Review: Charm by Tracy Wolff

 

The Crave series finally got me hooked on reading again in 2021. If you haven't read it yet, I recommend skipping this review as it has potential spoilers for the series. Essentially, the series follows Grace who in the first book, Crave, finds herself at Katmere Academy in Alaska following the death of her parents. Although she's moving in with her Uncle Finn and cousin Macy, she quickly discovers that Katmere isn't all that it seems as odd things begin to happen. And of course, there's a boy, a very handsome brooding boy. Grace finds an instant attraction to him, but getting involved with him seems to get her into trouble or maybe get her out of it. The first book is a little rough with some silly language like "AF" and the use of hashtags. However, the following books get much better and Tracy writes the funniest chapter titles I've read. The other books look a lot at how we are more powerful when we let ourselves rely on the strengths of our friends. Overall, I think the books give a good message of girl power, the power of friendship, some good old teenage romance, and paranormal creatures of course. These are the books I would've had instead of Twilight as a younger me. 

Here's where the actual review of Charm begins. In this book, we find out what happened while Grace and Hudson were trapped inside her mind. The two wake up and find themselves in a strange version of Hudson's lair with a giant dragon constantly trying to break in. Grace is apprehensive about Hudson, trusting what Jackson told her about him being evil. However, as the two are forced to get to know each other more, Grace finds herself questioning this. Filled with learning how to be friends with the thought to be an enemy, adventures in a purple land, fighting dragons, and time jumping, this book is an absolute joy. I will admit I was nervous that it would be boring. I thought it would just be lovey stuff that I would be trying to keep reading, however, Tracy never fails to impress and wove a story that I was not expecting. 

I loved watching Grace and Hudson fall in love again, well actually, I guess fall in love for the first time. I have been on team Hudson since the moment he was introduced (physically rather than just by name). As much as I like Jackson, I liked Hudson far better for Grace and for myself of course. He's just the right kind of angsty while still having some hope that he tries to hide. He's smart, funny, and he believes in Grace full-heartedly. If your significant other doesn't believe in your abilities, kick them to the curb. 

Anyways, I really enjoyed this book. It was very fun although I will admit by the end of it I was a little bit ready to be done. I'm excited to see what Tracy has in store for us in Cherish and her spin-off series with Remy. If you liked the rest of the series, I highly recommend checking this book out. If you haven't read the series yet, sorry for the spoilers, but get on reading it. It's fun feeling those bubbly teenage feelings again even as an adult. As far as content warnings go, be aware there is somewhat graphic content, mildly graphic sexual content, death, and more. As always, I point my readers to StoryGraph for a full list of content warnings as provided by other readers. 

As always, happy reading and I'll see you soon. 

I forgot to mention. I actually met Tracy Wolff and had her sign my copy of this book for me. Here's Tracy and me at said signing. She is such a sweet person and told me I was badass for graduating college and was excited about me going to library school. If you're a fan and get the chance to meet her, I highly recommend doing so.  

With All My Love

 

Usually, I know what to say, but this is one of those times when everything I write seems to come out wrong. Nothing seems to do justice to this woman who I loved and who loved so deeply. If you knew my grandma, you know there aren't enough words in our language to describe how truly wonderful she was. Still, I process with words, so I'm going to do my best to form them. 

I love this picture of my grandmother. I feel it shows just how silly and full of joy for life she was. In many of the memories people have shared over these past two weeks, most have been of her smiling and of her enjoying her experience on this earth. My grandmother is a person who mastered finding contentedness in life and even more than that in finding joy. In the face of a world filled with challenges, I watched as she enjoyed the beautiful things. She lived in a house she bought a few years before I was born where she could enjoy the beauty of a lake that spread out before her balcony. That view brought her so much happiness. 

She got to enjoy when the grandkids were young and her children would bring them out to spend hours in the hot Texas sun playing in the water. She enjoyed watching the birds glitter around and provided them supplies for their nests. She got to watch her children and grandchildren grow up. The last few times I saw my grandmother, she would be so overcome with joy at how we grandchild had turned out that she'd have tears in her eyes. 

She was a proud lady and not very humble about it. I often heard her say that we were a very talented family. Of course, she wasn't wrong, we have actors, musicians, artists, sports stars, and more in our family. Although I suppose each of us has to have something when there are 21 grandchildren. 

My grandmother was one of my first supporters when it came to my writing. When I was a child and carried around a notebook, she always insisted on reading my work. I remember her telling my dad once that I was writing a little mature for my age. (Makeout scenes in a story written by a fourth grader are a little alarming). She always took an interest in my writing. And when I changed my path and decided to go into government, she supported me despite her lifelong commitment to republicanism and my raging liberal mindset. She was excited too when I once again changed my mind and switched to library science. She had wanted to connect me with the librarians out in Canyon Lake so I could come stay with her. 

I never got to tell her that I've started writing again. Not just these posts, but I've been working on a story. I'm not sure I would've wanted her to read it (it's definitely mature, although I am an adult now), but I know she would've been excited and I probably would've given in and let her see at least a little. 

My grandma was one of my great-loves. I love my family tremendously, but she had a very special place in my heart and soul. There was no way for me to prepare myself for the all-consuming sense of loss I feel now that she's gone. To know I'll never have her make elephant noises at me and a gesture for a trunk to let me know I need to straighten my back, to never have her hug me, to never see her smile, to never hear one of her silly stories, all feels overwhelming. 

But when I'm not in tears over my sadness at losing her, I'm in tears over the memories of loving her. I'm grateful for having known her as I know many people are. She taught me the importance of caring. She dedicated her life to working toward making other people's lives better. She worked with children with disabilities and believed in the tough kids when no one else did. She volunteered for CASA because she couldn't keep herself from helping people who needed her even after retiring. She was always there for my dad, my brother, and I when we needed her. She went to hundreds of concerts, plays, games, award ceremonies, birthday parties, and more. She traveled all over the country. She brought joy to every person she interacted with. 

So even as this sense of loss overwhelms me, I think of what she'd want. I know she'd want the people she loved to keep going. She'd want us to keep enjoying the little things and above all else to hold on to our joy. For her, I'm doing my best to find things to keep me joyful, to keep me motivated, and to keep me creative. 

My grandmother was a book buyer, a hobby I probably learned from her. Like her, many of my books are unread or have a bookmark only a few pages in. I think I can speak for both of us in the statement that it's not always about reading the books, sometimes it's about knowing they're there. It's knowing there's the option to pick one up and escape or learn something new. It's feeling like you're surrounded by old friends. Although I have made an effort to sell or donate some of my books, I know that like her I will one day live in a house in which there are books in every room, in every possible space. And although I know that is something she will never get to see, I can still picture her enjoyment of coming into a home that looks not so different from her own and being surrounded by books. 

Although she's gone, she's still with me, I can still see her smile, hear her voice, and feel the softness of her skin. My grandmother is imprinted deeply into my mind and soul. I am so grateful for having known her, having learned compassion from her, and having been loved by her. 

All my love to you, Grandma. 

Review: The Hunter by Jennifer Herrera

 

I received this book as an advanced reader copy through Netgalley. It came out earlier this week on January 10th. This was also my first read of 2023. 

The Hunter follows Leigh, a former NYPD detective who gets let go when she pulls her gun on her partner letting a suspect escape. Her decision leads her husband to leave her and her without a job while trying to take care of her daughter. Her brother calls her and asks her to come back home to their small town in order to solve the mysterious deaths of three men who died from drowning together. 

Leigh takes her daughter, tells her husband they're headed home (which he very much opposes), and returns to the house she grew up in, in Copper Falls. Leigh never meant to come back, she was too big for such a small town and always eager to leave it. When she gets there, she finds that no one wants to help in her investigation, not the chief of police, the victims' friends and families, or the coroner seem interested in helping her. Her brother keeps trying to get her to focus on their everyday duties. 

As Leigh delves deeper into the deaths, she finds that the secrets of the town are not what she expected and the issues revolving around the deaths of these three men are much more complicated than some ritual. And Leigh herself is much more complicated than she seems to be. 

This book is full of mystery but has nice added slice-of-life moments having to do with Leigh's daughter and uncles. Although the book is advertised as suspense, horror, and thriller, I would argue that doesn't really fit the story. There are mysterious aspects, but I didn't find myself as invested as I would in a thriller/suspense novel. I was surprised by the facts unfolding, but there was definitely a "wow" factor missing for it to be what I would consider a thriller. 

The book is good: it's interesting, the plot is unexpected, and the characters are complex. I would just say that for me, it's missing the aspect of "what's happening?" "is everything going to be okay?" that I think is needed for a thriller. On top of that, I feel like Leigh as a character puts on this projection of being a "good" cop, but then when there are issues with the police force she acts upset before doing nothing. That disappointed me. 

Overall, the book was good. If you enjoy mysteries, I would recommend you check it out. It definitely had a lot of interesting story elements. You may even find it to be a thriller. For content warnings, I would say that obviously, this is a police-heavy book so that's something to be aware of, there is the discussion of racism/racial prejudice, parent death, terminal illness, drowning, murder, and more. As always, I recommend StoryGraph for a full list of possible content warnings as provided by other readers, however, they are limited given the newness of this book. 

As always, happy reading, and I will be back soon with more reviews. If you want more content from me, you can find me on social media. 

Instagram: @ayearinbookswithzoe

Youtube: @ayearinbookswithzoe 

Tiktok: @ayearinbookswithzoe 

Twitter: @yearinbookszoe 

You can also connect with me on Goodreads and StoryGraph if you want to stay up-to-date with what I'm reading, how my yearly goals are going, and what books I have on my reading list. 

Review: Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive by Stephanie Land Narrated by the author

 

Some of you may have seen this on Netflix. I listened to this audiobook in December. 

Maid tells the story of Stephanie Land who grew up middle class and had dreams of going to college. Those things changed when she found out she was pregnant and decided to keep the baby. Her boyfriend responded with violence eventually leading to her moving out when the child was very small. This leads to her experience with homelessness and trying to use government assistance programs to get by. 

Land worked difficult jobs cleaning houses for barely any money. She put herself through community college whilst doing this work, studying, and doing homework when her daughter was asleep. She talks about the difficulties of living with the stigma of being on government assistance programs. She talks about how difficult it was to maintain her child's health with restrictions on the foods she could buy and mold growing in the apartment she could afford. 

Land's book shows readers what it's like to live in poverty. She explains how difficult it is to get out of poverty when small pay increases result in the loss of benefits making saving money impossible. The book details the cycle that is poverty in which it is a struggle to get out and everyone shows harsh judgment to the ones living in it. However, this story isn't all hardship. Land details the joyful moments of watching her daughter play and grow up. She talks about the awkwardness of dating, finding friends, and interacting with other parents. 

This is a book I highly recommend to people who cast judgment on people living on government assistance programs. Land's story shows that the stereotypes we often hear about the types of people on these programs are false. The reality is, no one wants to live in such harsh poverty that they're forced to go through the long process of signing up for these programs and proving they belong in them. 

Land leaves her readers with a hopeful message having finally made it to where she felt she always belonged. Her goal to be a writer obviously has come true given the publication of this work. 

Content warnings to be aware of are domestic violence, classism, child endangerment (on the part of the father), and more. As always I point readers in the direction of StoryGraph for a full list of possible content warnings as provided by other readers. If you're looking for a good memoir to read in 2023, this is one I'd recommend. 

As always happy reading and I'll see you soon. 

Review: Starlight Jewel: Gifts of the Auldtree, Book One by E.L. Lyons

 

I was able to read this book through a website I do book reviews with called Reedsy. I have done some other reviews with that site but this is by far the best book I've read there yet. I cannot recommend it enough. I really enjoyed it and can't wait for more to come out. 

Axly is the Starlight Jewel but she has to leave the company under harsh circumstances in order to protect her brother and the balance of her world. Her brother, a strange little boy with gifts that unnerve Axly and an aversion to touch, has been taught by Axly to play a game intended to keep them both alive. If the boy’s existence was revealed, he’d be a danger to the world and in danger himself. Despite leaving her position for her brother, she’s found and thrust back into her life. She must do everything she can to protect her brother even if that means seducing sulky, handsome generals.

The fantasy element of this book is super fascinating. The tree creatures that procreate with humans to create the hybrids are a unique and refreshing element to this fantasy novel. Axly is a character that is complicated but easy to root for and her desire to protect her brother is something many siblings can relate to. The character development is well done with unique characters with distinct personalities and wants. I couldn’t help but turn each page to the next eager to find out what would happen next. The abilities of heartseer, keenears, softstep, etc make for an interesting group of enemies and heroes. I found myself wondering who I could trust and how invested I should get in each of the characters. The writing is excellent. Lyons is able to paint detailed pictures and emotions with words.

I highly recommend this to readers who love fantasy and even those who don’t. As someone who tends to get lost in the complicated aspects of fantasy, I was able to follow along pretty well. I think nature lovers will get a kick out of the story as well as the idea of humanoid trees is awesome to me. I will mention possible content warnings of physical violence, implied sexual intimacy, death, and death of a parent as the main ones. As always, I point my readers to StoryGraph for a better list of content warnings (this book is newer so there are fewer warnings listed). I think this is a great book for lovers of a good story and a good one to choose for those looking to take their first dip into fantasy. I can’t wait to recommend this to all my reader friends.

Happy new year! Happy reading as well. 

Review: Dark Places by Gillian Flynn Narrated by Mark Deakins, Rebecca Lowman, and Cassandra Cambell

 

I would argue this book is better than Gine Girl. The storyline and characters are more interesting and I didn't find myself hating everyone in the book. 

This story follows Libby Day, the lone survivor of her family's murders excluding her brother who was sent to prison for said murders. Libby has lived her whole life off the money sent to her after the murders and has believed wholeheartedly that her brother is guilty. It's not until she's faced with a dwindling bank account that she accepts an offer to meet with true crime fanatics groups obsessed with her family's murder. The group begins to make her question whether her brother really did kill everyone. She begins returning to her past to find out the truth of what happened. 

The book features sections in the present in which the reader goes with Libby as she tries to find the truth and sections from the day her family was killed by her brother, Ben, and her mother, Patty. Slowly, the reader pieces together what really happened that night. The storyline is fascinating. The narrators do an excellent job of giving voice to the characters. I found myself rooting for Ben, losing hope in Ben, and so on. I was not expecting the ending at all which is something I love in this type of book. 

If you like a good crime novel, I highly recommend checking this one out. I also recommend the audiobook if that's something you like. As far as content warnings go, I would say beware of gore, death, murder, child abuse, mentions of sexual assault, and more. As always, I turn my readers to StoryGraph for a full list of possible content warnings as provided by other readers. 

As always happy reading, and I'll see you all in 2023. 

Review: Debate and Decadence by Sula Sullivan

 

This book is a quick cozy read set in a fantasy world where a witch and a demon fall in love. The book starts with Amaya, a reclusive witch living happily in her home in the woods with occasional visits to the city. Later, Rue, a demon city girl, comes knocking on her door to avoid marrying her cousin and because she believes Amaya is her fated mate. Amaya is reluctant to let this woman in, but Rue doesn't give her much of a choice. The two begin binding as Amaya teaches Rue about living in the woods and Rue fills Amaya in on the happenings of the wealthy. 

It's a classic grumpy sunshine type of book with a very wholesome sapphic relationship. This is a spice-free book so it has some kissing and implied intimacy. I loved the whimsical atmosphere of the woods and the fantasy creatures present in this book. Amaya's home seemed so cozy and I'm honestly jealous I don't live there. Right now the book is available on Kindle Unlimited for those interested, but you can also purchase a physical copy or ebook if you don't have that subscription. I think this is the perfect read for those looking to have a little bit of cute relaxation during this busy time of year. 

The content warnings on StoryGraph are at present very minimal, but given the lighthearted nature of the story, I don't think there was much to be aware of. The StoryGraph page mentions blood and bullying as possible content warnings to be aware of. I really recommend checking this book out if you're looking for a good witchy sapphic read. 

As always, happy reading. 

Review: Red Harvest by Joe Schreiber

 

This is the prequel to Death Troopers in which the origin of the zombie virus is explained. It starts on a Sith planet where Sith students train at the academy run by Dark Scabrous. Scabrous is determined to find the key to immortality which as you can guess leads to a zombie outbreak. It's not like they're on a nice planet either, it's freezing cold and so hostile that the ancient Sith academy is crumbling into ruins. Definitely not the place you want to be for a zombie outbreak. 

The key to the zombie juice is a special flower that has to be tied to a Jedi. This is what brings Hestizo and her bonded flower to the ice planet. A bounty hunter named Tulkh, who's a Whiphid (you should Google that), takes her from the special Jedi gardens to Dark Scabrous. (Y'all for whatever reason I thought Hesitzo and Tulkh were going to be a thing, but look up a picture of a Whiphid, I don't think they're compatible with humans.) Anyways they get to the academy where Scabrous is experimenting on the students he thinks are doing the worst. On a planet far off in the galaxy, Hestizo's brother, Rojo, senses that something has happened to her and he goes on a mission to find her. He's a Jedi knight. 

All the Sith students start to get sick with this zombie disease and run around to eat each other. What makes the disease worse is that Sith don't help each other at all. They believe in every person for themselves which is probably the worst motto when there's a bunch of zombies running around. Spoiler: one person can't take on hundreds of enemies. Chaos ensues and the reader follows the perspectives of multiple different characters. 

Overall this was a fun read. I did get the Kindle version so only half of the book was actually the book and the rest was just previews of other books which I found to be weird and annoying. I feel like if I'm reading a book, most of it should actually be the book I bought. Anyways, given the fact that this is a zombie book the content warnings mostly have to do with bodily harm and cannibalism. As always, I recommend looking at StoryGraph for a full list of possible content warnings (this one is author approved which is the first time I've seen that on the site). 

Happy reading and stay warm/cool! 

Review: Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher

 

As we all know by now, I am a memoir lover. I want to know everyone's story. We all know Carrie Fisher from her role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars franchise. However, personally, she's a really interesting lady. After reading Selma Blair's memoir, in which she talks about her friendship with Carrie, I decided I wanted to read her memoir. 

Carrie Fisher's book is a bunch of random memories that she explains is her trying to rediscover herself after her electroshock therapy treatments. She talks about what it was like growing up with famous parents (mostly about her mother with anecdotes on who her father was sleeping with). She talks about being in Star Wars and how she wished there had been some girl stuff, like a big shopping trip. She talks about the time her brother shot himself and her daughter, Billie Lourd (she's a great actress and you may have seen her in the newest Star Wars films alongside her mother, Scream Queens, or American Horror Story. She also mentions that men loved to tell her that she was a part of their fantasies when they were young (and to that I say, what is wrong with their brains that they think they should share that?) 

Carrie Fisher is absolutely hilarious. She reminds me of this older woman I met at the Ren Fest a few years back who upon seeing I had a retainer told me: "You'll have to wear that every day, except maybe once a month with your husband". (I'll let you infer what you want from that). I just feel like Carrie would have given me some similar advice. If you're missing Carrie, like I know many Americans have been since her passing, I highly recommend checking out the audiobook version of her books. You'll feel like she's with you, telling you her story and letting you laugh along with her. 

There are of course content warnings for this book given the nature of reading a memoir written by a mentally ill person. She talks about her electroshock therapy briefly, talks about her times in rehab facilities, talks about how she is specifically mentioned in the abnormal psychology book, and more. As always, please check out StoryGraph for a full list of content warnings as provided by other readers. I also recommend checking out StoryGraph as a way to keep track of the number of books you read in a year as well as the number of pages. They allow you to set a reading goal for the year which I find to be really fun to complete. 

As always, happy reading! And please take care of yourself as the year wraps up. I know this can be a busy and stressful time. 

Review: Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber

 

Star Wars + zombies, what else could you need in a book? The story starts on an imperial prison barge headed to a distant planet to drop off enemies of the empire for hard labor. We're introduced to two young men whose father has recently died, the doctor of the ship, and one of the imperial leaders. Everything is going to plan until the engines suddenly stop stalling the ship in a deserted section of the galaxy. Their only choice: board a death star that is mysteriously abandoned in search of parts. They aren't expecting what's waiting for them on that ship and how it will impact the barge when the team returns. 

This book was very fun, but it did take way longer than I had hoped for the zombies to actually be introduced. They don't come in until about halfway and for me, that's way too late in the book. By the time they do come in, almost everyone is dead and there's no longer the fear of being eaten by zombies on the same scale it would've been had there been more characters alive. I did enjoy the background on how the zombies came to be (it's further explained in a prequel that I am currently reading, Red Harvest). The idea of being trapped in space in a ship full of zombies is also terrifying. There are also some familiar characters that make an appearance which is fun. 

If you're looking for a fun read and like zombies or Star Wars, I highly recommend reading this book. The content warnings to be aware of are descriptions of cannibalism, violence, descriptions of viscera, etc. As always, I recommend checking StoryGraph for a full list of possible content warnings. 

Happy reading and in exciting news, I am one book away from my reading goal for the year. 

Review: Mean Baby by Selma Blair

 

I love listening to a memoir especially if it's read by the author. I first encountered Selma Blair like many my age: as Vivian Kensington in Legally Blonde. For those unfamiliar, she's in Cruel Intentions, Hellboy, and many other films. She was also a model so you may have seen her in fashion magazines. You may also know her as an advocate for people with MS or the actress who goes to events with a cane. Before I listened to her book, I didn't know much more about her than her face and the fact that she had MS. 

I'm going to include my content warning earlier than I typically due as I will be discussing some of the mentioned warnings as a part of my review. This book is about Selma Blair's life and as many life stories go, there are many hard things mentioned in the book. There is a discussion of alcohol addiction, suicide attempts, sexual assault, an adult attempting to have a relationship with her when she was a minor, discussions of eating disorders, descriptions of experiences in rehab facilities one of which caused her to develop an eating disorder, and illness-related body discussion. I believe that Selma handled these topics with grace, but it is always good to be aware of what you're getting into so you can be in the right mindset before hearing potentially triggering information. As always, I point readers to StoryGraph for a full list of warnings as provided by other readers. Please be gentle with yourself when approaching potentially sensitive content whilst reading. You and your mind deserve to enjoy books in a safe way. 

In her book Mean Baby, Selma details a life well lived. She manages to balance the good and the bad. She has anecdotes about many famous people, my favorite being her friendship with the amazing Carrie Fisher. Selma's life was difficult. She battled mental illness most of her life, was what some may call groomed by a trusted adult who worked at her school, her mother was a great woman but had serious beauty standards for herself and her children, she battled with alcoholism from a young age, and was sexually assaulted multiple times due to her alcohol problems. 

Selma's alcohol addiction began when she was a child and persisted for a long time in her life. She discusses how dependent she felt on drinking in order to get through school and get through difficult times later. She also details multiple suicide attempts one in which the person she called to help her tasks advantage of her. She talks about the difficulties she faced in school and being kicked out. She talks about the great loves of her life and how they have impacted her. Her details are intimate and relatable. You can hear the emotion in her voice at many times throughout her book which made me love her even more. The process of listening to this book was really the process of falling in love with this woman for me. I feel deeply connected to her in a way that she will never know. 

I also appreciate her detailings of her bodily struggles throughout her life. Selma likely lived with MS for most, if not all, of her life. She talks about the frustrations she felt towards her body which would often not do what she wanted it to do. Learning she had MS was good for her because it allowed her to learn to be more forgiving of her body. She hopes that her experience can be helpful for those living with MS and those simply experiencing what it's like to live in a body that can be difficult. 

The part that left me with the most hope was Selma's writing about her son, Arthur. That kid really sounds like a handful who isn't always as forgiving of his mother, but it's clear that he brings real joy and purpose into his mother's life. Selma makes it seem that all the hurt and struggle are worth it because she got to have this boy that she loves so dearly. Her details of motherhood are extremely honest. She talks about how difficult it could be especially with a baby as demanding as Arthur. 

Mean Baby is such a personal and intimate memoir. It is excellently written. If you can listen to the audiobook, I highly recommend doing so as Selma's voice just made it so much better. This book was such a journey to listen to and I'm so glad Selma Blair decided to share it with the world. Please check it out. 

As always, happy reading.