Fire Watcher

Today’s post is on Fire Watcher by Lilith Saintcrow. It is the third in her The Watchers series. It is 183 pages long and is published by Belle Books. The intended reader is someone has read the first two novels, likes urban fantasy, and mild romance. The cover has the main male character Remy on it looking mysterious. There is some foul language, no sex, and violence in this book. The story is told from third person close of the two main characters moving as the plot goes. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the blurb on Hoopla- The Witch: Elise Nicholson isn't your ordinary witch. For one thing, she can light candles with a look, and she plays a mean guitar. Unfortunately, being able to call fire out of the air isn't the most useful skill around. To top it off, she's a Guardian of the City, and the other Guardians--her two best friends--have no time for her. They're too busy with their Watchers, the grim, black-coated warriors sworn to protect Elise and her friends from the Dark. Lonely, skating the edge of controlling her intensified "gifts," Elise is quickly running out of options and patience. Then the Trifero--a Talisman capable of blowing the city sky-high--lands in her lap, and everything just gets worse.
The Watcher: Remy is the Hunter, snatching Talismans away from the Dark and struggling with the constant agony of being a Watcher. Then he's assigned to stand guard over a smart-mouthed fire witch who not only hates Watchers, but has just found the Trifero. If the Dark catches Elise, she'll be broken, turned into a magical weapon, and sold to the highest bidder. Not only does Remy have to get to her first and keep the Dark away, but he also must convince Elise that he means her no harm--and that's the easy part of the job. If he pulls this one off, he just might redeem himself the way every Watcher aches to do. But if he fails, both he and Elise might be better off dead . . .

Review- We pick up right from the end of the last novel with Elise being angry and more than a little whiny about life. She blames Dante and Hanson for pretty much every problem she has because she is afraid of being left behind. Remy is tired of hunting for relics for Circle Lightfall and just wants to find his witch. Add in a powerful magickal talisman and we have our plot. The plot itself is interesting but I had a real problem with Elise, she is very whiny about things she does not understand and she does not even try to understand. Elise would rather just think that her friends never really cared about her and move on but because she is a Guardian now that is not possible. Remy helps make Elise more bearable as a character because he is so even and invested in making sure that everyone survives. All the plots are fast but I think that this one happens in the least amount of time over the novel. I am curious about how the series is going to be wrapped up in the last volume.

I give this novel a four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this novel from my local library’s Hoopla account.

Miniature: How Small Things Illuminated the World

Today’s post is on Miniature: How Small Things Illuminated the World by Simon Garfield. It is 323 pages long and is published by Atria Books. The cover has the Eiffel Tower on it in a match book. The intended reader is someone who is interested in unusual history.  There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this book. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket - A delightful, entertaining, and illuminating investigation into out peculiar fascination with making things small and what small things tell us about the world at large.
Tiny Eiffel Towers, Platoons of brave toy soldiers. A doll’s house created for a queen. Miniature crime scenes meant to catch killers. Flea circuses. Model villages and railways. And much more.
Bringing together history, psychology, art, and obsession, Simon Garfield explores what fuels the strong appeal of miniature objects among collectors, modelers, and everyday people. The toys we enjoy as children invest us with a rare power at a young age, bestowing a taste of adult-size authority. For some, the desire to play with small things becomes a desire to make small things. Controlling a tiny, scaled-down world can give us new perspectives and restore our sense of order uncertain times.
In Miniature takes a bog look at small things and teaches us to find greatness in the diminutive.

Review – Another unusual topic for Garfield and another delightful read. Garfield starts with the full sized Eiffel Tower and the first people to miniaturize it. Over the course of the book, Garfield introduces the reader to all kinds of people who miniaturize the world; from artist to make a point to a village to remember the past. The writing is top-notch as to be expected of Garfield. The research is good but the interviews with the people who spend their lives making things small are the best parts of the story. Garfield gets access to the people and then brings them to the reader in wonderful ways. Learning the history of miniaturization was interesting and Garfield makes it fun with little jokes and side notes about the different topics. If you are a fan of Garfield or curious about the history of miniatures then you should check this book out.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library. 

Skip Beat!, volume 12

Today's post is on Skip Beat!, volume 12 by Yoshiki Nakamura. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Kyoko as Mio and Ren as Katsuki on it. The intended reader is someone who has read the first eleven volumes, likes comedy and shojo manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Kyoko's determination to help Ren continues as she lends a friendly ear- in her chicken suit. Ren opens up and confides in Chicken Bo, but is Kyoko really ready to deal with his lovelorn confession? To make matters worse, Ren's been given an ultimatum by th LME president, and if he can't act right by end of the week, he's out on his ear!

Review- We pick up right where we left off in the previous volume. Ren is trying to deal with his feeling for Kyoko and she has no clue about what he is dealing with. They have some serious moments in this volume as Kyoko helps him find his Katsuki and accidentally pulls out the real man, Koun, from the mask that he wears all the time. Not much more happens in this volume, it really is about what is going on in Ren's mind and some of what is going on in his heart. In the next volume we get to see if Ren can prove himself and keep working on this drama.

I give this this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

Bloodborne: A Song of Crows volume 2

This is my 1000 Review!! Yay me!! 

Today’s post is on Bloodborne: A Song of Crows volume 2 by by Aleš Kot, illustrated by Piotr Kowalski, Brad Simpson. It is 34 pages long and is published by Titan Comics. It is the second in the Song of Cows series and you need to have read the first one to have any idea about what is going on. The cover is a close up of Elieen the Crow. The intended reader is someone interesting in more history about the Bloodborne and the characters that live in it. There is no foul language, no sex, some nudity, and violence in this comic. The story is told from first person perspective of the main character Elieen. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

Blurb from Hoopla- The city of Yarnham: an ancient, gothic metropolis and home to the Healing Church.
Recent days have seen the city fall foul to a nightmarish plague known as the Ashen Blood disease, the source of which remains a mystery.
In a world of gods and monsters, sanity is merely subjective, and fear and blood are sanctified.
Hunters now stalk the streets in search of beasts as the moon hangs ominously low in Yarnham's sky.
But as uncertainty fills the air, and the thirst for blood becomes insatiable, the hunters become the hunted…

Review- We continue with Elieen as she hunts and tries to remember herself and what is going on. The story itself is still a little confusing about what is going on as Elieen herself is not sure either. But as someone who loves the Bloodborne world that did not stop me from enjoying the mystery of it all. The art is great with good details but not too bloody, considering this world that is interesting thing  to do. We see more of the live, die, and live again themes of the game as Elieen is fighting beast hunters and her memories. The flashes that Elieen and we see of her past make it clear that she in not from Yarnham and somehow that makes her the right person to hunt the corrupted beast hunters but that is not very clear but I am sure that we will get some insight into what drove Elieen to become the Crow. I am very curious about where the story is going and I look forward to reading the next volume.

I give this volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this comic using my library’s Hoopla account. 

Heaven's Will

Today's post is on Heaven's Will by Satotu Takamiya. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has the two main characters on it. The intended reader is someone who likes manga and strange stories. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character Mikuzu. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Sudou Mikuzu has a very special talent--she can see ghosts. And because of this predisposition, she's become a magnet for all sorts of unwelcome monsters. Luckily for her she's just met Seto, a friendly, cross-dressing young exorcist. Sudou needs protection from all the creepy phantoms bugging her, and Seto needs to practice his exorcism skills. Consequently, the pair decides to team up and help each other. In return, Sudou promises to bake a cake every time a ghost gets zapped!

Review- A very strange, complicated story about two teens. We start with a very basic story about one girl how can see spirits but is very afraid of them and then she meets the other characters who can fight the spirits. But there is so much more than that going on. Seto wants to die so that his sister can use his body to live again but does his sister want for herself? Mikuzu wants to help Seto but she is still learning to not to afraid of everything and it ends on a ambiguous ending with the character still in the same places they were at the beginning. I am not sure about this manga but it was not bad, just not what I was expecting.

I give this volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

The Cheerleaders

Today’s post is on The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas. It is 370 pages long and is published by Delacourt Press. The cover is beige with the shirt of a cheerleader in the center with blood on it. The intended reader is someone who likes mysteries and complex characters. There is mild foul language, sex, violence and other intense topics in this novel. The story is told from first person of the main character Monica. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the dust jacket- There are no more cheerleaders in the town of Sunnybrook.
First there was the car accident- two girls dead after hitting a tree on a rainy night. Not long after, the murders happened. Those two girls were killed by the man next door. The police shot him, so no one will ever know his reasons. Monica’s sister was the last cheerleader to die. After her suicide, Sunnybrook High disbanded the cheer squad. No none wanted to be reminded of the girls they’d lost.
That was five years ago. Now the faculty and students at Sunnybrook High want to remember the lost cheerleaders. But for Monica, it’s not that easy. She just wants to forget.
Only, Monica’s world is starting to unravel. There are the letter in her stepdad’s desk; an unearthed, years-old cell phone; a strange new friend at school…
Whatever happened five years ago isn’t over. Some people in town know more than they’re saying. And somehow, Monica is at the center of it all.
There are no more cheerleaders in Sunnybrook, but that doesn’t mean anyone else is safe.

Review- A twisty mystery about what really happened and one girl’s quest to discover it. When the real villain was revealed it was surprising and very interesting. Monica is not in a great space mentally at the start of the book, she has made some bad choices over the summer and she is still recovering from them. She feels very alone in her mistake and is getting pressure from teachers to be involved in the memorial for the five dead cheerleaders but Monica just wants to understand what drove her sister. So that is the basic plot add in some growing pains from Monica and the cast around her and that’s the novel. I really had a good time with this book, Monica was not easy to like but I did sympathize with her. She was interesting, driven, and I found her to be very engaging. I am getting into so much of the book with the plot or character interactions or even Monica’s mental state; the book is just too dense to get all of that into a quick review. But you like twisty mysteries with an interesting main character when you should give this book a try.

I give this novel a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library. 

It’s Okay to Laugh (Crying Is Cool Too)

Today’s post is on It’s Okay to Laugh (Crying Is Cool Too) by Nora McInerny Purmort. It is 304 pages long and is published by Harper Collins Publishing. The cover is grey with a rain cloud pouring into a pair of open hands. The intended reader is someone who likes memoirs both funny and moving. There is mild foul language, talk of sex, and no violence. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the eblurb- Twenty-seven-year-old Nora McInerny Purmort bounced from boyfriend to dopey "boyfriend" until she met Aaron-a charismatic art director and comic-book nerd who once made Nora laugh so hard she pulled a muscle. When Aaron was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer, they refused to let it limit their love. They got engaged on Aaron's hospital bed and had a baby boy while he was on chemo. In the period that followed, Nora and Aaron packed fifty years of marriage into the three they got, spending their time on what really matters: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, each other, and Beyoncé. A few months later, Aaron died in Nora's arms. The obituary they wrote during Aaron's hospice care revealing his true identity as Spider-Man touched the nation. With It's Okay to Laugh, Nora puts a young, fresh twist on the subjects of mortality and resilience. What does it actually mean to live your "one wild and precious life" to the fullest? How can a joyful marriage contain more sickness than health? How do you keep going when life kicks you in the junk? In this deeply felt and deeply funny memoir, Nora gives her readers a true gift-permission to struggle, permission to laugh, permission to tell the truth and know that everything will be okay. It's Okay to Laugh is a love letter to life, in all its messy glory; it reads like a conversation with a close friend, and leaves a trail of glitter in its wake. This book is for people who have been through some shit. This is for people who aren't sure if they're saying or doing the right thing (you're not, but nobody is). This is for people who had their life turned upside down and just learned to live that way. For people who have laughed at a funeral or cried in a grocery store. This is for everyone who wondered what exactly they're supposed to be doing with their one wild and precious life. I don't actually have the answer, but if you find out, will you text me?

Review- This book starts off with a bang and ends with one too. Purmort launches the reader into her life as it is falling apart. With losing her second child, her father, her husband all in about three months, and having to still parent her four-year-old son, Purmort has some tough times to live and for us to read. She had me laughing with her and then one paragraph later crying she holds her dying husband. Purmort uncovers her life for the reader from early loves to thinking about maybe wanting to fall in love again, one day not today. The chapters are short so we get more vignettes than long drawn out scenes and with some of what this book gives you, you do not want more than just a glimpse into the inner workings of so much pain. The honesty in her prose is both uplifting and gut-wrenching but never more than the reader can handle but I cannot say the same for Purmort herself. If you are looking for a moving memoir about life after death, then you should give this one a try.

I give this memoir a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library’s Hoopla account.

Man of Many Faces, volume 2

Today's post is on Man of Many Faces, volume 2 by CLAMP. It is 192 pages long and was published by Tokyopop. The cover has the two main characters on it. It is the second the CLAMP's Man of Many Faces duology and you have to read the first volume to understand what is going on. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main character Akira. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- What's the one thing that can stop a master thief from a life of crime? True love! Akira Ijyuin, AKA the notorious thief 20 Faces, has been in love with the young Utako for years, but is it true love? The mystery man must set aside masks for his greatest heist ever: Stealing Utako's heart once and for all!

Review- A cute finale to a cute series. Akira has some heists in this volume but most of the story is about the characters and moving their individual plot lines along. Akira and Utako decide what they mean to each other and end up happily ever after. I had fun with this little series, the story was cute, the art is great, and it stayed consistent within it's world. I had a good time with this series and I would recommend it if you can get your hands on it.

I give this volume a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue

Today's post is on The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee. It is 501 pages long and is published by Katherine Tegen Books. It is the first in her Montague Siblings series. The cover is a portrait of the main character Monty. The intended reader is someone who is interesting in young adult novels, historical novels, and gay love stories. There is some foul language, talk of sex and some sexuality, and some violence in this novel. The story is told from first person perspective of the main character. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- Witty, romantic, and irresistible from the first line to the last, The Gentleman Guide to Vice and Virtue is the unforgotten escapade of Lord Henry "Monty" Montague, a charming young scoundrel who fully expects to carouse his way through his Grand Tour. However, Monty's plans for one last hedonistic hurrah with his best friend and secret crush, Percy, quickly turns into a harrowing manhunt across eighteenth-century Europe. Truly a novel that's meant to be savored and not to be missed.

Review- This book was okay. I do not dislike it, the characters are fine, the history is pretty good, the writing is good, but it was just okay to me. There is nothing wrong with it but it just did not grab me. Monty as a main character is a good one, he has flaws, he grows over the course of the story, he learns to be honest with himself and those around him. Percy is more sympathetic with his epilepsy and being abandoned by his family. Felicity is interesting but she is very much in the background of this novel. The writing is good with lots of details about living in the eighteenth-century. If young gay love stories with some action as a catalyst for the plot sound like something you would enjoy then you should give this one a try.

I give this novel a Three out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

Skip Beat!, volume 11

Today's post is on Skip Beat!, volume 11 by Yoshiki Nakamura. It is 200 pages long and is published by Shojo Beat. The cover has Kyoko as Mio on it with flowers around her. The intended reader is someone who has read the first ten volumes, likes comedy and shojo manga. There is no foul language, no sex, and no violence in this manga. The story is told from third person close of the main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- There's trouble on the Tsukimori set, and surprisingly it's not Kyoko's fault. Ren is having difficulty acting the part of a love-struck suitor since he's never really been in love before. Stressed by his sudden acting impotence, Ren goes MIA. Kyoko is determined to help her friend, and joins forces with Ren's manager. But as Ren sees the two of them getting close, he realizes he might know more about serious emotion than he thought!

Review- So Ren has a moment that lasts for several days and he just cannot get his head into the game. Of course Kyoko wants to help but she is afraid to speak up as he is her senior and Ren can be mean. The problem is Ren just does not know how to connect with other people on a real level, so this character is a real struggle for him to understand. Add in his realization that he has real feeling for Kyoko and we have the drama of this volume. I liked spending some time with Ren and getting to see more into his head. I like what Nakamura is doing with his character and where he is going. I look forward to seeing how Ren is going to solve his problem in this drama and with Kyoko.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this manga with my own money.

How She Died, How I Lived

Today's post is on How She Died, How I Lived by Mary Crochett. It is 396 pages long and is published by Little, Brown and Co. The cover is black with five candles and one has been blown out. The intended reader is someone who is interested in dealing with complex emotions, young adults growing up, and other hard issues. There is foul language, talk of sex and sexuality, and discussions of violence in this novel. The story is told from first person close of the main character Lindsey. There Be Spoilers Ahead.

From the back of the book- I was one of five. The five girls Kyle texted that day. The girls it could have been. Only Jamie--beautiful, saintly Jamie--was kind enough to respond. And it got her killed.
On the eve of Kyle's sentencing a year after Jamie's death, all the other "chosen ones" are coping in various ways. But our tenacious narrator is full of anger, stuck somewhere between the horrifying past and the unknown future as she tries to piece together why she gets to live, while Jamie is dead.
Now she finds herself drawn to Charlie, Jamie's boyfriend--knowing all the while that their relationship will always be haunted by what-ifs and why-nots. Is hope possible in the face of such violence? Is forgiveness? How do you go on living when you know it could have been you instead?

Review- This is a hard but interesting book to read. It is about violence against women that has no point other than because he can. The book starts after everything is done with Kyle, the killer, in prison and the community trying to make sense of what happened. Lindsay is very depressed dealing with survivors guilt and just trying to make sense of her life after. Why did Kyle do it? Why were any of the girls on his list? What kind of life can Lindsay have now knowing that someone else is dead and she's still alive? This book does not flinch away from this issues and more. It does not feel cheap but more like a genuine search for answers in a chaotic world. I did enjoy this book but it is not for everyone with its dark tones and themes. I found it moving and cathartic at the end of the journey with Lindsay and I have hope for the character, that she will live a life that Jamie would be proud of.

I give this novel a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I was given this book as a gift.