Tome Thursday: The Village Phantom

 

Hello everyone!

 

Welcome to tonight's blog.

 

I'm having a slightly surreal experience in that I'm typing this up at a VERY different time of day than my usual one - because I've fallen into the hole of C-dramas, and that means I somehow binged through eight episodes of one yesterday, going to bed late.

 

... the irony that they talk about how you should try and sleep enough and be in bed on time in this very drama is not lost on me.

 

I'll be reviewing it on my blog in the near future, so don't worry! You'll get all my commentary and reports haha.

 

But first and foremost, the book for tonight.

 

We're going back into the field where I first cut my teeth as a young reader, with Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle, except it's Scandinavian this time.

 

And I was very lucky enough to have the author reach out to me for a review.

 

So without further ado: The Village Phantom!

 

Talkie Tuesday: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with Willy Fog

 

"Here starts our incredible story, with strange news from the high seas ..." 

 

Hello everyone!

 

And welcome to the finale of our Willy Fog stories.

 

As we begin the next chapter of House of the Dragon (which, I still have to watch the season 3 premiere, and I already know I'll be crying my eyes out) it's a good thing that we aren't knee-deep in too many other adaptations.

 

Dragons, by and large, require your attention no matter what!

 

But I digress.

 

Tonight, after going around the world and then to the center of the Earth, we're finally going under the sea, and Willy the gentle-lion gets to live out his fashion dreams of dressing like a captain.

 

So without further ado, let's hop right into it, shall we?

 

Because there's only so much time left, and we do in fact need to go 20 000 Leagues under the Sea with Willy Fog!

 

Tome Thursday: The Grand Shahala

 

Hello everyone!

 

Welcome to tonight's book of choice!

 

I'm so very, very excited to share this one with you, because, one, I've loved this author from the minute I picked up her very first book release, and two, it's just such a good story!

 

I mean, does it have a few kinks that maybe could do with some ironing out? Yes, of course.

 

But what book doesn't?

 

I think the only one I ever read where I DIDN'T feel that another edit might be appropriate was The Lord of the Rings, and THAT should tell you something LOL.

 

In any event; I was super lucky to join the early ARC team for this one, so I got to read it before it even released. How's that for some charm, eh??

 

And now it's been officially released into the wider world on June 16th, so my review is basically right on time!

 

Without further ado, we're jumping straight into The Grand Shahala.

 

Talkie Tuesday: Journey to the Center of the Earth with Willy Fog

 

"It will be my pleasure to help write 

a new chapter in the history of science." 

 

Hello everyone!

 

Back to Jules Verne adaptations we go!

 

Because there's two more after Around the World with Willy Fog, and of course, if you know me, then you'll know I WILL be watching both of them.

 

How could I not?

 

This is basically my childhood caught in a bottle, or a snow globe, and I'm here for it.

 

I'm loving it, as McDonald's would say, haha!

 

Plus it's also just ridiculously entertaining and fun if you ask me. Who else would come up with stories like this one than the old animators in the 1990s who apparently all had the same way of thinking??

 

So without further ado, it's time to head on another little trip, just not around the world this time.

 

This time, Willy Fog will go on a Journey to the Center of the Earth!

 

Tome Thursday: The Mysterious Billionaire

 

Hello everyone!

 

So I literally just realized, as I sat down to review this book:

 

I never put the review for the FIRST book in this series on here!

 

I'm honestly a dunce LOL.

 

I'll see about getting it done just as soon as I can, because, a Serenity Woods book DEMANDS to have its own blog post, no matter the when of it!

 

Ahem.

 

Moving on to tonight's book of choice, as you can see it's the SECOND in a new series that she's currently writing, and honestly? More billionaires who know how to be soft for the women they love and when to take control of the situation? Yes, please!

 

Without further ado, let's hop right into it, shall we?

 

Because, there's just nothing on this planet that would be better than The Mysterious Billionaire.

 

Talkie Tuesday: Around the World with Willy Fog

 

"We'll set a new world record!"

 

Hello everyone!

 

Ready to go on an adventure tonight?

 

Because we're about to travel around the world.

 

And no, we aren't going to take forever doing it, nor are we going to jet around in, like, 24 hours or something, the way some influencers online tend to do it.

 

We're going to be doing it in 80 solid days.

 

You probably already know where this might be going, but it's not ACTUALLY a Jules Verne thing, even though he's the one who originally wrote the book.

 

No no, this is an adaptation, and a really fun one to boot, because - and get this - it's animated with animals acting as characters, and an entire 600+ minutes series is condensed to roughly over 70 minutes, making it immediately watchable in one sitting.

 

So without further ado: Around the World with Willy Fog!

 

Tome Thursday: The Charmed Coin Mystery

 

Hello everyone!

 

So after the mammoth of the post that ended up happening on Tuesday, I decided to do something a little lighter this Thursday for my book choice of the week.

 

And when I need something like this, I usually always return to one of two preferred authors!

 

You always have to have some in your back pocket that will help you in times like this.

 

Especially when you don't want to spend yet another two to three hours typing and editing and padding up a post! Hah.

 

Honestly though, it's not that I mind. It's that I slept horribly tonight (I only got a solid five hours, and the rest was definitely fragmented until I just gave up) and I feel like it's going to be a long ass day without a lot to show for it in the end.

 

Which means I'm going to try not to complicate my life even more while I'm at it.

 

Without further ado, then, let's hop straight into the next mystery our favourite rapscallion girl Twyla ends up in.

 

Ladies and gentlemen: The Charmed Coin.

 

Talkie Tuesday: Pursuit of Jade

 

"Be a good pig in this life; be a good man in the next."

 

Hello everyone!

 

Welcome back.

 

Sorry for a bit of delay on Tuesday's reviews, I took last week off because there were other things happening (as said before, it was a special day!) and now I return with a MAMMOTH of a thing.

 

There's no way it's not going to be.

 

Not with the show being 40 episodes long, and each episode covering so much ground it sometimes feels like they're trying to shove a book into 40 minutes, each.

 

And in all honesty I fell into the hole completely by accident!

 

Netflix kept shoving the promo for it right on the front page. Eventually, I decided you know what? FINE, I'll watch.

 

I've since already breezed through twice. And the rest, as they say, is history.

 

So let's take a look at it together in Pursuit of Jade!

 

Tome Thursday: Heartstrings

 

Hello everyone!

 

Welcome back to the blog.

 

I know I skipped this Tuesday, but that's because it was my birthday.

 

I decided to sleep in and just laze about for the day, which, can confirm, was a GRAND idea all in all.

 

And then today it's back to the drawing board.

 

Especially since we're gearing for the release of book two in this series.

 

Kes Winters is an author I randomly stumbled on when I was looking through BookSirens, and I picked up one of her fairytale-inspired romances, but it turns out she writes COWBOY romance, too.

 

And she does it REAL good, y'all!

 

Ahem.

 

Without further ado, let's step right into this world: in Heartstrings.

 

Tome Thursday: Ghost Trip

 

Hello everyone!

 

Back at it again with the coziest mysteries you could find on the internet, and in your bookstores, because what else will you read when you need something relaxing to unwind with?

 

Listen, Dina Marie knows how to write these, okay, and she's NOT giving up.

 

There's two more that are releasing this year (at least), and that's super exciting to me as someone who found the author completely by accident on Booksirens one day.

 

I was captivated by the idea that this woman, who's been in an abusive marriage, can see and speak to ghosts, and she ends up helping them pass on.

 

... sounds very Ghost Whisperer, doesn't it?

 

Can you tell I grew up watching these shows LOL

 

But enough about that!

 

Let's dive right into the story of Ghost Trip.

 

Talkie Tuesday: Outlander Final Season

 

"Sing me a song of a lass that is gone ..." 

 

Hello everyone!

 

Well, we did it.

 

Twelve years ago, Starz decided to premiere a time-travelling show that was a big risk at the time, because it would have to compete with titans like Game of Thrones, and yet somehow, somewhere, someone decided that this was a great idea.

 

And it paid off.

 

Because since then, for eight seasons, fans around the globe have watched the unfolding drama around Jamie and Claire Fraser with baited breath, willing them to succeed in their endeavours, and supporting all the other characters around them in some way or fashion.

 

That all came to an end this past weekend, with the airing of the very final episode.

 

If you've been a long-time fan, or if you only came into the show (binging it, really) recently, then I bid you welcome all the same. Because we'll be taking a look at the final season tonight, saying goodbye to our beloved characters.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, one last time: Outlander.

 

Tome Thursday: The Crimson Sword Mystery

 

Hello everyone!

 

And we're back in the world of an alternate, somewhat steampunk-y adventure of one of my favourite characters of all time.

 

I also LOVE the author's writing style, so I mean, it's a win however you look at it.

 

I accidentally found Byrd Nash on BookSirens what feels like forever ago, and have since absolutely devoured her Madam Chalamet series, which means I'm absolutely loving and thriving going through the Morpheus Society one right now.

 

The fourth book actually JUST released last week, as well, and the best part?

 

These are all relatively short stories, they're not so complicated that you can't easily follow along through one sitting, and the characters are all very animated, very picturesque, and absolutely hilarious when they have the chance to be so.

 

Which is ... most of the time. LOL.

 

The best humour comes from unintended moments, after all, and I feel like Byrd Nash manages that VERY well.

 

So without further ado: The Crimson Sword Mystery!

 

Talkie Tuesday: The Princess and the Pirate

 

"Long live Sandokan!" 

 

Hello everyone!

 

Boy, do I have a treat for you tonight.

 

An oldie but a goldie, so to speak.

 

Every once in a while I lean into the nostalgia factor and vibes here on this blog, especially and particularly because I tend to like diving into it myself personally as well.

 

So that's what I did with tonight's movie choice.

 

I also find it incredibly pointed to be talking about a movie from the nineties that was actually really good in comparison to some modern stuff circulating nowadays, while we all talk about Nolan's upcoming Odyssey, which looks ... well, the scope sure looks epic, but the individual details aren't what reaches the OG Troy, even a little bit.

 

We'll see about that, eventually.

 

God knows what that's going to look like. 

 

For now we're headed into the land of piracy once more, with The Princess and the Pirate!

 

Tome Thursday: Firebird

 

Hello everyone!

 

So I have a confession to make.

 

I had another book lined up and ready to go for tonight. In all honesty, I generally have my posting schedule for this blog handled WELL in advance, because I tend to read a lot, and when you read a lot, you have a list so you keep track of everything.

 

This means that, when something shoots into it like a comet from the sky, you need to adjust, and FAST.

 

I was going to go for a short and sweet kind of story, but that one now got bumped to next week.

 

Tonight's choice blazed into life over the course of this weekend when I sat down and was like, alright, fair, let's see what this is all about since people are talking about the sequel all over BookTok at this point.

 

Not that I follow a lot of BookTok, but it sometimes bleeds into my Youtube and Bookstagram, of course.

 

Without further ado, it's time to travel to the past, fling some magic into the air, and pretend that we know what we're doing with this shape-shifting thing.

 

That's Juliette Cross' Firebird for you.

 

Talkie Tuesday: Disney Princess Villains Unite

 

"Evil is here." 

 

 Hello everyone!

 

In continuing with last week's theme, we're taking a look at the direct sequel to the Castle Quest animated feature.

 

And before you come at me after you open the thing up and see its short length: I wanted to feature it solo because I thought it's hilarious, ok?

 

Even though it's barely half what the OG special is long.

 

But anyway.

 

The Disney Princesses are back, people! And so is Gaston.

 

And they've got a new adventure ahead of them, or perhaps misadventure, so without further ado let's see exactly what they're up against.

 

Because you just know it's gonna be great when it says the title is Villains Unite!

 

Tome Thursday: The Architects of Control

 

Hello everyone!

 

I have a treat for you tonight, and a slightly different style of blog than you might be used to from me.

 

Because tonight's book of choice hasn't been released yet - it's coming this June.

 

And I don't want to give anything away too soon!

 

But equally I want you to WANT to read it, so here's my attempt at putting together some cohesive enough writing that will hopefully entice enough for you to pick the actual book once it officially drops.

 

I mean, what could possibly go wrong?!?

 

HAH.

 

Anyway, enough of the chit-chat. You know I like me some political shenanigans in a book no matter when or where - I've read plenty of this stuff, and I probably still will.

 

So you shouldn't be surprised that tonight's book of choice is one of that genre.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage: The Architects of Control!

 

Talkie Tuesday: Disney Princess Castle Quest

 

"The path will be clear if you search inside." 

 

Hello everyone!

 

In a slight deviation from my usual watch lists, I went with something light, fluffy, and quick to see through yesterday.

 

And also, I had TONS of fun while I was at it haha!

 

Disney tends to come up with some really great skits every once in a while.

 

When they pair it up with LEGO? Oh then you've got yourself something SPECIAL.

 

I've covered a bunch of Star Wars-related ones on this page before, but this is the first time I'm seeing something with the Disney Princesses, and boy was it fun to go through.

 

I mean, when you have a frying pan, an axe, and a key as weapons all tangled together in a quest to beat Gaston .. let's just say it'll make sense once you finish reading this.

 

Without further ado: LEGO Disney Princess Castle Quest!

 

Tome Thursday: New Beginning

 

Hello everyone!

 

A little novella for you tonight.

 

I tend to read pretty much anything I can get my hands on, but this one's kind of special.

 

This one returns to the world of Jackson's Bridge!

 

In case you don't remember, that's the fictional community author Angela Day is currently in the process of writing about, and we're headed straight back into it.

 

This is a short story that hasn't officially released yet, but then again it's not exactly connected to the main novels in the way you'd think.

 

It's in the same world, but it isn't about the same characters.

 

We're getting more of the surrounding arcs fleshed out, and I'm here for it!

 

So come along for the ride in New Beginning.

 

Talkie Tuesday: Mardaani 2

 

"Every woman goes through the test of fire every day."

 

Hello everyone!

 

I have a treat for you tonight.

 

It's quite a potentially disturbing one, however, so please read with caution.

 

Because apparently, I stumbled upon cinematic masterpieces that STILL somehow manage to describe situations that should be brought to light much more often.

 

I'm truly a fan of those types of things.

 

Which means that, tonight, we're headed back to India and its Bollywood industry.

 

I promise that's definitely not all I watch (I'm currently obsessed with Pursuit of Jade, for example), but it's certainly a massive portion of what I DO watch for entertainment sake.

 

And when I find a niche I like, I tend to stick to it, because it usually has a lot to give me.

 

Which is why we're continuing with a movie series, and heading into Mardaani 2.

 

Tome Thursday: The Last Gospel

 

Hello everyone!

 

Returning to my beloved Jack Howard series tonight.

 

And when I say beloved, I mean it.

 

I think I read the first six books front to back countless times, loving every single adventure Jack and Kostas ended up in. When I finally got the chance to own the books outright, I LEAPED.

 

I didn't even double check the landing.

 

I just did.

 

Now my mission is to gather them all here on the blog for your reading pleasure, because I understand some might not have the time for the books in full, some might not know about them, and some need reminders before going into the next one.

 

That's okay, I gotchu!

 

We won't stall anymore at all, but dive straight down into the depths of this mystery that's about to unfold before us: The Last Gospel.