Emily, Gone - Book Review/Rant

Emily, Gone
by Bette Lee Crosby

What is it about:
A missing child sets the lives of three women on a collision course in this powerful and compelling novel by USA Today bestselling author Bette Lee Crosby.

1971.

When a music festival rolls through the sleepy town of Hesterville, Georgia, the Dixon family’s lives are forever changed. On the final night, a storm muffles the sound of the blaring music, and Rachel tucks her baby into bed before falling into a deep sleep. So deep, she doesn’t hear the kitchen door opening. When she and her husband wake up in the morning, the crib is empty. Emily is gone.

Vicki Robart is one of the thousands at the festival, but she’s not feeling the music. She’s feeling the emptiness over the loss of her own baby several months before. When she leaves the festival and is faced with an opportunity to fill that void, she is driven to an act of desperation that will forever bind the lives of three women.

When the truth of what actually happened that fateful night is finally exposed, shattering the lives they’ve built, will they be able to pick up the pieces to put their families back together again?

What did I think of it:
I picked this book up because it was the monthly read for May for the Contemporary/Women's Fiction book-club I joined (which I joined to challenge myself to read more Contemporary Fiction).

Let me say this was a nice enough read for me, but it is probably better enjoyed by people who mainly read Contemporary Fiction. My review should be taken as a review by someone who does not know the genre very well, and who usually reads and enjoys SFF more than Contemporary stuff.

I enjoyed the first half of the book with only some minor grumblings. These grumblings had mainly to do with how marijuana was talked about. I'm a curious and exploring piggy, so in my wilder years I have smoked and eaten my share of weed. What was described here as the effects of smoking it, sounded more like someone was mixing several substances together, because it certainly wasn't the effects of just several joints. And yes: that seriously annoyed me. I'm not saying: smoke away! But I am saying: do your research.

Anyway: apart from that the first half was enjoyable enough. It was the second pat of the book that had me blinking and questioning the probability of the events and the sanity of the characters. Maybe what happens in the second half of this book is pretty standard fare for the genre, but I was unable to suspend disbelief, and I read lots of Zombie books! This made that I lost interest in the story and slogged myself to the end of it. I myself would have written a very different ending, but then again, my story would have those aforementioned zombies.

All in all I think this book just wasn't meant for readers like me, but if you love Contemporary Fiction it's probably a good fit for you.

Why should you read it:
It's enjoyable Contemporary Fiction.


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Reading Update - Podcast

Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach - Book Review

Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach
by Kelly Robson

What is it about:
Discover a shifting history of adventure as humanity clashes over whether to repair their ruined planet or luxuriate in a less tainted past.

In 2267, Earth has just begun to recover from worldwide ecological disasters. Minh is part of the generation that first moved back up to the surface of the Earth from the underground hells, to reclaim humanity's ancestral habitat. She's spent her entire life restoring river ecosystems, but lately the kind of long-term restoration projects Minh works on have been stalled due to the invention of time travel. When she gets the opportunity take a team to 2000 BC to survey the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, she jumps at the chance to uncover the secrets of the shadowy think tank that controls time travel technology.

What did I think of it:
I have wanted to read this book for a while, but never got to it, so my attempts to read some of the Hugo nominations was a good excuse to finally pick it up.

And this is such a great story!

Maybe you know I have a weakness for time travel stories, but that I'm often disappointed or frustrated by the flaws or logical errors in those stories. This story did everything right in my opinion. I loved the time travel theory that was used here, I loved how Robson applied it to the story, and I could actually believe it would work like this. Just for that this novella deserves praise!

But that's not the only praise it gets! I also loved the characters, the world building, and the story. That Minh has tentacles for legs was just the yummy icing on an already delicious cake. I was hooked from the start and wanted to find out more about this future, Minh, her coworkers, and if they could pull off the project they set themselves.

There's more I want to tell you, because it was so cool in my opinion, but that would lead into spoiler territory, so I'll just say I recommend this novella to everyone who loves a well thought-out time travel story.

I'll be investigating what other stories Robson wrote.

Why should you read it:
It's a really cool Time Travel story.


Buy from:
Bookdepository - Amazon

Teaser Tuesdays - The Calculating Stars

I'm reading this as part of my attempts to read as much of the Hugo Nominations as I can manage. Just started on it, but I have high hopes.


Do you remember where you were when the Meteor hit?
I've never understood why people phrase it as a question, because of course you remember.

(page ? (somewhere right at the start of the book), The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal)


buy from Amazon

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you sh"are doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Down Among the Sticks and Bones - Book Review

Down Among the Sticks and Bones (Wayward Children #2)
by Seanan McGuire

What is it about:
Twin sisters Jack and Jill were seventeen when they found their way home and were packed off to Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children.

This is the story of what happened first…

Jacqueline was her mother’s perfect daughter—polite and quiet, always dressed as a princess. If her mother was sometimes a little strict, it’s because crafting the perfect daughter takes discipline.

Jillian was her father’s perfect daughter—adventurous, thrill-seeking, and a bit of a tom-boy. He really would have preferred a son, but you work with what you've got.

They were five when they learned that grown-ups can’t be trusted.

They were twelve when they walked down the impossible staircase and discovered that the pretense of love can never be enough to prepare you a life filled with magic in a land filled with mad scientists and death and choices.

What did I think of it:
After I read all the short stories nominated for the Hugo Awards I wanted to start on the novellas. One of the nominated novellas was by Seanan McGuire: Beneath the Sugar Sky. It's the third book in a series, and I happened to have book two -Down Among the Sticks and Bones- in my TBR pile. As I already planned to read it before August I decided to pick it up before starting on Beneath the Sugar Sky.

Once I started on this book I couldn't put it down until I finished it!

Jack and Jill are twin sisters and born to parents who never should have had children. The two of them are molded into the form their parents want them to take until the day they find a door to another world. Once there they get to make their own choices, but with choices come consequences, and it's up to them to see what they can live with.

I very much enjoyed this story. Next to being a suspenseful story about traveling to a universe that seemed equal parts Dracula and Frankenstein it has a lot of hidden depths. It's about conformity and discovering who you are or want to be. I couldn't help cheering both girls on to find their way.

I started out liking both of them, but as the story unfolded my feelings shifted and soon I was cheering on only one of them, while hoping the other would stray from the path she had chosen. The ending was bittersweet and made me hungry for more. I knew that moving on to book three wouldn't be enough and that I had to read the whole series, so you bet I got my trotters on a digital copy of book one.

*This story is readable as a standalone and although it's the second book in the series, it is a prequel to the first book*

Why should you read it:
It's a really cool Young Adult Fantasy read.


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Four Day Fling - Book Review by Olivia

Four Day Fling
by Emma Hart

What is it about:
A standalone romantic comedy of epically awkward proportions, from New York Times bestselling author, Emma Hart.

Imagine this. You’re ready to leave after a one-night stand, and you’re figuring out how to—shock horror—leave your number and ask him to be your fake boyfriend for your sister’s wedding this weekend. When he wakes up. Well, that happened to me. And over coffee and omelets, I found myself a date.

Which was how I ended up arriving at the wedding with a guy I knew nothing about. I didn’t know his last name, or how we met, or how long we’d been dating. I didn’t know where he grew up, what he’d majored in in college, or how many siblings he had. I sure as hell didn’t know he was Adam Winters, hotshot hockey player—and not only my father’s favorite player, but my little nephew’s freakin’ idol. Which means I’m in trouble. Big, big trouble. My mother is suspicious, my sister is bridezilla on crack, and my grandpa will tell anyone who’ll listen about his time in Amsterdam’s Red Light District. Four days. I have to keep this up for four days, and then Adam and I can return to our regular lives, where we don’t have sex whenever we’re alone and my family aren’t interrogating him over his intentions with me.

At least, that’s the plan. And we all know what happens to those.

What did Olivia think of it:
A friend recommended this author to us when we asked for fun Contemporary Romance, so I decided to try a book. After some investigating I picked Four Day Fling because the fake boyfriend trope can be fun.

And this is such a fun read!

Poppy has convinced herself she's a klutz who can't do anything right. She may end up in weird situations t times, still she is competent when it counts. Adam is used to women wanting to date him because of his fame, so he is immediately charmed by the clueless Poppy. The both of them try to survive the wedding party while slowly falling in love with each other.

Even though you totally know Poppy and Adam will fall completely for each other I couldn't put this book down once I started it, because I wanted to be there for the hilarious and delicious ride to their Happily Ever After.

I can advice this book to everyone looking for a fun and uncomplicated Contemporary Romance. I will most certainly read more by Hart.

Why should you read it:
It's a very enjoyable Contemporary Romance.


buy from Amazon

The SULLIVANS - Last Call

Get your nomination or vote in before the end of May!
I'll be announcing the winners in June.

Best Zombie Book:
- 100 Days in Deadland by Rachel Aukes
- Deck Z by Chris Pauls and Matt Solomon
- Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
- Flesh by Laura Bickle
- Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
- Zom-B by Darren Shan

Best Young Adult Fantasy:
- Pawned by Laura Bickle
- The Archived by Victoria Schwab
- Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart
- Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton
- The Queen's Rising by Rebecca Ross
- Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

Best Urban Fantasy:
- Shrill Dusk by Helen Harper
- Three Mages and a Margarita by Annette Marie
- How to Save an Undead Life by Hailey Edwards
- The Burned Spy by K.A. Krantz
- River Road by Suzanne Johnson

Most Swooniest Romance:
- A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole
- More Than Comics by Elizabeth Briggs
- Dangerous by Minerva Spencer
- Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt
- The Arrows of the Heart by Jeffe Kennedy

Best Science Fiction:
- Tin Star by Cecil Castellucci
- The High Ground by Melinda Snodgrass
- Contagion by Erin Bowman
- Valiant by Merrie Destefano

Pocket Apocalypse - Book Review

Pocket Apocalypse - (InCryptid #4)
by Seanan McGuire

What is it about:
Endangered, adjective: Threatened with extinction or immediate harm.
Australia, noun: A good place to become endangered.

Alexander Price has survived gorgons, basilisks, and his own family—no small feat, considering that his family includes two telepaths, a reanimated corpse, and a colony of talking, pantheistic mice. Still, he’s starting to feel like he’s got the hang of things…at least until his girlfriend, Shelby Tanner, shows up asking pointed questions about werewolves and the state of his passport. From there, it’s just a hop, skip, and a jump to Australia, a continent filled with new challenges, new dangers, and yes, rival cryptozoologists who don’t like their “visiting expert” very much.

Australia is a cryptozoologist’s dream, filled with unique species and unique challenges. Unfortunately, it’s also filled with Shelby’s family, who aren’t delighted by the length of her stay in America. And then there are the werewolves to consider: infected killing machines who would like nothing more than to claim the continent as their own. The continent which currently includes Alex.

Survival is hard enough when you’re on familiar ground. Alex Price is very far from home, but there’s one thing he knows for sure: he’s not going down without a fight.

What did I think of it:
This is such a fun series!

This book is a great addition and made me fall even more in love with the Aeslin mice. Alexander and Shelby travel to Australia to help Shelby's family with a werewolf problem, but they might be in over their heads.

I loved discovering how werewolves work in this universe, and they are among the creepiest werewolves I've come across. I also liked seeing another cryptozoologist organisation at work. There were some interesting characters, and some very annoying ones as well. I was once again hooked from the start.

There are some dicey situations in this book and I must say I worried how things would turn out. Alex being out of his element and surrounded by people who refuse to listen to him, made things even more suspenseful.

All in all a great read and I'm eager to continue this series. I have the next full novel lined up already, but will first read some more shorter stories that precede that book.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun UF series with cool mythology!


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The Ghosts of Bourbon Street - Book Review

The Ghosts of Bourbon Street (InCryptid #3.1)
by Seanan McGuire

What is it About:
Verity Price and Dominic De Luca are currently putting their relationship through what can only be termed the ultimate stress-test: they're traveling from one side of the country to the other in a rented U-Haul, accompanied only by Verity's colony of Aeslin mice and the contents of her iPod. (Dominic is receiving a crash course in modern dance and pop music.)

But what's a road trip without a hidden purpose? Verity knows she's driving Dominic toward the biggest confrontation of his life—her parents—and that means she needs to start easing him in gently. What better way than with a stop in New Orleans to drink layered cocktails and meet her fun-loving Aunt Rose, who just happens to be a Predeceased American?

Poor Dominic didn't set out to become part of a ghost story, but it looks like that's exactly what's happening, as the old, new, and undead collide all over Bourbon Street.

(Best read after Half-Off Ragnarok.)

What did I think of it:
This free story is a bit longer and more of a story than the previous two shorts I read.

Th Incryptid series and the Ghost Roads series meet in this story as Verity introduces Dominic to her ghostly aunt Rose.

I liked getting to know Rose and to learn a bit more about ghosts in this universe. I also loved getting more Verity and Dominic. The adventure they go on is fun and much too short in my opinion. I wanted so much more of these characters and of the spooky things they encounter. I will continue the Incryptid series, and will add the Ghost Roads series to my wish list.

Why should you read it:
If you love the Incryptid series, you need to read this free stories as well.


Get it here

An Interview with Patricia Lynne + giveaway

Today Patricia Lynne is visiting my blog. She was kind enough to let me interview her. Patricia Lynne is the author of Leaves of Fall, which releases today.


Welcome to Pearls Cast Before a McPig, Patricia.
Could you tell a bit about yourself for those people who don’t know you yet?

I’m Patricia (or Patty. I’ll answer to either) and I have a creativity problem in that I want to CREATE ALL THE THINGS!

In all seriousness, writing wasn’t on my radar for a long time. I went to college for about a year as an art major, but I didn’t see where that degree would get me outside of teaching. I have the maternal instincts of a rock. You don’t want me around kids for more than five minutes. I kind of fell into writing. I was bored one day and decided to write down a story I thought about while trying to fall asleep in bed. It snowballed from there.

When I’m not writing, I paint, knit, and make jewelry and magnets which I sell at local craft shows.

What can you tell us about your books?

Leaves of Fall is a young adult post-apocalypse fantasy story about a young girl who lives in a world where man and nature—specifically trees—are at war. She is kidnapped by outlaws and rescued by a tree nymph named Birch who promises he can get her back to her family.

In any of my books you can find something paranormal, fantasy, or sci-fi. Sometimes, like in my NA Abducted Life, I mash paranormal and sci-fi together and create alien vampires and werewolves. I like my books to give people an escape. Turn off your brain and enjoy the ride. Life will be waiting when you return.

Have you ever used people you know as characters in your books?

The most I have done is used names of family and friends in my books. Sometimes I need a name for a once mentioned character, so I pick a relative or friend’s name.

Where can you be found when you’re not at your desk writing?

I don’t have a desk, so I do my writing on the couch. Which is also the area where I do my painting, crafts, and jewelry making. I had a desk once and barely used it. I’m just not a desk type person.

What did you do to celebrate the release of your first book?

My besties threw me a book release party for Being Human. They got a cake and made posters with my book cover on it. We goofed off a lot. Later, we had a bonfire.

What authors have been an influence to you? And have you read any books lately that you want to share with us or have you been too busy with writing to read?

Two big influences for me are Zac Brewer who wrote an awesome series called The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, and PNR author Kerrelyn Sparks. She can always make me giggle and she creates fun worlds and characters.

I’m never too busy writing to read. ;) Some awesome books I’ve read are by writing friends I’ve made online. Christine Rains writes urban fantasy and I’m eagerly waiting for the last book in her Of Blood and Sorrow Series. In fact, I may have yelled at her to get on it on her blog one day. Another writer I always make a point to pick up is L.G. Keltner. Her Self-Help 101 series is hilarious. I also think she’s trying to make a Guinness World Record on longest book title ever.

I’ll stop there before this answer gets too long.

Are there zombies or pigs in any of your books or will there be any in future books?

There are no pigs…yet. Anything is possible with my muse. I have a New Adult zombie story, but it needs a lot of editing. And a title. I’ve currently titled it Mmmm, Brains. Over on my Patreon, I’m sharing a zombie story that’s set in the town I currently live in, Sault Ste. Marie. The way this area is set up and how remote it is would be perfect for trying to survive zombies.

I must say I like the title Mmmm, Brains. I will keep an eye out. Thanks for stopping by and happy release day!

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About Leaves of Fall:


Armory was born into a world torn apart by war between man and nature. Trees are the enemy. But when she’s kidnapped by nomads and taken far from her home, a tree nymph is the one who comes to her rescue.

Birch promises he can get Armory home. He says not all trees wanted a war. Armory has no choice to trust him if she wants to see her family again.

Together, they trek across the ruins of America, meeting both human and trees who want nothing more than the fighting to stop. But the hatred between the two may be too deep to heal. Armory isn’t sure her friendship with Birch will be enough to convince the human race to take a chance on peace. Birch has a plan, though. He’s just not sure he’ll survive.

iTunes - Kobo - Amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Goodreads

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About Patricia Lynne:

Website - Patreon - Facebook
Patricia Lynne Amazon - Patricia Josephine Amazon

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Giveaway:

Patricia is giving away a handmade bookmark of choice to one lucky winner!

To be entered in this giveaway leave a comment for Patricia on this post with a way to contact you.

a winner will be randomly selected on Saturday May 25th, 2019 and contacted soon after.

Incryptid Shorts

I''m reading the Incryptid series and a friend told me there are tons of short stories on Seanan McGuire's website you can download for free. So I had a look and decided to read these stories before diving into the next novel. Today my (short) thoughts on the first two short stories.


Blocked (InCryptid #2.1)
by Seanan McGuire

What is it about:
Antimony Price likes her life. She likes her high school, she likes her friends—even if none of them really know her as anything more than another face in the halls—and most of all, she likes her place on the cheerleading squad, where she understands what's expected of her, and delivers with grace, style, and a viciousness that has done a lot for her team's reputation.

Too bad it's time to graduate.

Now adrift in a world that doesn't have the rules she's used to or the protections she had worked so hard to shape, Antimony has to find something else to keep herself busy...and her cousin, Elsinore, has a few ideas about what that something might be.

It's time for Antimony to meet the wide, wonderful world of roller derby. Let's hope that she survives the experience—and that everyone else survives her.

What did I think of it:
A nice story if you are already reading this series. It gives inside in Antimony's character and made me eager to learn even more about her. I still have to read some other books before I get to Antimony's books though.



IM (InCryptid #3.2)
by Seanan McGuire

What is it about:
Arthur Harrington's situation is...special, thanks to having an incubus for a father and a semi-stable grasp of his "special powers" (if you can call them that). As a consequence, he's always been allowed to stay somewhat sheltered from the family business, communicating with the outside world largely via the computer and his cousins.

Then Sarah got hurt. He's been climbing the walls ever since, trying to think of something he can do to help—but when no one really understands the way a cuckoo's mind works, what can he possibly do to make things better? Especially when she's in Ohio and he's in Oregon?

All he wants is a sign that she's going to be okay...and that she's still going to be the girl he thinks no one knows he's in love with.

What did I think of it:
A very short story, but it is good to read for fans of Sarah. Nice little scene that gives hope for upcoming books.


Find them here

Hugo Reads - Podcast

Hugo Reads - Short Stories

Being a member of Worldcon 2019 I get to vote in the Hugo Awards. And as a lot of th authors and publishers were kind enough to provide digital copies of nominated books and stories I decided to try to read some of the books and stories I didn't read yet so I can actually vote for what I think is the best story instead of just voting for the one I recognize.

I started with the short stories. All of them were provided in the Hugo package, so I read all of them and will list them below with my thoughts and how I voted.

Best Short Story

“The Court Magician,” by Sarah Pinsker (Lightspeed, January 2018)
This story was nice enough, but didn't really draw me in.
It ended up in 3rd place for me.

“The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society,” by T. Kingfisher (Uncanny Magazine 25, November-December 2018)
Mythical seducers whine over a mortal woman and get drunk. Not my kind of story. 5th place.

“The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington,” by P. Djèlí Clark (Fireside Magazine, February 2018)
Alternate universe. Very much enjoyed this one. There were some really intriguing characters and I wouldn't mind to learn more about some of them. 2nd place.

“STET,” by Sarah Gailey (Fireside Magazine, October 2018)
This one really annoyed me and hit on some personal pet peeves. 6th place.

“The Tale of the Three Beautiful Raptor Sisters, and the Prince Who Was Made of Meat,” by Brooke Bolander (Uncanny Magazine 23, July-August 2018)
A fairy tale as told by a dinosaur. Totally my kind of story: dinosaurs, a smart princess, and the dinosaurs get their snacks. We have a winner. 1st place.

“A Witch’s Guide to Escape: A Practical Compendium of Portal Fantasies,” by Alix E. Harrow (Apex Magazine, February 2018)
Although the idea behind this story was interesting, I didn't much care for the lead character, so it was Meh... 4th place.



Next I'll try to get the novelettes and novellas read.

The SULLIVANS - Best Science Fiction

Another category where it was hard to narrow down the nominations, but I finally managed to select four.

- Tin Star by Cecil Castellucci
- The High Ground by Melinda Snodgrass
- Contagion by Erin Bowman
- Valiant by Merrie Destefano

Vote for your favorite or nominate another great SF!

Demon Magic and a Martini - Book Review

Demon Magic and a Martini (The Guild Codex: Spellbound #4)
by Annette Marie

What is it about:
When I first landed a bartending job at the local guild, I didn't know a thing about magic. These days, I'm practically an expert on the different magical classes, but there's one nobody ever talks about: Demonica.

Turns out they have a good reason for that.

My guild is strictly hellion-free, but some people will risk life and soul to control the biggest bullies on the mythic playground. And now a demon has been loosed in the city.

My three best friends are determined to slay it, but even badass combat mages are critically out-magicked. And that's not all. The monster they're tracking--it's not hiding. It's not fleeing. It's not leaving a trail of corpses everywhere it goes.

The demon is hunting too. And in a city full of mythics, it's searching for deadlier prey.

If we can't unravel the demon's sinister motivations, more innocent people will die, but finding the answers means digging into dark secrets ... and learning truths I never wanted to know.

What did I think of it:
This series is so much fun.
Annette Marie manages to create a perfect balance between suspense and humor. I love Tori and her three friends, and I very much enjoy the adventures they mange to fall into.

In this book we get more insight in Ezra's past -Ezra is my favorite of the three mages and this book only made that stick even more- and we learn a lot more about demons. They're nasty and dangerous.

As Tori gets more and more involved in the hunt for the demon she has to decide if she's wiling to go full in to the world of mythics or if there are some things she doesn't want to be involved in. I was on the edge of my seat to see where this story would go, and what decisions Tori would make. Voodoo Bride wants me to add that she was eager to find out if Tori and Ezra might finally kiss!

All in all this book is an awesome thrill ride that I happily boarded and was over much too soon. You bet I'll get my trotters on the next book as soon as it's available in print. There will also be a spinoff series that I must have as well.

Why should you read it:
It's an awesome and fun UF read!


buy from Amazon

Reading in Progress

Yes, I know I've been posting irregular lately, and that I've been neglecting our podcast, but I've been preoccupied by other things. I do hope to get back to my regular schedule soon.

In the mean time Voodoo Bride and Olivia are trying more Contemporary Romance. So far this book is a lot of fun they tell me. They'll post a review soon.

Teasing on a Wednesday - Pocket Apocalypse

"Are there any mice in here?" I asked, loudly enough to be heard, but quietly enough that I wasn't shouting to the entire section.
The cheese drawer answered with a muffled "hail."

(page 46, Pocket Apocalypse by Seanan McGuire)


buy from bookdepository

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you sh"are doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The SULLIVANS - Most Swooniest Romance

Our Nominations for Most Swooniest Romance are:

A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole
More Than Comics by Elizabeth Briggs
Dangerous by Minerva Spencer
Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt
The Arrows of the Heart by Jeffe Kennedy

Vote for your favorite on this list or nominate another book.
And keep an eye out for the reveal of the winners in June.

Internment - Book Review

Internment
by Samira Ahmed

What is it about:
Rebellions are built on hope.

Set in a horrifying near-future United States, seventeen-year-old Layla Amin and her parents are forced into an internment camp for Muslim American citizens.

With the help of newly made friends also trapped within the internment camp, her boyfriend on the outside, and an unexpected alliance, Layla begins a journey to fight for freedom, leading a revolution against the internment camp's Director and his guards.

Heart-racing and emotional, Internment challenges readers to fight complicit silence that exists in our society today.

What did I think of it:
I'm surprised this book didn't show up on my social media feeds or the blogs I follow before I ran into it in a bookstore. It seems to me that this book should be everywhere so that even the people who'd never pick up a read like this can't get around it.

This story is set in the near future and large parts of this story feel frighteningly real. It's easy to picture this happening with the current political climate everywhere. There were some things I think that could have handled differently though. The Director of the camp is a grotesque caricature and it was difficult to imagine anyone in higher command would let him run the camp, but maybe I'm wrong, seeing as there are grotesque caricatures in charge of even bigger things at the moment.

That aside I was invested in this story and was rooting for Layla to find a way to make herself and others heard. To fight the system, to find allies outside of the camp, and to bring hope to all. Layla is aware of the stakes, although at times she is rash and does things without thinking. She manages to find people who want to help even as others try to silence her out of fear or hate.

All in all a thought-provoking read. I don't think I'll reread it, but I will give it to others to read.

Why should you read it:
It's a thought-provoking YA read.


Buy from bookdepository

Half-Off Ragnarok - Book Review

Half-Off Ragnarok (InCryptid #3)
by Seanan McGuire

What is it about:
When Alex Price agreed to go to Ohio to oversee a basilisk breeding program and assist in the recovery of his psychic cousin, he didn't expect people to start dropping dead. But bodies are cropping up at the zoo where he works, and his girlfriend—Shelby Tanner, an Australian zoologist with a fondness for big cats—is starting to get suspicious.

Worse yet, the bodies have all been turned partially to stone...

The third book in the InCryptid series takes us to a new location and a new member of the family, as Alex tries to balance life, work, and the strong desire not to become a piece of garden statuary. Old friends and new are on the scene, and danger lurks around every corner.

Of course, so do the talking mice.

What did I think of it:
I loved the first two books in this series, but this third book has a new lead character, so I was a bit apprehensive when I picked it up. I really liked Verity, would I like Alex as well?

It turned out I do!

Alex is a really cool geek! Being a geek myself I immediately liked him. And I loved his grandparents as well!

I didn't know at first what to make of Shelby, but soon things happened that made me like her as well. I also really liked Alex's assistant, who's a gorgon, and I adored the little girl who keeps sneaking into the snake house and makes things even more complicated for Alex. McGuire is a master in creating colorful and intriguing characters.

The story is both fun and suspenseful. This series mixes humor and suspense really well I must say. One moment I'd be chuckling to be on the edge of my seat and fearing for my favorite characters lives the next. I will say I figured out some things really quick (the hints were obvious), but still enough things were unclear to keep me wondering about the why of it all.

All in all this is a really cool and entertaining read. You bet I'll pick up the next book soon.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun and suspenseful UF read.


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The Laughing Corpse - Book Review

The Laughing Corpse (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #2)
by Laurell K. Hamilton

What is it about:
Harold Gaynor offers Anita Blake a million dollars to raise a 300-year-old zombie. Knowing it means a human sacrifice will be necessary, Anita turns him down. But when dead bodies start turning up, she realizes that someone else has raised Harold's zombie--and that the zombie is a killer. Anita pits her power against the zombie and the voodoo priestess who controls it.

In The Laughing Corpse Anita will learn that there are some secrets better left buried-and some people better off dead...

What did I think of it:
I still don't like Anita. One remark from Anita in this book about "bleeding heart liberals" even made me despise her. Still the story was once again entertaining enough to keep me reading. And I'm also promised Anita will grow as a character over the next few books. I can't wait!

So I grumbled under my breath about Anita and focused on the story. It's pretty straightforwards and not a lot of guessing, but there was enough cool action and even a bit of zombie mayhem to keep me entertained.

All in all an enjoyable read, so I'll pick up book three one of these days and see if Anita will indeed grow as a character or at least grow on me.

Why should you read it:
It's a nice UF read.


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