Book Review - ChupaCarter by George Lopez

 

ChupaCarter  by George Lopez is about a lonely boy named Jorge, who meets and befriends a magical creature named Carter. Twelve year old Jorge is upset that he is shipped off to live with his grandparents after an incident at school. His mom feels that she isn’t able to control him nor give him the discipline and structure he needs. Jorge struggles with containing his emotions and often loses his temper.

During his first day at the new school, things didn't go well either. He catches the attention of school bullies and an aggressive principal who likes hunting animals. They both have it out for Jorge after he stands up for a bullied classmate. The principal feels that there is something that Jorge is hiding. Jorge is desperate for a friend to have in his corner and to feel less lonely. 

Jorge was hanging out on his grandparents’ roof when he noticed someone or something hanging around in the trees. The next day his stash of junk food is depleted. Jorge decides to follow the trail of empty food wrappers and comes across a scary looking monster called chupacabra. Chupacabras are well known for their bloodthirst and the slaughtering of livestock. However, Carter is nothing like the lore. He is friendly, kind, and a good listener. Jorge is so excited to have a friend that he doesn’t even mind that Carter is a mythical creature because he feels that he is a good being. Not everyone feels the same way when some local cattle are slaughtered. Will Jorge be able to prove Carter’s innocence? 

I have read a few books by the co-author, Ryan Calejo, and have enjoyed his books. I am familiar with George Lopez and have enjoyed watching his shows. The novel was a quick and easy read. It had black and white illustrations and some funny moments. I did wish it had a little bit of humor that George and Ryan are known for. The book did have some Spanish words that were a nice inclusion for young readers to pick up a new language. I would read more books by the authors and thought this was an interesting collaboration.

Book Review - All Eyes on Her by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

 

All Eyes on Her by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn is about Abby, a teenager accused of murdering her boyfriend, Mark. Abby and Mark’s story is a love story like any other teenage romance. Mark is a college student who swims competitively. He falls head over heels for Abby, a high schooler with a notorious reputation. Their relationship seems perfect at the beginning, but then the cracks begin to show. However, can the imperfections in their relationship justify the death of one of them? 

The pair go hiking into the woods to have a picnic near an iconic cliff. However, only Abby emerges from the woods claiming that Mark accidentally fell off the cliff to his death. Many people believe that Abby maliciously pushed Mark, while others believe that Mark got what he deserved. 

The novel is told from multiple points of view except from Abby’s. It was interesting to see how she and Mark were portrayed by their friends and family.  I wonder if this was a social commentary on the part of the author, in that when something horrendous occurs, your voice really does not matter because everyone else has already formed an opinion about what happened. I liked trying to piece together the clues that each narrator shared and tried to figure out what happened on that fateful day. However, the novel moved very slowly and it got boring because no new clues or developments were added. I was disappointed that the ending didn’t prove to be a satisfying ending to me because it leaves more questions than answers.

Book Review - The End of Drum-Time by Hanna Pylväinen

 

 

The End of Drum-Time by Hanna Pylväinen is about a young couple who falls in love. In 1851, Mad Lasse was a Lutheran minister in a remote town located on the Scandinavian tundra. Mad Lasse is trying to convert the native Sami reindeer herders to his faith. He is having a hard time with his mission as most of the natives are staying true to their pagan beliefs.

Things change when Bietter, a shaman from the native religion and a well respected herder, has a dramatic awakening and converts to a Lutheran. He leaves his son, Ivvar, to watch over their dwindling herd while Bietter spends his time with Mad Lasse to learn more about the religion. Ivvar is annoyed that his father abandoned his herding and religion so easily. Ivvar heads to the city to purchase liquor when he crosses paths with Mad Lasse’s daughter, Willa. He finds that he enjoys her company and is excited to see her in the town. Will Ivvar’s infatuation with the preacher’s daughter allow him to be more accepting of his father’s conversion?

This book was a disappointing and dull read. I picked the book because I liked the cover but that was the only thing I liked about the book. The summary of the book was a bit deceptive because the story was told from alternating points of views and there were several main characters in the story. The book was focused on at least 6 characters and described how they all related to each other.

I found the book to be confusing as the narrator would switch between the many different characters in the middle of a paragraph without making it clear that a new person is narrating. The author had a lot of long run-on sentences that were confusing and unclear what they were trying to communicate. I felt that the novel was boring and nothing happened for pages at a time. I read more than one fourth of the novel but the story didn’t progress at all. The only benefit I got from reading this book is that it cured my insomnia.

Book Review - Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig

 

Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig is about an autistic teenager in foster care named Ginny Moon, who has special needs, and her journey to find a place to belong. Ginny was adopted by her new parents after her birth mother, Gloria, was neglectful and abusive. Ginny’s new adoptive parents,  Maura and Brian, love her and care about her but they don’t quite understand Ginny. They try to make her feel that she belongs with them and that Ginny has somewhere that she can call home.

Ginny, however, is determined to get into contact with Gloria. Ginny knows that Gloria isn’t suitable to be a parent. Ginny isn’t allowed to use a computer without the help of an adult but she found a way to sneak online and reconnect with her birth mother. Ginny wants to see if her “Baby Doll” is safe and she is willing to risk her safety to make sure her “Baby Doll” is safe.

Ginny’s adoptive parents and her therapist, Patrice, believe that Ginny is talking about a doll when she mentions “Baby Doll.” They do not believe her claims that her “Baby Doll” is a real child since they didn’t see any proof of any other children in Gloria’s house other than Ginny. They are confused why Ginny is so insistent on reuniting with Gloria when that would put Ginny at risk for more abuse.

The book took a bit for me to get into. I had a hard time connecting with Ginny and her adoptive parents. She is neurodivergent and I am not familiar with people who are autistic. It was hard for me to tell if she was being a difficult character or if she was acting like that because she was neurodivergent.

I was a bit confused on how Ginny saw things. When the novel opened up, Ginny was given an electronic baby doll to care for. The doll wouldn’t stop crying so Ginny punches the doll and stuffs it in a suitcase under her bed. It is hard to reconcile this violent side of her with the other side that wants to protect her “Baby Doll.” It was worrying when Ginny wouldn’t refer to any baby by their gender but would only refer to them as “it.” I found it weird that she was worried about her “Baby Doll” but seemed to care very little about other children and the electronic baby doll. I understand why her adoptive parents were hesitant to believe her at first but then years passed by and it was only when Ginny made one flippant comment did someone finally take her seriously.

I hated how rude and mean her adoptive parents were. As soon as they realized that Ginny was too much to handle, they were ready to give her back. I do sympathize that they needed to protect their newborn baby but I felt that they didn’t even take the time to understand Ginny or try to figure out why she wanted to see her birth mom.  The book’s pace did take a bit to pick up and get to the point. It was repetitive  when talking about Ginny’s different idiosyncrasies, but the author glosses over Ginny’s traumatic past. The author hints at her past trauma but never goes into much detail. I feel like if we were given a bit more detail maybe I would have been able to connect a bit better with Ginny. I would, however, be open to reading more books by the author.

Book Review - Blowback by Valerie Plame

 

Blowback by Valerie Plame is about a CIA ops officer, Vanessa Pierson, who is close to catching a criminal that she has been chasing for years. Vanessa has been tracking Bhoot, a dangerous international nuclear arms dealer.  When one of her assets asked to meet and mentions that he has intel that she might find useful, Vanessa is excited. Her asset has confirmed that Bhoot will be visiting a secret underground weapons facility in Iran in a few days’ time. The information is useful because the CIA was never able to get any information about Bhoot’s whereabouts before. A few minutes before Vanessa was able to get the location to the facility, an ambush occurs that leaves her informant dead on her watch. Vanessa decides that there are now two people that she has on her target list: Bhoot and the sniper responsible for her asset’s death.

Vanessa decides to go rogue when she determines that she isn’t getting enough support from the Agency to protect her assets from Bhoot’s assassin. She ropes in a fellow ops officer who is also her secret lover. If her relationship with him, or that she asked him for help was discovered, it could jeopardize both of their careers. 

The book was a fast paced read but it didn’t keep my interest. It didn’t have any unexpected twists but the ending was left as a cliffhanger.  I felt like the writing was a bit bulky and stilted. It felt like the author was making an outline of things that happened. This occurred and then that happened and this was done next. It felt boring to read something that should be so action packed. At times, it had too many technical details about the spycraft business that went over my head. Then at times, it had too little detail to make the story feel real. The book felt very basic and had all the same elements of other spy novels without bringing anything new to the table. 

I didn’t really connect with the main character as she was portrayed as flawless and perfect. She also seems to bear a lot of resemblance to the author who was an actual CIA agent but it would have been great if there was more character development with our fictional heroine. There was rarely any opportunity for the reader to bond and connect with Vanessa. I am curious to find out who the mastermind is in the novel but I am in no rush to pick up another book by the author.

Book Review - Barbaric Vol. 2: Axe to Grind by Michael Moreci + Giveaway

 

Barbaric Vol. 2: Axe to Grind by Michael Moreci is about Owen, the protagonist from the first volume, facing an enemy from his past. Owen learns that a malicious demigod, Gladius, has returned. He had tried killing Gladius before but Gladius managed to escape before Owen could finish him off.  Owen’s bloodthirsty weapon, Axe doesn’t mind that Owen is following his own plan of vengeance because he wants to try god blood. As Owen tries to track down Gladius, he is joined by Soren and his barbarian comrade, Steel, who is now a timid vampire who prefers to avoid violence.

The graphic novel was the second book in the series. It follows the same artwork style and storyline from the previous novel. I thought it was a quick and entertaining read. I liked learning more about Owen’s past and seeing him bond more with Soren. Like the previous graphic novel, it has humor sprinkled throughout. The graphic novel does contain one short story at the end which shows an interaction between Owen and Axe in the past. It isn't directly related to the story but I thought it was a fun inclusion for those who want more Owen’s and Axe’s adventures.  I am excited to read the third part of the series to see what happens next!

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

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the BARBARIC VOL. 3: HELL TO PAY by Michael Moreci, Nicholas Eames, Nathan C. Gooden & QUEEN  OF SWORDS: A BARBARIC TALES by Michael Moreci & Corin Howell Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Books:

Title: BARBARIC VOL. 3: HELL TO PAY

Authors: Michael Moreci, Nicholas Eames, Nathan C. Gooden (Illustrator)

Pub. Date: January 2, 2024

Publisher: Vault Comics

Formats:  Paperback, eBook

Pages: 128

Find it: Goodreads, https://books2read.com/BARBARIC-VOL-3-HELL-TO-PAY

As one of Entertainment Weekly’s “10 Best Comics of 2021,” BARBARIC – featuring Owen the Barbarian and his bloodthirsty companion Axe – is back: bigger, bloodier, and badder than ever with BARBARIC Vol. 3: HELL TO PAY!

Hailed as one of the best comics of 2021 by Entertainment Weekly, Thrillist, Screen Rant, and more, bestselling BARBARIC is back, big, bloody and headed straight to Hell in Volume 3: Hell to Pay!

While Owen tames a dragon with an old friend, Soren and Steel cross paths with someone else from our cursed barbarian’s past…who isn’t looking nearly as friendly. Hell hath no fury like a woman stabbed through the heart by an ugly f***ing orc.

Oh, wait! Who’s carrying Axe?

BARBARIC Volume 3: Hell to Pay includes the oversized one-shot Wrong Kind of Righteous co-written by fantasy powerhouse writer Nicholas Eames (Kings of the Wyld)!!

For fans of BRZRKR!, The Witcher, Conan the Barbarian, Red Sonja, Heathen, Rat Queens, Kings of the Wyld, and Dungeons and Dragons!

Collects the third three-issue miniseries (Hell to Pay) and the special one-shot standalone (Wrong Kind of Righteous)!

It’s just … BARBARIC!

From writer Michael Moreci (Wasted Space, The Plot,Spree, and Revealer) and artist Nathan C. Gooden (Brandon Sanderson's Dark One, The RUSH, Vampire: The Masquerade)!

Own a whole lot of Owen, Axe, and the BARBARIC universe with:
Barbaric Vol. 1: Murderable Offenses (hardcover)
Barbaric Vol. 1: Murderable Offenses (trade paperback)
Barbaric Vol. 2: Axe to Grind (trade paperback)
Barbaric Vol. 3: Hell to Pay (trade paperback)
Queen of Swords: A Barbaric Tale (trade paperback)

PRAISE FOR BARBARIC

‘One of the “10 Best Comics of 2021…” Barbaric took only three issues to establish itself as a first-rate comic.’ - Entertainment Weekly

‘One of the “Best Comics of 2021…” It's a funny, gory, weird comic with stunning art in muted colors.’ – Thrillist

‘One of the “Best Comic Books and Graphic Novels of 2021…” the “excellent…violent, expletive-filled fantasy epic Barbaric never holds back… It’s bloody spectacular.”’ - Screen Rant

"A visually stunning, incredibly funny, action-packed bloody tale." - Comic Book Yeti

 

Title: QUEEN  OF SWORDS: A BARBARIC TALES

Authors: Michael Moreci & Corin Howell (Illustrator)

Pub. Date: January 2, 2024

Publisher: Vault Comics

Formats:  Paperback, eBook

Pages: 112

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Indigo, Powell’s, BAM, Bookshop, Blackwell’s

Barbarian. Assassin. Witch. Red Sonja meets Dungeons & Dragons in Queen of Swords: A Barbaric Tale, where the triple threat of women's fury rises - bursting from the pages of the smash, BARBARIC (one of Entertainment Weekly's "Best Comics of 2021!")!

Magic and mayhem, humor and trouble,
Fire burns as blood flows and bubbles ...

Spinning out of the pages of BARBARIC comes an all-new, rip-roaring fantasy adventure, filled with mayhem, humor, and a bloodthirsty weapon that just won’t stop talking!

Serra is a witch with a checkered past; Ka is an assassin with an agenda all her own, and Deadheart is a barbarian who wants to bash everyone in her path. They’ll have to unite their unique skills to track down a powerful foe who’s tied their lives together. Get ready to meet your new favorite instrument of death—the evil Ga’Bar, whose spirit is now trapped in Deadheart’s sword!

Discover the origin of the dark magic that turned Soren into the tattooed witch she is today, in this totally new story, the perfect place to step into the world of BARBARIC for the first time!

Hell's got nothin' on these badass Barbaric belles...

Collects the entire, standalone three-issue series!

 

About Michael Moreci:

Michael Moreci is a bestselling comics author, screenwriter, and novelist. His original comic works include The Plot, Curse, Barbaric, Wasted Space (all for VAULT COMICS), the upcoming Creepy the Snowman Middle Grade graphic novel – with his two sons – for WONDERBOUND, Roche Limit, and more. He's also written canonical stories for Stranger Things, Star Wars, Hack/Slash, and the DC universe. Additionally, Moreci ‘s first movie, Revealer, premiered in Fall 2021 and he's in pre-production on a second film.

Keep in touch:

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

About Nathan Gooden:

An award-winning illustrator and sequential artist, Nathan C. Gooden is Art Director at Vault Comics. Nathan studied animation at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, and worked in film production, before co-founding Vault Comics. Nathan’s previous works include Brandon Sanderson’s Dark One (Vault), Barbaric (Vault), Zojaqan (Vault), and  Killbox (from American Gothic Press). He lives in Southern California, where he plays a lot of basketball and hikes constantly with his wife. 
Keep in touch:

Instagram

 

About Nicholas Eames:

Nicholas Eames was born to parents of infinite patience and unstinting support in Wingham, Ontario. Kings of the Wyld is his first novel, Bloody Rose his second! He lives in British Columbia, Canada, and  loves black coffee, neat whiskey, the month of October, and video games, anime, movies, and all things awesome.

He is co-wrote(with Michael Moreci) the one-shot, oversized comic BARBARIC: Wrong Kind of Righteous for Vault Comics!

Keep in touch:

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

 

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 finished copies of BARBARIC VOL. 3: HELL TO PAY & QUEEN  OF SWORDS: A BARBARIC TALES, US Only.

Ends January 16th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

12/18/2023	Writer of Wrongs	Excerpt
12/19/2023	Comic Book Yeti	Interview Nicholas Eames /IG Post
12/20/2023	@darkfantasyreviews	IG Post
12/21/2023	Sadie's Spotlight	Excerpt/IG Post
12/22/2023	The Momma Spot	Excerpt

Week Two:

12/25/2023	Two Chicks on Books	Interview Michael & Nate/IG Post
12/26/2023	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt/IG Post
12/27/2023	Lady Hawkeye	Excerpt/IG Post
12/28/2023	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
12/29/2023	jlreadstoperpetuity	IG Post/TikTok Post

Week Three:

1/1/2024	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review/LFL Drop Pic/TikTok Post
1/2/2024	Lifestyle of Me	Review
1/3/2024	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post
1/4/2024	The Knight's Guild	Review
1/5/2024	Brandi Danielle Davis	IG Review

Week Four:

1/8/2024	Two Points of Interest	Review/IG Post
1/9/2024	Kountry Girl Bookaholic	Review/IG Post
1/10/2024	@ashe_and_ink	IG Review
1/11/2024	Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's	Review/IG Post
1/12/2024	GryffindorBookishnerd	IG Review

Book Review - Easy Beauty by Chloé Cooper Jones

 

 

 

 

Easy Beauty by Chloé Cooper Jones is a memoir about a woman’s journey through life in a body that looks different than what society considers normal. Chloe was born with a rare congenital condition called sacral agenesis. It affects her gait and stature which causes her to be in pain frequently. She learned a technique called “pain calculations”, that she takes into consideration for every plan and situations she is in to handle and deal with the pain.

Physical pain isn’t the only type of pain that Chloe has to deal with on a daily basis. She has to deal with the pain of being judged, pitied, or considered less than because of her medical condition. The way society has judged her by just her appearance, without getting to know her, has impacted her view  of reality. She tried to excel in her academic career and retreated to a “neutral room in her mind”, where she can ignore an uncomfortable situation until it has passed.

When she was first diagnosed with her condition, she was told that she wouldn’t be able to become pregnant.  Chloe unexpectedly becomes a mother even though she was told that it wasn’t possible. When she became a mother, her perception of life shifted. She felt that she should no longer be limited or denied things because of how she looks. Chloe decided to travel the globe in hopes of reclaiming her space.

I normally don’t read a lot of memoirs but I have been trying to expand my normal reading preferences. The memoir started off interesting but I started losing interest towards the halfway mark and then stopped reading when I was ten pages away from finishing the book. The author kept jumping back and forth between the present and past that I was having trouble keeping the plot points straight. She would then weave a story while talking about the present but then jump to another subject that I failed to see how the two things were connected. It felt like a random and jumble stream of consciousness.

The author wove a lot of academic references and stories when talking about her experiences. The first few times, I thought it was interesting but then it started feeling like I was reading a term paper. Chloe seems upset and angry when describing her interactions with people and the world. I really do feel for her and got upset on her behalf at how she was treated, like a small child or as someone who didn’t know any better.  However, it got tiring to read that after a while. It was too depressing and I wanted some happy moments where she felt happy and enjoyed life. I wish she went into a bit more detail about her medical diagnosis. Instead, I felt like she mentioned her condition and expected readers to know what it was and how it affects people.

 

Book Review - Unknown Threat by Lynn Blackburn

 

 

Unknown Threat by Lynn Blackburn is about two U.S. Secret Service agents who are racing against the clock to find out who is murdering their fellow agents.  US Secret Service Special Agent Luke Powell was on a run with a colleague when they were attacked. Luke barely made it out alive and his partner is in critical care.  Luke’s attack has been one in a series of attacks against his colleagues. In the past ten weeks, three of his fellow agents had died in unusual circumstances. 

Luke is shattered by the death and loss of his friends. He feels that it’s his personal mission to find the killer and find justice for his colleagues.  Luke feels helpless that he can’t protect the people he loves, especially since they are good people who have spent their lives protecting others.

FBI Special Agent Faith Malone is driven and ambitious. She is confident that she will solve every case that she is assigned. However, when she is put in charge of the investigation of the attacks on Secret Service agents, she is worried that as she and Luke get to know each other on professional and personal levels, it raises stakes higher than any of her previous cases.

Faith and Luke have worked together before but he doesn’t feel that Faith is the right person for the job. He feels that his department should be handling the investigation since the attacks seem to be targeting his team. Faith feels that Luke is hiding secrets that could jeopardize the investigation and cause more people to get hurt. As more people they love are targeted, will Faith and Luke be able to put their disagreements aside and work together?

The book was a quick read. It was interesting to try and guess who the killer was and their motives behind the attacks. There weren't many clues and the story did feel slow at times. However, the ending seemed a bit weird to me and I thought the motive was a bit far-fetched. The romance element between the two characters felt a bit flat. There wasn’t much chemistry or cute moments between the two characters. I might read a few more books by this author but I wouldn’t go out of my way to get them.

 

Empties 2024!

 

 

I am starting off the New Year with a photo of my last empties from 2023. I am will say that it took me almost three months to get this much empties. Oddly enough in the last three months I thought I was going out more and using my products a lot more.  I guess it is an improvement that I finished one mascara during that time. Hopefully, in the next year I can pick up my momentum and start clearing up some old things to make space for the new!

I got the New York Biology Superfood Mask from Amazon a while back. It came in a set of three. I am not sure if its a legit brand because I saw similar masks with same packaging all over. It's hard to tell at times on Amazon which is a legit small company and what is a dupe or a copy.  The mask burned my face when I applied and left my skin really red and sensitive. But after a few uses, my skin did look brighter and look smoother. I do have two more containers to use but I am not in any rush to use them because of how much it burns.

 The  Newmiuz Skin Glow Bath Salts smelled amazing but it was disappointing that I had to use entire tub to smell anything in the tub. The bottle was $20 so, that was one very expensive bath. I have another tub in a different scent but I am going to save it for a special occasion. 

My hair is three feet long so it's a hassle to wash and take care of it. I also go through shampoo and conditioner like it's no one's business. I saw this Fuya Conditioner and was excited to try it. It had a nice tropical vibe going on but it really didn't smell like anything. As a conditioner, it worked well but otherwise pretty basic.     

I tend to get hives and dry spots on my skin after coming in contact with certain things. My skin becomes so annoyingly sensitive that it itches and burns while being dry but nothing really helps. I came across Kiehl's Ultra Facial Advanced Repair Barrier Cream. It is a thick cream but goes on satin-y soft on skin and doesn't feel heavy or greasy on skin. It helps alleviate the dryness without making my skin more sensitive. Definitely a cream I am going to keep stock and an eye out for during sales.

Book Review - Dreams of Falling by Karen White

 

Dreams of Falling by Karen White is about a woman, Larkin Lanier, who returns home after her beloved mother goes missing. Many years ago, three young girls spent most of their lives together. Their childhoods were intertwined with each other and they were rarely apart. They decided to write their hopes and dreams on ribbons and stow it in a special tree for their wishes to come true. Their most important one was that whatever happens, they will remain friends forever.

Larkin left her home in Georgetown, South Carolina, nine years ago humiliated. She felt that she could never go back and face her friends after an embarrassing incident.  However, when she receives a call that her mother has gone missing, she realizes that she has no choice but to return back home. She is excited to see her family who missed her and wants her to come back home, but dreads running into her childhood friends who remember the incident that caused her to leave.

Larkin’s mother, Ivy, is discovered near the burned out wreckage of her family’s home. She is unconscious and badly injured when she is found. No one knows why Ivy decided to go to the house and Larkin is desperate to find answers. As she digs for answers, she discovers the reason why her mother went to the house. The secrets that she uncovers dates back fifty years ago and it began with those three girls whose friendship was tested in the most heartbreaking ways.

This was the second book I read by the author. I felt that the author is skilled at creating realistic Southern characters but it feels to me that her main female characters are always unlikeable. I didn’t care for Larkin’s storyline as much because I found her to be annoying. She was rude and assumed the worst of her best friends without any reason but she gave the benefit of the doubt to a guy who was constantly rude and mean to her. Larkin was dismissive when her childhood friends were trying to make amends or hang out but willingly hung out with a guy who was demeaning to her on multiple occasions. I didn’t understand why her friends were so loyal and understanding to Larkin when she wasn’t very nice to them in turn. Larkin acted like the entire world revolved around her and didn’t really care about anyone else’s feelings and she kept acting like “woe is me”.

The book was told from alternating points of view and timelines. I found it difficult to keep track of the different characters because there were so many and each one was related to each other. I felt that Ivy’s chapters didn’t add much to the story. In the majority of her chapters, she spent time trying to figure out what is keeping her attached to Earth, or she was pining for her dead boyfriend, Ellis. I felt like the chapters would have a bigger impact if we got more details about their relationship.

I didn’t like that the characters refused to share information with each other until Ivy woke up from her coma or there was another interruption that caused the delay. I felt that  caused the story to drag on longer than necessary. The book was slow moving with pages of nothing happening. Aside from the annoying main character and the predictable twists, I found the book to be an okay read. I would be open to reading more books by the author.

Book Review - Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

 

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher is a retelling of a fairytale about a princess, Princess Fayette, who is trapped in a tower and the creature that protects it. 

When Toadling was born to her human family, she was stolen by fairies and switched with a Changeling.  She is taken to the swamp where she spends most of her childhood. Toadling is transformed from a human girl into a toad shaped being that can transform into an actual toad. She is surrounded and loved by the faeries at the swamp. They teach her how to use magic and coddle her. They are the only family she has ever known.

Toadling enjoys her time there and when she reaches adulthood, one of the fae asks her for a favor. Toadling is to return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn baby. She is given her mission and is offered training to help her succeed with her quest. However, as much as Toadling is prepared, nothing is as easy as imagined and something always goes wrong. Toadling fumbles the blessing and the faerie child’s power grows uncontrollably along with unleashing her evil side. As a last resort, Toadling placed the child under a curse that put her asleep to prevent her from using her evil powers.

Centuries have passed since Toadling was asked to pass her blessing to the child. A knight has stopped by a wall that is surrounded by brambles and thorns. He has heard that there is a curse and rumors of a hidden treasure beyond the thorn covered wall. Toadling is serving as the guardian of the wall and will stop at nothing to make sure that the curse isn’t broken.

I was excited to read the novella and was able to finish it in a day. I heard many good things about the author and was excited to read the book. However, I was a bit disappointed with the story. I found the novella hard to get into and the writing clunky and hard to follow. I found myself re-reading the same sentence a few times to try to understand what was going on.

There are a lot of things that I found confusing. For example, the timeframe and world the story takes place in. It wasn’t very clear to me when or where the story takes place. The family of the Princess was called a King and Queen but when they were describing the property they loved in, it seems like they were more like a lower level lord and lady.  The book was an okay read but I would be open to reading other books by the author.