ARC Review: Pressure Head by J.L. Merrow

Pressure Head (The Plumber's Mate, #1)
by J.L. Merrow
Published by Riptide Publishing
eARC
LGBT, mystery, contemporary, romance

Some things are better left hidden....

Tom Paretski’s not just a plumber with a dodgy hip courtesy of a schoolboy accident. He also has a sixth sense for finding hidden things. Called in by the police to help locate a body near Brock’s Hollow, he’s staggered to encounter Phil Morrison, his old school crush—and the closeted bully whose actions contributed to Tom’s accident.

Phil’s all grown up now, and Tom’s unwilling attraction to him is back with a vengeance. Phil’s now openly gay—and what’s more, he’s interested in Tom’s personal charms as well as his psychic talents. As a private investigator called in by the dead woman’s parents, Phil is sceptical about Tom’s unusual gift, but nevertheless quick to spot its potential to aid him in his work.

The further they go with the investigation, the less they can ignore their shared past, and the more the pressure and the heat build between them. But Tom isn’t certain he wants to know the secrets he’s helping to uncover, while there’s a murderer on the loose who won’t hesitate to kill again—and this uneasy couple is moving right into his sights.

The first thing that captured my attention was the lovely, authentic feeling setting in English town near London. The character's vocabulary and accents were on point to make the setting even more authentic, and I really loved that. I love reading books set in the UK or Europe instead of the usual North America, and it's perfect when the feeling is authentic and there won't be American English mixed in.

The relationships between characters were interesting in the beginning. Tom's a plumber with a knack for finding things and sometimes he helps police to find hidden things - such as missing woman. When he finds Melanie, who turns up dead, he also meets Phil Morrison, a private detective and Tom's school bully from the past. Tom gets tangled up with the investigation, when Phil asks his help to find out if the suspects are hiding anything. There's plenty of bad blood and past hurt between Tom and Phil at first, and it's captivating to see how they can mend and possibly get over the hurt they both held in their hearts from the past. Overall the characters were fascinating; Tom's gentle, witty, and really friendly to everyone, and Phil's more reserved and seems to believe the worst of people compared to Tom's more positive view of humanity. There's also plenty of interesting supporting characters, such as police man Dave and Gary, who are both Tom's friends, and everyone else who Tom meets while investigating Melanie's murder.

Pressure Head is a captivating mystery, which kept me turning the pages faster, with a budding romance and complicated relationships. I'll definitely pick up the sequel as soon as it's published! If contemporary mystery with a slice of romance and forgiving is your thing, then I highly recommend picking Pressure Head up. And hey, give it a chance either way, it's a great start for a series! It's funny and mysterious, and in many ways so real.

4 of 5 stars

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Thank you, Riptide Publishing, for giving me a chance to read and review Pressure Head!

(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

Review: The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

The Blood of Olympus (The Heroes of Olympus, #5)
by Rick Riordan
Published by Puffin
Young Adult, mythology, adventure, fantasy

Though the Greek and Roman crewmembers of the Argo II have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea. Her giants have risen—all of them—and they're stronger than ever. They must be stopped before the Feast of Spes, when Gaea plans to have two demigods sacrificed in Athens. She needs their blood—the blood of Olympus—in order to wake.

The demigods are having more frequent visions of a terrible battle at Camp Half-Blood. The Roman legion from Camp Jupiter, led by Octavian, is almost within striking distance. Though it is tempting to take the Athena Parthenos to Athens to use as a secret weapon, the friends know that the huge statue belongs back on Long Island, where it "might" be able to stop a war between the two camps.

The Athena Parthenos will go west; the Argo II will go east. The gods, still suffering from multiple personality disorder, are useless. How can a handful of young demigods hope to persevere against Gaea's army of powerful giants? As dangerous as it is to head to Athens, they have no other option. They have sacrificed too much already. And if Gaea wakes, it is game over.

It's always hard for me to name favourites from Riordan's books. However, The Blood of Olympus comes close, because it was brilliant adventure and I finally got what I have hoped since The Titan's Curse - chapters from Nico's point of view. That was definitely the crown of this series, to get proper glimpses what Nico thinks and feels and what it is like to walk in his shoes. Absolutely amazing, and I loved every Nico's chapter (now I just need more!). It was also very interesting to see how Hades interacted with Nico and what kind of father-son relationship they had.

Reyna was another favourite of mine during the book. Her chapters were something I waited for and they certainly didn't disappoint. I especially loved the budding friendship between Nico and Reyna - I feel like both of them need friends. Besides them, I loved all the old favourites, Percy, Jason, Leo etc.

In short, the last book of the Heroes of Olympus series didn't disappoint. It was full of page turning adventure, dangerous moments, and brilliant and complicated characters and relationships with godly parents and friends. I devoured the book and loved it. I certainly cannot recommend this series enough - and I'll definitely continue and read The Trials of Apollo series.

5 of 5 stars

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Book Tour + Giveaway: Gemini Keeps Capricorn by Anyta Sunday

Gemini Keeps Capricorn (Signs of Love, #3)
by Anyta Sunday
Self-published
Release day: 18th December, 2017
New Adult, LGBT, contemporary, romance

Sometimes, one stubborn Capricorn is all it takes…to drive Wesley Hidaka to crazy, flirtatious lengths.

Wesley loves annoying his RA Lloyd Reynolds. He just can’t help it. Lloyd is focused, decisive, grounded. He has this amusing ability to follow rules.

Of course Wesley wants Lloyd to break one…or three hundred.

Sometimes, one diabolically grinning Gemini is all it takes...to have Lloyd laying down the law and marching Wesley straight back to his dorm room.

It doesn’t stop Wesley teasing again. And again. And again…

But damn. Lloyd doesn’t crack easily. He’s full of principles. He’s unshakable.

He’s the perfect friend to have when Wesley needs help. Like with his truant brother and his old high school principal.

Sometimes, one little lie is all it takes… to find Wesley fake-engaged to his off-limits RA.

What can he say? It seemed like a good idea in the moment . . .

* ~* ~* ~*

“Gemini Keeps Capricorn” serves up a double shot of cluelessness, with a side of rock’n’roll and topped with a slow burn HEA. It can be read as a standalone.

Get your copy

Amazon UK

Amazon US

You can check out my review of Gemini Keeps Capricorn here!

Teaser:

“We can’t have coffee. We have to leave. Now.”

“What do you mean, we can’t have coffee?” Lloyd sounded incredulous, as though Wesley had casually suggested castration as an alternative to daily washing.

Wesley tugged Lloyd out of the line they’d been waiting in for ten minutes. “I’m the one up at nine in the morning with a grumpy RA. If anyone needs coffee, it’s me.” He glanced across the room at a top-button-collared man weaving his way in their direction. “But it has to wait.”

“Wesley? Right now? I legitimately fear for your life.”

“I’ll get us coffee later. More than one. My treat.”

Lloyd gave up resisting, and they almost escaped the bustling café.

“Young Mister Hidaka!”

Wesley swallowed a groan and clutched Lloyd’s forearm as he turned them around to face his childhood pastor. Pastor Geoff had a gray beard, rim-free glasses, and a condescending regard—like usual.

“Your mother prays every week that you come back home.” Pastor Geoff registered Lloyd’s presence, and his face shadowed. “You’ve lost your way, son.”

That was about as much as Wesley would put up with. “I am very sure of my way, and I’ll keep walking it. In fact, I’m going to walk it right now. Vigorously. With my fiancé.”

Wesley steered Lloyd out the door, leaving the pastor gaping behind them. He didn’t stop walking or let go until they were safely ducking down behind Lloyd’s car. Well, Wesley was ducking down. Lloyd was staring at him with disbelief and amusement—and something else.

“Has he stopped watching us yet?” Wesley asked, noticing how close his face was to Lloyd’s crotch. Lloyd jerked and bumped against the car door.

Wesley took a moment to absorb Lloyd’s reaction, and a smile quivered at his lips. He straightened, keeping barely an inch between them.

Lloyd caught his elbow and helped him along, muttering under his breath. “I really need coffee.”

“Is that what they’re calling it these days?”

Lloyd closed his eyes and took a calming breath, then opened the passenger door. “Get in, flirtster.”

Wesley smirked, and jumped in.

Author bio

Heart-stopping slow burn.

Anyta Sunday is a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. She loves to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love.

Some of her favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries.

Anyta writes a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of angst, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of fantasy. Her books have been translated into German, Italian and French.

Member of Romance Writers of America.

Connect with Anyta: Website | Twitter | Facebook | To receive a free e-book, sign up for Anyta’s newsletter here!

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ARC Review: Gemini Keeps Capricorn by Anyta Sunday

Gemini Keeps Capricorn (Signs of Love, #3)
by Anyta Sunday
Self-published
eARC
LGBT, New Adult, contemporary, romance

Sometimes, one stubborn Capricorn is all it takes… to drive Wesley Hidaka to crazy, flirtatious lengths.

Wesley loves annoying his RA, Lloyd Reynolds. He just can’t help it. Lloyd is focused, decisive, grounded. He has this amusing ability to follow rules. 

Of course Wesley wants Lloyd to break one… or three hundred.

Sometimes, one smirking Gemini is all it takes… to have Lloyd laying down the law and marching Wesley straight back to his dorm room.

It doesn’t stop Wesley teasing again. And again. And again…But damn. Lloyd doesn’t crack easily. He’s full of principles. He’s unshakable.
He’s the perfect friend to have when Wesley needs help. Like with his truant brother and his old high school principal.

Sometimes, one little lie is all it takes… to find Wesley fake-engaged to his off-limits RA.

What can he say? It seemed like a good idea at the time…

I can't praise Anyta Sunday enough. I hadn't heard of her books before this year, but all of them have swept me away, and Gemini Keeps Capricorn is no different. In fact, it just might be my favourite of her books. It's a slow burn romance between Wesley, who's flirty and believes that rules are meant to be broken, and Lloyd, who abides rules every turn and takes his responsibilities very seriously. In a sense, both are perfect embodiments of their star signs; Gemini and Capricorn.

Wesley likes to tease Lloyd and banter with him, and procrastinate because his law studies are boring. But he loves his barista job and his brother, for who he hurries to help when Caleb gets into trouble. Wesley is absolutely delight, he's funny, witty, and doesn't care for rules, but he's still a good friend and amazing brother who cares deeply. Lloyd is more standoffish, but he still banters like no other, loves coffee (which is always a huge plus), he's responsible and caring. Together, they are even more perfect. There's chemistry and clever banter and heartfelt moments, and I couldn't put the book down.

I absolutely loved that Jamie and Theo made a few appearances throughout the story! It was nice to get a glimpse of their life and relationship.

Gemini Keeps Capricorn is captivating and stunning story that stole my heart. It's a classic Anyta Sunday that's easy to devour on a one sitting. Clever, funny, and brilliant light-hearted romance with a dose of cluelessness and classic rock 'n' roll.

I highly recommend Gemini Keeps Capricorn to everyone, because it's truly captivating and funny story.

5 of 5 stars

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(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

Book Blitz + Giveaway: Queen of Corona by Esterhazy

Queen of Corona
by Esterhazy
Publication date: December 15th 2017
New Adult, contemporary

Queen of a Corona delves into the mind of a young American adult growing up in today’s multicultural society. It is a human look at contemporary existence “from the bottom of the barrel.” It tells the story of a high school senior who is running after a student protest ends in tragedy. She is ushered onto an airplane by her mother, headed back to the land of her ancestors for the first time in her life. Her journey is both a way of escaping a seemingly dead-end existence and a chance at rediscovering herself by stepping outside the confines of societal standards. Queen of Corona is a coming-of-age novel in a dangerous age, in the age of Trump and all the forces stirring with and against the American president.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

I bet you thought I was going to fold. That I wouldn’t be able to resist that fine china-white powder resting right there in the sanctuary of my pocketbook.

But it stays tucked away the entire night, I swear. I ride my bike to the river to get some air. I sit down on the concrete bank and look out at the wilderness just across the water. At the narrow beaches spotted with bushes, fluo-green against the fading sky of late summer.

Here the riverside is wild, untempered. The bars along the water light up, the music gets louder. I go to the bar. As I’m standing in the endless line I can feel someone’s eyes on me. I count to five in my mind and I look up. Oh man, I think, here we go again. And I let myself fall into it one more time because I need anything to get myself out of this emotional hole I dug for myself.

At first, I’m confused. Because the face that is looking back at me is a face I know so well. A face so familiar and unfamiliar. A face I’d seen dozens of times, but not a face I’d ever called a friend. I stared at him as I tried to place him. He smiles back at me amused. The cogs in my mind begin to click. An actor. I know his face from the movies. That series on Netflix about the homicide detective addicted to porn.

I’m not drunk enough to get up the balls to sidle up to him all sassy and shit. But I don’t need to because he comes up to me. He looks me up and down and nods like he’s approving a shipment of the latest iPhone.

“Mind if I sit down?” he says in that Hollywood voice.

“Yes. I mean no. Why not.”

He says he’s here filming an episode where he’s chasing some jewel thief around Eastern Europe. He can’t believe I’ve never heard of his show. He doesn’t waste any time pouring me doubles out of the bottle the waitress brings over. He asks me if I want to dance and I follow him out to the dance floor. He’s a terrible dancer. He’s basically grinding against my pelvis and slobbering on me. Then he’s trying to get into my panties under my dress like we’re not out in the open and all these people aren’t looking at us. At some point, he grabs my hand and leads me towards the car he’s got waiting for him. I’m not good with cars, so I can’t say what kind of car it is, just that it’s shiny and black. The driver drops us off at one of the big hotels where he’s got a suite. He opens the door like he’s a sheik opening the palace gates. As if a hotel room that looks like millions of other hotel rooms around the world is going to make me go woozy with passion.

Pretty soon he gets back to his sloppy kissing. He’s got my dress off and he says he wants to fuck me like Charles Bukowski and I don’t know who he’s talking about.

I’m probably only fucking him because he’s famous, not because I really like him. What’s there to like in an arrogant middle-aged man with a paunch and a lazy eye? And what’s in it for him, fucking a girl young enough to be his daughter.

“Can I take a picture of you?”

I shrug and he takes it as a yes. He asks me to stop covering my breasts and to spread my legs. I feel horribly shy but it’s exciting at the same time to think this famous dude is going to be looking at my pictures later and reminiscing about our time together. But what if he posts them online? I should have said no. Julita tells me I’ve got a real problem saying no. I’m too much of a yes girl. A goddang people pleaser and where’s that been getting me? Not very far, eh? says the reasonable voice in my head. The other voice, the one that just wants me to take it easy and go with the flow, tells me that it’s fine. It’s just two consenting adults having a good time. Isn’t it?

We end up trusting celebrities almost implicitly, as if their fame is guarantee that they’re harmless. We trust them to tell us what’s fashionable and what’s not, how to eat and how to vote. And sometimes we let them fuck us just because they’re famous. And sometimes we let them get away with the worst.

He goes to take a shower and I walk around the room and look at the stuff lying around his room. There’s his passport on the table. I open it up and look at the picture, which looks nothing like him, he must’ve aged a lot in the past few years. I look at the birthdate and do the math. It turns out he’s 52, not 45 like he told me last night. I pick up my stuff and go straight out the door. I feel sick, not the throwing up kind, just the sick dismay of disappointment. Sick at how they think it’s okay to treat you like an empty shell of a person and then got the nerve to lie to you. I think this might be my breaking point. At last, you say.

I’m sobbing into my sleeve as I walk through the lobby and my mascara’s running all over the fucking place, so I sit down for a minute. In a flash, hotel security is coming my way and they’re asking me to leave and if I didn’t feel like a whore before then I definitely do now.

Author bio
Esterhazy is a journalist, writer and translator. A native New Yorker, she holds degrees in Comparative Literature from New York University and American Studies from the University of Warsaw. Queen of Corona is her debut novel.

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Review: Briefs by Anyta Sunday

Briefs: Collection
by Anyta Sunday
Self-published
Anthology, LGBT, romance

Slow burn romance that quickens the heart. From sweet & light-hearted to raw and emotional - this collection contains eight contemporary gay romance novellas previously published individually between 2013 and 2016. 

Sweet & Light-Hearted: 

“Noticed Me Yet?” Who is this Mr. X that Jacob keeps writing to? And how can he be falling for him? 

“DJ Dangerfield” Who is this DJ Dangerfield in Real Life? And will Justin like him in the flesh as much as on the air? 

“Get It” Why does unrequited love leave you blind as a bat to other things? 

“500 Kisses” Are 500 kisses all it takes to steal a heart? 

“The Douglas Fir” Can Jason find that magic gift to win his neighbor’s heart? 

"It Could Be You" What is worst - having won 15 million quid but not being able to find the bloody ticket, or the unrequited love you have for your roommate? 

Raw & Emotional: 

"Hearts" Is it possible two dead hearts can see life again? 

"Bird Meets Cage" He was everything I wasn’t. He was the first man I ever loved, and he left without me ever telling him that the way he looked at me broke my heart.

I've read a lot of Anyta Sunday's books this year, and I have loved all of them. When I won Briefs collection, I was exited to dive in. I wasn't disappointed - naturally in an anthology, there's going to be hits and misses, but overall the anthology was brilliant. It started with four five star stories, then a few three star stories before finishing off with a four star story. It is a brilliant collection and some of the stories I absolutely loved. Forth to mention are especially Noticed Me Yet?, DJ Dangerfield, and Get It.

I highly recommend this for Anyta Sunday fans, and why not for everyone else too, because Sunday's writing is superb.

Here's some thoughts on the individual stories:

Noticed Me Yet? - 5 stars
Jacob's looking for a new flatmate when he gets into writing notice board messages to mysterious Mr X, who's one of the three choices to be his flatmate; Mr Philosophy, Mr Shy Guy and Mr Hunk. The story is absolutely hilarious, sweet, cute, and true Anyta Sunday story in every sense. Just brilliant. It's entertaining and I got so invested in the mystery who Mr X really is. I could have read a whole novel about this, it was that good!

DJ Dangerfield - 5 stars
This had a little bit mystery guy element too; Justin has been calling late night radio program and debating about bands and music with the DJ there for a better part of the year. Now they set to meet in real life, but it doesn't go as smoothly as Justin thought it would. There was lighthearted banter and sweetness, and it was so funny. I definitely fell for the characters and their story.

Get It - 5 stars
It's all about unrequited love - Benny wants Heath, who gives mixed signals, and Benny's friend James pines for him but Benny is blind for it. It was all adorable and cute, and James's is the best, he's such devoted friend and witty and caring. Benny was adorable in his blindness and everything else.

500 Kisses - 5 stars
This was first one that was out of the university setting as Dylan and Chris were in their late twenties. Dylan runs a summer camp and Chris is his ex-best friend and neighbour, who doesn't really get on with anyone. They get roped into a challenge: it's a myth that 500 kisses is all that it takes to steal a heart. The story is full of snark, banter, and enemies to lovers trope with funny and brilliant scenes. It was a captivating story which I couldn't stop reading.

The Douglas Fir - 3 stars
This was another case of unrequited love - both Jase and Dave had a crush on Noah, who was Jase's neighbour and straight. Jase isn't a fan of Dave as he sees Dave as a competition, and Jase does ridiculously sweet thing for Noah in hopes that maybe he'll like him back. The story was sweet in places and a bit funny - especially the bits where Jase's brother Scott was. However, the story was also melancholy and had a bit too much angst for my liking. The plot wasn't as captivating as the previous stories and the characters weren't as engaging as most of other Sunday's characters.

It Could Be You - 3 stars
The story is about Ted, who misplaced a winning lottery ticket, and who avoids the topic of his best mate and roommate Jensen's leaving like plague, because he doesn't want to loose him. It's a sweet story, but way too short as it was a lot shorter than the other stories in this collection. Because of the shortness, there isn't enough time to get to know and really care about the characters, which made the story less memorable than the others. Otherwise the story is good, I liked the British setting and Ted and Jensen.

Hearts - 3 stars
The story is about heartbreak and how to survive a dead heart, and more importantly, is it possible to mend a broken heart? Daniel has to find out, because his partner left him and he has to follow how the same thing happens to his new neighbour, Toby. The story is pure angst with a hopeful twist, and while it is good, it didn't stand out. I was also in mood for lighter stuff, so maybe I read the story in the wrong time.

Bird Meets Cage - 4 stars
This is another of the more melancholy stories. It's also historical, first part set in the summer of 1949, when the circus was in town and Nathan met Stardust and Danny. Nathan falls for Stardust, but Stardust thinks he's a free bird and Nathan's a cage. Nathan's heart is broken when he strikes a friendship with a clown Danny, who was left behind by the circus. The second part sets twelve years later, when the circus is back in town and Nathan gets a chance to confront Stardust and let go of all the hurt. The story is good and engaging. Not my favourite of the collection, but a solid story.

4 of 5 stars

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Release Day Blitz + Giveaway: Gemini Keeps Capricorn by Anyta Sunday

Gemini Keeps Capricorn (Signs of Love, #3)
by Anyta Sunday
Self-published
Release day: 18th December, 2017
New Adult, LGBT, contemporary, romance

Sometimes, one stubborn Capricorn is all it takes…to drive Wesley Hidaka to crazy, flirtatious lengths.

Wesley loves annoying his RA Lloyd Reynolds. He just can’t help it. Lloyd is focused, decisive, grounded. He has this amusing ability to follow rules.

Of course Wesley wants Lloyd to break one…or three hundred.

Sometimes, one diabolically grinning Gemini is all it takes...to have Lloyd laying down the law and marching Wesley straight back to his dorm room.

It doesn’t stop Wesley teasing again. And again. And again…

But damn. Lloyd doesn’t crack easily. He’s full of principles. He’s unshakable.

He’s the perfect friend to have when Wesley needs help. Like with his truant brother and his old high school principal.

Sometimes, one little lie is all it takes… to find Wesley fake-engaged to his off-limits RA.

What can he say? It seemed like a good idea in the moment . . .

* ~* ~* ~*

“Gemini Keeps Capricorn” serves up a double shot of cluelessness, with a side of rock’n’roll and topped with a slow burn HEA. It can be read as a standalone.

Get your copy

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Teaser:

Wesley swiveled his chair around and scowled at Lloyd, who was blatantly reading his email. “See, this is why we would never work out. Other than RA-student relationships being forbidden and you having an aversion to breaking rules.”

“And that I’m seeing someone,” Lloyd tossed in.

“I give that another week, tops. We wouldn’t work because you’re a grumpy, know-it-all Capricorn. We have one of the worst compatibility matches.”

A raised brow. “That so?”

“All the sites say we are not relationship material. That our sex would suck.”

“It amuses me how thoroughly you’ve researched this.”

“It saddens me I couldn’t find a ray of hope.” Wesley winked at him. “You’re a few rooms down, which greatly appeals to my lazy streak.”

“Even if I were single and you weren’t my resident, I’d never be one of your flirty flings.”

Wesley groaned. “Never say never, Lloyd. I want to prove you wrong—even at the expense of terrible sex.”

Author bio

Heart-stopping slow burn.

Anyta Sunday is a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. She loves to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love.

Some of her favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries.

Anyta writes a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of angst, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of fantasy. Her books have been translated into German, Italian and French.

Member of Romance Writers of America.

Connect with Anyta: Website | Twitter | Facebook | To receive a free e-book, sign up for Anyta’s newsletter here!

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Stacking the Shelves (68)

Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, and is all about sharing the book you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!
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Review: Grief is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter

Grief is the Things with Feathers
by Max Porter
Published by Faber Faber
Poetry, contemporary, magical realism, fiction

In a London flat, two young boys face the unbearable sadness of their mother's sudden death. Their father, a Ted Hughes scholar and scruffy romantic, imagines a future of well-meaning visitors and emptiness. 

In this moment of despair they are visited by Crow - antagonist, trickster, healer, babysitter. This self-described sentimental bird is attracted to the grieving family and threatens to stay until they no longer need him. As weeks turn to months and physical pain of loss gives way to memories, this little unit of three begin to heal. 

In this extraordinary debut - part novella, part polyphonic fable, part essay on grief, Max Porter's compassion and bravura style combine to dazzling effect. Full of unexpected humour and profound emotional truth, Grief is the Thing with Feathers marks the arrival of a thrilling new talent.

Firstly, I'm amazed how much I could care for characters, who actually didn't have names. They were just 'boys', 'dad', and 'crow'. Still, the characters came alive in the pages, and their grief was all too real and easy to identify with if you've ever lost someone.

Secondly, this is a curious mixture of short story, poetry, myth, contemporary, and magical realism. It's a story of a widower and his two boys, who try to cope with the loss of a wife and mother. Then comes Crow, who narrates the story, and acts as the family's grief counselor. The Crow is curious thing, a trickster and babysitter, and sometimes his point of view was hard to decipher. The boys were at times little rascals, but they found solace on each other and the grief was easier to deal with for them than their father, who at times was just empty shell, barely able to deal with the realities of life without his loved one.

I don't often read general fiction and poetry even rarer, but this was something else. It was original exploration of grief and loss, and at times it really it hard to feels. It was also funny at times, especially the boys' antics and Crow's hilarious reactions. I really liked Grief is the Thing with Feathers, and I'm sure it'll stay with me for quite some time. And yes, it made me want to read some of Ted Hughes' poems.

4 of 5 stars

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Book Blitz + Giveaway: Beauty and Beastly by Melanie Karsak

Beauty and Beastly: Steampunk Beauty and the Beast
by Melanie Karsak
(Steampunk Fairy Tales)
Publication date: December 6th 2017
Adult, Fairy Tales, Steampunk

In this tale as old as time, Isabelle Hawking must tinker a solution to a heartbreaking mystery. 

When Isabelle Hawking and her papa set out from London on a sea voyage, Isabelle is thrilled. Visiting foreign courts, learning from master tinkers, and studying mechanicals is her dream. And it doesn’t hurt that the trip also offers Isabelle an escape from her overbearing and unwanted suitor, Gerard LeBoeuf. 

But Isabelle never arrives. Swept up in a tempest, her ship is lost. 

Isabelle survives the storm only to be shipwrecked on a seemingly-deserted island. The magical place, dotted with standing stones, faerie mounds, and a crumbling castle, hints of an ancient past. Isabelle may be an unwilling guest, but her arrival marks a new beginning for the beastly residents of this forgotten land. 

See how NY Times bestselling author Melanie Karsak puts a steampunk spin on the classic Beauty and the Beast fairy tale.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

“Hello? Is anyone there?”

The sky overhead darkened, and in the distance, I heard the rumble of thunder.

Oh no. No, no, no.

I looked up at the sky. My head swam.

I needed to find shelter.

I turned to go back to the path, but when I did so, I didn’t see the path, nor the ring of mushrooms, nor anything else vaguely familiar.

Once more, the sky rumbled.

I felt the first of the raindrops on my head, but luckily, the thick leaves overhead sheltered me somewhat. As the storm rolled in, the forest grew dark.

I cast a glance around.

It didn’t matter which direction I went. Eventually I would find the shore once more.

Turning to head out, however, I spotted a bluish colored light in the distance. A house? A fire? A lantern? A…something.

“Hello?”

No reply.

Turning, I followed the bluish glow. I headed deeper into the forest, chasing after the light, but soon found its source. It was a mushroom. The glowing mushroom had been sitting on a rise. It had played a trick on my mind. Then I spotted another glowing fungus, then another, and another, all of which held an incandescent blue light. They grew in a straight line. Without a better recourse, and feeling half suspicious of the supernatural, I followed the glow of the blue mushrooms as the rain pattered overhead, the sky rumbling. I followed the blue lights deep into the ancient woods, aware that I was passing other sacred rings. I walked past a mound of earth, a barrow, the final resting place of some ancient person—and some said a passageway to the Otherworld—as I hurried deeper into the woods. Surely I would find the shoreline soon.

Lightning cracked overhead.

Then, on the horizon, I saw golden light. A fire? I squinted my eyes, trying to make out the shape through the trees, but my head ached miserably. Leaning heavily against my staff, I moved toward the golden colored light.

The forest thinned. The glowing mushrooms led me onward toward the glow of the yellow light in the distance. Praying to find someone—anyone—I followed along, well aware that my quick exertion had my stomach rolling. Black spots wriggled before my eyes. The line of mushrooms ended. To my shock, I’d blundered to the center of the island and found myself standing outside the gates of a castle.

I gazed up at the enormous structure. It towered over me, a black silhouette on the horizon. Light glowed through one of the windows in the upper floors. It was raining in earnest now. Not waiting a moment longer, I pushed the gate. It swung open with a creak.

It was pouring.

I leaned my walking staff against a metal bench in the perfectly manicured garden, then grabbing my skirts, I ran for the castle door. As I rushed, lightning flashed. It created an odd illusion on the bushes and flowers around me. For a moment, they all seemed to glimmer like metal under the bright light.
My temples pounded. My stomach rolled. I raced through the heavy rain to the castle door.

Hoping whoever was at home would forgive me for letting myself in, I pushed open the castle door and crept inside.

The place was eerily silent.

“Hello?” I called. “Is anyone here?”

Breathing deeply and quickly, I realized the moment I stopped that I was not well.

I cast a glance toward a roaring fireplace nearby. A chair was seated before the hearth, a glass of something dark sitting beside the seat. I heard a strange clicking sound.

“Hello?” I called again, but this time, my head began to spin. I put my hands on my hips, trying to catch my breath. I closed my eyes. Everything was twirling.

Footsteps approached.

“I-I’m sorry I let myself in but…” I began then opened my eyes.

Standing before me was a massive automaton, its silver eyes staring coldly at me.

A nauseous feeling swept over me, and my head swam. Black spots danced before my eyes.

“Pardon me. I think I’m about to—”

Faint.

But the word was lost.

And so was I.

Author Bio:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Melanie Karsak is the author of The Airship Racing Chronicles, The Harvesting Series, The Burnt Earth Series, The Celtic Blood Series and Steampunk Fairy Tales. A steampunk connoisseur, zombie whisperer, and heir to the iron throne, the author currently lives in Florida with her husband and two children. She is an Instructor of English at Eastern Florida State College.

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