Book Event at Books & Greetings to Meet Karen M. McManus

Meet & Greet

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING YOUNG ADULT AUTHOR

KAREN M. McMANUS

TUESDAY, JULY 30TH 6:00PM

Link to purchase ticket: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/one-of-us-is-lying-author-karen-m-mcmanus-book-signing-tues-730-6pm-tickets-915371028387

Goodreads Blurb

The newest mystery from the author One of Us Is Lying, the Queen of thrillers, Karen M. McManus! When mother-daughter grifters set out on their final job, the heist gets deadly and dangerously personal.

For all of Kat’s life, it’s just been her and her mother, Jamie—except for the forty-eight hours when Jamie was married and Kat had a stepbrother, Liam. That all ended in an epic divorce, and Kat and Liam haven’t spoken since.

Now Jamie is a jewel thief trying to go straight, but she has one last job—at billionaire Ross Sutherland’s birthday party. And Kat has figured out a way to tag along. What Kat doesn’t know, though, is that there are two surprise guests at the dazzling Sutherland compound that weekend. The last two people she wants to run into. Liam and his father—a serial scammer who has his sights set on Ross Sutherland’s youngest daughter.

Kat and Liam are on a collision course to disaster, and when a Sutherland dies, they realize they might actually be in the killer’s crosshairs themselves. Somehow Kat and Liam are the new targets, and they can’t trust anyone—except each other.

Or can they? Because if there’s one thing both Kat and Liam know, it’s how to lie. They learned from the best.

Review: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Goodreads Blurb

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow-impossible though it seems-they may still be alive. A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

It is a very interesting and weird story all in one. Some of the images were weird but were happy to know that most are original. I really enjoyed this book and loved the plot. It was something new to read and kept me wanting to read more. I was at the edge of my chair at the end of the book. I loved the book because the author added the pictures throughout the book and gave you a chance to make each character come to life. Can’t wait to read the continuation of this series.

Author Biography

Hi, I’m Ransom, and I like to tell stories. Sometimes I tell them with words, sometimes with pictures, often with both. I grew up on a farm on the Eastern shore of Maryland and also in a little house by the beach in Englewood, Florida where I got very tan and swam every day until I became half fish. I started writing stories when I was young, on an old typewriter that jammed and longhand on legal pads. When I was a little older I got a camera for Christmas and became obsessed with photography, and when I was a little older still my friends and I came into possession of a half-broken video camera and began to make our own movies, starring ourselves, using our bedrooms and backyards for sets. I have loved writing stories and taking photographs and making movies ever since, and have endeavored to do all three.

Review: The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

Goodreads Blurb

Jake Livingston is one of the only Black kids at St. Clair Prep, one of the others being his infinitely more popular older brother. It’s hard enough fitting in but to make matters worse and definitely more complicated, Jake can see the dead. In fact he sees the dead around him all the time. Most are harmless. Stuck in their death loops as they relive their deaths over and over again, they don’t interact often with people. But then Jake meets Sawyer. A troubled teen who shot and killed six kids at a local high school last year before taking his own life. Now a powerful, vengeful ghost, he has plans for his afterlife–plans that include Jake. Suddenly, everything Jake knows about ghosts and the rules to life itself go out the window as Sawyer begins haunting him and bodies turn up in his neighborhood. High school soon becomes a survival game–one Jake is not sure he’s going to win.

My Review: Rated 3 out of 5 stars

It is a young adult horror story that involves a teenager who can see ghosts and who becomes a target of the ghost of Sawyer Doon, a student who shot students in his high school. The story mentions topics such as identity, race, racism, and LGBTQIA+. Jake is the only black student at St. Clair Prep. Making friends and feeling accepted at the school is hard for him. The teachers and students make racist comments and treat him differently. I think the author added some significant elements that would spook anyone. He also added some mystery to the book by having Jake try to figure out why he kept seeing Sawyer and what it was he wanted from him. The hatred within Sawyer was not going to win. Jake realized he had people who truly cared about him for who he was. It’s a spooky story that will keep you on edge.

Author Biography

Ryan Douglass is an author from Atlanta, Georgia. He is the author of the New York Times bestselling YA horror novel, The Taking of Jake Livingston, and the poetry book Boy in Jeopardy.

Review: Wires and Nerve by Marissa Meyer

Goodreads Blurb

When rogue packs of wolf-hybrid soldiers threaten the tenuous peace alliance between Earth and Luna, Iko takes it upon herself to hunt down the soldiers’ leader. She is soon working with a handsome royal guard who forces her to question everything she knows about love, loyalty, and her own humanity. With appearances by Cinder and the rest of the Rampion crew, this is a must-have for fans of the series.

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The Lunar Chronicles continue with this fun graphic novel. It is filled with action packs and girl power. All the wonderful characters from the Lunar Chronicles books show up in this series. It is great to see the characters in picture life. The illustrations are superb, and the plot is perfect. The idea of soldiers turned into beasts was great. Revenge for what the evil queen did to them.

Author Biography

Marissa Meyer is the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles, Heartless, The Renegades Trilogy, and Instant Karma, as well as the graphic novel duology Wires and Nerve. She holds a BA in Creative Writing from Pacific Lutheran University and a MA in Publishing from Pace University. In addition to writing, Marissa hosts The Happy Writer podcast. She lives near Tacoma, Washington, with her husband and twin daughters.

Review: How to Keep a Boy From Kissing You by Tara Eglington

Goodreads Blurb

Sweet sixteen and never been kissed – and that’s the way Aurora Skye wants it to be.

She’s too busy finding Potential Princes ™ for her two best friends, counseling her sensitive New Age dad and dealing with the unexpected return of her long-absent mum. But always in the background there’s Hayden Paris, the boy next door, the bane of Aurora’s life. Smart, funny, and always around to see her at her worst, he ‘gets’ her like no-one else … and that’s what makes him so infuriating.

When Aurora and Hayden are coerced into the lead roles in the school production of Much Ado About Nothing, things can only get worse. How is Aurora going to save her first kiss for the secret admirer who wooed her with poetry and a spectacular bunch of flowers on Valentine’s Day if she doesn’t know who he is and she’s obligated to lock lips with Hayden in the play’s final dramatic clinch?

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

This was such a fun story. Felt like I was back in high school dealing with teenage drama. I loved how Aurora was waiting to find the right prince to kiss. Aurora and her friends were so hilarious. I enjoyed how they worked together to hook up with the boys they liked. I also enjoyed the humor that was throughout this book. The chemistry between Aurora and Hayden made this story very fun to read. To really not stand someone but realize that you can’t stand them because you actually like them makes it so romantic. This book was funny and keeps the reader wanting to see what will happen next. Please read and enjoy the humor.

Author Biography

Tara Eglington grew up in Byron Bay, Australia, and now lives in Sydney.

Tara is the author of four Young Adult novels: How to Keep a Boy from Kissing You, How to Convince a Boy to Kiss You (titled Kissing Games in the USA), My Best Friend is a Goddess and The Long Distance Playlist. Her books have been published in Australia, New Zealand, and the USA.

Tara’s third YA novel My Best Friend is a Goddess was a CBCA 2017 Book of the Year: Older Readers Notable. It was also the #7 best-selling YA title by an Australian author for the year July 2016-June 2017 in Australia.

Tara’s hobbies when she’s not writing include watching endless cat videos on YouTube, planning pretend holidays to the Maldives, and daydreaming about who would play Hayden Paris in the film adaption of How to Keep a Boy from Kissing You.

Happy Publication Day: Second Soul by Corwin Michaels

Blurb

Alvar has been plagued by Dreamons since time immemorial. They stalk the night, in the mist between realms, to twist the dreams of mankind into nightmares and feast upon the primal emotions that dwell deep within. Thirty years ago, a desperate battle was fought and barely won, ushering in the first era of peace Alvar has ever known. The cost was high, but peace is worth any price…as long as it’s real.

In a cozy cottage deep in the forests of Delrythia, Callum prepares to leave for the university to study magic and join the Second Souls, men and women who risk their lives to touch the currents of magic. But when he overhears a stranger whisper orders to his parents with an offer of a silver knife, his world is turned upside down and he runs away from home, leaving everything behind.

A strange magic blossoms within him, one that ties him to a secret cult, to walking nightmares, and the Dreamon Realm itself. Callum must learn to trust again and find his own family while coming to terms with the power he wields.

Buy Links

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Review: Clever Creatures of The Night by Samantha Mabry

Goodreads Blurb

WHERE IS DREA?

When Case shows up at the isolated West Texas house where her best friend, Drea, lives with friends from school, Drea is nowhere to be found. Why would she ask Case to visit and then disappear? With twenty-four hours until her ride home, Case intends to find out.

But Drea’s roommates can’t—or won’t—answer any questions. They leave Case to search alone, to find bits and pieces of Drea’s life hidden in and around the house, while they continue playing out a rural utopian fantasy. Their bizarre behavior puts Case on edge, and she’s not the only one. The animals nearby are lashing out, strangely aggressive.

Something bad happened in this house. Something that must be connected to Drea’s disappearance—and if she gets too close to the truth, Case might just be next.

My Review: Rated 2 out of 5 stars

When I received this book from the publisher, the cover captivated me. The mysterious house on the cover felt eerie. Unfortunately, the story did not captivate me one bit. I was hoping to be at the edge of my seat, but all I felt was the temptation to continue reading a story that I wasn’t interested in. I hoped that Chase would find her best friend but that she would have a spooky adventure doing so. The title was fantastic, but I couldn’t connect it with the story. The story started exciting, but the ending and mystery weren’t captivating enough.

Author Biography

samantha was born four days before the death of john lennon. she grew up in dallas, playing bass guitar along to vinyl records in her bedroom after school, writing fan letters to rock stars, doodling song lyrics into notebooks, and reading big, big books.

she spends as much time as possible in the west texas desert.

A FIERCE AND SUBTLE POISON (Algonquin Young Readers, spring 2016) is her first novel.

Review: Mother Nature by Jamie Lee Curtis

Goodreads Blurb

Discover the incredible debut graphic novel from Hollywood horror legend Jamie Lee Curtis, Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actress in the acclaimed movie Everything, Everywhere, All At Once .

Adapted from her script for the Comet Pictures/Blumhouse film Mother Nature by award-winning artist Karl Stevens, witness the terrifying supernatural revenge of Nova Terrel, whose father was mysteriously killed on site of a corrupt oil giant.

After witnessing her engineer father die in mysterious circumstances on one of the Cobalt Corporation’s experimental oil extraction projects, Nova Terrell has grown up to hate the seemingly benevolent company that the town of Catch Creek, New Mexico, relies on for its livelihood and, thanks to the “Mother Nature” project, its clean water.

Haunted by her father’s death, the rebellious Nova wages a campaign of sabotage and vandalism on the oil giant’s facilities and equipment, until one night she accidentally makes a terrifying discovery about the true nature of the “Mother Nature” project and the malevolent, long-dormant horror it has awakened, and that threatens to destroy them all.

My Review: Rated 3 out of 5 stars

The book discussed essential topics, such as climate change and companies’ projects that benefit them rather than the community or the environment. Some of the graphics were unforgettably graphic. The deaths are so graphic that the reader will feel like they are in the story, watching the gruesome death take place. This story had Native American spirits and Nova Terrel looking to destroy the oil company. Nova witnessed the death of her father at the oil company when she was younger. Between the spirits and Nova, they sabotaged everything and took lives trying to fight back. Mother nature will eventually fight back for what is rightfully theirs.

Author Biography

Jamie Lee Curtis is a two-time Golden Globe-winning, BAFTA-winning, and Emmy-nominated American film actress and an author of children’s books. Although she was initially known as a “scream queen” because of her starring roles in many horror films early in her career such as Halloween (1978 film), The Fog, Prom Night (1980 film) and Terror Train, Curtis has since compiled a body of work that covers many genres. She has received an Emmy Award nomination and two Golden Globe Awards. Her 1998 book, Today I Feel Silly, and Other Moods That Make My Day, made the best-seller list in The New York Times. She is married to actor Christopher Guest (Lord Haden-Guest) and, as the wife of a Lord, is titled Lady Haden-Guest, but she chooses not to use the title when in the United States.

Cover Reveal: Sweetheart by Cookie O’Gorman

BOOK DETAILS:

Sweetheart
by Cookie O’Gorman
Publication date: April 25, 2024
Genres: Romance, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Sweetheart (suh-weet-hart): Someone who is kind, friendly, and/or lovable. For reference, see Scarlett Kent.

Seventeen-year-old Scarlett Kent likes the idea of love—in theory. She’s just never had time for romance. Voted Most Likely to Succeed, founder of a youth mentoring program, and an aspiring professional violinist, Scarlett has goals—and a list of “firsts” she’d like to complete before graduation.

One thing that’s not on her list: Falling for Sam Bishop.

Flirtatious jocks who sleep through class aren’t her type—no matter how good Sam looks in his jersey. But when her car breaks down, Sam stops to help…which leads to an unexpected offer.

Sam volunteers to help Scarlett complete her list. In return, she’ll help him win back his ex.

It’s a sweetheart deal that should benefit everyone.

But between kissing lessons and pretend dates, Scarlett realizes Sam is the perfect fake boyfriend. And if she’s not careful, he could be her first real heartbreak.

This book features two souls who’re meant to be, one fake arrangement, so many heart-melting kisses and answers the question:

What happens when a perfectionist falls for a player?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210269980-sweetheart

AUTHOR BIO:

Cookie O’Gorman writes YA & NA romance to give readers a taste of happily-ever-after. Small towns, quirky characters, and the awkward yet beautiful moments in life make up her books. Cookie also has a soft spot for nerds and ninjas. Her novels ADORKABLE, NINJA GIRL, The Unbelievable, Inconceivable, Unforeseeable Truth About Ethan Wilder, The Good Girl’s Guide to Being Bad, WALLFLOWER, CUPCAKE, and FAUXMANCE are out now! She is also the author of NA sports romances, The Best Mistake, The Perfect Play, and The Sweetest Game.

Author links:
http://cookieogorman.com/
https://twitter.com/CookieOwrites
https://www.facebook.com/cookieogorman
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cookie-o-gorman
https://www.instagram.com/cookieogorman/
https://mailchi.mp/bdb1d9c56ae7/the-cookie-jar
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14924267.Cookie_O_Gorman

Review: As Red As Blood by Salla Simukka

Goodreads Blurb

In the midst of the freezing Arctic winter, seventeen-year-old Lumikki Andersson walks into her school’s dark room and finds a stash of wet, crimson-colored money. Thousands of Euros left to dry—splattered with someone’s blood.

Lumikki lives alone in a studio apartment far from her parents and the past she left behind. She transferred into a prestigious art school, and she’s singularly focused on studying and graduating. Lumikki ignores the cliques, the gossip, and the parties held by the school’s most popular and beautiful boys and girls.

But finding the blood-stained money changes everything. Suddenly, Lumikki is swept into a whirlpool of events as she finds herself helping to trace the origins of the money. Events turn even more deadly when evidence points to dirty cops and a notorious drug kingpin best known for the brutality with which he runs his business.

As Lumikki loses control of her carefully constructed world, she discovers that she’s been blind to the forces swirling around her—and she’s running out of time to set them right. When she sees the stark red of blood on snow, it may be too late to save her friends or herself.

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

This was a thriller, crime novel, and fairy tale all in one. Lumikki was a teenager who was constantly bullied by two classmates. She started to learn how to fight and was able to use scents, noise, and movements in order to hide from her perpetrators. I was shocked at the things she went through and how easy just changing her walk would make others not realize her. At times, she was like a ghost not seen but very much there. I enjoy the fairy tale of Snow White that was throughout the book. Was happy that she fought hard and was over to live. Can’t wait to see what the next book brings. She got herself involved in a crime that was committed, and she was the undercover detective that with smarts, strength, and will was able to figure out the whole scheme.

Author Biography

Salla Simukka is Finnish writer and translator who lives in Tampere. She has studied Nordic philology, Finnish language, general literature, creative writing and women’s studies at the University of Turku.

Besides books, Simukka writes book reviews for the newspapers Helsinkin Sanomat and Hämeen Sanomat.