Saturday, September 14, 2019

August Monthly Wrap Up (2019)



Off the Blog:


Hey everyone!  August was a pretty busy month for me!  First, I had to get some work done on my teeth, which took away a lot of my hard earn cash.  Then, I went to Soda City Comic Con for the weekend and I had a FANTASTIC time there, as I met a lot of awesome actors and actresses there like Kevin Conroy, the voice of Batman, Kathy Najimy, the one who played Mary Sanderson from "Hocus Pocus" and Michael Rooker, who played Yondu from "Guardians of the Galaxy!"  Hopefully, I'll be able to make a post about my Soda City Comic Con experiences this year some time in the future!  And last but not least, we celebrated my mom's birthday and we had a wonderful meal!  I got to eat some Nick's shrimp and chicken, which was quite delicious!

On the Blog:



Unfortunately, I didn't get a lot of reading done this month since I was so busy with other activities as you can see above.  Hopefully, September will be a better month for me in terms of reading.




Books Read this Month:




1.  If the Shoe Fits by Deborah Guarino  (EDELWEISS)







Other Reviews and Activities Completed this Month: 




MISCELLANEOUS




GUEST POSTS


NOPE!!!


BLOG TOURS


NOPE!!!


BOOK MEMES


6. [Stacking the Shelves]  Stacking the Shelves #78: August 3, 2019



DISCUSSIONS


NOPE!!!



OLD BOOK REVIEWS

NOPE!!!


READING CHALLENGE UPDATES


2019 European Reading Challenge:
2019 Beat the Backlist: 3
NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge 2019: 7
2019 Picture Book Reading Challenge: 15
2019 Humor Reading Challenge:
2019 Alphabet Soup Author Edition: 3
2019 Discussion Challenge: 1
2019 Diversity Reading Challenge: 3
2019 Color Coded Reading Challenge: 2
2019 Read It Again, Sam: 2
2019 12th Annual Graphic Novel / Manga Challenge: 





 Book Stats for August:
Total Number of Books Read: 1
Children's Books: 1
5 Star Reads: 1
Average Rating: 5
Male Authors: 0
Female Authors: 1
Unknown Authors: 0
Series: 0
Stand Alone: 1
Re-Reads: 0
Total NetGalley Books for the Year: 4
Total ARC Books for the Year: 2
Total Edelweiss Books for the Year: 3
Total Re-Reads for the Year: 2
Total Number of Books Read for the Year: 18


Genre Stats:

Humor: 1
Science Fiction: 0
Horror: 0
Fantasy: 0
Drama: 0
Family: 0
Romance: 0
Paranormal: 0
Contemporary: 0
Historical: 0
Total Science Fiction Books for the Year: 1
Total Humor Books for the Year: 8
Total Horror Books for the Year: 0
Total Fantasy Books for the Year: 4
Total Drama Books for the Year: 2
Total Family Books for the Year: 1
Total Romance Books for the Year: 2


Blog Stats for August: 






POST SPOTLIGHT:





BEST OF THE MONTH: If the Shoe Fits by Deborah Guarino






Books Bought in August:



* I won one book in August and that was the Special Collector's Edition of Six of Crows, which I'm so excited to get!







September TBR:

* I'm still reading "The Cruel Prince," which is pretty good so far.  So hopefully, I'll be able to finish that book in September!









Favorite Blog Posts from Around the Blogosphere: 


☀  AJ @ Read All the Things!discusses about Reading And Walking: Maniac Magee
☀  Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addition discusses about Updating the Blog (a Little) and I Need Your Opinions! Let’s Discuss.
☀  Jessica @ a GREAT read discusses about Let's Discuss: Bookish Tattoos
☀  Greg @ Book Haven reviews The Christmas Card Crime And Other Stories  
☀  Sam @ We Live and Breathe Books discusses about #Reviewathon! and Reviewing Books
☀  Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight discusses about Shattering Stigmas 5.0: Join Me, Won’t You?  
☀  Genesis @ Whispering Chapters discusses about Gen's Recs: Enemies-to-Lovers
☀  Jenna @ Happy Indulgences discusses about MY BOOK BLOGGING PRESENTATIONS AT WHITSUNDAY VOICES





This will be linked to Feed Your Fiction Addiction's Monthly Wrap Up and A Cocoon of Books Best of the Bunch! 




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[ARC REVIEW] If the Shoe Fits by Deborah Guarino (@Schifferbooks)








Title:  If the Shoe Fits

Author:  Deborah Guarino

Artist:  Seth Hippen

Genre:  Children's / Humor / Fantasy / Fairy Tale

Year Published: 2019

Year Read:  2019

Publisher:  Schiffer Publishing

Source:  eARC (Edelweiss)

Content Rating:  Ages 5+ (Nothing Objectionable)

 Buy on:  Amazon  //  Book Depository 



I would like to thank Edelweiss and Schiffer Publishing for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.


I have always loved reading various fairy tale retellings and I was in the mood to read another “Cinderella” retelling!  So, I went on Edelweiss and I stumbled upon this unusual story called “If the Shoe Fits” by Deborah Guarino along with artwork by Seth Hippen and man, was it a truly hilarious and brilliant read!


Murray was a humble shoemaker who spent most of his days making shoes for the villagers.  But one night, a large fairy suddenly comes to his house and begs him to make her a special pair of shoes for a certain maiden since her wand had ran out of powers.  Murray then gives the fairy a pair of glass slippers and the fairy promises to reward him whenever she gets her magic back.  But the next day, Mona, Murray’s clerk (and the woman he secretly loves) comes rushing inside his shoe shop and tells him about the prince trying to find the maiden whose foot can fit into the glass slipper that she left behind.  And when Murray tells Mona that he was the one who made the glass slippers, Mona then begs him to make her a pair of glass slippers so that she can use them to present to the prince and marry him.  Murray, who is actually crushed by this scheme, sadly makes Mona a pair of glass slippers and Mona goes to the prince to show him the glass slippers.

Will Mona marry the prince and will Murray lose the love of his life?

Read this book to find out!


Wow…just wow!!!  I never would have expected to enjoy this book as much as I did!!!  Deborah Guarino’s writing is both hilarious and heartwarming and I really enjoyed this interesting twist on the “Cinderella” tale!  I really loved Murray as a character as he was both hilarious and engaging and I really felt for him when he wanted to win Mona’s heart, despite Mona wanting to marry the Prince.  I also loved how it was Murray who created the glass slippers for Cinderella since we get to see another character in this story that was not Cinderella.  I also loved the twist of the story of how Mona wanted Murray to make the glass slippers for her and how the prince had nearly married the wrong woman.  Seth Hippen’s artwork was truly hilarious to look at as most of the characters are drawn in exaggerated ways, especially the large fairy, who takes up most of the pages that she’s in.



Overall, “If the Shoe Fits” is a truly hilarious and imaginative story that takes the “Cinderella” mythos and twists it in a truly creative way!  I would recommend this book to children ages five and up, since there is nothing inappropriate in this book.



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Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Waiting on Wednesday #149: The Deathless Girls by Kiran Millwood Hargrave and The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones




Hello everyone! "Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, that is hosted by Breaking the Spine and the purpose of this event is that we spotlight upcoming releases of books that we are excited for!  This will also tie into Wishful Ending's Can't Wait Wednesday post!







This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selections are:



The Deathless Girls

By: Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Expected Publication Date: September 19th, 2019 

Buy on:  Goodreads  //  Book Depository 




Gothic, intoxicating, feminist, darkly provoking and deeply romantic - this is the breathtakingly imagined untold story of the brides of Dracula, by bestselling author Kiran Millwood Hargrave in her much-anticipated YA debut.

They say the thirst of blood is like a madness - they must sate it. Even with their own kin.

On the eve of her divining, the day she'll discover her fate, seventeen-year-old Lil and her twin sister Kizzy are captured and enslaved by the cruel Boyar Valcar, taken far away from their beloved traveller community.

Forced to work in the harsh and unwelcoming castle kitchens, Lil is comforted when she meets Mira, a fellow slave who she feels drawn to in a way she doesn't understand. But she also learns about the Dragon, a mysterious and terrifying figure of myth and legend who takes girls as gifts.

They may not have had their divining day, but the girls will still discover their fate... 



Free Delivery on all Books at the Book Depository












The Bone Houses

By: Emily Lloyd-Jones

Expected Publication: September 24th, 2019 

Buy on: Goodreads // Book Depository




Seventeen-year-old Aderyn ("Ryn") only cares about two things: her family, and her family's graveyard. And right now, both are in dire straits. Since the death of their parents, Ryn and her siblings have been scraping together a meager existence as gravediggers in the remote village of Colbren, which sits at the foot of a harsh and deadly mountain range that was once home to the fae. The problem with being a gravedigger in Colbren, though, is that the dead don't always stay dead.

The risen corpses are known as "bone houses," and legend says that they're the result of a decades-old curse. When Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker with a mysterious past, arrives in town, the bone houses attack with new ferocity. What is it that draws them near? And more importantly, how can they be stopped for good?

Together, Ellis and Ryn embark on a journey that will take them deep into the heart of the mountains, where they will have to face both the curse and the long-hidden truths about themselves.



Free Delivery on all Books at the Book Depository





So, what upcoming books are you looking forward to?  Please respond below!


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Sunday, September 8, 2019

The Sunday Post Meme (177)





Hey everybody! I am participating in a book meme called the Sunday Post which is being hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer!The goal of this meme is to share news you have  on various books and things you’ve read or received and also talk about what is coming up for your blog! Book hauls can include library books, yard sale finds, arcs and bought books and you can share these finds with other book bloggers!


Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't done a Sunday Post in like forever.  Lately, I've been so behind on my Sunday Posts even though I've been keeping up with my posts in general.  August was definitely a busy month for me as I had gone to Soda City Comic Con, I had to get some work done on my teeth and we were celebrating my mom's birthday all at once.  So, I definitely didn't have a lot of time to do Sunday Posts. But, here's to hoping that I get back to doing Sunday Posts again!  I also started a new Beta Reading Service! Hopefully, writers who want their works to be checked before they published them will check out my beta reading service so that way I can check out even more awesome books!




★Book Reviews☆




★Miscellaneous☆

  

Book Photo Sundays Meme!

 

Looking for New Guest Posts! 

 

My TBR List!

 

  



Cover Spotlight Meme






My Beta Reading Services!






 







One Word: HAPPY!!!






(DVD)


* Oh my god!!! I can't believe that I waited this long to finally watch this movie!  This is seriously one of the best horror movies I have ever seen that dealt with racism and I'm definitely going to rewatch this movie soon!





(VUDU)


* So, I just discovered this unknown animated film on Vudu and I have to tell you that I loved it!  I can't believe that I wasn't aware of this movie's existence!  It's always nice to find something new and different on the streaming services!





 

Were there times where you couldn't keep up with your posts?










★  Check out Paper Fury's review on WHAT HAPPENED IN AUGUST? (FT. ME, READING SO SO MANY BOOKS! FINISHING A WIP! CHOCOLATE ALL ROUND!)


☆ Star-Crossed Book Blog is hosting their blogoversary and giveaway!

★ Feed Your Fiction Addiction posted up her August Monthly Wrap Up! 





Well, that's the Sunday News for today and I will have more news for the various books I've read in the near future!



Posted on Sunday, September 8, 2019.

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