Author: jilljemmett

Jill lives in Toronto, Canada. She has studied English, Creative Writing, and Publishing. Jill is the creator and content producer of Jill’s Book Blog, where she has published a blog post every day for the last four years, including 5-7 book reviews a week. She can usually be found with her nose in a book.

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. 

Review: Unicorn Power! (Lumberjanes #1)


Title: Unicorn Power!
Author: Mariko Tamaki
Genre: Middle Grade
Publisher: Amulet Books
Source: NetGalley
Release Date: October 10, 2017
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Welcome to Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s Camp for Hardcore Lady Types. The five scouts of Roanoke cabin—Jo, April, Molly, Mal, and Ripley—love their summers at camp. They get to hang out with their best friends, earn Lumberjane scout badges, annoy their no-nonsense counselor Jen . . . and go on supernatural adventures. That last one? A pretty normal occurrence at Miss Qiunzella’s, where the woods contain endless mysteries.

Today is no exception. When challenge-loving April leads the girls on a hike up the TALLEST mountain they’ve ever seen, things don’t go quite as planned. For one, they didn’t expect to trespass into the lands of the ancient Cloud People, and did anyone happen to read those ominous signs some unknown person posted at the bottom of the mountain? Also, unicorns.

Review:

I’ve read a couple of the Lumberjanes graphic novels before. They’re so cute! So I had to get the middle grade novel when I heard it was coming out. 

In this new story, the scouts find unicorns, not too surprising to fans of the series. What is surprising is that unicorns smell really, really bad (who knew!). They also find a mysterious foggy mountain. Let the adventures begin!

Since I haven’t read all of the graphic novels, I liked the way that there was a lot of background given on the characters and the creatures they have met in the woods before, such as Bearwoman. There are also great illustrations too, which are also helpful since I tend to get the characters mixed up sometimes. 

Mariko Tamaki was a great choice to write this book. She’s so talented and she captured the Lumberjanes atmosphere and tone wonderfully in this story. I hope she continues to write the series. 

This is the perfect middle grade novel for fans of the series and new readers!

FRIENDSHIP TO THE MAX! 

Top Ten Tuesday – Books With Fall Themes

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s theme is Books With Fall Themes. These are the books that remind me of fall:

The Raven Boys


It Begins (The Unseen #1)


The Mediator


The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde 


Coraline 


Ghosts


Outlander


Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children


The Casual Vacancy


Northanger Abbey

 

(All images taken from Goodreads)

Release Day Celebration: Poppy Mayberry: Return to Power Academy

 

Welcome to the Release Day Celebration for

Poppy Mayberry: Return to Power Academy
(Nova Kids #2) by Jennie K. Brown

presented by Tantrum Books/Month9Books!

Grab your copy today!

 

Happy Book Birthday, Jennie!

 

 

Finding out you were wrong about something important can be a let down. But Poppy is pleased to learn she’s not just a Monday. She’s a Cusper, a weekday lucky enough to have TWO powers. Poppy’s elation is short-lived when she, Ellie, Logan, and Sam return to Power Academy as camp counselors, only to find themselves out of their element and struggling with the new drama teacher and his disaster of a school musical. When some campers go missing, Poppy and her team of weekdays are on the case. Soon, Poppy begins to realize that much like her powers, the seemingly-perfect town of Nova has some flaws, and the origin of her powers is as questionable as Headmistress Clothes-too-tight Larriby’s choice in outfits.If only there were more days in the week!

Poppy Mayberry: Return To Power Academy
(Nova Kids #2) by Jennie K. Brown
Publication Date: October 10, 2017
Publisher: Tantrum Books

Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

 

OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES

 

 

 

Jennie K. Brown is a high school English teacher by day, freelance magazine writer by night, and middlegrade/young adult author by late-night and weekend. When she isn’t teaching or writing, Jennie can be found reading a good book, traveling, or spending time with her awesome husband, amazing son and super-spoiled yorkie.In 2010, the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) named Jennie the Pennsylvania English teacher of excellence, and she currently serves as President of the Pennsylvania Council for Teachers of English and Language Arts (PCTELA). She is also an active member of SCBWI, NCTE and ALAN.

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram • Goodreads

 

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

 

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Review: Wonder Woman, Volume 1: The Lies


Title: Wonder Woman, Volume 1: The Lies
Author: Greg Rucka, Liam Sharp, Laura Martin
Genre: Graphic Novel
Publisher: DC Comics
Source: Purchased
Release Date: February 28, 2017
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

New York Times best-selling writer Greg Rucka returns to Wonder Woman! After suffering an unimaginable loss, Diana must rebuild her mission as Earth’s ultimate protector and champion. However, in the midst of her grief, her Lasso of Truth stopped working! Start down the rabbit hole as dark secrets from Wonder Woman’s past unravel her present!

Review:

This is my first Wonder Woman comic, and I really liked it. 

The graphics are amazing in this graphic novel. They are very realistic and detailed. There wasn’t as much dialogue as I expected, so the illustrations are important to the story. Everything from the scenery to the costumes are spectacular. 

I liked this introduction to the character and her story. I liked Wonder Woman right away. She’s a beautiful character. 

I didn’t watch the recent Wonder Woman movie, but I really want to now that I’ve read this story. 

It’s Monday, What Are You Reading? #7

It's Monday! What Are You Reading

This blog meme is hosted by Book Date. It is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week.  It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile!

What I just finished:

Yesterday I finished Unicorn Power! (Lumberjanes #1). This is an awesome new middle grade novel. My review will be posted tomorrow!

What I’m currently reading:

I’m currently reading Friend Request. I tried this one a couple of weeks ago but I just couldn’t get into it, so I’m giving it another shot. 

What I’m reading next:

Next I will be reading The Good Mother for the blog tour with Aria Books. 

What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books? Let me know in the comments!