#BookReview: Geis II: A Game Without Rules (Geis #2) by Alexis Deacon

About the Book:
The second volume of Geis picks up right where the first graphic novel concluded: with the contenders divided against their will and thrown deeper into the mysterious game. Can the alliances of power be relied upon when so many rewards lay upon the line?

Deacons' stunning illustrations carry forward the compelling and critically acclaimed narrative as the trilogy reaches its midpoint.

#BookReview: The Waterfall Traveler by S.J. Lem

About the Book:

2015 Ink & Insights Judges Favorite

All eighteen-year-old Ri wants is to cure her adoptive father Samuel from his hallucination-inducing illness. Everyone in her village tells her it's impossible. But when she meets two newcomers in the forest—a gruff rogue with a vendetta against the gods and a charming fugitive with the power to travel through water—she'll be torn away from Samuel and swept across the sea to an oppressed city governed by a ruthless tyrant. Once there, she'll not only have to confront Samuel's unlawful past, but a vicious evil that threatens all mankind.

In this tale of bravery, friendship, and unexpected love, Ri must discover her own strength to save the men she cares for.

#BookReview: Ivory and Bone (Ivory and Bone #1) by Julie Eshbaugh @youngadultbc ‏via @cursedreader @EndyOchita

This month's book is one that Jessica chose!  And I have to say that at this point I am kinda mad that I did.  I had so many issues with this book.  But why not join us today at 5pm at the Winter Haven Library to check out our discussion and join in!!! 

#BookReview: Dark Mirror (Dark Mirror #1) by Mary Jo Putney

About the Book:

At sixteen, Lady Victoria Mansfield, youngest daughter of the earl and countess of Fairmount, is destined for a charmed life and her choice of mates worthy of her status. Then she makes a terrifying discovery that will ruin her life and disgrace her family forever. Tory's blood is tainted... by magic.

When a shocking accident forces Tory to reveal her despised skill, she is immediately exiled to Lackland Abbey, a reform school for young men and women in her position. Tory's greatest wish is to be cured so she can return home and perhaps recover some of her shattered life.

Instead, curiosity and the lure of magic lead Tory to rebel students who have pledged their talents to protect England. As she joins them in their secret studies, she discovers her full powers - and is drawn to the handsome, enigmatic young Marquis of Allarde. But Allarde'a reserve and haunting secret keep him away, though she can see equal longing in his eyes.

Then Tory's pledge sweeps her and her friends into a perilous world of danger, challenge, and a triumph that saves Britain from conquest. Can danger also bring Tory and Allarde together, despite all that stands between them? 

#BookReview: A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller

About the Book:

Welcome to the world of the fabulously wealthy in London, 1909, where dresses and houses are overwhelmingly opulent, social class means everything, and women are taught to be nothing more than wives and mothers. Into this world comes seventeen-year-old Victoria Darling, who wants only to be an artist—a nearly impossible dream for a girl.
            
After Vicky poses nude for her illicit art class, she is expelled from her French finishing school. Shamed and scandalized, her parents try to marry her off to the wealthy Edmund Carrick-Humphrey. But Vicky has other things on her mind: her clandestine application to the Royal College of Art; her participation in the suffragette movement; and her growing attraction to a working-class boy who may be her muse—or may be the love of her life. As the world of debutante balls, corsets, and high society obligations closes in around her, Vicky is torn. Just how much is she willing to sacrifice to pursue her dreams?

#BookReview: Flame in the Mist (Flame in the Mist, #1) by Renee Ahdieh #YABC

This month's title was Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh and I can say how excited I was to dive right in! This book also came from the Fairyloot box a few months ago. So again it made it high on my expectation list! 

#BookReview: Dalston Monsterzz by Dilraj Mann, Sam Arthur

  In Dilraj Mann's long awaited graphic novel debut, all eyes turn to East London, where freakish monsters and megalomanical property developers are competing to see who can destroy it first. The only thing that stands in the way of the apocalypse?

Hipsters, hotties, and nerds. It's time to throw down--and look sharp as hell while doing so.
Releases: March 27, 2018

#BookReview: #BookReview: The Bolds by @JulianClary, David Roberts @AndersenPress

  Mr and Mrs Bold are just like you and me: they live in a nice house (in Teddington), they have jobs (like writing Christmas cracker jokes) and they love to have a bit of a giggle. One slight difference: they're hyenas. Yes, that's right - they're covered in fur, have tails tucked into their trousers, and they really, really like to laugh.

So far, the Bolds have managed to keep things under wraps, even when their children Bobby and Betty were born. But the nosy man next door smells a rat (or a hyena), and a trip to the local wildlife park, and the brilliantly wacky heist that results, could be the end of Teddington's best-kept secret. Whatever will the neighbours think?

#BookTour: THE REAL MCCOYS by @drawingrobbi @writingmatthew @Jeanbooknerd #Giveaway

  Her name's Moxie. Moxie McCoy.

Bold, opinionated, and haplessly self-confident, the world's greatest fourth-grade detective faces her biggest challenge! When someone kidnaps beloved school mascot Eddie the Owl, Moxie is on the case--but she's forced to fly solo now that her best friend (and crime-solving partner) has moved away.

Moxie must interview her classmates--both as potential new best friends and as possible suspects. She finds clues and points fingers but can't save the owl on her own. Enter Moxie's little brother, Milton. Quiet, cautious, and boring as a butter knife, he's a good listener.

Can the Real McCoys form an unlikely alliance and solve the crime of the century?

#BookReview: Realm of Mystics by Raelyn Drake

  A teenager wakes up in a fantasy game with three other players she's never met before. She's reluctant to participate until she learns it's her only way out of this strange virtual world. Can she learn how to play in time to help her team?

#BookReview: The Zephyr Conspiracy by Israel Keats

  Inside a virtual reality steampunk game, a teenager learns she's part of a pirate crew looking for their captain's lost treasure. But she may be in over her head. Who can she trust in this game?

#BookReview: Labyrinth by Israel Keats

  Two teenage gamers find themselves inside a virtual reality labyrinth video game, facing robotic bugs, puzzles, and obstacles. They must win the game or be trapped inside the virtual world forever. Can they start working together in time to win?

#BookReview: Alien Invasion by Israel Keats

  In a virtual space station video game, a gamer must sneak past alien soldiers who've captured his crew to find help, with a robot partner he doesn't like. Can he shake this partner and rescue his crew without getting caught?

#BookReview: Colored Pencil Painting Portraits by Alyona Nickelsen

 

Colored pencil painter Alyona Nickelsen reveals how to use the medium to push the limits of realistic portraiture.

Colored Pencil Painting Portraits provides straightforward solutions to the problems that artists face in creating lifelike images, and will prime readers on the intricacies of color, texture, shadow, and light as they interplay with the human form. In this truly comprehensive guide packed with step-by-step demonstrations, Nickelsen considers working from photo references versus live models; provides guidance on posing and lighting, as well as planning and composing a work; discusses tools, materials, and revolutionary layering techniques; and offers lessons on capturing gesture and expression and on rendering facial and body features of people of all age groups and skin tones.

#BookTour: Ruby and Olivia by @LadyHawkins @PenguinTeen

 

A spooky middle-grade story that's full of fun, friendship, and humor--perfect for fans of Ingrid Law and Lisa Graff.
Ruby is best friends with Emma, but she and Emma's twin sister Olivia are definitely not friends. Unfortunately, Emma will be away for the summer, while Ruby and Olivia are going to be stuck at a community service day camp for troublemakers--together. 
To kick off the spirit of service, the campers are outfitted with bright pink polka-dotted t-shirts with smiley faces on the front, then tasked with cataloging the contents of an abandoned mansion. Sorting through objects in an old house sounds boring, and working with each other is that last thing the girls want to do, but the stuff is actually pretty cool. There's everything from mink stoles to golf clubs to stuffed deer heads . . . and . . . wait . . . is that stuffed deer head watching them? 
When the taps run freezing cold and doors slam inexplicably, Ruby and Olivia wonder if the other campers are having a bit of fun, or if the abandoned mansion is looking for new residents. To solve the mystery, Ruby and Olivia will have to put their grudges aside and figure out how to be a team with or without Emma.

#BookReview: Draw Your Own Fonts Tony Seddon

  Learn how to turn a doodle into a terrific, fully functional font with this easy-to-follow guide to hand lettering and how to do it. With 30 complete alphabets drawn in a variety of styles by a team of designers and illustrators, you too can learn how to  create energetic, funky fonts that seem to jump off the screen, the poster, or the page. With tips and demonstrations on how you can copy or adapt the alphabets to make them your own and sections on how to use your fonts online as well as on paper, this is a do-it-yourself book that will appeal to anyone who has ever begun a hand-lettered project – then wondered why it didn’t have the punch of professional work. Let your inner creativity flow and put your personality into a bespoke font designed by you!

#BookClub: All Fall Down (Embassy Row, #1) by @OfficiallyAlly @WinterHavenLib

Join the Winter Haven Library Teen Bookclub today at 4-5pm EST here in Winter Haven, Florida! We will be discussing All Fall Down by Ally Carter! 

#BookReview: The Dinosaur (Love #4) by Frédéric Brrémaud, Federico Bertolucci

  Life in the primordial swamps of prehistoric Earth was a daily trial of survival, especially for the smaller dinosaurs just trying to get by without being trampled, attacked, or eaten. Not even the biggest beasts were safe, as there always seemed to be an even bigger threat looming on the horizon. This exciting tale, written by Frederic Brremaud, is told without narration or dialogue, conveyed entirely through the beautiful illustrations of Federico Bertolucci. A beautiful, powerful tale of survival in the animal kingdom that explores the all-too-identifiable, universal concepts of Life, Courage, Aging, and ultimately Love. 
The fourth volume in the lavishly illustrated series of wildlife graphic novels, each following a single central animal through an adventurous day in their natural environment. Each tale depicts genuine natural behavior through the dramatic lens of Disney-esque storytelling, like a nature documentary in illustration.

#BookReview: Bad Machinery Volume 7: The Case of the Forked Road by John Allison

  Time is a fickle creature, especially when there's wormhole in the science cupboard. When a strange boy who seems far too entranced by cell phones appears, it's up to Lottie, Shauna, and Mildred to figure out his strange purposes. 
The Case of the Forked Road, the seventh book in John Allison's award-winning Bad Machinery series, finds our young sleuths facing the intricacies of time and space itself. What is their science teacher hiding? Who is the mysterious Calvin, why is he dressed like it s 1960, and why is he obsessed with Communists? And another thing: just what is going on with Jack, Sonny, and Linton?"

#BookReview: A&A: The Adventures of Archer & Armstrong, Volume 2: Romance & Road Trips (Archer & Armstrong #9) by Rafer Roberts

  A Valiant Tale for the Ages!
This ain't no ordinary team-up It's Archer & Faith's first date!
First, A&A's whirlwind ongoing series is hitting the town with the one and only Faith! With Armstrong on the road, Archer is taking some much-needed personal time and bringing his long-distance romance with Los Angeles s number-one superhero off of FaceTime and into the real world!
Then, Archer and Armstrong go on the hunt for Armstrong s long-lost wife, and the clues will put them on the trail of America s craziest traveling circus! 
Come on board here as red-hot writer Rafer Roberts (Plastic Farm) and Eisner Award-winning artist Mike Norton (Revival) bring you more crossbows than Sleepless in Seattle and more fistfights than The Notebook!