Here are my reviews for the week with my ratings:
I did 7 weekly blogging memes:
How was your week? What did you guys read?
The meme that dares to ask what book has been in your bed this morning? Come share what book you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed, or which book you wish you had time to read today! This meme is hosted by Midnight Book Girl.
This Sunday I’m reading Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout.
A Betrayal…
Everything Poppy has ever believed in is a lie, including the man she was falling in love with. Thrust among those who see her as a symbol of a monstrous kingdom, she barely knows who she is without the veil of the Maiden. But what she does know is that nothing is as dangerous to her as him. The Dark One. The Prince of Atlantia. He wants her to fight him, and that’s one order she’s more than happy to obey. He may have taken her, but he will never have her.
A Choice…
Casteel Da’Neer is known by many names and many faces. His lies are as seductive as his touch. His truths as sensual as his bite. Poppy knows better than to trust him. He needs her alive, healthy, and whole to achieve his goals. But he’s the only way for her to get what she wants—to find her brother Ian and see for herself if he has become a soulless Ascended. Working with Casteel instead of against him presents its own risks. He still tempts her with every breath, offering up all she’s ever wanted. Casteel has plans for her. Ones that could expose her to unimaginable pleasure and unfathomable pain. Plans that will force her to look beyond everything she thought she knew about herself—about him. Plans that could bind their lives together in unexpected ways that neither kingdom is prepared for. And she’s far too reckless, too hungry, to resist the temptation.
A Secret…
But unrest has grown in Atlantia as they await the return of their Prince. Whispers of war have become stronger, and Poppy is at the very heart of it all. The King wants to use her to send a message. The Descenters want her dead. The wolven are growing more unpredictable. And as her abilities to feel pain and emotion begin to grow and strengthen, the Atlantians start to fear her. Dark secrets are at play, ones steeped in the blood-drenched sins of two kingdoms that would do anything to keep the truth hidden. But when the earth begins to shake, and the skies start to bleed, it may already be too late.
What book are you in bed with today?
This meme is hosted by Steph at A little but a lot. The weekly prompts for 2019 can be found here.
This week’s prompt is Books That Scared Me. Here’s my list:
(All book covers from Goodreads)
Did you make a Six for Sunday list?
Title: White Smoke
Author: Tiffany D. Jackson
Genre: Young Adult, Horror, Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 14, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★
The Haunting of Hill House meets Get Out in this chilling YA psychological thriller and modern take on the classic haunted house story from New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson!
Marigold is running from ghosts. The phantoms of her old life keep haunting her, but a move with her newly blended family from their small California beach town to the embattled Midwestern city of Cedarville might be the fresh start she needs. Her mom has accepted a new job with the Sterling Foundation that comes with a free house, one that Mari now has to share with her bratty ten-year-old stepsister, Piper.
The renovated picture-perfect home on Maple Street, sitting between dilapidated houses, surrounded by wary neighbors has its . . . secrets. That’s only half the problem: household items vanish, doors open on their own, lights turn off, shadows walk past rooms, voices can be heard in the walls, and there’s a foul smell seeping through the vents only Mari seems to notice. Worse: Piper keeps talking about a friend who wants Mari gone.
But “running from ghosts” is just a metaphor, right?
As the house closes in, Mari learns that the danger isn’t limited to Maple Street. Cedarville has its secrets, too. And secrets always find their way through the cracks.
Seventeen-year-old Marigold and her family move from their home in California to a Midwestern small town where her mom has accepted a job that includes a free house. The rest of the houses on the street are abandoned, and the neighbours in the area are suspicious of everything. As soon as they arrive, things start going wrong in the house. Doors open on their own, lights turn off, shadows appear in hallways and items disappear. Mari’s ten-year-old stepsister starts talking to an imaginary friend in the house, who wants Mari to leave. As the incidents in the house increase and become more dangerous, Mari has to do whatever it takes to save her family.
This story had some heavy subjects that I wasn’t expecting. I didn’t think there would be as many realistic elements as there were. Some of these serious subjects were drug addiction, overdose, and a severe allergic reaction. Though this was a spooky horror, there were a lot of realistic implications to the story.
I really enjoyed this story. I liked that the ending made sense and was logical. The only thing that I would have liked to see was justice at the end. There were many layers of destruction happening in the community, and I would have loved to see the events after the story finished where they got what they deserved.
White Smoke is a thrilling horror story!
Have you read White Smoke? What did you think of it?
Title: The Austen Girls
Author: Lucy Worsley
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: April 2, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★
Would she ever find a real-life husband? Would she even find a partner to dance with at tonight’s ball? She just didn’t know.
Anna Austen has always been told she must marry rich. Her future depends upon it. While her dear cousin Fanny has a little more choice, she too is under pressure to find a suitor.
But how can either girl know what she wants? Is finding love even an option? The only person who seems to have answers is their Aunt Jane. She has never married. In fact, she’s perfectly happy, so surely being single can’t be such a bad thing?
The time will come for each of the Austen girls to become the heroines of their own stories. Will they follow in Jane’s footsteps?
In this witty, sparkling novel of choices, popular historian LUCY WORSLEY brings alive the delightful life of Jane Austen as you’ve never seen it before.
1809: Fanny and Anna Austen are two teenage cousins who have just debuted to society. Their goal is to find the perfect husband, though that looks different for each girl. Fanny is from a wealthier family, and her mother insists she marry someone of a higher status. Anna’s family is not as well off, so she must aim lower for a husband. Meanwhile, a man that Fanny has just met is falsely accused of a crime, and her Aunt Jane has to help her figure out how to set him free. Both girls have to grow into young women and find their futures in Regency England.
This is another fun historical story from Lucy Worsley. I love Jane Austen, so this was an entertaining look into her family life. Jane was the fun aunt who helped Fanny and Anna with their daily problems. However, when they wanted advice on romance, Fanny’s mother didn’t want them going to Aunt Jane. Jane Austen may have written some of the most famous romantic stories but she was never married. She was very observant to human nature, though, so she was able to (secretly) write romances that are still being read and adapted two hundred years later.
Some of the subject matter may be surprising for young readers. Fanny and Anna were about sixteen years old, but they were expected to find husbands and get married immediately. Many of the suitors the girls had were grown men and sometimes middle aged. Today, it wouldn’t be appropriate for a teenage girl to be getting engaged to a man twice her age, but it was common and sometimes expected in the 1800s. The story also took a serious turn at the end, which I wasn’t expecting. However, it authentically represented the issues that young girls faced during the time.
The Austen Girls is a beautiful Jane Austen themed story!
Have you read The Austen Girls? What did you think of it?
Title: The Sleepover
Author: Michael Regina
Genre: Middle Grade, Graphic Novel, Fantasy
Publisher: Razorbill
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: November 9, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★
Perfect for fans of Stranger Things, this middle grade graphic novel follows a group of kids trying to cheer up their friend after a recent loss with a fun-filled sleepover, but their plans soon take a dark turn when they discover his new nanny may literally be a monster.
When the Russo family returns home from vacation to discover their nanny, Ruby, has unexpectedly passed away, Matthew takes the news the hardest. After weeks of reeling, his three best friends decide to cheer him up with a night of junk food, prank calls, and scary movies. But their plans for a sleepover are jeopardized when Matt’s single mother–unable to take any more time off of work–is forced to hire a new nanny on the fly to watch over Matt and his younger sister, Judy.
Miss Swan, however, is all too happy to have the boys over. And although she seems like the perfect babysitter, letting the kids eat whatever they want and mostly leaving them alone, there’s something about her that Matt doesn’t trust. He thinks she may actually be the witch from local legend–the one who torments children into the night and then eats them. Is he just having a hard time dealing with Ruby’s replacement, as his friends suspect? Has he watched one too many scary movies, as his mom fears? Or are he and his horror-buff friends in for the fright of their lives as they come face-to-face with a real monster?
Ruby was the best babysitter for Matt and Judy. When Matt and Judy return home from vacation to find that Ruby has passed away suddenly, they need to find another babysitter. Their mom hires Miss Swan for the evening while Matt has his friends over for a sleepover. However, there’s something strange about Miss Swan. Matt suspects that she is actually the rumored witch who lives in the woods behind their house and supposedly eats children. His mom thinks that Matt is just missing Ruby, and that’s why he doesn’t like the new babysitter. Matt has to try to convince everyone else that Miss Swan is actually a witch.
This graphic novel reminded me of Stranger Things. It was set in 1993, and the children loved watching horror movies. Each of the four friends had their strengths and weaknesses when it came to figuring out the truth about the witch. Judy tried to join in with the boys, but since she was the little sister, she wasn’t always included. Though it is set almost 30 years in the past, this story still had relatable characters and relationships.
Fears were an important theme to this story. Ruby was scared of thunderstorms, so she always had to be close to Matt and Judy during a storm. This showed that even adults can have irrational fears that can affect their lives. A fear was the key to the ending of the novel, so it was an important part of the story.
The Sleepover is a spooky middle grade graphic novel!
Thank you Razorbill for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Have you read The Sleepover? What did you think of it?
TBR Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly Faye Reads, where you post a title from your shelf or e-reader and find out what others think about it.
My pick this week is A Holly Jolly Diwali by Sonya Lalli.
One type-A data analyst discovers her free-spirited side on an impulsive journey from bustling Mumbai to the gorgeous beaches of Goa and finds love waiting for her on Christmas morning.
Twenty-nine-year-old Niki Randhawa has always made practical decisions. Despite her love for music and art, she became an analyst for the stability. She’s always stuck close to home, in case her family needed her. And she’s always dated guys that seem good on paper, rather than the ones who give her butterflies. When she’s laid off, Niki realizes that practical hasn’t exactly paid off for her. So for the first time ever, she throws caution to the wind and books a last-minute flight for her friend Diya’s wedding.
Niki arrives in India just in time to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, where she meets London musician Sameer Mukherji. Maybe it’s the splendor of Mumbai or the magic of the holiday season, but Niki is immediately drawn to Sam. At the wedding, the champagne flows and their flirtatious banter makes it clear that the attraction is mutual.
When Niki and Sam join Diya, her husband and their friends on a group honeymoon, their connection grows deeper. Free-spirited Sam helps Niki get in touch with her passionate and creative side, and with her Indian roots. When she gets a new job offer back home, Niki must decide what she wants out of the next chapter of her life–to cling to the straight and narrow like always, or to take a leap of faith and live the kind of bold life the old Niki never would have dreamed of.
Have you read this book? What did you think of it?
Title: The Crystal Palace Chronicles: Star of Nimrod
Author: Graham Whitlock
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Grass Roots Productions
Source: Literally PR
Format: Paperback
Release Date: October 14, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★
Join teenager Joe on a rollercoaster adventure travelling back in time to the heyday of Victorian Crystal Palace.
Joe’s world is turned upside down when he discovers a shattered compass among the brambles where the Crystal Palace once stood and travels through time back to 1888.
With help from the teenage H. G. Wells and Samuel Coleridge Taylor, daredevil Iris Blondin, Arthur Conan Doyle the creator of Sherlock Holmes and the Queen of the Gypsies, Joe must foil dangerous diamond thieves to uncover dark secrets about the ‘People’s Palace’. Standing on boundaries between worlds, its mysterious secrets are tied to the fate of his family.
Will Joe be trapped in the past with his new friends, find a way to return to his family or can he somehow have both?
Joe Cook lives with his father and sister near the Crystal Palace Park in London. When Joe finds a broken compass one day, he is transported back to the real Crystal Palace in 1888. Joe stumbles upon a plan to steal the diamond brooch, The Star of Nimrod. Along with historical figures such as H.G. Wells, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Samuel Coleridge Taylor, Joe must prevent the theft so that he can return to his own time.
This was such a fun time traveling mystery. I love it when historical stories have real figures from history. The future historical figures in this story were not yet famous, so they had no idea what they would be known for centuries later. H.G. Wells and Samuel Coleridge Taylor were children, and Arthur Conan Doyle was a doctor who had just written the first Sherlock Holmes story. I always find it a fun way to learn about history when real historical figures are woven into a fictional story.
There were a few moments in the story that weren’t finished, but may be cleared up in a later novel. There was one scene where Joe supposedly travelled back to a different future from the one he left behind. There was also the Alone Child, who made some brief appearances but I wasn’t really sure who that was supposed to be or his role in the story. Maybe these parts will be cleared up in the next story, but I was left wondering what those parts meant.
The Crystal Chronicles: Star of Nimrod was a fun middle grade historical fiction mystery.
Thank you Literally PR for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Graham Whitlock is a writer, walker, local instigator, dad and born-and-bred Norwood boy who is hopelessly in love with London. He helped found and run award-winning charity DreamArts which transforms young lives fusing arts and therapy. Graham edited the Dev and Olli children’s books by Shweta Aggarwal and his professional writing credits include a stage adaptation of the Shane Meadows film 24/7 and the UK’s first immersive musical based on the classic Ealing Studio comedy Passport to Pimlico.
Have you read The Crystal Palace Chronicles: Star of Nimrod? What did you think of it?
This is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. In this post we highlight a book that’s highly anticipated.
The book that I’m waiting on this Wednesday is In Every Generation by Kendare Blake. The expected publication date is January 4, 2022.
The first in an all-new series by New York Times best-selling author Kendare Blake continues the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer featuring the next generation of Scoobies and Slayers who must defeat a powerful new evil.
A new Slayer for a new generation…
Frankie Rosenberg is passionate about the environment, a sophomore at New Sunnydale High School, and the daughter of the most powerful witch in Sunnydale history. Her mom, Willow, is slowly teaching her magic on the condition that she use it to better the world. But Frankie’s happily quiet life is upended when new girl Hailey shows up with news that the annual Slayer convention has been the target of an attack, and all the Slayers—including Buffy, Faith, and Hailey’s older sister Vi—might be dead. That means it’s time for this generation’s Slayer to be born.
But being the first ever Slayer-Witch means learning how to wield a stake while trying to control her budding powers. With the help of Hailey, a werewolf named Jake, and a hot but nerdy sage demon, Frankie must become the Slayer, prevent the Hellmouth from opening again, and find out what happened to her Aunt Buffy, before she’s next.
Get ready for a whole new story within the world of Buffy!
What books are you waiting on this week?
Happy Pub Day to all of these new books!
What books are you most excited for this week?
Jill's Book Blog 