Review: Chew, Volume 9: Chicken Tenders (Issues #41-45) by John Layman and Rob Guillory

Title: Chew, Volume 9: Chicken Tenders (Issues #41-45)

Written and Lettered by: John Layman

Drawn and Colored by: Rob Guillory

Published by: Image Comics, Inc.

Source: Library

Summary: Tony Chu is on the case again, solving gross and weird crimes before dinnertime, which is usually beets. Tony has been sent to a lot of obscure locations lately, almost like they want him out of the way.

The baddie, The Collector, is still up to no good. He's killing more people and ingesting more abilities. The team's trying to bring The Collector down! Once they find him, he's toast, if all goes according to plan.

My Thoughts: I love Chew! Love it so much! This Volume was just as good as all the other Volumes. I love the humor, I love the art, and I love the Easter Eggs. Chew is my favorite comic.

I thought it was funny how Tony was being sent to all these places for no other purpose then keeping him away. I mean, there were crimes, but not crimes that took forever to solve. His frustration was amusing. Thinking about it, Tony spends most of his life irritated.

I enjoyed Poyo's little fairy tale story, plus all his epic battles against monstrous beasts!

The first half of this Volume was mellow compared to the crazy second half. So much stuff happened. Stuff that I couldn't believe happened. It got dark real fast!

That ending left me the most shocked of all. It also left me a little sad. I'm extremely interested to see what happens next.

I really do love the Chew Comics. They are my favorite to read. They always make me laugh, and I am always entertained. I think I'm getting nearer to the end which makes me a little sad. I recommend Chew 1,000%. It's great!

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4/5

THAT ENDING!?!

Review: Spies, Lies, and Allies by Lisa Brown Roberts

Title: Spies, Lies, and Allies

Author: Lisa Brown Roberts

Published by: Entangled Teen

Released: May 1, 2018

Source: Review Copy provided by Publisher and Netgalley

Summary: All Laurel wants to do is spend more time with her dad. He's a workaholic and she feels like she never sees him. Laurel starts bugging her dad to let her have a summer job at his company. She figures she'll at least get to spend time with him on the commute. After weeks of bugging, he caves. His company is hosting an internship scholarship competition. The winning candidate will get $100,000 to go to their dream school. Laurel will be the assistant to the interns, plus the eyes and ears for the judges.

The more time Laurel spends with the interns, the more conflicted she feels. How can she help decide on a winner when they all deserve it? There's one intern, a boy, that might just cause a conflict of interest for her. Laurel is in a tough spot with her spy status. A tough spot indeed. 

My Thoughts: I received a free review copy of Spies, Lies, and Allies from Entangled Teen through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are 100% honest and 100% my own. I was also lucky enough to be on a Blog Tour for this, and you can check out my post here! I was really psyched to get a chance to read and review it.

I really enjoyed this cute little book. It gave me the feels. It was pretty adorable. It was contemporary goodness.

I really enjoyed the Dad Love. I thought it was nice that Laurel wanted to spend more time with her dad, that she loved her dad. So many YA books I read have teenage characters that have to be grown. They have parents who aren't in the picture, or maybe they're mean. It was just nice to see a loving family situation portrayed. It made me grateful that I have my Dad around. And the author acknowledgements just brought that Dad Love all the more importance and weight. I like that Laurel loved her family.

The Carlos situation was adorable. The cute little romance gave me all the feels. It was precious. Carlos is definitely book boyfriend material. I liked the awkwardness between them, the chemistry, the conflict, it was a lot of fun to read.

I also liked how Laurel was a nerd. There were a ton of Star Wars references, a little Harry Potter. She liked reading, cosplaying, and going to Comic Con. As a nerd myself, she was relatable. She was also extremely relatable in her awkwardness. I do want to know what book she was reading throughout the story. Is it real? It sure sounded like something I would love to read.

This book was just adorable. I enjoyed it a lot. It was fun to read. I'm glad I got the chance to check it out. I'd love to read something else by Lisa Brown Roberts because she can tell a cute story. Would I recommend it? Yes! If you're looking for a light, fun romance story, then pick up Spies, Lies, and Allies, it's cute!

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4/5

Adorable! I feel the feels.

Reading Right Now! (164)

What I'm Reading Right Now! is...

Title: Invictus

Author: Ryan Graudin

I'm not very far into this one yet, but I think it might be a winner. It's about time travel! Even better than that, it's about time traveling criminals!! So, in this world, time travel is a thing. Licensed people can travel back and forth in time, recording great scenes of history to be viewed by the general public. Time travelers are held to a high standard, they can't mess up time and impact the future.

Our main character is the son of a famous time traveler who has gone missing. He fully expects to be inducted into the ranks of travelers, but he fails his test. This shatters Far, because all he's ever wanted is to travel through time. When he is approached by a mysterious man with a strange proposal, he accepts. Far is now Captain of the ship Invictus, he and his crew travel through time stealing precious artifacts.

I really like the premise for this. I'm interested and can't wait to read more.

What are you reading?

Review: The High Season by Judy Blundell

Title: The High Season

Author: Judy Blundell

Published by: Random House

Released: May 22, 2018

Source: Review Copy provided by Random House and BookishFirst

Summary: It's the start of summer in the Hamptons. The rich are packing their vacation bags and heading to the beach. The year round residents are getting ready for the influx of the upper crust.

The only way Ruthie can afford her beautiful home on the Bay is by renting it out ever summer season. She's constantly tip-toeing around very opinionated rich women who don't like to be told no.

This summer might be a challenge that even Ruthie can't handle. Her lovely home and life on the Bay will never be the same.

My Thoughts: I was lucky enough to win an early copy for honest review from BookishFirst and Random House. Thank you, Thank you. I was super excited to get the chance to read it. This book just screams Perfect Summer Beach Read. I love the cover, it's pretty.

I thought it was an okay book, but I didn't love it. I didn't really like or enjoy any of the characters. I found some of them made really dumb choices, and others were just unpleasant.

I was supposed to feel bad for Ruthie, but I was just meh. I felt bad about her house and what happened with her loser husband, but that's maybe it. I feel like she didn't respect some people, or their things, and she played the victim.

I didn't understand the point of Doe's character and why her POV was included. To me, she was the type of person that was like a parasite. She profited off of hanging around the rich and looking for her way in. She just didn't feel genuine. She wasn't the nicest to her mother. I just wasn't a fan of her character.

I also feel like there were no consequences for characters' actions. There was a guy that should have gone to prison for what he did, but he didn't get in trouble at all.

I mean it was good for petty backstabbing. And being the stereotypical story of rich white people being rich white people. I do enjoy these books from time to time.

The writing was good in this and I read it pretty quickly.

This was just an okay read for me. It didn't blow me away, but it was fine for what it was. I think it's definitely a good beach read. I'd recommend it to people who like fiction stories about the rich and famous. I wish I had connected with the characters more. I also wish the ending hadn't felt like this way to tidy everything up without settling any of the conflicts. Maybe the ending was the grown-up way of dealing with things, but when is that way fun? Thanks to BookishFirst and Random House for giving me the opportunity to read The High Season early for honest review.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.3/5

Rich White People being Rich White People

Review: Nothing Bad Happens Here by Nikki Crutchley

Title: Nothing Bad Happens Here

Author: Nikki Crutchley

Published by: Oak House Press

Released: August 2017

Source: Review Copy provided by Author and Rachel's Random Resources

Summary: Nothing bad ever happens in the small town of Castle Bay, until it does. A tourist goes missing, a body if found, and Castle Bay becomes the news story of the moment. The town is swarmed with reporters all vying for the next big, breaking details.

Miller Hatcher is one of those reporters sent for the story. She wants to get a good one because it could equal a promotion.

All of the hotels are full, so Miller decides to stay at a Retreat for Women struggling with stress and life. Miller is having struggles of her own with alcoholism and the death of her mother, so this Sanctuary is welcome.

As Miller investigates, she starts to feel somewhat accepted by the town, but she's also uncovering its secrets. Someone starts leaving Miller clues to the crime and Miller discovers how unsafe Castle Bay can be. 

My Thoughts: I was provided a free copy of this book for honest review from the Author and Rachel's Random Resources. Thank you for giving me a chance to read it! I was part of a Blog Tour for it and you can see my post here. As always, my review is 100% honest and 100% my own thoughts.

I enjoyed this quite a lot. I love a good mystery thriller, and this one definitely kept me guessing. It was also the author's debut novel, and it was impressive.

I really enjoyed the setting of Castle Bay. I love small town settings. Sometimes they can be full of the nicest people who care about each other, gossip about each other, or they can be full of dark secrets and danger. I also liked how it was set in New Zealand. New Zealand is one of my wish list places that I would love to visit. It was fun getting to read about it.

Miller was an okay character to follow. She was a little broken and struggling with life. I did think it was rather odd how she separated herself mentally from the other reporters and viewed them as invasive, when she is essentially the same as them. She's a reporter covering a story, she's not a longtime resident of this town. She kind of becomes part of the town during her stay, but she is technically an outsider. Maybe it could have been more believable if Miller had been the town reporter or something.

There were some slow bits in the story where nothing was really happening, but the majority of the story had a nice flow to it.

The ending and villain reveal surprised me. I didn't guess the ultimate baddie, which was fun!

I really did enjoy this mystery thriller. It was exciting and left me guessing. I'm happy I got to give it a read. I'd definitely recommend it if mysteries and thrillers are your thing.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.7/5

A mystery that kept me guessing

Reading Right Now! (163)

What I'm Reading Right Now! is...

The High Season

Judy Blundell

I was lucky enough to win an advance copy of this through a website called BookishFirst which is awesome! Thank you BookishFirst and Random House for sending it to me for an honest review. This releases May 22, 2018.

This is a summery read about the rich people of the Hamptons. It's all about the people, the parties, and the wealth. It has a bunch of different characters showcasing one summer in the Hamptons. One of the characters, Ruthie, isn't rich, but every summer she rents out her house on the island to make enough money to continue living there.

I'm about 25% through the book and I'm liking it so far. It's okay. I hope to get farther in it because I really want to get my review up on its release date. Partly because that's what a good reviewer should do, but a bigger part because the website, BookishFirst, will award me extra points that I can put towards getting another book if I do. If you like winning books, I'd definitely suggest checking out the BookishFirst website. I love winning books. It's the best feeling ever.

Anyway, that's what I'm Reading Right Now! What are you reading?

BLOG TOUR: The Wedding Date by Zara Stoneley

I'm very excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for The Wedding Date by Zara Stoneley. Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources and Zara Stoneley for letting me be a part of this fun Blog Tour! I was provided with a free e-copy for honest review.

Add it to your Goodreads Shelf!

Synopsis: 

One ex.

One wedding.
One little white lie.

When Samantha Jenkins is asked to be the maid of honour at her best friend’s wedding, she couldn’t be happier. There are just three problems…

1) Sam’s ex-boyfriend, Liam, will be the best man.
2) His new girlfriend is pregnant.
3) Sam might have told people she has a new man when she doesn’t (see points 1 and 2 above)

So, Sam does the only sensible thing available to her… and hires a professional to do the job.

Actor Jake Porter is perfect for the role: single, gorgeous and cheap! Sam is certain it’s the perfect solution: no strings, no heartbreak and hopefully no chance of being found out.

But spending a week in the Scottish Highlands with Jake is harder than she imagined. He is the perfect boyfriend, charming, sexy and the hottest thing in a kilt since Outlander! And his dog Harry is quite possibly the cutest things Sam has ever seen!

As the wedding draws closer, Jake plays his part to perfection and everyone believes he is madly in love with Sam. The problem is, Sam’s not sure if Jake is acting anymore…

My Reading Right Now! Thoughts: This was cute, cute, cute, cute, cute!! I really enjoyed it. I love these types of stories. Fake relationships becoming real relationships. The slow build up to romance. Two people falling for each other. It's just one of my guilty pleasures. It's a premise that I can read over and over again.

I liked the characters in this story, they were fun. I really enjoyed the situation they were thrust into and how it evolved. This was a fun read for me.

I'd definitely recommend this one. I'm glad I got the chance to read it. If this sounds like your kind of thing, I'd definitely suggest giving it a read. Thank you Rachel's Random Resources and Zara Stoneley for letting me be on this fun Blog Tour. It's an adorable story that gave me all the feels.

Buy it Here:

Amazon  iBooks  Waterstones

Meet The Author:

Born in a small village in Staffordshire, Zara Stoneley wanted to be James Herriot, a spy, or an author when she grew up. Writing novels means she can imagine she is all these things, and more! 

Zara’s bestselling novels include 'The Holiday Swap', 'Summer with the Country Village Vet', 'Blackberry Picking at Jasmine Cottage' and the popular Tippermere series - 'Stable Mates', 'Country Affairs' and 'Country Rivals'.

She lives in a Cheshire village with her family, a naughty cockapoo, and a very bossy cat, and loves spending time in sunny Spain.

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Thanks for checking out my Blog Tour Stop!!

Review: Song of Blood and Stone (Earthsinger Chronicles #1) by L. Penelope

Title: Song of Blood and Stone (Earthsinger Chronicles #1)

Author: L. Penelope

Published by: St. Martin's Press

Released: May 1, 2018

Source: Review Copy provided by Publisher for Honest Review through Netgalley

Summary: Jasminda lives near the edge of the Elsiran Border. Her mother was Elsiran, her father a Lagrimari refugee. After her mother died, and father and brothers never return from a trip on the mountain, Jasminda is all alone on their homestead. She's about to lose that last piece of her family because she must pay back years of back taxes that just mysteriously came to light.

On her way back from town one day, she stumbles across a wounded man running from soldiers. Those soldiers end up capturing that man and commandeering her property. Jasminda feels sorry for the prisoner, Jack, and tries to help him.

The world Jasminda lives in is dangerous. She's mixed race and living in a place that doesn't accept her. She has the power of Earthsong, which scares some people. She's also trapped between a centuries long war of Lagrimari and Elsiran. The True Father and the Sleeping Queen.

Jasminda becomes involved in saving her land with the help of Jack and her Song.

My Thoughts: I am so excited that I got to take part in a Blog Tour for this book. My post is already up and you can check it out here! Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing me with a free e-arc to review through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own and 100% honest.

This book had a lot going on in it. It was hard for me to write a synopsis because it covered so much ground and was so many things. It was hard to categorize this book too. It's New Adult, Fantasy, Historical, Romance, and I think that covers them all. There's a lot going on in this, but I definitely enjoyed Song of Blood and Stone.

Jasminda is a strong character, a strong woman. She's lost her whole family, but she still finds a way to keep going. She also lives in a place where she's treated like a pariah because of her skin color, her heritage. I liked that she was a mixed- race character. Being able to see her struggle was eye opening, and it was sad to see people treat her the way they did. She's a strong person. I also enjoyed her reality of being mixed race and struggle to find her place. There are not many books I've read that have characters like her or highlight that struggle.

Jack was an okay character too.

I did feel like the first half of the story was a little slow, but it really picked up in the second half.

I wasn't a big fan of the insta-love that happened between Jack and Jasminda. I wish there had been more build-up. I do like them as a couple though.

I won't say I completely caught on to how the world worked, or the magic worked. I still had questions about Earthsong.

I really did enjoy the little snippets of collected Folktales at the beginning of each chapter. They reminded me of Aesop's Fables.

I did enjoy the ending and I'd be curious to see how it continues.

There was a lot going on in this book. It was a lot of things. I did enjoy it and I'm very grateful I got the chance to review it. Thank you St. Martin's Press.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.7/5

Enjoyable

BLOG TOUR: True Born Trilogy by L.E. Sterling and the Release of True Storm!

I'm really excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for the release of the final book in the True Born Trilogy!! This series is dystopian, post-apocalyptic, and awesome!! The series consists of True Born, True North, and True Storm all by L.E. Sterling. Thank you to Entangled Teen and L.E. Sterling for letting me take part in the fun tour and celebrating the release of the final book. I received free review copies of all three books through Netgalley for an honest review from the publisher.

Add the whole series to your Goodreads Shelf! True Born  True North  True Storm

  

Buy True Born HERE!

Buy True North HerE!

Buy True Storm Here!

Synopsis: This is just the synopsis for Book One, True Born, because I don't want to spoil the series for you if you haven't started it yet. But just know, you should start this series!!!

Your fate is in your blood…

Welcome to Dominion City.

After the great Plague descended, the world population was decimated…and their genetics damaged beyond repair.

The Lasters wait hopelessly for their genes to self-destruct. The Splicers pay for expensive treatments that might prolong their life. The plague-resistant True Borns are as mysterious as they are feared…

And then there’s Lucy Fox and her identical twin sister, Margot. After endless tests, no one wants to reveal what they are.

When Margot disappears, a desperate Lucy has no choice but to put her faith in the True Borns, led by the charismatic leader, Nolan Storm, and the beautiful but deadly Jared, who tempts her as much as he infuriates her. As Lucy and the True Borns set out to rescue her sister, they stumble upon a vast conspiracy stretching from Dominion’s street preachers to shady Russian tycoons. But why target the Fox sisters?

As they say in Dominion, it’s in the blood.

2017 Athena Award for Excellence in Young Adult & New Adult Fiction Winner

My Reading Right Now! Thoughts: This won't be my full review of the series, because I've only started the first book so far. I'm sorry for not being able to give you the full rundown, but I can definitely say that I plan on finishing the rest of the series.

True Born marks a start to an extremely interesting series. I love the cover designs for this whole series, and just the overall aesthetic of it. I LOVE LOVE LOVE a good dystopian/post-apocalyptic tale, so this series is right up my alley.

It took a little while for me to get into this world, for me to understand just all the things that were going on in Dominion City. There were parts of it that reminded me just a little of the Sweet Tooth comic series by Jeff Lemire, or at least what I've read of the comic. Plague resistant people that have animal features or parts. It's super interesting, super different.

The writing is very pretty, it's got style. I enjoyed following Lucy's journey, the craziness of everything going down. It's a great adventure and I definitely enjoyed it.

One thing I've discovered about Entangled Teen books is that they are super addictive, and the True Born Trilogy totally lives up to that. I'd definitely recommend reading the whole series. You won't regret it.

Thanks again to Entangled Teen and L.E. Sterling for letting me be a part of the Blog Tour. And a big Congratulations to L.E. Sterling on the release of True Storm!! Hopefully she comes out with many, many more books and series!

Meet the Author:

L.E. Sterling had an early obsession with sci-fi, fantasy and romance, to which she remained faithful through an M.A. in creative writing and a PhD in English literature––where she completed a thesis on magical representation. She is the author of cult hit YA novel The Originals (under pen name L.E. Vollick) and the Urban Fantasy Pluto’s Gate. True Born, first in the True Born trilogy, won the Athena Award® from the RWA. Originally hailing from Parry Sound, Ontario, L.E. spent most of her summers roaming across Canada in a van––inspiring her writing career. She currently lives in Toronto, Canada. www.le-sterling.com.

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Thank you for stopping by my Blog Tour Stop for the True Born Trilogy by L.E. Sterling. I hope I convinced you to give the series a read. It's goooood, really good!

Thanks again to Entangled Teen and L.E. Sterling for letting me be a part of this fun tour. Congrats to L.E. Sterling on the release of True Storm and the ending of an awesome trilogy!

BLOG TOUR: The Things We Need to Say by Rachel Burton

I'm super excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for The Things We Need to Say by Rachel Burton! Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources and Rachel Burton for letting me take part in this fun tour. I was provided The Things We Need to Say for free for an honest review. I'm really glad I got to give this one a read.

The Things We Need to Say

Rachel Burton

Add it to your Goodreads Shelf!

Synopsis: Sometimes the things we never say are the most important.

Fran loves Will with all her heart. They had a whirlwind romance, a perfect marriage and a wonderful life. Until everything changed. Now Fran needs to find her way again and teaching a yoga retreat in Spain offers her just that. Leaving behind a broken marriage she has some very important decisions to make.

Will needs his wife, he needs her to open up to him if they’re to ever return to the ways things once were. But he may have damaged any possibility he had of mending their relationship and now Fran is in Spain and Will is alone. 

As both Fran and Will begin to let go of a life that could have been, fate may just find a way of bringing them back together.

Perfect for fans of Katie Marsh, Amanda Prowse and Sheila O’Flanagan

My Reading Right Now! Thoughts: I thought this book was really sweet. It was an interesting exploration of marriage, how it changes as the years pass, and how sometimes it can be broken. It was a sweet book. It talks about love, finding it, losing it, and finding it yet again.

I enjoyed the setting of Spain. I've never been there, but it's definitely on my list of places to visit. I thought the yoga aspect was interesting too. I'm not a yoga person, I don't think I'll ever be a yoga person, but it was interesting reading about it.

I really enjoyed reading it. I don't tend to read Women's Lit all the time, but this was a good one. I'd definitely recommend it.

Thank you so much to Rachel's Random Resources and Rachel Burton for giving me the chance to read and review this book. It's a good one!

Purchase Links:

Amazon UK  Amazon US

Meet the Author Rachel Burton!

Rachel Burton has been making up stories since she first learned to talk. After many false starts she finally made one up that was worth writing down.

After graduating with a degree in Classics and another in English, she didn't really know what to do when she grew up. She has worked as a waitress, a paralegal and a yoga teacher.

She has spent most of her life between Cambridge and London but now lives in Leeds with her boyfriend and three cats. The main loves of her life are The Beatles and very tall romantic heroes.

Her debut, The Many Colours of Us, was an Amazon Kindle bestseller. Her second novel, The Things We Need to to Say, is released on 11 May 2018. She is currently working on her third novel in which the heroine follows the love of her life to live in a city in northern England. It has no autobiographical elements at all.....maybe.

Find her on Twitter & Instagram as @bookish_yogi or search Facebook for Rachel Burton Author. She is always happy to talk books, writing, music, cats and how the weather in Yorkshire is rubbish. She is mostly dreaming of her next holiday....

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BLOG TOUR: Spies, Lies, and Allies by Lisa Brown Roberts

I'm really excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Spies, Lies, and Allies by Lisa Brown Roberts. (I am aware that I seem to say I'm so excited at the beginning of all the Blog Tours that I'm a part of, but it is true, I am excited to take part in them.) Thank you to Entangled Teen and Lisa Brown Roberts for letting me be a part of this fun tour. I received a free review copy through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are 100% honest and 100% my own.

Spies, Lies, and Allies

by Lisa Brown Roberts

Add it to your Goodreads Shelf!

Synopsis: Summers are supposed to be fun, right? Not mine. I've got a job at my dad's company, which is sponsoring a college scholarship competition. I just found out that, in addition to my job assisting the competing interns, I'm supposed to vote for the winner. Totally not what I signed up for. 

There's a crazy guy running the competition like it's an episode of Survivor. Then there’s Carlos, who is, well, very distracting –– in a good way. But I can't even think about him that way because Crazy Guy says any fraternizing on the job means instant disqualification for the intern involved.
As if that's not enough, an anonymous weirdo with insider intel is trying to sabotage my dad's company on social media...and I'm afraid it's working.
Much as I'd love to quit, I can't. Kristoffs Never Quit is our family motto. I just hope there's more than one survivor by the end of this summer. 

My Reading Right Now! Thoughts: When I read the synopsis for this book, it sounded like something that would be really cute and fun to read. Upon reading it, I discovered that it IS cute and fun! I'm really enjoying it. I love the set-up, I love the situations. It's just a great book to pass the time with.

One thing I'm really enjoying so far is the parental love, the dad love. YA can sometimes be this weird genre where family is an afterthought. The parents are dead or the parents are mean. Kind of shares some similarities with Disney movies lol. So I'm enjoying how Laurel wants to spend time with her dad, how her dad is important to her. I also like how she's friends with her mom. It's just cute. Reminds me how blessed I am to have my family, a loving family.

The romance is cute too! Very, very cute.

It does read a little younger in the YA spectrum, to me. Not that that's a bad thing, just something that I noticed.

It's made me laugh a few times, which is a plus for any book.

If you're looking for a cute read to pass the time with, I'd definitely recommend this one. I really like it.

Thanks again to Entangled Teen for providing me with a free review copy through Netgalley. I'm really glad I got to read and experience it.

Buy the Book Here

Entangled Website   Amazon

About the Author: Award-winning romance author Lisa Brown Roberts still hasn’t recovered from the teenage catastrophes of tweezing off both eyebrows, or that time she crashed her car into a tree while trying to impress a guy. It’s no wonder she loves to write romantic comedies.  

Lisa’s books have earned praise from Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, and the School Library Journal. She lives in Colorado with her family, in which pets outnumber people. Connect with Lisa at www.lisabrownroberts.com.

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Review: Valentin & The Widow, Volume One: The Mandrake Machine and The Flowers of Mrs Moore

 

Title: Valentin & The Widow, Volume One: The Mandrake Machine and The Flowers of Mrs Moore

Author: Andrew Wheeler

Published by: Chapterhouse Publishing Inc.

Released: 2017

Source: Review Copy E-Arc from Netgalley and Publisher

Summary: Eleanora Rosewood's husband has just died, a husband that she loved very much. He was an inventor, creating all kinds of machines and gadgets. His death uncovers secrets, secrets that shatter Eleanora's world. Her husband was part of a secret organization that is full of hate. This organization wants to destroy the world, and the inventions her husband made are the tools of horror. Eleanora feels guilty and decides to take it upon herself to undo the organization's plans.

She travels to Shanghai in The Mandrake Machine, tracing her husband's footsteps. Eleanora gets into a spot of danger and is rescued by Sacha Valentin, who becomes her bodyguard and valet.

In The Flowers of Mrs Moore, Eleanora and Sacha travel to an unusual boarding school in Havanna, where girls are being taught more than ladylike skills and deportment.

My Thoughts: These are the first two stories in the Valentin & The Widow Series. I was lucky enough to spy them on Netgalley and get to review them. All thoughts and opinions are 100% honest and 100% my own. Thanks to Netgalley and Chapterhouse Publishing Inc. for letting me give them a read.

These were both really fun, really fast reads. They started out life as a podcast and I'd be interested in hearing them that way. They work fine as books though, very exciting.

Both Volumes were fast-paced, full of action, and twists and turns. I liked both of the characters. Eleanora is a determined woman. Sacha is that strong, silent type. They make a good team.

I do find Eleanora suffers from unneeded white guilt over her husband's crimes. His actions weren't her fault.

I enjoyed these first two books in the series quite a lot. I'd love to read more and continue with the series. They were quick and fun. I'd definitely recommend them.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4/5

Fun Fun Fun!

Reading Right Now! (162)

What I'm Reading Right Now! is...

I'm still reading Song of Blood and Stone (Earthsinger Chronicles #1) by L. Penelope. I'm very close to being done with it. I was on a Blog Tour for it, my Tour Post is already posted if you want to check it out. I'm really excited that I got to be on the Blog Tour for it. So I was sent a free e-arc for an honest review. This might sound dumb, but it's exciting to get asked by a representative for a big publishing house to be a part of something. It feels like my little blog is maybe going places. I don't know. So thank you St. Martin's Press for including me in the tour!

But yeah, I'm pretty certain I'll finish it this weekend. I'm liking it. If you've had your eye on it, I'd definitely say pick it up and give it a read.

Then I have plans for what I'm going to read next. Here's the thing, I've kind of overwhelmed myself with Blog Tours. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad problem to have. I just keep saying yes to all of them, which means that there are review books I need to read pronto. I'm finding out that I'm just not as fast of a reader as I used to be. I think I used to have more time to read, which has kind of been eaten away at now because of work. I should have just stayed a teenager forever. Or I need to win the lottery. Or maybe marry a billionaire or prince. You know, so I can just have all the time to read and not worry about making them dollars haha. But yeah, I've got review books I need to read, library books I need to read, and Netgalley books I need to read!!! So much to read!

 

So next up on my list to read is Spies, Lies, and Allies by Lisa Brown Roberts, which sounds like a cute, fun read. And True Born (#1) by L.E. Sterling which sounds like post-apocalyptic awesomeness!! I received both of these books from Entangled Teen, so thanks to them. Spies, Lies, and Allies is an e-arc through Netgalley and True Born I actually won in an instagram giveaway, which was awesome!!! My Blog Tour Stops for those are next week.

So that's what I'm Reading Right Now! What are you reading? Does anyone have my same problem with saying yes to allll the review opportunities and then struggling to meet them all?

BLOG TOUR: Song of Blood and Stone (Earthsinger Chronicles #1) by L. Penelope

I'm really excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope. It's the start of a new fantasy series called the Earthsinger Chronicles. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and L. Penelope for letting me be a part of this fun tour. I was provided a free e-arc for an honest review. As soon as I saw the cover for this book and read the synopsis, I was intrigued. I knew I had to read it. It's a beautiful cover, and the story inside is beautiful too.

Add it to your Goodreads Shelf!

Check it out on Amazon

Synopsis: Orphaned and alone, Jasminda lives in a land where cold whispers of invasion and war linger on the wind. Jasminda herself is an outcast in her homeland of Elsira, where her gift of Earthsong is feared. When ruthless soldiers seek refuge in her isolated cabin, they bring with them a captive--an injured spy who threatens to steal her heart. 

Jack's mission behind enemy lines to prove that the Mantle between Elsira and Lagamiri is about to fall nearly cost him his life, but he is saved by the healing Song of a mysterious young woman. Now he must do whatever it takes to save Elsira and it's people from the True Father and he needs Jasminda's Earthsong to do it. 

They escape their ruthless captors and together they embark on a perilous journey to save Elsira and to uncover the secrets of The Queen Who Sleeps. Thrust into a hostile society, Jasminda and Jack must rely on one another even as secrets jeopardize their bond. As an ancient evil gains power, Jasminda races to unlock a mystery that promises salvation. The fates of two nations hang in the balance as Jasminda and Jack must choose between love and duty to fulfill their destinies and end the war.

My Reading Right Now! Thoughts: The cover for this book got me right away. It drew me in with its imagery and color, I knew I had to read it. I was really psyched to get the email asking me to be on the Blog Tour. Of course my review is 100% my thoughts and 100% honest.

So far, this story is really interesting and I'm enjoying it. It's a hard one to categorize. When I first started it, it almost reminded me of the Old West time period, but the farther I got, the more fantastical it became. So this book definitely does have a historical feel to it, but it does lean a little more towards fantasy. 

 I also thought this book was in the YA genre for the longest time while reading it, but then I got to a scene that proved it definitely wasn't. I think the cover made me think YA, that's the only excuse I can come up with for my dumbness haha. So, I would say that this is not for the young teen reader because it does contain sexy times.

I really like the character of Jasminda. She's strong and resourceful. I also really enjoy how her race comes into play. She's mixed-race, half Lagrimari and half Elsirian, living in the outskirts of the land of Elsira. The Lagrimari are the people of her father. They have dark skin and the power of Earthsong. Her mother is Elsirian, light skinned and amber eyed. Jasminda is a mix between the two, although she looks more like her father. She's not really accepted fully by either race though. The Elsirian people think she's contaminated in some way, they don't really want anything to do with her, but she's not full Lagrimari either. She's in a weird predicament. There really is no solution to it. I like how we see the struggles of Jasminda's mixed race. We see her unsure of where she belongs. An outsider always looking in.

Jack is a pretty good character too. He's that dashing hero that is going to save everybody, and save the girl he loves.

I also enjoy the world and the magic of Earthsong, but I don't feel I understand it all fully.

I will say, the first half of the book was a little slow, but the second half was much faster paced for me.

One of the things that I did really enjoy was the Collected Folk Tales at the beginning of each chapter. They reminded me a little of Aesop's Fables. Animals were the characters giving the examples of human problems. I'm probably not expressing that right, but I always loved when I came to a new chapter and I got to read another snippet of a little tale.

One thing that I don't feel too sure of in this story is the insta-love that happened between Jack and Jasminda. I have no problem with them as a couple, but I would have liked more build up to their relationship. It's just like they were suddenly obsessed with each other. I tend to like romances more when there's a believable sort of build up to it.

I'm really thankful that I got to read Song of Blood & Stone early and I got to experience the magic of it. It's good. I'd definitely love to continue on with the series. I'd definitely recommend giving it a read.

Meet the Author:

Leslye Penelope has been writing since she could hold a pen and loves getting lost in the worlds in her head. She is an award-winning author of new adult, fantasy, and paranormal romance. She lives in Maryland with her husband and their furry dependents: an eighty-pound lap dog and an aspiring feral cat.

Thank you for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and L. Penelope for letting me be a part of it. I'd definitely recommend giving it a read. It's out now! So pick yourself up a copy.

BLOG TOUR: A Clean Sweep by Audrey Davis

I'm very excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for A Clean Sweep by Audrey Davis. Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources and Audrey Davis for letting me take part in this fun tour. I was provided with a free e-copy for honest review. This is a really fun read and I'm excited I get the chance to share it with you.

Add it to your Goodreads Shelf!!

Synopsis: A CLEAN SWEEP is a laugh-out-loud tale of love, lies and second chances.

Love comes around when you least expect it. Fifty-something widow Emily isn't expecting romance. Nor is she expecting a hunky twenty-something chimney sweep on her doorstep.
Daughter Tabitha knows something isn't quite right with her relationship, while her boss – Abba-loving Meryl – thinks she's found the real deal. Are they both right, or pursuing Mr Wrong?
Emily's sister, Celeste, has the perfect marriage … or does she? Can a fitness tracker lead her down the path to happiness or heartbreak?
Susan is single, overweight and resigned to a life of loneliness. There was the one who got away but you don't get another try, do you?
Prepare for a rollercoaster ride of emotions in a book that will grab your heart, make you smile, and wish you had a chimney to sweep.

My Reading Right Now! Thoughts: This is a super cute read and I really enjoyed it! It's got hunky men and some funny ladies. There are a lot of characters to love and follow. It is just a nice, no stress, fun read. It's the perfect read to de-stress or curl up with on a rainy day. I just had a lot of fun while reading this.

If you like reading books about love, some wackiness, and chimney sweeps, this will be your thing!

I'm glad I got to read it and would definitely recommend it.

Purchase from Amazon UK  or Amazon US

Meet the Author:

Audrey Davis survived secondary school on the West coast of Scotland. Rubbish at science but not too bad at English, she originally wanted to be an actress but was persuaded that journalism was a safer option. Probably wise. She studied at Napier College in Edinburgh, the only place in Scotland at that time to offer a journalism course.

Her first foray into the hard-nosed newspaper world was as a junior reporter in Dumfriesshire. Duties included interviewing farmers about the prize-winning heifers to reporting on family tragedies. She persuaded her editor to let her launch an entertainment column which meant meeting the odd celebrity – or just the downright odd. From there, she moved to the loftier rank of senior reporter back in her home patch. Slightly more money, less farm animals but a higher crime rate. As Taggart would say: 'There's been a murrrrder!'

After a stint in London on a video magazine – yes, she is that old – Audrey moved to Singapore with her fiancé. She tried valiantly to embrace the stinking heat, humidity and lack of jobs, although she did work briefly on a magazine which was banned by the government for 'artistic' use of naked men's bottoms.

Next on her adventures was a land Down Under where her main focus was raising Cost Centre One (aka firstborn) and coming to terms with the imminent arrival of Number Two. Still, she loved the Aussie way of life – BBQs, beaches and bring your own booze to restaurants – so it came as a blow when OH announced a move back to the UK. Not a job between them, the climate a possible deal breaker and an Exorcist-style vomiting infant on the flight home didn't bode well …

Always a survivor, Audrey sought out similar-minded friends (i.e. slightly bonkers), got the children into a good school and thought about taking up writing again. Sadly, thinking about it was as far as she got, unless you count shopping lists. Then, hubby drops another bombshell. Switzerland. As in – it's packing time again. Off to the land of cheese, chocolate, scarily efficient trains and a couple of teeny, tiny issues. Like driving on the 'wrong' side of the road and speaking a foreign language (French). The former was conquered fairly quickly (we'll skip over the wall demolition in week two), the latter remains an ongoing battle of the hopeful against the hopeless. At least she provides amusement for the local workforce.

It wasn't until 2016 that Audrey rediscovered her writing mojo with an online Writing Fiction course. From there, her first novel – A Clean Sweep – was born, although it took a bit longer than nine months from conception. A short, darker prequel – A Clean Break – followed, and in November 2017 she published the first in a novella trilogy, The Haunting of Hattie Hastings Part One. Part Two is published on 21 March 2018, with the conclusion following in May/June. After which she might have a wee lie down …

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Thank you for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for A Clean Sweep! I hope my post convinced you to give it a read. Thanks again to Rachel's Random Resources and Audrey Davis for letting me be a part of this fun tour.