Showing posts with label B.B. Alston. Show all posts
Showing posts with label B.B. Alston. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Waiting on Wednesday #768, January 28th

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating!

Trust No One by James Rollins 
Expected Publication: February 24th, 2026
From Goodreads:
From the #1 New York Times bestselling master of international intrigue comes a shocking new stand-alone thriller that thrusts a group of university students, falsely accused of murder, into a treacherous hunt across Europe, all to unlock the secrets buried within a centuries-old book that could change humankind forever.

Knowledge can be magic—until it falls into the wrong hands.

The ritualistic murder of a British professor at the University of Exeter points to a startling cast of  his own students. All are enrolled in a postgraduate program covering the history of witchcraft, folklore, and spiritualism.

All evidence points to Sharyn Karr—an American student. Prior to the professor’s death, he had thrust a centuries-old book upon her. It appears to be the handwritten and encrypted diary of an eighteenth-century mystic and occultist, the Comte de Saint-Germain. The professor begged her to keep the text safe, ending with a warning.

Trust no one.  

Such a responsibility forces her into cooperation with Duncan Maxwell, a fellow postgrad and the sixteenth in line to the British Crown. Already, Duncan has proven himself a savant with encryptions. Unfortunately, the pair clash at every level, but they both need one another. Especially when they discover the book’s opening   Herein lies the secret to my immortality. Come find me, if you dare.

As dark forces close upon the pair, she and her friends are forced to flee, pursued by law enforcement and hunted by a powerful cabal. In an explosive chase across Europe—from the Tower of London to Parisian chateaus to a fortress in the Italian Alps—Sharyn must learn the true secret hidden in Saint-Germain’s text. It will send her and the others across history and deep into the heart of one of the world’s greatest mysteries, a secret buried at the roots of Western Civilization, a discovery that could topple empires and change humanity forever.

For what lies at the end of Saint-Germain’s diary is as shocking as its opening words.

The Girls Before by Kate Alice Marshall
Expected Publication: February 24th, 2026
From Goodreads:
From the bestselling author of What Lies in the Woods, No One Can Know, and A Killing Cold, a new novel about a search & rescue expert, a kidnapped woman, and the lost girls who haunt them both.

There is a girl in a basement.
The door has stopped opening.
The light is gone.

Stranger is trapped in the dark, with only her imagination and the scribbles on the wall left by long-dead girls to keep her company. Nearly out of food and water, she makes one last attempt to escape. But if the door opens at last, will it mean salvation, or only the beginning of her fight to survive?

Audrey is a search and rescue expert who never stopped looking for her best friend, Janie, who disappeared when they were teenagers. Janie used to love the local legend of a forest witch who saves girls from bad men, but Audrey knows now that for every one saved, there's always another one lost.

When she stumbles upon evidence in the forest that a teenage runaway might have actually been kidnapped from land belonging to the town's most prominent family, she must dig through decades of secrets to reveal the biggest one of what happened to the girls before?

A Rose of Blood and Binding by Claire Legrand
Expected Publication: February 24th, 2026
From Goodreads:
New York Times bestselling author of Furyborn, Claire Legrand, delights in this thrilling conclusion to the steamy, lush, and epic Middlemist trilogy, perfect for fans of Bridgerton and A Court of Thorns and Roses.

WAR IS RAGING IN EDYN.

The battered Middlemist can barely hold itself together. Olden monsters terrorize the land. The gods are awakening from their ancient slumber, but if the vengeful Kilraith destroys them, all will be lost. And it's up to the Ashbourne sisters—demigods, daughters of the goddess Kerezen—to stop him.

But the sisters are spread thin. Gemma and Talan travel the world in a desperate search for the gods. In the capital, Farrin and Ryder shelter countless refugees amid roiling unrest. And Mara Ashbourne, bound to the Middlemist and longing for a home she can never return to, is just trying to survive.

Every day is chaos as Mara battles invaders and fights to protect her fellow Roses. The presence of librarian Gareth Fontaine—assigned to aid the Roses' war efforts—doesn't help. Charming, brilliant, far too confident, and annoyingly reverent of the Roses—Mara most of all—he's a distraction Mara can't avoid or afford. Especially since she can see the shadows of Mhorghast brimming underneath his dazzling smile. Shadows of violence and shame that she knows all too well. Shadows that terrify her more than any monster.

As Mara and Gareth search the Old Country for Kilraith's final three curse-anchors, a slow-burning passion born of sorrow and solace sparks between them, one that could finally bring Mara to the very home she longs for…or drive her toward the dark fate she secretly craves, and bring both worlds crashing down alongside her.

Amari and the Metalwork Menace by B.B. Alston
Expected Publication: February 24th, 2026
From Goodreads:
The gripping fourth book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Supernatural Investigations series that began with Amari and the Night Brothers! 

Perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and Nevermoor.

In the wake of the extreme losses to the Bureau during the war with Dylan Van Helsing and the magicians, Amari has stepped back from being a Junior Agent to spend the school year as a normal kid. But as she prepares to graduate eighth grade, she's faced with a Return to the Bureau and join the elite new Junior Special Agent Program, or retire for good—which would mean safety, but also losing her memories of the supernatural world.

But soon she finds that she may not have a choice. A deadly new curse is threatening both the supernatural and mortal worlds as, beneath their skin, people are slowly becoming machines—and losing their very humanity. And it's somehow related to the First Magician.

Hundreds of cases have been cropping up, with no cure in sight. And when the curse hits someone close to Amari, it's up to her to get to the bottom of this deadly mystery—even if it means trusting an old enemy.

The Beasts We Raise by D.L Taylor
Expected Publication: February 24th, 2026
From Goodreads:
"Full of compelling twists and high-stakes magic . . . a captivating romantic fantasy that had me rooting for the protagonists from the very [beginning]." —Kelly Andrew, New York Times-bestselling author of Your Blood, My Bones on The Beasts We Bury

Marry her enemy. Save her realm. Forsake her heart. The heart-shattering conclusion to this dark fantasy duology is perfect for fans of Adrienne Young, Tricia Levenseller, and Brigid Kemmerer.

Newly-appointed Prime Mancella is desperate to keep the peace within her realm and within herself. Having recently acquired the power to physically split into separate versions of herself, her identity is beginning to fracture—along with her land, which is on the brink of war. The only semblance of normalcy in her life is her budding romance with thief-turned-confidant, Silver. . . at least until the mysterious Prime Reltas arrives at her doorstep asking, or rather demanding, her hand in marriage.

If Mance wants to avoid a fight that will devastate her realm, she’ll have to consider the proposal. Even if it destroys Silver. But Mance isn't ready to give up just yet. Desperate to free herself from the betrothal, Mance must seek allyship from other Primes and learn to control her new magic. If she fails, her decision to refuse Reltas's proposal will implode the delicate state of affairs across the realms, setting off a catastrophic war—and shatter two hearts in the process.

Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi
Expected Publication: February 24th, 2026
From Goodreads:
YOU KNOW MY NAME, BUT YOU DO NOT KNOW ME.

Your historians call me seductress, but I was ever in love's thrall.

Your playwrights speak of witchcraft, but my talents came from the gods themselves.

Your poets sing of my bloodlust, but I was always protecting my children.

How wilfully they refuse to concede that a woman could be powerful, strategic, and divinely blessed to rule.

Death will silence me no longer.

This is not the story of how I died. But how I lived.

There's a bunch of great books coming out at the end of February, I love these authors and I can't wait to read them all! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Monday, September 9, 2024

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #692, September 9th

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 #691
Teaser Tuesday #699
WWW Wednesday #699
WOW #695
Will the Time Come #692
Third Sentence Thursday #682
Random Reads #668
First Lines Friday #695
Book Blogger Hop #361
Monthly ARC's Update 88
The Reward Challenge Update #677
Wheel of TBR #224
How Well I Stuck to It #529
Wrote that Review Update #526

Week 36 Reviews:
If I Have to Be Haunted

Magical Readathon: Orilium: 

SeasonAthon Academy: 

Phase Out Your TBR: 

Random:

OK, so I got 66 posts in 7 days, and it was a pretty good week, I did lose the weekend to a migraine, which is why I'm getting all this blogging done after midnight, which isn't great, but I'm on the later shift today, so not the early morning, so that's good! Otherwise the week was good, I read some great books, and I can't wait for this coming week! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read Somewhere Beyond the Deep!

Somewhere Beyond the Sea is the hugely anticipated sequel to TJ Klune' The House in the Cerulean Sea, one of the best-loved and best-selling fantasy novels of the past decade. Featuring gorgeous orange sprayed edges!

A magical house. A secret past. A summons that could change everything.

Arthur Parnassus lives a good life built on the ashes of a bad one.

He's the master of a strange orphanage on a distant and peculiar island, and he hopes to soon be the adoptive father to the six dangerous and magical children who live there.

Arthur works hard and loves with his whole heart so none of the children ever feel the neglect and pain that he once felt as an orphan on that very same island so long ago. He is not alone: joining him is the love of his life, Linus Baker, a former caseworker in the Department In Charge of Magical Youth. And there's the island's sprite, Zoe Chapelwhite, and her girlfriend, Mayor Helen Webb. Together, they will do anything to protect the children.

But when Arthur is summoned to make a public statement about his dark past, he finds himself at the helm of a fight for the future that his family, and all magical people, deserve.

And when a new magical child hopes to join them on their island home—one who finds power in calling himself monster, a name that Arthur worked so hard to protect his children from—Arthur knows they're at a breaking point: their family will either grow stronger than ever or fall apart.

Welcome back to Marsyas Island. This is Arthur's story.

Somewhere Beyond the Sea is a story of resistance, lovingly told, about the daunting experience of fighting for the life you want to live and doing the work to keep it.

Saturday, September 7, 2024

Week 36 Review: Amari and the Despicable Wonders

From Goodreads:
The highly anticipated third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Supernatural Investigations series that began with Amari and the Night Brothers!

Perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and Nevermoor.

War has come to the supernatural world, and Amari's two worst enemies are leading the charge.

Elaine Harlowe has manipulated her way into becoming prime minister, using her mind control ability to force the Bureau to take up her vicious grudge against magiciankind. Meanwhile, Dylan Van Helsing, the newly crowned leader of the League of Magicians—and Amari's former partner—is after a destructive new power that would not only ensure the magicians' victory . . . it would make him invincible.

With neither the Bureau nor the League safe for Amari, and her newly returned brother, Quinton, determined to keep her out of the fray, she and her friends decide to find a way to end the war on their own.

So when they learn that the only way to stop Dylan is to find powerful magical inventions known as Wonders, they go after them. But wielding these items comes at a terrible cost, and Amari will have to decide just how much she’s willing to sacrifice . . . because the Despicable Wonders will demand everything.

My Review:


Author: B.B. Alston
Series: Supernatural Investigations #3
Read: September 4th, 2024 
Source: Bought 
Reason Why: Love his writing and this world, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Published: August 27th 2024
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

SeasonAthon Academy Update 5

So I read my next book for SeasonAthon Academy, and it was Amari and the Despicable Wonders which was for the prompt ENGL 3560, and I'll be reading Aisle Nine next! 

My Reading Journey:

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Prompt Fulfilled: ENGL 2130
Started On: September 3rd
Finished On: September 3rd, 10:03 AM
Pages Read: 336

The Debutantes by Olivia Worley
Prompt Fulfilled: BIOL 1050
Started On: September 3rd
Finished On: September 3rd, 4:18 PM
Pages Read: 352

One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite
Prompt Fulfilled: MLNG 2400
Started On: September 3rd
Finished On: September 3rd, 9:39 PM
Pages Read: 384

The White Guy Dies First Anthology
Prompt Fulfilled: ANTH 1500
Started On: September 4th
Finished On: September 4th, 11:03 AM
Pages Read: 311

Amari and the Despicable Wonders by B.B. Alston
Prompt Fulfilled: ENGL 3560
Started On: September 4th
Finished On: September 4th, 3:47 PM
Pages Read: 400

Aisle Nine by Ian X. Cho
Prompt Fulfilled: HIST 2510
Started On: September 
Currently On: Page 0 of 272

Prompts Left: ENGL 2010, ASTR 1010, CHEM 1110, ESC 1500, GEOL 1110, PHYS 1030, GEOG 1030, HIST 2820, HIST 2850, REL 2120, FLNG 3120
Read: 5
Pages Read: 1783

Magical Readathon: Orilium Update 9

So I read my next book for Magical Readathon: Orilium, and it was Amari and the Despicable Wonders which was for the prompt Artificery O, and I'll be reading Four Letter Word next!

My Reading Journey:

After That Night by Karin Slaughter
Prompt Fulfilled: Elemental Studies Q
Started On: September 1st 
Finished On: September 1st, 3:39 PM
Pages Read: 432

Fly with Me by Andie Burke
Prompt Fulfilled: Art of Illusion O
Started On: September 1st
Finished On: September 1st, 10:18 PM
Pages Read: 384

A Scandal in Mayfair by Katharine Schellerman
Prompt Fulfilled: Elemental Studies D
Started On: September 2nd
Finished On: September 2nd, 3:17 PM
Pages Read: 320

The Exalted by Kaitlyn Sage Patterson
Prompt Fulfilled: Art of Illusion O
Started On: September 2nd
Finished On: September 2nd, 9:48 PM
Pages Read: 384

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Prompt Fulfilled: Alchemy O
Started On: September 3rd
Finished On: September 3rd, 10:03 AM
Pages Read: 336

The Debutantes by Olivia Worley
Prompt Fulfilled: Shapeshifting O
Started On: September 3rd
Finished On: September 3rd, 4:18 PM
Pages Read: 352

One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite
Prompt Fulfilled: Alchemy O
Started On: September 3rd
Finished On: September 3rd, 9:39 PM
Pages Read: 384

The White Guy Dies First Anthology
Prompt Fulfilled: Restoration D
Started On: September 4th
Finished On: September 4th, 11:03 AM
Pages Read: 311

Amari and the Despicable Wonders by B.B. Alston
Prompt Fulfilled: Artificery O
Started On: September 4th
Finished On: September 4th, 3:47 PM
Pages Read: 400

Four Letter Word by Gretchen McNeil
Prompt Fulfilled: Artificery D
Started On: September 4th
Currently On: Page 0 of 320

Prompts Left: Alchemy Q, Alchemy D, Inscription O, Inscription Q, Inscription D, Artificery Q, Spells & Incantations O, Spells & Incantations Q, Spells & Incantations D, Elemental Studies O, Animal Studies O, Astronomy O, Astronomy Q, Astronomy D, Restoration O, Restoration Q, Inscription O, Restoration O, Restoration Q, Conjuration O, Conjuration Q, Conjuration D, Demonology O, Lore Q, Lore D, Animal Studies O, Animal Studies, Animal Studies D, Demonology O, Demonology Q, Demonology D, Restoration O, Restoration Q, Spells & Incantations O, Alchemy Q, Art of Illusion Q, Spells & Incantations O, Psionics & Divination O, Psionics & Divination Q, Psionics & Divination D, Lore O, Alchemy O, Alchemy Q, Restoration O, Restoration Q, Shapeshifting O, Shapeshifting Q, Shapeshifting D, Art of Illusion O, Art of Illusion Q, Art of Illusion D, Psionics & Divination O
Read: 9
Pages Read: 2919

SeasonAthon Academy Update 4

So I read my next book for SeasonAthon Academy, and it was The White Guy Dies First which was for the prompt ANTH 1500, and I'll be reading Amari and the Despicable Wonders next! 

My Reading Journey:

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Prompt Fulfilled: ENGL 2130
Started On: September 3rd
Finished On: September 3rd, 10:03 AM
Pages Read: 336

The Debutantes by Olivia Worley
Prompt Fulfilled: BIOL 1050
Started On: September 3rd
Finished On: September 3rd, 4:18 PM
Pages Read: 352

One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite
Prompt Fulfilled: MLNG 2400
Started On: September 3rd
Finished On: September 3rd, 9:39 PM
Pages Read: 384

The White Guy Dies First Anthology
Prompt Fulfilled: ANTH 1500
Started On: September 4th
Finished On: September 4th, 11:03 AM
Pages Read: 311

Amari and the Despicable Wonders by B.B. Alston
Prompt Fulfilled: ENGL 3560
Started On: September 4th
Currently On: Page 0 of 400

Prompts Left: ENGL 2010, ASTR 1010, CHEM 1110, ESC 1500, GEOL 1110, PHYS 1030, GEOG 1030, HIST 2510, HIST 2820, HIST 2850, REL 2120, FLNG 3120
Read: 4
Pages Read: 1383

Magical Readathon: Orilium Update 8

So I read my next book for Magical Readathon: Orilium, and it was The White Guy Dies First which was for the prompt Restoration D, and I'll be reading Amari and the Despicable Wonders next!

My Reading Journey:

After That Night by Karin Slaughter
Prompt Fulfilled: Elemental Studies Q
Started On: September 1st 
Finished On: September 1st, 3:39 PM
Pages Read: 432

Fly with Me by Andie Burke
Prompt Fulfilled: Art of Illusion O
Started On: September 1st
Finished On: September 1st, 10:18 PM
Pages Read: 384

A Scandal in Mayfair by Katharine Schellerman
Prompt Fulfilled: Elemental Studies D
Started On: September 2nd
Finished On: September 2nd, 3:17 PM
Pages Read: 320

The Exalted by Kaitlyn Sage Patterson
Prompt Fulfilled: Art of Illusion O
Started On: September 2nd
Finished On: September 2nd, 9:48 PM
Pages Read: 384

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Prompt Fulfilled: Alchemy O
Started On: September 3rd
Finished On: September 3rd, 10:03 AM
Pages Read: 336

The Debutantes by Olivia Worley
Prompt Fulfilled: Shapeshifting O
Started On: September 3rd
Finished On: September 3rd, 4:18 PM
Pages Read: 352

One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite
Prompt Fulfilled: Alchemy O
Started On: September 3rd
Finished On: September 3rd, 9:39 PM
Pages Read: 384

The White Guy Dies First Anthology
Prompt Fulfilled: Restoration D
Started On: September 4th
Finished On: September 4th, 11:03 AM
Pages Read: 311

Amari and the Despicable Wonders by B.B. Alston
Prompt Fulfilled: Restoration O
Started On: September 4th
Currently On: Page 0 of 320

Prompts Left: Alchemy Q, Alchemy D, Inscription O, Inscription Q, Inscription D, Artificery Q, Artificery D, Spells & Incantations O, Spells & Incantations Q, Spells & Incantations D, Elemental Studies O, Animal Studies O, Astronomy O, Astronomy Q, Astronomy D, Restoration Q, Inscription O, Restoration O, Restoration Q, Conjuration O, Conjuration Q, Conjuration D, Demonology O, Lore Q, Lore D, Animal Studies O, Animal Studies, Animal Studies D, Demonology O, Demonology Q, Demonology D, Restoration O, Restoration Q, Spells & Incantations O, Alchemy Q, Spells & Incantations O, Psionics & Divination O, Psionics & Divination Q, Psionics & Divination D, Lore O, Alchemy O, Alchemy Q, Restoration O, Restoration Q, Shapeshifting O, Shapeshifting Q, Shapeshifting D, Art of Illusion O, Art of Illusion Q, Art of Illusion D, Psionics & Divination O
Read: 8
Pages Read: 2519

WWW Wednesday #699, September 4th

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

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

Thanks to MizB of Should Be Writing now A Daily Rhythm for starting this meme! And thanks now to Taking on a World of Words for reviving it! 

I'm currently reading Amari and the Despicable Wonders, and it's so great!

I read One of the Good Ones, and itw as really great!

I'm going to be reading This Poison Heart, and Ic an't wait, ti sounds really great! 

What about you guys? Happy reading!

Friday, August 23, 2024

B.B. Alston Author Page

The Story: I saw Amari and the Night Brothers around on the internet, and it sounded good, so when the sequel was up on Edelweiss, I got it, and read the both of them, and I can't wait to read more of his books! 

Website

Series: Supernatural Investigations.
 

Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Waiting on Wednesday #690, July 31st

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating!

Amari and the Despicable Wonders by B.B. Alston
Expected Publication: August 27th, 2024
From Goodreads:
The highly anticipated third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Supernatural Investigations series that began with Amari and the Night Brothers!

Perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and Nevermoor.

War has come to the supernatural world, and Amari’s two worst enemies are leading the charge.

Elaine Harlowe has manipulated her way into becoming prime minister, using her mind control ability to force the Bureau to take up her vicious grudge against magiciankind. Meanwhile, Dylan Van Helsing, the newly crowned leader of the League of Magicians—and Amari’s former partner—is after a destructive new power that would not only ensure the magicians’ victory . . . it would make him invincible.

With neither the Bureau nor the League safe for Amari, and her newly returned brother, Quinton, determined to keep her out of the fray, she and her friends decide to find a way to end the war on their own.

So when they learn that the only way to stop Dylan is to find powerful magical inventions known as Wonders, they go after them. But wielding these items comes at a terrible cost, and Amari will have to decide just how much she’s willing to sacrifice . . . because the Despicable Wonders will demand everything.

The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter
Expected Publication: August 27th, 2024
From Goodreads:
Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the wickedest of them all? Snow White’s dark queen tells her side of the story in this queer, witchy reimagining of the classic fairy tale from the author of Malice.

Legends tell of a witch who became a queen—the heartless villain in the story of Snow White.

But now the wicked queen is stepping out of Snow White’s shadow to become the heroine of her own legend.

Her real “once upon a time” begins when she is just Ayleth, a young witch who lives in the forest with her coven. The witches practice their magic in secret, hiding from the White King and his brutal war against witchcraft.

Ayleth, however, faces a war of her own. Her magical gifts have yet to reveal themselves, and as the threat of the Royal Huntsmen intensifies, Ayleth fears she will never become the witch her coven needs.

To prove herself, Ayleth sets out on a perilous quest that sends her to the White Palace, a decadent world of drama and deceit. There, Ayleth encounters an unlikely figure from her Jacquetta, a witch who once held Ayleth’s heart—and betrayed her.

As events at the palace escalate, Ayleth finds herself caught in the web of the White King, whose dark charisma is as dangerous as the sinister force that seems to be haunting the palace—and perhaps even Ayleth herself. With the threat of discovery looming, Ayleth and Jacquetta must set aside the wounds of their past and work together to survive.

As she uncovers the secrets of the White Court—and those of her own heart—Ayleth must find the strength to transform into someone she never imagined she could be.

A powerful witch, the very wickedest of them all.

One House Left by Vincent Ralph
Expected Publication: August 27th, 2024
From Goodreads:
R.L. Stine meets Urban Legend in the next twisty horror novel by New York Times bestselling author Vincent Ralph.

"Ready or not. Whatever you do. The Hiding Boy is coming for you."

Sixteen-year-old Nate Campbell grew up in the shadow of Murder Road – a street cursed by the vengeful spirit of the Hiding Boy.

Every few years, for nearly six decades, a different house on that street has been the scene of a tragedy.

Nate and his family move to a new town as they try to outrun the curse once and for all. But, when he is pulled into his new friends' urban legend club, new ghost stories merge with old until there is nowhere left to run.

Come Out, Come Out by Natalie C. Parker
Expected Publication: August 27th, 2024
From Goodreads:
A spine-tingling LGBTQIA+ YA horror about queer teens who accidentally invoke a twisted spirit who promises help but delivers something sinister.

Perfect for fans of Kayla Cottingham, Andrew Joseph White, and Ryan LaSala.

"A searing and poignant portrait of queer identity wrapped in an unflinching tale of terror." —Kalynn Bayron, New York Times bestselling author of You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight

"Modern horror at its best." —Bram Stoker Award Nominee Sarah Henning

It's never been safe for Fern, Jaq, or Mallory to come out to their families. As kids their emerging identities drove them into friendship but also forced them into the woods to hide in an old, abandoned house when they needed safety. But one night when the girls sought refuge, Mallory never made it back home. Fern and Jaq did, but neither survivor remembered what happened or the secrets they were so desperate to keep. 

Five years later, Fern and Jaq are seniors on the verge of graduation, seemingly happy in their straight, cisgender lives—until a spirit who looks like Mallory begins to appear, seeking revenge for her death, and the part Fern and Jaq played in it. As they’re haunted, something begins to shift inside them. 

They remember who they are. 
Who they want to love. 
And the truth about the vicious secrets hiding in their woods.  

This delightfully dark and pointed novel calls out the systems that erase gay and queer and trans identity, giving space to embrace queerness and to unleash the power of friendship and found family against the real monsters in the world.

Confounding Oaths by Alexis Hall
Expected Publication: August 27th, 2024
From Goodreads:
A nobleman must work with a dashing soldier to save his sister from a mystical bargain gone wrong, diving into a world of malicious fey, enigmatic cults, and treacherous magic in this irresistible romance from the bestselling author of Boyfriend Material.

The year is 1815, and Mr. John Caesar is determined to orchestrate a successful coming-out for his younger sister, Mary. Despite his best efforts, he is thwarted by the various interventions of a ragtag regiment of soldiers, a mysterious military cult, and a malicious fairy godmother.

When Mary is cursed by the fair folk, the dandyish Mr. Caesar is forced to work with the stolidly working-class—yet inescapably heroic—Captain James to rescue her. While Mr. Caesar is no stranger to dallying with soldiers, until now he's never expected one to stay. Or wanted one to. But even if the captain felt the same, there'd be no chance of anything lasting between them. After all, he and Mr. Caesar come from different worlds.

And lately, other worlds are the last thing either of them want to be dealing with . . .

Daydream by Hannah Grace
Expected Publication: August 27th, 2024
From Goodreads:
The third in the New York Times bestselling Maple Hills series follows fan-favorite Henry and a bookish fellow student who come up with a plan to help them both overcome their respective challenges in a difficult year.

When his procrastination lands him in a difficult class with his least favorite professor, Henry Turner knows he’s going to have to work extra hard to survive his junior year of college. And now with his new title of captain for the hockey team—which he didn’t even want—Henry absolutely cannot fail. Enter Halle Jacobs, a fellow junior who finds herself befriended by Henry when he accidentally crashes her book club.

Halle may not have the romantic pursuits of her favorite fictional leads, but she’s an academic superstar, and as soon as she hears about Henry’s problems with his class reading material, she offers to help. Too bad being a private tutor isn’t exactly ideal given her own studies, job, book club, and the novel she’s trying to write. But new experiences are the key to beating her writer’s block, and Henry’s promising to be the one to give them to her.

They just need to stick to their rule book.

Oh, and not fall in love.

The end of the month has some pretty wonderful books coming out that I'm so excited for! I need to read them! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Waiting on Wednesday #585, July 27th

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating! 

The Final Gambit by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Expected Publication: August 30th, 2022
From Goodreads:
Avery’s fortune, life, and loves are on the line in the game that everyone will be talking about.

To inherit billions, all Avery Kylie Grambs has to do is survive a few more weeks living in Hawthorne House. The paparazzi are dogging her every step. Financial pressures are building. Danger is a fact of life. And the only thing getting Avery through it all is the Hawthorne brothers. Her life is intertwined with theirs. She knows their secrets, and they know her.

But as the clock ticks down to the moment when Avery will become the richest teenager on the planet, trouble arrives in the form of a visitor who needs her help—and whose presence in Hawthorne House could change everything. It soon becomes clear that there is one last puzzle to solve, and Avery and the Hawthorne brothers are drawn into a dangerous game against an unknown and powerful player.

Secrets upon secrets. Riddles upon riddles. In this game, there are hearts and lives at stake—and there is nothing more Hawthorne than winning.

The Hexed & the Hunted by Melissa Marr
Expected Publication: August 30th, 2022
From Goodreads:
The third novel in a new faery and fanged world written by the author of the internationally bestselling Wicked Lovely series.

Half-dead witch Geneviève Crowe makes her living beheading the dead--and trying to juggle her new duties as a faery princess now that she's married Eli Stonecroft, a faery prince who was in self-imposed exile in New Orleans.

But monsters have no patience with royal obligations, and the same creature who once hunted her great-times-great grandmother is now trying to put Gen in the ground. When the relentless monster from her family's past decides to hex Geneviève, she's forced to go on the run or expose how much power she's started amassing. Her royally impatient uncle-in-law, the faery king, has already threatened her and Eli.

Death or Flight? Hexed or Hunted? This is not the honeymoon Gen and Eli were planning...

Nothing More to Tell by Karen M. McManus
Expected Publication: August 30th, 2022
From Goodreads:
Be sure to keep your friends close . . . and your secrets closer.

Four years ago, Brynn left Saint Ambrose School following the shocking murder of her favorite teacher—a story that made headlines after the teacher’s body was found by three Saint Ambrose students in the woods behind their school. The case was never solved. Now that Brynn is moving home and starting her dream internship at a true-crime show, she’s determined to find out what really happened.

The kids who found Mr. Larkin are her way in, and her ex–best friend, Tripp Talbot, was one of them. Without his account of events, the other two kids might have gone down for Mr. Larkin’s murder. They've never forgotten what Tripp did for them that day. Just like he hasn’t forgotten that everything he told the police was a lie.

Digging into the past is bound to shake up the present, and as Brynn begins to investigate what happened in the woods that day, she begins to uncover secrets that might change everything—about Saint Ambrose, about Mr. Larkin, and about her ex-best friend, Tripp Talbot.

Four years ago someone got away with murder. The most terrifying part is that they never left.

A Certain Darkness by Anna Lee Huber
Expected Publication: August 30th, 2022
From Goodreads:
March 1920: Life has turned unsettlingly quiet for former British Intelligence agent Verity Kent and her husband, Sidney. But even that false calm is about to end. As threats remain, the French authorities soon request Sidney’s help with a suspect who claims to have proof of treason—shortly before she is assassinated. And Verity, too, is called to investigate a mystery.

The murder of a Belgian lawyer aboard a train seems at first to be a simple case of revenge. But the victim was connected to British Intelligence, and possessed papers detailing the sinking of a gold-laden German ship during the war.

As Verity and Sidney dig deeper, they discover their cases are intertwined—and a lethal adversary persists. Officially, the Great War may be over, but this is a battle of nerves and wits they cannot afford to lose… 

All of Our Demise by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman
Expected Publication: August 30th, 2022
From Goodreads:
All of Our Demise is the epic conclusion to Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman’s New York Times bestselling All of Us Villains duology.

“I feel like I should warn you: this is going to be absolutely brutal.”

For the first time in this ancient, bloodstained story, the tournament is breaking. The boundaries between the city of Ilvernath and the arena have fallen. Reporters swarm the historic battlegrounds. A dead boy now lives again. And a new champion has entered the fray, one who seeks to break the curse for good... no matter how many lives are sacrificed in the process.

As the curse teeters closer and closer to collapse, the surviving champions each face a choice: dismantle the tournament piece by piece, or fight to the death as this story was always intended.

Long-held alliances will be severed. Hearts will break. Lives will end. Because a tale as wicked as this one was never destined for happily ever after.

Dark Moon Smile by Tessa Gratton
Expected Publication: August 30th, 2022
From Goodreads:
The fate of an Empire lies with a headstrong Heir and a restless demon in this lush YA fantasy for fans of Laini Taylor and Girl, Serpent, Thorn.

Ever since she was a girl, Raliel Dark-Smile’s best friend has been the great demon that lives in the palace. As the daughter of the Emperor, Raliel appears cold and distant to those around her, but what no one understands is that she and the great demon, Moon, have a close and unbreakable bond and are together at all times. Moon is bound to the Emperor and his two consorts, Raliel’s parents, and when Raliel comes of age, she will be bound to Moon as well, constrained to live in the Palace for the rest of her days.

Raliel is desperate to see the Empire Between Five Mountains, and she feels a deep kinship with Moon, who longs to break free of its bonds. When the time finally arrives for Raliel’s coming of age journey, she discovers a dangerous way to take Moon with her, even as she hides this truth from her travel companion, the beautiful, demon-kissed bodyguard Osian Redpop. But Osian is hiding secrets of his own, and when a plot surfaces that threatens the Empire, Raliel will have to decide who she can trust and what she’ll sacrifice for the power to protect all that she loves. 

The Dragon's Promise by Elizabeth Lim
Expected Publication: August 30th, 2022
From Goodreads:
From the New York Times Bestselling author of Six Crimson Cranes comes a thrilling new adventure! A journey to the kingdom of dragons, a star-crossed love, and a cursed pearl with the power to mend the world or break it... Fans of Shadow and Bone will devour this soaring fantasy.

Princess Shiori made a deathbed promise to return the dragon's pearl to its rightful owner, but keeping that promise is more dangerous than she ever imagined.

She must journey to the kingdom of dragons, navigate political intrigue among humans and dragons alike, fend off thieves who covet the pearl for themselves and will go to any lengths to get it, all while cultivating the appearance of a perfect princess to dissuade those who would see her burned at the stake for the magic that runs in her blood.

The pearl itself is no ordinary cargo; it thrums with malevolent power, jumping to Shiori's aid one minute, and betraying her the next—threatening to shatter her family and sever the thread of fate that binds her to her true love, Takkan. It will take every ounce of strength Shiori can muster to defend the life and the love she's fought so hard to win. 

Amari and the Great Game by B.B. Alston
Expected Publication: August 30th, 2022
From Goodreads:
Sequel to the New York Times bestseller Amari and the Night Brothers!
Artemis Fowl meets Men in Black in this magical second book in the New York Times and Indie bestselling Supernatural Investigations trilogy—perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, the Percy Jackson series, and Nevermoor.

After finding her brother and saving the entire supernatural world, Amari Peters is convinced her first full summer as a Junior Agent will be a breeze.

But between the fearsome new Head Minister’s strict anti-magician agenda, fierce Junior Agent rivalries, and her brother Quinton’s curse steadily worsening, Amari’s plate is full. So when the secretive League of Magicians offers her a chance to stand up for magiciankind as its new leader, she declines. She’s got enough to worry about!

But her refusal allows someone else to step forward, a magician with dangerous plans for the League. This challenge sparks the start of the Great Game, a competition to decide who will become the Night Brothers’ successor and determine the future of magiciankind.

The Great Game is both mysterious and deadly, but among the winner’s magical rewards is Quinton’s last hope—so how can Amari refuse?

Lord of the Fly Fest by Goldy Moldavsky
Expected Publication: August 30th, 2022
From Goodreads:
One of Us Is Lying meets Lord of the Flies meets Fyre Fest in this wickedly addictive and funny YA thriller.

Rafi Francisco needs something really special to put her true crime podcast on the map. She sets her sights on River Stone, the hearthrob musician who rose to stardom after the mysterious disappearance of his girlfriend. Rafi lands herself a ticket to the exclusive Fly Fest, where River will be the headliner.

But when Rafi arrives on the Caribbean island location of Fly Fest with hundreds of other influencers and (very minor) celebrities, they quickly discover that the dream trip is more of a nightmare. And it’s not just confronting beauty gurus-gone-wild and spotty WiFi. Soon, Rafi goes from fighting for an interview to fighting for her life. And, as she gets closer to River, she discovers that he might be hiding even darker secrets than she suspected . . .

Yeah, the end of August is looking so fantastic! I really need to read these books, I'm so hyped for them, especially The Final Gambit! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Monday, June 13, 2022

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #575, June 13th

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 #574
Teaser Tuesday #582
WWW Wednesday #582
WOW #578
Will the Time Come #575
Third Sentence Thursday #565
Random Reads #551
First Lines Friday #578
Book Blogger Hop #244
Monthly ARC's Update 13
The Reward Challenge Update #560
Wheel of TBR #107
How Well I Stuck to It #412
Wrote that Review Update #410

Week 23 Reviews:
Amari and the Night Brothers

Whatever-You-Want-A-Thon: 

Clear Your S**t Readathon: 

Random:

OK, so I got 42 posts in 7 days, and yeah, I read some really great books, and some exciting/terrifying news is I put in an adoption application for a doggie of my own. I might not be approved, they might not think myself and the doggie could get along. So I might not get this dog, but I've started the process to have a doggie of my own! So fingers crossed that things work out! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read The Inadequate Heir and The Calm Before the Storm.

Return to the world of The Bridge Kingdom in this sensuous fantasy full of romance and intrigue that is perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Silver Flames.

A soldier raised as heir to an empire, Zarrah is motivated by two truths. The first is that the Veliant family murdered her mother. And the second is that her pursuit of vengeance will put every last one of them in their graves.

The Endless War between Maridrina and Valcotta has raged for generations, leaving thousands of Zarrah's people dead and countless more orphaned. So when she's given command of the contested city of Nerastis, Zarrah is prepared to do whatever it takes to destroy the Maridrinian forces who oppose her. And to kill the Veliant prince who leads them.

Yet a chance encounter with an anonymous, and handsome, Maridrinian causes Zarrah to question whether the violence she's perpetrated is justice or a crime. And as she continues to meet the nameless man each night, she finds common ground - and fiery passion - in his arms.

But when identities are revealed, Zarrah must decide whether to embrace a chance at peace…or march to the drums of war.
Set in the world of The Bridge Kingdom series, The Calm Before the Storm is six chapters of extra content that take place after the events of The Traitor Queen and The Inadequate Heir.

Ithicana has been liberated from the Maridrinians, but not everyone holds peace in their hearts. Revered by some as a savior and despised by others as a curse upon the kingdom, Lara must navigate treacherous waters as she resumes rule alongside her husband, Aren. Her only certainty is the bond between them, but long overdue conversations will put the strength of their marriage to the test. They must decide what their future will hold, all while dark clouds gather in the south. A storm that no nation, not even the Bridge Kingdom, will escape unscathed.

Saturday, June 11, 2022

Week 23 Reviews: Amari and the Night Brothers, Amari and the Great Game


From Goodreads:
Quinton Peters was the golden boy of the Rosewood low-income housing projects, receiving full scholarship offers to two different Ivy League schools. When he mysteriously goes missing, his little sister, 13-year-old Amari Peters, can't understand why it's not a bigger deal. Why isn't his story all over the news? And why do the police automatically assume he was into something illegal?

Then Amari discovers a ticking briefcase in her brother's old closet. A briefcase meant for her eyes only. There was far more to Quinton, it seems, than she ever knew. He's left her a nomination for a summer tryout at the secretive Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Amari is certain the answer to finding out what happened to him lies somewhere inside, if only she can get her head around the idea of mermaids, dwarves, yetis and magicians all being real things, something she has to instantly confront when she is given a weredragon as a roommate.

Amari must compete against some of the nation's wealthiest kids—who've known about the supernatural world their whole lives and are able to easily answer questions like which two Great Beasts reside in the Atlantic Ocean and how old is Merlin? Just getting around the Bureau is a lesson alone for Amari with signs like 'Department of Hidden Places this way, or is it?' If that all wasn't enough, every Bureau trainee has a talent enhanced to supernatural levels to help them do their jobs – but Amari is given an illegal ability. As if she needed something else to make her stand out.

With an evil magican threatening the whole supernatural world, and her own classmates thinking she is an enemy, Amari has never felt more alone. But if she doesn't pass the three tryouts, she may never find out what happened to Quinton. 

Artemis Fowl meets Men in Black in this magical second book in the New York Times and Indie bestselling Supernatural Investigations trilogy—perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, the Percy Jackson series, and Nevermoor.

After finding her brother and saving the entire supernatural world, Amari Peters is convinced her first full summer as a Junior Agent will be a breeze.

But between the fearsome new Head Minister's strict anti-magician agenda, fierce Junior Agent rivalries, and her brother Quinton's curse steadily worsening, Amari's plate is full. So when the secretive League of Magicians offers her a chance to stand up for magiciankind as its new leader, she declines. She's got enough to worry about!

But her refusal allows someone else to step forward, a magician with dangerous plans for the League. This challenge sparks the start of the Great Game, a competition to decide who will become the Night Brothers' successor and determine the future of magiciankind.

The Great Game is both mysterious and deadly, but among the winner's magical rewards is Quinton's last hope—so how can Amari refuse?

My Review:
These were both really great books! I wasn't planning on ever reading them because I've only recently dipped my toe into middle grade since I left its target audience. But I found Amari and the Night Brothers at a book sale, and then I remembered that Great Game had been up on Edelweiss. So I had to read the both of them, now that I am dipping my toe in, because I heard great things! 

I loved Amari's story, she's smart, but she has it rough, with her mom being a single parent, and they're not well off. And her beloved brother is missing. Then she gets the chance to see the world that he's a part of, and it was so great! 

The world of this magic, with the Bureau, was just so fascinating. The different gifts and abilities, the different creatures, and all the creativity was just amazing! And the part that Amari plays, well, it's made worse by her gift, that she's a Magician. 

There's a conversation to be had, about the parallels about how Amari was treated as a Magician, to how Black people are treated. It's unfair and it's unjust, to fight against something that shouldn't even exist, for rights that they should already have. 

Both of these books were great adventures, learning about the world and training to be a junior agent, participating in the Great Game. There's also an element of mystery, about who is helping the Night Brother. And oh, were those endings action packed! And Great Game was even worse, since this is apparently a trilogy, and it ended on a cliffhanger! Bah! 

These were so great, and I can't wait for book 3! I need to know what's going to happen next! 

Author: B.B. Alston
Series: Supernatural Investigations #1, 2
Read: June 4th, 4th, 2022
Source: Bought, Edelweiss
Reason Why: Sounded really great, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2022 Books! And Amari and the Night Brothers is a DAC Book, and Amari and the Great Game is a Sophomore Challenge Book! 
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Published: January 19th 2021
Expected Publication: August 30th 2022

Amari and the Night Brothers:
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars








Amari and the Great Game:
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars