Showing posts with label Everina Maxwell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Everina Maxwell. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Waiting on Wednesday #594, September 28th

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating!
 
Ocean's Echo by Everina Maxwell
Expected Publication: November 1st, 2022
From Goodreads:
Ocean's Echo is a stand-alone space adventure about a bond that will change the fate of worlds, set in the same universe as Everina Maxwell's hit debut, Winter's Orbit.

Rich socialite, inveterate flirt, and walking disaster Tennalhin Halkana can read minds. Tennal, like all neuromodified “readers,” is a security threat on his own. But when controlled, readers are a rare asset. Not only can they read minds, but they can navigate chaotic space, the maelstroms surrounding the gateway to the wider universe.

Conscripted into the military under dubious circumstances, Tennal is placed into the care of Lieutenant Surit Yeni, a duty-bound soldier, principled leader, and the son of a notorious traitor general. Whereas Tennal can read minds, Surit can influence them. Like all other neuromodified “architects,” he can impose his will onto others, and he’s under orders to control Tennal by merging their minds.

Surit accepted a suspicious promotion-track request out of desperation, but he refuses to go through with his illegal orders to sync and control an unconsenting Tennal. So they lie: They fake a sync bond and plan Tennal's escape.

Their best chance arrives with a salvage-retrieval mission into chaotic space—to the very neuromodifcation lab that Surit's traitor mother destroyed twenty years ago. And among the rubble is a treasure both terrible and unimaginably powerful, one that upends a decades-old power struggle, and begins a war.

Tennal and Surit can no longer abandon their unit or their world. The only way to avoid life under full military control is to complete the very sync they've been faking.

Can two unwilling weapons of war bring about peace?

Seasparrow by Kristin Cashore
Expected Publication: November 1st, 2022
From Goodreads:
The fifth novel in the bestselling and award winning Graceling Realm series focuses on Hava, Queen Bitterblue's spy, and her harrowing journey back to Monsea after the events of 2021's Winterkeep.

In the immediate aftermath of the events of Winterkeep, Bitterblue and her entourage begin the journey back to Monsea with the only copies of the formulas for the zilphium weapon. Bitterblue must decide what she will do with her world-shaping power. But before they've even made it halfway home, storms drive their ship off course and then wrecking them in the ice far north of the Royal Continent. The survivors must make a harrowing trek across the ice in order to make it back to Monsea.

Seasparrow is told entirely from the point of view of Hava, Bitterblue's personal spy and secret half-sister. And while Bitterblue grapples with how to carry the responsibility of a weapon of mass destruction, Hava must decide what she will do with herself in the new world Bitterblue will make.

Bonds of Passion by Larissa Ione
Expected Publication: November 1st, 2022
From Goodreads:
He was an assassin. She was his lover.
And his victim.
Now, years later, she’s back from the dead and looking for vengeance.

Thanks to an unexpected and fortuitous disaster, Tavin’s contract with the underworld’s Assassin Guild was broken decades early. But instead of freedom, he’s suffocated by guilt and regret. In many ways, he’s more trapped than he was before. In an attempt to numb his pain, he works at Underworld General Hospital, saving people instead of killing them. But nothing can diminish the memory of assassinating the female he loved…not even the knowledge that he’d done it to spare her an even worse fate.

Deja remembers all of her dozens of former lives, and she knows that she only found love in one of them…until her lover murdered her. As a soul locked inside the nightmarish boundaries of demon hell, she stewed in hatred until a single, fateful event gave her one more shot at life.
And at revenge.

Now another specter from the past is threatening them both. Can two damaged people overcome their history to save not only themselves, but a second chance at love?

A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams
Expected Publication: November 1st, 2022
From Goodreads:
'Tis the season for a Bromance Book Club matchmaking mission! This time, they're pulling out the mistletoe for everyone's favorite country music star, Colton, and his second chance at love.

Country music’s golden boy Colton Wheeler felt the most perfect harmony when he was with Gretchen Winthrop. But for her, it was a love him and leave him situation. A year later, Colton is struggling to push his music forward in a new direction. If it weren’t about to be the most magical time of year and the support of the Bromance Book Club, he’d be wallowing in self-pity.

It’s hard for immigration attorney Gretchen not to feel a little Scrooge-ish about the excess of Christmas when her clients are scrambling to afford their rent. So when her estranged, wealthy family reaches out with an offer that will allow her to better serve the community, she’s unable to say no. She just needs to convince Colton to be the new face of her family’s whiskey brand. No big deal…

Colton agrees to consider Gretchen’s offer in exchange for three dates before Christmas. With the help of the Bromance Book Club, Colton throws himself into the task of proving to her there’s a spark between them. But Gretchen and Colton will both need to overcome the ghosts of Christmas past to build a future together.

The Luminaries by Susan Dennard
Expected Publication: November 1st, 2022
From Goodreads:
From Susan Dennard, the New York Times bestselling author of the Witchlands series, comes a haunting and high-octane contemporary fantasy, about the magic it takes to face your fears in a nightmare-filled forest, and the mettle required to face the secrets hiding in the dark corners of your own family.

Hemlock Falls isn't like other towns. You won't find it on a map, your phone won't work here, and the forest outside town might just kill you.

Winnie Wednesday wants nothing more than to join the Luminaries, the ancient order that protects Winnie's town—and the rest of humanity—from the monsters and nightmares that rise in the forest of Hemlock Falls every night.

Ever since her father was exposed as a witch and a traitor, Winnie and her family have been shunned. But on her sixteenth birthday, she can take the deadly Luminary hunter trials and prove herself true and loyal—and restore her family's good name. Or die trying.

But in order to survive, Winnie enlists the help of the one person who can help her train: Jay Friday, resident bad boy and Winnie’s ex-best friend. While Jay might be the most promising new hunter in Hemlock Falls, he also seems to know more about the nightmares of the forest than he should. Together, he and Winnie will discover a danger lurking in the forest no one in Hemlock Falls is prepared for.

Not all monsters can be slain, and not all nightmares are confined to the dark.

Honor and Shadows by Jessie Mihalik
Expected Publication: November 1st, 2022
From Goodreads:
Captain Octavia Zarola needs an infusion of credits—fast—if she’s going to keep her close-knit bounty hunting crew paid and fed. Tracking down an escaped embezzler on a backwater planet should be a piece of cake, but bounties are rarely as easy as they seem.

As the crew closes in on their quarry, the hunt becomes entangled with a local criminal overlord, and Tavi will have to decide what’s more important: money or honor, and how much she’s willing to risk for either one.

Silver in the Mist by Emily Victoria
Expected Publication: November 1st, 2022
From Goodreads:
Eight years ago, everything changed for Devlin: Her country was attacked. Her father was killed. And her mother became the Whisperer of Aris, the head of the spies, retreating into her position away from everyone… even her daughter.
 
Joining the spy ranks herself, Dev sees her mother only when receiving assignments. She wants more, but she understands the peril their country, Aris, is in. The malevolent magic force of The Mists is swallowing Aris’s edges, their country is vulnerable to another attack from their wealthier neighbor, and the magic casters who protect them from both are burning out.

Dev has known strength and survival her whole life, but with a dangerous new assignment of infiltrating the royal court of their neighbor country Cerena to steal the magic they need, she learns that not all that glitters is weak. And not all stories are true.

The Ones We Burn by Rebecca Mix
Expected Publication: November 1st, 2022
From Goodreads:
Love and duty collide in this richly imagined, atmospheric young adult debut about a witch whose dark powers put her at the center of a brewing war between the only family she’s ever known and the enemy who makes her question everything.

Monster. Butcher. Bloodwinn.

Ranka is tired of death. All she wants now is to be left alone, living out her days in Witchik’s wild north with the coven that raised her, attempting to forget the horrors of her past. But when she is named Bloodwinn, the next treaty bride to the human kingdom of Isodal, her coven sends her south with a single directive: kill him. Easy enough, for a blood-witch whose magic compels her to kill.

Except the prince is gentle, kind, and terrified of her. He doesn’t want to marry Ranka; he doesn’t want to be king at all. And it’s his sister—the wickedly smart, infuriatingly beautiful Princess Aramis—who seems to be the real threat.

But when witches start turning up dead, murdered by a mysterious, magical plague, Aramis makes Ranka an offer: help her develop a cure, and in return, she’ll help Ranka learn to contain her deadly magic. As the coup draws nearer and the plague spreads, Ranka is forced to question everything she thought she knew about her power, her past, and who she’s meant to fight for. Soon, she will have to decide between the coven that raised her and the princess who sees beyond the monster they shaped her to be.

But as the bodies pile up, a monster may be exactly what they need.

Cruel Illusions by Margie Fuston
Expected Publication: November 1st, 2022
From Goodreads:
Caraval meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this deliciously dark young adult fantasy about a girl who makes a deal with a magical secret society to enter a potentially deadly competition for the chance to avenge her mother’s death.

Ever since a vampire murdered her mother, Ava has been determined to get revenge. This all-encompassing drive has given her the fuel she needed to survive foster home after foster home.

But it’s been ten years since anyone’s seen a vampire, and Ava has lost hope that she’ll ever find one…until she stumbles across a hidden magic show where she witnesses impossible illusions. The magicians may not be the bloodsuckers she’s hunting, but Ava is convinced something supernatural is at play, so she sneaks backstage and catches them in acts they can’t explain.

But they’ve been waiting for her.

The magicians reveal they’re part of an ancient secret society with true magic, and Ava has the same power in her blood that they do. If she joins them, they promise to teach her the skills she needs to hunt vampires and avenge her mother. But there’s a catch: if she wants to keep the power they offer, she needs to prove she’s worthy of it. And to do so, she must put on the performance of her life in a sinister and dangerous competition where illusion and reality blur, and the stakes are deadly.

Yeah, the start of November has some really great books, authors, and series coming out! Can't wait for them! What about you guys? Happy reading!

Monday, August 22, 2022

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #585, August 22nd

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week...and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well...you never know where that next "must read" book will come from!
What happened in the past week:

Weekly Memes:
It's Monday! What Are You Reading #584
Teaser Tuesday #592
WWW Wednesday #592
WOW #588
Will the Time Come #585
Third Sentence Thursday #575
Random Reads #561
First Lines Friday #588
Book Blogger Hop #254
21 Books to Read in 2021 Update 27
The Reward Challenge Update #570
Wheel of TBR #117
How Well I Stuck to It #422
Wrote that Review Update #419

Week 33 Reviews:
Into the Riverlands

ARC August: 
Update 13

Magical Readathon: Orilium: 

Pick-Pong-A-Thon: 

Random:

OK, so I got 52 posts in 7 days, and it was a pretty good week, I read some really excellent books. And Dobby's surgery went well, even if it was right at the end of the day, and caused some stress. And he's been healing fine, and he's at the point where if he's supervised, he doesn't have to wear the cone of shame, so that's good! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read Ruby Fever!

#1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews is back with the newest book in the exciting Hidden Legacy series—the thrilling conclusion to her trilogy featuring fierce and beautiful Prime magic user Catalina Baylor.

An escaped spider, the unexpected arrival of an Imperial Russian Prince, the senseless assassination of a powerful figure, a shocking attack on the supposedly invincible Warden of Texas, Catalina’s boss... And it’s only Monday.

Within hours, the fate of Houston—not to mention the House of Baylor—now rests on Catalina, who will have to harness her powers as never before. But even with her fellow Prime and fiancé Alessandro Sagredo by her side, she may not be able to expose who’s responsible before all hell really breaks loose.

Saturday, August 20, 2022

Week 33 Review: Ocean's Echo

From Goodreads:
Ocean's Echo is a stand-alone space adventure about a bond that will change the fate of worlds, set in the same universe as Everina Maxwell's hit debut, Winter's Orbit.

Rich socialite, inveterate flirt, and walking disaster Tennalhin Halkana can read minds. Tennal, like all neuromodified "readers," is a security threat on his own. But when controlled, readers are a rare asset. Not only can they read minds, but they can navigate chaotic space, the maelstroms surrounding the gateway to the wider universe.

Conscripted into the military under dubious circumstances, Tennal is placed into the care of Lieutenant Surit Yeni, a duty-bound soldier, principled leader, and the son of a notorious traitor general. Whereas Tennal can read minds, Surit can influence them. Like all other neuromodified "architects," he can impose his will onto others, and he's under orders to control Tennal by merging their minds.

Surit accepted a suspicious promotion-track request out of desperation, but he refuses to go through with his illegal orders to sync and control an unconsenting Tennal. So they lie: They fake a sync bond and plan Tennal's escape.

Their best chance arrives with a salvage-retrieval mission into chaotic space—to the very neuromodifcation lab that Surit's traitor mother destroyed twenty years ago. And among the rubble is a treasure both terrible and unimaginably powerful, one that upends a decades-old power struggle, and begins a war.

Tennal and Surit can no longer abandon their unit or their world. The only way to avoid life under full military control is to complete the very sync they've been faking.

Can two unwilling weapons of war bring about peace?

My Review:
Oh man, this was a fantastic read! It's set in the same universe as Winter's Orbit, but it's in a new empire, so there's whole new politics and worlds to learn, and I loved it! Tennal and Surit are a lot like Kiem and Jainan, but they're also their own people!

One thing that was really interesting to me was the remnants. This society used them to neuromodify people, which put them in the hot spot with the Resolution. It also meant that we learned about the remnants, and that was so interesting! 

That if your parent was neuromodified, then you would inherit that from them, well, the Architects and Readers were really interesting to read about. And a good deal of this book is about the politics of the two branches-and the history with the rebellion that Surit's mom led. So the action plot was compelling!

And so was the romance. Surit is so by the book, not a rule breaker, and Tennal only cares enough about the rules to see how he can use them to his best advantage. He also has a low sense of worth. I adored these two, and I was rooting for them! 

This was a really great read, and I hope that this becomes a series, because I want to learn more about this universe! 

Author: Everina Maxwell
Read: August 13th, 2022
Source: NetGalley
Reason Why: Loved her first book, and it's a SAC Book, Sophomore Challenge Book and a WoW Book!  
Publisher: Tor Books 
Expected Publication: November 1st 2022 
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Saturday, August 13, 2022

Magical Readathon: Orilium Update 20

So I read my next book for Magical Readathon: Orilium, and it was Ocean's Echo which was for the prompt Elemental Studies Q, and I'll be reading Bloodmarked next!

My Reading Journey:

A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor by Kathryn Moon
Prompt Fulfilled: Inscription O
Started On: August 1st
Finished On: August 1st, 5:20 PM
Pages Read: 405

Court of the Vampire Queen by Katee Robert
Prompt Fulfilled: The AWW Needs You Quest
Started On: August 1st
Finished On: August 1st, 9:40 PM
Pages Read: 496

Breaking Time by Sasha Alsberg
Prompt Fulfilled: Psionics & Divination O
Started On: August 3rd
Finished On: August 3rd, 9:50 PM
Pages Read: 352

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
Prompt Fulfilled: Alchemy O
Started On: August 4th
Finished On: August 4th, 7:04 PM
Pages Read: 352

Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams
Prompt Fulfilled: Elemental Studies O
Started On: August 4th
Finished On: August 4th, 9:29 PM
Pages Read: 348

Dare You to Lie by Amber Lynn Natusch
Prompt Fulfilled: Astronomy O
Started On: August 5th
Finished On: August 5th, 11:38 PM
Pages Read: 352

Lore Olympus: Volume Two by Rachel Smythe 
Prompt Fulfilled: Inscription Q
Started On: August 7th
Finished On: August 7th, 1:50 PM
Pages Read: 368

Final Heir by Faith Hunter
Prompt Fulfilled: Animal Studies O
Started On: August 7th
Finished On: August 7th, 9:44 PM
Pages Read: 464

Sugar Plum Spies by Jennifer Estep
Prompt Fulfilled: Inscription O
Started On: August 8th
Finished On: August 8th, 9:53 PM
Pages Read: 176

Dead Man's Hand by James J. Butcher
Prompt Fulfilled: Art of Illusion O
Started On: August 9th
Finished On: August 9th, 8:46 PM
Pages Read: 384

Dead Little Mean Girl by Eva Darrows
Prompt Fulfilled: Psionics & Divination Q
Started On: August 10th
Finished On: August 10th, 3:00 PM
Pages Read: 304

The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks
Prompt Fulfilled: Art of Illusion O
Started On: August 10th
Finished On: August 10th, 6:17 PM
Pages Read: 320

Marked by Stars by Forthright
Prompt Fulfilled: Art of Illusion Q
Started On: August 10th
Finished On: August 10th, 7:35 PM
Pages Read: 73

Followed by Thunder by Forthright
Prompt Fulfilled: Spells & Incantations O
Started On: August 10th
Finished On: August 10th, 9:12 PM
Pages Read: 94

The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow
Prompt Fulfilled: Artificery O
Started On: August 11th
Finished On: August 11th, 2:27 PM
Pages Read: 384

The Swan Riders by Erin Bow
Prompt Fulfilled: Shapeshifting O
Started On: August 11th
Finished On: August 11th, 9:55 PM
Pages Read: 384

Daughter by Kate McLaughlin
Prompt Fulfilled: Restoration O
Started On: August 12th
Finished On: August 12th, 5:49 PM
Pages Read: 336

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Prompt Fulfilled: Courier Needed Quest
Started On: August 12th
Finished On: August 12th, 10:03 PM
Pages Read: 400

Into the Riverlands by Nghi Vo
Prompt Fulfilled: Paid Animal Therapy Quest
Started On: August 13th
Finished On: August 13th, 2:30 PM
Pages Read: 128

Ocean's Echo by Everina Maxwell
Prompt Fulfilled: Elemental Studies Q
Started On: August 13th
Finished On: August 13th, 9:20 PM
Pages Read: 480

Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn 
Prompt Fulfilled: Elemental Studies D
Started On: August 14th
Currently On: Page 0 of 576

Prompts Left: Alchemy Q, Alchemy D, Spells & Incantations Q, Animal Studies O, Restoration Q, Restoration O, Restoration Q, Conjuration O, Conjuration Q, Demonology O, Lore O, Lore Q, Lore D, Animal Studies Q, Demonology O, Restoration O, Restoration Q, Spells & Incantations O, Alchemy O, Spells & Incantations O, Psionics & Divination D, Lore O, Alchemy Q, Restoration O, Restoration Q, Shapeshifting O, Art of Illusion Q, Art of Illusion D, Psionics & Divination O
Read: 20
Pages Read: 6600

ARC August Update 11

So I read my next book for ARC August, and it was Ocean's Echo and I'll be reading Bloodmarked next! 

My Reading Journey:

Court of the Vampire Queen by Katee Robert
Started On: August 1st
Finished On: August 1st, 9:40 PM
Pages Read: 496

Breaking Time by Sasha Alsberg
Started On: August 3rd
Finished On: August 3rd, 9:50 PM
Pages Read: 352

Dare You to Lie by Amber Lynn Natusch
Started On: August 5th
Finished On: August 5th, 11:38 PM
Pages Read: 352

Final Heir by Faith Hunter
Started On: August 7th
Finished On: August 7th, 9:44 PM
Pages Read: 464

Sugar Plum Spies by Jennifer Estep
Started On: August 8th
Finished On: August 8t, 9:53 PM
Pages Read: 176

Dead Man's Hand by James J. Butcher
Started On: August 8th
Finished On: August 9th, 8:46 PM
Pages Read: 384

Dead Little Mean Girl by Eva Darrows
Started On: August 10th
Finished On: August 10th, 3:00 PM
Pages Read: 304

The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks
Started On: August 10th
Finished On: August 10th, 6:17 PM
Pages Read: 320

Daughter by Kate McLaughlin
Started On: August 12th
Finished On: August 12th, 5:49 PM
Pages Read: 336

Into the Riverlands by Nghi Vo
Started On: August 13th
Finished On: August 13th, 2:30 PM
Pages Read: 128

Ocean's Echo by Everina Maxwell
Started On: August 13th
Finished On: August 13th, 9:20 PM
Pages Read: 480

Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn 
Started On: August 14th
Currently On: Page 0 of 576

Goals: 31
Read: 11
Pages Read: 3792

Magical Readathon: Orilium Update 19

So I read my next book for Magical Readathon: Orilium, and it was Into the Riverlands which was for the prompt Paid Animal Therapy Quest, and I'll be reading Ocean's Echo next!

My Reading Journey:

A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor by Kathryn Moon
Prompt Fulfilled: Inscription O
Started On: August 1st
Finished On: August 1st, 5:20 PM
Pages Read: 405

Court of the Vampire Queen by Katee Robert
Prompt Fulfilled: The AWW Needs You Quest
Started On: August 1st
Finished On: August 1st, 9:40 PM
Pages Read: 496

Breaking Time by Sasha Alsberg
Prompt Fulfilled: Psionics & Divination O
Started On: August 3rd
Finished On: August 3rd, 9:50 PM
Pages Read: 352

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
Prompt Fulfilled: Alchemy O
Started On: August 4th
Finished On: August 4th, 7:04 PM
Pages Read: 352

Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams
Prompt Fulfilled: Elemental Studies O
Started On: August 4th
Finished On: August 4th, 9:29 PM
Pages Read: 348

Dare You to Lie by Amber Lynn Natusch
Prompt Fulfilled: Astronomy O
Started On: August 5th
Finished On: August 5th, 11:38 PM
Pages Read: 352

Lore Olympus: Volume Two by Rachel Smythe 
Prompt Fulfilled: Inscription Q
Started On: August 7th
Finished On: August 7th, 1:50 PM
Pages Read: 368

Final Heir by Faith Hunter
Prompt Fulfilled: Animal Studies O
Started On: August 7th
Finished On: August 7th, 9:44 PM
Pages Read: 464

Sugar Plum Spies by Jennifer Estep
Prompt Fulfilled: Inscription O
Started On: August 8th
Finished On: August 8th, 9:53 PM
Pages Read: 176

Dead Man's Hand by James J. Butcher
Prompt Fulfilled: Art of Illusion O
Started On: August 9th
Finished On: August 9th, 8:46 PM
Pages Read: 384

Dead Little Mean Girl by Eva Darrows
Prompt Fulfilled: Psionics & Divination Q
Started On: August 10th
Finished On: August 10th, 3:00 PM
Pages Read: 304

The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks
Prompt Fulfilled: Art of Illusion O
Started On: August 10th
Finished On: August 10th, 6:17 PM
Pages Read: 320

Marked by Stars by Forthright
Prompt Fulfilled: Art of Illusion Q
Started On: August 10th
Finished On: August 10th, 7:35 PM
Pages Read: 73

Followed by Thunder by Forthright
Prompt Fulfilled: Spells & Incantations O
Started On: August 10th
Finished On: August 10th, 9:12 PM
Pages Read: 94

The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow
Prompt Fulfilled: Artificery O
Started On: August 11th
Finished On: August 11th, 2:27 PM
Pages Read: 384

The Swan Riders by Erin Bow
Prompt Fulfilled: Shapeshifting O
Started On: August 11th
Finished On: August 11th, 9:55 PM
Pages Read: 384

Daughter by Kate McLaughlin
Prompt Fulfilled: Restoration O
Started On: August 12th
Finished On: August 12th, 5:49 PM
Pages Read: 336

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Prompt Fulfilled: Courier Needed Quest
Started On: August 12th
Finished On: August 12th, 10:03 PM
Pages Read: 400

Into the Riverlands by Nghi Vo
Prompt Fulfilled: Paid Animal Therapy Quest
Started On: August 13th
Finished On: August 13th, 2:30 PM
Pages Read: 128

Ocean's Echo by Everina Maxwell
Prompt Fulfilled: Elemental Studies Q
Started On: August 13th
Currently On: Page 0 of 480

Prompts Left: Alchemy Q, Alchemy D, Spells & Incantations Q, Elemental Studies D, Animal Studies O, Restoration Q, Restoration O, Restoration Q, Conjuration O, Conjuration Q, Demonology O, Lore O, Lore Q, Lore D, Animal Studies Q, Demonology O, Restoration O, Restoration Q, Spells & Incantations O, Alchemy O, Spells & Incantations O, Psionics & Divination D, Lore O, Alchemy Q, Restoration O, Restoration Q, Shapeshifting O, Art of Illusion Q, Art of Illusion D, Psionics & Divination O
Read: 19
Pages Read: 6120

ARC August Update 10

So I read my next book for ARC August, and it was Into the Riverlands and I'll be reading Ocean's Echo next! 

My Reading Journey:

Court of the Vampire Queen by Katee Robert
Started On: August 1st
Finished On: August 1st, 9:40 PM
Pages Read: 496

Breaking Time by Sasha Alsberg
Started On: August 3rd
Finished On: August 3rd, 9:50 PM
Pages Read: 352

Dare You to Lie by Amber Lynn Natusch
Started On: August 5th
Finished On: August 5th, 11:38 PM
Pages Read: 352

Final Heir by Faith Hunter
Started On: August 7th
Finished On: August 7th, 9:44 PM
Pages Read: 464

Sugar Plum Spies by Jennifer Estep
Started On: August 8th
Finished On: August 8t, 9:53 PM
Pages Read: 176

Dead Man's Hand by James J. Butcher
Started On: August 8th
Finished On: August 9th, 8:46 PM
Pages Read: 384

Dead Little Mean Girl by Eva Darrows
Started On: August 10th
Finished On: August 10th, 3:00 PM
Pages Read: 304

The Lindbergh Nanny by Mariah Fredericks
Started On: August 10th
Finished On: August 10th, 6:17 PM
Pages Read: 320

Daughter by Kate McLaughlin
Started On: August 12th
Finished On: August 12th, 5:49 PM
Pages Read: 336

Into the Riverlands by Nghi Vo
Started On: August 13th
Finished On: August 13th, 2:30 PM
Pages Read: 128

Ocean's Echo by Everina Maxwell
Started On: August 13th
Currently On: Page 0 of 480

Goals: 31
Read: 10
Pages Read: 3312

Monday, May 16, 2022

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #571, May 16th

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 #570
Teaser Tuesday #578
WWW Wednesday #578
WOW #574
Will the Time Come #571
Third Sentence Thursday #561
Random Reads #547
First Lines Friday #574
Book Blogger Hop #240
Monthly ARC's Update 9
The Reward Challenge Update #556
Wheel of TBR #103
How Well I Stuck to It #408
Wrote that Review Update #406

Week 19 Reviews:
Game Changer

Magical Readathon: Orilium:

Clean Sweep ARC Challenge: 
Update 9

Random:

OK, so I got 28 posts in 7 days, and yeah, it's been a quiet week, but this current week is my week off, and I'm really going to take advantage of all this time off! Sleeping in is much preferred to getting up at 4:20 for work! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read whatever I want! 

Saturday, May 14, 2022

Week 19 Review: Winter's Orbit

From Goodreads:
Ancillary Justice meets Red, White & Royal Blue in Winter's Orbit, Everina Maxwell's gut-wrenching and romantic debut.

A famously disappointing minor royal and the Emperor's least favorite grandchild, Prince Kiem is summoned before the Emperor and commanded to renew the empire's bonds with its newest vassal planet. The prince must marry Count Jainan, the recent widower of another royal prince of the empire.

But Jainan suspects his late husband's death was no accident. And Prince Kiem discovers Jainan is a suspect himself. But broken bonds between the Empire and its vassal planets leaves the entire empire vulnerable, so together they must prove that their union is strong while uncovering a possible conspiracy.

Their successful marriage will align conflicting worlds.

My Review:
I quickly became very obsessed with this story. With audiobooks, I listen over the course of a couple of days, depending on how long it is. This book, which was 14 parts, 15.5 hours, and I listened to it in one day. And this is on top of me not being able to listen the whole time, and mostly at 1.5 speed, I finished just before 12 am. I just couldn't put this story down! I loved Kiem and Jainan's story! 

When I read reviews of this book, people seemed to have different opinions about whether this is more of a sci fi book or a romance. It's set in a sci fi world, that we don't get a lot of details of. It has romance, but it so very slow burn with kisses being fade to black, with some heart-breaking and warming misunderstandings. It's got a lot of political undertakings, and a bit of a murder mystery. There wasn't one part that was featured more, it's a mix of a bunch of different elements that add up to become this story.

Kiem and Jainan were such great characters to read about! Kiem feels intimidated by Jainan's brains, while Jainan feels intimidated by Kiem's social and outgoing nature. Oh, and they both found the other attractive, but since they wound up in an arranged marriage-just after and because of Jainan's previous partner, Taam-died. So it's complicated.

And of course Taam's death has further ramifications, besides having to have a new royal to marry Jainan to be the treaty representative. The reason why they need the treaty, well, the group that oversees that sees unrest there, and oh, I really enjoyed the investigation into his death and how it worked out-those there were some secrets that hurt! 

I learned while writing reviews that we're going to have another book in this world, Ocean's Echo and I can't express how excited I am for it. I mean, I feel like we barely scraped the surface. We learned that this empire is just a backwater collection of planets-so we really know little about the wider world. And the remnants-what the heck is going on with them? I want to know more! 

Loved reading this book, and I can't wait to see what Everina Maxwell writes next! 

Author: Everina Maxwell
Read: May 10th, 2022
Source: Library 
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's a DAC Book and a SAC 2022 Book! 
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Published: February 2nd 2021
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Wednesday, May 11, 2022

WWW Wednesday #578, May 11th

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 Love on the Brain, and yeah, really enjoying it! 
I read Winter's Orbit, and yeah, it was such a wonderful read! 
I read Blue Hearts of Mars, and yeah, I can't wait, it sounds really great! 

What about you guys? Happy reading!