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Hey reader friends.  You may have noticed 2023 was a very quiet year for me in terms of blogging.  After many, many, many years reading and writing reviews here (over 10 years), I have decided to sort of reinvent my blog.  

I will continue to talk about books and stuff, because I love sharing what I think with people.  But I'll also talk about life as well - what's happening, what I'm reading, movies stuff, basically life. 

I hope you'll like the changes, and I hope you will have fun reading what I have to say about everything!  

Greetings Friends

 Hey reader friends.  I took a hiatus from blogging over the fall.  I did a few videos on youtube, and messed around on the clock app.  And of course, I read books. 

Some of the books I have finished recently are:

* The Narrow - Kate Alice Marshall 
* I'm not Done With you Yet - Jesse Q. Sutanto
* Murder on the Christmas Express - Alexandra Benedict 

I really enjoyed all three of them.  Here is a video review I did of I'm Not Done With You Yet.

What have you all been reading lately?  Any favorite books of this year? Let me know in the comments.

Bout of Books SIgn Up

 HEY FRIENDS. It's been...a..while.  I am back though and ready to get back into the blogging groove!  So, let's start with a Bout of Books sign up post.  As expected, I will be participating in Bout of Books, which you can read about here: 

The Bout of Books readathon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly Rubidoux Apple. It’s a weeklong readathon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 21st and runs through Sunday, August 27th in YOUR time zone. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are reading sprints, daily Discord questions, and exclusive Instagram challenges, but they’re all completely optional. For all Bout of Books 38 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books teama

This weeklong readathon is SO MUCH FUN. If you've followed me on the internets for a while you know I love Bout of Books, and that I am about to tell you to go sign up and join me!  You won't regret it.  

Bout of Books Sign Uo

 Hey friends!  It's been a hot minute, but I'm back.  And I'm here to tell you I'm once again doing Bout of Books. Surprised right?! 

If you've never heard of Bout of Books, here's a little blurb from their blog:

The Bout of Books readathon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly Rubidoux Apple. It’s a weeklong readathon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 8th and runs through Sunday, May 14th in YOUR time zone. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are reading sprints, daily Discord questions, and exclusive Instagram challenges, but they’re all completely optional. For all Bout of Books 37 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

If you think it sounds awesome go join!  If you're already signed up have fun reading.

January and February Wrap Up

 

Hey friends!  I started off the year strong I read 12 books in January and February combined!  

Let's just dive right in.  Here are the books I read in January and February. 

The Heart Principle - Helen Hoang 
The Bride Test - Helen Hoang
The Kiss Quotient - Helen Hoang 
Crimes of Passion - Jack 
Five Survive - Holly Jackson 
Tell Me I'm Worthless - Alison Rumfitt 
How to Keep a Husband for 10 Days - Jessica Hatch 
The Spite House - Johnny Compton 
Dread Nation - Justina Ireland 
Book Lovers - Emily Henry 
Animal Farm - George Orwell 
One Night in Havana - Chanel Cleaton 
Murder by the Cup - Abigail Lynn Thornton 

There you have it friends - my January and February conquests.  What books have you read so far this year?  Have you read any of the books I read?  Tell me what's going on down in the comments! 

The Heart Principle - Helen Hoange

Title: The Heart Principle 
Author: Helen Hoang 
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 4.5 Stars 

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A woman struggling with burnout learns to embrace the unexpected—and the man she enlists to help her—in this new New York Times bestselling romance by Helen Hoang.

When violinist Anna Sun accidentally achieves career success with a viral YouTube video, she finds herself incapacitated and burned out from her attempts to replicate that moment. And when her longtime boyfriend announces he wants an open relationship before making a final commitment, a hurt and angry Anna decides that if he wants an open relationship, then she does, too. Translation: She’s going to embark on a string of one-night stands. The more unacceptable the men, the better.

That’s where tattooed, motorcycle-riding Quan Diep comes in. Their first attempt at a one-night stand fails, as does their second, and their third, because being with Quan is more than sex—he accepts Anna on an unconditional level that she herself has just started to understand. However, when tragedy strikes Anna’s family she takes on a role that she is ill-suited for, until the burden of expectations threatens to destroy her. Anna and Quan have to fight for their chance at love, but to do that, they also have to fight for themselves.

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I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK.  I am so glad I finally took the time to read this (and the other two books by Helen Hoang.)

I found the characters in this books to be fantastic and relatable. After all, how many of us have ever felt like Anna does - just done, finished, burnt out.  I can't relate to the fact that Anna is autistic, but the burn out - even neurotypical people can experience that in their own way.  There are certainly ways that burnout can impact neurodivergent people, and how they approach the world just because of the way that autism, or ADHD, etc, impact the way they see and view everything around them. I think mostly I just related to the fact that feeling a sense of burnout is a very human thing depending on your circumstances.  

(Well, okay, perhaps a little tangent is necessary - for me anyway.  So, here in the US, where I live, it seems that this sense of burnout amongst ALL people seems to be more prevalent and impacts our live in such a huge way.  It is, sadly, something that we "normalize." We keep telling people to just keep going.  We encourage people to keep working even if they are feeling overwhelmed or frustrated.  We brush off people's concerns about how they feel and how they're really doing.  We push people to be hyper independent and to push off any offers for help.  It's really frustrating and said, and says a lot about what our society views as the most important things in life.)

I loved the way each character was written and developed, and that they were all connected to each other and also unique to themselves.  The author did a good job of making sure each character had their own traits and personalities and also showed great growth from Anna. Anna really struggled with a lot of things in the book, but she grew a lot and learned a lot about herself and how to handle things that came her way. 

As far as the steamy scenes, Helen Hoang nails it.  I felt like each sex scene was well written, AND that the characters had good chemistry with each other outside the bedroom.  They were very good together and had things in common, and really enjoyed each others company.  Their whole relationship worked. 

Quan was very patient with Anna, and I think it helped that he was familiar with autism and how each autistic person is just their own person just like everyone else.  Quan had a lot of people who judged him as well because of all his tattoo's and people thinking that made him a "bad boy."  Personally, I think Quan is more of a softy than people realized.  He's just sweet and kind, and I loved him!  

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED watching Anna grow and change throughout this book, and FINALLY find a voice.  I don't want to spoil anything, so I will just say that she was very, very passive, and didn't really stand up to people or say no to people, and watching her learn how to do that was amazing. 

Overall, this book is totally worth the time!  Read it now, friends! 

If you already have read it let me know what you think in the comments. 

The Bride Test - Helen Hoang

 

Title: The Bride Test
Author: Helen Hoang 
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 4 Stars 

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Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, he feels irritation when people move his things or contentment when ledgers balance down to the penny, but not big, important emotions—like grief. And love. He thinks he's defective. His family knows better—that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly avoids relationships, his mother takes matters into her own hands and returns to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride.

As a mixed-race girl living in the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, Esme Tran has always felt out of place. When the opportunity arises to come to America and meet a potential husband, she can't turn it down, thinking this could be the break her family needs. Seducing Khai, however, doesn't go as planned. Esme's lessons in love seem to be working...but only on herself. She's hopelessly smitten with a man who's convinced he can never return her affection.

With Esme's time in the United States dwindling, Khai is forced to understand he's been wrong all along. And there's more than one way to love.

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This is the first book I've read by Helen Hoang, and I loved it.  It was such a great, cute romance that hit me right in the feels. 

I LOVED:

- The two main characters.  They were amazing, I think.  It must have been really hard for Esme to come to a new country, and to meet Khai, and go through trying to get him to fall in love with her - even if it was a ploy in the beginning.  Khai was written so well, as was Esme.  Watching the way Khai was developed as an autistic person and what he could handle, and how he approached having Esme touch him was great.  I am not autistic, so I won't even pretend to know how it feels.  I will say that I think the author wrote Khai very well, and with so much depth - it's great to know that the author understands that autistic people are not just one dimensional, and that they are people like the rest of us.  Esme was written very well also, and was such a great character.  I think both characters really learned a lot about each other and themselves throughout the course of this book and that was great.

- The settings and the build up of the story were fantastic.  The author really developed everything well, and showed a lot of great development in what was happening around Khai and Esme as their relationship developed.  For example, showing how Khai managed things at big events like weddings was great because it gave us even more insight into his character and who he was as a person.  Being in large social settings like that was difficult for him, and you could tell he was growing and making an effort when he went from bringing a book to these events to not bringing one at all. Those little things really added to the story and helped bring me into what was happening. 

- Khai's family was awesome.  I really liked his mom and brother.  They were as well developed as the two main characters, and seeing how they reacted to Khai, to Esme, and to each other and their friends and family was great.  As secondary characters they really felt real and well written to me. Khai's family was also I think mostly understanding of why he lived the way he did, but they also weren't afraid to tell Khai what was what. His brother was honest with him to the point that Khai really did learn things about himself and what he needed in his life and I loved that. 

- Esme finally being open with Khai about her daughter was so wholesome to me.  He met her daughter and was like cool, cool, here's my family.  It was just a great moment of acceptance to me showing that Khai had really grown when he realized that he loved Esme and was going to accept her wholly no matter what. 

Overall this book was wonderful and I am so glad I finally had a chance to read it.  (I am now onto The Heart Paradox, and I'll review that soon - but so far I'm loving it!)

If you've read The Bride Test, leave me a comment and let me know what you thought!  

Dread Nation - Justina Ireland

 

Title: Dread Nation
Author: Justina Ireland 
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 5 Stars 

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At once provocative, terrifying, and darkly subversive, Dread Nation is Justina Ireland's stunning vision of an America both foreign and familiar—a country on the brink, at the explosive crossroads where race, humanity, and survival meet.

Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania—derailing the War Between the States and changing the nation forever.

In this new America, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Education Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead.

But there are also opportunities—and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It's a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations.

But that’s not a life Jane wants. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston's School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn’t pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose.

But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. 

And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems.

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FRIENDS - I have hit it!  My FIRST FIVE STAR BOOK OF 2023!  

Words cannot describe how much I loved this book.  From the first page to the falling of Summerland, this book was everything I could have hoped it would be and more.  I loved the character development, the intrigue, the way that there were so many people in this book willing to stand up for what was right in the face of severe racism and prejudice.  

Jane, the fierce and independent MC and narrator of this book, is, hands down, my favorite character.  She is so strong and always willing to make her voice heard, even when she knows she's in a place where it could end very badly.  The story takes a look at "post slavery" United States, which, of course, meant nothing during those times, and Jane knew that black people like her were still treated so badly and were seen as people who couldn't be susceptible to the zombie virus because they were black.  That's crap, of course.  Watching Jane and Kathryn stand up for what's right, even in the face of other people who don't believe her, and people who don't want to fight is amazing.  Jane uses her fierce belief in what's right lead her, and helps her help Kathryn stay safe when they are shipped of to Summerland. 

When I first encountered Kathryn, I wasn't sure how I felt about her.  She seemed spoiled and arrogant, and her unwillingness to be flexible in regards to what it took to help the people around her (TAKE OFF THE DAMN CORSET!!!)  But she grew as a character, I feel, and she really showed that she had what it took to fight hard to keep people safe in an unsafe place. 

There was not only excellent character development and growth in this book, there was wonderful foreshadowing and story building.  The way the author develops the whole story and builds up what's happening from beginning to end is AMAZING. 

It's so amazing, it deserves all the awesome Schitt's Creek memes and gifs (minus the ones where Moira and David are being, you know, Moira and David.)

This book also looks at the way black people were treated during that time and develops the story and characters around that so that they are fighting on the side of right, and that's great.  They're going into this world knowing that they are being treated unfairly, and they are doing what they do to let people know that's not okay. 

The whole book was so well written and I will absolutely be reading basically anything Justina Ireland writes from here on out.  The way she develops everything and fills in her plot and characters so well is worth it.  This is a book I'd recommend to everyone who loves good writing, a well developed plot, great characters, and zombies. 

How to Keep A Husband for 10 Days

Title: How to Keep a Husband for 10 Days 
Author: Jessica Hatch
Format: E-Book 
Rating: 3 Stars 

Publication Date: February 8, 2023

Publisher: Bookouture

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Pretending to be married to the man you were married to… How hard can it be?!

When Lina’s oldest friends unexpectedly announce they’re coming to stay, she has to think fast. No one knows she and her husband Brown are breaking up, and so she persuades him to act as if they aren’t… After all, how hard can it be to pretend to be married for ten days?

Turns out, a lot harder than she thought. On day one, she strikes so many couple poses that she throws her back out. On day two, she gets muscle spasms from smiling too hard at her husband’s jokes. On day three, she almost has a heart attack when she puts her hand far too high up his thigh at the dinner table. And on day four, when she accidentally grazes Brown’s lips when aiming for his cheek, she almost passes out in the middle of the restaurant.

By day five, Lina is starting to realise there’s a thin line between love and hate. And while she can try to fool her friends, she can’t fool her heart. Was she too hasty calling time on her marriage? Is this more than make believe? And does she even have enough time to find out if Brown feels the same?

This absolutely hilarious and totally addictive romcom is perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis, Christina Lauren’s The Unhoneymooners, and Emily Henry.

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How to Keep a Husband For 10 Days is a forthcoming book by author Jessica Hatch.  This book has an interesting premise for a rom-com because the couple is already married.  The book goes back and forth between their time when they were first married and living in this little apartment in a small building, and the time in the present when they are going through a divorce.

Here's a little background: Lina and Brown are getting divorced.  Their friend Freddy still owns the building they all met in and held progressive dinner parties in for years. Freddy's building is about to be sold to someone trying to "snazz up" the neighborhood - read: Gentrification.  Freddy is trying to do everything they can to keep the property as is because they really want to be able to provide affordable housing in a city that doesn't have a lot of those options. 

There really wasn't a ton of "Comedy" in this self proclaimed rom-com.  It did have a few WTF moments, but nothing that I'd say really put it solidly in that rom-com category.  Also, the fact that the couple was already married made for an interesting premise because we already know they were in love once, and probably still are (it is labeled as a romance, after all.) The way they come to different realizations throughout the book is the way you'd expect any married couple to.  They have a lot of fun at the beginning, but things get hard once they're on their own away from their friends.  Then they realize that marriage is not always easy - that sort of stuff happens with married couples.  They both realized this, but what they never did realize was that they don't really have that much in common with each other - which leads me to wonder why they got married in the first place. 

Lina did learn a few things throughout the book about what she would need to do in order to be a good wife and about how to admit things about herself that she needed to work on.  And I wish Brown had done the same, but he seemed to stay pretty stagnant throughout the book.  There was little surprise that their friend Sarah became even more self centered in the "current" part of the book than in the "past."  Freddy and Mia, to me, seemed to be the most balanced, open, and developed characters in the book. They could have made a whole book just about those two and the passion they had and the way they cared so much for people besides themselves. 

Overall, I didn't hate this book, but I definitely could have done with some more actual rom-com and better developed characters. 

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Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book as an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley.  This has not influenced my review in any way.

Pairing Book Characters with Songs I Love

 

Hey reader friends!  I wanted to do something fun that I've never done before - pairing some of my favorite characters with songs that I think fit them.  

I've picked characters that are, I think, fun, some dark, and all amazing. And here they are - along with a song that they go well with 

Kaz Brekker 

Alina Starkov 

The Darkling 

Frodo Baggins 

Samwise Gamgee 

Gandalf 

If you listened to every song - bless you!  If you have your own ideas of which songs would work for the characters I shared today, let me know in the comments.  Stay tuned for part two - it's fun to share with you all! 

Library Love Challenge

 

Hello reader friends!  I am still on a little break, but wanted to do another post this week for the Library Love Challenge, which, if you ask me, is a totally stellar reading challenge.  

This challenge is sponsored by Angel's Guilty Pleasures and Books of My Heart, and the idea is to read as much from your library as you can/want each year. 

If you also want to join the challenge, you can sign up on their blog here! 

Bout of Books

 

Greetings friends.  I have been on a bit of a blogging hiatus this month. But have no fear - I am returning in January and at the start of the new year will also be joining in for another round of BOUT OF BOOKS.  Are you really surprised?  I didn't think so.  

If you still haven't heard of bout of books, here is a lovely little about it written by co-host Kelly! 

The Bout of Books readathon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly Rubidoux Apple. It’s a weeklong readathon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 2nd and runs through Sunday, January 8th in YOUR time zone. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are reading sprints, Twitter chats, and exclusive Instagram challenges, but they’re all completely optional. For all Bout of Books 36 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I'm not setting a TBR for Bout of Books.  I am just going to go in and read whatever feels good to me at the moment.  I'm just looking forward to a week of reading fun! 

I hope you all reading this will be joining in with Bout of books - it is truly a fantastic readathon.

The Family Across the Street - Nicole Trope

 

 

Title: The Family Across the Street 
Author: Nicole Trope
Format: E-book
Rating: 4 Stars 

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Sometimes, the most perfect families are hiding the most terrible secrets. How well do you know the people next door…?

Everybody wants to live on Hogarth Street, the pretty, tree-lined avenue with its white houses. The new family, the Wests, are a perfect fit. Katherine and John seem so in love and their gorgeous five-year-old twins race screeching around their beautiful emerald-green lawn.

But soon people start to notice: why don’t they join backyard barbecues? Why do they brush away offers to babysit? Why, when you knock at the door, do they shut you out, rather than inviting you in?

Every family has secrets, and on the hottest day of the year, the truth is about to come out. As a tragedy unfolds behind closed doors, the dawn chorus is split by the wail of sirens. And one by one the families who tried so hard to welcome the Wests begin to realise: Hogarth Street will never be the same again.

A completely gripping, twist-packed psychological thriller, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Sally Hepworth and Lisa Jewell.

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I actually did a video review!  Watch it below, and as always, let me know if you've read the book and what you thought of it in the comments.

Blackmail and Bibingka - Mia P. Manansala

 

Title: Blackmail and Bibingka 
Author: Mia P. Manansala 
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 4 stars 

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When her long lost cousin comes back to town just in time for the holidays, Lila Macapagal knows that big trouble can't be far behind in this new mystery by Mia P. Manansala, author of Arsenic and Adobo.

It's Christmastime in Shady Palms, but things are far from jolly for Lila Macapagal. Sure, her new business, The Brew-ha Cafe, is looking to turn a profit in its first year. And yes, she's taken the first step in a new romance with her good friend, Jae Park. But her cousin Ronnie is back in town after ghosting the family fifteen years ago, claiming that his recent purchase of a local winery shows that he's back on his feet and ready to give back to the Shady Palms community. Tita Rosie is thrilled with the return of her prodigal son, but Lila knows that wherever Ronnie goes, trouble follows.

She's soon proven right when Ronnie is accused of murder, and secrets and rumors surrounding her shady cousin and those involved with the winery start piling up. Now Lila has to put away years of resentment and distrust to prove her cousin's innocence. He may be a jerk, but he's still family. And there's no way her flesh and blood could actually be a murderer...right?

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Blackmail and Bibingka is the third book in Mia P Manansala's Tita Rosie's Kitchen series.  This book, like the previous two in the series, solidly lives up to the mystery aspect.  

As soon as I started listening to this book I knew I was going to be delighted.  The book itself is well written, and the characters are as well rounded and developed as in the previous two books. In fact, this book takes things one step further when Lila's cousin Ronnie returns to town.  He's Tita Rosie's son, and meeting him helps give us some insight into Tita Rosie's past and family life before her husband and son just left her and skipped town.

With each new book in this series, the author takes us deeper into the lives of the characters.  We get a chance to learn more about them, their motivations, and who they are.  I love that in this book Lila's two best friends were more prominent.  We got to know them as not just her friends but her business partners (and people who put up with her being a nosy Nelly, and who even assisted her nosiness once in a while.) I enjoyed seeing even more of Jae Park, Lila's dating buddy and definitely future boyfriend.  He had this calm presence and was really good for Lila.  They get along well, and the chemistry they shared was spot on.

I liked the mystery in this book.  We start off thinking we know exactly who did the crime, Ronnie!  But of course we learn how wrong we are.  At a certain point you are able to really connect the dots and figure out what happened to Ronny's fiance, and the build up to get to that point is fantastic.  The author weaves in so many details and surrounds Ronny with enough people that you have to wonder at first who was having a little...fun, shall we say.

With each passing chapter, just enough is revealed that you have to keep going to find out more and solve the mystery.  And when you finally get it, it's great. Maybe I'm a little slow picking up on mystery stuff, but I had to really think about things before I figured out who did what.  BUT I enjoyed every little clue and every little aha moment throughout the book.

I also loved that we got to see Lila and her friends doing more with their business.  They opened a cafe called the Brew-Ha Cafe, where they have coffee, baked goods, and the cutest crafty items.  And seeing how they all work together in the cafe and as co-business owners is fantastic.  

Overall, in my opinion, this is a must read.  And, as always, if you've already read it, let me know what you thought in the comments. 

What Makes a Worthy Book

I cross posted this on Medium.  I think this debate is important. 

 There is always this debate that crops up in the book world. What makes a book worthy and valuable.

There is the classic lit vs modern lit, romance vs all books, YA books vs adult books, and so on, and so on.

It seems that the two areas that crapped on the most are YA and romance. People don’t view them as worthy or valuable and don’t think that people should even be reading them. Let me tell you, as someone who reads both YA and adult romance, and YA fantasy, both YA and romance are worth being read by anyone who likes those types of books.

Something I want to remind you of here is this:

• YA books are NOT a genre in and of themselves. They are books that describe the general age range they were written for. YA books can be romance, sci-fi, fantasy, contemporary, and any other genre that exists.

Now, let’s move forward. When people decide to wholly state that they don’t think romance is worthy, or that YA books aren’t worthy, or that any other type of books are not worthy, most of the time they haven’t actually read books in any genre or age range that they are venting about. Yet these people feel qualified to say that X book is not worth reading.

Think about what this says about books and reading and all that entails. When you say X,Y,or Z book is not worthy, and doesn’t fit the standard, you’re are saying that readers of those books are not real readers. They aren’t living up to some arbitrary standard set by snobs, so they must not be real readers.

But when someone picks up The Fault in Our Stars, or The Ex Hex, or Act your Age, Eve Brown, they are picking up a book where they may learn about what cancer does to your body, or what it’s like to help people learn to love who you are as much as you do, or what can happen when one little spell goes awry. That last one is just for fun — but hopefully you’re getting the idea. Books can be for learning things, for growing, or, frankly, just for fun.

We don’t always need to read highbrow lit that’s going to teach us tons of things just to be taken seriously as a reader. We read because we love books, and some books are going to resonate with certain readers more than they do with others. And that’s okay. I love romance books. I love them! I also love fantasy books. And occasionally, if I’m in the right mood, I love a good cozy mystery. (This seems like the perfect time to plug Mia P. Manansala’s books! They’re fantastic.)

If you love classic lit, that’s great. If you absolutely love romance, that’s amazing. If you only read mystery’s, perhaps you can help me solve the mystery of how to fit more books on my shelves. Because at the end of the day, we are all readers, and all books are worthy. Don’t look down on a certain of book just because you wouldn’t read it.

Vespertine - Margaret Roberson

 

Title: Vespertine
Author: Margaret Rogerson 
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 4 Stars 

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The dead of Loraille do not rest.

Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on; otherwise, they will rise as spirits with a ravenous hunger for the living. She would rather deal with the dead than the living, who trade whispers about her scarred hands and troubled past.

When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia defends it by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic. It is a revenant, a malevolent being that threatens to possess her the moment she drops her guard. Wielding its extraordinary power almost consumes her—but death has come to Loraille, and only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, has any chance of stopping it. With all knowledge of vespertines lost to time, Artemisia turns to the last remaining expert for help: the revenant itself.

As she unravels a sinister mystery of saints, secrets, and dark magic, her bond with the revenant grows. And when a hidden evil begins to surface, she discovers that facing this enemy might require her to betray everything she has been taught to believe—if the revenant doesn’t betray her first.

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I loved this book -and there's going to be a series!!!  There are not enough words to describe how much I loved this book, but I'll try (and I'll even throw in some gifs and memes just to really show you what I think.

The possession aspect: Hello! Who doesn't love a story about a good potential possession.  Watching Artemisia struggle with the revenant inside her and learn to hone who she was was AMAZING.

The characters were great. Artemisia was my favorite character, but the revenant was a close second.  I know, I know - the REVENANAT?! What am I thinking?  Well, I mean, it did try to possess Artemisia.... And it was well spoken, well written, and fairly devious. 

All the characters were great - well written and not as upstanding as you'd think considering they were nuns and a priest.  That made the story very intriguing and definitely added that extra air of fantastic and depth to the characters.  

I really enjoyed the writing and the narrator.  The author did a fantastic job weaving together a story filled with twists, surprises, and story points that really fit in well, and the narrator of the audiobook did a wonderful job bringing it all to life.  I'm really excited to see where the rest of the series goes.  There was a lot of tension, a lot of humor (surprisingly), and just overall some great writing. 

The book had more than enough twists and surprises, and Artemisia had a lot of great personality and a great ability to mess with her peers but also befriend them at the weirdest of times.  There's a reason she's my favorite character in the book. I'm trying really hard not to spoil anything, so let me just say: the sarcasm is ripe in this one. 

Overall, I personally cannot think of anything I didn't like about this book. It was great and I am hooked.  

If you've read this book, let me know what you thought in the comments!  

If you haven't read the book - what are you waiting for?!

September Wrap Up

Hey reader friends!  Welcome to OCTOBER.  I feel like, once again, this year has flown by.  Anyway, I am here to share how September went for me.

I read a lot, and most of the books I read last month I really enjoyed.  Let's see if I can remember everything I read:

1. Vespertine - 5 stars, totally FANTASTIC.  This was one of the last books I read in September, and it was a great ending to the month.  (I'll have a review up soon.)

2. A Dark and Starless Night - 5 Stars again!  I LOVED this book.  You can find my review here. 

3. Hopepunk - 3 Stars - a good book that will both break your heart and make you deliriously happy. 

4. Back in the Burbs - Avery Flynn - 3 Stars.  Totally cute and sweet romance.  

5. The Comeback - Lily Chu - 3 Stars.  This was a great romance, and the characters were delightful.

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Were there any fantastic books you read in September that you want to share?  Let me know in the comments!  And if you've read any of the books I did, let me know what you thought!

A Dark and Starless Forest - Sarah Hollowell

 

Title: A Dark and Starless Forest 
Author: Sarah Hollowell 
Format: Hardcover 
Rating: 5 stars 

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When her siblings start to go missing, a girl must confront the dark thing that lives in the forest—and the growing darkness in herself—in this debut YA contemporary fantasy for fans of Wilder Girls.

Derry and her eight siblings live in an isolated house by the lake, separated from the rest of the world by an eerie and menacing forest. Frank, the man who raised them after their families abandoned them, says it’s for their own good. After all, the world isn’t safe for people with magic. And Derry feels safe—most of the time.

Until the night her eldest sister disappears. Jane and Derry swore to each other that they’d never go into the forest, not after their last trip ended in blood, but Derry is sure she saw Jane walk into the trees. When another sibling goes missing and Frank’s true colors start to show, feeling safe is no longer an option. Derry will risk anything to protect the family she has left. Even if that means returning to the forest that has started calling to Derry in her missing siblings’ voices.

As Derry spends more time amidst the trees, her magic grows more powerful . . . and so does the darkness inside her, the viciousness she wants to pretend doesn’t exist. But saving her siblings from the forest and from Frank might mean embracing the darkness. And that just might be the most dangerous thing of all. 

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Reader friends, let me tell you - this is one hell of a book.  I've been having trouble not telling everyone exactly what happened because one of the characters is JUST OVERWHELMING.  

I will try my best to keep this review spoiler free. 

The writing is good, it was good enough to help the story flow well and keep me hooked.  The story itself was fantastic - I found the plot worthy of being read. The sisters, their home, their world were all well written and well developed.  The big moments throughout the story were weaved into the smaller day to day things very well.  

I liked all the characters except Frank.  You'll see why if you read the book.  He has a motivation for why he does what he does, but the girls also have a motivation for why they do what they do - and it all evens out in the end.  Each of the girls was well written and well developed, and had their own personalities, their own things that made them who they are, their own reason for being, and their own powers that really drove home who they are as "alchemists."  (Franks word.  The girls later reclaim the word witch, and that really suits them.) 

The way this book shows that each girl has their own power is awesome - with the flowers, and the FLOWERS (You'll see.  Derry is amazing.) The flowers glow when each girl is tested on their abilities, and that helps Frank learn things, which weaves together everything else that happens in this book to Frank and to the girls. Each thing we see, from the flowers, to the hidden trail, to the deep dive into Franks private room, all weave more detail into this book and help us learn so much about what has happened and what will happen. 

The forest being written as this almost living breathing thing in the book was great.  The forest was its own character that felt so alive, and that really helped the girls in the end.  That added more dimension again because it was such an integral part of everything that happened in this story - without the forest and what it can do there is no story and no past for the characters. 

Basically, I found the whole book a little shocking, and wholly amazing. 

If you have not read this book yet and like horror fantasy, I highly recommend reading this book as soon as you can. And then coming back here and telling me what you thought about it.  

If you've already read it, drop some thoughts about it in the comments! 

The Comfort of Reading

 

Hi Friends.

There's always so much going on in the world.  People are dying, warring, fighting, and it feels like things are not getting better sometimes. There are many things we should keep up with in the world, but at the same time, we need to take a break.  We need to refresh ourselves through whatever works for us. For me, and for most of you reading this post, there is a deep comfort in reading. 

You can pick up your hardcover or paperback and feel the cover in your hands.  You can flip the pages and feel that fond feeling you get when touching a book. Or, if you're like me, you can pick up a kindle and read books that way as well. Turn it on, open whatever book you want, and read through it with the press of your finger. 

If you are an audio listener, also like me, you also turn to whatever platform you use for audiobooks. You can pick out a book, and let the narrator take you away while you listen to the words as they surround you. 

It's coming on autumn here in the northern hemisphere, which means it's spooky season. It's cover up under a blanket with a cup of hot coffee or tea and a book season.  I find that to be a comfort personally.  I love the feeling of starting a new story, and finding out where it's going to go.  I love the feeling of laughing out loud at some fabulous rom-com. I love entering a new fantasy world filled with swords, or magic, or dragons, or all three of those things. 

This is what brings me comfort.  I can't remember a time in my life when I didn't feel comforted by words and reading.  As a young kid, I dragged my parents into my bedroom and made them listen to me read when I nailed my first picture book. That was great.  As a middle grade reader I lost myself in The Babysitters Club books.  I devoured book after book after book about the adventures of Mallory, Kristy, and all their friends. 

When I was a teenager I got solidly into the Sweet Valley High books, and also developed a deep love of classics.  I am totally dating myself here, friends. Yes, I was, in fact, a teenager during the 90's.  That's the 1990's.  

Seriously though, I'm grateful for books, and I love that they welcome any and all people. Anyone can pick up a book by Tahira Mafi, or Leigh Bardugo, or the romance likings of Talia Hibbert and Abby Jimenez.  You can pick up any book that sounds appealing to you and read it and find an amazing comfort and feeling of joy in that book. 

As the publishing world changes again, and again, and again, I will simply continue to remember my love of books and the comfort they bring me, and will continue to fight so that all people who want to tell their stories with the world have the chance to do that.

The Feeling of Falling in Love - Mason Deaver

 

Title: The Feeling of Falling in Love 
Author: Mason Deaver 
Format: Hardcover 
Rating: 4.5 Stars 

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From the bestselling author of I Wish You All the Best, comes a new kind of love story, about the bad decisions we sometimes make... and the people who help get us back on the right path.

Perfect for fans of Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston and What If It's Us by Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli.

Just days before spring break, Neil Kearney is set to fly across the country with his childhood friend (and current friend-with-benefits) Josh, to attend his brother's wedding—until Josh tells Neil that he's in love with him and Neil doesn't return the sentiment.

With Josh still attending the wedding, Neil needs to find a new date to bring along. And, almost against his will, roommate Wyatt is drafted.

At first, Wyatt (correctly) thinks Neil is acting like a jerk. But when they get to LA, Wyatt sees a little more of where it's coming from. Slowly, Neil and Wyatt begin to understand one another… and maybe, just maybe, fall in love for the first time…

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This was an absolutely adorable and yet sometimes heartbreaking novel.  I loved everything about it. 

The characters in this book were so so well written, even including Neil's transphobic and homophobic grandparents.  Like, I couldn't stand his grandparents, but yes, they were well written and I believed their characters and wanted to swear at them a lot and kick them in the kneecaps.Wyatt, Neil, Josh, Michael, Neil's mom - they were all very well written, and very believable.  It was great to see that.  

I loved that Neil went through some really great changes throughout this book, as did Wyatt and Josh.  Neil is a trans boy who has had, um, some sort of issues with the way he treats people.  He's not really kind when we first meet him.  When was at home with his mother he snuck out of the house so many times, and would take the car and get into 18+ clubs where he would just sit and hang out.  His mother got tired of this and sent him to a boarding school in N. Carolina.  Anyway, no more spoilers (I hope) but this is where he met Wyatt and also became, ahem, more than friends with Josh.

It was truly heartwarming to watch Wyatt learn about themselves as well.  Wyatt learns that it's okay to be who you are and they start dipping into learning more about themselves and their gender identity.  The author explores this learning with great care. 

Josh even learns and grows and realizes that yes, he was in love with Neil, but Neil wasn't really the person he was supposed to be with. He learns to look into himself and find out what he really wants in a boyfriend/partner.  

This whole book was also filled with humor and heart.  There were so many funny moments, and tropes that will make your little queer (or straight ally) heart very happy. Mason Deaver weaved in so much fun in this book, which is fair because you need fun on a cross country week long trip, amiright?! 

I personally feel like the book can be described fairly well with the following two pics: 

If you have read this book, let me know what you thought of it, and if you haven't GO DO IT NOW!