Tag: Shea Ernshaw

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!

WWW Wednesday – December 15th, 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 Song Rising (The Bone Season, #3) by Samantha Shannon – audiobook, reread
  • Dune (Dune, #1) by Frank Herbert – physical read

I have been steadily working my way through Dune over the past few weeks. And boy, it has been a ride. To say that I’ve become obsessed would be an understatement. This book has quickly become a new favorite for me, even with all of the info dumping and heavy philosophy. I saw the movie on opening night and can’t get enough of it ever since.

I’m still working my way through Song Rising. I haven’t listened to it much recently, focusing on podcasts instead but I’m flying back home for the holidays tomorrow and hope to listen to it a lot during the trip.

What did you recently finish reading?

  • The Boy Next Door (Fear Street, #39)  by R.L. Stine – physical book, buddy read

I am delighted to announce I’ll be a guest on tomorrow’s episode of the Fear Street Book Club podcast hosted by my dear friend, Hannah! For this episode we read and reviewed Boy Next Door with our other book friend, Heather. It was so much fun and I hope you all go check it out!

What do you think you’ll read next?

 

  • Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten – physical ARC
  • A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw – eARC
  • Just River by Sara B. Fraser – physical 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 – November 17th, 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 Song Rising (The Bone Season, #3) by Samantha Shannon – audiobook, reread
  • Cazadora (Lobizona, #2) by Romina Garber – ebook

I haven’t been listening to Song Rising. It’s been sat to the side in favor of some podcasts instead, specifically reality tv related podcasts. Haha! But I should get back to it soon… Hopefully.

I’ve picked Cazadora back up after sitting it aside for a few days. It’s going pretty good so far but it’s just now really hit an interesting plot line. This is such an interesting series and the story is super unique. I don’t see it getting mentioned, but I wish it would!

What did you recently finish reading?

  • The Big Reveal by Jen Larsen – ARC
  • Abaddon’s Gate (The Expanse, #3) by James S.A. Corey – physical book
  • All the Feels (Spoiler Alert, #2) by Olivia Dade – ARC

Of course I absolutely loved Abaddon’s Gate. That series just keeps getting better and better with each book. I also really enjoyed The Big Reveal. I loved the empowering feminist and body positivity message. It definitely did it much better than other books, I think. Which may be why All the Feels really fell short for me. I’ll dive more into it soon with a full review. But for now, just know it wasn’t my favorite.

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten – ARC
  • A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw – ARC
  • Just River by Sara B. Fraser – 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!

2019 End of Year Survey

2019 was a solid reading year for myself, if not as great as I was hoping it would be. However, I did get to read some amazing books and find new favorite authors so I can’t complain too much. I can’t wait to look back on everything that I’ve read over the past year!

If you wish to participate in the survey, please link back to the original creator – Jamie @ The Perpetual Page Turner.

2019 Reading Stats

Number Of Books You Read: 64
Number of Re-Reads: 2
Genre You Read The Most From: Fantasy

Best in Book

Best Book You Read In 2019?

34219873

Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

40381319

Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?

reid_9781524798628_jkt_all_r1.indd

Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?

15839976

Best series you started in 2019? Best sequel of 2019? Best series finale of 2019?

Favorite new author you discovered in 2019?

39863482

Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

32075853

Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

29456569

Book You Read In 2019 That You Would Be MOST Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

30075662._SY475_

Favorite cover of a book you read in 2019?

39855052

Most memorable character of 2019?

26032912._SY475_

Jude is a total badass and no one can say otherwise.

Most beautifully written book read in 2019?

43822713

Most Thought-Provoking/Life-Changing Book of 2019?

46189758._SY475_

Book you can’t believe you waited until 2019 to finally read?

28954189

Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2019?

“By you, I am forever undone.” – The Queen of Nothing

Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2019?

Book That Shocked You The Most

43587154

OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

26032912._SY475_

Jude and Cardan… I think it’s pretty easy to see how I feel about this book.

Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

36260006._SY475_

Morrigan and Hawthorne crack me up with their friendship. She’s cynical and he is Mr. Get-Into-All-of-the-Trouble.

Favorite Book You Read in 2019 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

38496253

Best Book You Read In 2019 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure/Bookstagram, Etc.

35297394

Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2019?

42201395

I will always go for the moody and brooding guys, especially ones with a bit of darkness in them like Nathaniel.

Best 2019 debut you read?

39897058

Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

39863277

Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

34219873

Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2019?

17333455

Hidden Gem Of The Year?

42756706

Book That Crushed Your Soul?

36475906

Most Unique Book You Read In 2019?

36124826

Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

37677964

Your Blogging/Bookish Life

New favorite book blog/Bookstagram/Youtube channel you discovered in 2019?

I have done a terrible job keeping up with the bookish community this past year. Maybe that’s why I was affected by so many reading slumps – I wasn’t keeping myself hyped up.

Favorite post you wrote in 2019?

If You Liked That…Read This: Historical Fiction Edition

Favorite bookish related photo you took in 2019?

Ummm, I did not take one. Oops!

Best bookish event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events,  etc.)?

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make it to BookCon this past year but I was able to participate in the blog tour for Songs from the Deep!

Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2019?

Probably when I finally reach over 1000 followers on my blog. I don’t really promote it a whole lot so it’s been nice to see it grow so much this year.

Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?

My reading life took a bit of a hit this year from going into so many random reading slumps, which has really affected my will to actually post regularly. It’s something I’m really hoping to not have an issue with this coming year.

Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

The 5 Most Disappointing Books of 2019

Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

Top 5 Audiobook Recommendations

Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

I don’t think I really have one this year.

Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

Hahahahahaha… Nope, didn’t finish either of one. Epic 2019 fail.

Looking Ahead

One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2019 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2020?

39841372

Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2020 (non-debut)?

45449799

2020 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

44280973

Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2020?

40516960.jpg

One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2020?

Keep away from the dreaded reading slumps and try to consistently blog post.

How did you reading year go in 2019? What was a book that surprised you the most? Did you read a hidden gem of a novel? Did any books disappoint you? Please leave a link to your reading survey in the comments below!

November/December Wrap-Up: Reviews, Reading Challenges, etc.

My reading life in 2019 didn’t end on as great of a note as I was hoping for. I have struggled the past few months with being able to sit down and concentrate on reading for long periods of time. I can’t determine if this is a side effect of work having been extremely stressful or what, but I really hope it doesn’t continue into this year. I want 2020 to be a great year for reading. With that being said, I did still get to read some really good books over the past couple of months which is always nice!

Books Read

  • The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw – physical book, 4/5 stars, BOOK REVIEW
  • The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air, #3) by Holly Black – physical book, 5/5 stars
  • Supernova (Renegades, #3) by Marissa Meyer – physical book, 4/5 stars,
  • Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, #2) by Jessica Townsend – physical book, 5/5 stars
  • Songs from the Deep by Kelly Powell – physical ARC, 4/5 stars, BOOK REVIEW
  • Somerset by Leila Meacham – physical book, 5/5 stars
  • Devils & Thieves by Jennifer Rush – physical book, 3/5 stars

Total Books Read: 7

Overall in 2019: 64

Reading Challenge Updates

POPSUGAR

  • A book with a plant in the title or on the cover – Somerset
  • A book that makes you nostalgic – Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow

Goodreads Challenge

Total:64/75

Previous Total: 57/75

Blog Posts

Book Reviews

WWW Wednesday

Discussions/Misc.

Did you get a lot of reading done in November and December? 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 January?

WWW Wednesday – November 20th, 2019

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

The Three W’s are:

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

What are you currently reading?

  • Iron Gold (Red Rising, #4) by Pierce Brown – audiobook
  • Romanov by Nadine Brandes – audiobook, buddy read
  • Somerset by Leila Meacham  – physical book

I’ve made very little progress with my audiobooks this week, as work has been super crazy busy. However, I am flying out to Charleston tomorrow to visit a friend for the weekend, so hopefully I’ll be able to do some listening during the flights. I’m so close to finishing Romanov and I can’t wait to put this boring book behind me for good. Then I’ll really be able to put my focus on Iron Gold. 

I’m about halfway through Somerset and absolutely loving it so far. It’s been a few years since I first read Roses, and I’m really enjoying diving back into the family sagas of the Tollivers and Warwicks. However, I’m reaching the period when the Civil War breaks out and I’m already expecting my heart to do some breaking. I definitely better keep some tissues nearby for when the tears begin to fall. If you enjoy wonderful historical fiction novels, I highly suggest picking up Leila Meacham’s books.

What did you recently finish reading?

35297394

  • The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw – physical book

I really enjoyed this story, but mostly because Ernshaw is such an incredible writer. I still can’t believe this was a debut novel, as it certainly doesn’t read that way. I’m even more excited to pick up her latest book because I can only imagine it being even better than this one.

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • The Last Magician (The Last Magician, #1) by Lisa Maxwell – physical book
  • Valiant (Modern Faerie Tales, #2) by Holly Black – physical book
  • Supernova (Renegades, #1) by Marissa Meyer – 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!

Book Review: The Wicked Deep

Everyone has been raving about Shea Ernshaw’s The Wicked Deep, ever since it was first released early last year. I was finally convinced to give it a shot recently and was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did. Sometimes the hype is actually deserved…

Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow…

Where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town.

Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under.

Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into.

Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters.

But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself.

I think what I enjoyed most about this book was the writing. You would never guess that this was a debut novel, as Ernshaw has such a wonderful way with words. I was constantly finding passages that I felt were speaking to me personally. And as a reader, there’s nothing greater than coming across writing that instantly connects with you. Another writing choice that I really appreciated was how Ernshaw would give us small chapters told from the sisters points of view, providing us a glimpse into what their lives were truly like before they were drowned by Sparrow. I’m such a sucker when authors choose to do little back and forth time jumps like this. It definitely adds more substance to the story and allowing us to see from more perspectives.

Other than the small time jumps into the past, the story mostly follows Penny and so we really get to know her over the course of the summer. She’s very closed off from the rest of the world, including the people of Sparrow. She sees her life on the tiny Lumiere Island as the only option for her future, as she takes care of her mother and the lighthouse. She also sees the curse of the sisters as justified punishment for the town, even as awful as it may seem. However, during the course of her budding relationship with Bo, she begins to open up. While Bo may be mysterious, he’s passionate and isn’t afraid to push Penny to her limits. I appreciated how they fed off of each other, especially considering their difficult personal histories.

Love is an enchantress - devious and wild. It sneaks up behind you, soft and gentle and quiet, just before it slits your throat..png

The only flaw with this book was that the plot twist fell a little flat for me. I had already guessed it very early on and was a little disappointed in seeing that I was correct. Now, I tend to guess a lot of mysteries or plot twists in novel, so this may not be as much of an issue for you as it was for me. I just really enjoy a twist that comes out of nowhere and I never see coming, which is few and far between. But with that being said, that didn’t ruin the story for me nor take away from my overall enjoyment. I still really enjoyed the journey and getting to learn more about the sisters and how their brief lives continued to affect Sparrow.

I think this was a really enjoyable debut novel. The atmosphere and setting really sold the overall plot and I could almost believe that Sparrow is a real town along the Oregon coast. But for me, the real beauty of this story was the writing itself. I think Ernshaw has solidified herself as an auto-buy author for me and I will definitely be picking up whatever she graces us with in the future. If you’re looking for an atmospheric mystery to curl up with on a cold day, I think this one is the perfect fit.

Final Verdict: 4/5 Stars

Have you read The Wicked Deep? If so, what did you think of it? Were you able to figure out the plot twist beforehand? Did you enjoy the flashbacks? Do you plan on reading Ernshaw’s future novels?

WWW Wednesday – November 13th, 2019

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

The Three W’s are:

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

What are you currently reading?

  • Iron Gold (Red Rising, #4) by Pierce Brown – audiobook
  • Romanov by Nadine Brandes – audiobook, buddy read
  • The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw – physical book

I’ve finally crossed over the halfway point in Romanov. Unfortunately, the plot is still very slow and I find myself not really feeling engage enough to want to listen to it. I’ll finish it eventually but I’m not sure it will still be by the end of this week.

I’m about halfway through The Wicked Deep and I’m really enjoying it so far. There were a few interesting reveals that have piqued my interest especially, so I’m excited to see how that will affect the story moving forward. I’m hoping the pace will pick up soon because of it.

What did you recently finish reading?

43822713

  • Songs from the Deep by Kelly Powell – physical ARC

I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed this book. It was engaging and the writing style was fantastic. I’m really excited to be a part of the blog tour for it and you will be seeing my review posted this Friday. Can’t wait to share my love for this story with you all!

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • The Last Magician (The Last Magician, #1) by Lisa Maxwell – physical book
  • Valiant (Modern Faerie Tales, #2) by Holly Black – physical book
  • Somerset by Leila Meacham – 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 – November 6th, 2019

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

The Three W’s are:

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

What are you currently reading?

  • Iron Gold (Red Rising, #4) by Pierce Brown – audiobook
  • Romanov by Nadine Brandes – audiobook, buddy read
  • Songs from the Deep by Kelly Powell – physical ARC

I’ve made a bit more progress in Romanov this week, but I am STILL waiting for anything to happen. To say this book is slow with no clear plot at this point is probably an understatement.

I am about halfway through Songs from the Deep, which I am currently reviewing as part of the blog tour through Scholastic Publishing. Y’all, I am loving this story so far. It’s very atmospheric with plenty of secrets running about that keeps you guessing. I can’t wait to see how it ends!

What did you recently finish reading?

25843018

  • Devils & Thieves (Devils & Thieves, #1) by Jennifer Rush – physical book

This book was interesting and I really enjoyed the premise magical biker gangs. I wouldn’t say this was the most groundbreaking read in any way, but I was still entertained by the story. I haven’t heard anything about the sequel which is a shame because I feel like where the story was heading could be a really good change of pace.

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • The Last Magician (The Last Magician, #1) by Lisa Maxwell – physical book
  • Valiant (Modern Faerie Tales, #2) by Holly Black – physical book
  • The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw – 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 – October 30th, 2019

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

The Three W’s are:

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

What are you currently reading?

  • Iron Gold (Red Rising, #4) by Pierce Brown – audiobook
  • Romanov by Nadine Brandes – audiobook, buddy read
  • Devils & Thieves (Devils & Thieves, #1) by Jennifer Rush – physical book

As you can tell from my lack of posting the past few weeks, I have been super busy with work which has affected my reading life. So which means that I have made zero progress with my two audiobooks recently. I plan to hopefully get back into them fully today.

I am over halfway through Devils & Thieves and I’m really enjoying it so far. I have had a strange obsession with biker gangs ever since watching Sons of Anarchy (I know, I know!), and so combining that with magic and a will-they-won’t-they romance just ticks all of my boxes. I don’t see this book being mentioned much in the book community though, but I hope more people will start to pick it up.

What did you recently finish reading?

46189758._SY475_

  • Sanctuary by V.V. James – physical book

I’ll hopefully be posting a full review of this book soon.. but oh my gosh, what a wild ride it was to read! I loved how my opinions changed about everyone multiple times throughout the story and I never really knew what was going on. Seriously, this book needs to be adapted into a film or miniseries. I can see Reese Witherspoon doing something amazing with this. Just know, this is an adult novel and is very dark. But I really recommend anyone looking for a realistic take on what witches and magic would look like in modern times, give this book a try.

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Songs from the Deep by Kelly Powell – physical ARC
  • Valiant (Modern Faerie Tales, #2) by Holly Black – physical book
  • The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw – 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!