Book Review | Milk and Honey by Rupi Kair

 

Title: Milk and Honey
Author: Rupi Kaur
Release Date: November 4th 2014
Page Amount: 204 pages, Paperback edition

GoodReads Link

GoodReads Blurb:

milk and honey is a collection of poetry and prose about survival. It is about the experience of violence, abuse, love, loss, and femininity. It is split into four chapters, and each chapter serves a different purpose, deals with a different pain, heals a different heartache. milk and honey takes readers through a journey of the most bitter moments in life and finds sweetness in them because there is sweetness everywhere if you are just willing to look.

Review: 

I'm in an online book club and this was one of the options one month. It wasn't picked but I was intrigued so I got the audiobook. The audiobook is read by the author which makes it even more amazing.

I really loved his collection. The description says it's a collection of poetry and prose. Because I was listening to the audiobook I couldn't always tell which it was. To me, even the prose read like poetry. With  poetic quality. My initial review on GoodReads read "Amazing!! Loved it!!" There is so much important content and subjects discussed here. I saw a review on GoodReads that said it wasn't poetry. That it was diary entries with line breaks. Maybe so. Maybe not. Poetry (as with most art) is quite subjective. If they are diary entries they read a lot more beautifully than my diary entries do. I think the subjects in here were important and discussed beautifully. My sister read and reviewed this book, too. One sentence of her review sums it up pretty well. "Everyone needs to read this book." I agree. I might need to buy it in paperback. 5 quills.

Book Review | Broken by K. Webster

 

Title: Broken (Breaking the Rules #1)
Author: K. Webster
Release Date: January 19th 2014
Page Amount: 199 pages, Kindle edition

GoodReads Link

GoodReads Blurb:

Andi has the perfect life. She is about to graduate with an Architecture degree and marry her-All American baseball star-fiancé. When she catches him in bed with another woman, her world is turned upside down. Left to pick up the pieces of her shattered life, she takes on a new persona—a promiscuous one. This new role protects her heart from ever being broken again.

Andi now lives by a set of rules. The game? Sex with a new pawn every weekend. Every Friday, she sets her sight on a new sexy, successful man to play along—no strings attached, please. When Monday rolls around, she kicks them to the curb and moves on. It has helped her get through the pain of her past—that is, until she meets Jackson.

The mysterious Jackson is excited to play her game. He too has had his heart broken in the past and isn’t looking for a repeat. Eventually, hearts get involved and Andi wonders if the game is still worth playing.

Will she look for a new pawn or will she break the rules with Jackson?

Review: 

My first K. Webster book was Zeke's Eden. The one that made me a K. Webster fan was Whispers and the Roars. The review for that one is coming. That one was amazing.

This, I believe, is her first published book. I decided to give it a read. It was also free so why not? It was good but not as good as K. Webster's later books. I definitely saw how she's grown as a writer and that was really cool. Her descriptions are a lot better now. Her writing is richer and more engaging. Here sometimes I was struggling to feel like I was with the characters. Which is the best way to feel when reading. Or that you are the characters. That you are them or you feel what they're feeling. Here I didn't really get that. And I felt like sometimes the sex scenes were not needed. I wasn't sure how much they moved the story forward. I enjoy K. Webster's later book a lot. I would give this one 3 quills, I think.

Book Blitz | Born, Darkly by Trisha Wolfe!!

Born, Darkly
Trisha Wolfe
(Darkly, Madly Duet, #1)
Publication date: September 19th 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

He challenged her sanity.
She shattered his reality.
They dared each other…to the brink of madness.
A dark and twisted maze awaits criminal psychologist London Noble when she falls for her patient, convicted serial killer, Grayson Pierce Sullivan. As she unravels the traps, her sanity tested with each game, she’s forced to acknowledge the true evil in the world around her.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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Author Bio:
From an early age, Trisha Wolfe dreamed up fantasy worlds and characters and was accused of talking to herself. Today, she lives in South Carolina with her family and writes full time, using her fantasy worlds as an excuse to continue talking to herself.
For more information on Trisha Wolfe and her works, please visit: www.TrishaWolfe.com
To be the first to hear about new releases and sale events, sign up for Trisha Wolfe's Newsletter: http://bit.ly/1rXTKI7

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Book Review | Whispers and the Roars by K. Webster

 

Title: Whispers and the Roars
Author: K. Webster
Release Date: December 6th 2016
Page Amount: 227 pages, Kindle edition

GoodReads Link

GoodReads Blurb:

 ***THIS STANDALONE IS BEST ENJOYED WHEN YOU DON'T READ ANY REVIEWS OR SPOILERS BEFORE READING. GOING IN BLIND IS BEST. TRUST ME.***

When my eyes are closed, the monster can’t ever see me.
When I sing a song in my head, the monster can’t ever hear me.
When I pretend my bedroom is a playground where I play hide and seek, the monster can’t ever find me.

The darkness should frighten me.
I should worry I’ll find more monsters…monsters scarier than him.
But I’m not afraid.

It’s safe here.
When I’m inside of my head…

He. Can’t. Ever. Touch. Me.

Warning:
Whispers and the Roars is a dark romance. Strong sexual themes and violence, which could trigger emotional distress are found in this story. The abuse written in this story is graphic and not glossed over which could be upsetting to some. Proceed with caution. This story is NOT for everyone.

Review: 

This was one of my top three favorite books of last year. It was number three on the list. I'm not even sure where to begin with this one. It is not your typical love story, that's for sure. It is kind of dark but I doubt that it's as dark as you're thinking. In my mind I refer to it as "Psychological Romance." In the description it stays vague and tells you not to read reviews because it's best to go in blind. I agree, which is why this review is so difficult to write. Just know, that even though this is an unconvential love story it is on of the most beautiful ones that I've ever read. I kept reading that there was a huge twist. I guessed at it early on but then thought that couldn't possibly be it. Then maybe 10% before the twist was revealed, I knew what it was. Most people didn't, though. I feel a little cheated because I figured it out. Either way, it was an amazing book. I highly recommend this. It is my favorite K. Webster book hands down. 5 quills.

Book Review | Crank by Ellen Hopkins

 

Title: Crank
Author: Ellen Hopkins
Release Date: October 1st 2004
Page Amount: 537 pages, Paperback edition

GoodReads Link 

GoodReads Blurb:

In Crank, Ellen Hopkins chronicles the turbulent and often disturbing relationship between Kristina, a character based on her own daughter, and the "monster," the highly addictive drug crystal meth, or "crank." Kristina is introduced to the drug while visiting her largely absent and ne'er-do-well father. While under the influence of the monster, Kristina discovers her sexy alter-ego, Bree: "there is no perfect daughter, / no gifted high school junior, / no Kristina Georgia Snow. / There is only Bree." Bree will do all the things good girl Kristina won't, including attracting the attention of dangerous boys who can provide her with a steady flow of crank. 

Review:

This was my first Ellen Hopkins book and it will not be my last. Boy, was it a powerful read. It looks like a long book but that's deceiving. It's written in verse. This is a form of novel writing that I love. It mixes two of my favorite art forms. Poetry/verse and fiction/novels. This book is a heavy read so be sure that you're prepared if you're going to dive in. It details a young woman's downward spiral into the world of drugs. It is powerful, heartfelt, infuriating...and yet there is still hope. I loved this book. I gave it away to one of my best friends soon after I read it because I wanted other people to read it, too. I will be reading the second one and more Ellen Hopkins books. This was one of my top three books of 2016. 5 quills.

Bundle Reviews | Harry Potter Reviews

 

Title: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Author: Story by: J. K. Rowling, John Tiffany & Jack Thorne Play by: Jack Thorne

Release Date: July 31st 2016

Published By: Little, Brown

Page Amount: 343 pages, Hardcover, Special Rehearsal Script Edition

GoodReads

GoodReads Blurb:

The Eighth Story. Nineteen Years Later.

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn't much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and father of three school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

Review: 

I pre-ordered this because I was desperate to get my hands on it. I had been waiting to get my hands on this story for nine years. I can't give too much of a review because that would be giving away an abundance of information about all of the books. It took turns that I was not expecting at all and I yelled at the book a lot. I put up a special away message on my e-mail just to say I would be gone until I had finished the book. There are some things mentioned in the book that I want to know more about. Maybe one day I'll get to learn them. I would recommend this to any Harry Potter fan for sure. I do wish I could have seen the play, of course. But I give this 5 quills.

 

 

Title: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Author: J. K. Rowling

Release Date: November 18th 2016

Published By: Arthur A. Levine Books

Page Amount: 293 pages, Hardcover

GoodReads

GoodReads Blurb:

J.K. Rowling's screenwriting debut is captured in this exciting hardcover edition of the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them screenplay.

When Magizoologist Newt Scamander arrives in New York, he intends his stay to be just a brief stopover. However, when his magical case is misplaced and some of Newt's fantastic beasts escape, it spells trouble for everyone…

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them marks the screenwriting debut of J.K. Rowling, author of the beloved and internationally bestselling Harry Potter books. Featuring a cast of remarkable characters, this is epic, adventure-packed storytelling at its very best.

Whether an existing fan or new to the wizarding world, this is a perfect addition to any reader's bookshelf.

Review: 

I wasn't in a mad hurry to read this book because it isn't directly to do with Harry Potter but of course I still had to have it (and to read it) because it's part of that world. The wizarding world that J. K. Rowling created. I was also pretty sure that it mentioned Grindelwald, who is definitely somebody that I want to know more about. It was a good story although I think the second half was better. I also think it is something that would translate better on the screen. I have yet to see the movie but I really want to. I will of course be getting the other ones when they come out. I hope to learn more about Grindelwald. I also hope that Dumbledore is mentioned more. I think I would give this one about....4.5 quills?

 

Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Author: J. K. Rowling

Release Date: June 26th 1997

Published By: Scholastic Inc.

Page Amount: 320 pages, Hardcover

GoodReads

GoodReads Blurb:

Harry Potter's life is miserable. His parents are dead and he's stuck with his heartless relatives, who force him to live in a tiny closet under the stairs. But his fortune changes when he receives a letter that tells him the truth about himself: he's a wizard. A mysterious visitor rescues him from his relatives and takes him to his new home, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

After a lifetime of bottling up his magical powers, Harry finally feels like a normal kid. But even within the Wizarding community, he is special. He is the boy who lived: the only person to have ever survived a killing curse inflicted by the evil Lord Voldemort, who launched a brutal takeover of the Wizarding world, only to vanish after failing to kill Harry.

Though Harry's first year at Hogwarts is the best of his life, not everything is perfect. There is a dangerous secret object hidden within the castle walls, and Harry believes it's his responsibility to prevent it from falling into evil hands. But doing so will bring him into contact with forces more terrifying than he ever could have imagined.

Full of sympathetic characters, wildly imaginative situations, and countless exciting details, the first installment in the series assembles an unforgettable magical world and sets the stage for many high-stakes adventures to come.

Review: 

How do I even to review Harry Potter? I've been madly in love with this story and these characters for years now. For nearly half my life, really. Well, more than that, depending upon how you look at it. I was 11 when I saw the first movie. 13 to 14 when I first read the books that were out. So Harry Potter has been an enormous part of my life for about half of my life.

In full disclosure, it took me a few times to read the first book but once I got past that first chapter, I was hooked. The story that unfolds in these books is amazing. So much more than "just a children's story." And I feel as if much of it is all too relevant to today's society. I've read the book twice. Well, three times now since I listened to the audiobook this year. It's still amazing and I can't wait to listen to the next six books. It's been too long since I read them. When I read them or watch the movies, it isn't like I'm reading about characters, it's like a reunion with old friends. 

Obviously, I give this 5 quills. I highly, highly recommend this series. The audiobooks are great, too. Check them out if for some reason you haven't already!!

Book Review | Difficult Women by Roxanne Gay

 

Title: Difficult Women
Author: Roxanne Gay
Release Date: January 3rd 2017
Page Amount: 272 pages, Kindle edition

GoodReads Link

GoodReads Blurb:

Award-winning author and powerhouse talent Roxane Gay burst onto the scene with An Untamed State—which earned rave reviews and was selected as one of the best books of the year by the Washington Post, NPR, the Boston Globe, and Kirkus—and her New York Times bestselling essay collection Bad Feminist (Harper Perennial). Gay returns with Difficult Women, a collection of stories of rare force and beauty, of hardscrabble lives, passionate loves, and quirky and vexed human connection.

The women in these stories live lives of privilege and of poverty, are in marriages both loving and haunted by past crimes or emotional blackmail. A pair of sisters, grown now, have been inseparable ever since they were abducted together as children, and must negotiate the marriage of one of them. A woman married to a twin pretends not to realize when her husband and his brother impersonate each other. A stripper putting herself through college fends off the advances of an overzealous customer. A black engineer moves to Upper Michigan for a job and faces the malign curiosity of her colleagues and the difficulty of leaving her past behind. From a girls’ fight club to a wealthy subdivision in Florida where neighbors conform, compete, and spy on each other, Gay delivers a wry, beautiful, haunting vision of modern America reminiscent of Merritt Tierce, Jamie Quatro, and Miranda July.

Review:

This was the April book of the month for the book online book club that I'm in. I listened to the audio of this one. It's a collection of stories. Honestly. I find the title a little bit misleading. I almost feel like it should be called Damaged Women instead. Even so, there were some very good stories in this collection. There were some very affecting stories in this book. I thought that in general it was written quite well. 

These were my favorites:

I Will Follow You

North Country

Requiem For a Heart

These three affected me the most. But Requiem For a Heart is the one that stands out most in my mind. It was very metaphorical. I loved that about it. It was like a modern day fairy tale. A magical, whimsical tale. I loved this one. I would read this one again for sure. I would also definitely read more Roxanne Gay. I think I give this one 3.5 quills.

 

 

Book Review | The Elvis Presley I Knew by Robert C. Cantwell

 

Title: The Elvis Presley I Knew

Author: Robert C. Cantwell
Release Date: August 5th 2013
Page Amount: 175 pages, Kindle edition

GoodReads Link

GoodReads Blurb:

“I would have been duty-bound if I had recognized Elvis’ alleged drug abuse.”
Robert C. Cantwell

Elvis I knew was a superstar, authentic country gentleman and ‘unprejudiced’ that cherished being around those that regarded him as an ordinary person.

Review:

Yes, there were too many errors in this book for my taste. I think it could have benefited from being looked over one more time. However, the content of the book was really great. You got to hear more great stories about Elvis. The author spoke honestly about the person he knew. And my favorite thing about the book was that it showed Elvis as a normal person. I mean, he was and he wasn't. But this showed that under all of that he was a human being. He was wonderful but he still made mistakes. We're all human, we all do. So, even though this book had its share of errors I would still recommend it. 4 quills.

Book Review | Leave This Song Behind

 

Title: Leave This Song Behind: teen poetry at is best

Author: Teen Ink, multiple
Release Date: April 26th 2016
Page Amount: 216 pages, Kindle edition

GoodReads Link

GoodReads Blurb:

It's been 10 years since the last book in the Teen Ink series Written in the Dirt was published. Now, a whole new batch of teen writers has emerged with their own unique voices. Leave This Song Behind features the best poetry submitted by those writers to Teen Ink over the last five years.

The pieces in this book were chosen because they were so powerful that they stood out from the rest. Teen Ink editors took a deep look into each poem's strengths then divided Leave This Song Behind into seven sections based on the poetic techniques or qualities that moved them most. Vivid sensory details made some poems shine; others caught their attention with simple, sparse language. Still others were chosen because of their thoughtful use of form; compelling stories; strong figurative language; unexpected connections and wit; and fresh writing about familiar topics.

Dig in and let these brave young voices capture your heart and mind with their passion, their pain, and their amazing poetry!

Review:

I read Teen Ink fairly regularly in high school. Our teacher would get shipments of them and hand them out in Creative Writing class. Sometimes we'd spend the whole class looking through them. (IT was a pretty free form class.) I found a lot of inspiration in the pages of those magazines. They helped me grow as a writer.

I'm o Netgalley but don't use it a lot. However, when I saw this I knew that I had to request it. Besides the beautiful cover I really wanted to dive into the poetry. I adore poetry. Whenever I read it I feel the need to write it. It's like filling myself up with poetic creativity. Recharging myself and my poetry batteries. The poems in here were beautiful. I loved them and would reread this one for sure. I know not everyone is into poetry but I think this is a good one to try. Or if you love poetry check this one. There is definitely talent out there amongst today's teenagers. 5 quills.