Building the Book Pile #445

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Hello hello book friends.

Apologies, I have been a bit missing-in-action these last few weeks. Honestly, I have been reading and playing World of Warcraft and not updating the blog... I was feeling a bit burnt out from it.

I am back. Happy Easter to those who celebrate it. I hope you have a lovely day with family and community. 

We are headed to my grandmothers for lunch and bringing my sister back that way. She came over for the night last night to have dinner and go see a show. We went to The Play That Goes Wrong and it was hilarious. If it ever pops up near you, it is a great, funtime of a show. 

Anyways... I will be posting some reviews that have been sitting in my head soon and I need to prep my recap for March. I think I did pretty good. Have a great day/ week! See you again soon.

Coming up on the Blog

Monthly Re-Cap & TBR (April)

Recent Reads: Lovely Wicked Things by Trisha Wolfe (Adult)

Recent Reads: Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer (Adult)

Recent Reads: Bride by Ali Hazelwood (Adult)

Books Received Recently...  

 

 

Bought

The Power of Saying No: The New Science of How to Say No that Puts You in Charge of Your Lifeby Vanessa Patrick - Bought

A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas - Kindle sale

Have you missed anything lately?

Early Reader Review: The Dress in the Window by Robert Tregoning (Youth) - 5 stars

Donating Caffeine is greatly appreciated ... Donate on Ko-fi

What have you been reading?  Leave a comment for me.

Happy Reading!

Early Reader Review: The Dress in the Window by Robert Tregoning

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

The Dress in the Window by Robert Tregoning and Illustrated by Pippa Curnick

Publisher:Flyaway Books
Publication Date:  March 19, 2024

 

Format: Ebook


Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

A young boy longs for a dress that he sees in a shop window and rejoices when his mother gifts it to him for his birthday. That dress! It shimmers, so radiant and red. As the boy stares at it, full of wonder, he has just one to put on that dress and to swirl and to swish. He’ll do anything to earn enough to buy it from the secondhand shop, but he’ll have to hurry. There’s just one red dress in the window! This playful and imaginative story of self-expression brims with the infectious joy that comes when a child’s individuality is met with wholehearted support and love.

Review: 

This is a lovely children's book about acceptance and longing. A young boy sees a dress in the thrift store window and cannot wait to buy it for himself. 

The text is rhyming and flows well, at times it feels flowy like the dress. The boy daydreams about what the dress has done before making it to the thrift store and then does his very best to help the whole neighborhood with chores to have enough money to buy it. 

What I loved about this book, was that there was no questioning why he wanted a dress, it was just another great thing he could buy. Zero judgement from mom or the neighbors. There was so much love and acceptance and it was absolutely wonderful. I loved it so much. 

The illustrations were beautiful and whimsical at times. The boy was surrounded by supportive, loving people. 

[All that said, the endpages (?) have an illustration of things being dropped off at teh thrift and one likely says "stuff to donate" but it looks SO CLOSE to "sh*t to donate" and that is immediately what I thought it said. So if you are a parent and concerned with this, be aware]

Building the Book Pile #444

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Hello hello book friends.

This morning, after a week of beautiful weather in the low 50s, we woke up to a fresh new 4 inches of snow. (rude)

I am hoping to get my greenhouse set up indoors today anyway, becuase we are within the 8-10 week threshold of Mother's Day. That is the 'safe date' for plants ⚘ in the ground in my gardening zone. I am excited to ge things started and had held back to the appropriate timing this year. 

In other homestead news, I ordered some new chicks 😍. We have 7 chickens, they are doing great but we are expanding their run and adding in 6 more this year. When all is said and done we will have 7 black Australorps 🐔, 2 Barnvelders🐤, 2 Silver Laced Wyandottes🐤, and 2 Speckled Sussex. 🐤

In reading news, I am reading slowly but trying to take time daily to really stay on top of the evergrowing (self-inflicted) TBR pile.

Coming up on the Blog

Early Reader Review: The Dress in the Window by Robert Tregoning (Youth)

Recent Reads: Lovely Wicked Things by Trisha Wolfe (Adult)

Books Received Recently...  

  

 

  

Bookstore haul

A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe by Mark Dawidziak

Buther & Blackbird by Brynne Wraver

A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal

Have you missed anything lately?

Early Reader Review: The Boyfriend Wish by Swati Teerdhala (YA) - 4 stars

Monthly Re-Cap & TBR (Feb/March)

Early Reader Review: Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff (Adult) - 5 stars

Early Reader Review: The Someday Daughter by Ellen O'Clover (YA) - 4 stars

Donating Caffeine is greatly appreciated ... Donate on Ko-fi

What have you been reading?  Leave a comment for me.

Happy Reading!

Early Reader Review: The Someday Daughter by Ellen O'Clover

Source: From the Publisher for review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

The Someday Daughter by Ellen O'Clover

Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date:  February 20, 2024 

 

Format: Hardback

Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis: 

From the critically acclaimed author of Seven Percent of Ro Devereux comes another nuanced, heartrending, and ultimately healing novel, about a rising college freshman forced to spend a summer with the self-help superstar mother she’s never felt truly connected to.

Years before Audrey St. Vrain was born, her mother, Camilla, shot to fame with Letters to My Someday Daughter, a self-help book encouraging women to treat themselves with the same love and care they’d treat their own daughters. While the world considers Audrey lucky to have Camilla for a mother, the truth is that Audrey knows a different side of being the someday daughter. Shipped off to boarding school when she was eleven, she feels more like a promotional tool than a member of Camilla’s family.

Audrey is determined to create her own identity aside from being Camilla’s daughter, and she’s looking forward to a prestigious summer premed program with her boyfriend before heading to college and finally breaking free from her mother’s world. But when Camilla asks Audrey to go on tour with her to promote the book’s anniversary, Audrey can’t help but think that this is the last, best chance to figure out how they fit into each other’s lives—not as the someday daughter and someday mother, but as themselves, just as they are.

What Audrey doesn’t know is that spending the summer with Camilla and her tour staff—including the disarmingly honest, distressingly cute video intern, Silas—will upset everything she’s so carefully planned for her life.

Review: 

Somehow this author knows how to just rip out my heart and stomp on it... this book was emotionally intense. 

The Someday Daughter is about teenage girl named Audrey, who has been living her life trying to live up to her mother's expectations... and really trying to get her to see her.  Her mother, is a famous author and wellness speaker, gaining her fandom from her book "Letters to My Someday Daughter". This summer she asked Audrey to do the 25 year anniversary tour with her. She is hoping to build more of a relationship with her daughter, but it seems a little late. Audrey has hope that this will be a worthwhile trip, especially because she is giving up SO much to be there.

Audrey hates it here... she is trying to find love from her standoff-ish mother and cannot find it. She has lost her place in a prestigious summer med program for her pre-college month and things are just not going as she planned. Her world is crumbling around her, and she doesn't know how to handle anything. I wanted so strongly to shake her mother and hold Audrey. The mother/daughter relationship is so strange and everyone experiences it differently but I think everyone will feel for both these characters strongly... in a lot of ways.  

Audrey was frightfully real and vulnerable. She is an overachiever who cannot take rejection, doesn't have good coping or stress mechanisms and just needs a caring mother to help her along.  Camilla, her mother, is distant, mostly detached, and a perfectionist in other ways, and has a hard time connecting with her duaghter. There were a number of other characters that added to the complexity of their relationship as well, some interns, a boyfiend, dad, and Audrey's mentor Dr. Stone. There was also a twist that I wish I didn't see coming, but did. It was an interesting one, but I am not sure if helped with the overall growth of the primary characters.

I really liked the focus this book took on that relationship but also about growing up and learning about yourself and how you mold and change as you grow. I wish there was more closure in the end and more healing shown but overall this was a great read.

While the book was an emotional roller-coaster, I enjoyed it so much. I recommend to anyone looking for books about moms and teenage daugthers... just know that you might cry, scream, and fling the book a few times along the way.

Early Reader Review: Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff

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

Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff

Series: Empire of the Vampire #2
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date:  March 12, 2024

 

Format: Paperback ARC

Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis: 

Gabriel de León has saved the Holy Grail from death, but his chance to end the endless night is lost.

After turning his back on his silversaint brothers once and for all, Gabriel and the Grail set out to learn the truth of how Daysdeath might finally be undone.

But the last silversaint faces peril, within and without. Pursued by children of the Forever King, drawn into wars and webs centuries in the weaving, and ravaged by his own rising bloodlust, Gabriel may not survive to see the truth of the Grail revealed.

A truth that may be too awful for any to imagine.

If you haven't read Book 1: Empire of the Vampire 

STOP go read that review/ book!

Book 2 Review: 

This isn't going to be a short review- sorry.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 and I am THRILLED.... beyond thrilled that it was offered to me for review. Sadly now I have to wait LONGER for the next book... but this book was crafted wonderfully. 

When we left off Gabe was saving the Grail from a sacrificial death this book jumps right back into Gabe's tale as being told to his vampire captor. I am going to try to be as spoiler free as possible, but still proceed with caution. 

Every chapter of this book was a cliffhanger ending even as Gabe is telling his tale, but moreso when we are given alternative point of view for the tale/history being written. It was all the harder to hold on an wait for the chapters to revert back to the original storyteller... but then back and forth it will give the reader whiplash! And it did. In such a good way. While this book is a tome at over 700 pages the author does a great job pushing the plot forward in this way and with the suspenseful moments chapter after chapter. 

Let's talk about the overall layout for a second, then jusp back into plot. 

I really appreciated that there was a refresher of the characters at the beginning of the book and that there were a bunch of maps, my review copy had 2, but it looks like there might be a 3rd in the finished copy. 

I love the illustrations! I know that as readers we want to be able to imagine the characters in our own ways, but the art is beautiful and even if those characters don't fit the ones in my head, they are gorgeous. The review copy only had images to about page 120 though, so I will certainly be grabbing a finished copy to pour over the rest of them. 

Anyway, back to it.

I adore the world that Kristoff has created. It is fantasy, dark, devoid of so much, but these characters will fight til the end for each other. Family bond being so important to them... and family is whatever you will make of it. The groups of characters along with this world are deeply  thought out in relation to their locations and significance within the overall story - so well. 

I appreciated the history lessons thrown into the tale - they were a break but also background builders. I also love that it is told from this historian context - a tale being told. The break from the main plot, stepping out, is so helpful at time to process everything  and what is happening... and what could be happening. If you are like me, you try to figure out the twists. You can catch some here... but some are such a slap in the face. 

Some things to note before reading: Gabe is still an ass a lot of the time, but does show his heart/soul and will mercilessly fight for his people and cause. I felt like every character was important to the plot/ story/epicness of this tale/ adventure... and there were a lot of them. More were added along the way and more will be added, so if you aren't into 100 characters... this  might not be the book for you. If you can follow - more power to you! It is worth it. 

I gasped FAR too many times to count while reading and was always excited to pick this book up. I was excited and pissed off and in the end... I was shocked and gleeful about how the next book will stack up. 

While a daunting tome of a book, this is SO worth the read. If you like vampires and epics, and too many characters to keep track of, and beautiful art - this series! You need to read this series. 

I am still sitting here reeling over the ending and craving what will happen next! I cannot wait. 

Monthly Re-Cap & TBR (Feb/March)

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Here is the progress from February

I had to pivot in February to accommodate some review copies that arrived. I am about half way thorugh Iron Flame - trying to savor it!

~~Books I Read in February 2024~~  

 

 

  

  

 TBR for March

• Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree
• Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Meahrer
• Bride by Ali Hazelwood
• Sunday Money by Maggie Hill (review copy)
• Throne of Glass by Sarah J Mass - reread, husband is starting the series with me
• The Someday Daughter by Ellen O'Clover (review copy)
• Finish - Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

How was your February reading?  

Feel free to share it in the comments below! I would love to know what you are reading! 

Early Reader Review: The Boyfriend Wish by Swati Teerdhala

Source: From Publisher for review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

The Boyfriend Wish by Swati Teerdhala

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date:  February 13, 2024 

 

Format: Hardback

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

A charming romantic comedy about a South Indian American teen girl who makes a wish upon a flower for her perfect boyfriend…and then a new boy moves in right next door. With love triangles, prank wars, and a sizzling sweet romance—this is perfect for fans of Sandhya Menon and Jenny Han.

Deepa’s a hopeless romantic. And even though Deepa’s checklist for the perfect boyfriend is a mile long, her mom and dad’s fairy-tale love story makes her feel like romantic success ought to be a family trait. It’s why when her grandmother gives her a jasmine flower with the promise that it will fulfill her heart’s greatest desire, and then a new boy moves in across the street, Deepa knows—he must be her wish come true.

Rohit checks off every box on Deepa’s timelessly handsome, a thoughtful listener, and a romantic who knows his flowers. Deepa’s next-door neighbor (and constant tormentor) Vik also surprisingly approves, though she knows it shouldn’t be a mark against Rohit.

Is it luck or is it magic? Deepa doesn’t want to take chances, so when her grandmother warns her that the wish is only permanent if she seals it with a kiss, she knows she needs to move quickly. Rohit is the right boy in every way, so then why does Deepa not feel like he might not be the right choice?

Review: 

Deepa is a high schooler looking to have the perfect high school experience and to do that he has plans and lists and eveything has a time and a place. This year her goal is to get the perfect high school boyfriend and like her parents, fall in love and have her happily ever after. Sadly her first attempt at asking her crush to the dance does not go as planned. Back home, bummed out, her grandmother tells her to make a wish on the last jasmine flower, and so the perfect boyfriend is the plan. 

Deepa is so planned out and a perfectionist in many ways, and so her boyfriend should be too right? What I liked about this YA book is that it does a good job really helping the reader understand that perfect isn't always what you think it will be. 

I really liked a number of things in this book, first it was great to see Indian characters and a whole community. The family relationships were so wonderful and the siblings were teh funniest part of this book, you will love them. The prank war made me a little anxious but it was fun too. 

Deepa as a character was determined, stubborn, and had far too many rules for herself and her life, but I liked that she was still part of this fun prank war thing.

Vik was your characteristic annoying guy that you have ben friends with forever and you cant see passed his annoying qualities to see his heart of gold... classic frenemies to romance set up.

Rohit, the perfect boyfriend material, was so boring. I know that this was set up for a reason, but the character felt SO FLAT that I wasn't ever rooting for him. He was bland and I was frustrated. 

Overall this was a quick read, and it was laugh out loud funny at times, but really this was a great YA rom-com that will be light and fun for most readers. 

Building the Book Pile #443

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Hi there friends. How is it March?! And how did the weekend jus fly right by us?!

I hope you week last week was wonderful and that this one brings you joy :) 

It is starting to get warmer here and I am ALLL for it! 

Starting to think about putting up the greenhouse and starting seeds for the veggie garden. 

What have you been up to? Any good Books lately?

Coming up on the Blog

Early Reader Review: The Boyfriend Wish by Swati Teerdhala (YA)

Monthly Re-Cap & TBR (Feb/March)

Early Reader Review: Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff (Adult)

Early Reader Review: The Someday Daughter by Ellen O'Clover (YA)

Books Received Recently...  

  

 

The Dress in the Window by Robert Tregoning and Pippa Curnick - From Netgalley and the Publisher for review.

Saving Delicia: A Story about Small Seeds and Big Dreams by Laura Gehl and Patricia Metola - From Netgalley and the Publisher for review

Have you missed anything lately?

Recent Reads: Kawaii Café Bubble Tea: Classic, Fun, and Refreshing Boba Drinks to Make at Home by Stacey Kwong; Beyah del Mundo (Cookbook) - 4 stars

Recent Reads: New Witch on the Block by Louisa West (Adult) - 2 stars

Donating Caffeine is greatly appreciated ... Donate on Ko-fi

What have you been reading?  Leave a comment for me.

Happy Reading!

Recent Reads: New Witch on the Block by Louisa West

New Witch on the Block by Louisa West  

Series: Midlife in Mosswood #1
Publisher: Kindle Edition
Publication Date:  June 30, 2020

 

Format: Ebook
Source: KU/ Freebie

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

She thought she was running away from her past, not catching up with it.

Rosemary Bell just wants to live a quiet, happy life and raise her daughter as far away from her toxic ex-husband as she can get. But when they move into a decrepit cottage in the woods of Mosswood, Georgia, Rosie realises her life will never be simple.

A gang of meddling neighborhood do-gooders want to run her out of town. The vicious laundromat machines keep eating her spare change. Not to mention her buff Irish stalker who insists that he’s a Witch King and that it’s her royal destiny to be his Queen.

And to top it all off, strange things keep happening around Rosie when she least expects it...

She could deal with it all, but her ex won’t rest until he tracks her down. When her ability to protect her daughter is threatened, Rosie shows them all that nobody messes with the new witch on the block.

Practical Magic meets Bridget Jones’ Diary in this fun, heart-warming short novel about starting over, putting family first, and finding love when you least expect it.

Review: 

Sadly, I did not jive with this read. I wanted to DNF it but pushed through to see if it improved.  I normally love a withcy themed book regardless of the plot and characters but this one just didn't hit right on a few levels for me. It was a freebie on Kindle Unlimited and I think I was actaully able to 'buy it' for free on a Stuff your Kindle day. 

Plot overview - Rosemary is running from her abusive biker husband to live with her daughter in a new small town. This is the first book in a series. Rosemary finds out she is a witch from a weird guy living in the woods in a trailer and that she is his queen... it was very red-flag. 

I found the ploy messy overall. It wasn't great explanations, there was really no basis for witches and powers and that aspect was never fleshed out really. Otherwise the world was very normal and the drama experienced was very 'normal small town'. 

It seemed as if the author wanted a cozy- witch origin story but then was like 'oh I need drama and she is running from a bad guy'...  

She lost me pretty quickly when Rosemary took a cab to her location - I was a bit confused. I know that even getting away is a feat for women in abusive situations but she was so scared of being found and it seemed unlikely that a cabride distance would be enough space to keep him away...

There were a lot of plot holes like this. Characters were also a bit one-dimensional and the world build was non-existant. For was was dubbed as a Practical Magic alternative there was not enought magic build up at all. 

All that to say, I wasn't really into it. It was just OK, nothing great/ unique.