Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Teaser Tuesday: The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

 

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
 Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
 BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 "A reader lives many lives," James Harris said. " The person who doesn't read lives but one. But if you're happy just doing what you're told and reading what other people think you should read then don't let me stop you. I just find it sad. "
(p.77 on my Kindle)

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix was published April 7th, 2020 by Quirk Books.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Thursday, November 19, 2020

Book Review: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 

Noemi is sent by her father to check on her cousin Catalina who sent them a letter that sounded a little off asking for help. Catalina is living in a house called High Place outside of a small town in Mexico. Noemi hasn't seen Catalina or her husband, Virgil, since their wedding. Turns out High Place is Virgil's family home. They live there with a handful of relatives and a few servants.

The house is dark and foreboding. It's perfect for a gothic tale. There is electricty, but not every fixture has a bulb. They make liberal use of candles and oil lamps. There is mold and fungus throughout the house staining the wallpaper and eating at the books. Curtains are kept shut. No smoking is allowed. And quiet is enforced at the dinner table. The state of the house reflects the inner lives and conditions of the house's occupants.

Noemi is an unlikely heroine being a 1950s socialite and used to being the life of the party. She is close to Catalina. Catalina has always been more reserved, but her current state is not what Noemi has become accustomed to expect from her. The more I read the more I rooted for the girls. 

The pace of the book is slow at first as Noemi settles into the house. The longer she is there, the faster the pace becomes. By the end it is really flying.

There are several things that some people may find triggering: unwanted sexual advances, near rape, gaslighting, eugenics, incest, and cannibalism. The book only has these things generally in small amounts.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's well-written. Really is gothic. I found Noemi to be an interesting character. The twists towards the end are surprising. My only complaints were how slow it is at first; and I could have done without the cannibalism. Otherwise this is really a good gothic book. 

Mexican Gothic By Silvia Moreno-Garcia was published June 30th, 2020 by Del Rey.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect the content of my review.

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #350: Last Strand by Jennifer Estep

 


Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

Every bloody thread has been leading to this . . .

I’ve battled a lot of bad guys in my time, both as Gin Blanco and as the notorious assassin the Spider. But I’ve never faced off against anyone quite as powerful and deadly as the dastardly leader of the Circle secret society.

Just when I finally have a lead on how I can defeat the evil group once and for all, new information comes to light that throws me for a loop. Suddenly, everyone and everything I love is in imminent peril of being destroyed, and I’m racing against the clock to figure out a way to save my friends.

The stakes couldn’t be higher, and the danger has never been greater. Somehow, I need to weave one last strand in my web of death—and kill my enemies before they kill me . . .

Last Strand by Jennifer Estep is expected out March 16th, 2021. It's available for pre-order on Amazon now.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like the series. This is the nineteenth book in the Elemental Assassin series. Jennifer Estep says it will be the last full length book for a while in this series. She is planning some novellas from different characters' points of view. And she has some other projects in the works. I like the characters in the series and am really looking forward to seeing what happens to them in this book.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Teaser Tuesday: Pride and All This Prejudice by Alex A. King

 



Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
 Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
 BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 "The laugh is this close to erupting out of her chest, Alien-style, when the subtle shift of Marko's expression changes her mind. So the man is capable of feeling, of being wounded. Interesting. She never would have guessed it."
 (p. 87 on my Kindle)

Pride and All This Prejudice by Alex A. King was published November 24th, 2014 by Citizen A Press.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Friday, November 13, 2020

Book Review: Stoker's Wilde West by Steven Hopstaken and Melissa Prusi

 

Oscar Wilde and Bram Stoker have returned to their more or less normal lives after the events of Stoker's Wilde. But how normal can your life be when your brother is a werewolf or your coworker is a vampire. Their normal comes to an end when they receive a message that vampires have been found in America.

Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde were already booked to go to America. One to manage a theater company and the other to have his play performed. Florence, Bram's wife, is along for the ride which turns out to be a very good thing when Bram finds himself on the wrong side of the law. They pretty much encounter all that the Wild West has to offer and then some.  

The story is told through telegrams , diary entries, meeting transcripts, and other first person point of view documents. This is much the same as Dracula. The majority of entries are from Oscar, Bram, and Florence although there are other sources. Entries really show each character's personality. Bram and Florence are slightly more reliable narrators than Oscar. Oscar tends to embellish a little though he usually admits to it in the end. 

I enjoyed the friendship that Florence strikes up with Calamity Jane. Oscar and Bram make a nice counter pair with their own relationship and adventures. 

While a little slow in a few places, overall the plot moved along at a good pace. There are also some nice twists. 

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's well-written and in an interesting format. At first the format makes it a little confusing as it introduces characters that aren't picked up again until much later. Overall, it's a good story and worth a read. It is a sequel, but can be read as a standalone, which I did. I would recommend it to people who enjoy weird westerns, vampire stories, or paranormal stories.

Stoker's Wilde West by Steven Hopstaken and Melissa Prusi was published  August 11th, 2020 by Flame Tree Press.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion or the content of this review.

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #349: Jolene by Mercedes Lackey

 


Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.


From the publisher:

The beloved Elemental Masters series moves to America for the first time in a rich retelling of The Queen of the Copper Mountain, set against the backdrop of Tennessee coal country.

Anna May Jones is the daughter of a coal miner, but a sickly constitution has kept her confined to the house for most of her life. Hoping to improve her daughter’s health—and lessen the burden on their family—Anna's mother sends her to live with her Aunt Jinny, a witchy-woman and an Elemental Master, in a holler outside of Ducktown.
 
As she settles into her new life, Anna learns new skills at Aunt Jinny’s side and discovers that she, too, has a gift for Elemental magic that Jinny calls “the Glory”. She also receives lessons from a mysterious and bewitching woman named Jolene, who assures her that, with time, Anna could become even more powerful than her aunt.
 
But with Anna’s increasing power comes increasing notice. Billie McDaran, the foreman of the Ducktown mine, begins to take an interest in Anna and her abilities—even though Anna has already fallen in love with a young man with a talent for stonecarving.
 
If she wants to preserve the life she has come to love, Anna must use her newfound powers to oppose the foreman and protect those around her.

Jolene by Mercedes Lackey is expected out December 1st, 2020 from DAW.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like the sound of it. Set in the South with witchy women sells it. And Mercedes Lackey is a talented writer.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Teaser Tuesday: Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero

 


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
 Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
 BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Andy averted her eyes just a second to confirm that Copperseed was now fully smiling, the red glow of burning collateral damage expectedly suiting his sharp, rugged features.

They remained on the knoll for a while, under the magical spell of things going kablooey in the night.
(P. 232 on my Kindle)

Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero was published July 11th, 2017 by Doubleday Books.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Friday, November 6, 2020

Review: Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman

 

Once there was a babe abandoned in the snowy woods not far from Hannah Owens home. Hannah took in Maria and raised her. Maria had a talent for the unnamed arts and Hannah taught her all she knew. Hannah admonishes her to always love someone who will love you back.

Disaster strikes. Hannah dies and young Maria is left on her own. Robbed of her childhood by what she witnessed, Maria seeks help from her biological parents. Her father sells her into indentured servitude in Curacao. 

It's in Curacao that Maria first falls in love. She is  subsequently abandoned again. She makes her way to Salem, Massachusetts where witch hysteria is brewing. Along the way Maria will learn more about love. And it is in Salem she will utter the famous Owens family curse.

I liked the characters of Maria, Samuel Dias, and Hannah the most. Faith, Maria's daughter, is an interesting character as well. It's not that Faith is unlikable, but some of her choices are. Generally speaking, the characters in the book are appropriately fleshed out. Those you should like, you will probably like. Those that are less likable, the reader is shown reasons why they are less likable.

The pace of the book is well done. I was only tempted to look ahead once and that was because of a plot point rather than a pacing issue. I was worried for Maria going to Salem at a time when one could be accused and put on trial for witchcraft. I didn't look ahead though. 

This book is worth reading whether you've read the other books yet or not. I give it 5 out of 5 stars. It's well-written. There are interesting characters and plot twists. And it is well paced. I would recommend this book if you've read the others or want to, like historical literature, or like witchy books.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my review. 

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #348: Auntie Poldi and the Lost Madonna by Mario Giordano

 



Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.


There’s only one Auntie Poldi: bewigged, cursing in Bavarian, and knocking back a wee shot of grappa as a pre-breakfast aperitif . . . or is there? No one is as they seem (and sound) in this hilarious new mystery featuring Sicily’s sultriest sleuth.

Strange dealings are afoot in the Apostolic Palace—a nun leapt to her death shortly after participating in a seemingly routine exorcism. But when a priest clad in Gammarelli and a Vatican commissario with an almost unholy level of sex appeal turn up at her door, Poldi is shocked to hear that she’s a suspect in their case.
 
Who is the woman being exorcised, and where has she disappeared to? And why in the world does she claim, in perfect Bavarian, to be Poldi, Isolde Oberreiter, of Torre Archirafi? 
 
Poldi will need all the help she can get to clear her name, but her nephew has been distracted by a love affair gone sour, someone in the town has been spraying graffiti death threats on her front door, and her local friends seem to be avoiding her. And even Vito Montana balks when Poldi discovers that the case hinges on a lost Madonna statue, stolen years ago from the pope himself.
 
Forza, Poldi! With a pair of mysterious twins dogging her every move and a mandate to maintain sobriety, will Poldi be able to find the lost statue in time, and survive her sixty-first birthday?

Auntie Poldi and the Lost Madonna by Mario Giordano  is expected to be published May 18th, 2021.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like humorous mysteries. This series sounds very funny. Auntie Poldi seems to be quite a character. I like that she isn't a spring chicken and has very human weaknesses. 

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Teaser Tuesday: Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero

 



Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
 Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
 BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 "No, I mean it, because... You know, it's not like I want to take command or anything; I think we should be a team, make all the decisions together, you know. Reach consent."
 " You mean consensus. "
Page 84 on my Kindle

Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero was published July 11th, 2017 by Doubleday Books.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!