June & July Wrap – Up

Hey everyone. Better late than never right? It’s been a while and I hope you’re all doing well. I’ve been changing up my weekly schedule and I’m hoping that I can fit in more blogging time. Not just with posting but also with reading and being apart of the community. I decided to combine both June & July since I did a haul post that you can check out here. In today’s post I’ll be discussing books read, things watched, and albums I’ve been listening too. The titles of books will link you to the Goodreads page.

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Books I Read

Cycling safety / poor visibility to oncoming traffic

1. King of Scars (Nikolai Duology #1) by Leigh Bardugo – DNF
   This is a YA fantasy that unfortunately didn’t work for me. I was truly looking forward to this one as I had read all of Bardugo’s other Grishaverse books. However, after 100 pages I felt like nothing was going on and I refused to continue on.
2. The Fade Out: Act One by Ed Brubaker ★★
   A graphic novel set in Hollywood’s Golden era in which a murder takes place. This murder includes a famous actress and now someone needs to take her place. I was confused the whole time. However, the graphics were beautiful.
3. When We Left Cuba (Next Year In Havana #2) by Chanel Cleeton ★★★★★
   An adult historical fiction novel following one of the Perez sisters who’s recruited by the CIA to infiltrate Fidel Castro’s inner circle. This book blew me away just like Next Year In Havana. It’s politically heavy, however I learned a lot.
4. Radio Silence by Alice Oseman – DNF
   This book is a YA contemporary novel. I tried getting into the audiobook. After listening to about 2 hours of it, I found that this book wasn’t the right fit for me.
5. A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson ★★
   This book is marketed as a mystery thriller but it feels more like a family drama where the daughter of a normal family kills someone and the parents morals are tested to see how far they would go to protect her. I thought this book was easily predictable and the translation was very choppy.
6. A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum ★★★★★
   The contemporary historical fiction that I absolutely needed in audiobook format!! I highly recommend this book via audiobook because each voice has a narrator. A Woman Is No Man is about three generations of Palestinian women and this is their story.
7. Circe by Madeline Miller ★★★★★
   I didn’t know how much I needed this Greek Mythology Retelling till I read it. I genuinely thought I wasn’t going to like this book but thankfully I was proven wrong. Circe is about a goddess witch who has been outcasted and we follow her journey.
8. Lock Every Door by Riley Sager ★★★★★ 
   Another audiobook that I would highly recommend. This mystery thriller is about a prestigious building in Manhattan in which a young woman gets hired to apartment sit. However, the Bartholomew has its secrets and things get tense when one of the apartment sitters goes missing.
9. After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid ★★★★★
   A romance novel about a married couple who decide to take a one year break after their marriage has hit a breaking point. I LOVED THIS BOOK!! It had a little bit of everything: laughter, sadness, anger, and happiness. Highly recommend for a quick read with a punch.

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Books Read for The Reading Rush Readathon

1. Muse of Nightmares (Strange the Dreamer #2) by Laini Taylor ★★
   In continuation of Strange the Dreamer which is a YA fantasy, I thought this one fell flat for me. I’ve noticed that I really love Laini Taylor’s first books but I always dislike the sequels because of where the story goes after.
2. Crown of Lies (Truth and Lies Duet #1) by Pepper Winters ★★★★
   An adult dark romance about a young woman who has it all but falls in love with a stranger after something tragic happens, years later though a new guy comes in and he reminds her of this stranger. Pepper Winters just knows how to write dark angsty romances. I do want to read the second one to see how it finishes.
3. Sabrina & Corina: Stories by Kali Fajardo-Anstine ★★★★★
   ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS EVER!!! This is a short story collection about Latina characters of indigenous ancestry. Each story was filled with meaningful messages. This book made me think and I’m so glad that it’s own voices because we need more of these stories.
4. Wilder Girls by Rory Power – DNF
   I found nothing Horror about this YA horror book. I tried 100 pages and was bored. It also kept reminding me of Replica by Lauren Oliver and I don’t want to waste my time reading the same books again.

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Shows & Movies Watched

• When They See Us was an excellent mini-series. I remember many years ago I was into this case. I watched YouTube videos and read articles online about The Central Park Five. This show is so important and I loved it. I must admit that it’s hard to watch. However, they didn’t shy away from the realities that are experienced in this world.
• Toy Story 4 was a joy to watch with my brother. I loved it and cried at the end. I was very emotional because this is one of my brother’s and I favorite childhood movies and now he gets married this year so whewwww the tears.
• Jessica Jones Season 3 was a little disappointing to say the least.
• Spider-Man: Far From Home was so good!!!! I’m just really loving this Spider-Man, okay? And by this one, I mean…compared to all the spider-man’s I’ve had in my lifetime already.
• Stranger Things Season 3 was everything I needed and I have a lot of theories for the next season. I cannot wait to see how things unravel. I also loved the new characters included.

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Albums On Repeat

OMG BANKS CAME OUT WITH A NEW ALBUM AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED FOR MY SOUL!!! I also finally decided to listen to Khalid’s album and think it’s perfect.

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That is all I have for you today! I’ve been enjoying the beach this summer and going out more. How’s your summer going? What have you been reading? Oh…can we also talk about how cute my child looks in this photo? xoxo

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Friday Reads

Hey there!! HAPPY FRIDAY!! I wanted to share with you what I’m currently reading and just kinda be present somehow on my blog lol. I have other blog ideas that have been sitting on the sidelines because I want to read, workout, and not sit in front of my computer again after doing that all day. But hopefully, I get to those soon. Now let’s get to the books!

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When Lauren and Ryan’s marriage reaches the breaking point, they come up with an unconventional plan. They decide to take a year off in the hopes of finding a way to fall in love again. One year apart, and only one rule: they cannot contact each other. Aside from that, anything goes.

Lauren embarks on a journey of self-discovery, quickly finding that her friends and family have their own ideas about the meaning of marriage. These influences, as well as her own healing process and the challenges of living apart from Ryan, begin to change Lauren’s ideas about monogamy and marriage. She starts to question: When you can have romance without loyalty and commitment without marriage, when love and lust are no longer tied together, what do you value? What are you willing to fight for?

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Sarai has lived and breathed nightmares since she was six years old.
She believed she knew every horror and was beyond surprise.
She was wrong.
In the wake of tragedy, neither Lazlo nor Sarai are who they were before. One a god, the other a ghost, they struggle to grasp the new boundaries of their selves as dark-minded Minya holds them hostage, intent on vengeance against Weep.
Lazlo faces an unthinkable choice—save the woman he loves, or everyone else?—while Sarai feels more helpless than ever. But is she? Sometimes, only the direst need can teach us our own depths, and Sarai, the Muse of Nightmares, has not yet discovered what she’s capable of.
As humans and godspawn reel in the aftermath of the citadel’s near fall, a new foe shatters their fragile hopes, and the mysteries of the Mesarthim are resurrected: Where did the gods come from, and why? What was done with thousands of children born in the citadel nursery? And most important of all, as forgotten doors are opened and new worlds revealed: Must heroes always slay monsters, or is it possible to save them instead?
Love and hate, revenge and redemption, destruction and salvation all clash in this astonishing and heart-stopping sequel to the New York Times bestseller, Strange the Dreamer.

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I am reading After I Do via ebook on Scribd and loving it. I am halfway through the book and it is everything I need at the moment. It is personally hitting home and my emotions keep bursting while reading it. Hopefully I get to finish it sometime this weekend. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a genius and she’s so quotable too. There are many highlighted passages already that I want to jot down and return too. I’m happy that I got into this author this year because she definitely knows how to capture a reader with her writing.

I decided to read Muse of Nightmares via audiobook. Side note: this is the sequel to Strange the Dreamer. I have tried reading Muse of Nightmares about three times and cannot get into it. I truly believe that it’s a me problem and not the book due to the fact that I no longer read YA Fantasy. However, I don’t want to easily give up on this book because I loved Strange the Dreamer and I want to know what happens with these characters in Muse of Nightmares. Therefore, I think the audiobook will suit me a lot better. Here’s hoping!

That’s all for today! What are you currently reading or plan on reading? I hope you all have a lovely weekend!!

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June TBR

UMM WHO THE HELL AM I? First of all I haven’t done a TBR in god knows how long. I swore them off during my booktube days. Yes, you read that right, booktube days, which was YEARS ago.

However, I know exactly what I’m going to read this month because I’m in the mood for all these books so yay!!! My TBR is also not huge because I’m going to Puerto Rico this month for a wedding. EEEEEEEEEEK!!!

*all titles link you to the Goodreads page*

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My Book of the Month Picks:

Cycling safety / poor visibility to oncoming traffic

• A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson is a mystery/thriller novel. It was my June BOTM pick. “M.T. Edvardsson’s A Nearly Normal Family is a gripping legal thriller that forces the reader to consider: how far would you go to protect the ones you love? In this twisted narrative of love and murder, a horrific crime makes a seemingly normal family question everything they thought they knew about their life—and each other.”
• Circe by Madeline Miller is a greek mythology fantasy novel. This was my add-on book. “But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.“
• A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum is a historical fiction contemporary novel set in the 1990s. This was another add-on pick. “Introducing a brave, new Arab-American voice, an unflinching debut novel that takes us inside a world where few of us have been before: the lives of conservative Arab women living in America.”

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Library Books and Owned Books:

• King of Scars (Nikolai Duology #1) by Leigh Bardugo is a YA Fantasy novel set in the Grishaverse. This is one of my library picks that’s ready for pick up! I decided to grab this one from the library for two reasons. Because for one I heard many mixed reviews on this one and two, I no longer read YA Fantasy so I don’t want to run the risk of DNFing and wasting my money. PLUS!! I get to support my library anyways.
• Godsgrave (The Nevernight Chronicle #2) by Jay Kristoff is a Fantasy novel. It’s the continuation of Nevernight. I own this book. However, I did place it on hold in the library via audiobook because I have a hard time focusing on Fantasy novels ever since my reading preferences changed. I should be getting it sometime this month and I’m excited!
• Sabrina & Corina: Stories by Kali Fajardo-Anstine is a collection of fictional short stories. I received this book from the author and publisher. I’m thinking of reading one story per day. The book is super short anyways. I should get through this quickly. “A haunting debut story collection on friendship, mothers and daughters, and the deep-rooted truths of our homelands, centered on Latinas of indigenous ancestry that shines a new light on the American West.”

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I’m most excited for A Nearly Normal Family and Circe! What do you plan on reading this month? Have you read any of these? Have a great day!

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Fictional Books I Want to Read in 2018

Hey everyone! I wanted to share what books I really want to get to in this New Year! Since I don’t read as much as I used to, I wanted to keep this post small and to the point. Majority of these books have been released already and some I am still waiting for! The list is an no particular order. Without further ado, let’s get started! (all links lead you to the goodreads page)

 

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas a YA Realistic Fiction take on the black lives matter movement and police brutality.

Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbree a YA Contemporary book about a girl who’s an “overnight” internet sensation and when an online flirtation can happen in real life, how will she tell him that she’s a romantic asexual?

Ringer (Replica #2) by Lauren Oliver a continuation of the YA SciFi Dystopian novel Replica. After discovering some uncomfortable truths about the Haven Institute and cloning, we see what happens afterwards in Ringer.

Hunting Prince Dracula (Stalking Jack the Ripper #2) by Kerri Maniscalco the continuation of the YA Historical Fiction Mystery Stalking Jack the Ripper, we follow the main character Audrey in another adventure featuring Vlad the Impaler. 

Obsidio (The Illuminae Files #3) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff in continuation of the amazing YA SciFi novels Illuminae and Gemina, comes Obsidio with more action and adventure. This is the finale of the teams and oh my heart be still.

Wonder Woman: Warbringer (DC Icons #1) by Leigh Bardugo a YA Fantasy following one of my favorite heroes, Diana, who has risked exile for saving a mortal which changes everything.

Unearthed (Unearthed #1) by Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner a YA SciFi that has to do with earth getting a message from a long extinct alien race, infiltration, secrets, and survival.

Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha #1) by Tomy Adeyemi a YA Fantasy about magic disappearing in Orïsha under orders of a ruthless king, yet the main character is struggling with controlling her powers and feelings towards the enemy.

Daughter of the Pirate King (Daughter of the Pirate King #1) by Tricia Levenseller  a YA fantasy that has a female pirate, adventure, and hidden map!

Renegades (Renegades #1) by Marissa Meyer a YA Fantasy about secret identities, powers, vengeance, and justice.

The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell a YA Fantasy filled with time-travel and historical fiction, one character has to travel back in time to 1902 to steal an ancient book. However Old New York is filled with gangs, secret societies, and too much magic.

Godsgrave (The Nevernight Chronicle #2) by Jay Kristoff this Adult Fantasy continues the journey of our ruthless assassin main character where she is still looking for revenge.

The Girl in the Tower (Winternight Trilogy #2) by Katherine Arden a Fantasy Historical Fiction, this story continues the adventure of main character Vasya and what lies ahead for her.

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and that is all for this post! any of these books you’re looking forward too? or you’ve read already? i would love to know your thoughts in the comments!

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The Cruel Prince Non-Spoiler ARC Review ft. Lilly @ Lair Of Books

Title: The Cruel Prince (#1)
Series: The Folk of the Air
Author: Holly Black
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Little Brown Books
Format: ARC Paperback
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Pub. Date: January 2, 2018
Synopsis:

Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven years old 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.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war 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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***thank you to little brown books for providing an arc***

Trigger Warnings: Suicide, Graphic Scenes

At the age of 7, Jude, her twin sister Taryn, and older sister Vivienne witnessed their parents murdered and were stolen away by Vivienne’s biological father Madoc. All three girls went from living in the human world to Elfhame. 10 years later, Jude and Taryn are trying their hardest to belong in Elfhame, more so Jude where she’s trying to become a Knight. Vivienne could not care less about the place and will forever hold a grudge against her biological father, Madoc. While Jude tries to fit in a world where she is not wanted and obtaining a place in the Court, she has to deal with the cruelest son of the High King, Prince Cardan and his gang of friends. However, as soon as she starts dabbling with the palace and her inner turmoil, secrets start spilling and so does blood. Jude will have to choose her humanity or Faerie.

This will come as a surprise to many of you but this is my first Holly Black book. I have passed her books many many times as a teenager when I spent my time at the library. I am so happy that I finally picked up her book because her writing is phenomenal. She dances with a lot of themes but handles them with grace and eloquence. She knows how to write a rich detailed dark world without feeling like it’s too much. Someone should name her the Queen of Faerie because she definitely knows how to write a world. Holly Black also knows how to write the most complex characters ever. I didn’t know who I was rooting for at one point lol.

Holly Black presents a lot of characters to us in the most complex way. We meet the main character Jude which her story is told from her point of view. Jude the fighter and the one who tries hard to fit in, she doesn’t take crap from anyone especially the son of the High King. She knows exactly what she wants and she will not give up until she has it. She will push and shove and go to deep lengths to obtain her wants. We also meet her twin sister, Taryn, who is the opposite of Jude. Where Jude is rough, Taryn is soft. Where Jude is loud, Taryn is quiet. Where Jude is being a rebel, Taryn is being compliant. Although twins, they differ in many many ways. This is a non-spoiler review, you will have to read the book to know where I’m going with this hehe.

Holly Black gives us an older sister, Vivienne. Vivienne is technically the twins half-sister, they have the same mother and different fathers which is why Vivi is fae. However, to all three they are sisters  no matter what. I love Vivienne’s “don’t mess with me” rebel attitude. She definitely has an older sister syndrome, the protector of them all, the fighter and the rebel. I hope I see more of her in the next book to come.

Cardan, one of the High Kings son, a true douchebag. I always cringed with what he was going to do next but I loved him. There was something about him that kept me intrigued. Cardan has many aspects of him that we learn throughout the book. There was also Locke, lover of stories. He loved stories so much that he would create them, it didn’t matter to him who he was hurting or intertwining with. There are many other important characters that we meet, however I would be here all day. (please read the book)

Overall, I loved this book and I cannot wait for the continuing books in this series. Holly Black knows how to write!!!! She gave me plot twist, surprises, darkness, and an amazing expanded world. Although we meet many characters, she definitely flushes them all out while still keeping the complexity. This isn’t the happy dandy book which I actually tend to love more when it comes to Fantasy. Holly Black really has me wondering what she will come up with in the next books.

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My twin Lilly @ Lair Of Books also read The Cruel Prince and you can check out her Spoiler-Free Review here! We asked each other the same 5 questions. And while chit chatting about the book through our FaceTime dates, I found that we felt the same and loved The Cruel Prince. Just like me, this was her first time reading a Holly Black book. In asking what was her experience like reading Holly Black for the first time, Lilly responded that she had a great experience. She enjoyed the dark writing, the lush world building and complex characters. Trust me bookish peeps, you should’ve heard her talking about this book, she was really ecstatic! I then asked her who was her favorite character and she responded with Jude! I mean it’s not that hard to love Jude, she’s pretty awesome. We then started talking about fae books and comparing it to other fae books we’ve read, we asked one another what made the world of Elfhame stand out. Lilly responded that the characters in The Cruel Prince were flushed out and there were also many descriptions in the story such as lush food, the laws, the do’s and don’ts of humans in Elfhame, and there was also political intrigue. In Cruel Prince, we meet Vivi who is the main character’s fae sister and opposes the idea of living in Elfhame. We asked one another if given the choice, would you live in the human world as a fae or would you live as a human in the fae world? Here is where Lilly and I started a fit of giggles! Twin said that she would live as a human in the fae world so she can figure out how to become a fae. She would network her way in similar to Jude and get to know the undergrounds of Elfhame. Lilly, you smart. Lastly we asked one another a vey important question. Do we plan on reading any of Holly’s other books? And the answer to that is OF COURSE!! Lilly definitely wants to read The Darkest Part of the Forest as her next Holly Black book.

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that is all for today book nerds! have you read the cruel prince or plan on to? what are your thoughts? i would love to chat in the comments!

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Friday Reads and other things

It’s a super weird Friday for me. However, that’s not going to stop me from posting a Friday Reads. I really love this meme because it gives me a chance to catch up with you all and talk about what’s been going on.

I finished A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1) by V.E. Schwab and I loved all of it! I should’ve had my review out for today but I had decided to blog hop instead on Wednesday night and yesterday came out of nowhere. Chester Bennington’s death has hit me really hard and therefore the plans to finish the review were off the table. I’m not sure when I will have my review up but I am really aiming for this weekend or latest, Monday.

 

 

 

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I also finished Maroon Daydreams by Cheyenne Raine. It’s a poetry collection and this is another review that I will be tackling sometime in the next coming week. This collection was great and I cannot wait to read more by this author in the future.

 

 

 

 

 

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Let’s talk about my new blog feature coming in August! In June I ran a poll asking about doing this new feature and 90% voted YES!! I am excited to announce that coming the second or third Thursday of August, Conspiracy Theory Thursday will be the name of my new blog feature. Conspiracy Theory Thursday will only happen once a month and if you have not guessed it, it’s all about conspiracy theory’s…yes I love conspiracy theories, I am a firm believer that there is more than what media/gov’t tells us. I am going to dedicate a post to one topic and the different theories surrounding that topic. So far I’ve thought of posting on aliens, mermaids, deja vu, area 51, the bermuda triangle, the lost world of atlantis..among other ones.

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the actual purpose of friday reads:

I am reading Black Bird of the Gallows by Meg Kassel who I met during BookCon and she was a super sweetheart! I obtained an ARC of this beautiful book and it releases September 5th. Once I read the synopsis with my twin Lilly@LairOfBooks I knew I was going to like it. And let me tell you, I am loving this book! It definitely has some LUX vibes going on (without the aliens) but it’s set in a small town during winter and there are a bunch of crows everywhere. This is the perfect read for me since I despise summer and would love Autumn and Winter to get here.

synopsis:
A simple but forgotten truth: Where harbingers of death appear, the morgues will soon be full.

Angie Dovage can tell there’s more to Reece Fernandez than just the tall, brooding athlete who has her classmates swooning, but she can’t imagine his presence signals a tragedy that will devastate her small town. When something supernatural tries to attack her, Angie is thrown into a battle between good and evil she never saw coming. Right in the center of it is Reece—and he’s not human.

What’s more, she knows something most don’t. That the secrets her town holds could kill them all. But that’s only half as dangerous as falling in love with a harbinger of death.

 

 

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that is all for today’s post! have you heard of the books mentioned above? i would love to know your thoughts on my conspiracy theory thursday blog feature. any specific theory request you have? i would love to know! let’s chat in the comments!

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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 Language of Thorns:
Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic
by Leigh Bardugo

Illustrator: Sara Kipin
Release Date: September 26, 2017
Publisher: Macmillan
Genre: YA Fantasy, Short Stories

Goodreads Synopsis:

Love speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns.

Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid’s voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy’s bidding but only for a terrible price.

Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love.

Perfect for new readers and dedicated fans, these tales will transport you to lands both familiar and strange—to a fully realized world of dangerous magic that millions have visited through the novels of the Grishaverse.

This collection of six stories includes three brand-new tales, all of them lavishly illustrated with art that changes with each turn of the page, culminating in six stunning full-spread illustrations as rich in detail as the stories themselves.

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This might be on a lot of people’s TBR list but I seriously cannot wait for this book. I am such a Grishaverse fan that I almost screamed when I found out about this one a few months ago. Plus there are illustrations included in Language of Thorns and I NEED TO SEE IT!!

I’m really excited each short story. However, I look forward to reading is the young mermaid story because I love mermaids and anything dark. Language of Thorns definitely sounds like a magical haunting read. And I am sure that Bardugo is going to captivate us with her writing skills and rich world.

September is right around the corner, along with Autumn (favorite season) and my birthday. This book releases 6 days after my birthday and I sure am going to gift this one to myself.

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are you anxiously waiting for this book as much as i am?? let’s chat in the comments!!

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Our Dark Duet (Monsters of Verity #2) by Victoria Schwab Spoiler Free Book Review

Title: Our Dark Duet (Book #2)
Series: Monsters of Verity
Author: Victoria Schwab
Genre: YA Paranormal, Fantasy
Publisher: Greenwillow
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:

THE WORLD IS BREAKING. AND SO ARE THEY.

KATE HARKER isn’t afraid of monsters. She hunts them. And she’s good at it.

AUGUST FLYNN once yearned to be human. He has a part to play. And he will play it, no matter the cost.

THE WAR HAS BEGUN.

THE MONSTERS ARE WINNING.

Kate will have to return to Verity. August will have to let her back in. And a new monster is waiting—one that feeds on chaos and brings out its victims’ inner demons.

Which will be harder to conquer: the monsters they face, or the monsters within?

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***there will be spoilers from the previous book, if you have not yet read This Savage Song, please do not read further. I have a non-spoiler review for This Savage Song here.

Plot

When reading Our Dark Duet, Schwab starts 6 months after the ending of This Savage Song. At first we jump into different perspectives with Kate and August in which we see two different sides of the spectrum. I love how Schwab expands her world and we see what is going on in two different towns, Prosperity and Verity. Kate had ran away to Prosperity in This Savage Song after the death of her father, meanwhile August stays behind in Verity.

In Prosperity, Kate hunts the monsters with a little help of a new set of characters that go by the name of The Wardens. In Verity, August becomes leader of the FTF and makes sure that the only humans who can trespass to safe grounds are humans with pure souls. Kate while in chase of monsters meets a new one that has never been spoken of and/or seen. When meeting this new monster, Chaos the Eater, some things are set in motion and everything goes downhill from there. August although being a leader is still struggling with the monster within himself while dealing with the ones outside and slowly but surely everything starts clicking.

Thoughts

 

Excuse me while I sit here and cry over that heart wrenching ending. WTF Schwab!!! How do you write such amazing books that leave me crying and hurting for dayyysss?!?! HOOOOWWWW?!?! An amazing conclusion to the Monsters of Verity Duology. I have never felt more satisfied by a series. Schwab left me with my heart in my throat and literal tears.

Our Dark Duet is the continuation of This Savage Song. After This Savage Song had ended, I was left in anticipation for this book. I was also left with a lot of questions, wondering about August and Kate and their whereabouts. Left with questions about other characters as well. And Schwab just took my soul and ran with it. Like if August played his violin and left me in bliss.

Our Dark Duet was filled with darkness, poetry, mentions of stardust, edge of your seat scenes, and tons of chaos. READ IT!

I really liked how Schwab gave us character development but also realistic characters that I was able to relate to. She did an amazing job in showing us their thought processing and what they were going through internally. Ugh, I love when books do that!

I absolutely loved the open-ending and just how raw it was. I couldn’t imagine the book with another type of ending, especially when the book was very dark. I found it to be much darker than This Savage Song, to me it was the perfect ending. Schwab had me on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t stop reading the book.

I am hoping that Schwab makes a spin-off for The Wardens.

“…..
so alone
it buries her
that sadness
swallows her
whole
the only sound
a voice
her voice
….”

please click here for credit and link

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i would love to chat in the comments about this book!! what were your thoughts?

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Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @ChicNerdReads

Friday Reads

Hey everyone! Happy friday!! I am so happy the weekend is here because this week has been just a little too long for me. I look forward to relaxing and doing absolutely nothing lol. I finished Our Dark Duet last night and my heart is still broken, I have so many feelings and thoughts but there will be a review up for it in the next comings days.

While on my long anxious way to work, I started reading Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia. I say anxious because there were two ladies talking, more like SCREAMING, on the bus ride. And to top it all off, two more ladies stepped on the bus and it was like a screaming match on who can have the loudest conversation. Music couldn’t even save me from silencing them. Ma’am I do not care about your baby daddy situation, can I just read my book? Please and thank you.

I only got to read 20 pages of Eliza and Her Monsters because I couldn’t really concentrate with the loud mouths on the bus. However!! what I did get to read got me really excited and I cannot wait to read more tonight and this weekend.

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synopsis from goodreads:

Her story is a phenomenon. Her life is a disaster.

In the real world, Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, and friendless. Online, she’s LadyConstellation, the anonymous creator of the wildly popular webcomic Monstrous Sea. Eliza can’t imagine enjoying the real world as much as she loves the online one, and she has no desire to try.

Then Wallace Warland, Monstrous Sea’s biggest fanfiction writer, transfers to her school. Wallace thinks Eliza is just another fan, and as he draws her out of her shell, she begins to wonder if a life offline might be worthwhile.

But when Eliza’s secret is accidentally shared with the world, everything she’s built—her story, her relationship with Wallace, and even her sanity—begins to fall apart.

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i hope you all have a great weekend! have you read Eliza and Her Monsters or plan on to? let’s chat in the comments! i would love to know your thoughts ❤

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Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @ChicNerdReads