Waiting on Wednesday #429, July 31st

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

Rebel by Marie Lu
Expected Publication: October 1st, 2019
From Goodreads:
Respect the Legend. Idolize the Prodigy. Celebrate the Champion. But never underestimate the Rebel. 

With unmatched suspense and her signature cinematic storytelling, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Marie Lu plunges readers back into the unforgettable world of Legend for a truly grand finale.

Eden Wing has been living in his brother’s shadow for years. Even though he’s a top student at his academy in Ross City, Antarctica, and a brilliant inventor, most people know him only as Daniel Wing’s little brother.

A decade ago, Daniel was known as Day, the boy from the streets who led a revolution that saved the Republic of America. But Day is no longer the same young man who was once a national hero. These days he’d rather hide out from the world and leave his past behind. All that matters to him now is keeping Eden safe―even if that also means giving up June, the great love of Daniel’s life.

As the two brothers struggle to accept who they’ve each become since their time in the Republic, a new danger creeps into the distance that’s grown between them. Eden soon finds himself drawn so far into Ross City’s dark side, even his legendary brother can’t save him. At least not on his own . . . 

Aurora Blazing by Jessie Mihalik
Expected Publication: October 1st, 2019
From Goodreads:
Bianca von Hasenberg did her duty for High House von Hasenberg and ended up trapped in a terrible marriage. When her husband dies unexpectedly and leaves her a happy widow, she vows never to marry again. Instead, she uses her connections to save other young women. Information is power and Bianca has a network that would be the envy of the ’verse—if anyone knew about it.

After an attack, Bianca’s oldest brother, the House von Hasenberg heir, disappears from Earth without a trace. Determined to find him, Bianca leaves against orders. When she refuses to return, her father sends Ian Bishop, the director of House von Hasenberg security, to haul her home like a recalcitrant child.

Bianca leads Ian on a merry chase across the universe, but when their paths finally collide, she persuades him that they would be far more successful at finding her brother if they worked together. She will do anything to save her sibling, even if it means spending time alone on a small ship with the handsome, infuriating man who once broke her heart.

As clues lead them deep into rival House Rockhurst territory, Bianca must decide if she can trust Ian with the one piece of information that could destroy her completely. . . 

The Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith
Expected Publication: October 1st, 2019
From Goodreads:
In the first book in a brilliant new fantasy series, books that aren't finished by their authors reside in the Library of the Unwritten in Hell, and it is up to the Librarian to track down any restless characters who emerge from those unfinished stories.
Many years ago, Claire was named Head Librarian of the Unwritten Wing-- a neutral space in Hell where all the stories unfinished by their authors reside. Her job consists mainly of repairing and organizing books, but also of keeping an eye on restless stories that risk materializing as characters and escaping the library. When a Hero escapes from his book and goes in search of his author, Claire must track and capture him with the help of former muse and current assistant Brevity and nervous demon courier Leto. 

But what should have been a simple retrieval goes horrifyingly wrong when the terrifyingly angelic Ramiel attacks them, convinced that they hold the Devil's Bible. The text of the Devil's Bible is a powerful weapon in the power struggle between Heaven and Hell, so it falls to the librarians to find a book with the power to reshape the boundaries between Heaven, Hell….and Earth.

Yeah, 3 books that I'm really excited to read! I haven't read anything by the first two authors (but I'm planning on reading Polaris Rising soon) and yeah, cna't wait to read these books! What about you guys? Happy reading!

WWW Wednesday #433, July 31st

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!

I'm reading Storm Front, and yeah, really enjoying it, the world and characters are fantastic! 

I read Dark Reflections, and it was dark and creepy and immensely enjoyable! 

I'm going to be reading Immunity, and I can't wait, I really enjoyed the first book!

What about you guys? Happy reading!

Teaser Tuesday #433, July 30th

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Today's teaser comes from Dark Reflections by Kelsey Ketch, page 111.

"There wouldn't be a house rule if it weren't that big of a deal. Luke was the first to learn that, and he had to learn it the hard way."

Well, that's a bit of kinda threatening statement, but it totally makes sense with context! What about you guys? Happy reading!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #425, July 29th

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 #424
Teaser Tuesday #432
WWW Wednesday #432
WOW #428
Will the Time Come #425
Third Sentence Thursday #415
Random Reads #401
First Lines Friday #428
The Reward Challenge Update #410
Book Blogger Hop #94
How Well I Stuck to It #262
Wrote that Review Update #259

Week 30 Reviews:
The Enchantment of Ravens
What She Found in the Woods
Hello Girls
Welcome to the Dark House
Return to the Dark House
Tamiko and the Two Janitors
Skyward
The King
Soul of Stars

Random:
We Have the Cover of Crown of Shards #3!!!!
We Have the Cover of Skyward #2!!!!
We Have the Cover of Mercy Thompson #12!!!!
Margaret Rogerson Author Page

OK, so I got 24 posts in 7 days, and yeah, it was a pretty fantastic week, a read a good number of books, and yeah, I enjoyed it. What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read Dark Reflections, The Last Guest House, T-Minus, These Rebel Waves, These Divided Shores, and Vanishing Girls.

Being possessed by a vampire sucks!

Alana Jones’s world has been completely turned upside-down after being bitten by a vampire's reflection in a cursed mirror. Now she's forced to stay in an abandoned Victorian inn on an isolated island off the west coast of Florida, where Alana lives a double life: one as herself and one as a vicious murderer. Over the past year, she has spilt and drunk the blood of sixteen victims. The guilt of their deaths slowly eating away her sanity.

Sixteen dead . . .

However, things become even more complicated when Alana finds Cole, a surfer she felt a connection with the moment they met on the mainland, locked up in the island’s shed. Knowing his death is inevitable, she attempts to distant herself from him, continually reminding herself of the monster residing underneath her skin. Unfortunately, it's a small island, and the more she interacts with Cole, the more her feelings grow for him.

Eventually, she has to make a decision. Either accept his fate or find a way to expel the vampire’s spirit from within herself before she murders him as well.

Littleport, Maine, has always felt like two separate towns: an ideal vacation enclave for the wealthy, whose summer homes line the coastline; and a simple harbor community for the year-round residents whose livelihoods rely on service to the visitors.

Typically, fierce friendships never develop between a local and a summer girl—but that's just what happens with visitor Sadie Loman and Littleport resident Avery Greer. Each summer for almost a decade, the girls are inseparable—until Sadie is found dead. While the police rule the death a suicide, Avery can't help but feel there are those in the community, including a local detective and Sadie's brother, Parker, who blame her. Someone knows more than they're saying, and Avery is intent on clearing her name, before the facts get twisted against her.


Another thrilling novel from the bestselling author of All the Missing Girls and The Perfect Stranger, Megan Miranda's The Last House Guest is a smart, twisty read with a strong female protagonist determined to make her own way in the world.

I am the daughter of the first female POTUS, and today is about to become the longest day of my life…

24 hours—that's how much time I have to save my mother before terrorists assassinate her. But now my father and brother are missing, too. This goes deeper than anyone thinks. Only someone on the inside would know how to pull this off—how to make the entire First Family disappear.

I can't trust anyone, so it’s up to me to uncover the conspiracy and stop these madmen. Because little do they know, they picked the wrong person to terrorize.

My name is Sophie Washington, and I will not be a victim. No one, I repeat no one, is taking me or my family down. But the clock is ticking…

The thrilling sequel to These Rebel Waves—full of deadly magic, double crosses, and a revolution—from Sara Raasch, the bestselling author of the Snow Like Ashes series.

As a child, she committed unforgivable acts to free Grace Loray from King Elazar of Argrid. Now Elazar's plan to retake the island has surpassed Lu’s darkest fears: he's holding her and his son, Ben, captive in an endlessly shifting prison, forcing them to make a weapon that will guarantee Elazar's success. Escape is impossible—unless Lu becomes the ruthless soldier she hoped never to be again.

Vex failed to save Lu and Ben—and that torments him as much as his Shaking Sickness. With the disease worsening, Vex throws himself into the rebellion against Argrid. The remaining free armies are allied with the stream raider syndicates—and getting them to cooperate will take a strength Vex thought burned on a pyre six years ago.

Imprisoned, betrayed, and heartbroken, Ben is determined to end his father’s rampage. Watching Elazar sway the minds of Grace Loray as he did those of Argrid, Ben knows he has to play his father’s game of devotion to win this war. But how can a heretic prince defeat the Pious God?

As armies clash and magic rises, Lu, Vex, and Ben will confront their pasts . . . or lose their futures forever.

New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver delivers a gripping story perfect for fans of We Were Liars and I Was Here, about two sisters inexorably altered by a terrible accident.

Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred and the two sisters totally estranged.

When Dara vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl, nine-year-old Madeline Snow, has vanished, too, and Nick becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances are linked. Now Nick has to find her sister, before it's too late.

In this edgy and compelling novel, Lauren Oliver creates a world of intrigue, loss, and suspicion as two sisters search to find themselves, and each other.

Margaret Rogerson Author Page

The Story: I saw A Sorcery of Thorns on NetGalley, and it sounded really great, and yeah, it was so fantastic, and I enjoyed it so much, and her first book! I can't wait to read more books by her!

Website

Stand Alone's: An Enchantment of Ravens and her site, my review.

Series: Sorcery of Thorns, Vespertine.

Sorcery of Thorns: A Sorcery of Thorns and her site, my review, my reread, Mysteries of Thorn Manor and her site, my review.

Vespertine: Vespertine and her site, my review.

We Have the Cover of Mercy Thompson #12!!!!

Yeah, we have the cover (and title) of the next Mercy Thompson series, Smoke Bitten by Patricia Briggs!

Wrote that Review Update #259, July 28th

If you want to participate, set a certain amount of reviews to write, and once you make that goal, you can get a reward!

My reviews to reward is writing all of the reviews of the week, and I motivated myself to write my review for The Enchantment of Ravens, What She Found in the Woods, Hello Girls, Welcome to the Dark House and Return to the Dark House, Tamiko and the Two Janitors, Skyward, The King, Soul of Stars, so I have 8 of 8 reviews written!

And as always, I want to review this week's reviews!

What about you guys? Happy reading!

How Well I Stuck to It #262, July 28th

So I decided that I should have accountability on sticking to what should be in a week, so I'm doing How Well I Stuck to It every Sunday, because my schedule should be fixed in by now!

Week 31:
Dark Reflections by Kelsey Ketch, The Last Guest House by Megan Miranda, T-Minus by Shannon Greenland, These Rebel Waves by Sara Raasch, These Divided Shores by Sara Raasch, Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

Tour Books: 2. Check.

Review Books: NA.

NetGalley: 1. Check.

Edelweiss: 2. Check.

Meme Books: NA.

Rereads: NA.

New Books: 1. Check.

Yeah, this is a pretty good week, a good number of books and it's pretty balanced, so yeah, I'm happy with it!

Week 30:
The Arrival of Someday by Jen Malone, The King by Jennifer L. Armentrout, Soul of Stars by Ashley Poston, Tamiko and the Two Janitors by Forthright

vs.

The Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson, What She Found in the Woods by Josephine Angelini, Hello Girls by Brittany Cavallaro and Emily Henry, Welcome to the Dark House by Laurie Faria Stolare, Return to the Dark House by Laurie Faria Stolare, Tamiko and the Two Janitors by Forthright, Skyward by Brandon Sanderson, The King by Jennifer L. Armentrout, Soul of Stars by Ashley Poston

Yeah, I read all but 1 of what I wanted, and then so much more! So yeah, I'm really happy with this week! 

Week 30 Review: Soul of Stars

From Goodreads:
The highly anticipated sequel to Heart of Iron, Soul of Stars is a thrilling sci-fi adventure packed with romance, shocking twists, and witty banter, perfect for fans of Six of Crows and Cinder.

Once Ana was an orphaned space outlaw. Then she was the Empress of the Iron Kingdom. Now, thought dead by most of the galaxy after she escaped from the dark AI program called the HIVE, Ana is desperate for a way to save Di from the HIVE's evil clutches and take back her kingdom.

Ana's only option is to find Starbright, the one person who hacked into the HIVE and lived to tell the tale. But when Ana's desperation costs the crew of the Dossier a terrible price, Ana and her friends are sent spiraling through the most perilous reaches of the Iron Kingdom to stop the true arbiter of evil in her world: an ancient world-ending deity called the Great Dark.

Their journey will take their sharp-witted pilot, Jax, to the home he never wanted to return to and the dangerous fate he left behind. And when Robb finds out who Jax really is, he must contend with his own feelings for the boy he barely knows, and question whether he truly belongs with this group of outcasts.

When facing the worst odds, can Ana and her crew of misfits find a way to stop the Great Dark once and for all?

My Review:
Oh, it was so great to read this book! It's been a while since I read the first book, so I was a little fuzzy on the details, so I should've reread it, but I just wanted to know what was going to happen in this book, so I just went ahead with reading it. We don't get a full recap, but some details were mentioned. So that was good!

We were in a few people's head this book. We were in Ana's head, Jax's head, Robb's head, and the Emperor's head, also known as Di. So that was a pretty good range of characters, and we got to shift between them, which was pretty fantastic, and made from some pretty evil cliffhanger chapters endings!

Ana had to deal with feelings of hopelessness, of the fear of failure. Jax had to deal with his past. Robb with his metal arm and his feelings for Jax. And Di, well, there's the whole thing where he was controlled by HIVE, and who he turned out to be. Yeah. kinda pretty intense!

There was this moment near the end when I realized who the Goddess was. There were a few clues, and then they just came together, and I did figure it out before it was really revealed, which was a pretty good feeling!

This book was so fantastic, and I can't wait to read more books by Ashley Poston!

Author: Ashley Poston
Series: Heart of Iron #2
Read: July 26th, 2019
Source: Ebook.bike
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2019 Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Balzer  + Bray
Published: July 23rd 2019

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 30 Review: The King

From Goodreads:
From #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes the next installment in her Wicked series.

As Caden and Brighton's attraction grows despite the odds stacked against a happily ever after, they must work together to stop an Ancient fae from releasing the Queen, who wants nothing more than to see Caden become the evil Prince once feared by fae and mortals alike.

My Review:
Wow, I loved reading this book! I just love Jennifer L. Armentrout's writing, and this world is a lot of fun to read, and reading about Brighton and Caden is pretty great, since they have a lot of issues to overcome if they want to be happy together! 

There's a lot of back and forth in Caden and Brighton's relationship in this book. From the fact he doesn't want her out there hunting, to some new revelations, they have a lot keeping them apart and not all that much to keep them together. Go romantic conflict!

This book won't, can't, be for everyone. Almost half of this book has Brighton captured and being tortured. It's not very easy to read, and while Brighton is strong and has a measure of sanity in the end, it's still a hell of an ordeal to go through.

I did kinda expect the ending, because there were little hints once we reached the halfway point, of timing and forgetfulness. And other sorts of things that lead me to one conclusion. And it's just so fun being right!

Yeah, loved reading this book and I can't wait for The Queen, which I didn't know about before! So excited for more!

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: A Wicked Trilogy #3.6
Read: July 25th, 2019
Source: Ebook.bike
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2019 Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
Published: July 23rd 2019

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 30 Review: Skyward

From Goodreads:
Defeated, crushed, and driven almost to extinction, the remnants of the human race are trapped on a planet that is constantly attacked by mysterious alien starfighters. Spensa, a teenage girl living among them, longs to be a pilot. When she discovers the wreckage of an ancient ship, she realizes this dream might be possible—assuming she can repair the ship, navigate flight school, and (perhaps most importantly) persuade the strange machine to help her. Because this ship, uniquely, appears to have a soul. 

My Review:
Wow, this book was so fantastic, I wasn't expecting to read it, and I just devoured it. It's a pretty long book, and it's not the only hefty one that I read on the 24th, which to me, says that I read 2 really enticing books that I just couldn't put down! Always a good thing!

I just loved Spensa's bravado, her insults were very bloodthirsty and violent and pretty hilarious. Though they became something of an existential crisis with how violent her culture is, and how they despise cowards. And as she gained battle experience, she felt like a coward. Or her idea of one. Since she was still going out there and fighting, she doesn't fit mine!

One big mystery in this book, was what happened in that battle that marked her dad as a coward. That wasn't the dad that Spensa knew. And that mark of shame as followed her ever since, and has made her life pretty darned difficult. And it turns out, we got one piece of the puzzle pretty early.

I just loved her relationship with M-Bot was the best, their banter was amazing, like his need to know about the different fungi, and his insistence that he's not a fighter plane. There were a few rough moments-like the recording of her father's disgrace and death-but there were some really great moments like flying, as well!

Loved this book so much, and yeah, can't wait for the sequel!

Author: Brandon Sanderson
Series: Skyward #1
Read: July 24th, 2019
Source: Ebook.bike
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Book!
Publisher: Random House
Published: November 6th 2018

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 30 Review: Tamiko and the Two Janitors

From Goodreads:
In doing her part for world peace, she puts one crosser's whole world at risk. 

Conspiracy theories, werewolf scares, and protest rallies have hampered the peace process in America, where social and political unrest keep most Amaranthine from declaring themselves. Those not in seclusion rely heavily on illusion to mask their true nature.

As the newly appointed principal of a small elementary school, Tamiko Reaverson is doing her part for world peace. She rallies her community's support and applies for Hisoka Twineshaft's school revitalization project, which will bring Amaranthine to her hometown. Little does Tami realize that Fletching was founded by one of the oldest and largest urban enclaves in the United States. And two of her staunchest supporters—janitors at her school—share a secret neither wants exposed. 

My Review:
Wow, I loved reading this book so much! I loved exploring another part of this world, since it's the first time that we've been in the US in this series, well, the main series. I haven't read the spin off series of novellas yet. But I want to!

Between the title and the synopsis, I had a question. If there's two janitors, why is there only one crosser who could be exposed? We get the answer to that question, and yeah, it's a kinda of endearing one, with the friendship between the two of them.

A big part of this book was the fact that Tamiko is a tree kin, and that her family are unregistered Reavers, and that their community is coming another enclave, a safe space. That was pretty interesting to read! There were also all the relationships, and I loved seeing all those connections between the 3 different couples! Oh, and seeing some familiar faces, as well!

There's also an update with Tamiko's brother, because the shields he was under, they're the same marking as the one that enslaved Argent. So that's another thread to pull. As well, how Tamiko is tree kin, well, we were told the story in Kimiko and the Accidental Proposal. We're learning more about this world, and it's just getting better and better!

Such a great read, loved it so much, and I can't wait for the next book!

Author: Forthright
Series: Amaranthine Saga #3
Read: July 24th, 2019
Source: Ebook.bike
Reason Why: I love this series so much! And it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2019 Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Twinkle Press
Published: July 22nd 2019

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 30 Reviews: Welcome to the Dark House, Return to the Dark House

From Goodreads:
What's your worst nightmare?

For Ivy Jensen, it's the eyes of a killer that haunt her nights. For Parker Bradley, it's bloodthirsty sea serpents that slither in his sleep.

And for seven essay contestants, it's their worst nightmares that win them an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at director Justin Blake's latest, confidential project. Ivy doesn't even like scary movies, but she's ready to face her real-world fears. Parker's sympathetic words and perfect smile help keep her spirits up . . . at least for now.

Not everyone is so charming, though. Horror-film fanatic Garth Vader wants to stir up trouble. It's bad enough he has to stay in the middle of nowhere with this group-the girl who locks herself in her room, the know-it-all roommate, "Mister Sensitive", and the one who's too cheery for her own good. Someone has to make things interesting. 

Except, things are already a little weird. The hostess is a serial-killer look-alike, the dream-stealing Nightmare Elf is lurking about, and the seventh member of the group is missing. By the time Ivy and Parker realize what's really at stake, it's too late to wake up and run. 

From Goodreads:
Ivy Jensen survived the Dark House once, but can she make it out a second time?

Two months have passed since Ivy narrowly escaped the Nightmare Elf's grip, but the memories of Parker, Natalie, Shayla, Frankie, and Garth continue to haunt her. Their killer is still out there—somewhere. The police trail has gone cold, though, and it's up to Ivy to piece together the clues to find him.

When a cryptic video arrives in her inbox, Ivy soon finds herself back in the spotlight, this time on a twisted scavenger hunt through the dark, ancient halls of a long-forgotten Gothic school building. Ivy's not alone, either. Taylor Monroe has returned to the scene. But can Taylor be trusted? Or is she another pawn in the Nightmare Elf's deadly game?

Laurie Faria Stolarz crafts a mesmerizing thriller that will leave readers looking over their shoulders.

My Review:
Oh, I enjoyed reading these books so much! I do wish that there could've been a 3rd book, since the bad guy wasn't caught, and there's still the bodies of the contestants that were killed to be found. It's unlikely, though, since Return came out in 2015, and it's not 2019, it's probably not going to happen after all this time.

I wasn't sure if these books were going to be horror, or paranormal. They could've gone either way, and it worked being horror, because there were explanations for what was going on, that weren't out of this world.

I feel bad for Ivy, losing her parents like that. And I can understand her want/need to not be so afraid of things. But going to a house specifically geared towards horror? Even to desensitize herself, probably not the best idea. And when it goes wrong, that becomes abundantly clear! And then she puts herself in the same situation, but that makes more sense, since she wants to save Parker and the other contestants.

There was a problem with my copy of Return to the Dark House, it skipped some pages, and then repeated a scene. So that was a little unfortunate, because it was at the point just after the killer called her with instructions to the school, and it was her journey there, which might've been something important. Oh, well!

Loved reading these books, they were creepy and awesome books!

Author: Laurie Faria Stolarz
Series: Dark House #1, 2
Read: July 21st, 22nd, 2019
Source: NetGalley, Bought
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2019 Books! And Welcome to the Dark House is a WTC Book! And Return to the Dark House is a End of Series 2019 Book!
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Published: July 22nd 2014, July 21st 2015

Welcome to the Dark House:

5/5 Hearts

4/5 Books

4/5 Stars

Return to the Dark House:

5/5 Hearts

4/5 Books

4/5 Stars

Week 30 Review: Hello Girls

From Goodreads:
Thelma and Louise gets remade in this powerful, darkly funny teen novel from acclaimed authors Brittany Cavallaro and Emily Henry. Two teenage girls who have had enough of the controlling men in their lives take their rage on the road to make a new life for themselves.

Winona has been starving for life in the seemingly perfect home that she shares with her seemingly perfect father, celebrity weatherman Stormy Olsen. No one knows that he locks the pantry door to control her eating and leaves bruises where no one can see them.

Lucille has been suffocating beneath the needs of her mother and her drug-dealing brother, wondering if there's more out there for her than disappearing waitress tips and a lifetime of barely getting by.

One harrowing night, Winona and Lucille realize they can't wait until graduation to start their new lives. They need out. Now. One hour later, they're armed with a plan that will take them from their small Michigan town to Chicago.

All they need is three grand, fast. And really, a stolen convertible can't hurt.

Chased by the oppression, toxicity, and powerlessness that has held them down, Winona and Lucille must reclaim their strength if they are going to make their daring escape—and get away with it. 

My Review:
Wow, really enjoyed reading this book! I just devoured it! There were moments that I just raged at the unfairness of what was happening. Like that Winona's dad was abusive, and that Lucille's brother stole from her, and wasn't made to be an adult in the family like Lucille was, even though he was older. Urgh! Oh, and the whole thing were the title came from! That females, regardless of age, being greeted as girls. Bah!

I really enjoyed reading about Lucille and Winona. They both were in pretty awful situations, and they had a plan for the future. But when that plan was threatened, they took action. I also really enjoyed their friendship which was built upon their mutual hardships. They were great together!

I was kinda expecting something bad to happen each time they got more money, that someone was going to strike back at them, or they'd get caught or something. And even when things went wrong, I was still kinda braced-because things can always get worse!

That ending, yeah, I'm a bit confused, because I thought they only told the one dude the 2nd location, so I have no idea how he found them. But it made for a really satisfying ending, because both girls pretty much got their confrontation, which was much needed and deserved!

Loved this book so much, it was a really fantastic read!

Authors: Brittany Cavallaro and Emily Henry
Read: July 20th, 2019
Source: Edelweiss
Reason Why: Love Brittany Cavallaro's writing, and yeah, it sounded really great! And it's a SAC 2019 Book!
Publisher: Katherine Tegan Books
Expected Publication: August 6th 2019

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 30 Review: What She Found in the Woods

From Goodreads:
After a scandal breaks in her elite New York City private school, Magdalena is shipped off to her grandparents' sleepy Pacific Northwest town to spend a summer recovering under the radar. Over-medicated and uninspired, she spends her days in a fog, hiking in the woods behind her grandparents' cottage.

But then gorgeous wildboy, Bo, stumbles across her picnic blanket and Magdalena starts believing she might be able to move on from her past. The only problem seems to be the series of crimes breaking out across town, and when a body is found in the woods near Bo's encampment, it's clear that Magdalena's nightmare is just beginning. She's no longer sure who she can trust. . .

What She Found in the Woods is an addictive and all-consuming thriller with a twist from the internationally bestselling author of the Starcrossed series, Josephine Angelini. 

My Review:
Wow, I enjoyed reading this book! It was dark and twisted, and I loved all the directions that it went in! Magdalena isn't your usual narrator, because she was in a mental hospital, and she admits she did wrong. But there was a darkness in her that we saw more and more of!

The first part of this book was a YA romance, of Magdalena and Bo meeting in the woods, getting to know each other. But then it takes a darker turn, with dead bodies, drugs and blood. Then it became something of a mystery/psychological book. It was pretty creepy!

I really enjoyed the way this story was told, between times in the present, to her writing down her past in a journal-which becomes part of what confuses and messes her up when she needs that the least. It was a great way to get to know her and why she's where she is, and the pacing between the two was excellent!

That ending, when the dots were connected, yeah, the was pretty darned great. I loved how we got to that point, it was very tricky, and with just a little bit of information-or something said a little differently, and the pieces could've come together differently, or sooner. So it made the ending all the more better that they got to that point!

Yeah, this book was just so fantastic, and I enjoyed it so much!

Author: Josephine Angelini
Read: July 20th, 2019
Source: NetGalley
Reason Why: Love her writing and it sounded good, and it's a SAC 2019 Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Expected Publication: September 3rd 2019

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 30 Review: An Enchantment of Ravens

From Goodreads:
A skilled painter must stand up to the ancient power of the faerie courts—even as she falls in love with a faerie prince—in this gorgeous bestseller that's "an ideal pick for fans of Holly Black, Maggie Stiefvater, and Laini Taylor" (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

Isobel is an artistic prodigy with a dangerous set of clients: the sinister fair folk, immortal creatures who cannot bake bread or put a pen to paper without crumbling to dust. They crave human Craft with a terrible thirst, and Isobel's paintings are highly prized. But when she receives her first royal patron—Rook, the autumn prince—she makes a terrible mistake. She paints mortal sorrow in his eyes—a weakness that could cost him his life.

Furious, Rook spirits her away to his kingdom to stand trial for her crime. But something is seriously wrong in his world, and they are attacked from every side. With Isobel and Rook depending on each other for survival, their alliance blossoms into trust, then love—and that love violates the fair folks' ruthless laws. Now both of their lives are forfeit, unless Isobel can use her skill as an artist to fight the fairy courts. Because secretly, her Craft represents a threat the fair folk have never faced in all the millennia of their unchanging lives: for the first time, her portraits have the power to make them feel.

My Review:
Oh, wow, this book was so strange and wonderful! It was a really fantastic read! The world was really amazing, and I enjoyed reading about these characters! I did want to learn more about the world, like there was this other world where it was mentioned, but we didn't learn pretty much about it.

The relationship between Isobel and Rook was kinda strange. After all, he's not human and he's going to live so much longer than she will, and has already. And then there's the whole kidnapping thing, and if they are in love with each other at the same time, they're breaking the rules and will be killed. Yeah.

For some reason, I thought that the bad guy was an insidious force, being very clever, and had taken over the other courts. But nope, it's just because the Summer King was asleep and things were rotting away. So not a very active force, but without attention, things turn to chaos, given enough time!

That ending, yeah, it was improbably and a one in a million chance result. And the fact that they were nudged into it, well, that doesn't excuse the pain that they went through with it. And while I would like to know more about how the world has changed because of what they did, it was a pretty great ending!

This book was so great, and just a delightful read!

Author: Margaret Rogerson
Read: July 20th 2019
Source: Ebook.bike
Reason Why: Loved her other book and it sounded good, and it's a DAC Book and a SAC 2019 Book!
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published: September 26th 2017

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars