The Goodreads Book Tag

Big thanks to Meredith @ All Bout Them Books and Stuff for tagging me to do this one! I mean, who else thinks Goodreads is there most favorite website?!


What was the last book you marked as ‘read’?

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I read this one over the weekend, after falling in love with Truthwitch. However, I was a little disappointed with this sequel. I had really high hopes for Windwitch, but it just did not live up to them at all. I felt like there were way too many POVs and honestly, this book was pretty forgettable. Luckily, the ending gives me hope that the next book will be a return to form.

What are you currently reading?

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Y’all, I never thought I’d say this about an A.G. Howard novel, but I’m reallyyyy considering DNFing this one for now and maybe trying it again some other time. I don’t know if I’m just not in the mood for this type of story or what, but RoseBlood just isn’t working for me. It’s fairly boring and I don’t really care for any of the characters. I hope I’m not going into a reading slump!

What was the last book you marked as TBR?

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Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody. I saw this going around on Twitter a lot recently and was intrigued. But when they released the cover the other day, I was immediately like, TAKE MY MONEY!!!

What book do you plan to read next?

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I will finally, finallyyyy, be starting this book next. I’ve only had it since it first came out but have been pushing it aside because, (controversial opinion time!), I really don’t care for Helene and apparently she’s been added as a POV. Kill me now…

Do you use the star rating system?

I sure do.

Are you doing a 2017 Reading Challenge?

Yes, this year I have once again decided to set my goal at 100 books. I really think I can do it in 2017, I’m feeling good about it! Now watch me crash and burn thanks to a major reading slump a la summer 2016. Yuck!

Do you have a wishlist?

I do on BookOutlet, just because it’s easier to keep up with the books that I want rather than having to search every single time I go to place an order… EFFICIENCY!

What book do you plan to buy next?

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Because, obviously! I was going to put Lillian Boxfish Takes A Walk since it’s the next selection for the book club I’m a member of, but I honestly don’t think that’s a book that I actually want to spend my money on so I’ll just borrow it from the library.

Do you have any favorite quotes? Share a few.

“He thinks he’ll be remembered as the villain in the story. But I forgot to tell him that the villain is usually the person who locks up the maiden and throws away the key. He was the one who let me out.” – Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Mist and Fury

“Love. It was the beginning and end of everything, the foundation and the ceiling and the air in between.” – Kristin Hannah, The Nightingale

“And I wonder, in my last moments, if the planet does not mind that we wound her surface or pillage her bounty, because she knows we silly warm things are not even a breath in her cosmic life. We have grown and spread, and will rage and die. And when all that remains of us is our steel monuments and plastic idols, her winds will whisper, her sands will shift, and she will spin on and on, forgetting about the bold, hairless apes who thought they deserved immortality.” – Pierce Brown, Morning Star

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” – J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Who are your favorite authors?

All-Time Favorites: Pierce Brown, Jane Austen, J.K. Rowling, Diana Gabaldon, and Tahereh Mafi

New Favorites: Sarah J. Maas, Rae Carson, Holly Black, Erin Bowman, and Michelle Modesto

Have you joined any groups?

Oh yeah, way too many actually… Hype or Like Friday, Underrated Book Club, For Love of a Book, Stress Free Reading Challenges, Ultimate PopSugar Reading Challenge, Tome Topple Readathon, Perusetopia Book Club, Nothing But Reading Challenges, The Owlcrate Book Club, Oprah’s Book Club, Keep It Diverse, Read with Tessa, Bookstagram, and Blogger Lift

I hardly ever post to any of them, except on my own groups – Hype or Like Friday and Underrated Book Club.


Tagged:

And anyone else who wants to do it!

 

5 Different Ways We Buy Books

If you’re like me, then when you find yourself out and about buying books, it becomes an adventure. There may be tears of joy, frustration, prolonged periods of intense staring as you have inner debates, and maybe even shouts of excitement because you finally found that really obscure book/edition that you’ve been searching for forever! Onlookers probably feel like they’re on safari watching us in our natural habitat. In short, when we bookworms buy books, it turns into one epic quest to Mordor to find the one book to rule them all.

And in honor of that journey, I decided to list just a few of the ways that we choose our books.


1. The Casual Multiple Hours Long Browsing Selection

This is probably my most common form of book buying when I’m not ordering online. I will literally spend hours just slowly making my way through all of the aisles, just taking my time and picking up anything that catches my eye. Also, the way that ends up with my wallet slapping me across the face and yelling at me about how I should be saving my money.

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2. The I-Only-Have-Enough-Money-For-One-Book Debate Selection

Don’t you just hate when you can only afford to get one book but you somehow have about 5 in your hands, and you can’t decide which one is the one you most want so you spend about 30 minutes in the aisle just staring at them all? Yeah, me too.

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3. The I’m-Only-Here-For-A-Specific-Book-So-Don’t-Look-At-Anything-Else Selection

We all know about those times when you are on a mission to get that one specific book, so you know that you can’t stop to look at anything else or you’ll end up going home with about 20 different books and not the one you originally came for. When I do this, I practically run down the aisles to where that book is going to be located. I must not be tempted!!!

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4. The Finding-Books-That-Were-Recommended-By-Booktube/Bookstagram/Blogger Selection

Because of this great big wonderful book community, we are constantly getting recommended different books to read and buy. For me, these trips don’t always turn out so well…. I find the book and then I’m all like, what the hell am I doing because this book doesn’t really interest me at all?! This happens far more often than I wish it did.

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5. The I’ve-Got-Unlimited-Funds-So-Give-Me-Everything! Selection

This is really just a dream scenario but it’s nice to have dreams though, right?

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What are some ways that you buy your books? Do any of selection choices fit your usual book buying tendencies?

 

Wonderfilled Reads 1st Annual Unhaul!

Hello to all of my gorgeous and amazing readers! Today is going to be the start of a good weekend (and yes, I am including Thursday in the weekend), and I think doing a little bookshelf cleaning is going to be the perfect way to do that! Last night, I was sitting in my bedroom floor staring at my messy and overflowing bookshelf (thanks, Target!), and decided that I really need to get rid of some of these books. I currently have 4 stacks in my floor right now of unread books that should be up on this shelf but there’s just no room. So, I think the best way to get ready for the upcoming new year is to declutter and clean out these shelves! I’m getting rid of books that I’ve read and liked but don’t feel the need to keep, books that I just didn’t enjoy, books that I want a different edition of, and books that I have no interest in reading at all.

Because I love all of my fellow bookworms, I thought I would give you all a chance to snag a new book for your own shelves! What do you think about that?! Below I will list the books that are up for grabs, including edition (paperback/hardback), synopsis, and link to its Goodreads page. I do have some other books available as well but there were just too many to list here. And trust me, there’s quite a few of them! If you are interested in a complete list of those, then please let me know and I can send a full list via private message on Twitter or Goodreads.

Rules:

  • If you would like one, please leave a comment with your choice.
  • These are first come, first serve as I unfortunately do not have multiple copies available.
  • All books are undamaged and unmarked – I take good care of my babies.
  • I am interested in doing a book trade! So please let me know if you have any books that you would like to clear from your shelves and we can work out a deal!
  • Free shipping for US and Canada only! If you are international and really interested in a book, let me know so we can check on shipping prices and split the cost.
  • Try not to be too greedy! 😉

The Winner’s Curse Trilogy by Marie Rutkoski

Editions: 1st – paperback, 2nd – paperback, 3rd – hardcover

Winning what you want may cost you everything you love…

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

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The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

Edition: paperback

On the faded Island Books sign hanging over the porch of the Victorian cottage is the motto “No Man Is an Island; Every Book Is a World.” A. J. Fikry, the irascible owner, is about to discover just what that truly means.

A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island—from Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who’s always felt kindly toward Fikry; from Ismay, his sister-in-law who is hell-bent on saving him from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who keeps on taking the ferry over to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J.’s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, A.J. can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly.

And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It’s a small package, but large in weight. It’s that unexpected arrival that gives A. J. Fikry the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn’t take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J.; or for that determined sales rep, Amelia, to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light; or for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J.’s world; or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn’t see coming. As surprising as it is moving, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry is an unforgettable tale of transformation and second chances, an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love.

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The Secret Life of Violet Grant by Beatriz Williams

Edition: paperback

Passion, redemption, and a battered suitcase full of secrets: the New York Times-bestselling author of A Hundred Summers returns with another engrossing tale.

Manhattan, 1964. Vivian Schuyler, newly graduated from Bryn Mawr College, has recently defied the privilege of her storied old Fifth Avenue family to do the unthinkable for a budding Kennedy-era socialite: break into the Mad Men world of razor-stylish Metropolitan magazine. But when she receives a bulky overseas parcel in the mail, the unexpected contents draw her inexorably back into her family’s past, and the hushed-over crime passionnel of an aunt she never knew, whose existence has been wiped from the record of history.

Berlin, 1914. Violet Schuyler Grant endures her marriage to the philandering and decades-older scientist Dr. Walter Grant for one reason: for all his faults, he provides the necessary support to her liminal position as a young American female physicist in prewar Germany. The arrival of Dr. Grant’s magnetic former student at the beginning of Europe’s fateful summer interrupts this delicate détente. Lionel Richardson, a captain in the British Army, challenges Violet to escape her husband’s perverse hold, and as the world edges into war and Lionel’s shocking true motives become evident, Violet is tempted to take the ultimate step to set herself free and seek a life of her own conviction with a man whose cause is as audacious as her own.

As the iridescent and fractured Vivian digs deeper into her aunt’s past and the mystery of her ultimate fate, Violet’s story of determination and desire unfolds, shedding light on the darkness of her years abroad . . . and teaching Vivian to reach forward with grace for the ambitious future––and the love––she wants most.

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I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

Edition: paperback

A brilliant, luminous story of first love, family, loss, and betrayal for fans of John Green, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell

Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah’s story to tell. The later years are Jude’s. What the twins don’t realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.

This radiant novel from the acclaimed, award-winning author of The Sky Is Everywhere will leave you breathless and teary and laughing—often all at once.

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Passenger (Passenger, #1) by Alexandra Bracken

Edition: hardcover

Passage, n.
i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
ii. A journey by water; a voyage.
iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them—whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are playing, treacherous forces threaten to separate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home… forever.

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Six Months Later by Natalie Richards

Edition: paperback

She has everything she’s ever wanted. But not her memory…

When Chloe fell asleep in study hall, it was the middle of May. When she wakes up, snow is on the ground and she can’t remember the last six months of her life.

Before, she’d been a mediocre student. Now, she’s on track for valedictorian and being recruited by Ivy League schools. Before, she never had a chance with super jock Blake. Now he’s her boyfriend. Before, she and Maggie were inseparable. Now her best friend won’t speak to her.

What happened to her? Remembering the truth could be more dangerous than she knows…

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Starcrossed (Starcrossed, #1) by Josephine Angelini

Edition: paperback

How do you defy DESTINY?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is – no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it’s getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she’s haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood… and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they’re destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together – and trying to tear them apart.

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Illuminate (Gilded Wings, #1) by Aimee Agresti

Edition: paperback

Haven Terra is a brainy, shy high school outcast. But everything changes when she moves into Chicago’s swanky Lexington Hotel for a prestigious internship shadowing the powerful, alluring, and startlingly young owner, Aurelia Brown. Here, Haven has her first taste of decadence as she meets the city’s A-listers, works alongside Aurelia’s stunning minions known as the Outfit, and frequents the hotel’s exclusive nightclub.

In her old life, Haven was ordinary. But at the Lexington, she’s being transformed – and being pursued by Lucian Grove, the guy of her dreams and Aurelia’s second-in-command. As Haven begins falling for Lucian, she discovers that the beautiful people on the Lexington’s staff are not quite what they seem – and that they have a horrifying plan in store for the hotel’s unsuspecting guests. Aurelia and company are in the business of buying souls. Will they succeed in wooing Haven to join them, or will she rise up and fight back in time to save her classmates on prom night at the hotel?

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The Siren by Kiera Cass

Edition: hardcover

Love is a risk worth taking.

Years ago, Kahlen was rescued from drowning by the Ocean. To repay her debt, she has served as a Siren ever since, using her voice to lure countless strangers to their deaths. Though a single word from Kahlen can kill, she can’t resist spending her days on land, watching ordinary people and longing for the day when she will be able to speak and laugh and live freely among them again.

Kahlen is resigned to finishing her sentence in solitude…until she meets Akinli. Handsome, caring, and kind, Akinli is everything Kahlen ever dreamed of. And though she can’t talk to him, they soon forge a connection neither of them can deny…and Kahlen doesn’t want to.

Falling in love with a human breaks all the Ocean’s rules, and if the Ocean discovers Kahlen’s feelings, she’ll be forced to leave Akinli for good. But for the first time in a lifetime of following the rules, Kahlen is determined to follow her heart.

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The Cellar (The Cellar, #1) by Natasha Preston

Edition: paperback

Nothing ever happens in the town of Long Thorpe – that is, until sixteen-year-old Summer Robinson disappears without a trace. No family or police investigation can track her down. Spending months inside the cellar of her kidnapper with several other girls, Summer learns of Colin’s abusive past, and his thoughts of his victims being his family…his perfect, pure flowers. But flowers can’t survive long cut off from the sun, and time is running out…

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Jessie’s Girl by Miranda Kenneally

Edition: paperback

Everyone at Hundred Oaks High knows that career mentoring day is a joke. So when Maya Henry said she wanted to be a rock star, she never imagined she’d get to shadow *the* Jesse Scott, Nashville’s teen idol.

But spending the day with Jesse is far from a dream come true. He’s as gorgeous as his music, but seeing all that he’s accomplished is just a reminder of everything Maya’s lost: her trust, her boyfriend, their band, and any chance to play the music she craves. Not to mention that Jesse’s pushy and opinionated. He made it on his own, and he thinks Maya’s playing back up to other people’s dreams. Does she have what it takes to follow her heart—and go solo?

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The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Edition: paperback

Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are valued only if their ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she lived and made love with her husband, Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now…


Remember to leave a comment to claim the book you want! There are more books available, so don’t forget to ask for a full list if you don’t see one here that you’d be interested in! Please leave a list of any books that you want to clean from your shelves too and we can have a community unhaul!

WWW Wednesday – October 19th, 2016

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 Ws 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?

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Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3) by Sarah J. Maas

I’m super close to finishing this book, possibly even by tonight. It’s been a pretty fun read, as has been the entire series so far. However, I really think Maas could’ve left out about 100 pages and still been alright. There is a bit of a lull in the book that is causing me to read this slower than I was expecting to.

What did you recently finish reading?

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2) by Sarah J. Maas

Half Wild (Half Bad Trilogy, #2) &  Half Lost (Half Bad Trilogy, #3) by Sally Green

I really enjoyed both of these book. I feel like CoM has been the best book in the Throne of Glass series so far, but there is still plenty of time for that to change. And I really enjoyed the way Half Lost wrapped up the trilogy. It was heartbreaking and beautiful, which I think was perfect for matching the darker tone of the entire series. Look for these reviews to be posted over the next few days!

What do you think you’ll read next?

The Midnight Star (The Young Elites, #3) by Marie Lu

A Torch Against the Night (An Ember in the Ashes, #2) by Sabaa Tahir

I figured I’d take a little break from Calaena before diving back into the Throne of Glass series and catch up on some of the other series I’m in the middle of. I’m so excited to get to The Midnight Star and see how Adelina’s story ends. She’s probably one of my favorite antiheroes ever. I’m a little less excited about A Torch Against the Night, as I wasn’t as impressed with the first book as most people were. It was a bit boring (sorry!) overall, but was saved by a pretty exciting ending.


What does your WWW Wednesday look like? Have you read any of the books on my list? What are your thoughts on them? Is A Torch Against the Night better than An Ember in the Ashes? Do you think The Midnight Star wrapped up The Young Elites trilogy well?

Musing Mondays – October 17th, 2016

Musing Mondays is a weekly theme hosted by the lovely MizB @ Books and a Beat, that asks you to answer one of the prompt questions and that week’s random question.

PROMPTS:

  • I’m currently reading…
  • Up next I think I’ll read…
  • I bought the following book(s) this past week…
  • I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
  • I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
  • I can’t wait to get a copy of…
  • I wish I could read ___, but…
  • I blogged about ____ this past week…

THIS WEEK’S RANDOM QUESTION: Who are the key players in your current book? (or current themes, if nonfiction)


I bought the following book(s) this past week…

I got paid on Friday so I thought I’d have a little Treat Yo’self Day, which obviously included a trip to the bookstore. I think I did really good yesterday as two of the books were found in the bargain price section! Don’t you just love saving money?

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As the daughter of a meth dealer, Wavy knows not to trust people, not even her own parents. Struggling to raise her little brother, eight-year-old Wavy is the only responsible “adult” around. She finds peace in the starry Midwestern night sky above the fields behind her house. One night everything changes when she witnesses one of her father’s thugs, Kellen, a tattooed ex-con with a heart of gold, wreck his motorcycle. What follows is a powerful and shocking love story between two unlikely people that asks tough questions, reminding us of all the ugly and wonderful things that life has to offer.

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The thrilling finale to the New York Times bestselling Young Elites series from “hit factory” Marie Lu.

There was once a time when darkness shrouded the world, and the darkness had a queen.

Adelina Amouteru is done suffering. She’s turned her back on those who have betrayed her and achieved the ultimate revenge: victory. Her reign as the White Wolf has been a triumphant one, but with each conquest her cruelty only grows. The darkness within her has begun to spiral out of control, threatening to destroy all that she’s achieved.

Adelina’s forced to revisit old wounds when a new danger appears, putting not only Adelina at risk, but every Elite and the very world they live in. In order to save herself and preserve her empire, Adelina and her Roses must join the Daggers on a perilous quest—though this uneasy alliance may prove to be the real danger.

Bestselling author Marie Lu concludes Adelina’s story with this haunting and hypnotizing final installment to the Young Elites series.

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After a harrowing journey across the country, Leah Westfall and her friends have finally arrived in California and are ready to make their fortunes in the Gold Rush. Lee has a special advantage over the other new arrivals in California—she has the ability to sense gold, a secret known only by her handsome best friend Jefferson and her murdering uncle Hiram.

Lee and her friends have the chance to be the most prosperous settlers in California, but Hiram hasn’t given up trying to control Lee and her power. Sabotage and kidnapping are the least of what he’ll do to make sure Lee is his own. His mine is the deepest and darkest in the territory, and there Lee learns the full extent of her magical gift, the worst of her uncle, and the true strength of her friendships. To save everyone, she vows to destroy her uncle and the empire he is building—even at the cost of her own freedom.

The second epic historical fantasy in the Gold Seer trilogy by Rae Carson, the acclaimed author of The Girl of Fire and Thorns.

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Once a city of enormous wealth and culture, Prague was home to emperors, alchemists, astronomers, and, as it’s whispered, hell portals. When music student Sarah Weston lands a summer job at Prague Castle cataloging Beethoven’s manuscripts, she has no idea how dangerous her life is about to become. Prague is a threshold, Sarah is warned, and it is steeped in blood.
Soon after Sarah arrives, strange things begin to happen. She learns that her mentor, who was working at the castle, may not have committed suicide after all. Could his cryptic notes be warnings? As Sarah parses his clues about Beethoven’s “Immortal Beloved,” she manages to get arrested, to have tantric sex in a public fountain, and to discover a time-warping drug. She also catches the attention of a four-hundred-year-old dwarf, the handsome Prince Max, and a powerful U.S. senator with secrets she will do anything to hide.

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An audacious, darkly glittering novel set in the eerie days of civilization’s collapse, Station Eleven tells the spellbinding story of a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity.

One snowy night Arthur Leander, a famous actor, has a heart attack onstage during a production of King Lear. Jeevan Chaudhary, a paparazzo-turned-EMT, is in the audience and leaps to his aid. A child actress named Kirsten Raymonde watches in horror as Jeevan performs CPR, pumping Arthur’s chest as the curtain drops, but Arthur is dead. That same night, as Jeevan walks home from the theater, a terrible flu begins to spread. Hospitals are flooded and Jeevan and his brother barricade themselves inside an apartment, watching out the window as cars clog the highways, gunshots ring out, and life disintegrates around them.

Twenty years later, Kirsten is an actress with the Traveling Symphony. Together, this small troupe moves between the settlements of an altered world, performing Shakespeare and music for scattered communities of survivors. Written on their caravan, and tattooed on Kirsten’s arm is a line from Star Trek: “Because survival is insufficient.” But when they arrive in St. Deborah by the Water, they encounter a violent prophet who digs graves for anyone who dares to leave.

Spanning decades, moving back and forth in time, and vividly depicting life before and after the pandemic, this suspenseful, elegiac novel is rife with beauty. As Arthur falls in and out of love, as Jeevan watches the newscasters say their final good-byes, and as Kirsten finds herself caught in the crosshairs of the prophet, we see the strange twists of fate that connect them all. A novel of art, memory, and ambition, Station Eleven tells a story about the relationships that sustain us, the ephemeral nature of fame, and the beauty of the world as we know it.

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I am Henrietta Howel. The first female sorcerer. The prophesied one. Or am I?

Henrietta Howel can burst into flames. When she is brought to London to train with Her Majesty’s sorcerers, she meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, young men eager to test her powers and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her. As Henrietta discovers the secrets hiding behind the glamour of sorcerer life, she begins to doubt that she’s the true prophesied one. With battle looming, how much will she risk to save the city–and the one she loves?

 Who are the key players in your current book? (or current themes, if nonfiction)

Well, I’m currently in the middle of Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3) by Sarah J. Maas. I’m sure most of you are aware of the main characters in this series but there are a couple of newly introduced ones in this book. The most important main character in this book is obviously Celaena Sardothien, and then we have our other mains – Dorian and Chaol. However, now added to the playing field are Aedion Ashryver, Manon Blackbeak, and Rowan Whitehorn (my personal favorite asshole). I’m really enjoying Aedion and Rowan (obviously!), but I am pretty much bored to tears during Manon’s chapters. I just don’t really care about the witches if I’m being honest. I’ll compare her to how I felt about Nehemia – boring and uninteresting. And if she can meet the same fate as the princess, (and hopefully sooner rather than later), I’ll be one happy camper.


Have you read any of the books that I bought this week? If you have, please leave a link to your review of them (if you have one)! What are some of your recent book purchases? Who are the key players in your current read?

Musing Mondays – October 10th, 2016

Musing Mondays is a weekly theme hosted by the lovely MizB @ Books and a Beat, that asks you to answer one of the prompt questions and that week’s random question.

PROMPTS:

  • I’m currently reading…
  • Up next I think I’ll read…
  • I bought the following book(s) this past week…
  • I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
  • I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
  • I can’t wait to get a copy of…
  • I wish I could read ___, but…
  • I blogged about ____ this past week…

THIS WEEK’S RANDOM QUESTION: Can you recall a time that you weren’t an avid reader?


I can’t wait to get a copy of…

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The Last Days of Magic by Mark Tompkins

An epic novel of magic and mysticism, Celts and faeries, mad kings and druids, and the goddess struggling to reign over magic’s last outpost on the Earth

What became of magic in the world? Who needed to do away with it, and for what reasons? Drawing on myth, legend, fairy tales, and Biblical mysteries, The Last Days of Magic brilliantly imagines answers to these questions, sweeping us back to a world where humans and magical beings co-exist as they had for centuries.

Aisling, a goddess in human form, was born to rule both domains and—with her twin, Anya—unite the Celts with the powerful faeries of the Middle Kingdom. But within medieval Ireland interests are divided, and far from its shores greater forces are mustering. Both England and Rome have a stake in driving magic from the Emerald Isle. Jordan, the Vatican commander tasked with vanquishing the remnants of otherworldly creatures from a disenchanted Europe, has built a career on such plots. But increasingly he finds himself torn between duty and his desire to understand the magic that has been forbidden.

As kings prepare, exorcists gather, and divisions widen between the warring clans of Ireland, Aisling and Jordan must come to terms with powers given and withheld, while a world that can still foster magic hangs in the balance. Loyalties are tested, betrayals sown, and the coming war will have repercussions that ripple centuries later, in today’s world—and in particular for a young graduate student named Sara Hill.

The Last Days of Magic introduces us to unforgettable characters who grapple with quests for power, human frailty, and the longing for knowledge that has been made taboo. Mark Tompkins has crafted a remarkable tale—a feat of world-building that poses astonishing and resonant answers to epic questions.

I saw this book at my local Books-A-Million a couple of weeks ago, and it has literally been on my mind ever since. While the cover immediately grabbed my attention, the synopsis is what has really got me interested! I took Mythology my last semester of school and I really enjoyed the section on Celtic myths, which is probably helped by the fact that Ireland is my favorite place in the world and that my mom’s side of the family is Irish. And while I’m a sucker for any mythology, be it Greek, Roman, or Norse, the literary world tends to overplay them a bit. So when I saw this book was about the Celts, well… Count me in!

I’ve noticed that a lot of the Goodreads reviews for The Last Days of Magic are pretty polarizing, and it seems to me like this might be  a love-it-or-hate-it novel. Now I noticed the biggest complaint to be that there’s too much history and background information, and not enough action. Well since I am a bit of a history nerd, that probably won’t bother me too much. This also is just the first book in the series so I expect it just be the introduction and buildup to real action that comes later on. Either way, this book has got me all kinds of interested and I plan on grabbing a copy the next time I make a trip to the bookstore!

Can you recall a time that you weren’t an avid reader?

I’ve always been a huge reader, but I guess a period of my life where I wasn’t reading as much as I usually do, was probably my first 2 years of college. But I think that’s probably a very normal situation for anyone who’s attended university. Sorry I didn’t have a more interesting answer for y’all nerds! 😉


What does your Musing Monday look like? Are there any books that you’ve seen recently that really piqued your interest? What do you think about my choice? Have you always been an avid reader?

Smashing Series September Wrap-Up!

Yes, I do realize that it’s already October 10th and I’m just now getting to this wrap-up. Y’all just go easy on me, I’ve had a busy week! You can read my original Smashing Series September post HERE.

I think I did alright for my reading challenge last month, as I was able to finish 3/5 of the series that I had chosen. And I’m currently finishing up my 4th series, as well. I wasn’t able to read as much as I had hoped due to going a little slow with one series as it wasn’t holding my interest as much as I’d hoped – looking at you The Winner’s Trilogy. Here were the books that I was able to finish last month! Click on the title to see my review for that book!

I enjoyed the majority of these books, but unfortunately I was a little disappointed by two of them. For me, the final book in a series should be the strongest in terms of character development, plot, writing, etc. But apparently some authors just don’t seem to understand that *cough* Rutkoski *cough*, and decide to go in a completely different direction. Hopefully Half Lost (Half Bad Trilogy, #3) doesn’t turn out to disappoint me too! Fingers crossed!

Here are the books that I didn’t finish during September but am finishing up this month…


What are some series or trilogies that you didn’t like the ending of? Are there any series that you’ve started but haven’t gotten around to finishing yet?

WWW Wednesday – October 5th, 2016

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!

The Three Ws are:

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

What are you reading now?

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Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Polarizing opinions abound with this book but I’m finding myself pleasantly enjoying the story. It’s witty, sarcastic, and completely making fun of Harry Potter. Yes, I am a huge HP fan and have been since I read the first book when I was 9, but I can’t help that this story is making me chuckle at its not-so-subtle satire.

What did you recently finish reading?

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The Beauty of Darkness (The Remnant Chronicles, #3) by Mary E. Pearson

I know I’ve been hating on this series… But y’all, this last book was fantastic. Fantastic closing to this trilogy (maybe The Winner’s Kiss should learn some pointers), and one that I’m extremely glad to have continued with until the end.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Half Wild (The Half Bad Trilogy, #2) Half Lost (The Half Bad Trilogy, #3) by Sally Green

Here’s the thing with these two books – I really don’t remember what happened in the first book. I believe when it ended we were in Switzerland but I cannot for the life of me remember how the story got there. I could put this series on the back burner and do a reread of Half Bad first but I don’t really feel like a reread right now. And hey, it’s October, so why not finish a series about witches?


Have you read any of the books on my WWW Wednesday? What does your WWW Wednesday look like?

Teaser Tuesday – October 4th, 2016

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme currently being hosted by MizB @ Books and a Beat. All are welcome to participate!

Rules:

  • Grab your current read.
  • Open to a random page.
  • Share two ‘teaser’ sentences from somewhere on that page.
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! You don’t want to give too much away so as to not ruin the book for others!
  • Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

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Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

That’s it. I’m going to have to spell this imbecile away from me. My last deed will be to save Simon Snow’s life, and my whole family will be ashamed.

– page 341

I have to say that I really am enjoying this book so far. Not much has actually happened yet, (at least not the real adventure), but it’s been fairly entertaining. I can see why some people might not enjoy it or find that it’s basically a rip off off Harry Potter, and to those people I say – that’s the whole point. This book knows it’s a fictionalized version of a Harry Potter carbon copy fanfic. It’s in on the joke and makes fun of itself for it. It’s so blatantly obvious and that’s the whole point! If you are swearing off this book because of that, please don’t. Try reading it as a Harry Potter satire, and just embrace the silliness!

But seriously, Agatha can go die an awful death. I really cannot stand her and will be happy to play executioner if need be!


Have you read Carry On? What were your thoughts on it? What does your Teaser Tuesday look like?

Musing Mondays – October 3rd, 2016

Musing Mondays is a weekly theme hosted by the lovely MizB @ Books and a Beat, that asks you to answer one of the prompt questions and that week’s random question.

PROMPTS:

  • I’m currently reading…
  • Up next I think I’ll read…
  • I bought the following book(s) this past week…
  • I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
  • I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
  • I can’t wait to get a copy of…
  • I wish I could read ___, but…
  • I blogged about ____ this past week…

THIS WEEK’S RANDOM QUESTION: What is your worst habit as a reader?


I bought the following book(s) this past week…

I actually just picked these both up today. I obviously have been waiting to grab Crooked Kingdom ever since I got my hands on Six of Crows, just like everyone else and their mom. However, I noticed How to Hang a Witch at the bookstore about a month ago and it really piqued my interest after I read the synopsis. So when I saw it for 20% off at Target, I knew it was fate. I think this will be the perfect book to start around Halloween and end October with. It’s been grabbing rave reviews on Goodreads, so I’m pretty excited for it!

What is your worst habit as a reader?

This is a tough one… I’d probably have to say the fact that I forget about a book not long after I finish it. I don’t know what my deal is, but there are just very few books that I can remember everything about. It’s also very random as to which books I remember and which ones I can’t, no rhyme or reason to it whatsoever. I’ll give to different books that I read last year for example – completely remember Lonesome Dove, cannot remember Shadow Scale at all. I also read Half Bad back in April and I’m going to start on the 2nd book in the series, Half Wild, next – no clue as to what happened in the first book. I think they ended up in Switzerland but I’m not really sure. See what I mean?

WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY BRAIN??!!


What does your Musing Monday look like? Have you bought any new books this week? What is your worst habit as a reader?