forthenovellovers

Book Review

Title: Queen of Kenosha

Author: Howard Shapiro & Erica Chan

Genre: Graphic Novel

Rating:

Review: So, Queen of Kenosha is a coming of age tale, that is also the first installment of the Thin Thinline Trilogy, that follows the fiercely independent Nina Overstreet who has an axe to grind. A talented singer-songwriter slogging her way through the burgeoning Greenwich Village folk music scene of 1963, the Queen of Kenosha, Wisconsin, realizes that standing on the cusp of stardom gets her little respect and barely a cup of coffee in New York City.

Read More

Book Review

Title: Fire Hot Aunt

Author: Katsuki Izumi

Genre: Manga

Rating:

Review: The synopsis of Fire Hot Aunt is interesting: “Toru, who just became a high school student, ends up going to school and living with Sugako, who is his aunt and is also the same age as him. The super-beauty Sugako stirs up all kinds of trouble. What will Toru do…?!”

Read More

Book Review

Title: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Genre: Adult/Historical/Romance

Rating:

Review: So, I know nothing about this novel, but I am reading it for 2 of the winter biannual Bibliathon challenges; Adult fiction and a cover I don’t like. I don’t like any cover that has people on them, so it is a meh cover for me. However, the synopsis sounds interesting and reminds me of Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden which is one of my all-time favourite books: “Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready, to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now? Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career. Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ’80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.”

Read More

Book Review

Title: Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) Re-Read

Author: Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Genre: YA/Sci-Fi/Romance

Rating:

Review: So, the first time I read this series I read them with big gaps between the books but this time I will be reading them close together and I am going to see whether or not my opinions on this series has changed. The opening to Illuminae was shocking as ever and the humour in the opening is better given the fact, I already know who the Illuminae group are and the elaborate game they are playing.

Read More

Book Review

Title: Empress of all Season

Author: Emiko Jean

Genre: YA/Fantasy

Rating:

Review: I knew Empress of all Season focus on a tournament of some sort that revolved around the seasons and it was based on Asian mythology, but I wasn’t prepared for this synopsis: “Each generation, a competition is held to find the next Empress of Honoku. The rules are simple. Survive the palace’s enchanted seasonal rooms. Conquer Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Marry the prince. All are eligible to compete—all except yōkai, supernatural monsters and spirits whom the human emperor is determined to enslave and destroy. Mari has spent a lifetime training to become Empress. Winning should be easy. And it would be if she weren’t hiding a dangerous secret. Mari is a yōkai with the ability to transform into a terrifying monster. If discovered, her life will be forfeit. As she struggles to keep her true identity hidden, Mari’s fate collides with that of Taro, the prince who has no desire to inherit the imperial throne, and Akira, a half-human, half-yōkai outcast. Torn between duty and love, loyalty and betrayal, vengeance and forgiveness, the choices of Mari, Taro, and Akira will decide the fate of Honoku.”

Read More

Book Review

Title: In an Absent Dream (Wayward Children #4)

Author: Seanan McGuire

Genre: YA/Portal Fantasy/LGBT

Rating:

Review: So in the Wayward Children’s series we have followed Nancy, Jack & Jill, Rini & Sumi and we follow Lundy’s journey to the Goblin Market years before the years of Every Heart a Doorway. I have been lucky to get ARC’s of both Beneath the Sugar Sky and In an Absent Dream from NetGalley and I couldn’t wait to get into the latest installment from Seanan McGuire.

Read More

Book Review

Title: Death Knocks

Author: Miranda Hardy & Jay Noel

Genre: YA/Paranormal/Thriller

Rating:

Review: So, this synopsis sounds equal parts creepy and intriguing: “The Black-Eyed Kids don’t demand money…they want more than that, they want Maverick’s life. Maverick is preparing for senior year: he’s no longer stuck in the “friend-zone” with the girl of his dreams, Lisa. He’s looking forward to college and being on his own. The plan is to have a blast along the way. A knock on the door changes his life forever. Maverick is taken on a mind-altering, life-changing journey to discover the truth–a truth that the “Kids”, and other mysterious parties, will do anything to keep hidden.

Read More