Tag: book blog

The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway by Ashley Schumacher 🌟 Arc Review 🌟

OracleLeave a comment

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!!!

This is the sweetest, bestest, made me cry bc it’s so sweet, ya book!! This story did not just tug at my heart strings, it played them like a Ren. Faire bard.

Madeline travels to different Ren Faires with her dad all year to sell journals and jewelry. Last year her mom died and she has been moving through a cloud of grief since then. But when she enters the Ren Faire this summer, she is surprised to find a bard named Arthur. A bard who asks her to be the Faires princess.

This book talks about grief so well. I think grief is hard to put in words, but this author did an amazing job with Madeline’s character. I saw myself in there too which is definitely something. I also loved that Madeline found acceptance with her weight. As something that I also struggle with, her story made me feel like being kinder to myself (I’m kind of shocked, I didn’t know that was possible). Maybe, I should be thanking the author, because this story made a real difference in my life. I even went to Target!! And, it was amazing!!

Sappiest review ever?? Possibly.

Should you check out this book? Definitely!

Out March 14, 2023!

Infamous by Lex Croucher 🌟 Arc Review🌟

OracleLeave a comment

This is a diverse, queer, regency era romcom, and I loved it!!!

Eddie (Edith) and Rose have been best friends since childhood. But, even though they swore to never marry, Eddie is taken aback when Rose finds a match. When Eddie meets Nash, a famous poet, the story moves to a mansion full of artsy people without to many cares. Later, Eddie realizes that nothing is ever simple but possibly some things do not change too drastically.

I thought this was clever and funny, and it gave me some good vibes. A perfect weekend read!

Pinata by Leopoldo Gout 🌟 Arc Review 🌟

OracleLeave a comment

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

This is a slow starting horror that led me to a gruesome and brutal ending that I will not soon forget.

This story begins with a short intro covering a scene about the brutal colonization of an ancient people and continues to be very rich in Nahua culture. I loved this take on vengeance against this atrocity against a group of humans. It gives the story a strong backbone and lends credence to any questions of why certain things happen.

Carmen is going to Mexico as a lead architect for a remodel of an old abby. She brings her daughters, Izel and Luna, with her to introduce them to the culture they come from. Everything seems to be going fine until Luna is targeted for possession by spirits who lead to the horror to come. When she finds an ancient pinata, originally a gift to gods made out of clay and sealed with viscera inside it, she is officially possessed, and the horror truly begins.

I liked this book a lot. However, I felt like the dialogues and interactions between characters were a bit cut and dry and did not have the energy I enjoy more while reading.

Overall, a very creepy and also, culture rich, read!

Out March 14, 2023!

A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley 🌟 Arc Review 🌟

OracleLeave a comment

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!!

This is a grumpy/sunshine romcom with just the right amount of spice.

Mariel is a powerful witch but struggles to harness her powers. She is amazing with plant magic but is having trouble with all other areas. When she accidentally summons a demon instead of a bag of flour, she is in for a surprise. The demon is quite sexy, but unfortunately, he wants to bargain for her soul.

This is a really fun read! I did think it was a bit predictable, but I still really enjoyed this.

Out March 7, 2023!

The God of Endings by Jacqueline Holland 🌟 Arc Review 🌟

OracleLeave a comment

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!!!

This book is a deep and dark look into an eternal life unwanted and perhaps misused at times. This is akin to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue in the sense that it’s a slow-moving story but constantly hard-hitting.

Anna is only a child when her father passes away and she is “rescued ” by her sort of grandfather. Her grandfather gifts her with eternal life as a vampire, but for Anna,this gift is a curse.

The story goes between the present and the past. Reading about Anna’s past over a hundred years ago and who she is now, in a different time and place, was really thought-provoking. The mistakes made and then to see how those things stayed with her until the dramatic end. (By the way, I loved the ending)

Highly recommend this!

Out March 7, 2023!

The London Seance Society by Sarah Penner 🌟 Arc Review 🌟

OracleLeave a comment

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

This is a thrilling tale about the dark side to seances and the lengths frauds go to to make money off of their unsuspecting victims.

The scene opens on a cold night in Paris at a spooky chateau that was the scene of a murder. Lenna is sitting around a table as an apprentice to the great Vaudeline who is renowned for her work with the supernatural while performing a seance. Lenna has recently lost her sister, Evie, and is learning this art so she can channel her sister’s spirit and solve her murder.

This story also follows a Mr. Morley, who is head of one of the departments of the London Seance Society. He soon reaches out to Vaudeline, requesting her to perform a seance in London to learn more about the director’s sudden death.

Many secrets are revealed, which only gave me more questions to consider throughout this story, definitely keeping me on the edge of my seat.

I loved the story and the attention to detail about seances at that time. However, I didn’t completely love Lenna’s character and often had a hard time relating to her.

Out March 7, 2023!

Solomon’s Crown by Natasha Siegel 🌟 Arc Review 🌟

OracleLeave a comment

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!!!

I love this story. King Phillip II of France and Richard I, Duke of Aquitaine, are my new favorite love story! I want to point out that in the author’s note at the end of the book, the author points out how many liberties were taken for this tale. And, I’m glad they were because I’m obsessed with this!!!

A romance that begins slowly turns and blooms into such an timeless tale that so many can relate to. Not as if we are kings and dukes or Queens or such, but as people that have insurmountable responsibilities that seem to keep them from their true desires. Or, anything that can keep any person from being with their true love. This is a love of the ages and I feel like it will always reside within me.

Obviously, I am absolutely enamored with this book. The attention to details about this time and the charecterization of these people I never get to read about is beyond amazing. I love that the author chose to bring this time period to life and tell this story. There is a lot of attention to the politics surrounding France and England at this time. However, this is something that I really enjoy reading about and didn’t detract from the love story at all, in my opinion.

I highly recommend this one!

Out March 14, 2023!

Antimatter Blues by Edward Ashton 🌟 Arc review 🌟

OracleLeave a comment

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!!

When I picked this up, I didn’t realize it was a sequel, but I still wound up enjoying this.

Antimatter Blues is a fun experience and definitely gave me the escape from reality that I need while reading. Mickey is an expendable, and has trauma over his history of deaths he experienced during the time he was active. It’s been 2 years since his retirement, but just as he’s getting comfortable, he is pulled into conflict once again.

Mickey and a group set out on a mission with one of the planet’s own lifeforms, a creeper. He needs to get a bomb back from another nest of lifeforms that he has never communicated with, and the adventure is action-packed.

This story was funny at times and frustrating at others. I didn’t completely love all the characters, but I was still able to enjoy this read.

Out March 14, 2023!

The Angel Maker by Alex North 🌟 Arc Review 🌟

OracleLeave a comment

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!!

I’m reading lots of good books lately and this is another one. Super dark and absolutely thrilling, this book had me hooked, especially with the back story of the murder victim.

Allan Hobbes was murdered in his creepy mansion, and the detectives are on the case. However, this leads them in a lot of directions, making it seem like there is an underlying connection between everything.

Sarah is a protective sister with her own family, a daughter, and her husband. However, she hasn’t had a chance to be that protective sister for her little brother in over a decade. When she finds out her brother, Chris, is missing, she immediately takes it upon herself to start the search.

Chris is, in fact, in hiding. But it is not for what I first believed. There are connections, like a spiderweb, over the different character’s and their pasts. This story really drew me in with the brutal history of serial killer jack lock and his creation of a book that reveals the future. It’s almost as if the future is laid out, pre-ordained, and nobody even has any real choices. (A very interesting and quite depressing thought🤣🤣)

I loved this. I loved the darkness of the theme that ran through this story and following these characters. Definitely recommend for fans of thrillers!

Out February 28, 2023!

Content Warnings for violence and disturbing imagery

Weyward by Emilia Hart 🌟 Arc Review 🌟

Oracle1 Comment

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!!!

Wow. The connection between these 3 women, the connection to nature especially giving a mother nature vibe, and the girl power!! Yes!

This is something I think many people could relate to. It highlights some very real struggles, including sexual assault and domestic violence, but only to show the enormous amount of strength it takes for a person to live through that and get out of the situation.

This story follows three women over the course of five centuries. Each chapter had a different one of these women as a main character throughout this book. I loved that. I loved seeing the connection between them blossom as I continued to read. Especially how they all came to and used their powers as Weywards.

I definitely recommend this one!

Out March 7, 2023!