Treat Yo Shelf: September 2019 Recap

September 2019: Monthly Recap

Welcome to my monthly recap post, in which I highlight the books I read in the last month, bookish items I acquired, book events I attended, bookish news, and/or subscription boxes I received this month.

★★★★

★★★

★★★★

★★★★

(Click on the banner to be linked to blog post)

 Thank you to Simon & Schuster for sending me an ARC of Songs from the Deep by Kelly Powell. I will be doing a fun blog review for this book in early November. 

Thank you so much to Disney-Hyperion and Rock Star Book Tour for sending me a copy of Charlotte Brontë Before Jane Eyre. I highly recommend this book to any Jane Eyre and Brontës’ fans.

September Book Haul

• YA Book of the Month: The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow and The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young
• Owlcrate: The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones
• Fairyloot: Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
• Online Bookstore purchases: His Hideous Heart edited by Dahlia Adler, All the Bad Apples by  Moïra Fowley-Doyle, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff, and Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco
• Bookstore Haul: Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey, The Raven’s Tale by Cat Winters, Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell, A Treason of Thorns by Laura E. Weymouth, 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston, and The Beholder by Anna Bright
• ARCs and Finished Copies from Publishers: Songs from the Deep by Kelly Powell (from Simon Teen/ Simon & Schuster) and Charlotte Brontë Before Jane Eyre by Glynnis Fawkes (from Disney-Hyperion)

How did you treat your shelves in September?

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Charlotte Brontë Before Jane Eyre by Glynnis Fawkes

Title: CHARLOTTE BRONTE BEFORE JANE EYRE
Author: Glynnis Fawkes
Pub. Date: September 24, 2019
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook
Pages: 112
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Amazon Paperback, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD

 SYNOPSIS:

Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong!–I have as much soul as you,–and full as much heart!

Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre is a beloved classic, celebrated today by readers of all ages and revered as a masterwork of literary prowess. But what of the famous writer herself?

Originally published under the pseudonym of Currer Bell, Jane Eyre was born out of a magnificent, vivid imagination, a deep cultivation of skill, and immense personal hardship and tragedy. Charlotte, like her sisters Emily and Anne, was passionate about her work. She sought to cast an empathetic lens on characters often ignored by popular literature of the time, questioning societal assumptions with a sharp intellect and changing forever the landscape of western literature.

With an introduction by Alison Bechdel, Charlotte Brontë before Jane Eyre presents a stunning examination of a woman who battled against the odds to make her voice heard.

---

Ahhh, this graphic novel was a breath of fresh air. As one of my beloved authors, I really enjoy learning new information about Charlotte Brontë, so Charlotte Brontë Before Jane Eyre was the perfect graphic novel for me to pick up. Moreover, Jane Eyre is my all-time favorite book, so I was excited to read a new medium source that explores Charlotte Brontë life and her journey to writing it. 

Filled with black and white pages muted with grayish blue water-colored tones, Fawkes explores the hardships of the Brontë family, including illnesses, deaths, poverty, and Charlotte’s very fierce determination to become a respected author. Not only is Charlotte Brontë Before Jane Eyre set up as a bildungsroman like Charlotte’s treasured Jane Eyre, but this graphic novel also provides vivid detailed life events, which beautifully parallel Charlotte’s own life and experiences with scenes and themes of her own novels. 

Additionally, in Charlotte Brontë Before Jane Eyre, Fawkes dedicates a few pages to “Panel Discussions,” which provide more in-depth conversations regarding historical and factual background of Charlotte’s life. I loved these little snippets and the new information it added to my Brontë knowledge. Overall, if you are fan of the Brontës and Jane Eyre, I highly recommend that you add Charlotte Brontë Before Jane Eyre to your to-read collection soon. 

3 winners will receive finished copies of CHARLOTTE BRONTE BEFORE JANE EYRE,
US Only.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

About the author:

I’m an cartoonist and illustrator living in Burlington, VT.

My most recent book is Charlotte Bronte Before Jane Eyre, Center for Cartoon Studies Presents series, will be published in September 2019 by Disney/Hyperion. Also in September, Secret Acres will publish Persephone’s Garden, a collection of autobiographical comics that have appeared in the New Yorker and other places.

I began working on excavations as illustrator in 1998 and have worked on sites in Greece, Crete, Turkey, Israel, Cyprus, Syria, and Lebanon.  I continue to work in Greece every year.   My illustrations have been published in several books and many articles.  

Many of my personal comics reflect a career in archaeology and family life.  Greek Diary is about working on a dig and traveling with children.  My drawings about my children were published regularly on Muthamagazine.com  and were nominated for an Ignatz Award at the Small Press Expo in 2016.

Another project, Alle Ego, is about my first trip to Greece and how it launched my work in the direction of archaeology.  A draft of this book won the MoCCA Arts Festival Award in NY in 2016.  I drew most of it during a residency at La Maison des Auteurs in Angouleme, and I plan to return to work on this book in the future.

I’m currently working on a middle grade adventure set after the eruption of Thera in Late Bronze Age Greece.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest |  Tumblr | Goodreads

 

Week One:
9/2/2019- Odd and Bookish– Excerpt
9/3/2019- Country Road Reviews– Excerpt
9/4/2019- dwantstoread– Review
9/5/2019- A Dream Within A Dream– Excerpt
9/6/2019- Lifestyle Of Me– Review

Week Two:
9/9/2019- Christen Krumm, Writer, Reader, Serious Coffee Drinker– Review
9/10/2019- Careful of Books– Review
9/11/2019- Character Madness and Musings– Excerpt
9/12/2019- Fictitiouswonderland– Review
9/13/2019- Fyrekatz Blog– Review

Week Three:
9/16/2019- Little Red Reads– Excerpt
9/17/2019- Book-Keeping– Review
9/18/2019- Life of a Simple Reader– Excerpt
9/19/2019- Kati’s Bookaholic Rambling Reviews– Excerpt
9/20/2019- Inspired by Savannah– Review

Week Four:
9/23/2019- History from a Woman’s Perspective– Review
9/24/2019- Wishful Endings– Excerpt
9/25/2019- Just Another Reader– Review
9/26/2019- Jade Writes Books– Review
9/27/2019- Rants and Raves of a Bibliophile– Review

Week Five:
9/30/2019- two points of interest– Review

 

Waiting on Wednesday: Embrace Your Weird by Felicia Day

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme that highlights pre-publication/upcoming releases that readers cannot wait to get their hands on. It is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Title: Embrace Your Weird: Face Your Fears and Unleash Creativity
Author: Felicia Day
Publication date: October 1, 2019
Publisher: Gallery Books
Genres: Non-Fiction, Self-Help, Writing

Synopsis

In Embrace Your Weird, New York Times bestselling author, producer, actress, TV writer, and award-winning web series creator, Felicia Day takes you on a journey to find, rekindle, or expand your creative passions.

Including Felicia’s personal stories and hard-won wisdom, Embrace Your Weird offers:

—Entertaining and revelatory exercises that empower you to be fearless, so you can rediscover the things that bring you joy, and crack your imagination wide open

—Unique techniques to vanquish enemies of creativity like: anxiety, fear, procrastination, perfectionism, criticism, and jealousy

—Tips to cultivate a creative community

—Space to explore and get your neurons firing

Whether you enjoy writing, baking, painting, podcasting, playing music, or have yet to uncover your favorite creative outlet, Embrace Your Weird will help you unlock the power of self-expression. Get motivated. Get creative. Get weird.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Top Ten Tuesday: Books On My Fall 2019 TBR

Formerly hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

---

This week’s topic is… Books On My Fall 2019 TBR

(CLICK ON THE BOOK COVER TO BE LINKED TO ITS GOODREADS’ PAGE)

What books are on your Fall TBR?

Book Review: Well Met by Jen DeLuca

Title: Well Met
Author:  Jen DeLuca
Publisher: Berkley Books
Release Date: September 3,2019
Genres: Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Source: Purchased/Book of the Month Club
Rating: ★★★

Synopsis:

All’s faire in love and war for two sworn enemies who indulge in a harmless flirtation in a laugh-out-loud rom-com from debut author, Jen DeLuca.

Emily knew there would be strings attached when she relocated to the small town of Willow Creek, Maryland, for the summer to help her sister recover from an accident, but who could anticipate getting roped into volunteering for the local Renaissance Faire alongside her teenaged niece? Or that the irritating and inscrutable schoolteacher in charge of the volunteers would be so annoying that she finds it impossible to stop thinking about him?

The faire is Simon’s family legacy and from the start he makes clear he doesn’t have time for Emily’s lighthearted approach to life, her oddball Shakespeare conspiracy theories, or her endless suggestions for new acts to shake things up. Yet on the faire grounds he becomes a different person, flirting freely with Emily when she’s in her revealing wench’s costume. But is this attraction real, or just part of the characters they’re portraying?

This summer was only ever supposed to be a pit stop on the way to somewhere else for Emily, but soon she can’t seem to shake the fantasy of establishing something more with Simon, or a permanent home of her own in Willow Creek. 

---

Well, it seems like I am the black sheep when it comes to Well Met by Jen DeLuca, so please don’t throw tomatoes at me. I wanted to love this book so much. I mean the novel has two of my favorite things in the world: a Renaissance Faire and the “enemies-to-lovers” trope. Do not get me wrong, the book was well written and I enjoyed the pacing, but overall, I think this book was less funny and too serious and dramatic for my taste, especially for a rom-com.

First, (*ducks behind a wall*) I was not a huge fan of the relationship that develops between Simon and Emily. Both characters are going through a lot of major life changes. As an introvert and a lover of books, I related to Emily more. But as the novel progressed, there was barely any character development for either one of the characters. Yes, after they let drama overtake their lives and choices, they both see the error of their ways, but in the end, I never felt a lasting connection to make me adore them as individuals or as a couple.

In regards to the romance portion of Well Met, I never felt passion and strong chemistry between Simon and Emily, except when they were in character for the Renaissance Faire. They seemed so distant and grumpy towards each other throughout a majority of the book. Their relationship never had that slow-burn, fiery angst that makes your heart ache and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Instead, their feud never made me want to lock them in a room and shout, “kiss already.” And when they start “liking” each other, it just felt so forced and flat. 

Additionally, I am obsessed with Renaissance Faires and Festivals, so that setting basically won the book for me. I go to a local Renaissance Festival every year, and it is always such a blast. I really enjoyed that Well Met included that Renaissance Faire flair throughout the book. It was interesting to see the development of the faire and the characters fulfilling their roles and staying in character. I highly enjoyed reading the passages of Simon as a pirate flirting with Emily. Those parts of the story made the characters more enjoyable to read and root for.

Overall, Well Met is a cute romance book, but I think I over-hyped it up for myself, because I love Renaissance Faires and enemies-to-lovers stories. But in the end, for me, this novel did not live up to that hype. 

 

Waiting on Wednesday: Woven in Moonlight

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme that highlights pre-publication/upcoming releases that readers cannot wait to get their hands on. It is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Title: Woven in Moonlight 
Author: Isabel Ibañez
Publication date: January 7, 2020
Publisher: Page Street Books
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy

Synopsis

A lush tapestry of magic, romance, and revolución, drawing inspiration from Bolivian politics and history.

Ximena is the decoy Condesa, a stand-in for the last remaining Illustrian royal. Her people lost everything when the usurper, Atoc, used an ancient relic to summon ghosts and drive the Illustrians from La Ciudad. Now Ximena’s motivated by her insatiable thirst for revenge, and her rare ability to spin thread from moonlight.

When Atoc demands the real Condesa’s hand in marriage, it’s Ximena’s duty to go in her stead. She relishes the chance, as Illustrian spies have reported that Atoc’s no longer carrying his deadly relic. If Ximena can find it, she can return the true aristócrata to their rightful place.

She hunts for the relic, using her weaving ability to hide messages in tapestries for the resistance. But when a masked vigilante, a warm-hearted princess, and a thoughtful healer challenge Ximena, her mission becomes more complicated. There could be a way to overthrow the usurper without starting another war, but only if Ximena turns her back on revenge—and her Condesa.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Things to Eat/Drink While Reading

Formerly hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and now hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

---

This week’s topic is…Favorite Things to Eat/Drink While Reading

1. Earl grey tea/London Fog
2. Iced green tea lattes
3. Coffee
4. Diet Coke
5. Water with lemon
6. Pretzels
7. Popcorn (lightly salted and no butter)
8. Bagel chips
9. Cheese and crackers
10. Raw vegetables like carrots, cauliflower, and celery.

What are some of your favorite things to eat and/or drink while reading?

 

Trick-or-Treat Yo Shelf: The Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennett

Title: The Lady Rogue
Authors: Jenn Bennett
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Genre: Young Adult, Historical

Synopsis:

The Last Magician meets A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue in this thrilling tale filled with magic and set in the mysterious Carpathian Mountains where a girl must hunt down Vlad the Impaler’s cursed ring in order to save her father.

Some legends never die…

Traveling with her treasure-hunting father has always been a dream for Theodora. She’s read every book in his library, has an impressive knowledge of the world’s most sought-after relics, and has all the ambition in the world. What she doesn’t have is her father’s permission. That honor goes to her father’s nineteen-year-old protégé—and once-upon-a-time love of Theodora’s life—Huck Gallagher, while Theodora is left to sit alone in her hotel in Istanbul.

Until Huck arrives from an expedition without her father and enlists Theodora’s help in rescuing him. Armed with her father’s travel journal, the reluctant duo learns that her father had been digging up information on a legendary and magical ring that once belonged to Vlad the Impaler—more widely known as Dracula—and that it just might be the key to finding him.

Journeying into Romania, Theodora and Huck embark on a captivating adventure through Gothic villages and dark castles in the misty Carpathian Mountains to recover the notorious ring. But they aren’t the only ones who are searching for it. A secretive and dangerous occult society with a powerful link to Vlad the Impaler himself is hunting for it, too. And they will go to any lengths—including murder—to possess it.

---

Welcome to my second “Trick-or-Treat Yo Shelf” post of the season. All through September and October, I will be reviewing new releases and helping you decide if you should TREAT YO SHELF to the featured new release.

Today’s book choice is The Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennett, which released on September 3, 2019. And you guys, SPOILER ALERT, I’m just going to tell you right now: you need to TREAT YO SHELF to a copy of The Lady Rogue ASAP!

I am a huge fanatic of Jenn Bennett’s YA contemporary novels, and I could not wait to read her historical book. And surprise, surprise: I adored The Lady Rogue so much. After reading this constant page-turner, I was raving to everyone on my social media outlets, insisting and demanding that everyone add Jenn Bennett’s historical, fantasy novel to their TBR NOW! The Lady Rogue gave me extreme The Mummy vibes (the best kind of vibes, in my opinion), and, of course, the angsty, swoon-worthy feels that are the epitome of Jenn Bennett’s novels.

This novel is definitely the perfect book to read this autumn. The Lady Rogue eloquently melds adventure, history, romance, Gothic scenery, cursed objects, and magic into the perfect historical tome. 

Are you still wondering if The Lady Rogue is the perfect book to Treat Yo Shelf to? Well, my bookish friend, wait no further. If you like more than three things off this checklist, you best believe you need to add The Lady Rogue to your TBR list.

The Lady Rogue Checklist: 

♦ A fierce and sassy heroine
♦ A charming and dashing hero named Huxley Gallagher a.k.a. Huck
♦ Witty and angsty banter
♦ Treasure hunting for magical artifacts
♦ Trekking through the Romania wilderness
♦ Characters taking some unethical but daring risks
♦ Code-breaking and puzzle solving
♦ Unraveling tales and legends of Vlad the Impaler
♦ Adventurous travels through modes of trains and planes
♦ Secret societies and Gothic vibes
♦  SWOONS!

Blogger Note: A huge thank you to Simon Teen for providing me an ARC to read and review. All statements and opinions are my own. 

 

Waiting on Wednesday: A Witch in Time by Constance Sayers

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme that highlights pre-publication/upcoming releases that readers cannot wait to get their hands on. It is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Title: A Witch in Time
Author: Constance Sayers
Publication date: February 11, 2020
Publisher: Redhook
Genres: Adult, Fantasy

Synopsis

A young witch is cursed to relive a doomed love affair through many lifetimes, as both troubled muse and frustrated artist, in this haunting debut novel.

In 1895, sixteen-year-old Juliet LaCompte has a passionate, doomed romance with the married Parisian painter Auguste Marchant. When her mother — a witch — attempts to cast a curse on Marchant, she unwittingly summons a demon, binding her daughter to both the artist and this supernatural being for all time. Juliet is fated to re-live her affair and die tragically young lifetime after lifetime as the star-crossed lovers reincarnate through history.

The demon — who appears to Juliet in all her reincarnations as a mysterious, handsome, and worldly benefactor — has been helplessly in love with her since 19th century France, even though she forgets him each time she dies. He falls for her in 1930s Hollywood, in 1970s Los Angeles, and finally in present-day Washington D.C. — where she begins to develop powers of her own.

In this life, she starts to remember her tragic past lives. But this time, she might have the power to break the cycle…

A Witch in Time is perfect for fans of A Secret History of Witches, Outlander, and The Time Traveler’s Wife. 

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Treat Yo Shelf: August 2019 Recap

August 2019: Monthly Recap

Welcome to my monthly recap post, in which I highlight the books I read in the last month, bookish items I acquired, book events I attended, bookish news, and/or subscription boxes I received this month.

     

   

(Click on the banner to be linked to blog post)

Thank you to Penguin Teen for inviting me to participate in their Daring Debuts tour, and sending me both the ARCs and finished copies of the four featured books. 

August Book Haul

 

• Book of the Month: Well Met by Jen DeLuca
• Owlcrate: House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
• Online Bookstore purchases: Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews
• Book Outlet: Persuasion by Jane Austen; Always Never Yours by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka; and Spellbook of the Lost and Found by Moïra Fowley-Doyle
• Penguin Teen ARCs and Finished copies: Ziggy Stardust & Me; As Many Nows As I Can Get; The Stars and the Blackness Between Them; and We Speak in Storms

How did you treat your shelves in August?