Showing posts with label Rebecca Kenney. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rebecca Kenney. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Waiting on Wednesday #775, March 18th

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

The Thorn Queen by Sasha Peyton Smith
Expected Publication: April 14th, 2026
From Goodreads:
dWed to one brother.

In love with the other.

Bridgerton, The Selection, and The Cruel Prince collide in this Victorian-inspired romantasy; the sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller The Rose Bargain.

Having won the hand of the faerie King Bram, Ivy is now Queen of England.

But with his ascension to the throne, Bram unleashed the fae into the human world. After hundreds of years of being kept from their favorite playthings, the Others are looking to make up for lost time—and they do, with wicked revelry that sweeps through the country.

To survive, Ivy acts the sweet, devoted wife. Behind the smile, she plots to banish her husband, save her sister Lydia, and reunite with the love of her life, Emmett.

Yet Emmet and Lydia are trapped in the Otherworld, where fae games are deadlier than ever—and a queen must play most viciously of all. Or see herself dethroned.

Forbidden romance, deceptive bargains, and lethal court intrigue intertwine in this mesmerizing, fae romantasy sequel that will captivate fans of Once Upon a Broken Heart and Belladonna.

Cruel Angel by Rebecca Kenney
Expected Publication: April 14th, 2026
From Goodreads:
There was a time I felt lost and alone…until I met them, and together our souls took My gentle Raoul and our deadly Angel of Music.

Haunted by the violent death of her parents, Christine Daaé longs to find solace in music, but debilitating stage fright keeps her firmly in the shadows. All she can hope for is a few stolen moments singing to herself in the mournful silence of the backstage stairwell…until one night, the shadows sing back.

In exchange for complete devotion, her mysterious Phantom promises to teach her everything he knows—and with his praise boosting her confidence, Christine is finally able to take center stage…catching the eye of her sweet childhood friend turned something more, Raoul.

But her mysterious mentor is as obsessive as he is demanding, and he will not share Christine with anyone—not unless he can have them both in a bargain that is as dangerous as it is seductive. Light and shadows, gentleness and raging passion, the three of them should not fit so perfectly together. Yet as a supernatural force looms, ready to tear them apart forever, Christine must decide if love can truly exist in the space between beauty and madness…and whether she's finally ready to fully embrace the music of the night.

An addictive and truly original spicy New Adult retelling of The Phantom of the Opera with a magical twist.

I Could Give You the Moon by Ann Liang
Expected Publication: April 14th, 2026
From Goodreads:
Everyone loves Chanel Cao -- except Ares Yin.

While Chanel has spent her entire life curating a picture-perfect social media personality-from her body to her hair to her camera-ready smile-Ares has spent his trying to hide in the shadows. But Ares's brother is missing, and Chanel's parents have secretly separated, and their only hope is each other.

Ares is willing to do whatever it takes to find his brother, and Chanel will do anything to keep her parents' secret. When the two meet and share a vision of the future-where Ares's brother appears, as Chanel's house burns to the ground-they are determined to use each other. Ares believes Chanel is the key to finding his brother, but Chanel is convinced if she gets Ares to fall in love with her, she'll save her family house-and her parents' crumbling marriage.

But Ares isn't interested in the fake personality that Chanel has used her entire life to get affection and adoration. If she's going to save her reputation, she's going to have to let Ares get to know the real her-and risk real feelings.

Light Burned by Jayci Lee
Expected Publication: April 14th, 2026
From Goodreads:
Prophecies collide in this explosive finale to USA Today bestselling author Jayci Lee’s epic romantasy series. Can one obstinate fox spirit save the worlds, even if it means destroying her heart?

Through every battle won and enemy defeated, Sunny thought she was the good guy—until now. The eternal darkness has breached the Realm of Four Kingdoms, threatening to consume all life, and her power may be the only hope for salvation. But what if she accidentally destroys the realm instead?

Sunny must return to the Realm of Four Kingdoms and face her destiny—for her friends, for Ethan, for everyone she’s sworn to protect. Though no longer certain she’s the hero they deserve, she will battle the darkness across the kingdoms, except for the one place she’s the Kingdom of Mountains where Ethan rules.

As ancient prophecies unfold and the gods’ buried secrets emerge, Sunny and Ethan find themselves caught between duty and desire. Their fated love could be their greatest strength, or their ultimate downfall.

In this epic conclusion, they must follow destiny’s path, or forge their own way forward—even if it means watching everything they love burn in the flames of their defiance.

Paranormal Payback Anthology
Expected Publication: April 14th, 2026
From Goodreads:
A superstar lineup is included in this urban fantasy collection featuring short stories from New York Times bestselling authors Jim Butcher, Holly Black, Kim Harrison, Faith Hunter, and more …

In this short story collection, our heroes get what’s due to them—with a supernatural flair.

But the injustices that have been holding them back might cost them more than they realized. . . . 

In “Mister Petty,” a brand-new Dresden Files story from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher, a woman hires Goodman Grey to get back at her cheating husband. She’s about to find out that Grey isn’t your ordinary detective—he’s a professional monster. And he’s going to balance the scales.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black, “Dying Isn’t Just for the Young” follows an elderly widow reckoning with family scheming to take away her independence in a world infected by a disease of vampirism.

New York Times bestselling author Faith Hunter’s “Razors and Revenge” finds the vampire bounty hunter Shiloh awaiting her judgement at the hands of the Dark Queen, fresh off a brutal werewolf attack and the loss of a dear friend. But Shiloh’s not just a vampire anymore—and the wolfish instincts growing inside her are howling for blood.

And Kim Harrison takes us to the #1 New York Times bestselling series of the Hollows in her story “Dog-eared.” The demon Algaliarept makes a bargain with the dangerously insane Newt, the last female demon, to punish an arrogant wizard for abusing his precious magical texts—but how ruthless is Al willing to be to get his petty vengeance?

ALSO INCLUDES STORIES BY Jennifer Blackstream * Maurice Broaddus * Delilah S. Dawson * Kevin Hearne * Tanya Huff * Kerrie L. Hughes * R. L. King * R. R. Virdi

Contents:
Mister Petty by Jim Butcher
The Underground Goddess by Kevin Hearne
Dying Isn't Just for the Young by Holly Black
A Midsummer Night's Scheming by Delilah S. Dawson writing as Isla Jewell
Contained by Tanya Huff
Dirt by Jennifer Blackstream
Black Bond by Maurice Broaddus
Dog-Eared by Kim Harrison
Razors and Revenge by Faith Hunter
A Clean Break by R. L. King
Grave Payback by R. R. Virdi
The Broom by Kerrie L. Hughes

The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake by Mara Rutherford
Expected Publication: April 14th, 2026
From Goodreads:
In Wisteria, the very act of innovation is forbidden. Any creation—art, music, engineering—conjures a demon from the other side. The greater the innovation, the more dangerous the demon.

This has never stopped Aurelie from inventing—but it has made it more difficult. Her inventions are small by necessity, producing demons that she is capable of dispatching alone. But she knows she’s meant for something greater, and each day has her chafing more at the boundaries of her society.

Destrier lost his parents to demons as a child, and has devoted his life to preventing more senseless murder at the hands of demons. He was young when he joined the hunters, and each year he’s grown stronger. But it’s never enough.

When a mysterious figure offers Aurelie a job she can’t refuse—an impossible, magnificent invention—her decision to accept sets off a chain of events that will alter every aspect of their world… and sparks the connection that will change both Aurelie and Des irrevocably.

With the fierce enemies-to-lovers romance of Heartless Hunter and the high-concept worldbuilding of Arcane, The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake will thrill readers looking for their new cross-genre favorite.

Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell
Expected Publication: April 14th, 2026
From Goodreads:
#1 New York Times bestselling author Rainbow Rowell returns with a breathtakingly honest novel about art and sex and forgiveness—and how imperfectly we fall in love. 

Everybody knows that Cherry’s husband, Tom, is in Hollywood making a movie…

Almost nobody knows that he isn’t coming home.

Tom is the creator of Thursday—a semi-autobiographical webcomic, turned bestselling graphic novel, turned international phenomenon.

Semi-autobiographical. That means there’s a character in this movie based on Cherry… “Baby.”

Wide-hipped, heavy-chested, double-chinned Baby.

Cherry never wanted this. No fat girl wants to see herself caricatured on the page—let alone on the big screen. But there’s no getting away from it. Baby looks so much like Cherry that strangers recognize her at the grocery store.

While her soon-to-be ex-husband is in Los Angeles getting rich and famous and being the Internet’s latest boyfriend, Cherry is stuck in Omaha taking care of the dog he always wanted and the house they were going to raise a family in…and wondering who she's supposed to be without him.

Cherry had promised to love Tom through thick and thin.

She’d meant it. 

One night, Cherry decides to leave all her problems, including Tom’s overgrown puppy, at home. She ventures out to see her favorite band play her favorite album…and someone recognizes her from across the room.

Russ Sutton knew Cherry when she was a young art student with a fondness for pin-up dresses and patent leather heels. Before Tom.

Russ knows Cherry. He likes Cherry.

And best of all…he’s never heard of Thursday.

Cherry Baby is Rainbow Rowell’s richest, most ambitious—sexiest—novel yet. Told with deep tenderness and shot through with Rowell's signature wit—this is a second-chance romance for grown-ups. For people who understand how rare it is to get even one chance at love, and how impossible it can feel to make it work. 

The Afterlands by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Expected Publication: April 14th, 2026
From Goodreads:
Nami must race against time to save Infinity—and humanity—in the explosive third and final book in the “cerebral and pulse-pounding” (School Library Journal on Infinity Courts, starred review) Infinity Courts series from critically acclaimed author Akemi Dawn Bowman.

Infinity has changed. Victory and Famine lie in ruins, while Ozias—previously the leader of the fight against the AI Residents who subjugated humans—has overthrown Death. And the boy that Nami unreservedly gave her heart to has been dragged back to the Capital to have his memory erased. In a shifting landscape of alliances, Nami doesn’t know who she can trust—she only knows it’s her mistakes that have driven them to today.

With few allies and even fewer friends, Nami sets off one final time to prove that a bridge between humans and Residents really is possible…before the shadows of the past destroy any chance of a better future.

Stranger Things Have Happened by Kasie West
Expected Publication: April 14th, 2026
From Goodreads:
Can fake dating lead to real love? In Kasie West's next sexy adult romcom two people must decide where the lie ends and the chemistry begins.

Sutton knows she needs therapy. After all, she’s managing her newly opened restaurant remotely while taking care of her ungrateful sick mother. Plus, her boyfriend of two years just dumped her over the phone. But does therapy with a handsome stranger, who she has to pretend to be engaged to, in order to help her friend’s struggling relationship count? Probably not. Then why did she just agree to go? Because she’s had a few too many drinks? Because this stranger, Elijah, is smug and annoying and really, really handsome? Because she feels guilty that she abandoned her best friend, Tara, after high school and this might just make up for it? Whatever the reason, she has committed to this unhinged plan.

What the hell is Sutton doing?

Helping Tara prove a a good therapist can tell the difference between real love and fake love. That’s what she’s doing. But as they attend their sessions, Sutton and Elijah only seem to be proving one thing—the lines between pretend desire and real desire are very blurry. This true connection forming between them is threatening to unravel everything Sutton thought she knew about family, friendship, and her own heart.

Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker
Expected Publication: April 14th, 2026
From Goodreads:
In this lyrical, wildly inventive horror novel interwoven with Japanese mythology, two people living centuries apart discover a door between their worlds.

October, 2026: Lee Turner doesn’t remember how or why he killed his college roommate. The details are blurred and bloody. All he knows is he has to flee New York and go to the one place that might offer refuge—his father’s new home in Japan, a house hidden by sword ferns and wild ginger. But something is terribly wrong with the house: no animals will come near it, the bedroom window isn't always a window, and a woman with a sword appears in the yard when night falls.

October, 1877: Sen is a young samurai in exile, hiding from the imperial soldiers in a house behind the sword ferns. A monster came home from war wearing her father’s face, but Sen would do anything to please him, even turn her sword on her own mother. She knows the soldiers will soon slaughter her whole family when she sees a terrible omen: a young foreign man who appears outside her window.

One of these people is a ghost, and one of these stories is a lie.

Something is hiding beneath the house of sword ferns, and Lee and Sen will soon wish they never unburied it.

Deathly Fates by Tesia Tsai
Expected Publication: April 14th, 2026
From Goodreads:
A sweeping debut inspired by the Chinese folk practice of necromancy, Deathly Fates is perfect for fans of Descendant of the Crane, The Bone Shard Daughter, and A Magic Steeped in Poison.

As a priestess paid to guide the deceased home, Kang Siying has never feared death. However, when her beloved father collapses, Siying realizes that even she is not free from the cruel grasp of mortality. Desperate to provide her father with the medical aid he needs, Siying accepts a dangerous job that promises a generous commission, and travels to a hostile state to retrieve the corpse of a missing prince.

But the moment Siying places her reanimation talisman on the dead prince's head, rather than make the corpse obedient to Siying's commands, the talisman brings the prince back to life. Worse, he won't stay alive for long—not unless he absorbs enough qi, or life force, to keep his soul anchored to his body.

In return for a reward worth twice her original commission, Siying agrees to aid the frustratingly handsome prince in finding and purifying evil spirits for their qi. As they journey across the countryside, encountering vengeful ghosts and enemy spies alike, they gradually uncover dark secrets about the prince's death—secrets that could endanger both Siying's father and their entire kingdom.

The Missing Ones by A.R. Torre
Expected Publication: April 15th, 2026
From Goodreads:
In an exclusive and close-knit community, the secrets of the past threaten to destroy three women in a shocking novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author A. R. Torre.

Behind the manicured lawns and guarded gates of Crestmore Estates lies a neighborhood built on secrets.

Five years ago, three residents vanished without a trace. No bodies. No answers. Just rumors, whispered around the country club. Now, when human remains surface on the golf course, old suspicions rematerialize—and the spotlight falls on the women left behind.

Andrea Kendal knows what people think—that her brilliant surgeon husband had something to do with his first wife's bloody disappearance. Sara Batcher has spent years defending herself against accusations that she killed her husband. And Katie Morrow, the community's youngest trophy wife, can't escape the suspicious shadows cast by her husband's ex-wife.

As the investigation circles closer, the wives find themselves bound together by fear, betrayal, and the ghosts of the missing. In a neighborhood where appearances are everything, each must decide what she'll sacrifice to protect her carefully constructed life—before someone else decides to shatter them all.

Yeah, another collection of fantastic books coming out on the 14th, I'm really looking forward to all of them! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Monday, December 22, 2025

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #759, December 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 #758
Teaser Tuesday #766
WWW Wednesday #766
WOW #762
Will the Time Come #759
Third Sentence Thursday #749
Random Reads #735
First Lines Friday #762
Book Blogger Hop #428
The Reward Challenge Update #744
Wheel of TBR #291
How Well I Stuck to It #596
Wrote that Review Update #593

Week 51 Reviews:


OK, so I got 48 posts in 7 days, it was a busy week, and some really good books read, and the end is so close in sight! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read 

Saturday, December 20, 2025

Week 51 Review: A Court of Hearts and Hunger

From Goodreads:
Just as Clara and her sister are settling into their new life, Drosselmeyer sends a desperate message to the Seelie Court. With Lir and Louisa occupied elsewhere, Clara and Finias (the Sugarplum Faerie) have no choice but to respond and forge deep into Unseelie Territory, where a cruel Queen, known as the Eater of Hearts, has taken the throne. As they infiltrate the Court of Dread, Finias and Clara are forced to keep their relationship a secret. Meanwhile, the ravenous victims of the Queen, called the Heartless, turn the Unseelie kingdom into a far more dangerous place than usual.

Brimming with drama, horror, and spice, this sequel to "A Court of Sugar and Spice" brings back Clara and Finias, while introducing new characters like the fiendishly hot Cheshire Cat, the enigmatic Rabbit, the terrifying Queen, and more.

TW/CW: murder, gore, violence, light bond-age, primal play, public actitivies, se-x-ual threat, reference to past se-x-ual abuse, medical play, size play, can-ni-bal-ism, drug use.

My Review:


Author: Rebecca Kenney
Series: Wicked Darlings #2
Read: December 13th, 2025  
Source: Ebook.bike 
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a 2025 Retelling Reading Challenge 2025 Book and Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book!
Publisher: Rebecca Kenney
Published: March 31st 2023
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Monday, May 26, 2025

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #729, May 26th

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 #728
Teaser Tuesday #736
WWW Wednesday #736
WOW #732
Will the Time Come #729
Third Sentence Thursday #719
Random Reads #705
First Lines Friday #732
Book Blogger Hop #398
Monthly ARC's Update 116
The Reward Challenge Update #714
Wheel of TBR #261
How Well I Stuck to It #566
Wrote that Review Update #563

Week 21 Reviews:

Phase Out Your Seriesathon: 

Clean Sweep ARC Challenge: 

24 Hours of Reading Reading: 

OK, so I got 40 posts in 7 days, and it as a pretty good week, it went by so fast, and had a pretty good birthday-cuddling with the pets. It was weird because I didn't see anyone in person, but that's pretty normal for me when I'm not going into work. What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read whatever I want! 

Saturday, May 24, 2025

Week 21 Review: Ruthless Devotion

From Goodreads:
He was the other half of my soul—the mirror to my every dark desire. My destruction, my redemption, my my Heathcliff.

Cathy Earnshaw's got the devil inside her—or at least that's what the small, cultish community she's spent her whole life trapped inside would say. She can sense death coming, and every loss sends her spiraling into a violent, uncontrollable episode of grief, wailing like a banshee across the swampy forests of the Lowcountry. With a secret as dark as hers, there's no hope of relief, or escape, or finding someone with a chance of understanding.

Until she meets him.

Heathcliff's got his own trauma, and a secret just as dangerous as Cathy's. Stolen as a child, raised by necromancers, he's the most forbidden sin she could ever imagine…and the most desperately tempting. Violent in his passions, tender in his affection, he feels like the other half of her soul, but even as they claw desperately to be together, the world seems just as determined to keep them apart.

Because it turns out their little Southern community was built long ago on a graveyard of lies…and every cult needs its sacrificial lamb.

An addictive and truly original spicy New Adult retelling of Wuthering Heights with a magical twist.

My Review:


Author: Rebecca Kenney 
Series: Gilded Monsters #3
Read: May 18th, 2025  
Source: NetGalley  
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Expected Publication: July 22nd 2025
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Sunday, May 18, 2025

Clean Sweep ARC Challenge Update 16

Ok, so I read my next book for Clean Sweep ARC Challenge, and it was Ruthless Devotion and I'll be reading House of Night next! 

My Reading Journey:

Atonement Sky by Nalini Singh
Started On: May 1st 
Finished On: May 1st, 6:19 PM
Pages Read: 432

Soul of Shadow by Emma Noyes
Started On: May 2nd
Finished On: May 2nd, 10:27 AM
Pages Read: 368

The Corruption of Hollis Brown by K. Anrum
Started On: May 2nd
Finished On: May 2nd, 4:03 PM
Pages Read: 384

Queen Demon by Martha Wells
Started On: May 3th
Finished On: May 3rd, 3:38 PM
Pages Read: 400

Silver and Lead by Seanan McGuire 
Started On: May 4th
Finished On: May 4th, 2:17 PM
Pages Read: 400

Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame by Neon Yang
Started On: May 6th
Finished On: May 6th, 9:04 AM
Pages Read: 176

Enigma by RuNyx
Started On: May 7th
Finished On: May 7th, 11:48 AM
Pages Read: 496

Chase the Dark by Annette Marie
Started On: May 9th
Finished On: May 9th, 10:28 AM
Pages Read: 320

Murder Land by Carlyn Greenwald
Started On: May 10th
Finished On: May 10th, 3:04 PM
Pages Read: 339

You've Awoken Her by Ann Dávila Cardinal
Started On: May 10th
Finished On: May 10th, 8:37 PM
Pages Read: 288

They Fear Not Men in the Woods by Gretchen McNeil
Started On: May 11th
Finished On: May 11th, 2:47 PM
Pages Read: 278

Nobody in Particular by Sophie Gonzales
Started On: May 12th
Finished On: May 12th, 11:01 AM
Pages Read: 352

Much Ado About Hating You by Sarah Echavarre Smith
Started On: May 13th
Finished On: May 13th, 9:13 AM
Pages Read: 307

A Fated Vow by Amanda Aggie 
Started On: May 14th
Finished On: May 14th, 10:24 AM
Pages Read: 384

The Jasad Crown by Sara Hashem 
Started On: May 17th
Finished On: May 17th, 3:47 AM
Pages Read: 692

Ruthless Devotion by Rebecca Kenney
Started On: May 18th
Finished On: May 18th, 11:46 PM
Pages Read: 384

House of Night by Celia Aaron
Started On: May 19th
Currently On: Page 0 of 342

Books Read: 16
Goal: 25 Books
Pages Read: 6000

Saturday, May 17, 2025

Clean Sweep ARC Challenge Update 15

Ok, so I read my next book for Clean Sweep ARC Challenge, and it was The Jasad Crown and I'll be reading Ruthless Devotion next! 

My Reading Journey:

Atonement Sky by Nalini Singh
Started On: May 1st 
Finished On: May 1st, 6:19 PM
Pages Read: 432

Soul of Shadow by Emma Noyes
Started On: May 2nd
Finished On: May 2nd, 10:27 AM
Pages Read: 368

The Corruption of Hollis Brown by K. Anrum
Started On: May 2nd
Finished On: May 2nd, 4:03 PM
Pages Read: 384

Queen Demon by Martha Wells
Started On: May 3th
Finished On: May 3rd, 3:38 PM
Pages Read: 400

Silver and Lead by Seanan McGuire 
Started On: May 4th
Finished On: May 4th, 2:17 PM
Pages Read: 400

Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame by Neon Yang
Started On: May 6th
Finished On: May 6th, 9:04 AM
Pages Read: 176

Enigma by RuNyx
Started On: May 7th
Finished On: May 7th, 11:48 AM
Pages Read: 496

Chase the Dark by Annette Marie
Started On: May 9th
Finished On: May 9th, 10:28 AM
Pages Read: 320

Murder Land by Carlyn Greenwald
Started On: May 10th
Finished On: May 10th, 3:04 PM
Pages Read: 339

You've Awoken Her by Ann Dávila Cardinal
Started On: May 10th
Finished On: May 10th, 8:37 PM
Pages Read: 288

They Fear Not Men in the Woods by Gretchen McNeil
Started On: May 11th
Finished On: May 11th, 2:47 PM
Pages Read: 278

Nobody in Particular by Sophie Gonzales
Started On: May 12th
Finished On: May 12th, 11:01 AM
Pages Read: 352

Much Ado About Hating You by Sarah Echavarre Smith
Started On: May 13th
Finished On: May 13th, 9:13 AM
Pages Read: 307

A Fated Vow by Amanda Aggie 
Started On: May 14th
Finished On: May 14th, 10:24 AM
Pages Read: 384

The Jasad Crown by Sara Hashem 
Started On: May 17th
Finished On: May 17th, 3:47 AM
Pages Read: 692

Ruthless Devotion by Rebecca Kenney
Started On: May 18th
Currently On: Page 0 of 384

Books Read: 15
Goal: 25 Books
Pages Read: 5616

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Rebecca Kenney Author Page

The Story: This actually has has two parts-first I was prompted to read A Court of Sugar and Spice, and I read it and I enjoyed it. And then on NetGalley, I saw Beautiful Villain, requested it and got it and loved it, and I realized that it was the same author around that time, but I don't make these author pages until I have 3 books, which I just did with Charming Devil, and I can't wait to read more by Rebecca Kenney! 

Website

Series: Gilded Monsters, Wicked Darlings.


Monday, February 17, 2025

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #715, February 17th

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 #714
Teaser Tuesday #722
WWW Wednesday #722
WOW #718
Will the Time Come #715
Third Sentence Thursday #705
Random Reads #691
First Lines Friday #718
Book Blogger Hop #384
The Reward Challenge Update #700
Wheel of TBR #247
How Well I Stuck to It #552
Wrote that Review Update #549

Week 7 Reviews:
The Half King

Phase Out Your Seriesathon: 

Magical Readathon: Orilium: 

Polarthon Readathon: 

Random:

OK, so I got 35 posts in 7 days, and it was a pretty decent week. I finished reorganizing my YA hardcover collection, just barely, it's bursting at the seams, so I'm not going to be able to get any future books in there. And I'm not sure what to do with my YA paperbacks, because I had a whole shelf that I missed, and I have to get something to raise this one bookcase up so it's level with the half wall, so it's not hanging off the other bookcase that it's on but that's going to involve cutting wood, and I'm going to have to double stack the 2 bookcases, so yeah, that's a bit of a mess. But I made progress, so I'm happy with that! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read Rebel Witch

The stakes are even higher in this epic, romantic conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Crimson Moth duology.

A WITCH...
Rune Winters is on the run. Ever since the boy she loved, Gideon Sharpe, revealed who she was and delivered her into enemy hands, everyone wants her dead. If Rune hopes to survive, she must ally herself with the cruel and dangerous Cressida Roseblood, who's planning to take back the Republic and reinstate a Reign of Witches—something Cressida needs Rune to accomplish.

A WITCH HUNTER...
Apparently it wasn't enough for Rune to deceive Gideon; she's now betrayed him by allying herself with the witch who made his life a living hell. Gideon won't allow the Republic to fall to the witches and be plunged back into the nightmares of the past. In order to protect this new world he fought for, every last witch must die—especially Rune Winters.

AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE...
When Rune makes Gideon an offer he can't refuse, the two must pair up to accomplish dangerous goals. The more they're forced into each other's company, the more Gideon realizes the feelings he had for Rune aren't as dead and buried as he thought. Now he's faced with a terrible choice: sacrifice the girl he loves to stop a monster taking back power, or let Rune live and watch the world he fought so hard for burn.

In Kristen Ciccarelli's Rebel Witch, the exciting conclusion to The Crimson Moth duology, love has never been so deadly.

Saturday, February 15, 2025

Week 7 Review: Charming Devil

From Goodreads:
The painting that has kept Dorian Gray flawless for over a century is beginning to fall apart, saturated and rotted by his life of reckless decadence. Desperate, he seeks out the only person who might be able to save Baz Allard. She's a talented young painter who just inherited her aunt's house and studio in Charleston—and she happens to be a direct descendant of Basil Hallward, Dorian's first love, and the man who created the magical portrait. Baz has the same gift as her ancestor, but for deeply personal reasons, she has vowed never to paint anyone's likeness, and she refuses Dorian's commission.

As Dorian tries to persuade Baz that the money and prestige he offers are worth breaking her vow, he and Baz become aware of something else awakening in the coastal city. Dangerous forces, long dormant, have been stirred up by Baz herself…and perhaps by some mutual enemy hiding in the shadows. As tensions rise and desire flares ever-hotter, Baz and Dorian become enmeshed in a complex net of conflicting motives, messy mistakes, and a growing, desperate passion, with only one question burning between Does anyone, even the love seared deep into your very soul, deserve the burden of eternal life?

My Review:
Reading this book was so fantastic! I really enjoyed the first book, and I was excited to see where the series was going to go, and it looks like it's a series of retellings, but that they're all set in the same world, at least, I'd assume so, since these first two are.

One thing that I absolutely loved, was the brief mention of Marianas Trench, they're a band that I absolutely love, and I want to get more attention. Their newest album is coming out soon (just got the 2nd single on my birthday!) that is based on the Hero's Journey, which is such an interesting concept! So yeah that they got that mention! 

I know even less about the original story then I did in book one. All I really know about the original, is that this guy has a portrait of himself, that takes on all the ugliness of life. I have no idea what the story is, what the plot is, that's all that I know. So I was going into this one pretty blind. 

Baz is scarred because of her ability. When she was a kid, she was told not to draw real people, but she was a kid, and made a drawing of her dad-and when her mom came home, she destroyed it, which killed her dad. Which was pretty traumatic, so it's no wonder that she doesn't want to use it, when Dorion comes around for another portrait. 

The mix of all the different supernatural flavours and histories was really entertaining to read! I cared about Baz and Dorian, and as their lives were complicated by what was going on, I was rooting for them! Absolutely loved how things played out! 

Loved reading this book, and I can't wait for the next story to be retold! 

Author: Rebecca Kenney 
Series: Gilded Monsters #2
Read: February 14th, 2025
Source: Bought 
Reason Why: Loved the first book and it sounded really good, and it's a 2025 Retelling Reading Challenge Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca 
Published: February 11th 2025
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Friday, February 14, 2025

Phase Out Your Seriesathon Update 11

So I've read my next book for the Phase Out Your Seriesathon, and it was Charming Devil which is for the prompt Excited For and I'll be reading The Dragon King next! 

My Reading Journey:
Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong
Prompt Fulfilled: Features Major Event
Started On: January 18th
Finished On: January 18th, 2:28 PM
Pages Read: 441

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
Prompt Fulfilled: Title has J, Q, X, Z-X
Started On: January 21st 
Finished On: January 21st, 9:41 PM
Pages Read: 554

Memories of Ash by Intisar Khanani 
Prompt Fulfilled:  Last Letter First
Started On: January 22nd
Finished On: January 22nd, 4:28 PM
Pages Read: 355

Surrender of the Brutal King by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 1 Book 1
Started On: January 27th
Finished On: January 27th, 4:31 PM
Pages Read: 205

Sacrifice of the Brave King by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 1 Book 2
Started On: January 27th
Finished On: January 27th, 8:26 PM
Pages Read: 289

The Dryad Storm by Laurie Forest
Prompt Fulfilled: Big Book
Started On: January 28th
Finished On: January 28th, 9:47 PM
Pages Read: 752

Return of the Vengeful Queen by C.J. Redwine 
Prompt Fulfilled: Finish
Started On: January 30th
Finished On: January 30th, 11:04 AM
Pages Read: 400

I Am the Dark that Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea
Prompt Fulfilled: All 5 Vowels In Title
Started On: January 31st
Finished On: January 31st, 2:00 PM
Pages Read: 336

The Bond That Burns by Briar Boleyn
Prompt Fulfilled: 75% Cover Must Be Fav Color
Started On: February 13th
Finished On: February 13th, 4:27 PM
Pages Read: 583

Sweet Obsession by Katee Robert
Prompt Fulfilled: Exactly 2 POVS
Started On: February 13th
Finished On: February 13th, 8:42 PM
Pages Read: 336

Charming Devil by Rebecca Kenney
Prompt Fulfilled: Excited For
Started On: February 14th
Finished On: February 14th, 2:17 PM
Pages Read: 384

The Dragon King by Penelope Barsetti
Prompt Fulfilled: Favorite Color
Started On: February 14th
Currently On:  Page of 436

Prompts Left: Want To Visit, Single POV, Rep, Nature, Backlist, Animal, New, Random Number, In Progress, Adapted, Colour Cover, Complete, Free, People, Trilogy, Building, 5 Or More Books, Multi POV, Small Book, Cozy, TBR Vet, LGBTQIA+ Rep, 6 Or More Colors, Title has J, Q, X, Z-J, Title has J, Q, X, Z-Q, Title has J, Q, X, Z-Z, Starts & Ends With Same Letter, 3 Or More POVS, Translate, In Progress, Wheel Spin 1, Wheel Spin 2, Series You Avoid 1, Series You Avoid 2, Finish A Series, BIPOC Rep, Poll Pick, Disability Rep, Pub In Last 3 Months, TBR Vet By Pub Date, 5 Or More Books 1, 5 Or More Books 2, 5 Or More Books 3, 5 Or More Books 4, 5 Or More Books 5, Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 2 Book 1, Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 2 Book 2, Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 3 Book 1, Birthday Month, No If, Of, And, An, But, Or, The, Black & White Cover
Books Read: 11
Pages Read: 4635

First Lines Friday #718, February 14th

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!

"A young man's naked body is lying on top of me, his long legs threaded with mine. Rounded joints and soft flesh drape heavily against my chest. His hair tickles my collarbone. He smells like sex and sour wine. We're lying on once-white sheets, a canvas painted with the evidence of our sensual excess, while the hand-carved balsa blades of the ceiling fan spin lazily overhead. An energy-efficient fan, Lloyd-Henry said when he recommended it to me. Greener than other ceiling fans. I have no idea if that’s true, but I've recently decided I should pay more attention to preserving the earth, since I plan to be on it for quite some time."-Charming Devil by Rebecca F. Kenney

Well, that's certainly descriptive and pretty atmospheric! Must read more now! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Phase Out Your Seriesathon Update 10

So I've read my next book for the Phase Out Your Seriesathon, and it was Sweet Obsession which is for the prompt Exactly 2 POVS and I'll be reading Charming Devil next! 

My Reading Journey:
Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong
Prompt Fulfilled: Features Major Event
Started On: January 18th
Finished On: January 18th, 2:28 PM
Pages Read: 441

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
Prompt Fulfilled: Title has J, Q, X, Z-X
Started On: January 21st 
Finished On: January 21st, 9:41 PM
Pages Read: 554

Memories of Ash by Intisar Khanani 
Prompt Fulfilled:  Last Letter First
Started On: January 22nd
Finished On: January 22nd, 4:28 PM
Pages Read: 355

Surrender of the Brutal King by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 1 Book 1
Started On: January 27th
Finished On: January 27th, 4:31 PM
Pages Read: 205

Sacrifice of the Brave King by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 1 Book 2
Started On: January 27th
Finished On: January 27th, 8:26 PM
Pages Read: 289

The Dryad Storm by Laurie Forest
Prompt Fulfilled: Big Book
Started On: January 28th
Finished On: January 28th, 9:47 PM
Pages Read: 752

Return of the Vengeful Queen by C.J. Redwine 
Prompt Fulfilled: Finish
Started On: January 30th
Finished On: January 30th, 11:04 AM
Pages Read: 400

I Am the Dark that Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea
Prompt Fulfilled: All 5 Vowels In Title
Started On: January 31st
Finished On: January 31st, 2:00 PM
Pages Read: 336

The Bond That Burns by Briar Boleyn
Prompt Fulfilled: 75% Cover Must Be Fav Color
Started On: February 13th
Finished On: February 13th, 4:27 PM
Pages Read: 583

Sweet Obsession by Katee Robert
Prompt Fulfilled: Exactly 2 POVS
Started On: February 13th
Finished On: February 13th, 8:42 PM
Pages Read: 336

Charming Devil by Rebecca Kenney
Prompt Fulfilled: Excited For
Started On: February 14th
Currently On:  Page of 384

Prompts Left: Want To Visit, Single POV, Rep, Nature, Backlist, Animal, New, Random Number, In Progress, Adapted, Colour Cover, Complete, Free, People, Trilogy, Building, 5 Or More Books, Favorite Color, Multi POV, Small Book, Cozy, TBR Vet, LGBTQIA+ Rep, 6 Or More Colors, Title has J, Q, X, Z-J, Title has J, Q, X, Z-Q, Title has J, Q, X, Z-Z, Starts & Ends With Same Letter, 3 Or More POVS, Translate, In Progress, Wheel Spin 1, Wheel Spin 2, Series You Avoid 1, Series You Avoid 2, Finish A Series, BIPOC Rep, Poll Pick, Disability Rep, Pub In Last 3 Months, TBR Vet By Pub Date, 5 Or More Books 1, 5 Or More Books 2, 5 Or More Books 3, 5 Or More Books 4, 5 Or More Books 5, Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 2 Book 1, Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 2 Book 2, Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 3 Book 1, Birthday Month, No If, Of, And, An, But, Or, The, Black & White Cover
Books Read: 10
Pages Read: 4251

Saturday, August 17, 2024

Week 33 Review: Beautiful Villain

From Goodreads:
Seven years ago, I lost him for good. Now he's back, but is he still the Jay Gatsby I used to know…or is he something more? Something…darker.

Daisy Finnegan is looking forward to the endless golden freedom of summer. She doesn't want to think about life after college, or the newly awakened power of her voice, which has a way of making people do frightening things. But when her cousin goes missing at an exclusive house party, Daisy confronts the mysterious host…only to discover the wealthy recluse is Jay Gatsby, her childhood sweetheart―now sinfully hot and impossible to deny.

It isn't long before Daisy becomes entangled in a web of dizzying wealth and lies and obsession darker than she could have dreamed―culminating in a shocking act of violence that shatters the summer haze and threatens to drown them all.

But it isn't until Gatsby is shot through the heart―and survives―that Daisy discovers the truth of how Gatsby clawed his way up in the world by selling the secret of immortality to the highest bidder. Now with her friends' lives at stake, her own untested power still volatile, and an unimaginable threat closing in, Daisy will have to face an impossible choice: side with the man who claimed her body and soul…or with the monsters who would see him lost to her forever.

An addictive and truly original spicy New Adult retelling of The Great Gatsby with a magical twist.

My Review:
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! I've never read The Great Gatsby, I've seen at least parts of the Leonardo DiCaprio movie, so I have a bit of a grasp of the story. This modern day retelling of the story-but with vampires, yeah, I loved it! 

That this book is set in the modern day, means modern day standards, like the fact that Daisy's parent's don't want her to get married and only see her to fulfill that purpose. They were actually pretty fantastic and got along with Gatsby. Which was easily shown in the chapter at the end, set in the same time as the original, but still with vampires. Loved it! 

This book covers maybe a third of the original story, and condenses it down, because the whole kill Gatsby thing, well, doesn't really work when he's a vampire and you didn't know. So there was a whole bunch of story left after that and I loved seeing them have that time together! It also meant that this story was not predictable to following the story beats of the original story, since it had already gone past that, and had it's own original story plots because of the whole vampire thing. Which was so fascinating to read, this take on vampires! 

One thing that was brought up in this book was the idea of checking your privilege, which is an idea that more people should embrace, this idea that hey, maybe you have enough, you don't need this and someone else does, then even though that's not the best move for you, you give it to them. Which is a really good idea! 

This book was really fun and enjoyable, and I loved this take on these characters and this world! I loved their romance, and how close they were after their shared past, and I'm excited for the sequel! I'm not sure if it's going to be set in the same world, or if there's going to be stand alone stories, since it has a different kind of magic. But since this one had a few varieties, I think it could be set in the same world! We'll see! 

Loved reading this book, and I can't wait to read the sequel! 

Author: Rebecca Kenney
Series: Gilded Monsters #1
Read: August 15th, 2024
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's a 2024 Retelling Reading Challenge Book and a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book! 
Publisher: Dreamscape Media 
Published: July 16th 2024
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars