Here we are at the end of 2020 – HOORAY! We made it! I pray for a better 2021, I really do. Here’s what I read during this busy month ~
Light Singer by. Audrey Grey – 4/5 Stars
Maybe This Time by. Kasie West – 3.5/5 Stars
Uncaged by. Celia McMahon – 3/5 Stars
You Have a Match by. Emma Lord – 4/5 Stars
Moon Claimed by. Kelly St. Clare – 3/5 Stars
Among the Beasts & Briars by. Ashley Poston – 4.5/5 Stars
Unleashed by. Celia McMahon – 3.5/5 Stars
The Fallout by. Frost Kay – 3.5/5 Stars
To Whatever End by. Lindsey Frydman – 3/5 Stars
That’s all I read this month – it wasn’t a lot because there was just too many to do with the holidays. I had to help my son finish up his work and projects for school, we celebrated Hanukkah and Christmas so gift shopping, baking, cooking, and yes donating things to make room for new toys that my kids got. So packing up donations and carrying it off to be dropped off was work.
And then entertaining the kids during winter break AND making sure I got all my Etsy orders shipped on time. So I am glad this year is over, glad this month is over and on to the next. Let’s have a great 2021! Happy New Year everyone!
In review it was the worst year ever – lost family members to COVID, the anxiety was unreal, turn to stress eating and a daily coffee drinker now 🤦🏻♀️. Cancelled the family Disney Cruise which my daughter keeps insisting we are still going on when the virus disappears (not happening). BUT my friends and family are safe and healthy despite the crazy year…we got through it! Books got me through it so let’s see what I read!
According to Goodreads.com:
My goal was to read 70 books because I read close to 200 last year. Well…I tried getting to less than a hundred but in a pandemic year? Forget it!
151 sounds about right and wow, I rate books fairly high huh? 😁
And here are the books I read…
You know I did read more than this, a few were kindle unlimited series that I wanted to review all together in one post, but I’m waiting for the final book of the series to do it. Oh well…I’ll write them in 2021. There really were some amazing books this year!
As far as my blog format is concerned, I changed up the look a little this year by adding different banners for sections. More changes may be coming because I learn as I go and I may change how I write my reviews (again)…haha, I know, I know, more changes?!…I want more fun bookish content,. I just wish I had the time to spend on the blog. Anyway, we shall see how I feel! How did you do this year?
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Please check out her website for more TTT topics!
This week’s topic is:
Favorite Books of 2020
I can’t believe we have come to the end of 2020! I never want to have a repeat of this year, EVER again. But I will say, books did get me through it as did Netflix and music. But here are my top TWELVE books of 2020 in NO particular order…
Okay…so I picked my top twelve instead of ten because 2020 had some really good releases!! Drop me a comment and tell me what was your favorite book of 2020.
We made it to Christmas 2020, y’all! If you celebrate, Merry Christmas, if not, happy Aloha Friday! The ones who are super excited for today are my kids and the opening of gifts. I got a haircut and massage on Sunday so that was my Christmas gift and it was AMAZING. The massage was so needed. We are going to my mom’s for Christmas Lunch with my family, and all I want to do is chill.
My sister got the covid vaccine this week because she works at the hospital and honestly, I think that could be the best gift ever this year. I wish I could get the vaccine but I’m not essential. I hope this means things are going to be better for 2021. Looking back on this year, my husband lost his aunt to covid and my aunt lost her granddaughter. This virus doesn’t discriminate, it took young and old. Prayers to all of those who lost someone to this virus this year…it really is my Christmas wish, for everyone to stay healthy and safe.
Thank you for all the bookish content you post for me to read, it helped me get through this crazy year bonding with all you fellow book lovers. 🥰 I hope you get some awesome book gifts and Merry Christmas!
I saw this on AceReader‘s blog and thought it was a fun Christmas theme post to do since I don’t think I did any holiday posts yet – and with Christmas a day away…let’s try this one out!
1. What book would you like to find under the tree this year?
I don’t usually get book gifts under the tree but this would make a great collection to my Cruel Prince series!
2. What is the best book you have ever received for Christmas?
Like I said, I don’t get many book gifts so I’ll say…the book my mother-in-law got me…
3. What book gives you all the Christmas feels?
I read this last year and it was super cute – lots of family Christmas vibes and romance of course.🥰
4. What book do you plan on reading to put you in the Christmas spirit this year?
I honestly have no plans to read a book to put me in the Christmas spirit this year…lol…I did read the In a Holidaze arc but that was months ago. And I didn’t join any winter blog tours this year, just didn’t have the energy!
5. What book have you read this year that you would like to throw out with the Christmas tree after the holidays?
I have a fake tree so I don’t toss a tree out after the holidays 😅 but this one right now is trying my patience and might end up a DNF, which is rare for me! I love the cover but I think I expected something else? It’s not for me.
6. What is a book from this year that you would like to place under a friend’s tree?
I would gift this to a few people ~ it’s an inspiring story!
7. Challenge: Create a stack of books in which the spines alternate green and red! Share the titles.
I’m tagging whoever wants to do this tag! Well here we are, one more day until Christmas and I hope those of you who do get books under the tree get all the ones you have been wishing for. 😘
Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Mystery, Thriller, Contemporary, Paranormal
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
What if with every person you met, after just one touch, you have a vision of the last time you’ll see each other? Ever. Normally, these visions are innocent—two friends just drifting apart, a random stranger that brushed past you then never crossed your path again.
But not today.
When I accidentally touch him, within only moments of our first meeting, I’m bombarded by visions of his death.
And from what I can see, I’m the reason he dies.
Now I just need to figure out why, and how to stop this from happening. Because not only am I to blame, but his very last words to me are…I love you.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from reading the synopsis but I was pleasantly surprised at how the mystery kept me engaged in the story. Quinn is cursed with visions when she touches someone. She can see how she and that person comes to an end, like her last memory with them. Quinn meets Griffin and her vision of him is not good so she tries to stay away, but that’s hard to do when they run into each other again.
Now that she has this vision, Quinn needs to decide to either stay away from him or maybe someone change the future. But can she change the future? Is Griffin worth it? She thinks so.
Not only does Quinn have to figure out how to change Griffin’s future, someone is harassing her and Griffin with threatening actions and notes. Is it something from Griffin’s past or Quinn’s?
The romance is instant, but I think it develops nicely where Quinn and Griffin get to know each other over dinner and coffee before things get serious.
Triggers: stalking, violence, grieving
Even though the mystery kept me engaged, you could pretty much connect the dots and see what was coming.
I’d like to know more about the curse. We know it’s in her family, her mom had it and her grandmother does too, but it seems they have it in different degrees? I didn’t really connect to any of the characters.
I think the premise of the story was interesting and kept me engaged with the added mystery and thriller aspect. I would have liked to know more about Quinn’s abilities and maybe not have the story be so predictable. I think there will be many readers that enjoy this paranormal romance mystery story.
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Please check out her website for more TTT topics!
This week’s topic is:
Books I Hope Santa Brings
I only get book gifts from my mother-in-law usually! So I usually do my own book gifting to myself haha. I can’t think of 10 since I just bought a few on my kindle app, but here are 5 that I’d like to get next:
The only one I’ve read in this list is These Violent Delights and it was as an arc so I’d love to have the physical copy on my shelf. I’m in love with the cover.
An ENEMIES TO LOVERS post-apocalyptic fantasy perfect for fans of Cruel Prince, Skyward, and Hunger Games.
She should’ve died. She didn’t.
Reborn into a damaged, depraved world is nothing short of a nightmare. In an instant, every hope Hazel harbors for the future disappears along with her humanity, leaving her with overprotective guarding and a useless mutation.
With war brewing between Humans, the Tainted, and a new unknown enemy, she’s forced to pick a side before the world implodes once more and she loses everyone she loves.
Sacrifice is never painless.
It’s been awhile since I read the last book, so I liked how easily I got into this one. Hazel was bit in book two and in this book she is trying to survive the change her body is going through. Looks like she isn’t going to make it but she’s a fighter.
This book is about Hazel’s struggle to accept the new changes happening to her body and her life as a Tainted. I love that she has Noah’s grandmother, Matt and the kitsune to help her with it.
Noah ‘s POV was nice to have! He wants Hazel but he doesn’t push it which is nice. He gives her the space he needs.
World Building ~ We learn more about the Chosen’s plans to go to war with the Tainted. I always found this world in Dominion of Ash very fascinating because of the virus that changes people.
This book is too short, it’s under 300 pages! I wish there was more…
I enjoy this series a lot, I kind of wish this one was a few pages longer. But I’ll definitely be continuing with the series when the next books come out. If you aren’t the patient kind, then I suggest you wait before starting this series because they are quick reads.
“I will claim my victory with claws and teeth and steel.”
In the wake of her battle to protect the Den, Izzy has crossed back into Stormwall to enact her plan with the former prince, Ashe, to retake the kingdom from within. Only weeks go by with no word from the prince and Izzy is faced once again with Ashe’s betrayal. She is forced to make alternate plans with a group of rebels to kill both king and prince.
But the world has always bent at odd angles for the wolf-princess. On the day of their battle, things don’t go as planned and Izzy finds herself once again fighting for her life and friends. In the chaos that follows, Izzy and her rebels lose Stormwall into the hands of the Gwylis.
When Izzy discovers that the king had been turning children into wolves, she embarks on a journey that will take her deeper into Mirosa to both save innocent lives and continue her brother Henry’s take of breaking the Gwylis curse. While battling her own demons, her friends have continued the path of their own destinies, each weaving together for one final battle. With the Uncanny’s power growing stronger there is more at stake than ever. Amidst demons and gods, Izzy must aim to break apart the world she knew, to build something even better in its place. A kingdom without demons or wolves. A new kingdom.
Aesthetics ~ once again, such amazing cover art work for this whole Unspoken series. Consistently beautiful and the color scheme is great.
World Building ~ great world building throughout the series and this time we get to know more about the history about the Gwylis curse. We even get a glimpse of the demons and Gods playing havoc with the lives of humans.
Friendship and Family ~ Izzy and Ashe’s relationship is everything to me in this story. It’s a story about forgiveness and trust. I think it was my favorite part of the story because I didn’t know what to expect out of Ashe’s role from book two. As far as Fray…he is lost without Izzy and is so stubborn and faithless. He learns to believe in the pack again, but it takes a lot for him to get there.
This one is faster paced than book two and darker which I enjoyed. Izzy and Fray are separated but I like that they have their own individual journeys to take, no matter how scary or painful. Izzy I feel grows a lot, and her character needed that growth because I always felt she was kind of selfish – always thinking she could do things alone. I loved the sacrifices at the end that came from Izzy, Ashe and even Fray.
Triggers: grief, violence
I know Izzy and Fray are fated mates, but honestly, with how much progress she and Ashe go through together in this book, I was team Ashe! Haha…but I know, I know, their friendship is the strongest part about them. Still, I was hoping.
I know being a Gwylis was a curse, but I loved that they were shape shifters. Kind of bummed that they were trying to undo it all but I understand why they did it.
A noticeable typo that made me pause and reread a sentence near the end.
This was a good conclusion to a creative story about a curse that turned humans into wolves. Izzy goes from a princess to a powerful Gwylis, to someone who realizes what really matters to her in the end. The main characters go through so many experiences in this book, they truly were Unleashed. Overall I enjoyed this series and if you like stories about wolves, you may enjoy this one as well.
Past Midnight Book Reviews & More 