tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22627808959819688052024-03-05T16:33:44.641-06:00WondermajicaGet the reviews you need to find new books, movies, and more! Wondermajica is the perfect source for nerdy book dragons, fantasy & sci-fi fans. Join in and join the quest for the best stories!Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.comBlogger154125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-60855388541853279502023-08-14T06:00:00.001-05:002023-08-14T06:00:00.138-05:00Lost and Found by Natalie Shampanier & Illustrated by David Pavon - Book Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNyUaLl6w6Z2jRyOV3G8IUp7jo9UW_vHwMngCgGGaiLKoKrvObvGk7yidp3Z7MxKn5x7zv7sFAO7-uCAdVUcBosn-3oYcRDLZT2UqTwDsoSGEIfhP2SSmEpTeXxucTGDATkhVBwDMnrIb2_S-Mly-f3s5tx1r73l6-6-ccR_MAo8vNfws6DjXS0VE/s1080/Lost%20and%20found%20natalie%20shampanier.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image with blue background and stars that shows the book cover of Lost and Found by Natalie Shampanier" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNyUaLl6w6Z2jRyOV3G8IUp7jo9UW_vHwMngCgGGaiLKoKrvObvGk7yidp3Z7MxKn5x7zv7sFAO7-uCAdVUcBosn-3oYcRDLZT2UqTwDsoSGEIfhP2SSmEpTeXxucTGDATkhVBwDMnrIb2_S-Mly-f3s5tx1r73l6-6-ccR_MAo8vNfws6DjXS0VE/s16000/Lost%20and%20found%20natalie%20shampanier.png" title="Lost and Found by Natalie Shampanier" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>*I received an E-ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></p><p>Lost and Found is a charming tale about a group of lost toys. Dino Boy, Moody (a unicorn mood ring), Hamburger Hippo, and Tina the Ballerina are stuck in a summer camp's Lost and Found building. Dino refuses to stay and along with his new friends set out on a mission to find a home. Lost and Found is a beautifully illustrated and sweet story that doesn't get old with rereads. With its heartwarming storyline and captivating illustrations, Lost and Found is a must-read for young readers.</p><p><br /></p><p>Rating: ★★★★★ 5/5</p><p><br /></p><p>Should you read it?</p><p>This is a wonderful choice for a bedtime story or for children who feel lost. </p><p><br /></p><p>Book & Author Information: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75506008-lost-and-found">Goodreads</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Published: December 24, 2022</p><p><br /></p><p>Natalie Shampanier: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23358688.Natalie_Shampanier">Goodreads</a></p><p>David Pavon: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18203086.David_Pavon">Goodreads</a></p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-30443098756810901452023-05-22T20:42:00.003-05:002023-05-22T20:42:50.733-05:00Making Friends With Monsters by Sandra L. Rostirolla - Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCM6ac7UN8sLmmF-n71TigcPIp7FjF95ojoQPE8Nwcd_H8leIVCF8cVZxGgAlrEeGlzH-0zk7gdy7eLRQoig5r5lvgwlXRh_Ph3eIFp2DypthdZncFNL27eSrczRUjVSKMLJ5evJADCCn0Nfu3Z8wF-ytjzADTm7MfrYh83rKqH_U32ziK76cxjo27/s1080/Copy%20of%20making%20friends%20with%20monsters%20sandra%20l%20rostirolla.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image with a red and black background showing the cover of Making Friends With Monsters by Sandra L. Rostirolla" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCM6ac7UN8sLmmF-n71TigcPIp7FjF95ojoQPE8Nwcd_H8leIVCF8cVZxGgAlrEeGlzH-0zk7gdy7eLRQoig5r5lvgwlXRh_Ph3eIFp2DypthdZncFNL27eSrczRUjVSKMLJ5evJADCCn0Nfu3Z8wF-ytjzADTm7MfrYh83rKqH_U32ziK76cxjo27/s16000/Copy%20of%20making%20friends%20with%20monsters%20sandra%20l%20rostirolla.png" title="Making Friends With Monsters by Sandra L. Rostirolla" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><i><b>*I received an E-ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*</b></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><b><br /></b></i></p><p>From the viewpoint of middle child Sam, a struggling farming family deals with numerous traumatic events. As the family experiences more and more unfortunate circumstances, a tragic accident threatens to tear them apart. From the award-winning author, Sandra L. Rostirolla, comes a painfully realistic view of how our inner monsters can take over. </p><p><br /></p><p>As we follow along, Sam goes from acknowledging others' "monsters" to learning more and more about them and how to confront his own. Additionally, the ongoing mystery of what caused some of the bad energy in his home is slowly being revealed. This all leads to a truly heartbreaking discovery that shows just how desperate our monsters can really make us. </p><p><br /></p><p>It was very challenging for me to read this book. I would strongly advise reading the trigger and content warnings before trying this one if you struggle with mental health issues. In my own life, I battle depression. I found this book so hard to read because of just how real it portrayed that struggle. I can definitely say that it is probably the best depiction of depression in a book that I have read so far. The author's ability to capture the complexity of the emotions and thoughts that come with depression is truly remarkable. It was both comforting and challenging to read a book that so accurately reflected my own experiences with mental health. I could see myself in multiple family members at different points in my own life. It made me feel seen, which is not something I experience often.</p><p><br /></p><p>Rating: ★★★★☆ 4.5/5</p><p><br /></p><p>Should you read it?</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Making Friends With Monsters </i>is a powerful book that realistically depicts mental illness. I think everyone should read it --HOWEVER-- please be mindful and take care of yourself. If you think this book may trigger you, skip it or save it for later. </p><p><br /></p><p>Book & Author Information: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65762895-making-friends-with-monsters">Goodreads</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Published: Published April 4, 2023</p><p><br /></p><p>Sandra L. Rostirolla: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17154887.Sandra_L_Rostirolla">Goodreads</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/slrostirolla/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://slrostirolla.com">Official</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-91485282650387119852023-04-19T08:00:00.001-05:002023-04-19T08:00:00.165-05:00Little Aiden: A Feelings Book for Toddlers (Little Aiden Series) by Albert & Anna Choi & Illustrated by Bettina Brasko - Book Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYxFAvZzh68NlyXJnBgQDAsnC5sn1VwHj2t_cMX6xkir8jmzt_ZXDFJW6QYzWrMK4rU768Em9gih_bJGVN93s_CLpucNxuBAt6GHDeY3CnZPb5kFgIze5r0IZNjRjcBfKZtLJyzhtDPXveo0l5Oa4ke880H_aLWxSw0NI6nlr9qnb0H4ez50UHdAbn/s1080/Little%20Aiden%20A%20feelings%20book%20for%20toddlers%20albert%20and%20anna%20choi%20bettina%20brasko.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image centered on the book cover for Little Aiden A feelings Book for Toddlers that shows a little boy with black hair and bouncy balls" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYxFAvZzh68NlyXJnBgQDAsnC5sn1VwHj2t_cMX6xkir8jmzt_ZXDFJW6QYzWrMK4rU768Em9gih_bJGVN93s_CLpucNxuBAt6GHDeY3CnZPb5kFgIze5r0IZNjRjcBfKZtLJyzhtDPXveo0l5Oa4ke880H_aLWxSw0NI6nlr9qnb0H4ez50UHdAbn/s16000/Little%20Aiden%20A%20feelings%20book%20for%20toddlers%20albert%20and%20anna%20choi%20bettina%20brasko.png" title="Little Aiden: A Feelings Book for Toddlers (Little Aiden Series) by Albert & Anna Choi, illustrated by Bettina Brasko" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>*I received an E-ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p>This is one of those children's books that, while being excellent for its target audience, is also so repetitive that, if you're an adult, your brain is about to have a bad time. Having said that, I believe that reading a book about feelings is always a good idea. Especially since this book is reassuring the reader (and possible reading assistants) that feelings are normal and okay. There's nothing wrong with feeling sad or mad. We will go through a wide range of emotions throughout our lives, so it is best to learn early on that the best course of action is to simply feel them. Too many generations have been taught to suppress their emotions.</p><p><br /></p><p>Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3/5</p><p><br /></p><p>Should you read it?</p><p>This is a wonderful resource to use for young children and toddlers when beginning to explore different emotions.</p><p><br /></p><p>Book & Author Information: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75395225-little-aiden">Goodreads</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Published: December 17, 2022</p><p><br /></p><p>Albert Choi: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23407232.Albert_Choi">Goodreads </a></p><p>Anna Choi: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19979356.Anna_Choi">Goodreads</a></p><p>Bettina Brasko: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14650683.Bettina_Brasko">Goodreads</a></p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-79229261576810957072023-04-18T20:36:00.002-05:002023-04-18T20:40:36.126-05:00Catlumbus by Franny Plaia & Illustrated by Katya Galkina - Book Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Oc14GrvcI6HnKkJwyMXXLPVoQ5fQNymwLqbt5Thodjk0dWeWjMiKrpy5n6GAbOfQjyiSsHDBnqDXYl_QO4Xz1bqYpXbvVzoIJuBR2aZnCgEswcDOiX-a2payGwEK23ujbSFT5n7L1ERLcxVgE9KsiBbIUcYDZ0n1EgqJbdsVEEF5VpNCsGcGuPwi/s1080/catlumbus.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image showing a blue background and the cover of the book titled Catlumbus by Franny Plaia" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Oc14GrvcI6HnKkJwyMXXLPVoQ5fQNymwLqbt5Thodjk0dWeWjMiKrpy5n6GAbOfQjyiSsHDBnqDXYl_QO4Xz1bqYpXbvVzoIJuBR2aZnCgEswcDOiX-a2payGwEK23ujbSFT5n7L1ERLcxVgE9KsiBbIUcYDZ0n1EgqJbdsVEEF5VpNCsGcGuPwi/s16000/catlumbus.png" title="Catlumbus by Franny Plaia" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>*I received an e-ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*</b></p><p><br /></p><p>After discovering a treasure map, Catlumbus embarks on a quest that results in friendship.</p><p><br /></p><p>I really enjoyed this book. The idea of a sailing cat is cute, and I adore the illustrations. The ending felt a little rushed, and then, of course, there's the elephant in the room. Taking inspiration from Christopher Columbus for the name of the lead cat in this day and age was a mistake. If you are going to use something from the past as inspiration, you really need to do research first. The name Columbus is now associated with colonization, slavery, and genocide. It's important to be mindful of the historical context when naming characters or things.</p><p><br /></p><p>Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3/5</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Book & Author Information: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/83170441-catlumbus">Goodreads</a>, Storygraph</p><p><br /></p><p>Published: February 7, 2023</p><p><br /></p><p>Franny Plaia: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/24511696.Franny_Plaia">Goodreads</a></p><p>Katya Galkina: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/24590396.Katya_Galkina">Goodreads</a></p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-61413648798031855892023-04-11T18:47:00.001-05:002023-04-11T18:51:48.872-05:00Burying Eva Flores by Jennifer Alsever - Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfucfETumxEjoh6iUQLAUCcXBZL07qfoDsCJiCDVftqpnTvTooOUKG44R_Csjh00PsPNlBRbVJ4D67njZess0rtv6Q2X35hdop6f62Qbfm02L8-swCIJe7lvKWnROZ0W4zLVFQGooSTIbuul2YqpXY4vBs7wuWVuWzk6Hs8CzAFMhAfLQsYKlQ327J/s1080/buring%20eva%20flores%20jennifer%20alsever.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The cover of Burying Eva Flores by Jennifer Alsever. The background is teal green and has a girl in the center with red x's over her eyes." border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfucfETumxEjoh6iUQLAUCcXBZL07qfoDsCJiCDVftqpnTvTooOUKG44R_Csjh00PsPNlBRbVJ4D67njZess0rtv6Q2X35hdop6f62Qbfm02L8-swCIJe7lvKWnROZ0W4zLVFQGooSTIbuul2YqpXY4vBs7wuWVuWzk6Hs8CzAFMhAfLQsYKlQ327J/s16000/buring%20eva%20flores%20jennifer%20alsever.png" title="Burying Eva Flores by Jennifer Alsever" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>A missing Tiktok star that is presumed dead, a strange leather journal that causes things written in it to happen, and an outcast accused of murder. What happened to Eva Flores?</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>*I received an e-ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*</b></p><p><br /></p><p><i>Burying Eva Flores</i> by Jennifer Alsever is a young adult mystery novel with a supernatural twist. A little bit Mean Girls and a little bit Death Note, it is an okay read. All of the characters are either annoying or just downright unlikeable. It is hard to root for a self-described underdog like Sophia. There is a huge theme of “absolute power corrupts absolutely” with her, but she wasn't that great of a person in the first place. The supernatural aspect of the story is barely there and only comes into play when a need for an explanation of something arises. There are a few plot holes that left me thinking “Wait a minute, I think I missed something”. After reading two chapters, I wrote down my predictions for the end of this book. I was right. I was also very much not a fan of the adult-teen flirtation that happens.</p><p><br /></p><p>Overall, the character development is lacking, and the plot is predictable. However, the writing style is engaging and keeps the reader interested until the end. </p><p><br /></p><p>Rating: 3/5</p><p><br /></p><p>Should you read it?</p><p><i>Burying Eva Flores</i> is perfect for its demographic - Young Adults. While I found it to be predictable, the writing is actually quite good and worth reading just for that fact.</p><p><br /></p><p>Book & Author Information: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60786569-burying-eva-flores">Goodreads</a>, <a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/724c5cb9-b631-468d-97c0-7b6f5ce5b1ec">Storygraph</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Published: March 14, 2022</p><p><br /></p><p>Jennifer Alsever: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16825876.Jennifer_Alsever">Goodreads</a>, <a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/authors/5ab77e73-2274-49e2-b3e4-7c661e4c082a">Storygraph</a>, <a href="https://www.jenniferalsever.com">Official</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/authorjenniferalsever/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorjenniferalsever">Facebook</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-42035062509722643062023-03-10T12:28:00.003-06:002023-03-10T15:22:05.637-06:00Masks of Death by Thomas Stewart - Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpP8joe2gkFdIiarujKsbZU0sh1bd4tFNVyeEzE74QgZKc6NC48BdC7zbekPbsUsnna4SPmLVpsjkdzt8c1To50_ofpMfVUyz7q8iOUy76NED5-tTsU8oE3iXN0kO0U4yLBnpnOIET1XVFKagph8WhHVnq5rT7UXC6XvP3mCtb86hBaj__WJhG6CX_/s1080/masks%20of%20death%20thomas%20stewart.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image showing book cover for Masks of Death by Thomas Stewart" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpP8joe2gkFdIiarujKsbZU0sh1bd4tFNVyeEzE74QgZKc6NC48BdC7zbekPbsUsnna4SPmLVpsjkdzt8c1To50_ofpMfVUyz7q8iOUy76NED5-tTsU8oE3iXN0kO0U4yLBnpnOIET1XVFKagph8WhHVnq5rT7UXC6XvP3mCtb86hBaj__WJhG6CX_/s16000/masks%20of%20death%20thomas%20stewart.png" title="Masks of Death by Thomas Stewart" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><i>Masks of Death</i> is a collection of 13 short horror stories written by Thomas Stewart. The majority of the stories begin in a similarly hurried manner. The stories unfold quickly, leaving little time for character development or time to breathe and take in what is happening. I also found the back-to-back first-person narratives tedious, and I love first-person. The cover and title of the book also feel like they are trying to advertise something else. If you judged this book by its cover, you would probably expect gory, intense horror. However, what you get is very tame, basic horror that I don't see as being very entertaining to cynics like myself who have binged too much horror over the years. To readers like myself, many of the stories and "twists" come off as very cliche and predictable. However, it's not all bad.</p><p><br /></p><p>I think the very thing that led to me not really enjoying most of this book is what could make it very important to the horror genre as a whole. This collection would serve as a wonderful introduction to horror writing for someone new to the genre. It gives you a little taste of different sub-genres and gives you a great place to find out what your taste could be. </p><p><br /></p><p>In one of my previous reviews of a short-story collection, I rated each story individually and the book as a whole. For <i>Masks of Death</i>, I just want to highlight my favorites. <i>The "Fear Itself" Game</i> and <i>When Lacie Came Home</i> are fantastic. The gem of this collection, though, is definitely <i>Project Demigod</i>. This short story felt like you were being introduced to a new series, and I really hope that Thomas Stewart considers expanding on this tale. </p><p><br /></p><p><i>Masks of Death</i> is a promising collection by an author with a passion for horror. I will definitely be keeping an eye on this author's future works and look forward to seeing his growth over time.</p><p><br /></p><p>Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3/5</p><p><br /></p><p>Should you read it?</p><p>If you have read a lot of horror, this may not be the most enjoyable read, especially if your tastes are more into body horror or super gore. However, if you have been interested in horror or you are new the genre, this is a wonderful place to start.</p><p><br /></p><p>Book & Author Information: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/122755593-masks-of-death">Goodreads</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Thomas Stewart: <a href="https://thomasxdrwho.wixsite.com/corpsechildssanctuar">Official</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-64073374417948830202023-02-11T18:21:00.004-06:002023-02-11T18:23:55.392-06:00 Einstein in the Attic by Dana Dargos & Said Al Bizri - Book Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIvZqsf4c4QgPX0KrgH80ETXvAIqjx2fD3mlLowQN1xtT5nSxGi4HfEJXupDjXAYWq3PhF8h1N_9wB5yCtZcTV15fu2cu9Hhk55vnClmmkCoJE-d077bbD4up8ktkukQAzf7piycrrRPHDaVjyWa0aOFmgOLzCwWAYalswa0hLblfcS33XZ3WaM3w/s1080/einstein%20in%20the%20attic%20dana%20dargos%20said%20al%20bizri.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image showing the book cover and a quote from Einstein in the Attic by Dana Dargos & Said Al Bizri" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIvZqsf4c4QgPX0KrgH80ETXvAIqjx2fD3mlLowQN1xtT5nSxGi4HfEJXupDjXAYWq3PhF8h1N_9wB5yCtZcTV15fu2cu9Hhk55vnClmmkCoJE-d077bbD4up8ktkukQAzf7piycrrRPHDaVjyWa0aOFmgOLzCwWAYalswa0hLblfcS33XZ3WaM3w/s16000/einstein%20in%20the%20attic%20dana%20dargos%20said%20al%20bizri.png" title="Einstein in the Attic by Dana Dargos & Said Al Bizri" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><blockquote>Set against the backdrop of the war between science and God, reason and faith, Einstein in the Attic is the story of one scientist’s search for truth and meaning when faced with the ultimate question: Is there a God? Fleeing war-torn Lebanon, Adam Reemi’s faith is shaken by the hardships he has endured, but when he and a colleague successfully construct a nano hadron collider, and using sound waves, Adam finds unheard-of power at his fingertips. To help him answer the greatest question mankind has ever posed, he zaps the best philosophical minds of all time–namely Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Soren Kierkegaard, and Baruch Spinoza–from the past and into his attic. Not all goes according to plan, however, and Adam finds himself in a race against time to formulate an answer to the question of intelligent design… or risk losing everything. -<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60277888-einstein-in-the-attic">Goodreads</a></blockquote><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60277888-einstein-in-the-attic"></a><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><i>*I received an e-ARC of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.*</i></b></p><p>It can be challenging to write a review of a book you didn't like, even if it wasn't a bad one. I just couldn't connect to it. <i>Einstein in the Attic</i> by Dana Dargos and Said Al Bizri is an adventurous science fiction novel that sounds like it would be right up my alley. However, the combination of the slow pacing and an extremely whiny and pretentious main character left me struggling to finish this book. This is totally a "me" thing, though, as <i>Einstein in the Attic</i> is actually very well written. I just prefer medium pacing and have a need to connect with or at least understand the main character. If I don't, or, even worse, find them annoying, I tune out. </p><p><br /></p><p>Rating:★★★☆☆ 3/5</p><p><br /></p><p>Should you read it?</p><p>There's definitely a demographic for this book, but it definitely wasn't me. The book has a lot of science and philosophy, so if you enjoy long-winded conversations about both, this may be a good pick for you. </p><p><br /></p><p>Book & Author Information: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60277888-einstein-in-the-attic">Goodreads</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Published: January 31, 2022</p><p><br /></p><p>Authors: </p><p>Dana Dargos: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22183143.Dana_Dargos">Goodreads</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/dana_dargos">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://danadargos.com">Official</a></p><p>Said Al Bizri: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22183144.Said_Al_Bizri">Goodreads</a></p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-5531038537933310172023-02-01T15:00:00.000-06:002023-02-01T15:00:20.135-06:00Time's Orphan (Odriel's Heirs # 3) by Hayley Reese Chow - Book Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fT_maDhhonjOYbjEs59W98M4vGUH1pGdEnPZhCdcahsuWm-uYl41J45ekJbzUEMsyc1PmEFwm8K105Cftv4Yt-V1YHVKoaA8vES7A2bsWtw6c-Nv9jhMGs95aaYHtCidZ0ohcNSwx17R9p3mpKZ3CdXGyFUyKE_Ki9yuRV1_o9w--bFx1ca8fzEt/s1080/Time's%20Orphan%20Odriels%20heirs%20hayley%20reese%20chow.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Black and blue with silver book cover for Time's Orphan by Hayley Reese Chow featuring the quote "For a moment, she thought of her mother's words. You must survive. At all costs. But that had been wrong. She was here to live, not just survive."" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fT_maDhhonjOYbjEs59W98M4vGUH1pGdEnPZhCdcahsuWm-uYl41J45ekJbzUEMsyc1PmEFwm8K105Cftv4Yt-V1YHVKoaA8vES7A2bsWtw6c-Nv9jhMGs95aaYHtCidZ0ohcNSwx17R9p3mpKZ3CdXGyFUyKE_Ki9yuRV1_o9w--bFx1ca8fzEt/s16000/Time's%20Orphan%20Odriels%20heirs%20hayley%20reese%20chow.png" title="Time's Orphan (Odriel's Heirs #3) by Hayley Reese Chow" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><blockquote><p>Speak of pain, and I’ll tell you of the Time who stole it away…</p><p><br /></p><p>Besieged by war, ravaged by monsters, and crawling with the undead, the land of Okarria is dying. Seventeen-year-old Emara survives by using her modest healing gift to save as many as she can while eluding the invaders who thirst for her enchanted blood.</p><p><br /></p><p>So when a cursed cat saves her life and reveals Emara is the legendary Time Heir the necromancer king’s been searching for, she agrees to act as bait in a plot to destroy him. But when the plan goes horrifically awry, Emara must discover how deep her powers go, what she can change…</p><p><br /></p><p>And what she cannot.</p><p><br /></p><p>Unfortunately, Time Heirs have a history of getting killed, and with Okarria’s future on the line, Emara may have no choice but to follow in her ancestors’ footsteps. -<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61022810-time-s-orphan">Goodreads</a></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p> *I<b><i> received an eARC of this book. All thoughts are my own.</i></b></p><p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61022810-time-s-orphan"></a></p><p><br /></p><p><i>Time's Orphan</i> is book three of the Odriel's Heirs trilogy. I have not read the other books in the series...yet. The book was described to me as a standalone, but I had every intention of reading the whole series and then reviewing each one before the release of <i>Time's Orphan</i>. However, life happens, and as a mood reader, that means that I went from wanting to completely disappear into a world of fantasy to one of scifi adventure. So this review got delayed, and the other books are still on my TBR. They won't be there for long, though. This book was an absolute joy to read, and I can't wait to experience the rest of the trilogy.</p><p><br /></p><p>It reminded me of why I love to read—how the written word can transport you to different worlds and allow you to become immersed in a story. Hayley Reece Chow's writing leaves you feeling like you are not actually reading. You are part of the story right there with Emara, Jai, and Chipo. The elements of romance feel natural and are not forced. The characters grow in ways that you would expect given their circumstances. Then, of course, you have a cursed cat. If you have read any other review of mine about anything that has a cat, you know how I feel. I'm a sucker for a good feline companion.</p><p><br /></p><p>Rating: ★★★★☆ 4/5</p><p><br /></p><p>Should you read it?</p><p>Absolutely. This is perfect for those looking for a fantasy series that doesn't require you to read the books in order. </p><p><br /></p><p>Book & Author Information: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61022810-time-s-orphan">Goodreads</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Published: February 8, 2023</p><p><br /></p><p>Author: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19879332.Hayley_Reese_Chow">Goodreads</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/HayleyReeseChow">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://hayleyreesechow.com">Official</a></p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-38521101277969681512023-01-18T18:41:00.000-06:002023-01-18T18:41:15.998-06:00Mayatte's Catharsis : A Feathered Serpent Reborn By Jack E. Mohr - Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmlK3K3Rm9Es7A6j5xXMkAhdcdnE5eWAZ8RpRcPg5VeG7YXZGRqvKTK4BPYdweUFGRR12nnLV57365nYnk_9kbQcYL3cHQfR06EMu6-rR1Y1GAXo86korJdCHOqFhPP835v8RSeaOrYxcACfPiY9fxOvT1ZbE8tOQEhh5AQlm981Ga5Z80x8Qz8IN/s1080/Mayatte's%20catharsis%20jack%20e%20mohr.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image showing black sand in the background and the book cover and quote from Mayatte's Catharsis : A Feathered Serpent Reborn By Jack E. Mohr" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmlK3K3Rm9Es7A6j5xXMkAhdcdnE5eWAZ8RpRcPg5VeG7YXZGRqvKTK4BPYdweUFGRR12nnLV57365nYnk_9kbQcYL3cHQfR06EMu6-rR1Y1GAXo86korJdCHOqFhPP835v8RSeaOrYxcACfPiY9fxOvT1ZbE8tOQEhh5AQlm981Ga5Z80x8Qz8IN/s16000/Mayatte's%20catharsis%20jack%20e%20mohr.png" title="Mayatte's Catharsis : A Feathered Serpent Reborn By Jack E. Mohr" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><blockquote><p>The mythical Island of Mayatte was never meant to be discovered by anyone, and its natives are about to find out why.</p><p>When a ship of foreigners crashes along the coast, everyone but Naña is wary of their inexplicable arrival. While others are suspicious and fearful, Naña is curious and even helpful, especially when one of the outsiders becomes gravely ill. But her goodwill might be a fatal flaw that puts the entire island in jeopardy. - <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/64625425-mayatte-s-catharsis">Goodreads</a></p></blockquote><p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/64625425-mayatte-s-catharsis"></a></p><p><br /></p><p><i>*<b>I received a free eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.</b></i></p><p><i><b><br /></b></i></p><p>The fantasy novella <i>Mayatte's Catharsis </i>introduces us to a new, intriguing, but underdeveloped world. The writing is beautiful, and I love the small glimpse we get of Mayatte. Despite how good it is, the book feels incomplete. All the elements of a 5-star read are here. It just needs to be fleshed out more. The pacing felt a little rushed, and I found the ending unsatisfying. It would be fantastic if the novella were expanded into a full novel. I'm curious about the island's inhabitants, and I'm intrigued about what happens next. The novella contains great potential for further exploration, and I think the idea would be well served with more detail and context.</p><p><br /></p><p>Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3/5</p><p><br /></p><p>Should you read it?</p><p>I think this is perfect if you love fantasy and need something quick to read. </p><p><br /></p><p>Book & Author Information: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/64625425-mayatte-s-catharsis">Goodreads</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Published: December 12, 2022</p><p><br /></p><p>Author: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22513003.Jack_E_Mohr">Goodreads</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/jackwritesmohr">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jackwritesmohr/?hl=en">Instagram</a>, </p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-91288602524032548762023-01-05T14:25:00.000-06:002023-01-05T14:25:13.133-06:00Why the Water Is Sweet Where The River Meets the Sea by Enrique Posner - Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6uKlsHWUtMzrk7mMua2JH_cZ5J_0ntaEBtQl-m9M4U8xSzv4I52HYi5uPSCgCw0bRCsxHpxWb3YZAOHRCA3KMBlMIQ5kuCHvdSsnYuqePQdIs_xY3W7VLSSA4fTt6ShTYX1SmKZrwGRtYIxVsx8zz43Miamej8Pbu4GtJAFwXoj_nqgJbXumBNm6/s1080/why%20the%20water%20is%20sweet%20quote.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image including a quote from the book and the cover featuring an AI render of a girl with brown hair and blue eyes" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6uKlsHWUtMzrk7mMua2JH_cZ5J_0ntaEBtQl-m9M4U8xSzv4I52HYi5uPSCgCw0bRCsxHpxWb3YZAOHRCA3KMBlMIQ5kuCHvdSsnYuqePQdIs_xY3W7VLSSA4fTt6ShTYX1SmKZrwGRtYIxVsx8zz43Miamej8Pbu4GtJAFwXoj_nqgJbXumBNm6/s16000/why%20the%20water%20is%20sweet%20quote.png" title="Why the Water Is Sweet Where the River Meets The Sea" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><i><b>*I received a free digital ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.</b></i></p><p>This is a beautifully written coming-of-age picture book that would be perfect for young adults about to spread their wings. I do wish it had different illustrations, though, as I found them to be a bit distracting. Nonetheless, this story captures the special feelings of anticipation and fear that come with growing up and preparing to embark on your own for the first time.</p><p><br /></p><p>Rating: ★★★★☆ 3.5/5</p><p><br /></p><p>Should you read it?</p><p>I think any age can get something out of this book, particularly those leaving the nest for the first time.</p><p><br /></p><p>Book & Author Information:<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75445724-why-the-water-is-sweet-where-the-river-meets-the-sea"> Goodreads</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Published: December 26, 2022</p><p><br /></p><p>Author: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23334743.Enrique_Posner">Goodreads</a></p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-32304622257552699412022-10-13T23:35:00.001-05:002022-10-13T23:36:27.729-05:00Fleshed Out by Rob Ulitski - Book Review<p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_2l4-K3deA9suwHEJP4DXmUNa-Lzulwi2MpoqUZdAjQxfswhF1fybyrFqDfPkhiE4DOd1-AFPPsTHHg8O7Q-CxUOSU0f2AiRHVzaaT19DsYHLXnbHhCqP1KzOKKYKunHobXJs9s9tE4cDojbe4k2GS5IQw0wmMrt83NBsKidwawf_Wt7-2UA-41lN/s1000/FLESHED%20OUT%20SOCIAL%20(SQUARE).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image showing the cover for Fleshed Out by Rob Ulitski" border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_2l4-K3deA9suwHEJP4DXmUNa-Lzulwi2MpoqUZdAjQxfswhF1fybyrFqDfPkhiE4DOd1-AFPPsTHHg8O7Q-CxUOSU0f2AiRHVzaaT19DsYHLXnbHhCqP1KzOKKYKunHobXJs9s9tE4cDojbe4k2GS5IQw0wmMrt83NBsKidwawf_Wt7-2UA-41lN/s16000/FLESHED%20OUT%20SOCIAL%20(SQUARE).png" title="Fleshed Out by Rob Ulitski" /></a></i></div><i><br /><b><br /></b></i><p></p><p><i><b>*I received a free digital ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*</b></i></p><p><i><b><br /></b></i></p><p>I love the horror genre. But sadly, I don't get to spend as much time exploring the genre as I used to due to my mental health. So, each October, as most people are getting ready to celebrate an entire month of spooky and dark entertainment, I usually sit and pout. Tempting as it is, my mental health can't handle allowing myself to sink into the darkness that it inevitably falls into when I overindulge on horror content.</p><p><br /></p><p>Every now and then, though, I allow myself a little treat. </p><p><br /></p><p>This year, before I even had the chance to decide what to do, I received an opportunity to review a collection of short stories by Rob Ultiski. <i>Fleshed Out</i> is a compilation of 13 body horror stories released on October 14th, 2022.</p><p><br /></p><p>Over the past year, I have increasingly heard more about body horror in the Books of Horror Facebook group. <i>Fleshed Out</i> is the first book in this subgenre that I have read, so I have nothing to compare it to.</p><p><br /></p><p>Overall, <i>Fleshed Out</i> is gross and depressing. I know that probably doesn't sound good, but I do mean that in a good way. Body horror is supposed to be repulsive and disturbing, and all thirteen books in this collection meet that standard. I was surprised at how emotional many of the stories left me. I like heartbreaking horror, and this book opens with one I would put on the same level as my favorite horror film, May (2002).</p><p><br /></p><p>The way Ultiski wrote the characters is so human. The situations they are in (minus the gore, of course) are so easily understandable and relatable. The gore was so well written that I had to take breaks, which had never happened to me before. This is easily one of the most disgusting books I have ever read (I swear I mean this in a good way!). All of these stories would make such good movies or short films. I hope Rob Ultiski considers further developing some of these stories in said medium.</p><p><br /></p><p>I have never reviewed a collection of short stories before, so I was unsure if I should speak about each story or the collection as a whole. I have decided to take my old music review approach and list each tale, a few notes, and my rating.</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Hair</i> – My favorite from this collection. Super depressing. Since reading, the sensation of hair in my throat won't go away. 5/5</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Carnage</i> – Rob did a fantastic job displaying how evil and bitter some men can be. 4/5</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Crystalline</i> – The desperation and frustration in this are so realistic. 4/5</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Heal</i> – I think I would enjoy this more as a movie. 3/5</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Doug</i> – I don't understand why I loved this so much. It was strangely romantic and empowering. 5/5</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Circles</i> – An okay story, but also the most forgettable of the collection. 2/5</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Vending Machine</i> – Very dark and yet the most realistic situation if governments keep looking at health care the way they currently do. 4/5</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Dropoff</i> – I found this story to be a bit boring, but it could have just been that it came after Vending Machine, which I found to be much better. 2/5</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Fused</i> – I want to know what happens next. You can't just leave it like that. 3/5</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Neoton</i> It is my kind of story, but I didn't click with it for some reason. It may be too fast-paced. 3/5</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Roe</i> – This reminded me of some of the Korean Horror I have read. 4/5</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Smothered</i> – This story hits hard, but it is just beyond the level of grossness that I can handle. 3/5</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Replacement </i> – This ties the collection up nicely. I would love to see this as a film as well. 5/5</p><p><br /></p><p>Overall rating: ★★★★☆ 3.6/5</p><p><br /></p><p>Should you read it?</p><p><br /></p><p>✔ This is a great read for horror lovers but not so much for those sensitive to gore, though.</p><p><br /></p><p>Book & Author Information: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62680961-fleshed-out">Goodreads</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Published: October 14th, 2022</p><p><br /></p><p>Author: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22870368.Rob_Ulitski">Goodreads</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/robulitski">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.robwriteshorror.com/">Official Site</a></p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-23411793448002414892022-10-01T21:29:00.001-05:002022-10-13T23:49:01.049-05:00Ten Books I Want To Re-read But Don't Have the Time For<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZirmUuKfq9DQFnE4VWety7jGHQBv7Yh01n1cHnwqEd6jOHIJrLm8DadV_iHTbGHo-bjDFPZ426MiDgks3FM2qQjbU2sUNtgTR7DncH25XlMaJ2SXFqPxN1qT0jDR3pKwUsj1vU8BmRETUndF23_4VTAr4bvZd15gv87e6Fm9tHmEl9Nwv1p2bNse/s1080/books%20i%20want%20to%20reread.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image showing clipart of a girl reading, a cat on a rug and a shelf of books" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZirmUuKfq9DQFnE4VWety7jGHQBv7Yh01n1cHnwqEd6jOHIJrLm8DadV_iHTbGHo-bjDFPZ426MiDgks3FM2qQjbU2sUNtgTR7DncH25XlMaJ2SXFqPxN1qT0jDR3pKwUsj1vU8BmRETUndF23_4VTAr4bvZd15gv87e6Fm9tHmEl9Nwv1p2bNse/s16000/books%20i%20want%20to%20reread.png" title="Books I want To Re-read" /></a></div><br />Sometimes, while staring at my bookshelves, I find myself lingering on one of them while thinking, "I should really read that again." It never happens, though. There are just SO many books out there to read, and the fact that it is impossible to read all of them is a great injustice. So while part of me waits, longing to return to the worlds I have previously visited, I continue to ignore it so that I can experience even more. So, here are the ten books calling to me like a beautiful siren but so far haven't overpowered my need for neverending new worlds.<p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWEmNW6fMMXzFECl_ZttvdHu-WJm2U_Ubx1seaUyt1eLynezayl9i2K_w6fLrhM-QS5xJISUVdDz7gt_kRBEmsmHxeaL8ZmT_2hQ63i-KSjxaWDOh3veRQXsL47q7Ez1EodtetAXV1tRqK87KDbDEpZUWn09SYj4Fak3sBsKgS81_1IDzzNCSOnz7/s1080/throne%20of%20glass%20quote.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image featuring the cover of Throne of Glass and a quote from the book" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWEmNW6fMMXzFECl_ZttvdHu-WJm2U_Ubx1seaUyt1eLynezayl9i2K_w6fLrhM-QS5xJISUVdDz7gt_kRBEmsmHxeaL8ZmT_2hQ63i-KSjxaWDOh3veRQXsL47q7Ez1EodtetAXV1tRqK87KDbDEpZUWn09SYj4Fak3sBsKgS81_1IDzzNCSOnz7/s16000/throne%20of%20glass%20quote.png" title="Throne of Glass" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>10. <i>Throne of Glass</i> by Sarah J. Maas</b></p><p>Simply put, I need to start the series over to finish it because I took too much time between books.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLQIfnTB7kWtliHEic6PTKT4S0_5EdswYn-93mCrZUp9ON9B51F_vhxeirF67a7Z4kjfB8DiLcaPOhMGlwHa_eJWMB0vNyN4RGP8H0EfevS6YDEPGcGynYuA_CUmAf7PP4TaWwdeXa_I8SL7FBbNrFaUNZNTIZ5zyLgKgKHzmZ52SNY13Z8hSnqfm/s1080/clockwork%20orange%20quote.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image featuring the book cover for A Clockwork Orange and a quote from the book" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLQIfnTB7kWtliHEic6PTKT4S0_5EdswYn-93mCrZUp9ON9B51F_vhxeirF67a7Z4kjfB8DiLcaPOhMGlwHa_eJWMB0vNyN4RGP8H0EfevS6YDEPGcGynYuA_CUmAf7PP4TaWwdeXa_I8SL7FBbNrFaUNZNTIZ5zyLgKgKHzmZ52SNY13Z8hSnqfm/s16000/clockwork%20orange%20quote.png" title="A Clockwork Orange" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>9. <i>A Clockwork Orange</i> by Anthony Burgess</b></p><div>An absolute classic and must-read for any fan of literature that somehow I have only read once. </div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_sXcfYpCJp-FEg6ZK7y1ieI3bcPjltHqQWYUHIh09NeEYjiMJo0yEopsw-cVP5BPaFkdNLEe5VCJdjWk5xMBtr9rfecGjf_O2gZ8rEbmeA4OfVlDUBoacQpKzNFelXkS1Q0FRi97viwp6A7K-vN7Id2eHLDE7knJkkd5-3YPtnfwS3phdb-sYtc0/s1080/forest%20of%20hands%20and%20teeth%20quote.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image showing the cover of The Forest of Hands and Teeth and a quote from the book" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_sXcfYpCJp-FEg6ZK7y1ieI3bcPjltHqQWYUHIh09NeEYjiMJo0yEopsw-cVP5BPaFkdNLEe5VCJdjWk5xMBtr9rfecGjf_O2gZ8rEbmeA4OfVlDUBoacQpKzNFelXkS1Q0FRi97viwp6A7K-vN7Id2eHLDE7knJkkd5-3YPtnfwS3phdb-sYtc0/s16000/forest%20of%20hands%20and%20teeth%20quote.png" title="The Forest of Hands and Teeth" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>8. <i>The Forest of Hands and Teeth</i> by Carrie Ryan</b></p><p>This is one of the series that helped get me into YA after high school. Unfortunately, I have only read the series once, and I think it's time to revisit it to see if I still want to keep my physical copies.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VkOppvDhL4sn5khtFSyKJjBuQdDU-WyRhp41Vdb5MemVo7oLuysY8aT5ML4eaFBE0HBo8WE6sbHKU0B1s6LG3Xw6pdjuXnFbaogXQlhS3dxHDiHGt28rujkP0jRmbijEi04SrBXFG2MR3L7_CJompFhIRKtz4kygSk0SHgwVaW1V2p7P_LX3rxEv/s1080/catcher%20quote.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image showing the cover for The Catcher in the Rye and a quote from the book" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VkOppvDhL4sn5khtFSyKJjBuQdDU-WyRhp41Vdb5MemVo7oLuysY8aT5ML4eaFBE0HBo8WE6sbHKU0B1s6LG3Xw6pdjuXnFbaogXQlhS3dxHDiHGt28rujkP0jRmbijEi04SrBXFG2MR3L7_CJompFhIRKtz4kygSk0SHgwVaW1V2p7P_LX3rxEv/s16000/catcher%20quote.png" title="The Catcher in the Rye" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>7. <i>Catcher in the Rye</i> by J. D. Salinger</b></p><p>This used to hold the title of my all-time favorite book. I haven't read it in over 15 years, though. With the ways things have changed over time, I have noticed quite a few people claiming this book to be highly problematic, and that is one of the two big reasons I want to go back to it. I want to have it fresh in my mind to understand others' complaints. I also read this as a teenager. I am now in my thirties. I want to see how different the experience of reading <i>Catcher in the Rye</i> is when you are older.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSIoYyplI8JhuaZoYbsffVgBdw1bT_FMtyQCzBkPFZkh9ZoJzMuYra8F3rP9p2LUpMLQ6dDyw5Z_9jDyo-TqkBKRaF9BqOoBxn_4wQWEHKm3nzTcHvkghDY2XAicSa9uJ6Iiu1Wdvv1U6aiq7HXqXcPu7ifh_Cit3T9MxjYaCQ0Q4tT7b5WIdrY_x/s1080/imaginary%20friend%20quote.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image showing the cover of Imaginary Friend and a quote from the book" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSIoYyplI8JhuaZoYbsffVgBdw1bT_FMtyQCzBkPFZkh9ZoJzMuYra8F3rP9p2LUpMLQ6dDyw5Z_9jDyo-TqkBKRaF9BqOoBxn_4wQWEHKm3nzTcHvkghDY2XAicSa9uJ6Iiu1Wdvv1U6aiq7HXqXcPu7ifh_Cit3T9MxjYaCQ0Q4tT7b5WIdrY_x/s16000/imaginary%20friend%20quote.png" title="Imaginary Friend" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>6. <i>Imaginary Friend</i> by Stephen Chbosky</b></p><div>I read this book too fast. I want to go back. </div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyCkTBC20ZqUNVET6lRXGgVbFB4sOImes8VmBI4OY7zUDuewYrMtjTfN8UT5f_ox1aTt__5iewYXWYE-L_CDXLyu2XPVmUiQWI8dZMMvmh6MaL5eQAdAG_3QM5xfM2n-4ts9tbI6cCVyrSS5rn5Pj3CqvTiN6M3_761821opx5XVqSNdPIY38zBxM2/s1080/1q84%20quote.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image featuring cover of 1Q84 and a quote from the book" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyCkTBC20ZqUNVET6lRXGgVbFB4sOImes8VmBI4OY7zUDuewYrMtjTfN8UT5f_ox1aTt__5iewYXWYE-L_CDXLyu2XPVmUiQWI8dZMMvmh6MaL5eQAdAG_3QM5xfM2n-4ts9tbI6cCVyrSS5rn5Pj3CqvTiN6M3_761821opx5XVqSNdPIY38zBxM2/s16000/1q84%20quote.png" title="1Q84" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>5. <i>1Q84</i> by Haruki Murakami</b></p><p>This is my favorite Haruki Murakami book. However, I read it fast, and while I have fond memories of it, similar to <i>Catcher in the Rye</i>, I have begun to hear people mention some problematic content. Therefore, I want to read it slower with a more critical mindset. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsJebbvvqa8J_sqw5v9zhguQajZbMkhZqkvwGLULqfWpACwB3C8z-f_7jg-uZQqiiE8KGdgmNUVlzXpJxIJdC57VEG7cxbxMUX38-P8KUlxh2xcqtT9GMrjjjcvtqUhmOh1bMtfDMW1Llfj6iBc_XrcVmfc9ioyDTYz32mtip9JX6VAwpwkaudto_/s1080/neverending%20story%20quote.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image featuring the cover of The Neverending Story and a quote from the book" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsJebbvvqa8J_sqw5v9zhguQajZbMkhZqkvwGLULqfWpACwB3C8z-f_7jg-uZQqiiE8KGdgmNUVlzXpJxIJdC57VEG7cxbxMUX38-P8KUlxh2xcqtT9GMrjjjcvtqUhmOh1bMtfDMW1Llfj6iBc_XrcVmfc9ioyDTYz32mtip9JX6VAwpwkaudto_/s16000/neverending%20story%20quote.png" title="The Neverending Story" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>4. <i>Neverending Story</i> by Michael Ende</b></p><div>This book should be added to the list of books I need to read at least once a year, but somehow I never seem to be able to make time for it. Of course, I do watch the 80s film multiple times a year...but that covers very little of what is in the book.</div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG0cQZVViZ1FkMPw7_Npysuilatn-vJYX_YLLiDyUv5BM3FVK_VFuNYN_wKs8WtumIfuP_2voVRb0iBwtiX97t5hlNKFN673_5kQCmf6lYfCby-yAe1oSAaNUSgRHvdvKsXtFDPGTxUlYdRS0PpV5ILXLrs0p6DbXap_soi4CxOVnIBfRGLL-GhyhU/s1080/fahrenheit%20451%20quote.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image showing the cover of Fahrenheit 451 and a quote from the book" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG0cQZVViZ1FkMPw7_Npysuilatn-vJYX_YLLiDyUv5BM3FVK_VFuNYN_wKs8WtumIfuP_2voVRb0iBwtiX97t5hlNKFN673_5kQCmf6lYfCby-yAe1oSAaNUSgRHvdvKsXtFDPGTxUlYdRS0PpV5ILXLrs0p6DbXap_soi4CxOVnIBfRGLL-GhyhU/s16000/fahrenheit%20451%20quote.png" title="Fahrenheit 451" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>3. <i>Fahrenheit 451</i> by Ray Bradbury</b></p><p>Another must-read classic but extra important due to recent events. The only problem is I want to read a physical copy and have yet to fit it into my book budget. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilByA3OEh-G31q6IIUvhN3rUTIMIo4Yk_qjRu9cHZF7UuVa3EtTOi2fzwfl5loTOOfH7wJU3ieoDdTJM8oHgP8cvrankL6u1TFd0T-1TKZm5R-qIHYN6e0dj-YP03-bVjKDsL9iEkwRgr46A5LsBhxr__ZbgsKtkjlwQPyjEt9aSKV4-723pMgrcPO/s1080/may%20bird%20quote.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image showing the book cover for May Bird and the Ever After and a quote from the bok" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilByA3OEh-G31q6IIUvhN3rUTIMIo4Yk_qjRu9cHZF7UuVa3EtTOi2fzwfl5loTOOfH7wJU3ieoDdTJM8oHgP8cvrankL6u1TFd0T-1TKZm5R-qIHYN6e0dj-YP03-bVjKDsL9iEkwRgr46A5LsBhxr__ZbgsKtkjlwQPyjEt9aSKV4-723pMgrcPO/s16000/may%20bird%20quote.png" title="May Bird and the Ever After" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>2. <i>May Bird and the Ever After</i> by Jodi Lynn Anderson</b></p><p>This series is fantastic. I am shocked. I never hear anyone talk about it. My main reason for wanting to re-read right now, though, is that I never got around to book three. For years I kept randomly ordering the third book...only to receive book two over and over again. After the series was reprinted, I finally got the final book in the series...even though it doesn't have the cover I prefer. I need to re-read it before I finish the series.</p><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXRkCzODue5dMKm3bpZd3HdQpWd9eeSEG9QcJTjCKlZyKXXKHJA5OycWC9ceK-FwmO5bydwpIE07IKk0QV7LbwJTVgSLBkSy7RqStLLbtQB3CIsbA74rV8fvZQol-NHvL4iCPkoGNgwZNMNvSGnj4pIHOergzfUuqrJiV722TM2-Lrw0mRgePrOBw/s1080/imajica%20quote.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image showing the cover of Imajica and a quote from the book" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXRkCzODue5dMKm3bpZd3HdQpWd9eeSEG9QcJTjCKlZyKXXKHJA5OycWC9ceK-FwmO5bydwpIE07IKk0QV7LbwJTVgSLBkSy7RqStLLbtQB3CIsbA74rV8fvZQol-NHvL4iCPkoGNgwZNMNvSGnj4pIHOergzfUuqrJiV722TM2-Lrw0mRgePrOBw/s16000/imajica%20quote.png" title="Imajica" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><b>1. <i>Imajica</i> by Clive Barker</b></div><div><br /></div><div>This was one of the most challenging reads of my life. When I finished it the first time, I told myself I would never reread it, even though I really enjoyed it. So, of course, it makes sense that the book that haunts me the most is this one. The more time that passes, the more I miss being in this world. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So there we are, the ten books I want to re-read the most as of this post. There's definitely a ton more that I could have added to this list, so I may eventually do a part two. So what books are begging you to re-read them?</div><p></p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-47216476616986599282022-09-22T20:01:00.002-05:002022-10-13T23:49:40.979-05:00The Controlled by P.J. Willett - Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvm6BdHh0aciKalJQz-kbBUujRLqFmRA4vbkJ6EQudSAI5p_Bs_4qH5VP36VlgcnTtjyPOO1BMFijxdcAGTjMSjipGgrtzBEVZh-Ll0OwvIvE6dYvUYHPq754bbvOqx8gqA5jIEhQgqTnn0l1BG73RWiHESISdzkOXrPRO2DOXSsQgkLsrwdndPu1-/s1080/the%20controlled%20pj%20willett.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image show ing the book cover for The Controlled by P.J. Willett" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvm6BdHh0aciKalJQz-kbBUujRLqFmRA4vbkJ6EQudSAI5p_Bs_4qH5VP36VlgcnTtjyPOO1BMFijxdcAGTjMSjipGgrtzBEVZh-Ll0OwvIvE6dYvUYHPq754bbvOqx8gqA5jIEhQgqTnn0l1BG73RWiHESISdzkOXrPRO2DOXSsQgkLsrwdndPu1-/s16000/the%20controlled%20pj%20willett.png" title="The Controlled by P.J. Willett" /></a></div><b>*I received a digital ARC of this book to review. All opinions are my own. Thank you, P.J. Willett, for giving me the opportunity to read and review your book!*</b><div><b><br /></b><p><i>The Controlled</i> is the debut novel by author P.J. Willett. Set in the not-too-distant future, in which a cooperation has taken over the education system, <i>The Controlled</i> cleverly discusses mind control, forced behavior modification, and issues with class disparity.</p><p><br /></p><p>This book, especially considering it is a debut, is exceptionally well-written. However, while the story and writing are quite good, for me, that doesn't matter if I do not find myself able to connect with the characters. As I read <i>The Controlled</i>, I found myself mildly intrigued with the concept but not able to care about what happened. It just lacks that little extra spark for me. I also found the book to be a bit too fast-paced for my personal liking. Not enough time is given to really take in what is happening in the story, which, once again, makes it difficult to find any real connection with any of the characters. If I don't care what is happening, what is the point?</p><p><br /></p><p>Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3/5</p><p><br /></p><p>Should you read it?</p><p><br /></p><p>If you like dystopian literature and don't require having a connection with the characters, then this book would be perfect for you. Could also be a good fit for fans of the Fallout game franchise (the Rego Cooperation reminds me a bit of Vault-tec for some reason).</p><p><br /></p><p>Book & Author Information: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61374899-the-controlled">Goodreads</a>, <a href="https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/7aef8bc1-8207-4346-9ff8-2e3232212300">Storygraph</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Published: June 17, 2022</p><p><br /></p><p>Author: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7761260.P_J_Willett">Goodreads</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/P_J_Willett">Twitter</a></p></div>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-89125829477267859192022-09-04T02:52:00.001-05:002022-09-04T02:52:49.565-05:00August Wrap-up: What I read, watched, and listened to in August 2022<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrOeZvvL4dy_0n-oiuEqYaEynjArZyM8iuYUY9ohZpgiwu8RFk2Zn1fkMyqVsWmF-e73dkBULXQDYWG21uwWimbmGj_FQUYFBX-iM2nwZMwIVanugO_VYXR2OQGwri-i0fY0m9JHgBBTFYZ9JBL6mTs7jZ08NoSwTqDa5MgOAjKAoTVsWP7IBwpKIM/s1080/August.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrOeZvvL4dy_0n-oiuEqYaEynjArZyM8iuYUY9ohZpgiwu8RFk2Zn1fkMyqVsWmF-e73dkBULXQDYWG21uwWimbmGj_FQUYFBX-iM2nwZMwIVanugO_VYXR2OQGwri-i0fY0m9JHgBBTFYZ9JBL6mTs7jZ08NoSwTqDa5MgOAjKAoTVsWP7IBwpKIM/s16000/August.png" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Hello</h2><p>Okay, before I get into everything, I want to quickly clarify how my "monthly" wrap-ups work. Some months I read/listen/watch a lot. In other months, I spend more time doing other things. So, for the months I'm not doing much, I don't see the point of making a wrap-up post. It doesn't mean that I haven't read anything or watched any movies. There were just too few to talk about or too many uninteresting ones that I would rather forget (lol). So if you were wondering why I haven't done one of these since April...now you know. </p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">Books</h2><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQpC35sofs5MZH4Ck2kl786zepsUV--O9xAo7gMutzflp4oOC-E1ltxtOpn12kvxdc7V2txekB7waws-1zo-IAHEzd0gOguvBA_If_D-bVJ6fcfWCuA52Qg6sG7pJyHAIji-Jvskg81qgnNVyPjThjMAqlTcz4cLPSC1p-cK1SA1E-d-wCgAGZeWm/s1920/Reading%20Wrap%20up.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image showing covers of the book I read during August 2022" border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQpC35sofs5MZH4Ck2kl786zepsUV--O9xAo7gMutzflp4oOC-E1ltxtOpn12kvxdc7V2txekB7waws-1zo-IAHEzd0gOguvBA_If_D-bVJ6fcfWCuA52Qg6sG7pJyHAIji-Jvskg81qgnNVyPjThjMAqlTcz4cLPSC1p-cK1SA1E-d-wCgAGZeWm/s16000/Reading%20Wrap%20up.png" title="Reading Wrap up August 2022" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><p>August was a surprisingly good month for reading. I read a total of 12 books, which puts me at 61 for the year. This is the most I have read in a month in a very, very long time.</p><p><br /></p><p>I started August by reading <i>13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl</i> by Mona Awad. This was my second time reading one of Awad's books, the first being <i>Bunny</i>. I enjoyed <i>13 Ways</i> much more than <i>Bunny</i>, even though it had moments that hit a little too close to home. It left me feeling very seen. ★★★★★ 5/5</p><p><br /></p><p>I followed that up with my first one-sitting read;<i> My Evil Mother</i> by Margaret Atwood. It is a short story about a girl growing up with her mother, who may be a witch. I really liked it. ★★★★★ 5/5</p><p><br /></p><p><i>My Daddy Is a Hero: How Chris Watts Went from Family Man to Family Killer</i> by Lena Derhally was hard to read. I expected this when I decided to read it, but that doesn't change how horrendous the details of the murders are. The second half of the book is more dedicated to the psychology behind killers like Chris Watts, and I found that extremely interesting. ★★★★☆ 4/5</p><p><br /></p><p>I started reading <i>Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities #2)</i> by Shannon Messenger a few months ago after borrowing it from my local library (and waiting months for it to be available). Sadly, I found myself in a bit of a reading rut shortly after borrowing it, so I had to return it and then reborrow it from Libby a couple of times before I was able to finish it. It had nothing to do with the book, though. <i>Exile</i> was fantastic. I didn't like it as much as the first, but the Keeper of the Lost Cities series is a long one, so I expect that a few of the books are just not going to be as much fun as others. ★★★★☆ 4/5</p><p><br /></p><p>I posted a <a href="https://www.wondermajica.com/2022/08/her-forbidden-amish-child-secret-amish.html">review</a> of <i>Her Forbidden Amish Child (Secret Amish Babies #2)</i> by Leigh Bale, so if you want my full thoughts on this super problematic book, feel free to <a href="https://www.wondermajica.com/2022/08/her-forbidden-amish-child-secret-amish.html">check it out</a>. (I also reviewed the first book in the Secret Amish Babies series, <a href="https://www.wondermajica.com/2022/08/the-midwifes-christmas-wish-secret.html"><i>The Midwife's Christmas Wish</i></a>). ★★☆☆☆ 2/5</p><p><br /></p><p><i>No Longer Human</i> by Osamu Dazai (translated by Donald Keene) was my first surprise of the month. I had heard so many good things about it and it is highly rated (even considered a classic in Japanese lit). I don't know if I just read it too fast or at the wrong time in my life, but I found it boring. I was happy when I finished it, but I never felt the need to DNF it. ★★★☆☆ 3/5</p><p><br /></p><p><i>NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity</i> by Steve Silberman spends most of its pages going over the history of the discovery and developments of how autistic individuals have been viewed and treated over time. I learned a lot from this book. ★★★★★ 5/5</p><p><br /></p><p>The next book I read was an almost all-in-one-siting read. <i>The Chain</i> by Adrian McKinty is a book I had been meaning to get to for well over a year now, and I am so happy I finally had time for it. ★★★★☆ 4/5</p><p><br /></p><p>I organized my bookshelves in August (well, mostly) and this led to me being reminded of several books that I haven't read yet. <i>The Girl with the Silver Eyes</i> by Willo Davis Roberts was one of those books. This was great as it was sandwiched in after I got in the mood for some darker stories. I try not to read too many dark books back to back as it can sometimes intensify my poor mental health. <i>The Girl with the Silver Eyes</i> is a fun quick read that is perfect for fans of <i>Matilda</i> by Roald Dahl. ★★★★☆ 4/5</p><p><br /></p><p>I found out about <i>Any Man</i> by Amber Tamblyn thanks to one of the many reading groups on Facebook I am in. I read it in one sitting. Easily my favorite of the month. ★★★★★ 5/5</p><p><br /></p><p><i>The Dirt Diary</i> by Anna Staniszewski was another pick that came as a result of my tackling my bookshelves. It helped lighten the mood after <i>Any Man</i>, but I'm unsure if I will ever get around to reading the other books in the series. ★★★☆☆ 3/5</p><p><br /></p><p>The final book that I finished in August was <i>It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity</i> by Theresa Thorn and illustrated by Noah Grigni. I love the idea of this book. Some of the ways things are worded could be confusing for little ones. ★★★★☆ 4/5</p><p><br /></p><p>As the month came to an end, I began reading <i>Nowhere Girls</i> by Amy Reed. I have yet to finish it, but I'm enjoying it so far. </p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">Movies</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcaRj0z76ezwalUen1ghxxkwB-tZCzlKcKnbXrLt_QhmR5a8jWWL5_3CibjPlG9UKrU9YJ3WZEP-8v35iw8MlJPhSlDYQVboNk_3NIXTcFXF9PjhjNCBzpZKXW2PxKB9EUDCCzs354sO66hM57cK0HHWWeC_TI3lAl5VNDFJ3vdqUtTsU3nEPfCmn-/s640/drop-dead.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="358" data-original-width="640" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcaRj0z76ezwalUen1ghxxkwB-tZCzlKcKnbXrLt_QhmR5a8jWWL5_3CibjPlG9UKrU9YJ3WZEP-8v35iw8MlJPhSlDYQVboNk_3NIXTcFXF9PjhjNCBzpZKXW2PxKB9EUDCCzs354sO66hM57cK0HHWWeC_TI3lAl5VNDFJ3vdqUtTsU3nEPfCmn-/s320/drop-dead.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I somehow also managed to watch 7 movies in August. Now, normally I wouldn't list off most of these movies as they fall into one of my favorite bad movie categories, "Lifetime." So, we will just do this in rapid-fire mode... okay?</p><p><br /></p><p>A Killer in My Home (2020) ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ 2/10</p><p><br /></p><p>Taken in Broad Daylight (2009) ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ 5.5/10 - I think this was a rewatch...it felt very familiar.</p><p><br /></p><p>A Son's Promise (1990) ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ 6/10 - Decent story, decent acting, bad accents.</p><p><br /></p><p>Abducted: The Carlina White Story (2012) ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ 6/10 - Good acting, interesting story based on real life, got boring in the second half.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Simpsons: When Billie Met Lisa (2020) ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆ 4/10 - Cute idea that quickly bombs.</p><p><br /></p><p>Son in Law (1993) ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ 6.5/10 - Childhood favorite. I had a conversation in which I couldn't recall the name of this movie, and so when I remembered, I obviously had to watch it.</p><p><br /></p><p>Drop Dead Fred (1991) ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8/10 - One of my all-time favorite films. This hits differently each time I watch it. </p><p><br /></p><p>For the hell of it, since I have gone over movies and books so far, let's do music.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">Music</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtAMZ8UreGhutfEiRy43XWPFlXrOIsQkaDtkE2JWNYUL4wCvWGUZIF5LE6f_JGwf3Q1nqO_W1TfuDd0V9iE2WOREPYdYgMv4RXAIliVOgZOZsvRHBUbm6H1lwie-Lj8QQhO5Y6-2NdLoCpsdVY8VpUOdCSONW_EFdNV4JR27iqeHKmbhIWMVovXyA/s1000/m83-hurry-up.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="album cover for Hurry Up We're Dreaming by M83" border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtAMZ8UreGhutfEiRy43XWPFlXrOIsQkaDtkE2JWNYUL4wCvWGUZIF5LE6f_JGwf3Q1nqO_W1TfuDd0V9iE2WOREPYdYgMv4RXAIliVOgZOZsvRHBUbm6H1lwie-Lj8QQhO5Y6-2NdLoCpsdVY8VpUOdCSONW_EFdNV4JR27iqeHKmbhIWMVovXyA/s16000/m83-hurry-up.png" title="Hurry Up We're Dreaming" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p>The overall mood was...moody and dark. TBM is almost always my top artist, so no surprise there. Jackson Wang had a comeback that I literally had on repeat. Every now and then you just have to listen to one of your all-time favorite albums from beginning to end (M83's Hurry Up We're Dreaming).</p><p><br /></p><p>Top 10 Artists of August 2022:</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>The Birthday Massacre</li><li>Then Comes Silence</li><li>Jackson Wang</li><li>The Cure</li><li>M83</li><li>Aly & AJ</li><li>Twin Tribes</li><li>Bat For Lashes</li><li>Switchblade Symphony</li><li>Rosegarden Funeral Party</li></ol><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Top 10 Songs of August 2022:</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Cruel by Jackson Wang</li><li>Titanic (feat. Rich Brian) by Jackson Wang</li><li>Once in a While by Rosegarden Funeral Party</li><li>Pretty Creatures by Then Comes Silence</li><li>Jaded by Betcha</li><li>So Beautiful by DPR IAN</li><li>The Tipping Point by Tears for Fears</li><li>All My Friends Are Turning Blue by Løren</li><li>Clown by Switchblade Symphony</li><li>Strangers by Then Comes Silence</li></ol><p></p><div><br /></div><p>How did your August go? What did you enjoy reading/watching/listening to the most?</p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-15124560534857738262022-08-13T19:44:00.004-05:002022-10-13T23:50:28.319-05:00Her Forbidden Amish Child (Secret Amish Babies #2) by Leigh Bale - Book Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrft0KvWpH9Hw0hxRA6NWpeoKf5SszA_FGXG15oEpUcEBRDkiIJOw58hYaPdkx0huCg0s8pOR-LohcDmaAENWnver6cPTI3rQzdJnqiGcYQIXyYQ7FvNeHMdz8gfXFtUl-totzsJQj5gL1EsdejNlXomDcHFnMKlBelfbffpa4vc_toGV2JFM56n2d/s1080/Her%20Forbidden%20Amish%20Child%20%20by%20Leigh%20Bale.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="cover for Her Forbidden Amish Child by Leigh Bale" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrft0KvWpH9Hw0hxRA6NWpeoKf5SszA_FGXG15oEpUcEBRDkiIJOw58hYaPdkx0huCg0s8pOR-LohcDmaAENWnver6cPTI3rQzdJnqiGcYQIXyYQ7FvNeHMdz8gfXFtUl-totzsJQj5gL1EsdejNlXomDcHFnMKlBelfbffpa4vc_toGV2JFM56n2d/s16000/Her%20Forbidden%20Amish%20Child%20%20by%20Leigh%20Bale.png" title="Her Forbidden Amish Child (Secret Amish Babies #2) by Leigh Bale" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><blockquote>Four years ago, having a child out of wedlock changed everything for Tessa Miller—including her engagement to Amish farmer Caleb Yoder. Now she’s determined to provide a better life for her son…even if it means working for her ex-fiancé. Only spending time with Caleb makes it harder to keep her past a secret. Will revealing the truth lead to forgiveness…and a second chance together? (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61026008-her-forbidden-amish-child">Goodreads</a>)</blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Book one of <i>Secret Amish Babies</i> was cute. It was a very wholesome and sweet story. There was some major miscommunication between the two main characters, and that idea was continued in book two. However, the stuff that happens in <i>Her Forbidden Amish Child</i> is just messed up. If anything, it just points to flaws in Amish culture. Knowing that there are people who do behave like the people in this book is already upsetting, but taking that and using it as a basis for a supposedly comfy romance is sickening. The repetitiveness from the first book also spilled over to this one.</p><p><br /></p><p>Rating: ★★☆☆☆ 2/5</p><p><br /></p><p>Should you read it?</p><p><br /></p><p>I would recommend skipping this one. <b>This book contains the following triggers </b>(please note that there may be more, this is just what I figured was most important to mention): Sexual assault, PTSD, Alcoholism, and Sexual harassment.</p><p><br /></p><p>Book Information: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61026008-her-forbidden-amish-child">Goodreads</a></p><p>Published: June 15, 2022</p><p>Leigh Bale: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1030584.Leigh_Bale">Goodreads</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/LeighBale">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://leighbale.com/">Official Site</a></p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-89638086896995468642022-08-13T19:27:00.001-05:002022-10-13T23:51:23.834-05:00The Midwife's Christmas Wish (Secret Amish Babies #1) by Leigh Bale - Book Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusEQT1pQtsEIbH7-GzSCMwHmcaVtE6fHyKzAQdUvSvgbDVOKxCXhta_7UdnffPRVms4yZ1LXLL855FzKX_e3cEDxNN4iNoHkUqxK-YbX5U1IKTBHJuEgfLwcOpeQqt6OWneP9afzq_ruRL-f6UoJgiETWm-MzphOCO6kSOaTohDrjq3F4y4U2PxDk/s1080/The%20Midwife's%20Christmas%20Wish%20by%20Leigh%20Bale.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="book cover for The Midwife's Christmas Wish by Leigh Bale showing an Amish woman holding a baby in front of a barn/farm" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusEQT1pQtsEIbH7-GzSCMwHmcaVtE6fHyKzAQdUvSvgbDVOKxCXhta_7UdnffPRVms4yZ1LXLL855FzKX_e3cEDxNN4iNoHkUqxK-YbX5U1IKTBHJuEgfLwcOpeQqt6OWneP9afzq_ruRL-f6UoJgiETWm-MzphOCO6kSOaTohDrjq3F4y4U2PxDk/s16000/The%20Midwife's%20Christmas%20Wish%20by%20Leigh%20Bale.png" title="The Midwife's Christmas Wish (Secret Amish Babies #1) by Leigh Bale" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><blockquote>When Amish midwife Lovina Albrecht finds an abandoned baby, she’s determined to give the child a home for the holidays—even if doing so brings up difficult memories. But she’s not prepared for her bishop to assign standoffish Jonah Lapp to help care for the little girl. As their temporary arrangement begins to feel like family, can they overcome old hurts to build a future? (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59362533-the-midwife-s-christmas-wish">Goodreads</a>)</blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p>I have been tempted to find out what the hype was about Amish romance, so I decided to read this. I was in a bit of a reading slump and needed something simple to cleanse my brain. </p><p><br /></p><p><i>The Midwife's Christmas Wish </i>is the first book in the Secret Amish Babies series by Leigh Bale. From what I understand, this means that each book will probably take place within the same Amish community. So, while each story will focus on different characters, previous ones may make an appearance. </p><p><br /></p><p>Overall, it is a charming and cute story that I could easily see as a Hallmark movie. As a book, though, it is infuriatingly repetitive. Do we really need the synopsis of the whole story repeated in every chapter? Each time a character has to take a moment to think, everything that inspires their reasoning for their current behavior must be refreshed. Why?</p><p><br /></p><p>Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3/5</p><p><br /></p><p>Should you read it?</p><p><br /></p><p>If you read a lot of Amish romance, you will probably like it. Also probably a good pick for those who like Hallmark movies and "clean" romance.</p><p><br /></p><p>Book & Author Information: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59362533-the-midwife-s-christmas-wish">Goodreads</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Published: November 30th, 2021</p><p><br /></p><p>Leigh Bale: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1030584.Leigh_Bale">Goodreads</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/LeighBale">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://leighbale.com/">Official Site</a></p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-2634340844721477752022-06-21T06:00:00.005-05:002022-10-13T23:54:05.606-05:00Jubilee (1978) - Movie re-Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNFk9n8ELctNPoZHG4kSFQp8fXAYUZknCojwhiS02lAWY7lrz3DWmk7sGVDOj8_7FoG856Sjzug2vNXnKucMEtNED-d-lWrbFhqi-kPOq2Ofm_Re1TVFMkOSjJvvto-zjF4LVkOl7y5jVfKp6d-zj_KnMOapXWRgKyNDeeriMo9EKgtvsiK2PWCuq/s1080/Jubilee%20(1978).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image with a quote from the film Jubilee from 1978" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXNFk9n8ELctNPoZHG4kSFQp8fXAYUZknCojwhiS02lAWY7lrz3DWmk7sGVDOj8_7FoG856Sjzug2vNXnKucMEtNED-d-lWrbFhqi-kPOq2Ofm_Re1TVFMkOSjJvvto-zjF4LVkOl7y5jVfKp6d-zj_KnMOapXWRgKyNDeeriMo9EKgtvsiK2PWCuq/s16000/Jubilee%20(1978).jpg" title="Jubilee (1978)" /></a></div><br /><p> </p><blockquote>"When Queen Elizabeth I asks her court alchemist to show her England in the future, she’s transported 400 years to a post-apocalyptic wasteland of roving girl gangs, an all-powerful media mogul, fascistic police, scattered filth, and twisted sex." - <a href="https://www.criterion.com/films/736-jubilee">The Criterion Collection</a></blockquote><p><br /></p><p><b>Rating</b>: NOT RATED</p><p><b>Runtime</b>: 1 hour 46 minutes</p><p><b>Genre(s)</b>: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy</p><p><b>Released</b>: February 1978</p><p><b>Directed by</b>: Derek Jarman</p><p><b>Written by</b>: Derek Jarman</p><p><b>Starring</b>: Jenny Runacre, Nell Campbell (as Little Nell), Toyah Willcox, and Jordan</p><p><br /></p><p>It is very easy to think of Jubilee as a more female-focused and dramatic version of A Clockwork Orange, as it takes place in a world of chaos and senseless violence that comes very close to mirroring the world you see in the film mentioned above.</p><p><br /></p><p>The parts with Queen Elizabeth I felt out of place, and I believe that if you cut out all of those parts, the only thing you miss out on is David Brandon's performance as Ariel. It is almost as if the film had no plot, so the Queen scenes were added last minute to form some concrete reason for its existence. The acting is mostly good, but with a dramatic flair that comes close to just being cringeworthy. It is the kind of acting you expect from a stage play, not a movie. The characters are all interesting and have a mad hatter/hare quality about them.</p><p><br /></p><p>This film has absolutely fantastic monologues in it. I admit that some of the moments are a bit pre-edgelord-emo-kid from the 2000s, but they were what I enjoyed the most about Jubilee. Overall, the film comes off as very artsy political/social satire wrapped in a punk package.</p><p><br /></p><p>I originally watched and reviewed this movie on August 13th, 2016. While cleaning up old posts, I had a fond memory of this one, and since my original review was so short, I decided to rewatch and see if I still felt the same. Aspects of the original review are still there, but I have expanded on a few things. My original rating was 7/10, and upon a second viewing, I dropped it down.</p><p><br /></p><p>Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ 6.5/10</p><p><br /></p><p>Should you watch it?</p><p><br /></p><p>🤔 Do you like punk fashion and music? Do you like film history/cult films? If you answered yes, then I definitely recommend it. </p><p><br /></p><a href="https://www.criterion.com/films/736-jubilee"></a><p></p>
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</div></center>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-58270574764421609342022-06-17T17:07:00.000-05:002022-06-17T17:07:13.115-05:00Six years of Wondermajica<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo0B3kTQRZBkypluSqqX8_lpSORfSV1yOdsuFRJ0ee8HL_1dRjRK_17HCYl4_AXduIACYu78EAMXR06eWSeWhcYeY5ejei1uMqnGr-D3K4QI-QMeuBF215s6fJgSm9l_8A6Tv-4JXRs8GaiLl6F6hpSu-CTW6-pcORY2GGICD7yBM2vcgrpe_F0MMn/s1080/6%20years%20of%20Wondermajica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo0B3kTQRZBkypluSqqX8_lpSORfSV1yOdsuFRJ0ee8HL_1dRjRK_17HCYl4_AXduIACYu78EAMXR06eWSeWhcYeY5ejei1uMqnGr-D3K4QI-QMeuBF215s6fJgSm9l_8A6Tv-4JXRs8GaiLl6F6hpSu-CTW6-pcORY2GGICD7yBM2vcgrpe_F0MMn/s16000/6%20years%20of%20Wondermajica.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> As of this week, Wondermajica is now six years old. I started, not having much of an idea of what exactly I wanted to do, and that still hasn't changed. I would like to think that I have improved in that period, but imposter syndrome is a heck of a thing to ignore.</p><p><br /></p><p>I have had different types of posts in the past six years. I have mostly done reviews, but what I have reviewed has changed over time. I'm now back to the point where I just review what I want instead of what I think might bring in more views. I'm still working on not being hard on myself for the quality of my writing and how often post. I have made promises of different types of content that would never appear thanks to my lack of motivation and mental health struggles. Plus, if I am truly being honest, I am just so moody and changeable that my interests and ideas just....come and go way too quickly for me to properly form them into something substantial. I have learned that the easiest way to bury an idea I have for something is to talk about it publically. As soon as other people know my brain decides I can't do it anymore. The imaginary pressure I put on myself just becomes too much.</p><p><br /></p><p>Even though I have spent way too much time putting unnecessary stress on myself due to this blog, I am proud of myself for keeping it going this long. It is proof that I can stick to something even if it gets tough.</p><p><br /></p><p>So what's next?</p><p><br /></p><p>I just mentioned that when I publically talk about things it shuts down all motivation to do the things. So as for content...I'm gonna keep that to myself for now. However, there are a few things I can go ahead and talk about. </p><p><br /></p><p>A couple of years ago I finally changed the blog layout to something that works better both visually and for SEO purposes. The problem with this was that I had 4 years' worth of posts that no longer were properly formatted. I have never had an issue with this in the past on previous blogs so I was unsure what to do about this and the result was...nothing. So for the last 2 years, images from old posts have been wonky and covering up some of the text and just overall looking outdated. I have mentioned tackling this issue in the past, but it is still not something I have completed. I could not decide if I should just fix the images or if I should completely rework the post (which is why there have been several reposts over the past few years). So, long story short, I'm back to fixing that problem. </p><p><br /></p><p>Posts that just need images fixed will just have the images fixed. However, if the format is also wonky (from all the styles I have gone through over the years) or I'm just not satisfied with the quality of the post, it will either be deleted or reposted. I want the blog to get back to a place where I am proud to show it to people. I don't want to worry about people looking at the messy posts and forming their opinion just on those. There is also a profile issue. I started this blog using a different account. That old account no longer exists, which means that old posts written under that account have no author anymore. So all of those also need to be fixed. So yeah, there will be a regular occurrence of reposts for the next bit, but don't worry! I will still be posting new stuff and I'm going to do my best to space out the reposts so they are not back to back. </p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-1664318750279151882022-06-06T06:00:00.001-05:002022-07-21T14:52:46.353-05:00The 13th Continuum (The Continuum Trilogy #1) by Jennifer Brody - Book Review<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOQxQkkEjNwmcNSQGK7t_ZzLPBluhfT4gRqx3T2blIOYqZWdsDu5MYnXU9gJRQltAvnCnapi61OmlawjRPffGXnhih4BLAM_z0Nsb59E27-KfqtgsdiptVSs90Hu7h8kAlJTbZFvpa7ZNnP767rImCcCeqaWgIArnyBQqU7_tBWVzkDN9PBvM-ESg/s1080/the%2013th%20continuum%20by%20jennifer%20brody.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="book cover for The 13th Continuum by Jennifer Brody" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEOQxQkkEjNwmcNSQGK7t_ZzLPBluhfT4gRqx3T2blIOYqZWdsDu5MYnXU9gJRQltAvnCnapi61OmlawjRPffGXnhih4BLAM_z0Nsb59E27-KfqtgsdiptVSs90Hu7h8kAlJTbZFvpa7ZNnP767rImCcCeqaWgIArnyBQqU7_tBWVzkDN9PBvM-ESg/s16000/the%2013th%20continuum%20by%20jennifer%20brody.jpg" title="The 13th Continuum (The Continuum Trilogy #1) by Jennifer Brody" /></a></b></div><b><br /><i><br /></i></b><p></p><p><b><i><br /></i></b></p><p><b><i>This review was originally posted on November 21st, 2016. It has been updated to meet new blog formats and standards.</i></b></p><p><br /></p><p>The first bit of this book is spent giving the reader a bit of a back story to help them understand what is going on and how humanity was put into the position it is in. In preparation for the Doom, thirteen continuums are created. One holds backups to all flora and fauna discovered at that point. The others house humans. Some are sent deep under the sea and earth. Others are located out in space. Each group of humans has one member tasked with carrying the Beacon. The hope is that these Beacons will lead everyone back to the first continuum after Earth has had time to heal and is once again livable.</p><p><br /></p><p>The story we get to experience takes place around one thousand years after the Doom.</p><p><br /></p><p>Myra Jackson, her father, and her younger brother Tink live deep under the sea aboard the 13th continuum. All knowledge and items from before the Doom are banned. The Synod, led by Padre Flavius, runs everything and believes that returning to the surface will just bring further doom to them.</p><p><br /></p><p>Captain Aero Wright is part of an interstellar colony aboard the second continuum. Everyone on the space vessel is trained in a military school and emotions are considered both inefficient and a sign of weakness. All marriages are arranged at birth and only exist to help keep the population steady.</p><p><br /></p><p>In the beginning, the story felt very unoriginal. The back and forth between the multiple perspectives also felt a little abrupt. The actions taken by the characters were very predictable. This story fell victim to several common YA tropes, the most annoying to me being how quickly a character was willing to forgive their friends. It also had the “oh everything is messed up, let's immediately take action without properly processing anything” problem. It does get better, though, especially the last 30%. By the end, I was actually looking forward to the next book in the trilogy.</p><p><br /></p><p>Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3/5</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Should you read it?</b></p><p>It is the first of a really interesting trilogy, so definitely!</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Book & Author Information</b>: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25739965-the-13th-continuum">Goodreads</a></p><p>Published January 1st, 2016 by Turner Publishing</p><p>Jennifer Brody: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14248804.Jennifer_Brody">Goodreads</a>, <a href="https://www.jenniferbrody.com/">Official Site</a></p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-14326402213018523582022-05-23T19:03:00.003-05:002022-06-17T16:04:11.754-05:00 Manhattan Cult Story: My Unbelievable True Story of Sex, Crimes, Chaos, and Survival by Spencer Schneider - Book Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1FF4o8F6uohPuHcDLVo2h3Tsusosj6w_0p8fqIB9Gemmtz8LC87pcqmBW5rRZp5_tUXv2-hB03vx2sjv4ATxXGTk6gQpICJs2_RVAg5nSYBqwC9oIpQPseUDF2h3fy6cSNF1vgSO7UD2iALzvSPEH4BdjnYMfD_CbTp7HfAlEB4UaI1ZuyYAteXFB/s1080/manhattan%20cult%20story.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image showing the book cover of Manhattan Cult Story: My Unbelievable True Story of Sex, Crimes, Chaos, and Survival by Spencer Schneider and featuring a quote from the book." border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1FF4o8F6uohPuHcDLVo2h3Tsusosj6w_0p8fqIB9Gemmtz8LC87pcqmBW5rRZp5_tUXv2-hB03vx2sjv4ATxXGTk6gQpICJs2_RVAg5nSYBqwC9oIpQPseUDF2h3fy6cSNF1vgSO7UD2iALzvSPEH4BdjnYMfD_CbTp7HfAlEB4UaI1ZuyYAteXFB/s16000/manhattan%20cult%20story.png" title="Manhattan Cult Story" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><blockquote><p>"When Schneider was a twenty-nine-year-old Manhattan corporate lawyer, an acquaintance invited him to a secret meeting of an “esoteric school for inner development,” known to its students simply as “School.” Suspicious yet curious, he went. At first, he found support, community, and meaning among other highly educated New Yorkers. But soon, he found himself trapped in one of the nation’s most secretive and abusive cults. In the name of personal development, hundreds endured decades of sexual and physical abuse, forced labor, arranged marriages, swindled savings and inheritances, and systematic terrorizing. Some of them broke the law. All for their charismatic and demented leader Sharon Gans, a washed-up actress who claimed to be on a spiritual par with Buddha. </p><p></p><p>This is Schneider’s story of how he got entangled in School, why he stayed, and how––impossibly––he got out after twenty-three years. It’s a cautionary tale about the power of group psychology and how anyone can be radicalized. It’s also a story of surviving traumatic abuse and ultimately finding a path to healing." - <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60909023-manhattan-cult-story">Goodreads</a></p></blockquote><p><b><i><br /></i></b></p><p><b><i> </i></b><b><i>Manhattan Cult Story: My Unbelievable True Story of Sex, Crimes, Chaos, and Survival</i> by Spencer Schneider is expected to be published on July 5th, 2022. </b><b>A big thank you goes to Netgalley and Skyhorse Publishing for providing a free copy of this book for me to review<i>.</i></b></p><p><br /></p><p>This was a surprisingly easy read. The subject is harrowing and dark, yet the style of writing makes it feel like you've sat down for coffee with a friend and they've just started telling you about their past. There are several instances in the book that make you ask, "Why didn't you simply leave?" or "Why didn't you stand up and do something?" yet Schneider does an excellent job of conveying the trapped feeling that many people experience when they find themselves in similar situations. The cult relationship appears to be extremely similar to the type of relationship found in domestic abuse cases. This is something I had never considered before, and I am grateful that this book has helped me better understand both survivors and those who remain trapped in the deception.</p><p><br /></p><p>I do think that the title of the book is a tiny bit misleading. It sets it up as a story full of depraved cult behaviors. While there is quite a bit of abuse described in the book, the way it is written about is very tame. As a result, the sensationalist title comes across as a little gross. I also have to wonder if the author was granted permission to tell some of the accounts of those involved.</p><p><br /></p><p>Schneider's inclusion of the resources at the end of the book, as well as the list of signs you may be in a cult, was a great touch. Someone who may be in a similar situation may randomly pick up the book to briefly glance through and find a way to escape (or just realize they need to). Of course, the most important thing about this book is that it gives hope. Spencer was in the Odyssey Study Group/School/Theater of All Possibilities for decades but he still managed to finally leave. Writing this book and starting his blog gives hope to those still stuck that things can get better and it is possible to find freedom again.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Rating</b>: ★★★☆☆ 3/5</p><p><br /></p><p>Book Information: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60909023-manhattan-cult-story">Goodreads</a></p><p>Author Information: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21927317.Spencer_Schneider">Goodreads</a>, <a href="https://www.spencer-schneider.com/">Official Site</a></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Is it worth reading?</b></p><p>👍 Those interested in true crime or cults will enjoy this book. It may also be valuable for cult survivors.</p><div><br /></div>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-39342943697795219712022-05-01T00:56:00.002-05:002022-05-01T00:56:37.501-05:00April 2022 Reading Wrap-Up<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlxgLb03UPni51PET65hHImpbQ5HMj19hrOSwX-0_k0GXi_QMTwHPd4TfUUzKz-e5sjfXE3ouGR85RcpYX322gRhD79DlPnGt2g44QFPgeLmkhVjnIDDiXBAcOGeJvWBNoukBZu22NkfmlnUadDD7DGhrky5y-psxGNnhELjqSRlTq3PBl8lhfEvsK/s1080/April%20(1).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image showing the covers of the books I read in April 2022" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlxgLb03UPni51PET65hHImpbQ5HMj19hrOSwX-0_k0GXi_QMTwHPd4TfUUzKz-e5sjfXE3ouGR85RcpYX322gRhD79DlPnGt2g44QFPgeLmkhVjnIDDiXBAcOGeJvWBNoukBZu22NkfmlnUadDD7DGhrky5y-psxGNnhELjqSRlTq3PBl8lhfEvsK/s16000/April%20(1).png" title="April 2022 Reading Wrap-Up" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p>It has been a while since I have done any type of monthly wrap-up, but for whatever reason, I was in the mood to do it for April. I have been slowly having this need to read something really dark begin to creep up on me so I thought it would probably be a good idea to get in some picture books before diving into the darkness to help balance things out. Now I want to read more picture books....AND read something dark. So if things get too dark, I have a way to brighten them back up immediately. </p><p><br /></p><p>This is what I read in April of 2022:</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53741569-rain-before-rainbows">Rain Before Rainbows</a> by Smriti Prasadam-Halls & illustrated by David Litchfield</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>★★★★★ 5/5 - Absolutely beautiful book. It has been added to my physical book wishlist. </li></ul><div><br /></div><p></p><p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35959676-what-if">What If... </a>by Samantha Berger & illustrated by Mike Curato</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>★★☆☆☆ 2.5/5 - Boring and basic. I wasn't a fan of the illustrations either.</li></ul><div><br /></div><p></p><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43419424-my-best-friend">My Best Friend</a> by Julie Fogliano & illustrated by Jillian Tamaki</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>★★★★★ 5/5 - Super cute and sweet. Another book I have added to my physical book wishlist.</li></ul><div><br /></div></div><div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40653149-a-way-with-wild-things">A Way with Wild Things</a> by Larissa Theule & illustrated by Sara Palacios</div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>★★★★☆ 4/5 - This gave me cute warm and fuzzy feelings. </li></ul><div><br /></div></div><div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22875394-interstellar-cinderella">Interstellar Cinderella</a> by Deborah Underwood & illustrated by Meg Hunt</div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>★★★★☆ 4/5 - A cool, modern Cinderella re-telling. </li></ul><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32333298-life">Life</a> by Cynthia Rylant & illustrated by Brendan Wenzel</div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>★★★★★ 5/5 - Stunningly beautiful illustrations paired with a story that feels more directed towards struggling adults than kids. </li></ul><div><br /></div></div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/54249-library-mouse">Library Mouse</a> 3-5 (A World To Explore, A Museum Adventure, & Home Sweet Home) by Daniel Kirk</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>★★★★☆ 4/5 - Listen, I'm a sucker for books with mice as characters. </li></ul><div><br /></div></div><div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54825264-winnie-zeng-unleashes-a-legend">Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend</a> by Katie Zhao</div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>★★★★★ 5/5 - I loved this book. I wrote a <a href="https://www.wondermajica.com/2022/04/winnie-zeng-unleashes-legend-by-katie.html">full review</a> of this you can read <a href="https://www.wondermajica.com/2022/04/winnie-zeng-unleashes-legend-by-katie.html">here</a>.</li></ul><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33376257-after-the-fall">After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back up Again</a> by Dan Santat </div></div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>★★★★☆ 4.5/5 - Honestly did not expect this one to hit me as hard as it did. </li></ul><div><br /></div></div><div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27224834-if-you-find-me">If You Find Me</a> by Emily Murdoch & narrated by Tai Sammons </div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>★★★★☆ 4/5 - First audiobook I have listened to in a long time. This book is deceptive. I thought it was going to be dark....but had no idea how dark of a turn it would truly take. </li></ul><div><br /></div></div><div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58429315-be-the-boss-of-your-stuff">Be the Boss of Your Stuff: The Kids’ Guide to Decluttering and Creating Your Own Space</a> by Allie Casazza</div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>★★★☆☆ 3.5/5 - This was a Goodreads Giveaway win. I like the gentler approach to dealing with clutter and making your space less stressful.</li></ul><div><br /></div></div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57282218-lore-olympus">Lore Olympus: Volume One</a> by Rachel Smythe</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>★★★★★ 5/5 - Picked this up while at my local library after seeing it EVERYWHERE. It lived up to the hype.</li></ul><div><br /></div></div><div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59345532-reilly-s-luck">Reilly's Luck</a> by Louis L'Amour</div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>★★★★☆ 4/5 - Not a genre I have ever sought out nor an author I have read anything by...but I have repeatedly been recommended L'Amour's books over the years. Since I am trying to expand what genres I am reading, I thought it would be the perfect time to finally give westerns and Louis L'Amour a chance. I don't regret it.</li></ul><div><br /></div></div><div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23019294-a-head-full-of-ghosts">A Head Full of Ghosts</a> by Paul Tremblay</div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>★★★★☆ 4/5 - Another book/author I have seen hyped up (usually in the horror community). Not the greatest thriller I have read, but still solid. I'm currently reading another book by Tremblay...look forward to my thoughts on it next month (if I don't do a full review).</li></ul><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div>So, there we are. I read fourteen books during the month of April. I also watched one movie only to find out when logging it on IMDB and letterboxd that I had already seen it years ago. Needless to say....it was rather forgettable.</div>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-74335347106399207602022-04-10T04:53:00.004-05:002022-06-17T23:24:44.090-05:00Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend by Katie Zhao - Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvHey4vEIX65KHDpUUEANfhHmVXh7qdsSU82aRIccXLJ1m2t36qrV523DMzJuPjzhkqAG6P6WB67vhJ82RefFRii4_AggtES_M5tASshJIQRggGkFbmgQE8Cs2r9xYOvPm-HapvtXrx7-E3s7_v_-MGKmtoiERuxF-cR6BQBUpFwCjBazeKyUGZRR/s1080/winniezengunleashesalegend-katiezhao.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image showing a quote from Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend by Katie Zhao - "The point is, I have to pull a Chihiro right now"" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvHey4vEIX65KHDpUUEANfhHmVXh7qdsSU82aRIccXLJ1m2t36qrV523DMzJuPjzhkqAG6P6WB67vhJ82RefFRii4_AggtES_M5tASshJIQRggGkFbmgQE8Cs2r9xYOvPm-HapvtXrx7-E3s7_v_-MGKmtoiERuxF-cR6BQBUpFwCjBazeKyUGZRR/s16000/winniezengunleashesalegend-katiezhao.jpg" title="Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend by Katie Zhao" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><i><b>I would like to say a quick thank you to Random House Children's Publishers and Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend for me to read and review!</b></i></p><p><i><b><br /></b></i></p><p>Winnie Zeng is about to start middle school. This is something she takes very seriously. Regardless of preparing for almost every scenario she can think of, after making mooncakes using her grandmother’s cookbook, she is faced with something she wasn’t able to prepare for. Now, she is forced to choose between saving the world and keeping up with the overwhelming pressure of growing up in an Asian household.</p><p><br /></p><p>I loved this book and have placed it on my physical book wishlist. The cover is beautiful and was the main reason I decided I wanted to request an ARC. It just screamed, "Hey Sarah! This is a book you are going to devour! Come get it! "</p><p><br /></p><p>Thankfully, the contents are just as wonderful as the cover. All bookworms know that the best reading experience is the kind when you start reading a book and it just starts flowing as if you are watching a movie. The world disappears, and time no longer exists. <i>Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend</i> did that for me. The characters are all interesting, and the dynamics between them are realistic. I also really love Winnie’s personality. I need the rest of the series immediately!!!</p><p><br /></p><p><i>Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend</i> by Katie Zhao is expected to be published on April 26th, 2022.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Rating</b>: ★★★★★ 5/5</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Is it worth reading?</b></p><p><br /></p><p>Absolutely. A great read regardless of age. This is especially perfect for fans of Turning Red and those interested in Chinese culture.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Book Information</b>: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54825264-winnie-zeng-unleashes-a-legend">Goodreads</a></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Author Information</b>: <a href="https://katiezhao.com/">Official Site</a>, <a href="Expected publication: April 26th 2022">Goodreads</a>, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/ktzhaoauthor">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ktzhaoauthor/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ktzhaoauthor">Tik Tok</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xTgxSg_1XSsFCqpC1QrJQ/videos">Youtube</a></p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-54530722918603605472022-03-26T18:50:00.005-05:002022-06-20T01:17:26.294-05:00100 Plants to Feed the Birds: Turn Your Home Garden into a Healthy Bird Habitat by Laura Erikson - Book Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhat4XkZcRI4ZO_X7cHrC-e9AVrqUPtxlkKqoU8KHR0YC1xMA1D0054WDltUhS77R7pLrhNGCE25lH47hwGBN_JiFM0xk7SEQhzYJW3aEI1sV4TtB_otOOMmAgOab8W4vFIZd1Xw5d9TVl-xQGlN-ZKsrJax4ALDvSgkpI8e0QNpzLoMTP5531HNSxp/s1080/100%20plants%20to%20feed%20the%20birds%20by%20laura%20erickson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="book cover for 100 plants to feed the birds" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhat4XkZcRI4ZO_X7cHrC-e9AVrqUPtxlkKqoU8KHR0YC1xMA1D0054WDltUhS77R7pLrhNGCE25lH47hwGBN_JiFM0xk7SEQhzYJW3aEI1sV4TtB_otOOMmAgOab8W4vFIZd1Xw5d9TVl-xQGlN-ZKsrJax4ALDvSgkpI8e0QNpzLoMTP5531HNSxp/s16000/100%20plants%20to%20feed%20the%20birds%20by%20laura%20erickson.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b><i>*I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a complimentary copy. </i></b></p><p><b><i>Expected publication: December 20th, 2022 by Storey Publishing, LLC</i></b></p><p><b><i><br /></i></b></p><p>This is an in-depth and easy-to-understand book that helps you build the perfect long-term backyard habitat for wild birds. At first, just looking through the book, the amount of information given can be a bit overwhelming. As someone who just started using bird feeders a year ago, I had no idea how much there was to know about creating the best possible environment for my winged friends.</p><p>However, the information is presented in a way that is both friendly to beginners and still interesting to those who have more experience. It has so many useful tips (invasive plants, different perspectives..etc) and includes details for each season as well. I love how organized the book is too. It is set up to be more than just a book you read once and then move on. It is the perfect book to have on hand to use as a constant reference when changing things up in your outdoor space.</p><p><br /></p><p>Rating: ★★★★☆ 4/5</p><p><br /></p><p>Should you read it?</p><p>👍 Great for those just starting to take an interest in birds and those working on gardens.</p><p><br /></p><p>Book Information: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58328379-100-plants-to-feed-the-birds">Goodreads</a></p><p>Author Information: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/150100.Laura_Erickson">Goodreads</a> </p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-86963998401762242532022-03-17T06:00:00.006-05:002022-06-20T01:29:31.886-05:00Marco Swift and the Mirror of Souls by D.E. Cunningham - Book Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzyUovGx14ilj5UpynVRJgcBvl6lzuQfrLS7BNO40UcMPHeZXGuKL9CjDRNtV7IqVuMYWanZWmiQ5zukU9R7hDQG1tBLMxc7UqoDB5G68Nh-tKZWuWGdhx3oKwDCYqyZn6oY-89fsu5TgNB4U5JRLEvbtoNY8H41qB8Lp6ZReJwWw-FSdjc4fHZ47P/s1080/marco%20swift%20and%20the%20mirror%20of%20souls%20by%20d.e.%20cunningham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="image showing book cover for marco swift and the mirror of souls by d.e. cunningham" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzyUovGx14ilj5UpynVRJgcBvl6lzuQfrLS7BNO40UcMPHeZXGuKL9CjDRNtV7IqVuMYWanZWmiQ5zukU9R7hDQG1tBLMxc7UqoDB5G68Nh-tKZWuWGdhx3oKwDCYqyZn6oY-89fsu5TgNB4U5JRLEvbtoNY8H41qB8Lp6ZReJwWw-FSdjc4fHZ47P/s16000/marco%20swift%20and%20the%20mirror%20of%20souls%20by%20d.e.%20cunningham.jpg" title="Marco Swift and the Mirror of Souls by D.E. Cunningham" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p>I was absolutely shocked at how good this book was. I received a copy from Hidden Gems to review and Marco Swift and the Mirror of Souls is without a doubt a very special hidden gem.</p><p><br /></p><p>Eleven-year-old Marco Swift is really having a tough time. His father has just died a mysterious death and his mother is struggling with bipolar disorder. In order for his mother to receive in-patient treatment, Marco and his little sister Sophie are forced to relocate from America to their paternal grandmother’s vineyard in Italy. Forced to deal with all the sudden changes, it is understandable that Marco is not handling it very well. On the trip to the vineyard he ends up in a fight with a bully, Luca, who he later finds out is his cousin. Shortly after arriving at his new home, they end up in another fight that results in his Aunt Elda taking him to his room. He keeps picking up hints of a voice that will eventually lead him on an adventure involving the ancestral castle, Crispo.</p><p><br /></p><p>Marco Swift and the Mirror of Souls falls into one of my all-time favorite categories to read: portal fantasy. The majority of the book takes place in Mortem, which has a very unique magical system. Magic is powered using gemstones that, once deprived, need time to recover (similar to how “mana” works in many fantasy games). I have never read a book with this type of system and found it both refreshing and vastly interesting. The main theme of this book deals with grief and forgiveness. Marco blames himself for pretty much everything that has gone wrong but as he progresses, he begins to heal. The big reveal at the end was done brilliantly.</p><p><br /></p><p>I read the majority of this in one sitting. For a thirty-something-year-old, this is a very quick read…but I loved every second of it. The pacing was good and the characters were all interesting. Some moments were predictable, but Cunningham did a wonderful job of placing enough doubt on what I thought was about to happen for me to question myself.</p><p><br /></p><p>I also really enjoyed the black and white illustrations. The monochrome aesthetic fits the story wonderfully. </p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Rating: ★★★★☆ 4/5</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Should you read it?</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>👍Yes. Perfect for fans of middle-grade portal fantasy. I’m in my thirties and still found the characters relatable.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Book & Author Information: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59784453-marco-swift-and-the-mirror-of-souls">Goodreads</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Published February 16th, 2022 by D.E. Cunningham</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">D.E. Cunningham: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22050528.D_E_Cunningham">Goodreads</a>, <a href="https://marcoswift.com/">Official Site</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2262780895981968805.post-17648344726230864732022-03-12T20:14:00.000-06:002022-03-12T20:14:09.130-06:00So How Will You Sleep? by Annabel Gardiner - Quick Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuCqYsq6c0aWBBt_2SebhG3RE-cIZLPU0cfYZQYZVNpNMW4EeMgO6gL1ZZeV35S1GNzf0DHAOTHb6kP3WaCzMu-YmZvLfbIU6jZJjdtm5rCmAuKl7kVq4SK1WHBbyzo3jE6vQtSJ7mqXAV5X1TFhsqXaGfgQHgmIV6fc7aFsLVHXOTqTiRD8fvYbbh=s977" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="book cover for So How Will You Sleep? by Annabel Gardiner" border="0" data-original-height="977" data-original-width="963" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjuCqYsq6c0aWBBt_2SebhG3RE-cIZLPU0cfYZQYZVNpNMW4EeMgO6gL1ZZeV35S1GNzf0DHAOTHb6kP3WaCzMu-YmZvLfbIU6jZJjdtm5rCmAuKl7kVq4SK1WHBbyzo3jE6vQtSJ7mqXAV5X1TFhsqXaGfgQHgmIV6fc7aFsLVHXOTqTiRD8fvYbbh=s16000" title="So How Will You Sleep? by Annabel Gardiner" /></a></div><br /><p><i><b>*I received a copy of this book from Book Sirens.</b></i></p><p>This is a super adorable bedtime children's book. The illustrations are just precious. The story is told using a repetitive rhyming scheme that is often found in similar books. The lines in the story needed to be separated a bit more. I think the rhyme is supposed to be two people going back and forth, but it reads like one person which was a little weird. Outside of that, I really enjoyed it.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Rating:</b> ★★★★☆ 4/5</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Worth Reading?</b> - It is a perfect bedtime book for little ones who love animals.</p>Sarah Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09519193834513412917noreply@blogger.com0