Book Review: Flirty Little Secrets by Jessica Lepe

 

Title: Flirty Little Secret
Author: Jessica Lepe
Genre: Mental Health; Romance
Publication Date: March 19, 2024
Publisher: Forever

School counselor Lucy Galindo has a secret.

To her coworkers, friends, and even family, she’s shy, sweet, and constantly struggling to hold off disaster (read: manage her anxiety and depression). But online? She’s bold, confident, and always knows what to say—it’s how she’s become the wildly popular @TheMissGuidedCounselor. It’s also why she keeps her identity anonymous. Her followers would never trust the real Lucy with their problems.

History teacher Aldrich Fletcher thought a new job would give him some relief from his drama-filled family. Instead, he’s dodging his ex-girlfriend and pining over his new co-worker—who only ever seems to see him at his worst. Thankfully, he can count on his online confidant for advice . . . until he discovers @TheMissGuidedCounselor is Lucy.

Now Fletcher has a secret too. And while Lucy can’t deny there’s something between them, she’s not sure she can trust him. Can they both find the courage to share the truth and step out from behind their screens?

Rating

*I received a copy of this book digitally for free and am leaving this review voluntarily*

Hello Fellow Reader,

I was afraid I wouldn't like this as Flirty Little Secret started a bit slow, but the more I read the more I fell in love with Lucy and Fletcher's relationship. Lucy is so loveable and real, that I immediately connected to her. On Instagram, @TheMissGuidedCounselor is self-assured and confident giving much-needed wisdom and advice to her followers, one of which we learn is Fletcher. We can't always trust what gets portrayed on social media because in real life @TheMissGuidedCounselor is Lucy. Lucy would hate it if her followers actually learned who she really was, she feels like a mess, struggling with anxiety and depression while also trying to manage her ADHD, Lucy feels like a lie. 

The romance was sweet and I liked how it progressed through the book, Fletcher was okay and I always love nice guy MMCs, but it was Lucy who really made things shine, and I really liked how Lepe portrayed Mental health issues, which honestly was not something I expected but appreciated. There were a couple of things that made this a little hard to read like the whole complication with Georgia felt unnecessary and not needed. Also, how high schoolers were portrayed gave Steve Buscemi's "How Do You Do, Fellow Kids' meme energy. 

Overall a good mental health representation and romance. 

Graphic Novel Review: Dandelion by Sabir Pirzada

 

Title: Dandelion
Creator: Sabir Pirzada
Illustrators: Martin Morazzo; Vanesa Del Rey
Genre: Comic; Graphic Novel; Science Fiction
Publication Date: June 25, 2024
Publisher: Image

Nomadland meets Mad Max in this anthology featuring stunning artwork by Martin Morazzo (ICE CREAM MAN), Vanesa Del Rey (REDLANDS), and more!

When climate change and automation disrupt the lives of millions, a new civilization is formed in the skies—one that threatens the wealthy citizens who’ve been hoarding Earth’s meager resources for themselves.

From Sabir Pirzada, writer of Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight and Ms. Marvel TV series, comes a bold vision of the future!

Rating

*I received a copy of this book digitally for free and am leaving this review voluntarily*

Hello Fellow Readers,

To be honest with you, I am having a hard time gathering my thoughts about Dandelion. The Premise is interesting and I've always been a fan of science fiction, especially in graphic novels, but something fell flat for me. I can't pinpoint where it may have been the flow of the stories that really tripped me up. I don't need them to be linear, and I like it when stories are told in parts as it leaves me turning the page to find out more. 

The stories had me feeling disjointed as if they were randomly placed rather than done with purpose. I could have really enjoyed the message of Dandelion if it was done differently. Unfortunately, what that way is I couldn't tell you which, I think, is why I am feeling so conflicted. The art is stunning though and I really enjoyed the differences of each scene. 

Overall, I think it's okay but fell a little flat with its message. 

Book Review: House on Highland Road by Melissa Peters

 

Title: House on Highland Road
Series: Salvation Hills Haunting #1
Author: Melissa Peters
Genre: Mystery; Paranormal; Supernatural; Young Adult
Publication Date: October 1, 2023

Lanie Gilbert, aka Riley Miller, is living a lie. She is the lie. She’s adrift, run away from home and losing her mind. Or so she thinks. Living out of her car, with winter looming, her time in Salvation Hills is almost up. But then she meets them.

Ghost hunters—Mason, Bethy, and Conrad. They draw her into their strange world where floorboards creak and spirits threaten her life. And then there’s Nat, their psychic friend who sees something in her, besides the truth.

Will a dark night in a haunted house be just what Lanie needs? Or will it be her undoing?

House on Highland Road is a YA cozy horror novel filled with bumps in the night, apparitions, and found family. This series will appeal to all ages, including fans of the paranormal and shows like Ghost Whisperer.

Rating

*I received an advanced digital copy for free and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily*

Hello Fellow Readers,

Lately, I've been in a little paranormal kick and House on Highland Road did a great job at temporarily scratching that itch. I really felt for Lanie and I wanted above all else for her to be safe and happy at the end of this book (and this series). Her backstory breaks my heart and you all know I am a sucker for children with a troubled family. Add everything about Riley and Lanie immediately had my loyalty. 

I honestly didn't know what to think about MAson Conrad and Bethy, at first. I eventually warmed up to Conrad and Bethy, even going as far as enjoying their interactions with Lanie. Peters did have me worried that Mason would become Lanie's love interest and I was not going to be a fan of that, however, Peters made the right decision on the romance aspect. Nat was great and it looks like she'll be around and helping Lanie out in the future. I really can't wait to see how that relationship grows. The story was interesting and I liked the small sections that gave us a historical perspective. 

Overall, an interesting start that has caught my attention. 

Book Review: The Wolf's Curse by Alex Gates

Title: The Wolf's Curse
Series: Reapers Reborn Chronicles #1
Author: Alex Gates
Genre: Fantasy; Paranormal; Supernatural; Werewolves; Witches
Publication Date: February 19, 2024

Doryan Miller's life takes an otherworldly turn when he finds himself joining a team of supernatural misfits.

Meet Doryan, a man with the strange gift of chatting with the dearly departed. For most of his life, the dead have kept him company as he wandered across the country. But then, without warning, he's thrust into a world where werewolves roam and ancient magic exists.

He's recruited by Project Phoenix, a secret squad of individuals led by the enigmatic Erik Haller. Their mission? Hunt down things that go bump in the night and keep humanity safe from the forces of darkness… but their first gig is no simple paranormal pest control. They're tracking a werewolf, and this shapeshifter isn't your average furry friend.

As the boundaries between reality and the supernatural blur, it's a race against time for "Project Phoenix." Can they stop the beast before it sinks its claws into more victims?

Rating

*I received a copy of this book digitally for free and am leaving this review voluntarily*

Hello Fellow Readers,

 I was curious about this book after reading the synopsis. Doryan seems like such an interesting character and his ability to interact with spirits and the Phoenix Project had me immediately picking this up to read. I was glad that I was correct about Doryan. He seems to be a very unique character and individual and the way he handles everything makes him feel real. The other characters were okay. I liked that the 'muscle' Adria was female (although, a little too 'not like other girls' she even mentions how she doesn't get along with them). The plot was okay but I feel like there was just too much crammed into this book, at times it just felt like too much. I know that the first book is a setup for the series but it's okay to slow down and let things progress as the bigger story unfolds.

Overall, an interesting start but a little too jam-packed. 

Book Review: Kosa by John Durgin

Title: Kosa
Author: John Durgin
Genre: Horror; Retelling; Witches
Publication Date: May 17, 2024
Publisher: DarkLit Press

In a secluded mansion hidden away from the outside world, young Kosa lives under the strict and overpowering rule of her enigmatic mother. For Kosa, the rules set by Mother are the guiding principles of her life, shaping her beliefs and actions. She has been sheltered from the truth about the world beyond the confines of their home, conditioned to fear the darkness and malevolence that supposedly lurks outside.

However, as Kosa grows older, she begins to question the reality she has been presented with. Doubts eat away at her, fueled by a deep-rooted curiosity and a burgeoning sense of independence.

But Kosa possesses a mysterious and powerful ability that Mother desperately needs to sustain her own existence. Mother, a figure shrouded in shadows and secrets, will stop at nothing to ensure that Kosa’s power remains potent and under her control. The sinister grasp that Mother has on Kosa becomes increasingly suffocating as she tightens her grip, isolating Kosa further from the truth that exists beyond their home.

In this dark and captivating tale, Kosa’s journey unravels the intricacies of control, the strength of one’s convictions, and the true nature of the world beyond the shadows. The choices she makes will not only determine her fate but also influence the fate of those around her.

 

Rating

*I received a copy of this book digitally for free and am leaving this review voluntarily*

Hello Fellow Readers,

I may be dumb because when I first read the synopsis I didn't put together that this was a Rapunzel retelling, it was only as I was reading it, that it clicked in my brain. I love Horror fairy tale retellings, I was a big fan of the Grimm fairy tales as a child, and I am always seeking that spine-tingling, bone-chilling feeling I had with those fairy tales. 'Kosa' hits those marks, and more. From the beginning, Durgin hits you with dark tension that weaves and builds leaving you turning the page for more. 

Kosa, the character, is so tragic. There's a lot that happens to her in this book that you can't believe she goes through, so if you are sensitive to certain things like body horror or child abuse you may want to stay away from this. Durgin does an amazing job of making you care about her, and root for her to at least make it out alive. This is a Rapunzel retelling so there is a lot of magical (and horror) stuff involving hair some of which I would have never thought about. 

Overall, a great horror story and a perfect lights-off, late-night read. 

Graphic Novel: An Outbreak: A Graphic Novel of the Salem Witch Trials

 

Title: An Outbreak of Witchcraft
Author: Deborah Noyes
Illustrator: M. Duffy
Genre: Graphic Novel; Nonfiction
Publication Date: June 4, 2024
Publisher: Little, Brown Ink

A gripping tale of paranoia at its worst, An Outbreak of Witchcraft visually imagines the haunting details of the Salem witch trials in this bewitching narrative nonfiction graphic novel.

From 1692 to 1693, fear reigned in the small village of Salem, Massachusetts. The night Abigail Williams and Betty Paris first accused their servant of witchcraft was only the beginning.

Several more accusations would follow suit, sparking a widespread panic that consumed Salem in one of the longest cases of witch trials in America, where more than twenty innocent lives were lost, and mistrust ran amok.

The community was in ruins, from the afflicted who fanned the flames of superstition to the judges who used their power unjustly and the accused who were falsely charged and hanged in consequence. In the absence of due process and with hysteria abounding, no one in Salem was safe.

Journey into how it all began in this arresting, true-to-life look at how lies became facts, friends turned to foes, and loved ones turned to enemies.

Rating

*I received a copy of this book digitally for free and am leaving this review voluntarily*

Hello Fellow Readers,

An Outbreak of Witchcraft was such an interesting take on the Salem witch trials, but also horrifying when you remember halfway through that this isn't a fictional tale. The dialogue in some parts may be embellished but these were real people. This was a real event that happened in our history. Noyes must be an amazing researcher because they did an amazing job at recounting incidents. I will admit that history has never been my strong suit and I don't typically search it out but Noyes made me pay attention. Duffy also did a great job bringing life to each character. I could almost feel the hysteria and fear roll off the pages.

Overall, I can't wait to see what else these two have in store. 

Graphic Novel Review: How to Baby: A No-Advice-Given Guide to Motherhood, with Drawings

Title: How to Baby
Author: Liana Finck
Genre: Graphic Novel; Humor
Publication Date: April 30, 2024
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group

A wryly personal and deeply relatable graphic memoir skewering the “traditional” parenting book to chronicle the absurdities, frustrations, and soaring joys of new parenthood--from the acclaimed New Yorker cartoonist and author

How do you know if you’re ready to have a baby? How do you know if you might be pregnant? And how do you deal with peeing all the time and being hungry all the time and fielding well-meaning but kind of insulting advice and finding a doula and being dropped by your old friends and learning why it’s called mom brain and not dad brain and the tyranny of the milestones you’re not meeting and negotiating boundaries with in-laws and realizing that your heart now exists outside of your chest and in the body of this tiny little being whose entire existence depends on the quality of your care?

To tackle these questions and many others, award-winning cartoonist and memoirist Liana Finck began illustrating her early years of motherhood, giving images and language to her insecurities, frustrations, and wild joy.

 Rating

*I received a copy of this book digitally for free and am leaving this review voluntarily*

Hello Fellow Readers,

Finck's book is not only extremely funny, but it's very relatable for me. In case you're wondering (Probably not) I am a mother to a toddler. That's what consumes my life right now. I didn't know that I needed to read (along with drawings) someone else to show me that they go through the same thing, it makes the loneliness of motherhood feel not so stifling. I really enjoyed the drawings in How to Baby, while not the most detailed it added to the ridiculousness and humor of it. 

Finck talks about all things baby, from conception to birth, to the insane pressure society puts on women to fit into the mom bubble while praising fathers for the bare minimum (or to simplify 'The Double Standard). It's all done in a very tongue-in-cheek way. This book will make you laugh and nod a long while constantly thinking 'That's exactly how it feels' 

Overall, a delightful book for mothers or future mothers (or people who maybe just want to laugh at motherhood?)

 

Book Review: Beastly & Bookish: Horned up for the Holidays by Catrina Bell

Title: Beastly & Bookish
Author: Catrina Bell
Genre: Romance
Publication Date: January 1, 2024

This beauty didn’t ask for a beastly bookworm for Christmas, but maybe she should have . . .

All Noelle wants is to save the Winter Bliss library. She has a plan, too—a New Year’s Eve fundraiser during the annual fire-magic festival. The last thing she needs is a distracting romance with the sexy, binge-reading demon she hasn’t seen in over a decade. Too bad fate (and Mount Winter Bliss) has other plans.

Rom only returned to his small hometown to open Perkatory, his family's newest coffee shop. Seeing Noelle again is a welcome surprise, but there’s no way the beautiful librarian could ever fall for a scarred-up monster like him, right?

When an avalanche leaves Noelle and Rom snowed in together, the forced proximity might be their second chance at first love. But will their happily ever after come at the expense of saving Noelle’s beloved library?

Beastly & Bookish is a cozy, contemporary, holiday romance featuring a roller-skating librarian and book-loving demon's emotional journey from friends to lovers.

Rating

*I received a copy of this book digitally for free and am leaving this review voluntarily*

Hello Fellow Readers,

A big burly handsome demon who is a cinnamon roll who loves books? If Rom isn't on your top 10 lists of book boyfriends, I don't know what kind of list you have but it probably isn't good. Rom and Noelle were so cute and hot together. You do feel the chemistry when they get together and you root for them especially when you find out they used to be friends when they were younger. I think the story was a little too slow. Usually, the author introduces unnecessary drama which can ruin a story, but I wish Beastly & Bookish had a small smidge of it. There was nothing that didn't lead me to believe that these two would stay together. It was just a bit blah even with the juicy spiciness. 

Overall, a sweet second-chance romance that needed a tiny kick

Manga Review: Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu

Title: Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu
Author: Natusya Semikawa; Virginia Nitouhei
Genre: Food; Manga; 
Publication Date: September 18, 2018
Publisher: Udon Entertainment

A Japanese style pub called “Nobu” exists in a back alley of the fictional medieval European city of Eiteriach. Its customers? A pair of slacker soldiers, a spoiled heiress, an uptight tax collector, and more... When the citizens of this strange world sit down to enjoy some unfamiliar Japanese cuisine, their troubles simply melt away...

The curtain rises on this otherworldly eatery and the gourmet fantasy about to unfold within!

Rating

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

Hello Fellow Readers,

There's just something about mangas that feature food that just calls me to read them. They are always entertaining and leave me nothing but hungry, relaxed, and happy. There's always this wholesome feeling when sharing a good food story with others and seeing the characters appreciate and enjoy the (fictional) food. In Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu the characters find comfort and pleasure as they eat and it is delightful to read, but also a bit wonderous. It isn't hard to tell that the restaurant and food are from modern-day Japan, but the customers were of European descent from the past. How did this come to be and are we going to meet others from different areas and times? of course, this is the first book so it's mostly to introduce the shop, but I would eventually love to learn the answer to these questions. 

 

Book Review: Branches & Bone by C.R. Langille

 

Title: Branches & Bone
Autor: C.R. Langille
Genre: Fantasy; Horror; Western
Publication Date: October 17, 2023

Rituals, crazed cultists, and something in the woods…

Pinkerton Evelyn Horn has seen her fair share of the weird and dark. But when she arrives in the Utah Territories to investigate the disappearance of fellow Pinkerton and friend, she finds herself facing something even more sinister.

Strange occult rites, crazed cultists, and ancient prophecies all point to something dark and malevolent lurking in the shadows. Evelyn must use all her skills and experience to survive the horrors that await her in the mountains.

Rating

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

Hello Fellow Readers,

First of all, Evelyn is a BMF. I had hoped going into this she would be and after reading Branches & Bone it only cemented that fact. Secondly, the mixing of Fantasy, Horror, and Western may be one of my favorite blending of genres. They just seem to go so well together, or it could be that Langillejust knows what they are doing. Either way, I must get my hands on more. 

Evelyn goes through so much, from the very first story to the final chapter you can't help but root for her. I do wish the book was longer, or maybe we can get a prequel detailing Evelyn's life before the events of Branches & Bone where we see how she becomes a Pinkerton and more of her relationship with Raymond. The Ending does make me excited to see what happens in this world that Langille has created and to see what happens with Theresa. 

Overall, a fast-paced story for those who love BAMF characters.