Hi friends, as part of the blog tour hosted by The Write Reads Tours I’m shining a spotlight on The Light Between Us by Elaine Chiew. Click the banner below to check out the other bloggers on tour!
Hi friends, as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours I’m shining a spotlight on a new middle-grade contemporary: The Wonderful Wishes of B. by Katherin Nolte.
Click the banner above or here to check out the other incredible bloggers on the blog tour!
The Wonderful Wishes of B.
Publisher: Page Street Kids
Publication Date: 30 May 2023
Genre: Middle-Grade Contemporary
All that stands between ten-year-old Beatrice and an amazing life are five wishesā¦and sheās got a plan to make them all come true! A magical and heartfelt adventure about grief, hope, and the power of human connection.
Beatrice Corwell has a crooked haircut, eight well-trained cats, and a sheās turning herself into a Tin Man. Once her heart is made of metal, sheāll no longer miss her beloved dead grandma, her absent dad, or her recently moved-away best friend.
While Beatrice awaits her transformation, she keeps vigil with a special doll and a handful of wishes sheās determined to make come true. With her encyclopedic knowledge, there must be a way to grant her heartās deepest desires.
When an unusual boy named Caleb moves to town and mentions his grannyās interest in magic, Beatrice decides to enlist their help. She quickly learns, however, that spells donāt always go as planned, and witches canāt be trusted.
With the arrival of an unexpected visitor and a series of otherworldly messages, Beatriceās plans begin to falter. Will her heart turn into metal? Will any of her wishes come true?
The Wonderful Wishes of B. is the story of a smart, quirky girl learning what she wants and what she needsāand how, sometimes, the wishes we hold dearest are granted in the most unexpected ways.
Death of a loved family member (recounted), absent father, grief
Katherin Nolte received an MFA from the Iowa Writersā Workshop, where she was a Truman Capote Fellow. Her fiction has appeared in dozens of publications and won multiple awards, but it was a late-night ER visit with her four children that inspired her to write Back to the Bright Before. An Ohio native, she currently lives with her family in Iowa.
Is The Wonderful Wishes of B on your TBR or does it sound like a book you’d want to read?
Hi friends, as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours I’m shining a spotlight on The Alchemy of Moonlight by Dave Ferarro. The cover is definitely what caught my eye firstāI love it!
Click the banner above or here to check out the other incredible bloggers on the blog tour!
The Alchemy of Moonlight
Publisher: Page Street Kids
Publication Date: 30 May 2023
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Rep: LGBTQIA+, Black
When Emileās aunt declares he must marry or be disowned for being gayāhe runs away to hide as a servant in Count Montoniās mansion. In their service, Emile tends to the family who all suffer a strange affliction on the full moon. And after overhearing suspicious family arguments, he finds a body on the estate, drawing the attention of a handsome doctor as well as the countās charismatic nephew, Henri.
Before Emile can sort out his affections or unravel the growing Montoni family mystery, his identity is revealed and his aunt comes to collect him.
When she arrives, Count Montoni forces everyone to depart to the remote Udolpho Castleāwhere there are no witnesses and no chance for escape. There, Emile realizes that he will have to risk his life to find the love he deservesāand survive the Montoni family.
Mentions of dead bodies, dismemberment, blood, homophobia
David Ferraro grew up in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, where he was raised on a steady diet of comic books, horror movies and YA novels. He graduated with a B.A. in English and creative writing from St. Cloud State University, and currently resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with his boyfriend and a very spoiled tortoise. He is represented by Eva Scalzo of Speilburg Literary. His debut āThe Alchemy of Moonlightā is set to be published from Page Street Kids in Spring 2023.
Author’s Socials
WebsiteĀ |Ā TwitterĀ |Ā InstagramĀ |Ā Goodreads
Is The Alchemy of Moonlight on your TBR or does it sound like a book you want to read?
Hi friends, as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours I’m shining a spotlight on Last Sunrise in Eterna by Amapro Ortiz. This is the first day of the tour and there are plenty of awesome posts to come so don’t forget to check out the other blogger posts too!
Click the banner above or here to check out the other incredible bloggers on the blog tour!
Last Sunrise in Eterna
Publisher: Page Street Kids
Publication Date: 28 March 2023
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Rep: Puerto Rican
Three teenagers are invited to spend seven days on the secluded island floating off the coast of Puerto Rico to learn the magic of the elves.
All they have to do is give up their dreams.
Seventeen-year-old goth Sevim Burgos hates elves. Everyone else on earth loves the elves (especially their handsome princes) and would give anything to participate in Eternaās annual Exchange, where three teens can trade their dreams for a week of elven magic.
But Sevim knows things most people donāt. She can see through the illusions the elves use to conceal their crimes. Ever since elves killed her father, Sevim has longed for revenge. So to help support her single mother, she has been selling abandoned elf corpses on the black market.
But it turns out that the elf prince Aro has noticed Sevim bodysnatching, so he kidnaps her mother in retaliation. To get her mother back, Sevim must participate in the Exchange.
In the home of the elves, Sevim will have to surrender her dreams and put her trust in the charming prince who took the last family member she has in order to master the art of elf magic. And in working with him, she will discover how the royal elves might be more tied to her own history than she ever suspected.
Trauma, handling corpses, death of parent (recounted), murder, mutilated corpses (elven children), dead bodies (elven children), cannibalism (brief mention)
Amparo Ortiz is the author of BLAZEWRATH GAMES and
DRAGONBLOOD RING. She was born in San Juan, Puerto
Rico, and currently lives on the islandās northeastern coast.
Sheās published short story comics in MARVELāS VOICES:
COMUNIDADES #1 and in the Eisner-award winning
PUERTO RICO STRONG. Sheās also co-editor of the
upcoming OUR SHADOWS HAVE CLAWS, a young adult
horror anthology featuring myths and monsters from Latin
America. When sheās not writing, she teaches ESL as a
college professor and watches a lot of K-pop videos.
Author’s Socials
WebsiteĀ |Ā TwitterĀ |Ā InstagramĀ |Ā Goodreads
Is Last Sunrise in Eterna on your TBR or does it sound like a book you want to read?
Special thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Seven Faceless Saints (Seven Faceless Saints #1)
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: 7 February 2023
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Thriller
Panda Rating:
(4 pandas)
In the city of Ombrazia, saints and their disciples rule with terrifying and unjust power, playing favorites while the unfavored struggle to survive.
After her fatherās murder at the hands of the Ombrazian military, Rossana Lacertosa is willing to do whatever it takes to dismantle the corrupt systemātapping into her powers as a disciple of Patience, joining the rebellion, and facing the boy who broke her heart. As the youngest captain in the history of Palazzo security, Damian Venturi is expected to be ruthless and strong, and to serve the saints with unquestioning devotion. But three years spent fighting in a never-ending war have left him with deeper scars than he wants to admitā¦ and a fear of confronting the girl he left behind.
Now a murderer stalks Ombraziaās citizens. As the body count climbs, the Palazzo is all too happy to look the other wayāthat is, until a disciple becomes the newest victim. With every lead turning into a dead end, Damian and Roz must team up to find the killer, even if it means digging up buried emotions. As they dive into the underbelly of Ombrazia, the pair will discover something more sinisterāand far less holy. With darkness closing in and time running out, will they be able to save the city from an evil so powerful that it threatens to destroy everything in its path?
Discover whatās lurking in the shadows in this dark fantasy debut with a murder-mystery twist, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Kerri Maniscalco.
Various types of violence (shooting, poisoning, beheading), graphic descriptions of blood/bodies, death of parents/ friends/ siblings, a parent depicted with memory loss/confusion, PTSD and flashbacks, descriptions of war, prejudice, religious intolerance, hallucinations, paranoia, alcoholism, and mentions of self-harm.
Note: I was meant to read this for the blog tour last week until I went on hiatus because I wasn’t reading anything. I’m glad that I finished this book because it was a fantastic debut!
TL;DR: This was a strong YA/NA fantasy thriller debut that I really enjoyed! Unfortunately, I read this during a tumultuous personal time so it took me an uncharacteristically long time to read it; however, I’m 100% certain that if I had read this at any other time, I would’ve flown through it one sitting because it had that unputdownable quality that made me want to keep reading to learn the truth! Though not all the twists were entirely surprising, they did keep me on my toes and eager to see if my theories proved correct. While this story balances being plot and character driven very well, it was the characters who, IMO, made this a great read! I already can’t wait for the next book because I need to know what happensādark things are definitely coming their way and I’m so keen to see just what it turns out to be.
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Hi friends, although I’m on hiatus at the moment I’ve scheduled this spotlight as I’m part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours for Seven Faceless Saints by M.K. Lobb.
Click the banner above or here to check out the other incredible bloggers on the blog tour!
Seven Faceless Saints (Seven Faceless Saints #1)
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: 7 February 2023
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Thriller
In the city of Ombrazia, saints and their disciples rule with terrifying and unjust power, playing favorites while the unfavored struggle to survive.
After her fatherās murder at the hands of the Ombrazian military, Rossana Lacertosa is willing to do whatever it takes to dismantle the corrupt systemātapping into her powers as a disciple of Patience, joining the rebellion, and facing the boy who broke her heart. As the youngest captain in the history of Palazzo security, Damian Venturi is expected to be ruthless and strong, and to serve the saints with unquestioning devotion. But three years spent fighting in a never-ending war have left him with deeper scars than he wants to admitā¦ and a fear of confronting the girl he left behind.
Now a murderer stalks Ombraziaās citizens. As the body count climbs, the Palazzo is all too happy to look the other wayāthat is, until a disciple becomes the newest victim. With every lead turning into a dead end, Damian and Roz must team up to find the killer, even if it means digging up buried emotions. As they dive into the underbelly of Ombrazia, the pair will discover something more sinisterāand far less holy. With darkness closing in and time running out, will they be able to save the city from an evil so powerful that it threatens to destroy everything in its path?
Discover whatās lurking in the shadows in this dark fantasy debut with a murder-mystery twist, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Kerri Maniscalco.
Various types of violence (shooting, poisoning, beheading), graphic descriptions of blood/bodies, death of parents/ friends/ siblings, a parent depicted with memory loss/confusion, PTSD and flashbacks, descriptions of war, prejudice, religious intolerance, hallucinations, paranoia, alcoholism, and mentions of self-harm.
But really, how good does this book sound? I’m still in the process of reading this right now and I’m looking forward to diving back in (y’know when my job stops murdering me š) and giving it my full attention ASAP because I’m loving the mix of dark mystery and saints blessed magic. Something really sinister is going on and I can’t wait to find out what it is!
M. K. Lobb is a fantasy writer with a love of all things darkā be it literature, humour, or general aesthetic. She grew up in small-town Ontario and studied political science at both the University of Western Ontario and the University of Ottawa. She now lives by the lake with her partner and their cats. When not reading or writing, she can be found at the gym or contemplating the harsh realities of existence.
Her debut novel SEVEN FACELESS SAINTS will be published February 7, 2023 by Little, Brown (Hachette). The sequel, DISCIPLES OF CHAOS, will follow in early 2024. M. K. is represented by Claire Friedman at InkWell Management.
Author’s Socials
WebsiteĀ |Ā TwitterĀ |Ā InstagramĀ |Ā Goodreads
Have you read Seven Faceless Saints or is it on your TBR?
Today I’m shining a spotlight on FATTY FATTY BOOM BOOM: A MEMOIR OF FOOD, FAT, AND FAMILY by Rabia Chaudry. If you’ve followed me for a while you’ll know that I don’t often read non-fiction because I just don’t have the brain bandwidth! š But I do when food is incorporated into books so that’s why this one really caught my eye!
Special thanks to Katrina Tiktinsky from Algonquin Books for providing the digital ARC via NetGalley for this tour!
Fatty Fatty Boom Boom: A Memoir of Food, Fat, and Family
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Publication Date: 08 November 2022
Genre: Memoir, Non FIction
From the bestselling author and host of the wildly popularĀ UndisclosedĀ podcast,Ā a warm, intimate memoir about food, body image, and growing up in a loving but sometimes oppressively concerned Pakistani immigrant family.
“My entire life I have been less fat and more fat, but never not fat.”According to family lore, when Rabia Chaudryās family returned to Pakistan for their first visit since moving to the United States, two-year-old Rabia was more than just a pudgy toddler. Dada Abu, her fit and sprightly grandfather, attempted to pick her up but had to put her straight back down, demanding of Chaudryās mother: āWhat have you done to her?ā The answer was two full bottles of half-and-half per day, frozen butter sticks to gnaw on, and lots and lots of American processed foods.
And yet, despite her parents plying her with all the wrong foods as they discovered Burger King and Dairy Queen, they were highly concerned for the future for their large-sized daughter. How would she ever find a suitable husband? There was merciless teasing by uncles, cousins, and kids at school, but Chaudry always loved food too much to hold a grudge against it. Soon she would leave behind fast food and come to love the Pakistani foods of her heritage, learning to cook them with wholesome ingredients and eat them in moderation. At once a love letter (with recipes) to fresh roti, chaat, chicken biryani, ghee, pakoras, shorba, parathay and an often hilarious dissection of life in a Muslim immigrant family,Ā Fatty Fatty Boom BoomĀ is also a searingly honest portrait of a woman grappling with a body that gets the job done but that refuses to meet the expectations of others.
Chaudry’s memoirĀ offers readers a relatable and powerful voice on the controversial topic of body image, one that dispenses with the politics and gets to what every woman who has ever struggled with weight will relate to.
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Today I’m shining a spotlight on Jackie & Me by Louis Bayard. This is a historical fiction about a young Jackie Kennedy before she was a Kennedy. Special thanks to Algonquin Books for having me on tour!
Goodreads: Jackie & Me
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Publication Date: 14 June 2022
Genre: Historical Fiction
In 1951, former debutante Jacqueline Bouvier is hard at work as the Inquiring Camera Girl for a Washington newspaper. Her mission in life is ānot to be a housewife,ā but when she meets the charismatic congressman Jack Kennedy at a Georgetown party, her resolution begins to falter. Soon the two are flirting over secret phone calls, cocktails, and dinner dates, and as Jackie is drawn deeper into the Kennedy orbit, and as Jack himself grows increasingly elusive and absent, she begins to question what life at his side would mean. For answers, she turns to his best friend and confidant, Lem Billings, a closeted gay man who has made the Kennedy family his own, and who has been instructed by them to seal the deal with Jackās new girl. But as he gets to know her, a deep and touching friendship emerges, leaving him with painfully divided alliances and a troubling dilemma: Is this the marriage she deserves?
Narrated by an older Lem as he looks back at his own role in a complicated alliance, this is a courtship story full of longing and of suspense, of what-ifs and possible wrong turns. It is a surprising look at Jackie before she was that Jackie. And in best-selling author Louis Bayardās witty and deeply empathetic telling, Jackie & Me is a page-turning story of friendship, love, sacrifice, and betrayalā and a fresh take on two iconic American figures.
Today I’m shining a spotlight on Slip by Marika McCoola and illustrated by Aatmaja Pandya, as part of the blog tour hosted by Algonquin. This is a YA coming-of-age graphic novel that deals with topics such as suicide, self-harm, and mental health.
Special thanks to Algonquin Young Readers for having me on tour and for providing an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Goodreads: Slip
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Publication Date: 07 June 2022
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary, Magical Realism
Right before Jade is about to leave for a summer art intensive, her best friend, Phoebe, attempts suicide. How is Jade supposed to focus on herself right now?
But at the Art Farm, Jade has artistic opportunities sheās been waiting for her whole life. And as she gets to know her classmates, she begins to fall for whimsical, upbeat, comfortable-in-her-own-skin Mary. Jade pours herself into making ceramic monsters that vent her stress and insecurities, but when she puts her creatures in the kiln, something unreal happens: they come to life. And theyāre taking a stand: if Jade wonāt confront her problems, her problems are going to confront her, including the scariest of them allāif Jade grows, prospers, and even falls in love this summer, is she leaving Phoebe behind?
I’m excited to be shining a spotlight on The Tiltersmith by Amy Herrick today! This middle-grade story combines science and folklore to spin a page-turning, action-packed story of friendship, love, teamwork, and environmental stewardship. It sounds like a pretty unique read and certainly like nothing that I’ve read before especially for this age range, and I’m excited to read it at some point! Plus, how great is this cover?!
Myths and monsters collide with climate chaos in a thrilling fantasy adventure
āVacillating between scientific reasoning and lore from worldwide cultures, the descriptions of beautiful legends of seasons and the sobering study of climate change are so rich.āāKirkus Reviews
Special thanks to Algonquin Young Readers for having me on tour and for providing an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Goodreads: The Tiltersmith
Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers
Publication Date: 06 April 2022
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Spring has arrived in Brooklyn, New York, but winter refuses to let go. Sleet, snow, and even a tornado batter the city. Mr. Ross, the science teacher, believes climate change is the cause, but classmates Edward, Feenix, Danton, and Brigit suspect older, magical forces are at work. When a peculiar character calling himself Superintendent Tiltersmith appears with a keen interest in the foursome, their suspicions are confirmed, and theyāre swept up in a battle of wits and courage.
The friends must protect a set of mysterious tools belonging to the Lady of Spring. If they can free her from her underground prison, winter will end. But if the Tiltersmith steals the tools, he will keep the Lady in his power and upset the balance of nature forever.
Perfect for readers of Madeleine LāEngle and Susan Cooper,Ā The TiltersmithĀ returns to the world of Amy Herrickās acclaimedĀ Time FetchĀ in a timely, exciting stand-alone adventure.
dinipandareads 