New Release Tuesday

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. 

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!

Set adrift by his pirate crew, Pocket of Dog Snogging—last seen in The Serpent of Venice—washes up on the sun-bleached shores of Greece, where he hopes to dazzle the Duke with his comedic brilliance and become his trusted fool.

But the island is in turmoil. Egeus, the Duke’s minister, is furious that his daughter Hermia is determined to marry Demetrius, instead of Lysander, the man he has chosen for her. The Duke decrees that if, by the time of the wedding, Hermia still refuses to marry Lysander, she shall be executed . . . or consigned to a nunnery. Pocket, being Pocket, cannot help but point out that this decree is complete bollocks, and that the Duke is an egregious weasel for having even suggested it. Irritated by the fool’s impudence, the Duke orders his death. With the Duke’s guards in pursuit, Pocket makes a daring escape.

He soon stumbles into the wooded realm of the fairy king Oberon, who, as luck would have it, IS short a fool. His jester Robin Goodfellow—the mischievous sprite better known as Puck—was found dead. Murdered. Oberon makes Pocket an offer he can’t refuse: he will make Pocket his fool and have his death sentence lifted if Pocket finds out who killed Robin Goodfellow. But as anyone who is even vaguely aware of the Bard’s most performed play ever will know, nearly every character has a motive for wanting the mischievous sprite dead.

With too many suspects and too little time, Pocket must work his own kind of magic to find the truth, save his neck, and ensure that all ends well.

A rollicking tale of love, magic, madness, and murder, Shakespeare for Squirrels is a Midsummer Night’s noir—a wicked and brilliantly funny good time conjured by the singular imagination of Christopher Moore.

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.

May 4, 1970.
Kent State University.

As protestors roil the campus, National Guardsmen are called in. In the chaos of what happens next, shots are fired and four students are killed. To this day, there is still argument of what happened and why.

Told in multiple voices from a number of vantage points -- protestor, Guardsman, townie, student -- Deborah Wiles's Kent State gives a moving, terrifying, galvanizing picture of what happened that weekend in Ohio . . . an event that, even 50 years later, still resonates deeply.

Why I'm Waiting: Honestly I don't much about what exactly happened at Kent State. So these seemed like a good place to jump and learn a little more about that fateful day.

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

At the conclusion of the second book in the Warren the 13th series, The Warren Hotel had transformed into a giant ship, and set sail for the open seas! When Warren 3 opens, Warren is adjusting to the demands of running a floating hotel and is planning his 13th birthday party when disaster strikes--the hotel is shipwrecked on a strange island. To make things worse, his octopus-like friend Sketchy is kidnapped by a travelling circus! Warren and his friends must solve a series of riddles to find the next location of the circus and rescue their friend before it's too late. Along the way, they meet a new cast of characters, including some elderly pirates, a sea witch, a talking clam, and a giant sea monster. As Warren pursues Sketchy's kidnappers, he will learn the truth of his friend's mysterious origins--as well as one final secret of the Warren Hotel.

My review for Warren the 13th and The Thirteen-Year Curse can be found here!

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!

When she was a child, Cassidy Pratt accidentally started a fire that killed her neighbor. At least, that’s what she’s been told. She can’t remember anything from that day, and her town’s bullies, particularly the cruel and beautiful Melody Davenport, have never let her live it down.

But then Melody goes missing, and Cassidy thinks she may have information. She knows she should go to the cops, but she recently joked about how much she’d like to get rid of Melody. She even planned out the perfect way to do it. And then she gets a chilling text from an unknown number: I’m so glad we’re in this together.

Now it’s up to Cassidy to figure out what really happened before the truth behind Melody’s disappearance sets the whole town ablaze.

HAPPY READING!!

Bites of Terror - Review

Author: Cuddles and Rage

Genre:  Graphic Novel / Humor / Horror

Format: Paperbak

Pages: 144

First a huge thank you Quirk Books for sending me an early copy of Bites of Terror! What follows in my honest review.

Okay, so I requested this book because it looked absolutely ridiculous, and right up my alley. Not to mention the author are listed as Cuddles and Rage. I mean I couldn't pass up the chance to get my hand this graphic novel.

So, Bites of Terror is set up kind of like the Tale of the Crypt with a little bit of the Twilight Zone sprinkled into the mix. Both were shows I adored as a kid which meant I had held high hopes for what I wanted this graphic novel to be, and it honestly hit all the rights notes or me. It's weird, funny, and is totally ridiculous.

Let's start with my favorite bit of Bite of Terror.  This graphic novel isn't animated, it's photographed. So much work goes into each panel that I spent just as much time trying to find all the little details as I did reading each story. The details are amazing and it's not something you see every day in graphic novels. I was blown away by the amount of work these two put into each little panel and ultimately the entire story. All without distracting from the story.

Each story has a theme and the book follows a menu of sorts. A three course meal if you will: starts, mains, and desserts. The food in each section matches the course of the meal you are on. There were a few stories I liked more than others as is usually the case in all of these, but there wasn't one that I completely disliked. Though the story right at the start is my favorite of them all, and was a strong opener for the book.

I also really liked our narrator, the Cake Creeper and is pet Eyevon. He was a great way to not only keep the main story flowing, but also to make each of the stories seem like they had a place in the plot. 

Speaking of the main plot, it was super cheesy. However, it was done in such an over the top way that I really enjoyed it. I'd catch on a twists a bite of terror before it was revealed, or there would an over dramatic evil genius monologue. It was meant to easy to figure out because it's meant to be funny. To poke fun something that as a kid kid of freaked me out. So it was great to get to laugh at myself a little in such a fun way.

Without a doubt this is weird graphic novel, and pretty sure there might something fundamentally wrong with Cuddles and Rage. But, who needs to right with a book like this. I really did enjoy it and I'm already passing it along to friends. So again, thank you Quirk Books. This was great!

Buy, Borrow, or Skip: I say buy. This is one of those books that is too much fun not share with your friends, and it's definitely one you can go back to and read again.   

Bites of Terror will be officially out March 24th! Mark your calendars!

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.

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.

Why I'm Waiting: Because no one excepts the Spanish Inquisition!

HAPPY READING!!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

Don't forget to wear something Green!! To anyone going out tonight be safe, and don't drink the green beer! It's never as good as you want it to be! And, to everyone else who is staying in (like this gal) have fun! I'm going to try to get everyone in my house to watch one of the weirdest Horror Movies to every exists, Leprechaun. There is no better day to watch these movies than this one. However our popcorn will not be green, because that is weird. And if anyone asks, a green book cover does count!

To those not celebrating, Happy Tuesday! Go get some new releases, and some old ones! Stay safe out their guys!

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!

Return to the enchanting world of the Montague siblings in the finale to the New York Times bestselling and Stonewall Honor-winning series, featuring a teenage Adrian Montague as he desperately seeks the now adult Monty and Felicity—the older siblings he never knew he had.

The sole heir to his family’s fortune, Adrian Montague desperately wants to be free—from his father’s high expectations; the grief of losing his beloved mother; and the constant war being waged inside his mind. Adrian was diagnosed with hysteria at a young age and it’s always been kept a secret. But when he has a breakdown at his engagement party, the public learns Adrian’s worst fear: he might not be fit to run the Montague estate.

Thankfully, Adrian is given an opportunity to avoid the impending scandal: a trip to the Caribbean to claim the last of his mother’s possessions. But along the way, Adrian discovers another secret lurking in his family tree. He is actually the youngest of three children—his sister Felicity and brother “Monty” went missing over a decade ago. Now Adrian has the chance to find them and offer to pass the estate back to the rightful heirs.

Adrian expects to win his long-lost brother over with the promise of wealth and inheritance, while dreaming of a quiet life where Adrian doesn’t feel like a burden to anyone. But when Adrian finally tracks him down, Monty refuses to return home. The only thing he can convince Monty of is to accompany him across the ocean as an act of tribute to their mother, hoping that during the voyage he can persuade Monty into taking the weight of inheriting the estate off his shoulders.

When they reach their destination, Adrian and Monty find something hidden in their mother’s belongings—a clue pointing to a valuable artifact that could potentially save the Montague siblings from a curse that threatens their lives. But to retrieve it, they must chase an infamous myth through the wild sugar fields of Barbados to the haunting streets of New Orleans to mysterious uncharted islands off the edge of the map. 

HAPPY READING!!

Book Mail

This actually came while I was on vacation. So it was a wonderful surprise to come home to! Though with the unpacking and jumping back into work, I'm just now throwing a post up about it. I don't always know if I'm going to get some of the books I request, so it's always great to see that email come through that I have a package in our HUB. What's even better is getting to tear open this bad boy and see what which books I got this time.

Here's what Quirk Books sent my way this time:

I was hoping I'd get a copy of this! From what little I got to see of the inside, it looks adorable! I'll definitely be picking this one up soon rather than later. It seems like a good way to unwind after work.

HAPPY READING!!

March TBR

I've been forced back into real world by my bills and to keep my cat in kibble! Which also means the second part of my March TBR. These are three books I've been itching to pick up this month. Books that have been on mind while I was reading other things. I feel like I can read all three of these before the end of the month, or at least pretty close. I devoured the first book in the Dread Nation series, So I have imagine Deathless Divide will be just as hard to put down. In fact it'll be a toss up if I start with that one or Infinity Son. I've heard so many good things about the later.

March TBR:

The theme for this month is Big Books it would seem. Both Deathless Divide and Blood Orbit are decent sized books, and both are BINGO books. This TBR is really win-win. I'm excited for all three books.

HAPPY READING!!

Vacation Book Haul

No trip home is complete without going shopping with my Mim. That includes the two local book stores. Honestly I got a really good haul this trip. Our first stop is always Books&Grannies which is floor to ceiling books. I can spend hours in there if I'm left to my devices. I love it because it's one of those book stores where you have to check every nook and cranny for books, and I find the best stuff there. Most of this haul came from that book store. The second stop is HeadhogINK which is gently used book store. I only got one book there, but I'm excited to add it to my Fall reading list since it's about a Haunted House. 

I couldn't believe I found Warcross and Carve the Mark as soon as I walked into the door. I knew this was going to be a good haul. Almost all of these are on my to read list. In fact the only two not already on my list are: The Strings of Murder and Diary of a Haunting. Both seem right up my alley. Very excited to get these added to my TBR this year!

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.

1834. Sophia Thompson wants nothing more than to be one of the famed Bow Street Runners, London's most elite corps of detectives. Never mind that a woman has never before joined their ranks--and certainly never mind that her reclusive family has forbidden her from pursuing such an unladylike goal.

She gets the chance to prove her capabilities when an urgent letter arrives from her frantic cousin Daphne, begging Sophia to come look into the suspicious death of Daphne's brother.

As Sophia begins to unravel the tangled threads of the case--with the help of a charming young policeman--she soon realizes that the murderer may be even closer to her family than she ever suspected.

Why I'm Waiting: Because I'm a sucker for any kind of Victorian Murder Mystery.

HAPPY READING!!

New Release Tuesday

This is the only way to explain the series of misfortunes that have plagued the passengers of the ship from the moment they set sail: mysterious disappearances, sudden deaths. Now suspended in an eerie, unsettling twilight zone during the four days of the liner's illustrious maiden voyage, a number of the passengers - including millionaires Madeleine Astor and Benjamin Guggenheim, the maid Annie Hebbley and Mark Fletcher - are convinced that something sinister is going on . . . And then, as the world knows, disaster strikes.

Years later and the world is at war. And a survivor of that fateful night, Annie, is working as a nurse on the sixth voyage of the Titanic's sister ship, the Britannic, now refitted as a hospital ship. Plagued by the demons of her doomed first and near fatal journey across the Atlantic, Annie comes across an unconscious soldier she recognises while doing her rounds. It is the young man Mark. And she is convinced that he did not - could not - have survived the sinking of the Titanic . . . 

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!

Isabelle of Kirklees has only ever known a quiet life inside the sheltered walls of the convent, where she lives with her mother, Marien. But after she is arrested by royal soldiers for defending innocent villagers, Isabelle becomes the target of the Wolf, King John's ruthless right hand. Desperate to keep her daughter safe, Marien helps Isabelle escape and sends her on a mission to find the one person who can help: Isabelle's father, Robin Hood.

As Isabelle races to stay out of the Wolf's clutches and find the father she's never known, she is thrust into a world of thieves and mercenaries, handsome young outlaws, new enemies with old grudges, and a king who wants her entire family dead. As she joins forces with Robin and his Merry Men in a final battle against the Wolf, will Isabelle find the strength to defy the crown and save the lives of everyone she holds dear?

In Hood, author Jenny Elder Moke reimagines the world of Robin Hood in lush, historical detail and imbues her story with more breathless action than has ever come out of Sherwood Forest before. This novel is a must-read for historical-fiction fans, adventure lovers, and reluctant readers alike! 

HAPPY READING!!