2018 Reviews

What I Wanted to Read in 2018

Yeah, this year was pretty similar to last year, I only scheduled what I though I could read (though I overestimated my reading capability!) and didn't really add books that I'd done in previous weeks. So it was a pretty decent reading year and I enjoyed it! So here's the books that I wanted to read in 2018:

Week 52:
Belly Up by Eve Darrows, Down Time by Barry Lyga, Lucky Day by Barry Lyga, Career Day by Barry Lyga, Neutral Mask by Barry Lyga, Blood Boy by Barry Lyga, I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga, Game by Barry Lyga, Blood of My Blood by Barry Lyga

Week 51:
Crucible by James Rollins, The Deepest Blue by Sarah Beth Durst, No Good Deed by Goldy Moldavsky, The Similars by Rebecca Hanover, This Scot of Mine by Sophie Jordan, Valkyrie Symptoms by Ingrid Paulson, Valkyrie Rising by Ingrid Paulson

Week 50:
Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch, Alien Tango by Gini Koch, Alien in the Family by Gini Koch, Alien Proliferation by Gini Koch, Universal Alien by Gini Koch, Fractured Magic by Emily Bybee

Week 49:
The Darkest Captive by Gena Showalter, Dead as a Door Knocker by Diane Kelly, High Reward by Brenna Aubrey, In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan, Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn, Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn, Kitty Takes a Holiday by Carrie Vaughn, Kitty and the Silver Bullet by Carrie Vaughn, Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand by Carrie Vaughn, Kitty Raises Hell by Carrie Vaughn, Kitty's House of Horrors by Carrie Vaughn, Kitty Goes to War by Carrie Vaughn, Kitty's Big Trouble by Carrie Vaughn, Kitty Steals the Show by Carrie Vaughn, Kitty Rocks the House by Carrie Vaughn, Kitty in the Underworld by Carrie Vaughn, Low Midnight by Carrie Vaughn, Kitty Saves the World by Carrie Vaughn, Spartan Promise by Jennifer Estep, Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch

Week 48:
No Place Like Oz by Danielle Paige, The Witch Must Burn by Danielle Paige, The Wizard Returns by Danielle Paige, Heart of Tin by Danielle Paige, The Straw King by Danielle Paige, Ruler of Beasts by Danielle Paige, Order of the Wicked by Danielle Paige, Dark Side of the Rainbow by Danielle Paige, The Queen of Oz by Danielle Paige, Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige, The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige, Yellow Brick War by Danielle Paige, The End of Oz by Danielle Paige, Hallow be the Haunt by Heather Graham, Fade to Black by Heather Graham, Pale as Death by Heather Graham, Echoes of Evil by Heather Graham, Haunted Be the Holidays by Heather Graham

Week 47:
Dragonshadow by Elle Katherine White, The Queen's Resistance by Rebecca Ross

Week 46:
Four Three Two One by Courtney Stevens, Seriously Hexed by Tina Connolly, Your Own Worst Enemy by Jack Gordon

Week 45:
The Dirt on the Ninth Grave by Darynda Jones, The Curse of Tenth Grave by Darynda Jones, A Very Charley Christmas by Darynda Jones, The Moonlight on the Eleventh Grave by Darynda Jones, The Trouble With the Twelfth Grave by Darynda Jones, Summoned to the Thirteenth Grave by Darynda Jones, The Dragon Tamer by Ava Richardson, Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Week 44:

Beautiful Sinner by Sophie Jordan, First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones, For I Have Sinned by Darynda Jones, Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones, Third Grave Dead Ahead by Darynda Jones, Forth Grave Beneath My Feet by Darynda Jones, Fifth Grave Past the Light by Darynda Jones, Shimmer by Darynda Jones, Glow by Darynda Jones, Sixth Grave on the Edge by Darynda Jones, Seventh Grave and No Body by Darynda Jones, Eighth Grave After Dark by Darynda Jones, Brighter Than the Sun by Darynda Jones, The Long Paw of the Law by Diane Kelly, Shades of Wicked by Jeaniene Frost

Week 43:

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas, Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas, Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas, Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas, Superheroes Anonymous by Lexie Dunne, Supervillains Anonymous by Lexie Dunne, How to Save the World by Lexie Dunne, #HeroFail by Lexie Dunne, One Giant Leap by Heather Kaczynski, This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kheryn Callender

Week 42:

The Assassin and the Pirate Lord by Sarah J. Maas, The Assassin and the Healer by Sarah J. Maas, The Assassin and the Desert by Sarah J. Maas, The Assassin and the Underworld by Sarah J. Maas, The Assassin and the Empire by Sarah J. Maas, The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas, Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas, Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas, Evermore by Sara Holland, Kiss Collector by Wendy Higgins

Week 41:
Broken Things by Lauren Oliver, The Healer by Donna Freitas, Origin by Dan Brown, Sawhill Girls by Claire Legrande, Thief of Cahraman by Lucy Tempest, What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

Week 39:

Give the Dark My Love by Beth Revis, Hidden by Rebecca Zanetti, Time's Convert by Deborah Harkness

Week 38:

Dare You to Lie by Amber Lynn Natusch, For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig, Pride by Ibi Zoboi, Vampires Like it Hot by Lynsay Sands

Week 37:

Dangerously Driven by Deborah Blake, The Deepest Roots by Miranda Asebedo, Dragon Claw by Karen Chance, Flying by Carrie Jones, Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare, Real Murders by Charlaine Harris

Week 36:

Buzz Kill by Beth Fantaskey, Carry On by Rainbow Rowell, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, Leverage in Death by J.D. Robb, Night and Silence by Seanan McGuire, Suffer a Sea-Change by Seanan McGuire, Part of Your World by Liz Braswell, This is How it Happened by Paula Stokes, A Willing Murder by Jude Deveraux

Week 35:

The Gypsy King by Maureen Fergus, Magic Triumphs by Ilona Andrews, One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus, Stygian by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Welcome to the Dark House by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Week 34 Review:

Access Restricted by Gregory Scott Katsoulis, The Blood Spell by C.J. Redwine, The Darkest Star by Jennifer L. Armentrout, Gamescape: Overworld by Emma Trevayne, Hidden Pieces by Paula Stokes, The Truth Lies Here by Lindsey Klingele, The Wrong Highlander by Lynsay Sands

Week 33:

Consumed by J.R. Ward, Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter, The Prince by Jennifer L. Armentrout, A Spark of White Fire by Sangu Mandanna, Tear Me Apart by J.T. Ellison, This Cruel Design by Emily Suvada, Wild Hunger by Chloe Neill

Week 32:

Flesh and Blood by Kristen Painter, Bad Blood by Kristen Painter, Out for Blood by Kristen Painter, Last Blood by Kristen Painter, Dreamfall by Amy Plum, Neverwake by Amy Plum, Heretics Anonymous by Katie Henry, The Looking Glass by Janet McNally, The Other Side of Lost by Jessi Kirby, These Rebel Waves by Sara Raasch

Week 31:
The Fixed Stars by Seanan McGuire, A Red-Rose Chain by Seanan McGuire, Once Broken Faith by Seanan McGuire, Dreams and Slumbers by Seanan McGuire, The Brightest Fell by Seanan McGuire, Of Things Unknown by Seanan McGuire, The Girl You Though I Was by Rebecca Phillips, How We Learned to Lie by Meredith Miller, Lake Silence by Anne Bishop, Sea Witch by Sarah Henning

Week 30:
Dare Mighty Things by Heather Kaczynski, The Potion Diaries by Amy Alward, Royal Tour by Amy Alward, Going Viral by Amy Alward, Legacy of Light by Sarah Raughley, Zero Hour by Kate Kessler

Week 29:
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers, Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers, Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers, Long May She Reign by Rhiannon Thomas

Week 28:
In Rides Trouble by Julie Ann Walker, Kiss of Midnight by Lara Adrian, Nine by Zach Hines, Scream All Night by Derek Milman, When Blood Calls by J.K. Beck

Week 27:
Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine, Smoke and Iron by Rachel Caine, A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness, Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness, The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness, The Disasters by M.K. England, Heart of Thorns by Bree Barton, This Splintered Silence by Kayla Olson

Week 26:
The Darkest Warrior by Gena Showalter, Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews, Moonshadow by Thea Harrison, Spellbinder by Thea Harrison, Now You See Her by Lisa Leighton and Laura Stropki, Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa, Wild Blue Wonder by Carlie Sorosiak, 99 Lies by Rachel Vincent

Week 25:
Swamp Bones by Kathy Reichs, Bones Never Lie by Kathy Reichs, Bones on Ice by Kathy Reichs, Speaking in Bones by Kathy Reichs, Night's Honor by Thea Harrison, Midnight's Kiss by Thea Harrison, Dragos Goes to Washington by Thea Harrison, Pia Does Hollywood by Thea Harrison, Shadow's End by Thea Harrison, Liam Takes Manhattan by Thea Harrison, Dragos Meets Stinkypot by Thea Harrison, The Chosen by Thea Harrison, Planet Dragos by Thea Harrison, #MurderTrending by Gretchen McNeil

Week 24:
Bones are Forever by Kathy Reichs, Bones in her Pocket by Kathy Reichs, Bones of the Lost by Kathy Reichs, Origins by Taran Matharu, A Fine Welcoming by Taran Matharu, The Novice by Taran Matharu, A Flicker in the Clarity by Amy McNamara, Serpent's Heart by Thea Harrison

Week 23:
Nothing Planned!

Week 22:
Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore, The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow, The Swan Riders by Erin Bow, Spider Bones by Kathy Reichs, 9 Bodies Rolling by Stephanie Bond

Week 21:
Aftermath by Kelley Armstrong, Face Off by Brenda Novak, Simply Unforgettable by Mary Balogh, Simply Love by Mary Balogh, Simply Magic by Mary Balogh, Simply Perfect by Mary Balogh

Week 20:
All of This Is True by Lygia Day Peñaflor, Queen Song by Victoria Aveyard, Steel Scars by Victoria Aveyard, Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard, Harvest Song by Yasmine Galenorn, Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

Week 19:
Death Doesn't Bargain by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Puddin' by Julie Murphy, Strange New World by Rachel Vincent, Star-Touched Stories by Roshani Chokshi, 206 Bones by Kathy Reichs

Week 18:
Beauty by Lisa Jensen, Black Star Renegades by Michael Moreci, A Court of Night and Frost by Sarah J. Maas, Devil Bones by Kathy Reichs, Endless Water, Starless Sky by Rosamond Hodge

Week 17:
Before We Were Strangers by Brenda Novak, From the Earth to the Shadows by Amanda Hocking, Inferno by Julie Kagawa

Week 16:
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon, Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs, Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik, Tongues of Serpents by Naomi Novik, Crucible of Gold by Naomi Novik, Shadowsong by S. Jae-Jones

Week 15:
Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody, Beyond a Darkened Shore by Jessica Leake, Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs, Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik, The Kept Woman by Karin Slaughter, Notes from My Captivity by Kathy Parks, What Are You Afraid Of? by Alexandra Ivy, The Wild Dead by Carrie Vaughn

Week 14:
Vici by Naomi Novik, Feast and Famine by Naomi Novik, Black Powder War by Naomi Novik, Blood Guard by Megan Erickson, Blood Veil by Megan Erickson, Defy the Worlds by Claudia Gray

Week 13:
Cross Bones by Kathy Reichs, Dread Nation by Justina Ireland, Dwarves of Calcus by Katie Hamstead, Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter, The Proposal by Meg Cabot, Remembrance by Meg Cabot, Shadow Keeper by Christine Feehan, Winter Glass by Lexa Hillyer

Week 12:
The Black Parade by Kyoto M, Fallen by Karin Slaughter, Snatched by Karin Slaughter, Criminal by Karin Slaughter, The Heart Forger by Rin Chupeco, Here So Far Away by Hadley Dyer, Monday Mourning by Kathy Reichs, Princess of Tyrone by Katie Hamstead, Myths of Mish by Katie Hamstead

Week 11:
Bare Bones by Kathy Reichs, Blaze Erupting by Rebecca Zanetti, Winter Igniting by Rebecca Zanetti, Broken by Karin Slaughter, Dangerously Fierce by Deborah Blake, Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, Time Bomb by Joelle Charbonneau

Week 10:
Burn Bright by Patricia Briggs, Four of a Kind by Kate Kessler, Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs, High Voltage by Karen Marie Moning, Lake Silence by Anne Bishop, Our Dark Stars by Audrey Grey and Krystal Wade, Undone by Karin Slaughter

Week 9:
Wandfasted by Laurie Forest, The Black Witch by Laurie Forest, Fatal Voyage by Kathy Reichs, Find You in the Dark by Nathan Ripley, Fractured by Karin Slaughter, Inkmistress by Audrey Coulthurst, The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst, Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Week 8:
All Out Anthology, Break Us by Jennifer Brown, This Tiny Perfect World by Lauren Gibaldi, The Tombs by Deborah Schaumberg, Where I Live by Brenda Rufener

Week 7:
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, Hamilton and Peggy! by L.M. Elliott

Week 6:
Beyond Reach by Karin Slaughter, Deadly Décisions by Kathy Reichs, Solider by Julie Kagawa, The Traitor Prince by C.J. Redwine, The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

Week 5:
Dark in Death by J.D. Robb, Death du Jour by Kathy Reichs, The Grift of the Magi by Ally Carter, This Fallen Prey by Kelley Armstrong, Triptych by Karin Slaughter

Week 4:
Blood Kiss by J.R. Ward, Faithless by Karin Slaughter, The Highlander's Promise by Lynsay Sands, Mask Beneath Her Face by Rafael Chandler

Week 3:
Cold Hard Truth by Anne Greenwood Brown, My Plain Jane by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows, Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

Week 2:
Death Island by Kelsey Ketch, Final Fall by Heather W. Petty

Week 1:
Before She Ignites by Jodi Meadows, Deacon Locke Goes to Prom by Brian Katcher, Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider, Like a River Glorious by Rae Carson, Meet Me Here by Bryan Bliss, Radio Silence by Alice Oseman, Talon by Julie Kagawa, This Darkness Mine by Mindy McGinnis

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #395, December 31st

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 #394
Teaser Tuesday #402
WWW Wednesday #402
WOW #398
Will the Time Come #395
Third Sentence Thursday #385
Random Reads #371
First Lines Friday #398
The Reward Challenge Update #380
Book Blogger Hop #64
How Well I Stuck to It #232
Wrote that Review Update #229

Week 52 Reviews:
The Deepest Blue
Belly Up
Slayer
Down Time
Lucky Day
Career Day
Neutral Mask
Blood Boy
I Hunt Killers
Game
Blood of My Blood

OK, so I got 16 posts in 7 days, What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read Tempting Danger, Mortal Danger, Blood Lines, Night Season, Good Counsel, Cyncerely Yours, Mortal Sins, Human Nature, Blood Magic, Blood Challenge, Death Magic, Mortal Ties, Ritual Magic, Originally Human, and Inhuman.

Wrote that Review Update #229, December 30th

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 The Deepest Blue, Belly Up, Slayer, Down Time, Lucky Day, Career Day, Neutral Mask, Blood Boy, I Hunt Killers, Game, Blood of My Blood so I have 4 of 4 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 #232, December 30th

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 1:
Tempting Danger by Eileen Wilks, Mortal Danger by Eileen Wilks, Blood Lines by Eileen Wilks, Night Season by Eileen Wilks, Good Counsel by Eileen Wilks, Cyncerely Yours by Eileen Wilks, Mortal Sins by Eileen Wilks, Human Nature by Eileen Wilks, Blood Magic by Eileen Wilks, Blood Challenge by Eileen Wilks, Death Magic by Eileen Wilks, Mortal Ties by Eileen Wilks, Ritual Magic by Eileen Wilks, Originally Human by Eileen Wilks, Inhuman by Eileen Wilks

Tour Books: NA.

Review Books: NA.

NetGalley: NA.

Edelweiss: NA.

Meme Books: NA.

Rereads: 15. Check.

New Books: NA.

Yeah, it's a pretty good week, I love her writing and this series, so I can't wait to reread it!

Week 52:
Belly Up by Eve Darrows, Down Time by Barry Lyga, Lucky Day by Barry Lyga, Career Day by Barry Lyga, Neutral Mask by Barry Lyga, Blood Boy by Barry Lyga, I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga, Game by Barry Lyga, Blood of My Blood by Barry Lyga

vs.

The Deepest Blue by Sarah Beth Durst, Belly Up by Eve Darrows, Slayer by Kiersten White, Down Time by Barry Lyga, Lucky Day by Barry Lyga, Career Day by Barry Lyga, Neutral Mask by Barry Lyga, Blood Boy by Barry Lyga, I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga, Game by Barry Lyga, Blood of My Blood by Barry Lyga

Yeah, I read all that I wanted to read! Plus 2 or so more, so yeah, I'm happy with this week! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Week 52 Reviews: Down Time, Lucky Day, Career Day, Neutral Day, Blood Boy, I Hunt Killers, Game, Blood of My Blood

From Goodreads:
Billy Dent is the world's most notorious serial killer, but even killers need to go on vacation sometimes. When a mysterious death occurs in the hotel where Billy is staying, his "job" seems to call. Will his vacation truly be down time for him after all?

In this prequel novella to the I Hunt Killers trilogy, bestselling author Barry Lyga crafts a creepy, intricately plotted mystery.

From Goodreads:
This is the story of the small town sheriff who captured one of the world's most ruthless and cunning murderers.

It all started with Dead Girl #1 and Dead Girl #2, the first killings in the sleepy town of Lobo's Nod in decades. Two murders: just a coincidence, or something more sinister? One thing's for sure -- it was definitely inconvenient in a year when Sheriff G. William Tanner, a mourning widower, had to run for reelection.

With a trail gone cold, it's only luck that links the murders to the most notorious serial killer in memory. And in a town like Lobo's Nod, the killer must be someone Tanner already knows....

From Goodreads:
You're seventeen years old and your father is the most notorious serial killer America has ever produced.

He brought you up. Taught you everything he knows. Everyone in your ordinary American town knows who you are. So even though Dear Old Dad is safely behind bars, when the killing starts all over again, you are the first person the police come to see.

They don't know whether it's nature or nurture. And neither do you.

From Goodreads:
Connie is the new girl in town, but she already has friends...and maybe even a boyfriend. Her father isn't happy that Connie is dating a white boy like Jasper Dent, and things get even worse when she realizes that Jasper is the son of Billy Dent, one of the world's most notorious serial killers! This is the story of how Connie and Jazz overcame their early troubles and fell in love.

From Goodreads:
Fan-favorite character Howie Gersten — Jazz Dent's hemophiliac best friend from the I HUNT KILLERS series — finally gets a story all his own! Set one year before the events of the series, "Blood Boy" takes you inside Howie's hilariously twisted mind for one night only. Enjoy Halloween as only Howie can, learn more about his relationship with Jazz and Connie…and discover exactly what it is he's keeping a secret from both of them.

From Goodreads:
What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?

Jasper "Jazz" Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say.

But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could—from the criminal's point of view.

And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod.

In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret—could he be more like his father than anyone knows?

From Goodreads:
Billy grinned. "Oh, New York," he whispered. "We're gonna have so much fun."

I Hunt Killers introduced the world to Jazz, the son of history's most infamous serial killer, Billy Dent.

In an effort to prove murder didn't run in the family, Jazz teamed with the police in the small town of Lobo's Nod to solve a deadly case. And now, when a determined New York City detective comes knocking on Jazz's door asking for help, he can't say no. The Hat-Dog Killer has the Big Apple–and its police force–running scared. So Jazz and his girlfriend, Connie, hop on a plane to the big city and get swept up in a killer's murderous game.

From Goodreads:
Jazz Dent has never been closer to catching his father.

Jazz has been shot and left to die in New York. His girlfriend, Connie, is in the clutches of Jazz's monstrous father, Billy--the world's most notorious serial killer. And his best friend, Howie, is bleeding to death on the floor of Jazz's new home. 

Somehow, these three must rise above the horrors and find a way to come together in pursuit of Billy. 

But then Jazz crosses a line he's never crossed before, and soon the entire country is wondering: "Like father, like son? Who is the true monster?"

From New York City to the small town of Lobo's Nod, the chase is on, and this time, Jazz is the hunted, not the hunter--while Billy Dent lurks in the shadows. 

And beyond Billy? Something much, much worse. Prepare to meet...the Crow King.

From acclaimed author Barry Lyga comes the shocking conclusion to the bestselling I Hunt Killer trilogy.

My first review of Career Day, I Hunt Killers, Game
My Review:
I really enjoyed reading these books again! And then getting to read the end of the trilogy, yeah, that was really fantastic! The idea of a son of a serial killer using his knowledge to investigate crimes, yeah, it's a fantastic concept!

It was very interesting to read the short stories set before the main trilogy. Like, we learn about Jazz's mom in Down Time, which makes it easier to accept what we learned in Game, and the events that happen in Blood of My Blood. I also really enjoyed being in Connie and Howie's heads!

I remembered some of the big twists in I Hunt Killers and Game, like their drama teacher became a victim, and that there was the Hat killer and the Dog killer. But reading these books again, yeah, it was so fantastic!

Blood of My Blood, I was really excited to read, because yeah, the ending of Game was just evil! So much happened, and it was great to have those cliffhangers resolved, but there was still all the crimes that Jazz was committing. Oh, and the big reveals that came, like who the Crow King was! So good to read!

Loved this series so much, it was such a great read!

Author: Barry Lyga
Series: I Hunt Killers #0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 1, 2, 3
First Read: October 27th, 27th, 28th, 2013
Read: December 23rd, 24th, 24th, 24th, 24th, 24th, 27th, 27th, 2018
Source: Ebook.bike, Own, Library
Reason Why: Rereading! And they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Books! And Blood of My Blood is a End of Series 2018 Book, RR Book, WoW Book, and a WTC Book!
Publisher: Hachette, Little, Brown and Company, Barry Lyga, Barry Lyga LLC
Published: August 7th 2018, April 1st 2014, March 16th 2012, August 20th 2013, August 27th 2014, April 3rd 2012, April 16th 2013, September 9th 2014

Down Time:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Lucky Day:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Career Day:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Neutral Day:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Blood Boy:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

I Hunt Killers:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Game:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Blood of My Blood:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 52 Review: Slayer

From Goodreads:
From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes a brand-new series set in the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer that introduces a new Slayer as she grapples with the responsibility of managing her incredible powers that she's just beginning to understand.

Into every generation a Slayer is born…

Nina and her twin sister, Artemis, are far from normal. It’s hard to be when you grow up at the Watcher's Academy, which is a bit different from your average boarding school. Here teens are trained as guides for Slayers—girls gifted with supernatural strength to fight the forces of darkness. But while Nina's mother is a prominent member of the Watcher’s Council, Nina has never embraced the violent Watcher lifestyle. Instead she follows her instincts to heal, carving out a place for herself as the school medic.

Until the day Nina's life changes forever.

Thanks to Buffy, the famous (and infamous) Slayer that Nina’s father died protecting, Nina is not only the newest Chosen One—she's the last Slayer, ever. Period.

As Nina hones her skills with her Watcher-in-training, Leo, there's plenty to keep her occupied: a monster fighting ring, a demon who eats happiness, a shadowy figure that keeps popping up in Nina's dreams…

But it's not until bodies start turning up that Nina's new powers will truly be tested—because someone she loves might be next.

One thing is clear: Being Chosen is easy. Making choices is hard.

My Review:
This book was so great to read! I've seen Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but only once, and that was a few years back. I've also watched Angel, but this is the only non-tv show media that I've experienced. And yeah, it was so freaking good!

One thing that I love is that this isn't about Buffy, really. She has a few brief appearances, but this book is about Nina and the Watchers that are the only ones left. Of course, there's a prophecy about Nina and Artemis, but they don't know that at first.

Nina isn't valued by the older generation of Watchers. She's a healer, not a fighter, and Watchers are big on measured thinking, and then removing the threat. Not so much on healing. That she turns out to be a Slayer, yeah, that really rocks the boat!

That ending, oh! To know who was the bad guy, yeah, that was a big twist! But there was also the hidden threat, and we find out who it is, and wow, it's so shocking! I can't wait to see how things are going to play out!

Loved reading this book, and I'm really excited for the sequel!

Author: Kiersten White
Series: Slayer #1
Read: December 23rd, 2018
Source: NetGalley
Reason Why: Love her writing and it sounds so great, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Expected Publication: January 8th 2019

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 52 Review: Belly Up

From Goodreads:
There's a first time for everything.

First time playing quarters. 

First time spinning the bottle.

First totally hot consensual truck hookup with a superhot boy whose digits I forgot to get. 

First time getting pregnant.

Surprised you with that one, didn't I?

Surprised me, too. I’d planned to spend senior year with my bestie-slash-wifey, Devi Abrams, graduating at the top of my class and getting into an Ivy League college. Instead, Mom and I are moving in with my battle-ax of a grandmother and I'm about to start a new school and a whole new life.

Know what's more fun than being the new girl for your senior year? Being the pregnant new girl. It isn't awesome. There is one upside, though—a boy named Leaf Leon. He's cute, an amazing cook and he's flirting me up, hard-core. Too bad I'm knocked up with a stranger's baby. I should probably mention that to him at some point.

But how?

It seems I've got a lot more firsts to go. 

My Review:
This book was a lot of fun to read! I loved Sara's voice! This book was a honest telling of teen aged pregnancy, of some of the kinda gross things that happen, and the realities of her situation. I loved how she had the support of her mom and her best friend!

Sara was a fantastic narrator! If you enjoy the voice like in the synopsis above (there's another synopsis, but I like this one better) then you'll like this book. Then there's the fact that her mom's side of the family is Scandinavian, and her dad's side of the family is Latino. So she's torn between those two worlds while not fully belonging to either. Which isn't fun!

I really enjoyed Leaf and his friends who become Sara's friends. Yeah for diversity, because he's Roma, and his cultural treatment of food was an interesting part of this book. It wasn't all about her pregnancy! His reaction to her pregnancy and her reaction to his reaction made for great reading!

The relationships in this book were really great and realistic! Sara's with her mom, with her grandmother, with her best friend, with Leaf, with the baby's dad, yeah. They were a great base of this book, and I loved reading about them!

Loved reading this book and it was a really great book!

Author: Eva Darrows
Read: December 22nd, 2018
Source: NetGalley
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's a SAC 2018 Book!
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Expected Publication: April 30th 2019

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 52 Review: The Deepest Blue

From Goodreads:
The natural magic of the classic The Island of the Blue Dolphins meets the danger and courage of The Hunger Games in this dazzling, intricate stand-alone fantasy novel set in award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst's beloved world of Renthia.

Life is precious and precarious on the islands of Belene. Besieged by a capricious ocean full of malicious spirits, the people of the islands seek joy where they can. Mayara, one of the island's fearless oyster divers, has found happiness in love. But on the day of her wedding to the artist Kelo, a spirit-driven storm hits the island with deadly force.

To save her loved ones, Mayara reveals a dangerous secret: she has the power to control the spirits. When the storm ends, she is taken into custody by the queen's soldiers and imprisoned with other women like her.

They vary in age and social status, but to many they are heroes who will aide the country or witches that will sacrifice themselves trying. No matter who they are, the women are sent to a terrifying place—an island filled with bloodthirsty nature spirits, and left without food, water, shelter, or any tools except their own instincts and magic. Whoever survives the Island of Testing will be declared heirs to the queen. But no matter if she wins or loses, Mayara knows that the life she dreamed of is gone.

My Review:
Oh, wow, this book was just so amazing! I loved reading it so much! I just devoured it! It is set in the same world, but it was in a different country, as well as a pretty much brand new cast of characters! Everything was just so fantastic to read!

The whole system that Belene uses is different that the one in the previous books, with teachers and such. There's the testing to become an heir on the island, before which is a very rock and hard place choice. Basically, not the system you'd want to be a part of. But they don't have a choice, because Belene is different from the other countries.

I really enjoyed Mayara, she was a fantastic character, she just wanted to have her quiet life with her artist love. But her power is discovered and then we get to have a few plot lines, which start to weave together as the book goes on, and were so great to read!

With the events of this book, the rules that were governing them change. Because they fight for that change. There are some heartbreaks, and it's a very unexpected ending, but it's one that I enjoyed reading immensely!

This book was so great, I loved reading it, and I would love to read more!

Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Series: The Queens of Renthia #4
Read: December 22nd, 2018
Source: Edelweiss
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Expected Publication: March 19th 2019

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Book Blogger Hop #64, December 28th

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, I 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: Do you get any books for Christmas? If so, name the titles. (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

No. My family won't support my addiction :( But I did get money that I'll spend on books, because sales! What about you guys? Happy reading!

The Reward Challenge Update #380, December 28th

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 The Deepest Blue which counts 4 times as a Edelweiss Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Book and a WoW Book, Belly Up which counts 3 times as a NetGalley Book and a SAC 2018 Book, Slayer which counts 3 times as a NetGalley Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Book and a WoW Book, Down Time which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Book, Lucky Day which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Book, Career Day which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Book, Neutral Mask which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Book, Blood Boy which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Book, I Hunt Killers which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Book, Game which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Book, Blood of My Blood which counts 6 times as a End of Series 2018 Book, RR Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Book, WoW Book, and a WTC Book.

So I have 30 counts which translates to $15 this week! I'll use it to buy books!

First Lines Friday #398, December 28th

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!

No lines today, just not really reading today, I'm mostly sleeping! Sleep! Needs it! What about you guys? Happy reading!

Random Reads #371, December 27th

Random Reads is a monthly meme (that I'm going to do weekly) hosted by I'm Loving Books to read some books that have been on our TBR piles for a long time. Using Random.org, I got 592 which turned out to be Black Hills by Nora Roberts! It's been on my TBR pile since June 14th, 2011, and I added it because I love her writing! Happy reading! 

Third Sentence Thursday #385, December 27th

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme which likes to watch fireworks especially while eating a cookie!

1) Take the book you are currently reading and open it to a random page. Share the third full sentence on that page. (If there isn't a third one – like at the end of a chapter or a blank page – you can share the third sentence of the book or just choose another random page.) Feel free to share more than one sentence, if you feel the need to do so.

2) Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)

3) Post a link to your sentence at Words I Write Crazy (This Blog)

4) Visit one or two of the other blogs to check out their third sentences!

"There was an ambulance parked near the gate into the facility, as well as well as several NYPD cruisers." -Blood of My Blood by Barry Lyga, page 99.

OK, yeah, that doesn't sound very good! And knowing how things were left in the last book, there's a few different situations that this could about!

What are your guy's 3rd lines? Link up below!