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 Black Widow: Forever Red (Black Widow: Novels #1) by Margaret Stohl.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Enter the world of the Avengers’ iconic master spy…
Natasha Romanoff is one of the world’s most lethal assassins. Trained from a young age in the arts of death and deception, Natasha was given the title of Black Widow by Ivan Somodorov, her brutal teacher at the Red Room, Moscow’s infamous academy for operatives.
Ava Orlova is just trying to fit in as an average Brooklyn teenager, but her life has been anything but average.The daughter of a missing Russian quantum physicist, Ava was once subjected to a series of ruthless military experiments—until she was rescued by Black Widow and placed under S.H.I.E.L.D. protection. Ava has always longed to reconnect with her mysterious savior, but Black Widow isn’t really the big sister type.
Until now.
When children all over Eastern Europe begin to go missing, and rumors of smuggled Red Room tech light up the dark net, Natasha suspects her old teacher has returned—and that Ava Orlova might be the only one who can stop him. To defeat the madman who threatens their future, Natasha and Ava must unravel their pasts. Only then will they discover the truth about the dark-eyed boy with an hourglass tattoo who haunts Ava’s dreams…
Have you read this book? What did you think of it?
Title: Pax Samson Vol. 1: The Cookout Author: Rashad Doucet, Jason Reeves (illustrator) Genre: Middle Grade, Graphic Novel, Fantasy Publisher: Oni Press Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: August 3, 2021 Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Pax Samson: The Cookout is the first volume in a new action-packed, fantasy trilogy that depicts a world struggling to find peace in the midst of threats, and a young superhero chef torn between following his passion and following in his family’s footsteps.
When it comes to the kitchen, no one knows cooking better than twelve-year-old Pax Samson. He’s a hero when it comes to testing recipes and supplying copious amounts of Dragon Noodle Soup at his family’s cookouts. It’s tough being a master chef, though, when the rest of his family are world-famous superheroes, and they expect Pax to take up the beacon to keep the world safe with his telekinetic powers.
Pax’s home planet of Soltellus is home to all walks of life, including humans, gods, as well as elves, orcs, dragons, sprites and other fantasy races known as the “Enchanted” all living in a modern society similar to our own. Among them is the Samson family, led by the fearless and mighty Grandma Samson, the greatest superhero to ever live and the person responsible for always saving Soltellus when trouble strikes. She’s been doing it for hundreds of years, but she’s ready for the younger generation of Samsons, including Pax, to step up.
When the mad god Odin, long-time enemy to the Enchanted race and arch-rival to Grandma, resurfaces in another attempt to regain power, Pax will attempt to put his training into practice, but ends up just making things worse. Tempted to hang up the superhero cape and stick to the kitchen, Pax faces the toughest decision yet when a legendary savior of the Enchanted people arrives, along with a startling discovery that there might be parts of the Soltellus history that are wrong. Pax, determined to protect his family and friends, will do everything he can to stop the new threats set on disrupting the peace between humans and the Enchanted.
Review:
Pax Samson is a twelve-year-old superhero who loves to cook. He comes from a big family of superheroes, but cooking is his passion. His family is led by Grandma Samson, the strongest and most powerful superhero. Now Pax, his sister, and his cousins have to step up and help the family defeat his grandma’s enemy, the ancient god Odin.
I love superhero stories. Pax was a fun character because he was trying to figure out where he fit in with his family and in the superhero world. He felt torn between following his family’s legacy and doing what he wanted, which was cooking. Luckily, he was able to do both.
The art was brightly coloured. The superheroes had distinct costumes in vibrant colours. I liked seeing the different generations depicted in the art. There were some flashbacks that had monochromatic illustrations, so they stood out against the present story.
Pax Samson is a fun middle grade graphic novel!
Thank you Oni Press for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What to read next:
Pizazz by Sophy Henn
How to be a Supervillain by Michael Fry
Have you read Pax Samson Vol. 1? 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 The Heart Principle (The Kiss Quotient #3) by Helen Hoang. The expected publication date is August 31, 2021.
Goodreads Synopsis:
A woman struggling with burnout learns to embrace the unexpected—and the man she enlists to help her—in this heartfelt new romance by USA Today bestselling author Helen Hoang.
When violinist Anna Sun accidentally achieves career success with a viral YouTube video, she finds herself incapacitated and burned out from her attempts to replicate that moment. And when her longtime boyfriend announces he wants an open relationship before making a final commitment, a hurt and angry Anna decides that if he wants an open relationship, then she does, too. Translation: She’s going to embark on a string of one-night stands. The more unacceptable the men, the better.
That’s where tattooed, motorcycle-riding Quan Diep comes in. Their first attempt at a one-night stand fails, as does their second, and their third, because being with Quan is more than sex—he accepts Anna on an unconditional level that she has just started to understand herself. However, when tragedy strikes Anna’s family she takes on a role that she is ill-suited for, until the burden of expectations threatens to destroy her. Anna and Quan have to fight for their chance at love, but to do that, they also have to fight for themselves.
Title: If the Shoe Fits (Meant to Be #1) Author: Julie Murphy Genre: Romance, Contemporary Publisher: Disney Hyperion Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: August 3, 2021 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
After having just graduated with a degree in shoe design, and trying to get her feet on the ground, Cindy is working for her stepmother, who happens to be the executive producer of America’s favorite reality show, Before Midnight. When a spot on the show needs filling ASAP, Cindy volunteers, hoping it might help jump-start her fashion career, or at least give her something to do while her peers land jobs in the world of high fashion.
Turns out being the only plus size woman on a reality dating competition makes a splash, and soon Cindy becomes a body positivity icon for women everywhere. What she doesn’t expect? That she may just find inspiration-and love-in the process. Ultimately, Cindy learns that if the shoe doesn’t fit, maybe it’s time to design your own.
Review:
After graduation from Parsons School of Design, shoe designer Cindy Woods moves back home to California with her stepmother, stepsister, and half siblings. Her stepmother is a producer on a dating reality show, Before Midnight, and they have a spot to fill at the last minute. Cindy agrees to be on the show to get some recognition for her shoe designs. Cindy is the first plus-size woman to be a contestant on the show, so she’s nervous about how she will be perceived, but she doesn’t expect to become a social media star. The problem is that Cindy starts to fall for Henry, the Prince Charming of the show. Cindy has to figure out if she’ll stick around waiting for love or if she will follow her dream in fashion.
I’ve read many Cinderella retellings, and this one had something that I’ve never encountered before. Cindy was friends with her stepmother and stepsisters. She was very close with her stepsisters, and they all supported her in her dream of being a shoe designer. It was so nice to see the women all get along. They don’t have to be enemies just because the original story depicts them as hating each other. There were some other antagonists in the story, but Cindy got along well with her family.
I loved the plus-size representation in this story. Cindy would often point out how little diversity there is in plus-size fashion. At least in shoe design, there is more of a variety in sizes than in clothing. There was one point where someone said that studies show that plus-size women don’t buy luxury brands. However, if the bigger sizes aren’t available in luxury brands and designers, they don’t have the option to buy from them. This was an authentic representation of how it is to shop for clothing for a plus-size body.
If the Shoe Fits is a fun modern Cinderella retelling!
Thank you Disney Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What to read next:
Well Met by Jen DeLuca
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
Have you read If the Shoe Fits? What did you think of it?
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and it is now hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is Books I’d Want With Me While Stranded on a Desert Island. Here’s my list:
1. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
2. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
3. Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare
4. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
5. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
6. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
7. The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe by Edgar Allan Poe
8. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
9. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
10. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
(All book covers from Goodreads)
What’s your list of books on your Top Ten Tuesday?
Title: The Queen Will Betray You (Kingdoms of Sand and Sky #2) Author: Sarah Henning Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy Publisher: Tor Teen Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: July 6, 2021 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
The breathtaking sequel to The Princess Will Save You in the Kingdoms of Sand and Sky duology — a brilliantly-executed YA fantasy homage to The Princess Bride
To stay together forever, Princess Amarande and her stableboy love, Luca, must part: Amarande to reclaim her kingdom from usurpers, and Luca to raise a rebellion and find his destiny. Arrayed against them are all the players in the game of thrones for control over the continent of The Sand and Sky. Facing unspeakable betrayals, enemies hidden in the shadows, and insurmountable odds, their only hope is the power of true love…
Review:
In this sequel to The Princess Will Save You, Amarande and Luca have finally been reunited but they have to separate again. Amarande must reclaim her kingdom from her newly returned mother and brother. Luca goes to reclaim his own birthright that he has just discovered. Along with their cast of friends, Luca and Amarande must face two Queens in their quest to conquer the kingdoms of The Sand and Sky.
This was an intense sequel! There was a large cast of characters from the last book. Since they were all separated for most of this book, each chapter followed someone else in a different area. It reminded me of Game of Thones, in the way that each of the characters were on their own quest in the world but they all related back to the same goal of conquering all of the kingdoms.
The one thing that was a little confusing was that everyone had secrets. This also reminded me of Game of Thrones, because each character had different motivations than what they showed everyone else. It got a little confusing when someone was hiding their real reason for doing things. It also made the story intense and suspenseful when so many people were lying, but it was sometimes difficult to keep track of who was on which side.
The Queen Will Betray You is a great sequel!
Thank you Tor Teen for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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:
This weekend I finished The Queen Will Betray You by Sarah Henning.
What I’m currently reading:
I’m currently reading If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy.
What I’m reading next:
Next I will be reading Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco.
What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books?
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 The Queen Will Betray You (Kingdoms of Sand and Sky #2) by Sarah Henning.
Goodreads Synopsis:
The breathtaking sequel to The Princess Will Save You in the Kingdoms of Sand and Sky duology — a brilliantly-executed YA fantasy homage to The Princess Bride
To stay together forever, Princess Amarande and her stableboy love, Luca, must part: Amarande to reclaim her kingdom from usurpers, and Luca to raise a rebellion and find his destiny. Arrayed against them are all the players in the game of thrones for control over the continent of The Sand and Sky. Facing unspeakable betrayals, enemies hidden in the shadows, and insurmountable odds, their only hope is the power of true love…
Jill's Book Blog 