Review: A Pizza My Heart by Various Authors + GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

Hello, everybody! Today, I'm super excited to bring you all my stop on the blog tour for A PIZZA MY HEART by Various Authors orginaized by YA Bound Book Tours so if you love pizza, stick around!

I was sent an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of the blog tour.

Down below you'll find my review of the book as well as the link to where you can purchase a copy of the book for yourself, the publisher's links, and finally, A GIVEAWAY! Read on, bookworms!

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Rating: PG

Genre: Anthology

Score: ❤❤❤❤❤

Page Count: 125

Stand Alone

Publisher: Hocus Pocus & Co.

Published: February 9th, 2017 (National Pizza Day)

Gooey cheese and warm pepperoni, with a side of kissing and murder.

A Pizza My Heart is a quirky and fun anthology that crosses all genres. Fifteen extraordinary authors have united to tell stories of mystery, mayhem, romance, danger, deceit…and pizza.

Sometimes spicy, sometimes cheesy, but always delicious, A Pizza My Heart invites you to explore life, happiness, and the pursuit of pizza.

Stories Include:

A Slice of Adventure by Maria Carvalho
Between Slices by Andy Grieser
Fresh, Hot, and Deadly by Rena Olsen 
KissingDancingPizzaMURDER by Darci Cole 
Kneadful Things by Jenna Lehne 
Love Pizza No. 9 by Vanessa Rodriguez
Madame Miraval’s Pizza Place by Kelly deVos
Password Is… by Jolene Haley
Pizza On the Brain by Emily Simon
Pizza Buddy by Brian LeTendre
Pizzamergency by Brett Jonas
Survival Pizza by Rebecca Waddell 
The Last Stop at the End of the World by Jamie Adams
The Pizza Guy by Jessi Shakarian
Where There’s Pizza by Jasmine Brown

Review:

PROS:

1. Can we just talk about how amazing it is that this is an anthology surrounding pizza? I mean, how could I not read it? I love pizza and the fact that all these stories have the theme of pizza was enough to make me jump at the chance to review it. So, if you're a fan of pizza, anthologies, or both, keep on reading because I'll be talking about my favorite short stories in this collection. Here's the review:

2. It's been so long since I last rated a book five stars but I really felt like this book deserved my praise. I loved that all the short stories were of different genres and even though were only a few pages long each, some of them had me on the edge of my seat. For example, Kneadful Things was just brilliant. I'm such a fan of horror movies and the clever title reference paired with the storyline along the lines of WHEN A STRANGER CALLS just stole my heart. I would easily call that short story my favorite out of the fifteen stories. Another favorite was Password Is . . . because it ends on such a cliffhanger! I was so into the story that when it cuts off, I literally opened my mouth in shock. I wanted more!

3. Some of the stories were also sci-fi and while those weren't my favorite, they were still fun to read about. Some of the stories were also more heartbreaking like Survival Pizza which told the story of a young teenage boy having to dumpster dive for food in order to feed his three younger siblings. They live in the family car and with their father having gone missing, the oldest struggles to hold everything together. I also loved Where's The Pizza? which tells the story of a dog named Moose who loves his human boy and the pizza he brings home for him. It quickly turns into a suspenseful tale which I fully enjoyed.

4. The other stories are more contemporary or murder-mystery. Love Pizza No. 9 was a really sweet and fluffy short story that is honestly perfect for the whole Valentine's Day feeling. As for the murder-mystery ones, I wouldn't say it was a favorite out of the other stories but I did think that KissingDancingPizzaMURDER was the murder-mystery I liked better. It's not a creepy read so I think it would be perfect if you want a short story that won't keep you up at night but will also have you on the edge while reading it. Overall, I just loved this anthology and would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who loves short stories! Or pizza. Always pizza. 

You Can Purchase The Book Here:

Amazon

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About The Publisher:

Established in 2014, Hocus Pocus & Co. loves to bring unique voices and stories to fruition.

Publisher Links:

Website

Twitter

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Most Anticipated August YA Releases!

I'm fully aware that I did in fact skip telling you guys which books I was excited for in July but it was quite a slow month for new releases that I was excited about, I only ended up finding two that caught my attention. But I'm back with five new releases for the month of August that I just have to check out and put on my bookshelves! Here are my most anticipated August releases!

Title: Trouble Is A Friend Of Mine

Author: Stephanie Tromly

Release Date: August 4

Genre: Mystery, Romance

Publisher: Kathy Dawson Books

Add It To Your Shelf!

Synopsis: Preparing to survive a typical day of being Digbys friend wasn't that different from preparing to survive the apocalypse.

Her first day not in school (because she cut) in her new hometown that will soon be her old hometown (because she's getting out of Dodge as fast as she can) Zoe meets Digby. Or rather, Digby decides he's going to meet Zoe and get her to help him find missing teenager. Zoe isn't sure how, but Digby—the odd and brilliant and somehow…attractive?—Digby always gets what he wants, including her help on several illegal ventures. Before she knows it, Zoe has vandalized an office complex with fake snow, pretended to buy drugs alongside a handsome football player dressed like the Hulk, had a throw-down with a possible cult, and, oh yeah, saved her new hometown (which might be worth making her permanent hometown after all.)

A mystery where catching the crook isn't the only hook, a romance where the leading man is decidedly unromantic, a story about friendship where they aren't even sure they like each other—Trouble is a Friend of Mine is a YA debut you won’t soon forget.

Title: Reawakened (The Reawakened #1)

Author: Colleen Houck

Release Date: August 11

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Add It To Your Shelf!

Synopsis: When seventeen-year-old Lilliana Young enters the Metropolitan Museum of Art one morning during spring break, the last thing she expects to find is a live Egyptian prince with godlike powers, who has been reawakened after a thousand years of mummification.

And she really can't imagine being chosen to aid him in an epic quest that will lead them across the globe to find his brothers and complete a grand ceremony that will save mankind.

But fate has taken hold of Lily, and she, along with her sun prince, Amon, must travel to the Valley of the Kings, raise his brothers, and stop an evil, shape-shifting god named Seth from taking over the world.

From New York Times bestselling author Colleen Houck comes an epic adventure about two star-crossed teens who must battle mythical forces and ancient curses on a journey with more twists and turns than the Nile itself.

Title: Court Of Fives (Court Of Fives #1)

Author: Kate Elliott

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: August 18

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Add It To Your Shelf!

Synopsis: In this imaginative escape into an enthralling new world, World Fantasy Award finalist Kate Elliott begins a new trilogy with her debut young adult novel, weaving an epic story of a girl struggling to do what she loves in a society suffocated by rules of class and privilege.

Jessamy's life is a balance between acting like an upper class Patron and dreaming of the freedom of the Commoners. But at night she can be whomever she wants when she sneaks out to train for The Fives, an intricate, multi-level athletic competition that offers a chance for glory to the kingdom's best competitors. Then Jes meets Kalliarkos, and an unlikely friendship between a girl of mixed race and a Patron boy causes heads to turn. When a scheming lord tears Jes's family apart, she'll have to test Kal's loyalty and risk the vengeance of a powerful clan to save her mother and sisters from certain death.

Title: Slasher Girls & Monster Boys 

Author: Stefan Bachmann, Leigh Bardugo, Kendare Blake, A. G. Howard, Jay Kristoff, Marie Lu, Jonathan Maberry, Danielle Paige, Carrie Ryan, Megan Shepherd, Nova Ren Suma, McCormick Templeman, April Genevieve Tucholke, Cat Winters

Genre: Horror

Release Date: August 18

Publisher: Dial Books

Add It To Your Shelf!

Synopsis: For fans of Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Lois Duncan, and Daphne Du Maurier comes a powerhouse anthology featuring some of the best writers of YA thrillers and horror 

A host of the smartest young adult authors come together in this collection of scary stories and psychological thrillers curated by Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea’s April Genevieve Tucholke.

Each story draws from a classic tale or two—sometimes of the horror genre, sometimes not—to inspire something new and fresh and terrifying. There are no superficial scares here; these are stories that will make you think even as they keep you on the edge of your seat. From bloody horror to supernatural creatures to unsettling, all-too-possible realism, this collection has something for any reader looking for a thrill.

Fans of TV’s The Walking Dead, True Blood, and American Horror Story will tear through tales by these talented authors.

Title: Mechanica

Author: Betsy Cornwell

Genre: Science Fiction, Steampunk

Release Date: August 25

Publisher: Clarion Books

Add It To Your Shelf!

Synopsis: Nicolette’s awful stepsisters call her “Mechanica” to demean her, but the nickname fits: she learned to be an inventor at her mother’s knee. Her mom is gone now, though, and the Steps have turned her into a servant in her own home. 

But on her sixteenth birthday, Nicolette discovers a secret workshop in the cellar and begins to dare to imagine a new life for herself. Could the mysterious books and tools hidden there—and the mechanical menagerie, led by a tiny metal horse named Jules—be the key to escaping her dreary existence? With a technological exposition and royal ball on the horizon, the timing might just be perfect for Nicolette to earn her freedom at last.

Gorgeous prose and themes of social justice and family shine in this richly imagined Cinderella retelling about an indomitable inventor who finds her prince . . . but realizes she doesn't want a fairy tale happy ending after all.

Review: Secret Identities by Various Authors (GN)

Secret Identities: The Asian-American Superhero Anthology by Various Authors

Rating: PG

Genre: Graphic Novel, Pop Culture, Anthologies

Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Page Count: 194

Stand Alone

Publisher: The New Press

Published: May 3, 2009

 

Appealing to both comics fans and Asian Americans seeking to claim their place in American culture, Secret Identities makes brilliant use of the conventions of the superhero comic book to expose the real face of the Asian American experience.

This groundbreaking graphic anthology brings together leading Asian American creators in the comics industry including Gene Yang (National Book Award finalist for American Born Chinese), Bernard Chang (Wonder Woman), Greg Pak (The Hulk), and Christine Norrie (Black Canary Wedding Special) to craft original graphical short stories set in a compelling shadow history of our country: from the building of the railroads to the Japanese American internment, the Vietnam airlift, the murder of Vincent Chin, and the incarceration of Dr. Wen Ho Lee.
Entertaining and enlightening, Secret Identities offers whiz-bang action, searing satire, and thoughtful commentary from a community too often overlooked by the cultural mainstream, while showcasing a vivid cross-section of the talents whose imagination and creativity is driving the contemporary comics renaissance.

Review:
PROS:
1. I was really excited to read this graphic novel, not only because I was in the mood for one but I was really interested in the Asian-American theme of this one. I love diversity and I thought this one delivered beautiful on that. I thought it was a really fun and laugh-out-loud type of graphic novel so let's get into the review!

2. The first thing I really loved about this graphic novel was obviously the art styles. Each short story had it's own art and I thought it was really cool to see that. I definitely had my favorites, however, but it was really cool to see how each story was illustrated differently and how each style matched the storyline and it's characters.


3. I also really loved how many genres were in this graphic novel. I think it definitely had something for everyone. It had stories from the war years, the silver age, modern day and even futuristic stories. I have to say that I really loved the modern day ones the best because I found them the funniest for an unknown reason. I really enjoyed these different time eras that each story was placed in and I think you'll find at least one story that will stick out to you.


4. I thought this graphic novel was so funny at times and even a little depressing at others. Some stories were heartwarming and beautiful whereas others were action packed and full of fighting and even had some girl-power in a few! I found myself laughing out loud at some of the characters and stories and I just overall really loved everything about this book. It's one that I highly recommend if you want a superhero story that focuses on multiple. I would love to see a few of these become full-length graphic novels, such as "Meet Joe" by Koji Steven Sakai.  It was a really fun read and I'll more than likely be picking it up again in the future!


I hope you guys enjoyed this book review! If you have any other book requests you would like me to review, just leave a comment or send me an email! Read on bookworms! See you in the next chapter!

P.S: Is anyone on a Marvel/Superhero kick at the moment? I had to watch ten hours of Marvel movies in a 24-hour time period and I'm pretty sure I'm going insane.

P.S.S: The Avenger: Age Of Ultron was AWESOME!!!! Okay, bye.