So, the craziest thing happened to me. A wonderful person over at Apartment Guide reached out to me, me, and asked if I wanted to be included in an article about encouraging people to read more and establishing a good reading space (book nook) in your home. And as any reasonable person would say, I said “heck yeah!”
So I sent over my tip and voila – my name and my words are in a freaking article!
I’m back with another book tag that I found on Whispering Stories blog and this one is really cool! I love history and historical fiction, so mixing them into a book tag is a really, really fun idea! I had a lot of fun with this tag, so I hope you enjoy!
I’m sure we all know a book snob – someone who thinks they’re better than everyone else because they read “real fiction”, whether that’s a certain genre, a certain format, or just because they think their taste is better than everyone else. I don’t think I’m a book snob, but this tag looked like so much fun, I can pretend!
I found this tag on Jen Jen Reviews blog, so be sure to check out their responses too!
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!
Hey everyone! I found this tag on Zezee with Books blog and thought this would be a fun tag to do! Since this is the no disclaimers tag, I am kind of letting my opinion fly with this one. Sorry in advance if I upset anyone!
It’s been a month since I last did this, so I thought it would be a fun comparison to see what I’m currently reading and watching! My show watching has decreased a lot and my reading has gone up, but I still managed to start watching some new stuff! So yay!
As a Penguin Teen Influencer, I get access to e-ARCs of their upcoming titles and because of that, sometimes they’ll ask if they can use part of my review in their promotion for the book. I’ve had one of my quotes used before for House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland and now, another one has been used for The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass!!!!
I feel like I haven’t given an update on this in a WHILE, so today, we’re starting this week off nice and chill with a reading and watching update!
This past weekend has been hectic with friends staying over and meeting more friends for dinner the next day. I also dropped some serious cash entertaining friends and my poor wallet is crying. Anyone else cringe seeing their check after a night out or after planning one for friends?
I also managed to finish the book I was reading, Ruinsong, and the review should be up for that tomorrow! But for now, here’s what I’m currently reading and watching!
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!
If you are a Goodreads user, you know there is an option to do a reading challenge. You set how many books you want to read in a year and Goodreads will track how many books you’ve read, how close or far away you are from your goal, and when you’ve completed it.
Since we’re almost halfway through the year, here’s an update on how my Goodreads reading challenge is going!
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!
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.
This week has been so stressful for me. I feel like so much is going on and there’s not enough time to get it all done, so it’s just swirling around me endlessly.
Also, I’m packing, so that’s fun. So to keep things light and to ease some of the stress, today I’m sharing what I’m currently reading and watching!
I’m about 40% of the way through Sky Breaker and I’m starting Spells Trouble today, so I’m hoping I can read them quickly! Sky Breaker isn’t living up to what I wanted. I remember liking Night Spinner, the first book, but this one jumped right back in so I was very confused. And the main character went from being this strong warrior to a passive character in the first book and has now turned into a paranoid control freak. She’s kind of irritating me and I’m not enjoying this book at all. Hopefully Spells Trouble is better.
I watched a few episodes of Shadow and Bone, but I want to be able to sit down and binge it, so I’m waiting until I move and things calm down. In the meantime, I have been steadily getting through Modern Family and I’m now on Season 6, almost to Season 7. This is kind of my comfort show – I tend to watch it when I’m feeling stressed and just want to distract myself from life, so I’ve been watching it a lot recently.
Besides that I also watch YouTube when I’m bored or listen to podcasts. Especially if I’m in a reading slump or not enjoying the book I’m currently reading.
What are you currently reading and watching? Any recommendations for what I should read or watch next?
I apologize for the late post. Closing on a house, plus health stuff going on, plus life has left me unable to read, unable to focus, and unable to sit down and write anything. So today, I’m doing a tag. This took me so long to do just cause I cannot seem to focus, but it was still a lot of fun! I saw this post over on Alexa’s blog, Writing the Universe, and totally stole it. Be sure to check out her post to see her responses!
Originally on Alyce’s YouTube channel, this tag looks like so much fun! I haven’t done a book tag in a while and this one looked like a challenge, so I’m excited!
Life has been awful for me recently. My brother in law got into a car accident and totaled his car. He’s pretty beat up from it too and has been to the hospital twice. My aunt has COVID and I’m freaking out. My fiance, his family, and I had a COVID scare last week too. Meanwhile, we’re house hunting which is emotionally exhausting and my poor heart can’t take it anymore.
It’s been a doozy.
So I’m keeping it light here with what I’m currently reading and watching!
December is a great month for me. It’s my birthday month, there’s Hanukkah, and Christmas and I usually walk away with a lot of wonderful presents for the year, including some new books! This month is going to be lots of books because of those events, so obviously this is not normal. Without further ado, here are the books I received/bought in the month of December!
2021 is two days away…
I know, I’m freaking out too!
This means we’re entering into a new month with new releases that I can get excited for! So here are the January releases I’m DYING to read!
It’s Christmas today, and while I’m Jewish, I also have lots of friends and some family who celebrate Christmas, so what better way to help celebrate than with a Festive Christmas Book Tag!? I found this tag on Jenniely‘s blog, but it was originally posted by GirlReading on YouTube. I love the Holiday’s and December in general, not only because it’s my birthday month, but because it just feels like such a joyful, thankful time.
It’s Christmas Eve Eve, I’ve been drinking, and I don’t have anything planned for today, so it’s a great day to do a mini review! Today, I am reviewing How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black. This is a short story collection told from the perspective of Cardan from The Cruel Prince. If you have not read the trilogy yet, this short story collection will spoil you for the series, so please be warned.
It’s Christmas Eve Eve, so what better way to get in some holiday cheer than with a book tag! It was so hard to decide between the two recent tags I saw on Alexa @ Writing the Universe, but I decided to settle on this one! This tag is originally from Waves of Pages – so be sure to check out the original post and Alexa’s post for their answers! And if you decide to do this book tag, be sure to tag me so I can see what your responses are too!
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!
When I saw Star was doing this tag, I got so excited! This is such a fun tag so thank you Star @ Star is All Booked Up for tagging me in this! Originally from Kat @ Katytastic on YouTube. I’m not going to tag anyone, but if you end up doing this tag, feel free to tag me in the comments so I can see your responses!
Chanukah (Hanukkah) starts tonight (Thursday, December 10th) and Christmas is coming up soon, so I thought “what’s better than giving gift ideas for bookworms!” So here we are. Here are some gift ideas for bookworms this Holiday season!
Every so often I go on my kindle and cry at how many free books i’ve downloaded, whether through NetGalley or Amazon sales, that I haven’t read! Plus all the ones that I did pay for and also haven’t read.
Someone needs to take my credit card away from me because I clearly have no self control. I guess the only thing I can do is expose myself as the addict I am – so let’s explore my kindle TBR!
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!
I received an eARC of The Cup and the Prince by Day Leitao from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
This was such an interesting fantasy that, at first, I wasn’t sure where it was going, but soon, I was absolutely hooked.
Thanks again to Cielo for tagging me in this new book tag! I recently watched Enola Holmes and absolutely loved it, so there was no way I was going to pass up doing this tag!
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!
I found this tag on A Rambling Reviewer site and I was pulled in so fast. I too am a Bookaholic and this tag just seemed to call to me. If anyone decides to do this tag, feel free to tag me in your post or let me know in the comments! I would love to see your responses!
This tag is originally from Jacquie @ Rattle the Stars but I first saw it on Lori @ The Reading Fairy‘s site and knew I had to do it!
I haven’t done a book tag in a little bit and this one looked so fun! Plus, my reading has started to slow down and I definitely need some more content on my blog. I hope you guys like this post!
It took me a week to read White Fox by Sara Faring, which means that I am not reading a lot, so I thought it would be fun to do a currently reading and watching post!
My watching habits are mood based, so it can honestly change from week to week. But this is what I’ve been watching and reading this week and what I plan to watch soon!
I feel like this is definitely exposing myself, but I also need a post for today, so I’m going to be going over all of the *upcoming ARCs I need to read.
Granted, I’m not reading these all at once. These are just the total number of ARCs I need to read and get through *at some point* – though I do have a lot of these on my immediate TBR.
I converted my personal Instagram into a Bookstagram!! I used to run a bookstagram with my friend and I missed taking pretty pictures, so I decided to do it again!
I found this tag over at Laura’s Book Reviews. It looked like so much fun, I had to do it for myself!
The rules:
Answer these questions truthfully.
Once you’ve completed this tag, tag 5 other book bloggers to answer these questions next.
I don’t have anyone to really tag for this, so I’m tagging everyone! Be sure to tag me or comment so I can see your answers.
Recently, I DNFed Sanctuary by Paola Mendoza and Abby Sher. I enjoyed the book, but unfortunately, the anxiety and paranoia Vali was dealing with was too much for me to handle. I started reflecting that and becoming so anxious I was about to have a panic attack. Needless to say, definitely couldn’t continue reading it, even though I liked the story and was interested to see what happened next.
I’m not sure I would call it my guilty pleasure, but I am a huge fan of A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab – actually, anything by her really! I could re-read that series any day. That and Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas.
I really hated The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Another book I hated was Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman. Could not get into either of them at all and ultimately DNFed.
Oh jeez, probably The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. Absolutely awful! One of the most boring books I’ve ever read in my entire life and I’m still mad I was forced to read it. This book made me hate my 11th grade English class so much.
I am not a big re-reader. In fact, I haven’t re-read a book in years so I can’t really answer this question. When I was younger, I re-read Twilight, Vampire Academy, and The Mortal Instruments series multiple times. I couldn’t get enough of them.
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck.
Ohhh, that’s a difficult question. There’s not a single book alone I couldn’t live without, I can’t give up any of my books! If I HAD to choose one, then my first edition copy of Vicious by V.E. Schwab. Not only did I pay a lot for it, but I love that book so much, it’s one of my prized possessions.
Blood & Honey by Shelby Mahurin. The ending made me so mad, I threw my kindle across the room . . .
It’s a tie between Crescent City and Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas. Both made me absolutely sob for over an hour.
There are some pretty bad book covers, but I don’t think I’ve found one that I hate the most. I don’t like the new ACOTAR covers at all. I think they’re hideous.
If you didn’t see, I created a Ko-fi account! I’m not expecting anything to come from it, but if you like my content and want to me get my own domain and host bookish giveaways, I’ve linked it here! Thanks to anyone who checks it out!
I have been holding off reading Wicked Fox by Kat Cho for a while. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book honestly but it sounded so good that I didn’t want to ignore it. When I got approved as a Penguin Teen Influencer, one of the first books I received was an e-ARC of Vicious Spirits, so I knew I had to read this book.
And here we go, adding another book to the “WHY THE HECK DID I WAIT TO READ THIS BOOK!?” list. Because I cannot believe that I didn’t read this book sooner!
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
Eighteen-year-old Gu Miyoung has a secret–she’s a gumiho, a nine-tailed fox who must devour the energy of men in order to survive. Because so few believe in the old tales anymore, and with so many evil men no one will miss, the modern city of Seoul is the perfect place to hide and hunt.
But after feeding one full moon, Miyoung crosses paths with Jihoon, a human boy, being attacked by a goblin deep in the forest. Against her better judgment, she violates the rules of survival to rescue the boy, losing her fox bead–her gumiho soul–in the process.
Jihoon knows Miyoung is more than just a beautiful girl–he saw her nine tails the night she saved his life. His grandmother used to tell him stories of the gumiho, of their power and the danger they pose to humans. He’s drawn to her anyway.
With murderous forces lurking in the background, Miyoung and Jihoon develop a tenuous friendship that blossoms into something more. But when a young shaman tries to reunite Miyoung with her bead, the consequences are disastrous . . . forcing Miyoung to choose between her immortal life and Jihoon’s.
So when I moved, I didn’t bring the finished copy of this book with me, I decided to bring the ARC. So yes, technically this is an ARC review – don’t come for me! lol
So off the bat, from page one, I was invested in this story. I don’t know much about the gumiho legends, so reading this book was so much fun for me! I loved learning about the legend and how these gumiho survive in today’s society, especially since people are so crowded together now.
Miyoung’s character is complex and realistic. She’s not overly friendly and good, but she’s not evil – she’s pretty human in that respect. While she’s cold to most people as a way to protect herself, she warms up around Jihoon enough for a friendship to blossom. And they’re friendship is really cute!
I loved Jihoon’s character a lot. Reading from his POVs made me so happy, except when he’s going through some not so fun stuff, because he has such a positively infectious attitude! Every time he’s positive, or nice, or optimistic, I found myself emulating that. It was so refreshing – especially compared to Miyoung’s cold, calculating demeanor. Usually we see the guys as reserved and cold and the girls are peppy and sweet, but this flip was great! It was way more realistic and showed that girls don’t have to be peppy or sweepingly optimistic to be good people.
I think my favorite thing about this book, besides the legends its based off of, are the characters. I found myself connecting with them easily and getting a good feel of their personalities and emotions. It was refreshing. Not to say that the plot isn’t great, because it is! This book was so well thought out I couldn’t stop myself from reading what happens next. In fact, most of the book I read in one sitting because I had to know what was going to happen next.
I’m so glad I have Vicious Spirits already!
This book is really, really good and I think fantasy lovers will adore this book! Especially people who enjoyed The Mortal Instruments. You have the fantasy world mixed with the real world and all the mess that comes with it!
I love it so much, it’s a 
// 5 stars for me!
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If this book sounds interesting, check out A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow.
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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 have a very optimistic TBR for August. Three of these books I need to read in order to read the sequels, which either come out in September. The other eight books are books that come out in August/September that I need to read. And these aren’t even all of the September releases. I left three end of September releases for later and I’ll just have to read and get through at the beginning of next month.
I don’t know if I’ve had a TBR of more than nine books before, so this should be interesting. The last three can always be read beginning of September if it comes down to that, but I want to try and get these read as soon as possible.
I ended up with a longer TBR for August due to one thing – the Penguin Teen Influencer program. I signed up and got in (yay!) but when I requested the books I wanted, I didn’t think I would get ALL of them. I requested three books for each month, August, September, and October. And in one afternoon received six of those nine books in my inbox. It was awesome yet terrifying.
See, I’m used to requesting more than normal because I’m usually declined for like 80-90% of them, so I didn’t expect to have six additional books fall into my lap. Plus I received Legendborn from the publisher and won Traitor in a giveaway. Ha ha, I’m freaking out.
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If you liked this post, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
I am so happy I read this book when I did. I was reading some not so great books recently and now my luck has turned around, this one included! I’ve heard such great things about this story and it did not disappoint for me.
Today, I will be reviewing The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller.
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power:
1) Woo the Shadow King.
2) Marry him.
3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.
No one knows the extent of the freshly crowned Shadow King’s power. Some say he can command the shadows that swirl around him to do his bidding. Others say they speak to him, whispering the thoughts of his enemies. Regardless, Alessandra knows what she deserves, and she’s going to do everything within her power to get it.
But Alessandra’s not the only one trying to kill the king. As attempts on his life are made, she finds herself trying to keep him alive long enough for him to make her his queen—all while struggling not to lose her heart. After all, who better for a Shadow King than a cunning, villainous queen?
Wow okay where to start with this one? I guess let’s start with characters.
A+
I loved Alessandra as a character. She’s tough, but not cruel. She owns her body and her sexuality, but doesn’t shame other girls for having different opinions (ie. while she may be sexually active, she does not shame other girls for waiting until marriage). She’s pretty funny and she gets stuff done! She’s pretty impressive. Then Kallias. Ugh – King Kallias is too much for me sometimes. Not because he’s ignoring Alessandra or being rude – which he definitely is – but because he’s so tortured and he just needs a hug. But, you can’t touch him, so air hug? Then we have Alessandra’s friends who are all so funny. It’s a perfect set up.
So plot wise, I couldn’t find any faults that I thought needed to be changed or were bad. In fact, I really like how the plot went and the ending is spectacular. I gasped, I was happy, I was sad, shocked, disturbed, and in the end, satisfied. This story had so many ups and downs between Alessandra and Kallias and even between other characters! So much is going on.
I was cheering on Alessandra the whole time, even when her goals changed because she’s a fun character. I liked seeing how cunning and smart she was and the fact that Kallias appreciated that! They’re one of my favorite couples now.
SPOILER ALERT!!! I will be discussing spoilers below. I will mark once the spoiler talk has ended!
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Okay so first off I have a question, because I realize this may not have been answered in the book. During Kallias’ assassination attempt at the ball, the little girl tells Alessandra that it was the man who made a toast and the woman in black who told her to come. And that the woman in black was now wearing green tonight. Lady Zervas matched the description but she claims it wasn’t her – do we know who this woman was? Is it confirmed or denied that it was Lady Zervas? And if it wasn’t – who was it?
I don’t know if we ever got that answer and I’m kinda of sad. I wanna know who it was. I was hoping that it was one of Alessandra’s friends, like Hestia or Rhoda who were actually in on the whole thing. But that didn’t end up happening.
I think that’s my only complaint plot wise – we never confirm or deny who this woman is and why she’s important.
One other thing I do want to mention too was I wasn’t a fan of how Kallias reacted to Alessandra’s murder charge. He doesn’t worry that she will try to murder him? He pardons her immediately? I just don’t understand his reasoning besides wanting to keep the engagement and letting it slide?
I was kind of hoping for some dramatic thing where he gets upset and locks her up or throws her out. Or even her Father and her sister get her and take her home. But that didn’t happen and I wish it did. I feel like that would have been pretty intense too.
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Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I love the characters, the story, and certain scenes just made me fall in love with Kallias. I also really wanted to give him a hug, poor thing. All in all, this is a great fantasy standalone that I’ll probably be recommending for a while, so I think it’s obvious this is a // 5 stars for me!
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If this book sounds interesting, check out Tricia’s other series, Daughter of the Pirate King!
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If you liked this review, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
HOLY COW WHY HAS NO ONE SHOVED THIS BOOK IN MY HANDS BEFORE NOW!?
I won an ARC of Empire of Gold, which is book three of the Daevabad trilogy so obviously I have to read the other books. I have been wanting to read City of Brass for so long and just never got around to it and DANGIT I hate myself for waiting so long!!
So here is my review of The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty.
Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:
Nahri has never believed in magic. Certainly, she has power; on the streets of 18th century Cairo, she’s a con woman of unsurpassed talent. But she knows better than anyone that the trade she uses to get by—palm readings, zars, healings—are all tricks, sleights of hand, learned skills; a means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles.
But when Nahri accidentally summons an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior to her side during one of her cons, she’s forced to accept that the magical world she thought only existed in childhood stories is real. For the warrior tells her a new tale: across hot, windswept sands teeming with creatures of fire, and rivers where the mythical marid sleep; past ruins of once-magnificent human metropolises, and mountains where the circling hawks are not what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass, a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound.
In that city, behind gilded brass walls laced with enchantments, behind the six gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments are simmering. And when Nahri decides to enter this world, she learns that true power is fierce and brutal. That magic cannot shield her from the dangerous web of court politics. That even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences.
After all, there is a reason they say be careful what you wish for…
First off, I love historical fiction fantasies. I love seeing how fantasy can fit into our past and shape the way we see history. We set our story in Cairo in the 1700’s and off the bat I was ready to go. I knew this was going to be insane and I was right!
The plot was so good. Like I’m speechless with how good the plot is and again, no one said anything? No one bothered to hit me on the head with the book and say, “read it!”?! I’m a bit disappointed. We have magic upon magic, a city filled with Daeva’s and djinn, a poor girl mixed in the middle of a mess she knows nothing about. And don’t forget the protective warrior with her.
The characters were perfection. Nahri is the kind of girl who can take care of herself until she’s thrown into this new world and has to rely on her warrior hero Dara to take care of her. Ali is like a german shepherd: tough, follows the rules, and yet is still a big softy underneath. And Dara? Well, he’s a psycho warrior, kind of like a pitbull, where he’s sweet unless you mess with him. Then he’ll mess you up. And there’s so many other fantastic characters in this story with completely different personalities. It’s great.
I found myself getting heavily invested into this story. The world building was intricate but not overwhelming and the writing made the magic come to life. By the time I finished this book I wanted to start Kingdom of Copper immediately, but I can’t and it’s killing me.
City of Brass has become one of those fantasies that I can’t stop thinking about and at this point, I’m becoming obsessive. Soon I’m gonna be hunting down fan art and bookish items for this series and all my money is gonna fly away. We’re entering the level of Throne of Glass obsession right here, so be warned.
I’m going to dive into some spoilers, so if you don’t want to be spoiled, skip down to the end!
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Okay so the ending. WHY!? First off, love the whole scene with Ali under the lake. Hearing the marid talk to him as he’s being eaten alive by this magical lake was intense and it didn’t help with the battle going on overhead. The battle on the ship was heartbreaking, especially Muntadir crying over Jamshid. And then when Ali literally rose from the dead to “kill” Dara – I WAS SCREAMING.
One thing I noticed and want to discuss is the relationship between Muntadhir and Jamshid. First off, they’re totally together and in love and I feel like Muntadhir is hiding his relationship because he knows he has to marry and have children. But then again, I’m not sure if this book discusses the Daeva’s feelings towards homosexuality and if it’s something they approve, disapprove, or are neutral on? I can’t remember. I just want everyone to be happy and if that means shipping Muntadhir and Jamshid, I’m all for it.
But as of right now, we have Muntadhir and Nahri betrothed and I’m so upset!! I don’t know what exactly happened to Dara yet and I really just want him to come back. Everything is just going to shit with them right now and it makes me so sad. I want Dara and Nahri to be able to be together even though I have a feeling that is not going to happen, at least not easily.
Plus now Ali has been banished!? What the heck!? I’m getting really invested into this world and it’s taking over all my thoughts now! I just want to know what happens next!!
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Overall, I loved this story. It mixes all my favorite genres into this one epic book that I can’t stop thinking about. I’m still recovering form the ending and I’m desperate to know what’s next. This is a strong // 5 stars for me!
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If this book sounds interesting to you, check out The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang!
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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 decided to do another tag today because why not? I don’t want to clutter my feed too much with reviews so we’re doing the Stuck at Home Book Tag! I might be a bit late with this one, but whatever. We’re all just trying to have fun.
The Rules
No one nominated me for this tag but I will nominate Alexa @ Writing the Universe to do this tag!
What haven’t I been meaning to read for forever? My TBR is so long I could probably just talk about those and never end. But honestly, I would have to say Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare. I got preoccupied with other books when it came out and just never got around to reading it. I know once I do though I’m not going to be able to put it back down, so maybe I’ll hold off until the next book in the series is out . . .
Nevernight by Jay Kristoff. I want to read this book so bad but I don’t know how I’m going to feel once I start. I’ve heard mixed reviews and have been told this is a series you have to reread because the footnotes are really distracting at first. I’m also worried if I don’t like it what will happen. Some people are very possessive over this series and I’m not trying to get virtually assaulted for not liking this book! (just kidding)
Honestly, 2 is on there because I kept pushing off reading this book and it’s releasing in August, so I really need to read it! And 3 is because I’ve been dying to read this book and kept pushing it off due to other books releasing sooner. I will get to all of these books soon, especially Ignite the Sun because I am not holding off on that book anymore.
I have a lot of recommendations, but I’ll stick with fantasy, thriller and prose for now.
For fantasy, The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller. It’s just over 300 pages and it’s a standalone, so you get a quick read that is SO GOOD! I feel like this is going to become on of my go to recommendations now.
For thriller, We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. This book doesn’t even hit 250 pages and it is a rollercoaster ride of emotions. There’s not much I can say about this besides – it’s really good, you should definitely read it!
For prose, Blood Moon by Lucy Cuthew. It’s a contemporary novel written in prose that I read in one sitting. If you don’t know what prose is, it’s similar to poetry but with more of a storytelling aspect to it. So instead of the whole Roses are Red rhyming scheme, it’s more like Shakespeare. And this book is so good! I really like the set up of the book and how it flows. And, it has a really important story for young women.
Again, it’s so hard to recommend just one, so I’ll do a fantasy, contemporary, and maybe throw in a thriller!
For fantasy, I have to go with The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. It’s a standalone fantasy novel that is 858 pages long. Some people have said they’re intimated by the book, and I was too at first, but it’s actually not that bad! There’s dragons, war, sapphic romance, and lots of crazy magic in this world.
For contemporary, I would say The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. I’ve noticed most contemporaries aren’t longer then 400 pages, but THUG is almost 450 pages. It’s the longest contemporary I’ve read at least and it has an important message.
Finally, for thriller, I would recommend The Diviners by Libba Bray. This one is a mixed genre book because its a fantasy thriller, but the main plot point is the murders, so I’m going with this one! This is the first book in a series and has 578 pages filled with magic, mayhem, and murder. It’s so good.
I’m starting Ignite the Sun once I finish the current book I’m reading and then I’ll probably read Kingdom of Copper as well. I also really want to read Steel Tide by Natalie C. Parker because I have the Stormbreak sitting on my kindle and I really want to read that before release. So that’s another TBR book I need to read.
If you decide to do this tag, feel free to tag me so I can see your responses!
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My reading has lagged since starting a blog tour company so I’m doing something a little different today. Here’s what I’m currently reading and watching!
Right now I’m currently reading –
I’m about 50% through The City of Brass right now and since I finished A Wicked Magic and Splinters of Scarlet, I’m going to start two new books. Ignite the Sun is another NetGalley read I need to get off my list and The Shadows Between Us is a fun, short read I’ve been wanting to get through for a while.
My boyfriend and I are currently on season 3 of Legend of Korra. This is a rewatch for me, but it’s his first time watching the show. So far he really likes it and I’m just happy to have someone who understands my obsession with this show!
I’ve been on a nostalgia kick recently so I’ve been rewatching old shows I loved as a kid/teen. Currently, I’m on season 1 of Zoey101 and on season 4 of Hannah Montana. It feels so weird to rewatch these shows and have the memories of their premiere or sitting down in my parent’s home to watch with my little sisters. Makes me miss my childhood a little bit.
I’m debating if I want to start watching Cursed. I’ve been hearing some controversial things about the book and the show. Part of me wants to watch to know why, the other part wants to avoid it at all costs. If anyone has started watching the show or read the book, let me know if I should give this a try or not.
I had some serious nostalgia hit me today as I was looking through old books I had read back in middle school. It’s been so long since I had read some of these, so I wanted to create a tag that would make everyone feel nostalgic. So – here is the Nostalgia Book Tag!
I had to read a lot in elementary school for school, so technically this isn’t the first book I’ve ever read, but it’s the first one I picked out to read outside of school. The first series I ever read on my own was The Percy Jackson series. My fifth grade teacher read The Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan to us and I was hooked. I read the first book on my own that summer and read every book that came after it and I was hooked. I’ve had a book in my hand ever since.
I read a lot in middle school, so there was a lot of books I deemed my favorite. The three series I remember adoring in middle school was The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead, and Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. I could not get enough of those books and would reread them all the time.
There’s several books that I’ve read that none of my friends, or anyone I talk to, know about so I’ll list them:
Shadowland by Meg Cabot
Cirque du Freak series by Darren Shan
Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber
The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod by Heather Brewer
These are the few I could think of off the top of my head, but I loved these series in middle school and I really want to reread them now!
Worst book I’ve read, that wasn’t for school, would probably have to be the first book I ever DNFed (did not finished), which was The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I read 5 chapters in middle school and hated it. Tried reading it again in high school and just couldn’t do it. It was just so bad I couldn’t get through it.
I loved so many authors but I’d have to say that I loved Meg Cabot a lot when I was younger. I could pick up any of her books and instantly fall in love, no matter the genre.
I don’t know that I necessarily hated anyone, but I definitely was very mad at Stephanie Meyer and Cassandra Clare as I read their books!
I was hesitant to read Harry Potter when I was younger. Back in elementary school a lot of my friends had read them and loved them, but I wasn’t a stronger reader then and the books were very big. I didn’t want to embarrass myself trying to read them, so I said I never would. I refused to read them for a while, and then in 7th grade, I cracked. Finally read them and got on the HP bandwagon until JK went full bigot and I quickly hoped off.
Twilight. Need I say more?
Every year my family would go to Florida for Thanksgiving to see my grandmother and we would go to the local bookstore and get new books for me to read. I would spend the whole vacation reading by the pool, at my grandma’s house, in the hotel – anywhere and everywhere. In the week we would be there I could get through a book a day with how much I read. I kind of miss it.
The Lightening Thief kickstarted my love for reading and The Mortal Instruments helped propel it forward. Those two books will forever be books that I can go back to and love again and again.
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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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I feel myself slowing down this month. I can’t seem to finish books as quickly as I usually would and I’m stressed. Especially since I have to read two books by next week for a blog tour. After that though, I can read what I want – so hopefully once the stress is gone I can read what I feel like and get back into the swing of things . . . hopefully.
Reviews for these should be up or coming up soon, but I liked all of them so far! Especially Crave by Tracy Wolff and Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupeco. I’m on such a fantasy kick right now I can’t seem to branch off!
I’m about 25% into A Wicked Magic by Sasha Laurens and just starting The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty and Spinters of Scarlet by Emily Bain Murphy. I’m doing a tour for Splinters of Scarlet and was supposed to do a tour for A Wicked Magic, but that fell through. Nonetheless, I’m obviously still going to review A Wicked Magic on the day I said I would, which will be Monday! I hope to finish these two soon, so fingers crossed I can get my two review books done in time!
Some of these are a mix of review books, like Ignite the Sun by Hanna C. Howard, Hush by Dylan Farrow, and To Sleep In A Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini – while the others are just for fun! I’m trying to mix it up during the month so I get a good balance of requested/required reads and for fun reads each month. Not to say that I don’t want to read my review books (I wouldn’t have asked for them if I didn’t), I just like to add some other books that are more flexible. So if I end up not in the mood or mindset to read them, I can push them aside guilt free!
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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:
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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I’ve been feeling myself fall into a slump. I’m having a hard time reading books, writing posts, and doing anything other than sleep. It’s not good.
So when Alexa came through with some blog post ideas I was almost jumping for joy. We love supportive friends! I saw this post she had done on her blog and it looks like fun, so today we’re doing Bookish This or That!
I’m assuming this means physical books but it’s a weird way to put it. Personally, I’ve only listened to one audiobook on a road trip and didn’t even get past disk one. I have nothing against audiobooks, but they are expensive, so I’ve never really given them a fair chance. So, physical books.
Hardcover. All the way. It’s so satisfying opening it up and not seeing the spine crack. I find they’re easier to read than paperbacks and pulling off the sleeve to a clean cover, beautiful. Also I just find them more visually satisfying on my shelf than paperbacks.
Fiction. Hands down. I’ve never been a fan of reading non-fiction, though I love a good documentary or research film. Reading it is harder for me, I don’t find myself as engaged. And fiction is nice to learn or disengage from reality, you can go either way.
Neither. I liked Harry Potter and Twilight when I was younger, but both authors are trash, so I can safely say neither series.
Bookstore. When I find myself unsure if I want to get a book, I usually read the first chapter or two. It’s much harder to do that when ordering a book online. The only time I order online is if it’s an author I love or it’s after I’ve read the ARC and I want to support the author. Also, new book smell. It’s so satisfying!
I prefer series, but I won’t run away from a standalone. If I read a thriller, mystery, or contemporary I prefer standalone. Fantasy I’ll always prefer a trilogy.
Usually, I like long and heavy books but it’s good to switch things up and go for the sweet and short. It really depends on how much time I have and my mood.
Coffee!!! Hot chocolate is nice once in a while, but I could drink coffee every day, multiple times a day, and still love it. Hot chocolate will just give me a sugar rush and leave me more jittery than coffee. Also, coffee has a multitude of preparations, flavors, and stuff you can do with it. I’m a total coffee addict.
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This is a sad update because honestly, I haven’t written in weeks. I was on such a roll with writing and then *poof* my motivation disappeared and now I have a half finished manuscript sitting on my computer, judging me.
This will be a short update because there hasn’t been a lot going on. Honestly, I just need to finish the dang thing so I can start editing. I like editing more than drafting personally it seems (I say until I start the editing process) so if I can just cram out this book, then maybe it will actually turn into a publishable manuscript. Maybe.
So far, my manuscript is currently at 52,516 words (a 27,495 word increase) or 162 pages (up from 76 pages). I’m definitely nearing the climax of this book as we build up to the scene revealed in the prologue and I think because I’m nearing the end of this first draft, I don’t wanna write it. I would guess there’s about maybe 20,000 or so more words to finish this book and then with LOTS of editing, I can get it up to 80-90k. I don’t want my story to be too long, especially for a first draft/first book, but there’s so much that happens I can’t make it too short either.
UGHH THE STRUGGLES.
So yeah, I’m currently stuck in a cycle of “I can’t write, but I need to finish this book and it’s stressing me, but I can’t write because I’m stressed” – we love writing.
Hopefully I can get out of this rut, finish this book, and start editing! I want to have this manuscript finished and polished by the end of summer so I can start querying. We’ll see if that actually ever happens.
Wish me luck!
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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!
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.
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
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!
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.
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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I haven’t done a tag or post like this before, but since I’ve been getting really active on here, I thought I should introduce myself! This is the Behind the Book Blogger Tag which I saw on Reads and Thoughts blog. She wasn’t able to tag the original creator, so I’ll just tag her since that’s where I saw it from! I tag Writing the Universe to complete this next!
When I first started blogging, I wanted to have a platform to write my thoughts about books that was more unique and individualized than Goodreads. I love being able to express myself freely on my own site. Unlike Goodreads, which doesn’t give you a lot of creativity, blogging allows me to formulate my thoughts, make fun content, and explore things outside of reviewing books! Goodreads and retail sites are all reviews, but blogging lets me do other things, like this tag!
That’s difficult because I really only write stuff like I like to read and write. I hate writing just to get a post out. But if I had to pick one kind of post, it would be my TBR posts. It’s so fun getting to narrow down what books I want to read and figuring out what reviews I have to get done and what books I can read in my spare time. Also, it gives me a clear path of what I need to read within this month so I’m not just jumping around trying to figure out what to read next – which I also end up doing anyways.
Top three? 🙈 Uhhhh –
ARC Review + Author Interview: Shielded
ARC Review: Blood & Honey
Making Assumptions About Books I’ve Never Read
Besides reading, I love to sing 😍 It’s a lot of fun to sing songs that I find fun or challenging and hear myself improve. Plus, rocking out to songs is fun! I also love to cook and bake, so long as I’m not too tired.
Reading in a cozy chair 📚
Spending time with my friends, especially girls trips 💕
A good nap. I’m a simple girl. ☺️
I just recently hit 100 blog posts, which is awesome! 🎉 I’ve also gotten more authors and publishers reaching out to me to review their books which is wild. I never would have thought anyone would want me to read and review their work, so that makes me really excited.
I’m a very artsy person, so most of my hobbies revolve around books, music, theatre, and art – although I am a terrible artist so I more so appreciate art rather than partake in it. I also love organizing things, especially making lists or writing things in calendars.
Fun 🤪
Loud 🙈
Loving 💕
I hate loud, obnoxious chewing. People walking slowly on a crowded hallway/street or just SUDDENLY STOPPING IN FRONT OF YOU 😡When someone takes something of mine without asking, whether it’s food or a book, whatever. Just ask.
I am a classically trained flutist and I was going to go to school for Flute Performance before my band teacher destroyed my spirits and I second guessed myself 😭 I’m mad that I listened to him and didn’t go for my dreams, but I’m still happy where I ended up.
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May was an amazing reading month for me! I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to read that much ever again, especially since I’m moving!
My reading habits may be on a downward trend from there, but I’m hopeful that I can get through at least five books in June. Here are the eight books that I want to read this month, if all goes well. Two of these are NetGalley books that I need to get through. Two are ARCs I received in a trade that I want to read. And the rest are for fun!
It feels good to include some books that I want to read for fun rather than an “obligation” although, can you really call it that? It’s still so much fun! I added City of Brass on there because I won the third book so I need to get reading! I don’t currently own the second book so I’m not sure if I’m going to order a physical copy or get an e-copy yet. Either way, I’m finally reading this series.
I’m so nervous to move! By the time this post goes up I’ll be moving TOMORROW!!! One thing I am most worried about is losing my reading/posting motivation, so if anyone has any recommendations for that, I would greatly appreciate them!
I’m also worried that my writing habits will decrease too. I haven’t written a word in the past week and with the stress of moving, it may be a whole month before I can even sit down and write again. But I’ll try to write as much as possible before moving day.
What are some books you’re looking forward to reading in June? Any June releases you’re especially excited for?
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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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March was crazy and April is following closely behind for me. This month I have focused on the books currently sitting in my NetGalley queue and other giveaway books I’ve won. I’ve also allowed my self to read some TBR books this month to keep it fresh and motivate me, as well as some buddy reading! Here is my mid month update on what I’ve read, what I’m reading, and what I plan to read for April!
What I’ve read:
What I’m reading:
What I plan to read:
I’m currently buddy reading The Kingdom of Back and Goddess in the Machine with some friends, which is why it’s taking so long for me to read them. If you follow me on Goodreads, then you’d see I’m reading about 50 pages a day for each of them. I am also almost done with Where Dreams Descend and plan to start The Vanishing Deep next!
I’m hopeful that I can read the rest of these books by the end of the month, but it might change depending on how I’m feeling. Most likely, one or two of these will need to be pushed into May but again, I’m hopeful that I can get through them all. Now one of these books is HUGE (cough cough, SJM, cough cough)! I’m excited to dive into two of my favorite authors, especially since most of my friends have read their books already and are waiting on me to finish. I love Astrid’s debut novel Four Dead Queens and I’ve been hearing great things about The Vanishing Deep!
As I set up my May TBR, what are some titles you’re looking to read? I have a few ARCs, some new releases, and old TBR books I’m hoping to get through. I also want to push myself to read more books this month and next month so I can get ahead for my reading goal.
Don’t forget, I am currently co-hosting a giveaway with Writing the Universe! You can enter through the Rafflecopter we have set up (entries will only count if you enter through there!). I will link the post to our giveaway – please feel free to check it out and enter!
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If you liked this post, please like this post, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
***Just a reminder: If you want to be entered to win one of the 4 bags or if you’re an international reader, you NEED to enter and do the task via the Rafflecopter. If you do the tasks and don’t track them in the Rafflecopter, you won’t be counted as a possible winner.
So I’m a bit peeved at COVID-19 because, well, everything. I had planned to go to ApollyCon 2020 and was so upset when the event was cancelled. This would have been my first time going to this event and I was so excited to see some of my favorite authors and meet new authors, but alas, it was not meant to be. While I am in support of Jen’s decision to cancel the event and move it online, I’m still really sad I wasn’t able to experience it in full, but I loved the online experience. Getting to hear from different authors and the different giveaways they did were so much fun! While ApollyCon 2021 is not confirmed, I really hope it can put be on and I can experience the event for myself next year.
While ApollyCon may have been cancelled, the fun continues on! I am so excited to be able to co-host this HUGE ApollyCon giveaway with Alexa over at Writing the Universe. I met Alexa just after ApollyCon 2019 and we quickly became friends after meeting up for a trade. Her giveaway last year looked like so much fun that I had to participate this year.
For 2020 we are giving away FOUR ApollyCon prize bags. Each will contain a mixture of books, ARCs, ApollyCon swag, and book box swag. There will also be TWO international giveaway winners who will receive a choice of a Jen Armentrout book through Book Depository (if BD ships to them) or a kindle copy of her newest book From Blood and Ash!
I will post the Terms and Conditions of the giveaway below, but I wanted to post a sneak peak of some of the items you could win!
We will be randomly choosing the winners through Rafflecopter and I will provide a link in my post. Here are the terms and conditions for this giveaway:
This Giveaway is split between my blog Lady and Star and my friend Alexa’s blog, Writing the Universe. We each will post 2 of the 4 ApollyCon Bags. These bags are what were included with the purchase of a Titan ticket for the event, plus extra books and book box swag. These bags are packed completely full of books and bookish items. Each bag is a mix of genres, fandom, and items. Each bag is different but may share similar/same items.
4 winners will be chosen, but you do not get to choose your bag.
There is a list of 10 things you can do to enter this giveaway, 5 of them are mandatory, the other 5 are bonuses – giving you a possibility for 10 total entries.
These are mandatory:
Extra Entries:
All of these tasks are listed in the Rafflecopter, as well as all the terms and conditions listed below.
Here is the link to enter! RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5b9c1f832/?
This Giveaway is going to run from April 6, 2020 8 AM EST, to April 27, 2020 12:00 AM EST . Winners will be announced April 29, and notified via email with a Google Doc to fill out.
***Due to circumstances surrounding COVID -19 and various forms of Stay At Home Directives in place, we will notify you when we are able to ship. Of course, we will do our best to get them out as soon as possible after announcing the winners.
NO GIVEAWAY ACCOUNTS FOR EITHER KIND OF PRIZES.
NO FOLLOWING TO UNFOLLOW AFTER THE GIVEAWAY ENDS.
We will be checking, and you will be blocked from any future giveaways.
For the 4 Apollycon 2020 Bags
Bags contain a mix of Apollycon 2020 books and swag, plus a variety of ARCs and Book Box swag. Each bag is different, but there may be some similarities. The above photos contain what you may receive, but are not a guarantee of what will be included in your prize if you win.
– Must be US residents with a US mailing address
– Must be 18+ or have a parent’s permission
The four Apollycon bags will ship in a Medium Flat Rate USPS Box.
We wanted to include our international friends in this giveaway, while keeping it Apollycon related. Since Jen, the creator of Apollycon, surprise released a new book at the end of March, we wanted to give people a chance to acquire it.
For the 2 Books* – 2 Winners
*This is for International People ONLY, please do not enter if you are a US resident!
– Must be 18+ or have a parent’s permission
– If Book Depository ships to your country, you can chose any Jennifer L. Armentrout Book up to $15, OR get a Kindle version of her Newest Book FROM BLOOD AND ASH.
All the same rules apply, 10 possible entries, but only 5 are mandatory. If chosen as a winner, you will be notified via email with a Google Doc to fill out.
Alexa and I are so excited to be able to put on this giveaway for you and wish everyone the best of luck!
***If/when you head over to Alexa’s blog, you’re going to see a lot of the same information. Know that it doesn’t mean double, the Rafflecopter’s are the same, with all of the same tasks. It does not matter which link you click on, or who’s blog you access it from.
Thanks for entering! ❤
In times of quarantines, it can be hard to keep yourself entertained, even with all the extra free time. Sometimes especially because of all the free time. Thankfully I have a giant library full of books I haven’t read yet that I need to. Plus YouTube 🙂 With all this extra time, I have decided to tackle my TBR and read some books I’ve been meaning to read for a while now.
These are books that I’m currently reading and some books I plan to start ASAP.
I’m about 25% of the way through this book and not sure how I feel yet. It definitely has action to it, but for whatever reason it’s not keeping my attention well. This could be an issue with being stuck inside all day or just a reading slump, but I’m holding no judgements against this one. I only hope I can get absorbed quickly cause this is a thick book!
I am almost 50% of the way through this book and it’s dragging. This book has middle book syndrome painted all over it but my friend over at Writing the Universe has just finished it and LOVED it. (Link goes to her review) So, I’m going to keep going and get to the juicy bits at the end.
I am planning on starting this once I finish either one of the two books before it. I’ve seen great things about this book and can’t wait to find out what makes it so popular. I received this as an eARC from NetGalley, so I’m excited to review it!
And finally, this is next on my TBR list to read. I won it in a giveaway on Goodreads, and managed to snag a manuscript at YallFEST, so I have to read it soon! I love the cover and it sounds so good. Doesn’t seem like a long read either so I hope to dive in quickly!
What are you doing during social distancing/self quarantining? Are you catching up on your TBR, rewatching your favorite shows/movies, or learning a new skill? Let me know in the comments!
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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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OH SOMETHING MAGICAL HAPPENED TODAY! If you follow Sabaa Tahir or have read An Ember in the Ashes, then you know the final book is coming out at the end of the year and THE COVER HAD JUST BEEN REVEALED!!
The title we have all been waiting for has finally been revealed. AEITA #4 is officially called:
A Sky Beyond the Storm
YO I AM HYPED!! This book comes out in December 1st, 2020 – which also happens to be my birthday, so I am extra excited!
If anyone needs me I’m going to be rereading the first 3 books in preparation for the final and hopefully my heart won’t be too broken. But with Sanaa’s stories, we all know we’re going to be crushed.
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If you liked this post, please like it, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
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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If you liked this post, please like it, leave a comment, follow, share with your friends – anything is appreciated!
Last year SUCKED when it came to reading. The start of the year I was reading 15 books a month and then after that it DIED. Crashed and burned. Hit the iceberg and sank. I was lucky if I managed to read a book that month, must less two. I failed to hit my reading goal and missed it by a long shot.
This year, I want that to be different. I find myself having bad habits because I want to be able to have books for review or I feel like I have to read something because it’s releasing soon. This causes me to stress about it though and I find myself avoiding reading, but I don’t want to feel those pressures anymore and enjoy the reading process. Here are some of my reading New Years resolutions:
I hope this will help me reach my 50 book reading goal for this year and if all goes well – it will.
I will be victorious!!!
What are your 2020 reading goals?
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As a reviewer I am not big enough or lucky enough to go to every convention or receive physical ARCs, so I use NetGalley for my ARC review fix. If you haven’t heard of NetGalley before, it’s a site that allows you to request and download e-books. Some of them are released titles but a lot are unreleased titles, so if you are a newbie blogger or dipping your toe into review ARCs, this is a great place to start!
I’ve been using NetGalley since January 2018 and here are some of the books I’m currently pending on NetGalley for:
Links to each book listed down below.
I’m currently crossing my fingers that I can even get one of these to approve! I currently have to read and review Foul is Fair, Sensational, and Aurora Rising. It seems like Foul is Fair is going to be my next serious read and then we’ll go from there!
One thing I hate when I look through NetGalley, is all the rejections – especially since I’ve hit 25 declined books so far. Hopefully that number doesn’t rise anymore!
Do you use NetGalley and if so, what are your current reads from it?
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Wow, who can believe that 2019 is coming to an end and we are about to emerge into the 20’s!? I can’t.
2019 was the year of new beginnings for me:
This year was awesome and new, yet very hard. There were 3 unfortunate deaths in my family, people I loved were going through some rough transitions, but in the end, we have all ended the year on a strong foot and I’m excited for 2020 – if not also terrified.
To wrap up this year, let’s look back at all the amazing books I read and are set to finish by the end of the year:
My goal for 2019 was 100 books, but with working two jobs and other things getting in the way, that did not happen. I’ll be lucky to get to 50 at this point, but that’s okay, because most of these reads have been well worth it!
Here is my year in review:
Favorite Book:
This was one of my favorite reads of this year. There seems to be a dichotomy over this book, with some people not liking it, but I loved it. The story was new and interesting, the characters had a wonderful relationship, and the world sucked me right in. I could not put this story down!
Least Favorite Book:
This was unfortunate, but this was my least favorite read of the year. While I liked the plot of the story it was the main character that I couldn’t connect with. I had some issues with pacing as well, but overall I couldn’t connect with her story or her personality and that made it almost impossible to get through. This story is amazing and unique, and you should definitely give it a try, but just wasn’t for me.
Most Surprising Read:
I was so excited for this trilogy to end – until I actually read the ending. I was not impressed with the ending and felt like it could have been much better. My biggest thing was the personality change in Jude and the big dynamic change between two characters. Overall, I still enjoyed the ending but I didn’t love it.
Most Anticipated Read of 2020:
There are so many amazing books coming out in 2020 and I’ve had the pleasure to have already read some of them. One of the early 2020 books I’m super excited about is called Diamond City and it is AMAZING! It’s like Throne of Glass met Six of Crows and it is so good. If this book isn’t on your radar, it needs to be!
Overall, this year has been filled with amazing books, events, and people – not a bad year to end the decade with!
If you’re interested in ending the year off right, check out my end of the year giveaway! This is as a thank you for reading 100 blog followers and it includes a 2019 ARC, 2020 ARC, a finished copy, and a bunch of swag! You can click here to enter!
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On December 4th, 2019 I decided to check on my follower count and HOLY COW I HIT 100 FOLLOWERS! I’m so excited to have 100 people following my blog and not running away – thank you for not running away.
As a big THANK YOU to everyone, I am going to be running a mystery giveaway! The giveaway will include 2 ARCs, 1 finished copy, and some swag items from various subscription boxes that are a good, fun mix!
It is super easy to enter, simply repost this blog post to twitter and tag me in it (@SuchABadBASS), follow me on twitter @SuchABadBASS, make sure you’re following my blog, and leave a comment on one of my blog posts! Make sure to leave a comment on this post as well with your name and twitter handle so I can find our winner on January 1st, 2020. I will message the winner through Twitter, so be prepared to check your inboxes on New Years Day! Once the winner has answered and accepted, I will make an announcement through Twitter.
See, super easy to enter! This giveaway is available to US RESIDENTS ONLY and entries are open until December 31st, 2019 11:59PM EST.
And the ruley rules – anyone who unfollows my blog or Twitter before the giveaway ends is immediately disqualified. If you unfollow before or after the giveaway you will be banned from future giveaways on my blog. No spam or giveaway accounts allowed, and yes, I will be checking.
Just so everyone is aware, my home is smoke free, mold free, but pet friendly.
Thanks for entering and good luck!
We Write At Dawn 