WWW Wednesday – September 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

  • Under the Whispering Door  by TJ Klune – ebook, ARC
  • The Mime Order (The Bone Season, #2)  by Samantha Shannon – audiobook, reread

I’m not very far into either of these yet, as I just started on them yesterday. However, I can say with complete confidence that I will love Whispering Door and fall in love AGAIN with Mime Order. I’ve been reading a lot of paranormal lately without even realizing it.. I don’t hate it!

What did you recently finish reading?

  • The Bone Season (The Bone Season, #1)  by Samantha Shannon – audiobook, reread
  • Water’s Wrath (Air Awakens, #4)  by Elise Kova – ebook
  • Vespertine  by Margaret Rogerson – ebook, ARC

I have had a hell of a reading time the past couple of weeks. Finally finishing multiple books at once after having a bit of reading slump during my recent visit back home to Texas. You would think you would get more done on vacation, but I guess not. I won’t be doing reviews of Bone Season or Water’s Wrath, but I will have a full review up for Vespertine  closer to its release date at the beginning of October.

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Crystal Crowned (Air Awakens, #5)  by Elise Kova – ebook
  • Cazadora (Wolves of No World, #2) by Romina Garber – ebook
  • Tilly and the Bookwanderers (Pages & Co., #1)  by Anna James – 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 – August 25th, 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 Bone Season (The Bone Season, #1)  by Samantha Shannon – audiobook, reread
  • Water’s Wrath (Air Awakens, #4)  by Elise Kova – ebook

I have about 25% left of Bone Season and I’m loving it just as much as I did the first two times I read it, haha. The audiobook does lend something new to the story so I’m really glad I chose to go that route this time around. And I’ve finally picked Wrath up again and making some progress in it. This series keeps taking new turns with each book so I’m ready to see where this one goes!

What did you recently finish reading?

  • All of Us Villains (All of Us Villains, #1)  by Amanda Foody & Christine Lynne Herman – ebook, ARC
  • So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix (Reimagined Classics, #2)  by Bethany C. Morrow – ebook, ARC

I’m really glad that I spent the past week reading through some of my ARCs. And that I loved them both!! Villains was so fantastically dark and violent. I especially loved the family drama parts the most. I found their history and relationships to be almost as interesting and engrossing as the action of the curse. As for Beginnings, I don’t know what I was expecting but I do know that I wasn’t prepared to love it as much as I did. Little Women is one of my all-time favorites so I was a little worried, but I didn’t need to be. Morrow did such a fantastic time transforming it into an important story tackling the lives of the March family as newly freed slaves. I’ll have full reviews for both being posted over the next week.

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Crystal Crowned (Air Awakens, #5)  by Elise Kova – ebook
  • Cazadora (Wolves of No World, #2) by Romina Garber – ebook
  • Under the Whispering Door  by TJ Klune – 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 – August 18th, 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

  • All of Us Villains (All of Us Villains, #1)  by Amanda Foody & Christine Lynne Herman – ebook, ARC
  • The Bone Season (The Bone Season, #1)  by Samantha Shannon – audiobook, reread

I’m a little over halfway through Villains and am LOVING it! This book is dark with so many different layers to it. I love how the different families are all super complicated and interesting in different ways. It also has a creepiness factor that would make for the perfect Halloween read… Hint Hint!

I’m also about a third of the way through the audio for The Bone Season. This is my third reread of the series, but I always have to do this when a new sequel comes out as there’s such a long time between releases. Ya girl needs a refresh!

What did you recently finish reading?

  • The Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith – ebook, ARC
  • The Guncle by Steven Rowley – audiobook
  • Covet (Crush, #3)  by Tracy Wolff – physical book

I really enjoyed every single of these! You could say I definitely had a really good reading week last week. If you want to know more about The Witch Haven before its release on the 30th, please check out my full review that I posted yesterday!

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Crystal Crowned (Air Awakens, #5)  by Elise Kova – ebook
  • The Iron Queen (The Iron Fey, #3)  by Julie Kagawa – physical book
  • Tilly and the Bookwanderers (Pages & Co., #1)  by Anna James – 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!

Wonderfilled Reads Recommends: Books with Romance

I don’t know if it’s the fact that it’s cuffing season or just the fact that mushy Hallmark Christmas movies are playing constantly on tv, but it feels like love is in the air right now… and yes, I am aware that it’s Christmas and not Valentine’s Day. And I know some readers don’t really care for romance in their novels, but I actually enjoy it. It adds just a little something extra that I can root for. I even enjoy the universally hated trope – love triangles. Yes, you read that correctly. Please feel free to judge me, as I know that this is quite a controversial opinion. However, I always like choosing a side and guessing which person the character is going to choose. With that being said, I wanted to recommend a few books that I really enjoyed, that include some romance in them. Because hey, we all could use a little more love.


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Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This is one of those where the romance is integral to the story, but doesn’t actually make itself the entire plot. I found it to be one of most realistic portrayal of a real love story. I highly recommend the audiobook version.

Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six: The band’s album Aurora came to define the rock ‘n’ roll era of the late seventies, and an entire generation of girls wanted to grow up to be Daisy. But no one knows the reason behind the group’s split on the night of their final concert at Chicago Stadium on July 12, 1979 . . . until now.

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

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

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

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The Bone Season (The Bone Season, #1) by Samantha Shannon

If you are like me and love the enemies-to-lovers romantic trope, this book (or really series) might be just the thing you’re looking for. You won’t be able to turn the pages fast enough.

The year is 2059. Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working in the criminal underworld of Scion London, based at Seven Dials, employed by a man named Jaxon Hall. Her job: to scout for information by breaking into people’s minds. For Paige is a dreamwalker, a clairvoyant and, in the world of Scion, she commits treason simply by breathing.

It is raining the day her life changes for ever. Attacked, drugged and kidnapped, Paige is transported to Oxford – a city kept secret for two hundred years, controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. Paige is assigned to Warden, a Rephaite with mysterious motives. He is her master. Her trainer. Her natural enemy. But if Paige wants to regain her freedom she must allow herself to be nurtured in this prison where she is meant to die.

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Fall of Giants (The Century Trilogy, #1) by Ken Follett

This book intertwines the lives of multiple families across Russia, England, America and Germany through the start of WWI. It is definitely an epic family saga with epic romances to match, which Ken Follett is a master at writing.

It is 1911. The Coronation Day of King George V. The Williams, a Welsh coal-mining family is linked by romance and enmity to the Fitzherberts, aristocratic coal-mine owners. Lady Maud Fitzherbert falls in love with Walter von Ulrich, a spy at the German Embassy in London. Their destiny is entangled with that of an ambitious young aide to U.S. President Woodrow Wilson and to two orphaned Russian brothers, whose plans to emigrate to America fall foul of war, conscription and revolution. In a plot of unfolding drama and intriguing complexity, “Fall Of Giants” moves seamlessly from Washington to St Petersburg, from the dirt and danger of a coal mine to the glittering chandeliers of a palace, from the corridors of power to the bedrooms of the mighty.

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

You probably already know all about this enemies-to-lovers story. But damn, it is so worth it to mention it again.

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

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

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

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

This is a slow burn romance that doesn’t take over the plot. This book stands on its own with fast pacing, incredible political intrigue, and a wonderful setting inspired by Middle Eastern mythology.

Nahri has never believed in magic. Certainly, she has power; on the streets of 18th century Cairo, she’s a con woman of unsurpassed talent. But she knows better than anyone that the trade she uses to get by—palm readings, zars, healings—are all tricks, sleights of hand, learned skills; a means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles.

But when Nahri accidentally summons an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior to her side during one of her cons, she’s forced to accept that the magical world she thought only existed in childhood stories is real. For the warrior tells her a new tale: across hot, windswept sands teeming with creatures of fire, and rivers where the mythical marid sleep; past ruins of once-magnificent human metropolises, and mountains where the circling hawks are not what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass, a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound.

In that city, behind gilded brass walls laced with enchantments, behind the six gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments are simmering. And when Nahri decides to enter this world, she learns that true power is fierce and brutal. That magic cannot shield her from the dangerous web of court politics. That even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences.

After all, there is a reason they say be careful what you wish for…

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Stars Over Clear Lake by Loretta Ellsworth

I am sucker for any WWII historical fiction. But one that includes star-crossed lovers and a mystery? Yep, I am so here for it.

For the first time in decades, Lorraine Kindred has returned to the ballroom where she was swept away by the big bands during the 1940s – and by a star-crossed romance. As she takes in the magnificent energy and brassy sounds of her youth, the past comes to life, along with the fateful decision all those years ago that forced her to choose between personal conviction and social expectations, between the two men who had captured her heart. It had been a time of great music and love, but also of war and sacrifice, and now, trying to make peace with her memories, Lorraine must find the courage to face buried secrets. In the process, she will rediscover herself, her passion, and her capacity for resilience.

Set during the 1940s and the present and inspired by a real-life ballroom, Stars Over Clear Lake is a moving story of forbidden love, lost love, everlasting love – and self love.

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A Discover of Witches (All Souls Trilogy, #1) by Deborah Harkness

If you thought vampire romances were so 15 years ago… you are wrong. Harkness has managed to write a uniquely scientific paranormal romance mystery that will have you hooked from the very first page.

Deep in the stacks of Oxford’s Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

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The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore

This is a magical realism retelling of Romeo & Juliet set among two modern day travelling performer families. It has beautiful writing and a truly unique concept with a more hopeful romance than the original story it’s based on.

For twenty years, the Palomas and the Corbeaus have been rivals and enemies, locked in an escalating feud for over a generation. Both families make their living as traveling performers in competing shows—the Palomas swimming in mermaid exhibitions, the Corbeaus, former tightrope walkers, performing in the tallest trees they can find.

Lace Paloma may be new to her family’s show, but she knows as well as anyone that the Corbeaus are pure magia negra, black magic from the devil himself. Simply touching one could mean death, and she’s been taught from birth to keep away. But when disaster strikes the small town where both families are performing, it’s a Corbeau boy, Cluck, who saves Lace’s life. And his touch immerses her in the world of the Corbeaus, where falling for him could turn his own family against him, and one misstep can be just as dangerous on the ground as it is in the trees.

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Foundryside (Founders, #1) by Robert Jackson Bennett

I really enjoyed how the romance in this story was very subtle and one that I didn’t particularly see coming. It definitely has me excited to see what will happen next.

Sancia Grado is a thief, and a damn good one. And her latest target, a heavily guarded warehouse on Tevanne’s docks, is nothing her unique abilities can’t handle.

But unbeknownst to her, Sancia’s been sent to steal an artifact of unimaginable power, an object that could revolutionize the magical technology known as scriving. The Merchant Houses who control this magic–the art of using coded commands to imbue everyday objects with sentience–have already used it to transform Tevanne into a vast, remorseless capitalist machine. But if they can unlock the artifact’s secrets, they will rewrite the world itself to suit their aims.

Now someone in those Houses wants Sancia dead, and the artifact for themselves. And in the city of Tevanne, there’s nobody with the power to stop them.

To have a chance at surviving—and at stopping the deadly transformation that’s under way—Sancia will have to marshal unlikely allies, learn to harness the artifact’s power for herself, and undergo her own transformation, one that will turn her into something she could never have imagined.

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

I really don’t want to spoil too much of this story so I won’t say whole lot. Just know that it is unlike any other love story you’ve read.

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

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

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


What are some of your favorite books that include romance? Do you like romance in your novels? Which romance trope is your favorite? Have you read any of the books on my list?

Valentine’s Day Reading Recommendations

It’s that time of the year when love is in the air (supposedly) and the greeting card companies, florists, and candy corporations are all excited about the money they’re making off of us. And if you were looking for some books to add to all of the love stuff floating around right now, I decided to help you out with some recommendations. Don’t worry, I’m gonna help you out with a bunch of different genres so you don’t have to worry about getting stuck with only contemporary (which we all know isn’t my favorite…). Enjoy!


Contemporary

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Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home.

But then she is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina’s uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. A world that inspires Lina, along with the ever-so-charming Ren, to follow in her mother’s footsteps and unearth a secret that has been kept for far too long. It’s a secret that will change everything she knew about her mother, her father—and even herself.

People come to Italy for love and gelato, someone tells her, but sometimes they discover much more.

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Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

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A Million Junes by Emily Henry

For as long as Jack “June” O’Donnell has been alive, her parents have had only one rule: stay away from the Angert family. But when June collides—quite literally—with Saul Angert, sparks fly, and everything June has known is thrown into chaos.

Who exactly is this gruff, sarcastic, but seemingly harmless boy who has returned to their hometown of Five Fingers, Michigan, after three mysterious years away? And why has June—an O’Donnell to her core—never questioned her late father’s deep hatred of the Angert family? After all, the O’Donnells and the Angerts may have mythic legacies, but for all the tall tales they weave, both founding families are tight-lipped about what caused the century-old rift between them.

As Saul and June’s connection grows deeper, they find that the magic, ghosts, and coywolves of Five Fingers seem to be conspiring to reveal the truth about the harrowing curse that has plagued their bloodlines for generations. Now June must question everything she knows about her family and the father she adored, and she must decide whether it’s finally time for her—and all the O’Donnells before her—to let go.

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Me Before You (Me Before You, #1) by Jojo Moyes

Louisa Clark is an ordinary young woman living an exceedingly ordinary life—steady boyfriend, close family—who has never been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex-Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair-bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life—big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel—and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is.

Will is acerbic, moody, bossy—but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living.

A love story for this generation, Me Before You brings to life two people who couldn’t have less in common—a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, What do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart?

Science Fiction

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

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

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

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

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Across the Universe (Across the Universe, #1) by Beth Revis

A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone—one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship —tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn’t do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed’s hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there’s only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

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Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #1) by Marissa Meyer

A forbidden romance.

A deadly plague.

Earth’s fate hinges on one girl . . .

CINDER, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She’s reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen – and a dangerous temptation.

Cinder is caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal. Now she must uncover secrets about her mysterious past in order to protect Earth’s future.

This is not the fairytale you remember. But it’s one you won’t forget.

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Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.

BRIEFING NOTE: Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

Fantasy

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The Bone Season (The Bone Season, #1) by Samantha Shannon

The year is 2059. Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working in the criminal underworld of Scion London, based at Seven Dials, employed by a man named Jaxon Hall. Her job: to scout for information by breaking into people’s minds. For Paige is a dreamwalker, a clairvoyant and, in the world of Scion, she commits treason simply by breathing.

It is raining the day her life changes for ever. Attacked, drugged and kidnapped, Paige is transported to Oxford – a city kept secret for two hundred years, controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. Paige is assigned to Warden, a Rephaite with mysterious motives. He is her master. Her trainer. Her natural enemy. But if Paige wants to regain her freedom she must allow herself to be nurtured in this prison where she is meant to die.

The Bone Season introduces a compelling heroine and also introduces an extraordinary young writer, with huge ambition and a teeming imagination. Samantha Shannon has created a bold new reality in this riveting debut.

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Caraval (Caraval, #1) by Stephanie Garber

Remember, it’s only a game…

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval…beware of getting swept too far away.

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Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms, #1) by Morgan Rhodes

In the three kingdoms of Mytica, magic has long been forgotten. And while hard-won peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest now simmers below the surface.

As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed… and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.

The only outcome that’s certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

It’s the eve of war…. Choose your side.

Princess: Raised in pampered luxury, Cleo must now embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of magic long thought extinct.

Rebel: Jonas, enraged at injustice, lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished. To his shock, he finds himself the leader of a people’s revolution centuries in the making.

Sorceress: Lucia, adopted at birth into the royal family, discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Heir: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, firstborn son Magnus begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword….

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The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles, #1) by Mary E. Pearson

In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia’s life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she doesn’t—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom—to a prince she has never met.

On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—even as she finds herself falling in love.

Historical Fiction

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These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly

Jo Montfort is beautiful and rich, and soon—like all the girls in her class—she’ll graduate from finishing school and be married off to a wealthy bachelor. Which is the last thing she wants. Jo secretly dreams of becoming a writer—a newspaper reporter like the trailblazing Nellie Bly.

Wild aspirations aside, Jo’s life seems perfect until tragedy strikes: her father is found dead. Charles Montfort accidentally shot himself while cleaning his revolver. One of New York City’s wealthiest men, he owned a newspaper and was partner in a massive shipping firm, and Jo knows he was far too smart to clean a loaded gun.

The more Jo uncovers about her father’s death, the more her suspicions grow. There are too many secrets. And they all seem to be buried in plain sight. Then she meets Eddie—a young, brash, infuriatingly handsome reporter at her father’s newspaper—and it becomes all too clear how much she stands to lose if she keeps searching for the truth. Only now it might be too late to stop.

The past never stays buried forever. Life is dirtier than Jo Montfort could ever have imagined, and the truth is the dirtiest part of all.

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Stars Over Clear Lake by Loretta Ellsworth

For the first time in decades, Lorraine Kindred has returned to the ballroom where she was swept away by the big bands during the 1940s – and by a star-crossed romance. As she takes in the magnificent energy and brassy sounds of her youth, the past comes to life, along with the fateful decision all those years ago that forced her to choose between personal conviction and social expectations, between the two men who had captured her heart. It had been a time of great music and love, but also of war and sacrifice, and now, trying to make peace with her memories, Lorraine must find the courage to face buried secrets. In the process, she will rediscover herself, her passion, and her capacity for resilience.

Set during the 1940s and the present and inspired by a real-life ballroom, Stars Over Clear Lake is a moving story of forbidden love, lost love, everlasting love – and self love.

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The Dark Days Club (Lady Helen, #1) by Alison Goodman

London, April 1812.

On the eve of eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Wrexhall’s presentation to the queen, one of her family’s housemaids disappears-and Helen is drawn into the shadows of Regency London. There, she meets Lord Carlston, one of the few who can stop the perpetrators: a cabal of demons infiltrating every level of society. Dare she ask for his help, when his reputation is almost as black as his lingering eyes? And will her intelligence and headstrong curiosity wind up leading them into a death trap?

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Roses by Leila Meacham

Spanning the 20th century, the story of Roses takes place in a small East Texas town against the backdrop of the powerful timber and cotton industries, industries controlled by the scions of the town’s founding families. Cotton tycoon Mary Toliver and timber magnate Percy Warwick should have married but unwisely did not, and now must deal with the deceit, secrets, and tragedies of their choice and the loss of what might have been–not just for themselves but for their children, and children’s children. With expert, unabashed, big-canvas storytelling, Roses covers a hundred years, three generations of Texans and the explosive combination of passion for work and longing for love.


Do you like to books with romance around Valentine’s Day? Have you read any of the books on my list? What books would you recommend for Valentine’s Day?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10 Book Recommendations To Pick Up This Fall!

For those of us in Texas, it doesn’t really start to feel like fall until October rolls around. We aren’t as blessed with temperature drops in September like those of you to the north of us (so jealous, by the way!). However, we are finally expecting our first cool front to roll through later this week and so I thought this would be the perfect time for me to share some recommendations for you to cozy up with this fall. I can already smell all of the cinnamon and pumpkin candles being lit!


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Scream All Night by Derek Milman

I just finished this audiobook yesterday and really enjoyed it. I mean, a book set in a horror films studio that’s basically a big creepy castle? Oh yes! Mark this one as quirky rather than scary, as it lacks the horror and focuses more on the eccentrics.

 

 

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The Diviners (The Diviners, #1) by Libba Bray

I’m sure most of you are aware of Bray’s atmospheric reads, and this series is no different. It’s got plenty of the supernatural, all mixed up with the excitement of the Roaring 20’s. So fun!

 

 

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

I don’t know why but I always associate books about the Fair Folk with autumn. Something about them just screams changing leaves and crisp fall air to me. And I cannot get enough of multi-dimensional characters in this series! Cardan is just sooo delicious. 😉

 

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These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly

I’m a sucker for really good historical fiction, so combine that with a murder mystery set in the turn of the 20th Century and I’m totally here for it!

 

 

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The Cutting Season by Attica Locke

I really enjoyed this atmospheric contemporary mystery set on an old plantation in Louisiana. Old buried secrets come to light when a young women who grew up there becomes the manager and must confront her past, as well the as haunted past of the plantation itself.

 

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Sadie by Courtney Summers

I listed to this audiobook recently and fell in love. It was intense and full of emotion, and I cannot recommend it enough. If you enjoy unresolved mysteries then you’ll really like this one.

 

 

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Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody

Come on, a traveling magical circus?! That just screams fall and you cannot tell me otherwise! I can already taste the caramel corn…. Yum!

 

 

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How to Hang a Witch (How to Hang a Witch, #1) by Adriana Mather

If you thought the Salem Witch Trials ended in the 1600’s, then you’re wrong. All hell breaks loose once again when a descendant of the one of the original victims returns to Salem, and that’s only the beginning…

 

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The Bone Season (The Bone Season, #1) by Samantha Shannon

Something about the gloomy nature of this dystopian London just screams fall to me. Also, this series is one of my all-time favorites, so I really just want to read it any time of year. I’m dying for the next book to be released!

 

 

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A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy, #3) by Deborah Harkness

I think this one is pretty self-explanatory based on that title. However, this is also just an amazing series. It’s got witches, vampires, Daemons, and all sorts of supernatural elements. And for all of my British friends, you can currently watch the television series on Sky! So jealous!

 


What are some books that you would recommend to read in the fall? Have you read any of the books on my list? If so, what did you think of them? Do you tend to read a certain genre in the fall?

 

Three Bookish Things Tag

I saw that Kristin @ Kristin Kraves Books did this tag a few days ago and I was immediately like, now this’ll be fun! I haven’t done a tag in a while and loved getting to prepare answers for this one. I officially tag whoever else wants to do it! Let’s spread the tag love, y’all! 😉


THREE READ ONCE AND LOVED AUTHORS…

  • Claire Legrand – Furyborn was my first introduction to Legrand’s writing but I was immediately hooked. That book just hit all of the buttons for what I consider makes an amazing fantasy story. I can’t believe I have’t read any of her other books before but I definitely plan to pick them up in the future. Ohhhhh, yes!
  • Jennifer Donnelly – I think y’all already know how much I enjoy a good historical fiction novel and Donnelly delivered with These Shallow Graves. It was the perfect mix history, mystery, and a dash of romance. I needsssss more books like this one!
  • S.A. Chakraborty – Bow down to this queen! Her debut novel The City of Brass is my favorite of 2018 so far and I literally think about it at least a week. The wait for the sequel is breaking my heart.. January just seems sooooo far away and it’s not okay! Also, if she wants to toss out a new book every single year for the rest of her life, that’d be super cool with me.

THREE TITLES I’VE WATCHED BUT HAVEN’T READ…

Yes, I have seen all three of the adaptations of these novels but haven’t read the books yet. And if you’re thinking, Larkin you should be ashamed of youself.. Don’t worry because I’m way ahead of you on that front. I obviously plan on picking up Crazy Rich Asians and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before soon. Those adaptations got me hooked! As for The Alienist, I think I’ll just stick with the miniseries.

THREE CHARACTERS YOU LOVE…

  • Victra from Red Rising Series by Pierce Brown – Victra is my main bitch. She’s snarky, independent, a bit crazy, and just cool as hell. I love that she’s not afraid to do what needs to be done, even though it might be a bit drastic at times. I will continue to root for her until the end of time. You go, girl!
  • Nina from Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo – Nina is like my twin. We both love to tease people, we can never get enough of sweets, and we’ve got some curves. I also just love how kind she is. Basically, we would be best friends in real life. YOU DESERVE TO LOVE AGAIN, NINA!!!
  • Hermione Granger from Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling – Because, obviously… Side note – I retyped her name 10 times because it didn’t look right. I might’ve had to Google it to make sure I wasn’t going insane.

THREE SERIES YOU BINGED…

  • The Queen of the Tearling Trilogy by Erika Johansen – This is one of my favorite fantasy series ever. It’s very complex with so many different layers to the story, and only gets deeper and deeper with each book. It’s also nice to have an adult fantasy that revolves around a female MC, especially one as awesome as Kelsea… Also, if you’re not convinced enough to read this one, just know that Emma Watson is trying to get this adapted for the big screen and will be producing it. You know, just FYI. 😉
  • The Bone Season Series by Samantha Shannon – This one probably shouldn’t count since only 3 of the planned 7 books have been released, but I binged all 3 in two days last summer so I’m counting it. This series is just freaking amazing and I hate how long it takes between each release, but I will follow it through to the end. Shannon just gets me and will forever be an auto-buy author for me. I can’t recommend this series enough. Bonus points for this one currently being optioned for television!
  • The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo – While this one didn’t end the way I was hoping for, I still really enjoyed the ride. The Darkling will forever be my one of my favorite villains in literature. Honestly, he deserved so much more! Also, Mal is the absolute worstttttttttttttt and I will stick by that until the end of time. Ugh, I just hate him. #stillsalty

THREE UNPOPULAR BOOKISH OPINIONS…

  • Mal Sucks – Please see above.
  • Keira Cass = Crap – Sorry, but I just cannot with her books. When I first read The Selection, I didn’t think it sucked too much but it definitely wasn’t this amazing series that everyone said it was. But now when I think about it, I have no idea how I even finished that series. You think there is really this huge revolution/rebellion conflict going on but it ends up being nothing but a sidenote to this stupid love triangle. And the writing overall is really less than mediocre. It’s gonna be a no from me, Dog.
  • No More Ebook ARCs – I have completely stopped using sites like NetGalley and Edelweiss, because I just do not enjoy reading eBooks. And honestly, I’m over requesting ARCs in general, I think. I don’t like being pressured to read a book in a certain amount of time, as I’m completely a mood reader which makes deadlines really hard for me. More power to those of you who can do it with no problem, I wish I had that kind of willpower!!

THREE CURRENT FAVORITE BOOK COVERS…

  • Warrior of the Wild by Tricia Levenseller
  • The Kingdom of Copper (The Daevabad Trilogy, #2) by S.A. Chakraborty
  • The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

Let’s give a shout out for 2019 releases because they are just killing it with these covers, ya’ll!

THREE BOOKISH GOALS FOR THE YEAR…

  • Read at least one Book of the Month book from my TBR each month.
  • Continue to read more diverse books.
  • Complete as many series as possible.

What are three of your bookish goals for the year? What movie adaptations have you seen but haven’t read the book? What are some of your unpopular bookish opinions?

Book Series That Would Be Perfect For Television

How many times have you thought, This book needs to be tv show!? I know that I do it fairly regularly. There are just so many amazing series out there that deserve to shine on the small screen… and I’ve highlighted just a few of my favorites for you today! 😉


The Great Library Series by Rachel Caine

I’m sure that y’all are tired of hearing me rave about this series, but it’s just too fun! I really do think that it would translate really well to tv. There’s also going to be 5 books in total which is a decent amount of seasons for show. I mean, I think we’d all love to see a world where the Library of Alexandria never burned down and instead was in control of civilization.

Zodiac Series by Romina Russell

Honestly, we just need more science fiction on tv. And while I do enjoy The 100, Zodiac is actually set in space and does a great job of mixing fantasy and science fiction. Bonus points for one of my favorite book boyfriends… *insert saucy smirk here*

Falling Kingdoms Series by Morgan Rhodes

With Game of Thrones coming to an end next year, we will be without an epic fantasy series and I think this one would make a great replacement. It’s basically Game of Thrones without an excessive amount of violence and nudity. And let’s be honest, it would be nice to have a show where you can watch it with your family without feeling uncomfortable watching people getting it on.

Red Rising Series by Pierce Brown

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This series would be soooo amazing translated to television. I know there were some plans for it to be a movie, but I think there’s so much stuff going on in each book that a tv series would be able to do it justice more. You could really take your time focusing on an entire series with each book. And now that Brown is adding a second follow-up trilogy, means we’ll get plenty of time to enjoy it!

The Bone Season Series by Samantha Shannon

This is one of my favorite series ever and with seven books planned, it’ll be the perfect amount for a television series. I actually believe that this has already been optioned for a tv show by one of the British networks and I’ve definitely got my fingers crossed that it gets the greenlight soon. It’s got the perfect blend of the paranormal, dystopian society, and romance so there’s something there for everyone!


What are some book series that you think should be adapted for television? Do you agree with my choices? Have you read any of the series on my list?

10 Books To Help You Escape This Winter

Thanks to Mr. Groundhog, we are supposedly going to have six more weeks of winter. Usually about this time of year, the winter depression starts to kick in because we are past all of the joyfulness of the holidays and are finally looking forward to spring and summer coming up around the corner. With that being said, here are some recommendations for you to dive into and escape the bitter cold that’s whipping outside your window!


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

Claudia Gray is the queen of YA science fiction and she definitely doesn’t disappoint in her latest series. This high powered space adventure is full of witty banter, nonstop action, and the world’s most adorable android. You’ll forget all about the winter doldrums once you dive into this thrill ride!

 

 

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The Bone Season (The Bone Season, #1) by Samantha Shannon

If space isn’t your cup of tea, then take a walk into a dystopian future London where clairvoyants are outlawed and forced to form criminal gangs in order to survive. If you’re already intrigued by that premise, just add supernatural beings as the ones in true control of the world and you have yourself a really unique story. Also, SIZZLING SEXUAL TENSION.

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The Cutting Season by Attica Locke

This own voices mystery thriller will have on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Set on an old plantation in southern Louisiana, the caretaker finds herself pulled into the history of Belle Vie and her family’s connection to the very fields that they have worked since before the Civil War. This book will keep you guessing until the very end.

 

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A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy, #1) by Deborah Harkness

I wish I could describe to y’all just how much I love this series. If you’re into science, the supernatural, and have a thing for brooding medieval vampires, then this is one story that you’re really missing out on. Also, it’s currently in production for a television series in the UK.

 

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Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

A fictional satire based on a Harry Potter type series? Oh yes! It also comes complete with the cutest freaking m/m romance that I’ve ever read. Seriously, Simon and Baz are just the sweetest little muffins! This book will both make you laugh and cry, and you’ll love it for it. It’s also a fantasy standalone, which we could use more of!

 

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Three Dark Crowns (Three Dark Crowns, #1) by Kendare Blake

I will admit that this one takes a bit before it really takes off but once it does..WOAH. It’s dark and twisty in all the best ways.  Also, the sequel was one of my favorite reads of 2017 so it only gets better! I cannot wait to see where the story goes to in the next book.

 

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Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

If you haven’t already read this book yet, then I’m not really sure what you’re waiting for. IT IS AWESOME! If way it’s written isn’t really something that you’re into, I’ve heard the audiobook versions are just amazing. And with the finale due to release next month, it’s the perfect time to dive in.

 

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The Dark Days Club (Lady Helen, #1) by Alison Goodman

I’m sure y’all are tired of hearing me gushing over this series by now, but sorry, I refuse to stop! This series is so engrossing and Goodman does the most perfect job of recreating Regency England. Also, the romance is the kind of slow burner that we all love. Trust me, this one’s a winner.

 

 

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Truthwitch (The Witchlands, #1) by Susan Dennard

This book got so much mixed reviews when it first came out, that I put off picking it up because I was worried that I wouldn’t enjoy it. However, this book turned out to be so much more fun than I thought! If you are someone who wants to see more female friendships in YA, then this book is for you. It’s all about powerful women!

 

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The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles, #1) by Mary E. Pearson

I didn’t really have the highest hopes for this book when I first picked it up and then I fell into a month long slump right in the middle of it. However, this series turned out to be one of my all-time favorites. The world is so richly described, that you are immediately transported into it. Also, the romance doesn’t hurt either!

 


What are some books that you’d recommend to help escape the winter doldrums? Have you read any of the ones on my list? If so, what did you think of them?

 

 

 

 

 

 

WWW Wednesday – July 26th, 2017

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?

  • The Song Rising (The Bone Season, #3) by Samantha Shannon
  • Parker by Jillian Quinn
  • The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley – audiobook

I’m still chugging along with The Winter Sea, but this audiobook is over 15 hours long so I expect it’ll be a while before I finish it. I’ve finally moved on to the third book in The Bone Season trilogy and so far it’s really good. There’s a map of Ireland in this one, which gives me hope that Paige and the gang will be heading there at some point. AHHHHHHH!!!

What did you recently finish reading?

  • The Wicked & The Divine, Vol. 2: Fandemonium by Kieron Gillen –  4/5 stars, graphic novel
  • The Bone Season (The Bone Season, #1) by Samantha Shannon – 5/5 stars
  • Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman – 3/5 stars
  • A Million Junes by Emily Henry – 5/5 stars
  • The Mime Order (The Bone Season, #2) by Samantha Shannon – 5/5 stars

You can thank the 24in48 Readathon for why I had such a good reading week. I really enjoyed all of the books that I read this past week, though I was let down by Gaiman’s newest novel. I think my expectations were just too high.

What do you think you’ll read next?

  • Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1) by Leigh Bardugo
  • Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2) by Leigh Bardugo

Yes, that’s right – I have not read this extremely well-loved duology! But you know, better late than never, right? And if you’re wondering if I had these books on my shelves since their release…well, you might be right. Oops?


What books have you read this week? What are you currently reading? Do you have anything exciting up next on your TBR? Have you read any of the books on my list? If so, what did you think of them?