painful pasts have enmeshed them in a cursed future. Now, they must come to terms with their budding attraction while helping each other challenge the reflection they see in the mirror. If they fail, they’ll be trapped for eternity in a place beyond reality.

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Author Bio:

Candace Robinson spends her days consumed by words and hoping to one day find her own DeLorean time machine. Her life consists of avoiding migraines, admiring Bonsai trees, watching classic movies, and living with her husband and daughter in Texas–where it can be forty degrees one day and eighty the next!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter / Bookbub


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Review | Bibi and Miyu #1

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When a new student from Japan shows up at Bibi Blocksberg’s school, she fits in immediately. But Bibi’s suspicious; she knows Miyu’s hiding something, and she’s determined to find out what! Bibi’s journey takes her all the way to Japan, and while learning about all the new rules and magic in this foreign land, she realizes that maybe she and Miyu can be friends after all!

I loved the sound of this manga and it instantly gave me Kiki’s Delivery Service vibes so I wanted to pick it up. The art style is vibrant and fun while still having that classic manga style. I did feel that the story moved along really quickly as it was really more vignettes of Bibi and Miyu’s adventures together.

I would definitely be interested in seeing where this series go and what other situations they get themselves into.

Happy reading!

Review | Misfit City Vol 1

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Smothered by her backwater hometown and frustrated by its 1980s cult-movie fame (The Gloomies…have you seen it? It’s a real classic, y’know.), Wilder is pretty sure she’s seen everything Cannon Cove has to offer. She’s desperate to get away from home as soon as she can, and move on to bigger, better, and less annoying things…even if that might mean leaving her best friends behind. But when Wilder discovers a centuries-old pirate map, she may find out that REAL adventure was in their tiny town all along…and they need each other to get to the bottom of it! It’s a rip-roaring adventure written by award-winning screenwriter Kiwi Smith (10 Things I Hate About You, Legally Blonde) and Kurt Lustgarten, and illustrated by Naomi Franquiz.

I picked this one up since it was an obvious reference to The Goonies and that is something I love, so I wanted to check it out. There are tons of references and similarities as it follows teens in the town where The Gloomies was set. Some of them at least are unsatisfied with where they are in their lives and looking for something to catch their interests, so in a twist they find a map that could take them on an adventure similar to that found in the movie.

There are a wide range of characters, including villians that give the story a Scooby Doo type vibe, but all in all it fell just a little short for me. It felt a little too much like a mirror of the movie it took inspiration from. I would still continue on with the series because I did enjoy it, but it didn’t blow me away.

Happy reading!

Discussion | Audiobooks: High Speed?

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Anyone who knows me or reads my blog knows that I’m all for audiobooks and love using them to up my numbers and chip away at my backlist, but as of late there’s a lot of opinions cropping up about them. There’s always been people who take issue with whether or not listening to audiobooks is reading or not, but now the issue of speed has come up.

It’s been alarming, to be honest, seeing comments on people’s videos and posts that chide people for listening to audiobooks at more than 1x speed. There’s a lot of negativity and honestly hate, towards those of us that listen at faster speeds, saying there’s no way we could comprehend it, or that we’re not listening at all.

This, my friends, is not true. Now, not every audiobook can be listened to at faster speeds and not everyone can handle listening to them at faster speeds, it’s going to vary by person and/or by narrator. It’s true that some people can’t listen at fast speeds, everyone’s ears and brain are different and there’s nothing wrong with that. People shouldn’t be shamed for only listening at 1x and people shouldn’t be yelled at for listening at 3x. I often listen to audiobooks anywhere from 2.5-3x, but there have been some where I can’t because of the narrator. Each book is different and each person is different.

Honestly, I think the debating and shaming should stop – we’re all reading and enjoying books, why does it matter how we consume them?

So what do you think?

Happy reading!

Review | Goldie Vance Vol. 1

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From Nancy Drew to Veronica Mars, we really dig girl detectives! Eisner award-winning writer Hope Larson (Batgirl) and Brittney Williams (Patsy Walker, A.K.A Hellcat!) present the newest gal sleuth on the block with Goldie Vance, an exciting, whodunnit? adventure that mixes the fun of Eloise with the charm of Lumberjanes. 16-year-old Marigold “Goldie” Vance lives at a Florida resort with her dad, who manages the place, and dreams to one day become the hotel’s in-house detective. When Walter, the current detective, encounters a case he can’t crack, he agrees to mentor Goldie in exchange for her help solving the mystery utilizing her smarts, random skills, and connections with the hotel staff and various folks in town.

I knew very little going in to Goldie Vance, but I had heard it compared to Nancy Drew so obviously wanted to check it out. It was adorable and fun, as well as fast paced. The characters were very easy to get to know as they were introduced and given individual identities pretty quickly. There were times that Goldie’s actions were very extreme, so that made some of it even less believable, but the whole story was a fun caper that you had to suspend disbelief for in some ways.

If you’re looking for a humorous whodunit with characters that practically jump off the pages with personality, this is definitely a great one.

Goldie Vance volume one is currently available in kindle unlimited, so if it interests you be sure to give it a try. Happy reading!

May Reading Plans

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We’re already a month into May and my days are still blending together, so we’ll see how much of this I actually adhere to, but I’m going to do my best to get some solid reading done.

As always, I concentrate on books I’ve received for review and then try to fill in more around them. Since I’m working from home right now (and in a weird head space) I admittedly haven’t been listening to as many audiobooks as usual. I’m hoping to get that number back up as that’s partly how I knock out some of my backlist.

Beyond that, I’m participating in the TBR and Beyond monthly challenge for Middle Grade May. Since the first week of the month has been hectic work wise I haven’t yet decided on my TBR for that, but I have a whole pile of middle grade books pulled that I can read from.

So I guess what I’m saying is that besides review books I have no really solid plans, but I am looking forward to chipping away at my TBR.

Happy reading!

Cold Backed | Audio Blitz

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Author Candace Carrabus and the Audio Flow are delighted to share Cold Backed: A Dream Horse Mystery Prequel narrated by Melissa Moran. You can listen for FREE. Come check out this murder mystery and look for the rest of the audio series coming this summer! Don’t forget to enter the giveaway.

Cold Backed: A Dream Horse Mystery Prequel

Viola Parker can’t land a job since the famous jumper, Wastrel, crashed to his death with her aboard. She can barely afford her whipped-cream-in-a-can addiction. When she finds her mentor unconscious, she suspects foul play and wonders if her old friend, Harry, has answers. But Harry disappears with the truth, leaving behind a mysterious delivery and cryptic confession.

A short story prologue to the Dream Horse Mysteries with a preview of On the Buckle: Dream Horse Mystery #1.

Dream Horse Mystery series:

  • On the Buckle, Dream Horse Mystery #1
  • Run Out, Dream Horse Mystery #2
  • Wrong Lead, Dream Horse Mystery #3 


Listen to the Dream Horse Mystery Prequel For Free

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About the Author

Candace Carrabus writes from the Lincoln County, Missouri farm she shares with her husband and daughter. A scoliosis diagnosis at age 11 changed her life. A horse lover from a young age, she signed up for riding lessons and learned much more than posting trot. With quiet power, horses provided comfort and a sympathetic ear, never judging or poking fun at her cumbersome back brace. Those years, though often difficult, taught Candace the value of persistence, the healing power of believing in oneself, and how strength can be gained through kindness. Her stories are imbued with the irresistible wonder, mystery, and solace her equine friends have provided.

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