Book and Cosplay Item Reviews by Jess D Cosplay

I received an advance reading copy of this book for review. I'd probably rate it a 4.5, but there are no halfs for reviews.  Goodreads Review: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/152594094-orson-the-great Orson the Great by Colm McElwain delves into the history of magic through the life of Orson Whitlock as Orson discovers the world of magic and family tradition.  Without spoiling too much, Orson must hone his skills and become the best magician or the fate of the magic world is at risk.  It’s a lot of pressure for a young man, but he has the support of his family and trusty sidekick Agatha to keep him on the right path as he faces Daxton the Destroyer and conspiracies in the fight for magic. The story is simply written with a good amount of fun details and magical background that will appeal to readers who enjoy young adult fiction.  McElwain brings the magic into Orson the Great without actually spoiling the tricks of the trade and keeping the magic real....

The Quirky Sorceress Is Back In An Even More Engaging Story As someone with little free time, it's nice to be able to pick up a story that can be read in a single sitting. After reading the first of Philliya's adventures, I had preordered this story immediately upon completion and it did not disappoint. Whereas the first story had a slower start due to world building, this one gets straight into the action. Philliya is once again in need of money and selling green hair potions to make ends meet. Until a dangerous illness spreads, imitating her potions effects of turning hair green. Without spoiling too much, Philliya must retrace her steps to clear her name, or she will have a much harder time making ends meet. Follow Philliya as she searches for the root of the problem so she can return to making money and stay out of trouble. Lots of action in this quick, hour read with the quirky sorceress. I've already preordered the third book as I'm excited to see what other adven...

Quirky Sorceress Has A Sense of Humor If you have read the previous short stories, you are already aware of Philliya and her unique ways of solving issues that arise, even if they don't have anything to do with her and she owes the person nothing.  What was supposed to be a routine beauty care potion, perhaps with a prank thrown in, turned into a research driven quest to find out why her customer couldn't sleep (don't want to say too much and spoil the story).  Using the resources at hand, or more like her brother's resources, Philliya finds out some fun information that will likely affect her journey to come.  Fun, quick paced story, though not a lot of direct action if that is your thing. I'm excited for the next installment and to see what new adventures await Philliya and those around her. The short story is set up in a way that each story can be a single one shot of mini adventures of Philliya, though there are advantages to reading the stories that come before...

A quirky fantasy that leaves you wanting more... A friend recommended this short story and I must say, it draws you in. With a quirky sorceress who has a knack for not following the norms of society, you instantly fall in love with Philliya and wonder just how she is going to solve her problems so she can live the life she wants to live. Without spoiling the story, Philliya opens up shop but struggles to get customers. Finally snagging one, she must solve their quite serious problem or her dreams of being a successful shopkeeper is ruined. The main character is the loveable, perky younger sister who is bound to cause her older brother loads of issues in the future. The short story is set up in a way that each story can be a single one shot of mini adventures of Philliya, which is nice for those who don't want a large reading commitment due to lack of time (looking at my infant...). It's a quick ready, around an hour for me, where the sorcery practically comes alive. I've al...

Cute little owlet that is great for 6 month old babies who are learning to use their hands.  My son is not quite 6 months, but will soon be.                                        He was teething and immediately started chewing on it as soon as I gave it to him.  He especially liked chewing on the cute ears.  He played with it for about fifteen minutes before finally setting it down.   It is weighted, so it will sit back upright if placed on a hard surface.  There are handles which allowed him to hold on to it.  It has a bit of weight to it.  Not heavy enough to be difficult for the child to manuever, but definitely heavy enough to sting if it accidentally gets tossed at you as your child works on their fine motor skills.                                   ...

I read a lot, and though it took me longer to read due to having a newborn, I felt like I flew through Strike the Zither by Joan He and can't wait to read the sequel when it comes out. It has made me want to get her other books to read when I have some time. I was first brought into the story through the beautiful cover art and character art at the beginning of the novel. A fictionalized story loosely based on Chinese history, the book nods to the Chinese culture through the art styles, the chapter numbers in Chinese script, and the names of the characters. The plot follows Zephyr, a strategist for a landless lordess Xin Ren. Zephyr somehow manages to survive a multitude of near death experiences and gets Ren out of many scrapes as they fight for what Ren believes is right. Without spoiling too much, Zephyr goes to the enemy's side to try and recruit more support for Ren. In doing so, she finds people she'd never thought she would see again and made a multitude of frenemies...

This is the second year in a row I have ordered a Halloween dragon from Art by Aelia on Etsy after falling in love with her Viserion dragon draper necklace that I received for Christmas a few years back. https://www.etsy.com/listing/1082488704/ About the Seller: Aelia is a talented artist on Etsy who crafts all sorts of things out of resin like whales, dragons, and dinosaurs. Her dragon jewelry seems to be her main selling point and many of her products are customizable. If she doesn’t have what you want in stock, she will gladly make it for you within 6-8 weeks before shipping it right to you. About the Product: This candy corn Halloween dragon is one of Art by Aelia’s newer products and is a must have for any Halloween lovers. This is the fourth or fifth time I have ordered from her, and I love every piece I have gotten. These dragons are painted resin so are a little fragile but as they will mostly sit on your shelf as an awesome decoration, you really don’t have to worry about it …...