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Genre: Holiday, Cozy mystery, mystery, historical mystery

Number of pages: 366

ASIN: B0BHL6KDYF

Format: Kindle (ebook), paperback

Publication date: November 1^st, 2022

Publisher: Self-Published

Type: Book, Anthology

Introduction

When I was offered to be part of Merry Little Mysteries' blog tour, I couldn't say no! I mean, I had been waiting for such a holiday present :D! I never did any holiday-themed blog tour, and the stories sounded funny (I was NOT disappointed!) and exciting (again, I have been captivated).

*Thank you to the authors, and particularly C. H. Sessuns, who gave me an e-ARC of this amazing book! I offer this review willingly without any compensation.*

Overall

I could barely put down my Kobo ereader to go and do stuff around the house, and that includes eating and other fun activities. So, that’s quite telling on the quality and amusement of this book! I was just so immersed in its tales!

It almost makes me want to add cozy mysteries to my wishlist, which is a feat in itself as it never interested before now.

In fact, I just might… 😉

The First Story: Murder Takes the Train

The first cliffhanger in the story is just so good! Also, the main character Zadie Belle is lovely. I love her personality, her nerves, determination and kindness. She’s funny too. A sweet, but tough woman.

This quote is one I find hilarious: “The moment the RTV began to slow from breakneck speed to something akin to twisted ankle speed…”

I mean, come on, haha, that’s genius!

Honestly the mystery is good. For a long while I didn't know who did it still, but clues and accusations were showing up. Fun!

I did dislike that it goes in and out of first POV to third POV omniscient, and it’s really annoying.

However, the wrapup Christmasey ending was very sweet. I loved this story!

My Two Favorite Stories:

Feliz Navidead

The main character, Carlie, is funny and resourceful and sooo charming in an ordinary mundane way. I love her!

The villain was also very interesting, and I didn’t know who it was until Carlie herself figured it out. Nice!

Moreover, one of the surprises got me going : "Ohhh yewww!!!" It was funny and quite unexpected.

The only thing is there's a bit of a rushed ending, but it was still good and cute.

The Children's Party

Oh, it's in a different time period. Interesting! The phraseology, language and ideology are believable for that time.
The French excerpts are also excellent. "Jaime beaucoup les fêtes." There was no mistake! And my mother tongue is French, so I might know a thing or two, haha…!

As for the characters, Hippolyta is my girl. Yup. And that William Roy and Patrick Napier… just… I’m so glad she met them both, haha! It’s like I’m living a dream through her. Neat! William Roy is soooo cute and thoughtful and enthusiastic and…. Argh, come on Hippolyta, go with him! The romance in this story is killing me softly! (But I have NO regrets :3)

Lastly, the mystery dealt by children and young people in general is quite amusing. It is also intriguing and kept me on the edge of my seat!

In Conclusion

Did you know there are cute icons and images throughout the books? They're so sweet and pleasant! Well, now you know! While I mentioned three stories for different reasons, know there are many more to be enjoyed! All fantastic in their unique ways. Enough so that it truly makes me consider the genre (cozy mysteries) for my TBR in general. And I never liked it before. Kudos to Merry Little Mysteries for this achievement! 🙂 All in all, I give a rating of 5 stars out of 5 for this holiday anthology. I just wished the book was better edited, but it's still a delightful gift to read!

Merry Little Mysteries A Holiday Cozy & Historical Mystery Anthology Release and Tour

Blog Tours November 5, 2022 Leave a comment

Have yourself a merry little mystery, or better yet, have an entire collection of them! Grab a cup of something warm, curl up by the fire and enjoy these stories of whodunits from your favorite cozy and historical mystery authors.

For a limited time, only you can get this collection of SIX cozy and historical mysteries for just 99 cents! But hurry because the price goes up in just a few days! Plus, be sure to enter to win a $15.00 Amazon Gift card too!

Get the book HERE for just 99¢!

In this collection you’ll get these fantastic holiday mysteries:

Murder Takes the Train by Katherine Brown

The quaint, mountain town of Riverbend Junction has only one train in and one train out for transportation. The town hasn’t been home for two of the three Belle sisters since they moved away several years ago, but when they return home for Christmas a murder derails the train and all of their plans for getting back to their regular lives. Can the women put their heads together to track down the killer or will they find themselves steam-rolled into a murder charge?

The Children’s Party by Lexie Conyngham

Edinburgh, 1828: Mrs. Fettes, competitively charitable, needs help to run a New Year party for poor children. But when things don’t go according to plan, it’s her daughter Hippolyta who has to solve the mystery and save the day – and the dog.

Feliz Navi-dead by Katherine Moore

Jingle-bells and jealousy. A treacherous treat. Can Eve save her friends’ lives from being wrecked?

A Dash of Deceit by Carmen Radtke

‘Tis is the season to be jolly, and Eve Holdsworth intends to make the most of her first Christmas in her new home. Helping her friends at the “Green Dragon” with baking and selling mince pies and gingerbread on the Christmas market is the icing on the cake – until a cantankerous customer is poisoned, and fingers point at everyone close to Eve. She has to cook up a plan fast if she wants to take the heat off her friends and unmask a clever culprit … “A Dash of Deceit” is the second cozy Eve Holdsworth mystery set in the idyllic British countryside, after “Let Sleeping Murder Lie”.

A Mistletoe Mystery by Donna Schlachter

Can sisters Holly and Ivy Christmas discover who seeded their spruce trees with dwarf mistletoe? And are the neighboring ranch brothers, Tom and Bob Jolly, behind this? Or victims as well?

A Christmas Wish Before Dying by C.H. Sessums

Vangie Guillory’s hands are full getting The Mystery Book Nook ready for the final shopping event of the season. The last thing she needs is to find out her best customer was involved in a hit-and-run accident. But it’s just the tip of the iceberg when the old man begs her to help him with one last wish before his time runs out.

You can read my review of Merry Little Mysteries.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway HERE!

The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson: A Book Review

Book Reviews October 17, 2022 Leave a comment

By Tiffany D. Jackson

Tiffany D. Jackson's Website

Harper Collins Publishers

Goodreads (Add it to your TBR!)

LibraryThing

StoryGraph

Genre: Horror, YA, Thriller, Mystery, Contemporary

Number of pages: 416

ISBN: 9780063029149

Format: paperback, hardover, ebook (Kindle, Kobo, Nook), audiobook

Publication date: September 6^th, 2022

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Type: Book, Novel, Standalone

Trigger warnings: Blood, bullying, racism, death, murder

Introduction

I was at Harper Presents: 2022 Fall Fiction Preview when I spotted this jaw-dropping bloody cover, so reminiscent of Carrie by Stephen King (Come on, Prom night! THAT night!) Not only was it extremely to my tastes (myeah, sorry, I have weird blood and ominous tastes in horror…), it was inspired by Carrie, and it’s by Tiffany D. Jackson no less! Obviously, I requested it at the first opportunity. Miracle! I got it! I was beyond excited to delve deeper into Springville's Maddy mystery… until I came face to face with the fact of how too close to the original (see inspiration here) it is.

*Thank you kindly to Harper Collins Canada and Katherine Tegen Books for granting me a digital ARC of The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson. I offer this review willingly without any compensation.*

The Positive Sides

While her writing has always been gripping and raw, it definitely improved in The Weight of Blood. It is scarier, the tension is paced in a better way as well as heightened. Honestly, her writing skills rock! And I'm a tad bit jealous… Just a tad. #ThisIsALie #IAmExtraJealous

Also, Miss Jackson (*cue Panic! at the Disco's song!*) interspersed names of known literature and movie serial killers and slashers, such as Coach Bates (yep, Motel Bates, THAT guy…), Miss Kruger (ahum! sweet dreams!), and many more. I believe (and I'm 99% sure I'm right!) the author is playing an inside-joke game with her fans on "how many slasher references she can sprinkle in until the fans notice it". And trust me, this was very entertaining and had me laughing a few times.

Lastly, her creepy but spot-on take on racism, what with wishing away something they are for something they are not, concealing their true selves, bullying, and a cringe creepiness with the closet and all those posters of "perfect, submissive white women"… I nearly screamed with rage. I remember reading about said posters and I just stood there, frozen, blinked and put down the book like "no…. no, so sordid. Disgusting. Who could do that to someone?! AND THAT MEANING! OMG!" I sighed and growled, then picked it back up and resumed my reading, fuming within for what POCs have had to endure (and sadly, a lot still do…) But it hit me like a slap in the face but it was right. I had all the feels.

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The Negative Sides

I don't really wanna say it but… the book? I mean, the book itself? It's way too close to plagiarism. I get it, the author loves Carrie deeply (I do too), but this reads like a fanfiction with a lot of OCs (original characters). The story, its events and situations, the characters’ relationships, and even the structure. Even the closet!!! Instead of mad mother, it's mad dad!

I just… No.

In other words:

N.B.: If you want to pay for a fanfiction, which is at its core free, go ahead and purchase "The Weight of Blood". That's all I'll say.

(Please note I LOOOOOVE fanfiction and I even write it myself, but such a "fanfiction" as a paid product? That's not fair.)

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In Conclusion

Overall, the writing is excellent–the author clearly improved on her suspense and horror skills– and her take on racism is witty, insightful and creepy (like it should be because… wait for it… IT IS!); however, the story and its events and situations are just way too similar to Carrie's book (even if you can visualize what I'm saying with only the movies…) by Stephen King, and trust me, I read it more than once… So, I give this book a rating of 2 out of 5 stars for its unfairness to other fanfiction writers and Stephen King's already published work. Unfortunately, the author just lost a fan, but her writing skills are excellent though. I wish her the best, nonetheless.

If you want to learn more about Tiffany D. Jackson and her books, please visit her author website, her Goodreads author page, her Twitter and her Instagram. You can also add The Weight of Blood to your bookshelves on Goodreads, LibraryThing, and StoryGraph.

The Portraitist by Susanne Dunlap & the Author Behind the True Story of Adélaïde Labille-Guiard

Blog Tours, Book Reviews, chit-chatting with Cat September 25, 2022 Leave a comment

Want to read the true story of Adélaïde Labille-Guiard's fight to take her rightful place in the competitive art world of eighteenth-century Paris?

Read on, friend, read on!

What about the whole blurb?

With a beautiful rival who’s better connected and better trained than she is, Adélaïde faces an uphill battle. Her love affair with her young instructor in oil painting gives rise to suspicions that he touches up her work, and her decision to make much-needed money by executing erotic pastels threatens to create as many problems as it solves. Meanwhile, her rival goes from strength to strength, becoming Marie Antoinette’s official portraitist and gaining entrance to the elite Académie Royale at the same time as Adélaïde.

When at last Adélaïde earns her own royal appointment and receives a massive commission from a member of the royal family, the timing couldn’t be worse: it’s 1789, and with the fall of the Bastille her world is turned upside down by political chaos and revolution. With danger around every corner in her beloved Paris, she must find a way to adjust to the new order, carving out a life and a career all over again—and stay alive in the process.

Published on August 30th, 2022 by She Writes Press

Now, thanks to Books Forward and Susanne Dunlap, I was offered a free e-copy of The Portraitist for a review (coming soon!) and the opportunity to shout out about this book depicting a true story of an artist woman (please see this very article).

But who's behind this great story and research?

Here's Susanne Dunlap:

Not only is she a wonderful author, she's quite savvy and passionate in her field. She published her first at 50 years old (amazing! dreams and talents are worth following!), and she's now an Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach in fiction and nonfiction (impressive!). I particularly love how she first fell in love with historical fiction: I first by reading T.H. White’s The Once and Future King! I mean, already I was intrigued that Miss Dunlap had found and told a woman artist's tale mostly unknown to the general public, but now I gotta admit I feel a certain kinship with her. Arthurian legends, historical fiction, feminism, and all that good stuff? OMG, sign me up!

16 Historical Novels That Make History So Much Fun

Want to know more about The Portraitist?

You can visit the Goodreads page

the Amazon page

and the official page on the author's website

(there's even a Book Club Guide on there, woohoo!)

Please, take a look at Susanne Dunlap's bio (it's worth a read, it's impressive!), and at her blog and courses. Ah, finally a historical research course worthy of the name…!!!!

Wow GIFs | GIFDB.com

You can bet I'll take that course when I can fund it!

Don't forget to add The Portraitist: A Novel of Adelaide Labille-Guiard to your Goodreads bookshelves, or any other bookshelves for that matter, and visit Dunlap's site as well as my dear Books Forward!

Then, stay tuned for my upcoming review! 🙂

Happy reading, loves!

Girl in Ice : A Book Review

Book Reviews May 16, 2022 Leave a comment

By Erica Ferencik

Scout Press Books

Simon & Schuster Canada

Goodreads (Add it to your TBR!)

LibraryThing

StoryGraph

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller

Number of pages: 320

ASIN: 9781982143039

Format: paperback, hardover, ebook (Kindle, Kobo, Nook), audiobook

Publication date: March 1st, 2022

Publisher: Scout Press Books

Type: Book, Novel, Standalone

Warnings: violence, suicide, addictions, murder

*I received a physical ARC in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada and Scout Press Books!*

Introduction

I’ll be honest, when came the time to choose for physical galleys with Simon & Schuster Canada, I picked Girl in Ice by Erica Ferencik thanks to its intriguing but striking cover and the blurb which mentioned two things I love (the Arctic and languages). But did I truly believe I would like it, even more love it? No.

What a mistake!

Thankfully, it proved me wrong. I still feel shame about this doubt, but damn, it’s one of the best suspense/mystery books I ever read, if not my favorite.

I guess you could say me and the book had a bad start, but fell in love hard?

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Wish to go explore the reasons Girl in Ice is so surprising and unique?

I bet you do!

Come on, grab my hand, and let’s thaw the coldness of doubts and warm it into love!

Blurb

Valerie “Val” Chesterfield is a linguist trained in the most esoteric of disciplines: dead Nordic languages. Despite her successful career, she leads a sheltered life and languishes in the shadow of her twin brother Andy, an accomplished climate scientist stationed on a remote island off Greenland’s barren coast. But Andy is gone: a victim of suicide, having willfully ventured unprotected into 50 degree below zero weather. Val is inconsolable—and disbelieving. She suspects foul play.

When Wyatt, Andy’s fellow researcher in the Arctic, discovers a scientific impossibility—a young girl frozen in the ice who thaws out alive, speaking a language no one understands—Val is his first call. Will she travel to the frozen North and meet this girl, try to comprehend what she is so passionately trying to communicate? Under the auspices of helping Wyatt interpret the girl’s speech, Val musters every ounce of her courage and journeys to the Artic to solve the mystery of her brother’s death.

The moment she steps off the plane, her fear threatens to overwhelm her. The landscape is fierce, and Wyatt, brilliant but difficult, is an enigma. But the girl is special, and Val’s connection with her is profound. Only something is terribly wrong; the child is sick, maybe dying, and the key to saving her lies in discovering the truth about Wyatt’s research. Can his data be trusted? And does it have anything to do with how and why Val’s brother died? With time running out, Val embarks on an incredible frozen odyssey—led by the unlikeliest of guides—to rescue the new family she has found in the most unexpected of places.

The Positive Sides

Honestly, I’m sorry but I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did. So that’s a victory for it, the author, and even me who discovered such a great read!

It is so, so rare and unique for the setting to be in the Arctic, and the main character to be a linguist! And to BOTH be in the same story and so intricately intertwined. LOVE IT! As a polyglot, translator, and language teacher, I relate so much to her, I connect deeply with her thoughts and views of language and culture, and it warms my heart to see us being portrayed this faithfully (and for once!) in an amazing story. The linguist, Valerie, is a hero, too! As the author and her character Val demonstrate it cleverly in Girl in Ice :).

Furthermore, the writing and descriptions of Inuktitut words and meanings as well as their culture and perspectives are like poetry to my soul! This books is also a lot about climate change from the ice, glaciers, freezing winds, and science. A great environmental read for sure! But its strongest tie is love, truth, and language.

I love how the surroundings of the characters, their settings, aren’t static. Animals and nature are constantly in movement, the characters actually exist IN a place, not just in a spot with the environment fading in and out for the plot. It’s fun and involving.

As for the characters, Val is lovely, crippled with anxiety (believably too!), low self-esteem, the death of her brother…, yet she is brillant, stronger than she knows, kinder too, and much more compassionate than she deems herself to be. To me, she’s a heroine! A true one. I also love how she isn’t good around children, but ends up risking everything left in her life to save a little girl she came to love. 🙂 Amazing.

The villains are… irky. And I say this with much reverence and admiration. They are dangerous, changeable, both with motives that run deeper than they let on, they keep us shifting from foot to foot, wondering… and they irked me. I love it when it happens. Most “villains” in contemporary stories are… two-dimensional, if not only one-dimensional; but these are much life-like. Scarily so, too. I love to hate them, and despise when I can relate to them here and there. Wonderful job!

In terms of intrigues, the mysteries are so well-woven you catch glimpses of the answers, but never the whole image of the puzzle. And it is so rewarding at the end to see the full image solved. A real thrill to unfurl all of this alongside Val.

Lastly, the ending is beautiful, hopeful in its own way, poignant, raw; not cold at all! But quite warm, indeed. The very last sentence is so true to a linguist. Charming and evocative.

I kept reading through the climax and ending even though I had work to do. I just HAD TO KNOW how it ended. How all those mysteries, rendered believable in this intricate tale, unfolded and resolved. So, yeah, I guess that’s quite a proof it’s a book worth reading, don’t you think? It’s just that unique and great!

The Negative Sides

Sometimes the pace seems frozen (ha!), but this is more of a statement that it will happen than a real negative side. Why? Well, when this happens, the mysteries thicken subtly and the characters and their relationships unfurl even more. In the end, these slow passages are essential to this story. So, just keep wading through it like you would through snow, and you’ll soon find yourself enjoying the wild ride again.

In Conclusion

* stands up and applauds *

Such a unique, bold, and touching story! Finally, a story set in Arctic with language at its core for the plot. A lovable main character, a perfect representation of a linguist (which puts us in a hero’s shoes!!!), an amusing cast of characters, and real suspense. A thrill! Thus, I give Girl in Ice by Erica Ferencik a rating of 5 out of 5.

Verohnsaht! Joy!

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit her Web site, you can also follow her on Facebook author page, her Twitter account, her Instagram, and Goodreads. You can also add Girl in Ice to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

Knight in Retrograde (Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Magical Realism, Dark Fantasy, Pansexual): A Book Review

Book Reviews March 5, 2022 Leave a comment

Amazon

Universal Buy Link

by Lee Hunt

Publishing Company: Lee Hunt

Release Date: Tuesday, March 1 2022

Format: Audio

Is This Book Romance?: No

ISBN: 9781999093594

Price: $18.99 USD

Story Type: Novel

Word Count: 147,000

Cover Artist: Jeff Brown

Genres: Fantasy, epic fantasy, magical realism, dark fantasy

LGBTQ+ Identities: It is quite subtle, but all the Methueyn Knights are pan-sexual, and there is a sex scene that is pansexual

Tropes (don't we love them?!): Uncovering the past, Going forward or going backwards, secret past, unlikely hero

Is This Part of a Series?: Yes

Series Title: The Dynamicist Trilogy

Position (Number) in Series: Third

Necessary to Read Previous Books: Yes

Other Books in Series:

1 – Dynamicist

2 – Herald

Was This Book Published in An Earlier Edition?: Not under a different edition, but the paperback and eBook versions have been out since Sept 2020

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given, and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Lee Hunt and Other Worlds Ink!*

Introduction

So, dear Other Worlds Ink approached me with Knight in Retrograde for a blog tour. I said: What, a seemingly science fantasy told like an epic fantasy in audiobook format with a glorious narrator?!

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What else was there to say, honestly?

I'm a strong woman, but this story knew my cravings.

Want to read the blog tour article along with the amazing author guest post about writing an audiobook? It's right here!

How about we see my love for it in detail??

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Blurb

Would you trade uncertainty for stagnation, chance for god, invention for inertia, thought for dogma?

Four years have passed since the events of Dynamicist and war is on the horizon.

Robert, Koria, Eloise and Gregory went to the New School, hoping to change the world. They thought that mathematically based dynamics, the enlightened age's answer to wizardry, would give them the power to make everything better. Their hopes were naïve.

Protestors are condemning the creation of a new vaccine. The city is seeing a series of hangings; is it murder or sacrament? The cloaked man is back stalking students. The long-absent demons Skoll and Hati reappear and begin slaughtering whoever they meet. But the real question is, will Nimrheal return? If he does, who will die first?

Uncertainty is inspiring fear, and inventions are not making the world better, only more complicated. The terrified civilians don't want dynamics and reason. They want the word of Elysium and the return of the Methueyn Knights.

Koria fears the world faces an awful conundrum: that if the Knights return, Nimrheal will stay.

Will Robert, Koria, Eloise and Gregory choose to transform into angelic knights or, at the cost of such heavenly communion, instead banish Nimrheal? What price will be paid? If a new Methueyn Knight rises, will the age of invention disappear forever?

The Positive Sides

The two major points that struck me were how spicy and rich the vocabulary and phraseology are! By spicy, I mean, well-woven, unexpected, carefully chosen for maximum effect. Second, the main character's voice is highly refreshing and one I've been waiting for a long time. It's also quite hilarious and sarcastic, loved it!

Its harsh, intriguing and powerful beginning grabbed me right on, and its fairytale-like storytelling is a blessing. Not the cute, Disney style (which I love), but more like the narrator from the Grimm fairy tales (which I also love)!

Then, this story offers a lot of concepts and things to keep track of, but it's not a bad thing! They're all so weird mixed together it's like they begged to be put together! I mean, they fit, they make an awesome whole and story! It's fantastic, clever, hilarious, and full of science & mathematical references (who'd have thought I'd like it? Not me!)

What about the audiobook itself? First things first: the narration is SO much fun and engaging! Usually, I dislike male narrators because they're monotonous and boring with flat voices, but Craig A. Hart has so many inflections and emotions; he's not reading the story, he's living it. I was hooked from the first words! Honestly, it's one of the best audiobooks I ever read! Which is funny because I'm not a big audiobook reader. I read a few per year, and I'm very picky about them, and it's easy to disappoint me in this field. So, it says a lot, don't you think? In short, the quality of the audio, the narration, the storytelling and the story is mind-blowing–they all work in sync!

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In the end (cue Linkin Park's song), while I didn't read the previous books (a wrong I'll right quite soon!), it didn't matter. Everything is entertaining, highly engaging, and summarizes what happened skillfully. I want all of them! YUP!

*I find it's hilarious and ironic how Lee Hunt and the Dynamicist Trilogy gained a new fan with the very last book… Still, it'll be an adventure to read the other books in the trilogy. I loved it, okay?!?

The Negative Sides

There are only two.

The first one pertains to the characters. While they are good and amusing, they seemed a bit distant or out-of-reach to me due to how the story is told. It feels like an omniscient narrator, yes, but in an overview way. It flies over each before diving into the main character's voice, then it's distant again, and so on. I couldn't get get attached to the other characters as much as I could with the main character, which is a shame. But I liked them overall, anyway.

The last one is how it took me a while to catch on it was a woman speaking–every time. Not only because of the man narrating the story, but also due to its scattered hints about who was speaking at the moment. It appeared unclear to me at the time.

In Conclusion

Despite the two light negative points, it was, I must say, a rather enjoyable adventure I went on with Knight in Retrograde! It's definitely one of my five favorite audiobooks ever, and I'll purchase the previous books in this trilogy because I had such a fun time with this finale. Imagine that! Thus, a science fantasy vibe in an epic fantasy-like setting and story with amazing vocabulary, phraseology and incredible audio storytelling quality? Nothing less than a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 would be a mathematical crime! 😉 And I fell in love with this quality audiobook, plain and simple. Kudos to Craig A. Hart, the narrator, for this incredible performance!

Don't forget to check out my blog post article for an excerpt of Knight in Retrograde as well as an exclusive guest post on the art of making an audiobook!

If you want to learn more about the author, Lee Hunt:

Ever try to do things you were really not well suited to? Lee Hunt understands. He was born with only one working lung, but has gone on to be an Ironman triathlete, a sport rock climber, and a professional geophysicist. The poor lung function has been an excellent excuse for his unimpressive triathlon performance—he is among the worst of those able to complete the Ironman under his own power—and is of some service in eliciting a modicum of sympathy for his average at-best skills as a climber. Actually no one on a rock wall really cares about excuses. It’s a climb-or-fall kind of thing.

His marginal ability to breathe is of no use whatsoever in explaining his career as a geophysicist. He was good at that. Lee published close to fifty journal papers, articles or expanded abstracts, has been awarded numerous best paper awards, and was even sent on a national speaking tour to Canadian universities by the Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists. He was born on a farm but grew up near the giant oil sand mines of Fort McMurray and is interested in discussing the environment and the amorality of science. He is also useful at parties in explaining the physics around why, or why not, fracture stimulation might be a risk to manmade structures and the fuzzy cuddly things of nature. Lee’s career helped him appreciate the difficulty in predicting outcomes, the dangers of arrogance—such as thinking you can predict even the smallest thing—and the exigent need to try anyway. He was comfortable and happy being a geophysicist, so after twenty-eight years, he quit to go do the things he was less well suited to.

If you want to hang out with Lee, look for him hiking, cycling, floundering in a lake, clinging desperately to a wall, or at his desk trying to write an entertaining story.

Author Website

Author Facebook (Personal)

Author Facebook (Author Page)

Author Amazon

A huge thanks to Other Worlds Ink for this amazing blog tour opportunity!

See you next post, lovelies!

Beginner’s Croatian with Online Audio: A Book Review

Book Reviews, languages June 28, 2021 Leave a comment

Hippocrene Books Website

By Aida Vidan & Robert Niebuhr

Genre: Non-Fiction, Language, Language learning, Travel
Number of pages: 369
ISBN: 9780781814089
Format: Paperback (MP3 online audio)
Publication date: March 24th, 2020
Publisher: Hippocrene Books
Type: Book, language learning book, language learning textbook

*I received a free physical copy in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given, and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Priti Gress and Hippocrene Books!*

Introduction

I’ve been a fan of Hippocrene Books for a few years now, following them on social media and craving their books. As a polyglot, their books, both language learning guides and cultural books, seemed to be of quality and they’re quite varied. They cover languages rarely tackled by other language publishers, such as Croatian, Romanian, and Icelandic. I’m always looking for new resources and tools to improve my own learning, and I love exploring. So, when I contacted them, they kindly agreed to send me a few, including Beginner’s Croatian with Online Audio. I wanted to learn Croatian since I was fourteen years old (I’m double years old now… shhhhh), so it’s exhilarating to review this book for them. Plus, finding good quality Croatian language learning materials is hard, even more so in physical format.

A huge thanks to Hippocrene Books for sharing Beginner’s Croatian with me and helping my learning process! I discovered a great new resource, and definitely fell in love with their products.

Let’s break down its several qualities and few flaws together, shall we?

That way you’ll get a better idea to enhance your own language learning!

Let’s go!

Blurb

An affordable and modern guide to learn Croatian as a beginner from Hippocrene Books. It is made up of fifteen amusing lessons with colloquial dialogues, grammatical units, vocabulary and verb lists, and audio files in MP3 format (downloadable on their website). It features a History overview of Croatia, a bilingual glossary, declension tables, exercises and answer keys.

The Positive Sides

I’ll start with one of the best points about this book: the audio is free! And downloadable! Yep. No CDs—you get the audio files as downloaded MP3s, which is highly modern and useful as you can listen to them on your computer, iPod, smartphone, tablet, name it! Kudos to them! After which comes the price, which is very affordable for all the knowledge contained within its pages. Speaking of its pages, this is a quality book; its layout and format is well done, always followed. The language is excellent as I found no typos or mistakes, except in the Audio Track List at the end where it says “Dialgoue” instead of “Dialogue” a few times.

The cover is gorgeous and inspiring (look at it!), it makes you want to jump into it, much like with the language itself.

Also, the table of contents is really clear and even mentions what types of grammar explorations each lesson introduces you to.

Moreover, the historical introduction is priceless. It really helps understand Croatia and how it came to be. It also makes you travel a bit and connect with that country on a more personal level. The grammatical sections are clear, precise, and informative, and their instructions are clear and easy to follow and grasp. I love that there is an English-Croatian/Croatian-English glossary with the most useful vocabulary, a verb list with indications as to whether it’s a Perfective or Imperfective verb (trust me, you’ll be grateful this was included!), as well as declension tables (thank God for these!!! They’re life-savers what with cases and how to mark declensions in words), and a prepositions table!!! This is all so useful. I looooove when there is “extra” content (note: grammatical content) in such books. It makes my inner nerd (… more like the whole of myself, but shhh) thrilled!

Back to the free audio! The location of the audio files is made clear at the beginning (in the TOC) and on a single page at the end of the book. Also, the audio is fantastic! It’s high quality, sharp, and I love how in the vocabulary the woman will say one letter and word, and then it’s the man’s turn. We can hear both sexes! The dialogues are great, too! I love how natural they talk. The way the dialogues are used in audio is amazing. First, on one track, you have the dialogue said at a natural pace, but the words and expressions used are very much natural, what you’d encounter in a normal conversation with natives (wonderful info!). Then, on the next track, you have the same dialogue with pauses so you can repeat each sentence for practice! It’s brilliant!

As for the exercises, they’re very interesting as I had barely a headache while doing those—when exercises are hard or displeasing I get a migraine. Plus, they have answer keys at the end of the book, which makes it even more practical and useful. I love how varied the exercises are! We go from blank phrases to translations (whole paragraphs) to marking genders and filling in with the correct verbs. It’s different from most learning guides where you only have blank phrases and filling-in exercises. It made me so giddy! I loved two exercises in particular: translation and categorization! Translation is always fun (sue me, I’m a translator!), though daunting. But damn does it help to think in Croatian. As for the categorization exercise, I wasn’t sure about its effectiveness but I was proven wrong: it sears the words in your mind and you can recognize them afterwards.

Overall, I meant to study a few lessons throughout the book for reviewing purposes, but I loved it so much I found myself to be actually doing them progressively… So, surprise! I am now even more into my Croatian learning than I was before reviewing this language learning guide! Win, win!

The Negative Sides

My first negative side isn’t so much a flaw to me, but more of an acknowledgment that this could be lacking something for other Croatian learners. So, despite the gorgeous, colourful cover, there are no images and no colours inside the book. It might be too academic for some readers for it reminds me of high school and university textbooks. As for me, I don’t mind it as I love such straightforward books. I just wanted to mention it in case you find this an important aspect of your learning.

Unfortunately, the vocabulary, verb and greetings lists aren’t included in the audio. I would have loved it as sometimes we’re not sure how to pronounce those either, mostly the vocabulary. And especially in the beginning of our learning.

Lastly, the instructions for some exercises are not clear and precise enough, such as blank logical answers with no prior “logic” nor hints.

These last two points are really what I think could be improved in future editions of this language learning guide in terms of learning: more audio files and clearer instructions for exercises.

In Conclusion

All in all, thanks to this wonderful language learning guide, Beginner’s Croatian with Online Audio, I can now identify specific words in the songs and videos I watch and already remember two handfuls after only two lessons! It’s an excellent teaching manual for self-taught language learners and all kinds of language learners. For these reasons, and for the sometimes unclear instructions, I give this beloved book a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5. If you want to learn Croatian, I highly recommend this book. Don’t miss out on it or you’ll miss the opportunity to learn fast and well with pleasure!

If you want to learn more about Hippocrene Books, you can visit their Web site, you can also follow them on Instagram. You can learn more about the authors and their impressive credentials on Aida Vidan's official Harvard page and on Robert Niebuhr's official Arizona State University page. You can also add Beginner's Croatian with Online Audio to your bookshelves on Goodreads.

A Dash of Romance: A Book Review

Book Reviews April 28, 2021 Leave a comment

Paullett Golden's Web site

By Paullett Golden

Genre: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Historical romance, Regency romance, historical regency
Number of pages: 231
ASIN: B08BJFSBHS
ISBN: 9781735236001
Format: eBook (Kindle), paperback, audiobook (iTunes)
Publication date: July 20th, 2020
Publisher: Self-published
Type: Book, Anthology, Novella, Flash fiction collection

I received a free ecopy in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Paullett Golden and BookTasters!

Introduction

I’m not an avid romance reader… In fact, I dislike that all books have strong romance storylines. So, I read a few per year, and they must be different from the get-go. When I was offered by BookTasters to review A Dash of Romance by Paullett Golden, the charming cover caught my attention as well as the clever, sweet title. I read the blurb and… A regency-era romance with a lie surrounding their marriage, a big misunderstanding, and a young woman strong enough to write in those times?

Sign me up! I mean, yes, please, let me read this!

Let me tell you it didn’t simply meet my high expectations of a romance book… it exceeded them!

So, here’s my review and why you should totally give this book a read!

11 GIFs All Book Lovers Can Relate To | Edmonton Public Library

Blurb

With quills and fantasies, they write their future.

Percival Randall lives an uncomplicated life of luxury, as he likes it. Not even an ultimatum requiring marriage can tip the scales. A conniving young lady who compromises his name to force a betrothal, however, is an impediment to happiness Percival must confront.

Abigail Walsley dreams of publishing novels rather than marrying dashing heroes. An unexpected proposal and a subsequent Banbury tale tumble her into a betrothal with a man she has never met. Following her dreams proves a challenge with a marriage of inconvenience on the horizon.

This is the love story of Percival and Abigail, two dreamers who write their love story one scene at a time.

From second chance romances to mistaken identities, experience A Dash of Romance in this collection of one short novel and fourteen bonus flash fiction pieces.

The Positive Sides

First, let’s talk about the unusual format of this book. It’s an anthology featuring a short novel with a collection of flash fictions. I found it rather interesting! I enjoyed that there was a novel and that there were several flash fictions accompanied by drawings. It felt like a big treasure followed by smaller but amusing discoveries in the same world. Quite uncommon but highly enjoyable.

As for the writing, the choice of words is precise, and immersive in that era and each situation. Plus, several sentences were fun and well-written. I particularly loved this one, which, I think, is very reflective of an author with her characters and of a romance as well: “The good knight needed her as much as she needed him.” I’d say Miss Golden hit two birds with one stone here.

Moreover, the characters are charming, lovable, hilarious, strong, clever, and multidimensional. I loved them dearly and even believed in them as though they’re real, which I bet in the author’s heart and mind is true as well as mine now that I’ve read this great book. Also, I love that Abigail, the main character, is a writer herself. And she is part of a ladies’ literary society where the ladies talk about real writing issues and weaknesses, such as characters being one dimensional. It was wonderful to see our reality as writers and authors reflected in this book and I laughed. Speaking of Abigail, I love her strong and flawed personality with good values and feminism for her time. She’s also got a lot of courage as well as a head on her shoulders. Her father, the vicar, is charming and loving. As for Percival, her dandy knight, he’s hard to resist, funny, gentleman, but he’s got his own flaws which make him even more rounded as a character and intriguing… It’s like you’re discovering a new layer of him with each chapter.

Lastly, I curled up in bed with my Kobo every night and often told myself I’d read this book for fifteen minutes only because I was too tired… and each and every time I found it was an hour later!!! This is a huge compliment because usually I barely read for fifteen minutes when I’m that tired (and I have been exhausted these last weeks due to university and personal events) but this book had me hooked, laughing, smiling, and enjoying the moment. As pure and simple as this may be.

The Negative Sides

Alas, there is one negative point. I noticed that when Percival meets Abigail, he finds her drab… But in the next chapter when he talks to her, she’s suddenly interesting and charming. But then, this goes back to a reasonable balance in the following chapters… It was confusing and offsetting on the moment. However, it was not essential enough to take away a star or even a half star.

In Conclusion

As I mentioned, the single negative point isn’t worth taking a star off this delightful book, which leads me to giving it a rating of 5 out of 5 stars for all its amazing positive sides! It made me smile, laugh, stay up late to get to the next chapter! But most importantly, it made me stop aching for a while, made me forgot I cried a lot at night just while reading it, and it gave me friends I couldn’t wait to get back to as well as their misfortunes… or were they fortunes in the end? 😉

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit her Web site, you can also follow her on her Amazon author page and Goodreads. You can also add A Dash of Romance to your bookshelves on My Book Pledge, Goodreads, LibraryThing, and Storygraph.

Yellow Wife: A Book Review

Book Reviews February 13, 2021 Leave a comment

Simon & Schuster Canada

By Sadeqa Johnson

Genre: Fiction, Historical

Pages: 288

ISBN: 978-1-9821-4910-9

ASIN: B08BZFTB1Y

Format: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook (Kindle, Kobo, Nook), Audiobook

Publication date: January 2021

Publisher: 37 Ink/Simon & Schuster

Type: Book, Novel

*I received a free paperback copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada and Sadeqa Johnson!*

Introduction

What do I have to say about Yellow Wife? Here, summarized: I… Well… my feels… I just… Wow!!!

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Okay, wait a minute now! Let me explain my reactions better. Please do proceed by reading my review and I promise it will make sense.

Blurb

Pheby Delores Brown, a teenage slave on a plantation in America in the 1800s, has been cherished above all others and promised freedom by her master at 18 years old. A tragedy strikes, and Pheby is sold by the mistress who hates her, sent to a slave jail and thrown into a life she never wanted. A life where she’ll have to be smarter than she ever thought she could be and play everything to survive, for herself and her loved ones. Will she see freedom or ensure it for those she loves by paying the ultimate price?

The Positive Sides

If you want a moving read, this is the book for you! So many harsh realities that are so poignant they made me stop reading for hours at a time, sobbing, because I felt so much for them. This is not a flaw, it’s a compliment! It’s been so long I was THIS invested in characters and their stories, I mean in such an emotional perspective that sobs were wrenched from me. There is also one of the most realistic death scenes I’ve read. Ever. And it’s just soul-crushing but so well written.

The writing is beautiful, elegant, and yet the vernacular and language of the black people are so real I can hear them in my head exactly like they would talk. Quite a talent to write so differently! I believed in their dialogue, and I enjoyed reading it so much. Professionally and passionately done, kudos to Sadeqa Johnson! As for Pheby, the main character, was strong, brilliant, affectionate, a survivor through and through. Awesome woman! I’d have done the same in her situation. Now, what about the story? Wow. Special, moving, motivating, inspiring. Strong. And the other characters? Loving, resilient, interesting, true, all of them. The mothers? So real, so touching.

It’s an extremely important read! So important I feel it changed me in some way. I can’t tell you how I’m not quite sure yet, but I feel different. Although I was never racist (I’m into languages, cultures, translation, and all of that good stuff), it still broadened my perspective. If you want to be moved and come out changed, even if only a little, please, read Yellow Wife. Everyone should read this book to know what truly happened, the horrors black people, slaves, went through. Unimaginable. Yet so real. I’m sorry for all of them. This book does something magical. It moves you, so poignant I never read anything like it; it’s raw, honest, true. It’s a women’s story, of love, sacrifice, slavery, reality, survival… It’s everything gripping. If it were for me, if I had enough money, I’d purchase a copy and distribute one to EVERYONE, but since I’m not rich, my words will have to suffice. But mark them. I always think high schoolers should read this in class due to its importance and its eye-opening nature. Please, READ THIS BOOK! shoves it in your face with passion

Reading this book, I was crying, sobbing, moved, and I wanted to reach out to all the past slaves and just… hug them, let them feel the love. Tell them they were strong and beautiful and they MATTERED. I would have offered my help, but I know they could save themselves. Black people are strong, but I’m always here for you if you need help or a discussion. I know you’re heroes too and survivors, but I wanted so bad to be their friend. Stop this cruelty. Make it right. I’m so glad things have improved, but they could still get better. I support you! HERE’S MY LOVE TO YOU! It was even harder reading this book because my family is a direct descendant of a slave woman… it’s in my roots though I am white. But I can’t deny it nor never would want to. That woman who gave birth to my family is history, she’s important, she mattered. That’s why I’m talking about it here. Also, my dear female cousin is mulatto, like Pheby the MC, and damn do I love her. Always have since I was a child and saw her for the first time. Sometimes I would read the book and see my cousin in Pheby’s stead and I would be so furious and utterly disgusted. I’m glad she’s safe. I’m glad she’s thriving. I’m glad I know her. I want you all to be safe, to tell your stories loud and clear I’ll lend you my hand when you want it, but I know you can do it on your own, heroes and heroines. You go, girl, you go, boy. And you go, non-binary. I believe in you.

I will definitely purchase a copy for my “Favourites” shelf in hardcover, because it deserves to be there. It marked and changed me positively. I don’t know how yet, but I feel it within. It’s strong; this book tore me apart and stitched me back together again. I never sobbed nor cried so hard throughout a single book, but I feel fixed somehow? I loved this journey I went on with Pheby, though my heart was ripped from my chest oftentimes. This is not only the best book I’ve read lately, it’s definitely in my top 10 EVER. It had such a huge impact on me. I’m grateful to have read it. I feel like I’ve matured, like I’ve learned and shared something. I never read a book that I thought was “important” in terms of meaning or change… but this one? It’s the one I call IMPORTANT. Please, make all the difference you can by reading it and shouting about it on social media.

Just read it, okay? Sadeqa Johnson is a glorious author, and I’ll definitely await her upcoming books.

The Negative Sides

I couldn’t find any, except that it’s a true story. Hear me out! I’m so sad this story is based on real events because the characters were immensely mistreated. I just… My heart goes to them. But the book? The book is one of the most poignant and its effects deep and long-lasting that I have ever read.

In summary, you want an imperfect book? Skip this one. You want perfection, love (in all its meaning), strength, and history? Don’t ignore Yellow Wife!

In Conclusion

For all the emotions and the positive change it produced in me, and the truth it conveys so well, I would give Yellow Wife a rating of 10 out of 5 stars! Unfortunately, I can’t. So I’ll give it a full rating of 5 excellent stars out of 5! This book is perfect in many ways, with all its special characters and the strength emanating from it and the love, but it’s most definitely perfect in my heart. I could talk for hours about this book, but this review will have to do. But if we meet, trust me, I’ll talk about it. Thank you so much Simon & Schuster Canada for sending me this most perfect book! It made a great and positive impact on me and I will never forget your kindness of agreeing to send this new reviewer of yours such a marvellous book. Miss Sadeqa Johnson, all my praise! I’m so glad Mary Lumpkin followed you back home that day so you had to write this book. Thank you.

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit her Web site, you can also follow her on her Amazon author page and Twitter, as well as Facebook, Instagram and Goodreads. Plus, don't forget to visit her publisher, Simon & Schuster. You can also add Yellow Wife to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

The Exorcism of Little Billy Wagner: A Book Review

Book Reviews February 1, 2021 Leave a comment

By Francis J. Flynn

Genre: Fiction, Horror, Satirical, Humour

Pages: 234

ISBN: 9781857568318

ASIN: B00T6R4JQ4

Format: Paperback, eBook (Kindle)

Publication date: 2015

Publisher: Janus Publishing Company Ltd

Type: Book, Novel

*I received a free ecopy in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Francis J. Flynn and BookTasters!*

Introduction

Now, what a title: Exorcism! Shocking, I know. But when it comes to horror stories, whether movies or books, my favorites are about possession (demonic, please). Why? I don’t know but I find it fascinating and horrifying. So, when I was offered by BookTasters (thanks!) to read The Exorcism of Little Billy Wagner, how could I say no? It was right there in the title!

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. In my opinion, while it has some strong flaws, it’s also pretty enjoyable and I had a good feeling reading it.

Care to know all of my reasons and why it’s a good book nevertheless?

Read on, folks!

Come with me into the abyss of a possession story…

(My review is not that dark, don’t worry.)

Blurb

The frantic parents of Little Billy Wagner are at a loss as to what to do when their son shows signs of demonic possession. When the medical community can offer no answers, they turn to their Catholic Church. The Archbishop a prominent hawk in the war on Satan is more than willing to help the Wagners. Though in precarious health (His bypasses had bypasses), he always knew The Evil One would show up on his watch and he s now ready to send in the exorcists. But first, the Church has to determine whether Little Billy Wagner is demonically possessed. Enter the handsome Father Leopold Mackenzie. Father Leo wants to be a priest. He believes God wants him to be a good priest. He aspires to return to a parish in Bolivia where he spent many happy days in his favorite llama-wool sweater and was accepted by the kind Boliviano parishioners. To make this happen, he just needs to do a good job on the Billy Wagner matter and keep the lovely Veronica Fields, from the parish’s conversion class, far away from him and in moments of weakness not think of ways to make her his rectory mate. Father Leo visits the Wagners and soon determines that Little Billy is clearly possessed, but, the question is, by what? Knowing an underlying medical cause must first be ruled out, Father Leo starts gathering information and medical reports and hires the famed Jesuit psychiatrist, the dhoti-wearing Father Caspar Wieland, MD/PhD/SJ. Meanwhile, the Archbishop gathers his exorcism team (including bringing in ex-special forces Monsignor Krebs, despite his handling of the exorcism in The River City Delirium Tremens Burro Incident ) and prepares to make the case to the Vatican to get the authority to send in the exorcists. Can Father Leo stop a Rush to Exorcism before it s too late? Or is Little Billy demonically possessed, and by trying to stop the exorcism, is Father Leo allowing Satan and his legion into America s heartland?

The Positive Sides

The best point of this book is definitely its brazen humour. It’s pretty good, funny, and sometimes dark—it also has a habit of bouncing at you when you least expect it! Sometimes it’s sarcastic, other times ironic, but always good and well thought. Oftentimes I would find myself smiling, chuckling or outright laughing. A very good point indeed because not all books manage that with me! (I find most humour in books fall flat, not because I’m hard to make laugh, haha.)

Also, while I knew this was a horror book, I didn’t expect it to get so dark and gorey right in the beginning! But gosh was it good, creepy and satisfying! I loved it!!!! I remember reading it late at night with eyes wide opened. Ha ha, I had to take a break from reading for a few seconds, then resume it. Talk about a surprise!

Moreover, I really enjoyed the gruesome plot of possession, and how the priests would be conflicted towards each other and this case. It showed that priests are human too, flawed, though they have a good will. The plot kept me reading as I wanted to know what truly happened to Little Billy Wagner and those priests. What horrors would unfold. I’m a sucker for possession stories (bad, I know *shakes her head but #noregrets*)!

This book gave me a good feeling. I mean, when I read the book, it was highly enjoyable (despite its weaknesses) and I cared about the characters, who were entertaining, human and fun. I can’t really explain it, but when I resumed reading every night, I would smile and feel cozy and calm. As though I was pulled into the book and I was fine with it. Or maybe meeting with an old friend? My stomach felt light and so did my heart. Cheesy, I know, but true.

The Negative Sides

I found there were unnecessary repetitions. For example, the word “cookie” appeared twice in the same sentence and the author rarely makes use of pronouns, too; there are many more occurrences of same words in a single sentence/paragraph, which becomes annoying and tiresome enough to roll one’s eyes. It sometimes comes across as poor writing, but I don’t believe that’s the case because the rest is well described, the characters are interesting, etc. I would just suggest using more synonyms, pronouns or rephrasing. Otherwise, it’s the worst flaw of this book, and that makes it not so bad. 😉

Another thing that bugged me was how unclear the transitions are from one character to another. I often had to go back a few sentences to understand we’d switched characters. This quickly became confusing.

Lastly, there is what I call “backstory dump”. You switch to another character and it’s in the present (I mean they’re doing something NOW) and then suddenly you’re in their past for you don’t know how many pages and you kind of lost the whole point to begin with. Their backstories are interesting and necessary, but I think information could be sprinkled here and there without breaking the rhythm so much.

In Conclusion

But you know what? Despite these flaws some would consider either too major or numerous, I rather liked it and enjoyed my reading experience. So, I give The Exorcism of Little Billy Wagner a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars, and I encourage any horror or humour enthusiastic to pick it up for its great and true characters, its good horror and gore scenes, as well as fun plot and humour.

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit his Twitter account (and follow him!), you can also follow him on Goodreads. You can also add The Exorcism of Little Billy Wagner to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing