WWW Wednesday

Hi everyone! I thought I would participate in WWW Wednesday today. This meme is hosted by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words. You can link your blog post to Sam’s website that way we can interact and find other bloggers =)

The questions are:
1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

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I am currently reading Wild Beauty by Anna Marie McLemore. I just started this beauty of a book last night (Tuesday) and omg the beautiful lyrical writing, the setting, and the characters so far have me swooning. The world is rich and detailed. I really cannot wait to read more! synopsis:

Love grows such strange things.

For nearly a century, the Nomeolvides women have tended the grounds of La Pradera, the lush estate gardens that enchant guests from around the world. They’ve also hidden a tragic legacy: if they fall in love too deeply, their lovers vanish. But then, after generations of vanishings, a strange boy appears in the gardens.

The boy is a mystery to Estrella, the Nomeolvides girl who finds him, and to her family, but he’s even more a mystery to himself; he knows nothing more about who he is or where he came from than his first name. As Estrella tries to help Fel piece together his unknown past, La Pradera leads them to secrets as dangerous as they are magical in this stunning exploration of love, loss, and family.

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I recently finished two poetry books, them being (titles will take you to goodreads): the sun and her flowers by rupi kaur and Pillow Thoughts by Courtney Peppernell, both with ratings of 5 stars. These poetry books are amazing and I will be doing mini reviews for them. I cannot wait to tell you about them! They both are filled with raw emotions and I related to the both of them very well.

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You would think for someone who recently did a september book haul, I would pretty much know what I’m going to read next right? Wrong. I’ve been in the biggest book slump when it comes to reading anything other than poetry and it sucks. I miss reading fictional books but I’ve had a lot going on this year as well. Here is what I’ll try to read next:

Ringer by Lauren Oliver is the second installment in the Replica Trilogy. This is one of my highly anticipated books of 2017. Lauren Oliver is a favorite author of mine and with the way things left off in Replica, I really want to know what is going to happen in Ringer. I have a full spoiler free review of Replica here if you would like to check it out. I am purposely leaving out the synopsis for Ringer =)

 

 

 

 

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Mortician’s Daughter: One Foot in the Grave by C.C. Hunter is the first in a trilogy. This one releases on the day of Halloween and I seriously cannot wait to read it. C.C. Hunter is another favorite author of mine. She wrote my favorite series, Shadow Falls. I cannot believe that the time is already here and Mortician’s Daughter will be out in less than a week! synopsis:

Her dad’s an alcoholic. Her mom passed away when she was young. She sees dead people. Can seventeen-year-old Riley Smith’s life get any crazier? Yes it can.

When Riley’s attempt to help a spirit leads her to the discovery that the young woman’s death wasn’t an accident, she finds herself face-to-face with the killer. And just when things seem like they couldn’t get any more complicated, she’s visited by another ghost, a boy her age, whose smile makes her melt. Her job is to convince him to pass over, but her heart doesn’t want to let him go.

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have you read any of these books or plan too? what’s on your www? let’s chat in the comments below!

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instagram: @chicnerdreads
twitter: @chicnerdreads

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine. On every Wednesday you discuss a book that you are highly anticipating.

The Mortician’s Daughter:
One Foot In The Grave (Book 1)
by C.C. Hunter

Release Date: October 31, 2017
Publisher: Unknown
Genre: YA Paranormal

Goodreads Synopsis:

Her dad’s an alcoholic.  Her mom passed away when she was young.  She sees dead people.  Can seventeen-year-old Riley Smith’s life get any crazier?  Yes it can.

When Riley’s attempt to help a spirit leads her to the discovery that the young woman’s death wasn’t an accident, she finds herself face-to-face with the killer.  And just when things seem like they couldn’t get any more complicated, she’s visited by another ghost, a boy her age, whose smile makes her melt.  Her job is to convince him to pass over, but her heart doesn’t want to let him go.

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that would be me wanting the book

I literally screamed when I received C.C. Hunter’s newsletter in my inbox. If you don’t know this, I am a huge C.C. Hunter fan. Literally, I will read anything she comes out with. I absolutely loved her Shadow Falls Series/Spin-Off. I love the way C.C. Hunter writes her world and characters. She just knows how to write an awesome YA Paranormal Series filled with angst, mystery, suspicion, and some romance.

While reading through the newsletter, she first mentioned another book that comes out in 2018 which I am excited for but I’ll do a WoW for that one sooner to release date. However, when I kept scrolling through and saw The Mortician’s Daughter a trilogy. I almost fell off my chair!! And it comes out on Halloween, during my favorite season of all time.

C.C. Hunter is no stranger to writing characters who can see ghost so I know this is going to be amazing! She knows how to write ghost and their stories are always complex!

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i would love to know what you think!
let’s chat in the comments. have you read C.C. Hunter’s Shadow Falls Series? what are your thoughts on The Mortician’s Daughter?

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Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @chicnerdreads

December Wrap-Up 2016

Hello there! The last month of 2016 was filled of so many ups and downs but I am grateful that we have started a new year with new expectations and goals. I am very satisfied with how I ended my year in reading. I read a total of 5 books and 1 I DNFed (did not finish). Let’s get onto the books and what I’ve been up to this month!

What I Read:

 

 

Midnight Hour by C.C. Hunter ★★★★★
Genre: YA Paranormal
Midnight Hour is the 4th book to the Shadow Falls: After Dark spin off series. I wrote a full non spoiler review for that book and you can check it out here! This is one of my favorite series and I still cannot believe that it is over.

 

 

 

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Replica by Lauren Oliver ★★★★★
Genre: YA SciFi
This is the first book the Replica series. A book all about clones and two girls that are linked in all of this somehow. One of my favorite reads of 2016. I definitely would recommend this. If you want to read a in-depth non spoiler review, then click here!

 

 

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RoseBlood by A.G. Howard
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Retelling
This is the book I DNFed. This is what I wrote on Goodreads: DNFing at 80 pages. I really thought I was going to love this book but I found the story too slow paced for me and a little all over the place with the elements involved. Nothing was really making sense and things got a little repetitive already.

 

 

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The Bear and The Nightingale by Katherine Arden ★★★★.5
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Adult
A Russian Folklore that will have you wanting to read every single word and will make you feel like you are there in the village with the family. I have a full spoiler free review here. Definitely a book worth reading.

 

 

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we carry the sky by McKayla Robbin ★★★★★
Genre: Poetry
A poetry collection about femininity, identity, violence and healing. One of all time favorite poetry collections. I have a spoiler free review that includes some of the poems here.

 

 

 

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Black Butterfly by Robert M. Drake ★★★★★
Genre: Poetry
A poetry collection about the transformation and rebirth of life and death. r.m. drake wrote this for all the people who have lost someone either living dead. I have a full non spoiler review that includes some of the poems here.

 

 

 

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Poetry:
I know I didn’t post much poetry this month and that was because since the holidays were around I didn’t want to post dark things during happy times. I decided to back off a bit on it but nevertheless I did post and in case you missed it:
not what you say i am
a question and a question and a question
People I Once Knew – Part 14
untitled; a teaser from the book i’m writing
it’s not that easy.

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I’ve also been working on my poetry book and I posted a couple of Waiting on Wednesdays, Top Ten Tuesday, Standalone Sunday, and Series Saturday. If you want to check out my memes then please click here. I hope you’re all having a lovely new year. Have you read any of these books or plan on too? Let’s chat in the comments!

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Follow me on Twitter: @ChicNerdReads
Friend me on Goodreads: Gretchen (ChicNerdReads)

WWW Wednesday

Hi everyone! I thought I would participate in WWW Wednesday today. This meme is hosted by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words. You can link your blog post to Sam’s website that way we can interact and find other bloggers =)

The questions are:
1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

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What are you currently reading?

I am reading Replica (Replica #1) by Lauren Oliver which I am LOVING ALL OF IT!!! And I cannot wait for the next book because it’s amazing. I am almost done with this one and I think it’s something everyone should read because it’s different.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Lyra

From a distance, the Haven Institute, tucked away on a private island off the coast of Florida, looks serene and even beautiful. But up close the locked doors, military guards, and biohazard suits tell a different story. In truth, it is a clandestine research facility where thousands of replicas, or human models, are born, raised, and observed.

But when a surprise attack is launched on Haven, two of its young experimental subjects—Lyra, or 24, and the boy known only as 72—manage to escape. As they make their way through a new and menacing environment, they meet a stranger named Gemma, who has embarked on a perilous quest of her own. And as Lyra tries to understand Haven’s purpose, she uncovers earth-shattering secrets that will change the lives of both girls.

Gemma

Gemma has been in and out of hospitals her whole life. A sickly child, she has grown into a lonely adolescent whose life is circumscribed by home, school, and her best friend, April.

But after she is nearly abducted by a stranger claiming to know her, Gemma starts to investigate her family’s past and discovers her father’s mysterious connection to the secretive Haven research facility. Hungry for answers, she travels to Florida, only to stumble upon two human models, or replicas, 24 and 72—and a completely new set of questions. As Gemma tries to unravel the mysteries of Haven, she learnes terrible truths about herself and her family that will threaten to destroy everything she loves.

Two girls, two stories, one novel.

While the stories of Gemma and Lyra mirror each other, each contains revelations critically important to the other story. Their narratives can be read separately or in alternating chapters.

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What did you recently finish reading?

I recently finished Midnight Hour (Shadow Falls: After Dark #4) by C.C. Hunter. I wrote a review for it linked here. I rated this one a 5 out of 5 stars. The series is all about a boarding school full of teenage paranormal creatures going through mysterious things. I would definitely suggest checking out the book that started it all, Born At Midnight (Shadow Falls #1).

 

 

 

 

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Roseblood by A.G. Howard. Thanks to NY Comic Con/BookCon for giving away ARCs!

Synopsis from Goodreads:
In this modern day spin on Leroux’s gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic talent, and a horrifying mistake she’s trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune’s mother sends her to a French arts conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumored to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera.

At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn—an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality itself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discover an otherworldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn’s dark agenda comes to light and he’s forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for a century, and is the only father he’s ever known.

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Friend me on Goodreads: Gretchen (ChicNerdReads)

Midnight Hour (Shadow Falls: After Dark #4) Book Review

Title: Midnight Hour (Book 4)
Series: Shadow Falls: After Dark
Author: C.C. Hunter
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Format: Paperback (owned)
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:

After captivating millions across the globe, the Shadow Falls saga reaches its final—and most unforgettable—chapter yet! Prepare to fall in love all over again…

Being a dyslexic witch is a curse in itself, but Miranda Kane’s time at Shadow Falls has helped her harness her magical powers. Now, just as she’s finally mastered them and is preparing to graduate with her friends, a near-death experience threatens to ruin it all.

Miranda awakens in the hospital with a mysterious tattoo that no one can explain. As she struggles to make sense of it – and questions her feelings for a certain irresistible shape-shifter and a hot new guy – the strange markings begin to spread all over her body, leaving her desperate to find answers. But before she can solve that problem, a new one arises: her sister is missing.

Has her sister been kidnapped? Miranda will risk her life to find out. Will she live to share the day she’s worked so hard for with her friends? When the clock strikes midnight, will Miranda make it to her graduation at Shadow Falls?

C.C. Hunter brings The Shadow Falls saga to a spectacular conclusion in this thrilling finale: Midnight Hour!

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AFTER 6 YEARS: 5 BOOKS IN THE ORIGINAL SHADOW FALLS SERIES, 4 BOOKS IN THE SPIN OFF SHADOW FALLS: AFTER DARK SERIES, AND ONE WHOLE BOOK THAT INCLUDES 4 NOVELLAS…THIS.SERIES.IS.OVER?!?!? I LITERALLY HAVE TEARS IN MY EYES!!

I don’t even know where to start with this review. My emotions are kind of all over the place because this series is so precious and dear to my heart, the fact that it’s over…is this how you all felt when Harry Potter was over? Cause my lawd!!!

A Brief Explanation of How This Series All Started:

If you haven’t read this series, then let me explain a little bit. There are 3 musketeers in this book, in other words best friends: Kylie, Della, and Miranda. The original story, Shadow Falls, centers around Kylie entering a boarding school named Shadow Falls Academy full of paranormal creatures. She actually doesn’t know of her ability and what she is capable of. I am keeping her paranormal creature status unknown because when you start the book, you have no idea what she is (neither does she). Then there’s Della, who is a kick-ass Asian Vampire, and the spin off series, Shadow Falls: After Dark Books 1-3 centers around her. Miranda who’s a dyslexic witch has a novella titled Spellbinder and the 4th book in the After Dark series, Midnight Hour.

This series includes faeries, vampires, werewolves, warlocks, witches, ghost whisperers, and all types of paranormal things!! It’s also full of love, laughter, friendship, family dynamic, finding yourself, and eerie things.

One thing I admire about C.C. Hunter is that regardless of who’s POV you’re on throughout all these books, you still get the Trio within all the books. Plus C.C. Hunter is one hell of a cliffhanger type of writer, leaving you wanting more of these characters.

Review:

Miranda is very hard on herself for being a dyslexic witch. Meaning sometimes when she says her spells, they aren’t correct and instead of turning a person into a cat, she’ll turn them into a kangaroo. Miranda is the type of character I can fully relate too since I am dyslexic myself and I know how frustrating it can be when you misread something a million times or say something you didn’t intend on saying so it comes out all messed up meaning something else.

Miranda goes through a near-death experience which almost ruins her and when she wakes up in the hospital, she notices this mysterious tattoo that NO ONE can explain. Holiday, who runs Shadow Falls Academy is trying to contact one person who may help explain the tattoo but getting ahold of this person is hard and while trying to get one explanation, a lot of other things are happening.

A lot of other things like: struggling with the SATs and wanting to get into the same school as her besties Kylie and Della, also struggling with her relationship and this boy she’s madly in love with. Miranda’s parents don’t have it easy as well and she pretty much pays for their broken plates.

On top of all that, there’s an FRU case going on. FRU is exactly like the FBI but they’re intended for paranormal creatures ONLY. Miranda and her sister are the highlight of this paranormal case. And if the case doesn’t close fast, loved ones might get hurt.

The writing and the plot were phenomenal and spot on. C.C. Hunter always brings that element of surprise that I absolutely love with her twist.

I loved this whole story and I ate it up quicker than I thought lol. C.C. Hunter does it again and I really wish this story wasn’t over. I can’t deal with this. On top of 2016 being a shitty ass year, us the readers also have to deal with one of the best series ever to be over? So not fair!! *throws tantrum*

Every yesterday is a memory of dreams.
Every tomorrow is a vision of hopes.
Together we unite
To accept our differences
To appreciate our uniqueness
To make our world a just and fair place

Join us at the midnight hour
June 16th
for the Shadow Falls Academy Graduation

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Follow me on Twitter: @ChicNerdReads
Friend me on Goodreads: Gretchen (ChicNerdReads)

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine. On every Wednesday you discuss a book that you are highly anticipating.

This week’s pick is Midnight Hour (Shadow Falls: After Dark #4) by C.C. Hunter. This book releases October 25th, 2016. I am super excited for this book because every single C.C Hunter book has been a favorite.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

After captivating millions across the globe, the Shadow Falls saga reaches its final—and most unforgettable—chapter yet! Prepare to fall in love all over again…

Being a dyslexic witch is a curse in itself, but Miranda Kane’s time at Shadow Falls has helped her harness her magical powers. Now, just as she’s finally mastered them and is preparing to graduate with her friends, a near-death experience threatens to ruin it all.

Miranda awakens in the hospital with a mysterious tattoo that no one can explain. As she struggles to make sense of it – and questions her feelings for a certain irresistible shape-shifter and a hot new guy – the strange markings begin to spread all over her body, leaving her desperate to find answers. But before she can solve that problem, a new one arises: her sister is missing.

Has her sister been kidnapped? Miranda will risk her life to find out. Will she live to share the day she’s worked so hard for with her friends? When the clock strikes midnight, will Miranda make it to her graduation at Shadow Falls?

C.C. Hunter brings The Shadow Falls saga to a spectacular conclusion in this thrilling finale: Midnight Hour!

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Since this is the 4th book to a SPIN-OFF series, I wanted to give you a little background of the original story. C.C. Hunter first started the Shadow Falls series which follows Kylie and her quest of finding herself within the paranormal. She doesn’t know what group of paranormal creatures she belongs too because she can change into anything.

Kylie is sent off to a boarding school but in this school we find Vampires, Werewolves, Witches, Fae, Ghost Whisperers, Shapeshifters, and the like. Kylie rooms with Della, our Chinese-American ass kicking vampire, and Miranda our dyslexic witch.

The spin-off series, Shadow Falls: After Dark follows both Della and Miranda’s story separately. Which I really love because all those girls needed their stories told when we meet them in Born At Midnight (Shadow Falls #1).

Shadow Falls Series:

Shadow Falls: After Dark Series:

Almost Midnight is a bind up of Novellas that I would suggest reading through publication order of the books because they play an important role in this wholes series.

Have you read this series? What do you think of it?

Tuesday Talks – What is the longest series you’ve read?

Tuesday Talks is a group on Goodreads, just like Top 5 Wednesday where the moderator gives a topic and you discuss on it. Today’s topic or rather question is “What is the longest series you have read?”

The answer for me is: Shadow Falls Series by C.C. Hunter (5 books) this also includes the spin off series which is called Shadow Falls: After Dark (3 books) and all the novellas that are included in a book named Almost Midnight (5 novellas).

I know this isn’t a hyped up series like Harry Potter, The Mortal Instruments, Throne of Glass….you get the gist of what I’m saying.

BUT I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS SERIES!!!!

If you like boarding school, everything paranormal which includes: ghost whisperers, vampires, werewolves, witches, fairies, etc. With a twist of FBI, getting to know who you are, and some serious tropes. Then pick this up!

This book has some awesome female friendships (which I personally think we need more in YA) and romance. Plus we meet some kickass female characters who are realistic (insecurities, love interest, finding yourself), there’s great character development, and there are adults present in these teenagers lives.

Here is a more in-depth synopsis from Goodreads:

“One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart.

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…”

I just loved this series, yes there’s tons of series out there that probably have the same synopsis, characters, tropes, etc. However, I thought the author did this well. We have Kylie who doesn’t know what paranormal creature she is, Della who is this kick ass sarcastic vampire that you just love because you know she’s going through the motions, and you have Miranda the dyslexic witch who messes up all the spells but always makes a joke of it.

The spinoff series Shadow Falls: After Dark has one more book coming out but if this series had like 10 more books, I would devour each one.