NetGalley November Update 28

So I've read my next book for the NetGalley November, and it was Dreams Lie Beneath which is for the prompt Edelweiss Buddy Read an ARC, and I'll be reading Gallant next! 

My Reading Journey:

ExtraOrdinary by V.E. Schwab

Prompt Fulfilled: Edelweiss An Author You Have Read Before

Started On: November 2nd

Finished On: November 2nd, 9:54 PM

Pages Read: 112

The Immortal by Gena Showalter

Prompt Fulfilled: Edelweiss A Highly Anticipated Book

Started On: November 3rd

Finished On: November 3rd, 10:03 PM

Pages Read: 384

Pride, Prejudice, and Peril by Katie Oliver

Prompt Fulfilled: NetGalley A Character You Relate To

Started On: November 4th

Finished On: November 4th, 10:57 PM

Pages Read: 320

Witch Please by Ann Aguirre

Prompt Fulfilled: NetGalley A 2022 Release

Started On: November 5th

Finished On: November 5th, 10:15 PM

Pages Read: 363

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins

Prompt Fulfilled: NetGalley A 2022 Release

Started On: November 6th

Finished On: November 6th, 10:35 PM

Pages Read: 320

I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Naz Rishi

Prompt Fulfilled: Edelweiss An Author of Colour

Started On: November 7th

Finished On: November 7th, 6:40 PM

Pages Read: 448

Shadow Fallen by Sherrilyn McQueen

Prompt Fulfilled: NetGalley A Highly Anticipated Book

Started On: November 12th

Finished On: November 12th 11:56 PM

Pages Read: 320

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano

Prompt Fulfilled: NetGalley A Book in a Series

Started On: November 12th

Finished On: November 12th, 11:21 PM

Pages Read: 368

The Bone Ships by R.J. Barker

Prompt Fulfilled: NetGalley A Book You Started and Didn't Finish

Started On: November 13th

Finished On: November 13th, 11:15 PM

Pages Read: 512

Whiteout by Adriana Anders 

Prompt Fulfilled: NetGalley A Book That is Already Published

Started On: November 14th

Finished On: November 14th, 7:29 PM

Pages Read: 352

Romancing the Throne by Nadine Jolie Courtney

Prompt Fulfilled: Edelweiss A Book You Started and Didn't Finish

Started On: November 14th

Finished On: November 14th, 10:15 PM

Pages Read: 400

The Bones of Ruin by Sarah Raughley

Prompt Fulfilled: NetGalley An Author You Have Read Before

Started On: November 15th

Finished On: November 16th, 10:57 PM

Pages Read: 496

Dark Tarot by Christine Feehan

Prompt Fulfilled: NetGalley Buddy Read an ARC

Started On: November 17th

Finished On: November 17th, 10:16: PM

Pages Read: 512

Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire

Prompt Fulfilled: NetGalley A Hyped Book

Started On: November 18th

Finished On: November 18th, 11:57 PM

Pages Read: 208

Sword and Shadow by Michelle Sagara

Prompt Fulfilled: Edelweiss A 2022 Release

Started On: November 19th

Finished On: November 19th, 9:24 pm

Pages Read: 512

Angelfall by Susan Ee

Prompt Fulfilled: NetGalley A Debut Author

Started On: November 20th

Finished On: November 20th, 2:04 PM

Pages Read: 284

We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia

Prompt Fulfilled: Edelweiss A Debut Author

Started On: November 21st

Finished On: November 21st, 9:14 PM

Pages Read: 384

We Unleash the Merciless Storm by Tehlor Kay Mejia

Prompt Fulfilled: Edelweiss An Audiobook

Started On: November 22nd

Finished On: November 22nd, 10:57 PM 

Pages Read: 400

Ashes of Gold by J. Elle

Prompt Fulfilled: NetGalley An Author of Colour

Started On: November 26th

Finished On: November 26th, 10:42 PM

Pages Read: 416

These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan

Prompt Fulfilled: Edelweiss A "Read Now" Book

Started On: November 27th

Finished On: November 27th, 10:39 PM

Pages Read: 464

These Twisted Bonds by Lexi Ryan

Prompt Fulfilled: Edelweiss A Book in a Series

Started On: November 28th

Finished On: November 28th, 4:59 PM

Pages Read: 496

Earth & Sky by Megan Crewe

Prompt Fulfilled: NetGalley Pick an ARC with a Random Number Generator

Started On: November 28th

Finished On: November 28th, 9:07 PM

Pages Read: 308

An Unreliable Magic by Rin Chupeco

Prompt Fulfilled: NetGalley A book You Requested Because of the Cover

Started On: November 29th

Finished On: November 29th, 6:51 PM

Pages Read: 432

Dead Girls Can't Tell Secrets by Chelsea Ichaso

Prompt Fulfilled: NetGalley A "Read Now" Book

Started On: November 29th

Finished On: November 29th, 11:18 PM

Pages Read: 336

Poor Little Dead Girls by Lizzie Friend

Prompt Fulfilled: NetGalley The Oldest Book on Your TBR

Started On: November 30th

Finished On: November 30th, 2:35 PM

Pages Read: 288

With You All the Way by Cynthia Hand

Prompt Fulfilled: Edelweiss A Character You Relate To

Started On: November 30th

Finished On: November 30th, 7:21 PM

Pages Read: 336

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Prompt Fulfilled: NetGalley An Audiobook

Started On: November 30th

Finished On: November 30th, 9:43 PM

Pages Read: 352

Dreams Lie Beneath by Rebecca Ross 

Prompt Fulfilled: Edelweiss Buddy Read an ARC

Started On: December 28th

Finished On: December 28th, 9:26 PM

Pages Read: 496

Gallant by V. E. Schwab

Prompt Fulfilled: Edelweiss A Hyped Book

Started On: December 29th

Currently On: Page 0 of 352

Prompts Left: Edelweiss The Oldest Book on Your TBR, Edelweiss A Book That is Already Published, Edelweiss A book You Requested Because of the Cover, Edelweiss Pick an ARC with a Random Number Generator

Books Read: 28

Pages Read: 9883

Teaser Tuesday #559, December 28th

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia of The Purple Booker. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Today's teaser comes from Evershore by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson, page 25.

"For purely experimental purposes, of course. I'm definitely not carrying a slug as a bodyguard."

Well, why not? The different skills of the various slugs are coming in handy! What about you guys? Happy reading!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #551, December 27th

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

What happened in the past week:

Weekly Memes:
It's Monday! What Are You Reading #550
Teaser Tuesday #558
WWW Wednesday #558
WOW #554
Will the Time Come #551
Third Sentence Thursday #541
Random Reads #527
First Lines Friday #554
Book Blogger Hop #220

21 Books to Read in 2021 Update 15
The Reward Challenge Update #536
Wheel of TBR #83
How Well I Stuck to It #388
Wrote that Review Update #386

Week 51 Reviews:
The Deal

A Rip Through Time

Lore Olympus: Volume 1 

The Unquiet Past

To All the Boys I've Loved Before

Servants of the Storm

Gilded

Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop 

Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bake-Off

Antigoddess

Myrnin's Tale

Viper and the Farmer 

The First Day of the Rest of Your Life 

Glass Houses

Eve's Diary

Amelia's Story

The Dead Girls' Dance

Rival

Feuds

Magical Readathon: Orilium: 

Update 62

Clear Your S**t Readathon: 

Update 22

Update 23

Update 24 and Wrap Up

Reindeer Readathon: 

Update 8

Update 9

Update 10 and Wrap Up

Random:

We Have the Cover of Lady Darby Mystery #10!!!!

We Have the Cover of Heirs of Chicagoland #4!!!!

We Have the Cover of The Inheritance Games #3!!!!

We Have the Title of The Scholomance #3!!!!

OK, so I got 36 posts in 7 days, and it was a pretty great week, I read some great books, and there was Christmas. Mine was quiet again, it was just me and my parents, because my brother couldn't make it at the last minute because he doesn't have snow tires. What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read The Mask Falling!

Dreamwalker Paige Mahoney has eluded death again. Snatched from the jaws of captivity and consigned to a safe house in the Scion Citadel of Paris, she finds herself caught between those factions that seek Scion's downfall and those who would kill to protect the Rephaim's puppet empire.

The mysterious Domino Program has plans for Paige, but she has ambitions of her own in this new citadel. With Arcturus Mesarthim-her former enemy-at her side, she embarks on an adventure that will lead her from the catacombs of Paris to the glittering hallways of Versailles. Her risks promise high reward: the Parisian underworld could yield the means to escalate her rebellion to outright war.

As Scion widens its bounds and the free world trembles in its shadow, Paige must fight her own memories after her ordeal at the hands of Scion. Meanwhile, she strives to understand her bond with Arcturus, which grows stronger by the day. But there are those who know the revolution began with them-and could end with them...

Reindeer Readathon Update 10 and Wrap Up

So I read my final book for Reindeer Readathon, and it was Savage Road which was for the prompt Slaying It, and yeah, I've finished in time and I'm so pleased with all the books that I read and that I finished, I had a really great time! 

My Reading Journey:

The King of Koraha by Maria V. Snyder

Prompt Fulfilled: Dancer

Started On: December 2nd

Finished On: December 2nd, 10:26 PM

Pages Read: 419

Frostheart by Jamie Litter

Prompt Fulfilled: Prancer

Started On: December 3rd

Finished On: December 3rd, 2:01 PM

Pages Read: 414

The Darkest Destiny by Gena Showalter

Prompt Fulfilled: Dasher

Started On: December 7th

Finished On: December 7th, 8:25 PM

Pages Read: 169

Cytonic by Brandon Sanderson

Prompt Fulfilled: Blitzen, Christmas Lights

Started On: December 8th

Finished On: December 8th, 9:48 PM

Pages Read: 432

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

Prompt Fulfilled: Vixen

Started On: December 9th

Finished On: December 9th, 3:06 PM

Pages Read: 480

They Never Learn by Layne Fargo

Prompt Fulfilled: Cupid

Started On: December 14th

Finished On: December 14th, 10:40 PM

Pages Read: 352

Little Thieves by Margaret Owen

Prompt Fulfilled: Comet, Christmas Star

Started On: December 15th

Finished On: December 15th, 11:14 PM

Pages Read: 512

The Unquiet Past by Kelley Armstrong 

Prompt Fulfilled: Donner and Christmas Carol

Started On: December 21st

Finished On: December 21st, 1:26 PM

Pages Read: 264

Servants of the Storm by Delilah S. Dawson

Prompt Fulfilled: Rudolph

Started On: December 22nd 

Finished On: December 22nd, 5:53 PM

Pages Read: 376

Savage Road by Christine Feehan

Prompt Fulfilled: Slaying It

Started On: December 26th

Finished On: December 26th, 8:27 PM

Pages Read: 528

Prompts Left: None Left!

Read: 10

Pages Read: 3946

Wrote that Review Update #386, December 26th

If you want to participate, set a certain amount of reviews to write, and once you make that goal, you can get a reward!

My reviews to reward is writing all of the reviews of the week, and I motivated myself to write my review for The Deal, A Rip Through Time, Lore Olympus: Volume 1, The Unquiet Past, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Servants of the Storm, Gilded, Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop and Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bake-Off, Myrnin's Tale, Viper and the Farmer, The First Day of the Rest of Your Life, 

Glass Houses, Eve's Diary, Amelia's Story, The Dead Girls' Dance, Rival and Feuds, so I have 10 of 10 reviews written!

And as always, I want to review this week's reviews!

What about you guys? Happy reading!

How Well I Stuck to It #388, December 26th

So I decided that I should have accountability on sticking to what should be in a week, so I'm doing How Well I Stuck to It every Sunday, because my schedule should be fixed in by now!

Week 52:

The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon

Tour Books: NA.

Review Books: NA.

NetGalley: NA.

Edelweiss: NA.

Rereads: NA.

New Books: 1. Check.

Just 1 new book, but there's not too many books that I want to add to my TBR now at the end of the month! 

Week 51:

Nothing Planned!

vs.

The Deal by Elle Kennedy, A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong, Lore Olympus: Volume 1 by Rachel Smythe, The Unquiet Past by Kelley Armstrong, To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han, Servants of the Storm by Delilah S. Dawson, Gilded by Marissa Meyer, Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop by Darci Hannah, Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bake-Off by Darci Hannah, Myrnin's Tale by Rachel Caine, Viper and the Farmer by Rachel Caine, The First Day of the Rest of Your Life by Rachel Caine, Glass Houses by Rachel Caine, Eve's Diary by Rachel Caine, Amelia's Story by Rachel Caine, The Dead Girls' Dance by Rachel Caine, Rival by Avery Hastings, Feuds by Avery Hastings

I had a free week to read whatever I wanted, and I read a good deal, so I'm really happy with this week! What about you guys? Happy reading!

Wheel of TBR #83, December 26th

I saw Codie's Book Corner doing the Wheel of TBR, and I thought that sounded like a great way to pick what to read from your TBR. So thanks to her! I'll only do 3 spins, because I'm doing this every week, and so it won't make up my total TBR of the week, but it'll be a start!

Rules:

1. For each week of the month, I'll do 3 spins each week to read each week though I do have the rest of the month to read them. Once a prompt is used, I'll randomly choose one from the list, keeping track of how often a colour comes up. If colour comes up 3 or more times in month, I'll do another spin once it comes up 3 times.

2. If I don't read a book that week or at least start it before the end of the month, then for my next week of spins, I have to add a punishment for each book unread. I'll roll for each unread book, and have to apply each and every punishment chosen to the week.

3. Each month I'll get a prompt from my Binge Read Wheel (either specifically picking the prompt, or spinning the wheel) and I have to read at least 9 books, though I can read more!

Of the books from the last week, I read The Unquiet Past by Kelley Armstrong, Annihilation Road by Christine Feehan, and I started 14 Ways to Die by Vincent Ralph.

Binge Read Wheel:

For this month, I chose Yearly Goals. I read A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong, Servants of the Storm by Delilah S. Dawson, Gilded by Marissa Meyer, Glass Houses by Rachel Caine, The Dead Girls' Dance by Rachel Caine, so I've read 15/9+.

For this coming month, the wheel picked Reading Challenges.

Prompts Used This Week:

ARC To Be Published, More Than 1000 Reviews, Physical Book to Read in 2021, Highest Rated.

ARC To Be Published-Azure-Gallant by V. E. Schwab-This book comes out March 1st, 2022, so that works! 

More Than 1000 Reviews-Blue-Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine-This book has over 1500 reviews, so that works! 

Physical Book to Read in 2021-Rose-Taking the Heat by Brenda Novak-This is on my physical list, so that works! 

Bonus Spin for Rose-Highest Rated-Blue-The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon-This book has a rating of 4.49, which was the highest of all the books I want to read this week! 

Colour Totals:
Red: 1
Orange: 1
Yellow: 1
Chartreuse: 2
Green: 1
Spring Green: 1
Cyan: 1
Azure: 2
Blue: 2
Violet: 1
Magenta: 0
Rose: 3

Prompts for Next Week:

Short Book-Red
Series Number-Orange
Sophomore Book-Yellow
Book Battle-Chartreuse

Even Chapters-Green
Library Book-Spring Green
A-Z End Title-Cyan
Ebook-Azure
A-Z Start Author-Blue
Sat on Shelves-Violet
Reread-Magenta

NetGalley Book to Read in 2021-Rose

So those are some of the books I'm going to try to read this week. What about you guys? Happy reading!

The Reward Challenge Update #536, December 26th

The Reward Challenge is almost the complete opposite to a book buying ban as you'll end up buying lots of new books throughout the challenge but only after you've completed a certain amount of reading. It was hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly, so thanks to her for starting it!

OK, so I read The Deal which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book, A Rip Through Time which counts 5 times as a Historical Fiction 2021 Book, NetGalley Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book and a WoW Book, Lore Olympus: Volume 1 which counts 3 times as a 2021 Retelling Reading Challenge Book and a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book, The Unquiet Past which counts 3 times as a Historical Fiction 2021 Book and a SAC 2021 Book, To All the Boys I've Loved Before which counts 3 times as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book and a WTC Book, Servants of the Storm which counts 4 times as a DAC Book, SAC 2021 Book and a RR Book, Gilded which counts 4 times as a 2021 Retelling Reading Challenge Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book and a WoW Book, Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book, Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bake-Off which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book, Antigoddess which counts 3 times as a 2021 Retelling Reading Challenge Book and Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book, Myrnin's Tale which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book, Viper and the Farmer which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book, The First Day of the Rest of Your Life which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book, Glass Houses which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book, Eve's Diary which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book, Amelia's Story which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book, The Dead Girls' Dance which counts twice as a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book, Rivals which counts 3 times as a 2021 Dystopia Book and Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book,

Feuds which counts 5 times as a 2021 Dystopia Book, DAC Book, NetGalley Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book and a WoW Book.

So I have 53 counts which translates to $ this week! I'll use it to buy books!

Clear Your S**t Readathon Update 24 and Wrap Up

So I've read my final book for the Clear Your S**t Readathon, and it was Annihilation Road which is for the prompt Boss Battle! I read some really amazing books, and I had a really great time, and I can't wait for the next round! 

My Reading Journey:

ExtraOrdinary by V.E. Schwab

Prompt Fulfilled: Your shortest book

Started On: November 2nd

Finished On: November 2nd, 9:54 PM

Pages Read: 112

The Immortal by Gena Showalter

Prompt Fulfilled: A book with a group cast (more than three characters)

Started On: November 3rd

Finished On: November 3rd, 10:03 PM

Pages Read: 384

Pride, Prejudice, and Peril by Katie Oliver

Prompt Fulfilled: A book where someone dies

Started On: November 4th

Finished On: November 4th, 10:57 PM

Pages Read: 320

Witch Please by Ann Aguirre

Prompt Fulfilled: A book with an animal

Started On: November 5th

Finished On: November 5th, 10:15 PM

Pages Read: 363

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins

Prompt Fulfilled: A book with water themes

Started On: November 6th
Finished On: November 6th, 10:35 PM

Pages Read: 320

Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade

Prompt Fulfilled: A book that was recommended to you

Started On: November 7th

Finished On: November 7th, 11:52 PM

Pages Read: 416

Ravensong by T.J. Klune

Prompt Fulfilled: Free Book Space

Started On: November 8th

Finished On: November 8th, 5:17 PM

Pages Read: 400

A Sense of Danger by Jennifer Estep

Prompt Fulfilled: Free book space

Started On: November 9th

Finished On: November 9th, 10:46 PM

Pages Read: 367

The Ghostwriter by Alessandra Torre

Prompt Fulfilled: Free Book Space

Started On: November 10th

Finished On: November 10th, 5:19 PM

Pages Read: 321

Shadow Fallen by Sherrilyn McQueen

Prompt Fulfilled: Read an opulent book (gilded, sparkly, or fancy cover)

Started On: November 12th

Finished On: November 12th 11:56 PM

Pages Read: 320

Cloak of Night by Evelyn Skye

Prompt Fulfilled: A Fantasy book

Started On: November 17th

Finished On: November 17th, 2:54 PM

Pages Read: 416

Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire

Prompt Fulfilled: Your smallest book

Started On: November 18th

Finished On: November 18th, 11:57 PM

Pages Read: 208

Sword and Shadow by Michelle Sagara

Prompt Fulfilled: An intimidating book

Started On: November 19th

Finished On: November 19th, 9:24 pm

Pages Read: 512

Angelfall by Susan Ee

Prompt Fulfilled: A book where people go on a journey

Started On: November 20th

Finished On: November 20th, 2:04 PM

Pages Read: 284

Fated Blades by Ilona Andrews

Prompt Fulfilled: Mini Boss Battle Mystery Prompt

Started On: November 24th

Finished On: November 24th, 2:37 PM

Pages Read: 222

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White

Prompt Fulfilled: A spooky book

Started On: November 24th

Finished On: November 24th, 7:45 PM

Pages Read: 289

Ashes of Gold by J. Elle

Prompt Fulfilled: A book with gold, silver or bronze on the cover

Started On: November 26th

Finished On: November 26th, 10:42 PM

Pages Read: 416

Earth & Sky by Megan Crewe

Prompt Fulfilled: A book with a purple cover

Started On: November 28th

Finished On: November 28th, 9:07 PM

Pages Read: 308

Frostheart by Jamie Litter

Prompt Fulfilled: A book people talk about a lot

Started On: December 3rd

Finished On: December 3rd, 2:01 PM

Pages Read: 414

Cytonic by Brandon Sanderson

Prompt Fulfilled: Steal a Book From Someone Else’s TBR

Started On: December 8th

Finished On: December 8th, 9:48 PM

Pages Read: 432

They Never Learn by Layne Fargo

Prompt Fulfilled: Side Quest

Started On: December 14th

Finished On: December 14th, 10:40 PM

Pages Read: 352

Little Thieves by Margaret Owen

Prompt Fulfilled: Mini Boss Battle Mystery Prompt

Started On: December 15th

Finished On: December 15th, 11:14 PM

Pages Read: 512

The Unquiet Past by Kelley Armstrong

Prompt Fulfilled: A book with a female or non-binary main character

Started On: December 21st 

Finished On: December 21st, 1:26 PM

Pages Read: 264

Servants of the Storm by Delilah S. Dawson

Prompt Fulfilled: A Book you forgot you owned or don't remember the details of

Started On: December 22nd

Finished On: December 22nd, 5:53 PM

Pages Read: 376

Annihilation Road by Christine Feehan

Prompt Fulfilled: Boss Battle

Started On: December 25th

Finished On: December 24th, 8:02 PM

Pages Read: 480

Prompts Left: None Left!

Books Read: 24

Pages Read: 8441

Week 51 Reviews: Rival, Feuds

From Goodreads:

RIVAL is a stunning e-original prequel to The Feuds series by Avery Hastings, which opens a window into Davis's early life ...

Davis Morrow has always been a little bit afraid to fall in love, to lose her focus, to be anything other than perfect. But while relaxing in an elite spa after another grueling rehearsal for a ballet showcase, Davis meets Seth, a trainer with intense eyes and a chiseled face to match his athletic build...and everything changes.

Unlike the other guys she's dated, Seth seems to get her—he understands how difficult her routine is, how hard she must work. Their first kiss leaves her mind spinning like an endless pirouette. Dating trainers is forbidden—but, like her best friend Vera insists, forbidden love is the best kind.

Then a threatening message from her dance rival, Gabrielle, brings her world tumbling down. Will Seth be the secret she needs to succeed, heart open for the first time? Or will this heated romance become her greatest rival yet?

From Goodreads:
In this breathless story of impossible love, perfection comes at a deadly cost.

For Davis Morrow, perfection is a daily reality. Like all Priors, Davis has spent her whole life primed to be smarter, stronger, and more graceful than the lowly Imperfects, or "Imps." A fiercely ambitious ballerina, Davis is only a few weeks away from qualifying for the Olympiads and finally living up to her mother's legacy when she meets Cole, a mysterious boy who leaves her with more questions each time he disappears.

Davis has no idea that Cole has his own agenda, or that he's a rising star in the FEUDS, an underground fighting ring where Priors gamble on Imps. Cole has every reason to hate Davis—her father's campaign hinges on the total segregation of the Imps and Priors—but despite his best efforts, Cole finds himself as drawn to Davis as she is to him.

Then Narxis, a deadly virus, takes its hold--and Davis's friends start dying. When the Priors refuse to acknowledge the epidemic, Davis has no one to turn to but Cole. Falling in love was never part of their plan, but their love may be the only thing that can save her world...in Avery Hastings's Feuds.

My Review:
I really enjoyed reading these stories! The idea of a society that has the ability to modify humanity, and that those that are Priors are held above those who aren't who are Imperfects, is scarily plausible, and I really enjoyed this romance between Davis and Cole!

I was apprehensive of the relationship in Rival. After all, it's not with the main guy mentioned in the synopsis of the first book. So either things went wrong because of what her rival was doing, or he wasn't as good a guy as she thought, and I was anxious about which one it was!

The first half of Feuds was mainly Davis and Cole, and their relationship. It's very much a Romeo and Juliet sort of situation, but instead of families, it's sides of whether or not you've been genetically enhanced. And they don't know who the other is at first, and when they find out, that was a pretty dramatic time for them! 

The second half was more the epidemic, and how they were dealing with it, since Davis's friends are dying, and there's a good chance that she could, too. And oh, that ending was fantastic, and I need to know what's going to happen next! 

I had a great time reading these, and I need to read the conclusion to the series! 

Author: Avery Hastings
Series: The Feuds #0.5, 1
Read: December 24th, 24th, 2021
Source: Ebook.bike, NetGalley/Own
Reason Why: Sounded good, and they're 2021 Dystopia Book and Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book, and Feuds is a DAC Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Published: April 7th 2015, September 2nd 2014

Rival:

5/5 Hearts

4/5 Books

4/5 Stars

Feuds:

5/5 Hearts

4/5 Books

4/5 Stars

Week 51 Reviews: Myrnin's Tale, Viper and the Farmer, Nothing Like an Angel, The First Day of the Rest of Your Life, Glass Houses, Eve's Diary, Amelia's Story, The Dead Girls' Dance

From Goodreads:

This story came about just because I wanted to know more about Myrnin for my own understanding of his character, and sometimes, the best way to achieve that is to write a character's history from his/her point of view. The character tells me what's important, and what changed, for better or worse. Discovering that Myrnin's father had some type of mental disorder was important to me, because of course when he was born, such things weren't really understood. When I was working on the draft of the first book in which Myrnin appeared, my co-worker who read it said, 'Oh, you've written a bipolar character, and he's actually really cool! Did you know that I take medication for that?' She went on to relate all the ways he was familiar to her. I was amazed, and honoured. I won’t name the co-worker, for privacy, but I say now, as then: thank you for sharing your story with me, and you know who you are. I hope Myrnin continues to make you proud.

From Goodreads:
A Morganville Vampires short story about Myrnin and how/when he was turned.

From Goodreads:
It's a tale of Myrnin and his struggle to be the man (or vampire) that he wishes to be. It's also a story of his first encounter(s) with the lady we come to know (in Bitter Blood and later books) as Jesse, the red-haired bartender, whose history is intertwined with both Myrnin's and Amelie's back in the mists of time.

From Goodreads:
Eve Rosser is turning eighteen. Does she accept the Protection or go without?

From Goodreads:
From the author of the popular Weather Warden series comes the debut of an exciting new series set in Morganville, Texas, where you would be well advised to avoid being out after dark. 

College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation. When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life, but they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood.

From Goodreads:
Eve's Diary is a short story in Eve Rosser's point of view.

From Goodreads:
Amelie's short story.

From Goodreads:
Claire Danvers has her share of challenges--like being a genius in a school that favors beauty over brains, homicidal girls in her dorm, and finding out that her college town is overrun with the living dead. When a local fraternity throws the Dead Girls' Dance, hell really breaks loose.

My first review of Glass Houses, The Dead Girls' Dance

My Review:
Wow, I really enjoyed reading these stories again! I'd read the full length books before, but that was almost 10 years ago, and it was basically like reading them for the first time at this point! They were just so easy to devour, and I did, and they're just so great!

Getting Myrnin's tale, and how he came to be his master's apprentice, and then became a vampire, and then killed his master and why, and of his questionable sanity, well, he's been locked up and starved, and has a family history of mental illness, it's no wonder he is like he in the main series. Writing this after having read the rest of the series, of course. 

Claire is dumped into this world of vampires without any warning, and it's sink or swim because these books are high pressure, and she has to use her smarts to keep going. The pace is so quick, and combined with evil cliffhanger endings, well, I had to continue this series! 

My question is, is there more than one excerpt from Eve's Diary? Because what I read was in the back of The Dead Girls' Dance, and was of the events of that book. And I wish that I'd read it after reading The Dead Girls' Dance. But when I look at Eve's Diary, it says it can be found in the back of Glass Houses, which makes me wonder if there was another that takes place after Glass Houses, and that's why it's there, and at least the first two books had this? But I'm not sure...

This is such a great series, and I can't wait to binge read the rest of it! 

Author: Rachel Caine
Series: The Morganville Vampires #0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 1, 1.4, 1.5, 2, The Morganville Vampires Extras 1, 1.5, 1.7, 5.5, 6, 7
First Read: March 28th, 2012, April 12th-13th, 2012
Read: December 23rd, 23rd, 23rd, 23rd, 23rd, 24th, 24th, 24th, 2021
Source: Free, Ebook.bike, Own
Reason Why: Rereading! And they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Books!
Publisher: NAL Jam
Published: 2012, 2015, September 4th 2007, March 1st 2016, October 1st 2006, 2007, 2010, April 3rd 2007

Myrnin's Tale:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Viper and the Farmer:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Nothing Like an Angel:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

The First Day of the Rest of Your Life:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Glass Houses:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Eve's Diary:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Amelia's Story:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

The Dead Girls' Dance: 

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 51 Review: Antigoddess

From Goodreads:
Old Gods never die…

Or so Athena thought. But then the feathers started sprouting beneath her skin, invading her lungs like a strange cancer, and Hermes showed up with a fever eating away his flesh. So much for living a quiet eternity in perpetual health.

Desperately seeking the cause of their slow, miserable deaths, Athena and Hermes travel the world, gathering allies and discovering enemies both new and old. Their search leads them to Cassandra—an ordinary girl who was once an extraordinary prophetess, protected and loved by a god. 

These days, Cassandra doesn't involve herself in the business of gods—in fact, she doesn't even know they exist. But she could be the key in a war that is only just beginning. 

Because Hera, the queen of the gods, has aligned herself with other of the ancient Olympians, who are killing off rivals in an attempt to prolong their own lives. But these anti-gods have become corrupted in their desperation to survive, horrific caricatures of their former glory. Athena will need every advantage she can get, because immortals don't just flicker out. 

Every one of them dies in their own way. Some choke on feathers. Others become monsters. All of them rage against their last breath.

The Goddess War is about to begin.

My first review of Antigoddess
My Review:

Oh man, this book! I knew where the story was going to go, and watching the build up was just so fantastic! I just love this world of the modern gods in out world, and how they're now dying-and how everybody else is getting dragged into it.

This time I listened to it as an audiobook, and I loved the flow, back and forth between Athena and Cassandra. We got to see what was going on with everybody, and I really enjoyed the back and forth narrative. Especially with Cassandra's visions of the future, they almost were never about her, but of Athena and her group.  

One thing that I really hope to learn in the next two books, is the story of what happened to Olympus. It was mentioned in this book, and that it was gone, but not how or why, and I'm really hoping that it's going to play a part in what's happening now! 

I did read the ending of Ungodly because I'm crazy so spoilers for that one. And somehow, I was expecting that they would've brought back Aiden. But I'm really coming to realize, Kendare Blake writes books that end with parts that still hurt, even if they're healing. 

Loved reading this book, and I need to continue and finish the series now! 

Author: Kendare Blake
Series: Goddess War #1
First Read: December 17th, 2020

Read: December 23rd, 2021
Source: Library
Reason Why: Rereading, and it's a 2021 Retelling Reading Challenge Book and Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Book!
Publisher: Tor Teen
Published: September 10th 2013

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 51 Reviews: Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop, Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bake-Off

From Goodreads:

In the first of a new series, after Lindsey Bakeswell catches her celebrity chef fiancé sizzling in the arms of another woman, Lindsey leaves big city Wall Street for small town Beacon Harbor, Michigan to pursue her own passion as a pastry baker--and gets mixed up in someone's sweet taste of revenge...

More interested in kneading dough than adding it up, Lindsey's breakup inspired her to set up the shop she always wanted in a place that always made her happy. She'd spent many childhood summers near this beach community and converting the old run-down lighthouse into a bakery café and home offers a perfect fresh start for Lindsey and her devoted Newfoundland dog, Wellington.

But not everyone in town has a sweet tooth. The preservation society won't have the lighthouse's history sugar coated by lattes and cakes--and a protest group crashes Lindsey's Memorial Day opening. Then her ex-fiancé Jeffrey Plank and his girlfriend Mia Wong arrive to trash the place. In the ensuing chaos Mia chokes on a donut and dies.

An autopsy reveals cyanide in Mia's bloodstream and Lindsey is the police's prime suspect. To clear her name, she's going to need to combine ingredients found in the town's checkered past to uncover the identity of a desperate killer...

From Goodreads:

Tucked away inside an old lighthouse in Beacon Harbor, Michigan, bakeshop café owner Lindsey Bakewell is ready to make her first Christmas in town shine bright. But her merry plans crumble fast when murder appears under the mistletoe...

With the spirit of the holidays wafting through the Beacon Bakeshop, Lindsey thinks she has the recipe for the sweetest Christmas ever--winning the town-wide cookie bake-off. Unfortunately, striving for a picture-perfect December in Beacon Harbor is a lot like biting into stale shortbread. Low on staff and bombarded by visits from family, Lindsey can barely meet demands at work, let alone summon the confidence to face fierce competition...

Self-appointed Christmas know-it-all Felicity Stewart is determined to take the top spot in the bake-off, and she's not afraid to dump a little coal in everyone's stocking to do it. Just as the competition heats up, everything falls apart when the judge is found dead--and covered in crumbs from Lindsey's signature cookie!

Solving a murder was never on Lindsey's wish list. But with her reputation on the line during the happiest time of the year, she'll need to bring her best talents to the table in order to sift out the true Christmas Cookie culprit.

My Review:
Oh, these were really fun, enjoyable mystery mysteries! And adding in the fact that she's recently started a bakeshop, the cozy vibes were just over the roof! These were just so easy to read! I had a blast with them!

I don't know why murder mysteries where a random person ends up getting sucked into these chases, multiple times, are so enjoyable, but they are. And the particulars of this series with the bakeshop was a really cute direction! 

Lindsey is having a mid-life crisis, basically. Her fiancé cheated, so she's broken up with him, quit her job, and bought a bakeshop in a small town. It sucks that her new life keeps getting marred by murders, but they were really entertaining to read! 

While the murder were series, most of the tone of these books was pretty light, I could tell just from the humour in the synopsis'. Watching her investigate was a lot of fun, because she's the suspect in both of them, and she does have a valid reason for wanting the victims dead. So that was fun to read! 

I enjoyed reading these books, and I can't wait for book 3! 

Author: Darci Hannah
Series: Beacon Bakeshop #1, 2
Read: December 23rd, 23rd, 2021
Source: Ebook.bike 
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2021 Books!
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Published: February 23rd 2021, October 5th 2021

Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop: 

5/5 Hearts

4/5 Books

4/5 Stars

Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bake-Off:

5/5 Hearts

4/5 Books

4/5 Stars