8 Souls by Rachel Rust

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A haunting that just won’t stop!
Thanks to Entangled Teen and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review 8 Souls by Rachel Rust!
Spooky and ominous from the beginning; I was instantly hooked! Mysterious and recurring dreams about a house haunt Chessie; they have since she was little. These dreams were part of her life, to the point that she drew the house for her elementary teacher after she gave the students the assignment of drawing their dream house. Little does she know that Chessie dreams of a house where murders were committed over a century before. When Chessie draws her dream house scene, the teacher is worried and notifies her parents. She then ends up being sent to a psychiatrist. Ever since then, Chessie keeps her dreams to herself, even when she’s hearing voices. She finally confides in someone else and the two of them share the struggle of solving the haunting. 8 Souls is well-written, contains awesome characters and a haunting that won’t stop until justice is complete; 5 spooky stars!

Breakout by A.M. Rose!

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Good storyline, rushed ending.
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for the opportunity to read and review Breakout by A.M. Rose!
A prison full of young prisoners, with the last of their lives ticking away while robots guard and serve them, makes up the character pool for the first part of the book. Two cell mates try to escape since they don’t have anything to lose. They get another prisoner added to the escape party and the three of them accidentally end up in a juvenile prison for young men. The young men decide to escape also, so they go together. The main character is often mentioning that things are happening to her only, “happening to me”, like being trapped within four stone walls. Then the next paragraph states that the rest of the group is in there with her. It’s misleading. Breakout is a conglomeration of Virtual Reality and bits and pieces that are reminiscent of popular book plots, such as Hunger Games, Maze Runner and I, Robot. I don’t feel like the ending is solid and seemed almost rushed and I didn’t feel the pull towards the characters that I would have like to; 3.5 stars.

Tower of Winds Series by Makiia Lucier

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Must- read series!

Isle of Blood and Stone review:

The prologue tells a tale of young princes, innocent discoveries and a mass poisoning ending in death. Eighteen years later, we meet the brother of the young princes, Ulises, who is now king. We also meet his friends and entourage and the connections to the prologue are interestingly explained in the third chapter. After that point, we follow Elias, one of the young king’s friends, and Mercedes, the king’s cousin, as they follow clues on a map that may or may not lead them to the two lost princes and their unknown fate, as well as the fate of Elias’s father who also disappeared along with the princes eighteen years earlier. Supernatural elements within this fantasy make the story even more interesting and suspenseful. I enjoyed reading every word of this book, with the layers of intrigue and strong characters. I loved unraveling the mystery alongside the characters and I’m going to immediately begin reading the sequel, Song of the Abyss. 5 full and happy stars!

Song of the Abyss review:

Magnificent sequel!
Thanks to NetGalley, Edelweiss, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and a goodreads giveaway for the opportunity to read and review Song of the Abyss by Makiia Lucier!
The story begins eight years after Isle of Blood and Stone. Reyna is now a teenager and struggling to sneak off a ship that’s under attack. She saves herself and her maps because of her logic, swimming abilities and help from sea worms. Reyna ends up in Selene, in the kingdom of Lunes, where the king has just died. She’s the only person that escaped the attack. She accidentally meets Levi, one of the princes, as he’s grieving the loss of his father. He’s Captain of the Royal Guard and tries to detain Reyna so he can question her more but she escapes and finds a ship heading back to her home in Del Mar. Levi and his sister, Queen Vashti, visit Reyna’s kingdom to discuss ships being attacked since both kingdoms have people missing. Reyna helps Levi on the quest to find their loved ones and together they discover a horrible and treacherous deception. Song of the Abyss weaves a tale of differing kingdoms and cultures; one of them backwards and secluded and struggling to survive. A bit of historical fiction is added along with mythological creatures to create a fantasy that I loved; 5 stars for a book I couldn’t put down!

A Way to Garden by Margaret Roach

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Outstanding garden photos!
Thanks to NetGalley and Timber Press for the opportunity to read and review A Way to Garden by Margaret Roach!
This book lives up to its subtitle- a hands-on primer for every season! Contents are broken into six bi-monthly sections that walk us through the life of plants and the growing seasons, from birth to death. The author invites readers into her garden and home, to see how much nature truly is in every aspect of her life. Beautiful photographs, accompanied by names of included plants, inspire! This book covers everything from browsing seed and plant catalogs, to different types of plants, to growing, canning and freezing and finally using the harvested goodies. Then onto benefits of trees, prevention and maintaining gardens. The enjoyment of seeing the author’s garden changing through the seasons is my favorite part. 5 stars for lush photos and valuable gardening tips!

Prom-Wrecked by T.H. Hernandez and Jennifer DiGiovanni!

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Event after event of chaos!
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for the opportunity to read and review Prom-Wrecked by T. H. Hernandez and Jennifer DiGiovanni!
The opening, showing the ragged and imprisoned state of the teen prom attendees, made me curious and the book didn’t let me down. The group of prom planners and prom goers dealt with a mountain of tumultuous events before the prom ever started and then prom was eventful with completely different issues. The characters are realistic, overwhelmed and anxious, just like real teenagers. Drama, of course takes a part in this story but so does maturity, loyalty and perseverance. Riley, Catherine and Owen are the three main characters, each with distinct personalities and Owen is in the middle of all the action. Fun and with a message of prevailing justice makes Prom-Wrecked an interesting read, 5 stars!

Artemis Fowl (2018 re-release) by Eoin Colfer

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Just as fun as reading it the first time!
Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for the opportunity to read and review Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer!
The author has created a code at the end of the book for the readers to decode a secret message. The infamous prologue, introducing the twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl, opens the book. An enigma, a genius and a thief all wrapped in one, make up the preteen Artemis. Artemis’s bodyguard and all-around protector, Butler, takes his job seriously AND he’s very good at it. Artemis’s mother floats in and out of reality since her husband, Artemis’s father, has been missing. Artemis’s goal is to figure out what happened to his father. Holly Short is an elf who works as a leprechaun. She’s feisty and good at her job. Sometimes she butts heads with her boss, Commander Root. Artemis has discovered fairy secrets and captures Holly for ransom while she’s performing the ritual to restore her magic. Root gets Mulch Diggums, the dirt and rock devouring dwarf and thief, to infiltrate the Fowl mansion and rescue Holly. The elf community and Artemis each get more than they bargained for because of underestimating each other’s intelligence. This fun, adventurous fantasy is now being made into a movie summer 2019 for the U.S. and I can’t wait to see it! 5 stars!

Make It Easy Cupcake! by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson

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Easy to decorate for all DIY-ers!
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review Make It Easy, Cupcake! by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson!
You know with these authors, the cupcake creations will be nothing short of astounding! Cupcakes made as easy as possible, with cookies and other edible ingredients, turn out adorable and fun! The cherry blossom cupcakes set together beautifully to make a cherry blossom tree, ready to be disassembled by hungry cupcake eaters. Football players, droids, ballerinas and swans are just some of the decadently decorated cupcakes found within the pages of this book. These cleverly designed desserts are almost too cute or too pretty to eat! 5 stars!

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White

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Introspective retelling!
Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read and review The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White!
The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein is a fresh and unique retelling of Mary Shelley’s classic story. I love the female protagonist, Elizabeth. Her background has been lonely and she’s always struggling to secure her place in the world, much like women of the time period the story takes place in. The mystery intrigued me and after Elizabeth’s background was set, the action and mystery picked up the story’s pace. Tragedy seems to strike all too often around the Frankenstein manor where Elizabeth was taken in as a young girl. Her favorite companion has always been Victor Frankenstein and he claims ownership and complete companionship of Elizabeth. The story becomes darker as it progresses, which makes it even more interesting to read. Historical fiction, horror, and a retelling earn 5 stars! Kudos to Kiersten White for her remarkable retelling!

Handmade Houseplants by Corrie Beth Hogg

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Beautiful DIY projects!
Thanks to NetGalley and Timber Press for the opportunity to read and review Handmade Houseplants by Corrie Beth Hogg with photographs by Christine Han.
A helpful, wonderful guide for making houseplants out of paper, by adding paint, floral wire and a pot, to create plants prettier and healthier than the real versions. Lists of supplies needed, how-to directions and skills and techniques, help the artist make sure all of the details aren’t forgotten. Details such as plant buds and leaflets and many more, and that these details turn out perfectly. Instructions for maintaining and repairing paper plants includes cleaning tips and an assortment of fixing advice,bonus projects and templates are included towards the end of the book. 5 stars for this guide to paper plant perfection!

1,000 Books to Read Before You Die by James Mustich

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So many books, so little time!
Thanks to NetGalley and Workman Publishing for the opportunity to read and review 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die by James Mustich! This book is organized alphabetically by authors’ last names. Some titles are used to organize the book alphabetically, such as the Qur’an which is a work of scripture. Many poets, historians and classics are listed and their books reviewed, as well as newer literary works and popular reads. Each author/work is summarized and evaluated, giving enough information for readers to be able to decide whether or not they want to read the book that’s being discussed. At the end of the book, lists can be found organizing the books differently, such as books to read before 12 years of age. A general index lists the titles and authors alphabetically for ease. A 1,000 books checklist is also included. 5 stars!