Author: Jana

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West | Book Review

Posted October 3, 2016 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 1 Comment

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West
Published by Point on July 26, 2016
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Pages: 330
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (Mail)
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Signed, sealed, delivered…

While spacing out in chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds thatsomeone has continued the lyrics on the desk and added a message to her. Intrigue!

Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters—sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she’s kind of falling for this letter writer. Only, who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can’t always be spelled out…

What’s a girl to read the day after she finishes A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas? I was worried no book would pull me out of the already very strong hangover I was experiencing. I had heard amazing things about P.S. I Like You, so I figured I’d give it a try. I LOVED it. It was exactly what I needed! As always, my main points are bolded. :)

(This is a spoiler-free review. I will not use the names of any guys in this story, so you won’t find out who Lily’s mystery guy is from me!)

1. This is my first Kasie West book. I had tried one other of hers, but did not finish it. I must have been in the wrong frame of mind or needing a different kind of book that day. I’m going to go back to that book and pick up more of hers!

2. The story is so unique and special to me. I loved this romance that bloomed from handwritten notes hidden under desks. It felt nostalgic to me, and reminiscent of my high school years where we wrote notes to each other rather than texts or emails (boy, do I sound old… it’s not like these things weren’t around, but texting was relatively new, Facebook wasn’t a thing yet, and the lack of smart phones prevented email/MySpace communication during school hours… lol).

3. Music is a huge theme in this story, and I loved that! I love that Lily and her mystery guy connected over their nearly identical tastes in obscure music. Lily is also a songwriter, so we read a lot about her lyrics brainstorm sessions.

4. The characters are amazing. I love awkward, odd, hilarious Lily and her sweet family. She’s got adorable relationships with her little brothers, her older sister, and her parents. This book has the family dynamic done right. I love the strong friendship between Lily and her best friend. Those two are friendship goals. There’s also the hunk of burning love Lily has a crush on but is scared to look at for too long and the jerky guy who has caused her so much hurt and embarrassment for years. Each character is well developed, their own person, and an important part of the story. And seriously, the relationships are the best part.

5. The notes are so cute! Both Lily and her mystery guy let their personalities shine through and are their true selves with one another. That’s rare, especially in high school when you’re not even completely sure who your true self is. We get to learn so much about these two–intimate details that round them out and make you pull for them. I was just as excited to read their daily notes as they were!

6. I LOVE the mystery guy. So much snark, sarcasm, and swoon. He’s adorable, yet flawed. He’s real and sweet and even though I figured out who he was pretty easily I loved the mystery anyway. I also love that his identity is revealed at about the halfway point and we get to see how everything pans out.

7. So. Much. Swooning. The romance is adorable.

8. Halloween and Thanksgiving happen in this book, so I will always associate this book with fall and the holidays. I read this at the exactly perfect time of year, and I love how the holidays were covered in this book. I would love to go to Thanksgiving at Lily’s house. I adore her family and their silly traditions.

Bottom line, I have no complaints. I loved this book, and I can’t wait to read more books from Kasie West. Definitely give this a try if you’re looking for wonderful, developed relationships; sweet, amazing characters; and a swoony romance. Seriously, just read it.

Who Wins?: 100 Historical Figures Go Head-to-Head and You Decide the Winner! By Clay Swartz | Book Review

Posted September 28, 2016 by Jana in Book Review / 0 Comments

Who Wins?: 100 Historical Figures Go Head-to-Head and You Decide the Winner! by Clay Swartz
Published by Workman on July 12, 2016
Genres: Activity Book
Pages: 104
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher (Mail)
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Who would rock the mic at karaoke night? Abraham “The Great Emancipator” Lincoln or Jane “Lady Persuasion” Austen? How about a hot dog eating contest between Harry “Mr. Magic” Houdini and Mary “Mother of Frankenstein” Shelley? What about a pie contest? A staring contest? And who has a better chance of sneaking into Area 51, Isaac “Gravity Guy” Newton or Sacagawea aka “The Pathfinder”?

In Who Wins?: History, you decide the winner in over 50 head-to-head challenges between 100 of history’s most illustrious characters. But choosing the victor isn’t arbitrary. Readers must justify their answers using each of the historical figures’ six 0-10 category rankings in bravery, leadership, artistry, wealth, wisdom, and fitness; as well as facts from short biographies.

As funny as it is informative, the book is uniquely formatted so readers can match up each and every character in any of the head-to-head battles. History has never been so much fun!

This interactive, educational book is seriously so much fun! And it’s so unique! I’ve never seen anything quite like this before. I thought that posting a picture of one of the inside spreads would be the easiest way to review this book, so look:

Ok, so here we have Napoleon and Thomas Jefferson. Above their pictures is all the information you need to know about each of them, including the years they were alive, their lives growing up, the parts they played in history, and some little known facts. Basically, everything you need to know to make an informed decision as to which of them would be more successful at stopping a runaway train. The middle flap at the top prompts you with some things to consider during your decision-making process. Their skills are rated on a scale of 1-10. After getting to know them well, you make your decision. There’s no right or wrong answer. If you’re alone, you win! If you have friends, family, or classmates with you then the debate begins. Perhaps one of the other players will convince you to change your mind or you might just stand your ground. Then you move on to the next round. You can continue the face-off between these two guys and flip up the middle flap to give them a new battle (like sneaking into Area 51 or winning the talent show) or you can flip up the people flaps and pick new opponents.

There are so many possible combinations of opponents and battles that it will take forever to get through them all. You know what would make it even more fun? Get a dice and roll it three times. The first number will tell you how many pages to flip the first flap, the second number will tell you how many times to flip the second flap, and the third number will tell you how many times to flip the third flap. Then it’s all completely random and feels like a game.

How fun is this? I can see this being taken on road trips, played in social studies or history classes (divide the class in two, put the book up on the projector, and have the teams discuss before sending representatives to the front to argue their case), or added to the family game night rotation. The images are bright, colorful, and fun to look at. The book is well-constructed and easy to flip through. The information provided is written in an easy to read and understand way, so it’s great for kids and adults of all ages. I seriously do not have one complaint in the world about this book, and just love it to pieces. Run out and grab yourself a copy right now!

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco | Book Review (+ Giveaway)

Posted September 23, 2016 by Jana in Blog Tour, Book Review, Giveaway, Young Adult Fiction / 3 Comments

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper #1
Also in this series: Hunting Prince Dracula
Published by Jimmy Patterson on September 20, 2016
Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 336
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (Mail)
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Presented by James Patterson's new children's imprint, this deliciously creepy horror novel has a storyline inspired by the Ripper murders and an unexpected, blood-chilling conclusion...

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.

The story's shocking twists and turns, augmented with real, sinister period photos, will make this dazzling debut from author Kerri Maniscalco impossible to forget.

I’ve always been fascinated by Jack the Ripper. I don’t know why because I’m not a fan of violence or gore or creepy people or really anything that this serial killer was. I suppose the mystery just pulled me in more than anything else. These events happened so long ago that Jack the Ripper almost feels like a legend to me. How could someone that evil really exist? But he did, and Kerri brings him to life in her shining debut in a way that is chilling and disturbing, yet captivating.

As soon as I heard about Stalking Jack the Ripper, I was all over it. I HAD to get my hands on it and was delighted when the publisher sent me a copy for review. My excitement grew when I found out I was put on the blog tour with The Irish Banana Review, and I dove into this novel as soon as I could. Honestly, it was like hitting ice cold water. This book made my skin crawl, made me cringe and squirm, and totally grossed me out! Because Audrey Rose is a medical examiner’s apprentice, descriptions of the people she performed autopsies on were very detailed in a graphic, yet scientific way (seriously, the science helped me a little). I felt like I was reading a piece of an episode of NCIS or CSI. Intestines and reproductive organs are mentioned! Eeeeew! I hated picturing what was done to these innocent women! It definitely took some getting used to. Kerri did her research, let me tell you.

All the yucky was nicely balanced by Kerri’s lovely writing style. She did a beautiful job, and I loved the flow of her words. At times things dragged a little bit for me, but it was ok because I enjoyed the writing so much. The story was very intriguing, yet I wanted more suspense throughout (and maybe a little less gore because ouch). There are some major twists and turns at the end, however, that were well worth the gradual build-up for me.

I loved Audrey Rose. She’s got so much spunk and tenacity. She’s a modern thinker, and won’t let anyone keep her from her dreams. She’s also brave and a little crazy for wanting to perform autopsies, but you know. That’s ok! I also loved Thomas and his dry sarcasm. There’s a few twinkles of romance here and there between these two, but very little. The groundwork has been laid, and Kerri posted a little snippet from book #2 on Twitter recently that had me swooning a little, so I’m excited about where these two head in the future!

All in all, this was a great read that threw me out of my comfort zone. I can’t wait to see where book #2 brings us. The creepy atmosphere makes this the perfect fall weather read, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to someone looking for a unique spin on such a famous event in history. Read it with the lights on and on an empty stomach! Kerri Maniscalco is an author to keep an eye on, for sure.

About Kerri Maniscalco

Kerri Maniscalco grew up in a semi-haunted house outside NYC where her fascination with gothic settings began. In her spare time she reads everything she can get her hands on, cooks all kinds of food with her family and friends, and drinks entirely too much tea while discussing life’s finer points with her cats. Stalking Jack the Ripper is her debut novel. It incorporates her love of forensic science and unsolved history, and is the first in a new series of gothic thrillers.

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Tour Schedule:
9/12: No BS Book Reviews – Review
9/13: A Perfection Called Books – Guest Post
9/14: The Heart of a Book Blogger – Review
9/15: My Friends Are Fiction – Q&A
916: Pandora’s Books – Review

9/19: Polished Page-Turners – Review
9/20: The Irish Banana Review – Top 10
9/21: Chapter By Chapter – Guest Post
9/22: What Sarah Read – Mood Board
9/23: That Artsy Reader Girl – Review

Paint By Sticker Masterpieces Blog Tour | My Experience Creating The Great Wave off Kanagawa

Posted September 19, 2016 by Jana in Adult Non-Fiction, Blog Tour / 2 Comments

Welcome to my stop along the blog tour for Paint By Sticker Masterpieces, hosted by Workman Publishing! This activity book is pretty fun because you get the painting by number experience without the mess! Today I get to show you the masterpiece I created and tell you about my experience during the creative process!

Paint By Sticker: Masterpieces
Series: Paint By Sticker
Published by Workman on September 20, 2016
Add to Goodreads • Amazon

Paint by Sticker is a compelling new activity for crafters and artists, doodlers and coloring book enthusiasts of all ages. Masterpieces encourages everyone to channel their inner da Vinci and create twelve iconic works of art.

Paint by Sticker Masterpieces includes everything you need to create twelve vibrant, full-color “paintings”—the stickers, the templates, the intuitive directions. The works include The Birth of Venus, by Sandro Botticelli, The Creation of Adam, by Michelangelo, Mona Lisa, by Leonardo da Vinci, Girl with a Pearl Earring, by Johannes Vermeer, Napoleon at Saint-Bernard Pass, by Jacques-Louis David, The Great Wave off Kanagawa, by Katsushika Hokusai, Houses of Parliament, Sunlight Effect, by Claude Monet, Still Life with Apples and a Pot of Primroses, by Paul Cezanne, Dance at Bougival, by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Bedroom in Arles, by Vincent van Gogh, Breezing Up (A Fair Wind), by Winslow Homer, and the stunning study in color, Flaming June, by Frederic Leighton.

The cardstock pages are perforated for easy removal, making it easy to frame the completed images.

For this blog tour, I was assigned The Great Wave off Kanagawa! I’ve always loved this painting. I love how the version in this book remains true to the original, but has been simplified down to geometric blocks of color to create a prism-like look. Here’s a picture of the original, just so you can compare it to mine below:

The creative process was very relaxing, and so much fun! Each sticker is thinly outlined and labeled with a letter and number. These identifiers tell you which sections of the multiple sticker sheets the correct sticker is on so you can find it easily. Then you stick the sticker on its corresponding spot. Very simple, mess free, and easy to work on in small bursts of time. I loved paint by number projects as a kid, but it was always a hassle to set up and clean up after. You can easily throw the book in a bag and take it to work on during your lunch break at the office or to the park on a nice day. The stickers are shiny and the colors are so vibrant and pretty, and I really enjoyed working on it!

I will admit, parts of this project were difficult. I’m not sure if it was just my copy of the book or not, but many of the stickers were hard to get off the sticker page. Some of the stickers were not cut out completely, and they ripped when I tried to pull them off the page to stick on my project page. I felt like a needed an XACTO knife to finish cutting some of the stickers. I also noticed that some of the stickers were too small for their spot on the project page, so I have some white outlines around a few that are bothering me a little. lol. Some of the stickers are really tiny, so I recommend using tweezers to make sure they fit properly. There is a little room for re-adjusting once you lay the sticker down, but once you press it firmly it’s there for good. It’s also fairly easy to throw yourself off. If one sticker is out of place even a little it can throw off the rest of them. I found that once I got the hang of it (there’s a bit of a learning curve), I quit making as many mistakes.

Regardless of the few challenges I experienced, I really love this book and plan to buy more in the series as they become available (see all the books in the series here). My advice would be to just be patient and settle into a groove and you’ll end up with a beautiful picture! As I said before, I found this experience to be very relaxing and enjoyable and I can’t wait to create more of the works in this book (I love the selection of artworks chosen for this book)! I would recommend this book to art history-loving teenagers and adults. It’s a little tricky for young ones, but there are two Paint By Sticker books for kids that look like a lot of fun! Get one for everyone in the family, sit at the table, and have fun together!

This Adventure Ends Blog Tour | This Adventure Travels

Posted September 15, 2016 by Jana in Blog Tour / 0 Comments

And so begins the official blog tour for Emma Mills’s This Adventure Ends, hosted by Fierce Reads! This tour is a LOT of fun, with so many different kinds of posts to celebrate the amazingness that is Emma’s sophomore novel! Some of us are posting our easel creations; some of us will be posting reviews of the book; and some of us are hosting interviews, guest posts, and other awesome content! I get to kick things off with my easel!

Inspired by Sloane’s adventure searching for the lost piece of art by Gabe and Vera’s mother, several of us bloggers on the tour received mini-easels and markers to create our own “This Adventure” pieces of art! We chose the themes, and they are all pretty awesome! My easel is entitled:

This Adventure Travels

I LOVE traveling! I love going on adventures around the world and in the worlds of books. I had to include some of my tickets and souvenirs from my vacations throughout the years in the picture with my easel. I was going to draw a picture of my favorite place in the world, but then I realized I have too many! And there’s too many places I still want to go! So I decided to make my picture more broad. If I could, I’d climb in a hot air balloon and travel the world to see all the amazing places and cultures. And, let’s be honest… I want to go back to all the places I’ve already been to as well. Anyone interested in financing this adventure?

What’s your favorite place in the entire world? Where would you love to go? And what’s your favorite book featuring travel?

This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills
Published by Henry Holt and Co. Books for Young Readers on October 4, 2016
Add to Goodreads
Amazon • B&N

Sloane isn’t expecting to fall in with a group of friends when she moves from New York to Florida—especially not a group of friends so intense, so in love, so all-consuming. Yet that’s exactly what happens.

Sloane becomes closest to Vera, a social-media star who lights up any room, and Gabe, Vera’s twin brother and the most serious person Sloane’s ever met. When a beloved painting by the twins’ late mother goes missing, Sloane takes on the responsibility of tracking it down, a journey that takes her across state lines—and ever deeper into the twins’ lives.

Filled with intense and important friendships, a wonderful warts-and-all family, shiveringly good romantic developments, and sharp, witty dialogue, this story is about finding the people you never knew you needed.

Blog Tour Schedule

9/15 thatartsyreadergirl.com – This Adventure Travels
9/15 crossroadreviews.com – Book Review
9/16 Toofondofbooks.com – Interview with Emma
9/17 avdreader.wordpress.com – This Adventure Paints
9/17 bookrambles.com – Book Review
9/18 whatsarahread.com – Moodboard
9/19 alexalovesbooks.com – This Adventure Explores
9/19 mybookmuse.com – Book Review
9/20 loveisnotatriangle.com – Would you Rather Questions
9/21 Fiercereads.com – This Adventure
9/21 takemeawaytoagreatread.com – Book Review
9/22 gonepecanla.wordpress.com – Emma Guest Post
9/23 supernaturalsnark.blogspot.com – This Adventure Creates
9/23 bookrookreviews.com – Book Review
9/24 skizzles22hu.blogspot.com – Friendship Post
9/25 bookbriefs.net – Book Review
9/26 exlibriskate.com/blog/ – This Adventure Blooms
9/26 fictionfare.com – Emma Guest Post
9/27 booksandmakeup.blogspot.com – This Adventure Inspires
9/27 pageturnersblog.com – Book Review
9/28 yabibliophile.com – Emma Guest Post
9/29 itstartsatmidnight.com – This Adventure Swims
9/29 eaterofbooks.blogspot.com – Book Review
9/30 darkfaerietales.com – Emma Guest Post
10/1 fireflyreadit.blogspot.com – This Adventure Begins
10/1 danasquare.blogspot.com – Book Review
10/2 readwritelove28.com – Emma Guest Post
10/3 swoonyboyspodcast.com – This Adventure Swoons
10/3 curling-up-with-a-good-book.blogspot.com – Book Review
10/4 aperfectioncalledbooks.blogspot.com – Pinterest Board