Monday, September 19, 2022

Music Monday (215): Rina Sawayama, Andy Grammer

Rules:

  • Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 
Breana: This week, I'm listening to Rina Sawayama's new album, Hold The Girl. I love it, and one of the songs I've had on repeate is Your Age


Andrea: Hi all! This week I'm listening to Saved My Life by Andy Grammer x R3HAB. I heard this song on TV, and I chose it for my Music Monday pick. Have a great week all!



What are you listening to this week?


Friday, September 16, 2022

The Friday 56 (222) & Book Beginnings: Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE


Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.


Synopsis from Goodreads...
A gothic fantasy about monsters and magic, set on the banks of a cursed lake.

There are monsters in the world. When Violeta Graceling arrives at haunted Lakesedge estate, she expects to find a monster. She knows the terrifying rumors about Rowan Sylvanan, who drowned his entire family when he was a boy. But neither the estate nor the monster are what they seem. There are monsters in the woods. As Leta falls for Rowan, she discovers he is bound to the Lord Under, the sinister death god lurking in the black waters of the lake. A creature to whom Leta is inexplicably drawn…There’s a monster in the shadows, and now it knows my name. Now, to save Rowan—and herself—Leta must confront the darkness in her past, including unraveling the mystery of her connection to the Lord Under.


Beginning: "There are monsters in the world."

56: "The road gives way to a graveled drive, arched by an intricate iron gateway."


Comments: I got a paperback copy of Lakesedge for review from Bookishfirst, and I liked it. What are you reading this week?

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

In The Shadow Garden by Liz Parker

Title: In The Shadow Garden
Series: n/a 
Author: Liz Parker
Source/Format: NetGalley; eARC
More Details: Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Forever; September 13, 2022

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads...
Three generations of witches must discover where their magic went wrong as secrets resurface that could solve a twenty-year-old mystery in this riveting debut, perfect for fans of Practical Magic and Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe. 
There's something magical about Yarrow, Kentucky. The three empathic witches of the Haywood family are known for their shadow garden—from strawberries that taste like chocolate to cherry tomatoes with hints of basil and oregano. Their magic can cure any heartache, and the fruits of their garden bring a special quality to the local bourbon distillery. On one day every year, a shot of Bonner bourbon will make your worst memory disappear. But twenty years ago, the town gave up more than one memory for the year; they forgot an entire summer. One person died. One person disappeared. And no one has any idea why. As secrets from that fateful summer start to come to light, there must be a reckoning between the rival Haywood and Bonner families. But the only clue Irene Haywood has is in her tea leaves: a stranger’s arrival will bring either love or betrayal…


When I read the synopsis for Liz Parker’s In the Shadow Garden, it seemed to have everything I like about fantasy set in contemporary times: multiple POVs, magic, a small town, family secrets, grudges, betrayal, and a forgotten summer. There were parts I really enjoyed about In the Shadow Garden, and some that I was a little more lukewarm about.

My main frustration with the story doesn’t detract from how well it was written, because it had a certain flow to it that kept me reading. I was, personally, a little frustrated by Addison. She was fine, but I feel like I spent a lot of time waiting for her to learn from her mistakes. When she did, it was great, and I wish there had been more of those moments. The rest of the characters, however, were good, but it was Kaden and Irene who were my favorites. I really loved what Parker did with them. That was something I have to highlight too: the emotional stakes were just as consequential as the magical ones.

I did like the overall themes and messaging, about family and healing over time as well its foil within the story: how forgetting wasn’t the easy solution (or relief) it was originally portrayed to be. The sinister nature of what was happening was like a weed the town, Yarrow, never realized it needed to get rid of. There was a sense of foreboding connected to it, which steadily built over the course of the story. It made sense too, considering how secrets could stay buried forever when there was no one to remember why they were ever important. It all tied back in with the magic, the garden, the bourbon, and the people who made them a focal point within their lives. I’d describe it as a calling. And it was one of my favorite things about In the Shadow Garden.

All-in-all, In the Shadow Garden was good. Besides a few hiccups, I really appreciated certain character arcs, as well as the give-and-take necessary for the magic of the titular shadow garden to flourish. It was pretty cool. I would definitely read another book by Liz Parker.
   
About the author....
Liz Parker loves gardening, a good cup of tea, and the kind of story that sinks it hooks into you and refuses to let go. She grew up with her time split between Tennessee and northern Nevada, giving her a love of the kind of magic you can only find on a hot summer night when the fireflies float drunk on humidity or beneath a cloudless desert sky lit by stars and possibility. Today, Liz lives in California with her husband, dog, and too many houseplants to name (though she could if you asked).

Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Forever) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you! 

Monday, September 12, 2022

Music Monday (214): Ellie Goulding, Mickey Guyton

Rules:

  • Music Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren Stoolfire at Always Me that asks you to share one or two songs that you've recently enjoyed. For the rules, visit the page HERE 
Breana: I like Ellie Goulding's new song, Easy Lover. She recently released a solo version. I like it just as much as the original, which featured Big Sean.


Andrea: Hi all! It's been a while. I hope everyone is doing great. This week I'm listening to Somethin' Bout You by Mickey Guyton. 



What are you listening to this week?


Friday, September 2, 2022

The Friday 56 (221) & Book Beginnings: The Paradiso by Dante Alighieri

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.


Synopsis from Goodreads...
In The Paradiso, Dante explores the goal of human striving: the merging of individual destiny with universal order. One of the towering creations of world literature, this epic discovery of truth is a work of mystical intensity? an immortal hymn to God, Nature, Eternity, and Love.



Beginning: "The glory of Him who moves all things rays forth
                     through all the universe, and it reflected
                     from each thing in proportion to its worth."

56: "Yet all these were creations! Ought not they--
       if what you said of them before is true--
       to be forever proof against decay?'"


Comments: I finished reading Paradise, so I'm officially done with The Divine Comedy. This was a sweeping epic story, and I enjoyed every second of it. What are you reading this week?

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