Review: A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett

A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This is the third book in the series, and while you could probably read this as a standalone, I do recommend reading the series in order as there is information in the first two books that will be helpful in understanding Din and Ana and their abilities and the world they operate in.  Their investigations however are unrelated.  

This particular investigation sees our quirky investigators on a murder investigation that seems cut and dry.  At first glance it doesn't seem to warrant the skills that our pair possess, but given the location of the crime and the families involved they are sent to deescalate and provide an unbiased eye.  The very simple case becomes very convoluted and complex as Din begins asking questions.  Ana's ability to uncover the unseen and strange in a crime uncovers a strange plot involving fungus that no one could have imagined.

I love Din and Ana, and this series just keeps getting better and stranger.  The author masterfully crafts this strange world with wonderful characters.  It is weird and dark at times with just a touch of humor.  I love getting to know Din and Ana a bit more in each book and watching them work together.  We get to know him a bit better in this book as we meet his sister and learn a bit more about his family.  Ana is such a strange character, but she makes me laugh and she is always able to put everything together so neatly in the end.  

I absolutely love this series and can't wait for another installment!

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Review: Jem and the Holograms Book One

Jem and the Holograms Book One by Kelly Thompson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and Boom! Studios, all opinions are my own.

When I saw this as a review option on the monthly offerings from Boom! I knew I had to read it! As a child of the 80s, I loved Jem and was a loyal watcher of the animated series. This graphic novel takes the beloved characters and storyline and brings it into the present day while giving nods to some favorite pop-culture nods to the 80s. Fans of the 80s and those like myself who grew up in the 80s will appreciate the references to other 80s series and movies.

This begins as an origin story for Jem and the Holograms and sets up the rivalry with the Misfits another already established band. The storyline keeps alot of the elements of the original show, while adding some unique twists and bringing the band into the present day. We have social media and the internet that wasn't even a thought back in the 80s. There are lyrics present on the pages to represent the music we used to get in the show. The graphic novel delves into the relationships between the characters in each of the bands, the music, and the developing rivalry between the

I absolutely loved this. Jem was a staple in my after school routine in the 80s. The art style captures the bright colors from that time and captures the darker punk style to represent the Misfits and the lighter pop rock style to represent the Holograms. This graphic novel made me so happy! I loved the storyline and I can't wait to see what happens in the next volume.

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Review: Bridget & Gabe Are Not Okay by Lex Croucher

Bridget & Gabe Are Not Okay by Lex Croucher
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC and ALC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This was a fabulous discussion of mental health and PTSD, that being said this lacked what I loved so much about Gwen & Art Are Not in Love.  This lacked the banter between the characters and the fun personalities that were so present in the first book.  This is appropriately somber given the topics and the aftermath if the battle they fought in the first book.  I was hoping that our two couples while dealing with their struggles of grief, anxiety, stress, and more would show a bit of their former selves especially as they quest for the famed holy grail.  It was quite the deviation from the first book and that really threw me off.

I love a good quest story especially if it deals with Arthurian lore.  This while extremely well written and developed was too slow and too sad for my tastes.  The world around me is too bleak, and I don't personally like reading sad stories right now.  I can deal with a bit of realistic emotion and plot in books, but I need fun and fast paced action to balance that out.  Part of the reason I love fantasy is that provides an escape from reality and this didn't provide the experience I was looking for despite the great social commentary and excellent writing.  This is going to be a smash hit for alot of readers, but as much as this is a great book it didn't land with me the way I had hoped.

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Review: Brimstone Hollow by Archer Sullivan

Brimstone Hollow by Archer Sullivan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC and ALC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This follows Annie on another investigation, this time she has been called to investigate the death of a snake preacher by his estranged daughter.  His death while not strange as he handled poisonous snakes regularly isn't out of the realm of possibility, everything that followed including the funeral was wrapped up in less than 24 hours.  His daughter wasn't notified and has alot of questions, while they hadn't spoken in years, he was still her father.  Annie, having ties to Appalachia herself, takes the case.

As Annie begins her investigation around the small town she begins to learn that not everything is as cut and dry as it may seem.  Her own memories of growing up in a similar environment begin to surface, especially as she becomes a target and it becomes clear that someone wants to stop the truth of the preacher's death from coming out.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, however I felt this one missed the atmospheric element that The Witch's Orchard had.  You don't need read that book first, the books read as complete standalones.  I did enjoy the tangled mess that the small town aspect the storyline with everyone being in everyone else's business and Annie getting everyone stirred up the more questions she asks.  This also didn't have the folklore aspect that pulled me into the other book, instead it had a dream element that wasn't really explained and a heavy focus on the religious element of the community.

As far as a thriller goes, this felt more procedural and was your standard detective story.  I prefer a little more atmosphere and want to feel a little scared in my thrillers, and this was a bit lacking in that department.  I'm looking forward to seeing where the series goes in the future.

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Review: Silver & Blood by Jessie Mihalik

Silver & Blood by Jessie Mihalik
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, however I did end up listening to the audiobook borrowed from my library.  As always all opinions are my own.

Based on the synopsis and comparisons I expected to love this book, however I did not.  I'm torn between giving this 1 and 2 stars.  This is supposed to be a romantasy, but there is no chemistry between the main characters and the plot was really lacking to keep me interested in the fantasy side of the storyline.

Riela is a mage who has no control over her magic.  She finds herself in a forced proximity situation with fae king Garrick who can help her learn how to control her power, but all she can think about is sex and how sexy he is.  Garrick thinks she is some kind of spy but can't help but lust after her too.  I didn't really like either of them.  I can see readers who have no interest in fantasy but are here for the spice loving this, but I'm a fantasy lover and I need a plot to keep me interested.  The lack of explanation of the magic, character development, plot, and world building didn't work for me.  

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Review: Twig's Traveling Tomes by Gryffin Murphy

Twig's Traveling Tomes by Gryffin Murphy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I found this book one night while scrolling Facebook or TikTok from Meg's Tea Room.  She recommends alot of  cozy books, and I believe she has an imprint under Bindery Books.  She was talking about Twig's Traveling Tomes in one of her videos and I immediately went to see where I could find it and it was available for early review.  If you are a fan of cozy fantasy with a found family and cute romance this is a great read.  

This follows Louella Twig, a book witch who may not provide her customers the book they came in asking for, but they always leave with the book they need.  Louella feels more comfortable with her books, but she longs for companionship at times.  She never finished her studies, which causes her magic to  overwhelm her and make socializing uncomfortable sometimes.  When her old mentor and a handsome rouge land in her shop needing her help she finds herself forced to socialize and tackle some uncomfortable situations.  As Louella agrees to help her mentor she finds herself surrounded by new friends and falling for the former thief Everett, and learning that she was always enough just as she was and there was nothing wrong with her magic.

This was a lovely story about self-acceptance and finding your own happy.  This is so warm and cozy and the characters were wonderful.  There is a sweet, slow burn romance between Louella and Everett with some humor mixed in as the group tries to recover the lost grimoire for the cooky wizard.  I loved every minute I spent reading this.

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Review: The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen

The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC and ALC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This bounces between present day and the 60's when 4 women took place in a groundbreaking experiment for the time.  In the present the only surviving woman from the experiment hires a caretaker in the wake of her husband's passing, but her home and life experience is still stuck in 1964.  She doesn't talk to her neighbors or know about cell phones or the internet.  When Riley comes to work for Betty she isn't sure what to think of this lovely woman who seems quite capable of taking care of herself but doesn't know any current events, but makes a mean martini.

As Riley gets to know Betty, she learns about her time at Marquis University where she and 3 friends were part of an experiment to measure physic abilities.  As the women showed more promise, Dr. Trimble the head of the experiment kept pushing their abilities, which not only stressed the women physically and mentally but their relationships with their husbands.  Not much is known about the experiments, but Riley is determined to find something or someone for Betty to connect with.  As she pushes forward with her research, she finds that someone may be trying to recreate some of Dr. Trible's more horrible experiments which may have caused dire consequences for 3 of Betty's best friends.

I thought this was very interesting.   I know studies on abilities like Betty's have been done, perhaps not exactly like those done in the book.  There is no denying that sometimes you get a feeling or some people have better intuition about things.  I thought the concept was intriguing and the characters were easy to connect with, I also love a good conspiracy.  This was a bit different than the other books I've read from the author as it wasn't a straight up domestic thriller and I liked that deviation.  You weren't sure who was a good guy and who was a bad guy until the end.

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