Week 31 Review: Cold as Hell

From Goodreads:

New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong returns to Haven's Rock in Cold as Hell as Casey Butler hunts down a dangerous killer during a deadly blizzard.

Haven’s Rock is a sanctuary town hidden deep in the Yukon for those who need to disappear from the regular world. Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are starting a family now that they've settled into their life here. As Casey nears the end of her pregnancy, she lets nothing, including her worried husband, stop her from investigating what happens in the forbidden forest outside the town of Haven's Rock.

When one of the town's residents is drugged and wanders too close to the edge of town, she's dragged into the woods kicking and screaming. She’s saved in the nick of time, but the women of the town are alarmed. Casey and Eric investigate the assault just as a snowstorm hits Haven's Rock, covering the forest. It's there they find a frozen body, naked in the snow. With mixed accounts of the woman's last movements, the two begin to question who they can trust—and who they can't—in their seemingly safe haven.

My Review:
I devoured this book! Kelley Armstrong is one of my most favourite authors, and I love this series, so I had to pick it up! What with her finding out about her pregnancy in the previous book, well, I had to know how things would progress! 

After the last book where it dealt a lot with the group of miners a lot, this one was much more contained to the town of Haven's Rock. Sure, they still go out into the wilderness, but the suspects are restricted to those that are in town, which was great, to get to know some of the people they're protecting better, and see just how their policies are working.

The investigation is also dealing with the fact that she's pretty far along in her pregnancy, which was pretty high risk anyways. That she had to deal with her investigative instincts versus pretty much everybody's protective instincts, yeah, Casey and Eric have to have a few conversations.

Finding out the way that everything worked out the way that it did was so satisfying! With every case, they're learning more and fine-tuning their town. That final showdown, that was so intense, and Casey was such a badass, I loved reading it so much, and how everything worked out in the end! 

Completely loved reading this book, and I can't wait to read more by Kelley Armstrong! 

Author: Kelley Armstrong 
Series: Haven's Rock #3
Read: August 1st, 2024 
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Love her writing and this world, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Expected Publication: February 18th 2025

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 31 Review: A Cursed Son

From Goodreads:

In her dreams, he envelops her in love—in real life, he imprisons her in ice.

Assassin, liar, impersonator—dreamer.

As a decoy princess, trained to replace Her Highness even in a political marriage, Astra's life is not her own. With a duty like that, how can she dream about love?

And yet she knows she has a kindred soul. She can feel his presence every night, holding her in his arms, surrounding her with his warmth. But ice-cold reality crashes in when Astra's carriage is attacked by the Crystal Court's disgraced prince.

Exiled for horrific crimes, not only he's a wielder of powerful magic, he can also penetrate minds.

It turns out that he is the man in her dreams.

And this is about to get very, very awkward…

A Cursed Son is a fun, sexy, enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance for fans of fae, elemental magic, forced proximity, dream connection, and snarky banter.

My Review:
I had a really great time reading this book! I loved reading Astra's story, learning more about this world, and rooting for her as she dealt with conflicting loyalties, because this one kingdom raised her, but this prince is not what he seems. I had to know more! I was full to the brim with giddiness reading this book, the set up and these characters were so cute!

Astra's life is not her own, she's been raised to be the body double of this princess, to put her life in danger to keep this girl safe. She was housed in the castle, but kept secluded, trained, but wasn't paid. And she has a secret about her heritage, which makes things all the more complicated.

That they are soulmates, with that dream connection, was so much fun to read, because she feels embarrassed by the contents of the dreams, whereas he thinks she's that powerful, that she's making it up, which causes a lot of banter which was hilarious to read. I was a tad bit confused-was it a mix of things that'll happen in the future, and a more loving version of the present? Because there was that once scene where he was poisoned and that was happening in real time, but the other ones, they seemed to be at a time that hasn't happened yet...I'm not sure, maybe we'll find out more in the sequel! 

Yeah, that ending got me! I'm glad that she figured out at least a part of the truth of what was going on, and was making a plan to get him out-but in the meantime, he's being held prisoner by someone who doesn't wish him well, and I know it's not going to go well, and I need him not to be in that awful situation! 

Loved reading this book so much, and I'm so exhilarated for the sequel! 

Author: Day Leitao
Series: Remnants of the Fallen Kingdom #1
Read: August 1st, 2024
Source: NetGalley  
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book! 
Publisher: Sparkly Wave
Published: June 25th 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 31 Review: 49 Miles Alone

From Goodreads:

Four days alone in the desert. Except they're not as alone as they think.

A year ago, Katie and her cousin Aster survived a night that left their world and easy friendship fractured. Desperate to heal and leave the past behind them, they tackle four days of hiking in the Utah backcountry. But the desert they've loved for years has tricks up its sleeve.

An illness, an injury, and a freak storm leave them short on confidence and supplies. When they come across a young couple with extra supplies on the trail, they're grateful and relieved―at first. Riley exudes friendliness, but everything about her boyfriend Finn spells trouble. That night, after some chilling admissions about Finn from Riley, Katie and Aster wake to hear the couple fighting. Helpless and trapped in the darkness, they witness Riley's desperate race into the night, with Finn chasing after.

In the morning, they find the couple's camp, but Riley and Finn? Vanished. Katie is sure Riley is in trouble. And with help a two-day hike away, they know they are the only ones who can save her before something terrible happens. The clock is ticking and their supplies are dwindling, but Katie and Aster know they have to find Riley before Finn―or the desert―gets to her first.

My Review:


Author: Natalie D. Richards 
Read: July 31st, 2024
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Love her writing and it sounded great, and it's a SAC 2024 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Published: July 2nd 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 31 Review: The Grandest Game

From Goodreads:

Get caught up in the puzzles, games, danger, romance, and riches of this lush new chapter in the #1 bestselling Inheritance Games saga.

Seven tickets. An island of dreams. The chance of a lifetime.

Welcome to the Grandest Game, an annual competition run by billionaire Avery Grambs and the four infamous Hawthorne brothers, whose family fortune she inherited. Designed to give anyone a shot at fame and fortune, this year's game requires one of seven golden tickets to enter. With millions on the line, those seven players will do whatever it takes to win.

Some of the players are in it for the money. Some for power. Some for reasons all their own. Every single one of them has secrets. Amidst it all is Grayson Hawthorne, tasked with a vital role in this year's game. But as tensions rise and the mind-bending challenges push the players to their limits—physically, mentally, and emotionally—it soon becomes clear that not everyone is playing by the rules.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Lynn Barnes delivers a brand-new series in the world of The Inheritance Games, where fan-favorite and new characters collide in a game you’ll never forget.

Do you have what it takes to play?

My Review:
I loved reading this book! I love her writing and the original series and I was so excited to see what this book would bring, and it brought it with the puzzles and games and clues, it was just so much fun to read! Plus to see the original cast from an outside the group perspective was wonderful.

About half of the cast was returning and half was new characters. We got the perspectives of Gigi, Grayson's half sister, Rohan who we meet in The Brothers Hawthorn, and Lyra, a new character, which was really great, because at one point they're split into groups and there was one viewpoint character per team and it was so great to see them solve their different riddles and alternate between the teams.

There is a lot of tension, between the race to solve everything, to the reasons why that they're all participating. I had to know more, see what was going to happen next, I was on the edge of my seat! The different ways of solving the challenges was so entertaining! 

A lot was set up in this book, their dynamics and their mysteries. Where we left these characters has me anticipating the sequel with every fibre of my being. Where we left Gigi, in particular and what that revealed, eek!

Loved reading this book and I can't wait for the sequel and for Games Untold and getting more time with the original cast of characters!

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes 
Series: The Grandest Game #1
Read: July 30th, 2024 
Source: Ebook.bike  
Reason Why: Love her writing and this world, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: July 30th 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 31 Review: Sanctuary

From Goodreads:

It's not easy serving the Chernobog, the God of Destruction, Darkness and Death…especially during the holidays; and especially when you're out of eggnog and one of your pesky, freeloading mythic creatures has eaten your last cookie.

Roman would like nothing more than to be left alone, but when a wounded boy stumbles into his yard and begs for sanctuary, Roman takes him in. Now elite mercenaries are camped out on his property, combat mages are dousing the house with fire, and strange priests are unleashing arcane magic. They thought Roman was easy pickings, just a hermit in the woods, but they chose the wrong dark priest to annoy. For while Roman might be patient, he is the Black Volhv, filled with the love of his terrible god. For his adversaries, it's a fight to the death, but for him, it's just another day in the neighborhood.

My Review:
Of course I loved reading this book, I adore Ilona Andrews writing, and this is set in the Kate Daniels world, following Roman, who we've met a few times, but the story has never focused on him before this book. It was fantastic and I'm so glad that we got it! 

I was reading this as it was being published on their blog. I was glad to read it all again, and then having the ending, to get a bit more of time with these characters was so great! This series is so fantastic, and having a book focused on the perspective of a priest, and their god, added to the world, which I love! 

Roman wants to be left alone, it's the holidays, and he's in a pretty poor mood. But when a boy comes to his home and asks for sanctuary, he grants it, that someone is after this kid, and the methods of the people after him are not great. Which just makes his mood worse.

It was really good to spend this time with Roman, he's been a beloved character since he was introduced, and getting to know more about him and his past and the path to becoming his god's priest, and it sucks how much harder it was for him then it should’ve been because of his brother and family. But I'm glad that this is going to be a series so we're going to get more!

Loved reading this book and I can’t wait for whatever's next from Ilona Andrews!

Author: Ilona Andrews 
Series: Roman Chronicles #1, World of Kate Daniels #15.5
Read: July 30th, 2024
Source: Ebook.bike
Reason Why: Love her writing and this world, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: NYLA 
Published: July 30th 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 31 Review: The Heretic Royal

From Goodreads:

As two sisters battle for a single throne in G.A. Aiken's newest fantasy, warring factions take up arms, a land is divided, and uncertain allies become very certain lovers . . .

Gods save the queen!

Ainsley Farmerson has always planned to break free of the family business—and the family drama. But what was once farming, smithworking, and bickering over the dinner table has turned into open warfare between sisters. Sides have been taken, lives are on the line, and Ainsley has no doubt which sister must be queen. She'll do whatever is necessary to take down the soulless Beatrix. Even if that means joining forces with angry battle nuns, irritating monks, and overbearing centaurs.

Gruffyn of the Torn Moon Clan has no time for human beings. And yet . . . there is something about the uncontrollable princess that he can't ignore. Maybe it's the way her eldest sisters underestimate her. Or her bravery facing down dragons and mad queens from distant lands. Whatever the reason, Gruff is willing to fight by this human's side. Not only for the entertainment value, but because she's right. Beatrix must never be queen. So whatever he has to do, whoever he has to destroy, Gruff will battle beside Ainsley. Fast. Hard. And with absolutely no mercy . . .

My Review:
I loved reading this book! I love her writing and this series so much, and now that I've caught up with my reread (plus my read of the other series set in this world) I could finally get to this book! I just love this world and these characters so much!

G.A. Aiken's writing is always comedic, crazy and chaotic. I always have a blast consuming these stories, and this latest one with heretic in the title? I had to know more, and it was another great story in this world and i couldn't get enough! 

This family who are dealing with one of them being the villain, I've really enjoyed them. To get Ainsley's story, and Gruff's, was so fantastic, I really enjoyed them together and their dynamics. Just the way that he regards the whole situation, basically as something to entertain him, yeah, they were so great!  

Given that this is a fight on who the ruler should be, there are a bunch of politics and machinations, plots and schemes. Adding in all these wonderful characters and their relationships, really brought this book to life, and told a compelling tale! 

Reading this book was so fantastic, and I can't wait for whatever's next, under G.A. Aiken or Shelly Laurenston! 

Author: G.A. Aiken
Series: The Scarred Earth Saga #3
Read: July 29th, 2024 
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Kensington 
Published: December 27th 2022

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 31 Review: Soulprint

From Goodreads:
A new literary, sci-fi thriller from acclaimed author Megan Miranda.

With the science of soul-fingerprinting a reality, Alina Chase has spent her entire life imprisoned for the crimes her past-self committed. In an attempt to clear her name, Alina unintentionally trades one prison for another when she escapes, aided by a group of teens whose intentions and motivations are a mystery to her. As she gets to know one of the boys, sparks fly, and Alina believes she may finally be able to trust someone. But when she uncovers clues left behind from her past life that only she can decipher, secrets begin to unravel. Alina must figure out whether she's more than the soul she inherited, or if she's fated to repeat the past. 

This compelling story will leave readers wondering if this fictional world could become a reality.

My Review:


Author: Megan Miranda
Read: July 29th, 2024
Source: Bought 
Reason Why: Love her other books, and it's a 2024 Dystopia Book, LLFL Book, SAC 2024 Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Published: February 3rd 2015

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 31 Review: The Outlier

From Goodreads:

An audaciously twisty psychological thriller in which finding the killer is only one of two mysteries its anti-heroine, Cate Winter, tries to unravel. The when pushed to extremes, what is she herself capable of?

Cate Winter, at 34, is a wildly successful neuroscientist and entrepreneur who has invented a cure for Alzheimer's that will improve the lives of millions. On the verge of selling her biotech company for an obscene sum, she is also about to become very rich.

But Cate has a secret that keeps her deeply uneasy about everything she is and she grew up at the Cleckley Institute, a treatment facility for the rehabilitation of psychopathic children. And, as far as she knows, she is the institute's only all of her peers have become thwarted, maladjusted or even criminal adults.

Then Cate discovers the existence of another ex-patient and outlier who might prove that her success isn't a fluke. He has not only stayed out of jail, but he's made a mark in business and science. Though his identity is confidential, she breaks the rules and drops everything to track him down. And when she finds him, living under an assumed name in Baja California, she is immediately obsessed. Like her, he is driven and brilliant, an innovator willing to do what it takes to perfect a new energy technology that will stop global warming. Here, at last, is her mirror, her ultimate collaborator, the possible answer to the enigma of her nature.

But in the wake of a mysterious death, Cate can't avoid suspecting him. If he is involved, do his ends justify his means? Ruthless herself, she's about to find out whether there are any moral lines she won't cross.

My Review:
I'm so glad that I read this book! I was recommended it by Kelley Armstrong and I'm glad I saw that recommendation and got an opportunity to review this book! It was such a gripping story and I couldn't put it down!

The whole premise of a school that treated a bunch of kids with psychopathic tendencies but that in adulthood most aren't law abiding citizens or done well for themselves, to have one or the only outliers searching out the other, yeah, it was really thrilling to read! 

Cate has created a drug that helps people with Alzheimer's, she's rich and successful but given where she was schooled, and the outcomes of most of the other residents, has her concerned for her own future. Finding out that there was another success story, she has to seek him out. 

We did get a few other perspectives, and I wondered how they would all connect. As the story progressed, seeing all these pieces that seemed separate stories come together in the big picture, was so fantastic! It so clever and well done and I just had to keep reading and see how it resolved! 

Loved reading this book and I'd love to read more by Elisabeth Eaves!

Author: Elisabeth Eaves
Read: July 28th, 2024 
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Sounded really great, and it's a SAC 2024 Book! 
Publisher: Random House Canada 
Expected Publication: August 6th 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 31 Review: Ami

From Goodreads:

When the Pillar blooms, the end of the world is not far behind.

Li Ami was always on the outside—outside of family, outside of friendships, outside of ordinary magic. The odd and eccentric daughter of a former imperial magician, she has devoted her life to books because she finds them easier to read than people. Exiled to the outermost west of the Morning Realms, Ami has become the sole caretaker of her mentally ill father, whose rantings and ravings may be more than mere ramblings; they may be part of a dire prophecy. When her father is arrested for trespassing and stealing a branch from the sacred tree of the local monastery, Ami offers herself to the mysterious Beast in the castle, who is in need of someone who can translate a forbidden magical text and find a cure for the mysterious blight that is affecting the harvest of the land.

Meanwhile, as signs of magical corruption arise throughout the Morning Realms, Jin Zhara begins to realize that she might be out of her element. She may have defeated a demon lord and uncovered her identity as the Guardian of Fire, but she'll be more than outmatched in the coming elemental battle against the Mother of Ten Thousand Demons…unless she can find the other Guardians of Dawn. Her magic is no match for the growing tide of undead, and she needs the Guardian of Wood with power over life and death in order to defeat the revenants razing the countryside.

The threat of the Mother of Ten Thousand Demons looms larger by the day, and the tenuous peace holding the Morning Realms together is beginning to unravel. Ami and Zhara must journey to the Root of the World in order to seal the demon portal that may have opened there and restore balance to an increasingly chaotic world.

My Review:


Author: S. Jae-Jones 
Series: Guardian of Dawn #2
Read: July 28th, 2024
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Wednesday Books 
Expected Publication: August 6th 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 31 Review: Lucero

From Goodreads:

The thrilling finale to the #1 Sunday Times and Los Angeles Times bestselling Nocturna trilogy—a sweeping and epic Dominican-inspired fantasy about a face-changing thief and a risk-taking prince who must save their kingdom in the final battle between good and evil magic. Perfect for fans of Tomi Adeyemi, Sabaa Tahir, and Roseanne A. Brown.

In the aftermath of Sombra's return, the balance between light and dark magic has been destroyed and chaos has broken out in Castallan and around the world. Sombra's shadows have taken over to create monstrous versions of everyone Finn and Alfie love, and with war between Castallan and Englass looming, the prince and the thief must band together one last time—to save their entire world.

To stop the magical imbalance, they must find the stone relics of Sombra's body before the god can unite the pieces and regain his full strength once more.

But the laws of magic no longer apply, and with their own magic—and even the laws of time itself—drastically changing at every turn, Finn and Alfie are left on their own to stop Sombra and fulfill their prophecy before it is too late and the darkness reigns.

Will they restore balance to their world or will its light be gone forever?

My Review:


Author: Maya Motayne 
Series: A Forgery of Magic #3
Read: July 27th, 2024
Source: Ebook.bike 
Reason Why: Love the series, and it's a End of Series 2024 Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Published: December 26th 2023

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 31 Review: The Phoenix Keeper

From Goodreads:

A socially awkward but determined phoenix keeper must partner with her longtime rival to save her beloved exhibit from falling into obscurity in this charming, romantic fantasy debut.

Aila is a little obsessed with phoenixes. As head phoenix keeper at a world-renowned zoo for magical creatures, her childhood dream of conserving critically endangered firebirds seems closer than ever. There's just one glaring her zoo's breeding program hasn't functioned for a decade. When a tragic phoenix-nabbing cripples the flagship program at a neighbouring zoo, Aila must prove her derelict facilities are fit to take the reins.    

But saving a species takes more than stellar animal handling skills. Carnivorous water horses, tempestuous thunderhawks — Aila has no problem wrangling beasts. Inspiring zoo patrons? That's another story. Finding the courage to ask for help from the hot dragon keeper at a neighbouring exhibit? Virtually impossible. And don't get Aila started on her arch-rival from the glamorous leader of the zoo's wildly popular griffin show, who's convinced that Aila's beloved phoenix would serve better as a performer than a conservation exhibit.   

Aided by both friends and enemies, Aila must conquer her social anxiety if she is to restore her breeding programme. With the world watching and the threat of poachers looming, Aila's success isn't only a matter of keeping her the future of a species depends on her.

My Review:
This was such a warm hug of a read! I'm really enjoying this wave of cozy fantasy, of low stakes, and this one in a world with magical creatures, and the zoos and conservation efforts, yeah, I would love to spend more time in this world!

Aila is anxiety walking, and I could relate so easily to her! She worries about every single thing, basically, from talking to the guy that she's attracted to, to talking to the public about the creatures under her care. That what if, what if something goes wrong, that little voice in the back of your head, I related so much! 

This world of creatures that are mythological in our world, being zoo creatures, some of which are near extinction, was so interesting to read, and all the methods that they have to deal with these creatures, it's basically our technology level and society, but in this fantasy world, which was so interesting to read! 

Oh, but her relationships in this book were so great! Tanya, the steadfast friend, Luciana, someone who humiliated Aila in college, and now is a rising star at work, with the enemies to lovers? They were all so great to read about, I loved all their dynamics, and the growth in all these relationships! 

I did guess who the bad guy was right at the one point, because the way that he was rubbing her wrong, and that one factoid being brought up, yeah, that made me suspicious. So it was a delight to be proven right, though awful, too, because he was such an awful person! 

Loved reading this book and I can't wait to read more by S.A. MacLean! 

Author: S.A. MacLean
Read: July 27th, 2024
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Sounded really great, and it's a DAC Book, SAC 2024 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Orbit
Expected Publication: August 13th 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

ARC August Update 3

So I read my next book for ARC August, and it was Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear and I'll be reading Tallulah's Back in Town next! 

My Reading Journey:

A Cursed Son by Day Leitao

Started On: August 1st

Finished On: August 1st, 3:30 PM

Pages Read: 462

Cold as Hell by Kelley Armstrong

Started On: August 1st

Finished On: August 1st, 8:39 PM

Pages Read: 352

Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire

Started On: August 2nd

Finished On: August 2nd, 11:03 PM

Pages Read: 160

Tallulah's Back in Town by Brenda Novak

Started On: August 3rd

Currently On: Page 0 of 400

Goals: 31
Read: 3
Pages Read: 974

Last Letter, First Letter Reading Challenge Update 93

So I read my next LLFL Book!  

 
I read Soulprint! 

Yep. Happy reading!

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

What it is:

You pick a book, read it. Then you look at the last letter of the title, for example, "The Adventures of Tom Saywer." Then you take that last letter, and search you TBR piles for a book starting with the last letter, so continuing the example, someone could read "Rotters" next, and then a title that starts with "s."

Rules:
1. Have fun!
2. Read!
3. The last letter of the book you read must be the first letter of the next book you read.
4. Words like "the," "a," "and," and those such don't count as the first letter.
5. If a letter becomes overused, like d, e, l, w, ext., and you run out of books that you really want to read for this challenge, cycle in letters that don't often get used like a, b, i, k, p, ext, and note what you cycle in, where!  

Monthly ARC's Update 83

So I read my next book for Monthly ARC's and it was Ami by S. Jae-Jones and The Phoenix Keeper by S. A. MacLean from the August list, and The Heretic Royal by G.A. Aiken from the December 2022 list (I finally finished the 2022 list!) and 49 Miles Alone by Natalie D. Richards from the July 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.    

     

Monthly Series August Round Up

In 2024, I going to continue to focus on continuing series. So each month, I'll chose a series that I was current on in a previous year, but has since been continued. A series that I started or continued, but didn't catch up with what was currently published. A series that I haven't touched since 2020. A series that I read from this year, but still need to continue. A series that I haven't started yet, but have been meaning to. Then each month, I'll do one more series from one of these types, so I have 2, it'll just depend on what I'm planning on reading that month. The goal is to finish out as many series as I can, and keep current on the series that are still ongoing. 

So how did I do last month? 

I read How to Steal a Galaxy by Beth Revis, A Tale of Two Dragons by G.A. Aiken, Light My Fire by G.A. Aiken, Feel The Burn by G.A. Aiken, Bring The Heat by G.A. Aiken, The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh, The Damned by Renée Ahdieh, The Black Bird Oracle by Deborah Harkness, The Blacksmith Queen by G.A. Aiken, The Princess Knight by G.A. Aiken, The Righteous by Renée Ahdieh, The Ruined by Renée Ahdieh, Song of the Dead by Sarah Glenn Marsh. So I stayed current with 3 series, and finished 3, so I'm happy with that! 

This month I've chosen which series, and the ones that got chosen and I'm going to be reading this month are:

Current in a Previous Year:

Wayward Children by Seanan McGuire 

Unfinished in a Previous Year:

The Once and Future Queen by Clara O'Connor

Untouched Since 2020:

Unbound by Eve Marie Mont

Series from This Year:

Ruby Vaughn by Jess Armstrong

Series to Start:

Words Make Flesh by AdriAnne Strickland

The Witch's Compendium of Monsters by Genoveva Dimova

Monthly ARC's September Round Up

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. 

So how did I do last month? 

I read 5 of 11 books. Again, not great. But it's an ARC reading month, so I hope to read a lot! 

So the ARC's that I have coming out in September are

NetGalley:

Hate Hex by Gina LaManna - September 1st 2024

This Book Kills by Ravena Kaur Guron - September 3rd, 2024

Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma - September 3rd, 2024

Phantasma by Kaylie Smith - September 3rd, 2024

Tiger's Tale by Colleen Houck - September 10th, 2024

Bitter Is the Heart by Mina Hardy - September 17th, 2024

The Lies We Conjure by Sarah Henning - September 17th, 2024

Nightstrider by Sophia Slade - September 17th, 2024

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard - September 24th, 2024

The Cold Light of Day by Anna Lee Huber - September 24th, 2024

The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel - September 24th, 2024

The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by C. M. Waggoner  - September 24th, 2024

Edelweiss:

Us in Ruins by Rachel Moore - September 3rd, 2024

Songlight by Moira Buffini - September 3rd, 2024

The Unfinished by Cheryl Isaacs - September 10th, 2024

Till the Last Beat of My Heart by Louangie Bou-Montes - September 10th, 2024

Night Owls by A. R. Vishny - September 17th, 2024

The Banned Books Club by Brenda Novak  - September 17th, 2024

Aisle Nine by Ian X. Cho - September 24th, 2024

19. Which I think is the most that I've had in a month. Alas! But again, ARC reading month, so I have hopes of reading a good number of these books! 

Book Blogger Hop #356, August 2nd

Book Blogger Hop

The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer from Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended on December 31, 2012. With Jennifer's permission, Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer relaunched the meme on February 15, 2013. Check out the hop here! 

Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end on Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop's purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.

The Question of the week is: August is National Romance Awareness Month. Do you have a favorite romantic book to suggest to other readers eager to celebrate love through literature? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

I don't read a lot of contemporary romances, I mainly read paranormal or fantasy romance. One contemporary is Elle Kennedy and Ali Hazelwood, but others are Gena Showalter, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Nalini Singh, Patricia Briggs. There's many more, but these are the ones that first come to mind. What about you guys? Happy reading! 

First Lines Friday #690, August 2nd

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!

"Nadya Sokolov, as she grew older, would come to say that she had three mothers: the one who bore her, the country that poisoned her, and the one who adopted her. But when he story began, she knew no mother at all. She was born to an unmarried teenager in a state-run hospital, a girl whose own story has as yet gone unwritten, who pushed her firstborn daughter screaming and bloody into the world, already half-determined to run and leave the child behind, even before she got her first look at the baby."-Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire

That doesn't sound good! Must read more now! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

ARC August Update 2

So I read my next book for ARC August, and it was Cold as Hell and I'll be reading Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear next! 

My Reading Journey:

A Cursed Son by Day Leitao

Started On: August 1st

Finished On: August 1st, 3:30 PM

Pages Read: 462

Cold as Hell by Kelley Armstrong

Started On: August 1st

Finished On: August 1st, 8:39 PM

Pages Read: 352

Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear by Seanan McGuire

Started On: August 2nd

Currently On: Page 0 of 160

Goals: 31
Read: 2
Pages Read: 814

ARC August Update 1

So I read my first book for ARC August, and it was A Cursed Son and I'll be reading Cold as Hell next! 

My Reading Journey:

A Cursed Son by Day Leitao

Started On: August 1st

Finished On: August 1st, 3:30 PM

Pages Read: 462

Cold as Hell by Kelley Armstrong

Started On: August 1st

Currently On: Page 0 of 352

Goals: 31
Read: 1
Pages Read: 462

Random Reads #663, August 1st

Random Reads is a monthly meme (that I'm going to do weekly) hosted by I'm Loving Books to read some books that have been on our TBR piles for a long time. Using Random.org, I got 5645 which turned out to be Worst in Show by Anna E. Collins! It's been on my TBR pile since July 12th, 2024, and I added it because it sounded really good and I got it as an ARC! What about you guys? Happy reading!

Third Sentence Thursday #677, August 1st

Third Sentence Thursday is a weekly meme which likes to watch fireworks especially while eating a cookie!

1) Take the book you are currently reading and open it to a random page. Share the third full sentence on that page. (If there isn't a third one – like at the end of a chapter or a blank page – you can share the third sentence of the book or just choose another random page.) Feel free to share more than one sentence, if you feel the need to do so.

2) Review this sentence anyway you want (funny and silly reviews encouraged)

3) Post a link to your sentence at Words I Write Crazy (This Blog)

4) Visit one or two of the other blogs to check out their third sentences!

"I've spend the intervening months on tasks that have not required deep bending." -Cold as Hell by Kelley Armstrong, page 24.

If you've read the previous book, then you know why this is happening. Eek! Must read more now! What are your guy's 3rd lines? Link up below!

Will the Time Come #687, August 1st

Every Thursday I am going to list a book which I really want to read/keep meaning to get to. These are mostly books which have been on my shelf for awhile now but don't have to be, maybe you got it two weeks ago and really want to read it! Thanks to Jodie from Books for Company for this meme!

Want to Join?

-Pick a book you have been meaning to read

-Do a post telling us about the book    

-Link the post up in the linky  

-Visit the other blogs

From Goodreads:

There's danger in the beauty...

Two years, six months, and twenty-five days. That's how long it had been since I'd seen my winged hero— not that I'd been counting. I'd suffered through years of counseling just to convince my friends and family that I wasn't crazy and knew he didn't exist.

But he did. And I was done waiting.

Days after college graduation I headed back down to New Orleans to retrace my steps and find Owen again only to find my life was about to get even crazier... thanks to the most beautiful and dangerous of all paranormal creatures, the Allures.d

Why the time hasn't come yet...

I've fallen really behind on this world, since I had to start over, and that stalled out. But I want to read it! What about you guys? Happy reading!