Showing posts with label Melissa Caruso. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Melissa Caruso. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Waiting on Wednesday #743, August 6th

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

The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso 
Expected Publication: August 19th, 2025
From Goodreads:
The Last Soul Among Wolves is the brilliant second installment in Melissa Caruso's Echo Archives series, a whip-smart adventure fantasy featuring cursed relics, sapphic romance, and a magical murder mystery.

All Kembral Thorne wants is to finish her maternity leave in peace. But when her best friend asks for help, she can’t say no, even if it means a visit to a run-down mansion on an isolated island for a will reading. She arrives to find an unexpected reunion of her childhood friends—plus her once-rival, now-girlfriend Rika Nonesuch, there on a mysterious job. Then the will is read, and everything goes sideways.

Eight potential heirs, half of them Kem’s oldest friends.

Three cursed relics.

The rules: one by one, the heirs will die.

The prize for the lone survivor: A wish. And wishes are always bad business.

To save their friends, Kem and Rika must race against the clock and descend into other realities once more. But the mansion is full of old secrets and new schemes, and soon the game becomes far more dangerous—and more personal—than they could have imagined.

Voidwalker by S.A. Maclean
Expected Publication: August 19th, 2025
From Goodreads:
Fionamara is a smuggler. Antal is the reason her people fear the dark.

Fi ferries contraband between worlds, stockpiling funds and stolen magic to keep her village self-sufficient - free from the blood sacrifices humans have paid to Antal's immortal species for centuries.

Only legends whispered through the pine forests recall a time when things were different, before one world shattered into many, and the flesh-devouring beasts crept from the cracks between realities, with their sable antlers and slender tails, lethal claws and gleaming fangs. Now, mortal lives are food to pacify their carnivorous overlords, exchanged for feudal protection, and the precious silver energy that fuels everything from transport to weaponry.

When Fi gets planted with a stash of smuggled energy, a long-lost flame recruits her for a reckless heist that escalates into a terrorist bombing - and a coup against the reigning immortals, with Fi's home caught in the crossfire.

She's always known the dangers of her trade - and of the power she's wielded since childhood, allowing her to see the secret doors between dimensions, to walk the Void itself. But nothing could have prepared her for crossing paths with Antal. For the deal she'll have to make with him, a forced partnership to reclaim his city that begins as a desperate bid for survival, only to grow into something far more dangerous.

A revolution.

And a temptation - for how sweet the monster's fangs might feel.

From the author of the instant Sunday Times-bestselling The Phoenix Keeper comes an era-defining new fantasy universe where spicy romantasy meets the Cosmere, unmissable for fans of the world-building scale of Sarah J. Maas and the world-shifting stakes of Rebecca Yarros.

Voidwalker will be your next romantasy obsession, a deliciously feral story that started with just two words: "bite me".

Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher
Expected Publication: August 19th, 2025
From Goodreads:
From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes Hemlock & Silver, a dark reimagining of “Snow White” steeped in poison, intrigue, and treason of the most magical kind

Healer Anja regularly drinks poison.

Not to die, but to save—seeking cures for those everyone else has given up on.

But a summons from the King interrupts her quiet, herb-obsessed life. His daughter, Snow, is dying, and he hopes Anja’s unorthodox methods can save her.

Aided by a taciturn guard, a narcissistic cat, and a passion for the scientific method, Anja rushes to treat Snow, but nothing seems to work. That is, until she finds a secret world, hidden inside a magic mirror. This dark realm may hold the key to what is making Snow sick.

Or it might be the thing that kills them all.

Once a Villain by Vanessa Len
Expected Publication: August 19th, 2025
From Goodreads:
The finale in the contemporary fantasy Only a Monster trilogy from Vanessa Len—which New York Times bestselling authors Holly Black, Chloe Gong, and Stephanie Garber called “delightful,” “captivating,” and “unputdownable”—will take Joan into the darkest timeline in the monster world, as she fights to restore the world she remembers.

Joan has failed to stop Eleanor.

Now, Eleanor rules over a cruel new timeline where monsters live openly among humans, preying on them and subjugating them.

Nick – once a hero to humans, and Joan’s first love – is tormented by the choice he made to save her over the timeline itself. And Aaron – the ruthless heir to a powerful monster family – now finds himself a world where monsters have power beyond imagining, while his feelings for Joan grow.

But, wrenched between love and rivalry, the three of them must negotiate their fractured pasts to survive the new world and restore what was lost. Because only they remember that there was once a better timeline.

To save the world they love, they’ll have to outmaneuver an all-seeing queen who controls time itself. Lethal consequences await any failure in this final breathless race against time.

The unstoppable love and high stakes of Divine Rivals meets the intricate worldbuilding and propulsive thrills of This Savage Song in this high-octane, cross-genre finale to the Only a Monster trilogy—where a breathless race against time and an all-knowing enemy is the only chance for Joan, Aaron, and Nick to restore the world they love.

Yuli by S. Jae-Jones
Expected Publication: August 19th, 2025
From Goodreads:
Princess Yulana has a few problems. Her late grandfather has died without naming an heir, civil war threatens to tear the Morning Realms apart, a strange waking dreamer sickness is sweeping through the land, and a plague of hungry ghosts roam the steppes. On top of all of that, Kho, her former best friend turned rival, is getting under her skin. A struggle for power divides the north, and the outcome rests on the winner of the Grand Game―a competition that will determine not just the future of her people, but the course of the entire empire.

When the world is out of balance, the Guardians of Dawn are reborn.

As the Guardian of Wind, it is Yuli’s responsibility to bring order to chaos, along with the Guardian of Fire and the Guardian of Wood. But can she restore balance to the Morning Realms when she can’t even win the political games being played at home? The fate of the Morning Realms depends on the Guardians of Dawn, and whether Yuli can manage both the demonic and political chaos at once.

The Cruel Dawn by Rachel Howzell Hall
Expected Publication: August 19th, 2025
From Goodreads:
The explosive second book in the Vallendor series―a sweeping romantasy where gods bleed, realms fall, and one woman stands between salvation and ruin.

A god’s wrath is unforgettable. Her love, even more dangerous.

Kaivara Megidrail was once worshipped as the Grand Defender of Vallendor―until betrayal, punishment, and exile left her Diminished. Now, the realm she abandoned teeters on the edge of collapse. Monsters roam free. Gods whisper in shadows. And one man―Jadon Wake, prince, blacksmith, liar―may be the key to her salvation...or her final ruin.

Haunted by the past, hunted by divine enemies, and armed with only fractured Memories and an unrelenting will, Kaivara must choose: reclaim her power and face the truth about Jadon, or watch Vallendor fall to a traitorous god’s rising.

The realm called her a destroyer. This time, they’ll learn what she was truly made for.

The Vallendor series is best enjoyed in order.

The Dragon Wakes With Thunder by K.X. Song
Expected Publication: August 19th, 2025
From Goodreads:
A young woman who wields the unimaginable power of the dragon spirit must decide who to support—and who to love—in this enthralling fantasy that reimagines the legend of Mulan.

The explosive sequel to The Night Ends with Fire!

The war may be over, but Hai Meilin is still paying a heavy toll. In spite of securing victory for the kingdom of Anlai, she is imprisoned upon her return. Her crime? Wielding a sword as a woman.

In the palace, Meilin is an outcast and a social pariah. But beyond the imperial walls, the legend of the woman warrior has taken on a life of its own. To the east, a new rebel leader needs Meilin to helm his people’s revolution. In the south, a former enemy prince, now a prisoner of war, seeks Meilin’s aid in restoring balance to the Three Kingdoms. And back home in Anlai, Liu Sky, Meilin’s commander and first love, requires Meilin by his side in his bid for the throne.

Pulled in all directions by those who seek to use her for their own ends, Meilin vows that this time, she will not be so quick to trust. Yet there is one she cannot help but listen to—for he dwells within her.

Beyond any human machinations, the sea dragon Qinglong has his own plans for the spirit realm. During the last war, Meilin wielded his power to cheat death and attain victory for Anlai; now the dragon has come to collect his dues. Meilin’s mother warned her long The spirits demand blood. And Qinglong is ravenous.

Endless Anger by Sav R. Miller
Expected Publication: August 19th, 2025
From Goodreads:
Sometimes the pomegranate doesn't fall far from the tree...

Asher Anderson is angry―at the world, at himself, at the way his best friend Lucy Wolfe seems determined to tune out this buzzing connection between them. He doesn't mean to solve all his problems with violence, but maybe he has too much of his father in him. That's why the faculty at Avernia College hates him, right? Because of the "evil" blood in his veins?

He should know better than to darken the old, ivy-covered university's door, but it's practically a law of the universe: wherever Lucy goes, Asher follows. Even if that means entering a twisting labyrinth of secret societies, human sacrifices, and a very personal history soaked in blood.

Lucy is used to being an outcast. She's even used to Asher being her dark, brooding shadow. What she isn't used to is him shattering her resolve by taking her up against library bookshelves as she desperately pretends her heart hasn't always been his. She should know better than to play with fire, but with unexplained deaths and pointed threats ripping apart the university's fabric, Asher and Lucy soon find themselves at the center of the turmoil…where they'll have to confront their feelings or die trying.

From USA Today bestselling author Sav R. Miller comes the first in a dazzling spin-off trilogy focusing on the children of the original Monsters & Muses: a dark and twisted contemporary romance inspired by the Greek Furies, set at an exclusive (and dangerous) university.

Wow, there's some amazing books coming out on the 19th, I've read a few of them are they were so good, and I need them all to be released! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Monday, June 2, 2025

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #730, June 2nd

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 #729
Teaser Tuesday #737
WWW Wednesday #737
WOW #733
Will the Time Come #730
Third Sentence Thursday #720
Random Reads #706
First Lines Friday #733
Book Blogger Hop #399
Monthly Series June Round Up
Monthly ARC's Update 117
The Reward Challenge Update #715
Wheel of TBR #262
How Well I Stuck to It #567
Wrote that Review Update #564


Random:

OK, so I got 58 posts in 7 days, I fell behind on blogging, which I still haven't caught up yet, it was a pretty busy week. But I read some great books and I can't wait for this next month! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read whatever I want! 

Saturday, May 31, 2025

Week 22 Review: The Last Soul Among Wolves

From Goodreads:
The Last Soul Among Wolves is the brilliant second installment in Melissa Caruso's Echo Archives series, a whip-smart adventure fantasy featuring cursed relics, sapphic romance, and a magical murder mystery.

All Kembral Thorne wants is to finish her maternity leave in peace. But when her best friend asks for help, she can't say no, even if it means a visit to a run-down mansion on an isolated island for a will reading. She arrives to find an unexpected reunion of her childhood friends—plus her once-rival, now-girlfriend Rika Nonesuch, there on a mysterious job. Then the will is read, and everything goes sideways.

Eight potential heirs, half of them Kem's oldest friends.

Three cursed relics.

The rules: one by one, the heirs will die.

The prize for the lone survivor: A wish. And wishes are always bad business.

To save their friends, Kem and Rika must race against the clock and descend into other realities once more. But the mansion is full of old secrets and new schemes, and soon the game becomes far more dangerous—and more personal—than they could have imagined.

My Review:
I absolutely loved reading this book! I really enjoyed the first book, and I was excited to see what this sequel would hold, and yeah, it was so fantastic! To see this world when they're not in an immediately dangerous situation that wasn't initially pretty contained, though it eventually became dangerous and contained! 

Seeing what Kem's life looks like post events of the first book was so wonderful, that's started to find a balance between personal and work. I can't imagine what it'd feel like to go back to work after having a baby, especially with the whole naming a year thing.

The developments in her and Rika's relationship were so fantastic! That they had to work together on this case was both good and bad, because that was time spent together, but it raised some issues about control and safety, which was something that they had to work on.

Finding out what was going on with these relics and how they work-and getting to know more of Kem's childhood friends, loved that! There was a ton of machinations, as the bodies piled up, of who was behind this, and all the different threads from the different plots. That ending was pretty explosive and epic, and I loved how it turned out! 

Loved reading this book and I can't wait for more! 

Author: Melissa Caruso 
Series: The Echo Archives #2 
Read: May 25th, 2025
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Orbit 
Expected Publication: August 19th 2025
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Sunday, May 25, 2025

24 Hours of Reading Update 1

So I've read my first book for the 24 Hours of Reading and it was The Last Soul Among Wolves, and I'll be reading The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam next! 

My Reading Journey:

The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso
Started On: May 25th, 10:05 AM
Finished On: May 25th, 2:53 PM
Pages Read: 400
Time Used: 4 hours, 46 minutes

The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam by Megan Bannen
Started On: May 25th
Currently On: Page 0 of 432

Books Read: 1
Time Left: 19:14:29
Pages Read: 400

Clean Sweep ARC Challenge Update 23

Ok, so I read my next book for Clean Sweep ARC Challenge, and it was The Last Soul Among Wolves and I'll be reading The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam next! 

My Reading Journey:

Atonement Sky by Nalini Singh
Started On: May 1st 
Finished On: May 1st, 6:19 PM
Pages Read: 432

Soul of Shadow by Emma Noyes
Started On: May 2nd
Finished On: May 2nd, 10:27 AM
Pages Read: 368

The Corruption of Hollis Brown by K. Anrum
Started On: May 2nd
Finished On: May 2nd, 4:03 PM
Pages Read: 384

Queen Demon by Martha Wells
Started On: May 3th
Finished On: May 3rd, 3:38 PM
Pages Read: 400

Silver and Lead by Seanan McGuire 
Started On: May 4th
Finished On: May 4th, 2:17 PM
Pages Read: 400

Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame by Neon Yang
Started On: May 6th
Finished On: May 6th, 9:04 AM
Pages Read: 176

Enigma by RuNyx
Started On: May 7th
Finished On: May 7th, 11:48 AM
Pages Read: 496

Chase the Dark by Annette Marie
Started On: May 9th
Finished On: May 9th, 10:28 AM
Pages Read: 320

Murder Land by Carlyn Greenwald
Started On: May 10th
Finished On: May 10th, 3:04 PM
Pages Read: 339

You've Awoken Her by Ann Dávila Cardinal
Started On: May 10th
Finished On: May 10th, 8:37 PM
Pages Read: 288

They Fear Not Men in the Woods by Gretchen McNeil
Started On: May 11th
Finished On: May 11th, 2:47 PM
Pages Read: 278

Nobody in Particular by Sophie Gonzales
Started On: May 12th
Finished On: May 12th, 11:01 AM
Pages Read: 352

Much Ado About Hating You by Sarah Echavarre Smith
Started On: May 13th
Finished On: May 13th, 9:13 AM
Pages Read: 307

A Fated Vow by Amanda Aggie 
Started On: May 14th
Finished On: May 14th, 10:24 AM
Pages Read: 384

The Jasad Crown by Sara Hashem 
Started On: May 17th
Finished On: May 17th, 3:47 AM
Pages Read: 692

Ruthless Devotion by Rebecca Kenney
Started On: May 18th
Finished On: May 18th, 11:46 PM
Pages Read: 384

House of Night by Celia Aaron
Started On: May 19th
Finished On: May 19th, 10:04 AM
Pages Read: 342

I Bet You'd Look Good in a Coffin by Katy Brent
Started On: May 20th
Finished On: May 20th, 9:48 PM
Pages Read: 368

Blind Date With a Werewolf by Patricia Briggs 
Started On: May 21st
Finished On: May 21st, 1:03 PM
Pages Read: 288

The Incandescent by Emily Tesh
Started On: May 22nd
Finished On: May 22nd, 11:43 AM 
Pages Read: 432

The Summer War by Naomi Novik
Started On: May 23rd
Finished On: May 23rd, 2:41 PM
Pages Read: 144

The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong
Started On: May 24th
Finished On: May 24th, 8:32 PM
Pages Read: 320

The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso
Started On: May 25th
Finished On: May 25th, 2:53 PM
Pages Read: 400

The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam by Megan Bannen
Started On: May 25th
Currently On: Page 0 of 432

Books Read: 23
Goal: 25 Books
Pages Read: 8294

Saturday, May 24, 2025

Clean Sweep ARC Challenge Update 22

Ok, so I read my next book for Clean Sweep ARC Challenge, and it was The Haunting of Payne Hollow and I'll be reading The Last Soul Among Wolves next! 

My Reading Journey:

Atonement Sky by Nalini Singh
Started On: May 1st 
Finished On: May 1st, 6:19 PM
Pages Read: 432

Soul of Shadow by Emma Noyes
Started On: May 2nd
Finished On: May 2nd, 10:27 AM
Pages Read: 368

The Corruption of Hollis Brown by K. Anrum
Started On: May 2nd
Finished On: May 2nd, 4:03 PM
Pages Read: 384

Queen Demon by Martha Wells
Started On: May 3th
Finished On: May 3rd, 3:38 PM
Pages Read: 400

Silver and Lead by Seanan McGuire 
Started On: May 4th
Finished On: May 4th, 2:17 PM
Pages Read: 400

Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame by Neon Yang
Started On: May 6th
Finished On: May 6th, 9:04 AM
Pages Read: 176

Enigma by RuNyx
Started On: May 7th
Finished On: May 7th, 11:48 AM
Pages Read: 496

Chase the Dark by Annette Marie
Started On: May 9th
Finished On: May 9th, 10:28 AM
Pages Read: 320

Murder Land by Carlyn Greenwald
Started On: May 10th
Finished On: May 10th, 3:04 PM
Pages Read: 339

You've Awoken Her by Ann Dávila Cardinal
Started On: May 10th
Finished On: May 10th, 8:37 PM
Pages Read: 288

They Fear Not Men in the Woods by Gretchen McNeil
Started On: May 11th
Finished On: May 11th, 2:47 PM
Pages Read: 278

Nobody in Particular by Sophie Gonzales
Started On: May 12th
Finished On: May 12th, 11:01 AM
Pages Read: 352

Much Ado About Hating You by Sarah Echavarre Smith
Started On: May 13th
Finished On: May 13th, 9:13 AM
Pages Read: 307

A Fated Vow by Amanda Aggie 
Started On: May 14th
Finished On: May 14th, 10:24 AM
Pages Read: 384

The Jasad Crown by Sara Hashem 
Started On: May 17th
Finished On: May 17th, 3:47 AM
Pages Read: 692

Ruthless Devotion by Rebecca Kenney
Started On: May 18th
Finished On: May 18th, 11:46 PM
Pages Read: 384

House of Night by Celia Aaron
Started On: May 19th
Finished On: May 19th, 10:04 AM
Pages Read: 342

I Bet You'd Look Good in a Coffin by Katy Brent
Started On: May 20th
Finished On: May 20th, 9:48 PM
Pages Read: 368

Blind Date with a Werewolf by Patricia Briggs 
Started On: May 21st
Finished On: May 21st, 1:03 PM
Pages Read: 288

The Incandescent by Emily Tesh
Started On: May 22nd
Finished On: May 22nd, 11:43 AM 
Pages Read: 432

The Summer War by Naomi Novik
Started On: May 23rd
Finished On: May 23rd, 2:41 PM
Pages Read: 144

The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong
Started On: May 24th
Finished On: May 24th, 8:32 PM
Pages Read: 320

The Last Soul Among Wolves by Melissa Caruso
Started On: May 25th
Currently On: Page 0 of 400

Books Read: 22
Goal: 25 Books
Pages Read: 7894

Week 21 Review The Last Hour Between Worlds

Follow a star investigator and her rival as they journey through layers of reality to save the world as they know it in this whip-smart adventure fantasy about rival guilds, reality-bending magic and unexpected mystery.

Kembral Thorne is spending a few hours away from her newborn, and she's determined to enjoy the party no matter what. But when the guests start dropping dead, Kem has no choice but to get to work. She's a member of the Guild of Hounds, after all, and she can't help picking up the scent of trouble.

She's not the only one. Her professional and personal nemesis, notorious burglar Rika Nonesuch, is on the prowl. They quickly identify what's causing the a mysterious grandfather clock that sends them down an Echo every time it chimes. In each strange new layer of reality, time resets and a sinister figure appears to perform a blood-soaked ritual.

As Kem and Rika fall into increasingly macabre versions of their city, they'll need to rely on their wits - and each other - to unravel the secret of the clock and save their city.

My first review of The Last Hour Between Worlds
My Review:
Absolutely loved reading this book again, and I had to because I got approved to read book 2, so I had to reread it before I went into book 2! I'm glad that I did, because I'd forgotten a lot, like what the connection was between which moon it was and who was sacrificed. 

I did have a few vivid memories, like when they're in the echo that was vertical instead of horizontal, that I was excited to read again. This really was vivid, with the descriptions of the party, and the echoes and how things are different.

This world is just so interesting, with the echoes and the rules of how things work. I'm so excited to see how things are after the events of this book, how they change things. I would also like to repeat my request for a prequel so we could see how they were before this party, before she had her baby.

Even knowing that things would resolve pretty well in the end, I was still on the edge of my seat, to see how they would. I had to know! That ending was so precarious, and I'm so glad that they got through it in the end okay! 

Loved reading this book again and I can't wait to read the sequel! 

Author: Melissa Caruso
Series: The Echo Archives #1 
First Read: July 17th, 2024
Read: May 21st, 2025
Source: Ebook.bike
Reason Why: Rereading, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book! 
Publisher: Orbit
Published: November 19th 2024
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

WWW Wednesday #736, May 21st

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 reading Blind Date With a Werewolf, and I'm loving it! 

I read I Bet You'd Look Good in a Coffin, and it was a fantastic read! 

I'm going to be rereading The Last Hour Between Worlds, and I can't wait, because I need to read book 2! 

What about you guys? Happy reading!

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Waiting on Wednesday #703, October 30th

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

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso
Expected Publication: November 19th, 2024
From Goodreads:
Follow a star investigator and her rival as they journey through layers of reality to save the world as they know it in this whip-smart adventure fantasy about rival guilds, reality-bending magic and unexpected mystery.

Kembral Thorne is spending a few hours away from her newborn, and she's determined to enjoy the party no matter what. But when the guests start dropping dead, Kem has no choice but to get to work. She's a member of the Guild of Hounds, after all, and she can't help picking up the scent of trouble.

She's not the only one. Her professional and personal nemesis, notorious burglar Rika Nonesuch, is on the prowl. They quickly identify what's causing the mayhem: a mysterious grandfather clock that sends them down an Echo every time it chimes. In each strange new layer of reality, time resets and a sinister figure appears to perform a blood-soaked ritual.

As Kem and Rika fall into increasingly macabre versions of their city, they'll need to rely on their wits - and each other - to unravel the secret of the clock and save their city.

The Whispering Night by Susan Dennard 
Expected Publication: November 19th, 2024
From Goodreads:
The forest is more dangerous than ever in this highly-anticipated, pulse-pounding, and swoon-worthy conclusion to the bestselling Luminaries trilogy.

Winnie Wednesday’s future is looking bright. Hemlock Falls is no longer hunting the werewolf, she and Erica Thursday are tentative friends, and Winnie finally knows exactly where she stands with Jay Friday.

With everything finally on track, Winnie is looking forward to the Nightmare Masquerade, a week-long celebration of all things Luminary. But as Luminaries from across the world flock to the small town, uninvited guests also arrive. Winnie is confronted by a masked Diana and charged with an impossible task—one that threatens everything and everyone Winnie loves.

As Winnie fights to stop new enemies before time runs out, old mysteries won't stop intruding. Her missing father is somehow entangled with her search for hidden witches, and as Winnie digs deeper into the long-standing war between the Luminaries and the Dianas, she discovers rifts within her own family she never could have imagined.

What does loyalty mean when family and enemies look the same?

Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley 
Expected Publication: November 19th, 2024
From Goodreads:
In the underground Fae realm, only the strongest and most ruthless have power—but a young human woman forced into a life of servitude is about to change everything.

Kenna Heron is best known in her village for being a little wild—some say half feral—but she’ll need every ounce of that ferocity to survive captivity in the cruel Fae court.

Trapped as a servant in the faeries’ underground kingdom of Mistei, Kenna must help her new mistress undertake six deadly trials, one for each branch of Fire, Earth, Light, Void, Illusion, and Blood. If she succeeds, her mistress will gain immortality and become the heir to Earth House. If she doesn’t, the punishment is death—for both mistress and servant.

With no ally but a sentient dagger of mysterious origins, Kenna must face monsters, magic, and grueling physical tests. But worse dangers wait underground, and soon Kenna gets caught up in a secret rebellion against the inventively sadistic faerie king. When her feelings for the rebellion’s leader turn passionate, Kenna must decide if she’s willing to risk her life for a better world and a chance at happiness.

Surviving the trials and overthrowing a tyrant king will take cunning, courage, and an iron will... but even that may not be enough.

The Half King by Melissa Landers
Expected Publication: November 19th, 2024
From Goodreads:
A king by day. Shadow by night…

The Great Betrayal changed everything for the Allied Realm. Long ago, the kingdom’s noble houses rose up against the goddess... and for their treachery, the firstborn of each noble family was cursed.

One with perilous beauty.
One with destructive knowledge.
One with insatiable bloodlust.

But the royal house Mortara received the worst affliction of all. For while the king exists during the day, he fades into nothingness at night...until his twenty-first birthday, when he will be lost to the shadows forever.

Now an acolyte has arrived at court. Like all the second-born children of the Allied Realm, she’s destined to serve the goddess and become a Seer...only Cerise Solon has no gift of foretelling. In fact, she has no magical gift at all.

Instead, she’s surrounded by courtiers and priests―smiling sycophants whose hearts are filled with secrets and lies. And at the center of it all sits His Majesty Kian Hannibal Mortara, with his haunting eyes, sharp tongue, and an unerring ability to send her pulse skittering at the worst possible moments.

Falling for him is unthinkable. Because the king is the last of his line, and as the specter of his twenty-first birthday―and the full force of his curse―approaches, the kingdom holds its breath.

But there’s only one way to save a dying king... and it lies with the one person who’s hiding the biggest secret of all. Cerise.

Oh there's 4 amazing books coming out, I've read 3 of 4 of them, and they were really fantastic, and I can't wait for them out to be out on the world! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Monday, July 22, 2024

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #685, July 22nd

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 #684
Teaser Tuesday #692
WWW Wednesday #692
WOW #688
Will the Time Come #685
Third Sentence Thursday #675
Random Reads #661
First Lines Friday #688
Book Blogger Hop #354
Monthly ARC's Update 81
The Reward Challenge Update #670
Wheel of TBR #217
How Well I Stuck to It #522
Wrote that Review Update #519

Magical Readathon: Orilium: 

Phase Out Your TBR: 

Random:

OK, so I got 39 posts in 7 days, it was a quiet week, I was recovering from getting my tongue tie cut. Plus my tablet still isn't fixed, which is annoying, but hopefully I get it back this week since they've had since last Monday to start actually repairing it. What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read whatever I want! 

Saturday, July 20, 2024

Week 29 Review: The Last Hour Between Worlds

From Goodreads:
Follow a star investigator and her rival as they journey through layers of reality to save the world as they know it in this whip-smart adventure fantasy about rival guilds, reality-bending magic and unexpected mystery.

Kembral Thorne is spending a few hours away from her newborn, and she's determined to enjoy the party no matter what. But when the guests start dropping dead, Kem has no choice but to get to work. She's a member of the Guild of Hounds, after all, and she can't help picking up the scent of trouble.

She's not the only one. Her professional and personal nemesis, notorious burglar Rika Nonesuch, is on the prowl. They quickly identify what's causing the a mysterious grandfather clock that sends them down an Echo every time it chimes. In each strange new layer of reality, time resets and a sinister figure appears to perform a blood-soaked ritual.

As Kem and Rika fall into increasingly macabre versions of their city, they'll need to rely on their wits - and each other - to unravel the secret of the clock and save their city.

My Review:
I was obsessed with this book! The synopsis sounded really intriguing, and once I started reading, I couldn't stop, even though I had to read it on my phone, I had to know what was going to happen next to these characters-it was such a wild ride!

This is the kind of book that I hope gets made into a movie. It's so cinematic, the visuals of having this party descend, echo by echo, deeper into the crazy wildness that becomes increasingly difficult for humans to survive in-it would look so fantastic! 

The first go round really introduced these characters and set up what was going on, and then the chaos of the evening-only for things to reset but be different? It was such an interesting idea, and I loved watching Kendal work to protect the party-goers, even though her friendly adversary now more leaning to adversary is there, and all the complicated emotions that brings up.

This book has an ode to new motherhood in it, since Kembral is currently on leave because she just had her baby girl. That she's a single mother, that the father just walked away, and she's not one to ask for help, well, that baby has been the one thing on her mind, and now that she's dealing with this situation, she's wondering what her future will look like, what she might choose, of how going back to work might look for her.

The way things ended, I'm so interesting to see what's going to happen with this big powers that are now watching her. And what effects that choice that she made will have. The possibilities and the scope are endless which has me teeming with anticipation for the sequel! 

Loved reading this book, and I'm so excited for the sequel! And if we got a prequel novella, of the time that she went 6 echos deep to rescue that dog, to see what her life and job were like before the baby and now this game changer, I would absolutely love that! 

Author: Melissa Caruso
Series: The Echo Archives #1 
Read: July 17th, 2024
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Love her writing and it sounded really fantastic, and Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Orbit
Expected Publication: November 19th 2024
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

WWW Wednesday #692, July 17th

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 The Last Hour Between Worlds and I'm loving it! 

I read The Black Bird Oracle, and it was such a great read and sequel! 

I'm going to be reading The Blacksmith Queen, and I can't wait to reread it! 

What about you guys? Happy reading!

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Waiting on Wednesday #599, November 2nd

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

A Hard Day for a Hangover by Darynda Jones
Expected Publication: December 6th, 2022
From Goodreads:
Some people greet the day with open arms. Sheriff Sunshine Vicram would rather give it a hearty shove and get back into bed, because there’s just too much going on right now. There’s a series of women going missing, and Sunny feels powerless to stop it. There’s her persistent and awesomely-rebellious daughter Auri, who’s out to singlehandedly become Del Sol’s youngest and fiercest investigator. And then there’s drama with Levi Ravinder—the guy she’s loved and lusted after for years. The guy who might just be her one and only. The guy who comes from a family of disingenuous vipers looking to oust him—and Sunshine—for good.

Like we said, the new day can take a hike.

A Fire Endless by Rebecca Ross
Expected Publication: December 6th, 2022
From Goodreads:
In the stunning conclusion to the Elements of Cadence duology, A Fire Endless finds the delicate balance between the human and faerie realm threatened by Bane, the spirit of the North Wind, whose defeat can only come through fire, song, and heart-rending sacrifice.

East and West. Humans and Spirits. Breccans and Tamerlaines. The Isle of Cadence has always held itself and its residents in a tenuous balance. But now Bane, the spirit of the North Wind, has pushed everyone and everything in his path off-kilter in a bid to claim dominion over all.

In the West, Adaira struggles to adjust to the more brutal, bitter ways of life among the Breccans. Striving to find her place in the clan, she swiftly realizes that it just might be the last role she desires to hold. And while magic blooms effortlessly for the Breccans in the west, the spirits continue to suffer beneath Bane's harsh power, felt in every gust of wind.

In the East, Jack is adrift without Adaira until he sings to the ember-weak fire spirits, acquiring a dangerous mission he never expected. One that is destined to lead him westward. Likewise, Torin and Sidra are consumed by a new mystery as sickness spreads first amongst the crops, and then to the people of the Tamerlaine clan. While Sidra desperately searches for a cure, Torin dares to strike a bargain with the spirits--a precarious folly anytime, but especially now as the days grow darker.

With the island falling further out of balance, humans and spirits alike will need to join together to face Bane, and Jack's gift with the harp will be called upon once more. Yet no one can challenge the North Wind without paying a terrible price, and the sacrifice required this time may be more than Jack, Adaira, Torin, and Sidra can bear to pay.

The Ivory Tomb by Melissa Caruso
Expected Publication: December 6th, 2022
From Goodreads:
The Ivory Tomb concludes the wildly original epic fantasy series bursting with intrigue and ambition, questioned loyalties, and broken magic that began with The Obsidian Tower.

The Dark Days have returned. The Demon of Carnage mercilessly cuts through villagers and armies. The Demon of Corruption poisons/rots the land. The Serene Empire and the Witch Lords race towards war. And in the middle of it all stands Rxyander, the Warden of Gloamingard.

Burdened by conflicting loyalties and guilt, Ryx searches desperately for a way to defeat the demons before the world she loves is completely destroyed. To find answers, she’ll have to return to where it all started…the black tower at the heart of Gloamingard.

By blood the Door was opened and only by blood will the Dark Days end. 

A Thousand Heartbeats by Kiera Cass
Expected Publication: December 6th, 2022
From Goodreads:
#1 New York Times bestselling author of The Selection series Kiera Cass is back with her most epic novel yet—a sweeping enemies-to-lovers standalone romance.

“Love has a sound. It sounds like a thousand heartbeats happening at the same time.”

Princess Annika has lived a life of comfort—but no amount of luxuries can change the fact that her life isn’t her own to control. The king, once her loving father, has gone cold, and Annika will soon be forced into a loveless marriage for political gain.

Miles away, small comforts are few and far between for Lennox. He has devoted his life to the Dahrainian army, hoping to one day help them reclaim the throne that was stolen from them. For Lennox, the idea of love is merely a distraction—nothing will stand in the way of fighting for his people.

But when love, against all odds, finds them both, they are bound by its call. They can’t possibly be together—but the irresistible thrum of a thousand heartbeats won’t let them stay apart.

Kiera Cass brings her signature sparkling romance to this beautiful story of star-crossed lovers and long-held secrets.

This Cursed Crown by Alexandra Overy
Expected Publication: December 6th, 2022
From Goodreads:
Awakening to find herself trapped in a strange tower, Izaveta knows she must find her way back to the Tóurensi palace and claim the throne. But even with an unexpected ally’s help, she worries she might not be able to get news of her survival to her sister and escape this frozen land.

Back at home, Asya enlists Nikov’s help to prove Izaveta is still alive, even as she finds herself forced to navigate the political world she always sought to avoid to save her queendom, her loved ones, and herself.
 
But as the sisters work independently to reunite, a dangerous force lies in wait, trying to regain power in order to overthrow the monarchy… 

The Poison Season by Mara Rutherford
Expected Publication: December 6th, 2022
From Goodreads:
Outsiders are always given a choice: the Forest or the lake. Either way, they’re never heard from again.

Leelo has spent her entire life on Endla, coexisting with the bloodthirsty Forest and respecting the poisonous lake that protects her island from outsiders who seek to destroy it. But as much as Leelo cares for her community, she struggles to accept that her younger brother will be exiled by his next birthday, unless he gains the magic of enchanted song so vital to Endla.

When Leelo sees a young outsider on the verge of drowning in the lake, she knows exactly what she’s supposed to do. But in a moment that will change everything, Leelo betrays her family, her best friend, and Endla by making an unthinkable choice.

Discovery could lead to devastating consequences for both Leelo and the outsider, Jaren, but as they grow closer, Leelo realizes that not all danger comes from beyond the lake—and they can only survive if Leelo is willing to question the very fabric of her society, her people, and herself. 

Yeah, the start of December is off to an excellent start, and I can't wait for these books to come out, I've read a few and they were really great! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Monday, October 24, 2022

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #594, October 24th

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 #593
Teaser Tuesday #601
WWW Wednesday #601
WOW #597
Will the Time Come #594
Third Sentence Thursday #584
Random Reads #570
First Lines Friday #597
Book Blogger Hop #263
The Reward Challenge Update #579
Wheel of TBR #126
How Well I Stuck to It #431
Wrote that Review Update #428

Week 42 Reviews:
Blood Like Fate

Becca's BookoplAthon: 

ARCtober: 

Random:

OK, so I got 38 posts in 7 days, it was a pretty good week, I read some really great books, and I can't wait for next week! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read whatever I want!