Review: Unnatural, Volume 1: Awakening by Mirka Andolfo

Title: Unnatural, Volume 1: Awakening

Author and Art by: Mirka Andolfo

Colors Assistant: Gianluca Papi

Lettering and Production: Fabio Amelia

Published by: Image Comics, Inc.

Released: November 2018

Source: Library

Synopsis: Leslie J. Blair is a normal pig girl, she loves sushi and she is trapped in a job that she hates. She lives with Trish, her best friend. In her world, which is full of anthropomorphic creatures, with a totalitarian government that interferes in the personal lives of its citizens, up to the point of allowing only relationships between individuals of the same race. The transgressors are punished. They are accused of being... unnatural!

Leslie dreams of something different for herself. But these dreams are becoming dangerous, especially because they feature a mysterious wolf. And, when she wakes up, she thinks that she is being watched... And, as if that were not enough, on the day of her twenty-fifth birthday, Leslie receive an email that she would never have wanted to receive. But she still does not know it's just the beginning ...
The hit Italian comic, a fantasy, erotica, romantic suspense series by MIRKA ANDOLFO (Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, DC Comics Bombshells) will bring you in a colorful but terrible world, where personal freedoms are superfluous. Follow Leslie on a breathtaking plot, between thriller and fantasy with a touch of sensuality.

Collects issues #1-4. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: I really liked the art in this, it had great color too. Very visually pleasing. The story was definitely interesting. It is not safe for public reading though, I will say that.

It ends on a big cliffhanger, so my advice is to have the next volume close by to grab.

I'm excited to read more of it.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4/5

Pretty!

Reading Right Now! (257)

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

Give Me Your Hand by Megan Abbott -- I just started this today, so I don't have much to say about it yet. I don't know if I've ever read a book by Megan Abbott before. I've always planned on it, but I think this could be the first one I actually read. I just kind of wanted to read a thriller, so I hope that I like this.

One thing I've noticed is that she likes to use a lot of commas. Some of her sentences are pretty long, separated by numerous commas. It's reading semi-fast so far. I'm definitely interested to see what's going to happen in this.

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

BLOG TOUR: Out Now: Queer We Go Again edited by Saundra Mitchell

I'm really excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Out Now: Queer We Go Again, an anthology edited by Saundra Mitchell. I received a free copy for honest review. Thanks so much to Inkyard Press for letting me be a part of this tour!

Title: Out Now: Queer We Go Again!

Edited by: Saundra Mitchell

Published by: Inkyard Press

Released: May 26, 2020

Source: Review Copy from Publisher (e-arc)

Goodreads   Amazon

Synopsis: QUEER WE GO AGAIN! A follow-up to the critically acclaimed All Out anthology, Out Now features seventeen new short stories from amazing queer YA authors. Vampires crash prom, aliens run from the government, a president’s daughter comes into her own, a true romantic tries to soften the heart of a cynical social media influencer, a selkie and the sea call out to a lost soul. Teapots and barbershops, skateboards and VW vans, Street Fighter and Ares’s sword: Out Now has a story for every reader and surprises with each turn of the page! (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: This anthology was full of everything. Every kind of story you could imagine. There were vampires, selkies, aliens, as well as regular people.

I enjoyed this. I liked getting to experience some familiar authors, as well as ones I've never read before. I found some new authors that I'm going to have to read some books from.

This anthology is also very diverse. You'll find all kinds of stories, as well as all kinds of people. That shouldn't be surprising given what this anthology is about.

I enjoyed this. If you like anthologies, I'd definitely say give it a read.

Thank you for stopping by my Blog Tour Stop for Out Now: Queer We Go Again edited by Saundra Mitchell. Thanks so much to Inkyard Press for letting me be a part of this tour. If this sounds good to you, it's Out Now! Give it a read.

BLOG TOUR: The Hideaway Inn by Philip William Stover

I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for The Hideaway Inn by Philip William Stover. I received a free copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Carina Adores and Philip William Stover for letting me be a part of this tour.

Title: The Hideaway Inn

Author: Philip William Stover

Published by: Carina Adores

Released: May 26, 2020

Source: Review Copy from Publisher

Goodreads   Amazon

Synopsis: No one in the charming river town of New Hope, Pennsylvania, needs to know that Vince Amato plans on flipping The Hideaway Inn to the highest bidder and returning to his luxury lifestyle in New York City. He needs to make his last remaining investment turn a profit…even if that means temporarily relocating to the quirky small town where he endured growing up. He’s spent years reinventing himself and won’t let his past dictate his future.

But on his way to New Hope, Vince gets stuck in the middle of nowhere and his past might be the only thing that can get him to his future. Specifically Tack O’Leary, the gorgeous, easygoing farm boy who broke his heart and who picks Vince up in his dilapidated truck.

Tack comes to the rescue not only with a ride but also by signing on to be the chef at The Hideaway for the summer. As Vince and Tack open their hearts to each other again, Vince learns that being true to himself doesn’t mean shutting down a second chance with Tack—it means starting over and letting love in.

In The Hideaway Inn, Philip William Stover begins the story of a diverse group of characters finding love without boundaries and across the Seasons of New Hope. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: I am a sucker for quirky small town romances. There's something about that set-up that just calls to me. One of my favorite things about this book was that small town setting. I loved the cast of characters and just the whole atmosphere of it.

The story was pretty cute. Seeing Vince and Tack reconnect and grow together was sweet.

I liked the process of trying to flip the Hideaway Inn. It was just a fun ride.

I thought The Hideaway Inn was sweet. I loved the small town with quirky residents setting. It was a fun story to read.

Philip William Stover splits his time between Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and New York City. He has an MPS in Interactive Telecommunications and an MFA in writing. He is a clinical professor at New York University. As a freelance journalist, his essays and reviews have appeared in Newsday, The Forward, the Tony Awards, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Houston Chronicle, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and other national publications. For many years he ghosted with an international best-selling women’s fiction author. He has published multiple middle-grade novels for Simon & Schuster and was the American Theater critic for About.com. 

​

He grew up tearing the covers off the romance novels he devoured so he wouldn’t get teased at school. Now he enjoys traveling the world with his husband of over twenty years as much as sitting on the couch with their beloved Ba-shar (Bassett Hound/Shar-Pei mix). He would never consider defacing any of the books he loves.

Thanks for stopping by my Blog Tour Stop of The Hideaway Inn by Philip William Stover. Thanks so much to Carina Adores and Philip William Stover for letting me be a part of it.

BLOG TOUR: Ambush Before Sunrise by B.J. Daniels

I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Ambush Before Sunrise by B.J. Daniels. I received a free copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Harlequin Intrigue and B.J. Daniels for letting me be a part of this western adventure.

Title: Ambush Before Sunrise (Cardwell Ranch/Montana Legacy Book #3)

Author: B.J. Daniels

Published by: Harlequin Intrigue

Released: June 1, 2020

Source: Review Copy from the Publisher

Goodreads   Amazon

Synopsis: He’s riding straight into danger.

Wrangler Angus Savage has come to Wyoming to help Jinx McCallahan get her cattle to high country. He’s signed on for the dangerous drive, eager to reconnect with the woman he knew when they were kids. Now in the wilderness the no-nonsense cowboy and the strong-willed rancher must navigate the trail’s many hazards—like her treacherous ex who wants her back…or dead. (Synopsis from Amazon)

My Thoughts: This was a lot of fun. I loved the western vibe. Wyoming is such a cool state. It still has that sense of frontier about it, I loved having the story set there. I also really liked the whole cattle drive aspect. I remember reading old western books that featured cattle drives, and they always seemed so full of danger and adventure. That's where the real cowboys were.

I liked the two childhood friends reconnecting aspect to this. Watching Angus Savage and Jinx McCallahan get to know each other again was just really fun to watch. I liked their romance. I liked how he wanted to protect her.

I also liked the danger in this book. It was very suspenseful.

Ambush Before Sunrise was a really fun read. I liked it.

B.J. Daniels' life dream was to be a policewoman. After a career as an award-winning newspaper journalist, she wrote and sold 37 short stories before she finally wrote her first book. Since then she has won numerous awards including a career achievement award last year for romantic suspense.

She lives in Montana with her husband, Parker, two Springer Spaniels, Jem and Spot, and a temperamental tomcat named Jeff. When she isn't writing, she snowboards, camps, boats and plays tennis.

Thanks for stopping by my Blog Tour Stop for Ambush Before Sunrise by B.J. Daniels. Thanks so much to Harlequin Intrigue and B.J. Daniels for letting me be a part of this tour!

Review: Heroine Worship (#2) by Sarah Kuhn

Happy Memorial Day! I want to thank all the veterans and active service members for their service. I also want to honor and remember all the American Heroes who lost their lives protecting our country and defending our freedom. America is only great because of them.

Title: Heroine Worship (#2)

Author: Sarah Kuhn

Published by: DAW Books, Inc.

Released: 2017

Source: Library

Synopsis: Once upon a time, Aveda Jupiter (aka Annie Chang) was demon-infested San Francisco’s most beloved superheroine, a beacon of hope and strength and really awesome outfits. But all that changed the day she agreed to share the spotlight with her best friend and former assistant Evie Tanaka—who’s now a badass, fire-wielding superheroine in her own right. They were supposed to be a dynamic duo, but more and more, Aveda finds herself shoved into the sidekick role. Where, it must be said, she is not at all comfortable.

It doesn’t help that Aveda’s finally being forced to deal with fallout from her diva behavior—and the fact that she’s been a less than stellar friend to Evie. Or that Scott Cameron—the man Aveda’s loved for nearly a decade—is suddenly giving her the cold shoulder after what seemed to be some promising steps toward friendship. Or that the city has been demon-free for three months in the wake of Evie and Aveda’s apocalypse-preventing battle against the evil forces of the Otherworld, leaving Aveda without the one thing she craves most in life: a mission.
All of this is causing Aveda’s burning sense of heroic purpose—the thing that’s guided her all these years—to falter.
In short, Aveda Jupiter is having an identity crisis.

When Evie gets engaged and drafts Aveda as her maid-of-honor, Aveda finally sees a chance to reclaim her sense of self and sets out on a single-minded mission to make sure Evie has the most epic wedding ever. But when a mysterious, unseen supernatural evil rises up and starts attacking brides-to-be, Aveda must summon both her superheroine and best friend mojo to take down the enemy and make sure Evie’s wedding goes off without a hitch—or see both her city and her most important friendship destroyed forever. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: I wish I loved this story as much as I love the cover. This was kind of meh.

Heroine Worship is told entirely from Aveda Jupiter's POV. I didn't like Aveda in the first book. She's very much a diva, and not in a good way. Everything is about her. She's very insecure too. She wasn't awful in this book. I didn't hate following her as much as I thought I would.

I liked the romance. That was my favorite part of this whole book. It was sweet, it was steamy. I rooted for it.

The whole plot of this book was really dumb. It wasn't that good. They kept using this term "puppy demon," and I came to hate seeing that word. They used it every couple pages. It was the worst.

I also got a little annoyed how every little thing was considered racist to Aveda. She's over sensitive about it, in my opinion. I also found it irritating how every bully or mean person she encountered is pointed out for being white.

I wish I liked this book more then I did. With a better plot, maybe that could have happened. The only thing really good about it was the romance.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.5/5

Kind of Annoying

Reading Right Now! (256)

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

The Mansion by Ezekiel Boone -- I've got less than 10 pages of this left, and then I will be finished. This story is very, very slow. You have to have patience while reading this. I think it's an okay book. I don't think it needed to be as long as it was. The concept for it is interesting, it just needed to be a little less wordy.

What I'm Going To Read Next!!

 

Bits & Pieces (Rot and Ruin #5) by Jonathan Maberry -- This is a book of short stories and bonus content from the Rot & Ruin Series, which is a zombie series that I really like. I've read and finished all the core books in the series, and I just wanted to complete the whole series, extra book and all. I'm excited for this. Hopefully it puts me right back in that world.

Give Me Your Hand by Megan Abbott -- I kind of want a thriller, so that's what I'm going to do. I think I can read both of these kinda sorta at the same time. Since Bits & Pieces is short stories, I think I can go between these two.

So that's what I'm Reading Right Now! and what my plans are for reading next. What are you reading?