Review: Adulthood is a Myth by Sarah Andersen

Title: Adulthood is a Myth

Author: Sarah Andersen

Series/Standalone: Sarah Scribbles (Book #1)

Genre: Graphic Novels, Comics, Coffee-table books

Pages: 112

Publisher: Andrew McMeel Publishing

Year Published: 2016

Format: Paperback (Library)

"Are you a special snowflake?

Do you enjoy networking to advance your career?

Is adulthood an exciting new challenge for which you feel fully prepared?

Ugh. Please go away. 

This book is for the rest of us. These comics document the wasting of entire beautiful weekends don't he internet, the unbearable agony of holding hands on the street with a gorgeous guy, dreaming all day of getting home and back in pajamas, and wondering when, exactly, this adulthood thing begins. In other words, the horrors and awkwardness of young modern life."

My Rating: 4.5/5

I enjoyed these comics after a long week and think they are perfect for a fun little read. My only issue is the commentary on weight but I understand that might be a specific problem. Fun and cute. Would recommend.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Big Mushy Happy Lump by Sarah Andersen

Title: Big Mushy Happy Lump

Author: Sarah Andersen

Series/Standalone: Sarah Scribbles (Book #2)

Genre: Graphic Novel, Comics, Coffee table book

Pages: 128

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Year Published:2017

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"Sarah Andersen's second comic collection picks up right where the first left off- huddled under a pile of blankets avoiding the responsibilities of the real world. These new comics (and illustrated personal essays!) follow the ups and downs of the unrelenting self-esteem roller coaster that is young adult life: budgeting woes, cramps, the nuances of sweater theft and the joy of staying home all day with a box of pizza. All aboard."

My Rating: 4.5/5

I really liked this collection of comics, I have been following this author's Instagram for some time and then came across this collection at my local library. It was the perfect way to wind down and have a few giggles after a long day. Would recommend. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Partials by Dan Wells

Title: Partials

Author: Dan Wells

Series/Standalone: Partials Sequence (Book #1)

Genre: Dystopian, Young Adult, Science Fiction

Pages: 468

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Year Published: 2012

Format: Audiobook (Own Physical Copy)

"Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with Partials- engineered organic beings identical to humans- has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. But sixteen-year-old Kira is determined to fin a solution. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that the survival of both humans and Partials rests in her attempts to answer questions about the war's origin that she never knew to ask. 

Playing on our curiosity and fascination with the complete collapse of civilization, Partials is, at its heart, a story of survival, one that explores the individual narratives and complex relationships of those left behind, both humans and Partials alike- and of the way in which the concept of what is right and wrong in this world is greatly dependent on one's own point of view."

My Rating: 4.5/5

This was a fun reminder of why I loved dystopian young adults growing up. This has been on my shelf for YEARS and every time I went to pick it up I was deterred by the fact that the cover is pretty cringe-worthy and that it's a dystopian from the 2010s. Imagine my surprise when I was totally consumed by the plot of this book. Yes there are some plot holes and there are some moments where you can tell a teenage girl was written by a man, but overall the concepts, the intrigue and the atmosphere were so amazing to read. I have already borrowed the next audiobook from my library and I can't wait to settle into it and continue the story! Would strongly recommend it if you are looking for a dystopian from this time with a little romance but not a ton along with a wonderful atmosphere!

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Primer by Jennifer Muro

Title: Primer

Author: Jennifer Muro & Thomas Krajewski

Artists: Gretel Lusky

Series/Standalone: Primer Series

Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Superhero

Pages: 159

Publisher: DC Comics

Year Published: 2020

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"Primer introduces a brand-new superhero with a colorful array of superpowers to explore.

Ashley Rayburn is an upbeat girl with a decidedly downbeat past. her father is a known criminal who once used Ashley to help him elude justice, and in his attempt to escape, a life was taken. he now sits in federal prison, but still casts a shadow of Ashley's life. In the meantime, Ashley has bounced from foster home to foster home and represents a real challenge to the social workers who try to help her- not because she's inherently bad, but because trouble always seems to find her.

Ashley's latest set of presumably short-term foster parents are Kitch and Yuka Nolan. Like Ashley, Kitch happens to be an artist. Yuko, on the other hand, is a geneticist working for a very high-level tech company, one that's contracted out to work for the government and the military. And it's Yuka's latest top secret project that has her very concerned. Developed for the military, it's a set of body paints that, when applied to the wearer, grant them a wide range of special powers. Fearful that this invention will be misused, Yuka sneaks the paints home, substituting a dummy suitcase with an ordinary set of paints in their place.

From here, signals get crossed. Ashley comes home from school one day with her new friend Luke, and thinking that the Nolans have purchased a surprise gift for her upcoming birthday, finds the set of paints. Being an artist, Ashley naturally assumes these are for her. It isn't long before she realizes that she's stumbled upon something much bigger and a lot more dangerous. Although she uses her newly discovered powers for good, it's not before the military become wise to what happened to their secret weapon. And this spells big trouble not only for Ashley, but her newfound family and friends as well."

My Rating: 4/5

This is such a sweet middle grade story. Not only does it have a girl who is going through some difficult life stuff at a young age, it shows her making friends and taking power into her own hands. The story itself is fun and heartwarming, the art is perfect and I would strongly recommend to middle schoolers. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Sacrifice by Shantel Tessier

Title: The Sacrifice

Author: Shantel Tessier

Series/Standalone: L.O.R.D.S. (Book #3)

Genre: New Adult, Dark, Romance

Pages: 644

Publisher: Self-Published

Year Published: 2023

Format: Ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

"HIS LADY

A Lord is to marry after he graduates from Barrington University, an elite college for the rich. A Lady's job is to help him fit into a world unaware of his secret society. The Lord does not get to choose who he spends the rest of his life with. But there is always an exception to the rule. And I just so happen to be his.

I VOW. YOU VOW. WE VOW.

I was to wed a Lord of my parents' choosing. Wealth can't buy you everything or I would have had freedom years ago. Instead, my strict parents made sure I lived a dull life in a mansion resembling a prison.

But on my wedding day, I was handed over to another man- an even more ruthless Lord that my family hated.

Tyson Riley Crawford only wanted me for his revenge. I'm nothing more than a debt to be paid. I didn't have a say in the matter. So when I said my vows before the congregation, I knew I'd break them. Consequences be damned.

Too bad I underestimated my husband and didn't realize he was more determined to punish me than I was to succeed at escaping. He'll make me choke on those words I used to bind myself to him.

Yet even he couldn't have seen what our future held. Ultimately, we're all just pawns in a game that none of us can win unless you're willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice... and even that may not be enough."

My Rating: 4.5/5

Before we get into it, this is a dark romance. It's messed up and has a lot of things that may not be for everyone. I highly recommend reading a trigger warning list before you start any books in this series. This one was my favourite so far in the series. It leaned into our main character's life story and after seeing Tyson in the first two books, it was exciting to see within his world with the Lords. The plot twists in this one were exactly the overtop thing I needed and the smut was insane.

I look forward to continuing the series and learning more about Carnage. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

Title: The Prince and The Dressmaker

Author: Jen Wang

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult, Fantasy,

Pages: 277

Publisher: First Second

Year Published: 2018

Format: Paperback Copy (Library)

"Paris, at the dawn of the modern age:

Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride- or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia- the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!

Sebastian's secret weapon is his brilliant dressmaker, Frances- his best friend and one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone's secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect her friend?

Jen Wang weaves an exuberantly romantic tale of identity, young love, are, and family. A fairy tale for any age."

My Rating: 5/5

This was a perfect refresher of a graphic novel for me. It was light, it was fun, but it also had a beautiful coming-of-age story. The way the artist tells the story is beautiful and the ending had me smiling. I would gladly read something else by the author. A perfect palate cleanser for an older audience or a coming-of-age story for young adults. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The London Seance Society by Sarah Penner

Title: The London Seance Society

Author: Sarah Penner

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Adult

Pages: 352

Publisher: Park Row

Year Published: 2023

Format: Audiobook

"A spellbinding tale about two daring women who hunt for truth and justice in the perilous art of conjuring the dead.

1873. At an abandoned chateau on the outskirts of Paris, a dark seance is about to take place, led by acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D'Allaire. Known worldwide for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims to ascertain the identities of the people who killed them, she is highly sought after by widows and investigators alike.

Lenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister's death, but to do so, she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy. But as the women team up with the powerful men of London's exclusive Seance Society to solve the mystery, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves..."

My Rating: 2/5

After reading The Lost Apothecary by this author I was quick to pick up this one once it was available at my library. Unfortunately, it didn't give me the same feelings as her debut. The characters didn't grab my attention as quickly and the concept wasn't what I expected it to be. It was fun, but I felt that I knew where we were going from fairly early on. If you are looking for a historical mystery with twists and turns everywhere this might not be for you. If you are in it for the historical ideas about seances I think it would be a great pick for you. I don't think this book was for me but I hope that others find enjoyment in Sarah Penner's writing. 

-Sidny

Book Review: My Sweet Audrina by VC Andrews

Title: My Sweet Audrina

Author: VC Andrews

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Horror, Adult Fiction

Pages: 403

Publisher: Pocket Books

Year Published: 1982

Format: Physical Copy

"VC Andrews, author of the phenomenally successful Dollanganger series, has created a fascinating new cast of characters in this haunting story of love and deceit, innocence and betrayal, and the suffocating power of parental love.

Audrina Adare wanted so to be as good as her sister. She knew her father could not love her as he loved her sister. Her sister was so special, so perfect- and dead.

Now she will come face with the dangerous, terrifying secret that everyone knows. Everyone except....

My Sweet Audrina."

DNF @ 60%

My Rating: 1/5

I bought this book after I read Flowers in the Attic when I was in high school and finally decided to pick it up. This book did NOT age well. While I understand that language choices have changed over the past 40 years, I'm curious how this book was reprinted in 2011. I'm also curious as to how people didn't see where the twist was. After reading the first chapter I was pretty sure I knew exactly what was going to happen and after reading the spark notes I was correct about the twist. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Secretly Yours by Tessa Bailey

Title: Secretly Yours

Author: Tessa Bailey

Series/Standalone: A Vine Mess Duology (Book #1)

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Adult Fiction

Pages: 384

Publisher: Avon

Year Published: 2023

Format: Audiobook

"A steamy new rom-com about a starchy professor and the bubbly neighbor he clashes with at every turn...

Hallie Wlech fell hard for Julian Vos at fourteen, after they almost kissed in the dark vineyards of his family's winery. Now the prodigal hottie has returned to their small town. When Hallie is hired to revamp the gardens on the Vos estate, she wonders if she'll finally get that smooch. But the grumpy professor isn't the teenager she remembers and their polar opposite personalities clash spectacularly. One wine-fueled girls' night later, Hallie can't shake the sense that she did something reckless- and then she remembers the drunken secret admirer letter she left for Julian. Oh shit. 

On sabbatical from his ivy league job, Julian plans to write a novel. But having Hallie gardening right outside his window is the ultimate distraction. She's eccentric, chronically late, often literally covered in dirt- and so unbelievably beautiful, he can't focus on anything else. Until he finds an anonymous letter sent by a woman from his past. Even as Julian wonders about this admirer, he's sucked further into Hallie's orbit. Like the flowers she plants all over town, Hallie is a burst of color in Julian's gray-scale life. For a man who irons his socks and runs on tight schedules, her sunny chaotic energy makes zero sense. But there's something so familiar about her... and her very presence is turning his world upside down.

My Rating: 3.5/5

I think this is a really fun contemporary read with fantastic steamy scenes. Tessa Bailey does an excellent job of making unique characters that you can visualize with their own unique voice. I also appreciate that they have struggles that are relatable. The steamy scenes in this one were perfect, and I look forward to reading the next one! How can a marriage of convenience go wrong?

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Title: Heir of Fire

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Series/Standalone: Throne of Glass (Book #3)

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Pages: 576

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Year Published: 2014

Format: Paperback Copy (Own It)

First Line: "God, it was boiling in this useless excuse for a kingdom."

"Celaena has survived deadly contests and shattering heartbreak- but at an unspeakable cost. Now, she must travel to a new land to confront her darkest truth... a truth about her heritage that could change her life-and her future- forever. Meanwhile, brutal and monstrous forces are gathering on the horizon, intent on enslaving her world. Will Celaena find the strength to not only fight her inner demons, but to take on the evil that is about to be unleashed?"

My Rating: 4.75/5

This book really upped the ante from the last two. After taking a break from the novella, I was able to dive back into the world. I found that this book was able to bridge the gap between very YA vs. only a bit of YA. I loved the different plotlines we were following, I also found that some of the plot twists were able to surprise me which hadn't happened much if at all in previous books. I loved the new characters we met and I look forward to continuing the series soon. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny