Showing posts with label Diana Peterfreund. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Diana Peterfreund. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 11, 2026

Waiting on Wednesday #774, March 11th

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

The Alchemary by Rachel Vincent
Expected Publication: April 7th, 2026
From Goodreads:
Neither amnesia nor the brothers trying to steer her fate will stop Amber Fallbrook from uncovering the truth about herself, the Alchemary, and the legend of the Philosopher’s Stone.

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent (Soul Screamers, The Shifters) pens a dark paranormal romantasy centered on alchemy magic—and those who dare harness it.

Naked, knowing little more than her name, Amber Fallbrook does not recognize the stone tower she’s awoken in, or the vast, glittering ocean outside the window. Turning, she finds a very a different view: the beautiful, nearly naked man in the narrow bed is a stranger. So is the man who barges into the room unannounced, clearly expecting to find Amber alone.

Who are they? Who is she? Why can’t she remember?

Shocked to discover that she’s in her dormitory room at the Alchemary—the realm’s prestigious university dedicated to the study of alchemy—Amber has no recollection of having been one of the school’s top students for the past two years. The two men—brothers—are her childhood friends, even if “friends” is not the exact energy in the room.

One brother claims to want to protect her, and the other to help her recover her memory, but Amber soon realizes that nothing is at it seems at the Alchemary. Not the intentions of her classmates and faculty, not the stunning, labyrinthian campus, not the two brothers she’s increasingly attracted to—maybe not even herself.

Despite her memory loss, Amber rejoins her classes and prepares for the deadly Alchemary Trials alongside the other Mastery-level students. But as invigorating as the flowing language and symbology of alchemy is, she can’t help but notice that for an institution shining light on the quest for human perfection there are a lot of dark shadows in its winding corridors.

The Girls Trip by Ally Condie
Expected Publication: April 7th, 2026
From Goodreads:
From the author of Reese's Book Club Pick and instant USA Today bestseller The Unwedding, a novel of suspense and friendship about three friends who decide to disappear from their lives for a few days while on a trip to a national park—only to have one of them vanish.  
 
Hope, Ash, and Caro met at an online book club. Over the past two years, they’ve been there for each other in every way—except in person. When each of their lives reach a crossroads, they decide to meet in real life at the gorgeous Sonnet Resort at Eden National Park.  
 
Hope, an actress, has become entirely too famous and needs to get away from it all. Ash, a successful online entrepreneur, isn’t sure what has happened to her marriage. Caro, a doctor, has lost a patient and doesn’t know if she wants to carry on or start all over. And none of them are telling each other the full story …

The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss
Expected Publication: April 7th, 2026
From Goodreads:
It’s all fun and games until someone ends up dead.

Six months ago, season four of The Escape Game ended in horror when contestant Alicia Angelos was found murdered on set.

Now season five is underway, and new contestants are ready to put their skills to the test solving the show's trickiest escape rooms. There's Adi, the cryptographer; Carter, the math whiz; Beck, the wannabe game master, and . . . Sierra Angelos, the girl who got away with her sister’s murder. Or so everyone believes.

But Sierra’s not just here to win. She’s here for justice.

When the contestants begin uncovering clues that hint at the identity of Alicia’s true killer, it becomes clear that the stakes aren’t high in this competition, they’re deadly. If these teens want to win—and survive—the game, they must solve the biggest mystery of who killed Alicia Angelos?

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marissa Meyer and rising star Tamara Moss comes a twisty thrill-ride, filled with sabotage, betrayal, and puzzles to die for.

Aliens Like Us by Gini Koch
Expected Publication: April 7th, 2026
From Goodreads:
It’s not easy being a Woman of the Multiverse, but Kitty’s definitely the Megalomaniac Girl for the job.

After a mad dash around the galaxy, saving the day in various important ways and expanding the Annocusal Empire left and right, all Kitty & Company want to do is go home. But that’s not in the particular hand they’ve been dealt. On their way to Alpha Four to make Emperor Alexander feel like he hasn’t been left out, Kitty and eleven others are tossed into a different universe at the snap of some very powerful fingers.

They’re not sent to just any universe, either. They’re in the Steampunk Universe and things are very different there – and not just due to the technological divergence between Kitty’s universe and this one. Starting with them being surrounded by ships that are redefining the term “unfriendly” – because this universe has been embroiled in galactic war for centuries.

Friends are enemies, enemies are friends, people alive in one universe are dead in this one and vice versa is old news for Kitty, but new news for everyone else with her. The Victorian Era still reigns supreme here, meaning everyone’s attitudes are a lot less free and easy than Kitty’s used to.

But the biggest discovery is the worst one – instead of being Kitty’s husband and a total hero, the Jeff Martini in this universe is an evil murderer who’s aligned his entire empire with the Z’porrah, and that means the good guys are losing...

The Forgotten Lore by Diana Peterfreund
Expected Publication: April 7th, 2026
From Goodreads:
The first book in an exciting YA series about a teen girl, descended from Edgar Allan Poe, who must navigate the haunting legacy of her ancestor while learning to harness her own strength and intelligence, especially as she begins to commune with the dead. 

What happens when your tell-tale nightmares turn into reality and the ghost of Edgar Allan Poe won't seem to let you alone? For as long as she can remember, sixteen-year-old Ellen Poe's family has claimed to be long-lost descendants of Edgar Allan Poe. But when she moves in with her aunt in a Poe-themed B&B, the nightmares that have always haunted her begin bleeding into Ellen’s waking hours. When she stumbles upon a journal in the house, none other than Edgar Allan Poe himself begins visiting her. Has the journal somehow released his ghost? And what does he want with Ellen? Through secret messages in his writings, she learns that the two share the same psychic ability to interact with spirits—which is what ultimately drove him mad. 

This thrilling series for young adult readers follows Ellen on her quest to learn more about her abilities, the afterlife, and the clues Poe has left for her (ciphers and cryptograms galore), in an effort to not suffer his same fate.

Release Me by Tahereh Mafi
Expected Publication: April 7th, 2026
From Goodreads:
The searing second volume in a new series set in the #1 global bestselling Shatter Me universe ten years after the fall of The Reestablishment.

Rosabelle Wolff had a plan. Now she wants revenge. To save her sister she needs to get back home and destroy the system that created her. Rosabelle’s greatest strength is her ability to deaden her mind and body; it’s the only way to survive the surveillance state of Ark Island. But lately her heart has been beating harder; her thoughts are spiraling; her defenses are coming undone.

And there’s only one person to blame.

James Anderson had a plan. Now he has nothing but problems. Rosabelle might be the ally they need in a fight against The Reestablishment, but no one wants to trust an enemy assassin. It doesn’t help that Rosabelle’s not much of a talker, doesn’t work well in groups, and kills people on instinct. Taking her side has cost James nearly everything—but keeping her alive might help save his world.

If only he could convince his older brother.

Aaron Warner Anderson has a headache. Something dark is coming, and Rosabelle’s arrival is just a prelude. In her, he sees shades of himself he can’t trust, and he can no longer get a read on the girl. She’s a dead battery, emanating no emotional feedback. At least not until James walks into a room…

Volcanic tension, breathless reveals, breakneck action—and a dystopian world that never stops raising the stakes.

Welcome back to The New Republic.

Infinite Shores by Pascale Lacelle
Expected Publication: April 7th, 2026
From Goodreads:
Ninth House meets The Hazel Wood in this spellbinding conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Drowned Gods Trilogy, a gorgeous dark academia fantasy following a teen mage and her friends on their desperate quest through worlds and time!

Fate cannot be broken—not even by the gods who serve it.

Emory refuses to lose Romie again. Her friend’s fate hangs in the balance as the monstrous Clover plans to use her as a sacrifice to steal power from the deity Atheia—and make himself into a proper god. To stop Clover, Emory needs the help of Atheia’s dark counterpart, Sidraeus. Yet this enigmatic deity cannot be trusted, and if Emory is to ally with him, she must invoke an ancient magic to keep him tethered to her side.

Meanwhile, in the divine workshop of the god of balance, Baz learns he has a role to play in the coming fight to save the crumbling worlds and their weakening magics. Yet all he can think of is Kai and the gruesome fate that awaits him at Clover’s side—a fate, the god tells him, that is beyond even his reach. But Baz is determined to save Kai, even if he has to rewrite time itself.

As chaos reigns and the tides of a corrupted magic threaten to consume all, Emory and Baz must contend with mercurial gods, vengeful deities, and those hell-bent on eradicating Eclipse magic to save the people they love—and write an ending to their stories that defies fate itself.

The Wicked Sea by Jordan Stephanie Gray
Expected Publication: April 7th, 2026
From Goodreads:
In this dark and sultry romantasy a mermaid battles hatred—and lust—for the wretched warlock who saved her life.

Mermaid Zephyra of the Syl dreams of freedom. On the run from a dangerous captor and years of abuse, she’s shed her tail, grown legs, and hidden herself on land in the merrow-loathing kingdom of Mortia, left to steal and barter on the dirty streets. But her freedom is short-lived when she’s caught and sentenced to death by the brutal warlock, Arion Stone.

Arion is as beautiful as he is cold and deadly, only interested in punishing the merrow he views as evil. He has grown as strong as any warlock might, but at great personal cost…which can only be remedied by the heart of the God of Death, lost to a fabled kingdom beneath the ocean’s treacherous depths.

So Arion offers Zephyra a deal she can’t refuse; help him find the mystical heart, and he’ll spare her life. With no other options, Zephyra agrees, entangling their souls and forbidden desires in a magical bargain until death do they part. But Zephyra's past is catching up to her, and the enemy she fled seeks vengeance. If Zephyra and Arion can't learn to fight together--and trust each other--there are worse things awaiting them than just death.

Of course, in the wicked sea, everyone has secrets, and no one should be trusted.

Bloodsinger by Juliette Cross
Expected Publication: April 7th, 2026
From Goodreads:
Sunday Times bestselling author Juliette Cross returns with a scorching dark romantasy in her The Fire That Binds trilogy. In an alternate Ancient Rome, a powerful witch can control men with one taste of their blood – and her fate will collide with a fierce, rebellious dragon.

A spellbinding gift . . .
A plea answered by the gods . . .
An unforgiving world where dragons rule Rome.

Lela Bihari’s village was invaded on her wedding night, her betrothed murdered right in front of her. While her sisters were either dragged away or escaped, Lela was sold to Valerius, a consul of Rome.

When she tried to kill Valerius her first night as his slave, her bloodsinger gift manifested . . . and she was punished for it. Now she’s paraded in front of the other senators for their amusement.

But the dragon Trajan Tiberius, newly elected tribune to the senate, is different. He has no love for the brutality around him. When he frees Lela from enslavement and hides her, Lela is set on a path of vengeance, and using her gift puts her in more danger than ever before.

Now trapped inside the walls of Rome while deathriders circle the skies, how can she possibly trust a Roman dragon? Especially when it is clear Trajan has ulterior schemes of his own? As her powers grow stronger, danger draws closer, and Lela realizes it isn’t just her life at stake, but also her heart.


Discover the second deliciously dark tale of forbidden romance in the Fire That Binds trilogy, following Firebird. Perfect for fans of Fourth Wing.

Bloodsinger is an adult romantasy novel that contains dark themes, including slavery in Ancient Rome and self-injury, which may be uncomfortable for some readers.

Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry
Expected Publication: April 7th, 2026
From Goodreads:
Calandra’s five kingdoms are on the verge of destruction. The crux migration is coming. And in the wake of a devastating attack, I’ve been separated from the man who owns my heart.

I’m lost. Terrified. Homesick. Hunted by monsters, driven to exhaustion, and kidnapped by a powerful priest, the only thing keeping me going is the little girl counting on me to keep her safe. It’s my turn to become the Guardian.

Our lives change one fateful night. A night of death. A night of monsters. A night of truths. That night, I learn the real meaning of fear—and the depth of my own strength.

Everyone wants me to be something I’m not—a queen, a spy, a sacrifice. But what if I embrace my crown? What if the secrets I uncover save our realm?

What if my sacrifice means salvation for the man I love?

For too long, I’ve feared the monsters we make.

It’s time to discover the monster within.

Never After by Alexis Hall
Expected Publication: April 7th, 2026
From Goodreads:
From fan-favorite author Alexis Hall comes a story of faith, redemption, and love—a melancholic tale of queer romance set in nineteenth-century England.

On the grim streets of London, a young man succumbs to his demons. Discarded by his lover and left penniless and alone, Michael “Micha” Dashwood uses sex to pay the bills and opium to numb the pain.

When a sudden illness strikes, all seems lost. But hope finds Micha in the shape of the Reverend Thomas Mandeville. Haunted by grief of his own, Thomas cannot bear to ignore another man’s plight. He brings the ailing Micha home to heal in his parish at Nettlefield.

As Micha recovers under Thomas’s care, he begins to realize that some people in this world are worthy of trust. Thomas, in turn, learns the truth of his own needs and desires. Between the secrets of the past and the burdens of the present, their future together seems impossible. Questions of faith and the shadow of opium continue to haunt them both.

Yet possibilities, like miracles, can be found wherever you look for them.

The Unruly Heart of Miss Darcy by Erin Edwards
Expected Publication: April 7th, 2026
From Goodreads:
Mr. Darcy got his happily ever after in Pride and Prejudice, and now it’s his sister’s turn in this swoony queer romance, perfect for fans of Bridgerton.

Georgiana Darcy has only ever kissed one girl before, and the resulting blackmail almost ruined her reputation. Since then, she’s carefully calibrated her life to be as quiet as possible, focusing on books and music. She certainly isn’t planning on falling in love with another girl. But then she meets Kitty Bennet, and everything is thrown off kilter.

After a moonlit kiss shifts their newfound friendship into something more, Georgiana follows Kitty to the Bennets’ home. The visit proves ill-timed when she encounters the one man who knows her secret and threatened her with it before. Terrified of testing the limits of her family’s love and of putting Kitty in danger, Georgiana doesn’t know if there’s any chance of a happy ending.

Every etiquette guide she’s ever read makes it clear that if she wants to protect her family name, Georgiana must pretend her heart follows society’s accepted rhythm. Unless, with a little help from those who understand how it feels, she can compose the future she and Kitty both deserve.

The Beast You Let In by Dana Mele
Expected Publication: April 7th, 2026
From Goodreads:
Everyone in the rural town of Ashling knows the tale of Veronica Green, a teen who was murdered in the woods. But did a party trick bring her back to claim her revenge? A fast-paced, suspenseful YA horror from the author of Summer's Edge and People Like Us.

There is no one Hazel trusts less than her self-centered twin, Beth. So when Beth abandons her at a party she didn't want to attend in the first place, Hazel decides not to let it ruin her night. She throws herself into flirting and telling ghost stories over a Ouija board. Hazel might not be the popular twin, but she is going to have fun if it kills her.

Except Beth doesn't come home that night, and Hazel's anger morphs into anxiety. It only sharpens when Beth reappears a day later, disoriented and claiming to be Veronica Green, a teen who was murdered in their small town years before. If it isn't a possession, Beth is really good at faking it. Did they accidentally release a vengeful horror during the party?

Hazel must uncover what happened to Veronica all those years ago if she's going to save Beth. But the truth may destroy them both—if they don't destroy each other first. 

Adventure is Out There! by Liz Braswell
Expected Publication: April 7th, 2026
From Goodreads:
Adventure is out there in Disney’s New York Times best-selling A Twisted Tale series that asks, “What if it was Ellie who went UP to Paradise Falls?”

16-year-old Ellie Mullins is fed up. Sure, for some, life in small town Americana is idyllic. Nothing but picket fences and USO dances and holiday parades. But Ellie has long dreamed of towering mountains and tangled jungles and most of all…traveling to the incredible South American landmark, Paradise Falls.

Ellie thought these dreams made her strange, until she met her sweet best friend Carl (when he promptly broke his leg in her clubhouse). Carl is Ellie’s closest confidante. He’s also the only able to talk her off the ledge. But things between them seem weird lately as Ellie grows increasingly frustrated with his quiet way of doing things. And is it just her, or are there new feelings bubbling up between them?

Then Ellie begins her dream internship at the local zoo, where the flashy millionaire owner organizes an expedition to the Paradise Falls to collect new specimens. But the star newcomer, a bird given to him by Charles Munz himself, doesn’t adjust well to his new home and Ellie is put in charge of its hopeless-seeming recovery. Carl advises Ellie to laylow, to not make waves. But that’s not something Ellie has ever been good at. And when an opportunity comes for a last minute, emergency rescue mission, she decides to take it.

Will Ellie’s impulsiveness finally get the better of her? Or will she get the adventure she always wanted . . . and at what cost?

Oh, there's so many books coming out at the start of April, I'm so excited for all of these books! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Saturday, January 7, 2023

Week 1 Review: Shadowhunters and Downworlders

From Goodreads:
Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series, epic urban fantasy set in a richly imagined world of shadowhunters, vampires, werewolves, fairies, and more, has captured the imaginations and loyalty of hundreds of thousands of YA readers. Originally a trilogy (City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass), the series has extended to six titles, plus a prequel trilogy, the Infernal Devices, and a planned sequel series, the Dark Artifices. A feature film is planned for 2013.

Shadowhunters and Downworlders, edited by Clare (who provides an introduction to the book and to each piece), is a collection of YA authors writing about the series and its world.
Authors Who Contributed: Holly Black / Kendare Blake / Gwenda Bond / Sarah Rees Brennan / Rachel Caine / Sarah Cross / Kami Garcia / Michelle Hodkin / Kelly Link / Kate Milford / Diana Peterfreund / Sara Ryan / Scott Tracey / Robin Wasserman

My Review:
Well, this wasn't what I was expecting! Reading back over the synopsis, it does say "writing about the series and it's world" but I thought that this would be stories set in this world. But it's actually essays, not stories, writing about this world. So if it's not totally non-fiction, because it's writing about a fictional world (I don't know, non-fiction is not my strong point) it's very close.

So when I was reading the first author's offering, I was like, is this in-world story? But then I finished, and that's when I realized that it wasn't a story. So that was a bit confusing, on top of it being about uncanny, and about cities, things that just kinda went over my head. 

The fact that these were written by fans of the series, talking about parts that they found most significant to them, that was a really great part of this book. Which made up for the fact that this wasn't stories in this world. Ah, well! 

Some of these authors wrote things that really added depth to the series. I'm not Jewish, so Michelle Hodkin's part about Simon and the role that he plays was so fascinating. It was things like that was the reason why I read all the extras that I know about, so I can have all the details that it's possible for me to know! 

I had a good time reading this anthology, and I can't wait to read the rest of what's been currently published for the Shandhunters world! 

Authors: Cassandra Clare, Holly Black, Kendare Blake, Gwenda Bond, Sarah Rees Brennan, Rachel Caine, Sarah Cross, Kami Garcia, Michelle Hodkin, Kelly Link, Kate Milford, Diana Peterfreund, Sara Ryan, Scott Tracey, Robin Wasserman
Series: Shadowhunter Chronicles 
Read: January 6th, 2023
Source: NetGalley
Reason Why: Love this world, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2023 Book!
Publisher: BenBella Books, Inc.
Published: January 29th 2013
4/5 Hearts
0/5 Books
1/5 Stars

Monday, December 20, 2021

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #550, December 20th

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 #549
Teaser Tuesday #557
WWW Wednesday #557
WOW #553
Will the Time Come #550
Third Sentence Thursday #540
Random Reads #526
First Lines Friday #553
Book Blogger Hop #219
The Reward Challenge Update #535
Wheel of TBR #82
How Well I Stuck to It #387
Wrote that Review Update #385

Week 50 Reviews:
Heartsong 
Phantom Game

Magical Readathon: Orilium: 

Clear Your S**t Readathon: 

Reindeer Readathon: 

Random:

OK, so I got 26 posts in 7 days, and I read some really great books, but it was a slower week, because work is insanely busy right now with the holidays. I have a headache, so I'm going to go have a nap now! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read whatever I want! 

Saturday, December 18, 2021

Week 50 Reviews: In the Study With the Wrench, In the Ballroom With the Candlestick


From Goodreads:
In the aftermath of Headmaster Boddy's murder, Blackbrook Academy has been thrown into complete disarray. Half the student body hasn't bothered to return to campus—but those who have include Orchid, Vaughn, Scarlett, Peacock, Plum, and Mustard, now warily referred to by the other students as the Murder Crew.

When another staff member is found dead and an anonymous threat begins to target the group, each of the teens' opportunistic reasons for sticking around come to light. Orchid's identity comes under question while Vaughn's family life takes a turn; Finn and Mustard grow closer; and Scarlett and Beth struggle to turn over new leaves.

All of this comes to a dramatic head at Tudor House with a cliff-hanger... 

The dramatic and deadly conclusion to the thrilling YA mystery series inspired by the classic board game, CLUE!

After a tragic accident that forever changed the lives of the Murder Crew—killing one of their own—the students at Blackbrook Academy are just trying to get by. As relationships evolve, strain, and break, Orchid, Green, Scarlett, Mustard, Plum, and Peacock find themselves lost. When the dark secret at the heart of Blackbrook forces its way into their lives, and another suspicious death drives the school into chaos, differences will have to be put aside if anyone expects to survive until the most dramatic prom of all time.

My Review:
I had a great time reading the rest of this series! I really enjoyed the first one, and it was really great to hang out with these characters as they deal with all this death at their school! They were both such great books to read!

I loved how this series built upon itself. With the Murder Crew dealing with the notoriety of the first book, and then dealing with the events of the second. And with this large cast of characters, there's a lot to keep track of, and juggling storylines and I loved how all of them interacted with the mysteries! 

I really love the board game Clue, but one of my most favourite and quotable movies is Clue, the 1985 version. So I loved that one easter egg that I caught (there could be more that I didn't) of the band, Singing Telegrams that Scarlett got for the prom. One of my favourite lines from the movie is "I am your singing telegram!" BANG, she's shot, there's a video of it here. Oh, and I was in a video of quotable lines from the movie, and one was the whole kill her in public conversation, though Orchid isn't Mrs. White from the movie as we have a Mrs. White in the books.  

One thing that I really loved about the last book, was that there were multiple endings, just like the movie that I love so much! And that leads me to a question, because in the final, true ending, a truth came out, and I'm wondering if it's true for the other two endings...

I really enjoyed reading this series, and I'm really glad that I did read it and that it exists! 

Author: Diana Peterfruend
Series: Clue Mystery #2, 3
Read: December 16th, 17th, 2021
Source: Ebook.bike 
Reason Why: Love her writing so much and the first book, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Books and WoW Books, and In the Ballroom With the Candlestick is a End of Series 2021 Book! 
Publisher: Amulet Books
Published: October 13th 2020, November 2nd 2021

In the Study With the Wrench: 
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars








In the Ballroom With the Candlestick: 
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Friday, December 17, 2021

First Lines Friday #553, December 17th

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!

"Vaughn Green was singing again. Orchid McKee looked up from the textbook she had been trying, and failing, to read for the last fifteen minutes. The Tudor House dining room was empty except for her. She cocked her head to the side, wondering if she'd imagined it. But no, that was him. And it wasn't a song she recognized, either." -In the Ballroom With the Candlestick by Diana Peterfruend

That's interesting, given the ending of the last book! Need to read more now! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Thursday, December 16, 2021

Third Sentence Thursday #540, December 16th

Create your own banner at mybannermaker.com!


Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme which likes to watch fireworks especially while eating a cookie!
1) Take the book you are currently reading and open it to a random page. Share the third full sentence on that page. (If there isn't a third one – like at the end of a chapter or a blank page – you can share the third sentence of the book or just choose another random page.) Feel free to share more than one sentence, if you feel the need to do so.
2) Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)
3) Post a link to your sentence at Words I Write Crazy (This Blog)
4) Visit one or two of the other blogs to check out their third sentences!

"Orchid had spend her childhood being told she was worthwhile solely because her face could make money for other people." -In the Study with the Wrench by Diana Peterfreund, page 11.

Well, that's a horrible thing to tell a child, and a horrible way to grow up! Must read more now! What are your guy's 3rd lines? Link up below!

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

WWW Wednesday #557, December 15th

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 Little Thieves, and I'm really enjoying it! 
I read They Never Learn, and wow, was this a fantastic read! 
I'm going to be reading In the Study With the Wrench, and I can't wait, I loved the first book and I can't wait to continue! 

What about you guys? Happy reading!

Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Waiting on Wednesday #545, October 20th

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

Miss Moriarty, I Presume? by Sherry Thomas
Expected Publication: November 2nd, 2021
From Goodreads:
Charlotte Holmes comes face to face with her enemy when Moriarty turns to her in his hour of need, in the USA Today bestselling series set in Victorian England.

A most unexpected client shows up at Charlotte Holmes's doorstep: Moriarty himself. Moriarty fears that tragedy has befallen his daughter and wants Charlotte to find out the truth.

Charlotte and Mrs. Watson travel to a remote community of occult practitioners where Moriarty's daughter was last seen, a place full of lies and liars. Meanwhile, Charlotte's sister Livia tries to make sense of a mysterious message from her beau Mr. Marbleton. And Charlotte's longtime friend and ally Lord Ingram at last turns his seductive prowess on Charlotte--or is it the other way around?

But the more secrets Charlotte unravels about Miss Moriarty's disappearance, the more she wonders why Moriarty has entrusted this delicate matter to her of all people. Is it merely to test Charlotte's skills as an investigator, or has the man of shadows trapped her in a nest of vipers? 

A Psalm of Storms and Silence by Roseanne A. Brown
Expected Publication: November 2nd, 2021
From Goodreads:
Karina lost everything after a violent coup left her without her kingdom or her throne. Now the most wanted person in Sonande, her only hope of reclaiming what is rightfully hers lies in a divine power hidden in the long-lost city of her ancestors.

Meanwhile, the resurrection of Karina’s sister has spiraled the world into chaos, with disaster after disaster threatening the hard-won peace Malik has found as Farid’s apprentice. When they discover that Karina herself is the key to restoring balance, Malik must use his magic to lure her back to their side. But how do you regain the trust of someone you once tried to kill?

As the fabric holding Sonande together begins to tear, Malik and Karina once again find themselves torn between their duties and their desires. And when the fate of everything hangs on a single, horrifying choice, they each must decide what they value most—a power that could transform the world, or a love that could transform their lives. 

The God of Lost Words by A.J Hackwith
Expected Publication: November 2nd, 2021
From Goodreads:
To save the Library of the Unwritten in Hell, former librarian Claire and her allies may have to destroy it first.

Claire, the rakish Hero, the angel Rami, and the muse turned librarian Brevity have accomplished the impossible by discovering the true nature of unwritten books. But now that the secret is out, Hell will be coming for every wing of the library in its quest for power. 



Gilded by Marissa Meyer
Expected Publication: November 2nd, 2021
From Goodreads:
In Gilded, #1 New York Timesbestselling author Marissa Meyer returns to the fairytale world with this haunting retelling of Rumpelstiltskin.

Long ago cursed by the god of lies, a poor miller's daughter has developed a talent for spinning stories that are fantastical and spellbinding and entirely untrue.

Or so everyone believes.

When one of Serilda's outlandish tales draws the attention of the sinister Erlking and his undead hunters, she finds herself swept away into a grim world where ghouls and phantoms prowl the earth and hollow-eyed ravens track her every move. The king orders Serilda to complete the impossible task of spinning straw into gold, or be killed for telling falsehoods. In her desperation, Serilda unwittingly summons a mysterious boy to her aid. He agrees to help her… for a price. Love isn't meant to be part of the bargain.

Soon Serilda realizes that there is more than one secret hidden in the castle walls, including an ancient curse that must be broken if she hopes to end the tyranny of the king and his wild hunt forever. 


Terciel & Elinor by Garth Nix
Expected Publication: November 2nd, 2021
From Goodreads:
Bestselling novelist Garth Nix returns to the Old Kingdom for the never-before-told love story of Sabriel’s parents, Tericel and Elinor, and the charter magic that brought them together—and threatened to tear them apart. A long-awaited prequel to a classic fantasy series.

In the Old Kingdom, a land of ancient and often terrible magics, eighteen year-old orphan Terciel learns the art of necromancy from his great-aunt Tizanael. But not to raise the Dead, rather to lay them to rest. He is the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, and Tizanael is the Abhorsen, the latest in a long line of people whose task it is to make sure the Dead do not return to Life.

Across the Wall in Ancelstierre, a steam-age country where magic usually does not work, nineteen year-old Elinor lives a secluded life. Her only friends an old governess and an even older groom who was once a famous circus performer. Her mother is a tyrant, who is feared by all despite her sickness and impending death . . . but perhaps there is even more to fear from that.

Elinor does not know she is deeply connected to the Old Kingdom, nor that magic can sometimes come across the Wall, until a plot by an ancient enemy of the Abhorsens brings Terciel and Tizanael to Ancelstierre. In a single day of fire and death and loss, Elinor finds herself set on a path which will take her into the Old Kingdom, into Terciel’s life, and will embroil her in the struggle of the Abhorsens against the Dead who will not stay dead. 

In the Ballroom With the Candlestick by Diana Peterfreund
Expected Publication: November 2nd, 2021
From Goodreads:
The dramatic and deadly conclusion to the thrilling YA mystery series inspired by the classic board game, CLUE!

After a tragic accident that forever changed the lives of the Murder Crew—killing one of their own—the students at Blackbrook Academy are just trying to get by. As relationships evolve, strain, and break, Orchid, Green, Scarlett, Mustard, Plum, and Peacock find themselves lost. When the dark secret at the heart of Blackbrook forces its way into their lives, and another suspicious death drives the school into chaos, differences will have to be put aside if anyone expects to survive until the most dramatic prom of all time. 




Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe
Expected Publication: November 2nd, 2021
From Goodreads:
Experience the propulsive love story of two Greek gods—Hades and Persephone—brought to life with lavish artwork and an irresistible contemporary voice.

Scandalous gossip, wild parties, and forbidden love—witness what the gods do after dark in this stylish and contemporary reimagining of one of mythology’s most well-known stories from creator Rachel Smythe. Featuring a brand-new, exclusive short story, Smythe’s original Eisner-nominated web-comic Lore Olympus brings the Greek Pantheon into the modern age with this sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.

This volume collects episodes 1-25 of the #1 WEBTOON comic, Lore Olympus.


Doggone Deadly by Deborah Blake
Expected Publication: November 2nd, 2021
From Goodreads:
Kari Stuart is roped into helping out at a dog show--but soon finds she's bitten off more than she can chew when her best friend is framed for murder in this new Catskills Pet Rescue Mystery.

When the woman who is supposed to run the local dog show calls out sick, dog groomer Suz is asked to take over. But it's too much for her to handle by herself--especially with the president of the kennel club, Olivia Weiner, criticizing her at every turn--so she calls in her best friend, Kari Stuart, with the promise that Kari can set up a fund-raising and kitten-adoption station at the show.

A long and stressful day goes from bad to worse when a local breeder's body is found in the supply tent, with Suz's signature purple-handled shears embedded in her chest. Kari doesn't think for a second that her friend is capable of murder; the police aren't so sure. But trying to run a dog show and investigate a murder at the same time is like herding cats, and Kari will have to rely on the rest of the Serenity Sanctuary staff to keep things running smoothly while she--and her beloved and clever kitten, Queenie--sniff out the truth. 

Faith: Greater Heights by Julie Murphy
Expected Publication: November 2nd, 2021
From Goodreads:
From Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin’, comes the exciting conclusion in the two-book origin story of fan-favorite comic character Faith—a fierce, plus-size superhero.

Faith Herbert can finally admit that she’s not a regular teen. Thankfully, her two best friends, Matt and Ches, are now in on her superhero secret. But after the chaos of her first semester, Faith just wants to end her senior year on a normal note—enjoying all the hallmarks of graduating high school—like prom! And, possibly, getting to attend college in the fall.

A new teacher has taken over journalism class, and Faith is only occasionally reminded of the empty spot left by Colleen Bristow, the quiet nerd-turned-supervillain. That is, until Faith hears from Peter that other psiots have been going missing, and he suspects that her old classmate is somehow involved. Faith decides the only way to get to the bottom of it is to find Colleen—before enemies can get to her first.

As her search starts to collide with the memorable senior year she’s been hoping for, Faith learns that you gotta have faith…that sometimes fate will point you in the right direction. 

Seven Dirty Secrets by Natalie D. Richards
Expected Publication: November 2nd, 2021
From Goodreads:
I know seven secrets:
One caused the fall. One did nothing. One saw it all.
One didn’t care. One used their head. One played the hero.
One was left for dead.

On her eighteenth birthday, Cleo receives a mysterious invitation to a scavenger hunt. She’s sure her best friend Hope or her brother Connor is behind it, but no one confesses. And as Cleo and Hope embark on the hunt, the seemingly random locations and clues begin to feel familiar.

In fact, all of the clues seem to be about Cleo’s dead boyfriend, Cyrus, who drowned on a group rafting trip exactly a year ago. A bracelet she bought him. A song he loved. A photo of the rafting group, taken just before Cyrus drowned. And then the phone calls start, Cyrus’s voice taunting Cleo with a cryptic question: You ready?

As the clock on the scavenger hunt ticks down, it becomes clear that someone knows what really happened to Cyrus. And that person will stop at nothing to make sure Cleo and her friends pay. Can they solve the hunt before someone else winds up dead?

Dreams Lie Beneath by Rebecca Ross
Expected Publication: November 2nd, 2021
From Goodreads:
Perfect for readers of The Hazel Wood and The Night Circus, this lush and layered story about magic and the captivating power of dreams is delivered with acclaimed author Rebecca Ross’s signature exquisite style.

A curse plagues the realm of Azenor—during each new moon, magic flows from the nearby mountain and brings nightmares to life. Only magicians, who serve as territory wardens, stand between people and their worst dreams.

Clementine Madigan is ready to take over as the warden of her small town, but when two magicians challenge her, she is unwittingly drawn into a century-old conflict. She seeks revenge, but as she secretly gets closer to Phelan, one of the handsome young magicians, secrets begin to rise. Clementine must unite with her rival to fight the realm’s curse, which seems to be haunting her every turn.

Briar Girls by Rebecca Kim Wells
Expected Publication: November 2nd, 2021
From Goodreads:
The Cruel Prince meets A Curse So Dark and Lonely in this epic reimagining of “The Sleeping Beauty” that follows a teen girl on a quest to wake a sleeping princess in an enchanted forest, while searching for the truth behind her own deadly curse.

Lena has a secret: the touch of her skin can kill. Cursed by a witch before she was born, Lena has always lived in fear and isolation. But after a devastating mistake, she and her father are forced to flee to a village near the Silence, a mysterious forest with a reputation for luring people into the trees, never to be seen again…​

Until the night an enigmatic girl stumbles out of the Silence and into Lena’s sheltered world. Miranda comes from the Gather, a city in the forest brimming with magic. She is on a quest to wake a sleeping princess believed to hold the key to liberating the Gather from its tyrannical ruler—and she offers Lena a bargain. If Lena assists her on her journey, Miranda will help her break the curse.

Mesmerized by Miranda and her promise of a new life, Lena jumps at the chance. But the deeper into the Silence she goes, the more she suspects she’s been lied to—about her family’s history, her curse, and her future. As the shadows close in, Lena must choose who to trust and decide whether it’s more important to have freedom…or power. 

Fatal Storm by Carrie Vaughn
Expected Publication: November 3rd, 2021
From Goodreads:
Cormac and Amelia take a job at a quaint Victorian mountain lodge: keep an eye on the famous psychic there to judge whether the place is haunted. Simple, right? Three problems: the blizzard that snows everyone in for the weekend, the murdered body that shows up in the morning, and the fact that everyone is sure Cormac did it.

So much for the nice mountain getaway.

Oh, man, the start of November publishing is kicking it off strong! There's some fantastic books here that I can't wait to read, for them to be out! What about you guys? Happy reading!

Monday, November 2, 2020

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #491, November 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 #490
Teaser Tuesday #498
WWW Wednesday #498
WOW #494
Will the Time Come #491
Third Sentence Thursday #481
Random Reads #467
First Lines Friday #494
Book Blogger Hop #160
The Reward Challenge Update #476
Wheel of TBR #23
How Well I Stuck to It #328
Wrote that Review Update #325

Week 44 Reviews:
The Girl of Hawthorn and Glass

Becca's BookoplAthon: 
Update 49 and Wrap Up

Page-a-Thon: 

Next to be Published November:

Clear Your S**t Readathon 2020: 

Random:

OK, so I got 56 posts in 7 days, I had a few readathons going on, though some are now over, and I read a lot, so yeah, lots of posts about that. And it was a pretty great week, and I can't wait for next week! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read Blink of an Eye, The Bone Maker, Capturing the Earl, White Night, It's My Birthday, Too, Heorot, Mike, Small Favor, The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry, and Wicked All Night.
A #1 New York Times bestselling author and an Edgar Award winner, Iris and Roy Johansen, team up to deliver a gripping new novel featuring investigator Kendra Michaels -- whose observational skills are worthy of a modern-day Sherlock Holmes.

Delilah Winter is one of the hottest pop stars on the planet, so how in the world was she kidnapped right in the middle of a show at the famous Hollywood Bowl? If anyone can figure it out, it's Dr. Kendra Michaels, who works with local and federal authorities on only the most impossible cases. Blind for the first twenty years of her life until a revolutionary surgical procedure allowed her to regain her sight, Kendra uses her powers of observation -- honed during her years in the dark -- to detect what other investigators don't. She agrees to lead the race to rescue the young singer before time runs out.

Joined by Jessie Mercado, the singer's former bodyguard and a military hero, Kendra closes in on the hideout location but not before casualties mount up. Desperate for leads, Kendra must set aside her personal feelings when agent-for-hire Adam Lynch also volunteers his special skills to aid in the search.

But as the abductor's true purpose becomes clear, the trio uncover a plot they never could have imagined -- leading to a showdown they won't soon forget. 
From award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst, a standalone epic fantasy set in a brand-new world of towering mountains and sparkling cities, in which a band of aging warriors have a second chance to defeat dark magic and avenge a haunting loss.

Twenty-five years ago, five heroes risked their lives to defeat the bone maker Eklor—a corrupt magician who created an inhuman army using animal bones. But victory came at a tragic price. Only four of the heroes survived. 

Since then, Kreya, the group's leader, has exiled herself to a remote tower and devoted herself to one purpose: resurrecting her dead husband. But such a task requires both a cache of human bones and a sacrifice—for each day he lives, she will live one less.

She'd rather live one year with her husband than a hundred without him, but using human bones for magic is illegal in Vos. The dead are burned—as are any bone workers who violate the law. Yet Kreya knows where she can find the bones she needs: the battlefield where her husband and countless others lost their lives.

But defying the laws of the land exposes a terrible possibility. Maybe the dead don't rest in peace after all.  

Five warriors—one broken, one gone soft, one pursuing a simple life, one stuck in the past, and one who should be dead. Their story should have been finished. But evil doesn't stop just because someone once said, "the end."
The friendship of four young ladies has created an indestructible bond to protect one another from the perils of love and marriage...

After the demise of her friend's disastrous marriage, Mercedes Parsons isn't about to let the widowed Wallflower of West Lane, Lady Aurora Radcliff, undertake another perilous trip to the altar. At least, not before the bridegroom-to-be is thoroughly investigated. If only Mercy could stop her uncharacteristic daydreaming about Wesley Renshaw's charm, his intellect, his dashing good looks. After all, the earl has already set his sights on her best friend! She must keep her wits about her and avoid giving into temptation.

Wesley is both irritated and intrigued by the machinations of Mercy—He cannot let her cleverness and beauty distract him. He needs to marry her friend, Aurora, so he can reclaim his family's ancestral home. A wrong he has hoped to right his entire life. Besides, who is penniless spinster Mercedes Parsons to decide whom he can and cannot marry? Yet while he admires her unwavering loyalty to her friends, he decides it's high time the misguided woman had a dose of her own medicine. Two can play at this spying game. But they are both embarked on a dangerous charade. And it won’t be merely Mercy's reputation at risk—or her heart on the line—as Wesley comes to the inescapable conclusion that he has found the right woman at exactly the wrong time. 
A sensational addition to the Dresden Files adventures-from a USA Today bestselling author. Professional wizard Harry Dresden is investigating a series of deaths in Chicago. Someone is killing practitioners of magic, those incapable of becoming full-fledged wizards. Shockingly, all the evidence points to Harry's half-brother, Thomas, as the murderer. Determined to clear his sibling's name, Harry uncovers a conspiracy within the White Council of Wizards that threatens not only him, but his nearest and dearest, too...increasingly significant threat to Western power.
Harry and Molly's mission to deliver Thomas' birthday gift goes awry.
Harry teams up with Miss Gard to find a missing bride.

A visit to the mechanic.  Set between White Night and Small Favor–shortly after the graphic novel Wild Card.
Harry Dresden's life finally seems to be calming down-until a shadow from the past returns. Mab, monarch of the Sidhe Winter Court, calls in an old favor from Harry-one small favor that will trap him between a nightmarish foe and an equally deadly ally, and that will strain his skills-and loyalties-to their very limits.
A charming historical fantasy with a tender love story at its core, from the author of Unnatural Magic.

Hard-drinking petty thief Dellaria Wells is down on her luck in the city of Leiscourt—again. Then she sees a want ad for a female bodyguard, and she fast-talks her way into the high-paying job. Along with a team of other women, she's meant to protect a rich young lady from mysterious assassins.

At first Delly thinks the danger is exaggerated, but a series of attacks shows there's much to fear. Then she begins to fall for Winn, one of the other bodyguards, and the women team up against a mysterious, magical foe who seems to have allies everywhere. 
Set in New York Times bestselling author Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress World, ancient deities are poised to wreck havoc, unless vampires Veritas and Ian can stop them … in this thrilling Night Rebel novel!

A gift from the gods…

Veritas and Ian have finally defeated their worst enemy, but the power it took to pierce through to the netherworld has unexpected consequences. Soon, Veritas is forced to rely on the last person she trusts---a golden deity named Phanes, who seeks far more than a temporary alliance with the beautiful vampire.

Can unleash hell…

But an escape from the netherworld soon pits Veritas and Ian against supernatural beings seeking to rule over mortals once again. Now, they must rally friends and foes alike—if the vampire council doesn't execute Veritas first. Plus, a wedge between Veritas and Ian threatens to destroy their love. Can they stand together against the unearthly powers about to be unleashed? Or does their love—and humanity—not stand a chance?