Sage Nestler's Blog, page 42
May 4, 2017
Teakberry Review – May 2017
Hello, Everyone!
If you are like me, you love to craft and journal! I still write the old fashioned way before bringing my work to the computer – through journals – and I love adding fun paper and stickers to the journals that I use. There is a new subscription box that is being released called Teakberry, and this box sends you fun stickers and other paper crafts that you can use in your planners, journals, snail mail or even to scrapbook! I received the May box, and I just have to share it with you all.
Teakberry is the perfect subscription for the art of snail mail, papercraft embellishments and planner accessories! Each box is hand-curated by the owner, and most of the items are handmade as well. Teakberry comes with paper items to use in crafts, planners, letters, etc. and it celebrates the art of paper crafting.
Plans:
Month – to – Month: $19.99+FREE US SHIPPING
3 – Month Subscription: $56.99+FREE US SHIPPING
6 – Month Subscription: $107.99+FREE US SHIPPING
12 – Month Subscription: $203.99+FREE US SHIPPING
*Worldwide shipping is available with calculated shipping costs*
Now, I am a HUGE crafter. I do just about every craft on the planet, and I couldn’t want to try this box out! I love sending out paper letters, and I knew that Teakberry would be perfect to use when sending out fun snail mail!
Teakberry shows up in this adorable white box with the logo on the front. I love how crafty the logo is, and the box fits everything perfectly!
Upon opening the box, you are greeted with the item list for May’s box! Tissue paper also covers the items included, and this added to the craftiness of the box.
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The first item I pull out of the box is this adorable set of owl sticky tabs! I use sticky tabs all of the time when marking pages for my book reviews, and these are just too cute. I love how they have a spring feel to them!
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Teakberry also comes with a food item or beverage each month for the subscriber to enjoy while crafting. This month included some hard candy in a handmade paper purse, it is such a nice touch! I love how the owner of the box handmade the paper purse just for the subscriber. I will be reusing it for sure!
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I tasted one of the candies and they taste like coffee drops. I am a huge fan of tea hard candies, so these were a nice change from my usual hard candy!
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The next items in the box are these sheets of stickers! The stickers on the right are perfect to use in your planner, and you can never have enough lettering stickers. I have already tucked these into my planner, and I will use them as I plan.
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This paper crafting box would not be complete without paper, and boy did Teakberry deliver! I adore all of these cute papers, and they are perfect for journaling, scrapbooking, or just about anything! The variety of papers included is great, and I enjoy how they all have different themes.
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Also included in this adorable pocket notebook! The notebook has a handmade cover and spine, and I love how unique it is! I can definitely use a mini notebook when on the go.
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The next items included are these handmade charms! Many people use these as journal or planner jewelry and connect the charms onto the spines of the notebooks. I think that I will use one for my planner and the other for my phone! These are just too cute.
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Now, how could one have a notebook without pencils? Well, Teakberry has you covered! These pencils are store bought but they are covered in paper and embellishments made by the owner of the box! I am amazed how each little detail in this box has the perfect handmade touch. If you can’t tell already, I am a huge fan of handmade items above anything else, so this box is more than winning with me.
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This wooden tag is also one of the fun items included in the box. This will be perfect for attaching to a gift, or even to use as a bookmark! I love the butterful detailing.
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The next item included in the box is this set of handmade envelopes and stationary! These are perfect for writing letters, and they are one of a kind.
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The stationary says “If love is a petal, I’ll send you a flower.” I have never heard that quote before, but it is so endearing! These letters would be perfect to send to someone romantically or a close friend.
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The next item included in the box are these handmade glass magnets! I have already put them on my fridge, and they will be perfect to hold up photos and lists. What a nice touch!
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And now for my favorite item in the box, these handmade paper butterflies! I love how antique and floral these butterflies are. They are perfect for decorating just about everything, and I think I am going to hang them up on my wall. If you are an artist, these would be great to use in an art piece!
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Final Thought: I was amazed by everything that was included in this box! The curation and care that was put into handmaking the majority of these items wowed me. My favorite boxes are those that show a lot of care and detail, and Teakberry more than excelled in this category. Each item is also highly usable, and none of the items will be put to waste! I highly suggest Teakberry for any crafters looking to expand their collection of supplies each month, or those who want to spice up their mail, planners, or journals!
*Note: This box was sent to me to review*
Much love,
Ashley
May 2, 2017
The Bookish Hook
Hello, Everyone!
Through my work with my businesses Literary Vacation Club and Hedren’s Chest, I have used my mastery in crochet to create many book inspired crochet items! Due to the positive response I have received from these items, I have created a separate business called The Bookish Hook where I will be selling my many book inspired items, as well as taking custom orders for items inspired from any book your heart desires! I love connecting my love of crochet with books, and I will be using this business to make custom orders for indie authors based on their own books as well!
Example Items
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Hermione Granger Character Keychain
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Luna Lovegood Character Keychain
Check out my shop for more information!
Shop Link
Much love,
Ashley
FOR BOOK REVIEWS, FILL OUT THIS FORM: Book Review Request Form
FOR BOX REVIEWS, EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
April 29, 2017
Your New Favorite Horror Fix
Hello, Everyone!
I am excited to announce that we have lowered our price at Hedren’s Chest. Instead of $29.99+shipping bi-monthly, our subscription is only $19.99+shipping bi-monthly! This will allow us to focus more on bringing you the best horror novels available.
Each Box Includes:
1 – 2 Horror Novels
1 – 3 Horror Accessories
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Join our horror community today to receive the best new horror novels and lesser known horror novels! We love bringing you horror community news, and we can’t wait to share new haunting reads with you.
Shadow Run by Michael Miller and AdriAnne Strickland
Title: Shadow Run
Authors: Michael Miller and AdriAnne Strickland
Rating: 3/5
Genre: Young Adult – Science Fiction
Synopsis:
Nev has just joined the crew of the starship Kaitan Heritage as the cargo loader. His captain, Qole, is the youngest-ever person to command her own ship, but she brooks no argument from her crew of orphans, fugitives, and con men. Nev can’t resist her, even if her ship is an antique.
As for Nev, he’s a prince, in hiding on the ship. He believes Qole holds the key to changing galactic civilization, and when her cooperation proves difficult to obtain, Nev resolves to get her to his home planet by any means necessary.
But before they know it, a rival royal family is after Qole too, and they’re more interested in stealing her abilities than in keeping her alive.
Nev’s mission to manipulate Qole becomes one to save her, and to survive, she’ll have to trust her would-be kidnapper. He may be royalty, but Qole is discovering a deep reservoir of power–and stars have mercy on whoever tries to hurt her ship or her crew.
Review:
I have to admit that I am not a big fan of young adult science fiction. This is because I find that most young adult science fiction novels seem to dumb down the genre for new science fiction readers, or younger science fiction readers. But I was excited to read Shadow Run, because it was marketed as being similar to Firefly and Dune. Unfortunately, this novel fell short of my expectations.
Michael Miller and AdriAnne Strickland make a nice writing pair. Sometimes novels written by two authors end up being inconsistent or sloppy, but Shadow Run read like the work of one author. The authors also made an eclectic cast of characters that are different from many other novels, but there were quite a few issues with this novel that I could not look past.
First off, the authors over describe the scenes in their novel too much. Instead of showing the reader, the authors talk at the reader. I found myself skipping multiple sentences just so I could get to the point. The dialogue was also dry and not used properly to give the characters depth and story.
But all of that aside, this novel could have worked if it wasn’t for the way that the authors represented their diverse characters. There was racism present in this novel through the two main characters. This was because the authors showed how a white man essentially saved a black woman and planned to save her people. The white man in this context was seen as the savior, and that is not something that we need in contemporary literature. The authors’ gender fluid character was also not represented correctly. A person in my family is gender fluid and they prefer to be referred to as “they or them”. But in Shadow Run, the authors chose to refer to their gender fluid character as “he”, which is not proper. I know that everyone has their different perceptions of how they want to be seen as or referred to as, but it felt like using this language was doing the gender fluid community a disservice. The authors didn’t seem to be personally connected to gender fluidity at all, and their gender fluid character appeared to be a publicity stunt. This character also was not evolved and they seemed to be known only for their gender status. This is incorrectly teaching young adults about how gender fluid individuals should be represented.
I just hope that in the future young adult science fiction novels will take it up a notch. Young adults don’t need unnecessary romances to drive their novels, and they don’t need incorrect racial and gender representations in their books. We are living in a time where these issues are of great importance, and literature can make, or break, these important social concepts. My favorite saying to live by as a writer is “write about what you know” and it didn’t seem to me that Miller or Strickland knew a lot about what they were writing about.
FOR BOOK REVIEWS, FILL OUT THIS FORM: Book Review Request Form
FOR BOX REVIEWS, EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
April 28, 2017
Box Review: May Fresh Fiction Box Not to Miss
When you sign up for Fresh Fiction Box Not to Miss, every month you will receive a box full of new print books, eBooks, and a Fresh Fiction keepsake. Fresh Fiction focuses on genre fiction, romance in particular. There will be the occasional mystery, erotica, and paranormal as well.
Plan Options:
Month to Month ($25.95/month+FREE shipping in the US – Discount worldwide shipping is available)
3 Month Pre-Pay ($74.85/3 Months+FREE shipping the US – Discount worldwide shipping is available)
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Fresh Fiction Box Not to Miss shows up in this adorable pink box! I adore the color. It represents the contents of the box perfectly!
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Upon opening the box, you are greeted with a card from Fresh Fiction Box Not to Miss.
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The card features a story involving the box’s mascot, Vixen, and more information on the story can be found by going to the box’s website! Also included is a collectible pin with the story’s artwork on it. Fresh Fiction Box Not to Miss is including a story like this in every box until June, 2017.
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The card is designed like a postcard, and it is quite cute! I think that adding a one of a kind story in each box allows subscribers to be more interactive. I also love how this box made their mascot a true character, and it is such a cute cartoon!
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This adorable tea bag was also included in the box. I love Earl Grey tea, and I will enjoy this cup while I read my new books!
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The next item I pulled out of the box was this thick envelope!
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Upon pulling out the contents, I was excited to see that this is a book club party kit!
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The kit corresponds with The Promise Girls by Marie Bostwick. Even though this novel is not included in the box, the recipes included can be enjoyed at any book gathering! I love how interactive this advertisement is, and it gives me an excuse to throw a fun book party! (Even though you never need an excuse to throw a book party 
April 25, 2017
Coral and Bone by Tiffany Daune Re-Release
Hello, Everyone!
I am excited to announce that a lovely indie author I admire, Tiffany Daune, is to be published by Oftomes Publishing! I reviewed her novel Coral & Bone by Tiffany Daune a few months ago, and it is a gorgeous book. It is this book that has been picked up and will be released.
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Here is the old cover:
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Here is the new cover:
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There is a Thunderclap that is active now for Coral and Bone, and they need 100 sign ups before the book is published! Please support the book at the link below.
http://goo.gl/hElXBk
I am excited to see where this novel goes next, and I will absolutely be picking up the new version!
Much love,
Ashley
April 24, 2017
Under the Shadow of War by Lawrie Gartside
Title: Under the Shadow of War
Author: Lawrie Gartside
Rating: 3/5
Synopsis:
A remarkable account of World War 2, from the declaration through to the rescues at Dunkirk and the London Blitz, with devastating accuracy and observation of how three young people dealt with the serious threat of invasion. The trials and tribulations, fears and apprehensions, are woven through the phases of warfare with outstanding accuracy, thus bringing the reader into the thick of the action.
Review:
Under the Shadow of War is a thrilling account of World War 2 from the view of England. The novel follows three different characters and how their points of view intertwine under the threat of invasion. I always love a good historical fiction and Under the Shadow of War reveals a point of view that I am not very familiar with. I enjoyed reading the story to take a crash course in World War 2 England.
However, I was often distracted by the abundant use of adverbs in the writing. I am not fond of adverbs being used after almost every line of dialogue, and this was the case in Under the Shadow of War. Too much description was also given after dialogue when the writing would have been better finalized with “he/she said”. An example of this from the novel is:
“‘We’re still sufferin’ from the last one.’ She shook her head wearily.
‘Huh, so much for appeasement!’ he spat contemptuously, in his Irish brogue.
‘You always said that Chamberlain was was playin’ a dangerous game.’ She added emphatically.'”
The numerous adverbs take away from the dialogue, and it doesn’t allow for the reader to fill in their own ideas of how the characters said a certain line.
But once I moved past the problem with the dialogue, I enjoyed the layout of the story. The characters were well developed, and Lawrie Gartside did well with organizing events and details. I enjoyed the historical context and the life experience that Gartside presented. If some of the over describing aspects of the novel were changed and the story drove the novel more, Under the Shadow of War would be a great historical fiction read to educate the masses on World War 2 England. I look forward to seeing how Gartside grows as an author.
FOR BOOK REVIEWS, FILL OUT THIS FORM: Book Review Request Form
FOR BOX REVIEWS, EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
April 20, 2017
Human Acts by Han Kang
Title: Human Acts
Author: Han Kang
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis:
In the midst of a violent student uprising in South Korea, a young boy named Dong-ho is shockingly killed.
The story of this tragic episode unfolds in a sequence of interconnected chapters as the victims and the bereaved encounter suppression, denial, and the echoing agony of the massacre. From Dong-ho’s best friend who meets his own fateful end; to an editor struggling against censorship; to a prisoner and a factory worker, each suffering from traumatic memories; and to Dong-ho’s own grief-stricken mother; and through their collective heartbreak and acts of hope is the tale of a brutalized people in search of a voice.
An award-winning, controversial bestseller, HUMAN ACTS is a timeless, pointillist portrait of an historic event with reverberations still being felt today, by turns tracing the harsh reality of oppression and the resounding, extraordinary poetry of humanity.
Review:
Han Kang is a poet. Human Acts reads like a memoir forced upon the reader, and it doesn’t let go until the last page has been turned. Even though this novel is fiction, the themes therein are all too real to humanity today.
I honestly have never read a story using the second person perspective that I have liked; but in Kang’s case, this perspective works. She forces the reader into the position of the main character so that they feel the pain and trials in a real sense. Kang’s knowledge of and life experience in South Korea brings forth a heartbreaking story that reveals how a community revolts in the face of crisis. I was amazed at how she portrayed a young boy’s death as a life-shattering experience that changed the face of South Korea forever.
It is not a surprise to me that Kang made her literary debut as a poet. Her gift for poetry is apparent in every page of Human Acts. She has a way of making drastic events appear beautiful in the face of the characters and the reader.
“The national anthem rang out like a circular refrain, one verse crashing with another against the constant background of weeping, and you listened with bated breath to the subtle dissonance this created.”
Kang is a gorgeous author who knows how to bring different human perspectives to those who may not understand what some individuals go through. Reading her work has changed my own perspective in a big way. I look forward to reading more of Kang’s work, and I think that this novel should be taught at every university as an example of fine literature.
FOR BOOK REVIEWS, FILL OUT THIS FORM: Book Review Request Form
FOR BOX REVIEWS, EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
April 19, 2017
The Portal Prophecies: A Halloween’s Curse by C.A. King
Title: The Portal Prophecies: A Halloween’s Curse
Author: C.A. King
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis:
Why do prophecies have to speak in riddles? Willow’s destiny led her to a whole book of them. If that wasn’t bad enough a gypsy witch shows up and utters words that made even less sense. Was it a curse or another prediction? With Mike still missing, and Halloween approaching quickly Willow will need all of her friends to help connect the events of the past with the present or there may not be a future. King Cornelius’ plan to dominate every realm is woven into the mystery that surrounds every corner they turn. Following the clues will lead them on a journey through the spookiest time of the year.
Review:
C.A. King has a magnificent imagination. The world that she has created is a universe of its own. I love how King’s novels revolve around a set of prophecies that guide the characters and unfold mysteries, and I couldn’t put this novel down. There is a big difference in King’s writing style from the first novel in The Portal Prophecies series and this sequel. King has grown artistically, and this novel is my favorite of hers yet.
Many authors who write long series such as King often fall into the trap of the cliffhanger. I find that many books in a series end up relying on the cliffhanger to influence readers to continue the series, but King does not do that. She writes each novel as though it is her only one, and I loved how well she developed her characters in A Halloween’s Curse. Each sentence of King’s has a poetic tilt to it, and I enjoyed watching her world build up around me as I read.
“She looked up and nodded her head in agreement. resolve exploding from her eyes.”
Willow has become one of my favorite characters, and I enjoyed the incorporation of Halloween into this novel. It helped to blend fantasy with mythology while blending King’s ideas with ancient ones. Reading A Halloween’s Curse felt like a race for time, and I am eager to pick up the third book in the series.
King has brought an inventive new fantasy series to the table, and I can’t wait to see where she goes from here!
FOR BOOK REVIEWS, FILL OUT THIS FORM: Book Review Request Form
FOR BOX REVIEWS, EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
April 18, 2017
When Leaves Fall by C.A. King
Title: When Leaves Fall
Author: C.A. King
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis:
When Leaves Fall A Different Point of View Story Ralph wakes up to what others only experience in a nightmare. Chained to a shed, he has no idea where he is, or who his captor is. His memories are blurred at best. As the days press on, he finds himself experiencing a roller coaster of feelings. Hunger, thirst and pain become his only companions. Flashbacks of a happier time are all he has to keep him going. As his situation deteriorates, he finds himself doubting he ever had the very thing he wants most – a family. When Leaves Fall is a dramatic thriller with a twist. Keep the tissue box close for the ending.
Review:
Oh my, When Leaves Fall should come with a trigger warning label. This book has broken by heart but in the best possible way. It has been a very long time since I have given a book a 5-star rating, and this book more than deserves the honor.
I have grown quite fond of C.A. King’s fantasy series, The Portal Prophecies, but I was surprised to find that she has left the fantasy genre to write this short point of view story. The story is written in the third person, but it allows for the reader to feel as though they are in the shoes of the main character. King also doesn’t name the setting of the novel or who the main character is. All she does is acknowledge that the main character is a prisoner looking for an escape, and she describes the cruel events that the main character goes through. Her details aren’t unnecessary, and they hit the reader in all of the right ways.
“There was an unnatural feeling in the pit of his stomach that screamed that the place was all wrong. He didn’t belong there – no one did.”
Now, it is hard to review this short novel without giving away the surprise ending. But I will say that I am amazed that King has decided to take on a perspective that is quite neglected in literature. King’s novel presents a thrilling, realistic view of the dark side of humanity and how many humans treat animals. She doesn’t shy away from the horrors that are present in our world, and even though this novel is short, it impacted me in a bigger way than many long novels too. King knows how to pack an emotional punch with her writing, and I applaud authors who can impact the reader within a matter of pages. King’s talent is remarkable, and I guarantee that you will be changed by When Leaves Fall. You won’t find this style of writing in any other form of literature.
FOR BOOK REVIEWS, FILL OUT THIS FORM: Book Review Request Form
FOR BOX REVIEWS, EMAIL: peachykeenreviews@gmail.com
