SPOILER FREE REVIEW: SKYWARD BY BRANDON SANDERSON

Title: SKYWARD

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Pub. Date: November 6th 2018

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Pages: 510 Pages

GOODREADS | BARNES & NOBLES | AMAZON

Spensa is a young girl who has always been told to reach for the stars by her father, the one person she holds in highest regard. The world she lives in is constantly under attack & all that are left of the human race are fighting to stay alive. Most have been recruited to become Pilots in order to continue growing their fleets & balance the scales against their enemy. Not much is know about the mysterious ships that attack in the sky. The intel that has been gathered lets Spensa’s people know their enemy is more technologically advanced but their motives/agenda remain unclear. Spensa’s path to becoming a Pilot comes with a ton of opposition, her father was labeled a coward for deserting his team during an all out attack. This however does not stop Spensa from pursuing a career as a Pilot & searching for answers behind her fathers fallen legacy…

“𝑳𝒆𝒈𝒂𝒄𝒚, 𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒕, 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆 𝒖𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒖𝒔. 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒐𝒙 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒊𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒇𝒂𝒓.”

This may be a action packed YA Sci-Fi but make no mistake! the characters are the icing on the cake 🤗 Spensa our MC is a Sun Tzu quit lover with a ton of confidence that may often times come off a arrogance. She means well though & honestly just wants to be accepted amongst her peers & judged fairly w/out the alleged sins of her father being brought up to play. This does mean she puts up with ill treatment from superiors & having to consistently prove her bravery. Spensa is in flight academy along with her flight mates Kimmalyn, Jorgen, BIM, Nedd, Arturo, FM, and others. Her flight instructor Cobb was her father’s wing-mate & goes up to bat for Spensa when the higher ups were opposed to allowing her to enter flight academy because of her dad. Cobb is a seasoned older gentleman with PTSD who has opted to retire from flying & instead teaches future Pilots.

I loved seeing the team in simulated training sessions where their personalities truly came out to play. Kudos to keeping it strictly platonic! I don’t remember the last time I read about a group of teens where there wasn’t some romance so this was refreshing. Of course this will probably not be the case in the sequel but I’m actually excited to see if a certain potential ship takes off. My FAVORITE character who may just make it into my faves of all time is the A.I. M-Bot 😎 who is super advanced & dutiful. M-Bot is part of the ship Spensa discovers & with the help of her best friend Rig brings back to life. M-Bot is perfectly paired with Spensa, both pretty cocky and chatty these two were destined for each other. I had a few good laughs reading interactions between M-Bot & Spensa that left me craving more from this duo.

The last book to give me such an adrenaline rush was Pierce Brown’s Morning Star & so SKYWARD is joining my hall of memorable action packed reads. I could hardly put this book down & could visualize all of the teams calls to action. The fighting sequences & the ships themselves were so detailed in a reader friendly way. I never felt like it was too heavy on the schematics, instead it played out as if I was watching Maverick in the popular movie Top Gun but the female version 🙌🏽 With their being very few books featuring Father/Daughter relationships, SKYWARD already has a special place in my heart. Seeing Spensa follow in her fathers footsteps as a Pilot was heartwarming. We see Spensa battle her love for her dad & the image of him she has engraved in her memory. Character development was A+ as was the story building. We’re left off with a mind blowing revelation & final battle that sent me running for the sequel 🤗

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WWW Wednesday 1/15/2020

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?

January has been very good to me & I’m really hoping this streak continues. Hot off the heels from #Smutathon I’ve already started to tackle my ARC spreadsheet while still picking books off my back-list (2020 Resolution). The ONLY real challenge to my reading time has been Netflix, Lé struggle! I walked away from a recent friends dinner with a small list of recommendations & I now live, breathe, speak Schitt’s Creek SMH…

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord –

“All’s fair in love and cheese ― that is, until Pepper and Jack’s spat turns into a viral Twitter war. Little do they know, while they’re publicly duking it out with snarky memes and retweet battles, they’re also falling for each other in real life ― on an anonymous chat app Jack built.” – Goodreads

This was just about all I had to read before requesting it on Edelweiss. I read 25% of this book today & had to pry myself away from my Kindle. It’s witty & addictive, I LOVE jumping into this story when I have time to cuddle up with it. Otherwise I TRULY struggle putting it down. EARLY PREDICTION: This may be 5 star worthy *fingers crossed*

SKYWARD (SKYWARD #1) by Brandon Sanderson –

Defeated, crushed, and driven almost to extinction, the remnants of the human race are trapped on a planet that is constantly attacked by mysterious alien starfighters. Spensa, a teenage girl living among them, longs to be a pilot. When she discovers the wreckage of an ancient ship, she realizes this dream might be possible—assuming she can repair the ship, navigate flight school, and (perhaps most importantly) persuade the strange machine to help her. Because this ship, uniquely, appears to have a soul. -Goodreads

I’m about 20% into Skyward & have already grown fond of Spensa who is fierce & ambitious. When I picked this one up I had no idea this featured a close father/daughter relationship which I’m ALWAYS in search of in my books. Sanderson also happens to be one of the very few male authors who in my opinion writes female characters well. EARLY PREDICTION: This will probably be my first 5 star YA/Sci-Fi of the year *fingers crossed*

BEAUTIFUL DREAMER BY MELISSA BRAYDEN

This past weekend I finished reading Beautiful Dreamer by Melissa Brayden (Smutathon Wrap-up), a F/F Romance set in a beach side town I’d HIGHLY recommend to anyone who’d listen *heart eyes* I have a full review coming over the next few days & plans to make my way through Brayden’s backlist. Beautiful Dreamer is a small town romance with a cast of colorful characters you can’t help but get invested in 😉

DARK AND DEEPEST RED BY ANNA-MARIE McLEMORE

Summer, 1518. A strange sickness sweeps through Strasbourg: women dance in the streets, some until they fall down dead. As rumors of witchcraft spread, suspicion turns toward Lavinia and her family, and Lavinia may have to do the unimaginable to save herself and everyone she loves.

Five centuries later, a pair of red shoes seal to Rosella Oliva’s feet, making her dance uncontrollably. They draw her toward a boy who knows the dancing fever’s history better than anyone: Emil, whose family was blamed for the fever five hundred years ago. But there’s more to what happened in 1518 than even Emil knows, and discovering the truth may decide whether Rosella survives the red shoes.

With McLemore’s signature lush prose, Dark and Deepest Redpairs the forbidding magic of a fairy tale with a modern story of passion and betrayal.

-Goodreads

Having only read When the Moon Was Ours by McLemore in 2016, my backlist for this author is growing. Lyrical, lush, atmospheric, haunting are just a few of the words that describe this authors writing. I was very lucky to get approved on Edelweiss but could’ve sworn I had another week before publication date. Whelp! I was wrong (unless it was bumped up) & will absolutly be reading this next. EARLY PREDICTION: McLemore can do no wrong in my eyes, only the highest of hopes here for a new favorite.

At the time this post goes live I will probably be making my way through Grace & Frankie season 6 which premieres TODAYYYY!!! *clutches pearls* let’s hope my reading doesn’t take a complete hit this week…

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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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SEPTEMBER BOOK HAUL

Catch me on a Sunday morning in my laundry room reading & sipping on some coffee. Today however, I’m doing the laundry & scrolling through my blogger feed catching up with my fellow content creators & readers. September was perhaps the ONLY month where I didn’t go overboard on hauling books. I definitely didn’t do it intentionally…it sort of just happened. I also only read 4 books in September but they were EPIC reads! I’ll also talk about this a little more in my wrap-up but I spent the month soaking up some life experiences, enjoying good company, creating beautiful memories and enjoying the last of the warmer weather.That being said, I’m so excited to have these new reads on my shelves! ❤

Paper Girls

There’s a cute story behind how I came to own these copies that will probably be in my September Wrap-up post soon to come. These were gifts from my boyfriend who took me to what had to be the BEST comic bookstore I’ve ever been to. I previously owned the 1st volume which I just finished & have already started the 2nd volume. So far, I have to agree that these will appeal to fans of Netflix Stranger Things. I LOVE the artwork & sci-fi feels as well as the humor. That being said, there are some trigger warnings worth checking out on Goodreads. I will most likely review these in 2 separate posts since there are 6 volumes at this present moment.

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee– “By day, seventeen-year-old Jo Kuan works as a lady’s maid for the cruel daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta. But by night, Jo moonlights as the pseudonymous author of a newspaper advice column for the genteel Southern lady, “Dear Miss Sweetie.” When her column becomes wildly popular, she uses the power of the pen to address some of society’s ills, but she’s not prepared for the backlash that follows when her column challenges fixed ideas about race and gender. ”

Dominicana by Angie Cruz– “Fifteen-year-old Ana Cancion never dreamed of moving to America, the way the girls she grew up with in the Dominican countryside did. But when Juan Ruiz proposes and promises to take her to New York City, she has to say yes. It doesn’t matter that he is twice her age, that there is no love between them. Their marriage is an opportunity for her entire close-knit family to eventually immigrate. So on New Year’s Day, 1965, Ana leaves behind everything she knows and becomes Ana Ruiz, a wife confined to a cold six-floor walk-up in Washington Heights. Lonely and miserable, Ana hatches a reckless plan to escape. But at the bus terminal, she is stopped by Cesar, Juan’s free-spirited younger brother, who convinces her to stay.”

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger– (For fans of Before We Were Yours and Where the Crawdads Singz) “1932, Minnesota—the Lincoln School is a pitiless place where hundreds of Native American children, forcibly separated from their parents, are sent to be educated. It is also home to an orphan named Odie O’Banion, a lively boy whose exploits earn him the superintendent’s wrath. Forced to flee, he and his brother Albert, their best friend Mose, and a brokenhearted little girl named Emmy steal away in a canoe, heading for the mighty Mississippi and a place to call their own.”

My Book Of The Month Referral Link (Disclaimer: Although I do not receive any monies if you decide to use my link, I do receive one free book through BOTM)

The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd Jones

The September Owlcrate box SCREAMS Fall/Halloween vibes! I gave it 3.5 stars which is a good rating, I just happen to base it on the usability of the items themselves. I was very happy to see this STUNNING copy of The Bone Houses as their selection, anything centered around the undead is a MUST read! the fingerless skull gloves & Skull detailed enamel are my favorite additional items. However, since I’m not a fan of candy corn…the “Caramel Corn” flavored coffee is a pass. I’m not yet sure what I’ll do with the little dish but it does have a neat quote on it. Overall, it’s an aesthetically pleasing box.

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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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A LIL’ BIT OF THIS A LIL’ BIT OF THAT

Title: A PRINCESS IN THEORY

Author: Alyssa Cole

Pub. Date: FEBRUARY 27TH 2018

Genre: CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Publisher: AVON

Pages: 360

From acclaimed author Alyssa Cole comes the tale of a city Cinderella and her Prince Charming in disguise . . .

Between grad school and multiple jobs, Naledi Smith doesn’t have time for fairy tales…or patience for the constant e-mails claiming she’s betrothed to an African prince. Sure. Right. Delete! As a former foster kid, she’s learned that the only things she can depend on are herself and the scientific method, and a silly e-mail won’t convince her otherwise.

Prince Thabiso is the sole heir to the throne of Thesolo, shouldering the hopes of his parents and his people. At the top of their list? His marriage. Ever dutiful, he tracks down his missing betrothed. When Naledi mistakes the prince for a pauper, Thabiso can’t resist the chance to experience life—and love—without the burden of his crown.

The chemistry between them is instant and irresistible, and flirty friendship quickly evolves into passionate nights. But when the truth is revealed, can a princess in theory become a princess ever after?

Ledi is just what I needed in a main character 😍 she’s a black, independent, intelligent, sexy, NYC girl. Managing multiple jobs to pay off student loans while also pursuing a career in STEM, Ledi isn’t really open to entertaining men. Meeting Thabiso, a mystery man with incredible sex appeal seems a bit SUSPECT but she’s curious enough to see where it goes. I LOVED these characters so much, finding it very easy to get invested in their lives. Sure the romance was off the meters but the cast of supporting characters that are living their own lives were also easy to get hooked on. There’s also humor sprinkled throughout starting with the emails Likotsi (Thabiso’s right hand) sends to Ledi in an effort to get her to accept her real identity & Ledi’s own inner dialogue. There were also some serious subjects tackled along the way such as gaslighting, foster care issues, alcohol abuse, toxic behaviors & co-dependency within friendships. Overall I found this first book in the Reluctant Royals series to be highly enjoyable which of course led me to pick up the next book 🤗

Title: A DUKE BY DEFAULT (RELUCTANT ROYALS #2)

Author: Alyssa Cole

Pub. Date: JULY 31ST 2018

Genre: CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Publisher: AVON

Pages: 374

New York City socialite and perpetual hot mess Portia Hobbs is tired of disappointing her family, friends, and—most importantly—herself. An apprenticeship with a struggling swordmaker in Scotland is a chance to use her expertise and discover what she’s capable of. Turns out she excels at aggravating her gruff silver fox boss…when she’s not having inappropriate fantasies about his sexy Scottish burr.

Tavish McKenzie doesn’t need a rich, spoiled American telling him how to run his armory…even if she is infuriatingly good at it. Tav tries to rebuff his apprentice, and his attraction to her, but when Portia accidentally discovers that he’s the secret son of a duke, rough-around-the-edges Tav becomes her newest makeover project.

Forging metal into weapons and armor is one thing, but when desire burns out of control and the media spotlight gets too hot to bear, can a commoner turned duke and his posh apprentice find lasting love?

This book had me smiling start to finish! I loved it even more than its predecessor & connected to the MC Portia on so many levels 🖤 Seeing a protagonist who struggles with finishing passion projects & as a result has disappointed family & friends along the way was tough but also very enlightening. I really connected with Portia (MC) as she started a new chapter in life, shedding many toxic behaviors & rebuilding bonds with those who have never left her side. The discussion of undiagnosed childhood disorders was something I greatly appreciated seeing on the page. Book 2 is set in Scotland & our love interest Tavish is a broody divorcé swordsman who runs an armory. Known by her family for being the twin with no follow through & no real focus in a career, she sets off to Scotland after responding to a ad for an apprentice swords-maker. For Portia, the opportunity to learn a new trade & get a change of scenery was all the motivation she needed.

Tavish is 100% focused on his armory & helping those he loves as well as the community. He also has a bit of a jerky attitude he dons as a shield to protect himself from getting hurt again. Meeting Portia & feeling sparks go off was the last thing he’d expect to happen. Gahhhh!!! Haha! Tav is by far my fave guy in a romance book simply because he never allowed Portia her self deprecating moments. He saw greatness in her & made sure to voice it even if it wasn’t in the smoothest of ways haha! I truly enjoyed seeing this relationship play out & last but not least…A+ on the steamiest scenes I’ve ever come across 🙌🏽

Title: LOCK EVERY DOOR

Author: RILEY SAGER

Pub. Date: JULY 2ND 2019

Genre: THRILLER/MYSTERY

Publisher: DUTTON

Pages: 384

No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen’s new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan’s most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.

As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid who disturbingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story—until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.

Ok it still stands that I prefer not to read synopsis for thriller/mystery books 😂 I included a partial snippet in the 411 above sans what I considered spoiler bits. This was my first Riley Sager book although I do own two others & I found it to be fairly enjoyable. I read & also listened to the audiobook since I’d heard rave reviews on narration. I agree, the audiobook is A+ & it’s super easy to digest. Set in NYC, we get this Gothic style mystery with an MC who sees herself in a tough predicament when we first meet her. A recent break-up due to a cheating boyfriend leads her to answer an ad for an apartment sitter. Three months at 4K per month sounds too good to be true but to Jules who found herself in debt it was worth looking into. She wasn’t expecting the gig to come with a ton of restrictions but accepted the job nonetheless. Befriending Ingrid at the Bartholomew made things a bit better until Ingrid went missing. We then follow Jules as she falls down the rabbit hole of mysteries that surround the Bart. Missing apartment sitters are actually quite common at the Bart & no one seems to want to talk about it. Told in past & present tense, we follow Jules as she uncovers & recollects the secrets that ultimately lead to a near death experience. One thing I really enjoyed was how every time I thought I had the mystery all figured out, I couldn’t be farther from the truth. Now, I don’t read a ton of mystery and thought that possibly I’m just terrible at picking up on the trail. However, after seeing/reading other reviews, I was comforted by the fact others also struggled figuring this one out before the end 😂 There were definitely some parts I felt dragged & therefore hindered my overall enjoyment. However, I loved the atmospheric vibes Sager brought to the page & I’m really curious to read their other books.

Content Warning: Cheating, abduction, death of a loved one, abandonment, violence, suicide, terminal illness

Hello Bookworms! August was slow here on the blog, Summer shenanigans took over my life. However, I was continuously reading and drafting reviews. I recently finished & LOVED *The Merciful Crow**, my review will go live towards the end of the week. I’m currently reading* There Will Come a Darkness & I can just feel the GUSH review coming your way deep in my bones 😂 Happy reading Luvs! 🖤

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Releases of the Second Half of 2019

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 spotlights the top 10 Most Anticipated Releases of the Second Half of 2019!!! I thought I’d have trouble with this topic since It’s been a very slow bookish year for me however, it turns out I have closer to 20 smh. For this list I’ll keep it to 10 but Yikes! my Goodreads is Poppin’ now 😂 …yeaaaaa I lied! 🤷🏻‍♀️ there are 12 & I would’ve felt bad leaving any of these out! 🖤

June 17th: Most Anticipated Releases of the Second Half of 2019

The Good Luck Girls (The Good Luck Girls #1) by Charlotte Nicole Davis – Described as Westworld meets The Handmaid’s Tale 😱 who wouldn’t stop dead in their tracks & with a STUNNING cover to match?!?! 😍 Historical Fiction/Fantasy, this one is about children who’re sold to a “welcome house” where one is accused of murder. they escape & are on the run from both human & inhuman forces.

The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones -YA Fantasy/Horror, honestly the synopsis mentioned a few things that made me go OOooO! ahhh!: Fae, Mapmaker, Corpses coming back to life & a decades old curse. Fascinating!

Kingdom Of Souls by Rena Barron– STUNNING cover! 😍 this is one I’ve been following closely on Twitter. As soon as I heard Witch Doctors my soul did a little shimmy 🤗 this one features a MC who is having difficulty calling on their powers. Pretty soon, she may just have to go to her last resort & exchange years of her life for magical powers. INTRIGUED!

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern– Full transparency here, Erin Morgenstern could write up a grocery list & I’d soak it in! ever since reading The Night Circus years ago, I have searched the internet for any morsel of info on when if ever we’d get a new book by this author. Whelp! not only are we getting it but it has PIRATES in it! 🤗 “a timeless love story set in a secret underground world–a place of pirates, painters, lovers, liars, and ships that sail upon a starless sea.”

Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove #1) by Shelby Mahurin– YA Fantasy “Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.” I am MOST intrigued by this one, with lines in the synopsis like “The war between witches and Church is an ancient one” we get the story of a witch who crosses path with one who has taken an oath to the church to kill all witches. They are somehow wed & I’m just wondering how that happened and what the repercussions will be…

The Revolution Of Birdie Randolph by Brandy Colbert– “Perfect for fans of Nina LaCour and Nicola Yoon comes a novel about first love and family secrets from Stonewall Book Award winner Brandy Colbert.” I’ve been meaning to get to Brandy Colbert (have Little & Lion hauled) & then I see for fans of Nina LaCour…YASSS PLEASE! 😍 YA Contemporary/Realistic Fiction; this one features a MC who is trying to please her parents by sticking to studying at all times until she meets a boy who is sweet but has a troubled past. We also meet her aunt who moves in after leaving a treatment facility for addiction. I can already tell this one is right up my alley & I will most likely love! also…it’s set above a hair salon & I’m here for that! 🤗

Steel Tide (Seafire #2) by Natalie C. Parker–“The second book in a heart-stopping trilogy that follows the captain of an all-female ship intent on taking down a vicious warlord’s powerful fleet.” This is one of the sequels I am HIGHLY anticipating! after reading Seafire last year & LOVING it! I’m due for a dose of Caledonia & crew. I can’t really go into detail this being a sequel & all however, If you love pirates & are looking for a feminist take then I’d say this one is def worth a shot! 🖤

Tarnished Are The Stars by Rosiee Thor– “The Lunar Chronicles meets Rook in this queer #OwnVoices science-fantasy novel, perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer and Sharon Cameron.” I mean it’s like they know exactly what to say to hook me in! 😩“A secret beats inside Anna Thatcher’s chest: an illegal clockwork heart. Anna works cog by cog — donning the moniker Technician — to supply black market medical technology to the sick and injured, against the Commissioner’s tyrannical laws…I’m long overdue for a f/f romance 😍

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo– Ha! when my Dark Queen writes ANYTHING! all else fades 😌 this is a boarding school Fantasy & I was blessed enough to have a friend lend me her copy sooOo this ism next read & I legit can’t contain my excitement 🤗

Children Of Virtue and Vengeance (Legacy Of Orïsha #2) by Tomi Adeyemi– Last year I read Children Of Blood and Bone which left me with quite the book hangover. This is the sequel & so in the spirit of staying spoiler free, I’ll just say that COBAB ending was EPIC! 🔥 the world building is A+ and if you’re a fan of sibling relationships, well written magic systems, and a MC who rides a giant Tiger then I’d say def give this one a go 😉

The Never Tilting World (The Never Tilting World #1) by Rin Chupeco– I fell in love with The Bone Witch trilogy & now we get a Duology by my new fave author?!?! 💓 “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.” …Two things here that had me nodding yes! Frozen & Furyborn 🤗 Unlike Ana & Elsa though, the sisters (Twins) in this story are torn apart by a betrayal. Their worlds are literally split in half & they’re set to rule apart. Each sister is raising a daughter & circumstances make it so they must come together and save their world. This is one of the arcs I wasn’t able to get at BEA & so my wait begins…worth the wait! 🖤

Gideon The Ninth (The Ninth House #1) by Tamsyn Muir– I need all the Necromancy books to line right up & proceed to making themselves comfy on my nightstand 😌 This one leading the pack, LGBTQIAP+ Sci-Fi Fantasy…Lesbian Necromancers…sitting here wondering if it’s too soon to count down to September *taps fingers*

The Emperor needs necromancers.

The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.

Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit.

I need nothing more than this ^^^

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Spoiler Free Review: Middlegame by Seanan Mcguire

Title: Middlegame

Author: Seanan McGuire

Pub. Date: May 7th 2019

Genre: YA Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Publisher: Tor.com

Pages: 528

GOODREADS | BARNES & NOBLE | AMAZON

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

I think I’ve finally met my match. This book is like no other I’ve ever come across in so many ways but trying to summarize it is just not going to work. Clever, dark, multi-layered…this story will sink it’s claws into you & keep you until all hours of the night. One of my my all time favorite classics is Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein & all throughout my time with this book I kept getting those mad scientist vibes. Alchemy is at the center of this story, we get introduced to Asphodel Baker who is a very advanced alchemist ahead of her time. Being a woman, Asphodel encounters challenges by her own peers & decides to take matters into her own hands in order to leave behind her legacy. She begins her work to try & bring into physical manifestation, the Doctrine of Ethos. The Doctrine holds the secrets of the Universe ultimately granting it’s keeper a lot of power.

Asphodel creates Reed in her lab; he is some parts human, creature, alchemy & magic. Reed is meant to outlive Asphodel and carry on her legacy which he does & then some. Reed splits up the Doctrine into two of his creations, twins Rodger and Dodger. One is gifted with all things mathematical knowledge & the other comes with a mastery of language. We watch these twins grow and mature via alternating points of view as they live separate lives. When the twins establish a connection via what can be seen as some sort of telepathy, it becomes clear that staying away from each other is impossible. They have no idea how powerful they are individually & how dangerous they can be when they come together.

This book is 500+ pages but its non-stop action & character development. It won’t be for everyone, it will demand your complete attention but it will also introduce you to some of the MOST unforgettable characters you’ll ever meet on the page. McGuire gives us alchemy mixed with magic, mad scientists, telepathy, math & words that form their own language for these twins and at its core a story about family & friendships.

Content Warning: Murder, suicide, torture, abandonment, mass murder, violence

Reed is Asphodel Baker’s greatest creation so much so he’s outdone his creator. Reed is a master manipulator, great at sitting back and observing before he strikes. Reed is only interested in one thing: world domination. He will stop at nothing to create the perfect set of twins that can embody the Doctrine & ultimately extract it from them for power.

Leigh is Reeds creation & honestly she inspired fear in me the MOST! even more so than Reed himself. In some ways I did feel Reed also feared Leighs detachment from humanity. Leigh loves taking apart (twins) the creations she keeps in her lab in the most grotesque of ways.

“Her bones were stolen from the graves and deathbeds of thirteen brilliant women- and if those deathbeds were made by a long-dead alchemist, rather than by natural selection, she has no sympathy for them”

Erin is Leigh’s creation & true to the understanding that the predecessor is more superior…Erin does manage to keep Leigh watching over her back. This character plays an interesting role because she’s used as a pawn with the twins and their development. Erin’s life is directly affected by the decisions made by the twins on any given timeline. Erin could quite possibly be the single most cold blooded TERRIFYING fictional character I’ve ever come across!

Rodger & Dodger- these twins hold within them a genius level of knowledge over language and mathematics. They have a sort of telepathic way of communicating with each other. An understanding that whatever happens to one, the other will feel as well. I loved seeing the twins develop from adolescence into their adult years. Their bond is strong and we get that depth through the years as they come into awareness of their power. They may just be artificially created however, I felt this sibling bond deep in my core.

This is one of those rare reads you come across every once in a while that I feel might come off as too smart or too complex when trying to understand the he science of it all. Personally, I enjoyed the characters the MOST & glad for it since this is a very character driven book. It’s not at all a easy read, oftentimes painful seeing these twins who can’t help but be driven towards one another but cause so much destruction in their union. I felt this on another level because Dodger was left with abandonment issues that played a major role in her growth & development. We see suicide attempts & anxiety rule over her life meanwhile Rodger tries to understand it all to be there for her. He is the #1 most important person in her life while also being the one to bring her the most pain. I may not have been a fan of the plot as a whole but I have a deep level of respect for these three dimensional characters. This book is hella dark & not for the feint of heart but ultimately it will keep its hold on you when given the chance. I’m SUPER curious now to read all of McGuire’s other books and would recommend Middlegame to anyone who loves sibling stories, sci-fi, twisted villains, and alchemy.

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WWW Wednesday 4/24/2019

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

A little coffee along with the latest Grey’s Anatomy episode playing in the background sets the mood for a long overdue WWW Wednesday post. I don’t want to jinx myself but I’ve been reading non-stop & with that comes reviewing. I second guessed myself on being able to draft up a review since I’ve been on hiatus for a while but I was very happy to see it felt very much like coming home. This year I’m very focused on quality reading which I’m hoping means less meh & more awwwww shi**!!! haha! This also means, I will be making use of the good ol’ DNF if necessary. Something I’ve never done cause my personality often gets in the way, my mind says I MUST finish whatever I start but that’s just not realistic or fair to myself at this point. My last two reads were both 5 star reads motivating me to sort of (haha!) create a TBR which I may just post 😉

Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett

Currently I’m 60% into this read set in Seattle, leaning towards 3.5-4 stars. It’s my first read by Jenn Bennett & it has stirred up interest in towards her other books. The romance in this one had to grow on me but it only gets cuter as the story progresses. There’s a LATINX side character I am ABSOLUTELY love! & the MOST creative first date ever that has me all in my feels. I’ve always been enamored with the idea of one day living in Seattle, this book reignited that dream 😍

Wicked Saints (Something Dark and Holy #1) by Emily A. Duncan

This book truly surprised me in the BEST deliciously dark way possible! 🖤 Confession that may get me in trouble: I was never a big fan of The Darkling in the Grishaverse…YUP! I said it! no backsies. The villain in Wicked Saints has been compared to the Darkling & I feel this villain is WAY more appealing while also being 50 shades of messed up. The last 30% had me in its clutches & I cannot wait for the sequel. The magic system is A+! I’d recommend to those who were fans of Children Of Blood and Bone by Toni Adeyemi. If you love the premise of a MC who is divinely protected by the Gods & can communicate with them, this is your book. If said Gods also happen to have a range of personalities on the page, this is your book. My 5 star review will go live tomorrow 4/25/19.

Middle Game by Seanan McGuire

“Godhood is attainable. Pray it isn’t attained.”

I was very blessed by the Book Gods to receive an ARC of Middlegame earlier this year (LOVE TOR!!!) & it’ll be my very 1st Seanan McGuire read. I don’t know very much about this book other than it featuring twins, one whois a genius with words and the other with numbers. That they aren’t necessarily human & that this may be somewhere between Fantasy & Science Fiction. It’s a pretty thick book that is set to release May 7th so I am making it my next beast to tackle. I’ve heard some mixed reviews but mostly that it is quite the odd read & I can dig that so fingers crossed I do hope I enjoy this one 🖤

It’s that time of year when I try to aggressively tackle my TBR in preparation for BEA. Good thing I’ve been craving books like water cause the shelves have been crying for some TLC 🖤 I hope you’re all falling in love with some amazing fictional characters & stepping into worlds that leave you wanting more 😉

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SEPTEMBER BOOK HAUL

Hello Bookworms! I haven’t done a book haul since July here on the blog (book buying never stopped) & that’s because during the end of August/beginning of September I was on vacation. My first one in over 10 years & it was the most magical & happiest place on earth…more to come -pictures too- in my Wrap-Up. In September I got two subscription boxes and one Exclusive Box. My Kindle probably saw the most love during September & I’m kind of happy it worked out that way cause I’m way overdue for a un-haul & cleansing of my physical shelves. I’m really excited for the books that I did haul, they’re titles I have been eagerly anticipating and can’t wait to dive into. We’ll start this haul off with a little Gosling appreciation *heart eyes*

FAIRYLOOT

Mirage (my review) by Somaiya Daud

I read Mirage as part of a ARC Buddy read & was surprised in a good way to find that it’s a Sci-Fi Fantasy. I wasn’t expecting the sci-fi aspects but loved every bit of the world building this 1st book delivered. As for the FL box, with the exception of the shoelaces (major side eye) I’m really satisfied with the contents of their September box. My fave items are the art prints, notebook, and candle…although if I’m being honest I can’t smell anything from these teeny tiny candles so it’s more for the label *shrugs*