Review of Take Your Medicine by Hannah Carmack

When I saw the novella Take Your Medicine by Hannah Carmack on NetGalley I was drawn to it because it was about a girl that has vasovagal syncope. This is something that hits close to home for me because my younger sister suffered from vasovagal syncope. I am also a huge fan of gothic literature and Alice in Wonderland so what is there not to like.

Here is a short blurb about the book:

Alice “Al” Liddell is from Echola, Alabama. She leads the life of a normal teen until the day she’s diagnosed with vasovagal syncope – a fainting disorder which causes her to lose consciousness whenever she feels emotions too strongly.

Her mother, the “Queen of Hearts,” is the best cardiothoracic surgeon this side of the Mason-Dixon Line and a bit of a local hero. Yet, even with all her skill she is unable to cure her daughter of her ailment, leading Al into the world of backwater witchcraft.

Along the way she meets a wacky cast of characters and learns to accept her new normal.

Take Your Medicine is a southern gothic retelling of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

This book took me a little while to get into but once I got into it I was hooked. I really liked the relationship between the names of the characters and Alice in Wonderland characters. One of my favorite characters was Rabbit. I could really relate to her. Her being anxious about dancing and socializing was very relatable.

I also like the relationship between Al and Rabbit. It felt really natural. That first love type of relationship. I thought that it was very authentic that Al didn’t know how to react to their first kiss. She was just discovering her attraction. I wish there was more to this book.

 

The only problem that I had with the book was Al and her mother’s relationship. It seemed really smothering. Like Al was not allowed to have a life of her own outside of her life with her mother. It seemed that because Al was sick her mother didn’t want her to do anything other than staying home, study, and mind the garden.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Alice in Wonderland. As well as anyone who likes YA novels.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

You can purchase a copy of Take Your Medicine by clicking here.

 

 

 

 

 

Review of Crossing the Wide Forever By Missouri Vaun

Most people know I love a good historical fiction novel especially set in the developing American frontier. So, when I saw that Crossing the Wide Forever by Missouri Vaun on NetGalley I jumped at the chance to read it. I was not disappointed.

 

Here is a short blurb about the book:

Cody Walsh leaves Arkansas for California. Lured by stories of opportunity, even for women, Cody disguises herself as a man and prepares for the arduous journey west. 

Lillie Ellis leaves New York to accept a post as a schoolteacher on the frontier near a small homestead she just inherited from her uncle. Lillie’s ultimate desire is to become a painter, and she hopes the Kansas frontier will offer her the freedom to follow that dream. In the nineteenth-century, a young woman has few options in the East that don’t revolve around marriage and motherhood. Lillie is interested in neither.

Cody rescues Lillie after a chance encounter in Independence, Missouri. Their destinies and desires become entwined as they face the perils of the untamed West. Despite their differences, they discover that love’s uncharted frontier is not for the weak in spirit or the faint of heart.

 

I really enjoyed this book. I liked how it was from the point of view of both Cody and Lillie. When they had conflicts, you could understand them from both of their points of view which made the characters very relatable. I also thought their romance was sweet. It seemed to develop naturally and not be forced like in a lot of lesbian fiction. The story also kept me on the edge of my seat. The ending was amazing one of the best ending I have ever read. I also appreciated that Cody was portrayed as butch. The only problem I had with the story was sometimes phrases were used that took me out of the period setting. But that was only in the first portion of the book.

 

If you like historical romance novels I would highly recommend this book. Also, if you like strong butch women this is a great book for you.

You can purchase a copy of Crossing The Wide Forever by clicking here.

 

 

A big thanks to Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review Crossing the Wide Forever.

 

 

 

Review of Under Parr by Andrea Bramhall

Mystery novels have always been a favorite of mine and I have never seen a lesfic mystery novel before. So, when I saw Under Parr by Andrea Bramhall listed on NetGalley it seemed like a perfect mixture of lesbian fiction and mystery. I couldn’t wait to get started.

 

Here is a short blurb about the book:

 

December 5th, 2013 left its mark on the North Norfolk Coast in more ways than one. A tidal surge and storm swept millennia-old cliff faces into the sea and flooded homes and businesses up and down the coast. It also buried a secret in the WWII bunker hiding under the golf course at Brancaster. A secret kept for years, until it falls squarely into the lap of Detective Sergeant Kate Brannon and her fellow officers.

 

A skeleton, deep inside the bunker.

 

How did it get there? Who was he…or she? How did the stranger die—in a tragic accident or something more sinister?

 

Well, that’s Kate’s job to find out.

 

When I started reading this book I didn’t realize it was part of a series. It is a little hard to pick up on if you didn’t read the first book. But my terrible start aside I really enjoyed this book. I was sucked in during the prolog and knew that even though I didn’t read the first book I needed to know what happened to the man in the bunker.

 

The mystery aspect of the novel was great with two different mysteries happening at the same time. I also enjoyed the romance Between Detective Kate and Gina. I thought they relationship was sweet and understanding. Especially given everything that Gina has been through. I’m very curious to the cliff hanger at the end involving Gina. I’m really hoping there is going to be a third novel.

I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery. It was the perfect mix of mystery and romance.

 

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

 

If you would like to read this book if can be found at Amazon.

Review of Wish on the Water by Eve Francis

When I first saw Wish on the Water by Eve Francis I thought it sounded interesting. There are not many books that focus on genderqueer relationships and it was nice to see this type of diversity in a romance novel.

Here is a short blurb about the book:

When Whitney finds a pair of bright pink rain boots for her daughter Cayleigh, she thinks nothing of it–until the rain boots turn Cayleigh into a greedy monster who wants everything at once. Tired and frustrated one morning, Whitney runs into Chantal at a nail salon. When Chantal magically calms down Cayleigh, Whitney starts to crush hard in spite of her busy schedule and Chantal’s eight month pregnancy.

 Chantal Mackenzie considers her pregnancy to be the stuff of legends. Not only does the baby not have a father, but Chantal doesn’t consider herself a mother. After years of gender confusion, Chantal finally believes she’s found the right label of genderqueer for her body and her feelings about it. Upcoming parenthood and her growing attraction to Whitney are both exciting–but also complicating as Chantal struggles to find the perfect term for her as a parent and ways of living in an aggressively gendered world.

 A pair of neon flip-flops that seem to make Chantal ravenous, along with her increasingly vivid dreams about being a sorcerer, also make the last few weeks of her pregnancy memorable. As the due date draws closer, Chantal and Whitney’s relationship heats up, and the two start to feel as cursed as they do cosmic.

 I wanted to like this book more than I did. I just couldn’t get into the relationship between Whitney and Chantel. They had no depth to their relationship. Everything went perfectly for them and moved so quickly. While I am not a huge fan of angst in romance novels there does need to be some turmoil which brings the couple closer together, which I feel this book was lacking.

Even though I didn’t like the relationship aspect of the novel I did enjoy Chantel’s pregnancy. I thought it was interesting to see their view of pregnancy. I like how Chantel experienced pregnancy on their own terms and stood up for what they wanted. I have never seen this type of take on pregnancy before and it drew me into the novel.

While I wasn’t wooed by the relationship aspect of the book. I would still recommend it to anyone who is interested looking for a lighthearted read.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

If you would like to read this book if can be found at Amazon.

Review of We(l)come Back Vol. 1 by Christopher Sebela

I am ashamed to admit it but I have never really read a graphic novel before. So, when I saw We(l)come Back Vol. 1 by Christopher Sebela I was intrigued.

 

Here is a short blurb from Amazon:

Mali and Tessa have lived hundreds of different lives throughout time, caught up in an eternal cycle as they take part in a war so old that neither side remembers what they’re fighting for anymore. As Mali wakes up in her newest life, she suddenly becomes self-aware and starts to question everything, especially why she continues to fight.  But elsewhere, Tessa is already on the hunt…

 

Critically-acclaimed series, Welcome Back is a break-neck thriller of reincarnated assassins forever fighting, killing, and loving each other, by Eisner Award-nominated writer Christopher Sebela (Dead Letters, High Crimes) and artists Jonathan Brandon Sawyer (Critical Hit) and Claire Roe. Collects issues #1-4.

 

I could not put this book down once I started. I loved the artwork and the coloring. It was beautiful. The story was very intriguing and it kept me turning pages. I love the premise of their forbidden love during a never-ending war. I also a sucker for big dopey dogs and this book has a cute lab as one of the characters.

 

The only thing I didn’t like about the book was the shift from one drawing style to another. It took me a little while to realize it was the same girl that was talking just drawn differently.

 

I would recommend this novel to anyone who likes graphic novels. There are not that many graphic novels with lesbian characters so that make this book unique. If you’re looking for a classic romance this is not the book for you. But, there is a love story intertwined into the bloody war.

 

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

 

If you would like to read this book if can be found at Amazon.

Review of In Ageless Sleep by Arden Ellis

Normally I am not a huge fan of sci-fi type books. But I was presently shocked by In Ageless Sleep by Arden Ellis.

 

Here is a little blurb if you are interested:

Mal is a spy, a misanthrope, and a coward; growing up in the brutal Reaches has taught her that honor is a quality best left to the dead. Her latest mission: to hijack a cryo-ship carrying the brilliant daughter of the Sovereign King, and deliver her straight into enemy hands.

 

But when a vital component of the ship’s cryostasis system malfunctions, the only person who can keep the unconscious passengers alive is the woman Mal was sent to kidnap. Alone together on a ship of silent sleepers, Mal must remember that she and Aurora are enemies—or risk them becoming something much more dangerous.

 

I went into this book think that it wasn’t really for me but I couldn’t have been more wrong. I like how it blended traditional fairy tale with modern sci-fi. It was a quick read of about 52 pages. But the author was able to make the characters come to life for me. I particularly liked the character Mal. She was just the right amount of snarky and flawed for my tastes.

 

My only problem with the book is a wish it was longer. I picked it up thinking it was a full-length novel. I feel like more could have been added to develop the characters and their relationship. But the ending leaves it open to a possible sequel. Fingers crossed.

 

I would recommend this book to anyone who is in the mood for a short light-hearted jaunt through space.

 

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

 

If you would like to read this book if can be found at Amazon.