Review | Galatea by Madeline Miller

May 27, 2022 DeAnneLeave a comment

In Ancient Greece, a skilled marble sculptor has been blessed by a goddess who has given his masterpiece – the most beautiful woman the town has ever seen – the gift of life. Now his wife, Galatea is expected to be obedience and humility personified, but it is not long before she learns to use her beauty as a form of manipulation. In a desperate bid by her obsessive husband to keep her under control, she is locked away under the constant supervision of doctors and nurses. But with a daughter to rescue, she is determined to break free, whatever the cost…

This is my first foray into Madeline Miller’s writing and really the first of her works that I really wanted to pick up. I enjoyed her writing style overall and definitely was intrigued by her take on the Pygmalion story. I thought the personality and story she gave to Galatea was a great take and liked the story as a whole. I thought it was the perfect length for what it was and would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a new spin on Greek myths and stories.

Happy reading!

Review | Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

May 20, 2022 DeAnneLeave a comment

Fresh out of rehab, Mallory Quinn takes a job in the affluent suburb of Spring Brook, New Jersey as a babysitter for Ted and Caroline Maxwell. She is to look after their five-year-old son, Teddy.

Mallory immediately loves this new job. She lives in the Maxwell’s pool house, goes out for nightly runs, and has the stability she craves. And she sincerely bonds with Teddy, a sweet, shy boy who is never without his sketchbook and pencil. His drawings are the usual fare: trees, rabbits, balloons. But one day, he draws something different: a man in a forest, dragging a woman’s lifeless body.

As the days pass, Teddy’s artwork becomes more and more sinister, and his stick figures steadily evolve into more detailed, complex, and lifelike sketches well beyond the ability of any five-year-old. Mallory begins to suspect these are glimpses of an unsolved murder from long ago, perhaps relayed by a supernatural force lingering in the forest behind the Maxwell’s house.

With help from a handsome landscaper and an eccentric neighbor, Mallory sets out to decipher the images and save Teddy—while coming to terms with a tragedy in her own past—before it’s too late.

This was not a hard book to get into as Mallory’s voice from the beginning is likeable and relatable. I really enjoy that not everything was revealed about her at the building, but her narration definitely laid a foundation for herself as a character and the place she’s in in her life. It does lay ground work for a suspicion that she may not be entirely reliable later on. The story itself was wonderfully creepy especially with the question of if there was something supernatural going on and the decades old murder mystery that might be tied to current events. This story was a great read and I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a creepy thriller.

Happy reading!

Review | This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

May 18, 2022 DeAnneLeave a comment

Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future.

Except the discovery of their bond would mean death for each of them. There’s still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win that war.

This book at first was very confusion. While I understand the choice to lay little to no foundation about the world, etc. – it made it harder for me to really be immersed in the story immediately. Once I realized what was going on and really got into the rhythm of the story I did really enjoy it. The constant back and forth between the main characters as well as their references to the different spots in time was really fun and fast paced once it got going. Overall I did really enjoy it, but the initial confusion was a little disconcerting.

Happy reading!

Review | Haunted Theaters by Barbara Smith

May 16, 2022 DeAnneLeave a comment

Some personalities simply won’t accept that final curtain call. Best-selling Ghost Stories author Barbara Smith has conjured up an entertaining collection of tales about spirits and unexplained phenomena that sometimes steal the spotlight in North America’s theaters.

I have picked up a few books in this series of books about hauntings and some of them I have really enjoyed, but some of them like this one, have been a bit hard to get through. The stories and history included in this book were really interesting, especially considering it covered not only theaters in the U.S. but also in the U.K. and Canada, but the writing style was a bit dry and dense. It took me a while to finish this one just because it was so slow for me. There was nothing wrong with it, just the way it was written really made it slow.

Happy reading!

Review | My Little Ponies: Friendship is Magic Vol 1

May 14, 2022 DeAnneLeave a comment

Welcome to Ponyville, home of Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and all your other favorite Ponies! Something’s not right in the town though, as some of the inhabitants are acting very, very strange! It’s up to the Mane Six to find the source of the weirdness before it’s too late! Collects issues #1–4 of the biggest hit comic of the year!

I’m a little hesitant about the new generation of My Little Pony as I grew up with the original generation of ponies, but lately I have picked up some of the graphic novels to see if I might warm up to the new characters and stories. I have so far enjoyed what I’ve read of the new series and so far the Friendship is Magic series is off to a promising start. The art style and character voices are very similar to what I’ve seen on the tv show, so I think that’s a good thing since they can sync up.

Happy reading!

Review | Gudetama: Adulting for the Lazy by Wook-Jin Clark

May 7, 2022 DeAnneLeave a comment

Gudetama: Adulting is inspired by the worldwide hit Sanrio character and animated series star!

Inspired by the worldwide hit Sanrio character and animated series star!

How do I get a job while still having enough time to party? I’m supposed to pay rent every month?! How am I supposed to live without my mom doing my laundry?

Adulting is tough. Thankfully, Gudetama is here to guide you on your path to growth!

I enjoyed this installment in the Gudetama series, but at this point it is starting to seem like the same thing over and over when you’ve read the previous issues. It is another round of Gudetama answering questions and giving advice, which sometimes results in surprising conclusions by those listening. There is a good amount of humor and some of the different characters tie into each other. If you enjoy Gudetama, then you will enjoy this one for sure.

Happy reading!

Review | Star Stories: Constellation Tales from Around the World by Anita Ganeri

May 4, 2022 DeAnneLeave a comment

Share the wonder of the stars with this delightful storybook collection featuring constellation myths from around the world.

For thousands of years people have looked up to the night sky and told stories about the stars. These epic tales tell of vengeful gods and goddesses, of monsters and heroes. Others try to make sense of the natural world, or unravel the mysterious forces of the universe. This stunning book brings together 23 of these legends from all over the world: from Ancient Greece to North America, Egypt, China, India, and the South Pacific. Written by award-winning author Anita Ganeri and with beautifully detailed artwork by illustrator Andy Wilx, this is a magical book to be treasured for generations to come.

I really love books like this one, which explore different folklore and stories from different cultures. This book specifically touched on some of the stories different cultures have for the constellations. They were grouped by region/culture, but since some constellations are repeated it might have been better to format them by constellation and showcase the either varying stories, or how some stories are similar. Still, I really loved the way the stories were written, which would be perfect to read out loud, and the art was beautiful.

Happy reading!

Review | Aggretsuko: Down the Rabbithole

May 1, 2022 DeAnneLeave a comment

Aggretsuko stars in this fairy tale tinged story about work, life, and the need for balance!

When Retsuko attempts to go on vacation with Gori and Washimi, she’s pulled into a terrible world where she’s forced to work for her freedom. Featuring all of the fan favorite characters from the office in twisted versions of themselves, Aggretsuko must navigate the twists and turns of a world gone mad!

I’ve really enjoyed reading other volumes of the Aggretsuko and this one was no different. All of the familiar characters were involved in Aggretsuko’s trip through wonderland as she struggled with the complexities of work/life balance. The art style is consistent with the other issues/volumes and well saturated with bright colors. This was a quick and humorous read, perfect for any fan of Aggretsuko.

Happy reading!

Review | Unicorn Island: Secret Beneath the Sand by Donna Galanti

April 26, 2022 DeAnne1 Comment

In Book 2 of the series, Sam and Tuck are on their way to becoming unicorn protectors when they discover new secrets about the island that threaten unicorns’ existence! From Epic! Originals, Unicorn Island is a middle-grade illustrated novel series about a young girl who discovers a mysterious island full of mythical beasts.

Sam can’t believe how much her life and luck have changed since she came to Foggy Harbor: First, she discovered that unicorns are real, and now she’s on her way to becoming an actual unicorn protector! With her new friend, Tuck, by her side during Uncle Mitch’s lessons, Sam finally feels like she’s home.

But as the long-buried dangers of Unicorn Island begin to surface and a mysterious scourge spreads throughout the herd, Sam learns the truth behind Aunt Sylvie’s disappearance and her own connection to the island. With determination, courage, and fierce loyalty to one another—and to their code as unicorn protectors—the kids set out to protect the island’s secrecy and the unicorns’ very existence.

After reading the first book in this series I was excited to see where the series may go and was not disappointed with this continuation. I really enjoyed how this story not only picked up some loose ends/questions from the first book, but introduced new elements as well. The illustrations are whimsical and fun, like they were in the first book and the writing style I think this is a perfect story for young readers, especially those who love animals or unicorns.

Happy reading!

Review | Breakable Things by Katie Wismer

April 18, 2022 DeAnneLeave a comment

Our lives are made up of delicate, fragile pieces. Time, memories, ever-changing versions of ourselves.
Things so easy to break. To waste. To lose.

Breakable Things is an open letter to the small, sometimes seemingly insignificant pieces of our lives that oftentimes turn out to be what’s most important in the end.

Having read all of Katie Wismer’s poetry collections I would definitely say that there is a progression from the first to this one and this one is by far her best in my opinion. All of them deal with different stages in life, or different situations. While all of them have resonated with me, this one was the easiest for me to identify with. The different sections of the collection tied together well, while obviously being different stages of not only life, but a transition and adjustment to changes in life.

Happy reading!