Month: September 2021

Currently Reading & Watching #28

I’ve pretty much been listening/reading the same series for half of the month, so this update is going to be pretty short. I haven’t really been watching anything either – at least nothing currently.

Idk. For the last few months work has overtaken my life, and the energy, drive or desire to do anything hasn’t existed. Only recently has the desire to write come back. I’m just kind of moving on autopilot right now. Very few things are holding my interest. I get about 3 episodes into a new show and grow bored. I started a TOG series reread because nothing new held my attention.

I’m hoping I’m crawling out of the stress hole work has put me in – wanting to write is a good sign. I’m also thinking of cutting way back on the blogging. Idk, I’m just not feeling it right now. It’s just an idea I’m toying with. But, let’s jump into the actual point of this post. Continue reading “Currently Reading & Watching #28” →

Book Review: Enchanting the Elven Mage (Kingdoms of Lore #1)

Title: Enchanting the Elven Mage

Author: Alisha Klapheke

Pub. Date: January 15, 2021

Pages: 367

Pub: Not Listed

Genre: YA Fantasy Romance Retellings

Rating: ⭐️⭐️

Goodreads

A human princess. An elven warrior. A marriage that might kill them both.

Today, Aury learned three things: One, she is the princess. Two, she might be a powerful mage. And three, a brutal mountain elf is on his way to the kingdom for their marriage.

Aury can’t escape her newly revealed royal parents quickly enough. If they think she is going to marry some vicious elven warrior mage, they have another thing coming. They claim she’s a mage too, but she has yet to prove it. She heads to the magic military order to get her rune-marked staff and learn everything she can. If she becomes the weapon they need instead of her not-if-she-can-help-it husband, they’ll send the mountain elf packing, right?

If they don’t, she will.

Filip is certain of three truths: One, he is bound to wed a stubborn mule of a princess. Two, the union will give his people the farmland they desperately need. Three, his nightmare of a bride has wild magic that will probably kill him before their wedding day.

But he will die before he gives up on winning her hand.

War is coming, and the first battle will be fought in the heart.

Inspired by Sleeping Beauty, Enchanting the Elven Mage is the first standalone book in the Kingdoms of Lore fantasy romance series and is perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and Holly Black. Continue reading “Book Review: Enchanting the Elven Mage (Kingdoms of Lore #1)” →

Audible TBR Update – Hold Me Accountable

I need your help.

If you saw my post from last week – Audible Library Update – then you know I’m drowning in audiobooks. It doesn’t matter how many different collections I create on the app, or whether I tell myself I’m going to read XYZ books.

So, I’m posting here, on my blog, the list of books I need and want to read, in an order I’m determined to stick to. I want you to hold me accountable lol.

I need a little bit of peer pressure. I need to stop just almost mindlessly buying and downloading audiobooks – I’ll never get through them. Continue reading “Audible TBR Update – Hold Me Accountable” →

Book Review: Born at Dawn (Da’Valia Trilogy #1)

Title: Born at Dawn

Author: Christina Davis

Pub. Date: November 15, 2020

Pages: 304

Pub: Christina Davis

Genre: YA Fantasy

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Goodreads

In a world of secrets, the one she never expected is the one that will change her life forever.

When a heist goes terribly wrong and the binding spell holding 17-year-old Neva’s powers at bay is shattered, the half-human thief knows she’s in trouble.

Neva has always hidden her Da’Valian heritage while working risky jobs to make a name for herself and serving at her family’s tavern, but she won’t be able to hide much longer. She can either risk the safety of those she cares about or seek out her mother’s people to gain control over her emerging powers.

The Da’Valia are beautiful, brutal creatures created by the god of war, and the austere Da’Valian soldier Astiand reluctantly agrees to take Neva to his clan under his protection. She makes unexpected friends, including the handsome fighter Emiliand, and a new enemy in the clan’s ruthless leader.

Spying on her guardian, the sly heroine quickly discovers just how deep she has stumbled into a dangerous, developing clan feud.

Will she be able to embrace who she is in time to keep her loved ones safe?

*This book is about a race of warriors and contains violent scenes, which may not be suitable for all audiences. Continue reading “Book Review: Born at Dawn (Da’Valia Trilogy #1)” →

Book Review: Dark Obsession (Vampire Royals of New York #3)

Title: Dark Obsession

Author: Sarah Piper

Pub. Date: December 4, 2020

Pages: 372

Pub: Two Gnomes Media

Genre: Paranormal Fantasy

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Goodreads

A vicious demonic plot. A curse decades in the making. An epic love that burns hotter than the very fires of hell…

Charlotte…

All Charley’s nightmares are real.
Demons. Dark witches. Her murderous uncle.

With her soul bound to an ancient demon lord and her sister taken captive by a monster, hope is in short supply.

But Charley will not go down without a fight. Not when it comes to her sister, and not when it comes to the vampire king who’s claimed her heart.

Even if it means siding with a brutal enemy from her past.
Even if it means making a choice that will alter the course of her life… for eternity.

Dorian….

Dorian never wanted his father’s crown or the secrets that came with it.
He never wanted to fall in love with the seductive stranger he’d ravaged in a closet, either.

But fate had other plans.

Now, with the enemies of House Redthorne lurking in every shadow, demons threatening to destroy his city, and an ancient lord of hell laying claim on the woman who’s set Dorian’s very soul on fire, the vampire king has only one mission:

Burn. Them. All.

Even if it means betraying his father’s memory.
Even if it means making the darkest sacrifice of his immortal life… Continue reading “Book Review: Dark Obsession (Vampire Royals of New York #3)” →

Review: Song of the Forever Rains (Mousai #1)

Title: Song of the Forever Rains

Author: E.J. Mellow

Pub. Date: July 1, 2021

Pages: 423

Pub: Montlake

Genre: Upper YA Fantasy Romance

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Goodreads

From the award-winning author of the Dreamland series comes a new dark romantic fantasy about a young woman finding hope in her powers of destruction.

The Thief Kingdom is a place hidden within the world of Aadlior. Many whisper of its existence, but few have found this place, where magic and pleasure abound. There, the mysterious Thief King reigns supreme with the help of the Mousai, a trio of revered and feared sorceresses.

Larkyra Bassette may be the youngest of the Mousai, but when she sings her voice has the power to slay monsters. When it’s discovered the Duke of Lachlan is siphoning a poisonous drug from the Thief Kingdom and using it to abuse his tenants, Larkyra is offered her first solo mission to stop the duke. Eager to prove herself, Larkyra accepts by posing as the duke’s potential bride. But her plans grow complicated when she finds herself drawn to Lord Darius Mekenna, Lachlan’s rightful heir. Soon she suspects Darius has his own motivations for ridding Lachlan of the corrupt duke. Larkyra and Darius must learn to trust each other if there is to be any hope of saving the people of Lachlan—and themselves.

Welcome to the world of Aadilor, where lords and ladies can be murderers and thieves, and the most alluring notes are often the deadliest. Dare to listen? Continue reading “Review: Song of the Forever Rains (Mousai #1)” →

NetGalley Sept’21 Update

I’m drowning in eARCs. Don’t ask me how it happened, because I don’t actually know. This post is going to also going to be a bit of a haul post from the last two and a half months. As well as just a typical NG Update post.

I thought I was doing so well, knocking books out, reviewing them, and now I suddenly have 20+ books I need to read and it’s lowkey stressing me out. Stressing me out to the point where I haven’t even touched an eARC for 2 weeks.

And to be fair, I’ve been immersed in my TOG reread and that has pretty much all my focus.

Apart from NetGalley, I’ve also acquired a couple of other eARCs. I’m really excited to read all of these, I just need more hours in a day. Continue reading “NetGalley Sept’21 Update” →

Audible Library Update Sept’21

I’ve done two other Audible centered posts – I’ll make sure I link them, but it’s been a while. And I’ve added quite a few – well, honestly, a lot – new books. I remember when I used to only buy 1-2 books at a time or waited until I was almost done one to download a new read. But the number of books currently sitting in my library waiting to be read is a bit insane. Especially since right now, I’m doing nothing but re-reading/listening to the Throne of Glass Series. and I’ve been doing this for the last 3-4 weeks.

So, these other books are just sitting there waiting to be read. It’s a little a little depressing but I’m almost done with the TOG re-read, so I’ll get to them soon. I legit don’t know which one I’m going to read first, or if I’ll actually be able to choose. Because I want to listen to them all.

I also still have other books that I haven’t yet read, and I need to get to them as well. I legit have so many unread audiobooks in my library right now, it’s insane.

But I love having options, and I love Audible. I’m really lucky that I’m able to do my job and listen to books all day – honestly I think I would go insane if I couldn’t listen to books all day. It makes the hours pass so quickly and I just get to be lost in a fictional world for 6-8 hours.

So, let’s just jump in. But before I do, you can check out my Audible History – What I’ve Listened to post and my Audible TBR post. Continue reading “Audible Library Update Sept’21” →

Writer Asks!

It’s been a while since I’ve done a sort of “Get to Know Me” post – so I figured now is the perfect time. Also, with work hopefully leveling out, and having started writing/getting inspired to write, I figured that a writer-ly get to know me was overdue. I know I do my writing update posts just about every month, but they’re more of a check in, versus these are my preferences/how I write.

I saw this initially on Twitter in the format of “one like for one question answered” and I just grabbed the screenshot so I could do it over here on my blog. There are quite a few questions – 30 to be exact – so let’s dive in.

This is in no way a tag, but please feel free to answer the questions if you want! Answer them all, or just some – and feel free to tag me in your post if you do answer them! I’d love to read your answers! I don’t know who originally created the questions, but the graphic was floating around on Twitter. Continue reading “Writer Asks!” →

Book Review: Gods & Monsters (Serpent & Dove #3)

Title: Gods & Monsters

Author: Shelby Mahurin

Pub. Date: July 27, 2021

Pages: 624

Pub: HarperTeen

Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy Romance

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Goodreads

The spellbinding conclusion to the New York Times and IndieBound bestselling trilogy Serpent & Dove. This stunning fantasy take on French witches and forbidden love is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas.

Evil always seeks a foothold. We must not give it one.

After a heartbreaking loss, Lou, Reid, Beau, and Coco are bent on vengeance more than ever before—and none more so than Lou.

But this is no longer the Lou they thought they knew. No longer the Lou that captured a chasseur’s heart. A darkness has settled over her, and this time it will take more than love to drive it out. Continue reading “Book Review: Gods & Monsters (Serpent & Dove #3)” →