The Dark Calling (Arcana Chronicles Book #5) by Kresley Cole

The Arcana Chronicles is about a Louisiana girl named Evie who finds out she has the power to control plants. The end of the world occurs, but the end is only the beginning of a deadly game in which she will have to go against others with powers like her, all with titles and powers to match those on tarot cards. But, Evie doesn't want to be part of the game or understand why everyone hates her, especially Death, who she cannot seem to keep away from.

The Dark Calling is book five of The Arcana Chronicles, the latest installation that fans have been waiting on the edge of their seats for. In an effort to not ruin the story for others, this latest installment takes place after the last cliffhanger ending, with Jack possibly alive (!), Evie pregnant, Death still master of his castle, Lark and Finn finding time for romance, and Paul possibly a traitor (?!). A quick series of events occur at the beginning of the story, leading to Evie to find her way to fix things and deal with the fact that she is soon to become a mother. The story was fast-paced and well written. I ended up devouring the book it within a day.

The first book of The Arcana Chronicles, Poison Princess, is slated to become a TV show, which means there is a lot of action, romance, and drama that is sure to keep you at the edge of your seat. The author, Ms. Kresley Cole, had been in an accident, resulting in four broken bones in her leg. She had to undergo hours of surgery and months of recovery time. I am super happy she is doing better and that she is back to writing with a vengeance! I cannot wait until the next book, in which we will see if the characters find some sort of happy end to the game. Hail Tar Ro!

You can find out more about The Arcana Chronicles (and see the wicked awesome trailer for the second book, Endless Knight) here, and for Ms. Cole's other books, please visit her website here.

Mistress of the Vampire by Elena Darkmoon

Lenna Stone is a young college student who has a rocky relationship with her grandfather, has a loving best friend named Sarah, a cute boy named Adam who follows her around, yet seems to be missing something in her life. That is, until she meets Magnus, a mysterious man with emerald green eyes and a magnetic gaze that she cannot help bumping into. Due to a series of events, Lenna applies for a job as a maid, but little does she know, her new boss is Magnus!

Taken from Lenna's point of view and later alternating to 1888 with a flashback point of view from another character, Isaac, the reader is taken on a roller coaster of events. Lenna is at first a bit of a weak character, always depending on others. As the book continues, however, Lenna comes into her own and becomes a strong character you want to cheer for. Isaac's story is actually quite interesting as it's own vampire story apart from the main story line. You may be confused why there are flashbacks to the past, and I can say I was sad when they ended, but the end of the book ties everything up and sets up for a sequel.

In my own personal opinion, I would have liked to learn more about Magnus and Leena, their likes and dislikes, and more of a relationship-based story than just chemistry between the two. I would also like more information on the vampire lore in the series, as it seems that vampire books always have different rules from each other, and hope that book two will explain more. You can tell that the author is starting to find her voice, but certainly has a way to capture her audience and provide a great plot twist.

Reminiscent of other vampire and romance stories, such as Twilight and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Mistress of the Vampire makes it's own path and leaves you wanting more. This is the first book in the series. Recommended for adults (18+).

Visit the Mistress of the Vampire Goodreads page or buy the book via Amazon here. Be sure to follow Ms. Darkmoon for updates on the sequel!

The Fed-Up Cow by Peta Lemon

Illustrations by Maria Dasic Todoric

Hilda is a cow and is fed-up with her life! She does not want to be a cow anymore. Looking around the farm, she notices the different animals and thinks that their lives look more fun than hers. So, one by one, she tries to become a different animal and have fun in a new perspective! But, the grass is not always greener on the other side. Hilda learns that sometimes, the best way to be, is to be yourself.

This is a cute book for children, aimed for ages 3-5. The drawings are well done and colorful. The story has a good meaning behind it and the writing itself is set to rhyme, creating a whimsical feeling. Adults will have fun, too, reading this out loud! I recommend reading this book, whether you are young or young at heart.

About the Author (from Amazon):
Peta Lemon is the author of beautifully illustrated children’s picture books, published under the imprint Quirky Picture Press.

Her books are always funny, written in rhyme and illustrated by Maria Dasic Todoric.

The Fed-up Cow is available now from all major retailers. Timmy on the Toilet and the Bins of Cotteridge Down are coming later in 2018.

www.quirkypicturepress.com
Email: peta.lemon@mail.com 

Have you ever wanted to be a transcriber?

Look no further--the Boston Public Library is asking for help in cataloging and digitizing their collection of handwritten correspondence between anti-slavery activists in the 19th century. They need people who are interested in helping by reading and reviewing the handwritten letters in order to digitally transcribe the writings, so that they can be more easily read by others in the future.

This is a online opportunity available at the following website: www.antislaverymanuscripts.org. Please note that this is a voluntary program. To participate, sign up for a free account, follow the tutorial, and then you'll be randomly assigned a document to transcribe!  

 "Through the participation of citizen historians, we now stand on the threshold of having available — free to all — the entire contents of the Boston Public Library's extraordinary Anti-Slavery Manuscripts collection: the personal papers of women and men who joined together, across barriers of race and class, in the Abolitionist crusade."
 --Peter Drummey, Stephen T. Riley Librarian, Massachusetts Historical Society
 (from The Boston Library's Anti-Slavery Manuscripts website)

Note: This is particularly hard if you are not a fan of cursive. Some of the writings are pretty easy to transcribe, others, not so much. If you are interested in participating, do your best, and let me know what your think in the comments below! :)

P.S. 
I am still in the middle of reading books for reviews. Keep a lookout for new reviews in the upcoming month!