Early Book Review: Volcano, Where Fire and Water Meet by Mary M. Cerullo

Volcano, Where Fire and Water Meet by Mary M. Cerullo is a children's nonfiction book currently scheduled for release on August 1 2021.  Lava shoots in the air, then bubbles down mountains, flattening, burning, and boiling everything in its path. The destructive forces of volcanoes are terrifying and well-known. But what about their other forces? Volcanoes can spur new growth of plants and trees. In the water, they create an environment where coral reefs and sea life can thrive. In fact, the meeting of volcanic fire and ocean water gave way to life on Earth.Stitching science, history, and mythology together, Cerullo explores these explosive wonders of nature and reveals the secrets they’ve been keeping since the beginning of the world.

Volcano, Where Fire and Water Meet is exactly what I expect from nonfiction published by Scholastic. The content is well written and researched It is informative and accessible to a range if readers without feeling too easy or too complicated at any point. The chosen images where a perfect pairing to the text- offering visual interest and detail in the subject matter. Frankly, I went back to look at the images for a second time after I finished my first read, since I found them to be simply fascinating. I really like that there was a glossary, source notes, and bibliography included i the endpages. This always make me happy- not only because it gives readers a chance to further explore the topic, but because it helps them see that these this are necessary when writing books or papers. 

I think this would be a perfect book for readers interested in the subject. It is also a book that would be a valuable resource in classrooms and libraries to aid in lessons on the subject, and to get students engaged and excited about the subject.

Book Review: The Ghoul Next Door by Cullen Bunn, Cat Farris

The Ghoul Next Door, with text by Cullen Bunn and illustrations by Cat Farris, is a middle grade graphic novel. Eleven-year-old Grey lives in the legend-haunted New England town of Ander’s Landing, and he can’t help but feel like a pair of eyes is watching his every move. He discovers odd, gruesome bits and pieces from the graveyard that are left for him as gifts like art carved from bones or jewelry made from (hopefully not human) remains. Soon Grey is caught up in something bigger than he could ever have imagined.He finds himself drawn into a strange mystery involving a race of reclusive subterranean creatures—ghouls, the eaters of the dead! Turns out, his secret admirer is a ghoul named Lavinia. An unlikely friendship forms between them. The only problem is, their friendship breaks traditions—and the punishment is a fate worse than death.

The Ghoul Next Door is an entertaining graphic novel. The art style was nice, and I liked the lines but was not a big fan of the water color style for the coloring. The details were nicely done, and I thought the faces and highlights on hair and eyes for depth and dimension were very well done. I personally prefer a bolder, more solid style over the watercolor, but that is a matter of personal preference and not anything to do with the skill of the artwork involved, which I could still appreciate. I thought the story was well written, school and family moments were well done and I thought they felt realistic and true to character. There was a nice dose of creep, adventure, and mystery through the entire book. I liked it, and I think there are many middle grade and older readers that will really enjoy it. I had a little trouble getting invested in the story- but I think that was more because of the state of the world and some technical difficulties rather than anything lacking in the story.

Book Review: Wrath of the Tooth Fairy (Fairy Godmother Mysteries) by Sarina Dorie

Wrath of the Tooth Fairy is the first book in the Fairy Godmother Mysteries series by Sarina Dorie. Mira has never understood why princesses have all the fun. Fairy godmothers deserve a taste of Prince Charming, too! Too bad that affair costs Mira her job and reputation. Cast out of the fairy realm and reduced to working as a lowly tooth fairy, she’s spent ninety-nine years waiting for her chance at redemption. So why did the bogeyman have to start haunting her life now? Frustrated by the frequent terror of his visits, Mira takes drastic measures to save herself, including a date with a prince of darkness—yeah, she has a thing for princes. But her obsession with all things prince isn’t a coincidence, and when corruption in the fairy community is exposed, Mira comes face to face with the real reason she was demoted. Now, she wonders if she even wants to be a fairy godmother again and if the bogeyman might have been right all along.

Wrath of the Tooth Fairy is an urban fantasy with romantic elements. I liked the set up and thought Mira was a good character. She had flaws and issues, as everyone does, and is just trying to do the best she can. I could completely relate to her doubts and worries about whether people really wanted her around or were just setting her up to fall or for a joke. Saw bullies pull that way too often in the real world- and still see that sort of thing. However, I really did like the way her personal growth was handled. While an engaging story is important it is the characters that really hook me into a story. The Bogeyman, irruption, and romantic elements were very well done. I do need to admit that most of the twists were things I saw coming almost from the beginning. But the ride was highly entertaining and the conclusion was not quite what I expected. I enjoyed the read and expect to explore more from the author. 

Wrath of the Tooth Fairy is a good series starter and I am curious where the story will go from here.

Early Book Review: A Good Day for Chardonnay (Sunshine Vicram) by Darynda Jones

A Good Day for Chardonnay is the second book in the Sunshine Vicram series by Darynda Jones and is currently scheduled for release on July 27 2021. I do recommend reading in order, so that readers can better understand some of the characters and relationships. 

Running a small-town police force in the mountains of New Mexico should be a smooth, carefree kind of job. Sadly, full-time Sheriff—and even fuller-time coffee guzzler—Sunshine Vicram, didn’t get that memo. All Sunshine really wants is one easy-going day. You know, the kind that starts with coffee and a donut (or three) and ends with take-out pizza and a glass of chardonnay (or seven). Turns out, that’s about as easy as switching to decaf. (What kind of people do that? And who hurt them?) Before she can say iced mocha latte, Sunny’s got a bar fight gone bad, a teenage daughter hunting a serial killer and, oh yes, the still unresolved mystery of her own abduction years prior. All evidence points to a local distiller, a dangerous bad boy named Levi Ravinder, but Sun knows he’s not the villain of her story. Still, perhaps beneath it all, he possesses the keys to her disappearance. At the very least, beneath it all, he possesses a serious set of abs. She’s seen it. Once. Accidentally. Between policing a town her hunky chief deputy calls four cents short of a nickel, that pesky crush she has on Levi which seems to grow exponentially every day, and an irascible raccoon that just doesn’t know when to quit, Sunny’s life is about to rocket to a whole new level of crazy.

A Good Day for Chardonnay is charming, funny, and suspenseful. I will admit that it took me a bit to remember what happened in the previous book, and who exactly everyone was, particularly in light of the previous series. However, once I let go of all that and just started to enjoy the read I was much happier and really became thoroughly invested in the characters and story again. There were some plot twists that I completely expected, some that I think I already knew going in, and a few that honestly took me by surprise. I liked that all of the major players got to grow and develop further, and that big bad things do happen- they are not the sole source of character growth and moving the plot along. Silly, fun, and heart warming moments are just as important and given just as much play as the harder moments- which I find is the key to survival anyway. I found myself grinning and then holding my breath as I read- so the roller coaster ride is very effective and  will keep readers turning pages. However, I do not think this is the place for new readers to start. definately read the first book in this series, A Bad Day for Sunshine, and if you want a even better understanding of the world before getting hooked read the Charley Davidson series, which is what made me a fan. 

A Good Day for Chardonnay is a fun and still heart stopping continuation of the series. Fans of the author will not be disappointed. 

Early Book Review: The World's Most Pointless Animals: Or are They? by Philip Bunting

The World's Most Pointless Animals: Or are They? by Philip Bunting is a children's non fiction book currently scheduled for release on July 202021. From familiar animals like giraffes (who don’t have any vocal cords) through to those that surely should not even exist, such as the pink fairy armadillo (absurdly huge front claws, super tough protective shell in baby pink, particularly susceptible to stress), our planet is full of some pretty weird and wonderful animals. For example: Koalas spend up to 18 hours a day asleep!Pandas are born bright pink, deaf, and blind.Dumbo octopuses flap their big fin-like ears to move around.A Narwhal’s tusk grows through its upper lip—ouch!

The World's Most Pointless Animals is a fun and informative book that will keep readers engaged as they learn about some of the less common animals that we share the planet with. The illustrations are fun, and give some accurate scale and detail of each animal while also being cute and silly. A good number of the animals were ones I already knew about, because this are my favorite kind of animals, but some were new or less well known to me. The made up latin names were fun, although I think tossing in the correct names would not have been a bad move, since some of the real latin names  (and translation) are pretty amusing in their own right. I like that each animal each got a page (or two) dedicated to it, and that some of the value of each as part of the larger ecosystem is covered. I also like that the book celebrates the things that make the animals different, the things that might have us wondering why they are like that, and points out that we all have our differences and that is what makes the world interesting and so much fun. I a book that balances fun, learning, and a good message. This book has that in spades. 

Book Review: Bad Intentions (The Prescotts) by Tara Wyatt

Bad Intentions is the fourth book in The Prescotts series by Tara Wyatt. You do not need to read them as a series, but having some prior knowledge about the characters makes the read more engaging.

Everyone in Manhattan thinks they know everything there is to know about Lucian Prescott. In his mid-forties, he’s a successful businessman, the founder and CEO of one of Manhattan’s largest hospitality companies, the Prescott Group. He’s also the head of the Kings of Hell’s Kitchen, a small, elite group of former mob members who are the lynchpin in Manhattan’s underground organized crime scene. But Lucian has more secrets than just his criminal ties—like the fact that he’s been in love with Olivia Walsh for the past five years. Olivia, who is eighteen years younger than him and happens to be the daughter of Prescott Group’s biggest, most important investor. She’s completely off-limits, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting her. In his arms. His bed. His life. He knows he needs to stay away from her, no matter how he feels about her—or how she feels about him. But staying away becomes impossible when Olivia’s ex—a man almost as dangerous as Lucian—begins stalking her, and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe. He’ll burn down the entire city to protect the only woman he’s ever loved.

Bad Intentions is a book that wraps of the romantic interests of the Prescott family nicely. Lucian has been working hard behind the scenes trying to keep the piece and help those he cares about find happiness and security. I liked the set up, and I thought Lucian was a well written character. His efforts on behalf of everyone else makes him a very sympathetic character, even as he pulls the strings between mob families. I liked seeing thing from his perspective, and from Olivia's. I thought she was a little less dynamic, but still I rooted for them both. The suspense and action of the story was very well done, and the book was very steamy. Plenty of sex on and off screen, but I did feel like the only connection between the two was lust. There was no real relationship progression that hooked me, it was more like the flip of a switch,  but wondering how the danger aspect would play out kept me reading. I know part of that was because oft he way they had danced around each other for years, but I still felt like something was missing there.  Honestly, at a certain point I was more interested in Lucian and his team in the Kings than in his relationship with Olivia. 

Bad Intentions is a contemporary romance with high heat and suspense. A must read for fans of the series. 

Book Review: A Grimoire for Gamblers (Trove Arbitrations) by Amanda Creiglow

A Grimoire for Gamblers is the first book in the Trove Arbitrations series by Amanda Creiglow. Small town mayor’s assistant Elizabeth has enough on her plate grieving her father’s suicide. She doesn’t need his stash of magical knowledge in the attic. She doesn’t need the hidden supernatural subculture of monsters it pulls her into. And she certainly doesn’t need hints that her father’s madness might have been a smokescreen for something far darker. But uncovering her father’s secrets could be the only way Elizabeth can stop a string of suspicious suicides… if the local wizard doesn’t rip the memories out of her mind, first.

A Grimoire for Gamblers is the start of a new series that I will be reading. I think the world building was well done, delivering a great deal of information throughout the book with out feeling like there were any big info dumps to wade through. I liked Elizabeth's character as well, I thought her grief at the loss of her father and her curiosity at the world she was discovering was well done. I thought the introduction to the secondary characters was very well done as well. I have questions, but not because the author left out important information but because I simply want to know more and see more of them in future installments of the series. I also liked that some of the magical creations and characters were ones that are not as prevalent in the genre. Some oft he magic and characters were ones I do not remember being worked into urban fantasy before, which made me very happy. I love discovering new to met hings and exploring them further. I think the twists and turns of the story were very well done, and I look forward to were the story might go from here. 

A Grimoire for Gamblers is a solid series starter with a nice balance of satisfying ending and needing more.

Book Review: Chéri, My Destiny! by Okoge Mochino

Chéri, My Destiny! by Okoge Mochino is a manga style graphic novel. Kaoru is brimming with confidence. After all, he opened a patisserie after studying in France, and is the head chef of his own store. But there’s one small problem; his customers are enamored with a local Japanese sweet shop and Soujirou, the attractive and reserved craftsman who makes the treats on offer. Convinced that stuffy old Japanese confections could never compete with his modern, Western style creations, he decides the only way forward is to prove to Soujirou that his chocolates are the best. But when Soujirou accepts his gift gracefully and even compliments him on his skills, Kaoru’s intense feelings take a sudden turn in the opposite direction.

Chéri, My Destiny! is a cute romance between two confection makers. I have always been a fan of the grumpy hero, and I got that here. I liked getting to see Kaoru and Soujitou get to know each other and start their relationship. I think the art was well done, and the style matched the story and offered details and emotion. I did think the ending was a little off. I liked that it surprised me a little, but thought a conversation or something added to the end would have wrapped things up a little better and felt more satisfying. I did like the little day in the life bonuses at the end, but they could have been before the ending and still fit quite well into the story and the book. Please be aware, there is some on page sex. Just so no one is caught by surprise reading in public.

Chéri, My Destiny! is a cute, fun, and enjoyable read.

Book Review: Van Helsing Academy (Supernatural Rehab) by Stacey O'Neale

Van Helsing Academy is the first book in the young adult Supernatural Rehab series by Stacey O'Neale. Mina can't remember anything about the night she was attacked. All she knows is what she's been told: she got separated from her team during a mission and turned up two months later covered in cuts and bruises alongside two dead vampires. After being blamed for their deaths, she is sentenced to three years at the supernatural rehabilitation center, the Van Helsing Academy. As Mina searches for answers, lies are slowly unraveled and alliances forged. Soon she will uncover a secret plot that threatens to destroy her family legacy and ignite a war between the supernatural factions.

Van Helsing Academy is a solid series opener. I thought that the world and character building was well done. There were many of the usual boarding school tropes, but there were definitely deviations from that as well. I liked the development for Mina, and while I was not always happy with her I thought she was consistent and true to character. There were some high points, and I enjoyed  those very much. To be honest, I saw at least some of the big twists coming. There were some hints and dropped bits of information that I really expected to become important, and maybe they do later in the series, but I felt like some great potential was there and just not followed through. So many possible twists or characters that were left behind. 

Van Helsing Academy is a good read, and I think fans of the genre will really enjoy it. 

Book Review: Underdogs (Underdogs) by Geonn Cannon

Underdogs is the first book in the Underdogs series by Geonn Cannon. Ariadne Willow is a private investigator with a secret weapon. She’s a canidae, a person with the ability to transform into a wolf at will. Using her heightened senses to track and her shapeshifting to follow people without being seen, she’s made a decent business for herself and her associate Dale Frye. When one of the richest women in Seattle wishes to hire her, Ari and Dale think their ship has finally come in. All Ari has to do is observe the client’s tabloid-friendly daughter, fresh out of rehab, and confirm that she’s truly clean. Ari thinks the case will be a piece of cake, but a moment of shocking violence changes everything. Soon Ari finds herself backed into a corner with no way out, forced to either run or risk losing everything she holds dear by fighting an enemy with unlimited power and resources. With Dale refusing to leave her side, Ari decides to make a stand to remind her enemies that there’s only one rule in betting.

Underdogs is a urban fantasy mystery with a little bit of everything. There is the paranormal element, which was different enough from things I have already read that I kept wondering what else might exist in that world, and who else might be other. The detective and mystery portion had some twists that I rather expected but some that took me by surprise. The world and character building was very well done, and I felt like a good amount of reveals were made without any overwhelming info dumps. Although, I would not mind more information on some past events in some kind of novella or prequel. Not that that would be necessary, but rather because I liked the characters enough to want more. Ari and Dale make a great team, and there are clearly some interesting stories in both their pasts. I am not sure where the series will go from here, but I do plan on finding out.

There are some triggers in here- there are several kinds of abuse and betrayal referenced that might be hard for survivors to get past. Just so those that need to prepare themselves can.

Underdogs is a solid series starter that left me satisfied but intrigued.