Tag: reading

Review | My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

DeAnne1 Comment

In her quickly gentrifying rural lake town Jade sees recent events only her encyclopedic knowledge of horror films could have prepared her for

Jade Daniels is an angry, half-Indian outcast with an abusive father, an absent mother, and an entire town that wants nothing to do with her. She lives in her own world, a world in which protection comes from an unusual source: horror movies…especially the ones where a masked killer seeks revenge on a world that wronged them. And Jade narrates the quirky history of Proofrock as if it is one of those movies. But when blood actually starts to spill into the waters of Indian Lake, she pulls us into her dizzying, encyclopedic mind of blood and masked murderers, and predicts exactly how the plot will unfold.

Yet, even as Jade drags us into her dark fever dream, a surprising and intimate portrait emerges… a portrait of the scared and traumatized little girl beneath the Jason Voorhees mask: angry, yes, but also a girl who easily cries, fiercely loves, and desperately wants a home. A girl whose feelings are too big for her body.

My Heart Is a Chainsaw is her story, her homage to horror and revenge and triumph.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I know that pretty much anything by Stephen Graham Jones is going to be a winner for me, but this one really blew me away. This book truly is an appreciation and love letter of all things slasher, really capturing the genre in and of itself while also featuring a main character who is obsessed with it. While reading you can’t really tell if Jade is a reliable or unreliable narrator, partly due to how deep her obsession with slashers goes. A lot of the book is spent wondering if she’s just imagining things or if they are really happening the way she is perceiving them.

Stephen Graham Jones’ writing style is perfectly showcased here as you’re left second guessing everything. Whether or not Jade is telling the truth (or what she’s hiding under her gruff and sarcastic front), who the killer is and just what is going on in the town overall. All the different twists that culminated at the end were mind blowing and for the most part unexpected. If you’re looking for a thriller that is an ode to slashers and constantly keeps you on your toes, this is one you should pick up.

Happy reading!

Review | My Little Pony: Pony Tales Vol 1

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Collecting the six hit spotlight issues on everyone’s favorite ponies! Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie…everybody gets a story!

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Being someone who grew up with the original TV series and movies, I’ve always been a little hesitant to get into the new iteration of My Little Pony. While it’s nowhere near the original for me, the stories are still great with positive and fun messages. In this volume there’s an individual story for each character, centered around a certain event or something they are dealing with. Each on is full of humor and positivity. Each one, though centered on one character, often includes the other central characters as well. The art style very closely matches the TV show which is great for continuity and ties in great to their characters and overall personalities. For anyone who loves My Little Pony this would definitely be a fun read.

Happy reading!

Review | Wingbearer by Marjorie M. Liu

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A young girl must stop a threat to her magical world in this epic graphic novel from New York Times bestselling author Marjorie Liu and remarkable debut illustrator Teny Issakhanian.

Zuli is extraordinary–she just doesn’t realize it yet. Raised by mystical bird spirits in the branches of the Great Tree, she’s never ventured beyond this safe haven. She’s never had to. Until now.

When a sinister force threatens the life-giving magic of the tree, Zuli, along with her guardian owl, Frowly, must get to the root of it. So begins an adventure bigger than anything Zuli could’ve ever imagined–one that will bring her, along with some newfound friends, face-to-face with an ancient dragon, the so-called Witch-Queen, and most surprisingly of all: her true identity.

This captivating middle grade graphic novel, the first of a series, is perfect for fans of the Amulet books and the Wings of Fire series.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

After reading some of Liu’s Monstress, I was excited to pick up her middle grade debut, especially when I read the synopsis. I really enjoyed the world being built as the story went along and the lyrical storytelling style that it began with. Zuli is a compelling character whose personality is endearing. She’s courageous even when she’s afraid and full of curiosity. Along the way she meets a number of different characters, both friends and foes – and has to find out the hard way sometimes which side they are on. This was a fantastic introduction to a lush fantasy world and hopefully there will be more to come!

Happy reading!

Review | Sorceline by Sylvia Douyé

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Welcome to the Island of Vorn, where mythical creatures roam free and only the brightest students are invited to study them. In Book 1 of this riveting new middle grade graphic novel series, a gifted young cryptozoologist-in-training must learn to tame powerful beasts—including her own inner demons.

For as long as she can remember, Sorceline has had a knack for the study of mythical creatures. Now a student at Professor Archibald Balzar’s prestigious school of cryptozoology, she’s eager to test her skills and earn a spot as one of Balzar’s apprentices.

But for all her knowledge of gorgons, vampires, and griffins, Sorceline is mystified by her fellow humans. While she excels in her studies, she quickly clashes with her classmates, revealing her fiery temper.

When one of her rivals suddenly disappears, Sorceline must set aside her anger and join the quest to find her. But the mystery only deepens, leading Sorceline on a journey far darker and more personal than she expected . . .

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Sorceline follows the title character as well as a group of teenagers who have appeared on the island of Vorn in order to learn all things cryptid and supernatural creatures from Professor Balzar. The individual kids show their personalities quickly and we see a typical subsection of attitudes and some clique behavior going on. No one’s home situation or past is clear and the action starts almost immediately.

I really enjoyed the world that was created in this story and the little sprinklings of lore and facts about creatures. There’s a mystery that pops up pretty quickly so most of the story ties in to solving that as well as Sorceline realizing that her identity is a mystery. There some obvious teenager drama that goes on, but most of the issues are resolved rather quickly. With the way this volume ended I would definitely pick up the next one to see what happens to Sorceline and her fellow students.

Happy reading!

Review | Dark Waters by Katherine Arden

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Having met and outsmarted the smiling man in Dead Voices but fearful of when he’ll come again, Ollie, Brian, and Coco are anxiously searching for a way to defeat him once and for all. By staying together and avoiding remote places, they’ve steered clear of him so far but their constant worry and stress is taking a toll on their lives and friendship. So when Ollie’s dad and Coco’s mom plan a “fun” boat trip on Lake Champlain, the three are apprehensive to say the least. They haven’t had the best of luck on their recent trips and even worse their frenemy Phil is on the boat as well. But when a lake monster destroys their boat, they end up shipwrecked on a deserted island. This isn’t just any island though. It’s hidden from the outside world in a fog and unless everyone works together to find a way to escape, they won’t survive long.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

After loving the first two books in this series I was really excited to get to this one and unfortunately didn’t love it as much as the previous two books. I still really enjoyed the continuing story and the way things unfolded but did feel like the ending was rushed and didn’t love all the actions different characters took throughout the story. This story definitely felt like it’s a bridge between Dead Voices and the last book, so to me it felt a little rushed and incomplete. I did really enjoy the unfolding story and lore that went along with this story, as I have liked the storytelling in the last two books and that’s part of what keeps me reading. Keep in mind there are trigger warnings in this one for potential loss of a parent and if you have an issue with snakes you should probably know going in that this book features one. I definitely can’t wait until the last book comes out and can’t wait to see what happens to our favorite group of friends and the Smiling Man.

Happy reading!

Review | The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers: And Other Gruesome Tales by Jen Campbell

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Do you dare read this collection of terrifyingly gruesome tales? In this gripping volume, author Jen Campbell offers young readers an edgy, contemporary, and inclusive take on classic fairy tales, taking them back to their gory beginnings while updating them for a modern audience with queer and disabled characters and positive representation of disfigurement.

Featuring fourteen short stories from China, India, Ireland, and across the globe, The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers is an international collection of the creepiest folk tales. Illustrated with Adam de Souza’s brooding art, this book’s style is a totally original blend of nineteenth-century Gothic engravings meets moody film noir graphic novels. Headlined by the Korean tale of a carnivorous child, The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers is a truly thrilling gift for brave young readers.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I’ve heard good things about Jen Campbell’s work before, but never had a chance to pick it up. When I heard about this collection I knew I had to pick it up. The idea of folklore/stories from around the world getting tweaks or re-imaginings, and then to hear that they were gruesome tales, I was sold. I loved the dark tones of the stories, some I had read or heard of previously, so I enjoyed the slight variations on them. The stories are definitely dark and each area of the world has different themes, so it was nice to see them in a collection together.

Happy reading!

Review | Unlock Your Storybook Heart by Amanda Lovelace

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“life is not something that can be experienced on a deadline.”

amanda lovelace, the bestselling & award-winning author of the “women are some kind of magic” poetry series, presents unlock your storybook heart, the third & final installment in her feminist poetry series, “you are your own fairy tale.” this is a collection about being so caught up in the fable that is perfectionism that you miss out on your own life. be honest: when was the last time you stopped to take in the everyday enchantment all around you?

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I’ve enjoyed most of Amanda Lovelace’s other book and this one was no exception, but with this one especially I found myself identifying with a lot of the messages. This collection was perhaps a calmer or quieter theme than some of the others, but no less impactful. There are strong themes of learning to love yourself, grief of or loss of a parent and not letting what other people think affect you. Overall this is definitely up there among her collections for me and might be fighting for my favorite.

Happy reading!

Review | A Thousand Steps Into Night by Traci Chee

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From New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award finalist, Traci Chee, comes a Japanese-influenced fantasy brimming with demons, adventure, and plans gone awry.

In the realm of Awara, where gods, monsters, and humans exist side by side, Miuko is an ordinary girl resigned to a safe, if uneventful, existence as an innkeeper’s daughter. But when Miuko is cursed and begins to transform into a demon with a deadly touch, she embarks on a quest to reverse the curse and return to her normal life. Aided by a thieving magpie spirit and continuously thwarted by a demon prince, Miuko must outfox tricksters, escape demon hunters, and negotiate with feral gods if she wants to make it home again. But with her transformation comes power and freedom she never even dreamed of, and she’ll have to decide if saving her soul is worth trying to cram herself back into an ordinary life that no longer fits her… and perhaps never did.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Anything involving Asian culture, folklore or mythology piques my interest, so when I got the chance to pick up this book I jumped at the chance. This title definitely did not disappoint.

I can sometimes struggle with some fantasy because of the info dumping or too much worldbuilding at once, but with this book I felt like the storytelling pacing and worldbuilding was really well balanced. The characters were very well developed, especially the main character. She was very three dimensional and it was clear that her character was well thought out.

This book was really hard to put down and while truly a fantasy, it delved into some very important topics. The story moves well and keeps you reading until the very end.

Happy reading!

Review | A Comb of Wishes by Lisa Stringfellow

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Sure enough, the sea woman will come for what’s hers.

Ever since her mother’s death, Kela feels every bit as broken as the shards of glass, known as “mermaid’s tears,” that sparkle on the beaches of St. Rita. But when she discovers a different kind of treasure, she accidentally summons an actual mermaid—the wrathful Ophidia.

Ophidia makes Kela a bargain: her ancient comb, in exchange for a wish. And though Kela knows that what she wants most is her mother back, a wish that big will exact a dangerous price…

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I will reach for pretty much any book that incorporates mythology or aspects of different cultures, so as soon as I heard of this book I wanted to pick it up. I really enjoyed the writing style and the distinct perspectives the story is told from. I was immediately drawn into the story and loved the overall atmosphere of the book. I was even surprised by some darker moments, but loved the journey. The grief that was felt by Kela over the loss of her mother was genuine and a consistent theme throughout the book.

The world and culture portrayed felt vibrant and developed, giving a unique view at everyday life in the Caribbean as well as a deep dive into Caribbean folklore. All in all I felt this was a solid middle grade that will thrill readers with dynamic folklore elements as well as teach important lessons along the way.

Lisa Stringfellow writes middle grade fiction and has a not-so-secret fondness for fantasy with a dark twist. Growing up, she was a voracious reader, and books took her to places where her imagination could thrive. She writes for her twelve-year-old self, the kid waiting to be the brown-skinned hero of an adventure, off saving the world. Lisa’s work often reflects her West Indian and Black southern heritage. She received the inaugural Kweli Color of Children’s Literature Manuscript Award in 2019 for an earlier draft of A Comb of Wishes. Lisa is a middle-school teacher and lives in Boston, Massachusetts, with her children and two bossy cats.

A Comb of Wishes comes out on February 8th, so be sure to pick up a copy! Thanks again to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book.

Happy reading!

Blog Tour | An Operative’s Last Stand by Juno Rushdan | Review

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A kill squad is closing in…now this team leader must risk everything for answers. Barely escaping CIA mercenaries, ex-agent Hunter Wright is after the person he thinks targeted his ops team, Topaz, for treason. Deputy director Kelly Russell is still the one woman he can’t resist, but she believes Hunter went rogue. Now she’s his only shot at getting the answers they need. Can they trust each other enough to save Topaz—and each other?

Buy Links | IndieBound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Harlequin.com

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I’ve only read one of the other books in this series, but these can easily be read as stand alones or out of order. The level of romantic suspense is just right in this one, keeping the story moving at a steady pace throughout the whole book. There were definitely moments that kept me hanging on by a thread. Kelly was hard to like for some of the book, but as she evolved and learned more, as well as developed her relationship with Hunter. Some romantic suspense focus more on the suspense, but this one had a great romance as well as a dynamite suspense plot line.

Juno Rushdan draws from real-life inspiration as a former U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer to craft sizzling romantic thrillers. However, you won’t find any classified leaks here. Her stories are pure fiction about kick-ass heroes and strong heroines fighting for their lives as well as their happily-ever-after.

Happy reading!