Feb 26, 2023

Building the Book Pile #425

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Hi there! Happy Sunday evening - I am obviously posting this late, but still wanted to get it out. I hope you are well and reading wonderful things!



Coming up on the Blog


Early Reader Review: Why Are You Like This?: An ArtbyMoga Comic Collection by Meg Adams (Adult, GN)

Recent Reads: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides (Adult)

Books Received Recently...   
Have you missed anything lately?


If you are interested in supporting my ability to stay awake and read please consider dontating - Coffee  is appreciated ... Ko-fi

Comment or leave me a link and I will see you online again soon.
Happy Reading!

Feb 24, 2023

Early Reader Review: The Little Book of the Occult by Astrid Carvel

Source: From Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review, this in no way alters my opinion or review.

The Little Book of the Occult by Astrid Carvel 
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Publication Date:  March 7, 2023



https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27405327-pop-manga-coloring-book?from_search=true  https://www.amazon.com/Pop-Manga-Coloring-Book-Beautiful/dp/0399578471?ie=UTF8&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0399578471&linkCode=as2&redirect=true&ref_=x_gr_w_bb&tag=x_gr_w_bb-20

Format: Ebook

Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis: 
Come along on a journey of self-discovery and begin to make sense of the unpredictability of our existence with this fun and insightful introduction to the occult.

An exploration of rich history and a discovery of lasting benefits, The Little Book of the Occult is a quick dive into the world of occult magick, perfect for both beginners and those who are more familiar with the practice. From sigils to tarot cards and rituals, occult practices are an insightful way to achieve your dreams, discover more about yourself, and feel empowered.
Review: 
I requested this book from Netgalley because I like the strange, witchy and occult so I figured it would be a fun one. This short (130 page) book is a good overview of the history of magick and provides snippets on tarot, talking to spirits, crystals, and other magick related information. 

I read through this pretty fast, there are a number of full-page quotes and images throughout making it even shorter than expected. I found the writing to be just ok, nothing spectacularly done, just enough to be to the point. While there was a lot of interesting and useful information, I really wanted some references and footnotes that were not there. There is a further reading/ recommendations section at the end, but a few were more of this author’s works versus where they found their details. 

I think if you are just starting out on your witchy journey this would be a good starting place for you. Or if you want something cute on the coffee table this could be a fun book to grab.

Feb 23, 2023

Early Reader Review: Lies we Sing to the Sea by Sarah Underwood

Source: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

Lies We Sing to the Sea by Sarah Underwood  
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date:  March 7, 2023



https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27405327-pop-manga-coloring-book?from_search=true  https://www.amazon.com/Pop-Manga-Coloring-Book-Beautiful/dp/0399578471?ie=UTF8&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0399578471&linkCode=as2&redirect=true&ref_=x_gr_w_bb&tag=x_gr_w_bb-20

Format: Ebook


Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 
Each spring, Ithaca condemns twelve maidens to the noose. This is the price vengeful Poseidon demands for the lives of Queen Penelope’s twelve maids, hanged and cast into the depths centuries ago.

But when that fate comes for Leto, death is not what she thought it would be. Instead, she wakes on a mysterious island and meets a girl with green eyes and the power to command the sea. A girl named Melantho, who says one more death can stop a thousand.

The prince of Ithaca must die—or the tides of fate will drown them all.

Sarah Underwood weaves an epic tapestry of lies, love, and tragedy, perfect for fans of Madeline Miller, Alexandra Bracken, and Renée Ahdieh.
Review: 

Lies We Sing to the Sea is a retelling/story of the twelve maids of Penelope from the Odyssey/Iliad. We follow a girl named Leto who is doomed to die for a curse on Ithaca. Every year 12 girls are killed and given to Poseidon so that he doesn't flood Ithaca, and this has been happening for as long as everyone can remember. Leto is strong and determined and puts up a fight to not be doomed to this fate, but sadly it comes for her. 

So the story follows a few POVs - Leto, the prince of Ithaca Mathias, and another 'maid' Melantho. Leto and Melantho are working together to try to kill the prince to end the curse for Ithaca, and all of the characters have secrets. 

I wanted to love this book. I love Greek mythology and really enjoyed reading the Odyssey in school when I read it a long time ago, but the story felt ...off... as a retelling. There was not much there of the Odyssey. I understand that the story focused on the maids which are only briefly mentioned but still. Then after completing the read, I saw an interview with the author in which she notes that she didn't read the originals in their entirety... and now it made more sense. I felt like the book was lacking the strong epic storytelling of a Greek myth retelling... I didn't need it to actually be an epic, or in verse, but as a telling of a Greek tale, even as a retelling, it was rough in that respect. 

So what I liked - There were many elements of myth (more generally) included. The Sapphic romance was a win, I liked the relationship Leto and Melanthos shared and its progression. And the character growth was well done. There was a lot of learning and adapting that everyone had to do to get to the ending. I found the overall story ok. The plot was convoluted at points and boring at others, and while I think it lends to the story well to have the 3 POVs, I think that at times one of them was very boring (Mathias). I disliked the pacing of the second half of the book, it was slow... I wanted to put it down, and at times I felt like I wanted to skim just to push through... I read it all though. 

I think that this story has a lot of good qualities, if you don't think of it as a retelling, I think you will set yourself up better than I did for expectations. The characters were good ones and had a lot of promise and I was rooting for them all pretty equally at times, so that is a win. Overall if you are looking for an interesting story with some mythological elements, this might be a good one for you.

Feb 19, 2023

Building the Book Pile #424

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 


I am starting to really realize how chaotic this year is going to be for me... and I am slightly panicking. I should have time to read but I am not sure how the blog is going to fare. I have a work trip each month for the next 4 months (well one is my husbands but I will be tagging along, and one is pending a presentation proposal but still...) One is even international 😲 I am still in disbelief. As much as the year started out in turmoil, things are looking up... I hope your 2023 is giving back to you as well. 

In other news, this past week, I feel like I have been fighting a sickness... just a normal one but still it sucks. I have been so tired all the time and feel so burnt out. Which might be a product of needing to do ALL THE THINGS all the time but ..still... 😅

I hope you had a lovely week and this week is nice as well. 💜


Coming up on the Blog


Early Reader Review: The Little Book of the Occult by Astrid Carvel  (Adult, Non-Fiction)

Early Reader Review: Lies We Sing to the Sea by Sarah Underwood  (YA)


Books Received Recently...   
  
No new books this week

Have you missed anything lately?


If you are interested in supporting my ability to stay awake and read please consider dontating - Coffee  is appreciated ... Ko-fi

Comment or leave me a link and I will see you online again soon.
Happy Reading!

Feb 17, 2023

Recent Reads: Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott

Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott 
Publisher: Anchor Books
Publication Date:  September 13, 2022



https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27405327-pop-manga-coloring-book?from_search=true  https://www.amazon.com/Pop-Manga-Coloring-Book-Beautiful/dp/0399578471?ie=UTF8&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0399578471&linkCode=as2&redirect=true&ref_=x_gr_w_bb&tag=x_gr_w_bb-20

Format: Hardback
Source: BOTM October 2022


Rating:
DNF - 1 Star

Goodreads Synopsis: 
In the tradition of modern fairytales like American Gods and Spinning Silver comes a sweeping epic rich in Eastern European folklore--a debut novel about the ancestral hauntings that stalk us, and the uncanny power of story.

The Yaga siblings--Bellatine, a young woodworker, and Isaac, a wayfaring street performer and con artist--have been estranged since childhood, separated both by resentment and by wide miles of American highway. But when they learn that they are to receive a mysterious inheritance, the siblings are reunited--only to discover that their bequest isn't land or money, but something far stranger: a sentient house on chicken legs.

Thistlefoot, as the house is called, has arrived from the Yagas' ancestral home in Russia--but not alone. A sinister figure known only as the Longshadow Man has tracked it to American shores, bearing with him violent secrets from the past: fiery memories that have hidden in Isaac and Bellatine's blood for generations. As the Yaga siblings embark with Thistlefoot on a final cross-country tour of their family's traveling theater show, the Longshadow Man follows in relentless pursuit, seeding destruction in his wake. Ultimately, time, magic, and legacy must collide--erupting in a powerful conflagration to determine who gets to remember the past and craft a new future.

An enchanted adventure illuminated by Jewish myth and adorned with lyrical prose as tantalizing and sweet as briar berries, Thistlefoot is an immersive modern fantasy saga by a bold new talent.
Review: 
I am sad about this one, I wanted to love it ... or even like it for that matter and sadly it was just too slow, and I was not invested enough to care to finish it. 

I DNFed this book at ~40%, I had been trying to read it for the last month, and in the meantime also finished many other books while avoiding it. The story is about a brother and sister that are pretty much estranged, but come together when they inherit the chicken-legged house. Now in order to pay off her side of the house and own it outright, Bellatine is helping her brother Isaac put on a puppet show... but there is also someone trying to find the house. At almost halfway through, there were no climaxes in the story at all, and I needed something to keep going and it just never came. I got to a section where they are sitting in a diner and talking and then Isaac has a flashback about a friend named Benji... and I tried to skip it... it was at that point that I realized the character building/ flashbacks that were meant to build were just depressing me and so I called it quits.

Where I think this book went wrong was in the pacing. It was so unbearably slow for too long. There are oh moments here and there but not with the characters we are meant to invest in. It also has a weird past/present issue that irked me... are we set in modern times with cell phones or are we in the 1930's because it oddly felt like both and maybe that was meant to bring on an 'old-soul' feel but it was just odd in context. 

I also still wanted more from this world - it was magical realism, so it was supposed to be able to set magic down in our world and ride it out, but I found the magic to be forced and not as seamless as I like my magical realism settings to be.

So, overall, this was not for me... however if you are looking for something slower paced, you might enjoy it. 

Feb 13, 2023

Early Reader Review: Twinkle, Twinkle, Daytime Star by Elizabeth Everett, Illustrated by Beatriz Castro

Source: From Librarything Early Reviewer program and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Daytime Star by Elizabeth Everett, Illustrated by Beatriz Castro
Publisher: Science, Naturally!
Publication Date:  February 1, 2023



https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27405327-pop-manga-coloring-book?from_search=true  https://www.amazon.com/Pop-Manga-Coloring-Book-Beautiful/dp/0399578471?ie=UTF8&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0399578471&linkCode=as2&redirect=true&ref_=x_gr_w_bb&tag=x_gr_w_bb-20

Format: Boardbook


Rating:

Synopsis: 
How I wonder what you are… the Sun, our most important star!

We see the Sun every day. When we wake up, it rises with us. During the day, it gives us light and keeps us warm. But the Sun is just a star and there are billions of others. So why is this one so important?

A science lesson wrapped in a familiar rhyme, Twinkle, Twinkle, Daytime Star introduces children to the many ways the Sun affects our world, from small things we experience every day on planet Earth, to the way our entire solar system functions.

Readers discover how this one special star affects Earth's orbit and rotation, day and night, the changing seasons, the length of a year, the lives of plants and animals, and the production of energy and radiation, light and shadows, and even vitamins.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Daytime Star is a must-have for any child who is curious about the world around them. With glowing illustrations and a well-known beginning, this charming story is a cozy way to learn about the one-of-a-kind star that makes everything possible. In this book, the Sun truly shines!
 Review: 

This is a cute little board book for ages 2-4. It is short and well colored with fun illustrations. 

Everett does a good job with a slight rhyme talking about the sun, our daytime star. She explains various ways in which it affects our world in a fun way for young readers. 

I liked that this is a science lesson and an enjoyable read as well. I didn't love the pages about looking at the sun directly... even with sunglasses I feel like that isn’t a great idea and something to tell kids of 2-4 to do or even encourage like the illustration kind of does. 

Overall, it was a cute, educational book, and I enjoyed it. I will be passing it along to a young reader to see what he thinks.


Feb 12, 2023

Building the Book Pile #423

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 


Happy sunday! It was a fun week off, I did so much reading. I think I finished 4 books and a children's book this week. Sadly, I think only one was on my TBR lol ooops. Either way, I did some reading. I am really enjoying my Kindle and e-reading this week, so that was good. It felt nice to get back into the swing of things. 

Sadly, I also didn't finish the books I wanted to haver reviews up for either - apologies. I am working on reading/finishing them know.


Coming up on the Blog

Early Reader Review: Twinkle, Twinkle, Daytime Star by Elizabeth Everett (Youth)

Holiday post.

Recent Reads: Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott (Adult)

Early Reader Review: The Little Book of the Occult by Astrid Carvel  (Adult, Non-Fiction)


Books Received Recently...   
  
I went to a bookstore.. big mistake and BAM was doing a B2G1 sale... sooo



Have you missed anything lately?


If you are interested in supporting my ability to stay awake and read please consider dontating - Coffee  is appreciated ... Ko-fi

Comment or leave me a link and I will see you online again soon.
Happy Reading!

Feb 7, 2023

Early Reader Review: Backpack Explorer: Rock Hunt

Source: From Netgalley and Storey Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review. 


Backpack Explorer: Rock Hunt
Series: Backpack Explorer 
Publisher: Storey Publishing
Publication Date:  Febuary 28, 2023


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27405327-pop-manga-coloring-book?from_search=true  https://www.amazon.com/Pop-Manga-Coloring-Book-Beautiful/dp/0399578471?ie=UTF8&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0399578471&linkCode=as2&redirect=true&ref_=x_gr_w_bb&tag=x_gr_w_bb-20

Format: Ebook


Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis: 

The latest addition to the best-selling Backpack Explorer series (455,000 copies in print) invites kids ages 4 and up to head outside and find, collect, and learn about rocks with this take-along activity book!  Backpack Explorer: Rock Hunt is packed with prompts and activities, including: 12 interactive field guide pages introducing rock classifications (color, shape, size, texture); sensory scavenger hunts; hands-on outdoor creative activities; rock experiments; and discovery zone pages with facts about geology, landforms, igneous and metamorphic rocks, gems, fossils, and more. The book includes a real magnifying glass, stickers, and a log for recording rock finds, making it the perfect explorer guide for budding geologists, whether in a backyard, a city park, or a nature preserve.
Review: 

I really enjoy collecting cool and interesting looking rocks when my husband and I go on walks and hikes, so this book seemed like a fun read, and it didn't disappoint. If you have a young one that loves the outdoors and/or rocks, this could be a great addition to your library. That being said though, this book does require some adult supervision for a number of the activities and some of the tips and facts might want to be elaborated on for safety reasons. (For example: 'certain rocks can scratch glass', please make sure your readers do not try to scratch all your windows with rocks).

So what is this book, well, it is a lot of great things. First and foremost it is a non-fiction book all about types of rocks, where you might find them, their differences, and often interesting facts about them. It is also a sticker book of sorts, as you locate the types of rocks, the book boasts stickers in the back that you can use to track your progress (since I had a digital copy, I did not have the pleasure of stickering, nor where there examples of the sticker pages). It is also an activity book. In between the sections about rocks, there are fun things to do and try with them, pet rocks, scavenger hunts, boats with rock pirates, and collections

This book was very well put together with thing to bring on your hunt, images of actual rocks, illustrations, and diagrams. It is easy to follow along with and has some pronunciation guides in the text to help out. 

It is important to also remind your readers that not all rocks are found in all areas, it is possible that they will be able to complete their sticker journey, but maybe not. Overall, I found this book pretty fun to read through and I think young rock hounds will enjoy it as well. But be prepared to find rocks all over your house. 

Galley note: I received this early e-copy from the publisher, and at the time of reading there were many images with watermarks on them from stock images. Completely fine and the images were great, I just hope that for publication the watermarks are removed accordingly.



Feb 5, 2023

Building the Book Pile #422

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Happy Sunday folks. I hope you are having a great weekend. 
Here in NH, as you might have heard it was COLD. in the negatives and super windy so luckily we didn't loser power but we were very worried about it. As of today, things are starting to warm up again to normal winter temps but I had to dress like this for a few days ---> 

via GIPHY

 
Reading has been slow-going still. I have this upcoming week off, mostly to play the new Hogwarts game*, but I also hope to read a bunch too. 

I have a lot of great books lined up for February (see TBR pile on this post) lots of variety so hopefully they keep my attention. 

In other news - I think I am going to start some seedlings this week, there are some things I can start now and it will help the Spring-itch I have going. I would love to be outside right now but it is WAY too cold. ...SOON I hope. 

*I know there is controversy around JKR but honestly I haven't been in a good place mentally and I know I will enjoy the game - so I'm playing it, and that is that. Everyone can do what is right for them, I am in support of everyone's rights, but I am also so exhausted of cancel-culture. Take from that whatever you would like, I am sorry if it offends you.



Coming up on the Blog

Early Reader Review: Backpack Explorer: Rock Hunt (MG)

Recent Reads: Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott (Adult)

Early Reader Review: The Little Book of the Occult by Astrid Carvel  (Adult, Non-Fiction)


Books Received Recently...   
  
I realized I have received a number of books for review... but I hadn't pulled them from Netgalley yet. I did that today so here is what I just downloaded. So much for "benig good" muahaha 

These covers... SWOON!



The Other Side of Infinity by Joan F. Smith - From the publisher for review.
The Cherished by Patricia Ward - From the publisher for review
Lies We Sing to the Sea by Sarah Underwood- From the publisher for review.
Julieta and the Romeos by Maria E. Andreu- From the publisher for review.
The Little Book of the Occult by Astrid Carvel  - from Netgalley and publisher for review.

Have you missed anything lately?

Comment or leave me a link and I will see you online again soon.
Happy Reading!

Feb 3, 2023

Recent Reads: The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes


The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes  
Series: The Inheritance Games #3
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date:  August 30, 2022



https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27405327-pop-manga-coloring-book?from_search=true  https://www.amazon.com/Pop-Manga-Coloring-Book-Beautiful/dp/0399578471?ie=UTF8&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0399578471&linkCode=as2&redirect=true&ref_=x_gr_w_bb&tag=x_gr_w_bb-20

Format: Audiobook
Source: Bought on Audible with credits


Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 
Avery’s fortune, life, and loves are on the line in the game that everyone will be talking about.

To inherit billions, all Avery Kylie Grambs has to do is survive a few more weeks living in Hawthorne House. The paparazzi are dogging her every step. Financial pressures are building. Danger is a fact of life. And the only thing getting Avery through it all is the Hawthorne brothers. Her life is intertwined with theirs. She knows their secrets, and they know her.

But as the clock ticks down to the moment when Avery will become the richest teenager on the planet, trouble arrives in the form of a visitor who needs her help—and whose presence in Hawthorne House could change everything. It soon becomes clear that there is one last puzzle to solve, and Avery and the Hawthorne brothers are drawn into a dangerous game against an unknown and powerful player.

Secrets upon secrets. Riddles upon riddles. In this game, there are hearts and lives at stake—and there is nothing more Hawthorne than winning.
Review: 
I pre-ordered this audiobook because I have loved this series so much, sadly it took forever for me to get to it. Mostly because I wasn't feeling audiobooks for a while, but this helped break that slump.

Book 3 of the Inheritance Games is action packed, full of puzzles, riddles, and games, and made for a fun ending to the trilogy. Avery has come into her own at the Hawthorne residence and 'the boys' are accepting of her now but there are so many secrets and so much drama at every turn. Avery has to ensure that she is safe, her friends are safe, and that she has completed her time at the house in order to become the billionaire, but she can't really trust anyone. Even immediate family, read as Hawthorne family I guess, can be an issue. 

As with the other books, I loved the puzzles and games that were played. They kept the reader guessing. I would still appreciate a map of this giant estate. I could have done without a lot of the love-triangle bits between Avery, Jameson, and Grayson, but understand that swoon sells, and it was a part of the series. 

The plot was paced well with a lot of layers and weird twists and turns. Lots of secrets revealed too! It was always frustrating how underestimated Avery was and still is in this book too. I wanted more for her in that respect because she has shown again and again how capable she is and that she can keep up in this world she was thrown into.  I also would have liked to see more of an outcome for Rebecca - her mom was so UUUUGGGH and I wanted someone to slap sense into her or Rebecca to really blow up, but i felt she directed that energy badly. That being said, I really enjoyed this ending. It was bittersweet, this was such a fun series!