Monday, December 30, 2019

Highly Anticipated Books for 2020: My Ambitious Year

So, let's start this post with the most obvious fact: I have WAY more than 20 books I'm anticipating this year (as do you, amiright!?). But alas, I'm choosing to go the super cool girl route and narrow it down to a mere 20 (for 2020..duh). So I went ahead and choose 10 adult and 10 YA titles. Here are the contenders (in no particular order):

(NOTE: as always, clicking on covers will lead you to that books Goodreads page!)



Sunday, December 29, 2019

Favourite Reads of 2019: An Ode to Words

DEAR FAVOURITE READS OF 2019,

There aren't many ways to truly thank a book for it's contribution to your soul. Yes, you can thank the author for writing it, tweet and Instagram about it, and recommend the heck out of it to every person walking by, but is it enough!? Never. It is never enough. So this is just another way I'm falling short of truly expressing my gratitude to the great books I read this year. Here's to you, you beautifully bounded captors of my heart, here's to you a million times over.

In no particular order, here are my top 14 books of the year. These are books I either gave 4 or 5 stars to (but stars, schmars, right? THESE BOOKS GOT ME RIGHT IN THE HEART AREA):


Thursday, December 12, 2019

REVIEW: Hands Up by Stephen Clark

Title: Hands Up
Author: Stephen Clark
Genre: Adult Crime Fiction
Publisher: WiDo Publishing
Release Date: September 28, 2019
Acquired: Hardcopy sent for review
Goodreads: ADD

Officer Ryan Quinn, a rookie raised in a family of cops, is on the fast track to detective until he shoots an unarmed black male. Now, with his career, reputation and freedom on the line, he embarks on a quest for redemption that forces him to confront his fears and biases and choose between conscience or silence.

Jade Wakefield is an emotionally damaged college student living in one of Philadelphia’s worst neighborhoods. She knows the chances of getting an indictment against the cop who killed her brother are slim. When she learns there’s more to the story than the official police account, Jade is determined, even desperate, to find out what really happened. She plans to get revenge by any means necessary.

Kelly Randolph, who returns to Philadelphia broke and broken after abandoning his family ten years earlier, seeks forgiveness while mourning the death of his son. But after he’s thrust into the spotlight as the face of the protest movement, his disavowed criminal past resurfaces and threatens to derail the family’s pursuit of justice.

Ryan, Jade, and Kelly--three people from different worlds—are on a collision course after the shooting, as their lives interconnect and then spiral into chaos.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

REVIEW: Thirteen Doorways Wolves Behind Them All by Laura Ruby

Title: Thirteen Doorways Wolves Behind Them All
Author: Laura Ruby
Genre: Young Adult - Paranormal/Historical
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Release Date: October 1, 2019
Acquired: Library borrow
Goodreads: ADD

The unforgettable story of two young women—one living, one dead—dealing with loss, desire, and the fragility of the American dream during WWII.

When Frankie’s mother died and her father left her and her siblings at an orphanage in Chicago, it was supposed to be only temporary—just long enough for him to get back on his feet and be able to provide for them once again. That’s why Frankie's not prepared for the day that he arrives for his weekend visit with a new woman on his arm and out-of-state train tickets in his pocket.

Now Frankie and her sister, Toni, are abandoned alongside so many other orphans—two young, unwanted women doing everything they can to survive.

And as the embers of the Great Depression are kindled into the fires of World War II, and the shadows of injustice, poverty, and death walk the streets in broad daylight, it will be up to Frankie to find something worth holding on to in the ruins of this shattered America—every minute of every day spent wondering if the life she's able to carve out will be enough.

I will admit I do not know the answer. But I will be watching, waiting to find out.

That’s what ghosts do.