Title: Stranger Things Have Happened Author: Jeff Strand Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire Publication Date: April 4th 2017 Genre: Humor, Teens & YA Format: Ebook My Rating: 2/5 stars Links: GoodReads . Amazon Blurb: Jeff Strand pulls another winner out of his hat with this hilarious tale of illusions and self-discovery At 15, Marcus Millian III, the great-grandson of the famous Zachary the Stupendous, is already a talented illusionist. But when Marcus chokes during a card trick and leaves the audience unimpressed, prideful Zachary promises that he and Marcus are working on an illusion that will shock, stun, and astonish. That night, Zachary dies in his sleep. To uphold the honor of Marcus's beloved great-grandfather, the show must go on, and Marcus will need to make a shark disappear in front of everybody. It would take a sorcerer to pull this off, but, hey, Marcus is the next best thing…right? My Review: I recieved an eARC of Stranger Things Have Happened from the publisher via netgalley, in exchange with an honest review. I was really excited to read a book that revovles around the art of magic and the concept of illusions. The story itself was okay. I was kind of hoping to see more of the "science* behind complicated magic tricks, but I enjoyed the ones present in this book. Usually, I would have loved the kind of humor that is present in this book, which involves Tangent conversations. However, the way it was done in this book was the reason why I lowered my rating from a 3, to a 2. The thing is, such methods of speaking is a unique characterization for a character, but this isn't the case. Almost every single character in this book had multiple ( going off a tangent) speeches, which in my opinion, is such a drawback. The characters were even in different age groups, yet they all acted like children. Also, such conversations would go on & on for so long, constituting almost 50% of the written story. This probably wasn't my cup of tea, so I want to try to read something else by Jeff Strand. I give it 2/5 stars. About the Author: Author of a bunch of demented books, including PRESSURE, DWELLER, A BAD DAY FOR VOODOO, WOLF HUNT, SINGLE WHITE PSYCHOPATH SEEKS SAME, BENJAMIN'S PARASITE, FANGBOY, THE SINISTER MR. CORPSE, and lots of others. Three-time Bram Stoker Award finalist. Three-time Bram Stoker Award loser. Four-time Bram Stoker Award Master of Ceremonies.
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Title: Heart and Brain ( Gut instincts ) Author: The Awkward Yeti, Nick Seluk Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing Publication Date: October 18th, 2016 Genre: Comic , Humor My Rating : 5/5 stars Links : Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: Heart and Brain: Gut Instincts is the follow-up to the tremendously popular New York Times bestseller, Heart and Brain: An Awkward Yeti Collection. The Awkward Yeti's Heart and Brain comics perfectly illustrate the ongoing, internal struggle betwixt head and heart. Heart and Brain: Gut Instincts features the same lovable characters as the first book and introduces a host of other vital organs like insatiable Tongue, irritable Bowels, and abused Stomach. My Review: I received an e-ARC of this comic from the publisher via NetGalley , in exchange with an honest review. Nick Seluk will capture your attention, mock your guilty pleasures, and make you L.O.L ! If you have ever heard Selena Gomez's " The Heart Wants What it Wants", then you know who usually wins the battle of "Taking the best, practical decision VS taking the most fun one." This comic will perfectly show you that this isn't an equation that can be balanced. The right action to take can not be presented as a monopoly ; it basically differs from one scenario, to another. Think of it like a seesaw . We get to see this in how Brain and Heart discuss matters. Mostly, they disagree and see things differently ; but sometime, they get to learn from each other. In this second issue, we get to see how the Gut reacts to every day activities that we usually engage in. In my opinion, it is a smart, entertaining representation of what happens inside the body. I believe this could be a very beneficial way to educate people, both young and old. Visual stimulation is, in my opinion, the best way to learn . I absolutely loved this comic. It made laugh at this generation's social norms, experience life from the point of view of different organs, and fall in love with biology again. I can't wait to read the next issue. Listen to your Gut Instincts & pre-order your copy. I give 5/5 stars. About The Awkward Yeti: The Awkward Yeti encompasses multiple series by cartoonist Nick Seluk. The ongoing self-titled strip, The Awkward Yeti, follows Lars the yeti as he experiences everyday social awkwardness at work, in his social life, even while dating. The popular spinoff, Heart and Brain, follow the inner dialogue between the cynical, society-influenced Brain and the impulsive, optimistic Heart. Together, the three characters were metaphorically inspired by the concept of the Id (Heart), the Ego (Lars) and the Superego (Brain) but have developed their own personalities over time. In addition to the two regular series, miscellaneous comics explore life, science and many other topics through ridiculous personification of organs, animals, and even rocks. Title: The Replacement Crush Author: Lisa Brown Roberts Publisher: Entangled Teen ( Crush ) Publication Date: September 6th, 2016 Genre : YA, Contemporary, Humor Format: e ARC My Rating: 4.5 / 5 stars Links: Goodreads . Amazon Blurb: True love can’t be strategized. After book blogger Vivian Galdi’s longtime crush pretends their secret summer kissing sessions never happened, Vivian creates a list of safe crushes, determined to protect her heart. But nerd-hot Dallas, the sweet new guy in town, sends the mission and Vivian’s zing meter into chaos. While designing software for the bookstore where Vivian works, Dallas wages a counter-mission. Operation Replacement Crush is in full effect. And Dallas is determined to take her heart off the shelf. My review: I received an e-ARC of The Replacement Crush from the publisher via NettGalley, in exchange with an honest review. The Replacement Crush will leave you with an aching jaw, painful cheeks, and lots of looking like a fool as you swoon , scream, and laugh ! I really loved the fact that the main character was a book blogger. This made the book even more interesting for me. I love how creative was Lisa when she created the rating scale for Viv's book blog. It was not only creative , but also hilarious. A good way to display how the little things always matter is to look even beyond this book's plot, and focus on how people interacted in this story. A simple question like " Are you vegetarian/ vegan?" can give others a sense modesty, and respect. At first, I wasn't sure why the book was that long. I had a feeling that the story could have been over by 80%. Then, things happened that made reconsider that thought, and even admire this book much more. Lisa is the Queen of Contemporary Romance and Humor; she always find a new way to tell her stories and make her readers giggle and swoon. I think I just came up with a new word ! Wait for it !!! Lisa never fails to make me Swiggle ( Swoon & Giggle ) I really enjoyed The Replacement Crush, and I can't wait to see what she writes next. About the Author: Lisa Brown Roberts still hasn't recovered from the teenage trauma of nearly tweezing off both eyebrows and having to pencil them in for an entire school year. This and other angst-filled memories inspire her to write YA books about navigating life's painful and funny dramas, and falling in love along the way. |
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