Cover Reveal | Pretty Savage by T.A. Kunz

June 29, 2021 DeAnne1 Comment

Pretty Savage
T.A. Kunz
Publication date: July 13th 2021
Genres: LGBTQ+, Thriller, Young Adult

“An intriguing mystery, Pretty Savage is a tension packed, wild journey with engrossing characters. A true page turner.” – #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout

Bad things never happen in the picturesque town of Haddon Falls … until now.

It all starts with a killer party.

It will end with a savage crime spree.

Seniors Donovan Walsh and Drea Sullivan attend a high school party for very different reasons. But after discovering the body of one of their classmates, they find themselves thrust into the same waking nightmare. From that moment, their lives become intertwined in a search for answers to questions they never should have asked.

As bodies pile high, the unlikely pair dig into Haddon Falls’ past and uncover secrets someone would kill to keep hidden. In a small town where every face is friendly and every door unlocked, Donovan and Drea must unravel who is an ally … and who is willing to bury them-and the truth-six feet under.

“Pretty Savage is a gripping, fast-paced YA thriller featuring a savvy gay male protagonist and his kick-ass female counterpart! Readers who love hints of horror with a blood spatter of romance mixed with page-turning mystery will be left gasping by this wicked masterpiece by T.A. Kunz.” -Bestselling and award winning author Raine Thomas

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Author Bio:

T.A. Kunz is the pen name for Adam Kunz, who lives in Orlando, Florida. And unfortunately a lot of the rumors you’ve heard about his state are true. When he’s not writing, Adam spends his time reading, playing video games, watching anime and Korean dramas, and spending time with his partner while cuddling with their two dogs, Nicky and Rusty. Since childhood, he’s had a great fondness for reading and writing. His fiction genres of choice are eclectic, but mainly are in the YA, MG, and NA categories. So, it was no surprise when he decided to write his own books that he’d be a grab bag kind of author in terms of story ideas. And he just loves mashing up genres. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Adam advocates strongly for diverse representation in all media. He may or may not have a coffee addiction, the jury’s still out on that one. And his hands-down favorite holiday is Halloween, which holds a very special place in Adam’s heart.

Website / Instagram

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Review | The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson

June 28, 2021June 28, 2021 DeAnneLeave a comment

Growing up in 1980s Niagara Falls–a seedy but magical, slightly haunted place–Jake Baker spends most of his time with his uncle Calvin, a kind but eccentric enthusiast of occult artifacts and conspiracy theories. The summer Jake turns twelve, he befriends a pair of siblings new to town, and so Calvin decides to initiate them all into the “Saturday Night Ghost Club.” But as the summer goes on, what begins as a seemingly lighthearted project may ultimately uncover more than any of its members had imagined. With the alternating warmth and sadness of the best coming-of-age stories, The Saturday Night Ghost Club examines the haunting mutability of memory and storytelling, as well as the experiences that form the people we become.

I was really excited for this book when I heard the premise of it, but it fell short for me – I think that’s more of an expectation problem where I was hoping for a certain thing and didn’t get it. While I did enjoy the story as a whole, I didn’t really connect with it. It is a coming of age story, but also talks a lot about cancer (specifically in the brain) and trauma to the brain and its effects. We follow Jake primarily during the summer of his 12th year, but also follow him as an adult for part of the book. He spends the summer checking out locations of local legends with his uncle and a couple new friends – the stories themselves, as his uncle tells them, are dark and compelling – but there isn’t as much supernatural as I would have hoped. I had pretty much guessed the reveal (at least the jist of it) about 2/3 of the way through the book, but even having done that there were still some surprise elements. Definite trigger warnings for talk of cancer and tumors, trauma to the brain (and how the brain copes with trauma), talk of brain surgery in detail and loss of loved ones.

Happy reading!

Blog Tour | Shark Summer by Ira Marcks | Review

June 26, 2021June 26, 2021 DeAnne1 Comment

“Shark Summer is bursting with vibrant, expressive art….The characters are distinct and relatable…It’s a lovely read!”—Molly Knox Ostertag, author of the Witch Boy series

“Eloquently chronicled in Marcks’s cinematic panels, friendships are formed and repaired, parental relationships articulated, and inner conflicts expressed and resolved. A winning production.” —Kirkus

When a Hollywood film crew arrives on Martha’s Vineyard with a mechanical shark and a youth film contest boasting a huge cash prize, disgraced pitcher Gayle “Blue Streak” Briar sees a chance to turn a bad season into the best summer ever.

After recruiting aspiring cinematographer Elijah Jones and moody director Maddie Grey, Gayle and her crew set out to uncover the truth of the island’s own phantom shark and win the prize money. But these unlikely friends are about to discover what happens when you turn your camera toward the bad things lurking below the surface.

I didn’t know a ton about this graphic novel going in but I was prepared for it to be a fun summer story, and it was! I really enjoyed the story as we followed Gayle as she navigated summer in Martha’s Vineyard, made new friends, dealt with a movie crew on location and dove deep into an old legend. She was definitely a complex character with not only issues that a lot of teens face, but she’s also having a crisis of identity due to what happened in her last baseball game, plus those she thought were her friends maybe aren’t as good of friends as she thought. While the plot has lots of components to it, I felt they were all wrapped up really well by the end of the graphic novel.

Ira Marcks is a cartoonist living in Upstate New York with his wife, two cats, a dog, and lots of books he’s been meaning to read. His love for ancient magic and possible futures has led him to create a warehouse of esoteric objects for the Hugo Award-winning magazine Weird Tales and to tell stories about villainous technology for the European Research Council. Shark Summer is his debut graphic novel.

Author Links | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Happy reading!

Book Blitz | Other People’s Butterflies by Cora Ruskin

June 25, 2021 DeAnneLeave a comment

Other People’s Butterflies
Cora Ruskin
Publication date: June 22nd 2021
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

Gwen Foster has never been kissed. But when she gets the chance to finally see what all the hype is about, it’s with her best friend’s crush. Embroiled in relationship drama she doesn’t understand, and ostracized from her friend group, Gwen escapes the angst by using her favorite femme fatale as a role model… and makes snooping on her classmates her new pastime.

Gwen’s detective work appears to be going well, until an unknown social media account starts spilling all the scandalous personal details she’s uncovered. Now this wannabe spy must stop whoever is behind it before everyone’s dirty laundry is aired, and Gwen is forced to finish high school without any friends.

Other People’s Butterflies is a coming-of-age contemporary mystery about not needing to find your first love – but yourself – and how to mend the relationships that matter to you.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Two hours later, I have a new favorite movie. I also have a new favorite character and her name is Lana Barrington. She’s a badass double agent (or possibly a triple agent or a double reverse quadruple agent – the plot of Dead Tulips is pretty confusing) who’s so devious that her own dad nicknames her “Poison Candy”. She’s very femme fatale-ish, with black hair and blood-red lips. She wears this pearl necklace, and one of the pearls is full of cyanide in case she ever finds herself in a jam. In the movie she gets into, like, seventeen jams, but she never bites down on the cyanide pearl because she always finds a way to wiggle out of it. She also has a little black book, which looks empty because she writes in invisible ink, and she keeps information about everyone she meets in it.

I didn’t get the point of the little black book at first, because she wasn’t writing down state secrets or anything – it was all stuff like which cocktail waitress a married man flirts with at a bar, or who’s been pawning their grandmother’s jewelry. Gossipy stuff. But then there’s a scene where a guy asks her about it and she says “Information is currency. And I mean to be very rich.”

By the time I leave the cinema, it’s dark and the air is biting cold. My breath swirls around my face like smoke. On my way to the bus stop I nip into Superdrug and buy a packet of black hair dye and a deep red lipstick called “Kiss of Death”.

On Monday morning, I color my lips with the Kiss of Death lipstick and examine my reflection in my bedroom mirror. I think I look pretty good with black hair, though Mum says it washes me out. I’m hoping the red lipstick doesn’t get any stink eye from teachers like Mrs. Clearwater, who are overzealous when it comes to enforcing the school’s dress code. Sixth form girls are allowed to wear make-up, but it has to be “workplace appropriate” make-up. No glitter, no goth stuff, no crazy color combinations. It doesn’t make sense to me. Supposedly they’re getting us used to workplace dress codes, but what if we end up working as children’s entertainers or bar staff in a goth nightclub?

I feel different. I feel like a snake that’s shed its skin – all new and shiny and venomous.

Author Bio:

Cora Ruskin is a part-time MSc student of Science Communication, and works for a charity that helps victims of crime. Writing gets squeezed in between the two. She lives in Bristol, England, with five housemates and a very messy kitchen. “Other People’s Butterflies” is her debut novel.

Website / Amazon / Twitter

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Review | Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists: A Graphic History of Women’s Fight for Their Rights

June 22, 2021June 22, 2021 DeAnne2 Comments

A feminist comic book history of women’s rights, from the ancient world to modern times, in a giftable, visually stunning package.

August 26, 2020, marks the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which granted American women the right to vote. And while suffrage has been a critical win for women’s liberation around the world, the struggle for women’s rights has been ongoing for thousands of years, across many cultures, and encompassing an enormous variety of issues. Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists is a fun, fascinating, and full-color exploration of that important history, tracing its roots from antiquity to show how 21st-century feminism developed. Along the way, you’ll meet a wide range of important historical figures and learn about many political movements, including suffrage, abolition, labor, LGBT liberation, the waves of feminism, and more.

I really enjoyed every aspect of this graphic novel, from the message, delivery and art. This graphic covered so much of women throughout history who had impacts on the rights of women, while also covering a diverse range of subjects in short, consumable vignettes. I would love if there were more put out by this author since I know this was likely scraping the surface on women and individuals who have made an impact. I also really enjoyed that it covered diverse individuals all over the world, not just in the U.S. – that was a really nice thing to incorporate into it.

Happy reading!

Review | The Case of the Somewhat Mythic Sword by Garth Nix

June 20, 2021June 20, 2021 DeAnne1 Comment

Sir Magnus Holmes, cousin to the more famous Sherlock, is asked to investigate the appearance of an otherworldly knight carrying a legendary sword in the cellar of a Victorian London pub.

This was my first real exposure to Garth Nix’s writing, even though I have a couple of his books on my TBR and I did enjoy this spin on the Holmes family as well as his writing style. The story does start off rather jarringly as you are dropped smack dab in the middle, getting a vignette really. Perhaps an introduction would have helped, but it was still enjoyable and a fun mini-adventure.

Review | The Girl and the Ghost by Hanna Alkaf

June 18, 2021June 18, 2021 DeAnneLeave a comment

I am a dark spirit, the ghost announced grandly. I am your inheritance, your grandmother’s legacy. I am yours to command.

Suraya is delighted when her witch grandmother gifts her a pelesit. She names her ghostly companion Pink, and the two quickly become inseparable.

But Suraya doesn’t know that pelesits have a dark side—and when Pink’s shadows threaten to consume them both, they must find enough light to survive . . . before they are both lost to the darkness.

As soon as I found out this had to do with Malay folklore and culture I wanted to pick it up. I loved learning about the different supernatural beings featured in that culture as the story went on and also really enjoyed the themes of friendship, families (and how experiences can make them different) and grief. All of these played a part in Suraya’s story where we saw a lot of growth in her as well as a bit of adventure when they came up against someone who didn’t have the best of intentions. There are definitely some darker parts to this when it comes to some of Pink’s actions, but that just added more to the story regarding what a pelesit is. While I don’t have any real knowledge of Malay folklore, it’s stories like this that make me want to learn more.

Happy reading!

Review | The Beautiful Things Shoppe by Philip William Stover

June 17, 2021June 17, 2021 DeAnne1 Comment

Their collections may clash but their hearts are a perfect match.

Moving to eclectic New Hope, Pennsylvania, and running The Beautiful Things Shoppe is a dream come true for elegant and reserved fine arts dealer Prescott J. Henderson. He never agreed to share the space with Danny Roman, an easygoing extrovert who collects retro toys and colorful knickknacks.

And yet here they are, trapped together in the quaint shop as they scramble to open in time for New Hope’s charming Winter Festival.

Danny has spent years leading with his heart instead of his head. The Beautiful Things Shoppe is his chance to ground himself and build something permanent and joyful. The last thing he needs is an uptight snob who doesn’t appreciate his whimsy occupying half his shop.

It’s only when two of New Hope’s historic landmarks—each as different as Danny and Prescott—are threatened that a tentative alliance forms. And with it, the first blush of romance. Suddenly, running The Beautiful Things Shoppe together doesn’t seem so bad…until Danny’s secret threatens to ruin it all.

After reading The Hideaway Inn (the first book in the series) I definitely wanted to pick this one up as well, and I’m not disappointed that I did. This is definitely hate to love and what a fun time it was, while also being really genuine and exploring those moments where someone may not be ready to share their full selves with someone, and overcoming that. I felt it was a really enjoyable story with some wonderfully crafted characters. I would definitely read more in the series if any more were to come out.

Happy reading!

Review | The Avalon Chronicles Vol 1: Once in a Blue Moon

June 13, 2021June 13, 2021 DeAnneLeave a comment

When Aeslin Finn was a little girl, her parents read to her from a magical book called The Avalon Chronicles. But that was a long time ago. Now a teenager, Aeslin is about to discover just how magical she and that book really are. Transported to the world of Avalon, she discovers a kingdom in need of a Dragon Knight – and the last dragon, Blue Moon, is waiting for her!

While I felt this was a good start to a new series, it didn’t quite live up to what I was expecting. I really liked the premise and the twist regarding the books, but while the beginning and ending went really fast for me, the middle dragged a bit. I didn’t really feel like I could connect with many of the characters and their motivations. Still, for someone looking for a hero’s journey type fantasy quest in a graphic novel, they would probably really enjoy it. For me it was just ok and I probably won’t be continuing with the series.

Happy reading!

Review | Buffy the Vampire Slayer Vol 1: High School is Hell

June 12, 2021June 12, 2021 DeAnneLeave a comment

Go back to the beginning as the critically acclaimed pop culture phenomenon Buffy The Vampire Slayer is reimagined under the guidance of series creator Joss Whedon!

This is the Buffy Summers you know, who wants what every average teenager wants: friends at her new school, decent grades, and to escape her imposed destiny as the next in a long line of vampire slayers tasked with defeating the forces of evil…only this time around, her world looks a lot more like the one outside your window.

Eisner Award winner Jordie Bellaire (Redlands) and Russ Manning Award winner Dan Mora (Go Go Power Rangers, Hexed), along with series creator Joss Whedon (Marvel’s The Avengers), bring Buffy into a new era with new challenges, new friends, and a few enemies you might already recognize. But the more things change, the more they stay the same as the Gang faces brand-new Big Bads, and the threat lurking beneath the perfectly manicured exterior of Sunnydale High confirms what every teenager has always known: high school truly is hell.

Whoa. Going into this I knew that it was a modernization and that it was remixing the BtVS universe a bit, but there are a LOT of changes. You could honestly go into this with no knowledge of the existing Buffy universe and enjoy it, but there are tons of references and Easter eggs if you are a fan of the canon universe. I did really love the modernization but definitely spun for a loop with some of the events that happen in this volume. I’m both excited and scared to see what happens next!

Happy reading!