BOOK REVIEW: The Misadventures of Marvin Miller by Megan E. Cassidy

The Misadventures of Marvin Miller

Author: Megan E. Cassidy

Genre: MG/YA Coming of Age / Humour

Publication Date: June 12th, 2017

Book Description:

When his friends seem to find girlfriends all at the same time, Marvin is left looking for a date with no prospects in sight. While desperately trying to find a girlfriend, Marvin and his friends stumble from one hilariously improbable situation to the next: accidentally setting a fire, causing a blackout, ruining a wedding, and creating chaos during the final basketball game of the summer season. It seems as if nothing can ever go right for Marvin, until he finally begins a relationship with a new African-American girl in town. The problem is, not all of his friends approve.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

Marvin Miller is one handful, I'll tell you that. I don't think I've ever heard of someone getting up to so much mischief in such a short space of time. While he can't be fully blamed for all the mishaps that take place, he manages to always find himself at the heart of the commotion. Marvin just finished seventh grade and has a mission to start the eighth grade with a girl at his side as it's not cool to be an eighth grader without a girlfriend. The problem: many of the girls at his school despise Marvin because of his behaviour. But there's good news: there's a new girl in town, and she knows nothing about Marvin Miller and his recent catastrophes. Will he get the girl? You can never tell with Marvin Miller.

This was an enjoyable read. I got into the story right away. It was humorous, adventurous and full of adrenalin. With all the hilarious chaos caused by Marvin and his friends, the story manages to implement some hard-hitting themes, including prejudice, racism and courage. I thought the lesson and subject matter was handled with great care without being too overbearing and too preachy. I have to be honest, after about the first half of the book, Marvin's antics started to feel a little excessive. Boys will be boys, but it just seemed a little too much going from one troubling situation to the next with no real focus on anything else, and there were some interesting characteristics and storylines to these characters that I thought were hugely overshadowed in favour of seeing how much mischief Marvin and his friends could cause.

It was a good story that lost it's appeal a little in the middle. I did love the ending with the interaction between Marvin and Riley and his mother shouting out his name. It reminded me of Home Alone. It was a good read, and it definitely made me interested in finding out more, so I might read on.

VERDICT

Award: Silver

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

Source: Own copy

Cover Reveal - Rise the Seas by Milana Jacks

Rise the Seas

Author: Milana Jacks

Publication Date: March 10th, 2018

Genre: NA Paranormal Romance / Dystopian

Book Description:

He should send her away. But her innocent touch sets off his dragon beast.

Selena

I’m the last Salazar female left on Earth, but I’m still fully human, and I’m not a bargaining chip. No way am I marrying my Dad’s business partner’s son, even if Diego does have a megatronic crotch. I’ve got to get away from the habitat. My old fly-only car won’t make it to New York, but it can take me as far the dragon island just offshore.

Lance

Ten years ago, I thought a willowy woman in white “gifting” me and my three buddies with an elemental beast was a tequila-fueled dream—until I woke up as a blue dragon, supposedly with control over water. Except I can’t seem to raise so much as a ripple in the iceberg-choked sea. Worse, unlike my friends, I’m covered in scales.

Most alien Cy know not to visit my domain uninvited. But this intruder isn’t cyborg or alien. She’s a human female seeking protection. I should turn her down. I should send her home. But her innocent touch arouses my beast. And he’s not letting her go…

About the Author
Milana grew up with tales of water fairies that seduced men, vampires that seduced women, and Babaroga who’d come to take her away if she didn’t eat her bean soup. She writes devious dystopian adult romance often about extraterrestrials and fantasy creatures roaming the Earth where she resides with her mate and their three little monsters.

Author Links:

Website ¦ Goodreads ¦ Facebook ¦ Twitter

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Book Spotlight - Forbidden Tides by Kyla Stan

Forbidden Tides

Author: Kyla Stan

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Publication Date: April 17th, 2018

Book Description:

…Some would say I look like a mermaid, the essence of nautical beauty. I looked in the mirror and saw a monster....

... "Astrid, my name is Zander of the Deep Clan, and I am here to bring you home.”

Astrid Murphy, born with strange webbed hands and a thirst for saltwater, feels like a freak. She desires to look and feel normal, just like her family. But Astrid doesn’t realize that she’s meant to be the next ruler of the Deep Clan, a race of merpeople who are dying from pollution and overhunting. She is the only one who can save them.

Zander’s mission was to find Astrid, bring her home, and save their world. Not to fall in love with his target. Surrounded in a web of danger, a forbidden love between princess and warrior blossoms. But Zander knows they can’t focus on each other. The Deep Clan must come first.

But it’s the one enemy Astrid never expected who will tear it all down. Her father. The one person who was supposed to love and protect her, will do anything to keep her from fulfilling her destiny with Zander. Even kill. 

As Astrid and Zander fight for their world, they learn the true depth of what it means to love, the power of hope, and what it means to be free.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Book Spotlight & Giveaway - Pen & Xander by Laekan Zea Kemp

Pen & Xander

Author: Laekan Zea Kemp

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Publication Date: October 21st, 2017

Book Description:

Pen Prado has a passion for cooking. Specifically, cooking her father's food in her father's restaurant. It's the heart of their immigrant neighborhood, a place where everyone belongs, and second chances are always on the menu. Except for Pen. Despite the fact that there's something almost magic about her food, her father can't imagine anything worse than her following in his footsteps. And when Pen confesses to keeping a secret from her family, he fires her, ensuring she never will.

Xander Amaro is undocumented but that doesn't stop Ignacio Prado from offering him a job at his restaurant. For Xander, it's a chance to make amends and to sever his toxic relationship with the druglord, El Cantil--a man whose been like a father to him since his own disappeared. Soon after, his mother abandoned him too, leaving behind a void that not even his abuelo can fill. Until he meets Pen.

Both seeking a place where they feel like they truly belong, they end up finding each other, and in the face of tremendous fear and self-doubt, they end up finding themselves.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

February Favourites

Welcome to my February Favourites.

Here, you will find a list of the movies and books I watched and read in February and my favourite among them.

Books Read:

Favourite:

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Movies Watched:

Favourite:

Cover Reveal - Dwarves of Calcus (Fairytale Galaxy Chronicles #3) by Katie Hamstead

Dwarves of Calcus
(Fairytale Galaxy Chronicles #3) 

Author: Katie Hamstead

Genre: YA Space Opera / Sci-fi/Fantasy

Release Date: March 6th, 2018

Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press

Book Description:

When she was thirteen, Snow Sabbia crash landed on the dwarves' home planet of Calcus. After fleeing from her step-mother's huntsman, seven brother dwarves took her in to hide and protect her. She has hidden for years on the peaceful planet, tinkering with old automobiles and pushing papers in the mine office.

Then, Timothy White shows up.

The shy, nervous, nerdy heir captivates Snow before she even knows who he is, and quickly she falls in love. But his high profile in society draws unwanted attention from her vengeful stepmother, who wants Snow dead.

Geneva believed Snow died years earlier and she had consumed her innocent heart. With her late husband's wealth, Snow's inheritance, in tow, she married a young lord, Conrad. Both are using each other--Geneva for his title and to have a child, Conrad for her money and beauty. But when Conrad lays eyes on his boyhood rival's lovely fiance, Snow, his overwhelming desire for her reveals the truth to Geneva, that Snow lives.

Desperate to hold onto her wealth and power, Geneva seeks to kill Snow properly this time. Snow has the power to wield the one thing that can destroy her, so she cannot let the girl claim possession of the family heirloom, the Nevollo Sword.

Snow soon learns her step-mother knows she is alive. But she is a pacifist, so she must outwit Geneva and remain hidden... until Geneva, disguised as a child, presents her with an apple.

Previous Books in the Series (click on images for Goodreads links):

 

About the Author

Born and raised in Australia, Katie's early years of day dreaming in the "bush", and having her father tell her wild bedtime stories, inspired her passion for writing.

After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student where she met a young man who several years later she married. Now she lives in Arizona with her husband, daughter and their dog.

She has a diploma in travel and tourism which helps inspire her writing.

When her debut novel, Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh, climbed into bestselling status, she believed she was onto something, and now has a slew of novels now available, and is published through Curiosity Quills Press, Soul Mate Publishing, and REUTS Publishing.

Katie loves to out sing her friends and family, play sports, and be a good wife and mother. She now works as an Acquisitions Editor to help support her family. She loves to write, and takes the few spare moments in her day to work on her novels.

Author Links:

   

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BOOK REVIEW: Reunited by Brittany Nicole Lewis

Reunited
(The Zion Series, Book 2)

Author: Brittany Nicole Lewis
Genre: YA Christian Fiction
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2018

Book Description:
Just as Katie's life is settling into a new normal after leaving Zion and the birth of her son, she is given news that will forever alter her reality.

Meanwhile, the moment that Michael has so desperately wished for, but never thought would come has finally arrived. He must make the hardest decision of his life, and if he doesn't choose correctly, he could lose everything, forever.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

Reunited concludes this uplifting coming of age story about a brother and sister standing up for what they believe in and fighting to keep their family together. Michael and Katie have always been close, but ever since Katie's departure from Zion, the two have been living worlds apart, both trying to find their place and discover who it is they truly want to be. After discovering the reasons behind Katie's departure and learning the truth about Zion and his own heritage, Michael starts to realise that he and Katie share the same views about Zion. However, he quickly discovers that not everyone shares their views and forcing the community to change isn't as easy as he imagined it would be. When it comes down to choosing between his family and Zion, Michael finds himself at a complete loss. To choose either one would mean abandoning the other for good.

This was a good conclusion to the series. Michael's mood was a lot more controlled than it was when we last saw him, and I thought he handled the difficult choices he had to make as best he could. Although we don't get much interaction between Michael and Katie, when they do get together, you get a good sense of the bond they share, which was nice to see. What I liked most about this series was how it makes you question your own decisions. The characters are really relatable. You find yourself constantly asking what you would do if you were in their situation. It's rather compelling.

If there was something I wanted that I didn't feel there was enough of in this book, it would be a more hightened level of intensity. The ambience was unchanging throughout the book. The only spike came right at the end of the book - an ending I very much liked, mind you. I did struggle yet again with the errors, but they are minor, so nothing a little editing couldn't rectify.

This was a good read and a good ending to the series.

VERDICT

Award: Silver
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Source: Author

Cover Reveal & Giveaway - If I Could Stay by Annette K. Larsen

Coming February 22, 2018

If I Could Stay
Author: Annette K. Larsen

Nominate A Pirate at Pembroke & Enter to Win $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

A Pirate at Pembroke

Author: Danielle Thorne

Book Description:

A Jane Austen-inspired Pirate Romance

Sophie Crestwood is never going to catch a husband, and she isn’t even sure she wants one. Her father is a gossip, her mother always has her nose in a book, and little Jack has shamefully been dismissed from boarding school. Worst of all, a pirate moves next door into Pembroke Hall!

When Sophie’s sent to a matchmaking party at a neighboring estate, the pirate from Pembroke arrives and distracts everyone from the summer festivities. Unguarded, her feelings about the mysterious Captain Murdock bloom into a trusted friendship that Sophie fears may come to mean much more than anyone would ever suspect. Keeping company with a reputed pirate is one thing but falling in love with him could ruin the eccentric Crestwood family for good.

Danielle Thorne's book A Pirate at Pembroke is up for nomination in the Kindle Scout Contest.

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BOOK REVIEW - Out of the Nest: An Italian Summer by GB Amman

Out of the Nest: An Italian Summer

The Italian Saga Book 2
Author: GB Amman

Genre: MG/YA Coming of Age

Publication Date: 1st February 2016

Book Description:

Puberty: what a hot mess!

Italy, 1990. Leda is a strong-headed bookworm and a tomboy who can't fit anywhere as her world splits into girls and boys. Puberty is nonsensical and irritating until she falls victim to her first crush...

It's the summer of the 14th FIFA World Cup.

It's the summer of Leda's first kiss.

It's the summer that will change her life.

Can tomboy Leda win her fears and learn to stand up for herself? 

From periods to first kisses, pre-teens and adults alike will laugh and cry with this Italian childhood memoir set against the gorgeous backdrop of northern Italy and Tuscany.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

Lee and the gang are back for another wild adventure. Lee is off to middle school and is worried how the change will affect her friendship with the old gang. A lot is changing fast, and Lee isn't sure she likes it. The guys aren't how they were before, nor is she, it appears, as she's starting to prefer hanging out with her new friend, Sonia, as opposed to the boys. Friendships are tested and new romances are formed. Will Lee be able to survive the changes with her mind intact?

I really enjoyed this book. It was a good follow-up to the first book, and while I did like the new set of characters, I have to admit, I missed the old gang. I was hoping to see a bit more of Nico the Thug, particularly since there's a hint of chemistry between him and Lee. Although out of sight throughout most of the book, his influence on Lee was always predominant as many of her decisions were based on his impression of her and how much she's trying to prove him wrong. I don't know if any of the new characters left an impression on me, but what I did like about them was how much they challenged Lee to take risks and how much impact they had on her development, which made her come alive a lot more in this book than the first book.

This was a very hormone-driven tale, which wasn't too surprising given the kids were at that age of curiosity, but some of the topics discussed did surprise me, especially the wealth of information and knowledge some of the kids possessed. Lee often appeared mature for her age, which I did notice in the first book, but in this case, she seemed a little too mature at times, particularly when it came to her giving advice on relationships. Being as young and inexperienced as she is, her maturity sometimes came off feeling a little forced and not altogether authentic. I much preferred when she was confused and clueless as to how to handle her emotions. Take her relationship with Gio, for instance. This soon-to-be seventeen year-old hunk captures her heart at first sight, and she has no idea how to react around him. Her character shines in these moments, and that's when you truly get to connect with her. Gio was a little full on and borderline creepy, mind you. Lee was eleven, after all, so the panic and intimidation brought on by his advances came across as very genuine. I'm really warming to Lee. She's starting to feel very real.

I'm loving this series so far. I imagine there's a lot more drama and romance heading Lee's way as she approaches her teens. I have no idea what's ahead for Lee, but I'm sure it will involve chaos and heartache; what every good coming of age story needs. A jolly good read indeed.

VERDICT

Award: Gold

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Source: Author

BOOK REVIEW: Azalea, Unschooled by Liza Kleinman

Azalea, Unschooled

Author: Liza Kleinman

Genre: Children's Fiction
Publication Date: 25th May 2015

Book Description:

In Pennsylvania, it was a clothing boutique for pets. Then a breakfast buffet in North Carolina. Then an apple orchard in Connecticut. Now, Azalea’s dad says he’s going to drive a tour bus in Portland, Maine. Through all those moves, Azalea and her older sister were homeschooled by their mom. But when they move to Portland, Azalea’s mom asks them to try unschooling—a method of learning that gives children more freedom to direct their own education. As the sisters struggle to find a delicate new balance, their world is rocked when someone sabotages Dad’s tour bus. Azalea decides it is up to her to find the culprit and hold her family together. In her fresh and funny debut middlereader novel, Liza Kleinman deftly explores the new unschooling movement as well as the challenges of moving to a new home, making friends, and finding room for differences within a family.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

Azalea and her family just moved to town and almost immediately she makes an enemy, who she later believes vandalised her Dad's tour bus as a message for Azalea and her family to get out of town. As if trying to make new friends and dealing with a threat wasn't challenging enough, Azalea's parents suggest that her and her sister try unschooling - "a natural, child-driven exploation off the world". As Azalea goes about finding the culprit who's been terrorising her family, she learns that not all is as it seems and that the problem is a lot closer to home than she first realised.

This was a good read. It took me a while to get into it and really enjoy the story. Honestly, I found the first half of the book a little boring, but it picked up in the second half, and the story won me over in the end. Azalea is an engaging and vibrant character who is easy to relate to. I don't think I'll be continuing the series, but I am glad I got the chance to read this book. There ae some good lessons to be learned here, some good themes explored.

VERDICT

Award: Silver

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars

Source: Own copy

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