Rachel Reads & Reviews

Author Highlight: Wendy Mass

In small-town Willow Falls, nothing is a coincidence. It’s all thanks to octagerian resident, Abigail whose distinct duck-shaped birthmark and her perchant for appearing everywhere, all at once throws the lives of these kids into a tailspin on their birthdays. For instance, Leo and Amanda, best friends literally from the day of their birth experience…

rachelbeerwoman

September 1, 2024

Book/Author Highlight

#elevenbirthdays, #everysoulastar, #finally, #graceful, #lowergrade, #magicalrealism, #rachelreads&reviews, #scholastic, #thelastpresent, #thirteengifts, #wendymass, #willowfallsseries
Aug Books

She Come By It Natural: Dolly Parton and the Women Who Lived Her Songs by Sara Smarsh Who doesn’t love Dolly Parton? I mean, she can sing, has fabulous costumes, has an amusement park and still gives back to her roots. So it’s no surprise that Dolly has a few books written in her honor.…

rachelbeerwoman

August 31, 2024

Book Suggestions

#animalbooks, #autobiography, #dollyparton, #jennifers.holland, #musicbooks, #nonfiction, #rachelreads&reviews, #realisticfiction, #reneewatson, #scribner, #shecomebyitnatural, #simon&schuster, #unlikelyanimalfriendshipsdogs, #workmanpublishing, #YA
Twisted Tales: Suddenly Super Review

What if Violet was an Agent of Syndrome? This was another solid addition to the Twisted Tales series. It’s unfortunate this tale is only available out of the U.S. because Calonita does a great job on the first Pixar-based tale. All from Violet’s POV, Calonita explores the girl’s negative feelings about her powers. Since being…

rachelbeerwoman

August 25, 2024

Reviews

#disneyhyperion, #jencalonita, #rachelreads&reviews, #suddenlysuper, #theincredibles, #twistedtales, #YA
Summer Comics

Scout is Not a Band Kid by Jade Armstrong Scout is obsessd with Pristine Wong’s fantasy series and when the author is scheduled to go to AlmonteFest, Scout is determined to attend. However, she needs money. Money. . . or a skill in trombone. The school band is also attending AlmonteFest for their final music…

rachelbeerwoman

August 16, 2024

Book Suggestions

#alexhirsch, #annaandthemysteryofthemountains, #cassandracalin, #christinadiazgonzales, #disneyhyperion, #disneyprincesses, #graphicnovels, #gravityfalls, #invisible, #jadearmstrong, #lostlegends, #middelgrade, #mulanandthepalaceofthesecrets, #pancooke, #pizzaface, #puzzled, #rachelreads&reviews, #rexogle, #rhonaclearly, #scholastic, #scoutisnotabandkid, #thenewgirl
Truth or Dare Review

I always enjoy it when Archie comics brings the spotlight to one of the lesser-known reoccuring characters. In this case, it was Trula Twyst, my favorite adversary for Jughead with her mental mindgames. I can see why Robbins thought she was prime material for a psychological thriller in liu of Saw and Escape Room. He…

rachelbeerwoman

August 15, 2024

Reviews

#archiecomics, #archiehorror, #rachelreads&reviews, #ronrobbins, #truthordare
Book of the Month: Lessons in Chemistry

Don’t let that gorgeous hair and sassy look fool you, Elizabeth Zott takes chemistry and cooking seriously. In fact, she takes everything seriously. She rarely smiles, and she has good reason to. Being a female scientist in the early 60s is just hell. No respect, constant comments from men and women, no one likes her…

rachelbeerwoman

August 15, 2024

Book/Author Highlight

#bonniegarmus, #doubledaybooks, #historicalfiction, #lessonsinchemistry, #rachelreads&reviews, #women’sfiction
Peter Vronsky Interview

Peter Vronsky is the foremost expert on serial killer history, and author of such books, Sons of Cain, American Serial Killers: The Epidemic Years and more. He generously took the time to talk with me about Cottingham, the state of true crime publishing and how do you define a psychopath. Enjoy. 1. What put you…

rachelbeerwoman

August 13, 2024

Interview

#americanwerewolf, #nonfiction, #petervronsky, #rachelreads&reviews, #serialkillers, #sonsofcain, #truecrime
Thundercats (2024): Omens Review

For lovers of action, sci-fi and furries, welcome to the world of Thundera and its Thundercats! Dynamite Comics takes this popular IP and reintroduces the world to newcomers while leaving plenty of Easter Eggs for fans of the original series. Yes, including that glorious 80s rock-star hair. In this universe, Lion-O is the young heir…

rachelbeerwoman

August 1, 2024

Reviews

#declanmurphy, #drewmoss, #dynamitecomics, #omens, #rachelreads&reviews, #thundercats (2024), #volumeone
July Books

Bloomability by Sharon Creech I’ve always liked the cover of this book but I never actually read it. Until this month that is. It’s about a young girl, Domenica aka Dinnie who’s been kidnapped to Switzerland. Well, not really kidnapped. Her family is having lots of dysfunction that the eleven year old doesn’t comprehend so…

rachelbeerwoman

July 31, 2024

Book Suggestions

#avi, #bloomability, #chrisgrabenstein, #don'tyouknowthere'sawaron, #historicalfiction, #humor, #rachelreads&reviews, #realisticfiction, #sharoncreech, #welcometowonderland
Book of the Month: The Duke and I

After my friend’s sister insisted she choose this book for book club with the “It’s like a modern Jane Austen,” we finished and my friend’s expectations fell short. Very short. As she kept saying when we finished “This isn’t like Jane Austen at all. Jane Austen didn’t write about horny people. I mean, they probably…

rachelbeerwoman

July 29, 2024

Book/Author Highlight

#bridgertons, #historicalfiction, #historicalromance, #juliaquinn, #rachelreads&reviews, #regencyromance, #thedukeandI