My Weekly Pull [59] & Can't Wait Wednesday [29]

My Weekly Pull is something I do every Wednesday to show which comics I had pulled for me that week! If you're into comics, or you're looking to start, please join me! If you decide to do your own post, there's a link-up at the bottom. I would love to stop by and check it out!

Firefly #4 by Greg Pak, Dan McDaid, Lee Garbett

Oliver #2 by Gary Whitta, Darick Robertson

West Coast Avengers #8 by Kelly Thompson, Gang Hyuk Lim, Eduard Petrovich

 Mr. and Mrs. X #1-6 TPB Vol 01 Love and Marriage by Kelly Thompson, David López, Oscar Bazaldua

Jacob's comics for the week!

Amazing Spider-Man #16 by Nick Spencer, Ryan Ottley, Cully Hamner

Black Panther vs Deadpool #5 (of 5) by Daniel Kibblesmith, Ricardo Lopez Ortiz, Kyle Baker

Daredevil #2 by Chip Zdarsky, Marco Checchetto, Julian Totino Tedesco

I'm head over heels in love with this Firefly run! Greg Pak knows his stuff, and it really shows in his writing. He cares about the characters, and every issue makes me feel nostaligic. I remember watching the television series for the first time and immediately connecting with the characters and the story. I was crushed when they cancelled the show, so I'm happy to see it's continuing elsewhere. Thank you, Boom! Studios.

I'm on the fence when it comes to Oliver, but West Coast Avengers is still a favorite. The characters are lively and easygoing, and they all have something unique to offer the team. I'm also really enjoying the two Hawkeyes! 

I didn't start reading Mr. and Mrs. X when it was first released (even though I love Rogue and Gambit), because I wasn't sure if it would be a good fit (we were also trying to narrow down our pull list). However, I started second-guessing myself every time there was new issue (roughly once a month). Well, the trade paperback (TPB) comes out today (containing the first six issues of the series), so I decided to snag a copy and see what happens. It's written by Kelly Thompson (All-New Hawkeye, West Coast Avengers, Rogue & Gambit), so the odds are good.

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, that highlights upcoming releases that we're anticipating and excited to read. It's a spinoff of the feature Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

The Girl the Sea Gave Back

by Adrienne Young

Expected publication: September 3rd 2019

Synopsis (via Goodreads): The new gut-wrenching epic from the New York Times bestselling author of Sky in the Deep.

For as long as she can remember, Tova has lived among the Svell, the people who found her washed ashore as a child and use her for her gift as a Truthtongue. Her own home and clan are long-faded memories, but the sacred symbols and staves inked over every inch of her skin mark her as one who can cast the rune stones and see into the future. She has found a fragile place among those who fear her, but when two clans to the east bury their age-old blood feud and join together as one, her world is dangerously close to collapse.

For the first time in generations, the leaders of the Svell are divided. Should they maintain peace or go to war with the allied clans to protect their newfound power? And when their chieftain looks to Tova to cast the stones, she sets into motion a series of events that will not only change the landscape of the mainland forever but will give her something she believed she could never have again—a home.

I really enjoyed Sky in the Deep, so I was thrilled when I discovered The Girl the Sea Gave Back was going to be a companion novel. Apparently, it's supposed to follow Halvard (a character from the first book) ten years later. And I am loving the cover for this!

*Share your My Weekly Pull post! Please leave the direct link to your My Weekly Pull post and not just your blog's URL. Thank you for participating and happy reading!

Sunkissed Days (Magnolia Sound, #0.5) by Samantha Chase [Blog Tour: Review + Excerpt]

Hello! Welcome to the next stop on the Sunkissed Days blog tour hosted by InkSlinger PR. I'm really happy to share my thoughts on this book with you! Sunkissed Days, the prequel in the all-new Magnolia Sound series by Samantha Chase, is available now!

Title: SUNKISSED DAYS
Author: Samantha Chase
Series: Magnolia Sound, #0.5
Release Date: February 26, 2019
Find it on: Goodreads, Amazon, Apple, Kobo, Nook, Google Play, Audible

Mallory Westbrook is ready to make her move on Jake Summerford, the boy—now man—she’s been crushing on for years. Coming back to Magnolia Sound to celebrate her great-grandfather’s birthday provides the perfect opportunity to show Jake that she’s no longer a child. 

The last thing Jake expected to do at his mentor’s birthday party was to find himself kissing Mallory under the moonlight. Though he’s known her for years, the thought of kissing her never crossed his mind. But the shy tomboy he once knew is gone, and in her place is a woman he can’t resist. 

They have one summer before they go their separate ways. Insecurity wars with the possibility of a future together, but it could all come to an end before it even has a chance to start. 

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I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Sunkissed Days was a lovely book! I adored all of the characters, especially Pops. He's my new favorite fictional grandpa (and great-grandpa). He's a sweet old man that has lived a very eventful and fulfilling life, and we see how he has impacted the lives of his family and community. Pops also shares a special relationship with his great-granddaughter, Mallory, and the boy next door, Jake. They've both played prominent roles in his life, and he cares about them and their futures. This story really warmed my heart, and made me miss my own grandfather. Zeke (short for Ezekiel and also Pops) was witty and seemed to always know what was going on.

Mallory and Jake have known each other for years, so it wasn't exactly insta-love, but it was close. Jake briefly resisted the attraction, because the four-year age difference had mattered in the past, but quickly succumbed to his emotions and desires (not that Mallory made it easy for him). Mallory has had a crush on Jake for years, and now she's finally old enough to do something about it. I appreciated her boldness and honesty, and really enjoyed the two of them together. They respected one another, and their interactions were sweet and frequently steamy. It was nice watching the two develop their friendship in addition to their romance.

Everything was going really well for Jake and Mallory at the beginning, so I expected them to hit a snag eventually. Unfortunately, I disliked that this particular roadblock could have been solved with more communication. A lack of communication and conversation always bugs me, especially when they've been really open and honest throughout the rest of the book. They shared their secrets, fears, and desires, but when a misunderstanding happens they just don't talk about it. It was heartbreaking, but avoidable. Also, Jake took stubborn to an entirely new level. I really wish he had accepted Pops' help from the start and avoided a slew of other problems, but his pride prevented him from accepting a kind gesture.

There were also a few inconsistencies, but that's likely my review copy and things have been changed since I received it. Mallory would be out on the deck, but then sit down on her bed. At the beginning, Sam pushed the final chair up to the table, but a few sentences later Jake added the last chair -- stuff like that. It's like an itch my brain cannot scratch, so I thought it was worth mentioning. 

I was also really curious about Sam! He's Mallory's twin (and I'm weirdly obsessed with books about twins) and seemed really nervous and on edge for most of the book. Clearly something was going on, and I was anxious to find out what it was. I enjoyed the subtle side-stories that surrounded Mallory and Jake. The entire family was fun and felt authentic!

Sunkissed Days was a wonderful prequel to a series I'm really excited to read! The ending was a little hard to choke down, but I understand it's setting up the next book. If Remind Me is anything like this one (minus the painful ending), I'll be a very happy camper.

Mini Reviews [25]

The Artic Incident (Artemis Fowl, #2)

by Eoin Colfer

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Artemis Fowl wants to find his father, held hostage in Russia; Holly Short wants to find who’s supplying the goblins with human technology; Foaly wants to find out who’s disabled all the LEP Technology and pointed the finger at him. Artemis has received a ransom demand for his father but is captured by the LEP who suspect him of supplying the goblins with dangerous Human technology (batteries). He convinces them he’s innocent and agrees to help them if they help him free his father.

Meanwhile, down in the underground world, chaos has arisen. An unknown traitor has stolen forbidden weapons and armed a horde of trolls, setting them loose to wreak havoc on the citizens. Clues lead Captain Holly Short straight to Artemis, and she exacts a small bit of revenge by kidnapping him, just as he once kidnapped her. But soon she learns that Artemis isn’t behind the chaos, and if she’s to have any hope of stopping it, she will need his help. As a result, these onetime adversaries must now join forces—a mix that proves to be both charming and volatile.

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I enjoyed The Artic Incident more than Artemis Fowl, because Artemis and Holly work together in this one (and I think for the duration of the series). It's more fun watching these two as a team, as opposed to villain and victim. Artemis and his bodyguard (Butler) had a tenuous relationship with the Folk going into this one, but now they are forever bonded. Also, Mulch has to be one of my all-time favorite characters. He's a kleptomaniac dwarf with a butt flap, which is enough on its own to make him interesting.

There were a lot more goblins in The Artic Incident, and my son would giggle whenever it mentioned one of them licking their eyeballs (so gross, I know). Foaly is clever, sarcastic and funny. I think this book did amazing things for his oversized ego, and Root is simply amazing. I love his fungus cigars and quick temper, and his heart is always in the right place. If you're looking for a series to read with your kiddos (or even to recommend to them), this one is fun and enjoyable!

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The Magic Order #6 (of 6) by Mark Millar,

Olivier Coipel (Illustrator)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): This explosive miniseries climax is a high-octane magical battle of good versus evil, as the remaining Magic Order wizards make a last stand against Madame Albany and the forces of darkness. Family bonds are tested, blood is spilled, and black magic threatens life as we know it.

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This was the final issue in the The Magic Order series, and it did not disappoint! I'm starting to really appreciate Mark Millar's writing and the way he tells a story. 

I thought the overall series wrapped up nicely, although there is definitely room for more. It's one of the darker comics I've read (gory and violent), so beware if that's not your thing. Typically, it's not mine either, but the story was really engaging and interesting. I have no regrets! 

The Magic Order primarily focuses on family and shows how complicated and messy those relationships can be. 

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 Magic Slays, Gunmetal Magic, and Magic Rises (Kate Daniels, #5, 5.5, 6) by Ilona Andrews
Narrated by Renee Raudman (sooo good!)

Find the synopsis for Magic Slays here.
Find the synopsis for Gunmetal Magic here.
Find the synopsis for Magic Rises here.

I'm reviewing these three simultaneously, because I'm flying through this series! Additionally, I don't like to say very much about the books that fall in the middle. I'm too worried I'll spoil something that happened previously! However, I feel like something needs to be said, because I am really loving all of the Kate Daniels books. Even Gunmetal Magic, a book from Andrea's perspective, was amazing. I'm so happy they decided to write a book from her point of view!

It's hard to choose a favorite character, because I honestly love them all! Kate's fierce determination, Curran's unwavering presence, Andrea's sweet southern accent (only when she wants something), Roman's hilarious "dark" side, everything about Aunt B, Jim's need to be puurrrfect, Doolittle's endless sweet tea and kind heart, Ascanio's antics and enthusiasm, Derek's loyalty and stoicism -- I could go on and on! They are all so uniquely different, and I love learning new things about them as the story progresses (there are other characters I didn't name, but that are equally awesome).

I get a little annoyed with the repeated information, although I know it's for a new reader's benefit. You can pick up any book in this series and enjoy it without having read any of the books before it. A lot of the story would make more sense if read consecutively, and they do somewhat depend on each other, but each book is able to stand on its own (which I love). However, that does mean hearing (since I'm listening to the audiobooks) some of the same information over and over again. Why Derek's face is no longer pretty, for example. He was only in Gunmetal Magic for a few seconds, yet something horrible from his past is explained in great detail for the umpteenth time (I would rather forget it ever happened, to be honest).

Ilona Andrews is an amazing author duo, and I have loved every single thing I've read by them. I recently ordered all of the books in this series, because I wanted physical copies for my shelves. Kate Daniels is that good. Pinky swear! The details are ridiculous and insanely convincing, the fight scenes make me feel anxious, even though rationally I know there are more books, so most of the characters have to be okay. I really like everything about the Pack, including the mating frenzy (some of the tricks that are played are hilarious). Simply put, it's a fantastic series! Read it!

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Oliver #1 by Gary Whitta, 

Darick Robertson (Illustrator)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): In this totally new take on a literary classic, Charles Dickens’ most famous orphan is reimagined as a post-apocalyptic superhero fighting to liberate a war-ravaged England while searching for the truth about his own mysterious origins.

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I really liked the premise for this one, but I'm unsure how I feel about it after just one issue. I know new stories like this require a lot of setup and world-building, which is why I'm willing to give Oliver another chance to win me over. I'm interested, but not entirely convinced it's going to work for me.

Motion (Laws of Physics, #1) by Penny Reid [Blog Tour: Revew + Excerpt + Giveaway]

Hello! Welcome to the next stop on the Motion blog tour hosted by Social Butterfly PR. I'm really happy to share my thoughts on this book with you! Motion, the first in the all-new Laws of Physics Trilogy from Wall Street Journal and New York Times bestselling author Penny Reid, is available now!

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, AppleBooks, Amazon Worldwide, Nook, Kobo, Google Play, Amazon Paperback

One week.
Home alone.
Girl genius.
Unrepentant slacker.
What’s the worst that could happen?

Mona is a smart girl and had everything figured out a long time ago. She had to. She didn’t have a choice. When your parents are uber-celebrities and you graduate from high school at thirteen, finish college at seventeen, and start your PhD program at eighteen, you don’t have time for distractions outside of your foci. Even fun is scheduled. 

Which is why Abram, her brother’s best friend, is such an irritant.

Abram is a talented guy, a supremely gifted musician, and has absolutely nothing figured out, nor does he seem to care. He does what he feels, when he feels, and—in Mona’s opinion—he makes her feel entirely too much.

Laws of Physics is the second trilogy in the Hypothesis series; Laws of Physics parts 1 (MOTION) & 2 (SPACE) end with a cliffhanger.

"The only thing I truly envied men was their ability to grow wizard beards."

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

I want to start this review by saying how much I appreciate the synopsis including information about a cliffhanger. I don't typically like to read books with major cliffhangers, and it was nice to know in advance. It gave me more perspective while I was reading this one.

“Yeah. Gravity can be such a downer.”

Secondly, I adored Mona and her physics jokes! They came so naturally to her, and they were hilarious! I cracked a smile more than once, and was even more amused when Abram seemed to appreciate her sense of humor. Although, his random knowledge of whale sperm and vomit was cause for concern (hah!). Mona is a genius, socially awkward, and still learning what "normal" feels like. I hate that she was so willing to save her sister without first understanding the gravity (see what I did there?) of what she was doing. Lisa and Gabby should have been more honest with her from the start, especially since they wanted her to drop everything and come to Lisa's rescue.

"Funny how the very weaknesses that cripple us in some situations are often the foundation for our greatest achievements."

Also, the letters that kept being brought up... why wouldn't anyone listen to Mona? If Leo had similar problems with his tutor (or whatever they were), why wasn't Lisa more understanding? She seemed unwilling to listen to anything Mona had to say, but was quick to ask her for help. It annoyed me how Lisa used her twin, and offered her no explanations.

Abram was a fascinating individual. I enjoyed his contributions to the story, and thought he was a very complex character. I liked learning more about his past, and was curious whether or not he knew about Mona from the beginning. I constantly questioned his motives, but most of his actions could have been taken either way (playing along with the ruse, or convinced and confused). It was an interesting dynamic. Like Mona said, he was in a position of power (think glorified babysitter), and Mona was pretending to be her twin, which made most of their encounters awkward at best. I couldn't help cheering for these two, despite knowing that everything had to come out eventually.

Motion was my first book by Penny Reid, although I've been meaning to read her books for years. I think I have two of them on my iPad! I'm a little confused how this series is set up, because other reviewers seem to already be familiar with some of the characters. Were they in another series? Regardless, I did enjoy Motion even though I was constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. Pretending to be someone your not, even for the right reasons, never ends well.

My Weekly Pull [58] & Can't Wait Wednesday [28]

My Weekly Pull is something I do every Wednesday to show which comics I had pulled for me that week! If you're into comics, or you're looking to start, please join me! If you decide to do your own post, there's a link-up at the bottom. I would love to stop by and check it out!

 Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #3 by Tom Taylor, Juan Cabal, Andrew Robinson

Miles Morales Spider-Man #3 by Saladin Ahmed, Javi Garron, Marco D'Alfonso

Jacob's comics for the week!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Urban Legends by Gary Carlson, Frank Fosco, Kevin Eastman

Guardians of the Galaxy #2 by Donny Cates, Geoff Shaw, David Marquez

Hulkverines #1 (of 3) by Greg Pak, Ario Anindito, Greg Land

Venom #11 by Donny Cates, Ryan Stegman

I'm really enjoying both of these Spider-Man comics! It's clear Tom Taylor has a knack for Peter Parker, and Saladin Ahmed is perfect for Miles Morales. He's constantly surprising a laugh out of me, and having Miles say things that are both relevant and hilarious. He's just a kid in this comic, and it's nice to see him acting like one. Curfews, school , fighting crime at night -- all normal teenage behaviors. 

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, that highlights upcoming releases that we're anticipating and excited to read. It's a spinoff of the feature Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Repeat by Kylie Scott

Expected publication: April 7th 2019

Synopsis (via Goodreads): From New York Times bestselling author Kylie Scott comes an irresistible new romance.

When a vicious attack leaves 25-year-old Clementine Johns with no memory, she's forced to start over. Now she has to figure out who she was and why she made the choices she did - which includes leaving the supposed love of her life, tattoo artist Ed Larsen, only a month before.

Ed can hardly believe it when his ex shows up at his tattoo parlor with no memory of their past, asking about the breakup that nearly destroyed him. The last thing he needs is more heartache, but he can't seem to let her go again. Should they walk away for good, or does their love deserve a repeat performance?

I l-o-v-e-d Kylie Scott's Stage Dive series, and Repeat sounds like it's going to be just as amazing (and potentially heartbreaking)!

*Share your My Weekly Pull post! Please leave the direct link to your My Weekly Pull post and not just your blog's URL. Thank you for participating and happy reading!