Showing posts with label Kerri Maniscalco. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kerri Maniscalco. Show all posts

Friday, October 20, 2017

Book Review: Hunting Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Release Date: September 19th, 2017
Read: August 24th-26th, 2017
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper, #2
Format: ARC, 434 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review




Description from GoodReads:



   Following the grief and horror of her discovery of Jack the Ripper's true identity, Audrey Rose Wadsworth has no choice but to flee London and its memories. Together with the arrogant yet charming Thomas Cresswell, she journeys to the dark heart of Romania, home to one of Europe's best schools of forensic medicine...and to another notorious killer, Vlad the Impaler, whose thirst for blood became legend.

   But her life's dream is soon tainted by blood-soaked discoveries in the halls of the school's forbidding castle, and Audrey Rose is compelled to investigate the strangely familiar murders. What she finds brings all her terrifying fears to life once again. 


Review:


   Catch me if I fall, all right?
   I really wanted to love this book, the same went with the first in the series, Stalking Jack the Ripper.  I had so much hope, only to be disappointed.

  I read Stalking Jack the Ripper and Hunting Prince Dracula back to back, and honestly, that was way too much for me. The writing was easy enough to read, the way Kerri Maniscalco would describe things was phenomenal. It was super intriguing to learn and read about how morticians do their work, especially during the time the series takes place. My only problem with her writing was that it was insanely predictable. You could tell who Jack the Ripper was so easily, and it made the protagonist look as if she was daft. It didn't help that her character was just annoying in the first place.

   I couldn't stand Audrey Rose, she has got to be one of the most annoying characters I've ever read about. All her actions, and views on thing were just so all over the place. She was constantly jumping to conclusions, thus making the worst out of a situation. If I counted, I probably groaned at least 300 times when reading about something that involved her character.

   All that aside, the historical aspects of the story were amazing. Had I not read Hunting Prince Dracula, I would have never known about the secret society involved with Dracula or about the secret passages of death that resided in the castle. If you were able to put aside everything else I said above, then you are definitely in for a treat with the historical aspects of the novel.

   Hunting Prince Dracula was certainly not for me, between my hate of the protagonist and the predicability of the plot, I do not see myself picking up any more of the sequels in the future.
    

Rating:



Favourite Quote:


"The world is neither kind nor is it cruel. It simply exists. We have the ability to view it however we choose."

Recommend to People Who Enjoy: 


Young Adult, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Thriller, Horror, Sherlock Holmes, Romance



Friday, June 30, 2017

June Wrap Up 2017

   Like most of the months, June was all over the place for me. From graduations, to my sisters finally being done school for the summer, and to getting a new job! So it was busy and hectic as usual, and of course all the days blurred together. 
   Unfortunately for June, I wasn't able to get out of my book slump, which was my fault. I ended up picking two books that I just could not enjoy, resulting in me not wanting to pick anything else up after them. Hopefully the next thing I pick up ends up being really good and fixes my mistake for June.
   Some of you may follow me on Instagram, or maybe just noticed that I changed my Bio on most of my social media platforms, but for those of you who haven't noticed or heard, I got another job! Come the last week of June, I got a call for an interview to one of my favourite places, McNally Robinson. Also known as my local Indie bookstore, one which I occupy more frequently than not. Anyways, shortly after the interview they called me back and I was hired! I've already had my first shift, and I couldn't be happier working there. Having already known most of the people in the department that I'm in, from always stopping by, everything has been so easy to adjust too! You'll probably be hearing much more about the store in the next upcoming months!
  Like I mentioned at the beginning of the post, June time brings graduations, and one that I went to this Spring was for my good friend Sabrina, who you all know from the book blog Beyond the Book Reviews. So if you guys have a spare moment, definitely head on over to her blog and congratulate her!

   That pretty much sums up my month, so now onto the monthly stats!


Books Read:

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
Dividing Eden by Joelle Charbonneau 
The Sandcastle Empire by Kayla Olson

Book Haul:


Books Reviewed:


July Releases I'm Excited For:



   That's it for this month! Come back next month to see what shenanigans I partook in during the month of July!



Friday, August 26, 2016

Ohana Talks: Top Ten Anticipated Releases of Fall 2016


   With the end of August slowly approaching, in my mind that automatically means it's time for the fall. So today I'm going to be showing you my top 10 anticipated releases of Fall 2016. Most of the time my most anticipated reads release in the fall, so expect some pretty amazing books on this list! 

   The list will slowly graduate to my most anticipated!

Stalking Jack the Ripper

Kerri Maniscalco
Jimmy Patterson
Expected: September 20th, 2016


Description from GoodReads:


   Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

   Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.


   My friend Kristie from Lost in Ever After was the one who got me pumped for Stalking Jack the Ripper, originally I was a little excited when I saw it's reveal but it wasn't until her freak out when I was at BEA 2016 that I slowly started anticipating this fall release. 


Dead Girl Society

Michelle Krys
Delacorte Press
Expected: November 8th, 2016


Description from GoodReads:


   You are cordially invited to participate in a game of thrills and dares. Tell no one, and come alone. If you dare.

   Hope is sick of everyone treating her like she’s breakable. Sure, she has cystic fibrosis (basically really bad lungs), but she’s tired of being babied by her mom and her overprotective best friend, Ethan, not to mention worrying about paying for her expensive medication and how she’s going to afford college.And she’s bored with life in her run-down New Orleans suburb. 

   When an invitation arrives from a mysterious group that calls itself the Society, Hope jumps at the chance for some excitement. This could be her ticket out. All she has to do is complete a few dares and she just might win some real money. 
But the Society isn’t all that it seems . . . and soon Hope finds that playing the game isn’t a choice—it’s a requirement. 


   When Michelle Krys' Witch Hunter series was first published I was super excited, who doesn't love witches, especially coming from another Canadian like myself? I have yet to pick up the series, but either way I still can't wait for this particular read to release!


Labyrinth Lost

Zoraida Córdova
Brooklyn Brujas, #1
Sourcebooks Fire
Expected: September 16th, 2016


Description from GoodReads:


   Nothing says Happy Birthday like summoning the spirits of your dead relatives.

   Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation...and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her alone with Nova, a brujo boy she can't trust. A boy whose intentions are as dark as the strange marks on his skin.

   The only way to get her family back is to travel with Nova to Los Lagos, a land in-between, as dark as Limbo and as strange as Wonderland...


   Back in the beginning of the year I was super excited to get my hands on this book, Day of the Dead is a low key obsession of mine. Raincoat Publishing was the magical being that gifted me an ARC to review, and at this point I've read it already so I won't say anymore about it but you can definitely expect a very magical adventure in this book.


Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy

Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson, & Robin Wasserman
Margaret K. McElderry 
Expected: November 15th, 2016


Description from GoodReads:


   Simon Lewis has been a human and a vampire, and now he is becoming a Shadowhunter. The events of City of Heavenly Fire left him stripped of his memories, and Simon isn’t sure who he is anymore. So when the Shadowhunter Academy reopens, Simon throws himself into this new world of demon-hunting, determined to find himself again. Whomever this new Simon might be.

   But the Academy is a Shadowhunter institution, which means it has some problems. Like the fact that non-Shadowhunter students have to live in the basement. At least Simon’s trained in weaponry—even if it’s only from hours of playing D&D.

   Join Simon on his journey to become a Shadowhunter, and learn about the Academy’s illustrious history along the way, through guest lecturers such as Jace Herondale, Tessa Gray, and Magnus Bane. Written by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson, and Robin Wasserman, these moving and hilarious short stories are perfect for the fan who just can’t get enough of the Shadowhunters.


   Honestly at this point Cassandra Clare is a auto buy for me, so you really shouldn't be surprised that I want this book. 


The Black Key

Amy Ewing
The Lone City, #3
HarperTeen
Expected: October 4th, 2016


Description from GoodReads:


   For too long, Violet and the people of the outer circles of the Lone City have lived in service to the royalty of the Jewel. But now the secret society known as the Black Key is preparing to seize power.

   And while Violet knows she is at the center of this rebellion, she has a more personal stake in it—her sister, Hazel, has been taken by the Duchess of the Lake. Now, after fighting so hard to escape the Jewel, Violet must do everything in her power to return to save not only Hazel, but the future of the Lone City.


   After receiving the first two books in this series, and binging them in a week, I just could not wait for The Black Key. The series is coming to its conclusion and I can't wait to see what Amy has ins tore for us!


Heartless

Marissa Meyer
Feiwel and Friends
Expected: Novemeber 8th, 2016


Description from GoodReads:


   Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the yet-unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend and supply the Kingdom of Hearts with delectable pastries and confections. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next Queen.

   At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the king's marriage proposal, she meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the King and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship.

   Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.


   Marissa is another auto buy of mine, her Lunar Chronicles is phenomenal. As much as I'm anticipating this read, I actually have a signed ARC. So the wait for this one isn't that bad!


Hardcover Editions of the Night World Series

L.J.Smith
Night World, #1-3
Simon Pulse
Expected: December 6th, 2016


Description from GoodReads:


   The pain was something Poppy couldn’t ignore. The diagnosis was death. There was no hope—until James appeared in the darkened hospital room.

   James, her best friend and secret love, the most handsome boy in El Camino High. But this was a James she didn’t know, menacing yet irresistible as he offered Poppy the gift of eternal life.

   Only he could open the door to the Night World, and spirit her into its lonely, secret universe.

   One dizzying kiss and she can see into his soul. She finds that he has always loved her. They’re soul mates—but can she follow him into death and beyond? It’s a desperate choice, and Poppy’s time is running out...


   There’s something strange about the new girls in town. Briar Creek, Oregon, has never seen anything like the supernatural grace of Rowan, Kestrel, and Jade, three sisters who move into the dilapidated old house next to Mark and Mary-Lynnette Carter.

   Mark is obsessed with Jade—but she and her sisters have a secret. And when Mark and Mary-Lynnette follow them into the woods one night, they are plunged into a nightmare beyond their imagination.

   Because the sisters are fugitives from the Night World, and their brother Ash is hot on the trail behind them. He’s ruthless, gorgeous, and he has orders to bring the girls back at all costs. And when he sees Mary-Lynette, he decides to take her too…


   Her name is Blaise and she’s irresistible to boys. Her dark, smoldering beauty is an invitation to jealousy and madness. And now she’s ready for the kill. Eric Ross is the perfect catch, a star athlete who wants to be a vet. But her cousin Thea, is determined to protect this particular human boy from the girl who was born to destroy men.

   Blaise’s black magic is powerful. The only way Thea can fight back is to use her own white magic, to bewitch Eric herself as a bluff. But soon Thea finds herself getting too close to Eric, feeling forbidden emotions, breaking Night World laws. Falling in love. As Halloween and the Night of the Witch draw closer, can Thea save Eric—and herself—from Blaise’s vengeance?


   The Night World series is an absolute favourite of mine, I'd say in the top 5. I own so many editions of this series including the original editions. With the series getting hardcovers, and new covers, I'm in desperate hope that they plan on finishing the series finally after 18 years of waiting.


Blood for Blood

Ryan Graudin
Wolf by Wolf, #2
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Expected: November 1st, 2016


Description from GoodReads;


   There would be blood.
   Blood for blood.
   Blood to pay.
   An entire world of it.

   For the resistance in 1950s Germany, the war may be over, but the fight has just begun.

   Death camp survivor Yael, who has the power to skinshift, is on the run: the world has just seen her shoot and kill Hitler. But the truth of what happened is far more complicated, and its consequences are deadly. Yael and her unlikely comrades dive into enemy territory to try to turn the tide against the New Order, and there is no alternative but to see their mission through to the end, whatever the cost.

   But dark secrets reveal dark truths, and one question hangs over them all: how far can you go for the ones you love?


   I finished Wolf by Wolf last fall, in I think it was one night. Ever since I made it my mission to get my hands on the ARC of Blood for Blood. Now i'm just waiting for my friend to finally have a chance to read her copy so we can read it together. 


Like a River Glorious

Rae Carson
The Gold Seer Trilogy, #2
Greenwillow Books
Expected: September 27th, 2016


Description from GoodReads:


   After a harrowing journey across the country, Leah Westfall and her friends have finally arrived in California and are ready to make their fortunes in the Gold Rush. Lee has a special advantage over the other new arrivals in California—she has the ability to sense gold, a secret known only by her handsome best friend Jefferson and her murdering uncle Hiram.

   Lee and her friends have the chance to be the most prosperous settlers in California, but Hiram hasn’t given up trying to control Lee and her power. Sabotage and kidnapping are the least of what he’ll do to make sure Lee is his own. His mine is the deepest and darkest in the territory, and there Lee learns the full extent of her magical gift, the worst of her uncle, and the true strength of her friendships. To save everyone, she vows to destroy her uncle and the empire he is building—even at the cost of her own freedom.


   Most of you probably saw my Waiting on Wednesday a little while ago of this one, so I won't say much. But I will say, MAGIC, ADVENTURE, AND HISTORICAL FICTION.


Empire of Storms

Sarah J. Maas
Throne of Glass, #5
Bloomsbury USA Children's
Expected: September 6th, 2016


Description from GoodReads:


   The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those don't.

   As the kingdoms of Erilea fracture around her, enemies must become allies if Aelin is to keep those she loves from falling to the dark forces poised to claim her world. With war looming on all horizons, the only chance for salvation lies in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

   Aelin's journey from assassin to queen has entranced millions across the globe, and this fifth installment will leave fans breathless. Will Aelin succeed in keeping her world from splintering, or will it all come crashing down?


   At this point if you still haven't read Throne of Glass then I don't know what you're doing with your life. But otherwise for everyone else that has read the series, you know why I'm dying to get my hands on it! No words are needed from here on that front!


   Those are my most anticipated reads for the Fall 2016, what about you guys? What are you excited for? 


Sunday, July 10, 2016

BEA 2016: Day 3


      The third and final day of BEA 2016 began at 4:15am on the Friday, this is because I really wanted a ticket to the last Marissa Meyer signing/ Heartless drop. So at 5:30am I made it to the ticket line to wait with the others who had already lined up, the ticket drop was at 8am. I was roughly 20th in line, from what I had heard there was going to be 100-150 tickets, so I had thought that I'd be good to go. Once 8am came, and the drop line opened for business, the first 3 people in line got tickets then they were out. How could that be right? Well, apparently all the other tickets were taken when people paid for fast passes/first in line passes, something that had sold out when I finally bought my BEA pass. (Fast Passes, guaranteed you advance tickets so that you didn't have to wait in line. When buying the pass, you get 3 passes to ticketed lines of your choice.) When I finally got to the front of the line, not wanting to have gotten up super early for no reason I grabbed a ticket to Alexandra Bracken. Feeling super disappointed, I went to the entrance line to wait till 9:00am when everyone was let onto the floor. 

   Having a drop at 9:30am, Stephanie and I headed straight to the Random House booth for the drop of The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon. We didn't have to wait long until the drop happened. Right after the drop happened, Stephanie ran off to the Friday Three Dark Crowns drop, and since I didn't have anything until 10am I lingered a bit. And lucky I did, because no more than 5 minutes after Stephanie ran away did Nicola Yoon walk by. Being the sneaky girl that I am, I ran up to her to ask her to sign my copy of The Sun is Also a Star. From there I walked happily towards the Alexandra Bracken line.

Alexandra Bracken
   At the line a few great things happened, the first being that I met Asma, who was such a sweetie and delight to talk too! And second being that the other lady I was talking, overheard me talking to Asma about how I didn't get a ticket to Marissa, and offered me her advance pass to Marissa that she wasn't going to use, I started tearing up right on the spot. It was the nicest gesture, and honestly it made BEA for me.

Marissa Meyer
   Once Bayram, joined me in line for Alexandra Bracken, I could not shut up about how excited I was to see Marissa. Eventually we reached the front of the line, and were finally able to meet Alexandra. Having just read the first 2 books in her Darkest Minds series, we had a great little convo about it!

   From there I rushed to the Marissa Meyer signing line, where I almost cried again from excitement. I had to wait roughly an hour but in the end it was worth it. I was a blabbering mess when I finally got to the front of the line, my smile in the pictures that were taken, looks gigantic and I could not stop rambling on about how my blog was in the Cress paperback. I couldn't have felt anymore excited, I hope Marissa didn't just think I was a weirdo or anything ha!

    After the Marissa signing (11am), I had nothing planned until 1pm. So I wandered around with Stephanie, looking for trouble and more exciting things. This was after I started tearing up again in front of Stephanie and her mom about Heartless.

Veronica Roth
Leigh Bardugo
   With this aimless wandering we discovered a wild Veronica Roth, author of Divergent (We really just spotted her at her booth), a wild Leigh Bardugo, author of Shadow and Bone, (Okay, so actually she was having lunch with Alexandra Bracken, Kami Garcia, author of Beautiful Creatures, and Amie Kaufman, author of Illuminae, but we were too polite to intrude, that was until they were done eating of course;), and finally some *interesting* photos of each other were taken. Then I received a text, my friend Kristie, some of you already know her previously from Ohana Reads, knew that while in the states I wouldn't have any data, I would only have whatever wifi I could find, so she came to my rescue. Apparently Jay Kristoff had tweeted that the first three people to find him and tell him a secret password (Never Forget), would get a signed ARC of his upcoming release Nevernight. This particular ARC wasn't available or being featured at BEA. Stephanie being a super fan of his, we just had to hunt him down. So we spent the next hour or so looking for him. 
   Eventually 1pm rolled around, and I was off to the ARC drop and signing of Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco. And boy was she a sweetie! Debut authors when they're nervous about seeing their *children* sent our into the world is the sweetest thing. 


   Then rushing occurred, because my next signing was at 1pm as well, and that signing was for Eleanor Herman, Amy Lukavics, Keira Drake, author of The Continent, and Jennifer L. Armentrout for The Problem With Forever. Having already met Eleanor and Amy the day before, I was really there for Keira and Jennifer. I've been a huge fan of Jennifer since YALLFest 2014, so I just had to get an ARC of her latest book. I also had to go to at least one of her signings because I promised my sister that I would get her ARC of Don't Look Back signed for her! It was AMAZING getting to see her again!
Jennifer L. Armentrout 
   Finally, with only having one thing left on my schedule for the day and it being 1:30pm, I headed to my 3:00pm book drop for Gemina by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. I was there a little early huh? Well, apparently an "unofficial" line had already started at 1:00pm. People really wanted that ARC. And so I, along with Stephanie and her mom stayed. Everyone taking turns leaving and going around places, always making sure we had at least one person saving our spots in line. I left only, perhaps 5 times. Twice, for random book drops that people around us told us about, once for a picture with Ransom Riggs and Tahereh Mafi, (Authors of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, and Shatter Me) and twice for two more special things. One being A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir.

Me, Ransom Rigs, Tahereh Mafi, Stephanie

Sabaa Tahir
   At 2:00pm the signing/drop for A Torch Against the Night began, but because it was a Random House/Penguin event, the tickets for the event were given out an hour before the signing, the same time I was at the Harlequin ladies signing. So I had no hope of snagging a ticket. Low and behold, I heard a whisper from someone while I was waiting in the Gemina line, a whisper that they had left over ARCs from the signing. So I jumped up and ran to the line, by the time I got there, there were a few people already lined up in front of me, but I made it. I didn't even realize that Sabaa was still there signing them, so along with the ARC, I was able to get it personalized. It was pretty great! I still remember that thrill of running to the line and actually making it.

Steph and Jay Kristoff
   The last special thing that happened was that while getting up to find Stephanie, I saw her with, guess who? Jay Kristoff, that lucky girl had found him and gotten one of the ARCs of Nevernight. I swear she was crying, she was so happy. Pictures were taken, and then tons of people started to crowd him. Apparently he had pre-signed the ARCs just in case he was going to be too busy to sign them later, but Steph was lucky enough to get hers personalized too. I will never forget the moment when he asked who to sign it to and she said Doodle, because right after she said that, he did a double take and replied, "Doodle? That means something totally different in Australia." I snorted a little too loudly after that, and continued to tease Steph about it for the rest of the trip.


   Then back to the Gemina line we went, and finally we were able to get those ARCs. (Here is Jay Kristof's video of the Gemina line) Two Kristoff ARCS within an hour of each other, I swear Stephanie was in Heaven at this point. My Marissa Meyer ARC was her Kristoff ARCs. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.

   And that pretty much concluded BEA 2016 for me, of course the next day BookCon 2016 was going to happen but as far as Book Expo America was concerned, it was over for me.

   Here is my book haul for BEA Day 3!


   An that concludes BEA 2016 for me!


 If you haven't seen my other posts from BEA you can see those here:



   Until the next post!