Showing posts with label 2022 debuts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2022 debuts. Show all posts

3 Apr 2023

Review: THE BUTCHER AND THE WREN by Alaina Urquhart

03 April 1 Comments

THE BUTCHER AND THE WREN

Author: Alaina Urquhart
Series: The Butcher and the Wren #1
Source: Audio from Audible
Publisher: Zando
Publication Date: September 13, 2022

Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:

Representation: N/A

Summary:
From the co-host of chart-topping true crime podcast Morbid, a thrilling debut novel told from the dueling perspectives of a notorious serial killer and the medical examiner following where his trail of victims leads

Something dark is lurking in the Louisiana bayou: a methodical killer with a penchant for medical experimentation is hard at work completing his most harrowing crime yet, taunting the authorities who desperately try to catch up.

But forensic pathologist Dr. Wren Muller is the best there is. Armed with an encyclopedic knowledge of historical crimes, and years of experience working in the Medical Examiner's office, she's never encountered a case she couldn't solve. Until now. Case after case is piling up on Wren's examination table, and soon she is sucked into an all-consuming cat-and-mouse chase with a brutal murderer getting more brazen by the day.

An addictive read with straight-from-the-morgue details only an autopsy technician could provide, The Butcher and the Wren promises to ensnare all who enter.
Purchase:
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Content Warning: kidnapping, stalking, torture, murder, death, PTSD

This was a quick read but one that really packed a punch! I highly enjoyed reading it and thought that the twists were unique and interesting.

The book really kept you guessing even though it gave you some of the information along the way. I thought it ended a little sloppily, but there was definitely room to have a sequel to this or a spin-off to view more of this world.

For going from a podcast to a novel, I think Urquhart did a great job of incorporating elements of true crime into fiction. I liked seeing how the characters were developed and am looking forward to seeing more of the characters in the future!

This might be one of the only "detective" series that I end up following. I definitely recommend this one!

Have you read this series? Are you going to pick this up?

2 Nov 2022

ARC #Review: SALT AND SUGAR by Rebecca Carvalho

02 November 0 Comments

SALT AND SUGAR

Author: Rebecca Carvalho
Series: N/A
Source: ARC from Publisher
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Publication Date: November 1, 2022
Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:

Summary:
The grandchildren of two rival Brazilian bakeries fall in love despite their families’ feud.

Trust neither thin-bottomed frying pans nor Molinas.

Lari Ramires has always known this to be true. In Olinda, Brazil, her family’s bakery, Salt, has been at war with the Molinas’ bakery across the street, Sugar, for generations. But Lari’s world turns upside down when her beloved grandmother passes away. On top of that, a big supermarket chain has moved to town, forcing many of the small businesses to close.

Determined to protect her home, Lari does the unthinkable—she works together with Pedro Molina to save both of their bakeries. Lari realizes she might not know Pedro as well as she thought—and she maybe even likes what she learns—but the question remains: Can a Ramires and a Molina truly trust one another?
Purchase:
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Content Warning: death of a loved one, food discussions, yelling, emotional neglect by a parent

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This is no way impacts my opinion.

Love between rival families’ children themed with sweet, salty, mouth watering bakeries that make you extremely hungry with well developed characters! Two rival bakeries across the street from one another. The Ramires family only prepares savory foods (Salt) as Molinas family only prepares sweets (Sugar). When a new department store opens up and threatens both bakeries, Lari and Pedro need to work together to save their family bakeries. But after hating a person for a long time, it may be real challenge to work alongside them.

Oh my goodness, this was so stinking cute! I loved the baking scenes, the build up of the romance, and the way that the Romeo and Juliet story was retold through this. While not a one for one retelling, I appreciated the homage to the story in this one. I thought there was a lot of really great scenes and dialogue between our main two characters.

Lari and Pedro’s chemistry was sizzling and their relationship felt well developed to go from rivals to lovers. I also really appreciated the apologizing on both sides when they were in the wrong to help settle old wounds.

I went into this thinking it was going to just be light-hearted and a cute contemporary novel, but there was so much more than that! All the descriptions of the different pastries had me absolutely drooling. This wholesome story does a beautiful job exploring the complex emotions of figuring out that there is more to people than we know.

I loved their relationship and seeing how it came to play. I would have liked a bit more looking into the other three people in the Cooking Club, and some of the other classmates, but I think it could have been too much for this one novel.

I felt like there were a few pitfalls in the writing style but I think that will be something that Carvalho works out as she writs more novels in the future. I think for a debut novel, it was super well done!

Definitely pick this one up, but make sure you have something yummy near by!

Have you read this book? Are you going to pick this up?

24 Oct 2022

Audio #Review: OPHELIA AFTER ALL by Racquel Marie

24 October 0 Comments

OPHELIA AFTER ALL

Author: Racquel Marie
Series: N/A
Source: Audio from Libro.fm
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: February 8, 2022
Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:

Summary:
A teen girl navigates friendship drama, the end of high school, and discovering her queerness in Ophelia After All, a hilarious and heartfelt contemporary YA debut by author Racquel Marie.

Ophelia Rojas knows what she likes: her best friends, Cuban food, rose-gardening, and boys - way too many boys. Her friends and parents make fun of her endless stream of crushes, but Ophelia is a romantic at heart. She couldn't change, even if she wanted to.

So when she finds herself thinking more about cute, quiet Talia Sanchez than the loss of a perfect prom with her ex-boyfriend, seeds of doubt take root in Ophelia's firm image of herself. Add to that the impending end of high school and the fracturing of her once-solid friend group, and things are spiraling a little out of control. But the course of love--and sexuality--never did run smooth. As her secrets begin to unravel, Ophelia must make a choice between clinging to the fantasy version of herself she's always imagined or upending everyone's expectations to rediscover who she really is, after all. 
Purchase:
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Content Warning: homophobia

Ophelia Rojas is a girl that everyone knows these things about her: she loves roses, papas rellenas, and is a boy-crazy hopeless romantic. But when she begins to have feelings for a girl, she's not sure how to navigate. As time goes on, and her feelings grow stronger, Ophelia has to decide whether to hold her secrets close to her heart, or let people in on her journey of self-discovery.

I'm so glad I read this because teen-me would have ate this up and adult me needed it as a reminder that I wasn't - and aren't - broken for being a boy crazed bi. The overall message here was that it's okay to not know what label fits you best, to have fluidity in your identity, and that change is okay and necessary!!

Ophelia’s journey with questioning her sexuality made me so emotional. I wanted to both hug her tightly and also give her a push in the right direction. Ophelia was always used to having everything figured out, so when she starts getting feelings for her new friend Talia, everything is thrown out of focus for her. We see Ophelia struggling with her feelings of confusion and doubts over what she always thought was true. It was such an honest and beautiful portrayal of a questioning teen.

While I never went to my prom, this took me right back into the last semester of high school and all the fears and heightened emotions we felt about change. Racquel Marie's writing is gorgeous, the prose does everything you'd want, and each of the characters is so beautifully written.

I listened to the audiobook, and I think it was very well done. The narrator really got the fear, the gay panic, and the characterizations of our MC. I thought it was an immersive experience to listen to this one!

I highly recommend picking this one up!

INSTAGRAM

Have you read this book? Are you going to pick this up?

1 Jan 2022

52 Weeks, 52 Books: A 2022 Reading Challenge (Updated)

01 January 34 Comments

 


Hey folks! I know lots of you are probably searching for a 2022 reading challenge, so I thought I would provide that for you!

52 Weeks, 52 Books: A 2022 Reading Challenge hosted by Books and Ladders


Because there are 52 weeks in the year, I have 52 different challenges set up for you so that you can expand your reading! You can see the challenges and my anticipated TBR below.

This is a revamp of the 2017 Reading Challenge I hosted since it was really popular! I'll be refeaturing a lot of those books as well and can't wait to keep up with all the books to really challenge myself (and you!) to read more interestingly.

To sign up to participate, comment below with a link to your TBR post or blog and your Twitter handle so I can add you to a list! You can show off your participation with this graphic:

Themes

Here is a list of all the themes that will be happening over the next year. Feel free to choose the same books as me or to choose your own. 

Every Sunday I will post about the theme for the week with my book choice as well as other potential book choices! 

Stuck on a theme? Leave a comment below and I will give you some suggestions!

1Recommended by a FriendJan 1-7
2Book Set in South AmericaJan 8-14
3Adult SFF BookJan 15-21
4Book About A Road TripJan 22-28
5Book You've Heard A Lot About But Haven't ReadJan 29-Feb 4
6Book With "Some" in the TitleFeb 5-11
7Book with a Trans Main CharacterFeb 12-18
8Feminist SciFi NovelFeb 19-25
9Book Originally Published in the Year You Were BornFeb 26-Mar 4
10Book You Started But Never FinishedMar 5-11
11Book by an Author from Southeast AsiaMar 12-18
12Book with a Blue CoverMar 19-25
13Reread Your Favourite Book From ChildhoodMar 26-Apr 1
14Book with a Latinx Main CharacterApr 2-Apr 8
15Book by a Woman of ColourApr 9-Apr 15
16Book by an Author You LoveApr 16-22
17Book About An Indigenous CharacterApr 23-29
18Based on a Fairy TaleApr 30-May 6
19Book Your Mom/Dad LikesMay 7-13
20Book Written By A Woman Under 30May 14-20
21Book Set in the Middle EastMay 21-27
22Book With "A" in the TitleMay 28-Jun 3
23Book Set in RussiaJun 4-10
24Book with a Main Character that has a Mental IllnessJun 11-17
25Book You Would Normally Never Pick UpJun 18-24
26Diverse Book Of Your ChoiceJun 25-Jul 1
27Book That Is Published in 2022 That ISN'T A DebutJul 2-8
28Book Written By A CelebrityJul 9-15
29Finish That Series You've Been Putting OffJul 16-22
30Literary Fiction BookJul 23-29
31Book That Takes Place on an IslandJul 30-Aug 5
32Start A New Series By An Author You've Never ReadAug 6-Aug 12
33National Book Award WinnerAug 13-19
34New Adult TitleAug 20-26
35Debut 2022 NovelAug 27-Sep 2
36Book That's More Than 600 PagesSep 3-9
37Book Set In CanadaSep 10-16
38Book with Non-Western Mythology/HistorySep 17-23
39Book Set in South AfricaSep 24-30
40Book by A Native AmericanOct 1-7
41Book That Has Been Turned Into A MovieOct 8-14
42Book Set In JapanOct 15-21
43Book That Was Published in 2015Oct 22-28
44Graphic NovelOct 29-Nov 4
45Post-Apocalyptic Book Written by a WomanNov 5-11
46Book Set in your Home State/Province/AreaNov 12-18
47Book with AliensNov 19-25
48Book by Someone Who Identifies As LGBTQIANov 26-Dec 2
49Book of EssaysDec 3-9
50#BookTok RecommendsDec 10-16
51Book by a Man of ColourDec 17-23
52Book Turned Into A TV ShowDec 24-31