What Books I’m Bringing to the Beach!

A week at the beach means tons of time to read, which means my bag is * mostly * full of books. Not kidding, my backpack is 90% books for myself, and a few for my cousins to read.

Earlier this year I had planned to read nothing by YA contemporary at the beach. I tend to like fluffy contemporaries, but plans change.

The books I’ve brought with me are kind of all over the place, but genre wise, the majority are YA contemporaries. Two of them I’ve already read, and it’s time for a reread! I have high hopes for all of these books, and the majority have been sitting on my shelves staring at me, begging me to read them, but I’ve been waiting for my annual beach week to pick them up.

With that being said, let’s look at the books I’ve brought with me.

Imposters – Scott Westerfeld

I’m so thankful to Jessena (@gunslingerjess) on Twitter, who traded with me! I cannot wait to read this book and enter back into the world of Uglies. The original trilogy is one of my favorites and my first kind of foray into YA and defitniely dystopian. I’ve read them a couple of times, so I’m really excited to see what Scott Westerfeld has in store for us next!

Frey and Rafi are inseparable . . . but very few people have ever seen them together. This is because Frey is Rafi’s double, raised in the shadow’s of their rich father’s fortress. While Rafi has been taught to charm, Frey has been taught to kill. Frey only exists to protect her sister. There is no other part of her life. Frey has never been out in the world on her own – until her father sends her in Rafi’s place to act as collateral for a dangerous deal. Everyone thinks she’s her sister – but Col, the son of a rival leader, is starting to get close enough to tell the difference. As the stakes grow higher and higher, Frey must decide whether she can trust him – or anyone in her life.

Wicked Saints – Emily A. Duncan

I entered the Goodreads giveaway for this book, not ever anticipating winning one of the 100 bound manuscript copies. I’m so happy I get the chance to read this early! This is one of the books I mentioned earlier about books staring at me, begging me to read them. I’ve had this since May, and it’s been near torture to not touch it, to save it. But now’s the time!

Something dark and holy…

More Than We Can Tell – Brigid Kemmerer

It’s time for a reread! I read this back in October 2017 and I loved it! I knew that I would be rereading this on vacation – I reread Letters to the Lost last year on vacation and loved it just as much as the first time reading it, so I know that MTWCT isn’t going to disappoint! You can see my review here.

Rev Fletcher is battling the demons of his past. But with loving adoptive parents by his side, he’s managed to keep them at bay…until he gets a letter from his abusive father and the trauma of his childhood comes hurtling back.

Emma Blue spends her time perfecting the computer game she built from scratch, rather than facing her parents’ crumbling marriage. She can solve any problem with the right code, but when an online troll’s harassment escalates, she’s truly afraid.

When Rev and Emma meet, they both long to lift the burden of their secrets and bond instantly over their shared turmoil. But when their situations turn dangerous, their trust in each other will be tested in ways they never expected. This must-read story will once again have readers falling for Brigid Kemmerer’s emotional storytelling.

The Natural History of Us – Rachel Harris

I had no idea that there was a second book to The Fine Art of Pretending. When I found out that there was, I bought it instantly, and in my “plan” to read contemporaries at the beach, I knew that this would be one of them. I’m excited to read this book!

One class assignment. One second chance at love. The school player is all in. Now he needs to win back the sweet commitment girl who’s forever owned his heart.

Justin Carter has a secret. He’s not the total player Fairfield Academy believes him to be. Not really. In fact, he used to be a one-woman guy…and his feelings for her never went away. Too bad he broke her heart three years ago and made sure to ruin any chance she’d ever forgive him.

Peyton Williams is a liar. She pretends to be whole, counting down the days until graduation and helping her parents at the family ranch. But the truth is, she’s done everything she can to get over Justin, and salvation is just around the corner. With graduation one short month away, she’ll soon break free from the painful memories and start her life fresh. Of course, she has to get through working with him on one last assignment first.

For Justin, nothing ever felt as right as being with Peyton, and now that fate’s given him a shot at redemption, he’s determined to make the most of it. And for Peyton…well, Justin Carter has always been her kryptonite.

Kiss Collector – Wendy Higgins

I’ve loved everything else that Wendy Higgins has written, so I’m really excited to read her first contemporary! My friend read it and really enjoyed it, so I’m hoping I’m the same way! It sounds really good!

When seventeen-year-old Zae Monroe gets cheated on by the only guy she’s ever loved, then watches her parents’ marriage crumble, she decides to forget about relationships and turn the tables on the boys of the world. It’s time to take what she wants, and what she wants are kisses. Athletes, musicians, poets, and bad boys—their lips are all on her agenda, and it’s time to collect.

Zae proposes a contest with her friends to see who can kiss the most boys during spring break. But what starts as a harmless competition leads to a downward spiral she can’t seem to break free of. As family, academic, friend, and guy drama come to a head, Zae is forced to face the reasons behind her boy angst, and starts to wonder if she was wrong about the male race…or at least some of them.

Invisible Ghosts – Robyn Schneider

Yup! Another reread! I absolutely loved this book, and I knew that I would be rereading it not even a year later, and here we are. I have a review for this book, so if you’re interested, you can check it out here. This is definitely a new favorite and I want everyone to read it!

Rose Asher believes in ghosts. She should, since she has one for a best friend: Logan, her annoying, Netflix-addicted brother, who is forever stuck at fifteen. But Rose is growing up, and when an old friend moves back to Laguna Canyon and appears in her drama class, things get complicated.

Jamie Aldridge is charming, confident, and a painful reminder of the life Rose has been missing out on since her brother’s death. She watches as Jamie easily rejoins their former friends–a group of magnificently silly theater nerds–while avoiding her so intensely that it must be deliberate.

Yet when the two of them unexpectedly cross paths, Rose learns that Jamie has a secret of his own, one that changes everything. Rose finds herself drawn back into her old life–and to Jamie. But she quickly starts to suspect that he isn’t telling her the whole truth.

All Rose knows is that it’s becoming harder to choose between the boy who makes her feel alive and the brother she isn’t ready to lose.

Broken Prince – Erin Watt

I binge read Paper Princess and instantly went out and bought books 2&3 so I could bring at least one of them to the beach. I think this series is will be a quick, enjoyable NA reads. I know some people have issues with these books, and while we can acknowledge that these books aren’t perfect, we can still enjoy them.

From wharf fights and school brawls to crumbling lives inside glittery mansions, one guy tries to save himself.

THESE ROYALS WILL RUIN YOU…

Reed Royal has it all—looks, status, money. The girls at his elite prep school line up to date him, the guys want to be him, but Reed never gave a damn about anyone but his family until Ella Harper walked into his life.

What started off as burning resentment and the need to make his father’s new ward suffer turned into something else entirely—keep Ella close. Keep Ella safe. But when one foolish mistake drives her out of Reed’s arms and brings chaos to the Royal household, Reed’s entire world begins to fall apart around him.

Ella doesn’t want him anymore. She says they’ll only destroy each other.

SHE MIGHT BE RIGHT.

Secrets. Betrayal. Enemies. It’s like nothing Reed has ever dealt with before, and if he’s going to win back his princess, he’ll need to prove himself Royally worthy.

Have you read any of these books? Are you excited to read any of these new releases, or otherwise? Let me know!

**By the time this post goes live, I’ll have been at the beach for two days and some handful of hours, and hopefully I’ll have a book completed or nearly completed by then!

July Wrap-Up

There’s a reason why this post is going up so early and not at the end of the month like my past Wrap-Ups. I’ve mentioned it a few times over the last couple posts, but next week I’m going on vacation – yes, I plan on reading a bunch of books. I decided that I wanted to split up my wrap-up to books read in July and books read on vacation. In retrospect, I should have just combined them, but it’s too late now. (Why does it feel like I should be diabolically laughing right now?)

I have no evil intentions, I swear.

In this past week alone, I’ve read five books, brining my monthly total up to EIGHT. Holy crap. At the beginning of this week, I had only read three. (That’s when I took this picture, not knowing if I would have the time to read anything else while prepping for vacation.) Granted, the books I’ve read this week have been pretty easy, quick but enjoyable reads. Some of them I enjoyed more than others, while some fell a little flat, others exceeded my expectations – see my feeling fueled post from Monday.

With all that rambling out of the way, let’s look at all the books I read (so far) in July!

The House on Tradd Street

The House on Tradd Street – Karen White – 3.5

Paperback Finished: July 1, 2018

This book ended up surprising me. It was my book club group’s “monthly” pick, and I honestly didn’t have high hopes. Turns out, it was a pretty quick and enjoyable read, though I will say that the ending really pissed me off, and I found out that it’s part of a five-book series. I liked it enough to entertain reading the rest, so if you’re looking for a slight mystery-thriller, set in a spooky Charleston, then you might want to check this one out!

Practical Melanie Middleton hates to admit she can see ghosts. But she’s going to have to accept it. An old man she recently met has died, leaving her his historic Tradd Street home, complete with housekeeper, dog—and a family of ghosts anxious to tell her their secrets.

Enter Jack Trenholm, a gorgeous writer obsessed with unsolved mysteries. He has reason to believe that diamonds from the Confederate Treasury are hidden in the house. So he turns the charm on with Melanie, only to discover he’s the smitten one…

It turns out Jack’s search has caught the attention of a malevolent ghost. Now, Jack and Melanie must unravel a mystery of passion, heartbreak—and even murder.

Brave: Wicked Trilogy – Jennifer L. Armentrout – 4.5

Paperback Finished: July 2, 2018

The finale of the Wicked Trilogy and I enjoyed every minute of it. It had been awhile since I had read books 1&2 so it took a bit to remember everything that happened. Though it didn’t take long to dive back into the world and fall in love with the characters. If you want Fae set in New Orleans with a brownie who loves to shop Amazon Prime, definitely check this out!

Ivy Morgan hasn’t been feeling like herself lately. Not like anyone can blame her. After all, being held captive by a psychotic fae prince hell-bent on permanently opening the gates to the Otherworld is bound to leave some mental scars.

It’s more than that, though. Something dark and insidious is spreading throughout Ivy, more powerful than she could ever imagine… and it’s coming between her and the man she’s fallen deeply in love with, elite Order member Ren Owens.

Ren would do anything to keep Ivy safe. Anything. But when he makes a life altering choice for her, the fallout of his act has far reaching consequences that threaten to tear their lives apart.

If Ivy is going to have any hope of surviving this, she must put aside the hurt and betrayal she feels, and work with not only those she loves, but with an enemy she would rather kill than ever trust. War is coming, and it soon becomes clear that what Ivy and Ren thought they knew about the Order, themselves, and even their enemies, has been nothing but a cluster of dangerous, deadly lies.

Ivy knows she must be more than just brave to save those she loves–and, ultimately, to save herself.

Because behind every evil fae Prince, there’s a Queen….

The Prophecy – Jennifer L. Armentrout – 4

Paperback Finished: July 18, 2018

It took me a long time to pick this one up. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to these characters yet. Jen’s Covenant Series is one of my all-time favorites – I’m a sucker for Greek Mythology and stories in a campus setting, so you know, I’m here for it. I really enjoyed this series as a whole, but I wasn’t completely satisfied. But if you want to see some old faves and some new faces, you’ll want to check the Titan Series out.

History is on repeat…

Seth never thought he’d have a future. But now he’s on the brink of having it all with Josie: A tomorrow. A family. A forever. And all that’s standing between him and that forever is the Titans. If he helps Josie entomb them — without killing them, a nearly impossible task for him — everything he could ever want will be in reach. But he soon realizes that as a god, every little choice he makes can reshape the world for the better… or worse. And in meddling with the Titans, Seth may have just set into motion catastrophic consequences that will force the Olympians to enter the mortal realm and reshape the delicate balance of power that keeps the world from total collapse.

A price must be paid…

Entombing the Titans is Josie’s top priority. After all, it was what she was born to do. But the plans her father put into play to help her are no longer an option, and the odds she and Seth face in forging their own path are grim. The escalating violence between halfs and pures only increases the danger closing in on them and their friends. Josie knows their chances of succeeding in their task are slim at best — and if they fail, they might lose everything. But she also knows she’s not fighting just for herself — she’s fighting for the man she loves, for their future, for the world. Together with the Army of Awesome, Josie and Seth will face the unthinkable. And to win this war, the ultimate sacrifice must be made.

For the end is here and the Prophecy will be fulfilled….

The Raging Ones – Krista & Becca Ritchie – 4.5

ARC Finished: July 22, 2018

THIS BOOK. THIS BOOK. I’m still not over it. I really cannot wait for book 2, I need to know what happened to my babies. I’m going to have a review up soon for the book, but you definitely want to check this one out when it comes out in August!

In a freezing world, where everyone knows the day they will die, three teens break all odds.

Franny Bluecastle, a tough city teen, dreams of dying in opulence, to see wealth she’s never known. Like the entire world, she believes it’s impossible to dodge a deathday.

Until the day she does.

Court Icecastle knows wealth. He also knows pain. Spending five years in Vorkter Prison, a fortress of ice and suffering, he dreams of life beyond the people that haunt him and the world that imprisoned him.

Mykal Kickfall fights for those he loves. The rugged Hinterlander shares a frustrating yet unbreakable connection with Court—which only grows more lawless and chaotic as their senses and emotions connect with Franny.

With the threat of people learning they’ve dodged their deathdays, they must flee their planet to survive. But to do so, all three will have to hide their shared bond as they vie for a highly sought after spot in the newest mission to space. Against thousands of people far smarter, who’ll live longer, and never fear death the way that they do.

Fire in You – Jennifer L. Armentrout – 3

Paperback Finished: July 24, 2018

I put off reading this one as well. Out of the whole Wait for You Series this one was probably my least favorite out of all of them, but I still enjoyed it. That’s kind of a great thing about these books, you pretty much know the story when you start it, but then there is always some kind of twist. If you’re curious, my favorite book in this series is Stay with Me. The great thing about these books is you can read them in order, or in any order.

Jillian Lima’s whole world was destroyed in a span of a few hours. The same night her childhood love, Brock ‘the Beast’ Mitchell, broke her heart, her life was irrevocably altered by the hand of a stranger with a gun. It takes six years to slowly glue together the shattered pieces of her life, but Jillian is finally ready to stop existing in a past full of pain and regret. She takes a job at her father’s martial arts Academy and she’s going out on her first date since a failed relationship that was more yuck than yum. Jillian is determined to start living.

She just never expected Brock to be a part of her life again. But he’s firmly back in her life before she knows it, and not only is he older, he’s impossibly more handsome, more teasing and more everything. And when he sees Jillian, he’s no longer capable of thinking of her as the little girl who was his shadow growing up or the daughter of the man who gave him a second chance at life. He sees the woman who’d always been there for him, the one person who believed in him no matter what.

Brock knows she’s the one he should’ve made his, and what begins as a tentative friendship quickly turns to red-hot chemistry that sparks a flame that burns brighter than lust. Falling for Brock again risks more than her heart, because when the past sorrow-filled and guilt-ridden past resurfaces, and a web of lies threatens to rip them apart, the fallout could lay waste to everything they’ve fought to build together, and destroy the dreams of those they care most about.

Paper Princess – Erin Watt – 4

Paperback Finished: July 25, 2018

This one has been on my radar for quite a while now, and I finally picked it up and read it…in one sitting. I will say, I had no idea that the characters were teenagers, and I don’t understand why I was able to purchase books 2&3 in the YOUNG ADULT section at Books-a-Million. Based on what is contained between the covers of this book, I would label this as New Adult with a younger cast of characters. But with that being said, I liked this book for what it was, a quick, enjoyable, sexy read that kept me entertained for a few hours. The ending did leave me wanting the next one – so of course I bought the next two. I’m prepared.

From strip clubs and truck stops to southern coast mansions and prep schools, one girl tries to stay true to herself.

These Royals will ruin you…

Ella Harper is a survivor—a pragmatic optimist. She’s spent her whole life moving from town to town with her flighty mother, struggling to make ends meet and believing that someday she’ll climb out of the gutter. After her mother’s death, Ella is truly alone.

Until Callum Royal appears, plucking Ella out of poverty and tossing her into his posh mansion among his five sons who all hate her. Each Royal boy is more magnetic than the last, but none as captivating as Reed Royal, the boy who is determined to send her back to the slums she came from.

Reed doesn’t want her. He says she doesn’t belong with the Royals.

He might be right.

Wealth. Excess. Deception. It’s like nothing Ella has ever experienced, and if she’s going to survive her time in the Royal palace, she’ll need to learn to issue her own Royal decrees.

Royally Endowed – Emma Chase – 3

Paperback Finished: July 26, 2018

I wanted to love this as much as I loved the second book in the series, but sadly this one just fell really short. Royally Screwed and Royally Matched were both so good, but this one just missed the mark. It was still good, and I liked reading it, I just never got as invested. I felt like the plot was a little loose, and the first half of the book just felt like rehashing everything else that had already happened in 1&2. I expected more and unfortunately it didn’t deliver, or maybe my love for 1&2 set my expectations a little too high.

Logan St. James is a smoldering, sexy beast. Sure, he can be a little broody at times—but Ellie Hammond’s willing to overlook that. Because, have you seen him??

Sexy. As. Hell.

And Ellie’s perky enough for both of them.

For years, she’s had a crush on the intense, gorgeous royal security guard—but she doesn’t think he ever saw her, not really.
To Logan, Ellie was just part of the job—a relative of the royal family he’d sworn to protect. Now, at 22 years old and fresh out of college, she’s determined to put aside her X-rated dreams of pat-downs and pillow talk, and find a real life happily ever after.
The Queen of Wessco encourages Ellie to follow in her sister’s footsteps and settle down with a prince of her own. Or a duke, a marquis…a viscount would also do nicely.
But in the pursuit of a fairy tale ending, Ellie learns that the sweetest crushes can be the hardest to let go.
***
Logan St. James grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, in a family on the wrong side of the law. But these days, he covers his tattoos and scars with a respectable suit. He’s handsome, loyal, brave, skilled with his hands and…other body parts.
Any woman would be proud to call him hers.
But there’s only one woman he wants.
For years he’s watched over her, protected her, held her hair back when she was sick, taught her how to throw a punch, and spot a liar.
He dreams of her. Would lay down his life for her.
But beautiful Ellie Hammond’s off-limits.
Everybody knows the bodyguard rules: Never lose focus, never let them out of your sight, and never, ever fall in love.

Mischief & Magnolias – Kristi Cook – 3

Not gonna lie, it’s been quite a while since I read Magnolia during a really intense thunderstorm, and if you’ve read the book, you know it was mood appropriate. There were moments I forgot I was sitting on a couch in the real world, and not in Mississippi during a hurricane. I feel like this short little 100 page extended epilogue is something that should be read directly after finishing Magnolia – or at least soon after. It’s been years since I read it, and I struggled quite a bit to remember what happened and wasn’t too successful.

Though with that being said, I did enjoy this for what it was, but the synopsis makes it sound a lot more serious than what actually happens between the covers.

When Ryder Marsden and Jemma Cafferty return to Magnolia Branch for Christmas break following their first semester at their respective universities in New York City (Columbia and NYU), their secret relationship is revealed—they’re literally caught under the mistletoe, kissing. Unexpectedly, their parents—who’ve spent their entire lives pushing them together—are somehow less than thrilled, especially when they realize the depth of their deception.

Tensions mount as the Marsden and Cafferty families struggle to come to terms with Jemma’s and Ryder’s feelings for each other, especially as they prepare to send them back to New York City together. At the same time, Jemma and Ryder must face their own problems that have arisen as a result of attending different schools—there are jealousies to be sorted out and hurt feelings to mend if their relationship is going to stand the test of time.

Will their love last, or are they star-crossed lovers, after all?

Geez, I didn’t realize how LOOOOONG some of these synopses were. This month was clearly Jennifer L. Armentrout heavy. I was starting to feel a little stuck and wanted something I knew right away that I would enjoy, and Jen is one of those authors I go to in order to avoid reading slumps. Then once I started, I just kept pulling unread JLA books off my shelf and devoured them.

With that being said, here is my Wrap-Up for July! Keep an eye out for my vacation Wrap-Up and my “What Books I’m Bringing with Me to the Beach”!

Have you read any of these books? If so, what are your thoughts? Are there any books you’ve read that you think I should check out? Leave a comment!

July Book Haul

Like last month, July’s haul mainly consists of books I got off the #booksfortrade / #arcsfortrade tags. It’s not a big haul this month and I’m kind of gladabout that. It means that I still have room on my shelves! I’ve previously read 2 out of the 5 books I hauled this month, I’ll note each ones when I list them, but I really enjoyed both!

Now, onto the books!

Imposters by Scott Westerfeld

I’m so excited to read this! Uglies was one of the first YA books I ever read, and it will be so nice to go back to the world and see what happens next!

Starflight by Melissa Landers

I read this last year – I think. I do remember staying up all night to finish it and loving it! I’m all for space ship SF!

Life in the outer realm is a lawless, dirty, hard existence, and Solara Brooks is hungry for it. Just out of the orphanage, she needs a fresh start in a place where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails or the felony tattoos across her knuckles. She’s so desperate to reach the realm that she’s willing to indenture herself to Doran Spaulding, the rich and popular quarterback who made her life miserable all through high school, in exchange for passage aboard the spaceliner Zenith.

When a twist of fate lands them instead on the Banshee, a vessel of dubious repute, Doran learns he’s been framed on Earth for conspiracy. As he pursues a set of mysterious coordinates rumored to hold the key to clearing his name, he and Solara must get past their enmity to work together and evade those out for their arrest. Life on the Banshee may be tumultuous, but as Solara and Doran are forced to question everything they once believed about their world—and each other—the ship becomes home, and the eccentric crew family. But what Solara and Doran discover on the mysterious Planet X has the power to not only alter their lives, but the existence of everyone in the universe…

City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett

I know nothing about this book, besides what the synopsis says, but I’ve heard it was really good. Fingers-crossed that it is!

The city of Bulikov once wielded the powers of the gods to conquer the world, enslaving and brutalizing millions — until its divine protectors were killed. Now, Bulikov’s history has been censored and erased, its citizens subjugated. But the surreal landscape of the city itself, forever altered by the thousands of miracles its guardians once worked upon it, stands as a haunting reminder of its former supremacy.

Into this broken city steps Shara Thivani. Officially, the unassuming young woman is just another junior diplomat sent by Bulikov’s oppressors. Unofficially, she is one of her country’s most accomplished spies, dispatched — along with her terrifying “secretary”, Sigrud — to solve a murder.

But as Shara pursues the killer, she starts to suspect that the beings who ruled this terrible place may not be as dead as they seem, and that Bulikov’s cruel reign may not yet be over.

A tale of vast conspiracies, dead gods, and buried histories, City of Stairs is at once a gripping spy novel and a stunningly original work of fantasy.

Take Back the Skies by Lucy Saxon

I remember reading this and loving it…and then I found out there was a book 2, which I thought was weird, and while I own the second one, I’ve never actually read it. I thought this one ended perfectly and didn’t need more story. Also, basically pirate ships in the sky, yes please.

Catherine Hunter is the daughter of a senior government official on the island of Anglya. She’s one of the privileged – she has luxurious clothes, plenty to eat, and is protected from the Collections which have ravaged families throughout the land. But Catherine longs to escape the confines of her life, before her dad can marry her off to a government brat and trap her forever.

So Catherine becomes Cat, pretends to be a kid escaping the Collections, and stows away on the skyship Stormdancer. As they leave Anglya behind and brave the storms that fill the skies around the islands of Tellus, Cat’s world becomes more turbulent than she could ever have imagined, and dangerous secrets unravel her old life once and for all . . .

Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf

This. Sounds. So. Good. I can’t wait to read it! Sadly it’s going to have to wait for a while to be read.

Zera is a Heartless – the immortal, unageing soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger ever since she saved her from the bandits who murdered her family, Zera longs for freedom from the woods they hide in. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger’s control, she serves the witch unquestioningly.

Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a Prince’s heart in exchange for her own, with one addendum; if she’s discovered infiltrating the court, Nightsinger will destroy her heart rather than see her tortured by the witch-hating nobles.

Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane hates the royal court as much as it loves him – every tutor too afraid to correct him and every girl jockeying for a place at his darkly handsome side. No one can challenge him – until the arrival of Lady Zera. She’s inelegant, smart-mouthed, carefree, and out for his blood. The Prince’s honor has him quickly aiming for her throat.

So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all.

Winner takes the loser’s heart.

Literally.

Give the Dark My Love by Beth Revis

Give the Dark my Love.jpg

I can’t believe I won an eARC of this book. * freaking out * I totally plan on reading this on my flight to Scotland at the end of August – though waiting that long might kill me.

When seventeen-year-old Nedra Brysstain leaves her home in the rural, northern territories of Lunar Island to attend the prestigious Yugen Academy, she has only one goal in mind: learn the trade of medicinal alchemy. A scholarship student matriculating with the children of Lunar Island’s wealthiest and most powerful families, Nedra doesn’t quite fit in with the other kids at Yugen, who all look down on her.

All, except for Greggori “Grey” Astor. Grey is immediately taken by the brilliant and stubborn Nedra, who he notices is especially invested in her studies. And that’s for a good reason: a deadly plague has been sweeping through the North, and it’s making its way toward the cities. With her family’s life–and the lives of all of Lunar Island’s citizens–on the line, Nedra is determined to find a cure for the plague.

Grey and Nedra continue to grow closer, but as the sickness spreads and the body count rises, Nedra becomes desperate to find a cure. Soon, she finds herself diving into alchemy’s most dangerous corners–and when she turns to the most forbidden practice of all, necromancy, even Grey might not be able to pull her from the darkness.

Well, that concludes my July Book Haul!

***I know I’m posting this a little early, but I’m on vacation next week, and have other posts planned, so I wanted to put this and my Wrap-Up up early. Though there will be a second mini-wrap up next week pertaining to all the books I read while on vacation, so keep your eyes peeled for that!

If you read ONE post from my blog, it should be THIS ONE!

If you recall, back in June I wrote a review for The Wendy by Erin Michelle Sky & Steven Brown – I’ll link the review here. I absolutely LOVED this book, and it got me out of the book/story hangover I was stuck in and I really cannot wait for book 2.

Here’s the synopsis:

THE WRONG KIND OF HERO.

“Girls can’t be in the navy! Girls take care of babies! You’re so stupid, you don’t know anything!”

London. 1783. Wendy Darling is an orphan, living in an overcrowded almshouse, ridiculed for believing in a future she can never have. More than anything in the world, she wants to be the captain of a ship. But that’s impossible.  Isn’t it?

By 1789, she’s sixteen, old enough to be sold into service as a dressmaker or a servant. When she learns the Home Office is accepting a handful of women into its ranks, she jumps at the chance, joining the fight against the most formidable threat England has ever faced. Magic.

But the secret service isn’t exactly what she had hoped. Accompanied by a reimagined cast of the original Peter Pan, Wendy soon discovers that her dreams are as far away as ever, that choosing sides isn’t as simple as she thought, and that the only man who isn’t blinded by her gender… might be her nation’s greatest enemy.

And here’s the good news! If you haven’t already read The Wendy – which you totally should – now’s your chance!

“Thanks to you, our amazing bloggers and reviewers, The Wendy has been chosen for an international BookBub promotion from July 25-29! For just a few days, the ebook will be FREE on Kindle, iBooks, Nook, and Kobo in every market around the world!”

YES, you read that right – you can download it for FREE July 25-29! How awesome is that!!

The authors of this amazing book, were beyond nice in letting me take part in this fantastic reveal!

This book was everything I wanted in a Peter Pan retelling – it was fresh and fun, but still felt true to J.M. Barrie’s original, you want to check this book out!

(And I mean, just look at the cover! I could stare at it all day, and I’m going to lie, I’ve spent a good deal of time staring at it.)

If you’re looking for where to download – the BookBub book page to link to is here: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-wendy-by-erin-michelle-sky-and-steven-brown

Let’s see how many copies we can give away for free! 5,000? 10,000?! Pass this along to friends and family, basically anyone who loves the boy who didn’t grow up and give readers a new reason to escape into the world of Peter Pan, Captain Hook and Wendy Darling!

I’ve downloaded my copy – have you? Let me know in the comments!

Too. Many. Feels.

To be totally honest, I don’t really know what this post is, but it’s going to be short…hopefully. I’ve been rant-y lately.

ANYWAYS.

I was going to write a book review for Rise of the Storm by Carrie Summer’s and that was going to be today’s post but I just finished The Raging Ones by Krista and Becca Ritchie and I HAVE BEEN LEFT WITH ALL THE FEELS.

I’m dead.

The ending – I want to scream.

You know. You know what I’m talking about. You know exactly what I’m talking about. When it’s the biggest cliffhanger of an ending that leaves you with so many more questions, and you just kind of want to scream because you know you’re going to have to wait a year for the next one and to have all your questions and concerns addressed. *deep breath* WELL THAT’S ME RIGHT NOW.

My insides are kind of in this emotional swirling turmoil. AND I’M NOT DEALING.

So. Many. Questions.

Now you see why writing a review for any book was just not in the cards. It’s too early for me to write up my thoughts and feelings about The Raging Ones as they are still raging inside of me…heh.

I am composed enough to admit that I really enjoyed this book – a lot more than I expected to. I was lucky enough to win a ARC of this book off Goodreads, and when I entered the giveaway I was really excited for the book, then it arrived in the mail (my shock at winning was great) and upon arrival, my excitement had died waaaay down – I hate saying that. But, I knew since I entered and won, that I should give the book a chance – AND I AM SO FREAKING GLAD I DID.

I don’t want to get too into a review, even if it’s just a partial, because I will have a review of the book going up soon, but I absolutely loved it, and the ending left me dying for more. BIG FAN.

With that huge amount of fangirling out of the way, I’m going to wrap this post up. Sorry it’s not more interesting, but tomorrow (yes Tuesday – not a normal posting day for me) there’s a little something special going up, and you’re going to want to jump on it! So, keep your eyes peeled for that!

Another little update – I go on vacation next week! A whole week at the beach with family and friends and just awesome people, and I’m so excited. I’m even more excited for the stack of books that will be accompanying me. I’ll have a post going up with all the books I’m taking with me – which will go up when I’m already on vacation, so a week from today. One of them I’m really excited about, and it’s been sitting on my shelf since May, and I’ve been saving it to read on vacation, so the fact that it’s finally here! I’m thrilled!

And as a final note, I thought I’d leave you with a small glimpse into McKenna – my MC in my SF story. She goes through a lot at a young age and upon boarding Destiny, she comes face to face with a part of her past she thought had long ago vanished. Needless to say, she’s really not happy when confronted.

What was the last book that left you with raging emotions? Good or bad?

Book Review: Daughter of the Siren Queen

Title: Daughter of the Siren Queen

Author: Tricia Levenseller

Pub. Date: February 27, 2018

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Alosa’s mission is finally complete. Not only has she recovered all three pieces of the map to a legendary hidden treasure, but the pirates who originally took her captive are now prisoners on her ship. Still unfairly attractive and unexpectedly loyal, first mate Riden is a constant distraction, but now he’s under her orders. And she takes great comfort in knowing that the villainous Vordan will soon be facing her father’s justice.

When Vordan exposes a secret her father has kept for years, Alosa and her crew find themselves in a deadly race with the feared Pirate King. Despite the danger, Alosa knows they will recover the treasure first . . . after all, she is the daughter of the Siren Queen.

Unlike my review of Daughter of the Pirate King this review will contain spoilers, but like with the majority of my reviews, the first part will be spoiler free, followed by a spoiler section.

I hate that there are only two books in this duology. I could read about Alosa and Riden all damn day, I love them that much. I was fortunate enough to get to read the Pre-Order Perk for Daughter of the Siren Queen; Riden’s Chapter and can I have a whole book from his point of view? Please? I’m on my knees begging. I didn’t know I needed it until I read it, and then I was sunk. I’m not kidding about being able to read about the two of them all day.

This duology quickly became one of my favorites and I will get as many people as I can to read them, I swear it.

But, onto the actual review –

Daughter of the Siren Queen picks up where book one left off, and Alosa has all three parts to the map and more than eager to please her father, she heads home. With a captured Vorden whispering things into her ear, it doesn’t take long for hidden secrets to float to the surface, and suddenly Alosa is questioning everything she’s ever felt for her father.

With her feelings decided, she has no choice but to flee, knowing full well that her actions will bring the entirety of the Pirate King’s fleet down upon her and her crew’s heads. Where she goes, so does Riden, and while Alosa would never so much as tell him that, they both know.

In a race to get to the siren’s treasure first – Alosa has no doubt that they will win – the journey on the Ava-lee is far from safe, and they end up taking a very Odysseus-esque detour.

Tensions and feelings are high, and on top of protecting her crew, she has to worry about the other part of her, the siren part of her. The part of her that is murderous, dangerous, not human and therefore lacking in empathy. In this race for their lives, the questions become, who will get there first, and who will win out, the human or the siren?

I thought I loved Alosa in the first book, but now I really love her. She’s tested a lot more in this one, and she has to rely on her crew, her chosen family to be there for her. Her internal battle with the siren made her so engaging to read, and I ended up inhaling the story.

As for Riden – he’s just another fictional guy that I’ll never get to meet in real life * internal screaming * and somehow, he gets even more attractive and hotter in this book. I lived for his and Alosa’s interactions, because romantic tension.

This book has everything, pirates, princess, sirens, tension, love, action, betrayal, sorrow, but it’s still a fun, heartwarming and light read.

Now onto the spoiler section

Last Chance!

* Endless internal wailing about how I’ll never get to be a kickass pirate princess who gets to kiss Riden. *

^ That is actually something that hurts my heart.

There are just some books * cough * Stalking Jack the Ripper * cough * that I really wish I could exist inside because I love the characters so much.

Let’s just jump in with the line –’’THE SOUND OF MY knife slitting across a throat feels much too loud in the darkness.’’ – because daaaaamn. That whole scene was such an epic way to take Vorden down.

Skipping ahead – I DON’T KNOW WHY I NEVER EXPECTED HER FATHER TO KEEP THE SIREN QUEEN HOSTAGE. That was another daaaaaammn moment, or more appropriately, and oh shit moment. I kind of figured when she went to open the secret door that she would find her mother, but up until that point, I just thought that we’d meet her when they went to collect the siren’s treasure.

While I know it’s sad, because casualties, I really enjoyed the scene when they went to the island for the new mast – cannibals, nice touch. Even nicer touch that they were her father’s men. There were just so many things that I loved about this book, and I will continue to believe that that scene was inspired by the Odyssey and Odysseus’s journey home. You won’t be able to convince me otherwise.

But I think my absolutely favorite part of this book, this series really, is the relationship between Alosa and Riden.

In this book Alosa figures out that Riden keeps her human when she’s in her siren form. Lack of freedom and control of his own life in his past has left him never wanting to be controlled, and the siren can do exactly that. When it comes to either using her siren abilities on him or letting him drown, Alosa saves him, going against his direct wishes to never be controlled. Riden reacts badly, angrily, and while Alosa vehemently would do it again if it meant saving his life, he can’t see past his hurt feelings and betrayed wishes.

BUT, when learning (or should I say confronted and kind of tricked) that he keeps Alosa grounded, human in her siren form, he is willing to work with her, bring her back to herself.

I think given a little more time to think, Riden would have agreed to help her on his own, instead of being confronted to help, but their timeline was seriously rushed.

I loved this book, the first one, Riden and Alosa – I don’t have bad things to say. I just wouldn’t complain if I got both of the books from Riden’s POV. Daughter of the Pirate King could be “Smitten with the Pirate Princess” and Daughter of the Siren Queen could be “Hopelessly In Love with my Captain” – okay, the titles need a lot of work, but I’d totally be here for them. Though, with these titles, they sound very NA / Upper YA. OH YEAH! Give me Riden and Alosa a couple years down the road! Her ruling as the new Pirate Queen with Riden by her side.

Here. For. It.

I digress…(I’ve been doing that a lot lately)

If you’re looking for a book about a bad ass pirate princess and a hotter than hell first mate, then you should definitely check out this duology!

Book Review: Heart of the Empire

Title: Heart of the Empire: The Broken Lands Book 1

Author: Carrie Summers

Pub. Date: July 21, 2017

Rating: ♥♥♥♥ -4.5

The Empire is heartless, but fate is crueler still.

Tainted magic spills from a crack between worlds. Quakes rattle the Atal Empire, opening rifts that split towns in two. As the land shatters and betrayals cleave the Emperor’s court, ancient power awakens in a flame-haired young woman.

Savra, a miner on a remote coast, lives in relative innocence of her Emperor’s savage rule. When she turns seventeen, she expects to be assigned sluice mining as her official Function. Everyone from her home village is a sluicer–unless they turn renegade and fugitive like Savra’s father. But when she’s suddenly torn from her home, turned pawn in the plots of madmen, a chance meeting with a young man provides the first glimpse of her tangled destiny.

For nineteen years, Kostan has been groomed for one thing: ascension to the throne. One of thirteen imperial Scions, he bears a wound that won’t heal until his twenty-first birthday. On that date, only the shape of the Scions’ scars will determine the next Atal Emperor.

Savra secretly fears she carries her father’s rebel blood. Kostan despises everything the Empire stands for. Neither desires a fight, but as the Empire crumbles around them, they stand on opposite sides of a war. Each could be part of Empire’s salvation, if only they could bridge the chasm dividing them.

Like with the majority of my reviews, the first part of this review will be non-spoiler, followed by a spoiler section.

You know when you’re on Amazon, and you click a book that you’re interested in, and then it gives you all those other book options? You know the ones I’m talking about – “if you like this book, then people also bought all of these” – if you don’t know what I’m talking about, just go to Amazon, and search your favorite book, and scroll down. There are scrollable pages full of books to choose from.

Well, if you haven’t figured it out already, that’s exactly how I found Heart of the Empire. It was pretty much a One-Click purchase for me…hell, based on the cover alone I wanted it. When it arrived in the mail, I stood in my kitchen and read until chapter 6 before I put it down.

Initially I went into this book thinking it was a Young Adult Fantasy, but it really isn’t. Though, I also don’t want to label it solely an Adult Fantasy (not that there is anything wrong with either. Personally, this read more as Upper YA, kind of up there with Sarah J. Maas and Elise Kova (two high fantasy authors I can think of off the top of my head (read the Air Awakens Series if you haven’t yet)).

I’m all for Fantasy YA – hell, I read enough of it and it probably makes up 70% of my entire library in my room – but when it comes to high fantasy, I like my characters older than 16. You don’t know how excited I was to read An Ember in the Ashes by Sabba Tahir and have OLDER characters, actually young adults in their 18-21 range! But I digress, this is a review for Heart of the Empire and not my age preferences for fictional characters. (My MC’s are 17/18 in my SF manuscript, but by the time they get to where they are going they are 19/21, and I would consider it upper YA).

Now that I’m done talking about character ages, let’s get onto the non-spoiler part of this review. Heart of the Empire follows Savra and Kostan, two very different people living in the Atal Empire. Savra comes from a small province that is slowly being pull away from the main continent by the Maelstrom off the coast. She works the sluices collecting metals for the Empire. She’s virtually a nobody until a mage sent by her father comes to rescue her.

Kostan is a Scion – one of 13 who have been deemed worthy enough to potentially inherit the throne of Atal – but he hates everything the Empire stands for, and vows to make changes if he should become Emperor.

As the Empire crumbles around them, Savra and Kostan have to learn how to stand on their own two feet to navigate and save the Empire, before it collapses to its knees.

I really enjoyed this book, I read about half from my PB copy, and listened to the other have via Audible – highly recommend the audiobook versions – I got really excited when I found out that they existed! There are five points of view in this book, but Savra and Kostan are the main focus.

Let’s start with Savra. I really liked her as a character. Even when she’s dealt shitty hands over and over again, she rises up to the occasion, and rarely has anyone save her. She’s not invincible and not always able to save herself, but she’s not constantly relying on other characters to get her out of bad situations. She’s a quick thinker and often even in panic, is able to keep a relatively level head. She takes risks to protect the people she loves and has compassion for those she doesn’t. She’s a pretty strong character by the end of the book.

I really loved her growth and development through this book, because who Savra is at the beginning, is not who she is at the end, but her change only makes her stronger and smarter.

When I first met Kostan I knew he’d play the love interest, because duh. I really liked that he had compassion for others when the majority of the people surrounding him only cared about themselves, saw themselves above everyone else. Kostan has this habit of looking out for the little people.

For someone with no “real world” skills, he catches on kind of quickly, but he also kind of flounders quite a bit. It’s takes Kostan quite a bit of time to figure out his next moves, but when he does, it’s often 0-100 real quick.

Next, we have Havialo. More about him in the spoiler section, because my feelings are strong about him.

PARVELD. I loved him. Having lived for a very long time, he has insider knowledge about everything going on with the Empire, and he’s made it his duty to help in whatever ways he can. It will be interesting to see where his story ends up.

Finally, Evrain, Savra’s father. Unofficial leader of a rebel group. Willing to do anything to protect his daughter and bring justice to the Empire.

If you want a fantasy book that has drama, betrayal, action, love, friendship and magic, you definitely want to check this out! I don’t think you’ll be able to put it down.

Now onto the SPOILER section.

Last Chance

I hated Havialo from the beginning. Something was off about him, AND IT DIDN’T TAKE HIM LONG TO SHOW HIS TRUE COLORS. For a grown-ass adult, he acted like a hurt teenager. So, F*ck him. He can be a casualty of war for all I care.

Yeah, that rebel group, Stormshard, I definitely don’t like them either, because their form of a solution isn’t really a solution at all and seems pretty short sighted. Also having no definitive leader of the rebel group to make decisions just seems wrong – like it shouldn’t be a majority rules vote…basically it felt kind of half-assede. BUT I think that’s why I liked it. The author didn’t mess up in creating it, but her characters did. They created this rebel group as a retaliation, like the only reason they exist is to be nuisance rather than an actual problem, so who cares if they are kind of a mess. Whatever the reason, it worked for the story.

So much of this book, the politics and the feel felt real. Despite taking place in a fictional world, it felt grounded in real life. It was captivating and made me want to keep listening. I was on the edge of my seat for a lot of sections in this book. Carrie Summer’s wrote a fantastic novel, in a terrifyingly real world, and book 2 was just as good, and I cannot wait to sit down and devour book 3.

If you go into this book expecting your typical YA fantasy romance between Prince/Princess and Rogue/Rebel/Nobody, you won’t find it. That may be spoiler-y, but I thought I’d warn. There is attraction, and the potential for romance, but Heart of the Empire isn’t about that. Though I am excited to see the relationships created in this first novel grow and expand in different ways.

The last thing I was to talk about in this review is the romance, or I guess the lack of romance. Now, I went into this book thinking that it was going to be like all the other Fantasy YA I had been inhaling and I would get a romance, so I was a little disappointed when I didn’t.

BUT with that being said, Savra and Kostan are attracted to each other, which leads me to believe that further down the road, I will get the romance I wanted!

I did see a few reviews that claimed their connection to be “insta-love” or “insta-attraction” and I’d be more inclined to agree with the latter. For one, Kostan has been secluded away from everyone except other Scions and other people living with him, so of course he’s going to think Savra, who is described as being pretty, is attractive, there was no way he wouldn’t. As for Savra, I’m going to assume that there weren’t many prospects from where she was from, at least none she was interested in, so why wouldn’t she think Kostan’s attractive?

I feel like “insta-love/lust/attraction” gets a lot of negative commentary because it often feels cheap or lazy. I’m not a huge fan of “insta-love” and I’m more of a “insta-lust” believer, but there are probably some people out there who would argue the opposite. I also think you can get away with these sort of cosmic/fate/insta-love connections because there are often other forces at play.

Clearly Savra and Kostan have a connection that goes deeper than just attraction, but major shit is going on in the Empire, magic is a part of the lands past, present and future, and to think that there isn’t some higher power, or cosmic something happening between the two of them is a little short sighted. They need each other.

Overall, I really enjoyed this Heart of the Empire and book 2 – Rise of the Storm (review to come), and I cannot wait to dive in to Fate of the Drowned. I have no idea what to expect, and I’m terrified and excited to find out!

24 Books

Sorry for the late upload, but yesterday was my birthday, and then when I thought I finally had time to sit down last night and write this up, I had to deal with a doggy emergency.

Everything is all good now, but it was late before I even had a chance to shower, so this post is going up really late.

In honor of turning 24 – which is still weird to think about, though it doesn’t feel different than 23 – I’m going to list 24 books that I love, and that I think everyone should read!

I’m not going to put all the books in a series, even if I loved the whole series, but these are 24 books that I’ve really loved. I’m also going to try to stay away from obvious titles like Harry Potter, Throne of Glass/ACOTAR, Mortal Instruments, Divergent, etc. Seeing as how the majority will probably have already read them or decided to not read them at all.

In no particular order, here we go!

The Dead List – Jennifer L. Armentrout
Stay With Me – Jennifer L. Armentrout
Air Awakens – Elise Kova
My Life with the Walter Boys – Ali Novak
Invisible Ghosts – Robyn Schneider
Heart of the Empire – Carrie Summers
Stalking Jack the Ripper – Kerri Maniscalco
Magnolia – Kristi Cook
Letters to the Lost – Brigid Kemmerer
Eragon – Christopher Paolini
The Things They Carried – Tim O’Brien
The Ancient One – T. A. Barron
To Kill a Kingdom – Alexandra Christo
Lucky Number Four – Amanda Jason
Reliquary – Sarah Fine
Royally Matched – Emma Chase
The Martian – Andy Weir
The Dreamer – E. J. Mellow
Thicker Than Water – Brigid Kemmerer
Half–Blood – Jennifer L. Armentrout
On Dublin Street – Samantha Young
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl – Jesse Andrews
The Goddess Test – Aimee Carter
Uglies – Scott Westerfeld

There’s no rhyme or reason as to why I picked these 24 books over all the others, this list could easily be hundreds long, but the ones I have listed here, are more or less the first that came to mind. I’ve enjoyed every single one of these books and I’ve even read them multiple times in some cases. It’s a pretty broad spectrum of books, and if you’ve read any (I’m sure you have) let me know your thoughts in the comments. Do you have a favorite out of what I’ve listed? Are there any books you’ve never heard of before?

Let me know!

Book Review: Everless

Title: Everless

Author: Sara Holland

Pub. Date: January 8, 2018

Rating: ♥♥♥♥ – 4.5

In the kingdom of Sempera, time is currency—extracted from blood, bound to iron, and consumed to add time to one’s own lifespan. The rich aristocracy, like the Gerlings, tax the poor to the hilt, extending their own lives by centuries.

No one resents the Gerlings more than Jules Ember. A decade ago, she and her father were servants at Everless, the Gerlings’ palatial estate, until a fateful accident forced them to flee in the dead of night. When Jules discovers that her father is dying, she knows that she must return to Everless to earn more time for him before she loses him forever.

But going back to Everless brings more danger—and temptation—than Jules could have ever imagined. Soon she’s caught in a tangle of violent secrets and finds her heart torn between two people she thought she’d never see again. Her decisions have the power to change her fate—and the fate of time itself.

This will be a spoiler free review.

Huh, time really does equal money.

I really enjoyed this book, and I’m ashamed that it sat on my shelf for five months before I got around to reading it – though five months after publication is better than some of the two/three-year-old books I have.

I listened to the Audible version of this book, despite having bought a hardcopy when it first came out, and it did not disappoint. Sara Holland clearly knows how to write, and how to tell an amazing story. The world building alone had me captivated, and the idea that your life is literally currency is pretty wild. I had heard amazing things about this book prior to release and still more after release, and I’m SO glad that this book lived up to the hype. This book also had so many twists – some big, some small – but it made for a captivating read.

Everless follows Jules Ember, a young girl who lives in the land of Sempera. Here your blood, the years you have left to live, equal money – blood coins. In a process that turns blood into money, the rich become practically immortal, while everyone else suffers Forced to pay taxes, her father is quickly running out of time, bleeding as much as he can, but it’s killing him. In an attempt to save his life, and get her father’s years back, she agrees to become an Everless Girl – a servant at Everless.

It’s a place that her father warned her to never go back to. Ten years ago, Jules and her father fled, and she risks everything to come back. Caught between needing to help her father, a tangled web of secrets, and two people she had never thought to see again, Jules has to figure out how to change her fate and how her decisions might impact time itself.

I really liked Jules as a character, her backstory and her actions felt real and believable. There wasn’t a moment that I wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her, questioning her judgment. She took matters into her own hands but didn’t deny help when it came her way. I really liked that she knew how to play the game, having lived in Everless as a child, she knew how to survive there.

I’m not going to lie, while I didn’t hate Roan, and also didn’t like him. He seemed too good to be true. Kind of like that stereotypical attractive guy who’s really nice to a girl, who he clearly knows likes him, so he kind of patronizes her and treats her like a sibling…do you get me? What I’m saying? He just felt ingenuine towards Jules – but that doesn’t bother me.

Because let’s face it, I was totally on #TeamLiam from the beginning. I don’t know – I just knew from the beginning that what people saw of him on the outside, wasn’t really the core of who he was. Also, I might have a thing for the “evil” brothers/princes/whatever, can you blame me? I will say the ending made me a little frustrated, because I was hoping for traveling scenes between those two (vague because spoilers) in Evermore. I love those kinds of scenes, but I guess I’ll have to wait and see what happens next for these characters.

I’m excited!

Would you live in Sempera?

My answer – as cool as the world sounds, I wouldn’t. Unless I could be guaranteed some kind of security – I don’t need to be a Gerling or a royal, but I definitely don’t want to have to give up my blood/life to survive.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Small Update

I’m not going to lie about not having a post-up on Monday – I forgot to schedule it. Now Monday’s post will be Friday’s, and since it’s currently 12:33AM I figured I’d just do a small post about my life, my writing, and the book I’m currently reading.

The Prophecy Let’s start with my current read:

The Prophecy by Jennifer L. Armentrout

History is on repeat…

A price must be paid…

For the end is here and the Prophecy will be fulfilled….

I’m roughly 100 pages into this book, and so far, I’m enjoying it. I’m still in the “setting up for the finale” part of the book, so not much is happening, but it’s so nice to come back to these characters.

The Covenant Series is my favorite series of Jen’s – I’m an instant sucker for anything Greek Mythology – and Jen has this way of writing that just makes me fall in love all over again. This is the second book in a matter of a week of Jen’s – the first one being Brave – I was feeling a little tired of all of the high fantasy I was reading, and needed something New Adult, with some action, hot guys, sexy scenes, and bad-assery and I knew exactly who to turn to for that.

Coming back to the world of Seth and Josie is a pretty bittersweet. Seeing as this is the last book, I have no idea what’s in store for me. I’m excited to find out though! If you haven’t checked out any of Jen’s books, she writes just about every genre, and I have yet to read one that I didn’t like, so definitely check her books out!

As for the writing update –

I’ve been taking a few days away from editing my SF manuscript in order to write the fantasy story that’s been beating the inside of my skull to pulp. It’s been great, except, I’m about 10K in and I now know that I have to change it from Third Person Past to First Person Present.

I. Am. Not. Thrilled. About. This.

This isn’t the first time I’ve had to switch the way a story is written, it’s just obnoxious to change it all. Though, with this change I’m almost 100% sure that the story will start flowing a lot easier, and writing will become easier.

Third Person is not my strong suit, which is why I challenged myself to write this story that way, and it works for the prologue, but it’s not working for my MC’s. Though I am happy to say that after writing 10K in Third Person I feel a lot more comfortable doing so.

I’ll share one screen shot from this – the wedding announcement between my two MC’s – who aren’t super thrilled about their parent’s decision for them to marry…not matter how noble the cause.

Screen Shot 2018-07-11 at 1.05.25 AM Fun fact – the title for this fantasy WIP was actually heavily inspired by a Taylor Swift song. I won’t tell you which one, but it was on her RED soundtrack.

Another fun fact, it’s also partially, like very loosely inspired by Arthurian Legend, namely King Arthur: Legend of theSword. VERY LOOSELY. This is by no means a King Arthur retelling.

As for the life update –

It’s just over two weeks until I get to go to the beach for a week, and be with family, and I CANNOT WAIT!

I keep making mental notes about all the books I want to bring with me, but I also know that I have to be realistic and not over pack (I’ve been pretty good the past two years about only bringing what I can actually read, instead of everything I want to read) – it’s like your eyes being bigger that your stomach, but in this case, it’s your eyes being bigger than your brain?? Maybe? No? There’s probably a better analogy – if you have one, leave it in the comments.

I’m going to have a post going up either the Friday before I leave, or the Monday I’m at the beach about the books I’m bringing/ will have brought so keep an eye out for that. But a book I’m definitely taking is Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan – I’m super excited to read this one, and letting it sit on my shelf so I can save it for the beach has been TORTURE.

I’m also going to be bringing a few Contemporary novels – they’re my favorite to read at the beach, especially when they’re fluffy contemps. Potentially there will be a SF and another fantasy novel coming with me as well, but I haven’t fully decided on the exact books, or the exact number of books. I have some time to figure that out.

Damn, this was supposed to be a small update, but here I am, sitting at nearly 1000 words, with a sneak peek into my fantasy WIP. I’ll have a book review up for Friday, so keep an eye out for Everless by Sara Holland – I really enjoyed the book, and if you haven’t picked it up yet, read it.

Writing The Universe

My fingers are moving, but it appears as though my characters are writing themselves

Month: July 2018