Monthly ARC's Update 122

So I read my next book for Monthly ARC's and it was No Body No Crime by Tess Sharpe from the July list, I Did Something Bad by Pyae Moe Thet War from the October list, That Devil, Ambition by Linsey Miller from the June list.

Here's the link to this month's post with my journey.

How it Works: 

This is my monthly ARC accountability challenge, to list out the books that I have as ARC's that are being published in the coming month, rounding them up at the start of the month, and seeing how well I did at the end, as well as rounding up the next month's books.    

  

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! 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #734, June 30th

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 #733
Teaser Tuesday #741
WWW Wednesday #741
WOW #737
Will the Time Come #734
Third Sentence Thursday #724
Random Reads #710
First Lines Friday #737
Book Blogger Hop #403

Monthly ARC's August Round Up

Monthly Series July Round Up

Monthly ARC's Update 121

21 Books to Read in 2021 Update 45
The Reward Challenge Update #719
Wheel of TBR #266
How Well I Stuck to It #571
Wrote that Review Update #568

Week 26 Reviews:

Wink Poppy Midnight

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

The Upside of Unrequited 

Leah on the Offbeat

Love, Creekwood

The Starving Saints

Gentlest of Wild Things

Magic Under Stone

A Tarnished Canvas 

Shadowland

In Vino

Pansies

Lavender House 

The Bell in the Fog

Rough Pages

Every Heart a Doorway

Down Among the Sticks and Bones

Beneath the Sugar Sky

In an Absent Dream

Juice Like Wounds 

Come Tumbling Down

No Body No Crime

Sounds Like Love

On the Hunt

I Did Something Bad

That Devil, Ambition

Phase Out Your Seriesathon: 

Update 48

Magical Readathon: Orilium: 

Update 41

Update 42

Camp SeasonAthon: 

Update 8

Update 9 

Update 10

Update 11

Update 12

Update 13

Update 14

Random:

The Bookworm Revolution July 2025 TBR

Lev A.C. Rosen Author Page

OK, so I got 43 posts in 7 days, and it was a pretty good week, I read some really fantastic books, and I did fall behind on blogging, I've gotten sucked into a mobile game, so instead of blogging I've been playing this game on my phone, so I've been playing catch up when I can, and I'm getting close to catching up! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read Isles of the Emberdark and Tenderly, I Am Devoured!

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson comes a legendary standalone novel that navigates the seas and the stars of a far-future Cosmere. Illustrated by Esther Hi’ilani Candari.

All his life, Sixth of the Dusk has been a traditional trapper of Aviar—the supernatural birds his people bond with—on the deadly island of Patji. Then one fateful night he propels his people into a race to modernize before they can be conquered by the Ones Above, invaders from the stars who want to exploit the Aviar.

But it’s a race they’re losing, and Dusk fears his people will lose themselves in the effort. When a chance comes to sail into the expanse of the emberdark beyond a mystical portal, Dusk sets off to find his people’s salvation with only a canoe, his birds, and all the grit and canniness of a Patji trapper.

Elsewhere in the emberdark is a young dragon chained in human Starling of the starship Dynamic. She and her ragtag crew of exiles are deep in debt and on the brink of losing their freedom. So when she finds an ancient map to a hidden portal between the emberdark and the physical realm, she seizes the chance at a lucrative discovery.

These unlikely allies might just be the solution to each other’s crisis. In their search for independence, Dusk and Starling face perilous bargains, poisonous politics, and the destructive echo of a dead god.

Sanderson expands his thrilling novella “Sixth of the Dusk” into a mythic novel of legends, lore, and warring galactic superpowers.

Perfect for fans of Saltburn, For the Wolf, and House of Hollow, Tenderly, I Am Devoured is a moody, monstrously Gothic romantasy in which a young woman must bind herself to a dangerous chthonic demon with the help of the son of a rival family to save her family's legacy―and herself―from ruin.

Expelled from her prestigious boarding school following a violent incident, eighteen-year-old Lacrimosa Arriscane returns home in disgrace to discover her family on the point of financial ruin. Desperate to save them, she accepts a marriage of convenience… to Therion, the chthonic god worshipped by Lark’s isolated coastal hometown.

But when her betrothal goes horribly wrong, Lark begins to vanish from the mortal realm. Her only hope is to seek help from Alastair Felimath: the brilliant, arrogant boy who was her first heartbreak, and his alluring older sister, Camille. As the trio delve into the folklore of gods, Lark falls under the spell of the Felimath siblings.

Ensnared by a fervent romance, they perform a bacchanalia with hopes the hedonistic ritual will repair the connection between Lark and her bridegroom. Instead, they draw the ire of something much darker, which seeks to destroy Therion―and Lark as well.

Week 26 Review: No Body No Crime

From Goodreads:

From the bestselling author Tess Sharpe comes a new action packed thriller about two women whose lives—and hearts—are destined for each other.

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.

Twisty and razor-sharp, Tess Sharpe's No Body No Crime is a heart-pounding thriller teeming with secrets, betrayals, and a star-crossed romance for the ages.

My Review:


Author: Tess Sharpe
Read: June 26th, 2025 
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Love her writing and it sounded really great, and it's a SAC 2025 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: MCD
Expected Publication: July 15th 2025

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Camp SeasonAthon Update 10

So I read my next book for Camp SeasonAthon, and it was No Body No Crime which was for the prompt Archery, and I'll be reading Sounds Like Love next! 

My Reading Journey:

Framed in Death by J.D. Robb

Prompt Fulfilled: Art Studio

Started On: June 4th

Finished On: June 4th, 11:42 AM

Pages Read: 368

Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood

Prompt Fulfilled: Tennis Court

Started On: June 6th

Finished On: June 6th, 7:27 PM

Pages Read: 416

The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Lindz McLeod

Prompt Fulfilled: Garden

Started On: June 7th

Finished On: June 7th, 3:41 PM

Pages Read: 304

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

Prompt Fulfilled: Forest

Started On: June 8th

Finished On: June 8th, 9:33 PM

Pages Read: 160

When Devils Sing by Xan Kaur

Prompt Fulfilled: Theatre

Started On: June 9th

Finished On: June 9th, 10:48 AM

Pages Read: 400

Turns of Fate by Anne Bishop

Prompt Fulfilled: Dance

Started On: June 15th

Finished On: June 15th, 8:49 PM

Pages Read: 528

The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling

Prompt Fulfilled: Music

Started On: June 23rd

Finished On: June 23rd, 11:31 AM

Pages Read: 352 

A Tarnished Canvas by Anna Lee Huber

Prompt Fulfilled: Basket Weaving

Started On: June 24th

Finished On: June 24th, 2:49 PM

Pages Read: 400

No Body No Crime by Tess Sharpe

Prompt Fulfilled: Archery

Started On: June 26th

Finished On: June 26th, 6:03 PM

Pages Read: 304

Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston

Prompt Fulfilled: Pottery Barn

Started On: June 26th

Currently On: Page 0 of 400

Prompts Left: Stables, Picnic, Assembly Hall, Fire Pit, Lake

Read: 9

Pages Read: 3232

WWW Wednesday #741, June 25th

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 No Body No Crime, and I'm loving it!

I read A Tarnished Canvas, and it was such a great read! 

I'm going to be continuing my reread with Swallowing Darkness, and I can't wait! 

What about you guys? Happy reading!

Camp SeasonAthon Update 9

So I read my next book for Camp SeasonAthon, and it was The Tarnished Canvas which was for the prompt Music, and I'll be reading No Body No Crime next! 

My Reading Journey:

Framed in Death by J.D. Robb

Prompt Fulfilled: Art Studio

Started On: June 4th

Finished On: June 4th, 11:42 AM

Pages Read: 368

Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood

Prompt Fulfilled: Tennis Court

Started On: June 6th

Finished On: June 6th, 7:27 PM

Pages Read: 416

The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet by Lindz McLeod

Prompt Fulfilled: Garden

Started On: June 7th

Finished On: June 7th, 3:41 PM

Pages Read: 304

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

Prompt Fulfilled: Forest

Started On: June 8th

Finished On: June 8th, 9:33 PM

Pages Read: 160

When Devils Sing by Xan Kaur

Prompt Fulfilled: Theatre

Started On: June 9th

Finished On: June 9th, 10:48 AM

Pages Read: 400

Turns of Fate by Anne Bishop

Prompt Fulfilled: Dance

Started On: June 15th

Finished On: June 15th, 8:49 PM

Pages Read: 528

The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling

Prompt Fulfilled: Music

Started On: June 23rd

Finished On: June 23rd, 11:31 AM

Pages Read: 352 

A Tarnished Canvas by Anna Lee Huber

Prompt Fulfilled: Basket Weaving

Started On: June 24th

Finished On: June 24th, 2:49 PM

Pages Read: 400

No Body No Crime by Tess Sharpe

Prompt Fulfilled: Archery

Started On: June 

Currently On: Page 0 of 304

Prompts Left: Stables, Picnic, Assembly Hall, Fire Pit, Lake, Pottery Barn

Read: 8

Pages Read: 2928

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #707, December 23rd

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 #706
Teaser Tuesday #714
WWW Wednesday #714
WOW #710
Will the Time Come #707
Third Sentence Thursday #697
Random Reads #683
First Lines Friday #710
Book Blogger Hop #376

24 Books to Read in 2024 Update 9

Monthly ARC's Update 101

23 Books to Read in 2023 Update 15
The Reward Challenge Update #692
Wheel of TBR #239
How Well I Stuck to It #544
Wrote that Review Update #541

Week 51 Reviews:
We Were Kings

The Arrival of Someday

The Rules

The Winter Duke

Rules for Being a Girl

If I Stopped Haunting You

A Killing Cold

In Deeper Waters

The Girl in Question

Snowed In

Two Can Play

Influencer 

One By One 

Goblins & Greatcoats

The Stone Witch of Florence

Sanctuary Bay

Legend of the White Snake

The Scorpion Queen

The Killer She Knew

No Bones About It

Iron Widow

You Will Never Be Me

Save Steve

The Beasts We Bury 

The Crimes of Dorian Gray

Dead Post Society 

Boy of Chaotic Making

Wizard of Most Wicked Ways

Yes No Maybe So

The Last Time We Were Us

Needy Little Things

Overgrowth

Legacy of Chaos

The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin

Just Stab Me Now

Magical Readathon: Orilium:

Update 7

Update 8

Update 9

Update 10

Update 11

Update 12

Update 13

Update 14

Update 15

Update 16

Update 17

Update 18

Update 19

Update 20

Update 21

Update 22

Update 23

Update 24

Update 25

Update 26

Update 27

Update 28

Update 29

Update 30

Update 31

Update 32

Update 33

Update 34

Update 35

Update 36

Update 37

Update 38

Update 39

Update 40

Update 41

Update 42

Update 43

Update 44

Update 45 and Wrap Up

Reindeer Readathon: 

Update 9

Update 10 and Wrap Up

OK, so I got 90 posts in 7 days, and yeah, it was a crazy week, I really read a lot, and boy, I'm tired, and I'm very behind on blogging-I still have Wednesday posts to link. Opps! But I read some amazing books, and it's so weird that Christmas is this week, it feels like it should still be a month away! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read Heavenly Tyrant!

After suffering devastating loss and making drastic decisions, Zetian finds herself at the seat of power in Huaxia. But she has also learned that her world is not as it seems, and revelations about an enemy more daunting than Zetian imagined forces her to share power with a dangerous man she cannot simply depose. Despite having vastly different ideas about how they must deconstruct the corrupt and misogynist system that plagues their country, Zetian must join this man in a dance of truth and lies and perform their roles to perfection in order to take down their common enemy, who seeks to control them as puppets while dangling one of Zetian's loved ones as a hostage.

With political unrest and perilous forces aiming to undermine Zetian at every turn, can she enact positive changes as a fair and just ruler? Or will she be forced to rely on fear and violence and succumb to her darker instincts in her quest for vengeance?

Week 51 Review: The Girl in Question

From Goodreads:

Four teens. Three henchmen. Two thousand acres of remote forest. One very bad man. And a whole lot of new secrets to unearth. The unmissable, thrilling follow-up to The Girls I've Been (soon to be a Netflix film).

High school is over, but Nora O’Malley's life isn't, which is weird now that her murderous stepdad Raymond is free. Determined to enjoy summer before her (possibly) imminent demise, Nora plans a ten day backpacking trip with Iris and Wes. Her plans hit a snag when Wes's girlfriend tags along. Amanda is nice, so it's not a huge issue—until she gets taken. Or rather, mistaken…for Nora. All because of a borrowed flannel.

Now Raymond has a hostage. Nora has no leverage. Iris has a spear and Wes is building boobytraps. It'll take all of their skills to make it out of the forest alive.

There are three Someone is lying. Someone is keeping secrets.

And someone has to die.

My Review:
I loved reading this book! The first book set up these characters and set up Raymond as a threat, and this book, that threat was explored. Given that they were in an isolated forest, with no way to contact the outside world, that was pretty tense! 

What I loved most about this book was that we got Iris's perspective, and Wes's a time time or two. But if you didn't pay attention, that first chapter opens up without a name, which made me think that it was Nora narrating, but it was Iris, and that was really well done!

Oh, but there were plenty of fantastic plots and plans! We knew that there was an undercurrent of something going on, but it wasn't until about half-way when the truth came out! That was a fantastic twist, and I loved seeing the story unfold from there! 

The way things ended, was pretty conclusive. So this could be a duology, and this is the last time we would be with these characters. But if we get more time, I would definitely read more books in this series, they're just so entertaining! But if it's the end, then they had a good send off. 

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

Author: Tess Sharpe 
Series: The Girls I've Been #2 
Read: December 16th, 2024
Source: Ebook.bike 
Reason Why: Love her writing and the first book, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: May 14th 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Magical Readathon: Orilium Update 9

So I read my next book for Magical Readathon: Orilium Lightfall at Old Favour Pass, and it was The Girl in Question which was for the prompt Shank & Shawl Legitimate Retailer, and I'll be reading Snowed In next! 

My Reading Journey:

We Were Kings by Court Stevens

Prompt Fulfilled: Shank & Shawl Legitimate Retailer

Started On: December 14th

Finished On: December 14th, 1:48 PM

Pages Read: 400

The Arrival of Someday by Jen Malone

Prompt Fulfilled: The Old Tails Bookstore

Started On: December 14th

Finished On: December 14th, 5:32 PM

Pages Read: 368

The Rules by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié

Prompt Fulfilled: The Rich Pigeon Pub

Started On: December 14th

Finished On: December 14th, 9:47 PM

Pages Read: 352

The Winter Duke by Claire Eliza Bartlett

Prompt Fulfilled: Smith & Friends & Sons Arcane Goods and Such

Started On: December 15th

Finished On: December 15th, 11:38 AM

Pages Read: 432

Rules for Being a Girl by Candace Bushnell and Katie Cotugno

Prompt Fulfilled: The Rich Pigeon Pub

Started On: December 15th

Finished On: December 15th, 4:17 PM

Pages Read: 404

If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens

Prompt Fulfilled: Wallice's Wonderful Winter Wanimals

Started On: December 15th

Finished On: December 15th, 9:24 PM

Pages Read: 420

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall

Prompt Fulfilled: Smith & Friends & Sons Arcane Goods and Such

Started On: December 16th

Finished On: December 16th, 10:42 AM

Pages Read: 304

In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens

Prompt Fulfilled: Owlcat Craft Cafe

Started On: December 16th

Finished On: December 16th, 2:57 PM

Pages Read: 320

The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe

Prompt Fulfilled: Shank & Shawl Legitimate Retailer

Started On: December 16th

Finished On: December 16th, 7:04 PM

Pages Read: 442

Snowed In by Rachel Hawthorne

Prompt Fulfilled: Smith & Friends & Sons Arcane Goods and Such

Started On: December 16th

Currently On: Page 0 of 272

Prompts Left: Occult Premonitions, The Old Tails Bookstore, Wallice's Wonderful Winter Wanimals, Owlcat Craft Cafe, Occult Premonitions, The Old Tails Bookstore, Wallice's Wonderful Winter Wanimals, Shank & Shawl Legitimate Retailer, Owlcat Craft Cafe, Occult Premonitions, The Rich Pigeon Pub,The Old Tails Bookstore, Smith & Friends & Sons Arcane Goods and Such, Wallice's Wonderful Winter Wanimals, Shank & Shawl Legitimate Retailer, Owlcat Craft Cafe, Occult Premonitions, The Rich Pigeon Pub, The Old Tails Bookstore, Smith & Friends & Sons Arcane Goods and Such, Wallice's Wonderful Winter Wanimals, Shank & Shawl Legitimate Retailer, Owlcat Craft Cafe, Occult Premonitions, The Rich Pigeon Pub, The Old Tails Bookstore, Smith & Friends & Sons Arcane Goods and Such, Wallice's Wonderful Winter Wanimals, Shank & Shawl Legitimate Retailer, Owlcat Craft Cafe, Occult Premonitions, The Rich Pigeon Pub, The Old Tails Bookstore, Smith & Friends & Sons Arcane Goods and Such, Wallice's Wonderful Winter Wanimals, Shank & Shawl Legitimate Retailer, Owlcat Craft Cafe, Occult Premonitions, The Rich Pigeon Pub

Read: 9

Pages Read: 3038

Reindeer Readathon Update 10 and Wrap Up

So I read my final book for the Reindeer Challenge, and it was The Girl in Question which was for the prompt Sleighing It. I read some fantastic reads, and I'm glad I participated, and I can't wait for the next round! 

Reading Journey:

Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll

Prompt Fulfilled: Vixen

Started On: December 1st 

Finished On: December 1st, 2:44 PM

Pages Read: 530

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

Prompt Fulfilled: Prancer/Christmas Carols

Started On: December 2nd 

Finished On: December 2nd, 10:31 AM

Pages Read: 304

It's a Love/Skate Relationship by Carli J. Corson

Prompt Fulfilled: Rudolph/Christmas Tree

Started On: December 2nd 

Finished On: December 2nd, 5:47 PM

Pages Read: 337

Schemes & Scandals by Kelley Armstrong

Prompt Fulfilled: Cupid/Christmas Lights

Started On: December 3rd 

Finished On: December 3rd, 6:39 PM

Pages Read: 176

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft

Prompt Fulfilled: Comet

Started On: December 5th

Finished On: December 5th, 6:39 PM

Pages Read: 384

Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson

Prompt Fulfilled: Dancer/Christmas Star

Started On: December 6th

Finished On: December 6th, 11:34 PM

Pages Read: 1344

Blade of Secrets by Tricia Levenseller

Prompt Fulfilled: Donner

Started On: December 10th

Finished On: December 10th, 3:51 PM

Pages Read: 352

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

Prompt Fulfilled: Dasher

Started On: December 11th

Finished On: December 11th, 3:05 PM

Pages Read: 432

In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens

Prompt Fulfilled: Blitzen/Christmas Elf

Started On: December 16th

Finished On: December 16th, 2:57 PM

Pages Read: 320

The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe

Prompt Fulfilled: Sleighing It

Started On: December 16th

Finished On: December 16th, 7:04 PM

Pages Read: 442

Prompts Left: None Left!

Books Read: 10

Pages Read: 4621

Magical Readathon: Orilium Update 8

So I read my next book for Magical Readathon: Orilium Lightfall at Old Favour Pass, and it was In Deeper Waters which was for the prompt Owlcat Craft Cafe, and I'll be reading The Girl in Question next! 

My Reading Journey:

We Were Kings by Court Stevens

Prompt Fulfilled: Shank & Shawl Legitimate Retailer

Started On: December 14th

Finished On: December 14th, 1:48 PM

Pages Read: 400

The Arrival of Someday by Jen Malone

Prompt Fulfilled: The Old Tails Bookstore

Started On: December 14th

Finished On: December 14th, 5:32 PM

Pages Read: 368

The Rules by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguié

Prompt Fulfilled: The Rich Pigeon Pub

Started On: December 14th

Finished On: December 14th, 9:47 PM

Pages Read: 352

The Winter Duke by Claire Eliza Bartlett

Prompt Fulfilled: Smith & Friends & Sons Arcane Goods and Such

Started On: December 15th

Finished On: December 15th, 11:38 AM

Pages Read: 432

Rules for Being a Girl by Candace Bushnell and Katie Cotugno

Prompt Fulfilled: The Rich Pigeon Pub

Started On: December 15th

Finished On: December 15th, 4:17 PM

Pages Read: 404

If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens

Prompt Fulfilled: Wallice's Wonderful Winter Wanimals

Started On: December 15th

Finished On: December 15th, 9:24 PM

Pages Read: 420

A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall

Prompt Fulfilled: Smith & Friends & Sons Arcane Goods and Such

Started On: December 16th

Finished On: December 16th, 10:42 AM

Pages Read: 304

In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens

Prompt Fulfilled: Owlcat Craft Cafe

Started On: December 16th

Finished On: December 16th, 2:57 PM

Pages Read: 320

The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe

Prompt Fulfilled: Shank & Shawl Legitimate Retailer

Started On: December 16th

Currently On: Page 0 of 442

Prompts Left: Occult Premonitions, The Old Tails Bookstore, Wallice's Wonderful Winter Wanimals, Owlcat Craft Cafe, Occult Premonitions, The Old Tails Bookstore, Smith & Friends & Sons Arcane Goods and Such, Wallice's Wonderful Winter Wanimals, Shank & Shawl Legitimate Retailer, Owlcat Craft Cafe, Occult Premonitions, The Rich Pigeon Pub,The Old Tails Bookstore, Smith & Friends & Sons Arcane Goods and Such, Wallice's Wonderful Winter Wanimals, Shank & Shawl Legitimate Retailer, Owlcat Craft Cafe, Occult Premonitions, The Rich Pigeon Pub, The Old Tails Bookstore, Smith & Friends & Sons Arcane Goods and Such, Wallice's Wonderful Winter Wanimals, Shank & Shawl Legitimate Retailer, Owlcat Craft Cafe, Occult Premonitions, The Rich Pigeon Pub, The Old Tails Bookstore, Smith & Friends & Sons Arcane Goods and Such, Wallice's Wonderful Winter Wanimals, Shank & Shawl Legitimate Retailer, Owlcat Craft Cafe, Occult Premonitions, The Rich Pigeon Pub, The Old Tails Bookstore, Smith & Friends & Sons Arcane Goods and Such, Wallice's Wonderful Winter Wanimals, Shank & Shawl Legitimate Retailer, Owlcat Craft Cafe, Occult Premonitions, The Rich Pigeon Pub

Read: 8

Pages Read: 2596

Reindeer Readathon Update 9

So I read my next book for the Reindeer Challenge, and it was In Deeper Waters which was for the prompt Blitzen/Christmas Elf. I'll be reading The Girl in Question next! 

Reading Journey:

Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll

Prompt Fulfilled: Vixen

Started On: December 1st 

Finished On: December 1st, 2:44 PM

Pages Read: 530

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

Prompt Fulfilled: Prancer/Christmas Carols

Started On: December 2nd 

Finished On: December 2nd, 10:31 AM

Pages Read: 304

It's a Love/Skate Relationship by Carli J. Corson

Prompt Fulfilled: Rudolph/Christmas Tree

Started On: December 2nd 

Finished On: December 2nd, 5:47 PM

Pages Read: 337

Schemes & Scandals by Kelley Armstrong

Prompt Fulfilled: Cupid/Christmas Lights

Started On: December 3rd 

Finished On: December 3rd, 6:39 PM

Pages Read: 176

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft

Prompt Fulfilled: Comet

Started On: December 5th

Finished On: December 5th, 6:39 PM

Pages Read: 384

Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson

Prompt Fulfilled: Dancer/Christmas Star

Started On: December 6th

Finished On: December 6th, 11:34 PM

Pages Read: 1344

Blade of Secrets by Tricia Levenseller

Prompt Fulfilled: Donner

Started On: December 10th

Finished On: December 10th, 3:51 PM

Pages Read: 352

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

Prompt Fulfilled: Dasher

Started On: December 11th

Finished On: December 11th, 3:05 PM

Pages Read: 432

In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens

Prompt Fulfilled: Blitzen/Christmas Elf

Started On: December 16th

Finished On: December 16th, 2:57 PM

Pages Read: 320

The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe

Prompt Fulfilled: Sleighing It

Started On: December 16th

Currently On: Page 0 of 442

Prompts Left: None Left!

Books Read: 9

Pages Read: 4179

Waiting on Wednesday #675, April 17th

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

When Among Crows by Veronica Roth

Expected Publication: May 14th, 2024
From Goodreads:

Step into a city where monsters feast on human emotions, knights split their souls to make their weapons, and witches always take more than they give.

Pain is Dymitr’s calling. To slay the monsters he’s been raised to kill, he had to split his soul in half to make a sword from his own spine. Every time he draws it, he gets blood on his hands.

Pain is Ala’s inheritance. When her mother died, a family curse to witness horrors committed by the Holy Order was passed onto her. The curse will claim her life, as it did her mother’s, unless she can find a cure.

One fateful night in Chicago, Dymitr comes to Ala with a bargain: her help in finding the legendary witch Baba Jaga in exchange for an enchanted flower that just might cure her. Desperate, and unaware of what Dymitr really is, Ala agrees.

But they only have one day before the flower dies . . . and Ala's hopes of breaking the curse along with it.

Blood on the Tide by Katee Robert

Expected Publication: May 14th, 2024
From Goodreads:

Set sail for adventure and love in the next spicy fantasy romance from Katee Robert, the New York Times bestselling author of the TikTok smash hit Neon Gods .

As a bloodline vampire, Lizzie has never had a problem taking what she wants, and right now what she wants are the family heirlooms that were stolen from her and a portal home. Too bad even that short list is impossible to accomplish on her own—and her allies have bigger things to worry about.

When they rescue a selkie from captivity, it’s the perfect solution to her problem. Lizzie needs a guide through Threshold and the selkie needs someone to help her get her skin back.  Maeve didn’t choose to give up her skin—it was stolen from her. Now she’s in an uneasy partnership with a dangerous woman who seems more apt to kill than to share a kind word. It’s terrifying…and a bit alluring. Even though she knows it will end in heartbreak, Maeve can’t help being drawn to Lizzie and her all-too-pleasurable vampire bite. 

Unfortunately, the danger to Maeve’s heart is the least of her worries. The ship Lizzie’s chasing belongs to the Cŵn Annwn, and they don’t take kindly to people who steal from them. Not even Lizzie’s viciousness or Maeve’s selkie strength will be enough to save them if the Cŵn Annwn seek retribution…

The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

Expected Publication: May 14th, 2024
From Goodreads:

Christina Lauren, the instant New York Times bestselling and “reigning romance queens” (PopSugar), returns with a delicious new romance between the buttoned-up heir of a grocery chain and his free-spirited artist ex as they fake their relationship in order to receive a massive inheritance.

Anna Green thought she was marrying Liam “West” Weston for access to subsidized family housing while at UCLA. She also thought she’d signed divorce papers when the graduation caps were tossed, and they both went on their merry ways.

Three years later, Anna is a starving artist living paycheck to paycheck while West is a Stanford professor. He may be one of four heirs to the Weston Foods conglomerate, but he has little interest in working for the heartless corporation his family built from the ground up. He is interested, however, in his one-hundred-million-dollar inheritance. There’s just one catch.

Due to an antiquated clause in his grandfather’s will, Liam won’t see a penny until he’s been happily married for five years. Just when Liam thinks he’s in the home stretch, pressure mounts from his family to see this mysterious spouse, and he has no choice but to turn to the one person he’s afraid to introduce to his one-percenter parents—his unpolished, not-so-ex-wife.

But in the presence of his family, Liam’s fears quickly shift from whether the feisty, foul-mouthed, paint-splattered Anna can play the part to whether the toxic world of wealth will corrupt someone as pure of heart as his surprisingly grounded and loyal wife. Liam will have to ask himself if the price tag on his flimsy cover story is worth losing true love that sprouted from a lie.

Blood & Fury by Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland

Expected Publication: May 14th, 2024
From Goodreads:

Blood magic. Ancient fury.

Prepare for the gripping conclusion to the Chaos & Flame saga, the "fast-paced, action-filled fantasy that reads like a mix of Game of Thrones and The Last Airbender" (BCCB) from two beloved New York Times bestselling authors.

A single kiss set Chaos ablaze.

Picking up months after akiss transformed Darling into the long-lost Phoenix and every House regent into their empyreal form, Darling struggles to make sense of her destiny as a legendary creature. How can she, an orphan with no family, truly be the one to reunite the fractured houses and bring about peace, if she can't control the magic of her new Phoenix body?

Talon Goldhoard, still in love with Darling but wounded by her betrayal, is tasked with ending the vicious war that his family instigated. With the Phoenix reborn, Talon is hopeful that the bloodshed will end swiftly. Instead, the kingdom grows more fraught, with the threat of violence ever present – especially from dark, conniving forces within the walls of his own House Dragon.

As Chaos reigns, Talon and Darling must find their way back to each other to not survive but save the kingdom. Can Darling harness the power of the ancient magic that runs through her blood to bring about a new peace? Or will the fury that House Dragon fueled for a hundred-year war be too strong to break?

A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur

Expected Publication: May 14th, 2024
From Goodreads:

June Hur, bestselling author of The Red Palace, crafts a devastating and pulse-pounding tale that will feel all-too-relevant in today’s world, based on a true story from Korean history.

Hope is dangerous. Love is deadly.

1506, Joseon. The people suffer under the cruel reign of the tyrant King Yeonsan, powerless to stop him from commandeering their land for his recreational use, banning and burning books, and kidnapping and horrifically abusing women and girls as his personal playthings.

Seventeen-year-old Iseul has lived a sheltered, privileged life despite the kingdom’s turmoil. When her older sister, Suyeon, becomes the king’s latest prey, Iseul leaves the relative safety of her village, traveling through forbidden territory to reach the capital in hopes of stealing her sister back. But she soon discovers the king’s power is absolute, and to challenge his rule is to court certain death.

Prince Daehyun has lived his whole life in the terrifying shadow of his despicable half-brother, the king. Forced to watch King Yeonsan flaunt his predation through executions and rampant abuse of the common folk, Daehyun aches to find a way to dethrone his half-brother once and for all. When staging a coup, failure is fatal, and he’ll need help to pull it off—but there’s no way to know who he can trust.

When Iseul's and Daehyun's fates collide, their contempt for each other is transcended only by their mutual hate for the king. Armed with Iseul’s family connections and Daehyun’s royal access, they reluctantly join forces to launch the riskiest gamble the kingdom has ever

Save her sister. Free the people. Destroy a tyrant.

The Dixon Rule by Elle Kennedy

Expected Publication: May 14th, 2024
From Goodreads:

Diana Dixon has a lot going on this summer. She’s rehearsing for a ballroom dance competition, juggling two jobs, and dealing with an ex-boyfriend who can’t take the hint it’s over. Yet despite all that, she still has plenty of time and energy to tell Shane Lindley to screw off.

Shane just moved into her apartment building and seems dedicated to sleeping his way through her entire cheerleading squad. Sure, he’s a tall, gorgeous hockey player, but he’s messing with her turf. This calls for some ground rules: no parties in her apartment, leave her teammates alone, and—most importantly—leave her alone.

What Diana doesn’t realize is that Shane’s sick of hookups and tired of being on the rebound after his long-term girlfriend called it quits. He wants a relationship. And when his ex comes back into the picture, he pretends he has one to make her jealous…and who better to play the girlfriend role than his sassy new neighbor?

Despite Diana’s reluctance to break her rule, a fake relationship is the perfect solution for her own ex issues, and soon she can’t deny something is sizzling between her and Shane. Something hot and completely unexpected.

And it might just be getting a little too real.

The House that Horror Build by Christina Henry

Expected Publication: May 14th, 2024
From Goodreads:

A single mother working in the gothic mansion of a reclusive horror director stumbles upon terrifying secrets.

Harry Adams loves horror movies, so it’s no coincidence that she accepted a job cleaning house for horror-movie director Javier Castillo. His forbidding gray-stone Chicago mansion, Bright Horses, is filled from top to bottom with terrifying props and costumes as well as glittering awards from his career making movies that thrilled audiences—until family tragedy and scandal forced him to vanish from the industry.

Javier values discretion, and Harry always tries to keep the house immaculate, her head down, and her job safe. Then she hears noises from behind a locked door, noises that sound remarkably like a human voice calling for help. Harry knows not asking questions is a vital part of keeping her job, but she soon discovers that the house may be home to secrets she can’t ignore.

The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe

Expected Publication: May 14th, 2024
From Goodreads:

Four teens. Three henchmen. Two thousand acres of remote forest. One very bad man. And a whole lot of new secrets to unearth. The unmissable, thrilling follow-up to The Girls I've Been (soon to be a Netflix film).

High school is over, but Nora O’Malley’s life isn’t, which is weird now that her murderous stepdad Raymond is free. Determined to enjoy summer before her (possibly) imminent demise, Nora plans a ten day backpacking trip with Iris and Wes. Her plans hit a snag when Wes’s girlfriend tags along. Amanda is nice, so it’s not a huge issue—until she gets taken. Or rather,  mis taken…for Nora. All because of a borrowed flannel.

Now Raymond has a hostage. Nora has no leverage. Iris has a spear and Wes is building boobytraps. It’ll take all of their skills   to make it out of the forest alive.

There are three Someone is lying. Someone is keeping secrets.

And someone has to die.

Oh, there's so many books coming out in the second week of May, and I'm so excited, I love these authors and series! What about you guys? Happy reading!