September 2019 TBR

September 4, 2019September 15, 201912 Comments

Happy September Witches! So it’s only September 4 and my TBR has already been slightly changed. The books mentioned are my main priority but Scribd just added so many September 3rd releases and I want to listen to them all right now. I’ve already started The Raven Boys and Nevernight, and I really want to pick up Pumpkin Heads this weekend. So we’ll see maybe I can squeeze in a few more. I am horrible at following TBR’s but I really want to read all of these.

September, has a Friday the 13th, so of course I’m going to read something spooky that day and marathon a bunch of horror movies because I’m off that day ✌️I am honestly so excited for this month.

September TBR

Pumpkin Heads- Rainbow Rowell

Nevernight- Jay Kristoff

Eclipse – Stephanie Meyer

The Raven Boys – Maggie Stievfater

The Turn of the Key- Ruth Ware

The Darkest part of the Forest -Holly Black

What are some books on your September TBR? Have you read any of these books?

August Wrap Up

September 2, 2019September 2, 20195 Comments

Hello Friends !! I feel like August was the fastest month this year, it has gone by so fast. My goal in August was to read some ARCs and complete my book club picks, and I think I did pretty good.

One of my favorite things about August, especially towards the end of August, is how everything starts to slowly take on the autumny vibe. Grocery stores start to sell Halloween candy and themed treats. Department stores start to sell their autumn and Halloween decor. It just makes you feel all the more excited, even though Autumn is not quite there yet.

Anyways, onto the books I’ve read this month !

Books I Read This Month

Renegades by Marissa Meyer – DNF.

This was the book club pick for Its a Hardback life book club, and I didn’t make it past page 100. At the beginning of the month I was in the worst book slump and I really wasn’t enjoying this book. For the part of the book I read it felt like a very standard superhero tale that did’t do anything new. There was way to many character’s introduced too quickly with multiple names and secret identities, I had a hard time keep track of who was who. I felt like it was very info dumpy at times and other times it was so slow paced I had no interest in picking it up. I loved The Lunar Chronicles so I’m sad to say I couldn’t get into her newer series.

Naturally Tan by Tan France ★★★★

Tan France is one of five TV personalities from the Emmy-award-winning Netflix show Queer Eye. I feel like I should start off by saying that I love Netflix’s Queer Eye to pieces, and Tan is always one of my favorite guys on the show. I don’t tend to read very many memoirs, unless there by some of my favorite people. I find it really hard to rate non fiction, as this is about someone’s life, and how can I judge there experiences. So I tend to rate them for enjoyment, and I really liked this book. Tan’s voice is exactly how I imagined it would be, he is intelligent ,so sassy and his personality shines throughout the novel. He also doesn’t hold anything back, which I really appreciate

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer ★★★

Continuing on with my re-read of this series, New Moon was always my least favorite,but as an adult I enjoyed it a little more. Bella continues to make terrible decisions, and Edward is absent for most of the book. Jacob was never my favorite but this time around I really enjoyed his scenes.

Heartstopper Vol 1 + 2 by Alice Oseman ★★★★★

If your looking for a story that is heartfelt, cute, with beautiful art and the most lovable soft boys, then you need to pick up these graphic novels immediately! Guys, this comic completely melted my heart.

Get a Life Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert ★★★★

This was one of my most anticipated romance books of the year and I am SO happy to report that I loved it just as much as I was hoping I would.This is the story of Chloe Brown, a thirty-one-year-old that when faced with a near-death experience, when she is almost hit by a car. Chloe soon after meets Red, a man who is extremely friendly and sweet. He gets on Chloe nerves so naturally a romance forms.I loved these two together they are adorable!! Honestly Talia Hibbert is becoming one of my favorite romance writers and I will definitely be reading more of her books in the future, so look out for those.

The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai ★★★★

I am really loving all the adult contemporary romance books lately, and of course they all seem to have killer covers. The Right Swipe caught my attention with its bright pink cover and an awesome synopsis.This was also the August pick for the Dragons and Tea Book Club. This book was good but it didn’t blow me away, sadly to say its not a new favorite.

A Lesson in Thorns by Sierra Simone ★★★★

This book was hella steamy and there was a lot of sexual group scenes. This is f/f, m/m, m/f, the author has stated that all six of these characters’s are bisexual, which I don’t actually see, some of them came across as pansexual to me while reading.This is ownvoices for the queer representation and the narcolepsy representation. This is also a very atmospheric book, I loved the moments where Thronchapel was described, there is also some magical elements which I loved so much. I’ve heard this book being compared to The Secret History and I immediately went out and bought a copy! This is a book about finding yourself and accepting who you are. This book was just so good, I couldn’t put it down.

Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire by J.K Rowling ★★★★★

I am having such a great time re-reading these books via audiobook. This book has to be one of the darker books in the series, but it’s also my favorite. It has been my favorite ever since it came out,and it gets better with each re-read.The whole concept of the Triwizard tournament is amazing, and I love all the competitions. Ron got on my nerves at the beginning, but he got better as the book went on. I love all the creatures;Nifflers, unicorns, blast-ended skrewts, and dragons. I also love all the moment with Sirus and Dobby. The movies leave so much out, the book is 100 times better.

Feast of Sparks by Sierra Simone ★★★

This is book two in the Thornchapel series, and unlike the first book, I did not love this one. Everything that was good in the first book was stripped away in this sequel. This was a complete mess. There are some really questionable scenes, that left a really bad taste in my mouth. And I cannot get over that ending, its just so bad! I did still enjoy the characters and that is why I still gave this book a 3, I will probably continue with the series because I am really hoping the big reveal is a twist, and it ends up being something different.

Broken Knight by L.J Shen ★★

I think I’m the unpopular opinion here, most reviews I’ve seen has given this book high praise but it just wasn’t for me. This book follows Luna, she is a selective mute, which was really interesting. I really enjoyed her character, but she was also really frustrating at times. The love interest Knight, was such a jerk, when he was mad at Luna he would purposely try and hurt her, which is so not the right way to handle a situation. Knight and Luna had so much miscommunication, so many of there problems could have been solved with a conversation. I really disliked one sex scene, and Im really glad Luna stood up for herself afterwards. But it still made me feel really uncomfortable. This book is also really sad, Knights mother Rosie has CF and is really struggling. I have not read Ruckus yet, Dean and Rosie’s book, but I really want to read there story now.

TV Shows

Big Little Lies Season 2 – I love these character’s so much! Nichole Kidman is amazing and I lover her. The children are also such great actors already. I feel like this season really warped up the story, and I’m not sure how they will continue with another season if there is one.

The Handmaids Tale Season 1,2,3- This show, oh boy! Why have I not watched this until now. It is so freaking good! I binged the first two season in less than a week, I went a little slower with season 3 as I was almost caught up.

Albums On Repeat

BTS- Love Yourself:Answer and Tear, Forever Young. I love BTS. I really do. Their message, their energy, their music. They make some killer MVs, I love it all.

Taylor Swift Lover – This album is incredible! My favorite songs are Cornelia Street, Cruel Summer,False God and Paper Rings.

Well that’s all from me. Let me know if you’ve read any of these books and what you thought. What was your favorite book you read in August?

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September Anticipated Releases 2019

September 1, 2019September 2, 20197 Comments

Hello Bookworms! It is officially September and in my mind it is also Fall ! Which if you didn’t know is my absolute favorite time of the year. Plus there are so many amazing book releases that I’m really excited for.

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Publication Date : September 10,2019

Synopsis:
Gideon the Ninth is the most fun you’ll ever have with a skeleton.

The Emperor needs necromancers.

The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.

Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit.

Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers. Her characters leap off the page, as skillfully animated as necromantic skeletons. The result is a heart-pounding epic science fantasy.

Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won’t set her free without a service.

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will be become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon’s sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.

Of course, some things are better left dead.

There Will Come a Darkness by Katy Rose Pool
Publication Date: September 3, 2019

Synopsis:
For generations, the Seven Prophets guided humanity. Using their visions of the future, they ended wars and united nations―until the day, one hundred years ago, when the Prophets disappeared.

All they left behind was one final, secret prophecy, foretelling an Age of Darkness and the birth of a new Prophet who could be the world’s salvation . . . or the cause of its destruction. As chaos takes hold, five souls are set on a collision course:

A prince exiled from his kingdom.
A ruthless killer known as the Pale Hand.
A once-faithful leader torn between his duty and his heart.
A reckless gambler with the power to find anything or anyone.
And a dying girl on the verge of giving up.

One of them―or all of them―could break the world. Will they be savior or destroyer? Perfect for fans of Throne of Glass, Children of Blood and Bone, and An Ember in the Ashes.

Well Met by Jenn Deluca
Publication Date: September 3, 2019

Synopsis:
All’s faire in love and war for two sworn enemies who indulge in a harmless flirtation in a laugh-out-loud rom-com from debut author, Jen DeLuca.

Emily knew there would be strings attached when she relocated to the small town of Willow Creek, Maryland, for the summer to help her sister recover from an accident, but who could anticipate getting roped into volunteering for the local Renaissance Faire alongside her teenaged niece? Or that the irritating and inscrutable schoolteacher in charge of the volunteers would be so annoying that she finds it impossible to stop thinking about him?

The faire is Simon’s family legacy and from the start he makes clear he doesn’t have time for Emily’s lighthearted approach to life, her oddball Shakespeare conspiracy theories, or her endless suggestions for new acts to shake things up. Yet on the faire grounds he becomes a different person, flirting freely with Emily when she’s in her revealing wench’s costume. But is this attraction real, or just part of the characters they’re portraying?

This summer was only ever supposed to be a pit stop on the way to somewhere else for Emily, but soon she can’t seem to shake the fantasy of establishing something more with Simon, or a permanent home of her own in Willow Creek.

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabba Tahir

August 12, 2019August 13, 20197 Comments

“Life is made of so many moments that mean nothing. Then one day, a single moment comes along to define every second that comes after.”

There is something incredibly hard about going into books that are massively loved, and I’m happy to say I now fall into this category. AN EMBER IN THE ASHES is set in a fictional world, and follows the dual perspective of Elias and Laia. Even though this book is pretty big, it flew by. Its such a faced paced book that sucks you in from the beginning. I never wanted to put it down and had to know what would happen next. This definitely did not read as a debut novel, it was incredible! I expected this to be like every other YA Fantasy that came out around the same time, but oh boy was I wrong.

I am in love with Sabaa Tahir’s writing, her prose is freaking beautiful! There is so many quotes in this book, and as you know I’m a sucker for beautiful prose. The story starts when Laia’s parents are murdered by a mask and her brother is arrested. She is left on her own with nothing, she seeks out a group called the resistance. They are skeptical of her at first until Laia explains who her parents were, in the end they agree to help her rescue her brother. But one one condition, she must enter the academy and pose as a slave to the commandant to gain inside insight on what the empire is planning.

Laia – is one of the Scholars – now ruled over by the Martial Empire, when her brother is arrested, she seeks out Resistance for help. They make a deal with her, in order for Laia to earn there trust she must enter Blackcliff Military Academy as a slave in order to spy on the Commandant. She starts off as weak, and sacred but as the book progresses she becomes stronger. Her character development was so well done.

Elias – He is the son of the Commandant, and a mask in training. He is another really complex character, he wants to live up to his destiny and please his family while on the other hand he wants to escape. He does not believe is all the methods of the empire, he was never afraid to show his feelings.

The Commandant – Is a ruthless and scary ruler, She treats everyone around her like there disposable.

Helena – She is a mask in training, she is also Elias best friend. She is strong, independent and full of fire. She’s a really complex character, truly loyal and devoted to what she believes in.

“There are two kinds of guilt: the kind that drowns you until you’re useless, and the kind that fires your soul to purpose.”

What I wasn’t expecting was how violent this book is, some scenes get pretty gory, it really doesn’t hold anything back. There is trigger warning for rape and sexual assault which I was not aware of going into this book. Even though these topics are very horrible, it showed how desperate hopeless these characters are. Laia’s treatment was awful. I was appalled over and over again by the way the slaves were treated. I loved the trials, there were done so well, and I never knew what to expect.

There is also a hint of a love triangle but it really wasn’t the focus of the novel, maybe it was have a bigger importance in the second book. Overall I really enjoyed this book and will be picking up the sequel really soon.

Trigger warnings for violence, rape and sexual assault.

Love from A to Z by S K Ali

August 5, 2019August 5, 20192 Comments

“Maybe that’s what living is–recognizing the marvels and oddities around you.”

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this book, I thought it was just a cute teen love story. What I got was so much more. This book was filled with so much good and heartfelt moments, about family and friendship. Also about loving yourself, and standing up for your beliefs. I cried a couple of times during the book, I loved it so so much! The writing is absolutely gorgeous, and the characters are beautiful. SO MUCH LOVE FOR THIS BOOK!

Love from A to Z is written in dual perspective, as diary entries in the form of “Marvels” and “Oddities” from both of the main characters’ journals. I really loved this format, as we got to see inside the minds of each character and experience what they were feeling. Our story really starts when Zayneb goes head to head with her extremely Islamophobic social studies teacher and is suspended from school. Her mother thinks it’s best that she leaves for spring break early and is sent to Doha to visit her aunt.

Zayneb – is a Muslim girl of Pakistani and Caribbean descent,who lives in Indiana. She is headstrong and brave, stands up for herself and her beliefs. I loved Zayneb and how unapologetically Muslim and unapologetically angry she was.

Adam – He is of Finnish and Chinese descent,who is also Muslim, he attends university in London while his family lives in Doha,he has recently been diagnosed with MS. He is so soft and gentle. He’s incredibly optimistic and likes to see the good in things.

Both characters had such complex personalities, and were very different from each other. We see over and over throughout the novel how Zayneb is treated because she is Muslim. The author dives deep into the daily struggles of Muslims in the US, as well as in Doha. It shows different ways people can be racist from the woman who sat next to Zayneb on the plane, to the staff at the pool and her teacher.

“I’m not a violent person. I’m not advocating violence. But I am an angry person. I’m advocating for more people to get angry. Get moved.”

The romance between Zayneb and Adam, was really adorable. That scene where they’re pretending to talk about water but actually referring to each other was the cutest thing Iv’e ever read.

I Highly recommend this to everyone,this is such an amazing book.

Trigger warnings for loss of a parent, illness, terrorist attacks, and racism in the form of both subtle and outright comments.

August TBR 2019

August 3, 2019August 3, 20199 Comments

Hello friends! Can you believe its August, it feels like summer just started and here we are with only 4 weeks left. I know the first day of fall isn’t officially until September 21 but to me fall starts when school is back.I don’t usually make TBR’s because I’m a mood reader and I never stick to the lists I make but this month I have a lot of book club picks, so here we are. I’m not saying I will read all of these books, the book club books, yes i will read. However the books i list from my TBR are a tentative selection but at the time of writing this post they are the book I’m excited to pick up.

Book Clubs and Readathon’s

Renegades by Marissa Meyer
Its a Hardback Life Book Club

New Moon by Stephanie Meyers
August 15- 31
#Twilightreadalong

I was Born for This by Alice Oseman
Heartstopper Vol 1 + 2 by Alice Oseman
#aliceosemanreadathon Hosted by Romie
August 10 (24 hour readathon)

Ironside by Holly Black
#faerieathon
August 12-16

The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai
Dragons and Tea Book Club
August 19-24

Books from my TBR

Get a Life Chloe Brown by Taliah Hibbert
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Naturally Tan by Tan France
The Escape Room by Megan Goldin

Well Met by Jenn DeLuca

July 26, 2019September 3, 20191 Comment

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start by saying that this is Jen’s debut novel, and I was blown away. This was so such a sweet and charming story. I read Well Met as part of #Summerathon and I couldn’t be happier it was the perfect summer read. I finished this book in 48 hours because I just couldn’t put it down. I adore stories set in small towns. Willow Creek had all the small town glamour that I just eat up. This book gave me all the warm and fuzzy feelings, I want to jump on a plane and fly to Michigan to attend a Faire so badly !!

After a recent breakup, Emily moves in with her sister, who was recently in a car accident and is on the mend and her niece Caitlin. Emily takes her niece, Caitlin, to sign up for the local Renaissance Faire that happens every summer, as a fundraiser for the high school. Upon arrival she is told that Caitlin needs a parent or guardian to be involved in order to participate. Emily soon becomes a tavern wench every weekend for the summer.

“I didn’t choose the wench life. The wench life chose me.”

Emily- I loved Emily and her journey to discovering that she is worthy of love. I loved her friendship with Stacey and how supportive they are of each other. I also really liked her love for literature and how much she cared about her family.

Simon – He is the English teacher at the high school, and runs the Faire. He plays the swoonworthy pirate Captain Blackthorne. One of my favorite things about this book is the banter between Emily and Simon. There shared loved for literature and quoting Shakespeare was just everything!

I loved everything about this book. The small-town setting, the summer Ren Faire, the wonderful cast of characters. If your looking for a fun summer romance I highly recomend this book, and I cannot wait to see what Jen writes next.

Wicked Fox by Kat Cho

July 10, 2019July 10, 20192 Comments

“When you’re constantly treated as a pariah and labeled bad, you might begin living up to that expectation.”

When I first heard about this book I knew it was going to be one of my most anticipated releases of 2019. After being denied an arc from Edelweiss I impatiently awaited the release date. This book was so good! I struggled with the beginning, because the Korean words threw me off but once I got used to it the book flew by. This book was everything and more 💖

This is a Korean lore fantasy story about a Gumiho, a fox with nine tails. This story is set in modern day Seoul, following Miyoung. She is on a hunt for Gi, a humans life force. She must consume Gi at least once a month in order to survive. On this particular night, she runs into a Dokubai, a large goblin, attacking a teenage boy. In the attempt to save his life she loses her fox bead which contains her soul.

Miyoung – A 16 year old high school student who is half Gumiho and half human. A nine tailed fox who takes the form of a beautiful girl. She tries so hard to pleas her mother Yena, an old but gorgeous Gumiho. Miyoung struggles with her human emotions, which usually leads to trouble.

Jihoon – A high school boy, who lives with his grandmother over the restaurant she owns. He finds out that Miyoung is a Gumiho and when she starts going to his school, he really wants to befriend her. He has two best friends, who are absolute gems! He is so soft and adorable! I loved him so much.

“When you’re constantly treated as a pariah, and labeled bad, you might begin living up to the expectation. “

I really loved the friendship and later in the book, romance between the two characters. There early interactions reminded me of Twilight which I’m currently reading. Miyoung tells Jihoon to stay away from her and is grumpy when he talks to her in the halls. Eventually she starts to let her guard down, and there adorable together! They both have such strong character arcs, and have a lot more in common than you’d believe a Gumiho and a human boy would have. Such as absent parents and trying to figure out how to fit in.

I also loved Jihoon and his grandmothers relationship, there so tender and sweet, but also hand so many funny moments. I wasn’t expecting this book to make me so emotional but I cried more times than I’d like to admit.

Besides all the cute moments there is also a lot of action. The second half of this book had so much conflict. This was the first book I read that was set in Korea and I need more. The setting and atmosphere was beautiful. Kat Cho is such an amazing writer I can’t believe this is a debut novel, her words transported me into Korea and the I never wanted to leave. This book was an absolute joy to read.

I cannot wait for the sequel! I highly recommend Wicked Fox.

Tithe by Holly Black

July 6, 2019July 6, 20191 Comment

“If curiosity killed the cat, it was satisfaction that brought it back.”

Holly Black is the queen of fae stories!

Tithe by Holly Black was the first fae book I ever read way back in 2002, this book started my love for Fae and I’ve never looked back. I re read this book as part of #faerieathon in anticipation for Holly Black’s newest book Queen of Nothing being released in November 2019. It is amazing to revisit Holly Blacks first book, because I got to see how much she has grown as a writer. Her newer books are breathtaking and so clever. Even in this book, her Fae worlds are so intricate and woven together.

I had forgotten almost everything that happened during this book, which was expected after 10 years. This book really threw me was how problematic some of the writing was, there’s homophobic slurs and racist remarks. There’s also a scene with an attempted sexual assault. All of these things go unchallenged, even to the point where Kaye says she’s flattered how how wont take no as an answer.

On a good note, this story is such a fast paced and addicting read. Kaye has always been able to see glimpses of the faerie world ever since she was a child. She is forced to move back to her childhood home, one night she is walking home in the rain when she ends up saving the life of a faerie Knight. She soon discovers that’s she’s not exactly human, and is caught up in some heavy faerie politics.

“Crippled things are always more beautiful. It’s the flaw that brings out beauty.”

Kaye – Our Main Character, a 16 year biracial teen, she is a little unlikable, she can be selfish. She discovered that she is actually a pixie and not a human girl.

Roiben – He is a faerie knight, I forgot how much I liked him as a character.

Janet – Kaye’s childhood best friend,

Corny – Janet’s brother, gay, becomes friends with Kaye and knows that she is actually a pixie

There was a lot of laugh out loud scenes, I especially loved when Roiben came into the diner! Being in the faerie world is always my favorite, its so dark and cunning. I love it! I enjoy the plotting and tricks of the Fae. I cant wait to read Valiant in July with everyone.

I do recommend you read Tithe, as its faced paced and a fun read if you can overlook the problematic themes,

Summer of Salt by Katrina Leno

July 3, 2019July 3, 20195 Comments

“On the island of By-the-Sea you could always smell two things: salt and magic.”

I can’t express in words how much I love this book. I want to scream from rooftops about how amazing and stunning this novel is. What drew me to this book was the promise of a witchy F/F relationship.This book was so much more than I was expecting.

SUMMER OF SALT is an incredible atmospheric and magical novel that follows Georgina and her family who live on a strange island called By-the-Sea. Her family own the only Inn on the island, and ever summer a large group of people they call birdheads visit the island in search of a special bird they call Annabella. She fly’s to the island every summer to lay her eggs, except this summer she is missing.

Georgie – Our main character, who is a twin and it’s the summer before leaving for college, she struggles with having to leave her home on the island. She is a lesbian, and a witch who has yet to discovered her power.

Mary – Georgina’s twin sister, who has discovered her power since birth, she has the ability to float in midair. She is the wild sister, the free spirit.

Vira – Georgina’s best friend, her full name is Elvira and she works at the local ice cream parlor. She is aroace, and she is freaking adorable .

Harrison – Is a new guest to the island, he is researching Annabelle.

Prue – Is Harrison’s sister, she is bisexual and developing feelings for Georgie.

“In a family full of girls, you realize quickly that no girls are ordinary”

Georgie takes it upon herself to find out what has happened to Annabella. Mary has been acting depressed and secretive, Georgie is determined to help her sister, while also trying to figure out if she will manifest her power before her 18th birthday. I loved how this story was about family, friendship and unconditional love. The romance between Georgie and Prue was really adorable!

This book also explores some darker issues, about rape and rape culture throughout the story. I was not expecting these issues to be explored and was a little shocked, so please be cautious if that is a trigger for you.

Overall, I really loved this book, I can see myself reading it again. It’s whimsical, atmospheric and queer, and so much more! It is the perfect combination of sweet and dark.

Content and trigger warnings for off the page sexual assault, underage drinking, drug use, animal death.