Teaser Tuesdays - Girls of Paper and Fire

I'm finally about to be trained for the most important role of a Paper Girl-and the one I've been dreading the most.


(page 140, Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan)


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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 share 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!

Of Monsters and Madness - Book Review (repost)

I'm behind on my reading, so more reposts this week


Of Monsters and Madness (Of Monsters and Madness #1)
by Jessica Verday

What is it about:
A romantic, historical retelling of classic Gothic horror featuring Edgar Allan Poe and his character Annabel Lee, from a New York Times best-selling author.

Summoned to her father's home in 1820's Philadelphia, a girl finds herself in the midst of a rash of gruesome murders in which he might be implicated. She is torn romantically between her father's assistants-one kind and proper, one mysterious and brooding-who share a dark secret and may have more to do with the violent events than they're letting on.

What did I think of it:
This is a very entertaining read.

Verday used poems and stories by Edgar Allan Poe as extra inspiration for this YA retelling of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.

If you are an E.A. Poe fan and can't handle it when people take liberties with the truth you should probably avoid this book. For people who don't mind a little bit of history bending and enjoy retellings of classics, this is a fun read.

I liked Annabel and her maid. It's clear from the start that Annabel has something to hide, and even though she is the viewpoint character we're not told what it is. But that annoyance aside I very much enjoyed this book. There are no big surprises for those familiar with the original tale, but I don't read to be surprised.

All in all I can advice this to anyone looking for an entertaining historical YA read.

Why should you read it:
It's a very nice retelling of a classic.


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Rosemary and Rue - Book Review (repost)

I need to read more books in this series


Rosemary and Rue (October Daye #1)
by Seanan McGuire

What is it about:
October "Toby" Daye, a changeling who is half human and half fae, has been an outsider from birth. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the Faerie world, retreating to a "normal" life. Unfortunately for her, the Faerie world has other ideas...

The murder of Countess Evening Winterrose pulls Toby back into the fae world. Unable to resist Evening's dying curse, which binds her to investigate, Toby must resume her former position as knight errant and renew old alliances. As she steps back into fae society, dealing with a cast of characters not entirely good or evil, she realizes that more than her own life will be forfeited if she cannot find Evening's killer.

What did I think of it:
I really liked McGuire's Discount Armageddon, but her book Feed (written under the name Myra Grant) was boring imo, so it was a DNF for me. That's the reason I was hesitant to start on this series, and this book stayed in my TBR pile for a long, long time before I dared pick it up.

This turned out to be a cool read though!

I loved the world building and the faerie world. McGuire uses a lot of old faerie mythology, but weaves it into the story so it feels like it belongs.

October had to grow on me (she's a bit too closed off and self reliant when she should know she should ask for help), but some of the other characters I was intrigued by from the start. Especially Tybalt, king of the Cat Faeries sounds like a character I want to read lots more about.

There were two possible love interests, both not to my tastes and with their own set of troubles, but luckily the romance isn't too present in this book, so it didn't spoil the story for me. although I am wary for how things might develop later on in this series.

The situation Toby is in felt desperate at times, and I had my doubts if things could turn out right. It did keep me reading though, to find out.

All in all I enjoyed this book much more than I ever expected, and I will pick up the next book in this series soon. I will most probably also dig up the second book in McGuire's InCryptid series as my next TBR Orphan.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool Urbab Fantasy read.


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Love Minus Eighty - Book Review (repost)

Love Minus Eighty
by Will McIntosh

What is it about:
Years in the future, dead women in cryogenic dating farms await rich, lonely suitors to resurrect them and take them home.

LOVE MINUS EIGHTY follows interconnected lives touched by these dating farms.

There's Rob, who accidentally kills a jogger, then sells everything to visit her, seeking her forgiveness but instead falling in love. Veronika, a socially-awkward dating coach, finds herself responsible for the happiness of a man whose life she saved against his will. And Mira, a gay woman accidentally placed in the heterosexual dating center near its inception, desperately seeks a way to reunite with her frozen partner as the centuries pass.

What did I think of it:
This is a beautiful read.

The future world McIntosh describes feels cold and impersonal. People interact mostly through screens, with help of coaches. Dead women, who have been frozen after death, have to try to seduce rich men with lurid promises so they can get resurrected. Still this story breathes warmth and love. It shows that human interaction and friendship is important to stay human yourself.

The stories of Rob and Veronika are the most worked out, while Mira's story seems almost an afterthought at times. Added only to show the horrors of the frozen women, who have to date and catch a husband even in death. Still her story might have been small, but it touched me the most. Rob's quest to make enough money to keep visiting the woman he accident killed was touching as well, but it felt more like a faerie tale at times, where Mira's struggles felt more real to me.

I also really enjoyed Veronika's story line. She's the character in this book that grows the most as a person. Starting out as insecure, with an impossible crush, but blooming into the person she is meant to be.

All in all this is a story about friendship, love, and fighting for what you believe in. I will most certainly put this book on my keeper shelves, and I will investigate what other books McIntosh has written.

Why should you read it:
It's a beautiful and though provoking read.


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The Caged Queen - Book Review

The Caged Queen (Iskari #2)
by Kristen Ciccarelli

What is it about:
Roa and her sister Essie were born with a bond so strong that it forged them together forever. It was a magic they cherished - until the terrible day Essie died and her soul was trapped in this world.

Dax, the heir to the throne of Firgaard, was responsible. Roa swore she would never forgive him - yet when he came begging for her help to dethrone his cruel father, Roa made him a deal. She'd give him the army he needed if he made her queen.

Now, even after everything she has sacrificed, Dax's promises go unfulfilled. Roa's people still suffer.

Then a chance to right every wrong arises - an opportunity for Roa to rid herself of this enemy king and rescue her beloved sister. During the Relinquishing, when the spirits of the dead are said to return, Roa can reclaim her sister for good.

All she has to do is kill the king...

What did I think of it:
I loved The Last Namsara, so had to get my trotters on this companion novel.

And this is yet another great read.

I love Ciccarelli's writing and her worldbuilding. The people of the scrublands and their customs sounded very intriguing and interesting. And I fell in love with Roa immediately. She is fierce, passionate, and willing to do anything for those she loves. If she has flaws, it's that she is stubborn and unable to communicate when needed. If only she would sit down and talk with the people close to her, it would have made life a lot easier for her.

Dax however is being a total shit. If I had been Roa, I'd have killed him or done worse to him long before the Relinquishing. If not for the glimpses of their shared past at the start of chapters, and his actions in The Last Namsara I'd have wanted him dead. But Ciccarelli manages to create a balance where I was eager to find out what was going on with him, and if he'd shape up before Roa set her plans in motion. And if he did: what would Roa do? Still go through with her plan or find another way to save her sister?

I will confess there were events I saw coming, others were a surprise. I rooted for Roa, wanted to shake sense in her, was angry with and at her, and couldn't put the book down. I still love The Last Namsara best, but this book is a great addition to this series. You bet I'll get my trotters on the third book once available.

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


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Teaser Tuesdays - Once Bitten, Twice Shy

This is a reread, but I can tell you I remember nothing of the story. That might be a bad thing... We will see.


"No, stay. There is a, there was a..." He stopped, pulled himself together. "I found a snake in my luggage."


(page 81, Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Jennifer Rardin)


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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 share 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!

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