Top Ten Tuesday: Books With My Favorite Color On the Cover (or In the Title)

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.

*Purple Rain Purple Rain* I LOVE every shade of Purple there is, some more than others but they all get my love! These are just a few of the books I’ve either read or own a copy of to be read very soon ☺

May 8th 2018: Books With My Favorite Color On the Cover (or In the Title)

💜 Toil & Trouble: 16 Tales Of Women & Witchcraft: “witchy heroines who are diverse in race, class, sexuality, religion, geography, and era” the blurb alone sold me on what I’m sure is one amazing collection

💜 Whisper Of The Tide (Song of the Current #2) by Sarah Tolcser: last year I was lucky to get an arc of Song Of The Current & it left me hella curious about the fate of the characters. I’m here for all the feminist fantasy & amazing parents navigating the high Seas 🙌🏼

💜 The Bone Witch (The Bone Witch #1) by Rin Chupeco: I’m pretty sure this book makes an appearance in all my memes/tags 😂 not only is it beautiful inside with lush writing, but the cover is one of my all time faves! Purple with flecks of gold & skull for the icing! 🙌🏼

💜 They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera aka the brother I never had: Online the book may appear more blue than anything but this baby is Indigo which means purple is all up in that mix 😂 Ugh! this book my 💔 so good!

💜 When The Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore: IMO nobody can do Magical Realism like McLemore, I mean the imagery is on point! The LGBTQIA+ representation is beautifully weaved in, I read this one in 1 sitting with a tear streaked face 😭

💜 Moonstruck Vol 1: Magic To Brew: This was a recent purchase while on a date with my hubby. We stopped by The Strand & Moonstruck legit stopped me right tin my tracks 😍 besides the fact that it’s a perfect blend of pastel purple & pink…we are getting LGBTQIA+ rep and plus sized rep on the cover and I legit jumped for joy while hubby just kinda looked around to see if anyone was filming me 😂

💜 Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan: BREATHTAKING! 😍 I think by now ya’ll know I welcome all LGBTQIA+ Fantasy and when I caught wind of this I decided to go out on a limb & request an ARC. The Book Gods blessed me & now I am basking in all the beauty of this purple gem, will be reading soon ☺

💜 Smoke In The Sun (Flame in the Mist #2) by Renée Ahdieh: Ok this du-ology has one of my all time fave ships in it & we are but a few weeks away now from returning to this world 🤗🤗🤗 & the cover is absolutely STUNNING! I can’t wait for my pre-order to get here!

💜 The Disasters by M.K. England: Pitched as “The Breakfast Club meets Guardians of the Galaxy” spoke straight to my soul! the dance I did when I got approved for this arc was a bit shameful but no regrets here 😂

💜 Mirage by Somaiya Daud: Currently buddy reading this one & LOVING it so much! I had no idea it was a sci-fi/fantasy, the only thing I knew was that it has Morrocan influences. I’m about 110 pages in & I find it hard to put down.

Happy Tuesday Bookworms! Hope you’re all having a wonderful week reading all the great books! My post is up way later than I would’ve liked but its been on of those days…the ones where you’re a professional juggler 😂

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PICTURE US IN THE LIGHT AESTHETIC & GIVEAWAY!

Hello Bookworms! today I bring you the book that I wasn’t able to put down this past week. When I wasn’t reading Picture Us in the Light, I was thinking about its characters and their life decisions. This book covers such a vast array of relevant topics many can relate to. We get a realistic view of the pressures of applying to colleges with a focus on standards set at home by many Chinese American families. Our MC’s parents immigrated from China under unfortunate circumstances with big dreams for their new and growing family. However, the secrets that they keep linger in the background haunting their every move. A marriage on the fringes, a son burdened with guilt, and the consequences of past actions all come together in this poignant yet powerful read.

In this book you’ll find…

🎨 Discussion on Visas & immigration, the fear that comes with being in the United States illegally. Families torn apart without a moments notice

🎨 Cultural exploration from many different POV’s, our MC Danny has a very different reality than that of each of his Chinese American friends

🎨 Friendships, study groups, and the pressures both in the home and in school to over achieve & get into the top colleges

🎨 Art & its healing abilities

🎨 Parents who play a integral role in the main plot of this story, we get to see their decisions made before having children, play out throughout the book

🎨 LGBTQIA+ Representation that doesn’t play center stage however is very much a part of our MC’s identity. Everyone in this book was also very supportive of Danny’s sexuality

🎨 Grieving & suicide

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:

www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line:

www.crisistextline.org

Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the USA, anytime, about any type of crisis

United We Dream

Unitedwedream.org

About the Book

Danny Cheng has always known his parents have secrets. But when he discovers a taped-up box in his father’s closet filled with old letters and a file on a powerful Silicon Valley family, he realizes there’s much more to his family’s past than he ever imagined.

Danny has been an artist for as long as he can remember and it seems his path is set, with a scholarship to RISD and his family’s blessing to pursue the career he’s always dreamed of. Still, contemplating a future without his best friend, Harry Wong, by his side makes Danny feel a panic he can barely put into words. Harry and Danny’s lives are deeply intertwined and as they approach the one-year anniversary of a tragedy that shook their friend group to its core, Danny can’t stop asking himself if Harry is truly in love with his girlfriend, Regina Chan.

When Danny digs deeper into his parents’ past, he uncovers a secret that disturbs the foundations of his family history and the carefully constructed facade his parents have maintained begins to crumble. With everything he loves in danger of being stripped away, Danny must face the ghosts of the past in order to build a future that belongs to him.

GOODREADS | AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

Reviews: Publisher’s Weekly | Kirkus | Booklist

Book Aesthetic

About The Author

Kelly Loy Gilbert believes deeply in the power of stories to illuminate a shared humanity and give voice to complex, broken people. She is the author of Conviction, a William C. Morris Award finalist, and lives in the SF Bay Area. She would be thrilled to hear from you on Twitter @KellyLoyGilbert or at http://www.KellyLoyGilbert.com

Twitter | Instagram | Website | Goodreads

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April Wrap-Up

Hello Bookworms & happy Friday!!! here in NYC we’ve decided to skip Spring & go straight to Summer and although when I’m outside I truly dislike it…when I’m inside, I get to blast that A.C. & no sleep is better than one right next to that powerful ice machine 😂 anyways, I pulled up Goodreads to see how many books I’d read in April & had to do a Britney…

I cannot remember the last time I read 8 BOOKS!!! *GASP* it was a great quality reading month, no complaints here (except for maybe Professed haha!) I was able to get ahead in my TBR 💜 I participated in 2 Buddy Reads and had so much fun talking to the Bookworms in our group chats. I also borrowed for the very first time from another blogger buddy who is simply an amazing human being! Thank you Sarah @TheYaBookTraveler I appreciate your kindness 💜 Out of the 8 books that I read, 4 were 5 star reads which means I had a lot of fun reading in April. I’m hoping for an equally as good May & so far I think I’m getting my wish thanks to Harper & some new arc approvals that came through. Now without further ado I present to you my April Wrap-Up…

Professed by Nicola Rendell ★★ STARS: Not what I expected but I read along since this was a book club pick for Julie & Chelsea’s Book Hangover Book Club. The characters just felt over the top & the “steamy scenes” were terrible 😞

Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas ★★★★ 4 STARS: This being the first book I p/u as a reintroduction to the NA genre (not that I’ve read all that very many 😂) was UNPUTDOWNABLE! 😳 I seriously couldn’t stop reading & now I’m on a Penelope Douglas binge

Ace Of Shades by Amanda Foody (Review) ★★★★ 4 STARS: Falls into the younger side of YA but still very enjoyable with its Sin City/Moulin Rouge vibes. Book 2 was just announced today, titled King of Fools for 2019 & I’m REALLY looking forward to It 💜💜💜

Sky In The Deep by Adrienne Young (Review) ★★★★ 4 STARS: Character driven, less focused on the bloody history of Vikings we’ve all come to know. This one is for those bookworms who love stories about family bonds and loyalty and choosing who your family is when you’ve lost it all.

My Plain Jane (The Lady Janies #2) by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows (RTC closer to publication date) ★★★★★ 5 STARS: I mean C’mon! I LOVED My Lady Jane to pieces when I first read it & waited ever so patiently for this sequel. When a bookworm friend offered to loan me her copy I was STUNNED & Happy & grateful! I devoured it & all I can say is THANK YOU My Lady Janies for the ode to my childhood faves The Ghostbusters 😂😂😂

Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson (RTC) ★★★★★ 5 STARS: a witchy read with a plus sized POC MC who’s a bit of a curmudgeon dishing out the sarcasm when she sees fit. Practicing witchcraft was never supposed to yield any real results until she needed it to & then…👀

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland (Review) ★★★★★ 5 STARS: This is perhaps my fave read of the month! a black MC who kicks a** & doesn’t back down whether it’s racist white men or the walking dead trying to make a snack out of her. This book has so much more going on underneath the surface, #Blacklivesmatter, Colorism, and racism are all weaved into this tale. I have a giveaway currently running until Sunday 5/6, open to international Bookworms as well 💜 Click on the link to take you to my review post to enter 💜

The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw (Review) ★★★★★ 5 STARS: Take me back to this little town & island PLEASE! so atmospheric & haunting, I cannot stop singing this books praises! Please pick this one up before the Netflix series airs, it’s a short read but sooooo good that it’s guaranteed to stick around even after you’ve read that last line 😉

Avengers: Infinity War

Date Day this month with the hubby was a ton of fun & led us to visit some of our favorite haunts. Starting off with breakfast at our fave diner by the theatre & a quick trip to The Strand where I picked up Leah On the Offbeat (Creekwood #2)by Becky Albertalli & the Graphic Novel Moonstruck: Magic To Brew. I spent a little too much time in the stacks & we ended up having to cab it to the other side of Manhattan to the theatre for a 1:30pm show. IMAX 3D…why do I always forget to wear contacts? instead I watch movies through 4 lenses 🤷🏻‍♀️😂

The movie was about 2.5 hours long & it just exceeded expectations! Thanos our villain is one complex character with depth to him, he wasn’t just trying to kill everything in sight for power or control. I found this villain really interesting but that ending still had me giving him major side eye 😂 It was awesome seeing some faves back on the screen & after watching Black Panther just last month, I was super stoked to return to Wakanda. This being part I of II, I expected to walk away with unresolved story line and I felt the ending sets up for the next movie rather nicely. The after credit scene led to a really cool development & now I spend my time on Screen Rant looking for any bread crumbs being released for the next set of Marvel movies. Overall I gave this movie 5 BUTTERFLIES!!!

I hope you’re all having a wonderful start of the month 💜 what was your favorite read in April? feel free to link those wrap-ups down below & I’ll make my way over to your corner of the interwebz 💜’s! Don’t forget to throw your 🎩 in the ring for a chance to win a copy of Dread nation (see here)! 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

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Top Ten Tuesday: Books I’d Slay a Lion to Get Early

I’ve had these 10 drafted for the past two weeks now cause they’re simply the books I’m MOST eagerly anticipating! I have a feeling I will be making some of these wishes come true but for now 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

May 1st 2018: Top Ten Books I’d Slay a Lion to Get Early

🦁 What If It’s Us by Adam Silvera– Self appointed #1 Adam Silvera fan, there really isn’t anything he writes that I won’t read! I go in knowing my heart will be torn to pieces but there really isn’t anyone I’d let break my ♥ like I let Adam 🤷🏻‍♀️ This being a collab with his bff Becky Albertalli makes it easily one of those books I have a feeling will be a 5 star read 🙌🏼

🦁 City Of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab– Three reasons for which I need this book…. One: being that it’s Victoria Schwab & I can’t stay away from her books…Two: this book is set in Scotland which is one of my FAVE book settings…Three: Ghost-hunters 👻 that is all I needed to know 💜

🦁 King Of Scars (Nikolai Duology #1) by Leigh Bardugo- Its been a minute since I read the Grisha trilogy but there’s one character that remains fresh in my memory. Nikolai in my opinion stole the show when he showed up & I knew there had to be more to his story. SUPER stoked to see the cover reveal today, EVERYTHING GOLD! I can’t wait to have a copy in hands since from what I’ve heard, there won’t be any arcs in circulation *sobs* haha!

🦁 On The Come Up by Angie Thomas- The Hate U Give had to be one of the most impactful, moving, and thought provoking books of 2017. Soon after I was buying copies for my closest friends & loved ones in hopes they’d see just how important Angie Thomas’ books are. Some have expressed concerns over the date of publication for On The Come Up being pushed back however, I think it’s a smart move. Production on The Hate U Give movie wasn’t without its hurdles & some distance between the projects is probably for the best. Nevertheless, I cannot wait to dive back into this wonderful authors writing.

🦁 Dark Age (Red Rising Saga #5) by Pierce Brown- Having recently read Iron Gold, finding out that book 5 would be out later this year was EPIC news! Can’t say too much about this one since it’s way deep into the series, but I will say that it feels great to be back in this world even when certain characters continue to royally mess things up.

🦁 The Winter Of The Witch (The Winternight Trilogy #3) by Katherine Arden- Katherine Arden is after my own heart with some of the most beautiful atmospheric writing I’ve ever come across on the page. The MC Vasya is one of my all time fave heroines who reminds me so much of Merida from Brave 💜 This is the conclusion to the Winternight Trilogy & although I’m not ready to say goodbye, I also really need to know what happens next!

🦁 Blanca & Roja by Anna Marie-McLemore- EVERYTHING McLemore writes is a MUST for this bookworm! magical realism at its best, it’s so hard to stay away from these books. I fell in love with this authors writing while reading When The Moon Was Ours & I can honestly say, I’ve never read anything that quite compares. All of McLemore’s books have LGBTQIA+ representation and POC main characters. I know I’ve said this for all the others but this is one I’m SOOOOO ready to get my hands on 🤗

🦁 Holy Sister (Book Of The Ancestor #3) by Mark Lawrence- Having just very recently read Grey Sister (Book Of The Ancestor #2) I can honestly say this is is my FAVORITE adult Fantasy! although seeing it end will be bitter-sweet, I have felt very much a part of Nona’s journey & can’t wait to see how her story comes to a close.

🦁 The ShadowGlass (The Bone Witch #3) by Rain Chupeco- eeeeK! I can’t even see the title of this book on the screen without flailing with happiness 🤗 this is perhaps the book I’d slay TWO lions for! 😂 It’s just SOOO good! Rin Chupeco’s writing is just a atmospheric as Katherine Ardens & just as beautiful. The main character Tea is one of my fave morally ambiguous MC’s & the ship in this book! *swooooooN*☺ oh & if you’re looking for a fantasy with a necromancer, this would be the book for you! 😉

🦁 Sea Witch by Sarah Henning- Hi! I’m Lilly & ever since I could remember, The Little Mermaid has been my favorite Disney movie of all time! haha! no seriously though, I obsessed over this movie. Did I ever think Ursula would get her own POV story? hell nah! evil sea Queens never get to tell their side of things. That being said, I read To Kill a Kingdom recently & LOVED the ish outta that dark gem! Sea Witch looks just as promising & I’m hoping it slayyyyyys my little ♥️!

Happy Tuesday Bookworms! Hope you’re all having a wonderful week reading all the great books! What are some of the titles you’d slay a lion to get a early copy of? feel free to drop those links to your Top Ten Tuesday 💜💜💜

Friendly reminder, I have a Giveaway for Dread Nation by Justina Ireland running from 4/30/18-5/4/18. This giveaway is open to International peeps as well (See Here) 💙💙💙

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Spoiler Free Review & Giveaway: Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

Title: Dread Nation (Dread Nation #1)

Author: Justina Ireland

Pub. Date: April 3rd, 2018

Genre: YA Historical Fiction/Paranormal

Publisher: Balzer + Bray/Harper

Pages: 455

Format: eGalley

*HUGE thanks to Balzer + Bray/Harper, Edelweiss and Justina Ireland for the early review copy in exchange for my honest opinion

Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville—derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever. In this new nation, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Reeducation Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead. But there are also opportunities—and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It’s a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations.

But that’s not a life Jane wants. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston’s School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn’t pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose. But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems.

Ever pick up a book & you just know it’s going to be a 5 star read?!?! that was the case with this magnificent a** kicking, no-holds-barred, social commentary, read between the lines EPICNESS of a a book! It is not a re-telling although it definitely does allude to it’s namesake. I read a interview on Bustle with Justina Ireland where she says the following of her inspiration…

“I wrote [Dread Nation] many moons ago, after I read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,” Justina Ireland tells Bustle. “Sure, you have well-to-do white women fighting, but it didn’t seem realistic. It would’ve been black women fighting in the streets.”

I happen to have really enjoyed Pride Prejudice and Zombies but I’d be lying if I didn’t say Dread Nation is now my FAVORITE spin on an all time favorite classic!

We meet Jane while at Miss Preston’s School Of Combat as she is training towards her graduation date. Upon completion, girls from this school are purchased to work for rich white women as their attendants. An Attendant is specially trained to kill Shamblers aka zombies. It is believed that black people have a stronger immune system to combat the bite of a zombie however, we do still see some who are turned after being bitten just not as many. Nothing about enrollment in this school is voluntary, the Native and Negro Reeducation Act is basically a round-up of black & Native children to do all the Shambler killing in defense of white people. Right from the start I knew Jane was going to be one of my all time favorite characters. We get to know Jane through her inner dialogue & the commentary she makes on the society they live in which mirrors our own current day in many ways. Jane is not someone who can easily be sold a dream, she’s very aware of the realities of her world and could care less about manners & etiquette. These are all things Jane knows are used as a method of control by white people in power. Nonetheless she continues her studies with some pushback here & there, in order to make her mother back in Kentucky happy. Jane is training in Baltimore & every chance she gets she writes her mother. The letters range in emotion & were meant to keep her mom updated on her training, these were a nice touch in between chapters & I found myself looking forward to the next correspondence.

The Mayor of Baltimore has led everyone to believe that the city has rid itself of the Shambler epidemic & its citizens are finally safe. Jane soon starts piecing together the pieces of the puzzle & realizes just how perilous the situation is in the cities on the East side of the United States. We see Philly, Baltimore, Maryland all affected but our story doesn’t just take place on the east coast. We see a shift to the West Coast & get a taste of frontier life but it’s also the setting for which the white people in this book see opportunity to digress to the times before slavery was abolished. This book at its core is about slavery & the different forms it may be disguised as but in the end it’s all the same. There were many lines in this book that I found myself having to re-read saying to myself….”where have I heard this before?” when the answer is all around me, it serves as a reminder of the world we live in. We have a long ways to go…

In Jane we have a strong black woman who tries to mind her mothers advice but will always follow her heart in standing up for what she believes in. She’s not for one second going to forget anyone who does her wrong, she had me rooting for her from page 1. Dread Nation also gave us one unlikely sidekick in Katherine, another girl training to be an attendant. Katherine is described as being “passing white” which was explored throughout the book. The guilt that comes along with being someone who is passing white as well as Colorism experienced by many. Jane herself battles internally with the thoughts she has on Katherine’s pretty features, often times reminding herself it’s not Katherine’s fault she was born that way. I honestly feel this gave Jane a more realistic feel, she isn’t perfect and she holds a ton of compassion inside not out for display. Katherine is the opposite of Jane in that she really does try to follow all of the rules and lives for proper manners & etiquette. I had so many laugh out loud moments seeing Katherine refuse to battle w/out her constricting corset. The friendship between Jane & Katherine is what I want to see in YA! they may have been frenemies at one point but they have each others back when differences are cast aside. We also see sexuality touched upon with Jane possibly being bi-sexual, not 100% sure since she didn’t identify as such but does express attraction to females & having kissed a girl. We also have a character who may be asexual & expresses no desire to be in a relationship or have romantic feelings towards anyone. The inclusion of characters on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum is very much appreciated by this bookworm! 💜

Reading Dread Nation had me on a serious rollercoaster ride of emotions and I really wasn’t expecting it to be this type of read. I had a couple of outright angry moments at the mentality the white people in this book carry. It really is no different from many in our real world. Many scenes led me to feel such profound sadness at the injustice of it all. Ultimately I cam away empowered by this read, I do believe we need more books like this one. More authors like Justina Ireland so that the uncomfortable truths of the world are laid bare & change is brought about. Make no mistake, this isn’t just a book about zombies. This book carries a message & will leave such an impact on you if you read it with an open mind and a willingness to take off those rose colored glasses.

It’s been a minute since I did a Giveaway on the blog but I was inspired after I finished Dread Nation & just want to get more bookworms reading & loving it as much as I did! well at least I hope y’all do 😆🤞🏼 I do hope to have more Giveaways coming your way soon so stay tuned for that 😉

1 Winner will receive a hardcover copy of Dread Nation by Justina Ireland!

Giveaway dates: 4/30/2018-5/4/2018
Since this giveaway will be open to my INTERNATIONAL bookish peeps as well, all you need is a valid mailing & email address that you are willing to share with me
Must be 18 years or older
Follow my blog of course (i’ll be checking loves)
Simply comment down below that you’d like to be entered & it shall be done

For Additional entries

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Spoiler Free Review: The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

Title: The Wicked Deep

Author: Shea Ernshaw

Pub. Date: March 6th, 2018

Genre: YA Fantasy/Paranormal

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Pages: 320

Format: Physical

Buddy Read: Melanie @Meltotheany, Amy @ACourtOfCrownsandQuills , Jules @JAIronside, Julie @PagesandPens, and Paloma

Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow…

Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town.

Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under.

Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into.

Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters.

But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself.

It’s been a couple of weeks since I read this dark gem of a book and I cannot stop thinking about it! I typically don’t pick up witchy reads til’ the Fall season but couldn’t resist picking this one up when I laid eyes on the STUNNING cover 😍 and I am SOOOO glad I did! easily one of my favorite reads this year so far, The Wicked Deep is 5 star worthy in my little bookworm 💜! This beautiful sad and atmospheric read truly sunk its teeth into me & wouldn’t let go into the wee hours of the morning. Very rarely do I get chills while reading a book but opening a single page in this one was like stepping foot onto Sparrow Oregon. I found myself instantly drawn to the water so much so that we drove to a nearby pier for the afternoon. This book stirred the senses and made you a willing participant, from the bonfires on the eve of the Summer Solstice to the Crucible effect the day after a body washed ashore. I was looking at everyone with a critical eye trying to figure out what was what (intentionally vague cause spoilers 😂) & even when we all figured it out, it was still hella enjoyable!

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We meet our MC Penny who lives on the private island of Lumiere with her mother who has mentally checked out ever since the day her husband walked out never to be seen or heard of again. Penny isn’t your typical teenager & prefers to keep to herself In her room studying tide charts. She takes a small boat ride every morning into town to attend the Sparrow High School where she has one really close friend. Every year Sparrow prepares for the tourist attraction their town turns into during the week leading up to the Summer Solstice. Every year one boy dies & his body is washed ashore. It is believed to be a curse placed on the town as retribution for the unjust killings of the Swan sisters. Marguerite, Aurora, and Hazel were said to be responsible for many a broken home. They were accused of seducing the husbands and boyfriends away from the women of Sparrow. Stones tied to their ankles, they were mercilessly drowned. They are believed to return on the Summer Solstice to inhabit the body of unsuspecting girls, each seduces a boy, and drown them within a brief period of time. Sometimes it’s three boys & other times they may get greedy. The townspeople have accepted this curse, accustomed to hearing the harbor bells ring when another male body is found floating in the waters. Once the last sister has had her kill, the town resumes back to normal. Everyone hoping it isn’t one of their boys this time around.

Photo credits: Dina Demille Tumblr

One of the most chilling aspects of this book is how acceptant the townspeople have become. Sparrow is known for this curse and the tourists it draws in for the summer season only add to the creepy vibes. The town is buzzing, every girl is suspected of being possessed by one of the Swan sisters. Sparrow’s boys aren’t safe & neither are those visiting for the season. Bo, an out of towner looking for employment responds to a outdated Help Wanted ad posted by Penny. There was a time Penny was open to the idea of getting a second set of hands to help with the light tower near Lumiere island. Eventually this became her undertaking but that all changes when Bo enters the scene. Both Penny & Bo carry secrets and they know this about each other. Was it a case of instalove? not in my opinion. Penny wasn’t thrilled to help this guy out when he first showed up. Bo was more focused on keeping a low profile while gardening on the island for some extra cash. Their story didn’t have any of the butterfly feelings other ships in YA are known for. I didn’t expect to fall in love with their story but I did & I know that’s because theirs is both sad and beautiful.

The Wicked Deep is one of those haunting reads that’ll stay in my mind & heart for many years to come. One that I can see myself getting sucked into every year whenever the mood for a dark read set in a small town by the water. I know that I’ll also be re-reading this one when we get closer to the date of it’s premiere on Netflix (see here) which I’m hoping is just as wonderful as this book cause it SOOOO deserves to be brought to life on the screen 🙌🏼

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Meme Book Tag

The Meme Book Tag was originally created by Books are my Social Life & Dylanthereader5! I was tagged by Melanie over at Meltotheany who has an AMAZING blog & EPIC reviews! ❤ ❤ ❤ This tag had me giggling quite a few times, thank you Mel for tagging me 🙂

Crying Kim Kardashian – A book that made you cry.

My last real tear jerker was The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw (RTC) this book made me ugly cry at the very end *sobs*

Salt Bae – A book that needed a little something more

Having just finished Sky In The Deep by Adrienne Young, I’d say this book could’ve used a bit more in terms of plot. Well at least I would’ve appreciated a not so straight forward plot youknowwhatImshayin’ *CardiB voice*?

Guy thinking – A book that made you think

Easy! Furyborn by Claire Legrand & in such a satisfying way! This book is formatted so that the reader is following two timelines 1,000 YEARS apart! I buddy read it with some amazing bookworms & it was fun theorizing along the way 🙂

Confused guy – A book whose hype you don’t understand

SMH…this one is kind of mean no? haha! Ok If I’m answering honestly that would have to be The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert. I went in fully expecting to love it cause it had all the ingredients to be a hit in my corner. Ultimately it came down to this book not really being what it came across as…the Grim Fairy tales are there but they’re at the very end of the book. Still looking forward to the follow-up which I hear will be about the Hinterland…YASSSS! ❤

Evil Patrick – A guilty pleasure read (whatever you consider guilty pleasure to mean)

*giggles* I don’t feel guilty at all about this read but it is a genre I’m new to and am enjoying inhale reading cause they’re just that good & easy to digest. Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas was innnneresting haha! & perhaps not the book to read in public #jussayin

Meryl Streep – A book that you’re always hyping up

Ok…I really hadn’t realized how hard I push the Winternight trilogy until several bookworm buddies told me they’d read it & loved it after seeing me gush about. Whelp, the second book came around & it was even better than the first which meant I had to go on another round of promos cause it’s Katherine Arden & I friggin love this human!

The Bear and the Nightingale

The Girl in the Tower (Winternight Trilogy #2)

Successful baby – A book (whether you liked it or not) that you felt accomplished after reading

For this one I’m going with my first venture into Adult Fantasy, cause I had always been intimidated for a number of reasons. I think the complex world building worried me the most in terms of remembering everything. Red Sister (Book of the Ancestor #1) by Mark Lawrence however proved me so wrong! this is another series I will gush about til’ the ink runs dry. I recently reviewed the sequel Grey Sister (Book of the Ancestor #2) & it was also a 5 star read! Mark Lawrence really thinks about his readers & the world building is laid out in such a way that feels organic & won’t overwhelm.

Pennywise – A book with a promising concept/a book that you had high expectations for, but ultimately let you down

The hype was real on this one because of this authors last work. I never read Andy Weir’s The Martian but the love for that book wasn’t missed by this bookworm. So much so that I haven’t watched the movie cause so many of my closest bookworm buddies have said to read the book 1st! haha! I still plan to but I decided to get his latest Artemis & sadly it just didn’t work for me. I had such high hopes & was determined not to let the train leave the station w/out me but ultimately there were some problematic thangs in this one.

Headphones guy – A audiobook that you enjoyed

The Serpent king by Jeff Zetner cause it hit me all in the feels & I’ll never be over that ending! *sobs for days* seriously this book is all about friendship & grieving and gahhhh! my book babies, love them so much! ❤

Distracted guy – Two books; one you’ve been neglecting on your TBR for a long time and a new one that’s distracting you/peaking your interest.

hmmm…not sure if I’m neglecting this one but I sure am willfully NOT reading it at the moment haha! with reason! I’m a big fan of Laini Taylor so much so that the wait in between books is brutal & can leave me slumping hard sooo…

Strange The Dreamer by Laini Taylor (Promise I’ll be reading this one in the VERY near future)

As for the book that continues to make me break my neck every time I walk by my bookshelf…

The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air #2) by Holly Black (I won this from a NOVL giveaway & I doubt I’ll be able to hold out for much longer cause y’all know those who read The Cruel Prince, that ending! smh)

Cash me outside girl – A book that tried to be something that it’s not (pretentious, didn’t live up to what it was marketed as, etc.)

Like Melanie, I’m also not fond of this meme. I had to dig through my Goodreads shelves & I did come up with one that really wasn’t what I expected. Wintersong (Wintersong#1) by S. Jae-Jones which I rated 3.5 stars at the time but would probably take my rating down to 2.5 stars now that I’ve had much time to think about it. Pitched as a Labyrinth re-telling, Wintersong is great when we’re with the Goblin King in the underground. Otherwise the heavy use of Classical music terminology all throughout really made me feel like a real outsider with scrunched eyebrows lol. Less Labyrinth, more something else…

Dog in fire – How many unread books do you own?

Well this got awkward hella fast…I honestly couldn’t tell you since I own 2 large bookshelves in my living room & 3 medium sized ones in my bedroom and I don’t keep my unread books separate from the rest. Anywhere between 70-100 SMH (working on it) I know…I Know…

BONUS – Pick a meme that wasn’t featured in this tag and pair a book with it

My Question: A book with an ending you didn’t see coming…

3 words…The Cruel Prince! Holly Black legit shooketh the house with THAT ending & it took me a minute to recover. Twisted up more than ya fave pretzel haha! 🙂

I tag…

Flavia @Flaviathebibliophile

Ashley @SociallyAwkwardBookworm

Raven @DreamyAddictions

Sarah @TheCleverReader

Regina @Bookishinbed

Amy @ACourtofCrownsandQuills

Rebecca @BookishlyRebecca

Larkin @WonderfilledReads

Amanda @PeaksandPages

This was a fun tag &was a labor of love! haha (Thanks Mel for sharing the links to the memes). I invite everyone who is interested to take a stab at it 😉 also, friendly reminder when tagging a fellow blogger, choose one of their posts to link back to so that they get a ping aka notification letting them know you tagged them or were tagged by them <3’s

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March Book Haul

Hey there Bookworms! March was a bit of a slow month for me here on the blog & I’m not sure there’s any specific reason. We all experience those lows but I will say that it thankfully didn’t hinder my reading. I read some hefty books that blew me away & I can’t wait to discuss those in my wrap-up which I promise to have up this week. Here I come to you with my March Book Haul in which I once again didn’t buy very many yet somehow ended up with a good stack. No complaints here though, this is the time of year I kick my reading into high gear, so without further ado…

This is probably the look I give a book with with a epic cover haha!

Sweet Black Waves | The Heart Forger (The Bone Witch #2) | Obsidio (The Illuminae Files #3)

I’ve already read Obsidio & The Heart Forger, RTC ☺ Also, I messed up & forgot to include my fave book hauled this month…Children of Blood and Bone *sobs*

Toil & Trouble | Airports, Exes, and Other Things I’m Over | To Be Honest| Grim Lovelies | Grey Sister (Book of the Ancestor #2)- finished copy

I finished Grey Sister & it was EVERYTHING I could’ve ever wanted! RTC ☺

Undead Girl Gang | From Twinkle, With Love | LIFEL1K3 | The Way You Make Me Feel

Spring is in the air! 💜💜💜

March Fairyloot

State of Sorrow by Melinda Salisbury

I’m currently rocking the hell outta this scarf! the runes are so friggin beautiful & it legit goes with everything I wear. I’ll be using the soap tonight so cross your fingers for my skin please, it smells amazing I just don’t want it to morph me into anything 😂🤞🏼

March Book Of The Month

Rainbirds | The Astonishing Color of After | Not That I Could Tell

Happy Thursday Bookworms!!! I hope you’re all having a wonderful start to the month reading ALL the good books 🤗 I’ve been having such an AMAZING reading year so far & hope to keep it going in April 🤞🏼Are any of the books I hauled on your TBR? I am LOVING the different types of rep in this haul & will continue to seek out diversity of all kinds in my books 💜

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The 20 Questions Tag

I was tagged to do the 20 Questions Book Tag by the amazing Melanie over at Meltotheany *whispers* follow Mel she really is amazing <3’s

I thought I was going to bust out this tag real quick earlier today while working & then I realized these ummm questions…required some thinking on my behalf. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen my IG story where I’m an emotional mess after finishing Obisido & couldn’t process a single thought other than what now Jay & Amy? but on to the…

1. How many books is too many books in a book series?
I used to think this was a toughie cause the selfish reader in me just doesn’t want to let go of some of fave series. Now, I really do wish some of them would just STOOOOOP in the name of sweet mercy! I’d say no more than 5 & even that might be too generous for some.

2. How do you feel about cliffhangers?
cruel cruel techniques used by writers to keep us shamelessly crawling back for more! It honestly sucks a bit more now tbh because for those that I’ve had the blessing of reading in advance, the wait is torture (I’m looking at you The Cruel Prince smh)

3. Hardback or paperback?
I’ve always preferred hardback & will still buy all of my faves in hardback however…my wrists just aint the same! baha! maybe it’s all the book lifting I’ve done throughout the years but I just can’t do it smh! I carried Obsidio this entire week & was so close to getting some Ace bandages *flair for the dramatic*

4. Favorite book?

This question legit feels as if I were being asked which of my tiny humans is my favorite…I mean if I had to…just kidding! Ok so If I had to choose a favorite book, it would always be Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. When I think of Harry Potter, the Triwizard tournament is one of the first things that springs to mind. It was also very festive & brought Hogwarts to life both on the page & the big screen. Also, THAT scene with Hermione confronting a clueless Ron…💔

5. Least favorite book?
Like Water for Elephants *Lé sigh* 😌

6. Love triangles, yes or no?
to date I’ve only come across a couple that I enjoyed. I’d say yes cause those that I read were some of the BEST ships EVER!

7. The most recent book you just couldn’t finish?
I almost DNF’d The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert after nodding off in the tub 4 times at different hours of the day 😂 but I’m glad I stuck with it cause the last 20% really did grab my attention for the next book 🤞🏼

8. A book you’re currently reading?
Ok so as I mentioned when I 1st started this tag (see the very top), early this morning (on the elevator up to work) I finished Obsidio (Illuminae Files #3) and I’m still NOT ok & don’t think I ever will be w/out this crew in my life 😭 but the show must go on & the arc pile is threatening to crush me so *drum rollllll* I am set to start reading (if I’m not too busy swallowing my Obsidio tears) Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody (The Shadow Game #1)😉

9. Last book you recommended to someone?

I recently recommended Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (my review here) to my BFF on a trip to Barnes & Noble. The plan is to get him to read it before the movie so that we can watch & compare the two 💙

10. Oldest book you’ve read? (Publication date)
had to pull up Ol’ Goodreads & at first I thought it was Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina but it seems that Mel & have yet another thing in common 😂 The Illiad & The Odyssey are also my oldest (favored) read books 💜

11. Newest book you’ve read? (Publication date)
OBSIDIO 🖤🖤🖤 is the most recently published book I’ve read & it was worth all of the stars in all of the galaxies

12. Favorite author?
I have 3 that I can’t choose between, whatever they write I am reading! Adam Silvera, Leigh Bardugo, and Laini Taylor. Jay Kristoff is quickly claiming the #4 spot in my 💜

13. Buying books or borrowing books?
Buying. My local library is just for show they have but a few shelves with books & all others must be requested from the city. As for borrowing from friends it isn’t really something I’d feel comfortable with unless it’s one of my BFF’s then it’s a possibility haha!

14. A book you dislike that everyone else seem to love?

I don’t think I’ve read a book that fits this description but The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert was definitely one that many of my bookworm buddies were split down the middle for…I just wasn’t a fan 👀

15. Bookmarks or dog-ears?
Bookmarks all the way! the more the merrier 🤗 as a matter of fact I am currently looking for some Obsidio/Illuminae Files bookmarks, please help & leave some shop reccomendations in the comment section down below 💜

16. A book you can always reread?
I’m tempted to just copy & paste Mel’s answer cause well it is Goblet of Fire you know! but my other choice would be The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden (my review) for its atmospheric vibes & magical powers of teleportation. Opening a page in that book is like stepping into another land 💜

17. Can you read while hearing music?
Instrumentals are what I pull up on Spotify unless the author has a set playlist which is the first thing I search for when starting a new read. Life in NYC means public transportation for most of us which means…

18. One POV or multiple POV’s? (POV’s = Point of views)
Books with multiple POV’s tend to be my faves just cause I enjoy getting to know the characters better this way. It’s like getting a free pass to be in someones head…creepy I know smh but I enjoy these 🤷🏻‍♀️

19. Do you read a book in one sitting or over multiple days?
Multiple days, it’s rare that I read a book in one sitting but it has happened. Books with a train wreck I just can’t find it in me to tear my eyes away from Orrrrr a New Adult that sinks its teeth into me 💜

20. A book you’ve read because of the cover?

Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

Not only are they STUNNING on the outside, without their dust jackets they’re actually great ice breakers hehe! sometimes they also invite unwanted attention from chatty strap hangers on the train but can you really blame them?!? If I saw this book naked, I’d be breaking my neck too bahhha! smh…

Who do you tag?

Ashley @ Socially Awkward Bookworm.

Sofii @ A Book. A Thought

Heather @ The Sassy Book Geek

Danielle @ Books, Vertigo & Tea

Amy @ A Court Of Crowns and Quills

LaRonda @ Flying Paperbacks

Kayla @ Books and Blends

Sarah @ The Clever Reader

Kelly @ Just Another Book in the Wall

Inge @ The Belgian Reviewer

This was a fun tag & a great way to share some of my bookish secrets with you all (Thanks Mel!). I invite everyone who is interested to take a stab at it 😉 also, friendly reminder when tagging a fellow blogger, choose one of their posts to link back to so that they get a ping aka notification letting them know you tagged them or were tagged by them <3’s

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Review: Furyborn by Claire Legrand

Title: FURYBORN (Empirium #1)

Author: Claire Legrand

Pub. Date: May 22nd, 2018

Genre: YA Fantasy

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Pages: 512

Format: Physical ARC

*HUGE thanks to Sourcebooks Fire and Claire Legrand for the early review copy in exchange for my honest opinion

I was initially drawn to Furyborn when I heard it features two queens 1,000 years apart that are somehow connected…curious about the format of writing & just how exactly the author pulls it off, I knew I had to pick this one up. As fate would have it, I was asked to join a buddy read & thought to myself ahhh well this is just Kismet! It’s been 2 weeks since I finished this book & I can’t get it out of my head, it was that awesome! my review/rating is based on my enjoyment of the story, characters, and world-building. Were there some flaws? sure. Will I be continuing on with this trilogy? ABSOFRIGGINLUTELY! 💜

Told in multiple POVS’ we get introduced to both Queen Rielle & Eliana as they live out what has been prophesied without their knowledge. In what has to be one of the BEST Prologues I’ve ever read, we get a blast from Rielle’s past as her journey comes to an end (not a spoiler, Rielle lived 1,000 years ago & Eliana is present day) & also serves as the jumping board for many theories.

Before Rielle became Queen, she lived with her father who served the royal family. Rielle is very powerful & her abilities are a source of great concern for her father who keeps her indoors as much as possible. With the help of Tal a Firebrand (I kid you not this guy gives off Hunger Games Haymitch vibes later on in the book 😂), Rielle trains to control her abilities. However, Rielle isn’t one to be controlled & has taken a interest in horse races on the low (not betting on them, she full out has a alias as a rider). It’s actually something she shares in common with the crown Prince Audric & during one of their races, Rielle thwarts an attempt to kill Prince Audric led by men in disguise. In doing so, Rielle exposes her abilities to wield more than one elemental magic. In a land filled with Windsingers, Earth Shakers, Firebrands, Metal Masters, & Sun Spinners…those who posses magic in their blood can only wield one type. However, there is a prophecy the people of Celdaria know well…

“Two Queens will rise. They will carry the power of the seven. They will carry your fate in their hands. Two Queens will rise”

Rielle’s exposure brings focus to the prophecy which also speaks of the return of humankind’s #1 enemy, the angels. Angels have been kept away from mankind ever since the Gate was built to keep them out. Although it is just a prophecy, the kingdom is forced to take it seriously & so Rielle must go through the Seven Trials. These trials are designed by the heads of each elemental magic & the purpose is to see whether Rielle is the prophesied Sun Queen (or Blood Queen)…

Via alternating chapters. 1,000 years in the future we follow Eliana aka the “Dread Of Orline” who is really just trying to keep herself & her family alive. Eliana works for the Emperor by finding & bringing back anyone who is against him, especially any rebels from Red Crown. Skilled with her weapons Arabeth, Whistler, Tempest, Nox, and Tuora there really is no stopping her. She has fully flipped the switch on her humanity by capturing innocents in exchange for a safe home & coin to eat. Eliana’s present day world is one without magic, the time & seven trials of Queen Rielle are just fairy tales. This all changes when her mother is kidnapped and her whole world is turned upside down. Her hunt for those who abducted her mother along with many of the young females in the area, place her on a crash course with Rebel Captain Simon. Nothing is as it seems in the Empire & Simon carries many pieces of the puzzle…

Rielle Dardenne & Eliana Ferracora are the main protagonists in this dual POV story & although their stories take place 1,000 years apart, their lives run parallel pulling off the whole “fates aligned” vibe really well. Both Rielle & Eliana are rebels at ♥️ & they both are also able to manipulate the seven elements. It took some warming up to Eliana but I soon realized it was all a part of her character’s personal growth. Since I spoke so much of these two in my 411 portion up above, this section will focus more on the MOST amazing side characters you’re going to want to meet…

Artwork for character cards by Kate Trish

Remy Ferracora aka Eliana’s little brother who loves to bake & read books was after my 💜! he loves Fantasy & everyone he comes across is drawn to him like honey…I LOVE REMY! 😄

“What is this child, who knows so much of the world?” Her expression turned tender. “Oh, sweet one. You are a dreamer, a teller of tales. I see that now. You ache for magic, and for all those golden giants of the past.” Remy flushed with pleasure. “Before the invasion,” he said eagerly, “people stole books from the temples, so they wouldn’t be destroyed. I buy them whenever I can and read them all.”

Audric the Lightbringer aka Rielle’s love interest aka the Crown Prince but it wasn’t always this way. Audric, Rielle, and Ludivine have been friends since they were children and have such a beautiful realtionship that at times gave me Polyamory vibes #jussayin Audric also happens to be a Sun Spinner and can wield the power of the sun with his sword Illuminor.

Ludivine aka Lu is BFF’s with Rielle & she also happens to be Audric’s cousin/betrothed…yea as we all know, the royal families loved to keep it all in the family. Lu comes from a noble family with a great army that would be beneficial for the Kingdom. I LOVE Lu! she’s everything a BFF should be 💜

Simon half angel/half human is shrouded in secrecy & adamant on making sure he has his eye on Eliana at all times. Simon has been through a lot & he didn’t ask for any of it! he is broken & I want nothing more than to see him get his happy ending 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

Corien I’m still unsure how I feel about this character, he’s pretty angry & manipulative. I can only assume we’ll get to know his intentions in the next book & I am hella curious! 👀

Navi aka the Princess of Astavar & genuinely one of those people who radiates goodness. Simon is on a mission to get Navi back to her kingdom which to date has remained free from the Emperor’s rule. Navi LOVES her people & they in turn love her! she embraces Eliana & treats her like a sister.

Zahra aka The Wraith!!!! 💜💜💜 I only know of one other wraith I LOVE to pieces & ever since Inej walked out of my life, there’s been this hole! 😭 Whelp, she’s not Inej but Zahra is just as awesome! she’s a protector through & through making sure the refugees that have escaped the clutches of the Emperor are safe. There were some theories on Zahra’s true identity in our buddy read & I’m stoked to see more of her!

Thoughts I have a plenty! In Furyborn we get two EPIC MC’s and their seperate yet forever linked stories. Fast paced with never a dull moment, it was easy to follow the 1,000 year jump between each chapter. The world is so well fleshed out that the stark differences in the land & it’s people is sobering when you’re in Eliana’s timeline. A ton has happened since Rielle’s rule & magic has been done away with by order of the Emperor. As I was reading, I found myself really enjoying Rielle’s chapters & that was probably my love of everything magical at work but I also got invested in the movement taking place in present time. These characters are heavily flawed & morally ambiguous with tons of growth along the way. We get our dose of hot & steamy sexual tension but perhaps what really got me handing out an applause was the discussion of contraceptives! we don’t get enough of this let alone in a Fantasy book 💜 Both MC’s are Bi-sexual, they express interest in the same sex & are attracted to other women. Neither of them is romantically paired off with the same sex & yet that doesn’t take away from their sexuality. I found myself really appreciating the subtle messages Legrand weaved into Furyborn. If you’re looking for a Feminist kick a** Fantasy with characters you won’t forget, this is one you’re not going to want to miss! 💜💜💜

*Quotes taken from ARC provided by the publisher may be subject to change by publication date

BUDDY READ WITH THESE AMAZING BOOKWORMS: MELANIE, AMY, JULIE, JULES, ALEXIS, DESTINY, LOURDES 💜