book reviewer | Ad Librum Aeternam

*I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Balzer + Bray, Harper Collins Canada, and Edelweiss+!*

Introduction

As for an introduction, I wanted to start in a very mature and serious way: WHERE WAS THIS BOOK WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER?! IT’S EXACTLY WHAT I WISHED FOR ALL THIS TIME! I NEEDED IT!

Now that this main thought and raw emotions have been made clear, how about we explore further together the reasons why I feel this way towards this book?

Blurb

This story, told in second-person point of view, follows Bisou Martel. She lives with her grandmother, whom she calls Mémé, and dates a wonderful boyfriend, James. But on homecoming night, Bisou finds herself fighting a wolf… but instead of a wolf in sheep’s clothing, she finds a wolf in men’s clothing. She will learn truths about her heritage, her loved ones, and make strong friendships all while navigating her love life, her womanhood. All for the sake of living life on her own terms, and vanquishing wolves that hide in plain sight.

Oh, what courage you have.

All the better to end you with.

The Positive Sides

I've been yearning for such a book for so many years! WHERE WAS IT WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER?! So I would know I wasn't alone with such a dark imagination… Love, love it! I kept reading and reading and wanting to find out and pushing away my much-needed sleep. Do I regret it? Not a drop!

Thank you LOADS for this ARC. It's my new baby. YIS! Now, why is it my new baby?

First of all, it is MARVELLOUS. It's so rich in terms of vocabulary, darkness and raw emotions! I loved the ongoing theme of blood, pretty well done and ominous. The characters are also something I appreciated. Particularly the main character, Bisou—I really love the depth and intensity of her worries, fears, and thoughts, as well as the honesty and truth of her character. Plus, I love that she calls her grandmother “Mémé” instead of “Mami”. Just like mine. And her strong but kind and open-minded and loving description of Mémé reminds me so much of my own! I felt for this character right away. Sue me. Bisou’s female friends really made me smile and feel warm inside; all that camaraderie, all that friendship! Lastly, James, Bisou’s boyfriend, is so kind, gentle, and understanding. He’s precious!

As for the writing, can I say fabulous? The second-person POV is so refreshing and unique. It also draws you into the dark easier such as when she or you are assaulted in the woods. It is gripping and very well done. It made me realize I would love more novels like this. Moreover, the descriptions are enough, precise, and very poignant. You get to know everything you have to and it touches you. Love this style. It is not crowded, just beautifully done. The way you remember things is awesome, artistic, and gripping, too. The flashbacks are artfully brought about and done. As well as all the intense emotions we feel with Bisou and her situations. I feel them so deep in my heart. And dun dun dun… What an amazing surprise! We get the awesome Mémé’s POV, too. I was thrilled and read it in one go! Since this is a retelling of “Little Red Riding Hood”, should I say “I devoured it”?

I adore how dark and mature this book is. It even tackles womanly periods, assault, sex, and STDs. And I loved the raw fight where Bisou didn’t have time to look good and her dress fell off her. So rarely done and so very realistic. Something that struck me with great positivity is the girl’s periods. The deal of periods in YA always amazes me because it is unfortunately so rarely tackled. But it is a reality for girls, one new they must learn to navigate. This book made me feel content about this aspect of womanhood. Sexuality is present, too, and while sex makes me personally unease, I think it’s a good move to insert it in a YA book (with such respect, too!) Indeed, there’s even a full sex scene with proper words used and respect. Then, Bisou admits to her grandmother she had sex with her boyfriend, James, and Mémé informs Bisou about how she can decide for her own body. It’s awesome and great, an awesome model for young women and teenagers who wonder about sex and/or none ever told them about respect of their own body and so on. It was brilliantly tackled! I would recommend it to all teenagers (yes, boys, too) so they can get a better understanding of what having sex/making love means. Now, let’s talk about how the gore and dark issues, topics, and descriptions are perfect! Oh, and don’t forget this story is highly feminist <3!

Here’s my favourite quote (it hit me hard with truth): “It’s that we need men to stop becoming wolves.” (p. 243, hardcover)

The Negative Sides

Sorry, none. Next?

In Conclusion

Honestly? I loved it so much I purchased my own hardcover copy (see above picture) because I wanted it on my favourite collection shelf, and it’s never leaving this house. Ever.

This is the book I yearned and waited for when I was young (and even today). I needed to read something dark, feminist and thrilling for a young fantasy readership. Red Hood bumped up in my list of all-time favourites to the top with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Finally, Arnold wrote the book little me needed. That I still need. It will stay with me always, and I hope it can fulfill a young girl’s (or boy’s) desires, unfortunately considered weird and different. We’re not alone.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Miss Arnold! You reached out to a deep part of me and made me feel understood. I will never cease coming back to Red Hood.

For all these reasons, I give Red Hood a rating of 6 out of 5 stars. What? I can’t go above 5 stars? Just watch me! Okay, fine, but I still give it the highest rating possible, good? Perfect!

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit her Web site, you can also follow her on Twitter, her Amazon author page and Goodreads. You can also add Red Hood to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

Ochre Dragon: A Book Review

Book Reviews July 17, 2020 Leave a comment

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Fiction, Sci-fi

Pages: 436

ISBN: 9781627473934

Format: Paperback, eBook (Kindle)

Publication date: December 27th, 2018

Publisher: Tom Bird Retreats, Inc.

Type: Novel, Series

Introduction

When I saw that beautiful cover with three women and a dragon (a dragon, so great!) who all looked powerful and intriguing, I knew I wanted to review this book. I was kindly granted my request, but alas I don’t think this book fulfilled all of its promises. At least to me.

Read on to find what worked and what didn’t!

*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 BookTasters and V. E. Patton!*

Blurb

On three distant worlds, three women journey towards their destinies. Before they started out, all three made a choice – to forget they share a single soul.

In tech-ruled post-Crack Earth, where magic doesn't officially exist, project manager Ali's humdrum life under the crumbling Melba Dome is becoming weirder by the day. Her fingers keep glowing, a snarky dragon takes up residence in her head, and people she thought were her friends keep trying to control, kidnap or assassinate her. To top it off, she can't figure out why her previously perfect memory is suddenly full of holes.

Meanwhile, on Heavens Gate, where magic and science have forged an uneasy alliance, research analyst Merindah is desperate to save her dying planet. What she lacks in magical ability, she more than makes up for in ambition, which comes in handy as she navigates family politics and feral deities. But when an impatient and not-so-extinct dragon begins to help her solve the puzzle of the Yarran journal, she realises her magic might not be as weak as she'd thought.

Finally, on Reverie, where magic rules unfettered, a young orphan becomes burdened with tainted magical gifts. Dee is alone, trapped in a waking nightmare. When she finally surrenders to the voices in her head, her out-of-control magic unleashes her dragon and propels her onto a path that could unravel the fabric of time and space.

Three women, three worlds – and their time is running out. Unless Ali, Merindah and Dee can reunite and unlock the secret of the Timegates in a single year, all is lost. They must each make unimaginable sacrifices to become the Key, the Gatekeeper, and the Fire who will save the Cosmos – or ignite Armageddon.

First though… they need to teach their soulmate dragons who's in charge!

The Positive Sides

The beginning of this book includes a beautiful, enchanting creation story. It’s magical and the most imaginative story I’ve read in a while—it’s intriguing. As for the writing, it is evocative with an enhanced vocabulary. Something I just crave! The descriptions are lengthy, detailed and crisp, which make them easy to picture. I love that we get clues and answers to a character’s situation from the other characters! All is connected very well, including the subplots. Wow! Another thing worth mentioning is that the women are older than what we usually see, too. Nice touch!

What about the characters? Well, first of all, I was surprised and delighted by the women run the planet of Heavens Gate. Such a good feminist take! It’s refreshing. Ali is so relatable to me anyway, what with her imagination and escapism, and also because she’s considered a weirdo. I loved her right away, then more and more. Plus, I connected so much with Merindah’s ambition. She was interesting to read. The bond between Ali, Merindah and Dee is so fun to unfold and discover!

But what really stood out to me, besides the graceful language, is the fantastic world-building. If you want to be transported out of this world, choose this book! The notions, concepts, and customs of the peoples we meet in this book are so different from ours. It’s a bit hard to grasp at first, but then you read and feel out of here. So pleasant! (Yes, this is escapism at its best, no regrets.)

The Negative Sides

This being said, if you want an easy read, look elsewhere. Everything sounds complicated and jumbled together. Moreover, the characters’ desires, thoughts and actions are overexplained. We often understand them from the context and their reactions, but now the author uses several paragraphs to explain them to us. It’s boring, and it also feels like she wants to cram the information in our head lest we forget. I found myself disconnecting from the story a lot. There is action and intense moments, but I fear it’s not enough.

In Conclusion

While the sheer idea, amiable characters and intense world-building made for a fun ride, the writing itself is too telling and explicative, it and weighs on the story instead of lifting it. Thus, I give Ochre Dragon a rating of 3.5 stars out of 5. I still recommend it to fantasy and world-building lovers, and even more if telling in stories doesn’t bother you. I think you’ll enjoy this read. But I’m not sure I’ll continue this series. Still, I’ll remember this book as having the best world-building I ever came across so far.

Cheers!

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit her Web site, you can also follow him on Amazon author page and Goodreads. You can also add Ochre Dragon to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

*Please note this book review contains affiliate links. This means I receive a percentage off your purchase, but it doesn't cost you anything more should you buy the book via my links! Thank you.*

Witch’s Jewel: A Book Review

Book Reviews July 8, 2020 Leave a comment

Genre: Urban fantasy, YA, paranormal

Pages: 272

ISBN: 9798613448913

ASIN: B085ZWVJMH

Format: Paperback, eBook (Kindle & Kobo)

Publication date: April 17th, 2020

Publisher: Self-published

Type: Novel, Series

Introduction

When I was offered the chance to review this book, the first in the Kit Melbourne series, not only was I thrilled but it would be nearly a euphemism to say I jumped on it. An urban fantasy with a strong young woman with an intriguing, magical plot, a promise of action and a pretty good time?

How could I say no?

*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 Kater Cheek!*

Blurb

A sorcerous jewel. A mysterious uncle. Can a barista keep her magical heirloom safe from murderous crooks?

Kit Melbourne longs to quit her brother's coffee shop to pursue her artistic dreams. And despite the temptation to sell the sought-after enchanted gem she inherited from her uncle, she promises her family to protect it at all costs. But when her brother's tea-leaf reading predicts her imminent death, she's terrified to discover those who want it will kill to make it theirs.

Forced to dig into her late relative's murky past, Kit is doubly shocked when she learns the artifact's mighty power cannot be transferred unless its caretaker is dead. But despite her command of karate and fierce vampiric allies, her attackers show no sign of giving up their relentless lethal pursuit.

Has Kit's vow not to sell sealed her doom?

Witch's Jewel is the first book in the engrossing Kit Melbourne urban fantasy series. If you like strong female leads, high-stakes action, and nail-biting plots, you'll love Kater Cheek's enthralling tale.

The Positive Sides

Oh my God, the introduction! The very first sentence is intriguing, gripping, and full of mystery. That’s the first thing I notice (besides the gorgeous and colourful cover, that is)! The writing is smooth, entertaining, light, and funny but honest and dark at moments. I really enjoyed reading this book—it’s like a nice breeze on a warm summer day. As for the dialogues, they hit me as natural with the real expressions we use to tell things and it flows. It’s rather lovely and engaging.

Moreover, I love Kitley’s honest, friendly, and sassy voice. She injects jokes and cynicism here and there, which are loads of fun to read. Plus, I find entertaining how Kit isn’t always honest because she’s desperate for money as she’s broke. She might not be morally ambiguous, but sometimes she’ll take advantage of others or situations so she can have nice things, you know? Like food, for example. It was different from what I’m used to reading (and sick of as well!), but so refreshing! I really love the main character’s flaws and I can relate to her better. In addition to this, the way the subplots are all there, pushing the main plot is fantastic. This book reads so well!

As for the bindi, the magic jewel, I love how the things Kitley sees with it increase in intensity and clarity. It makes for good twists and turns that made me laugh and smile a few times. I also love that the author, Kater Cheek, uses creatures from foreign folklore like Kappa and Rusalka, which adds a nice diversity to the supernatural. She even explains why there are creatures from folklore and how come they’re here if they’re from overseas and frankly that was priceless. We’d all ask that and the way it was answered made me laugh in a beautiful way: I giggle snorted. Fabulous!

May I add something? I took this note in my Kobo, directing it personally to Kitley, the main character: “Omg gurl! You’re so oblivious to Fenwick! I ship them!” Isn’t that beautiful?! Come on, it’s sweet. I wanted to throw this note at Kitley’s head so bad, but alas. The romance really drew me in with so many feels and I’m not one for romance in stories. But it was very well laid out with a sad starting point I can relate to too well: too many bad heartbreaks and unrequited love.

Truthfully, I haven’t been this invested in a book and characters for a long, long while. Precisely a year, when my grandparents became ill and my grandma died. So this book is definitely a breath of fresh air—much needed in my case. And I am thankful for it. It made me smile, laugh, and anticipate the reading.

The Negative Sides

The only thing about this book is its middle. It’s not sluggish per se, since most of the subplots come together (and it’s brilliant!), but it was at a slower pace than what I prefer. I’m not taking any star off because of it, it’s more of a personal preference, yet I figured it was worth mentioning. Let’s move on!

In Conclusion

I give this book a rating of 5 out of 5 stars for the refreshing heroine, the gripping story, the pleasure I had looking forward to reading it, and the way I continuously thought about the story and its characters—even when I wasn’t reading! It gave me something to look forward to in a hard time, and I am grateful. The author also gave us a thrilling action-filled fantasy book with tastes for everyone, in my opinion. Finally, I loved it so much I am going to purchase the paperback version to place much lovingly into my “favourite books” bookshelf. I recommend it to those who love action, fantasy, different heroines (and quite strong!), and a touch of romance.

What are you waiting for? Go on and read Witch’s Jewel to find out what Kitley’s going to do with the bindi… and what happens to her.

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit her Web site, you can also follow him on Amazon author page and Goodreads. You can also add Witch’s Jewel to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

I’m Listed in the Book Blogger Directory!

Book Reviews, chit-chatting with Cat June 29, 2020 Leave a comment

Hello folks!

As a book blogger and reviewer, it's always exciting to be featured in a directory or to know someone liked my review. And now, for all authors looking for easy access to true book bloggers who review the particular genre you write in (you know, the right reviewer for your story?), well you have the Book Blogger Directory – 2020 Edition by Deena Rae from BookReviews4U!

Indeed, my blog, Ad Librum Aeternam, is listed as part of this beautiful and highly useful book! Not only is it a thrilling honour, but I believe it will help authors looking for the right reviewers for their book(s). And it will do so in an easy, structured manner to help you find them quickly.

Here's the blurb:

This Book Blogger Directory listing blog address, contact information, where reviews are posted as well as standard turn-around time and book formats accepted. Indexes listing bloggers by accepted genre to easily find blogger amendable to your subject matter.

More than 200, all current as of June 2020. Index listing each genre linked to each blog that accept books in that category.

Now, if that's not enticing, I don't know what is, fellow writers!

Its ebook regular retail price is $4.99 USD and its introductory price is $3.99 USD (5,44 $ CAD). Also, it will be available on most platforms for a month before going into Kindle Unlimited. So grab it before it's gone on the other platforms!

I purchased a copy for myself, of course. Not only will it help me know other book bloggers, but it might be useful for my publication plan, too. See? I think this book is a great idea if you're looking for trusty, helpful, and friendly book bloggers.

Here's the pre-order link to all your favourite platforms: https://books2read.com/BkBlog2020

It releases on July 10th.

I hope you will find it an entertaining and useful read.

Do let me know in the comments what you think of this initiative. Will you use it? Are you part of it?

Let's discuss!

See you next post, lovelies!

The Young Adult Writer’s Journey: A Book Review

Book Reviews June 18, 2020 Leave a comment

Sub.: An encyclopedia for YA writers

By Janet Schrader-Post & Elizabeth Fortin-Hinds

Genre: Non-fiction, Writing, Guide

Pages: 199

ISBN: 9781944056988

ASIN: B07K3VZ2ZK

Format: Hardcover, eBook (Kindle)

Publication date: November 23rd, 2018

Publisher: Tell-Tale Publishing Group

Type: Book

*I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Tell-Tale Publishing Group and NetGalley!*

Introduction

It’s no secret that I’m writing young adult (a.k.a YA) novels and series. As soon as I saw this book on NetGalley, I knew I had to read it! Hopefully, it would give me advice and guidance on how to think like a teenager and what it is to be one now that I’m an adult. I was looking to supplement my knowledge both of the craft and my audience.

Guess what?

It did just that and more!

Let’s see how together, shall we?

The Positive Sides

The first and foremost attribute of this YA writing guide is really the knowledge of teenagers and how they feel and think. It is enlightening and well brought! Mostly to adults as we’re writing for teenagers, after all (even though a lot of adults read YA books too, but they’re not our main audience.) Then, I was surprised and overjoyed to find out there is a chapter about writing a series, yay! Also, did you know there are varieties of teen love? It’s wicked good to know! Plus, the explanations go into details such as what to consider with the first kiss scene—quite important for teens discovering love, in my opinion.

Now, what about the craft itself? Well, every stage of writing a novel is tackled such as the beginning, the sagging middle, the climax, the ending, and so on. Geography, both natural and manmade, and precise details like the kinds of crops in fields if you are in the country are touched upon as well. Insightful and a good reminder of how to world-build! The authors give information on writing craft in general such as POVs too, which is very useful. Moreover, there are informative steps-by-steps of the hero’s journey, falling in love, and more events and craft-related topics. The authors offer in-depth suggestions and explanations, which is something to love. You are not left wondering! Not everything is always explained in a step-by-step manner, but it is done so directly for what should be done and what should be avoided in writing YA. Super, super useful!

Something I particularly enjoyed about this book is the many examples. Diverse novels are mentioned as well as movies, comics, and video games (recent and well-known ones!) in order to make the concept of the hero’s journey clearer. It’s also filled with relevant and YA popular examples—quite contemporary ones at that too!

Lastly, the advice is direct and no nonsense. When it is not condescending (which happens frequently), it's very good, sound, and thoughtful. The explanations are of a similar nature: crisp, sharp, and straight-to-the-point.

The Negative Sides

All in all, I like the interspersed jokes but not the mean comments or ways of expressing themselves about bullied kids or rejects and so on. It sounds mocking. As someone who’s been badly bullied, this stood out in a very bad way.

Moreover, the drawings at the beginning of each chapter don't bring anything else to the plate. It doesn't add information, emotions, or else. They seem to play no important part except just to distract visually from the text.

In Conclusion

I greatly enjoyed this book! The Young Adult Writer’s Journey is filled with useful advice. Overall, I give it a rating of 4.5/5 stars—I took away .5 because of the condescending voice, mostly on sensitive topics. Otherwise, this book is SO useful and eye-opening. I will always recommend it as an excellent guide for YA writers of all types. You want to write YA? Look no further and pick up this book already!

If you want to learn more about the Elizabeth Fortin-Hinds, you can visit her page on Wise Words Publishing, you can also follow their publisher (owned by Elizabeth Fortin-Hinds) on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. You can visit their publisher, Tell-Tale Publishing Group. You can also add The Young Adult Writer's Journey to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

Praising the Paradox: A Book Review

Book Reviews May 29, 2020 Leave a comment

Genre: Poetry

Pages: 112

ISBN: 9781597096171

ASIN: B07V26DRJB

Format: Paperback, eBook (Kindle)

Publication date: July 9th, 2019

Publisher: Red Hen Press

Type: Poetry collection

I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Red Hen Press and Edelweiss+!

Introduction:

Schumann’s cover caught my eye with its different dimensionality and pleasing aesthetic. The blurb tugged at my interests and emotions, so I decided to give Praising the Paradox a chance. Poetry, you know, is something I can’t live without.

And this book left a positive memory in me.

Let’s see how together, shall we?

The Blurb:

This full collection of fifty-six poems reflecting on the concept of self, loss, fragility, and the constructs we must create in order to face the transient nature of life was named a finalist in the National Poetry Series, The New Issues Poetry Prize, The Four Way Books Intro Prize, and others. It was also listed as a "remarkable work" in the Tupelo Press 2012 open submission period.

The Positive Sides:

Let’s start with the beautiful and elegant cover. In my opinion, the caged bird in a woman's head really fits the poems' themes such as the feeling of entrapment and freedom, as well as exploration. It suggests pain yet something more, something to reach for.

Her raw choices of words make for a delicious read. She uses essential ideas like breakfast and morning mixed with notions of ennui and flowers and jackets with confusion. Different, lovely, and captivating in its own right. I love, just love the manner in which the author transcends ordinary things and concepts with deeper meanings such as freedom, routine, solitude, boredom, feeling trapped… Moreover, the author tackles topics that are hard to hear about, to admit and to think about. I both congratulate and thank her for this initiative. It was fun, good, and refreshing to read about such truths that are rarely seen. I don't necessary mean horrible things like (rape, racism, and others), no, I mean like our own redundancy, our inability to have compassion or the energy to care at some point in our lives, and so on. These are rarely touched upon, but she did. In addition to these topics, her extensive culture and knowledge show on the pages. Interesting!

As for the writing itself, I LOVE her line breaks. They make you want to read more, it's a nice "pause" and it always feels like some renewal. The words are well-chosen and the imagery is good.

But what about the poems themselves?

Central Ave. is the one that made me feel. It had deeper meanings and a hard one at that. The choice of words was well done.

Ode to Time, Lance and December Rain is so different (she wishes things we usually don't, and that's beautiful in its own way). I love the format like a staircase, it's long but the verses are short. Her thoughts and emotions and personality are exposed in this one. As well as the story surrounding this poem. And that makes it a beauty.

I (In the Absence of You-Meaning Me) goes well beyond the surface both in words and meaning. It's a fun read and it makes you ponder about the self, yourself. Loved the different approach here!

As If really got me. It seems to speak about pretence and the lack of knowing oneself and others. We keep up the pretence, as if…

Momentary Mother is sweet and delightful and just. So. True. Most of us will protect a child or at least make sure they're all right.

For a Single Summer. Wow. Just wow. About our fears, insecurities and how we want to leave them behind or get rid of them, forget them "for a single summer". How they impact our lives at home.

Facing the Rain. Love it! About our courage, our resilience, how we face the bad things in our life, how we dare Life and The Reaper to send us more problems, but to give us a new chance also.

The Mass Migration of 60 Million Monarch Butterflies May Soon Be History. What guts the poet has! She writes about such a hard and conflicted topic: why care about global things if we can't even care about ours first? Won't we be history too at some point? Ourselves first, and then if we still have compassion and energy, we'll care about bigger things. We always need to deal with bigger things (like one's beloved person suffering from dementia, her father, my grandfather… and others).

I have to admit the last few poems are heavy with meaning and emotions. I love them!

Finally, the last verse of the last poem really fits the end of this poetry collection. It's honest, it FITS, and it's true to her style.

The Negative Sides:

Unfortunately, while the poems are enjoyable to read, you forget them soon after. Why? They didn't make me feel anything. They were beautiful, well-crafted, but my emotions weren't stirred (except for Central Ave.)

In Conclusion:

For all these reasons, and the lack of emotional connection, I give Praising the Paradox a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. The first half wasn't really thrilling… But when it picks up, it's amazing!

I will definitely be on the lookout for more from Tina Schumann.

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit her Web site, you can also follow her on Facebook and her Goodreads author account. You can visit her publisher, Red Hen Press. You can also add Praising the Paradox to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

*Please note that some links are affiliate links. This means I get a percentage off your purchase if you buy through my link, without any extra costs to you! Thank you very much.

Face Your Word: A Book Review

Book Reviews April 11, 2020 Leave a comment

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com

Goodreads

Genre: Fiction, Poetry

Pages: 162

ISBN: 9780578448237

ASIN: B07NVS6V2B

Format: Paperback, eBook (Kindle)

Publication date: February 7th, 2019

Publisher: Self-Published

Type: Poetry collection, Short story collection

*I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to dear Michal Yaccoby, Shmuel Yaccoby, and BookTasters!*

Introduction:

I was intrigued by the concept of words running amok through poems and stories, accompanied by what seemed to be cute drawings. So I decided to give this book a try.

It turned out to be quite unique and an enjoyable read despite its few flaws.

Let’s go over it together, shall we?

The Blurb:

Written words leave their text and become alive. Each has its own expressive face and mysterious personality. Amusing short stories and poems with lessons for those who are forever young. Seasoned with surprising word characters: Stucker and Unstucker, who deal with being stuck in life; the difference between an ambitious one who likes TooBee and another who prefers NotTooBee; the funny virtual MaxiMax-Axe who breaks Box to activate Think-Outside-Box; the Scratch each of us carry through life; Known and None particles that handle our body and Mind within Atoms; the revenge journey of Cancer Cell; and much more. Written by Professor of Medicine, Shmuel Yaccoby (Ph.D.), and illustrated by his wife, Michal Yaccoby. They live in USA with their three children.

The Positive Sides:

For starters, this book is greatly original, unique. It was a surprise with each page and I couldn’t wait to keep reading to find out what drawing and topic was on the next page! Creativity and imagination run wild in this book, that’s for sure. The drawings of the words are so cute and adorable. Plus, these drawings and the play on words are all linked to the actual text in very clever ways. Honestly, I loved the illustrations and their names (and the twists on those!). Also, I liked the Capitalization (see what I did there?) of the names of the drawings/words; it makes you think they’re even more important than usual, just like people. And you start to recognize them as the stories go on like characters, which is a nice bonus.

Moreover, I really enjoyed how the poems could go on for a few pages, like a slow-going story to savour. The humour is fun to read and sprinkled here and there and everywhere.

I must say the last few pages were WOW. The mix of each of the words/drawings telling a story with a small sentence, all in line for a bigger one, just makes for a great and surprising experience. It left me with a sense of amazement and deep contemplation about what had been said, along with my own life. This was the highlight of the book, certainly!

The Negative Sides:

While this book is entertaining and original, I had the displeasure of sometimes stumbling over verses that are confusing—one can’t grasp their meaning quite easily. Even though they make you think, I’m not sure they’re meant to be confusing to the frowning point (which I did a few times). In the first poems/stories, the wording is strange here and there, which doesn’t help understanding.

Moreover, what bothered me was the overall lack of depth in the poems/stories. There are several with depth, such as the one about Atoms (capitalized in respect to the word running free in the book) and the one about Cancer, but the rest is very light and seems superficial. I don’t mind either, but doing both in the same book that’s advertised as “funny” and “for those young at heart”, is kind of against the point. One must choose between the two, and in this case for the promotion of the book, I think more light poems/stories would fit better.

Lastly, I found several poems/stories to be a bit too much on the religious side, which doesn’t fit the lightness of the book. I don’t think religion belongs in a light and funny read, unless you make jokes about it, but this is not the case. However, I greatly enjoyed the medical poems; they were both highly amusing and informative, coming from a Professor of Medicine.

In Conclusion:

This book was a wild, unique and informative ride, though it came with a few points to improve in my opinion. For all these reasons, I give Face Your Word by Shmuel Yaccoby & Michal Yaccoby a rating of 3.5 out 5! I recommend it to all types of readers, and mostly to those enjoying twists on formats, poetry and humour! Overall, if you’re looking for a unique reading experience, this is the book for you.

If you want to learn more about the author, you can follow him on his Twitter account. You can also add Face Your Word to your bookshelves on Goodreads.

How Being a Book Reviewer Will Help You As An Author

chit-chatting with Cat, Tips March 31, 2020 Leave a comment

Introduction

When I started as a book reviewer eight years ago, I never expected it to get this big nor the greatly positive surprises it would come with. But the most important thing I’ve learned is how the publishing world works while being one of its gears.

I will show you what I learned and how being a book reviewer will help you on your path to becoming a published author. Because what’s better than knowing how it works from the inside and helping others succeed at the same time?

Be prepared to work a lot AND have fun while making friends or partners. I’ve learned so much and I am still enjoying the path I’m on, discovering new things and concepts. I promise, being a book reviewer will help you as an author. But it doesn’t happen overnight, you need to put in the work and the enthusiasm and diligence.

I’m sure you’ll find the rewards are more than worth it, though.

You will forge good and lovely relationships with authors

This is a bonus I never expected, but I am so grateful for. It’s heart-warming just to think about all the good relationships I made with authors. I started out on OnlineBookClub where authors can actually interact with our reviews. Afterwards, whenever I published a high-rating review of mine, I went and searched for the author on Twitter. And then I sent tweets to them along with DMs (when allowed) so as to tell them I’d be willing to read more of them and sending them personally the links to my review.

After a while, I noticed a few authors kept interacting with me, even on Instagram! It seemed we liked each other as people in the same business. I love being Internet-close with them because there’s a kinship and respect you don’t get from just posting your reviews.

I was given a great gift by reviewing them: friendship.

Notably, with these charming ladies and fellow:

Catherine Kopf (author of one of the most unique stories I know, The Breaking Order series)
J. M. Sullivan (author of one of my favourite retellings, The Transmissions Series). Read my review of Second Star here.
Chris Babu (author of one of my few favourite dystopian stories, The Initiation Series, and whom I also had great fun interviewing ). Read my reviews of the first two books here and here.
Marissa Price (author of my favourite Shakespearian retellings, such as Romeo & Juliet). Read my review of The Vault of Verona here.

I am grateful for all of them and I greatly encourage you to forge such bonds with authors as a book reviewer. They’re happy for the reviews and the time you give them. So why not nudge them when you particularly love their work? Of course, don’t invade their privacy! But just a nudge or lovely comment with your review will help. 🙂

Moreover, these relationships mean that you have an author circle! So when you become one (being published), you will already have author friends who can back you up and stand by you. Help and kinship are always welcome! So, don’t miss out on this opportunity.

You will forge meaningful relationships and partnerships with publishers

This is very similar to point one, but they don’t become your friends. Instead, you become colleagues or partners, which is great! They trust you will provide them with reviews, and you get free books and insider news. But what’s interesting as an author here is you get to see how promotion and street teams work from the inside as a book reviewer.

Why is this important?

Whether you choose to go self-published or traditional, you will need book reviewers AND a street team to help you with promoting your work with love. So if you learn about it, like I said, from the inside, chances are you’ll be rolling with it from the moment you’re ready to publish or be published! Also, publishers love when authors get in the train and know how it works and promote or actively participate.

So, I’d say it’s win-win in this case: you get free books and insider news AND you learn for your future on how to promote your books.

You will experience surprises such as interviews and cover reveals, which will teach you on how to proceed when your own time comes

Another important point is that you will encounter surprises such as interview opportunities and cover reveals! I have to say this is a delight; interviews are fun, if a bit stressful, and cover reveals are exciting and help the authors you like.

But again, why is it noteworthy?

Same as the above point, you will learn how to conduct yourself during interviews in the future. As for cover reveals, you will now know how to manage them, how to contact the book reviewers and your street team, and how to actually do a cover reveal. Okay, as a book reviewer, you might not manage it, but you hear about it from the publishers and authors so you can prepare the cover reveals together.

And that is precious information. It also takes away future stress from it—or helps to, at least.

You will learn about the publishing world and how it works.

Now, you’ll be an insider. Maybe not on the writing side, but definitely an insider. Why? You’ll learn how ARCs and reviewing work, how blog tours and book tours are planned, the publishers’ different catalogs and preferences, Web sites used and how they work with their people (that can tell you a lot about how they might treat their authors as well!). Finally, you’ll get to participate in insider surveys, develop ideas to promote books and reviews, and you’ll get an inside look on their publishing calendar and how it works (that applies to self-published authors too, only they’re the ones to decide when and how they publish).

Conclusion

Through meaningful relationships with authors and publishers and learning about the publishing world, you’ll find yourself grasping the big gears of how publishing works for when you’re done writing your own book. And you know the bonus? You’ll have a hella great time going about it, too! Whether you’re new or already published, I believe you can learn from being an insider—there’s always something new to discover!

Tell me, have you thought about reviewing? And if you’re a book reviewer or an author, has reviewing helped you?

I’d love to hear your thoughts, so please leave a comment below!

See you next post, lovelies!

Hello: A Book Review

Book Reviews March 28, 2020 Leave a comment

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com

Jonathan Parker Bell's Web site

Genre: Poetry, Prose Poetry, Short Story
Pages: 123 (289 pages in the paperback edition)
ASIN: B07ZXM7JC6

ISBN: 9781687225122
Format: eBook (Kindle), paperback
Publication date: November 1st, 2019
Publisher: Self-Published
Type: 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 Jonathan Bell!*

Introduction:

You know me, a poet myself and writer, and a great lover of the poetry in prose genre and short stories, I couldn’t resist Bell’s offer to review his prose poetry and short stories book. Plus, his publication age (he’s 15 years old!) really impressed me and his activism intrigued me, and so I wanted to help him out.

Let me tell you I don’t regret the choice I made!

The Blurb:

It's a risky business, saying hello. In "Hello," Jonathan Bell explores themes like hope, faith, adventure, loneliness, relationships, and life itself through insightfully crafted short stories and poems that transcend traditional genre boundaries. "Hello" is a cultural commentary, a longing for something more, and a voice speaking out and standing up.

The Positive Sides:

I noticed two things right away: the wit in his verses, which is admirable, and there’s such imagery! I feel like in another world yet I relate. His texts are so personal and profound, yet accessible, and all delivered with an enhanced vocabulary and beautiful, gripping, and surprising imagery. Seriously, these points are what made the book a success to me! It made me feel the stories, the emotions, and think about the different situations. Wonderful!

It’s very pleasant to read and touching, and I like how there are subtle activist messages about environment and the human nature. They were hard but satisfying to read because most of them ring true, at least to me.

There’s something intriguing he does in his writing. I sometimes do it myself in my poetry. The author intertwines nature with the texts, making it resound with importance, as well as putting important words such as “Hope” and “Someone Else” in capitals for a touching effect.

Finally, I couldn’t wait to resume reading every day. I would look forward to going to bed to read more of his prose and poetry, and most importantly, to feel intensely. Now, I feel stuff intensely on a daily basis, but his book really grabbed me to the point I connected with his words and they echoed in me. And it was all so beautiful, I just wanted to see what was in store next, and so on.

The Negative Sides:

Despite all these good sides, there is one thing that bothers me. The introduction, which is uninterested and careless is off-putting. It’s quite a shame because the rest of the book is wonderful and enriching!

There are people who read these introductions (like me!) and this one is more harmful than fun or informative. More professionalism is preferable in this particular aspect.

As you can see, my complaint isn’t about the work itself, the prose and poetry are great. But the introduction needs polishing.

In Conclusion:

While the introduction is upsetting, I’m telling you this book deserves to be read. Thanks to its relatability, its depth and sublime imagery, I give Hello by Jonathan Bell a rating of 5 out 5! I recommend it to all readers either for a discovery of the poetry in prose genre or for an emotional, poignant read that makes you think and feel.

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit his Web site and you can also add Hello to your bookshelves on Goodreads

Twisted Reunion: A Book Review

Book Reviews March 6, 2020 Leave a comment

Genre: Horror, Dark Fiction, Thriller

Pages: 280

ASIN: B016PVWZBY

ISBN: 9781938475177)

Format: eBook (Kindle), Hardcover, Audiobook

Publication date: December 22nd, 2015

Publisher: Vincere Press

Type: Short story 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 dear Mark Tullius and BookTasters!*

Introduction:

Last year, I started reading horror. It's a new literary genre for me, although I watch a lot of horror movies. But to this day, I yet hadn't reviewed a book in this genre. So when I saw Twisted Reunion, which offers 28 dark and creepy short stories, I figured it would be the best entrypoint into reviewing horror. Short stories read well and fast, and to be honest, the descriptions of a few of his stories really drew me in. His characters seemed all so different, raw, and his stories indeed twisted and intriguing. I am so glad I received a free eCopy of Twisted Reunion!

The Blurb:

Plunge deep into disturbing darkness with these 28 short stories. Explore heartache, fleeting happiness, and horror in this fascinating collection.

Experience chills as you read these creepy stories and more:

• A pornographer's horrific early morning ritual

• A beautiful baby boy who knows what he wants

• An engineer sees life on the other side of the tracks

• A drug run goes awry

• A family's unique Christmas tradition

• An artist whose paintings become reality

• A man who longs to rid himself of an annoying companion

• A child terrified by things that slither and ooze in the night

• Come join a soldier on the run in the jungle

• An old man's quest for the perfect photo

• A woman who sniffs out killers

• A life coach whose own brand of “therapy” goes way beyond cruel and unusual

• A young man who can't let go of the past

(Seriously, this blurb is everything. These are just a few of his weird, unique ideas which make up his fantastic short story collection.)

The Positive Sides:

First of all, his ideas are really original and creepy and well-advertised as twisted. Each of them either gave me goosebumps or made me feel a weight in my stomach. I love them! Plus, all the situations and characters are so varied! I will definitely read more by this author. Speaking of characters, most of the main characters are likeable and relatable in some way. But gosh, do I freaking hate his villains and antagonists! They are despicable, believable, true to their awful character, and so well done. I also noticed and loved the diversity present in this book! There are people of colours and LGBTQs, among others. It's a really nice touch for minorities to be in stories, and it stays true to us (at least I can say so from the LGBTQ's POV). His characters are of all ages too, which makes the reading even more interesting with a lot of flavour. (It reminds me of BBQ, flavour… Hmmm, BBQ.)

As for the writing itself, I have high praise for him. All of his short stories are expertly structured with the clues cleverly disseminated throughout. They were a pleasure to read, the rhythm was great as well. I loved it! Plus, his dialogues feel natural. They're a lot of fun to read and flow smoothly, back and forth between the characters with ease. It's as though we're eavesdropping. But don't tell them, shhhhh!

Finally, there are a lot of surprises sprinkled in the stories! I had such a blast reading this book. Mostly, when I finished a story, I kept reading another and another and another… just because I wondered "What would he pull out next?!" That's how great this collection is.

The Negative Sides:

Despite all these great points, I've noticed two things that bother me. The first is how in the story "Out There", the name Mike keeps changing to Matt then back to Mike. It's rather annoying and confusing. Also, while his stories are twisted and creepy, they're not scary per se (except for the second one in the collection, this one gave me the creeps, haha!). I think it should be marketed as twisted and dark only, with a dose of horror without it being classified as horror, maybe? But don't get me wrong: they're EXCELLENT! I've enjoyed Tullius's stories a lot, I just think the book isn't labeled correctly. Or maybe it takes a lot to scare me. I'm not sure about which one is the right way to go. Either way, I'm not taking any stars away for this, I just figured it was worth mentioning, that's all.

In Conclusion:

With all these positive sides, such as the originality and creepiness of the stories, as well as the diversity of the characters and the sheer FUN I had reading his book, I give Twisted Reunion by Mark Tullius a rating of 5 out of 5. You can't go wrong with this book, I assure you. It was better than I expected and I was expecting a fun time already. I was surprised, enthralled, shocked, amused, creeped out, and so many other glorious emotions. If you love anything dark, twisted, horror… Give this collection a try, really. Like I said earlier in the review, I will definitely read more by this author, and I think you'd do yourself a favour by doing the same.

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit his Web site, you can also follow him on Instagram (mark_tullius), Twitter, Amazon author page, Facebook, and Goodreads. Love podcasts? Listen to his. You can also add Twisted Reunion to your bookshelves on Goodreads.

**Please note that there are affiliate links in this post. This means that I make a percentage off your purchase, but it doesn't cost you anything more than the price you pay for your purchase. Thank you very much! 🙂