Month: October 2017

Review: Dragonfly Song


Title: Dragonfly Song
Author: Wendy Orr
Genre: Middle Grade
Publisher: Pajama Press
Source: Publisher
Release Date: October 13, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The little girl found under a bush has no name and cannot speak. Is she a miracle child who escaped the raiders, or is she a bad-luck child, the one who called the Bull King’s ship to the island? No one sees the mama-stone around her neck, with the sign of the dragonfly. And only Luki, in training to leap the bulls, knows that she charmed the viper who would have killed him. When the girl turns twelve, she discovers her name – Aissa – and she knows that her one chance to live freely is to become a bull dancer, and be taken away to the island of the Bull King.

Review:

This is a unique middle grade story.

I love Greek mythology so I loved how this story was done in the style of a traditional Greek epic. A lot of the story was told in verse, like the epic poems The Odyssey or The Illiad. This style may be unusual for many young readers, but it will expose them to a traditional style of writing. Orr does a great job of weaving verse in with the prose of the story. Many other aspects of Greek mythology also appear in the story, such as sacrifice and animal imagery. 

Though Aissa’s story is happening centuries ago, she still faces issues that contemporary children have to deal with. Young readers could relate to her problems with bullies. She is bullied by Half-One and Half-Two and is eventually kicked out of the servants circle. 

I really enjoyed this story. However, if I read it when I was in elementary school, I don’t think I would have liked it as much. This story would be a great introduction to the Ancient Greek style for young readers, if they also have some guidance from an adult. 

Weekly Wrap Up #8

Here’s my weekly wrap up!

Here are my reviews for the week:

My favourite was The Good Mother.

I also did a weekly book meme everyday:

What did you read this week? Have you read any of these books?

Blog Tour: The Note

9781786698070

Title: The Note
Author: Zoe Folbigg
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Aria
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: October 1, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Synopsis:

Based on Zoë Folbigg’s true story comes an unforgettable romance about how a little note can change everything…

One very ordinary day, Maya Flowers sees a new commuter board her train to London, and suddenly the day isn’t ordinary at all. Maya knows immediately and irrevocably, that he is The One.

But the beautiful man on the train always has his head in a book and never seems to notice Maya sitting just down the carriage from him every day. Eventually, though, inspired by a very wise friend, Maya plucks up the courage to give the stranger a note asking him out for a drink. Afterall, what’s the worst that can happen?

And so begins a story of sliding doors, missed opportunities and finding happiness where you least expect it.

The Note is an uplifting, life-affirming reminder that taking a chance can change everything…

Review:

This is a light romance with some drama thrown in. 

Maya is a quirky character who works for a fashion website. I liked all the clothes that she was wearing. They sounded super cute. I also liked her friend Nena. She was an interesting character who I wish was in the story more. 

I liked that many different types of relationships were present in the story. There were couples who had been together for years, and new affairs just beginning. 

I felt like there were too many characters to keep track of. There were multiple couples who took turns being the focus of the story, as well as all of Maya’s colleagues. The story was also a little long. 

If you’re looking for a romantic story with some depth, this one is for you. 

About the Author:

Folbigg_Zoe colour

Zoë Folbigg is a magazine journalist and digital editor, starting at Cosmopolitan in 2001 and since freelancing for titles including Glamour, Fabulous, Daily Mail, Healthy, LOOK, Top Santé, Mother & Baby, ELLE, Sunday Times Style, and Style.com. In 2008 she had a weekly column in Fabulous magazine documenting her year-long round-the-world trip with ‘Train Man’ – a man she had met on her daily commute. She has since married Train Man and lives in Hertfordshire with him and their two young sons. This is her debut novel.

Follow Zoe

Website: http://www.zoefolbigg.com/
Twitter: @zolington
Facebook: @zoefolbiggauthor

THE NOTE blog tour

Available on NetGalley: http://bit.ly/2xk8jzq

Buy links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ho8FLj
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2xXnW0p
iBooks: http://apple.co/2yi6WxU
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2hkpXwt

Follow Aria

Website: www.ariafiction.com
Twitter: @aria_fiction
Facebook: @ariafiction
Instagram: @ariafiction

Stacking The Shelves #7

STSsmall

This is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and Reading Reality. Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

I finally received my two preorders this week: Turtles All The Way Down and All The Crooked Saints. I have a bunch of blog tours to post in the next couple of weeks but I’ll be reviewing these two soon!

I also bought Practical Magic. The sequel to this book came out this week so I want to read this one first!

What books did you buy this week? Have you read any of these ones?

Review: The Comic Book Story of Video Games

Title: The Comic Book Story of Video Games
Author: Jonathan Hennessey, Jack McGowan
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: October 3, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A complete, illustrated history of video games–highlighting the machines, games, and people who have made gaming a worldwide, billion dollar industry/artform–told in a graphic novel format.

Author Jonathan Hennessey and illustrator Jack McGowan present the first full-color, chronological origin story for this hugely successful, omnipresent artform and business. Hennessey provides readers with everything they need to know about video games–from their early beginnings during World War II to the emergence of arcade games in the 1970s to the rise of Nintendo to today’s app-based games like Angry Birds and Pokemon Go. Hennessey and McGowan also analyze the evolution of gaming as an artform and its impact on society. Each chapter features spotlights on major players in the development of games and gaming that contains everything that gamers and non-gamers alike need to understand and appreciate this incredible phenomenon.

Review:

I liked this comic book history of video games.

It gives a thorough history of video games, right from the invention of TVs. It’s fascinating to see how far back the idea of video games goes.

I liked the way that classic video game characters, such as Mario and Sonic, appear throughout the history. It reinforces the video game theme.

Some points in the book were a little dry. There were a lot of details about the World Wars that were boring at times. But the story was always brought back to video games, even if it took a while.

I recommend this book for video game players, especially children, because it teaches about history from a video game perspective.

First Lines Friday #7

This is a weekly meme hosted by Wandering Words, where you give the first few lines of a book to hook your readers before introducing the book.

Here are my first lines:

“At the time I first realized I might be fictional, my weekdays were spent at a publicly funded institution on the north side of Indianapolis called White River High School, where I was required to eat lunch at a particular time – between 12:37 P.M. and 1:14 P.M. – by forces so much larger than myself that I couldn’t even begin to identify them.”

Do you recognize these first lines?

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And the book is… the highly anticipated Turtles All The Way Down by John Green.


Here’s the Goodreads synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.

Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts.

In his long-awaited return, John Green, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, shares Aza’s story with shattering, unflinching clarity in this brilliant novel of love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship.

I’m excited to start this book soon! I have a bunch of blog tours to do before I read it, but I will read it soon. Have you read it?

Blog Tour: The Good Mother

ARIA_Osman_THE GOOD MOTHER_E

Title: The Good Mother
Author: Karen Osman
Genre: Fiction, Thriller
Publisher: Aria
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: October 1, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis:

How far would you go to protect your children?

A gripping psychological suspense, with a shocking twist that will leave you reeling…

Catherine is a good mother and a good wife. The family home is immaculate, her husband’s supper is cooked on time, but when she starts writing to Michael, a prisoner convicted of murder, she finds herself obsessing about his crime and whether he can ever truly be forgiven…  

Kate has no time for herself.  Caught in the maelstrom of bringing up two young children with no money, and an out of work husband, she longs to escape the drudgery of being a wife and a mother. And she soon starts taking dangerous risks to feel alive…  

Alison has flown the nest. But university life is not what she had hoped for, and she finds herself alone and unhappy. Until the day her professor takes a sudden interest in her. Then everything changes…  

Three women – all with secrets. And as the days tick down to Michael’s release, those secrets can no longer be ignored.

Review:

This book was amazing!

I don’t want to give away the ending so I won’t say too much about the plot.

I liked the characters. I was drawn right into Kate’s, Alison’s, and Catherine’s stories. Each of them had a distinct point of view so I could always tell them apart. I was a little confused at first by the time periods. Each of their stories are happening decades apart, but it took a while to figure that out.

I was going to finish this book before bed, but I’m glad I didn’t because I would have been up all night if I did. I had just figured out the ending but reading that I was right was very exciting.

This is a very cleverly woven story. It doesn’t appear to be a thriller for most of the story, but the ending definitely gives it thriller status. I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for an exciting story!

About the Author:

Karen_Osman_colourOriginally from the UK, Karen won the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature Montegrappa Novel Writing Award 2016 with her crime-thriller novel and now has a three-book deal with Head of Zeus. When she’s not writing novels, Karen is busy bringing up her two young children and running her communication business Travel Ink.

Website: https://www.karenosman.com/
Twitter: @KarenAuthor

THE GOOD MOTHER BLOG TOUR

Available on NetGalley: http://bit.ly/2jQwtfq

Buy links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2hllmdI
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2wL90xt
iBooks: http://apple.co/2wLlV2e
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2wauh47

Follow Aria

Website: www.ariafiction.com
Twitter: @aria_fiction
Facebook: @ariafiction
Instagram: @ariafiction

Cover Reveal: Weirdo Academy Series

 

 

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for books 1 and 2 in the

Weirdo Academy Series by Charles Curtis!

Be on the lookout for these titles from Tantrum Books!

 

HERE WE GO!
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE COVERS?

 

 

Alexander Graham Ptuiac, the son of an inventor, dreams of playing football. But his dreams are thwarted by his lack of athleticism and overall lanky build. Like any kid with a dream, Alex tries out anyway, just in case. If nothing else, maybe he can win the role of water boy. So when Alex suddenly manifests superhuman powers during football tryouts, Alex can’t believe his good luck. He’s got game! But his new abilities can get him kicked off the team; unless Alex can keep it a secret long enough to find out how the heck he got this way. Enter Dex, a diminutive classmate who can somehow jump as high as ten feet in the air. Now, Alex isn’t the only one at school with a secret. Except, the boys have caught the attention of some pretty nefarious adults, intent on making sure neither Alex nor Dex make it through the season.The only thing stranger than Alexander Graham Ptuiac, accidental quarterback, is the shocking truth about himself and his parents. When truth is stranger than fiction and adults are out to get you, there’s only one thing to do. Play ball!

Accidental Quarterback (Weirdo Academy #1)
by Charles Curtis
Publication Date: November 7, 2017
Publisher: Tantrum Books

Pre-order:
Amazon

 

 

Alex and Dex are local heroes. Suddenly, everyone wants to be friends with Alex, Dex and Sophi.

But someone more powerful than any of them lurks in the background, keeping a close watch until it’s time to swoop in and capture them. Still, Alex tries to maintain some semblance of normalcy — in the offseason, he wants to play baseball. As Alex becomes a formidable pitcher, his powers grow and so does his obsession with controlling them.

With Alex finding less and less time for Dex and Sophi, Dex discovers his cat-like abilities start to disappear soon after he starts spending time with a girl.

As the friends struggle to maintain their friendships, that mysterious someone gets closer and closer. Can the three friends find their way back to one another before it’s too late? Or will middle school tear them apart for good?

The Impossible Pitcher (Weirdo Academy #2)
by Charles Curtis
Publication Date: November 7, 2017
Publisher: Tantrum Books

Pre-order:
Amazon

 

 

Charles Curtis is a writer and journalist based in New York City. He has reported and written for publications including NJ.com (where he is currently the site’s sports buzz reporter), The Daily, ESPN.com, ESPN the Magazine, Bleacher Report, TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly. Charles has covered the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, golf, tennis and NASCAR. He has also written about television, film and pop culture.
In addition, Curtis has also written, produced and was featured in videos for ESPN.com and The Daily. He has made radio appearances on stations including 92.9 The Ticket in Bangor, Maine, WLIE 540 AM in Long Island and on morning shows across Canada via the CBC.
He can be reached on Twitter: @charlescurtis82.

Website • Twitter • Facebook

 

 

Review: Friend Request


Title: Friend Request
Author: Laura Marshall
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: September 5, 2017
Rating: ★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

1989. When Louise first notices the new girl who has mysteriously transferred late into their senior year, Maria seems to be everything the girls Louise hangs out with aren’t. Authentic. Funny. Brash. Within just a few days, Maria and Louise are on their way to becoming fast friends.

2016. Louise receives a heart-stopping email: Maria Weston wants to be friends on Facebook. Long-buried memories quickly rise to the surface: those first days of their budding friendship; cruel decisions made and dark secrets kept; the night that would change all their lives forever.

Louise has always known that if the truth ever came out, she could stand to lose everything. Her job. Her son. Her freedom. Maria’s sudden reappearance threatens it all, and forces Louise to reconnect with everyone she’d severed ties with to escape the past. But as she tries to piece together exactly what happened that night, Louise discovers there’s more to the story than she ever knew. To keep her secret, Louise must first uncover the whole truth, before what’s known to Maria–or whoever’s pretending to be her–is known to all.

Review:

I loved the premise for this book. It’s so spooky to imagine: someone you thought was dead sends you a friend request on Facebook. 

This book was pretty slow for me. I kept waiting for something big to happen. In the middle of the story, when Louise gets creepy messages, I was really excited. But closer to the end it fell apart. There was a lot happening and I lost interest. 

I think there was too much background given. The story spent a lot of time in the past. I would have felt more of a connection to the characters and the story if there were shorter flashbacks. 

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t as exciting as I had hoped. It was too long and the ending fell flat for me.