Get Graphic!

Here is a new mini review round-up of all the graphic novels I have read recently. Go head, get graphic!

Five Stars

Disney Princess Comic Strip Collection by Mebberson, Ball, Golden, Storck, Shand
Goodreads

This is a beyond adorable collection of comics featuring all of our favorite disney princesses. They are little short tidbits into their lives past and present. They are new stories that your heart will enjoy.

Four Stars

Demon by Jason Shiga
Goodreads

Dark and intense, this book will make you think. I can't believe I read this crazy thing, but I don't regret it.

Mooncop by Tom Gauld
Goodreads

There isn't a lot to say about this artwork, but the story was interesting. Although simple, it speaks volumes. It got me to chuckle a few times. It's a short read.

Dream Jumper by Greg Grunberg, Lucas Turnbloom
Goodreads

I think this graphic novel would be a treat for 4-6th graders the most. It may be a little scary at times, but the illustrations are on the simpler side and therefore older graphic novel fans may not enjoy this book as much. I liked it, but I was a tiny bit disappointed.

Big Mushy Happy Lump by Sarah Andersen
Goodreads

This is Sarah's second book of comics and I think I loved it even more than the first. So relatable and funny.

Three Stars

Goldie Vance by  Hope Larson, Brittney Williams
Goodreads

This was a fun old school detective story. Even though I was slightly disappointed by the ending, I still liked it quite a bit. The art is colorful and fun. It's worth checking out.

Bee & Puppycat by Allegri, Jackson, Flores, Gibson, Dreistadt, Espinosa, Howard, etc.
Goodreads

A little hard to follow at times since I haven't actually watched this show, but overall it was pretty cute.

Short & Sweet Review: You Don't Know My Name

You Don't Know My Name by Kristen Orlando
Length: 288 pages
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Genre: Young Adult/Action/Spy
Purchase: Barnes & Noble | Amazon
My Rating:

Goodreads Summary: Fighter. Faker. Student. Spy. Seventeen-year-old Reagan Elizabeth Hillis is used to changing identities overnight, lying to every friend she’s ever had, and pushing away anyone who gets too close. Trained in mortal combat and weaponry her entire life, Reagan is expected to follow in her parents’ footsteps and join the ranks of the most powerful top-secret agency in the world, the Black Angels. Falling in love with the boy next door was never part of the plan. Now Reagan must decide: Will she use her incredible talents and lead the dangerous life she was born into, or throw it all away to follow her heart and embrace the normal life she’s always wanted? And does she even have a choice?

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My Review

You Don't Know My Name was an enjoyable, and at times intense, spy novel.

Reagan doesn't just have your run of the mill teenager problems, she also has parents that are spies. She is a complex character who is destined to be a spy, but she isn't sure if that is what she wants.

This novel focuses less on the romance and more on the spies, family, and friendship. I didn't mind one bit.

I think you should give You Don't Know My Name a try. You may find it intriguing.

Mini Movie Reviews

This is going to be a new feature here on the blog! I love movies almost as much as I love books. (Almost, but not quite.) So I figured it was time I start sharing another passion of mine with you all. My husband and I get a lot of movies from the library and try to go to the theater as often as our wallets allow us. Here are some movies I have watched recently. See which ones made me smile and which ones bored me.

The Shallows


This movie turned out to be better than I thought it would be. I'm not a big fan of Blake Lively's acting, but I think she did a nice job in this movie. There were some good underwater shots and a few times I was honestly nervous about this shark.



Star Trek Beyond


The trailer really didn't do this movie justice. Although the second movie will probably still be my favorite, this one was still full of action and had some amazing visuals. It doesn't hurt that Chris Pine is also in the movie.

Suicide Squad


Although not as bad as everyone was saying it was, it still wasn't great. I know I am one of the few that enjoyed this movie. I really liked Harley Quinn and her dark humor along with Deadshot. The villain was very disappointing.

Don't Breathe


Wow, I watched a lot of movies over the past month that I had very low expectations of. haha Don't Breathe had a creepy and surprising ending!

Star Wars: Rogue One


Honest truth, I am yet again the black sheep. Although I liked Rogue One quite a bit, I didn't see what all the fuss was about.

SING


Sing was adorable. I felt inspired. I laughed and laughed some more. I am so glad my husband took me to see it.

The Secret Life of Pets


I love watching all of my own dog's mannerisms in this movie. It made me smile and Max reminded me so much of my Bash. Although I thought the animals were super cute and fun, the plot left a little something to be desired. It wasn't nearly as unique as I hoped it would be.

Have you seen any good movies lately?

My Weekend Plans

It is finally happening!!! Yes, I am being a bit dramatic, but I don't care. After working 11 straight days in a row between my two jobs, having class, doing homework, and trying to sleep, I finally get a day off. Not just one day off, but three! I just have to make it until 9 p.m. tonight and I will be home free. So what am I going to do with my glorious three days off? I thought I would give you a little glimpse since most of my activities will center around books. Plus, I like lists.

1. Go to a book store. It has been too long since I have done this, and I really want to buy The Hate U Give.
2. Go see Logan with my husband. We have been wanting to do this since it came out but obviously couldn't find the time. I love movie theater popcorn.
3. Take my dog on some nice long walks. The weather is supposed to be nice this weekend. Fingers crossed.
4. Do some chores around the house. I really want to clean out our cabinets in the kitchen and some other odds and ends.
5. Read. Read. Read. I want to read Lumberjanes Vol. 5 by Stevenson, Watters, Ellis, Allen, and Nowak, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, Close Enough to Touch by Colleen Oakley, Rise of Fire by Sophie Jordan, and maybe Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde.
6. Blog as much as I can. If I haven't had time to read then I definitely haven't had time to write any reviews, or have any reviews to write for that matter.
7. Take some photos for my Bookstagram. I miss doing that.
8. Catch up on The Walking Dead. This is one of my favorite shows, but we are behind by three or four episodes now!
9. Do our taxes. It's time.

What are your weekend plans?

TTT #76: Spring TBR

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

The Sequels

  

Something New

  

Graphic Novels

 

Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: Traveler by L.E. DeLano

Hosted by Xpresso Book Tours

Traveler by L.E. DeLano
Length: 352 pages
Genre: Young Adult Romance/Parallel Realities
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Source: I received a free copy from the publisher as part of Xpresso Book Tours! This did not affect my honest review.
Purchase: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | iBooks

My Rating:

Synopsis: A teen writer discovers that every mirror is a portal into an alternate version of her life in this romantic YA fantasy by author L.E. DeLano. Jessa has spent her life dreaming of other worlds and writing down stories more interesting than her own, until the day her favorite character, Finn, suddenly shows up and invites her out for coffee. After the requisite nervous breakdown, Jessa learns that she and Finn are Travelers, born with the ability to slide through reflections and dreams into alternate realities. But it’s not all teacakes, pirates and fantasy lifestyles…Jessa is dying over and over again, in every reality, and Finn is determined that this time, he’s going to stop it… this Jessa is going to live.

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My Review

Traveler in Three Words: Adventure. Swoons. Surprising.

I always love a book that has parallel realities, and this one is no different. What if you could travel through a reflective surface to another parallel reality? In Traveler, Jessa can do just that. So what if there is another Jessa in the reality she is entering? They trade places. I won't go into any more detail on that, this is just a quick summary of what Traveler has in store for you.

Jessa is your average teenager who then happens to find out that she can travel through mirrors. She meets Finn and life gets complicated. These two characters are like your average young adult couple. I can't say they were that unique, but I liked them just fine. I do like a certain pirate Finn from a different parallel reality the most. You will know who I am talking about when you meet him. I did really like that not only romance, but family and friendship were also highlights of the book. Jessa's mom is fairly present and her brother is sweet. You will get to meet several versions of different people in Jessa's life when she travels. That may have been my favorite part. I want even more of that in book two.

The unique plot and excellent pacing is what really makes this book worth reading. I just really enjoy a well thought out parallel reality story. The author does a great job at closing any timey-wimey gaps, and brings the reader on many adventures and different realities. I actually can't wait to go into what I hope is many more in the next book.

The Verdict: A book for any fan of young adult romance or parallel realities. That. Ending. Give me book two!

The Authors

L.E. DeLano is a YA novelist rep’d by Barry Goldblatt Literary agency, author of the upcoming “Traveler” (Swoon Reads/MacMillan 2017) and lifelong writer. Her work has been featured on various online outlets and she lives in Pennsylvania with two very adventurous kids and two very ridiculous cats. In her spare time, she writes (of course) and binge-watches way too much Netflix.

WEBSITE | GOODREADS | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

The Giveaway

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New Release Review: Off the Ice by Julie Cross

Off the Ice by Julie Cross (Feb. 28, 2017)
Length: 320 pages
Genre: Young Adult Romance
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Source: I received a free copy from the publisher. This did NOT affect my honest review.
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
My Rating:

Goodreads Summary: All is fair in love and hockey… Claire O’Connor is back in Juniper Falls, but that doesn’t mean she wants to be. One semester off, that’s what she promised herself. Just long enough to take care of her father and keep the family business—a hockey bar beside the ice rink—afloat. After that, she’s getting the hell out. Again. Enter Tate Tanley. What happened between them the night before she left town resurfaces the second they lay eyes on each other. But the guy she remembers has been replaced by a total hottie. When Tate is unexpectedly called in to take over for the hockey team’s star goalie, suddenly he’s in the spotlight and on his way to becoming just another egotistical varsity hockey player. And Claire’s sworn off Juniper Falls hockey players for good. It’s the absolute worst time to fall in love. For Tate and Claire, hockey isn’t just a game. And they both might not survive a body check to the heart.

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My Review

Off the Ice in Three Words: Love. Life. Hockey.

The lovely writing in Off the Ice will be sure to give the reader the same tingly love feelings that the two main characters are feeling. It may not be the best book I have ever read, but it's a strong young adult romance novel and shouldn't get lost in the fray.

The setting is a small town in one of the northern states that value hockey above all else. You will be able to smell the ice and feel the cold while reading Off the Ice, but that isn't even the best part. Meeting Tate Tanley is a definite highlight. Like Claire I may have fallen a little in love with him myself. He struggles with having a less than savory father and the responsibility of being the new star goalie on varsity. Claire isn't having the best time either. Her father recently underwent brain surgery and is having a tough recovery. She has left college and is back in Juniper Falls where she reconnects with her best friend's brother, who has totally grown up and who she starts to see in a new light. Both must dig deep inside themselves and see what the truly want and live life, luckily they have each other for company. This romance will give you feels. It isn't easy all the time, but it felt real and it will make you smile.

Off the Ice is filled with love, friendship, challenges, realness, truth, and hockey. This is a great sports romance that I am sure many will enjoy reading. I would give another book by this author a try. I will say that I feel like this is more of a book for older teens because of some mature content.

The Final Verdict: Just like the main character Tate Tanley, it's sweet and tough. Give it a try.