Spotlight: Excerpt - The Harvard Curse by Martin Chevreau

Hello Book Lovers,

It is a Spotlight Day!! Today I bring you The Harvard Curse by Martin Chevreau! This is "a cosy mysterty in an intimate, university campus setting" and is "three disappearences, one mystery."  Below you will find a link to the Amazon preview/ excerpt and book details!

💜,

Steph

The Harvard Curse by Martin Chevreau 

Publisher: Book Guild Publishing
Publication Date: August 28, 2021

ISBN: 9781913913250 

Page count: 260

 

About the Book: 

Clementine Miller, Eveline Macdonald and Adrien Renard all disappear at the end of the 2019 fall term at Harvard University. The press dubs it ‘The Harvard Curse’ – but what has really happened? To solve this mystery, we must follow Clementine and Adrien in the months before they vanish – as the pair meet and run into a world of trouble together. Through the complicity of new and old friends alike, they disappear leaving a trail of evidence that will change how readers judge the events, decide who is to blame and what The Harvard Curse is really about. Lovers of mysteries will lose themselves in the changing seasons of a New England university campus as the secrets slowly reveal themselves.

Read the first pages over on Amazon

About the Author:

Martin Chevreau has worked in Spain, Brussels and the United Kingdom, and has a passion for traveling, not only to different corners of the world, but also through books. With The Harvard Curse, he combines his research skills with his love of travel to transport the reader through the seasons at Harvard University’s campus. Martin is currently finishing his degree in Politics and Spanish at the University of Surrey and lives in Ealing.

 

Building the Book Pile #414

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

How is it November.... how did this happen?! Where has this year gone!?

I have been reading like crazy to get through my review pile, hoping to get to my want to read TBR pile but the review books keep popping up (I know it is a first world problem and that I have put myself in this situation) there are just too many good books for me to focus.

Anywho, little rant over. I am doing well, how are you? It has been a whirlwind of a month (October), which it normally is. We went to a Halloween party and at work we had pumpkin painting and a kids trick-or-treat parade through the building which was fun, and now we get to start thinking about Thanksgiving and all that delicious food. I just can't get over how this year is moving so quickly, and yet the weeks/days feel like they are taking forever.

 What have you been up to and have you read anything fun lately? 

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

 

Coming up on the Blog

Spotlight: Excerpt - The Harvard Curse by Martin Chevreau (Adult)

Recent Reads: Summer Spirit by Elizabeth Holleville (GN, YA)

Recent Reads: Wires and Nerve by Marissa Myer (GN, YA)

Recent Reads: Belittled Women by Amanda Sellet (YA)

Books Received Recently...   

 

  

 

A Touch of Ruin by Scarlett St. Clair (Hades X Persephone #2) - Bought ebook

Bright Winter Night by Alli Brydon and Ashling Lindsay - Amazon Prime Free read Offering

Have you missed anything lately?

Early Reader Review: The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera (YA) - 4 stars

Recent Reads: The Way Back Home by Courtney Peppernell (Adult) - 4 stars

Recent Reads: Haven: A Small Cat's Big Adventure by Megan Wagner Lloyd (MG) - 3 stars

Recent Reads: Night Lunch by Eric Fan and Illustrated by Dena Seiferling (Youth) - 5 stars

Recent Reads: Monster Club by Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel (MG) - 4 stars

Recent Reads: Dark Room Etiquette by Robin Roe (YA) - 5 stars

Monthly TBR (Nov 22) and Re-Cap (Oct 22)

Early Reader Review: The Last Huntress by Lenore Borja (YA) - 3 stars

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

Happy Reading!

Early Reader Review: The Last Huntress by Lenore Borja

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

The Last Huntress by Lenore Borja 

Series: Mirror Realm #1
Publisher: Sparkpress
Publication Date:  November 1, 2022

 

Format: Paperback ARC

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Alice Daniels has a problem. Her reflection keeps misbehaving when she looks in the mirror--and the longer she ignores it, the harder it tries to get her attention. On her eighteenth birthday, she learns why: she is a huntress, someone gifted with the power to enter mirrors and the magical world that exists beyond. But with this power comes immense responsibility, for in the Mirror Realm lurks an evil that has infected the human race for centuries: demons. It is up to her and her three huntress sisters--with the help of one handsome and overbearing protector--to hunt and banish this evil one demon at a time, thereby keeping the chaos in check. But when an ancient god pays Alice a visit that turns deadly, it is clear the Mirror Realm is more than it seems, and she soon finds herself in a race against time to save the life--and soul--of the one man the gods are determined to never let her have.

The Last Huntress is a story of redemption and sacrifice, the bonds of true sisterhood, and the impossible, sometimes frightening, things we'll do for love.

Review: 

Alice is the last huntress, a gift given to her by a Greek deity to help rid the world of demons that invade people's bodies. Normally, there are only three at a time, but Alice is now the 4th, and she has been gifted more than her cohort. 

This was such an interesting premise. I really liked this idea of a girl fighting evil through mirrors and the sisterhood that she would form with the other hunters, however some of this fell a little short. It was like a weird mix of Greek mythology and Alice in Wonderland mashed together. It was trippy at times and very spellbinding merge of these concepts. I am not sure if that was the authors intention, but it was cool nonetheless.

I really enjoyed the characters; the group of girls was interesting and fun, and Alice was a good main character who adapted well to her situation. I think that the lore and Greek mythology was handling wonderfully, you can tell research was done to pull it all together. I also really liked the descriptions and time they spent in the mirror realm and the descriptions of how it came to be. 

That being said, there were a few instances that rubbed me the wrong way, the biggest being that the story felt slightly disjointed because of the time jumps and changes throughout. I also felt like it was not clear what were dreams and what was real for some of those transitions, and it made it difficult to follow. I also was not a big fan of the romance in this story. Alice and Colin are soulmates, and it is portrayed as insta-love, which can be done well, but I feel like it wasn't given enough lore/explanation to tie it all together that wasn't just cringey to me. ...and then Colin gets super possessive and scary and I hated that, no matter the love and soulmate thing - it was not cool. 

Overall, I really liked the premise of this story and the world that was created, but I wanted more world build, and I wanted more fleshing out of the characters. 

Monthly TBR (Nov 22) and Re-cap (Oct 22)

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

I realized that I never posted my plans for October... but I made them and did ok. 

Here is the progress from October

~~Books I Read in October 2022~~  

   

  

  

~~Links to Some Reviews~~

Others will come later.

1. Dark Room Etiquette by Robin Roe (YA) - 5 stars
2. Monster Club by Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel (MG) - 4 stars
3. Night Lunch by Eric Fan and Illustrated by Dena Seiferling (Youth) - 5 stars
4. Haven: A Small Cat's Big Adventure by Megan Wagner Lloyd (MG) - 3 stars
5. The Way Back Home by Courtney Peppernell (Adult) - 4 stars
6.  The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera (YA) - 4 stars
7. Drawing Outside the Lines: A Julia Morgan Novel by Susan Austin (MG, YA) - 4 stars
   
   

1. 

 TBR for November

1. Finishing - The Last Huntress by Lenore Borja
2. Escape to Witch City by E. Latimer
3. I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
4. The Urban Boys: Discovery of the Five Senses by KN Smith
5. Belittled Women by Amanda Sellet
6. Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen

How was your October/ Spooky season reading? 

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

Recent Reads: Dark Room Etiquette by Robin Roe

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

Dark Room Etiquette by Robin Roe 

Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date:  October 11, 2022

 

Format: Hardback

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Sixteen-year-old Sayers Wayte has everything—until he's kidnapped by a man who tells him the privileged life he's been living is based on a lie.

Trapped in a windowless room, without knowing why he's been taken or how long the man plans to keep him shut away, Sayers faces a terrifying new reality. To survive, he must forget the world he once knew, and play the part his abductor has created for him.

But as time passes, the line between fact and fiction starts to blur, and Sayers begins to wonder if he can escape . . . before he loses himself.

Review: 

Trigger Warnings: This book has a number of triggers, it focuses on kidnapping, captivity and deprivation, and Stockholm syndrome, it also has themes of mental health, trauma, bullying sexual abuse, suicide, and violence.

I am going to be completely honest here and say, I thought I was going to hate this book. As I began reading this character, Sayers, I just kept thinking that he was a pretentious little jerk, rich white kid, and why should I care that he is kidnapped. I had assumed that the kidnapping would be in some way related to his status but was surprised when that was not the case.

The plot follows said annoying rich kid as he goes about his days leading up to homecoming and then bullying other kids at the school with his 'friends' eventually he is put in a situation where he is abducted and taken to live with a man named Caleb who tells Sayers that he was actually kidnapped from him, and his real name is Daniel. While in captivity Sayer loses himself in Daniel and becomes what Caleb wants him to be until he is unable to see the truth at all anymore.

Sayers is never really a likeable character, I understand that he goes through a very traumatic event but while I found his outcome to be favorable, I didn't really like him ever. 

That said this is a very well written book about trauma and how the mind can be molded. The kidnapping scenes had me feeling for Sayers, but it was obviously hard to be in 'his shoes' because it is such an experience. The author did a really good job writing it and it was very believable and I found it eerie in it accuracies.  I also really enjoyed that this book took the dive into the aftermath of such trauma but found that it came up a little short in the healing process. I am not sure that Sayer was truly able to come to terms with what had happened to him. The writing of all these nuances were so well done. I applaud the author for doing some a miraculous job with the terror of the situation but also the normalcy of it for Sayers as a captive.

Overall, if you are looking for something like a thriller but with hope embedded throughout, this is a good book to grab. However, please look at the triggers, there are quite a few to look out for and some kind of sneak up on you.

Recent Reads: Monster Club by Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel

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

Monster Club by Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel  

Publisher: Harper
Publication Date: September 13, 2022 

 

Format: Hardback


Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Like almost everything in eleven-year-old Eric “Doodles” King’s life, King’s Wonderland—the amusement park his great-great grandfather founded—was seriously damaged when a hurricane hit his beloved Coney Island neighborhood. Now hungry property developers are circling the wreckage of the once-awesome King’s Wonderland, and Eric’s family is falling apart from the threat of losing it all.

If it weren’t for Monster Club—the epic roleplaying game that Eric and his friends created—Eric’s life would be pretty terrible. Drawing his favorite monster battling with his best friends’ creations is the one thing that still gets Eric excited. So when his friends start to think of Monster Club as a kid’s game and get more interested in other things, Eric just can’t deal. But then Eric happens across a long-lost vial of magic ink that brings their monster drawings to life, and suddenly, Monster Club isn’t just for fun anymore.

The monsters Eric and his friends created are wreaking havoc across Coney, and it’s on the Monster Club to save their city, the amusement park, and maybe, just maybe, Eric’s family, too. It’s a hilarious, heartfelt adventure from the creative minds of Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel that fans of Last Kids on Earth and Spy School are sure to love. 

Review: 

What an adventure. The prologue to this book really pulls in the reader, set in Coney Island in 1949, a young boy stumbles upon a magical side-show encounter where tattoos come to life to battle. Shift to today and the modern tale of a descendant of the original side-show, Eric (aka Doodles) and his friends have a monster club where they draw monsters and have a made-up game to battle them. At first, I thought this was like little robots, but eventually it is made clear they are drawings.

Eric is going through a lot; his mom and dad have recently split up and his dad is about to lose the family's amusement park on Coney Island. Now Eric is also losing friends are they mature out of his Monster Club. Feeling a lone and acting out, he discovers a magic ink that brings drawings to life and chaos breaks loose. Eric has to be a hero for his friends and his dad's amusement park and he hopes it will solve all his problems.  

I liked how this book took real world problems and tried to solve them with fantastical elements - like magical drawings come to life. Eric is a very real character overall; his emotions are real, and I think anyone dealing with similar problems will relate to him. Overall, this was a fun middle grade read with real problems, and only some are solved through the help of magic... but be prepared for a twist in the end - will there be a book 2?!

Recent Reads: Night Lunch by Eric Fan and Illustrated by Dena Seiferling

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

Night Lunch by Eric Fan and Illustrated by Dena Seiferling 
Publisher: Tundra Books
Publication Date:  September 27, 2022

 

Format: Hardback


Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

A mysterious cook whips up midnight meals for fellow night owls in a lavish lunch cart while a hungry mouse looks on in this atmospheric picture book inspired by the forerunner of food trucks and diners. A delectable picture book inspired by forerunners of food truck, for fans of The Night Gardener.

Noses sniff the air as mouthwatering smells waft down city streets, luring growling bellies to the Night Owl. Inside this elegant, horse-drawn establishment, a feathery cook works the grill, serving up tasty dishes for shift-workers and operagoers alike: a mince pie for Fox, a ham sandwich for Badger and puddings for little Possums. Mouse, a poor street sweeper, watches as the line of customers swells, ever hopeful that someone will drop a morsel of food -- but Owl's cooking is far too delicious for more than a crumb to be found. As the evening's service winds down, weary Owl spots trembling Mouse. Has he found his own night lunch, or will he invite this small sweeper inside for a midnight feast for two?

From the imagination of two acclaimed picture book creators, together for the first time, this dreamlike picture book is a magical ode to Victorian lunch wagons. Evoking the sounds, sights, smells and tastes of the city at night, Night Lunch reveals how empathy and kindness as well as dignity and gratitude can be found -- and savored -- in the most unexpected places.

Review: 

As always a short review for a short book...

Such a cute book! I was pleasantly surprised by this adorable and heartwarming kid’s book. I thought it was going to be about an owl's lunch (the mouse) based on the cover, but the owl runs a lunch cart that travels out at night for all the other critters. He is a chef to all the animals, preparing their meals thoughtfully through the night. All the while a little mouse is looking for scraps and cannot find any. The owl notices and prepares a meal for them to both to share.

The book is heartwarming and sweet and also so pretty. The animals are drawn well, and the sepia-toned images lend to the nighttime atmosphere with lots of shadows and blurred edges. 

It was nice to see an owl as a friend versus a predator. Overall, this was a very cute book, and I can't wait to share it.

Recent Reads: Haven: A Small Cat's Big Adventure by Megan Wagner Lloyd

Source: From Librarything Early Reviewers program and the publisher in exchange for review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

Haven: A Small Cat's Big Adventure by Megan Wagner Lloyd 
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Publication Date:  August 2, 2022

 

Format: Paperback ARC

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

When her cherished Ma Millie falls ill, a timid housecat ventures into the wild to seek help in this adventure about love, loss, and finding the truest version of ourselves.

A warm, cozy lap. The toasty smell of baking bread. Tasty food served in a bright-blue bowl. These make Haven’s life as an indoor pet heaven. All thanks to her beloved human and rescuer, Ma Millie. But when Ma Millie becomes too sick to care for her, the cat’s cozy life is turned upside down, and Haven decides she must seek out another human for help. Anything for Ma Millie! Her vow pulls her out of her safe nest into the shadowy forest and down unfamiliar and dangerous roads. When her first plan fails, Haven meets a wilderness-savvy fox who volunteers as an ally, and their perilous journey together brings some victories. But Haven finds herself pitted against creatures far wilder than she ever could be, testing her strength and spirit to their limits. Will her loyalty to Ma Millie—and her newfound confidence in herself—be enough to help Haven see the quest through to its conclusion? Can she stand up against the fierce predator that is tracking her every move?

Review: 

This was a short and cute story about a cat who goes on an adventure to help her owner.  Haven, the cat, lives with an older woman named Ma Millie, in a little cottage out of town. She was found when she was a kitten and loves the human who took her in. Now Ma Millie is very sick, and Haven has to venture out of the house to get her help. In order to do so she has to go through the forest into town and lucky for her a little fox decides to help her. They are also being tracked by a bobcat though and so their outing could be dangerous. 

This was a fun story about unlikely friendships and love. Haven is determined to get help for her owner regardless of her own safety and comfort. She is tested along the way and must overcome so many struggles. It was a beautiful book about powering through when you feel strongly about a mission/adventure. 

While the ending was a little sad, it was also comforting in a way. I think that pet lovers of all ages will enjoy this book and the little cat.

Recent Reads: The Way Back Home by Courtney Peppernell

The Way Back Home by Courtney Peppernell   

Publisher:  Andrews McMeel Publishing

Publication Date:  August 23, 2022

 

Format: Paperback
Source: Bought/Own

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

When a dark storm settled upon the earth, you lost many things—your hope, your strength, yourself. One day, in the middle of the darkness, you meet a spirit, washed from the ocean onto the shore. The spirit hands you a key.

 

It is time to find the way back home.

Returning with her newest poetry book, beloved poet Courtney Peppernell combines storytelling, poetry, and prose in a uniquely inspirational way. Filled with heartfelt anecdotes and insightful messages, The Way Back Home is a tribute to rebuilding our lives after loss. Divided into sections that draw on themes of courage, resilience, purpose, and hope, the collection has Peppernell once again walking us through a redemptive journey of the heart, mind, and soul.

 

Discover what it means to continue forward in life, despite all the challenges we face, to find the way back home.

Review: 

I was not sure what to expect from this book, but the cover was adorable, and the synopsis was interesting. I don't read a lot of poetry but sometimes a book just calls out to you, and you don't know why, and that is what happened here. 

This book is about loss and each section is about rebuilding yourself after loss. I have had a lot of loss in the past few years and so it seemed fitting, and the poems hit close to home for me. 

The book itself is broken up into sections including courage, support, strength, resilience, love, purpose, and faith. The poems talk about loss, loss of self, depression and grief but also how to re-love the world, life and self. The book showcases cure illustrations at each section start and while hard-hitting in theme, it was also a comfort in some ways. 

Overall, I enjoyed the book and if you are looking fro some poetry, you might think about picking this one up. 

Early Reader Review: The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera

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

The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera 
Series: Death Cast #0
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date:  October 4, 2022

 

Format: Hardback


Rating:

Goodreads Synopsis: 

In this prequel to #1 New York Times bestselling phenomenon They Both Die at the End, two new strangers spend a life-changing day together after Death-Cast first makes their fateful calls.

It’s the night before Death-Cast goes live, and there’s one question on everyone’s mind: Can Death-Cast actually predict when someone will die, or is it just an elaborate hoax?

Orion Pagan has waited years for someone to tell him that he’s going to die. He has a serious heart condition, and he signed up for Death-Cast so he could know what’s coming.

Valentino Prince is restarting his life in New York. He has a long and promising future ahead and he only registered for Death-Cast after his twin sister nearly died in a car accident.

Orion and Valentino cross paths in Times Square and immediately feel a deep connection. But when the first round of End Day calls goes out, their lives are changed forever—one of them receives a call, and the other doesn’t. Though neither boy is certain how the day will end, they know they want to spend it together…even if that means their goodbye will be heartbreaking.

Told with acclaimed author Adam Silvera’s signature bittersweet touch, this story celebrates the lasting impact that people have on each other and proves that life is always worth living to the fullest.

Review: 

Trigger warnings: gun violence, domestic abuse, assault, grief, 9-11 deaths, profanity, and homophobia.

I should have known what I was getting into with the title of this one, but I don't think that even prepared me for the devastation this one had on my heart. This book is the prequel to They Both Die at the End, which I still haven’t read because I know it will make me cry. In this prequel, we learn about the creation of Death-cast, the revolutionary subscription that will notify you on the day you are going to die. We follow Orion and Valentino as they cross paths and then help each other through a final day for one of them.

 

This book wrecked me repeatedly…and yet I was able to finish it. I found myself crying a lot but the touching interactions of these two made it worth it. This is a lovely book showcasing gay main characters, which are wonderful. Orion has a heart condition and is always trying to stay optimistic while Valentino is starting anew after being disowned by his parents for being gay. They come together at the release party for Death-Cast and find that they are the perfect match. It is a love written in the stars but not to last.

I am really trying not to spoil anything here at all, but the plot is about one of these boys dying at the end, even knowing that I was not prepared for the amount I loved them through their entire journey. The book also has a number of other point of views on this opening day of Death-Cast including the owner, a worker for the company, a pawn-shop owner, a landlord and his wife. The mix of all of these characters was well done and added interesting elements into the story, but at times I found it hard to believe that there was this much overlap in a city as large as New York. 

Overall, this was a wonderful read. I really enjoyed the characters and the story, even though I cried through a lot of it. I think that you really have to be in the right mindset to read this one if you are going to tackle it though – so just be prepared. Some of it seemed over the top but it was a cute story about friendship and love and the best in people.