Eeep! Check out this fabulous cover and awesome teaser! It’s sooo reminiscent of Twilight and am sooo ready for vampires to make a comeback! With a cover like this, I have to believe this will be the vampire series we have been craving since the CW’s The Vampire Diaries ended.

Will you be adding this to your TBRList?! Keep scrolling to read a brief description and find out when you can own a copy of this highly-anticipated EntangledTEEN 2020 release!

A debut novel based on the true story of the iconic painter, Artemisia Gentileschi.

Her mother died when she was twelve, and suddenly Artemisia Gentileschi had a stark choice: a life as a nun in a convent or a life grinding pigment for her father's paint.

She chose paint.

By the time she was seventeen, Artemisia did more than grind pigment. She was one of Rome's most talented painters, even if no one knew her name. But Rome in 1610 was a city where men took what they wanted from women, and in the aftermath of rape Artemisia faced another terrible choice: a life of silence or a life of truth, no matter the cost.

He will not consume
my every thought.
I am a painter.
I will paint.

I will show you
what a woman can do.

I cannot put it better than Bookpage’s on-point review of Blood Water Paint, but in the spirit of #MeToo, I will share my experience with this novel as well.

Blood Water Paint is a vivid depiction based on facts of Baroque artist Artemesia Gentileschi.

The story immerses the reader in Artemesia’s daily life and most intimate thoughts. Visceral descriptions of what it was like to be a woman, a daughter, and a female artist in the16th century are eerily similar to today’s female experience.

Here’s a great NPR piece on Artemesia as a Feminist Icon.

The story is narrated by Artemesia and alternates between prose and verse, evoking a sense of synesthesia, a way that Artemesia–and many artists in general–claim to experience the world.

The author sets out to show readers the inspiration behind many of Artemesia’s most famous paintings and to highlight the many trials Artemesia endured and the obstacles she overcame to pursue her passion. The story is character-driven so their is not a ton of world building, but I recommend watching the Netflix series The Medici to get and idea of the culture and aesthetics that influenced Artemesia’s art.

I haven’t read any other books, fiction or nonfiction, about Artemesia, so I have nothing to compare it to, but I am confident that this book measures up to the best of them. The author originally intended this book as a play before committing it to an historical fiction novel, and knowing that beforehand gave the novel a distinct feel for me.

This was (still is) one of my favorite novels of the past year, and I highly recommend it to historical fiction lovers, art enthusiasts, artists, and those who love reading about strong women from history. I would also recommend this book for a book club read. There are a lot of aspects the novel that make for timely and engaging discussion topics.

For Your Enrichment:

Here is the playlist of an album titled What Artemesia Heard: Music and Art from the Time of Caravaggio and Gentileschi. If you are a classical music fan, you will love this album. If you are not a fan, I suggest giving it a try anyway.

For Your Education:

Here is a BBC documentary about Artemisia:

Title: Make Me Bad
Author: R.S. Grey
Release Date: March 7th, 2019
Add to your Goodreads TBR.

Synopsis:

I was issued a warning: stay away from Ben Rosenberg.

 

As Clifton Cove’s resident “king”, he thinks he’s entitled to anyone and anything.

 

The trouble is, I’ve spent my whole life following the rules and playing it safe. I know what it feels like to be the good girl. I’m the police chief’s daughter and a librarian—for adorable children, no less. My wardrobe consists of colorful sundresses and baggy jeans. I might as well have a Post-it stuck to my forehead that reads: Yup, she’s a virgin.

 

An all-nighter with a fictional hunk is about as exciting as my life gets, until one day, fate decides to take pity on me and shove me straight into the path of Mr. Off-Limits himself.

 

Oof.

 

Just as I suspected, every inch of him promises to be my demise. Up close, he’s tall, menacing, dangerously handsome—the type of man who’s never spent a single moment worrying about the opinions of others. A well-behaved girl would do as she’s told and avoid him at all costs, but I’m overdue for a little rebellion.

 

No more Friday nights sprawled out on the couch in my comfiest pajamas. No more wishing I had the courage to misbehave.

 

Everyone thinks Ben is going to ruin me.

They think he’ll chew me up and spit me out.

 

Well, Ben…go ahead.

Tempt me. Taunt me.

Make me bad.

Lacey Barnes has dreamt of being in a movie for as long as she can remember. However, while her dream did include working alongside the hottest actor in Hollywood, it didn’t involve having to finish up her senior year of high school at the same time she was getting her big break. Although that is nothing compared to Donavan, the straight-laced student her father hires to tutor her, who is a full-on nightmare.

As Lacey struggles to juggle her burgeoning career, some on-set sabotage, and an off-screen romance with the unlikeliest of leading men, she quickly learns that sometimes the best stories happen when you go off script.

There’s just something about Kasie West’s writing-style that makes an otherwise silly plot and shallow romance into something sophisticated and poignant. Her stories are addictive, entertaining, and just plain fun–in the truest sense of the word.

The majority of the action unfolds on a zombie-romance movie set and in the on-set trailer of 17 year-old Lacey Barnes (FUN, right!?). Lacey is an ambitious and talented teen on the verge of stardom now that she is acting opposite one of young-Hollywood’s most eligible heart-throbs. But her fame and climb up the acting ladder have come at a price–her grades. Long story short, Lacey ends up with one super cute tutor who has to compete for her attention (and affections) with her annoyingly charming and confident co-star. The story doesn’t really feature a love triangle (sorry if that disappoints some of you), but there is some great tension created by the competition between the two male MCs.

Although the fantastic covers and cute plots and settings of Kasie West’s stories may lead you to think that the characters will be superficial–they’re not. Each character is interesting and fleshed out adding depth to the story. I think the pacing could have been faster and the book could have been shorter. For 384 pages, the novel should have used up more of that type-set on scenes between Lacey and her tutor.

Overall, I enjoyed the mystery aspect to the plot (think–who’s trying to sabotage my acting career?!), and I enjoyed the chemistry between the two MCs. Fate, Fame, and the First Kiss is a fun and entertaining novel and I definitely recommend giving it a read.

Okay, I’ve already cast current actors as the main characters of this novel for you:

Okay folks, I am FREAKING OUT right now. I think I am the world’s best matchmaker; I just saw THIS while googling pics to use in this post of Selena Gomez:

Woooowwww. My matching making skills are on point.

Just for Fun:

The film story within the story of this book totally reminded me of the films Warm Bodies and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I think it’s time I re-watched them!

Into every generation a Slayer is born…

Nina and her twin sister, Artemis, are far from normal. It’s hard to be when you grow up at the Watcher’s Academy, which is a bit different from your average boarding school. Here teens are trained as guides for Slayers—girls gifted with supernatural strength to fight the forces of darkness. But while Nina’s mother is a prominent member of the Watcher’s Council, Nina has never embraced the violent Watcher lifestyle. Instead she follows her instincts to heal, carving out a place for herself as the school medic.

Until the day Nina’s life changes forever.

Thanks to Buffy, the famous (and infamous) Slayer that Nina’s father died protecting, Nina is not only the newest Chosen One—she’s the last Slayer, ever. Period.

As Nina hones her skills with her Watcher-in-training, Leo, there’s plenty to keep her occupied: a monster fighting ring, a demon who eats happiness, a shadowy figure that keeps popping up in Nina’s dreams…

But it’s not until bodies start turning up that Nina’s new powers will truly be tested—because someone she loves might be next.

One thing is clear: Being Chosen is easy. Making choices is hard.

By now everyone knows that a re-imagining/series sequel of the CW hit television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Joss Whedon) is in the works. As if that weren’t exciting enough, Kiersten White’s new series set in the Buffy universe is hitting the shelves on January 8th!

Buffy’s back (sort of), bitchezzzz! via GIPHY

From what I’ve read on Goodreads, Slayer (Slayer #1) closely follows the Buffy comics and picks up shortly after the ending of the last comic in the series. I, however, never read or got into the comics and simply watched Buffy in real-time when it originally aired. Even though I was not familiar with the continuation of Buffy’s story arc outside of the show, I was still able to enjoy the book. That being said, I do not think it matters one way or the other if you have read the comics or if you have seen the show. You’ll still have a blazing good time getting to know these new characters and devouring this action-packed novel.

In short, the book is awesome. I found all of the characters engaging and reminiscent of the dynamic between the Vampire Diaries and Riverdale characters. The dialogue is witty, the characters are complex and completely relatable, the plot is thick (in a good way!), and the world building is on point. The diversity of the characters was refreshing and my little librarian heart was giddy every time I read a scene set in the library, that discussed research, or that described old books. Seriously, after reading Slayer, I felt driven to start a new research and kick-butt training routine.

You’ll want to pull out your old DVD of the 1992 Buffy film and give it a rewatch to set the mood before reading Slayer.

This book was straight-up FUN and inspiring. Through the trials and tribulations of Athena (Nina) and her twin sister Artemis, Kiersten White delivers a pretty profound message: The world, our worlds, are not binary; there’s always a third choice. (It’ll all make sense once you read the book. Aren’t you excited?!)

And just for fun….

After reading Slayer and immersing yourself back into the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you are probs gonna wanna get all kinds of BUFF so you can obliterate your own siblings demons. Here’s a workout video to help you get ready to SLAY:

Mix in the workouts below for advanced Slayer training:

Graphics courtesy of Pinterest

It’s time to train and SLAY!

Now go and pre-order yourself a finished copy of Slayer by Kiersten White after ENTERING TO WIN the ARC at the end of this post!

And just for MORE fun…

I *almost* slayed my television and Netflix account when I read that the FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC show Crazy Head was cancelled after one season. If you haven’t checked out Crazy Head yet and you are a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you MUST check this show out. It was streaming on Netflix a while back, but you may be able to find it on other platforms. Watch the short trailer below!

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Remember how many lies we told, Molly? It’s enough to make my head spin. You were wild when I met you, and I was mad for you. But then something happened. And now you’re gone.

But don’t worry. I’ll find you. I just need to sift through the story of us to get to where you might be. I’ve got places to look, and a list of names.

The police have a list of names, too. See now? There’s another lie. There is only one person they’re really looking at, Molly.

And that’s yours truly.

Have you ever seen the COMPLETELY ABSORBING AND BRILLIANT film starring Guy Pearce called Memento (2000)? (If not, you should get right on that because you’re a couple of decades behind.) Victoria Scott brings the same kind of mind-boggling magic to her upcoming novel from Entangled Teen.

From what I gather via social media buzz in the book world, We Told Six Lies is hands-down one of the most anticipated upcoming releases in young adult fiction for spring 2019. After reading WTSL last week, I can say that all the buzz and anticipation is well deserved.

This novel is perhaps Victoria Scott’s darkest and most daring. Electric emotions and dangerous obsession make for a novel that is impossible to put down. It’s a fast-paced blend of mystery, suspense, and psychological thriller with the intensity and lust of first-love as the driving force behind the male and female MC’s actions.

Although the author’s ability to tackle different forms of storytelling is impressive, I was most impressed by Scott’s prose in this latest novel. The writing is lyrical and poetic; I felt like I was reading a piece of art.

WTSL is going to be a special treat for lovers of plot-driven novels that take your breath away. Seriously, folks. I was turning pages so fast I got a paper cut. Is WTSL on your 2019 #TBTList? I highly recommend pre-ordering this one; it’s sure to fly off the shelves!

ENTER TO WIN an ARC of We Told Six Lies below!

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Elizabeth Lavenza hasn't had a proper meal in weeks. Her thin arms are covered with bruises from her "caregiver," and she is on the verge of being thrown into the streets . . . until she is brought to the home of Victor Frankenstein, an unsmiling, solitary boy who has everything--except a friend.

Victor is her escape from misery. Elizabeth does everything she can to make herself indispensable--and it works. She is taken in by the Frankenstein family and rewarded with a warm bed, delicious food, and dresses of the finest silk. Soon she and Victor are inseparable.

But her new life comes at a price. As the years pass, Elizabeth's survival depends on managing Victor's dangerous temper and entertaining his every whim, no matter how depraved. Behind her blue eyes and sweet smile lies the calculating heart of a girl determined to stay alive no matter the cost . . . as the world she knows is consumed by darkness.

This past October, in conjunction with Frankenreads.org, I hosted a month of programming centered around Mary Shelley and her Frankenstein at my library. The publisher was kind enough to send us a book club kit of TDDoEF, so we featured the novel as our October Young Adult Fiction for Adults book club pick. Overall, feelings from our book club attendees were lukewarm about Kiersten White’s spin on Mary Shelley’s dark fictional world and characters. The book was much darker than everyone anticipated. Although the book was indeed sombre and intense, I think any Mary Shelley fan who is familiar with the arc of her life and the thematic elements her Frankenstein tackles will find White’s spin on the tale appropriately sinister.

It is not necessary to have read the original Frankenstein novel to understand TDDoEF, but the book will be 100% better if you have read Mary Shelley’s novel or if you are at least familiar with its thematic elements and characters. As usual, White’s writing is attention-grabbing and her characters are interesting. The pacing could have been a tick or two faster, but I enjoyed the way White breathed life into this important yet peripheral character from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Have you read Frankenstein or TDDoEF yet? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Make sure to ENTER TO WIN the ARC copy below!

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Inspired by the true story of a Portland, Oregon, cat who stole from his neighbors--and stole America's heart . . .

SHE'S PUTTING HER LOVE LIFE ON PAWS
Jamie Snyder is thirty-four and single but NOT ready to mingle. After suffering through The Year of the Non-Commital Man, The Year of the Self-Absorbed Man, and The Year of the Forgot-to-Mention-I'm-Married Man, Jamie's ready to celebrate The Year of Me--and MacGyver, of course. MacGyver is an adorable tabby with a not-so-adorable habit of sneaking out at night and stealing things from the neighbors. That's right, MacGyver is a cat burglar. He's still the only male Jamie trusts--and the only companion she needs . . .

BUT HER CAT HAS OTHER IDEAS
MacGyver knows his human is lonely. He can smell it. It's the same smell he's noticed on their neighbor David, a handsome young baker who's tired of his friends trying to fix him up. But now MacGyver's on the case. First, he steals something from David and stashes it at Jamie's. Then, he steals something from Jamie and leaves it with David. Before long, the two are swapping stolen goods, trading dating horror stories, and trying not to fall in love. But they're not fooling MacGyver. When humans generate this much heat, the cat is out of the bag . . .

I read this book when it first came out, but I am just now getting around to reviewing it on the blog.

First, here’s a little history about the author. Melinda Metz is a librarian and the co-author of the original Roswell High book series that was eventually adapted for television as the CW’s Roswell T.V. show. The Roswell books and television series have a cult following and fans have been campaigning for a Roswell revival and/or a Roswell film for more than a decade. Some Roswell fans are up-in-arms about the recent news that the CW will be airing a re-imagining of the original series in 2019 called Roswell, New Mexico. As a super-fan of the Roswell universe, I have mixed feelings about the new show, but I am happy that the Roswell world is getting a second chance in the entertainment industry. If you have not read Melinda’s Roswell High series, I highly recommend that you do!

I love Melinda Metz’s writing and Talk to the Paw is, paws down, one of my favorite books ever! It’s poignant, quirky, romantic as hell, and laugh-out-loud funny. I clawed my way through the book in one sitting. Written in third-person, the reader has the pleasure of hearing everyone’s thoughts and, trust me, it’s highly entertaining.

I have to say though, my favorite place to be was in Mac Gyver’s–the cat’s– head. He’s one saucy and clever cat. I’m pretty sure Mac is a character after Shakespeare’s own dead-heart. His misguided machinations and match-maker antics create the most purrrrrfect comedy of errors in the picturesque town populated with a cast full of colorful characters. Talk to the Paw needs to be a Hallmark movie STAT.

Here’s a peek at the second book in the Talk to the Paw series!

I am super excited for the next book! Make sure to follow @MelindaMetz on Twitter for more sneak peeks and updates.

Just for Fun…..

Here’s is the You Tube video of the real-life cat story that Melinda Metz based her novel on:

Zera is a Heartless – the immortal, unageing soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger ever since she saved her from the bandits who murdered her family, Zera longs for freedom from the woods they hide in. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger’s control, she serves the witch unquestioningly.

Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a Prince’s heart in exchange for her own, with one addendum; if she’s discovered infiltrating the court, Nightsinger will destroy her heart rather than see her tortured by the witch-hating nobles.

Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane hates the royal court as much as it loves him – every tutor too afraid to correct him and every girl jockeying for a place at his darkly handsome side. No one can challenge him – until the arrival of Lady Zera. She’s inelegant, smart-mouthed, carefree, and out for his blood. The Prince’s honor has him quickly aiming for her throat.

So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all.

Winner takes the loser’s heart.

Literally.

A couple of months ago, I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing author Sara Wolf at her Katy Budget Books Bring Me Their Hearts release party. If you live in the Houston area, go and buy yourself a signed copy of BMTH! You can also order a signed copy to be shipped to you from their website.

First, I want to say that I was completely dazzled by author Sara Wolf (her nom de plume). She was clever, funny, down-to-earth, and a great conversationalist. Basically, she was as enchanting and entertaining as her Entangled TEEN debut. Here’s what I can tell you about SW in a nutshell–in her tween and teen years, she was the geeky, video-game-playing, Pokemon-fan-fiction-writing, sarcastic girl of everyone’s dreams–in at least a twenty-mile radius. She would NEVER enjoy running a book blog, and her alternate career would be as a pastry chef.

Now that we have established how awesome SW is, I will let you in on some of the writerly secrets she divulged at her signing! This may come as a surprise to you, but SW is a Pantster! She doesn’t use outlines or storyboards when she’s crafting a story. Rather, she just sits down and starts pouring what’s in her head on to her computer screen, and lets the story shape itself. SW had always wanted to write a fantasy trilogy, but she felt completely inadequate while working on BMTH. I, for one, am glad she persisted. As a successful self-published author, SW said she enjoyed the freedom that came with having complete creative control. That being said, she immensely enjoyed working with the team at Entangled TEEN.

SW wanted to let all the aspiring authors out there know that she used careertracker.com, mass emailed YA lit agents, made a lot of cold-calls, and endured 738 rejections before the fruits of her creative labor were recognized and given a chance. (This admonition made me love her even more.)

Now, on to my review of the book.

Obviously, I LOVED it. I do not typically read (or like for that matter)fantasy books. But BMTH achieved the perfect balance of world building, character development, action, feminism, bromance, and romance. The dark and witty dialogue is probably my favorite aspect of the novel, but the chemistry between Zara, the female MC, and Prince Lucien, the male MC, is charged with that oh-so-good-tension that make books like Twilight and Pride and Prejudice so popular. (#TwilightForever #DontHate!) (SW, I love you. If you read this, please don’t hate me for dropping those names.)

BMTH is fast-paced and surprisingly poignant. The reader is exposed to the dark and tragic past of Zara in addition to her dark and gruesome thoughts. Honestly, the book was darker than I anticipated, but it was nicely balanced out with moments of laugh-out-loud humour and sharp banter. In short, this book was on point or on fleck or whatever kids are saying in substitution of the phrase bad-ass now-a-days. Seriously, though–buy yourself a copy of this book, give it to a friend, keep it for yourself, request it from your library, and ENTER TO WIN A SIGNED COPY BELOW!

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Emma Grace Townsend. Five years old. Gray eyes. Brown hair. Missing since June.

Emma Townsend is lonely. Living with her cruel mother and clueless father, Emma retreats into her own world of quiet and solitude.

Sarah Walker. Successful entrepreneur. Broken-hearted. Abandoned by her mother. Kidnapper.
Sarah has never seen a girl so precious as the gray-eyed child in a crowded airport terminal--and when a second-chance encounter with Emma presents itself, Sarah takes her, far away from home. But if it's to rescue a little girl from her damaging mother, is kidnapping wrong?

Amy Townsend. Unhappy wife. Unfit mother. Unsure she wants her daughter back.
Amy's life is a string of disappointments, but her biggest issue is her inability to connect with her daughter. And now she's gone without a trace.

As Sarah and Emma avoid the nationwide hunt, they form an unshakeable bond. But her real mother is at home, waiting for her to return--and the longer the search for Emma continues, Amy is forced to question if she really wants her back.

Wow.

If you start this book with looming deadlines or close to bedtime, be prepared to disregard both once you start reading Rea Frey’s immensely absorbing novel, Not Her Daughter. This is, hands down, one of the most compelling and complex books I’ve read so far this year. It is a fast-paced story that alternates between two female narrators, leading up to and during the kidnapping of a five-year-old girl.

This book immerses the reader into the minds of two very different women. One, a successful and recently single business woman with an unhappy past, and the other a self-loathing, frazzled mother of two in an unhappy marriage. Both women’s lives intersect when one abducts the five-year-old daughter of the other.

I was shocked and appalled by the narrators as they deliberated their way through the unthinkable–the abduction of a child. The characters are both deeply flawed and, perhaps, relatable to the fringe imaginings of any unhappy mother or neglected child. The story probes the female experience of motherhood and mother-daughter relationships, bringing the most disturbing and base thoughts to the center of the page. As readers, we are forced to examine our own thoughts and contemplate an impossible question: Can the abduction of a child in an unhappy living situation every be justified?

After reading this novel, you will most likely be compelled to discuss it with a friend or recommend it to your local library as a book club pick. Those who love to read psychological suspense and/or domestic dramas should grab a copy of this book stat!

Have you already read Not Her Daughter? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rea Frey is an award-winning author of four nonfiction books. She lives in Nashville with her husband and daughter. NOT HER DAUGHTER is her debut novel. Read more at reafrey.com.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/reafrey_author?lang=en

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reafrey/