Alexandr by Chris DeBrie – Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

September 4, 2024 By 5 Comments

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Alexandr is a professional hitman with one client. His recent marriage to a childhood friend has him ready for retirement. But he doesn’t yet realize that his final target is different than all the rest. Follow Alex into a version of Earth which includes superhumans, witches, and otherworldly beings. DeBrie brings you dozens of characters and situations, seemingly all on the same course to destruction.

About the Author:DeBrie has published more than fifteen comic books and novels, including the mystery “Cap’n Random”. He has produced music for rockers and hip hoppers, coached youth basketball, hoards a special Swedish meatball recipe, and tutors elementary school students. Call him a multihyphenate, or a jack of all trades, master of none… your choice. Find us on socials by typing “With Lurv” into your browser.

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Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Mystery/Suspense Tagged With: , , , ,

Heartstopper, Vol 2 by Alice Oseman

April 7, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Heartstopper, Vol 2 by Alice Oseman
Publisher: Graphix
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Ages 14+, LGBTQ, Romance
Rating 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Nick and Charlie are best friends, but one spontaneous kiss has changed everything. In the aftermath, Charlie thinks that he’s made a horrible mistake and ruined his friendship with Nick, but Nick is more confused than ever. Love works in surprising ways, and Nick comes to see the world from a new perspective. He discovers all sorts of things about his friends, his family… and himself.

The boys are back and trying to navigate this thing called life. The thing called love.

I’m in love with this series because Nick and Charlie are so realistic. I see and feel the struggles in them. I understand where they’re coming from and why they react the way they do. Why? Because yes, it’s shown in the pictures – it’s a graphic novel – but also the heartfelt way the author conveys these things. I’m right there with Nick and Charlie. It’s refreshing.

It’s also a good story for young people who are trying to sort out how they feel – all across the spectrum. We’re all human and we get shy. We make mistakes. This book shows that. I liked that this one, in particular, really spotlighted Nick and his struggles with understanding he’s bisexual. It’s a real struggle that’s hard to deal with if you’re feeling alone and confused.

If you like a sweet romance, a sweet LGBTQ one with two young men navigating the world with the changes in their lives, then this might be the one for you.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Heartstopper, Vol 4 by Alice Oseman

March 15, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Heartstopper, Vol 4 by Alice Oseman
Publisher: Graphix
Genre: YA (Ages 16+), Contemporary, LGBTQ, Romance, Graphic Novel
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Charlie and Nick’s relationship has been going really well, and Charlie thinks he’s ready to say those three little words: I love you.

Nick feels the same way, but he’s got a lot on his mind — especially the thought of coming out to his dad and the fact that Charlie might have an eating disorder.

As a new school year begins, Charlie and Nick will have to learn what love really means.

Two young men navigating the world of love one mile at a time.

I hate when I pick up a book part way through the series. I do. But I’m apt to do it because I tend to discover series after they’re started. That’s the case with this book. I started the series at the end, then bounced to the beginning and am back near the end again. Sounds confusing? It’s not. This book flew by, and I wasn’t lost at all. It was like picking up the journal of good friends. It was like seeing those good friends again.

I love Nick and Charlie. They’re a good pair. They’re also relatable. They show what it’s like for LGBTQ kids to come out, to be bullied, to have anxieties and how sometimes dealing with them isn’t easy. They show there is hope, too. If you’ve got a support system, you can get through it. I loved that Nick and Charlie are that for each other, but they’ve also got their families, friends and lots of other people. It’s cute to see them get together and fumble through life.

If you’re looking for a graphic novel that’s high on romance, anxiety, love and is so cute, then pick this one up. It’s a worthy read.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Heartstopper, Vol 1 by Alice Oseman

March 7, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Heartstopper, Vol 1 by Alice Oseman
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books
Genre: YA (Ages 14-18), Romance, LGBTQ, Graphic Novel, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. An LGBTQ+ graphic novel about life, love, and everything that happens in between – for fans of The Art of Being Normal, Holly Bourne and Love, Simon.

Charlie and Nick are at the same school, but they’ve never met … until one day when they’re made to sit together. They quickly become friends, and soon Charlie is falling hard for Nick, even though he doesn’t think he has a chance.

But love works in surprising ways, and Nick is more interested in Charlie than either of them realised.

Heartstopper is about love, friendship, loyalty and mental illness. It encompasses all the small stories of Nick and Charlie’s lives that together make up something larger, which speaks to all of us.

Two young men, a confusing world and a whole lot of attraction.

I liked this book because it’s easy for teens to understand. I don’t mean it’s an easy read (though it is because it’s a graphic novel and told like a big comic) but because it’s on their level. It doesn’t talk down to them, but rather shows them another dimension of what they’re going through. It’s relatable.

I liked Nick and Charlie. I could tell right away there was more going on than met the eye and I liked how it unfolded. There’s timidness and fear, but also attraction and coming to terms with who one is. It’s wonderful and not shaming. I like that the characters are still afraid to be themselves, but they come into their own around each other and their families are accepting. This is a positive story for teens to read.

I can’t wait for the next volume as this one ended on a cliffhanger. That’s okay. It drew me in to wanting to know more.

If you’re looking for a great teen YA LGBTQ romance, then this is the one for you. Check it out!

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Go With the Flow by Karen Schneemann & Lily Williams

October 5, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Go With the Flow by Karen Schneemann & Lily Williams
Publisher: First Second
Genre: Middle Grade, YA, Contemporary, Graphic Novel
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Good friends help you go with the flow.
Best friends help you start a revolution.

Sophomores Abby, Brit, Christine, and Sasha are fed up. Hazelton High never has enough tampons. Or pads. Or adults who will listen.

Sick of an administration that puts football before female health, the girls confront a world that shrugs―or worse, squirms―at the thought of a menstruation revolution. They band together to make a change. It’s no easy task, especially while grappling with everything from crushes to trig to JV track but they have each other’s backs. That is, until one of the girls goes rogue, testing the limits of their friendship and pushing the friends to question the power of their own voices.

Now they must learn to work together to raise each other up. But how to you stand your ground while raising bloody hell?

A guide to periods, but with friends and not a manual? I’m in.

I wish I’d have had this book when I was the age that I got my period. While I got the cursory explanation at school, this would’ve been a lot more helpful. Periods are normal. They’re something menstruating people deal with. It’s scary when periods show up the first time, but it shouldn’t be. This book helps get rid of the stigma.

Sasha is a younger student at the high school and one day she gets her period. Some make fun of her, but a few girls take her in, help her out and help her feel normal. It’s a common thing that happens at schools all over the place. Abby, one of the friends, realizes there are issues with getting period products at school. There is a bit of a political bend to this story, but it’s not so much to take away from the story. It showcases that there are issues some deal with and others won’t ever understand.

I liked this story of friendship, finding a place to belong, finding a cause and standing up for one’s self. It’s a cute tale and does take the stigma out of getting your period. If you’re looking for another way to talk about this topic, then this might be the right book for you.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Complete Maus: A Survivor’s Tale by Art Spiegelman

September 29, 2022 By 1 Comment


The Complete Maus: A Survivor’s Tale by Art Spiegelman
Publisher: Pantheon
Genre: YA, Graphic Novel, Historical, Ages 16+
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

A brutally moving work of art—widely hailed as the greatest graphic novel ever written—Maus recounts the chilling experiences of the author’s father during the Holocaust, with Jews drawn as wide-eyed mice and Nazis as menacing cats.

Maus is a haunting tale within a tale, weaving the author’s account of his tortured relationship with his aging father into an astonishing retelling of one of history’s most unspeakable tragedies. It is an unforgettable story of survival and a disarming look at the legacy of trauma.

Haunting, sad, but also educational.

I picked up this book because I was told it was a fantastic read. It was. The art is great and depicts the characters as mice, cats, dogs and some pigs. The characters might be animals, but the meaning shines through. The Holocaust was a terrible time in human history and should be dealt with. We should all learn about it so we’re not destined to repeat it.

I cried during this book. I didn’t think a graphic novel would make me so emotional, but I got invested in the characters. I wanted to see them survive. Art Spiegelman’s father is the main character in this book. The story is told through his stories to his son about his time in the war and concentration camps. The emotional fragility, the strength, and the colossal devastation are evident in this character, his situation and his future. It was painfully obvious this man saw stuff and it messed with him.

I wouldn’t recommend this to a younger read, but this is powerful stuff and would be better for an older YA reader. It’s hard to read, emotionally, in spots, but worth the read.

Filed Under: Other, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

White Bird by RJ Palacio

September 27, 2022 By Leave a Comment


White Bird by RJ Palacio
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Genre: Historical, Graphic Novel, YA, Ages 16+
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

In R. J. Palacio’s bestselling collection of stories Auggie & Me, which expands on characters in Wonder, readers were introduced to Julian’s grandmother, Grandmère. Here, Palacio makes her graphic novel debut with Grandmère’s heartrending story: how she, a young Jewish girl, was hidden by a family in a Nazi-occupied French village during World War II; how the boy she and her classmates once shunned became her savior and best friend.

Sara’s harrowing experience movingly demonstrates the power of kindness to change hearts, build bridges, and even save lives. As Grandmère tells Julian, “It always takes courage to be kind, but in those days, such kindness could cost you everything.” With poignant symbolism and gorgeous artwork that brings Sara’s story out of the past and cements it firmly in this moment in history, White Bird is sure to captivate anyone who was moved by the book Wonder or the blockbuster movie adaptation and its message.

Haunting, beautiful and sad.

I picked up this book because I’ve been on a history binge and a graphic novel one, too. I’ve not read any other stories by RJ Palacio, so this was my first. I have to say this was a haunting book. I can’t imagine being in Sara’s place, nor dealing with what she did. I had a hard time staying in my house during the pandemic – I love fresh air – so living for a whole year in a barn is beyond my wheelhouse. Reading about Sara being there for that long made me appreciate my situation much more.

Sara is a Jew living in France, but it’s during World War II and Jews aren’t welcome in France after the collapse. I can’t imagine being her, living in a barn, hiding in the straw, living off scraps and hoping for the end of the war because no one should have to live like that. She lost her mother during the war and even her best friend. It was sad and I was very much emotionally invested.

I liked how her father would swing her around like a bird and that verbiage, along with Julien’s friendship and help, got her through the war. I hated the ending, even if the war did end – I won’t give away spoilers, but when you read it, you’ll see. I knew that would have to happen, but I was hoping it wouldn’t. It tore at my heart and made me think.

If you’re looking for a graphic novel that’s another way to learn about the Holocaust, the travesties of war and the strength of human resolve, then this might be the book for you.

Recommended.

Filed Under: Other, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

April 28, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe
Publisher: Oni Press
Genre: Contemporary, Non-Fiction, Memoir, Graphic Novel
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

In 2014, Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, thought that a comic of reading statistics would be the last autobiographical comic e would ever write. At the time, it was the only thing e felt comfortable with strangers knowing about em. Now, Gender Queer is here. Maia’s intensely cathartic autobiography charts eir journey of self-identity, which includes the mortification and confusion of adolescent crushes, grappling with how to come out to family and society, bonding with friends over erotic gay fanfiction, and facing the trauma and fundamental violation of pap smears.

Started as a way to explain to eir family what it means to be nonbinary and asexual, Gender Queer is more than a personal story: it is a useful and touching guide on gender identity—what it means and how to think about it—for advocates, friends, and humans everywhere.

A touching read that will stay with the reader far after the last page.

I saw this book listed on a banned books list and had to know more. I’m glad I did. This book is touching, sweet, saucy and even has moments that made my heart ache for Maia. The book deals with Maia’s journey to accepting who they are. They were born a female, but always felt male and eventually just wanted to be themselves. This is a journey to finding acceptance with family, society and self.

The art in this book is frank, too. If you ever wondered what it was like to be in Maia’s shoes, then this is a no-holds-barred look. It’s a good way to understand Maia’s journey, too.

I recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with identity, who wants a strong story, who wishes to understand the journey of someone coming to terms with their identity and those who want a good story with great art. Recommended.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,