Book Tag: Blog All Day, Meme All Night!

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blogmeme

Spotted this over @runawaywithdreamthieves and thought it looked like fun!

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1. YEET
which book would you yeet out of existence?

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A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

I actually bought this one in paperback. There are so many good reviews out there for this book, singing it all kinds of praises, and I totally fell for them. I spent good money on this. Only to have this turn out to be a slow paced and pretentious mess with a jerk of a male character and a doorknob heroine. Ugh.

2. CRYING KIM K
which book gives you lots of feelings?

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Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat

This is, to date, the best character development I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading in a series. There are no words to describe how much Laurent evolves as a main character and, with it, breathes new life into a novel that is already incredible. So many things happen in this book and all of them make me cry. Continue reading →

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Review: WONDER WOMAN: WARBRINGER by Leigh Bardugo

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GOODREADS | AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY

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WONDER WOMAN: WARBRINGER
Leigh Bardugo

Series: DC Icons #1
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Random House Children’s Books
Pages: 364
Release date: August 28th 2017

Daughter of immortals.

Princess Diana longs to prove herself to her legendary warrior sisters. But when the opportunity finally comes, she throws away her chance at glory and breaks Amazon law—risking exile—to save a mortal. Diana will soon learn that she has rescued no ordinary girl, and that with this single brave act, she may have doomed the world.

Daughter of death.

Alia Keralis just wanted to escape her overprotective brother with a semester at sea. She doesn’t know she is being hunted by people who think her very existence could spark a world war. When a bomb detonates aboard her ship, Alia is rescued by a mysterious girl of extraordinary strength and forced to confront a horrible truth: Alia is a Warbringer—a direct descendant of the infamous Helen of Troy, fated to bring about an age of bloodshed and misery.

Together.

Two girls will face an army of enemies—mortal and divine—determined to either destroy or possess the Warbringer. Tested beyond the bounds of their abilities, Diana and Alia must find a way to unleash hidden strengths and forge an unlikely alliance. Because if they have any hope of saving both their worlds, they will have to stand side by side against the tide of war.

“They’re worth fighting for.”

FWonder Woman: Warbringer is an action packed and fast paced novel that is supposed to be about Diana Prince’s teen years, but reads a lot like the familiar story of her origin as a superhero. This is another take on a tale many know rather well, with a diverse cast of characters and quite a lot of humor. It is an entertaining read, but doesn’t bring anything particularly new to Diana’s legacy.

Leigh Bardugo is a wonderful writer. The characters are very well developed, the shifts in POV flow nicely with the overall narrative, and the fight scenes are thrilling. The plot does feel very much like a rehash of Diana’s origins instead of a new take on her life, though, which ends up making the novel quite a predictable read. Continue reading →

ARC Review: SADIE by Courtney Summers

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GOODREADS | AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY

TRIGGER WARNING (HIGHLIGHT BELOW):
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

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SADIE
Courtney Summers

Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pages: 320
Release date: September 4th 2018

A missing girl on a journey of revenge and a Serial-like podcast following the clues she’s left behind.

Sadie hasn’t had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she’s been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie’s entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister’s killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.

When West McCray—a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America—overhears Sadie’s story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie’s journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it’s too late.

“…I can’t take another dead girl.”

Sadie is an intense and gripping novel with a darkness that surrounds its narrative. The characters are complex and well developed, the pace is steady, and the unusual narrative structure with podcast episodes giving insight into Sadie’s story is amazing. The story deals with some pretty dark subjects, but its open ending still leaves readers with a little bit of hope.

Courtney Summers continues to impress. The writing is incredible and engrossing, and the premise that makes the novel is really well executed. This is definitely a heavy story, and the way it all comes together is great if all kinds of painful and heart wrenching. Definitely one for the Favorites shelf. Continue reading →

Review: THEIR FRACTURED LIGHT by Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner

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THEIR FRACTURED LIGHT
Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner

Series: Starbound #3
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 425
Release date: December 1st 2015

A year ago, Flynn Cormac and Jubilee Chase made the now infamous Avon Broadcast, calling on the galaxy to witness for their planet, and protect them from destruction. Some say Flynn’s a madman, others whisper about conspiracies. Nobody knows the truth. A year before that, Tarver Merendsen and Lilac LaRoux were rescued from a terrible shipwreck—now, they live a public life in front of the cameras, and a secret life away from the world’s gaze.

Now, in the center of the universe on the planet of Corinth, all four are about to collide with two new players, who will bring the fight against LaRoux Industries to a head. Gideon Marchant is an eighteen-year-old computer hacker—a whiz kid and an urban warrior. He’ll climb, abseil and worm his way past the best security measures to pull off onsite hacks that others don’t dare touch.

Sofia Quinn has a killer smile, and by the time you’re done noticing it, she’s got you offering up your wallet, your car, and anything else she desires. She holds LaRoux Industries responsible for the mysterious death of her father and is out for revenge at any cost.

When a LaRoux Industries security breach interrupts Gideon and Sofia’s separate attempts to infiltrate their headquarters, they’re forced to work together to escape. Each of them has their own reason for wanting to take down LaRoux Industries, and neither trusts the other. But working together might be the best chance they have to expose the secrets LRI is so desperate to hide.

We are all worth saving.

Their Fractured Light is an action-packed and pretty nice conclusion to the Starbound series. The world-building is still really interesting, even more so when this novel connects all the dots from the previous installments in a story that is tense. This is still very much a romance-focused story, though, although the Sci-Fi elements are really intriguing.

Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner’s writing is good and easy to get into. The shifts in POV are done rather well, and the sections from the whispers’ perspective are a wonderful way to ramp up the tension. The story doesn’t awe, but it’s entertaining for the most part, and the ending works really well for the universe the authors have created. Continue reading →

WWW Wednesday: Read, Reading, Will Read (59)

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wwwwed

Welcome to WWW Wednesday, a meme currently being hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World of Words. It’s a place for you to do a little update on what your reading plans are.

The Three W’s are:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

   

1. Minha Versão de Você (Autoboyography) by Christina Lauren

LGBTQ+ YA! I’m so in love with every single aspect of this book, even though I wish it didn’t have all the angsty internalized homophobia stuff. Tanner’s POV is just so so so relatable and I’m really looking forward to what’s to come.

2. One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake

YA Fantasy! I keep expecting this book to be more interesting than the first one, especially considering with the way the previous installment ended. So far, though, the plot is reeeally slow paced. I’m still in the first half, so let’s hope that will change soon.

3. The Goal by Elle Kennedy

New Adult! This covers my goal of finishing 1 book series this month. I’m about halfway through and I really… don’t like it. The humor and the story are just not hitting the right points for me.

What did you recently finish reading?

    1. What I’ve Done by Melinda Leigh: Mystery ARC! This series keeps getting better and better. Super intense and fast moving plot. Review to come.
    2. Wild Like the Wind by Kristen Ashley: Romance! Classic KA. Develops some really interesting plot points and sets things up for the next book.
    3. A Merciful Death by Kendra Elliot: Mystery! Kind of meh all around. Not enough investigating for a book of this genre. Review to come.
    4. Slaying It by Chloe Neill: Paranormal! Nice little novella that works as an epilogue on Merit and Eric’s lives. Their baby girl is born!
    5. Triptych by Karin Slaughter: Mystery! So many unlikable characters, but engaging plot. Review to come.
    6. Fractured by Karin Slaughter: Mystery! Such an improvement over the last book! Good character development and intriguing plot. Review to come.
    7. Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo: YA! Nice book, but the same old rehash of Diana’s story. Review to come.
    8. Genesis (Undone) by Karin Slaughter: Mystery! Terrible character development. Too focused on Grant County characters and not Will Trent, who is supposed to headline the series. Review to come.
    9. Broken by Karin Slaughter: Mystery! Series takes such a nose-dive. Feels more like a Grant County book than a Will Trent one. Review to come.
    10. Fallen by Karin Slaughter: Mystery! Saying goodbye to the series with this one. It’s really not going in a direction I like/care about. Review to come.

What do you think you’ll read next?

22840421Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells

Sci-Fi! Need me some relatable murder content right now.

SciFi’s favorite crabby A.I. is again on a mission. The case against the too-big-to-fail GrayCris Corporation is floundering, and more importantly, authorities are beginning to ask more questions about where Dr. Mensah’s SecUnit is.

And Murderbot would rather those questions went away. For good.

What books did you recently finish reading? What do you plan on reading next?
Tell me in the comments!

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Top 10 Tuesday: Book Crossovers

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t10

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is: Books You’d Mash Together.

You can tell what a weird place my brain is just by these crossovers, oh my god.

RAVEN BOYS IN HOGWARTS

Can you even begin to imagine what kind of shenanigans Blue, Ronan, Adam, Gamsey, and Noah would get if they were ever in Hogwarts? There are quite a few transformative works out there that explore this kind of alternate universe and I just!!! love it so much!!

SPACE CROWS

I just really want to see Kaz & co. fucking things up in space. That’s it. That’s all there is.

SUPERHEROES & AMAZONS

What would Diana think of the Renegades world? I doubt she’d be that in favor of a Council, but I bet the Amazons would all really enjoy the kind of rigorous training that goes on with prodigies.

KILLER CREATURES

Two of my favorite creature novels! I really just want this crossover because of how unapologetic both books are in exploring the real strength and violence behind supernatural creatures. Lots of gore and murder, just like it’s supposed to be.

SCYTHE PRINCES

The Scythes wouldn’t have as many problems if Damen and Laurent were ruling. I’m just saying. Also, a picture: Lauren and Damen in robes.

AVA STRANGE

THE!!! AESTHETIC!!!!

SIMON SNOW AND VIRTUAL REALITIES

Simon is already a bit of a disaster character in his own book, so I bet it would be all kinds of fun if he suddenly found himself in the world of Warcross. With Baz’s help, they would probably totally own the game. And save the world!

VAMPIRE LONDONS

There is nothing about Coldtown that is easy. Add magic to it? Oh my god. And imagine if there were three different versions of it! And people who could walk through those different vampire realities.

VICIOUS NEVERNIGHTS

Morally grey characters, all together, in a universe where shadows are alive and assassins are trained to hone their abilities? Yes, please. Especially if everyone thinks they are the hero of their own stories.

ARISTOTLE AND DANTE & THE GREAT LIBRARY

This one is pretty self-explanatory, isn’t it? 😛

What are some book crossovers you’d like to see?
Let me know in the comments!

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Review: THE LULLABY GIRL by Loreth Anne White

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THE LULLABY GIRL
Loreth Anne White

Series: Angie Pallorino #2
Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Pages: 380
Release date: November 14th 2017

Detective Angie Pallorino took down a serial killer permanently and, according to her superiors, with excessive force. Benched on a desk assignment for twelve months, Angie struggles to maintain her sense of identity—if she’s not a detective, who is she? Then a decades-old cold case washes ashore, pulling her into an investigation she recognizes as deeply personal.

Angie’s lover and partner, James Maddocks, sees it, too. But spearheading an ongoing probe into a sex-trafficking ring and keeping Angie’s increasing obsession with her case in check is taking its toll. However, as startling connections between the parallel investigations emerge, Maddocks realizes he has more than Angie’s emotional state to worry about.

Driven and desperate to solve her case, Angie goes rogue, risking her relationship, career, and very life in pursuit of answers. She’ll learn that some truths are too painful to bear, and some sacrifices include collateral damage.

But Angie Pallorino won’t let it go. She can’t. It’s not in her blood.

“You get them sometimes—the ones who just defy all odds.”

The Lullaby Girl is an intense and thrilling novel with an engrossing story that veers a little bit too much into unrealistic dramatics to develop the plot. The characters are still very complex, but the romance aspect of the novel moves at a rushing pace without being well developed. The big reveal of Angie’s own personal mystery is well done, and her internal conflicts over the subject add depth to the story.

Loreth Anne White continues the series with an installment that still showcases great writing. The plot is really tense and still deals with dark themes, in a way that builds up emotion and leads to shocking and surprising twists. The plot does kind of feel a little bit like a telenovela, though, so the serious tone doesn’t match the story very well. Continue reading →