ARCS – Page 10 – LairOfBooks

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Book Releases for the First Half of 2020

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This weeks topic was a walk in the park cause I’m sure a lot of us have already started compiling & organizing our Goodreads shelves with 2020 titles. This will be the first year my list includes multiple genres & that’s because YA hasn’t been my primary focus. I still consume a fair amount of YA Fantasy however in an effort to continue reading what brings me joy in the new year, this list will be a mixed bag 😉

P.S. I sure did throw in 2 additional titles cause I just couldn’t stick to 10 #noregrets

The Girl and the Stars (Book of the Ice #1) by Mark Lawrence

Releasing on 4/30/2020 is the next adult Fantasy series by the King himself Mark Lawrence! That cover is EVERYTHING! Mark Lawrence is one of my auto-buy authors. I don’t need to know much about the book & prefer to go in on good faith. I read just the one line on Goodreads that gave me all the chills & solidified its place on this list…

“In the ice, east of the Black Rock, there is a hole into which broken children are thrown.”

House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1) by Sarah J. Maas

Releasing on 3/3/2020 is Sara J. Maas 1st Adult Fantasy & for those of us who’ve read Maas YA Fantasy, the anticipation is pretty HIGH!

The story of half-Fae and half-human Bryce Quinlan as she seeks revenge in a contemporary fantasy world of magic, danger, and searing romance.

This one can go either way, Maas can either really kill it in Urban Fantasy or leave much to be desired. Either way, I will be picking up a copy to see for myself.

Wild at Heart (Wild #2) by K.A. Tucker

More Calla & Jonah?!? ummm YES PLEASE! 3/3/2020 is going to be one EPIC release day <3’s! The Simple Wild (my spoiler free review) was one of my TOP favorite reads in 2019. I’ve been a K.A. Tucker fan for the past 4 years & there hasn’t been anything she’s written I haven’t enjoyed. Take me back to Alaska & I will unplug myself from reality for these 400 pages 😉

You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria

I came from a generation where little girls watched telenovelas with grandma & it was perfectly normal haha! I myself have some really fond memories in fact of watching Spanish stories with G’ma & so seeing this cover stopped me dead in my tracks. “Perfect for fans of Jane the Virgin & The Kiss Quotient” this Own Voices Contemporary Romance is exactly what I would LOVE to see more of in the bookish world *fingers crossed* this book will hit shelves on 7/7/2020.

The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton

6/16/2020 We head over to Fictional Key West to follow the lives of three women in the aftermath of a powerful hurricane. Set in the 1930’s this is one historical fiction stemming from the Cuban Revolution I am eager to read. I have copies of Next Year in Havana & When We Left Cuba I still haven’t read but are at the VERY top of my TBR for 2020.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

“He is trying to poison me. You must come for me, Noemí. You have to save me.

After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She’s not sure what she will find — her cousin’s husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemí knows little about the region.”

Ok so everything about this author screams READ ME! & I’ve collected a couple of their books but I think I’ve allowed myself to be creeped out into thinking the writing might be too scary. Whelp! I simply can’t pass this one up with THAT cover! Set in Mexico, this MC doesn’t exactly scream rescuer material & yet I’m so down to see the type of amateur sleuthing sure to ensue in this Mexican countryside house. Still…this one does creep me out a smidge & I will be reading during the day.

The Gilded Ones (Deathless #1) by Namina Forna

“The start of a bold and immersive West African-inspired, feminist fantasy series for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and Black Panther. In this world, girls are outcasts by blood and warriors by choice.”

Releasing on 5/26/2020, The Gilded Ones looks absolutely promising! This one features a female army all of which have powers like our MC training to defeat the empires biggest threat but nothing & no one is as they seem. Super curious seeing as I’m a HUGE fan of both Children of Blood and Bone & Black Panther to which this new series has been compared.

The City We Became by N.K Jemisin

Five New Yorkers must come together in order to defend their city in the first book of a stunning new series by Hugo award-winning and NYT bestselling author N. K. Jemisin.

Every city has a soul. Some are as ancient as myths, and others are as new and destructive as children. New York City? She’s got five.

But every city also has a dark side. A roiling, ancient evil stirs beneath the earth, threatening to destroy the city and her five protectors unless they can come together and stop it once and for all.

This fellow New Yorker CANNOT wait for 3/26/2020! N.K. Jemisin is yet another author I am prioritizing this year.

All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace

Mermaids and Pirates! oh my! legit two of my very favorite fictional beings. I know a few close friends have already reviewed their copies (I’ll be reading mine this month) & are giving it HIGH praise. After getting a taste of a underwater kingdom in Holly Blacks The Folk of the Air trilogy, I was left wanting more. I’m hoping this is the start of a new expansive underwater YA Fantasy, either way 4/4/2020 we take to the treacherous waters!

Undercover Bromance (Bromance Book Club #2) by Lyssa Kay Adams

The Bromance Book Club was a 2019 favorite for me & now we get more as we follow Braden mack & Liv Papandreas. This time around the club is not reading a regency romance, instead they’ll be reading a romantic suspense novel that ties in with this couples story. STOKED! I was blessed by the Book Gods with an early copy before its 3/10/2020 release date.

INCENDIARY (Hollow crown #1) by Zoraida Cordova

Zoraida Cordova is quickly becoming a favorite auto-buy author, she won me over with her Brooklyn Burjas series & now this cover has blown me away! this one follows a female MC who has the power to steal memories which set the King upon her & her people. Now a rebel, our MC is helping others escape the Kingdom. When her love interest gets captured she has to maintain control of her need for vengeance while she infiltrates the Kingdom. I’m ready for 4/28/2020! *Heart Eyes*

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Elizabeth Acevedo stole my heart with her raw narratives! This is one I CANNOT wait to get my hands on, 5/14/2020 cannot come soon enough. This time we follow two teens girls brought together by grief. One lives in the Dominican Republic & the other in NYC when they find out their father has passed away (ooooF! this will be triggering for me but if anyone can handle this with sensitivity it’s Acevedo) & that they’re sisters! Dual narrative POV’s, I’m pretty sure I’ll also be getting the audiobook to accompany my physical copy cause if ya didn’t know, Elizabeth Acevedo narrates her own books & she’s AMAZING! *STOKED*

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November Monthly Wrap-Up & Book Haul

Hello Bookworms! a smidge late here…Ok very late here but tis’ the season amiright? haha! November was FULL of family happenings but I’m happy to report that I still managed to read on the go. These wrap-ups are where I share a bit of everything bookish & life related to give you all a glimpse at the gal behind this blog. This month was a bit eventful, the boyfriend & I met each others families…it was just a little nerve-racking but also VERY different and better than I could have ever expected. Both families were friendly & welcoming which of course made us breathe a HUGE sigh of relief!

In between attending family birthdays, baby showers, Thanksgiving & my first Sunday Football game there were some new fave reads. I also learned my lesson with library holds during the holiday season after having them ALL come through in one shot…not the way to go Lol! I was also left feeling unsure about one of my highly anticipated reads but here goes my wrap-up (my reviews linked down below)…

The Last True Poets of the Sea (4 STARS) A friendship story at its core, this one is set off the coast of Maine. There are definitely some triggers for suicide and drug/alcohol abuse as well as talk of panic attacks & anxiety to look out for. The MC can be seen as unlikeable but the bonds formed here make this one worth the read

The Bromance Book Club (4.5 STARS) The more I think about it, this can easily be a 5 star read cause I still think of the characters here & there. Also, I haven’t read anything like this or had this much fun reading PERIODT! haha! I enjoyed it enough to request the sequel coming out Spring 2020 & the Book Gods delivered with an ARC 🙂

The Wall of Winnipeg and Me (5 STARS) The one audiobook I listened to in November that had me gripped to the very end. I loved listening to this SUPER slow burn romance, nodding my head whenever the two MC’s had scenes together. Both have very different love languages but the chemistry is A+!

The Starless Sea Ok..SOoo I was REALLY looking forward to this one having LOVED The Night Circus so much. Also, my boyfriend knew how much I wanted this book & went out of his way to surprise me with a signed copy *eeeK* that being said, I’m still unsure where I stand with it. I opted out of giving it a rating or writing a review. This was such a strange whimsical read that I truly enjoyed & yet it left me hella confused. It may have gone over my head but ummm…no regrets here *shoulder shrug*

The Shadowglass (The Bone Witch #3) | Dirty Letters | A Girl Like Her: A Small Town Romance (Ravenswood #1) |Undercover Bromance (Bromance Book Club #2) (ARC)

This Netflix series about a Cuban American family has become my go-to for mood lifting & comfort. Set in Los Angeles we meet a Veteran single mother with PTSD, her two kids and mom as they manage day to day life. Bonus: Her mom is played by none other than RITA MORENO! *clutches pearls* an ICON to say the least. This show has flown under the radar yet it’s the MOST relatable. Not to mention it’s LGBTQIAP+ friendly & socially aware making it a top favorite of mine.

Wishing you all the happiest of holidays Luvs!

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Top Ten Tuesday: Changes In My Reading Life

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This weeks topic is all about changes in your reading life & when I saw this I legit stopped what I was doing and opened up a bullet point notes doc on my phone. I’ve had such an impactful transformative glow up year that it really didn’t come as a surprise to myself when my reading life changed drastically.

Quality over Quantity

I started the year off hopeful by setting my Goodreads Challenge to what I considered an attainable 50. The thing is I started racking up life experiences, traveling and just enjoying connections with others that finding time to read became a bit difficult. I quickly realized I was coming face to face with a reading slump If I didn’t throw #’s away & just focused on reading books I just knew I’d love. I started picking up books that were sitting on my shelves for way too long & discovering some favorites/5 star reads along the way (The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo) 🙌🏽 of course next year I’ll most likely read more than I read this year but for now I’m good with knowing it’s been a quality reading year 🖤

Reading from my shelves

I fully admit I had a problem with buying books and not reading them. Most of the time I was busy reading ARCS which is a privilege I’m absolutely grateful for. This year I chose not to request any arcs seeing as I attended BEA & that was more than enough for me this year. I had a strong urge to read from my shelves. Back list titles I’ve heard so many great things about (The Poet X) yet I wasn’t picking up. I have a whole bookcase of Book of the Month books that I had barely touched. Whelp! that changed & I’m now happily showing my shelves so much love.

AUdiobooks

These babies have legit saved my reading life! I needed something to keep me company while I hit the gym & learned how to cook. On days that I work from home I can easily start a 6-8 hour book in the AM & be done with it by the time I transition to my workouts/cooking. I listened to With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo in 1 day, I cried and laughed all the way through! Audiobooks are exactly what I need when I feel myself getting in a funk & need that Hail Mary 😎

Romance books

I’ve always LOVED romantic comedies (Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, Brown Sugar, You’ve Got Mail) and have NO idea why I waited so long to get into some romance reads. Both sweet & steamy reads helped me earlier this year when I wasn’t feeling my best. Now I read them & give my boyfriend a run down of said steamy read and enjoy seeing his cheeks turn all shades of red (The Bromance Book Club)🤗😂

Mood reading

Not sure why I always felt guilty whenever the mood struck to mood read but this whole year was a big ol’ mood! 😂 I couldn’t commit to a TBR & decided to just go with the flow. At any given moment I had a smutty read, psychological thriller, and fantasy going all at once 🤷🏻‍♀️ it really just depends on what side of the bed I wake up on haha! again, next year I will most definitely have a bit more structure while still leaving room for some mood reads 😉

Library books

The Libby app has become my dearest pocket pal, just because I’ve cut back on buying books it doesn’t mean I’ve stopped wanting them 😂 Instead of buying books with the intention of one day getting to them, I now use my library & it’s AMAZING! I LOVE getting email notifications letting me know my hold has come through smh, legit I have a book shimmy I do when I see them in my inbox. It helps that you have a deadline to read the book before they disappear cause these one right here needs a lil pressure from time to time 🙈

Daily reading goals

This is the season of the year I maximize my reading & so I’ve made some adjustments to my reading habits. Primarily, the main goal is that I actually read daily even if it’s a few pages. Making the most of my heavy commute and lunch breaks has really helped me in this area. I found myself earlier this year doing everything on my phone but reading. Shutting off my wi-fi & creating a reading playlist on Spotify has really helped me stick to reading on the train. Now it’s a goal to not end up at the last stop with only 5% left for me to finish the book…YES this has happened! Yes I totally ran to the bathroom & finished my book 😂

E-books

I finally gave up on this fierce grip I had on physical books. I LOVE growing my home library, I really do…however, I’m way quicker to pick up an ebook over a physical copy. I also happen to read ebooks way faster than physical. Not to say that it’s a race but often times I’ll lug a hardback to & from work for 2 weeks straight. Whereas with a ebook I’ll finish with a couple of day, sometimes even in one sitting. This is also true for eARCS vs. Physical arcs. My Kindle is my baby…I’m still a sucker for a pretty cover and sprayed edges though #jussayin

ASMR/Hip-hop instrumentals

I honestly never thought I’d get so hooked on ASMR Rooms on Youtube but those Harry Potter inspired rooms are EVERYTHING! 😍 I also really enjoy rain & fireplace rooms. ASMR really helps silence my thoughts & background enhancing my reading experience which in turn gets me finishing more books. The Instrumentals Hip Hop Playlist on Spotify is a whole Vibe! I get so much reading & blogging done while listening to Soul Of Mischief’s 93 ‘Til Infinity 😎

Finishing Series

This last one I have yet to implement but it’s on deck so I thought I’d include it here for accountability purposes. 2018 was the year of fantasy trilogies/series & I am very guilty of starting so many and not following up with their sequels. I have a list I’ve started of trilogies I’d like to either finish or continue with. At the very top of this list is Holy Sister (Book of the Ancestor #3) by Mark Lawrence and The Shadowglass (The Bone Witch #3) by Rin Chupeco and Dark Age (Red Rising Saga #5) by Pierce Brown.

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Spoiler Free Review: The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams

Title: The Bromance Book Club (The Bromance Book Club #1)

Author: Lyssa Kay Adams

Pub. Date: November 5th 2019

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 352 Pages

GOODREADS | BARNES & NOBLE | AMAZON

🖤ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review🖤

I’m typically the bookworm who can get enticed by a nice cover but this plot is what immediately got my attention. We get introduced to Gavin who is the Nashville Legends Second Basemen as he finds out his wife Thea has been faking her orgasms for the majority of their marriage. On the brink of divorce, Gavin is brought into a secret club comprised of Nashville’s top elite alpha males. The Bromance Book Club are a group of husbands, boyfriends, and fiancés who at one point or another have faced the possibility of divorce. They discovered a love for Regency Romance books because they offered up a old school way of courting their significant others that actually works. The guys in the club begin to coach Gavin on the ways to save his marriage but ultimately it requires getting down to the root of the matter. Both Gavin and Thea will have to figure out what truths they’ve been avoiding & decide whether a second chance is worth putting in the time and effort for.

Thea- Our female MC is a former art school student who fell in love with our male lead Gavin. She gave up her studies to become a full time supportive wife to a major baseball player & mom to two adorable twins. In the process, she lost herself and the passion she had for the things that bring her the most joy. Think of Ruby Rose shedding the leather jacket & bad gal look to instead don pastel sweaters and life planners. Every minute of her life now scheduled on a white board. We get to see her reclaims her lost self.

Gavin- Our male MC is a pretty big deal in baseball, he has just found out on the biggest night of his career that his wife has been faking her orgasms. He reacts poorly to this revelation which triggers their separation. Gavin won me over & this is one lead I’d use to start my book boyfriend Pinterest board 😂 I don’t think I’ve ever found someone so endearing on the page & I just wanted him to win his lady back. Gavin has a stutter, a part of him he had to grow comfortable with…something Thea embraced wholeheartedly. An amazing father to his twins & ultimately a husband who was willing to go the distance to save his marriage.

Liv- Reminded me so much of my own little sister! Liv is fiercely protective of Thea & the twins. She’s an amazing sister & aunt who quickly stepped up to the plate in offering Thea her support. Liv has Thea’s back & having had a rough childhood, they face their issues of abandonment together. Side note: Liv will be getting her own story line in the upcoming book Undercover Bromance (The Bromance Book Club #2) & this Gal is STOKED!!! 🤗

Twins- I had to include them if only to say they are the cutest little girls on the page! both their personalities so different & well fleshed out. We see the effect separation can have on children which was a bit triggering for me but very well depicted.

The Bromance Book Club- These guys SMH 😂😎😍 I LOVED being invited to their meetings! Del, Mack, Yan, Malcolm, and The Russian have all been where Gavin and Thea are. They all recognize toxic masculinity for what it is and through Regency Romance novels have managed to save their relationships. These meetings are hillarious but also how cool would it be if more men felt comfortable coming together to support one another on personal matters? Their Bro Code is one I can get behind 🙌🏽

Lyssa Kay Adams not only gave us a book about a Bromance Book Club, she also sprinkled a bit of Regency Romance throughout the book. Told from dual POV’s, we toggle between Gavin and Thea which really helps the reader paint a picture of what led up to their separation. My heart went out to both characters for very different reasons & never once felt either of them were self serving. They both wanted each other & their marriage to work but they had some baggage to unload. The more serious passages are broken up with well timed humor and passages from the actual romance book the club has chosen for Gavin to read & study. I laughed & at times also self reflected seeing as I’ve been in Thea’s position. I’ll admit there were times it felt a bit preachy with the commentary on toxic masculinity however, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book. The news of Liv (side character) getting her own story line in the upcoming book Undercover Bromance has me STOKED to continue with this new Romance series 🖤

Content Warnings: Divorce, mention of miscarriage, depiction of abandonment issues in children

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October Monthly Wrap Up & Book Haul

Pardon me while I bust out in a little dance cause I read 8 books in October!!!! I broke a record seeing as 2019 has been a bit of a slumpish year for me I’ll count this as a major break through *whoop whoop* I’ll admit I was a bit all over the place in my books this month because I simply was picking up whatever I was in the mood for at the time. I can also see this being the case for the rest of the year. Once January comes around I will be buckling down just a smidge because I have acquired some new arcs I’m really excited to get around to in the New Year. I may have a post in the works with those highly anticipated arcs I managed to get a hold of 😉

We can all use a lil Rosie Perez in our lives! *Queen* ❤

The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh ✨4 STARS✨ (my review) polarizing in the bookish community, this book isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea but it def was mine! ❤ more than anything, I’m STOKED at the hints of what’s to come.

Dear Girls by Ali Wong ✨5 STARS✨ (my review)

I listened to the audiobook & laughed my a** off at all hours of the day/night. Ali Wong won me over when I first saw her in Always be my Maybe but listening to Dear Girls led me down a rabbit hole. I watched Baby Cobra on Netflix as well and Hard Knock Wife which really rounded out the audiobook experience. These stand-up series are mentioned in Dear Girls and it was nice to go back & see those after. This book also got me wanting to start my own letters to my two tiny humans.

The Never Tilting World by Ron Chupeco ✨4 STARS✨ (my review)

A WILD RIDE!!!! I was not sure what I was expecting going in after reading & loving The Bone Witch series but this was unique and chaotic in the best way. I tried to gather my thoughts as best as possible in my review haha!

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo ✨5 STARS✨ (RTC)

I have ZERO excuses for not having a review up just yet but I promise it’s coming & it will be a RAVE review 🙂

Can’t Escape Love (Reluctant Royals #2.6) by Alyssa Cole ✨4 STARS✨ (RTC)

This novella is absolutely my MOST favorite addition to the Reluctant Royals series! Nerd love at it’s finest & most cutest! GAHHHH! I need more! I will save my thoughts for the mash-up review I have coming for this & the other novella in this series Once Ghosted, Twice Shy #2.5

American predator by Maureen Callahan ✨5 STARS✨

I did consider writing a review for this SUPER creepy read but opted not to. I rated this one a 5 stars simply because the amount & quality of research really jumps off the page here. This is a real life story told from the perspective of the killer who has been captured. He is absolutely remorseless & only confessing certain kills in order to ascertain the death penalty for himself cause he just can’t live with himself anymore.

Kingdom of Souls by Rena Baron ✨4 STARS✨ (my review)

I’m so happy there will be more books in this series/trilogy & even more excited to one day see it hit the big screen. This West African inspired Fantasy reads more like an Adult Fantasy as far as world building & complex character development. I’d love to see more YA Fantasy fleshed out in this way where the author fully trusts the reader to take in the world they’ve imagined on the page.

Paper Girls Volume 1 ✨3.5 STARS✨

This one was recommended to me because I love Stranger Things & all things Goonies. Paper Girls gives off the weird sci-fi vibes I love & for that reason alone I’ll be continuing with this graphic novels series. However, there are a lot of triggers for homophobic slurs, homophobia, violence, and alcohol abuse. Even though these issues align with the time period this takes place in, I’m seriously hoping this isn’t a theme in the volumes to follow.

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The Grace Year | The Bone Houses | The Water Dancer | Imaginary Friend

My October haul was a bit on the humble side seeing as I unhauled give or take 60 books. I wasn’t trying to spend much on books but I was focused on reading from my shelves. Two of these were my monthly Book Of The Month picks (my referral link) & the other two were highly recommended. November however is already turning out to be shelf luvin’ & I’m not complaining 🙂

Joker ✨5 STARS✨

This movie will forever be seared into my memory for its depiction of mental health & the real need for discussion and resources for those that are struggling. I wasn’t expecting for it to be as hard hitting as it was but it only deepened my appreciation for this portrayal. I feel Joaquin phoenix performed exceptionally & frankly left me in awe.

LEGACIES ✨4 STARS✨

The Originals spin-off is highly addictive & full of bad a** characters you can’t help but get invested in. Hope Mikaelson truly feels like a piece of Klaus was gifted to us & I cannot wait to see her growth in this series. We follow Hope in this school for supernatural beings that has a very X-Men vibe I love. It was almost a full 5 stars if it hadn’t been for the meh last episode haha! still though, as a whole this is one show worth checking out if you followed its predecessors & are looking for your paranormal fix 😉

October was such a great quality reading month that i’m hoping it continues into november. with all of the major new releases i think that’s a safe bet. i’m enjoying the cooler weather, bookstore dates, & coffee breaks with good company and books.I hope you’re all having a great start to this Autumn season <3’s!

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Spoiler Free Review: The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh

Title: The Beautiful

Author: Renée Ahdieh

Pub. Date: October 8th 2019

Genre: YA Paranormal/Historical Fiction

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Pages: 448 Pages

GOODREADS | BARNES & NOBLES | AMAZON

🖤ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review🖤

At its core The Beautiful is a Paranormal murder mystery with a steaming romance in the mix. Set inNew Orleans (FAVE CITY) 1872, our heroine Celine has been shipped off with 7 other girls to live in a convent. The intention is to have the girls meet eligible suitors to marry since they’ve had no luck thus far. Celine & her friend Pipa however are ahead of their times, feminists through & through who have trouble conforming. One encounter with a member of La Cour des Lions leads to Celine discovering night life in New Orleans. Captivating & enticing, she quickly falls down the rabbit hole that leads her to meeting the Lions leader, Sébastien Saint Germain. Coincidentally, the city begins to see young women being murdered. The victims are said to have been savagely drained of their blood. The person of interest is the young Sébastien Saint Germain which Celine finds herself being pulled towards. She begins to investigate the murders & quickly realizes she may be next on the killers agenda. Could the man she finds so alluring also be the one murdering innocent young women? Celine knows he’s the leader of a crime ring with a reputation in the under belly of New Orleans. This man is shrouded in mystery and darkness, well protected by his organized crime family he almost seems untouchable. Celine sets out to discover the truth all the while trying to stay alive.

Celine A bi-racial fashionista who studied under the best seamstress in Paris before being shipped off to New Orleans. Our MC who is a Feminist way ahead of her time & I LOVED reading her commentary whenever faced with expectations she had no plans on meeting. Celine is torn between living up to societal expectations vs. running free and living life to the fullest. She feels most at home amongst the members of La Cour des Lions. She’s also SUPER curious and intuitive.

Sébastien Saint Germain Fits the standard mold of ridiculously beautiful brooding MC (also bi-racial) who can’t be bothered. He has lost his entire family & has been taken in by his uncle who is a well known crime leader himself. Having had no children himself, Sébastien is his only heir and is expected to follow in his footsteps with the family business. Sébastien has no shortage of admirers, Celine just happens to be the one he can’t get out of his head.

Michael Grimaldi The police chief in charge of solving the murders and who has an age old feud with Sébastien. Michael is a bit rigid and a by the book type of man. When he finds himself falling for Celine, it puts him once again up against Sébastien. Of course, as is the case with most of the characters you come across in this world there’s more than meets the eye with Michael.

Pippa The closest thing to a friend for Celine, Pippa is the only one who can understand Celines dark & salacious humor. Pippa also is a feminist in her own way but she is more willing to conform to the norms. Pippa is what one would call a ride or die 🙂

Odette is by far my FAVE character in this world! Odette may very well be non-binary but I’m not 100% certain. This character also loves fashion and you can find them wearing a pant suit or ball gown. Odette is attracted to women and similar to Celine is just trying to live their life on their own terms & I couldn’t love them more for it! ❤

Arjun Desai (described as being from the Far East; a person of color) A member of La Cour des Lions, Arjun stands close to Sébastien as wise council. Arjun has studied law however due to the color of his skin during these times he was not permitted to practice law. Arjun is one character I would love to get more of in the sequel.

Without it being very clearly stated on the page, it is known The Beautiful is a story with paranormal creatures. It takes a subtle approach when introducing the different types of mythological beings we all know and love. I for one was very happy with the hints & descriptions the author leaves behind forming a picture of who & what inhabits this world. At the very end we’re left feeling that this will be an expansive world & I for one am READY for a paranormal series set in 1800’s New Orleans. I found myself effortlessly flipping the pages & getting invested in these characters one by one. This is one hell of an atmospheric read where New Orleans comes alive on the page. If you go in expecting less Fantasy & more Mystery/Paranormal Romance, then I think this will be one very satisfying read. The only reason I docked it 1 star is because if I’m being completely honest, it could’ve been cleaned up a tad bit & that would’ve helped with the inconsistent pacing. However, I truly enjoyed the chapter breaks where we get the POV of whatever thing or person is hunting & killing. This added all of the creepy vibes to this book & had me dying to know their true identity. I do believe this is laying down the groundwork for what I expect will be a world lush with Vampires, Lycans, Fae and possibly more. If you’re a lover of historical romance, mysteries, and the paranormal…The Beautiful will deliver with hints of more in the future.

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WWW Wednesday 10/30/2019

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On a World of Words and to participate all you have to do is answer the three W’s listed below. Once you’ve posted your WWW, drop a link to your post in Sam’s comments <3’s!

The questions:
1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

Two posts in one day? who am I?!? I’ve been on a reading frenzy this entire month and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down *fingers crossed* my review back log is keeping me up at night but that’s not what we’re here for today haha! I hope you’re all living your best reading lives & if you’re loving what you’re reading, please drop a reccomendation in the comments below. I don’t genre discriminate, all are welcome! ❤

The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh Currently I’m 200 pages into this YA Paranormal Romance (It’s being called Fantasy but I’m not getting that vibe) & really enjoying what I’ve read so far. I’ve seen many bookish buddies give this one mixed reviews & can totally understand why. This reads much slower & has a historical romance vibe to it. Personally I’m just a sucker for New Orleans which you are fully immersed in from the very first page. There is a subtle approach to the supernatural beings in this world, we aren’t directly told they are vampires however they fit the prototype we are familiar with. There’s also hints that It may not just be Vampires who share this world with humans & that has definitely piqued my interest. The MC is feminist AF & way ahead of her times which only has me admiring her on the page. More thoughts to come in my review later this week.

Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets and Advice for Living Your Best Life by Ali Wong Currently I’m 45% into this audio-book & have lost count of the times I burst out laughing while walking in public & in my cubicle. Ali Wong’s letters to her daughters are raw, hilarious, and no holds barred. We see life as a struggling comedian in NYC & L.A, her dating life before meeting her husband, and life as a mom/career woman on her rise to fame. Ali Wong keeps it real with her daughters in a way I feel I would with my own little girl (one day haha!) as cringy as it may get. Mini Review to come.

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo I listened to the audio-book, I’m a big fan of this author and her narrating voice is not to be missed. Having listened to With the fire on High as well as Pride by Ibi Zoboi (narrated by Acevedo) I just knew this was my preferred format. A short read, we get a Dominican MC who has been sexualized at a young age because of her rapidly developed body. She has a very religious mother & very little guidance on things she’s experiencing with her body as well as with boys/men. There’s a certain shame that hangs over her head that she is able to express through her poetry. This review is sitting in my drafts (almost finished) & will be posted this week but I will say that I 5 starred it & HIGHLY recommend!

The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco (Review linked) A stranger mash-up I have yet to read LOL! I really didn’t know what to expect going in other than this was being pitched as Frozen meets Mad Max. PRETTY ACCURATE! It honestly just solidified my feelings towards this author…BAD A**!!! I will read anything Rin Chupeco writes. I have a full review linked above & rated this one 4 stars 🙂

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Gideon the Ninth is the most fun you’ll ever have with a skeleton.

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…

The Bromance Book Club (The Bromance Book Club #1) by Lyssa Kay Adams

The first rule of book club:
You don’t talk about book club.

Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott’s marriage is in major league trouble. He’s recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always faked the Big O. When he loses his cool at the revelation, it’s the final straw on their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he’s let his pride and fear get the better of him.

Welcome to the Bromance Book Club…

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Spoiler Free Review: The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco

Title: The Never Tilting World (The Never Tilting World#1)

Author: Rin Chupeco

Pub. Date: October 15th 2019

Genre: YA Fantasy/LGBTQIAP+

Publisher: Harper Teen

Pages: 496

Format: eARC

GOODREADS | BARNES & NOBLE | AMAZON

🖤ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review🖤

I’ll admit when I first heard this book described as Frozen meets Mad Max I was very intrigued at how uniquely strange this came across. Whoever came up with this description hit the nail on the head! We have a world literally torn in half. Aranth is shrouded in darkness, frozen over & surrounded by a raging sea. While The Golden City sees only daylight under a scorching sun & is plagued by desert cannibals. At the center of the story are two sisters/Goddesses who are divided by a broken prophecy. Each one of them holds secrets & each one of them also have a daughter. It’s made known from the very beginning that these “daughters” are actually twins being kept apart. Odessa & Haidee are destined to meet, this is the story of their journey to their fated union. All they know is that there are higher powers at work pulling them towards one common direction, much else isn’t known. Both Haidee & Odessa set out on a quest to try and repair the damage that has been done sine “The Breaking” or splitting apart of their world. This was a WILD ride! & having read The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco I can also honestly say that this is a big departure from the style of world building we see in those books. There’s more chaos in this world & at times I wondered at just how odd this book really is…but it works!!! 🙌🏽 I often felt I was watching a movie play out in my head as we alternate between the two sides of the world. Although it’s a Fantasy, we see environmental ramifications that hit close to home in the real world. This blend of Fantasy with reality made for a surreal reading experience.

Content Warning: Death of a loved one, panic attacks (PTSD related), mention of sexual assault, violence, torture

Odessa daughter of Asteria & heir to the throne, Odessa is Lesbian & a lover of romance novels

Haidee daughter of Latona also expected to one day rule, however she truly has no interest. Haidee is a Mechanika with a soft spot for animals. Haidee is my new FAVE fictional character! 😍

Lan Bi-sexual, a healer & travel companion to Odessa. Lan & Odessa’s relationship is complicated to say the least 🤷🏻‍♀️ Lan also suffers from PTSD & is my second FAVE character. I felt a bit overprotective of Lan & at times felt the interactions with Odessa were very toxic.

Arjun A no-nonsense orphan with Fire gate abilities, he is disabled by way of a missing hand. Arjun falls for Haidee even though he set out to hate her for the sins of her mother.

Rin Chupeco has pretty much solidified her spot in my very top fave authors of all time. The change of pace in this new series had me blown away & also unable to pull myself away from this world. This series may not be everyones cup of tea because of how chaotic & high octane it truly is but I just can’t deny that the writing skills are top notch. Just when I would begin to feel as if I were going to start favoring one twin over the other, something would throw me back to uncertainty. You spend just enough time with each character so that you never tire & can quickly return to your faves if you wish. The only reason I docked it a star was because I felt I still did not have enough clarity on the secrets Asteria & Latona are keeping. This however did not hinder my enjoyment of this story & I hope we’ll get some questions answered in the follow-up. Rin Chupeco gave us Goddesses, demons, cannibals, sand dolphins, elemental magic, discussion of climate change & its effects, and a bit of romance in the background! 🔥 The Never Tilting World was a WILD RIDE! I’ll be on the look out for the sequel 🖤

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Spoiler Free Review: Kingdom Of Souls by Rena Barron

Title: Kingdom Of Souls (Kingdom Of Souls #1)

Author: Rena Barron

Pub. Date: September 19th 2019

Genre: YA Fantasy

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Pages: 496

Format: eARC

GOODREADS | BARNES & NOBLE | AMAZON

🖤ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review🖤

Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron is exactly the type of YA Fantasy I look forward to reading whenever I pick up a debut author. On the YA scale this definitely leans more towards darker & more mature, it will appeal to those who enjoy adult Fantasy. Inspired by the authors West African ancestors, the world in which Kingdom of Souls is set in is very expansive. The magic system & world building is detailed and complex, the characters are multi-faceted as are their deities. At the center of the story we have Arrah who is the daughter of a High Priestess & Witch Doctor. In this world you come into your magical abilities between the ages of 0-16. However, Arrah hasn’t seen not even a stirring of her magic and fears that this will make her an outcast.

“I’m sixteen, near grown by both kingdom & tribal standards. My time is running out. No daughter or son of any tribe has come into their gifts beyond my age. if it doesn’t happen this year, it won’t happen at all.”

The five tribes in this land were said to have been gifted their magic by Heka who is their God. We follow Arrah as she attends celebrations for those who are coming into their powers in hopes she too will blessed by Heka. Her entire family carries powerful magic within but it’s her mother Arti alone who cannot accept Arrah’s lack of magic. Their strained and toxic relationship plays out throughout this book in a way I’ve never seen written before. We see Arrah have a very different & nurturing relationship with her father who tries to get her to understand that magic is not the end all be all. In the midst of it all we learn of children that have gone missing and a Demon King who is rising. This all serves to give Arrah an intense sense of urgency. She sets out to find other more dangerous ways to obtain magic in order to defend & protect her people. This of course bears a steep price to pay, an unknown amount of years shed from your life in exchange for magic. Arrah is determined to do whatever it takes to stop children from going missing & the Demon King from from fully coming into power.

This year has seen many debut YA Fantasies hit the shelves with all sorts of original stories & diverse sets of characters. I LOVED that this world although fantastical, is West African inspired with a cast of all black main characters. I also have a very HIGH appreciation for authors who steer clear of info dumping & instead deliver complex world building in a way that says they trust their readers. I never got tired of the story or lost interest, the only thing I would’ve liked to have seen is an index of some sort to keep track of all the tribes in this world & the deities. I can easily see (or at least I hope) this being a ongoing series because of how rich the world building is. I also loved seeing how much support Arrah really had even when she thought she was alone. I did NOT see that last portion of the book coming! it left me reeling for days wondering where these characters will go from here. It did not surprise me one bit to hear Kingdom of Souls has been picked up by Warner Brothers studios (see here) & will be produced by Michael B. Jordan. I will definitely be picking up the next installment in this trilogy.

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Friday Reads & Thangs

Happy Friday Bookworms! I’m having one of those weird Fridays where I’d like to do it all lol…to be honest it has me feeling all over the place. This may just be the side effects from opting not to go to NYC Comic Con this year (NEVER missing out again), on this day I’d be running around the Javitz Center seeing familiar faces & beloved authors. Instead, this weekend I’m going to squeeze in some family/friends, park & physical fitness time. Also, two of my favorite Romance content creators Bree & Steph will be hosting their very first live show this Saturday night and I will certainly be tuning in! glass of wine, crackers & cheese already on deck *woot woot* ❤

Stephs Romance Book Talks

Bree over @ Bree Hill & Falling For Romance

American Predator by maureen callahan

Today is the first day of the #FridayFrighathon run by Meltotheany, ACourtOfCrownsandQuills, Chelsea Palmer, PinotandPages

I was STOKED to see one of my Book of the Month picks as a selection for this readathon! I’ve been making my way through my BOTM shelf & finally feeling a little less guilt. I’m currently listening to this one on Scribd while reading along to my physical copy, so far the narration is on point. Creepy but quite addictive, this is turning out to be a quick page turner.

Can’t escape love by alyssa cole

This is the 2nd Novella in the Reluctant Royals series centered around Reggie. We first meet Reggie in A Duke By Default as Portia’s twin sister. Reggie is hands down a fave character because of what she embodies…intellect, strength, independence, and fearlessness. She is a disabled black woman who runs an empire that all started with her beloved blog GirlsWithGlasses. With a lot on her plate,Reggie has developed a bit of insomnia and can think of only one solution. Gus is a guy who loves puzzles and at one point had live-stream videos where Reggie was his only viewer. His voice was very soothing for Reggie & was her go-to before bed. This story takes off once Reggie seeks him out with a proposition to have 10 hours of his voice recorded. I’m almost done with this one & it may just be a new fave!

The never tilting world by rin chupeco

“Frozen meets Mad Max in this epic teen fantasy duology bursting with star-crossed romance, immortal heroines, and elemental magic, perfect for fans of Furyborn.”

YES PLEASE! I’m a HUGE fan of Rin Chupeco since reading The Bone Witch Trilogy, I’d read anything they write confident that I will be hella satisfied. The Never Tilting World will hit the shelves on 10/15/2019.

legacies

I LOVED The Originals on the CW & after it ended back in 2018, I really felt the void. Luckily, we were gifted with a spin-off. I started watching this series on Netflix just yesterday & binge watched 7 whole episodes while on the go. This is a lot for me since I haven’t been watching much of anything this year. I’d best describe this as the X-Mansion from X-Men meets Hogwarts & I’m HOOKED! They even have their own version of Quid-ditch<3