Bookish Corner

#UltimateBlogTour #TheWriteReads “Catalyst” by Tracy Richardson

“I feel a little like I’m stepping off a cliff into the unknown, but if I don’t move forward, I know I’ll regret it.”

– Tracy Richardson, “Catalyst”

Hi!!! Yes, I’m alive!! I know I haven’t been posting for the last couple of months, but I have been drowning in written assignments and exams. Coronavirus has definitely made my last semester of college 100% more difficult.

I’m slowly coming back to the book community, so please be a little more patient.

Today, I bring you my first ever #BlogTour! Thank you TheWriteReads for organizing this amazing #BlogTour and for letting me participate. I’ll be reviewing “Catalyst” by Tracy Richardson. I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Goodreads Synopsis:

“Marcie is spending her summer working on the archeological dig that her mother runs: Angel Mounds, a site of an ancient indigenous civilization. Soon after she arrives, she meet some intriguing individuals, and becomes wrapped up in a supernaturally-charged mission to save the planet from the destruction man has brought upon itself.

Marcie Horton has a sixth sense. Not in the “I see dead people” way, but . . . well, maybe a little. She feels a sort of knowing about certain things that can’t be explained-an intuition that goes beyond the normal. Then there was that one summer four years ago, when she connected with a long-departed spirit . . . But nothing that incredible has happened to Marcie since.
This summer, Marcie is spending time working at Angel Mounds, the archeological dig her mother heads, along with her brother, Eric, and his girlfriend, Renee. The dig is the site of an ancient indigenous civilization, and things immediately shift into the paranormal when Marcie and her teammates meet Lorraine and Zeke. The two mysterious dig assistants reveal their abilities to access the Universal Energy Field with their minds-something Marcie knows only vaguely that her brother has also had experience with. Marcie learns how our planet will disintegrate if action is not taken, and she and her team must decide if they are brave enough to help Lorraine and Zeke in their plan to save Mother Earth, her resources, and her history. It looks like the summer just got a lot more interesting.”

My Review:

I’m not usually a person who reads a lot of Sci-Fi, however, “Catalyst” by Tracy Richardson was a very interesting and enlightening story. It provided an insight into so many different things like archaeology, the protection of the environment, etc. I have always been fascinated with archaeology and being able to learn more about our past and other cultures. I think it was one of my favorite things from this book.

Marcie is the main character in the book and the story is told from her point of view. She has a “sixth sense” or how the blurb describes it: “an intuition that goes beyond the normal”. The setting for this book is on an archaeological site which was very fascinating. I really enjoyed getting to know more about the topic and all the techniques that are commonly used.

Fracking was a big thing in this book. I really liked the aspect of learning about fracking and how it is dangerous and it affects Mother Nature. It was very compelling to read how Marcie and her friends were so passionate about saving the planet.

On the other hand, even though I often enjoy romance, I felt it was a little bit rushed. I would have liked to see the characters slowly falling for each other, building up their feelings.

There were points on the book where I felt there was a lot of information and it was kind of distracting me from the plot and the characters. However, I understand that it is important and often necessary to add information so the reader understands what is going on.

Overall, this was a very unique story. There were some things I loved and others that I would have changed. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about protecting the environment and the field of archaeology.

My Rating: 3 stars

About The Author:

TRACY RICHARDSON wasn’t always a writer, but she was always a reader. Her favorite book
growing up was A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. In a weird way that book has even shaped
her life through odd synchronicities. She has a
degree in biology like Mrs. Murry, and, without
realizing it, she named her children Alex and Katie
after Meg’s parents.
Tracy uses her science background in her writing
through her emphasis on environmental issues,
metaphysics, and science fiction. When she’s not
writing, you’ll find her doing any number of creative
activities — painting furniture, knitting sweaters, or
cooking something. She lives in Indianapolis, and,
in case you’re wondering, yes, she’s been to the
Indianapolis 500.

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Bookish Corner

“A Curse So Dark And Lonely” by Brigid Kemmerer

“I am always surprised to discover that when the world seems darkest, there exists the greatest opportunity for light.”

― Brigid Kemmerer, “A Curse So Dark and Lonely”

I have heard so much about this book. I wanted to read it when it came out in 2019 but for some reason I always put it off. Last week I decided it was time to read it and I completely devoured it.

Wow! Just Wow! This retelling of “Beauty and the Beast” was nothing like what I expected. I loved the diversity of the characters and the representation of Cerebral Palsy. The author was able to craft an amazing story full of action-packed moments.

I loved the romance between Rhen and Harper. I really enjoyed their progress and how it was not love at first sight. It gave the reader a chance to really get to know the characters.

Harper’s character was fantastically written. I liked the fact that she was not a damsel in distress and she could take matters into her own hands.

The romance was not the main focus of the novel, but I loved the playful banter between Rhen and Harper. To be honest, the ending was not what I expected romance-wise but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I definitely wanted more! Still, I understand the author needs to end the book in a certain way for the next installment.

The plot was really well thought out. I was caught by surprise multiple times and that ending was truly amazing!

I’m not gonna lie, I already started reading the second book “A Heart So Fierce And Broken” and I’m a little scared. I don’t like to know too much about a book before reading it, but I know this one is a little different from the first. If you have read the first book and already started the second one, you’ll understand what I mean.

Anyways, I’m sure I have nothing to worry about. I loved the first book and will love the second too. I’m here for the long run!

Let me know in the comments if you have read “A Curse So Dark And Lonely” or if you are planning to read it. What were your thoughts on it?

My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Bookish Corner

Mini-Review: “Waiting for Tom Hanks” by Kerry Winfrey

My Tom Hanks is out there, and I’m not going to settle until I find him.”

– Kerry Winfrey, “Waiting for Tom Hanks”

I read this book a while ago, but for some reason, I never wrote a review. Which makes no sense since I loved it with all my heart ❤️

This book is so cheesy and cute. I think I was smiling from page 1 to 259. It made me imagine what it would be like if my life would suddenly become a romantic comedy *sighs*

This book may not have all the ingredients for an extraordinary plot, but at the time it was my perfect read. “Waiting for Tom Hanks” is so much fun and by the time you are finished with it, you’ll want to watch all the rom-coms. Especially the ones featuring Tom Hanks.

Annie Cassidy is the main character and I love how her dating expectations come from endlessly watching romantic comedies. I totally understand her! That’s exactly me, but with books. She meets this hot actor and… I’ll stop there, I’m sure you don’t want any spoilers.

If you are in the mood for a cute and extremely romantic story, this is the book for you! I definitely recommend it!

My Rating: 4/5 stars.

Bookish Corner

“Poems to See By: A Comic Artist Interprets Great Poetry” by Julian Peters

Release Date: March 31st, 2020

Thank you NetGalley, Plough Publishing House, and Julian Peters for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

“Poems to See By: A Comic Artist Interprets Great Poetry” takes 24 classic poems written by well-known authors and turns them into a powerful visual interpretation. I truly loved the illustrations and they made me appreciate the meaning of each poem. It’s not every day that we get the chance to experience something so unique and special. Julian Peters did a wonderful job bringing every poem to life. He gave each reader an opportunity to revisit classical works with themes that can be applied to our everyday lives.

Without giving any spoilers, I would say that my favorite illustration was the one accompanying the poem by Emily Dickinson. I truly felt all the emotions and my imagination was left wondering.

This is a fantastic book and I recommend it to anyone who loves poetry or who wants to experience poetry from the point of view of a visual learner.

#PoemstoSeeBy #NetGalley

My Rating: 5/5 stars.

Bookish Corner

“Serpent & Dove” by Shelby Mahurin

“I was no one’s sacrifice. Not then. Not now. Not ever.”

– Shelby Mahurin, “Serpent & Dove”

Lately, I feel like I have been blessed by the book gods since I’m truly loving everything I read. This magical book was not an exception.

From the very beginning, I fell in love with the plot, the characters, the world and the romance *sighs* Oh I had a lot of fun with this book.

The two main characters are introduced as Louise, a witch who ran away from her coven, and Reid, a witch hunter. They are forced to marry each other, even though for reasons I won’t mention, they hate each other with a passion of a burning sun. In addition, Reid doesn’t know he just married a witch, making the situation even more exciting. Louise and Reid have the perfect love/hate relationship.

I love how Louise is not afraid to follow her instincts and fight for what she believes. I truly admire her courage and strength of character. I enjoyed how Louise is always behaving how she wants and doesn’t let anyone control her or tell her what to do.

The author did an amazing job with the storyline. This book didn’t feel like it was 500+ pages because I was hooked from page 1. The suspense was definitely key, and the ending was extraordinary, I can’t wait for the sequel.

My Rating: 5/5 stars.

Bookish Corner

“Sorcery of Thorns” by Margaret Rogerson

“Knowledge always has the potential to be dangerous. It is a more powerful weapon than any sword or spell”

– Margaret Rogerson, “Sorcery of Thorns”

I don’t even know what to say. This book made me fall in love with reading, once again. I felt like I was there fighting alongside Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas.

I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but I would say that this book was made for every lover of libraries and books. If you are anything like me, you usually find comfort within the pages of a book, and this one is all about books. What more can I say!

Even though the story focuses more on each character and the plot than on the romance itself, there were times where I wanted a little more time for Elisabeth and Nathaniel. Nevertheless, they were amazing together and Nathaniel’s snarky comments made me enjoy their relationship even more.

Silas was definitely my favorite character. His cool demeanor has an air of mystery to it. I love how he is always so calm and a true gentleman with a heart of gold. I would have definitely loved to learn a little more about him.

Margaret Rogerson did an amazing job crafting a world that will leave you captivated and wanting more. Each character is amazing and special in its own way. This story will transport you to beautiful libraries and daring adventures. You will love, suffer and hate with all your heart.

My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Bookish Corner

“The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic” by Leigh Bardugo

“Love speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns.”

– Leigh Bardugo, “The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic”

This book was AH-MAZING!

It was the first book I read from Leigh Bardugo and it left me wanting more!

The writing is exquisite and it allowed me to travel to fantastical lands and fascinating worlds without leaving the comfort of my own home.

These short stories are dark, twisted and magical. I devoured the book from the moment I got it in my hands and couldn’t put it down until the last page. I truly loved everything about it, every little detail. Also, don’t even get me started on the illustrations, they were BEAUTIFUL.

If I had to make the difficult decision of choosing the one thing that made me LOVE this book, I would say is the feeling you get when you are reading every story: that “on the edge of your seat” feeling. You don’t know what’s going to happen next but you do know that it will be mind-blowing and completely unexpected.

This book goes for any fan of amazingly written short stories, especially if you like fairy tales and love to be surprised at every turn of the page.

My Rating: 5/5 stars