A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. SchwabMy rating: 2 of 5 stars A Darker Shade of MagicThis is going to be a very unpopular opinion, but I just can’t help it. I didn’t like the story at all. I was looking to find a great book that would have me looking forward to snuggling up on the couch and getting lost in a world so unlike our own, what I found instead were a whole bunch of yawns and excuses to keep putting off reading this book. Here is why:The plot was just so slow and to be completely honest, I lose patience very quickly when a story tries…

Dark, Witch & Creamy by H.Y. HannaMy rating: 4 of 5 stars I was given this ARC by NetGalley in return for an honest review.What better way to spend a rainy, chilly Friday than sitting all snuggled up reading a cozy mystery with so much character? I have read two other cozy mystery series and was in need of a change. I’m glad I found this little gem. The plot is a murder mystery sprinkled with some witchcraft and decadent, delicious chocolate creations that made my mouth water and had me searching for a snack every twenty minutes. It was easy enough to follow, but kept the reader’s interest until…

The Invisible Hand: Shakespeare’s Moon, ACT I by James HartleyMy rating: 3 of 5 stars I was given this ARC by NetGalley in return for an honest review.A cute story for a more younger audience. I wish I could have read this when I was 16 years old and not already in my thirties. The premise and world building brought Shakespeare’s play Macbeth more to life and the world building was quite nicely done, yet the style was a bit too young for me.The plot was more elaborate than I initially believed based on the description of the book, which I believed to be Shakespeare’s play retold in a new…

Desolate by Amy MilesMy rating: 3 of 5 stars I was given this ARC by NetGalley in return for an honest review.This story was, and is, extremely dark, brutal and, just as the title says, desolate. Unfortunately, I could not finish it. It was too much for me and I must warn future and potential readers that this is not a light or quick or happy read. If you have had any sort of traumatic experience, abuse or, to put it in a classic way, “have a delicate disposition” this story will not be for you.Having said that, I must give the author a tremendous amount of credit for creating…

Freeks by Amanda HockingMy rating: 3 of 5 stars I was given this ARC by NetGalley in return for an honest review.This was one of those books that I enjoyed reading even though I did not like any of the characters. A true and good example of a story driven by the plot, at least for me.The plot. Who doesn’t enjoy a good and slightly creepy story about an eerie entity wreaking havoc, set in a sideshow carnival? I certainly do. And it was the only thing that kept me reading. It was a good idea and started to unfold nicely, but sadly got a bit sidetracked by a main…

One Wish Away by Ingrid SeymourMy rating: 2 of 5 stars I was given this ARC by NetGalley in return for an honest review.I was excited to start this story. The plot sounded great and I love stories of djinns and the supernatural. I had to take a few days after finishing this story to write this review to stop myself from going into a full rant. So many things I want to point out and vent about, but I will try to keep this short and spoiler free.The plot was not original, but obviously had me request this book, I mean based on the description. What I found was…

Wishful Drinking by Carrie FisherMy rating: 5 of 5 stars I came across a list of Carrie Fisher’s publications and was able to find a copy of the audiobook of Wishful Drinking, narrated by Carrie Fisher. Usually, I’m not a fan of audiobooks, but I am very glad that I had the chance to listen to Carrie Fisher talk about her life, her struggles and make some pretty hilarious jokes.I’m tempted to share some of her jokes, but I highly recommend you give her a listen. The heavy subjects she addresses are always spiced with sarcasm and, of course, her wit and her candidness about mental health and her own…

Abenteuer aus Onkel Dagoberts Schatztruhe 01: Lustiges Taschenbuch präsentiert by Francesc Bargadà StudioMy rating: 4 of 5 stars Every comic book has a table of contents page at the beginning, which lists if the stories in this comic have been previously published or if they are actually German first publications. Sadly, if they have been previously published, only the publication number is listed and not the actual year, which gives me much to ponder, since this book contained all stories that looked, based on the art and design, like they belong from the 1980’s special publications that were printed in larger books. My own curiosity cannot be satisfied in that…