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

February 11, 2022 DeAnneLeave a comment

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.

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

February 8, 2022 DeAnneLeave a comment

“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?

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

February 4, 2022 DeAnne2 Comments

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.

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

February 1, 2022 DeAnneLeave a comment

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…

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

January 31, 2022January 30, 2022 DeAnneLeave a comment

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

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!

Blog Tour | Little Girl Gone by Amanda Stevens | Review

January 30, 2022 DeAnne1 Comment

Nothing matters more to her when a child’s life is at stake. Special agent Thea Lamb returns to her hometown to search for a child whose disappearance echoes a twenty-eight-year-old cold case—her twin sister’s abduction. Working with her former partner, Jake Stillwell, Thea must overcome the pain, doubt and guilt that have tormented her for years and denied her a meaningful relationship. For both Thea and Jake, the job always came first…until now.

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

If you’re looking for romantic suspense that includes compelling cases and a second chance romance, this one definitely fits the bill. While the plot in general moved well, there were definitely some parts where there were lulls and some aspects that were predictable, but I still enjoyed the overall readd. The characters themselves really grew over the span of the story and became more dimensional as the story continued. The suspense element in the story was definitely what kept it going and kept it enjoyable.

Amanda Stevens is an award-winning author of over fifty novels. Born and raised in the rural south, she now resides in Houston, Texas.

Happy reading!

Review | The Book of Living Secrets by Madeleine Roux

January 23, 2022 DeAnne1 Comment

Perfect for fans of The Hazel Wood, this genre-bending page-turner from New York Times bestselling author Madeleine Roux follows two girls who transport themselves into the world of their favorite book only to encounter the sinister alternate reality that awaits them.

No matter how different best friends Adelle and Connie are, one thing they’ve always had in common is their love of a little-known gothic romance novel called Moira. So when the girls are tempted by a mysterious stranger to enter the world of the book, they hardly suspect it will work. But suddenly they are in the world of Moira, living among characters they’ve obsessed about for years.

Except…all is not how they remembered it. The world has been turned upside down: The lavish balls and star-crossed love affairs are now interlaced with unspeakable horrors. The girls realize that something dark is lurking behind their foray into fiction—and they will have to rewrite their own arcs if they hope to escape this nightmare with their lives.

I was really into this book for a good chunk of it, I so enjoyed the banter and relationship between Adelle and Connie and the story seemed to be really moving along. When they get pulled into the book; however, there’s definitely some loss of momentum. I would have liked more solid worldbuilding and the story itself really slowed down.

That being said I loved how spooky it was and for the most part it was really fun. Being pulled into your favorite book is always a fun idea to give a spin, and when it concerns two best friends, that adds another layer to it. At times some of the events were a bit confusing which did detract from the reading experience. However, I did enjoy it overall and think with some slight tweaks it could easily be a five star read for me.

Happy reading!

Review | Extasia by Claire Legrand

January 19, 2022 DeAnneLeave a comment

From New York Times bestselling author Claire Legrand comes a new, bone-chilling YA horror novel about a girl who joins a coven to root out a vicious evil that’s stalking her village. Perfect for fans of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Grace Year.

Her name is unimportant.

All you must know is that today she will become one of the four saints of Haven. The elders will mark her and place the red hood on her head. With her sisters, she will stand against the evil power that lives beneath the black mountain–an evil which has already killed nine of her village’s men.

She will tell no one of the white-eyed beasts that follow her. Or the faceless gray women tall as houses. Or the girls she saw kissing in the elm grove.

Today she will be a saint of Haven. She will rid her family of her mother’s shame at last and save her people from destruction. She is not afraid. Are you?

This searing and lyrically written novel by the critically acclaimed author of Sawkill Girls beckons readers to follow its fierce heroine into a world filled with secrets and blood–where the truth is buried in lies and a devastating power waits, seething, for someone brave enough to use it.

The beginning of this book immediately drew me in and started the book off super strong. The setting and world the book is set in is dark and much of the ways of this world are very twisted, especially towards women – as they are essentially punished for what has happened to the world.

The writing was super atmospheric and perfectly illustrated the world and characters. That being said, not everyone is going to like it. There are times that certain characters and their behavior don’t exactly match with their personalities, but it wasn’t quite enough to detract from the story itself.

Be aware that this story very much takes on themes of religion and misogyny. Women in some ways are treated as objects, nothing more and for many that may be hard to read.

If you’re looking for dark horror that has a touch of weird, this will definitely fit the bill.

Happy reading!

Review | Kirins: The Seer of Serone by James Priest

January 17, 2022January 16, 2022 DeAnneLeave a comment

This is a novel, The Seer of Serone, by James Priest, telling of tiny magical beings dwelling the world over. They are kirins.

It is a quiet summer’s day in the domain of Yorl and Moger kirins, tree-dwellers in the central part of North America. Speckarin is magician to the Yorls, living on Rogalinon, a towering and majestic oak. His apartment is carved into one of its larger branches, his door opening onto the gathering platform.

But this story opens far from that idyllic setting, at Stonehenge, the hanging stones, the citadel of kirin magic. There Fairmean, a depraved magician, commits an act of pure and unadulterated vengeance, imperiling every kirin on Earth.

I really enjoyed the settings in this book, an Earth where magical being dwell among humans. The cast of characters are pretty across the board and varied. The different racies portrayed are well structured and come across in a very realistic way.

I would say that this book could be read by a number of age ranges, including some younger readers that were looking for a fun fantasy read that wasn’t too complicated in nature.

The pacing of this story was also really well done, never really getting to slow or things wrapping up too quickly. In all I think a lot of people looking for fantasy with a wide range of characters that is an easy read will really enjoy this one.

Happy reading!

Review | A Mystery at Lili Willa by Arathi Menon

January 16, 2022 DeAnne1 Comment

Cousins Arj, Tam, and Mira are spending their summer vacation in Elathoor, a little village in Kerala when their family home, Lili Villa, is broken into and some jewelry is stolen. The Terrific Three set out to solve the mystery but soon discover that there is no shortage of suspects. Is it Pinching Kodavis or Dumdumchecchi, the milking lady? Is it the mean fisherwoman who starves the cat or the retired nurse who owns a luxury car? Or is it Mani with his upside-down Russian secret? Who could the thief possibly be?

In a throwback to unscheduled summer vacations, this cozy mystery will charm young readers with plenty of sibling sparring, some intrepid sleuthing, and an endless parade of mouth-watering snacks.

This middle grade mystery story was adorable! I really loved all the lush descriptions of the characters, locations, food and more. Each new character that gets introduced has a unique personality and story, which is endearing as the children investigate the mystery themselves.

The kids were the best part of the story (as they should be, but still) and had very believable actions, attitudes and lines of thought. Yes, they had arguments and disagreements, but they were realistic and suitable for their age.

The mystery itself was well thought out, and the secrets that different characters had led to wonderful scenes. Overall it was a really fun mystery filled with lots of vivid scenes and descriptions.

Happy reading!