A Blade so Black by L. L. McKinney

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Available Now

Reader Friends, I screwed up. Again. I had access to a smoking good sale last fall and bought a copy of A Blade so Black because the cover was gorgeous and it sounded amazing.

And then it sat on my YA shelf, looking gorgeous, until this month.

Why do I always wait so long to read these amazing books? The world may never know.

A Blade so Black is an action packed, modern retelling of Alice in Wonderland. Alice is 17, I think, attends high school, has an extremely tight knit group of friends, and slays Nightmares in Wonderland by night. Slays with swords and daggers. This is by far the most badass retelling of Alice in Wonderland I've ever read. Now, even though Alice has become a tough Dreamwalker, aka Nightmare killer, she still has an equally tough single mother who is incredibly protective of Alice. For good reason-Alice's father passed away leaving her a single mother and an innocent high school girl named Brionne was shot down by the police near their neighborhood. Mama is justifiably stressed.

I really loved how McKinney gives us a look at how complex being the hero can be. Alice is juggling friends, homework, house chores, and saving the universe. She's also ruining her clothes and shoes without an endless Tony Stark budget to replace them. And those friends of hers? Time runs differently when she crosses over to Wonderland which means she is always looking like a flake and missing out on plans. Sometimes, the most important plans get missed.

The world-building is incredible. It was so much fun to read how McKinney reimagines Lewis Carroll's original world. Classic characters come to life in new and exciting ways, and far more inclusive ways. Alice is a gorgeous, cosplaying black girl with a head full of smarts and the Mad Hatter? A hottie who trains her and runs a pub with Maddi, or that sleepy, slightly drunk critter from the original book. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum? Hottie Russian twins. Lots of hotness in this book.

Overall, this book was just what I was needing: an action packed adventure with amazing characters. I loved this retelling and I can't wait to see what happens in the next book because this one had one heck of a cliffhanger!

If you would like a copy for yourself, you can grab one here:

More from L. L. McKinney:

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As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Also, remember any mistakes and opinions are always my own, even if I bought the book with my own money and just read it last night.

The Mystwick School of Musicraft by Jessica Khoury

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Available Now

361 pages

978-1-328-62563-2

If you have a Harry Potter fan in your life, they will love this book! Set in a magical school, students learn how to conduct spells using musical instruments. Literally playing songs to make trees grow and clouds to rain. I love it!

Amelia Jones has one goal: be admitted to the prestigious Mystwick School of Musicraft, the same school her mother attended. But Amelia’s grandmother doesn’t want her to have anything to do with magic, magic that may have caused her daughter’s death. Growing up without parents has been extremely hard on Amelia and she uses that grief to focus on her magic and being the best flute player the school has ever seen.

After a disastrous audition, Amelia is convinced she will never attend the elite magical school, but a last minute acceptance letter is her dream come true. Like any school, magical or not, making new friends can be tricky and trying to make new friends in such a competitive environment is nearly impossible. When Amelia finds herself at odds with her roommate, she doesn’t hold out any hope for a fun and exciting school year. A mysterious force appears to want Amelia to fail and the truth about her admittance nearly causes Amelia to be expelled. Amelia must use all of her gifts, and some help from higher powers, to make it through the school year, and save the school.

This is such a fun book! Mystwick really focuses on Amelia’s struggles to fit in at an elite school and find her true self. Her mother was a powerful musician and Amelia is constantly comparing herself to a mother she has never met and has set impossible goals for herself. Jessica Khoury has a created a story that shows the different ways that grief can affect children and the pressure that can be unknowingly placed on them.

Mystwick is full of fun school hijinks and pranks. There’s secret societies, impossible teachers, classes on mountain tops, and friendships that survive through thick and thin. Not going to lie, I bought this book for my Library based on the cover and title, and I’m so glad I did. It’s a really fun magical adventure that any middle grade reader will love.

If you would like a copy for yourself, you can find one here:

More from Jessica Khoury (Middle Grade):

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Close Up by Amanda Quick

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Available Now

Book 4 of the Burning Cove series

I have a longtime relationship with the author that goes by so many names: Amanda Quick, Jayne Ann Krentz, and Jayne Castle. When I learned I was pregnant with my son, I was already off for the summer and took “resting” to a whole new level. I started at the beginning of the Jayne Ann Krentz shelf at the Library and worked my way, one to two books per day, through the Library’s entire collection. When I exhausted that section, I found her other pen names and worked my way through them. When I discovered that she did three book arcs throughout all three pen names, I had to start those over and read them as trilogies. I have an entire shelf in my private library dedicated to signed copies I ordered from Seattle bookstores. She doesn’t know it, but I love her.

I know exactly what I’m getting when I pick up one of her books and this book did not disappoint.

Close Up by Amanda Quick is the fourth installment in the Burning Cove series. Vivian Brazier is a talented photographer with dreams of becoming a famous art photographer. When her wealthy family cuts financial ties with her after walking away from a respectable and lucrative marriage proposal, Vivian is forced to take portrait appointments and crime scene photos to pay the bills. The mysterious Dagger Killer is on the loose and Vivian's crime scene photos provide insight to the local police force but also place Vivian in grave danger. When a private investigator named Nick Sundridge, and his gentle giant of a dog Rex, show up on her doorstep and declare her life is in danger, Vivian is not only shocked, but also not really surprised. With some reassurances from a police detective, Vivian and Nick work together to expose the threat against at Vivian and also, to expose the attraction between them.

I'm a longtime reader of Amanda Quick and have enjoyed all of the different story lines that are woven together to create the Arcane Society world. In Close Up, Quick provides us more clues to the range of psychical gifts found in certain people and the their connections to different members of the Society. Devoted readers of Quick, and her other pseudonyms, will not be disappointed in this high stakes adventure full of 1930's glamour, set in the highbrow world of the arts.

Interested in your own copy? You can get yours here:




More in the Burning Cove series:



Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title, all opinions and mistakes are my own.





New Releases for May 5, 2020

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Happy Tuesday!

Hello all! It's your weekly reminder that today is Tuesday. I promise, it's Tuesday. Books are still releasing, the sun is shining, it's time to start the garden, so all is as ok as it can be right now. This week, we have a new Amanda Quick which I was very excited about, new Katherine Applegate, and more great new books. As of the creation of this post, all titles were still scheduled to release today but always check the dates in the links for the most up to date information. You can find out more about each title by clicking on the covers.

For the Kids:

For the Adults:

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

New Releases for April 28, 2020

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Happy Tuesday!

I swear it’s Tuesday, it may not feel like it, but it is. Publishing has gone all wonky and bananas so when I made this, the dates were accurate. Books are getting new release dates nearly everyday so double check before you purchase. Here’s your weekly round-up of new releases available today. Hit up your local indie or click on the covers for a Kindle link or more information about each title.

Happy Reading!

For the Kids:

For the Grown-ups:

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Don't Overthink It by Anne Bogel

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Available Now

I have been a longtime listener of the book podcast What Should I Read Next and if you haven't heard it yet, I highly recommend it. For several years now, I have trusted Anne and her soft, perfect for radio voice, to provide me with quality books in genres I don't typically read. Anne is a big believer in how learning about your personality type can help you better understand yourself and has written a book on called Reading People. Her second book, I'd Rather be Reading, is a love letter to readers everywhere about the joys of falling in love with books.

When Anne announced on her podcast that she had a third book coming out, I instantly preordered it. And just to throw this out there,  she's a mom of 4 kids, runs a podcast, a website, and teaches online classes. How does she do it all? I'm ready for her to write that book!

Don't Overthink It is full of sound advice backed by research on how to stop stressing about decisions and instead, trust our instincts and experiences to guide us into making the right decision for us. Anne gives us examples from her own life on how the stress of overthinking decisions can lead to fatigue, exasperation, and spending time stressing instead of enjoying our lives.

With our world in such a state of chaos right now, I found this book to be the calming influence I need right now. School is cancelled for at least the next month which means now we're doing remote learning. Should I have The Kid stick to his regular school day schedule or be more flexible? Will being flexible lead to us not getting all of his work done in a timely manner? Would it better to spend the day hiking-far from other people in a remote park-or spend hours on the computer completing math and science assignments? How much screen time is too much? It can be overwhelming or I can trust his teachers will be understanding about the differing needs of families and know that not everything will get done on the day it's scheduled. One should never pass up the chance to go hiking in a park that is miraculously empty of people. That bottle calf named Mae Belle who joined the farm last week, she'll be the best teacher of consistency and needing to follow schedules because that little girl lets you know when she is hungry! She can just as easily teach him patience and empathy as any of his Social Emotional assignments can.

Don’t Overthink It allowed me the confidence to trust my instincts and quit stressing about the small stuff.  And, even some of the big stuff.

I thoroughly enjoyed this title and if you would like a copy for yourself, you can get yours here:


You can find more about Anne Bogel's podcast here:

https://modernmrsdarcy.com/what-should-i-read-next/

You can find more about Anne Bogel here:

https://modernmrsdarcy.com/

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New Releases for April 21, 2020

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Happy Tuesday!

I promise it’s Tuesday. It may not feel like Tuesday, but it is. My days have been a blur and a never ending cycle of laundry, dishes, feeding animals, and making sure The Kid stays alive. One bright spot in my week-New Book Day! It’s my favorite day of the week and this week is no exception. Here’s a round up of titles releasing today.

Happy Reading!

Grown-ups can go first this week:

For the kids:



By purchasing through the links, I earn from qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate.

New Releases for April 14, 2020

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Happy Tuesday!

New release day is about the only thing helping me keep track of what day it is. With The Kid out of school for the near future and the Library closed, there really isn’t a difference between Monday or Friday. Luckily for all of us, new books are still being released every week. With that said, release dates are changing for some titles, and I did my best to double check that each book featured here is actually being released today. Click on the covers for more information about each title.

For the Kids:

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Conjure Women by Afia Atakora

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Available April 7, 2020

Conjure Women is a dark and beautifully written story about the power of women in a dark time in history. Set in the American South, Conjure Women spans generations to tell the history of three women living on the same plantation. May Belle, a powerful healing woman with the power to conjure curses has taught her daughter Rue the secrets of their position. When Rue's friendship with the master's daughter Varian threatens her safety, May Belle does what she can to protect her daughter. Those actions will change the women's lives forever.

This is a haunting story of family and the lengths we will go to protect the ones we love. Told in alternating points of view, the story unfolds slowly to reveal an intricately laid plan of revenge, hope, and fierce loyalty. The writing is incredibly beautiful and compelling, insisting the reader digests each word before moving on to the next. Atakora paints a vivid picture of village life and the complexities of the healer's place in society. Both feared and revered, May Belle and Rue both in their times, do their very best to keep the villagers safe and calm during the most trying times. When the villagers turned on Rue, I was so invested in her safety and well-being that I couldn't put the book down. I had to know how her story ended and learn the secrets of her tumultuous relationship with her mother.

Richly written, Conjure Women is a compelling story of family, loyalty, and closely held secrets. Best part, this Afia Atakora's first novel. I look forward to seeing more from this amazing author.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title.  All opinions and mistakes are my own.

If you would like a copy of Conjure Women for yourself, and help support the site, you can do so here:

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Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

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Available Now

This book was the perfect comfort read during the shelter-in-place order issued by our governor.  I was looking for something that guaranteed a happily ever after with lots of fun and snark, and this book delivered on all points.

After a near death experience, Chloe Brown decides her safe and decidedly dull life needs some excitement. Creating a list of experiences that are sure to make her future eulogy far more interesting, Chloe is determined to check each box on the list-as soon as she feels up to it.  Struggling with fibromyalgia and chronic pain, Chloe spends much of her time managing her pain level and symptoms. When her seemingly prickly, but incredible handsome building superintendent Red finds her in a tree helping a scared kitten, the two set out on an unlikely friendship. Trading business consulting for help completing her list, Red and Chloe discover there is no way their relationship can remain strictly professional. Falling in love with a passionate artist wasn't on Chloe's list, but sometimes exceptions just have to be made.

This book is so good! This is one of those books that is equal parts light-hearted and emotional growth. Talia Hibbert does an excellent job at balancing out the hurt and trauma from horrible past relationships and the need and desire to be happy and live a full life.  The dialogue between Chloe and Red was perfect, and one of my favorite parts is the email exchange between the two discussing Red's website. Red has only ever seen Chloe at her less than best so to watch him draw out the fun and sassy side of her was incredibly entertaining. I also found everything so relatable-nothing was ever over the top or felt unnecessary. The story moves quickly with lots of insight into Chloe's daily life. I really loved how much care Hibbert took in describing the different ways that Chloe has had to adapt to her ever changing body and it's unpredictable aches and pains. As someone who has dealt with chronic pain for over six years, I understand how hard it is to balance out being clear minded but in pain, or being pain free but feeling high as a kite. It's hard to make a good impression on anyone when you're constantly exhausted and hurting. Red was so accepting of Chloe's needs and was just the most perfect, handsome, sexy artist.

Insert deep sigh here.

It's just a perfect book. That's it, that's the review. It's perfect. Get it, read it, tell me what you think of it.

I'm using this time of staying at home to balance out  my bookshelves.  I'm slowly working my way through my unread Book of the Month shelf and enjoying every minute of it.  Get a Life, Chloe Brown was my November 2019 pick and again, why did I wait to read it??? If you're interested in starting up a Book of the  Month membership, you can help us both out by using this link: https://www.mybotm.com/5f24d9c326b8?show_box=true

If you'd like a copy for yourself, and help support the site, you can grab one here:

More from Talia Hibbert:

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As always, purchasing through the links helps support the site as I am a member of the Amazon Associate Program.