WWW Wednesday – February 16th, 2022

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!


Currently Reading

  • Our American Friend  by Anna Pitoniak – ebook, ARC
  • The Age of Witches  by Louisa Morgan – audiobook
  • House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City, #2)  by Sarah J. Maas – physical book

I’m very close to finishing up Our American Friend and boy, has it been an interesting ride. My feelings with this one have been all over the place, so I’m really interested in seeing how it ends. I should have the review posted up either later this week or next. But if you’re at all interested in historical fiction set during the Cold War, I recommend picking this one up. It just released yesterday!

I have barely started House of Sky and Breath and Age of Witches, so not much to report on them yet. However, the prologue for Sky and Breath was crazy. I can already tell this one is going to be amazing!

What did you recently finish reading?

  • The Merciful Crow (Merciful Crow, #1) by Margaret Owen – ebook
  • House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City, #1) by Sarah J. Maas – audiobook, reread

Earth and Blood was a reread for me and I’m sure y’all are more than aware of my feelings on it by now. But if not, just know that I 100% believe it to be Maas’ best work so far… YES, EVEN BETTER THAN ACOTAR!

And what can I say about The Merciful Crow? Well, I definitely loved it. Yes, it did get a little repetitive in the middle for a bit but it was still a fun ride. Owen is quickly joining another Margaret on my auto-buy author list! (Margaret Rogerson is the other one, because obviously. She’s flawless!)

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Jade Legacy (Green Bone Saga, #3) by Fonda Lee – physical book
  • Daughters of a Dead Empire  by Carolyn Tara O’Neil – ebook, ARC
  • Firekeeper’s Daughter  by Angeline Boulley – audiobook, buddy read

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!

WWW Wednesday – February 9th, 2022

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!


Currently Reading

  • The Merciful Crow (Merciful Crow, #1) by Margaret Owen – ebook
  • House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City, #1) by Sarah J. Maas – audiobook, reread

I’m close to finishing up The Merciful Crow  and what a ride it has been so far. I’m really interested in seeing where it all goes from here, but basically I just want Fie to keep kicking ass. Side Note: Not insanely invested in the romantic sub-plot still but maybe it’ll get better.

Slowly working my way still through Crescent City. I may be regretting deciding to listen to the audio (27 HOURS, Y’ALL!) instead of just rereading a physical copy, but I’m gonna stick with it. I’m over halfway through so I can’t stop now. The narrator is great and I still love the story, I’m just finding less and less time to actually listen.

What did you recently finish reading?

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  • Daughter of the King (Defying the Crown, #1) by Kerry Chaput – ARC, physical book

I was able to finish this one up over the weekend and I ended up liking it more towards the end. I think the pace in the beginning is what slowed this one down for me the most, but I have a feeling the sequel won’t have that same issue. Full review should go up next week!

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Jade Legacy (Green Bone Saga, #3) by Fonda Lee – physical book
  • Our American Friend  by Anna Pitoniak – ebook, ARC
  • Daughters of a Dead Empire  by Carolyn Tara O’Neil – ebook, ARC

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!

WWW Wednesday – February 2nd, 2022

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!


Currently Reading

  • The Merciful Crow (Merciful Crow, #1) by Margaret Owen – ebook
  • Daughter of the King (Defying the Crown, #1) by Kerry Chaput – ARC, physical book
  • House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City, #1) by Sarah J. Maas – audiobook, reread

I’m in the middle of rereading (or listening to this time) Crescent City, so I’ll be ready for the sequel when it comes out later this month. I’m so glad I decided to reread because I had forgotten sooo much that had happened!

I’m also close to finishing up Daughter of the King.  While it’s a very well-researched book, the writing seems a bit dense and it’s taking me longer to finish than I thought it would. I also am pretty early on in The Merciful Crow but I’m loving it so far. It’s very interesting and after reading Owen’s latest book last fall, I know I’m in for a good time.

What did you recently finish reading?

  • A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw – eARC
  • The Sandman, Part 1 by Neil Gaiman – full production audiobook, comic

I finished these two over the weekend and really enjoyed both of them. Wild Places was very intriguing and had me guessing what was going to happen next, thanks to all of the twists it kept throwing at me. I definitely recommend it! I’ll be posting a full review soon on it.

Gaiman is basically a writing god, so no surprise that his foray into DC comics was amazing. I loved all of the little details tying Morpheus’ story to the rest of the Justice League. If anything, this has only made me even more excited for the show adaptation coming to Netflix this year. It’ll be interesting to see if DC lets them keep all of the tie-ins to the greater JL universe.

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Court (Crave, #4) by Tracy Wolff – physical book
  • Empire of the Vampire (Empire of the Vampire, #1) by Jay Kristoff – physical book
  • Jade Legacy (Green Bone Saga, #3) by Fonda Lee – 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: Little Thieves (Little Thieves, #1)

I have never read The Goose Girl, but I do know the overarching plot of the story. However, Margaret Owen really tears it down to the bones and rebuilds it as one of the best retellings that I’ve read in recent years. Little Thieves may be the underrated hit of 2021.


Once upon a time, there was a horrible girl…

Vanja Schmidt knows that no gift is freely given, not even a mother’s love–and she’s on the hook for one hell of a debt. Vanja, the adopted goddaughter of Death and Fortune, was Princess Gisele’s dutiful servant up until a year ago. That was when Vanja’s otherworldly mothers demanded a terrible price for their care, and Vanja decided to steal her future back… by stealing Gisele’s life for herself.

The real Gisele is left a penniless nobody while Vanja uses an enchanted string of pearls to take her place. Now, Vanja leads a lonely but lucrative double life as princess and jewel thief, charming nobility while emptying their coffers to fund her great escape. Then, one heist away from freedom, Vanja crosses the wrong god and is cursed to an untimely end: turning into jewels, stone by stone, for her greed.

Vanja has just two weeks to figure out how to break her curse and make her getaway. And with a feral guardian half-god, Gisele’s sinister fiancé, and an overeager junior detective on Vanja’s tail, she’ll have to pull the biggest grift yet to save her own life.

Margaret Owen, author of The Merciful Crow series, crafts a delightfully irreverent retelling of “The Goose Girl” about stolen lives, thorny truths, and the wicked girls at the heart of both.

This was my first Owen experience and I loved every second of it. She really leaned into the Germanic influence of the original tale, letting it provide the culture and world that this story is set in. My medieval German background is iffy at best (HA!) so I did struggle a tad bit in the beginning with all of the different terms, but I caught on once the story really got going. Which is a good thing because the plot moves pretty fast with this one, specially in the beginning when you are immediately dropped into the story. I love books that really start off with a bang and so I was happy that I can add this book to that list. 

Vanja is a little devil. And I mean that in the best way possible! She is an acerbic wit and always has a comeback locked and loaded. I liked that Owen really leaned into her independence and need to not let anyone get too close, as she has always been burned by relationships in the past. I have to say that this was one of the more realistic portrayals of someone who’s been affected by a traumatic event in their life. I actually connected with that story and immediately grasped to why she felt that way and let it dictate the decisions she would make. And for me, that doesn’t always happen. I also enjoyed the side characters, Gisele and Ragne. Ragne was hilarious and the perfect sidekick. And Gisele was very interesting and had much more depth than I would have expected. Then there’s our sweet cinnamon bun, Emeric. He’s very smart and a great “junior” detective. I thought he was the perfect love interest for Vanja, as they are complete opposites. And also, who doesn’t love a good enemies-to-lovers trope?!

Spice up your Thanksgiving dinner with these recipes!

Like I mentioned earlier, my only real issue with this book was the heavy German influence on the terms and titles used. It took me a while to piece everything together and remember who was who or what such and such was. But luckily. things started to make sense as the story progressed.  It definitely didn’t deter from my reading experience in any way.

Overall, this is definitely one of my favorite fantasy reads of the year so far. It was fun, fast-paced, and full of memorable characters. I liked the open ending, but now I’m really happy knowing that there will be a sequel so we can see where our favorites all end up. I really recommend this book to anyone, whether you’re familiar with original Goose Girl story or are not. It really brings a fresh flavor to the story, while still delivering the original fairytale. I do warn that some of the flashback segments mention/describe child abuse so just be aware of that, as well as some PTSD from that situation.

Final Verdict: 5/5 Stars


Have you read Little Thieves yet? If so, what did you think of it? Do you enjoy fairytale retellings? What are some favorites that you would recommend?

WWW Wednesday – October 27th, 2021

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!


Currently Reading

  • Cazadora (Wolves of No World, #2) by Romina Garber – ebook
  • Abaddon’s Gate (The Expanse, #3) by James S.A. Corey – physical book
  • The Song Rising (The Bone Season, #3) by Samantha Shannon – audiobook, reread

I have only just started Abaddon’s Gate so I don’t have much of an opinion yet, though I’m sure I’m going to love it as much as I did the two previous books in the series. Seriously, one of the greatest scifi series I’ve ever read! I also haven’t actually started Cazadora just yet as I’m trying to focus more on my physical reads, instead of my ebooks. I haven’t made much progress into Song Rising either, due to not really having had any time to listen to the audio recently. I hope to remedy that soon though!

What did you recently finish reading?

  • Tilly and the Bookwanderers (Pages & Co., #1)  by Anna James – physical book
  • Little Thieves  by Margaret Owen – ebook, ARC
  • Once Upon a Broken Heart  by Stephanie Garber – physical book
  • Small Spaces (Small Spaces, #1) by Katherine Arden – physical book

All of these books were really great but I have to say that Little Thieves was by far my favorite. Though I do have high hopes for the OUABH sequel. 

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Dune (Dune, #1) by Frank Herbert – physical book
  • The Big Reveal by Jen Larsen – ARC
  • Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten – ARC

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!

WWW Wednesday – September 29th, 2021

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!


Currently Reading

  • The Mime Order (The Bone Season, #2)  by Samantha Shannon – audiobook, reread
  • Empress of a Thousand Skies (Empress of a Thousand Skies, #1)  by Rhoda Belleza – physical book
  • Cackle by Rachel Harrison – ebook, ARC

So I’m finally coming up on the last third of Mime Order and am still loving it. Things are really starting to pick up and I love learning about the different gangs all over again. Empress has also just been a thrill ride to read. It’s been nonstop action since the first chapter and I am here for it! Cackle has actually been a surprising delight! I wasn’t sure what to expect when I got the ARC but I’ve been loving it (even with the MC being a bit of a drag sometimes). I should finish this one today and I’m interested in seeing how it all ends.

What did you recently finish reading?

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  • The Hawthorne Legacy (The Hawthorne Games, #2)  by Jennifer Lynn Barnes – ebook, buddy read

I really enjoyed this sequel. Though I’ve decided that I always enjoy the chase/mystery way more than the actual revealing at the end of thriller-mystery novels. The reveal is never as exciting as I spent the whole book hoping it would be. Anyone else have this problem too?

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Cazadora (Wolves of No World, #2) by Romina Garber – ebook
  • Tilly and the Bookwanderers (Pages & Co., #1)  by Anna James – physical book
  • Little Thieves  by Margaret Owen – ebook, ARC

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!

WWW Wednesday – September 22nd, 2021

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!


Currently Reading

  • The Mime Order (The Bone Season, #2)  by Samantha Shannon – audiobook, reread
  • The Hawthorne Legacy (The Hawthorne Games, #2)  by Jennifer Lynn Barnes – ebook, buddy read
  • Empress of a Thousand Skies (Empress of a Thousand Skies, #1)  by Rhoda Belleza – physical book

I’ve finally reached the halfway point of Mime Order and things are really starting to pick up. This is my third time reading this one and it’s still solidly my favorite book in the series so far. I’m also halfway into Legacy but I have to slow down some so Britt @ Geronimo Reads can catch up with me. I ALWAYS finish a buddy read before she does and then I get yelled at for it, hahahaha. So I picked up Empress to help give me something else to focus on as well. I’m only a few chapters into it so far but it’s really interesting. I haven’t read scifi in a while and I forget how much I love it.

What did you recently finish reading?

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  • Under the Whispering Door  by TJ Klune – ebook, ARC

If you read my review yesterday, you’ll know that I absolutely adored this book. It was beautiful and sad and peaceful. Basically, it was all the things that I’d hoped it would be. I also want to open a tea shop now because of it.

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Cazadora (Wolves of No World, #2) by Romina Garber – ebook
  • Tilly and the Bookwanderers (Pages & Co., #1)  by Anna James – physical book
  • Little Thieves  by Margaret Owens – ebook, ARC

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!

Talk Me Into/Out Of… Books On My TBR: Part 3

I have done a couple of these posts over the last year and really enjoy them. I want to start doing this periodically, maybe every 6 months or so. It’s really nice to get other people’s opinions on books on my TBR that I’m not entirely sold on picking up. I could really use the help on trimming the fat off of my TBR, haha! With that being said, if you have read any of the following books on my list, then please let me know what you think of them! I also appreciate links to your reviews!

Previous Posts:


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The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden

In South Africa, the future looks promising. Personal robots are making life easier for the working class. The government is harnessing renewable energy to provide infrastructure for the poor. And in the bustling coastal town of Port Elizabeth, the economy is booming thanks to the genetic engineering industry which has found a welcome home there. Yes—the days to come are looking very good for South Africans. That is, if they can survive the present challenges:

A new hallucinogenic drug sweeping the country . . .
An emerging AI uprising . . .
And an ancient demigoddess hellbent on regaining her former status by preying on the blood and sweat (but mostly blood) of every human she encounters.

It’s up to a young Zulu girl powerful enough to destroy her entire township, a queer teen plagued with the ability to control minds, a pop diva with serious daddy issues, and a politician with even more serious mommy issues to band together to ensure there’s a future left to worry about.

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The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth

Five years ago, Evelyn and Philippa Hapwell cowered from air strikes in a London bomb shelter. But that night took a turn when the sisters were transported to another realm called the Woodlands. In a forest kingdom populated by creatures out of myth and legend, they found temporary refuge.

When they finally returned to London, nothing had changed at all—nothing, except themselves.

Now, Ev spends her days sneaking into the woods outside her boarding school, wishing for the Woodlands. Overcome with longing, she is desperate to return no matter what it takes.

Philippa, on the other hand, is determined to find a place in this world. She shields herself behind a flawless exterior and countless friends, and moves to America to escape the memory of what was.

But when Evelyn goes missing, Philippa must confront the depth of her sister’s despair and the painful truths they’ve been running from. As the weeks unfold, Philippa wonders if Ev truly did find a way home, or if the weight of their worlds pulled her under.

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The Familiars by Stacey Halls

Young Fleetwood Shuttleworth, a noblewoman, is with child again. None of her previous pregnancies have borne fruit, and her husband, Richard, is anxious for an heir. Then Fleetwood discovers a hidden doctor’s letter that carries a dire prediction: she will not survive another birth. By chance she meets a midwife named Alice Grey, who promises to help her deliver a healthy baby. But Alice soon stands accused of witchcraft.

Is there more to Alice than meets the eye? Fleetwood must risk everything to prove her innocence. As the two women’s lives become intertwined, the Witch Trials of 1612 loom. Time is running out; both their lives are at stake. Only they know the truth. Only they can save each other.

Rich and compelling, set against the frenzy of the real Pendle Hill Witch Trials, this novel explores the rights of 17th-century women and raises the question: Was witch-hunting really women-hunting? Fleetwood Shuttleworth, Alice Grey and the other characters are actual historical figures. King James I was obsessed with asserting power over the lawless countryside (even woodland creatures, or “familiars,” were suspected of dark magic) by capturing “witches”—in reality mostly poor and illiterate women.

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The Merciful Crow (The Merciful Crow, #1) by Margaret Owen

A future chieftain.

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

A fugitive prince.

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

A too-cunning bodyguard.

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

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Dark Shores (Dark Shores, #1) by Danielle L. Jensen

In a world divided by meddlesome gods and treacherous oceans, only the Maarin possess the knowledge to cross the Endless Seas. But they have one mandate: East must never meet West.

A SAILOR WITH A WILL OF IRON

Teriana is the second mate of the Quincense and heir to the Maarin Triumvirate. Her people are born of the seas and the keepers of its secrets, but when her closest friend is forced into an unwanted betrothal, Teriana breaks her people’s mandate so her friend might escape—a choice with devastating consequences.

A SOLDIER WITH A SECRET

Marcus is the commander of the Thirty-Seventh, the notorious legion that has led the Celendor Empire to conquer the entire East. The legion is his family, but even they don’t know the truth he’s been hiding since childhood. It’s a secret he’ll do anything to protect, no matter how much it costs him – and the world.

A DANGEROUS QUEST

When an Empire senator discovers the existence of the Dark Shores, he captures Teriana’s crew and threatens to reveal Marcus’s secret unless they sail in pursuit of conquest, forcing the two into an unlikely—and unwilling—alliance. They unite for the sake of their families, but both must decide how far they are willing to go, and how much they are willing to sacrifice.


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!

 

2019 Release Covers That I Love

I will always admit that I’m a sucker for a gorgeous book cove. I have definitely bought many a book based mostly on its cover… and I am not ashamed. I love pretty covers and I think it’s been pretty rare where I ended up not enjoying that book, too. So you can probably guess that all of the amazing covers being unveiled lately for 2019 releases has got me really excited. I can’t wait to add these beauties to my bookshelves!


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Spin the Dawn (The Blood of Stars, #1) by Elizabeth Lim

Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she’ll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There’s just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.

Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia’s task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.

And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor’s reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.

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Finale (Caraval, #3) by Stephanie Garber

Welcome, welcome to Caraval…all games must come to an end.

It’s been two months since the last Caraval concluded, two months since the Fates have been freed from an enchanted deck of cards, two months since Tella has seen Legend, and two months since Legend claimed the empire’s throne as his own. Now, Legend is preparing for his official coronation and Tella is determined to stop it. She believes her own mother, who still remains in an enchanted sleep, is the rightful heir to the throne.

Meanwhile, Scarlett has started a game of her own. She’s challenged Julian and her former fiancé, Count Nicolas d’Arcy, to a competition where the winner will receive her hand in marriage. Finaly, Scarlett feels as if she is in complete control over her life and future. She is unaware that her mother’s past has put her in the greatest danger of all.

Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun―with lives, empires, and hearts all at stake. There are no spectators this time: only those who will win…and those who will lose everything. . .

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Lovely War by Julie Berry

It’s 1917, and World War I is at its zenith when Hazel and James first catch sight of each other at a London party. She’s a shy and talented pianist; he’s a newly minted soldier with dreams of becoming an architect. When they fall in love, it’s immediate and deep—and cut short when James is shipped off to the killing fields.

Aubrey Edwards is also headed toward the trenches. A gifted musician who’s played Carnegie Hall, he’s a member of the 15th New York Infantry, an all-African-American regiment being sent to Europe to help end the Great War. Love is the last thing on his mind. But that’s before he meets Colette Fournier, a Belgian chanteuse who’s already survived unspeakable tragedy at the hands of the Germans.

Thirty years after these four lovers’ fates collide, the Greek goddess Aphrodite tells their stories to her husband, Hephaestus, and her lover, Ares, in a luxe Manhattan hotel room at the height of World War II. She seeks to answer the age-old question: Why are Love and War eternally drawn to one another? But her quest for a conclusion that will satisfy her jealous husband uncovers a multi-threaded tale of prejudice, trauma, and music and reveals that War is no match for the power of Love.

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The Beautiful (The Beautiful, #1) by Renee Ahdieh

In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans provides her a refuge after she’s forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent along with six other girls, Celine quickly becomes enamored with the vibrant city from the music to the food to the soirées and—especially—to the danger. She soon becomes embroiled in the city’s glitzy underworld, known as Le Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group’s leader, the enigmatic Sèbastien Saint Germain. When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in the lair of Le Cour des Lions, Celine battles her attraction to him and suspicions about Sèbastien’s guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret.

When more bodies are discovered, each crime more gruesome than the last, Celine and New Orleans become gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose—one Celine is sure has set her in his sights . . . and who may even be the young man who has stolen her heart. As the murders continue to go unsolved, Celine takes matters into her own hands and soon uncovers something even more shocking: an age-old feud from the darkest creatures of the underworld reveals a truth about Celine she always suspected simmered just beneath the surface.

At once a sultry romance and a thrilling murder mystery, master storyteller Renée Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet: The Beautiful.

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The Merciful Crow (The Merciful Crow, #1) by Margaret Owen

A future chieftain

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

A fugitive prince

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

A too-cunning bodyguard

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

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The Devouring Gray (The Devouring Gray, #1) by Christine Lynn Herman

Branches and stones, daggers and bones,
They locked the Beast away.

After the death of her sister, seventeen-year-old Violet Saunders finds herself dragged to Four Paths, New York. Violet may be a newcomer, but she soon learns her mother isn’t: They belong to one of the revered founding families of the town, where stone bells hang above every doorway and danger lurks in the depths of the woods.

Justin Hawthorne’s bloodline has protected Four Paths for generations from the Gray—a lifeless dimension that imprisons a brutal monster. After Justin fails to inherit his family’s powers, his mother is determined to keep this humiliation a secret. But Justin can’t let go of the future he was promised and the town he swore to protect.

Ever since Harper Carlisle lost her hand to an accident that left her stranded in the Gray for days, she has vowed revenge on the person who abandoned her: Justin Hawthorne. There are ripples of dissent in Four Paths, and Harper seizes an opportunity to take down the Hawthornes and change her destiny-to what extent, even she doesn’t yet know.

The Gray is growing stronger every day, and its victims are piling up. When Violet accidentally unleashes the monster, all three must band together with the other Founders to unearth the dark truths behind their families’ abilities—before the Gray devours them all.

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The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction–but assassins are getting closer to her door.

Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.

Across the dark sea, Tané has trained all her life to be a dragonrider, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel.

Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.

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Rayne & Delilah’s Midnite Matinee by Jeff Zentner

Every Friday night, best friends Delia and Josie become Rayne Ravenscroft and Delilah Darkwood, hosts of the campy creature feature show Midnite Matinee on the local cable station TV Six.

But with the end of senior year quickly approaching, the girls face tough decisions about their futures. Josie has been dreading graduation, as she tries to decide whether to leave for a big university and chase her dream career in mainstream TV. And Lawson, one of the show’s guest performers, a talented MMA fighter with weaknesses for pancakes, fantasy novels, and Josie, is making her tough decision even harder.

Scary movies are the last connection Delia has to her dad, who abandoned the family years ago. If Midnite Matinee becomes a hit, maybe he’ll see it and want to be a part of her life again. And maybe Josie will stay with the show instead of leaving her behind, too.

As the tug-of-war between growing up and growing apart tests the bonds of their friendship, Josie and Delia start to realize that an uncertain future can be both monstrous…and momentous.

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

A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself.

A prince in danger must decide who to trust.

A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings.

Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.

In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light. Wicked Saints is the thrilling start to Emily A. Duncan’s devastatingly Gothic Something Dark and Holy trilogy.

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Descendant of the Crane by Joan He

Princess Hesina of Yan has always been eager to shirk the responsibilities of the crown, but when her beloved father is murdered, she’s thrust into power, suddenly the queen of an unstable kingdom. Determined to find her father’s killer, Hesina does something desperate: she engages the aid of a soothsayer—a treasonous act, punishable by death… because in Yan, magic was outlawed centuries ago.

Using the information illicitly provided by the sooth, and uncertain if she can trust even her family, Hesina turns to Akira—a brilliant and alluring investigator who’s also a convicted criminal with secrets of his own. With the future of her kingdom at stake, can Hesina find justice for her father? Or will the cost be too high?

In this shimmering Chinese-inspired fantasy, debut author Joan He introduces a determined and vulnerable young heroine struggling to do right in a world brimming with deception.


What are some of your favorite covers for 2019 releases? Are you excited about any of the books that I shared?