Happy Book Birthday | New Releases | 8/13/24

Happy book birthday to these new releases! Check out this list today:

Ghostsmith by. Nicki Pau Preto

In this action-packed finale to the House of the Dead Duology, Wren and her friends put everything they know to the test as they battle the living and the undead to save their world.

Wren is still reeling from the revelation that the mother she thought was dead is actually the Corpse Queen, a ghostsmith with the terrifying power to control the undead. It was Wren’s own mother who created the iron revenants—an army of near unbeatable undead soldiers. When the iron revenants attack, no one in the Dominions will have the strength to stand in their way.

Now Wren, Leo, and Julian find themselves once more in the Breach, this time on the run from Wren’s father, who is determined to secure more power for himself and the House of Bone. The three are desperate to stop the upcoming war, but working together is easier said than done with Julian still furious about Wren double-crossing him. And to make matters worse, Wren is plagued by powerful new abilities that force her to reassess everything she knows about being a bonesmith.

When Wren’s long-lost twin brother shows up and vows to help her destroy the well of magic that feeds the iron revenants, she must decide if trusting him is worth potentially playing right into their mother’s hands.

After all, the dead might be dangerous, but it’s the living who can betray you.

Goodreads | Amazon


The Break-Up Pact by. Emma Lord

Two best friends who haven’t spoken in ten years pretend to date after break-ups with their respective exes go viral, in this delightfully fun and deeply emotional novel.

June and Levi were best friends as teenagers—until the day they weren’t. Now June is struggling to make rent on her beachside tea shop, Levi is living a New York cliché as a disillusioned hedge fund manager and failed novelist, and they’ve barely spoken in years.

But after they both experience public, humiliating break-ups with their exes that spread like wildfire across TikTok rabbit holes and daytime talk shows alike, they accidentally make some juicy gossip of their own—a photo of them together has the internet convinced they’re a couple. With so many people rooting for them, they decide to put aside their rocky past and make a pact to fuel the fire. Pretending to date will help June’s shop get back on its feet and make Levi’s ex realize that she made a mistake. All they have to do is convince the world they’re in love, one swoon-worthy photo opp at a time.

Two viral break-ups. One fake relationship. Five sparkling, heart-pounding dates. June and Levi can definitely pull this off without their hearts getting involved. Because everyone knows fake dating doesn’t come with real feelings. Right?

Goodreads | Amazon


Mistress of Lies by. K.M. Enright

FATE IS A CRUEL MISTRESS

The daughter of a powerful but disgraced Blood Worker, Shan LeClaire has spent her entire life perfecting her blood magic, building her network of spies, and gathering every scrap of power she could. Now, to protect her brother, she assassinates their father and takes her place at the head of the family. And that is only the start of her revenge.

Samuel Hutchinson is a bastard with a terrible gift. When he stumbles upon the first victim of a magical serial killer, he’s drawn into the world of magic and intrigue he’s worked so hard to avoid – and is pulled deeply into the ravenous and bloodthirsty court of the vampire king.

Tasked by the Eternal King to discover the identity of the killer cutting a bloody swath through the city, Samuel, Shan and mysterious Royal Bloodworker Isaac find themselves growing ever closer to each other. But Shan’s plans are treacherous, and as she lures Samuel into her complicated web of desire, treason and vengeance, he must decide if the good of their nation is worth the cost of his soul.

Goodreads | Amazon


Under the Surface by. Diana Urban

An epic survival-thriller about four teens who get lost in the Paris catacombs for days—a gripping and propulsive story of love, danger, betrayal, and hope… even when all seems lost.

Ruby is terrified to cave to her feelings for Sean and risk him crushing her heart.

Sean is pumped to spend a week with Ruby in Paris on their senior class trip, and he’ll wait however long until she’s ready to take things further.

But when Ruby’s best friend sneaks out the first night to meet a mysterious French boy, Ruby goes after her with two classmates, but caves to another temptation: attending mystery boy’s exclusive party in the Paris catacombs, the intricate web of tunnels beneath the city, home to six million long-dead Parisians. Only they never reach the party.

Underground, as something sinister chases them, they get lost in the endless maze of bones, uncovering dark secrets about the catacombs… and each other. And if they can’t find a way out, they’ll die in the dark beneath the City of Light.

Aboveground, Sean races to find the girl he loves as a media frenzy over the four missing teens begins.

From award-winning author and rising YA star Diana Urban comes a twisty tale of four teens lost in the dark beneath the City of Light and the race to find them.

Goodreads | Amazon


Worst in Show by. Anna E. Collins

Aspiring fashion designer Cora Lewis should have known better. Entering her grandpa’s extremely adorable—and totally unruly—pups in a dog show? What was she thinking? Oh, right. Her grandpa is injured, his beloved pet shop is losing the fight against the upscale dog boutique across the street, and his business and home are on the line. She needs that prize money to save the day—and if the only way to win is to train with her strongest adversary, then she’ll suck it up and ask for help.

Rival store owner Leo Salinger is everything Cora is not: successful, wealthy, and overly ambitious. She would never guess that he is the kind and witty pen pal she’s met on a local message board. But somewhere between teaching pups to heel, fetch, and stay, Cora and Leo are finding a little competition can ignite a serious attraction. Can they stop this sexy spark . . . before all her dreams go to the dogs?

Goodreads | Amazon


Lady Macbeth by. Ava Reid

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ava Reid comes a reimagining of Lady Macbeth, Shakespeare’s most famous villainess, giving her a voice, a past, and a power that transforms the story men have written for her.

The Lady knows the stories: how her eyes induce madness in men. 

The Lady knows she will be wed to the Scottish brute, who does not leave his warrior ways behind when he comes to the marriage bed.  

The Lady knows his hostile, suspicious court will be a game of strategy, requiring all of her wiles and hidden witchcraft to survive. 

But the Lady does not know her husband has occult secrets of his own. She does not know that prophecy girds him like armor. She does not know that her magic is greater and more dangerous, and that it will threaten the order of the world. 

She does not know this yet. But she will.

Goodreads | Amazon


Haunted Ever After (Boneyard Key, #1) by. Jen DeLuca

It’s love at first haunting in a seaside town that raises everyone’s spirits.

Small Florida coastal towns often find themselves scrambling for the tourism dollars that the Orlando theme parks leave behind. And within the town limits of Boneyard Key, the residents decided long ago to lean into its ghostliness. Nick Royer, owner of the Hallowed Grounds coffee shop, embraces the ghost tourism that keeps the local economy afloat, as well as his spectral roommate. At least he doesn’t have to run air-conditioning.

Cassie Rutherford possibly overreacted to all her friends getting married and having kids by leaving Orlando and buying a flipped historic cottage in Boneyard Key. Though there’s something unusual with her new home (her laptop won’t charge in any outlets, and the poetry magnets on her fridge definitely didn’t read “WRONG” and “MY HOUSE” when she put them up), she’s charmed by the colorful history surrounding her. And she’s catching a certain vibe from the grumpy coffee shop owner whenever he slips her a free slice of banana bread along with her coffee order.

As Nick takes her on a ghost tour, sharing town gossip that tourists don’t get to hear, and they spend nights side-by-side looking into the former owners of her haunted cottage, their connection solidifies into something very real and enticing. But Cassie’s worried she’s in too deep with this whole (haunted) home ownership thing…and Nick’s afraid to get too close in case Cassie gets scared away for good.

Goodreads | Amazon

Are you getting any new books this week?

Happy Reading!

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Monthly Wrap Up | July 2024

I felt like July was the one month where it felt like it wasn’t going too fast or too slow, even though my husband surprised us with a last minute trip to visit us. We really relaxed this month, well…after my son got over Covid in the beginning of the month. So I had a good chance to read this month which was nice and I notice I was gravitating towards contemporary romance books!

Here is how my book ratings went in July:

What I Posted: 14 Books

5 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.5 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

  • The Ever King by. L.J. Andrews
  • Not Another Long Song by. Julie Soto

4 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

  • Ghostsmith by. Nicki Pau Preto
  • The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by. Megan Bannen
  • Birding with Benefits by. Sarah T. Dubb
  • The Paradise Problem by. Christina Lauren
  • All Roads Lead to Rome by. Sabrina Fedel
  • The Mirror of Beasts by. Alexandra Bracken
  • The Ever Queen by. L.J. Andrews

3.5 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫:

  • The Girl with No Reflection by. Keshe Chow
  • The Seventh Veil of Salome by. Silvia Moreno-Garcia
  • The Mist Thief by. L.J. Andrews

3 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️⭐️:

  • Caste of the Cursed by. Romina Garber
  • That Prince is Mine by. Jayci Lee

2.5 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️💫

2 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️

I think I had a pretty good month!

How was your month?

Weekly Wrap Up | 8/11/24

Aloha friends!

What a week. My kids started school so there were first day jitters, especially for my new middle schooler but he has done SO good. He is walking home from school since it’s closer to our house and let me tell you the first 2 days I was nervous but tons of kids walk in this area, and now he has a cell phone I can track. But it’s HOT at 2pm – and can someone please tell me how kids walk in hoodies and jackets at 91 degrees out? But my son needs a neck fan, and an umbrella and lots of breaks when he walks? lol…I’m so proud of him. His school is about 1.4 miles away and we’ve finally figured out our schedule. I pick his sister up first and then on our way back I pick him up at our pool area parking lot because by the time he is there, we are driving by it. So yay – it took some trial and error this week but I think we figured it out. I’m proud of both of them for having a good week. Unfortunately, my daughter has her first school cold – it only took 2 days of school for her to catch something. Boo!

And of course with everything happening this week, my Macbook Pro of 11 years finally kicked the bucket! I noticed a strange white screen situation happening on Monday and I was like, eh, maybe it’s nothing. NOPE. Now it’s dead…so I had to do some posts from my ipad but typing a lot is so tedious so now I’m using my son’s desk PC and the screen he has is like 24 inches long and it strains my eyes and gives me a headache. So I ordered a new laptop because I can’t live like this lol.

Let’s hope my daughter’s cold goes away and doesn’t get worse and we have a good second week of school.

Anyway, I hope all of you have a good week!

Blog Posts:

Books I Read:

  • Shadows of Perl by. J. Elle
  • Fear the Flames by. Olivia Rose Darling
  • Butcher & Blackbird by. Brynne Weaver
  • Happy Medium by. Sarah Adler

Currently Reading:

  • The Dagger and the Flame by. Catherine Doyle
  • Guava and Grudges by. Alexis Castellanos
  • Fledgling by. S.K. Ali

Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:

  • House of Dragon – finished the last episode and honestly felt this whole season was a filler. There was one good episode I think. Anyway this last episode is a cliffhanger and I love the music that comes in at the end that foreshadows what is going to happen next. I hope the third season is filled with a lot more action.

How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!

Butcher & Blackbird by. Brynne Weaver | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Butcher & Blackbird

Author: Brynne Weaver

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 360

Publication Date: 6/4/24

Categories: Contemporary, Serial Killers, Horror, Dark Romance, Crime


Every serial killer needs a friend.
Every game must have a winner.

When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, the two find something elusive—the friendship of a like-minded, pitch-black soul. From small town West Virginia to upscale California, from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the two hunters collide in an annual game of blood and suffering, one that pits them against the most dangerous monsters in the country. But as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love. Can Rowan and Sloane dig themselves out of a game of graves? Or have they finally met their match?

Butcher & Blackbird is the first book in the Ruinous Love Dark Romance trilogy of interconnected stand-alone dark romantic comedies. This dual POV novel ends on a HEA.

Content Warning: gore, killing, accidental cannibalism, torture, voyeurism, body horror

Well, I finally read this book and wow yes it is dark as advertised and I’ll remind you to read all the trigger warnings for it before you go into it. I didn’t cover it all in my content warning above, but it is in the book.

I was so curious how I would find this one because my fascination with true crime and serial killers. But there is such a clever twist where these serial killers actually hunt and kill actual bad guy serial killers! And yes there is romance thrown into the gory mess of the killing happening in this story. Was a bit too gory for me yes but there is humor and romance to help balance things out!

Speaking of the romance, it happens actually over a few years, which I thought was interesting and I don’t know if that worked for me because they will meet once then it will be months before they interact again. They met up for these competition games between one another to see who would get the serial killer first. They do a lot of texting but I did love how Rowan was patient about it all. Once they get together though it gets very spicy and kind of sweet with how these two serial killers fall for one another.

I enjoyed seeing how this concept came together in the story though and found it very unique but again, it was a bit too gory for me.

My Final Thoughts:

If you like gore, serial killers, crime stories, spice, humor and romance, then definitely give this one a chance.

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Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

First Lines Fridays | 8/9/24

First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

  • Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
  • Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
  • Finally… reveal the book!

“The day my husband moves out of our apartment is also the day Resident Evil Village releases for PlayStation, and you might be surprised which of these things lands with a greater emotional impact.”

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⬇️

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Can you guess what book it is?

Did you guess it? Have you read this one?

📖 ~ Yolanda

House of Thorns by. Isabel Strychacz | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: House of Thorns

Author: Isabel Strychacz

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 304

Publication Date: 8/20/24

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Sentient House, Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In the vein of The Haunting of Hill House , a teen returns to the mysterious house from her past to search for her missing sister and uncover the truth of Brier Hall in this atmospheric and eerie modern gothic novel.

Lia Peartree is haunted—by memories, by her past, by secrets, by the ones she left behind. Five years ago, the Peartrees fled their home—the infamous ancestral Brier Hall—and never looked back. But her oldest sister went missing that night, and there’s been no sign of her since.

In the aftermath, the Peartrees are traumatized and get by however they can. Lia’s remaining sister Ali says yes to any bad idea, and Lia tries so desperately to be the perfect daughter that it’s tearing her apart. But as the five year anniversary of the night they left nears, Lia begins seeing her missing sister everywhere, and memories of Brier Hall won’t leave her alone.

When Ali disappears with no warning except a cryptic phone call—“don’t follow me when I’m gone”—Lia is sure she’s gone back to Brier Hall. Lia must go home one final time and face what haunts her in an effort to find her sisters and uncover the truth of her past.

Content Warning: missing/death of a sister

This one was very interesting. There is a haunted house called Brier Hall that the Peartree family inherited but the story starts after an event that took place with the family there five years ago. There are hints about it being haunted, a Peartree sister going missing or died, another Peartree sister is on drugs and not coping well in their new town. Lia is trying to move on and forget when her sister Ali comes and says maybe their sister Avery isn’t missing or dead at all. They go back to the town where Brier Hall stands and will try to find Avery one last time.

The vibes are creepy, especially when they are back in the house. There are some memory flashback and we also get a second person, point of view from the house itself which is very creepy especially since I was reading this at night.

It’s a short book at 304 pages and the story moves on quickly to Lia and Ali being at the house but all the speculation of what they saw as kids growing up there and the mystery of it all was losing my attention and making me impatient for some big reveal. I thought the reveal was interesting but I wasn’t totally invested by then. I did like the sisterly bonds even though they had complicated feelings about one another which is normal in any sibling relationship.

My Thoughts:

There were some things I liked but I think I just wanted more. Maybe I’m not the right audience or just wasn’t in the right mood, but if you like sentient houses and lots of creepy vibes, you might like this one. This actually would be a good read for spooky season.

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Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Happy Medium by. Sarah Adler | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Happy Medium

Author: Sarah Adler

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 4/30/24

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Paranormal


A clever con woman must convince a skeptical, sexy farmer of his property’s resident real-life ghost if she’s to save them all from a fate worse than death, in this delightful new novel from the author of Mrs. Nash’s Ashes .

Fake spirit medium Gretchen Acorn is happy to help when her best ( wealthiest) client hires her to investigate the unexplained phenomena preventing the sale of her bridge partner’s struggling goat farm. Gretchen may be a fraud, but she’d like to think she’s a beneficent one. So if “cleansing” the property will help a nice old man finally retire and put some much-needed cash in her pockets at the same time, who’s she to say no?

Of course, it turns out said bridge partner isn’t the kindly AARP member Gretchen imagined—Charlie Waybill is young, hot as hell, and extremely unconvinced that Gretchen can communicate with the dead. (Which, fair.) Except, to her surprise, Gretchen finds herself face-to-face with the very real, very chatty ghost that’s been wreaking havoc during every open house. And he wants her to help ensure Charlie avoids the same family curse that’s had Everett haunting Gilded Creek since the 1920s.

Now, Gretchen has one month to convince Charlie he can’t sell the property. Unfortunately, hard work and honesty seem to be the way to win over the stubborn farmer—not exactly Gretchen’s strengths. But trust isn’t the only thing growing between them, and the risk of losing Charlie to the spirit realm looms over Gretchen almost as annoyingly as Everett himself. To save the goat farm, its friendly phantom, and the man she’s beginning to love, Gretchen will need to pull off the greatest con of her being fully, genuinely herself.

Content Warning:

A con woman, a goat farmer and a ghost? I thought this would be a quirky read and I was not disappointed! Gretchen is a fake spirit medium, that’s how she makes a living but when one of her clients asks her to do a job for her because a ghost is haunting a house, she has to take it because the money is good. But what happens when she becomes a real spirit medium and can see Everett, the ghost who is haunting Charlie’s house? Well I didn’t expect them to become besties, but they do and it is a lot of fun.

I loved the banter between Everett and Gretchen, the two of them together are so funny. As for Charlie and Gretchen – I can totally see why he didn’t trust her, but he calls her on it and once the trust builds and the walls come down, they tune into one another and things get steamy! But I did find Everett and Gretchen’s relationship more fun than hers with Charlie.

My Final Thoughts:

This was a fun, paranormal, rom-com story. I loved Gretchen’s interactions with Everett and seeing her break down her walls, make friends, get close to people and fall in love. This is the first book I’ve read from this author but definitely look forward to reading more from her!

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Book Links:

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WWW Wednesday | 8/7/24

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam over on Taking on a World of Words.

The idea is pretty simple, every week you dedicate a post to the three W’s:

What are you currently reading?

What have you just finished reading?

What are you going to read next?

I think I’m in a struggle reading fantasy books right now which sucks because I have a lot of arcs that are fantasy. 🤔 It’s been slow going! I find myself grabbing a contemporary romance to just help myself finish one book and get my motivation.

What are you currently reading?

Shadows of Perl by. J. Elle – 56% – slow slow going and I didn’t finish it last week like I thought I would.

Guava and Grudges – Alexis Castellanos – 8% – a little progress

Fledgling by. S.K. Ali – 13%

Fear the Flames by. Olivia Rose Darling – 19%

The Dagger and the Flame by. Catherine Doyle – 26%

Butcher & Blackbird by. Brynne Weaver – on Chapter 7

What have you just finished reading?

Happy Medium by. Sarah Adler – ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Nothing Like the Movies – Lynn Painter – ⭐️⭐️⭐️

What are you going to read next?

What are you reading right now?

Happy Book Birthday | New Releases | 8/6/24

Happy book birthday to these new releases! Check out this list today:

Ami (Guardians of Dawn, #2) by. S. Jae-Jones

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

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

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

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

Goodreads | Amazon


The Seventh Veil of Salome by. Silvia Moreno-Garcia

A young woman wins the role of a lifetime in a film about a legendary heroine — but the real drama is behind the scenes in this sumptuous historical epic from the author of Mexican Gothic.

1950s Hollywood: Every actress wants to play Salome, the star-making role in a big-budget movie about the legendary woman whose story has inspired artists since ancient times.

So when the film’s mercurial director casts Vera Larios, an unknown Mexican ingenue, in the lead role, she quickly becomes the talk of the town. Vera also becomes an object of envy for Nancy Hartley, a bit player whose career has stalled and who will do anything to win the fame she believes she richly deserves.

Two actresses, both determined to make it to the top in Golden Age Hollywood—a city overflowing with gossip, scandal, and intrigue—make for a sizzling combination.

But this is the tale of three women, for it is also the story of the princess Salome herself, consumed with desire for the fiery prophet who foretells the doom of her stepfather, Herod: a woman torn between the decree of duty and the yearning of her heart.

Before the curtain comes down, there will be tears and tragedy aplenty in this sexy Technicolor saga.

Goodreads | Amazon


Death at Morning House by. Maureen Johnson

From the bestselling author of the Truly Devious books, Maureen Johnson, comes a new stand-alone YA about a teen who uncovers a mystery while working as a tour guide on an island and must solve it before history repeats itself.

The fire wasn’t Marlowe Wexler’s fault. Dates should be hot, but not hot enough to warrant literal firefighters. Akilah, the girl Marlowe has been in love with for years, will never go out with her again. No one dates an accidental arsonist.

With her house-sitting career up in flames, it seems the universe owes Marlowe a new summer job, and that’s how she ends up at Morning House, a mansion built on an island in the 1920s and abandoned shortly thereafter. It’s easy enough, giving tours. Low risk of fire. High chance of getting bored talking about stained glass and nut cutlets and Prohibition.

Oh, and the deaths. Did anyone mention the deaths?

Maybe this job isn’t such a gift after all. Morning House has a horrific secret that’s been buried for decades, and now the person who brought her here is missing.

All it takes is one clue to set off a catastrophic chain of events. One small detail, just like a spark, could burn it all down—if someone doesn’t bury Marlowe first.

Goodreads | Amazon


This Ravenous Fate by. Hayley Dennings

The first book in a decadent fantasy duology set in Jazz Age Harlem, where at night the dance halls come to life—and death waits in the dark.

It’s 1926 and reapers, the once-human vampires with a terrifying affliction, are on the rise in New York. But the Saint family’s thriving reaper-hunting enterprise holds reign over the city, giving them more power than even the organized criminals who run the nightclubs. Eighteen year-old Elise Saint, home after five years in Paris, is the reluctant heir to the empire. Only one thing weighs heavier on Elise’s mind than her family obligations: the knowledge that the Harlem reapers want her dead.

Layla Quinn is a young reaper haunted by her past. Though reapers have existed in America for three centuries, created by New World atrocities and cruel experiments, Layla became one just five years ago. The night she was turned, she lost her parents, the protection of the Saints, and her humanity, and she’ll never forget how Elise Saint betrayed her.

But some reapers are inexplicably turning part human again, leaving a wake of mysterious and brutal killings. When Layla is framed for one of these attacks, the Saint patriarch offers her a deal she can’t refuse: to work with Elise to investigate how these murders might be linked to shocking rumors of a reaper cure. Once close friends, now bitter enemies, Elise and Layla explore the city’s underworld, confronting their intense feelings for one another and uncovering the sinister truths about a growing threat to reapers and humans alike.

Goodreads | Amazon


Bound By Gravity by. Jenny Hickman

They were never meant for happily-ever-after.
They fell in love anyway.

She thought he was dead.
Four years after the disappearance of her beloved prince, Lady Allette Rittey returns to the fae realm to find Prince Senan very much alive—and on the verge of marrying a bloody princess.

Desperate for answers, Allette poses as a servant to gain access to his castle. But the wedding bells are ringing, and she’s running out of time before she loses him forever.

Prince Senan Vale has problems.
A lot of them.
Most pressing, an arranged marriage not to the woman he was meant for, but the princess of a neighboring kingdom.
When the king refuses to call off the engagement, Senan loses all hope.
Then his long-lost love returns from the grave.

Senan and Allette learn the truth of what kept them apart, discovering they have been betrayed by those closest to them.

The only way to be together is to flee the kingdom.
But first they must escape a castle full of traitors.(Bound by Gravity is the first in a series of fantasy romance duets that features fated mates and forbidden love.)

Goodreads | Amazon


The Girl With No Reflection by. Keshe Chow

A young woman chosen as the crown prince’s bride must travel to the royal palace to meet her new husband—but her world is shaken when she discovers the dark truth the royal family has been hiding for centuries—in this lush fantasy debut perfect for fans of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night and Violet Made of Thorns.

Princess Ying Yue believed in love…once upon a time.

Yet when she’s chosen to wed the crown prince, Ying’s dreams of a fairy tale marriage quickly fall apart. Her husband-to-be is cold and indifferent, confining Ying to her room for reasons he won’t explain. Worse still are the rumors that swirl around the imperial whispers of seven other royal brides who, after their own weddings, mysteriously disappeared.

Left alone with only her own reflection for company, Ying begins to see things. Strange things. Movements in the corners of her mirror. Colorful lights upon its surface. And when, on the eve of her wedding, she unwittingly tears open a gateway, she is pulled into a mirror world.

This realm is full of sentient reflections, including the enigmatic Mirror Prince. Unlike his real-world counterpart, the Mirror Prince is kind and compassionate, and before long Ying falls in love—the kind of love she always dreamed of.

But there is darkness in this new world, too.

It turns out the two worlds have a long and blood-soaked history, and Ying has a part to play in the future of them both. And the brides who came before Ying? By the time they discovered what their role was, it was already too late.

Goodreads | Amazon

Are you getting any new books this week?

Happy Reading!

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Ten Favorite Books from Ten Series   | TTT | Top Ten Tuesday 8/6/24

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:

Ten Favorite Books from Ten Series 

The Bridge Kingdom (#1) by. Danielle L. Jensen – The first book of The Bridge Kingdom series is probably my favorite because of just how everything begins!


A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOTAR, #2) by. Sarah J. Maas – I honestly love book one a LOT, but then I think about Tamlin and then think about how I dislike so much in the rest of the series so I’m going to stick with book two as my favorite. Also A Court of Silver Flames is one of my favorites too but I figure book two was where everything for Feyra really changes.


To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (#1) by. Jenny Han – just everything about how they have history to fake dating is so good. I love the whole letter writing – because who does that nowadays?


The Sweetest Betrayal (The Kinder Poison, #3) by. Natalie Mae – book three in The Kinder Poison series is my favorite and just thinking about it makes me want to read the whole series again!


The Empress of Time (The Keeper of Night, #2) by. Kylie Lee Baker – I thought the second book in this duology was better than book one. It’s so dark and full of action.


The Poppy War (The Poppy War, #1) by. R.F. Kuang – This book blew me away! I love the whole series but I think book one was amazing.


The Prison Healer (The Prison Healer, #1) by. Lynette Noni – I enjoyed this series and really like the first and third book but for this list I’ll pick book one.


Greythorne (Bloodleaf, #2) by. Crystal Smith – I rarely enjoy the second book in a series but I loved this one!


Legendary (Caraval, #2) by. Stephanie Garber – I loved Caraval but I loved Legendary more!


The Shadowglass (The Bone Witch, #3) by. Rin Chupeco – I almost DNF’ed the first book then gave it another chance and this became one of my favorite series. Book three gutted me and it’s my favorite!

What’s on your TTT?

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Top Ten Tuesday Topics:

AUGUST~~

August 6: Ten Favorite Books from Ten Series (We all have a favorite book in our favorite series, right?) (submitted by A Hot Cup of Pleasure)
August 13: Planes, Trains & Automobiles/Books Featuring Travel (books whose plots involve travel or feature modes of transportation on the cover/title) (submitted by Cathy @ What Cathy Read Next)
August 20: Relationship Freebie (Pick a relationship type and choose characters who fit that relationship as it relates to you. So, characters you’d like to date, be friends with, be enemies with, etc. Bookish families you’d like to be a part of, characters you’d want as your siblings, pets you’d like to take for yourself, etc.)
August 27: Posts I’ve Written That Give You the Best Glimpse of Me (Share the blog/Insta/Twitter posts or YouTube/TikTok videos you’ve made that showcase your personality the most and offer the clearest window into your personality. These are the posts you wish everyone would read!)

SEPTEMBER~~
September 3: Books Involving Food (That are Not Cookbooks) (Submitted by Cathy @ WhatCathyReadNext and Hopewell’s Public Library of Life)
September 10: Books That Provide a Much-Needed Escape (bonus points if you tell us why!)
September 17: Ten Characters Authors Surprisingly Redeemed (which characters did you not like at first, but grew to love by the end of the book?) (submitted by Deanna @ A Novel Glimpse)
September 24: Books on My Fall 2024 To-Read List

OCTOBER~~
October 1: Books I Read/Avoided Because of the Hype (and did you make the right choice?)
October 8: Bookish Brags (or Confessions!) (what are you proud of or… not-so proud of in your bookish life?) (submitted by Lydia @ https://lydiaschoch.com)
October 15: Books I Was Assigned to Read in School (These can be books you loved or hated. Or just tolerated. Bonus points if you give us a tiny review of your thoughts!)
October 22: How My Reading Habits Have Changed Over Time (submitted by Lydia @ https://lydiaschoch.com)
October 29: Halloween Freebie