Review: Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, & Lauren Myracle

Title: Let It Snow
Authors: John Green, Maureen Johnson, & Lauren Myracle
Format: Paperback, 352 pages
Pub. Date: October 2nd 2008
Source: Goodwill


Book Description:

An ill-timed storm on Christmas Eve buries the residents of Gracetown under multiple feet of snow and causes quite a bit of chaos. One brave soul ventures out into the storm from her stranded train and sets off a chain of events that will change quite a few lives. Over the next three days one girl takes a risky shortcut with an adorable stranger, three friends set out to win a race to the Waffle House (and the hash brown spoils), and the fate of a teacup pig falls into the hands of a lovesick barista.

A trio of today's bestselling authors - John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle- brings all the magic of the holidays to life in three hilarious and charming interconnected tales of love, romance, and kisses that will steal your breath away.

Review:

★★

This book has been on my to-read list for such a long time. When it snowed shortly after Halloween in my neck of the woods, I figured it was the perfect time to get in the jingle bell spirit. I wish I hadn't.

This book is divided into three different short stories, so I'll give three tiny reviews of each one.


Starting this anthology off is Maureen Johnson's story titled "The Jubilee Express". This was easily my favorite of the three. It involves a girl named Jubilee who has to head to Florida for the holidays when her parents are arrested, only to find that her train is snowed in too.

It's definitely not a realistic story, but it's Christmas so I can ignore that. The romance plot is super cute and warm and fuzzy inside. I adored that the main character stands up for herself when she realizes she is being treated badly. We could all use that type of confidence, even if it takes awhile.

I think her name is super cute, and the way it relates to both the plot of the story and the spirit of Christmas is well done.

Some things that were a little irritating was the whole "not like other girls" thing, and the fact that she's anti-cheerleader for no real reason and even has the gall to make fun of them for all being named things like Madison..... When her name is Jubilee, which she also hates for being unique? It's weird.
Maureen Johnson's story

The middle story is that of John Green, entitled "A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle". I think I was most disappointed by this story. It wasn't the worst one, but because I have read (and loved) other John Green books and had higher expectations.

The main character is awful. He keeps describing his female friend as "not a girl" and not like other girls, is one of the boys. When he finds out she's seeing another boy, he makes fun of them. Even when she asks him to stop because enough is enough, he doesn't stop. He has the type of vocabulary of "that's gay". He and his best friend are endangering all their lives for the chance to bang a cheerleader because they're so easy, coupled with slut jokes. He crashes his car and tells his parents he was carjacked because his parents have insurance, so it's all fine. He also realizes he has feelings out of seemingly nowhere. Just I see the light we are meant to be!

She's not innocent here though. She is anti-cheerleader (seriously, am I the only person on the planet whose school cheerleaders were just normal albeit pretty people?) yet she agrees to go with them (because she wants hashbrowns) and complains the whole time about going and that they're just after cheerleaders. Even though she knew that from the beginning. She clearly has feelings for the MC (lord knows why) but instead of using words, decides to be judgy and passive aggressive the whole time. She's also the type of girl who calls her friends "retarded misogynists."

Yikes. They deserve each other, but not for the way Green intended.


And last, there is Lauren Myracle's "The Patron Saint of Pigs". I didn't care for this one, but it least it (sort of?) had some personality growth.

The main character is awful. She's so self absorbed. Five people in 100 pages tell her this, and tell her she's terrible and selfish. She then supposedly has her "Christmas angel epiphany" of how she needs to change and stop being so selfish. And she sort of does? The whole story she is bossing around her boss like she's not a teenager at a Starbucks. She tells her boss (not asks) what she's doing and when she's leaving. Ha, no. And even after this "epiphany" when she comes back, she still treats her boss poorly, even though she has brought a pig (yes, literal pig!) into a CAFE. I get it, you're a teenager and all authority is bad but it's a pig in a coffee shop that is upsetting.

Speaking of Starbucks, it's mentioned so much that it sort of just started to sound like this story was sponsored. There's also a lot of pop culture references here that make the story seem really outdated. Like American Idol being all the rage, the fact that her iPod has the click wheel thing, and I would have been her age roughly in 2008 when this was first published and even I had to google what the hell an iPenguin is.

I couldn't help to be disappointed when her friends forgave her and she got the boy, to be honest.

But, at the end of this story there's a nice little wrap up that features all of the couples from the other stories too. It's a little rushed and muddled, but that's the issue with short story collections. You don't get to know anyone well enough in so few pages, and the pacing is quick.

I didn't care much for this book, and I was glad it was over. It does make me want to read more by Maureen Johnson, but that's about it.

Mini Review: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Zombies by Michael P. Spradlin

Title: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Zombies: A Book of Zombie Christmas Carols
Author: Michael P. Spradlin
Format: Paperback, 96 pages
Pub. Date: October 27th 2009
Source: Gift


Book Description:

The snow is falling, the holidays are approaching and…It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Zombies! This delightfully depraved book of classic Zombie Christmas carols by Michael P. Spradlin is guaranteed to spread Yuletide cheer to all those good boys and ghouls who devoured the monster New York Times bestsellers Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and World War Z, as well as fans of 28 Days Later and Shaun of the Dead. With an introduction by the inimitable Christopher Moore—bestselling author of Bloodsucking Fiends, You Suck, and the classic “heartwarming tale of Christmas terror” The Stupidest Angel—It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Zombies is a great gift for stuffing into a Christmas stocking…provided you remove the bloody severed foot first!

Review:

★★

This is an okay little read. As the title suggests, this is a caroling book in which classic Christmas carols that we all know and love are given a twist so that they're about zombies instead.

They're super gory, full of images of rotting flesh and extremities ripping off and words like "ooze" and "goo".

They're not particularly well done- there's a few individual lines of lyrics that are pretty funny or clever. But there's a lot of shoving extra syllables into places where they don't fit, so it's kind of hard to sing along with the lyrics even if you wanted to.

This seems to me like a book fair book, or maybe a bargain book that you see on those last-minute shelves as you are in line to check out at Barnes and Noble.

If you're a 12 year old boys who thinks that blood is cool and farts and boogers are hilarious, then godspeed. This book is for you. It's cute to read through once, but it's not something I'll remember next year, nor will I have an urge to flip through it again.

HOLIDAY REVIEW: No-one Ever Has Sex on Christmas Day by Tracy Bloom

Title: No-one Ever Has Sex on Christmas Day
Series: No-one Ever Has Sex #3
Author: Tracy Bloom
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: October 24th 2017
Source: Netgalley


Book Description:

Don’t you always plan the perfect Christmas?
Don’t you always think it will be the best one ever?
And doesn’t something – usually one of your loved ones – always come along and screw it up?

Katy’s been spending too much time in the office and not enough time with her family so she wants it all: snow (fake or real), the Michael Bublé Christmas album, whatever it takes.

There’s only one thing missing as far as her husband Ben is concerned: another baby to complete their family. Katy isn’t so sure…

Ben may be playing the role of Master Elf in the pre-school nativity but he is struggling to master his own family life. With romantically-challenged friends, an ex who refuses to go away and Katy's mum's 64-year-old toy boy thrown into the mix, Christmas looks like it could be going off the rails… Never mind family planning, can Katy and Ben even plan to make it to the end of Christmas Day?

Review:

★★

Meh.

I didn't realize that this was the third book in a series until I went to update my Goodreads progress, as it wasn't advertised as a series. Maybe that's part of why I'm not into this book.

I don't get the humor. I understood the jokes and quips.... I just wasn't laughing. When the cover of the book says "The most hilarious romantic comedy you'll read this Christmas" - that's a big promise, so I had big hopes. I was left disappointed, with a few snickers here and there but not much else.

The rest of it was just.... Well, boring. I didn't feel connected to any of the characters, nor did I particularly care for any of them. I found Katy rather selfish and irritating, while the others were kind of just... there. Not bad, not good. Just there. There was no big climax really, or much of a plot to follow. It was a light read that's easy to get through, because there's not too much to focus on.

Don't let my review dissuade you. I am clearly in the minority on this one. People are yucking it up and enjoying themselves, while I'm the lone scrooge who didn't care for it. If you've read other books in the series, maybe you'll like it more than I did. But, it's just not my cup of tea.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

HOLIDAY COUNTDOWN Mini Review: Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas by Jun Asuka!

Title: Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas
Series: Disney Manga
Author: Jun Asuka
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: October 1st 2017
Source: Tokyo POP


Book Description:

Jack Skellington is the Pumpkin King, the ruler of Halloween Town and master of all things creepy and spooky. But he's tired of his life in the shadows and longs for something new. When he accidentally stumbles upon Christmas Town, he decides this is the perfect chance to try his hand at a brand new holiday and is convinced he'll have the world yelling "Scary Christmas"! With the young patchwork doll Sally trying to dissuade him and the evil Oogie Boogie waiting in the wings to take over Halloween Town in Jack's absence, he'd better hurry if he wants to get his plan in place by December 25th! You've seen the movie, now read the manga for a new twist on an animated classic!

Review:

★★★★

Disney? Check. Halloween? Check. Manga? Check. Tim Burton? Checkity check.

There's absolutely nothing that I wouldn't like about this combination of things.

I think making a manga out of this film was a really smart idea. Tim Burton's vision and aesthetic translate really well into the style of manga. Plus, I feel like there's a huge overlap of fans of Tim Burton and fans of manga & anime- but that might just be speculation on my part.

I really like the artwork. I find that it's really well detailed, and gives you a lot to look at. It goes well with the original story, as well as the story being told in this book.

The story felt a bit off to me though. It seemed SUPER rushed. I wish it had slowed the pace a bit more, to give me a longer experience of this book.

I think this book is well done, and is good for fans of manga, Tim Burton, Nightmare Before Christmas, and Disney alike. It pays good homage, albeit with a few bumps in the road.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

HOLIDAY COUNTDOWN Review: When Santa Was a Baby by Linda Bailey

Title: When Santa Was a Baby
Illustrator: Geneviève Godbout
Author: Linda Bailey
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: October 13th 2015
Source: Netgalley


Book Description:

Santa's parents think their little one is absolutely wonderful, even though he has a booming voice instead of a baby's gurgle, loves to stand in front of the refrigerator, gives his birthday presents away, trains his hamsters to pull a matchbox sleigh ... and has an unusual interest in chimneys. The adorably funny portrait of an oddball kid who fulfills his destiny - and two very proud parents.

Review:

★★★★

This is the cutest picture book. It serves to answer a very interesting question: what was Santa like as a child?

The answer is charming, warm, and adorable. He starts finding his "Santa-ly" interests early on, from his love of red to his interest in chimneys. It's quirky and cute, and it's exactly how I'd like to think Santa would have been as a tot.

The artwork is gorgeous. The colors are bright, sure to keep a child's interest. It's detailed, and a distinct artwork that makes it look like it's a throwback to an earlier decade. It makes it seem like even more of a classic because of this style, and I'm a fan of it.

I think this is sure to be a seasonal favorite with kids who still have the wonders of Santa and Christmas in their hearts.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

HOLIDAY COUNTDOWN Review: Christmas Recipes From Five of Your Favorite Authors by Sharon Kleve, Jennifer Conner, Angela Ford, Jennifer Chambers & Elle Medler

Title: Christmas Recipes From Five of Your Favorite Authors
Authors: Sharon Kleve, Jennifer Conner, Angela Ford, Jennifer Chambers & Elle Medler
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: October 2nd 2017
Source: Author


Book Description:

5 Incredible Authors — 50 Amazing Recipes

What's better than sharing some favorite recipes for the holiday season? It brings together family traditions and love.

There is a recipe for everyone. Including: vegetarian, vegan, main courses, side dishes, drinks, and of course luscious desserts.

Review:

★★★★

What I like best about this book is that it's normal recipes for normal people. And what I mean by that, is that it's all approachable with easy to find ingredients and equipment that most of us have in our homes already. I like that.

It very much feels like it's a book of recipes handed over personally by these authors. It reminds me of the ring-bound books that you can buy used from like, Girl Scouts troops or book clubs. I feel like these recipes are well loved and it makes me more excited to try them.

There's a lot of variety in the recipes here. There's everything from entrees and desserts to sides, and even how to make your own pickles. There's also some drink recipes that, if your family is like mine, will be well used during the holidays. If you have some dietary restrictions, these lovely ladies have you covered. There are vegetarian and vegan options, as well as gluten free recipes.

The steps are short and to the point, and easy to follow.

There are photos of every dish, which I appreciate. Some photos are better than others, but I appreciate them regardless.

Some of the recipes that sounded the most delicious to me include Whiskey Glazed Sweet Potatoes, Snowdrift Bliss, and Tutti Fruitti Real Fruit Cheesecake.

If you're a fan of any of these authors, or are looking for something new to cook this season, this is a good place to start. I bookmarked quite a few dishes to try out this season, and I think you'd find some you like too.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

HOLIDAY COUNTDOWN Review: Holiday Cookies by Elisabet Der Nederlanden!

Title: Holiday Cookies: Showstopping Recipes to Sweeten the Season
Author: Elisabet Der Nederlanden
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: September 5th 2017
Source: Ten Speed Press


Book Description:

From Icebox Pinwheel Cookies to Red-and-White Meringue Kisses to Apple Cider Caramels, find new inspiration for the best of seasonal baking with Holiday Cookies.

This instant holiday classic is packed with 50 recipes, each gorgeously photographed and meticulously tested, along with dozens of decorating and packaging ideas. Filled with reimagined favorites like Giant Molasses Spice Cookies and Hazelnut Sandwich Cookies; confections like Peppermint Bark, Smoked Almond and Cacao Nib Brittle, and Dark Chocolate-Hazelnut Fudge; and detailed instructions for gorgeous gingerbread houses, cookie place cards, and edible ornaments, this is a cookie book like no other. Because the recipes are easy to scale up or down, Holiday Cookies is perfect for cookie exchanges, gift-giving, and just enjoying throughout the season. From a veteran baker and recipe developer, each cookie in this collection is guaranteed to be a stand-out, and destined to become your new Christmas classic.

Review:

★★★★ ★

This book is exactly what you want when you think of the words "Christmas cookie recipes".

The book is divided into sections including an introduction with tips, Very Merry Classics, Cookie Exchange Party, Warm Holiday Spice, Around the World, Holiday Confections, Decorated Delights, and a final note about special ingredients and resources. It's a bit muddy of a way to organize the book (what is a classic? what is easily exchanged?) but it's effective enough.

There are SO MANY recipes in this book, and 9 out of 10 of them sound fantastic to me. The steps are very straight forward and easy to follow, making this book approachable to those who might only bake come the holidays.

The variety is really wide as well. There's tried and true classics that you already love, and ones that (at least I) have never made or even eaten before. If someone in your family is picky, or has allergies, there's bound to be a recipe in here that works for you or that is easily substituted.

Not to mention that the photography is absolutely gorgeous, and very festive.

Some of the recipes that sounded the most delicious to me include Fruit Cake Shortbread, Thumbprints with Spicy Plum Jam, and Matcha Chocolate Bark with Berries and Coconut.

This is a great book for someone hoping to have a little bit more "pop" with their holiday baking.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Start of Holiday Countdown

Hey there guys and dolls.

In an effort to get myself back into the habit of blogging again, I'll be celebrating the months of November and December by counting down to the holidays, namely Thanksgiving and Christmas.

How will I be doing that? By reading and reviewing holiday season themed books!

What exactly does that mean? Well... That's a bit loose and open. I have a very lazy definition of what "holiday themed" means. Some books will be set in the fall or winter time. Some books will explicitly be about a specific holiday, like Christmas or New Years. There will also be a lot of cookbook recipes because, well, I cook like crazy during the November-January rush, and I know I can't be the only one. So I hope they help you out this season!

So pull a chair up by the fire, pour yourself a cup of chai or cocoa, and let's fall into winter together.

Love, Jillyn

Mini Review: A Touch of Christmas Magic by Scarlet Wilson

Title: A Touch of Christmas Magic
Series: Midwives On-Call at Christmas #1
Author: Scarlet Wilson
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: November 1st 2015
Source: Harlequin


Book Description:

A family to heal him?

After a rocky beginning, midwife Bonnie Reid is surprised when the head obstetrician Jacob Layton offers her and her little daughter, Freya, a place to stay. Bonnie's looking for a fresh start, but she didn't expect it to be with brooding—and totally gorgeous—Jacob…

Family life has never been an option for Jacob—especially after his recent cancer diagnosis. Yet the Christmas magic Bonnie and Freya bring into his home makes Jacob feel more alive than ever! It's supposed to be temporary, but can Jacob really let Bonnie go?

Review:

★★★★

I'm a sucker for Harlequin publications in general, but my love for them intensifies during the holiday season, when they release all of their Christmas romances. A Touch of Christmas Magic was exactly what I wanted to read during the holidays.

I really liked the English setting. The book did well to sweep you up into the, well, magic.

This book is what you've come to expect from Harlequin at Christmas. It's a really sweet read. It's full of romance and love. There's an adorable little girl. You become attached to all of the characters, and you want them to resolve all their problems and just live happily ever after already. It's just the right amount of drama and the sweet, feel-good fluff of the Christmas season.

The book is pretty well written. The characters are a bit cliche at times, but they show some dimension which is good. The writing and plot are well-paced, so you don't get bored at any one section.

If you love medical romances, Christmas romances, or romances involving adorable families, then this book is just what the doctor ordered. (Ha). I'd definitely check out the next book in this series, based on my enjoyment of this book.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Depression & Stress: Good Riddance, 2015!

Good evening, my lovely followers.

It has been too long since I've posted here. I believe my last post was in November. I am embarrassed of how far behind I am with this blog, and the promises and dates that I was unable to keep. I'd first like to apologize for that. To any author, blog tour service, blogger, or anyone else that I scheduled on my blog the past few months and was unable to deliver: I am sorry. It is unprofessional, and I hope to move forward into 2016 on good terms with all of you.

Why have I been gone?

In short? Depression is a bitch. It is something that I have been battling for over a decade. I have good days, I have bad days. This fall semester I fell into the worst "funk" I have ever been in in my entire life. I did not want to leave my bed. I did not want to leave my room. I didn't want to shower or eat or do anything. I was like a zombie; sleeping and playing Farmville. It's laughable a bit, now that I'm on a mood upswing, but it was terrible for me.

People have a misconception that depression is simply being sad. Or that it's not debilitating. That it's easy to tell someone "just shower and go to class" or "just cheer up and be happy" or the worst of them all "but you have nothing to be sad about". That is not how disorders work. I know, logically, that I am not supposed to feel this way. But depression can be crippling. The thought of doing something as little as getting out of bed to make a cup of tea seems Herculean. Which then made me feel worse, like worse a failure. Because oh my god, how useless are you, you can't even get out of bed. Which then made me more depressed. It is a vicious cycle. And it is one that I didn't get shaken out of me until the beginning of December. It started in September. That is three months of drowning in my own hatred and self-loathing. It wasn't until I saw my girlfriend, at Thanksgiving, that I started to pull out of it.

I'd like to segue off-topic for a moment to express my appreciation for the aforementioned girlfriend. I do not know what I would do without Emily. This is not just me being romantic, this is not a hypothetical "oh heavens where would I be without love!?". I honestly do not know that I would be alive. When my mind is a violent hurricane trying to tear me apart piece by piece from the inside out, she is the anchor that keeps me grounded from the storm. She is so patient, caring, and understanding of me and my disorders. I don't know how she puts up with me, or why, but I know that on more than one occasion, she has saved my life. How she sets aside her own demons in order to play with mine, I am not sure I will ever really know. I don't think I tell her enough, but I will do so here: Thank you. For dealing with my depression, my anxiety, the panic attacks, the misophonia, the compulsive acts. I'm so embarrassed by all of it, but you act like nothing is wrong with me. You make me feel like there's nothing wrong with me. And words will never be enough to thank you. But I can promise you, like you promised me with garnets and onyx, that I will live every day trying to be what you deserve. I don't know what I did in a past life to deserve you, but Christ am I glad I did it, whatever it was.

Anyway, once Thanksgiving rolled around, I started to waken. It was not unlike how you picture a bear coming out of its hibernation in the spring. It started with baby steps, and eventually I was back in the swing of things. And then came round two of panic: making sure my grades and work were okay. This involved lots of stress, a few panic attacks, and lots of lost sleep, mixed with constant meetings with professors and advisers.

I'm happy to say, my grades were great and I'm still perfectly on course to graduate. That huge stress-causer is finally lifted.

I came home to the Chicagoland, and to my family. And that was the last burst of fresh air I needed to clear away the fog. I stepped away from the computer to enjoy my family. We had relatives come in from New Jersey and, further still, from Colombia. We celebrated Christmas Eve with a nice party as we do every year. We ate tons of ham and cookies, I drank probably a bit too much Jack. We exchanged gifts on Christmas morning, where I was spoiled and blessed with much more than I anticipated. Today is New Year's Eve, and I have declined partying with friends to stay with this family that has supported me through so much. Tomorrow, my sister and I will be spending some much needed girl time exploring Chicago, seeing a play, and trying a new wine bar for dinner. And I can't wait. This Christmas has felt like the best of my life, probably because of the darkness I had been in before. The drinks seem sweeter. The lights seem brighter. The tree seems sparklier. This has been a very happy holiday indeed.

Now what does this mean for Bitches n Prose?

I will be back to my cheery old self, I hope. I am not going to jump back in all at once, but once more you will be seeing blog tours, reviews, and giveaways posted to this blog, at least once a week. That much I can promise you.

I have reviews to write in the coming days for books such as Splintered by AG Howard, Afterparty by Ann Redisch Stampler, and Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon. Some good, some bad.

And now, my readers, I want to thank you. Thank you for putting up with my staggered emails. Thank you for dealing with my moody DMs on Twitter or Instagram. Thank you for staying my followers when it would have been so easy to unfollow. Thank you for checking in on me, those of you who did, to make sure that I'm still alive and kicking.

I hope you all have a very fun and safe New Year. I hope 2016 is your best year yet. May your books be free of love triangles, may your movies be like the books, may your cocoa be rich, and your household be healthy.

Bunches of love,
Jillyn <3

Birthday Blogoversary Fangirl Bash Part One: Review of The Legend of Candy Claws by Aurelio Voltaire & GIVEAWAY!

Hello there my lovely readers. I'm kicking off a week of birthday and blogoversary fun today! My birthday is this week, and this month also marks a few years into blogging! Yay! Today's post I'm also helping to celebrate the birthday of my absolute favorite musician: Aurelio Voltaire. If you're a regular follower of my blog, that name should be familiar. I've asked for your funding help for his latest album, I've reviewed his books, and I've gushed about his concerts.

Now, he holds a special place in my heart for a few different reasons. One of them is that his music is actually what helped me and my girlfriend become friends. She was the only person I'd spoken to who'd heard of him and we discussed his music for hours. Another and more personal one is that his music helped to save my life.

I've suffered from depression for over a decade, since I was about twelve. Even then, that's only a guess as to how far back I remember it. The thing about depression is that unless you have it, you never can quite understand the toll it takes. I had friends at that age and earlier who meant the world to me, but they never quite understood, not exactly. My dad left on my birthday when I was thirteen, and it just got worse. It was the first time I remember feeling utterly alone, even when I was in a room full of people that I knew (then and now) cared about me. People kept saying "It gets better, it gets better" but have you ever said a word so often it sounds foreign to you and you don't know what it means? That's all I felt about this phrase. I struggled with self-harm. They say it's for attention. "They". But I struggled alone, making no marks visible.

I stopped caring about school and my friends. I went from the honor roll and the top of my class to F's and D's. I started camping out on the internet and talking to people on there (my now girlfriend among them), grasping at straws for someone to understand. A friend recommended in a passing conversation that I should check out a magazine called Gothic Beauty. I fell in love with this publication. It's full of music reviews and interviews and fashion and so, so much more. It was in one of these issues that I came across an interview with Voltaire. I made a habit of listening to every band featured to see if I liked them or not, and I loved Voltaire from the very first song I bought:



And I have been a listener ever since. His humor, beautiful voice, and lyrics that I related to became an integral part of my life. While I still have depression, and I have had many more ups and downs in my life, one thing that has remained constant is my love of his music. I have gone to see him twice in concert now, and at the most recent one (in November), my partner had to actually hold my hand because of the impact of one of his unreleased songs: "I Want to Hurt Whoever Hurt You." (Voltaire if you're reading this and this isn't the title, sorry!). She has told me those exact words and though it is a song personal to Voltaire himself, it struck us as well. I really don't have words to describe the impact, so I guess I'll just leave it at this:

Thank you, Captain. I hope you have a positively splendid birthday.

Now I promise, we're getting happier. Voltaire is a jack of all trades. He has done work doing stop motion animation, music, toy design, comic books, games, books, and probably way more things that I'm going to remember once I hit "submit".

About the Book:

But today, I'm going to be reviewing his latest book, the Legend of Candy Claws. I was lucky enough to get a signed copy of it for Christmas (thank you Emily).

Title: The Legend of Candy Claws
Author: Aurelio Voltaire
Illustrator: Shamine King
Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: December 25, 2014
Source: Gifted by Emily
Buy it by clicking here


Book Description:

A giant black bat takes candy from bullies on Halloween and delivers it to good little boys and girls on Christmas in this anti-bullying tale for children of all ages.

Review:

★★★★★

Before I even began reading the story, I was touched by the dedication to Sophie Lancaster. For those of you unfamiliar, she was a young women who was beaten to death by three teenage boys because she was goth. It was a story that broke my heart, and the hearts of many others, when I heard about it. It impacted so many "scenes", goth included, and she deserves a book about anti-bullying in her honor. Here's to you, Sophie.

Now for the book itself. The cover and artwork throughout the book is absolutely gorgeous. It's well detailed with great coloring and goes perfectly with the text on the page. I was previously unfamiliar with Shamine King's artwork, but I'm definitely a fan of hers now.

This book is written in rhyme, as (in my humble opinion) all Christmas stories should be. It gives the book a great rhythm and helps to keep you sucked into the book. The story telling is rich and easy to relate to- I think we have all felt like an outcast at least once in our lives, or have gotten picked on for being different. This book gives a positive message that I think we all need to hear once in a while: Hey. You're different. And you know what? That makes you wonderful. Don't listen to those who want to bring you down, because you can be happy and free without them.

I think we all lose sight of that sometimes.

I think that kids and adults alike will love this story, and I recommend it to everyone looking for a richly illustrated tale of both Christmas and Halloween in the spirit of The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Giveaway:

To help celebrate, I'm going to be giving away an Amazon copy of another one of Voltaire's books, The Call of the Jersey Devil. You can read my review of it by clicking here.



This giveaway is open to anyone who can receive gifted Kindle ebooks over the age of 16. Additional rules can be found on the Rafflecopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stacking the Shelves 75- The Double Week Christmas Edition

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where we get to show off the books we've won, bought, or otherwise received in the past week. If a book catches your eye, *click* the picture to go to the Goodreads page of that book.

Hey y'all. I hope you had a great holiday season. I have been notably absent to celebrate with my family, and with my girlfriend who came down to visit me for a week here in Chicago. I totally meant to do a post last weekend buuuut I forgot in the hurricane of making cookies, wrapping presents, and cleaning to do so. Oops! So, here's what happened (bookishly) while I was away!

New from Netgalley:
Playing Doctor by Kate Allure
Ace's Wild by Sarah McCarty
1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die by Mimi Sheraton



Fabulous Freebies:
Jimmy and Karen by Philip Andrea
City of Cruelty and Copper by Rhiannon Paille
City of Riot and Ruby by Rhiannon Paille



In My Email Inbox:
Alchemy xii - January by Tamsin Flowers (Thanks Tamsin!)



In My Mailbox:

The Keeper and the Books of Power
by Heath Amodio (Signed. Thanks Heath & Aeicha!)

Purchased:
Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies by Erin Dionne
Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
The Submissive by Tara Sue Me

Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater (Signed cover)

Gifted:

Doctor Who: Who-ology by Cavan Scott & Mark Wright
Doctor Who: The Vault: Treasures from the First 50 Years by Marcus Hearn & Steven Moffat
Doctor Who Character Encyclopedia
by Jason Loborik, Annabel Gibson, Morey Laing

Thanks Kathi & Mark!

The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman
Our Sometime Sister by Norah Labiner (Signed)

Thanks Lisa and Greg!

The Bible

Living Language Dothraki by David J. Peterson
The Legend of Cady Claws by Aurelio Voltaire (Signed)

Thanks Emily <3

Also, technically not a book but my mom-in-law-to-be Lisa got me this awesome Alice in Wonderland pillow and I'm not over it.

Holiday Novella Mini Review: Santa's Toy by Nichelle Gregory!

Title: Santa's Toy
Author: Nichelle Gregory
Format: Kindle Edition, 69 pages
Pub. Date: November 18th 2013
Source: Gifted via Amazon

Description via Goodreads:

A sexy, ruthless lawyer becomes Santa's toy in order to get off the Naughty List!

Danielle attends her firm's lavish holiday dinner party held every year in a museum in hopes of learning she's made partner. She's stepped on more than a few toes, but she isn't concerned about the decisions made to ensure her rise to the top. When Danielle stops to admire the museum's replica of the North Pole, she is caught off guard when Santa beckons to her. Lead by two of his elves, Danielle soon discovers this jolly old man is the real deal and there's a price to be paid for continually being on his Naughty List. He gives her two options for redemption, but Danielle refuses to jeopardize her burgeoning career and agrees instead to become Santa's toy. She will do whatever he and his two elves want to get what she wants, but all is not what it seems inside Santa's Workshop...

★★★★

I stumbled across this title while wandering around on Goodreads, and was happy to find it waiting for me in my email inbox from Santa. Santa's Toy is a quick and sexy holiday read that reexamines what it means to be on the big guy's naughty list at Christmastime.

If you're anything like me, you may be thinking, "Sexy Santa Claus? That's kinda weird Jill. I mean he's kinda fat and old to think about at night instead of sugar plums." But this ain't your mother's Santa Claus. He's a dreamy-looking, Dominant man willing to make a deal with the help of his two equally hot elf companions. I know it sounds weird.... But it works. From the use of minty massage oil to peppermint sticks to a secret hideaway in Santa's little visit workshop, this is an oddly steamy Christmas erotica novella that is the perfect stocking stuffer for your ereader this time of year.

This is an erotica novella, so obviously there's sexual content. I'd recommend it to those on the naughty list, or who prefer spice over sugar in their holiday reads. Thanks to "Santa", who gifted me a copy via Kindle.

Merry Christmas!

Good afternoon my lovely readers. I would like to write you a short message wishing all of you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, blessed Yule, happy festivus, or whatever else day you celebrate in this general time period. May your cocoa be warm, your books insta-love free, and your family and friends be happy and healthy this upcoming new year. Happy reading, good eating, and merry pantless, school-free work-free relaxation days.

From my reading nook to yours,

Jillyn