REVIEW: "The Worrier's Guide to Life" by Gemma Correll

Disclaimer: I received a free, advance e-copy of this in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Release Date: May 26, 2015

Type: Humor, Nonfiction, Graphic Novel, Anxiety is my middle name, Was this written about me?

About the Book: If you're floundering in life, striking out in love, struggling to pay the rent, and worried about it all -- you're in luck! World Champion Worrier and Expert Insomniac Gemma Correll is here to assure you that it could be much, much worse.

In her hugely popular comic drawings, Gemma Correll dispenses dubious advice and unreliable information on life as she sees it, including The Dystopian Zodiac, Reward Stickers for Grown-Ups, Palm Reading for Millennials, and a Map of the Introvert's Heart. For all you fellow agonizers, fretters, and nervous wrecks, this book is for you. Read it and weep...with laughter. [Synopsis from Netgalley.com]

My Review: Ugh, gosh, I think author Gemma Correll wrote a book about my life! Anyone that has ever suffered through depression, anxiety, insomnia, or even every day life will find something in common with this book. I chuckled out loud multiple times, and nodded in agreement at least once ever page.

"The Worrier's Guide to Life" is incredibly clever, and very original. While this book is organized into like sections, there really isn't a flow to the book. However, since this seems to be material from the author's blog, as well as (I think?) some new material, that would make sense. The chapters contain comics similar enough that it works for the most part, and that's good enough for me. I enjoyed the heck out of this.

Cover Lovin': Aw man, this cover is my life. What you see on the cover is what you're going to get.

Recommendation: For fans of Hyperbole and a Half, and similar true-to-life, anxiety-ridden humor blogs.

Final Rating: FOUR POINT FIVE out of FIVE (4.5/5). Hilarious. The awkward nerd at me connected deeply with this. Highly recommended.

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

Release Week Blast: SAY MY NAME by J. Kenner!

Jackson Steele is finally here - are you ready to meet him? J. Kenner's SAY MY NAME is available now!

  About SAY MY NAME New York Times bestselling author J. Kenner kicks off a smoking hot, emotionally compelling new trilogy that returns to the world of her beloved Stark novels: Release Me, Claim Me, and Complete Me. Say My Name features Jackson Steele, a strong-willed man who goes after what he wants, and Sylvia Brooks, a disciplined woman who’s hard to get—and exactly who Jackson needs.

I never let anyone get too close—but he’s the only man who’s ever made me feel alive.

Meeting Jackson Steele was a shock to my senses. Confident and commanding, he could take charge of any room . . . or any woman. And Jackson wanted me. The mere sight of him took my breath away, and his touch made me break all my rules.

Our bond was immediate, our passion untamed. I wanted to surrender completely to his kiss, but I couldn’t risk his knowing the truth about my past. Yet Jackson carried secrets too, and in our desire we found our escape, pushing our boundaries as far as they could go.

Learning to trust is never easy. In my mind, I knew I should run. But in my heart, I never felt a fire this strong—and it could either save me or scorch me forever.

Say My Name is intended for mature audiences. You can read the first chapter of SAY MY NAME here! Add it to your Goodreads list here!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes | Google Play

Excerpt

“You really think you can come back after all this time and bat your lashes and have me fall backward over myself to help you out?” “It’s not like that. I—” “And for him—for Damien Stark? We’re done, princess,” he says, lifting a finger toward my face. “You told me to leave, sweetheart. And five years later you fall back into my life. And pretty goddamn dramatically, too.” I lick my lips. “It’s just business.” “The hell it is.” I hear the sharp edge of emotion in his voice, as dangerous as a well-honed blade. The fight is obvious on his face, as well, and I press back against the car, wishing I could disappear through the metal. He’s fire and fury, and I have no idea what he is going to do. All I know is that all that passion is directed toward me, and that no matter what happens, I won’t leave this parking lot unscathed. I see it in his eyes first—a quick flash of wildness before his hand lashes out and his palm slams hard against the Lexus. Then he pulls me close, and I don’t even have time to think before his mouth closes over mine. The kiss is violent. Wild and desperate. And when I gasp, he takes advantage, thrusting his tongue into my mouth as one hand holds my head and the other slides up my chest to cup my breast. He deepens the kiss, claiming me with such intensity that I know I would not be standing were it not for his hands upon me.

About J. Kenner

Julie Kenner (aka J. Kenner and J.K. Beck) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres. Praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations,” J.K. writes a range of stories including super sexy romances, paranormal romance, chick lit suspense and paranormal mommy lit. Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner, is in development as a feature film with 1492 Pictures. Her most recent trilogy of erotic romances, The Stark Trilogy (as J. Kenner), reached as high as #2 on the New York Times list and is published in over twenty countries. J.K. lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and several cats. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

REVIEW: "Give to the Heart, Volume 2" by Wann

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. 

Release Date: January 27, 2015

Type: Graphic Novel, Manga, Series, Mythology, Book 2, Magic, Every guy's shirt has some sort of malfunction?!

About the Book: Earth suffers a cataclysm. Three godlike beings emerge to rule over survivors. Lord Ganok controls all waters. He nourishes nations with rain or blights them with drought.Yet, despite his terrifying abilities, the Water King can't win the heart of the woman Sooyi because the human heart contains more intense storms than even he can create. Furthermore, Sooyi seeks to fulfill a vendetta...and the power to slay the Water King. [Description provided by Netgalley.com]

My Review: Yes, I gave the first volume a higher rating, but that doesn't mean I liked this second book less. Actually, in some respects I liked volume 2 more. Then why the lower rating? Because I wasn't as immediately sucked in to the story in this volume as I was in the first volume. Well, that is only mostly accurate. I was sucked in quickly, then lost the desperation to continue the story in the middle, then picked it back up again near the end. The story dipped a little for me in the middle, but it picked right back up, and ended on a strong note. So for that, it gets one less star than the first book - but it was still a great read for me.

In book two, we get less of the Water King, and more of Sooyi and her travels with her companion, who has a mysterious story of his own. I cannot wait to find out what is going on with him. We get a teaser at the end of volume 2, but it is not enough! I must find out what is going on.

Side note: I feel so bad for the poor guys in this story. There is a plague of shirt malfunctions throughout the story. But I guess this is payback for all the gratuitous panty shots that show up in other mangas?

Cover Lovin': Eye catching, check. Good representation of the art, check. Gives an idea of what is actually going to happen in this volume? Nope.

Recommendation: For fans of the first volume, definitely. And for those than like the author's other works.

Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE stars (4/5). Good, in some respects I liked it better than volume 1, but I wasn't as immediately sucked in like I was with the previous book.

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda at Novel Addiction ~!~