Bookquarium

Mira Grant  is well known for her science-y horror novels. The Parasites trilogy, the Newsflesh trilogy (hellooooo, zombies + journalists), and probably my favorite, Into the Drowning Deep, which is about killer mermaids. Anything by Grant is basically an insta-click for me, and when I was learned she was writing a ghost story, I nearly peed myself in the excitement. And friends, it's worth the hype. Let's break it down, shall we? The Cover: Can we take a moment to admire that cover? One, it's an incredibly detailed and intricate drawing, which is being used less and less by publishers these days, but I'm glad they went with that direction in this cover. A woman, half floating in the sea, gazing at a creepy old house while tentacles begin to twine around her ankles. Had I known nothing about Mira Grant, I would have read this book based on the cover alone. The Plot: A group of four paranormal investigators, who happened to get famous solving crimes, accepts a co...

Do you remember those movies on the Disney channel (back in the day when it was good) and ABC's TGIF, when they'd show things that weren't necessarily great, but really  fun to watch? Like My Date with the President's Daughter  and Still Life  starring a pre-Top Model Tyra Banks? This book felt a lot like those. Not If I Save You First  is the fast paced and funny story of Maddie, daughter of the top secret service officer, and (former) best friend of the president's son, Logan. Six years ago something happened that made her dad quit his job and move them to the wilds of Alaska, leaving behind her best friend who then cut all contact. First, Maddie is the kind of sassy I wish I was. The kind of sassy I am in my head when I think of snappy comebacks four hours after I was insulted. At times, it veered into unrealistic, but it fit well into the story. She has spent much of the last six years fending for herself, bedazzling axe handles and making sure her hair rout...

I don't think I've ever read a Cat Sebastian before! (But I met her at KissCon and guys, she's lovely.) She's also well known for writing queer historical romances, and A Duke in Disguise  was her first (to my knowledge) straight romance. It was really good, you guys. Five stars good. It was a friends to lovers, but with this delicious tension running throughout where both people sort of knew the other liked them, but they couldn't do anything to fuck up their friendship. On top of all that, she runs a newspaper, including one that is publishing a) seditious stuff, and b) an erotic novel, that - guys - he does the illustrations for. Sexy ones. But like... really sexy, to appeal to the female gaze. It's all against a backdrop of a London that is plagued by an asshole government who are throwing people in jail/having them hanging for speaking out against them, and our heroine, Verity, definitely does that in her paper. Did I mention she's also hella bi...

The Unleashing Author: Shelly Laurenston Genre:  paranormal romance Publisher:  Kensington Publication Date:  March 31, 2015 Stars:  Four crow-shaped ones Description:  Kera Watson never expected to face death behind a Los Angeles coffee shop. Not after surviving two tours lugging an M16 around the Middle East. If it wasn’t for her hot Viking customer showing up too late to help, nobody would even see her die. In uncountable years of service to the Allfather Odin, Ludvig “Vig” Rundstöm has never seen anyone kick ass with quite as much style as Kera. He knows one way to save her life—but she might not like it. Signing up with the Crows will get Kera a new set of battle buddies: cackling, gossiping, squabbling, party-hearty women. With wings. So not the Marines. But Vig can’t give up on someone as special as Kera. With a storm of oh-crap magic speeding straight for L.A., survival will depend on combining their strengths: Kera’s discipline, Vig’s loyalt...

One and Only Author: Jenny Holiday Genre:  Contemporary romance Publisher: Forever Publication Date: Feb 27, 2018 Stars: Five of them, baby! GoodReads  ---  Amazon Summary:  With her bridezilla friend on a DIY project rampage, bridesmaid Jane Denning will do anything to escape - even if it means babysitting the groom's troublemaker brother before the wedding. It should be a piece of cake, except the "cake" is a sarcastic former soldier who is 100% wicked hotness and absolutely off-limits. Cameron MacKinnon is ready to let loose after returning from his deployment. But first he'll have to sweet talk the ultra-responsible Jane into taking a walk on the wild side. Turns out, riling her up is the best time he's had in years. But what happens when the fun and games start to turn into something real? Review:  Five beautiful, shiny stars for this absolutely delightful book. I started it on the recommendation of the lovely Elley Otter and her pitch was ...

Kill The Farm Boy Author:  Kevin Hearne and Delilah S. Dawson Genre:  fantasy, humor Publisher:  Del Rey Publication Date:  July 24, 2018 Rating:  5 stars Summary:  Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, a hero, the Chosen One, was born . . . and so begins every fairy tale ever told. This is not that fairy tale. There  is  a Chosen One, but he is unlike any One who has ever been Chosened. And there  is  a faraway kingdom, but you have never been to a magical world quite like the land of Pell. There, a plucky farm boy will find more than he's bargained for on his quest to awaken the sleeping princess in her cursed tower. First there's the Dark Lord who wishes for the boy's untimely death . . . and also very fine cheese. Then there's a bard without a song in her heart but with a very adorable and fuzzy tail, an assassin who fears not the night but is terrified of chickens, and a mighty fighter more frightened of her swor...

Mister Hockey Author: Lia Riley Genre: Contemporary romance Publisher: Avon Impulse Publication Date: July 11, 2017 Rating: 4 stars Summary:  Her biggest fantasy is about to become a reality. . . Jed West is Mr. Hockey. The captain of the NHL’s latest winning team, the Denver Hellions–and the hottest player on the ice—at least according to every magazine. . .and Breezy Angel. Breezy has been drooling over Jed at games for years, and he plays a starring role in her most toe-curling fantasies. But dirty dreams don’t come true, right? Then Jed saunters through the doors of her library, a last minute special guest for a summer reading event, and not only is he drop dead gorgeous up close, his personality is straight up swoon-worthy. He even comes to the rescue when she has an R-rated “Super Book Worm” costume malfunction. But when he mistakenly assumes she’s more into books than pucks, she’s too flustered to correct his mistake. And then comes a big kiss, followed by a teen...

Anne's Colors Author: Kelly Hill Publisher: Tundra Books; Brdbk edition Publish date: May 1, 2018 Board book, 20 pages Goodreads   Amazon Summary: A must-have board book for Anne of Green Gables fans, with charming, hand-embroidered illustrations. Iconic moments from the beloved L.M. Montgomery classic are celebrated in this adorable concept book. Artist Kelly Hill creates vignettes of the most recognizable scenes from Anne of Green Gables, including Anne and Diana's first meeting, Gilbert pulling Anne's hair, Anne's puffed-sleeve dress and even Anne and Diana sharing raspberry cordial! Each scene has its own color, with simple text and tactile, gorgeous works of art created from cut fabric and embroidery. Anne's Numbers Author: Kelly Hill Publisher: Tundra Books; Brdbk edition Publish date: May 1, 2018 Board book, 20 pages Goodreads   Amazon Summary: A must-have board book for Anne of Green Gables fans, with charming, hand-embroidered i...

Babe in Boyland Author: Jody Gehrman Publisher: Speak Published date: February 7, 2011 Kindle ebook, 303 pages Amazon   Goodreads Reviewer: Elley Rating 4 stars ★★★★☆ Summary: When high school junior Natalie-or Dr. Aphrodite, as she calls herself when writing the relationship column for her school paper-is accused of knowing nothing about guys and giving girls bad relationship advice, she decides to investigate what guys really think and want. But the guys in her class won't give her straight or serious answers. The only solution? Disguising herself as a guy and spending a week at Underwood Academy, the private all-boy boarding school in town. There she learns a lot about guys and girls in ways she never expected-especially when she falls for her dreamy roommate, Emilio. How can she show him she likes him without blowing her cover? Review: The main character Natalie (who doesn't seem to have a personality beyond a superiority-but-also-a-victim complex a...

Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife Reviewer: Peekaboo Author: Mary Roach Publisher:  W.W. Norton and Co Publishing Date: September 26, 2006 Genre:  Nonfiction - Science Rating: 5 stars  Amazon   Goodreads Summary:  "What happens when we die? Does the light just go out and that's that—the million-year nap? Or will some part of my personality, my me-ness persist? What will that feel like? What will I do all day? Is there a place to plug in my lap-top?" In an attempt to find out, Mary Roach brings her tireless curiosity to bear on an array of contemporary and historical soul-searchers: scientists, schemers, engineers, mediums, all trying to prove (or disprove) that life goes on after we die. Review: In typical Mary Roach style, this book kicks a lot of ass. If you've read a Mary Roach book before, you know what you are getting into. A lot of humor, facts presented in a way that is both interesting and educational (and very far from boring),...