Where I share my love of books with reviews, features, giveaways and memes. Family and needlepoint are thrown in from time to time.

Monday, May 17, 2021

Book Review: A Breath Too Late by Rocky Callen

 

Title: A Breath Too Late

Author: Rocky Callen

Genre: YA/Contemporary

About the Book: Seventeen-year-old Ellie had no hope left. Yet the day after she dies by suicide, she finds herself in the midst of an out-of-body experience. She is a spectator, swaying between past and present, retracing the events that unfolded prior to her death.


But there are gaps in her memory, fractured pieces Ellie is desperate to re-assemble. There's her mother, a songbird who wanted to break free from her oppressive cage. The boy made of brushstrokes and goofy smiles who brought color into a gray world. Her brooding father, with his sad puppy eyes and clenched fists. Told in epistolary-like style, this deeply moving novel sensitively examines the beautiful and terrible moments that make up a life and the possibilities that live in even the darkest of places. Perfect for fans of the critically-acclaimed SpeakI’ll Give You the Sun, and If I Stay.
 (from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: Where to start. . .   This book was heartbreaking, yet beautiful. The story is told by Ellie, the day after she has committed suicide.  It is her remembrances, both good and bad, that have led up to her fateful decision.  Through letters to her mom, dad, best friend August, depression, her house - she tells the story of a life - what might have been - what was - and the light and dark places in between.  She tells the story of her life with her mom and her best friend August, before her dad finds them, and how all of their lives change as her dad's alcohol and domestic abuse increases.  How insidiously changes creep in that can take away choices and friendships. Ellie sees too late the life she might have had, and the hope that her mother had been holding on to. 

Not being prone to this level of depression myself, I cannot relate to what triggers this might have for others. I would hope that it might give someone else the courage to hang on and look for that hope that is right around the corner.  To make them see the bigger picture that Ellie missed. If anything, it would be a good conversation starter for a young adult book club.



Friday, May 7, 2021

Book Review: The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Moldavsky

 

Title: The Mary Shelley Club

Author: Goldy Moldavsky

Genre: Horror/Thriller

About the Book: New girl Rachel Chavez is eager to make a fresh start at Manchester Prep. But as one of the few scholarship kids, Rachel struggles to fit in, and when she gets caught up in a prank gone awry, she ends up with more enemies than friends.

To her surprise, however, the prank attracts the attention of the Mary Shelley Club, a secret club of students with one objective: come up with the scariest prank to orchestrate real fear. But as the pranks escalate, the competition turns cutthroat and takes on a life of its own.

When the tables are turned and someone targets the club itself, Rachel must track down the real-life monster in their midst . . . even if it means finally confronting the dark secrets from her past.
 (From Goodreads)

My Thoughts: I devoured this book.  It started in Rachel's past and the prologue leaves you hanging until almost the very end of the book. She has suffered a trauma and to deal with it has decided to watch horror movies.  She confronts fear by watching the movies and it allows her to not feel so afraid in real life.  

Starting a new school is tough for anyone, and since Rachel is only attending Manchester Prep since her mother is a teacher there, she really feels she doesn't belong.  Fortunately, resident gossip Saundra takes her under her wing and gets her up to speed on all the kids and happenings at the school.  It is because of Saundra though that lands her at a party where a prank has gone bad and brought attention to Rachel.  This turns out to be both good and bad.  Good - because she learns about The Mary Shelley Club and is invited to become a probationary member.  Bad - because she has become the object of mean girl Lux's attention.

This book makes you wonder, along with Rachel, if you really know everything that is going on.  The suspense builds and while I can't say that I knew exactly how it was going to end - you get a gradual idea of what is going on - you kind of learn as Rachel does.  I thought it was a very good book and would highly recommend it.  Especially if you are a fan of horror movies as there are a lot of shout outs to them in the book. 

Check out the book on Goodreads
You can follow the author on Instagram @goldywrites.


COVER REVEAL: Under the Milky Way by Vanessa Barneveld

Hello Readers! Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

Under the Milky Way by Vanessa Barneveld

presented by Entangled Teen!

What do you think of the cover?

 

Cassidy Roekiem is just an average teen girl from Colorado. Her parents are divorced, she has a cliché crush on the hot new boy, and her social life exists solely through the efforts of a well-meaning best friend. Until suddenly her life turns upside down.

First, that “hot new boy,” Hayden, asks her out. And one night when they’re driving through the isolated, winding roads of Saddleback Ridge after dark, something happens that neither one of them can explain…

Bright lights in the middle of the forest. Whole blocks of time they can’t remember. They’re nauseous and disoriented. We’re talking full-on episode of The X-Files. But when her fuzzy mind clears, she’s back home, and so is Hayden. Um, what?

Hayden has always been sweet and caring and fun. But now it’s like he’s hiding something. He knows something, and she can’t be sure who he really is anymore or how everything is connected to her. When it happens again…and again, Cassidy needs answers—and fast—because one of these times, she might not wake up at all.

Under the Milky Way by Vanessa Barneveld
Publication Date: August 3, 2021
Publisher: Entangled Teen

Australian Vanessa Barneveld lives in a 19th-century house in inner-city Sydney with a 21st-century husband, two eccentric cats and one ghost—all of whom provide inspiration for her spirited novels. In addition to her writing career, she’s part of a crack team that produces closed captions for deaf TV viewers and audio descriptions for the blind. An avid traveler, she enjoys the journeys almost as much as the destinations. She freely admits to being food motivated and will stop at nothing to find the perfect hot chips wherever she roams around the world.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

New Release Book Review: A Twist of Night and Day by Aubrey Winters

 

Title: A Twist of Night and Day (Asteria Chronicles #1)

Author: Aubrey Winters

Genre: Fantasy

About the book: Never trust a faerie... No matter what we say.

He hated me, and I hated him. I was perfectly fine with that until one night changed everything.

His entire family was murdered before his very eyes--and despite how much I hated him, I couldn't let him die. Now, we're on a mission to hunt down one of the deadliest Elder fae creatures that ever existed.

If we fail? All of Asteria could be in danger.

If we win? I'll end up working for my enemy.
 (from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: First off- I think this is a gorgeous cover - I know that is a snake twisting through the crown - but it is a purple snake!  
 
Astrid and Castiel have spent the last 50 years in school together - with him tormenting her every chance he got. While she was half-human and considered even worse than lesser fae (even though her mother was the Queen of the Night Court), he was a Princeling of the Day Court and was condescending and mean.  But maybe looks can be deceiving.  

Astrid and Castiel spend a week together on a mission to kill an Elder - The Forescua Serpent - but first they must find it.  

I loved the back and forth between the two main characters - especially when Castiel would call Astrid "flower".  In my mind it insinuates beauty but weakness - and Astrid may be self-conscious of her heritage, but she is anything but weak.  There is good character development throughout the book and we get to see both Astrid and Castiel grow.  The ending made me laugh and I was like "WHAAAAT??"  Looking forward to book two!!




Follow Aubrey on Facebook
Get the book for free on Kindle Unlimited!

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