Synopsis: Includes Vol. 13-15 of Noragami: Stray God.
PLAYING WITH FIRE Hiyori knows Koto’s real identity, and she’s determined not to let him mess with her anymore. When he comes to pick on her again, she confronts him about Yato and refuses to back down. She’s not afraid of him, but incurring the wrath of Yato’s father comes with dire consequences.
Review: This book was both so sad and liberating for Hiyori. While I love her standing her ground I wonder what will happen in her future thanks to a certain god of (mis)fortune. This book also left one very worried about Bishamon! Hoping she finds more clarity and healing in the next omnibus.
Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯
*Although reviewed not this book was read in February.
A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life.
Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother’s dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called “calorie restriction,” eating little and weighing herself five times a day. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided, “Your eyelashes are invisible, okay? You think Dakota Fanning doesn’t tint hers?” She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income.
In I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail—just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. Cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly, she is thrust into fame. Though Mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi (“Hi Gale!”), Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. These issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the iCarly spinoff Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, her mother dies of cancer. Finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants.
Told with refreshing candor and dark humor, I’m Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair.
Review: “My life purpose has always been to make Mom happy, to be who she wants me to be. So without Mom, who am I supposed to be now?” (Page 2)
“I’m allowed to hate someone else’s dream, even if it’s my reality.” (Page 207)
I wanted and needed something different after my last fantasy read and this had been in the forever growing TBR (and literal kindle unlimited cache) since May. I wish I had read this sooner. If all autobiographies were written like this, I may come to like nonfiction as much as I do fantasy. While there is serious trauma worked through and mentioned, the autobiography is written as if the reader is along for the ride as McCurdy starts acting and ages up.
There are so many ways in which McCurdy struggled as a youth and young adult, and while many may think it crass that she not only would say that she is glad her mother died, but would write a book about it, if one were to read said book they may find some understanding in her sentiment. From a young age she was treated as expendable, a life size doll, someone meant only to emotionally and mentally support her mother while merely going along a path set for her. McCurdy suffered many things from her mother: emotional and psychological abuse, physical abuse, mental abuse and in the end she still chose to share her past, the tribulations, embarrassments, and heartbreak with others. This book hits hard, perhaps because of her fame; if someone who was that much in the public eye was going through so much behind closed doors it’s possible that anyone could be facing a world of horrors that could never be imagined.
I thought this book was thought provoking, sad, but hilarious at times and overall I am very glad I read it. I cannot say who I think would benefit from reading this book, but if you do, you’ll go along on quite the journey.
Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯
*Read in February, though reviewed now.
***This is the first autobiography I have reviewed!
Synopsis: What happens when a first-born bargain goes wrong?
Princess Gisele has spent her life preparing for an evil fae sorcerer to claim her. That was the bargain her mother was tricked into: one royal first-born in exchange for spinning straw into gold.
But it’s been decades, and he still hasn’t shown up.
The unfulfilled fairytale-debt, however, is refusing to lie quietly. When its chaotic magic reaches unbearable levels, Gisele takes matters into her own hands. Terrifying fae sorcerer or not, she’ll hunt him down and force him to stop ruining her life.
But instead of an evil mastermind, she finds the scholarly, nameless lord of a magical house. He wants nothing to do with the angry knife-wielding spinster on his doorstep. Unfortunately, the fairytale-debt has other ideas.
Now magically bound to her lifelong nemesis, the only way to break the magic between them is to work together to find the nameless fae’s lost name. Assuming they don’t strangle each other first.
HOW TO FIND A NAMELESS FAE is a cozy fantasy romance retelling of Rumplestiltskin with spice, featuring a middle-aged heroine, a buttoned-up hero, and an interfering sentient house.
Review: “On her fortieth birthday, Princess Gisele of Isshia realised she was going to have to save herself.” (Page 9)
This book started so strong with a middle aged heroine who has lived a very different life to what one in her position was expected to do, due to the bargain holding her life hostage. It was easy to like Gisele as you learn of her blight and see how well she has learned to navigate life despite her curse. While I love the humanization of a character that has been seen as a villain for most of time, I was not a fan of his less than human side. All the characters were relatively well developed, but I found the romance aspect to have been assumed and immediately on the nose from the moment those two characters interacted. I did find most of the major plot points to be predictable, and while there was still enough of a surprise where/how in the story, I personally did not find this book to be for me (mostly due to lack of humanity as stated). There is some spice, but as I skimmed it very quickly, I will not be rating it.
Synopsis: She’s supposed to find him the perfect match. Falling for him herself was not part of the deal.
Mallory has zero magic. No spells, no shape-shifting and no flashy Preternatural strength. But in the magical city of Coldstream, Mallory has made knowledge her power and she turns secrets and favours into currency.
Enter Alexander MacTire: alpha werewolf, wealthy businessman, and walking temptation. He wants Mallory to find him a mate. She wants absolutely nothing to do with him.
But MacTire isn’t used to hearing no—and Mallory’s not immune to his charm, no matter how hard she tries. What starts as a reluctant business arrangement soon turns into something dangerously personal. Because the more she gets to know him, the less she wants to help him find love … with anyone but her.
The first book in the Coldstream Chronicles is jam-packed full of magic, mayhem, and slow-burn heat. It can be read as a standalone or alongside The Cat Lady Chronicles.
Review: “You present yourself as flowers and sunshine, Ms Nash, but in truth you possess a core of steel.” “Titanium.” (Page 14)
I started this after finishing the last Cat Lady Chronicles book that is out now (see my review of A Skirl of Sorcery here). I already was interested in what Mallory’s backstory was going to be; she doesn’t have magic but she does have power. She is wily and has her own sense of self. In many ways Mallory is similar to Kit; more than she appears. This book was very different than those in the Cat Lady Chronicles and while the general who ends up with who was something I had predicted, wanted, and hoped since a certain restaurant scene in one of said Cat Lady Chronicles books, I was oh so pleased by the experience and interwoven client problem Mallory had to work through while dealing with Alexander MacTire. It was also so nice to see Ethan (MacTire’s nephew) again, even though he was a side character in this novel. I quite enjoyed the interactions between Mallory and Alex, and her straight to the point unwillingness to deal with him being an alpha-hole. I am interested to see what Mallory and MacTire end up dealing with in future installments, and hope that Kit becomes involved in helping with their maybe not so little vampire problem. The characters and world were well fleshed out, and of course I cannot wait for the next book.
Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯
*This was read in February, but reviewed just now.
Synopsis: He was the other half of my soul—the mirror to my every dark desire. My destruction, my redemption, my salvation: my Heathcliff.
Cathy Earnshaw’s got the devil inside her—or at least that’s what the small, cultish community she’s spent her whole life trapped inside would say. She can sense death coming, and every loss sends her spiraling into a violent, uncontrollable episode of grief, wailing like a banshee across the swampy forests of the Lowcountry. With a secret as dark as hers, there’s no hope of relief, or escape, or finding someone with a chance of understanding.
Until she meets him.
Heathcliff’s got his own trauma, and a secret just as dangerous as Cathy’s. Stolen as a child, raised by necromancers, he’s the most forbidden sin she could ever imagine…and the most desperately tempting. Violent in his passions, tender in his affection, he feels like the other half of her soul, but even as they claw desperately to be together, the world seems just as determined to keep them apart.
Because it turns out their little Southern community was built long ago on a graveyard of lies…and every cult needs its sacrificial lamb.
Review: “… his soul and mine were cut from the same shimmering fabric, hewn from the same rock, dipped from the same pool. Wherever souls come from, we share the same source.” (Page 274)
I wasn’t sure that anyone or anything could make the story of Wuthering Heights have Cathy and Heathcliff be redeemable characters that you would actually care about and not just think about as horrible people but Kenney did the impossible! There were a lot of changes to the original in family matters etc that I did wonder for the first 3/4 of the book why she decided to have this be a Wuthering Heights spin off and not let the story live on it’s own without the very flimsy connections but in the end it did make sense. In many ways I think this story stands as a Dark Modern Fantasy book of its own. There was an extra dimension to this retelling by mixing in religion and cult practices, with much thought given to how people can be persuaded to do things that might usually be against their better judgement or interests. This book also features a lot about death and what can go into mourning.
There are complicated family dynamics, lots of different types of magic, and a love that could not be separated even by death. If that sounds interesting to you, I’d highly recommend this book. Once I started it, I found it near impossible to put down, even though I didn’t really want it to end.
Synopsis: Get reintroduced to the internet’s favorite cat with I Am Pusheen the Cat and learn all about this cuddly feline who has won hearts around the world.
Then go on fun escapades with Pusheen as she dives in her unicorn, dragon, alien, mermaid, dinosaur, and even dog alter egos in The Many Lives of Pusheen the Cat.
Finally, get her expert advice and adorable wit with Pusheen the Cat’s Guide to Everything.
Review: I absolutely love these books! They have all the feel good Pusheen comics put together in colour and paper and it’s just perfection. While there are lots of interesting fantasy bits of Pusheenicorn or Mermaid Pusheen, there are also a lot of very relatable comics about how cats live/view things. If you love cats, I highly recommend this book collection for you!
Synopsis: BACK FROM THE DEAD Yato is still trapped in the underworld and Izanami is doing everything in her power to prevent his escape. The only one capable of helping him now is his old nemesis Bishamon. Will she find it in her heart to rescue her hated foe? Or is there another way?
Review: This book gives you all the feels about Yato and his upbringing. There is so much more about our favourite stray god than what we give him credit for, and it explains why he seems to lost about things all the time. Bishamon evolves quite a bit in these volumes as well, and we even learn more about Yato and his connection to Kazuma.
Synopsis: Roses are red, violets are blue, Emma’s not dead, and her gravedigger’s hot too. This Valentine’s Day, love claws its way out of the grave in #1 New York Times bestselling author Navessa Allen’s steamy and hilariously dark rom-com.
Louisiana gravedigger Noah Evans’s Valentine’s night shift takes an unexpected turn when his high school crush starts screaming from her freshly dug grave. Whoever tried to bury Emma six feet under is in for a nasty surprise—they should have checked for a pulse because she’s got unfinished business, starting with the hot gravedigger who just saved her life. As they unearth a deadly family conspiracy, Noah and Emma discover that old flames burn even hotter the second time around—especially when someone’s trying to kill them.
Navessa Allen’s Valentine’s Slay is part of The Improbable Meet-Cute: Second Chances, stories for star-crossed lovers and hopeless romantics. They can be read or listened to in one sitting. Let’s do it again.
Review: This book is more a novella than a novel and is a good, quick read if you’re looking for something super spicy with a bit of grit and edge to it. Did I think things went a bit too fast? Yes, in parts. This is also an extremely short story in regards to doing the most you can with the least amount of characters possible, but having it make sense as to why there aren’t more people around. It’s a great dark romance with some very serious stuff going on in the background. The chemistry between the main characters was great, and the ending was just perfect. This is definitely one that will grip you from the first page, and leave you hoping for a happily ever after because damn, do they deserve one.
If you’re looking for a quick in between palate cleanser book of dark romance with quite a lot of spice, this is the book for you! If you just want some dark romance that involves graveyards, also the book for you!
Star rating: ✯✯✯✯ Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️
*Added after original posting. Forgot to mention that while an intriguing premise, given modern day practices for burial, it does seem incredibly unlikely that there wasn’t a layer of concrete involved. (Thank you for this knowledge, Stephen King’s Pet Semetary)
Synopsis: Can there be any greater challenge to London’s Ambitious Mamas than an unmarried duke?—Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers, April 1813
By all accounts, Simon Basset is on the verge of proposing to his best friend’s sister—the lovely and almost-on-the-shelf—Daphne Bridgerton. But the two of them know the truth—it’s all an elaborate ruse to keep Simon free from marriage-minded society mothers. And as for Daphne, surely she will attract some worthy suitors now that it seems a duke has declared her desirable.
But as Daphne waltzes across ballroom after ballroom with Simon, it’s hard to remember that their courtship is a sham. Maybe it’s his devilish smile, certainly it’s the way his eyes seem to burn every time he looks at her . . . but somehow Daphne is falling for the dashing duke . . . for real! And now she must do the impossible and convince the handsome rogue that their clever little scheme deserves a slight alteration, and that nothing makes quite as much sense as falling in love.
Review: “I don’t believe I have ever been condescended to by a woman before.” She shrugged, “It was probably past time.” (Page 102)
I decided to give this book a shot as it was on kindle unlimited and I am waiting for the end of the fourth season of Bridgerton the television show to drop on the 26th. I was very pleasantly surprised as once I started I could not set this book down! I spent most of yesterday reading, finishing well into the early hours of the morning (thank goodness authors set their own hours and can sleep in!) The characters were so very different from the show, in good ways and bad. Violet has far more gumption and intention than her television counterpart; soft spoken about the marital act aside, she has whims and ways of controlling and manipulating the family that the children aren’t even aware of. The looks of the characters also very distinctly from the television show, with all the Bridgerton children having chestnut hair and various eye colours and Violet being fair haired with blue eyes. Simon himself also instigates more than the television show led one to believe. I loved the brotherhood of Anthony, Benedict and Colin and how Anthony was willing to go up against Simon all the time for his sister. I definitely hadn’t expected what actually happened at Lady Trowbridge’s ball, nor how Daphne actually learned more about the marital act.
I could write an entire compare and contrast of the two but in the end the most important thing to note is that the book absolutely enthralled me from the first page and I could not set it down. There was not any intimacy until deep within the novel which made it all the more alluring. Simon and Daphne had a far superior connection in the novel than the book, and I quite enjoyed the difference in Daphne’s personality and her understanding of men given her three older brothers. Daphne is far more witty and cutting than her television counterpart.
As with all things book to screen one has to almost consider them completely separate entities but this author will encourage you to read the first book in the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn, for if we are anything alike, you’ll be hooked.
Synopsis: Wedding bells are in the air for witch Astra Arden and her werewolf fiancé Lothian—not to mention her divine owl familiar Archie and his feathery bride-to-be Noctua. But when a guest turns up dead at their joint bachelor-bachelorette party, “till death do us part” takes on an entirely new meaning.
With both weddings just days away, Astra finds herself juggling seating charts, cake tastings, and a murder investigation that’s hitting too close to home. Even worse, the victims’s dying message points to someone in the wedding party as the killer. Could one of their nearest and dearest be harboring deadly secrets beneath their celebratory smiles?
As magical mishaps plague the wedding preparations and suspicion falls on their friends and family, Astra and Archie must race against time to unmask the murderer before they say “I do.” With wedding gifts arriving that seem more like threats and mysterious omens appearing at every turn, the path to matrimonial bliss is anything but smooth.
Can Astra solve the case and still make it down the aisle? Or will this wedding celebration end with a funeral instead of a reception?
“… love isn’t about finding someone perfect but about finding someone whose imperfections fit perfectly with yours.” (Page 430)
This book had one of the most intricate and well done mystery plots I have read in a Leeds book in a while! For the first part of the book I found myself frustrated that nothing seemed to relate to Astra’s past in the military and specifically her pyrometry power but both of those things became integral to the plot of this novel! I do wish that there had been more mention of what type of owl Archie is, as I found myself at a loss at one point. I also wish that the cover more accurately portrayed what Astra’s wedding vision is, though perhaps this is the “Percy-ified” version with Blushing Bride pink.
I loved the layers to this mystery and how while certain fae may have been trying to help, they couldn’t outright do so. There were definitely many worries that the wedding would not happen in time, or that a curse would befall them for having to postpone. Though there was tension with Astra’s mother (as always) it was so sweet how much she wanted to be there for her daughter… though I’m sure the cost will equal another book’s adventure in the future. The ending of this book was absolute perfection, and all my love goes to Midnight the owl for being the best little boy he could be!
I recommend this series to anyone who loves cozy modern fantasy mystery and especially owls.
Amy S. Brown 