Sage Nestler's Blog, page 21
January 21, 2019
New Year, New Goals
I want to apologize for not being as active as I usually am on my blog! I am currently in grad school, and that is taking up the majority of my time. However, I graduate in May and I am hoping to pick back up again with my reviews and ramblings.
If you are waiting for a review from me, don’t fear! I have not forgotten about you. My goal for 2019 is to catch up on all of my reviews and create a more consistent schedule for posting. Please stay tuned!
In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments for me please feel free to reply to this post and I will be sure to get back to you ASAP. 
January 18, 2019
Literary Vacation Club: February Destination Reveal
I am excited to announce our February destination at Literary Vacation Club! This February we are taking you to Italy! This literary vacation will be rustic and romantic for Valentine’s Day. Treat yourself to some bookish self-love this Valentine’s Day, or treat someone you love!
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Boxes Include:
1 Novel Based in Italy
A Custom Reading Travel Guide
3 – 5 Italy Inspired Accessories
December 19, 2018
Book Review: #fashionvictim by Amina Akhtar
Book Title: #fashionvictim
Author: Amina Akhtar
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis:
Fashion editor Anya St. Clair is on the verge of greatness. Her wardrobe is to die for. Her social media is killer. And her career path is littered with the bodies of anyone who got in her way. She’s worked hard to get where she is, but she doesn’t have everything.
Not like Sarah Taft. Anya’s obsession sits one desk away. Beautiful, stylish, and rich, she was born to be a fashion world icon. From her beach-wave blonde hair to her on-trend nail art, she’s a walking editorial spread. And Anya wants to be her friend. Her best friend. Her only friend.
But when Sarah becomes her top competition for a promotion, Anya’s plan to win her friendship goes into overdrive. In order to beat Sarah…she’ll have to become her. Friendly competition may turn fatal, but as they say in fashion: One day you’re in, and the next day you’re dead.
Short Review
#fashionvictim is chic horror at its best! If you like your horror ladies fashionable and vicious, then look no further.
Full Review
I am a huge fan of The Devil Wears Prada, and horror is my favorite genre, so I was immediately drawn to #fashionvictim. #fashionvictim illustrates the cutthroat fashion world as an 80s-esque slasher film, and I ate the book up in one sitting.
I don’t often find horror novels that focus solely on the viewpoint of the killer, but the way that #fashionvictim portrayed the story through Anya’s eyes made me feel as though I was inside of her head. Her rationale for killing various characters throughout the book began to make sense to me since I was seeing the story from her viewpoint, and it made the reading experience one of a kind.
Amina Akhtar clearly understands what it is like to work in fashion based on her personal experiences, and her insights made the novel a realistic experience for readers who may not be as knowledgeable of the fashion world. I loved to hate the majority of the characters in the novel, and the gory scenes were written in a way that was almost comedic.
If you are looking for a comedic slasher novel to get you through the stress of the holiday season, look no further than #fashionvictim.
September 18, 2018
Pre-Order: Not So Wicked by T.A. Moorman
I have a 99 cent pre-order novel to share with you today! Not So Wicked is perfect for you vampire lovers out there. 
September 9, 2018
New Release: Topaz by Jenna Lee
I apologize for not posting recently! I just started grad school to get my Masters of Social Work, so I have been a bit overwhelmed. However, I am excited to share with you a new release that I hope you will enjoy! Have a great week!
Much love,
Ashley
*´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•` TOPAZ
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The world of magic is beautiful and enchanting, but there is darkness here too.
Dara has been to hell and back trying to discover her destiny. Thrown into a world she didn’t know she belonged to, she’s completed the first task of claiming Emerald, but lost someone she cares about in the process.
She finds her thoughts divided between finding the second stone—Topaz—and rescuing one of her warriors who was captured in battle. More now than ever, she’s determined to put her power-hungry uncle and his plans for complete domination down once and for all.
Intensifying relationships with her other three warriors test her as they prepare for their most important mission yet. The one thing they don’t count on is their enemy becoming stronger than ever before.
BUY LINKS
US – https://goo.gl/VJEHhY
AUS – https://goo.gl/9aBjQn
July 28, 2018
Book Review: Pretty Is by Maggie Mitchell
Title: Pretty Is
Author: Maggie Mitchell
Rating: 4/5
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Synopsis:
The summer precocious Lois and pretty Carly May were twelve years old, they were kidnapped, driven across the country, and held in a cabin in the woods for two months by a charismatic stranger. Nearly twenty years later, Lois has become a professor, teaching British literature at a small college in upstate New York, and Carly May is an actress in Los Angeles, drinking too much and struggling to revive her career. When a movie script with a shockingly familiar plot draws the two women together once more, they must face the public exposure of their secret history and confront the dark longings and unspeakable truths that haunt them still. Pretty Is by Maggie Mitchell beautifully defies ripped-from-the-headlines crime story expectations and announces the debut of a masterful new storytelling talent.
Short Review
Pretty Is is a riveting thriller about the afterlives of two abduction victims. Apart from the anti-climactic ending, Maggie Mitchell kept me glued throughout the novel.
Full Review
My weakness is thrillers surrounding abduction situations, and I couldn’t help but snatch up Pretty Is when I found out that it fell under that category. The short chapters helped with switching the perspective of the story between the two female protagonists, and I found that they made the novel easier to read. I swallowed this book like candy due to the fast-paced storyline, but it ended up leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. The resolution to the main plot point in the novel was understated and rushed. I like my books to end with a bang, but Pretty Is fizzled out.
Chloe and Lois were abducted when they were preteens by a man who had been stalking them and planned their abductions due to Chloe being a beauty queen and Lois being a spelling bee champion. He took them to a cabin in the woods and provided them with clothing, food, and shelter before he ended up killing himself and the girls returned home. No abuse took place, and Lois and Chloe spent a good portion of the novel contemplating what his motives were.
Fast forward into the future, and Lois is the best selling author of a book based on the abduction while Chloe is an actress. Both seem superficial from the start, and even though the reader learns more about the characters’ personal lives as the novel goes on, I found it hard to relate to either Lois or Chloe. Since each chapter consists of their inner thoughts, we experience how they feel conflicted about their abductor. Sometimes they think of him fondly, and at other times they are more confused about him. The fact that the abductor did not abuse the girls does fight the classic plotline of abduction novels that involve sexual and physical abuse. I understood how the girls felt more confused about their situation since they were used to hearing about abduction cases where abuse ensued, and since both girls came from families where they did not feel accepted, their abductor was a savior in some way.
Now, let’s talk about the ending. Throughout the novel, Lois has a stalker interested in her abduction; however, his motives keep changing. At the end of the novel, the stalker becomes an issue, but it wasn’t a surprise ending since too much information about him was presented early on in the novel. The only way Pretty Is could have been better would have been if less information was given about the stalker until the end of the novel. Less information could have led to a more impactful ending.
Pretty Is is a novel that challenges classic abduction novels. It presents a situation that changes two girls in a profound way that makes them question their own lives and the actions of others. Despite the anti-climactic ending, Pretty Is kept me glued throughout. I recommend this novel to anyone who likes abduction novels. It may not be the most suspenseful novel, but it will make you think about society’s fascination with crime in a new way.
June 30, 2018
Literary Vacation Club – July Destination
It is the last day of June, which means that July Literary Vacation Club boxes are just around the corner! Our July destination is “National Parks Roadtrip”. This box is going to be filled with road trip goodies as well as a book that focuses on the national parks!
Boxes Include:
1 – 2 Novels
Items to See, Taste, Touch, Smell, and Hear
Proceeds support NAMI – The National Alliance on Mental Illness
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Use code “ROADTRIP10” for 10% off!
June 11, 2018
New Release: Death’s Garden
I am excited to announce that an anthology featuring one of my poems – Death’s Garden – is now available to purchase! This anthology is perfect for horror fans. Inside you will find poems and short stories from various horror authors, and you won’t want to miss it!
Much love,
Ashley (A.M. Nestler)
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The Lycan Valley Reaper has a new hobby — Gardening. He tends to each plant’s every need from seed to harvest. The black seeds bloom in the shadows, petals unfolding as the twisted vines take root in your mind. These 13 stories and 12 poems are planted, germinated and ready for the harvest.
Souls collected from Edward Ahern * Shaun Avery * Ross Baxter * R Bratten weiss * Jonah Buck * O.R. Dalby * JG Faherty * Dale W Glaser * Jill Hand * Michael H Hanson * Liam Hogan * Mathias Jansson * Jordan King-Lacroix * Chad Lutzke * A.M. Nestler * Kurt Newton * Gregory L Norris * Allan Rozinski * Susan A Sheppard * David F Shultz * Claire Smith * Max D Stanton * John McCallum Swain * Sara Tantlinger * Steven Wynne
June 3, 2018
New Release: Rise in Arms by J.A. Collard
I apologize for not posting in awhile! However, I have a great new release to share with you. Rise in Arms by J.A. Collard is a thrilling romance for those who like darker storylines. Take a look!
Much love,
Ashley
*´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨).
May 13, 2018
Cover Reveal: Topaz by Jenna Lee
It is time for another cover reveal! Topaz by Jenna Lee is a dark fantasy, and I am in love with the new cover.
Enjoy!
Ashley
