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mermaidsirennikita · 3 months

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ARC REVIEW: In Want of a Viscount by Lorraine Heath

4.5/5. Releases 2/20/2024.

Vibes: a genuine good guy hero, Business Bitches, sex beyond p -> v, and a mind for business with a bod for sin!!!!!

Heat Index: 6/10

The Viscount of Wyeth--AKA Rook, because Chessmen: MASTERS OF SEDUCTION!!!, the greatest series title of all time--is known for having a keen eye for investments. What he isn't known for is raking about town, because he's determined to be different from his horrible father, a man more known for the illegitimate children he abandoned (or worse) than anything else. But a chance, anonymous encounter with a mysterious young woman has his strict sense of self-control shaken... until he realizes that she's the American Leonora Garrison, a secret businesswoman who's accompanied her less-talented brother on a hunt for investors. Like Rook! They try to keep it strictly professional--but their attraction to each other could ruin Leonora's dreams before they come to fruition.

Look man, it's Lorraine Heath. She knows what the fuck she's doing, always. This is one of her less dramatic romances, I would say, but the character beats and the swoony "oh my god we're falling in love" of it all is unmatched. It's not so much about twists and tricks as it is about Rook and Leonora falling deeply in love, with a pitch-perfect ramp up of sexual tension that culminates in the best way possible. I can be persnickety about a slow burn--but Lorraine proves that when the author is talented, it works HARD.

Quick Takes:

--You absolutely can read this as a standalone, but I am glad that I went back and read Lorraine's Sins for All Seasons series first. For one thing, that series is just great, and everyone should read it. For another, Rook is technically introduced in The Duchess in His Bed, starring his illegitimate brother Aiden Trewlove (his other illegitimate brother, Finn Trewlove, is the hero of The Scoundrel in Her Bed, one of my most recent Lorraine favorites). There is a good bit of layering of Rook's backstory related to their father, and if you're intrigued by that after reading this--you probably will be, it's fascinating--absolutely check that series out.

In a lot of ways, this felt like an emotional culmination. You really see how Rook has matured here, and is so valiantly trying to reach his own impossible standards. He's very literally atoning for the sins of his father, and it kind of breaks your heart. On the bright side, however, this brings in not only the Trewloves but some cameos from Lorraine's Stanwick books... and I'm never mad at that!

--Going back to Rook, though... He really is a good dude. And I'm a tough sell on a good guy hero. I feel like a lot of authors write them simply to keep stories uncomplicated, and not because they actually care about the characterization. The thing is--Lorraine has always been one of the only authors who nails a good guy hero every time. Because characterization? It's her thing.

You feel that Rook is deeply good, and you feel exactly how deeply he believes in his efforts to be morally upright and restrained. He's taken responsibility for a lot of things that really have nothing to do with him. However, it's also clear that a part of growing up that he hasn't quite confronted is like... admitting that he's human. He wants things. He wants sex. And it's honestly really fun to see him become this horny mess over Leonora.

--Leonora is the kind of heroine we really don't get enough of in historicals. She's kind of nerdy, but it's really most of a "business bitch" kind of nerdy. And I think that gels really well with where she's coming from--this bustling Gilded Age America where there's a lot of risk and a lot of (potential) reward. But this is about more than just gambling on a dream--it's about keeping her father's memory alive. That alone really ups the stakes here.

I also loved how geeky she was about taking things apart (literally) and how much that amused Rook.

--Lorraine Heath watches The Gilded Age (although literally anything she's written ever in her life blows that show out of the water). You can absolutely tell. Leonora's mother is right out of the Bertha Russell playbook. She wants to get into Mrs. Astor's ballroom!!! And yes, she will be a total asshole to get there if necessary!!!

I actually really loved that Rook and Leonora could subtly bond over having shitty parents, even if Leonora's mother wasn't on the level of Rook's father. It was one of those moments of commiseration.

--Okay, so... the scene where Rook caresses Leonora's foot while "inspecting her shoe for pebbles" is everything it's cracked up to be, and it is further evidence that deep within every Lorraine Heath hero is a Thing for Feet.

The Sex:

I loved how sex was approached in this one. Because Rook is so worried about fathering bastards like his father did, he's very reluctant to sleep around, and when he does, he places a HUGE emphasis on non-penetrative sex. In other words, as he amazingly put it to Leonora in one of my favorite scenes in the book:"fucking without fucking".

In romance in general, but perhaps especially in het books, and especially in historicals, penetrative sex is seen as the end-all be-all. I loved having a historical romance hero who really was more about.... other things. Especially things centering Leonora's pleasure. Like, it does drag out the sexual tension. And I really do love it when a hero who thinks he's Got It Together finds out he Most Definitely Doesn't (... which.... a rude awakening for our boy Rook).

While this is definitely one of Lorraine's softer books, it's also one of her more character-focused ones. It's sweepingly romantic, it's about breaking cycles and recovering from emotional trauma, and it's definitely for the "ridiculous amount of sexual tension in the best possible way" girlies.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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#romance novel blogging #arc reviews #netgalley #book recs #book reviews #romance novels #reblogging with the preorder links added

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overobsessedfanboy23 · 4 months

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Galaxy Cup is actually really good overall

I said back when the arc first finished that it was just as bad as the previous arc up until Kuaidul's introduction.

...yeah, no I don't think that's accurate to my feelings anymore. I didn't really remember the arc much differently, most of it felt very familiar rewatching it, I think I was honestly just in a bad fucking mood during nearly every episode of this arc before episode 74.

I was so burnt out by the amount of bad writing choices and overabundance of Sevens fanservice hijacking the plot in the previous arc that even though the darkness cards plot was inherently cool, I couldn't get invested in it because I just assumed the mastermind was going to be Otes and as a result, didn't care.

Rewatching this arc and KNOWING that the mastermind is actually this amazing new character pulling the strings enhanced the arc tenfold, especially the duels involving the darkness cards.

Kuaidul, and the foreshadowing and build up to him, is undeniably the best part of the arc. The final three episodes of this arc pop off so hard and are just peak Yugioh. As stated previously,

KUAIDUL VELGEAR

Plus, I absolutely adore the setup of the other characters having to defeat the protagonist who is playing right into the villain's hands without the villain even having to do anything. That is so cool and unique and amazing and HAVE I MENTIONED HOW MUCH I LOVE KUAIUDL?! HE'S A SASSY PUPPETMASTER WITH A HAND IN EVERYTHING AND AH HE'S SO DAMN COOL! :D

Um... So anyways, the rest of the arc is uh... it's pretty good. I kind of like Zaion now. He's funny. But let's be real for a moment: he was just a filler villain to tide us over before Kuaidul. Zaion was a tiny lil mozzarella stick tossed to us to make us shut up while we wait for our Kuaidul pizza. And while Zaion was a nice little enjoyable mozzarella stick, he did still feel like a distraction that... honestly still hasn't amounted to much, at least in the grand scheme of things. I dunno, the current upcoming episode at the time of writing this (A Clockwork Zaion) could change that but at the current moment, his presence in Galaxy Cup felt like a distraction and... messed with the pacing and focus of the arc a bit.

The big problem with this arc in general is that it was pretty aimless and all over the place before Kuaidul graced us with his presence. Before that... only one character gets properly taken over by a darkness card (Yuamu), which is supposed to the A plot, because the plot has to balance screentime with Zaion's furniture excursion, Yudias training Epoch, Manabu having my most hated episode in the show (again, not bothering to go into detail, we all know why it's bad) and then the fallout, Epoch learning that cheating is bad- oh wait, she never actually learned that because the arc was balancing too many plots at once and Epoch went right back to cheating in Spacetime. Ha ha oops. I don't dislike Epoch for this like I used to. She is just a kid and has other qualities that do make her a likeable character despite this but... the cheating thing really needs to be addressed.

This arc spent so much time introducing more and more subplots before the finals that to this day, it's left a lot of things unaddressed for way too long. Tremolo and co. are currently STILL FURNITURE and this arc ended in SEPTEMBER. There's just... too much going on this arc and it makes the episodes feel disjointed. That being said, the stuff that's going on is all good (except the Manabu thing). Yudias mentoring Epoch is really cute and Zaion is a funny ridiculous mozzarella stick of a villain. Most of the parts are good. They just don't completely mesh at times and makes the pacing a bit of a mess.

Seriously, Yudias getting into Galaxy Cup (something that's crucial for the finale of the arc to happen) felt so rushed and out of nowhere, as though the creators ran out of episodes to have him naturally get into the tournament with. However, I can ultimately forgive that as what it lead to was good. This arc is disjointed but apart from two episodes (the Manabu and Mitsuko ones), it's overall enjoyable and the payoff is well worth it. It definitely put Go Rush back on the right track, even if some of the problems from the last arc unfortunately carried over into this arc.

#yugioh go rush #ygo go rush #go rush #yugioh go rush spoilers #go rush spoilers #kuaidul velgear #zaion #zaion (go rush)#arc reviews

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sometimesraven · 1 year

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ARC review: When The Stars Alight

I wrote a review in exchange for an ARC ebook of When the Stars Alight by Camilla Andrew @aninkwellofnectar

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. 4 stars: a good read let down by its plot holes, but redeemed by its emotional storytelling I admit, I wasn’t sure where to place this book. Objectively I might rate it a little lower than I have, due to its functional issues, but emotionally it has won me over enough to bump the rating up a little.

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#arc reviews #blog #book reviews #ramblings #romance #when the stars alight #camilla andrew #mine

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cara-delaney-author · 6 months

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ARCs for TOMB OF HEART AND SHADOW are now live! If you fancy some new reading material and are the reviewing kind, go follow that there link for an eARC!

If you're not on BookSirens, but would like a regular review copy, feel free to use the contact form on my website to request a copy (epub, mobi, or PDF available).

#romantasy #fantasy romance #queer romance #bi4bi #ARC reviews #sapphic romance #Tomb of Heart and Shadow

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viscountessevie · 9 months

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ARC/Reviews Masterlist

ARCs

Reviews can also be found on my StoryGraph

LATEST REVIEW: The Boyfriend Subscription by Steven Salvatore Release Date: 26th March 2024 A contemporary queer retelling of Pretty Woman involving Cole Vivien, the CEO of their version of OnlyFans and Teddy Hughes, a botanist who has lost both his husband and his business. The two meet on a fateful night in New York and come up with a proposition to be a faux couple to satisfy what they each need.

Unladylike Lessons in Love by Amita Murray Release Date: 30th May 2023 A realistic historical women's fiction centred on a really cool Indian heroine who runs a gambling hall. The book gives a deep dive into the working class and immigrants of the Regency era with a side of romance

Clytemnestra's Bind by Susan C. Wilson Release Date: 15th June 2023 A Greek Tragedy in every sense of the word that will have you sobbing - a prequel to Clytemnestra's story in the Trojan War.

A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales Release Date: 27th June 2023 A murder mystery set in the Regency era that's a parody of itself and the Austen-universe, so much so that you can match each character to their Austen counterpart. It has a side of romance with a dashing Indian detective.

An Upper West Side Story by Rachel Cullen Release Date: 6th July 2023 A modern chick-lit/coming of age for 20-somethings set in 2004 and follows a group of four neighbours whose lives intersect together in various ways.

I Do, I Don't by Joy Argento Release Date: 11th July 2023 A contemporary sapphic romance novel about a reality show producer and her programmer for the show who unexpectedly has to step in as a lead.

The Wrong Family by Ellery Kane Release Date: 30th August 2023 A mystery novel a 30-something orphan woman gets involved with a rich family in Lake Tahoe after trying to find her father. Things start to go awry as soon as she arrives and the family's fingers start pointing to her.

Roomates by Ola Tundun Release Date: 20th September 2023 A debut novel about a roommates to lovers pairing with a seemingly perfect girl whose life is really a mess and a playboy who has to change his ways when the perfect girl comes crashing into his apartment with an offer he can't refuse.

Hunt on Dark Water by Katee Robert Release Date: 7th November 2023 A contemporary romance novel set in the fantasy world of Threshold. Tensions rise between a witch named Evelyn and sea Captain Bowen as they journey across realms and find out secrets that have them questioning everything.

Reviews

Paused: The Dark Olympus by Katee Robert [Edited: 28th Dec 2023 - Paused indefinitely for the time being]

Stone Heart - Medusa/Calypso Neon Gods - Persephone/Hades Electric Idol - Psyche/Eros Wicked Beauty - Helen/Patroclus/Achilles Radiant Sin - Cassandra/Apollo

#ARC Reviews #NetGalley #Reviews #Masterlist #ARC MAsterlist #HR Blogging #Romance Blogging #Mystery

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whimsicaldragonette · 1 year

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ARC Review: More Kids' Nonfiction read March 2023 - Little People Big Dreams

*Summaries, Ratings, and Reviews for all six books below the cut.

David Hockney

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Publication Date: April 4, 2023

Synopsis:

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of David Hockney, the inspirational British artist. Little David loved to draw and looked at the world in his own unique way. He always knew what his path in life would be… he would be an artist! He went to art school and worked day and night to hone his drawing skills. He sold his first painting as a student, and in just five years he had a sell-out solo show of his work. When he moved from the UK to sunny California, he became known for creating bright, bold paintings. From the Grand Canyon to the Yorkshire hills of home, David painted fantastic landscapes, including one made of 50 canvases all stitched together. An artist who delights in constantly reinventing himself, to this day David is eager to share his colourful work, and himself, with the whole world. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the incredible young poet and activist’s life so far. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

My Rating: ★★★★★

My Review:

I really like seeing inspirational stories like this about artists. I feel like we get a lot of inspirational stories about scientists (as we should), but the arts are sometimes looked over. This book presents David Hockney's passion for art and determination to go to school for it as a valid career choice (a refreshing change from the usual). It also treats his being gay very matter-of-factly (again, a refreshing change from the usual.) The illustration style used isn't my favorite, but it is colorful and bold and appropriate for an artist working in this time period. I found it particularly inspiring that even in his 80s he is innovating and learning, creating art on apps and other modern means. The impression I get from this book is that he is completely unapologetic about how he wants to live his life, and always has been. That is perhaps the most inspiring thing of all. I would recommend this to elementary school children, especially those who show an interest in art, because it presents art as a valid career path and not just a frivolous pursuit. *Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing - Frances Lincoln Children's Books for providing an early copy for review.

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King Charles

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Publication Date: April 4, 2023

Synopsis:

From the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of King Charles. Little Charles always knew that, one day, he would have a big job to do. As the son of Queen Elizabeth II, he was a prince, and in the future, he was to inherit the throne of the United Kingdom. As a young man, he developed a passion for one cause: the environment. Charles recognized that plastics and pollutants were causing harm to Earth, and as the Prince of Wales, he spent all his efforts championing climate justice and sustainability. As a member of the Royal Family, Charles used his power to build important organizations such as The Prince’s Trust, a charity that works to improve the lives of young people across the UK. And in 2022, when he became King, he pledged that he would spend the rest of his life serving his people with loyalty, respect, and love. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the royal’s life, from little prince to grown-up king. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a best-selling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series of books offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardcover and paperback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. With rewritten text for older children, the treasuries each bring together a multitude of dreamers in a single volume. You can also collect a selection of the books by theme in boxed gift sets. Activity books and a journal provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

My Rating: ★★★

My Review:

I didn't know a lot about King Charles and so there were several things in this little book that surprised me. I had no idea he was such a long-standing supporter of the environment. That makes me think better of him. I think the thing that surprised me the most was the tiny mention of Princess Diana. I suppose she was only a small part of his life, even though I (and I feel many people) know a lot more about her. I haven't got the highest opinion of the monarchy, and I think this book definitely sugarcoats some things, but overall it was interesting. The text is easy to understand for children and the illustrations are simple but lovely and convey a lot of personality. *Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing - Frances Lincoln Children's Books for providing an early copy for review.

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Vanessa Nakate

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Publication Date: April 11, 2023

Synopsis:

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of Vanessa Nakate, the Ugandan climate-justice activist. As a kid, when little Vanessa heard about climate change, she thought it was something that happened on the other side of the world. As an adult, she saw how droughts in her own country led to crop failure that left families hungry. Inspired by other activists, Vanessa took a stand and began campaigning to save the Congolian rainforests. Soon, she was invited to take her campaign around the world. In 2020, Vanessa participated in an important summit about climate change. But when she was cropped out of a photograph featuring other climate-change activists, it felt like not just her contribution to the movement had been erased, but that the needs of a whole continent had been disregarded. It was a moment that shocked the world, but it spurred Vanessa on to raise her voice louder and to fight harder for climate justice for Africans. Today, she continues to be a leader in the climate-change movement and a voice of her generation. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the incredible young activist’s life so far. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a best-selling series of books that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series offersinspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardcover versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

My Rating: ★★★★★

My Review:

This short book has a powerful message about how Africa had been left out of the discussion around climate change when it is greatly affected by it. The feelings of frustration at being unfairly ignored practically leap off the page, making Vanessa Nakate as presented here very sympathetic. The text is simple but conveys a lot of emotion and inspiration. The illustrations are also simple but brightly colored and the people's faces express a lot of emotion. I would recommend this to classroom libraries as it is important for everyone to feel like they have a voice and it will inspire children to speak up for what they believe in, even if they are at first ignored. *Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing - Frances Lincoln Children's Books for providing an early copy for review.

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Louis Pasteur

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Publication Date: March 7, 2023

Synopsis:

From the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Louis Pasteur, the French chemist and the father of modern medicine. Little Louis was born in France during a time when doctors were still trying to figure out what made people sick. During his teen years, he discovered a love for science and became famous for figuring out how to kill off damaging microbes. Through his curiosity and creativity (and lots of trial and error), his research led to the development of vaccinations, a vital tool in today's world. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the iconic chemist's life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

My Rating: ★★★★★

My Review:

This is a great intro to Louis Pasteur for young kids. The pictures are colorful and the characters all have very expressive faces that really get across the emotion of the text. The text is straightforward and simple enough for young kids to understand while also getting across a lot of information. I feel like I even learned something from reading it. Content warning: There is a brief mention of three of his kids dying of typhoid accompanied by an image of a funeral so, that's something to be aware of if you have a very sensitive kid. I think this would be great for kids 6-9 who still enjoy being read to. It opens the door for an interest in science and history and will likely prompt questions. *Thanks to NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children's Books for providing an early copy for review.

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Shakira

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Publication Date: February 7, 2023

Synopsis:

From the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Shakira, the world’s most popular Latin American singer. As a child, little Shakira knew she was born to be performer. Even as a little girl, she was full of natural rhythm and she was obsessed with singing, writing songs and dancing whenever she got the opportunity. At 14 years old she recorded her first album, and although it wasn't a success, she knew she had found her calling. She persevered, and within four years she had finally got her first hit! She soon became a Latin American icon, winning many awards and creating global hits across the world, becoming widely known as the Queen of Latin Music. With her fame, Shakira started a foundation to help children in her native country, Colombia and other developing countries across the world, providing them with education and the chance of a better future. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the iconic singer's life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

My Rating: ★★★★

My Review:

This was an interesting look into Shakira's life. I think kids will enjoy learning how she began performing and writing at a very young age and mixing different music cultures and traditions from around the world, and perhaps be inspired to make some music of their own. I did find the illustrations rather off-putting. I'm not sure exactly why, but something about how the people's bodies were drawn made them seem oddly contorted. I did like the colors used. *Thanks to NetGalley, Quarto, and Frances Lincoln Children's Books for providing an early copy for review.

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Lewis Hamilton

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Publication Date: January 24, 2023

Synopsis:

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of Lewis Hamilton, Formula One champion. Little Lewis's childhood was filled with cars, motorcycles and watching Formula One with his dad. On his fifth birthday, he received a remote-controlled racing car and joined a local club. It was hard being the only black child there, but he listened to his dad's words: 'Let your results speak for you.' His hobby led him to go-kart racing, and at the age of 10 he became the youngest ever winner of the British cadet go-karting competition. Shortly after, he began training as a racing driving with McLaren, rising through the ranks to compete at Formula One's Grand Prix. Despite his amazing successes, from breaking the record for the most triumphs in Formula One to his knighthood, Lewis has never forgotten where he came from. Today he is a campaigner for racial justice and racial diversity in sport, as well as an advocate for positive mental health as well as environmental issues. This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the incredible young poet and activist’s life so far. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

My Rating: ★★★★★

My Review:

This is a very inspiring story about overcoming prejudice and racism and bullying and rising to the top through hard work and dedication. I find it particularly inspiring that Lewis Hamilton has used his fame to speak out about many issues, including racism, LGBTQ+ rights, children's welfare, and animal and environmental concerns. The people who make it to the top don't always turn to raise up the ones who don't necessarily have a platform to speak for themselves, so it makes me like someone more when I find they are vocal about these issues. It is well-written, and the story flows easily and clearly. The illustrations are bright and colorful and cheerful and add to the story. I would recommend it to young children and early elementary students. *Thanks to NetGalley, Quarto, and Frances Lincoln Children's Books for providing an early copy for review.

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Freddie Mercury

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Publication Date: February 7, 2023

Synopsis:

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Freddie Mercury, the trailblazing musician who rocked the world! Born on the tiny island on Zanzibar off the coast of modern-day Tanzania, young Farrokh dreamt of having a fabulous life. When his parents sent him to boarding school in India, he discovered his true talent for singing, as well as a love of playing rock ’n’ roll songs on the piano. By the time he finished school, Farrokh knew he wanted to be a musician. After moving to London, he became the singer of a rock band called Queen ... and the rest is history! Freddie became the biggest glam-rock star ever, touring the world and charming the world with his exuberant zest for life. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the musician’s life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a best-selling series of books that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardcover versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

My Rating: ★★★★

My Review:

Freddie Mercury is an excellent addition to this series, although I feel that this book glossed over a lot of things. More than I noticed in previous books. Freddie's sexuality, for instance. "Then, one day, he met Jim, and they were together forever after." To me that's glossing over things more than necessary, even for a kids book. Kids can handle mention of sexuality. I know he did not choose to label his sexuality publicly, but it seems fairly well-known that he dated both men and women, whichever label he would have chosen. And yes, you can read that into the wording used here, but it feels like it's also easy to miss it. That aside, this did provide a good overview of his life and the way Queen was formed. I also like that it does not shy away from including that he died of AIDS. I did find it interesting and enjoyable overall, and learned a few things I didn't know. I would recommend this to elementary-school kids. *Thanks to NetGalley, Quarto Books, and Francis Lincoln Children's Books for providing an early copy for review.

#little people big dreams #arc reviews #kids' books #childrens' biographies #childrens' nonfiction #maria isabel sanchez vegara #lewis hamilton #shakira #king charles #vanessa nakate #david hockney #freddie mercury #shilo reads #netgalley #louis pasteur

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slothspaghettiwrites · 1 year

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As if observing Renaissance and Baroque masters converge into an exquisite and beautiful work of art, my morsel came alive in luxurious shades of gold.

Good lord but what is one supposed to say when they get the privilege to read such a beautiful sentence? A sentence? Not even a passage or page. A mere 25 words. And then you add to that the fact that this is only Chapter 5 of 24 and one can scarcely imagine the wonder the rest of this story holds. It truly is a remarkable reminder of what imagery and talent can be discovered hidden away within the covers of any book (physical or electronic).

I-

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 thank you!!! My heart is so full. I am so grateful that you wanted to read my novel.

Pre-order The Librarian of Souls now, out 11 May 23

#sloth asks #americasass81 #the librarian of souls #arc reviews #nah like im legit in tears goodbye evening skin care #just wait for theatre and library office scenes

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draghons · 1 year

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Book Review : The Sword Defiant

I was immediately drawn to the premise of The Sword Defiant, which focuses on what happens after the heroes vanquish the villain and save the world. The story follows Aelfric, an aging hero of legend who still roams the earth after he and his ragtag group of friends, dubbed the Nine, defeated a powerful necromancer called Lord Bone. Aelfric is not only tasked with the protection of the deceased…

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#arc reviews #book reviews #fantasy book reviews

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book-waas · 2 years

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My Mechanical Romance

Title: My Mechanical Romance Author: Alexene Farol Follmuth Date Finished: June 4, 2022 Goodreads Links: [Book] [Review]

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Thank you NetGalley and Holiday House for providing this ARC to me in exchange for an honest review.]

Review:

Sign me up for more STEM based books like this!!

Bel is a new transfer student whose coming off a bad year, and is kind of looking for a place to belong. While all her classmates at this new school have high plans for college and their life, Bel finds herself blank when she thinks about her future — especially when she's asked directly about it.

Teo Luna was raised with very specific expectations as the son of a tech whiz, and those expectations as his father's son seem to have followed him into high school as well, where they're all waiting for Teo to be that stand-up guy, available for everything, a master of all trades, involved in every extracurricular under the sun.

Bel and Teo are thrown together when a teacher spots Bel's innate talent for design, and leads her straight to the robotics team that Teo captains. Bel doesn't have a lick of expectation of being accepted onto the team, but Teo spots her sketching out a better, near-flawless design for the audition problem, and he's sold.

They get off to a rough start, obviously.

To Bel, Teo is nothing but a rich, stuck-up boy who doesn't know how to take criticism and feedback, and just wants everyone to agree to everything he says. To Teo, Bel is infuriating because she's standoffish, and doesn't play as a team — and she's a threat to his life plan because he'd never counted on someone like her in his life.

They're both right and wrong, obviously.

The best part of this book was undoubtedly that these kids were allowed to be kids, and make stupid decisions, and get in trouble with their parents. Bel and Teo come from very different backgrounds but a lot of the flaws they have are similar, and they manage to strike a balance between themselves.

Bel's relationship with her family was a cornerstone of this, and while I do wish there had been a little bit more resolution on that front, it wasn't necessary for the purpose of the story so I don't think the book was lacking anything. Teo came off as someone who comes from privilege, and a lot of his flaws came from the fact that his privilege is rooted with his dad's expectations of him. I like that the author didn't shy away from those two co-existing statements.

I loved watching Bel and Teo's relationship develop through the book, through their common ground, and while I don't understand a lick of whatever was explained here besides the basic physics, I love that both of them got a change to feed off and balance each other's goals and help support each other — even if they hit a few major roadblocks along the way!

I also think that because these are high schoolers, some of the plot choices make sense. They are inevitably going to mess up in ways that are embarrassing because at that age, you don't know what you're doing, so you do stupid things, learn a lesson and then hopefully not do it again.

It wouldn't be a true review of this book if I didn't talk about the very real element of women in STEM that the author put in there. We have side characters who, in my opinion, are representative of the two extremes of approaching the misogyny — Neelam, who will push harder to try to get a spot to the point of bitterness, and Lora, who might just defer to the norm in a bid for honey instead of vinegar.

As a STEM major myself (particularly a woman of color!), I've been through the exact dilemma that Bel and the other girls were going through. Never being seen, always watching it be "a boy's world," watching teachers shower praise and accolades on the male students and never anyone else, etc etc. These are things that were familiar to me in high school and college, and are still familiar now, and I loved that we could get the representation for that. Because when I was in school, no one ever talked about it. You were expected to keep your head down, because if praise didn't turn your way, wrath and blame certainly did.

This book isn't as serious as that, but it's just as serious as you'd expect a book about 17 and 18 year old high schoolers to be. They're learning lessons as the book goes on, while falling in love with each other, and I think that was done fantastically.

Honestly, I just love the way the characters were crafted. I swung back and forth on a lot of them before realizing that was the point! They're finding things out about themselves, and somewhere, it dragged up all my stuff from high school, too, about being the overachieving student trying to score a spot to go to medical school.

(Also let's be real, I love seeing nerds being celebrated because I, too, am a nerd.)

This book was a great read, and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes the academic-rivals-to-lovers trope, dual POV, a snarky girl just trying to find her way, a spread-too-thin boy trying to do it all, and to anyone who’s ever felt like they don't belong!

#zee reviews #my mechanical romance #alexene farol follmuth #teo luna #bel maier #teo x bel #book reviews #arc reviews #ya romance #ya #advance readers copy #readers and libraries #readers of tumblr #bookblr #book lovers

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mermaidsirennikita · 3 months

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ARC REVIEW: A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen

4.5/5. Releases 2/27/24.

Heat Index: 6.5/10.

Vibes: vIKINGS!!!!, slutty guy/serious girl, "oops I'm married to your dad", and legitimately intense battle and magic stuff that actually works and puts people in those heartrending situations where it's all "STAY ALIVE!!!!! I WILL FIND YOU!!!!!!!!!" as it should in a FANTASY ROMANCE

Married to a man she hates and hiding the fact that she's the child of a minor goddess (children of gods are a Thing in this world) Freya lives a life of drudgery. Until, that is, her secret is revealed to all and Jarl Snorri declares that she's a prophesied shieldmaiden, meant to clinch him the kingdom he's always wanted. As such, she must marry him--kind of an issue, as she is very, very attracted to Snorri's son Bjorn. Another issue: Bjorn has been bound to Freya as her protector. On top of everything, Freya's goddess-given abilities are obscure but dangerous, leading her to wonder if her fate is less that of a protector than that of a monster...

OOOOH WE'VE GOT SOMETHING HERE. I've read Danielle L. Jensen before, way back in the day with her Malediction books--but those were YA (albeit, pretty hot YA) and I really don't read YA anymore. However, I do like Viking Shit, and I especially liked the idea of a romance between a Viking lady and her husband's SON, which was something I always wanted to happen on Vikings. So I picked it up.

And dude. It sucked me right in. I am, as I will get into more below, kind of a hard sell on fantasy romance--when it works, I am HOOKED but when it doesn't I am quickly turned off. This is the former. I was so drawn to Freya, a heroine who does have Chosen One aspects, but is also very human and just trying to make it work, one battle at a time. (Also? She's not instantly gREAT at fighting, how refreshing.) And I absolutely fell head over heels dumb girl for our hero Bjorn, who I expected to be a stoic silent warrior type. NO. He's so much better. He's like, an amazing warrior--but is also so funny and super slutty and just a BRO. I love him. Protect him.

The fantasy plot is compelling and doesn't get so in love with itself that it's impossible to follow. It's really good! I'm excited by this! Can't wait for the next! (What a relief, God.)

Quick Takes:

Here's my issue with fantasy romance (or romantasy, though I'll point out that this series is billed as "fantasy romance" on Netgalley, and that is so HOT to me): often, though the name implies that it's a subgenre of romance with a heavy fantasy bent... It's basically fantasy (well-done or not) with a romance subplot tucked in. The character work is shoddy, the tension is nil, and you can tell that the author is just trying to horn in on the romance audience. Not so, here.

First off, I think Jensen was really smart to create a fantasy world that is very "Vikings But Fantasy". It's not poorly drawn. You can tell that she's really into the Norse vibe, and I will say that I am biased because as someone who has somehow been watching the Vikings franchise since its inception (pray for me) I'm fairly familiar with it on that level. But the way she weaves the fantasy elements, most distinctly the idea of these empowered children of gods (who are basically made when their mortal parents HAVE THREESOMES WITH GODS??? Amazing. Just imagine having these superpowers and knowing that it's because your parents took some dude home from the bar one night and he turned out to be Thor.) into the story is really natural.

Secondly... There is a really compelling plot, yes. I am really into the duality of Freya, don't get me wrong. I really like the royal intrigue. All the WIFE DRAMA. It's My Brand. But the real heart of this story, very openly and honestly and presented without any self-consciousness, is Freya and Bjorn. And I think Jensen just lays it all out there the moment she introduces the brilliant plot device of "Bjorn's Dad, Who Freya Is Technically Married To, Wants Bjorn To Follow Freya Around And Make Sure She Doesn't Get Into Danger". Oh, so he's supposed to protect her as she hurtles into adventure and fights Viking zombies and shit? HOW CONVENIENT. Throughout the story, their immediate physical attraction melts into this emotional slow burn... and I am also a hard sell on a slow burn, so thank you for doing it right, Danielle. The book is single POV (Freya's, though I wouldn't mind Bjorn's in a future installment) but you can just tell that Bjorn is so mad that he's this into a woman who is technically his stepmother. Like, he can have anyone! But he wants HER. But he can't have her!

Picture me gobbling this up like a raccoon in a trash can.

--Speaking of! If you're all "ew, I hate that Freya is married to his dad"--no spoilers, but this is dealt with in a way that I think both avoids the ick that some readers (to be clear: not me, I am very resistant to ick) may feel over that setup, and avoids a copout.

At the same time... First off, Bjorn doesn't fully know that the ick has been avoided, and to be frank, I don't think Bjorn really cares about a little ick. But he does have like, you know, the "WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME" vibe for a while, and it is delicious. All very illicitaffairs.mp3.

--I also really loved that there is no mistake about Freya being a GROWN WOMAN. I strongly, strongly object to shelving this as New Adult, because regardless of her age, Freya (and honestly Bjorn as well) has been through a lot. She's literally married when we open this novel. She gets a second husband. She is not a virgin; her marriage was not chaste; it sucked. (To be clear: you don't get a lot of insight into Freya's first marriage beyond "it sucked" because it's dealt with pretty quickly. You don't see any sexual assault on the page in this book, and I don't know that Freya would see it that way? It's alluded to as "lie back and think of England" bad, gross sex, which I think suggests assault, but there is not any explicit violence, sexual or otherwise, depicted in either of her marriages.) She is JADED. She has never had a man like, take care of her.

And then she gets linked up with local dude who's snarking at her horrible husband about how he must not go down on her enough, and she's all "WHAT'S THAT MEAN :/". I really, really enjoy a pairing that involves a tough woman who's never been properly taken care of and a man who's like "I am DESPERATE to take care of you". Freya deserves!

--Another good choice: often, in fantasy romance (or at least in fantasy romance of yore; I feel like there has been a recent push to correct this, at least somewhat) the heroine is hypercompetent. She's smart, she's a good fighter, she's a femme fatale, she's the seventeen-year-old master assassin...

Freya is... a person. She does want to fight, and she is--not surprisingly, as she does come from a culture in which women do fight--not incapable of holding her own. Somewhat. But as soon as she's up against a master warrior like Bjorn, she's kind of not great, Bob, and even with the benefit of her goddess-given abilities, she still has a lot to learn. It's giving "Book One Aang", and I'm good with that. I'm actually much happier with her giving Book One Aang as a twenty-something woman because like? Give us hope, Freya.

She also doesn't have all the answers. Frankly, Freya doesn't have 80% of the answers, and she shouldn't, because she's new to this. She's new to the magic stuff (though she knew she had it, which I did like--she's not an Alina Starkov-level "WHAAAT" about it) and she's new to the court intrigue, and frankly she's new to Hot Dudes. Speaking of, she does spend a decent amount of brain time going "STOP! STOP, SELF! DO NOT LOOK! DO NOT TOUCH!" Which, frankly, I loved. I feel like that's the kind of behavior people are going to be annoying about because people are dying, but like. This woman just spent years surrounded by Village 2's and suddenly she's being swung around and guarded by a very flirtatious Royal 12. Give her a break. I would be much worse.

And she doesn't know what the hell she's doing with this man. She knows the mechanics, but she doesn't know the FINESSE. Speaking of...

The Sex:

The reason why I'm between a 6 and a 7 on this (and that's not quality, that's literally just how hot the book is re: sex acts) is that the story is a slow burn. Everything sexy happens in the back half, and you don't get to the full shebang until pretty late in the game. It's ABOUT THE YEARNING.

However, I think this was a good choice, and when we do get those scenes they are super hot (and explicit, though not like Sierra Simone explicit to be clear) and passionate and you definitely get the sense that it's this giant deal for these two. I was quite touched. I was like "awww" but also "oh" which is where I want to be when a story builds to two people hooking up for that long.

And Jensen fully takes advantage of the "Vikings" component and does have some "under the sleeping furs with 76 people sleeping in the near vicinity but we just need to get this done" action here. Which. Brava.

I'll be honest--I was worried about this, as I feel like I've been let down by a great fantasy romance in the past. I, much like several people in this novel, have been burned before. Not so here. I'm fully on board. I loved where we left off, and I cannot wait to see where those two crazy kids go next. Hopefully, like. To Vikings divorce court. So she can end that marriage to his dad.

Thanks to Netgalley and Del Rey for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Preorder:

Amazon

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#romance novel blogging #romance novels #arc reviews #netgalley #book reviews #book recs #books

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