Book Review - The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 1 by Cassandra Clare and Cassandra Jean

 

The Mortal Instruments: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 1 by Cassandra Clare and Cassandra Jean is about a young woman, Clary, who can see things other people can’t. The most exciting part of Clary’s life is hanging out with her best friend, Simon. They spend most of their days hanging together. However, that all changes when Clary crosses paths with a mysterious stranger that she realizes no one else can see but her. To make matters worse, her mother disappears and a monster attacks her. She doesn’t know who she can turn to for help. As Clary tries to make sense of her new reality, she crosses paths again with the stranger and he introduces her to an entire new world that she never knew existed. A world filled with magical creatures like vampires, werewolves and demons along with the beings called Shadowhunters, who help protect humans from the monsters.

This was my first time reading anything by the author but I did a quick search before diving into the book and found that she had a huge cult following. It did take a few pages to get into the flow of the books and be able to tell the different characters apart. Since I am not familiar with The Mortal Instruments, the series took me a bit to understand what was going on. However, once I was able to follow along with the story, I found myself hooked. I wanted to read more and find out what happens to Clary. I do wish that the book didn’t end on a cliffhanger but I guess that will motivate me to read the novels to find out what happens next.

Book Review - The Song of the Jade Lily by Kirsty Manning

 

 

The Song of the Jade Lily by Kirsty Manning is about a young woman, Alexandra, who is trying to find out the truth about her family’s past. In 1939, a young Jewish European refugee named Romy escaped to Shanghai with her family to escape from the growing Nazi influence. While Romy and her family try to acclimate to their new surroundings, Romy befriends her neighbor’s daughter, Li. The pair and their families become close friends and inseparable. However, Shanghai isn’t invisible to the terrors of World War II and its destruction comes to their little corner of the world.  After a devastating act of violence, Li and Romy find their friendship violently torn apart.

In 2016, Alexandra decided to leave her home in London to Australia after experiencing a bad breakup. She decides that spending time with her grandparents, Romy and Wilhelm, would be good for her soul and to help mend her broken heart. Alexandra wants to spend time with her grandparents as her grandfather wasn’t doing too well over the past week. Her grandmother fears that his death might be imminent.

While going in and out of consciousness, Wilhelm lets a secret drop from his past. Alexandra is desperate to learn how it fits into her own past and history. She knows that her mother had struggled in life because she didn’t know her own history of her adoption. Alexandra is determined to find out the truth about her family’s past, so she decides to fly to Shanghai and try to trace her grandparents' past.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the novel. The book was a long read but I enjoyed most parts of the book. I did wish at times that the story would pick up pacing wise. The book did go into a lot of details that I thought could have been cut down a bit.  It was told from alternating timelines and narrators. I loved reading about Romy and her time in Shanghai. I felt that those were the best part of the book. I was disappointed that it took Romy so long before she told Alex the truth. I felt that this could have been done earlier instead of drawing it out. I would be open to reading more books by this author.

 

Book Review - The Selkie's Daughter by Linda Crotta Brennan + Giveaway

 

The Selkie's Daughter by Linda Crotta Brennan is about a young girl named Brigit who tries to come to terms with being both human and a selkie. Brigit has heard of all the old tales about selkies, sea goddesses, and other magical creatures that are not quite. She should feel proud that she is the daughter of a selkie but she knows it’s a secret she has to keep from everyone. Her aunt, Alys, cuts the webbing between her fingers to help the truth from coming out and to keep Brigit safe from other people.

As Brigit and her family try to keep her secret, a villager has been hurting baby seals and selling their fur. When the Great Selkie hears of this, he brings his wrath to the village.  Brigit decides to travel to Sule Skerrie, the land of selkies, to confront the Great Selkie about the truth. Brigit feels that only the guilt party should be punished and not everyone in the village.

I thought the book was an interesting read. It was a quick and straightforward read with not many twists or turns. I do wish it had a bit more humor to the story. I did enjoy reading about the lore about the selkie and the Sule Skerrie. The author included a snippet of selkie lore at the beginning of each chapter but I wish it was made like a fun fact about selkies. Instead it was a poem, I would have preferred more story based like a snippet of a folklore, song, or myths. The book was a fun read overall and I would be open to reading more books by the author.

About The Book:

Title: THE SELKIE'S DAUGHTER

Author: Linda Crotta Brennan

Pub. Date: January 2, 2024

Publisher: Holiday House

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 208

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/THE-SELKIES-DAUGHTER

A cozy, richly imagined fantasy where a young selkie girl must save her family from a vengeful king.

Brigit knows all the old fisherman songs and legends by heart: sea goddess, warriors, and people who are not quite human. But Brigit also knows the truth. It’s evident in the webbing between her fingers–webbing that must be cut. She’s the daughter of a selkie. A truth she must keep secret from everyone.

But there is another secret growing in the village. A terrible one that will invite the wrath of the Great Selkie, bringing storm, sickness, and death. To protect those she loves, Brigit must find a way to Sule Skerrie, the land of selkies, to confront the Great Selkie and bring the truth—all of it—into the light.

Like sitting by a warm fireplace, The Selkie’s Daughter is an imaginative fantasy, steeped in Celtic mythology and set in Nova Scotia. Debut Linda Crotta Brennan has crafted a magical portrait of a brave girl coming into her own. Perfect for fans of mermaids and Studio Ghibli-esque stories.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

 

About Linda Crotta Brennan:

Linda Crotta Brennan is the author of many picture books, including When Rivers Burned, named a Notable Social Studies Trade Book by the CBC and NCSS and an Outstanding Science Trade Book by the NSTA and CBC. She holds a master's degree in Early Childhood Education and has worked as an instructor for the Institute of Children's Literature. Linda is an active member of SCBWI. The Selkie’s Daughter is her debut novel. She lives in New England.

 

Website | Twitter (X) | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE SELKIE'S DAUGHTER, US Only.

Ends January 31st, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

1/15/2024	Kountry Girl Bookaholic	Excerpt/IG Post
1/15/2024	YA Books Central	Excerpt/IG Post
1/16/2024	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt/IG Post
1/16/2024	Lady Hawkeye	Excerpt/IG Post
1/17/2024	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt/IG Post
1/17/2024	@dharashahauthor	IG Post/TikTok Post
1/18/2024	GryffindorBookishNerd	Review/IG Post
1/18/2024	Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's	Review/IG Post
1/19/2024	@anitralovesbooksanddogs	IG Review
1/19/2024	The Momma Spot	Review

Week Two:

1/22/2024	FUONLYKNEW	Excerpt
1/22/2024	Jaimes_mystical_library	IG Review
1/23/2024	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
1/23/2024	One More Exclamation	Review/IG Post
1/24/2024	@froggyreadteach	IG Review
1/24/2024	Lisa-Queen of Random	Review/IG Post
1/25/2024	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
1/25/2024	Confessions of the Perfect Mom	Review/IG Post
1/26/2024	two points of interest	Review
1/26/2024	@enthuse_reader	IG Review/TikTok Post

Book Spotlight - Light and Air by Mindy Nichols Wendell + Giveaway

 

About The Book:

Title: LIGHT AND AIR

Author: Mindy Nichols Wendell

Pub. Date: January 2, 2024

Publisher: Holiday House

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 218

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/LIGHT-AND-AIR 

It's 1935, and tuberculosis is ravaging the nation. Everyone is afraid of this deadly respiratory illness. But what happens when you actually have it?

When Halle and her mother both come down with TB, they are shunned—and then they are sent to the J.N. Adam Tuberculosis Hospital: far from home, far from family, far from the world.

Tucked away in the woods of upstate New York, the hospital is a closed and quiet place. But it is not, Halle learns, a prison. Free of her worried and difficult father for the first time in her life, she slowly discovers joy, family, and the healing power of honey on the children's ward, where the girls on the floor become her confidantes and sisters. But when Mama suffers a lung hemorrhage, their entire future—and recovery—is thrown into question....

Light and Air deals tenderly and insightfully with isolation, quarantine, found family, and illness. Set in the fully realized world of a 1930s hospital, it offers a tender glimpse into a historical epidemic that has become more relatable than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As Halle tries to warm her father’s coldness and learns to trust the girls and women of the hospital, and as she and her mother battle a disease that once paralyzed the country, a profound message of strength, hope, and healing emerges.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

 

About Mindy Nichols Wendell:

Mindy Nichols Wendell taught writing and pedagogy at SUNY Fredonia for many years, where she served as the Director of the Composition Program. In 2019, she received the prestigious State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Mindy lives in Western New York with her husband, Steve, a retired teacher. She is located not far from the ruins of the J. N. Adam Tuberculosis Hospital, the inspiration for LIGHT AND AIR.

 

Website | Twitter (X) | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of LIGHT AND AIR, US Only.

Ends January 31st, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

1/15/2024	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt/IG Post
1/15/2024	Lady Hawkeye	Excerpt/IG Post
1/16/2024	Kountry Girl Bookaholic	Excerpt/IG Post
1/16/2024	YA Books Central	Excerpt/IG Post
1/17/2024	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt/IG Post
1/17/2024	Fyrekatz Blog	Review
1/18/2024	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
1/18/2024	@anitralovesbooksanddogs	IG Review
1/19/2024	Avainbookland	IG Review
1/19/2024	Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's	Review/IG Post

Week Two:

1/22/2024	@enthuse_reader	IG Review/TikTok Post
1/22/2024	NewBookCatsREADS	Review/IG Post
1/23/2024	100 Pages A Day	Review/IG Post
1/23/2024	Lisa-Queen of Random	Review/IG Post
1/24/2024	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
1/24/2024	Confessions of the Perfect Mom	Review/IG Post
1/25/2024	FUONLYKNEW	Excerpt
1/25/2024	two points of interest	Review
1/26/2024	One More Exclamation	Review/IG Post
1/26/2024	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review/IG Post

Book Review - The Valley by John Renehan

The Valley by John Renehan is about an army Lieutenant traveling deep into the valley to investigate a complaint. Black is a deskbound admin officer that is sent up to the valley to investigate a warning shot that was fired by a platoon in a neighboring village. He doesn’t look forward to the task and feels that it is insulting that he was assigned to it. He feels that it's another disappointment in his Army career. As Black travels to the valley, he isn’t aware that his report can determine the fate of the fragile relationship between the Army and the residents of the valley.

When I picked this book, I picked it solely on the cover without ever reading the book summary. After reading this novel, I think I should be more selective when picking books by the cover. The novel started off a bit slowly but then got confusing. The author included a lot of technical military terms that I wasn’t familiar with. The author didn’t spend any time explaining some of what the terms meant. At times, I was confused about what was going on in the story. I felt like I was missing something and the ending left me a bit confused. The protagonist would work something out in his head but fail to share it with the audience so we could also be in on the new information. Instead we are left to ourselves to try and decipher what the new information could mean. 

The reader barely got any background on the protagonist other than he was desk personnel and then he was made to go into a village that was filled with war and chaos. During that time he went from a pencil pusher to someone who was physically pushed to the limit. Since we barely got any background on him, it was hard to understand and figure out his purpose for being at the base in the valley without it being explained to us. I don't think I would read another book by the author.

Book Review - The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James

 

The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James is about a young woman, Silvia Whitford, who reconnects with her estranged aunt, Gabriella Conti. In 1965, Silvia left behind Los Angeles and traveled to Rome’s famed Cinecittà Studios for a supporting role in a movie. Silvia hopes that this would be her big break and she would be able to save enough money to support her young daughter, Lulu, and her ailing mother.

She is disappointed to learn that production of the movie that she was casted in was canceled. Silvia is desperate for money and doesn’t have much left before she and her family are put out of the hotel they’re staying in. Silvia is ashamed to tell her mother the news and how dire their situation is. She decides that she will reach out to her estranged Italian Aunt Gabriella and ask for help. Silvia is nervous because she has never met her aunt and she knows that her mother and aunt do not get along. When Silvia brings up her aunt, her mother clams up and never explains what drove them apart.

Gabriella Conti lives in a crumbling massive castello near the edge of a volcanic lake. Silvia is hesitant to reach out because of the feud between the two sisters but she finds herself entranced by her aunt. Gabriella was once a charismatic and famous actress. However, Silvia finds it curious that her aunt never leaves the castle, and that the townspeople do not get along with her nor do they ever see Gabriella.  Gabrielle is a woman shrouded in an air of mystery.

As Silvia tours the castle, she is both fascinated with it and terrified of the castle. Especially when Gabriella mentions that there is a ghost haunting the grounds. However, when Silvia gets a second chance to star in a new movie called The Revenge of the Lake Witch, she will need to convince  Gabriella to allow the movie crew to use her castle to film the movie.

Silvia is the main lead in the movie. She is playing an ingenue that is tormented and haunted by the ghost of her beautiful and seductive ancestor. Silvia thought she would be able to reconnect with her aunt when she wasn’t filming. However, Gabriella vanishes and Silvia believes that someone or something is the cause of her aunt’s disappearance. To make matters worse, Silvia is seeing signs that something is amiss and things are happening that makes her believe that person won’t stop at nothing to prevent Silvia from finding her aunt. When Silvia tries to get help to search for her aunt, no one believes her. Even Silvia starts to question her own judgment. Will she be able to figure out what happened to her before it’s too late?

The novel was a cozy read. It felt boring at times because nothing much was happening. I found the ending and the twists to be predictable. I thought the book was going to have a lot more mysterious and spooky elements. There were a few plot points in the book that could be perceived to add excitement to the book but they turned out to be nothing. For example, it was unclear why Silvia thought for certain another female actor was out to get rid of Silvia but there was no evidence of that. It was a bit annoying that Silvia did this several times throughout the story. I didn’t care for any of the main characters because they felt boring and one - dimensional.  Silvia was selfish and unlikeable as a character because of her penchant to overreact and assume the worst without any evidence.  The book is billed as a thriller but it was more of a cozy mystery. I would be open to reading more books by the author but I wouldn’t go out of my way to find her books.