Posted on by Maureen

Been Here All Along by Sandy Hall

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Been Here All Along is a young adult novel by Sandy Hall. I put this book on my “To Read” list, and then I was lucky enough to find it at my town library without having to request it through the library network.

Gideon and Kyle have been best friends and neighbors since they were five years old. They don’t share all of the same interests- Kyle plays basketball and Gideon focuses on academics- but they still love talking about things like Lord of the Rings.

Gideon realizes that his feelings for Kyle go beyond friendship. This also marks the first time that he considered his sexuality, and he doesn’t know what to do with this revelation. Kyle has already come out as bisexual, but Gideon doesn’t want to ruin his friendship with Kyle. Also, Kyle is currently dating Ruby, a cheerleader. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp

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Before I Let Go is a young adult novel by Marieke Nijkamp. I was excited about the opportunity to read this book because I enjoyed reading her first book, This Is Where It Ends.

Corey grew up in a small town in rural Alaska. Really small. As in, 246 people. She and her family moved away, but she has planed to go back and see her best friend Kyra. Two days before Corey’s arrival, Kyra is found dead, and everyone seems convinced that it was a suicide because of Kyra’s mental health diagnoses.

Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Stormhaven (Whyborne & Griffin) by Jordan L. Hawk

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Stormhaven is the third book in Jordan L. Hawk’s Whyborne & Griffin series. It’s hard to condense the series into a few descriptors; the books are action/adventure/mystery with some m/m romance, all in an alternate Victorian American setting. I was excited about reading this book because I devoured the first two, and I needed to know what was going to happen next.

Whyborne and Griffin have returned to Widdershins after their ordeal in Threshold, and they are hoping to return to a sense of normalcy after the chaos of the first two books, but alas, this is not meant to be. Whyborne’s coworker Allan is found on the street covered in blood, claiming not to remember anything. Allan is accused of murdering his uncle, but Whyborne harbors suspicions and does not think Allan would be capable of such a heinous crime.

Whyborne and Griffin’s investigation takes them to the Stormhaven Asylum where Allan is being held. Something is definitely “off”; after two previous experiences in dealing with the paranormal, our dynamic duo can sense the hallmarks of anything otherworldly. But is this threat too big for them to handle? Read more

Posted on by Maureen

The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo

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The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo is the sixth book in Kerrigan Byrne’s Victorian Rebels series of historical romance novels. I was very excited to read this book because I’ve read all of the other books in the series, so I have been looking forward to this latest entry for almost a year.

Lorelei does not have much joy in her life, but she takes pleasure in rehabilitating injured animals. So when she sees an injured young man on the side of the road, she persuades her father to bring him home. This stranger heals, but he doesn’t even remember his own name. Lorelei calls him Ash, and they spend as much time as possible together. Lorelei falls utterly in love with Ash, and he says that he’ll always be there for her. But one day, and Lorelei believes that she will never see him again. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein by Linda Bailey

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Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein is a picture book written by Linda Bailey and illustrated by Juliet Sarda. I was excited about the opportunity to read this book because I wanted to share it with my girls. They always enjoy the books I receive, and their feedback is useful in helping me write my reviews.

This is a children’s biography about Mary Shelley, the woman who wrote Frankenstein. Because this is a picture book rather than a chapter book, there is a limited amount of space in which to convey a great deal of information. Mary’s childhood is briefly covered; most notably, that she hid behind the sofa to listen to Coleridge recite the Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Much of the book covers her relationship with Percy Bysshe Shelley and the circumstances that led to her inspiration for writing Frankenstein. The prose is quite evocative, and one can quite easily picture spending rainy days in a castle with two of England’s most famous poets. The book ends with the enduring legacy of the Frankenstein story.   Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Autoboyography by Christina Lauren

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Autoboyography is a young adult novel written by Christina Lauren (Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings). I picked up this book during an Audible sale; based on the description, it seemed like something I would like.

Tanner Scott is a bit of an outsider at his high school in Provo; not only did he not grow up in Utah, but his family is not LDS (Mormon). He’s also bisexual, although he has not been “out” since moving from California to Utah a couple of years ago. Tanner’s friend Autumn persuades him to participate in a unique class called “The Seminar”, wherein kids write a full-length book in one semester. It’s kind of a big deal around town because last year, a boy named Sebastian Brother managed to get a publishing deal for his fantasy novel. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Briarley by Aster Glenn Grey

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Briarley was written by Aster Glenn Grey. I first heard about this novella when author Cat Sebastian recommended it on her Facebook page. This is a WWII era m/m retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and it’s available on Kindle Unlimited. I already knew that I would like it from the description.

The story starts out like most versions of the folktale, with a country parson wandering into a beautiful home and wanting nothing more than to bring a rose home for his daughter. The owner of the house appears, demanding that the parson bring his daughter to take his place, but the parson refuses because his daughter needs to do her part for the war effort. The reclusive homeowner begrudgingly agrees to let the parson, who is a widower, stay and try to break the curse that turned him into a hideous dragon-like creature. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Another Place in Time by Anthology

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Another Place in Time is a collection of m/m historical romance short stories. I was already excited as soon as I heard about it in one of my Facebook reading groups, but when I saw that the collection included something I borrowed from my library network and had yet to add to my personal library, I was even more confident with my purchase. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Zombie Abbey by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

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Zombie Abbey is a young adult novel by Lauren Baratz-Logsted. I read this book a few months ago, but I am just getting around to reviewing it now. I found it on the new release shelf in the young adult section of my town library. It looked interesting, so I added it to my book pile.

As the title suggests, this book is a mashup of Downton Abbey and zombies. Basically, you have an aristocratic family in 1920s England with three teenage daughters facing a zombie outbreak. Unfortunately, this is a brand new scourge, so no one knows what to make of the mysterious happenings. The town doctor, in fact, insists that nothing is amiss, and any reports to the contrary are due to hysteria. The family and their guests- because of course they’re having a small house party- must join forces with the folk belowstairs before they are overwhelmed by the fast-moving outbreak. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Vespertine by Leta Blake and Indra Vaughn

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Vespertine is a contemporary m/m romance novel written by Leta Blake and Indra Vaughn. Someone in one of my FB groups posted about this book when it was on sale, and since it sounded like something I might like, I purchased it.

Nicky and Jazz (Jasper) grew up together in Maine, and fell in love as teenagers. They were separated as teens, and chose completely different paths: Nicky became a rock star, and Jazz became a Catholic priest. Read more