Book Review: Tiny Gardens by Coraline Finch

Tiny Gardens

by Coraline Finch
My rating: 4 of 5 hearts

Synopsis:

🌸 Escape Into Tiny Worlds of Calm, Color and Cozy Magic

After long, busy days it’s easy to feel tired, overstimulated or stuck in endless “scroll mode”. If that sounds like you... keep reading. This adult coloring book was created to give you the opposite: a soft, mindful pause where your mind slows down and your breath deepens. With this book you also get an exclusive bonus set of 20 additional tiny garden pages to download and color, so your cozy creative time lasts even longer. Inside the book you’ll find simple instructions to access all your extra pages.

Tiny Gardens Coloring Book: Comfy Coloring Pages with Cozy Tiny Worlds And Creatures invites you into miniature garden scenes, sweet creatures and whimsical corners — each page designed for stress relief, calm and gentle creativity.

If you’ve ever opened a coloring book and felt overwhelmed by tiny details, generic artwork or pages that look rushed or “too digital”, this book is meant to feel different.

Review:

I received a digital download of this coloring book directly from the creator in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first coloring book I’ve formally reviewed, and I approached it with both curiosity and excitement. The cover immediately caught my attention — soft, inviting linework of a cute bunny hard at work, filled in with warm tones that suggested a peaceful outdoor moment. I selected a page that resonated with me and expected to settle into a relaxing coloring session. For the most part, I did, though I ran into a few unexpected bumps along the way.

As I flipped through the book, I noticed some stylistic inconsistencies that made me pause. Certain backgrounds felt unusually scaled or composed, and a few design choices left me wondering about the artistic process behind them. I felt it was important to ask the creator directly. To my surprise and pleasure, she responded promptly and clarified that the artwork is artist‑made and curated, with only minor digital refinements for cleanup and print readiness. That transparency eased my concerns and helped me approach the book with clearer expectations.

Book Review: The Great Migration by Steve Ramirez

The Great Migration

by Steve Ramirez
My rating: 4 of 5 hearts

Synopsis:

Demons. Monsters. The s'orne are known by these names. Spreading a fever that drives humans insane, they have never been defeated in battle. Now, after a century of peace, the s'orne have returned to wreak havoc upon the cities of humanity. Bellona has spent the last eight months in the wilderness following the Great Migration. When she returns to civilization to enjoy a festival with her friends, rumors of s'orne attacks across the country begin spreading throughout the crowds. As the festival swells in blind celebration, an unlikely twist of fate reveals the true purpose of the s'orne to Bellona, challenging everything she has been taught about them. While she struggles to accept the unknowable secrets she has learned, the city's bell towers begin tolling the alarm for lockdown, signaling that a s'orne attack has already started. As the local defenses mobilize to fight the s'orne invasion, Bellona scrambles to save her loved ones from the impending onslaught. Pushed to the limits of their strength and endurance, they know they must escape the city before a contagion of insanity erupts.

Review:

I received this book from the author via OnlineBookClub.org in exchange for an honest review.
Despite its slow build, I liked this book and recommend it to young adult adventure/science fiction fans. I immediately selected this book due to the cover. The beautiful scenery surrounded by warm colors reminded me of a hot savannah adventure; quiet feminine strength radiated through the mysteriously cloaked figure and the small girl facing a herd of large animals. Not sure what to expect, I dove in and expected to be instantly transported. Sadly, this was where I ran into my first block.

I did not warm up to the storytelling style; it needed to be more cohesive and varied. The first few chapters were packed with the promised adventure. And although there were almost too many personalities to track, I started to warm up to the narrative. All at once, the tale I thought I was investing in was ripped away, and I was presented with facts that made me question everything.

Book Review: Followers by Megan Angelo

Followers

by Megan Angelo
My rating: 4 of 5 hearts

Synopsis:

An electrifying story of two ambitious friends, the dark choices they make and the profound moment that changes the meaning of privacy forever…

Followers traces the paths of 3 women as they wind through time toward each other, and toward a cataclysmic event that sends America into lasting upheaval. At turns wry and tender, bleak and hopeful, this darkly funny story reminds us that even if we obsess over famous people we’ll never meet, what we really crave is genuine human connection. 

Review:

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not sure where to start with this one. I liked this book very much although it did throw some hurdles my way. I initially passed this book over twice when requesting titles from NetGalley. The cover art didn't entice me; after just one glance, I had already decided that the book was women's literature -- not my favorite. The cover's saving grace, and what drew me in, was the Austin Powers - fembot flair I felt pulsing from it. Once I waded through the pink and purple and read the description, I knew that I had to read this book. Much to my surprise, it was an okay balance of women's literature meets science fiction (light).

There were moments where I felt I had to "chew" through certain passages. Some sections were very verbose, consistent with classic chick-lit. As I became rooted in the story, it was very easy to get over the random bits of wordiness. The details served to build a rich environment and didn't slow down the storyline. The book hosts a group of well-developed characters that you love and love to hate - not mutually exclusive. We encounter three very different women (Orla, Floss, and Marlow) who struggle very publicly with some intensely intimate issues during a technological catastrophe/breakdown/takeover. Orla and Marlow act as narrators for the story, each retelling their experiences set in drastically different times. Incidentally, Ms. Angelo does a great job at separating and defining each timeline; happily, there were no continuity mishaps.

Book Review: Ruins by Joshua Winning

Ruins

by Joshua Winning
My rating: 4 of 5 hearts

Synopsis:

We join 15-year old Nicholas Hallow on his race to save the world. Although battered by his previous encounter with the forces of evil, the shadowy leader of the Sentinel forces assigns Nicholas with the task of finding the other half of his prophecy before a dark scheme comes to fruition. Untrained and afraid, Nicholas sets out with his (badass) aged guardian and a strange cat to find a girl who's expert at not being found.

Review:

I received this book as an ARC from the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I discovered this book on NetGalley back in 2015; although the cover featured both my favorite color and animal, blue + kitty! It was the quote that got my attention. It reminded me of a classic that I read in HS, and the feelings of nostalgia led me to request the book. I read it almost immediately, but I refrained from posting the review as I felt that something was missing.