It's Monday! What Are You Reading #737, July 21st

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 #736
Teaser Tuesday #744
WWW Wednesday #744
WOW #740
Will the Time Come #737
Third Sentence Thursday #727
Random Reads #713
First Lines Friday #740
Book Blogger Hop #406

24 Books to Read in 2024 Update 10
The Reward Challenge Update #722
Wheel of TBR #269
How Well I Stuck to It #574
Wrote that Review Update #571

Week 29 Reviews:

Lore Olympus: Volume 8

Fury From the Tomb

Not Quite Dead Yet

Savage Lands

Spy×Family, Volume 14

Volatile Memory

Three Shattered Souls

The Last Magician 

Among Ghosts 

Cinders & Sapphires

Phase Out Your Seriesathon:

Update 49

Phase Out Your TBR: 

Update 7

Update 8

Update 9

Random:

Mai Corland Author Page

Sav R. Miller Author Page

Stacey Marie Brown Author Page

Tatsuya Endo Author Page

OK, so I got 32 posts in 7 days, it was a pretty quiet week, getting used to going back to my old schedule, which means getting up at 5 AM, but once I am, I'll definitely be reading more, since I'll be up more of the day. What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read whatever I want! 

Mai Corland Author Page

The Story: I saw Five Broken Blades around on the book internet since it has the same publisher as Fourth Wing, and it sounded really good, and since enjoyed 3 book in the series, and I can't wait to read more by Mai Corland! 

Series: The Broken Blades.

The Broken Blades: Five Broken Blades and my review, Four Ruined Realms and my review, Three Shattered Souls and my review.

Week 29 Review: Three Shattered Souls

From Goodreads:

Some betrayals cut deeper than blades.

The Blades were never supposed to survive this long. But after the battle in Quu Harbor, escaping is no longer enough. The most dangerous liars in the four realms have one last mission―return to Yusan and finish what they started.

But now a usurper sits on the serpent throne. And he may be more dangerous than the god-king.

With three relics of the Dragon Lord in their possession, the Blades will face the might of the four realms. Enemies will become allies. Allies will become traitors. And the ones they love most? They'll be the ones to break them.

Grief will carve the Blades into something ruthless and unrecognizable. But only by losing everything can they win this game of kings and crowns.

My Review:
Oh, this was such a great read!


I've seen things that have said that this is the end of the series, so I'm marking it down as such. But there needs to be a spin off, because it can't just end like that! 

Author: Mai Corland 
Series: The Broken Blades #3
Read: July 16th, 2025 
Source: Bought  
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a End of Series 2025 Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books
Published: July 15th 2025

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Phase Out Your TBR Update 8

So I've read my next book for the Phase Out Your TBR, and it was Three Shattered Souls which is for the prompt Green 7 and I'll be reading Lord of Ruin next! 

My Reading Journey:

Isle of the Emberdark by Brandon Sanderson 

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 2

Started On: July 2nd

Finished On: July 2nd, 7:38 PM

Pages Read: 532 

Tenderly, I Am Devoured by Lyndall Clipstone 

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 7

Started On: July 3rd

Finished On: July 3rd, 10:31 PM

Pages Read: 304

Bitter Spirits by Jenn Bennett

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 12

Started On: July 4th

Finished On: July 4th, 3:48 PM

Pages Read: 317

The Mercy Makers by Tessa Gratton

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 5

Started On: July 5th

Finished On: July 5th, 11:07 PM

Pages Read: 560

The Rushworth Family Plot by Claudia Gray 

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 5

Started On: July 6th

Finished On: July 6th, 10:03 PM

Pages Read: 336

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 5

Started On: July 10th

Finished On: July 10th, 11:27 PM

Pages Read: 178

Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson 

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue Wild (Red 12)

Started On: July 14th

Finished On: July 14th, 7:58 PM

Pages Read: 400

Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland 

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 7

Started On: July 16th

Finished On: July 16th, 10:03 PM

Pages Read: 512

Lord of Ruin by K.M. Enright

Prompt Fulfilled: Yellow 9

Started On: July 20th

Currently On: Pages 0 of 464

Prompts Left: Yellow 12, Blue 12, Yellow Wild (Green 12), Yellow 6, Yellow 6, Green 9, Blue 9, Red 7, Blue 7, Yellow 7, Yellow 5, Yellow 10, Red 11

Books Read: 8

Pages Read:  2422

WWW Wednesday #744, July 16th

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 The Last Magician and I'm really enjoying it! 

I read Spy×Family, Volume 14 and it was another really great read in this series! 

I'm going to be reading Three Shattered Souls, and I can't wait to see how the series ends! 

What about you guys? Happy reading!

Phase Out Your TBR Update 7

So I've read my next book for the Phase Out Your TBR, and it was Not Quite Dead Yet which is for the prompt Blue Wild (Red 12) and I'll be reading Three Shattered Souls next! 

My Reading Journey:

Isle of the Emberdark by Brandon Sanderson 

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 2

Started On: July 2nd

Finished On: July 2nd, 7:38 PM

Pages Read: 532 

Tenderly, I Am Devoured by Lyndall Clipstone 

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 7

Started On: July 3rd

Finished On: July 3rd, 10:31 PM

Pages Read: 304

Bitter Spirits by Jenn Bennett

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue 12

Started On: July 4th

Finished On: July 4th, 3:48 PM

Pages Read: 317

The Mercy Makers by Tessa Gratton

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 5

Started On: July 5th

Finished On: July 5th, 11:07 PM

Pages Read: 560

The Rushworth Family Plot by Claudia Gray 

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 5

Started On: July 6th

Finished On: July 6th, 10:03 PM

Pages Read: 336

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells

Prompt Fulfilled: Red 5

Started On: July 10th

Finished On: July 10th, 11:27 PM

Pages Read: 178

Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson 

Prompt Fulfilled: Blue Wild (Red 12)

Started On: July 14th

Finished On: July 14th, 7:58 PM

Pages Read: 400

Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland 

Prompt Fulfilled: Green 7

Started On: July 

Currently On: Pages 0 of 512

Prompts Left: Yellow 12, Blue 12, Yellow Wild (Green 12), Yellow 6, Yellow 6, Green 9, Yellow 9, Blue 9, Red 7, Blue 7, Yellow 7, Yellow 5, Yellow 10, Red 11

Books Read: 7

Pages Read:  1910

Waiting on Wednesday #738, July 2nd

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

Atonement Sky by Nalini Singh

Expected Publication: July 15th, 2025
From Goodreads:

The hunt for a stealthy predator takes a damaged J-Psy to the heart of falcon territory in this new Psy-Changeling Trinity novel from New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh...

Justice-Psy Eleri Dias knows the end is near for her, her mind one step away from fatal psychic exposure. In the short time that remains, she is determined to atone for an act of omission that has haunted her for a long, cruel decade. But that decision not only means facing a powerful changeling wing leader, but also putting herself in the path of a serial killer.

Falcon wing leader Adam Garrett is fiercely protective of his family and his clan. After losing his parents as a teenager in a shocking act of malice, Adam has no forgiveness in him for the J-Psy who betrayed him, betrayed them, at the most painful moment of his life. But the evil that stalks his territory will allow him no respite, forcing him once more into contact with the J he has never been able to forget.

Everything that could've been between Eleri and Adam was lost years ago, a shimmering promise crushed. As they work to uncover a monster, the moment of reckoning looms ever closer. Soon, there may be no more time left for either atonement...or love...

The Nightshade God by Hannah Whitten

Expected Publication: July 15th, 2025
From Goodreads:

The Nightshade Crown is in the hands of a ruthless god. Lore will stop at nothing to defeat him and save the troubled prince and tortured priest ensnared in his wicked plot, in this final installment of this lush, romantic, New York Times bestselling fantasy series from breakout star Hannah Whitten.

Lore has failed. She couldn’t save King Bastian from the rotten god speaking voices in his mind. She couldn’t save her allies from being scattered across the continent—their own lesser gods whispering to them in their dreams. She couldn’t save her beautiful, corrupt city from the dark power beneath the catacombs. And she couldn’t save herself.

Banished to the Burnt Isles, Lore must use every skill she earned on the streets of Dellaire to survive the prison colony and figure out a way to defeat the power that’s captured everything and everyone she holds dear. When a surprise ally joins her on the Burnt Isles she realizes the way forward may lie on the island itself. Somehow, her friends must help her collect the far-scattered pieces of the broken Fount—the source of all the god’s powers—and bring them back together on the Burnt Isles, returning all magic to its source and destroying, once and for all, the gods corrupting the land.

But as Lore gets closer to her goal, her magic grows stronger… and to a woman who’s always had to fight for survival, that kind of power may be hard to give up.

The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst

Expected Publication: July 15th, 2025
From Goodreads:

New York Times bestselling author Sarah Beth Durst invites you to her new standalone novel nestled on a far-away island brimming with singing flowers, honey cakes, and honeyed love. The hardcover edition features beautiful sprayed edges.

Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.

This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She’s starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes—at least until she’s ready to sail home.

But Terlu can’t return home and doesn’t want to—the greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. When she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing—causing the death of everything within them—Terlu knows she must help. Even if that means breaking the law again.

This time, though, she isn’t alone. Assisted by the gardener and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island—and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.

Funny, kind, and forgiving, The Enchanted Greenhouse is a story about giving second chances—to others and to yourself.

The Jasad Crown by Sara Hashem

Expected Publication: July 15th, 2025
From Goodreads:

In the thrilling conclusion to the Egyptian-inspired Scorched Throne duology, a fugitive queen may be the key to restoring her lost kingdom of Jasad, but it could cost her everything and everyone she loves.

Held deep in a mountain refuge, Sylvia has been captured by the Urabi, who believe she can return their homeland to its former power. But after years of denying her legacy and a forbidden alliance with Jasad's greatest enemy, Sylvia must win the group's trust while struggling to keep control of both her magic and her mind.

In the rival kingdom, Arin is caught between his father's desire to put down the brewing rebellion and the sacred edicts he's sworn to uphold. Arin must find Sylvia before his father's army, but his search will call into question the very core of Arin's beliefs about his family and the destruction of Jasad.

War is inevitable and Sylvia cannot abandon her people again. The Urabi plan to raise the Jasadi fortress, and it will either kill Sylvia or destroy the humanity she's fought so hard to protect. For the first time in her life Sylvia doesn't just want to survive. She wants to win.

The fugitive queen is ready to come home.

Three Shattered Souls by Mai Corland

Expected Publication: July 15th, 2025
From Goodreads:

Some betrayals cut deeper than blades.

The Blades were never supposed to survive this long. But after the battle in Quu Harbor, escaping is no longer enough. The most dangerous liars in the four realms have one last mission―return to Yusan and finish what they started.

But now a usurper sits on the serpent throne. And he may be more dangerous than the god-king.

With three relics of the Dragon Lord in their possession, the Blades will face the might of the four realms. Enemies will become allies. Allies will become traitors. And the ones they love most? They’ll be the ones to break them.

Grief will carve the Blades into something ruthless and unrecognizable. But only by losing everything can they win this game of kings and crowns.

No Body No Crime by Tess Sharpe

Expected Publication: July 15th, 2025
From Goodreads:

Murder either bonds you or breaks you.

Rural PI Mel Tillman knows this well. She's seen her fair share of bloody cases and botched cover-ups. But killing with someone? That is a different kind of mess all together, and Mel's got real experience with it.

No one's heard from Toby Dunne since Chloe Harper's sweet sixteen party--because the birthday girl and sixteen-year-old Mel buried him so deep in the backwoods, no one's ever finding him. Mel loses little sleep over it--Toby had been terrorizing them.

What she does lose sleep over is Chloe, the girl with whom she survived that horrible night in the woods. Chloe, the girl she fell in love with. Chloe, the girl who disappeared and hasn't been seen in more than six years.

Tasked with locating Chloe by her family, Mel can't resist the call of a good chase, or finding the one who got away with her heart (and with murder). When Mel finds an armed and vigilant Chloe living off-grid in a highly booby-trapped patch of Canadian wilderness, she realizes that Chloe had been expecting someone other than her ex to come looking for her. The thing that's kept Chloe going for years is that she's kept Mel safe by running. Now, the truth must come out as they run for their lives once again.

Because when they buried Toby Dunne in the backwoods, they buried something else, too. Something Toby took. And the powerful family he stole it from? They'll do anything to get it back.

Fateless by Julie Kagawa 

Expected Publication: July 15th, 2025
From Goodreads:

Deep in the forgotten city of the Deathless Kings, an ancient relic of untold power waits—for one bold enough to steal it.

When seventeen-year-old Sparrow joined the Thieves Guild she made a vow of binding loyalty to their cause. So when a mission comes along from The Circle, a group of mysterious, dangerous beings who control the Thieves Guild from the shadows, Sparrow is determined to cement her place in the guild.

What ensues is a death-defying adventure that has Sparrow and her band of thieves venturing into the heart of the forgotten city of the Deathless King. The fate of Sparrow, her companions, and Raithe, the enigmatic yet alluring assassin Sparrow is forced to join forces with during their quest, all hang in the balance as they find themselves battling ancient forces within the tombs and facing the unwavering hold of fate.

Perfect for fans of Alexandra Bracken and Sabaa Tahir, this new fantasy trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Julie Kagawa will sweep readers into a bold and exciting new world, where a twisted game of destiny has far-reaching consequences.

Matchmaking for Psychopaths by Tasha Coryell

Expected Publication: July 15th, 2025
From Goodreads:

Love is a dangerous game when your clients are killers…from the bestselling author behind Love Letters to a Serial Killer.

When Lexie's fiancé runs off with her so-called best friend on her birthday, her carefully crafted fairy-tale life shatters. Having survived horrors in her past, she was determined to finally get her happily-ever-after—and she's not giving up yet.

To distract herself, Lexie throws herself into her unusual matchmaking psychopaths (a specialty her clients are blissfully unaware of). But the loneliness is crushing. So when a gorgeous, overprotective new client named Aidan insists they're soulmates, and another intriguing client, Rebecca, seems perfect to fill the best-friend-shaped hole in her life, Lexie can't help but find the attention comforting—despite her own professional boundaries.

Then a human heart appears on Lexie's doorstep. As more threatening packages arrive and her fiancé mysteriously disappears, she must confront a terrifying did she inadvertently match herself with a killer? Between Aidan's claims that her fiancé will never return, Rebecca's growing presence in her life, and her own dark past resurfacing, Lexie's matchmaker instincts are being tested like never before.

Because someone is determined to ensure her story ends with a funeral.

A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

Expected Publication: July 15th, 2025
From Goodreads:

A whimsical and heartwarming novel about a witch who has a second chance to get her magical powers—and her life—back on track, from the national bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.

Sera Swan used to be one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Then she resurrected her great-aunt Jasmine from the (very recently) dead, lost most of her magic, befriended a semi-villainous talking fox, and was exiled from her Guild. Now she (slightly reluctantly and just a bit grumpily) helps her aunt run an enchanted inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests' shenanigans, tries to keep said talking fox in check, and longs for the future that seems lost to her. But then she finds out about an old spell that could hold the key to restoring her power…

Enter Luke Larsen, handsome and icy magical historian, who arrives on a dark winter evening and might just know how to unlock the spell’s secrets. Luke has absolutely no interest in getting involved in the madcap goings-on of the inn and is definitely not about to let a certain bewitching innkeeper past his walls, so no one is more surprised than he is when he agrees to help Sera with her spell. Worse, he might actually be thawing.

Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and staying one step ahead of the watchful Guild is a lot for anyone, but Sera Swan is about to discover that she doesn’t have to do it alone...and that the weird, wonderful family she’s made might be the best magic of all.

The Bewitching by Silvia Morena-Garcia

Expected Publication: July 15th, 2025
From Goodreads:

Three women in three different eras encounter danger and witchcraft in this eerie multigenerational horror saga from the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic.

“Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches”: That was how Nana Alba always began the stories she told her great-granddaughter Minerva—stories that have stayed with Minerva all her life. Perhaps that’s why Minerva has become a graduate student focused on the history of horror literature and is researching the life of Beatrice Tremblay, an obscure author of macabre tales.

In the course of assembling her thesis, Minerva uncovers information that reveals that Tremblay’s most famous novel, The Vanishing, was inspired by a true story: Decades earlier, during the Great Depression, Tremblay attended the same university where Minerva is now studying and became obsessed with her beautiful and otherworldly roommate, who then disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

As Minerva descends ever deeper into Tremblay’s manuscript, she begins to sense that the malign force that stalked Tremblay and the missing girl might still walk the halls of the campus. These disturbing events also echo the stories Nana Alba told about her girlhood in 1900s Mexico, where she had a terrifying encounter with a witch.

Minerva suspects that the same shadow that darkened the lives of her great-grandmother and Beatrice Tremblay is now threatening her own in 1990s Massachusetts. An academic career can be a punishing pursuit, but it might turn outright deadly when witchcraft is involved.

Oh, some really amazing books coming in the middle of the month, the ones that I've read are so amazing, and I can't wait for these books to be released! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Week 2 Review: Four Ruined Realms

From Goodreads:

The King of Yusan may be the greatest liar of them all.

His sister's ring is in his sights, and he will do anything to get what he wants. Even manipulating the five blades to steal it...

Bonded by a common enemy, then divided by deceit, the blades must rely on their skills to pull off King Joon's pursuit or risk his legendary wrath.

A foreign rule of law stands between them and Quilimar, the Queen of Khitan. Now they have one month to steal the powerful Golden Ring of the Dragon Lord. But that impossible task might be easier than trusting one another, even though their lives, their families, and the realms depend on it.

They can all agree on one thing: the king can't win. But can they beat him at his own game?

Because for the blades, this time it's not just personal, it's revenge. Lies may have torn them apart, but now vengeance will bring them together.

My Review:
This was such a great read! After the events of the last book, with all those reveals? I had to know what was going to happen next, and I had such a blast reading it! Oh, but these characters are in some difficult places, with some pretty hard decisions ahead of them. Watching as they traveled to this new country, I loved learning more about the history and the politics! 

One thing that I was a bit worried about, was that this book came out pretty quickly after the first book, which was reminding me a lot of the release schedule of Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, which is a reason why people don't enjoy Iron Flame so much. I did, but I was worried that the quick turnaround time in publishing, which normally moves so slow, might've had a negative effect, especially since they're with the same publisher. But nope, I at least, had another great time reading this book! Though I am usually pretty positive about everything, if I'm interested in something, I enjoy it.

They all have something going on. A lot of it is trust, that was broken, and a couple were secrets. A lot came out, and even more in this book, and they had to deal with that as a group, minus Tiyung, who was locked in prison. Between Daysum, Euyn and Mikhail's separate secrets and how Aeri has a relic, it kept me interested in all of their perspectives, not to mention all the personal relationships between all of the blades. 

The main plot for this book, is just trying to get close to Quilimar, which is not easy, given that power rests uneasily on her, with her husband dead and her son being very young, her attachment to the crown is tenuous. Of course that means that she'd limit how many people could get close to her, so it's understandable that they spent most of the book searching first for the ways in, and then how to fulfill those ways. 

That it ends with another evil moment, with all the reveals, and where we left all these characters, yeah, it has me anxious for book 3. I don't know how or if things can get better, because I am rooting for these characters, messy and flawed as they are. 

Loved reading this book, and I can't wait to read more by Mai Corland! 

Author: Mai Corland 
Series: The Broken Blades #2
Read: January 10th, 2025
Source: Bought
Reason Why: Loved the first book, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book, Sophomore Challenge Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books
Published: January 7th 2025

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

First Lines Friday #713, January 10th

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!

"I’m so sick of being on this ship—the rocking, the closed-in space, everyone wanting to kill me. It’s been exhausting. Still, my week on the East Sea hasn’t been nearly as bad as Euyn’s. His room is to the right of mine, and I’ve caught the echoes of him retching day and night. I think he’s just seasick, but I’m not sure. I would’ve checked, but I’m kind of worried about him shooting me with his crossbow."-Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland 

That sounds pretty awful! Must read more now! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Waiting on Wednesday #710, December 18th

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

Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire

Expected Publication: January 7th, 2025
From Goodreads:

Giant turtles, impossible ships, and tidal rivers ridden by a Drowned girl in search of a family in the latest in the bestselling Hugo and Nebula Award-Winning Wayward Children series from Seanan McGuire.

Nadya had three mothers: the one who bore her, the country that poisoned her, and the one who adopted her.

Nadya never considered herself less than whole, not until her adoptive parents fitted her with a prosthetic arm against her will, seeking to replace the one she'd been missing from birth.

It was cumbersome; it was uncomfortable; it was wrong.

It wasn't her.

Frustrated and unable to express why, Nadya began to wander, until the day she fell through a door into Belyrreka, the Land Beneath the Lake--and found herself in a world of water, filled with child-eating amphibians, majestic giant turtles, and impossible ships that sailed as happily beneath the surface as on top. In Belyrreka, she found herself understood for who she was: a Drowned Girl, who had made her way to her real home, accepted by the river and its people.

But even in Belyrreka, there are dangers, and trials, and Nadya would soon find herself fighting to keep hold of everything she had come to treasure.

Dark Hope by Christine Feehan 

Expected Publication: January 7th, 2025
From Goodreads:

Silke Vriese Reinders knows a war is coming. The demon slayer has seen it over and over again in the cards—and the battle won’t just be for the survival of her remote village, but for all mankind. Silke knows the only way to win will be with the help of the Carpathians. A fact that fills her with trepidation, as she is fated to be the lifemate to one of the ancient supernatural warriors—bound to a complete stranger and responsible for his soul.

One of the oldest, most dangerous Carpathians, Benedek Kovak is more beast than man. Locked away for centuries, the only thing that has stopped him from becoming one of the monsters he’s sworn to defeat is the thought of his lifemate. When Benedek senses the impending danger, he sets out to find her before it’s too late. But their enemy has laid a trap that pushes him closer to turning than ever before.

For so long Benedek has felt nothing. Now, some dark art is compelling him to indulge in cravings he thought long buried. He has no hope that anyone can restore what’s left of his tainted soul, but Silke is nothing like he imagined. Perhaps she’s strong enough to fight back the darkness. Perhaps together they can defeat an adversary hell bent on destroying them all....

The Dryad Storm by Laurie Forest 

Expected Publication: January 7th, 2025
From Goodreads:

Who can survive the Shadow storm?

Black Witch of prophecy Elloren Gardner Grey has unleashed her powers and embraced her legacy as a Dryad and guardian of the Forest. But the losses — of life, of love — have been almost too great to withstand as the Shadow continues to devour the world. With only a tattered shred of hope remaining, the Bearers of the Wand of Myth must battle their way back to each other to mount a final stand.

But Elloren and her allies are not only facing Mage Vogel's advancing forces, the armies of the Eastern Realm will stop at nothing to see the Black Witch struck down.

With Elloren's bonded mate prophesied to kill her, Shadow demons rising, and the ties between allies unravelling, can this fracturing world unite to face down the coming storm?

Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland

Expected Publication: January 7th, 2025
From Goodreads:

The King of Yusan may be the greatest liar of them all.

His sister’s ring is in his sights, and he will do anything to get what he wants. Even manipulating the five blades to steal it...

Bonded by a common enemy, then divided by deceit, the blades must rely on their skills to pull off King Joon’s pursuit or risk his legendary wrath.

A foreign rule of law stands between them and Quilimar, the Queen of Khitan. Now they have one month to steal the powerful Golden Ring of the Dragon Lord. But that impossible task might be easier than trusting one another, even though their lives, their families, and the realms depend on it.

They can all agree on one thing: the king can’t win. But can they beat him at his own game?

Because for the blades, this time it’s not just personal, it’s revenge. Lies may have torn them apart, but now vengeance will bring them together.

The Empress by Kristin Cast

Expected Publication: January 7th, 2025
From Goodreads:

He's a ruthless, battle-scarred warrior with a dark past, and she's stuck pretending to be his wife to save a fantasy kingdom.

From New York Times bestselling author Kristin Cast comes a new tarot-inspired fantasy series. Scarlett St. Clair meets Outlander in the seductive and spellbinding world of Towerfall, starting with The Empress, a high-heat, fake marriage romantasy with a swoon-worthy, morally-gray love interest.

The Arcana aren't just figures in a tarot deck—they're real. Terrifyingly real. That's what I learned when I found a tarot card in the snow and was yanked from my world and into Towerfall. The first thing the people of this harsh, cruel realm did was try to kill me, and they probably would have succeeded if Kane hadn't taken me to his hideout in the woods and nursed me back to health.

But I don't know if I can trust him. He's too hot to be good news, he's definitely hiding secrets, and I've already seen him kill two people to protect me. If I hadn't just been helplessly dumped into his world, the scars on his hands and his dark, brooding attitude would have me running in the opposite direction.

But right now, convincing the Kingdom of Pentacles that Kane and I are married is my best chance of getting into the palace, and back to my own world.

Because there's something wrong with Towerfall. Something deeply, terrifyingly wrong. And if anyone finds out Kane and I aren't really married?

Well, then both of us are dead.

The Afterdark by E. Latimer

Expected Publication: January 7th, 2025
From Goodreads:

Queer horror at a boarding school with a Lovecraftian twist in this new YA novel from E. Latimer, author of the acclaimed The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryony Gray.

Northcroft is an elite boarding school with a deadly secret. Each night as the bell tolls and the shutters slam down, cutting off the outside world, the Afterdark descends, turning the surrounding old growth forest into a macabre copy of itself. A negative photograph crawling with horrors.

Evie Laurent is certain of one thing from the moment she sees Holland Morgan on the front steps of Northcroft: she wants to know everything there is to know about her. But there are some things about Evie herself that are better kept secret. Especially the fact that she let her sister drown. And that it's getting harder to ignore her dark impulses . . . 

Holland Morgan knows falling for Evie is just one more terrible choice in her long history of terrible choices. The problem is, she's not sure she cares.

As attraction turns slowly to obsession, they find themselves playing a dangerous game. Something out there is calling to each of them. Beckoning to the shadows within.

Do they fight the call and protect one another, or answer, and embrace the darkness?

A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young

Expected Publication: January 7th, 2025
From Goodreads:

A woman investigates her brother's mysterious death while coming to terms with her own haunting past in this atmospheric novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Unmaking of June Farrow

The only thing James and Johnny Golden have ever had is each other. For as long as she can remember, James’s deep connection with her twin brother, Johnny, has gone beyond intuition—she can feel what he feels. So, when Johnny is killed in a tragic accident, James knows before her phone even rings that her brother is gone and that she’s alone—truly alone—for the first time in her life. 

When James arrives in the rural town of Hawthorne, California to settle her brother’s affairs, she’s forced to rehash the ominous past she and Johnny shared and finally face Micah, the only person who knows about it. He’s also the only man she’s ever loved. 

But James soon discovers that the strange connection she had with Johnny isn’t quite gone, and the more she immerses herself into his world, the more questions she has about the brother she thought she knew. Johnny was keeping secrets, and he’s not the only one. What she uncovers will push her to unravel what happened in the days before Johnny’s death, but in the end, she’ll have to decide which truths should come to light, and which should stay buried forever.

No Place Left to Hide by Megan Lally

Expected Publication: January 7th, 2025
From Goodreads:

Some secrets just won't stay hidden in this twisty new thriller from New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Megan Lally!

To Brooke, image is everything. She works hard to maintain perfect grades, perfect looks, a perfect life—especially after "the incident" that threatened it all. Getting into her dream university puts her that much closer to a fresh start. How can she say no to celebrating with all her classmates?

Hanging out with her crush by the bonfire is the perfect end to the night. Except it isn't the end. An old truck starts aggressively tailing Brooke and her best friend on the isolated road toward home. Someone thinks they know the truth about "the incident," and they won't stop until it's all out in the open. This terrifying drive is about to bring out Brooke's worst fears…if she survives it.

Breath of the Dragon by Shannon Lee & Fonda Lee

Expected Publication: January 7th, 2025
From Goodreads:

The first novel in a sweeping YA fantasy duology based on characters and teachings created by Bruce Lee!

Sixteen-year-old Jun dreams of proving his worth as a warrior in the elite Guardian’s Tournament, held every six years to entrust the magical Scroll of Earth to a new protector. Eager to prove his skills, Jun hopes that a win will restore his father’s honor—righting a horrible mistake that caused their banishment from his home, mother, and twin brother.

But Jun’s father strictly forbids him from participating. There is no future in honing his skills as a warrior, especially considering Jun is not breathmarked, born with a patch of dragon scales and blessed with special abilities like his twin. Determined to be the next Guardian, Jun stows away in the wagon of Chang and his daughter, Ren, performers on their way to the capital where the tournament will take place.

As Jun competes, he quickly realizes he may be fighting for not just a better life, but the fate of the country itself.

A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson

Expected Publication: January 7th, 2025
From Goodreads:

EVERY ACT OF TRANSLATION REQUIRES SACRIFICE

Welcome to Bletchley Park… with dragons.

London, 1923. Dragons soar through the skies and protests erupt on the streets, but Vivian Featherswallow isn’t worried. She’s going to follow the rules, get an internship studying dragon languages, and make sure her little sister never has to risk growing up Third Class. By midnight, Viv has started a civil war.

With her parents arrested and her sister missing, all the safety Viv has worked for is collapsing around her. So when a lifeline is offered in the form of a mysterious ‘job’, she grabs it. Arriving at Bletchley Park, Viv discovers that she has been recruited as a codebreaker helping the war effort – if she succeeds, she and her family can all go home again. If she doesn’t, they’ll all die.

At first Viv believes that her challenge, of discovering the secrets of a hidden dragon language, is doable. But the more she learns, the more she realises that the bubble she’s grown up in isn’t as safe as she thought, and eventually Viv must What war is she really fighting?

An epic, sweeping fantasy with an incredible Dark Academia setting, a clandestine, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance, and an unputdownable story, filled with twists and turns, betrayals and secret identities, A Language of Dragons is the unmissable debut of 2025, from an extraordinary new voice.

Some really great books to kick off the new year, and I've read a few, and I can't wait for all of them to be out! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #677, May 27th

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 #676
Teaser Tuesday #684
WWW Wednesday #684
WOW #680
Will the Time Come #677
Third Sentence Thursday #667
Random Reads #653
First Lines Friday #680
Book Blogger Hop #346

Monthly ARC's Update 74
The Reward Challenge Update #662
Wheel of TBR #209
How Well I Stuck to It #514
Wrote that Review Update #511

Week 21 Reviews:

The Fireborne Blade

The Bloodless Princes

Blood and Reign

To Love a Dark Lord

Lore Olympus: Volume 6

Cry of the Banshee

The City in Glass

Sisters of Fortune

Lady of Steel and Straw

Darker by Four

Zhara 

Five Broken Blades

Girls Like Her

Mistress of Lies

Magical Readathon: Orilium: 

Update 27

Update 28

Clean Sweep ARC Challenge:

Update 29

Update 30

Update 31

Update 32

Update 33

Update 34

Update 35

Phase Out Your TBR: 

Update 21

Update 22 and Wrap Up

Random:

Tirzah Price Author Page

Random: 

Clear Your S**t 4.5 Readathon Sign Up

OK, so I got 40 posts in 7 days, it was a nice, quiet week of vacation, and I have another week, which is great! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read whatever I want, to finish out the month! 

Week 21 Review: Five Broken Blades

From Goodreads:

It's the season

for treason…

The king of Yusan must die.

The five most dangerous liars in the land have been mysteriously summoned to work together for a single objective: to kill the God King Joon.

He has it coming. Under his merciless immortal hand, the nobles flourish, while the poor and innocent are imprisoned, ruined…or sold.

And now each of the five blades will come for him. Each has tasted bitterness―from the hired hitman seeking atonement, a lovely assassin who seeks freedom, or even the prince banished for his cruel crimes. None can resist the sweet, icy lure of vengeance.

They can agree on murder.

They can agree on treachery.

But for these five killers―each versed in deception, lies, and betrayal―it's not enough to forge an alliance. To survive, they'll have to find a way to trust each other…but only one can take the crown.

Let the best liar win.

My Review:
Oh, I loved reading this book! The synopsis sounded really intriguing-and the cover and that sprayed edge pages looked stunning-so yeah, my interest in this book was pretty high. It delivered, it was just such an epic read! 

Starting off, this book is just the tiniest bit confusing, because there's all these characters, and while it was easy to have them separated as different characters, it was a lot of information all at once. Once I had time to digest all that information, it made for a much smoother reading process.

I wanted to know more about these characters, about why they wanted this vengeance against the king, because yeah, he utterly deserved it, the way that he's shaped the world. It was so great to get to know these characters and their histories! 

A lot happened int his book, including one twist that was game-changing, and I'm so excited to see where this story is going to go from here! I need to spend more time in this world with these characters, and I can't wait for the sequel! 

This was a fantastic read, and I can't wait to continue on!  

Author: Mai Corland 
Series: Five Broken Blades #1
Read: May 23rd, 2024 
Source: Bought 
Reason Why: Sounded really great, and its a DAC Book and a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book! 
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books
Published: May 7th 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Third Sentence Thursday #667, May 23rd

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!

"One of the old kings learned that the hard way, stabbed in his bead by his own son while on a war campaign in Khitan." -Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland, page 39.

Well, that doesn't sound good! Must read more now! What are your guy's 3rd lines? Link up below!