The first season of Anne with an E A netflix original

Welcome my dears to what promises to be a scathing review of Anne with an E. Yes scathing.
I went into this show excited, one of my favorite books was going to be a Netflix show. The first two or three episodes were great but then we take a 90° turn and not so much. Should have learned my lesson from Thirteen Reasons Why. So buckle up my friends, this is going to be a wild ride.

Casting!

The casting for this show was amazing! The characters look just like I alway picture them when I read Anne. They could not have picked a better Anne with her red hair and spunk. She's amazing. Marilla looks likes Marilla and Mathew is spot on too. 

The Plot...

I was going to break this down episode by episode, but then I realized I don't remember what happened in each episode and I refuse to watch that show again. EVER. So the fist couple of episodes were really good. Like followed the book so well only veered from the plot a little bit as expected with a page to screen adaptation. Then, then, we took a ninety degree turn and started on a whole different path. So *SPOILERS* I am going to rant about all the things that are wrong with this show in a calm manner (hopefully). To start Ruby Gillis's house never burns down. Her house is still there in the second or third book, it didn't burn down. On the subject of Ruby Gillis she and the other girls were never afraid of Anne they loved her because she was weird and had this amazing imagination. Also lets just take a moment to go to the PTA a meeting that Marilla goes to in the show?? I don't think there's even a PTA meeting in the books, ever. Where did that come from? Anne doesn't even say that much about Mr. Harmond/Thomas at all in the book much less the girls. However the scene where Anne gets Diana drunk was amazing and when she saves Minnie May from croup 😍😍. Skipping a little farther into the series, the bank is shaking and failing which happens in the book... Six years after Anne arrives at Green Gables. SIX YEARS!! Also on this subject Mathew doesn't get sick where he can't work, he dies. Has a heart attack and dies. Now on to Gilbert. I adore Gilbert, book and early show. The moment when Anne breaks her slate over Gilbert's head is one of my favorite things ever. And the show does that really well. However, a couple of things. Gilbert doesn't leave Avonlea until he goes to Queens, as a teenager like five years into the first book. Second Mrs. Blythe is alive throughout the books. At the end of the third book, she's there. Third, Mr. Blythe is also alive throughout the books. In Anne's house of Dreams (I think) he helps Gilbert get his medical practice going. So to recap, both of Gilbert's parents are alive and he never runs away. Just to mention the ending, they A) don't take in borders after Mathew dies, B) Anne is almost seventeen when Mathew dies, and C) No one ever robs Green Gables. And that's just the stuff that really bothers me.

Review

So I loved the first few episodes of this show. The rest not so much. I hate this show as much as I hate any show because of how far it goes from the books and everyone still loves it so much going on about how great it is. It takes a classic and it's name and goes so far from it's story. Yes I have heard of artistic license and that page to scene adaptations are going to be slightly different. That doesn't excuse complete changing the whole story. I am a purist when it comes to adaptations but I'm willing to go with a lot. This crosses a line in adapting books to shows and I'm sure L. M. Montgomery is rolling in her grave with the way this book has been adapted. A paw print and a whisker of ten just for the casting, that's all that saves this show from being horrible.🐾⚟⚞
Happy reading
Merlin:)

Anne of Green Gables L. M. Montgomery

Hello my dears. Are you ready for a classic, because I am.
Anne of Green Gables is one of my very favorite books of all time. It's and absolute classic and if you haven't read it you are missing out. I remember reading it for the first time when I was 7 and falling in love with Anne and Marilla and Mathew, now years later I still love the characters and the story. No matter how times I read it I fall in love all over again and laugh and cry in all the same places. It never gets old. There have been so many adaptations of this book into a movie or show (Anne with an E 🤮🤮) but none have ever lived up to the book. I love it sooo much!

Characters!

• Anne Shirley- The eleven year old protagonist of our story, Anne is an orphan girl who gets adopted by Marilla and Mathew Cuthbert in Avonlea on Prince Edward Island. Anne is a spunky imaginative eleven year old girl with a knack for getting into trouble. 
• Marilla Cuthbert- A strict but loving old woman, Marilla and her brother adopt Anne. Marilla sets about bringing Anne up properly.
• Mathew Cuthbert- Sweet, shy Mathew leaves Anne's bringing up to Marilla, but can't help wanting to spoil her. Mathew in is quiet ways is Marilla's opposite and together they make a wonderful team.
• Rachel Lynde- A very outspoken but kind old woman. I hated her at first but then you get to know her more as the book progresses and come to like her more. Rachel is that person who manages to get all of her work done, volunteer to lead groups or do more work, and some how still have time to be in everyone else's business. 
• Diana Berry- Diana is a sweet, kind girl who has been brought up properly since her birth and because of it has a lack of imagination. That being said she brings out a different side of Anne and mellows her out. She also loves to read. 

Plot!!

So Marilla and Mathew are looking to adopt a young boy to help Mathew around their farm. So they send word by the family of a woman who's going to get a girl of her own. Well, somewhere the wires get crossed and instead of a boy, they get a girl. Marilla wants to send her back at first but Mathew takes a liking to her and convinces Marilla she should stay. So she does and Anne's bringing up begins immediately. Like I said Anne has a knack for trouble and over the six years that this book takes place she gets into a lot of it. She dyes her hair, forgets flour in a cake, flavors a cake with liniment, and breaks her slate over someone's head, to name a few. But she grows up and makes fewer mistakes (although the ones she does make are very memorable). All in all an amazing book.

Review!

I adore this book. ADORE it! Anne is a timeless classic that I will always love. No matter when you read it you can get something from it. It might be a laugh, or proof that everyone makes mistakes and it all turns out alright in the end. Anne is a lighthearted book that is perfect for any moment. I love the plot and the characters and the setting (which is early 1900's Canada (Prince Edward Island) by the way). Everything about this book is amazing. If you haven't read it read it. Honestly I don't know where this book falls because I read it in the second grade and loved it, I read over the years and still loved it so. I think anyone could read and understand it. Read it for yourself, read it to your kids, read it as a class, whatever you want to do, just read it!

Eleven of ten paw prints 💜💜

🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

Happy Reading!

Merlin:)

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Amelia Hello my dears,
It has occurred to me that I have failed as your loyal blogger in two ways.

1. I haven't blogged this summer as much as I planned to, but alas I'm terribly scatterbrained and forgetful. I am terribly sorry for that.
2. I haven't reviewed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society which is in my opinion doomed to eventually become a classic. It's that amazing. Today I intend to fix that.

The fact that I haven't reviewed Guernsey occurred to me as I was cleaning, which we all know is only appropriate to do between the hours of eleven fifteen and two in the morning. I'm sure plenty of you have heard of Guernsey after all it became a Netflix original a while ago. The movie is actually what inspired me to read the book as horrible as that sounds. But in my defense I didn't know it was a book before I watched it. One of the most interesting, and one of my favorite, things about Guernsey is it's written entirely in letters. What is most likely my favorite thing about Guernsey (other than the characters, the plot, and everything) is the fact that it has it's basis loosely in actual history. Guernsey is a real island in the English Channel that was really was occupied by the German's during WWII. Unfortunately it seems that most of the history of Guernsey during WWII has been swept under a rug, see the Brits were never supposed to stop fighting and never be occupied but Guernsey, being in the Channel, was.

Characters!

• Juliet Ashton- A London author who after WWII is rather unsatisfied with her life. She must go on tour for her book and she (much I like would) dreads it. Juliet is sweet and gentle but also determined and courageous. I absolutely adore her (mind you I adore all of the characters)
• Dawsey Addams- If only there were actual men like Dawsey. He's sweet and kind and wonderful. If he were real, age appropriate, and I knew him I would snatch him up in a heart beat. He writes Juliet about a book and sets the whole story in motion.
• Isola Pribby- Isola is a strange bird. She makes her own gin, is a feminist, and loves Brontë. I love her because of how unique she is. She's also sweet and kind and takes Juliet in so easily.
• Amelia Maugrey- A secretly delightful woman with a tough exterior from loosing people. 
• Eben Ramsey- Local postmaster and a very grandfatherly man. Eben has to be one of the sweetest men in all books, he has this quiet strength that I adore.
• Elizabeth McKenna- The founder of the Society and a strong woman who defends what she believes in, to the end.
• Sydney Stark- Juliet's publisher and oldest friend. He's charming, and sweet, and amazing. 
• Markham V. Reynolds- Ok I lied there are like two characters in the book that I dislike. Mark I hate, for reasons I cannot disclose without spoiling everything. (the other is so insignificant that she's not worth mentioning, in fact I'm not sure she's in the book this review has turned out to be half movie half book but if I do say so myself the producers did a fantastic job with Guernsey)

Plot!

So Juliet lives in London as a writer, but after the war she feels uninspired and unhappy with her life. Then she gets a letter from a man named Dawsey Addams in Guernsey, asking about a book. See he had acquired a copy of one of her books with her address on it. They start exchanging letters and one thing leads to another and Juliet ends up in Guernsey, where she meets and falls in love with the members of the Society. Except for Elizabeth who was sent off island during the war. She so falls in love with them that she decides to write about them. Various things happen, letters are exchanged , people show up, things come out, and we fall in love with the characters. My only advice READ IT!

Review!

I know I probably say this too much, but this has got to be one of the best books of all time. It's probably technically an Adult book just because it doesn't have the hallmarks of a YA book. In historical fiction that's not always a bad thing. That being said a fourteen year old could read it and understand and enjoy it. Guernsey of people trying desperately to figure out life after one of the greatest tragedies of all time and move on from what they lost. With just a little adventure and gentle romance mixed in for fun. I adore it completely. Eleven of ten paw prints! 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

Farewell my friends and may you find Guernsey as wonderful and perfect as I,

Merlin:)

PS: what got me started on Guernsey was I watching the movie and started thinking about the book and how I didn't remember if I had reviewed it or not.

Wilder Girls Rosy Power

Halt! Who goes there! Declare yourself!

Merlin Bookworm!
You may enter!
So this intro is super weird, but fitting with the book. Wilder Girls is a take on the classic Lord of the Flies, but with girls (this seems to be a new thing). Sounds weird right? It is but in a good way. Essentially a horrible disease has hit this island boarding school and now the girls who attend are quarantined there.

Characters!

• Hetty- First of all what kind of name is Hetty? So Hetty is a student at Raxter School for Girls. Her father is in the Navy which is why she attends Raxter. Just like everyone at Raxter she has the Tox. 
• Byatt- Again with the names? How do you even this?? Her dad is also in the navy, and she's best friends with Hetty.
• Reese- Finally, a name I can get behind! She's the groundskeeper's daughter. Reese is that girl who looks and acts tough and everybody is scared of (really she's just a little bit of a softy). She's friends with Hetty and Byatt, but is closer to Byatt.

Plot!

So eighteen months ago The Tox struck Raxter. What the Tox is no one really knows, but it is a disease I find fascinating. I should probably tell ya'll (again) that I'm a huge nerd, especially when it comes to science so bear with me. The Tox enters the bodies of young girls and changes the DNA. It literally alters the DNA and tries to make it better. From what can tell it's activated by hormones, presumably estrogen, or at least controlled by them. Men can contract the disease but it proves fatal and painfully so. Because no one knows what causes the Tox or if it's contagious or how it spreads, Raxter has been quarantined since the first case. The Navy sends food and supplies but only certain girls, "The Boat Shift", are allowed to go retrieve them. Every girl wants to be a Boat Shift girl. Not the point. Anyway, one day Byatt goes missing, ad Hetty  and Reese have to find her.

Review!

I liked Wilder Girls. Not my fav, but still. I love takes off classics so that's great. I'm honestly not a horror person, and this book is 🎶creepy🎶. I love the Si-Fi/dystopian thing though so it balances. I did feel like something was missing, I'm just not sure what. Overall 6/10 paw prints 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

DISMISSED! 

Merlin:)

PS I'm sorry I've been so bad about updating. I mean to update but I never do. I'm a horrible person.

Lost Roses Martha Hall Kelly

Привет
First,  may I just say that while I read this I got all the music from Anastasia stuck in my head. This book made me think of Anastasia so much. I'm not sure how many of you are history nerds like me but this is historical fiction. Lost Roses is set in 1910's New York and Russia. Some of the fabulous characters are Russian aristocracy. For those of you who don't know/care/remember, this is a problem because 1910's Russia was home to the Russian Revolution. During the Russian Revolutions the Bolsheviks and other revolutionaries killed basically all of the aristocracy left in Russia. This story is told by three wonderful (sorta) and unique women: Eliza a wealthy New York socialite, Sofya a Russian aristocrat, and Varinka a Russian peasant.

Characters!

• Eliza Ferriday- Our socialite with a big heart. Eliza has known and been friends with Sofya for years and considers her one of her best friends. She loves her friends and family to the ends of the Earth. That being said, she's not perfect. Eliza goes through a lot (she doesn't always react well), and comes out better for it.
• Sofya Afonovich- Our Russian aristocrat, who also happens to be a distant cousin of the tsar. 1910's Russia was not a good place for aristocracy. She's married to Afon, a soldier in the Russian army (1910's Russia was not a good place for the military either), and they have a wonderful son Maxwell. Due to revolution, Sofya also goes through alot. As you can see this is not a happy book.
• Luba- Sofya's much younger sister, and brilliant mind. I really identify with Luba. She loves learning new things and reading. Her step-mother isn't a fan. Once again goes through a lot.
• Varinka- Our final POV and Russian peasant, she lives in the village that Sofya's family has a house in. There's a guy who lives with her and her mamka, who is a revolutionary. He is also a horrible, HORRIBLE, person. I personally hate him.

There are so many more amazing characters, but I don't have the time or will power to go through all of them without spoiling things.

Background!

So because this is historical fiction, I think you need to understand the time period and what's happening in it. This particular period is very complicated. Russian history in general is very complicated. It involves vikings (sorta) and the Mongols. Russia also remained backwards for along time. I'm sure most of you have at least heard of the Age of Enlightenment, the American Revolution, the French Revolution, World War I (WWI), and the Russian Revolution. Now you're probably wondering how some of these events are related to this particular era, like I said complicated. Now I'm going to be really nerdy. I'll try to be brief, but I make no promises. The Age of Enlightenment was a period of time when people started to think differently. Catherine the Great was in power at the time, and she made her capital and palace a mini Paris. She spoke French, made ballet popular, and wrote letters to French thinkers. She also slightly reformed Russia. Then the American Revolution happened as a result of the Age of Enlightenment. The American Revolution prompted the French Revolution which prompted Russia to close it's self off to the rest of the world and throw out all things enlightenment. This caused problems including serfdom remaining and a failure to modernize. Failure to modernize led to losses in several wars, and economic issues. Then WWI happened. Most Russians weren't really happy with the idea after losses in other wars. Germany to Austria-Hungary that they had their back if they (A-U) declared war on Serbia, and Russia promised Serbia the same. So WWI began, and Russians hated it. WWI had many repercussions for Russia including the collapse of it's economy. This combined with internal issues sparked the revolution. In 1917 the Revolution forced Russia to drop out of WWI. The Revolution was a general mess. No one was sure what anybody else was doing which led to a lot of death. The main group of Bolsheviks in the capital had it together but other groups acted more on there own and seized property from aristocracy, and some even went as far as brutally murdering even the kinder aristocrats. Ok really long nerdy ramble over, sorry.

Plot!

So Eliza and Sofya met in 1912 at school and Eliza invited her and Luba to join her in Paris. In 1914 the pair are still fast friends and Sofya, along with her family, is staying with Eliza and her family in New York City. In New York Sofya gives birth to her son, Maxwell. Unfortunately they have to go back to Russia. At this point Russia is on the brink of revolution (in fact there was a minor revolution in 1914) but not quite there yet. Fast forward to 1916 and the revolution is about to start and Sofya and her family are forced out of St. Petersburg, starting her own personal hell. At the same time, in New York, Eliza's personal hell is just getting started (for completely separate reasons). Varinka's life has sucked for a while now. She's poor, and has Taras living with her. Taras is the HORRIBLE guy I mentioned earlier. I'm not even touching the stuff he does (it borders on and quiet possibly is sexual assault). Varinka plays a role in making Sofya's life suck. So two of three main characters end up in Paris. Lots of shenanigans occur. The ending is bittersweet, but ultimately more on the happy end of the scale.

Review!

First I need to apologize for rambling about Russian history. I'm a nerd but y'all knew that already. I really enjoyed this book. I have a deep love for historical fiction, particularly accurate historical fiction. This book is shockingly accurate. Martha Hall Kelly actually went to Paris and Russia to research this book. And most of her characters were or are based on real people. Given that the setting is all real places and the amount of research put into the setting is so rich you feel like you're there. I love this book. It's definitely one of my top five favorite historical fiction books of all time. If you like historical fiction you should read it, it's fantastic. Ten of ten Paw prints🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

Пока,

Merlin:)

Sorcery of Thorns Margaret Rogerson

Are you an orphan who wants adventure? See your Great Librarian today!
In this world you have libraries and Great Libraries. Great Libraries house grimoires, books that let sorcerers use magic/house spells for those of you new to the fantasy genre, particularly high fantasy. Welcome! We're nerdier than you thought. Anyway to do magic sorcerers have to make a deal with a demon and so become evil. Or so commonly thought.

Characters! (low-key one of my favorite parts)

• Elisabeth- She grew up in a Great Library, which is something that never happens. Apprentices are taken in at thirteen. She's spunky, determined, and doesn't take crap from much or anyone, This is set in a time where women are considered weak and Elisabeth destroys that stereotype.
• Nathaniel Thorn- Sorcerer! He's a necromancer of House Thorn. Necromancers are generally regarded as the most evil and Nathaniel seems to go with this and pushes people away. He's really a softy and relies on his demon like father. I want to give him a hug, a big cup of coco, and a good book. 
• Silas-Nathaniel's demon. I love him so much. He also appears as a cat.

Plot!

So Elisabeth grew up in a Great Library and knows all about magic and how it makes you evil. Then she meets Nathaniel for the first time, and nothing really changes. But then, the Library gets sabotaged and she sorta gets blamed. Re-enter Nathaniel tasked with taking Elisabeth to the capital, where they discover a plot much bigger and nefarious than they could imagine.They have to stop it and then shenanigans.

Review!

So I was given this book and told I HAD to read it, that it was amazing. Well, ST (who works at my local bookstore), was right it's SO good.  I love it! It's got this really cool Beauty and the Beast feel to it. As one one who loves a good faerietale re-telling its great. I love the rules of magic and regulations for Librarians. Not to mention Silas. One of my favorite character tropes is a character who's supposed to be really tough is really sweet. Another one of my favorites is a sweet character who has a dark side. You get both of them with Silas. The characters are amazing and well rounded. And the world is so rich. I read this on a road trip and I didn't look up from it the whole time except to make a comment about forgetting how people used to think reading too much could make you cray. Honestly this is an amazing book that everyone in to fantasy should read. Ten of ten paw prints. 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾 

Chao, 

Merlin:)

Side note: This comes to you from my bed where I'm celebrating final posting a review. First there just wasn't time for me to post them and then I didn't. I have like five or six written out to type up and post but I haven't yet. Oh well. I'll get there eventually. Sorry it's been so long. I'll try to be better about it.

Death Prefers Blondes Caleb Roehrig

Kickboxing. Thieving. Acrobatic. Drag Queens.
Yes that really is my opener, but that really describes my feelings about this book. I love it. You have to admit you were intrigued by it. Which generally describes how I felt reading "A rebel heiress must solve a family mystery with the help of jewel-thieving drag queens.". I mean even the name is intriguing, Death Prefers Blondes. It lives up to the expectations I placed.

CHARACTERS!!

Oh my god the characters are amazing and I love them all so much (well the main non villain characters, the villain is a total d-bag)

• Margo Manning/Miss Anthropy- Teenage socialite in LA by day kickboxing, thieving, acrobatic, pseudo-drag queen by night Margo is a truly amazing character. A lot of rich kids steal stuff but Margo takes it to a whole new level. Ever loyal to her friends Margo will do almost anything to protect them.
• Axel Moreau/Liesl Von Tramp- A former socialite drag queen who's wealth and money were taken away by the actions of his father and best friend to Margo. He works as part of Margo's crew to pay for his and his families life in LA after his father lost all their money.
• Leif Dalby/Electra Shoxx- A ballet student/drag queen who steals to stay in school.
• Davon Stokes/Dior Galore- By far the most flamboyant and open of the drag queens, Davon/Dior's actual job is being a drag queen. He has a great but slightly tragic backstory that I'm not going to reveal.
• Joaquin Moreau/Anita Stiffwon- The younger brother of Axel and newest member of the crew. Joaquin... Well he goes through a lot proving himself but you get to find that out for yourselves.

So there are a lot more characters as in every novel but these are the main ones that come in early, so there you go.

PLOT!

So the basic idea goes as follows, Margo and her team of kickdonkey drag queen steal ridiculously valuable items from basically everywhere. Then they get a job that lands them in a bit more trouble. To be a little more revealing, Margo and the crew steal pantings, jewelry, and artifacts from basically anywhere. Margo being heir apparent to the Manning empire has access to some amazing tech that they regularly use. Then for the sheer value and a slight personal grudge, the crew breaks into what is practically a castle and steals, stolen, czarist jewelry from a guy who turns out to be in with the Russian Mob. oops. You also have other factors going on like Margo's dad's mystery illness and eventual death. Lot's of complications basically. It's great.

REVIEW!

I love this book! I was intrigued by the title and the summary raised my expectations but the book totally blew them away. I'm in desperate need of a sequel to this book. It doesn't end on a cliff hanger per se but I need to know what happens next. This was honestly the best action/comedy I've read in a while and so many people would enjoy it. It kinda gave me One of Us is Lying feels which is also an amazing book.  Anyone who enjoys a good action adventure comedy novel should read this. Its great. Be ware of drag queens,

Merlin:)

Cat-Woman: Soul Stealer by Sarah J Maas

*Seductively whispers* Hello.
So I got Cat-Woman for Christmas, not because I'm into DC comics and know anything about Cat-Woman or her backstory but because its written by one of my favorite authors, Sarah J. Mass. Sarah J. Mass is better know for the A Court of Thorns and Throne of Glass series, which are AMAZING and currently on my TBR (To Be Reviewed) list. Cat-Woman holds up to my expectations of her in every regard.

Characters

• Catwoman/Selina Kyle- When the book starts Selina is living in the slums of Gotham and fighting in underground street fights, to support herself and her little sister with Cystic Fibrosis. Later Selina has become Catwoman, antihero extraordinaire of Gotham working with Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. And infuriating Bat-Wing in the process.
• Luke Fox/Bat-Wing- Close friends with Bruce Wayne and many other influential families in Gotham former Marine Luke Fox is secretly on of Gotham's greatest protectors, Bat-Wing. When Catwoman shows up and wants to play it falls on him to find out what she wants and stop her in time.
• Maggie Kyle- Before various things happen, all of which involve drama, Selina Kyle was the sister to Maggie. Maggie has Cystic Fibrosis, and for those of you who don't know what that is. Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic condition where you have excess Sodium and your body produces thick mucus that fills your lungs and can block you pancreas. Generally when we think about CF we think lungs. People with CF have chronic respiratory infections and can have problems gaining weight. CF is an incurable disorder that thanks to modern medicine is not as immediately fatal as it once was. People have known about CF for a long time but haven't always known what caused it or what exactly it was. It has been called failure to thrive, one early doctor even noted that if you kiss a baby's forehead and it tastes of salt the baby will not live long. Now in the US life expectancy for most CF patients is ~30 years. Unfortunately for Maggie, she's not so lucky.

So there are a lot more characters but I feel like talking about them would give too much away.

Plot!

So Selina Kyle is a member of the Leopards, a notorious girl gang who work and fight for Falcone. She only does this to take care of her sister. Then stuff happens and Selina meets Talia al Ghul who offers her a deal. Selina's past will be forgotten if she goes with Talia to her school. Selina agrees with the condition that Maggie be put into a good home after she leaves. A couple years later Selina reappears in Gotham as Holly Vanderhees, a wealthy socialite. In reality Catwoman has come to Gotham on a mission she does not intend to give up on any time soon. While causing general mayhem in Gotham Selina/Holly/Catwoman makes friends with Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, and Luke Fox. In Gotham where almost everyone lives a double life Selina is toeing a dangerous line with Luke/Bat-Wing. He has to figure out what the trio of dastardly women are doing and why and stop them before Batman comes back. Can he do it?

Review!

I really enjoyed this book. I'm not really a DC person and I know like zilch about DC superheroes so I had no background going into this, at all. I fell in love with Selina as a character and how much she cared about her sister. I loved the fact that Selina didn't give up that love for her sister as she became Catwoman, if anything she held it even closer. Most of the time you have female superheroes who are all "I'm so tough I don't need anybody" But Selina acknowledges her love for Maggie even after she becomes Catwoman. I just love that. I say definitely YA, swearing is pretty common, but you should definitely read it. 10/10 paw prints 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾 I'll always love me some Mass.

Farewell my bibliophiles,

Merlin:)

Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco

Salut!
So if you follow my bookstagram you know I read this one a while ago, but being the horrible person I am I haven't reviewed it until now. Yikes! So the greeting is in Romanian as this book is set in Transylvania which is now a region of Romania. When we last saw them Audrey Rose and Thomas were on their way to school in Transylvania. This school happens to be in the infamous Prince Dracula's castle. Of course on the way our dear friends run into dead bodies and dodge the tension between them, a little.

Characters!

• Audrey Rose- We all know Audrey Rose. I'm assuming we all love Audrey Rose. She's still the same spunky medicine loving improper lady she was in the first book, only now she's breaking even more stereotypes at a medical school in Transylvania.
• Thomas- Ah Thomas.  I love him soo much. 😍😍 He's great. Still charming, and arrogant, and kinda nerdy. He cares so much about Audrey Rose and his family it's great.
• Daciana Cresswell- So Daci was vaguely mentioned in the first book as Thomas's sister. She plays a role in this book. Not a huge roll but a role that involves this plot twist that's great. Actually two amazing plot twists.
• Ileana- She's Audrey Rose's maid at the school. So she plays a fairly significant role.
• Anastasia- She's the headmaster's ward. She and Audrey Rose become friends because other than the staff, they are the only girls at the school.

Plot!

So at the end of Stalking Jack the Ripper, Audrey Rose and Thomas are a) sorta together b) headed to Bran castle to attend Academy of Forensic Medicine and Science. On the train ride to Transylvania the pair hears rumors of Prince Dracula has returned. Naturally neither of the scientific pair want to believe in vampires, or as Thomas explains strigoi. Then one of the passengers ends up killed the same way as you would kill a strigoi. Superstition and mystery shroud Audrey Rose and Thomas's time at Academy of Forensic Medicine and Science, as they secretly investigate the rumors of Prince Dracula's return.

Review!

I adore this book. Normally sequels don't measure up to the first book, but this one does. Kerri's amazing writing and characters prevail. The imagery is amazing. I felt as though I was in Transylvania in drafty old creepy Bran Castle. I still love

• Historical Fiction
• Mystery
• Amazing characters

So this is all really amazing. Thomas is definitely still one of my top fictional crushes, ever. The plot was amazing. I thought I knew where it was going, but NOOOO. I thought I knew who Dracula was but no. Why this was happening, but no. Which is awesome. I don't want to know how things are going to end before the end. It's amazing. Trust me. Read it.

Rating!

I love this book. Definitely YA and the innuendos in the first book are present in this one too. This one is has slightly more gore than the first but it's not that graphic. Being Victorian Era they don't swear a lot. I love it 10/10 paw prints🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾 

Ramas bun,

Merlin:)

The Queen's Rising by: Rebecca Ross

Bonjour mes chéris,
Why the French Merlin? Well you see the book I'm reviewing today isn't set in France or this world at all but it still has a French feel to it so I figured I might as well set the mood for this review. As you can tell from the title this is about the book The Queen's Rising by Rebecca Ross. I honestly can't believe I let this sit in my drafts for so long. I fell in love with it and the characters from the beginning and yet this has been sitting here for like a year waiting to be published. Opps... Oh well, better late than never.

Characters!!

• Brienna- She's my fav. So in this world you have two kingdoms, Valenia and Maevana, and Brienna hold citizenship in both, which is quiet unusual. At the age of ten she begins to study at Magnalia, as a passion of Art but over time switches to History. 
• Cartier- He's Brienna's teacher of knowledge. There's soo much more to him, and I love him dearly but that would give away the story.

There are many many more characters, but they all have rolls later in the story that I think should reveal themselves in the story so I shall say no more.

Plot!

At age ten Brienna begins study at Magnalia, a school where young girls study for seven years to passion. After they passion, these girls are chosen by a patron and begin a career. Brienna is unusual though in that she studies all of the passions before settling on History. On her seventeenth solstice, Brienna is set to passion and be chosen by a patron. Only, she isn't chosen. All the patrons decide she is not what they want. So several months later, when a disgraced Valenian lord offers her patonage, she takes. Which ends up taking her to Maevana and revealing a plot to overthrow the king. It also reveals somethings about her past (which that and her resulting actions are what make her my fav). 

Review!!

When I picked up this book I wasn't really sure if I was going to love it but it sounded interesting. I ended up loving the world, the story, and the characters. The world is so rich and wonderful. I wish I could go, even if there is a revolution going on. The characters are realistic and flawed which makes them more perfect. This was honestly amazing and I can't wait for the sequel (it comes out March 5). Ten of Ten paw prints. 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

Happy reading!

Merlin:)

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Good day my dears,

So I had been wanting to read this book for a while and was super excited about reading it. Well Kerri Maniscalco did not disappoint. She crafted a wonderfully rich, historically accurate world that sucks you in and makes you never want to leave. Also I was so shook when I read the ending. I thought I knew where it was going but well no, no no. It got crazier.

Characters!!

Audrey Rose Wadsworth- So this book is set in Victorian-era London in which women had very few rights and very little freedom. Audrey Rose resents this and is very modern, even by today's standards. She a young lady of polite society is interested in forensic medicine. So she apprentices with her uncle behind her father's back.

Thomas Cresswell- *dreamy sigh* He's my new fictional crush. I love and adore him. He's perfect. Smart, dreamy, a gentleman. However he does have flaws including being an arrogant donkey. Either way he also apprentices with Audrey Rose's uncle.

Audrey Rose's Father- Lord Wadsworth. He's just a little crazy.

Nathaniel Wadsworth- Audrey Rose's brother. He's vaguely supportive of Audrey Rose. 

Johnathan Wadsworth- Audrey Rose's uncle with whom she and Thomas apprentice. He's a scientist who specializes in the forensic sciences.

Jack the Ripper- Jack the Ripper is a famous serial killer who terrorized Whitechapel in London for anywhere from two years to three months. And yes I realize that there is a big time difference there, most historians believe that Jack only terrorized Whitechapel for approximately three months. If we go with most historians view, which I am, then Jack only killed five people. Yes I get that killing five people is a good idea but its been over a century and we still talk about the Ripper. Other accounts hold him responsible for eleven murders taking place over about two years. All of Jack's victims were working women *cough*. No one ever caught Jack and the reasons behind all of his murders remain unknown to this day. Which is tbh the most fascinating part of his story because serial killers like Jack typically don't stop killing unless they are a) made to as in caught or b) die. So what exactly happened to Jack? That question opens the door to historical fiction like this book and potentially many more.

Plot!

Ok so Audrey Rose Wadsworth is a young lady of high society in the Victorian Era. This effectively means that all she's supposed to do is gain some basic knowledge, gossip, learn to manage a household, be proficient in lady-like crafts, shop, and marry well. The only bits of this that Audrey Rose is interested in are shopping (sometimes), learning, and knowing some about managing a household. And when I say learning, I mean medicine which is largely considered inappropriate for women, and her father is extremely against her having anything to do with medicine or her uncle who's teaching her, so she's studying in secret, as a boy. While doing this Audrey Rose encounters Thomas Cresswell another one of her uncle's students. Her uncle is a well known forensic scientist and so is consulted on the murders done by the infamous Jack the Ripper, who at the time is called The Leather Apron. Given that this is a mystery and this is not at all mysterious, shenanigans ensue and Audrey Rose and Thomas end up stalking Jack the Ripper.

Review!

I absolutely adore this book! First of all Jack the Ripper fascinates me, as do most serial killers but Jack in particular. Second, Thomas is amazing. He's cocky and arrogant and yet a gentleman. I love him. Third, this book combines three of my favorite things 

1. historical fiction 
2. mystery 
3. a strong female lead character 

So yes I love this book. Victorian London is painted in such vivid color that you feel like you're there. You can feel the chaos and fear surrounding the people of London but the calm in Audrey Rose's uncle's lab. The writing is fantastic and whereas not long ago I had never heard of Kerri Maniscalco she is now one of my favorite authors. Her characters are realistic and her plots are full of twists. I love when authors write this story where you think "Oh I know where this is going." and then "boom wow what just happened?". I despise when you can pick out the end of a mystery from the beginning but when you think you know where it's going and then it goes in a completely different direction is amazing and I think it shows just how awesome the author is. I think that everyone who enjoys a good mystery or historical fiction would enjoy this book. That being said this book centers around a serial killer who is famous for mutilating his victims and a girl who performs autopsies in her spare time so yeah it can be a little graphic. Not like hard core gore and blood like in a lot of movies but you get some descriptions of the injuries and autopsies, just as a heads up. There are also some innuendos which are called out, not like really bad innuendos but they still exist. So all in all its a really good YA book and I think a lot of people would enjoy it. Ten of Ten paw prints🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

Happy reading!

Merlin:)