• Book Reviews

    Graphic Novel Review: Zodiac Starforce: By the Power of Astra

    Title: Zodiac Starforce: By the Power of Astra            * Collects Issues #1-#4 Author: Kevin Panetta Illustrator: Paulina Ganucheau Publisher: Dark Horse Books Pages: Paperback; 136 Recommended Age Group: 13+ (Fantasy Violence) Release Date: May 31, 2016 Source: Purchased They’re an elite group of teenage girls with magical powers who have sworn to protect our planet against dark creatures . . . as long as they can get out of class! Known as the Zodiac Starforce, these high-school girls aren’t just combating math tests. They’re also battling monsters–not your typical afterschool activity! But when an evil…

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    Book Review: The Summer Guest by Alison Anderson

    Media Type: Print Book (ARC) Title: The Summer Guest Author: Alison Anderson Publisher: HarperCollins Pages: Hardcover; 400 Release Date: May 24, 2016 Source: Publisher / TLC Book Tours ———————————————– Genre: Historical Fiction HDB Rating: 4 Keys to My Heart Recommended to: Readers who enjoy lush, descriptive writing with a beautiful take on the source material. Add it on: Goodreads | Amazon | BookLikes Blinded by a fatal illness, young Ukrainian doctor Zinaida Lintvaryova is living on her family’s rural estate in the summer of 1888. When a family from Moscow rents a cottage on the grounds, Zinaida develops a deep…

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    Book Review: This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee

    Media Type: Ebook (ARC) Title: This Monstrous Thing Author: Mackenzi Lee Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books Pages: Kindle; 384 Release Date: September 22, 2015 Source: Publisher / NetGalley ———————————————— Content Screening: Mild Violence HDB Rating: 4 Keys to My Heart Recommended to: Readers who enjoy reimaginings of classic stories, and love vivid characters. Add it on: Goodreads | Amazon | BookLikes In 1818 Geneva, men built with clockwork parts live hidden away from society, cared for only by illegal mechanics called Shadow Boys. Two years ago, Shadow Boy Alasdair Finch’s life shattered to bits. His brother, Oliver—dead. His sweetheart, Mary—gone. His…

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    Book Review: Roses and Rot by Kat Howard

    Media Type: Print Book (ARC) Title: Roses and Rot Author: Kat Howard Publisher: Saga Press Pages: Hardcover; 336 Release Date: May 17, 2016 Source: Publisher ——————————————– Genre: Fantasy / Contemporary (This borders the line between YA and NA.) HDB Rating: 5 Keys to My Heart Recommended to: Everyone who loves fairy tales, especially the true life ones. Add it on: Goodreads | Amazon | BookLikes Imogen and her sister Marin have escaped their cruel mother to attend a prestigious artists’ retreat, but soon learn that living in a fairy tale requires sacrifices, be it art or love. What would you…

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    Book Review: Scarlet and Ivy: The Lost Twin by Sophie Cleverly

    Media Type: Ebook (ARC) Title: Scarlet and Ivy: The Lost Twin    *Series: Scarlet and Ivy Author: Sophie Cleverly Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky Pages: Hardcover; 304 Release Date: May 3, 2016 Source: NetGalley / Publisher ————————————————- Content Screening: Mild Violence HDB Rating: 5 Keys to My Heart Recommended to: All readers, of every age! This mystery definitely transcends the group it’s written for. Add it on: Goodreads | Amazon | BookLikes Ivy, I pray that it’s you reading this. And if you are, well, I suppose you’re the new me… When shy Ivy’s troublemaking twin Scarlet vanishes from Rookwood boarding school,…

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    Book Review: The Girl Who Stayed by Tanya Anne Crosby

    Media Type: Print Book Title: The Girl Who Stayed Author: Tanya Anne Crosby Publisher: Story Plant Pages: Hardcover; 292 Release Date: April 19, 2016 Source: TLC Book Tours —————————————— Genre: Mystery/Thriller HDB Rating: 3 Keys to My Heart Recommended to: Readers who enjoy deep stories, with a lot of character introspection. Add it on: Goodreads | Amazon | BookLikes Zoe Rutherford wasn’t sure what she was expecting when she returned to Sullivan’s Island. The house on Sullivan’s hadn’t represented home to her in decades. It was the place where she endured her father’s cruelty. It was the place where her…

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    Book Review: The Lonely Ones by Kelsey Sutton

    Media Type: Ebook  Title: The Lonely Ones Author: Kelsey Sutton  Publisher: Philomel Pages: Hardcover; 240 Release Date: April 26, 2016 Source: YA Book Tours ————————————– Content Screening: Nothing of note. HDB Rating: 5 Keys to My Heart Add it on: Goodreads | Amazon | Booklikes When your only friend is your own endless imagination, how do you escape your mind and connect to the world around you? With parents too busy to pay her attention, an older brother and sister who would rather spend their time with friends, and peers who oscillate between picking on her and simply ignoring her,…

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    Graphic Novel Review: Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

    Title: Through the Woods Author: Emily Carroll Illustrator: Emily Carroll Publisher: Margaret K. McElderberry Books Pages: Paperback; 208 Recommended Age Group: 16+ Release Date: July 15, 2014 Source: Library Discover a terrifying world in the woods in this collection of five hauntingly beautiful graphic stories that includes the online webcomic sensation “His Face All Red,” in print for the first time. Journey through the woods in this sinister, compellingly spooky collection that features four brand-new stories and one phenomenally popular tale in print for the first time. These are fairy tales gone seriously wrong, where you can travel to “Our…

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    Book Review: The Run Begins by J. Frank James

    Media Type: Ebook Title: The Run Begins    *Series: Lou Malloy Crime Series Author: J. Frank James Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform Pages: Kindle; 52 Release Date: August 26, 2013 Source: Author ————————————————- Genre: Crime / Fiction / Mystery / Thriller / Suspense / Action / Adventure HDB Rating: 4 Keys to My Heart Recommended to: Readers who love a good back story and want to read more in the series Add it on: Goodreads | Amazon | BookLikes Lou Malloy is 18 years old and ready for the world. His brother Sam has left and his sister wants to move to Florida with the family. Malloy is having none of it and on a wild…

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    Book Review: Wonder Woman at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee

    Media Type: Print Book Title: Wonder Woman at Super Hero High    *Series: DC Super Hero Girls #1 Author: Lisa Yee Publisher: Random House BYR Pages: Hardcover; 240 Release Date: March 1, 2016 Source: Publisher —————————————————— Age Group: Aimed at MG (8-12) but suitable for teens as well! HDB Rating: 4 Keys to My Heart Recommended to: Middle Grade readers who love strong female characters, parent/child read-along groups, anyone at all who loves DC! Add it on: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N This groundbreaking new middle grade series follows DC Comics’ most iconic female Super Heroes and Super-Villains . .…