Recent Reads: Sea Witch by Sarah Henning

Sea Witch by Sarah Henning
Series: Sea Witch, Book 1
Length: 8 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher: HarperAudio
Release date: 07-31-18

 

Format: Audible Audiobook
Source: Bought using credits from subscription. Part of a Buy 1 Get 1 deal.

Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis: 

Everyone knows what happens in the end. A mermaid, a prince, a true love’s kiss. But before that young siren’s tale, there were three friends. One feared, one royal, and one already dead.
Ever since her best friend, Anna, drowned, Evie has been an outcast in her small fishing town. A freak. A curse. A witch.
A girl with an uncanny resemblance to Anna appears offshore and, though the girl denies it, Evie is convinced that her best friend actually survived. That her own magic wasn’t so powerless after all. And, as the two girls catch the eyes—and hearts—of two charming princes, Evie believes that she might finally have a chance at her own happily ever after.
But her new friend has secrets of her own. She can’t stay in Havnestad, or on two legs, unless Evie finds a way to help her. Now Evie will do anything to save her friend’s humanity, along with her prince’s heart—harnessing the power of her magic, her ocean, and her love until she discovers, too late, the truth of her bargain. 

Review: 

If you have been to the blog and read my reviews long enough, you might already know that I really enjoy reading retellings and adaptions of classic stories. This book is a prequel of sorts to The Little Mermaid. In this story we get the tale of Evie and Anna, best friends  and also friends with the young prince. It is a tale about depression, anger, revenge, and loneliness and it is also the tale of how the sea witch in The Little Mermaid came to be. 

There were a lot of characters in this book, the main point of view being Evie, followed by Annamette. Evie is a dark haired girl living in Havnestad and is secretly a witch. Anna, a blond beauty, was her best friend before she accidentally drowned. Nik is the prince of this story, and as a prince he should not have commoner girls as friends but he was their friend. There is Iker another princely character and the love interest of Evie. Then there is Annamette, the mermaid. 

Aside from the cast of characters, the plot takes a while to get going and really come full circle. If you are looking for the original tale of The Little Mermaid, it is not here, and you probably won't find it fully in the next book either from what I can tell. In this plot, we are really focused on Evie and her power, determination, and love for her friends. It makes it very hard to see her as an evil sea witch that is portrayed in the movies (I am really just referring to Disney). Evie is compassionate and very naive but as a reader you really feel for her and I really liked this take on how she comes to be the sea witch.  The plot only picks up in the last few chapters but the slow build was appreciated for me on this one.

I loved Evie, I liked her story and felt her emotions as I listened to this audiobook, and I really liked it overall. There were times when I felt it was a bit too predictable, thus not a full 5 stars, but it was close.

Early Reader Review: Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed by Laurie Halse Anderson

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

Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed by Laurie Halse Anderson
Publisher: DC Comics
Publication Date:  June 2, 2020

 

Format: Paperback

Rating:



Goodreads Synopsis: 

New York Times bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson (Speak, Shout) and artist Leila del Duca reimagine Wonder Woman's origins in this timely story about the refugee experience, teenage activism, and finding the love and strength to create change.
Princess Diana believes that her 16th birthday will be one of new beginnings--namely acceptance into the warrior tribe of Amazons. The celebrations are cut short, however, when rafts of refugees break through the Themysciran barrier. Diana tries to help them, but she is swept away by the sea--and from her home--thus becoming a refugee herself.
Now Diana must survive in the world outside of Themyscira for the first time; the world that is filled with danger and injustice. She must redefine what it means to belong, to be an Amazon, and to make a difference.
Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed is a story about growing into your strength, battling for justice, and the power of friendship

Review: 

Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed is a re-imagining of Wonder Woman's origin tale.  Diana is turning 16 in this retelling and is trying to be a perfect Amazon but her Changling status keeps getting in her way. She feels like she suffers and is problematic where others thrive and she is starting to become discouraged. When boats start finding her home island, Diana believes that they should help these suffering people but her protests are on deaf ears. So when she tries to save refugees off of Themyscira (her home island) herself, she accidentally becomes a refugee herself. Equipped with her Amazonian smarts and knowledge of different languages she is able to make a life for herself in the United States unlike a lot of her refugee companions. 

The story follows her as she learns her new home and finds her strength there doing what is right. It is Diana in the modern world with phones, injustice, and political issues all around. She must learn to be herself in this new world and make it her new home. There are a lot of sad and scary themes throughout this plot but it is a great way to raise awareness for younger readers.

It is important to note that this story also may have triggers, there are themes of homelessness and human trafficking throughout Diana's time in New York. 

The illustrations are well done, detailed and help tell the story well. The whole thing is very polished and multifaceted for a young adult read. It will appeal to both young adults as well as adult readers. It will especially appeal to anyone that enjoys the Wonder Woman story line as an alternative origin story. From what I can tell, it is well done but I am not a consistent reader of Wonder Woman.

 

Early Reader Review: Happily Ever After & Everything In Between by Debbie Tung

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

Happily Ever After & Everything In Between by Debbie Tung
Publisher:  Andrews McMeel Publishing
Publication Date:  June 2, 2020

 

Format: Ebook

Rating:







Goodreads Synopsis: 

From the bestselling author of Quiet Girl in a Noisy World and Book Love comes a funny and adorable collection of comics about married life, specifically an introvert married to an extrovert! Debbie Tung’s tender, funny, and utterly relatable comics are the perfect gift for anyone in a relationship. 
The comics in Happily Ever After & Everything In Between may be inspired by Debbie Tung’s marriage to her extrovert husband, but any couple can relate to increasingly relaxed anniversaries, slowly seeing more of each other’s weird sides, or the punishment for taking care of your sick loved one (catching whatever they had). Happily Ever After humorously captures what everyday love looks like—both the sweet moments and the mundane—making it a fitting gift for weddings, anniversaries, and Valentine’s Day.

 Review: 
I have so much love for Debbie Tung's comics and grahic novels. She is a book lover and reader, an introvert, and in this book in love... She is relatable on ALL the levels and I was thrilled to get to read this book.

The comics throughout this collection are so funny, so real, and SO cute. She shares her introvert/marriage wins, many that I too have experience with. For example, doing your own things but together, getting a cup of tea because you looked like you needed it, leaving a gathering early, deciding to stay in with a pizza and a movie. The whole collection is drawn by the author herself inspired by her real life experiences and it shows. It made me laugh and smile and frown a bit and happy cry a bit. It was the range of emotion I love especially from a graphic novel where things are so simple yet so complex.

I think that if you are married or in a long term relationship this book will really resonate with you, it might not hit all those points if you are single. Although it will still be a cute and romantic read. I will be reading this book again and again.

Other Books by Debbie Tung

  

 

Monthly Re-Cap: May 2020

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

~~Books I Read in May 2020~~

                              
                            

~~ Guest Review ~~


 Guest Review w/ Larissa: Whole Food Vegan Baking by Annie Markowitz (Cookbook) - 3.5 stars


~~Links to Some Reviews~~

May Reviews

I Left the House Today! by Cassandra Calin (Adult, GN) -5 stars
Cat's Cafe by Matt Tarply (GN) - 5 stars
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie (Audio) - 4 stars 
The Secret of the Stones by Earnest Dempsey (Adult) - 4 stars 
Superman Smashes the Clan by Gene Luen Yang (YA, GN) - 4 stars
 The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix (Audio, Adult) - 5 stars 
5-Minute Stress Relief: 75 Exercises to Quiet Your Mind and Clam your Body by Elena Welsh (Non-Fiction, Self-Help) - 3 stars 
The Lost Carnival : A Dick Grayson Graphic Novel by Michael Moreci (YA, GN) - 4 stars 

Reviews from Books Read last Month

Leo's Monster by Marcus Pfister (Youth) - 4 stars

Reviews Coming Soon

The Invisible Bear by Cecile Metzger (Youth) 
Virtual Unicorn Experience (Phoebe and Her Unicorn #12) by Dana Simpson (MG, GN)
Happily Ever After and Everything In Between by Debbie Tung (Adult, GN) 
The Very Last Leaf by Stef Wade (Youth)
Beauty and the Beast by Jessica Gunderson (MG, GN)
Plastic Soup by Judith Koppens (Youth)
Time for Bed's Story by Monica Arnaldo (Youth)
Violet and the Trial of Trauma (Dark Agents #1) by Janina Scarlet (YA, GN)
Sea Witch (#1) by Sarah Henning (YA, Audio)



Thanks so much for reading!
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Early Reader Review: I Left the House Today! by Cassandra Calin

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

I Left the House Today! by Cassandra Calin
Publisher:  Andrews McMeel Publishing
Publication Date:  June 2, 20202

 

Format: Ebook

Rating:







Goodreads Synopsis: 

Hilarious and relatable comics about one young woman's life, relationships, and day-to-day humorous musings on why it's good to leave the house sometimes—and when it's better to stay home.

Cassandra Calin’s ability to document the hilarity of relatable everyday events in a series of webcomics has generated a huge following on social media. This beautifully illustrated compendium of first-person comics about the trials of the single life, school, stress, junk food, shaving, and maintaining a healthy self-image. Cassandra Calin's comics frequently highlight the humorous gap between expectations and reality, especially when it comes to appearance and how much she can accomplish in one day. This book is funny, lighthearted, introspective, and artistically stunning—the perfect gift for young women, recent graduates, and anyone who might need a little comedic incentive to leave the house today.

Review: 
I realized that my notes/ keywords for this book review are almost exactly the ones from the synopsis... this book really was hilarious and relatable. This graphic novel is a collection of comics from a webseries, which I had not read until now. The collection is full of hilarious moments about being a female and also dealing with life struggles, one of which is leaving the house. Cassandra shares her issues with curly frizzy hair, her love of food and sleep and her life in these comics. 

The comic themselves are pretty simplistic, no color, inked with no other fill. They have a good amount of detail and are quick and easy to read through a few or the whole collection, should you choose to. They range from comics with speech bubble to only visual representations and everything in between. 

Overall this was a very fun read about adulting struggles and introvert struggles that really resonated with me. I would happily own and gift this book to my crazy friends and family members.

Blog Blast w/ Giveaway! Deeplight by Frances Hardinge

Nerd Blast

About the Book

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea meets Frankenstein in Frances Hardinge’s latest fantasy adventure

The gods are dead. Decades ago, they turned on one another and tore each other apart. Nobody knows why. But are they really gone forever? When 15-year-old Hark finds the still-beating heart of a terrifying deity, he risks everything to keep it out of the hands of smugglers, military scientists, and a secret fanatical cult so that he can use it to save the life of his best friend, Jelt. But with the heart, Jelt gradually and eerily transforms. How long should Hark stay loyal to his friend when he’s becoming a monster—and what is Hark willing to sacrifice to save him?

Praise for DEEPLIGHT

 “Equal parts dazzling fantasy, swashbuckling adventure, and tender coming-of-age tale.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

 “Monsters and mortals collide in this fantasy adventure that explores the hypnotic allure of fear, the adamant grip of the past, and the redeeming power of stories.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Glorious thematic complexity inhabits a wildly inventive world, with the menacing roils of a dangerous sea threatening the archipelago and touches of steampunk rounding out the fantastical elements." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Chilling and provocative, this dark fantasy will appeal to thrill seekers and cerebral tweens." —Booklist

You can purchase Deeplight at the following Retailers:

 

About the Author

Frances Hardinge is the winner of the Costa Book of the Year for The Lie Tree, one of just two young adult novels to win the major UK literary prize. Known for her beautiful use of language, Hardinge has written many critically acclaimed novels, including Cuckoo Song, Gullstruck Island, Fly by Night, Verdigris Deep, and Fly Trap. She lives in England. Visit the author at franceshardinge.com.

Find the Author

Website /  Twitter / Goodreads

Giveaway is open to International.
 Must be 13+ to Enter

- 5 Winners will receive a Copy of DEEPLIGHT by Frances Hardinge.

*JBN is not responsible for Lost or Damaged Books in your Nerdy Mail Box*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Building the Book Pile #327

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

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

It is Memorial Day weekend, I hope that everyone has made time to remember those we have lost for our safety and freedom. It is a time of remembrance, love, gratitude and memory. Regardless of what you are doing this weekend, please take a moment.

I hope that everyone is doing well and having a nice long weekend. We had a socially distanced BBQ and fire with a couple we know and love and it was great to finally have some socialization again, even though it was small and short-lived. Hoping for more socializing soon.... but not too much... #introvertlife

We are still in the midst of home projects and cleaning... motivated like crazy because next weekend our house goes up on the market! YUP you heard that right! We are moving... to where  I don't know yet (insert full panic here). The goal is to move to Cape Coral, Florida but we will probably find a rental in VT or NH for another year after selling the house before getting done there. Although with our work being remote we might be able to get down there sooner. We just don't want to wing-it quite yet.

As for reading... I haven't done much because my focus has been on the house and school work (OH GEEZ SO MUCH SCHOOL WORK). I should have a few reviews up soon though so hold tight!

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!

 

Current Giveaways

New one up on MONDAY!

Coming up on the Blog

Blog Blast w/ Giveaway! Deeplight by Frances Hardinge (YA)

Recent Reads: Sea Witch by Sarah Henning (YA) - [sorry didn't finish this one last week]

Early Readers Review: I Left the House Today by Cassandra Calin (GN, Adult)

Monthly Re-Cap: May 2020



Books Received Recently...

       

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall from Librarything Early Reviewers program and Candlewick Press for review. 

Violet and the Trial of Trauma (Dark Agents #1) by Janina Scarlet, Illustrated by Vince Alvendia from Librarything Early Reviewers program and New Harbinger Publications for review

Have you missed anything lately?

Early Reader Review: Cat's Cafe by Matt Tarpley (GN) - 5 stars

Guest Review w/ Larissa: Whole Food Vegan Baking by Annie Markowitz (Cook Book) - 3.5 stars

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

Happy Reading!