Blackmail and Bibingka - Mia P. Manansala

 

Title: Blackmail and Bibingka 
Author: Mia P. Manansala 
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 4 stars 

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When her long lost cousin comes back to town just in time for the holidays, Lila Macapagal knows that big trouble can't be far behind in this new mystery by Mia P. Manansala, author of Arsenic and Adobo.

It's Christmastime in Shady Palms, but things are far from jolly for Lila Macapagal. Sure, her new business, The Brew-ha Cafe, is looking to turn a profit in its first year. And yes, she's taken the first step in a new romance with her good friend, Jae Park. But her cousin Ronnie is back in town after ghosting the family fifteen years ago, claiming that his recent purchase of a local winery shows that he's back on his feet and ready to give back to the Shady Palms community. Tita Rosie is thrilled with the return of her prodigal son, but Lila knows that wherever Ronnie goes, trouble follows.

She's soon proven right when Ronnie is accused of murder, and secrets and rumors surrounding her shady cousin and those involved with the winery start piling up. Now Lila has to put away years of resentment and distrust to prove her cousin's innocence. He may be a jerk, but he's still family. And there's no way her flesh and blood could actually be a murderer...right?

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Blackmail and Bibingka is the third book in Mia P Manansala's Tita Rosie's Kitchen series.  This book, like the previous two in the series, solidly lives up to the mystery aspect.  

As soon as I started listening to this book I knew I was going to be delighted.  The book itself is well written, and the characters are as well rounded and developed as in the previous two books. In fact, this book takes things one step further when Lila's cousin Ronnie returns to town.  He's Tita Rosie's son, and meeting him helps give us some insight into Tita Rosie's past and family life before her husband and son just left her and skipped town.

With each new book in this series, the author takes us deeper into the lives of the characters.  We get a chance to learn more about them, their motivations, and who they are.  I love that in this book Lila's two best friends were more prominent.  We got to know them as not just her friends but her business partners (and people who put up with her being a nosy Nelly, and who even assisted her nosiness once in a while.) I enjoyed seeing even more of Jae Park, Lila's dating buddy and definitely future boyfriend.  He had this calm presence and was really good for Lila.  They get along well, and the chemistry they shared was spot on.

I liked the mystery in this book.  We start off thinking we know exactly who did the crime, Ronnie!  But of course we learn how wrong we are.  At a certain point you are able to really connect the dots and figure out what happened to Ronny's fiance, and the build up to get to that point is fantastic.  The author weaves in so many details and surrounds Ronny with enough people that you have to wonder at first who was having a little...fun, shall we say.

With each passing chapter, just enough is revealed that you have to keep going to find out more and solve the mystery.  And when you finally get it, it's great. Maybe I'm a little slow picking up on mystery stuff, but I had to really think about things before I figured out who did what.  BUT I enjoyed every little clue and every little aha moment throughout the book.

I also loved that we got to see Lila and her friends doing more with their business.  They opened a cafe called the Brew-Ha Cafe, where they have coffee, baked goods, and the cutest crafty items.  And seeing how they all work together in the cafe and as co-business owners is fantastic.  

Overall, in my opinion, this is a must read.  And, as always, if you've already read it, let me know what you thought in the comments. 

What Makes a Worthy Book

I cross posted this on Medium.  I think this debate is important. 

 There is always this debate that crops up in the book world. What makes a book worthy and valuable.

There is the classic lit vs modern lit, romance vs all books, YA books vs adult books, and so on, and so on.

It seems that the two areas that crapped on the most are YA and romance. People don’t view them as worthy or valuable and don’t think that people should even be reading them. Let me tell you, as someone who reads both YA and adult romance, and YA fantasy, both YA and romance are worth being read by anyone who likes those types of books.

Something I want to remind you of here is this:

• YA books are NOT a genre in and of themselves. They are books that describe the general age range they were written for. YA books can be romance, sci-fi, fantasy, contemporary, and any other genre that exists.

Now, let’s move forward. When people decide to wholly state that they don’t think romance is worthy, or that YA books aren’t worthy, or that any other type of books are not worthy, most of the time they haven’t actually read books in any genre or age range that they are venting about. Yet these people feel qualified to say that X book is not worth reading.

Think about what this says about books and reading and all that entails. When you say X,Y,or Z book is not worthy, and doesn’t fit the standard, you’re are saying that readers of those books are not real readers. They aren’t living up to some arbitrary standard set by snobs, so they must not be real readers.

But when someone picks up The Fault in Our Stars, or The Ex Hex, or Act your Age, Eve Brown, they are picking up a book where they may learn about what cancer does to your body, or what it’s like to help people learn to love who you are as much as you do, or what can happen when one little spell goes awry. That last one is just for fun — but hopefully you’re getting the idea. Books can be for learning things, for growing, or, frankly, just for fun.

We don’t always need to read highbrow lit that’s going to teach us tons of things just to be taken seriously as a reader. We read because we love books, and some books are going to resonate with certain readers more than they do with others. And that’s okay. I love romance books. I love them! I also love fantasy books. And occasionally, if I’m in the right mood, I love a good cozy mystery. (This seems like the perfect time to plug Mia P. Manansala’s books! They’re fantastic.)

If you love classic lit, that’s great. If you absolutely love romance, that’s amazing. If you only read mystery’s, perhaps you can help me solve the mystery of how to fit more books on my shelves. Because at the end of the day, we are all readers, and all books are worthy. Don’t look down on a certain of book just because you wouldn’t read it.

Vespertine - Margaret Roberson

 

Title: Vespertine
Author: Margaret Rogerson 
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 4 Stars 

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The dead of Loraille do not rest.

Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on; otherwise, they will rise as spirits with a ravenous hunger for the living. She would rather deal with the dead than the living, who trade whispers about her scarred hands and troubled past.

When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia defends it by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic. It is a revenant, a malevolent being that threatens to possess her the moment she drops her guard. Wielding its extraordinary power almost consumes her—but death has come to Loraille, and only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, has any chance of stopping it. With all knowledge of vespertines lost to time, Artemisia turns to the last remaining expert for help: the revenant itself.

As she unravels a sinister mystery of saints, secrets, and dark magic, her bond with the revenant grows. And when a hidden evil begins to surface, she discovers that facing this enemy might require her to betray everything she has been taught to believe—if the revenant doesn’t betray her first.

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I loved this book -and there's going to be a series!!!  There are not enough words to describe how much I loved this book, but I'll try (and I'll even throw in some gifs and memes just to really show you what I think.

The possession aspect: Hello! Who doesn't love a story about a good potential possession.  Watching Artemisia struggle with the revenant inside her and learn to hone who she was was AMAZING.

The characters were great. Artemisia was my favorite character, but the revenant was a close second.  I know, I know - the REVENANAT?! What am I thinking?  Well, I mean, it did try to possess Artemisia.... And it was well spoken, well written, and fairly devious. 

All the characters were great - well written and not as upstanding as you'd think considering they were nuns and a priest.  That made the story very intriguing and definitely added that extra air of fantastic and depth to the characters.  

I really enjoyed the writing and the narrator.  The author did a fantastic job weaving together a story filled with twists, surprises, and story points that really fit in well, and the narrator of the audiobook did a wonderful job bringing it all to life.  I'm really excited to see where the rest of the series goes.  There was a lot of tension, a lot of humor (surprisingly), and just overall some great writing. 

The book had more than enough twists and surprises, and Artemisia had a lot of great personality and a great ability to mess with her peers but also befriend them at the weirdest of times.  There's a reason she's my favorite character in the book. I'm trying really hard not to spoil anything, so let me just say: the sarcasm is ripe in this one. 

Overall, I personally cannot think of anything I didn't like about this book. It was great and I am hooked.  

If you've read this book, let me know what you thought in the comments!  

If you haven't read the book - what are you waiting for?!

September Wrap Up

Hey reader friends!  Welcome to OCTOBER.  I feel like, once again, this year has flown by.  Anyway, I am here to share how September went for me.

I read a lot, and most of the books I read last month I really enjoyed.  Let's see if I can remember everything I read:

1. Vespertine - 5 stars, totally FANTASTIC.  This was one of the last books I read in September, and it was a great ending to the month.  (I'll have a review up soon.)

2. A Dark and Starless Night - 5 Stars again!  I LOVED this book.  You can find my review here. 

3. Hopepunk - 3 Stars - a good book that will both break your heart and make you deliriously happy. 

4. Back in the Burbs - Avery Flynn - 3 Stars.  Totally cute and sweet romance.  

5. The Comeback - Lily Chu - 3 Stars.  This was a great romance, and the characters were delightful.

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Were there any fantastic books you read in September that you want to share?  Let me know in the comments!  And if you've read any of the books I did, let me know what you thought!

A Dark and Starless Forest - Sarah Hollowell

 

Title: A Dark and Starless Forest 
Author: Sarah Hollowell 
Format: Hardcover 
Rating: 5 stars 

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When her siblings start to go missing, a girl must confront the dark thing that lives in the forest—and the growing darkness in herself—in this debut YA contemporary fantasy for fans of Wilder Girls.

Derry and her eight siblings live in an isolated house by the lake, separated from the rest of the world by an eerie and menacing forest. Frank, the man who raised them after their families abandoned them, says it’s for their own good. After all, the world isn’t safe for people with magic. And Derry feels safe—most of the time.

Until the night her eldest sister disappears. Jane and Derry swore to each other that they’d never go into the forest, not after their last trip ended in blood, but Derry is sure she saw Jane walk into the trees. When another sibling goes missing and Frank’s true colors start to show, feeling safe is no longer an option. Derry will risk anything to protect the family she has left. Even if that means returning to the forest that has started calling to Derry in her missing siblings’ voices.

As Derry spends more time amidst the trees, her magic grows more powerful . . . and so does the darkness inside her, the viciousness she wants to pretend doesn’t exist. But saving her siblings from the forest and from Frank might mean embracing the darkness. And that just might be the most dangerous thing of all. 

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Reader friends, let me tell you - this is one hell of a book.  I've been having trouble not telling everyone exactly what happened because one of the characters is JUST OVERWHELMING.  

I will try my best to keep this review spoiler free. 

The writing is good, it was good enough to help the story flow well and keep me hooked.  The story itself was fantastic - I found the plot worthy of being read. The sisters, their home, their world were all well written and well developed.  The big moments throughout the story were weaved into the smaller day to day things very well.  

I liked all the characters except Frank.  You'll see why if you read the book.  He has a motivation for why he does what he does, but the girls also have a motivation for why they do what they do - and it all evens out in the end.  Each of the girls was well written and well developed, and had their own personalities, their own things that made them who they are, their own reason for being, and their own powers that really drove home who they are as "alchemists."  (Franks word.  The girls later reclaim the word witch, and that really suits them.) 

The way this book shows that each girl has their own power is awesome - with the flowers, and the FLOWERS (You'll see.  Derry is amazing.) The flowers glow when each girl is tested on their abilities, and that helps Frank learn things, which weaves together everything else that happens in this book to Frank and to the girls. Each thing we see, from the flowers, to the hidden trail, to the deep dive into Franks private room, all weave more detail into this book and help us learn so much about what has happened and what will happen. 

The forest being written as this almost living breathing thing in the book was great.  The forest was its own character that felt so alive, and that really helped the girls in the end.  That added more dimension again because it was such an integral part of everything that happened in this story - without the forest and what it can do there is no story and no past for the characters. 

Basically, I found the whole book a little shocking, and wholly amazing. 

If you have not read this book yet and like horror fantasy, I highly recommend reading this book as soon as you can. And then coming back here and telling me what you thought about it.  

If you've already read it, drop some thoughts about it in the comments! 

The Comfort of Reading

 

Hi Friends.

There's always so much going on in the world.  People are dying, warring, fighting, and it feels like things are not getting better sometimes. There are many things we should keep up with in the world, but at the same time, we need to take a break.  We need to refresh ourselves through whatever works for us. For me, and for most of you reading this post, there is a deep comfort in reading. 

You can pick up your hardcover or paperback and feel the cover in your hands.  You can flip the pages and feel that fond feeling you get when touching a book. Or, if you're like me, you can pick up a kindle and read books that way as well. Turn it on, open whatever book you want, and read through it with the press of your finger. 

If you are an audio listener, also like me, you also turn to whatever platform you use for audiobooks. You can pick out a book, and let the narrator take you away while you listen to the words as they surround you. 

It's coming on autumn here in the northern hemisphere, which means it's spooky season. It's cover up under a blanket with a cup of hot coffee or tea and a book season.  I find that to be a comfort personally.  I love the feeling of starting a new story, and finding out where it's going to go.  I love the feeling of laughing out loud at some fabulous rom-com. I love entering a new fantasy world filled with swords, or magic, or dragons, or all three of those things. 

This is what brings me comfort.  I can't remember a time in my life when I didn't feel comforted by words and reading.  As a young kid, I dragged my parents into my bedroom and made them listen to me read when I nailed my first picture book. That was great.  As a middle grade reader I lost myself in The Babysitters Club books.  I devoured book after book after book about the adventures of Mallory, Kristy, and all their friends. 

When I was a teenager I got solidly into the Sweet Valley High books, and also developed a deep love of classics.  I am totally dating myself here, friends. Yes, I was, in fact, a teenager during the 90's.  That's the 1990's.  

Seriously though, I'm grateful for books, and I love that they welcome any and all people. Anyone can pick up a book by Tahira Mafi, or Leigh Bardugo, or the romance likings of Talia Hibbert and Abby Jimenez.  You can pick up any book that sounds appealing to you and read it and find an amazing comfort and feeling of joy in that book. 

As the publishing world changes again, and again, and again, I will simply continue to remember my love of books and the comfort they bring me, and will continue to fight so that all people who want to tell their stories with the world have the chance to do that.

The Feeling of Falling in Love - Mason Deaver

 

Title: The Feeling of Falling in Love 
Author: Mason Deaver 
Format: Hardcover 
Rating: 4.5 Stars 

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From the bestselling author of I Wish You All the Best, comes a new kind of love story, about the bad decisions we sometimes make... and the people who help get us back on the right path.

Perfect for fans of Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston and What If It's Us by Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli.

Just days before spring break, Neil Kearney is set to fly across the country with his childhood friend (and current friend-with-benefits) Josh, to attend his brother's wedding—until Josh tells Neil that he's in love with him and Neil doesn't return the sentiment.

With Josh still attending the wedding, Neil needs to find a new date to bring along. And, almost against his will, roommate Wyatt is drafted.

At first, Wyatt (correctly) thinks Neil is acting like a jerk. But when they get to LA, Wyatt sees a little more of where it's coming from. Slowly, Neil and Wyatt begin to understand one another… and maybe, just maybe, fall in love for the first time…

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This was an absolutely adorable and yet sometimes heartbreaking novel.  I loved everything about it. 

The characters in this book were so so well written, even including Neil's transphobic and homophobic grandparents.  Like, I couldn't stand his grandparents, but yes, they were well written and I believed their characters and wanted to swear at them a lot and kick them in the kneecaps.Wyatt, Neil, Josh, Michael, Neil's mom - they were all very well written, and very believable.  It was great to see that.  

I loved that Neil went through some really great changes throughout this book, as did Wyatt and Josh.  Neil is a trans boy who has had, um, some sort of issues with the way he treats people.  He's not really kind when we first meet him.  When was at home with his mother he snuck out of the house so many times, and would take the car and get into 18+ clubs where he would just sit and hang out.  His mother got tired of this and sent him to a boarding school in N. Carolina.  Anyway, no more spoilers (I hope) but this is where he met Wyatt and also became, ahem, more than friends with Josh.

It was truly heartwarming to watch Wyatt learn about themselves as well.  Wyatt learns that it's okay to be who you are and they start dipping into learning more about themselves and their gender identity.  The author explores this learning with great care. 

Josh even learns and grows and realizes that yes, he was in love with Neil, but Neil wasn't really the person he was supposed to be with. He learns to look into himself and find out what he really wants in a boyfriend/partner.  

This whole book was also filled with humor and heart.  There were so many funny moments, and tropes that will make your little queer (or straight ally) heart very happy. Mason Deaver weaved in so much fun in this book, which is fair because you need fun on a cross country week long trip, amiright?! 

I personally feel like the book can be described fairly well with the following two pics: 

If you have read this book, let me know what you thought of it, and if you haven't GO DO IT NOW!