Words I Write Crazy: Jay Kristoff

Showing posts with label Jay Kristoff. Show all posts

Monday, October 27, 2025

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #751, October 27th

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 #750
Teaser Tuesday #758
WWW Wednesday #758
WOW #754
Will the Time Come #751
Third Sentence Thursday #741
Random Reads #727
First Lines Friday #754
Book Blogger Hop #420

Monthly ARC's Update 133
The Reward Challenge Update #736
Wheel of TBR #283
How Well I Stuck to It #588
Wrote that Review Update #585

Week 43 Reviews:

What We Did to Survive

Venom

Ghost

Dragon

Anna Dressed in Blood

Overdue

Where the Dark Stands Still

Magical Readathon: Orilium:

Phase Out Your TBR:

Update 22 and Wrap Up

OK, so I got 30 posts in 7 days, and it was a decent week, read some really great books, though I'm still massively behind on blogging, I'm still working on catching up. What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read The Intruder!

Who knows what the storm will blow in…

Casey's cabin in the wilderness is not built for a hurricane. Her roof shakes, the lights flicker, and the tree outside her front door sways ominously in the wind. But she's a lot more worried about the girl she discovers lurking outside her kitchen window.

She’s young. She’s alone. And she’s covered in blood.

The girl won't explain where she came from or loosen her grip on the knife in her right hand. And when Casey makes a disturbing discovery in the middle of the night, things take a turn for the worse.

The girl has a dark secret. One she’ll kill to keep. And if Casey gets too close to the truth, she may not live to see the morning.

In this taut, deadly tale of survival and desperation, #1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden explores how far one girl will go to save herself.

Saturday, October 25, 2025

Week 43 Review: Empire of the Damned

From Goodreads:

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Nevernight Chronicle, Jay Kristoff, comes the much-anticipated sequel to the #1 international bestselling sensation EMPIRE OF THE VAMPIRE.

From holy cup comes holy light;

The faithful hands sets world aright.

And in the Seven Martyrs' sight,

Mere man shall end this endless night.

Gabriel de León has saved the Holy Grail from death, but his chance to end the endless night is lost. Drawn into an uneasy alliance with the mysterious vampire Liathe, Gabriel must now deliver the Grail to ancients of the Blood Esani, and learn the truth of how Daysdeath might be finally undone.

But the Last Silversaint faces peril, within and without. Pursued by terrors of the Blood Voss, drawn into warfare between the Blood Dyvok and duskdancers of the frozen Highlands, and ravaged by his own rising bloodlust, Gabriel may not survive to see the Grail learn her truth.

And that truth may be too awful for any to imagine.

My first review of Empire of the Damned
My Review:

Author: Jay Kristoff
Series: Empire of the Vampire #2
First Read: March 23rd, 2024

Read: October 23rd, 2025
Source: Own
Reason Why: Love his writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book!
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: March 12th 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Thursday, October 23, 2025

Phase Out Your TBR Update 21

So I've read my next book for the Phase Out Your TBR, and it was Empire of the Damned which is for the prompt Red 6, and I'll be reading Where the Dark Stands Still next!

My Reading Journey:

Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 6

Started On: October 1st

Finished On: October 1st, 9:03 PM

Pages Read: 736

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 3

Started On: October 2nd

Finished On: October 2nd, 5:45 PM

Pages Read: 489

Vicious Fates by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 7

Started On: October 4th

Finished On: October 4th, 11:04 PM

Pages Read: 678

Married to the Devil by Lillian Lark

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 11

Started On: October 6th

Finished On: October 6th, 10:48 PM

Pages Read: 482

Inferno by Dan Brown

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 6

Started On: October 8th

Finished On: October 8th, 8:58 PM

Pages Read: 611

State of Decay by James Knapp

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 9

Started On: October 9th

Finished On: October 9th, 3:04 PM

Pages Read: 384

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 7

Started On: October 10th

Finished On: October 10th, 2:58 PM

Pages Read: 352

Going Dark by Melissa de la Cruz

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 10

Started On: October 10th

Finished On: October 10th, 8:48 PM

Pages Read: 336

Holly by Adalyn Grace

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 11

Started On: October 11th

Finished On: October 11th, 5:01 PM

Pages Read: 384

Origin by Dan Brown

Prompt Fulfilled: Wild Red (Red 2)

Started On: October 12th

Finished On: October 12th, 6:08 PM

Pages Read: 638

First Sign of Danger by Kelley Armstrong

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 7

Started On: October 14th

Finished On: October 14th, 7:08 PM

Pages Read: 352

Element Zero by James Knapp

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 10

Started On: October 15th

Finished On: October 15th, 9:33 PM

Pages Read: 384

The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 3

Started On: October 16th

Finished On: October 16th, 11:05 AM

Pages Read: 368

Leviathan's Song by Elsie Winters

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 11

Started On: October 16th

Finished On: October 16th, 6:37 PM

Pages Read: 342

Magpies & Mayhem by Elsie Winters

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 2

Started On: October 17th

Finished On: October 17th, 7:38 PM

Pages Read: 295

What We Did to Survive by Megan Lally

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 6

Started On: October 18th

Finished On : October 18th, 1:48 PM

Pages Read: 288

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 3

Started On: October 20th

Finished On: October 20th, 2:06 PM

Pages Read: 416

Princess of Death by Penelope Barsetti

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 10

Started On: October 21st

Finished On: October 21st, 3:10 PM

Pages Read: 396

A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 1

Started On: October 21st

Finished On: October 21st, 7:58 PM

Pages Read: 400

Overdue by Stephanie Perkins

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 2

Started On: October 22nd

Finished On: October 22nd, 5:32 PM

Pages Read: 416

Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 6

Started On: October 23rd

Finished On: October 23rd, 9:47 PM

Pages Read: 709

Where the Dark Stands Still by A.B. Poranek

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 6

Started On: October 24th

Currently On: Page 0 of 368

Prompts Left: None Left!

Books Read: 21

Pages Read: 65536

Third Sentence Thursday #741, October 23rd

Create your own banner at mybannermaker.com!

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!

"Lachlan shrugged, spitting blood on the frost." -Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff, page 79.

That doesn't sound good, that he has blood to spit like that. Must reread more now! What are your guy's 3rd lines? Link up below!

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Phase Out Your TBR Update 20

So I've read my next book for the Phase Out Your TBR, and it was Overdue which is for the prompt Blue 2, and I'll be reading Empire of the Damned next!

My Reading Journey:

Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 6

Started On: October 1st

Finished On: October 1st, 9:03 PM

Pages Read: 736

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 3

Started On: October 2nd

Finished On: October 2nd, 5:45 PM

Pages Read: 489

Vicious Fates by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 7

Started On: October 4th

Finished On: October 4th, 11:04 PM

Pages Read: 678

Married to the Devil by Lillian Lark

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 11

Started On: October 6th

Finished On: October 6th, 10:48 PM

Pages Read: 482

Inferno by Dan Brown

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 6

Started On: October 8th

Finished On: October 8th, 8:58 PM

Pages Read: 611

State of Decay by James Knapp

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 9

Started On: October 9th

Finished On: October 9th, 3:04 PM

Pages Read: 384

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 7

Started On: October 10th

Finished On: October 10th, 2:58 PM

Pages Read: 352

Going Dark by Melissa de la Cruz

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 10

Started On: October 10th

Finished On: October 10th, 8:48 PM

Pages Read: 336

Holly by Adalyn Grace

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 11

Started On: October 11th

Finished On: October 11th, 5:01 PM

Pages Read: 384

Origin by Dan Brown

Prompt Fulfilled: Wild Red (Red 2)

Started On: October 12th

Finished On: October 12th, 6:08 PM

Pages Read: 638

First Sign of Danger by Kelley Armstrong

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 7

Started On: October 14th

Finished On: October 14th, 7:08 PM

Pages Read: 352

Element Zero by James Knapp

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 10

Started On: October 15th

Finished On: October 15th, 9:33 PM

Pages Read: 384

The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 3

Started On: October 16th

Finished On: October 16th, 11:05 AM

Pages Read: 368

Leviathan's Song by Elsie Winters

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 11

Started On: October 16th

Finished On: October 16th, 6:37 PM

Pages Read: 342

Magpies & Mayhem by Elsie Winters

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 2

Started On: October 17th

Finished On: October 17th, 7:38 PM

Pages Read: 295

What We Did to Survive by Megan Lally

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 6

Started On: October 18th

Finished On : October 18th, 1:48 PM

Pages Read: 288

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 3

Started On: October 20th

Finished On: October 20th, 2:06 PM

Pages Read: 416

Princess of Death by Penelope Barsetti

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 10

Started On: October 21st

Finished On: October 21st, 3:10 PM

Pages Read: 396

A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 1

Started On: October 21st

Finished On: October 21st, 7:58 PM

Pages Read: 400

Overdue by Stephanie Perkins

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 2

Started On: October 22nd

Finished On: October 22nd, 5:32 PM

Pages Read: 416

Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 6

Started On: October 23rd

Currently On: Page 0 of 709

Prompts Left: Yellow 6

Books Read: 20

Pages Read: 64827

Waiting on Wednesday #754, October 22nd

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

The Moorwitch by Jessica Khoury

Expected Publication: November 1st, 2025
From Goodreads:
In this sweeping romantic fantasy from bestselling author Jessica Khoury, a young witch caught in a twisted bargain with the fae must disguise herself as a governess and uncover the gateway to the realm of faerie in order to save her dying magic and escape the clutches of her controlling fae handler—even as she finds herself falling for her new employer, an enigmatic young Scottish laird and the owner of a crumbling estate brimming with secrets.

Rose Pryor has sacrificed everything for magic. As a Weaver skilled in the craft of spinning spells with thread and needle, she’s always chosen magic over love, and it was magic that brought her to Lachlan, the fae with whom Rose once struck a sinister deal in order to escape her abusive home. After years of running from her past, Rose has finally managed to build a new life for herself as a teacher in a school for young Weavers. But Rose has a Her magic is waning, and every spell she weaves to train her students is slowly killing her.

When Lachlan returns to collect the debt Rose owes him, she finds herself on a perilous journey to the Scottish moors where she must find him an ancient gateway to the realm of the fae, lest her precious magic be forfeit. But when her quest pits her against Conrad, a young laird with a soul as lonely as her own who hires Rose to work as a governess for his rebellious young sister, Rose finds herself torn between her promise to Lachlan and her budding feelings for her new employer as her search for the gateway puts both her magic and her heart at stake.

The Same Backward as Forward by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:
You’ve fallen in love with the Hawthorne brothers, now discover the love story of the lost scion of Hawthorne House. Read Hannah’s side of the story, then flip the book over to experience their love anew through Toby’s eyes in this unforgettable novel that you can read backward or forward.

Hannah Rooney knows how to be invisible. At twenty, she keeps her head down and her eyes open, and so far, she’s managed to avoid being pulled into the dealings of her notorious criminal family. Hannah lives her life in countdown mode, biding her time in nursing school as she waits for her beloved sister, Kaylie, to turn eighteen so Hannah can get them both far, far away from Rockaway Watch and start a new life.

Tobias Hawthorne II acts every inch the entitled heir that he is. As the only son of one of the country's richest men, there isn't a door that isn't open to him. Yet behind his razor sharp cheekbones and devil-may-care attitude, Toby is guarding a nest of deadly secrets and a fiery anger fierce enough to burn everything in his path.

Their lives collide in one tragic, stormy night, where an act of arson and nature leave Kaylie and two others dead and Toby just barely alive—with no memory of who he is. The fisherman who pulls him from the ocean enlists Hannah to help save the very person who she knows took away her sister. Fueled by her hatred, Hannah is determined to deny Toby's death wish by keeping him alive. He is the last person that she should ever develop feelings for, and she is the first thing he ever remembers seeing.

Some things cannot happen—and some things cannot be stopped.

*Hannah’s side of the story was previously published as a novella in Games Untold

*Reading them all? The ideal reading order The Inheritance Games , The Hawthorne Legacy , The Final Gambit , The Brothers Hawthorne , Games Untold , The Grandest Game , Glorious Rivals , and The Same Backward as Forward .

*Looking for more unputdownable reads from Jennifer Lynn Barnes? Check out The Naturals series (The Naturals, Killer Instinct, All In, Bad Blood, and the enovella, Twelve), The Debutantes duet (Little White Lies, Deadly Little Scandals), and The Lovely and the Lost.

We're Not Safe Here by Rin Chupeco

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:
Wispy Falls' town motto "You'll be safe here!" but that doesn't seem to be true. Because in Wispy Falls, monsters live in the woods, and children go missing, and the bodies are beginning to stack up.

A seventeen year-old vlogger known as Storymancer is determined to get to the bottom of what's wrong in Wispy Falls. A few years ago his six-year-old brother went missing in the woods and no one in town seemed to care enough to find him.

So now he's investigating why every household participates in something called the Bloodmoon Ritual, Why crpytid sightings are so common. And why everyone who goes into the woods, goes missing. If he can't fix what's wrong with the town, he just might be the next body in the woods.

Told primarily through video transcripts, message boards, and radio shows, this Welcome to Nightvale inspired horror will chill you to your core.

The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:
From the #1 New York Times bestselling "Queen of Fairytale Retellings" and author of Cinder and Heartless, this is the tale of Bluebeard as it's never been told before—a thrilling romantasy and murder mystery.

Mallory Fontaine is a fraud. Though she comes from a long line of witches, the only magic she possesses is the ability to see ghosts, which is rarely as useful as one would think. She and her sister have maintained the family business, eking out a paltry living by selling bogus spells to gullible buyers and conducting tours of the infamous mansion where the first of the Saphir murders took place.

Mallory is a self-proclaimed expert on Count Bastien Saphir—otherwise known as Monsieur Le Bleu—who brutally killed three of his wives more than a century ago. But she never expected to meet Bastien's great-great grandson and heir to the Saphir estate. Armand is handsome, wealthy, and convinced that the Fontaine Sisters are as talented as they claim. The perfect mark. When he offers Mallory a large sum of money to rid his ancestral home of Le Bleu's ghost, she can’t resist. A paid vacation at Armand’s country manor? It’s practically a dream come true, never mind the ghosts of murdered wives and the monsters that are as common as household pests.

But when murder again comes to the House Saphir, Mallory finds herself at the center of the investigation—and she is almost certain the killer is mortal. If she has any hope of cashing in on the payment she was promised, she’ll have to solve the murder and banish the ghost, all while upholding the illusion of witchcraft.

But that all sounds relatively easy compared to her biggest learning to trust her heart. Especially when the person her heart wants the most might be a murderer himself.

Empire of the Dawn by Jay Kristoff

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:
From New York Times bestselling author of the Empire of the Vampire and Empire of the Damned, Jay Kristoff, comes the epic conclusion to the #1 internationally bestselling series.

From holy cup comes holy light;
The faithful hands sets world aright.
And in the Seven Martyrs’ sight,
Mere man shall end this endless night.

Gabriel de León has lost his family, his faith, and the last hope of ending the endless night—his surrogate daughter, Dior. With no thought left but vengeance, he and a band of loyal brothers journey into the war-torn heart of Elidaen to claim the life of the Forever King.

Unbeknownst to the Last Silversaint, the Grail still lives—speeding towards the besieged capital of Augustin in the frail hope of ending Daysdeath. But deadly treachery awaits within the halls of power, and the Forever King’s legions march ever closer. Gabriel and Dior will be drawn into a final battle that will shape the very fate of the Empire, but as the sun sets for what may the last time, there will be no one left for them to trust.

Not even each other.

Witchlight by Susan Dennard

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:
Paths converge and prophecies unfold as Safi and Iseult—the legendary Cahr Awen—fight their way across the Witchlands to heal the final Origin Well. With ancient figures rising from the past, the Raider King’s armies gathering for war, and the magic at the heart of everything dying too fast, the entire world is now on the brink of collapse.

But when Safi and Iseult reach the Air Well with the Bloodwitch Aeduan at their side, they discover too late that Eridysi's Lament is not the prophecy they thought it was—and their journeys are only just beginning.

A Fate So Cold by Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:
A Fate So Cold is the first of a new blockbuster duology from the New York Times bestselling authors of All of Us Villains, Amanda Foody & C. L. Herman.

For most of the year, Summer reigns peacefully over Alderland. Then, for six brutal weeks, Winter rages, obliterating towns and wreaking casualties. Magicians bond with powerful wands of Summer to defend the nation, a duty that costs many their lives.

Domenic Barrow never wanted such responsibility―but destiny hasn’t granted him a choice. The greatest Summer wand has awakened for the first time in a century, warning that an icy cataclysm looms on the horizon. And despite his reputation as the least suited of his classmates, the wand Chooses Domenic to wield it.

Ellery Caldwell spent years striving to be a perfect Summer magician―and burying her fears of her own power. But her worst suspicions are proven true when she accidentally creates the first ever Winter wand.

Now, as the unprecedented Chosen Two, Domenic and Ellery must thwart the oncoming cataclysm together. And in trying to fulfill their destinies, they wonder if they were brought together for a second fate: to fall in love.

Until they discover the unthinkable truth. The Chosen Two aren’t fated allies, but eternal rivals, and the only way to save their home is for one of them to slay the other.

This is no love story. It's a tragedy.

Coldwire by Chloe Gong

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Chloe Gong comes the start of a daring new dystopian series where humanity has moved to virtual reality to flee their deteriorating world, following two young soldiers who must depend on unlikely allies in their fight for survival.

The future is loading…

To escape rising seas and rampant epidemics, most of society lives “upcountry” in glistening virtual reality, while those who can’t afford the subscription are forced to remain in crumbling “downcountry.”

But upcountry isn’t perfect. A cold war rages between two powerful nations, Medaluo and Atahua—and no one suffers for it more than the Medan orphans in Atahua. Their enrollment at Nile Military Academy is mandatory. Either serve as a soldier or risk being labelled a spy.

Eirale graduated the academy and joined NileCorp’s private forces downcountry, exactly as she was supposed to. Then Atahua’s most wanted anarchist frames her for assassinating a government official, and she’s given a choice: cooperate with him to search for a dangerous program in Medaluo or go down for treason.

Meanwhile, Lia is finishing her last year upcountry at Nile Military Academy. Paired with her academic nemesis for their final assignment, Lia is determined to beat him for valedictorian and prove her worth. But there may be far more at stake when their task to infiltrate Medaluo and track down an Atahuan traitor goes wrong…

Though Eirale and Lia tear through Medaluo on different planes of reality, the two start to suspect they are puzzle pieces in a larger conspiracy—and the closer they get to the truth, the closer their worlds come to a shattering collision.

Eternal Ruin by Tigest Girma

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:
The breathtaking sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller, Immortal Dark !

Like all ruinous things, he came from the abyss.

Kidan Adane has finally embraced her darkness. She’s killed without remorse, lied, and broken Uxlay University’s most sacred law by inviting elusive rogue vampires, the Nefrasi, into Uxlay.

Trapped with a violently unstable vampire, and reeling from her sister’s return, Kidan wields her anger like a weapon. She vows to master her house and protect the sacred artifact hidden inside, even if it means forging an alliance with the depraved leader of the Nefrasi, Samson Sagad—and betraying Susenyos.

A dangerous new philosophical text seems to hold the answers and promises the very thing Kidan has control. Even as the dark pages consume her, Kidan knows no soul at Uxlay is trustworthy—least of all Susenyos. For Kidan and Susenyos, the lines of loathing and attraction may blur, but the quest for power rules them both. And neither is willing to surrender.

As devastating secrets resurface from the past, Kidan and her sister, June, must finally confront each other and take their rightful places in the looming war.

The Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina Henry

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:
A woman must confront the evil that has been terrorizing her street since she was a child in this gripping haunted house novel from the national bestselling author of The House That Horror Built and Good Girls Don’t Die.

On an otherwise ordinary street in Chicago, there is a house. An abandoned house where, once upon a time, terrible things happened. The children who live on this block are told by their parents to stay away from that house. But of course, children don’t listen. Children think it’s fun to be scared, to dare each other to go inside.

Jessie Campanelli did what many older sisters do and dared her little brother Paul. But unlike all the other kids who went inside that abandoned house, Paul didn’t return. His two friends, Jake and Richie, said that the house ate Paul. Of course adults didn’t believe that. Adults never believe what kids say. They thought someone kidnapped Paul, or otherwise hurt him. They thought Paul had disappeared in a way that was ordinary, explainable.

The disappearance of her little brother broke Jessie’s family apart in ways that would never be repaired. Jessie grew up, had a child of her own, kept living on the same street where the house that ate her brother sat, crouched and waiting. And darkness seemed to spread out from that house, a darkness that was alive—alive and hungry.

The Devil in Oxford by Jess Armstrong

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:
Set after the Great War, Jess Armstrong’s USA Today bestselling and award-winning series is historical gothic murder mystery at its best, and Ruby Vaughn returns in The Devil in Oxford.

If someone were to ask American heiress Ruby Vaughn how exactly the occult came to play such a large role in her life, she would immediately point to her octogenarian housemate and employer, Mr. Owen. Together, the pair run a rare book shop in Exeter. Mr. Owen’s penchant for arcane, unusual—and occasionally illegal—books has been known to get Ruby into her fair share of trouble. And after the last year, she is looking forward to spending a quiet holiday in picturesque Oxford while Mr. Owen attends the annual meeting of his antiquarian society. Secretly, Ruby is also looking for a holiday from her confounding feelings for Ruan Kivell, the intriguing folk healer Pellar that she met in Cornwall.

When Mr. Owen secures two tickets to an upcoming exhibition of artifacts amassed by disgraced scholar Julius Harker, Ruby reluctantly agrees to attend. The evening turns out to be more eventful than either of them bargained for. Harker’s dead body is discovered amongst the collection, his business partner is hastily arrested, and Ruan arrives…wanting to speak with Ruby. It seems both the arcane and her Pellar have followed Ruby to Oxford.

The murder case is suspicious at best, but the last thing Ruby wants is another investigation. That is, until an old friend comes begging for Ruby’s help. It soon becomes painfully clear that there is more going on in Oxford than meets the eye. Ruby and Ruan will have to uncover the dark secrets of the competitive world of antiquities while trying to understand the peculiar force that keeps drawing them back together.

Beautiful Brutal Bodies by Linda Cheng

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:
Full of skin-crawling folk horror and sapphic romance, this feral fairytale and standalone follow-up to GORGEOUS GRUESOME FACES follows a reclusive songstress and her bodyguard who must unravel the occult mysteries of their past to escape from a cursed island.

Tian is a singer-songwriter with a massive online following, known for her hypnotic vocals and ethereal looks. But behind the glamorous façade is a disturbing reality: raised in an isolated mansion, Tian is a prisoner in her own life.

Liya is Tian’s childhood friend and her only close companion, tasked with protecting Tian at all costs. But hidden beneath Liya’s beautiful human exterior is a beastly secret: her teeth are far too sharp, and her appetite much too ferocious.

When several fans mysteriously suffer fatal injuries while watching her livestream, Tian, along with Liya, are sent to a spiritual healing retreat on a remote island in the South China Seas. They are joined by Tian's musical collaborator Shenyu, a troubled idol whose recent brush with the law and string of bad boyfriends has him seeking his own new start. But the trio soon discovers that the island is no peaceful getaway. There is constant surveillance, bizzare rituals, and something terrifying lurking in the forest. Something not quite human.

In order to escape with her loved ones, Tian must uncover her connection to the island’s blood-drenched legend -- and the truth behind Liya’s monstrous identity -- before the island claims them all as its final sacrifice.

Girls Who Play Dead by Joelle Wellington

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:
Two siblings investigate the murder of a friend only to unearth even more deadly mysteries in their small town in this page-turning young adult thriller from the acclaimed author of Their Vicious Games.

When Mikky Graves left his small, stifling hometown of Prophets Lake to live with his estranged mother, he thought nothing could ever make him return for good.

Until his sister Kyla’s best friend, Erin, is murdered.

Mikky never worried about leaving Kyla behind at their family-owned funeral home so long as she had Erin. But when Mikky heads home, determined to help Kyla grieve, the sister he encounters barely resembles the one he remembers. Mikky decides, then and there, to do the one thing that seems even more impossible than stay.

As Kyla spirals further into her rage and secrets, Mikky realizes the only thing that can help his sister is finding the truth about who killed Erin. But the more he investigates, the further he’s pulled into other ugly mysteries of Prophets Lake and the beauty brand that is its lifeblood. The town’s rot runs deep, and everyone has something to hide. Perhaps no one more than Kyla herself.

We Fell Apart by E. Lockhart

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:
This gorgeous edition of We Fell Apart will feature stunning sprayed edges, unique printed endpapers, and an exclusive foil-stamped case!

#1 New York Times bestselling author E. Lockhart returns to the world of her TikTok sensation We Were Liars with all her signature beachy gothic atmosphere, family intrigue, and high-stakes romance.

The invitation arrives out of the blue.

In it, Matilda discovers a father she’s never met. Kingsley Cello is a visionary, a reclusive artist. And when he asks her to spend the summer at his seaside home, Hidden Beach, Matilda expects to find a part of herself she’s never fully understood.

Instead, she finds Meer, her long-lost, openhearted brother; Brock, a former child star battling demons; and brooding, wild Tatum, who just wants her to leave their crumbling sanctuary.

With Kingsley nowhere to be seen, Matilda must delve into the twisted heart of Hidden Beach to uncover the answers she’s desperately craving. But secrets run thicker than blood, and blood runs like seawater.

And everyone here is lying.

Fallen City by Adrienne Young

Expected Publication: November 4th, 2025
From Goodreads:
In the great walled city of Isara, political turmoil ignites a rebellion one hundred years in the making. But when a legionnaire falls in love with a Magistrate's daughter, their love will threaten the fate of the city and the will of the gods.

Luca Matius has one purpose—to carry on the family name, maintaining its presence in the Forum once his powerful and cruel uncle dies. But his noviceship with the city's Philosopher places him in the middle of a catastrophe that will alter the destiny of his people.

Maris Casoeria was raised amidst the strategic maneuvers of the Citadel's inner workings, and she knows what her future holds—a lifetime of service to a corrupt city. But her years of serving as a novice to the last Priestess who possesses the stolen magic of the Old War has made her envision a different kind of future for the city. When she meets Luca, a fated chain of events is set into motion that will divinely entangle their lives.

As a secret comes to light and throws the city into chaos, Luca and Maris hatch a plot to create a calculated alliance that could tip the scales of power. But when an execution forces Luca to become the symbol of rebellion, he and Maris are thrown onto opposite sides of a holy war. As their fates diverge, they learn they are at the center of a story the gods are writing. And even if they can find their way back to each other, there may be nothing left.

Silver & Smoke by Helen Scheuerer

Expected Publication: November 6th, 2025
From Goodreads:
Alchemist. Poisoner. Reluctant Queen.

Wren Embervale knows her duty demands a crown, even if it means a strategic betrothal to the influential Lord Darian Devereux. Their arranged marriage promises the formidable army she needs to wrestle her kingdom from the clutches of the tyrannical usurper, Silas. Yet, Wren’s heart still belongs to Torj Elderbrock, her soul-bonded Warsword.

Torn between her pragmatic alliance and the visceral pull of her bond with Torj, Wren must navigate a treacherous landscape of courtly intrigue and looming war. As Silas’s shadow alchemy tightens its grip on the midrealms and a creeping poison steals Torj’s strength, Wren’s carefully constructed facade begins to crack. Can she play the dutiful fiancée to secure her throne, while her body and soul yearns for the warrior who would lay down his life for her? Or will the tangled threads of political necessity leave her kingdom – and her heart – in ashes?

From the Sunday Times bestselling author of Iron & Embers, Silver & Smoke is the blistering finale to the Ashes of Thezmarr series.

Wow, the start of November is stacked with some amazing books! I'm so excited for all of these books, I've read one of two and they were so great, and I'm looking forward to all of them so much! What about you guys? Happy reading!

WWW Wednesday #758, October 22nd

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 Overdue, and I'm loving it!

I read A Door in the Dark, and I really enjoyed it again!

I'm going to be reading Empire of the Damned, and I can't wait to reread it!

What about you guys? Happy reading!

Thursday, May 22, 2025

Will the Time Come #729, May 22nd

Every Thursday I am going to list a book which I really want to read/keep meaning to get to. These are mostly books which have been on my shelf for awhile now but don't have to be, maybe you got it two weeks ago and really want to read it! Thanks to Jodie from Books for Company for this meme!

Want to Join?

-Pick a book you have been meaning to read

-Do a post telling us about the book

-Link the post up in the linky

-Visit the other blogs

From Goodreads:

From New York Times bestselling author of the Empire of the Vampire and Empire of the Damned, Jay Kristoff, comes the epic conclusion to the #1 internationally bestselling series.

From holy cup comes holy light;

The faithful hands sets world aright.

And in the Seven Martyrs’ sight,

Mere man shall end this endless night.

Gabriel de León has lost his family, his faith, and the last hope of ending the endless night—his surrogate daughter, Dior. With no thought left but vengeance, he and a band of loyal brothers journey into the war-torn heart of Elidaen to claim the life of the Forever King.

Unbeknownst to the Last Silversaint, the Grail still lives—speeding towards the besieged capital of Augustin in the frail hope of ending Daysdeath. But deadly treachery awaits within the halls of power, and the Forever King’s legions march ever closer. Gabriel and Dior will be drawn into a final battle that will shape the very fate of the Empire, but as the sun sets for what may the last time, there will be no one left for them to trust.

Not even each other.

Why the time hasn't come yet...

This book comes out just before the end of the year, and I can't wait, I can't wait tos ee how the series is going to end! What about you guys? Happy reading!

Monday, April 1, 2024

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #669, April 1st

What happened in the past week:

Weekly Memes:
It's Monday! What Are You Reading #668
Teaser Tuesday #676
WWW Wednesday #676
WOW #672
Will the Time Come #669
Third Sentence Thursday #659
Random Reads #645
First Lines Friday #672
Book Blogger Hop #338

Monthly ARC's May Round Up

Monthly Series April Round Up

Monthly ARC's Update 66
The Reward Challenge Update #654
Wheel of TBR #201
How Well I Stuck to It #506
Wrote that Review Update #503

Week 13 Reviews:
Empire of the Damned

Icarus

Love Letters to a Serial Killer

The Poisons We Drink

The Prince's Rogue

The Farmer's War

The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh

The Lady in the Glass and Other Stories

Beautiful Boss

Beautiful

When You Wish Upon a Star

Spring Into Reading-A-Thon:

Update 23

Update 24

Update 25 and Wrap Up

Phase Out Your TBR:

Update 19

Update 20

Update 21

Update 22 and Wrap Up

Greek God-a-Thon:

Update 18 and Wrap Up

Random:

The Bookworm Revolution April 2024 TBR

Book Battle April 2024 TBR

OK, so I got 49 posts in 7 days, and it was a pretty great week, I read some great books, I had a great time, and I can't wait for next week, I've had Friday, and today off, which is nice, plus I have Jax for most of this week-more time to get him and Holly used to one another so they can get along! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read whatever I want!

Saturday, March 30, 2024

Week 13 Review: Empire of the Damned

From Goodreads:

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Nevernight Chronicle, Jay Kristoff, comes the much-anticipated sequel to the #1 international bestselling sensation EMPIRE OF THE VAMPIRE.

From holy cup comes holy light;

The faithful hands sets world aright.

And in the Seven Martyrs' sight,

Mere man shall end this endless night.

And that truth may be too awful for any to imagine.

My Review:
I had such a great time reading this book! I loved the first one so much, and I had to know what story this book would tell! Following along Gabriel's continuing story was just so fantastic, and I couldn't get enough, so I'm glad that it was as long as it was!

Picking up after the events of this book, this one was a steady pace of events happening, that kept my attention and kept me reading, I had to know what was going to happen next! Gabriel and this family are just wonderful, and I didn't want anything bad to happen to them!

The characters in this book, man, feel so real, and spending more time with them as plots were progressing, was just lovely, even as things were getting more and more complicated, and has me wondering what's the endgame for this series.

Absolutely loved how it ended and where it left off, the wait for book 3i si going to be awful. So much happened in this book and was developed, I need to know what's going to come of it! I have no idea if book 3 will end the series, or be another continuation and the series will be longer, but I need to read it!

This was such a great read, and I can't wait for book 3, whether it's the end of the series or another series continuation!

Author: Jay Kristoff
Series: Empire of the Vampire #2
Read: March 23rd, 2024
Source: Bought
Reason Why: Love his writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: March 12th 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Saturday, March 23, 2024

Spring Into Reading-A-Thon Update 21

So I read my next book for Spring Into Reading-A-Thon, and it was Empire of the Damned which was for the prompt Stormy Weather and I'll be reading Three Kinds of Lucky next!

My Reading Journey:

A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene

Prompt Fulfilled: Spring Court

Started On: March 1st

Finished On: March 1st, 11:35 AM

Pages Read: 496

Becoming Alpha by Aileen Erin

Prompt Fulfilled: Spring Cleaning

Started On: March 1st

Finished On: March 1st, 1:58 PM

Pages Read: 348

Written in Red by Anne Bishop

Prompt Fulfilled: Let it Shine

Started On: March 2nd

Finished On: March 2nd, 7:45 PM

Pages Read: 496

Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop

Prompt Fulfilled: Spring Forward

Started On: March 4th

Finished On: March 4th, 9:50 PM

Pages Read: 511

Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop

Prompt Fulfilled: April Showers

Started On: March 5th

Finished On: March 5th, 11:02 PM

Pages Read: 528

Dead Things Are Closer Than They Appear by Robin Wasley

Prompt Fulfilled: Road Trip

Started On: March 6th

Finished On: March 6th, 10:18 AM

Pages Read: 448

Endless by Josephine Angelini

Prompt Fulfilled: Spring Fashion

Started On: March 7th

Finished On: March 7th, 10:26 PM

Pages Read: 362

Sweet Filthy Boy by Christina Lauren

Prompt Fulfilled: Read the group book

Started On: March 8th

Finished On: March 8th, 1:36 PM

Pages Read: 418

Dirty Rowdy Thing by Christina Lauren

Prompt Fulfilled: Rewind

Started On: March 8th

Finished On: March 8th, 5:49 PM

Pages Read: 352

Disturbing the Dead by Kelley Armstrong

Prompt Fulfilled: Women's March

Started On: March 8th

Finished On: March 8th, 10:15 PM

Pages Read: 352

Finding Mr. Write by Kelley Armstrong

Prompt Fulfilled: Refresh Your TBR

Started On: March 9th

Finished On: March 9th, 3:57 PM

Pages Read: 368

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Prompt Fulfilled: Prom Queen

Started On: March 10th

Finished On: March 10th, 8:17 PM

Pages Read: 479

The Last Word by Taylor Adams

Prompt Fulfilled: Spring Break

Started On: March 11th

Finished On: March 11th, 10:11 PM

Pages Read: 352

Bad Graces by Kyrie McCauley

Prompt Fulfilled: Flower Power

Started On: March 13th

Finished On: March 13th, 5:48 PM

Pages Read: 320

Beautiful Beloved by Christina Lauren

Prompt Fulfilled: Read Like An Aires

Started On: March 14th

Finished On: March 14th, 1:33 PM

Pages Read: 124

Beautiful Secret by Christina Lauren

Prompt Fulfilled: Wet T-Shirt Contest

Started On: March 14th

Finished On: March 14th, 6:15 PM

Pages Read: 402

A Deceptive Composition by Anna Lee Huber

Prompt Fulfilled: Tiny Umbrellas

Started On: March 15th

Finished On: March 15th, 10:27 PM

Pages Read: 384

The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller

Prompt Fulfilled: Self-Care

Started On: March 17th

Finished On: March 17th, 8:12 PM

Pages Read: 380

Wicked Sexy Liar by Christina Lauren

Prompt Fulfilled: Luck of the Irish

Started On: March 21st

Finished On: March 21st, 5:28 PM

Pages Read: 446

The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland

Prompt Fulfilled: Friendship Bracelets

Started On: March 22nd

Finished On: March 22nd, 9:48 PM

Pages Read: 400

Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff

Prompt Fulfilled: Stormy Weather

Started On: March 23rd

Finished On: March 23rd, 11:44 PM

Pages Read: 756

Three Kinds of Lucky by Kim Harrison

Prompt Fulfilled: New Beginnings

Started On: March 24th

Currently On: Page 0 of 464

Prompts Left: Love Is In The Air, Over The Rainbow, Tiptoe Through The Tulips

Pages Read: 8722

Magical Readathon: Orilium Update 12

So I read my next book for Magical Readathon: Orilium, and it was Empire of the Damned which was for the prompt Cut Your Way Through Wild Vines Blocking an Ancient Exit, and I'll be reading my May TBR next!

My Reading Journey:

This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

Prompt Fulfilled: Rely on Your Wits

Started On: January 9th

Finished On: January 9th, 10:45 AM

Pages Read: 512

Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

Prompt Fulfilled: Rely on Your Strength

Started On: January 13th

Finished On: January 13th, 7:31 PM

Pages Read: 693

Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas

Prompt Fulfilled: Rely on Your Strength

Started On: January 14th

Finished On: January 14th, 8:01 PM

Pages Read: 688

These Infinite Threads by Tahereh Mafi

Prompt Fulfilled: Rely on Your Wits

Started On: January 21st

Finished On: January 21st, 2:31 PM

Pages Read: 416

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas

Prompt Fulfilled: Turn Left: Manipulate a Boulder to Crash Through a Wall

Started On: February 5th

Finished On: February 5th, 10:20 PM

Pages Read: 816

House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas

Prompt Fulfilled: Go Towards and Fight an Animated Gargoyle
Started On: February 6th

Finished On: February 6th, 9:34 PM

Pages Read: 848

The Keeper of the Mist by Rachel Neumeier

Prompt Fulfilled: Turn Right: Embrace the Mist of Solitude Once More

Started On: February 7th

Finished On: February 7th, 2:12 PM

Pages Read: 400

I Only Read Murder by Ian Ferguson and Will Ferguson

Prompt Fulfilled: Go Towards the Maze
Started On: February 14th

Finished On: February 14th, 1:58 PM

Pages Read: 320

Becoming Alpha by Aileen Erin

Prompt Fulfilled: Remove a Complex Lock Enchantment Cast on the Exit Door

Started On: March 1st

Finished On: March 1st, 1:58 PM

Pages Read: 348

Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop

Prompt Fulfilled: Cut Your Way Through Wild Vines Blocking an Ancient Exit

Started On: March 3rd

Finished On: March 3rd, 9:06 PM

Pages Read: 430

Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop

Prompt Fulfilled: Cut Your Way Through Wild Vines Blocking an Ancient Exit

Started On: March 4th

Finished On: March 4th, 9:50 PM

Pages Read: 511

Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff

Prompt Fulfilled: Cut Your Way Through Wild Vines Blocking an Ancient Exit

Started On: March 23rd

Finished On: March 23rd, 11:44 PM

Pages Read: 756

Prompts Left: None!

Pages Read: 6308

Friday, March 22, 2024

Spring Into Reading-A-Thon Update 20

So I read my next book for Spring Into Reading-A-Thon, and it was The Invocations which was for the prompt Friendship Bracelets and I'll be reading Empire of the Damned next!

My Reading Journey:

A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene

Prompt Fulfilled: Spring Court

Started On: March 1st

Finished On: March 1st, 11:35 AM

Pages Read: 496

Becoming Alpha by Aileen Erin

Prompt Fulfilled: Spring Cleaning

Started On: March 1st

Finished On: March 1st, 1:58 PM

Pages Read: 348

Written in Red by Anne Bishop

Prompt Fulfilled: Let it Shine

Started On: March 2nd

Finished On: March 2nd, 7:45 PM

Pages Read: 496

Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop

Prompt Fulfilled: Spring Forward

Started On: March 4th

Finished On: March 4th, 9:50 PM

Pages Read: 511

Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop

Prompt Fulfilled: April Showers

Started On: March 5th

Finished On: March 5th, 11:02 PM

Pages Read: 528

Dead Things Are Closer Than They Appear by Robin Wasley

Prompt Fulfilled: Road Trip

Started On: March 6th

Finished On: March 6th, 10:18 AM

Pages Read: 448

Endless by Josephine Angelini

Prompt Fulfilled: Spring Fashion

Started On: March 7th

Finished On: March 7th, 10:26 PM

Pages Read: 362

Sweet Filthy Boy by Christina Lauren

Prompt Fulfilled: Read the group book

Started On: March 8th

Finished On: March 8th, 1:36 PM

Pages Read: 418

Dirty Rowdy Thing by Christina Lauren

Prompt Fulfilled: Rewind

Started On: March 8th

Finished On: March 8th, 5:49 PM

Pages Read: 352

Disturbing the Dead by Kelley Armstrong

Prompt Fulfilled: Women's March

Started On: March 8th

Finished On: March 8th, 10:15 PM

Pages Read: 352

Finding Mr. Write by Kelley Armstrong

Prompt Fulfilled: Refresh Your TBR

Started On: March 9th

Finished On: March 9th, 3:57 PM

Pages Read: 368

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Prompt Fulfilled: Prom Queen

Started On: March 10th

Finished On: March 10th, 8:17 PM

Pages Read: 479

The Last Word by Taylor Adams

Prompt Fulfilled: Spring Break

Started On: March 11th

Finished On: March 11th, 10:11 PM

Pages Read: 352

Bad Graces by Kyrie McCauley

Prompt Fulfilled: Flower Power

Started On: March 13th

Finished On: March 13th, 5:48 PM

Pages Read: 320

Beautiful Beloved by Christina Lauren

Prompt Fulfilled: Read Like An Aires

Started On: March 14th

Finished On: March 14th, 1:33 PM

Pages Read: 124

Beautiful Secret by Christina Lauren

Prompt Fulfilled: Wet T-Shirt Contest

Started On: March 14th

Finished On: March 14th, 6:15 PM

Pages Read: 402

A Deceptive Composition by Anna Lee Huber

Prompt Fulfilled: Tiny Umbrellas

Started On: March 15th

Finished On: March 15th, 10:27 PM

Pages Read: 384

The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller

Prompt Fulfilled: Self-Care

Started On: March 17th

Finished On: March 17th, 8:12 PM

Pages Read: 380

Wicked Sexy Liar by Christina Lauren

Prompt Fulfilled: Luck of the Irish

Started On: March 21st

Finished On: March 21st, 5:28 PM

Pages Read: 446

The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland

Prompt Fulfilled: Friendship Bracelets

Started On: March 22nd

Finished On: March 22nd, 9:48 PM

Pages Read: 400

Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff

Prompt Fulfilled: Stormy Weather

Started On: March 23rd

Currently On: Page 0 of 756

Prompts Left: New Beginnings, Love Is In The Air, Over The Rainbow, Tiptoe Through The Tulips

Pages Read: 7966