Tag: reads

Review: We Were All Someone Else Yesterday

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A hybrid text that deals most urgently in the articulation of growth and grief. After the loss of his mother, Omar Holmon re-learns how to live by immersing himself in popular culture, becoming well-versed in using the many modes of pop culture to spell out his emotions. This book is made up of both poems and essays, drenched in both sadness and unmistakable humor. Teeming with references that are touchable, no matter what you do or don’t know, this book feels warm and inviting.

This poetry collection hit me super hard. As someone who lost a parent to cancer some of the poems were truly heartbreaking. Each one was a vignette into another facet of experiences the author had, whether it be the loss of his mother, things that happened in his family, relationships or other important events.

The writing was beautiful, even when there were changing tones and themes. It’s very much a collection about human experience, grief and more. I would definitely recommend it, but take note that there is definitely a trigger warning for death of a parent.

Happy reading!

Review: Rescuing the Ranger

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Gabe Preston’s been sent on a mission: clean out his beloved grandmother’s house in Havenport and help move her into senior living—or so he thinks. Havenport had always been a special place to visit while growing up, but during this ride into town he finds more than he bargained for. Surviving multiple deployments as an Army Ranger hadn’t ever proved this type of challenging. All Gabe desires is to ride his motorcycle, enjoy his time out of the Army, and figure out his next stop in life. The best laid plans don’t necessarily work out when you’ve got a meddling, matchmaking grandmother.

Francesca Montefiore loves Havenport, and her recently acquired florist shop. She’s finally made a fresh start in her life, one stem at a time. When she’s “adopted” by the local Garden Club members she treasures the ladies as family, something she’d been sorely lacking. When her past comes back to threaten her contentment, she’ll need the help of one hunky, visiting Army Ranger, the Garden Club President’s grandson to come to her rescue. But will she be the one doing the rescuing instead?

This was such a fun story. We’re introduced to Francesca and Gabe through their letters when he’s in the service, then pick up again when he goes to Havenport to see his grandmother. The story progresses very quickly and there’s definitely action mixed in.

I do feel like it would have been even better if it had been a little longer since there were some things that felt like they were glossed over or just got resolved really quickly. Still the story and characters were really fun and fast paced, so I really enjoyed it.

Happy reading!

Review: RWBY: The Official Manga Vol. 1

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Experience the introductory arc of the international smash hit series RWBY in a whole new way—manga!

In the world of Remnant, monsters known as Grimm wreak havoc. They’re kept in check by Huntsmen and Huntresses, highly skilled warriors experienced in monster extermination who utilize their special abilities on the field of battle. Ruby is a ferociously talented young girl who comes to Beacon Academy to hone her skills and serve as a Huntress herself. Alongside her sister Yang Xiao Long, rival Weiss Schnee and newfound friend Blake Belladonna, Ruby leads Team RWBY, the coolest new group at Beacon!

Ruby takes her first step on the road to becoming a Huntress by enrolling at Beacon Academy, eager to take on the battery of tests, challenges and difficulties that follow. Ruby knows her talents will take her to her goal, but is she ready to clash with Weiss Schnee, haughty scion of the Schnee Dust Company?

I was super excited to see a new manga version of RWBY coming out, especially since it’s starting out where the show started. Fans of the show RWBY will recognize this story arc as it starts off at the same point, with a robbery being committed and foiled by Ruby.

This is a great introduction to the main set of characters as well as the setting and world. That being said, a lot of the action sequences were a little hard to follow in the manga format. It’s understandable as action can be hard to portray, but if I hadn’t watched this part of the show already I may not have been able to follow the action sequences and what was happening.

Still, if you’re a lover of the series, this will definitely be something to add to your collection.

Happy reading!

Review: The Daughters of Ys

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An Atlantis-like city from Celtic legend is the setting of this mythical graphic novel fantasy from National Book Award winner M. T. Anderson and artist Jo Rioux.

Ys, city of wealth and wonder, has a history of dark secrets. Queen Malgven used magic to raise the great walls that keep Ys safe from the tumultuous sea. But after the queen’s inexplicable death, her daughters drift apart. Rozenn, the heir to the throne, spends her time on the moors communing with wild animals, while Dahut, the youngest, enjoys the splendors of royal life and is eager to take part in palace intrigue.

When Rozenn and Dahut’s bond is irrevocably changed, the fate of Ys is sealed, exposing the monsters that lurk in plain view. M. T. Anderson and Jo Rioux reimagine this classic Breton folktale of love, loss, and rebirth, revealing the secrets that lie beneath the surface.

I had never heard of or read the folktale this graphic novel was based on, but I was instantly intrigued when I read the description of the story. It’s a tale of how people can change depending on what they consider important. It also examines themes such as power, good and evil and family connections.

The art style was simple and more rustic, but it fit the theme and setting of the story perfectly. It definitely gave it the feel of the time period and the seaside setting. You could definitely see the influence of the original folktale and the time period that it came from.

All in all this is an enchanting tale that provides more than one good morality lesson woven into it.

Happy reading!

Review: Blue Flag Vol. 1

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An unexpected love quadrangle with a dash of unrequited love as two classmates, a boy and a girl, begin to fall for each other when each of their best friends have already fallen for them.

It’s the last year of high school, and love is in the air. Romantic feelings that have been building up over years of friendship come to light. When Taichi’s classmate Futaba asks him to help her confess to his best friend, Toma, it sparks the catalyst that begins the sweet and heart-wrenching journey of their third and final year of high school.

For some reason, Taichi Ichinose just can’t tolerate Futaba Kuze. But at the start of his third year in high school, he finds himself in the same homeroom as her, along with his childhood friend and school sports star Toma Mita. But one day Futaba opens up to Taichi, admitting she has a crush on Toma and asking for his help in confessing to him! There’s just one problem—Toma seems to already have a secret crush on someone else…

I really felt that this one was a great first volume to a series. It sets up the characters well as well as establishing their existing relationships, or lack thereof. It immediately starts discussing typical status’ that happen in high school, how people end up in different cliques and how those cliques may be treated by others. While this isn’t a focus of the story, it’s important that it’s set up in the beginning to differentiate the roles.

Taichi is portrayed in a very raw way, perfectly displaying his conflicting emotions as we progress through the story. You really get to see his internal struggle as well as his growing emotions for those he’s spending time with and helping.

When you reach the end of this first volume, there’s definitely quite a lot hanging in the air that you have to wonder how all these things will resolve. It will be interesting to see where this series goes.

Happy reading!

Blog Tour: Before He Vanished

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Today’s post is another blog tour for a book in Harlequin’s Intrigue line. I’ve really been enjoying this line and the mystery/suspense storylines they feature. Thank you again to Harlequin for inviting me to participate in their blog tours!

Twenty-five years ago, Halle Lane’s best friend vanished from their Tennessee town. When a childhood photo brings Liam Hart to Winchester, Halle is certain the man is the same child who vanished. Now Liam seeks out Halle to help him investigate the circumstances of his mysterious past. Can Liam and Halle uncover the truth before a killer buries all traces of the boy Halle loved—and the man he may have become—forever?

This was only my second title from Debra Webb and I’m swiftly discovering that I really enjoy her writing in general. I was sucked in from the beginning of the story and there weren’t any points where I felt the story dragged.

The characters were very compelling and it really felt like their emotions and feelings were really well fleshed out. Plus the suspense and mystery was definitely not an afterthought and was full of so many surprises and twists. The romance didn’t overshadow it and was balanced really well.

I really applaud Debra Webb on creating mysteries that are full of heart and keep you on your toes. I will be picking up more of her books in the future!

DEBRA WEBB is the award winning, USA Today bestselling author of more than 150 novels, including reader favorites the Faces of Evil, the Colby Agency, and the Shades of Death series. With more than four million books sold in numerous languages and countries, Debra’s love of storytelling goes back to her childhood on a farm in Alabama. Visit Debra at http://www.DebraWebb.com or write to her at PO Box 176, Madison, AL 35758.

Harlequin Series celebrates 70 years of feel-good entertainment! Founded in May 1949 and a pioneer of the category Series romance model, Harlequin is a globally recognized brand with offices all over the world.

Unique to Harlequin are the category romance novels, which are short romance novels, usually no more than 200 pages, and about 55,000 words. That means you can finish a book in 2-4 hours, making them perfect binge-reading! Plus, they’re great for the budget-conscious reader, with print prices starting at $4.99 and ebook prices starting at $1.99.

Before He Vanished is out now, so be sure to pick up a copy if it interests you – happy reading!

Review: Odriel’s Heirs

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The brave, burning with fire, harnessed the Dragon’s Rage….

As the Dragon Heir, seventeen-year-old Kaia inherited the power of flame to protect her homeland from a godlike necromancer’s undead army. But after centuries of peace, the necromancer has faded to myth, and the Dragon Heir is feared by the people. Persecuted and cast out, Kaia struggles to embrace and control her seemingly useless gift while confined to her family’s farm.

But when the necromancer’s undead terrorize the land once again, Kaia runs away to join the battle.

With the help of her childhood rival, the handsome Shadow Heir, and a snarky, cursed cat, Kaia must figure out how to control both her fire and her confidence in time to save Okarria. If she fails, she will sacrifice her family, her new friends, and the enchanting world she has only just begun to see.

And time is running out. 

This story is non stop, there was never a slow point or a point where it felt like it lagged. I really enjoyed the fact that it was so fast but also full of detail. Some of the author’s descriptions were rich and perfectly painted an image. There were certainly some elements of the story which were similar to other fantasies, but you are going to see that in a lot of stories, especially if they are following a hero’s journey.

I loved the little glimmers of personalities and felt that Kaia was a complex character. She definitely had the most depth out of everyone, but I could see other characters growing and becoming more fully fledged in further books.

I do hope that there is a little bit more world building in the next book as I feel like I don’t completely understand the world and it may be a little confusing for some at first. Still, it was a fun read and great start to a series.

Happy reading!

Review: Heart of the Matter

DeAnne1 Comment

Addison Moore, a well-known psychiatrist, is having difficulty coming to terms with the death of her grandmother, Cookie. The woman was everything to her after her parents died in a plane crash over Lockerbie, Scotland. Little did Addy know, an old picture tucked away in the family bible of Cookie with a handsome stranger would lead her to a discovery for which she is little prepared.

Ethan Taylor is an art historian. He’s lived with his Great Uncle Ben for a long time and would do anything for him. He never anticipated Ben’s dying wish would introduce him to his biggest sacrifice.

Neither Addy nor Ethan are prepared for the lengths at which their families went through to keep Cookie and Ben apart. As they put the pieces together, they uncover a decade’s old unsolved murder implicating Cookie and Ben. Will Addy and Ethan’s blossoming love be able to stand the strain of finding the truth? Will they be able to get to the heart of the matter?

This one was such a fun read! We follow two people who have recently gone through tremendous loss and are drawn together because of the relationship between the people they lost. Addy and Ethan are instantly attracted and both want to discover what the relationship was between their loved ones. Along with that there’s a mystery that needs to be solved regarding events that happened in the past.

It is a whirlwind story and a super quick read. There is a touch of insta-love but with the length of the book that is completely reasonable. There’s just enough mystery to keep you intrigued within the story. In essence it is a very warm story about two people finding love, but there are definitely some deeper subjects explored such as grief and moving on. I would definitely pick up more stories by this author in the future as I truly enjoyed this story, the characters and the writing style.

Heart of the Matter is currently available on Kindle Unlimited, so be sure to pick it up!

Happy reading!

That Harlequin Feeling

DeAnne1 Comment

What is ‘That Harlequin Feeling’? Harlequin has been doing extensive consumer research to launch a new campaign and redesign their covers – something that has been very exciting to see. I love picking up a Harlequin book and have fond memories of seeing both my grandmother and mother reading them before I myself started reading them. I was excited to receive their press release regarding the research they’ve done and are happy to share it with you. Make sure to also visit ThatHarlequinFeeling.com to watch the video and download two free ebooks!

Two years of extensive consumer research has reaffirmed what Harlequin has believed for 70 years: that reading a Harlequin romance novel makes women feel uplifted, inspired and empowered. As a result, Harlequin is launching That Harlequin Feeling, a new national campaign that celebrates the powerful and positive feelings that millions of readers get from Harlequin books.

“That Harlequin Feeling campaign is an unapologetic celebration of the happiness Harlequin brings to readers’ lives,” says Farah Mullick, Senior Director, Retail Business Development at Harlequin. “Harlequin romance novels have it all: hopeful fresh starts, dramatic family sagas, unexpected twists and turns. Readers feel a deep emotional connection to the characters and their happy endings.”

With two books sold per second worldwide, Harlequin reaches readers internationally in 32 languages. An innovator in the billion-dollar romance industry, Harlequin pioneered the series romance model. Harlequin Series includes 12 romance lines with recognizable branded packaging and a set number of books published on a reliable monthly schedule. Sixty-six original titles are released in print and ebook formats across the 12 Harlequin series every month. Each series offers a unique type of romance, from suspenseful reads to inspirational stories of faith and family.

Harlequin’s consumer research helped define the distinct characteristics of each series for readers and influenced new cover designs that communicate the incredible variety of stories. “The new look drew heavily on insights from thousands of romance readers,” says Tony Horvath, Creative Director, Series & Digital Publishing at Harlequin. “The results are contemporary, spontaneous covers that reflect what readers want to see in 2020. Similar to a movie poster, the book covers tell a story with one image.”

Harlequin is encouraging women in North America to discover That Harlequin Feeling by downloading two free ebooks from ThatHarlequinFeeling.com.

Happy reading!

Review: Passion on Park Avenue

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For as long as she can remember, Bronx-born Naomi Powell has had one goal: to prove her worth among the Upper East Side elite—the same people for which her mom worked as a housekeeper. Now, as the strongminded, sassy CEO of one of the biggest jewelry empires in the country, Naomi finally has exactly what she wants—but it’s going to take more than just the right address to make Manhattan’s upper class stop treating her like an outsider.

The worst offender is her new neighbor, Oliver Cunningham—the grown son of the very family Naomi’s mother used to work for. Oliver used to torment Naomi when they were children, and as a ridiculously attractive adult, he’s tormenting her in entirely different ways. Now they find themselves engaged in a battle-of-wills that will either consume or destroy them…

Filled with charm and heart and plenty of sex and snark, this entertaining series will hook you from the very first page.

This one was such a fun roller coaster ride. In it we primarily follow Naomi, but also Clair and Audrey, who all find out that they were in relationships with Claire’s husband the day of his funeral. They form a fast friendship and a pact to look out for each other.

A lot of the book has to do with holding grudges and how to move on from them, people changing and also takes a look at what Alzheimer’s not only does to those who suffer from it but those around them. While this was a great romance between Naomi and Oliver, it had much more depth than I expected. Layne really dove into their feelings and internal conflicts between each other.

I really loved the banter between them and their friends/family. The writing style was so fluid and easy that it made for a really fast read.

Happy reading!