Book Review: Daisy Jones & The Six

I’m just going to prepare you now – this will be a gushing review. I enjoyed The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo but wasn’t as enamored with it as everyone else seems to be, so my expectations for this one were a little tempered. However, Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid was a smash hit for me.

Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six, but nobody knows the reason behind their split at the absolute height of their popularity . . . until now.

Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock and roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.

Also getting noticed is The Six, a band led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.

Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes that the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.

The making of that legend is chronicled in this riveting and unforgettable novel, written as an oral history of one of the biggest bands of the seventies. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a talented writer who takes her work to a new level with Daisy Jones & The Six, brilliantly capturing a place and time in an utterly distinctive voice.

The Good

  • The Format – I loved how the story was written in interview format, switching dialogue between the characters quickly to cover all sides to the situations. I thought it played out so vividly, really giving you that feel of a documentary. Now I did listen to the full cast audiobook version of this book so I think that really added to the experience. It may not have made as much of an impact on me had I read the physical book.
  • LISTEN TO THE AUDIOBOOK!!! – I just wanted to take a minute to absolutely rave about the audiobook version of this story. It’s a full cast featuring actresses Jennifer Beals and Judy Greer, as well as actors Benjamin Bratt and Pablo Schreiber. Trust me, you will not regret listening to it.
  • Flawed Characters – It was refreshing to have characters that were all very distinct with their own personalities and quirks, while also being extremely flawed. You wouldn’t necessarily agree with any of the choices they would make, but each one seemed so realistic that you could somehow still relate and understand the reasoning behind it. Personally, I found the band members to be more likable than Daisy, who kept herself closed off during the interviews. I thought that was smart of Jenkins Reid to keep her at distance from the reader, reinforcing that “cool girl” factor even more.
  • Take My Emotions…. – Seriously, that ending was so bittersweet that I teared up while listening to it at work.

Your journey is our inspiration. Sea you soon!

The Bad

  • Just A Little More? – I think the only flaw I could find with this book was that I would’ve been happier with just a bit more depth to the main romance in the story. I would’ve liked to have spent maybe 20-30 more pages of just focusing on the development of it between the characters. It happened a little fast and I think we missed more of an in depth look at how that started from each of their perspectives, when what we got seemed to focus more on the obvious aspects.

Honestly, I cannot recommend this book enough. I really think the audiobook version adds so much more to the overall experience of the story. The cast does a great job of bringing the emotion of the story to life. And the story itself is so engrossing that I didn’t want to put it down, I had to know what was going to happen next. I really felt as if I was a huge fan and finally getting to learn why they broke up. Jenkins Reid does such an amazing job of pulling you in and making you become so invested in the characters lives.

Final Verdict: 5/5 Stars


Have you read this book yet? If so, what did you think? Did you read the physical book or listen to audiobook like me? How did you feel about Daisy as a character?

WWW Wednesday – March 27th, 2019

Welcome to WWW Wednesday which is currently being hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words. It’s really just a place to do little update on what all you’ve been reading lately. Anyone is welcome to join, just leave a link to your post in the comments and be sure to give the appropriate credit to Sam!

The Three W’s are:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

  • And I Darken (The Conqueror’s Saga, #1) by Kiersten White – physical book, buddy read
  • Honor Bound (The Honors, #2) by Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre – physical book
  • Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid – audiobook

I’ve finally reached the halfway point in And I Darken and I’m really enjoying it so far. The first half was definitely just building up the story, setting the scene and introducing the character. However, it seems that we’ve reached the turning point in the story and things are about to start going down. I’m ready for Lada to kick some ass.

I just started Honor Bound last night and I can already tell that I’m going to enjoy this one even more than the first book. I mean, they’re basically about to dive into an outlaw run space station and you know shenanigans are about ensue.

I only started listening to Daisy Jones & The Six yesterday and I’m already 75% of the way into it.. I CANNOT STOP LISTENING TO IT. Its read by a full cast, including popular actors/actresses, and they do such a fabulous job bringing the emotion out of the story. It really feels like I’m just listening to a documentary and I love that. I will say that Daisy is probably one of my least favorite characters though. I actually find the side characters to be more interesting.

What did you recently finish reading?

  • Immortal Reign (Falling Kingdoms, #6) by Morgan Rhodes – physical book, RTC
  • Fawkes by Nadine Brandes – audiobook

I finished Immortal Reign last night and I have been enjoying this series so much. However, this one didn’t leave as much of an impact on me as I was expecting. I don’t know if I am going through a little fantasy burnout right now or I just wasn’t connecting with the story as much. I originally had this as 4 stars but I think it’s really only 3 stars.

Fawkes ended up surprising me. I thought I would enjoy it but that it would probably just be an average read. However, I actually really loved this story! I loved how Brandes retold the Gunpowder Plot and mixed it with magic to almost completely rewrite history. It was extremely clever and a really fun read. I also loved the voice actor who narrated the audiobook.

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • The Beautiful Strangers by Camille Di Maio – audiobook
  • Jade City (The Green Bone Saga, #1) by Fonda Lee – physical book
  • The English Wife by Lauren Willig – physical book

I originally planned on reading Rabbit & Robot next, I had to change it up some as I’m not so sure I want to dive right back into science fiction after Honor Bound. However, this also could put me on a science fiction binge, soooo… We shall see!


What are you currently reading? What books did you finish this week? What are you planning on reading next? Have you read any of the books on my list? If so, what did you think of them? Leave a link to your WWW Wednesday post in the comments below!

Top 5 Audiobook Recommendations

I know some people aren’t big fans of audiobooks or have ever given them a chance, as I used to be one of them. However, I’m lucky enough to work at a job where I can keep a headphone in one ear and listen to music or whatever. So one day about two years ago, I finally decided that I needed to give listening to audiobooks a try… and I am SO glad I did. I get to listen to so many audiobooks now, between work and listening while at the gym. So if you’re like the old me and are just starting out with audiobooks, or are maybe a pro at it and just want some new ones to add to your Audible account, then I hope my recommendations help! 🙂


Sadie by Courtney Summers

This book is written in two different ways – one as a regular narrative following Sadie, and the other is a podcast format. Now I haven’t read this book in hard copy, but I can say that listening to the audiobook version truly brings you into the story. It makes the podcast narration come to life, just like if you were actually listening to a true crime podcast. I cannot recommend it enough.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

We all love Neil Gaiman. I mean, how could you not? But I wonder how many of you have tried his middle grade novel, The Graveyard Book? Well if you haven’t, I cannot recommend the audiobook version enough. It’s a full cast experience complete with music and sound effects. You can really feel the atmospheric setting of the graveyard come to alive. Seriously, you won’t regret it.

This is Our Story by Ashley Elston

A YA murder-mystery is the perfect story to translate into an audiobook. I loved how the mystery seemed even more realistic like you’re experiencing it in a movie, rather than just following along the page. The narration had me hooked from the beginning and I think it will do the same to you too!

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I’ll admit that I’m actually currently in the middle of this one, but I can already tell that it’ll be one of my favorites. It’s another full cast audio featuring actors Benjamin Bratt, Jennifer Beals, Pablo Schreiber, and Judy Greer. It sounds just like listening to an episode of Behind the Music. I love that documentary feel to it.

The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo

Audiobooks read by the author can be very hit or miss. However, Choo does an amazing job bringing her own characters to life. She has a very peaceful voice that really lends an extra ethereal quality to the magical realism and Chinese mythology in the story. It’s also just a beautiful story set in 1930’s Malaysia, which isn’t a typical setting for a YA novel.


Do you like to listen to audiobooks? If so, what are some of your favorites? Have you listened to any of the books on my list?

Talk Me Into/Out Of… Books on My TBR

I first did this post last year and really enjoyed it. If you’re like me, then you probably find yourself adding books to your TBR constantly without really knowing whether or not it’s a story that will be a good fit for you. This tends to lead to TBR lists that measure in the 100’s, which can get pretty daunting when deciding what you want to read next. With that being said, I have decided to list a few books that I have on my TBR that I’m not quite sure I really want to read. If you have read any of these books, please let me know what your thoughts were on them and feel free to leave a link to your reviews of them as well!


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The Mothers by Brit Bennett

Set within a contemporary black community in Southern California, Brit Bennett’s mesmerizing first novel is an emotionally perceptive story about community, love, and ambition. It begins with a secret.

“All good secrets have a taste before you tell them, and if we’d taken a moment to swish this one around our mouths, we might have noticed the sourness of an unripe secret, plucked too soon, stolen and passed around before its season.”

It is the last season of high school life for Nadia Turner, a rebellious, grief-stricken, seventeen-year-old beauty. Mourning her own mother’s recent suicide, she takes up with the local pastor’s son. Luke Sheppard is twenty-one, a former football star whose injury has reduced him to waiting tables at a diner. They are young; it’s not serious. But the pregnancy that results from this teen romance—and the subsequent cover-up—will have an impact that goes far beyond their youth. As Nadia hides her secret from everyone, including Aubrey, her God-fearing best friend, the years move quickly. Soon, Nadia, Luke, and Aubrey are full-fledged adults and still living in debt to the choices they made that one seaside summer, caught in a love triangle they must carefully maneuver, and dogged by the constant, nagging question: What if they had chosen differently? The possibilities of the road not taken are a relentless haunt.

In entrancing, lyrical prose, The Mothers asks whether a “what if” can be more powerful than an experience itself. If, as time passes, we must always live in servitude to the decisions of our younger selves, to the communities that have parented us, and to the decisions we make that shape our lives forever.

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Heart of Thorns (Heart of Thorns, #1) by Bree Barton

Mia Rose wants only one thing: revenge against the Gwyrach—feared, reviled, and magical women—who killed her mother. After years training under her father’s infamous Hunters, Mia is ready. She will scour the four kingdoms, find her mother’s murderer, and enact the Hunters’ Creed: heart for a heart, life for a life.

But when Mia is thrust into the last role she ever wanted—promised wife to the future king—she plots a daring escape. On her wedding night, Mia discovers something she never imagined: She may be a Huntress, but she’s also a Gwyrach. As the truth comes to light, Mia must untangle the secrets of her own past. Now if she wants to survive, Mia must learn to trust her heart . . . even if it kills her.

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Damsel by Elana K. Arnold

The rite has existed for as long as anyone can remember: when the prince-who-will-be-king comes of age, he must venture out into the gray lands, slay a fierce dragon, and rescue a damsel to be his bride. This is the way things have always been.

When Ama wakes in the arms of Prince Emory, however, she knows none of this. She has no memory of what came before she was captured by the dragon, or what horrors she has faced in its lair. She knows only this handsome prince, the story he tells of her rescue, and her destiny to sit on the throne beside him. Ama comes with Emory back to the kingdom of Harding, hailed as the new princess, welcomed to the court.

However, as soon as her first night falls, she begins to realize that not all is as it seems, that there is more to the legends of the dragons and the damsels than anyone knows–and that the greatest threats to her life may not be behind her, but here, in front of her.

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The Gilded Wolves (The Gilded Wolves, #1) by Roshani Chokshi

No one believes in them. But soon no one will forget them.

It’s 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.

To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood.

Together, they will join Séverin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history—but only if they can stay alive.

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The Truth Lies Here by Lindsey Klingele

Netflix’s Stranger Things meets Men in Black in the first stand-alone young adult novel from Lindsey Klingele.

WHAT’S GOING ON IN BONE LAKE? THE TRUTH WILL SURPRISE YOU.

This funny, eerie stand-alone novel is set in small town Michigan, where Penny, an aspiring journalist, teams up with the nerdy boy-next-door and the town’s star quarterback to find her conspiracy theorist father after he goes missing and several other townspeople turn up dead in the woods.

The deeper she digs, the weirder things start to get. Townspeople repeat the same phrases—verbatim. Men in black suits stroll around Main Street. Chunks of her memory go missing. Pretty soon, Penny’s research leads her to the long-ago meteorite crash in Bone Lake’s woods, and she’s going to have to reconsider her definition of “real” if she wants answers. . .


Have you read any of these books on my TBR? If so, what are your thoughts on them? Would you recommend them to me? If you have a review for a book, please leave a link below!

 

 

 

 

WWW Wednesday – March 20th, 2019

Welcome to WWW Wednesday which is currently being hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words. It’s really just a place to do little update on what all you’ve been reading lately. Anyone is welcome to join, just leave a link to your post in the comments and be sure to give the appropriate credit to Sam!

The Three W’s are:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

  • Immortal Reign (Falling Kingdoms, #6) by Morgan Rhodes – physical book
  • Fawkes by Nadine Brandes – audiobook
  • And I Darken (The Conqueror’s Saga, #1) by Kiersten White – physical book, buddy read

I’m finally making progress with Immortal Reign after a busy weekend. I should have it finished before Friday if I can keep up this pace. Fingers crossed….

I just started listening to Fawkes yesterday and am loving it so far! I love how Brandes is retelling this historical event and combining it with magic and fantastical elements. I can’t wait to find out how this will all end. Will the gunpowder go off? I guess I’ll find out soon enough!

Currently buddy reading And I Darken with Geronimo Reads and am really enjoying it so far. Lada is such a little badass and I love seeing how her mind is constantly moving. I’m not sure what to expect with how White rewrites history. It’s going to be exciting!

What did you recently finish reading?

  • The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo – audiobook, 5/5 Stars
  • Whiskey When We’re Dry by John Larison – audiobook, 3/5 Stars

I really loved The Night Tiger. It was so different from anything else I’d ever read and I loved the mix of Chinese mythology and historical fiction. I wasn’t expecting it to turn into a murder mystery, which only added to the plot tension. I highly recommend this book to everyone!

Whiskey When We’re Dry was an interesting story, if a little slow to really get into the plot. This was my first western book in a way, and I probably shouldn’t have dived back into the genre with literary fiction. It was a little too dry (HA!) and lacked as much action as I was hoping for.

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Jade City (The Green Bone Saga, #1) by Fonda Lee – physical book
  • Rabbit & Robot by Andrew Smith – physical ARC
  • The English Wife by Lauren Willig – physical book

What are you currently reading? What books did you finish this week? What are you planning on reading next? Have you read any of the books on my list? If so, what did you think of them? Leave a link to your WWW Wednesday post in the comments below!

Books On My TBR With Unattractive Covers

I think we can all agree that book covers have gotten sooooo much more attractive in the last couple of years, especially comparing to releases from the 2000’s. However, even though books have gotten prettier on the whole, we do still occasionally come across ones that just don’t quite live up to our expectations or its peers. Honestly, if we never see another cover with just a girl in a dress, then I think our lives are already improved by 10%.


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The Beautiful Strangers by Camille Di Maio

Seriously, a book set on a movie set during Hollywood’s Golden Age and THIS is what you came up with? Soooo much missed opportunity here and it pisses me off.

1958. Kate Morgan, tethered to her family’s failing San Francisco restaurant, is looking for an escape. She gets her chance by honoring a cryptic plea from her grandfather: find the beautiful stranger. The search takes her to Hotel del Coronado, the beachfront landmark on the Southern California coast where filming is underway on the movie Some Like It Hot.

For a movie lover like Kate, it’s a fantasy come true. So is the offer of a position at the glamorous hotel. And a new romance is making her heart beat just as fast. But as sure as she is that the Coronado is her future, Kate discovers it’s also where the ghosts of the past have come to stay. Sixty years ago a guest died tragically, and she still haunts the hotel’s halls.

As the lives of two women—generations apart—intertwine, Kate’s courageous journey could change more than she ever imagined. And with the Coronado wending its way through her soul, she must follow her dreams…wherever they may lead.

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Antigoddess (Goddess War, #1) by Kendare Blake

I guess they were trying to go for badass, but it just ended up looking terrible. The only thing I like is the font. Why would I want to stare at someone’s back?

Old Gods never die…

Or so Athena thought. But then the feathers started sprouting beneath her skin, invading her lungs like a strange cancer, and Hermes showed up with a fever eating away his flesh. So much for living a quiet eternity in perpetual health.

Desperately seeking the cause of their slow, miserable deaths, Athena and Hermes travel the world, gathering allies and discovering enemies both new and old. Their search leads them to Cassandra—an ordinary girl who was once an extraordinary prophetess, protected and loved by a god.

These days, Cassandra doesn’t involve herself in the business of gods—in fact, she doesn’t even know they exist. But she could be the key in a war that is only just beginning.

Because Hera, the queen of the gods, has aligned herself with other of the ancient Olympians, who are killing off rivals in an attempt to prolong their own lives. But these anti-gods have become corrupted in their desperation to survive, horrific caricatures of their former glory. Athena will need every advantage she can get, because immortals don’t just flicker out.

Every one of them dies in their own way. Some choke on feathers. Others become monsters. All of them rage against their last breath.

The Goddess War is about to begin.

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King of Fools (The Shadow Game, #2) by Amanda Foody

I actually have not liked either book cover for this series. They’re a little too plain and miss the whimsy and decadence of the setting of the story.

On the quest to find her missing mother, prim and proper Enne Salta became reluctant allies with Levi Glaisyer, the city’s most famous con man. Saving his life in the Shadow Game forced Enne to assume the identity of Seance, a mysterious underworld figure. Now, with the Chancellor of the Republic dead and bounties on both their heads, she and Levi must play a dangerous game of crime and politics…with the very fate of New Reynes at stake.

Thirsting for his freedom and the chance to build an empire, Levi enters an unlikely partnership with Vianca Augustine’s estranged son. Meanwhile, Enne remains trapped by the mafia donna’s binding oath, playing the roles of both darling lady and cunning street lord, unsure which side of herself reflects the truth.

As Enne and Levi walk a path of unimaginable wealth and opportunity, new relationships and deadly secrets could quickly lead them into ruin. And when unforeseen players enter the game, they must each make an impossible choice: To sacrifice everything they’ve earned in order to survive…

Or die as legends.

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Every Man a Menace by Patrick Hoffman

This cover literally tells me nothing about what the book is about. Not to mention the fact that the font makes it look like a thriller or murder mystery released in the 70’s.

San Francisco is about to receive the biggest delivery of MDMA to hit the West Coast in years. Raymond Gaspar, just out of prison, is sent to the city to check in on the increasingly erratic dealer expected to take care of distribution. In Miami, the man responsible for getting the drugs across the Pacific has just met the girl of his dreams—a woman who can’t seem to keep her story straight. And thousands of miles away in Bangkok, someone farther up the supply chain is about to make a phone call that will put all their lives at risk. Stretching from the Golden Triangle of Southeast Asia to the Golden Gate of San Francisco, Every Man a Menace offers an unflinching account of the making, moving, and selling of the drug known as Molly—pure happiness sold by the brick, brought to market by bloodshed and betrayal.

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The Black Prism (Lightbringer, #1) by Brent Weeks

This cover is just garish. I feel like a lot of adult fantasy is given the worst book covers that continue to look the same as they did 20 years ago. Brent Weeks really does deserve better than this.

Guile is the Prism, the most powerful man in the world. He is high priest and emperor, a man whose power, wit, and charm are all that preserves a tenuous peace. Yet Prisms never last, and Guile knows exactly how long he has left to live.

When Guile discovers he has a son, born in a far kingdom after the war that put him in power, he must decide how much he’s willing to pay to protect a secret that could tear his world apart.


What are some books on your TBR that have ugly covers? Do you judge books by their cover? Does that affect if you will read a book or not?

 

 

 

 

Book Tag: I Should Have Read That

I warned my blogging bestie, Britt @ Geronimo Reads that I was going to steal this tag from her.. and y’all know I keep my promises! Ha! But seriously, I hardly ever do any book tags anymore but I love talking about the books on my TBR, even ones that I’m ashamed to admit have been there for eternity. So this just seemed like the perfect tag to dive into on a Friday.

Please feel free to do this tag as well!


A book that a certain friend is always telling you to read

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Summer of Salt by Katrina Leno

Britt has been RAVING about this book ever since she finished reading it recently. Contemporary is a genre I’m very picky about reading, but I think she’s finally convinced me that this book it totally worth giving a chance. I plan to snag it on audio at some point soon.

A book that’s been on your TBR for forever and yet you still haven’t picked it up

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Middlemarch by George Eliot

I’ve had this sitting on my shelves for like 5 years now and every year I say that I’m finally going to pick it up… and it still hasn’t happened. BUT! I really do plan on picking it up this summer. It’s a special goal of mine and by golly, it’s gonna happen!

A book in a series you’ve started but haven’t gotten around to finishing yet

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The Savage Dawn (The Girl at Midnight, #3) by Melissa Grey

I read this series about a year ago but never got around to finishing the last book. It was an alright series but nothing special. I feel like I’ll probably read the finale at some point this year just so I can say I completed the series. It is a really pretty cover though…

A classic you’ve always liked the sound of, but never actually read

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The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

I actually made it through about 20 pages of this book in junior high before accepting that I just wasn’t ready to take on such a project as translated classic Russian literature. I do plan to return to the book at some point though and try to give it another shot. I mean if I read War and Peace when I was 16, then I can surely handle Dostoyevsky at 28.

A popular book that it seems everyone but you has read

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The Poppy War (The Poppy War, #1) by R.F. Kuang

Oh, don’t you even worry your pretty little head about this one. I will most definitely be reading this beauty soon. I think I may wait and binge it when the sequel comes out in a few months.

A book that inspired a film/TV adaptation that you really love but just haven’t read yet

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To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, #1) by Jenny Han

I actually go back and forth on reading this series. I really love the movie and I just feel like I won’t appreciate the book as much if I try and read it now. Contemporary isn’t really my favorite genre to read either…

A book you see all over Instagram but haven’t picked up yet

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The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

I actually had this book pre-ordered and it’s sitting pretty on my shelf right this second. I plan to pick it up either later this month or next. SOOOO EXCITED!


What are some books that have been on your TBR shelf for a long time? Have you read any of the books on mine? If so, what did you think of them? Should I finally read To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before?

My Favorite Books Featuring Strong Female Characters

I’m sure like most of you do, I always enjoy reading a story that features strong and independent female characters. I never fail to feel an intense connection with those types of characters, as I like to think of myself as a fairly strong female as well. Everyone needs to be able to find a sense of strength and inspiration from their books and I think there’s nothing better than getting that from a special character. Long after you may forget what the plot from that book was about, you’ll still be able to remember that character and what they mean to you.

And don’t worry boys, you’ll get your turn soon!


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Skyward (Skyward, #1) by Brandon Sanderson

Spensa is a total badass pilot. She never lets anything stop her from doing what she knows she was born to do. Also, her snarky comebacks never fail to make me laugh aloud.

Spensa’s world has been under attack for decades. Now pilots are the heroes of what’s left of the human race, and becoming one has always been Spensa’s dream. Since she was a little girl, she has imagined soaring skyward and proving her bravery. But her fate is intertwined with that of her father’s—a pilot himself who was killed years ago when he abruptly deserted his team, leaving Spensa the daughter of a coward, her chances of attending Flight School slim to none.

No one will let Spensa forget what her father did, yet fate works in mysterious ways. Flight school might be a long shot, but she is determined to fly. And an accidental discovery in a long-forgotten cavern might just provide her with a way to claim the stars.

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Golden Son (Red Rising, #2) by Pierce Brown

Victra is life and anyone who disagrees can fight me over it.

As a Red, Darrow grew up working the mines deep beneath the surface of Mars, enduring backbreaking labor while dreaming of the better future he was building for his descendants. But the Society he faithfully served was built on lies. Darrow’s kind have been betrayed and denied by their elitist masters, the Golds—and their only path to liberation is revolution. And so Darrow sacrifices himself in the name of the greater good for which Eo, his true love and inspiration, laid down her own life. He becomes a Gold, infiltrating their privileged realm so that he can destroy it from within.

A lamb among wolves in a cruel world, Darrow finds friendship, respect, and even love—but also the wrath of powerful rivals. To wage and win the war that will change humankind’s destiny, Darrow must confront the treachery arrayed against him, overcome his all-too-human desire for retribution—and strive not for violent revolt but a hopeful rebirth. Though the road ahead is fraught with danger and deceit, Darrow must choose to follow Eo’s principles of love and justice to free his people.

He must live for more.

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Sadie by Courtney Summers

Sadie is one of the most fascinating characters I’ve ever come across. She will do anything to avenge her sister’s death and I can totally respect that.

A missing girl on a journey of revenge. A Serial―like podcast following the clues she’s left behind. And an ending you won’t be able to stop talking about.

Sadie hasn’t had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she’s been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie’s entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister’s killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.

When West McCray―a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America―overhears Sadie’s story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie’s journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it’s too late.

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Trail of Lightning (The Sixth World, #1) by Rebecca Roanhorse

I want to be a monster hunter just like Maggie when I grow up. Can I say something like that even though I’m already 28? Eh, I don’t care. She’s fierce and I love it.

While most of the world has drowned beneath the sudden rising waters of a climate apocalypse, Dinétah (formerly the Navajo reservation) has been reborn. The gods and heroes of legend walk the land, but so do monsters.

Maggie Hoskie is a Dinétah monster hunter, a supernaturally gifted killer. When a small town needs help finding a missing girl, Maggie is their last—and best—hope. But what Maggie uncovers about the monster is much larger and more terrifying than anything she could imagine.

Maggie reluctantly enlists the aid of Kai Arviso, an unconventional medicine man, and together they travel to the rez to unravel clues from ancient legends, trade favors with tricksters, and battle dark witchcraft in a patchwork world of deteriorating technology.

As Maggie discovers the truth behind the disappearances, she will have to confront her past—if she wants to survive.

Welcome to the Sixth World.

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The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1) by Holly Black

Jude is a human living amongst the Fair Folk and she’s able to play their games even better than they are. I only wish I could be as cunning as she is.

Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

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Defy the Stars (Constellation, #1) by Claudia Gray

Noemi Vidal is just so cool. She’s a fighter and isn’t afraid to break the rules in order to do the right thing.

he’s a soldier — Noemi Vidal is willing to risk anything to protect her planet, Genesis, including her own life. To their enemies on Earth, she’s a rebel.

He’s a machine — Abandoned in space for years, utterly alone, Abel’s advanced programming has begun to evolve. He wants only to protect his creator, and to be free. To the people of Genesis, he’s an abomination.

Noemi and Abel are enemies in an interstellar war, forced by chance to work together as they embark on a daring journey through the stars. Their efforts would end the fighting for good, but they’re not without sacrifice. The stakes are even higher than either of them first realized, and the more time they spend together, the more they’re forced to question everything they’d been taught was true.

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Renegades (Renegades, #1) by Marissa Meyer

Technically Nova is the bad guy, but she’s still so loyal to the only family that she has even if that puts her at odds with the rest of the world. I can admire her standing by them, while also standing up to them when she knows what they’re doing is wrong.

The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies — humans with extraordinary abilities — who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone… except the villains they once overthrew.

Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice — and in Nova. But Nova’s allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.

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Honor Among Thieves (The Honors, #1) by Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre

I love how tough Zara is and how she’s willing to to do what’s right, even when putting her own life at risk. Also, I’m just really jealous she gets to fly a sentient ship.

Petty criminal Zara Cole has a painful past that’s made her stronger than most, which is why she chose life in New Detroit instead of moving with her family to Mars. In her eyes, living inside a dome isn’t much better than a prison cell.

Still, when Zara commits a crime that has her running scared, jail might be exactly where she’s headed. Instead Zara is recruited into the Honors, an elite team of humans selected by the Leviathan—a race of sentient alien ships—to explore the outer reaches of the universe as their passengers.

Zara seizes the chance to flee Earth’s dangers, but when she meets Nadim, the alien ship she’s assigned, Zara starts to feel at home for the first time. But nothing could have prepared her for the dark, ominous truths that lurk behind the alluring glitter of starlight.

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Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1) by L.M. Montgomery

Anne is the real O.G. of inspirational females. No list would be worth even reading if she wasn’t on it.

As soon as Anne Shirley arrives at the snug white farmhouse called Green Gables, she is sure she wants to stay forever . . . but will the Cuthberts send her back to to the orphanage? Anne knows she’s not what they expected—a skinny girl with fiery red hair and a temper to match. If only she can convince them to let her stay, she’ll try very hard not to keep rushing headlong into scrapes and blurting out the first thing that comes to her mind. Anne is not like anyone else, the Cuthberts agree; she is special—a girl with an enormous imagination. This orphan girl dreams of the day when she can call herself Anne of Green Gables.

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The Queen of the Tearling (The Queen of the Tearling, #1) by Erika Johansen

Kelsea is ruthless when it comes to fighting for her crown and protecting her kingdom. She is so strong willed and independent when it comes the choices she makes.

On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen’s Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon—from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic—to prevent her from wearing the crown.

Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea’s kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust.

But the quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun—a wondrous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend . . . if she can survive.


Who are some of your favorite female characters? Do you agree with my choices?

WWW Wednesday – March 13th, 2019

Welcome to WWW Wednesday which is currently being hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words. It’s really just a place to do little update on what all you’ve been reading lately. Anyone is welcome to join, just leave a link to your post in the comments and be sure to give the appropriate credit to Sam!

The Three W’s are:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

  • Whiskey When We’re Dry by John Larison – audiobook
  • Immortal Reign (Falling Kingdoms, #6) by Morgan Rhodes – physical book
  • The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo – audiobook

I’ve finally put a dent in Whiskey When We’re Dry. The story has finally started picking up plot-wise and the tension has definitely amped up a bit. I should finish it within the next day or so.

I haven’t been reading much of Immortal Reign but I definitely plan to finish it by this weekend. It’s very exciting and engaging, I just got a little sidetracked by my other reads and also watching Black Sails on Amazon Prime, haha. I have a thing for pirates, what can I say?!

The Night Tiger has been such a surprising delight! I love the learning more about Chinese mythology and how it’s woven throughout the story, especially in regards to the mystery. And the mystery!! It keeps pulling me back in, as I can’t way to find out what’s going to happen next and find out how it will all end. I highly recommend this book, especially the audiobook that’s read by the author.

What did you recently finish reading?

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  • Sleeping Giants (Themis Files, #1) – physical book, buddy read

This book was interesting. It wasn’t quite what I was expecting, but I still enjoyed it overall. My favorite part of the book was Mr. Burns and he was honestly what kept pulling me back into the book. It did seem to drag a bit in the middle but I thought the ending was really fun. I do plan to continue with the series and find out what will happen next after that cliffhanger.

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Jade City (The Green Bone Saga, #1) by Fonda Lee – physical book
  • Rabbit & Robot by Andrew Smith – physical ARC
  • The English Wife by Lauren Willig – physical book

What are you currently reading? What books did you finish this week? What are you planning on reading next? Have you read any of the books on my list? If so, what did you think of them? Leave a link to your WWW Wednesday post in the comments below!

ARC Review: The Fever King (Feverwake, #1)

I actually went into this book fairly blind to the plot and I am so glad that I did. The Fever King (Feverwake, #1) by Victoria Lee was such an interesting and engaging story, weaving current societal themes into a dystopian fantasy.

In the former United States, sixteen-year-old Noam Álvaro wakes up in a hospital bed, the sole survivor of the viral magic that killed his family and made him a technopath. His ability to control technology attracts the attention of the minister of defense and thrusts him into the magical elite of the nation of Carolinia.

The son of undocumented immigrants, Noam has spent his life fighting for the rights of refugees fleeing magical outbreaks—refugees Carolinia routinely deports with vicious efficiency. Sensing a way to make change, Noam accepts the minister’s offer to teach him the science behind his magic, secretly planning to use it against the government. But then he meets the minister’s son—cruel, dangerous, and achingly beautiful—and the way forward becomes less clear.

Caught between his purpose and his heart, Noam must decide who he can trust and how far he’s willing to go in pursuit of the greater good.

The Good

  • Diverse Cast – I loved how Lee was able to create such an amazing cast of MAIN characters. Noam is a bisexual biracial Latino Jewish teen (try saying that ten times fast!), Dara who is a gay POC, and then Lehrer who is queer and of German descent. I think it might be even better that Lee chose to create characters that reflected her own Jewish background, as it added a more authentic reading experience for me personally. It came through in small details here and there, very subtle.
  • Tricky Villain – It’s always fun when an author can create a villain that you’re constantly second-guessing if they truly are the bad guy or not. I love feeling conflicted over who is good and who is bad. It adds an extra air of mystery to the story when that happens.
  • Sexual Tensionnnnnn – Seriously, the sexual tension in this story is so thick you could cut it with a knife. Someone come hose me down, PRONTO!
  • Relevant Themes – It was really interesting how Lee was able to weave current social themes into this story, which only helped to increase my engagement in the story. Immigration played such an integral part of the plot and I loved that. It was interesting to see how that affected Noam’s thoughts throughout the entire story. It gave extra weight to each decision that he made, which helped you feel how much was really at stake for him.

Law Day _ 05.01.2020

The Bad

  • Rushed Ending – I feel like the ending could’ve been dragged out a little longer. It seemed like too much happened way too quickly and I was left feeling like some things were not resolved. I still had questions that I think should have been answered or explored more, even though there will be a sequel. It felt like the ending gave me whiplash over how quickly it all went down. It gave me Midnight Star flashbacks and that’s not a good thing.

Overall this was a fun and engaging read. I think the ending could have been handled a little better and that some lingering questions get answered in the sequel. I loved how current political and social themes were woven seamlessly into the story, as it really helped bring the story to life. I do plan on continuing with this series in hopes of getting to see more of this world and how Noam helps to fix it.

Final Verdict: 4/5 Stars


Have you read The Fever King? If so, what did you think about it? Did you feel like the ending was rushed? Did you agree with Noam’s final decision?