So I am going to blame my extended absence on the fact that I am a librarian and it was summer. I now need a nap to recover from the Summer Reading Program.
A long nap.
That lasts a week.
But enough about that. I thought the perfect blog post to get me back into the swing of things would be a Top Ten Tuesday. What’s better than a list?
Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s TTT has a complicated title, Ten Favorite Books from Your Favorite Series. Basically, pick your favorite book from your top ten favorite book series. I love this prompt.
Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness-All Souls Book Two
I love every book in the All Souls series, but I’m a sucker for time-travel stories.
Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez-Part Of Your World Book Two
I have read this book twice in the last year and a half. Twice! It may be a romance, but it pulls at your heart and the tears will flow.
Dragon Prince by Melanie Rawn-The Dragon Prince Book One
This was my first book by Melanie Rawn, and I loved every minute of it. This series, and its follow-up, are magical to me.
The Black Gryphon by Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon, Valdemar: Mage Wars Trilogy Book One
This story was my introduction to the world of Valdemar, and I have been hooked ever since. It’s been over twenty years of reading this world, and I wouldn’t change a minute of it.
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers: Monk and Robot Book One
The Monk and Robot series is a gentle, cozy sci-fi series that guides you through some of life’s toughest questions, without giving you the answers. I loved it so much.
Spoiler Alert by Oliva Dade: Spoiler Alert Book One
My first romance series left an indelible mark on my soul and changed my perception of the genre forever. Also, a book about fanfic, how could I not read it?
Naked In Death by J.D. Robb: In Death Series Book One
If you have been here for a while, you know I have a major love for the In Death Series. I’ve read so many of these, but this first one really set the stage for the earlier books in this futuristic series.
Well Traveled by Jen DeLuca: The Well Met Series Book Four
This book has one of the best third-act breakups of any romance book I’ve ever read. It’s not an overly emotional one, it’s just good. If you love ren-faires and romances, read this series!
The Cat Who Could Read Backwards by Lillian Jackson Braun: The Cat Who Series Book One
This first book in this cozy mystery series is a total nostalgia pick for me. I got my first Cat Who book when I was in the 4th grade. They have always held a special place in my heart.
The Last Dragonlord by Joanne Bertin: The Last Dragonlord Series Book One.
This one makes me sad, because this excellent book appears to be out of print. I love the idea of Dragonlords, a human/dragon hybrid that can change between one shape and the other. Like werewolves, but more complicated.
I could go on! Narrowing down my favorite series was difficult. This isn’t even all of them!
Well hello everyone! How are y’all doing today? I’m great! The hubs and I just celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary by going to a cabin, playing board games, and reading books! Good times had by all!
Today’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt is a Love Freebie, so I thought I would keep it simple and do the top ten books that I love. I might also include a series or two in there. Possibly. Definitely.
Remarkably Bright Creature by Shelby Van Pelt was a surprise to me. I did not expect to love a book about an Octopus, and yet here we are. I listened to the audiobook last year and it was fantastic. The narrators, Marin Ireland and Michael Urie, did a fantastic job. I’ve been itching to listen to it again, so that may happen soon.
The Last Herald Mage Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey is a series I can re-read over and over and over again. Let’s be honest, I can read all of the Valdemar series over and over again, but I promised myself I would only pick one! This series is beautifully written and if you are a fantasy lover who wants a quick read, this is for you.
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree took the world by storm and launched a genre of storytelling, the cozy fantasy, into the limelight. Rightfully so too. I have both listened to the audiobook and read the physical book and have loved both. The way he describes food and coffee…I don’t even like coffee and I wanted some!
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir was one of those lightning-in-a-bottle books. It took a minute to capture my attention and once it did, it really did. I wish I could go back and read it again for the first time, just to get that feeling, but man, I still love reading it every time I pick it up. I have read both the physical book and the audiobook, both are fantastic.
The Original All Soul Trilogy by Deborah Harkness captured my attention and never let it go. Time’s Convert was pretty good too, but there is something special about Matthew and Diana’s story. It’s the one I love the best. And she has another book focused on those two coming out later this year. I can’t wait!
Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade was my gateway into the romance genre, and for that reason alone it would hold a special place in my heart. That it’s actually really good on top of that, well, yes, I will read it again and again.
The Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs is a great urban fantasy series. Romance, action, a kick-butt female lead, it has it all. I love this series, and have kept up reading it throughout the years, and will keep reading it for as long as the author keeps writing them!
The In Death series by J.D. Robb has been a favorite of mine for over twenty years now. This futuristic mystery romance series has been one I have turned to for years. Though I will admit that I burned myself out on it when I tried to re-read the whole series a few years ago. I’m going to try to read the newer ones I haven’t picked up this year. I need to catch up!!
The Brown Sisters trilogy by Talia Hibbert is one that if you had asked me when I first read it if it would make it on this list, I would have said no. A subsequent re-read has changed my mind and here we are!
A Psalm for the Wild built by Becky Chambers was a fantastic novella. This first entry into the A Monk and Robot Series was a wonderfully sweet read that asks us what do we, as people, need. It was thought-provoking and heartwarming all at the same time. I did enjoy A Prayer for the Crown-Shy as well, but this one is better.
Okay, so that list has more than two series on it. Oh well. I was really tempted to add more than what you see there, but then it wouldn’t be a top ten list. It would be a top twenty list. Or a top thirty list.
It’s been a while since I’ve done a TTT, so I knew I had to do this one!! I have a lot of anticipated reads for this year! Having to narrow it down to just ten is not going to be easy though!!! Pretty sure I can do it! Full disclosure, I have already pre-ordered these books!
Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne: May 7
So I may or may not already own a copy of this book? But it’s the indie-published version, and the traditionally published version will have extra material that wasn’t in the original version! Also, I love it when I can support authors whose work I enjoy!
At First Spite by Olivia Dade: February 13
I loved the last few books I read by Olivia Dade, and I absolutely love the stories behind why people build Spite Houses. Seriously, look some of them up, they are always hilarious.
Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez: April 2
Abby Jimenez has quickly become an auto-buy author for me. Sure, she writes romance, and they have all the tropes, but her books have made me cry. When was the last time you could say that a contemporary romance made you cry?
Bride by Ali Hazelwood: February 6
Ali Hazelwood is also an auto-buy author for me. Bride is a departure from her usual fare, and I am excited to see where this paranormal romance goes.
Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao: April 30
Can you be excited for a sequel when you haven’t even read the first book yet? Because I am. I am also determined to read Iron Widow before this comes out. But this author is a social media darling for a reason. Plus that cover!
Sanctuary of the Shadow by Aurora Ascher: January 9
Okay, I’m gonna be honest, I do really want to read this romantasy title. But I’m also worried, based on the synopsis, that I know how this book is going to end. So now I have to know if I’m right. Thankfully it comes out today and I can find out!
That Time I Got Drunk And Saved A Demon by Kimberly Lemming: January 2
This TikTok indie darling also got a book deal. I got lucky enough to read it while it was still an indie on KU, and I can’t wait to read it again. Also Cinnamon is amazing and I love her.
The Last Phi Hunter by Salinee Goldenburg: April 9
Not going to lie, this was a total cover pick. I mean look at it. Look at it!! It’s so pretty. Also, it does sound like a book I would like. Especially because at one point in the description it mentions that our hero gets saved by a woman who just happens to be nine months pregnant at the time.
How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler: May 21
This book describes itself as Groundhog Day meets Guardians of the Galaxy and I am here for it. Time loop stories are some of my most favorite things to read. Yes, I will read this. Thank you.
The Takeover by Cara Tanamachi: January 30
This enemies to lovers, childhood rivals romance sounds delightful and I am very excited to give it a read. Also how cute does that cover look? I have a thing for purple romance covers and tend to buy them without thinking. It’s a problem.
Naturally, all of these books are must-reads, so I won’t get to them right away, as is my habit. What books are you looking forward to?
It’s Top Ten Tuesday! Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish. This week is all about books with one-word titles. I managed to find ten books I already owned!
Well hello! Can you believe it’s been a year since I’ve done a TTT? I can’t! I thought for sure I did one in the latter part of last year, but apparently not! I was excited to pick this up again! Also, thank you Goodreads for having my list of books to look through!
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars. But Athena’s a literary darling. June Hayward is literally nobody. Who wants stories about basic white girls, June thinks.
So when June witnesses Athena’s death in a freak accident, she acts on impulse: she steals Athena’s just-finished masterpiece, an experimental novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers during World War I.
So what if June edits Athena’s novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song—complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo? Doesn’t this piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller? That’s what June claims, and the New York Times bestseller list seems to agree.
But June can’t get away from Athena’s shadow, and emerging evidence threatens to bring June’s (stolen) success down around her. As June races to protect her secret, she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.
Redshirts by John Scalzi
Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It’s a prestige posting, with the chance to serve on “Away Missions” alongside the starship’s famous senior officers.
Life couldn’t be better…until Andrew begins to realize that (1) every Away Mission involves a lethal confrontation with alien forces, (2) the ship’s senior officers always survive these confrontations, and (3) sadly, at least one low-ranking crew member is invariably killed. Unsurprisingly, the savvier crew members below-decks avoid Away Missions at all costs. Then Andrew stumbles on information that transforms his and his colleagues’ understanding of what the starship Intrepid really is…and offers them a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives.
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.
A flying demon feeding on human energies.
A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.
And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.
The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.
She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.
Upgrade by Blake Crouch
“You are the next step in human evolution.”
At first, Logan Ramsay isn’t sure if anything’s different. He just feels a little . . . sharper. Better able to concentrate. Better at multitasking. Reading a bit faster, memorizing better, needing less sleep.
But before long, he can’t deny it: Something’s happening to his brain. To his body. He’s starting to see the world, and those around him—even those he loves most—in whole new ways.
The truth is, Logan’s genome has been hacked. And there’s a reason he’s been targeted for this upgrade. A reason that goes back decades to the darkest part of his past, and a horrific family legacy.
Worse still, what’s happening to him is just the first step in a much larger plan, one that will inflict the same changes on humanity at large—at a terrifying cost.
Because of his new abilities, Logan’s the one person in the world capable of stopping what’s been set in motion. But to have a chance at winning this war, he’ll have to become something other than himself. Maybe even something other than human.
And even as he’s fighting, he can’t help wondering: what if humanity’s only hope for a future really does lie in engineering our own evolution?
Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
So begins Kaikeyi’s story. The only daughter of the kingdom of Kekaya, she is raised on tales about the might and benevolence of the gods: how they churned the vast ocean to obtain the nectar of immortality, how they vanquish evil and ensure the land of Bharat prospers, and how they offer powerful boons to the worthy. Yet she watches as her father unceremoniously banishes her mother, listens as her own worth is reduced to the marriage alliance she can secure. And when she calls upon the gods for help, they never seem to hear.
Desperate for independence, she turns to the texts she once read with her mother and discovers a magic that is hers alone. With it, Kaikeyi transforms herself from an overlooked princess into a warrior, diplomat, and most favored queen.
But as the evil from her childhood stories threatens the cosmic order, the path she has forged clashes with the destiny the gods have chosen for her family. And Kaikeyi must decide if resistance is worth the destruction it will wreak—and what legacy she intends to leave behind.
Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott
The Yaga siblings–Bellatine, a young woodworker, and Isaac, a wayfaring street performer and con artist–have been estranged since childhood, separated both by resentment and by wide miles of American highway. But when they learn that they are to receive a mysterious inheritance, the siblings are reunited–only to discover that their bequest isn’t land or money, but something far stranger: a sentient house on chicken legs.
Thistlefoot, as the house is called, has arrived from the Yagas’ ancestral home in Russia–but not alone. A sinister figure known only as the Longshadow Man has tracked it to American shores, bearing with him violent secrets from the past: fiery memories that have hidden in Isaac and Bellatine’s blood for generations. As the Yaga siblings embark with Thistlefoot on a final cross-country tour of their family’s traveling theater show, the Longshadow Man follows in relentless pursuit, seeding destruction in his wake. Ultimately, time, magic, and legacy must collide–erupting in a powerful conflagration to determine who gets to remember the past and craft a new future.
Mooncakes by Wendy Xu and Suzanne Walker
Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. She works at her grandmothers’ bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town.
One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf into the woods, and she comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any town home.
Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help. Their latent feelings are rekindled against the backdrop of witchcraft, untested magic, occult rituals, and family ties both new and old in this enchanting tale of self-discovery.
The girl knows she has a destiny before she even knows her name. She grows up in the wild, in a cave with her mother, but visions of a faraway lake come to her on the spring breeze, and when she hears a traveler speak of Artos, king of Caer Leon, she knows that her future lies at his court.
And so, brimming with magic and eager to test her strength, she breaks her covenant with her mother and, with a broken hunting spear and mended armour, rides on a bony gelding to Caer Leon. On her adventures she will meet great knights and steal the hearts of beautiful women. She will fight warriors and sorcerers. And she will find her love, and the lake, and her fate.
Summer 1995: Ten-year-old Joan, her mother, and her younger sister flee her father’s explosive temper and seek refuge at her mother’s ancestral home in Memphis. This is not the first time violence has altered the course of the family’s trajectory. Half a century earlier, Joan’s grandfather built this majestic house in the historic Black neighborhood of Douglass—only to be lynched days after becoming the first Black detective in the city. Joan tries to settle into her new life, but family secrets cast a longer shadow than any of them expected.
As she grows up, Joan finds relief in her artwork, painting portraits of the community in Memphis. One of her subjects is their enigmatic neighbor Miss Dawn, who claims to know something about curses, and whose stories about the past help Joan see how her passion, imagination, and relentless hope are, in fact, the continuation of a long matrilineal tradition. Joan begins to understand that her mother, her mother’s mother, and the mothers before them persevered, made impossible choices, and put their dreams on hold so that her life would not have to be defined by loss and anger—that the sole instrument she needs for healing is her paintbrush.
Anna does boring things for terrible people because even criminals need office help and she needs a job. Working for a monster lurking beneath the surface of the world isn’t glamorous. But is it really worse than working for an oil conglomerate or an insurance company? In this economy?
As a temp, she’s just a cog in the machine. But when she finally gets a promising assignment, everything goes very wrong, and an encounter with the so-called “hero” leaves her badly injured. And, to her horror, compared to the other bodies strewn about, she’s the lucky one.
So, of course, then she gets laid off.
With no money and no mobility, with only her anger and internet research acumen, she discovers her suffering at the hands of a hero is far from unique. When people start listening to the story that her data tells, she realizes she might not be as powerless as she thinks.
Because the key to everything is data: knowing how to collate it, how to manipulate it, and how to weaponize it. By tallying up the human cost these caped forces of nature wreak upon the world, she discovers that the line between good and evil is mostly marketing. And with social media and viral videos, she can control that appearance.
It’s not too long before she’s employed once more, this time by one of the worst villains on earth. As she becomes an increasingly valuable lieutenant, she might just save the world.
It’s Top Ten Tuesday! Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is all about the top ten most anticipated new releases in the second half of 2022!
Well hello beautiful people! I don’t know about you, but I was busy yesterday avoiding the heat and reading. Today is going to be more of the same, as the high for the day is supposed to be 100 degrees. And it’s going to be 102 for the next 5 days. I’m going to be drinking so much water.
I’m looking forward to quite a few books in the latter half of this year. In fact, I’ve already pre-ordered all of these. Half of them are sequels. I’m going to have a hard time narrowing this list down to ten.
A Prayer for the Crown Shy by Becky Chambers-July 12th
This book is the follow-up to one of my favorite books from last year, A Psalm for the Wild Built. This story follows everyone’s favorite tea monk and robot duo as they journey amongst the human villages. The last book was amazing and I have no doubt that this one will be too.
Upgrade by Blake Crouch-July 19th
This book asks the question “what if we could hack the human genome to make mankind smarter, stronger, faster?”. After reading Recursion I am really looking forward to this stand-alone book.
Babel by R.F. Kuang-August 23rd
The story of a young man who enters Oxford to become a translator for the British Empire. I loved The Poppy War, and even though I haven’t finished that series yet, R.F. Kuang is an auto-buy author for me. I know, it makes no sense.
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood-August 23rd
This is the follow-up to the sensational Love Hypothesis. This sounds like an enemies to lovers tale, and I do have an ARC for it, but I also have it on pre-order, because I have a problem.
The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas-September 6th
This story sounds fantastic, but I am cautiously optimistic. I loved Cemetary Boys but disliked Lost in the Never Woods. So I’m 50/50 on this book.
Desperation in Death by J.D. Robb-September 6th
This is going to be the 55th entry in the In Death series. I can’t believe the series has gone on this long! And there is already a book slated for release next year! This one sounds as gruesome as all the others, so as always, make sure you check trigger warnings before picking it up.
You Are Home by Catana Chetwynd-October 4th
I love Catana Comics on Instagram and have every book she has put out. She tells stories of her everyday life with her fiancee and it’s adorable and fills me with joy.
Bloodmarked by Tracey Deonn-November 8th
This is the much-anticipated sequel to Legendborne. I have been looking forward to this for a while and its release date has already been pushed back once.
The Lost Metal by Brandon Sanderson-November 15th
This is one of the Hubs most anticipated books of the year. It’s the 4th (and last) book in the Mistborn second era. I still haven’t finished Mistborn the first era. Sigh.
Witcha Gonna Do by Avery Flynn-December 6th
And here is another enemies to lovers story on the list. This time it’s all about witches. I like the witch romance stories. They are fun to read.
Hello beautiful people! It’s a beautiful day outside today in the Dallas area and I have been out running errands on this blue sky day. But it’s Top Ten Tuesday! Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish. This week is all about bookish merch I would love to own…hence the title.
This T-Shirt from TeeTurtle
I think it accurately displays how we all feel after the end of a good book. We get the sads cause it’s over. Sometimes we get the sads becuase it really made us cry! You can find the shirt here.
This T-Shirt from Out of Print
This book sparked a love of Greek mythology that still lives inside of me. You can find the shirt here. Bonus points to Out of Print for using the sales of their shirts to fund literacy programs across the country.
This T-Shirt from Etsy
I really want this one, given where I now work. You can find it here.
This Book Sleeve
I found this one whilst scrolling the interwebs a while ago. I feel it rings true. You can find it here.
This Sticky Tab Set
I really want to try to annotate my books, especially those I want to review that aren’t on my Kindle. This seem like good tabs to use for that. Also, there is about 480 of them. You can find them here.
This Bookish Puzzle
This pretty puzzle looks as frustrating as it does fun. it would look great spread out on my coffee table. Until my cat knocks it over. You can pick it up here.
This Bookish Embroidery
Embroidery is one of those hobbies you can do while listening to an audiobook. I love it. And I want this kit. You can find it here.
This Car Decal
I just got a new car, so I’m a little hesitant about this one, but it looks like something I would have on my vehicle. It’s available here.
This Unique and Adorable Bookmark
I love the way this adorable little bookmark looks. And you get eight of them! You can pick them up here.
This Magnet
I want this for my TBR cart, not my fridge. But I love it so much! You can find it on ETSY here.
Is it cheating that three of my bookish things are t-shirts? I don’t think so, as I want them all. What’s really funny is there were a few things I went to go add and I realized I had already purchased them. Oh well.
Hello beautiful people! The family has departed and I’m excited to be back to my normal routine, if there ever was such a thing. But hey, it’s Tuesday! That means it’s Top Ten Tuesday!
It’s Top Ten Tuesday! Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish. Today’s topic, if you haven’t guessed from the title, is all about authors I haven’t gotten to yet, but want to.
Diana Gabaldon
I have yet to pick up this series, despite owning this book in three formats. And given that all she has really written is the Outlander series, I have to at least give these novels a try.
Naomi Novik
So despite owning three books set in three different worlds by this author, I have yet to read a single one. I need to work on that, I think.
Neal Shusterman
I also own a few books by this author and have read none. Are we noticing a pattern here?
Octavia E. Butler
I can’t believe I have never read any of her work! From what I understand, her writing was incredibly prophetic.
Sarah J. Maas
This is another example of “I own all the things and have never read them”. I have gotten several of her books, on sale because bargains, and just haven’t gotten around to them. I have problems.
N.K. Jemisin
We just picked up The Broken Earth trilogy a few days ago from our used book store (huzzah!) and The Hubs is reading it right now. He’s on book two, so I have high hopes.
Sara Douglass
So I bought this entire series based on the covers, and haven’t read them yet. I mean look at that art! I have no idea what to expect, of course, but that cover!
Fredrick Backman
I’ve heard amazing things about Backman’s writing. And I own Anxious People. I have high hopes based on everything I have heard about him.
Ta-Nehisi Coates
I have heard nothing but good things about this author’s writing. I need to get to it sooner rather than later.
Jennifer L. Armentrout
I own the first book in this particular series but haven’t read anything else by the author either.
And there is my list. What does your list look like?
Well hello, beautiful people! Today has been another busy day for me, what with the running of errands. The search for comfy shoes has been a long, hard, road. But isn’t it always?
It’s Top Ten Tuesday! Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish. Today’s list is all about books that have adjectives in the title!
Neon Gods by Katee Robert
Ah yes, the gods of neon. Those who shine brightly in their glittering city above all. This is a Hades and Persephone retelling of the spicy variety. I enjoyed this one enough to pick up the sequel. Which of course, I still haven’t read.
Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite by Various
This short story collection all about vampires was a four-star read for me. It takes typical vampire lore and tropes and reimagines them with a modern twist. And there are some pretty good stories in here.
The Perfect Mother by Aimee Malloy
I had rated this book two stars. It left such an impression on me that I had to look up the description on Goodreads, as I had completely forgotten what it was about.
The Defiant Heir by Melissa Caruso
The second book in the Swords and Fire series. I gave this one four stars. I have really enjoyed this series, which totally explains why I haven’t finished it.
Cursed by Thomas Wheeler, art by Frank Miller.
This King Arthur retelling focuses on Nimue, the lady of the lake. I really enjoyed this tale and gave it five stars. I haven’t finished the Netflix adaptation, and I probably won’t, if I’m honest.
The Four Profound Weaves by R.B. Lemburg
This story features some interesting trans rep and has a very unique magic system. That being said, the writing style felt a little flat for me, and I ended up not finishing this novella. I gave it one star.
To be Taught, if Fortunate by Beck Chambers
This novella features a very interesting ending and I highly recommend you check it out. It’s a story about a mission to discover life on alien worlds, and asks the question, what kind of world will they find when they go home? I gave it four stars.
The Affair of the Mysterious Letter by Alexis Hall
This story was written by the author of Boyfriend Material and I absolutely loved this book. Unfortunately, it’s a standalone, and there are currently no plans for a sequel. I would love to see more in this world. I did give it five stars. If you love fantastical retellings and enjoy Sherlock Holmes you may get a kick out of this.
Burn Bright by Patricia Briggs
Okay, but how nice is this cover? That’s not why we are here of course, but it has to be said. This is the 5th book in the Alpha and Omega series which is a Mercy Thompson spin-off. I thought this book was just okay, if the three-star rating I gave it is anything to go by.
Dark in Death by J.D. Robb
The 46th entry into the In Death series finds Eve having to solve crime. Go figure. Like all the In Death books, I really had a good time reading this one, although the series is suffering a little from series fatigue. It’s a hazard when you write this many books. Four stars.
And there it is. My list of books with adjectives in the title. Have you read any of these?
Well hello, beautiful people. It’s been a few days. I needed a mental health break, so I took some time off from blogging and did some other things, like playing board games with the Hubs.
I made the winter one and never read a book on it, so let’s see if I can keep to this one, shall we?
The Impossible Us by Sarah Lotz
I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley. It sounds like a very cool premise. Love through parallel worlds? Yup. I’ll read that.
The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
A story about men who have a secret book club where they read romance novels to help them in their love lives. Um, but why does this sound like both a train wreck and adorable all at once. It also happens to be the first book in a series, and we all know how good I am at finishing those.
The Lost Girls by Sonia Hartl
I love the idea of vampires that are frozen in time and can’t escape the frizzy hair of the 80s! I also love that it’s a revenge story.
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
The story of the current geological age as told in personal essays. It’s been on my TBR shelf (let’s be honest, it’s shelves) for a while now and I want to get to it soonish.
Malice by Heather Walter
This story of Sleeping Beauty told from the villain’s point of view. The sequel is coming out later this year, and I want to get to this one before Misrule releases.
House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Mass
I bought this one without knowing what it was about, and I still don’t know. But it’s a chonky book, and I want to get to it, as the sequel just came out this month.
Various In Death Books by J.D. Robb
It’s kind of cheating to put this on here, but I’m only counting it as one, so it’s not cheating, right?
All The Feels by Olivia Dade
Another sequel, this one to my favorite book of the year so far. I have to get to it, and soon.
Beach Read by Emily Henry
Now, I didn’t like the first book I read by this author, but I have heard that this one was way better. So here’s hoping. Especially because she has a book coming out this year that I like the sound of.
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
I really enjoyed the last book by this author, so I have high hopes for this one. Hopefully those won’t be dashed.
Now, let’s hope I can actually read all the books on this TBR this season. I’m going to cross my fingers!
Well hello, beautiful people! It’s Top Ten Tuesday! Today’s TTT is all about your favorite trope, but I don’t have one favorite trope, I have several. So I thought I would give you a few examples of my favorite ones!
So you may notice a theme in my chosen one trope. Yes, they are all King Arthur re-tellings. He’s my favorite literary chosen one. I think I saw The Sword in the Stone one too many times as a child, but I love the idea of the chosen king. One day he shall live again!
Trope Two: Time Loop/Groundhog Day
The time loop has been a favorite trope of mine for years. Recursion did it beautifully, and if you want to have your mind twisted, give it a read. If you’re not familiar, the time loop/groundhog day trope is what happens when a specific character (or group of characters) repeats the same day (or a specific period of time) over and over again until the goal or purpose is achived.
Trope Three/Four: The Grump-Sunshine Trope/Fake Dating Trope
Okay, so I know I’m new to the romance genre, but I have been completely taken in by these tropes. The idea of the grumpy guy getting together with the sweetheart girl. I’m also really in love with the fake dating trope. I have no idea why these two tropes appeal to me so much, but they do.
Trope Five: Enchanted Object/Weapon
This enchanted sword actually appears in several books in the Valdemar verse and I love it so much. There are other famous enchanted objects, but I ran out of books to use!
And there it is! A few of my favorite tropes and the ten books in therein! I had fun hunting these titles down. I was having issues and could remember the name of Recursion. I kept typing Remember into the search bar. Right idea, wrong title.
Lauren Corcur 