Audiobook Review: The Fire Keeper

 

Written by J.C. Cervantes

Read by Ozzie Rodriguez

Duration: 11 hours 17 minutes

Zane Obispo's new life on a beautiful secluded tropical island, complete with his family and closest friends, should be perfect. But he can't control his newfound fire skills yet (inherited from his father, the Maya god Hurakan); there's a painful rift between him and his dog ever since she became a hell hound; and he doesn't know what to do with his feelings for Brooks. One day he discovers that by writing the book about his misadventures with the Mayan gods, he unintentionally put other godborn children at risk. Unless Zane can find the godborns before the gods do, they will be killed. To make matters worse, Zane learns that Hurakan is scheduled to be executed. Zane knows he must rescue him, no matter the cost. Can he accomplish both tasks without the gods detecting him, or will he end up a permanent resident of the underworld?

In this cleverly plotted sequel to The Storm Runner, the gang is back together again with spirited new characters, sneaky gods, Aztec royalty, unlikely alliances, and secrets darker than Zane could ever have imagined. Secrets that will change him forever.

Goodreads

Independent Bookstore Day

 

If you like to support independent bookstores, then you're in luck! Today is Independent Bookstore Day!!!

This event was rescheduled from April to August 29th because of COVID-19. Not only are many local independent stores celebrating, but a lot of events are happening virtually. You can visit the event page to find all the different ways to celebrate the day. 

My plan was to attend a few virtual author discussions today, but due to work stress I only got 3 hours of sleep last night. I don't think I'll be able to focus much if I try attending a Zoom event. So instead, I plan to visit my local independent bookstore's websites and support them by buying a couple of books. 

Here are some of my local independent bookstores that I enjoy visiting:

First Line Fridays: Aug. 28th

 

This weekly meme is hosted by Hoarding Books.  Here's a book I listened to in April: 

Books from the Backlog #3

   

Books from the Backlog is hosted by Carol's Random Life in Books. It is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. 

 

This week's neglected book...

Review: Born a Crime

 

Stories from a South African Childhood

by Trevor Noah

The memoir of one man’s coming-of-age, set during the twilight of apartheid and the tumultuous days of freedom that followed.

Trevor Noah’s unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents’ indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the earliest years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, steal him away. Finally liberated by the end of South Africa’s tyrannical white rule, Trevor and his mother set forth on a grand adventure, living openly and freely and embracing the opportunities won by a centuries-long struggle.

Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist. It is also the story of that young man’s relationship with his fearless, rebellious, and fervently religious mother—his teammate, a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life.

Goodreads

Tuesday Release #1

I love watching Book Riot's "New Release Tuesdays" on YouTube. While watching, I wondered how I was able to look into other book releases and luckily, Goodreads has a page for that. Here's what I found

Books released August 25, 2020:

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline

The Exiles tells the story of a young governess, Evangeline, who discharged and sent to prison once her pregnancy was discovered. She is then sentenced to be exiled in the colony of Australia. On this voyage, Evangeline meets Hazel, a young girl who was sentenced seven years of transport for stealing a silver spoon. Then she also meets Mathinna, an aboriginal who was forcibly relocated by white colonists. Though Australia is supposed to be a land of punishment, the three women find it as a place for a new beginning. 

#FitReaders: Aug. 10th-23rd

 

 

#FitReaders2020 is hosted by Felicia the Geeky Blogger and Jen from That's What I'm Talking About. 

I'm changing this up a bit. Instead of posting every Monday, I would post every other Monday that includes 2 weeks worth of activities. This is to help with my sanity while I get use to my new workload. 

Here's how it went:

Aug. 10th- 16th

NOTHING

Aug. 17th- 23rd

Nothing...yup