Review: Mercury

• Publisher: Celadon Books
• Publication Date: 1/2/24
• Author: Amy Jo Burns
• Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Women’s Fiction
• Page Count: 336

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Review

Mercury is the rural hometown to the Joseph family, where Mick and Elise own and operate a roofing company. Their three sons, Baylor, Waylon, and Shay help with the family business when they can. But when Marley West and her mom Ruth arrive into town, sibling rivalry and jealously threaten to upend the Joseph’s family dynamics. And will it be for the best or worse?

I really enjoyed Mercury. The novel was a little depressing at times as it portrayed a rural family struggling to make ends meet while also dealing with modern/contemporary issues such as PTSD, gay relationships, and dementia. It is not a light read due to the subject matter. And as a family drama, it did get a little intense at times. With numerous plot twists that unfold over multiple timelines, Mercury kept me engaged and captured till the end.

The characters are well developed and genuinely portray a rural family of the 90’s. I liked all of the characters as they all added flavor and color to the narrative. But it is the main character of Marley that really made the story come to life. I watched Marley grow from dependent teenager, to loving mother and wife, and into an independent, strong businesswoman that persevered through thick and thin.

Overall, Mercury was an excellent family drama well deserving of five solid stars.

I received a DRC and ARC from Celadon Books through NetGalley and the Bookish First Raffle. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

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Book Review: The Headmaster’s List

• Publisher: Roaring Book Press
• Publication Date: February 28, 2023
• Author: Melissa de la Cruz
• Genre: Mystery & Thrillers | Teens & YA
• Page Count: 400

⭐⭐

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Review

Four students from Armstrong Prep were on their way home from an epic party when a tragic accident occurs. Spencer, Ethan, Tabby and Chris were in the vehicle at the time. Three of them survived, and one of them died.

The Headmaster’s List started off with a bang. But eventually, the excitement and thrills waned as the story progressed. It became a somewhat boring read with very little plot twists. If there were any plot twists, they were pretty much predictable.

The characters all seemed generic to me. None of them stood out and made any lasting impression. Except, they were all spoiled and wealthy trust fund teens.

I really liked the author’s fantasy novels from the Never After series so I had some pretty lofty expectations for this recent novel. Unfortunately, The Headmaster’s List wasn’t as suspenseful or thrilling as I expected. And with a bland ending, it became an okay two star read for me.

I received a finished copy of the book from Roaring Book Press through Bookish First. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

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Book Review: You Are My Sunshine

• Publisher: Zondervan Books
• Publication Date: October 11, 2022
• Author: Sean Dietrich
• Genre: Christian
• Page Count: 256

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Review

“What’s so funny?” my husband asks as I was reading You Are My Sunshine. “This book!” I replied excitedly. And so began my incessant chuckling, snickering, and gigling as I continued my reading adventure.

You Are My Sunshine is the true story of Sean and his wife Jamie’s grueling bike ride through The Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal Towpath trail. It’s a challenging trail that offers more than 330 miles of biking and hiking. Why did they do it? Because Jamie wanted to do something Big and because Sean promised — sometime ago…

Told in first person, author Sean Dietrich describes real life experiences in a very entertaining way. Dietrich makes the normally mundane activities and conversations laugh out loud funny. I could not put the novel down.

But, the novel is not all fun and games. All jokes aside, there are some poignant moments in the novel and Dietrich manages to capture those moments like a Polaroid camera.

You Are My Sunshine is a highly entertaining, hilariously funny true story that will have you in stitches. Five outstanding stars.

I received a physical book from Zondervan Books through Bookish First. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

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ARC Review: The Picture Bride

• Publisher: Forge Books
• Publication Date: October 11, 2022
• Author: Lee Geum-yi
• Genre: Historical Fiction
• Page Count: 320

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Review

Relying on a go-between, Willow, Hongju, and Songwha undertake a long and arduous journey from Korea to Hawaii. They were led to believe that they could get rich and prosper being picture brides — marrying Korean men now living and working in Hawaii. They would soon find out, however, that pictures and tales of riches did not tell the real story.

The Picture Bride is a poingnant and heartfelt tale of three young women who dared to leave the comforts of home in Korea to make a better life for themselves and their families. But moving to a foreign land with different customs and languages didn’t make life easier. Add in the fact that their picture bridegrooms weren’t exactly accurate. How could they have believed everything that was told to them? And what other lies would they uncover?

As the granddaughter of a Japan picture bride, I found author Geum-yi’s depictions of the life and times of Asian and other immigrants so relatable. I didn’t get to hear many stories from my mother or grandmother. But I do know from what little they told me, that life on the plantation was very difficult. They made due with what little they had. And it was not until they were able to move off the plantation that life got better.

It is evident that Geum-yi has conducted extensive research. As a former Hawaii resident, I am quite familiar with all of the streets, townships, and cities that Geum-yi mentions in her novel. That is what made The Picture Bride so engaging for me. It’s not like she picked out ficticious names, but she actually used the real names of streets and plantations. And yes, those plantation towns still exist till today. Add in well developed characters and you have a beautiful novel worthy of five exquisite stars.

I received a physical ARC from Forge Books through BookishFirst. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

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ARC Review: Compass

• Publisher: Publerati
• Publication Date: September 27, 2022
• Author: Murray Lee
• Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Literary Fiction
• Page Count: 352

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Review

After getting caught for his dishonest tales of adventure, Guy decides to embark on a spur of the moment journey to the Arctic Floe. There he recruits Simeonie, a local Inuit and well respected guide. It’s the wrong time of year to be travelling out to the Floe, but Guy is adamant. And so begins the fateful journey and the eventual demise of Guy’s lifeline — Simeonie.

Stranded on an ice floe with very little provisions, Guy struggles to survive. He is unprepared and ill equipped to endure the wilderness where the Land of the Midnight Sun blurs the lines between day and night.

As Guy struggles with sleep deprivation, he also begins to hallucinate — imagining that the creatures of the Arctic can communicate with him. Can Guy survive long enough to be rescued? And will his survival mean that he returns to civilization unscathed?

Compass is Murray Lee’s debut novel. While it may not resonate with some, I found Compass to be one of the “sleepers” that creep up on you and hook you in.

The characters are well developed and there is enough banter to get a feel for the dry sense of humor that occurs among them. I for one enjoyed the character of Simeonie. I could just envision his deadpan expressions, which made me snicker the whole time he existed in the story. I didn’t particularly care for Guy as I did not like his arrogant and self-serving attitude. But hey, if you can love or hate a character in a novel, that’s a good thing.

The plot flows at a slower pace that what I’m accustomed to. But that’s probably the result of building a foreboding environment and developing a sense of doom.

Compass is definitely a novel for those readers that enjoy general fiction with a spash of cultural interest and adventure. Four stars.

I received a physical ARC from Publerati through Bookish First. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

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Book Review: How to Survive Your Murder

• Publisher: Penguin Teen
• Publication Date: August 30, 2022
• Author: Danielle Valentine
• Genre: Teen & YA
• Page Count: 300

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Thoughts and Opinions

Be careful what you wish for…

It’s been a year since Alice’s sister, Claire, was brutally murdered. And now, as a key witness to the crime, Alice must face the perpetrator in court.

As anxiety starts to get the best of her, Alice quickly dashes to the restroom in an attempt to recover from her nausea. While there, Alice runs into a Sydney Prescott look-alike and is knocked unconscious. Upon waking up, Alice comes to realize that she’s gone back in time to that fateful day. Now Alice must find out the truth behind the murder if she wants any chance to get her sister back. But at what cost?

I was a little hesitant to read How to Survive Your Murder after getting a glimpse of the except. I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to read the entire novel. It was a thrilling page turner. And OMG! What an ending!

There are a number of characters. Primarily teenagers going through high school and adolescent angst. The main character is Alice who is also the MC in the novel. So the narrative is in Alice’s point of view which I think is the best format for a novel like this one. The other characters were colorful and added a lot of depth to the landscape — from funny to brooding and everything in between.

The plot is somewhat complex in that there are a number of twists to misdirect the reader. And the insertion of Sydney Prescott into the mix gave the novel a different dimension.

If you’re a fan of horror films of the mid to late 90’s, How to Survive Your Murder is a must read as it mentions and references a number of the popular horror films of that era. It’s a nice touch and it certainly made for interesting and entertaining reading. Five fabulous stars.

I received a finished copy of the book from Penguin Teen through Bookish First. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

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Book Review: Hotel Magnifique

• Publisher: Razorbill
• Publication Date: April 5, 2022
• Author: Emily J. Taylor
• Genre: Fantasy
• Page Count: 400

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Blurb

All her life, Jani has dreamed of Elsewhere. Just barely scraping by with her job at a tannery, she’s resigned to a dreary life in the port town of Durc, caring for her younger sister Zosa. That is, until the Hotel Magnifique comes to town.

The hotel is legendary not only for its whimsical enchantments, but also for its ability to travel—appearing in a different destination every morning. While Jani and Zosa can’t afford the exorbitant costs of a guest’s stay, they can interview to join the staff, and are soon whisked away on the greatest adventure of their lives. But once inside, Jani quickly discovers their contracts are unbreakable and that beneath the marvelous glamour, the hotel is hiding dangerous secrets.

With the vexingly handsome doorman Bel as her only ally, Jani embarks on a mission to unravel the mystery of the magic at the heart of the hotel and free Zosa—and the other staff—from the cruelty of the ruthless maître d’hôtel. To succeed, she’ll have to risk everything she loves, but failure would mean a fate far worse than never returning home.

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My Thoughts & Opinions

I’ve read a number of mixed reviews for Hotel Magnifique. Especially from those that have read Caraval and The Night Circus. Since I have not read any of the aforementioned novels, I probably didn’t have as much of a bias. Not having any preconceived notions or expectations of the book, allowed me to thoroughly enjoy the journey and wonderment of the narrative.

The characters are well developed and consists of a nice blend of mysteriousness, eeriness, innocence and elegance. Like any good novel, there are the good actors and the bad actors. And Hotel Magnifique has a nice balance of good and bad.

The pace of the novel is just right. It flows slowly at the beginning since there is quite a bit of world building. The pace then takes off with magic and mystery. I was amazed at the imaginative plot — combining a belle-epoque fantasy world filled with magicians and magical artifacts. Author, Emily J. Taylor has crafted a stunning masterpiece that is not to be missed. Five outstanding stars.

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Book Review: A Magic Steeped in Poison

• Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends
• Publication Date: March 29, 2022
• Author: Judy Lin
• Genre: Teens & YA
• Page Count: 384

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Blurb

I used to look at my hands with pride. Now all I can think is, “These are the hands that buried my mother.”

For Ning, the only thing worse than losing her mother is knowing that it’s her own fault. She was the one who unknowingly brewed the poison tea that killed her—the poison tea that now threatens to also take her sister, Shu.

When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom’s greatest shennong-shi—masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making—she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, which may be Ning’s only chance to save her sister’s life. 

But between the backstabbing competitors, bloody court politics, and a mysterious (and handsome) boy with a shocking secret, Ning might actually be the one in more danger.

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My Thoughts & Opinions

A Magic Steeped in Poison is author, Judy Lin’s first book in The Book of Tea duology. It is everything that a teen and YA fantasy should have — action, adventure, magic, light romance, and mystery.

There are quite a number of characters and Lin deftly fleshed out and developed the entire cast. Some characters I liked. There were other characters that I didn’t like and a few of them were just suspicious and conniving.

I enjoyed the Chinese theme, and the historical atmosphere. It made for a fascinating read. However, the Chinese words used throughout the book were a bit distracting. But, it did add authenticity to the story.

The plot starts out simple enough, but it gets complex with twists and cliffhangers after each chapter. It is suspensful and yet entertaining at the same time.

While I didn’t appreciate stumbling over the Chinese words interespersed within the novel, I eventually realized that their inclusion added so much depth to the narrative. Especially since there is a glossary at the end of the book.

Overall, A Magic Steeped in Poison is deserving of five stars. I can’t wait for the final installment of this duology, which is estimated to be release in August, 2022.

I received a finished copy of the book from Bookish First. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

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Book Review: Do You Follow

• Publication Date: January 4, 2022
• Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group
• Author: J. C. Bidonde
• Genre: Mysteries & Thrillers
• Page Count: 248

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Blurb

Alexa lives a sheltered life with her widowed father, feeling stifled by his helicopter parenting. When she secures a marketing job and apartment in New York City—much to her father’s and therapist’s concern—Alexa has high hopes of finally sneaking her way into adulthood. But her newfound freedom is cut short when her estranged twin sister Beth, after a long stint in a psychiatric setting, unexpectedly shows up at the doorstep of her tiny apartment.

Alexa too has spent time at the Weinstein Center. But she’s determined to lead a normal life now and soon begins to date a YouTuber client. According to Beth, something isn’t quite right with Curt, but Alexa shrugs her clingy sister’s warnings off. It’s Beth who’s crazy, after all . . . As the sister bond grows strained over Alexa’s relationship and career success, questions mount, and secrets unfold, revealing the wickedly dark shared history of the twin siblings. What exactly happened when the twins were only nine that set this vile trajectory in motion?

Things get more complicated, and one treacherous act threatens everything Alexa has been working toward. It will be on her—and Beth—to claw the way out of this situation.

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My Thoughts and Opinions

Do You Follow is a slow build mystery and not anything that I expected. For her first novel, Bidonde did a superb job in crafting a story rich with mystique.

The characters are well developed and feel so real. I liked the primary character of Alexa due to her soft and thoughtful nature. Beth on the other hand came across as the diametric opposite of Alexa — harsh and self-centered. There are several other characters and they just added a lot more depth to the storyline.

The plot isn’t straightforward and it does take a while for the story to unfold. I must say that most of the novel focuses on the relationship of Alexa and her twin sister, Beth in the beginning. It is not until approximately the 50% point that the real story begins. But it is certainly worth the wait. And the plot thickens thereafter. Do You Follow is one of those novels that takes a while to get your attention, but once it does, it becomes a page turner of a mystery. Five excellent stars.

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ARC Review: We Are the Brennans

• Publisher: Celadon Books
• Publication Date: August 3, 2021
• Author: Tracey Lange
• Genre: Fiction
• Page Count: 274

Description/Review

Five years before, Sunday Brennan left New York and headed for California to start fresh. It was an unexpected move and startled everyone, including her then fiancé, Kale Collins. But Sunday was determined to leave, even if it meant that hearts would be broken, including her own.

Sunday didn’t have a glamorous life in California and was living on a meager existence, attempting to make it as a writer. She had a few friends and after a binge drinking night out, Sunday found herself in a Los Angeles hospital, lucky to be alive after her drunk driving accident.

After learning of Sunday’s near death experience, her brother, Denny convinces Sunday to return to New York to help with his restaurant/pub business. But going back to her roots just might stir up old family secrets and inflict new ones.

We Are the Brennans is basically an Irish family drama. There are many characters but the focus centers primarily on the immediate family members.

The storyline is easily navigable since each chapter is a different family member’s point of view. I really liked how the story evolved from each character’s perspective.

What I didn’t like was that there weren’t too many family dramas to keep the story going. I actually would have preferred a more “soap opera-like” storyline with multiple scenes and outcomes that would ultimately converge at the end.

Overall, a satisfactory read. Three stars.

I received a physical ARC from Celadon Books. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

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