Lost Boy Review

Author: Christina Henri

Release Date: July 4th, 2017

Publisher: Berkley Books

Genre: Retelling

Format: Paperback

Pages: 304

There is one version of my story that everyone knows. And then there is the truth. This is how it happened. How I went from being Peter Pan’s first—and favorite—lost boy to his greatest enemy.

Peter brought me to his island because there were no rules and no grownups to make us mind. He brought boys from the Other Place to join in the fun, but Peter's idea of fun is sharper than a pirate’s sword. Because it’s never been all fun and games on the island. Our neighbors are pirates and monsters. Our toys are knife and stick and rock—the kinds of playthings that bite.

Peter promised we would all be young and happy forever.

I was very lucky to get an advanced copy of Lost Boy at Comic Con at the Penguin Booth. Honestly I couldn't believe my luck, I've so excited to get my hands on this!

Lost Boy is the first book I've read written by Christina Henry. That didn't stop me from being excited about it! Not only is Lost Boy told from Captain Hook's point of view, but James Hook started out as a Lot Boy. Everyone as their own theories on who Captain Hook once was before becoming a Captain of the Neverland Pirates. This is one of my favorites theories on why he was on Neverland.

It wasn't hard to fall in love with Jamie. He's fierce protectiveness of the Lost Boys and natural leadership makes easy to like. I spent so much of the book rooting for him, and fearing for him because we all know the endgame. I spent so much of the book feeling bittersweet to know that Jamie was going to become Captain Hook.

The story flows well, I never felt like there was an unnecessary moment that pulled from the flow of the story. Jamie had a strong voice throughout the story, I never felt like it wavered. While occasional the story jumped from past to present, I never got lost with where we were with the plot. She made so easy to hate Peter for what he was doing, but also feel a little sorry for the boy who would never grow up.  Each character that Christina Henry introduces has their own voice and is anything put one dimensional. It was nice to see the care she put into each Lost Boy. I think that was made it harder when one would die.

I think what I liked the most was how the whole story came together. How we got introduced to all the things as Jamie saw them unfold and we were left to piece them together as plot went along. I found myself hoping I was wrong when another piece was put into place. Hoping that Peter wouldn't be so cruel.

Christina Henry wrote an amazing book that creates a whole new kind of Neverland with a whole different kind of Peter Pan. This isn't the story of the boy who would never grow up, but the story of the boy that had to. 

While I did find a few faults in the story, most I am sure had to do with the fact I received and ARC copy, because they were small things that aren't with mentioning. Peter Pan is one of my favorite stories, and I use to have it read to me again and again before bed. Lost Boy was an amazing way to reconnect to that story again.

There will definitly be more Christina Henry books in my future, and I can't wait to read the published version of Lost Boy. Which hits shelves this Fourth of July!! Totally a book worth taking on a picnic to get lost in the magic of Neverland!

Buy, Borrow, or Skip: BUY IT! RIGHT NOW! Don't wait, run!  

Can't-Wait Wednesday - The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted here to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. 

Release Date: June 27, 2017
Publisher:  Katherin Tegan Books
Author: Mackenzi Lee
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy
Pages: 528

An unforgettable tale of two friends on their Grand Tour of 18th-century Europe who stumble upon a magical artifact that leads them from Paris to Venice in a dangerous manhunt, fighting pirates, highwaymen, and their feelings for each other along the way.

Why I'm Waiting: I liked the last book I read by Mackenzi Lee, so I'm excited to pick another of her books.  Plus it sounds like a fun read!!

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme started by the Broke and the Bookish.  Each week they chose a new meme and bloggers pick their Top Ten Books, TV Shows, Movies, etc that fit that theme. This week theme is: Top Ten Most Anticipated Books for the Second Half of 2017!

1. Tortall: A Spy's Guide by Tamoar Pierce
2. Age of Swords by Michael J. Sullivan
3. Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero

1. Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo
2. The Las Magician by Lisa Maxwell
3. Anno Dracula 1999:Daikkaiju by Kim Newman

1. The Disappearance of Winter's Daughter by Michael J. Sullivan
2. See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt
3. The Bedlam Stacks by Natasha Pulley

1. Lady Killers: A Compendium by Tori Teller

I can't wait to see what everyone is looking forward to in the coming months?!

Can't-Wait Wednesday - The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. 

Release Date: June 13th, 2017
Publisher:  William Morrow & Company
Author: Neal Stephenson & Nicole Galland
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 768

And so the Department of Diachronic Operations—D.O.D.O. —gets cracking on its real mission: to develop a device that can bring magic back, and send Diachronic Operatives back in time to keep it alive . . . and meddle with a little history at the same time. But while Tristan and his expanding operation master the science and build the technology, they overlook the mercurial—and treacherous—nature of the human heart..

Why I'm Waiting: Because I love Neal Stephenson and it sounds pretty rad!

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme started by the Broke and the Bookish.  Each week they chose a new meme and bloggers pick their Top Ten Books, TV Shows, Movies, etc that fit that theme. This week theme is: Top Ten Summer Reads! This is just a small look at the top ten books on my summer TBR!

1. The Summer Dragon by Todd Lockwood
2. Warlock Holmes: The Hell-hound of the Baskervilles by G.S. Denning
3. The Sultan, the Vampyr, the Soothsayer by Lucille Turner

1. Spellslinger by Sebastien De Castell
2. The Inquisition by Taran Matharu
3. The Battle Mage by Taran Matharu

1. Golden Son by Pierce Brown
2. Morning Star by Pierce Brown
3. Unmentionable by Therese O'Neill

1. Pirate Women: The Princesses, Prostitues, and Privateers Who Rules the Seven Seas by Laura Sook Duncombe

What books are sitting on your summer TBR?

The Journal of Professor Abraham Van Helsing - A Review

Author: Allen C. Kupfer

Publisher: Forge Books

Genre: Fantasy / Paranormal

Format: Hardback

Pages: 208

Filled with data to inform, and tips to educate, the journal is more than a study of vampirism. It is also the story of a man's obsession with eradicating the world of its greatest scourge, a dark evil that claimed his wife in its thrall. 

Working with the textural fragments he inherited from his grandfather, Professor Allen Conrad Kupfer, has managed to piece together the story behind the story that did not begin and end with Bram Stoker's Dracula.

I picked up this gem at a book sale forever and a day ago.  Since then it has sadly been sitting collecting dust.  Mostly because books likes these are one of my weakness.  Gothic tales are my favorite, especially the original stories from the Victorian era.  So I'm always on the lookout for retellings, or add-ons, to those stories I grew up loving.  The Journal of Professor Abraham Van Helsing fit that bill to the letter.  While packing for my trip it seemed like the perfect book to read in between whatever mischief I was going to be getting up to with my brother.

This is the story about how Abraham Van Helsing first learned about the vampire plague spreading across the globe.  How the Professor became trapped into the world of the damned, and why he arrived in London to help fight against Dracula.  

With all of the different mythos surrounding vampires these day because of TV shows and movies, it was nice to get back to the original mythology of these creatures.  While some of their weaknesses have transcended from books to screen, a few of them have not.  For example, anytime seeds are spilled on the ground the undead are compelled to stop and count them all.  It's a small thing that even I had forgotten until diving back into the world of Dracula.

As for the story itself, I felt like the story flowed well. At times there are three different narrators, Van Helsing, Daniel Kupfer, and Professor Allen C. Kupfer.  The shifts of each narration is easy to follow.  I never had to take a step back to figure who was talking.  I didn't mind the notes that Daniel Kupfer adds to Van Helsing's journal. They had an outside view at how Abraham changes from his visit to Dr. Borescu and his introduction to the vampire plague. It also adds a bit to how the world viewed those changes as madness.  However I felt the footnotes that were added by Professor Kupfer were not really needed.  Occasionally humorous, but really needed.

I was also a bit bummed that the journal skipped everything that happened to Abraham Van Helsing in London when he went up against Dracula. Whether this was a for copyright reasons, or an editing choice, I'm unaware. There was mention of the evens and references Dracula himself, but for the most part it felt ignored.  Like it was something that Van Helsing went through, but no reason was given as to why he left no notes or entries about the events in London and Transylvania.

While it was good to see that after the events in London Van Helsing didn't stop trying to put an end to the plague sweeping the world, and to see him so close to answers.  However, the ending itself felt a little rushed. As a whole I wasn't upset with how it ended.  In fact I like that was sort of an open ending. Is Van Helsing alive or dead?  Was he undead?  I like that you don't really know, but the events themselves a bit a rushed.  In fact I had to read the last few pages a couple of times because I felt like a missed pages, or maybe misread something. I had a lot of questions about how all of those events unfolded that never really got answered. 

All-in-all, it was fun afternoon of reading. It made me want to pick up Dracula again and reread it.  For what is probably the hundredth time by now. While not one of my favorites in the Dracula genre, The Journal of Professor Abraham Van Helsing is a fun read.

Buy, Burrow, or Skip: I would say definitely burrow this from your local library, or snag it from the local used bookstore!  

Can't Wait Wednesday - A Gathering of Ravens

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted here to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. 


Release Date: July 20. 2017
Publisher:  Thomas Dunne Books
Author: Scott Oden
Genre: Fantasy / Historical Fiction
Pages: 320

To the Danes, he is skraelingr; to the English, he is orcneas; to the Irish, he is fomoraig. He is Corpse-maker and Life-quencher, the Bringer of Night, the Son of the Wolf and Brother of the Serpent. He is Grimnir, and he is the last of his kind--the last in a long line of monsters who have plagued humanity since the Elder Days.

Drawn from his lair by a thirst for vengeance against the Dane who slew his brother, Grimnir emerges into a world that's changed. A new faith has arisen. The Old Ways are dying, and their followers retreating into the shadows; even still, Grimnir's vengeance cannot be denied.

What summer read are you looking forward to the most?!

Bout of Books 19 Wrap-Up

Bout of Books 19 is officially over! I hope it was a week full of reading and good books!  The first half of my week was a lot more productive than the last half.  Sadly that is the downside of working at a bakery during the holidays.  We were busier than we thought we would.  Which while fantastic, left little time for reading.  However, I snagged a few moments here and there. All three books I picked up, I was lucky enough to enjoy.  Though, Lost Boys turned out to be nothing like I thought it would be. It's still an amazing book, and I'm very lucky to have snagged and early copy at ECCC.

Books Read: 2

Pages Read: 412

Currently Reading: Lost Boys

I hope the week turned out great and everyone found some time to read. Bout of Books 20 is back August 21st to the 27th!  You can keep up to date at the Bout of Books blog, but clicking the icon above, or going here!

HAPPY READING!

Out Sick...

A thousand apologies for being so quite the last few days. What I thought was a cold from traveling, and extreme temperature change, turned into something gross.  I barely powered through work and a book event yesterday afternoon.  Even thinking about staring at computer screen made my hurt.  So I haven't been able to post the last couple of days, and I was already a bit behind from being away to see my family last week.

Finally after sleeping about ten hours last night, I feel a bit better.  I'm still kind of sound like I might be dying when I cough, but I can stand up with my brain feeling like it's being squeezed like a melon.  Also, I can breath through my nose.  Which is fantastic!!  So slowly I  plan on getting caught up before I go back to work.

I hope everyone had a better weekend, and those participating in Bout of Books 19 had a fantastic time.  My stats will be up soon as well as a review.  The weather man has promised warmer weather finally.  So I'm hoping to soak it up and blow through some books.  I have a lot of amazing things on my TBR since I left for vacation!!

HAPPY READING!!

Waiting on Wednesday - The Fortune Teller

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme started by Breaking the Spine, where bloggers chose a book they are patiently, or maybe not so patiently, waiting to ready!


Release Date: June 6th, 2017
Publisher: Picador
Author: Gwendolyn Womack
Genre: Historical Fiction / Mystery
Pages: 368

Semele Cavnow appraises antiquities for an exclusive Manhattan auction house, deciphering ancient texts—and when she discovers a manuscript written in the time of Cleopatra, she knows it will be the find of her career. Its author tells the story of a priceless tarot deck, now lost to history, but as Semele delves further, she realizes the manuscript is more than it seems. Both a memoir and a prophecy, it appears to be the work of a powerful seer, describing devastating wars and natural disasters in detail thousands of years before they occurred.

             

 

Why I'm Waiting: I was pulled at the mention of Cleopatra.  Egyptian history has always been a favorite for me to read and learn about, plus it's a mystery.  I'm all in on this one!

Tell me about your favorite book either set in ancient Egypt, or involving Egyptian history!  

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme started by the Broke and the Bookish.  Each week they chose a new meme and bloggers pick their Top Ten Books, TV Shows, Movies, etc that fit that theme. This week theme is: Ten Things On Our Reading Wishlist! Basically ten things we'd like to see more of on our book shelves.

1. Hadrian and Royce - Despite knowing the series is still on going in many different forms, there is not such thing as too much of these two.  They are two of my favorite duos in the fantasy genre.  I always need more of them!!
2. Multicultural Diversity - The world is a vast place, filled with all sorts of people.  I would love to see more of those people represented in books.  Good guys, bad guys, whatever.  The world is so much more connected now.  Every kid deserves to find someone a fictional hero that looks just like them.
3. Female Warriors - More and more of these are popping, but so many fall under the romance category.  Romance is great and all, but I want more women in charge that aren't cold, calculating, and feel incapable of love.
4. Civil War Era (Fictional and Non Fiction) -  So much was happening during this Era.  Not just a fight between the North and South.  We were expanding and exploring the West, fighting the Mexicans, and the Native Americans.  There are so many pieces that have been forgotten and swept under the rug.  I would love to see more books about forgotten moments around the Gilded Age.
5. Supernatural - I love a good vampire or werewolf story, but there are so many cultures with so many stories out there. Maybe even a Gothic tale about those who hunt them.
6. Less Love Triangles - These just seem to be all over right now in YA fiction and I'm over it.  Which seems a bit harsh, but that's the truth of it.  I don't mind a bit romance in a book.  However, the pining and the angst of this one or that one... JUST PICK ONE! 
7. Grim Dark Fantasy - Thank you Joe Abercrombie for bringing these kind of stories into my life.  These are the Fantasy stories where nothing, and no one, gets a happy ending.  It's a thrilling ride that keeps me at the edge of every page.  I need more these kind of books in my life.
8. Alternative History - I've really gotten into these lately where someone turned left instead of right and the world ended up a different way.  Kind of a "what if" story.  Be cool to see more of these pop up.
9. Villain POV -   A couple of murder mysteries I've read have shown the POV of our villain it was really good.  It added a bit of twist of the story, because while we still didn't know who they were, you got a look inside of their mind.  Would love to see more stories told from the villain's POV.
10. Stand Alones!! - Don't get my wrong I do love a good series! Still, where have all the stand alone gone??

What's something you'd love to see more of on bookshelf? 

April Wrap Up

HOLY SWEET MONKEY WHERE DID APRIL GO?! I swear it just started last week.  How is that I fly out on vacation tomorrow?!  Dewey's has come and gone, and Bout of Books number 19 is right around the corner.  Summer is almost here.  

Well, I spent most of the month working and existing.  I discovered a new show Rosewood thanks to Netflix.  I've not binge watched the whole first season and very excited about the new season this summer!  Work has been nuts because we opened a brand new location that is so stinky adorable!  This means all sort of things are changing and new policies for us Leads.  My vacation is also a thing I've been getting ready for.  I fly out tomorrow to see the my family.  Which meant a fresh cut and coat of pain for my hair.  As well as realizing I have no clothes that aren't work clothes, or clothes I can chill around the house in.

Seriously, I've become a hermit again!!

Books Read: 4

Pages Read: 616 pages

BINGO Books: 0

Currently Reading: Lost Boys by Christina Henri

DNF: 1 (November Rain)

Events: Dewey's 24 Read-a-thon!

For April, the only even I had was Dewey's 24 Read-a-thon. Basically it was a pretty chill day at our house.  Both me and my flatmate participated.  We even managed to crawl out of bed at 5am into our respective reading nests and start reading with everyone else.  However slowly we fell victims to naps.  I ended up finishing to graphic novels and starting a handful of other books between naps.  It was a nice day spent unplugged from our phones.

The next Dewey's will be held on October 21, 2017!!!

Publisher:  Pegasus Books

Release Date: May 9th, 2017

Author: Andrew Hughes

Genre: Historical / Mystery

Series: Stand Alone

An only child, Abigail has been raised amid the books and instruments of her father’s grim profession, and he in turn indulges her curious and critical mind. Now she must push against the restrictions society places on a girl her age to pursue an increasingly dangerous investigation. Abigail’s searches begin to uncover the well-guarded secrets of two factions—the Christian Brethren and a burgeoning rationalist community—drawing the attention of a sinister figure who emerges in fleeting glimpses and second-hand reports: the man with the lazy eye.

Hope everyone has been enjoying Spring finally being here!! Anyone pick up any new reads?!  What's coming out this Spring you don't want to miss?!