Review: Haunted Hearts

November 16, 2018 DeAnneLeave a comment

I originally requested this book from Netgalley purely because the subject seemed interesting and I usually like most things with a paranormal spin. I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did, but it was a very fun and enjoyable read. This story follows Callie who has recently inherited a house and decided a change of scene is just what she needs. Turns out, that house comes with a history that’s known to everyone but her. Watching her discover the secrets of the house and her ancestors was wonderful, though part of me wished for more.

The chemistry between Callie and Carter was great and it was always fun to watch them spar. There were certainly parts of the book that were predictable, and once I got to 80% I had figured out what the climax/twist was going to be, but I was pleasantly surprised it took that long for me to see all the clues fall into place. I felt that supporting characters were well defined enough to be individuals, though I would have loved to have more details about the town and locations. Though this appears to be set up as a stand alone, I would definitely enjoy getting more books set in the town and reappearances by many of the side characters.

The scenes where we see the point of view of Callie’s ancestor were well written and there was no mistaking the personality and individuality of this person. In fact, the different personalities of all of the characters were some of my favorite parts of the book, I found myself falling in love with some of the characters and secretly wanting more.

The writing and pacing seemed to fluctuate a little, but not to the point that it was off putting and the read itself was well paced on average. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and think it would be great for anyone who enjoys paranormal romance. If you want to pick up your own copy of Haunted Hearts, it is out now and clicking on the cover image will take you to the Amazon page for it. Check it out if you like ghost stories, romance or just a fun and dynamic story. If you want to find out more about Kimberly Dean, check out her website at https://kimberlydean.com/ – I know I will definitely be checking out more of her books.

Happy Reading!

Review: Scream and Scream Again

November 1, 2018November 1, 2018 DeAnneLeave a comment

Being an 80s/90s kid, I was ecstatic when I heard that a new anthology was being released by none other than R.L. Stine, full of scary stories. I was determined to pick it up and make it one of my reads during October. Scream and Scream Again is an anthology of 20 spooky stories that either begin or end with a scream – or both.

I was a little disappointed that none of the stories were truly scary, but I was entertained none the less. Every story had a unique concept and setting. These stories are definitely middle grade and are perfect to feed your Goosebumps or Are You Afraid of the Dark? cravings. While it wasn’t exactly what I expected, it was still enjoyable and a fun time.

Some of my favorite stories in the collection were Kamikaze Iguanas by Alison McMahan, Area Code 666 by Carter Wilson and The Unknown Patriot by Chris Grabenstein.

I hope this is just one in a long line of new stories and books from R.L. Stine. For me this book was more nostalgic than anything else. It took me back to the times when I read Fear Street and similar books as a teen. Be sure to check it out if slightly spooky and funny stories are what you are looking for!

Happy reading!

Author Spotlight: Ellie Alexander

October 14, 2018 DeAnne2 Comments

Earlier this year while browsing Booktube I was introduced to the Bakeshop Mystery series by Ellie Alexander. I was instantly intrigued as this series was set in Ashland, Oregon, which is a place near and dear to my heart. I have many fond memories of Ashland and the Oregon Shakespeare festival throughout my life, going to the Shakespeare Festival was a tradition for my dad and I. Needless to say, I was both excited and cautious when I picked up the first book in the series, Meet Your Baker.

This series centers around Juliet, who has recently returned home to Ashland, Oregon to help her mother at their bake shop, Torte. Obviously murder and mayhem ensues and soon Jules is knee deep in the mystery.

I was pleasantly surprised by how vividly Ellie Alexander painted Ashland and how accurate the descriptions of this section of the city were. After reading this first book I was completely hooked. Her writing is descriptive and rich, with humor and playfulness woven in. While reading this book I was completely immersed, not just because of the story but because of how perfectly she painted the atmosphere of Ashland itself. It’s one of my favorite places so I readily admit I’m biased, but that may have also made me a harsher critic if it wasn’t as perfect as it is.

I immediately started collecting the next couple books in the series but as of yet hadn’t had a chance to continue (the TBR struggle is real). I added not only the books from the Bakeshop series to my wish list, but also her other series both under Ellie Alexander, but her other name Kate Dyer-Seeley.

This past week I got an email from my favorite local bookstore, Oregon Books, notifying me of an author event they were having. Imagine my surprise (and delight) when it was Ellie Alexander. My internal fangirl did a little dance and I immediately put it on my calendar. I didn’t know what to expect, but was just excited that I would get to meet a local author whose work I truly enjoy. The event was amazing, the intimate setting allowed us to have a great discussion about her different series, how they came to be, her writing process and more. If I didn’t already want to read everything she had written, this would have definitely made me want to. It was obvious that she puts some of herself into each story she writes and that serves to make her work more inviting and full of depth. Listening to her talk about the places she writes about (all of which she has visited) made me want to visit them all, even those I’ve been to many times throughout my life. I was able to get books from a couple of her other series which I can’t wait to pick up.

I would have recommended her books before meeting her, but after meeting her and getting to spend time with her I want to recommend her even more. If you are looking for a new cozy mystery, definitely check her out. If a bakeshop/food centered mystery isn’t your thing, she has three other series available that focus on other themes. There’s the Pacific Northwest Mysteries (her first series) which center around Meg, who wants to be a serious investigative reporter but ends up working for an outdoor magazine – even though she doesn’t know much about outdoor activities. Her Rose City mystery series centers around a floral shop in Portland, Oregon where our main character Britta works with her aunt Elin. Last (but definitely not least) is the Sloan Krause Mystery series, set in Leavenworth, Washington with a theme of brewing craft beers.

(All cover images link to the Amazon pages for the books)

Be sure to also check out Ellie on her website and her new youtube channel.

Happy Reading!

Review: Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa

October 2, 2018October 1, 2018 DeAnne1 Comment

Release: October 2nd

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Goodreads Link / Amazon Link

One thousand years ago, the great Kami Dragon was summoned to grant a single terrible wish—and the land of Iwagoto was plunged into an age of darkness and chaos.

Now, for whoever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers, a new wish will be granted. A new age is about to dawn.

Raised by monks in the isolated Silent Winds temple, Yumeko has trained all her life to hide her yokai nature. Half kitsune, half human, her skill with illusion is matched only by her penchant for mischief. Until the day her home is burned to the ground, her adoptive family is brutally slain and she is forced to flee for her life with the temple’s greatest treasure—one part of the ancient scroll.

There are many who would claim the dragon’s wish for their own. Kage Tatsumi, a mysterious samurai of the Shadow Clan, is one such hunter, under orders to retrieve the scroll…at any cost. Fate brings Kage and Yumeko together. With a promise to lead him to the scroll, an uneasy alliance is formed, offering Yumeko her best hope for survival. But he seeks what she has hidden away, and her deception could ultimately tear them both apart.

With an army of demons at her heels and the unlikeliest of allies at her side, Yumeko’s secrets are more than a matter of life or death. They are the key to the fate of the world itself.

I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did. Kagawa’s writing is so beautiful and rich. This is not something I would call a fast read, but not because it was slow in any way. I found myself needing to absorb chunks of it before continuing. The descriptions were well developed and I felt each of the main characters (or semi-main) were well fleshed out with individual personalities. Exploring Yumeko and Tatsumi’s personal relationship growing and forming was a joy to watch, even if you knew certain things had to happen that may affect it. As each new character became more central it was wonderfully woven so that they seemed natural and weren’t out of place or unwanted. They all had their own journey to add to the story and I can only imagine where they may go in the next book.

This is the first time I have read one of Kagawa’s books and after reading this I definitely want to not only get the sequel as fast as humanly possible but I may pull out the few of her books I have on my TBR shelf and read them sooner rather than later. I was captivated by her writing style and just loved the pacing and language so much.

I could see some things within the story that other people may have issues with, but for me this was just perfect. I did not want the story to end and found myself not wanting to finish it simply so I could prolong it somehow. For me that is always a good sign but also a little heartbreaking because I need more. I won’t lie, books set in Asian settings are some of my favorites, but this one was amazing.

The details and cultural/mythological references were so well done and well developed in the story. There’s just enough explanation that I immediately knew and could envision what was going on.

All in all this was one of my favorite reads of this year and I CANNOT wait for more in this story. Shadow of the Fox is out today, so go pick up your own copy and enjoy the adventure.

Happy reading!

Anthology Appreciation

September 2, 2018September 2, 2018 DeAnneLeave a comment

Not everyone enjoys anthologies, but they are some of my favorites. I’ve always been a lover of the short story and that love was fostered by some teachers who also thought they were a great medium. In some ways they can be more difficult to write as they must be much more concise and concentrated than a full length novel. In this post I’m going to talk about a few I’ve recently read as well as some of my favorites. All pictures of the covers will be linked to the book’s Amazon page so that you can pick them up if you want to.

Recently I was given the opportunity through NetGalley to read two anthologies which recently came out. They were very different genres and subjects, but I thoroughly enjoyed both of them.

Toil and Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft, which was edited by Tess Sharpe and Jessica Spotswood, included stories that represented a number of cultures, mythologies and genres. My detailed review of each story is on my Goodreads so I won’t rehash that here, but I can say that while there were some stories I didn’t enjoy as much as others it was an enjoyable read. It would be perfect for reading not only around Halloween, but anytime during the year.

The other anthology I received on NetGalley was Fresh Ink, which was done in partnership with We Need Diverse Books. Having already read Flying Lessons, I was super excited to be able to read this one ahead of time. I wish there were more anthologies like these two as they explore topics and situations that often need to be explored and discussed by wider audiences. Again, I didn’t love every story in this anthology, but it exposed me to a number of authors I had not previously read. That’s another great thing about anthologies, you get to read stories from so many authors who you often may not have read from before.

I have a number of anthologies on my bookshelves, so picking out favorites is not always an easy task. I have anthologies in different genres and with different subject matter, but I’ve chosen a few that I really loved when I read them. My True Love Gave to Me and Summer Days & Summer Nights are collections which were edited by Stephanie Perkins. One has love stories based in the winter while the other is set during the summer (bonus, the story in Summer Days & Summer Nights by Perkins is a continuation of the story she wrote for My True Love Gave to Me and I LOVED them both).

Slasher Girls and Monster Boys and Unnatural Creatures both tackle darker subjects and were both amazing. They are perfect to read closer to Halloween and each have a spooky vibe that I enjoyed immensely. There are some stories in them which are definitely not for the faint of heart. I especially loved that Unnatural Creatures was edited by Neil Gaiman. A lot of the stories in these two anthologies had great twists and were very addictive.

Meet Cute is an anthology purely about the initial interactions between characters that lead to a romance, or the “Meet Cute.” There are some stories in this one that are absolutely amazing and each one leaves you wanting more, but in a good way.

Do you enjoy anthologies and short stories in general? Feel free to comment and let me know! Happy reading!

Review: Sheets by Brenna Thummler

August 28, 2018August 28, 2018 DeAnneLeave a comment

I got a digital copy of Sheets by Brenna Thummler from NetGalley without knowing Sheets Cover much about it. I had seen the cover and heard little snippets, but I didn’t know what the themes or story really were. Overall I felt this graphic novel was good, but could have benefited from refining.

Sheets follows a ghost named Wendell and a girl named Marjorie. Both are dealing with their own respective issues that in some ways draw them together. They both struggle with being accepted by their peers and are often faced by misunderstandings.

There were aspects of the story that I felt could have been fleshed out more. You would get a little tidbit but not the whole story, which I know can be hard in this type of format. Also, the pacing did seem to fluctuate quite a bit, which could make it a little more difficult to read at time.

The art was a unique style that had a number of bright pops and great moments. I would definitely read more by this author based on the art alone. There were some wonderful moments of whimsy in the art that I really enjoyed.

If you want to pick up your own copy of Sheets, it comes out today, August 28th. You can find out more on Goodreads, or order your own on Amazon.

Happy reading!

Review: Open Earth by Sarah Mirk

August 27, 2018 DeAnneLeave a comment

Open Earth Cover I was very excited to get approved for this title on NetGalley as I had heard a ton of positive hype about it. Thanks to Oni Press for approving me. This graphic novel, written by Sarah Mirk and illustrated by Eva Cabrera and Claudia Aquirre, explores relationships and emotions aboard a space station. It centers around a young woman who is learning how to navigate her love life and what love and physical relationships really are in her life.

Be warned, there are plenty of references to sex and visuals of sex, so if that isn’t your thing then this graphic novel will not be for you. There are many discussions about different types of relationships. The teenagers on this space station are very open and accepting with their sexuality, which was refreshing to see. At the same time, this book has some deeper commentary in it that were welcome and great discussion points.

The art style was rich and vibrant. It draws you in with the detail and saturated colors while still being fun and easy on the eyes. Settings and characters were instantly recognizable and unique.

I would definitely read more from this team, whether in the same series or with different stories. This graphic novel comes out on September 25th and would be a great addition to anyone’s library or collection. You can check it out on Goodreads or order your own copy on Amazon.

Happy reading!

Starting the journey…

August 21, 2018August 21, 2018 DeAnneLeave a comment

For as long as I’ve been able to, I’ve devoured books. Every story is a journey, an adventure. Some are amazing and can make you forget the toils of everyday life. Books are an escape. The art of writing and the pleasure of reading are some of the things that have kept me going in dark or difficult times, and much of my free time is consumed by those two things (and my cat).

I’m a self confessed bibliophile, enjoying most genres – but some of my favorites are young adult, romance, fantasy, mystery and multiple sub-genres therein. I will usually try any genre if it intrigues me enough. I’m a firm believer in the fact that there is no such thing as too many books, only too few shelves to hold them (my significant other I’m sure would disagree, but I get away with it because he has a fondness for me 😛 ).

Here’s to starting a new way of documenting and consuming books, because really, if I could read books for a living I would. Sharing my experiences with books and giving opinions/commentary on them is a natural progression. Plus, my life has always found its way back to the written word, so this seems fitting.

What to expect? Reviews, talks about my favorites, exploring new genres and authors. That’s just a little, we’ll see where this whole thing goes.

Happy reading!