Category: Book Review

Spotlight Review: The Horned Woman by Christy Matheson

~ Mr Geek ~ Leave a comment

Hello Hello Readers!

After a little hiatus, I’m back baby! When Erik from Breakeven Books reached out and asked if I was interested in supporting his latest Book Tour for The Horned Women, HOW COULD I SAY NO!? A modern retelling of a fairytale with an Irish twist? Sounds good to me! I refilled my glass of sauvignon blanc, grabbed my Kindle and started reading!

The Horned Women was a charming little novella that about an American women who moves to an Irish castle with her children and step children with a fairytale twist!

Since this is a short novella (less than 100 pages) I don’t want to give away the entire farm with this review but you’re going to find this story extremely riveting until the very last page! In general, I love a modern retelling of a fairytale or folklore – I was a huge fan of the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. I thought that Matheson did a wonderful job incorporating unique elements into this story while still staying true to the source material!

If you’re looking for a quick, fun and enjoyable read that you can zip through in an evening (or to help get your GoodReads goal back on track), I highly recommend The Horned Women by Christy Matheson! Matheson also has a couple other books that are part of this fantasy retelling “series” that I will absolutely be picking up soon!

Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek

Spotlight Review: Race To Novus by R. A. Clarke

~ Mr Geek ~ 3 Comments

Hello Readers!

I’m back with another Book Tour put together but the fantastic Erik over at BreakevenBooks! This author might also sound familiar and that’s because she has been featured here once previously! Last February, I featured R. A. Clarke’s book, Let Your Lips Twitch. Let Your Lips Twitch was a FANTASTIC and hilarious short story collection. If you’re looking to literally laugh out loud, do yourself a favor and pick up that book! Now that I’ve properly derailed myself, time to get back on track! Did Race To Novus meet my expectations or was I deeply disappointed? Read on to find out!

Race To Novus is a fun Sci-Fi book with some Western themes and dare I say… a dash of romance. Our main character, Finn Rucker, is a fun, spunky and entertaining protagonist. When Finn is given the chance of a lifetime to race for free land and some funds for a startup she thinks all of her dreams have been answered. Partnering up with her bionic horse, Herc, Finn begins the race determined to come out victorious! As the race progresses, it quickly becomes apparent that not everything is what it seems and the race sponsor, Governus, may have forgot to mention a few details. As the stakes rise, and new allies emerge, Finn must navigate these treacherous situations to come out on top!

Overall, I thought this was an absolutely fantastic read! R. A. Clarke is quickly becoming one of my new favorite authors! While the book did start off a little slow for me, it quickly found its footing and continued on at a page turning pace! The world building was excellent and the characters felt fleshed out, likable and fun! The plot was engaging, especially when things started to get moving, and I constantly found myself saying “…just a few more pages!”

If you’re looking for a fun, addicting and immersive Sci-Fi book, look no further! Race To Novus is available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle edition (part of Kindle Unlimited for subscribers)! If you pick up one of R. A. Clarke’s books, drop me a comment and let me know your thoughts! Stay tuned for more content!

Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek

Spotlight Review + Giveaway! The Bad Ones by Melissa Albert

~ Mr Geek ~ 1 Comment

Hello Readers!

After a short hiatus, I’M BACK WITH A BANG! Today’s I’m featuring a book review and giveaway from Flatiron Books featuring Melissa Albert’s latest release, The Bad Ones! Many of you may know Albert from her fantasy duology, The Hazel Wood or her more recent release Our Crooked Hearts. Albert’s writing is compulsively propelling and absolutely un-put-down-able! The Bad Ones is no exception! But enough waffling, let’s get onto the review and, more importantly, the giveaway!

I am a HUGE fan of thrillers, mysteries and horror (I appreciate well done horror but also love the incredibly over the top F-List horror as well). The Bad Ones by Melissa Albert has a little of everything with some YA elements thrown into the mix as well. One winter’s night, 4 people go missing from a small town, leaving nothing behind. We soon meet Nora, our main character, and come to find out her estranged best friend, Becca, was one of those missing people. Nora then makes it her mission to figure out what happened to these missing people. As Nora continues her search, she discovers there’s more to these disappearances than meets the eye. Soon she is thrust headfirst into the dark lore of her town, a legendary Goddess and the childhood games she all but left behind. The Bad Ones starts off as a slow burn but once that fuse is lit, you won’t want to stop until you finish that last page. The blend of thriller, mystery, horror and YA is the perfect blend to keep you hooked! Fans of these genres should absolutely plan on picking up this release! Or better yet! I’ll be giving away a free copy thanks to my friends over at Flatiron Books!

Entering this giveaway is easy – simply leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite read of 2023! Bonus entries will be given if you share this post on Twitter (aka X) – be sure to tag me (@ItsMrGeekToYou) in the Tweet! A winner will be announced on March 18th and I will reach out to the winner directly. Flatiron Books will be sending the winner a finished copy of the book directly. This giveaway is only open to US residents and is limited to the contiguous states only. Purchase not necessary.

Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek

Spotlight Review: Baby Bandage & His First Aid Family by Laurie Zelinger, PhD

~ Mr Geek ~ Leave a comment

Hello Readers!

Today I am coming at you with a bit of a different type of review! Erik, over at Breakeven Books, asked if I wanted to participate in this Children’s Book Tour. I don’t have any children but I am “Uncle Geek” to several kiddos, so I thought I’d give this one a whirl! Plus, I am always looking to differentiate my reading genres! Today’s post is all about the picture book Baby Bandage! So without further ado, let’s get into it!

Right out of the gate, Baby Bandage has ADORABLE illustrations! The drawings are all well done and have a little touch of silly charm. Each First Aid item has its own personality and is brought to life in a very distinct way. One of my personal favorites was the Ice Pack who is wearing a winter beanie, scarf and is shivering! Each product is drawn and represented in unique way that still aligns with the item’s purpose (i.e. the medical tape has some swoopy hair when the tape comes off the spool). The story is perfect for children, is easy to follow, has nice representation and teaches that everyone has a place in this world. This is definitely a book I’ll be gifting some of the children in my life (once they’re a little older).

Baby Bandage and His First Aid Family is currently available on Amazon but at the timing of writing this post, there are only a few copies left!

Check out the rest of the Baby Bandage and His First Aid Family Book Tour at these other channels!

Elizabeth
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/museumgrack/
July 2nd, 2023

The Shaggy Shepherd
https://theshaggyshepherd.wordpress.com/
July 3rd, 2023

Adobo Queen
https://thebookwormscorner.home.blog/
July 5th, 2023

Amanda
https://www.youtube.com/@TheReadingandWritingLife
July 6th, 2023

Ashlee
https://booksare42.com/
July 6th, 2023

Mel
https://www.instagram.com/crazyforbooksandcoffee/
July 7th, 2023

Mel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWDo2Yq2Y0GcmMsmnBYr9IQ
July 8th, 2023

The Blind Scribe
https://theblindscribe.com/
July 8th, 2023

Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek

Spotlight Review: Sealed Empire by Norbert Zsivicz

~ Mr Geek ~ Leave a comment

Hello Readers,

It’s me, Hi, your favorite Geek, it’s me! Today I being featured on Erik’s, from Breakeven Books, Book Tour! When Erik reached out to me, he described today’s featured review as a Fantasy Thriller. Excuse me… What? SIGN. ME. UP.

As I always say, anyone who has been around my blog for awhile knows that I am a lover of all things thrilling! I also read a lot of Fantasy so this book sounds it like it was made for me! Did the Sealed Empire live up to my expectations or was this a fantasy snooze fest? Read on to find out!

Allow me to introduce you to Edward, a skilled sailor and all around good guy who is trying to win the hand of Emma and needs to impress her Father, Sven… who also happens to be one of the strongest individuals in the Kingdom. Edward embarks on a journey that proves to be much more involved and complex than he initially expected. Soon monsters begin appearing at see and Emma finds herself in over her head. If this sounds AT ALL interesting, give this one a try! I don’t want to reveal too many details because that’s honestly part of what makes this book so addicting!

One other unexpected item was the parallels to Greek mythology (which is also one of my favorites but I don’t get around to it much)! Sealed Empire is currently available on Kindle Unlimited and only $2.99 to purchase outright. You really don’t have a reason NOT to try this book unless you hate engaging, fast-pace reads that keep you on the edge of your seat!

I’m at the beginning of this Book Tour so be sure to stop around to see all of the content the other very talented co-hosts have put together:

B.A. Bellechttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGTeYZEBPBWScWXkqBnZrQQSunday, June 25, 2023
Mr Geekhttps://treatyoshelf.blog/Monday, June 26, 2023
Infinity’s Bookshelfhttps://infinitysbookshelf.wordpress.com/Tuesday, June 27, 2023
Elizabethhttps://www.instagram.com/museumgrack/Wednesday, June 28, 2023
The Blind Scribehttps://theblindscribe.com/Thursday, June 29, 2023
The Shaggy Sheppardhttps://theshaggyshepherd.wordpress.com/Friday, June 30, 2023
Amandahttps://www.youtube.com/@TheReadingandWritingLifeFriday, June 30, 2023
Melhttps://www.instagram.com/crazyforbooksandcoffee/Saturday, July 1, 2023
S.Annyhttps://www.instagram.com/the_obstinate_owlbear/Saturday, July 1, 2023
Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek

Spotlight Review: The Dreams That Bind Us by Maximilian Lopez

~ Mr Geek ~ Leave a comment

Hello Readers!

It’s me, your favorite Geek, back with another Book Tour hosted by the one and only, Erik over at Breakeven Books on YouTube!

When Erik first reached out and asked if I wanted to join this Book Tour, he described this book as a Sci-Fi Thriller. Anyone who is familiar with my blog knows that I LOVE a good thriller! My past history with Sci-Fi has been a little hit or miss – I’m still not sure if it’s the genre overall or I just haven’t read the right books (if you’re a Sci-Fi fan reading this, leave me some recommendations in the comments please!). I thought I’d give this one a whirl to see if it was something I might like. Did I enjoy it? Keep reading to find out!

The Dreams That Bind Us by Maximilian Lopez explores a very interesting topics. Whenever you dream, what if you’re actually viewing other worlds or alternate realities? Enter Selene, Corey and Joseph all strangers who happen to be sharing the same dream of fighting evil. When these three meet in real life that’s when things start to get interesting! Can they trust each other? Can they trust this mysterious agency that supposedly knows what causes these connected dreams that they’ve been sharing? If you like Stranger Things or Sense8, this will be RIGHT up your alley!

I was definitely a fan of the character development and complexity. Lopez does a nice job giving each character their own unique voice and personality. As you start reading, you feel compelled to keep going, turning page after page to unravel the mysteries!

You can pick this up for the low price of only 99 cents for Kindle! This fast-paced, well written novel is sure to delight those who are fans of Sci-Fi, Thrillers or both! And if you’re not really a Sci-Fi fan, like me – I’d still recommend picking this one up. I think it’s easy to read / follow and is absolutely engaging!

A big thank you to Erik for including me on this Book Tour! Be sure to check out all of the other hosts content at the following days / sites:

B.A. Bellechttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGTeYZEBPBWScWXkqBnZrQQSunday, June 18, 2023
Shawnhttps://treatyoshelf.blog/Monday, June 19, 2023
Elizabethhttps://www.instagram.com/museumgrack/Tuesday, June 20, 2023
Infinity’s Bookshelfhttps://infinitysbookshelf.wordpress.com/Wednesday, June 21, 2023
The Shaggy Sheppardhttps://theshaggyshepherd.wordpress.com/Thursday, June 22, 2023
The Blind Scribehttps://theblindscribe.com/Friday, June 23, 2023
Amandahttps://www.youtube.com/@TheReadingandWritingLifeSaturday, June 24, 2023
Melhttps://www.instagram.com/crazyforbooksandcoffee/Sunday, June 25, 2023
S.Annyhttps://www.instagram.com/the_obstinate_owlbear/Monday, June 26, 2023
Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek


Spotlight Review: Like Sapphire Blue by Marisa Billions

~ Mr Geek ~ Leave a comment

Hello Readers!

It’s your favorite Geek coming at you with another review and Book Tour hosted by Erik over at BreakevenBooks on YouTube! Today’s feature review is Like Sapphire Blue by Marisa Billions! This book definitely took me by surprise… read on to find out why!

I’ll be the first to admit, Like Sapphire Blue is not my typical read and nothing I would’ve picked up on my own. However, when Erik reached out to me and asked if I’d like to participate in this Book Tour, I read the synopsis and decided to give it a try… and I’m glad I did! This is a sapphic, psychological thriller that will keep you turning the pages well after your bedtime. Meet Emma Landry, a scrappy, determined and independent woman who was raised by her father, Bear, and born into poverty. Emma is determined to make something out of herself. When that achievement is within reach, as is the woman she’s been in love with, everything finally seems to be going her way. As Emma begins to dig into her past, trying to learn more about her Mother, she quickly realized that some secrets should stay buried.

The story is told through a series of flashbacks that focus on Emma’s childhood all the way to adulthood. Personally, I love this type of story construction. I find the narration very compelling and I always find myself tearing through the pages so I can understand how to got to the present day. There’s also a fair share of romance in the novel, a genre I don’t typically read but did find it added nicely to the overall plot.

Like Sapphire Blue is a story with a bit of everything: Romance, Thrills, Suspense, Shocking, Angry and Heartfelt Warmth. If you’re looking for your next read and want something un-put-down-able, look no further!

The Like Sapphire Blue Book Tour will be running May 5th until the 12th! For more content, check out any of the following participants:

May 5th: Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGTeYZEBPBWScWXkqBnZrQQ             

May 6th: Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/c/FandomandBooks         

May 6th: Blog – https://theblindscribe.com/

May 7th: Blog – https://treatyoshelf.blog/   

May 8th: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/museumgrack/   

May 9th: Blog – https://breakevenbooks.com

May 9th: Blog – https://jamreads.com/                   

May 10th: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/beautys.library/   

May 11th: Blog – https://theshaggyshepherd.wordpress.com/   

May 11th: Blog – https://infinitysbookshelf.wordpress.com/   

May 12th: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/booksimperfectcondition/

May 12th: Blog – https://nikkisreadinglibrary.wordpress.com/

Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek

Spotlight Review: Mathematics of Eternity by David M. Kelly

~ Mr Geek ~ 2 Comments

Hello Readers!

I’m back with another Book Tour host by the one and only, Erik over at Breakeven Books! Shortly after we wrapped up our last Book Tour, Erik reached out and asked if I’d be interesting in participating in this one. Naturally I said yes! I say this every time but I have to give a huge shoutout to Erik for 1) doing such a great job organizing these events and 2) Always including me! So without further ado, let’s hop into the book talk!

Today’s post is a fun one – I’ll be talking a little about Mathematics of Eternity by David M. Kelly. To start off this was an insanely fun read. Fast paced, engaging characters and, if you know anything about me, you know I love a good thriller! Meet Joe Ballin. Your average guy who’s trying to get by being a cab flyer… you read that right. Oh, did I forget to mention this is a SCI-FI thriller! Joe spends his days flying customers around, trying to make ends meet. Until one of his passengers has a less than stellar experience and winds up dead. This is when things really start to heat up! Joe gets dragged into a world he never knew, ends up leaving a trail of bodies in his wake and quickly becomes public enemy number 1. As Joe works to prove his innocence, he partners up with a rag tag group of characters that add a lot of charm and humor to the story!

Mathematics of Eternity is a fun and rather lighthearted read. I love thrillers, and tend to whip through them, but sometime find them predictable (because of the number I read). Mathematics of Eternity wasn’t earth shattering in that regard but the sci-fi elements added a unique twist that you don’t often see in most thrillers. The plot was engaging, the characters were likable and I found myself tapping away on my Kindle to see what what going to happen next!

Mathematics of Eternity is the first in a series of books and I will definitely be continuing Joe’s journey! These books are priced fantastically at $4.99 or $5.99 a piece (at the time of writing this post). For the price of a latte you can get whisked away on one heck of a sci-fi thrill ride!

Today is the final day of the Book Tour so be sure to check out posts from all of the other contributors! A big thank you to Erik from Breakeven Books for including me on this tour and for a review copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review. Feel free to leave any questions below and I’ll see you next time!

Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek

Spotlight Review: Let Your Lips Twitch by Rachael Clarke

~ Mr Geek ~ 1 Comment

Hello Readers!

I’m back after a bit of a hiatus and my first post back is going to be a great one! I was asked by Erik over at Breakeven Books on YouTube to join his book tour for Let Your Lips Twitch by Rachael Clarke. I’ve worked with Erik on a few book tours and he does a great job organizing the events! If you haven’t seen his content before, definitely check him out!

For those of you who haven’t heard of this book before, like me, let me clue you in. Let Your Lips Twitch is a wonderful, hilarious, short story collection. I don’t know about you, but I will always welcome a laugh whenever I can (and have been in dire need of a few this month)! There are over 15 short stories included in this bindup and they range from 5 to 20 pages each – they’re perfect when you don’t have a ton of time but still want to read for a few minutes!

What I think I loved and appreciated most about this collection is how varied each of the stories are! The genres are all different – there’s more contemporary, fantasy, rom-com (which I’ll admit, I liked way more than I thought I would) and even a heist! Some of these tales were low key while others were totally over the top – some filled you with jubilation while others were darkly satisfying. All of the stories had one thing in common though, THEY DEFINITELY MADE MY LIPS TWITCH!

This book gets 5 bold, laughter-filled stars from me and I cannot recommend it enough! At the time of writing this post, Let Your Lips Twitch is available as part of Kindle Unlimited. If you’re a KU member, you MUST check this book out – I promise you won’t regret it!

A big thank you, again, to Erik over at Breakeven Books for including me on this Book Tour and Page Turn Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honor review and feedback!

If you have any questions, definitely drop them in the comments OR if you have any other short story collections that you’d recommend, let me know! I really enjoyed this collection and am looking to add a few more to my TBR soon!

Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek

Book Review: The Ballad Of Never After by Stephanie Garber

~ Mr Geek ~ Leave a comment

Hello Readers!

This is a blog post that I have been dying to write for quite awhile! Some of you may remember last year that I was included in a Blog Tour supporting Stephanie Garber’s new book / series, Once Upon A Broken Heart. It was a great opportunity for me, I got an advanced copy of the book and even got to interview Stephanie for my blog (she’s great)! Well Flatiron Books decided to do another blog tour to support the continuous of this story and asked me to join back in on the fun! I obviously jumped at this opportunity. Garber’s Caraval series is one of my absolute favorites – I loved the magical game of Caraval, the cast of characters plus the unique twists and turns. Once Upon A Broken Heart takes place in the same world as Caraval, so I recommend that you read (enjoy) that series before diving into this one. Once Upon A Broken Heart follows Evangeline Fox – an orphaned, hopeless romantic who will do almost anything to save her fiancé and get her happily ever after. I devoured this book last year and it ended with quite the cliffhanger. So… what did I think of The Ballad Of Never After?

I. LOVED. IT. To keep this review spoiler free, I won’t be discussing book 1 or any of the major plot points, so you can read this review without fear! Ballad picks up almost immediately after the events of Broken Heart. Many of our favorite characters return for an encore performance including Jacks, Lala and Chaos. Right from the start, there’s an interesting new plot that’s the main driver of the story. Evangeline soon finds herself not only on a new quest but with a dangerous new curse to contend with. The action starts from the beginning and does not let up until the final page. I found the chapters to be rather short which kept me turning the pages and saying “Ohhhh, just one more chapter!” a little too frequently. Garber has always had descriptive and flowery writing but I found there to be a lot more similes in this book than most of her others (as the book progressed they seemed to even out though). I’m not a big romance fan but I felt like the relationships in this one were well done and very fairytale-esque. I especially loved the ending of the book – there were some very unique and creative ideas used to really wrap everything up. I was worried how this was going to end since Garber has been very coy about whether this is a duopoly or a trilogy (and if you came here looking for that answer, I’m sorry, you’ll have to read the book to find out! If you’re a fantasy fan, who likes a dash of romance and a whole lot of action, I can confidently say this book will be RIGHT up your alley!

Once Upon A Broken Heart is out now and sold by all major book stores like Amazon. The Ballad Of Never After is out Tuesday, September 13, 2022! Preorder your copy today at all major book store or Amazon. A huge thank you to Flatiron Books for including me in their Blog Tour and for the ARC of The Ballad Of Never After.

As always, don’t forget to subscribe and make sure to stop back with your feedback after you’ve finished this one. I can’t wait to hear everyone’s thoughts on the ending!

Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek