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Gangsterland
Gangsterland
Tod Goldberg | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry
8
5.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion). I enjoyed reading this book. The depth of the author's research is evident from the beginning. The gangster-speak, the religious references, the anatomical knowledge and more all add up to a thoroughly entertaining reading experience. The story starts as a typical mob tale...gangster kills good guys, gets shipped to another "family", gets new identity, etc. Where it gets interesting for me is when said gangster, Sal, is introduced to his new life. You can slowly see the battle between "good & evil" grow, like his old life and new life are fighting for control. The other characters are just as genuine, each playing a specific role in Sal's transformation. I'm looking forward to catching up with Sal and the gang in the next installment of the series.
  
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
Heilig’s debut novel is inspired by Hawaiian myth and folklore and has an entirely diverse cast with a biracial main character, a Persian love interest, etc. (I’ve completely forgotten about everyone else).

Have I mentioned time traveling is through maps?! If the Hawaiian myth and folklore don't grab you, then the maps definitely should.
<blockquote class="tr_bq">Paradise is a promise no god bothers to keep. There’s only now, and tomorrow nothing will be the same, whether we like it or not.

<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/some-of-those-arcs-from-last-year/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
  
My Life Next Door
My Life Next Door
Huntley Fitzpatrick | 2012 | Fiction & Poetry, Romance, Young Adult (YA)
6
6.8 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
*I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

I'd been looking at this book for a while. I've recently noticed a love for YA Contemporary Romances. And this is that.

I liked it but I thought that their relationship progressed a bit too quickly in the beginning. One minute they were meeting for the first time and several pages later they were kissing and touching each other. I get that they'd been watching each other for years and felt like they knew each other but I kinda missed that awkwardness of it all--though admittedly that bit came later with the "family planning" aisle.

I'm still feeling torn over my rating of this. I wasn't blown away by it at all but the romance and connection between them, once it really got going was really sweet.
  
WH
Will Haunt You
Brian Kirk | 2019
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Thank you to NetGalley, Flame Tree Press and Brian Kirk for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
Will Haunt You is a novel about a disturbing book that, if read, a mysterious figure will subject you to a world of personalized terror.
And the chances are, that on reading this, it will happen to you too.

There are some things I felt were excellent about this book and some that I feel could have maybe been shorter or just omitted completely. Some may find halfway through the book that things become confusing but stay with it as it does come together. The writer really had some gems of unnerving bits in the book that I enjoyed immensely. The book has a very dark and menacing tone to it and is very surreal which makes it all the more spooky.
There are some bizarre scenes which could be described as almost hallucinogenic dreams at times. I feel that this is intentional as to make you think what is real and what isn't. I think the writing style of this author could be compared to Clive Barker so prepare yourself for the bizarre and the dark.
The book does start off rally strong and the ending is just dynamite. This is a novel that true horror fans will enjoy and devour!
Thank you to NetGalley, Flame Tree Press and Brian Kirk for the ARC; this is my honest review and opinion.
  
LF
Look for Ladybug in Plant City
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Look for Ladybug in Plant City by Katherina Manolessou is a beautiful book. The colors are vibrant and there’s so much to look at. My students enjoyed this book and wanted more of it.  A lot of time could be spend going through a book like this since the detail details will most likely inspire children to ask questions about the content on the pages. Additionally, the little text segments on each page encourage to look for certain things, for example a picture of a pineapple or a taxi full of owls.

Daisy and Ladybug are really close, but Ladybug goes missing and this book is a story of finding Ladybug. Every two pages is a new part of the city, and in every part you have to find the Ladybug. However this can be challenging, as there are tons of things that looks similar to him or that are colored the same way.  

The pages are delight to look at, you can see all sorts of things, and I just adore that the creatures are all colored in an abundance of colours. From pink to green, anything is possible in this story. The illustrator definitely did a wonderful job on the illustrations.

I received an ARC from Quarto Publishing Group and Frances Lincoln Childrens via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

I give this book 3.5/5 stars based on the fact the book has an abrupt ending.
  
Song of Blood and Stone
Song of Blood and Stone
L Penelope | 2018 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.3 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
When I received an email from NetGalley with the description of Song of Blood & Stone I knew I had to read it. Honestly, I wasn't quite sure what to expect but it sounded fascinating. Obviously since I got this book from NetGalley, I received it for free in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I have read by L. Penelope. I wasn't quite sure what to expect but from the very first page I was hooked. The author created characters that were likable and it was fun getting to go on their adventure with them. What I do love about this book is how it portrayed the country. It frustrated me in the best kind of way. I loved that the main character was a woman of color & I loved that this book mirrored the racism that is found in today's world.

The plot kept my attention & it was unique. This wasn't like most of the fantasy romance books. My one complaint is that it was fairly predictable. For the most part I was able to predict the twists and turns. You can also tell that this book was one of her first books published (originally self published in 2015).

With that said, I really enjoyed this book. It had wonderful adventure, a dashing male lead, and a fearless heroine. All in all, it was fun and I will have to look into more of author's books.
  
SI
Switch It Up
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is my very first Sara Brookes novel and I have to say, I'm pleasantly surprised by it. I was browsing NetGalley when this book stood out to me. I'm glad that I was accepted to read this book.

I will admit, mfm is one of my favorite genres on the more taboo side of romance. Unfortunately, not many authors know how to write the book where it is believable and sexy. Sara Brooks, seemed to find that medium where everything was good and a little more believable.

I loved the fact that this book took place over a long period of time. There was instant connection but not insta love which i really appreciated. The characters were fun to read though I would have liked a little more growth when it came to the main characters. For some reason though I know there was growth, I just feel like there should have been more.

I will admit that this book was a change up because it features two bisexual men and one woman. I'm not one for the male on male scenes so those were interesting to read even though they're not my cup of tea.

All in all, I enjoyed it. I liked the concept. Loved the fact that two of the characters were geeks and I will definitely add Sara Brookes to my "author to follow" list.

*If you didn't already catch it, I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
  
As Dust Dances
As Dust Dances
Samantha Young | 2018 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Characters (2 more)
Plot
Steamy
Absolutely Magical
If I could rate this book with infinite stars I would. Samantha Young is definitely my favorite romance author. Her books capture you in a way that too many authors fail to do. As Dust Dances was simply breathtaking. The plot captured me from the moment I picked it up. I never wanted it to end.

Samantha Young captured the magic from her On Dublin Street books and made something so beautiful I'm going to experience a book hangover from. The characters were well written, and realistic. I loved the chemistry between each character & I loved them for their heartaches, imperfections, and their story.

The Plot, like the characters, was engaging. It has been way too long since I picked up a book that grabbed me so forcefully I couldn't focus on anything else. The plot was a unique twist to a rockstar romance and I loved every second I spent reading it. Honestly, I'm so upset that this book is over. I'm actually tempted to reread it right now to experience it again.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. With that said, I bought this book because it is just so beautiful I knew I had to own it. It's seriously one of my favorite books that I have read. It's beautiful, heart wrenching, and touching. This has the magical feeling that Samantha Young has created with all of her books.