Mystery – Page 3 – LairOfBooks

FRIDAY READS & THANGS

**WHIMSICAL ILLUSTRATIONS BY ESRA RØISE**

It’s Friday Book Lovers & I for one couldn’t be more thankful! last weekend I was in Philadelphia with my boyfriend, a city that’s quickly becoming a favorite for its rich history, food, awesome human beings & of course home of Rocky! 🥊 this weekend however is going to be more chill, staying local with a trip to one of my tiny humans favorite parks that offers up some good waterside scenic paths to ride bikes. I anticipate some down time (perhaps a smidge haha!) where I can squeeze in reading, most likely while meal prepping. I’m trying to get into the habit of always having an audiobook playing while multi-tasking & so far its been fun & productive. This week was pretty big for the YA publishing world with the release of SJ Maas House of Earth and Blood & Cassandra Clare’s Chain of Gold! 🤗 although I can’t partake in the Chain of Gold excitement just yet since I’ve yet to read Lady Midnight, I am wishing all those who are, a great reading experience! 🖤

AN ANONYMOUS GIRL – By the time this post goes live I’ll probably have finished listening to this audiobook from Libby. For the most part I enjoy choosing thrillers blindly since Synopsis tend to give away too much. This has been an interesting listen, not at all what I expected & I’m not sure yet if that’s a good or bad thing. This is a heavy on narcissism read where the MC becomes extremely co-dependent in a sick twisted triangle of sorts. Not in a romantic way at all but in a sick twisted spider caught in a web sort of way, my thoughts will be delivered in a spoiler free mini review.

HOUSE OF EARTH AND BLOOD – This beauty is FINALLY out in the world & yes I’ve dropped all other physical reads to dedicate my time to this story. I’m not very far in it at all but I do now have a Kindle copy which will make it easier to read on my down time. This is SJ Maas’ first adult Fantasy & so far I’m getting all of the Urban Fantasy vibeZ I’ve been craving with complex world building for the win. High hopes here Book Lovers! HIGH hopes *fingers crossed*

DOCILE –

“There is no consent under capitalism

Docile is a science fiction parable about love and sex, wealth and debt, abuse and power, a challenging tour de force that at turns seduces and startles.

To be a Docile is to be kept, body and soul, for the uses of the owner of your contract. To be a Docile is to forget, to disappear, to hide inside your body from the horrors of your service. To be a Docile is to sell yourself to pay your parents’ debts and buy your children’s future.” —I’ve heard from a few trusted friends that this is quite the compulsive read & I’ve really been craving my next sci-fi read. I’ve also heard this deals with very murky consensual sex

DEMON SLAYER VOLUME 1 – While In a Philly comic shop I was on my phone looking for some top Manga recommendations when I came across Demon Slayer. Instantly sucked in by the sibling relationship portrayed on the cover I went looking for the 1st volume which was sold out! turns out it’s a hit manga that’s already on Hulu & now I was set on getting my hands on it. I ended up getting a copy at a Barnes & Nobles where I read the first 20 pages & grew attached to the MC Tanjiro. More thoughts to come, I may just review this manga in batches as I go through the volumes which I predict will happen rather quickly 🙂

Gentefied (Season 1) was mentioned to me by Jessica a Bookstagrammer (Litnoob) I enjoy watching for their stories & in depth bookish thoughts. Gentefied is about three cousins with many differences who come together to save their grandfather’s taco shop (YUM!) which is struggling in a LATINX community faced with gentrification. I was looking for my next Netflix binge & am so very thankful for this recc! ❤

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January 2020 Book Haul

Hello Bookworms! this week has sort of blown right by, no complaints here though cause the weekend is where it’s at! 🙌🏽 Girl Scout season is OVER so this Lil Mama can take a break & catch up here with you lovely readers 💜 February is well under way & I’ve been good about not buying too many books but my January was EPIC! I made use of my birthday gift cards & was a smidge spoiled by my boyfriend as well. January was also the first time in over a year that I reached out to a Publisher for an ARC (The Faithless Hawk) & was STOKED to have been granted my request. The Golden Girls bookmark caught my attention as I was ready to walk out of a book store in New Jersey making my night! All in all it was a great way to start 2020 💓

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THE SUN DOWN MOTEL | RECURSION | WHEN WE WERE VIKINGS

*Book of the Month did allow their members to choose 1 free book from their list of 2019 BOTY Finalists. I already owned copies of all their finalists with the exception of Recursion by Blake Crouch.

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SCAVENGE THE STARS (SCAVENGE THE STARS #1)

I love when a book subscription box offers up a couple of useful items because it makes me feel like it was money well spent. I was satisfied with the January Owlcrate box items, especially the Crooked Kingdom socks & the Children of Blood and Bone inspired candle which smells AMAZING! It’s always a treat when they send out new Harry Potter mugs, I’ve collected them all so far. I’m planning on buying a backpack this week which I may just use to show off the wonderful pins I get from Owlcrate 🤗

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Spoiler Free Review: Reverie by Ryan La Sala

Title: Reverie

Author: Ryan La Sala

Pub. Date: December 3rd 2019

Genre: YA Fantasy/LGBTQIAP+

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Pages: 416 Pages

GOODREADS | BARNES & NOBLES | AMAZON

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

Nearly a month has passed since I read Reverie yet it’s still so fresh in my mind & that’s simply because of how unique & wild this book really is! Granted, it won’t be everyones cup of tea but I personally found it to be this odd little gem of a story I could easily get sucked into. Goodreads has it described as Inception meets The Magicians which I find to be pretty accurate. In the world of Reverie the real danger lies in the fantasies created by people, ones that come to fruition with the purpose of claiming their creators. We meet Kane after he’s survived a car accident that left him with Amnesia. His path crosses with The Others, a group of friends with a skilled set of powers & answers to all of the holes Kane has in his memories. With or without his memories, Kan plays an important role with The Others & is quickly thrust into the fascinatingly odd world of Reveries. Fantasies they enter & must unravel by playing whatever role assigned in said fantasy without ever breaking character. We get everything from a Victorian Romance to a futuristic rebel world & a cast of characters who derive their powers from inner based fears.

Content Warning: Talk of suicide, bullying, Homophobia

Of course this wouldn’t be a fantasy without the inclusion of a villain but a more refreshing, colorful, and truly evil villain like Posey we have NOT seen. Posey is a Drag Queen Sorceress who appears to befriend Kane but clearly has ulterior motives. Posey is always ten steps ahead & provides a level of comfort for Kane that he lacks in his reality. Kane is a Gay teenager in a small town were he is bullied & The Others provide escapism from an otherwise cruel world. I LOVED the ingenuity with which this world was created & how it kept me up at night effortlessly reading my hours away. I loved how often I chuckled at some witty banter or ridiculous scene. I loved the friend group & how perfectly they fit together. I also really loved the romance that took place sort of in the background, the mystery behind it & how it evolved. This book isn’t without its flaws, mostly they lie within plot pacing. Sure I can sit here and say certain things didn’t make sense but much of what didn’t I chucked off to the wild trip this story took me on to begin with. I’m a lover of odd stories & worlds created out of thin air which is why Alice in Wonderland will forever be a favorite of mine. Reverie in many ways gave me nostalgic feelings of Alice in Wonderland & allowed me to suspend disbelief while vividly playing out in my mind. For a debut book, this was a solid start & it put La Sala on my radar for any future publications 🖤

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Top Ten Tuesday: The Ten Most Recent Additions to My E-Reader

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 “The Ten Most Recent Additions to My Bookshelf” which I’ve amended to those that I hauled to my e-reader cause they deserve some love too. I’ll admit some of these I already own physical copies to, but its just easier nowadays to read from my tablet. Ok, this list here is QUITE the mixed bag which pretty much speaks volumes on my undying love for mood reading. These also happen to be the books I’ll be using as palette cleansers as I make my way through my ARC spreadsheet, a lot of which are Fantasy.

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman – Our MC works in a bookstore and is pretty much a happy introvert who thinks she’s an only child. When she finds out the father she never knew has passed away & that she’s one of many siblings, her whole life makes a huge turn. Add to this a unexpected romance with her trivia nemesis, I’m all IN!

Kushiel’s Dart (Phèdre’s trilogy #1) by Jacqueline Carey – I’ve heard SO much about this series & finally got my copy. It’s a dark sexy Fantasy where the MC is trained as both a spy & a courtesan. When she stumbles across a plot against her homeland, she sets out to save that which she loves.

“Set in a world of cunning poets, deadly courtiers, heroic traitors, and a truly Machiavellian villainess, this is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies. Not since Dune has there been an epic on the scale of Kushiel’s Dart-a massive tale about the violent death of an old age, and the birth of a new.”

The Kiss Quotient (The Kiss Quotient #1) by Helen Hoang – this well loves contemporary is about a MC with Aspergers who hires a Vietnamese/Swedish professional to help her in all things dating & bedroom. This eventually turns into more & I’m really just way overdue to read this one.

The Bride Test (The Kiss Quotient #2) by Helen Hoang – The sequel to The Kiss Quotient cause lets face it, I will most likely fall in love with TKQ & crave this one! $1.99 on Kindle last time I checked (1/19/2020) is a steal. Following characters from TKQ, this time our MC is a Vietnamese Autistic guy who feels he’s incapable of loving after experiencing a loss. The MC’s mother travels to Vietname to see if she can find him a bride. The love interest is a Bi-racial (Vietnamese/White) single mom who is willing to take his mom up on her off to marry her son in hopes for a better life.

The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite – a F/F Historical Romance that comes HIGHLY recommended by some of my closest bookish buddies. Here we follow Lucy who is hoping to get the job translating a groundbreaking French astronomy text by a deceased Scientist. Recently widowed, Catherine isn’t expecting to fall in love as Lucy spends her nights translating scientific text.

The Queens Of Innis Lear by Tessa Gratton – A land drained of it’s magic by a mad King who Is obsessed with property is being circled by enemies who want control over its ideal port for trades. The King must choose an heir on the longest night of the year. His three daughters care not to leave this decision to rituals & instead choose to go to war. Having really enjoyed Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton, I’m really hoping to LOVE this one *fingers crossed*

GUAPA by Saleem Haddad – A coming of age story following a Gay man in a unnamed Arab country during much political and social upheaval. In the course of one night his whole life changes. Caught in bed with his lover by his Grandmother, our MC heads out only to find three of his closest friends to be missing. Ashamed to return home he sets out to find his missing loved ones which takes him throughout the countries seediest slums.

The Walflower Wager (Girl Meets Duke #3) by Tessa Dare – It wasn’t until I sat down to draft this post that I realized this is book 3 in this series SMH! however, it does seem like it can be read on its own as a stand alone. This one features a wealthy ruthless MC who just wants his neighbor to clear out all of the furry animals she’s keeping next door. Lady Penelope Campion however, cannot truncates away any animal in need. She strikes a deal with the Duke, if he can find homes for all of her wounded charges the & only then will she clear out her home. THIS should be innneresting haha!

The Rage of Dragons (The Burning #1) by Evan Winter – “Game of Thrones meets Gladiator in this debut epic fantasy about a world caught in an eternal war, and the young man who will become his people’s only hope for survival.”—> This is an African inspired EPIC Fantasy I’ve heard good things about. I am ALWAYS looking for Diverse/Own Voices high Fantasy reads & so this was a MUST!

Shadow Frost (Shadow. Frost #1) by Coco M

“IN THE KINGDOM OF AXARIA, a darkness rises.

Some call it a monster, laying waste to the villagers and their homes.
Some say it is an invulnerable demon summoned from the deepest abysses of the Immortal Realm.
Many soldiers from the royal guard are sent out to hunt it down.

Not one has ever returned.” —>This is a YA Fantasy I caught wind of last year. Having heard it features a cast of very funny characters, that’s just about all I needed to know I’d give it a go.

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SMUTATHON WINTER 2020 READATHON WRAP-UP

What better way to start the New Year than with a little Smut? amiright? 🤗 #SMUTATHON is a Readathon hosted by RileyMarie & GingerReadsLainey where we read any & all things Romance/Smut. This round of #SMUTATHON ran from January 4th through January 11th 2020 & it was EVERYTHING I never knew I needed 🙌🏽 after having a mediocre reading year in 2018, this was a nice way to start 2020. This time around they included a Bingo Board with 9 challenges which I layered up on since reading 9 books in one week, personally would be very challenging.

The Loner’s Lady by Jesse Kane -✨ 3 STARS ✨ This was truly like nothing I’ve ever read before 🙈 a HUGE age gap romance where our female MC is 18 & traveling with her gay BFF to see his dad who he hasn’t told he’s gay. They pretend they’re dating each other because the 40+ year old dad is former military & quite intimidating. It wasn’t the age gap so much as how it all wrapped up that didn’t make this a winner for me. Also, the dad comes off as a bit primal #jussayin

The Headmaster by Tiffany Reisz -✨ 5 STARS ✨ On the steam scale this one is a whole lot tamer than anything I read this week. It’s Gothic vibes were hella atmospheric, set in the 1960’s this one takes place in a all boys school. Our female MC gets into a car accident and ends up working as the new English teacher at the school. There’s a bit of mystery surrounding the school & its inhabitants I enjoyed unraveling. The whole English man look & accent also really worked for me ☺️ I’ve been recommended to read The Rose which is based on Greek Gods Mythology.

Grading Curves by Naima Simone – ✨ 4 STARS ✨ Naima Simone has made a true fan out of me! 🙌🏽 Good Lawd this steamy scenes had me all shades of red on my early morning train into work. The female MC walks into a tattoo parlor & ends up really hitting it off with the tattoo artist. Things get steamy & the next morning the male MC walks into the college classroom she’s teaching. My ONLY wish was that this was a smidge longer, the ending felt rushed. The writing however is legit off the meter steamy & sexy, LOVED IT!

The Kingmaker (All the King’s Men Duet #1) by Kennedy Ryan– ✨4.5 STARS✨ This author deserves all of the high praise they receive 🙌🏽 I got so much more than I expected from this story 💓This is a dual POV between our MC’s Lennix & Maxim who meet when Lennix is a underage activist protesting a pipeline that is being built on sacred Native American grounds. Maxim is the son of the man behind the pipeline however father & son share no common interests. We follow Lennix & Maxim through a span of time from teen years through Lennix’ 20’s & 30’s. I LOVE stories that span over time because we get to see growth in character & how life has shaped them in their adult lives. This book was BEAUTIFULLY written with a spotlight on such relevant hard hitting issues like the disappearance/murder of Native American women. The only reason I docked it half a star was because that ending was a bit left field & I’m still unsure how I feel about it but overall its’s a high quality read I’d recommend.

Beautiful Dreamer by Melissa Brayden – ✨ 5 STARS ✨ a F/F romance written for the stars! I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this book to pieces! a beachside dual POV story that left me wanting to leave the city & relocate in a small beach town where everyone wants to be your friend haha! We meet Elizabeth who is very friendly & outgoing, the town sweetheart who owns a odd job business she runs from her garage. Elizabeth is watching over Jill who has just experienced a life threatening car accident. She reaches out to Jill’s sister Devyn who is a BIG time real estate broker in Philadelphia in hopes she can get her to come out to Dreamer’s Bay. Devyn leaves Philly to be by Jill’s side & slowly starts to fall in love with Liz & the town she left behind after her High School graduation. Liz & Devyn are polar opposites but it’s their differences that make this romance work. Quirky, fun, heartwarming are just a few of the words that describe this read. Liz will forever be one of my favorite fictional characters 💓

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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

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July 2019 Wrap Up

How are we already in August?!? 😱 I guess what they say is true, time flies when you’re having fun 🙌🏽 admittedly this means my reading took a hit cause I’ve been really enjoying life & having some amazing experiences I’ll never forget 💓 As we approach the end of Summer, the itch to pick up my books has struck & I’m sOoO ready to give in! 🤗 I was recently blessed by the Book Gods to gain access to some EPIC 2019/2020 ARCS so it’s looking like I have my reading cut out for me. That being said, I’m still going to mood read my little heart away cause it really has made me a much happier bookworm. I have fallen a bit behind with reviews 🙈😂 but I’m working on choosing one day of the week where I focus solely on drafting reviews. In the month of July I found myself reading more than any other month this year thanks to audiobooks. Yes audiobooks count & I will die on that cross! they’ve helped me get into a more steady workout routine (LIVIN MY BEST LIFE🔥), now I tell myself one more lap = one more chapter ✔️ They’re also amazing when I’m in the kitchen learning new dishes to make for my two tiny humans 🤗

A Princess In Theory (Reluctant Royals #1) by Alyssa Cole ✨5 STARS✨Both Naledi & Prince Thabiso stole my heart with their hate to love romance set in NYC. This book featured a strong, intelligent, sexy black female in the STEM field who is very relatable. Ledi has an internship, side jobs, and student loans to manage all the while giving the sexy Thabiso major side eye for his more than obvious interest in her haha! LOVED this so much! RTC

Wicked Fox by Kat Cho ✨5 STARS✨I can see now why bookworms have linked this to K-Dramas, this was ABSOLUTELY ADDICTIVE! Miyoung is a Gumiho who feeds on the souls of evil men in order to continue living a immortal life. This all changes of course when she saves Jihoon from a Goblin (there are other supernatural creatures in this world) & then starts to fall in love. LOVED the Mythology & got deeply invested in these characters lives, HIGHLY anticipating the sequel 🤗 RTC

With The Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo ✨5 STARS✨(BOTM) My FAVE read of the month! I listened to this audiobook in one whole day as I worked from home, cooked, and then worked out for about an hour. I could NOT stop listening to Elizabeth Acevedo’s raw authentic narration of Emoni’s story as she navigates school as a teenage mom with a natural born talent for cooking. I was sucked into Emoni’s story from the very first page where she remixes ingredients from recipes her aunt emails her. HIGHLY recommend! 💜 (My Review)

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager ✨3.5 STARS✨(BOTM) although I do own a physical copy from BOTM, after my Twin Soul ChicNerdReads raved about the audiobook performance, I knew that was the way to go. The performance itself was ON POINT! Gothic vibes in NYC, I listened to this one in a day. Very entertaining & it may just be because I don’t read very many thrillers but it did keep me guessing till the very end. However, there were parts that dragged throwing off the pacing and making me lose interest here & there. I’ve heard from others who have read Riley Sager’s other books that this was their least favorite. I will definitely be giving the other books a chance since I do already own copies 🤷🏻‍♀️😂 #noregrets

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo ✨3 STARS✨ I had the privilege of reading this ARC a few weeks ago thanks to an awesome friend. I was 100% aware that this is a adult paranormal book with some hard hitting themes (*Content Warning: Drugs, mention of overdose, statutory rape, graphic violence, kidnapping, physical abuse, death of a loved one, fear of abandonement, use of a magical drug for date rape). It took me about a month to get through this book & it wasn’t because I was triggered, it was very much based on scattered pacing. The first half is very info dumpy & the last 200 pages are where all the action takes place and you finally get hooked into the story. This is the first book in a series & LOL! I’ll be honest & say I wasn’t planning on continuing but I might just give the next book a shot. RTC.

The Lion King is tied for 1st place as my favorite Disney movie of all time with Aladdin. However, unlike the AMAZING Aladdin remake we got earlier this summer…I wasn’t over the moon in love with this remake & that breaks my heart. It’s a STUNNING movie, a real feast for the eyes but it did lack the emotion we got in the original. I’ve watched the original dozens of times & still cried each & every time but that just wasn’t the case here. What I loved? The voice actors did a FANTASTIC job & the soundtrack is truly beautiful! 😍

I hope you’re all enjoying your Summer! I’ve been truly maximizing on the great weather to travel more, reconnect with friends both near & far as well as just enjoying life 😍 my Netflix Queue is out of control (shhh! don’t spoil ssn.3 Stranger Things) & my apartment has felt neglected 😂 but I hope to make time soon for a little time-out where I just snuggle up with books, Netflix, and tea 😍

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July 2019 Book Haul

Hello Hello Bookish Friends! 🤗 It’s almost Midnight here in NYC & I’ve had way too much coffee 🤦🏻‍♀️ & so what better time than to knock out a few posts? July was a weird month for me, I had a craving for Fiction (could be the overwhelming amount of Fantasy arcs on my Kindle @ the moment 😂) & I happened to catch some good deals. Besides the AWESOMENESS that is Book Of The Month, Amazon had an early Summer Black Friday sale I couldn’t turn away from. Wicked Fox was sent by the Publisher, it was a 5 star read & my review will be up this week. I also read Lock Every Door which was 3.5 stars, highly enjoyable but it did have its parts that dragged. I listened to the audiobook while reading along & loved the narrators performance. I’m currently reading The Diviners by Libba Bray as part of the #DivinersReadalong 🖤 Who is this Gal? reading all the books she hauls? haha! 🤷🏻‍♀️ Below I’ve included my Book of The Month referral link, if you happen to sign up using my link then I’d get a free book. I fully support this book subscription box, for an AMAZING price you get to choose some of the top buzz worthy titles. They’ve also recently added a seperate Young Adult subscription option in case Fiction alone isn’t your thing. Links for all books will take you to Goodreads 😉

BOOK OF THE MONTH REFERRAL LINK

Spin The Dawn (The Blood Of Stars #1) by Elizabeth Lim

“Project Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping YA fantasy about a young girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars.” – Goodreads

The July Owlcrate box has to be the MOST beautiful box I’ve received this year! 😍 I LOVE every item but if I had to choose one favorite it would have to be the deck of cards with STUNNING artwork & red foiled edges 😍

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Friday Reads & Thangs…

Happy Friday Bookworms! by the time this post goes up I will probably be at the end of my work day and well on my way to starting my 4 day mini vacay! MUCH needed & highly anticipated haha! this evening I will be heading to Virginia for some family quality time & I’m pretty STOKED for the change of scenery. This does mean I probably won’t be getting much reading in this weekend but since I’ve been on a reading spree this month, I think a break is just what I need to keep the momentum going. I do plan on reading on my Kindle while commuting in order to stay awake & be a excellent co-pilot. I’ll also probably start Stranger Things season 3 cause I get it, it’s annoying for my friends to have to whisper spoilery things when they’re around me 😂

The Merciful Crow (The Merciful Crow #1) by Margaret Own

This is perhaps my MOST HIGHLY anticipated YA Fantasy books this year! I was blessed by the Book Gods with a eGalley last week & it’ll be the book I read on my road trip to VA. So far I’m only 15% in but that’s only because I’ve been super busy & exhausted otherwise I’d be inhale reading this in NO time! with a caste legend for a intro…this is already setting up to be a well developed world, well at least I’m hoping it is. I’m very intrigued by the caste system & the Crows themselves.

“A future chieftain

Fie abides by one rule: look after your own. Her Crow caste of undertakers and mercy-killers takes more abuse than coin, but when they’re called to collect royal dead, she’s hoping they’ll find the payout of a lifetime.

A fugitive prince

When Crown Prince Jasimir turns out to have faked his death, Fie’s ready to cut her losses—and perhaps his throat. But he offers a wager that she can’t refuse: protect him from a ruthless queen, and he’ll protect the Crows when he reigns.

A too-cunning bodyguard

Hawk warrior Tavin has always put Jas’s life before his, magically assuming the prince’s appearance and shadowing his every step. But what happens when Tavin begins to want something to call his own?”

Sadie by Courtney Summers

I’ve had this book on my shelf for far too long! shamefully so cause I predict this will probably be a read-in-one-sitting 5 star read. As a fan of the Serial Podcast, Sadie checks off all my boxes. Although I do have a physical copy of this book…I’ve only heard amazing things about the audiobook so I downloaded it on Scribd & It’s ready to go. If anyone has book recs along the lines of Sadie or Serial, please drop them in the comments down below 🙂

THIS IS HAPPENING FOR SURE! I’m the Queen of procrastination with my Netflix Queue. The co-workers, friends, and family are all tired of whispering around me so as to not spoil me. I get side eyed A LOT! but I may have had a little encouragement recently *wink eye wink eye* haha. This will be what I turn to when my eyes get tired from reading tonight on the road. I keep hearing this season was EPIC & will get me in my feels, I’m ready! ❤

Friends!!! We made it to through another week & the weekend is looking PROMISING fingers crossed. I wish you all the good reads & adventure, feel free to drop down below what you’re reading/watching/doing this weekend Luvs! ❤

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WWW Wednesday 7/17/2019

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?

An impromptu WWW post is in order after attempting to go for a walk & getting smacked with the reality of a heat wave here in NYC. My hair begged me to go back inside to the comforts of AC & here I am Luvs! I’m also hooked to Booktube Reading Rush videos. I can’t participate since I’ll be going away with family towards the end of the week but the excitement is seriously contagious! cheering everyone on 🙂

Wicked Fox by Kat Cho

Technically I’m not reading this at the moment haha! but it is the book I’m starting on my commute home today. What was I doing on my commute into work? as previously mentioned, I’m HOOKED on Reading Rush TBR videos on Booktube at the moment #FOMO…I am however predicting this will be one that I really enjoy *fingers crossed*

A Princess In Theory (Reluctant Royals #1) by Alyssa Cole

I have a review coming for this 5 star read sometime this week, it will basically be me RAVING about how much I loved it! This is a well loved book series & I have every intention of continuing on with all of the Reluctant Royals books. Any book featuring women in STEM will always grab my attention but this book has one thing I haven’t seen in any others. The main character Ledi lives & breathes her field of study & we aren’t just told this, we are shown it in the writing. So many great things can be said about this book, I’ll save those for my review 😉

With The Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo

Also a 5 star review I’m currently working on cause I’m on a reading high & haven’t wanted to stop reading to write *shame shame shame* but in my defense, I did listen to this one in its entirety yesterday. HOOKED! but i expect nothing less when Elizabeth Acevedo narrates her own book. Raw & authentic, Acevedo brings the flavor of the kitchen to you. Our MC Emoni is Philly born & raised, a teen mom with a talent for remixing recipes that will conjure up the most valuable memories in those who eat her food. I listened to this book throughout my day & also while I cooked a Puerto-Rican dish. I laughed out loud, cried, and rejoiced in Emoni’s triumphs. More to come in my review.

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

The thriller everyone is buzzing about! I shamefully own all of Sager’s books & have yet to see why they’re so popular. That changes this week! I actually have a physical copy from Book Of The Month & the audio-book from Scribd. I am consciously making an effort to tackle my BOTM shelf so I’m happy to get to this one. Also, this takes place in New York aka MY HOME CITY! ❤ May just have to take a stroll by The Bartholomew 😌