Monday, March 18, 2019

Buzzword Readathon TBR: Round 3

The 3rd round of the Buzzword readathon started today and the main word was When. Then 5 other words were included, so we have Who, What, When, Where, How and Why. I have 6 books chosen to read this week and to be honest, I do not know how many I am going to read. I was excited about all of them and now I am only looking forward to maybe 2 of them. I am going to definitely read those 2 but I am not going to push myself to read the rest if I don't want to. Plus another reason is that I have another book that I am doing a blog tour on and I am wanting to read it now. 








Wednesday, March 13, 2019

BLOG TOUR: The Everlasting Rose by Dhonielle Clayton


I am excited to announce that I will be helping Rockstar Book Tours host a tour spot for The Everlasting Rose, the sequel to The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton.


Title: THE EVERLASTING ROSE (The Belles #2)
Author: Dhonielle Clayton
Pub. Date: March 5, 2019
Publisher: Freeform
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook
Pages: 352
Find it: GoodreadsAmazonAudibleB&NiBooksTBD

SummaryIn this sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller, Camille, her sister Edel, and her guard and new love Remy must race against time to find Princess Charlotte. Sophia's Imperial forces will stop at nothing to keep the rebels from returning Charlotte to the castle and her rightful place as queen. With the help of an underground resistance movement called The Iron Ladies-a society that rejects beauty treatments entirely-and the backing of alternative newspaper The Spider's Web, Camille uses her powers, her connections and her cunning to outwit her greatest nemesis, Sophia, and restore peace to Orleans. 


Review: The anticipation I have had for this book was through the roof once I got done with the first book. The cliffhanger of her escaping with her guard and heading straight to where her sister Edel was hiding all along. Even though it is smaller than the first and that is understandable through the author's note, it still includes the suspense and thrill of what if's. Princess Sofia, now Queen Sofia is still a major b"itch. There has to be a third book in this series. This story is definitely not over yet and I can feel it in my bones that a third book will definitely blow us all away.


Title: THE BELLES (The Belles #1)
Author: Dhonielle Clayton
Pub. Date: February 6, 2018
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 448
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook
Find it: GoodreadsAmazonB&NiBooksTBD

Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.

But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision. 

With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever. 

Dhonielle Clayton (“Dhon” like “Don” or “Dawn”) spent most of her childhood under her grandmother’s dining room table with a stack of books.
She hails from the Washington, D.C. suburbs on the Maryland side, but now lives in New York City. She was an extremely fussy and particular child with an undying love for Cheerios (honey nut only), pink lemonade, and frosted animal cookies. A self-proclaimed school nerd, she loved covering her books with brown paper and filled her locker with Lisa Frank stickers. She loved putting headings on her homework, odd-looking pens and freshly sharpened pencils, and numerous notebooks to fill with her research. On most Saturdays you could find her with her equally nerdy Dad at Crown Books and then the comic bookstore where she stocked up on her weekly reading material. Plus, she was so spoiled that her grandfather took her to the library after school almost daily.

She attended Our Lady of Good Counsel High School because her parents thought Catholic school would keep her out of trouble. She went to Wake Forest University, and studied pre-med until she received a fateful F in Chemistry. This setback prompted her to change her major to English, and earned a BA. She rediscovered her love of children’s fiction by re-reading Harriet the Spy, which pushed her to earn an MA in Children’s Literature from Hollins University and an MFA Writing for Children at the New School.

She taught secondary school for several years – at a pre-professional ballet academy and a private K-8 school. She spent most of her twenties in and out of America – living in London, Paris, a small Japanese town, Bermuda – and wandering the planet. She’s been on five out of seven continents, and has grand plans to reach all of them.

She is a former elementary and middle school librarian, and co-founder of CAKE Literary, a creative kitchen whipping up decadent – and decidedly diverse – literary confections for middle grade, young adult, and women’s fiction readers. She is also COO of the non-profit We Need Diverse Books.

What’s next? She will be enrolling in culinary school in New York City and plans to open up a restaurant in the city of her soul, Edinburgh, Scotland.



Giveaway Details: International
3 winners will receive a finished copy of THE EVERLASTING ROSE, US Only.

Ends on April 2nd at Midnight EST!



Rafflecopter Link:

Tour Schedule:
Week One:
3/1/2019- JrsbookreviewsReview

Week Two:
3/4/2019- Lisa Loves LiteratureReview
3/5/2019- PopthebutterflyReview
3/5/2019- YABC- Excerpt
3/6/2019- Moonlight RendezvousReview
3/7/2019- Feed Your Fiction AddictionReview
3/8/2019- What A Nerd Girl SaysReview

Week Three:
3/11/2019- A Gingerly ReviewReview
3/12/2019- Wonder StruckReview
3/13/2019- Lifestyle Of MeReview
3/14/2019- Pacific Northwest BookwormReview
3/15/2019- Jena Brown WritesReview

Week Four:
3/18/2019- Life of a Literary NerdReview
3/19/2019- Novel NoviceExcerpt
3/20/2019- Here's to Happy EndingsReview
3/21/2019- Ex LibrisReview
3/22/2019- BookHounds YAExcerpt

Week Five:
3/25/2019- Eli to the nthReview
3/26/2019- Smada's Book SmackReview
3/27/2019- Confessions of a YA ReaderReview
3/28/2019- YA Book NerdReview
3/29/2019- Falling for YAExcerpt

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

BLOG TOUR: Delilah Dirk by Tony Cliff


Rockstar Book Tours is hosting a 3 week tour for the Delilah Dirk graphic novels.



Title: DELILAH DIRK AND THE TURKISH LIEUTENANT (Delilah Dirk #1)
Author: Tony Cliff
Pub. Date: August 27, 2013
Publisher: First Second
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 176
Find it: GoodreadsAmazonB&NiBooksTBD

SummaryLovable ne'er-do-well Delilah Dirk has travelled to Japan, Indonesia, France, and even the New World. Using the skills she's picked up on the way, Delilah's adventures continue as she plots to rob a rich and corrupt Sultan in Constantinople. With the aid of her flying boat and her newfound friend, Selim, she evades the Sultan's guards, leaves angry pirates in the dust, and fights her way through the countryside. For Delilah, one adventure leads to the next in this thrilling and funny installment in her exciting life.

A little bit Tintin, a little bit Indiana Jones, Delilah Dirk is a great pick for any reader looking for a smart and foolhardy heroine... and globetrotting adventures.


Review: Delilah Dirk is a bad ass English woman who gives a big "F" you to the social requirements of being a proper Enligh lady. She can take down an army of big strong Turkish men and walk away hips swaying and off on to the next big job ahead of her.

Delilah also drags along a new sidekick, Mr. Selim who is or was in the Turkish army as a Lieutenant. He also becomes her co-pilot aboard her flying boat.



Title: DELILAH DIRK AND THE KINGS SHILLING (Delilah Dirk #2)
Author: Tony Cliff
Pub. Date: March 8, 2016
Publisher: First Second
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Pages: 272
Find it: GoodreadsAmazonB&NiBooksTBD

SummaryGlobetrotting troublemaker Delilah Dirk and her loyal friend Selim are just minding their own business, peacefully raiding castles and traipsing across enemy lines, when they attract the unwanted attention of the English Army. Before they know it, Delilah and Selim have gotten themselves accused of espionage against the British crown!

Delilah will do whatever it takes to clear her good name, be it sneaking, skirmishing, or even sword fighting... But can she bring herself to wear a pretty dress and have a nice cup of tea with her mother? Delilah Dirk may be defeated at last. By tulle...in Tony Cliff's Delilah Dirk and the King's Shilling.




Title: DELILAH DIRK AND THE PILLARS OF HERCULES (Delilah Dirk #3)
Author: Tony Cliff
Pub. Date: August 7, 2018
Publisher: First Second
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Pages: 249
Find it: GoodreadsAmazonB&NiBooksTBD

SummaryHaving survived a close shave in England, where she was falsely accused of spying for the French, Delilah has set out with her companion Selim for more agreeable adventures in central Asia. But when she stumbles on an artifact that may be a clue about the location of the legendary third pillar of Hercules, Delilah and Selim are drawn back to Europe on an Indiana-Jones-style archeological caper that pits her against a ruthless enemy . . . and forces her to team up with the most unlikely partner of all time: her sworn enemy, Jason Merrick, the man who framed her for espionage!

From vast forgotten underground cities to an elaborate and shocking double-cross, Delilah Dirk and the Pillars of Hercules brings all the drama and excitement that fans of the series crave.




Tony Cliff – a life-long resident of Vancouver, British Columbia – began his comics work as a contributor to the Flight series of anthologies. His first major published work, Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant, is a NYT Bestseller, a Publishers' Weekly Best of 2013, and was nominated for Eisner, Shuster, and Harvey awards. Delilah Dirk and the Third Pillar of Hercules will be the third book in the series, following 2016's similarly well-received The King's Shilling. He is strongly opposed to bios that conclude with one quirky attempt at humour.


Giveaway Details:
3 lucky winners will win all 3 books in the DELILAH DIRK Series, US Only.



Giveaway Link:

Tour Schedule:
Week One:
3/8/2019- Character Madness and MusingsInterview

Week Two:
3/11/2019- Eli to the nthReview
3/12/2019- Lifestyle Of MeReview
3/13/2019- Novel NoviceReview
3/14/2019- A Dream Within A DreamExcerpt
3/15/2019- The Layaway DragonReview

Week Three:
3/18/2019- Smada's Book SmackReview
3/19/2019- BookHounds YAExcerpt
3/20/2019- Adventures Thru WonderlandReview
3/21/2019- Christen Krumm, WriterReview
3/22/2019- Bibliobibuli YAInterview

Week Four:
3/25/2019- Kelly P's BlogExcerpt
3/26/2019- HauntedbybooksReview
3/27/2019- Lone Tree ReviewsExcerpt
3/28/2019- Twirling Book PrincessExcerpt
3/29/2019- Lisa-Queen of RandomSpotlight

Sunday, March 10, 2019

Review: Sphinx's Princess by Esther Friesner


I have always been fascinated by Ancient Egypt and wanted to know everything there is. Anytime there is a new mummy or tomb discovery on the news, I eat that up like candy. Samantha is also very obsessed with Ancient Egypt and I know that if she reads this, she will love it just as much as I liked it.

We follow Nefertiti as a young child. The book starts out with her having constant nightmares about lions chasing her and eating her in the Red Lands. She tells her father Ay, who is one of the Pharaohs advisers and the sister to Queen Tiye, the Great Royal Wife.

Nefertiti shows every adult around her that she is not going to be forced to marry and have babies. She wants more out from her life and she learns to read and write in secret. Eventually, the Queen demands the the family come to the palace and "forces" a betrothal of Nefertiti and the Queen's son/ Nefertiti's cousin Thutmos. He is the crown prince and he is a little asshole who cares about nothing except his cat and allying himself with the high priests once he is Pharaoh.

I started reading this book on International Women's Day and there were a lot of inequality of the sexes. Obviously, that was how it was back then. The men whole heartedley believed that women were only good for having sons and taking care of the house. Also, Nefertiti was a bad ass. She didn't take shit from any of the men. She held her ground and did a lot of damn back talk to the Queen.

I give this a 3 stars because I was kind of bored in the beginning. Once she got to Thebes and the palace, then it starts getting interesting and it became mysterious and thrilling. I did research Nefertiti while I was reading to see if any of it was historically accurate and it was. The crown Prince was named Thutmos. He did have a cat. I enjoyed it enough to go ahead and request the second book from the library.

Thursday, March 7, 2019

Review: Voices From Chernobyl by Svetlana Alexievich


My nonfiction pick for March. This was a collection of interviews from everyone that experienced the nuclear disaster of Chernobyl first hand. The author is Ukrainian born and she interviews former soldiers, government officials, mothers, fathers, elderly, nurses, children.

We learn that at first they didn't know what radiation was and they kept on with their routines and eating the food growing in their gardens. Playing in the road and kicking up dust. When the villages were beginning to be evacuated, they thought it was another war.

That was one of the confusing things while reading this. There wasn't a natural flow to how the interviews were placed. There were interviews about having kids and sex. The next would be how the government was blaming the west for causing a panic and that it wasn't that bad. The next would be all of the deaths due to the radiation poisoning. They also talked about the war, which one is not mentioned. It could have been WW2 because of the multiple mentions of Auschwitz and camps, or it could have been the cold war and the mentions of Leningrad, and Stalin.

I don't know what I was exactly expecting from this book. Maybe a more in depth look into what actually happened, but the eye witness accounts and how people didn't want to leave and how much vodka they drank because they really believed that the vodka would cure the radiation.

Saturday, March 2, 2019

Review: Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes


Finally giving this book a proper read now that I am an adult and have a little more sense and knowledge about the world. Back in 6th or 7th grade, I don't really remember, this book was on a list of summer reading that I had to do. This was the first book on the list and I chose it because I didn't care. I didn't finish the book, I only got 40 pages in before putting it down and I never did the assignment.

I was turned off by the writing style and how the character talked and now that I am aware of how it is supposed to be, I was not as bothered by it and it made for a quick read. Also, the multiple uses of the "R" word really bothered me as a kid and even now.

We follow Charlie Gordon who is mentally handicapped. He gets put through a testing process and is deemed good enough to have this operation to boost his IQ level from 70 to 160+. The doctors have already performed this operation on a mouse named Algernon and he becomes Charlie's friend and common friend.

We see Charlie become intelligent and become a genius and learn more about himself and the people and the world around him. He starts losing friends when he starts questioning every thing and then things take a turn for the worst.

This book had me all in my feelings. This was written in the 60's when it was socially acceptable to lock or hide away all of the mentally handicapped people in state run homes, hospitals and institutions. Growing up in the 90's and 00's, kids were so freaking mean to the special kids and in my high school years, that attitude flipped a complete 180 and they became the popular group in school and everyone loved them and they were included and not hidden away in a classroom.

I was infuriated with Charlie's mother. She was such a bitch and didn't care about her child. She just cared about how people saw her. When her daughter was born, she didn't want Charlie around. Well Karma got her back. The last page of the book made me cry and I felt so destroyed. it felt like I was watching the movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button all over again.

Friday, March 1, 2019

March TBR

I don't have a lot on my TBR this month for two reasons. Last month's was completely unrealistic and I on read half of what I put on my TBR and the second reason is I am going to be taking part in the 3 round of the Buzzword Readathon again this month and I have a TBR set aside for that because Lala has included multiple buzzwords this time. These are the ones I am going to try to get to before the Buzzword read a thon starts.










Review: Is This A Cry For Help by Emily Austin

  DNF at 40%. I could not continue this whiplash. I was expecting some big drama surrounding the ex but finding out that she broke up with h...