Tag: Reign of the Fallen

February Wrap-Up: Reviews, Reading Challenges, etc.

Another great reading month for me! I can’t believe I’ve started off this year doing so well with my reading. Usually I have at least hit one or two reading slumps by this time but that hasn’t been the case so far! I think it may be due to the fact that I’ve gone back to posting regularly on my bookstagram account, as well as joining a couple of Instagram groups that have helped keep me motivated. Makes me so happy to be having such a successful reading year so far!

Books Read

  • Valiant (Modern Faerie Tales, #2) by Holly Black – physical book, 4/5 Stars
  • Dark Age (Red Rising, #5) by Pierce Brown – physical book, 5/5 Stars
  • Kingsbane (Empirium Trilogy, #2) by Claire Legrand – physical book, 4/5 Stars
  • The Guinevere Deception (Camelot Rising, #1) by Kiersten White – audiobook, 2/5 Stars
  • The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough – physical book, 3/5 Stars
  • The Vine Witch (Vine Witch, #1) by Luanne G. Smith – audiobook, 4/5 Stars
  • Suggested Reading by David Connis – audiobook, 3/5 Stars
  • Reign of the Fallen (Reign of the Fallen, #1) by Sarah Glenn Marsh – physical book, 4/5 Stars

Total Books Read: 8

Overall in 2020: 16

Reading Challenge Updates

POPSUGAR

  • A bildungsroman – The Thorn Birds
  • A book by an author with flora or fauna in their name – Valiant
  • A book you meant to read in 2019 – Kingsbane (Empirium Trilogy, #2)

Goodreads Challenge

Total: 16

Previous Total: 8

Blog Posts

Book Reviews

None this month… Oops!

WWW Wednesday

Discussions/Misc.

Did you get a lot of reading done in February? Were you able to read all of the books on your TBR? Did you read any new favorites? What book did you like the least? What do you plan on reading in March?

WWW Wednesday – February 26th, 2020

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?

Currently Reading

  • What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon – audiobook
  • Radiance by Catherynne M. Valente – physical book
  • Valiant (Modern Faerie Tale, #2) by Holly Black – physical book

I have been participating in #laidbackreadathon since Saturday and have been killing it with my reading. I just started listening to What the Wind Knows on Monday and should finish it today. It’s almost a 13 hour audiobook, too! It’s a really great story. I love learning more about the Irish Revolution.

I’ve read about 75 pages into Radiance and I’m not sure how I feel about it yet. Valente’s writing style can be a bit much and that’s really obvious in this novel. So I’ve set it aside for a little bit to see if I want to revisit it after Valiant. I’m only 50 pages into Valiant but I’m liking it so far. Black is definitely queen of the faerie stories and I am here for it!

What did you recently finish reading?

  • The Vine Witch (Vine Witch, #1) by Luanne G. Smith – audiobook
  • The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough – physical book
  • Reign of the Fallen (Reign of the Fallen, #1) by Sarah Glenn Marsh – physical book, buddy read

I really enjoyed The Vine Witch and Reign of the Fallen. I was surprised by how engrossing those two books were. I sped through them really quickly. However, I wasn’t as impressed with The Thorn Birds as most people seem to be. None of the characters were really nice nor did I care much about them. They made stupid decisions constantly and I never could figure out how they would come to them. The story was interesting but the characters were not.

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Before the Devil Breaks You (The Diviners, #3) by Libba Bray – physical book
  • The Devil’s Thief (The Last Magician, #2) by Lisa Maxwell – physical book
  • Winter of the World (Century Trilogy, #2) by Ken Follett – 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!

WWW Wednesday – February 19th, 2020

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?

Currently Reading

  • The Vine Witch (Vine Witch, #1) by Luanne G. Smith – audiobook
  • The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough – physical book
  • Reign of the Fallen (Reign of the Fallen, #1) by Sarah Glenn Marsh – physical book

I haven’t read much of The Thorn Birds this past week but I plan to dive back into it today. I think it’ll be good to help break up the fantasy aspects of The Vine Witch and Reign of the Fallen. I just started listening to The Vine Witch and haven’t gotten too far into the story yet but it’s been very interesting so far. I like the idea that witches are the reason for that France has such great wine. I only started on Reign of the Fallen last night so it is still very early going with that read as well. However, I love that you’re immediately thrown into the action. The first couple of chapters have really piqued my interest and I can’t wait to get further into the story and this world of necromancy

What did you recently finish reading?

  • Kingsbane (Empirium, #2) by Claire Legrand – physical book
  • The Guinevere Deception (Camelot Rising, #1) by Kiersten White – audiobook

I should have a full review of Kingsbane up by the end of the week so I won’t go into too much detail on that one. But I will say that I enjoyed it and that ending left me reeling. There were a few issues with the book overall that I had but I’ll dive more into those in my review.

As for The Guinevere Deception… Man, I have to say this was my first disappointing read (or listen to if you want to nitpick). It started off slow, then got a little interesting, and then finally got so boring that I just stopped caring. I’ll admit that I zoned out during the last two hours of listening and can’t remember how it ended. Suffice it to say that it was not the book for me, even though I reallyyyyyyy wanted it to be.

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Radiance by Catherynne M. Valente – physical book
  • Before the Devil Breaks You (The Diviners, #3) by Libba Bray – physical book
  • What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon – audiobook

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!

My February TBR

February is going to be a month where I try and focus on a bunch of sequels/series that I need to catch up on. So I plan to try and get through a few of those this month, while sticking to standalones for the most part when it comes to my audiobooks. I really want to mix up the genres too so I don’t get too bogged down on any one for too long. Let’s see if that keeps me from falling into any sort of reading slump!

February TBR

  • Suggested Reading by David Connis – audiobook
  • Kingsbane (Empirium Trilogy, #2) by Claire Legrand – physical book
  • Valiant (Modern Faerie Tales, #2) by Holly Black – physical book
  • The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White – audiobook
  • Winter of the World (The Century Trilogy, #2) by Ken Follett – physical book
  • The Vine Witch (Vine Witch, #1) by Luanne G. Smith – audiobook
  • Dark Age (Red Rising, #5) by Pierce Brown – physical book
  • Before the Devil Breaks You (The Diviners, #3) by Libba Bray – physical book
  • Radiance by Catherynne M. Valente – physical book
  • What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon – audiobook
  • The Devil’s Thief (The Last Magician, #2) by Lisa Maxwell – physical book
  • Reign of the Fallen (Reign of the Fallen, #1) by Sarah Glenn Marsh – physical book, buddy

What do you plan on reading in February? Do you have a lot of sequels or series that you haven’t caught up on yet? Have you read any of the books on my TBR? If so, what did you think of it?

My October TBR: Tim Burton Readathon

I wasn’t really sure if I was going to participate in another readathon after the disaster that was my attempt at the Iron-Tome-A-Thon. However, when I saw that there was a very low-key readathon revolving around Tim Burton, I knew that I had found a winner. I also liked that this one runs all of October so I don’t have to worry about trying to find a way to combine it with a regular TBR… Yep, I’m lazy that way.

This readathon is being hosted by MedusaReads on Twitter and will run from October 1st-31st. There are a few prompts to follow but no points system, so it’s as casual as you want it to be!

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P.S. If you have access to the FreeForm Channel, I believe the majority of these films are on their 31 Days of Halloween lineup for this year! It makes it so much easier to watch them that way!

My TBR

Sweeney Todd – Read A Book With A Murder

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Sanctuary by V.V. James

9 – Read A Dystopian Book

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The Walled City by Ryan Graudin

Nightmare Before Christmas – Read A Book Where A Character Goes From Evil To Good

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Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly

Beetlejuice – Read A Book With A Haunted Place/Person

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The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

Edward Scissorhands – Read A Book With An Isolated/Lonely Character

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The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth

Corpse Bride – Read A Book Based In Another World

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Reign of the Fallen (Reign of the Fallen, #1) by Sarah Glenn Marsh

Dark Shadows – Read A Book With Black On The Cover

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Devils & Thieves (Devils & Thieves, #1) by Jennifer Rush

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Read A Book With Purple On The Cover

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First We Were IV by Alexandra Sirowy

What do you plan on reading in October? Will you be participating in any readathons? Will you join the Tim Burton readathon? Do you like reading spooky books in October?

My 2019 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge TBR

For the past couple of years I have participated in the annual POPSUGAR reading challenge… and with abysmal results. However, it’s a new year (unfortunately, same me) and I’m really going to try and actually complete it this year. It’s always a long shot for me as some of the prompts don’t really excite me for one reason or another (like I really don’t appreciate poetry.. oops?). But I’m going to do my best to finish this really intense reading challenge this year. It’s going to be a uphill battle, but I’m willing to make the trek! And for me, the best way to do so is to plan ahead with a TBR. I’ve actually come up with a couple of options for some of the prompts to help with my indecisive reading habits.

If you would like to learn more about this reading challenge, please visit the official Goodreads reading group. They have tons of participants and also discussions on books that would work for each prompt. It’s quite possibly the best group on Goodreads that I’ve ever come across. NO LIE.

A Book Becoming A Movie In 2019

A Book That Makes You Nostalgic

A Book Written By A Musician (Fiction Or Nonfiction)

A Book You Think Should Be Turned Into A Movie

A Book With At Least One Million Ratings On Goodreads

A Book With A Plant In The Title Or On The Cover

A Reread Of A Favorite Book

A Book About A Hobby

A Book You Meant To Read In 2018

A Book With “Pop”, “Sugar”, “Challenge” In The Title

A Book With An Item Of Clothing Or Accessory On The Cover

A Book Inspired By Myth/Legend/Folklore

A Book Published Posthumously

A Book You See Someone Reading On TV Or In A Movie

A Retelling Of A Classic

A Book With A Question In The Title

A Book Set On A College Or University Campus

A Book About Someone With A Superpower

A Book Told From Multiple POVs

A Book Set In Space

A Book By Two Female Authors

A Book With “Salty”, “Sweet”, “Bitter”, or “Spicy” In The Title

A Book Set In Scandinavia

A Book That Takes Place In A Single Day

A Debut Novel

A Book Featuring An Extinct Or Imaginary Creature

A Book Recommended By A Celebrity You Admire

A Book With “Love” In The Title

A Book Featuring An Amateur Detective

A Book About A Family

A Book Written By An Author From Asia, Africa, or South America

A Book With A Zodiac Sign or Astrology Term In The Title

A Book That Includes A Wedding

A Book By An Author Whose First And Last Names Start With The Same Letter

A Ghost Story

A Book With A Two Word Title

A Novel Based On A True Story

A Book Around A Puzzle Or Game

Your Favorite Prompt From A Past POPSUGAR Reading Challenge

Are you participating in the POPSUGAR reading challenge this year? If so, have you figured out your TBR already? Have you read any of the books on my list? If so, what did you think about them?

2018 Mid-Year Freak Out Book Tag

I think I say this every year, but it’s true… HOW THE HECK IS JUNE ALMOST OVER?! I mean, I could’ve sworn that January was yesterday and it was cold outside. Now, I start to melt like a popsicle as soon as I step outside. (Damn you, Texas weather!)

As always, I wasn’t tagged to do this tag. I just did it last year and decide to keep the tradition going!

Best Book You’ve Read This Year?

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The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy, #1) by S.A. Chakraborty

I wish I could just describe to you how much I loved this book. I binged it in less than 24 hours during a personal readathon back in January, and it has been on my mind ever since. This book has everything that I love in a story and the fact that it is based off Middle Eastern mythology just makes it even better. If you haven’t tried this book, please please do!

Best Sequel You’ve Read in 2018?

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Legendary (Caraval, #2) by Stephanie Garber

For me, an amazing sequel elevates the original story to a completely different level, and I think Legendary did just that. The plot immediately pulled me in and brought a whole new element to the overall story. I also enjoyed Tella so much more as a main character than I did Scarlett. I just know Finale is going to blow us all away when it’s released!

New Release You Haven’t Read Yet But Want To?

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Defy the Worlds (Constellation, #2) by Claudia Gray

I absolutely loved the first book, Defy the Stars, and cannot believe I have put off picking up the sequel for so long. Luckily, that’ll be rectified very soon as I plan to read it next. I cannot wait!!! I’ve missed Abel so darn much.

Most Anticipated Release For The Second Half Of The Year?

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Dance of Thieves (Dance of Thieves, #1) by Mary E. Pearson

I am soooo excited about this newest series set prior to the events in Pearson’s The Remnant Chronicles. I ended up falling in love with that trilogy after a rough start with the first book. I’ve got really high hopes for this book, y’all!

Also, honorable mention goes to Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass, #7) by Sarah J. Maas… because, obviously.

Biggest Disappointment?

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Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman

I really don’t get the hype surrounding this book. I listened to the audiobook for a couple of hours before finally DNFing it. There’s barely any dialogue and the character is written in such an unbelievable way that I couldn’t enjoy the story. I think pretentious is the best word to describe this book. I think I’ll just stick to watching the film instead.

Biggest Surprise?

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

This series has some very mixed reviews so I wasn’t sure how it would turn out. I figured it be boring or something.. I WAS WRONG. This entire trilogy completely took me by surprise and solidified itself as one of my all-time favorite series. If you were turned off this series because of the reviews, I recommend still giving it a try. I recommended it to my dad and he really enjoyed it! I’ve also heard rumors that Emma Watson is working to turn this into a movie and I am so hype for it.

Favorite New To You Or Debut Author?

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Claire Legrand

I read Furyborn (Empirium, #1) back in May and absolutely loved it. I haven’t read any of her other books but it makes me really want to pick them up. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with for the sequel!

Newest Fictional Crush?

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Gathering Darkness (Falling Kingdoms, #3) by Morgan Rhodes

Let’s talk about my new boo, Magnus. I’ll be honest and admit that he kind of creeped me out by his unnatural obsession with his stepsister in the first couple of books. However, he really grew on me in Gathering Darkness. He finally seems to be doing his own thing and that sexual tension he has going with Cleo is giving me life right now. Hate to love, FTW!

Newest Favorite Character?

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

I think we can all agree that Prince Cardan is such a gem of a character. I love how awful he is and yet, you can’t help but like him for some twisted reason. Extremely complicated characters like him will always be my faves. I cannot wait to see how he responds in The Wicked King! Is it January yet?

Book That Made You Cry?

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The Fate of the Tearling (The Queen of the Tearling, #3) by Erika Johansen

Damn, that ending.. It was a killer. But at the same time, after I finished bawling my eyes out, I realized that it was also more bittersweet and a little hopeful. Johansen did such a great job with this finale.

Book That Made You Happy?

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Jackaby (Jackaby, #1) by William Ritter

I went into this book with zero expectations and maybe that helped how much I ended up enjoying it. It was just fun, quick read that made me laugh. I liked how it was a twist on Sherlock Holmes but also was able to really be its own thing, especially by incorporating the supernatural. I really want to get to the sequels at some point later this year.

Favorite Book-To-Film Adaptation?

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Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

I reallyyy enjoyed this movie. It was just a fun ride from start to finish. I liked some of the changes they made to help transmit the book to the big screen, though they did leave out some parts that I think would’ve been nice additions to the overall story.

Favorite Post You Have Done This Year?

Most Beautiful Book You’ve Bought This Year?

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Onyx & Ivory by Mindee Arnett

Let’s all be honest, that is one wicked gorgeous and unique cover. I’m a little bit obsessed with it. It makes me want to pick up the book even faster!

What Books Do You Need To Read By The End of the Year?

  • Reign of the Fallen (Reign of the Fallen, #1) by Sarah Glenn Marsh
  • Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass, #6) by Sarah J. Maas
  • Renegades (Renegades, #1) by Marissa Meyer

Honestly, there’s way too many books that I need to read before the year is over but that’s nothing new. I do plan to get to each of these soon though, as a couple have their sequels being released this fall.

What book has been your favorite of 2018 so far? Least favorite? What book(s) do you want to read before the end of the year? Have you read any of the books on my list? If so, what did you think of them?

February Book Haul

You know when you put yourself on a self-imposed book buying ban and then immediately turn around and break it? Yeah, well that’s what happened to me this month. Oops?

  • The Belles (The Belles, #1) by Dhonielle Clayton – physical book, preorder
  • Honor Among Thieves (The Honors, #1) by Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre – physical ARC courtesy of Lilly @ Lair of Books
  • The Hazel Wood (The Hazel Wood, #1) by Melissa Albert – physical book, received via FairyLoot
  • The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah – physical book, received via Book of the Month Club
  • Frozen Tides (Falling Kingdoms, #4) by Morgan Rhodes – physical book, Book Outlet
  • Black Moon (Zodiac, #3) by Romina Russell – physical book, Book Outlet
  • The Philosopher’s Flight by Tom Miller – physical book, received via Book of the Month Club
  • Reign of the Fallen (Reign of the Fallen, #1) by Sarah Glenn Marsh – physical book, preorder
  • Sightwitch (The Witchlands, 0.5) by Susan Dennard – physical book, preoder
  • The Wicked City by Beatriz Williams – physical book, Target
  • Tithe (Modern Faerie Tales, #1) by Holly Black – physical book, Book Outlet
  • Ironside (Modern Faerie Tales, #3) by Holly Black – physical book, Book Outlet
  • The Wood by Chelsea Bobulski – physical book, Book Outlet
  • The Wish Granter (Ravenspire, #2) by C.J Redwine – physical book, Book Outlet

What books did you purchase this month? Have you read any of the books on my list? If so, what did you think of them? 

Hype or Like Friday – Looking Ahead

This meme and Goodreads group were created by myself, Jill @ Rant and Rave Books, and Britt @ Geronimo Reads. To join our group and find out more information about what it’s all about, please go to our Goodreads page HERE.

The November BOTM is Zodiac (Zodiac, #1) by Romina Russell.

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RULES:

  • Answer the weekly discussion topic.
  • Optional: Discuss your chosen hyped book of the week.
  • Optional: Talk about your progress on the BOTM.

TOPIC OF THE WEEK: Looking Ahead… What books are you most excited about reading in 2018?

Side Note: I’m only going to post 2018 new releases in this post, as I have another post planned for early next month that focuses on older books that I want to get to in 2018. And I know there’s a lot of books on this list, but there’s a lot of amazing books coming out this year! 🙂

  • The Belles (The Belles, #1) by Dhonielle Clayton
  • War Storm (Red Queen, #4) by Victoria Aveyard
  • The Smoke Thieves (The Smoke Thieves, #1) by Sally Green
  • Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
  • Reign of the Fallen (Reign of the Fallen, #1) by Sarah Glenn Marsh
  • These Rebel Waves (Stream Raiders, #1) by Sara Raasch
  • Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch
  • Devils Unto Dust by Emma Berquist
  • The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1) by Holly Black
  • Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game, #1) by Amanda Foody
  • Dance of Thieves (Dance of Thieves, #1) by Mary E. Pearson
  • Legendary (Caraval, #2) by Stephanie Garber
  • Obsidio (The Illuminae Files, #3) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
  • Honor Among Thieves (The Honors, #1) by Rachel Caine & Ann Aguirre
  • Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston
  • Onyx & Ivory by Mindee Arnett
  • The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
  • Furyborn (The Empirium Trilogy, #3) by Claire Legrand
  • Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman
  • Fawkes by Nadine Brandes

What books are you most looking forward to reading in 2018? Are you wanting to read any of the books on my list? Leave a link to your Hype or Like Friday post in the comments below!

Hype or Like Friday – Spreading the Love!

This meme and Goodreads group were created by myself, Jill @ Rant and Rave Books, and Britt @ Geronimo Reads. To join our group and find out more information about what it’s all about, please go to our Goodreads page HERE.

The November BOTM is City of Saints & Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson.

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RULES:

  • Answer the weekly discussion topic.
  • Optional: Discuss your chosen hyped book of the week.
  • Optional: Talk about your progress on the BOTM.

TOPIC OF THE WEEK: Spreading the Love!… What upcoming diverse novels (unreleased or personal TBR) are you most looking forward to reading?

If you’re freaking out at the fact that I haven’t read some of these books already, you’re not the only one. I want to kick myself for not getting to some of these before now, especially the ones that I’ve had since they first came out. This is how I know I have wayyyy too many books and not enough time to get to them all. Maybe I should just quit my day job and become a professional reader… Who wants to pay me to do that?! If you can provide health insurance as well, that’d be great. 🙂

What diverse books are you excited to read? Have you read any of the ones on my list? If so, what did you think of them? Leave a link to your Hype or Like Friday post in the comments below!