Tag: NetGalley

Secret Agent Josephine in Paris – Brenda Ponnay

I really liked the blurb for Secret Agent Josephine in Paris but was ultimately disappointed. I was looking for some girl power, as this female spy and her daughter (codename: Bug) travel to Paris on assignment to track down Sean Slippy, a renowned smuggler of forged art and rare birds. While it had potential, Secret Agent Josephine wasn’t the role model I was hoping she’d be. Instead of using her quick wit to apprehend this international smuggler, upon reaching Paris she decides to go shopping and sightseeing.

I did like the use of a case file to provide background information about Slippy but the interesting bits of information about him found in the file had no bearing on his eventual capture. It would have been useful to know ahead of time that several conversations would be in French. I’m sure I couldn’t pronounce the names of some of the locations they visited, so had I attempted to read this book to a child they would have been laughing so hard at me that they wouldn’t have gotten anything from the story anyway.

I’m unsure why this mother is taking her daughter undercover on spying missions but it’s a good thing she did as she’d probably still be locked in Slippy’s bathroom if it wasn’t for Bug’s assistance. I expect children will enjoy searching for Slippy poking his head out behind objects in the illustrations.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Xist Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

There’s a new super spy in town! 

Secret Agent Josephine may not look like a super mum, but when she goes to work, bad guys better watch out for her crafty tricks. 

In this Secret Agent Josephine adventure, our heroine travels to Paris to scope out some new craft supplies and stop an infamous art thief. Donning disguises and stocking up on the tools of her trade, Secret Agent Josephine tracks the thief through the streets of Paris. But when she’s spotted, will her crafting skills be able to get her out of a jam?

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The Tooth That’s On the Loose! – Chris Robertson

This was a really enjoyable read. I love the Western take on having a loose tooth. Sheriff Tex tells us the story of a wanted tooth, T.B. Wiggly. He’s wanted because he’s going to leave a big ol’ hole in your mouth but there’s a reward for handing him over to the authorities.

As a kid most of my baby teeth refused to come out by themselves so I was trotted off to the dentist so they could torture treat me. My baby teeth were removed late so I would’ve been too old for this book by the time my teeth got their act together but for those whose teeth understand the concept of a timetable, this would be a great read to quell any anxieties. With quirky, fun illustrations this would be a good book for home, school and the dentist’s office.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Xist Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

When a loose tooth shows up in town, the local sheriff must do what it takes to send that wiggly tooth packing. This funny approach to the classic childhood situation of loosing a tooth is a must read for home and classroom libraries. Chris Robertson’s playful art is sure to delight young readers who can’t wait to loose a tooth.

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Harry Potter – The Unofficial Guide to the Collectibles of Our Favourite Wizard – Eric Bradley

You know all of that Harry Potter memorabilia you desperately want need but will never have enough Galleons for? For those of us who barely have two Knuts to rub together, this is the book to drool over while you’re feeling sorry for yourself for not having generous millionaire family members. In it you’ll find the wish list of your dreams, some of which would set you back more than what you paid for your car and others, your house. If anyone’s feeling generous, I wouldn’t reject your offer of gifting me one of J.K.’s hand-written and illustrated copies of The Tales of Beedle the Bard.

Eric Bradley’s book takes you on a journey through such treasures as first edition signed books, movie posters, movie props, Harry Pottery (including the chair J.K. sat in while she wrote the first two books and original artwork), Harry Potter merchandise, limited edition collectibles, fandom (including a themed wedding and tattoos), and Potter-inspired collectibles.

You’ll read details and see photos of items that have sold at auction as well as those which have not been made available for sale and are used in exhibitions. For most of us this book will be as close as we get to most of these coveted items. I particularly enjoyed reading about other fans and what this series means to them.

Disclaimer: Tissues for cleaning up your drool are sold separately.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Krause Publications and F+W Media for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

A legacy of magical treasures!

Since 1997 with the publication of the first book, Harry Potter has cast a spell over millions of Muggles around the world – not the least of all bewitched collectors. Harry Potter: The Unofficial Guide to the Collectibles of Our Favourite Wizard conjures rare, extraordinary and magical treasures sprung from the Potter books and movies, and even the imaginations of fans. In its enchantingly visual pages, you’ll discover delightful riches including author J.K. Rowling’s writing chair that sold at auction for almost $400,000, first-edition books, original art, movie posters, film props, exclusives, limited-edition items, fun fandom pieces, and other wonders to behold.

So with a whisper of “accio” and a flick of your wand, summon forth the fascinating, the fantastical and the fabulous found in Harry Potter: The Unofficial Guide to the Collectibles of Our Favourite Wizard.

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Inside Out Sharks – David George Gordon

I’m really enjoying the bite sized chunks (sorry!) of information in this Inside Out series. This book provides interesting facts about sharks’ skeletal system, cardiopulmonary system, reproductive system, digestive system, liver, sensory/nervous system, muscular system, and dermal system.

Did you know that the disks in a shark’s vertebrae have growth rings? You can tell the age of a shark by counting the rings, just like you can with trees.

“Female blue sharks can have litters as large as 135 pups!”

Some of the more interesting items found in the stomachs of captured sharks include a cuckoo clock and a suit of armour.

Ever since Jaws taught me to be afraid to go back into the water I’ve been fascinated by sharks, especially Great Whites. Hey, did you know Great Whites can live 70 or more years? When I first saw Jaws he was the most terrifying thing I could imagine. After watching my mate Bruce rip people to pieces I was convinced he had the power to come out of the shower head in pieces and magically reform before my eyes before he ate me while I showered. I was under 7 at the time and had a marvellously detailed imagination.

Like the Egyptian Mummy book I’ve already read in this series I loved the layout of the pages, with a nice balance of text, illustrations and photos. I also personally appreciated the pronunciation help with more difficult words such as “elasmobranchs (i-LAZ-muh-branks)”, the group of fish sharks belong to.

While my journey through this book wasn’t in 3-D as I received a digital copy, I can imagine how much fun a kid in my life would have learning about sharks while playing with the interactive die-cut model, if they managed to pry it out of my hands first. I would have loved using this as a resource for a school project or reading it for my own enjoyment. While aimed at kids aged 8 and above, adults will also enjoy learning more about these awesome creatures.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – becker&mayer! kids for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Journey inside a shark and live to tell the tale! With Inside Out: Shark, you’ll take a three-dimensional tour through a different sharks to learn about the unique bodies of these eating machines! 

Sharks are some of nature’s largest and most ancient creatures on the planet. This is your chance to learn how they move, how they work, and tons of facts about how they live. Inside Out Sharks brings you all of this information and a whole lot more!

Why are shark eggs called “mermaid purses”? What in the world are “skin-teeth”? Do sharks deserve the nickname “man-eater”? Find the answers to these questions and more in this action-packed book, which dives deep under the surface to explore the world of these astounding animals.

From the eerie goblin shark to the wide-eyed hammerhead to the most feared shark of them all, the great white, see the world from a shark’s-eye-view – and get an in-depth look at these most mysterious and misunderstood predators. 

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Inside Out Human Body – Luann Colombo

Did you know that your right lung has three lobes (or regions) and your left lung has two?

Or that you take about 20,000 breaths each day?

A layered human body model accompanies text, photos and illustrations that provide an introduction to some of the amazing things the different systems in our bodies do to keep us healthy. We often don’t think about these processes until something goes wrong but the fact that all of these systems work together in the first place is a marvel.

This book gives the reader information about our muscular system, skeletal system, joints, digestive system, urinary system, respiratory system, and nervous system. Pronunciation tips for more advanced words like “pulmonary (PUL-muh-nare-ee)” are provided and there are some simple experiments kids can do to demonstrate what they’re learning, such as looking at the underside of their tongue in a mirror to see their blood vessels (veins are blue, arteries are red).

One particular photo of a blonde girl with a cast on her right arm made me laugh even though it wasn’t intended to be funny. Someone’s obviously told her she needs to look super sad for this photo and she’s got one of the cutest frowny faces I’ve seen. Imagine you’ve just taken a bite out of a lemon and your mouth is drawn down so far that your chin gets that wrinkly, puckered look. That’s her.

While I didn’t find this book as engaging as the Sharks or Egyptian Mummy titles in this series it’s still an interesting read, is well set out and would be a useful school project resource.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – becker&mayer! kids for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

What do you think is the most amazing machine in the universe? A superconductor? The modern computer? A rocket ship? Think again: It’s the human body!

Astonishingly intricate and complex, your body grows, heals itself, and performs a mind-boggling number of complex functions all at the same time! Discover the amazing human body, system by system and layer by layer, in this fascinating book.

Inside Out: Human Body takes you on an incredible journey through the powerful muscular system, the “bone zone,” the long and windy road of the digestive system, the blood-pumping circulatory system, the forty-seven-mile long nervous system, and beyond! A unique layered model of the human body serves as the center point of each section, revealing key body parts and functions, while entertaining and informative text explains how the body works.

Each section is fully illustrated with colourful diagrams and includes fun, interactive lessons for you to try yourself. You can learn how to take your own pulse, how to make your arms float, and even what the color of your urine means! Sometimes the most incredible wonders are right under our noses.

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Inside Out Egyptian Mummy – Lorraine Jean Hopping

Did you know that the Egyptian mummy-making process took 70 days? Or that 15 of those days were needed to wrap the mummy?

I’ve been an Egypt nerd for most of my life. I learned so many new facts while reading this book and it’s ignited the need to learn more. I would have done some serious drooling over this book as a kid. My Nan and I shared our fascination of Ancient Egyptian culture, beliefs and customs, and for a time I was sure I was going to be an archaeologist when I grew up.

I read books and more books about Egypt. When we got to choose our own topic for a project in primary school I chose Ancient Egypt. That project is still sitting in a box in the garage, pulled out and leafed through from time to time when nostalgia finds me. I had a silver necklace I wore throughout high school with a Nefertiti bust charm on it. I laboured for months over a detailed Tutankhamun burial mask cross stitch for my Nan and although she was an incredible artist, she removed one of her paintings from the living room wall and hung my framed present in its place. My Nan was totally awesome!

I loved that this book takes you on a journey through the mummification process that is appropriate for children (it’s recommended for ages 8 and above), but it is also interesting enough to hold an adult’s attention. Just some of the snippets of information I enjoyed coming across while reading include:

  • What images were on the inside of coffins and why
  • Who the first Egyptian mummy was
  • Where we get the English word mummy from
  • What determines whether you read hieroglyphs from left to right or right to left
  • What different colours symbolised in Egyptian culture.

While there were plenty of photos and illustrations interspersed with the text, the layout didn’t feel cluttered. The copy I read was digital so I haven’t seen the final die-cut model but from the photos throughout the book I can imagine it would help bring what you’re reading about to life. I’m also quite proud to be able to tell you that I now know how to write my first name in hieroglyphs thanks to this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – becker&mayer! kids for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Calling all explorers and archaeologists!  Inside Out: Egyptian Mummy  comes with everything you need to start an Egyptian adventure, from discovering a tomb to unwrapping a mummy.

Though the ancient civilization of Egypt may be long gone, itsdead still have secrets to tell. From the myth of Isis and Osiris, to King Tut’s tomb, to the intricacies of preparing the body for its underworld journey, Inside Out: Egyptian Mummy takes you step by step into a tomb. Get a fascinating glimpse into how an ancient culture saw death and the afterlife beyond.

That isn’t all though! Alongside beautiful illustrations and photographs, an interactive die-cut model reveals the many rites of the Egyptian tomb. You will be amazed by everything from the iconic golden burial mask, to the lucky amulets the dead were buried with, protective linen wrappings, and even the mummified body and preserved sacred organs. And when it comes to hieroglyphics, hidden burial grounds, and missing treasure, there’s always more to uncover, so get your start now, who knows where your journeys will take you! 

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The Curious Chronicles of Jack Bokimble and His Peculiar Penumbra – James Demonaco

Spoilers Ahead!

I was ready to adore The Curious Chronicles of Jack Bokimble and His Peculiar Penumbra from the beginning, just for the title alone. Jack is different. He has a magical shadow which he learns to use to explore the world in a way no one else can. He can touch and manipulate items with his shadow, feeling with his physical body and shadow simultaneously. While Jack is shy and fearful, his shadow is not and it cannot feel pain.

Jack’s father, who has a small nose but an exceptionally gifted sense of smell, is excited about Jack’s difference. Jack’s mother, however, who runs an advice website called ILLMAKETHEDECISIONSYOUCANT.COM (unfortunately it’s not a real website – I checked) is concerned, worrying that Jack’s ability will scare people away. Jack’s mother is also a champion farter, smelling up the pages whenever she’s anxious or excited.

This book deals with bullying, being an outcast, friendships, loneliness, wanting to belong, and learning to accept and celebrate your differences. I thought it was wonderful that James DeMonaco explored peoples’ fear of anything or anyone who is different and points out that differences aren’t actually scary after all. There’s some good vocabulary building, often thanks to Louis the Lip, who’s pretty much described as practically perfect in every way (sorry, I love Mary Poppins so had to describe him like that 😊), with the exception of his personality.

I liked Jack as a character. He’s sensitive, intelligent, inquisitive and non-judgemental. He’s a lonely boy who desperately wants friends but is excruciatingly shy. He stands up for what he believes in and wants to use his shadow powers for good. I enjoyed most of the sequence of events and although it’s hinted at several times with one of my pet peeves (see below), I can see this story working as the first in a series.

I enjoyed the quirkiness of Jack’s parent so much and particularly loved the pet names they call each other, always something different so as not to be boring. It’s so hard to pick a favourite pet name for each but I was fond of Sir Spits When He Speaks and Whimsical Wife with Weird Digestion. My favourite character was the lion with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. He was adorable.

I was so annoyed that the only two children not scared of Jack’s abilities are the ones who have personally benefited from them, yet they still allow peer pressure to stop them from being his friend. This makes a really good point about the power of peer pressure but I was so angry with those kids for a while.

It seems that each children’s book I’ve read recently is taking their style or ideas from Roald Dahl. Remember the chalkboard incident in Matilda? It’s pretty much replicated in this book.

Moving on to my irritations, question marks and pet peeve occurrences, some with spoilers so reader beware. While these are plentiful, please don’t think they mean I didn’t enjoy the book. I really did. When I want more or have lots of questions, it means I’m invested in the storyline and I understand that if there is a sequel a lot of my questions may be answered then. Only the first point detracted from my enjoyment of the book.

I found the interjections by the listener and the storyteller discussing the characters and sequence of events really irritating and thought it disrupted the story rather than adding value with it. While I understand the purpose of these exchanges I felt the story would have flowed better without them.

How can a shadow speak with Jack? I don’t remember reading how this is explained and Jack’s shadow doesn’t seem to be verbal so maybe this is something that happens once only the shadow remains?

Is it one of the magical properties of this type of shadow that after death it no longer needs to be attached to a person for it to be projected?

How can Jack communicate with all of the animals in the Central Park Zoo? Is this part of the shadow magic as well?

Hopefully if the events in this book had really happened a teacher wouldn’t have allowed three children to head back into an area soon to be engulfed in fire by themselves just because one of the children insisted they could save the animals. At least have the guts to go in there with them or maybe keep them out of harm’s way and wait for the firefighters to save the day? I know, I know. It’s only a story but as I said, I was invested.

Jack becomes the most popular kid in school after the fire and all the kids, except Melinda and Larry, want to do is ask him questions about his shadow. It feels as though instead of going from someone to be feared to a friend who can be relied on to look out for his friends, he becomes something of a curiosity for quite a while. And the cousin that was frightened of Jack at the beginning of the book? He comes out of the woodwork and wants to be friends with him … after Jack is on the news. I loved Jack and wanted everyone to see him for the awesome kid he is, regardless of his abilities, and I wanted everyone else to be as pure hearted as he is.

There’s a chapter called Back to School, Not Starring Rodney Dangerfield. While I personally appreciated this nod to one of my favourite movies I doubt any kid reading this would know who Rodney Dangerfield is or would have seen the 1986 film.

🚨 Pet Peeve Alert 🚨
“but that is a different chronicle”
“his story is for another day”
“but that’s a different story”
“That’s for another time”
I don’t know why but sentences like those really bug me, although that’s my problem, not the author’s.

I applaud Jack’s forgiving nature. I think if I was the one treated like a leper because I had a special talent I would have happily slapped every single rotten bully across the face with my shadow hand, but I guess that’s one of the many reasons why I haven’t been entrusted with my very own super shadow. 😜

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Inkshares for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Shortly after Jack is born, strange things are afoot in the Bokimble house – glasses fall from shelves, and nothing seems to be where Mr. and Mrs. Bokimble left it. Jack’s parents begin to sense that there’s something strange about their son, and it’s not long before they realize that he has a secret friend: his magical shadow. 

Is Jack’s shadow a superpower that he needs to control and master? Or is it a curse that will separate him from others? Travel with Jack on his boyhood journey as he learns not only how to control his magical shadow but what it means to be different – a story that mines the potential for magic and mystery in all of us.

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Gregory and the Grimbockle – Melanie Schubert

Illustrations – Abigail Kraft

There’s nothing adults want to do more than to wipe the smudge below 10 year old Gregory’s left nostril, but it’s not a smudge at all. It’s actually a mole and is about the only extraordinary thing about Gregory, who has hardly any friends and quite tenuous relationships with his mother, father and older sister, Marjory. That is, until the night he meets Grimbockle, a Bockle, riding his trusty steed cockroach, and his life is never the same.

Bockles fix the invisible (to hoo-mans) threads that connect people called exoodles. When relationships are strong then so are their exoodles. When they’re not, exoodles get thinner and fray. Grimbockle is on the maintenance team and through the course of the book Gregory’s eyes are opened in a way no human has ever experienced before.

Children will really enjoy the friendship between Gregory and Grimbockle and their expeditions on the Exoodle Expressway to fix exoodles. The various paint buckets that Grimbockle uses throughout the book reminded me of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Melanie Schubert has almost certainly been a big fan of Dahl growing up.

The quirky way the Bockles speak almost felt as though I was listening to Dahl’s BFG. I found some of their speech annoying, mostly the constant use of “I is”. If I wasn’t as familiar with the language Roald Dahl used I probably would have found it cute but each time I read “hoo-mans” I kept hearing the BFG calling Sophie a “human bean”, and anything that reminds me of Mr Dahl is never going to be able to compete. I know it’s not a fair playing field but no one will ever be able to out-Dahl Roald for me.

I loved the message of the exoodles and I really loved that children are empowered in this book. They’re taught that there are things they can do to improve the quality of the exoodles in their own lives. For both children and adults I felt the image of threads that grow stronger or weaker with our actions was powerful and memorable.

During the reading of this book I had a slump and was having trouble concentrating for a few days. Today after a hug and some kind words from a friend I could visualise my exoodles getting stronger and afterwards I was able to concentrate again and finish this book. It seems appropriate that this is the book I was reading when this happened.

It has me thinking about my own exoodles, which ones need fixing and what I can do to help mend them. I expect any reader will feel the same and while it sounds so simple, a smile, a hug, a note or some kind words really can make the world of difference.

My favourite character in this book was Gregory’s neighbour, old Ethel, whose mission in life seems to be pouncing in front of him as he walks past and trying to pull the mole off his face. I really liked Abigail Kraft’s illustrations. While the description of the Bockles was lovely to read, Abigail’s illustrations brought them to life in a lighthearted way. This book even has its own soundtrack by Jared Kraft that you can download.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, New Wrinkle Publishing and Independent Book Publishers Association for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Ten-year-old Gregory is about to find out that the enormous mole stuck straight beneath his nose is not just a mole, but is actually a humpy crumpy portal of skin that hides a creature called the Grimbockle.

What’s more? The Grimbockle is just one of the many strange little creatures called Bockles tending to the mysterious threads that connect all humans from one to the other. It is a very important job and one that has long been carried out with incredible secrecy …

… that is, before tonight.

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Kill Creek – Scott Thomas

Kill Creek is best read when the weather is on your side. While I travelled to the Finch House there was torrential rain, thunder that rattled the windows, hail that pounded on the roof, 30,000 lightning strikes one night in the local area (or so they reported on the news) and wind that howled through the trees. One windy night around 3am as I crept through the dark house trying to be quiet so I didn’t wake anyone up I walked through a cobweb. Reading at night with the only light coming from my Kindle I could almost imagine something that used to be human reaching for me in the darkness of the room just beyond what I could see. It was creepy and it was perfect. I highly recommend reading Kill Creek under similar circumstances.

If ever a book was written with a cinematic quality where you could practically watch the movie as you’re reading the book, this is the one. An hour or so before walking through my cobweb I’d read a part in the book with spiders (so many spiders! 🕷) and sitting there in the dark I convinced myself I could feel something crawling along my arm. Now that’s the kind of creepy I love, when the book reaches out from the pages (or screen) and convinces you that what’s happening in the book and what’s happening around you as you read it are related, like the book knows and is somehow causing these ‘coincidences’. After reading his book, Scott Thomas almost had me convinced the house at Kill Creek had the power to reach into my life, and that is the type of creepy fun I haven’t experienced in a book in a long time.

Kill Creek takes us to Finch House, a gorgeous and meticulously crafted house with over 150 years of tragedy living within its walls. Wainwright of WrightWire (an internet “destination for horror events”) and his photographer Kate plan to interview four of the world’s most famous horror writers at Finch House for WrightWire’s annual Halloween stunt.

Our lambs to the slaughter authors are Sam, a lecturer at the University of Kansas and best-selling author who’s struggling to write his next novel, Sebastian who’s basically horror writer royalty, Daniel who I imagined as a Christian version of R.L. Stine and Moore, who writes what I can only describe as torture porn. Horror means something different to each author and each has their own reason for agreeing to take part in this interview. What they experience may reveal that the ghosts of the past that haunt your mind can be some of the most terrifying ghosts of all.

And the house? The house enjoys entertaining visitors. I remember one of my English teachers talking about how locations can become characters in stories and in my adolescent omniscience I sat there rolling my eyes thinking, ‘Yeah, whatever’. So, anonymous English teacher, I get it now! The house in Kill Creek is my favourite character!

Told in third person from multiple points of view, you are granted access to each character’s thoughts, desires and greatest fears. At times the writing was so poetic I almost forgot I was reading a horror novel. Then there’d be a description of seeping wounds, crunching bones or goo oozing out of eyeballs, and I’d remember, sometimes almost cringing from the detailed descriptions of agony and torment. With some humour, action sequences, egos battling egos and mystery thrown in along with some good old fashioned murder, Kill Creek is pure entertainment.

Should you ever star in your own horror novel, there are some basics that Kill Creek teaches that you should probably keep in mind.

Horror Novel 101

  1. If there’s a creepy basement with a rickety staircase, stay the hell out.
  2. No matter what, stay together as a group.
  3. If a house has a reputation for being evil, don’t think it’ll let you leave unscathed, if it lets you leave at all.
  4. If there’s a creepy third floor room whose entrance has been bricked over, take note. There’s probably a reason and you probably don’t want to know what’s in there.
  5. If someone who you know is dead is standing before you asking you to do something really weird, it’s probably not them and you probably shouldn’t do that really weird thing.

I did find that there was a section around the middle of the book that I felt was a bit long-winded and slowed the pace down at a time when I was eager to just get back to the house and get some answers. I found the themes of Moore’s novels kinda out there but in terms of relating those to her backstory I did understand where she was coming from. I found something to like about all but one of the characters (Adudel). I really had a fun time reading this book and will most certainly be on the lookout for future novels by this author.

Biggest disappointment: Looking up Last One Out Kills the Lights on Goodreads because Sam makes it sound like my kind of horror short story book, only to find it doesn’t exist. Just to make sure I looked up the author’s name and found they do exist! Except they’re a romance novelist. ☹️

Favourite sentence:

“That may be the most perverse thing of all: ignoring the horror, even as it happens around you.”

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Inkshares for the opportunity to read this book. This is the second book I’ve read by this publisher and both were home runs.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

At the end of a dark prairie road, nearly forgotten in the Kansas countryside, lies the Finch House. For years it has perched empty, abandoned, and overgrown – but soon the door will be opened for the first time in many decades. But something waits, lurking in the shadows, anxious to meet its new guests. 

When best-selling horror author Sam McGarver is invited to spend Halloween night in one of the country’s most infamous haunted houses, he reluctantly agrees. At least he won’t be alone; joining him are three other masters of the macabre, writers who have helped shape modern horror. But what begins as a simple publicity stunt soon becomes a fight for survival – the entity they have awakened will follow them, torment them, threatening to make them part of the bloody legacy of Kill Creek.

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Monsoon Tide – Elsa Evripidou

Have you ever heard of a cBook? I hadn’t either. Monsoon Tide is the first cinematic book, an interesting blend of reading and watching a book. With only 15 short chapters, Monsoon Tide is a quick read/watch. Each chapter is followed by a video, furthering the story.

Set in England and India, we follow Anni on her journey to India where she plans to scatter her father’s ashes shortly after the 2004 tsunami. Through flashbacks we learn about Anni’s childhood and discover a mystery surrounding her mother’s death sixteen years prior. Upon learning that her mother didn’t drown like she’d been led to believe, Anni takes it upon herself to find out the truth. Her stepfather Charles, who is treated as an outcast, refuses to discuss her mother’s death. With secrets carried to the grave, unrequited love and suspicions her mother may have been murdered, this story follows Anni as she seeks answers.

While I loved the cBook concept and look forward to seeing how this reading/watching interplay unfolds in future novels, I felt this particular story needed to be fleshed out. While the story itself was interesting and mostly all there, except for a presumably still open police investigation, the characters didn’t work for me. There wasn’t enough time in the story to develop the characters enough for me to connect with them and I found I disliked a few of the characters, in particular Anni’s mother.

Some of the transitions between reading and watching were a bit disjointed but the story wasn’t so complicated that this created any confusion. Some of the acting came across as overdone but the script for the video segments didn’t give the actors a lot to work with as they were only telling snippets of the story.

Overall, this was an interesting introduction to a new concept and I’m glad I read/watched it. Thank you so much to NetGalley, Gatekeeper Press and Smith Publicity for the opportunity to read this book.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Monsoon Tide is the first cinematic book, bringing the best of the written word and film together in an exciting new concept. It combines a book’s ability to reveal a character’s innermost thoughts and motivations with film’s power to pull you right into the action and experience the sights, sounds and backdrop of the story.

It is the story of young aid worker, Anni who returns to her beautiful, tropical birthplace, Kerala in India in the wake of the Asian tsunami. There she encounters her reclusive and seemingly haunted stepfather in his isolated beachside house. She soon discovers that her mother’s death sixteen years before was not the accidental drowning she had been led to believe. It becomes her mission to discover the truth, whatever the cost. A haunting story of loss, love and secrets told in a unique way.

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