Review: Best Bondage Erotica of the Year, Volume 1 edited by by Rachel Kramer Bussel

Title: Best Bondage Erotica of the Year, Volume 1
Editor: Rachel Kramer Bussel
Format: Paperback, 248 pages
Pub. Date: March 10th 2020
Source: Rachel Kramer Bussel


Book Description:

Super sexy, sensual, and surprising bondage stories from Tiffany Reisz, Somer Marsden, Valerie Alexander, and more collected in this exciting volume by erotica maven Rachel Kramer Bussel!

A cameraman puts a TV anchor on display in a whole new way… Two NASA officials wage an interstellar battle between protocol and desire, and one is taken captive . . . A gender-bending bounty hunter keeps his bounty hostage for more than just the monetary reward . . . Two warring neighbors discover that bondage can be a powerful negotiating tool . . . “Merlin” and the “Lady of the Lake” invoke the magic of the woods to fuel their fiery passions . . .

Best Bondage Erotica of the Year is back with erotica maven and award-winning editor Rachel Kramer Bussel compiling the most scintillating bondage stories into this one amazing collection. With a wide variety of different pairings, genders, and genres, these stories are all united in their deep desire for the mind-bending thrills of this o-so-delectable act. Whether you are exploring your kinky side, are looking for inspiration in the bedroom, or are simply interested in a sexy read, this collection is poised to please and titillate readers of any experience level who are keen to explore the depths of their own passions and penchants for the perverse.



Table of Contents

Chained—Ria Restrepo

Impropriety—Winter Blair

Over Under—Kendel Davi

Protocol—Angora Shade

Beach Blanket Ballet—Richard Bacula

Kneel—Kate Allure

Pretty Tied Up—Zak Jane Keir

The Deepest Part of the Forest—Deborah Castellano

Connection—Lazuli Jones

BYOB—Elizabeth Coldwell

Contrary—Kim Kuzuri

Freefall—Valerie Alexander

Delicate Matters—Leandra Vane

Boundless—Sammy Rei Schwarz

Stronghold—Leif Often

Necessary Roughness—Rachel Kramer Bussel

Safe Sex—Violet R. Jones

Hold On Harder—Dena Hankins

The Student Seat—Sommer Marsden

The Beguiling of Merlin—Tiffany Reisz

Review:

★★★★★

Every time that Rachel Kramer Bussel and Cleis Press release a new anthology, I get excited. It seems like the newest one is always newer, sexier, and more batshit than the last. And I mean that in the best way possible. There's newer scenarios, a wide variety of short stories, a whole manner of arrangements of kink and couplings and throuplings and beyond.

Between the pages of this anthology include stories that feature gender-bending, non-binary characters, couples (straight, gay, lesbian, the works), throuples, groups, young characters, old characters, disabled characters, POC characters, realistic stories, sci-fi stories, fantasy stories, historical stories, Dommes, Doms, role play, chains, ropes, public play, and way too much to keep listing like this. As the title of the anthology implies, the one strand that weaves all of these radically different stories together is the theme of bondage.

Because it's an anthology, I certainly liked some stories more than others. Though I always review only my top three favorite stories, I always take notes on each story and give each one a rating to help me determine the final amount of stars. I can honestly say that out of all the Cleis Press anthologies I've reviewed over the years, this book has the fewest low-rated stars out of all of them. No 1-star, and only one 2-star. The picks for this ones are pretty great to get your smut on. (In fact, 6 of them get perfect 5 stars from me!)

The ones I didn't care for as much are for various reasons- kinks that I'm not into, language that isn't my thing (I think we all have our preferred sexy words and ones that are y i k e s), one story was a bit disjointed and flowery. But, what didn't float my boat might hyper-float yours.

Because these are 20 stories by 20 authors, this book is easy to read either in one go, or in little bites of a story or two here and there.

As always, I'll highlight my top three favorite stories.

The first story that I'll highlight is actually the last one in the book, ensuring that the collection goes out with one helluva bang. It's called "The Beguiling of Merlin: An Erotic Fantasia" by Tiffany Reisz. It's a story I didn't know I wanted. It involves a hetero couple, an art book, history, roleplay, and obviously, bondage. It's a lovely blend of magic and realism, somehow reading as both a wonderful sort of fairy tale and an extremely steamy erotica. It's both pretty and dirty and I'm here for it.

The second book I'll recommend is called "The Deepest Part of the Forest" by Deborah Castellano. You'll probably notice a theme to the sort of stories that I enjoy reading. This story involves Halloween, a primal energy, a big bad wolf, a Red, a forest and, yes, more bondage. I thought this story had a fun, playful yet primal vibe to it. I love Halloween, I love a big bad wolf, and this was just up my alley.

The third one is one that I loved but also puzzles me, because Rachel Kramer Bussel's anthologies have made me acutely aware of the fact that "lesbian historical erotica" is a thing I'm into. Not weirdly specific at all! The last story is called "Impropriety" by Winter Blair. It involves a female/female pairing, a case of malaise, a historical setting, a tinkerer's workshop, bondage (shocking I know!) and an unusual device that may just give her everything she's missing and more. It's sexy, it's playful, it held my attention, and it left me wanting a longer story. I'd read a whole book of Jessamine and Ada. More of this, please!

All in all this book has a scratch to soothe any kinky itch. There's light stories, dark stories, fun stories, a rainbow of characters and a treasure trove of kinks. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection and I'm happy to add it to my shelf.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!

Mini Review: Rebels: City of Indra by Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner, & Maya Sloan

Title: Rebels: City of Indra
Series: The Story of Lex and Livia #1
Authors: Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner, & Maya Sloan
Format: Hardcover, 352 pages
Pub. Date: June 3rd 2014
Source: Goodreads First Reads/Publisher


Book Description:

Kendall and Kylie Jenner, stars on the hit reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians, present their debut novel—a thrilling dystopian story about two super-powered girls who embark on a journey together, not knowing they’re twins.

Two girls, two worlds apart.

Lex lives down below, close to rock bottom. She grew up in the orphanage, alone, and now is training to be a Special Op so she can finally destroy the rebels with her own hands. She needs no one.

Livia lives miles above everything on a floating island in the city of Indra. She is training too, but for a life that she doesn’t want. She wants to be free, to finally leave her floating island, and to run with her beloved horse until she can’t run any longer.

And then there’s Kane—Lex’s only friend, whom she would walk through fire for. And when she finds that Kane is in danger, she doesn’t hesitate to leave her post and blast her way to the top of Indra to save him. She just needs to get one stubborn, unexpectedly clever airgirl to tell her where he is first.

In this fast-paced, dystopian thriller, Lex and Livia reluctantly team up to save Kane after discovering that they share a mysterious identical mark—not realizing that their biggest danger is in each other.

Review:

★★

I want to start this off by saying I have no grudges, or opinions, about the Jenner/Kardashian clan. I didn't go into this to poke fun at the Jenner sisters for writing a book. I went into it because it sounded like something that I would enjoy. For reasons (almost) completely unrelated to the cache of the authors, I didn't care much for this book.

It felt forced. There are elements of so many other science fiction/dystopian tropes here, that it all becomes muddled and confusing. Mysterious underground civilization? Check. Weirdly affluent above ground kingdom? Check. Plastic surgery being almost required of the upper crust? Check. Orphanage? Check. Love triangle? Ugh.

That said, I thought the world building was okay. It was a bit overwhelming and overdone, but painted a pretty good visual picture.

I didn't care for either of the main characters. They seemed to be made from cardboard. They're boring, they're flat. They don't seem too developed or interesting, even. Because of that, I didn't care about the plot. I wasn't invested in the characters, so what happened to them was sort of a moot point.

I do think it's a little funny though (this is the one point where the authors mattered to me) that one of the lead girls poo-poos plastic surgery/body modifications because she doesn't need it to be herself. From a Jenner. I'm just saying, compare the author photo on the back of this book to their current faces.

I can see maybe where young teens would maybe like this, but if you've read good sci-fi or dystopia before, I feel like you're going to have some problems with this. Enter at your own risk.

I received a copy of this book from the Goodreads First Reads program in exchange for my honest review. Thank you.

Review: The Year of the Geek by James Clarke

Title: The Year of the Geek: 365 Adventures from the Sci-Fi Universe
Author: James Clarke
Format: eARC
Pub. Date: October 19th 2017
Source: Publisher


Book Description:

The Year of the Geek is a fascinating look into geek culture. Each day will tell a different story from the sci-fi universe, from famous franchises and figures such as Star Wars, The Matrix, Peter Jackson and Luc Besson, to lesser known stories, including the French cult classic City of Lost Children, the Japanese anime Akira and bestselling German novelist, Marcus Heitz. With text written by self-confessed geek James Clarke and accompanied by over 100 infographics that have been specially commissioned for this book, The Year of the Geek celebrates all things geek in a new and intriguing way.

Review:

★★★★

This is such a great little guide. It's the sort of a book that would make a really good Christmas gift or stocking stuffer.

As the title suggests, this book is a year long, with one page per day. Each day there's a fun little factoid. It might be an author or film star's birthday, or when a book was released, or something else like that.

Each day is written in a fun way that's educational, but without making it sound like it's a Wikipedia page or text book. The graphics are really well done. There's lots of charts and infographics that make it seem more fun and more engaging.

I was a bit worried that this book might be "too geeky" for me. What I mean by that is, I'm a huge fan of Fantasy and books, but I'm not really the biggest sci-fi buff, and I have a less than stellar interest in anime and comic books. But the information was interesting no matter the subject, and it was just enough to be a "fun fact" sized thing to learn. For me, it's a good way to start the morning.

If you or someone in your life is a lover of the Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, the SyFy channel, or any similar subjects, this is a cool book to have around.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

HOLIDAY COUNTDOWN! Mini College Review: Snowpiercer: The Escape by Jacques Lob

Title: Snowpiercer: The Escape
Series: Transperceneige #1
Author: Jacques Lob
Illustrator: Jacques Lob
Format: Paperback, 110 pages
Pub. Date: June 10th 2014
Source: Amazon


Book Description:

Snowpiercer is the enthralling and thought-provoking post-apocalyptic graphic novel that inspired the critically acclaimed movie starring Chris Evans (Captain America, Fantastic Four). Originally published in French, this marks the first time that Snowpiercer will be available in English.

In a harsh, uncompromisingly cold future where Earth has succumbed to treacherously low temperatures, the last remaining members of humanity travel on a train while the outside world remains encased in ice.

The surviving community are not without a social hierarchy; those that travel at the front of the train live in relative luxury whilst those unfortunate enough to be at the rear remain clustered like cattle in claustrophobic darkness. Yet, things are about to change aboard the train as passengers become disgruntled...
The movie Snowpiercer, due for release in 2014, is directed by Joon-ho Bong (The Host) and is already causing a stir with parallels to 1984 and Animal Farm.

Review:

★★★

This is a book that I had to read for my apocalyptic fiction course in college.

One thing I liked about my literature courses is that it forced me to read books that I'd normally never pick up for myself, or that I'd never heard even heard of. This is one of those titles.

Translated from French, this is a dystopian, post-apocalyptic graphic novel. I adored the concept: the world has gone to hell in a handbasket, and the way to save humanity is thanks to the inventor of the Snowpiercer train. This train houses all of humanity and it never stops: ever. If it stops, they'll freeze and die. Like all dystopian novels, there's a hierarchy. The very front cars of the train are for the rich and the elite, and it gets worse as you go farther along. The back is terrible, full of violence, and no one really cares about them. They're not allowed to travel upward in the train.

Except for the protagonist, of course, who gets fed up with the upper crust of the train, and takes matters into his own hand.

The actual writing leaves a lot to be desired. It's awkward and choppy, and it doesn't always make the best of sense. I'm not sure how much of this is due to the author, and how much of it is caused by the translation. The characters aren't as developed as they could be, and because of the jagged nature of the writing, the pace is off. Sometimes it's boring and slow, other times it's crazy fast.

The artwork was okay, but not to my taste. It's typical "old school" style comic art, which is boring. Especially with all the white space, because, the world is full of snow.

It's worth a read though, and even if you don't decide to read it, you should check out the movie Snowpiercer. It's not without its flaws, but it was entertaining and worth a go.

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN! Mini College Review: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Title: The Road
Author: Cormac McCarthy
Format: Paperback, 287 pages
Pub. Date: April 7th 2009
Source: Amazon


Book Description:

A searing, post apocalyptic novel destined to become Cormac McCarthy’s masterpiece.

A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, an when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. they have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food--and each other.

The Road is the profoundly moving story fo a journey. It boldly imagines a future in which no hope remains, but in which the father and his son, "each the other's world entire," are sustained by love. Awesome in the totality of its vision, The Road is an unflinching meditation on the worst and the best that we are capable of: ultimate destructiveness, desperate tenacity, and the tenderness that keeps two people alive in the face of total devastation.

Review:

★★★

This is a novel that I had to read for my apocalyptic fiction course in college.

Okay, so I'm the only person on the planet who doesn't like this book. Well, it's not that I didn't like it. It's that I'm utterly indifferent, one way or the other. Which is why I settled on three stars- eh.

It's boring. There's no character connection or growth. There's a lot of moments where I was left thinking "Oh something's going to happen!" but that thing never came. It's dry and vague and I don't feel like I took anything away from this book at all. I know I read it, but I can't even highlight any things that happen, because it's just not memorable.

I'm the outlier here and I know that. If you like post-apocalyptic fiction, by all means, read it. But I wouldn't have finished it, if I didn't have to for the course.

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN! Mini College Review: Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler

Title: Fledgling
Author: Octavia E. Butler
Format: Paperback, 320 pages
Pub. Date: January 2nd 2007
Source: SIU Bookstore


Book Description:

Fledgling, Octavia Butler's new novel after a seven year break, is the story of an apparently young, amnesiac girl whose alarmingly inhuman needs and abilities lead her to a startling conclusion: She is in fact a genetically modified, 53-year-old vampire. Forced to discover what she can about her stolen former life, she must at the same time learn who wanted - and still wants - to destroy her and those she cares for and how she can save herself. Fledgling is a captivating novel that tests the limits of "otherness" and questions what it means to be truly human.

Review:

★★★

I'd like to preface this review by saying that apparently I'm the one person who hasn't read Butler's book, Kindred so I have no prior experience with this author's writing.

Moving on, this is a book that I had to read in my vampire literature course in college. I had really hopes for it. Theoretically, it's everything I love. Vampires? Good. Science fiction? Good. These two things blended together in Fledgling ? Meh. I didn't feel it.

It's kind of dull. When I think of the word vampire, I think "intensity". Whether it's a horror plot, or a love plot, vampire novels tend to be heavy-handed more than lacking when it comes to plot and characters. I thought for sure this book would be intense, because twisting together science-fiction "how did I get like this" type plot lines with the vampire mythos sounds like a fantastic time. But instead the writing is dry, uninspired.

It's also creepy. Not in the vampiric respect so much as the main character, who has the personality/mind of an adult, is in the body of like a ten year old girl. Sex and romantic interest are involved, and it's creepy. I understand that the mind is not young, but when you're playing this book in the movie theater of your brain while you're reading, it's a little girl doing very not little things with a grown man. Which... I'm not exactly sure how I feel about it. On the one hand, ew. On the other hand, vampirism is supposed to be kind of gross, and this is just sort of a twist on the same creepy factor vamps give off. Maybe it's a wash.

Despite my lack of enjoyment in this story, our class was able to cultivate a lot of good discussions from the issues presented in this writing, on topics like what it means to be submissive, sexism, racism, as well as a bunch of comparisons to the other vampire books we read in this course (which included Dracula and Carmilla). There's a lot of good themes that are in here... I just wish it was more interesting so that I wanted to dig deeper into the text.

It's an okay book. I'm glad it's just one and not a series. If you're looking for a tame read with creepy and science fiction undertones, go for it, but I want a little more *pop* in my vampire books.

Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

Title: The Selection
Series: The Selection #1
Author: Kiera Cass
Format: paperback ARC, signed
Pub. Date: April 24th 2012
Source: Won


Book Description:

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

Review:

★★★★★

This is one of the best books I've read in the last year.

I was admittedly afraid to read this one, because SO MANY bloggers were talking about it; good, bad or otherwise. Hype makes me nervous. But I had a copy on my shelf and the time had come, and I'm so mad at myself that I waited so long to get into this story. It sucked me in hook, line, and sinker, and immersed me into the story line.

The characters were well written and well described. They were written unique from one another, and it was easy to keep track of who is who, despite the large cast of characters. By the end of the story, I was emotionally tied to America, Maxon, and Aspen. I cared so hard about what happened, and was emotional along with them on the roller coaster that is The Selection competition. The relationships between characters- be it romance, family, or friendship (or hatred, even) are well developed and evolve over the course of the story in a way that helps the plot.

Genre-wise, this book is kind of a hodgepodge of a lot of different things, but it works so well. It's definitely a heavy dose of dystopian science fiction a la Hunger Games, where there is One Good Place To Live And Thing To Be and a bunch of lessers who don't matter as much to the nation/society/kingdom. Not to mention the Girl Who Ain't Having It. There's a bit of fairy tale to it, as the girls wear beautiful gowns and compete for the love of the fair prince of the land. There's a guilty pleasure reality show component, because The Selection is like teenage The Bachelor: So You Wanna Be A Princess Edition. Which sounds awful but I love me some reality shows (I will deny this) and it works well.

The world building is also really good. I felt like I knew everything that was happening, and I wasn't left with any info-dumping to fill me in on this society, nor was I left with a million questions. It was a nice balance of the author's world design and things left to my own imagination. The dresses, the food, the mansion, they're all so gloriously described that I want to be there to see it all (I mean but also not, because, dystopia).

I will 100% continue the rest of this story. I can't wait to continue America's journey as it unfolds. I recommend it to fans of YA romance and dystopian fiction, as long as having a few common tropes won't bug you.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Title: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Series: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children #1
Author: Ransom Riggs
Format: Hardcover, 352 pages
Pub. Date: June 7th 2011
Source: Half Price Books


Book Description:

A family to heal him?

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of curious photographs.

A horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

Review:

★★★

Well.... This book is certainly peculiar.

I'm always a bit hesitant to read books that are crazy popular. This is an example. But with the recent movie release.... I just couldn't resist. At the end of the pages, this book left me feeling a mixture of disappointed, irritated, and mildly amused.

First, I'll go over what I liked about it. I can honestly say I haven't read a book like it before. I really enjoyed the photographs and letters that were included throughout the novel. It added a vintage feel of authenticity to the story. The descriptions of location were really well done- I felt like I could explore the house or the island alongside Jacob. It was enough to keep me reading and exploring.

But I didn't really enjoy the flow of the book. It felt slow until the last two chapters or so, as though this were more of a prequel or a primer for reading the next story. It made the story drag, and it made it take longer for me to get through reading it.

The book also felt a bit disjointing to me. I didn't really feel connected to any of the characters, other than Jacob and Emma. That's disappointing, because there's a whole house full of interesting, "peculiar" children that I would have loved to learn more about. But other than a name and a brief description of what makes them peculiar, I was left hanging. There's a half-attempt at a love story awkwardly placed in all the chaos. I don't mind romance in the slightest, but it came across as forced.

And then there's the ending.... Which is where I felt the most torn. On the one hand, it's where the book picked up speed for me. And that's good! But it also unfolded a bit like an episode of Scooby-Doo. A trusted figure takes off their face, ends up being the bad guy, and then a ragtag team of spooky teenagers/children jet off to save the world.

Overall, I'm not mad that I read this book. It held my attention well enough, and I really liked some aspects of it. I enjoyed the idea of the time Loops, the photographs, and the integration of history/the war throughout. Unfortunately, it fell short in some ways too. I don't think that I'll reread this one any time soon, but I might pick up the next book in the series if I come across it.

I feel like young adults and fans of Beautiful Creatures might enjoy this.

Review: Bald New World by Peter Tieryas!

Title: Bald New World

Author: Peter Tieryas

Format: Paperback, 214 pages

Pub. Date: June 2014

Source: Goodreads First Reads



Book Description via Goodreads:

Selected by Publishers Weekly as one of the Best Science Fiction Books of Summer 2014 and listed on Buzzfeed's 15 Highly Anticipated Books of 2014, Bald New World asks the question:

What if everyone in the world lost their hair?

Nick Guan and his friend Larry Chao are a pair of eccentric filmmakers who choose to explore the existential angst of their balding world through cinema. Larry is heir to one of the most lucrative wig companies in the world. Nick is a man who’s trying to make sense of the tatters of his American dream. Taking place throughout China and America, the pair set off on a series of misadventures involving North Korean spies, veterans of an African War, and digital cricket fighters. Their journey leads them to discover some of the darkest secrets behind wig-making and hair in a hairless world.

"After my heart gives out and I'm on the operating table for emergency surgery, I will have told my physicians and surgeons to replace my heart with Peter Tieryas Liu's Bald New World, or any of his books really, because that's what I think of when I think of Liu's writing--heart. Similar to the work of Philip K. Dick, this parodic dystopia is steeped in futuristic technology that further bridges the gap between man and machine. Still, whether watching the latest episode of the immensely popular reality show Jesus the General or sparring against an opponent in the blood-sport known as cricket fighting, the humanity of our narrator shines through. Although we humans are capable of doing and creating sad, funny, glorious, devious things, we also persevere and adapt, survive. I wonder what Huxley would think of this, but he's dead. You're not, so read this book, feel alive."
-Jason Jordan, author of Pestilence, editor of decomP

"The boldly imaginative Bald New World follows Nicholas Guan, a military type tasked to digitally touch up scenes of carnage, in his misadventures from Korea to a futuristic California and in his frenzied dash from Gamble Town to China . The novel tells of beautifully flawed characters, the blurring distinction between reality and virtual environments, the comical yet chilling wave of religious fanaticism, and a world battling a strange malady called the Great Baldification, an ingenious symbol of human vanity. Peter Tieryas Liu’s Bald New World is vivid, exhilarating, and wildly entertaining." –Kristine Ong Muslim, author of We Bury the Landscape and Grim Series

"Bald New World is a hypnotic, surreal, and insightful novel, blending Blade Runner and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle to create a dark, funny, and captivating story. One of the best books I've read this year."—Richard Thomas, Staring Into the Abyss

Review:

★★★

Every once in a while, there exists a book that is really hard for me to review. This is one of them. Through no real fault of the book or the author that I can identify, this book and I just didn't click very well.

It wasn't badly written or anything. In fact, I absolutely loved the world building throughout this book. Bald New World is an adult-age dystopian novel that involves the entire human population losing their hair for an unknown reason. It's a fascinating concept and overall it was executed pretty well. There's a good amount of humor in this book, and the author is often well detailed in his descriptions. The plot tends to wander now and again, so it was hard to follow in some parts. There was also a bit of repetition with vocabulary: it didn't bother me TOO much, but it was abundant enough that I noticed it while reading it.

I can't really think of anything that I didn't like, but there's not too much other than the world building that I loved either. It was a book that while I'm not sorry I read, I don't think that I will read it again in the future. I recommend it to people really enjoy science fiction. I definitely think that this was just a case of it's not you, it's me book, and that a lot of other people will really love it!

I received this book through the Goodreads First Reads Program in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!

Review: Billy Bobble Makes A Magic Wand by R.S. Mellette!

Title: Billy Bobble Makes a Magic Wand

Author: RS Mellette

Format: egalley

Pub. Date: December 8th 2014

Source: Mother Daughter Book Reviews.



Book Description via Goodreads:

"Everyone needs a little magic in their life."

Twelve-year-old Billy Bobble and his best friend Suzy Quinofski didn't mean to change the universe. Billy, a quantum physics prodigy, just wanted to find a way to help his hoarding, schizophrenic mother – and maybe impress a coven of older girls in high school. Suzy, his intellectual equal, wanted to help her friend and cling to her last remnant of childhood, a belief in magic. Together they made Billy a real, working, magic wand, and opened a door to the Quantum World where thoughts create reality, and all things – good and bad – are possible.

Review:

★★★

I think this would have been a book that I would have liked a lot when I was younger. There's a lot of action and suspense, and it's overall a pretty entertaining read. I'm seeing it labeled as a children's book, but personally I think that it would work better in the young adult genre, because there are a lot of smart explanations and science bits that might be a bit off putting to a younger reader.

This book is a relatively short one at about 200 or so pages, but it's not necessarily a quick reading. The beginning chapters were a bit slow moving and rough for me. I'm the first one to admit that I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to science and math. While I appreciated that the author tried to take the time to explain the background information and science behind the story's adventures, it took me a while to get through it. I'm glad that I stuck through to read the rest of it, but I can see people setting it down right away.

Once you get past that, the story picks up and is super fun. Both main characters are extremely likable and crazy smart. This book takes the fantasy aspect of magic and blends it well with fact-based science. I can see kids and young adults who love science picking this up and loving it, in the same vein as the Artemis Fowl books.

Unrelated to the novel itself, I really like the cover for this. It's quirky and fun, just like the book inside of it. It's eye-catching and I gotta say, I love the flamingo.

This book is worth reading, and I think science kids will like it a lot more than I did. The beginning's a bit rough, but if you stick through, you're rewarded with a fun magic adventure.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

Mini Review: Edward Scissorhands Volume 1 by Kate Leth & Drew Rausch!

Title: Edward Scissorhands Volume 1: Parts Unknown
Series: Edward Scissorhands #1
Author: Kate Leth & Drew Rausch
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: May 19th 2015
Source: IDW Publishing


Book Description via Goodreads:

An all-new adventure revisiting Edward Scissorhands' two decades after the end of the fan-favorite movie! In a castle just outside a sleepy suburban town, a brilliant inventor created Edward Scissorhands... but left him tragically unfinished. Two generations of exile have left Edward digging through abandoned experiments, but once he wakes up a creature left buried, he discovers he isn't the only one missing a vital piece. As Edward tries to fix a grave mistake, he comes face-to-face with a teenage girl who was sure he was only myth... despite the stories her grandmother told her about the man she could never touch.

Review:

★★★

I cannot tell you how excited I was to find this graphic novel. I absolutely adore Edward Scissorhands. It was one of my favorite movies growing up and it still is as an adult. Opening this book was a nice little sense of nostalgia. I think this is a comic that all fans of the movie will enjoy.

What I absolutely loved about this comic is the artwork. It's absolutely gorgeous! It has the dark, dreary Tim Burton-esque feel that we all know and love, but is given an almost adorable face lift. It all looks a little more cartoonish and approachable. It came to life on the page and did a great job of bringing both familiar and new characters to life and conveying a story.

The story, for me, is where this book was lacking. It takes place in the future from the movie that we all know and talks about Kim's granddaughter. It's a very sweet story that I enjoyed reading, but it came off as predictable and a bit one-dimensional.

Overall, it's worth reading, especially if you're as big of a fan of the Edward Scissorhands movie as I am. The artwork is absolutely fantastic, and brings to life the more lacking story-line.

I was provided this book in exchange for my honest review.

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: The Thorn and The Sinking Stone by C.J. Dushinski!

Title: The Thorn and the Sinking Stone
Author: C.J. Dushinski
Release date: March 2015
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Length: 313 pages


Book Description via Goodreads:

Warring families. Forbidden love. And danger they can’t escape…

Daggers. Roses. Cowboys. Boat Men. Survivors of Earth's Last War, four “families” vie to rule the dreary streets of Rain City through violence and blood. Valencia Hara, Princess of the wealthy Black Roses, is raised in warrior ways with sharpened steel. But she is no ordinary Rose. She is Cursed—tainted with the ability to see seconds into the future…

To avenge his father's death, Sebastian Leold, of the rival gang Two Daggers, must face off against the Black Princess, he with his dagger, she with her katana sword. Yet a secret from a shared past leaves him unable to kill beautiful Valencia; nor can she kill him. For they once knew each other beyond their blood feud…and they have more secrets in common than they know.

But in a world filled with vengeance and violence, there can be no room for love…

Buy it here: Amazon | BN | Kobo

About the Author:

While attempting to navigate life as a responsible human being, CJ graduated from university with a B.Comm and worked her way along as marketer, copywriter, and graphic designer to earn a paycheck while pursing her passion for creating fantastical stories set in dark and wondrous corners of the world. Born amongst the wheat fields and open skies of the Canadian prairies, CJ’s imagination has always run wild, taking her on adventures across the world from modeling in Seoul, South Korea to backpacking through Europe and surfing (poorly) in Hawaii.

After wandering through ancient cities and civilizations, learning from diverse cultures, and surrounding herself in new experiences, CJ was inspired and began work on her debut Young Adult novel THE THORN AND THE SINKING STONE, to be published by Entangled Publishing 2014/15. CJ currently resides in Calgary, Alberta Canada – home of the Canadian Rockies – and keeps one hand on her passport and pen at all times, ready to pick up, see the world, and weave her experiences into stories.

CJ is represented by Marlene Stringer of the Stringer Literary Agency LLC

Facebook | Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Review:

★★★★ ★

4.5/5 stars.

Cowboys? Katanas? Forbidden love?

Yes please.

The moment I read the synopsis for this book, I knew I had to read it. And boy, was my instinct right. I really enjoyed The Thorn and the Sinking Stone.

This book is a really intriguing blend of dystopian, romance, fantasy, fairy tale, scifi, and urban fantasy. I know that sounds like a lot of genres but oddly, it somehow works. I can't explain how. The chapters are written in two alternating points of view, from both Sebastian and Valencia who are in rival families. This brings a nice layer of character (and plot) depth to the "Romeo and Juliet" trope of fighting families and forbidden love, because we are able to read what each character is going through and feeling. This made them all the more relatable, and allows the reader to see both sides of things- that means villains are not truly villains, and heroes are not always heroes. Valencia and Sebastian are given unique, independent voices that are easy to separate while switching chapters.

I really liked watching the main couple's past become clearer, and their feelings towards one another develop. I hate the term "book boyfriend", but I definitely loved me some Sebastian. He's caring and protective and torn in half about his life. I also really liked how strong and kick ass Valencia was. She's a fierce sword wielder who knows how to swallow her fears and seize opportune moments. Reading them together was really interesting, seeing how they handle the world that seems to be against them.

The writing was very descriptive and well done. It was easy for me to get swept up in the scenery among the characters and play the scenes out like a movie in my head. The one thing that I wish had been developed more was the historical context/dystopian dynamic. This book takes place in the future when a city was reclaimed, but we are only really given a nutshell version of what happened and why their lives/cities are this way. I would have appreciated some more world building in that respect, because I think it would have helped me to better grasp why the four houses/families act the way they do.

I recommend this book to young adult fans who like any combination of forbidden love, fantasy, princesses, scifi, Romeo and Juliet, curses, weapons, or dystopia. This book does deal with violence and contains some profanity, so take note of that if that's undesirable to you. I sincerely look forward to reading the next book in (what I think and really hope) is a series.

I received a copy from YA Bound Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.

Follow the rest of the tour here!

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Blog Tour Organized by:
YA Bound Book Tours

Review: The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black by E.B. Hudspeth

Title: The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black
Author: E.B. Hudspeth
Format: Hardcover, 208 pages
Pub. Date: May 21st 2013
Source: Quirk Books


Book Description via Goodreads:

Philadelphia, the late 1870s. A city of gas lamps, cobblestone streets, and horse-drawn carriages—and home to the controversial surgeon Dr. Spencer Black. The son of a grave robber, young Dr. Black studies at Philadelphia’s esteemed Academy of Medicine, where he develops an unconventional hypothesis: What if the world’s most celebrated mythological beasts—mermaids, minotaurs, and satyrs—were in fact the evolutionary ancestors of humankind?

The Resurrectionist offers two extraordinary books in one. The first is a fictional biography of Dr. Spencer Black, from a childhood spent exhuming corpses through his medical training, his travels with carnivals, and the mysterious disappearance at the end of his life. The second book is Black’s magnum opus: The Codex Extinct Animalia, a Gray’s Anatomy for mythological beasts—dragons, centaurs, Pegasus, Cerberus—all rendered in meticulously detailed anatomical illustrations. You need only look at these images to realize they are the work of a madman. The Resurrectionist tells his story.

Review:

★★★★★

This book is nothing at all like I expected, and I mean that in the best possible sense. I think that The Resurrectionist is a book that all lovers of Gothic literature, the macabre, horror, and fantastical creatures will devour if they get their claws into it.

A beautiful hardcover edition, The Resurrectionist is divided into two parts. The first part reads like a text book biography of the fictional scholar Dr. Spencer Black. It narrates his unusual upbringing and how it influenced his studies as he got older and more educated. It chronicles his descent into a more bizarre lifestyle involving freak show-esque performances in travelling shows and circuses as well as his experimentation on animals and humans alike in order to piece together his theory of evolution: that the creatures we know today as myth once existed and that humans and animals breathing now are ancestors of these elegant beasts.

The first part of this book is fascinating in and of itself because it's written with such detail and precision- including dated diary entries, circus flyers, and letters of correspondence- that if I didn't know better I would swear to you that this was a well researched non-fictional account of a doctor's life. From the first few pages, when you learn that his father was a grave robber, the book continues with this really dark, creepy tone to it reminiscent of Poe. It was almost like a car crash: his life is so bizarre and almost horrifying that you hesitate to turn the page, and yet you can't quite seem to turn away either.

The second part of the book is the final research of Dr. Black: The Codex Extinct Animalia. The art in this section of this book is absolutely phenomenal. It is here that Black explains the so-called method to his madness: the evolutionary ties and the anatomical make up of fantasy creatures. From the hellhound Cerberus to harpies and centaurs, each creature is given multiple pages of medical artwork that give up close examinations of the skeletal structures, muscle make up, and other traits of the animals. It looks like a medical text book, but with mythical beings, and I absolutely loved it. So much thought, work, and effort had to go into making these illustrations. I would totally hang a few of them up in my room (then again, my room is decorated in the Goth style, so that may just be me).

This book is a quick one to read but a slow one to absorb and is filled to the brim with equal dashes of horror and fantasy. I'd really recommend it to those who enjoy the Gothic genre, historical history, fantasy, horror, or realistic fiction. Thank you so much to Quirk Books for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

Interview and Review- Chasing Power by Sarah Beth Durst!

Hello, my darling readers. Today, I'm super excited to be interviewing author Sarah Beth Durst about her recent release entitled Chasing Power! This book was released into the wild yesterday, October 14th, and I highly recommend it. Read along with us as we talk about special powers, survival, and the writing process. Please be sure to leave a comment or a question below and thank her for being rad enough to talk with me.

Interview:

Kayla, the main character of Chasing Power, uses her gifts in order to become an amazing thief. If you 100% knew that you would never get caught, what is the one thing that you would steal?

Ooh, what an interesting question... I actually dreamed last night that I stole a spaceship. But I'm guessing that would be a rather useless thing to steal unless I also stole the launch pad and all of Mission Control. Can I steal NASA? Probably a bad idea.

(Whoever is reading this interview, can you answer this in the comments? Really curious what people would pick...)

You heard the nice lady, readers. Comment below! Personally, I'd steal something cool and old, maybe a painting or a statue. I'd be torn between keeping it for bragging rights or selling it. I do have student loans to pay.... But I digress.

Daniel's gift, however, gives him the ability to teleport. If you had this power, where would you teleport to? What would you do there?

I'd visit my mom. Just pop in for lunch regularly, or just to say hi.

I'd also really love to see New Zealand. It looks so very beautiful from all the pictures (and epic fantasy movies) that I've seen.

I'd have to agree. New Zealand and Australia would be at the top of my list as well.

Let's pretend for a minute that we live in this society, where magic is a very real thing. What sort of gift or power would you most want? What would you do with that power?

Telekinesis. So much possibility!

In CHASING POWER, I give Kayla very, very limited telekinesis. She can only lift light things. But she's able to use that sliver of power in inventive ways.

Inventive is the perfect word for it. I loved her unique twist on this power. Now, you have to leave now to start kicking ass and saving lives. What three things MUST be in your bag?

Chapstick. A magic wand. And a snack. Not necessarily in that order. Also probably would be a good idea to have a phone so I can call for backup.

I think I'd have to have my phone, headphones (so I can musically narrate my battle sequences), and a Greek yogurt. That's the fuel of champions, in my humble opinion.

Chasing Power is a young adult book, but I know that you have written adult titles as well. Is it harder to write for one age group over another? Is there a genre or age group that you prefer to write? Is it difficult to switch?

It's difficult to switch from one book to another, regardless of audience or genre. Every book has its own voice, style, and world, and switching requires extracting yourself from one and immersing yourself in another. It really doesn't matter who the intended reader is. What matters is who the protagonist is and what his/her world is like -- that's what makes it challenging to switch. Fun, though. :)

Your mission has taken a grim turn, and it looks like you may not survive it this time. Given your pick, what would your last meal be?

Prosciutto and melon as an appetizer, followed by portobello mushroom soup from Artist Point in Disney World (seriously best soup in the world), then a butternut squash risotto, followed by a dessert that includes chocolate and raspberries. Lots of raspberries, and a cup of that raspberry sauce that restaurants drizzle onto dessert plates. And now I'm hungry...

A girl after my own heart. Chocolate-raspberry is quite possibly the best flavor combination on the planet.

A lot of people would argue that some people in our world DO have gifts, things like clairvoyance or past-life reads. Do you believe in fortune telling, or other gifts?

I'm going to plead the Fifth on this one, on the grounds that I could be wrong. :)

What was your favorite scene to write in Chasing Power? Which one gave you the most difficulty?

The scene in the swimming hole was the most difficult because it was so very important to get it right. I must have rewritten it at least a dozen times. More.

My favorite scene was in the catacombs. Also any scene with Selena.

You're getting yourself pumped up to go and work out or go fight some bad guys. What song is blasting in the background to get you fired up?

I'd probably blast a mix that includes "Firework," "Lose Yourself," "All or Nothing," and "Eye of the Tiger." And maybe "Neon Pegasus," because it's both awesome and hilarious.

Can you tell me about any other writing projects that you have in the works?

I'm working on a middle-grade novel called THE GIRL WHO COULD NOT DREAM. It's about a girl whose family owns a secret store where they buy, bottle, and sell dreams, but who can't have any of her own, and the adventure that she and her pet monster go on when someone starts kidnapping dreamers. It's coming out in fall 2015 from HMH/Clarion Books, and I'm really, really excited about it!

Thanks so much for interviewing me!

And thank you so much for being here!

About the Book

Lies, secrets, and magic — three things that define Kayla's life.

Sixteen-year-old Kayla plans to spend her summer hanging out on the beach in Santa Barbara and stealing whatever she wants, whenever she wants it. Born with the ability to move things with her mind — things like credit cards, diamond rings, and buttons on cash registers — she has become a master shoplifter. She steals to build up a safety net, enough money for her and her mom to be able to flee if her dad finds them again. Well, that, and the thrill of using her secret talents.

But her summer plans change when she's caught stealing by a boy named Daniel — a boy who needs her help and is willing to blackmail her to get it. Daniel has a talent of his own. He can teleport, appearing anywhere in the world in an instant, but he lies as easily as he travels. Together, they embark on a quest to find and steal an ancient incantation, written on three indestructible stones and hidden millennia ago, all to rescue Daniel's kidnapped mother. But Kayla has no idea that this rescue mission will lead back to her own family — and to betrayals that she may not be able to forgive... or survive.

You can buy a copy for yourself by clicking here.


About the Author

Sarah Beth Durst is the author of nine fantasy novels for children, teens, and adults, including Conjured, Vessel, and Ice. Her most recent YA novel, Chasing Power, came out in October 2014 from Bloomsbury, and her most recent book for adults, The Lost, came out in June 2014 from Harlequin/Mira. She was awarded the 2013 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature and has been a finalist for SFWA's Andre Norton Award three times. She is a graduate of Princeton University, where she spent four years studying English, writing about dragons, and wondering what the campus gargoyles would say if they could talk. Sarah lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband and children. For more information, visit her website.

Review:

Title: Chasing Power
Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: August 14th 2014
Source: Author, via Netgalley.


★★★★ ★

I was so excited when author Sarah Beth Durst contacted me to review Chasing Power. I've read her works in the past and really enjoyed them, so I seized the chance to read another one of her creations. I'm happy to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.

I'll start by talking about the cover. I actually really like it. It's simple but it's striking, and it kind of puts me in mind of the City of Ember cover. I especially like the coloring of the author's name on the top. It'd make me pick this book up at a store to learn more about what it's about.

And then of course, there's the actual contents of the story itself. It's been a quite a long time since I've read a book involving "super powers" that I've enjoyed. I'm really happy that this has broken my dry spell. The lead character, Kayla, has telekinesis. That said, she doesn't use it quite in the ways that I anticipated. I really liked that about this book. I also liked that neither Kayla or Daniel are given crazy powers. They're not some brilliantly talented super-creatures, just kids who can do some pretty cool stuff.

The characters were definitely a strong point for me in this book. I felt that Kayla was a very relatable, "normal" girl, magical powers aside of course. She made a lot of decisions that I feel that, even if I didn't necessarily like them, I would have made myself. I liked that Daniel was smart in some ways but slacking in others, and he added a nice counter-element to Kayla's power. Selena as annoying but that wasn't actually a bad thing. I think we all have that one friend who we love dearly but perhaps in small doses? That's how she felt to me. She was likable, but I'm glad she wasn't in every scene. My favorite character was probably Kayla's mother, Moonbeam, who is playing the role of "ditzy fake hippie" to protect the family. I thought that this mask was quirky and it added something to the setting of the novel.

All of the settings were really well described, from the fake artifacts scattered around Kayla's house to the brightly painted storefronts of the French Quarter, it definitely got my attention how well things were narrated. This is especially true of the New Orleans scenes. I lived in Louisiana for awhile and New Orleans is one of my absolute favorite places. Durst's writings totally conjured up images that I was familiar with and made me want to go back, despite the threats and curses and other nasties lurking in this story.

This book is well paced and I found that there was never really a dull moment. I was sucked into this story in the beginning from Kayla's intricate thieving abilities, and became totally enthralled when voo doo queens and magical stones got involved.

I recommend this book to any fans of YA urban fantasy or books involving magic. This wasn't my first experience reading Sarah Beth Durst's, and if she keeps pumping out stories like this one, I will just have to keep devouring them as they're released. Thank you to the author who provided me with a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my 100% honest review.

Now let's hear from you! If you knew you wouldn't get caught, what one thing would you steal? What three things would you take with you on an adventure? What would your last meal or super power be?

Release Day!- Review, Guest Post, & Giveaway: Jacob, King of Portalia by Casey Clubb

Hello my beautiful readers. I am so excited to share a guest post with you today from Casey Clubb, author of the middle-grade LGBT fantasy book, Jacob, King of Portalia. Keep scrolling and reading to see her post on writing mid-grade level LGBT books, my glowing review of the book, and enter to win an ebook copy for yourself!

Title: Jacob, King of Portalia
Series: The Pillars of Life
Author: Casey Clubb
Release date: September 16th, 2014
Genre: YA/MG Fantasy, GLBT story
Published by: Booktrope
Source: Booktrope


Summary:

Jacob is the only one who can protect us all from a vengeful lunatic.

But Jacob’s a tiny sixth grader who’s scared of his own shadow. And his only known talent is hiding.

A misfit in his own home, a boy out of place in his own skin, Jacob has been hiding all his life—in his head, or behind his only friend.

His kind of different just isn’t accepted.

He thought hiding would keep him safe. But he was wrong.

For Jacob’s hiding has buried more than one truth, more than one secret. Including a destiny and a duty that are his to fulfill.

And a powerful talent. One that could doom his people.

Or save them…if he can find the courage to stop hiding from the thing that terrifies him the most—the truth about who he is:

A boy who likes boys.
A boy with a destiny foretold in an ancient legend.
A boy whose love could save us all.

Buy it now on Amazon | B&N | iTunes

About the Author:
Casey Clubb lives near Portland, Oregon with her husband and her ever-growing collection of stuffed Tiggers.
For news and updates on Book Two—Jacob, Portal Master, visit www.caseyclubb.com.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Guest Post with Casey Clubb:

Why LGBT For Middle Grade?

Many thanks to Jillyn for having me as a guest!

When I tell people what my middle-grade fantasy, Jacob, King of Portalia is about, the most common question I get is: “Why did you make Jacob gay?”

It’s a valid question I suppose. But wouldn’t it be great if it wasn’t?

Nobody ever asks why the hero has blue eyes or curly hair or freckles. Or why the girl fell in love with the boy, or why the boy fell in love with the girl.

Sometimes I think there’s this perception that there are no gay children in the world, only gay adults. A societal consensus that prior to the age of eighteen children are either heterosexual or confused.

But the truth is that gay adults are people who were once gay children. Yet despite the fact that there are many gay adults in the world, and as such it stands to reason that there are many gay kids in the world too, none of the heroes in children’s fiction are boys who fall in love with boys or girls who fall in love with girls.

Why is that?

Reading is a HUGE part of growing up.

We read to dream.

We read to escape.

And we read to identify with a fictitious character. We want to read about heroes who are different from us, and heroes who are like us.
LGBT kids who read hundreds of books are not going to fail to notice the fact that none of the heroes are like them.
Kids don’t need anyone to tell them what that means—our society believes that gay people should stay in the closet until they are adults. Just like they do in fiction.

Being a kid is a hard gig. And middle school in particular is rough. It’s a time of finding your way in the world. Kids want to fit in and be loved and accepted. Heck, we all want that.

But until the heroes in children’s stories are as diverse as the children who read about them, LGBT children will continue to grow up with a pervasive sense that something is wrong with them, a sense that society confirms with their actions if not with their words.

I didn’t set out to write a story about a gay boy. Like all of my stories, Jacob started as a kernel of an idea and grew from there.

Jacob is a lot like many other kids. He’s an ordinary boy with big dreams and high hopes. He’s a boy who feels out of place in his own home and in his own skin. He’s a boy who is looking for love and acceptance.

He’s also a boy who likes boys.

And like many LGBT children, Jacob hides the truth about who he is, from others and from himself, in order to find that love and acceptance.

Why did I write a story about a gay middle-school boy?

Because Jacob is gay.

He falls in love with a boy.

And if he finds the courage to come out of hiding he might just save us all.

Like heroes do.

Review:

★★★★★

Five amazing stars.

---

I am not sure I have enough words in my vocabulary to explain to you how much I loved this book, but I will try my hardest. In case you don't want to read my fangirling that will follow this introduction paragraph, here's the nutshell version: I loved this book to all of Portalia's moons and back and you should buy it and read it immediately.

When I was contacted to read this book, I was curious. I am a huge, huge fan of LGBT literature, being a member of the community myself. Then I read that it was not just middle grade LGBT, but a fantasy story too. I love all of those things, so I really hoped that I would love this one.

Love isn't a strong enough word.

First, let's talk about Jacob. He is so realistically portrayed and no more flawed than any one of us. His ears are a bit too big. He loves music and wants to be an intergalactic musician. He dreams big, even though he's not great at playing an instrument and has no way to leave our galaxy. But what struck the closest for me was the lies he told himself- that he wasn't really gay. He knows he looks at boys the way other boys look at girls, but he lies to himself and convinces himself that the kids teasing him for being a queer are wrong, that he's not. I lived "in the closet" so to speak for almost eight years. I knew I liked girls when I was 12, but I was too scared of losing my friends and family to admit it. Jacob feels the same. He's lost his father already, and he doesn't make friends so easily, as quirky as he is. He saw his bestest friend Sam make a gross face at two boys holding hands once, and he's terrified of losing him too. I could relate to him, and his story had me hooked from these beginning confessions.

But, let me just add, that his being gay is not the only story. I have read a lot of LGBT books that are about being gay and finding love, but little else. That's not a bad thing, per se, but I was blown away at how much plot was in here that wasn't directly tied to sexual orientation. The fantasy plot in this book is stellar. Jacob accidentally opens a portal to a new world, one of which he learns he is King. He is thrust into this new universe, where everyone knows him and the fate that has been set out for him, and he has to decide if he is brave enough to stand up for what he believes in. I adored watching Jacob grow into himself. He starts out as a quiet, shy, not-so-confident kid in the closet, and throughout this book turns into a determined leader who isn't afraid of letting our world or his know how he feels. It's admirable. I'm still working on being able to shout that I love my girlfriend from the rooftops, and Jacob's triumph gives me hope that I will get to that point.

The world building is great. Every detail and every sense is described, so that you will feel like you too are there with Jacob, learning and exploring the new lands of Portalia. Colors are brighter, the sky is differently colored, boys who love boys are no big deal, there are more moons and different foods and drinks and Casey Clubb details all of them so that you become sucked up into this magical sci-fi fantasy land. I read this book in one go. It's like a really cool middle grade pro-gay mix of Alice in Wonderland and Inkheart.

The message that this book carries is an important one: that you can believe in yourself and no matter what makes you different, be it who you love or what you wear- makes you awesome. Never be afraid to be yourself. I wholeheartedly agree and wish that I could somehow personally shove a copy of this book into every child's hand who has ever thought "Why am I such a freak? Why can't I be normal? Why can't I like girls/boys instead?" I can't say that this novel would have made me burst from the closet, but it definitely would have boosted my self-esteem and made me feel a little less alone.

I recommend this to fans of ya, middle grade, fantasy, and LGBT book. This book is clean and appropriate, and it reached me as an adult so it's for more than just junior high grade level. Casey Clubb has gained a new fangirl, and I will be waiting very, very impatiently to continue the next story that Jacob has to offer. Thanks to Booktrope for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Giveaway:

-This giveaway will run from September 16th to September 24th, 2014
-This giveaway is open to those 13+
-It is open to ANYONE over that age who can legally enter, receive, and use their prize.
-Five (5) winners will win a copy.
-This giveaway is sponsored wholly by the publisher. I am not responsible.
-This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity.
-Winner will have 48 hours to reply, or a new winner will be chosen. Winner will be chosen using random.org.
-Invalid entries will be removed, so please don't cheat.
-Void where prohibited. Odds will vary. No purchase necessary.
-My opinions are my own. Information will not be stored or sold, and will be used only to contact the winners.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway for The Girl and the Clockwork Cat

Title: The Girl & the Clockwork Cat
Author: Nikki McCormack
Release date: September 2nd, 2014
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Source: YA Bound Book Tours


Summary from Goodreads:
Feisty teenage thief Maeko and her maybe-more-than-friend Chaff have scraped out an existence in Victorian London’s gritty streets, but after a near-disastrous heist leads her to a mysterious clockwork cat and two dead bodies, she’s thrust into a murder mystery that may cost her everything she holds dear.

Her only allies are Chaff, the cat, and Ash, the son of the only murder suspect, who offers her enough money to finally get off the streets if she’ll help him find the real killer.

What starts as a simple search ultimately reveals a conspiracy stretching across the entire city. And as Maeko and Chaff discover feelings for each other neither was prepared to admit, she’s forced to choose whether she’ll stay with him or finally escape the life of a street rat. But with danger closing in around them, the only way any of them will get out of this alive is if all of them work together.

But it now on Amazon | BN | Kobo

About the Author:
Nikki started writing her first novel at the age of 12, which she still has tucked in a briefcase in her home office, waiting for the right moment. Despite a successful short story publication with Cricket Magazine in 2007, she continued to treat her writing addiction as a hobby until a drop in the economy presented her with an abundance of free time that she used to focus on making it her career.

Nikki lives in the magnificent Pacific Northwest tending to her husband and three cats suffering varying stages of neurosis. She feeds her imagination by sitting on the ocean in her kayak gazing out across the never-ending water or hanging from a rope in a cave, embraced by darkness and the sound of dripping water. She finds peace through practicing iaido or shooting her longbow.
Website |Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

Review:

★★★★★

Five stars.

----

I went into this novel not really sure of what to expect. While I love the fashions and stylings of steampunk, I admittedly haven't read many books in that genre. When I read the blurb and saw the cute cover for this one, I figured I would give it a shot. I enjoyed this far more than I anticipated, and I was hooked from the get-go.

First, I have to say that McCormack's world building and settings are incredible. The senses were blasted in a detailed way without seeming (dare I say) too descriptive. I was able to play out what the characters were doing, where they were doing it, what they wore, what scents were in the air. It was gorgeous. I also loved the way she described all the technology/steampunk elements. Even the way they spoke was riddled with English (and Japanese) slang that just gave the whole story that "authentic" vibe to it.

Then of course, there's the characters themselves. I adore Maeko, the lead heroine. She is strong and so damn fierce. I'd like to add that she's part Japanese, and I thought this was a nice touch, it's something unique that made her stand out.She can steal and lie with the best of the street rats, but she isn't overly angst-y. She has her own battles to fight and morals to stick to, and she knows what prices she's willing to pay to get justice for what's right, and to help who she deems to need it. She is helped by boys but doesn't necessarily depend on them, and that makes me happy. That being said, there are two boys involved, Ash and Chaff. It doesn't get super love-triangular (is that a phrase? It is now) but there is a dash of romance. Chaff is her mentor, a kid off the street who helped to show her the ropes. He never cares about his mates, it's his rule. And then there's Ash, who confuses her and knows little about her struggles on the street. Both are likable in their own way, and honestly I don't even know which one I prefer at this point. And then of course, there's the little fluffy hero Macak, the cat who has a clockwork prosthetic leg. He's like a cool steampunk familiar. I kind of want one for my own.

As for the story, I was left on my toes in a good way trying to sort out all the whodunnit. Who can you trust? Who is lying? What is happening!? I loved watching the mystery come together. It was well paced and filled with action. From fist fights to jail escapes, gun shot wounds and jealous boy sneers, there was never a dull moment. I was frustrated when the book ended, but only because it meant I couldn't stay lost in the world any longer.

In short, I would describe this as if the gang from Scooby Doo met up with the cast of Oliver Twist, but then added a kick ass Asian lead and a questionable law enforcement agency to make some awesome steampunk/fantasy love child of a book. Fans of steampunk, action, female leads, and light romance should be sure to check this one out. I know I'll want a physical copy for my shelf. I mean, it's British-Japanese steampunk cats solving crime. How can you not?

Thanks to YA Bound Book Tours who provided me with my copy in exchange for my honest review.

Follow the rest of the blog tour by clicking here.

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Blog Tour Organized by:
YA Bound Book Tours

Review: The 9 Lives of Alexander Baddenfield

Title: The 9 Lives of Alexander Baddenfield
Author: John Bemelmans Marciano, Sophie Blackall
Format: ARC
Pub. Date: October 3rd 2013
Source: Goodreads First reads.



★★★★

Three and a half stars.

---

The Baddenfield family has always been filled with scoundrels, living up to the bad in Baddenfield. And for centuries, they've been cursed to die young, despite the Winterbottoms, a family who has always served (and tried) to protect their horrible bosses. Alexander is twelve years old, and as bad as the rest of them. He hatches a brilliant plan- to take the surplus lives away from his pet cat, and transplant them into his body. He starts to live like never before, having been overprotected by Winterbottom, but eventually his lives start to dwindle, and he has to try and change his reckless ways before he lives up to the Baddenfield curse.

I have to say, that as an adult, I really liked this book. It's dark and a bit macabre in the same vein as writers like Roald Dahl, Lemony Snicket, and Tim Burton. The illustrations that accompany the text go with that theme as well, giving it a spooky, bad-guy type feel.

I also really liked the smartness with which this book was written. It integrates a few Spanish words, some references to mythology, and his cat's name is even Shaddenfrood. There was also a fair bit of humor and snark, that made be chuckle aloud. It was easy to read and understand, and was well detailed. Among other things that I enjoyed about this read was the actual printing itself. The pictures that separate paragraphs actually count down his deaths, something I didn't notice until he only had two remaining. Plus, stuff like print fading to illustrate his blacking out happens within the book, which I think was a nice touch.

Perhaps the best part of this children's book is the overall message that can be taken away from it. Alexander learns too late that while it is dangerous to be reckless and to act without thinking, it is also dangerous to stay inside, afraid of living life cooped up inside. It takes a fine balance of both to be happy and healthy.

That all being said, I have to look at this from the perspective of a parent or a child (of which I am neither) since this book is intended for a younger audience. This book deals with things like death. A lot. And not all of Alexander's deaths are pleasant. Some are quite gory or violent. I recommend that this is for a more mature child's reading age, for those who can understand death fully and still find humor in it. If you're a parent or adult who walks a bit on the darker side (guilty as charged) this may be right up your alley. Just be warned that this book doesn't spare many details. And the ending, while it made me chuckle, was definitely continuing the trend of dark implications.

All in all, I think this book has good illustrations and good writing, as well as a good message. I do however warn that this book deals heavily with death and injury, though it is spun in a humorous if dark way.

Thanks to Goodreads First Reads program for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.