It's Monday! What Are You Reading #518, May 10th

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 #517
Teaser Tuesday #525
WWW Wednesday #525
WOW #521
Will the Time Come #518
Third Sentence Thursday #508
Random Reads #494
First Lines Friday #521
Book Blogger Hop #187
The Reward Challenge Update #503
Wheel of TBR #50
How Well I Stuck to It #355
Wrote that Review Update #352

Week 18 Reviews:
Shadowed Steel

Sightwitch

Written in Red

Murder of Crows

Vision in Silver

Marked in Flesh

Etched in Bone

DesertAThon: 

Update 3

Random:

Bout of Books 31.0 Sign Up

OK, so I got 18 posts in 7 days, and it was a fairly short week, but I started rereading The Others series even though I hadn't planned on it. Oh, well, I really enjoyed reading them again, and I can't wait for next week! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read Gods of Jade and Shadow and The Haunting of Hill House. 

The Mayan god of death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this dark, one-of-a-kind fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore.

The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather's house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own.

Yet this new life seems as distant as the stars, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her grandfather's room. She opens it—and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother. Failure will mean Casiopea's demise, but success could make her dreams come true.

In the company of the strangely alluring god and armed with her wits, Casiopea begins an adventure that will take her on a cross-country odyssey from the jungles of Yucatán to the bright lights of Mexico City—and deep into the darkness of the Mayan underworld. 

First published in 1959, Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror. It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a “haunting”; Theodora, his lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers—and soon it will choose one of them to make its own. 

Wrote that Review Update #352, May 9th

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 Shadowed Steel, Sightwitch, Written in Red, Murder of Crows, Vision in Silver, Marked in Flesh, Etched in Bone, so I have 3 of 3 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 #355, May 9th

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 19:

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Tour Books: NA.

Review Books: NA.

NetGalley: NA.

Edelweiss: NA.

Rereads: NA.

New Books: 2. Check.

So I have to read some non-ARC's for Book Battle, and I was able to add them to my Wheel of TBR stack, so I have to add them here as well! 

Week 18:

Shadowed Steel by Chloe Neill, Sightwitch by Susan Dennard 

vs.

Shadowed Steel by Chloe Neill, Sightwitch by Susan Dennard, Written in Red by Anne Bishop, Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop, Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop, Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop, Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop

So I read what I wanted, and more, so I'm happy! Can't wait for next week! What about you guys? Happy reading!

Wheel of TBR #50, May 9th

I saw Codie's Book Corner doing the Wheel of TBR, and I thought that sounded like a great way to pick what to read from your TBR. So thanks to her! I'll only do 3 spins, because I'm doing this every week, and so it won't make up my total TBR of the week, but it'll be a start!

Rules:
1. On the first week of the month, I'll do 12 spins, for books that I'll have all month to read. For each week for the rest of the month, I'll do 3 spins each week to read each week though I do have the rest of the month to read them. Once a prompt is used, I'll randomly choose one from the list, keeping track of how often a colour comes up. If colour comes up 4 or more times in a month, I'll do another spin once it comes up 4 times.
2. If I don't read a book that week or at least start it, then for my next week of spins, I have to add a punishment for each book unread. I'll roll for each unread book, and have to apply each and every punishment chosen to the week.

3. On the other hand, for reward, if I go 4 weeks in a row making my TBR, then I have one opportunity  to have a grace on a book-if I haven't read it in the week or month I was supposed to, than I don't have to read it (though I'll still try and read it shortly thereafter). The reward can work for only one book. Which would prevent me from getting a punishment, but it takes 4 weeks to get a reward, so I'm fine with that. It evens out for me!

Of the books from the last week, I started A Summoning of Souls by Leanna Renee Hieber, so I have Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart, The Chaos of Standing Still by Jessica Brody, The Valiant by Lesley Livingston, Nexus by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings, The Once and Future Queen by Clara O'Connor, Dreaming Death by Heather Graham, Dating The Undead by Juliet Lyons, Here and Now and Then by Mike Chen, Zenith by Lindsay Cummings and Sasha Alsberg, Pushing Perfect by Michelle Falkoff, The Good Girls by Claire Eliza Bartlett, left.

For the rewards, and I have 3(+1?)/4 needed for the next reward, so I have 3 rewards saved up.

Prompts Used This Week:

Book Battle, Start the Series, More Than 1000 Reviews.

Book Battle-Violet-The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson-This is on my Book Battle TBR, so it works! 

Start the Series-Violet-The Infinity Courts by Akemi Dawn Bowman-This is the first book in the Infinity Courts series so it works! 

More Than 1000 Reviews-Green-Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia-This book has over 5000 reviews, so it works! 

Colour Totals:
Red: 0
Orange: 3
Yellow: 1
Chartreuse: 0
Green: 1
Spring Green: 0
Cyan: 0
Azure: 
Blue: 2
Violet: 3
Magenta: 2
Rose: 2

Prompts for Next Week:
Coin Toss-Red
#Bookstagram-Orange
Louisa Pick-Yellow
Dobby Pick-Chartreuse
Booktuber Read-Green
Author As Last Read-Spring Green
TBR Cart-Cyan
Variety Prompt-Azure
Title-Blue
Edelweiss Book to Read in 2021-Violet
Most Anticipated-Magenta
Poll Pick-Rose 

So those are some of the books I'm going to try to read this week. What about you guys? Happy reading!

The Reward Challenge Update #503, May 9th

The Reward Challenge is almost the complete opposite to a book buying ban as you'll end up buying lots of new books throughout the challenge but only after you've completed a certain amount of reading. It was hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly, so thanks to her for starting it!

OK, so I read Shadowed Steel which counts 4 times as a NetGalley Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book and a WoW Book, Sightwitch which counts 4 times as a NetGalley Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge Book and a WoW Book, Written in Red which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book, Murder of Crows which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book, Vision in Silver which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book, Marked in Flesh which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book, Etched in Bone which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book.

So I have 18 counts which translates to $9 this week! I'll use it to buy books!

Bout of Books 31.0 Sign Up

The Bout of Books readathon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly Rubidoux Apple. It’s a weeklong readathon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 10th and runs through Sunday, May 16th in YOUR time zone. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are reading sprints, Twitter chats, and exclusive Instagram challenges, but they’re all completely optional. For all Bout of Books 31 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

Well, it looks like I forgot to participate last time, even though I signed up. Opps. But I'm signing up for the next round, and I can't wait to read some books! As always, my goal is 10 books!

What about you guys? Happy reading!

DesertAThon Update 3

I read my next book for DesertAThon, and it was Wild Country which is for the prompt Read a book that has some kind of traveling in it, and I'll be reading A Summoning of Souls next! 

My Reading Journey:

Shadowed Steel by Chloe Neill

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a Book With a Weapon on the Cover
Started On: May 1st
Finished On: May 1st, 7:45 PM
Pages Read: 336

Sightwitch by Susan Dennard

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book with some type of magic
Started On: May 1st

Finished On: May 1st, 10:01 PM
Pages Read: 240

Wild Country by Anne Bishop

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a book that has some kind of traveling in it

Started On: May 8th

Finished On: May 8th, 11:58 PM
Pages Read: 518

A Summoning of Souls by Leanna Renee Hieber 

Prompt Fulfilled: Read a Book With Some Sort of Romance in It's Plot
Started On: May 9th
Currently On: Page 0 of 243

Books Read: 3

Pages Read: 1094

Prompts Left: Read a Five Star Prediction, Read a Backlist Book 1, Read a Backlist Book 2, Read a hyped book, Read a Random Book on Your TBR, Read a Retelling, Read a Book with a Foiled Cover, Read a Book set in the Desert, Read a Standalone, Desert Vibed Book

Week 18 Reviews: Written in Red, Murder of Crows, Vision in Silver, Marked in Flesh, Etched in Bone

From Goodreads:
No one creates realms like "New York Times "bestselling author Anne Bishop. Now in a thrilling new fantasy series, enter a world inhabited by the Others, unearthly entities--vampires and shape-shifters among them--who rule the Earth and whose prey are humans.

As a "cassandra sangue," or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut--a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg's Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard--a business district operated by the Others.

Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she's keeping a secret, and second, she doesn't smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she's wanted by the government, he'll have to decide if she's worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow.

From Goodreads:
Return to New York Times best-selling author Anne Bishop's world of the Others - where supernatural entities and humans struggle to co-exist, and one woman has begun to change all the rules.…

After winning the trust of the terra indigene residing in the Lakeside Courtyard, Meg Corbyn has had trouble figuring out what it means to live among them. As a human, Meg should be barely tolerated prey, but her abilities as a cassandra sangue make her something more.

The appearance of two addictive drugs has sparked violence between the humans and the Others, resulting in the murder of both species in nearby cities. So when Meg has a dream about blood and black feathers in the snow, Simon Wolfgard - Lakeside's shape-shifting leader - wonders if their blood prophet dreamed of a past attack or a future threat.

As the urge to speak prophecies strikes Meg more frequently, trouble finds its way inside the Courtyard. Now, the Others and the handful of humans residing there must work together to stop the man bent on reclaiming their blood prophet - and stop the danger that threatens to destroy them all.

From Goodreads:
The Others freed the cassandra sangue to protect the blood prophets from exploitation, not realizing their actions would have dire consequences. Now the fragile seers are in greater danger than ever before—both from their own weaknesses and from those who seek to control their divinations for wicked purposes. In desperate need of answers, Simon Wolfgard, a shape-shifter leader among the Others, has no choice but to enlist blood prophet Meg Corbyn's help, regardless of the risks she faces by aiding him.

Meg is still deep in the throes of her addiction to the euphoria she feels when she cuts and speaks prophecy. She knows each slice of her blade tempts death. But Others and humans alike need answers, and her visions may be Simon's only hope of ending the conflict.

For the shadows of war are deepening across the Atlantik, and the prejudice of a fanatic faction is threatening to bring the battle right to Meg and Simon's doorstep…

From Goodreads:
For centuries, the Others and humans have lived side by side in uneasy peace. But when humankind oversteps its bounds, the Others will have to decide how much humanity they’re willing to tolerate—both within themselves and within their community...

Since the Others allied themselves with the cassandra sangue, the fragile yet powerful human blood prophets who were being exploited by their own kind, the delicate dynamic between humans and Others changed. Some, like Simon Wolfgard, wolf shifter and leader of the Lakeside Courtyard, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn, see the new, closer companionship as beneficial—both personally and practically.

But not everyone is convinced. A group of radical humans is seeking to usurp land through a series of violent attacks on the Others. What they don’t realize is that there are older and more dangerous forces than shifters and vampires protecting the land that belongs to the Others—and those forces are willing to do whatever is necessary to protect what is theirs… 

From Goodreads:
New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop returns to her world of the Others, as humans struggle to survive in the shadow of shapeshifters and vampires far more powerful than themselves…

After a human uprising was brutally put down by the Elders—a primitive and lethal form of the Others—the few cities left under human control are far-flung. And the people within them now know to fear the no-man's-land beyond their borders—and the darkness…

As some communities struggle to rebuild, Lakeside Courtyard has emerged relatively unscathed, though Simon Wolfgard, its wolf shifter leader, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn must work with the human pack to maintain the fragile peace. But all their efforts are threatened when Lieutenant Montgomery's shady brother arrives, looking for a free ride and easy pickings.

With the humans on guard against one of their own, tensions rise, drawing the attention of the Elders, who are curious about the effect such an insignificant predator can have on a pack. But Meg knows the dangers, for she has seen in the cards how it will all end—with her standing beside a grave... 

My first review of Written in Red, Murder of Crows, Vision in Silver, Marked in Flesh, Etched in Bone 
My second review of Written in Red, Murder of Crows, Vision in Silver, Marked in Flesh, Etched in Bone

My third review of Marked in Flesh, Etched in Bone
My Review:


Author: Anne Bishop
Series: The Others #1, 2, 3, 4, 5
First Read: July 6th, 7th, 7th, 8th, 8th, 2017
Second Read: February 4th, 4th, 4th, 2018, September 27th, 27th, 2017

Third Read: February5th, 5th, 2018
Read: May 4th, 5th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 2021
Source: Own
Reason Why: Rereading, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Books!
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA), Roc
Published: March 1st 2013, March 4th 2014, March 3rd 2015, March 1st 2016, March 7th 2017

Written in Red:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Murder of Crows:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Vision in Silver:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Marked in Flesh:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Etched in Bone:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 18 Review: Sightwitch

From Goodreads:

Sightwitch is an illustrated novella set in the Witchlands and told through Ryber's journal entries and sketches.

Before Safi and Iseult battled a Bloodwitch...

Before Merik returned from the dead...

Ryber Fortiza was a Sightwitch Sister at a secluded convent, waiting to be called by her goddess into the depths of the mountain. There she would receive the gift of foretelling. But when that call never comes, Ryber finds herself the only Sister without the Sight.

Years pass and Ryber's misfit pain becomes a dull ache, until one day, Sisters who already possess the Sight are summoned into the mountain, never to return. Soon enough, Ryber is the only Sister left. Now, it is up to her to save her Sisters, though she does not have the Sight--and though she does not know what might await her inside the mountain.

On her journey underground, she encounters a young captain named Kullen Ikray, who has no memory of who he is or how he got there. Together, the two journey ever deeper in search of answers, their road filled with horrors, and what they find at the end of that road will alter the fate of the Witchlands forever.

My Review:


Sirmaya

Author: Susan Dennard
Series: The Witchlands #2.5
Read: May 1st, 2021
Source: NetGalley
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Tor Teen
Published: February 13th 2018

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 18 Review: Shadowed Steel

From Goodreads:

In the third installment in the Heirs of Chicagoland series, the vampires in Elisa Sullivan's world are out for blood.

Elisa Sullivan is the only vampire ever born, and she bears a heavy legacy. After a sojourn with the North American Central Pack of shifters in the wilderness--where she turned a young woman into a vampire to save her life--Elisa returns to Chicago.

But no good deed goes unpunished. The ruling body of vampires, the Assembly of American Masters, is furious that Elisa turned someone without their permission, and they're out for her blood. When an AAM vampire is found dead, Elisa is the prime suspect. Someone else is stalking Chicago--and Elisa. She'll need to keep a clear head, and a sharp blade, to survive all the supernatural strife.

My Review:


Author: Chloe Neill
Series: Heirs of Chicagoland #3
Read: May 1st, 2021
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Berkley Books
Published: May 4th 2021

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Book Blogger Hop #187, May 7th

Book Blogger Hop

The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer from Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended on December 31, 2012. With Jennifer's permission, Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer relaunched the meme on February 15, 2013. Check out the hop here! 

Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end on Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop's purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.

The Question of the week is: Do you collect bookmarks? (submitted by Elizabeth @ Silver's Reviews)

I passively collect bookmarks, that get sent with Book Depository orders, or swag from an author. But I don't actively seek them out. I'm at the point where I have a bag full, so I'm not going to run out any time soon! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

First Lines Friday #521, May 7th

First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. We encourage all of our fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

-Grab your current read(s)
-Share the first line(s)
-Include the title and author so that other FLF participants can add the book to their TBR Lists!

"As they gathered in the wild country between Tala and Etu, two of the Great Lakes, their footsteps filled  the land with a terrible silence. They were the Elders, primal forms of terra indigene who guarded the wild, pristine parts of the world. To the smaller forms of earth natives-shifters like the Wolf and Bear and Panther-they were known as Namid's teeth and claws." -Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop

Yeah! I love starting this book with the Elders, given what happened in the previous book! Must read more! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

2021 Reviews

Random Reads #494, May 6th

Random Reads is a monthly meme (that I'm going to do weekly) hosted by I'm Loving Books to read some books that have been on our TBR piles for a long time. Using Random.org, I got 5021 which turned out to be Rags and Bones Anthology! It's been on my TBR pile since October 14th, 2014, and I added it because I enjoy all of these authors writing! What about you guys? Happy reading!

Third Sentence Thursday #508, May 6th

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme which likes to watch fireworks especially while eating a cookie!

1) Take the book you are currently reading and open it to a random page. Share the third full sentence on that page. (If there isn't a third one – like at the end of a chapter or a blank page – you can share the third sentence of the book or just choose another random page.) Feel free to share more than one sentence, if you feel the need to do so.

2) Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)

3) Post a link to your sentence at Words I Write Crazy (This Blog)

4) Visit one or two of the other blogs to check out their third sentences!

"We have heard of the Meg who lives near Etu." -Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop, page 111.

Heard all good things, I'd hope though we've read everything that could've been talked about, so it should be good!

What are your guy's 3rd lines? Link up below!

Will the Time Come #518, May 6th

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

Want to Join?

-Pick a book you have been meaning to read

-Do a post telling us about the book    

-Link the post up in the linky  

-Visit the other blogs

From Goodreads:

Delilah and Gavin’s new love is threatened by a force uncomfortably close to home in this haunting novel from New York Times bestselling duo Christina Lauren, authors of Beautiful Bastard.

His shirt is black, jeans are black, and shaggy black hair falls into his eyes. And when Gavin looks up at Delilah, the dark eyes shadowed with bluish circles seem to flicker to life.

He lives in that house, the one at the edge of town. Spooky and maybe haunted. Something worse than haunted. And Gavin is trapped by its secrets.

Delilah and Gavin can’t resist each other. But staying together will exact a price beyond their imagining. 

Why the time hasn't come yet...

I don't know why I haven't read it. I've owned it for years now, but haven't managed to read it yet, but I want to! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Waiting on Wednesday #521, May 5th

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

Shadow Storm by Christine Feehan

Expected Publication: May 25th, 2021
From Goodreads:

A long-simmering feud between two families comes to a head in this gripping novel in Christine Feehan's New York Times bestselling Shadow Riders series.

As the youngest member of the Ferraro family, Emmanuelle has watched each of her brothers find happiness in love while her own heart was shattered by a lover's betrayal. For two years she's stayed as far away from Valentino Saldi as possible--until she learns that he's been shot during a hostile takeover of his family's territory.

Emme's first instinct is to call her brother Stefano for help, and soon the entire Ferraro clan arrives to bring Val back from the brink of death and protect the Saldis from further attack. With one choice Emme has re-exposed herself to Val's intoxicating pull and dragged her family into the Saldis' private war.

A deadly storm is brewing, and only time will tell who survives...

The Promised Queen by Jeffe Kennedy

Expected Publication: May 25th, 2021
From Goodreads:

In The Promised Queen, the thrilling finale to Jeffe Kennedy's Forgotten Empires trilogy, the fate of the world hangs in the balance as Con, Lia, and their allies sacrifice everything in a final bid to destroy the corrupt empire.

Claim the hand that wears the ring, and the empire falls.

Conrí, former Crown Prince of Oriel, claimed the hand that wears the Abiding Ring, but the prophecy remains unfulfilled. Queen Euthalia of Calanthe returned to her island kingdom, but broken in mind and body. With the blood of war unleashing ancient terrors, Calanthe isn’t the haven it once was.

Lia must use her magical bond with Calanthe to save their people while Con fights to hold off the vengeful Emperor Anure and his wizards. Con and Lia will have to trust in each other—and in love—to fend off ultimate disaster. 

Sixteen Scandals by Sophie Jordan

Expected Publication: May 25th, 2021
From Goodreads:

In this irreverent regency romp by New York Times best-selling author Sophie Jordan, newly minted sixteen-year-old Primrose Ainsworth finds herself on a wayward birthday adventure through London with a mysterious hero—perfect for fans of My Lady Jane.

The youngest of four daughters, Primrose Ainsworth is used to getting lost in the shuffle. But when her parents decide to delay her debut into English society, Prim hatches a plan to go rogue on the night of her sixteenth birthday.

Donning a mask, Prim escapes to the infamous Vauxhall Gardens for one wild night. When her cover is nearly blown, a mysterious stranger intercedes, and Prim finds an unexpected partner in mischief . . . and romance. But when it’s revealed her new ally isn’t who he says he is, her one night of fun may last past dawn.

In this frothy regency romp perfect for fans of Austen-esque flirtation and Shakespearean hijinks, sometimes a little scandal can be a good thing. 

The Unforgiven by Heather Graham

Expected Publication: May 25th, 2021
From Goodreads:

A tragic past. An uncertain future

Twelve years after the grisly murder of her parents, Kaitlyn Delaney has finally found peace. She has friends, a good job, a place to call home and a new life to live. But then a shadow creeps in from Katie’s past, reminding her that she will never completely escape its terrifying grip.

When private investigator Dan Oliver is called to the scene of a gruesome crime in New Orleans, he can’t help but hear echoes of the Delaney case, the unsolved murder that made him leave law enforcement. As he digs deeper, he unearths more chilling similarities—including mysterious letters connecting the killer to a string of murders that terrorized the Big Easy in 1919.

Now reunited after all this time, Dan and Katie scour the streets together, desperate to find answers before more lives are lost. But the otherworldly roots of this evil run far deeper than they ever imagined…and only the most precious of sacrifices will bring its twisted reign to an end.

The Ivies by Alexa Donne

Expected Publication: May 25th, 2021
From Goodreads:

Everyone knows the Ivies: the most coveted universities in the United States. Far more important are the Ivies. The Ivies at Claflin Academy, that is. Five girls with the same mission: to get into the Ivy League by any means necessary. I would know. I’m one of them. We disrupt class ranks, club leaderships, and academic competitions…among other things. We improve our own odds by decreasing the fortunes of others. Because hyper-elite competitive college admissions is serious business. And in some cases, it’s deadly.

Alexa Donne delivers a nail-biting and timely thriller about teens who will stop at nothing to get into the college of their dreams. Too bad no one told them murder isn’t an extracurricular.

Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth

Expected Publication: May 25th, 2021
From Goodreads:

Aideen has plenty of problems she can’t fix. Her best (and only) friend is pulling away. Her mother’s drinking problem is a constant concern. She’s even running out of outlandish diseases to fake so she can skip PE.

But when Aideen stumbles on her nemesis, overachiever Meabh Kowalski, in the midst of a full-blown meltdown, she sees a problem that—unlike her own disaster of a life—seems refreshingly easy to solve. Meabh is desperate to escape her crushing pile of extracurriculars. Aideen volunteers to help. By pushing Meabh down the stairs.

Problem? Solved. Meabh’s sprained ankle is the perfect excuse to ditch her overwhelming schedule. But when another student learns about their little scheme and brings Aideen another “client” who needs her “help,” it kicks off a semester of traded favors, ill-advised hijinks, and an unexpected chance at love. Fixing other people’s problems won’t fix her own, but it might be the push she needs to start.

Spells Trouble by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Expected Publication: May 25th, 2021
From Goodreads:

Double double, twins spell trouble…

Hunter and Mercy Goode are twin witches, direct descendants of the founder of their town of Goodeville. As their ancestors have done before them, it is now time for the twins to learn what it means to be Gatekeepers–the protectors of the Gates to different underworlds, ancient portals between their world and realms where mythology rules and nightmares come to life.

When their mother becomes the first victim in a string of murders, the devastated sisters vow to avenge her death. But it will take more than magic to rein in the ancient mythological monsters who’ve infected their peaceful town.

Now Hunter and Mercy must come together and accept their destiny or risk being separated for good. 

Pumpkin by Julie Murphy

Expected Publication: May 25th, 2021
From Goodreads:

Waylon Russell Brewer is a fat, openly gay boy stuck in the small West Texas town of Clover City. His plan is to bide his time until he can graduate, move to Austin with his twin sister, Clementine, and finally go Full Waylon, so that he can live his Julie-the-hills-are-alive-with-the-sound-of-music-Andrews truth.

So when Clementine deviates from their master plan right after Waylon gets dumped, he throws caution to the wind and creates an audition tape for his favorite TV drag show, Fiercest of Them All. What he doesn’t count on is the tape accidentally getting shared with the entire school. . . . As a result, Waylon is nominated for prom queen as a joke. Clem’s girlfriend, Hannah Perez, also receives a joke nomination for prom king.

Waylon and Hannah decide there’s only one thing to do: run—and leave high school with a bang. A very glittery bang. Along the way, Waylon discovers that there is a lot more to running for prom court than campaign posters and plastic crowns, especially when he has to spend so much time with the very cute and infuriating prom king nominee Tucker Watson.

Waylon will need to learn that the best plan for tomorrow is living for today . . . especially with the help of some fellow queens. . . . 

Aetherbound by E.K. Johnston

Expected Publication: May 25th, 2021
From Goodreads:

A thought-provoking new YA space adventure from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Ahsoka.

Set on a family-run interstellar freighter called the Harland and a mysterious remote space station, E. K. Johnston's latest is story of survival and self-determination.

Pendt Harland's family sees her as a waste of food on their long-haul space cruiser when her genes reveal an undesirable mutation. But if she plays her cards right she might have a chance to do much more than survive. During a space-station layover, Pendt escapes and forms a lucky bond with the Brannick twins, the teenage heirs of the powerful family that owns the station. Against all odds, the trio hatches a long-shot scheme to take over the station and thwart the destinies they never wished for. 

There's some really fantastic books coming out the day after my birthday! There's some authors and series that I really love, and some newer authors, and I'm so excited to read these books, though I've read some of them already, yeah! What about you guys? Happy reading!