Book Review - This Time It's Real by Ann Liang

 

This Time It's Real by Ann Liang is about two young adults who agree to fake date each other to bolster their careers.  Seventeen year old Eliza Lin spent her entire life traveling the world due to her mother’s job. At her new international school in Beijing, she is given an assignment to write about her personal life. However, she isn’t comfortable sharing her personal life with complete strangers. Instead of writing a true story based on her life, she decides to write a fictionalized version of her non – existent love life, taking snippets from her parents' love story.

Eliza didn’t expect much attention to her essay since she is a new student with no friends. However, her story goes viral overnight and Eliza is now famous and her classmates all want to know more about her secret boyfriend. Eliza loves the attention her article has garnered her but she is afraid of her lie being exposed.

Eliza is desperate to keep her secret, so she enlists the help of a famous actor in her class. Caz Song is a charming and charismatic actor who has fans following his every move. She proposes a mutually beneficial agreement between the two of them. Caz pretends to be her boyfriend so she can keep her journalism internship opportunity and in return she will help him write his college applications.

While Caz is pretending to be her boyfriend, Eliza realizes how great he is. Caz is sweet to her little sister, he passes her notes in class, he is thoughtful towards her requests, and he takes her out on motorcycle rides all over the city to try new snacks. Eliza finds herself falling for Caz but she isn’t sure if he feels the same way. Is Eliza willing to give up her dream internship for her chance at real love, seeing as the reason for her internship was to give readers an exclusive look into her relationship?

The book was a clean romance with minimal hand holding or touching involved. The novel had funny moments sprinkled throughout. There weren't any twists or surprising events. The characters were fun and relatable as they navigate their lives. Eliza tries to work through her feelings of always being the new girl and not having anywhere she can call home. She rarely tries to make any new friends because in her mind they will just end up leaving her. Caz’s parents are never home and he spends most of his time being an actor and proving himself. They both had challenges of not belonging and not having someone in their corner. I do feel that fans of K-dramas or romcoms might really enjoy the book.

Book Review - A Killer by Design: Murderers, Mindhunters, and My Quest to Decipher the Criminal Mind by Ann Burgess

 

A Killer by Design: Murderers, Mindhunters, and My Quest to Decipher the Criminal Mind by Ann Burgess is about a trauma nurse’s journey to create a process to help identify serial killers and stop them before they hurt someone else. During the 1970s and 1980s, progressive activism and sex positivity was prevalent and underneath this forward movement for change was a dark undertone brewing. As cases of sexual assault and homicide began to rise, the FBI responded to the need by creating a specialized team known as the “Mindhunters” or also known as the Behavioral Science Unit in the FBI.

Typically the FBI agents previously used their gut instincts to find and catch serial killers. They needed someone to help create a process that can be used by others to help narrow down suspect pools. The team decided to tap Dr. Ann Wolbert Burgess to help them because of her role and research with interviewing rape victims.

In the book, Ann details how her research on sexual assault and trauma garnered the attention of the FBI and how she ended up working with the team. Over the course of two decades, she and the FBI agents in the BSU help create and build a specialized team that focuses on identifying, interviewing, and capturing over a dozen of infamous violent offenders.

Ann illustrates and gives a detailed, behind the scenes look of the creation of the team. She describes their triumphs and roadblocks. She gives a graphic description of the murders and explains how the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit played a role in the capture of each offender.

As a person who loves reading true crime, I found the book to be an enjoyable read. The book covered a few cases that I wasn’t familiar with. I liked reading how Dr. Ann Wolbert Burgess contributed to creating a team within the FBI that was dedicated to capturing these violent criminals. I feel that women’s contributions in certain fields are not as widely known or celebrated as their male counterparts. I like reading books that showcase the talents of women in their fields as it’s inspiring to read. 

The author gave enough details about each crime to understand it and then explained how the BSU helped capture the criminal. I also like that she went into details about the methodologies they used and explained industry key terms. Her narration style was easy to understand and wasn't overly technical. It was interesting to learn about the different tools investigators can use. For example, I learned about the “check attention” type polygraph and its purpose. The book included a few photos of past crime scene evidence and photos of the team. If you loved the Netflix show, “Mindhunters”,  you will love the behind the scenes narrative in this book.

Book Review - We Are the Light by Matthew Quick

 

We Are the Light by Matthew Quick is about a small community coming together after an unspeakable act of violence occurs. Lucas Goodgame is a school guidance counselor who helps children adjust to issues that they might have at home or at school. He lives in the quaint suburb community of Majestic, Pennsylvania.  At a local movie theater, a gunman entered and slaughtered multiple victims before he was stopped. Lucas is considered a local hero because of his act of courage in stopping the gunman.

Lucas doesn’t see himself as a hero and tries to avoid the attention from others. He insists that his deceased wife, Darcy, is an angel who is guiding him. Lucas spends his time writing letters to his former “Jungian analyst”, Karl, to help cope after the deadly tragedy.

Everything changes when Eli, an eighteen year old, starts to camp out in Lucas’s backyard. Eli was a former student of Lucas and he is related to the gunman. Lucas feels that Eli is the way to heal the community and themselves. They embark together to fuel their grief and anxiety into making art while bringing in the other survivors from that night to help.

The author is well known for his other books but this was my first time reading any of his novels. The novel is written in epistolary style, meaning that it is written in the form of letters that Lucas writes.  Lucas writes and spills his heart to his former analyst to help himself cope with his grief. The writing style was an interesting choice but it felt limiting as we only got Lucas’s point of view.

I didn’t understand what a Jungian analyst was and the process. The author did explain that he was a fan of it but didn’t do a thorough job of communicating what this therapy was to the reader.  I personally felt like I didn’t quite understand it and it took away some enjoyment from the novel. The author did mention that he was going through his own struggles and that this form of therapy helped him.  I felt that the author included too many phallic/“being a man” references in the beginning. The main female character, Darcy’s best friend, Jill, does all the household work and becomes caregiver to Lucas. She has to handle all the bills, the cooking, cleaning, laundry, and budgeting while Lucas goes off on his madcap adventures and ideas. Lucas rarely considers her feelings and she is made to be seen as an annoyance or getting in Lucas’ way instead of being the life support she really is. Gender stereotypes were rampant in this book.

I felt like the plot was predictable, boring, and moved very slowly. There were a lot of side stories going on that were overwhelming at times. I didn’t care for Lucas as a main character. He seemed like a petulant child that would throw tantrums when things didn’t go his way. He seemed to be struggling with his grief and acting erratically while his supposedly close friends were enabling him.  This story might have been a great movie but it was lackluster for a book.  The visual aspect may have been a better medium for the suspenseful pieces of this book.

 

March 2023 Empties!

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Well, it's been some time since I did an empties post and I am actually surprised that I don't have that many empties. I did finish a few bath bombs and shower steams but nothing that was noteworthy to get again. 

The same thing goes for the facial sheet masks. There was one mask that was a waste of money and surprisingly it was from one of my favorite brands. It was the Lancome Renergie Lift Multi-Action Ultra Face Mask. I loved everything I tried from this line but this mask was a dud. It was soaked with serum which is normally a great thing except, it sits on the skin and it doesn't really absorb in. And then the product pills like crazy which prevents you from layering any moisturizer or anything on top. It wasn't a great experience at all and it was $75 for 5 masks! For something that expensive, I would expect it to work better.

I surprisingly finished three bars of soap which makes me wonder how come I didn't finish much of anything else. I tried two new brands of soaps.  The Plant Apothecary Start Happy bar soap smelled so great and gave a luxurious lather. It was pleasant to use in the shower. I think I might try their other scents and body wash.  I have used Marlowe skincare products but this was my first time using their soaps. I got their Marlowe Body Scrub Soap Bar and I didn't really care for it. It was in the Champion scent. It had hints of lemon leaf, amber mist, and cedar wood. It was a fresh scent but it was on the milder side. To be honest, I rarely use the soap as I find the exfoliating bits to be too rough my skin. I unfortunately had picked a few other bars with other scents that I am now not looking forward to trying.

I used to love Sumbody care products but I recently stopped buying their products. Their stuff is all natural but I realized it wasn't a good value. The products were small and cost as much or more than "traditional" products and sometimes they didn't even do anything. I bought two masks from them (Decongesting Mud Mask and the Alpha Hydroxy Acid Mask) and there was barely any product in the containers to do for one mask. I followed the instructions and it was too watery and did nothing for my skin.

I did try this new night cream by Elemis and I am in love. Their Superfood Midnight Facial smelled amazing and fruity. It smoothed on easily and left my skin buttery soft. I think I loved putting on the cream that I went through the bottle so quickly.  I found this new brand on Amazon and their products has these weird scents but actually smell amazing. I got the Lab Squeeze Pumpkin and Carrot Vegan Hand Cream and let me tell you. This product smells amazing! I get so many compliments and people ask what perfume I am wearing. I thought it was going to smell nature-y but this was not the case here. I would definitely try and get their other products.

Book Review - Shadow Service Vol. 3: Death To Spies by Cavan Scott + Giveaway

 

Shadow Service Death To Spies by Cavan Scott is the third graphic novel in the Shadow Service series. Gina Meyer is a new agent in the MI666 agency and she is still getting used to her new teammates. She is trying to master and control her magical powers.

Gina is working with her new colleagues to try and figure out who is murdering undercover agents all over the world. The secret agents are being killed by monsters that are inspired by folklore. No one seems to be safe, including Gina and her coworkers, as someone is using the monsters to do their dirty work.

While Gina is investigating the murders, she is also working with Quinn to find the truth behind her birth. Gina feels that her mother might not be her real mother and also suspects that she is hiding something from Gina. As Gina and Quinn probe into Gina’s childhood, they realize that someone in her past might be related to the recent string of deaths.

Gina is unsure who to trust after she’s been previously betrayed by her loved ones. This was shown in the previous novels. To add to her feelings of betrayal, one of her teammates switches sides and becomes the enemy. She fears that the person targeting the other secret agents might be someone Gina is close to.

I read the other two volumes of Shadow Service and enjoyed them. The latest installment was just as enjoyable and action packed as the previous two books. In this volume, we learn more about Gina’s background and see her grow into her role as a shadow agent. She also learns to trust her gut instincts and becomes more aware of her growing powers. The graphic novel does end on a cliff hanger and the books need to be read in order. The graphic novel does have scenes of graphic and violent deaths. Not recommended for really young readers due to this. 

**Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

 

About The Books:

Title: SHADOW SERVICE Vol. 1: Dark Arts

Authors: Cavan Scott & Corin Howell

Pub. Date: April 20, 2021

Publisher: Vault Comics

Formats:  Paperback, eBook

Pages: 128

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/SHADOW-SERVICE-Vol-1-Dark-Arts

 

Gina Meyers is a Private Investigator who makes her living in the underbelly of London. She's also a witch. Not the cutesy kind. The terrifying kind. Witchcraft meets spycraft, when a shadowy government organization abducts Gina.

BLACK MAGIC MEETS BLACK OPS.

Worried your partner is cheating? Need a missing person found?

Gina Meyers is the Private Investigator for you. Sure, she’s a witch who worries that her powers make her more of a monster than the crooks she’s trying to catch, but it’s not like London’s criminal underworld is literally going to hell… is it? Spy craft meets black magic in the shadowy world of MI666.

Collects issues #1 to #5 of the ten issue series.

 

Title: SHADOW SERVICE Vol. 2: Mission Infernal

Authors: Cavan Scott & Corin Howell

Pub. Date: September 28, 2021

Publisher: Vault Comics

Formats:  Paperback, eBook

Pages: 128

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/SHADOW-SERVICE-Vol-2

 

First Gina was a witch. Then she was a spy. Now she’s a traitor. Spycraft meets witchcraft in the world of MI666

BLACK MAGIC MEETS BLACK OPS.

Betrayed by one of their own, the Shadow Service takes to the dangerous streets of Rome. But can the traitor be brought back into the fold? The chase is on. Spycraft meets witchcraft in the world of MI666.

Collects #6 to #10 of the ongoing series.

 

Title: SHADOW SERVICE Vol. 3: Death to Spies

Authors: Cavan Scott & Corin Howell

Pub. Date: March 21, 2023

Publisher: Vault Comics

Formats:  Paperback, eBook

Pages: 128

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/SHADOW-SERVICE-Vol-3-Death-to-Spies

 

Black Magic woman meets Black Ops Bond in this supernatural spy saga from New York Times bestselling author, Cavan Scott!

From NewYork Times bestseller Cavan Scott (Star Wars: The High Republic) and artist Corin Howell (Wonder Woman) comes the start of a thrilling new chapter of the supernatural spy saga!

All over the world, secret agents are being murdered by monstrous folk horrors, and not even MI666 is safe. Gina Meyer faces tragedy as a teammate turns enemy. But what of the quest to find out the truth about her past and powers?

Shadow Service stands tall next to the likes of Criminal Macabre and Hellblazer in the world of supernatural detectives while still putting its own spin on it to stand apart.   – Horror DNA

For fans of Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan (The Hollows), The Department of Truth, Umbrella Academy, Doctor Who, Star Wars High Republic, Hellblazer, and James Bond.   

About Cavan Scott:

Cavan Scott is a UK number one bestseller who has written for such popular worlds as Star Wars, Doctor Who, Star Trek, Assassin's Creed, Judge Dredd, Pacific Rim, and Sherlock Holmes. He is the author of Star Wars Dooku: Jedi Lost, The Patchwork Devil, Shadow Service, and is one of the story architects for Lucasfilm's epic multi-media initiative, Star Wars: The High Republic. He has written comics for Vault, Marvel, DC Comics, IDW, Dark Horse, Vertigo, 2000 AD, and The Beano.

A former magazine editor, Cavan Scott lives in the United Kingdom with his wife and daughters. His lifelong passions include scary movies, folklore, the music of David Bowie, and LEGO.
He owns far too many action figures.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

About Corin Howell:

Corin Howell is a red head Comic Artist of spooky, scary, and sexy, and monsters, maidens, and robots.
I love cats too.
She is the artist for the supernatural detective series from Vault, SHADOW SERVICE, with bestselling author Cavan Scott.          Hometown:  Austin, TX

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

 

Giveaway Details:

2 winners will receive a finished copies of SHADOW SERVICE series, US Only.

Ends April 7th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

3/1/2023	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt/IG Post
3/2/2023	Mythical Books	Excerpt/IG Post
3/3/2023	Sadie's Spotlight	Excerpt/IG Post
3/4/2023	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt/IG Post

 Week Two:

3/5/2023	Jazzy Book Reviews	Excerpt/IG Post
3/6/2023	A Dream Within A Dream	Excerpt
3/7/2023	Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer	Review
3/8/2023	The Litt Librarian	Review/IG Post
3/9/2023	Cara North	Review/IG Post
3/10/2023	GryffindorBookishNerd	IG Review
3/11/2023	See Sadie Read	Review/IG Post

 Week Three:

3/12/2023	Nerdophiles	Review
3/13/2023	The Real World According To Sam	Review/IG Post
3/14/2023	Lifestyle of Me	Review
3/15/2023	OneMoreExclamation	Review/IG Post
3/16/2023	Kim"s Book Reviews and Writing Aha's	Review/IG Post
3/17/2023	The Girl Who Reads	Review/IG Post
3/18/2023	Emily Ashlyn	IG Review/FB Post

 Week Four:

3/19/2023	Brandi Danielle Davis	IG Review/TikTok Post
3/20/2023	Review Thick And Thin	Review/IG Post
3/21/2023	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic
3/22/2023	@by_hckilgour	IG Review
3/23/2023	The Book Countess	Review/IG Post
3/24/2023	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
3/25/2023	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post

 Week Five:

3/26/2023	Read Dog Reviews	IG Review
3/27/2023	Vamplit	IG Review
3/28/2023	@froggyreadteach	IG Review
3/29/2023	Two Points of Interest	Review
3/30/2023	@thebookishfoxwitch	Review/IG Post
3/31/2023	@just_another_mother_with_books	IG Review

Book Review - Black Girls Must Have It All by Jayne Allen

 

 

 

Black Girls Must Have It All by Jayne Allen is the final book in the Black Girls Must Die Exhausted trilogy. Tabitha Brown gives birth to a beautiful baby girl after being told in the previous book that she might not be able to have biological children. She is trying to juggle the demands of being a new parent, the needs of a newborn baby, her friends, her job, and her love life.

After experiencing a stressful year, Tabitha decides that this would be her year to achieve her goals and obtain the life she had always wanted. She plans on getting her career, home, and love life in order. Except, the demands of motherhood are draining and Tabitha feels that she barely has time nor energy to do anything.

Tabitha loves her daughter and finds motherhood fulfilling but she wants more from her life. When her beloved coworker mentions that she is planning to retire from the news studio, Tabitha is worried that she might return from maternity leave to a hostile work environment. Just before Tabitha takes her leave, she basically sets all of her ships on fire by going against the wishes of her producer. When she hears news that the station is planning to hire an outside candidate to fill her friend’s role, Tabby is afraid that she might lose her chance to the weekday anchor position that she has worked so hard for.  Tabitha is worried that she might also lose or not maintain her current position of the weekend anchor.  

She normally turns to her friends for support but they seem to be having their own issues to deal with and her relationship with her friends have been frayed since she became a mother. Alexis, her best friend, is still struggling with her marriage with her cheating husband, Rob. Her other friend, Laila, is trying to launch her own business after being fired from her last job.

Her relationship with Marc has also hit a standstill. She isn’t sure what she wants from their relationship anymore. In the previous books, she wanted to get married and settle down with him and start a family. After Marc gives her an ultimatum about their current relationship, she isn’t sure what she wants to do. To make matters worse, his overbearing and controlling mother comes to visit and has something to say about everything, including her ability to mother her daughter.

Tabitha is trying to navigate her life but finds herself failing in every aspect. She feels lonely and isolated from her family especially right now when she needs them the most. Tabitha knows that her friends and family will help her if she asks for it, but will Tabitha finally put herself first and ask for help?

I read the second book in the series and I was able to follow along with the story. However, I feel that the books should be read in order as it will help illuminate character nuances, relationships, and side story lines. This book addresses the cliffhangers that were left hanging from the previous book and wraps up most of the pending problems in the end.

I felt that the book didn’t flow as smoothly as the previous book in the series and was choppy in some places. I felt that this book was missing something, like the spark the previous book had.  The ending made me feel that Tabby still doesn’t know what she wants from Marc and her relationship with him.  The ending of the series felt underwhelming as I was expecting a lot more to happen but it didn’t. If you liked the other two books in the series then you might enjoy this book.