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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Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @chicnerdreads

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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instagram: @chicnerdreads
twitter: @chicnerdreads

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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twitter: @chicnerdreads

Black Bird of the Gallows by Meg Kassel Non-Spoiler ARC Review

Title: Black Bird of the Gallows
Series: N/A
Author: Meg Kassel
Genre: YA Paranormal
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Format: ARC paperback
Release Date: September 5th 2017
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

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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*I want to thank BookCon and Entangled Teen for providing me an ARC!*

Angie Dovage is a teenager trying to live a low-key life where people forget her story and what’s happened with her mom. In small town Pennsylvania where nothing much really happens and everyone lives their day to day life, Angie Dovage is going to meet her new next door neighbor who will drastically change her life. Once her next door neighbor moves in, Reece Fernandez, something supernatural tries to attack Angie. Yet, every time Angie goes through an attack, she notices that Reece is there. Angie is dancing with a harbinger of death and when she finds out out why Reece is really there in this small town Pennsylvania, it’s either saving everyone or staying alive.

I thought the writing was okay, easy to read and understandable. Meg Kassel wrote the setting in present times so there wasn’t much world building. The author really focused on the descriptions of what was a Harbinger of Death, Beekeepers, and the crows. I found that to be a problem (in my opinion) because this is a short book of 308 pages and sometimes she would explain over a few times what these three things do rather than focus on the plot. There was a point where I put down the book and asked myself “is this book part of a series? cause if so that would make more sense as to why she’s giving us much detailed descriptions.” Goodreads didn’t give me anything so I went to her website and found that she’s working on a novella and companion novel.

Meg Kassel also wrote a lot of tropes. If you do not like instalove, then you might want to steer away from this book. There’s also the neighbor who happens to be a supernatural trope, the girl who wasn’t doing much with her life till a guy walked in trope, and many other tropes but I won’t mention it because I don’t want to spoil the book.

We get to meet a few characters throughout this book. We meet both main characters Angie and Reece. Angie Dovage lives with her father and she hasn’t had the best life. Losing a mother to drugs, her life in school isn’t the best because everyone knows of her story. Angie is focused on music and the band she’s in with her two friends, Deno and Lacey. Reece is the new mysterious attractive guy that every girl in school is swooning over. Instead of being the quiet bad boy, he instantly gets a long with everyone in school and get’s into the hockey team. We also meet Angie’s father in the story who happens to be really present in her life and I have to say that I really enjoyed that aspect.

I also have to say that these characters weren’t flushed out as I would like. I feel that I’ve read these character arcs repeatedly throughout the years. I didn’t really find them relatable and it would’ve been nice to see them grow naturally but the tropes didn’t really help with the growth because a lot of their (Angie and Reece) decisions were based off emotions.

Overall, I found this book to be very predictable. If you like LUX by Jennifer L. Armentrout and Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, then I would definitely suggest you reading this book because it has ALL the same elements.

For this being a short book, I thought there was a lot more descriptions going on rather than plot. The plot really took place in the last few chapters. I know I mentioned this already but I really wish the author would’ve taken more time focusing on the plot, building the characters, and giving us just more of the world.

Angie asked a lot of questions about what the Harbinger of Deaths do and what Beekeepers are, how the Crows are involved in all of this. Yes, those are very important questions, however, Meg Kassel was explaining this way too much. And yes, it is important to the plot and what happens but there wasn’t a flow with plot and getting to know these paranormal elements. Therefore, sometimes the book felt too jumpy instead of an organic flow of things.

There were a few things that rubbed me the wrong way as well when reading this book which I can’t just let slide over without mentioning.

• There was a part in the book when the author compares Cadence (name of town) to Afghanistan. “Cadence is not Afghanistan. It’s southwestern Pennsylvania.” I thought that was very insensitive of the author to write.
• There is also a scene where Angie is drenched in water, she’s unconscious, and Reece stated that she was freezing and in shock. She wakes up and notices that her clothes is hanging on a chair and she was changed into a t-shirt which was alarming to her. She calls it to his attention, she’s asking questions about what happened, and he gets really defensive which I didn’t like at all. We get a character who’s been really nice and cool throughout the book but then when he get’s questioned on what happened while she’s unconscious, he turns into a dislikable person. “You were freezing and in shock. I had to get you warm and dry. I’m not sorry.” He also didn’t apologize which really pissed me off.
• “what are you, suicidal? leave me and go.” this type of sarcasm is a no from me.
• Reece Fernandez so happens not to be latino at all so there went my hopes and dreams of a latinx character being involved.

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that is all for this review. i would love to chat in the comments about your thoughts! if you have any questions, please feel free to ask ❤

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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 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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Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @chicnerdreads

June Wrap-Up 2017

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well! I must say that I am very proud of my reading month in June. I feel like I definitely got my kick back in the reading game lol! So without further ado, let’s get started!

What I Read:

A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3) by Sarah J. Maas ★★
Genre: New Adult Fantasy
I have a full RANT review here. The review has a lot of spoilers so I wouldn’t recommend it if you haven’t read the book. Let’s just say that I was very disappointed and will not be reading more from this author.

 

 

 

 

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Our Dark Duet (Monsters of Verity #2) by Victoria Schwab ★★★★★
Genre: YA Paranormal, Fantasy
Amazing conclusion to the Monsters of Verity duology. I am still in my feelings and can’t quite believe it’s over. I have a non-spoiler review for it here. The review does however contain spoilers from the first book, please be cautious.

 

 

 

 

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Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia ★★★★★
Genre: YA Contemporary
Ugh I absolutely loved this book and will recommend it for days to come! It is contemporary but it talks about some very important things like mental health, family dynamics’s, and friendships. I also loved how the author inserted some of the webcomic in the book. I have a non-spoiler review here.

 

 

 

 

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soft magic. by Upile Chisala ★★★★★
Genre: Poetry
I’m not sure if I’m going to do a review on this one. But definitely a FOREVER FAVORITE!! Wow this book should be read by all women, especially Women of Color. This one was amazing.
Goodreads Synopsis:
‘soft magic.’ is the debut collection of prose and poetry by Malawian writer, Upile Chisala. This book explores the self, joy, blackness, gender, matters of the heart, the experience of Diaspora, spirituality and most of all, how we survive. ‘soft magic.’ is a shared healing journey.

 

 

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;recovery by Jasmine Smith ★★★★
Genre: Poetry
For anyone who likes break-up poetry, I would recommend this one. The author takes us through the ups and downs of a relationship and her thought process.
Goodreads Synopsis:
a collection of modern poetry surrounding the most vulnerable time – post-breakup. follow the journey of hurt on the road to recovery

 

 

 

 

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lavender petals and a wild heart by Cheyenne Raine ★★★★★
Genre: Poetry
Such a beautiful written collection. filled with curiosity, color, and wonder. I cannot wait to read more by this author!
Goodreads Synopsis:
A lavender sky of words, thoughts, poetry and prose written with love and curiosity. A collection inspired by the emotions that flow from the heart due to the gentle presence of a wild and adventurous soul. This book dives into the mixture of warm and lovely feelings that blossom when adoring another’s heart.

 

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Poetry Posted in June:
a letter to the moon
some kind of self-love

for my short poetry, you can check out my instagram! link is at the end of this post ❤

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I did a few memes this past June but the two that I will be featuring are the Top Ten Tuesdays since the others were WWW’s and Friday Reads.

TTT: Series I’ve Been Meaning to Start But Haven’t
TTT: Best Books You’ve Read in 2017 So Far

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that is all for this monthly wrap-up! have you heard and/or read any of these books? let’s chat in the comments!

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Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @ChicNerdReads

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

Top Ten Tuesday: Series I’ve Been Meaning to Start But Haven’t

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature with new topics every Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. If you would like to participate, the link provided will lead you to the feature and upcoming topics for the rest of the month

Today’s topic is: Top Ten Series I’ve Been Meaning To Start But Haven’t

I love this topic because it was the easiest most embarrassing compiled list I have done in a matter of seconds lol. When I saw the topic, I literally turned around, looked at my shelves and the list happened!

**the synopsis attached to each series belongs to the first book

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Series I’ve Been Meaning to Start:

Shades of Magic Trilogy by V.E. Schwab

I have been meaning to start this trilogy since it first came out! eventually, i decided to just wait for all of it so i can marathon it which is exactly what i am going to do before the year is over!

synopsis from goodreads:

Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black.
Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.
Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they’ll never see. It’s a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.
After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.
Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they’ll first need to stay alive.

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The Young Elites Trilogy by Marie Lu

One of in real life friends is probably reading this and shaking their head lol. I don’t know what is possibly taking my so long to read this because I am pretty sure that I will love this one just as much as I loved Lu’s Legend Trilogy.

synopsis from goodreads:

I am tired of being used, hurt, and cast aside.
Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.
Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.
Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.
Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.
It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

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Mara Dyer Trilogy by Michelle Hodkin

Another trilogy that I have a very strong feeling I am going to love and devour. And I definitely need to read this especially with the spin off being announced. EEEEEEK!

synopsis from goodreads:

Mara Dyer believes life can’t get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her strangely unharmed.
There is.
She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.
She’s wrong.

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Penryn & the End of Days Trilogy by Susan Ee

This trilogy can seriously fall under any number on this list because I am waiting to be on an “Angels” mood to read it!!

synopsis from goodreads:

It’s been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.
Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.
Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.
Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels’ stronghold in San Francisco where she’ll risk everything to rescue her sister and he’ll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

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Brooklyn Brujas Series by Zoraida Córdova

Labyrinth Lost is the only first book out right now for the series BUT I NEED TO READ IT!

synopsis from goodreads:

Nothing says Happy Birthday like summoning the spirits of your dead relatives.
Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation…and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her alone with Nova, a brujo boy she can’t trust. A boy whose intentions are as dark as the strange marks on his skin.
The only way to get her family back is to travel with Nova to Los Lagos, a land in-between, as dark as Limbo and as strange as Wonderland…

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Vinyl Trilogy by Sophia Elaine Hanson

this trilogy is not finished. Siren releases in 2018 but i cannot wait to read this!!! the ratings/reviews are alllll amazing. i have the privilege of personally knowing this lovely author and she just informed me that her trilogy will have a short story collection called CODA. if Sophia’s name rings a bell, she also wrote a poetry collection, Hummingbird that I reviewed here.

synopsis from goodreads:

All citizens within the soaring black walls of Revinia have metal Singers grafted into their skulls at birth. The parasitic machines issue a form of auditory hypnosis called The Music, which keeps their minds malleable and emotions flat. All artistic expression—especially real music—is strictly prohibited.

On the edge of the city, nineteen year old Ronja struggles to support her cousins and disabled mother. A chance meeting leads to her kidnapping by an underground resistance striving to preserve the human spirit. Violently severed from her Singer by the brash young agent Roark, Ronja revels in her newfound freedom until the consequences of her disappearance begin to unfold.

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The Diviners Series by Libba Bray

I have most likely never announced this but I am obsessed with the 1920s. I am also obsessed with ghost and the paranormal. This series has all of that! So far the first two books are out and the third one releases in October. I am not sure when I will be getting to this but I am hoping before the year is over.

synopsis from goodreads:

Evie O’Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City—and she is pos-i-tute-ly ecstatic. It’s 1926, and New York is filled with speakeasies, Ziegfeld girls, and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is that she has to live with her uncle Will and his unhealthy obsession with the occult.
Evie worries he’ll discover her darkest secret: a supernatural power that has only brought her trouble so far. But when the police find a murdered girl branded with a cryptic symbol and Will is called to the scene, Evie realizes her gift could help catch a serial killer.
As Evie jumps headlong into a dance with a murderer, other stories unfold in the city that never sleeps. A young man named Memphis is caught between two worlds. A chorus girl named Theta is running from her past. A student named Jericho hides a shocking secret. And unknown to all, something dark and evil has awakened.

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Firebird Trilogy by Claudia Gray

I will never ever get over how beautiful these covers are!!! I have had the first book of this trilogy sitting on my shelf for quite some time now but I will not give up. I know that I will read it one day!

synopsis from goodreads:

Marguerite Caine’s physicist parents are known for their groundbreaking achievements. Their most astonishing invention, called the Firebird, allows users to jump into multiple universes—and promises to revolutionize science forever. But then Marguerite’s father is murdered, and the killer—her parent’s handsome, enigmatic assistant Paul— escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.
Marguerite refuses to let the man who destroyed her family go free. So she races after Paul through different universes, always leaping into another version of herself. But she also meets alternate versions of the people she knows—including Paul, whose life entangles with hers in increasingly familiar ways. Before long she begins to question Paul’s guilt—as well as her own heart. And soon she discovers the truth behind her father’s death is far more sinister than she expected.
A Thousand Pieces of You explores an amazingly intricate multi-universe where fate is unavoidable, the truth elusive, and love the greatest mystery of all.

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Falling Kingdoms Series by Morgan Rhodes

I really want to get into this series but there are so many books at this point (6 books) plus a spin-off. I feel like I will never have the time to commit!

synopsis from goodreads:

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.

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The Program Duology by Suzanne Young

now you might be thinking “Gretchen aren’t there more?” and the answer is yes but the author has broken it down. the next books after these two follow other characters. and i love not getting into a full commitment with a number of books lol.

synopsis from goodreads:

In Sloane’s world, true feelings are forbidden, teen suicide is an epidemic, and the only solution is The Program.
Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.
Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them.

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and that is it for today! have you read any of these books or are they on your list?? let’s chat in the comments!! ❤

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Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @ChicNerdReads

May Wrap-Up 2017

My overdue wrap-up is here lol! Finally!! I will keep this short and to the point! I read 5 books in the month of May, slowly but surely I am getting into the hang of things when it comes to reading. Working a full-time job, writing, having a poetry book, being a dog mom, and just adulting. AHH!!!!…I’m happy to get back into the swing of things!

What I Read:

Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer #1) by Laini Taylor ★★★★★ 
Genre: YA Fantasy
I wrote a mini spoiler free book review because although this is a very long book, everything is a spoiler lol.

 

 

 

 

 

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The Seafarer’s Kiss by Julia Ember ★★★★★
Genre: YA Fantasy, LGBTQ+, Retelling
I thought this Little Mermaid retelling was amazing!!! It was the perfect balance of a retelling with originality. Add some Norse Mythology into the mix and you have The Seafarer’s Kiss! I have a review here.

 

 

 

 

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Table for One by Laura Ashley Laraque ★★★★★
Genre: Poetry
A collection of poetry that tells a story about a toxic relationship and overcoming it. If you like poetry and want to check some pieces, I have a review here where you can read my thoughts as well!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Afterlife by Melissa Jennings ★★★★★
Genre: Poetry
I cannot stop gushing about this collection. It’s amazing and dark!! I love love loved it and I cannot wait to read more about this author. I have a review with some poems here.

 

 

 

 

 

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I Am More Than a Daydream by Jennae Cecelia ★★★★
Genre: Poetry
I didn’t write a review for this book but this is what I wrote on Goodreads:
If you are looking for poetry that is positive and inspiring, then this is the book you will want to pick up. Jennae writes about strength and adds themes of self-acceptance and self-love. I really enjoyed the body positive poems! And the artwork was great too!

 

 

 

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Some poems I posted in May:
it was 8:43am
it’s 11:somethingP.M. and i wrote a thing

again, I’m trying to get in the hang of things but I do also post poetry on my instagram! my instagram username is chicnerdreads

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Things That Happened in May:

My blog turned 1 on May 20th!!!!! eeeeeeeek! time does really fly and it’s been an amazing year with blogging! I met some of the greatest people and it’s been such an ease with my anxiety as well. I also got to find out about books that I NEVER heard of! I did a Q&A and fellow bloggers asked me the coolest questions. If you’d like to check it out, click the banners and it will take you to the post ❤

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and that’s about it! how was your may? have you read any of these books or plan on too? let’s chat in the comments!! =)

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Instagram: @chicnerdreads
Twitter: @ChicNerdReads
Goodreads: Gretchen (ChicNerdReads)