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Author Highlight: Suzanne Nelson
I may have briefly mentioned Suzanne Nelson’s works before as her Heart and Salsa novel was the book that got me into the global coming of age series, S.A.S.S.
Today I’m going to focus on her Foodie series which is just as the title implies- A collection of stand-alone novel focusing on how sweet and savory treats bring couples together and solve all problems.
Oh, and lots of food puns.
(more…)#abatchmadeinheaven, #cakepopcrush, #donutgobreakingmyheart, #foodie, #foodiebooks, #foodieseries, #hotcocoahearts, #ionlypiesforyou, #macronsatmidnight, #middlegrade, #pumpkinspiceupyourlife, #rachelreads&reviews, #scholastic, #shakeitoff, #sundaemyprincewillcome, #suzannenelson, #you’rebaconmecrazy -
Oct Books
The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava
The job market is a difficult one. Just out of her accounting program and saddled with debts from paying her brother’s court fees, Ember Lee Cardinal knows she’s capable but no one is hiring her.
Until she fudges her qualifications and chooses Caucasian instead of Chicksaw when it comes to the ethnicity box.
Lo, and behold, it works and she gets her dream job. The problem will be keeping it as she wings through the rapid instructions and fights her attraction to the hot IT guy, Danuwoa Colson despite the no dating co-workers rule.
As one can imagine, the initial lie Ember sells leads to trouble and inevitably blackmail, but Nava never veers into cartoonishly evil cliches from the blackmailer or the aggravating miscommunication between Ember and Danuwoa.
Rather she uses the opportunity to explore issues regarding to classism and discrimination in the workplace. The microaggression and the larger systematic inequalities that indigenous people face today. Plus Ember’s lies don’t feel irritating in its scope because Neva is clear that the stakes and consequences are serious for Ember.
It helps that she isn’t pathological when it comes to lying. She’s rather direct by nature. Harsh even which is part of her growth in that she’s come to depend so much on herself and holding up her family, that she finds it hard to believe her little brother is trying to change his ways and that he won’t disappoint her again like their dead-beat dad did.
The love interest, Danuwoa or ‘Danny” as it’s hard for people to remember his real name, is an adorable cinnamon roll to counter Ember’s cynical hypocrisies. He is proud of his heritage yet realistic about what it takes to combat ignorant people surrounding them. Plus he’s such a good big brother to his little sister. Bonus, he’s a gentlemen in the streets and a beast in the sheets so yay.
A wonderful debut that finally brings indigenous characters to the fore in the romance section. I can’t wait for her next one.
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Gotham City Sirens (2024)
It’s been years since their original series and in the decades since fans have been clamoring for the return of Gotham’s most famous villainesses. Finally the DC gods have heard their pleas with a 4 issue mini-series.
It was. . . okay.
Now I’m not a regular DC comic reader so maybe there have been updates to the world that I’m not aware of, but this was kinda goofy. I was expecting some dark, hypocritical, ironic humor in doses since they’re villains. Or anti-hero in Catwoman’s case. Something dark and sinister as they plan to take over Gotham or take out their enemies before their enemies take them out.
Instead, they’re each doing their own thing when wild bison and men roleplaying The Most Dangerous Game start to interfere with their lives. Then this other villainess called White Rabbit (or her clone) gets kidnapped so they set off to help her, uncovering some mind-control drink manufactured by Punchline and they save the day in a Wild West satire.
I know not every comic has a grim, world-changing story and that they’re can be some fun. I, for one, love filler comics that hightlight the relationship between the characters and them learning more about themselves. This was just a wild road trip.
Cool if you like that sort of thing, but there wasn’t much character depth or exploration that I usually want from these sort of things.
Also they start beating on Punchline for kidnapping and ensalving people for her human test subjects. Unironically. When Poison Ivy does that all the time? Is it bad because she did it for capitalism? Okay, I can see why the eco-terrorist would take offense to that actually.
The characters just felt off to me. They weren’t too evil, but they weren’t good enough to be antiheroes. It was more like the commodified “bad girl” label corporations like to slap on to things to make the Sirens into some cool, rebel girls instead of hardcore bad guys.
Also the art started out nice and detailed by Matteo Leo, and Daniel Hillyard but then got switched out for Ro Stein which looked more like a lost Lumberjanes comic. Which describes the whole tone of the book. Maybe they should ahve stuck with him so I’d know what sort of story I’d be getting into.
2 stars.
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Book of the Month: Hemlock Island
Yep, we’re already on the next book of the month. It was a quick read thanks to Armstrong’s exciting cliffhangers and short chapters that make one want to keep going, and going until it’s 2 in the morning and the mystery is revealed.
The titular Hemlock Island is owned by author/writer, Laney. Well the cabin on the island is owned by Laney. It was a gift from her ex-husband and her favorite place in the world for writerly retreats. But since her divorce, she has to stay afloat and has rented it out.
But when walls started bleeding and nature starts attacking the horrified renters, Laney heads to the island with her niece, Madison in tow. The island where her ex-husband, her sister, and her estranged best friend, Sadie and Sadie’s brother have all come to help.
But the island is turning on them one by one, and all the secrets and tensions may be their downfall.
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Twisted Tales: Princess of Thieves Review
What if Maid Marian was the real outlaw?
Three years after her beloved uncle, King Richard, and best friend, Robin of Locksley went to war, and Maid Marian went to Paris for schooling, Marian is back. The war is over and her uncle promised her a spot on his council. But she is greeted at the docks by the Sherriff of Nottingham who informs her that King Richard is dead, Robin is a wanted man and Richard’s weak-willed brother is on the throne.
The kingdom isn’t in better shape as the villagers are destitute from the high taxes while King John feasts, naps and is advised by the sneaky Sir Hiss. Not on Marian’s watch. She may be relegated to her room thanks to Sir Hiss but that’s not going to stop her from aiding her beloved England.
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Saddlehill Academy
10 years since readers were introduced to Sasha Silver and Lauren Towers, and we are back! But not to the colonial greens of Canterwood Crest.
Instead we head a few hours away to the rolling lawns of Saddlehill Academy where a new horse girl aspires to live up to her idols while facing drama at every turn.
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Asgardians: Odin Review
Since I loved, loved, loved O’Connor’s Olympians series, I obviously had to check out his newest offering. The Asgardians! A quartet on the slightly less popular but just as well known Norse pantheon.
As one can guess, the first book focuses on the All-Father, Odin, leader of the Aesir Gods and covers the creation myth of the Norse world, and several different stories regarding Odin’s never-ending quest for knowledge to avoid his own mortality.
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Twisted Tales: Sally’s Lament Review
What if Sally discovered Christmas Town?
Dr. Finklestein rarely allows his creation to go outside his lab. She’s not ready? What more could she want? It’s safe with him?
But Sally wants freedom, she wants to be apart of the community of Halloween Town. She wants more.
She soon finds out that so does the acclaimed Pumpkin King. Even though he has everything he wants, he’s bored and restless.
So when Sally stumbles upon the mysterious woods and ends up in Christmas Town, she’s delighted. Finally, she’s having the courage to go after adventure! But Christmas Town is not as nice as it seems. Beneath the jolly lights, there’s a pervasive fear among the residents who fear getting on the naughty list. . . . And in a classic case of cultural miscommunication, Sally gets right on top of it.
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Prince of Glass and Midnight
Prince August of Charmant has simple aspirations for life. He doesn’t want to gain land or fight dragons like legendary kings because he knows wanting more leads to greedy rulers. He wants to help his kingdom and solve their problems.
He is less enthusiastic about his lonely father’s insistence that he get marry. August liked the idea of it but after losing his mother and seeing his father’s deep pain that still persists, he has avoided thoughts of love and the loss it can bring.
Especially as the one girl he wants, his childhood friend from Fresne, Ella, stopped writing him long ago.
In the present day, Fresne has a problem. Townspeople are mysteriously losing their memories. August and his friend, Martin, have made it their duty to look into cases of tax fraud and magical happenings and though August is scared of facing his mother’s resting place and he also has hope. Hope that maybe he can save Fresne and talk to Ella.
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Latinx History Month
This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan
No, this has nothing to the controversial Blake Lively movie. I’d actually argue it is more well-written than that storyline but I digress.
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