I liked this one better when it was called The House in the Cerulean Sea. I mean really that’s all to be said here. I picked this up for the title andI liked this one better when it was called The House in the Cerulean Sea. I mean really that’s all to be said here. I picked this up for the title and cover alone when it was offered to me and I was planning October-y reads. Sadly, this was a pretty sad copycat of T.J. Klune’s magical releases of late.
The story here involves, you guessed it, a witch who gets recruited to come tutor a trio of children witches in an attempt to teach them how to harness their power. There’s a houseful of other characters – including a handsome sourpuss, natch, but none of which were very developed. I don’t love kids generally (in fiction or in real life) so it really takes some doing to get me to love stories about them (see the aforementioned Klune or The Guncle as recent exceptions to the rule). There was also quite a bit of “potion” talk that basically involved making tea infused with essential oils such as lavender or peppermint rather than any eye of newt or tongue of frog. But the main problem was in the form of . . .
Who said anything about transforming the world? What about just making it a little better? And then a little better? And then a little more, until, one day, maybe long after we’re gone, it has transformed?”
But there isn’t much making of things ANY better as this one wraps up and, despite not being a fan, my dead heart still felt a little bummed out these kids didn’t end up with more than they did in the end. I thought the entire point of this was going to be along the lines of “be the change you wish to see in the world” – but I guess getting laid was really the M.O. *wink*
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review....more
As much as it physically pains me to do so, I’m going to have to agree with my pal Dan 2.0 when it comes to Tiffany McDaniel’s style . . . it’s probabAs much as it physically pains me to do so, I’m going to have to agree with my pal Dan 2.0 when it comes to Tiffany McDaniel’s style . . . it’s probably not for me. I looooooooooved Betty and agree that there is an excellent story within the pages of this latest release regarding a series of prostitutes who are found in Chillicothe, Ohio (inspired by the true tale of the “Chillichothe Six”). Unfortunately, it was so mired in the purple prose that I could not feel all of the feels that I was supposed to be feeling. I have actively avoided The Summer that Melted Everything for fear of being a wrongreader and I will probably continue to do so for the foreseeable future since the main complaint was regarding how it too was overwritten.
Also, I already dislike a face cover, but if you're going to commit to one at least get it right. One sister lipsticked her TOP lip, the other the BOTTOM. Stuff like that drives me batshit.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
Ten year old Rae’s momma is gone. She’s run off before, but this time things are very different and Rae needs to keep it under wraps that she’s on herTen year old Rae’s momma is gone. She’s run off before, but this time things are very different and Rae needs to keep it under wraps that she’s on her own. With the help of a left behind debit card, online bill paying and a convenience store down the street, Rae can manage things on her own. If only her neighbor Lettie would keep her nosey butt up on her own porch where she belongs. It turns out Lettie has some problems of her own and an unlikely friendship forges as the weeks go by.
Okay, so this is a story that is supposed to pull at all of your heartstrings, but only proved to show that . . . .
It’s not baaaaaaad by any means – it just read real young to me – which leads to the dilemma of who exactly is the target audience here? To me, this was middle grade as far as the delivery (and would probably earn the full monty of Stars from me in that category), but the dark subject matter would lead to a chorus of crazy Karens trying to ban this sucker post haste in my neck of the woods. But if grown ups are who this is for? Well, I’ve watched enough episodes of Hoarders to know you can’t just dump everything into the bin and call it good when it comes to that particular mental disorder and I’m pretty sure errrrrrybody would’ve known exactly where momma went pretty dang quick.
Kelly (and the Book Boar)
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