Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

BOOKS

Cover Of All Of This Is True by Lygia Day Penaflor (goodreads)

Not only does the premise of this one sound AMAZING but the cover is just as incredible. I love that it has almost a true crime feel to it. 

The crossing out of the word true also immediately makes a statement about what this book is. I am in love witht eh vivid red that was use as it's going to be eye catching on shelves. I am even more excited to dive into this one! 

TV/Movie

Zac Efron As Ted Bundy

Zac shared another photo on his Twitter account that offers up a clearer look at his Ted Bundy. The makeup artists on this film are incredible because Zac looks so strikingly similar to Ted Bundy in this photo. It's more than a little eerie.

Copyright belongs to Zac Efron (from his Twitter)

This photo, obviously, caused me and my friends to freak out and completely lose all chill. We're all looking forward to a movie poster and trailer. I am encouraged by the fact that this is going to be focused more on Ted's girlfriend at the time than Ted himself as I think that has the potential to offer up something new to say about this much talked about case.

OTHER

HappyHello Bookmarks (link)

I am sure I have mentioned these bookmarks before. They are super cute and I have quite the addiction to them. I love that a wide varitety of fandoms are offered so there is something for everyone. She even offers amazing customs so you can request your favourite characters.

copyright @ HappyHelloCo

I am currently obsessed with the above Steve and Dustin set from Stranger Things. You should check out her Etsy shop and get a few for yourself!


What are you obsessed with this week?

Final Fall (Lock and Mori #3) by Heather W. Petty

Final Fall (Lock and Mori #3) by Heather W. Petty
Release Date - November 28, 2017

Publisher Website - Simon and Schuster Canada
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  256 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received for an honest review from publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Mori is out for revenge. Imprisoned in the English countryside, with her brothers held as leverage, she’s never felt angrier or more helpless. When an opportunity for escape arises, Mori takes it and flees back to the streets of London, where she is finally able to plot the demise of her recently freed father and his cohorts.

But after a bittersweet reunion with Lock, she discovers that he may not be the ally he once was. In the face of blackmail, threats, and Lock’s noble attempts to thwart her crusade, Mori has an impossible decision to make.

Can Mori wash the blood from her hands and walk away? Or will her final fall from grace be the end of everyone she loves? 

Anyone familiar with the Sherlock Holmes stories knows that a story about Lock and Mori can only ever lead one place. Their destiny is already written and with that comes a knowledge that heartbreak is inevitable. Free Fall ends this Sherlock Holmes inspired trilogy with excitement, regret, and tragedy.

Heather Petty, once again, ensures that her characters are the central focus. This story is the perfect blend of plot driven and character driven. It allows the characters and their reactions to the events that are happening to propel the plot forward in ways that make the reader care for everyone involved. I felt invested in both what was going on, and how impacted the characters equally and that makes for an addictive reading experience.

Mori is one of my favourite characters in young adult fiction. She's complex, messed up, and so completely unapologetic for who she is. She is both a force of nature, and vulnerable. She's the type of character that female characters are so often not allowed to be, and the type I ache to read more of. She may even be someone you don't like very much, but there is no denying she's fascinating.

Lock takes more a backseat in this installment as Mori's storyline drives this last part of the trilogy. This series has really always been Mori's story. It's her path to becoming a villain that is the focus. It is her descent that we are seeing unfold as the chapters progress. Lock appears to so firmly know who he is that following his journey would not have been as emotionally rewarding. It's Mori's viewpoint that adds the bittersweetness that this story needs in order to resonate. It's that sense of possibility and loss that make this series have the impact it does, and that is felt because of Mori (and by extension Lock).

The push/pull dynamic between Lock and Mori has always been one of my favourite parts of this series. He sees things in black and white and she lives in the morally grey. They are each other's weaknesses as she pushes Lock to operate a little outside his comfort zone, and he makes her wish for a life where she's less broken. This struggle was felt in every look and interaction that Lock and Mori shared. Their dynamic is the heart of this series, and it was was truly shone in the writing.

The head games that Sherlock and Moriarty are known for are deliciously set up in this installment. They are both intelligent, perceptive, and capable of not letting their emotions cloud their thinking. This makes them perfectly matched, and that makes them such great adversaries. They challenge each other and it is easy to see how they could have been either enemy or lover. The things that make them compliment each other, also make for a great opponent.

There was no other ending than the one this book offers. It was always leading to this. It is just as brutal and devastating as you're expecting, but also incredibly fitting. It is the perfect end to not just the trilogy but the Lock and Mori romance as well.

Heather Petty has written a wonderfully plotted story of a young woman's descent into darkness, and a young man's desperation to help her. It's a story of a love that was never meant to be, and Heather Petty captures every anguishing moment. If you're a fan of Sherlock, or stories that rip your heart out, I highly recommend this series. 

Waiting On Wednesday .... Toil and Trouble

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick is Toil and Trouble by Various Authors

Here is the Goodreads synopsis 

A young adult fiction anthology of 16 stories featuring contemporary, historical, and futuristic stories featuring witchy heroines who are diverse in race, class, sexuality, religion, geography, and era.

Are you a good witch or a bad witch?

Glinda the Good Witch. Elphaba the Wicked Witch. Willow. Sabrina. Gemma Doyle. The Mayfair Witches. Ursula the Sea Witch. Morgan le Fey. The three weird sisters from Macbeth.

History tells us women accused of witchcraft were often outsiders: educated, independent, unmarried, unwilling to fall in line with traditional societal expectations.

Bold. Powerful. Rebellious.

A bruja’s traditional love spell has unexpected results. A witch’s healing hands begin to take life instead of giving it when she ignores her attraction to a fellow witch. In a terrifying future, women are captured by a cabal of men crying witchcraft and the one true witch among them must fight to free them all. In a desolate past, three orphaned sisters prophesize for a murderous king. Somewhere in the present, a teen girl just wants to kiss a boy without causing a hurricane.

From good witches to bad witches, to witches who are a bit of both, this is an anthology of diverse witchy tales from a collection of diverse, feminist authors. The collective strength of women working together—magically or mundanely--has long frightened society, to the point that women’s rights are challenged, legislated against, and denied all over the world. TOIL & TROUBLE delves deep into the truly diverse mythology of witchcraft from many cultures and feminist points-of-view, to create modern and unique tales of witchery that have yet to be explored.

I love novels about witches so this anthology immediately caught my eye. I am excited to see what so many of these authors do with a witch themed short story. 

It's a bit of a wait for this one as it doesn't come out until August, but I expect it'll be a great way to start off the beginning of the fall season.

Expected release date - August 28, 2018

The Woman In The Window by AJ Finn

The Woman In The Window by AJ Finn
Release Date - January 2, 2018

Publisher Website - Harper Collins Canada
Publisher Social Media - Twitter/Facebook/SavvyReader/Frenzy
Pages -  427 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received for an honest review from publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Anna Fox lives alone, a recluse in her New York City home, unable to venture outside. She spends her day drinking wine (maybe too much), watching old movies, recalling happier times--and spying on her neighbors.

Then the Russells move into the house across the way: a father, a mother, and their teenage son. The perfect family. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble—and its shocking secrets are laid bare.

What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? Who is in control? In this diabolically gripping thriller, no one—and nothing—is what it seems.

The thriller genre is a strong and steady source of buzz worthy books. The Woman In The Window is one of the newest to capture a lot of interest so I was eager to dive in. It's an addictive, if at times predictable, read that I felt had a much stronger back half when compared to its beginning.

Anna is the queen of unreliable narrators. Her use of alcohol, medications, and her overall mental state make her version of events untrustworthy. This is something that we, as a reader, know about her almost immediately. The most important thing, with a story like this one, is that we connect with Anna. We need to want to follow her on her journey, and the novel succeeded. I felt invested enough in her that I wanted to keep reading. I did, at times, find myself jarred out of the story by decisions Anna would make that seemed out of character. I also, at times, felt like Anna was a female character written in the male gaze. It made it so that I wasn't able to fall completely into the story, but it something I predict many people will not even notice.

The use of old movies, especially older thrillers, is done masterfully. It's a natural fit for this genre, and this particular story. Read Window is so obviously an influence, but you can see the love for these classic films throughout the entire narrative. It will make you immediately want to have a movie marathon, and also ensures that this novel reads in a very cinematic way. It's all too easy to picture the movie that would be made out of the novel, and I think that is part of what makes it work. It is the literary equivalent of this big summer popcorn movies and that made the movie references work all the more.

As this novel feels familiar to those who are fans of this genre there are plenty of reveals and twists that are easy to see coming. I predicted a majority of them, but there was a moment that I did not see coming and that made the ending for me. I felt the ending was incredibly strong as a result. It's was a satisfying payoff to the story that felt like a nod to all the classic thrillers Ann was a fan of.

The mystery element is made all the more rich by having the dual mystery unravel at the same time. We have the events that lead to Anna's agoraphobia, but we also have the mystery of what Anna sees through the window. These truths are revealed in small chunks as the story progresses. The pacing of two compliment each other as it ensure that there is a sense of urgency in the reader, and I think it was smart to include the dual mysteries because they work together to hold up the novel.

Ultimately The Woman In The Window will feel similar to other books in the genre. If these books are akin to comfort food to you than The Woman In The Window will be exactly what you're looking for. It may not offer anything new or unique, but there is something to be said for getting exactly what you expect from a book. It's an enjoyable enough mystery that I predict will generate quite a bit of buzz. 

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews)

A few exciting titles made their way into my mailbox this week.

First up is a book I borrowed from the library after seeing it all over my Twitter feed over the holidays. I hear it is a cute fluffy read and I am excited to start it once I have a chance.

 

Prince In Disguise by Stephanie Kate Strohm (goodreads) 

A huge thank you to Harper Collins Canada (specifically HCC Frenzy) for this package of awesome. I am so excited about both of these titles and cannot wait to read them.

These Rebel Waves by Sara Raasch (goodreads)
Puddin' by Julie Murphy (goodreads)

What bookish goodies made their way into your mailbox this week? Let me know in the comments.

Happy Weekend and Happy Reading!

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

Lots of exciting things to share this week! It's been a fun week of me flailing with my friends about a wide variety of stuff, but the biggest freak out definitely happened because of Zac Efron.

TV/MOVIE

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile begins production 

Zac Efron shared this photo on his Instagram account and basically caused me to have a bunch of discussions about it with my friends. We all had a lot to say about this photo.

copyright @ Zac Efron (linked from his Instagram)

Zac is, of course, playing Ted Bundy (if the 'Meet Ted' caption didn't already clue you in). This offers up the first look at him in character. The movie started shooting this past Thursday according to the director (and what I assume Zac was acknowledging with this photo).

OTHER

Porcelain Wolf Bath Bombs

I recently stumbled upon this bath bomb company that makes these amazing sounding horror movie inspired bath bombs. I pretty much want to try all of them. It's such a unique premise and offers up some pretty interesting sounding bath bombs.

Here are a few of my favourites from the website:

Prom Queen (inspired by Carrie)

According to the website it smells like Caramel Apple and will turn your water a blood red as it dissolves. The dark red part on top is a 'coconut glycerine soap'.

JAWSome (inspired by Jaws)

This one has a scent called  Lathyrus Odoratus Beach Breeze and it comes with a cute little Life Savers candy attached to the box. It starts off turning your water a pretty blue colour until the dark red inside starts to seep out giving the 'shark attack' effect. I was able to get one at Hot Topic and am fully in love with these bath bombs now that I have used it. It's a creepy (yet fun) effect and perfect for those who are horror movie fans. 

The Oogie Man (inspired by The Nightmare Before Christmas)

The scent listed for this one is Gummy Worms which I am guessing is fruity and sweet. It also apparently comes with a pack of gummy worms candy for you to eat while enjoying this bath bomb. I really love the fun little touches (like the lights around the box) to the packaging for these.

The Nightmare (inspired by Nightmare On Elm Street)

The scent listed for this one is Cotton Candy and it turns your bath a blood red colour. The bomb itself is made to look like Freddy Kruger's sweater and the slashes on the packaging are a nice touch.

I am hoping that Hot Topic gets more of these in as I only saw JAWSome and Arachnophobia while I was there. These seem to be harder to ship to Canada, so I may have to enlist the help of a friend to get some of these.

New York Magazine's Best Performers Shot Horror Film series

I stumbled across this purely by accident. I noticed a link to New York Magazine's list of the Ten Best Performers of 2017. They celebrated by shooting some horror inspired shorts with the actors on the list. 

Actors like Timothee Chalamet, Nicole Kidman, Saoirse Ronan, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Daniel Kaluuya (just to name a few) made the list and offer up chilling performances in videos entitled things like "The Vampire", "The Cannibal", and "The Psycho Killer" (so most of them are playing off horror movie tropes).  

Timothee Chalamet as The Cannibal

They all are excellent and worth a watch if you're at all interested. You can see all of the videos by visiting the New York Times website (the videos will auto play). They are only a few minutes each (at most) and each offers up their own brand of chills.

What are you obsessed with this week?

The Key To Everything by Paula Stokes

The Key To Everything by Paula Stokes
Release Date - January 9, 2018

Publisher Website - self published 
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  328 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received for an honest review from publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

College senior Oakland Fuller has always believed in signs and soulmates, so when both a therapist and a fortuneteller say that her repeated relationship failures are due to unresolved feelings for her high school boyfriend, Seth, Oakland tries desperately to get back in touch with him. Problem: Seth isn’t responding to her online messages.

To rescue Oakland from a pathetic Christmas break of sitting in front of the computer, her best friend Morgan books the two of them on a guided excursion of Thailand. When the girls meet a pair of American soldiers in Bangkok, Oakland takes Morgan’s advice and engages in a little harmless holiday hooking up. Sergeant Tyson Banks is the perfect mix of sexy and fun. Two weeks with him might just turn out to be the best relationship Oakland has ever had.

Until the day she spots someone familiar across a crowded temple complex—it’s Seth! Somehow the boy she’s been trying to reconnect with is in Bangkok too. If that’s not a sign, then what is?

Filed with friendship, romance, and gorgeous faraway settings, The Key to Everything is a book for anyone who's ever dreamed of finding love when (or where) they least expected it.

Contains explicit content. Recommended for ages 16 and up. 

Paula Stokes has more than proven herself capable of writing within various genres so I was intrigued when I heard she'd be writing her first New Adult novel. The Key To Everything ended up being a read that, along with being sexy, ignites your travel lust. It also showcases Paula's versatility as an author along with being a quick, fun read.

The travel parts of the novel are incredibly appealing. They read as more realistic than some of the other novels that have I've read with travel elements in them. The characters have to use frequent travel points, more economic means of travel, and stay in more modest accommodations in order to make their travel plans happen. It made the story feel more relatable, and made the travel seem more accessible than it has in previous novels I've read. There is still that element of wanderlust and wish fulfillment but it is painted in a more accessible way. I wish the culture and history would have been explored more, but it just entices me to do some of my own research on the locations mentioned.

The romance is both a huge part of the character development that Oakland goes through and smoking hot. There is scorching chemistry between the characters that is evident in every interaction they share. Those who read the synopsis may think that there is a bit of a triangle, but it really is not one. At least, not in the way you might think or expect. It's really more about Oakland's character arc and how she grows as a person due to the experiences she is having. The connection between the characters is just a cute bonus that adds to the novels charm.

The friendship in this novel between Oakland and Morgan is just as important as the romance. Morgan and Oakland balance each other and push each other in a lot of ways. Oakland's journey would not have been complete without Morgan. Even when there was friction in the friendship, I always felt like they would be there for each other. It was nice to see this kind of friendship and have it take such a vital role in a New Adult novel.

The real heart of this novel is Oakland's journey. She has to reconcile some things about herself and have some self discovery while on this trip. She becomes so fixated on what she thinks she should want that she ignores what is right in front of her. This fixation makes her act recklessly but I think the fact that she wouldn't make my choices is what I loved most about this novel. They choices she makes on her journey felt right for the character and that, for me, made all the difference.

I hope that this is just the beginning of Paula Stokes writing New Adult novels as I enjoyed this one quite a bit. I highly recommend The Key Of Everything for anyone who wants a New Adult read with a strong character arc. It's a perfect book for those wanting a little New Adult sexiness but still want a great plot that focuses on the characters.