Madly by Amy Alward

Madly by Amy Alward
Release Date - September 29, 2015

Publisher Website - Simon and Schuster Canada

Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  384 pages
My Rating - 3/5
**borrowed from the library**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

When the Princess of Nova accidentally poisons herself with a love potion meant for her crush, she falls crown-over-heels in love with her own reflection. Oops. A nationwide hunt is called to find the cure, with competitors travelling the world for the rarest ingredients, deep in magical forests and frozen tundras, facing death at every turn.

Enter Samantha Kemi - an ordinary girl with an extraordinary talent. Sam's family were once the most respected alchemists in the kingdom, but they've fallen on hard times, and winning the hunt would save their reputation. But can Sam really compete with the dazzling powers of the ZoroAster megapharma company? Just how close is Sam willing to get to Zain Aster, her dashing former classmate and enemy, in the meantime?

And just to add to the pressure, this quest is ALL OVER social media. And the world news.

No big deal, then.

Magic. A daring hunt. Romance. Madly has plenty of things that will draw in a reader and keep their attention. It's a mix of fast paced adventure with a fluffier tone. It's a quick read that manages to be both an action packed adventure and a zany comedy at points. It is a story where everything that can go wrong will absolutely go wrong, but it feels like everything will be okay in the end all at the same time.

Samantha, a young alchemist, is thrown into adventure when a hunt for a cure to a love potion is called. She's brave, driven, and proud of her talents. Her loyalty to her family is admirable, as is her resourcefulness. Her desire to win comes from wanting to help the Princess, but the prestige that it would bring her family is a very welcome bonus. I liked that her motivation was a bit of both. It rang true and still ensured that the reader liked Samantha. She was ambitious, and kind which is something that girls are not often shown to be at the same time.

The treasure hunt style of the plot makes for quickly turning pages. Following Samantha on her journey collecting potion ingredients means plenty of different locations, and magical creatures to discover. It kept my interest in the story going as I could not wait to see what came next and what Samantha would need to collect to save the day.

There is a bit of a forbidden romance going on that is just as sweet as the rest of the book. Most of it is fairly predictable, but it just adds to the sweetness of the rest of the book.  It felt paced properly, and offered a few surprises that kept that element of the story moving just as quickly as the rest of the story. Love, and love potions, are a big part of the book. As is humour. The humour of this book is something that really worked for me. The comedy of errors that plagues Samantha's journey is part of this books charm. It's not just this that provides some comedic moments. The Princess' condition, at first, is quite laughable. She's obsessively in love with herself to the point of absurdity. While the reality of her situation does grow increasingly more dire, it is the earlier moments that set the tone of the book.

This book would be one that I would give a younger reader who is wanting something in between a middle grade and an upper young adult novel. It really is a bridge between the two and I predict that kids that age would devour this book. It's tailor made to appeal to them, and offers a chance for them to expand their reading horizons. It is certainly one that I want to introduce my niece to.

This book is part of a series, but it feels very self contained. Those weary of cliffhangers and dangling plot points should rest assured that this book stays away from those. It feels more like the series will just follow the same characters on a different adventure with some overlapping plot points threading it together. The main story arc of this story has a definitive ending, which I personally enjoyed.

This book was a lot of fun to read. Its enjoyable, entertaining quest will keep readers engaged and offers a lighter introduction to the fantasy genre for those readers who may just want to test the waters. I can certainly appreciate this book for what it is, and encourage anyone who is looking for exactly the kind of read this book offers to pick it up.

Waiting On Wednesday .... None Shall Sleep

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 None Shall Sleep by Ellie Marney

Here is the Goodread synopsis

The Silence of the Lambs meets Sadie in this riveting psychological thriller about two teenagers teaming up with the FBI to track down juvenile serial killers.

In 1982, two teenagers—serial killer survivor Emma Lewis and US Marshal candidate Travis Bell—are recruited by the FBI to interview convicted juvenile killers and provide insight and advice on cold cases. From the start, Emma and Travis develop a quick friendship, gaining information from juvenile murderers that even the FBI can't crack. But when the team is called in to give advice on an active case—a serial killer who exclusively hunts teenagers—things begin to unravel. Working against the clock, they must turn to one of the country's most notorious incarcerated murderers for help: teenage sociopath Simon Gutmunsson.

Despite Travis's objections, Emma becomes the conduit between Simon and the FBI team. But while Simon seems to be giving them the information they need to save lives, he's an expert manipulator playing a very long game...and he has his sights set on Emma.

Captivating, harrowing, and chilling, None Shall Sleep is an all-too-timely exploration of not only the monsters that live among us, but also the monsters that live inside us.

This book is pretty much everything I want to read in a book right this second. It, obviously, appeals to the Murderino in me and it just sounds like a fantastic thriller.

I'll be out just in time to kick of the spooky season and I predict it is going to be perfect choice of a fall read.

Expected release date - September 1, 2020

Chosen by Kiersten White

Chosen by Kiersten White
Release Date - January 7, 2020

Publisher Website - Simon and Schuster Canada

Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  353 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received from publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Nina continues to learn how to use her slayer powers against enemies old and new in this second novel in the New York Times bestselling series from Kiersten White, set in the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Now that Nina has turned the Watcher’s Castle into a utopia for hurt and lonely demons, she’s still waiting for the utopia part to kick in. With her sister Artemis gone and only a few people remaining at the castle—including her still-distant mother—Nina has her hands full. Plus, though she gained back her Slayer powers from Leo, they’re not feeling quite right after being held by the seriously evil succubus Eve, a.k.a. fake Watcher’s Council member and Leo’s mom.

And while Nina is dealing with the darkness inside, there’s also a new threat on the outside, portended by an odd triangle symbol that seems to be popping up everywhere, in connection with Sean’s demon drug ring as well as someone a bit closer to home. Because one near-apocalypse just isn’t enough, right?

The darkness always finds you. And once again, it’s coming for the Slayer.

A continuation of a series you loved is always a conflicting situation. You are excited to be part of that world again, but fear that the new addition to the story could not possibly measure up to what you remember. I think that Kiersten White manages to avoid this with her Slayer series. She gives fans something that both works with and sits along side the original series.

A large part of what worked about both Slayer and Chosen for me is that we are following brand new characters set in the same world. We can take what we love about the original and remember it fondly without irreversibly breaking it. The new characters keep the story feeling new while still feeling known.

Nina reminded me a lot of Faith. Nina struggles with being a slayer and, in particular, the darkness inside her. She makes a lot of really bad choices. She also has things in common with Buffy though. She relies on her friends to help her through, and really does what to make the right choice even if that isn't always possible.

The side characters are some of the most easily loved. Doug, a demon who loves Coldplay, was a personal favourite. Nina's friends become important to the plot in a similar fashion to the Scoobies and that enriched the story for me.

The love story was one of my favourite elements of this series. It has the same epic scope that made me love the Buffy and Angel relationship so fiercely. There are many love stories being told and all of them resonated with me in their own way.

My only real issue as I was reading was the character of Artemis. I felt like I understood Nina's motivations and character. I did not feel that Artemis was fleshed out in the same way. I wanted more from her and a deeper insight into what was driving her in this book. I did appreciate that the sister relationship was a central part of the story arc but I just didn't feel as connected to Artemis.

Nostalgia is baked into the premise of this series and the way it is used it masterful. There are some cameos that had me entirely losing my cool. Kiersten White captures the essence of these beloved characters that it felt like coming back home in a way. My emotions were always in the surface and that is because of the respect and care that was shown to the story and characters I love completely. I do not want to ruin any if the surprises but rest assured that fans of the television show will be satisfied. The amount of inside jokes (with a brilliant one included towards the end) warmed my heart and delighted me to no end.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans should immediately pick up this series. It is like returning to Sunnydale in a way but through the perfect means. It allows those perfect memories of the show to remain untainted while still giving us more of the world we love. It is exactly what I hoped it would be, I am just sad we have to leave these new characters so soon.

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord

Release Date - January 21, 2020
Publisher Website - Raincoast Books

Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  368 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received from publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

A fresh, irresistible rom-com from debut author Emma Lord about the chances we take, the paths life can lead us on, and how love can be found in the opposite place you expected.

Meet Pepper, swim team captain, chronic overachiever, and all-around perfectionist. Her family may be falling apart, but their massive fast-food chain is booming ― mainly thanks to Pepper, who is barely managing to juggle real life while secretly running Big League Burger’s massive Twitter account.

Enter Jack, class clown and constant thorn in Pepper’s side. When he isn’t trying to duck out of his obscenely popular twin’s shadow, he’s busy working in his family’s deli. His relationship with the business that holds his future might be love/hate, but when Big League Burger steals his grandma’s iconic grilled cheese recipe, he’ll do whatever it takes to take them down, one tweet at a time.

All’s fair in love and cheese ― that is, until Pepper and Jack’s spat turns into a viral Twitter war. Little do they know, while they’re publicly duking it out with snarky memes and retweet battles, they’re also falling for each other in real life ― on an anonymous chat app Jack built.

As their relationship deepens and their online shenanigans escalate ― people on the internet are shipping them?? ― their battle gets more and more personal, until even these two rivals can’t ignore they were destined for the most unexpected, awkward, all-the-feels romance that neither of them expected.

If you have ever wanted a young adult contemporary novel based off of the rom-com You've Got Mail I have the perfect book for you. Tweet Cute sweetly pays homage to the rom-com classic and offers up a 'cheesy' love story all its own.

The first thing you should know about this book is that it is filled with amazing sounding food. You'll immediately want to devour a grilled cheese once you are done (along with so many other baked goods). Food is such a part of this novel that it seeps into various other aspects of the story. There are plenty of cheesy (and cheese related) jokes to be found. The main characters names are Pepper and Jack, which should immediately tell you about the level of cuteness you are dealing with. It's all really fun and leaves the reader with a feeling of contentment.

The family elements and dynamics are some of my favourite parts of this story. Pepper and Jack both have siblings that they struggle to connect with for various reasons. They both feel the weight of being compared to the sibling and this book delves into the strain those expectations could put on those relationships. The different relationships that they each had with their parents was also just as important to the story being told. The family story arcs provided something entirely outside of the romance for each character. It made it so that both were not just a love interest. It rounded out the characters in a way that added some depth to them.

This book is filled with snarky wit, excellent banter, and yet also has a real sweetness to it. The 'Twitter war' between the two company accounts is written perfectly. You could easily imagine something like that on Twitter. Emma Lord captured the required tone and balance perfectly.

The romance is one that blooms a little slower. It starts from a place of begrudgingly working together, to a friendship, to something more. This is, at least, what the characters are aware of. The extra layer of them falling for each other via online messages as they begin to get to know each other in real life was what made this romance as engaging as it was. They both think they are interested in other people so they can't even see that they are falling for the person right in front of them (who just happens to be the person they were already falling for anyway). It's exactly why I love You've Got Mail. You want them to just find out already so they can get together, but that torture is part of what makes the chemistry work so well. This is just as equally true in Tweet Cute.

Those in search of a well written, light and bubbly read, I highly recommend Tweet Cute. It has pretty much everything you could hope for from a young adult rom-com. Its got both humour and heart.  This may have been Emma Lord's debut novel, but I predict many will be eagerly awaiting whatever she serves up next.

#2020PopCultureResolution - A Place In The Sun

A Place In The Sun

Director: George Stevens

Length:  122 minutes

Cast: Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift, Shelley Winters

Release Date: August 14, 1951

Synopsis: In this film, handsome young George Eastman goes to work in a relative's factory. He has a brief rendezvous with assembly-line worker Alice Tripp, but he forgets all about her when he falls for dazzling socialite Angela Vickers. Alice can't forget about him, though: she is pregnant with his child.

** Spoilers for real life events and the movie**

It's a tale that any Murderino has heard a million times before: a woman is murdered because her very existence is deemed an inconvenience to a man. A Place In The Son is based off of a novel called An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser. The novel is a fictional account of a real murder that took place in July of 1906. Chester Gillette killed his pregnant girlfriend Grace Brown as he was not interested  owning up to his responsibilities like she was asking him to. He certainly wasn't interested in marrying her. He, it was said, had higher ambitions of marrying a wealthy woman. There was even another woman, Harriet Benedict, that he was involved with. One summer day, he took Grace out on a lake in the Adirondack mountains area, hit her over the head with a tennis racket, and let her drown in the water. He was quickly arrested after her body was found and found guilty and sentenced to death by electric chair.

The real events are only loosely accounted for in both the book, and the movie made from it. We do have the main participants in Montgomery Clift's George Eastman (Gillette), Elizabeth Taylor's Angela Vickers (Benedict) and Shelley Winters' Alice Tripp (Brown). The events that unfold are showcased as not quite as sinister and malicious as the ones in real life, but it still offers a harrowing look at what someone will do for love, and their own selfish desires.

All three actors, Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift, and Shelley Winters, turn in mesmerizing performances. Clift's George oozes enough charisma and charm to have the audience conflicted about the events that unfold. He's ambitious in a lot of ways, but there is a vulnerability that comes through because of the way Clift plays this character. Taylor is luminous and beguiling as Angela. The chemistry between the two is undeniable, and it paints the story in a much more romantic light that it perhaps should be. Shelley Winter's Alice is shown as a woman who is broken, betrayed and discarded by a man who only seems to think about himself.

The romance really is the central part of the story. The events that happen later can only work if you believe in the romance that is being spun. The audience has to believe that George would do anything to keep not only Angela, but the world she represented to him. She's a wealthy, high class lady versus the working woman Alice offers. It's this fact, and their connection, that spurs his motivations.

The movie makes the choice to not paint George as an outright villain. The death is one that paints George as a coward, selfish, and opportunistic. His hands may not directly murder her, but he is still responsible for her death. What starts out as an accident turns into a choice, and that is what ultimately makes the audience no longer root for the man who had previously presented as our romantic hero. He's definitely not a saint, but he isn't quite the monster you want him to be either.

The movie's back half is tense and well constructed. The ramping up of the tension and pressure on George is felt through the score, and ringing telephones that sound like alarms. That tension continues right through to the end. It's a fantastic directing choice, and makes the movie compelling from start to finish.

A Place In The Sun is a tragic story, and one that feels all too familiar. It is a story that could easily be set in modern times with little change. It's filled with haunting performances that I certainly will be thinking about for quite a long time.

Waiting On Wednesday ... The Ravens

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 The Ravens by Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Kappa Rho Nu isn’t your average sorority. Their parties are notorious. Their fundraisers are known for being Westerly College’s most elaborate affairs. But beneath the veil of Greek life and prestige, the sisters of Kappu Rho Nu share a secret: they’re a coven of witches. For Vivi Deveraux, being one of Kappa Rho Nu’s Ravens means getting a chance to redefine herself. For Scarlett Winters, a bonafide Raven and daughter of a legacy Raven, pledge this year means living up to her mother’s impossible expectations of becoming Kappa Rho Nu’s next president. Scarlett knows she’d be the perfect candidate — that is, if she didn’t have one human-sized skeleton in her closet…. When Vivi and Scarlett are paired as big and little for initiation, they find themselves sinking into the sinister world of blood oaths and betrayals.

Witches are definitely having a moment in young adult literature right now. There are so many amazing sounding witchy reads coming out within the next year.

The Ravens is witches in a sorority which I am very much here for. It doesn't come out for almost an entire year but I am already eagerly awaiting its release.

Expected release date - January 5, 2021

Tweet Cute Blog Tour - Q and A with Emma Lord

I was thrilled to be invited to take part in the blog tour for Emma Lord's Tweet Cute. A modern twist on the classic rom-com You've Got Mail that mixes in delicious baked goods was immediately something I needed to read. I am even more excited to help celebrate the book's release date as you can officially pick up Tweet Cute in stores as of today.

Here is the book's official jacket copy which will immediately make you melt.

Meet Pepper, swim team captain, chronic overachiever, and all-around perfectionist. Her family may be falling apart, but their massive fast-food chain is booming — mainly thanks to Pepper, who is barely managing to juggle real life while secretly running Big League Burger’s massive Twitter account.

Enter Jack, class clown and constant thorn in Pepper’s side. When he isn’t trying to duck out of his obscenely popular twin’s shadow, he’s busy working in his family’s deli. His relationship with the business that holds his future might be love/hate, but when Big League Burger steals his grandma’s iconic grilled cheese recipe, he’ll do whatever it takes to take them down, one tweet at a time.

All’s fair in love and cheese — that is, until Pepper and Jack’s spat turns into a viral Twitter war. Little do they know, while they’re publicly duking it out with snarky memes and retweet battles, they’re also falling for each other in real life — on an anonymous chat app Jack built.

As their relationship deepens and their online shenanigans escalate — people on the internet are shipping them?? — their battle gets more and more personal, until even these two rivals can’t ignore they were destined for the most unexpected, awkward, all-the-feels romance that neither of them expected.

Adorable, right? Even the names are punny. It is seriously as cute as it sounds and perfect for young adult romance fans.

Emma kindly agreed to answer a few questions about her book. I got her to spill on what an ice cream based off her book might taste like, and what her own must watch rom-coms are.

What gif do you feel best describes Tweet Cute? 

I don’t know if this is a meme or a GIF, really, but the Elmo fire one comes to mind. I think it’s sort of come to represent a weird intersection of joy/pain/chaos/hilarity, and I think Tweet Cute’s got all of that in the mix. 

If a signature ice cream were to be made for Tweet Cute what might be included?

OOOOH. I think the base would be a classic vanilla, but it would be stuffed to the gills with Rolos, Reese’s, Oreos, and rainbow sprinkles like Monster Cake from the book, and have ribbons of caramel and a healthy pinch of salt and oh my god I am so hungry now, BYE. 

Tweet Cute is inspired by You've Got Mail. What are some of your other favourite rom-coms?

I love About Time above all, I think, but I’m also a fan of Crazy Rich Asians, The Proposal,  27 Dresses, Bride Wars, Love, Rosie, and the woefully underrated period rom-com, Mrs. Pettigrew Lives For A Day. I’m sure I am missing about a gazillion that I also love.

Be sure to go grab your copy of Tweet Cute today. It's available at all major book retailers today and stop by Twitter to wish her a Happy Book Birthday!

Macmillan // Chapters // Barnes and Noble // Amazon // Goodreads

Emma Lord is a digital media editor and writer living in New York City, where she spends whatever time she isn’t writing either running or belting show tunes in community theater. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a major in psychology and a minor in how to tilt your computer screen so nobody will notice you updating your fan fiction from the back row. She was raised on glitter, grilled cheese, and a whole lot of love. Her sun sign is Hufflepuff, but she is a Gryffindor rising. TWEET CUTE is her debut novel. You can find her geeking out online at @dilemmalord on Twitter.

"Sweet and fun! An adorable debut that updates a classic romantic trope with a buzzy twist." - Jenn Bennett, author of Alex, Approximately and Serious Moonlight

“A witty rom-com reinvention for the Twitter age, Tweet Cute pairs delicious online rivalry with deeply relatable insights on family pressure and growing up. This fresh, funny read had us hitting ‘favorite’ from page one.” - Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, authors of Always Never Yours and If I’m Being Honest