Teaser Tuesday #719, January 21st

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Today's teaser comes from Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros, page .

"Want to make your meeting? Don't fall this time."

That doesn't sound good, that there's been falling! Must read more now! What about you guys? Happy reading!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #711, January 20th

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week...and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well...you never know where that next "must read" book will come from!

What happened in the past week:

Weekly Memes:
It's Monday! What Are You Reading #710
Teaser Tuesday #718
WWW Wednesday #718
WOW #714
Will the Time Come #711
Third Sentence Thursday #701
Random Reads #687
First Lines Friday #714
Book Blogger Hop #380

25 Books to Read in 2025 Update 1

Monthly ARC's Update 104
The Reward Challenge Update #696
Wheel of TBR #243
How Well I Stuck to It #548
Wrote that Review Update #545

Week 3 Reviews:
Grace and Fury

The Wildest Things 
Life and Death

Midnight Sun

Archangel's Ascension

The Last One

Creeping Beauty 

Threads That Bind

The Warrior God

The Savage God

The Golden God

Phase Out Your TBR: 

Phase Eight January 2025 Sign Up

Update 1

Update 2

Update 3

Update 4

Update 5

Update 6

Update 7

Phase Out Your Seriesathon: 

2025 Sign Up

Update 1

Magical Readathon: Orilium: 

Year in Aeldia 2025 Sign Up

Random:

The Stolen Bride: Cover Reveal

OK, so I got 35 posts in 7 days, and it was a pretty decent week, though we did get some snow, which is annoying, since it was almost gone from the last time, but oh well. At least week has Onyx Storm to read! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read Onyx Storm!

THE STORM IS COMING . . .

Get ready to fly or die in the breathtaking follow-up to Fourth Wing and Iron Flame from #1 New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Yarros.

After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons.

No more time for uncertainty.

Because the battle has truly begun; and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.

Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre.

The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves - her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything.

They need an army.

They need power.

They need magic.

And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth.

But a storm is coming... and not everyone can survive its wrath.

Phase Out Your TBR Update 7

So I've read my next book for the Phase Out Your TBR, and it was Sofi and the Bone Song which is for the prompt Red 7 and I'll be reading Onyx Storm next! 

My Reading Journey:

Archangel's Ascension by Nalini Singh

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 12

Started On: January 14th, 

Finished On: January 14th, 7:28 PM 

Pages Read: 416

The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 7

Started On: January 15th

Finished On: January 15th, 11:38 AM

Pages Read: 496

Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 4

Started On: January 16th

Finished On: January 16th, 8:41 PM

Pages Read: 368

The Warrior God by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 6

Started On: January 17th

Finished On: January 17th, 2:51 PM

Pages Read: 306

The Golden God by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 8

Started On: January 17th

Finished On: January 17th, 9:18 PM

Pages Read: 270

Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 10

Started On: January 18th

Finished On: January 18th, 2:28 PM

Pages Read: 441

Sofi and the Bone Song by Adrienne Tooley

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 7

Started On: January 19th

Finished On: January 19th, 4:29 PM

Pages Read: 416

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 12

Started On: January 21st 

Currently On: Page 0 of 554

Prompts Left: Green 2, Green Wild (Green 4), Green 5, Green 9, Red 6, Red 12, Red 12, Yellow 3, Yellow 5, Yellow 9, Blue 3, Blue 7, Green 7, Blue 11

Books Read: 7

Pages Read: 4217

Wrote that Review Update #545, January 19th

If you want to participate, set a certain amount of reviews to write, and once you make that goal, you can get a reward!

My reviews to reward is writing all of the reviews of the week, and I motivated myself to write my review for Grace and Fury, The Wildest Things, Life and Death and Midnight Sun, Archangel's Ascension, The Last One, Creeping Beauty, Threads That Bind, The Warrior God, The Savage God, The Golden God, so I have 8 of 8 reviews written!

And as always, I want to review this week's reviews!

What about you guys? Happy reading! 

How Well I Stuck to It #548, January 19th

So I decided that I should have accountability on sticking to what should be in a week, so I'm doing How Well I Stuck to It every Sunday, because my schedule should be fixed in by now!

Week 4:

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

NetGalley: NA.

Edelweiss: NA.

New Books: 1. Check.

Just one new book, but I think most people who read fantasy romance who've read the first 2 books and enjoyed both are going to want to read this! 

Week 3:

Nothing Planned! 

vs.

Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart, The Wildest Things by Andrea Hannah, Life and Death by Stephenie Meyer, Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer, Archangel's Ascension by Nalini Singh, The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall, Creeping Beauty by Andrea Portes, Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou, The Warrior God by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson, The Savage God by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson, The Golden God by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson

A free week, and I read a decent about of books, and I'm happy with that, and I can't wait for this coming week! What about you guys? Happy reading!

Wheel of TBR #243, January 19th

I saw Codie's Book Corner doing the Wheel of TBR, and I thought that sounded like a great way to pick what to read from your TBR. So thanks to her! I'll only do 3 spins, because I'm doing this every week, and so it won't make up my total TBR of the week, but it'll be a start!

Rules:

1. For each week of the month, I'll do 3 spins each week to read each week though I do have the rest of the month to read them. Once a prompt is used, I'll randomly choose one from the list, keeping track of how often a colour comes up. If colour comes up 3 or more times in month, I'll do another spin once it comes up 3 times.

2. If I don't read a book that week or at least start it before the end of the month, then for my next week of spins, I have to add a punishment for each book unread. I'll roll for each unread book, and have to apply each and every punishment chosen to the week.

3. Each month I'll get a prompt from my Binge Read Wheel (either specifically picking the prompt, or spinning the wheel) and I have to read at least 9 books, though I can read more!

Of the books from the last week, I read Life and Death by Stephenie Meyer, The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall, Creeping Beauty by Andrea Portes, The Stepsister's Tale by Tracy Barrett.

Binge Read Wheel:

For this month, the wheel chose Dying to Read. I read Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer, Archangel's Ascension by Nalini Singh, Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong, so I've read 9/9+.

Prompts Used This Week:

RR Book, Colour, Travel. 

RR Book-Spring Green-The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter-This book was features in RR #675, so I'll read that! 

Colour-Magenta-Orange-Hearts that Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou-This cover has a bunch of orange, so I'll read that! 

Travel-Chartreuse-A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson-This take place at least in part in London so that works! 

Colour Totals:
Red: 0
Orange: 2
Yellow: 0
Chartreuse: 1
Green: 3
Spring Green: 4
Cyan: 1
Azure: 0
Blue: 0
Violet: 0
Magenta: 2 
Rose: 1

Prompts for Next Week:

ARC Book to Read in 2024-Red
Series Started and Unfinished/Current 2021-Orange

Booktuber Read-Yellow

Spine-Chartreuse

Steal a Book-Green
Book Battle-Spring Green
2023 Purchase-Cyan
Genre As Last Read-Azure

NetGalley Book to Read in 2021-Blue

Month-Violet

Catch Up With Author-Magenta

Reading Challenge-Rose

So those are some of the books I'm going to try to read this week. What about you guys? Happy reading!

The Reward Challenge Update #696, January 19th

The Reward Challenge is almost the complete opposite to a book buying ban as you'll end up buying lots of new books throughout the challenge but only after you've completed a certain amount of reading. It was hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly, so thanks to her for starting it!

OK, so I read Grace and Fury which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book, The Wildest Things which counts 4 times as a 2025 Retelling Reading Challenge Book, NetGalley Book and a SAC 2025 Book, Life and Death which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book,

Midnight Sun which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book, Archangel's Ascension which counts 4 times as a NetGalley Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book and a WoW Book,

The Last One which counts twice as a SAC 2025 Book, Creeping Beauty which counts 5 times as a 2025 Retelling Reading Challenge Book, Edelweiss Book, SAC 2025 Book and a WoW Book, Threads That Bind which counts 5 times as a 2025 Retelling Reading Challenge Book, DAC Book and a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book and a WTC Book, The Warrior God which counts 3 times as a 2025 Retelling Reading Challenge 2025 Book and Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book, The Savage God which counts 3 times as a 2025 Retelling Reading Challenge 2025 Book and Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book, The Golden God which counts 4 times as a 2025 Retelling Reading Challenge 2025 Book, End of Series 2025 Book and Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book.

So I have 36 counts which translates to $16 this week! I'll use it to buy books!

Phase Out Your Seriesathon Update 1

So I've read my first book for the Phase Out Your Seriesathon, and it was Death at the Highland Wedding which is for the prompt Features Major Event and I'll be reading Onyx Storm next! 

My Reading Journey:

Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong

Prompt Fulfilled: Features Major Event

Started On: January 18th

Finished On: January 18th, 2:28 PM

Pages Read: 441

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

Prompt Fulfilled:  Title has J, Q, X, Z-X

Started On: January 21st, 2025 

Currently On: Page 0 of 554

Prompts Left: Want To Visit, Single POV, Rep, Nature, Backlist, Animal, New, Random Number, In Progress, Adapted, Colour Cover, Complete, Free, Big Book, People, Trilogy, Building, 5 Or More Books, Favorite Color, Multi POV, Small Book, Cozy, TBR Vet, Excited For, Finish, LGBTQIA+ Rep, Exactly 2 POVS, 6 Or More Colors, Title has J, Q, X, Z-J, Title has J, Q, X, Z-Q, Title has J, Q, X, Z-Z, Starts & Ends With Same Letter, 3 Or More POVS, Translate, In Progress, Wheel Spin 1, Wheel Spin 2, All 5 Vowels In Title, Series You Avoid 1, Series You Avoid 2, Finish A Series, BIPOC Rep, Last Letter First, Poll Pick, Disability Rep, Pub In Last 3 Months, TBR Vet By Pub Date, 5 Or More Books 1, 5 Or More Books 2, 5 Or More Books 3, 5 Or More Books 4, 5 Or More Books 5, Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 1 Book 1, Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 1 Book 2, Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 2 Book 1, Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 2 Book 2, Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 3 Book 1, 75% Cover Must Be Fav Color, Birthday Month, No If, Of, And, An, But, Or, The, Black & White Cover

Books Read: 1

Pages Read: 441

Phase Out Your TBR Update 6

So I've read my next book for the Phase Out Your TBR, and it was Death at the Highland Wedding which is for the prompt Yellow 10 and I'll be reading Sofi and the Bone Song next! 

My Reading Journey:

Archangel's Ascension by Nalini Singh

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 12

Started On: January 14th, 

Finished On: January 14th, 7:28 PM 

Pages Read: 416

The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 7

Started On: January 15th

Finished On: January 15th, 11:38 AM

Pages Read: 496

Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 4

Started On: January 16th

Finished On: January 16th, 8:41 PM

Pages Read: 368

The Warrior God by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 6

Started On: January 17th

Finished On: January 17th, 2:51 PM

Pages Read: 306

The Golden God by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 8

Started On: January 17th

Finished On: January 17th, 9:18 PM

Pages Read: 270

Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 10

Started On: January 18th

Finished On: January 18th, 2:28 PM

Pages Read: 441

Sofi and the Bone Song by Adrienne Tooley

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 7

Started On: January 

Currently On: Page 0 of 416

Prompts Left: Green 2, Green Wild (Green 4), Green 5, Green 9, Green 12, Red 6, Red 12, Red 12, Yellow 3, Yellow 5, Yellow 9, Blue 3, Blue 7, Green 7, Blue 11

Books Read: 6

Pages Read: 1801

Week 3 Reviews: The Warrior God, The Savage God, The Golden God

From Goodreads:

Anger management isn't so bad when your shrink is gorgeous. It's less great when you turn up to find him dead on the floor, and an armored giant dressed like a freaking ancient warrior standing over his body though.

Ares, the God of War, has lost his power and the only way for him to get it back? Me. Apparently, Im a goddess. One with the power of war. I mean, it does explain a lot.

To my relief, Joshua, my shrink and only friend, isn't really dead. He's been kidnapped and taken to Olympus—the world where I'm supposed to belong. I vow to do whatever it takes to find him. But Ares has other plans for me. He wants my power, and the easiest way for him to get it is to kill me.

When Hades suggests a compromise, I'm forced to work side-by-side with a giant, murderous warrior god. One with far too many secrets. Ares might be the brute everyone thinks he is, but I'm no angel. He awakens a power within me that I've failed to control my whole life.

And I soon discover that Joshua isn't the only one that needs saving.

From Goodreads:

In order to save my only friend's life, I am being forced to complete three Trials set by the Lords of War; Pain, Panic and Terror. And I have to work with the most arrogant, stubborn, untrustworthy jerk in Olympus to do so. Ares not only won't teach me how to use my powers, he also keeps trying to steal them. And he's crossed a line that should be unforgivable.

Something connects me to the brutish God of War though. Something more real than I've ever experienced in my life. There's more to him than he shows the world, and the more I fight alongside him, the deeper into his soul I can see. Which makes the betrayal so much worse.

He and my sphinx-shifter cat know more about who I am and where I came from than they're telling me. And in order to stay in the world of Olympus, a place where anything is possible and I'm no longer an outcast, I need to be able to use my magic.

For all my determination to save Joshua and learn to use my powers, an equal part of me needs to understand Ares. It's a part of me I simply can't seem to switch off. I need to know why I hear the drums of war when I look into his eyes, and why flames dance in his irises and my body utterly betrays me when he's near. And even more, I need to know if he feels the same.

The Savage God is the second book in the Ares Trials, which is intended for adults and is packed with magic, mythology and enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn soulmate romance!

From Goodreads:

I've made a few enemies in my time, but none as powerful, or spiteful, as the Goddess of Love.

Aphrodite's curse has turned Ares from the man I was falling in love with into a savage beast, crazed with blood-lust and desperate to steal my magic.

Worse, we still have one Trial left to complete in order to save my friend from a rogue Underworld demon, a Trial set by the spirit of Terror.

The more I see of Olympus, the more I feel I belong. I have a past here, and I know Ares is keeping secrets from me.

Is that enough to stop the bond between us flaring to life, to stop the need for him that burns through every nerve in my body?

As we battle against jealous gods and power hungry deities, vicious creatures and lethal landscapes, I'm going to find out just how much I'm willing to give up for this new, fierce passion for the Warrior God. I'm going to find out exactly what true love can do to a person, even one as rough around the edges as me.

But I'm also going to find out just how hard a heart can break.

The Golden God is the last book in the Ares Trials, which is intended for adults and is packed with magic, mythology and enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn soulmate romance!

My Review:


Authors: Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson 
Series: The Ares Trials #1, 2, 3
Read: January 17th, 17th, 17th, 2025
Source: Ebook.bike 
Reason Why: Love their writing and this world, and they're 2025 Retelling Reading Challenge 2025 Books and Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Books, and The Golden God is a End of Series 2025 Book!
Publisher: Logic in Creativity 
Published: October 2nd 2020, January 11th 2021, March 26th 2021

The Warrior God:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

The Savage God:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

The Golden God:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 3 Review: Threads That Bind

From Goodreads:

In a world where the children of the gods inherit their powers, a descendant of the Greek Fates must solve a series of impossible murders to save her sisters, her soulmate, and her city.

Descendants of the Fates are always born in threes: one to weave, one to draw, and one to cut the threads that connect people to the things they love and to life itself. The Ora sisters are no exception. Io, the youngest, uses her Fate-born abilities as a private investigator in the half-sunken city of Alante.

But her latest job leads her to a horrific discovery: somebody is abducting women, maiming their life-threads, and setting the resulting wraiths loose in the city to kill. To find the culprit, she must work alongside Edei Rhuna, the right hand of the infamous Mob Queen—and the boy with whom she shares a rare fate-thread linking them as soul mates before they've even met.

But the investigation turns personal when Io's estranged oldest sister turns up on the arm of her best suspect. Amid unveiled secrets from her past and her growing feelings for Edei, Io must follow clues through the city's darkest corners and unearth a conspiracy that involves some of the city's most powerful players—before destruction comes to her own doorstep.

My Review:


Author: Kika Hatzopoulou
Series: Threads That Bind #1
Read: January 16th, 2025
Source: Bought 
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's a 2025 Retelling Reading Challenge Book, DAC Book and a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book and a WTC Book! 
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: May 30th 2023

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 3 Review: Creeping Beauty

From Goodreads:

From the bestselling author of Anatomy of a Misfit comes a subversive and feminist take on Sleeping Beauty, sure to appeal to fans of Damsel and To Kill a Kingdom.

Bitsy is no one's ideal princess.

She's heard it all: that it's a shame she's so plain, so lacking in grace. That the best thing for her to do is simply wait (and wait some more), and hope some prince will grant her a happy ending.

Then Bitsy pricks her finger on a spindle and falls down, down, down.

Into a world where cutthroats and con artists are more common than curtsies. Where no one ages and everyone is beautiful. Where an inscrutable evil rests at its core.

A land where Bitsy's fate and her future are solely in her own hands—and neither are what she expects.

The dark and deadly world of Heartless meets the empowering twist of Cruel Beauty in this thrilling, unpredictable, multigenre retelling of one of the most beloved fairy tales: where instead of falling asleep to await her prince, this sleeping beauty finally wakes up.

My Review:


Author: Andrea Portes
Read: January 15th, 2025
Source: Edelweiss  
Reason Why: I enjoy her writing and it sounded really great, and it's a 2025 Retelling Reading Challenge Book, SAC 2025 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Harper Teen 
Published: August 22nd 2023

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 3 Review: The Last One

From Goodreads:

Explosive and enthralling romantasy debut from New York Times bestselling author Rachel Howzell Hall...

Thrown into a desolate land of sickness and unnatural beasts, Kai wakes in the woods with no idea who she is or how she got there. All she knows is that if she cannot reach the Sea of Devour, even this hellscape will get worse. But when she sees the village blacksmith fight invaders with unspeakable skill, she decides to accept his offer of help.

Too bad he’s as skilled at annoying her as he is at fighting.

As she searches for answers, Kai only finds more questions, especially regarding the blacksmith who can ignite her body like a flame, then douse it with ice in the next breath.

And no one is what—or who—they appear to be in the kingdom of Vinevridth, including the man whose secrets might be as deadly as the land itself.

My Review:


Author: Rachel Howzell Hall
Read: January 15th, 2025 
Source: Bought/Library
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's a SAC 2025 Book! 
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC (Red Tower Books)
Published: December 3rd 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 3 Review: Archangel's Ascension

From Goodreads:

Aodhan and Illium. Adi and Blue. Sparkle and Bluebell. Friends become lovers, their future a wild unknown.

Finally reunited in New York, they must now learn to navigate the monumental shift in their relationship. But for these two members of Archangel Raphael's legendary Seven, there is no time to rest. As they investigate a case for the Tower that echoes the darkness from Aodhan's past, they will be forced to confront not only the scars that mark them both, but the promise of a vast power that flickers in Illium.

The threat of ascension has haunted and troubled Aodhan's Blue for too long, the forces of change immutable and without mercy...and uncaring of Illium's fierce wish to remain part of the Seven. Change is a constant in an immortal's life, and this new horizon will bring with it both terrible heartbreak and a joy extraordinary enough to reverberate through time…

My Review:


Author: Nalini Singh
Series: Guild Hunter #17
Read: January 14th, 2025
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Berkley 
Expected Publication: May 6th 2025

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 3 Reviews: Life and Death, Midnight Sun

From Goodreads:
Celebrate the tenth anniversary of Twilight! This special double-feature book includes the classic novel, Twilight, and a bold and surprising reimagining, Life and Death, by Stephenie Meyer.

Packaged as an oversize, jacketed hardcover "flip book," this edition features nearly 400 pages of new content as well as exquisite new back cover art. Readers will relish experiencing the deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful love story of Bella and Edward through fresh eyes.

Twilight has enraptured millions of readers since its first publication in 2005 and has become a modern classic, redefining genres within young adult literature and inspiring a phenomenon that has had readers yearning for more. The novel was a #1 New York Times bestseller, a #1 USA Today bestseller, a Time magazine Best Young Adult Book of All Time, an NPR Best-Ever Teen Novel, and a New York Times Editor's Choice. The Twilight Saga, which also includes New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella, and The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide, has sold nearly 155 million copies worldwide.

From Goodreads:
When Edward Cullen and Bella Swan met in Twilight, an iconic love story was born. But until now, fans have heard only Bella's side of the story. At last, readers can experience Edward's version in the long-awaited companion novel, Midnight Sun.

This unforgettable tale as told through Edward's eyes takes on a new and decidedly dark twist. Meeting beautiful, mysterious Bella is both the most intriguing and unnerving event he has experienced in his long life as a vampire. As we learn more fascinating details about Edward's past and the complexity of his inner thoughts, we understand why this is the defining struggle of his life. How can he let himself fall in love with Bella when he knows that he is endangering her life?

In Midnight Sun, Stephenie Meyer transports us back to a world that has captivated millions of readers and, drawing on the classic myth of Hades and Persephone, brings us an epic novel about the profound pleasures and devastating consequences of immortal love.

My first review of Life and Death, Midnight Sun
My Review:



Author: Stephenie Meyer
Series: Twilight #1.5, 5
First Read: January1st, 2016, August 4th, 2020

Read: January 12th, 13th, 2025
Source: Own
Reason Why: Love this series, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Books!
Publisher: Little, Brown, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: October 6th 2015, August 4th 2020

Life and Death:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

MIdnight Sun:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 3 Review: The Wildest Things

From Goodreads:

In this sapphic Snow White retelling, if Snow is to save her kingdom from being ravaged by the Blight, she'll have to kill the Evil Queen's daughter…if she doesn't fall in love with her first.

When her glass coffin unexpectedly shatters, Snow White awakens to anything but a dream. The land is rotting. The animals have mutated. In the twenty years that have passed since Snow bit into the poisoned apple, the kingdom of Roanfrost has transformed from a luscious wild land to a blight-ravaged nightmare. In search of answers and a way to restore her kingdom to its former glory, Snow sets out on a dangerous journey that will test the strength she never knew she had.

Friends will become foes.

New alliances will form.

The Queen with the blood red lips will stop at nothing to seize her power as well as her heart.

If Snow has any chance to survive and restore not only her kingdom, but all of Garedenne, her only option is to become the Seasonkeeper and access the life-giving magic that will heal the plague. But the path to becoming the Seasonkeeper is more treacherous than she could ever imagine—because the wild things have awakened and Snow's darker impulses yearn to set them free.

My Review:


Author: Andrea Hannah 

Read: January 11th, 2025 
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: I enjoy her writing and it sounded really good, and it's a 2025 Retelling Reading Challenge Book and a SAC 2025 Book!
Publisher: Wednesday Books 
Expected Publication: February 25th 2025

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 3 Review: Grace and Fury

From Goodreads:

In a world where women have no rights, sisters Serina and Nomi Tessaro face two very different fates: one in the palace, the other in prison.

Serina has been groomed her whole life to become a Grace - someone to stand by the heir to the throne as a shining, subjugated example of the perfect woman. But when her headstrong and rebellious younger sister, Nomi, catches the heir's eye, it's Serina who takes the fall for the dangerous secret that Nomi has been hiding.

Now trapped in a life she never wanted, Nomi has only one way to save Serina: surrender to her role as a Grace until she can use her position to release her sister. This is easier said than done. A traitor walks the halls of the palace, and deception lurks in every corner. But Serina is running out of time, imprisoned on an island where she must fight to the death to survive and one wrong move could cost her everything.

My Review:


Author: Tracy Banghart
Series: Grace and Fury #1
Read: January 11th, 2025
Source: Bought 
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book!
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: July 31st 2018 

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Phase Out Your TBR Update 5

So I've read my next book for the Phase Out Your TBR, and it was The Golden God which is for the prompt Yellow 8 and I'll be reading Death at the Highland Wedding next! 

My Reading Journey:

Archangel's Ascension by Nalini Singh

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 12

Started On: January 14th, 

Finished On: January 14th, 7:28 PM 

Pages Read: 416

The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 7

Started On: January 15th

Finished On: January 15th, 11:38 AM

Pages Read: 496

Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 4

Started On: January 16th

Finished On: January 16th, 8:41 PM

Pages Read: 368

The Warrior God by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 6

Started On: January 17th

Finished On: January 17th, 2:51 PM

Pages Read: 306

The Golden God by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 8

Started On: January 17th

Finished On: January 17th, 9:18 PM

Pages Read: 270

Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 12

Started On: January 18th

Currently On: Page 0 of 441

Prompts Left: Green 2, Green Wild (Green 4), Green 5, Green 9, Green 12, Red 6, Red 7, Red 12, Yellow 3, Yellow 5, Yellow 9, Yellow 10, Blue 3, Blue 7, Green 7, Blue 11

Books Read: 5

Pages Read: 1360

Phase Out Your TBR Update 4

So I've read my next book for the Phase Out Your TBR, and it was The Warrior God which is for the prompt Green 6 and I'll be reading The Golden God next! 

My Reading Journey:

Archangel's Ascension by Nalini Singh

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 12

Started On: January 14th, 

Finished On: January 14th, 7:28 PM 

Pages Read: 416

The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 7

Started On: January 15th

Finished On: January 15th, 11:38 AM

Pages Read: 496

Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 4

Started On: January 16th

Finished On: January 16th, 8:41 PM

Pages Read: 368

The Warrior God by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 6

Started On: January 17th

Finished On: January 17th, 2:51 PM

Pages Read: 306

The Golden God by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 8

Started On: January 17th

Currently On: Page 0 of 270

Prompts Left: Green 2, Green Wild (Green 4), Green 5, Green 9, Green 12, Red 6, Red 7, Red 12, Red 12, Yellow 3, Yellow 5, Yellow 9, Yellow 10, Blue 3, Blue 7, Green 7, Blue 11

Books Read: 4

Pages Read: 1090

2025 Reviews

The Stolen Bride: Cover Reveal

Today we're getting the cover of The Stolen Bride by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe! And thanks to Naomi Lane for creating this cover!

Monthly ARC's Update 104

So I read my next book for Monthly ARC's and it was The Wildest Things by Andrea Hannah from the February list, and Creeping Beauty by Andrea Portes from the August 2023 list.

Here's the link to this month's post with my journey.

How it Works: 

This is my monthly ARC accountability challenge, to list out the books that I have as ARC's that are being published in the coming month, rounding them up at the start of the month, and seeing how well I did at the end, as well as rounding up the next month's books.    

   

25 Books to Read in 2025 Update 1

So I read my first book for the 25 Books to Read in 2025 Challenge! 

So I read Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart  from the Physical list!

Yep. Happy reading!

Here's the link to this year's post with my journey.

But to recap, I wanted to do a version of These Books Will Self Destruct in 12 months without the self destruct. I wanted to read books that I've had for a while, that I really needed to get read, but maybe I forgot about them or that I had them. So I made 2 lists, one for each way I have them, as physical books, and as ARC's, half from NetGalley, and half from Edelweiss.

Book Blogger Hop #380, January 17th

Book Blogger Hop

The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer from Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended on December 31, 2012. With Jennifer's permission, Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer relaunched the meme on February 15, 2013. Check out the hop here! 

Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end on Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop's purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.

The Question of the week is:  Have you participated in Sheila's FIRST BOOK OF THE YEAR? (https://bookjourney.net/) (submitted by Elizabeth @ Silver's Review)

Nope, I have no clue what that is. And I'm still not sure, but I think I have an idea, because of the name. What about you guys? Happy reading! 

First Lines Friday #714, January 17th

First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. We encourage all of our fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

-Grab your current read(s)
-Share the first line(s)
-Include the title and author so that other FLF participants can add the book to their TBR Lists!

"'Bella, please, put me down.' I barely heard the words over the blood pounding in my ears. But I knew the voice. 'Bella, I’d really, really appreciate it if you could just let go of my neck.' The red mist was making my vision cloudy, obscuring the man in front of me, who was pinned to the wall by my hand across his throat."-The Warrior God by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson

Well, that sounds pretty intense! Must read more now! What about you guys? Happy reading!