Goldfish Blog Tour: Top Tips for Finding Humor in Writing

 Title: Goldfish
 Author: Nat Luurstema                                        Goodreads Rating: 4.01 Stars                      Summary: Lou Brown is one of the fastest swimmers in the county. She’s not boasting, she really is. So things are looking pretty rosy the day of the Olympic time-trials. With her best mate Hannah by her side, Lou lines up by the edge of the pool, snaps her goggles on and bends into her dive… Everything rests on this race. It’s Lou’s thing. … or it was. She comes dead last and to top it all off Hannah sails through leaving a totally broken Lou behind. Starting again is never easy, particularly when you’re the odd-one out in a family of insanely beautiful people and a school full of social groups way too intimidating to join. Where do you go from here? Finding a new thing turns out to be the biggest challenge Lou’s ever faced and opens up a whole new world of underwater somersaults, crazy talent shows, bitchy girls and a great big load of awkward boy chat. Lou Brown guides us through the utter humiliation of failure with honesty, sass and a keen sense of the ridiculous. This
girl will not be beaten.     

 ~*~

Hey, guys! Hope you're having a wonderful summer so far. Today, I'm very excited to spotlight a book that is perfect for that end of summer trip, or just a relaxing read by the pool.  I requested it as soon as I saw the beautiful cover and read the summary. I'm a huge fan for drama with a splash of comedy. I kind of live by the laugh or you'll cry mentality so books that take on that tone are my kind of reads.

~*~

Smash & Grab Blog Tour: Fictional Heist Crew of Awesome

ABOUT SMASH & GRAB:
 Ocean’s Eleven meets the star-crossed lovers of West Side Story. Grab some popcorn and get ready for an adrenaline-filled heist! 
 LEXI is a rich girl who loves a good rush. Whether it’s motorcycle racing or BASE jumping off a building in downtown Los Angeles, the only times she feels alive are when she and her friends are executing one of their dares. After her father’s arrest, Lexi doesn’t think twice about going undercover at his bank to steal the evidence that might clear his name. She enlists her hacker brother and her daredevil friends to plan a clever heist.
 CHRISTIAN is a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. The local gang has blackmailed him and his friends into robbing banks, and he is desperate for a way out. When the boss promises that one really big job will be the last he ever has to do, Christian jumps at the chance for freedom. In fact, he’s just met a girl at the bank who might even prove useful. . . . Two heists. One score. The only thing standing in their way is each other. Told in alternating points of view, this caper is full of romance and fast-paced fun. Hand to fans of Perfect Chemistry, The Conspiracy of Us, and Heist Society.

LINKS: Amazon | B&N  

~*~

Robinson's Thirteen

Let's be real, most of us have thought about having a kickass crew to get shit done. Maybe it doesn't need to be criminal but life would be so much better if we all had a badass squad to take over the world (or maybe a Vegas casino) with. Here are the top nine fictional characters that would make up my heist crew.


1. Echo from The Girl at Midnight/The Shadow Hour

I can think of only one person who I'd want to be my right hand and that's Echo, the witty, burrito thief at the heart of Melissa Grey's amazing trilogy. She has deft fingers and great experience as a pick-pocket. She also has a knack for getting out of tricky situations that might just come in hand.

Good Night Owl Blog Tour: Review!

Title: Good Night Owl
Author: Greg Pizzoli
Format: Finished Copy
GoodReads Rating: 4.0 Stars

Hi all! 

One thing to know about me: I adore owls. I think I buy every owl accessory I come across. And I have an absolute weakness for Owl books and owl kids books?

Make me all: 

So a book called GOOD NIGHT OWL by Greg Pizzoli? Makes me super happy. 

Pint sized co-worker** and I (who wouldn't sit still long enough to let me take her picture with the book) read this before the start of a work day recently. 

There's nothing more adorable than reading a book you love with a kid as cute as Pint sized Co-worker. 

This book is a perfect addition to any favorite auntie or uncle's book collection, any parent or any growing picture book lover's collection (like mine). 

Pint-Sized Co-worker loves when the owl gets mad. 

She also loved pointing out the source of the squeeks throughout the book. 

I personally loved the record collection (drawn in loving detail by author, Greg Pizoli) on pages 9 and 10. 

I also loved the feel of this book--the steady heavy pages, the colorful and bright images (I freaking love that the owl is blue and has a heart shaped face and has a green book). 

This was such a fun book to share and one that I think everyone should have on their shelf regardless of if their reading with pint-sized adorable monkeys or just to themselves. 

Be sure to buy this one up and enjoy it as much as we did. And don't forget to see what my other blog tour friends have said, listed below!

**Pint-sized co-worker is my boss' daughter and she's four and adorable. 

Thanks to Hannah and Disney Hyperion for allowing me to participate on this great blog tour and read this great book!

~*~

Blog Tour Schedule:

4/18: Vi3tbabe
4/19: Swoony Boys Podcast
4/20: Novel Novice
4/21: Books Are Love
4/22: Paperback Princess

Blog Tour: The Serpent King Guest Post

Okay, here it goes: 

My father is in prison. I don't know how many of you know this or care, but I think you should know that this truth doesn't come easily. Six years ago, I never would have said this out loud let alone even written it down. 

My dad was an incomplete figure in my life--recognizable only from his voice from phone calls and the block print that was his letters. He went away when I was seven, came out when I was fourteen and two short years later was incarcerated again (this is normal, just so you know. Most released incarcerated persons go back, especially if the offense is related to drugs).

Anyway, despite the fact that there are 2.7 million children living with a parent in prison, this experience does not often lend to fictional renderings. When I was ten, I really could have used a book not about getting my period, but a book about telling my friends that my dad wasn't a truck driver delivering cargo around the country, but an inmate, a prisoner (and in their eyes, probably, a criminal). 

I've started writing books about having a parent in prison so many times. I wanted to write a book for a kid like me who desperately needed to have her experience validated in the pages of books she loved. It wasn't easy. I never got that far. And still, I longed for books about it. To fill in the blanks that I could not (at this time) complete. 

There are more (but still too little) books about having a parent in prison now. Ruby On The Outside by Nora Raleigh Baskin is a perfect middle-grade book. And now, The Serpent King. 

I'm grateful for Jeff Zentner and his team (looking at you, Cassie!) at PRH for organizing a blog tour and giving him a platform to write about this topic, that is, what it was like writing about a young adult of a parent in prison. 

If Ruby On The Outside helped validate my feelings as a little girl coping with not only my father leaving but going to jail and then prison, then Jeff Zentner's The Serpent King helped me as a young adult. Thank you for that, Jeff. 

Now, onto the post. Hopefully you'll find something you're looking for in The Serpent King (and maybe this post) too. 

~*~

Writing a character with a parent in prison in The Serpent King was definitely a case of me having to put myself in other people’s shoes and not being able to rely on my own firsthand experience. I have great parents who have decidedly never been to prison. 

To write this character, Dill, my protagonist, first I had to envision what it would be like to visit his father in prison. To do this, I visited Riverbend Prison here in Nashville (the prison where the father is incarcerated in the book) three times. I made mental notes of everything. How things looked. How things smelled. The vibe of the place. How inmates were dressed. How they interacted. I tried to view the prison through the eyes of my character. Everything that was unpleasant or oppressive about the prison, I imagined my character taking upon himself. Is this my future? he might wonder. Did I do the wrong thing by helping put my father here, in this gray and desolate place?

I tried to picture what it would be like to have the normal parent-child dynamic reversed. That is to say, generally children are the ones who find themselves in time out at the doing of the parents. But in my book, it’s Dill’s father who finds himself in prison at the doing of his son. I had to envision what that would do to a teenager’s psyche; how it would affect his sense of self-worth, destiny, and his life’s possibilities.

As I started considering what it would be like to lose a parent to prison, especially a family’s primary breadwinner, I began thinking about all of the financial repercussions. There would be legal bills. Prior obligations such as mortgages or the expense of starting a business (or church in my book’s case) wouldn’t simply disappear. The other members of the family would suddenly have to take up the financial slack. If they couldn’t afford health insurance and someone got sick or was injured, they’d slip even farther down the hole. This sort of debt, in turn, dramatically limits one’s available paths in life. The idea of taking on even more debt to go to college and get the sort of education you would need to climb out of the hole becomes unthinkable. It’s a vicious cycle. 

And then there are the social ramifications. I imagined losing a parent to prison to be in many ways like having a parent die, only worse in some respects. If a parent dies, there’s no stigma attached to it. No one will wonder if you’re somehow genetically predisposed to die also—that question has been pretty well settled. But people will wonder if you’re predestined to become a criminal like your parent, either by virtue of nature or (lack of) nurture. I imagined these social ramifications to be a thousand times worse in the cloistered, gossipy environment of a small town.

I’ve since heard from a number of people who grew up with parents in prison, and they told me that I captured the experience accurately. This is heartening to hear. I genuinely tried to honor their experiences in writing Dill. There are many children in America with parents in prison. About 700 out of every 100,000 people are incarcerated in America.  That amounts to two out of every ten people imprisoned in the world. If I can help some of the people whose lives have been upended—through no fault of their own—to feel less lonely, that’s something I’m happy to do.    

~*~

Jeff Zentner is a singer-songwriter and guitarist who has recorded with Iggy Pop, Nick Cave, and Debbie Harry. In addition to writing and recording his own music, Zentner works with young musicians at Tennessee Teen Rock Camp, which inspired him to write a novel for young adults. He lives in Nashville with his wife and son. The Serpent King is his first novel. You can follow Zentner on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter at @jeffzentner.

~*~

The Serpent King Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, February 22: Jenuine Cupcakes, Kickoff Blog Tour Post

Tuesday, February 23: Book Hounds, Review

Wednesday, February 24: Mundie Moms, Review

Thursday, February 25: Curling Up With a Good Book, Review

Friday, February 26: To Read or Not to Read, Annotate a Scene Guest Post

Monday, February 29: Bookish Lifestyle, Review

Tuesday, March 1: The Book Swarm, Review

Wednesday, March 2: Katie’s Book Blog, Playlist Post

Thursday, March 3: Paperback Princess, Guest Post: Writing a Character with a Parent in Prison

Friday, March 4: Who R U, Behind the Scenes Book Secret Guest Post

Monday, March 7: Icey Books, Review

Tuesday, March 8: Stories & Sweeties, Author Interview

Wednesday, March 9: LovingDemBooks, Review

Thursday, March 10: Swoony Boys Podcast, Review

Friday, March 11: Good Books And Good Wine, Review

Monday, March 14: Winter Haven Books, Review

Tuesday, March 15: Me, My Shelf and I, Review

Wednesday, March 16: Novel Novice, Review

Thursday, March 17: Lili’s Reflections, Review

Friday, March 18: A Reader of Fictions, Author “Don’t Miss” in Nashville Guest Post

Review and Giveaway : A Study In Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

 Author: Brittany Cavallaro
Goodreads Rating: 4.10
Pages: 336 Pages
Format: ARC from HarperCollins
Summary: The last thing sixteen-year-old Jamie Watson–writer and great-great-grandson of the John Watson–wants is a rugby scholarship to Sherringford, a Connecticut prep school just an hour away from his estranged father. But that’s not the only complication: Sherringford is also home to Charlotte Holmes, the famous detective’s enigmatic, fiercely independent great-great-granddaughter, who’s inherited not just his genius but also his vices, volatile temperament, and expertly hidden vulnerability. Charlotte has been the object of his fascination for as long as he can remember–but from the moment they meet, there’s a tense energy between them, and they seem more destined to be rivals than anything else.

Then a Sherringford student dies under suspicious circumstances ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Holmes stories, and Jamie and Charlotte become the prime suspects. Convinced they’re being framed, they must race against the police to conduct their own investigation. As danger mounts, it becomes clear that nowhere is safe and the only people they can trust are each other. 

Confession time, here's what I got:

I've probably read more fanfiction than I've read books.

Also, I've begun to start every book with a feeling of dread and indifference. I kind of expect the worst, nowdays, you know? Easier to recover from being disappointed that way.

However, and this is a big however, I've also been happily surprised by a few books recently.

Namely, A STUDY IN CHARLOTTE by Brittany Cavallaro. A STUDY IN CHARLOTTE was one of my most anticipated release of 2016. And as you can imagine, that worried me. My little Sherlockian heart couldn't take it if this book turned out to be anything less than amazing.

Especially since I've read so many Sherlock fanfictions that were incredible that any pastiche or adaptation might pale in comparison. And I think it's safe to say that a STUDY IN CHARLOTTE is a type of adaptation, one where the characters exist in a world where Sherlock Holmes and John Watson are real. Where their great great great grandchildren go to boarding school together and are framed for murder.

AND WHAT FOLLOWS? Nothing but pure amazing peanut butter and jelly goodness.

Just sweet and nutty and soft. And this book was sweet, a little nutty and perfect.

Did I take the metaphor too far? Nope? Aw, thanks!

Anyway, Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson are a bit like peanut butter and jelly. The greatest combination. One smooth like a con artist and the other sweet. And they go together like well, peanut butter and jelly, of course!

Now, I'll let the metaphor go now to tell you all the many and varied things that I loved about this book. 

The first:

This book doesn't mess around. Charlotte Holmes is unrepentant and sassy, with a resting bitch face that may actually rival her great-great-whatever Grandfather's.

She's been exiled to America to a boarding school that she's probably too good for and definitely is not a hero in anyone's story--especially Jamie Watson.

James Watson grew up hearing the stories of his Holmesian age-mate. He dreamed of sleuthing with her, jumping from rail car to rail car as they track down a suspect on the train, chasing a lead down the back alleys of London--all the things their descendants did together.

But Holmes is determined to not live in the legacy of Sherlock and doesn't want or need to make friends with Jamie--even if he is a Watson.

It isn't until that they're framed for murder that the two realize that whether they like it (in Jamie's case) or not (Holmes' case), they may need to rely on each other and do some sleuthing after all.

Holmes is also a drug addict, though perhaps she wouldn't see herself as such. The book does not shy away from this or play around with it. Just like Holmes, it's unforgiving in that way. Holmes struggles. She's not a mini Sherlock and she's not a Mary Sue. Her flaws are real and deep.

Jamie too has his own set of flaws, although, honestly, I don't remember enough to comment. That probably makes me a bad reviewer and all that but I remember enough to admit that he was no Gary Stu either. Each characters felt as real as if I met them in high school--not boarding school because I didn't go to one-- but you get the point, I think?


If not, the point is that there was nothing cut out or taken away from this story to make it more palatable or easier to market as a YA. Holmes was as abrasive as she should be, as we could imagine her to be. It made the book all the better, knowing that it felt genuine.


The second:

I found the book positively cinematic. (I also listened to it alongside Hans Zimmer's SHERLOCK HOLMES score, so, that probably had a lot to do with it).

I'm not really one for mystery--even if I love most of the Sherlockian adaptations out right now--but I am one for character development and a lot of drama,

From the first scene, I realized how easily I could see this all play out. I was hooked from the beginning. They better adapt this for the screen. And fast.


                                     


The third:

Holmes and Watson

Duuude. Dude. These characters are so well written. They are Holmes and Watson without being Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. The character development too just rocked. The progression of the characters didn't feel fictional. Holmes was a robot and then she was a cyborg and then she was human. Jamie was a sidekick and then a friend and then a hero.

I would give examples but that would just give it away. I really just love how they chipped away at each other and became the best versions of themselves. And that should be one of the many things that convince you to read it.



                             



The fourth:

SO MANY SHERLOCKIAN EASTER EGGS.

I'm pretty sure quotes were lifted from the old stories. I was giddy when I came across the references stretched across the narrative. Brittany Cavallaro has my loyalty. She's a true Sherlockian fan and is as capable as playing the game as any of the Baker Street Irregulars.




                                          


The fifth:


There's a fairly thin line between the melodramatic and high intense drama in books. Sometimes, books just take it a bit too far and I roll my eyes so many times that I should probably fear they'll get stuck. But this one has just the right amount of stuff going on to make you sit on the edge of your seat or bite all your nails off.

Brittany Cavallaro tempers this high intensity with a characterization that shines and made me care and made me swoon and all in all I didn't feel like anything was fake or false or didn't ring true. It was paced perfectly.

Verdict? Get to your nearest bookseller's site and pre-order this baby right now.


                                       

And now, giveaway time!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top Ten 2015 Releases I Meant To Get To But Didn't

Ah, 2015. You were pretty great. Thanks for the new job! However, you didn't give me a lot of time to read. You did gift me with a love of audiobooks and also a LOT of new books. I'm grateful, I really am. But I wish I had tackled my TBR a little more than I had--a resolution I'm hoping to keep in 2016. I mean, I went whole DAYS without reading. Who does that?

Anyway, here's the list of great and amazing books I wish I had had time to squeeze in during 2015.

1. EVERYTHING EVERYTHING by Nicola Yoon

I was pretty sure I would get to this as soon as I got my hands on it. It was one of my top anticipated books for the year and yet, it's still sitting pretty on my shelf, unread. I will get to it in 2015, I will.

2. THRONE OF GLASS by Sarah J. Maas

Before you come after me with pitchforks and torches, please know that I've started this book in 2014 and again 2015. I will get to it in  2016, whether or not I listen to it or read it.

3. MY LIFE ON THE ROAD by Gloria Steinem

I'm not that sad that I didn't get to read this one in 2015. Now, I get to read it with Emma Watson and her book club!

4.THE HEART OF BETRAYAL by Mary E. Pearson

I blame this one on my denial that this series is ending and my desire to drag it out for as long as possible. Plus, I want to wait a little closer to when the third book is coming out so that I'm not in agony.

5. A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES by Sarah J. Maas

I figured I should at least try to read Throne of Glass first. Right?

THEIR FRACTURED LIGHT Blog Tour Review

A year ago, Flynn Cormac and Jubilee Chase made the now-infamous Avon Broadcast, calling on the galaxy to witness LaRoux Industries' corruption. A year before that, Tarver Merendsen and Lilac LaRoux were the only survivors of the Icarus shipwreck, forced to live a double life after their rescue.
Now, at the center of the galaxy on Corinth, all four are about to collide with two new players in the fight against LRI.
Gideon Marchant is an underworld hacker known as the Knave of Hearts, ready to climb and abseil his way past the best security measures on the planet to expose LRI's atrocities. Sofia Quinn, charming con artist, can work her way into any stronghold without missing a beat. When a foiled attempt to infiltrate LRI Headquarters forces them into a fragile alliance, it's impossible to know who's playing whom--and whether they can ever learn to trust each other.
With their lives, loves, and loyalties at stake, only by joining forces with the Icarus survivors and Avon's protectors do they stand a chance of taking down the most powerful corporation in the galaxy---before LRI's secrets destroy them all.
The New York Times best-selling Starbound trilogy comes to a close with this dazzling final installment about the power of courage and hope in humanity's darkest hour.

~*~

Before you can any further, let me ask you a question:

Have you read These Broken Stars or This Shattered World yet?

If your answer is "no" please exit this blog immediately and purchase those two books.

Trust me, I'm doing you a favor.

If you have read those books and you're just curious about my thoughts on this amazing final book in the series, than you may proceed.

And, I will try to be as spoiler-free as I can, even if I want to gush as much as possible. Let's be honest, this review is all GUSH.

Blog Tour: Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins

Who doesn't love a good picture book? Even better, who doesn't love a picture book with SASS? (Or one based on such a classic!) Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins is a delightful, fun and enjoyably adorable book for both adults and the kids they're sharing them with (or the not, it's totes fine if it's just for you!)

I'm so happy to showcase Ryan T. Higgins today and introduce you to MOTHER BRUCE!

ABOUT MOTHER BRUCE:

Bruce the bear likes to keep to himself. That, and eat eggs. But when his hard-boiled goose eggs turn out to be real, live goslings, he starts to lose his appetite. And even worse, the goslings are convinced he's their mother. Bruce tries to get the geese to go south, but he can't seem to rid himself of his new companions. What's a bear to do?

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Website | Facebook 

Tour Schedule:

11/22: Tina The Bookworm - Review

11/23: Paperback Princess - Guest Post

11/24: Fangirl Confessions - Review

11/25: Go Read A Book - Review

11/26: Library of a Book Witch - Review

11/27: Reading w/ABC - Guest Post

11/28: BCS Reviews - Q&A

Giveaway:

2 Finished Copies of MOTHER BRUCE

 To enter, comment on today's (or all of the) tour post! Leave your email address!

~*~

Thank you so much to Hannah and Disney-Hyperion for allowing me to participate on the tour! 

Review: The Gap of Time by Jeanette Winterson

Title: The Gap of Time
Author: Jeanette Winterson
Goodreads Rating: 3.9
Format:  Finished Copy from Blogging For Books
The Winter’s Tale is one of Shakespeare’s “late plays.” It tells the story of a king whose jealousy results in the banishment of his baby daughter and the death of his beautiful wife. His daughter is found and brought up by a shepherd on the Bohemian coast, but through a series of extraordinary events, father and daughter, and eventually mother too, are reunited. In The Gap of Time, Jeanette Winterson’s cover version of The Winter’s Tale, we move from London, a city reeling after the 2008 financial crisis, to a storm-ravaged American city called New Bohemia. Her story is one of childhood friendship, money, status, technology and the elliptical nature of time. Written with energy and wit, this is a story of the consuming power of jealousy on the one hand, and redemption and the enduring love of a lost child on the other.

I honestly do not know where to start. This book was incredible, just as I knew it would be. Jeanette Winterson is an amazing story-teller and has reached perfection again with this retelling. 

How To Celebrate Halloween AFTER October 31st

Okay, so I'm not sure if you all know this but I am a HUGE Halloween fan.

I start getting ready around September 1st; stocking up on candy, popping in Hocus Pocus every chance I get, baking Pillsbury Shape Cookies...I'm in love with it.

And like every good Halloween lover, since I was about four, I've tried to drag Halloween night out for as long as possible after it was over. When I was little, I would limit myself to one Halloween candy a day (not that my parents followed that rule) or would watch Hocus Pocus and Halloweentown into mid-November.

But at 24, that's no longer cutting it. The day and night go by too quickly (especially since this year I've started working at my library) that I barely recognize it's arrival and even departure. Before I know it, it's November 1st and I'm scrambling to start NaNoWriMo.

Soooo, this year, I've decided to read my way past Halloween; to extend it as much as possibly by delving into a world where spooky stories and scary plots exist. By reading a steady stream of supernatural, spooky and other-worldly stories, it can be Halloween for as long as I want.

What you'll find below is the reading list I've created for myself and like-minded individuals so we can enjoy Halloween even as the Winter looms and snow begins to fall (unless you live in Southern California and then I envy you).

NIGHTMARES and NIGHTMARES: The Sleepwalker Tonic by Jason Segel, Kirstin Miller; Illustrated by Karl Kwasny

I'm dying to read this series. I met the authors at BEA last year and was so excited by the book. It looks like a fabulous middle-grade and the illustrations complete the books' image so well. I'm so glad that Random House Kids sent me the copies for review (along with candy!). This series will be just right to start off my extension of Halloween.

THE WITCH HUNTER by Virginia Boecker

I LOVED this book. It was so atmospheric. I was unable to tear my eyes away from the pages as I sped through it, so entranced with the world Virginia Boecker created. I am so there for revisiting this book again and I cannot wait for the sequel.

THE WITCHES: Salem, 1692 by Stacy Schiff

There are four different copies of this book on hold at my library right now and I just saw a spread in the New York Times' Book Review on it. Obviously, that got my attention. I think it looks fascinating.  I also might try it on audio. Either way, I think it's going to be captivating and I can't wait to see how well-researched it is.

HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN by J.K. Rowling

I cannot tell you why I feel that the third Harry Potter book reminds me so strongly of Halloween, even more so than the others. It also happens to be my favorite of the seven. I love the story of the Marauders so much. I also feel that this book is still a bit more innocent, even with impending death looming in the shape of a grim omen. I could probably reread this book every day for the rest of the year while eating pumpkin shaped Reese's and feel happy in the Halloween spirit.

THE T'WITCHES SERIES by  Randi Reisfield and H.B. Gilmour

This series made up my middle school life. I tore through them, with the exception of the last one which I still haven't read, in the Fall of 5th and 6th grade. I want to read them again just because they were such a magical reading experience for me around Halloween years ago. I totally recommend this series to anyone wanting to revisit a fun middle-grade series full of strong female girls and powerful female relationships. It's really great.

THE MEDIATOR SERIES by Meg Cabot

GUYS. THERE IS GOING TO BE A SEQUEL TO THIS SERIES AND IT'S EVERYTHING I WANT AND MORE.

I love this series. Like T'witches, I was hooked on this series when I was younger and read it around Halloween. I need to reread it again before the new book is out. This November seems like a great opportunity, right?

THE BONE SEASON and THE MIME ORDER by Samantha Shannon

My first ever BEA, this was the only book I wanted. I devoured it early that summer and have yet to read the sequel, which is blasphemous, I know. But this series is perfectly creepy and fascinating, the world-building is incredible. If you haven't read the beginning of this series, you need to.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: Tales Of The Slayers by Various

On the Halloweens that I didn't go out Trick Or Treating, I would coerce and cajole my friends into a Buffy marathon (or Supernatural). I couldn't decide on which book to place here (there are so many amazing Buffy tie-in novels!) but I always really enjoyed The Tales of The Slayer Series because of it's diversity and imagination.

THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman (or anything by Neil Gaiman)

I've been wanting to read this book for a while and I've heard great things about this one.

ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD by Kendare Blake

I had the pleasure of attending a panel with Kendare Blake. She's hilarious and so well-spoken. I have a feeling this spooky read may be just what I need.

BLOOD AND SALT by Kim Liggett

This book was also on hold a lot at my library the last few weeks. I've seen it on many of my friend's TBR lists on GoodReads too. I should really check it out.

COMPULSION by Martina Boone

Why, oh why, have I not read this book yet? It sounds like a me book. It's a perfect Fall book. I should get on it, ASAP.

A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES by Sarah J. Maas

Something tells me I should probably read her THRONE OF GLASS series first (if not for fear that my friends will take away all my other books if I don't read this already) but there's something about this book that seems Halloween-ish, right?

SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo

This one screams a good Halloween read to me. I also should probably finish The Grisha Trilogy first but I've heard that I could get away with reading this one even only if I've read SHADOW AND BONE. What do you think?

~*~

So, how did I do? Anything to add? Would you read any of these? Let me know!

Blog Tour: Lock and Mori by Heather W. Petty

Good morning, all! Today I'm so excited to welcome Heather W. Petty to the blog. I'm so excited to share her guest post from Heather--- and not only because I agree with almost her answers --- but because she's the author of an amazing adaptation that I think should be on everyone's TBR lists!

Since this book is a pastiche of my favorite sleuth, I couldn't help but ask Heather to write a little bit about her top five twisted adaptations. 

~*~

Heather W. Petty's Top Twisted Retellings: 

House M.D. (television show)

I couldn't help but include at least one Sherlock adaptation, and I think this is the most clever of them all. For those who haven't seen the show, it's the story of a genius diagnostician Dr. Gregory House, who solves medical mysteries with a group of diagnostic students at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. His only friend (and Watson) is Dr. Wilson, who runs the Oncology department. It's a very cool, fast-paced, emotionally complex medical drama. 

The Tower at Stony Wood by Patricia A. McKillip

Patricia McKillip is one of my favorite writers of all time. She has this amazing ability to create fantasy worlds that read like timeless stories. It's almost like she's creating new fairytales using all of the folklore elements that we expect to see, but in new ways. In this book, a knight discovers that the King is marrying an imposter, and the real Queen is locked in a tower in a magical land. A prince of that land is looking for a tower filled with gold to help rebuild his father's army. And a third female character, goes up to a tower near Stony Wood to watch a woman imprisoned in a tower and embroider her story. The novel is a subtle nod to Rapunzel, but so much more complex and amazing as the three characters' lives and quests weave together.

A Werewolf Boy (Korean movie)

I'm not sure if this technically counts as an adaptation, but this is kind of Tarzan meets werewolf lore. It's the story of a family who moves out into a remote countryside and find a wild boy who is living in the woods around their house. The mother feels bad for him and brings him into the house and the teenaged daughter trains the boy to fit into society a little. The movie is amazing, sometimes hilarious, and completely heart-wrenching, and also one of my absolute favorite movies of all time. 

Joss Whedon’s 2012 adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing

I love Shakespeare and I love Joss Whedon, and they basically got together and made a beautiful

baby starring most all of my favorite actors of the Whedonverse with a modern backdrop and a super cool soundtrack. I loved this movie so much. And while Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson will probably always be my one true Beatrice and Benedick, Amy Acker and Alexis Denisof were so brilliant in the parts I couldn't help but fall in love with them.  

Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis

This book is a retelling of the Psyche and Cupid myth told from the perspective of Psyche's older, ugly sister. I love it so much. I think it's one of those books that leaves you reeling for days after, where you find yourself marking pages to read again and writing down quotes to ponder. This is one of the very few books that I've reread more than once. Definitely my favorite of all of Lewis' books.

~*~

More about Lock and Mori:

In modern-day London, two brilliant high school students—one Sherlock Holmes and a Miss James “Mori” Moriarty—meet. A murder will bring them together. The truth very well might drive them apart.

Before they were mortal enemies, they were much more…

FACT: Someone has been murdered in London’s Regent’s Park. The police have no leads.

FACT: Miss James “Mori” Moriarty and Sherlock “Lock” Holmes should be hitting the books on a school night. Instead, they are out crashing a crime scene.

FACT: Lock has challenged Mori to solve the case before he does. Challenge accepted.

FACT: Despite agreeing to Lock’s one rule—they must share every clue with each other—Mori is keeping secrets.

OBSERVATION: Sometimes you can’t trust the people closest to you with matters of the heart. And after this case, Mori may never trust Lock again.

More about Heather W. Petty: 

Heather has been obsessed with mysteries since she was twelve, which is when she decided that stories about murders in London drawing rooms and English seaside villages were far superior to all other stories. Lock & Mori is her first novel. She lives in Reno, Nevada with her husband, daughter, and four hopelessly devious cats. You can learn more about Heather and her books at heatherwpetty.com.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Authors I've Read The Most Books From

Happy Tuesday everyone!

This week's Top Ten Tuesday was hard.

It's sad to realize that you haven't read as many books as you thought you had. Even sadder when you realize that you haven't read that many by the same author! Alas, here it is.

Brianna's picks:

J.K. Rowling

I've read the first three Harry Potter books multiple times. The only one I haven't finished is Order of the Phoenix.

Nancy Holder 

For those don't know, Nancy Holder is the QUEEN of the Buffy tie in. Her ideas are incredibly original and her characterization of all the Scoobies is so spot on. She even makes me care about her original characters.

Christopher Golden

If Nancy is the Queen then Christopher Golden is the King. His Buffy tie-in novels are epic.


Randi Resfield and H.B. Gilmour

I was kind of obsessed with the T*Witches series as a kid and I own all 10 books in the series, even if I haven't read the last one yet. I'd love to get to it one day and totally embrace my ten-year-old nostalgia.


John Green

I once read all of his books--except Let It Snow--back to back, my heart breaking at the end of each. Of course I saved TFIOS for last. I'm a masochist that way.

Madeline L'Engle 

I first read a Wrinkle In Time when I was in fourth grade. It was magical and I found an instant friend
in Meg Murray. I soon devoured the next three in the series and while I haven't actually read the complete set, I know I can save them for a 'dark and stormy night' and feel welcomed back by Charles Wallace, Meg and the rest of the Murrays.


Nicole's Picks:

Scott Westerfield 
I was so totally in love with his work since The Midnighters Series, it really is one of my favorite series (and I still hold onto hope for a TV series although it is probably long gone. Not surprising when I had the chance to meet Scott, I totally blew it and fangirled to the extreme. But that's a story for another day.

Sarah J. Maas
Does she need explaining? She's such a wonderful author and great person. I latched onto Throne of Glass and will continue through Queen of Shadows and beyond. Love her work and as a person.

Waiting On Wednesday #7

(Brought to you by Breaking the Spine)

This week's Waiting On Wednesday is A STUDY IN CHARLOTTE by Brittany Cavallaro

GUYYYYS. IT'S A SHERLOCK HOLMES STORY.

WITH GIRL PROTAGONISTS AND PROGENY OF SHERLOCK HOLMES AND JOHN WATSON.

I need this book.

It looks perfect.

The cover is very Sherlockian.

It looks amazing.

Tell me, friends. Has A STUDY IN CHARLOTTE made it onto your Waiting On Wednesday list?

Top Ten Fellow Book Nerds

 (Top 10 Tuesday brought to you by Broke and the Bookish) 

I adore this TTT. It's made for me. Characters who love books are characters I want to spend time with again and again. Don't you?

1. Paige from The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord

My girl Paige may be a grammar nerd--unlike myself--but we are totally similar in our love for Jane Austen and bookstores and our television writing dreams. Although Paige probably has a better chance of writing for TV than I do.

2. Robbie from Atonement by Ian McKellan

Sobs. Robbie could have had it all. He was intelligent, bookish, with dreams way bigger than his low class status. After a lie destroyed his future, he was imprisoned and then forced into the army where all he lost any hope of success or love.

3. Emma from One Day by David Nicholls

Just thinking of this book makes me want to cry. Why're all British books sad? See: Atonement, Me Before You, etc. Emma is legit one of my favorite characters in all of the books I've read. AND she becomes a YA author later on, basing her main character off of a plucky student of hers.

4. Miranda from When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Miranda's favorite book is A Wrinkle In Time which is one of my favorite books which makes WYRM even better, if possible. You should definitely pick up this gorgeous novel if you haven't gotten the chance. It's lovely.

5. Hermione from Harry Potter by JK Rowling

How could I not include Hermione on this list?

6.  Charlie from The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

This epistolary novel has become a huge part of the gen x zeitgeist. I love that Charlie was recommended books from his teachers. It's such an adorable book nerd thing to do (and something I'm guilty of. My French teacher would give me french magazines and books to read all the time).


7. Swede from Peace Like A River by Leif Enger

One of the main things that made this book shine was Swede's pieces of epic poem throughout. It added a great depth to the ocean deep novel.

8. Jacqueline from Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

I think I may be cheating here since this is a memoir in verse but it's too beautiful not to mention.

9. Apple from Apple and Rain by Sarah Crossan

Apple wrote some lovely poetry as she struggled with all she had to deal with over the course of the novel.

10. Echo from The Girl At Midnight by Melissa Grey

SHE LIVES IN A LIBRARY. Nuff said.

Waiting On Wednesday #6

Waiting On Wednesday #6

This week's Waiting On Wednesday comes from a place of desperation, longing and need.

I need THE WINNER'S KISS by Marie Rutkoski. Please and thank you.

March 1, 2016 is way too far away.

And some spoiler-y comments:

1. What do you think that Kestrel isn't holding the sword in this cover but almost shying away from it?
2. Does this mean she has to choose to act again or that someone else will act on her behalf?
3. Is there any meaning to the dress meaning crimson?
4. Why can't I have this book now?