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bookish_selkie
Oddball is a fantastic and relatable compilation of short comics from Sarah Andersen. This hilarious collection will make you smile and laugh aloud. I particularly loved the comics featuring witches and cats! Andersen captures powerful introvert moments and moods specific to the pandemic. It is short and sweet, making it the perfect compilation for anyone who is a fan of Andersen’s art. Andersen depicts moments relatable to introverts, cat lovers, witches, and provides reassurance that oddballs everywhere are not alone. Thank you to Sarah Andersen, Andrews McMeel Publishing, and Netgalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A History of Wild Places is an immersive and thrilling mystery. Travis Wren is a private investigator who goes missing in search of eccentric children’s author Maggie St. James. Between flashbacks to his search and present day life in an insular community known only as Pastoral, a sinuous tale of community and secrecy unfolds. What really happened to Maggie and where is Travis?
There is a hypnotic quality about A History of Wild Places. I easily devoured it in a day because I was so swept up in unlocking the mystery within the woods. As I read, I felt fingertips on the back of my neck, the haunting whisper of the trees, and the heavy weight of concealed secrets. I won’t say much about the plot itself as it is a mystery after all- only to entreat you to read it and be lost in the mysterious power of Pastoral. To say it’s atmospheric is an understatement; I felt completely transported to this small community where technology and outsiders are held at bay by the existence of a mysterious pox that threatens them.
Along with the characters, I was mystified by the pox and deeply curious about what lay outside Pastoral. As all the pieces of the puzzle came together, I was spellbound until the very last page. This book gave me the sense of standing completely alone in a forest as a cloud covers the sun overhead and throws the world into ominous shadow- and I loved it. Ernshaw writes with a dry wit and measured pacing. As she carefully reveals clues, she unravels engrossing characters with fiercely-held secrets. Ernshaw’s writing is stark and lyrical- compelling you to look deeper into the rotten core of Pastoral and examine the true nature of people. I couldn’t look away!
If you’ve ever wondered about the power of community belief, what lies deep in the trees, and wish to be utterly swept away - you need to read A History of Wild Places. Thank you so much to Shea Ernshaw, Atria Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
There is a hypnotic quality about A History of Wild Places. I easily devoured it in a day because I was so swept up in unlocking the mystery within the woods. As I read, I felt fingertips on the back of my neck, the haunting whisper of the trees, and the heavy weight of concealed secrets. I won’t say much about the plot itself as it is a mystery after all- only to entreat you to read it and be lost in the mysterious power of Pastoral. To say it’s atmospheric is an understatement; I felt completely transported to this small community where technology and outsiders are held at bay by the existence of a mysterious pox that threatens them.
Along with the characters, I was mystified by the pox and deeply curious about what lay outside Pastoral. As all the pieces of the puzzle came together, I was spellbound until the very last page. This book gave me the sense of standing completely alone in a forest as a cloud covers the sun overhead and throws the world into ominous shadow- and I loved it. Ernshaw writes with a dry wit and measured pacing. As she carefully reveals clues, she unravels engrossing characters with fiercely-held secrets. Ernshaw’s writing is stark and lyrical- compelling you to look deeper into the rotten core of Pastoral and examine the true nature of people. I couldn’t look away!
If you’ve ever wondered about the power of community belief, what lies deep in the trees, and wish to be utterly swept away - you need to read A History of Wild Places. Thank you so much to Shea Ernshaw, Atria Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Fools In Love is an inclusive and charming collection of stories! It puts a new spin on well-loved classic tropes such as: only one bed, sunshine/grump, hero vs. villain, fake dating, and more. I absolutely loved how much LGBTQ+ representation was included in almost every story. While I was previously familiar with several of these authors, I also enjoyed hearing from the new voices! By the end of this anthology, you’ll undoubtedly have added these authors’ previous works to your TBR.
Several stories that really stood out to me were Julian Winters’ “What Makes Us Heroes,” Malinda Lo’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” Gloria Chao’s “Teed Up,” Mason Deaver’s “Boys Noise,” and Rebecca Barrow’s “Bloom.” In What Makes Us Heroes and Girls Just Want to Have Fun, I wanted a full book that followed these characters!! I loved how typical gender dynamics in regards to sports were flipped in Teed Up and Boys Noise explored what you have to sacrifice as a celebrity in the music industry. Bloom was reminiscent of an Anna-Marie McLemore story, combining magical realism and love across time.
This anthology has superb pacing; I flew through these joyful and poignant stories. With settings ranging from contemporary to outer space, there’s something for everyone. Fools in Love is the perfect book for anyone who enjoys romance, classic tropes, and seeking excellent LGBTQ+ rep in love stories. Thank you to Ashley Herring Blake & Rebecca Podos, all the participating authors, Perseus Books/ Running Press, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Several stories that really stood out to me were Julian Winters’ “What Makes Us Heroes,” Malinda Lo’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” Gloria Chao’s “Teed Up,” Mason Deaver’s “Boys Noise,” and Rebecca Barrow’s “Bloom.” In What Makes Us Heroes and Girls Just Want to Have Fun, I wanted a full book that followed these characters!! I loved how typical gender dynamics in regards to sports were flipped in Teed Up and Boys Noise explored what you have to sacrifice as a celebrity in the music industry. Bloom was reminiscent of an Anna-Marie McLemore story, combining magical realism and love across time.
This anthology has superb pacing; I flew through these joyful and poignant stories. With settings ranging from contemporary to outer space, there’s something for everyone. Fools in Love is the perfect book for anyone who enjoys romance, classic tropes, and seeking excellent LGBTQ+ rep in love stories. Thank you to Ashley Herring Blake & Rebecca Podos, all the participating authors, Perseus Books/ Running Press, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Finlay Donovan Knocks ’Em Dead is the hilarious sequel to Finlay Donovan is Killing It. Finlay is one of my favorite characters, because she is both relatable and incapable of staying out of the worst trouble she can find. At the end of book one, Finlay learns that someone took out a hit on her ex-husband on a sketchy website. She is thrown into a panic trying to figure out how to keep her kids safe and determine who could be behind it. As Finlay digs deeper, it becomes clear that her ex is in serious danger. Luckily, she has the help of her steadfast partner Vero. Together they race to uncover the identity of the killer before they can complete their gruesome task.
In this sequel, Finlay has attracted attention from more dangerous and shadowy figures. The plot was fast-paced and slightly unbelievable (in a good way!) as in the previous book. Even as Vero and Finlay’s antics made me laugh, the stakes remained sky-high and always created an undercurrent of tension. The dialogue and witty banter is excellent. While Finlay’s adventures take her into danger, she still manages to have outrageously funny and relatable moments.
My favorite part of this series by far is the relationship between Finlay and Vero. Watching these two strong and creative women relentlessly have each other's backs is such a vital part of these books. While Finlay and Vero are equally capable of getting into trouble, they will always be there for each other no matter how bad it gets. I loved how Finlay and Vero worked together to uncover the mystery and keep the family safe in this amusing installment. This is the perfect book for fans of the show Good Girls! The ending left me very hopeful for book three, because I absolutely need to know what happens next!! I hope we see more from Nick in the next book.
Thank you so much to Elle Cosimano, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
In this sequel, Finlay has attracted attention from more dangerous and shadowy figures. The plot was fast-paced and slightly unbelievable (in a good way!) as in the previous book. Even as Vero and Finlay’s antics made me laugh, the stakes remained sky-high and always created an undercurrent of tension. The dialogue and witty banter is excellent. While Finlay’s adventures take her into danger, she still manages to have outrageously funny and relatable moments.
My favorite part of this series by far is the relationship between Finlay and Vero. Watching these two strong and creative women relentlessly have each other's backs is such a vital part of these books. While Finlay and Vero are equally capable of getting into trouble, they will always be there for each other no matter how bad it gets. I loved how Finlay and Vero worked together to uncover the mystery and keep the family safe in this amusing installment. This is the perfect book for fans of the show Good Girls! The ending left me very hopeful for book three, because I absolutely need to know what happens next!! I hope we see more from Nick in the next book.
Thank you so much to Elle Cosimano, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Night Circus was a lovely read! It's been in my TBR pile for a while and I'm so glad I finally picked it up. The story focuses on Celia and Marco, both forced into a magical competition as children. Neither initially understand what the competition is or how it works. However, as time passes and the children grow up, the stakes rise, and their magic grows stronger. When the balance binding the magic of the circus together is broken, Celia and Marco fight to end the competition while preserving what they've made. I loved the stunning descriptions of the tents and the witty language. There's also a host of intriguing supporting characters to supplement the main story including: Tsukiko, Poppet, Widget and Bailey. The story has plenty of twists and turns, but the full mystery of the Night Circus isn't revealed until the very end. This was a very satisfying and imaginative read!
