Tag: Book Reviews

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 ~ 2 Comments

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

Tome Topple Round 17 Announcement!

~ Mr Geek ~ Leave a comment

Hello Readers!

It’s your favorite geek, back from the dead! It has been an absolutely wild last couple of months but I am back and promise to be better than ever (I’ll be posting an update / Where the heck have I been post this weekend). I’m also breaking out of my hiatus to announce the next round of Tome Topple! Round 17 begins this Friday, December 9th (aka TOMORROW) at midnight in your timezone and goes until midnight on December 22nd!

As a quick reminder for those of you who are new to Tome Topple, or might just need a refresher from our last round in April, Tome Topple is a 2 week read-a-thon where the main objective is to read BIG BOOKS (over 500 pages)… that’s it! We’ll be hosting reading sprints on Twitter and potentially Discord this time around plus there will be Instagram and TikTok challenges too! Now, you’re probably thinking “How can I participate!?” Well, it’s easy – just grab your “thicc” books and start reading! Make sure to tag me, and the other co-hosts, so we can chat about your books and use #TomeTopple so we can find you!

Tome Topple Round 17 Reading Prompts

Speaking of cohosts, I’m going to quickly introduce all of the great people that make this read-a-thon a reality! Most are familiar faces but we did add a new member to our crew this time around!

Now for the fun part, my TBR! I’m not going to lie, this has been not a great reading year for me. I got extremely behind in my GoodReads goal and have spent the better part of the last 2.5 months trying to catch up (which I’ve almost done and was part of the reason I have been MIA)! Anyway, I’ve decided to finally start The Last Hours trilogy and my first book will be Chain of Golf by Cassandra Clare. If I manage to finish Chain of Gold, and meet my GoodReads goal, I think I am going to start IT by Stephen King (which I know I’ll have no chance of finishing this year). IT has been on my TBR for years and years but weighing in at nearly 1,200 pages, I just keep putting it off. I think now is finally the time to give it a shot!

So what will you be reading for this round? Have you read either of my books? Have thoughts to share? Let me know in the comments! Be sure to follow me, @ItsMrGeekToYou, and Tome Topple, @Tome_Topple, to join in all the fun!

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

July ’22 Wrap Up!

~ Mr Geek ~ Leave a comment

Hello Readers!

I can’t believe the month is already over and we’re slowly sliding towards the end of summer. Where has the time gone?! I can’t be the only one thinking this, right!? I deviated slightly from my “Judge A Book By It’s Cover” TBR for this month but I’m planning to carry one of the books into August and the other into September! Overall, it was a pretty good reading month and I enjoyed everything I read.

First up was Lock Every Door by Riley Sager. I read this one while I was at the beach and this was a WILD ride. It definitely kept me on my toes and I didn’t see the twist coming at all. The premise is simple. You’re given the opportunity to move into this ritzy and glamorous apartment building as an apartment sitter. There are rules in place that you MUST follow otherwise you face eviction. I seriously tore through the page while relaxing by the pool – I had no idea where this was going and was definitely surprised by the end. Not my favorite Sager book but definitely a solid entry in his lineup!

Next up what The Night Swim by Megan Goldin. I LOVED Goldin’s debut, The Escape Room, and I’m not sure how but I think I loved The Night Swim even more. I ALMOST wish I started off with this one but I know I would’ve been so enthralled with this book that I wouldn’t want to stop reading for anything. I would’ve been sitting in our condo feverishly clicking the buttons on my Kindle. It was a great book to binge on the plane rides home though! This story was told from multiple perspectives (which I love) and there were the occasional “Podcast Episode” chapters which was excellent! The plot revolves around a reporter, Rachel, who goes to a small town to cover a rape trial for her PodCast, Guilty Or Not Guilty. Rachel begins getting letters from a resident of the town, Hannah, begging her to investigate the death of sister from decades earlier. The plot bounces back and forth from present day (Rachel) or decades earlier (Hannah). While the sexual assault storyline is difficult to read about, Goldin does it in a very tasteful way and the book is incredibly well done. If you’re going to take any of my recommendations, make it this one!

The last book I knocked out this month was Blue Haven by Lisa King. I joined Erik over at Breakeven Books on his Blog Tour supporting this book. Blue Haven was a suspenseful and surprising read. From the first few pages, I was HOOKED. The writing style was a little simplistic, nothing to write home about. From the beginning, I was flipping pages to see where this was going. It’s really best to go into this blind but to give you a taste of the plot: Aloe Malone is barely getting by until she hits the lottery and decides to move into the luxury compound, Blue Haven. Soon Aloe realizes that everything is not quite as it seems and she starts to see the cracks in Blue Haven’s perfect veneer. Sounds interesting? Definitely don’t sleep on this one!

How has your summer been so far? Read anything good? Keep your eyes peeled for my August TBR. I am partnering with Flatiron Books on Stephanie Garber’s new release, Ballad of Neverafter (one of my most anticipated releases of the year)!

Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek

Spotlight Review: Blue Haven by Lisa King

~ Mr Geek ~ 2 Comments

Hello Readers!

Anyone who knows me, or has been around this blog for awhile, knows that I am a HUGE fan of thrillers. So much so that when I was out to dinner with a couple friends, we talked about me leasing space for book storage and one of my friends joked that it would just be a wall of thrillers… but she’s not wrong! I love how compulsively readable this genre is and whenever I’m feeling slumpy, I know a good thriller will get me back on track! When Erik, from Breakeven Books on YouTube, reached out to me able participating in the Blue Haven Blog Tour, I told him I wanted to do a little research before committing. That research took approximately 10 minutes. I hopped over to GoodReads to read the synopsis. From the first few sentences, I knew this book was right up my alley and happily confirmed! So without further ado, let’s dive into a quick summary and my thoughts!

Aloe Malone hasn’t had the best life. She’s orphaned with only a Grandma and Aunt that she tries to keep in touch with. She’s working late night shifts at a diner, trying to make ends meet, while living in a crummy apartment in the Lower West Side of Chicago. Aloe’s luck all changes when she hits the lottery and is able to finally escape her less than ideal situation for something a little more… upscale. Welcome to Blue Haven: A luxurious, secluded, living compound containing everything you need and more! The ocean is heated to always be the perfect temperature, the beach is covered with UV reflecting material giving you all the sun with none of the burn and there’s an endless supply of shops and restaurants for you to explore. The condos are cushy and extravagant so you can spend your days lounge in comfort. Aloe thinks she’s died and gone to heaven… until she starts to discover some cracks in the perfect Blue Haven veneer.

This book was a wild ride and I was hooked from the very start! The premise of Blue Haven was interesting and from the beginning you could tell it was too good to be true… but WHAT was too good to be true!? The story flowed well and the pacing was perfect. When I wasn’t reading, I found my mind still wandering back to the plot trying to work out what exactly was going on. The friends Aloe makes, while at Blue Heaven, were personable and distinct. Each character had a unique personality that really added to the dynamic (my personal favorite was Bibs, the over-the-top Opera since who is larger-than-life in every way possible). I also loved the shorter length chapters, too. I felt like that only added to the suspense and excitement of the novel. While the writing style didn’t blow me away, it was still a fun and addicting read! I don’t want to give away too many details here, but if you’re a fan of the suspense/thriller genre, definitely give this one a try!

Pick up a copy of Blue Haven by Lisa King on Amazon!

Today is the last day of the Blog Tour (I’m going to tell myself we saved the best for last), but you can also check out content from all of the other participants:

July 24th – Erik (Breakeven Books)

July 24th – https://www.instagram.com/crazyforbooksandcoffee/

July 25th – B.A Bellec

July 26th – https://infinitysbookshelf.wordpress.com/

July 27th – https://www.youtube.com/c/TheLiteraryApothecary

July 27th â€“ @zmeetsworld â€“ Instagram

July 28th – http://jeannekwong.com/jkstar88-reader/ | https://www.youtube.com/user/JKStar88 

July 29th – https://beforewegoblog.com/

July 30th – https://treatyoshelf.blog/

A big thank you to Erik over at Breakeven Books for organizing this tour and Lisa King for a complimentary copy of Blue Haven in exchange for an honest review!

Until We Meet Again,
Mr Geek