Book Review: An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn

Title: An Offer From a Gentleman

Author: Julia Quinn

Series/Standalone: Bridgerton Series (Book #3)

Genre: Historical Romance, Adult

Pages: 390

Publisher: Avon

Year Published: 2001

Format: Audiobook

"Will she accept his offer before the clock strikes midnight?

Sophie Beckett never dreamed she'd be able to sneak into lady Bridgerton's famed masquerade ball- or that "Prince Charming" would be waiting there for her! Though the daughter of an earl, Sophie has been relegated to the role of servant by her disdainful stepmother. But now, spinning in the strong arms of the debonair and devastatingly handsome Benedict Bridgerton, she feels like royalty. Alas, she knows all enchantments must end when the clock strikes midnight.

Who was that extraordinary woman? Ever since that magical night, a radiant vision in silver has blinded Benedict to the attractions of any other- except, perhaps the alluring and oddly familiar beauty dressed in housemaid's garb whom he feels compelled to rescue from a most disagreeable situation. He has sworn to find and wed his mystery miss, but this breathtaking maid makes him weak with wanting her. Yet, if he offers his heart, will Benedict sacrifice his only chance for a fairy tale love?"

My Rating: 5/5

This was what I've been hoping to see from this series. Yes I loved the first few seasons of the show, and all the books have been fun, but this felt like it was taking the historical romance tropes into account. I appreciated that Benedict was so different from his brothers and it was easy to read this book without feeling like it was a repeat. I enjoyed seeing a story where both parties weren't part of the upper class. Julia Quinn's characters each have a unique voice which has made this series is a fun listen-on audio.

I look forward to continuing with the series.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: The Avant-Guards Vol. 1

Title: The Avant-Guards Vol. 1

Author: Carly Usdin

Artist(s): Noah Hayes

Series/Standalone: The Avant-Guards Vol. 1

Genre: Young Adult, LGBT, Graphic Novel

Pages: 112

Publisher: BOOM! Box

Year Published: 2019

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"When Charlie transfers to the Georgia O'Keeffe College of Arts and Subtle Dramatics, she struggles to find her feet, but winds up exactly where she belongs... in the school's (terrible) basketball team.

As a transfer student to the Georgia O'Keeffe College for Arts and Subtle Dramatics, former sports star Charlie is struggling to find her classes, her dorm and her place amongst a student body full of artists who seem to know exactly where they're going.  When the school's barely-a-basketball team unexpectedly attempts to recruit her, Charlie's adamant that she's left that life behind... until she's won over by the charming team captain, Liv, and the ragtag crew she's managed to assemble. And while Charlie may have left cut-throat competition in the dust, sinking these hoops may be exactly what she needs to see the person she truly wants to be."

My Rating: 5/5

This was exactly the type of comic I needed. Light, fun, but also so darn cute. The potential romance in this is EVERYTHING! I also loved the art style, it really reminded me of a mix of Lumberjanes (THE FIRST VOLUMES) and Giant Days. If either of those holds your interest I would strongly recommend this first volume of this new series.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Threads and Portents by Jim Zub

Title: Threads and Portents

Author: Jim Zub

Artist(s): Steven Cummings, Tamra Bonvillain

Series/Standalone: Wayward Vol. 4

Genre: Graphic Novel, Adult, Fantasy

Pages: 136

Publisher: Image Comics

Year Published: 2017

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"IMAGES SUPERNATURAL SENSATION CONTINUES! The group is pulled apart and the hidden mythic worlds of Ireland and Japan are revealed."

My Rating: 4.5/5

I have so many questions! This series keeps unfolding and gaining my attention, I can't wait to see where the rest of the series takes us. The only problem? I think this is the last copy my library owns! Tragedy strikes, but bookstores will be profiting from my obsession.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The War Outside by Monica Hesse

Title: The War Outside

Author: Monica Hesse

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction

Pages: 336

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Year Published: 2018

Format: Hardcover (Library Copy)

First Line: "Of all the things that happened there, in that place full of enemies and dust and spies and sadness; of all the things Margot said to me- the calculations that sounded like friendship, the casual shattering of my life- out of all those things, I am grateful for only one: that I never loved her."

"It's 1944, and World War II is raging across Europe and the Pacific. The war seemed far way from Margot in Iowa and Haruko in Colorado-- until they were uprooted to dusty Texas,  all because of the places their parents once called home: Germany and Japan.

Haruko and Margot meet at the high school in Crystal City, a "family internment camp" for those accused of colluding with the enemy. The teens discover that they are polar opposites in so many ways, except for one that seems to override all the others: the camp is changing them, day by day, and piece by piece. Haruko finds herself consumed by fear for her soldier brother and distrust of her father, who she knows is keeping something from her. And Margot is doing everything she can to keep her family whole as her mother's health deteriorates and her rational, patriotic father becomes a man who distrusts America and fraternizes with Nazis.

With everything around them falling apart, Margot and Haruko find solace in their growing, secret friendship. But in a prison the government has deemed full of spies, can they trust anyone- even each other?"

My Rating: 3/5

I want to start off by saying my rating of this story does not reflect the importance of the subject matter. It's important that we remember our history to avoid repeating it. I haven't read much about the internment camps in America, and I haven't read anything about similar camps in Canada but I'm curious to know if anyone has more recommendations about this subject matter. 

Now that we have spoken about that, my rating does reflect my enjoyment and feelings about the fictional plot overall. While I thought that the author did a great amount of research, but the plot didn't do it for me. It was the ending that really cinched this rating for me, I wanted any amount of conflict resolution and it wasn't there. This is a similar way I felt when I read another of her works.

All in all, I plan on giving her work one more chance, but that might be it for me.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

Title: Black Water Sister

Author: Zen Cho

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Fantasy, Adult, LGBT

Pages: 384

Publisher: Acebooks

Year Published: 2021

Format: Audiobook

"A reluctant medium discovers the ties that bind can unleash a dangerous power in the compelling Malaysian-set contemporary fantasy.

Jessamyn Teoh is closet, broke and moving back to Malaysia, a country she left when she was a toddler. So when Jess starts hearing voices, she chalks it up to stress. But there's only one voice in her head, and it claims to be the ghost of her estranged grandmother, Ah Ma. In life Ah Ma was a spirit medium, the avatar of a mysterious deity called the Black Water Sister. Now she's determined to settle a score against a gang boss who has offended the god-- and she's decided Jess is going to help her do it.

Drawn into a world of gods, ghosts, and family secrets, Jess finds that making deals with capricious spirits is a dangerous business. As Jess fights for retribution for Ah Ma, she'll also need to regain control of her body and destiny. If she fails, the Black Water Sister may finish her off for good."

My Rating: 2/5

I found that during this story, I wasn't able to focus on the plot line as much as I wanted. I think that I started out reading this book thinking it would be YA, it became more adult and less something that I was interested in. It's wonderful to see more diverse stories being published every year and if this in any way interests you, I would give it a shot, it just wasn't for me.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Out from the Shadows by Jim Zub

Title: Out from the Shadows

Author: Jim Zub

Artist(s): Steven Cummings

Series/Standalone: Wayward Series (Vol. 3)

Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy, Adult

Pages: 128

Publisher: Image Comics

Year Published: 2016

Format: Paperback Copy (Library)

"After the massive revelations of Wayward volume two, chaos reigns. The New gods of Japan have arrived and a clash with the myths of old will change the country forever."

My Rating: 2.5/5

This was what I assumed a middle book in the series would be, while it was still interesting once I got into the plot line, it didn't really hold my interest and took several attempts to gain intrigue. The art style is as amazing as ever and the addition of new characters is fascinating. I'm curious to see where the series goes and what else we learn about our already existing characters.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair

Title: A Touch of Darkness    

Author: Scarlett St. Clair    

Series/Standalone: Hades x Persephone Series (Book #1)

Genre: Romance, Retelling, Smut

Pages: 282

Publisher: Self-Published

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"Persephone is the Goddess of Spring by title only. The truth is, since she was a little girl, flowers have shrivelled at her touch. After moving to New Athens, she hopes to lead an unassuming life disguised as a mortal journalist.

Hades, God of the Dead, has built a gambling empire in the mortal world and his favorite bets are rumored to be impossible.

After a chance encounter with Hades, Persephone finds herself in a contract with the God of the Dead, and the terms are impossible: Persephone must create life in the Underworld or lose her freedom forever. 

The bet does more than expose Persephone's failure as a goddess, however. As she struggles to sow the seeds of her freedom, love for the God of the Dead grows- and it's forbidden."

My Rating: 4.5/5

Spice Rating 5/5

This book was perfectly spicey. A great read for people who are interested in the Persephone and Hades retelling without it relying to heavily on past knowledge. You also have to be ok with it being a modern retelling. I loved the world that Scarlett St. Clair created and the undeniable attraction between our hero and heroine was so well written. The smutty scenes in this book were so incredibly spicey. So if you can't handle smut, I would not recommend it. But if you're looking for a smutty, steamy retelling with unbelievable chemistry between your main characters I would recommend it.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

 

Review: Something is Killing the Children Vol. 2

Title: Something is Killing the Children Vol. 2

Author: James Tynion IV

Artist(s): Werther Dell'Edera, Miquel Muerto

Series/Standalone: Something is Killing the Children Series (Vol. 2)

Genre: Adult, Horror, Graphic Novel

Pages: 144

Publisher: BOOM! Studios

Year Published: 2020

Format: Paperback Copy (Library Copy)

"Erica Slaughter may have slain the monster terrorizing the small Wisconsin town of Archer's Peak, but now she sets off deeper into the woods- because the monster she killed was a mother... and now she needs to kill its children.

EVIL NEVER DIES... UNLESS ERICA SLAUGHTER KILLS IT.

Erica Slaughter may have slain the monster terrorizing the small Wisconsin town of Archer's Peak, but the horror is far from over. As her mysterious handler arrives in town to clean up her mess and quarantine the townsfolk, Erica sets off deeper into the woods-- because the monster she killed was a mother.. and now she needs to kill its children."

My Rating: 5/5

This was precisely what I needed a sequel to be it was horrifying and disturbing but also left the world a bit to the imagination. The idea that a whole house is out there working to fight monsters and control the humans' view of them was incredible. I enjoy the art style and while I find this story horror ESC. I would not say that I was overly frightened. I will be continuing with the series as soon as possible.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: The Parliament of Magpies by Kieron Gillen

Title: The Parliament of Magpies

Author: Kieron Gillen

Artist(s): Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain

Series/Standalone: Once & Future (Vol. 3)

Genre: Graphic Novel, Adult, Retellings

Pages: 160

Publisher: BOOM! Studios

Year Published: 2021

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"The next chapter in the critically acclaimed and Eisner Award nominated series as Bridgette, Duncan and Rose must find a way to stay one step ahead of Merlin and keep things secret, but it's a modern era and secrets never stay hidden very long...

THE WORST OF BOTH WORLDS.

Although the monsters of Beowulf may have been defeated, the convergence of stories means the tether between our world and the Otherworld grows dangerously thin. Determined to stay one step ahead of Arthur and Merlin's plan, Bridgette and Duncan start with what they know, tracking down the last connections Nimue had: the nationalists she used to resurrect Arthur, and Lancelot. But finding the legendary knight may not be enough Melin has found his last piece of the puzzle and it goes all the way up to the highest reaches of British government. In order to prevent more chaos, Bridgette, Duncan, and Rose must fight harder than ever to keep things secret, but it's a modern era and secrets never stay hidden for long..."

My Rating: 3/5

I enjoyed this instalment, at this point though I don't think that I'm going to love this series. It's been really interesting and I've enjoyed the art for sure, but overall the storyline isn't doing the most for me. So far it's just been ok. I hope that the next installment either wraps this series up or keeps it going in a momentous direction. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Dating Plan by Sara Desai

Title: The Dating Plan       

Author: Sara Desai    

Series/Standalone: Marriage Game Series (Book #2)

Genre: Romance, Adult Fiction

Pages: 352

Publisher: Berkley Books

Year Published: 2021

Format: Audiobook

 "Daisy Patel is a software engineer who understands lists and logic better than bosses and boyfriends. With her life all planned out, and no interest in love, the one thing she can't give her family is the marriage they expect. Left with few options, she asks her childhood crush to be her decoy fiancee.

Liam Murphy is a venture capitalist with something to prove. When he learns that his inheritance is contingent on being married, he realizes his best friend's little sister has the perfect solution to his problem. A marriage of convenience will get Daisy's matchmaking relatives off her back and fulfill the terms of his late grandfather's will. If only he hadn't broken her tender teenage heart nine years ago...

Sparks fly when Daisy and Liam go on a series of dates to legitimize their fake relationship. Too late, they realize that very little is convenient about their arrangement. History and chemistry aren't about to follow the rules of this engagement."

My Rating: 4.75/5

I absolutely loved this second book. I had enjoyed Daisy's character in the first book and thought that she would make an excellent female lead in a romance. Her personality and her back story just really hit home different for me. I felt the same way about Liam. I do love the trope of fake dating, but also the trope of knowing each other before going out. This really did have a lot of tropes that I enjoyed. I think that Sara Desai also does a great job of describing a nerdier girl who has passions and interests without being too much. The only reason this doesn't get a full 5/5 for me is the way that some things in the sex scene were written. I have certain terms to describe body parts that push me out of a story, and these were used a few times. Overall, fun just not my favourite spicy scenes.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny