Saturday, February 27, 2021

Date Night with a Book: Hades and Persephone: The Curse of the Golden Arrow by Heidi Hastings & Erica Hastings

 Date Night with a book is the new After Dark series of posts on my blog, books posted for Date Nights contain Adult  Romance themes and scenes. From now on I will keep my reviews of all books I read that have explicit scenes in them for Date Night posts for those of you who prefer to avoid them or easy to find for those of you who seek them out ;)


Read for: TBR Books/ Fantasy Romance February

Synopsis: "A Cursed Love...When Persephone is forced into the Underworld, she fears the Dark Lord who rules the shadowed kingdom. A curse has brought them together, and the Goddess of Spring wars against Hades, the King of the Dead. But as time passes, she begins to wonder if he is truly the monster she fears or if he may be the very answer her soul calls out for. Lies, jealousy and betrayal combine to keep them apart. Together, they battle against an unknown foe, but is there enough time to reveal the dark truths of the God before his kingdom falls?"

My Review: I am always up for a good Hades and Persephone re-telling and stumbled up on this one on Amazon last year. I was finally able to pick it up and I really am glad I did! I was really drawn into the story and I love the different twist Hastings put on this re-telling. It follows a lot of the traditional story lines but with a twist that made it not quite so brutal or stockholm-ish, it was a bit more a mutual entrapment. I also really enjoyed the twists in the roles other Gods and Goddesses played in the story, it fed into that Greek mythology meddling that is a common thread throughout the traditional myths. I have to say, I wish the print book had the gorgeous colors on the illustrations that are in the ebook copy, the illustration in both versions are absolutely stunning! All in all this was a really great version of the myth and I hope to see more re-tellings along these same lines.

My Rating: I really enjoyed this slightly different take on the classic Hades and Persephone myth, it made it not quite so brutal or violent but still maintained that element of being forced into a situation and finding solace there.  I give it a rating of Four Paws!



Friday, February 26, 2021

Bedtime Story: Tears by Sibylle Delacroix

 

Read for: Children's Books/ Netgalley/ Requested Review

Synopsis: "A tender, affirming book about why we cry―and why it’s okay.

Everyone cries: little kids, big kids, grown-ups, and even scaly-skinned crocodiles shed tears! But even though they may make our cheeks salty, or our eyes red and puffy, our tears are nurturing a secret garden inside us, and helping us grow.

Tears strips away the shame of crying and encourages children to explore their feelings and where their tears come from. Intricate pencil drawings with splashes of vibrant color illustrate different types of tears. Some tears burst out in hot, heavy sobs, while other tears are quiet and slow. Sometimes they race down our cheeks, other times they bubble just beneath the surface. But as the book reveals, crying is really a way to let out what you’re feeling on the inside.

With accessible, comforting text, this timely picture book supports social-emotional learning and assures young readers that tears are an important, and sometimes necessary, part of healing."

My Review: Emotions are hard for little ones, and sometimes adults too. This is a great book about letting those big emotions out, and some times they come out as tears. It is simple to read and follow for youngsters. It has great illustrations demonstrating tears and how they are different for everyone and for different feelings. This would be a great book to read after a toddler or youngster meltdown to let them know it is okay to let it out and spark a conversation about those feelings.

My Rating: Sometimes its hard to remember that it is okay to let feelings show, sometimes as parents we are in a rush or overwhelmed and forget to let the littles know its okay to cry.  I think this is a great book and reminder to both the reader and the listener.  I give it a rating of Four Paws!


I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley, the above is my honest review and opinion. 

You can find out more about Sibylle and her books on her Goodreads Page.

Tears is scheduled to be released on March 15th but you can pre-order your own print copy now from Barnes & Noble or Amazon or request it at your local bookstore or library.


Good Night! Sweet Dreams!

Weekly Reading Wrap Up

 

  Welcome to my brand new reading wrap up, now on Fridays.  I have decided to move my reading wrap up from Mondays to make room for Mystery Monday and also because it is easier for me to wrap up the week while I am still in the office instead of trying to post it first thing Monday morning. 



Reviews Posted Last Week:
Links will take you to my review

See You Later, Alligator by Sally Hopgood (Bedtime Story)
A Touch of Stone and Snow by Milla Vane (Date Night)
A Vow so Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer


 Books Finished Last Week:
Reviews will be posted at a later date

Let It Be
The Broken Spine
From Midwife to Mommy
Tears
The Wolf in the Whale
How to Fail at Flirting

Currently Reading:




Pages Read/ Time Listened
172:00 Hours Listened This Year(33:50 listened this week)
5,435 Pages Read This Year (704 Read this week)

Books Added to Shelves Recently: TBR
How to Fail at Flirting (Baecrate) - READ
Winterkeep (Jan. Pre-Order) - READ
A Vow So Bold & Deadly (Jan. Pre-Order) - READ
Death Bee Comes Her (Jan. Pre-Order)
Stormbreak (Feb. Pre-Order)
Lovebug (Feb. Pre-Order)



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wow, boy has February been good for my reading! This week was full of some really great books and a lot of books that have been on my TBR for a while too. I really hope I can keep this momentum going through at least the next month, I have so many books I am excited to read.  Coming up in April, there will probably be some big changes around here as I will be starting a new job and I may not be able to get online as often to get posts up but we will tackle that when the time comes.  For now I am excited to share these books with you and even more excited to get Middle Grade March started (and Spring too)!

Thursday, February 25, 2021

March Anticipated Releases

   So I decided it is time I start doing an anticipated release post every month.  I feel like this will help me narrow down the books that I am super excited about and keep up with the books that are being released, especially with all the delays and changes that have been happening.  Anyway,  I thought I would break this down into categories, again to help myself, this time to keep my book buying under control. So how about we get started . . . .



Anticipated Releases Pre-Ordered:

I am allowing myself to pre-order only 4 new releases each month to help control my book buying habits.  So here are the 4 books I was most excited to add to my shelves this month.

Releases March 16th
I am forever a fan of Adrienne Young and will pre-order every one of her books but Fable had a bit of a cliffhanger end and I need this one!

Synopsis: "Trader. Fighter. Survivor.

With the Marigold ship free of her father, Fable and its crew were set to start over. That freedom is short-lived when she becomes a pawn in a notorious thug’s scheme. In order to get to her intended destination she must help him to secure a partnership with Holland, a powerful gem trader who is more than she seems.

As Fable descends deeper into a world of betrayal and deception she learns that her mother was keeping secrets, and those secrets are now putting the people Fable cares about in danger. If Fable is going to save them then she must risk everything, including the boy she loves and the home she has finally found."


Releases March 30th
I have yet to read King of Scars because I wanted to binge these books, so I guess now I will have to start.

Synopsis: "The wolves are circling and a young king will face his greatest challenge in the explosive finale of the instant #1 New York Times-bestselling King of Scars Duology.

The Demon King. As Fjerda's massive army prepares to invade, Nikolai Lantsov will summon every bit of his ingenuity and charm—and even the monster within—to win this fight. But a dark threat looms that cannot be defeated by a young king's gift for the impossible.

The Stormwitch. Zoya Nazyalensky has lost too much to war. She saw her mentor die and her worst enemy resurrected, and she refuses to bury another friend. Now duty demands she embrace her powers to become the weapon her country needs. No matter the cost.

The Queen of Mourning. Deep undercover, Nina Zenik risks discovery and death as she wages war on Fjerda from inside its capital. But her desire for revenge may cost her country its chance at freedom and Nina the chance to heal her grieving heart.

King. General. Spy. Together they must find a way to forge a future in the darkness. Or watch a nation fall."


Releases March 30th
I am obsessed with Mercy & Elvis and am so excited with this book! I have gotten my In-Laws hooked too so it will be a fight as to who gets to read it first LOL!

Synopsis: "Some people take their secrets with them to the grave. Others leave them behind on their deathbeds, riddles for the survivors to solve.

When her late grandfather’s dying deputy calls Mercy to his side, she and Elvis inherit the cold case that haunted him—and may have killed him. But finding Beth Kilgore 20 years after she disappeared is more than a lost cause. It’s a Pandora’s box releasing a rain of evil on the very people Mercy and Elvis hold most dear.

The timing couldn’t be worse when the man who murdered her grandfather escapes from prison and a fellow Army vet turns up claiming that Elvis is his dog, not hers. With her grandmother Patience gone missing, and Elvis’s future uncertain, Mercy faces the prospect of losing her most treasured allies, the only ones she believes truly love and understand her.

She needs help, and that means forgiving Vermont Game Warden Troy Warner long enough to enlist his aid. With time running out for Patience, Mercy and Elvis must team up with Troy and his search-and-rescue dog Susie Bear to unravel the secrets of the past and save her grandmother—before it’s too late.

Once again, Paula Munier crafts a terrific mystery thriller filled with intrigue, action, resilient characters, the mountains of Vermont, and two amazing dogs."



Anticipated Release ARCs:

Here I have all the anticipated releases that I have received ARCs for this month and a couple I have requested as well but may not have been approved for or received yet.

Releases March 1st
This sounds like such a great Middle Grade coming of age book, those are some of my favorites.

Synopsis: "Twelve-year-old Lilla Baxter-Willoughby doesn't lie. She's just a little bit...selective. To keep her parents happy, Lilla hides how much she hates moving back and forth between their houses, and she stomps down her doubts about that elite high school they're pushing her toward. To keep peace with her best friend Vivi, Lilla doesn't share that she got the junior camp counselor job that Vivi wanted. And even though--no, especially because--he seems into it, Lilla does not tell the boy she grew up with about all the little sparks that flared up inside her the day she noticed his Suddenly Adorable Freckles. So when Vivi dares Lilla to start telling the truth as part of their Summer of Brave, Lilla hesitates. Because if she says out loud what she really wants, her whole life might crash down around her. And she doesn't need that. Except maybe she does."

Releases March 2nd
I have been finding it harder and harder to find books for Munchkin to read that he can relate to, so I think this is going to be a great book for him!

Synopsis: "Twelve-year-old Hunter Higgins has been dreaming about his first hunting trip for as long as he can remember. He’s taken the classes, earned his license, and become one of the best marksmen in his family. Now he’s old enough to join his father, grandfather, and uncle at their cabin for the first weekend of hunting season.

There’s only one problem: Hunter isn’t sure he can kill an animal. To make things more complicated, when they arrive at the cabin, his cousin Yumi is there with her friend Annette, who Hunter secretly has a crush on. Anxious about the hunt and the humiliation of possibly failing, Hunter grapples with what it means to have the power of life and death in his hands, and must decide what role he wishes to play in his relationship to nature and to wildlife."



Releases March 2nd
Come on, with that cover and the synopsis who wouldn't want to read this book?! 

Synopsis: "Even dogs deserve a second chance.

Ever since she was a puppy, Stella was trained to use her powerful beagle nose to sniff out dangerous chemicals and help her handler keep people safe. But during a routine security inspection, Stella misses the scent of an explosive. The sound of the blast is loud and scary. Unable to go back to work because of her anxiety, Stella is retired as a working dog.

When a young girl named Cloe wants to adopt Stella, the beagle knows this is her last chance to prove her worth. But how? When Stella smells a strange chemical inside Cloe’s body, a scent that surges just before the girl has a seizure, Stella’s nose makes the connection. But how can Stella warn her new family without them thinking she’s having an anxiety attack? How can she convince others that she can be a new kind of service dog and hopefully save Cloe’s life?

Told from Stella’s perspective, this story is about a special dog who must find the courage to overcome her fears in order to help save a young girl with epilepsy."



Releases March 9th
The cover of this book is absolutely stunning and it captured my attention immediately. It is a little outside my normal reading genre but I think it is a book I will really enjoy.

Synopsis: "When Yui loses both her mother and her daughter in the tsunami, she begins to mark the passage of time from that date onward: Everything is relative to March 11, 2011, the day the tsunami tore Japan apart, and when grief took hold of her life. Yui struggles to continue on, alone with her pain.
Then, one day she hears about a man who has an old disused telephone booth in his garden. There, those who have lost loved ones find the strength to speak to them and begin to come to terms with their grief. As news of the phone booth spreads, people travel to it from miles around.
Soon Yui makes her own pilgrimage to the phone booth, too. But once there she cannot bring herself to speak into the receiver. Instead she finds Takeshi, a bereaved husband whose own daughter has stopped talking in the wake of her mother’s death.
Simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming, The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World is the signpost pointing to the healing that can come after."



Releases March 23rd
Again with these absolutely stunning Middle Grade covers! As soon as I saw this book I requested it and I can't wait to read it!

Synopsis: "On the small space station Azura, Maxion Belmont is constantly torn between his two passions—engineering and music. Both are hobbies handed down from his father, which is bittersweet since his death two years ago. While his hydrodriver is great for repairing starship parts, his father’s old string instrument tugs at the latent grief Max hides from his mom and classmates with each chord he strums.

When a foreign starship appears on the horizon, Azura welcomes their first tourist in years. Enter Mr. Hames, starship captain and space-brained traveler. But there’s something weird about the stranger-turned-substitute teacher. He has no idea how to teach and thinks enlisting a group of twelve-year-olds to become his starship “crew” is totally normal. Or maybe it’s the fact he keeps raving about the existence of alien creatures in the vacuum of space: star whales.

As Max and the rest of Mr. Hames’s class/crew uncover the mysteries of the star whales, they discover they aren’t the only ones looking for the elusive creatures—and not every whaler has good intentions. Confronted with questions about his own father’s history with the star whales, Max must decide how far he’ll go to understand not only his father, but also the boy he’s become since his death . . . even at the expense of the star whales themselves."

Releases March 30th
See, YA publishers need to take notes on these MG covers! This is intriguing, I can't remember the last book I read from the Bronze Age so I am super curious. 

Synopsis: "A new gripping Bronze Age story from Wendy Orr, internationally acclaimed author of Dragonfly Song and Swallow’s Dance

Clio can’t remember a time when she didn’t share a bond with the mare Grey Girl. On the whole island of Crete, she and her Trojan-born father are the only people who raise and ride horses—and she couldn’t live without it. Between the freedom of the pasture and the safety of her grandmother Leira’s pottery studio, Clio always has had everything she needed.

Then an accident stole Clio’s ability to ride, or even to walk without a crutch. The weather changed and summers grew drier. Now raiders are preying on nearby towns. As anxiety builds, a terrible pronouncement is issued by the palace: at the spring festival, a girl between the ages of twelve and fourteen will be chosen to save the town from disaster. She will be sacrificed as an offering to the mother goddess.

In Cuckoo’s Flight, internationally bestselling author Wendy Orr returns to the Bronze-Age setting of her critically acclaimed novels Dragonfly Song and Swallow’s Dance. With her signature blend of striking prose and emotionally taut verse, she immerses readers in a thrilling coming-of-age story as Clio battles the political power of the palace and her own feelings of inadequacy to save her town, her horses, and perhaps even herself."



Library Requests:

These are the books I will be requesting at my local library because I am interested in them but maybe not sure if I want to add them to my physical library yet.


Releases March 2nd

Synopsis: "In the beginning, Byx’s original quest was to discover if there were more of her kind, or if she was destined to become an endling—the last dairne alive. She did indeed find more dairnes, and along the way she also created allies among other creatures in her world, including humans, felivets, raptidons, and wobbyks.

But Byx and her new friends soon learned that it wasn’t just dairnes in jeopardy of extinction, but that everyone was at risk. With the world in unprecedented danger, Byx must rally creatures of all kinds to lead a revolution."


Releases March 2nd

Synopsis: "Seventeen-year-old Valeria is one of the only survivors of the freeze, a dark magical hold Knnot Mountain unleashed over her village. Everyone, including her family, is trapped in an unbreakable sheet of ice. Ever since, she’s been on the run from the Czar, who is determined to imprison any who managed to escape. Valeria finds refuge with the Thieves Guild, doing odd jobs with her best friend Alik, the only piece of home she has left.

That is, until he is brutally murdered.

A year later, she discovers Alik is alive and being held against his will. To buy his freedom, she must lead a group of cutthroats and thieves on a perilous expedition to the very mountain that claimed her family. Only something sinister slumbers in the heart of Knnot.

And it has waited years for release."

Releases March 9th

Synopsis: "Dead wizards, stolen enchantments, and broken promises force a young spellbreaker out of the shadows in the next thrilling installment of the Spellbreaker series by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Paper Magician.

England, 1895. An unsolved series of magician murders and opus thefts isn’t a puzzle to Elsie Camden. But to reveal a master spellcaster as the culprit means incriminating herself as an unregistered spellbreaker. When Elsie refuses to join forces with the charming assassin, her secret is exposed, she’s thrown in jail, and the murderer disappears. But Elsie’s hope hasn’t vanished.

Through a twist of luck, the elite magic user Bacchus Kelsey helps Elsie join the lawful, but with a caveat: they must marry to prove their cover story. Forced beneath a magical tutor while her bond with Bacchus grows, Elsie seeks to thwart the plans of England’s most devious criminal—if she can find them.

With hundreds of stolen spells at their disposal, the villain has a plan—and it involves seducing Elsie to the dark side. But even now that her secret is out, Elsie must be careful how she uses the new abilities she’s discovering, or she may play right into the criminal’s hands."


Releases March 9th

Synopsis: "Twenty-five years ago, five heroes risked their lives to defeat the bone maker Eklor—a corrupt magician who created an inhuman army using animal bones. But victory came at a tragic price. Only four of the heroes survived. 

Since then, Kreya, the group’s leader, has exiled herself to a remote tower and devoted herself to one purpose: resurrecting her dead husband. But such a task requires both a cache of human bones and a sacrifice—for each day he lives, she will live one less.

She’d rather live one year with her husband than a hundred without him, but using human bones for magic is illegal in Vos. The dead are burned—as are any bone workers who violate the law. Yet Kreya knows where she can find the bones she needs: the battlefield where her husband and countless others lost their lives.

But defying the laws of the land exposes a terrible possibility. Maybe the dead don’t rest in peace after all.  

Five warriors—one broken, one gone soft, one pursuing a simple life, one stuck in the past, and one who should be dead. Their story should have been finished. But evil doesn’t stop just because someone once said, “the end.”"

Releases March 9th

Synopsis: "Enter the dark and sensual realms of the Black Jewels, a world where power always has a price, in this sweeping story in the New York Times bestselling fantasy saga.

They are Warlord Princes, men born to serve and protect. They are the Queen's Weapons, men born to destroy the Queen's enemies--no matter what face that enemy wears.

Daemonar Yaslana knows how to be bossy yet supportive--traits he shares with his father, the Demon Prince, and his uncle, the High Lord of Hell. Within his generation of the family, he assumes the role of protector, supporting his sister Titian’s artistic efforts and curbing his cousin Jaenelle Saetien’s more adventurous ideas. But when a young Eyrien Queen, someone Titian thought was a friend, inflicts an emotional wound, Daemonar's counterattack brings him under the tutelage of Witch, the Queen whose continued existence is known only to a select few.

As Daemonar is confronted by troubling changes within and around the family, he sees warnings that a taint in the Blood might be reappearing. Daemonar, along with his father and uncle, must uncover the source of a familiar evil--and Daemon Sadi, the High Lord of Hell, may be forced into making a terrible choice."

Releases March 30th

Synopsis: "Librarian Minnie Hamilton and her clever cat Eddie solve a purr-fect murder, in the newest installment of the delightful Bookmobile Cat Mystery series.

Minnie and her rescue cat Eddie can often be found out and about in their bookmobile near Chilson, Michigan, delivering great reads to grateful patrons all over the county. But they always brake for trouble, and when Minnie sees a car speeding away down the road, and soon comes upon a dead bicyclist, she assumes she just missed seeing a hit-and-run.

Minnie is determined to discover who was behind the wheel, but it soon turns out that things are far more complicated than they seem and there's more to this case than meets the eye. Luckily, this librarian is ready to read the killer his rights."


Release March 30th

Synopsis: "Alder has always lived in his cozy little house in Southern California. And for as long as he can remember, the old, reliable, comforting walnut tree has stood between his house and the one next door. That is, until a new family—with a particularly annoying girl his age—moves into the neighboring house and, without warning, cuts it down.

Oak doesn’t understand why her family had to move to Southern California. She has to attend a new school, find new friends, and live in a new house that isn’t even ready—her mother had to cut down a tree on their property line in order to make room for a second floor. And now a strange boy next door won’t stop staring at her, like she did something wrong moving here in the first place.

As Oak and Alder start school together, they can’t imagine ever becoming friends. But the two of them soon discover a series of connections between them—mysterious, possibly even magical puzzles they can’t put together. At least not without each other’s help."








Sorry for the rather long post today but I feel like March releases are some of the best yet. Not only is it Middle Grade March but the Middle Grade releases this month are blowing me out of the water! I am however super proud of myself for still holding back and not pre-ordering or purchasing every book I want. Though I might go back and treat myself since it is my birthday month and so many books are being released on my birthday!

What books have captured your eye that are coming out in March?

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Review: A Vow So Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer (Cursebreakers Series)

 

Read for: Recently Added/ 2021 Anticipated Release/ Audio Book

Previous Books in Series:

Synopsis: "Face your fears, fight the battle.

Emberfall is crumbling fast, torn between those who believe Rhen is the rightful prince and those who are eager to begin a new era under Grey, the true heir. Grey has agreed to wait two months before attacking Emberfall, and in that time, Rhen has turned away from everyone—even Harper, as she desperately tries to help him find a path to peace.

Fight the battle, save the kingdom.

Meanwhile, Lia Mara struggles to rule Syhl Shallow with a gentler hand than her mother. But after enjoying decades of peace once magic was driven out of their lands, some of her subjects are angry Lia Mara has an enchanted prince and a magical scraver by her side. As Grey's deadline draws nearer, Lia Mara questions if she can be the queen her country needs.

As the two kingdoms come closer to conflict, loyalties are tested, love is threatened, and a dangerous enemy returns, in this stunning conclusion to bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer’s Cursebreaker series."

My Review: So this series started out really awesome for me with a bit of a drop with the second book but still really good, so I was excited to read this third and final book. I really enjoyed the way this book set up with siblings on opposing sides and of opposing views. It did read a little slower than I expected, there was definitely a lack of action and had a lot more internal turmoil to work through. I came to really dislike some of my previous characters but did enjoy the development throughout this book. This was definitely a satisfying conclusion to the series and I am glad I stuck with the series. I would highly recommend the audio books and this is a totally binge worthy series.

My Rating: I really enjoyed this conclusion to the series, it brought the plot lines together and the characters have developed so much. It was completely satisfying to read and I am happy with how Kemmerer brought the series to a close.  I give it a rating of Four Paws.


Monday, February 22, 2021

Mystery Monday: What is a Cozy Mystery?

  Welcome to a brand new feature series here on Eastern Sunset Reads!

In the mess that was 2020, one exciting thing that came about is my discovery of Cozy Mysteries.  Yes, I knew they existed before but I never had a desire to pick one up but last year I ended up reading 17 of them! Clearly they have become a regular thing for me to pick up and it is such a vast genre that I can't wait to dive into more of them.  So Mystery Monday has become a thing and will be a (at least somewhat) regular thing here.  So stop by on Mondays to see my reviews of new books I have picked up, new releases, chat about sub-genres and lots more.



So today I thought I would talk a bit about what a Cozy Mystery actually is.  Now I am no expert on this genre and am in fact a newbie to it within the past year. In that time though I have really started exploring the genre, trying out a variety of authors and tropes/subgenres. I have read a variety of blogs, articles and watched a lot of Booktube videos, through all of that I have started to come to an understanding about what to look for in the Cozy Mystery realm.

Most places define a Cozy Mystery as a light mystery, nothing too dark, gruesome or explicit, with an amateur sleuth in a small town setting with a cast of unique and quirky characters.  The main character is the amateur sleuth and pulled into solving the mystery puzzle either because of their access to information or connection to the victim/victim's friends & family.  They often have a great support system of friends, family and co-workers.  You find out tidbits and clues as the character does and piece together the puzzle the mystery presents throughout the story. 

Cozy Mysteries also generally have a specific niche to go along with the interesting cast of characters and small town setting. They can take place around a specific location (ie: library, coffee shop, bed & breakfast, bakery, etc) or include a specific hoppy (ie: knitting, food preservation, writing, tea, etc.). These features help create sub-genres within the Cozy Mystery genre.  There really is a book for everyone!

As far as the who-dun-it, the villain is often not an evil person, they are usually people who are pushed so far they felt they had no other choice. They make bad choices and take things to an extreme measure of murder.  This plays into the theme in Cozy Mysteries of right and wrong, good and bad choices. 


So to wrap this up, Cozy Mysteries are a great way to branch out from other genres, it holds similar themes to literary fiction and often romance as well. The lack of the truly brutal crimes and intense official detective investigations make Cozy Mysteries a little easier to digest for readers from other genres. A great way to start is to go on a bookseller site and search for Cozy Mystery-your favorite hobby/interest. Some of my favorites so far have revolved around libraries and food, but search using your favorite hobby, be it quilting or writing, breweries or dog walking.  I will have another post in the future highlighting the wide variety of sub-genres/tropes.

Sunday, February 21, 2021

Middle Grade March Sign Up & TBR

 I am so excited to see one of my favorite reading challenges from last year back again, Middle Great March Readathon/Challenge.  I came across this challenge on one of my favorite Youtube channels, Life Between Words.  You can check out this year's Readathon announcement in her video HERE or her co-host's, Krista at BooksandJams, video HERE  and Amanda from The Curly Reader, Video HERE for all the exact details but here are the basics:



The Readathon runs from March 1st - 31st
The goal is to read as many middle grade books throughout the month of March as you can or like. 
There are a few live videos throughout the month on Instagram that you can find details for in their videos.
You can also use the hashtag #MiddleGradeMarch on Twitter and Instagram throughout the month

And of course there are some challenges:
1. A Book with SILHOUETTE on the cover 2. A Book with a strong FAMILY (or found family) 3. A Book featuring a JOURNEY or ADVENTURE 4. A RETELLING (or book with a fairytale vibe) 5. A Book written (or set) in the DECADE YOU WERE BORN

There is also a Group Read book:




So how about my TBR for the month:
Besides the books listed below for each challenge I also have a small stack of books I want to pick up as well.  
Munchkin & I will be listening to The Wild Robot Escapes and My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish together

For the challenges I will be using:
1. A Book with SILHOUETTE on the cover - Ground Zero, Booked and The Skeleton Tree 2. A Book with a strong FAMILY (or found family) - The Sea in Winter, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and Granny Torelli Makes Soup 3. A Book featuring a JOURNEY or ADVENTURE - A book that I picked up during last year's Middle Grade March - The Voyage to Magical North 4. A RETELLING (or book with a fairytale vibe) - This is a book on my TBR for last year that I didn't get to - Argos: The Story of Odysseus as told by his Loyal Dog 5. A Book written (or set) in the DECADE YOU WERE BORN - I was born in the 80s and have 3 potential books on my TBR - Kiki's Delivery Service, Hatchet or Matilda

I adore Middle Grade books and find them to be some of the most influential and satisfying reads and this year Munchkin will be able to read some of these with me as well!

 I hope even if you aren't a big middle grade fan, that you will try at least one this month!   
I will post updates throughout the month here and more than likely on Instagram (@EasternSunset9) as well.

What is your favorite Middle Grade book?