NovelTEA Archives - Page 2 of 4

NovelTEA: Vampire Girl + Spinach & Feta Falafel Bites

By Jessica Roth January 20, 2019

I did it; I caved. I downloaded “Chapters,” one of the myriad of mobile storytelling apps. Listen, I’m not proud of it, but boredom is a powerful motivator. Since rediscovering my love for urban fantasy last year, I was thrilled to discover one of the “books” offered in the app was a clusterf*ck of a love story: ordinary human girl, Ari, discovers her mother made a deal with the devil. At the ripe old age of 18, her mother’s contract expires, and Ari must strike another deal: her mother will live, on the condition that Ari goes to Hell, is courted by each of the devil’s seven sons (modeled after the seven deadly sins), and then marries one. Whichever son she chooses is suddenly elevated from Prince to King of Hell, and has complete dominion over it.

NovelTEA: Irish Devil + Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes

By Jessica Roth November 18, 2018

Between the stuttery, decade-old dinosaur I’m typing this review out on, and an impending move slated to change my whole entire life as I know it in less than two weeks, my reading time has been slashed by more than half. I haven’t gotten the chance to curl up with a book in awhile, much less browse the Kindle app I have installed on all of my personal tech, as every good bookworm does. But yesterday, I had a little bit of time to myself, and I was feeling lucky, so I bought a random ebook off Amazon: Irish Devil by Donna Fletcher, the first in a historical romance duology.

The first book co-stars the terrifyingly sexy Lord Eric of Shanekill— a bloodthirsty warrior whose reputation precedes him— and the Lady Faith— a beautiful, kind outcast with a gift for medicinal work— okay, you know what, it should actually go like this:

NovelTEA: Claimed by Shadow + Green Goblin Cocktail

By Jessica Roth October 28, 2018

My computer died a glorious, blue-screened death earlier this week, so I apologize for the startling amount of typos you may encounter over the course of this review, because it’s being written on a device that probably should’ve been put out to pasture in 2010. This week’s book is Claimed by Shadow, the second entry in the Cassie Palmer urban fantasy series by Karen Chance. An earlier NovelTEA entry discusses the first book, Touch the Dark, if you want to check it out (seriously check that out because this review will contain spoilers for the first book).

NovelTEA: The Wicked Deep + Mini Cauldron Cakes

By Jessica Roth October 21, 2018

For the entire month of October I’ll be finding fiction for different supernatural creatures, just to see if it’s worth buying. (And maybe even beyond. I’ve discovered that I’m trash for urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels. My Kindle is now loaded with a random assortment of both. They quickly outstripped the fluffy contemporaries, YA fare, and historical fiction that used to rule harmoniously.)

But even if it’s not: a tasty recipe awaits.

Last spring, Shea Ernshaw’s debut YA novel, The Wicked Deep, was all the rage.

I bought it because of the summary. It sounded like a less campy riff off Hocus Pocus and called to me like a siren’s song. But I quickly put it on one of my shelves and forgot about it, because I have a book-buying problem. But, at least I admit it. I finally read it for the sake of this column and oh my gosh. I should’ve read it as soon as I brought it home. But, I’m glad I actually, finally got around to it.

NovelTEA: Touch the Dark + Ghost Rice Krispie Pops

By Jessica Roth October 14, 2018

With the exact tone and emphasis of Chandler Bing, could I be any more basic? Yes, friends, it’s finally October, which means sweater weather is actually a thing, the sun has stopped trying to turn my hair into a giant, static-shocked frizz ball, and I have pulled down all the “spooky” books on my shelves to whip myself up a TBR. There aren’t any horror novels on the agenda this year (sorry), but my best friend somehow convinced me that starting The Vampire Diaries TV show now, at the ripe old age of “too-old-for-the-CW’s-bullshit-especially-the-stuff-pre-2012” was a good idea. I lasted four seasons and 12 episodes before slapping myself across the face and reclaiming my sanity. I may still be watching The Originals, but that’s neither here nor there.

NovelTEA: Doom Patrol Volume 1: Brick by Brick + Brain Cookies

By Jessica Roth September 16, 2018

So the summer-long search for the perfect romance was a bust; on the bright side, September is half-over already, which means October is just around the corner. I’m feeling that vibe, you know? And besides that, it’s been like, three months since I picked up a new comic. I was itching for some new (to me) material.

Enter Gerard Way’s Doom Patrol Volume 1: Brick by Brick.

Back in 2016, Way was tasked with the curation of DC’s Young Animal imprint; a branch of the company that explored offbeat, eccentric comics for “dangerous humans.” The reboot of Doom Patrol was Way’s baby; an admitted fan of Grant Morrison— whose run of The Doom Patrol in the ’90s is still perhaps the best-known and most-beloved— Way’s version of Doom Patrol reads like an enthusiastic, sincere love letter to Morrison’s run of the series

But more than that— it’s a hell of a lot of fun.

NovelTEA: Sweet Tooth series by Jeff Lemire + Candy Bar Chocolate Cake

By Jessica Roth September 9, 2018

Hello gentle readers! I’m no closer to finding the perfect romance novel than I was at the beginning of the summer. This is mostly because I haven’t picked up any of the titles I binge-ordered with the Kindle app, because life is stressful, and because I usually tend to return to my favourites when tough stuff happens.

One of those favourites is the Sweet Tooth series by Canadian comics pro Jeff Lemire, a Vertigo-brand title that spanned from 2009-2013 (I can’t believe how fast time has flown by!). If you’re new to comics, or even if Sweet Tooth flew under your radar (I get it. Comic releases are diverse and plentiful, there’s no way to read every single amazing title out there), here’s why you should read it:

NovelTEA: The Darkest Minds + Crispy Baked Pesto Chicken

By Jessica Roth August 19, 2018

Remember when Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games kicked off a new trend for YA audiences? It seemed to be all dystopia all the time following the explosive popularity of Katniss Everdeen and Panem’s cruel government— especially after it was picked up to be a major motion picture. Two years after The Hunger Games book series concluded with Mockingjay, when the first movie was all the rage, American author Alexandra Bracken gave the YA world another trilogy to sink its teeth into: The Darkest Minds trilogy.

NovelTEA: Birthday Girl + Confetti Cake Pops

By Jessica Roth August 12, 2018

After taking a short break from trying to find the perfect romance— why is this so hard? There are thousands of them published every year— I’ve returned to my goal with Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas. If you’re hankering for a good May-December romance, this might scratch your itch. If you’re like me, it didn’t quite meet my expectations (I acknowledge they’re unreasonably high, I get it, and I’m doing my best to temper them), but it was cute.

NovelTEA: Peter Panzerfaust Vol. 1 + Strawberry Shortcake Popsicles

By Jessica Roth July 29, 2018

You guys, I’m getting really discouraged on the romance novel front. Nothing I read seems to keep me interested. Last week was more of a thriller than a romance, sure, but the romantic parts (and to be fair, everything else) flopped harder than an oxygen-deprived fish on dry land. So this week, I decided to take a break from romance and thrillers and set my sights on something radically different:

Enter Peter Panzerfaust.