Category Archives: Book Reviews

The Expedition: A Review

Book Reviews April 11, 2019 Leave a comment

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Genre: YA,Sci-Fi, Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian

Pages: 347
ISBN: 978-1682618356
Format: Hardcover, Paperback (September 2019), eBook (Kindle & Kobo)
Publication date: December 4th, 2018
Publisher: Permuted Press
Type: Novel (2nd in a trilogy)

A special thanks to Chris Babu and Permuted Press for providing me with an eCopy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

 

The Blurb:

Having survived the Initiation, Drayden and his gang must go on a deadly mission to contact other civilizations (if they still exist!). The New America’s solar and battery power is failing and they need help in other for the colony to survive. But Drayden has his own plans: he wants to find out what truly happened to his mother and the reason why Guards are accompanying them. It couldn’t really be for their protection now, could it…?

 

Introduction:

I was offered the opportunity to review the first two books in Chris Babu’s dystopian trilogy by Permuted Press. I jumped on it because, as you lads and lasses know, I’m a big lover of dystopian. The blurb appealed to me. It seemed to have anything I love: logic, realism, courage, quests, trials, a dystopian setting… and I could go on! So, here’s my review of the second book, The Expedition. Enjoy!

Thank you so much for this pleasant opportunity, Chris Babu and Permuted Press!

 

The Positive Sides:

What did I love the most about this book? The stakes! They’re greater than ever; yes, even than the Initiation! It’s now a deadly mission against the Aeru virus that destroyed most of the human population across the world. It only seems like a simple boat ride Drayden and company need to go on… but you know it’s going to get pretty nasty. Indeed, I enjoyed (big time!) how progressively worse it gets for the characters as the story unfolds. My excitation was high because the suspense kept building on and on. These were delicious steps I had to climb!

Speaking of characters, I liked how they clearly have evolved (like Drayden being more confident in his own abilities and self) to be a more fulfilled version of themselves. I felt as though they were more “complete” to themselves. Plus, their relationships followed the same path, what with Drayden now having a girlfriend in his group of friends. This group of friends is also more tightly knit in the face of danger. It’s fun that they learned from the Initiation and build on it.

Now, something else that I appreciated about The Expedition: secrets are everywhere! You think all’s good but uh! Oh! someone overhears officials talking about a plan and later other secrets come out into the light-Drayden’s light and ours, that is. This was quite entertaining as, while it was obvious the boat mission wasn’t all it appeared to be, it was awesome to catch glimpses of what was truly going on underneath the whole situation.

Moreover, I was happy to find that the puzzles were back and have evolved along with the rest! Indeed, they’re more discreet and while they have you working out the whole plot, there are other puzzles on the side and under (in the subplots!) It was a real delight as I feared the puzzles and general intrigue would be gone… But no, they just took on a different shape!

 

The Negative Sides:

Frankly, what really stuck out to me was the info dumping. Unfortunately, it happens at the beginning of the book. Even though it’s spaced, it’s still apparent, which is a slight disappointment. Then, the info dumping happens further along the book.

BUT since it’s not big info dumps (they’re cut in smaller bites), that makes them easier to swallow. I told myself “Meh, okay, I’ll roll with it for the sake of this book.”

And I have to admit that the ones at the beginning do help in situating us better, so it’s not that bad.

Of course, if you hate those, it’s a negative point. Most people dislike them, but you can roll with the few in this book for the sake of the awesome story, great writing and the sheer suspense!

And that’s it; I don’t have any more issues with this book.

 

In Conclusion:

Since I really enjoyed this story, I give The Expedition a rating of 5 out of 5. I kept wanting to jump back in and read more and more of it. What happened to Drayden? What about THAT secret? Now, now, I’m not trusting those guys…

See? It’s just captivating. I’m genuinely hooked to this series and will be waiting for the third (and last) one to come out eagerly.

Can I read it now?

Oh. What, it’s not out yet?

But maybe… just maybe… I could take a peek at-

No?

Oh.

I WANT THE THIRD ONE, OKAY?!

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit his Web site, you can also follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram (he posts really funny and sweet pictures, so go there!), and Goodreads. You can visit his publisher, Permuted Press, https://permutedpress.com/. You can also add “The Expedition” to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

The Expedition: A Review

Book Reviews April 11, 2019 1 Comment

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

Kobo

B&N

Indigo

Goodreads

LibraryThing

WorldCat

Genre: YA,Sci-Fi, Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian

Pages: 347
ISBN: 978-1682618356
Format: Hardcover, Paperback (September 2019), eBook (Kindle & Kobo)
Publication date: December 4th, 2018
Publisher: Permuted Press
Type: Novel (2nd in a trilogy)

*A special thanks to Chris Babu and Permuted Press for providing me with an eCopy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

The Blurb:

Having survived the Initiation, Drayden and his gang must go on a deadly mission to contact other civilizations (if they still exist!). The New America’s solar and battery power is failing and they need help in other for the colony to survive. But Drayden has his own plans: he wants to find out what truly happened to his mother and the reason why Guards are accompanying them. It couldn’t really be for their protection now, could it…?

Introduction:

I was offered the opportunity to review the first two books in Chris Babu’s dystopian trilogy by Permuted Press. I jumped on it because, as you lads and lasses know, I’m a big lover of dystopian. The blurb appealed to me. It seemed to have anything I love: logic, realism, courage, quests, trials, a dystopian setting… and I could go on! So, here’s my review of the second book, The Expedition. Enjoy!

Thank you so much for this pleasant opportunity, Chris Babu and Permuted Press!

The Positive Sides:

What did I love the most about this book? The stakes! They’re greater than ever; yes, even than the Initiation! It’s now a deadly mission against the Aeru virus that destroyed most of the human population across the world. It only seems like a simple boat ride Drayden and company need to go on… but you know it’s going to get pretty nasty. Indeed, I enjoyed (big time!) how progressively worse it gets for the characters as the story unfolds. My excitation was high because the suspense kept building on and on. These were delicious steps I had to climb!

Speaking of characters, I liked how they clearly have evolved (like Drayden being more confident in his own abilities and self) to be a more fulfilled version of themselves. I felt as though they were more “complete” to themselves. Plus, their relationships followed the same path, what with Drayden now having a girlfriend in his group of friends. This group of friends is also more tightly knit in the face of danger. It’s fun that they learned from the Initiation and build on it.

Now, something else that I appreciated about The Expedition: secrets are everywhere! You think all’s good but uh! Oh! someone overhears officials talking about a plan and later other secrets come out into the light-Drayden’s light and ours, that is. This was quite entertaining as, while it was obvious the boat mission wasn’t all it appeared to be, it was awesome to catch glimpses of what was truly going on underneath the whole situation.

Moreover, I was happy to find that the puzzles were back and have evolved along with the rest! Indeed, they’re more discreet and while they have you working out the whole plot, there are other puzzles on the side and under (in the subplots!) It was a real delight as I feared the puzzles and general intrigue would be gone… But no, they just took on a different shape!

The Negative Sides:

Frankly, what really stuck out to me was the info dumping. Unfortunately, it happens at the beginning of the book. Even though it’s spaced, it’s still apparent, which is a slight disappointment. Then, the info dumping happens further along the book.

BUT since it’s not big info dumps (they’re cut in smaller bites), that makes them easier to swallow. I told myself “Meh, okay, I’ll roll with it for the sake of this book.”

And I have to admit that the ones at the beginning do help in situating us better, so it’s not that bad.

Of course, if you hate those, it’s a negative point. Most people dislike them, but you can roll with the few in this book for the sake of the awesome story, great writing and the sheer suspense!

And that’s it; I don’t have any more issues with this book.

In Conclusion:

Since I really enjoyed this story, I give The Expedition a rating of 5 out of 5. I kept wanting to jump back in and read more and more of it. What happened to Drayden? What about THAT secret? Now, now, I’m not trusting those guys…

See? It’s just captivating. I’m genuinely hooked to this series and will be waiting for the third (and last) one to come out eagerly.

Can I read it now?

Oh. What, it’s not out yet?

But maybe… just maybe… I could take a peek at-

No?

Oh.

I WANT THE THIRD ONE, OKAY?!

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit his Web site, you can also follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram (he posts really funny and sweet pictures, so go there!), and Goodreads. You can visit his publisher, Permuted Press, https://permutedpress.com/. You can also add “The Expedition” to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

Alchemy ‘ s Air: A Review

Book Reviews April 8, 2019 Leave a comment
43894994

by Stacey Tucker

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Alchemy's Air: Book Two of the Equal Night Trilogy
by Stacey Tucker
Publisher: SparkPress

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Action & Adventure

Pages: 352
ISBN: 9781943006847
Format: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook (Kindle & Kobo)
Publication date: May 14th, 2019
Publisher: SparkPress
Type: Novel (2nd in a trilogy)

 

A special thanks to SparkPress for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion via Edelweiss+.

 

The Blurb:

The ancient secrets of the Book of Sophia were entrusted to Skylar Southmartin. She needs to succeed at a deadly mission where she journeys to the Underworld of the Earth to restore a vital memory to the Akashic Library. This Now that she’s passed her trial by fire, Skylar Southmartin has been entrusted with the ancient secrets of the Book of Sophia. Ahead is her greatest mission to date: a journey to the Underworld to restore a vital memory to the Akashic Library that will bring her face to face with the darkness within. Many seek this library because they believe the future of human potential is at its core.

Will Skylar and her friends survive the darkness hidden in all of us and the risk of it destroying their very souls?

 

Introduction:

When I read Alchemy’s Air’s blurb on Edelweiss+, I simply had to give it a go even though I hadn’t read the first one, Ocean’s Fire. Fiction related to the spiritual, mythologies, and witches’ powers (or the likes!) interests me a great deal.

Thank you so much for this opportunity, SparkPress and Edelweiss+!

 

The Positive Sides:

First of all, the ideas themselves of the Book of Sophia, the realm of the spiritual, the Akashic library an the Underworld of Earth just held my attention quite forgive the pun religiously. I genuinely liked that a fiction book dares to dive deeper into the depths of the magic of the world and the spiritual as a main objective (from what I can assume). I’ve read other books like Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Heroes of Olympus series where they DO get to the Underworld and such other books, yet while greatly enjoyable, never gets past the surface of the topic. But Alchemy’s Air does it!

Moreover, the sheer details of the underworld and the spiritual realm (hinted at the very beginning) are immersing and glorious! The words paint a stunning picture of the concepts and objects such as a special Tree of Life which is scorched to us, but gorgeous and quite alive on the spiritual side. Love that we get to experience the sensation (almost!) of what it’s like to see such things!

As for the characters, they’re interesting. I like them and how they care about something else too such as veterinarian care and studies. It makes them lovelier to me. And that run from Milicent’s husband to President? That’s fun and different in a fantasy novel. I must admit I greatly enjoy those down-to-earth sides of the story. They’re awesome and much welcomed.

Furthermore, the stakes are high, pressing and essential to humankind. Also, I love the use of different concepts from all kinds of religions and beliefs. It’s a beautiful, carefully chosen melting pot.

 

The Negative Sides:

Sadly, there’s no way around this: The dialogue killed my enthusiasm quite early on. They’re not only forced, but they are 3-4 sentences long with each character. It’s not realistic. Plus, it TELLS us in dialogue what we figured out most of the time. It’s the main negative side and a dealbreaker for me. I couldn’t believe in the story (even though the rest is great!) and kept rolling my eyes every time a character spoke. I swear, I was enjoying myself in the narrative… until a line of dialogue popped up.

Speaking of narrative, it takes a good while before things get heated. While I truly loved the passages where we glimpse at the other world (the spiritual world), the story took too long before starting up. But maybe you like things to go slow in books. If so, then go for it!

 

In Conclusion:

Rating this one was tough. On the one hand, I LOVE the ideas in the book, the amazing details about the supernatural world, and got involved in the story. On the other, my involvement stopped as soon as any character spoke. So, torn between two polar opposites (I’m loving this versus oh no here’s the unrealistic dialogue again), I’m giving Alchemy’s Air by Stacey Tucker a rating of 3.5 out of 5.

Let me be clear: If, like me, the summary interests it, read the book! I’m sure some of you will enjoy it because it IS enjoyable, hence the rating. But, to me, the false dialogue rang too loudly. But do I recommend this book? Absolutely! The idea is still kick-ass and I swear the details and concepts about the spiritual world are the best I’ve read yet!

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit her Web site, you can also follow her on Instagram, her Pinterest account, and Goodreads . You can visit her publisher, SparkPress, https://gosparkpress.com/. You can also add Alchemy's Air to your bookshelves on Goodreads.

Alchemy’s Air: A Review

Book Reviews April 8, 2019 Leave a comment
43894994

by Stacey Tucker

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

B&N

Indigo

Goodreads

Alchemy’s Air: Book Two of the Equal Night Trilogy
by Stacey Tucker
Publisher: SparkPress

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Action & Adventure

Pages: 352
ISBN: 9781943006847
Format: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook (Kindle & Kobo)
Publication date: May 14th, 2019
Publisher: SparkPress
Type: Novel (2nd in a trilogy)

*A special thanks to SparkPress for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion via Edelweiss+.*

The Blurb:

The ancient secrets of the Book of Sophia were entrusted to Skylar Southmartin. She needs to succeed at a deadly mission where she journeys to the Underworld of the Earth to restore a vital memory to the Akashic Library. This Now that she’s passed her trial by fire, Skylar Southmartin has been entrusted with the ancient secrets of the Book of Sophia. Ahead is her greatest mission to date: a journey to the Underworld to restore a vital memory to the Akashic Library that will bring her face to face with the darkness within. Many seek this library because they believe the future of human potential is at its core.

Will Skylar and her friends survive the darkness hidden in all of us and the risk of it destroying their very souls?

Introduction:

When I read Alchemy’s Air’s blurb on Edelweiss+, I simply had to give it a go even though I hadn’t read the first one, Ocean’s Fire. Fiction related to the spiritual, mythologies, and witches’ powers (or the likes!) interests me a great deal.

Thank you so much for this opportunity, SparkPress and Edelweiss+!

The Positive Sides:

First of all, the ideas themselves of the Book of Sophia, the realm of the spiritual, the Akashic library an the Underworld of Earth just held my attention quite forgive the pun religiously. I genuinely liked that a fiction book dares to dive deeper into the depths of the magic of the world and the spiritual as a main objective (from what I can assume). I’ve read other books like Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Heroes of Olympus series where they DO get to the Underworld and such other books, yet while greatly enjoyable, never gets past the surface of the topic. But Alchemy’s Air does it!

Moreover, the sheer details of the underworld and the spiritual realm (hinted at the very beginning) are immersing and glorious! The words paint a stunning picture of the concepts and objects such as a special Tree of Life which is scorched to us, but gorgeous and quite alive on the spiritual side. Love that we get to experience the sensation (almost!) of what it’s like to see such things!

As for the characters, they’re interesting. I like them and how they care about something else too such as veterinarian care and studies. It makes them lovelier to me. And that run from Milicent’s husband to President? That’s fun and different in a fantasy novel. I must admit I greatly enjoy those down-to-earth sides of the story. They’re awesome and much welcomed.

Furthermore, the stakes are high, pressing and essential to humankind. Also, I love the use of different concepts from all kinds of religions and beliefs. It’s a beautiful, carefully chosen melting pot.

The Negative Sides:

Sadly, there’s no way around this: The dialogue killed my enthusiasm quite early on. They’re not only forced, but they are 3-4 sentences long with each character. It’s not realistic. Plus, it TELLS us in dialogue what we figured out most of the time. It’s the main negative side and a dealbreaker for me. I couldn’t believe in the story (even though the rest is great!) and kept rolling my eyes every time a character spoke. I swear, I was enjoying myself in the narrative… until a line of dialogue popped up.

Speaking of narrative, it takes a good while before things get heated. While I truly loved the passages where we glimpse at the other world (the spiritual world), the story took too long before starting up. But maybe you like things to go slow in books. If so, then go for it!

In Conclusion:

Rating this one was tough. On the one hand, I LOVE the ideas in the book, the amazing details about the supernatural world, and got involved in the story. On the other, my involvement stopped as soon as any character spoke. So, torn between two polar opposites (I’m loving this versus oh no here’s the unrealistic dialogue again), I’m giving Alchemy’s Air by Stacey Tucker a rating of 3.5 out of 5.

Let me be clear: If, like me, the summary interests it, read the book! I’m sure some of you will enjoy it because it IS enjoyable, hence the rating. But, to me, the false dialogue rang too loudly. But do I recommend this book? Absolutely! The idea is still kick-ass and I swear the details and concepts about the spiritual world are the best I’ve read yet!

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit her Web site, you can also follow her on Instagram, her Pinterest account, and Goodreads . You can visit her publisher, SparkPress, https://gosparkpress.com/. You can also add Alchemy’s Air to your bookshelves on Goodreads.

The Initiation: A Book Review

Book Reviews February 26, 2019 1 Comment

by Chris Babu

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WorldCat

Genre: YA,Sci-Fi, Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian

Pages: 320
ISBN: 978-1682615935
Format: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook (Kindle & Kobo)
Publication date: February 27th, 2018
Publisher: Permuted Press
Type: Novel (1st in a trilogy)

*A special thanks to Chris Babu and Permuted Press for providing me with an eCopy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

The Blurb:

Everyone is equal. But no one is safe.

In a ruined world, Manhattan is now New America, a walled-in society based on equality. But the perfect facade hides a dark truth.

A timid math geek, sixteen-year-old Drayden watches his life crumble when his beloved mother is exiled. The mystery of her banishment leads him to a sinister secret: New America is in trouble, and every one of its citizens is in jeopardy.

With time running out, he enters the Initiation. It’s a test within the empty subway tunnels—a perilous journey of puzzles and deadly physical trials. Winners join the ruling Bureau and move to its safe haven. But failure means death. Can Drayden conquer the Initiation, or is salvation out of his grasp?

Introduction:


I was offered the opportunity to review the first two books in Chris Babu’s dystopian trilogy by Permuted Press. I jumped on it because, as you lads and lasses know, I’m a big lover of dystopian. The blurb appealed to me. It seemed to have anything I love: logic, realism, courage, quests, trials, a dystopian setting… and I could go on! So, here’s my review of the first book, The Initiation. Enjoy!

Thank you so much for this pleasant opportunity, Chris Babu and Permuted Press!

The Positive Sides:

There are many things I liked and even loved about this book so hold tight. The book starts with a heartbreaking moment, Drayden’s mother’s exile from the Dorms into the wilderness that New York has become. This moment is crucial in establishing the stakes, the plot, and the characters. It was also pretty sad and I loved it! It didn’t wait and wait… until something happened. No, it did right upon opening the book! Speaking of writing, Babu, the author, knows how the describe the emotions and events in poignant manner. Kudos to him! I often found myself affected emotionally, so that’s a very good thing. I kept hoping and feeling torn with the protagonist.

Okay, hang on even tighter here because I have A LOT to say about the protagonist, Drayden. Here goes:

Drayden is LOVELY. He’s kind, considerate, affectionate, AND very clever. I don’t know how someone could even dislike him. He’s mine, okay? Mine! His origins makes me so happy: he’s biracial, with a Korean mother and a Caucasian father. It’s so original because authors usually write about the most widely used ethnic groups such as Chinese or Afro-American communities. So, reading about a Korean protagonist is inspiring and a much needed fresh air to the YA category. Moreover, the actual display of Drayden’s intelligence and logic process. It is so well done! I rarely saw this before, except in the Sherlock Holmes books, which is an important point (I’m a huge Sherlock Holmes fan). It shows and feels that he is intelligent. Most of the times, authors claim their main character is clever but seldom show it. It’s one of the things I love most about “The Initiation” : the truth of Drayden’s intelligence.

Last point about Drayden: he’s oblivious about his own courage. He thinks he’s a coward, but really he keeps facing the challenges and being brave despite the terrible situations he’s in. All in order to find the answer as to why his mom was exiled. He’s also quite helpful to others. He always calls himself a coward, but he’ll do anything that is required of him to either help others or achieve his goals. It’s beautiful to see his actions and words are two different things, in the most positive of ways. In my opinion, he’s quite brave. I particularly love how we see him slowly acknowledge this side of him that was there all along. It’s character discovery at its finest.

Now, what about the other characters? Well, the most distinctive trait is how diverse they are! I mean, their personalities pop from one another and they even clash. It’s refreshing to read such characters; they really seem alive to me and I can never wait jumping back into my reading to join them again. It’s like they became my friends! And that’s so amazing. Usually, characters share a few traits and all sound very similar. Not here, nuh huh.

Let’s talk about “The Initiation”, or more precisely, the challenges it involves. They’re so intense I shuddered here and there and was genuinely relieved when no one was hurt, and so on. There are the physical challenges which are seriously hard and made me shiver with disgust and fear. Then, there are my favorites: the intelligence trials. I love, love, love love love the puzzles! They’re not easy and they’re highly entertaining AND stressful. Wonderful! As I’m not one for math, I was quite surprised to find myself actively working to decipher the puzzles! Seriously, that’s exactly what I’m looking for in book challenges.

I’ve got the tackle the New America’s swear words and vocabulary. They’re so amusing and funny! It goes like: shkat, chotch, wetchop, etc. They sound and look funny and I just love it. It’s varied, it sounds good, and they replace our own swear words. Thinking of it, it just makes sense that they’d have their own lingo because they’ve been living secluded from the rest of the world, or what is left of it. So, bonus points for this creative vocabulary!

Also, the division between the Dorms and the Palace (and other districts) in New America is painfully realistic. It features the never-ending inequality issue and you can see it worsens as you read on. A big issue reflected well and exaggerated (or is it?) in the story. I love this side of it, even though it’s not “positive” per say, but I think it really helps in setting the world up.

Speaking of the world, the Confluence (the confluence of four major issues such as hacked communications and superbugs, etc.) sounds way too realistic to me. It’s a very good but scary thing. Because it could totally happen! And another thing I particularly enjoyed: it’s that FINALLY there’s a YA dystopian story that EXPLAINS what happened before that led to this crappy state of the world now like New America. Bravo! It made it all better, I swear. Much more understandable, too.

The Negative Sides:

It took me a while (the good half of the book) to get accustomed to the writing. It is straight-to-the-point, though emotional (which is good!), and it doesn’t use flowery sentences nor the beauty of language. The writing is practical and functional. It has its own style. It’s not bad, but it’s quite different. So it takes a bit of getting used to. Nevertheless, I ended up rolling with it and liking it for its straightforwardness.

But that’s really the only bad side and it’s not so bad.

Give it a try. Not everyone likes the same things, so you might enjoy it right away.

In Conclusion:

I’m SO glad of having read this book! It’s right next to the Hunger Games and the Maze Runner in my favorite dystopians. All the positive sides definitely beat the semi-negative point. I’m giving “The Initiation” a rating of 5 out of 5 for all the fun I had reading this book and living the actual Initiation with the characters. I was finally shown great puzzles in a book AND explanations as to why the world was dystopian now. And Drayden… I just love him, okay? He’s such a sweetie. And a courageous (though oblivious) one at that!

What’s not to love?

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit his Web site, you can also follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can visit his publisher, Permuted Press, https://permutedpress.com/. You can also add “The Initiation” to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

What I’m Reading: January 2019

Book Reviews, chit-chatting with Cat, What I'm Reading December 27, 2018 Leave a comment

Hello everyone! I decided to share my readings and upcoming reviews for the month starting this January! I thought this would be fun for both of us. You will see the categories divided like this: Personal readings (Hardcover, Paperback, Kobo, Kindle) and ARCs and free copies (a.k.a upcoming reviews).

As always you’re invited to share your thoughts on these readings, whether you want to read them or already have. 🙂

Enjoy!

Personal Readings

Hardcovers

  • The Sleeping Prince (The Sin Eater’s Daughter #2) by Melinda Salisbury (Library Book)
26625494
  • Sea Witch by Sarah Henning
36502054

Paperbacks

  • That Inevitable Victorian Thing by E. K. Johnston
25528808
  • Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke (Library Book)
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (Between, #1)
  • Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
180617
  • Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
8602077

Kobo (eBooks)

  • A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge
31915219
  • Wendy Darling (Volume 1: Stars) by Colleen Oakes
25175898

Kindle (eBooks)

  • The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
13537029
  • Thief of Lies (Library Jumpers #1) by Brenda Drake
17669243
  • Echo in Time (Echo Trilogy #1) by Lindsey Fairleigh
36051843
  • Heir of Illaria (Illaria #1) by Dyan Chick
33642526

ARCs and Free Copies

Upcoming Reviews

  • Unwritten by Tara Gilboy (NetGalley)
36431261
  • Comics Experience Guide to Writing Comics: Scripting Your Story Ideas from Start to Finish by Andy Schmidt (NetGalley)
36859374
  • Tommy Hopps and the Aztecs by Vic Connor and Austin Briggs (Reading Deals)
33666169
  • Invincible Assassin 2.5 (Novella) by John Darryl Winston (LibraryThing)
41042319
  • The Initiation by Chris Babu (Direct review request)
36334133

I hope you’re as excited as I am!

What do you think of these books? Have you read them? Do you want to?

Which ARC are you most looking forward to?

See you next post, lovelies!


Isola Volume 1: A Book Review

Book Reviews December 12, 2018 Leave a comment

by Brenden Fletcher, Karl Kerschl, Msassyk

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Comixology

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Image Comics (Publisher)

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LibraryThing

WorldCat

Genre: Comic books, Graphic Novels, Magic, Fantasy, Spiritual, Adventure

Pages: 136

ISBN: 9781534309227

Format: Paperback

Publication date: October 30th, 2018

Publisher: Image Comics

Type: Comic book

Collects Issues: #1-5


*A special thanks to Edelweiss+ and Image Comics for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

The Blurb:

Isola Vol.1 is a fantasy and adventure comic book series brought to you by renown Brenden Fletcher and Karl Kerschl (Gotham Academy creators) and MSASSYK (Gotham Academy colorist).

Olwyn, Queen of Maar, has been changed into a gorgeous black-and-blue tiger thanks to an evil spell. Accompanied by her loyal Captain of the Guard, she will travel far and wide to reverse it in hopes of finding Isola, a mythical island also known as the land of the dead.

Embark with them on this grand and surprising quest! Be ready for beauty, brilliant colour choices, spirituality, and an emotional journey you won’t regret.

Introduction:

When I first lay eyes on this comic book, the colours and strange animals in this adventurous scene caught my attention. I’ve got to admit I’m a real sucker for bright and/or thematic colours. Also, Isola? What does it mean? Such a beautiful word! Did you see the glyphs that represent an unknown fictional language? As a polyglot and language lover, this appealed to me!

Then, I read the summary. A queen, stuck in a tiger’s body, travels the world with her Captain of the Guard to reverse the curse placed on her? Fantasy and adventure? Plus, a queen as a main character?!

There was no other choice: I had to read this book.

Thanks a lot, Edelweiss+ and Image Comics!

The Positive Sides:

Since I have several positive points, I figured it’d be nice to present them in a… bullet list, yay!

  • It is INSANELY GOOD! (see other points)
  • I love the colour themes and contrasts! They add a lot to the story and the emotions, mostly.
  • Gorgeous drawings. There, I said it. They’re a beautiful mix between American and Japanese comics (manga), which is simply lovely.
  • Speaking of drawing, the depth techniques the artists used resulted in amazing effects! The characters and important items somehow look closer to the reader than the background itself. It’s mesmerizing, honestly.
  • As for the characters, their facial expressions are great and quite believable!
  • The Queen, dear Olwyn, I love her (I hope that’s clear) and she looks AWE-FREAKING-SOME as a human! I love her skin colour—it’s a surprise but a very pleasant one at that.
  • Also: LGBTQ+ representation, YAY! This time, it’s lesbians, yes! FANTASTIC *throws confetti*! It’s so rare in general and even more in comics! Excuse me while I sit there squealing about this oh-so-cute relationship in Isola.
  • Did I tell you about my emotions while reading this work of art? No? Here I come: AH, my emotions! The story tugged on them so hard I feared for my safety. And damn, how I love Olwyn and Rook (her Captain of the Guard)!!!
  • There is tension and a hella lot of mystery. The story’s also mystic and spiritual (in terms of these characters’ beliefs, not ours).
  • Animals play a big part in this story (the ever-present fox is awesome!) and it’s so refreshing.
  • Last point but a very important one to me, the symbols of unknown languages (at least to us) are just woooow. As a polyglot, let me tell you they excited me!

The Negative Sides:

Hmmmm… None?

Perhaps the fact that the story is sometimes confusing due to a lot of spirituality and flashbacks involved, but really, it’s not off-putting. But then again, it fits the story… This is not a negative side per se, only a small confusion.

In Conclusion:

Seriously? If this were an attraction at a park, I’d stand in line again after every. damn. time. I get off it. I genuinely loved Isola! All-in-all, I want to KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS STORY! I’ll be damn sure to read the rest of the series and subscribe to Image Comics newsletter just to know when each issue is out and all that jazz. Count me in as a big fan!

On this joyous note, I give Isola a rating of *gasps* 5 out of 5! (I swear I would give it more if I could, like 10 out of 5, but hey!)

If you want to learn more about the artists, you can visit their Web sites: Brenden Fletcher,  Karl Kerschl, Msassyk. Their book is featured on the publisher’s Web site. You can also add Isola Vol.1 to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

Ireland the Best: A Review

Book Reviews July 26, 2018 Leave a comment

irelandthebest

by John and Sally McKenna

Amazon.com (Released on September 1st, 2018)

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.ca

Indigo

B&N (Released on September 1st, 2018)

Goodreads

LibraryThing

WorldCat

Genre: Travel, Reference, Guidebooks, Travel guides

Pages: 424

ISBN: 9780008248819

Format: Paperback

Publication date: March 22, 2018

Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers

Type: Travel guide

 

*A special thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

The Blurb:

Ireland the Best is a fully comprehensive and independent guide to Ireland which gives you only the very best recommendations, whatever your budget.

Brought to you by the McKennas, who have over 30 years’ experience writing and talking about Ireland’s amazing food, drink and hospitality. Following the format of Scotland the Best, Scotland’s bestselling guide for 25 years.

Local experts John and Sally McKenna are your personal guides to the very best of Ireland, from the streets of Belfast to the hills of Galway. They have visited, rated and remarked on every entry to help you get the most out of the Emerald Isle.

This book is the companion to the series originator Peter Irvine’s bestselling Scotland the Best, and utilises the same design template.

Introduction:

Ireland, O Ireland… You’re calling me.

I remember reading my first Irish author along with the country’s history when I was fourteen years old. I can also tell you I fell in love with the people’s accent, its landscapes and simply put: Ireland itself.

Hence there was no refusing picking up this guide about Ireland. I hoped to learn more about this country and explore it through gorgeous images and sceneries.

Whilst I liked the information, I was also disappointed. How could a guide about Ireland let me down?

The Positive Sides:

I always prefer to lay the positive points of a book first, which gives a better and kinder “image” of the work. I found this guide, Ireland the Best, to be quite informative. In the places and activities’ descriptions (often lengthy and detailed), they give us snippets of these places’ history and explanations as to why it came to be or how it was named the way it is. Moreover, the guide presents awesome, diverse and funny categories such as historical, ethnic restaurants, amusing pubs, libraries, and more of the sorts! This feature is what I loved best about this book because it dared go beyond the traditional formula for guides.

The authors wrote all the addresses, phone numbers and web links. Maps are also present and although the image referencing system is somewhat good, it’s a bit messy too. You need to do a lot of coming and going from the number associated to a certain map to the actual image in the last pages of the book.

The research put into this guide is undeniable! A wealth of information is in there for whoever’s willing to dig to find gold.

The Negative Sides:

Most of the times, I try to focus on the positive of a book, but the huge lack of pictures made this read almost impossible – or at least, unattractive and uninteresting. There are no visual references nor is it pleasant to gaze at despite how thoroughly researched and organised it is. It’s plain-looking, though practical without a doubt. Take your pick! One thing’s for sure: reading it all from cover to end is out of the question! This guide makes it way too boring; I know, I’ve tried and gave up when I noticed how awfully redundant this book was with no pictures.

In Conclusion:

Overall, good for quick info on locations, history bits and fun things to do when in Ireland, but the lack in visuals is extremely annoying and disappointing. So I give it a rating of 2.5 out of 5 stars. I don’t see how a guide about a country, which contains such great and varied information, doesn’t have pictures here and there to make itself easy and pleasant on the eye. I’m not asking for a picture with every location or fact, but at least one for major attractions.

Although I don’t recommend this book, if you want a great source of reliable information and just need to look up locations and fun tidbits sometimes, then please, do have a go at it! I’m sure it will be useful to you. But as a discovery guide out of curiosity or even a guide you plan on actually guiding you through Ireland, it’s not doing the job it set out to do.Deux point cinq

If you want to learn more about the authors, the McKennas, you can follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @McKennasGuides. Their book is featured on the publisher’s Web site. You can also add Ireland the Best to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

Never Enough Time: A Review

Book Reviews July 6, 2018 1 Comment

40178580

by R.T.W Lipkin

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

Goodreads

LibraryThing

Genre: YA, Sci-fi, Fiction, Magical Realism

Pages: 243

ISBN: 9780648056905

Format: Paperback, Kindle eBook

Publication date: June 7th, 2018

Type: Standalone novel

*I was given an ARC of Never Enough Time by Advance Read. Thank you!*

The Story:

What if your entire life passed by in just seven days?

16-year-old Delaney Archer’s mother is always complaining that there’s never enough time to get anything done.

Delaney, on the other hand, always waits until the last moment to do everything.

Nevertheless, she’s the top student in her class. She’s even about to graduate as valedictorian . . .

. . . Until one morning, when she wakes up in a strange place.

Suddenly, she finds herself in graduate school. Seven years of her life have disappeared without a trace since she went to bed last night . . . but how?

It takes a while for Delaney to get used to things. But it’s not all bad, right? After all, she can drink alcohol now, and she’s almost finished school . . .

Then she wakes up the next day . . . and another seven years have passed.

Every day is another brand-new adventure for Delaney as she struggles to adjust. But no matter what she tries, she just can’t seem to break the cycle.

Now she just has to figure out what’s happening . . . before time runs out . . .

 

The Introduction:

This book is my first ARC from Advance Read and it delivered. I had to take Never Enough Time; come on, time travel? Intriguing time travel? With a dangerous deadline?

I couldn’t pass this one up!

 

The Positive Sides:

The most wonderful thing about this book (besides the sheer idea for the story, which was expertly developed) is undoubtedly the teen talk. It’s reminiscent of a teenager’s voice and thoughts. I haven’t been one for many years now, but I felt like fifteen years old again—or at least an insight into a teen’s mind. Also, it was done without slang, which made it even more enjoyable and true.

In the same line of thought, the tone of voice of Delaney Archer (the MC) is clear and sharp. Her humor is sometimes really funny. There are witty bits from all the characters and they’ve all got distinctive, lovable personalities.

The chapters’ endings are worth mentioning too! Most of the times, they leave you guessing for they’re either quite tense or intriguing. Speaking of endings, the last pages of this book are beautiful, kick-ass and full of feels. It’s so sweet—I didn’t expect it. I thought it would end with a small bang, probably an ”ordinary” (a.k.a boring) explanation. Good grief was I wrong! I LOVED it and will always remember how Never Enough Time broke all the barriers of expectations.

 

The Negative Sides:

One aspect of the characterization got on my nerves. Delaney is supposedly a smart girl with extraordinary grades (much like her scientific parents), yet throughout the book she sticks to stupid explanations for what happened. She never ceases to turn them over in her mind—it’s frigging annoying! But the worst part is that she dismisses reasonable options such as amnesia or a psychotic episode. Or perhaps that was exactly the point… Yet it’s not realistic unless the story stated beforehand that she was interested in the occult.

There are way too many swear words to be okay. It took me half the book before I tolerated them. It was that bad. I understand the author meant to show the character’s voice, but it just sounded as though she tried too hard. Several cussing in the dialogue would have been enough to grasp how foul-mouthed Delaney is—but was it truly necessary everywhere in the narration too?

Speaking of exceeding numbers, I found there were too many italicized words. It becomes natural and breaks the ”special effect” it’s used for. It’s the same thing with repetitions. Delaney repeats the same idea or sentence over and over again in very few pages, even in paragraphs. That is unpleasant to read. I think with it being mentioned once or twice would be enough to get the drift.

Last, there’s a friend of Delaney who’s named ”Marie”. So far so good. But the issue here is that she’s Latina… Her name sounds completely French to me (and I would know since it’s my first language)—it’s even written in the French way! To respect the Latino origins of this character, she should have been named ”Maria” or something similar.

 

In Conclusion:

I give it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. However, if I considered only the entertainment it offered me, I’d give it a 5, no kidding. But the excessive swearing and over-the-top voice took half the book to get used to, so I had to take a star out for it was driving me crazy.

BUT just to tell you how much I liked it, I even subscribed to her newsletter on her Web site. Yup! I can’t wait to hear more about her work.

Quatre

If you want to learn more about R.T.W Lipkin, feel free to take a look at her Web site. Don’t forget you can follow her author page on Amazon.com. Last, Lipkin was interviewed in June by Ellen from It’s Write Now about Never Enough Time.

Wings of Blood: A Review

Book Reviews June 2, 2018 Leave a comment

40105659

by Miranda Martin & Nadia Hunter

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

Goodreads

Genre: Fantasy, Adult, Shapeshifter, Romance

Pages: 194

ASIN: B07D1CVKMG

Format: eBook, Kindle

Publication date: May 10th 2018

Series: The Phoenix Wars #2

 

*I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

The Story:

Rising from the ashes isn’t as easy as it sounds…

Finding out just how special my bloodline is wasn’t the best thing to ever happen to me.

The Phoenix Clans are on the verge of open war. As the Consort of the Phoenix King, I’m sheltered, protected on all sides. It’s frustrating because I should be helping. When two flocks have a skirmish, I’m the only one with the skill to solve it.

Or so I thought.

Things aren’t working out quite the way I hoped. It’s about to get bad, so bad I’m not sure even my miraculous blood will save me. Or if I’ve seen my King and love for the last time.

The Introduction:

I chose to read Wings of Blood by Miranda Martin because 1) I was in awe with the cover 2) Phoenix stories are so rare and I love the concept! It looked like a story I would enjoy.

Only downside was a mistake on my part: I didn’t see it was the second book in a series, so I was a bit at a loss, although it didn’t stop me from having a good time reading it.

The Positive Sides:
Generally speaking, the humor and light tone used are very enjoyable. Moreover, the cover is quite beautiful and eye-catching (it’s what truly got me interested in reading the summary.) There are a few phrasing gems sprinkled in the story that made me either impressed or emotional. The point of view switches between Adara and Sven are good and entertaining to read. However, the best point of Miranda Martin’s Wings of Blood is the undeniable tension and seemingly never-ending conflict either underlying the story or just plain to see! It made me notice I actually care about Adara and Siro and the fact I want to see what happens next. And isn’t this just what an author wants?

The Negative Sides:
Unfortunately, this book also has a few notable flaws. While there are a few phrasing gems like I mentioned above, most of the vocabulary is simple. Too simple. Since this is obviously an adult book (it’s not in the children’s/teenagers’ section and it has at least one sex scene), the words used to convey the story should be more mature or elegant. I read Young Adult stories with more developed and complex vocabulary! So, I think it could be improved for the target readers (adults). On the same topic, I’ll mention the explanations of actions and thoughts (even emotions) are too numerous and there’s a lot of “telling” instead of showing, which makes me feel like a child again. I’m sure the author simply wants the story to be extra clear and doesn’t mean any harm, but it should be more subtle in order to be excellent. Also, I hope it went through one last round of proofreading because I saw several mistakes that made me cringe. But that is not the main flaw, so if you don’t mind them, go ahead.

In Conclusion:

Overall, the characters are sweet and lovable and the story keeps me on the edge of my bed (I read mostly in bed, it’s so comfy what with a good book). Nevertheless, the negative sides are too important to me to overlook. Honestly, I give Wings of Blood a rating of 3 stars for the emotional attachment I feel towards the characters and the constant conflict I so love, taking into account the easy vocabulary and too much telling.

Now, would I recommend it? If you don’t mind a simple vocabulary, sex scenes (I wish the author had mentioned there was one in the book’s description), and a few mistakes, but crave lovely characters and tension, then please do read it! I’ll just say I won’t read the sequel, but I welcome anyone to try it for it’s not bad. It just needs more work in my opinion, because the story at its core is great!

Création sans titre

If you want to learn more about the authors, Miranda Martin and Nadia Hunter, and their books, please visit Martin’s Web site. You can also add Wings of Blood to your Goodreads shelves and follow her Goodreads author page!