Early Book Review: Thank You, Next by Sophie Ranald

Thank You, Next by Sophie Ranald is a contemporary romance currently scheduled for release on November 30 2020. Seriously, why do guys on dating apps think I want a picture of what’s in their pants? I could open an art gallery with the collection I’ve got. Zoe really doesn’t want to die alone and surrounded by cats. But it’s not looking good: she’s had sex precisely twice in the last year, and her feline friend isn’t the kind of male company she wants in bed. Her top dating disasters include: the guy who kissed her hand, took out a violin and serenaded her in public, the guy who force-fed her oysters (she can confirm that they’re not an aphrodisiac), the guy who was so hungover he turned up with his t-shirt on inside out, sweating sambuca, and the guy who brought his actual kid on a dinner date. And don’t even get her started on the dick pics, or how on earth you’re supposed to know whether a total stranger is an axe murderer or not. Zoe's ready to give up on the search for love, until her friend has an idea. Robbie lives by his horoscope, and he’s sure she’s got this dating stuff all wrong. He dares her to work her way through the zodiac until she finds The One. Usually Zoe would laugh at such a suggestion, but desperate times call for desperate measures. 

Thank You, Next is a romance that I have mixed feelings about. I liked some aspects a lot. The secondary characters and friendships in the book were very well done. I liked the community around Zoe, and some of the conversations and situations were very well done. There were moments of the story I greatly enjoyed, and I think the ending was well thought out and executed. However, I thought the story was a little meandering. Chapter one is the details of a bad date, that actually happens in the middle of the book time-line wise. Chapter two is the start of setting up the actual story and secondary characters. It just felt a little awkward and stilted for me. I know life often gets jumbled up, and we make bad choices and things go awry- which is often what makes for a good story. However, I felt like Zoe was a doormat and there is little to no information or development on partner in finding a happy ending. He does not even make an appearance until about a third into the book, and even then there is no real information about him, how he feels, or what he is thinking. For me it is the main characters getting to know each other and overcoming something together that really makes a book stand out, in this case it was more about Zoe finding herself and less about the actual relationship. This is something that other readers really look for, but rather missed the mark for me.

Thank You, Next is about one woman figuring out who she is and what she wants, and having some interesting moments along the way. 

Book Review: More Fish Faces: More Photos and Fun Facts about Tropical Reef Fish by Tam Warner Minton

More Fish Faces: More Photos and Fun Facts about Tropical Reef Fish by Tam Warner Minton is the second book in the Ocean Friends series. This volume offers readers more fun faces and more fun facts for fish fans young and old. Colorful photography — including the names of every fish featured — creates a colorful dive log worth experiencing again and again. The photos and fun facts are presented in small and easily digestible bites so your child can enjoy learning in short bursts or longer reads. It is a wonderful book for bedtime. Concepts like recycling, re-purposing, and sustainability are presented with photos and practical examples that are easily understood. 10% of profits will go to the Marine Megafauna Foundation to continue their scientific research to protect our oceans and ocean giants.

More Fish Faces: Photos and Fun Facts about Tropical Reef Fish offers readers exactly what the title suggests, a continuation of the colorful photographs and interesting information the All Fish Faces gave readers. Again, I found that the photographs were high quality and worth looking through the book all by themselves. I liked that each picture is also clearly labeled and that the accompanying information boxes were well written and chosen for the audience.  I think animal and ocean loving readers will adore this book and its predecessor. I learned a few things, and really enjoyed the photographs. 

Book Review: Crazy Stupid Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

Crazy Stupid Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams is a contemporary romance novel. Alexis Carlisle and her cat café, ToeBeans, have shot to fame after she came forward as a victim of a celebrity chef’s sexual harassment. When a new customer approaches to confide in her, the last thing Alexis expects is for the woman to claim they’re sisters. Unsure what to do, Alexis turns to the only man she trusts—her best friend, Noah Logan. Computer genius Noah left his rebellious teenage hacker past behind to become a computer security expert. Now he only uses his old skills for the right cause. But Noah’s got a secret: He’s madly in love with Alexis. When she asks for his help, he wonders if the timing will ever be right to confess his crush. Noah’s pals in The Bromance Book Club are more than willing to share their beloved “manuals” to help him go from bud to boyfriend. But he must decide if telling the truth is worth risking the best friendship he’s ever had.

Crazy Stupid Bromance is a contemporary, friends to lover romance that is self aware. I loved the importance put on communication, consent, and honesty (especially with yourself). These are factors in every relationship, and most romance novels, but here they were not just underlying themes and plot points- they were THE point. Neither Alexis or Noah want to lose the friendship they have, and neither can get out of their own way long enough to have an honest discussion about it all because of that fear and the amount of other things going on in their lives. For awhile I thought the sheer amount of intense thing happening to them at the same time was overkill, but then I looked around and thought about my life, and sometimes that's just how it goes. Good and bad all bombarding us at the same time- and getting a moment to process and take a breath seems impossible. I held my breath with both Alexis and Noah more than once, was upset with each of them sometimes for either not listening or not speaking, and relieved when their support systems stepped up and helped. I loved the secondary characters and the community that is clearly built in the books by Adams. I will be going back to read previous book, and keeping an eye out for future releases.

Crazy Stupid Bromance is a sweet and funny romance with plenty of heat and angst built in. An emotional roller coaster to be sure, but still plenty of moments that make readers like me grin.

Book Review: Black Witch Magic by Mila Nicks

Black Witch Magic by Mila Nicks is a paranormal romance and mystery, and the start of a series. Selene Blackstone spends her days camped out in library corners with her nose glued to books. In a town like Brimrock, where she’s an outcast, she prefers her book friends to her real-life enemies. They’re a lot less judgmental. The rest of town believes she descends from a family of witches—including her evil witch grandma, Luna. In this case, the truth is stranger than fiction. She is a witch, and she’s cursed for all of eternity. Good thing her to-be-read list is pretty long. Prickly Paranormal Investigator Aiden O’Hare speaks two languages: sarcasm and more sarcasm. He travels the country—and sometimes even the world—investigating strange phenomena with his best friend, Eddie. Their investigations bring them to a cozy New England town called Brimrock, home to fabled evil witch Luna Blackstone. Armed with his dry wit, his bibliophilic love for books, and far too much free time, he’s determined to find out just what happened to Luna. When Aiden meets Selene, he decides he must get to know her. When Selene learns Aiden is in town investigating her grandma, she knows she must stop him. He’s out to expose the truth. She’s out to keep it a secret. Neither expects to fall under each other’s spell, but sometimes love is supernatural.

Black Witch Magic is a good example or a paranormal romance that has a good balance of danger and mystery along side the getting to know the characters as they get to know each other. I really liked Aiden's character, and his self awareness of his social awkwardness and introverted nature. He is well aware of how his bookish tendencies and sarcastic replies can come across and does his best to be himself without causing hurt feelings or misunderstandings. I felt for him as he tried to avoid the holiday festivities without causing problems or making himself miserable.  Selene is just trying to get by in a town that hates her for no other reason than the family she was born into and things outside her control. I was frustrated on her behalf and so glad that she did have a support system to help her deal with it all. I liked both characters and found their interactions to be fun and sweet. I really liked the mystery set up, and I honestly thought someone else would be the culprit when the big reveal was made. I thought the build up was well done, and the world building for that little town was complete. I rather hope that as the series continues that we get to see some of the characters play a role, particularly the friends that were such a big part of both Aiden and Selene's live before they met. 

Black Witch Magic is as much about the magical mystery as it is about the romance between Selene and Aiden. I am interested to see where the series goes next.

Early Book Review: Barely Functional Adult: It'll All Make Sense Eventually by Meichi Ng

 Barely Functional Adult: It'll All Make Sense Eventually by Meichi Ng is currently scheduled for release on November 24 2020. This collection of four color, never before seen, short stories holds a mirror to our past, present, and future selves. Featuring a swaddled Barely Functional Adult as its protagonist who says all the things we think but dare not say, this book is equal parts humorous and heartbreaking as it spans a spectrum of topics from impostor syndrome, therapy, friendships, first loves, letting go of exes, to just trying to find your purpose in the world. 

Barely Functional Adult had a little more text than I was expecting, but I really enjoyed the read. The illustrations are charming and cute, and I recognized the artist's work as something I have enjoyed in the past. As an introvert that has struggled with some of the same thoughts, I related to the personal narrative. I liked the honesty and frankness of the text, and think that there are a great many people that could relate to the book. We are all just struggling in our own way through life, and seeing that no one choice is perfect, and feelings might be troublesome but most are universal, can make readers feel less alone. Impostor syndrome and not really knowing what we are supposed to be doing are pretty common, and I hate to break it to you- age does not lessen the possibility of these feelings. While this is marketed mainly at readers that share the author's generational labels, I think everyone can find something here to relate to, including middle and high school students. I tell my own kids all the time that the adults they see are faking it just as much as they are- and that reminder that we are all just getting through life a day at a time is good for all of us. I do not mean all that to mean this book is depressing, rather that it foster the knowledge that none of us are alone, and that there is hope and humor to be found in it all.

Book Review: All Fish Faces: Photos and Fun Facts about Tropical Reef Fish by Tam Warner Minton

 All Fish Faces: Photos and Fun Facts about Tropical Reef Fish by Tam Warner Minton is a collection of  tropical reef fish faces. Some fierce, some fun, but all a joy for fish fans young and old. Colorful photography — including names of every fish featured — creates a colorful dive log worth experiencing again and again. Introducing kids and their families to our ocean friends will create a generation of excited, enthusiastic, and caring ocean lovers who care deeply about marine life. Who knows? Maybe it will encourage future scientists and conservationists! It includes ocean and marine life education and tips on how kids, and everyone they know, can help save our ocean friends. 10% of profits will go to the Marine Megafauna Foundation to continue their scientific research to protect our oceans and ocean giants.

All Fish Faces: Photos and Fun Facts about Tropical Reef Fish is a visually and informational interesting book for all ages. I found that the photographs were high quality and worth looking through the book all by themselves. I liked that each picture is also clearly labeled and that the accompanying information boxes were well written and chosen for the audience. I learned quite a bit, as I love learning about animals of all kinds, but fish seem to be one of my weak spots. I think the formatting and color choices on each page are attention grabbing and are likely to keep the interest of even the most distracted readers. 

Book Review: Simmer Down by Sarah Smith

Simmer Down by Sarah Smith is a contemporary romance. Nikki DiMarco knew life wouldn’t be all sunshine and coconuts when she quit her dream job to help her mom serve up mouthwatering Filipino dishes to hungry beach goers, but she didn’t expect the Maui food truck scene to be so eat-or-be-eaten—or the competition to be so smoking hot. But Tiva’s Filipina Kusina has faced bigger road bumps than the arrival of Callum James. Nikki doesn’t care how delectable the British food truck owner is—he rudely set up shop next to her coveted beach parking spot. He’s stealing her customers and fanning the flames of a public feud that makes her see sparks. The solution? Let the upcoming Maui Food Festival decide their fate. Winner keeps the spot. Loser pounds sand. But the longer their rivalry simmers, the more Nikki starts to see a different side of Callum…a sweet, protective side. Is she brave enough to call a truce? Or will trusting Callum with her heart mean jumping from the frying pan into the fire?

Simmer Down is a well written romance, but one that I had trouble getting lost in. This could very well have been because I read it during election week and the world was more than a little stressful. It took me a while to get into the story, and I did enjoy the heart of it once it got going. I thought the chemistry between Callum and Nikki was well done, and the circumstances that landed them both in food trucks in Maui at the same time were handled well as well. I got a kick out of some of their heated interactions, and understood some of the reluctance for opening up as well. However, I will admit that I was annoyed with Nikki more than once, and I saw the majority of their issues coming. A good conversation rather than avoidance would have been a good start, and not necessarily have wrapped things up too early to make a good story. I did enjoy the read despite my annoyance with Nikki and the distractions from the outside world. Although, it did make me hungry while reading.

Simmer Down is a solid contemporary romance, but I just could not get as engaged in it as much as I hoped.

Audiobook Review: Premeditated Myrtle by Elizabeth C. Bunce, Narrated by Bethan Rose Young

Premeditated Myrtle, written by Elizabeth C. Bunce and narrated by Bethan Rose Young, is a middle grade historical mystery. Twelve-year-old Myrtle Hardcastle has a passion for justice and a Highly Unconventional obsession with criminal science. Armed with her father’s law books and her mum’s microscope, Myrtle studies toxicology, keeps abreast of the latest developments in crime scene analysis, and observes her neighbors in the quiet village of Swinburne, England. When her next-door neighbor, a wealthy spinster and eccentric breeder of rare flowers, dies under Mysterious Circumstances, Myrtle seizes her chance. With her unflappable governess, Miss Ada Judson, by her side, Myrtle takes it upon herself to prove Miss Wodehouse was murdered and find the killer, even if nobody else believes her — not even her father, the town prosecutor. 

Premeditated Myrtle is an engaging mystery set in Victorian England. Myrtle is a very smart, observant girl with perhaps more curiosity than is necessarily good for her.  To be honest, there were a couple moments in the first chapter when I thought this might be the second book rather than the first in the series, but I was soon completely immersed in the story. I liked that Myrtle and Miss Judson were among the smartest characters in the book, but also quite aware of how others thought of them because of their gender, age, and so on. They often used those expectations to their advantage even while being annoyed by them. I thought the mystery was well done, and while I expected one of the twists fairly early on, the way the story unfolded had me doubting myself a bit until the full reveal. I really enjoyed the journey and that there were surprised I was not expecting kept me on my toes through out the majority of the book. I enjoyed the characters and am very interested to see where they all go from here. I really enjoyed that the author included information and resources about historic forensic science in the back matter. Guidance for further exploration- particularly for younger readers- always makes me happy.

Premeditated Myrtle is a charming and entertaining series starter. I am looking forward to seeing what Myrtle and her family get up to next. 

Book Review: Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie, Volume 1, by Keigo Maki

Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie, Volume 1, by Keigo Maki is a manga style graphic novel. Shikimori seems like the perfect girlfriend: cute, fun to be around, sweet when she wants to be... but she has a cool dark side that comes out under the right circumstances. And her boyfriend Izumi loves to be around when that happens! 

Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie is av graphic novel that is well done, but left me wanting something more. It is a well drawn and written story of high school sweethearts. They are both nice, attractive, and generally well liked by their peers. Izumi is a bit of a klutz, and bad things tend to happen to him, but Shikimori is usually there to save the day with quick reflexes and a steely eyed look. Both think they like the other more, and spend a good deal of time trying to say or do the right thing to make the other happy, without going overboard. However, the description and a few moments in the story had me expecting some great reveal that she is really a spy or superhero, or something and that just did not pan out. So Shikimori is special because she is a girl that can be cute and cool, strong and nice. Hate to tell you, most girls, most people are more than one thing and the fact that a girl is more than cute should not be earth shattering, it should be fairly expected. Had the story just been described as a day in the life, high school sweetheart story, then it would have been a sweet, fun read about two teens trying to find their way together. Hinting that there is more and then failing to deliver or waiting for the second (or later) volume to give more than super subtle hints simply leaves readers frustrated. 

Book Review: The Witch and the Beast, Volume 1 by Kousuke Satake

The Witch and the Beast, Volume 1 by Kousuke Satake is a paranormal mystery and adventure  about powerful women and good and evil. Guideau is a feral girl with long fangs and the eyes of a beast. Ashaf is a soft-spoken man with delicate features and a coffin strapped to his back. This ominous pair appears one day in a town that's in thrall to a witch, who has convinced the townsfolk she's their hero. But Ashaf and Guideau know better. They have scores to settle, and they won't hesitate to remove anyone in their way. 

The Witch and the Beast is a manga style graphic novel with action, some gore, and a mystery around exactly who and what the main characters are. Ashaf seems nice and almost weak, until he needs to step up and take care of business, where as Guideau acts tough and uncontrollable but I have a suspicion that she has so much more to her story.  I think the story does a good job of setting up the questions about the major players and getting readers invested in the world that was created here. I know that when I finished the story I wanted to know more about what would happen next, and just how the characters came to be who they are. The artwork is very well done. I think the black and white pages were perfect for the story and style. I did find some of the details hard to pick out on occasion, and found myself squinting at the pages more than once trying to figure out something on a page, but that could be my aging eyes as much as the otherwise impeccable artwork.

The Witch and the Beast is a a graphic novel that will inspire further reading. I think fans of antihero's and complicated bourndries between good and evil will particularly enjoy the read.