Tag: reading

Review: The Girl Who Drank the Moon

DeAnneLeave a comment

Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the forest, Xan, is kind and gentle. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster named Glerk and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon, Fyrian. Xan rescues the abandoned children and deliver them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey. 

One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise this enmagicked girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. To keep young Luna safe from her own unwieldy power, Xan locks her magic deep inside her. When Luna approaches her thirteenth birthday, her magic begins to emerge on schedule–but Xan is far away. Meanwhile, a young man from the Protectorate is determined to free his people by killing the witch. Soon, it is up to Luna to protect those who have protected her–even if it means the end of the loving, safe world she’s always known.

I was so pleasantly surprised by this story and it’s mixed cast of characters. We are following multiple perspectives in this story and the way Barnhill weaves each of those perspectives together is beautifully done. Each character has a purpose and a different journey that they must take which is leading them to the climax of the plot. All of the characters are wonderfully sketched out and easily recognized, at least when talking about the main characters.

The world building and backstory was revealed in bits and pieces, which at times could be frustrating, but in the end all came together. There were definitely points where I wanted a little more, but it’s a wonderful coming of age story that addresses many aspects of mob mentality, fear and other difficult topics. The fantastical setting helps to soften these subjects and make them more digestible to a younger audience.

Happy reading!

Review: Swipe Right For Murder

DeAnneLeave a comment

Synopsis: On the run from the FBI.
Targeted by a murderous cult.
Labeled a cyber-terrorist by the media.
Irritated texts from his best friend.
Eye contact with a nice-looking guy on the train.
Aidan has a lot to deal with, and he’s not quite sure which takes top priority.

Finding himself alone in a posh New York City hotel room for the night, Aidan does what any red-blooded seventeen-year-old would do—he tries to hook up with someone new. But that lapse in judgement leads to him waking up next to a dead guy, which sparks an epic case of mistaken identity that puts Aidan on the run from everyone—faceless federal agents, his eccentric family, and, naturally, a cyber-terrorist group who will stop at nothing to find him.

He soon realizes the only way to stop the chase is to deliver the object everyone wants, before he gets caught or killed. But for Aidan, the hardest part is knowing who he can trust not to betray him—including himself.

I didn’t know what to expect with this book just picked it up based on premise alone. It was a fun and twisted ride of betrayal, mistaken identities and a deadly terrorist group which may have had a noble cause at one point early on, but has become twisted.

I loved the friend group in this book, everyone in Aidan’s inner circle truly cared about him and accepted him as he was. Those moments were some of my favorite in the book. I also truly enjoyed the fast paced nature of the book, it was almost non-stop and keeps you guessing the whole time. The author does a really good job of making you wonder if you can truly trust anyone.

You do have to suspend disbelief with this book, but that’s ok. If you’re looking for a sometimes sassy, sometimes hilarious crime adventure, you should definitely check this one out.

Happy reading!

Review: The Missing Barbegazi

DeAnneLeave a comment

Synopsis: Tessa has heard her grandfather’s stories about the fabled barbegazi since she was little. Now, after his death, she’s determined to see the gnome-like creatures for herself and prove her grandfather wasn’t just a confused old man.

When Tessa discovers Gawion, a young male barbegazi, she’s overjoyed. She can finally show everyone that her grandfather was telling the truth. But Gawion needs her help. His sister is missing and may have been captured by humans. As the two form a friendship, Tessa realizes that uncovering the truth about the barbegazi carries great responsibilities—and sometimes things have to remain a secret.

This was such a cute story! In it we follow Tessa who is dealing with the recent loss of her grandfather and is desperately trying to find evidence of the barbegazi, who he swore saved him years ago from an avalanche. We also follow a family of barbegazis who are dealing with the disappearance of one of their family members.

The book is peppered with lore about the barbegazis and their habits/mythology which I thought was a really nice touch. Throughout the book there are some times and Tessa makes impulsive decisions that aren’t the smartest, or has thoughts that are a tad selfish but it’s good to see her reason through those thoughts or think retroactively about her decisions and their consequences. For the age that she is her behavior and thoughts are appropriate.

The family dynamics and friendships in this book were really charming and authentic. It touched on a lot of harder subjects such as grief (and the effects thereof), slight bullying and others. It’s a fun winter adventure with a lot of twists and turns and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

If it sounds like something you would like to pick up be sure to check it out. It’s coming out from Jolly Fish Press on November 12th.

Happy reading!

Review: The Cold is in Her Bones

DeAnneLeave a comment

When I first heard that this book was a take on Medusa, I was instantly intrigued and wanted to check it out. Things based on mythology always pique my interest as that’s one of my buzzwords/favorite concepts. This book did not disappoint on the Medusa aspect for sure.

After the prologue (which gives us a glimpse of events in the past) we follow Milla, who is sheltered and lives a quiet life outside of the village with her parents and brother. As the story unfolds we learn about the curse that the village lives under where young girls get afflicted by a “demon” and get taken away. We then continue to follow Milla as she does everything she can to learn more and to help those she cares about.

This book opens up great conversations about the extremes that some religious beliefs can go to and what happens when people react harshly out of their fear. In some ways you could draw some parallels to stories such as those written about the events that happened during the Salem witch hunts. There’s also a lot of talk about oppressing females if they don’t act the norm or perfectly obey. I felt that these concepts were subtle enough to not be overt, but still there.

Overall I really enjoyed this read and loved how the story unfolded. I would recommend picking it up if you’re looking for something mythology based or perfect for the spooky season.

Happy reading!

September Wrap Up and Haul

DeAnne2 Comments

I know I’m a little late in posting this, but I recently decided I wanted to start putting up wrap ups on my blog, not only so I have a record, but also to keep myself accountable. September was my worst reading month of 2019 so far in terms of how many books I read, but I did read a lot of really good books.

This year I had set a goal for myself to read more books each month than I bring in and each much I’ve managed to do that…except September. I’m giving myself a pass on it since I’ve done so well the rest of the year, but yeah.

In the month of September I read 13 books and added 16 physical books to my TBR (though I did read two of the books I brought in). The breakdown for the books I read are as follows:

  • 6 books that I owned in print (pictured at right)
  • 5 eARCs/Review books
  • 2 ebooks

I have posts up for all of the eARCS/review books that I completed, so if you want to know about them I will picture them below.

The two ebooks I read were Quiet Girl in a Noisy World by Debbie Tung and Your Soul is a River by Nikita Gill, which both got 5 stars from me and were amazing.

Now, onto the books I added to my TBR. I got three books from Book of the Month in September. The rest I either picked up because they were discounted, or they were stress purchases. Hey, it happens.

I’m planning on reading a couple of these in the month of October. As I said I read two in the month of September (Kamisama Kiss 16 and Great Goddesses) and have since finished Tunnel of Bones this month.

As I said, though I didn’t read a ton of books, but those I read were really good. The lowest rating I had was a 3 star, and that was only one book. All of the rest were either 4 or 5 stars.

Here’s hoping that October will be a lot better than September was. Happy reading!

Calypso thinks she’s helping.

Review: The Circle

DeAnneLeave a comment

When I was offered this book I was immediately interested, anything with fairies immediately draws my interest, especially when they weave in some of the different aspects of fairies. The Circle introduces us to Calum who is living with guilt over the disappearance of his cousin and who is trying to figure out his place in not only the world of the Sidhe but also in the human world. The story really gets going when he meets Lauren, a human girl.

A lot of the first half is world building and setting the story and characters, but in a first book in a series that is understandable. The second half of the book moves pretty quickly as we discover that the different events in their lives are likely tied together.

I’m eager to see where the rest of the series takes these characters and could definitely see how seemingly minor characters could play a larger part in future books.

The Circle is out now from Vulpine Press. Thanks again to them for offering me a copy of this book. Happy reading!

Event Recap: A Cup of Holiday Fear Release Party

DeAnneLeave a comment

I love hearing about book events that are close enough for me to go to them, but that’s sometimes a challenge as the closest events are usually hours away; however, when I heard that Ellie Alexander was having a release party for the 10th book in her Bakeshop Mystery series in Ashland where the books are set, I had to go. Not only is Ellie on my list of favorite authors, but Ashland is one of my favorite places and is only about an hour from where I live.

Winchester Inn, Ashland, Oregon

The release party was held at the beautiful Winchester Inn which also happens to be the setting for the book that we were celebrating, A Cup of Holiday Fear. It was the perfect cozy and historic location for this gathering and I can only imagine it being an amazing backdrop for the mystery in the book.

Everything was decked out in Christmas decorations and touches and we were treated to delicious treats and custom made drinks. Ellie took some time to discuss the genesis of her writing this book and we also heard from the owner of the inn regarding how the Winchester Inn came to be. We also learned the story of the Dickens Feast, which is an event at the inn every year that plays a part in the book.

It was amazing hearing Ellie talk about her books (as always) she is so personable and passionate about her characters and stories. Many of her characters are based on actual people in real life. For example her father is the inspiration for The Professor in the books and we were treated to meeting him at this event. While all of her books are able to be read as stand alones, I definitely recommend starting at the beginning so you get to know the characters over time.

After the discussion everyone was able to explore a few different areas including buying Torte merchandise, taking a selfie with Santa, getting some of the treats and of course getting books signed by Ellie. It was an amazing time and it was wonderful to see Ellie again! I love being able to support a local author and it’s even better when it’s an author whose books I love.

Be sure to check out Ellie’s books, they are enchanting, hilarious and so enjoyable. Though I’m not completely caught up, I have loved everything I have read from her. Happy reading!

Tag Tuesday: Goodreads Book Tag

DeAnneLeave a comment

I’m not sure exactly where this tag originated but I saw it in a few places and thought I would go ahead and do it as I wanted to start doing Tag Tuesday posts! If you know the original creator please let me know and I will gladly credit them.

What is the last book you marked as “Read”?
Your Soul is a River by Nikita Gill, I’ve been pretty addicted to her poetry as of late, so I’ve been reading some of her earlier releases.

What are you currently reading?
A few different things, but I’m mostly working on e-arcs I’ve received. I’m constantly trying to get caught up!

What was the last book you marked as “to read”?
Your Heart is the Sea by Nikita Gill. Obviously there is a pattern here.

What book do you plan on reading next?
Probably Violet Tendencies by Kate Dyer-Seeley as I picked it as part of a challenge I’m trying to complete. I also have Hunted by Meagan Spooner out from the library so that one is going to happen soon as well.

Do you use the star rating system?
I do, though when I write out reviews on Goodreads I tend to explain in the review if it’s a partial number such as 3.5. Anything that is .5 or above I will round up to the next star.

Are you doing the Goodreads Reading Challenge?

Yep.

Do you have a wishlist?
I do, I would probably forget about all the things I’m anticipating if I didn’t keep a running wishlist going. I also have some sub-lists that I keep secret for my own organizational purposes.

What book do you plan on buying next?
Since I recently had a few orders come in I’m holding off on buying more right now. I will definitely be picking up the last volume of The Wicked and the Divine once it is out in October and have a couple signings I’m going to so there will be book buying at those events.

What is your favorite quote?
‘Hope is the things with feathers that perches in the soul’ – Emily Dickinson

Fun fact, this is going to be part of the next tattoo I get, just not sure of the design yet.

Who are your favorite authors?
Julie Kagawa, Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Bailey, Heather Graham, Helen Hoang – believe me, the list goes on and on.

Are you a part of any Goodreads Groups?
Currently the only one I’m really active in is the Dragons and Tea Book Club.

What could Goodreads do better?
I would absolutely love if the ability to give half stars was introduced. I think a lot of people would love that.

Well, that appears to be all the questions! Not really sure if that all was helpful information, but it was fun. If you’d like to add me on Goodreads or follow me, I can be found here.

Happy reading!

Review: The Girl the Sea Gave Back

DeAnneLeave a comment
By Adrienne Young
Rating – 4 stars

While this book is set in the same world as Sky in the Deep, I believe it can be read as a stand alone and as its own story. It follows Tova and Halvard primarily, as well as their respective peoples. I loved the world building and the rich lore/mythology that has been woven in, but did find some plot points pretty predictable (not in a bad way, just I pretty much knew certain things that would happen).

Tova’s struggle to find her place and to know who she really is was well flushed out, as was Halvard’s doubt of himself and other’s faith in him. Watching them grow and come into their own throughout the story was wonderful to see, as were the frequent flashbacks that provided glimpses into their respective childhoods.

I did feel the ending was a little abrupt and would have loved there to be an epilogue. When I reached the end of the book I really though there would be at least a few pages more, something solid about what came to pass. Can you assume what happened after the end? Yes, you absolutely can – but I would have loved something more final.

All in all I did enjoy the book and it made me want to pick up more similarly themed books. It was an action packed adventure that I really had fun reading and would definitely recommend to others.

The Girl the Sea Gave Back is out now, so be sure to check it out if it’s something you would like. Happy reading!

Review: The Days of Guns and Roses

DeAnneLeave a comment

If you’re looking for a first book in a series that features a rag tag group of adventurers against what seem like impossible odds, you should definitely check this book out. It follows our main character, Emily, who is a gifted fighter graduating from school with no real direction. The one job she wants doesn’t seem to be available, until she received a strange request from a representative of the organization she wishes to work for.

While the world building in this book was really good, I found myself wanting even more. The author does a really good job of explaining the core concepts and constructs of the world, but when he delved into background and history I just wanted it to be expanded even more. Hopefully the future books will have even more expansion of the world.

I really enjoyed Emily’s adventures and her blunders in creating meaningful relationships. She a little unpolished and quick to rush to judgements, but the book shows her growth as she learns to interact and work with others.

All in all a fun adventure that is definitely looking to shape up into an epic series. The Days of Guns and Roses is out now, so be sure to pick it up now. Thanks again to Vulpine Press for sending me a copy.

Happy reading!