TBR

img_2825I didn’t have a post planned for today – to be honest – I kind of forgot about it until 10:43 the night before.

I blame the show I’m currently bingeing watching – HAVEN (it’s on Netflix) and I love it so much. I could go on and on about it, about Nathan, Audrey and Duke and their exploits in trying to solve Troubles (curses) but I won’t. Just go watch the show if you want to know what’s up and fall in love with the characters.

(Here’s a picture of one of my bookshelves before I made my TBR shelf. It’s a mess now.)

I’ll also toss blame at the two books I’m currently reading and the one I finished last night – Deity by Jennifer L. Armentrout / Fire Falling by Elise Kova & Call It What You Want by Brigid Kemmerer, and the fantasy story idea that is plaguing me (which I don’t have time to write), but I digress.  (The review for CIWYW will come soon! So keep an eye out for that, I loved it.)

Based on the title of this post, you ~might~ be shocked. I’m not one to do TBR’s because most of the time I can’t force myself to stick to a stack of certain books and demand that I read them. A lot of the time I read whatever I’m interested, whether it’s a new release, ARC, or it’s been sitting on my shelf for a million years. Giving myself a set bunch of books usually kills my inspiration to read.

But a few years ago I tried this thing. I took a small section of one of my shelves and put book on it, and told myself that I had to read them in order – shockingly I flew through them. Once I reached the last book, I put them back in their proper places on my shelf, and filled the small section with new books. It worked well for a while.

Somehow January, I was approved for a few books, and had acquired a few others that need to be read before their March releases, so I already had the beginning of a TBR – so, I decided to try this method again, and cleared off a small section of shelf and filled it with some (mostly) new releases + upcoming releases that I want to read before the end of March.

I didn’t want to make it a monthly TBR for three reasons –

1: January was half over when I decided to do this

2: Giving myself a single month usually kills my reading drive, putting me into a slump

3: I’m currently trying to revise and edit my SF WIP and I didn’t want to put too much pressure on myself on the reading front

Currently my TBR consists of 17 books, which I’m hoping is relatively easy to do in (now) two months. I think my only problem is that I’m currently rereading The Covenant Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout (on book 3/5) and I’m also listening to the audio books for The Air Awakens Series by Elise Kova (on book 2/5) and I didn’t include Jen’s books in the TBR and I only decided to start a reread of Elise’s books because I was feeling optimistic that I could finish the whole series before the new book Vortex Visions comes out next week…also, you know, binge watching a show doesn’t help either.

img_2838Anyways, here’s my TBR (in no particular order, since I don’t ~think~ I’ll read them as they are on the shelf):

Stain – AG Howard / The Wicked King – Holly Black / Escaping From Houdini – Kerri Maniscalco / Echo North – Joanna Ruth Meyer / Evermore – Sara Holland / Allied – Amy Tintera / The Traitor Prince – CJ Redwine / Part of Your World – Liz Braswell / The Darkest Star – Jennifer L Armentrout /  (insert an Air Awakens book here) – Elise Kova / No Ordinary Star – MC Frank / The Bear and the Nightingale Katherine Arden / Undying – Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner / Sherwood – Meagan Spooner / Through the White WoodJessica Leake / Bloodleaf – Crystal Smith / Never Contented Things – Sarah Porter (on my Kindle)


What are some books I should read once I get through these? Let me know in the comments!

Book Signing: Brigid Kemmerer & Jennifer L. Armentrout

img_2864It was so nice seeing both of these wonderful ladies again – and I’m so thankful to be able to consider them friends and mentors. I look up to both of them, and love all of their books.

I also want to thank the Connie Morella Library in Bethesda, Maryland for hosting the event, and Politics and Prose for providing the copies of A Curse so Dark and Lonely a day early (official release date is January 29, 2019 – tomorrow!)

It’s been about a year since I’d seen Jen, and a few months since Brigid, but being able to catch up for a few minutes was wonderful. Even more exciting, I’ll be seeing them again in March for Apollycon in DC!

img_2865They both talked about their recent releases, as well as their upcoming ones. Brigid talked about A Curse so Dark and Lonely and her June release Call It What You Want, while Jen talked about The Darkest Star, Moonlight Scandals (out January 29, 2019) and her June release Storm and Fury.

They spoke about book covers, least and favorites – Brigid: The Elemental Series & A Curse so Dark and Lonely / Jen: The Darkest Star & Storm and Fury; about which books (that they wrote) are their least favorites – Brigid: Thicker than Water / Jen – The Gamble Brother Series; how they balance writing and their home lives; what they think about reviews.

They also talked about how they name characters, what was the last good book they read, and last favorite show/movie they watched. They talked about how they both had issues with Bird Box and discussed it at length. 😂

Overall, it was a fun signing and I really enjoyed getting to see them again.

img_2869

Now, I’m going to shove all these books back onto my shelves, which are already pretty full.

For Brigid – I own multiple copies and I love them all – though not pictured: ACSDAL ARC / UK LTTL ARC / CIWYW

And for Jen, I keep having to find new ways to shelve her books, because there are just so many of them and of course I have to own all of them, and some of them in multiple forms. img_2870

Not pictured: The Darkest Star / Deity

I want all the new covers for her books, so I don’t know what I’m going to do about shelf space.🙈

I’m going to sit down and start reading Call It What You Want – Brigid passed along an ARC of it, and I’m so incredibly excited that I get to read it early! Thanks Brigid!img_2867

 

 

New Year, Same WIP

I had all these plans when I started this blog, and on the books/review front I’ve been pretty on top of it. On the writing front – not so much.

To try and rectify that, I’m giving myself a blank slate. It’s 2019, and we’re going to start over from #1.screen shot 2019-01-24 at 12.02.36 amI’ve been working on revisions almost daily since the beginning of the month, and it’s going okaaay…I guess. I’m 11 Chapters into my WIP and I can see the story starting to come together which is nice. I’m working diligently to find the right words and get rid of all the unnecessary ones – my main goal(s) being to cut words and make sure my timeline is accurate.

I’ve been trying to do a chapter a night, sometimes two if they’re really short.

Seeing as I have a pounding headache tonight, and just writing this blogpost hurts my eyes to stare at this screen (because I forgot to write it in advance) I’m choosing not to work on my WIP – selfcare and all.

But, you guy, I edited a chapter last night, and all day I’ve been thinking about how much I hate it. Usually when I’ve finished a chapter, I feel good, but no. Not this one. This one has been slowly eating away at me.

I did hit a snag at the beginning of this last chapter – a large glaring plot issue that in my last full draft is mentioned in Chapter 12 but isn’t resolved until chapters 27-29???

Your guess is as good as mine as to why there’s that big of a gap between points A and B, because there really shouldn’t be. So, I spent one WHOLE day trying to figure out how to reorganize scenes and what needed to happen, and how it needed to happen. I’ve been trying to be very meticulous about what needs to be in the story – what’s actually crucial to the progression of the characters and the plot, and not just what I want to be in the story.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not taking everything, and a lot of what does happen, are things that I want in stories that I read, but there is a lot of excess in my WIP and it needs to go.

As much as I would love – absolutely love to let you all read my 140K WIP as it stands, I do know it’s not my best work.

I also know these changes are for the better. I know my characters so well – or at least I thought I did. My two MC’s – McKenna and Connor – have surprised me quite a bit with this round of revisions. McKenna is a lot more level headed now, not as quick to anger (she’s still an independent hot head, but she takes a breath and thinks instead of just reacting) and Connor, he’s more in touch with his emotions, and knows when he’s being mistreated. They’ve grown up since the last time I worked on them.

Revisions are hell, but I think they’re going pretty smoothly – it’s still the beginning of the book, and stuff has happened, but I’m not really in the swing of things yet. I will be soon though. I have the next 13ish chapters reorganized and outlined, so they should (hopefully) go pretty quickly.

As a way to track my progress and show how far I’ve come, here are the differences between the Last Draft (LD) and the Revised Draft (RD)

LD: Prologue – Chapter 12: 37,348 words

RD: Prologue – Chapter 10: 28,298 words

9,050 words gone. Wow.  I’m happy with that.

I think this is where I’m going to end this – I’ll do another update soon, and hopefully I’ll be at the halfway point of my WIP, or I’ll be rewriting a single chapter over and over. Who knows?


Are you currently working on a story? If so, what is one thing the world should know about your MC? Feel free to leave a comment!

Book Review: Only a Breath Apart

It’s RELEASE DAY! Happy Book Birthday!

I absolutely loved this book – more than I thought I would. I hope you do too!


only a breath apartTitle: Only a Breath Apart

Author: Katie McGarry

Pub. Date: January 22, 2019

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥


Jesse Lachlin is cursed.

So the town folklore says, but while Jesse’s had his fair share of tragedy, the only curse he believes is in his grandmother’s will: in order to inherit his family farm he must win the approval of his childhood best friend, the girl he froze out his freshman year, Scarlett Copeland.

Scarlett Copeland is psychic.

Glory Gardner tells Scarlett she has hidden psychic abilities, but Scarlett thinks Glory is delusional. What is real is Scarlett’s father’s irrational fears, controlling attitude, and the dark secrets at home. Scarlett may have a way to escape, but there’s a hitch: she’ll have to rely on the one person she used to trust, the same boy who broke her heart, Jesse Lachlin.

Each midnight meeting pushes Jesse and Scarlett to confront their secrets and their feelings for each other. But as love blooms, the curse rears its ugly head…


I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review – spoiler free.

I’m still an internal chaotic, emotional mess from this book, and it’s been hours since I finished it. Only a Breath Apart made me feel rage, sadness, happiness, frustration, wonderful – it made me feel everything. The characters, the story, the emotional vulnerability, this book was so good.

I’ve read a Katie McGarry book in the past – Pushing the Limits – I don’t know why I never finished the series, or read any of her other books, because I did like it. So, this was my first of her books in years, and it didn’t disappoint. It was so well written and so engaging. I legit stayed up ALL NIGHT reading yet (yes, I regret that choice now) but I couldn’t put it down. I just kept turning the pages, completely caught up in this world and these characters.

The writing was beautiful, and the character arcs were believable and real. I felt like I was right in the middle of their lives, their world. It was so easy to picture everything, to feel everything.

Ooohhh the characters.

Jesse, I just wanted to hug him throughout the whole book. His life hadn’t been easy, still wasn’t easy and after a huge loss he has to figure out who he is. He has to prove that he can take care of himself. He had to grow up so quickly, and even has a child he had to deal with things no child should have to deal with. His mother is constantly telling him that their family is cursed, that they can never find love or happiness because it will end in disaster. As he grew up, Jesse found solace with his grandma, with her farm, and with Scarlett.

Scarlett, on the outside she is perfect, an Ice Princess, frozen, unfeeling, but inside she’s burning, chaotic, scared. Her life isn’t as picture perfect as it may seems. Her life is like a tight rope, and one misstep means danger, fear. I was constantly tense whenever things became stressful for Scarlett. She was so alone, and on top of that, the one person she thought she could rely on had broken her so completely.

Glory – she played a much bigger part in this book than I thought she would, and I loved her. She’s the kind of character that -regardless of psychic abilities – knows what two people need, and she knew what both Scarlett and Jesse needed. She pushes them, urges them to figure out who they are in the world, to jump.

Mr. Copeland can rot in hell. I hated this man, but I can appreciate that Katie McGarry got his character so right. When an author can make you viscerally hate a character, make them so real, so ugly, so mean, you know they’ve done their job right. I’ve never personally dealt with what Scarlett and her family goes through, but it felt so real, so intense, and it was so easy to picture.

Pastor Hughes, he was a light in a pretty dark tunnel. He’s the adult that you want on your side when it comes down to it. He treated Jesse and Scarlett like humans, adults, he never talked down to them and always advocated for them. He believed them, listened to them and gave them the opportunities to stand up for themselves, but was also there when they couldn’t.

Marshall – at first, I didn’t like him. He was the adult that thought he knew better than Jesse, wanted to control him. By the end of the book, he’s acknowledged the fact that he handled the situation poorly. Jesse has realized the same, and when it counts, Marshall is there, backing Jess, helping Scarlett. He steps up and is in their corner, he fights for them rather than looking down on them.

This book was pain, it was beauty and it was magic. It’s about learning who you are, and what you can survive. It’s realizing that, that journey to self-discovery can be an adventure with good and bad moments. Moments when you triumph and moments when you fail. It’s about when you fail, you have to get back up and try again.

It’s about finding adventure – “second star to the right and straight on till morning”.

I loved this book so much, and I hope you do too. It’s now one of my top four favorite contemporary novels (all are tied for first place) and all have given me the same kind of feeling.

You definitely want to check this book out, it comes out January 22, 2019!

Book Review: Moon Struck (Hillcrest Supernaturals #2)

moon struckTitle: Moon Struck (Hillcrest Supernaturals #2)

Authors: Danielle Rose & Ben Alderson

Pub. Date: January 8, 2019

Rating: ♥♥♥♥


 George Alcott thought he could control his inner demons, but on the night of the full moon, he risks his own soul by conjuring the dark magic of his ancestral line to save Savannah’s life. After a doomed battle against the Hillcrest wolf pack goes awry, Savi is missing, and George must turn enemies into allies if he wants to save her from a fate worse than death.

Savannah Danvers is starving. After waking in captivity and spending days at the hands of monsters, she befriends the very beings who put her in this mess in the first place. Together, they rebel against the supernatural hunters and risk everything for freedom. But among a blaze of gunfire and through a mountain of death, Savi fears they may never emerge victorious.

In the second installment of the Hillcrest Supernaturals series, George and Savi are pushed to the brink of death and forced to ask themselves who, in a city supposedly overrun by supernatural allies, can they really trust?


I received a free copy of this book from the authors in exchange for an honest review.

I hate myself for not getting to this sooner, but with all the holiday stuff and end of the year stuff, there just wasn’t enough time.

But better late than never.

It was fun being back in this world – with these characters.

These books are great to just binge and get lost in. They aren’t very hard reads, pretty quick to get through. The writing is great and like last time, it was so easy to picture everything that was happening. I could see each scene in my head as I was reading it – like a movie was actually playing in my head and I was watching it. I love books that can do that without a lot of flowery prose – books that I can just lose myself in for a few hours and not be hungover from them afterwards.

There were definitely a few moments that shocked me, twists that I didn’t see coming, and I loved them. The end of Chapter 21 being one of those moments. I legit yelled “WHAT”. I really enjoyed the direction the book went, and how new aspects to this world were introduced – like the Supreme. I can’t wait to see more of her.

I freaking love Savi in this book, how strong she is, and how she endured everything she went through. I’m really interested in seeing how this change is truly going to affect her, and I can’t wait to see how she explores this new side to her, and how she interacts with these new characters.

Chad and Geroge are so cute together, so protective of one another, it will be interesting to see how their bond changes in the next book. I want them to be happy forever, but I have a sinking feeling it’s going to get so much worse before it gets better. And I don’t know who Chad is going to side with when it comes down to it. I’ll probably just be internally dreading and screaming with my eyes shut.

And poor George! I feel for him I really do. He carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, and he can’t be truly honest with the two people he holds dearest. I’m still not a fan of his mother, but I did NOT see her twist coming.

Just thinking about it makes me super excited and anxious for Hex Bound.

My reservations are still the same as I stated in my review of Crimson Bite, that it felt a little like the show True Blood, but it didn’t bother me as much this time. I did have a little issue with the phrase “mortal coil” – it just irked me. I can’t tell you why really. It felt like it jumped off the page every time. I just didn’t feel like it fit the tone of the book. But other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I’m so grateful that I go the chance to read it and support it!

The email I received it in said that “This one gets crazy…” UM YEAH, IT DID.

If you’re looking for a supernatural book to get lost in for a few hours, with action, drama, and interesting characters, you definitely want to check out The Hillcrest Supernaturals Series. Hex Bound the third installment of this series comes out February 26, 2019!

Guest Post Book Review: Only A Breath Apart

Today’s post is a little different – it’s not being posted on one of my normal days and in the sense that I didn’t actually write this review, my best friend did. So, yay! Guest Post! (Hopefully one day soon I can get her to sit down and write an introductory post about herself.)

I’ve invited her to review and post on here more, so hopefully you’ll see more of her reviews. (Her job is pretty busy at the moment.)

Only A Breath Apart is one of her Most Anticipated Books and Katie McGarry is one of her favorite authors, so when a copy of this landed in my lap, I quickly handed it off to her, because I knew she would read it before I got a chance to.

I fully intend to read it, soon, but I asked her to write up a review on her thoughts, so here it is.

I hope you enjoy!


only a breath apartTitle: Only A Breath Apart

Author: Katie McGarry

Pub. Date: January 22, 2019

Rating: ♥♥♥ – 3.5


They say your destiny is carved in stone. But some destinies are meant to be broken.

The only curse Jesse Lachlin believes in is his grandmother’s will: in order to inherit his family farm he must win the approval of his childhood best friend, the girl he froze out his freshman year.

A fortuneteller tells Scarlett she’s psychic, but what is real is Scarlett’s father’s controlling attitude and the dark secrets at home. She may be able to escape, but only if she can rely on the one boy who broke her heart.

Each midnight meeting pushes Jesse and Scarlett to confront their secrets and their feelings, but as love blooms, the curse rears its ugly head…


Katie McGarry is hands down one of the best contemporary YA authors out there. I get excited every time a new book of hers is released. Katie has a great writing style so much so that when I read her novels I know it is her voice. What is so unique about her novels are that she does a great job of capturing character development. When she writes about these teens in her novels they are not obnoxious teenagers but feel like real teenagers with real life struggles. If you are new to Katie McGarry’s books. I would start off with her first book, Pushing the Limits.

That being said this book is not one of my favorites. This story follows along two teenagers who both were friends and neighbors when they were young children. As normal life happens they fall apart but still know each other from high school.

Scarlett is probably one of my favorite character’s she has ever written. Scarlett is very mature but she is vulnerable to the reader. She is afraid most of the time but it makes sense with how she was raised. She is a follow the rules kind of girl. To the point where she is not allowed to look a certain way or her family would not approve. Both her parents are very controlling. Her father is very manipulative. Katie does a great job with creating her father. Very much hated the character but if an author knows how to create a hateful character you know she is a great writer. Scarlett also has a younger sister that I wish was in the novel more.

Jesse never really had the chance to be a child due to life circumstances. There were times where he felt like a teenager but at times carried the world on his shoulders. The first chapter follows him as a child, and it was by far my favorite part of the book. It was the perfect scene to see multiple peoples point of view even though it was written in first person. At times I felt like he was too perfect even with all the flaws he had gone through.

I like the story overall I just felt like the second part of the novel was really rushed. The story could have either been longer. For me that is probably why this is not one of my favorites. What was also great about this book, was all the side characters. Pastor Hughes, was my favorite character in the novel. Glory was great, she is a physic but also a relative to Jesse. The reason why I think those two character were great was because they actually listened to Scarlett and Jesse without treating them like children, but also knew what was best for them even if it meant that it would upset them.

Overall, I would rate this novel 3.5 stars because even though it was a great novel it lacked the length of time this story really needed to do it justice.


I hope you enjoyed this! I’m excited that my friend finally got to post on here, I’ve been asking her to! And hopefully there will be more from her in the future. Until then, you’ll have to read my words.


Which Katy McGarry book is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

Books/Series I Need to REREAD in 2019 Pt. 1

I thought I’d do this new short run little series on my blog about “Books/Series I Need to ____blank____ in 2019” I.e. reread, finish, DNF, unhaul, buy etc. This one clearly falls into the reread category.

This is definitely more of a wish list rather than a definitive “I need to read these right now” because 9 times out of 10 I make TBR lists, or piles and I never EVER stick to them.

So, this is probably going to be more like a “I should reread these, because it’s been years and I don’t remember them, but I’m also in a reading rut and who knows what books will make me WANT to pick up a book again” list.

There is this fear though, of rereading these books and not liking them as much as I did when I initially read them, and while I might not remember exactly what happened, or who ended up with who, I remember loving and really enjoying them. This is probably the biggest reason as to why I keep putting off the rereads.

Basically, it’s me putting this out there, and maybe you can convince me that I HAVE to pick these books up again, so that they aren’t just a wish list that I’ve posted to this blog.

Some of these series I need to reread as refreshers to newer books that have recently come out.

(These are in no particular order)

Grisha Trilogy – Leigh Bardugo

grisha trilogy

Shatter Me Series – Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me Trilogy.jpg

Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children – Ransom Riggs

miss pere

The Elemental Series – Brigid Kemmerer

Elemental-Website-Banner.jpg

Air Awakens Series:

air awakens series

These are just the ones I could think of off the top of my head while not looking at my shelves. So, more thank likely there will be another post about more books I need to reread, because there are definitely more than aren’t coming to mind right now.

With that being said, I don’t want to keep mumbling about how I’m going to keep this post short – and then it ends up being LONG. So I’m ending it here.


What books on your shelves, or that you’ve read A LONG TIME AGO that you need to reread? Let me know in the comments!

Quarterly Anticipated Releases #1

There are just so many good books coming out in 2019, to put them all on one, the post would just be too long, so here’s the second post!

This way I can be more up to date with releases that I’ve either missed or haven’t been widely announced. 2019 is the year for amazing books and I’m not sure where I’m going to put them all. I might have to start using my Kindle more. 🙈 – there isn’t an issue with space limit on there.


January:

slayerSlayer – Kiersten White

Release Date: January 8, 2019

Into every generation a Slayer is born…

Nina and her twin sister, Artemis, are far from normal. It’s hard to be when you grow up at the Watcher’s Academy, which is a bit different from your average boarding school. Here teens are trained as guides for Slayers—girls gifted with supernatural strength to fight the forces of darkness. But while Nina’s mother is a prominent member of the Watcher’s Council, Nina has never embraced the violent Watcher lifestyle. Instead she follows her instincts to heal, carving out a place for herself as the school medic.

Until the day Nina’s life changes forever.

Thanks to Buffy, the famous (and infamous) Slayer that Nina’s father died protecting, Nina is not only the newest Chosen One—she’s the last Slayer, ever. Period.

As Nina hones her skills with her Watcher-in-training, Leo, there’s plenty to keep her occupied: a monster fighting ring, a demon who eats happiness, a shadowy figure that keeps popping up in Nina’s dreams…

But it’s not until bodies start turning up that Nina’s new powers will truly be tested—because someone she loves might be next.

One thing is clear: Being Chosen is easy. Making choices is hard.

 I really enjoyed the show Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, so I’m definitely interested in reading this, and I also really enjoy Kiersten White as a writer, so hopefully I get to this in 2019!

Links: Goodreads / Amazon


the gilded wolvesThe Gilded Wolves – Roshani Chokshi

Release Date: January 15, 2019

Paris, 1889: The world is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. In this city, no one keeps tabs on secrets better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier, SĂŠverin Montagnet-Alarie. But when the all-powerful society, the Order of Babel, seeks him out for help, SĂŠverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.

To find the ancient artifact the Order seeks, SĂŠverin will need help from a band of experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian who can’t yet go home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in all but blood, who might care too much.

Together, they’ll have to use their wits and knowledge to hunt the artifact through the dark and glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the world, but only if they can stay alive.

 This sounds amazing, and I’ve heard nothing but amazing things, so this is definitely a must buy for me.

Links: Goodreads / Amazon


only a breath apartOnly a Breath Apart – Katie McGarry

Release Date: January 22, 2019

Jesse Lachlin is cursed.

So the town folklore says, but while Jesse’s had his fair share of tragedy, the only curse he believes is in his grandmother’s will: in order to inherit his family farm he must win the approval of his childhood best friend, the girl he froze out his freshman year, Scarlett Copeland.

Scarlett Copeland is psychic.

Glory Gardner tells Scarlett she has hidden psychic abilities, but Scarlett thinks Glory is delusional. What is real is Scarlett’s father’s irrational fears, controlling attitude, and the dark secrets at home. Scarlett may have a way to escape, but there’s a hitch: she’ll have to rely on the one person she used to trust, the same boy who broke her heart, Jesse Lachlin.

Each midnight meeting pushes Jesse and Scarlett to confront their secrets and their feelings for each other. But as love blooms, the curse rears its ugly head…

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book and I seriously need to get to reading it!

Links: Goodreads / Amazon


circle of shadowsCircle of Shadows – Evelyn Skye

Release Date: January 22, 2019

Sora can move as silently as a ghost and hurl throwing stars with lethal accuracy. Her gemina, Daemon, can win any physical fight blindfolded and with an arm tied behind his back. They are apprentice warriors of the Society of Taigas—marked by the gods to be trained in magic and the fighting arts to protect the kingdom of Kichona.

As their graduation approaches, Sora and Daemon look forward to proving themselves worthy of belonging to the elite group—but in a kingdom free of violence since the Blood Rift Rebellion many years ago, it’s been difficult to make their mark. So when Sora and Daemon encounter a strange camp of mysterious soldiers while on a standard scouting mission, they decide the only thing to do to help their kingdom is to infiltrate the group.Taking this risk will change Sora’s life forever—and lead her on a mission of deception that may fool everyone she’s ever loved.

The cover is what initially drew me to this book, and I can’t wait to read it!

Links: Goodreads / Amazon


king of scarsKing of Scars – Leigh Bardugo

January 29, 2019

Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war—and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.

Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha Squaller, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried—and some wounds aren’t meant to heal.

 I really really need to reread the original trilogy before I read this – though I should preorder it, because it’s a goal of this year to reread the books. It’s just been so long since I read the books, that it feels wrong to sit down with KoS without remembering what happened in the other books.

Links: Goodreads / Amazon


February:

creruleanThe Cerulean – Amy Ewing

Release Date: February 5, 2019

Sera has always felt as if she didn’t belong among her people, the Cerulean. She is curious about everything and can’t stop questioning her three mothers, her best friend, Leela, and even the High Priestess. Sera has longed for the day when the tether that connects her City Above the Sky to the earthly world below finally severs and sends the Cerulean to a new planet.

But when Sera is chosen as the sacrifice to break the tether, she doesn’t know what to feel. To save her City, Sera must throw herself from its edge and end her own life. But something goes wrong and she survives the fall, landing in a place called Kaolin. She has heard tales about the humans there, and soon learns that the dangers her mothers warned her of are real. If Sera has any hope to return to her City, she’ll have to find the magic within herself to survive.

The cover is what initially drew me to this book, and even if it ends up sitting on my shelf for ages, I won’t care.

Links: Goodreads / Amazon


enchanteeEnchantee – Gita Trelease

Release Date: February 5, 2019

 Paris in 1789 is a labyrinth of twisted streets, filled with beggars, thieves, revolutionaries—and magicians…

When smallpox kills her parents, Camille Durbonne must find a way to provide for her frail, naive sister while managing her volatile brother. Relying on petty magic—la magie ordinaire—Camille painstakingly transforms scraps of metal into money to buy the food and medicine they need. But when the coins won’t hold their shape and her brother disappears with the family’s savings, Camille must pursue a richer, more dangerous mark: the glittering court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

With dark magic forbidden by her mother, Camille transforms herself into the ‘Baroness de la Fontaine’ and is swept up into life at the Palace of Versailles, where aristocrats both fear and hunger for la magie. There, she gambles at cards, desperate to have enough to keep herself and her sister safe. Yet the longer she stays at court, the more difficult it becomes to reconcile her resentment of the nobles with the enchantments of Versailles. And when she returns to Paris, Camille meets a handsome young balloonist—who dares her to hope that love and liberty may both be possible.

But la magie has its costs. And when Camille loses control of her secrets, the game she’s playing turns deadly. Then revolution erupts, and she must choose—love or loyalty, democracy or aristocracy, freedom or magic—before Paris burns…

YES PLEASE!

Links: Goodreads / Amazon


dark of the westDark of the West – Joanna Hathaway

Release Date: February 5, 2019

He was raised in revolution. She was raised in a palace. Can their love stop a war? Code Name Verity meets The Winner’s Cursein Joanna Hathaway’s Dark of the West, a breathtaking YA fantasy debut.

Aurelia Isendare is a princess of a small kingdom in the North, raised in privilege but shielded from politics as her brother prepares to step up to the throne. Halfway around the world, Athan Dakar, the youngest son of a ruthless general, is a fighter pilot longing for a life away from the front lines. When Athan’s mother is shot and killed, his father is convinced it’s the work of his old rival, the Queen of Etania—Aurelia’s mother. Determined to avenge his wife’s murder, he devises a plot to overthrow the Queen, a plot which sends Athan undercover to Etania to gain intel from her children.

Athan’s mission becomes complicated when he finds himself falling for the girl he’s been tasked with spying upon. Aurelia feels the same attraction, all the while desperately seeking to stop the war threatening to break between the Southern territory and the old Northern kingdoms that control it—a war in which Athan’s father is determined to play a role. As diplomatic ties manage to just barely hold, the two teens struggle to remain loyal to their families and each other as they learn that war is not as black and white as they’ve been raised to believe.

This sounds amazing, and it’s definitely high on my TBR.

Links: Goodreads / Amazon


fame fate first kissFame, Fate, and the First Kiss – Kasie West

February 5, 2019

Lacey Barnes has dreamt of being in a movie for as long as she can remember. However, while her dream did include working alongside the hottest actor in Hollywood, it didn’t involve having to finish up her senior year of high school at the same time she was getting her big break. Although that is nothing compared to Donavan, the straight-laced student her father hires to tutor her, who is a full-on nightmare.

As Lacey struggles to juggle her burgeoning career, some on-set sabotage, and an off-screen romance with the unlikeliest of leading men, she quickly learns that sometimes the best stories happen when you go off script.

A new Kasie West book? Hell yes. I’m not a huge Contemporary reader, but I will always read her books.

Links: Goodreads / Amazon


crown of feathersCrown of Feathers – Nicki Pau Preto

Release Date: February 12, 2019

I had a sister, once…

In a world ruled by fierce warrior queens, a grand empire was built upon the backs of Phoenix Riders—legendary heroes who soared through the sky on wings of fire—until a war between two sisters ripped it all apart.

I promised her the throne would not come between us.

Sixteen years later, Veronyka is a war orphan who dreams of becoming a Phoenix Rider from the stories of old. After a shocking betrayal from her controlling sister, Veronyka strikes out alone to find the Riders—even if that means disguising herself as a boy to join their ranks.

But it is a fact of life that one must kill or be killed. Rule or be ruled.

Just as Veronyka finally feels like she belongs, her sister turns up and reveals a tangled web of lies between them that will change everything. And meanwhile, the new empire has learned of the Riders’ return and intends to destroy them once and for all.

Sometimes the title of queen is given. Sometimes it must be taken.

 I’m always for a new fantasy read, and this sounds amazing.

Links: Goodreads / Amazon


Last of her nameLast of Her Name – Jessica Khoury

Release Date: February 26, 2019

Sixteen years ago, rebellion swept the galaxy known as the Belt of Jewels. Every member of the royal family was murdered–down to their youngest child, Princess Anya–and the Union government rose in its place. But Stacia doesn’t think much about politics. She spends her days half-wild, rambling her father’s vineyard with her closest friends, Clio and Pol.

That all changes the day a Union ship appears in town, carrying the leader of the Belt himself, the Direktor Eminent. The Direktor claims that Princess Anya is alive, and that Stacia’s sleepy village is a den of empire loyalists, intent on hiding her. When Stacia is identified as the lost princess, her provincial home explodes into a nightmare.

Pol smuggles her away to a hidden escape ship in the chaos, leaving Clio in the hands of the Union. With everything she knows threading away into stars, Stacia sets her heart on a single mission. She will find and rescue Clio, even with the whole galaxy on her trail.

I’ve already read this, and it’s amazing. I’m all for Anastasia retellings. Give me more!

Links: Goodreads / Amazon


prioryThe Priory of the Orange Tree – Samantha Shannon

Release Date: February 26, 2019

Lacey Barnes has dreamt of being in a movie for as long as she can remember. However, while her dream did include working alongside the hottest actor in Hollywood, it didn’t involve having to finish up her senior year of high school at the same time she was getting her big break. Although that is nothing compared to Donavan, the straight-laced student her father hires to tutor her, who is a full-on nightmare.

As Lacey struggles to juggle her burgeoning career, some on-set sabotage, and an off-screen romance with the unlikeliest of leading men, she quickly learns that sometimes the best stories happen when you go off script.

The only reason this isn’t on my main list is its sheer size. I’ve heard nothing but good things, but I highly doubt that I’ll be getting to it any time soon.

Links: Goodreads / Amazon


four dead queensFour Dead Queens – Astrid Scholte

Release Date: February 26, 2019

A divided nation. Four Queens. A ruthless pickpocket. A noble messenger. And the murders that unite them.

Get in quick, get out quicker.

These are the words Keralie Corrington lives by as the preeminent dipper in the Concord, the central area uniting the four quadrants of Quadara. She steals under the guidance of her mentor Mackiel, who runs a black market selling their bounty to buyers desperate for what they can’t get in their own quarter. For in the nation of Quadara, each quarter is strictly divided from the other. Four queens rule together, one from each region:

Toria: the intellectual quarter that values education and ambition
Ludia: the pleasure quarter that values celebration, passion, and entertainment
Archia: the agricultural quarter that values simplicity and nature
Eonia: the futurist quarter that values technology, stoicism and harmonious community

When Keralie intercepts a comm disk coming from the House of Concord, what seems like a standard job goes horribly wrong. Upon watching the comm disks, Keralie sees all four queens murdered in four brutal ways. Hoping that discovering the intended recipient will reveal the culprit – information that is bound to be valuable bartering material with the palace – Keralie teams up with Varin Bollt, the Eonist messenger she stole from, to complete Varin’s original job and see where it takes them.

This is another book that I’ve heard nothing but good things about, and hopefully I can get to it soon!

Links: Goodreads / Amazon


March:

once & futureOnce & Future – Amy Rose Capetta & Cori McCarthy

March 5, 2019

 

I’ve been chased my whole life. As an illegal immigrant in the territory controlled by the tyrannical Mercer corporation, I’ve always had to hide who I am. Until I found Excalibur.

Now I’m done hiding.

My name is Ari Helix. I have a magic sword, a cranky wizard, and a revolution to start.

When Ari crash-lands on Old Earth and pulls a magic sword from its ancient resting place, she is revealed to be the newest reincarnation of King Arthur. Then she meets Merlin, who has aged backward over the centuries into a teenager, and together they must break the curse that keeps Arthur coming back. Their quest? Defeat the cruel, oppressive government and bring peace and equality to all humankind.

No pressure.

I can’t wait to read this.

Links: Goodreads / Amazon


bloodleafBloodleaf – Crystal Smith

Release Date: March 5, 2019

Princess Aurelia is a prisoner to her crown and the heir that nobody wants. Surrounded by spirits and banned from using her blood-magic, Aurelia flees her country after a devastating assassination attempt. To escape her fate, Aurelia disguises herself as a commoner in a new land and discovers a happiness her crown has never allowed. As she forges new bonds and perfects her magic, she begins to fall for a man who is forbidden to rule beside her.

But the ghosts that haunt Aurelia refuse to abandon her, and she finds herself succumbing to their call as they expose a nefarious plot that only she can defeat. Will she be forced to choose between the weight of the crown and the freedom of her new life?

So many amazing fantasy books this year! I cannot wait!

Links: Goodreads / Amazon


never contented thingsNever Contented Things – Sarah Porter

Release Date: March 19, 2019

Seductive. Cruel. Bored
Be wary of… 

Prince and his fairy courtiers are staggeringly beautiful, unrelentingly cruel, and exhausted by the tedium of the centuries―until they meet foster-siblings Josh and Ksenia. Drawn in by their vivid emotions, undying love for each other, and passion for life, Prince will stop at nothing to possess them.

First seduced and then entrapped by the fairies, Josh and Ksenia learn that the fairies’ otherworldly gifts come at a terrible price―and they must risk everything in order to reclaim their freedom.

Omfg.

Links: Goodreads / Amazon


April:

sky without starsSky Without Stars – Jessica Brody & Joanne Rendell

Release Date: April 2, 2019

A thief. An officer. A guardian.

Three strangers, one shared destiny . . .

When the Last Days came, the planet of Laterre promised hope. A new life for a wealthy French family and their descendants. But five hundred years later, it’s now a place where an extravagant elite class reigns supreme; where the clouds hide the stars and the poor starve in the streets; where a rebel group, long thought dead, is resurfacing.

Whispers of revolution have begun—a revolution that hinges on three unlikely heroes…

Chatine is a street-savvy thief who will do anything to escape the brutal Regime, including spy on Marcellus, the grandson of the most powerful man on the planet.

Marcellus is an officer—and the son of a renowned traitor. In training to take command of the military, Marcellus begins to doubt the government he’s vowed to serve when his father dies and leaves behind a cryptic message that only one person can read: a girl named Alouette.

Alouette is living in an underground refuge, where she guards and protects the last surviving library on the planet. But a shocking murder will bring Alouette to the surface for the first time in twelve years…and plunge Laterre into chaos.

All three have a role to play in a dangerous game of revolution—and together they will shape the future of a planet.

Les Mis in space? Sign me up.

Links: Goodreads / Amazon


defy meDefy Me – Tahereh Mafi

Release Date: April 2, 2019

 The gripping fifth installment in the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling Shatter Me series. Will Juliette’s broken heart make her vulnerable to the strengthening darkness within her?

Juliette’s short tenure as the supreme commander of North America has been an utter disaster. When the children of the other world leaders show up on her doorstep, she wants nothing more than to turn to Warner for support and guidance. But he shatters her heart when he reveals that he’s been keeping secrets about her family and her identity from her—secrets that change everything.

Juliette is devastated, and the darkness that’s always dwelled within her threatens to consume her. An explosive encounter with unexpected visitors might be enough to push her over the edge.

I really need to reread the original trilogy, so I can finally catch up.

Links: Goodreads / Amazon


through the white woodThrough the White Wood – Jessica Leake

Release Date: April 9, 2019

Katya’s power to freeze anything she touches has made her an outcast in her isolated village. And when she loses control of her ability, accidentally killing several villagers, she is banished to the palace of the terrifying Prince Sasha in Kiev.

At the castle, though, she is surprised to find that Sasha is just like her—with his own strange talent, the ability to summon fire. Instead of punishment, Sasha offers Katya friendship, and the chance to embrace her power rather than fear it.

But outside the walls of Kiev, Sasha’s enemies have organized their own army of people who can control the very earth. Bent on taking over the entire world, they won’t stop until they’ve destroyed everything.

Katya and Sasha are desperate to stop the encroaching army, and together their powers are a fearsome weapon. But as their enemies draw nearer, leaving destruction in their wake, will fire and frost be enough to save the world? Or will they lose everything they hold dear?

I have an ARC of this, and I cannot wait to read it!

Links: Goodreads / Amazon


WELL this post ended up being way longer than I anticipated. But again, 2019 is the year for books apparently. I’m sure more than half of these will sit on my TBR list for ages before I get to them.


What’s a book that’s been sitting on your TBR list/shelf/stack that you still haven’t touched? One of mine is The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi.

2019 Most Anticipated Books

I can’t believe that it’s already 2018 2019 – I keep doing that, writing the wrong year. It’s getting a little ridiculous. I feel like I’m back in school, writing the wrong dates on all my assignments. I also feel like I just wrote my 2018 Most Anticipated list. 2018 passed by in such a blur.

My 2019 list is pretty long – there are so many amazing books on my radar, and I’m still behind on 2017-2018 books.

I’m fine.

This is fine.

*hyperventilates into a bag*

Last year I had so many great books on my list, but as the year progressed, I realized that I missed a bunch in my initial post. So, for 2019 I’m going to do things a little differently. I’ve scoured the internet (i.e. Goodreads, Amazon, Twitter) for books and their releases, and I think I’ve managed to get them all – though let’s be real, I still missed some. In companion to this list I’m also going to do Quarterly Lists that include books I’m excited for. Though the majority of these lists will be books I’m anticipating but haven’t read the previous book for – again, I’m behind on all my reading.

I really need to stop buying more books and just read the ones I already own…lol, who am I kidding?

Pretty much every book on this list is an auto-buy for me. Pray for my bank account, because it might not survive 2019.

So, if you don’t see a certain book on this list, just know that it doesn’t mean I’m not looking forward to it. I felt bad for including certain books on this list, when I haven’t even read the first/previous book. It could also mean that I need to reread the previous books before jumping into the new one. Don’t be alarmed!

Some of these books – very few of them – I’ve been lucky enough to already read, and They. Are. So. Good.

Keep them on your radar.


Without further ado, let’s jump into this behemoth of a list.

Going in order of Month & Release Date:

DECEMBER 2018:

(I’m including this book in this list because of its release date)

evermoreEvermore (Everless) – Sara Holland

Release Date: December 31, 2018

Jules Ember was raised hearing legends of the ancient magic of the wicked Alchemist and the good Sorceress. But she has just learned the truth: not only are the stories true, but she herself is the Alchemist, and Caro—a woman who single-handedly murdered the Queen and Jules’s first love, Roan, in cold blood—is the Sorceress.
The whole kingdom believes that Jules is responsible for the murders, and a hefty bounty has been placed on her head. And Caro is intent on destroying Jules, who stole her heart twelve lifetimes ago. Jules must delve into the stories that she now recognizes are accounts of her own past. For it is only by piecing together the mysteries of her lives that Jules will be able to save the person who has captured her own heart in this one.

Everless was one of my favorite 2018 reads and now that the second book is out, I cannot wait to dive into it! Now if only this reading slump would disappear…

Here’s my review for Everless!

Links: Goodreads  / Amazon 


JANUARY:

the wicked kingThe Wicked King ­(The Folk of the Air #2) – Holly Black

Release Date: January 8, 2019

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.
The first lesson is to make yourself strong.
After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.
When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

The Cruel Prince wasn’t my favorite read, but I did really enjoy it and joyed it enough to need to know what happens next! Also I’m more of a Cardan fan over Jude.

Here’s my review of TCP!

Links: Goodreads  / Amazon 


echo northEcho North – Joanna Ruth Meyer

Release Date: January 15, 2018

Echo Alkaev’s safe and carefully structured world falls apart after her father leaves for the city and mysteriously disappears. Believing he is lost forever, Echo is shocked to find him half-frozen in the winter forest six months later, guarded by a strange talking wolf—the same creature who attacked her as a child. The wolf presents Echo with an offer: for her to come and live with him for a year. But there is more to the wolf than Echo realizes.

In his enchanted house beneath a mountain, Echo discovers centuries-old secrets, a magical library full of books-turned-mirrors, and a young man named Hal who is trapped inside of them. As the year ticks by, Echo must solve the mystery of the wolf’s enchantment before her time is up—otherwise Echo, the wolf, and Hal will be lost forever.

I’m just squealing at the synopsis, don’t mind me. *goes and buys book*

Links: Goodreads  / Amazon


stainStain – A.G. Howard

Release Date: January 15, 2019

Once upon a nightmare, her fairy tale begins…

After Lyra—a princess incapable of speech or sound—is cast out of her kingdom of daylight by her wicked aunt, a witch saves her life, steals her memories, and raises her in an enchanted forest … disguised as a boy known only as Stain. Meanwhile, in Lyra’s rival kingdom, the prince of thorns and night is dying, and the only way for him to break his curse is to wed the princess of daylight, for she is his true equal. As Lyra rediscovers her identity, an impostor princess prepares to steal her betrothed prince and her crown. To win back her kingdom, save the prince, and make peace with the land of the night, Lyra must be loud enough to be heard without a voice, and strong enough to pass a series of tests—ultimately proving she’s everything a traditional princess is not. 

Ummm, yes please. I’ve been a fan of all of AG Howards work, and I’ve already pre-ordered this one.

Here’s my review of Roseblood!

Links: Goodreads  / Amazon 


undyingUndying (Unearthed #2) – Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Release Date: January 22, 2019

Trapped aboard the Undying’s ancient spaceship and reeling from what they’ve learned there, scavenger Mia and academic Jules are plunged into a desperate race to warn their home planet of the danger humanity’s greed has unleashed. From the mountains of Spain to the streets of Prague, the sequel to Unearthed is a white-knuckle ride that will send readers hurtling back to earth, and leave them breathless until the last page.

I’ve been waiting for this book for a year…so of course when I found out that it came out earlier in Australia, I went and bought that version. Now I just need to read it.

Here’s my review for Unearthed!

Links: Goodreads Amazon


A curse so dark and lonelyA Curse So Dark and Lonely – Brigid Kemmerer

Release Date: January 29, 2019

Fall in love, break the curse. 

It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper Lacy. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s instead somehow sucked into Rhen’s cursed world.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have had the chance to already read this book, and it’s a favorite already.

Here’s my review for ACSDAL!

Links: Goodreads  / Amazon 


FEBRUARY:

V. VisionsVortex Visions (Air Awakens: Vortex Chronicles #1)– Elise Kova

Release Date: February 4, 2019

A desperate princess, a magical traveler, and a watch that binds them together with the fate of a dying world.
Vi Solaris is the heir to an Empire she’s barely seen. Her parents sacrificed a life with her to quell a rebellion and secure peace with a political alliance. Now, three years past when her wardship should’ve ended, Vi will do anything to be reunited with her family.
The Empire is faltering beneath the burden of political infighting and a deadly plague. Yet, Vi can’t help but wonder if her inability to control her magic is the true reason her parents haven’t brought her home. Suspicion becomes reality when she unleashes powers she’s not supposed to have. 
Powers that might well cost her the throne.
As Vi fights to get her magic under control, a mysterious stranger appears from across the world. He holds the keys to unlocking her full potential, but the knowledge has an unspeakable price — some truths, once seen, cannot be ignored.
All eyes are on her and Vi must make the hardest choice of her life: Play by the rules and claim her throne. Or, break them and save the world. 

I cannot contain my excitement for this book. The Air Awakens Series is one of my favorites, and I just CANNOT WAIT.

Links: Goodreads / Amazon


lady smokeLady Smoke (Ash Princess Trilogy #2)– Laura Sebastian

Release Date: February 5, 2019

The Kaiser murdered Theodosia’s mother, the Fire Queen, when Theo was only six. He took Theo’s country and kept her prisoner, crowning her Ash Princess–a pet to toy with and humiliate for ten long years. That era has ended. The Kaiser thought his prisoner weak and defenseless. He didn’t realize that a sharp mind is the deadliest weapon.
Theo no longer wears a crown of ashes. She has taken back her rightful title, and a hostage–Prinz Soren. But her people remain enslaved under the Kaiser’s rule, and now she is thousands of miles away from them and her throne.
To get them back, she will need an army. Only, securing an army means she must trust her aunt, the dreaded pirate Dragonsbane. And according to Dragonsbane, an army can only be produced if Theo takes a husband. Something an Astrean Queen has never done.
Theo knows that freedom comes at a price, but she is determined to find a way to save her country without losing herself.

Ash Princess was another favorite 2018 read and I’ve been dying inside to know hat happens next!

Here’s my review for Ash Princess!

Links: Goodreads / Amazon 


bloodwitchBloodwitch (The Witchlands #3)– Susan Dennard

Release Date: February 12, 2019

High in a snowy mountain range, a monastery that holds more than just faith clings to the side of a cliff. Below, thwarted by a lake, a bloodthirsty horde of raiders await the coming of winter and the frozen path to destroy the sanctuary and its secrets.
The Bloodwitch Aeduan has teamed up with the Threadwitch Iseult and the magical girl Owl to stop the destruction. But to do so, he must confront his own father, and his past.

I guess I need to put Sightwitch on the list of books I need to read. I’m sooooo behind.

Here’s my review for Windwitch! 

Links: Goodreads / Amazon 


the blood spellThe Blood Spell (Ravenspire #4)– C.J. Redwine

Release Date: February 12, 2019

Blue de la Cour has her life planned: hide the magic in her blood and continue trying to turn metal into gold so she can help her city’s homeless. But when her father is murdered and a cruel but powerful woman claims custody of Blue and her property, one wrong move could expose her—and doom her once and for all. The only one who can help? The boy she’s loathed since childhood: Prince Kellan.

Kellan Renard, crown prince of Balavata, is walking a thin line between political success and devastating violence. Newly returned from boarding school, he must find a bride among the kingdom’s head families and announce his betrothal—but escalating tension among the families makes the search nearly impossible. He’s surprised to discover that the one person who makes him feel like he can breathe is Blue, the girl who once ruined all his best adventures.

When mysterious forces lead to disappearances throughout Balavata, Blue and Kellan must work together to find the truth. What they discover will lead them to the darkest reaches of the kingdom, and to the most painful moments of their pasts. When romance is forbidden and evil is rising, can Blue save those she loves, even if it costs her everything?

Again, squealing. I can’t wait for this – though I guess I need to finally read The Traitor Prince.

Here’s my review for The Wish Granter!

Links: Goodreads / Amazon

Warrior of the Wild – Tricia Levensellerwarrior of the wild

Release Date: February 26, 2019

How do you kill a god?

As her father’s chosen heir, eighteen-year-old Rasmira has trained her whole life to become a warrior and lead her village. But when her coming-of-age trial is sabotaged and she fails the test, her father banishes her to the monster-filled wilderness with an impossible quest: to win back her honour, she must kill the oppressive god who claims tribute from the villages each year or die trying.

I LOVED her other books, so I’m really looking forward to diving into this!

Here are my reviews for DOTPK and DOTSQ!

Links: Goodreads  / Amazon


MARCH:

sherwoodSherwood – Meagan Spooner

Release Date: March 19, 2019

Robin of Locksley is dead. 
When news comes that he’s fallen in battle at the King’s side in the Holy Land, Maid Marian doesn’t know how she’ll go on. Betrothed to Robin, she was free to be herself, to flout the stifling rules of traditional society and share an equal voice with her beloved when it came to caring for the people of her land.
Now Marian is alone, with no voice of her own. The people of Locksley, persecuted by the Sheriff of Nottingham, are doomed to live in poverty or else face death by hanging. The dreadful Guy of Gisborne, the Sherriff’s right hand, wishes to step into Robin’s shoes as Lord of Locksley, and Marian’s fiancé. Society demands that she accept her fate, and watch helplessly as her people starve.
When Marian dons Robin’s green cloak, and takes up his sword and bow, she never intended that anyone should mistake her for Robin, returned from the Holy Land as a vigilante. She never intended that the masked, cloaked figure she created should stand as a beacon of hope and justice to peasant and noble alike. She never intended to become a legend.
But all of Nottingham is crying out for a savior. So Marian must choose to make her own fate and become her own hero…
Robin Hood.

Yes, Please. Luckily I have an ARC of this book – thought due to this stupid reading slump it’s been sitting untouched. *sobs*

Links: Goodreads  / Amazon 


APRIL:

the devouring greyThe Devouring Gray – Christine Lynn Herman

Release Date: April 2, 2019

On the edge of town a beast haunts the woods, trapped in the Gray, its bonds loosening…
Uprooted from the city, Violet Saunders doesn’t have much hope of fitting in at her new school in Four Paths, a town almost buried in the woodlands of rural New York. The fact that she’s descended from one of the town’s founders doesn’t help much, either—her new neighbours treat her with distant respect, and something very like fear. When she meets Justin, May, Isaac, and Harper, all children of founder families, and sees the otherworldly destruction they can wreak, she starts to wonder if the townsfolk are right to be afraid.
When bodies start to appear in the woods, the locals become downright hostile. Can the teenagers solve the mystery of Four Paths, and their own part in it, before another calamity strikes?

I’ve made new writing friends due to this book and Wicked Saints, and it sounds amazing?? Yes Please.

Links: Goodreads  / Amazon 


Wicked SaintsWicked Saints (Something Dark and Holy #1)– Emily A. Duncan

Release Date: April 2, 2019

A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself.
A prince in danger must decide who to trust.
A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings. 
Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.
In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light. 

This book is so freaking amazing. The ending still kills me when I think about it. You definitely want to read it when it comes out. And if you don’t believe me, just check out Twitter – everyone is screaming about it.

Here’s my review for WS!

Links: Goodreads  / Amazon


MAY:

aurora risingAurora Rising (The Aurora Cycle) – Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Release Date: May 7, 2019

The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the Academy would touch…
A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasm
A sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmates
A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder
An alien warrior with anger management issues
A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering
And Ty’s squad isn’t even his biggest problem—that’d be Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space. Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline-cases and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.
They’re not the heroes we deserve. They’re just the ones we could find. Nobody panic.

I wish I had this in my hands yesterday.

Links: Goodreads / Amazon 


Kingsbane.jpgKingsbane (Empirium #2)– Claire Legrand

Release Date: May 21, 2019

Rielle Dardenne has been anointed Sun Queen, but her trials are far from over. The Gate keeping the angels at bay is falling. To repair it, Rielle must collect the seven hidden castings of the saints. Meanwhile, to help her prince and love Audric protect Celdaria, Rielle must spy on the angel Corien — but his promises of freedom and power may prove too tempting to resist. Centuries later, Eliana Ferracora grapples with her new reality: She is the Sun Queen, humanity’s long-awaited savior. But fear of corruption — fear of becoming another Rielle — keeps Eliana’s power dangerous and unpredictable. Hunted by all, racing against time to save her dying friend Navi, Eliana must decide how to wear a crown she never wanted — by embracing her mother’s power, or rejecting it forever. 

I read Furyborn so long ago, but remember loving it so much – I’m excited!

Here’s my review for Furyborn!

Links: GoodreadsAmazon 


JUNE:

the beholderThe Beholder – Anna Bright

Release Date: June 4, 2019

Selah has waited her whole life for a happily ever after. As the only daughter of the leader of Potomac, she knows her duty is to find the perfect match, a partner who will help secure the future of her people. Now that day has finally come.
But after an excruciatingly public rejection from her closest childhood friend,

Selah’s stepmother suggests an unthinkable solution: Selah must set sail across the Atlantic, where a series of potential suitors awaits—and if she doesn’t come home engaged, she shouldn’t come home at all.
From English castle gardens to the fjords of Norge, and under the eye of the dreaded Imperiya Yotne, Selah’s quest will be the journey of a lifetime. But her stepmother’s schemes aren’t the only secrets hiding belowdecks…and the stakes of her voyage may be higher than any happy ending.

This sounds so amazing, and I wish I had it in my hands right now.

Links: Goodreads / Amazon 


sorcery of thornsSorcery of Thorns – Margaret Rogerson

Release Date: June 4, 2019

All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.
Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.
As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined. 

I really enjoyed An Enchantment of Ravens – so I can’t wait to read this, and I’ve heard nothing but good things!

Here’s my review for AEOR!

Links: GoodreadsAmazon 


storm and furyStorm and Fury (The Dark Elements #4) – Jennifer L. Armentrout

Release Date: June 11, 2019

Eighteen-year-old Trinity Marrow may be going blind, but she can see and communicate with ghosts and spirits. Her unique gift is part of a secret so dangerous that she’s been in hiding for years in an isolated compound fiercely guarded by Wardens—gargoyle shape-shifters who protect humankind from demons. If the demons discover the truth about Trinity, they’ll devour her, flesh and bone, to enhance their own powers.
When Wardens from another clan arrive with disturbing reports that something out there is killing both demons and Wardens, Trinity’s safe world implodes. Not the least because one of the outsiders is the most annoying and fascinating person she’s ever met. Zayne has secrets of his own that will upend her world yet again—but working together becomes imperative once demons breach the compound and Trinity’s secret comes to light. To save her family and maybe the world, she’ll have to put her trust in Zayne. But all bets are off as a supernatural war is unleashed…

think I should add the first three books onto my list of books I need to (re)read.

Links: Goodreads / Amazon 


call it what you wantCall It What You Want – Brigid Kemmerer

Release Date: June 25, 2019

When his dad is caught embezzling funds from half the town, Rob goes from popular lacrosse player to social pariah. Even worse, his father’s failed suicide attempt leaves Rob and his mother responsible for his care.
Everyone thinks of Maegan as a typical overachiever, but she has a secret of her own after the pressure got to her last year. And when her sister comes home from college pregnant, keeping it from her parents might be more than she can handle.
When Rob and Maegan are paired together for a calculus project, they’re both reluctant to let anyone through the walls they’ve built. But when Maegan learns of Rob’s plan to fix the damage caused by his father, it could ruin more than their fragile new friendship…
This captivating, heartfelt novel asks the question: Is it okay to do something wrong for the right reasons.

I will forever read anything Brigid writes.

Here are reviews for LTTL / MTWCT!

Links: GoodreadsAmazon 


JULY:

TBD?


AUGUST:

these divided shoresThese Divided Shores (Stream Raiders #2) – Sara Raasch

Release Date: August 27, 2019

As a child, she committed unforgivable acts to free Grace Loray from King Elazar of Argrid. Now Elazar’s plan to retake the island has surpassed Lu’s darkest fears: he’s holding her and his son, Ben, captive in an endlessly shifting prison, forcing them to make a weapon that will guarantee Elazar’s success. Escape is impossible—unless Lu becomes the ruthless soldier she hoped never to be again.
Vex failed to save Lu and Ben—and that torments him as much as his Shaking Sickness. With the disease worsening, Vex throws himself into the rebellion against Argrid. The remaining free armies are allied with the stream raider syndicates—and getting them to cooperate will take a strength Vex thought burned on a pyre six years ago.
Imprisoned, betrayed, and heartbroken, Ben is determined to end his father’s rampage. Watching Elazar sway the minds of Grace Loray as he did those of Argrid, Ben knows he has to play his father’s game of devotion to win this war. But how can a heretic prince defeat the Pious God?
As armies clash and magic rises, Lu, Vex, and Ben will confront their pasts . . . or lose their futures forever.

Now, I haven’t actually finished These Rebel Waves, but I have started listening to the audiobook – which is the only reason it’s on this list. But Sara Raasch is an auto-buy for me.

Links: GoodreadsAmazon 


SEPTEMBER:

img_2577There Will Come A Darkness – Katy Rose Pool

Release Date: September 3, 2019

For over two thousand years, the Seven Prophets guided humanity. Using their visions of the future, they ended wars, united nations, and brought powerful despots to heel — until the day, 100 years ago, when the Prophets disappeared. Before they vanished, they left behind one final, secret prophecy: the promise of a looming Age of Darkness and the birth of a Prophet who could be the world’s salvation — or the cause of its destruction. As chaos begins to reign, five characters, each hiding a deadly secret, are set on a collision course that will determine the fate of their world: a prince exiled from his kingdom; a ruthless killer known as “the Pale Hand”; a once-faithful leader doubtful of his duty; a reckless gambler with the power to find anything or anyone; and a dying girl on the verge of giving up.

This is newly on my radar, and it sounds so freaking amazing. So amazing. It was an instant add on Goodreads.

Links: GoodreadsAmazon 


capturing the devilCapturing the Devil (Stalking Jack the Ripper #4) – Kerri Maniscalco

Release Date: September 10, 2018

In the shocking finale to the bestselling series that began with Stalking Jack the Ripper, Audrey Rose and Thomas are on the hunt for the depraved, elusive killer known as the White City Devil. A deadly game of cat-and-mouse has them fighting to stay one step ahead of the brilliant serial killer—or see their fateful romance cut short by unspeakable tragedy.

Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell have landed in America, a bold, brash land unlike the genteel streets of London they knew. But like London, the city of Chicago hides its dark secrets well. When the two attend the spectacular World’s Fair, they find the once-in-a-lifetime event tainted with reports of missing people and unsolved murders.
Determined to help, Audrey Rose and Thomas begin their investigations, only to find themselves facing a serial killer unlike any they’ve heard of before. Identifying him is one thing, but capturing him—and getting dangerously lost in the infamous Murder Hotel he constructed as a terrifying torture device—is another.
Will Audrey Rose and Thomas see their last mystery to the end—together and in love—or will their fortunes finally run out when their most depraved adversary makes one final, devastating kill.

I’M NOT READY! I screamed when I found out that this book would be dealing with The Devil in the White City – I’d hoped it would based on the timeline, and it’s the perfect thing for Audrey Rose and Thomas solve! I’m so excited!

Here’s my review for HPD – I still need to read EFH.

Links: GoodreadsAmazon 


OCTOBER:

TBD?


NOVEMBER:

TBD?


DECEMBER:

TBD?


Phew, so many, and the fact that I’ll have four more of these posts…where am I going to put all of these books?

Please comment if I’ve forgotten a book, or if I’ve missed something that absolutely needs to be on my list! I’ll be posting my Quarterly List for (Jan/Feb/Mar/Apr) soon. It will include some amazing Fantasy Releases, some are debuts/firsts and others are new books set in familiar worlds.

I hope to have it up next week! So, keep an eye out for that!


I want to know about it! I want to know about the books that you’ve read and are dying to talk about! Let me know in the comments, which of these books (one or more) are on YOUR Most Anticipated 2019 Lists!

First Post of 2019

It’s January 7th and I’ve procrastinated long enough.

I mean, I’d totally procrastinate some more, but that does nobody any good.

I created a new “Books Read in 2019” shelf instead of writing blog posts. (and writing)img_2555

(Also I wish my shelves looked this organized in real life.)

So here I am, writing another brief update for this blog. But I have news! I swear it, that on Thursday, I will be uploading my MOST ANTICIPATED 2019 BOOKS. I’m saying that now, and posting it now, so that I have to be held accountable!

I’ve been thinking about how to actually do this post because it’s LONG. So, what I think I’m going to do is split it up a little bit. The second half will go up the following Tuesday.

I’m going to do one massive list, and then some quarterly ones. The massive one will cover the whole year – and if it’s missing books because (maybe) I don’t know about them, or missed them, then the quarterly ones should catch them. The quarterly ones will also contain books that I’m excited for but might not have read the previous book to. (I felt bad putting them on my Most Anticipated when I hadn’t read the first/previous book).

That’s the other thing. I’m switching to posting 2x a week – Tuesday’s and Thursday’s.

I’m still in a semi-reading slump, which means I’m not reading and have nothing to review. Yay me. *sobbing quietly in the background*

I’ve been working on revising my SF manuscript – actually just finished another chapter, and I’ve started my annual “New Year’s Resolutions: Get Exercising” so right now, I’ve got a planner (that I’m actively using to hold me accountable) and I’ve made myself daily to-do lists.

I’m going to end this post here, and since I’ve done my revisions, I’m going to go watch Netflix or something.

See you Thursday!


📚 Currently Reading: Pure – Jennifer L. Armentrout (reread)

📺 Currently Watching: Grey’s Anatomy (rewatch)