Showing posts with label own. Show all posts
Showing posts with label own. Show all posts

Saturday, January 3, 2026

Week 1 Review: Covet

From Goodreads:
Seven deadly sins. Seven souls to save. This is the first battle between a savior who doesn't believe and a demon with nothing to lose!

Redemption isn't a word Jim Heron knows much about—his specialty is revenge, and to him, sin is all relative. But everything changes when he becomes a fallen angel and is charged with saving the souls of seven people from the seven deadly sins. And failure is not an option.

Vin DiPietro long ago sold his soul to his business, and he's good with that-until fate intervenes in the form of a tough-talking, Harley-riding, self-professed savior. And then he meets a woman who will make him question his destiny, his sanity, and his heart—and he has to work with a fallen angel to win her over and redeem his own soul.

My Review:


Author: J.R. Ward
Series: Fallen Angels #1
Read: December 31st, 2025 
Source: Own 
Reason Why: Love her writing and it sounded really great, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book, RR Book and a WTC Book!
Publisher: Signet
Published: September 29th 2009
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Week 1 Review: Truly Madly Guilty

From Goodreads:
Six responsible adults. Three cute kids. One small dog. It's just a normal weekend. What could possibly go wrong?

In Truly Madly Guilty, Liane Moriarty turns her unique, razor-sharp eye towards three seemingly happy families.

Sam and Clementine have a wonderful, albeit busy, life: they have two little girls, Sam has just started a new dream job, and Clementine, a cellist, is busy preparing for the audition of a lifetime. If there's anything they can count on, it's each other.

Clementine and Erika are each other's oldest friends. A single look between them can convey an entire conversation. But theirs is a complicated relationship, so when Erika mentions a last-minute invitation to a barbecue with her neighbors, Tiffany and Vid, Clementine and Sam don't hesitate. Having Tiffany and Vid's larger-than-life personalities there will be a welcome respite.

Two months later, it won't stop raining, and Clementine and Sam can't stop asking themselves the question: What if we hadn't gone?

In Truly Madly Guilty, Liane Moriarty takes on the foundations of our lives: marriage, sex, parenthood, and friendship. She shows how guilt can expose the fault lines in the most seemingly strong relationships, how what we don't say can be more powerful than what we do, and how sometimes it is the most innocent of moments that can do the greatest harm.

My Review:


Author: Liane Moriarty 
Read: December 31st, 2025
Source: Own
Reason Why: Love her writing and it's a SAC 2025 Book! 
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Published: July 26th 2016
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Week 1 Reviews: The Queen Will Betray You, The King Will Kill You


From Goodreads:
The breathtaking sequel to Sarah Henning's The Princess Will Save You—a brilliantly-executed YA fantasy homage to The Princess Bride

KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE CROWN…

After a thousand years of political stability, the realm of The Sand and Sky is up for grabs. Four kingdoms, four rulers vying for the ultimate prize, sovereignty over the entire continent: A ruthless old king spinning webs, whose schemes encompass generations. A widowed queen whose only credo is all kings must die. A runaway queen whose unexpected return upends everyone's plans. And a prince-in-waiting determined to wait no more.

Standing against them are a dispossessed princess and her stable boy love with a surprising claim of his own. Their only hope in the face of unspeakable betrayals, enemies hidden in the shadows, and insurmountable odds is the power of true love...

From Goodreads:
Princess Amarande is finally on the verge of having everything she wants. To be with her true love Luca, no one nor law standing in the way. To rule Ardenia as queen outright, no marriage necessary, as Luca does the same with the reformed Torrence. To rebuild the continent of The Sand and Sky into a place not defined by archaic, patriarchal laws, but by the will of its people.

However, threats await in the shadows of Amarande's hoped-for happily ever after. One expected and deadly to both her love and every one of her objectives. The other, unexpected, and arising with a vicious aim: revenge at any cost. Against the princess who killed him, the boy whose love made her do it, and the continent cruel enough to deserve his rage.

The King Will Kill You is the epic, pulse-pounding conclusion to Sarah Henning's Kingdoms of Sand and Sky trilogy.

My Review:


Author: Sarah Henning 
Series: Kingdoms of Sand and Sky #2, 3 
Read: December 30th, 30th, 2025
Source: Own
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Books and WoW Books, and The King Will Kill You is a End of Series 2025 Book!
Publisher: Tor Teen
Published: July 6th 2021, August 2nd 2022

The Queen Will Betray You:
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars








The King Will Kill You:
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Week 1 Review: Split Second

From Goodreads:
They dubbed him the Collector, so named for his ritual of collecting victims before disposing of them in the most heinous ways possible.

FBI special agent Maggie O'Dell tracked him for two years, finally ending their game of cate and mouse. Now Albert Stucky has escaped from prison…and he is setting up a new game for Maggie O'Dell.

Some say Maggie O'Dell has lost her edge as one of the FBI's best profilers. Since capturing Stucky, she has been walking a tightwire, battling nightmares and guilt over the victims she couldn't save. Now that Stucky is loose again, she's been pulled out of the field. But as Stucky's trail of victims leads closer and closer to Maggie, she is put back on the case under the supervision of Special Agent R. J. Tully. Together they race against the clock to hunt the killer, and Maggie finds herself pushed to the very edge. Has her desire to stop Albert Stucky become a matter of personal vengeance? Has she crossed the line? And has that been Stucky's goal all along--to make her into a monster?

My Review:


Author: Alex Kava
Series: Maggie O'Dell #2
Read: December 30th, 2025
Source: Own
Reason Why: Love her writing and the series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book!  
Publisher: MIRA
Published: July 1st 2002
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Week 1 Reviews: Monster, Villain, Hero



From Goodreads:
Acclaimed author Michael Grant delivers a stunning follow-up to the globally bestselling Gone series—perfect for fans of Stephen King's suspenseful writing.

It's been four years since a meteor hit Perdido Beach and everyone disappeared. Everyone, except the kids trapped in the FAYZ—an invisible dome that was created by an alien virus. Inside the FAYZ, animals began to mutate and teens developed dangerous powers. The terrifying new world was plagued with hunger, lies, and fear of the unknown.

Now the dome is gone and meteors are hitting earth with an even deadlier virus. Humans will mutate into monsters and the whole world will be exposed. As some teens begin to morph into heroes, they will find that others have become dangerously out of control…and that the world is on the brink of a monstrous battle between good and evil.

Acclaimed author Michael Grant's globally bestselling Gone series continues with Villain, where old foes return and new ones rise, with action-packed scenes, gory battles, and plot twists that will leave readers scrambling for more.

It's been four years since the events of GONE. The Perdido Beach dome is down, but the horrors within have spread. The alien virus-infested rock that created the FAYZ is creating monsters—monsters that walk the cities and countryside, terrorizing all.

There are tanks in the street and predator drones in the sky, doomed efforts to stop the disintegration of civilization. Into this chaos comes a villain with the power to control anyone with just the sound of his voice. Dillon Poe wanted to be a comedian once…but everyone made fun of him. Dillon the loser. Dillon the freak. Now he's sending thousands to their death. Who's laughing now?

The only people who can stop a superpowered villain are superpowered heroes. Dekka, Shade, Cruz, Malik, Armo, and a new mutant with unmatched powers, are all that stand in Dillon's way. But when the lines begin to blur between hero and villain—some begin to wonder who's really the monster.

Monster. Villain. Hero.

Four years after the Perdido Beach dome went down, the alien virus that created it is still wreaking havoc, and virus-infested rock has created a new set of humans with mutant powers.

Rockborn gang members Dekka, Shade, Cruz, Malik, Armo, and Francis are fresh off their defeat of Dillion Poe and in need of answers to some very pressing questions about their own powers: who are the Dark Watchers? And what is this Fourth Dimension that only Francis can access?

But heroes don't get down time. When the alien-virus infested rock hits New York, a new foe, Bob Markovic, rises amongst the newly rockborn. Markovic's arrogance and lack of a moral compass already made him unbearable. With his newfound power to inflict a deadly disease, he could send all of humanity into a living hell. As they try to find their footing on morally gray grounds, the Rockborn Gang will have to make some tough decisions if they want to save the world.

Michael Grant bids farewell to the globally bestselling Gone universe with the finale to the Monster trilogy. Old friends and new foes come together in this battle for humanity. The mind-blowing and existential ending will make you rethink: What does it take to be a hero?

My Review:


Author: Michael Grant
Series: Gone #7, 8, 9, Monster #1, 2, 3
Read: December 29th, 29th, 29th, 2025
Source: Edelweiss/Own, Own
Reason Why: Love his books and this series, and they're a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Books and Monster and Villain are WoW Books, and Villain and Hero are RR Books, Hero is a End of Series 2025 Book!
Publisher: Katherine Tegan Books
Published: October 17th 2017, October 16th 2018, November 5th 2019

Monster:
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars








Villain:
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars








Hero:
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Saturday, December 27, 2025

Week 52 Reviews: Identity, Bitter Falls, Heartbreak Bay



Free with preorder of Bitter Falls (Stillhouse Lake #4)

Takes place before events in Bitter Falls

From Goodreads:
She's investigating a cold case no one else could—by going places no one else would dare.

In spite of a harrowing past still haunting her, Gwen Proctor is trying to move forward. Until a new assignment gives her purpose: the cold-case disappearance of a young man in Tennessee. Three years missing, no clues. Just Ruth Landry, a tortured mother in limbo. Gwen understands what it's like to worry about your children.

Gwen's investigation unearths new suspects…and victims. As she follows each sinister lead, the implications of the mystery grow more disturbing. Because the closer Gwen gets, the closer she is to a threat that looms back home.

In a town that's closed its ranks against Gwen; her partner, Sam; and her kids, there's no bolder enemy than the Belldene family—paramilitary, criminal, powerful, and vengeful. As personal vendettas collide with Gwen's investigation, she's prepared to fight both battles. But is she prepared for the toll it could take on everyone she loves?

They're hunting a killer so silent, so invisible, that his unspeakable crimes are the only proof he exists.

A car submerged in a remote pond. The bodies of two girls strapped into their seats. The mystery of their mother, vanished without a trace, leads Gwen Proctor and Kezia Claremont into dangerous territory.

On the surface, Gwen's life is good—two children approaching adulthood, a committed partner, and a harrowing past dead and gone. But that past is attracting the attention of someone invisible…and unstoppable. Trouble's just beginning. So is the body count in this backwoods Tennessee town.

As threats mount and Gwen's hunted by an enemy who pulls all the strings, Kezia has her back. But working to solve these vicious and unreasonable crimes will expose them both to a killer they can't for the life of them see coming.

My first review of Identity, Bitter Falls, Heartbreak Bay
My Review:
 

Author: Rachel Caine 
Series: Stillhouse Lake #3.5, 4, 5
First Read: February 27th, 27th, 27th, 2023 
Read: December 24th, 25th, 25th, 2025
Source: Free, Bought, Own
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Books! 
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: January 21st 2020, January 21st 2020, March 9th 2021

Identity:
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars


Bitter Falls:
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars
Heartbreak Bay:
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Week 52 Reviews: Plague, Fear, Light



From Goodreads:
It's been eight months since all the adults disappeared. GONE.

They've survived hunger. They've survived lies. But the stakes keep rising, and the dystopian horror keeps building. Yet despite the simmering unrest left behind by so many battles, power struggles, and angry divides, there is a momentary calm in Perdido Beach.

But enemies in the FAYZ don't just fade away, and in the quiet, deadly things are stirring, mutating, and finding their way free. The Darkness has found its way into the mind of its Nemesis at last and is controlling it through a haze of delirium and confusion. A highly contagious, fatal illness spreads at an alarming rate. Sinister, predatory insects terrorize Perdido Beach. And Sam, Astrid, Diana, and Caine are plagued by a growing doubt that they'll escape - or even survive - life in the FAYZ. With so much turmoil surrounding them, what desperate choices will they make when it comes to saving themselves and those they love?

Plague, Michael Grant's fourth book in the bestselling Gone series, will satisfy dystopian fans of all ages.
 
From Goodreads:
It's been one year since all the adults disappeared. Gone.

Despite the hunger and the lies, even despite the plague, the kids of Perdido Beach are determined to survive. Creeping into the tenuous new world they've built, though, is perhaps the worst incarnation yet of the enemy known as the Darkness: fear.

Within the FAYZ, life breaks down while the Darkness takes over, literally—turning the dome-world of the FAYZ entirely black. In darkness, the worst fears of all emerge, and the cruelest of intentions are carried out. But even in their darkest moments, the inhabitants of the FAYZ maintain a will to survive and a desire to take care of the others in their ravaged band that endures, no matter what the cost.

Fear, Michael Grant's fifth book in the bestselling dystopian Gone series, will thrill readers . . . even as it terrifies them.

From Goodreads:
It's been over a year since all the adults disappeared. Gone.

In the time since every person over the age of fourteen disappeared from the town of Perdido Beach, California, countless battles have been fought: battles against hunger and lies and plague, and epic battles of good against evil. And now, the gaiaphage has been reborn as Diana's malicious mutant daughter, Gaia. Gaia is endlessly hungry for destruction. She yearns to conquer her Nemesis, Little Pete, and then bend the entire world to her warped will. As long-standing enemies become allies, secrets are revealed and unexpected sacrifices are made. Will their attempts to save themselves and one another matter in the end, or will the kids of Perdido Beach perish in this final power struggle?

Light, the sixth and final book in the New York Times bestselling Gone series by Michael Grant, creates a masterful, arresting conclusion to life in the FAYZ.

My first review of Plague, Fear, Light
My Review:


Author: Michael Grant
Series: Gone #4, 5, 6
First Read: July 7th, 2011, June 19th, 2012, April 2nd, 2013
Read: December 23rd, 23rd, 24th, 2025
Source: Own
Reason Why: Rereading, and they're 2025 Dystopia Books and Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Books, and Light is a End of Series 2025 Book!
Publisher: Katherine Tegan Books
Published: July 7th 2011, March 1st 2012, April 1st 2013

Plague:
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars








Fear:
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars








Light:
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars