Thursday, March 31, 2016

Nailbiter by Joshua Williamson | Review

Nailbiter, Volume 1: The Murder, Deluxe Edition

Title: Nailbiter
Author: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Mike Henderson and Adam Guzowski Release: March 22, 2016
Rating:★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Pages: 304
Format: Hardback
Series: Yes
Summary: "Where do serial killers come from?" and why has Buckaroo, Oregon given birth to sixteen of the most vile serial killers in the world? NSA Agent Nicholas Finch needs to solve that mystery in order to save his friend, and he'll have to team up with the infamous Edward "Nailbiter" Warren to do it. Joshua Williamson and Mike Henderson deliver a mystery that mixes "Twin Peaks" with the horror of "Se7en"! This deluxe oversized hardcover collects the first ten issues of NAILBITER and features bonus material never before released including sketches, a process section, the original pitch, and script pages. Collects NAILBITER #1-10. (goodreads)

Thoughts

If you like horror I think you will enjoy this comic a lot. I have read Joshua Williamson's currently running comic book Birthright and I am loving every single thing of it right now. I needed to get my hands on something else that he has written. Nailbiter just came out with this special Hardcover edition of it's first 10 issues and I couldn't help it and graved myself a copy of it. I wasn't disappointed at all. This new series is just amazing. Now I am trying to get my hands at anything that Williamson writes.

This book is good to read in trades. I don't think I would have been able to read this as single issues. Each issue would have been horrible to wait for. The mystery behind the series pulls you into the story. The art in the story is great. Perfect for the story but it's really gory. If you don't really like seeing cruel gory things than this comic book series may not be for you.

What draws me into the story is the mystery of the town. Which is what the story is about. How did this town have created so many serial killers? That itself is what intrigues me about the mystery of the story. How is it that so many people in a town became such cruel people. If you like the mystery and the phycology of it all. The ending of this volume left me in a clip hanger.

I like the flow of the series also. It doesn't feel like it's dragging or if it's just being slowed down. It's a great read and recommend people to read it if you like horror novels and horror films.

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Review/Spoilers


I had told my self that I wouldn't be seeing this movie until after it came out on DVD but I ended up caving in and watching it. After going to Wonder Con and everyone talking about it. I don't thinking I couldn't watch it at all. So on Sunday right after the Con I went straight to the theater and watched the movie. It was everything that I expected it to be. I didn't go in the theater with high or low expectations. I just went in the theater seeing what the movie could bring. I am stating right now that I am not the biggest DC fan out there. I don't read the comic books at all. But the reason is because there is just so much out there apart from the stories being re-booted every few years. There has been some years where the books have just made no sense to me.

Currently the only DC title that I am picking up is Superman: American Alien by Max Landis. Which I think it's such an interest take of the story. How it picks up in different parts of his life as he becomes Superman. But I will stop here with that. This is a BvS review.

I will state that there will be spoilers in this review. So if you wish not to be spoiled I would say that you leave right now. Because I will be talking details about the movie.

Issues:
On with the review. For a Superman movie, Superman wasn't really much in the movie. I feel like he was really absent in the film. Yes, the issues revolving in the movie were about him but he wasn't really in the film enough. He really didn't represent himself. I even think that he didn't really have enough lines in the film.

Another issue of this film was the pace of the film it was so slow. There was times I was so bored with the film. I didn't really want to be in the theater and continue watching it. I was at point ready to walk out. The editing of the film felt all out of place. There were certain scenes that I just wish were in different parts of the film. It was just not consisting at all.

The way that the Justice League members were introduce in this film was just so sloppy. It would have been more interesting to give a gleams of them towards the end of the film. It would have done more of an impact for the audience. It was just thrown in the middle of a scene that was already making an impact. I didn't understand that placement at all.

Let's talk about Lex Luther. Oh why they would go that way with him I don't understand at all. The character was so distracting so out of what Luther is. It felt as if it was trying to be the Joker. Jesse Eisenberg was just not the right Lex for me. He just pulled me out of the movie. He didn't feel part of the universe that they were creating. It just didn't work for me at all.

The whole fight with Batman and Superman but it just didn't make sense what the film makers were trying to do. I know they wanted that climatic event but it just felt force. I wish they were fighting for a better reason other than Lex Luther planning it all. It just made it feel like a cop out for me.

I can really go on my issues for this film but I feel I should just leave it here. These were some of the main points why I didn't enjoyed the film.

What I like about the film:
Even though I did have a lot of issues with the film I did enjoyed some part. One of my biggest one was Ben Affleck at Batman. He was perfect for the role. He place both Bruce Wayne and Batman perfectly. The opening sequence of the film was just amazing. The way it was shot and then the way that Bruce Wayne just went to the city it was just amazing. Really don't have many words for it than brilliant. I think I have come to like this version of Batman better than the Christopher Nolan version of Batman.

I have to say that the origin opening sequence of Batman was one of the best I have ever scene been film. It wasn't too much. It was just the right amount of origin that we needed.

I enjoyed all of Batman's scene in the film. It felt like the Batman from the cartoons and comics. That was Batman and liked ever moment of his performance.

Another thing that I loved from the film was Wonder Woman at the end. The way she just shows up and just kicks ass is just so amazing. She could have taken on Doomsday by herself. She was technically fighting him by herself and they way her expression showed that she was having fun was also amazing. She knew she had to stop this thing. But we all do have to keep in mind that she was raise to be a warrior and that is what it looked like. A warrior just kicking ass. I loved that.

Those are scenes I really like from the film. One thing that I did like that Lois knew that Clark was Superman. It was just getting old. The whole superhero secret identity from love ones thing.

My overall thoughts:
Overall it was and okay movie not the best not the worst. I don't think I will be seeing it again. But it's worth a watch if you like superhero movies. Just ignore everyone's opinion and give it a chance and see if YOU like it. It's all on opinion here.

I will see the next DC films. I do want to give the DC film a chance and want to see where they go. I am looking forward to seeing Suicide Squad. I just hope it doesn't suffer what this film suffer because of all it's characters. But only time will tell with the DC cinematic universe.

Rating: C-

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Get Up Offa That Slump: Easter basket

Hosted By Beauty and the Bookshelf


Today we are going to see my DREAM Easter basket. This would be my ultimate basket, which I will never see in my life, but if I can put anything in here, I'm gonna make that chick in the Santa Baby song look like she is asking for more mush in Oliver Twist.

First off a basket is needed. You know that bag in Harry Potter where he could store anything and never run out of space? The one that looked like a old purse for a Victorian woman?  Yeah that would be perfect.


 Now a basket need grass in it, and I like green, so this works well

Candy? I few dozen boxes of this will do.

Something shiny

A new toy

And something to read too! 

Anything I should add? 



Get Up Offa That Slump Challenge: Idea Board

Hosted By Beauty and the Bookshelf


Yep, I know we are late this time, but poor Mel was sick then went to Wondercon, and I was swamped with family and Easter prep. Sorry loves. So, FRIDAY'S challenge was either plan a trip, or make and idea board for your blog. We chose the last one, because it is kind of WHY we wanted to do this challenge in the first place.
Since there is two of us, we opened a shared google doc, and started adding in ideas to do. So, this is going to look more like a idea list and not a board, but ideas are ideas!

Things we like from this challenge to do more of:

  • Mad Libs is fun and easy and something to do randomly with popular books/add on to a book review or a movie review too! 
  • Spins off the easter basket bit - Bookish 12 days of Christmas and things like that 
  • More Book Tags, or any fun tag things. 
  • Maybe once a month. Dogs and Books somehow.


New Things

  • Caption Contest. Maybe the prize is a bookmark Mel can make and mail out? This can be fun with a new movie or show, or even an old one people love. Just grab a screenshot and go. 
  • Bring back TOP 3 but do fun topics. We have the top 10 tues where we can do book like things. Bookshelf Tour Blog Post 
  • Funko Pop with books theme post 
  • Weekly character bookmark Post 
  • Weekly Booktuber Recommendation/Graphic Post 
  • Comic Con Posts!
  • Blog Tour blitz - we set a time and look at X number of blogs and read and comment to posts, and then post a post on what we liked, if we are following any new blogs, or if someone has a post we think people should read. 
  • Add a follow thing to our blog, so people can follow. And HOW DO YOU EVEN WORK BLOGLOVIN? Someone tell me PLEASE!

Spider-Gwen Vol. 1 Great Power by Jason Latour


 

Title: Spider-Gwen Vol. 1: Great Power
Author: Jason Latour
Artist: Robbie Rodriguez
Release: May 24, 2016
Rating:★ ★ ★ ★
Pages: 136
Format: Single issues
Series: Yes - Marvel - Spider-Gwen
Summary:Gwen Stacy is back in the webs and has an all-new, all-different mystery to solve: the reappearance of the Lizard! The Spider-Woman of Earth-65 was convinced that the Lizard died in her arms along with Peter Parker. But a new reptilian rampage leaves her with doubts not only about Peter's life, but his death as well. Troubles begin to mount as the Osborns of Gwen's world make their debut, and she finds herself on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s most wanted list! Perhaps some wise words from a mentor figure could help - how about Jessica Drew, the Spider-Woman of Earth-616? What lessons about power and responsibility will Jess have to share, and what use will they be when Gwen battles the Goblins?
COLLECTING: SPIDER-GWEN 1-6

Thoughts:
I just love the art in this book so much. The color schemes and the design of the characters is what really pulled me into the story line. The what if? idea was so interesting for me. I have always like alternative universe and this was just perfect for me.

I do say that this volume is a BIG step up from volume 0. Volume 0 for me seemed a little all over the place. The creators were just getting themselves started and I think that they really didn't know into what direction they were heading with it. But I think in this volume they knew the direction they were heading towards too. I think that they have more of a clear point of the story.

I really enjoyed the introduction of the new characters in this volume and the direction some of them went. It's interesting to see alternative characters from the original universe into a different story line and a different position or different characters playing roles into this universe.

I say give this volume a try. If you enjoyed it I pretty much say you will enjoy this series. It never hurts to try.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Get up offa that slump Challenge: Puppies + Books


Em


When Mel and I saw "Dogs and Books" as a challenge option, we knew we had to show our fur babies and some books. For myself, I was trying to get pictures of all four dogs, but anyone that has animals know, they are as hard to make sit for a picture as a child. So, here is Loki with my next hard copy read.

Mel

Here are a few pictures of my favorite books with my little puppy. Oh, how I adore him.
   

BOOK SPOTLIGHT + GIVEAWAY: FURIOUS BY T.R. RAGAN

Furious
by: T.R. Ragan
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Indiebound
The Book Depository


Synopsis:
Faith McMann comes home to a nightmare: her husband is killed and her son and daughter are taken. Although the intruders leave her for dead, she survives. Crippling grief and fear for her children make life unbearable. Until her anguish turns to anger…and she trades victimhood for vengeance. Frustrated with the law’s efforts, she takes action to rescue her children—and wreaks havoc on the brutal criminals who tore them from her. With her family and newfound allies at her side, Faith descends into the hellish underworld of human trafficking, determined to make those who prey on the innocent pray for mercy. The forces she's up against have already proven that their ruthlessness knows no bounds. And there's nothing they won't do to turn Faith's crusade into a suicide mission. But they're about to learn that nothing is more dangerous than a mother fighting for her children—especially one who's earned the nickname Furious.

Author Bio:
T.R. Ragan (Theresa Ragan) is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author. Her exciting Lizzy Gardner series: Abducted, Dead Weight, A Dark Mind, Obsessed, Almost Dead, and Evil Never Dies, has received tremendous praise. In August 2015 Evil Never Dies hit #7 on the Wall Street Journal Bestselling List. Since publishing in 2011, she has sold over two million books and has been mentioned in the Wall Street Journal, the L.A. Times, PC Magazine, Huffington Post, and Publishers Weekly. Theresa grew up in a family of five girls in Lafayette, California. An avid traveler, her wanderings have carried her to Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, China, Thailand, and Nepal, where she narrowly survived being chased by a killer elephant. Before devoting herself to writing fiction, she worked as a legal secretary for a large corporation. Theresa and her husband Joe have four children and live in Sacramento, California. FURIOUS, the first book in her most recent Faith McMann series will be released March 22, 2016, followed by OUTRAGE and WRATH.

Early Praise
“Faith McMann, heroine of this gripping novel, is a Sacramento schoolteacher, wife, and mother who comes home just in time to witness her husband’s throat getting cut and her two children hauled away. The attempt on her life is botched—the killers were in a hurry—and as she recovers, she’s convinced the police are brushing her off. So she whacks a detective with his computer keyboard and gets sentenced to anger management sessions. If this were a cookie-cutter thriller, the male hero would be tracking the killers with an automatic weapon and maybe a major babe beside him. But our hero is smarter than that, and her revenge is a product of relationships, not bullets. In classes, she meets other victims as angry as she is, and, together, in fine scenes of action and suspense, they seek explanations and vengeance as well as the children’s rescue, which takes them into a slimy world of human trafficking. Learn here about “lot lizards” and “kiddie strolls” on the way to a wild finale. Suspenseful and smart, in equal measure.” —Don Crinklaw, Booklist

“Searing...Readers with strong stomachs will eagerly await the next installment.” —Publishers Weekly

Giveaway:
5 copies of FURIOUS (US Only)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Uprooted by Naomi Novik | Review

Uprooted
Title: Uprooted
Author: Naomi Novik
Release: May 19, 2015
Rating:★ ★ ★ ★
Pages: 435
Format: Hardback
Series: No
Summary:“Our Dragon doesn’t eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside our valley. We hear them sometimes, from travelers passing through. They talk as though we were doing human sacrifice, and he were a real dragon. Of course that’s not true: he may be a wizard and immortal, but he’s still a man, and our fathers would band together and kill him if he wanted to eat one of us every ten years. He protects us against the Wood, and we’re grateful, but not that grateful.”
Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.
Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood.
The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows—everyone knows—that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, all the things Agnieszka isn’t, and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her.
But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose. (goodreads)
Thoughts:

The main reason for picking up this book was because I heard Brandon Sanderson speak so highly of it. I wanted to know what was so interesting about the book. It's hard to read re-tellings for me. It's hard to actually find one that I actually enjoyed. When I first started reading this book I wasn't really pull into the story line, until I reach 30 Into the story. That is when it started picking up. I was happy that it didn't take 100 pages for the story to pick up. Something that has happened lately in stories that I have been reading lately.

I really enjoyed the story. It was different that the retellings that have been coming out lately. It was different than the others. I liked that the book also stands on it's own. It's just one book instead of a series. Which most of the books coming out lately are. It's hard to find a book that stands on it's own lately.

In the story we follow Agnieszka journey as she is chosen by the Dragon. The protector of her land. We discover the reason why she is the one chosen and we see the development between her and the Dragon. One thing I really like about the story was the relationship between Agnieszka and Kasia. We rarely see the relationships between friends in stories. We always see female characters against each other instead of working together and this book did very well in having those characters work together. We also see how strong their friendship is which I really loved.

It was good to see the development of the character and see how she had to grow on her own also. I did find areas that were slow but I understood that they were necessary for the story to develop. Overall I would say you should give the story a try. It's very entertaining. I do warn there is 2 scenes that are for mature readers. They are short scenes. But just a warning if you don't like reading sexual scenes.

Monday, March 21, 2016

Get Up Offa That Slump: Book Spine Poetry

Hosted By Beauty and the Bookshelf

Today I learn that my books are poets and didn't even know it! Yeah I went there. With most books not titled like in or a or the for my use, this is going to sound like some odd "How I Married an Ax Murder" beat poetry. I don't know if I should be sorry or not.

Also why do all my books sound like I am depressed?

The Rogue
Betrayed, Hunted
Dark Places, Bullet
Death's Sweet Embrace
A Feast For Crows

Show us your own poem. Or link us to your post.

Stacking the Shelves (02)

Another week of book collecting and book reading. This week looks a little more normal for myself and Mel.

Em

I was gifted a replacement to my broken Outlander book. RIP Old 80's thrift-store buy. You did me well. If you want to join Parcels of Joy, the list is always open. Someone gifted me this beauty from that group!

Mel

Superman: American Alien #5 
Silk #6 
Spider-Man/Deadpool #3 
Nailbiter Vol 1 HC Edition

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo | Review

Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)

Title: Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Release: September 29, 2015
Rating:★ ★ ★ ★
Pages: 465
Format: Hardback
Series: Yes - (Six of Crows)
Summary: Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...
A convict with a thirst for revenge.
A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.
A runaway with a privileged past.
A spy known as the Wraith.
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.
Kaz's crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.(goodreads)

Thoughts:
This book was confusing at the beginning. I didn't really know where the story was leading. I didn't really know what the book was really about. It was feeling different than the description of the book. I wasn't really enjoying the beginning of the book. I don't know if it was because of the hype that the book has or because I felt that I was missing information. I feel like I would have gotten more of it if I would have read the authors other series also. Would have understand the world a little better.

This book takes place in the same world has her previous series but none of her characters are connected. The book did started picking up after 100 pages in. But I feel like that is too much to read in a story to actually feel pulled into the story line.

The characters were interesting and I did feel like knowing more about them. As we develop more into the story we do get more and more into the story and we find out more about the characters. That is a thing that I liked about the story, the characters. That is what actually kept me invested in the story. As the story progress the characters got more and more interesting. They kept me invested in the story. They made me want to know more about them.

As for the story I felt like it was trying to hard to become a heist book when in reality it wasn't. It felt like something else.

I heard this book in an audiobook format and I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed that there were different narrators for the story. That made the story more interesting and more entertaining to hear. If you can't get into the book by reading it I suggest to hearing the book. It was very entertaining and the voices fit the characters so well.

I will be continuing the series. I am looking forward how this story will end.

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith | Review

Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike, #3)
Title: Career of Evil (Cormoron Strike #3)
Author: Robert Galbraith (JK Rowling)
Release: October 20th 2015
Rating:★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Pages: 497
Format: Hardback/Audiobook
Series: Yes - Cormoron Strike
Summary: Cormoran Strike is back, with his assistant Robin Ellacott, in a mystery based around soldiers returning from war.
When a mysterious package is delivered to Robin Ellacott, she is horrified to discover that it contains a woman’s severed leg.
Her boss, private detective Cormoran Strike, is less surprised but no less alarmed. There are four people from his past who he thinks could be responsible – and Strike knows that any one of them is capable of sustained and unspeakable brutality.
With the police focusing on the one suspect Strike is increasingly sure is not the perpetrator, he and Robin take matters into their own hands, and delve into the dark and twisted worlds of the other three men. But as more horrendous acts occur, time is running out for the two of them…
Career of Evil is the third in the series featuring private detective Cormoran Strike and his assistant Robin Ellacott. A mystery and also a story of a man and a woman at a crossroads in their personal and professional lives. (goodreads)

Thoughts:

What can I say about this book other than it was another amazing book to the series and I want more. I think this series gets better and better with each book. I like how we see the characters evolve with each chapter and how much more information we get from the characters. I was shock with some information that was reveal about one of the main characters in the series. That was an intense twist. I like how strong the characters are within the story. We get to know them more as the book progress. That is one of the things that I enjoy most of this series. The character development.

Another thing I like about this series are the cases. They are so different and they pulled you into the story. They keep you on the edge and keep you guessing what will come next. Some of the turns you would have never guess it would have happened and that is a thing that I love. I like that we don't know what is coming. That we don't expect the outcome.

One thing about this book is that I hear it in audiobook format. I love the narrator for this series. It's the perfect voice for the character. When I am hearing it I picture Cormoran speaking those line. It's not to slow and it's not too fast, it's the perfect pace. The reader doesn't bore you.

If you like a good mystery book and you are yet to read the Cormorant Strike series I highly recommend it. You will not be disappointed at all.

Friday, March 18, 2016

The Mighty Thor Vol. 1 by Jason Aaron | Review

The Mighty Thor, Vol. 1: Thunder in Her Veins

Title: The Mighty Thor, Vol. 1: Thunder in Her Veins
Author: Jason Aaron
Release: May 31, 2016
Rating:★ ★ ★
Pages: 136
Format: read in single issues 1-5
Series: Yes - The Mighty Thor
Summary: When Dr. Jane Foster lifts the mystic hammer Mjolnir, she is transformed into the Goddess of Thunder, the Mighty Thor! Her enemies are many as Asgard descends further into chaos, and unrest threatens to spread throughout the Ten Realms. Yet she wages her greatest battle against a far more personal foe: the cancer killing her mortal form. When Loki steps back into Thor's life, will it ease her troubles or only add to her pain? There's no such question about Malekith as he continues to fan the flames of a looming War of Realms -- when he isn't wedding planning, that is! And as Asgard is torn apart, the skies will shake in one of the bloodiest battles of all time: It's Thor vs. Odin like never before!
Collecting MIGHTY THOR (2015) #1-5. (goodreads)

Thoughts:
I wasn't really impress with this story line. I had a hard time actually enjoying it. I was surprise I lasted this long picking up this series. It did intrigue me that it was following Jane Foster as the new Thor but that didn't really pulled me even more into the story line. Thor story never interested me before. But when I found out that a woman would become the new Thor it did pulled me into wanting to read the story.

But not even that made me enjoyed the story line more. The art in the book is beautiful. I love Russell Dauterrman illustration and the coloring in these books but the story wasn't strong enough. I dislike Odin but that was always a thing I didn't like from the series. Also I didn't like the fact that they ended up going back and fort with the purpose of Loki.

I just wish there was more for the series. It just felt to much like every single comic book series. There was just a little hope of originality. But that is something that has become common in superhero books. I may pick up the second volume as a trade instead of single issues.

There really not much to say about the book than I a wish there was more. One thing I did like was that we did get a little more insight into Jane Fosters life and struggle being the new Thor. How she has to hide it and how she still struggles with her cancer. Even though she has the power of the Mjolnir doesn't mean that it will heal her without it. She will still be her after she releases the hammer which I think that is interesting.

You guys reading any comic books? Do you guys recommend any?

Book Review: Beastly Manor by Alex Hall + Giveaway

Beastly Manor 
by Alex Hall
Page Count: 293 pages
Publisher: Madison Place Press
Publication Date: 1/20/2016
Genre: LGBT Fantasy
  Format: E-book
Amazon Buy Link: HERE
Goodreads Link: HERE
Em's Rating: ★★★★
Book Blurb:
Once upon a time in a faraway land a very wealthy merchant lived on a good piece of land just west of the hamlet we now call Littleton. The merchant was blessed with luck and guile, strong bones and sharp eyes, a pretty wife of gentle spirit, and four healthy children whom he called Faith, Hope, Beauty, and Corbin. 

 An LGBT twist on the classic love story. 

Em’s Review:
This is going to be one of those hard reviews where I want to squee and spoil everything, cause I love this story so! It’s has so much I love in a fairytale, and not those sugar down Disney ones. We are talking family in ruin! Knights! Training! Murder! Magic items! A creature and a little LGBT mixed in. In fact, if you are looking for a story where Disney’s Bell has been replaced by a guy, I can find you some fanfiction, cause this is more Corbin’s story, than the story of the Beast. And, like a classic fairytale, not everyone's story has an ending or a happy one.

I loved how this world felt like something I would have seen in BBC’s Merlin. The medieval and the magical fitting right in. I didn’t have people going through explaining to me what the dwarves are like here, we just jump right into it, and it never breaks from the story.

Corbin is also discovering his own sexulaity in his quest. It’s is very well added in here. He is not the gay person doing this to release his family from a deal, he is a man learning who just happens to like men and not women. This world doesn’t even make being gay an issue. Corbin was getting more hell from the color of his hair than the fact he didn’t bed women. It is refreshing to read a story where I persons sexuallity was not plastered on every page.

I will warn you, the first act of this story is a little slow, but is also short. It is where we meet Corbin at a young age and get to meet the family right before the deal with the devil as people will say. Then it picks up and all I am doing is reading it and the dinner is overcooking in the oven. Extra crispy chicken aside, please go and get the ebook. The price is worth the read, and Alex Hall is a great wordsmith and I would love to see more work from them.

Here is an excerpt to so you what I mean!


Once upon a time in faraway land a very wealthy merchant lived on a good piece of property just west of the hamlet we now call Littleton. The merchant was blessed with luck and guile, strong bones and sharp eyes, a pretty wife who had both wit and a gentle spirit, and four healthy children. He was called Jean de Beaumont, after his father and his grandfather both. His wife liked to call him ‘Roux’ for the color of his hair. To his three daughters the merchant was always ‘Papa’, but his eldest child and only son always called him simply ‘Da’.

Like many of the tenant farmers subsisting on squares of land just outside Littleton proper, de Beaumont dedicated his time and talents to the making of good cheeses. The native soil was made rich with salt from the nearby sea, and that fragrant earth produced a grass greener than the king’s most rare verdigris dyes. Black and white cattle grew fat in the fields. Their milk was thick and sweet, suitable for drinking straight from the pail, or churning into butter. More importantly, this milk was the very key to the family’s survival, for de Beaumont poured it into great bowls and set it aside to curdle before molding. The milk turned into cheese, the cheese now called Camembert.

Camembert was not so rare around Littleton. But de Beaumont, being a clever man with a head for experimentation, began to add an extra ingredient to the cheese: a special brandy his wife made from the apples collected from the trees growing wild amongst the hedges. Only she knew how to correctly prepare the brandy, and only de Beaumont knew when to add the sweet-smelling liquor between curdling and molding, and then again before he sealed the cheeses in wooden boxes and set them aside again to age. The recipe was a family secret kept only in de Beaumonts’s head. As word of the unusual and delicious Camembert spread so did demand, but de Beaumont was canny and never increased production. He raised the price for a wheel. His fortune was made in a matter of years, while Corbin was still a babe not yet out of his cot.

They say there are still wheels of de Beaumont Camembert laid aside in the king’s cellars, held back for a special occasion. If this is true the king is a very lucky man, as by all accounts de Beaumont’s special cheese exists nowhere else. It is possible the merchant meant to teach Corbin the recipe once the child came of age, so that as heir he could pass the secret on through the generations, ensuring the family’s continued fortune. But God plays tricks on a man, gives with the right hand and takes with the left, and like de Beaumont’s pretty little farm and charming family, that magical strain of Camembert is nothing more than a distant memory, a lingering taste on the tongue of good fortune, a fleeting recollection of pleasure.

Want more? Part of another excerpt was used in today's Get Up Offa That Slump Challenge

Author Bio: 
Alex Hall writes LGBT speculative fiction for Madison Place Press. Find out more about Alex, Beastly Manor, and Alex's forthcoming dystopian M/M romance, The Stranded, at www.sarahremy.com




I would like to thank Enchanted Book Promotions for letting me host another stop on their tour, and for this giveaway. Make sure you stop by other spots on the tour.



Giveaway 

Get up offa that slump Challenge: Mad Libs

Hosted By Beauty and the Bookshelf

Today's challenge is to make our own Mad Lib from a book. Since I am doing a blog tour on Beastly Manor today (hence why this is posted so early) I thought, "Hey that book you really, really, really loved that you just read? Let's use an excerpt that you are not going to use. And when you are done with your fun (please post your results in the comments) go check out the tour post and giveaway! Buy the ebook! Get me more books like this written! OVERUSE THE EXCLAMATION MARK!

Setting this up like most Mad Libs I use to do, first fill out this list, no peeking to make your story funnier. Anwser the numbers and then replace the numbers in the passage with your answers. Come on we have all do it before!

1- Male Name                              2- adjective                     3- Building to live in  
4- Verb                                         5- Weapon                      6- adjective      
7- adjective                                   8- verb                            9- Noun (place in a building)
10- Body Part                              11- Body Part                  12- adjective              
13- weapon                                  14- weapon                     15- Body Part
16- Verb (past)                            17- Mythical creature      18- Animal Body Part
19- Animal Body Part                 20 -Animal Body Part     21- Teacher's Name    
22- Body Part                              23- Color                         24- improper noun  
25 -adjective                                26- Clothing Item            27- color    
28- Clothing Item                        29- adjective                    30- Clothing Item
31- Color                                     32- Hair Style                  33- Color
34- adjective                               35- adjective                    36- verb
37- Food

(1) felt the Beast's approach, (2) footsteps like a pulse deep in the stone heart of the (3). He (4), Da's (5) (6) in defense.

"You've come (7)." The Beast (8) just inside the (9), against the (3) door. He looked (1) very thoroughly from (10) to (11) and back up again. "Or (12) educated. The curse says I'm ended not by (5) or (13) or (14), but of a broken (15)."

(1) didn't waver. He (16) the Beast just as assiduously as the Beast (16) him. He'd expected the (17) from Da's memories - all (18) and (19) and (20) claws - or even the flame-eyed devil he knew from (21)'s canvas. The (22) were there - (23) as (24) and so very bright - but they belonged to a (25) young man dressed in (26) and a clean (27)(28) beneath a (29)(30). He wore his long (31) hair in a neat (32). His fingers were long and elegant, nails short and clean. His polite smile showed only (33), even teeth against dusky skin.

(17)s, (1) knew from hours of (21)'s tutelage, were (34) creatures. They (35) in surprise and confusion, and fed upon a man's terror.

"I carry an enchanted ifrit glaive," (1)replied evenly. "One of only four (5) made sharp enough to pierce a (17)'s breast."

The Beast's smile spread wider. He (36).

"You're the (37) monger's get. You've his temper and his naivety." The Beast left the door. He approached (1) carefully, circling in and then away. "But you're two seasons too early and although you've your mother's delicate features, you're certainly no girl. I was promised the merchant's heir. What was her name?" He paused, head tilted,(23) eyes narrowed to burning slits. "I was promised Beauty."


Now the passage the way it was written :) 

 Corbin felt the Beast's approach, heavy footsteps like a pulse deep in the stone heart of the manor. He whirled, Da's sword raised in defense.

"You've come ill-equipped." The Beast stood just inside the threshold, against the manor door. He looked Corbin very thoroughly from head to toe and back up again. "Or improperly educated. The curse says I'm ended not by blade or stone or fire, but of a broken heart."

Corbin didn't waver. He studied the Beast just as assiduously as the Beast studied him. He'd expected the monster from Da's memories - all fang and fur and wolfish claws - or even the flame-eyed devil he knew from David's canvas. The eyes were there - yellow as the sun and so very bright - but they belonged to a dapper young man dressed in breeches and a clean white shirt beneath a dusty velvet coat. He wore his long black hair in a neat braid. His fingers were long and elegant, nails short and clean. His polite smile showed only white, even teeth against dusky skin.

Demons, Corbin knew from hours of David's tutelage, were tricky creatures. They delighted in surprise and confusion, and fed upon a man's terror.

"I carry an enchanted ifrit glaive," Corbin replied evenly. "One of only four blades made sharp enough to pierce a devil's breast."

The Beast's smile spread wider. He laughed.

"You're the cheese monger's get. You've his temper and his naivety." The Beast left the door. He approached Corbin carefully, circling in and then away. "But you're two seasons too early and although you've your mother's delicate features, you're certainly no girl. I was promised the merchant's heir. What was her name?" He paused, head tilted, yellow eyes narrowed to burning slits. "I was promised Beauty."

Post your results! I would love to read them!  

Thursday, March 17, 2016

I'll Give you the Sun | Review

I'll Give You the Sun
Title: I'll Give you the Sun
Author: Jandy Nelson
Release: September 16th 2014
Rating:★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Pages: 371
Format: Hardback
Where to find it:
Series: No
Summary: A brilliant, luminous story of first love, family, loss, and betrayal for fans of John Green, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell
Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah's story to tell. The later years are Jude's. What the twins don't realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.
This radiant novel from the acclaimed, award-winning author of The Sky Is Everywhere will leave you breathless and teary and laughing—often all at once.

Thoughts:
This book gave me feelings that I haven't felt about a book in a long time. I have never felt so many emotions in one book. The emotion where your chest hurt from emotions being held back. I was close to tears in many parts as I read.

This is a book that must be read by everyone. I was hectic to reading the book because of all the hype that it had when it came out. How people said it was so amazing. I was scared to picked up for that reason. I had some bad experiences with hype books. However, my friend Cal insisted on me picking up this book and I had no other choice than to pick it up. She has done no wrong to me by the books she had recommended me to read in the past and this one was no exception.

This has now become one of my favorite books of all time. What brought it to become one of my favorite books is the characters. The fact that these characters go through so much. What they had to deal with and how grief is a process that must be shared and not kept to one self. In order to move forward you need others helps. Alone a person suffers, lies hurt people. That is what this book try to showed to it's reader.

One of the things I also loved of this story was how it focus on art. How these individuals lives were surrounded by art itself. How it affected their life. I think this is a well deserve of it's hype. It's so beautifully written and with so much emotions.

Have you guys read a book that has given you so much emotion that you can express yourself of how beautiful it is? Have you read this book? And did it give you emotions?

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Get Offa That Slump Challenge: Reviewy Your Favorite Book Ever (March 16th) Mistborn


Reviewing a favorite book is a very had thing to do for the reason that a favorite book constantly changes for me. It's hard to pick one specific book. So I will write a review for my favorite book ever at the moment (because knowing me it may change in a few months). Although I love the Harry Potter series it would be too hard for me to choose one specific book in the series and review it. I would be going back and forth deciding which of the series I would like to review. So I have decided to pick another book.

I was torn between two books in this post it came down to Ready Player One by Ernest Cline and The Final Empire (Misborn #1) by Brandon Sanderson. The book that has everything I love a book should have about pop culture or the book that started my obsession with fantasy and everything involving Brandon Sanderson. With a hard decision I have chosen The Final Empire.

The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1)Title: The Final Empire (Mistborn #1)
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Release: July 25th 2006
Rating:★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Pages: 647
Format: Paperback
Where to find it:
Series: Yes - Mistborn
Summary: In a world where ash falls from the sky, and mist dominates the night, an evil cloaks the land and stifles all life. The future of the empire rests on the shoulders of a troublemaker and his young apprentice. Together, can they fill the world with colour once more?
In Brandon Sanderson's intriguing tale of love, loss, despair and hope, a new kind of magic enters the stage— Allomancy, a magic of the metals. (goodreads)

Thoughts:
This was the book that started it all. My obsession to everything that is Brandon Sanderson. I finish reading this book on September 21, 2014.  It open my eyes to a whole new world (Disney song in head... lol).

I always love fantasy worlds. But never really thought about the magic system and the rules behind a magic system until I read this series. I loved Harry Potter and I loved the world. The richness of the characters and the imagination of being a wizard. But this world is different in the way that it states the cruel reality of what if the bad guy won. If he was the one who rule the world and that is what we see in this world. We see the dictatorship of a world that was taken over. But not everything is what it seems. That is why I love this book so much.

As a reader we are lead to believe one thing about the story but we end up finding out something completely different which I have never read anything like this before. This book was my introduction to a world of fantasy that I never thought excited. It open doors to other worlds that I didn't know of and made me more open to read other type of books and not just one genre or one group of books. Now my reading is more diverse and not set into one narrow minded type.

What I love most about this group that it has so many different characters in the story that we end up carrying for. We end up loving every single one and we end up questioning what the morals of those characters also. I also love that they don't make a specific character more important than the others they all play a part in the story and without one the other won't be able to succeed.

I do say that if you don't really like fantasy this book may not be for you. It is a heavy read and there is different perspectives. But the writing and the outcome of the story is so worth reading this book for. You will fall in love with Brandon Sanderson's writing. The way that he just pulls you in and doesn't let you go. At the end of the story you want more and you don't want it to end.

I continue on and on in with telling you how amazing this book is but I don't really want to give much away. I didn't really know much about the story as I read the book. I think that is what made it so amazing. I went in not knowing what the book was about only that people loved it and that it was about what if the dark lord won the battle and I was instantly drawn into the story line.
The best part of this series is that it's still continuing and it will continue for a long while with 6 books out in the series out so far he is still planning 7 more in the series and may even add more as time goes on. So we will be in the Mistborn world for a long while.


Give it a try you may end up loving it as much as I do. If you have read it, what are your thoughts about the book? Did you enjoy it? What is your favorite book? Is it to hard to just pick one?

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Top Ten books on our Spring TBR

Mel's Picks

Uprooted by Naomi Novik - I heard so many good things about this book. Also Brandon Sanderson recommended to read this book. One of the best book from last year.

Bands of Mourning (Mistborn #6) by Brandon Sanderson - What more can I say it's Brandon Sanderson. Love everything he writes and I am yet to read it.

Calamity by Brandon Sanderson - Last book in the Steelheart trilogy. Can't wait to see how this story ends.

Morning Star by Pierce Brown - Another ending to another trilogy that enjoyed. This will be an interesting read. This trilogy has brought out all sort of emotions.

Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen - I was one of the few that actually liked the first book. It did give me mix feeling but I do wish to see where this series will lead to. I heard interesting things about this book and I am excited to see where this story leads to.

Em's Picks

The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye- As I posted in my Stacking the Shelves, I got this as a ARC, and now the more I hear about it from other people, the more I want to READ IT RIGHT NOW!

The Island by S. Usher Evans - Another ARC that I am excited to read. In fact this will be done by March 31st. (Which is after the beginning of spring)

Infinity (Chronicles of Nick #1) by Sherrilyn Kenyon - I've been too long without an urban fantasy in my hands. Going with an author I love.

Before the Fall by Noah Hawley - Also been too long without a good thriller in my hands. I hope this is a good one.

Glory over Everything: Beyond The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom And why not finish with a historical novel? See, you don't have a reason not too either.

Let us know what you have on your list. Or what we should add to ours.

Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes | Review

Title:Hidden Bodies (You #2)
Author: Caroline Kepnes
Release:February 23rd 2016
Rating:★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Pages:448
Format: Hardback
Where to find it: Amazon | BookDepository
Series: Yes - You
Summary: Joe Goldberg is no stranger to hiding bodies. In the past ten years, this thirty-something has buried four of them, collateral damage in his quest for love. Now he’s heading west to Los Angeles, the city of second chances, determined to put his past behind him.
In Hollywood, Joe blends in effortlessly with the other young upstarts. He eats guac, works in a bookstore, and flirts with a journalist neighbor. But while others seem fixated on their own reflections, Joe can’t stop looking over his shoulder. The problem with hidden bodies is that they don’t always stay that way. They re-emerge, like dark thoughts, multiplying and threatening to destroy what Joe wants most: true love. And when he finds it in a darkened room in Soho House, he’s more desperate than ever to keep his secrets buried. He doesn’t want to hurt his new girlfriend—he wants to be with her forever. But if she ever finds out what he’s done, he may not have a choice… (goodreads)

Thoughts:
Being the second book in the current duology (hoping there will be more) I really enjoyed it. Usually the second book in a series doesn't do the first book justice. But this one I think it did. Although, I still really like the first book in the series this book still didn't disappoint. The book was just as twisted at the first one.


I don't really need to make any warning that this book is not for children or how violent this book is. If you read the first book. In the first book we follow the main character Joe Goldberg has we see his obsession with Beck. In this book we follow right where the first book left off.


What I really enjoy in this book was that it didn't really do the same thing it did in the first book. It was different. It went into a different path than the first one and I enjoyed that the author explored that.


Another thing that I really enjoyed in this novel was all the references to current culture now. I have read some reviews of the book of people really not enjoying that from the book, however, I really like that. (I am such a nerd) I really love when books set in current time reflect the culture of today. Specially since I love fandom so much. I think it will be one thing that people may not like that aren't to found of pop culture.


One thing that this books made you really thing about is who you are rooting for. These books are really disturbing and the fact that you are routing to the disturb killer makes you question your morals. But that is what I love about the book. The author get's you inside the character and makes you see that things are not all black and white. There is more to a person that just being crazy. There is reason behind some of their weird logic.


If you are yet to read these book I recommend them if you don't mind reading about killers. Also, there is explicit scenes, adult content, and language.


If you read the book what are your thoughts? Do you wish there was more in the series? Is there books you recommend that are similar to this book?


I recommend "The Girl in 6E" by A.R. Torre I have only read the first in the series. But hope to read the others in the series.

Monday, March 14, 2016

Get Offa That Slump Challenge: Do a Book Tag (March 14th) - Unpopular Opinion Tag


For this challenge I will be doing the Unpopular Opinion book Tag created by TheBookArcher.

1. A Popular Book or series that you didn't like. 
I didn't like A Court of Thorn and Roses by Sarah J Mass. I think what ruin it for me was all the hype surrounding the book I was expecting too much of the book. I also think that the book felt too rush and try to fit a formula. She try to make the main character something that she wasn't and I didn't like how she force the relationship.

2. A Popular Book or series that every one else seems to hate but you love.
It's hard to find a book that people hated. But a book that I actually enjoyed was The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling. There is a lot of people that dislike this book but in my opinion I thought it was interesting. It really got in the mind of people in this town and how this small community work. I think the reason people didn't like it was because they were expecting too much from the book. What Rowling was doing in this book was focusing on just a small group of people in a small little town and I thought it was really interesting.

3. A Love Triangle where the main character ended up with the person you did NOT want them to end up with (warn ppl for spoilers) OR an OTP that you don't like.
I DISLIKE TRIANGLES in general. Sometimes I do read a book with a love triangle but I usually try to avoid them. If there is a love triangle in the description or I read from a reviewer that there is a love triangle I usually don't read the book. It has to be a real interesting book for me to read in order for me to read it and if I do read the book they usually end up with the person that I like them with.

4. A popular book Genre that you hardly reach for.
Contemporary. It's unusual when I pick up a contemporary. I really need to be in the mood for it. It's more of an in to moment thing to read.

5. A popular or beloved character that you do not like.
I think it's a tie between Clary and Jace from The Mortal Instruments. I just think the other characters in the series are more interesting. Although, Jace does have a more interesting story line I just don't really enjoy it as much as I enjoy the minor characters in the story line.

6. A popular author that you can't seem to get into.
Sarah J Mass. I try reading two of her books and they were not the best things of the world for me. I really didn't get A Throne of Glass and really disliked A Court of Thorn and Roses. Her covers of her books are beautiful but I just really don't didn't enjoy them.

7. A popular book trope that you're tired of seeing. (examples "lost princess", corrupt ruler, love triangles, etc.)
The chosen one that knows everything and get's everything on the first try. I would like to see the person with the journey struggle. I don't like that they usually pick up everything so easily. No one picks up things so easily. Also, the love triangle. Hate it. Like why is it necessary. When do you actually see that. I can just go one with this question. Like the trope of "hiding it from the other person" it gets on my nerve. It would be interesting to read a story if the characters would communicate.

8. A popular series that you have no interest in reading.
The Shatter Me series. I don't know why. It just doesn't interest me enough to read the book series.

9. The saying goes "The book is always better than the movie", but what movie or T.V. show adaptation do you prefer more than the book?
The Maze Runner. I really loved the movie. The book read more as a movie script than a book so I was very happy with the movie adaptation.

What do you guys think about my answers? Do you agree or disagree? Do you guys have a few of your own that you guys would like to share?

Sunday, March 13, 2016

Stacking the Shelves (01)