Friday, March 30, 2018

Cover Release - World of Lore Volume 3

I've always been fascinated by folklore and ghost stories. It didn't take long for World of Lore to become one of my favorite podcast to listen to on the bus, while closing at work, or while out on deliveries. Last year Aaron Mahnke turned his podcast into a book. This year two more installments are set to come out, and I just saw the cover for third book in the series set to come out this Fall. Which just so happens to be my favorite time of year to read ghost stories!


Sometimes you walk into a room, a building, or even a town, and you feel it. Something seems off--an atmosphere that leaves you oddly unsettled, with a sense of lingering darkness. Join Aaron Mahnke, the host of the popular podcast Lore, as he explores some of these dreadful places and the history that haunts them.

Mahnke takes us to Colorado and the palatial Stanley Hotel, where wealthy guests enjoyed views of the Rocky Mountains at the turn of the twentieth century--and where, decades later, a restless author would awaken from a nightmare, inspired to write one of the most revered horror novels of all time. Mahnke also crosses land and sea to visit frightful sites--from New Orleans to Richmond, Virginia, to the brooding, ancient castles of England--each with its own echo of dark deeds, horrible tragedies, and shocking evil still resounding.

Filled with evocative illustrations, this eerie tour of lurid landmarks and doomed destinations is just the ticket to take armchair travelers with a taste for the macabre to places they never thought they'd visit in their wildest, scariest dreams.


HAPPY READING!!

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Mini Reviews


  





I really enjoyed the Locke & Key series itself, and this was a fun look into the keys, and the houses, history. Two little stories about house other members of the family used the keys. Also an adorable adventure with the team who brought the series to life. I enjoyed it.






I forgot how much I love this series! It's so good! It's been a cool minute since I read Volume 1 so I had to go back and flip through to remember how it all went down at the World's Fair. Josie is a badass and finally branching out on her, only she never was good about the people she bring into her life. Ugh, and that ending with that person getting out of the car. I should have freaking known! I cannot wait for the next issue to come out... And, I won't be able to wait for the volume set. Gonna have to find a new Comic Store.

HAPPY READING!!

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Can't Wait Wednesday

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

Release Date: April 17, 2018
Author: Lucy Cooke
Genre: Non-Fiction
Pages: 352

Humans have gone to the Moon and discovered the Higgs boson, but when it comes to understanding animals, we still have a long way to go. Whether we are seeing a viral video of romping baby pandas or a picture of penguins "holding hands," it's hard for us not to project our own values-innocence, fidelity, temperance, hard work-onto animals. So you've probably never considered if moose get drunk, penguins cheat on their mates, or worker ants lay about. They do-and that's just for starters.In The Truth about Animals, Lucy Cooke takes us on a worldwide journey to meet everyone from a Colombian hippo castrator to a Chinese panda porn peddler, all to lay bare the secret-and often hilarious-habits of the animal kingdom. Charming and at times downright weird, this modern bestiary is perfect for anyone who has ever suspected that virtue might be unnatural.





Why I'm Waiting: Because it sounds like it's going to be adorable!

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme started by the Broke and the Bookishbut is not run by That Artsy Reader Girl.  Each week they chose a new meme and bloggers pick their Top Ten Books, TV Shows, Movies, etc that fit that theme. This week the theme is: Books on my TBR set in Another Country!

  1. Anno Dracula: One Thousand Monsters by Kim Newman (Japan)
  2. The Queens of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton (England)
  3. Among the Red Stars by Gwen C. Katz (Russia)

  1. The Half-Drowned King by Linnae Hartsuyker (Norway)
  2. Edinburgh Twilight by Carole Lawrence (Scotland)
  3. Olivia Twist by Lorie Langdon (England)

  1. In The Enemy's House by Howard Blum (Russia)
  2. The Stoway: A Young Man's Extraordinary Adventure to Antarctica by Lauri Gwen Shapiro (Antarctica) 
  3. The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee (England)


  1. Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen (Eastern Europe)
HAPPY READING!!

HAPPY RELEASE DAY - Herding Cats

Series: Sarah's Scribbles
Author: Sarah Andersen
Pages: 112

Sarah valiantly struggles with waking up in the morning, being productive, and dealing with social situations. Sarah's Scribbles is the comic strip that follows her life, finding humor in living as an adulting introvert that is at times weird, awkward, and embarrassing. 


I'm so pumped for this next addition to the "Sarah's Scribbles" series. These comics are super cute, and personally something I can relate to. Which is nice to see I'm not the only one that feels like that in public and about myself. It's nice to be able to giggle about it.

Friday, March 23, 2018

The Magic Misfits #1 - Review

Author: Neil Patrick Harris
Genre: Middle Grade
Format: Hardback
Pages: 256




When street magician Carter runs away, he never expects to find friends and magic in a sleepy New England town. But like any good trick, things change instantly as greedy B.B. Bosso and his crew of crooked carnies arrive to steal anything and everything they can get their sticky fingers on.

After a fateful encounter with the local purveyor of illusion, Dante Vernon, Carter teams up with five other like-minded kids. Together, using both teamwork and magic, they'll set out to save the town of Mineral Wells from Bosso's villainous clutches. These six Magic Misfits will soon discover adventure, friendship, and their own self-worth in this delightful new series.

Oh my gosh! I'm a little upset with myself that I put this book off last years. How cute was that?! To be fair I honestly wasn't sure I'd like. Yes, I'm a rather big fan of Neil Patrick Harris, but that doesn't mean I'd like his writing style. It also doesn't mean that I'd like this story. Sometimes Middle Grade book are just too young for me. Which is fine, that actually mean for readers who've finally hit their dirty 30's.

But, it's good to be wrong.

The Magic Misfits is super adorable. Carter is an amazing main character with such a good attitude and super smart. The rest of the cast are just as sharp and fun to read. I couldn't help but hope everything worked over the Magic Misfits as they slowly came together. To see Carter find a bit of what he was looking for, and a bit of what he wasn't.

Mineral Wells is a cute little small town that reminded me home. So it was fun to see it through Carter's eyes after years of going from one big city to the next. I'm pretty sure Ridley is my spirit animal. She's wicked smart and not quick to trust. Though loyal to no end and doesn't let being in a wheel chair slow her down at all. In fact all the young characters were strong in their own way that a lot of kids could easily relate to.

It's a book I could see being read aloud at night before bedtime, be read under a blanket fort, or anywhere really. For me it was easy to hear Neil Patrick Harris reading it after years of watching him on TV.

The story was solid and easy to get sucked into. In fact this was suppose to be my bus books, but let's be honest...that didn't happen. I'd start it on the bus, read it on break, and then read it between whatever I had to do at the house. Despite knowing it had to happy a ending. I couldn't wait to see how it all tied together. How the Magic Misfits defeat the bad guy and if Carter was staying in Mineral Wells.

For the best part was the small interludes where kids can learn magic tricks. A break from the story to teach the readers that they could do the tricks they'd just seen the characters themselves do. It's definitely a book I'll passing on to some of the younger readers in my life.

Buy, Borrow, or Skip: For the kid in your life, or just in heart, I say buy. It's a fun, and quick, read that will make you smile.

HAPPY READING!!

Thursday, March 22, 2018

Illuminae Files Book Event

This last Monday I was able to hear Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff talk about their series the Illuminae Files. The last book in the trilogy, Obisidio, came out just two weeks and I haven't had the time to start it yet. I know... I know... My flatmate has already read it and what stop bugging me about it. But, sometimes work just gets in the way of my reading time. 


However, thanks to my GM I was able to squeeze in just in time for the see them talk about how this series came to life, and what this series has allowed them to do. It was also exciting to hear they will be writing another series together. While Obsidio is in the end of this series, I'm glad both Kaufman and Kristoff will be writing together again. These books have been so much fun to read and I'm obsessed. And, not just because of the format these books are written in. I love the world they've created and the characters.

Most of all I love AIDEN! 

I was a little late jumping on this bandwagon. Books with as much hype as the first book Illuminae  received always makes me nervous in case it isn't something I enjoyed. Plus, the Sci-Fi Genre is always a little hit or miss with me. But, really this series lives up to the love it receives.


As the night went on it was easy to which parts of each book came from which author, but also how well they worked together. I'm also super lucky to have a co-author on things I'm writing, and It's sort of comforting knowing just because the two of us have no idea if we'll ever publish what we're writing, it can be down. And, we can stay friends through it with some amazing stories to share along the way.


Of course I took them some cupcakes from where I work. After all we have some pretty awesome galaxy cupcakes with seemed more than fitting. A perk of working where I do and an easy way to thank them for not only coming out to talk about one of my favorite series, but they signed so many books and took time to talk to everyone. 

So now I'm off to bury my head in Obsidio and eat my feelings. Because we all know I'm not emotionally prepared for the next 600+ pages of this book. Thank goodness I still have a box of Jelly Slugs left... I'm gonna need those

HAPPY READING!!

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Can't Wait Wednesday

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

Release Date: April 10, 2018
Author: Amanda Foody
Genre: YA / Fantasy
Pages: 400


Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when her mother goes missing, Enne must leave her finishing school—and her reputation—behind to follow her mother’s trail to the city where no one survives uncorrupted.

Frightened and alone, her only lead is a name: Levi Glaisyer. Unfortunately, Levi is not the gentleman she expected—he’s a street lord and a con man. Levi is also only one payment away from cleaning up a rapidly unraveling investment scam, so he doesn't have time to investigate a woman leading a dangerous double life. Enne's offer of compensation, however, could be the solution to all his problems. 



Why I'm Waiting:  The plot is pulling at me. I love a good story about a conman, and who doesn't love a good Vegas crime novel!

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme started by the Broke and the Bookishbut is not run by That Artsy Reader Girl.  Each week they chose a new meme and bloggers pick their Top Ten Books, TV Shows, Movies, etc that fit that theme. This week the theme is: Spring TBR!

  1. They Lost Their Heads! by Carlyn Beccia
  2. LIFEL1K3 by Jay Kristoff
  3. Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

  1. Beyond A Darkened Shore by Jessica Leake
  2. Game of Secrets by Kim Foster
  3. Noir by Christopher Moore

  1. Herding Cats by Sarah Andersen
  2. CatStronauts: Robot Rescue by Drew Brockington
  3. The Outsider by Stephen King

  1. Warlight by Michael Ondaatje
HAPPY READING!!

Thursday, March 15, 2018

Silver - Review

Author: Stephen Franck
Genre: Graphic Novel
Format: Paperback
Pages: 180


Expanding Bram Stoker’s original universe fifty years hence, into the pulp era of the 1930’s, SILVER introduces James Finnigan, a witty but (figuratively) soulless con man, who sets out to separate the living-dead from their precious silver.
Personality conflicts, emotional entanglements and character comedy abound, as Finnigan assembles the crew of talented but broken misfits needed to pull off the heist of the last ten centuries.


I discovered this Graphic Novel last year at Emerald City Comic-Con and fell in love. Silly me I didn't pick up both Volume 1 and 2. Mostly because I wasn't sure how I'd like a continuation of Bram Stoker's Dracula. It's hands down one of my favorite of the Classics and I've been disappointed one too many times with re-tellings and continuations.  

Sometimes it's good to be wrong. This year I not only picked up the last two installments to this story, but the prequel as well! 

What I like most about this series is quite a few years have passed since Dracula ended and starts Silver Volume 1. It's given the world time to forget what happened in London, to forget about the Van Helsing name, and that vampires exist. So it's a whole new world to jump into before short of going back time when we finally get to the vampires.

Another thing I enjoyed is who the story is about. Silver doesn't follow about Abraham Van Helsing's kin, she's just another part of the story. A part of the team Finnigan put together to go after the Silver Dragon. In fact the whole story is told through his POV and I really enjoyed that. Mostly because I'm not the biggest fan of Sledge. I get it she's a Van Helsing so that means she's had a pretty horrid childhood. But, ugh...really?! 

I adore James Finnigan. He's everything a love about good Noir novel. That slick, cool, bad guy that always has a trick up his sleeve, or some piece of the puzzle he just forgot to mention.

Oh, and the artwork! I love that it's all in black and white. It works because Silver is written in a Noir style despite having vampires inside story. So for me it works because it sort of pulls on that nostalgia of The Maltese Falcon and Dick Tracy.

I really liked this story and I'm super excite for Volume Four. Sadly there's not date for when that will be, but hopefully I won't have to wait a whole year! Because for as great as was to see how it all worked out, but dude?! Which one of those futures is true?! You can't just stop it there brah?! Like...

It's gonna be a long wait. Even with the prequel to keep me company.

Buy, Skip, or Borrow: Buy or Borrow. Which ever gets you to read this bad boy! If you like vampire, Noir, or just looking for something a little more bad guy and lost less good guy. This is for you!

HAPPY READING!!