As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

It's no secret Charlaine Harris has been one of my favourite novelists for years. After the captivating Sookie Stackhouse series, and its adaptation on HBO, I find I'm always down for some new material by her. Although Grave Surprise isn't a new release exactly, the graphics featured in this newly republished version are. And boy, do they bring a certain level of fire to this already well-known series.

Really, it gives it a massive kick in the butt and draws in a new sort of excitement for the Harper Connelly series. I'm very fond of the way the mystery unfolds for our favourite psychic and it's a classic Harris release of thrilling edges we get cut on as readers. Sharp, fast paced and full of questions. I don't need to tell this to longtime fans but for those of you who have yet to give Charlaine Harris a chance: this is my call-out to you.

But let's focus more on the new additions to the story: illustrations.

Private by Kate Brian | Rating: ★★★★☆

Here were buildings of brick and stone, topped by shingled roofs and spires, tradition and pride oozing from every dated cornerstone. Here were ancient, weathered, arched doorways, thick wooden doors on iron hinges, cobblestone walks lined by neat beds of flowers. Here were pristine playing fields of bright green grass and gleaming white lines. Everything I saw was perfect. Nothing reminded me of home. 

With the arrival of autumn and the days to winter growing closer, I tend to get very nostalgic. I repeat: very nostalgic. Back in my early years of high school, I had been obsessed with books in the similar vein as Private--the idea of boarding school life, the juicy drama of Gossip Girl. I remember just wandering the shelves at Barnes & Noble with the lunch money I had saved up (instead of eating school lunch? Yes, please.) and there was this little end cap with the first book in a new series that was so obviously targeted at girls my age. When I read the summary of Kate Brian's latest, I was in it to win it or whatever it is they say.

When I picked up the book the next morning during study hall, instead of doing my French homework, I knew I was a total goner. I haven't really touched the entire series in years but the books have had their place of display on my bookshelf for years and they just felt so appealing. Picking up Private again after so many years felt like coming home--I missed Reed Brennan and her adventures at Easton with the Billings Girls. Kate Brian's writing is just a smooth, fluffy and fast paced as I remembered it.

The Woman on the Orient Express by Lindsay Jayne Ashford | Rating: ★★★★☆ 

As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

The relationship between reader and novels set in historical time periods can be a tricky one to navigate. Often, you lose interest in the pages and wonder where they got there information. Moments that seem to fictional or too out of the general story path. Taking a reader to specific times and places is always a sticky matter but when it comes to incorporating much of the central plots, not a lot of authors can do so coherently.


The Woman on the Orient Express is not one of those published pieces and instead, is a refreshing turn to both its timeline and the familiar material inside its story. I remember looking at the description and thinking, oh, this could go so wrong. You have a 1920s setting and a fictional spin on Agatha Christie. Queen of mystery novels. That's what is going to make most readers do a double take of both good and bad varieties: we've got Agatha Christie as a character rather than an author.

That awkward moment when you blink and the month is literally over. October was a busy one for me! Aside from general autumn hijinks (i.e. Halloween) I was quite active over on Instagram. Here are my favourite posts I uploaded in October 2016. If you don't already follow me on Instagram, you can click here to view my page.

*I'm only including the images that are square in dimension because I'll get too annoyed with it being uneven.

A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess | Rating: ★★★★☆

As a note, a printed galley of this novel was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.  

First things first: I have to admit, I had both doubts and intrigue when it came to this novel. Mostly doubts. I'm a huge fan of a good fantasy novel that deals in witchcraft and the like. So much so that sometimes I get a bit jaded. I naturally hesitated. Hear me out: it took me a bit of time to really get into it, but my guess it was because I had been reading it in between time at work/while I was at the doctors office with my friend. But when I did get into it?

Holy cow, it was so bloody good. Actually, it was fire. I'm telling you guys, this book was practically as flame-worthy as the stunning cover art you see next to my thoughts. Jessica Cluess paints a dark, vivid and magical world in A Shadow Bright and Burning--one thing's for certain based on this release: we're in for a lot as the series continues. I'm more than ready for this adventure.

I should warn you guys that A Shadow Bright and Burning is a fantastic trip but it also had its moments where things felt a bit slow or underwhelming, like we'd been here before. There will be elements that you've seen in other releases of similar plots. But (but!) that's okay because while it did have these hiccups, it was still an excellent read that was fast paced and fulfilling. I found the novel, as a whole, to be a huge page turner once it really got into its groove and it definitely doesn't allow its flaws, nor its slow start, to define it.

Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehric | Rating: ★★★★☆

As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

Readers who appreciate a good old fashioned mystery/thriller will flock to one of the latest YA offerings in the genre above. Last Seen Leaving, out October 4th, is the perfect read for autumn. Told in a format that is thoughtful, breezing and thrilling, the main themes all will resonate with younger and older readers alike. It's more than a mystery--it's a tale of growing up and out, the ups and downs of relationships and so much more.

There's quite a lot happening in it and while Last Seen Leaving isn't exactly the most original mystery (it isn't meant to be), it's still an ultimately satisfying read that will leave its audience feeling something. It's the kind of mystery that leaves a long list of suspects and motives; tying into a bigger picture of the missing girl, January, and what could have happened to her.

Our mystery unfolds in a chilling find: January, the girl who has a backstory you would expect from such a novel, has gone missing and the biggest clue we've got is her bloodied clothing. I like that we get to see the layers to her and the flashbacks we've witnessed when it boils down to her relationships with our narrator, Flynn. We see his attempts to find out what happened to her and a budding relationship in the meantime--all the while, secrets and more questions unravel.

Marrow: A Love Story by Elizabeth Lesser | Rating: ★★★☆☆ (2.5)

As a note, a printed galley of this novel was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.  

When I was growing up, my Grandmother used to tell me I had to give a book a real chance and dig deep to understand it. I find this is probably one of the reasons I never leave a book unfinished, even if I am not fond of the story in question. Marrow, a memoir that hits you right in the heart, was one of those books that I almost didn't finish at times but damnit, I could feel my Grandma shaking her head at me in spirit. Because it is a memoir, there's this underlying feeling of intimacy to it that will keep readers focused in some of its more pivotal moments.

However, Marrow did have its slow moments. Many, actually. It's not going to be for everyone and while it moved me on many occasions, it's not something that I will pick up again in the future. Marrow is all about family and reconnecting. It's about what illness can do to a person and those you are, or once were, connected with. In this, it stands out in recent non-fiction releases and Lesser really put her heart and soul into this.

Run the Risk by Allison van Diepen | Rating: ★★★☆☆

As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via Edelweiss by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

First things first: I'm relatively unfamiliar with Allison van Diepen's work and I had to get acquainted to her previous releases to really get Run the Risk. Based upon the summary of this particular story, I was incredibly intrigued from the start. That's something huge to note: there aren't many stories out there like this one, at least in the contemporaries I've been reading, and it's a standout in that sense. If you're looking for something new and heartfelt and intriguing, Run the Risk is the very sort of novel that you should be checking out.

Let's start with the basics, shall we? We've got a relationship that is fun and a bit darker to look into (on the how's, I won't say since the release date is still a bit off)--it leads to a sort of suspense and vulnerably that will captivate its audience. Both have solid back stories that play into the novel's biggest plots. They have a past, together and apart, that meshes with each other in a way that's smart and fast paced. Allison van Diepen really understood these characters and where the story was to go. She has this honest tone that is unbelievably breathtaking and full of spirit and complexities, I loved that so much.

Lucy & Andy Neanderthal by Jeffrey Brown | Rating: ★★★☆☆  

As a note, a printed galley of this novel was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.  

As someone who is looking further into graphic novels and children's books for my best friends young daughter, it goes without saying how thrilled I was to see a galley of Jeffrey Brown's release Lucy & Andy Neanderthal waiting for me when I got home. In fact, I daresay I've gotten spoiled when it comes to the kids books I've received this year alone. 

Don't let the reviews scolding the so-called accuracy (or lack thereof) when it comes down to the nature of the characters names. This is a children's book and it should be thought of as such and not taken seriously. I mean, come on, don't get so picky about historical accuracy--this is a humorous book targeted at children. Sorry. I'm getting a bit testy because I find it so utterly silly to go into entertainment with a mindset along those lines. I'm serious. Lucy & Andy Neanderthal isn't something I would personally pick up again but it's the perfect read for your children (or your friends children, in my case) to round up their summer or say hello to the autumn at last.

Four by Veronica Roth | Rating: ★★★★★

“Dead people can be our heroes because they cant disappoint us later; they only improve over time, as we forget more and more about them.” 

What's the first word that comes to mind when I think of Four? Four as in both this collection and the character? Swoon. Swoon, I think about swooning. Actually, come to think about it I do more than think about swooning, I swoon the heck on out of this Popsicle stand and before you know it, my icy exterior has melted to the sidewalk like that ice cream cone I wept over as a child. But that's neither here nor there and I'm soooo not bitter about it or anything. 

Honestly, though. Four--Tobias Eaton, if you prefer--is one of my top ten book boyfriends of all time and frankly I loath the term book boyfriends but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, you know? And Four is completely worth the silly hair twirling (which, admittedly, I found myself doing in the more romantic scenes of his) and that's a pretty high compliment from me. 

Typically I'm not one for collections of short stories. None of my favorite series have little bonus stories in their line-up (that's a lie; The Darkest Minds and Splintered have done so and those were fantastic, too) so I tend to sprint in the opposite direction when I do see installments as such. While many authors and publishers do so only to bank on the success of their series and make that $$$$ (get that money, y'all!) Roth, instead, uses to build onto the series we already know and love. I love, love, love the collections that I listed above but Four goes above and beyond that.