February Wrap Up

Somehow February has been the longest and shortest month. Probably because I'm set to go see my parents at the start of March. So the last couple of weeks have seemed longer than they really were. But, it was a pretty good month on my end. Celebrated my birthday on style, survived Valentine's Day at work, and even manage to get Bookish Whispers ahead by two months on set posts. 

This time last year I was stressing about a lot of things, and the blog was one of them. While there's still stress, because that's just life. I'm not tied up in so many knots about everything. Work is going as smooth as any kind of food service, and the Bookish Whispers is doing great!

I'm looking forward to some time with my family next week. I chance to unwind and step away from work. Eat some really good food and celebrate my Dad's Birthday! I just have to survive the next few days.

Books Read:  6
BINGO Books:  2
Re-Reads: 2
Backlist Books: 3
Tackle TBR Books: 2

Pages Read: 1269

DNF: 1

Currently Reading: The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t with Her Mind

Book shopping with my Mim! It is a tradition when I came home for us to hit the local Indie bookstore. Which just so happens to be one of my favorite places. There wall-to-wall books in this place. Just stacks chilling on the floor. I could spent literal hours in there and spend way too much money. 

HAPPY READING!!

Book Mail

I need to give a huge Thank You to Quirk Books for this package! The wait for this had not been a patient one, but it is finally in my hands. Despite my current work load, I'll be getting to cracking this open sooner rather than later. Because this is the last book in the Warren the 13th series, and I need to know how it ends before I go on vacation!

Just look at it!? I know I'd love the cover in person. The other two books look amazing, and The  Thirteen-Year Curse is no different. I cannot wait to see all three sitting next to each other on my shelf! Also, the print was a wonderful surprise. I really enjoy the artwork that goes along Warren the 13th series. So I'm excited to get this print framed and hanging on my wall. I think I even have the perfect spot!

Again, thank you so much Quirk Books for this early copy. I'm excited to see where this adventures goes. I know it won't disappoint!

HAPPY READING!!

Tackle TBR Wrap Up

I didn't start this month off every strong, in fact I was kind of a reading slump. So I DNF-ed what I was reading picked up something I knew I liked. That did the trick and I managed to bust out two more books off my TBR. Technically, my next two TBR's are from my personal library, but that's only because I'm a few days away from vacation. I have a list ready to go on hold at the library as soon as I'm back.

February Stats:

Books Read: 2

Currently Reading: The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t with Her Mind

Total Stats:

Books Read: 4

DNF: 1

There is a lot of good books that have already come out, and even more that came out at the end of last year. So I'm going to back burner Tackle for a month, or so, and dive into the library shelves again. Spring is around the corner, and I have plans to turning our patio into a reading nook. That will require some extra reading.

HAPPY READING!!

Waiting on 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.

On the heels of a devastating plague, Torvi’s sister, Morgunn, is stolen from the family farm by Uther, a flame-loving Fremish wolf-priest who leads a pack of ragged, starving girls. Torvi leaves the only home she’s ever known, and joins a shaven-skulled druid and a band of roaming Elsh artists known as the Butcher Bards. They set out on a quest to rescue Torvi’s sister, and find a mythical sword.

On their travels, Torvi and her companions will encounter magical night wilds and mystical Drakes who trade in young men. They will sing rowdy Elshland ballads in a tree-town tavern, and find a mysterious black tower in an Endless Forest. They will fight alongside famous Vorseland archers and barter with Fremish wizards. They will feast with rogue Jade Fell children in a Skal Mountain cave, and seek the help of a Pig Witch. They will face wild, dangerous magic that leads to love, joy, tragedy, and death.

Torvi set out to rescue a sister, but she may find it’s merely the first step toward a life that is grander and more glorious than anything she could have imagined. 

Why I'm Waiting: April Genevieve Tucholke wrote a retelling of the Arthurian Legend. 

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

 

You are alone in the woods, seen only by the unblinking yellow moon. Your hands are empty. You are nearly naked.

And the wolf is angry.

Since her grandmother became her caretaker when she was four years old, Bisou Martel has lived a quiet life in a little house in Seattle. She’s kept mostly to herself. She’s been good. But then comes the night of homecoming, when she finds herself running for her life over roots and between trees, a fury of claws and teeth behind her. A wolf attacks. Bisou fights back. A new moon rises. And with it, questions. About the blood in Bisou’s past and on her hands as she stumbles home. About broken boys and vicious wolves. About girls lost in the woods—frightened, but not alone.

Elana K. Arnold, National Book Award finalist and author of the Printz Honor book Damsel, returns with a dark, engrossing, blood-drenched tale of the familiar threats to female power—and one girl’s journey to regain it.

HAPPY READING!!

Cover Runway Sundays

They say don't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes it's the cover that originally catches our eye, drawing us to give a book a closer look. It's the first thing we see, our first impression. Every Sunday I'm going to post some of my favorite covers of books coming soon! Some are by authors I already enjoy, some are the reason I gave the book a longer look. Either way they're all going to find their way here!

I am Renata Convida.
I have lived a hundred stolen lives.
Now I live my own.

Renata Convida was only a child when she was kidnapped by the King's Justice and brought to the luxurious palace of Andalucia. As a Robari, the rarest and most feared of the magical Moria, Renata's ability to steal memories from royal enemies enabled the King's Wrath, a siege that resulted in the deaths of thousands of her own people.

Now Renata is one of the Whispers, rebel spies working against the crown and helping the remaining Moria escape the kingdom bent on their destruction. The Whispers may have rescued Renata from the palace years ago, but she cannot escape their mistrust and hatred--or the overpowering memories of the hundreds of souls she turned "hollow" during her time in the palace.

When Dez, the commander of her unit, is taken captive by the notorious Sangrado Prince, Renata will do anything to save the boy whose love makes her place among the Whispers bearable. But a disastrous rescue attempt means Renata must return to the palace under cover and complete Dez's top secret mission. Can Renata convince her former captors that she remains loyal, even as she burns for vengeance against the brutal, enigmatic prince? Her life and the fate of the Moria depend on it.

But returning to the palace stirs childhood memories long locked away. As Renata grows more deeply embedded in the politics of the royal court, she uncovers a secret in her past that could change the entire fate of the kingdom--and end the war that has cost her everything. 

HAPPY READING!!

Gwendy's Magic Feather - Review

Author: Richard Chizmar

Genre:  Thriller

Series: Gwendy's Box #2

Format: Paperback

Pages: 212

I really liked this as follow up to the first book, Gwendy's Button Box. She's a great character and I was glad that unlike so many of the protagonists that come from Castle Rock, she managed to survive her ordeal. While Richard Chizmar has his won writing style, I felt like he did King's world justice. It felt like a story that could in seamlessly with the time lines already set up. I especially enjoyed the little throw backs to other stories. A reminder that the Button Box wasn't the weirdest thing to ever to happen to Castle Rock..

While Gwendy was an adult in this book, she still felt like the same Gwendy from Button Box. She seemed freer since no longer having to keep one eye on the Button Box, and so far everything Mr. Farris had predicted was coming true for her. Things were still swinging her way even though she no longer had the box. Until she did. Even her parents were written almost exactly where they had left off in the end of the first book. The writing style my have changed, but the characters were lifted straight out and done justice.

Even the new characters seemed to fit into Castle Rock. Even the town itself was done perfectly. A sleepy little town where way to much weird stuff goes down.

My favorite bit was how dealing with box changed as Gwendy got older. The way she views the world changed, but not only because of her age. Because of her job as well. She sees the bigger problems, and knows what the box can do now. How the box could change the course of those moments. It was a deeper struggle this time for Gwendy to protect the box. 

The story itself is hard to put down. I'm not the fastest reader, but I devoured this book in one afternoon. Mostly because there isn't a good part to put down the book. There's the mystery of why she has the Button Box back, and also the mystery who is the Tooth Fairy. Which is a serial killer that definitely works will with King's canon. That part of the story gave me serious Dead Zone vibes. There was never a point where any part of the story would lag. One thing would finish, but then another part would rise up.

Though, I was did figure out who the Tooth Fairy was pretty quick once we met him. That gut feeling of having read so many Stephen King books that I sort of knew what to look for when it comes to the bad guys.

My only real issue was the random piece of artwork that fit between chapters. They really weren't needed, and didn't add much to the story. A couple of them didn't even make sense with what I was reading, or had just read. Chizmar has a wonderfully vivid writing style that made them unneeded.

As a whole I was satisfied with who everything ended. I though Chizmar did a great job continuing the story. I really enjoyed his writing style and will definitely read more works by him. It was fun to see a grown-up Gwendy get some answers to questions that have haunted since getting the box the first time. It was a great read. 

HAPPY READING!!

Waiting on 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.

A safe haven between four realms. The girl sworn to protect it--at any cost.

Hidden deep in the mountains of Colorado lies the Inn at Havenfall, a sanctuary that connects ancient worlds--each with their own magic--together. For generations, the inn has protected all who seek refuge within its walls, and any who disrupt the peace can never return.

For Maddie Morrow, summers at the inn are more than a chance to experience this magic first-hand. Havenfall is an escape from reality, where her mother sits on death row accused of murdering Maddie's brother. It's where Maddie fell in love with handsome Fiorden soldier Brekken. And it's where one day she hopes to inherit the role of Innkeeper from her beloved uncle.

But this summer, the impossible happens--a dead body is found, shattering everything the inn stands for. With Brekken missing, her uncle gravely injured, and a dangerous creature on the loose, Maddie suddenly finds herself responsible for the safety of everyone in Havenfall. She'll do anything to uncover the truth, even if it means working together with an alluring new staffer Taya, who seems to know more than she's letting on. As dark secrets are revealed about the inn itself, one thing becomes clear to Maddie--no one can be trusted, and no one is safe . . . 

Why I'm Waiting: This sounds like it's gonna be perfect book to take on vacation with me!

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

Welcome to the magical, mystical, topsy-turvy world of the House of Secrets, where Zatanna embarks on a journey of self-discovery and adventure ... all with her pet rabbit, Pocus, at her side

Zatanna and her professional magician father live in a special house, the House of Secrets, which is full of magic, puzzles, mysterious doors, and storybook creatures--it's the house everyone in the neighborhood talks about but avoids. Not that Zatanna cares, though, because she is perfectly content.

But at school one day, Zatanna stands up to a bully and everything changes ... including her friends. Suddenly, Zatanna isn't so sure about her place in the world, and when she returns home to tell her father, he's gone missing, lost within their own home.

HAPPY READING!!

Gwendy's Button Box - Review

Author: Stephen King & Richard Chizmar

Genre:  Thriller

Series: Gwendy's Box #1

Format: Paperback

Pages: 171

Huh.

I mean yeah... That kind sums up all my thoughts on Gwendy's Button Box in one word. It's a really good book, and everything I enjoy from Stephen King, but it is a strang little novella. I knew it was going to be weird. My Mom had read it before me and had said it was one of stranger works. Nothing wrong with that in my opinion. I too a strange work. But this is weird.

I did like it though. It was a quick read and hard to put down. It's one of those books where you need to know what is going to happen next. Is she gonna push a button, is the box going to be mad Gwendy's is forgetting, is the Boiler Hat man going to come. Question after question as you flip through each chapter. What happens when you give a child, a teenager, what is basically Pandora's Box?

The plot movies fluidly and covers nearly a decade in time for in barely a hundred pages. Enough to see the type of things the Button Box can do, could do. To wonder how much was fate and how much was the box. To wonder who Mr. Farris really it, or really what is he. It's not hard to keep up with the time jumps. They happen chapter-to-chapter, using Gwendy's School Grades as a timeline.

Despite having two authors it feels like it was written by one. This is the Castle Rock we all know, and it seems like Gwendy fits right in. It isn't hard to see how this story could fit into all the weird that happens around that town. It also fits well into the Stephen King genre. Though I have to say I thought the ending would go a little differently than it did.

Though, I'm not mad. This was one of those stories where it was nice that everything got tied up with a little bow. I really liked Gwendy as a characters, and how she took on the role of the caretaker of the box. She never left the power of what it could do over rule her. Instead she kept it safe, and only used it when she had too after so found out what it really could do.

Because how do you blame a child for wondering if a magic box is really magic without trying it out?

All-in-all, I really enjoyed Gwendy's Button Box. So much so I picked up the second book in the duology to see what comes next for Gwendy.

HAPPY READING!!

Cover Runway Sundays

They say don't judge a book by its cover, but we all know we do it. Sometimes it's the cover that originally catches our eye, drawing us to give a book a closer look. It's the first thing we see, our first impression. Every Sunday I'm going to post some of my favorite covers of books coming soon! Some are by authors I already enjoy, some are the reason I gave the book a longer look. Either way they're all going to find their way here!

They were leaning over the edge of the unknown and were afraid of what they would discover there.

Meet the World War II female scientists who worked in the secret sites of the Manhattan Project. Recruited not only from labs and universities from across the United States but also from countries abroad, these scientists helped in-and often initiated-the development of the atomic bomb, taking a starring role in the Manhattan Project. In fact, their involvement was critical to its success, though many of them were not fully aware of the consequences.

The atomic women include
Lise Meitner and Irène Joliot-Curie (daughter of Marie Curie), who led the groundwork for the Manhattan Project from Europe;

Elizabeth Rona, the foremost expert in plutonium, who gave rise to the "Fat Man" and "Little Boy," the bombs dropped over Japan; and

Leona Woods, Elizabeth Graves, and Joan Hinton, who were inspired by European scientific ideals but carved their own paths.
This book explores not just the critical steps toward the creation of a successful nuclear bomb, but also the moral implications of such an invention.

HAPPY READING!!

Mini Reviews

This series really does get better with every new book. It's been so long since I first read Whispering Woods that I had forgotten about a couple of things: Worrin, the snake oil salesmen, etc. But, the one thing I hadn't forgotten where the Sap-Squatch! Such a cut concept to bring into the Malwoods. The scene with the swimming in the sap, while kind of gross, is an amazing image. All together it is a fun read, and I'm so excited this series about to get another installment! I need an excuse to read these every year! 5 Stars

How cute was this?! There are plenty of stories of Diana after she become Wonder Women, and a few leading up to right before. But this one is all about when she was growing up on Paradise Island as the only child. How lonely she was during that time.The was story itself was solid and easy to follow, and full of shenanigans. It also holds a lesson at the end for both kids and adults. It also did a great job of showing just strong Diana was becoming. As well as hinting that she was something a little more than just an Amazon. So it fits into the canon wonderfully. The artwork was amazing as well and fit with the type of story being told. Each panel was eye catching, colorful and full of detail. 5 Stars!! 

HAPPY READING!!