Review | Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger

December 31, 2023December 30, 2023 DeAnneLeave a comment

Three couples rent a luxury cabin in the woods for a weekend getaway to die for in this chilling locked-room thriller.

What could be more restful than a weekend getaway with family and friends? An isolated luxury cabin in the woods, spectacular views, a hot tub and a personal chef. Hannah’s generous brother found the listing online. The reviews are stellar. It’ll be three couples on this trip with good food, good company and lots of R & R.

But the dreamy weekend is about to turn into a nightmare.

A deadly storm is brewing. The rental host seems just a little too present. The personal chef reveals that their beautiful house has a spine-tingling history. And the friends have their own complicated past, with secrets that run blood deep.

How well does Hannah know her brother, her own husband? Can she trust her best friend? Meanwhile, someone is determined to ruin the weekend, looking to exact a payback for deeds long buried. Who is the stranger among them?

As much as I was intrigued by the concept of this one, it didn’t quite get there for me. I felt like the differing perspectives didn’t really fit together for most of the story. Things like that can cause me to not be able to really get into the story and that’s what I found happening here. By the end everything did come together, but the pacing was off since I kept being thrown off by the disjointed perspectives. Also, there weren’t really any characters that were reliable or likeable, so that’s another thing that was pulling me out of the story. Once completed I can definitely see how the story can be enjoyed, it is certainly twisty and does come together in the end – but this one just wasn’t entirely for me.

Happy reading!

Review | Dear Rebel

December 30, 2023 DeAnneLeave a comment

More than 125 extraordinary teens and women share their advice, experiences, and the secrets of their success—in their own words. Through letters, poems, essays, self-portraits, and more, the authors tackle topics like overcoming obstacles, discovering your passion, and dreaming big.

Learn how Ms. Marvel actor Iman Vellani connected with her roots through her character. Read about how March for our Lives co-founder Jaclyn Corin found her voice as an activist. Follow mountaineer Carla Pérez on the final 100 meters to the top of Mount Everest. This rich collection of first-person stories has something for everyone, inspiring young readers to try new things, face their fears, and be themselves.

If you’re expecting the typical format that most Rebel Girls books follow, this one will surprise you. This installment would be a great coffee table book, or something to read a letter from each night or something like that. It is very personal, as it is told in each individual’s voice and from their hearts. Whether it be them simply telling their stories, or sharing hard learned advice. There’s definitely something that will resonate with everyone as the included individuals vary greatly in accomplishments, career, diversity, etc – so I’m sure there’s something for everyone. Though it’s a different format than we are used to, it’s definitely a great addition.

Happy reading!

Review | Rebel Girls Level Up: 25 Tales of Gaming and the Metaverse

December 5, 2023December 4, 2023 DeAnneLeave a comment

Meet 25 inspiring women in the world of gaming and the metaverse. Read about how they’ve created innovative technology, designed the video games you play, and broken barriers whenever their industry put up walls.

Dive into gamer communities with popular streamers like Imane Anys, better known as Pokimane. Learn to lead with Aya Kyogoku, who directed several Animal Crossing games. Design digital clothing with Roblox creators like cSapphire. And compete in the wild world of esports with pro gamers Sasha Hostyn and Sylvia Gathoni.

This book pairs inspiring, easy-to-read text with colorful full-page portraits created by female and nonbinary artists from all around the world. Plus, scannable codes let you listen to longer stories on the Rebel Girls app!

I was super excited to see that one of the newer installments in this series was about gaming as it does feel like a space that the series hasn’t explored before. The format is very similar to other installments in the series and is easily consumable with a great mix of different personalities and motivations in the gaming/metaverse community.

The only thing I didn’t love about this installment is that a couple of the images were generating using AI illustration. One of the things I love about these books is the fact that for each person represented, they are also highlighting the work and style of different artists. There’s a lot of controversy surrounding AI art as everyone knows. I’m not going to really get into it in a review, but that did knock me back a bit. I did appreciate the note at the end of the book where this is actually talked about and I appreciate the shared perspective as to the why, but that did upset me a little.

That being said it is still a wonderful addition to the series that I thoroughly enjoyed and I’m excited to see what they add next.

Happy reading!

anOther Mythology by Maxwell I. Gold

December 4, 2023December 3, 2023 DeAnneLeave a comment

A Queer Poetic Retelling of Classic Myths.

From Thanatos to Hades, Maxwell Gold’s book of horror prose poetry reimagines myths from a queer perspective. Gold’s poetry merges camp sensibility and cosmic horror in poems that are beautiful, bloody, and barbed. A poetic soap opera of gods and monsters.

I’m always up for anything that tackles lore, fairytales or mythology, so a look at mythology through a queer lens utilizing prose poetry sounded interesting to me. The writing itself is very lyrical, but it is something that you need to sit with and examine. It’s not light, and it’s not meant to be. I thought it was a really good exploration of both well known myths and those that may not be well known to a lot of people, through a unique perspective.

Happy reading!

Review | Everyone’s Thinking It by Aleema Omotoni

December 3, 2023 DeAnneLeave a comment

Mean Girls meets Dear White People in this big-hearted, sharp-witted UK boarding school story about family, friendship, and belonging—with a propulsive mystery at its heart. Within the walls of Wodebury Hall, an elite boarding school in the English countryside, reputation is everything. But aspiring photographer Iyanu is more comfortable observing things safely from behind her camera. For Iyanu’s estranged cousin, Kitan, life seems perfect. She has money, beauty, and friends like queen bee Heather. But as a Nigerian girl in a school as white and insular as Wodebury, Kitan struggles with the personal sacrifices needed to keep her place—and the protection she gets—within the exclusive popular crowd. Then photos from Iyanu’s camera are stolen and splashed across the school the week before the Valentine’s Day Ball—each with a juicy secret written on it. With everyone’s dirty laundry suddenly out in the open, the school explodes in chaos, and the whispers accusing Iyanu of being the one behind it all start to feel like déjà vu. Each girl is desperate to unravel the mystery of who stole the photos and why. But exposing the truth will change them all forever.

As soon as I heard that this was a Shakespeare retelling, I was hooked as I have a soft spot for Shakespeare, especially certain plays – A Midsummer Night’s Dream being one of them. I definitely felt that the buzz words of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Mean Girls was appropriate. It definitely wasn’t just a light, funny story though, there were very real issues that were tackled and woven into the story, such as bullying, racism and other issues that teens face on a regular basis. It was a fast paced read for me that was hard to put down once the secrets started being revealed. I wasn’t expecting to go through a lot of twists and turns, so was happily surprised when there were points where I was left guessing what was going on. All in all a fantastic debut and I look forward to what this author comes up with next.

Happy reading!

Review | The Blackwoods by Brandy Colbert

December 2, 2023 DeAnneLeave a comment

From Boston Globe/Horn Book Award–winning author Brandy Colbert comes the story of four generations of a Hollywood family—an unforgettable tale of ambition, fame, struggle, loss, and love in America.

The Blackwoods. Everyone knows their name. Blossom Blackwood burst onto the silver screen in 1962, and in the decades that followed, she would become one of the most celebrated actors of our time—and the matriarch of the most famous Black family in Hollywood. To her great-granddaughters, Hollis and Ardith, she has always just been Bebe. And when she passes away, it changes everything. Hollis Blackwood was never interested in fame. Still, she’s surrounded by it, whether at home with her family or at the prestigious Dupree Academy among Los Angeles’ elite.

When private photos of Hollis are leaked in the wake of Blossom’s death, she is thrust into the spotlight she’s long avoided—and finds that trust may be a luxury even she can’t afford. Ardith Blackwood has always lived in the public eye. A television star since childhood, she was perhaps closer with Blossom than anyone—especially after Ardith’s mother died in a drug overdose. Ever since, she has worked to be everything her family, her church, and the public want her to be. But as a family secret comes to light and the pressures from all sides begin to mount, she wonders what is left beneath the face she shows the world.

Weaving together the narratives of Hollis, Ardith, and Blossom, award-winning author Brandy Colbert tells an unforgettable story set in an America where everything is personal, and nothing is private.

I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy this one, mostly because it isn’t necessarily a subject I reach for much, but the premise intrigued me enough that I wanted to give it a read – and I’m glad I did. It does take some time to get going, but I really enjoyed the multi-generational aspect and the way we were moving back and forth between them. I really enjoyed the look at Black Hollywood as it is something I don’t know a lot about, but can definitely see a place for books like this to explore it. Colbert’s writing style is wonderful and easily consumable, which makes me want to pick up more of their books in the future. I did feel that there were some things that could have been perhaps fleshed out a bit more, such as things happening in the present, but that doesn’t mean the story wasn’t complete. Overall I’m really glad I picked this one up and found it to be a very enjoyable read.

Happy reading!

Blog Tour | The Fiction Writer by Jillian Cantor | Review

November 28, 2023 DeAnneLeave a comment

From USA Today-bestselling Jillian Cantor, THE FICTION WRITER follows a mid-list writer hired by a handsome billionaire to write about his family history with Daphne du Maurier and finds herself drawn into a tangled web of obsession, marital secrets, and stolen manuscripts.

Last night I dreamt I went to Malibu again…

The once-rising literary star Olivia Fitzgerald is down on her luck. Her most recent novel–a re-telling of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca–was a flop, her boyfriend of nine years just dumped her, and she’s battling a bad case of writer’s block. So when her agent calls her with a high-paying ghostwriting opportunity, Olivia is all too willing to sign the NDA.

At first, the write-for-hire job seems too good to be true. All she has to do is interview Henry “Ash” Asherwood, a reclusive mega billionaire, twice-named People’s Sexiest Man Alive, who wants her help in writing a book that reveals a shocking secret about his late grandmother and Daphne du Maurier. But when Olivia arrives at his Malibu estate, nothing is as it seems. Ash is hesitant to reveal any family secrets, and he seems more interested in her than their writing project. The more Olivia digs into his grandmother’s past, the more questions she has—and before she knows it, she’s trapped in a gothic mystery of her own.

With as many twists and turns as the California coast, The Fiction Writer is a captivating story exploring the boundaries of creative freedom and whose stories we have the right to tell.

The synopsis itself was intriguing enough that I wanted to pick this one up, though I feel like I need to read Rebecca at some point because I’m sure there were tons of call backs to the original work that I would have seen had I read it. I did feel that the pacing itself on this story was a little slower than I like, I can appreciate a well crafted slow build, but this was a little too slow to keep me constantly engaged. It didn’t make me want to stop reading because I certainly wanted to know what happened, but I did find myself putting it down a few times. Still there were a number of things that kept me guessing and overall it was a well fleshed out story.

Jillian Cantor is the USA Today and internationally bestselling author of eleven novels for teens and adults, which have been chosen for LibraryReads, Indie Next, Amazon Best of the Month, and have been translated into 13 languages. She has a BA in English from Penn State University and an MFA from the University of Arizona. Born and raised in a suburb of Philadelphia, Cantor currently lives in Arizona with her husband and two sons.

Happy reading!

Review | Run and Hide: How Jewish Youth Escaped the Holocaust

November 26, 2023 DeAnneLeave a comment

A gripping nonfiction graphic novel that follows the stories of Jewish children, separated from their parents, who escaped the horrors of the Holocaust. From the Sibert Honor and YALSA Award–winning creator behind The Unwanted, Drowned City, and others. In the tightening grip of Hitler’s power, towns, cities, and ghettoes were emptied of Jews. Unless they could escape, Jewish children would not be spared their deadly fate in the Holocaust, a tragedy of unfathomable depth. Only 11% of the Jewish children living in Europe before 1939 survived the Second World War. Run and Hide tells the stories of these children, forced to leave their homes and families, as they escaped certain horror. Some children flee to England by train. Others are hidden from Nazis, sometimes in plain sight. Some are secreted away in attics and farmhouses. Still others make miraculous escapes, cresting over the snow-covered Pyrenees mountains to safety. Acclaimed nonfiction storyteller Don Brown brings his expertise for journalistic reporting to the deeply felt personal narratives of Jewish children who survived against overwhelming odds

The further we get from the horrific events of the Holocaust, the more books and media like this are important. Not just for the cliché of learning from history so you don’t repeat it, which shows up pretty much every day – but because events like this need to be taught and understood. This book did give an important timeline of events with the overall war, but specifically centered on the things that had to be done in order to try to save Jewish children during World War II. People had to go to extreme lengths and risk their lives in order to save children, often children they didn’t know or have any personal connection to. In this format the information is more easily consumed and I think very accessible to anyone that wants to learn about different facets of World War II.

Happy reading.

Review | For Girls Who Walk Through Fire by Kim DeRose

November 16, 2023 DeAnneLeave a comment

Those who would suppress and destroy you stand not a chance when confronted with the power that lies within these pages . . .

Elliott D’Angelo-Brandt is sick and tired of putting up with it all. Every week, she attends a support group for teen victims of sexual assault, but all they do is talk. Elliott’s done with talking. What she wants is justice.

And she has a plan for getting it: a spell book that she found in her late mom’s belongings that actually works. Elliott recruits a coven of fellow survivors from the group. She, Madeline, Chloe, and Bea don’t have much in common, but they are united in their rage at a system that heaps judgments on victims and never seems to punish those who deserve it.

As they each take a turn casting a hex against their unrepentant assailants, the girls find themselves leaning on each other in ways they never expected—and realizing that revenge has heavy implications. Each member of the coven will have to make a choice: continue down the path of magical vigilantism or discover what it truly means to claim their power.

For Girls Who Walk Through Fire is a fierce, deeply moving novel about perseverance in the face of injustice and the transformational power of friendship.

First and foremost it would probably go without saying, but trigger warnings that there is talk of sexual assault and other sensitive subjects and sometimes that talk is very raw and detailed. That being said, it was a great revenge story, a heavy story mixed with some supernatural hijinks, making the heavier side of the story easier to read. I would have liked a little more depth in the characters and their relationships with each other, but I understand why some things were more surface level when considering their trauma, revenge and healing in the story itself. The writing style made the story easy to consume and I felt there was a good balance overall between the heaviness of topics and the events in the story.

Happy reading!

Review | Too Scared to Sleep by Andrew Duplessie

November 15, 2023 DeAnneLeave a comment

From debut author Andrew Duplessie, a terrifying collection of teen short horror stories–and accompanying videos–that will keep you up long into the night! Perfect for fans of Five Nights at Freddy’s.

A garbage disposal that feeds on flesh . . .

A beloved stuffed rabbit that cooks up your parents . . .

Roses that require human blood to bloom . . .

From blood-chilling horror to supernatural scares, this collection of short stories from debut author Andrew Duplessie offers something to stoke anyone’s fear factor. But that’s only the beginning. In a first-ever twist, each story also comes with a pulse-pounding video that deepens the horror. Point your phone at the QR code and be prepared to scream! Maybe even share it with your friends, if you dare.

Ready or not, Too Scared to Sleep will answer the question: How brave are you, really?

I love short story collections and I really feel when it’s horror short stories it’s even better. There’s something that is very “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” when it comes to horror anthologies, especially those centered on tweens or teens – there’s a lot of nostalgia there for me before I even start reading. I found a lot of the stories in the anthology to be enjoyable, some of them not so much – but that’s common with any anthology. I did really enjoy the differing formats and little additions within the anthology. All in all this is a great compilation, a fast read and thoroughly enjoyable for spooky season.

Happy reading!