Showing posts with label Elle Tesch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elle Tesch. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Waiting on Wednesday #779, April 15th

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

All Hail Chaos by Sarah Rees Brennan
Expected Publication: May 12th, 2026
From Goodreads:
THE EMPEROR IS HERE. AND SHE MADE HIM WORSE.

Rae is a fantasy reader who's been transported to her favourite fictional world of swords and sorcery, castles and monsters. Playing the villainess, she thought she could change the narrative, but this version of the plot is far much more deadly than the one she knew.

Her friends are on the run: the Cobra shelters in an eerie manor haunted by dark secrets, while Emer and Lia stoke a revolution in the gutters. Undead armies roam the kingdom, raiders camp at the city gates, and the irresistible emperor - Rae's favourite character ever, now possibly the greatest monster in the land - wants her to be his evil queen.

What's a villainess to do? It's time for wicked bargains and fake engagements, in a fantasy where the most dangerous thing you can do is believe in someone.

All Hail Chaos is Sarah Rees Brennan's wicked, unmissable sequel to the No. 1 Sunday Times bestselling Long Live Evil ('delicious, subversive' Leigh Bardugo).

Seek the Traitor's Son by Veronica Roth
Expected Publication: May 12th, 2026
From Goodreads:
A new epic romantic, dystopian fantasy begins in Seek the Traitor's Son, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth

Elegy Ahn did not ask for destiny to find her.

She is happy with her life as a soldier, defending her small country from the Talusar, a powerful nation who worships a deadly Fever. A fever that blesses half of its victims with mysterious gifts.

But then she’s summoned to hear a prophecy–her, and the most ruthless of Talusar generals, Rava Vidar. Brought face to face, they learn that one of them will lead their people to victory over the other…but they don’t know which. And at the center of both of their fates: a man. A man that, Elegy is told, she will fall in love with.

In just one day, Elegy’s old life–her job, her purpose, and her future–is over. She and Rava are destined to collide, with the fate of their nations hanging in the balance. And when they do, only one will be left standing.

Elegy intends to make sure it’s her.

Legacy of Desire by Larissa Ione
Expected Publication: May 12th, 2026
From Goodreads:
The legacy continues…

It’s a gritty new world.

Three decades after the events of REAPER, the world is a different place. The secret is out. The existence of demons, vampires, shapeshifters, and angels has been revealed, and humans are struggling to adapt. Out of the chaos, The Aegis has risen to global power on the promise of containing or exterminating all underworlders, even if that means ushering in the End of Days.

Standing in their way is the next generation of warriors, the children of demons and angels and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

See how they become legends in their own right.

Legacy of Desire

Scotland, daughter of the Horseman of the Apocalypse known as War and a formidable warrior in her own right, has dedicated her life to fighting evil with her two demon best friends, Mace and Blade. Their extraordinary bond and uncanny ability to operate in perfect unison has made them legends as special operators with the Demonic Activity Response Team.

Afraid of ruining a good thing, the three teammates swore a pact to protect their friendship by declaring romantic involvement off-limits. But a recent near-tragedy changed things, and it’s getting harder for Mace and Blade to ignore their long suppressed feelings for Scotty. Especially after she announced her intention of losing her virginity and enlisted their help to find the right guy for the task.

So when a routine assignment goes wrong, landing one teammate in the hospital and the other in Scotty’s arms, the fallout puts their team, their reputations, and complete innocents, at risk. Scotty will need to make a choice, but how can she possibly decide between two males she loves equally? All the while, an enemy lurks in the shadows, poised to strike, and an angel finds himself at a crossroads that will test his faith and, perhaps, determine the very future of Heaven and all mankind.

A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman
Expected Publication: May 12th, 2026
From Goodreads:
It’s off to the races in the explosive eighth book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series.

As chaos and mass panic spread outside the dungeon in the wake of Faction Wars, Carl and Donut find themselves on the tenth floor, where they’re forced to compete in a surprisingly normal set of tasks. Well, normal for the dungeon.

Races. Get from point A to point B, and don’t come in last. After each race, they pick an upgrade for their vehicle and the track gets more challenging. It all seems a little too normal, a little too simple.

Ignore those strange glitches that are occurring with increasing frequency. Don’t listen to those whispers about what’s happening on the mysterious eleventh floor, something the system AI calls A Parade of Horribles. Nobody, not even the showrunners, knows what that means. Just that the AI has ominously dubbed it “a coming-out party for the ages.”

Everything is fine, Crawler. I repeat, everything is fine.

Carl hates that it’s business as usual. The rules of this floor have taken away his agency. That just will not do.

So Carl is planning a party of his own. It’s a plan so dangerous, so insane, he can’t even consult his friends lest the AI put a stop to it. Because if it goes wrong, it’s not just the end of Carl and Donut. No. The stakes are higher than they’ve ever been.

The Cupid Dilemma by April Asher
Expected Publication: May 12th, 2026
From Goodreads:
In the new paranormal romance from bestselling author April Asher, a down-on-her-luck wedding planner demigoddess and a Muse-less rockstar agree to a fauxmance that quickly turns anything but…

A lover of love and a champion for happily ever after. Those were two of many things people expected from Aphrodite’s daughter. To Adalyn Whitlock, ‘love’ paid the bills, and currently, not well. Business was dropping at Happily Ever Forever, with her latest wedding planning catastrophe ending in a negative social media storm and her sister Maxi’s matchmaking ability on the fritz. To top it off, there’s an ex-boyfriend calling her ‘the Anti-Aphrodite’ and paparazzi pics linking Addie to her new client’s older brother.

Phoenix ‘Nix’ Cross—song writer and drummer of the hot new band, The Stone Talons—was no saint, but he was far from the womanizer the band’s image rep bestowed on him. If anything, he was a romantic, hopeful to find a love like the one in which his parents shared. With the band’s star quickly rising and the record label pressuring him to deliver the band’s next hit, Nix’s writer’s block couldn’t have come at a worse time. But when he opens his door to his irate new next-door neighbor, Nix feels the brief flash of inspiration for the first time in ages. And it just so happens that his new Muse is none other than his little sister’s new wedding planner.

With Addie needing an end to the public relations nightmare and the record label breathing down Nix’s neck, the pair agree to a fauxmance. But what happens when the emotions turned on for the cameras don't turn off?

The Bone Door by Frances White
Expected Publication: May 12th, 2026
From Goodreads:
How far will you go to open The Bone Door?

When Hop awakens in an ancient labyrinth, he has no memory of his life, or how he got here. He does not recognise the mysterious girl trapped with him. And he certainly cannot identify the shadowy figure stalking him, whispering terrible things...

But there is one thing he is certain of: He must escape.

The only way out of the labyrinth is through The Bone Door. But it lies behind a series of locked doors hidden across an array of strange realms. To open the way, Hop must complete impossible tasks before his time runs out.

As Hop travels deeper into the maze, he discovers that he and his companions may be more connected to the place and its horrors than he could ever imagine.

Unless Hop is able to unravel the true mystery of the labyrinth, and his own role within it, the Bone Door and any hope of escape will be lost forever.

Broken Dove by Dani Francis 
Expected Publication: May 12th, 2026
From Goodreads:
In the heart-pounding sequel to the New York Times bestselling dystopian romance Silver Elite, lines will be crossed, loyalties will be tested, and the fight for the Continent is only just beginning as Wren Darlington finds herself caught in the middle of two wars: one for the fate of her home and another for the fate of her heart.

LINES WILL BE CROSSED.

After blowing her cover as a double agent within Silver Elite and fleeing the Prime-controlled capital, Wren Darlington is finally safe behind allied lines. As her lover and former commander Cross Redden works to disrupt the Primes from inside their ranks, Wren turns her focus toward assisting the Uprising in overthrowing their rule once and for all.

LOYALTIES WILL BE TESTED.

Though she’s back among her own people, trust is hard-won and hidden agendas abound on the Mod base. And beyond those walls, Wren can’t help but worry that Cross is keeping secrets of his own . . . secrets that could jeopardize everything. Complicating matters even further is her shocking reunion with hotshot fighter pilot and undercover operative Grayson Blake. Once her closest friend in Silver Elite, Gray seems to understand Wren on a level she never thought possible.

AND THE FIGHT FOR THE CONTINENT IS ONLY JUST BEGINNING.

With the war between Mods and Primes growing more brutal by the day, and with her own role in the conflict becoming more essential than ever, Wren must confront some gut-wrenching questions. Who is she fighting for . . . and who is she willing to lose?

The Hanging Bones by Elle Tesch
Expected Publication: May 12th, 2026
From Goodreads:
From the author of What Wakes the Bells comes a rich, gothic fantasy about a girl who enters a dangerous, magical hunt with the goal of winning the death of her predatory overlord. Perfect for fans of Adalyn Grace, Maggie Stiefvater, and V.E. Schwab.

Some monsters are born. Some are made. All can be killed.

Once every few years, the Scavenge Moon rises. From beyond its pale glow steps the Breimar Stag, an otherworldly creature with eyes of burning gold. Any reckless adventurer who chooses to join the hunt for the stag only has until the Scavenge Moon sets to claim their prize—if they catch it, they are granted the death of any person of their choice. And if no one catches it, the stag will claim one of the hunters' souls instead.

Katrin has lived on the border of the forest her whole life, raised on tales of the Folk that dwell within. As a gamekeeper for the baron who rules over the region, she is saddled with the onerous task of escorting the entitled nobles who descend upon her home for the Breimar Hunt. None of them respect the forest or its legends, and Katrin is only too happy to let them risk their foolish necks for what they see as a cheap thrill.

When her beloved cousin becomes the latest target of the baron's lecherous appetites, Katrin knows only his death will keep her family safe, and the only way she can claim his life is to win the hunt herself. But something hungry has begun to stir in the woods, something even older and more powerful than the stag. As the horrifying, mutilated bodies pile up, Katrin begins to question where the true danger lies.

When the Light Returns by Joanna Ruth Meyer
Expected Publication: May 12th, 2026
From Goodreads:
A deposed king and the powerful captive of a corrupt queen join forces in a sweeping fantasy of romance, magic, and redemption in this sequel to While the Dark Remains.

The long winter dark has been banished for good, and the mountain palace of the late king should be a sanctuary for Ballast Vallin, who has just assumed the throne. Instead, it’s a torment. Held to account for the sins of his father, Ballast must relinquish his crown and all claim to Daeros, the kingdom for which he risked so much. Worse, Brynja—his father’s former captive, the woman he loves—is the one who forces his hand.

Disgraced, Brynja is sent to Iljaria, a kingdom imbued with ancient magic. There she finds herself at the mercy of Queen Valrún, and is forced to aid in the queen’s quest to claim all the magic long thought irrevocably bound to the gods.

But then a shocking revelation about Ballast’s past brings him to Iljaria—and to Brynja. Together, amid secrets, magic, and betrayal, they must challenge the power-hungry queen to a battle that could ruin the world or remake it. For Brynja and Ballast, their most invaluable weapon is hope.

In the Blood by April Henry
Expected Publication: May 12th, 2026
From Goodreads:
When an adopted teen takes a DNA test to find her biological parents, she unknowingly puts herself in the crosshairs of a serial killer.

Adopted as a newborn, Tessa has always wondered who her biological parents are. After turning eighteen, she takes a DNA test in hopes of finding the answers. With best friend El and lab partner Victor, Tessa uses the results to start building her family tree. But they find more dead ends than answers. Her biological mother, who was raised in a religious cult, has cut all ties with her controlling family. And her biological father remains a complete mystery, at least until the police show up. For fifteen years, they’ve been trying to identify a serial killer known as the Portland Phantom. Tessa may be the link they’ve been waiting for.

April Henry delivers a twisty thriller about the families who choose us—and the ones we’re born into. Biology does not have to dictate one’s destiny.

And don’t miss these other chilling thrillers from April Henry including When We Go Missing, Stay Dead, Girl Forgotten, and Two Truths and a Lie.

Another week of excellent releases coming out in this week of May! I love these authors and series, and I can't wait to read them all! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Monday, April 7, 2025

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #722, April 7th

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 #721
Teaser Tuesday #729
WWW Wednesday #729
WOW #725
Will the Time Come #722
Third Sentence Thursday #712
Random Reads #698
First Lines Friday #725
Book Blogger Hop #391
The Reward Challenge Update #707
Wheel of TBR #254
How Well I Stuck to It #559
Wrote that Review Update #556

Week 14 Reviews:
Hemlock & Silver

Phase Out Your Seriesathon: 

Magical Readathon: Orilium: 

Phase Out Your TBR: 

Random:

OK, so I got 64 posts in 7 days, and it was a busy week, I read a lot, posted a fair amount about those books, and I had a pretty good time though I'm pretty tired, and there's still the rest of the month to go, though there is a 4 day weekend coming up which will be nice! Not this coming weekend, but the following one, so counting today, 9 business days. What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read Fearless!

Paedyn and Kai are reunited but face a terrible decision in this thrilling conclusion to the New York Times bestselling romantic fantasy trilogy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and The Red Queen.

Paedyn Gray and Kai Azer return to the Kingdom of Ilya…

And Paedyn has a life-altering choice to make. Whatever she decides will determine her fate—and the fate of those around her—forever.

In the ultimate battle of love and loyalty, who wins?

Saturday, April 5, 2025

Week 14 Review: What Wakes the Bells

From Goodreads:
Inspired by an ominous Prague legend, What Wakes the Bells is a lavish gothic fantasy by debut author Elle Tesch.

Built by long-gone Saints, the city of Vaiwyn lives and breathes and bleeds. As a Keeper, Mina knows better than most what her care of Vaiwyn's bells means for the sentient city. It's the Strauss family's thousand-year legacy―prevent the Vespers from ringing, or they will awake a slumbering evil.

One afternoon, to Mina's horror, her bell peals thirteen times, shattering the city's tenuous peace. With so much of the city's history and lore lost in a long-ago disaster, no one knows the danger that has been unleashed―until the city begins to fight back. As the sun sets, stone gargoyles and bronze statues tear away from their buildings and plinths to hunt people through the streets. Trapped in Mina's bell, the soul of a twisted and power-hungry Saint festered. Now free of his prison, he hides behind the face of one of Vaiwyn's citizens, corrupting the city and turning it on itself.

Time is running out, and the only chance Mina has to stop the destruction and horrific killings is finding and destroying the Saint's host. Everyone is a suspect, including Mina's closest loved ones. She will have to decide how far she'll go to save her city―and who she's willing to kill to do it.

My Review:


Author: Elle Tesch
Read: March 30th, 2025  
Source: Bought 
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's a DAC Book and a SAC 2025 Book! 
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Published: March 11th 2025
/5 Hearts
/5 Books
/5 Stars

Sunday, March 30, 2025

Magical Readathon: Orilium Update 21

So I read my next book for Magical Readathon: Orilium, and it was Hemlock & Silver which was for the prompt 3D Match Sundial, and I'll be reading My April TBR next! 

My Reading Journey:

Memories of Ash by Intisar Khanani 
Prompt Fulfilled: 1C
Started On: January 22nd
Finished On: January 22nd, 4:28 PM
Pages Read: 355

Hearts that Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou
Prompt Fulfilled: 1B
Started On: January 25th
Finished On: January 25th, 11:31 AM
Pages Read: 336

The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter
Prompt Fulfilled: 1D
Started On: January 25th
Finished On: January 25th, 3:45 PM
Pages Read: 544

The Party by Natasha Preston
Prompt Fulfilled: 1C
Started On: January 27th
Finished On: January 27th, 10:53 AM
Pages Read: 352

Return of the Vengeful Queen by C.J. Redwine 
Prompt Fulfilled: 1E
Started On: January 30th
Finished On: January 30th, 11:04 AM
Pages Read: 400

I Am the Dark that Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea
Prompt Fulfilled: 1B
Started On: January 31st
Finished On: January 31st, 2:00 PM
Pages Read: 336

Vilest Things by Chloe Gong
Prompt Fulfilled: 1A
Started On: January 31st
Finished On: January 31st, 6:36 PM
Pages Read: 416

The Half King by Melissa Landers
Prompt Fulfilled: 2A North
Started On: February 8th
Finished On: February 8th, 7:28 PM
Pages Read: 512

Tell Me No Lies by A.V. Geiger
Prompt Fulfilled: 2C South
Started On: February 9th
Finished On: February 9th, 6:48 PM
Pages Read: 330

Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard
Prompt Fulfilled: 2B West
Started On: February 15th
Finished On: February 15th, 9:18 PM
Pages Read: 545

Gabriel's Redemption by Sylvain Reynard 
Prompt Fulfilled: 2B West
Started On: February 16th
Finished On: February 16th, 3:26 PM
Pages Read: 496

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan
Prompt Fulfilled: 2E South East
Started On: February 20th
Finished On: February 20th, 6:47 PM
Pages Read: 496

Shutter by Courtney Alameda
Prompt Fulfilled: 2D North East
Started On: February 21st
Finished On: February 21st, 9:15 PM
Pages Read: 384

Rule of the Aurora King by Nisha J. Tuli
Prompt Fulfilled: 2C South 
Started On: February 23rd
Finished On: February 23rd, 10:50 PM
Pages Read: 514

Steel by Carrie Vaughn
Prompt Fulfilled: 3B Bring Sword
Started On: March 2nd
Finished On: March 2nd, 10:32 PM
Pages Read: 309

Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher
Prompt Fulfilled: 3C Bring Wand
Started On: March 6th
Finished On: March 6th, 7:13 AM
Pages Read: 147

The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi
Prompt Fulfilled: 3A Find New Friends
Started On: March 7th
Finished On: March 7th, 11:48 AM
Pages Read: 640

His Mortal Demise by Vanessa Le
Prompt Fulfilled: 3B Enjoy Solitude
Started On: March 10th
Finished On: March 10th, 10:52 AM
Pages Read: 400

On a Quiet Street by Seraphina Nova Glass
Prompt Fulfilled: 3D Inspect Well
Started On: March 14th
Finished On: March 14th, 9:18 PM
Pages Read: 320

Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher
Prompt Fulfilled: 3C Try New Food
Started On: March 29th
Finished On: March 29th, 1:57 PM
Pages Read: 368

What Wakes the Bells by Elle Tesch
Prompt Fulfilled: 3D Match Sundial
Started On: March 30th
Finished On: March 30th, 10:05 PM
Pages Read: 336

Prompts Left: None Left! 
Read: 21
Pages Read: 8536

Saturday, March 29, 2025

Magical Readathon: Orilium Update 20

So I read my next book for Magical Readathon: Orilium, and it was Hemlock & Silver which was for the prompt 3D Try New Food, and I'll be reading What Wakes the Bell next! 

My Reading Journey:

Memories of Ash by Intisar Khanani 
Prompt Fulfilled: 1C
Started On: January 22nd
Finished On: January 22nd, 4:28 PM
Pages Read: 355

Hearts that Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou
Prompt Fulfilled: 1B
Started On: January 25th
Finished On: January 25th, 11:31 AM
Pages Read: 336

The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter
Prompt Fulfilled: 1D
Started On: January 25th
Finished On: January 25th, 3:45 PM
Pages Read: 544

The Party by Natasha Preston
Prompt Fulfilled: 1C
Started On: January 27th
Finished On: January 27th, 10:53 AM
Pages Read: 352

Return of the Vengeful Queen by C.J. Redwine 
Prompt Fulfilled: 1E
Started On: January 30th
Finished On: January 30th, 11:04 AM
Pages Read: 400

I Am the Dark that Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea
Prompt Fulfilled: 1B
Started On: January 31st
Finished On: January 31st, 2:00 PM
Pages Read: 336

Vilest Things by Chloe Gong
Prompt Fulfilled: 1A
Started On: January 31st
Finished On: January 31st, 6:36 PM
Pages Read: 416

The Half King by Melissa Landers
Prompt Fulfilled: 2A North
Started On: February 8th
Finished On: February 8th, 7:28 PM
Pages Read: 512

Tell Me No Lies by A.V. Geiger
Prompt Fulfilled: 2C South
Started On: February 9th
Finished On: February 9th, 6:48 PM
Pages Read: 330

Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard
Prompt Fulfilled: 2B West
Started On: February 15th
Finished On: February 15th, 9:18 PM
Pages Read: 545

Gabriel's Redemption by Sylvain Reynard 
Prompt Fulfilled: 2B West
Started On: February 16th
Finished On: February 16th, 3:26 PM
Pages Read: 496

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan
Prompt Fulfilled: 2E South East
Started On: February 20th
Finished On: February 20th, 6:47 PM
Pages Read: 496

Shutter by Courtney Alameda
Prompt Fulfilled: 2D North East
Started On: February 21st
Finished On: February 21st, 9:15 PM
Pages Read: 384

Rule of the Aurora King by Nisha J. Tuli
Prompt Fulfilled: 2C South 
Started On: February 23rd
Finished On: February 23rd, 10:50 PM
Pages Read: 514

Steel by Carrie Vaughn
Prompt Fulfilled: 3B Bring Sword
Started On: March 2nd
Finished On: March 2nd, 10:32 PM
Pages Read: 309

Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher
Prompt Fulfilled: 3C Bring Wand
Started On: March 6th
Finished On: March 6th, 7:13 AM
Pages Read: 147

The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi
Prompt Fulfilled: 3A Find New Friends
Started On: March 7th
Finished On: March 7th, 11:48 AM
Pages Read: 640

His Mortal Demise by Vanessa Le
Prompt Fulfilled: 3B Enjoy Solitude
Started On: March 10th
Finished On: March 10th, 10:52 AM
Pages Read: 400

On a Quiet Street by Seraphina Nova Glass
Prompt Fulfilled: 3D Inspect Well
Started On: March 14th
Finished On: March 14th, 9:18 PM
Pages Read: 320

Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher
Prompt Fulfilled: 3C Try New Food
Started On: March 29th
Finished On: March 29th, 1:57 PM
Pages Read: 368

What Wakes the Bells by Elle Tesch
Prompt Fulfilled: 3D Match Sundial
Started On: March 30th
Currently On: Page 0 of 336

Prompts Left: None Left! 
Read: 20
Pages Read: 8200

Friday, March 14, 2025

Magical Readathon: Orilium Update 19

So I read my next book for Magical Readathon: Orilium, and it was On a Quiet Street which was for the prompt 3C Inspect Well, and I'll be reading What Wakes the Bell next! 

My Reading Journey:

Memories of Ash by Intisar Khanani 
Prompt Fulfilled: 1C
Started On: January 22nd
Finished On: January 22nd, 4:28 PM
Pages Read: 355

Hearts that Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou
Prompt Fulfilled: 1B
Started On: January 25th
Finished On: January 25th, 11:31 AM
Pages Read: 336

The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter
Prompt Fulfilled: 1D
Started On: January 25th
Finished On: January 25th, 3:45 PM
Pages Read: 544

The Party by Natasha Preston
Prompt Fulfilled: 1C
Started On: January 27th
Finished On: January 27th, 10:53 AM
Pages Read: 352

Return of the Vengeful Queen by C.J. Redwine 
Prompt Fulfilled: 1E
Started On: January 30th
Finished On: January 30th, 11:04 AM
Pages Read: 400

I Am the Dark that Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea
Prompt Fulfilled: 1B
Started On: January 31st
Finished On: January 31st, 2:00 PM
Pages Read: 336

Vilest Things by Chloe Gong
Prompt Fulfilled: 1A
Started On: January 31st
Finished On: January 31st, 6:36 PM
Pages Read: 416

The Half King by Melissa Landers
Prompt Fulfilled: 2A North
Started On: February 8th
Finished On: February 8th, 7:28 PM
Pages Read: 512

Tell Me No Lies by A.V. Geiger
Prompt Fulfilled: 2C South
Started On: February 9th
Finished On: February 9th, 6:48 PM
Pages Read: 330

Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard
Prompt Fulfilled: 2B West
Started On: February 15th
Finished On: February 15th, 9:18 PM
Pages Read: 545

Gabriel's Redemption by Sylvain Reynard 
Prompt Fulfilled: 2B West
Started On: February 16th
Finished On: February 16th, 3:26 PM
Pages Read: 496

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan
Prompt Fulfilled: 2E South East
Started On: February 20th
Finished On: February 20th, 6:47 PM
Pages Read: 496

Shutter by Courtney Alameda
Prompt Fulfilled: 2D North East
Started On: February 21st
Finished On: February 21st, 9:15 PM
Pages Read: 384

Rule of the Aurora King by Nisha J. Tuli
Prompt Fulfilled: 2C South 
Started On: February 23rd
Finished On: February 23rd, 10:50 PM
Pages Read: 514

Steel by Carrie Vaughn
Prompt Fulfilled: 3B Bring Sword
Started On: March 2nd
Finished On: March 2nd, 10:32 PM
Pages Read: 309

Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher
Prompt Fulfilled: 3C Bring Wand
Started On: March 6th
Finished On: March 6th, 7:13 AM
Pages Read: 147

The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi
Prompt Fulfilled: 3A Find New Friends
Started On: March 7th
Finished On: March 7th, 11:48 AM
Pages Read: 640

His Mortal Demise by Vanessa Le
Prompt Fulfilled: 3B Enjoy Solitude
Started On: March 10th
Finished On: March 10th, 10:52 AM
Pages Read: 400

On a Quiet Street by Seraphina Nova Glass
Prompt Fulfilled: 3D Inspect Well
Started On: March 14th
Finished On: March 14th, 9:18 PM
Pages Read: 320

What Wakes the Bells by Elle Tesch
Prompt Fulfilled: 3D Match Sundial
Started On: March 
Currently On: Page 0 of 336

Prompts Left: None Left! 
Read: 19
Pages Read: 7832

Friday, March 7, 2025

Magical Readathon: Orilium Update 17

So I read my next book for Magical Readathon: Orilium, and it was The Final Strife which was for the prompt 3A Find New Friends, and I'll be reading What Wakes the Bell next! 

My Reading Journey:

Memories of Ash by Intisar Khanani 
Prompt Fulfilled: 1C
Started On: January 22nd
Finished On: January 22nd, 4:28 PM
Pages Read: 355

Hearts that Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou
Prompt Fulfilled: 1B
Started On: January 25th
Finished On: January 25th, 11:31 AM
Pages Read: 336

The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter
Prompt Fulfilled: 1D
Started On: January 25th
Finished On: January 25th, 3:45 PM
Pages Read: 544

The Party by Natasha Preston
Prompt Fulfilled: 1C
Started On: January 27th
Finished On: January 27th, 10:53 AM
Pages Read: 352

Return of the Vengeful Queen by C.J. Redwine 
Prompt Fulfilled: 1E
Started On: January 30th
Finished On: January 30th, 11:04 AM
Pages Read: 400

I Am the Dark that Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea
Prompt Fulfilled: 1B
Started On: January 31st
Finished On: January 31st, 2:00 PM
Pages Read: 336

Vilest Things by Chloe Gong
Prompt Fulfilled: 1A
Started On: January 31st
Finished On: January 31st, 6:36 PM
Pages Read: 416

The Half King by Melissa Landers
Prompt Fulfilled: 2A North
Started On: February 8th
Finished On: February 8th, 7:28 PM
Pages Read: 512

Tell Me No Lies by A.V. Geiger
Prompt Fulfilled: 2C South
Started On: February 9th
Finished On: February 9th, 6:48 PM
Pages Read: 330

Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard
Prompt Fulfilled: 2B West
Started On: February 15th
Finished On: February 15th, 9:18 PM
Pages Read: 545

Gabriel's Redemption by Sylvain Reynard 
Prompt Fulfilled: 2B West
Started On: February 16th
Finished On: February 16th, 3:26 PM
Pages Read: 496

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan
Prompt Fulfilled: 2E South East
Started On: February 20th
Finished On: February 20th, 6:47 PM
Pages Read: 496

Shutter by Courtney Alameda
Prompt Fulfilled: 2D North East
Started On: February 21st
Finished On: February 21st, 9:15 PM
Pages Read: 384

Rule of the Aurora King by Nisha J. Tuli
Prompt Fulfilled: 2C South 
Started On: February 23rd
Finished On: February 23rd, 10:50 PM
Pages Read: 514

Steel by Carrie Vaughn
Prompt Fulfilled: 3B Bring Sword
Started On: March 2nd
Finished On: March 2nd, 10:32 PM
Pages Read: 309

Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher
Prompt Fulfilled: 3C Bring Wand
Started On: March 6th
Finished On: March 6th, 7:13 AM
Pages Read: 147

The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi
Prompt Fulfilled: 3A Find New Friends
Started On: March 7th
Finished On: March 7th, 11:48 AM
Pages Read: 640

What Wakes the Bells by Elle Tesch
Prompt Fulfilled: 3D Match Sundial
Started On: March 
Currently On: Page 0 of 336

Prompts Left: 3C Try New Food, 3B Enjoy Solitude, 3D Inspect Well
Read: 17
Pages Read: 7112

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Waiting on Wednesday #720, February 26th

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

Installment Immortality by Seanan McGuire
Expected Publication: March 11th, 2025
From Goodreads:
Seanan McGuire’s New York Times-bestselling and Hugo Award-nominated InCryptid series continues with a whirlwind adventure....

After four generations of caring for the Price family, Mary Dunlavy has more than earned a break from the ongoing war with the Covenant of St. George. Instead, what she's getting is a new employer, in the form of the anima mundi, Earth's living soul made manifest, and a new assignment: to hunt down the Covenant agents on the East Coast and make them stop imprisoning America's ghosts.

All in a day's work for a phantom nanny, even one who'd really rather be teaching her youngest charges how to read.

One ghost can't take on the entire Covenant without backup, which is how she winds up on a road trip with the still-mourning Elsie and the slowly collapsing Arthur, both of whom are reeling in their own way from the loss of their mother. New allies and new enemies await in Worcester, Massachusetts, where the path of the haunting leads.

With the anima mundi demanding results and Mary's newfound freedom at stake, it's down to Mary to make sure that everyone gets out of this adventure alive.

It's been a long afterlife, but Mary Dunlavy's not ready to be exorcised quite yet.

Go Luck Yourself by Sara Raasch
Expected Publication: March 11th, 2025
From Goodreads:
Featuring exquisite emerald sprayed edges!

It’s enemies to lovers in this sexy and delightful holiday mash up that pairs the spare prince of Christmas with the crown prince of St. Patrick’s Day!

Someone has been stealing Christmas’s joy, and there’s only one clue to the culprit—a single shamrock.

With Coal busy restructuring Christmas—and their dad now having a full midlife crisis in the Caribbean—Kris volunteers to investigate St. Patrick’s Day. His cover: an ambassador from Christmas to foster goodwill. What could go wrong?

Everything, it seems. Because Prince Lochlann Patrick, Crown Prince of St. Patrick’s Day, happens to be the mysterious student that Kris has been in a small war with at Cambridge. They attempt to play nice for the tabloids, but Kris can’t get through one conversation without wanting to smash Loch’s face in—he’s infuriating, stubborn, loud, obstinate, hot—

Wait—hot?

Kris might be in some trouble. Especially when it turns out that the mystery behind Christmas’s stolen magic isn’t as simple as an outright theft. But why would a Holiday that Christmas has never had contact with, one that’s always been the very basis of carefree, want to steal joy? Can a spare prince even hope to unravel all this, or will Kris lose something way more valuable than his Holiday’s resources—like his heart?

She Waits for You Beyond the Dark by Kristen Simmons
Expected Publication: March 11th, 2025
From Goodreads:
"Death is not an ending, it’s simply the next chapter. Do not be afraid to turn the page...."

It’s been one month since Ian’s reunited friends escaped the hellish game of Meido and saved him. The survivors may have sealed the gate to the world of the dead shut and destroyed Empress Izanami, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still reeling over the challenges they endured in her grim game. They can relax back in the world of the living, taking solace in the fact that they rescued Ian from the nightmare that tried to steal him away. There’s just one problem―Ian didn’t come home alone.

The empress―now possessing Ian's heart―hitched a ride into the world of the living and the only way to free Ian from her grasp, yet again, is to find three artifacts for her, sacred objects which have been hidden across many realms.

Unwilling to leave Ian behind a second time, Ian’s friends dive into a new deadly game, with challenges that not only test their mettle, but demand sacrifices―including their very lives. If they don’t solve each terrifying new task and retrieve the empress’s artifacts, Ian will be lost forever, but if they do, it's the end of their world as they know it.

There’s only one person the empress hasn’t accounted for, but he hasn’t been human in a long time, and he may not have the time to master his yōkai powers fast enough to save his friends.

What Wakes the Bells by Elle Tesch
Expected Publication: March 11th, 2025
From Goodreads:
Inspired by an ominous Prague legend, What Wakes the Bells is a lavish gothic fantasy by debut author Elle Tesch.

Built by long-gone Saints, the city of Vaiwyn lives and breathes and bleeds. As a Keeper, Mina knows better than most what her care of Vaiwyn’s bells means for the sentient city. It’s the Strauss family’s thousand-year legacy―prevent the Vespers from ringing, or they will awake a slumbering evil.

One afternoon, to Mina's horror, her bell peals thirteen times, shattering the city’s tenuous peace. With so much of the city's history and lore lost in a long-ago disaster, no one knows the danger that has been unleashed―until the city begins to fight back. As the sun sets, stone gargoyles and bronze statues tear away from their buildings and plinths to hunt people through the streets. Trapped in Mina’s bell, the soul of a twisted and power-hungry Saint festered. Now free of his prison, he hides behind the face of one of Vaiwyn’s citizens, corrupting the city and turning it on itself.

Time is running out, and the only chance Mina has to stop the destruction and horrific killings is finding and destroying the Saint’s host. Everyone is a suspect, including Mina's closest loved ones. She will have to decide how far she’ll go to save her city―and who she’s willing to kill to do it.

I've read about half of these, and they were really good, and I can't wait for them all to be out, they're from authors and series I love, and a new one that sounds really good! What about you guys? Happy reading!