Early Reader Review: The Daughters of Salem by Thomas Gilbert

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

The Daughters of Salem by Thomas Gilbert
Series: The Daughters of Salem Part 1
Publisher: Europe Comics
Publication Date:  January 23, 2019

 

Format: Ebook

Rating:






Goodreads Synopsis: 

Colonial Massachusets, early 1690's. When a young girl in a Puritan town rejects a farmer boy's gift and instead slips out into the forest to dance with a young man from the Abenaki tribe, it sets off a chain of events resulting in one of the worst cases of mass hysteria in U.S. history, as neighbor turns against neighbor and friends accuse friends of the most terrible things. A fictional re-imagining of the Salem Witch Trials, in which gender politics, religion, xenophobia, innocent games of fortunetelling, and one man's sinful indiscretion are all factors that lead to the deadly witch hunt.

Review: 
Part one of The Daughters of Salem was a great set up story for what is to come, however you have to wait to get to more plot. In this installment, we meet the main character and learn how things are changing in the town of Salem.

There is a lot to take in with this graphic novel - there is violence and gender issues, and a lot of religion and it is all more disturbing than anything. I am very interested in Salem and the Witch Trials and thought this would be an interesting fictional take, and it kind of was, but I found myself cringing more than enjoying reading it. And I know that that is how a lot of the history is too, but as a fictional piece I was thinking it would take it another route. 

There was a lot of violence in this set up, people are brutally killed and the whole thing just made me anxious for what is to come. Overall, it is probably more accurate than I was hoping for, and if you are interesting in those true-feeling aspects, then this could be more for you.

Building the Book Pile #287

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!  A Weekly meme inspired by Stacking the Shelves

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Heeeeyyyyyyy! Happy Monday. Sorry for a later post this week but I have had so much school work it is really cutting into blogging and reading time. However, I am trying to keep up as best I can, so stick around and reviews will be going up at some point :P

At work this past week it was very busy and we got about 6 inches of snow one of the days (still had to go to work though - no snow days here in VT/NH). But there are some fun things too - Dartmouth College (my workplace) is celebrating is 250th anniversary so there were kick-off events in the evenings (and then snow removal after that, oh the joys of being an adult!).  I am hoping that the snow wraps up soon and we get an early spring! Today it was -10F when I was coming to work and I am SO over that!

This week should be a little less busy... we all just need more hours in the day to do the things we love.

How is your January going so far? Are you busy, relaxed, hopeful? Let me know in the comments.

If you enjoy the blog and want to share some love and caffeine, you can buy me a coffee via Ko-fi

Share about your week with me in the comments below!

 

  Giveaways  on Cover2CoverBlog! 

None right now. More coming soon...

Coming up on the Blog

Early Reader Review: The Daughters of Salem by Gilbert Thomas (GN)
Waiting on Wednesday
Early Reader Review: Shield of Nike by A.P. Mobley (MG, Series Companion)

Books Received this Week 

  

The Daughters of Salem by Gilbert Thomas from Netgalley and the publisher for review.
Witchcraft and Monsters by Kala Godin from Netgalley and the publisher for review.

Have you missed anything lately?

Week of  January 6- January 13

New Year, New You! Books to Help on Your Journey
Waiting on Wednesday: A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer (YA)
Cover Reveal: The Devil's Own by K.A. Fox (YA)

Comment and leave me a link to your Round-up/ STS/ Weekly...anything, post and I will happily stop by and say hello!

Happy Reading!

Cover Reveal: The Devil's Own by K.A. Fox

The Devil’s Own by K.A. Fox
Published by: Acorn Publishing
Publication date: April 20th 2019Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Delaney Murphy has always known she’s the Devil’s daughter. And although the title itself is a burden, she never expects to inherit all her father’s infernal abilities. When her newfound magic begins to poison the people closest to her, Laney must make a choice. To protect the world from the worst she can do, she leaves everyone she loves behind and builds a new life for herself, alone, in a place where she can control the urge to give in to the magic living within her.

But when she recognizes a familiar pattern in a string of murders, Laney leaves her peaceful, isolated life behind and goes on the hunt, unleashing a threat she never dreamed possible. Confronting this menacing specter could mean giving in to temptation and becoming the one thing she fears most. Will she use her magic to do the right thing, even if it means hurting the ones she loves? 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
K.A. Fox is a proud military brat who has lived all over the world but now calls the Midwest home. She uses her psychological training to facilitate successful negotiations at work and to convince her husband and three sons that she’s always right. When not writing, she can usually be found hiding somewhere with a book and a bit of chocolate, or chasing after her own adorable Hell Hound.

Website / Facebook

Waiting on Wednesday: A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Publication Date: January 29, 2019

Synopsis:

In a lush, contemporary fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Brigid Kemmerer gives readers another compulsively readable romance perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer. 

Fall in love, break the curse.

It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope. 

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper Lacy. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she's instead somehow sucked into Rhen's cursed world. 

Break the curse, save the kingdom. 

A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn't know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what's at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.

Why I Am Waiting:
A Beauty and the Beast retelling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So Excited. I love retellings and Beauty and the Beast is my favorite.

New Year, New You! Books to Help on Your Journey

I love books that help me learn about myself and I have been posting more about them in recent months than ever before. I am taking action in my life and I have headed back in school, I have a new job, and I am looking to just be better...

Since the New Year is here, now is a great time to start with more self-reflection and here are some books that may help along the way:

You are a Badass by Jen Sincero

Goodreads Link

Amazon Link

Told in a series of stories as well as some great one-liners, this self-help book is about kicking you into gear while allowing you to realize how you are messing things up for your self. With a focus in positive thinking and comic-relief, this is a nice self-help read.

Jen Sincero has a new book out recently too if you have already read this one, You are a Badass Everyday

A Year of Positive Thinking by Cyndie Spiegel

Goodreads Link

Amazon Link

Motivational quotes, information, and overall positive thoughts help you center yourself day to day. This book is the type that you can pick up any time of the year and start reading from that day and circle back. You could also re-visit this adorable book year after year to really ingrain the the positive messages into your brain. 

Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath

Goodreads Link

Amazon Link

Strengths Finder is a book that you will either love or hate, but maybe going into it with this information will help: This book is not going to teach you how to be better at things, it is about telling you which strengths you already exhibit so that you may know later how to utilize them. Finding your strengths may help you find a better role in the job you already do, or re-assess your career path.

This book tends to be pricey, but you will want to buy it new, the new issues come with a link to take a test that will sort you into your top 5 strengths, from there it is up to you to find your way. (If you are interested mine are: Learner, Achiever, Intellection, Input, and Relator)

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen

Goodreads Link

Amazon Link

This one is more for the workplace. It focuses on how to better organize as well as delegate when you can. I enjoyed this book because it really promotes list making and scheduling things, but there were a few things that I probably will never use. it is still an interesting take and if you pull anything useful out of it I think that it is worthwhile!

 

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

Goodreads Link Normal Book / Graphic Novel Version

Amazon Link Normal Book / Graphic Novel Version

I started reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up a while back and didn't get a chance to finish when the library needed it back, and I was really connecting. Then, I got the Manga version and it is SO GOOD. It is a quick an easy read and covers all of Marie Kondo's basics to living better through tidying. There is also a new show about it on Netflix! The hubs and I watched the first episode and now we want to go through the whole house!

If you are looking for a fun method for decluttering and organization, this is a good one, you can pick an choose the areas that you need to address or use them all.

Do you have other suggestions for me to read? Leave them in the comments below

Happy New Year!

Building the Book Pile #286

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!  A Weekly meme inspired by Stacking the Shelves

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Happy New Year readers! I am really trying to get back into the swing of things after a break from work and having no real responsibilities for a while there. Luckily, we had a short work week because it was exhausting. 

I am doing the 'normal' thing for the new year and going with a 'be healthier' resolution, so I have been trying to exercise some, eating a bit better, and limiting my coffee (this one is SO HARD! and I also hate it). I am only a few days in and it seems to be ok, just need to create a new routine and stick to it.

How was your first week of the new year? Any resolutions?

If you enjoy the blog and want to share some love and caffeine, you can buy me a coffee via Ko-fi

Share about your week with me in the comments below!

 

  Giveaways  on Cover2CoverBlog! 

None right now. More coming soon...

Coming up on the Blog

New Year, New You! Books to Help
Waiting on Wednesday
Early Reader Review: Shield of Nike by A.P. Mobley (MG, Series Companion)

Books Received this Week 

The Art of Hand Lettering for Beginners by Joanna Munoz from the publisher for review.

Have you missed anything lately?

Week of December 23-  January 5

Early Reader Review: Book Love by Debbie Tung (GN) - 5 stars
December Re-Cap
January 2019 TBR
Recent Reads: You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero (Adult) - 4 stars

Comment and leave me a link to your Round-up/ STS/ Weekly...anything, post and I will happily stop by and say hello!

Happy Reading!

Recent Reads: You are a Badass by Jen Sincero

You are a Badass: How to stop doubting your greatness and start living an awesome life.
Publisher:  Running Press Adult
Publication Date:  April 2013

 

Format: Paperback
Source: I own it.

Rating:






Goodreads Synopsis: 

The #1 New York Times Bestseller You Are A Badass is the self-help book for people who desperately want to improve their lives but don't want to get busted doing it. 

In this refreshingly entertaining how-to guide, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author and world-traveling success coach, Jen Sincero, serves up 27 bite-sized chapters full of hilariously inspiring stories, sage advice, easy exercises, and the occasional swear word. If you're ready to make some serious changes around here, You Are a Badass will help you: Identify and change the self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors that stop you from getting what you want, blast past your fears so you can take big exciting risks, figure out how to make some damn money already, learn to love yourself and others, set big goals and reach them - it will basically show you how to create a life you totally love, and how to create it now. 

By the end of You Are a Badass, you'll understand why you are how you are, how to love what you can't change, how to change what you don't love, and how to use The Force to kick some serious ass.

Review: 
Like many books, this one has been on my self for a bit, and before thew new year I wanted to get into it. I have restarted school and gotten a new job, and then picked up this book... and I can say that I am feeling much better about all these changes now even more than ever after reading this book.

This is a self-help book, obviously, and it has been out for a long time. I have been on this kick to find ways to better myself as well as read more outside of the Young Adult fantasy realm, and this one was there for me. There were some things in it that made me roll my eyes, and some that I think could really work for me, and I think that is what you get with most self-help books. 

I liked that this was self-help and a bio rolled into one, Jen told stories that helped lead the reader into these AHA! moments and I really enjoyed those. Everything is really simple, so simple that it seems silly to think that I needed to read a book to get it, but sometimes you need that kick to the face telling you to cut it out and this was a great book for that.

A story from my time reading this book: We have had a broken toilet for months and after beginning this book, I got up and told my husband we were going to get a new one and install it - done and done! New toilet, no more annoyances with the broken one and it only took able a half hour really to put it in.


Overall, I would say that if you are looking for self-help lite, this might be a good book for you, I think it will appeal more to younger audiences than those that I call 'real adults' (my mom and dad are real adults, I am still playing at one), but it was very eyeopening and I liked it.

January 2019 - TBR Pile

THE BOOKS
Let's try this again... Same as December. Wish me luck!!! And others that I need to read as well...

         
 

  

What do you want to read this month?
Have you read any of these yet? 
If so, let me know what you thought! 

Happy 2019!

 

WOW! It is 2019 Already?!

 
🎉✨Here's wishing everyone a wonderfully productive 2019!🎉✨ 😬

Monthly Re-Cap: December 2018

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Happy New Years Eve! 
Let's be honest, for the past month I have been slacking off on the blog, and I am sorry, but I have been working on school stuff and the holidays are always busy but SO MUCH FUN... and I have actually been taking some time to relax... which mostly means playing video games in my spare time because thinking hurts (lol) or watching too much TV.

I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday. For Christmas, I got a TV from my momma, I got a beautiful canning pot from the hubs for this summer when I start to pickle ALL the things again, I also got some binoculars for bird watching, and  I got an embosser that says "From the library of Stephanie Turner" I need to take out ALL my books and stamp them now. 

We also got some gift cards/ cash and we have been doing some home projects. We are almost done building the shed in the backyard, and we replaced a toilet that has been broken and running FOREVER.

What did you get? Any bookish goodies?!

How was your December otherwise?

~~Books I Read in December ~~
                
      



How did I do on my December TBR? 
I finished 0 / 2 books. FAILED SO BAD! I read nothing that I was 'supposed' to.

~~Links to Some Reviews~~
Rosa Parks by Hourly History (Non-Fiction)-4 stars
A Year of Positive Thinking by Cyndie Spiegel (Adult) - 5 stars 
The Math Kids by David Cole (MG) - 3.5 stars
Misfits by Jen Calonita (MG) - 4 stars
The Circus Thief by Alane Adams (Youth) - 4 stars
Whitehaven Beach by Cathy Maisano (MG) - 3 stars
Let's Get Reads for Bed by M. Smith (Youth) - 3 stars

~~ From last month's read pile~~
Book Love by Debbie Tung (GN) - 5 stars
 
~~Coming Soon~~ 
Muddy: The Raccoon Who Stole Dishes by Griffin Ondaatje (Youth) 
Quinn's Promise Rock by Christie Thomas (Youth)