“Make them rue the day they underestimated you.”
I just want to hug this book! Amanda Lovelace has done it again with Shine Your Icy Crown.
With an overall message to take back your own power, this book of poetry was a fantastic read.
I picked up Where Are the Love Poems for Dictators? at the International Civil Rights Center & Museum in Greensboro, NC. The title absolutely intrigued me, plus the poet, E. Ethelbert Miller is is an African-American poet and literary activist.
The International Civil Rights Center & Museum was a such a wonderful museum that really illuminated the Civil Rights movement. The absolutely highlight of the museum was the F.W. Woolworth’s Lunch Counter – preserved in it original location – that was the beginning of the lunch counter sit ins in the US. Hearing the story of the young men and women who spent their days sitting at the lunch counter to demand a change in their country – I left with a sense of gratitude for their work and a heaviness on my heart knowing there is still so much work to be done.
All right, this book. I really enjoyed reading Where Are the Love Poems for Dictators? The first half of the book was really an interesting and challenging read. The second half felt more like I was reading love poems rather than poetry about change in society like the first half. All together, though, I really enjoyed reading this book.
I absolutely adored this book and read through Above and Beyond so quickly. Initially I was shocked by how wild the story was, and then even more shocked when I realized I wasn’t reading fiction!
Saskia becomes a private flight attendant for the world’s rich and powerful, and the excess that she describes is astonishing: food, alcohol, women, sex.
I honestly couldn’t believe I was reading a memoir at times with this book, and it was quite interesting to pull the curtains back on this industry. Not to mention, it was fascinating to travel the world through Saskia’s eyes and this lifestyle.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lume Books for the review copy in exchange for my honest review.
If I had purchased this book – I would have been really disappointed. Travel Hacks – while a great concept – was a let down.
Granted, I am a pretty seasoned traveler and know a lot about the ins and outs of airline travel. However, there were a lot of poor suggestions in this book. Some of the “hacks” have even been disproven. (Like looking for airline tickets on an Apple vs. a Windows computer for cheaper rates – while fares vary, they don’t vary by computer type.)
There were also a bunch of recommendations for different apps to use while traveling. I wanted to check out some of them because they sounded useful. However, most of them were not listed in the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.
The author also recommends checking out locations on FourSquare to find wifi passwords – I’m pretty certain FourSquare is no longer the social media platform it used to be.
I can’t say I would recommend this book. I did find it interesting to see what “hacks” the author decided to include, though. If you’re a new traveler and looking for travel tips, this is definitely NOT the book to read.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
I listened to Amanda Gorman read The Hill We Climb at President Joe Biden’s inauguration and got chills. I knew this poem and this poet, needed to be in my life and my library.
When I saw this beautiful edition of The Hill We Climb on sale at Target I couldn’t add it to my cart fast enough.
While Gorman’s recitation of the poem was absolutely moving, re-reading this Brough those same chills, the same gooseflesh to my arms. The powerful words will definitely sit in the back of my mind for a long time.
I know this is a poem I will go back to over and over again and I look forward to reading more from Gorman.
I’m not sure what it was, but something about You May Kiss the Groomsman just wasn’t for me.
To begin with, I didn’t really care for the main female character – Josie. Josie and her girlfriends own Meet me at the Alter – a wedding planning company. And while Josie wants the fall in love, settle down, have babies, etc. She has watched her friends get engaged, married, have babies, but she doesn’t see that happening for herself anytime soon, so she agrees to fake marry her friend Tyler so he can get a promotion at work.
Okay – let’s stop here. I have SO many issues with this. Number one – you can’t plan YOUR life around the milestones your friends are hitting. It’s great your BFF got married. It’s wonderful your sister had a baby! It doesn’t mean you time is ticking to do the same thing.
And number two! (Imagine me wagging my finger at this book!) If your boss requires you to be MARRIED for a PROMOTION maybe you need to revaluate where you’re working. That’s ridiculous for 2021.
Oh, and third – Josie falls for her friend’s brother (love triangle anyone?). However, the only time we see them spending together is with the parents or in bed. I’m not sure you can fall in love with a person if you don’t spend actual, quality time together (outside of the bedroom).
The narrator for the audiobook was good though – loved her!
Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.
For All Time will be a love story for the ages.
It took me a while to settle into Tamar and Fayard’s story and figure out what was happening. Initially I wanted more nitty-gritty details about the characters in the here and now, but after finishing the book, I’m glad the author didn’t bog down the beginning with details that would have become obsolete later.
The beginning of the book I also felt like the timeline bounced around a little unexpectedly, but at the same time, this puts the reader into the same dream-state unsureness of the main characters.
The romance between Fayard and Tamar is what had me coming back to this book, even when I was frustrated and confused by it. I wanted to know what happened to these two, let’s call them “star-crossed lovers.”
I will say, Shanna Miles absolutely breaks my heart in this book, in the way only a good romance can. But, no worries, there is a happy (but ambiguous) ending.
Thank you to Turn the Page Tours, Shanna Miles, and Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers for the advanced review copy and including me on this tour!
SYNOPSIS:
The Sun Is Also a Star meets Outlander in this vivid, utterly romantic debut novel about two teens who relive their tragic love story over and over until they uncover what they must do to change their fate.
Tamar is a musician, a warrior, a survivor. Fayard? He’s a pioneer, a hustler, a hopeless romantic.
Together, Tamar and Fayard have lived a thousand lives, seen the world build itself up from nothing only to tear itself down again in civil war. They’ve even watched humanity take to the stars. But in each life one thing remains the same: their love and their fight to be together. One love story after another. Their only concern is they never get to see how their story ends. Until now.
When they finally discover what it will take to break the cycle, will they be able to make the sacrifice?
BLURBS:
“An unforgettable and artfully crafted romance right down to the very last page.” —Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin’
“A romance for the ages. Fresh voices and original predicaments make this one perfect little novel.”
—Stacey Lee, award-winning author of The Downstairs Girl
AUTHOR INFORMATION
Shanna Miles is an author, reviewer and librarian who lives in Georgia with her two daughters, and educator husband and advocates tirelessly for appropriate representation for marginalized people in children’s fiction. Her passion is Paranormal Romance, but she also has a deep affinity for diverse Science Fiction like that of Octavia Butler and Sherri L. Smith. “Willow Born” is Shanna Miles’ latest work.
BUY LINK: https://bookshop.org/a/11727/9781534485976
Beasts and Beauty was such a great read to kick off Spooky Season! This is a collection of twelve twisted fairy tales – all drastically different from the original (and VERY different from the Disney version!).
Most, if not all, of the fairy tales were set in a different culture than the original, which added a unique twisted element to the story.
I really like that this book was set up in twelve short stories, which meant I had the option to devour the whole thing in one sitting, or could choose to spread out my reading over a few days or weeks. (However, the writing is so good, you’re definitely going to wind up devouring this one.)
While some of these tales are definitely darker than others, this book would be perfect for upper-middle grade readers who are into some spookier readings, as well as adults who have a love of fairy tales and fairy tale retellings.
Thank you to Turn the Page Tours, Soman Chainani, and HarperCollins for the review copy and for having me on this tour!
GIVEAWAY:
Enter for your chance to win one (1) finished copy of BEASTS AND BEAUTY: DANGEROUS TALES by Soman Chainani! Open USA only.
Giveaway starts: Tuesday, September 21, 2021
Giveaway ends: Tuesday, September 28, 2021
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1e4a114d52
Book Description:
You think you know these stories, don’t you?
You are wrong.
You don’t know them at all.
Twelve tales, twelve dangerous tales of mystery, magic, and rebellious hearts. Each twists like a spindle to reveal truths full of warning and triumph, truths that capture hearts long kept tame and set them free, truths that explore life . . . and death.
A prince has a surprising awakening . . .
A beauty fights like a beast . . .
A boy refuses to become prey . . .
A path to happiness is lost. . . . then found again.
New York Times bestselling author Soman Chainani respins old stories into fresh fairy tales for a new era and creates a world like no other. These stories know you. They understand you. They reflect you. They are tales for our times. So read on, if you dare.
Author Bio:
Soman Chainani’s first novel, THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL, debuted on the New York Times Bestseller List, has been translated into 26 languages across six continents, and will soon be a major motion picture from Universal Studios.
The sequels, A WORLD WITHOUT PRINCES and THE LAST EVER AFTER, debuted on the New York Times Bestseller List as well. Together, the books of the series have been on the print and extended NYT lists for a total of 33 weeks.
As a writer and film director, Soman’s films have played at over 150 film festivals around the world, winning more than 30 jury and audience prizes, and his writing awards include honors from Big Bear Lake, New Draft, the CAPE Foundation, the Sun Valley Writer’s Fellowship, and the coveted Shasha Grant, awarded by a jury of international film executives.
When he’s not telling stories or teaching in New York City, Soman is a die-hard tennis player who never lost a first-round match for ten years . . . until he started writing THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL. Now he loses all the time.
Author Links:
https://www.instagram.com/somanc/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/780120.Soman_Chainani
Julia Iredale is an artist who works as a freelance illustrator for clients around the world. Her work is informed by her love of mythology, dark fantasy, and human psychology, weaving these together to create beautiful, mysterious characters and worlds. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia.
Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56922552-beasts-and-beauty
Book Purchase link:
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beasts-and-beauty-soman-chainani/1138730848?ean=9780063142701
Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Beasts-Beauty-Soman-Chainani/9780062652638?ref=grid-view&qid=1632055205652&sr=1-1
Indiebound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780062652638
Shipped by Angie Hockman was the perfect summer read – especially for a summer when my travel plans aren’t exactly what I had in mind.
Marketing manager Henley is competing for the promotion of her dream at the cruise line she works for, however, she is competing for the position against her work nemesis, Graeme. The twist? Both Henley and Graeme are being sent on a Galapagos cruise and tasked with drafting a digital marketing proposal for the Galapagos cruises.
I really saw myself in Henley – working all of time, taking work home while also taking classes for her master’s degree in the evening and not getting anywhere in her career.
However, Henley frustrated me while she is on the cruise. She’s in the Galapagos, surrounded by the beauty of nature and in a place that people save for their entire life to experience. But she would rather sit in front of her laptop and work rather than experience it.
Once Graeme opens Henley’s eyes and gets her to loosen up a little bit, she’s a bit easier to accept as a person.
Here’s the thing to remember readers: at your job, you are replaceable, at home, you’re not. Work-life balance is extremely important – you’re given vacation days, paid time off, personal time, etc., as part of your job’s compensation package…USE IT. (Sorry, rant over.)
I really liked the slow build romance between Henley and Graeme. The cruise ship is a fun setting for this romcom.
The Tiny Travelers Treasure Quest series are search and find books for children that whisk them off on an adventure to China, Puerto Rico or Mexico. These picture books are full of fun facts and beautiful illustrations that children and parents will want to revisit over and over again.
The Treasure Quest series includes Tiny Travelers China, Tiny Travelers Puerto Rico and Tiny Travelers Mexico. Having traveled to all three destinations, I was excited to explore these books and see what adventures and fun facts were highlighted in these picture books. (I have included some photos from my own travels to each of these destinations at the end of this post – scroll down to check them out!)
According to the Goodreads description of this series, “the Tiny Travelers ‘Treasure Quest’ Series takes its readers on a fun-filled journey to discover what makes each country special.”
These children’s books are filled with full page spreads of detailed illustrations that highlight a particular part of each country’s culture. Each page has a cultural item for young readers to find, as well as a fun fact. Some of the fun “Did You Know” facts were even new to me! Like, in Tiny Travelers Mexico, one “Did You Know” fact was, “There are three different colors of corn tortillas: yellow, red and blue.”
I really enjoyed the way Tiny Travelers used foreign languages throughout these books. In Tiny Travelers Puerto Rico, Spanish is included in the rhyming story, and in Tiny Travelers Mexico and Puerto Rico, the location names are used with the pronunciation written in next to the bolded Spanish word. Similarly, in Tiny Travelers China, Cantonese words, written in both their English alphabet and in their traditional Chinese letters are included next to their English word.
The final page in all three books is a map of the world and the country from the book is highlighted, which is a great way to put in perspective how big and connected our world is to children, as well as teach them where these countries are in the world.
The Tiny Travelers Treasure Quest series is definitely a fun series for small children who will enjoy the search and find aspect of the books, as well as learning about other countries and their cultures. Older children might enjoy this series when paired with the National Geographic Beginners World Atlas. Younger children may enjoy this series paired with Around the World in 18 Ways, which teaches children to say hello, please, thank you and good-bye in 18 different languages with gorgeous illustrations.
