GreySkySaturday
Missing you. Wanting you. Loving you.
Menu
Skip to content
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Hawaii
  • Reviews
    • Books
    • Movies
  • Style
  • A little about me
  • Contact

Category Archives: Reviews

My thoughts on books, movies, tv shows and more

RIP Readathon 2019

10 / 24 / 1911 / 14 / 19
RIP Readathon 2019The Babysitters Coven (The Babysitters Coven, #1) by Kate Williams
Published by Delacorte Press on September 17, 2019
Pages: 368
Goodreads



Adventures in Babysitting

meets

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

in this funny, action-packed novel about a coven of witchy babysitters who realize their calling to protect the innocent and save the world from an onslaught of evil.

Seventeen-year-old Esme Pearl has a babysitters club. She knows it's kinda lame, but what else is she supposed to do? Get a job? Gross. Besides, Esme likes babysitting, and she's good at it.

And lately Esme needs all the cash she can get, because it seems like destruction follows her wherever she goes. Let's just say she owes some people a new tree.

Enter Cassandra Heaven. She's Instagram-model hot, dresses like she found her clothes in a dumpster, and has a rebellious streak as gnarly as the cafeteria food. So why is Cassandra willing to do anything, even take on a potty-training two-year-old, to join Esme's babysitters club?

The answer lies in a mysterious note Cassandra's mother left her: "Find the babysitters. Love, Mom."

Turns out, Esme and Cassandra have more in common than they think, and they're about to discover what being a babysitter really means: a heroic lineage of superpowers, magic rituals, and saving the innocent from seriously terrifying evil. And all before the parents get home.

Hello everyone!
Welcome back to yet another book review. If you have been following along the past few weeks on social media, you will know that I have been participating in two readathons for the beginning of October. Whew! What a world wind of books it has been.

For the group read for the Creating & Co RIP Readathon the pick was The Baby Sitters Coven by Kate Williams. The close second runner up was a book called Serpent & Dove which I will also probably read a some point. Thankfully in a busy week, the group book fulfilled nearly all the prompts for the readathon, so I didn’t have much to worry about there in the way of book. Also thankfully this wasn’t the only book that I finished this week. I found the book lighthearted and very YA in the writing style. I was disappointed to find that the book is part of a series and not just a standalone novel. Why can’t people just write a single novel anymore?!? I loved the fact that Esme and Janis were so deeply into fashion that they coordinated and themed their outfits Overall, I would recommend this book if you are looking for something that is fun, but not so spooky to read.

RIP Readathon 2019Finale (Caraval, #3) by Stephanie Garber
Published by Flatiron Books on May 7, 2019
Pages: 478
Goodreads
five-stars

A love worth fighting for. A dream worth dying for. An ending worth waiting for.

It’s been two months since the Fates were freed from a deck of cards, two months since Legend claimed the throne for his own, and two months since Tella discovered the boy she fell in love with doesn’t really exist.

With lives, empires, and hearts hanging in the balance, Tella must decide if she’s going to trust Legend or a former enemy. After uncovering a secret that upends her life, Scarlett will need to do the impossible. And Legend has a choice to make that will forever change and define him.

Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun. There are no spectators this time—only those who will win, and those who will lose everything.

Welcome, welcome to Finale. All games must come to an end…

The second book that I had planned to read and finish for the readathon was Finale by Stephanie Garber. What?!?! I’m only reading two books for a readathon?!? Yes, I know that seems wild, but let’s be honest I really hoped that this was doable since Matt & I ended up traveling for a friend’s wedding during the week of the readathon.

I had planned to read Finale months ago when it came out and I got the box from FairyLoot, but it didn’t happen then. I’m so glad that I finally was able to read and finish the book now though. If you haven’t read my reviews on the other books in this trilogy you can do so here and here. There will be some spoilers from the other books since that is just the way that series go. I found it interesting that in this book the author chose to do a back and forth perspective between the two sisters instead of having the perspective of just one sister. I thought that this may have made for better reading, but at times it was also confusing. I would recommend this book if you have already started the series and are hoping to finish it.

I’m glad that I was able to finish both books that I had planned for this readathon and I hope that in the next readathon that I am able to finish all the books that I plan to finish and more. Let me know if you joined in on this readathon or are planning on joining in on the next one. See you soon!

Leave a comment

Gilmoreadathon

10 / 21 / 1911 / 14 / 19
GilmoreadathonIn Conclusion, Don't Worry About It by Lauren Graham
Published by Ballantine Books on April 3, 2018
Pages: 64
Goodreads

Advice for graduates and reflections on staying true to yourself from the beloved Gilmore Girls actress and New York Times bestselling author of the memoir Talking as Fast as I Can and the novel Someday, Someday, Maybe.

"If you're not where you want to be on this day - don't worry about it. Because the spotlight aspect of life? That's not the satisfying part."

In this expansion of her 2017 commencement speech at her hometown Langley High, Lauren Graham reflects in her hilarious, relatable voice, on growing up, pursuing your dreams, and living in the here-and-now. "Whatever path you choose, whatever career you decide to go after, the important thing," she writes, "is that you keep finding joy in what you're doing, especially when the joy isn't finding you." She reminds us to be curious and compassionate, no matter where life takes you. "Whether you hope to be an actor or a politician or a mathematician, I've learned that empathy and kindness are your most valuable tools." Grounded and inspiring, this is Graham's roadmap to a happy life: "Be a fan, not a theater critic."

Hey!
Welcome back to a another fun reading post! When I heard about this readathon happening over on Youtube I knew that I couldn’t resist joining in. In case you missed it, you can watch my youtube video below.

Here are my reviews on the books that I was able to finish during the readathon.

First up, I read In Conclusion, Don’t worry about it by Lauren Graham. The group book for this readathon was Lauren Graham’s autobiography which I read a few years back and you can read here. While, I could have re-read the book I decided to challenge myself to something new and read the book on her commencement speech that has been on my TBR for a minute. I thought the book was interesting for a speech that was roughly 5 minutes or so, that turned into a 50ish page book. I found the advice related to her career and the highs and lows as well as her relationship with her father. I thought the advice was appropriate for a high school graduating class and that it was pretty sound.

GilmoreadathonTell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum
Published by Delacorte Press on April 5, 2016
Pages: 328
Goodreads

Everything about Jessie is wrong. At least, that’s what it feels like during her first week of junior year at her new ultra-intimidating prep school in Los Angeles. Just when she’s thinking about hightailing it back to Chicago, she gets an email from a person calling themselves Somebody/Nobody (SN for short), offering to help her navigate the wilds of Wood Valley High School. Is it an elaborate hoax? Or can she rely on SN for some much-needed help?

It’s been barely two years since her mother’s death, and because her father eloped with a woman he met online, Jessie has been forced to move across the country to live with her stepmonster and her pretentious teenage son.

In a leap of faith—or an act of complete desperation—Jessie begins to rely on SN, and SN quickly becomes her lifeline and closest ally. Jessie can’t help wanting to meet SN in person. But are some mysteries better left unsolved?

The second book that I finished was Tell me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum. I found the premise of the book intriguing and also this book fulfilled the prompt book with food on the cover. In this book, we meet Jessie Holmes a junior in highschool who has just transferred to Wood Valley High in Los Angeles after her dad marries a woman he met on the internet. Jessie at first has a hard time adjusting to life in Los Angeles and then surprisingly during her first week of school she gets a random email from someone at school, who is willing to help her navigate the mysterious world of Los Angeles. The book takes you through nearly 2.5 months of her in navigating this life and figuring out how it all should work since her mother passed away. I loved the book, even though it may have fallen into some of the typical miscommunication tropes I definitely recommend this cute story about love and a little bit about life.

GilmoreadathonThe Babysitters Coven (The Babysitters Coven, #1) by Kate Williams
Published by Delacorte Press on September 17, 2019
Pages: 368
Goodreads



Adventures in Babysitting

meets

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

in this funny, action-packed novel about a coven of witchy babysitters who realize their calling to protect the innocent and save the world from an onslaught of evil.

Seventeen-year-old Esme Pearl has a babysitters club. She knows it's kinda lame, but what else is she supposed to do? Get a job? Gross. Besides, Esme likes babysitting, and she's good at it.

And lately Esme needs all the cash she can get, because it seems like destruction follows her wherever she goes. Let's just say she owes some people a new tree.

Enter Cassandra Heaven. She's Instagram-model hot, dresses like she found her clothes in a dumpster, and has a rebellious streak as gnarly as the cafeteria food. So why is Cassandra willing to do anything, even take on a potty-training two-year-old, to join Esme's babysitters club?

The answer lies in a mysterious note Cassandra's mother left her: "Find the babysitters. Love, Mom."

Turns out, Esme and Cassandra have more in common than they think, and they're about to discover what being a babysitter really means: a heroic lineage of superpowers, magic rituals, and saving the innocent from seriously terrifying evil. And all before the parents get home.

The third book I actually ended up finishing was The Baby Sitters Coven by Kate Williams, which is the first book in the series of books. Again with the series of books people!*sigh* This was also the Creating & Co group read for the RIP Readathon that happened the following week, so you can read a more in depth review here. Overall, I like the book and would probably continue the series, but I found it very YA in the writing style. You can also tell that this is the author’s first foray into writing a full novel because there are some plot points that don’t quite add up.

GilmoreadathonFinale (Caraval, #3) by Stephanie Garber
Published by Flatiron Books on May 7, 2019
Pages: 478
Goodreads

A love worth fighting for. A dream worth dying for. An ending worth waiting for.

It’s been two months since the Fates were freed from a deck of cards, two months since Legend claimed the throne for his own, and two months since Tella discovered the boy she fell in love with doesn’t really exist.

With lives, empires, and hearts hanging in the balance, Tella must decide if she’s going to trust Legend or a former enemy. After uncovering a secret that upends her life, Scarlett will need to do the impossible. And Legend has a choice to make that will forever change and define him.

Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun. There are no spectators this time—only those who will win, and those who will lose everything.

Welcome, welcome to Finale. All games must come to an end…

The last book that I was able to finish for the readathon even though it was a couple of days late was Finale by Stephanie Garber. I had hoped to read this book when it initially came out months ago, but things just kept getting in the way. I am glad that I finally got the chance to read it. If you haven’t read my reviews on the other books in the series you can do so here and here. In fact, you might want to read those before you read this mini review. In this book, we catch up with Scarlet and Tella a few months after Legend has taken the throne as Elentine’s missing heir. We find Tella still has torn feelings regarding Legend and his actions and Scarlet even though she has real feelings for Julian doesn’t want to give up on the life her father gave her. Scarlet and Tella’s mother is also still asleep at the beginning of the book. This book has many twists and turns as it jumps back and forth from Scarlet and Tella’s point of view to weave together a beautiful story.

I’m a bit sad that I didn’t get to finish more books during the readathon, but I’m glad that I had the chance to participate and that I finally was able to read some of these books. I hope that this readathon comes back next year and that I will have the chance to participate again. Let me know if you participated in this readathon and how you did. See you soon!

Leave a comment

Coraline

10 / 8 / 1912 / 1 / 19
by Neil Gaiman
Published by A&C Black Genres: children, General, Young Adult
Format: Paperback
Scaretober 2019

Hello!
I’m back with yet another book review. I know that I should be doing more real life posts, but this is what we got. You may have noticed that I read this book a bit ago, but didn’t post the review and I was saving it for right now.

I saw Neil Gaiman’s Coraline a while ago and watched it again recently, but had never read the book and I knew that this year I wanted to make it appoint to read the book. I also used this book for Rachel Dawson‘s reading challenge, if you haven’t checked it out yet you still have time to participate.

In case you haven’t read Coraline or seen the movie I will try not to spoil the plot for you entirely. I recommend that you give this book a try and I hope to read a few more Neil Gaiman books in the future. Let me know if you have ever read this book or any of Neil Gaiman’s other books. See you soon!

Leave a comment

Coraline Movie

10 / 7 / 1910 / 7 / 19
Scaretober 2019

Hey!
I’m back with yet another post for Scaretober. I apologize that there aren’t as many posts this year, but I am still determined to get up as many posts as I can for you. I just wish that I could be watching more scary movies and doing more reviews for you, but this is what it is.

Today I’m reviewing Coraline the movie. Not to give anything away, but there will also be a review on Coraline the book by Neil Gaiman. I found the movie fascinating and weird. It was done in a claymation style similar to that of Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride, and other such movies.

If you haven’t seen the movie, the basic storyline of the movie is that Coraline Jones recently moves from Michigan to a new town and since she has no one to play with she has a very active imagination. In addition to that she discovers a door in her house that appears to go nowhere during the day, but at night appears to go to an alternate universe in which she is treated to everything she wants and everything she hopes for in her life. Soon, Coraline is visiting the universe regularly until one day the Other Mother demands that she stay for good and Coraline decides that she doesn’t want to stay and makes a deal with the Other Mother in order to leave.

If you haven’t watched Coraline I highly recommend it, I found it a fascinating movie and the animation is well done. Matt had never seen the movie before and he really enjoyed it. He is also a fan of Neil Gaiman in general, but had not read Coraline. Stay tuned for more posts during Scaretober and hopefully they will be equally fun. See you soon.

Leave a comment

Batman: Nightwalker

10 / 5 / 1910 / 29 / 19

Hello Everyone!
Today I’m back with yet another not so scary review. Recently a graphic novel based on one of the books in a book series by DC Ink came out and of course I had to pick it up and read it. Don’t worry I’ll definitely be reading the actual book that this graphic novel is based on as well, just not right now. This review is going to be on Batman: Nightwalker adapted by Stuart Moore.

In this graphic novel of Batman, we find Bruce Wayne just on the cusp of his 18th birthday and learning the real ramifications of all that his parents fortune has given him the moment he turns of age. We also see the troubles of Bruce is high school dealing with bullies and people that would be his friends and not be his real friends. In this novel, Gotham is dealing with the problem of a gang of individuals called the Nightwalkers, who are raiding the homes of the rich, killing them and talking all their wealth. Bruce after an attempt to bring one of the Nightwalkers to justice on his own finds himself doing community service as his punishment from the Gotham City Police Department. This brings Bruce head to head with Madeline Wallace, the most recent Nightwalker to be captured by the police department. Bruce develops a crush on Madeline and is determined to figure out a way to save her and unravel her secrets.

I won’t spoil the ending of the book, but I would definitely recommend this book to you. I found this book fascinating and would love to read more about the Bruce Wayne, Madeline Wallace romance if it ever happens. In addition to that I love that we get to see Harvey Dent before he becomes TwoFaced and in a teenage form as well as other people that will only begin to start to play a bigger role in Bruce’s life as his story evolves.

If you haven’t read any of my other reviews on novels and graphic novels by DC Ink you can read them here, here, and here. Let me know if you will be picking up this novel or have already picked it up. Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Leave a comment

Posts navigation

Previous Page 1 2 3 4 … 56 57 Next Page
Aloha! My name is Jamie and I'm the voice behind GreySkySaturday. If you would like to hear more about me please read the about me section
  • Bloglovin
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Currently Reading

Loving My Actual Christmas: An Experiment in Relishing the Season by Alexandra KuykendallThe Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand
Visit my shelf on Goodreads

instagram


Recent Posts

  • Day Shift
  • Rules of Civility
  • Again, but Better
  • Batman: Nightwalker
  • Confessions of a Hater

Archives

Ebates Coupons and Cash Back Read the Printed Word!
LINKwithlove

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
Site made with ♥ by Angie Makes
Angie Makes Feminine WordPress Themes
Back to Top