This is one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 and it did not disappoint! Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours for allowing me to participate in this tour. Be sure to check out tour schedule for the other tours posts this week!
Category: Opinion
Review: Glint + Gleam
During my break, I continued reading this amazing series that I cannot describe how much I love it. I loved Gild and loved Glint and Gleam so so much, I am so excited for the next book in the series, Glow! I decided to do a joint blog post for books 2 and 3, so without a doubt, here are my thoughts!
Let’s Talk Bookish – Having A Blogger Identity Crisis
I was scrolling through my blog feed this morning, unsure of what to post for today, when I came across this post – Let’s Talk Bookish. Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme hosted by Rukky @ Eternity Books and Dani @ Literary Lion. This week’s topic is all about having a blogger identity crisis!
I’ve never done one of these before, but it was an interesting topic I couldn’t pass up on!
Top 5 Historical Fantasy Books
One of my new favorite genres is historical fantasy, which I have recently been getting into more and more. I love historical fiction and I love fantasy, so combining the two just makes a great mix for me! There are so many amazing books I’ve read and loved, but here are my top 5 historical fantasy books!
Books on my Amazon Wishlist
Does anyone else create wish lists so when someone asks what you want for your birthday or what you want to trade, you can just slide them this list and not have to spend forever thinking about what you want? Cause I do! Today, I thought it would be fun to show what some of those wishlist books are – but there’s a lot. So I’m just going to do a few of them.
If you like this, let me know! I can do a part 2, but for today, here are some of the books on my wishlist.
The Crying Book Tag
It doesn’t take a lot for me to cry, so when I saw this tag, I knew it was perfect for me. I will cry over anything and everything – I’m just very emotional okay! Lauren over at Narrative Paradise created a tag talking about all the books that made her cry, and I thought “hey, me too!” – so let’s see what books made me cry!
Queer YA Books I Recently Read and Loved
Happy Pride month everyone!
While you can read queer books at any time of the year, I know a lot of people love to scream recommendations during Pride month. While I don’t wait or save books to recommend just during June, I did want to make a list of some queer YA books I’ve recently read, reviewed, and loved! Because recently, there’s been a lot.
I will put a label with the representation in this book. I tried to stick with books that have queer main characters (MC) or prominent characters. I have also linked my review if you’re interested in hearing my thoughts or finding out more about the book!
Top Summer Reads for the Perfect Beach Trip
I’m on vacation this week at the beach, and it’s always the best when you have that perfect summer book to go along with your beach vacation. Here are some great books for your perfect beach vacation and some great summer books in general!
The WORST slumps ever
Every reader has gone through this. They’re reading a lot, enjoying all of the books they read, nothing can stop them! … Until they hit a slump. UGH! THE WORST!
What is a slump? Well, I classify it as the sudden loss of interest in reading. And that’s exactly what happened to me recently.
Adult Fiction Books I Wish I Could Read Again for the First Time
I talk a lot about young adult books, which I absolutely love, but I also read adult fiction too and I feel like I don’t give that section of books enough love.
So today, I’m going to highlight adult fiction books I love. Now, I am pretty new to the adult fiction world, so some of these may be well-known favorites. If you have any recommendations for books I should read next based on these, please let me know! I’m always looking for more recommendations!
“Underrated” YA Books You Should Read
Every reader knows a book or series that they absolutely love but no one else has heard of. With the recent events and new information coming forward about certain YA authors, I feel like it is a good time to highlight some authors that I love and highly recommend you should read! While there is a lot of discourse and conversation going on right now that you should look into, let’s take a chance to instead highlight books and authors that I feel are underrated or underappreciated!
Series Highlight: The Dauntless Paths
I mentioned in my post yesterday that I am currently reading The Theft of Sunlight by Intisar Khanani and I’m loving it! Since the book came out on Tuesday, I thought today would be a great day to do a series highlight!
Addressing the Blogging Controversy
I don’t like posting rants on my blog. It makes me feel icky and like I’m complaining, which I guess I technically am, but that’s besides the point.
I’m making an exception for this though.Today, I want to talk about the newest blogging controversy and the disrespect bloggers experience in the book industry.
April Releases I’m Excited to Read
We are almost to the end of March and I’m already planning my April TBR. I have so many books I want to purchase and read, so here’s my current TBR list for April with books I want to buy!
Books I can’t stop thinking about
Have you ever read a book and even after you put it down, you can’t stop thinking about it? I have read so many good books recently – like all 5 star reads – and I can’t stop thinking about these books! Some are just so well written, others are mind-blowing plots, and some just hit my soul and changed me.
Here are some books that I can’t stop thinking about!
Valentine’s Day Books You Need To Read!
Valentine’s Day is Sunday and while this year is going to be very different, I think self care is always needed. So I made a list of recently published YA romance/contemporary books you need to read for Valentine’s Day! Whether you have plans with someone or not, these books are a great way to love yourself and enjoy some quality me time. Let me know if you’ve read any of these and feel free to leave suggestions for other great romance books!
Books I Refuse to Read
Have you ever picked up a book and thought “Yeah I’m never reading this”? Or a friend has tried to push you to read a book that you know you won’t like? Or heard about issues with an author or book and thought, “Good thing I found out so I can never read their stuff again”?
Well, same. And here’s that list of books I refuse to read!
February ’21 Releases I’m DYING to Read!
It’s almost February (which is unreal to me because I still feel like it’s March 2020) so it’s time to show off the February releases I’m DYING to read!
There are so many books coming out in February, so I had to choose the ones I’m DYING for – so if you don’t see your most anticipated read, it’s probably on my list! But feel free to let me know which book you’re most excited for!
Blog Tour: Wench
I am so excited that I am able to participate in the book tour for Wench by Maxine Kaplan! Thanks to TBR & Beyond Tours for allowing me to participate and thank you to Amulet Books for providing me with an e-ARC of the book for review. This has not impacted my review and all thoughts and feelings are my own.
Be sure to check out the tour schedule to see all of the other amazing posts for this tour! And stay tuned to find out more information about the giveaway TBR & Beyond Tours is hosting!
Series Spotlight
On Monday I started buddy reading the third book in the Diviners series, Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray. While Libba is a best selling author of the Gemma Doyle series, I don’t see a lot of people mention or talk about the Diviners series.
So, today, I’m doing a spotlight post on this series!
Top 5 Favorite Fantasy Books of 2020
2020 was a year from hell and I did a lot of escaping by reading. I have found some all new fantasy favorites of mine that I have been non-stop recommending to friends and anyone who will listen! This past year was also really hard for writers, especially debut authors, so here are some fantasy books published in 2020 that I absolutely loved!
If you’ve read any of these, let me know what you thought about them!
Five Books I Bought Solely Based on their Covers
I’m back again with another collab with Alexa @ Writing the Universe! Today, we are going over five books we bought solely based on their covers and rating whether we would buy them or not. I know, I know, you shouldn’t judge a book based on its cover, but if you saw what books we’re talking about today, you would understand these are a necessity. I am a total sucker for a gorgeous book cover and if a book is pretty and fits in a genre I like to read, I will buy it. So today, here are some books I bought solely based on their covers, and Alexa’s opinion on whether she would do the same!
Books I’m Buying for Black Friday
Barnes & Noble has a Black Friday sale every year and has special signed books they put on sale! I usually wake up early and go with my friend Emma so we can buy the books once the stores opens. Last year they changed it to an entire weekend event (probably to avoid morning crowd) and that means it’s a little more relaxed. I’m still probably going to call and ask to put books on hold if possible and make my way there tomorrow! Or on my birthday.
Here are some books I’m planning on buying for the Black Friday sale!
Books I’m Thankful For
Happy Thanksgiving American friends! I’m super late on this post, I’m sorry! I’m making the desserts for my family’s Thanksgiving dinner, so I’m a little stressed. I completely forgot to schedule a post for today, so here are some books I’m thankful for!
Underrated Books You Should Read Now
There are so many amazing books in the world and a few of them are not getting the recognition they deserve. I feel like some books are over recommended over sometimes even overhyped, while other titles are pushed to the sidelines.
So, here are some books I think are underrated and if you haven’t read them, you should read them now! All current reviews will be linked too if you want to check them out!
How To Get Out of a Reading Slump
Reading slumps are the bane of my existence. Every time I’m on a roll with reading and feel motivated, I’m hit with a bus and left withering on the floor.
And of course, fail at whatever goal I was trying to succeed at.
November Releases I’m Dying to Read
With November coming crashing around the corner, I’ve been thinking a lot about books I want to order/pre-order for November!
So what better way to organize my TBR than doing a post about November releases that I am really excited for!?
If You Read This, Then You’ll Like This: Fantasy Edition
The hardest thing for me, once I finish a book, is finding another book to read! Sometimes I want something along the same lines as what I just read and not being able to find something that satiates that hunger is so frustrating. So, here are some book recommendations for fantasy books if you’re struggling to find a new book to read!
Currently Reading & Watching: Part III
October has been a crazy month and while I’ve been reading a lot, I’m also doing a lot of work on the book tours, my actual job, and other adult things. You know, like cooking, cleaning, crying because I’m stressed – the usual!
Anyways, I wanted something light to post today, so here’s what I’m currently reading and watching!
My Favorite Book Bloggers
On Wednesday (10/7), book twitter went wild after an author ranted about a blogger asking for payment to review their book.
That’s a discussion for another day though.
In that rant, lots of people talked about supporting book bloggers as we are generally overworked, under appreciated, and usually the first group people shit on when discussing compensation. So today, I want to take the time and shout out some of my favorite book bloggers!
Spooky Books to Read for a Haunting Halloween
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and this year is going to be a bit different. I know I’m probably going to end up reading while eating candy all day and maybe even watch a scary movie. So, to prep for my reading binge, here’s some spooky books to read for a haunting halloween!
Fall Time, Cozy Time Book Tag
It’s almost fall which means I have to prepare myself with all the fun fall things like tags, recommendations, and the holidays!
I saw this post on Erin @ Rins Reads blog and I thought it was so cute! Fall is my favorite season, so of course I have to do a fall time book tag to welcome in the best season of all!
Fantasy Books You Probably Haven’t Heard Of!
I made a mistake . . . I didn’t plan ahead and forgot to write a post for today. Thankfully, I remembered at the good old time of 12:00am that I didn’t have anything ready to go and ran to my computer. I’m dumb. But, I have a solution!
It’s book recommendation time!
September 2020 releases to put on your TBR
With only a week left in the month, I thought it would be fun to hype up some of my favorite September releases that I think people should put on their TBR! This is mostly going to be debut or not as well know releases, so no Cassie Clare or any other sequels/spin offs.
Some of these I haven’t read yet, but want to, so I’ll mark which ones I have and have not read. For the unread books, I’ll be putting in the official synopsis!
Let’s get started!
DNF Review: Sanctuary
I received an ARC of Sanctuary by Paola Mendoza and Abby Sher from Penguin Teen through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t think I’ve ever written a DNF (did not finish) review before, so this is a first. Usually when I DNF a book, it’s not an ARC I’ve been given by the publisher for review, it’s one that I decided to read on my own. After the whole debacle on Sunday regarding an author calling out a reviewer for DNF-ing and posting a “bad” review on Goodreads, I am a little nervous to post my thoughts.
But, the whole point of reviewing books are to review them, good or bad. So I’m gonna talk about why I DNFed this book and what my thoughts are. Surprisingly, they’re not bad at all!
NetGalley vs. Edelweiss
I didn’t realize that I didn’t have a post scheduled for today so I’m kind of writing this last minute – SORRY!
I am having trouble finding posts other than reviews to write right now because I have been a reading machine. So far, I’ve been reading a new e-book every 1-3 days which means I’ve gotten through a lot of books so far this month. Which means a lot of reviews! I’m sorry if you’re looking for other content because I might have to post a lot of reviews, especially since a lot of them are upcoming August and September releases and I want to get them out near release date.
Any way – I wanted to talk about two different platforms that I use to review books: NetGalley and Edelweiss. If you don’t know what these are, they are a way for booksellers, librarians, authors, and reviewers to get their hands on upcoming book releases for purchase or review. And when I mean purchase, I mean for their library or their store. Bloggers can also receive books on these sites, but are not quite as lucky to get them as a librarian or bookseller would be.
Today, I’m going to be reviewing them and I have a lot to say – especially about Edelweiss!
First off, acceptance rate. NetGalley, by far, beats Edelweiss in this for me. While it’s hard to say how many books I’ve been denied on Edelweiss since once they archive them, they disappear from the site, the ratios can’t even compete.
For my primary NetGalley, I currently have 11 books to read and review and I have reviewed 39 so far. So far, I’ve been denied 63 books and I am currently pending and waiting on 16.
Meanwhile, on Edelweiss, I have been approved for 2, currently pending 9, and have been denied 24. Although, technically I have been approved for 4 because I was initially denied for The Boundless, then received it through a blog tour. And I was denied for Wench but then re-requested it and received it through the publisher.
Just from that alone, I have a better chance of getting approved through NetGalley than on Edelweiss any day! But I’ll put some (poorly done) math below! Approved / (Pending) + (Denied)
Chance of getting approved on NetGalley: 63%
Chance of getting approved on Edelweiss: 6%
Yeah, my math is probably flawed, but just looking at the percent difference makes me want to cry!
Moving on, website layout.
Personally, I like NetGalley’s look and request option more than Edelweiss.
NetGalley is pretty simple. In your bio, you include your stats and anything that the publisher should take into consideration when looking over your request. That’s your place to shine! Then you would find the title, click on it and it brings you to this page. Then you select all the things that made you want to select the book and hit request! Although in that case, it was read now since it was an excerpt, but you get the idea! There’s also books you can Wish For, and for those you just click Wish For It and hope that you’re one of the lucky people to get it!
Edelweiss on the other hand is more complicated.
At the top, the part I cropped out, it includes your saved profile and your profile strength.
In your profile you have a bio just like NetGalley that the publishers see, which should be as detailed and extensive as you can. You want to shine. But Edelweiss also wants you to write a whole thing on why you’re requesting the book. Which I feel is utterly pointless if our bios include the same information.
I’ve tried writing it very professionally (like my bio), very casual, included stats, didn’t include stats, any combination you can think of and it never gets me any closer to getting the book for review.
And then, if you get approved for a book, the actual review process is totally different.
NetGalley rates things on a 5 star system, you can copy that review over to your connected Goodreads, tweet that you reviewed this book, and provided tags/information to the publisher.
Edelweiss does their score out of 10 stars and includes multiple things you can rate. Writing, originality, overall, etc
Plus, there are icons to choose to shelve the book, write notes to the publisher, share your review and more.
While NetGalley’s is more user friendly and a bit simpler, I actually appreciate Edelweiss’ system. I like that I can provide an overall rating as well as more specific ratings to explain why that might be. Then you have other icons to choose to tag, shelve, and what not which makes it a lot more organized than NetGalley.
Another thing I really like about Edelweiss is that you don’t have to have been approved for the book to review it, unlike NetGalley where you can only write reviews for books you’ve been approved for. This makes it a lot easier to increase your stats if you end up getting the book before release another way (like NetGalley or a giveaway) or if it’s still up after release!
Overall, I like NetGalley WAYYY more than Edelweiss. Not only for the fact that I actually get approved for books on their site, but because it’s a cleaner, simpler site to use. Although, I wish NetGalley had the option to re-request the book, like Edelweiss. That would save me so much heartbreak.
Which site do you like to use more?
Unpopular Book Opinions
I really couldn’t figure out what to post for today, so I’m just going to do some ranting and give my unpopular book opinions! These opinions are solely my own and are not meant to hurt, insult, or offend anyone.
Okay – let’s go!
I’m gonna start off with something easy . . .
I hate the Hunger Games
I have probably said this, like, a thousand times, but I really don’t like The Hunger Games. I tried to read it when I was younger and was absolutely bored to tears after almost 100 pages. Then I tried AGAIN a few years later at the request of one of my friends, and still couldn’t get past 100 pages. It was just boring and I didn’t like it. I know this is a huge favorite in YA, but I actually hate it. And no, I’ve never watched the movies either.
ARCs are over-valued
I am pretty active in the book community which means I do a lot of buying, selling, and trading and let me tell you, some people really over-value their ARCs. If you don’t know what an ARC is it stands for Advance Readers Copy, which is basically a bound manuscript sent to reviewers, book sellers, and librarians for early review. This helps boost sales before and after the book is published and generally helps the publisher.
But there is a whole thing, especially in YA and adult Fantasy/Science Fiction, where certain popular authors or certain books will be WAY over valued. People will only trade these books for other “unicorns”/rare books or really expensive items. Technically, trading is supposed to be a way for people to get receive ARCs for review from other people, but people turn it into a collecting nightmare.
Trading ARCs for finished copies/other purchased items is the same as selling them
On the topic of ARCs, here’s another opinion! ARCs are free books given for review and they are not meant to be sold. This brings into the ethical question of – if it can’t be sold, does trading it for an item that was purchased count as “buying” the ARC. AKA, if someone buys a book I want in exchange for me sending the ARC, does that mean they bought the ARC? In my opinion, yes.
Some people will ask for REALLY EXPENSIVE stuff for an ARC. I saw someone trading an ACOTAR by Sarah J Maas ARC asking for a copy of a book valued over $250. How is this any different from just selling it?
It’s not.
You can hate/disapprove of an author and still enjoy their work
Before anyone comes for me, hear me out.
In the example of J.K. Rowling, some people may not have realized before how awful she is as a person. Once they found out, they feel pressured to denounce her and her work entirely which puts people in a dilemma. Do they continue to enjoy something that they have for years and risk being cancelled or shunned or do they denounce the work they have found a connection with and love, ultimately giving up a part of themselves?
I hate the idea that some people have to feel like they can’t love things because the author is awful. I agree that once it is known they’re awful, we shouldn’t continue to support them (ie. purchasing items, buying their books, movies, etc) but we can continue to enjoy the things we did before. If you love Harry Potter and reread the books or rewatch the movies you own every year, feel free to continue to do so. But don’t think I condone a continued support. Nor do I believe in overlooking a problematic author simply to enjoy their work. I.E. – If you are looking for a new book and found one you’re interested in, but the author is a known racist, don’t buy their book!
E-Readers and Audiobooks are BOOKS.
Why is this one even a debate? Books are books are books. If you listen to a book, you’re reading. If you’re using an e-reader, you’re reading. If you listen and read the book at the same time, you’re READING.
It’s so silly how people get pressed over HOW people are reading. I have friends who are blind or have very bad vision that require e-readers to enlarge texts because large print books are expensive. Or they listen to audiobooks. I also have friends who just simply enjoy listening to audiobooks or prefer e-readers over physical books. That doesn’t make them any less of a reader. And it doesn’t make people a “better” reader simply because they only read hardcover books!
I may have to make a part two to this post another time, because I don’t want to rant forever. But you get the point!
What are some of your unpopular opinions? Do you agree or disagree with anything I said?
My Favorite OTPs of All Time!
If you don’t know what OTP stands for, it means One True Pairing – aka, couple goals! There are so many adorable couples in literature and they just continue to make me believe that love is real. At least, I hope.
So today, I wanted to talk about my favorite couples and my all time favorite OTPs! This is not ALL of them, but the ones I couldn’t leave off this list, so if you don’t see your favorite couple, I’m sorry!
***Warning – this post may contain spoilers!!! Read at your own risk! I also will be doing my best to track down the artist for all fan art featured in my post, but if I incorrectly name an artist, I would appreciate the correction. Thanks!
Aelin + Rowan
Is anyone surprised that I included Aelin and Rowan? I love their relationship and while it doesn’t start off well (Heir of Fire), as they grow together I fall in love with them as a couple. Aelin’s snark to Rowan’s cool exterior is a favorite of mine and it reminds me of my own relationship. Though that isn’t to say Rowan won’t stand up for Aelin and protect her when she needs it – if she needs it. They’re just so fun to read about and their love is so fierce.
Artist: Gabriella Bujdoso
Annabeth + Percy
The Lightning Thief was one of the first books I read that was a fantasy novel (and ultimately got me into reading) so I hold a special place in my heart for Percabeth. Their relationship, which grew from literally nothing, made me feel so happy as a kid! I read the entire series in middle school and haven’t had a chance to reread them since. I’ve heard their relationship develops more in the spin off series as well, so I may have to do a Lightening Thief reread and then read Heroes of Olympus. Either way – their relationship is so wholesome and wonderful and now I miss them!
Artist: Viria
Feyre + Rhysand
Okay, if you thought I was going to mention Aelin and Rowan and NOT mention Feyre and Rhys – why? I love Sarah’s books and the relationship between Feyre and Rhys is literally so cute. Sure, he was really mean in the first book as an attempt to try and protect her, but he completely redeemed himself in ACOMAF and ACOWAR! He helped Feyre through her trauma and depression, allowed her to gain independence by teaching her to read and write, and allowed her to fall in love with him before letting her know they were mates. I mean – COME ON!!! Their relationship is so sweet and wild, I just love them.
Artist: Stephanie Brown (@OffBeatWorlds)
Tessa + Jem
The Infernal Devices is my favorite Shadowhunters series and oh man, did I root for Jessa. While I was happy that Tessa ended up with Will at the end, her relationship with Jem seemed more genuine and loving compared to Will. And (SPOILERS) – when she finally gets to be with him in the future books, it makes me so happy! The events that went on in the Infernal Devices trilogy still haunt me and in the end, I think she should have ended up with Jem.
Artist: @xiannustudio (Redbubble)
Magnus + Alec
Magnus and Alec were one of my first ships as a reader. I wanted them to be together so badly and when they finally confessed their feelings, and Alec was comfortable telling other people, I was so happy! They just have such a great dynamic and are the cutest couple! Every interaction between them, and with them, is so sweet and funny and just great. (SPOILERS) – when I found out they had kids together I was so happy for them! I knew they would be great parents and they seem so happy and UGH! My heart can’t take it, I just love their relationship.
Artist: @kotartus_ (Instagram)
Katara + Aang
When I first watched Avatar: The Last Airbender as a kid, I wasn’t a huge fan of Aang ending up with Katara. I wanted them to explore Katara’s relationship with Zuko and see how everything pans out. Now that I’m older, I’m all for Kataang! I love how their relationship is first based on friendship and they provide a good balance of personalities. Katara is caring, tough, sometimes hotheaded, and an overall good person which pairs nicely with Aangs calmness, rambunctiousness, and kindness. As we see in the comics, while a bit gross, they are a great couple together and genuinely love each other. It’s hard to find a match that not only brings out the best in you, but also compliments and helps your “weaknesses”. Overall, such a great couple and they’re kids are awesome too!
Artist: Viria
Korra + Asami
Honestly, I love the idea of Korra and Asami together, but I’m really upset we didn’t get a single moment of them until the END OF THE FREAKING SHOW. I wanted more screen time with their relationship and less of this back and forth with Mako. (though, don’t get me wrong, I adore Mako!) I think this couple was cheated out of great on screen moments and now, all I’m left with is fan art. But seriously though, I think Korra and Asami make an adorable couple and, like with Aang and Katara, really balance each other out well.
Artist: Bryan Konietzko
Maia + Edan
This was a slow burn romance that I could not handle. Spin the Dawn took my heart, threw it against the wall, patched it up, and then sliced it in half with this relationship. Edan’s love for Maia isn’t obvious at first, but once they start to get to know each other, I’m done for. Edan is so sweet, Maia is so caring, and together they make an adorable couple. I love their interactions before they finally cave in and express themselves – sarcastic relationships are great sometimes! And don’t get me started on Unravel the Dusk!
Artist: Rachele Raka @doodlingraka
Alucard + Rhy
Alucard is a snarky, SOB sometimes, but he’s a total softy for Rhy! Every moment between them had me laughing or smiling like an idiot because, while not perfect, their relationship is just so endearing. Reading A Darker Shade of Magic, I just wanted the moments between Kell + Lila, and Rhy + Alucard. Nothing else. Just a total love fest between these characters! I love the moments between these two characters and it’s so obvious they’re in love with each other, it’s tormenting.
Artist: @ace-artemis (Redbubble)
Zafira + Nasir
If you haven’t read We Hunt the Flame, you absolutely need to. Not only is the sequel releasing March 2021, but the enemies to lovers romance is SO GOOD! Technically, they’re not a couple, but I have a feeling they will be and I will ship them until my dying breath. Zafira is so sassy and strong, I love the power behind her character. And Nasir? He’s an ass, but I know he has a good heart. Every interaction with them you see their chemistry and I’m tired of waiting – THEY NEED TO BE TOGETHER NOW!
Artist: @monolimeart (Instagram)
Elias + Laia
I’m so happy the final book, A Sky Beyond the Storm, releases in December because I have been waiting FIVE YEARS for these two to be together! And I swear, if they don’t end up together, I will actually cry. Sabaa likes to torture her readers by giving them a great romance for characters that are destined never to be together and it is so frustrating!! I just love these characters and I want them to be in a relationship so bad! I guess we’ll have to see if that happens.
Artist: @adamarart (Redbubble)
Lei + Wren
So, I read Girls of Paper and Fire, but I haven’t read Girls of Storm and Shadow yet (I KNOW, I KNOW!) so I’m just going off of the first book for these. But still! I was rooting for these two the moment they met and I love their relationship. These two are in a horrible situation, but the fact they found comfort and love with each other made me so happy. I was nervous for them the entire time though! I can’t wait to read the next book and see what happens to them. I hope nothing bad . . .
Artist: @pinktofu_art (Instagram)
Here are all of my couple goals! Some are not technically couples, but I think they should be. I’m sure my list will change through the years to add more people, but here are the ones I could narrow down right now.
What are some of your favorite OTPs?
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If you liked this post, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
ARC Review: Wicked As You Wish
I received an exclusive advance copy of Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupeco from Fairyloot and I loved it! My review is not in affiliation with Fairyloot and I paid for the box the book came in.
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
When a hidden prince, a girl with secrets, a ragtag group of unlikely heroes, and a legendary firebird come together…something wicked is going down.
Many years ago, the magical Kingdom of Avalon was left encased in ice when the Snow Queen waged war. Its former citizens are now refugees in a world mostly devoid of magic. Which is why the crown prince and his protectors are stuck in…Arizona.
Prince Alexei, the sole survivor of the Avalon royal family, is hiding in a town so boring, magic doesn’t even work there. Few know his secret identity, but his friend Tala is one of them.
A new hope for their abandoned homeland reignites when a famous creature of legend, the Firebird, appears for the first time in decades. Alex and Tala must unite with a ragtag group of new friends to journey back to Avalon for a showdown that will change the world as they know it.
I was worried, going into this book, that I wasn’t going to like it because a friend of mine didn’t like it and DNFed it really early. But once I started reading it I was immediately sucked in! There is a lot of American history and politics at the start (because this world is set in an alternate universe from ours), but it quickly moves along quickly.
The plot is immaculate. I mean such good plotting and storytelling goes on in this book. Even with all the crazy politics that have to be followed, and there are some crazy politics in this world, it’s so captivating. Especially once we meet the Snow Queen’s minions.
With a diverse cast of characters we’re off to save the world and the kingdom of Avalon from the evil Snow Queen. One thing I really like about this world is that it’s not only a magical version of ours, but incorporates actual fairytales into the history. Snow White, Sleeping Beaty, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Robin Hood, King Arthur, any and all fairytales you can think of are real people in this world, just not all at the same time.
Our rag tag team is so much fun too and each personality adds another layer to our group’s overall personality, and makes the team that much more interesting. I love a lot of the jokes between these new friends and I kinda miss them. Each has their own weapon and their own skill to help Prince Alex, or just Alex, as well as their own distinct trait/thing that they add and feed off of each other.
Because this is a political fantasy, if you don’t want to read about American politics then I would avoid this title. But, I would recommend looking past the few pages of political history for this epic fantasy if it really bothers you. I personally loved the history and the discussion of America’s current political climate and thought it helped me connect with the story and the characters better.
Overall, this book is really good! I can’t wait to read the next one, especially after that ending! This was a solid 
.5 // 5 stars!
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If this book sounds interesting, check out An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir or Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton.
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If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
Review #1: Avatar: The Last Airbender Comics (1-3)
This review is going to be for the Avatar: The Last Airbender comic book collections. I thought about writing reviews for each, but honestly – that’s too much, even for me. So here is my overall review of the first three comics!
These comics take place immediately after the end of the show, Avatar: The Last Airbender.
The comics, in order, are:
- Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Promise
- Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Search
- Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Rift
- Avatar: The Last Airbender – Smoke and Shadow
- Avatar: The Last Airbender – North and South
- Avatar: The Last Airbender – Imbalance
Today I will be reviewing Avatar: The Promise, The Search, and The Rift!
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads for The Promise:
The Avatar’s adventures continue right where the TV series left off, in this beautiful, oversized hardcover of The Promise, from Airbender creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko! Aang and friends must join together once again as the four nations’ tenuous peace is threatened in an impasse between Fire Lord Zuko and Earth King Kuei! As the world heads toward another devastating war, Aang’s friendship with Zuko throws him into the middle of the conflict! Featuring annotations by Eisner Award-winning writer Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese) and artist Gurihiru (Thor and the Warriors Four), and a brand-new sketchbook, this is a story that Avatar fans need in an edition they will love!
And the synopsis from Goodreads for The Search:
The biggest mystery of Avatar, the fate of Fire Lord Zuko’s mother, is revealed in this remarkable oversized hardcover collecting parts 1–3 of The Search, from Airbender creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko!
Featuring annotations by Eisner Award–winning writer Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese) and artistic team Gurihiru (Thor and the Warriors Four), and a brand-new sketchbook, this is a story that Avatar fans need in an edition they will love!
And finally, the synopsis from Goodreads for The Rift:
Avatar Aang and friends honor an Air Nomad holiday that hasn’t been celebrated in over one hundred years, but when cryptic visits from the spirit of Avatar Yangchen lead Aang to a refinery operating on land sacred to the Airbenders–they soon find themselves in peril as a dangerously powerful ancient spirit awakens with vengeance and destruction on its mind!
This collection of The Rift Parts 1-3 features annotations by Eisner Award-winning writer Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese) and artists Gurihiru (Thor and the Warriors Four), with a brand-new sketchbook section!
After my rewatch of Avatar: The Last Airbender on Netflix, I had to read the comics. I had been wanting to read them for years and it made sense to read them now that the show was fresh in my mind. Since these comics pick up right where the show left off, it really was like another season, just printed instead of animated.
Since I had watched Korra several years ago, I knew that Aang and Katara end up together, but seeing their fresh relationship in the comics is really cute! And Toph and Sokka’s reactions to it make it that much cuter.
For The Promise, we get to see Zuko as the new Fire Lord and what happens to the Fire Nation after Ozai is overthrown. I really liked the story line and the overall changes that happen in this world. How separate nations can not only live together, but become integrated into their own world – kind of like how our world is now. You can have people from different nations living in different areas of the world and people aren’t restricted to loving people solely from their group.
For The Search, I was just happy to find out what happened to Zuko’s mom! We never got resolution from the show and to finally know what happened to her is so nice. Plus all the stuff that comes afterwards. I thought her story was not only really cool, but also really sad. We get a lot of backstory into Zuko’s relationship with his mom, her relationship to Ozai, and how this all affects Azula as well.
For The Rift, we get some closure for Toph. We know from Legend of Korra that Toph teaches other people how to metal bend and in this story, we see her first students at her new school. And we also find out about some history with the last airbender Avatar along with some other cool things in the spirit world! The thing I love the most was this one scene with Toph, which I will not spoil, because it just gives everyone some much needed closure and it’s really sweet!
Overall – I’m a huge Avatar nerd. I love the show, I love the comics, and I love the spin offs! After I finish the rest of these comics I am definitely reading the Korra comics and the Kyoshi comics too! I just need more Avatar in my life overall. I don’t even have to rate these because it’s very clear that these are all a 
// 5 stars for me!
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I haven’t read many comics in my life, so I’m just gonna suggest you watch Avatar: The Last Airbender and Legen of Korra because they’re great shows. Also, read the comics!!!
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If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
Book Blogger Problems
Anyone who blogs knows that there is a lot that goes on behind the screen. Posting often (especially multiple times a day) is exhausting and trying to write original content people wanna see? Even more exhausting. So, heres some of the problems I face as a book blogger.
Time Commitment
When you take up blogging, it can take up a lot of your time. Not that it’s wasted time, it’s not, but if it’s between reading, writing, blogging, sleeping, eating, etc – it can be overwhelming. I find it easier to take a day or two out of the week and write reviews and posts just to make it easier. Usually I’ll do about 3-4 in one sitting because once I’ve committed the time it’s easy to just roll with it!
Translating Ideas to the Page
I have a hard time translating ideas to the page sometimes. I’ll think of a super fun blog post or try to write a review, but I can’t get the emotions or idea from my head to the page. It is so frustrating. I just want things to get on the page, in the exact way I thought it, and people understand what I’m going for. Is that so much to ask for?
Feeling Inadequate
One of the biggest things I struggle with is confidence. Confidence in my writing, my ideas, and in myself. I try to write as true to me as I can, but it’s hard sometimes because I just want to make fun content I like that other people will like. And when I see other people’s blogs with higher follower counts and high engagement, it sometimes cracks my shell. I’ve even questioned, does anyone even cares what I write about? The honest answer is most likely no, but I try to ignore it. In the end, I’m not those other people and I can only write what is true to me – but it’s hard to ignore sometimes.
Being “Original”
I’m well aware that it’s very hard to be “original” as a book blogger. If it’s a tag, it’s most likely been done already. Reviews can all sound the same. And posts you think are gonna be a hit – something no one has ever seen – has been done and it flops.
So creating content that doesn’t feel overdone but is still fun and engaging? Really hard! It’s one of my biggest worries honestly. That I’m not only talking to myself, but that my content is so boring and unoriginal, no one cares about it.
I try to mix things up while also having some familiarity to my stuff, but no matter what I do, I’ll probably always worry about this.
What Are Words?
And, the biggest problem of being a book blogger? The actual writing. Especially spoiler free reviews that you just want to go on a full on spoilery rant about but you shouldn’t. Sometimes I sit down to write and it’s like no ones home. I could barely start this post honestly. And don’t get me started on editing! You guys get the cleaned up version of my posts. The hot mess I have to edit and deal with? Agonizing!
Through it all, I love it
Though there are a lot of things that are tough about blogging, I still love it. It gets me excited to read because I have a chance to sit down and write down all my thoughts and sometimes, people listen. I don’t have too many book friends, so getting to gush about stories I love, and rant about the ones I don’t, makes me so happy as a reader. And I love getting to interact with people through my blog and Twitter. I don’t know what I would do, or who I would be, if I didn’t have my blog. So thanks for sticking around with me!
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If you liked this post, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
Unboxing: Fairyloot May 2020
Since Fairyloot had delayed shipping on their boxes for the past few months, I wanted to wait a couple weeks from when I received mine to do an unboxing. But now that it’s here, I’m so excited to show off the May 2020 Fairyloot box!
***I am not affiliated with Fairyloot and purchased this box for my own personal use. The opinions expressed in this post are mine, and mine alone.
Company: Fairyloot
Origin: United Kingdom
Price: $33.90 (USD) + $7.99 (US Shipping)
Month: May, 2020
Theme: Desert Dreams
This months theme was Desert Dreams and as described from their Instagram post:
“This month, we’re getting swept away in lands filled with fairy tales, magic and djinn! Put the kettle on and brew yourself a sweet mint tea to prepare for a dreamy adventure, from palaces to sand dunes to magic oasis’! We’ve never done a theme quite like this in the past, and we are so excited for the goodies and the book in this box.”
I was so excited to receive this box because I knew exactly what the book was!
Without further ado, the Desert Dreams box from Fairyloot!
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For this months box we received
- A copy of Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust with an exclusive cover, sprayed edges, artwork on the reverse of the dust jacked, and it’s signed!
- A bookish tin inspired by We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal (my boyfriend already stole it for his tea)
- A bookish wooden spoon
- A tea towel inspired by City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty
- Desert bath salts by Little Heart Gifts
- Tribal desert candle inspired by An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
- Sunglass pouch inspired by The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury and designed by @kitstercronk
- And our two tarot cards, the Three and Four of Cups inspired by Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas and designed by @gabriella. bujdoso
Spoiler Card below:
My thoughts:
Honestly, I really like this box! My boyfriend and I have already used some of these items, like the tin and the bath salts, for ourselves. I’m not sure what I would use the tea towel for, other than decoration, so that’s kind of a wasted item for me – BUT, I am super happy about the sunglass pouch!
I think the wooden spoon is cute, but it’s so cute that I don’t even want to use it. So it’s sitting in my kitchen as a decoration. The candle smells amazing, but a bit strong, so that might just serve as a decoration too. They’re all just so cute and perfect! I don’t want to even use them lol
As for the book, I knew what it was going to be since I had already read it, but I still love the edition regardless! I think the pink looks so cute and the artwork under the dust jacket is AMAZING. Plus, sprayed edges are just so gorgeous. I’m geeking out! Feel free to check out my spoiler free review of Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust if you haven’t had a chance yet.
July’s theme is Resilient Royals!
From the Fairyloot website:
“Prepare your crown, and don’t forget to sharpen your sword − you might need it! This month is all about royals that always hold their ground and are willing to do whatever it takes to protect their kingdom and the ones that they love.
You can expect items inspired by Crescent City, The Lunar Chronicles, Ash Princess, The Queen’s Rising, Woven in Moonlight and The Bear and the Nightingale. We are thrilled to announce that this box will include a hand poured candle by @inthewickoftime, a beautiful cushion cover plus many other goodies that we have never featured in a previous box!
Our featured book of the month is an epic story of a kingdom ravaged by war, and a princess that may be the key to saving it. Something about this book gave us classic fantasy vibes − you can expect magic, resilient royals and romance! This FairyLoot edition will have an EXCLUSIVE COVER, SPRAYED EDGES and will be SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR.”
I unfortunately have to skip this box because, well, money, but I know EXACTLY what the book is and I’m so excited! Part of me is really upset I have to miss out on this box, but I also can’t afford to drop $150+ on book boxes this month, much less the $100 I budgeted for July.
Regardless, I’m still excited to see everyone’s beautiful pictures and hope everyone enjoys their box!
Spots for subscribers is currently SOLD OUT, but feel free to join their US waitlist here! They will contact you once a space has opened for you to subscriber!
Useful links:
Villains I love and love to hate
The best stories have a good plot, diverse characters, and a villain you can’t help but love. The more interesting a villain, the more I enjoy a book, and sometimes it’s hard to get that perfect balance of evil and likable. So, here’s a list of some of my favorite villains!
A Villain I LOVE
The Darkling is such a charming, charismatic person you can’t help but love him. Every interaction Alina had with him had me anxiously waiting to see what happened next. He believed in his mission, he loved Alina, and he wanted to change the world. Those conditions and attributes combined created a villain I loved. I didn’t want to hate him, and I sort of understood his intentions, but we all knew they were skewed.
A Villain I love to HATE
Maeve as a villain is someone I love to hate. She’s evil, vindictive, and had a lot of motivation for her actions. I still hated her though. By the end, I could see how she wasn’t the true villain of the story, but her actions in the series allowed for our true villain to appear. Man I hated that guy lol
A Villain I hate to LOVE
Corien, who we get to learn more about in Kingsbane, is such an evil guy. And when I mean evil, I mean evil. But also such a good antagonist. I mean everything he does makes me want to smack him on the head and then we get to the kissy kissy scenes and I’m swooning. Damn him!
A (kinda) Villain I LOVE
The premise of this book is that there are no heroes or villains. We just have anti-heroes really and that means I can love all my boys the same! Victor, our protagonist (I guess you could call him) doesn’t want to be a hero – he wants revenge. And Eli? Well, he wants to be seen as a hero, but I guess murder isn’t a good way of going about that as he eradicates everyone with a super ability. This pair of equally grey characters is such a fun read.
And a Villain I just HATE
OOOOHHH LET ME TELL YOU. I hate Marcus, I hate the Commandant, and I HATE the Nightbringer. Oh my gosh I hate these characters with a passion. And it’s not even because they’re bad characters/villains, it’s because they’re so EVIL that I just want them out of the way so my cinnamon roll Elias and my baby Laia can FINALLY BE HAPPY. GOSH I GET SO UPSET.
I find myself loving books with morally grey villains, or at least charming villains, because they make things so much more interesting. Like how can I even be mad when your messed up plan actually makes sense? How can I hate you when you’re so lovable and charming?! It can be so frustrating.
What are some villains you love and love to hate? Let me know in the comments!
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If you liked this post, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
ARC Review: Bloodleaf
I had an ARC of Bloodleaf by Crystal Smith sitting in my house since November/December 2018. Two of my friends went to YallFEST 2018 and while I wanted to go, I couldn’t. They asked if there was anything they could pick up and I said, yes – Bloodleaf! They were so sweet and managed to grab me a couple other titles as well as Bloodleaf – but I never read it. Until now.
Flash forward to YallFEST 2019 and I find myself in line for a “mystery” ARC drop that only had 25 copies. Some speculated what it might be, but we were all shocked when they handed us Greythorne. Then, I also managed to receive an eARC through NetGalley and finally, I realized I needed to read this book.
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
Aurelia is a princess, but they call her a witch.
Surrounded by spirits and burdened with forbidden magic, she lives in constant fear of discovery by the witch-hunting Tribunal and their bloodthirsty mobs. When a devastating assassination attempt reveals her magical abilities, Aurelia is forced to flee her country with nothing but her life.
Alone and adrift in an enemy kingdom, Aurelia plans her revenge against the Tribunal, desperate to bring down the dark organization that has wrought terror upon her people for hundreds of years. But there’s something deeply amiss in her new home, too, and soon she finds herself swept into a deadly new mystery with a secretive prince, the ghost of an ancient queen, and a poison vine called Bloodleaf.
Aurelia is entangled in a centuries-long game of love, power, and war, and if she can’t break free before the Tribunal makes its last move, she may lose far more than her crown.
I’m going to have to make a category or a list of all the books I say, “I wish I read this sooner” because there are a lot now, and this is one of them.
Why did no one tell me this book was so good? Why did no one mention how amazing this book was and let me go a year and a half without reading it!? I was gonna trade away my copy because I thought I wasn’t going to read/like it. Who let this happen!?
Okay, so it’s my fault for not listening to my friends when they told me how amazing this book is. And I regret not listening to them. This was such a fun read, also really intense, but I really enjoyed myself! I liked a lot of things about this book including the magic system, the history, and our group of characters.
Sure, Aurelia/Emilie does give off the “I’m doing this for the greater good, it’s best no one knows” ideology even though I want to smack her for it. But her character was also fun to read about as she explored her magic and the actions of her predecessors that brought herself and everyone around her into this situation.
And what a sticky situation we have here folks.
The characters can not catch a break, at all. There were several moments I gasped, shed a tear, or even full on cried. It’s like I forget how powerful YA books can be when they play with your emotions.
Especially that ending. Was not emotionally prepped for everything that happened and everything I KNOW is gonna have to happen for two more books to appear. I’m worried but also excited.
I really liked this book and I’m really excited to read my copy of Greythorne now, so this is going to be added to my 
// 5 stars list.
Let me know if you’ve read Bloodleaf and whether or not you’re ready for Greythorne because I am NOT.
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If this book sounds interesting to you, check out The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson or Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko.
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If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
ARC Review: Gravemaidens
I finally read Gravemaidens by Kelly Coon and I am so excited to read the next book, Warmaidens!
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
The start of a fierce fantasy duology about three maidens who are chosen for their land’s greatest honor…and one girl determined to save her sister from the grave.
In the walled city-state of Alu, Kammani wants nothing more than to become the accomplished healer her father used to be before her family was cast out of their privileged life in shame.
When Alu’s ruler falls deathly ill, Kammani’s beautiful little sister, Nanaea, is chosen as one of three sacred maidens to join him in the afterlife. It’s an honor. A tradition. And Nanaea believes it is her chance to live an even grander life than the one that was stolen from her.
But Kammani sees the selection for what it really is—a death sentence.
Desperate to save her sister, Kammani schemes her way into the palace to heal the ruler. There she discovers more danger lurking in the sand-stone corridors than she could have ever imagined and that her own life—and heart—are at stake. But Kammani will stop at nothing to dig up the palace’s buried secrets even if it means sacrificing everything…including herself.
I managed to grab an ARC of Gravemaidens by Kelly Coon during ALA 2019. It was one of those books that I put off reading because another, newer title was grabbing my attention. I managed to get an eARC of Warmaidens, so I thought now was probably the best time to start reading!
I thought this was an interesting book. Not sure how this is a fantasy as it doesn’t delve past basic herbology, but I’m hoping the fantasy elements come into play in the next book. I enjoyed Kammani’s passion for healing and her desire to save her sister. I felt so bad for her family with everything that they went through – anyone would be bitter after all of that.
I liked the plot, but I wanted more fantasy. This book didn’t feel like a fantasy novel to me, though I still like it, I just don’t understand where the fantasy element comes into play?
Besides that, it was a fun ride. The last 150 pages had my head spinning. I didn’t want to put the book down and miss anything that was going to happen next.
This was a really interesting book and I liked Kammani’s story a lot. This was a // 5 stars. I’m really excited to see where this story is heading in book two, and thanks to NetGalley, I will get to read the sequel shortly!
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If this book sounds interesting, be sure to check out Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron.
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If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
ARC Review: Burn Our Bodies Down
I received an eARC of Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Burn Our Bodies Down releases on July 7th, 2020 – so be sure to preorder your copy today!
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
From the author of the New York Times bestseller Wilder Girls comes a new twisty thriller about a girl whose past has always been a mystery—until she decides to return to her mother’s hometown . . . where history has a tendency to repeat itself.
Ever since Margot was born, it’s been just her and her mother. No answers to Margot’s questions about what came before. No history to hold on to. No relative to speak of. Just the two of them, stuck in their run-down apartment, struggling to get along.
But that’s not enough for Margot. She wants family. She wants a past. And she just found the key she needs to get it: A photograph, pointing her to a town called Phalene. Pointing her home. Only, when Margot gets there, it’s not what she bargained for.
Margot’s mother left for a reason. But was it to hide her past? Or was it to protect Margot from what’s still there?
The only thing Margot knows for sure is there’s poison in their family tree, and their roots are dug so deeply into Phalene that now that she’s there, she might never escape.
I read an ARC of Wilder Girls by Rory Power and I liked it. I wanted to know what was going to happen next, but I wasn’t sure how much I really liked the story. But after reading Burn Our Bodies Down, it’s clear that I didn’t like WG nearly as much as I like BOBD. I’m a sucker for thrillers and this book brought some interesting characters to light.
For one, we have a morally grey main character, who follows in the footsteps of her morally grey mother/grandmother. I think characters that are morally grey, especially in thrillers, is much more interesting and entertaining than people who are inherently good or bad. Margot is seventeen and wants to know more about her family and she’s willing to ditch her neglectful mother to do so. Arriving in town, she makes a friend, Tess, who helps her figure out why her mother left and the mystery of her family.
I loved Tess’ character. I thought she was great opposite Margot. Where Margot is cold, Tess is warm. Margot is quiet and to herself, Tess is outgoing and bubbly. It made the scenes with them together more fun honestly. And of course we have Tess’ mother Jo and her grandmother Vera/Gram who are like cats fighting on the street. Nasty, ruthless women who are not only manipulative, but solely care for themselves and occasionally for their family.
Tess’ relationship between her mother is heartbreaking. She honestly just wants to be loved and her mother can’t bear to even show her the slightest bit of affection. It makes her motivation to run away and find out about her mother’s past reasonable in comparison to the life she was currently living. And of course Gram, who we learn to love then hate before we can blink. I felt so bad for Tess, not having a good relationship with anyone in her family and then suffering the trauma of discovering the reason why her mother left. It’s messed up.
So, let me just add this – this book is gruesome. There are some scenes that I WISH I could get out of my head and I might be permanently scarred from it. There is some scenes with gore and other scenes with weird stuff to up the creepy factor. If you are not a fan of dark fiction/science fiction – do not read this book. For the most part, it’s pretty tame, but other moments are really intense.
Overall, this was a 
// 5 star read for me. The beginning was a bit slow as Tess makes her way home, but it really picks up about 30% of the way through. Once you’re past 60% it’s like a jet racing past to the finish line. I couldn’t put this book down after that.
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If this book sounds interesting to you, check out One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus.
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If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
ARC Review: Raybearer
This was another book I received from YallFEST 2019 and buddy read with my friend Grace. We’ve been buddy reading a lot lately!
Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko releases on August 18th, 2020 – so be sure to preorder a copy!
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
The epic debut YA fantasy from an incredible new talent—perfect for fans of Tomi Adeyemi and Sabaa Tahir
Nothing is more important than loyalty.
But what if you’ve sworn to protect the one you were born to destroy?
Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince’s Council of 11. If she’s picked, she’ll be joined with the other Council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But The Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: Kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust. Tarisai won’t stand by and become someone’s pawn—but is she strong enough to choose a different path for herself? With extraordinary world-building and breathtaking prose, Raybearer is the story of loyalty, fate, and the lengths we’re willing to go for the ones we love.
The beginning was like a fairytale. I think that’s what got me really interested in this story. We see Tarisai’s introduction to life and her childhood the same way a story teller would weave the images for you, speaking so rhythmically and songlike, you’re entranced. As we move into the story line, I found myself liking the story even more. I wasn’t sure what path this was going to go on, but the surprises it has in store will definitely shock you.
I really liked this book and thought this was well written except for the ending. The ending kinda confused me. On Goodreads, it says this is a standalone. But the author, and other people who have asked the author, say that there is a sequel. We end like there is supposed to be a sequel – and I hope there is one! – but if it’s supposed to be a standalone, then I think the ending needs to be wrapped up better. We have so many loose ends not tied up that need to be in order for this story to properly finish. I want there to be a sequel, but since I don’t see one announced, I have to look at it as a standalone.
So, the ending was kinda confusing and a bit disappointing because of that. We leave off in such a way that there is a call to action when we should be getting closure. And it made me want more to the ending.
Besides the ending, I thought the plot was concise and well written, the characters are definitely interesting people, the challenges our MC go through are not easy – a perfect set up for a good book. Tarisai goes through some pretty serious stuff throughout this book and by the end, I feel really bad for her. There were moments that I wanted to give her a hug because she could really use it.
Raybearer has faeries, fantastic journeys, lifelong friendships, and a found family mixed with African folklore to make an epic fantasy debut.
This was such a great book and I have to give it // 5 stars. Please be sure to preorder a copy for yourself through any major retailer – Amazon, B&N, or any other place you buys books.
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If this book sounds interesting to you, check out Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi or A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown.
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If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
ARC Review: The Kinder Poison
I got an ARC of The Kinder Poison by Natalie Mae a couple of weeks ago and, after reading a sneak peak, I had to pick this up asap. The Kinder Poison by Natalie Mae releases on June 16th, 2020 – so be sure to preorder a copy!
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
Perfect for fans of Victoria Aveyard and Holly Black, this enthralling fantasy adventure follows a teenage girl chosen to be the human sacrifice in a deadly game between three heirs who will do anything for the crown.
Zahru has long dreamed of leaving the kingdom of Orkena and having the kinds of adventures she’s only ever heard about in stories. But as a lowly Whisperer, her power to commune with animals means that her place is serving in the royal stables until the day her magic runs dry.
All that changes when the ailing ruler invokes the Crossing: a death-defying race across the desert, in which the first of his heirs to finish—and take the life of a human sacrifice at the journey’s end—will ascend to the throne and be granted unparalleled abilities.
With all of the kingdom abuzz, Zahru leaps at the chance to change her fate if just for a night by sneaking into the palace for a taste of the revelry. But the minor indiscretion turns into a deadly mistake when she gets caught up in a feud between the heirs and is forced to become the Crossing’s human sacrifice. Zahru is left with only one hope for survival: somehow figuring out how to overcome the most dangerous people in the world.
I read the first two chapters on Bookish First, a site that gives you a preview of a book that you can read and rate and possibly win! I’ve never won anything from them before, but I had read the excerpt on there and really wanted to read this book. It seemed like such an interesting fantasy novel and I wasn’t wrong.
I adored this book. It was an easy fantasy to get into and from start to finish, I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happened next. I love the aspect of different magic’s having different societal implications – such as a Whisperer (someone who can speak to animals) being seen as a lower member of society and therefore not eligible for royalty, or even schooling. While I don’t think that system is right, it sets up our character for her first mistake – making her way to the banquet where they choose the Firsts for a race through the desert.
Then of course, we have the Princes’ and their personalities and rivalry. The toxic sibling dynamic throws poor Zahru into the worst possible situation: becoming a human sacrifice. I loved the plot, the characters, and the humanity behind the story. Kindness is important and it matters – we can all appreciate Zahru for reminding us of that.
It made me laugh every time poor Zahru was thrown around from one person to another. Or I guess I should say stolen from one person to the next. But I got so frustrated every time Zahru would make a valid point about not sacrificing her, since she’s not supposed to be sacrificed, and everyone would go “eh”! Like, people! Don’t kill innocent people!! This story was a rollercoaster for sure.
This fantastical story is one that I not only wish I could read for the first time again, but I need the second book right now. The ending made me gasp and I need to know what happens next! If you like magic, near death experiences, budding romances, and complex characters – this book is one you’ll want to add to your list!
I loved this book and after the epilogue, this is a definite // 5 stars for me! Be sure to preorder this book before release day and get ready for a wild ride.
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If this book sounds interesting, be sure to check out Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin.
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If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
Review: Tunnel of Bones
I love Victoria/V.E. Schwab’s books – including her middle grade series, The Cassidy Blake series. The first book, City of Ghosts, was so good! I read the ARC that I received at BookCon 2018 and fell in love.
Some people have a weird thing about not reading younger books, as if they’re not as good or as sophisticated, but that’s simply not true. I think middle grade books are important and should be read! They can be silly and “childish” (since they’re FOR CHILDREN) but that doesn’t mean they don’t talk about important issues. Same thing with YA. Just because it’s marketed for young people doesn’t mean that it’s not a good story to read – and I think this series is awesome!
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
Trouble is haunting Cassidy Blake . . . even more than usual.
She (plus her ghost best friend, Jacob, of course) are in Paris, where Cass’s parents are filming their TV show about the world’s most haunted cities. Sure, it’s fun eating croissants and seeing the Eiffel Tower, but there’s true ghostly danger lurking beneath Paris, in the creepy underground Catacombs.
When Cass accidentally awakens a frighteningly strong spirit, she must rely on her still-growing skills as a ghosthunter — and turn to friends both old and new to help her unravel a mystery. But time is running out, and the spirit is only growing stronger.
And if Cass fails, the force she’s unleashed could haunt the city forever.
Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab is the second book in the Cassidy Blake series and it takes place in Paris, France. If you haven’t read City of Ghosts, Cassidy Blake #1, here is the link to my review! My opinions have changed a lot since that post, especially about middle grades, so take that part with a grain of salt.
This book is so good. I read it in one sitting and I can say, this is a keeper. I can see myself passing this along to my kids to read along with Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. Cassidy is such a fun character to hang out with, and her best friend Jacob is awesome too! (He’s making me write this)
We get to explore the haunted parts of Paris and learn about a new kind of ghost, a poltergeist. Jacob, our handy dandy ghost friend, isn’t doing so well either and Cassidy is scared he’s going to become just like our new found poltergeist friend. Their friendship is really cute and it touches on important moments for young friends, like gathering up the trust to tell an important secret or a bad memory.
As a kid, I would have loved to read about a series that lets me travel the world and go ghost hunting! I read so many ghost stories, especially in middle school, including Meg Cabot’s The Mediator series. You have no idea how much I wanted to be able to see and talk to ghosts (and maybe even fall in love with one?) because of these stories.
While Victoria’s series isn’t as romantic, and definitely more scary, they’re a fun adventure that any kid can follow. If they ever get an opportunity to travel the world there are sights to be seen from this book. And if not, it’s like you’ve already been there.
Overall, I think this book is so good and so cute. I worry for Jacob and I’m curious to see how his character changes in the next book. I’m not sure how many books are in this series, but I hope it continues cause I love this.
For my rating, I have to give it // 5 stars for top scares, excellent scenery, and fun moments between friends. If you, or your child, is looking for a good middle grade ghost story – check out the Cassidy Blake series!
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If this book sounds interesting, be sure to check out Percy Jackson and the Olympian’s, The Lightening Thief, by Rick Riordan OR The Mediator series, Shadowland by Meg Cabot.
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If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
My Top Five Favorite Standalones
I am a sucker for a good series. Whether it’s two books or ten books, if I can get more out of a story and stay in a world I love, I’m happy.
But all too often, I see people suggest series over and over again and I realized we don’t give standalones nearly enough love! So, I’m going to change that. Here are my top five, favorite standalone novels you can pick up and read RIGHT NOW!
Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte
First off, if you haven’t read Astrid Scholte’s books, you should. She is an amazing writer! I read Four Dead Queens when it was first released as an exclusive ARC from Penguin Teen at BookCon 2018. And let me tell you – *chef’s kiss* – perfection. We have a great YA fantasy/science fiction novel here filled with murder, mayhem, and romance?
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old Keralie Corrington may seem harmless, but in fact, she’s one of Quadara’s most skilled thieves and a liar. Varin, on the other hand, is an honest, upstanding citizen of Quadara’s most enlightened region, Eonia. Varin runs afoul of Keralie when she steals a package from him, putting his life in danger. When Varin attempts to retrieve the package, he and Keralie find themselves entangled in a conspiracy that leaves all four of Quadara’s queens dead.
With no other choices and on the run from Keralie’s former employer, the two decide to join forces, endeavoring to discover who has killed the queens and save their own lives in the process. When their reluctant partnership blooms into a tenuous romance, they must overcome their own dark secrets in hopes of a future together that seemed impossible just days before. But first they have to stay alive and untangle the secrets behind the nation’s four dead queens.
An enthralling fast-paced murder mystery where competing agendas collide with deadly consequences, Four Dead Queens heralds the arrival of an exciting new YA talent.
The Vanishing Deep by Astrid Scholte
You didn’t think I would list Four Dead Queens and not The Vanishing Deep did you? Astrid has a knack for writing amazing standalone novels that you want to be turned into series. I’m still crying over both of these books! This is a great science fiction/fantasy novel about sisterly love and the real difficulties over losing a loved one.
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old Tempe was born into a world of water. When the Great Waves destroyed her planet, its people had to learn to survive living on the water, but the ruins of the cities below still called. Tempe dives daily, scavenging the ruins of a bygone era, searching for anything of value to trade for Notes. It isn’t food or clothing that she wants to buy, but her dead sister’s life. For a price, the research facility on the island of Palindromena will revive the dearly departed for twenty-four hours before returning them to death. It isn’t a heartfelt reunion that Tempe is after; she wants answers. Elysea died keeping a terrible secret, one that has ignited an unquenchable fury in Tempe: Her beloved sister was responsible for the death of their parents. Tempe wants to know why.
But once revived, Elysea has other plans. She doesn’t want to spend her last day in a cold room accounting for a crime she insists she didn’t commit. Elysea wants her freedom and one final glimpse at the life that was stolen from her. She persuades Tempe to break her out of the facility, and they embark on a dangerous journey to discover the truth about their parents’ death and mend their broken bond. But they’re pursued every step of the way by two Palindromena employees desperate to find them before Elysea’s time is up–and before the secret behind the revival process and the true cost of restored life is revealed.
Thorn by Intisar Khanani
This is a Goose Girl retelling, and I recently posted by review about this book. If you read it, you would know that I adore this story! It’s fantastical, enticing, and it has lots of magic. The main character doesn’t want to be a princess and is genuinely excited when her life is switched with one of her traveling lady’s by a sorceress so that she can live a simple life as a Goose Girl. Except that same sorceress wants to kill her betrothed, the Prince. It’s filled with beautiful moments and it brings to light some serious issues.
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
Between her cruel family and the contempt she faces at court, Princess Alyrra has always longed to escape the confines of her royal life. But when she’s betrothed to the powerful prince Kestrin, Alyrra embarks on a journey to his land with little hope for a better future.
When a mysterious and terrifying sorceress robs Alyrra of both her identity and her role as princess, Alyrra seizes the opportunity to start a new life for herself as a goose girl.
But Alyrra soon finds that Kestrin is not what she expected. The more Alyrra learns of this new kingdom, the pain and suffering its people endure, as well as the danger facing Kestrin from the sorceress herself, the more she knows she can’t remain the goose girl forever.
With the fate of the kingdom at stake, Alyrra is caught between two worlds and ultimately must decide who she is, and what she stands for.
The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu
If you read my review of this book, you would know I am a musician. I played lots of Mozart and getting to read more about his sister (I didn’t even know he had a sister) was fun. So often we get Wolfgang’s life story and his views, while no one talks about his sister who was just as creative and talented. Not fair. This is mixed with the magic of a secret kingdom and a lost prince, Hyacinth, who wants to bring magic back to his kingdom. It’s definitely not a high fantasy as it switches between historical fiction and urban? fantasy – not 100% sure how to classify this, but it’s not high fantasy. So if you like magical realism and historical fiction, welcome to your next favorite book!
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
Born with a gift for music, Nannerl Mozart has just one wish: to be remembered forever. But even as she delights audiences with her masterful playing, she has little hope she’ll ever become the acclaimed composer she longs to be. She is a young woman in eighteenth-century Europe, and that means composing is forbidden to her. She will perform only until she reaches a marriageable age—her tyrannical father has made that much clear.
As Nannerl’s hope grows dimmer with each passing year, the talents of her beloved younger brother, Wolfgang, only seem to shine brighter. His brilliance begins to eclipse her own, until one day a mysterious stranger from a magical land appears with an irresistible offer. He has the power to make her wish come true—but his help may cost her everything.
In her first work of historical fiction, #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu spins a lush, lyrically told story of music, magic, and the unbreakable bond between a brother and sister.
The Grace Year by Kim Liggett
This book destroyed me. I was not expecting to be so deeply affected by this story, but I was. This is a dystopian novel centered around the idea that girls are magical. Women are born with magic and as they go into puberty, the magic becomes stronger. Every year, at 16, the girls are sent off into the wilderness to burn all the magic in their bodies and it is heartbreaking. We cover misogyny, assault, bullying, and so many topics that affect everyone. I cried at the end for many reasons. This is a more serious book, so these topics are not to be taken lightly – but I think everyone should read this. It’s deep.
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
No one speaks of the grace year. It’s forbidden.
In Garner County, girls are told they have the power to lure grown men from their beds, to drive women mad with jealousy. They believe their very skin emits a powerful aphrodisiac, the potent essence of youth, of a girl on the edge of womanhood. That’s why they’re banished for their sixteenth year, to release their magic into the wild so they can return purified and ready for marriage. But not all of them will make it home alive.
Sixteen-year-old Tierney James dreams of a better life—a society that doesn’t pit friend against friend or woman against woman, but as her own grace year draws near, she quickly realizes that it’s not just the brutal elements they must fear. It’s not even the poachers in the woods, men who are waiting for a chance to grab one of the girls in order to make a fortune on the black market. Their greatest threat may very well be each other.
With sharp prose and gritty realism, The Grace Year examines the complex and sometimes twisted relationships between girls, the women they eventually become, and the difficult decisions they make in-between.
I have so many more suggestions, so if you like this post, please be sure to like it and leave me a comment! If this does well, I might do another post with a variety of genres.
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If you liked this post, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
ARC Review: Divine Blood
I received a copy of Divine Blood by Beck Michaels in exchange for an honest review. This book releases today, so be sure to purchase a copy from Amazon, or wherever you get your books from 🙂
My friend Alexa, whom I’m sure you all know by know over at Writing the Universe, read and loved this book! She told me everything she loved and how she couldn’t wait for me to read it! Unfortunately, I wasn’t as much of a fan as she was.
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
The Shadow demon nearly took everything from Dyna, and it would soon return for more. When she discovers a way to fight back, she must go on a perilous journey and risk it all for those she holds dear.
Along the way, she meets Cassiel, a Celestial Prince with magic blood and wings as black as his heart. He wants nothing to do with Dyna until he learns she could lead him to a place he has been searching for all his life.
But reaching their destination is not as easy as they thought, nor are they the only ones who search for it. With danger at every turn and harrowing secrets between them, the quest will require much more than determination. They must fight for what they desire—or die trying.
For fans of Throne of Glass and Lord of the Rings comes a new debut series with remarkable characters, a budding romance, and gripping action. Divine Blood is the first book of an enchanting dark fantasy that explores the depths of loss, acceptance and the true meaning of courage.
The prologue/first chapter sucked me into this book. I was ready and excited for an incredible journey to save her village! But as we creep further into the book, the pace drops and I felt like it was dragging. I wanted a steady build up into pure action, but as we moved along, I didn’t feel a steady progression.
I don’t mind slow build ups, as long as there is something to fill that void, like side journeys and character build up. We get a lot of side journey’s as our characters work to get what they need, but it was the character moments that I struggled a bit to get through.
I think my biggest issues were the characters, overall. Their personalities seemed to change between POV. Dyna, for starters, comes across as a sure, confident girl who is ready to protect and defend her home. But then in Zev’s eyes she’s a weak toddler who can’t even walk by herself without getting into trouble. And then Cassiels’ POV, she’s clumsy, baby-ish, and yet enchanting.
It’s like I’m reading about three different people. Now, I’ll admit, the way a person perceives themselves is different from how others see them, so I get that difference. But even between the two men, it’s two different people.
I think that disconnect made it more difficult for me to enjoy the story. I found myself liking the action scenes and the plot, but the slower moments between characters was a bit harder to get through. But I stuck it out, and I thought the remaining 40% of the book was amazing! It was action filled, the plot progressed, and it set us up for the rest of their journey. We even meet new characters who add another dimension to the characters and their stories, which I really liked. I couldn’t put it down as our heroes, and our villains, worked towards their goals.
For the most part, I really liked the book. I thought the plot was interesting and new. We had a clear goal for each character on what they wanted and what they were willing to do. I genuinely got excited at the end of the book wanting to know what is coming next. And I think I’m definitely going to buy and read book 2 when it releases in December.
Overall, I would have to give this book a // 5 stars. I think that’s a neutral enough rating. There were some things I didn’t like in the story and other things I loved, so this feels like a natural resting place for my thoughts.
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If this book sounds interesting, be sure to check out Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi.
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If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
Books I Regret Buying
I am shamelessly copying my friend Alexa, Writing the Universe, on this post but I have permission, so it’s fine!
We all have those impulse buys – you know the ones – the cover you can’t resist or your friend told you to buy it. I have several of those and while I may not have those copies anymore (because I got rid of them), I’m going to cover what books I regret buying.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children Series
I did not read this book at all. I bought an entire hardcover series and The Tales of the Peculiar signed copy and never read them. I eventually ended up selling them. I had heard great things about the first book, but I never got around to reading it, so there was no point in holding onto it. If I decide to read them in the future, I have friends who will willingly give me a copy to borrow or the library. I don’t see a point in owning this series anymore.
Illuminae/Gemina
A friend gifted me Gemina without checking if I had read the first book, which I didn’t. So I purchased Illuminae and tried to read it. I really tried. The constant switch between formats actually made it harder for me to understand what was going on because I am a person who analyzes everything on a page, so on some pages I would take five minutes looking over anything before moving on. And then forget what happened. Maybe in the future I’ll try to read this monster of a series, especially since everyone raves about it and I loved their other series Aurora Rising, but at this moment, I regret having them. They’re taking up a lot of room on my shelf and collecting dust.
The Hunger Games
I never read The Hunger Games. My friends read it in middle school/high school and always recommended it to me since I was a fellow reader. And it didn’t seem that interesting to me. But with constant persistence, eventually, I caved, and got a cheap/almost free paperback copy to read. I read five chapters and stopped. I hated it. I was bored to tears and honestly didn’t care about the book. So I sold the copy and moved on.
The Gilded Wolves
I got two copies of this book, one from OwlCrate and the other I had preordered not realizing I was getting it in my OwlCrate. I have since sold the OwlCrate edition because I DNFed this book. I got over 100 pages in and I couldn’t get into it. I want to give this book another try because I love Roshani’s other series, The Star-Touched Queen, but this one was boring. I wanted a Six of Crows heist novel and I wasn’t getting that. It was frustrating. My friend Grace, who has a similar taste in books, loves this novel (and she’s the person I sold my OC copy to), so I feel like I need to give it another chance. But as of right now, I definitely regret buying this book.
Three Dark Crowns/One Dark Throne
Before anyone comes for me, I loved these books! So it is less of a, “oh my gosh, I’m so mad I bought these, I hated the books or I never read them!” and more of a, “I don’t have the complete series and part of me wants them as e-books”. I read the first book in college in a day. Like I took it to all of my lectures and read them in that day and LOVED it. Now I have the first two books signed and I don’t own the last two books. And I kinda regret buying the first two instead of just getting a box set or getting them on kindle. I don’t know what to do!
The Mortal Gods
Because I loved Three Dark Crowns so much, when I saw a signed copy of this at BookCon I jumped on it! Only to realize I never purchased the first book and at this point, I probably won’t! Since I’m moving, I need to reduce the number of physical books I have so I most likely will be purchasing more kindle books than physical books for the time being. Except for special editions of course! But that leaves me with a signed copy of book 2 having never read book 1 . . . So that’s a bit frustrating.
Into The Still Blue
I saw this book on BookOutlet and didn’t even think to check the synopsis. I bought it, it arrived, and it’s the third book in a series . . .
I need to be better about purchasing books out of order, cause clearly I can’t trust myself to do the proper research! Yes, I bought the third book in a series by accident and no, I have not purchased book 1 or 2 at this point. I think I still have this book sitting on my shelf and it needs to go. Maybe I’ll get the e-book of Under the Never Sky, but who knows when that’s going to happen?
All in all, I’m grateful I don’t have too many books sitting on my shelf that I’m not going to read. I have either re-homed them or sold them, so I’m not out too much. But I’m sure this won’t be the last experience I have regretting a book I bought. Maybe I can do a series on this if it continues to happen (let’s hope it doesn’t!)
Thanks to Alexa for the idea! What are some books you regret buying?
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If you liked this post, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
ARC Review: The Vanishing Deep
Today I am reviewing The Vanishing Deep by Astrid Scholte. I read her debut novel, Four Dead Queens and absolutely loved it! The ARC I had received was a BookCon exclusive and it almost killed me to get it. Her second book is just as good, asking the question “What would you do if you could have more time after someone has passed?”
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old Tempe was born into a world of water. When the Great Waves destroyed her planet, its people had to learn to survive living on the water, but the ruins of the cities below still called. Tempe dives daily, scavenging the ruins of a bygone era, searching for anything of value to trade for Notes. It isn’t food or clothing that she wants to buy, but her dead sister’s life. For a price, the research facility on the island of Palindromena will revive the dearly departed for twenty-four hours before returning them to death. It isn’t a heartfelt reunion that Tempe is after; she wants answers. Elysea died keeping a terrible secret, one that has ignited an unquenchable fury in Tempe: Her beloved sister was responsible for the death of their parents. Tempe wants to know why.
But once revived, Elysea has other plans. She doesn’t want to spend her last day in a cold room accounting for a crime she insists she didn’t commit. Elysea wants her freedom and one final glimpse at the life that was stolen from her. She persuades Tempe to break her out of the facility, and they embark on a dangerous journey to discover the truth about their parents’ death and mend their broken bond. But they’re pursued every step of the way by two Palindromena employees desperate to find them before Elysea’s time is up–and before the secret behind the revival process and the true cost of restored life is revealed.
This is Astrid’s sophomore novel and just as good as her first! I got an advanced copy of 4DQ at BookCon 2018 and it was so good! Getting an ARC of Vanishing Deep was awesome – I love Astrid’s writing and was so excited to read this book.
The hardest part about this book was the beginning. I recently had three deaths in my family this year and the death of a friend. To read Tempe’s struggle of her parents and sister dying hit me really hard and reminded me of the feelings I had experienced and am still going through. As she talks about the revival and getting to see her sister one more time alive, it almost broke me. I wanted to continue but also had to stop for my own sanity.
I’m glad I kept going though. While the beginning is heavy, the action picks up and pushes towards a different message thankfully. As the plot progresses, we get more details about the characters and find out that everything is not as it seems.
I thought the main characters were well set up and had clear motivations and intentions. The only person who I thought was under developed was the director at Palindromena. We get a character shift from her, or at least a bad perspective of her from other characters. She starts off as a nice characters we meet, but then we find out she’s a horrible person, and then we interact with her again and she’s okay to be around? It was confusing for me. I wish there was more development with that or at least a better explanation for why they somewhat ignored warnings about her.
Overall, I had fun with this story, even though it was heart breaking at first. I give this story a 
//5 stars for the unique plot, sisterly love, and fun adventure. This was a fun read and it showed a realistic look at loss and what people will do to see their loved ones one last time.
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If this story sounds good for you, check out Seafire by Natalie C. Parker for an all girl, seafaring adventure.
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If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
Review: House of Earth and Blood
Before I get into this review, just a reminder that the giveaway my friend Writing the Universe and I are holding ends on Monday! Here is the link to enter – please make sure you enter through Rafflecopter (link in the giveaway post) and are doing all FIVE of the mandatory tasks to be entered properly! Good luck!
After a lot of pushing, I was forced to start reading House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas. I wanted to wait to read this because once you’ve read something, you can’t read it for the first time ever again, but after being pressured to read it, for my own good, I did. And wow. Sarah J Maas is always a favorite.
As a warning since Sarah has written both a young adult and new adult series, this is 100% adult fiction. While it is similar to her younger series, there is a lot of cursing, violence, sex, and other adult references. If you are not prepared to read an adult series, this book is not one to read right now. You can check out her other younger series Throne of Glass which is YA or A Court of Thorns and Roses which is New Adult.
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life—working hard all day and partying all night—until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She’ll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths.
Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose—to assassinate his boss’s enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he’s offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.
As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion—one that could set them both free, if they’d only let it.
With unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom—and the power of love.
As an avid lover of Sarah J Maas, this review is going to be biased. I’ve read every book she’s written at this point and have loved everything she’s written and I can safely add this title to the list.
To start off this review, I’m going to go over a few different areas/concepts. To start, let’s look at characters.
We meet Bryce Quinlan and her partner in crime Danika – two party queens enjoying their youth. After meeting these friends, we only get a glimpse at their shallow lives. It’s all about drinking, sex, drugs, and enjoying themselves but we don’t get a lot besides that and their intense friendship. As we move along, we learn more about Bryce and Danika revealing they are much more than shallow party girls, but real genuine people who care deeply about the people around them. Among other things.
As Bryce shows her true colors and her development over time, it shows that people can be big hearted, have fun, and be smart and sophisticated. Nobody is one dimensional. While she may be a party girl in the beginning she also proves that she was and is much more than that. Other’s perceptions cloud her true personality and people make assumptions about who she is, which we can all relate to. I love seeing a realistic look at bullying (yes, even adults get bullied unfortunately) and how she responds to it. Bryce allows people to make assumptions about her and doesn’t correct them, proving you have to get to know her to see who she truly is.
Another person we see growth from is Hunt. When we meet him, he is a cold angel of death. As he encounters Bryce after the murder of her best friend there is no love or sympathy behind his eyes. When the two start working together we see both of them start to slowly change over time as they both relearn to love. Another thing about getting to know Hunt was his struggles with mental health as well. Often we don’t see men shown as weak or needing help and I thought that the way Sarah portrays both of them helping each other is just what society needs. Everyone sees Hunt as this tough guy, but he shows Bryce that not only is there more to him than being a killer, but he is just as much of a softy as anyone else.
When I look at the plot – I love it. We have a classic murder mystery mixed with high fantasy in a modern-ish world. It’s like mixing everything I love into one story. I do have to admit that the first 400 pages are slow. We get world building, backstory, and plot build up which takes away from the rush of action sometimes. The plot of the story starts around page 200 or so, about 25% into the story, but it starts to accelerate 50% of the way through and doesn’t stop. Once the halfway mark hits, everything goes crazy and you’re dragged along for a wild ride. There are so many twists and turns in this story I’m sure my head spun a full 360 degrees by the end.
Besides the character development and plot, I love the world of Crescent City! We get different factions of beings who serve different purposes. A whole world of vampires, fae, angels, werewolves, shifters, merpeople, demons, and more alike to keep you entertained. There was a lot of laughter and tears for me reading this story and I think it’s equal to the TOG series, if not better. I discovered Maas’ books just after Empire of Storm was published and ACOMAF close behind so while I haven’t been a fan for years like others, she is definitely one of my favorite authors. I can’t wait to read more from her.
Now, to get to the review. Would anyone be surprised that this is a 
//5 star review? I loved this book so much and it was so refreshing to see someone deal with trauma and mental illness in a such a realistic way. It feels like myself and other people suffering from mental illness are finally being seen and it makes me so happy.
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If this book sounds good to you, check out Sarah’s other series Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses for similar content. Another fantasy epic you’ll love is Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon.
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ARC Review: Goddess in the Machine
Before I get into this review, just a reminder that the giveaway my friend Writing the Universe and I are holding ends on Monday! Here is the link to enter – please make sure you enter through Rafflecopter (link in the giveaway post) and are doing all FIVE of the mandatory tasks to be entered properly! Good luck!
My friend Grace and I were lucky enough to snag a YallFEST exclusive of Goddess in the Machine by Lora Beth Johnson this past November and decided to buddy read it while in quarantine. It was a rocky start, but a solid finish and now I’m so excited to read book 2!
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
When Andra wakes up, she’s drowning.
Not only that, but she’s in a hot, dirty cave, it’s the year 3102, and everyone keeps calling her Goddess. When Andra went into a cryonic sleep for a trip across the galaxy, she expected to wake up in a hundred years, not a thousand. Worst of all, the rest of the colonists–including her family and friends–are dead. They died centuries ago, and for some reason, their descendants think Andra’s a deity. She knows she’s nothing special, but she’ll play along if it means she can figure out why she was left in stasis and how to get back to Earth.
Zhade, the exiled bastard prince of Eerensed, has other plans. Four years ago, the sleeping Goddess’s glass coffin disappeared from the palace, and Zhade devoted himself to finding it. Now he’s hoping the Goddess will be the key to taking his rightful place on the throne–if he can get her to play her part, that is. Because if his people realize she doesn’t actually have the power to save their dying planet, they’ll kill her.
With a vicious monarch on the throne and a city tearing apart at the seams, Zhade and Andra might never be able to unlock the mystery of her fate, let alone find a way to unseat the king, especially since Zhade hasn’t exactly been forthcoming with Andra. And a thousand years from home, is there any way of knowing that Earth is better than the planet she’s woken to?
So the biggest issue we both had at the beginning was the language. Lora Beth shows how the language has changed within those thousand years with different spelling and their own slang. At first it’s very daunting trying to understand what these people are trying to say but as we continued to read, we found it easier to understand the characters and her writing. This was a huge relief for us. Both of us were considering DNFing the book due to the inability to fully grasp what was going on, but I’m glad we stuck it out.
The other thing I had an issue with was the main love interest. Because of the language change and confusion, Zhade came off as a child to me. It was so hard to think of him as a teenager, or an adult, or however old he was. I could only see him as this 11/12 year old kid helping Andra with the way that he talked. Which is not what you want for a love interest. Over time, it got better, but the beginning was rough especially when trying to picture him flirting, which he does a lot.
Now, I didn’t get fully invested into the story until 200 or so pages in. That’s a lot of pages to read before I’m excited to see what’s next. I had been mildly interested in what was going on before the 200 page mark, but the events that happen after page 200 is what really brought me in and got me excited to read what happens next. Not everyone has that patience though.
Once we got into the thrill of the book, it was really good. Good enough that we both want to read the sequel when it is released. Yay! This book isn’t supposed to release until June 30th, 2020 so the early draft we got could have changed a lot in that time between when we got the ARC in November and release date. So take my criticism with a grain of salt on this one.
Again, besides the language, and a slow beginning, I really enjoyed this story and thought it was a great sci-fi mystery! This was a solid 
.5 // 5 stars for me and I think anyone who likes science fiction will love this story!
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If this book sounds interesting to you, check out Aurora Rising by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman or Skyward by Brandon Sanderson!
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ARC Review: Where Dreams Descend
I received an eARC of Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
In a city covered in ice and ruin, a group of magicians face off in a daring game of magical feats to find the next headliner of the Conquering Circus, only to find themselves under the threat of an unseen danger striking behind the scenes.
As each act becomes more and more risky and the number of missing magicians piles up, three are forced to reckon with their secrets before the darkness comes for them next.
The Star: Kallia, a powerful showgirl out to prove she’s the best no matter the cost
The Master: Jack, the enigmatic keeper of the club, and more than one lie told
The Magician: Demarco, the brooding judge with a dark past he can no longer hide
FIRST OFF. This review would have been MUCH higher if not for two things. 1) Half of the book is filler. I am not joking. Half of it is filler. There was so many unnecessary scenes that just slowed down the flow of the book it was driving me mad. I stayed at 30% for almost two months because the second the “plot” started and the main character arrived in town, it felt like LITERALLY NOTHING HAPPENED FOR 100 PAGES.
2) THIS BOOK IS SO CONFUSING. I don’t mean, “oh wow, this is really complex and might be hard to grasp”. No, I mean like it was not explained well and the twists and turns don’t make sense at all and you’re just sitting there going “huh”??? Now, maybe I’m dumb, a definite possibility. But after talking to my friend who also finished the book and revealing that they don’t know what happened either, I’m gonna go with bad writing on this one.
Was the plot super cool and interesting? Hell yeah! Were the characters complex and engaging? Absolutely! Did that cover up the bad writing? No. And it’s unfortunate because the writing itself is beautiful. She went for a mystical, mysterious feel and she succeeded, but her ability to explain concepts and plot points clearly was lacking. It was so hard to get through at points due to the writing and not understand what she was trying to say/show. It made me want to skim so I could get to dialogue or clearer lines to clarify what was going on. Even with the temptation, I stuck it through and read the book and just didn’t like it. And trust me, I really wanted to like it!
In the end, I could really only give this book 
//5 stars. Again, not because I hated the book (I really didn’t hate the book) but because there was a lot going on that left me bored, confused, and unsatisfied. It made me dislike reading it and made it difficult to get through.
Now, granted, I read the ARC, so the finished copy may have fixed a lot of these issues and might be clearer. And you should definitely give this book a try because I loved the concept, just not the execution.
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If you’re looking for a dark, mystical fantasy, check out Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan
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If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
I Need to Rant
Okay, I’m not normally a ranter.
Alright maybe that was a lie, but I don’t rant on my blog often. Today I feel like I need to get this off my chest and maybe that will be the catalyst to turn this around.
I am finding it extremely hard to find a book that I want to read right now. After reading several amazing books this month (check out my latest reviews!!) nothing seems to catch my attention the same way.
As of today, I am currently reading three books: Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles, The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu, and Goddess in the Machine by Lora Beth Johnson. While I’m enjoying them for the most part, I am .01% away from DNFing Goddess in the Machine and I’m just trying to get through Where Dreams Descend because this is my 3rd? 4th? attempt trying to finish it. The only book I’m not pulling hair to get through is Kingdom of Back at the moment.
Now, the most annoying problem is, is that normally I would love all of these books. They fit right into my favorite genres and have amazing plots, characters, pacing and tone is great. But, still, I just can’t love them.
I’m worried that not only am I about to fall into a reading slump, but my slump will turn books that I should love, and probably would love, into books that I can’t stand. And I’m so frustrated with this! The second I get myself into a reading frenzy I can’t bring myself to like the books I’m getting through. I can’t figure out what is causing this or how I can fix it, so I guess be prepared for some not great reviews on these books because my stupid brain can’t detach the stress of life and wants me to hate them.
And I really want to like them.
I’ve found myself in these slumps before and it usually marks the end for my reading. I get through a couple really good books and then BAM! I can’t reading anything else for a month and I’m stuck. Really frustrating for a book blogger. I’m hoping I can turn this around and keep going since I have been doing much better with finishing and reviewing books in a somewhat timely manner right now, but we’ll see.
Anyways, that was my rant. I’m just frustrated with my brain and my reading at the moment. If you’ve made it this far, thanks for staying with me. 🙂
Okay, I’m going to get back to reading and hopefully get myself out of this rut.
ARC Review: The Raven and the Dove
***If you haven’t seen, I am currently co-hosting a giveaway with my friend Alexa who runs Writing the Universe. We are giving away four bags full of books, ARCs, and swag from ApollyCon and our personal collection as well as two prizes for our international people! Here is the link to enter. Please be sure to enter through the Rafflecopter link in order for your entries to count! Okay, now back to the review 🙂
I received an eARC of The Raven and the Dove by Kaitlyn Davis from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
So I requested this book on NetGalley solely because of the cover. Don’t ask me why I was judging this book on its cover, but I was. After requesting the title I looked at the tag line and was instantly hooked: Four fates collide in this avian-inspired, epic fantasy retelling of Tristan and Isolde perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo! This screamed my name and I am so happy I got a copy because it lived up to its tag!
Here is they synopsis from Goodreads:
A princess longing to be free…
On the dawn of her courtship trials, Princess Lyana Aethionus knows she should be focused on winning her perfect mate, yet her thoughts wander to the open sky waiting at the edge of her floating kingdom. One final adventure calls. Upon fleeing the palace, the last thing she expects to find is a raven prince locked in a death match with a dragon.
A bastard aching to belong…
Reviled son of a dead king, Rafe would do anything for his beloved half-brother, Prince Lysander Taetanus, including posing as him in the upcoming courtship trials. When a dragon interrupts their secret exchange, he orders his studious sibling to run. After suffering a fatal blow, Rafe is saved by a beautiful dove who possesses forbidden magic, just like him.
Fate brought them together, now destiny will tear them apart…
Unknown to the world above, on the foggy sea ten thousand feet below, a young king fights a forgotten war. He believes Lyana is the queen prophesied to save the world, and with the help of his favored spy, hidden deep in the highest ranks of the dove royal house, he will stop at nothing to have her.
When I started reading this book, I thought to myself “Wow! This is a great read, it’s so fun, I’m very interested. What happens next?” As I continued to read I found myself unable to put the book down. I would read pages upon pages of the story before I could convince myself to stop because the story is that engaging. We have free-spirited Lyana or Ana who’s big heart and big sense of adventure makes you want to follow her and her journey. Cassi, who’s air of mystery keeps you guessing from one page to the next. Xander, who is so sweet and loving that you just want to give him the biggest hug and shield his eyes to any wrong doings. And finally, Rafe, who is so tortured that you can’t help but want to make it all better.
These 4 POVs each bring a different personality and view point into the mix and it makes the story so good. I can’t imagine reading it from just one of their POVs for the entire story. Each view point brings so much to the plot and the depth of the story it makes it a wild ride!
So yeah, I really liked this book. I thought the characters are awesome, the plot is new and interesting (but also familiar enough to like), and the author’s writing is enjoyable. Did I dislike anything? Honestly, no. I was captivated from the first page and loved every second of the ride. I’ve already preordered the second book so I can read it once it’s released in September.
So for this book I gave it 
//5 stars. So you might be asking yourself, Sammy, why didn’t you give this 5 stars then? Well, I don’t know. I thought the book was great and everything about it was awesome but it didn’t bring about that excitement. The exhilaration and heart pounding certainty that I’ve just read something so amazing words cannot explain. Did I find myself glued to my chair the entire time, unable to put the book down? Yes. Did I love it and have nothing to complain about? Yes. Is it a story I can’t stop thinking about and need to dive back into immediately? Well, no. And that might be why it’s not a 5 star read for me. But, I still adored this story and I cannot wait to read book 2! In fact, I’m anxious to find out what happens next.
If you want an adventure filled with big personalities, multiple POVs, and a solid plot – well, what are you waiting for? Go read it now!
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If this book sounds interesting, check out Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas and There Will Come a Darkness by Katy Rose Pool!
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If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
Top Five Favorite Characters … of ALL TIME
We all have a book crush. I have several. They could be friend crushes, relationship crushes, or even – holy cow that’s a well developed villain crush. Here are my top 5 FAVORITE characters of ALL TIME!
#1 Will Herondale from The Infernal Devices
First and foremost, you will see a trend between my favorite characters. They’re all sassy little shits and I love them for it. Will for instance is just someone who needs a really big hug. All the crap that he goes through with Tessa and Jem breaks my heart and while I was rooting for Jessa, I ended up loving Till by the end.
#2 Altair from We Hunt the Flame
This guy. OH MY GOSH this guy cracks me up. The sass level is off the charts with him and it makes every encounter 100% better. Every conversation with Zafira and Nasir is one of pure enjoyment for the reader. And he has a big heart to go along with it, so while the sass might be high, the love is higher.
#3 Rose Hathaway from Vampire Academy
So I looked up to Rose growing up. Her take no BS attitude mixed with her love for her friends was something I admired. I wanted to be tough and kick ass while also being a strong and loyal friend. I think I emulate a lot of those qualities in my relationships today and have become 100% a ride or die friend. Also, the relationship between her and Dimitri is FIRE!
#4 Gideon from Gideon the Ninth
So Gideon is an interesting person. Her internal monologue is not only hilarious and entertaining, but so unique. It was like the author just wrote down her own thoughts for every weird situation and boom! There’s Gideon’s inner monologue. Her reactions and relationships to the people are her also make her not only entertaining, but somewhat of a softy. I think there’s a trend going on here?
#5 Reid Diggory from Serpent & Dove
Last, but certainly not least. My witch killing baby – Reid. This man is the definition of a big baby who likes to pretend he’s tough in front of everyone, but is a total softy. And he’s hilarious. While being prude isn’t a bad thing, his reactions to Louise and her wild antics are hilarious. Like, have me rolling on the floor hilarious. And his interactions with her, especially as their relationship develops, makes my heart happy.
Overall, I have a type. I love the tough cookies with big hearts, who are also hilarious. Humor is necessary for my favs. And while I have plenty of other favorite characters, who also sit in a similar trope, these (so far) are my all time favorites. I love them to death and totally have book crushes on them.
Who’s your biggest book crush?
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Review: Lobizona
Lobizona was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020 and it did not disappoint. If you haven’t read Romina’s other series, the Zodiac series, you need to check it out! I snagged an ARC of her new series and here are my thoughts!
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
Manuela Azul has been crammed into an existence that feels too small for her. As an undocumented immigrant who’s on the run from her father’s Argentine crime-family, Manu is confined to a small apartment and a small life in Miami, Florida.
Until Manu’s protective bubble is shattered.
Her surrogate grandmother is attacked, lifelong lies are exposed, and her mother is arrested by ICE. Without a home, without answers, and finally without shackles, Manu investigates the only clue she has about her past–a mysterious “Z” emblem—which leads her to a secret world buried within our own. A world connected to her dead father and his criminal past. A world straight out of Argentine folklore, where the seventh consecutive daughter is born a bruja and the seventh consecutive son is a lobizón, a werewolf. A world where her unusual eyes allow her to belong.
As Manu uncovers her own story and traces her real heritage all the way back to a cursed city in Argentina, she learns it’s not just her U.S. residency that’s illegal. . . .it’s her entire existence.
Reading Manu’s story brings up issues of immigration through a fantastical lens, as well as a realistic one. The separation between the real world and the fictional is a thin line that is crossed about 1/4-1/3 of the way through and highlights similar issues between these two worlds. Between the review version (300 pages) and what seems to be the final version (400 pages) there is a lot of details that could have been added, moments that changed, or even new scenes that I didn’t get in the review, but I hope are there. I feel like the beginning, which takes place in Miami, is more fleshed out than the fantastical world. It’s not clear whether it’s due to lack of explanation, or that it’s a completely different world these characters are living in, but I felt a bit lost.
In some moments I find myself not fully comprehending what Romina wants me to see or getting confused on the technicalities of what Lobizóns can and can’t do. It made it difficult to fully immerse myself during those moments and I felt pulled away. With 100 pages being added to the final copy, I assume, and I hope, that the fantastical world is fleshed out a bit more. If so, then I think the book is going to connect and resonate a lot more with readers than it would right now.
Overall, I really liked the story. I’m a fan of Romina’s work in general and I’m excited to see this new story come to light soon! I would rate this book 
//5 stars but I’m excited to see if I like the finished copy even more.
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If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
How to Deal with Book Festival FOMO
If you’re like me, you cannot afford to go to every major book festival every year. Whether that’s from not being able to afford it or not being able to get off work, it can suck. YallFEST, ALA, BookCon, NoVaTeen, Texas Book Festival, YallWEST, National Book Festival, and ApollyCon are just some of the annual events hosted in the US and it can suck not to make any of them.
I have been lucky enough to attend one or two festivals each year with last year marking three (usually within my area): NoVa Teen Book Festival, ALA, and YallFEST.
But as ALA Midwinter passes, and I look at everyone’s hauls, I get sad and wish I could have gone. Or convince myself that I could have afforded to go (I really couldn’t).
So how do I deal with FOMO?:
- The easiest and the hardest is avoidance. I skip passed all the haul photos and special things people managed to grab – it will makes me feel like crap and sparks the green monster inside. So best thing to keep me happy to move passed it.
- Look at my past convention/event items I’ve received. Someone out there is super jealous I managed to grab that book or item and I should be happy to have it.
- If you haven’t gotten a chance to attend one yet, make a plan! Plan to go one year and make it something to look forward to. I planned for over a year to go to my first BookCon and it made the experience amazing, I didn’t even care what other people I got. I was just happy to get to go with my best friend.
- Try to be happy for them. This could be their first event/the only one they can go to/whatever the scenario. And while their excitement could be seen as bragging, I don’t know what they had to go through to get there.
FOMO sucks for everyone. Hopefully my tips will get you through another year of festival madness!
What are some things you do to get through FOMO? Leave a comment down below to let me know.
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Update: Currently Reading
I feel like 2020 is moving so fast yet so slow, how are we already two full weeks in!? It’s crazy.
One of the things I hope to change in 2020 is how much I read – cause right now, it’s not a lot! I want to finish more books than my current rate (which is none) and get back on track with everything.
Currently, I am reading a few books and I just need to find time to finish them. Wishful thinking, I know, but a girl can dream!
Book #1: Ruthless Gods by Emily A. Duncan
I’m almost half way through this title and it’s a solid 200 pages left to go. I just need a good chunk of time to sit down, bang it out, and decompress. I think I’m scared to finish it (especially after book 1’s ending) cause it’s really good and I don’t want it to end! I find myself avoiding reading a book if I’m really enjoying it and don’t want to be heartbroken or sad once I finish it. So, hopefully I can kick it into high gear and finally finish it since I’ve been reading this since November.
Book #2: Sensational by Jodie Lynn Zdork
So I adored the first book in this series, but reading this title I’m not in the mood for a historical fiction right now. The book still has the same great writing and interesting characters as book 1, but I’m just not in the mood for a historical fiction, so this one is on the back burner until I feel like I’m ready to finish it. Until then, it will remain at 10% finished.
Book #3: Foul is Fair by Hannah Capin
So this is a Macbeth retelling and as a HUGE Shakespeare nerd this is next on my TBR (also it’s on my NetGalley reading list and I’m 3 months overdue so I gotta read this ASAP). I’m hoping I can hop between this and Ruthless Gods to finish both in a timely manner (again, wishful thinking, I know). If all goes well, these will be my first two reviews of 2020!
I’m so excited to get my 2020 reading kicked into gear – what are you currently reading?
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Books I’m Most Excited for in 2020
2020 is here!
(Woohoo!)
Which means lots of new, exciting things for the new decade, including new reads. Here are some of the titles I’m most excited about! (Or at least, all the ones I can actually mark down at this time because there are like 10,000 amazing new books coming out this year!)
Some titles I’m also excited for that don’t currently have cover art yet are:
- Blood & Honey by Shelby Mahurin
- The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue by V. E. Schwab
- and like 100 others with no titles and no pictures yet but I’m still excited for them!
And of course we all know I’m most likely going to end up buying ALL of them, so I wish my bank account and yours, good luck!
And that is my current*** list of most anticipated 2020 reads. Any of these currently on your list? Let me know what you’re most excited for this year!
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Review: Queen of Nothing
So, it’s over. The Cruel Prince trilogy has concluded and there are no more books coming out.
i’M NOT CRYING – YOU ARE!
Okay, anyways, moving on. I’m honestly so sad about this. I love Holly Black and basically anything that she writes and to have an ending to this dark, wonderful series breaks my heart – BUT, it also means we have some answers.
Don’t worry though, this review will be spoiler free as the book hasn’t even been out for a month and most people haven’t even read it yet. So without further ado, here are my thoughts on Queen of Nothing by Holly Black!
Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold onto. Jude learned this lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power.
Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan’s betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose mortal life is in peril.
Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines she becomes ensnared in the conflict’s bloody politics.
And, when a dormant yet powerful curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity…
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black, comes the highly anticipated and jaw-dropping finale to The Folk of the Air trilogy.
Now, first things first, one of the first things I noticed when I started reading this book was a complete tone difference. Maybe it’s because it’s been 17 months since I read Wicked King – maybe it’s because Jude is sad about her situation – or maybe Holly wanted to cut down on the wickedness to wrap up the book?
Honestly, I’m not sure. But there was a clear tone difference for me which I thought was weird. I felt like I was stepping back into the world but with a different lens on what was happening. It didn’t make the book unpleasant or ruin anything it was just … different.
Besides that, the only other issue I had was the convenience of certain scenes where someone should have lost but they don’t. Or things turned out the exact opposite from what the reader would think but with little explanation how. Holly has graced us with trickery, like in books 1 and 2, but the tricks weren’t as elaborate in book 3 as the other two and I was left with a lot of “Huh???” reading through situations.
Now, what Holly does do right are some wicked “HOLY COW” moments that I didn’t even see coming and they were AWESOME. This book is a great conclusion to the series and it feels like a solid ending, but somehow I wish for more. Did I want another 100 pages of action – yeah, or some more epic scenes that left me breathless – yeah, but did I still love this book with my entire heart – yeah!
Most of my complaints are opinions and there honestly wasn’t much in the story that left me unsatisfied. Which is why this book is still a 
//5 star read for me. I said it before, I love what Holly writes and this book is not a disappointment.
Honestly though, I wanna know your opinions on the covers. Which one do you like the most? Comment below and let me know your favorite! Mine is a tie between the OG cover and Owlcrate for very different reasons.
OG B&N Owlcrate
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If this book sounds interesting, be sure to check out titles like Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim, A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer, and The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black.
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My First Time at YALLFest: My Thoughts and Honest Review
I am loving these long titles recently. Sorry to anyone who can’t read the whole thing and is thinking, “what in the world?” at these. Next time I’ll make sure the title is an entire paragraph – that will be fun!
So, I went to YALLFest 2019 last week (more like 2 weeks now but whatever) and let me say, wow. It’s on the same craziness scale as BookCon with just a 1/50 of the booths and the people – also it’s outdoors. I went with my friend Grace and we were so excited. Grace is a veteran at this, having gone multiple years in a row, but this being my first time, I basically relied on Grace to lead me through the event with no issues. There were no issues thankfully.
Day One – Friday:
Friday is mostly a signing day so we went and got some books signed (to rephrase, Grace got some books signed and I stood in line for her) and then we wandered around Charleston. Grace had won tickets to the Red Carpet Preview hosted by Penguin Teen which we went to after meeting some wonderful authors. On our seats were these cute tote bags containing stickers, tattoos, a preview of 2020 books, and an ARC of They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman.
The event was a lot of fun and included authors such as Ally Condie, Renee Ahdieh, Tochi Onyebuchi, and other fantastic authors! If you ever go to YALLFest and want a fun panel to go to, Red Carpet Preview was awesome and I highly recommend it.
Day Two – Saturday:
The day started off at 4:30am when our alarm went off and we woke up for the day. We waited in the car in front of the museum (where the ARC square was located) at 5:30pm until we saw other people arrive. We parked and waited outside from 6:00am until 9:00am when the Fierce Reads booth opened for their ticket drop. I grabbed tickets for Ruthless Gods by Emily A. Duncan and Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust.
9:01am – after tickets were acquired, I went right to the Fierce Reads booth next door where they were selling finished copies of books. As they stated in their email, if you purchased certain books you got some ARCs included. So in addition to tickets to two ARC drops later in the day, I also snagged ARCs of The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi (The Gilded Wolves #2) and Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles.
After that, rushing over to Epic Reads to acquire another book, everything started to blur. For most of the day I ran around to different drops that were happening for books I knew I really wanted and occasionally stepped in line for mystery items. Besides running around to different drops, my friend and I also attended the I Love YA A Waffle Lot! event hosted by HMH Teen.
The event was a lot of fun and hey, free waffles! I took some photos at their Instagram station, pictured below:
Towards the end of the day, Fierce Reads offered another promotion like the one from the morning, buy a book and get an ARC. I bought two books, Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan and Spectacle by Jodie Lynn Zdrok. Included with those books were the ARCs to the sequels of each, Ruthless Gods and Sensational. It was a nice surprise for everyone as they cleared out books and ARCs from other events.
The ARC square closed at 4pm, with raffle winners being announced at 4:30pm, for the most part. I didn’t win anything but that’s typical. Finally, after a long day of running and waiting in line, we headed for the car.
To sit down for an hour until our final event.
We went to the Smackdown event at the Music Hall and it was very interesting. I didn’t know what to expect at this event but I was still somehow surprised at the different segments they hosted. There was singing, dancing, shoving hand into mayonnaise, and a lot more.
It was a great way for Grace and me to relax and have some fun at the same time. The drive home was bittersweet because 1) the event was over which means we were going home soon but 2) yay for beds and sleeping!
After ordering pizza and marveling at our hauls, YALLFest was over!
Here are some crappy photos of my haul from this year, taken in the hotel after a 15 hour day! Enjoy!
Overall, it was a fun festival to attend. It’s a bit annoying that the event is outside because rain or shine, you’re going to feel it, and with the cold it was brutal. The ARC square is also very close together so lines would often intersect or be side by side, which got confusing as the day wore on. The last real complaint is that there is absolutely no food nearby. If you are not prepared to bring some snacks or a lunch with you, and you’re trying to stay on top of ARC drops during the day, you are going to starve.
Besides the usual festival complaints, I really enjoyed meeting everyone at YALLFest and I am planning on going again next year for the 10th anniversary! Now that I know what to expect, and how to optimize my time, I’m excited to see what next year holds for us!
Did you attend YALLFest this year? If you did, what was your most exciting find?
If you didn’t go, what would you have been on the hunt for?
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Review: Gideon the Ninth
Guys … guys … GUYS!!! I finally finished a book! Holy cow! For the first time in 2 months I finished a book and thankfully, it was a good one. Here’s my review for the new adult fantasy series, Gideon the Ninth.
Here’s the description from Goodreads:
The Emperor needs necromancers.
The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.
Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit.
Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers. Her characters leap off the page, as skillfully animated as necromantic skeletons. The result is a heart-pounding epic science fantasy.
Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won’t set her free without a service.
Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon’s sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.
Of course, some things are better left dead.
First off, this book has a slow start. I’m gonna say it, because it almost ruined the rest of the book for me, but it’s a slow beginning. There’s a lot of sassy, witty banter but it’s mostly history explanation and getting the character where they need to be. Then the fun begins.
I loved basically everything in this book, it was a perfect match for my taste. Snarky, sassy characters who are assholes but soft for certain people (eventually). Funny, witty banter. Amazing, intensive fantasy aspects such as necromancy and the ability to control the dead and their bones. Like what? It was everything I was looking for, plus lots of gay stuff. It was awesome.
There wasn’t much I disliked minus the beginning, although it was hard to fully understand everything happening. There were moments throughout the book where the explanations of events or items or even places didn’t click in my brain. That could be a me thing, but it made it frustrating trying to imagine what’s going on. I wish the word choices/images used were a little clearer. I’m not sure if it was what the author was saying or how she was saying it, but I got lost a few times.
Overall, I loved this book and it’s a definite 
//5 stars for me!
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If this book sounds interesting, be sure to check out Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones for a similar YA title and Red Rising by Pierce Brown for an adult novel.
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Tag: Autumn Tag
I was tagged by Alexa over at Writing the Universe to do the Autumn Tag! Link directs you to her answers if you’re interested! Autumn and winter are my favorite seasons so I genuinely enjoyed this tag and I’m excited to see what I have in common with everyone! Let me know in the comments below what connected with you and what we share in common!
Hot chocolate – what is your comfort book? 
For sure it would have to be Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. This book was one of the first series I really got into in middle school/high school and it floods me with memories of my grandmother’s house during Thanksgiving. This familiar series is one that I can easily pick up and dive back into that world with ease.
Pumpkin Carving – what is your favorite creative outlet? 
Besides writing, I love to sing. I’m big into music, specifically singing and playing the flute/piccolo. I’ve been playing the flute since 4th grade and the piccolo since 11th grade and picking up the instrument is like an extension of my body. When I’m not playing the flute, it’s singing. To listen to a song and relax as the words flow out is something I do all the time to make myself feel more at ease and it’s fun.
Falling Leaves – changes that appear bad but you secretly love? 
I don’t think I have any drastic changes in my life that I can reflect on much less love. The changes I have experienced have been subtle or gradual, so not much to love or hate at the moment thankfully.
Pumpkin Spiced Latte – something you love that others tend to judge 
I just recently got into yoga, specifically hot yoga, with my friend. And I went non-dairy and meat free as well for my health. I’ve gotten a lot of “oh me too”‘s and “that’s great”‘s but there have been a few looks of “why?” which is annoying. I’ve been going to yoga 4-5 times a week on average and with the diet change, I feel amazing. So whatever.
Night – what makes you explode with joy? 
Babies. Every time I see or interact with them, my heart just melts. And then the baby fever begins. Also hearing about people’s accomplishments – especially ones they’ve been working towards for a while. It just gives me joy to hear other people are feeling joy so that’s always wonderful!
Fright Night – favorite scary book or film 
I’m not big into horror novels or films so I don’t really have one to mention or talk about. The scariest I would go is City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab. I do like murder mystery novels though! One of my favorite murder mysteries is Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte – and I’m excited to read her new novel, The Vanishing Deep!
Halloween candy – favourite thing to eat 
My favorite things to eat change depending on my mood. Right now, my favorite things are these Kashi granola bars, the chocolate chip chia ones (AMAZING!) and fresh berries with honey. I could eat them all day, every day and so far, that goal is accomplished!
Scarves – your autumn ‘must have’ accessory 
Cardigans, sweatshirts, and loose long sleeved shirts are my go to with leggings. That’s essentially all I wear during the fall/winter – which is why they’re my favorite seasons! Specifically, I am obsessed with my long sleeved, black, Phantom of the Opera shirt and my maroon pink leggings. Best outfit combo for a cozy fall day.
Fire – a book or film that burns your soul 
As of right now, I’m OBSESSED with Serpent and Dove and There Will Come A Darkness. I’m currently in a reading slump due to how amazing these stories are because nothing can compare at the moment. I hope it passes quickly though so I can continue reading these amazing new releases and ARC’s I have!
Toffee apples – a book or film that seems one thing but really has a different inside 
I feel like every Disney and Pixar movie trailers are so misleading. Of course they take the most iconic sound clips or images, but some of those don’t end up in the film. For Frozen, I thought it was going to be a completely different movie based on the trailer and I find this keeps happening with every Disney movie. The trailer gives me an idea of one thing and then when I actually go see the movie, it’s completely different. Why are they trying to confuse me!?
I don’t really have anyone to tag because the only person I can think to tag already tagged me in this one! So feel free to do this tag yourself and let me know your what your answers would be! I hope you enjoyed this tag!
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To DNF or not to DNF
To DNF or to not DNF? It’s a difficult question to answer sometimes and one I had to ask myself recently with Gideon the Ninth. I find myself refusing to DNF because by the time I come to the realization that I don’t like a book, I’m over halfway through. At that point, I feel like I have to finish it. I mean, I’ve come so far, so why not? And then of course there are those books that I cannot get through, no matter how much I want to, and I have to put it down.
With Gideon, it’s the case of good book – wrong time. Love the story and the characters but it’s not a vibe I can get with right now. I wish I could get through this story and enjoy it, but I find myself falling asleep and getting bored. It’s unfortunate really because I want to like it, but I just can’t.
So how do you decide whether or not to DNF a book? Well, that’s a matter that’s up to you reader. What is your limit? Usually I say if I can’t get into a YA book within 100 pages, then I give up on it, because it’s not going to get better after that. Sometimes I’m wrong, but that’s usually the page limit of when awesome stuff should be happening. With Gideon the Ninth, it’s a longer, adult novel, so this page count method doesn’t typically work. For adult fiction, I give it until the 25% mark to see if anything interesting happens, and DNF if not.
Some people are against DNFing, and will not give up on a book at all. I have those moments as well, but I also don’t have time to read books I don’t like or I’m not feeling. I think that whatever works for you is what works best! If you refuse to DNF, then don’t DNF. If you can’t get into a story and DNF, then more power to you! – read something you’re gonna love.
What are your thoughts on DNFing a book? Are you for or against and what is your criteria to meet?
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Halloween/Fall Reads You Need to Add to Your TBR Now
I love fall. It is absolutely my favorite season out of the four and that means I read a lot of fall and Halloween related books during this season.
These books are top notch to put you in a fall, spooky vibe so if you’re looking for something to make you check under your bed an extra time, check out these reads!
1. Bone Houses
Seventeen-year-old Aderyn (“Ryn”) only cares about two things: her family, and her family’s graveyard. And right now, both are in dire straits. Since the death of their parents, Ryn and her siblings have been scraping together a meager existence as gravediggers in the remote village of Colbren, which sits at the foot of a harsh and deadly mountain range that was once home to the fae. The problem with being a gravedigger in Colbren, though, is that the dead don’t always stay dead.
The risen corpses are known as “bone houses,” and legend says that they’re the result of a decades-old curse. When Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker with a mysterious past, arrives in town, the bone houses attack with new ferocity. What is it that draws them near? And more importantly, how can they be stopped for good?
Together, Ellis and Ryn embark on a journey that will take them deep into the heart of the mountains, where they will have to face both the curse and the long-hidden truths about themselves.
Survive the year.
No one speaks of the grace year. It’s forbidden.
In Garner County, girls are told they have the power to lure grown men from their beds, to drive women mad with jealousy. They believe their very skin emits a powerful aphrodisiac, the potent essence of youth, of a girl on the edge of womanhood. That’s why they’re banished for their sixteenth year, to release their magic into the wild so they can return purified and ready for marriage. But not all of them will make it home alive.
Sixteen-year-old Tierney James dreams of a better life—a society that doesn’t pit friend against friend or woman against woman, but as her own grace year draws near, she quickly realizes that it’s not just the brutal elements they must fear. It’s not even the poachers in the woods, men who are waiting for a chance to grab one of the girls in order to make a fortune on the black market. Their greatest threat may very well be each other.
With sharp prose and gritty realism, The Grace Year examines the complex and sometimes twisted relationships between girls, the women they eventually become, and the difficult decisions they make in-between.
Simmering in Patagonian myth, The Tenth Girl is a gothic psychological thriller with a haunting twist.
At the very southern tip of South America looms an isolated finishing school. Legend has it that the land will curse those who settle there. But for Mavi—a bold Buenos Aires native fleeing the military regime that took her mother—it offers an escape to a new life as a young teacher to Argentina’s elite girls.
Mavi tries to embrace the strangeness of the imposing house—despite warnings not to roam at night, threats from an enigmatic young man, and rumors of mysterious Others. But one of Mavi’s ten students is missing, and when students and teachers alike begin to behave as if possessed, the forces haunting this unholy cliff will no longer be ignored.
One of these spirits holds a secret that could unravel Mavi’s existence. In order to survive she must solve a cosmic mystery—and then fight for her life.
The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.
Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit.
Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers. Her characters leap off the page, as skillfully animated as necromantic skeletons. The result is a heart-pounding epic science fantasy.
Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won’t set her free without a service.
Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon’s sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.
Of course, some things are better left dead.
Trouble is haunting Cassidy Blake . . . even more than usual.
She (plus her ghost best friend, Jacob, of course) are in Paris, where Cass’s parents are filming their TV show about the world’s most haunted cities. Sure, it’s fun eating croissants and seeing the Eiffel Tower, but there’s true ghostly danger lurking beneath Paris, in the creepy underground Catacombs.
When Cass accidentally awakens a frighteningly strong spirit, she must rely on her still-growing skills as a ghosthunter — and turn to friends both old and new to help her unravel a mystery. But time is running out, and the spirit is only growing stronger.
And if Cass fails, the force she’s unleashed could haunt the city forever.***
*** This is the second in a series – the first is called City of Ghosts
Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor, a manor by the sea, with her sisters, their father, and stepmother. Once they were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls’ lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last—the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge—and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.
Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that the deaths were no accidents. Her sisters have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn’t sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who—or what—are they really dancing with?
When Annaleigh’s involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it’s a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family—before it claims her next.
7. Spectacle
Paris, 1887.
Sixteen-year-old Nathalie Baudin writes the daily morgue column for Le Petit Journal. Her job is to summarize each day’s new arrivals, a task she finds both fascinating and routine. That is, until the day she has a vision of the newest body, a young woman, being murdered–from the perspective of the murderer himself.
When the body of another woman is retrieved from the Seine days later, Paris begins to buzz with rumors that this victim may not be the last. Nathalie’s search for answers sends her down a long, twisty road involving her mentally ill aunt, a brilliant but deluded scientist, and eventually into the Parisian Catacombs. As the killer continues to haunt the streets of Paris, it becomes clear that Nathalie’s strange new ability may make her the only one who can discover the killer’s identity–and she’ll have to do it before she becomes a target herself.
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I am such a fan of horror, thriller, and spooky reads. Let me know which ones spark your interest this Halloween season! And if you have any recommendations, pass them here! I tried to focus on books published in 2019 – so let me know which other 2019 reads I missed.
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Making Assumptions About Books I’ve Never Read
I always find myself judging a book by its cover or even by the synopsis, which then determines if I read it, and I’m usually wrong. There have been so many times I have assumed what a book is about, then I read it, and I am so wrong! Like Serpent & Dove – was completely wrong about that book and what it was going to be about. So I’m curious how right I am in guessing the plot of a book based on its cover and title. Let’s see how well this goes . . .
Here are five books I’ve never read before, don’t know the plot, and I have to guess what they’re about. Let me know how right I am! All of these will be released reads so people will have had access to read/borrow them.
1.
So I see a castle, a person wearing a robe, fire, and crows, and of course the title is The Merciful Crow. Based on all of that, I think this book is about a society focused around birds, specifically crows, who have magical powers or status. The magical people have become too powerful and now the world is ending (hence the fire and person standing with arms open). In order to save their world, they team up with the crows to fight back and … I’m not sure. There’s definitely a hierarchy though because of that castle. Maybe the royalty is ruining/ending the world?
NEXT!
2.
So American Royals has a cover of a woman, wearing a beautiful shirt/dress, nice nails, and sunglasses. So obviously this book is about an average woman who falls in love with a prince/princess and is thrown into the world of royalty. She struggles to fit in, hates everyone, and almost leaves it all. Except her love is much too strong to leave and they eventually work it out – the end! I’m assuming this is similar to Crazy Rich Asians – which I shouldn’t assume, but that’s the only thing I could think of. Or its about royalty and their crazy, fabulous life! I’m not sure.
3.
So obviously, the story is about someone inside their house. I would assume this a thriller novel or a murder mystery. I’m going to guess that this book is about a girl, a teenage girl, who is being stalked and has to hide from a murderer in her home. The entire book is a back and forth between present and past as she looks back on that horrible night. She may or may not be dead. Or I’m totally wrong and this is a slumber party novel! I guess we’ll find out!
4.
Soooo I’m gonna go with clones. This is totally about clones and government control. You think you can choose your destiny and be your own person, but you’re actually a robot clone slave to the government who need you to be involved in a secret project. As they call the troops, you’re like, what the heck? I didn’t even know I was a part of this mess until now. All my friends are dying (cries). All I know about Kristoff books are that people die and most people cry, so I’m going with that.
5.
So I know this is something about Russia/Russian myth? I think this is about a girl assassin in Russia who runs into a boy assassin and they have similar targets, but they can’t let the other person get it because if they do they lose money. Or maybe this is more magical, like blood magic stuff and they have to destroy the world? Based on the blood I know theres fighting and death in here, but I’m not sure exactly how it relates. And wicked could mean a lot of things, like they’re bad people or they’re wickedly good at what they do. This one is really hard because I genuinely have no idea. I think I’m going to go with more magic stuff mixing with the end of the world, but they kinda want to save it?
So how well did I do? This was embarrassing but still a lot of fun, so I hope you had fun with this too! Let me know what I may have gotten right and what I got absolutely wrong! Comment below what books I should guess next.
I tag Alexa over at Writing the Universe to do this challenge and let me know how it went!
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Tag: Book Blogger Confessions
I saw this on LauReads blog and wanted to do it, so here it is! (post I saw linked)
Answer these questions truthfully.
1. Which book, most recently, did you not finish?
The Gilded Wolves was one that I just couldn’t get through. Not sure if it’s due to the book or because of me, but I just couldn’t get through it, no matter how many times I’ve tried to pick it up.
2. Which book is your guilty pleasure?
Throne of Glass because it fulfills all of the things I want in a book and I can reread it at any time, no problem.
3. Which book do you love to hate?
I hated The Hunger Games and I have no shame with that. I don’t think I will ever like that series.
4. Which book would you throw into the sea?
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. If you love yourself, don’t read this book, ever.
5. Which book have you read the most?
I don’t reread a lot of books, but The Mortal Instruments series is one I’ve picked up the most at 3 rereads!
6. Which book would you hate to receive as a present?
Anything John Steinbeck. Or Hunger Games. Or non-fiction. I think there’s a theme here…
7. Which book could you not live without?
1984 – it’s so good and if I didn’t have it on hand to read during hard times, I don’t know what I would do.
8. Which book made you the angriest?
Empire of Storms/Tower of Dawn because THE ENDING. And I had to wait almost 2 years to find out what happened.
9. Which book made you cry the most?
It’s between Clockwork Princess and Lord of Shadows – of course Cassandra Clare makes me have full blown sobbing sessions over her books.
10. Which book cover do you hate the most?
I hate film covers. When Twilight and City of Bones film covers came out I hated them so much I started a boycott with my friends.
I tag anyone that wants to do this!
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Review: Serpent & Dove
So while I read Serpent & Dove pre-release, it is now out in the world! So pick it up because this book is so good, especially if you’re a fan of Throne of Glass! There’s witches, witch hunters, magic, and good old fashioned enemies to lovers – now lets find out why I love this book so much!
Here’s the description from Goodreads:
Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.
Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.
The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.
And love makes fools of us all.
First and foremost, AELIN AND ROWAN VIBES. The relationship between Louise (Lou) and Reid is one that makes you want to hit someone because you just want them to finally kiss. Louise is a snarky, bad mouth witch who doesn’t care what others think of her, she’s there to protect herself and her best friend Coco. Reid is a disciplined Chasseur, aka a witch hunter, who follows orders, doesn’t take bullshit, and hates witches. Ironic. The two together is just a mash of snark, sass, and hatred – it’s great. Every time they interact, it just makes my heart warm because “the mean one is soft for the other mean one” – awwww. While it is definitely not a good relationship at first, it evolves into something so sweet and heartwarming, I just love them.
Second off, the plot is wonderful. It’s action filled, fueled by wants and needs, and written beautifully. I’m a definite fan of this story. Shelby brings you along on a journey that has you on the edge of your seat for the entire ride. I was up until 2AM finishing this off because I had to know what happens next – I couldn’t put it down. And the uniqueness of the witches was also wonderful; there are different types and groups, it’s not a general witchiness. Love it!
Third, Ansel is my sweet little baby and I love him. As a Chasseur in training, he is put on babysitting duty for Lou and his innocence is just so endearing. He’s a friend I would love to have and his willingness to defend those he loves is a trait I love the most about him. He is just such a fun character to watch grow and progress, especially in comparison to the other Chasseurs.
This book is such a fun, exciting read – it pulls you in from the first chapter and getting to read both Lou and Reid’s POV makes it that much better. I can’t imagine what book 2 has in store for us. Especially after that ending!
As you can tell, I adore this book and it’s a 
/ 5 read for me! If you want sass, action, romance, witches, and personal growth – what are you waiting for? Go pick it up now!
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If this book sounds interesting, check out Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas or Courting Darkness by Robin LaFevers
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If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
Tag: 20 Question Book Tag
So this isn’t cheating, because Sara over at The Bibliophagist tagged everyone who hasn’t done this tag yet, but no one actually tagged me. I don’t care, I’m still doing it! Join me in the revolution!
Here’s the 20 Question Book Tag!
1. How many books are too many in a series?
It really depends on the books for me. I usually say 4 is a good maximum number – unless you’re Sarah J Maas or Cassandra Clare. Then you can kinda do anything!
2. How do you feel about cliffhanger endings?
This is my face when I get to the end of a book and there’s a cliffhanger. I love to hate them.
3. Hardback or paperback?
Hardback all the way! 99% of the books I have (excluding ARCs) are hardcover books – they’re a guilty pleasure.
4. Favorite book?
That’s like asking someone who their favorite child is. The expected answer is, I don’t have one. But obviously it’s Twilight.
Just joking – I have 5 favorite books for each subgenre, there’s no way I can make a decision on that. Lets just say Four Dead Queens, A Curse so Dark and Lonely, Throne of Glass, Diamond City, Furyborn, and An Ember in the Ashes are my all time favorites as of right now.
5. Least Favorite book?
This is tricky to answer because I can dislike a book now and love it later. This one I couldn’t love it even if you paid me, my all time worst is The Grapes of Wrath. I had to read this my junior year of high school and every other scene is a description of the desert. John Steinbeck likes to torture his readers and I thoroughly hated this book and still hate it to this day.
6. Love triangles: yes or no?
Only if they’re done really well and actually have an importance to the plot/character development. Otherwise – nah.
7. The most recent book you couldn’t finish?
Got 100 pages in and still couldn’t get into it. Put it down and still haven’t picked it back up.
8. A book you’re currently reading?
I love this book so far. It just came out on September 3rd if anyone hasn’t discovered this book yet!
9. Last book you recommended?
Uhhhh I don’t even remember the book I read last week at this point – I’m pretty sure it was There Will Come A Darkness or The Grace Year.
10. Oldest book you’ve read?
Not counting biblical texts, Beowulf.
11. Newest book you’ve read?
Diamond City because it doesn’t even come out until January/February of 2020.
12. Favorite author?
Uhhhh again – favorite child question! There are so many authors I love and will love forever. I’ll put down Sarah J Maas, Cassandra Clare, Claire Legrand, Brigid Kemmerer, and Sabaa Tahir. And like 50 other amazing authors AHH.
13. Buying books or borrowing?
Buying because I’m selfish and want to keep them all.
14. A book that you disliked that everyone seems to love?
Hunger Games lol. Also never got into Illuminae…
15. Bookmarks or dog ears?
Bookmarks you monsters. Always bookmarks.
16. A book that you always reread?
This whole prequel series I could read over and over again.
17. Can you read while listening to music?
No. I’m so easily distracted I would hear a song I love and start singing. Then all of a sudden its three hours later and I’ve sung the entire Waitress: The Musical and Hamilton soundtrack and my book is forgotten. So short answer: no.
18. One POV or multiple POVs?
Multiple because you know some awesome stuff is about to go down and multiple people need to tell the story so I can become attached to all of them and cry even harder! Also most fantasy novels now have multiple POVs and I’m all for it.
19. Do you read a book in one sitting or over multiple days?
Usually over multiple days because I work, but occasionally one sitting if I have a few hours to kill and nothing distracting me.
20. Who do you tag?
Everyone because I love to include people. But Alexa from Writing the Universe better do this tag or I will be sad.
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I hope you liked this silly post, I know its a much needed diversion from the numerous reviews. If you liked this kind of stuff, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
ARC Review: The Grace Year
I managed to snag an ARC of The Grace Year by Kim Liggett at ALA and there are no regrets here. First off, let me just say, the description is awful because this book is that and so much more. I really found myself invested in the story and message behind it and I think the way this book is described, it just falls a bit short. This review is going to be very in depth because Liggett talks about a lot of important issues that I think should be touched on and talked about. So if you’re looking for short and sweet, this is not a review you will enjoy reading. But if you’re looking for my opinion on topics such as female relationships, female sexual agency, and other important topics – tune in!
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
Survive the year.
No one speaks of the grace year. It’s forbidden.
In Garner County, girls are told they have the power to lure grown men from their beds, to drive women mad with jealousy. They believe their very skin emits a powerful aphrodisiac, the potent essence of youth, of a girl on the edge of womanhood. That’s why they’re banished for their sixteenth year, to release their magic into the wild so they can return purified and ready for marriage. But not all of them will make it home alive.
Sixteen-year-old Tierney James dreams of a better life—a society that doesn’t pit friend against friend or woman against woman, but as her own grace year draws near, she quickly realizes that it’s not just the brutal elements they must fear. It’s not even the poachers in the woods, men who are waiting for a chance to grab one of the girls in order to make a fortune on the black market. Their greatest threat may very well be each other.
With sharp prose and gritty realism, The Grace Year examines the complex and sometimes twisted relationships between girls, the women they eventually become, and the difficult decisions they make in-between.
First and foremost, we have an outcast main character. Some people don’t like this trope, but Tierney is different. She doesn’t understand why women are seen as inferior to men, why she has to purge herself for a year, why the girls she’s with can’t bring themselves to help each other instead of hurt. I like that Liggett talks about this issue, because it is one, of why women tear each other down even if it ends up hurting everyone. It’s important for young girls to read this story and feel the frustration of wanting peace between characters and instead they get none of that.
Another thing this book touches on that I adore is sexual freedom for women. Why some may not think this topic is important for YA, I absolutely believe it is. Even if a girl, at whatever age, is not having sex, she should still understand that there is nothing wrong with and that she is meant for more than just pleasuring men. This topic can be very awkward to explain to young adults, but to show a healthy sexual relationship is very important. Liggett mentions that the women are simply vessel’s for sons in Tierney’s town, but shows each time how that is not right and shouldn’t be the standard – A+.
Along with a woman’s sexual agency, Liggett also reveals another important idea – women are not objects. It should be obvious to people alike, but women are not simply present to serve men. In Tierney’s society, that is exactly what they are though. Women are subservient to their husbands and are actually possessions. They are bargained over for marriage with no say from the girls themselves. They cannot do or say anything not approved by men and it’s infuriating. Liggett shows the outcasts of this society as free though, showcasing how women should be allowed to have freedom and be treated as equals. With each issue she raises, she presents a healthier alternative which is really important. It should be the standard and Liggett makes that clear to her characters and to the reader.
She makes it obvious that its not right to treat women as objects – which should be obvious but for some girls, this kind of story is reality. Making sure we educate people all over the world how important fair treatment and healthy relationships are. I appreciate the fact that she covers these topics and showcases how insane it is that Tierney’s world isn’t fair and probably will never be.
Overall, important topics talked about in an amazing way, plus an interesting plot mixed up with it makes this book a 
/ 5 stars for me. If you’re looking for a crazy, heart wrenching read put this on your TBR. You will not regret it.
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If this book sounds interesting, check out The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.
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If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
ARC Review: Tiger Queen
This was the first Annie Sullivan book I’ve read. The author of Touch of Gold has released a new story about Princess Kateri, who is fighting her way through suitors in order to win her place as Queen. If she fails, she has to marry her competitor and he will take the throne.
Meanwhile, the wells are drying up and there are thieves stealing the water from the people. What the hell, am I right? But things aren’t as they seem – who really are the good guys?
Heres the synopsis from Goodreads:
In the mythical desert kingdom of Achra, an ancient law forces sixteen-year-old Princess Kateri to fight in the arena to prove her right to rule. For Kateri, winning also means fulfilling a promise to her late mother that she would protect her people, who are struggling through windstorms and drought. The situation is worsened by the gang of Desert Boys that frequently raids the city wells, forcing the king to ration what little water is left. The punishment for stealing water is a choice between two doors: behind one lies freedom, and behind the other is a tiger.
But when Kateri’s final opponent is announced, she knows she cannot win. In desperation, she turns to the desert and the one person she never thought she’d side with. What Kateri discovers twists her world—and her heart—upside down. Her future is now behind two doors—only she’s not sure which holds the key to keeping her kingdom and which releases the tiger.
First and foremost, I love retellings. This book is a retelling of a short story and I’m all for it. It’s a bit slow to get into plot wise but it definitely starts to pick. One of the things I like about the plot is that its familiar but still original. There’s the oppressive family, a crisis, an unlikely love interest, and of course – a strong willed female main character, but theres a lot of originality to it as well.
Following a formula doesn’t mean a book is bad, it’s following a path that is common and familiar. Sullivan adds a unique and fantastical backstory to this world and brings an intense story. I genuinely enjoyed reading Kateri’s story and was silently rooting for her during my read through!
One thing I had a problem with was pacing. Some moments that were slow I wanted to speed up a little, other moments were too fast. Since this was an ARC I read, the pacing may have changed and scenes may have been extended or shortened, so it’s hard to take my word or judgement on that one. I also had an issue with Kateri’s dad. To me, he felt too villainy. Like unrealistically evil personally. I wanted a bit more of a humanistic approach to him instead of some person who was always awful. Villains are understandably hard to write, but it was hard to read scenes with him, it was just a bit too much.
Overall, I liked this story and I think it’s a great YA read. A strong female lead, morality is judged, and good triumphs – or does it? I would give this book a 
.5 / 5 stars.
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If this book sounds interesting, be sure to check out Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton!
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If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
My Experience at ALA
This past weekend (June 22 – June 24) I attended my first ALA convention in Washington DC. Being a first timer, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I signed up for it, but I was definitely excited!
Arriving an hour before the floor opened on Saturday, my friends Alexa, Morissa, and I stood in a calm line of about 100 people while we patiently waited for them to let us in. When 9:00am rolled around it was a calm wave of people checking badges as we descended the escalators down to the exhibit floor.
Within 1 hour I had filled my backpack and a large tote bag with books. It became so heavy, I had to transfer them to tote bags and check them in. We were so exhausted from all the books we were carrying, and the walking around, that we left early.
By the end of Day 1, I had a full backpack and two full tote bags. It was honestly painful walking the two blocks to the hotel next door to retrieve my car. Poor Alexa was also drowning in tote bags and a full backpack as we made our way to the car.
Here is what my day 1 haul looked like when I got home:
For Day 2, I learned from my mistake and brought a freaking suitcase to haul everything back. I still had my backpack and tote bags, but fortunately I didn’t need to dump everything until about 11am that day. The plan for Sunday was to avoid the massive amount of books that we received on Saturday and stick to the most important ones:
- A Heart so Fierce and Broken
- The Burning Shadow
- The Starless Sea
- Tiger Queen
We not only got everything that we were looking for (SUCCESS!) but everything else that we were “trying” to avoid. And by trying, I mean accepting every ARC or book that was handed to us with minimal resistance. It was hard to say no! It was also hard to avoid asking or taking one that was being given away. Getting ARCs is never this easy and it was too hard to pass up on hundreds of them being given away.
While I didn’t get every book I wanted to (and there were SO many that I wanted to get), I got about 98% of them and for me, that is a crazy success.
After Sunday, with the amount we had accumulated, Alexa and I agreed that we were absolutely going to skip Monday. Which meant we missed out on probably 100 more books, but we had accrued almost 100 each and it was too much. Which is something I never thought I would say.
Here is my weekend ALA haul:
The most surprising thing for me was 1) THESE WERE ALL FREE (wtf) and 2) It was so calm and easy. In my experience with book conventions, it’s always a massive struggle to get books, especially ARCs. Everyone is fighting over them and it’s pretty ruthless. At ALA it was as easy as saying please.
One shocking experience I had was at the Harper Collins booth, where they displayed titles of books that they brought with them to give away during the weekend. All you had to do was walk up, name the titles of books you wanted, and say thank you. That was how easy it was to walk away with six titles from them. Same with Penguin. And Macmillan.
As the convention wore on, some publishers became a bit more reserved in giving out books since a lot of people in attendance were readers and bloggers – which I understood. The point of the convention was the give out titles to librarians and book sellers so they can order the books. While bloggers are important, we weren’t necessarily the priority.
Overall, the experience was very relaxed for all the ARC drops and giveaways, with the exception of The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. That was probably the most chaotic part of the entire convention as hundreds of people were trying to get that book. Thankfully, being the first person in line as directed by one of the Penguin reps, I snagged a ticket. Originally, the signing line would be first come, first serve, but since people were lining up 3 hours early, (sorry) they had to change the plan. Everyone in line when tickets were handed out were guaranteed a book.
Skipping Monday was a hard decision, but leaving the convention with almost 100 books meant that I wasn’t going to have space to store them, much less read them, if I went for another day. It also saved us some gas and parking money!
Compared to BookCon, ALA was a calm, easy convention. It wasn’t hard to secure the titles you wanted, so long as you got there first. Nor was it an aggressive, blood thirsty mess. No one was hurt in retrieving books. The only disappointing thing was missing out on a title you wanted. But hey, you can’t get everything you want.
If ALA wasn’t in Chicago next year, I absolutely would go again in 2020. Unfortunately, I don’t think I can afford a vacation like that or the shipping costs for all those books. While it’s promoted as the Librarian conference, everyone is welcome to join ALA, as stated on their website. If you’re looking for a relaxed convention with books, friends, and cool displays, check it out! I will definitely try to go again soon.
May TBR – Unrealistic Goals
I always find myself saying I’m going to read certain books and then I never actually follow through with what I say I’m going to do. So here is my HOPE – I want to read all of these books, but we’ll see. Also, enjoy my comments with these titles, I thought it would add a bit of pizzazz.
Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim
*** I’m already more than halfway through this book, I just put it down to review some other titles, but I’m going to finish it this month because it is amazing!!!
Aurora Rising by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman
This book is so beautiful and while I wasn’t a fan of Illuminae, I’ve heard nothing but amazing reviews – so I’m excited!
House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
I have been putting off reading this for so freaking long, even though the ARC is currently sitting on my shelf because – idk! I just need to read it. Why am I scared?
The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
I will probably adore this book, I just need to pick it up and read it in a day. That’s how this works, right?
Nevernight by Jay Kristoff
I will probably never hear the end of this, but yes, I have not read this book yet. I will read it, and hopefully that will happen in May! Also, do not come for me. I’m taking my time, I know!!
Sightwitch by Susan Dennard
LOVED the first two books and I know I need to read this before Bloodwitch – so I’m going to read it!
Bloodwitch by Susan Dennard
And of course if I read Sightwitch I’m going to immediately start reading Bloodwitch because that’s what happens when you read Susan’s books!
Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan
I’m still in shock I haven’t read this book yet, but I’m going to! I just might wait until after a few other, not so heart wrenching books have been read.
All right! This is my TBR for the month of May. This will most likely, actually definitely, change during the course of the month. That’s just how it goes sometimes. I hope to read all, if not most, of these though. I guess we’ll see which ones I get to during my May Wrap Up! Stay tuned for some more unrealistic goals!
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ARC Review: Treason of Thorns
A friend of mine had an ARC of Treason of Thorns by Laura E. Waymouth that she graciously sent me to be able to read! It releases on September 10th, 2019 so keep a lookout!
I was so excited to read this story and see what happens! Unfortunately, it wasn’t as amazing as I had hoped.
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
Violet Sterling has spent the last seven years in exile, longing to return to Burleigh House. One of the six great houses of England, Burleigh’s magic kept both the countryside and Violet happy.
That is, until her father’s treason destroyed everything.
Now she’s been given a chance to return home. But Burleigh isn’t what she remembered. Wild with grief, Burleigh’s very soul is crying out in pain. As its tormented magic ravages the countryside, Vi must decide how far she’s willing to go to save her house—before her house destroys everything she’s ever known.
A house left unchecked will lead to ruin.
But I will not let it ruin me.
This synopsis sounded AMAZING to me! But I noticed problems within the first chapter. I thought the magic system in this story was crazy unique – the house has all the power and its Caretaker wields a key to help hone its power responsibly. I haven’t heard of a system like this before and it was really interesting to read. My problem with it though, was that I didn’t get a true sense of the magic system until more than halfway through the book. This not only made it confusing as to what was happening, but kinda boring. Which was unfortunate, because I thought the premise was really cool! It also made it hard to understand the issues going on with Burleigh and why it was having such a destructive response.
Reading this, I really wanted to see and understand more of the House’s magic system and then be thrown a problem, not the other way around. While I understand Laura wanted a sense of mystery, it didn’t connect with me and made it harder to enjoy the story.
Another thing that irked me was the repetitiveness of the main idea. Caretakers put their houses first, before anybody or themselves. Violet consistently repeats this in her head, out loud, to Wyn, and anybody who will listen. It gets a bit annoying after awhile. I understood the author was trying to make a point, and have Violet learn something by the end, but it was a struggle to read the same line/thought over and over again. It also occurred with several other ideas, such as the house magic, the house dying, saving the house, and other main issues with the book. It was like everything had to be repeated on every page lest the reader forget what is going on. It was so hard to get through, I almost DNFed at one point. Thankfully, more than halfway through the story, it redeems itself and gets crazy good. I absolutely loved the ending!
Besides those issues, I really enjoyed the story and thought it was a fun read. I did want to see more of the “side characters” we meet, because they brought a lot of personality to the story. It was a shame they weren’t included more. Especially since Violet felt a bit flat in some parts (might be the result of the repetition but who knows).
Overall, interesting new read that I haven’t seen before and think everyone should give a try once it has been published in September! I’m excited to reread and see what changes have been made.
I would give this book a 
/5 stars, because the ending really did redeem the book and the other characters were so fun to read!
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If this book sounds interesting to you, check out The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert!
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If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
The Best Travel Books
Vacations are a great time to sit down and actually finish those books that have been sitting on the shelf for months. One of the hardest things though, is finding books that are good vacation books. Not too cry worthy or emotionally scaring – something fun, relaxing, and maybe even thought provoking. Here are some of my favorite vacation reads so far! Let me know in the comments below some of your all time favorite vacation reads!
The Selection by Kiera Cass
This YA Science Fiction/Romance novel is one that fulfills your swoon worthy, lovey vibes and also reminds you of life. The first book takes you on America’s journey through the process of being primped and picked for being a future Queen – even though she’s definitely not interested. This easy YA read is perfect for anyone 12+ and is something that most would glide through easily without utter destruction.
Everless by Sara Holland
This heart racing, blood pounding YA Fantasy read is something I read on the beach last year and absolutely adored. The fast paced story kept me going, which made it very easy for me to read the entire book in one day. With all the time available on vacation – for the most part – this book is a great, gripping read with a few moments of shock or concern for the characters. Thankfully, this book isn’t heart ripping and makes for a great, quick, all day read while sitting in the sun or in your hotel room.
My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
This book is an amazingly funny, fantastical take on the classic story of Lady Jane Grey, the queen of England for 9 days! This historically “accurate” story of her rise and fall to power with the added humor of the time, makes this a great YA historical fiction/fantasy vacation read! I devoured this in one day and its lightheartedness made it easy to digest, leaving me happy and entertained!
Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
Looking for an action packed YA Fantasy about pirates and sirens that won’t leave you a puddle on the floor? This book isn’t entirely lighthearted, but Tricia’s story telling leaves you on the edge of your seat entertained, without being scarred. It’s an easy book to sit back, relax, and enjoy the events going on while on the beach – you might even see a siren in the distance!
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
This YA Contemporary Romance is a light, delicate, and emotionally rewarding read that you can enjoy and then watch the movie on Netflix once you’re done! Lara Jean’s unfortunate love reveal to the five boys she loved before leaves a warm, fuzzy feeling in your heart. Especially during scenes between her and her family. This is perfect for a relaxing vacation where you can sit back, enjoy the loving family vibes, laugh, and finish a wonderful read! It’s hard to not love this book and all of Lara’s quirky friends and family.
While there are so many different genres and tastes when it comes to vacation reads, these relatively easy reads allowed me to relax and enjoy the ride. That brief moment of escape during my escape was sweet and occasionally enlightening. I enjoyed every story in their own ways and it allowed me to escape from my vacation for just a moment. I’m always on the hunt for some great vacation reads, so drop some suggestions below!
Books I DNFed
I’ve come to the conclusion that there are just some books that are not for you. They’re not mean to be read right now, they’re not aimed at you, or they simply don’t float your boat. DNFing or Did Not Finish is not necessarily a bad thing – it can be when a book is genuinely terrible, but for the most part, it’s part of life. DNFing a book just means you could not connect with it, did not like it, or had trouble getting through it and so, you stopped. You don’t finish it and you move on.
Here are some of the books I DNFed and why!
Hunger Games
I have tried reading this book multiple times and every time I have to stop. I can’t seem to get passed the fifth chapter and it’s just not interesting to me. I hear the hype around this series and want to like it, but I can’t. And I’m not sure I ever will. So unfortunately, this book will remain on the DNFed list for forever.
Ace of Shades
For this book, it had nothing to do with interest or plot, it was the grammar. I kept stumbling across spelling and grammar mistakes that were so constant and irritating, I had to stop. Now I’m not perfect. I misspell things and make grammar mistakes all the time; I’m not trying to stand a higher ground at all. The fact that an edited, published piece could have so many of these though – I can’t. I absolutely get that there will be mistakes and things that are missed, but this was a bit much. It was so distracting from the actual plot that I couldn’t get passed it. There were so many mistakes that I was over 100 pages in and had to stop. I might try rereading this in the future, but for now, I’ll pass.
Illuminae
I really wanted to like this book. I really did. Everyone talked about how amazing it was but unfortunately, I couldn’t get into it. My biggest struggle with this book was its unique formatting. Going between text, images, binary code, messages, documents, and everything in between was hard for me to follow. My brain gets distracted easily already, so to go between formats made it hard for me to remember the plot and made me disinterested. I will try to reread it in the future and give it another chance, but for right now, it stays on the shelf.
Gilded Wolves
I genuinely LOVED this plot, the characters, everything about this book – but I can’t keep up. I have a feeling its one of those “not the right time” moments. I’m hoping that later on, when I try to reread it, I’ll be able to get through it. The sad thing is I loved reading this book, it just wasn’t what I wanted to read at the moment and I haven’t found that moment yet. I have a feeling this will be a good summer read, when I can sit and just power through it.
So far, I haven’t encountered a lot of books I can’t finish. I can usually get through books and finish them, even if I don’t like them. For some reason, these four books are an exception. I will try to reread most of these (except Hunger Games) in the future and give them a second chance. Every book deserves one.
What are some books you’ve DNFed?
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If you liked this, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
What’s the Deal with Spoilers?
Spoilers. A divided subject in the book community. On the one hand, they take away from the joy and excitement that a person may have for a mystery box, ruin the surprise in a book, or ruin the fun of finding out who the killer is. On the other hand, limiting someone’s freedom of speech is not okay, and telling people they can’t post spoilers is not something that can always be dictated by others. I’ve seen some interesting arguments regarding spoilers, but I think it’s important to look at them and determine what is a spoiler and what should classify as one.
A spoiler, in my own words, is information about a topic or item that is not obvious public information and effectively ruins the surprise of arriving at that moment. For example, someone posting about how sad they were a character died, when it is not common knowledge this character dies because the book has just been released. Typically spoiling occurs when an item or information is brand new and not many people have had the chance to view it yet. But this is where it can get a little less clear. When does a spoiler end?
Different people have different opinions on when something is no longer a spoiler. Some people say a month, others say six months, some say a year, and some say never. This divide on when information is no longer a spoiler is tricky, and one of the biggest issue in the book community.
In most of the book groups I’m currently in on Facebook, moderators put a one month spoiler ban on new releases, meaning no reactions/reviews/memes/nothing can include information about the current book. After a month, the spoiler ban is lifted or modified. For some groups, spoilers can be shared freely now. In others, there is a warning that is required for others who may not have had a chance to finish what they are reading, informing them that the information shared is a spoiler.
One of my biggest pet peeves with spoilers is what I call the “I don’t give a fuck” or “idgaf” period. This is the period of time immediately after the release of a book where most people are currently reading it or have not read it yet, and others who have read it early or quickly suddenly spoil large moments with no regards for anyone else. This “idgaf” period is typically in the first two weeks range of a book releasing where most people haven’t even had a chance to receive the book yet. Seeing spoilers on a book or book box during this time is honestly irritating for me and many other people.
After a certain amount of time though, when does information stop being a spoiler? For me, I would say three months. That gives people a good amount of time to receive their book or subscription, crack it open, and see what’s going on. In three months, the people who are anticipating reading or seeing it will have a chance to actually do that, especially since not everyone has the free time to read whatever they want, whenever they want.
So if it’s common knowledge not to spoil information immediately after release, why do people do it? Well – I don’t know. It could be because they are excited to share their opinions, they don’t care that others have not read it yet, or they could be oblivious and not realize it’s a spoiler. Whatever the reason, these moments suck for many of the readers who haven’t had a chance to experience the moment for themselves, and taking away that moment is a crappy thing to do.
Now, here’s where the problem comes in: if there is no set timeline on when a spoiler is no longer a spoiler then confusion is bound to happen and so is aggression. This comes about in aggressive comments by people who are upset or personal messages sent that someone is upset they were spoiled. Now if a certain amount of time has passed, these remarks are no longer valid and the person who is upset is unnecessarily aggressive – and this is where the problem lies.
The spoiler band wagon can be overly aggressive, especially when a good amount of time has passed from the release and should no longer be a spoiler. If the book community sets a timeline, then we can avoid confusion and hostility about spoilers and promote a more positive reading experience for everyone.
Now lets talk etiquette.
When coming across a spoiler, especially in the “idgaf” period, it’s important to let the person know that what they’re doing is wrong, but in a non-aggressive way. Yelling at people, calling them names, or being utterly rude is not the way to go about the situation. Not only does that make the other person defensive, but it can create a mob mentality and others will join in. Being upset about a spoiler is okay though, but being abrasive or rude is not.
When it’s after the “idgaf” period, we enter the “beware” period. This period is the remaining two and a half months after a release when a person may encounter spoilers and can still justify being upset. In this period, it is still other people’s responsibility to be courteous to others about spoilers, whether by not sharing them or giving a warning. At the same time, the closer to the two and three month mark, the responsibility should shift onto the reader who wants to avoid them. If that means avoiding certain pages or groups who might share spoilers, then avoid them.
If it’s after the three month grace period then the spoiler worry is no longer on the sharer. People are allowed to post reactions, memes, jokes, photos, and more regarding to the books that are out and it is not their job to warn others or avoid spoiling others anymore. While some may still be upset at being spoiled, it is no longer their right to complain about them – except in certain situations.
- Someone is aware you are currently reading a book and spoils a big moment for you either on purpose or on accident
- Someone posts a spoiler for a series in a group that is focused on one topic (ex. a spoiler for The Wicked King in the ACOTAR group).
- Someone spoiling a book in a group chat/comments where a person is asking for opinions/thoughts on if they should read said book
Those are the only situations I would warrant upset regarding spoilers after this grace period. Besides that – it’s fair game.
Now, this is all my opinion. There are people who warrant longer or shorter grace periods, depending on their reading habits and consideration of other people. This is where the consistency should come in. The book community should come together and decide what is the “idgaf” period, the “beware” period, and the “free game” period. Without these time constraints, it is difficult to justify and end this debate.
Overall, spoilers suck and being malicious in sharing them immediately after release is a crappy thing to do. But being rude to other people, even when upset, is also a crappy thing to do. And getting spoiled after a certain amount of time no longer is the person posting’s worry, but the readers.
I think it’s important to open up the debate, so let me know what your opinions on spoilers are and the timeline and etiquette you think is far!
We Write At Dawn 