tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-158249874421070172024-03-15T21:10:18.141-04:00Do You Dog-ear?My thoughts on books and comicsLindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.comBlogger846125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-2651220413231156122024-03-05T18:54:00.007-05:002024-03-07T19:47:55.488-05:00Endless (Starcrossed, #7) by Josephine Angelini<p></p><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm13PMQQjkS2k1woV-Jhai2Jje-ToDttYHsdFzfkNSJEAfMnDSeVeOwo7-UtkRq37lfVCyf2AcmRNY_5WjxkNryeXWFnesrNWgkibB0DQRzD8fzdiKmXdFVyqA2N0A_melH0_4AKDlVTfeKCEt1LVb3nVOtQb8kLPfiDVYYkOVayiArIa0R9nHNtHe/s2475/196383714.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2475" data-original-width="1650" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm13PMQQjkS2k1woV-Jhai2Jje-ToDttYHsdFzfkNSJEAfMnDSeVeOwo7-UtkRq37lfVCyf2AcmRNY_5WjxkNryeXWFnesrNWgkibB0DQRzD8fzdiKmXdFVyqA2N0A_melH0_4AKDlVTfeKCEt1LVb3nVOtQb8kLPfiDVYYkOVayiArIa0R9nHNtHe/s320/196383714.jpg" width="213" /></a><div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><b>Synopsis (via <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/196383714-endless?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_20" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>): </b></b><i>The highly anticipated conclusion to the international bestselling Starcrossed saga.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The dice have always been loaded against her.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Helen was always fated to start a war.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Even after defeating the Olympians and taking up the mantle as the most powerful of all the Scions, Helen still wasn’t able to save her father. Bereft and betrayed by Lucas, Helen falls into a downward spiral… but the Fates aren’t done with her yet.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Star-crossed in love, she was destined for destruction.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The cycle was never meant to be broken.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Helen learns that her final purpose is to be the spark that sets the whole world on fire. To prevent this from happening, she must do the impossible, and defeat the Moirae. If she fails, she risks ending up like Oedipus, meeting her fate on the road she has taken to escape it.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Will love be the key that finally trumps fate?</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPDxxyZwtjjCnUuL_68JcSTaIzk4KNSgXJRAVxC6DWV4YT92t0RUQ700MnslhPTvPcMX8CxSqmJM3MK1WKKXmC8b80Wrdm5NBY5CyDjK8KWY773-DwoCjl9oZOycz6nPH7xBSQO9ZHtn1USxkpZDCpIF2PggQnPgBEaSdlLJzSnmePn8tBAR5EFJK/s987/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPDxxyZwtjjCnUuL_68JcSTaIzk4KNSgXJRAVxC6DWV4YT92t0RUQ700MnslhPTvPcMX8CxSqmJM3MK1WKKXmC8b80Wrdm5NBY5CyDjK8KWY773-DwoCjl9oZOycz6nPH7xBSQO9ZHtn1USxkpZDCpIF2PggQnPgBEaSdlLJzSnmePn8tBAR5EFJK/w640-h28/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>I still can't believe I just read the last book in Josie's Starcrossed series</i>. These books have been in my life for over a decade, and Josie is one of <i>the nicest people</i> I've ever met. I've always wanted more of Helen and Lucas' story, so I am ecstatic that I had an opportunity to read an early copy of <i>Endless </i>and help promote this series over the last few years. Not only did she continue their story, but she crafted an entirely new spinoff as well. I really enjoyed seeing the beginnings of certain side characters, and I think it added a lot of depth to the overall story.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Helen is grieving at the start of <i>Endless. </i>It's authentic and her behaviors are relatable. I also liked that she'd paired up with Hector who was battling his own demons. I loved how their relationship developed in the last book and think their closeness was even more apparent in this book<i>.</i> They love each other, have even loved other romantically in the past (for more on that read <i>Timeless</i>), but they genuinely care for each other. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Did I miss the sexual tension from the last book? Yes. I enjoyed seeing her chaotic emotions land her in steamy water on several occasions. <i>I still really, really want a scene with Orion, Hector and Helen, in case the Angelini gods are listening. Maybe throw Morpheus in there for good measure.</i> However, I can appreciate that sexual tension wasn't the point of <i>Endless</i>. Lucas and Helen eventually manage to have a conversation, there are circumstances that bring certain things to light, and we finally see them overcome yet another obstacle that stood in their way. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Do I wish there had been more? Yes. I felt Helen let go of her grief, something she'd struggled with for most of the book, without much thought. I wanted more from her time in the Elysian Fields. I wish we could have felt her letting go of the weight she'd been carrying around for so long. I also wanted a more satisfying interaction between her and Lucas once they'd also sorted themselves out. I wanted more from the epilogue and what their lives looked like now. I think I'll always want more from this series. Josie has written an amazing book, but I don't think I'll ever be satisfied with how she chose to end it, simply <i>because</i> it ended. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It's so hard to say goodbye to this series. I'm already looking forward to the day I pick up the first book and start again from the beginning. There's just something about these characters and this story that makes you want to reach for them again and again. It doesn't matter that I'm much older now, the story remains the same. Thank you, Josie, for creating something incredible. Thank you for allowing me to participate in the Star Squad, and for all the friends I've made along the way. I will forever treasure your books and this experience. (★★★★☆)</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><i><b>I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes used in this review are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.</b></i></div><p></p>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-52408685004793488282024-01-27T10:43:00.005-05:002024-03-07T19:48:51.548-05:00Midnight on Beacon Street by Emily Ruth Verona<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUPmVU88l9dp29aRneDBqPvZR2EiEFryxvgYr2fuHnwW3DWSPGr5dYtq7rm1LkWCXdtvcyAZJtnvseLx2OwtICqdPcs0W9tVbBwXbnyCFs0LyCAp3I58A4nGusFCt8c3fzaoXcjLdchkhYGfYCgY6MILQjk9EHM8_AOATc_1fZUvf9w9eMBZ1F0LQ/s2400/145654483.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1594" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUPmVU88l9dp29aRneDBqPvZR2EiEFryxvgYr2fuHnwW3DWSPGr5dYtq7rm1LkWCXdtvcyAZJtnvseLx2OwtICqdPcs0W9tVbBwXbnyCFs0LyCAp3I58A4nGusFCt8c3fzaoXcjLdchkhYGfYCgY6MILQjk9EHM8_AOATc_1fZUvf9w9eMBZ1F0LQ/s320/145654483.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><b>Synopsis (via <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/145654483-midnight-on-beacon-street" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>): <i>A suspenseful and entertaining debut thriller—and love letter to vintage horror movies—in which a teenager must overcome her own anxiety to protect the two children she’s babysitting when strangers come knocking at the door.</i></b><i><br /><br />October 1993. One night. One house. One dead body.<br /><br />When single mom Eleanor Mazinski goes out a for a much-needed date night, she leaves her two young children —sweet, innocent six-year-old Ben and precocious, defiant twelve-year-old Mira— in the capable hands of their sitter, Amy. The quiet seventeen-year-old is good at looking after children, despite her anxiety disorder. She also loves movies, especially horror flicks. Amy likes their predictability; it calms the panic that threatens to overwhelm her.<br /><br />The evening starts out normally enough, with games, pizza, and dancing. But as darkness falls, events in this quaint suburban New Jersey house take a terrifying turn —unexpected visitors at the door, mysterious phone calls, and by midnight, little Ben is in the kitchen standing in a pool of blood, with a dead body at his feet.<br /><br />In this dazzling debut novel, Emily Ruth Verona moves back and forth in time, ratcheting up suspense and tension on every page. Chock-full of nods to classic horror films of the seventies and eighties, Midnight on Beacon Street is a gripping thriller full of electrifying twists and a heartwarming tale of fear and devotion that explores our terrors and the lengths we’ll go to keep our loved ones safe.</i><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMwkYQqcPBL9d_Y8gETIeIv1__aPvnNBxbZvZxTBhbE9QYOiGpY8HiuDICiRKPK5RprZPZCVSgqAqZtJ0K5WwfHozuEj9aYEt-DKvz2__xzkArhnbLIU3B0rSfnJffIs8n5K6Ro7GdgRpiwqjCZdY7JABi9qJqHdP6IYcxDAJgnNmCDed6a748Ml_x/s987/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMwkYQqcPBL9d_Y8gETIeIv1__aPvnNBxbZvZxTBhbE9QYOiGpY8HiuDICiRKPK5RprZPZCVSgqAqZtJ0K5WwfHozuEj9aYEt-DKvz2__xzkArhnbLIU3B0rSfnJffIs8n5K6Ro7GdgRpiwqjCZdY7JABi9qJqHdP6IYcxDAJgnNmCDed6a748Ml_x/w640-h28/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div><br />I didn't like <i>Midnight on Beacon Street</i> as much as I thought I would. I assumed it would be a quick read since it's a short book, but I never felt compelled to pick it up. I would see it sitting somewhere and think, "Oh, I should finish that." The story simply wasn't captivating and the characters weren't very likeable. Whether that's from a lack of development or dull descriptions, it's difficult to say. It's hard to care about characters when you don't know enough for them to matter.</div><div><br /></div><div>I wasn't a fan of the overall pacing. Typically flashbacks are used to help readers understand what's happening in the present, or to give a character more depth, but these felt like random instances in someone's life. After finishing the book, I can see what the author was maybe hoping to highlight, but I don't feel like the information gleaned from those moments was all that helpful. I think I would have preferred a more linear storytelling for this book. The back and forth overcomplicated the story.</div><div><br /></div><div>The abbreviations of their names was also something I found annoying. M? B? I would have preferred the author just used their names instead, since it did take a few chapters for me to associate letters with people. It was too much mental work.</div><div><br /></div><div>Did I anticipate who the "bad guy" was? No. However, I think that goes back to the lack of character development. It could have been anyone... though I'm still not entirely sure what motivated them. There was too much background noise. Verona says a lot without actually saying anything at all. The ending itself was very underwhelming. </div><div><br /></div><div>I didn't DNF the book because it wasn't very long. Although, I was tempted to just skip to the end, see who the killer was, and then move on. I think I would have enjoyed <i>Midnight on Beacon Street </i>more if the characters had been fleshed out, the flashbacks had been more informative, and the pacing had been a little quicker. (★★⋆☆☆)</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes used in this review are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.</b></i></div>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-65933710506197515492023-11-19T10:38:00.002-05:002023-11-19T10:40:42.074-05:00Iron Flame (The Empyrean, #2) by Rebecca Yarros Narrated by Rebecca Soler & Teddy Hamilton<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKf4ihtsrlEI6eCmk4FoWlr9qdFVnJ8yNsrxawVrHK67Pvy3h5YrfLxnESyBn_RAML7A0_7S-g5DhJmYziHIN-H0weG7jy-RVXy5D4B_Cxu6eV5gFiIe_5wAvMEnDJcQvojADile1D37Y2Ixh4K8DZxLoU4w-0J93D89w5FKF4Zh9stBzgkuYVLVpg/s320/90202302.jpg" /></div><b>Synopsis (via <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/90202302-iron-flame">Goodreads</a>): </b><i><b>“The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.” —Xaden Riorson</b><br /><br />Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.<br /><br />Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.<br /><br />Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.<br /><br />But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.<br /><br />Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries a</i>t Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2p0CtUFls0tUo1htRsoWIvizI2d540C5hJMSrYQyeB02o9v_IwTHrTTcdJsyPbNqwAYmyo_MpbVIIFuD8R0YA-O7CDshhlj-P7fYDWP8oCc0DkwKyIkfy8tfjQqJ7bJIZT55xoHwO_3IiZk5xg7JlrBcTLCipV-F2qb6Gfcaxsf6N-3F4BfS0wVQo/s987/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2p0CtUFls0tUo1htRsoWIvizI2d540C5hJMSrYQyeB02o9v_IwTHrTTcdJsyPbNqwAYmyo_MpbVIIFuD8R0YA-O7CDshhlj-P7fYDWP8oCc0DkwKyIkfy8tfjQqJ7bJIZT55xoHwO_3IiZk5xg7JlrBcTLCipV-F2qb6Gfcaxsf6N-3F4BfS0wVQo/w640-h28/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I still haven't reviewed <i>Fourth Wing</i>, but decided to go ahead and write this one while the story was still fresh on my mind. I was already late to the game with this series, but I put myself on the waiting list for an audiobook at my library as soon as I was able to after falling in love with these characters during <i>Fourth Wing</i>. Additionally, Rebecca Soler is one of my absolute favorite narrators and she does an <i>amazing </i>job with this series. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Yarros not only makes me fall in love with Violet and Xaden, but every secondary character is beloved as well. Losing any of them would be devasting to my heart, so that final battle in <i>Iron Flame </i>had my pulse racing right along with Violet's. I was already worried about finishing the book since everyone said they literally stared at a wall for 20 minutes afterwards, but I still wasn't expecting the cliffhanger we're left with. Haven't we been through enough by now?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I will say that I didn't like how long it took Violent and Xaden to work through their issues. A lack of communication between characters is a huge turn off for me in books, especially when they're romantically involved. Violet knew who he was before she fell in love with him, yet she made demands and put expectations on him that were a bit unfair. She didn't completely trust him because he wouldn't tell her <i>everything</i>, but everyone in this series has secrets, including her. She kept demanding total honesty and full disclosure despite other lives being at risk if she knew. Yarros managed to address these issues in a way that wasn't cringeworthy, so at least that aspect of the book was tolerable and didn't ruin everything else for me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The dragons are still my favorite part of these books. I love their sarcasm and menacing attitudes, especially when directed towards their own riders. Their personalities are perfection. Adolescent Adarna is an absolute delight to read about, and her getting on Tairn's nerves never fails to make me smile. I'm really happy we learned more about them in <i>Iron Flame</i> because so much is still a mystery. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Love, betrayal, unexpected plot twists, new friends and frenemies, dragons and gryphons, riders and flyers, war, loss - <i>Iron Flame </i>has all that and more. I highly recommend this series if you enjoy fantasy and fast-paced adventure stories. (★★★★★)</div></div></div><p></p>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-4990144198789402682023-05-21T13:38:00.006-04:002023-06-09T18:37:28.140-04:00Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKlFKqlGkd8Lq9c8dKSSx_BOU0kJNY44kCo62V-b2vfPwfV-6ofeBowyfhqA2IiTUFdvUwEYQpN9DeYTrBDlrrdpvMXVWbFMHiWHNCXXwcw0kTUPUxTaxa7vNbwPRzmJ1J4tfUEXgVO4TahhPTDoHFtaJTu4gErjBAzBsIH_S-vq75fXncPKBkCg/s2560/65214365.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1707" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKlFKqlGkd8Lq9c8dKSSx_BOU0kJNY44kCo62V-b2vfPwfV-6ofeBowyfhqA2IiTUFdvUwEYQpN9DeYTrBDlrrdpvMXVWbFMHiWHNCXXwcw0kTUPUxTaxa7vNbwPRzmJ1J4tfUEXgVO4TahhPTDoHFtaJTu4gErjBAzBsIH_S-vq75fXncPKBkCg/s320/65214365.jpg" width="213" /></a><div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Synopsis (via Goodreads): </b><i>SHE LIVES BY HER INTUITION. HE FEEDS ON HER PLEASURE.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Long ago, the world was destroyed by gods. Only nine cities were spared. Separated by vast wilderness teeming with monsters and unimaginable dangers, each city is now ruled by a guardian―royalty who feed on mortal pleasure.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Born with an intuition that never fails, Calista knows her talents are of great value to the power-hungry of the world, so she lives hidden as a courtesan of the Baron of Archwood. In exchange for his protection, she grants him information.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>When her intuition leads her to save a traveling prince in dire trouble, the voice inside her blazes with warning―and promise. Today he’ll bring her joy. One day he'll be her doom.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>When the Baron takes an interest in the traveling prince and the prince takes an interest in Calista, she becomes the prince’s temporary companion. But the city simmers with rebellion, and with knights and monsters at her city gates and a hungry prince in her bed, intuition may not be enough to keep her safe.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Calista must follow her intuition to safety or follow her heart to her downfall.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCSBZJYjAgOs_R1-jHk37q5O3sHQa-umIRim2rUT4SYRj2bkivuTLCgd8w3UWcMpTV7_d8Hx69a36M67_Wxz2GBzQCxVVw85lEHt-uhzElNKWp9AOMy5k2BY9RTjMadsiHPJJ5nx26Jg0qJ3lfw49dVVLVQI9MMu6RJBgUbtpKwLLwMcxqO6kdQ/s987/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCSBZJYjAgOs_R1-jHk37q5O3sHQa-umIRim2rUT4SYRj2bkivuTLCgd8w3UWcMpTV7_d8Hx69a36M67_Wxz2GBzQCxVVw85lEHt-uhzElNKWp9AOMy5k2BY9RTjMadsiHPJJ5nx26Jg0qJ3lfw49dVVLVQI9MMu6RJBgUbtpKwLLwMcxqO6kdQ/w640-h28/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div><br />I finished <i>Fall of Ruin and Wrath </i>in less than twenty-four hours, and I'm still thinking about it a week later. Talk about a book hangover! I just wish there had been more worldbuilding and that it hadn't ended on a massive cliffhanger. I'm going to have to wait an eternity to find out what happens next. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I think I liked this one so much because of the similarities to ACOTAR, but they weren't overly obvious. There are mental shields, a very big stay-with-the-High-Lord vibe, and some questionable word choices. This book has Starborn, which is similar to SJM's Crescent City series. The elite class is also known as Hyhborn (very cold and unfeeling, ancient and powerful), while ACOTAR has Hybern. These are easily overlooked, but I can see where it would be problematic to some, especially as more details and descriptions are revealed. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Calista is the main character, but I really wish we'd seen more of Grady and Naomi. I think there's a lot of potential for secondary character growth that we just didn't see in this one. Additionally, Thorne has his own cabal of friends (also similar to Cas and Az from ACOTAR) that I wish we'd seen more of. I think the book was too focused on Calista and we miss out on seeing so much more of the world JLA has created. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I also wasn't fond of some of the language used. It was a direct contrast to the world and time period depicted. Everything felt fantastical, but the modern day language and expressions were distracting. It would take me out of the moment, which is never ideal. The book also has no business being this large. The spacing and the size of the font were a bit excessive - a lot of wasted space per page. If condensed to reflect what a normal book looks like, it would probably be a quarter of the size. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">However, despite the issues I found with <i>Fall of Ruin and Wrath </i>(a title I'm still not sure accurately reflects the book), I really enjoyed it. It's been a while since I devoured a book so quickly. I wanted to know about Thorne and his background. I wanted to see more of the world JLA created. Unfortunately, we don't really get a lot of information and explanations. A lot is alluded to, but I have a feeling it's being saved for book two. All of the questions formed during this book... hardly any are answered. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I do think this one needs some more fine-tuning before it's published (spelling, grammar, inconsistencies out the wazoo), but the book as a whole is a gem. I'm looking forward to seeing how the next book addresses a lot of the issues in this one. Also, it would be nice if things felt a little less rushed... the pacing was weird in certain parts. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The one FF scene was short-lived and too subtle. I would have enjoyed some flashbacks of certain people engaging in <i>activities </i>together. The dinner table scene was unbelievably hot (more of that please and thank you). The slow build and tension were there, although I think maybe seeing things from Thorne's perspective would have helped. It doesn't have to necessarily be duel POV, but maybe a chapter here or there that helped us see inside of his head. (★★★⋆☆)</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div></div><p></p><b><i>I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes used in this review are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.</i></b>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-89764129157532753742023-04-16T11:32:00.006-04:002023-04-16T14:39:12.251-04:00Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqscYm1sY7JVP8ib7oVYtAOwFd0kS2HPnQ5djxH_mhY52EXt5LphZ9ab5swRlUSXrZk-tb46uy7UhzVLkemf_6-aCxkcn664ytVZ1Bm2HKjpxKcjxrxsw6kNLqUKSgLJ7ulZ43Zt_Av01r39moErMmtHPi8aZTvdy9UMpZmbPyGATPWjZxxisKrA/s400/59314703.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqscYm1sY7JVP8ib7oVYtAOwFd0kS2HPnQ5djxH_mhY52EXt5LphZ9ab5swRlUSXrZk-tb46uy7UhzVLkemf_6-aCxkcn664ytVZ1Bm2HKjpxKcjxrxsw6kNLqUKSgLJ7ulZ43Zt_Av01r39moErMmtHPi8aZTvdy9UMpZmbPyGATPWjZxxisKrA/s320/59314703.jpg" width="212" /></a><div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Synopsis (via Goodreads):</b><i> For Sewanee Chester, being an audiobook narrator is a long way from her old dreams, but the days of being a star on film sets are long behind her. She’s found success and satisfaction from the inside of a sound booth and it allows her to care for her beloved, ailing grandmother. When she arrives in Las Vegas last-minute for a book convention, Sewanee unexpectedly spends a whirlwind night with a charming stranger.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>On her return home, Sewanee discovers one of the world’s most beloved romance novelists wanted her to perform her last book—with Brock McNight, the industry’s hottest, most secretive voice. Sewanee doesn’t buy what romance novels are selling—not after her own dreams were tragically cut short—and she stopped narrating them years ago. But her admiration of the late author, and the opportunity to get her grandmother more help, makes her decision for her.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>As Sewanee begins work on the book, resurrecting her old romance pseudonym, she and Brock forge a real connection, hidden behind the comfort of anonymity. Soon, she is dreaming again, but secrets are revealed, and the realities of life come crashing down around her once more.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>If she can learn to risk everything for desires she has long buried, she will discover a world of intimacy and acceptance she never believed would be hers.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>From the author of My Oxford Year, Julia Whelan’s uplifting novel tells the story of a former actress turned successful audiobook narrator—who has lost sight of her dreams after a tragic accident—and her journey of self-discovery, love, and acceptance when she agrees to narrate one last romance novel.</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div></div><p></p><b><i>I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes used in this review are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.</i></b><br /><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9ut7j1wk7WKWcN7jhkQCuJ6U_ds7RWmjgZc2dYEsHOx7FAs_Q5cmK8RSydm3kLGxatngHBX-MTNgnkmMNFh8qTkgfqBMeQbw9uC9skCfcWsVs7vvuGudrR1stRZP8OixXXamBjnhmFm3oQFDCKtglmd_GE-X4ih-GK2f-gW2Lc0UH5ePWoqNWA/s987/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9ut7j1wk7WKWcN7jhkQCuJ6U_ds7RWmjgZc2dYEsHOx7FAs_Q5cmK8RSydm3kLGxatngHBX-MTNgnkmMNFh8qTkgfqBMeQbw9uC9skCfcWsVs7vvuGudrR1stRZP8OixXXamBjnhmFm3oQFDCKtglmd_GE-X4ih-GK2f-gW2Lc0UH5ePWoqNWA/w640-h28/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I was really enjoying <i>Thank You for Listening </i>for the first seven hours of the audiobook. There were even several laugh-out-loud moments that made me think I'd finally stumbled across a book worth my time (currently in a slump after a string of mediocre stories). Unfortunately, after investing nearly eight hours, the main character decides to be awful and stupid. Everything was falling into place perfectly, and then Sewanee decides to be someone not worth reading about. </div><div><br /></div><div>I like that this book has a main character with a disability. </div><div><br /></div><div>I like that this book addresses dealing with an elderly loved one that struggles with memory loss.</div><div><br /></div><div>I like that this book has a male love interest that's sweet, charming, and understanding to a fault. </div><div><br /></div><div>I like that this book has a best friend that feels like family.</div><div><br /></div><div>Pause. </div><div><br /></div><div>I did not like that Sewanee used her disability as an excuse. </div><div><br /></div><div>I did not like that Sewanee thought she - and only she - knew what was best for her ailing grandmother. She didn't even want to consider what her grandmother wanted for herself. </div><div><br /></div><div>I did not like how Sewanee treated the male love interest once everything was out in the open. She walked away, what, ten times? Nick still stuck around and tried to give her time to process her feelings. She ends up running away anyways and ignoring all of his attempts at conversation. Everything, and I mean <i>everything</i>, in their romance-novel-worthy relationship was falling into place and she squandered it. She looked a gift horse in the mouth and then shoved that horse over a cliff. </div><div><br /></div><div>I did not like how Sewanee chose to treat her best friend (the one that's more like a sister). Her friend had been there through it all and was <i>always </i>in Sewanee's corner. Sewanee was cruel and undeserving of such a friendship. <br /><i style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></i></div><div>All of my dislikes happened after listening to 68% of this book. I normally don't DNF this far into something, but her entire personality was a turn off at that point. She made bad decision after bad decision and I couldn't find a single redeeming quality that made me want to keep going. </div><div><br /></div><div>However, I do have a positive to end this review with. Julia Whelan narrates her own book and it's amazing. She is a phenomenal narrator that I really enjoyed listening to and will definitely look for in the future. (★★⋆☆☆ )</div>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-36324768960061194702023-04-14T18:31:00.001-04:002023-04-14T18:31:28.950-04:00Lavender House (Andy Mills, #1) by Lev A.C. Rosen<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXvCfYDgbVUBDOWA3ms9Y4fE3gszo6U59CoqMsirCExTUWFGpiKqHVQXIu0skfIj7nKic390ep1v4_77HH0Qz-mE4RCZmc0_oPr7yhdshOK15kjfMzkF8GtXj3Ho-N6lnJhYYC6xeFMvzYT7LSFj9s6-_0mOyGr8rEZvYmN4dNa5Ev5_YRkSFYA/s1700/59808133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1700" data-original-width="1100" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXvCfYDgbVUBDOWA3ms9Y4fE3gszo6U59CoqMsirCExTUWFGpiKqHVQXIu0skfIj7nKic390ep1v4_77HH0Qz-mE4RCZmc0_oPr7yhdshOK15kjfMzkF8GtXj3Ho-N6lnJhYYC6xeFMvzYT7LSFj9s6-_0mOyGr8rEZvYmN4dNa5Ev5_YRkSFYA/s320/59808133.jpg" width="207" /></a><div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Synopsis (via <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59808133-lavender-house" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>):</b> <i><b>A "Best Of" Book From: Amazon * Buzzfeed * Rainbow Reading * Library Journal * CrimeReads * BookPage * Book Riot * Autostraddle</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>A delicious story from a new voice in suspense, Lev AC Rosen's Lavender House is Knives Out with a queer historical twist.</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Lavender House, 1952: the family seat of recently deceased matriarch Irene Lamontaine, head of the famous Lamontaine soap empire. Irene’s recipes for her signature scents are a well guarded secret—but it's not the only one behind these gates. This estate offers a unique freedom, where none of the residents or staff hide who they are. But to keep their secret, they've needed to keep others out. And now they're worried they're keeping a murderer in.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Irene’s widow hires Evander Mills to uncover the truth behind her mysterious death. Andy, recently fired from the San Francisco police after being caught in a raid on a gay bar, is happy to accept—his calendar is wide open. And his secret is the kind of secret the Lamontaines understand.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Andy had never imagined a world like Lavender House. He's seduced by the safety and freedom found behind its gates, where a queer family lives honestly and openly. But that honesty doesn't extend to everything, and he quickly finds himself a pawn in a family game of old money, subterfuge, and jealousy—and Irene’s death is only the beginning.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>When your existence is a crime, everything you do is criminal, and the gates of Lavender House can’t lock out the real world forever. Running a soap empire can be a dirty business.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes used in this review are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPOUeS1kmF-xMIGud3imv8OZZhCbQIDiWxTk78BlKVSZ-Q5JcdiCji2NxFEtEIIYwjJfazqGBxRPLcvkSeg1QpHHLCsFzUKJiuQeo3z0g4Sqik0domy_fON5pj147MOjYnFOkQGA1xDqkfeym8j2n_rRVNqs9SbrAnYnFMpjjmlzycbpqstbY_A/s987/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPOUeS1kmF-xMIGud3imv8OZZhCbQIDiWxTk78BlKVSZ-Q5JcdiCji2NxFEtEIIYwjJfazqGBxRPLcvkSeg1QpHHLCsFzUKJiuQeo3z0g4Sqik0domy_fON5pj147MOjYnFOkQGA1xDqkfeym8j2n_rRVNqs9SbrAnYnFMpjjmlzycbpqstbY_A/w640-h28/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I really wanted to like this one more than I did. I think Rosen has a good concept, but the storyline was too predictable and not very engaging. I knew <span style="color: #8e7cc3; font-family: Macondo;">whodunit </span>as soon as all of the characters were introduced. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Evander Mills - Andy - wasn't a remarkable main character. He's questioning whether life is worth living when he's approached to investigate a murder. I did like seeing him go from contemplating suicide to realizing there might be something worth living for, although I do think the author should have made his mental state more of a focal point. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Whenever a problem arose in the book, it was either solved quickly or ignored completely. Solutions just presented themselves and kept the story from feeling mysterious. I wanted more backstory, more character development, more stick-it-to-the-man moments. <i>Lavender House</i> felt like the bones of a book and it kept me from fully enjoying the story. (★★🟉☆☆)</div></div></div></div><p></p>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-63547606970965267312023-04-11T02:37:00.006-04:002023-04-11T12:18:41.044-04:00Kingdom of Blood & Salt by Alexis Calder [Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway]<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuMaNeTNZATR2RcwuE53zvQlj8dygFib4aVvn21hu4z8PIrMn0wfq3ySbK86WH2qGfj7ZV-AJ23PmFVUYW1F2lmVDN9JgM9S_GBWObm84ECSOM5sfn9s3QDKQmfy9CeKWlASyu1lBTGdl6O4UJhmsPHZeYtmLrds3czptfNzznvvv6HMJHd4tmQ/s615/KINGDOM%20OF%20SALT%20&%20BLOOD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="615" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuMaNeTNZATR2RcwuE53zvQlj8dygFib4aVvn21hu4z8PIrMn0wfq3ySbK86WH2qGfj7ZV-AJ23PmFVUYW1F2lmVDN9JgM9S_GBWObm84ECSOM5sfn9s3QDKQmfy9CeKWlASyu1lBTGdl6O4UJhmsPHZeYtmLrds3czptfNzznvvv6HMJHd4tmQ/s320/KINGDOM%20OF%20SALT%20&%20BLOOD.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Halito! Welcome to the next stop on the <i>Kingdom of Blood & Salt </i>blog tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Thank you for stopping by! If you would like to win a copy of this book, be sure to enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post. 👇 <i>For the full tour schedule, please visit the Rockstar Book Tours website.</i><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJUjKpM4kyL_c2R4wjSPF1JfJJsDtB-v-l0JcTXbrtRB0XONNLuDi_HMrnGs6E3x-dRa0ke7yv1NAZ8oi6Q6LAG-z1itIraPEXC0-kuCV7l2LMw0mPfeP3SIublikUjKwSaWgGf8_RF1uS6Vz8ijnOfJ80HNy9BhBNJAvmgW-RcSH_Oi4KrsOBA/s1250/3D.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="1036" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJUjKpM4kyL_c2R4wjSPF1JfJJsDtB-v-l0JcTXbrtRB0XONNLuDi_HMrnGs6E3x-dRa0ke7yv1NAZ8oi6Q6LAG-z1itIraPEXC0-kuCV7l2LMw0mPfeP3SIublikUjKwSaWgGf8_RF1uS6Vz8ijnOfJ80HNy9BhBNJAvmgW-RcSH_Oi4KrsOBA/s320/3D.png" width="265" /></a></div><b>About The Book:</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Title:</b> KINGDOM OF BLOOD & SALT (Blood & Salt #1)</div><div><b>Author:</b> Alexis Calder</div><div><b>Pub. Date:</b> March 30, 2023</div><div><b>Publisher:</b> Illaria <b>Publishing</b></div><div><b>Formats:</b> Paperback, eBook</div><div><b>Pages:</b> 328</div><div><b>Find it: </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123302361-kingdom-of-blood-and-salt" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>, <a href="https://books2read.com/KINGDOM-OF-BLOOD-SALT" target="_blank">books2read</a></div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>An epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout, Raven Kennedy, and Sarah J Maas.</b></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>After spending years training to defend my people from our enemies, I never expected that my enemy would be the one keeping me alive.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Athos is the last human city. A treaty with the Fae keeps the fae, the vampires, and the wolf shifters at bay, while we fight against the dragons at our border. Being a human in this world is dangerous and we all make sacrifices to survive.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>When the delegation sent by the Fae King arrives to claim the human tributes required by our treaty, I never expected to forge a connection with their leader.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Ryvin is as dangerous as he is handsome. I know he’s my enemy, and I know I’m supposed to hate him, but with each passing day, he’s more difficult to resist.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>But things are changing in Athos. Humans no longer want to bend to the Fae King.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Alliances blur and centuries of lies begin to unravel.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>And I’m faced with a choice.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>No matter how much I hate him, Ryvin might be the key to preventing war.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>But it may mean sacrificing everything….</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Kingdom of Blood and Salt is the first book in a fantasy romance trilogy with fae, vampires, and shifters. This enemies to lovers series contains violence, mature language, and spice. This is a NA/adult fantasy romance and steam level will increase as the series progresses. Mind the cliff.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJd394SAc6jGgot6lFgQCuw3ZW63PKXAt7vUIQHk0q3dWkAi3vQcz61RQFucmiHFtDz31ngbCUNuNoM0-t8D5hlTj-VI8_VbQ3hF9PqbPjP-q2Zs0XLF8MgnYHnoZdB9CWdlTLzMeJhP9oL2eL4RxTR-mYKSxYY5nYwTZ2bhDtSksy3mgtPZCW3Q/s987/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJd394SAc6jGgot6lFgQCuw3ZW63PKXAt7vUIQHk0q3dWkAi3vQcz61RQFucmiHFtDz31ngbCUNuNoM0-t8D5hlTj-VI8_VbQ3hF9PqbPjP-q2Zs0XLF8MgnYHnoZdB9CWdlTLzMeJhP9oL2eL4RxTR-mYKSxYY5nYwTZ2bhDtSksy3mgtPZCW3Q/w640-h28/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>When a book compares itself to Sarah J. Maas, I don't expect it be a knockoff version of a beloved series. Unfortunately, there were too many similarities for me to overlook. The main character's name is Ryvin and he controls - <i>wait for it </i>- shadows and darkness. He's intent on "saving" the princess at every turn, despite her being unwilling to see what's right in front of her face. Ryvin repeatedly told her he wasn't the enemy, yet she refused to believe him until it was too late. The <i>one </i>thing she stayed mad about wasn't even within his control. </div><div><br /></div><div>This book also markets itself as an enemies-to-lovers, but it was more of a one-sided hateship. Ryvin never appeared to have any negative feelings towards Ara. She only hates him because of where he comes from and because of things she clearly doesn't understand. Her unwavering faith in her family and friends ended up hurting her more than anyone from Ryvin's delegation did. </div><div><br /></div><div>Another similarity to <i>A Court of Thorns and Roses</i> were the sisters Ara would do ANYTHING to protect. She would sacrifice her life, choose to live with "monsters," and debase herself if it meant they didn't have to suffer even for a moment. Sound familiar? I wish the relationship between her and her older sister had been expanded on, but none of the secondary characters really developed over the course of this book. I think a few of them had the potential to be more. I even think Ryvin having his own POV would have helped. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Kingdom of Blood & Salt </i>is a quick read with a lot of action. Ara's life is constantly in danger, Ryvin is always there to save the day, and we see our main character struggle with a singular issue for 300+ pages. I'm not even going to touch on how awful the queen was to her stepdaughter, or how that all seemed to just disappear during the last 5 pages of the book. Their "solution" made me roll my eyes. </div><div><br /></div><div>Honestly, I think this book would have been better if Ara had teamed up with Ryvin when she realized things weren't as they seemed in her city. I wish she'd used her brain and acknowledged that what was being asked of her was <i>wrong</i> and tried to do something about it. I also think her sisters being more involved would have made this a better story, too. </div><div><br /></div><div>The sex scenes were decent, but nothing to really swoon over. Ara yells at him and claims she doesn't want him (every single time), and then they end up "fitting together perfectly" and having a magical time. There were also some grammatical errors and inconsistencies, but hopefully my copy wasn't a finalized version. </div><div><br /></div><div>I didn't hate <i>Kingdom of Blood & Salt</i>, but I do think it could have been better. I kept reading in the hopes it would, so there was something there even if it didn't really work for me in the end. It's also a really big turn off when a book is too similar to what it's comparing itself to. (This one also used the term <i>asteri </i>and had a character named Magda.) (★★★⋆☆)</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQSm3U4BR9_pbkXKKIoxyEJ2Q2AAFSUPeSjEe9a0H5xPnlUmXyEvt2Nfq9yvKgNrz2YP4hkBiArlORbffV4Agq_I_oUfIO1qOESXisOS1F111AGtW22TlpRWm2CrvkgGtKCjAt7q3pmIAYXd6r2TV2bkjkoGCZHIwfKPzxFxRZEu77PSytvIKqQ/s436/Divider%20%234.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="436" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQSm3U4BR9_pbkXKKIoxyEJ2Q2AAFSUPeSjEe9a0H5xPnlUmXyEvt2Nfq9yvKgNrz2YP4hkBiArlORbffV4Agq_I_oUfIO1qOESXisOS1F111AGtW22TlpRWm2CrvkgGtKCjAt7q3pmIAYXd6r2TV2bkjkoGCZHIwfKPzxFxRZEu77PSytvIKqQ/s320/Divider%20%234.PNG" width="320" /></a></div></div><div><b>About Alexis:</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Alexis Calder writes sassy heroines and sexy heroes with a sprinkle of sarcasm. She lives in the Rockies and drinks far too much coffee and just the right amount of wine. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAlexisCalder" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexisCalder1" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/alexxiscalder/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@authoralexiscalder" target="_blank">TikTok</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19382078.Alexis_Calder" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Alexis-Calder/author/B07TP5VCGZ?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alexis-calder" target="_blank">BookBub</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Giveaway Details:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">1 Winner will receive a $10 Amazon GC, International.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ends April 18th, midnight EST.</div><div><i><br /></i></div><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="e2389ba21653" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba21653/" id="rcwidget_syjhhv9y" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a> <script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-41835934215681002182023-04-10T14:15:00.003-04:002023-04-10T14:15:29.848-04:00Bonded by Thorns (Beasts of the Briar, #1) by Elizabeth Helen<p></p><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05mKXwO9naFXMJdzjiPhAbSTwbyqzXPuORPAuIcxVA2qfiXLQw64DLdREWNRtW3TBOPZBOjH4beGi_bPpX3XjiCbHzdDmyU6_wdz6TLJHdFQko09wEdumS3tW7F2UnrLd750Zn3sJPvC4-eJD9ApmzSXx9OfhTHhmLNYBhQtd59jdhOFZ81qxcw/s500/75712384.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05mKXwO9naFXMJdzjiPhAbSTwbyqzXPuORPAuIcxVA2qfiXLQw64DLdREWNRtW3TBOPZBOjH4beGi_bPpX3XjiCbHzdDmyU6_wdz6TLJHdFQko09wEdumS3tW7F2UnrLd750Zn3sJPvC4-eJD9ApmzSXx9OfhTHhmLNYBhQtd59jdhOFZ81qxcw/s320/75712384.jpg" width="200" /></a><div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Synopsis (via <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75712384-bonded-by-thorns" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>): <i>Four beastly princes. One awkward bookworm. An enchanted world of fae, magic, and danger.</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>I’ve always loved fairytales. I never imagined I'd actually be in one.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>When my father wanders into the enchanted realm of the fae, I know I have to go after him. And when he gets imprisoned, I'll do anything to save him... Even trade my freedom for his. I had no idea I'd end up imprisoned by four sexy fae who turn into beasts at night.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>I have to win my freedom, and that means making a bargain with them. They must find their mates in order to break the curse. If I can help them do that, they'll set me free. Sounds simple, right?</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>It's not. Because against my better judgment, I'm starting to fall for these beastly princes. One is smart and sweet, the other mysterious and deadly, another flirty and confident, and the last prince... He's handsome, strong, has a wicked temper, and is dead-set against breaking the curse. Why does he want to keep me here forever?</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>But it's not just my freedom on the line. If I don't break the princes' curse soon, all the magic in the Enchanted Vale will be stolen by the evil—and stupidly hot—Prince of Thorns. And I'm not letting my princes stay cursed.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Not after I've fallen in love with them.</i></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBY_xMcurHhJbCUaHQeB3YVpReho-s3fjRtMmGrW7PRXZWDA14TsxVxxpzcUwvUve8iBrWaWT7n0DsC3jkBrSht25KkCLnvxVr9McXDmYyWFNC2pmdv2AscDiTFLRt-gALbF93lUL_k0UKMcjIkupXPi2M-DmxacPoUHpA-a7w2KBT0lqjQT6Vg/s987/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBY_xMcurHhJbCUaHQeB3YVpReho-s3fjRtMmGrW7PRXZWDA14TsxVxxpzcUwvUve8iBrWaWT7n0DsC3jkBrSht25KkCLnvxVr9McXDmYyWFNC2pmdv2AscDiTFLRt-gALbF93lUL_k0UKMcjIkupXPi2M-DmxacPoUHpA-a7w2KBT0lqjQT6Vg/w640-h28/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Bonded by Thorns </i>is undeserving of its 4 star rating. I am genuinely surprised by the number of <i>raving reviews. </i>Why are people swooning over a story this uninteresting and problematic?<i> </i>Rose - Rosie - Rosalina was as dimwitted as she was dull. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Lots of spoilers going forward! Read at your own risk. </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When Rosalina is first mentioned in the book, she's quiet and easily cowed by her previous abusive boyfriend. She tolerates his presence because it gives her some <i>comfort</i> to be near the man that carved his name into her arm (a fact that is never addressed later on in the book, but definitely should have been). She was willing to entertain the idea of marriage to someone that discarded her - repeatedly - as he went around and did whatever he wanted. How could she have been so naïve and cared so little about herself? Where was her sense of self-preservation? If the authors really wanted to make it believable, they should have written it better. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"></span></div></div></div><blockquote><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;">“His name is Lucas. We’ve been on and off since I was fifteen, but I think it’s serious now. Super serious.” I take a deep breath. “Or at least it could have been, if I hadn’t been imprisoned by the fae.”</span></div></div></div><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"></div></div></div></blockquote><div><div><div style="text-align: left;">Going back to her personality, it's like she's a completely different person once she reaches fae lands. She's brave, courageous, stands up for herself and others - something she's <i>never </i>done before - and it was just too fucking unbelievable. Don't even get me started on the ridiculousness of the princes and their curse. The Prince of Thorns? Laughable. No one even blinked at him calling her "princess." Why wasn't that ever addressed? Also, why does he even <i>care</i>? Poorly explained, poorly executed, poorly written. </div><br />If I'm being completely honest, I went into this one for the romance and reverse harem theme, but even that was a disappointment. If you're going to have a terrible, nearly nonexistent plot, then at least entertain your readers with steamy sex scenes and erotic content. <i>Bonded by Thorns </i>failed on all accounts. There were some okay moments between Dayton and Farron, but even those were short and excluded the main character. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The dialogue was awful and cringey. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Examples:</div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>In a burst of I-just-about-died rage, I glower up at him. “How the fuck am I supposed to answer you when you’re choking me out, you overgrown tin can?”</li><li>Heh heh.</li><li>He wrapped his hand around my throat and choked me out.</li><li>But I am no Peeping Tom, so I force my eyes up. Only, ogling his eight-pack abs and perfect pecs doesn’t seem less creepy at the moment.</li><li>...at least death by a monstrous wolf is a bit more awesome than falling off the bookstore stool.</li><li>That traitor trash panda.</li><li>“He was really mean!”</li></ol><div>I'm not even going to attempt to touch on all of the inconsistencies and grammatical errors. 😑 The princes also kept referring to their <i>human </i>forms and calling themselves <i>men</i>. They're not supposed to be human... At least Sarah J. Maas did that right. Males, males, males. <br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div>I went into this book expecting to be enamored with four fae princes all vying for one woman's attention, and them enjoying her separately and together. However, Rosalina was horrible. Her "bewilderment" and "acceptance" not believable for a second. It was also too similar to <i>A Court of Thorns and Roses</i> for my liking, but whatever. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>A man behind a mask, her being placed in the Spring Court section of the castle, cursed to turn into animals and needing to find love to break the spell... sound familiar? </i></div><div><br /></div><div>This book was a complete waste of my time and money. I hope this review saves a few others from making the same mistake. (★★☆☆☆)</div><div><p></p></div>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-57060850814196597082023-04-04T21:51:00.003-04:002023-04-10T13:10:24.562-04:00Timeless (Starcrossed, #5) by Josephine Angelini<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9dl7iyTqkqhljT15pr85E9p6sW_y2nPvSgREXPXC51ocQLJZKtgF7yDRYC736Y5HSW1BeSFGkkMsKKIQv9IxLuguvZcZtgtu7Af6ykLGUd4U2Wy8XWrKqXVRMgQITD4m3HNNG9GF9rFHcWJyIRJBicZO__8uqd_7ao2EuqFdy65I0YdgKsCMGkw/s2475/61108762.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2475" data-original-width="1650" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9dl7iyTqkqhljT15pr85E9p6sW_y2nPvSgREXPXC51ocQLJZKtgF7yDRYC736Y5HSW1BeSFGkkMsKKIQv9IxLuguvZcZtgtu7Af6ykLGUd4U2Wy8XWrKqXVRMgQITD4m3HNNG9GF9rFHcWJyIRJBicZO__8uqd_7ao2EuqFdy65I0YdgKsCMGkw/s320/61108762.jpg" width="213" /></a><b>Synopsis (via <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61108762-timeless" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>): </b><i><b>The highly anticipated continuation of the Starcrossed saga, the #1 international bestselling series.</b></i></p><p><i>A fate avoided<br /><br />After successfully using a clever bit of trickery to avoid all-out war with the gods and defeat Zeus, Helen sets out to enjoy her final year of high school with Lucas and her friends.<br /><br />A debt owed<br /><br />But happily ever after eludes her. Zeus has found a way to strike back at Helen from inside the prison she devised for him. Growing weaker with every one of Zeus’ attacks, Helen scrambles to complete the three tasks she owes to the Titans, hurling through time on Cronus’ bidding.<br /><br />A promise broken<br /><br />But Helen’s odyssey proves to be more challenging than she could have imagined, because Lucas has mysteriously started pulling away from her, burdened by a secret that threatens to tear them apart.</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I received an ARC from Sungrazer Publishing (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioKd0sLALufGAhhufSGEPRZLz_PSErWJ4RATNnJr8I12snx6A9Dk9EWmCsqurYVBy1wR-jfwc-pEYW4J5lfqRG_Jp-_ToTTsHbZZlyMZ5c_xozk9d4sG4Wia4dko9YMC7Tdb5DsBSghu5pdsdJpQZGjcVMvlgJDTCEo9NIBmQSXo9msLSUI6W32Q/s987/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioKd0sLALufGAhhufSGEPRZLz_PSErWJ4RATNnJr8I12snx6A9Dk9EWmCsqurYVBy1wR-jfwc-pEYW4J5lfqRG_Jp-_ToTTsHbZZlyMZ5c_xozk9d4sG4Wia4dko9YMC7Tdb5DsBSghu5pdsdJpQZGjcVMvlgJDTCEo9NIBmQSXo9msLSUI6W32Q/w640-h28/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have waited a <i>decade </i>for this book's release! I was so excited when I heard about <i>Scions </i>because it takes place in this wonderful world that Josie has created, but I needed <i>Timeless </i>like I need a summer vacation<i>. </i>I never thought there would be a continuation of Lucas and Helen's story, and Josie really went above and beyond with this one (my favorite so far). I could have lived without the cliffhanger (WHY), but everything else was perfection.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc8h3V4Pi86N2FoX6CeM7QgFFBU5hff-irIZE6RJIQSUgUhsnwRmomqIvqeoV09T2iT_NjKI6ur5hYvE-I5n3bLyDpXrqsjW5ywBeM0SqROHWb2DORTHRdyiySTSvyFG8dNOIOsdEIXcAjZDpwj_j9mSPq-IHSU6dyw3uoZkZFcMy1sux1Yfg24w/s540/Chef's%20kiss.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="540" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc8h3V4Pi86N2FoX6CeM7QgFFBU5hff-irIZE6RJIQSUgUhsnwRmomqIvqeoV09T2iT_NjKI6ur5hYvE-I5n3bLyDpXrqsjW5ywBeM0SqROHWb2DORTHRdyiySTSvyFG8dNOIOsdEIXcAjZDpwj_j9mSPq-IHSU6dyw3uoZkZFcMy1sux1Yfg24w/s320/Chef's%20kiss.gif" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I absolutely love the complex relationship between Helen and her mother, Daphne. <i>Scions </i>showed us a much younger version of the Daphne we know from <i>Starcrossed</i>, and it's really been amazing to see how new experiences and information have shaped Helen's perception of her mother. </div><p></p><p><i>Don't even get me started on Hector and Orion.</i> PHEW. Helen can have Lucas, but I call dibs on these two. The tension between their little trio, the unwanted attraction that I was totally here for (still here for), and the sex appeal of these guys...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1NLg6M0bZxD3erh0PKrRktAIufTSCsZUucZ72faY_ChvHzIDWmeWgV5-9i0D6ryO4wkD13S90jZfcjVVBjDj5sa953ruIe-_IZaP_0y4EqddFHSsTc8RD4SMFcXmnoAZzYVdSV81jtHTGweGQpphHG30Al5eqqZ4N17dyKS91vJ8v-BIx-n78g/s498/love-holding-hands.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="498" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1NLg6M0bZxD3erh0PKrRktAIufTSCsZUucZ72faY_ChvHzIDWmeWgV5-9i0D6ryO4wkD13S90jZfcjVVBjDj5sa953ruIe-_IZaP_0y4EqddFHSsTc8RD4SMFcXmnoAZzYVdSV81jtHTGweGQpphHG30Al5eqqZ4N17dyKS91vJ8v-BIx-n78g/s320/love-holding-hands.gif" width="320" /></a></div><p>I have never envied Helen more than I did while reading <i>Timeless. </i>There's also a lot of humor and good-natured teasing where these three are concerned; it was seriously a JOY to read. I caught myself smiling and grinning like crazy throughout this entire book. </p><p>If you enjoy Greek mythology, tragic and not-so-tragic love stories, wonderfully written characters, and an author that genuinely loves her characters, then this is <i>definitely </i>a series you want to check out. </p>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-73880206140901807102023-03-12T14:21:00.011-04:002023-03-17T21:12:09.407-04:00The Warden by Daniel M. Ford<div class="separator"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTmdIpaIYpqW-pnQGARq8jcuAdNo0yyq31fj2G0qFjkeQcCuROtXgWRtSvvqTXEEkslbkIVcsRQ6jOjbOals98QIZm0kQruoK__gb09XlnSphVPxTbvkqwDXC14ucKGx0Pz_wd9N-XNxP57OBZ8MzuvjImh332a0d-xgKSAVy5G7F9CZGscbdWQ/s400/60784419.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTmdIpaIYpqW-pnQGARq8jcuAdNo0yyq31fj2G0qFjkeQcCuROtXgWRtSvvqTXEEkslbkIVcsRQ6jOjbOals98QIZm0kQruoK__gb09XlnSphVPxTbvkqwDXC14ucKGx0Pz_wd9N-XNxP57OBZ8MzuvjImh332a0d-xgKSAVy5G7F9CZGscbdWQ/s320/60784419.jpg" /></a></div><b>Synopsis (via <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60784419-the-warden" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>): </b><b><i>For fans who have always wanted their </i>Twin Peaks<i> to have some wizards, </i>The Warden<i> is a non-stop action adventure story from author Daniel M. Ford.</i><br /></b><br /><i>There was a plan.</i><br /><br /><i>She had the money, the connections, even the brains. It was simple: become one of the only female necromancers, earn as many degrees as possible, get a post in one of the grand cities, then prove she’s capable of greatness. The funny thing about plans is that they are seldom under your control.</i><br /><br /><i>Now Aelis de Lenti, a daughter of a noble house and recent graduate of the esteemed Magisters’ Lyceum, finds herself in the far-removed village of Lone Pine. Mending fences, matching wits with goats, and serving people who want nothing to do with her. But, not all is well in Lone Pine, and as the villagers Aelis is reluctantly getting to know start to behave strangely, Aelis begins to suspect that there is far greater need for a Warden of her talents than she previously thought.</i><br /><br /><i>Old magics are restless, and an insignificant village on the furthest border of the kingdom might hold secrets far beyond what anyone expected. Aelis might be the only person standing between one of the greatest evils ever known and the rest of the world.</i><p></p>I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4yLuWIj9S6Cx33LSrPF3Q0Iunl4Nc1OQdHZTJWDt_HywpPjy49c6c_V0DUoOldxp1ULxdV-xXgtY02vtYAiCSMTBvBlPpGDvyvSyTulRR5fUuelII38sPHoJ5EqbcBU3eGaEbtw-0zWHh35D2T0S0WXsR2RsOIvSiR25MzANIyJ1O962iC2U8qQ/s987/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4yLuWIj9S6Cx33LSrPF3Q0Iunl4Nc1OQdHZTJWDt_HywpPjy49c6c_V0DUoOldxp1ULxdV-xXgtY02vtYAiCSMTBvBlPpGDvyvSyTulRR5fUuelII38sPHoJ5EqbcBU3eGaEbtw-0zWHh35D2T0S0WXsR2RsOIvSiR25MzANIyJ1O962iC2U8qQ/w640-h28/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><i>The Warden </i>had the potential to be a really great book; however, the main character was unlikeable, the setting was poorly explained, and the delivery was more tell than show (which is always a bummer). Aelis talks to herself <i>a lot</i>, and the author uses this to explain various aspects of the book. I want to <i>see </i>what's happening and <i>feel </i>it unfold. I don't want a play-by-play from the main character. Additionally, what she's saying - the terms and phrases she uses - are only vaguely explained. </div><div><br /></div><div>Why are there so many moons? How do they work? Are we ever going to find out why Aelis has an affinity for one of them? I also wasn't a big fan of how the flashbacks were presented. They felt too planned and intentional. I understand they were supposed to be a way to inform readers of past events, but they seemed to always justify or explain whatever Aelis was currently doing.<i> </i>Why did she and her professor have so much animosity between them? The author barely touches on seemingly crucial details. </div><div><br /></div><div>I also wanted more from the secondary characters - Tun specifically. I honestly thought he was going to follow her at the end (incognito of course), but even that was a disappointment. The author tried to build up this friendship but then missed an opportunity for it to flourish. The same can be said of Maurenia. Their relationship had <i>so much potential</i>, but the execution left a lot to be desired. </div><div><br /></div><div>I've said it before and I'll say it again . . . unlikeable main characters make it hard to enjoy a book. Aelis was rude, condescending, wanted to wave her title and elitism around, and had very little regard for the people she was supposed to be protecting. Rus and Martin went out of their way to make sure she had what she needed (whether that was food, basic necessities, or even just information), yet she rarely thanked them or even smiled in their direction. I hated how "stoic" the author tried to make her, because she ended up being someone I didn't want to read about. </div><div><br /></div><div>It was also very frustrating when things simply "worked out" for Aelis. None of her plans failed. She didn't have any setbacks. She didn't listen when people offered her advice. </div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><b>Small spoilers:</b><i> </i>I wish this book had been about a female necromancer with a half-orc best friend and half-elf love interest. I wish they had traveled and adventured together, their bonds growing stronger the longer they were together. I wish Aelis had struggled and failed. I wish she had learned from failing and grown as a character. I wish we had seen her use more of her necromancy and had less of her <i>explaining </i>what everything was. I wish Pips had been included in their adventures and played a larger role. I wish the setting and the world had been described more thoroughly and less verbally. </div><div><br /></div><div>Like I said, this book had the potential be something amazing. Unfortunately, it fell flat and left me feeling a little disappointed and a lot annoyed. (★★★☆☆)</div>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-33788910041088705052023-01-29T23:26:00.006-05:002023-03-17T21:23:19.264-04:00DNF&Y [44]<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhg04pbYGHU56GqzMJR59xar1YmgzGy36oo9uIDdJp87KHk5LwDOSvRSyfECj78r3LoDAlyFp_RpZdAlrQMJwQoIeEvzkrJ1Xc5e_6xHsvwbwfbKBlhohLutxIyhTai4seqBaWM_5a8Eew5yqs_HFfZuPjAMX0gEIExEaNBN6S1N8rENw3MnODkg/s302/DNF&Y.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="302" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhg04pbYGHU56GqzMJR59xar1YmgzGy36oo9uIDdJp87KHk5LwDOSvRSyfECj78r3LoDAlyFp_RpZdAlrQMJwQoIeEvzkrJ1Xc5e_6xHsvwbwfbKBlhohLutxIyhTai4seqBaWM_5a8Eew5yqs_HFfZuPjAMX0gEIExEaNBN6S1N8rENw3MnODkg/s1600/DNF&Y.PNG" width="302" /></a></div>DNF&Y is used to explain why I gave up on certain books, and what about them just didn't work for me. What I disliked about a book might be something you love, so it helps to share your thoughts even when they're negative!<br /><br /><b><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1Nrqc-7oqSL3aakLN21M41YKNVFx8kVREAAH1z5T97Av3x_u5Ju1E_dQzXqGKpzJlv2WYPnQd-7hs-BBasKdJMHDtsbXmE0PsWjRtU4TpOU4cXgPf0ddZOEK89zBHU3wr2D7yapDUBto6d-Uvr8a_ex2jJzxaIIKb5LBWoHlFWSAeWD9Kb-MSA/s2775/51941042.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2775" data-original-width="1828" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1Nrqc-7oqSL3aakLN21M41YKNVFx8kVREAAH1z5T97Av3x_u5Ju1E_dQzXqGKpzJlv2WYPnQd-7hs-BBasKdJMHDtsbXmE0PsWjRtU4TpOU4cXgPf0ddZOEK89zBHU3wr2D7yapDUBto6d-Uvr8a_ex2jJzxaIIKb5LBWoHlFWSAeWD9Kb-MSA/s320/51941042.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>A Forgery of Roses</i> by Jessica S. Olson</b><div><b>🎧Narrated by Billie Fulford-Brown</b><br /><div><b><br />Synopsis (via <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51941042-a-forgery-of-roses" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>):</b><i><b> Myra Whitlock has a gift. One many would kill for.</b><br /><br />She’s an artist whose portraits alter people’s real-life bodies, a talent she must hide from those who would kidnap, blackmail, and worse in order to control it. Guarding that secret is the only way to keep her younger sister safe now that their parents are gone.<br /><br />But one frigid night, the governor’s wife discovers the truth and threatens to expose Myra if she does not complete a special portrait that would resurrect the governor's dead son. Desperate, Myra ventures to his legendary stone mansion.<br /><br />Once she arrives, however, it becomes clear the boy’s death was no accident. Someone dangerous lurks within these glittering halls. Someone harboring a disturbing obsession with portrait magic.<br /><br />Myra cannot do the painting until she knows what really happened, so she turns to the governor’s older son, a captivating redheaded poet. Together, they delve into the family’s most shadowed affairs, racing to uncover the truth before the secret Myra spent her life concealing makes her the killer’s next victim.<br /><br />From </i>Sing Me Forgotten<i> author Jessica S. Olson comes a gothic fantasy murder mystery perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco and Erin A. Craig.<br /></i><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglEjcQU76pEx54MB8XbKMPINUvS8JG71Ep-hDX-1kXyL84Yey38pbL78x-TYPmfb8kcDxhunClh6syXBl5Gaf_8deHU0oPUfoJmdHdRuQk-7G6t3pz1BkduK5LHAZRleD7nKE7ZBEW0C_zxHsk1SxpcjdhKDKtNtRH9IgbaXFjM0dlI0e8Bu4p1A/s987/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="29" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglEjcQU76pEx54MB8XbKMPINUvS8JG71Ep-hDX-1kXyL84Yey38pbL78x-TYPmfb8kcDxhunClh6syXBl5Gaf_8deHU0oPUfoJmdHdRuQk-7G6t3pz1BkduK5LHAZRleD7nKE7ZBEW0C_zxHsk1SxpcjdhKDKtNtRH9IgbaXFjM0dlI0e8Bu4p1A/w640-h29/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><i>A Forgery of Roses</i> had such a unique premise, but the main character (Myra) was hard to like, there's a <i>love triangle </i>(not a very good one), and the story wasn't really about a "gift" people would kill for. I think if the author had focused more on Myra's magic and what it was capable of, I might have enjoyed it more. Unfortunately, it's about her wanting someone she can't have (a guy she's known for a handful of days that did nothing as she was unceremoniously tossed out into the snow), and a "bad guy" that seemed to genuinely like her despite her being interested in someone else. He gave her food, clothes, offered her shelter, <i>saved her life</i>... and yet THAT is the guy she pushes away. </div><div><br /></div><div>I could have tolerated her liking the first guy <i>initially</i>, but Myra should have been more realistic. I know some people will say it was because he had anxiety, but ughhhh. You can have anxiety and still <i>do the right thing</i>. He shouldn't have entertained something with someone he had no intention of ever being with. Family loyalty and blah blah blah. At least Vincent <i>cared </i>about her wellbeing. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm curious about the disappearances and potential murderer, but not enough to keep listening to the book.<i> If you've read this, please feel free to message me with spoilers. </i></div><div><br /></div><div>Side note: The narrator is amazing! I've really enjoyed other books they've done. </div></div>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-61408469028118874362022-12-31T12:31:00.007-05:002022-12-31T13:04:04.597-05:00DNF&Y [43]<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcqmI1vtuzNsk5RkxQXo6r4o1FiscetWIvZ9BRyN8xcCrETgNzYniJgRem_4AcQf3XCUyeP-Ey02-0IvszNqOzGYuzxwN2PUQxS-ENZAiU0iHDyKYwRyvuKZ1S-G0ceh8x6E3OuUrbpIM_NF_kwE6AxV-Muv-dAd-fXhNoa-WjcTaMMEcgCS_nA/s302/DNF&Y5.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="302" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcqmI1vtuzNsk5RkxQXo6r4o1FiscetWIvZ9BRyN8xcCrETgNzYniJgRem_4AcQf3XCUyeP-Ey02-0IvszNqOzGYuzxwN2PUQxS-ENZAiU0iHDyKYwRyvuKZ1S-G0ceh8x6E3OuUrbpIM_NF_kwE6AxV-Muv-dAd-fXhNoa-WjcTaMMEcgCS_nA/s1600/DNF&Y5.PNG" width="302" /></a></div><div>DNF&Y is used to explain why I gave up on certain books, and what about them just didn't work for me. What I disliked about a book might be something you love, so it helps to share your thoughts even when they're negative!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQSpcTZ-h5DLfXmzpX8fYMyp1tiUlAwWQoPIHDaOnfg3xS6P1ep0WZRT1Dl88q4QXfdbmKZY2yxfo-WI-MLaqt7hcSBIFKxVxMroyyScSknAmUltpNvcdTJVJowC5ypC--VAc2IbOn8Z40HTekh7PMBw0-aIN8DYsr8CEXoYd0Aknzl5r1tvqog/s500/112752.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="305" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQSpcTZ-h5DLfXmzpX8fYMyp1tiUlAwWQoPIHDaOnfg3xS6P1ep0WZRT1Dl88q4QXfdbmKZY2yxfo-WI-MLaqt7hcSBIFKxVxMroyyScSknAmUltpNvcdTJVJowC5ypC--VAc2IbOn8Z40HTekh7PMBw0-aIN8DYsr8CEXoYd0Aknzl5r1tvqog/s320/112752.jpg" width="195" /></a></div><b><i>The Immortal Highlander </i>(Highlander, #6) by Karen Marie Moning</b><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Synopsis (via <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/112752.The_Immortal_Highlander" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>): <i>BEWARE: LETHALLY SEDUCTIVE ALPHA MALE OF IMMENSE STRENGTH AND DARK EROTICISM. DO NOT LOOK AT HIM. DO NOT TOUCH HIM. DO NOT BE TEMPTED. DO NOT BE </i>SEDUCED<i>....</i></b><i><br /><br />With his long, black hair and dark, mesmerising eyes, Adam Black is Trouble with a capital T. Immortal, arrogant, and intensly sensual, he is free to roam across time and continents in pursuit of his insatiable desires. That is, until a curse strips him of his immortality and makes him invisible, a cruel fate for so irresistible a man. Now Adam's only hope for survival is in the hands of the one woman who can actually see him.<br /><br />Enter law student Gabrielle O'Callaghan. For Gabrielle, cursed with the ability to see both worlds, Mortal and Faery, it is the beginning of a long, dangerous seduction. But as Adam's quest to regain his immortality plunges them into a world of timeless magic, the price of surrender could be their very lives. Unless they can thwart the conspiracy that threatens both Mortal and Faery realms...and give them a shot at a destiny few mortals ever know: glorious, wondrous, endless love...</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaPirVtbOO57nrBmuHRXorDaxCvRYCt2o1kvGF34duekzhyqO98-Wh2u-cT_PyZxaAn6dw6PRNlCIoIPwgQeHxhue2fHa55-tAfjxgjyDLArDjSKOl67wsD5oLABeIcd6vYgAblFgTxQ6mTS6ir8OjSFnjRY_ZikFn6rJh6ImhArcwFckVc8wCjA/s987/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaPirVtbOO57nrBmuHRXorDaxCvRYCt2o1kvGF34duekzhyqO98-Wh2u-cT_PyZxaAn6dw6PRNlCIoIPwgQeHxhue2fHa55-tAfjxgjyDLArDjSKOl67wsD5oLABeIcd6vYgAblFgTxQ6mTS6ir8OjSFnjRY_ZikFn6rJh6ImhArcwFckVc8wCjA/w640-h28/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I started reading <i>The Immortal Highlander</i> because I wanted steamy sex and swoonworthy characters. Sadly, this book was unremarkable and more than a little frustrating. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I haven't read any of the other books in this series, but it was my understanding that they could be read as standalones (they can). The book mentions other characters that I know have been in previous books (yay reviews), but not knowing who they were made no difference to this story (what I read of it). Unfortunately, I could barely get through <i>The Immortal Highlander</i>, despite several attempts to do so. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I am <u>so</u> <u>over</u> the <i>virgin </i>trope. She refers to boyfriends she's had previously, but none of them ever "got that far" due to her being able to see the Tuatha De Danaan. Were they in her house? Sitting next to her in bed while getting frisky with a regular Joe? I'm fine with virgins (still not a fan of the trope), but the <i>reason </i>for her virginity wasn't believable. It was also REALLY WEIRD that Gabby kept conversing with her inner 14-year-old self. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Gabby's halfhearted attempts to "resist" Adam were annoying and made my head hurt. Her reasons were laughable and barely made sense. She was going to cave eventually, and I think the author could have handled their initial romance a little better. It all felt forced and unnecessary. Let's not forget that Adam <i>assaulted </i>her in the beginning and essentially forced her to do what he wanted. If someone - human or not - was attacking me, I wouldn't be thinking about how hard he was against me. He also broke into her home and then later stole some of her underwear (creepy). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The author also had Gabby completely isolated from everyone. She wasn't close to her remaining family (her mom left her with her grandmother once it became clear she could see the Tuatha De), she wasn't in a relationship, she had no friends... she was just existing. I wish she'd had <i>someone </i>in her life that she cared about. Maybe then she would have cared more about herself. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It also bothered me that Adam never really seemed to care about Gabby. It was always about what he needed from her and his desire to <i>claim </i>her. I never saw him put her needs first (with a few small exceptions that also benefitted him), and I can't get behind a character that would do that. She's supposed to be his love interest, but I never saw an actual connection between the two.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Occasionally, I can get behind a book with a mediocre plot if the characters are likable, but both Gabby and Adam were exhausting to read about. She was annoying and he was over-the-top. I kept reading to see if the sex was going to be good, but they kept getting interrupted (which is something else I hate). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't think I'll be reading any of the other books in this series. (★★☆☆☆)</div>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-87003303152686653632022-08-16T00:00:00.002-04:002022-08-17T00:17:31.170-04:00How to Speak Animal by Aubre Andrus & Gabby Wild [Blog Tour: Spotlight + Giveaway]<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmaxLupOfu1kD4rWiPvuB3_20tBPzpAn-gdQtlprAwP6IMn1eymPmpe5OTz1AiVMFpqt3nesrGVi2YaS-US9A-1l2ChQZpu0jYXS7Ux5de9Bg49oHw4ZAYDbmSfTHx8N3VGMXkdlO3YQUoEGVVBc5lgMPj_nG9YqVEFX9TfKuZahn-s-Nn_LbNQ/s615/HOW%20TO%20SPEAK%20ANIMAL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="615" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmaxLupOfu1kD4rWiPvuB3_20tBPzpAn-gdQtlprAwP6IMn1eymPmpe5OTz1AiVMFpqt3nesrGVi2YaS-US9A-1l2ChQZpu0jYXS7Ux5de9Bg49oHw4ZAYDbmSfTHx8N3VGMXkdlO3YQUoEGVVBc5lgMPj_nG9YqVEFX9TfKuZahn-s-Nn_LbNQ/w400-h156/HOW%20TO%20SPEAK%20ANIMAL.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Halito! Welcome to the next stop on the <i>How to Speak Animal</i> blog tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Thank you for stopping by! If you would like to win a copy of this book, be sure to enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post. 👇 <i>For the full tour schedule, please visit the <a href="http://www.rockstarbooktours.com/">Rockstar Book Tours</a> website.</i><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HvjjBqG3aQM5VBW5ly3Jn1vJky_rV206FFWGryiio4Ye7vHFiKWFeWLtwsM5pciyDjJfSeS7M_8vyg_jQudwKJifG7BmNR0qj1-XGGJTSMB4yd90o8tiM6APAn34XjmwhD2JKfeLE_0iuCjP1sLja5FEoNYmFEB-BdlcoRtdR_73NWZfIzpHBw/s2250/How%20to%20Speak%20Animal%20(1).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HvjjBqG3aQM5VBW5ly3Jn1vJky_rV206FFWGryiio4Ye7vHFiKWFeWLtwsM5pciyDjJfSeS7M_8vyg_jQudwKJifG7BmNR0qj1-XGGJTSMB4yd90o8tiM6APAn34XjmwhD2JKfeLE_0iuCjP1sLja5FEoNYmFEB-BdlcoRtdR_73NWZfIzpHBw/s320/How%20to%20Speak%20Animal%20(1).jpg" width="213" /></a></div><b>About The Book:</b><br /><b>Title:</b> HOW TO SPEAK ANIMAL<br /><b>Author:</b> Aubre Andrus & Gabby Wild<br /><b>Pub. Date:</b> August 16, 2022<br /><b>Publisher:</b> National Geographic Kids<br /><b>Formats: </b>Hardcover, Paperback, eBook<br /><b>Pages:</b> 176<br /><b>Find it:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59801932-how-to-speak-animal">Goodreads</a>, <a href="https://amzn.to/3Q1XC9x">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-speak-animal-aubre-andrus/1140714067?ean=9781426372391">B&N</a>, <a href="https://tidd.ly/3BosNYA">TBD</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/1250/9781368070829">Bookshop.org</a><br /><br /><b><i>Learn about the secret language of wild animals in this exciting and informative guide from the experts who brought you </i>How to Speak Cat<i> and </i>How to Speak Dog<i>.<br /></i></b><br /><i>We know animals can’t speak and express themselves in the same way as humans … but even the smallest and quietest animals have incredible ways of communicating with each other. With wildlife veterinarian expert Dr. Gabby Wild as a guide, </i>How to Speak Animal<i> helps kids understand how animals communicate through sound, body language, and behavior. It’s full of expert insights and real-life stories of humans exploring ways to “talk” to animals, from teaching great apes sign language to speaking “dolphin.” Packed with super-engaging animal photography that helps illustrate key concepts, this fascinating book profiles more than 60 different creatures―from birds to mammals to reptiles and more―and their amazing ways of communicating with each other.</i><br /><br /><b><i>If you’ve ever wondered why gorillas beat their chests and make hooting noises, what it means when chameleons change color, or why some elephants twist their trunks together, this is the book for you!</i></b><div><b><i><br /></i></b><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-z4SiAB6Kuv1LU5HjgbXloKZkDTOp8KVGvB-fUU1WCpwc11eLwQg7kIYf-U2h6tRXNHDY7h9XLzPNjwzKXJAzwfrURDqaMvymtpxDf2j1THIioX0nl8rSwXjS4UCZsZf9862IQD13fcJOSb3Az2Kek5d--dmnMsYPw7u93jcpCLGR9XdjX01EvA/s987/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-z4SiAB6Kuv1LU5HjgbXloKZkDTOp8KVGvB-fUU1WCpwc11eLwQg7kIYf-U2h6tRXNHDY7h9XLzPNjwzKXJAzwfrURDqaMvymtpxDf2j1THIioX0nl8rSwXjS4UCZsZf9862IQD13fcJOSb3Az2Kek5d--dmnMsYPw7u93jcpCLGR9XdjX01EvA/w640-h28/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgruyxwex--uYQEPtBvIoscBPYL373n2GF8VMvkMzbDY4blJrKOOUlnQBVTSThoOB8TCb3zOcmouxdd6PsTcyjq3D9mfrydGPLHoTGjNLVCJ-7xHv0elQpTgMb_57T4hsPl-A4mgamVngz_atMsb41gpJvsMloXSmBQf4fU0CeYB4NGhu-t1c2YHw/s986/Aubre-New-Profile-Pic-Transparent-Background-with-Doodles.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="701" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgruyxwex--uYQEPtBvIoscBPYL373n2GF8VMvkMzbDY4blJrKOOUlnQBVTSThoOB8TCb3zOcmouxdd6PsTcyjq3D9mfrydGPLHoTGjNLVCJ-7xHv0elQpTgMb_57T4hsPl-A4mgamVngz_atMsb41gpJvsMloXSmBQf4fU0CeYB4NGhu-t1c2YHw/s320/Aubre-New-Profile-Pic-Transparent-Background-with-Doodles.png" width="228" /></a></div>About Aubre Andrus:<br /></b><br />AUBRE ANDRUS is an award-winning children's book author with dozens of books published by National Geographic, Lonely Planet, American Girl, Disney, Scholastic, and more. She has also ghostwritten books for young YouTube stars. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her family. Visit her website and portfolio at <a href="https://pubs.disney.com/PUBS/GIPS_WEB/prod_version/%22http:/">www.aubreandrus.com</a>.</div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://aubreandrus.com/">Website</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/aubreandrus">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AubreAndrusLLC/">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aubreandrus/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@aubreandrus">TikTok</a> | <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/aubreandrus/">Pinterest</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5370927.Aubre_Andrus">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/3zzaY7J">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aubre-andrus">BookBub</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcaibDNUhQY1jOqcPVGYxQ4n4EUR4zA3jZbAXyHG5LGrk0f7L2XsfY7tneIIBqlN8S4_-6e4y34efu8HgrcEzYCEeeD5nz3h1HdTeYa3DWwJ0Vh-LQwK7r_AnW7npSb0IlwhiSDNI-3Mt57SW9Eru-Leqeux89SYej5_CZuk2gWq0hBJWlwFCSOQ/s436/Divider%20%234.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="436" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcaibDNUhQY1jOqcPVGYxQ4n4EUR4zA3jZbAXyHG5LGrk0f7L2XsfY7tneIIBqlN8S4_-6e4y34efu8HgrcEzYCEeeD5nz3h1HdTeYa3DWwJ0Vh-LQwK7r_AnW7npSb0IlwhiSDNI-3Mt57SW9Eru-Leqeux89SYej5_CZuk2gWq0hBJWlwFCSOQ/s320/Divider%20%234.PNG" width="320" /></a></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOeAe8cpVV7Nx87zev4OXs9HoKzD4lbnBnnmP1kMVvIPFOADVe8lNI7Xm5WSEYbCqer5IziylFoR6ad02g60nE-W0IgrxJkAuNqZIMOa_F9oK7O7xBOtGEZqzxEVoesPWti8dmQS11zZ7BTEcg4hkiBRoU3P9hhyAltLmSndyaDAQNNQnPRYiymQ/s241/Gabby.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="209" data-original-width="241" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOeAe8cpVV7Nx87zev4OXs9HoKzD4lbnBnnmP1kMVvIPFOADVe8lNI7Xm5WSEYbCqer5IziylFoR6ad02g60nE-W0IgrxJkAuNqZIMOa_F9oK7O7xBOtGEZqzxEVoesPWti8dmQS11zZ7BTEcg4hkiBRoU3P9hhyAltLmSndyaDAQNNQnPRYiymQ/s1600/Gabby.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><b><div><b>About Gabby Wild:</b></div></b><br />DR. GABBY WILD earned her Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degrees at Cornell University. She completed her veterinary internship training at Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital in Akron, Ohio, and received her master's of public health (MPH) from the University of Minnesota. She is a published genetics researcher and uses her research background to screen zoonotic disease transmission among wildlife, domestic animals, and people. To help maintain a healthy planet, she monitors herd and individual health for rising epidemics. Dr. Wild balances her Western medicine practices with traditional Chinese medicine in an effort to blend both methodologies. Acclaimed for her role as “the veterinarian” on Animal Jam, the world’s largest online “playground,” with 54 million players, she creates educational videos and teaches children internationally about wildlife conservation and medicine. When not in the wild, Gabby works as a Wildlife Health Program veterinarian for the Wildlife Conservation Society at the Bronx Zoo and is a training veterinary surgeon at the Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island. She lives in New York City.<div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://gabbywild.org/">Website</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/gabbywild">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/drgabbywild/">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dr.gabbywild/">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/DrGabbyWild/">YouTube</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19763174.Gabby_Wild">Goodreads</a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Giveaway Details:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">1 winner will receive a finished copy of HOW TO SPEAK ANIMAL, US Only.Ends September 6th, midnight EST.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="e2389ba21509" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba21509/" id="rcwidget_m4jntf6a" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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</div>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-66227887158473874732022-08-10T11:06:00.004-04:002023-06-09T18:40:36.263-04:00The Honeys by Ryan La Sala [Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway]<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpAzutfKg1vfX4_eDaN89pvPUukgyBmonWbDK852T5EwSQwDnVwKgBUmw3GcWWQ7Wd-mIWadUQ0iVcEoCWvNZnUSz6iY8dXMgrXBoTCUcKFsIAxqXx6009pU4IEkwCpzrlExDjCRZvvO4jwWRdHF67C5YHmmd_YzspPKAaP9aUsg7eOWIixyc1w/s615/THE%20HONEYS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="615" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilpAzutfKg1vfX4_eDaN89pvPUukgyBmonWbDK852T5EwSQwDnVwKgBUmw3GcWWQ7Wd-mIWadUQ0iVcEoCWvNZnUSz6iY8dXMgrXBoTCUcKFsIAxqXx6009pU4IEkwCpzrlExDjCRZvvO4jwWRdHF67C5YHmmd_YzspPKAaP9aUsg7eOWIixyc1w/s320/THE%20HONEYS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Halito! Welcome to the next stop on <i>The Honeys</i> blog tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Thank you for stopping by! If you would like to win a copy of this book, be sure to enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post. 👇 <i>For the full tour schedule, please visit the <a href="http://www.rockstarbooktours.com/">Rockstar Book Tours</a> website.</i><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9a2S54eywumm7szAlvv4Wa42OQhxAi85ipn1GcaoI_9hzEhiqZSvwigCi51iy4B-HPMXIgQ9X9CSHtTeAfKHJRKfVT_rEh5u-69qi3SdpkEwwKalZ54iO1SFADzODi9QwI3LhKA_88Xra0zBzKC-PK93_Iz1twMwU7Wv02Jx8kAoZc7t70ineKg/s2475/The%20Honeys%20-%20Cover.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2475" data-original-width="1650" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9a2S54eywumm7szAlvv4Wa42OQhxAi85ipn1GcaoI_9hzEhiqZSvwigCi51iy4B-HPMXIgQ9X9CSHtTeAfKHJRKfVT_rEh5u-69qi3SdpkEwwKalZ54iO1SFADzODi9QwI3LhKA_88Xra0zBzKC-PK93_Iz1twMwU7Wv02Jx8kAoZc7t70ineKg/s320/The%20Honeys%20-%20Cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><b>About The Book:<br />Title: </b>THE HONEYS<br /><b>Author:</b> Ryan La Sala<br /><b>Pub. Date:</b> August 16, 2022<br /><b>Publisher:</b> PUSH (Scholastic Press)<br /><b>Formats:</b> Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook<br /><b>Pages: </b>352<br /><b>Find it:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56817848-the-honeys" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/133874531X?ie=UTF8&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2&linkCode=sl1&tag=twchonbo-20&linkId=b5fd9a8643c59262acb2b358a7b8fdeb&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Honeys-Ryan-Sala-ebook/dp/B09DTT4RW1?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&linkCode=sl1&tag=twchonbo-20&linkId=2f8435c2f5fcf0a42295de062a6e42d7&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl" target="_blank">Kindle</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Audible-The-Honeys/dp/B09VLL8RLQ?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&linkCode=sl1&tag=twchonbo-20&linkId=372948c08ebf0eaabe643a54af29409d&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl" target="_blank">Audible</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Audible-The-Honeys/dp/B09VLL8RLQ?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&linkCode=sl1&tag=twchonbo-20&linkId=372948c08ebf0eaabe643a54af29409d&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl" target="_blank">B&N</a>, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-honeys/id1583325187?itsct=books_box_link&itscg=30200&ls=1&at=10l32yD" target="_blank">iBooks</a>, <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-honeys-1?utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=Two+Chicks+On+Books&utm_term=&ranMID=37217&ranEAID=5LPtjgetns4&ranSiteID=5LPtjgetns4-jgXctHJ5tG6v.ygtLPvxqg&siteID=5LPtjgetns4-jgXctHJ5tG6v.ygtLPvxqg" target="_blank">Kobo</a>, <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Honeys-Ryan-La-Sala/9781338745313?utm_source=Affiliate_US&utm_medium=Affiliate_Marketing&utm_campaign=733983%20&utm_term=httpwwwtwochicksonbookscom&awc=5487_1660142184_d82cc2264e5d7c51f678e5da1ae5fbc4" target="_blank">TBD</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-honeys/9781338745313" target="_blank">Bookshop.org</a><br /><br /><b><i>From Ryan La Sala, the wildly popular author of Reverie, comes a twisted and tantalizing horror novel set amidst the bucolic splendor of a secluded summer retreat.</i></b><br /><br /><i>Mars has always been the lesser twin, the shadow to his sister Caroline's radiance. But when Caroline dies under horrific circumstances, Mars is propelled to learn all he can about his once-inseparable sister who'd grown tragically distant.<br /><br />Mars's genderfluidity means he's often excluded from the traditions -- and expectations -- of his politically connected family. This includes attendance at the prestigious Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy where his sister poured so much of her time. But with his grief still fresh, he insists on attending in her place.<br /><br />What Mars finds is a bucolic fairytale not meant for him. Folksy charm and sun-drenched festivities camouflage old-fashioned gender roles and a toxic preparatory rigor. Mars seeks out his sister's old friends: a group of girls dubbed the Honeys, named for the beehives they maintain behind their cabin. They are beautiful and terrifying -- and Mars is certain they're connected to Caroline's death.<br /><br />But the longer he stays at Aspen, the more the sweet mountain breezes give way to hints of decay. Mars’s memories begin to falter, bleached beneath the relentless summer sun. Something is hunting him in broad daylight, toying with his mind. If Mars can't find it soon, it will eat him alive.<br /></i><br /><b>Reviews:<br /></b><br /><b>"Pure horror gold." </b>- Booklist STARRED review<div><br /><b>"Tantalizing and memorable."</b> - Publisher's Weekly STARRED review<br /><br /><b>"As rich and complex as dark amber honey."</b> – Kirkus<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #4a4b4c; font-family: Handlee; font-size: 15.4px; text-align: center;"></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #4a4b4c; font-family: Handlee; font-size: 15.4px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #4a4b4c; font-family: Handlee; font-size: 15.4px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Ryan talks about THE HONEYS:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rHENwgBJlCc" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQP90whZTm_kgXrag7iJjt8-SgSIdH0Zk3EqK0Mz9TRyheLbNbR7j4ZINhoveBDyy12PGrUbfvwvZ5ddTDm7EyRSV6f-x5Yilk1cDJ1UTmhwUaAo35THKMUUnAE3lwuFnhffoZfcgtx9yrSUsmyJPIo3XdTw_jrFOu2s_G1xr_YLcQqjVwIN-0Wg/s987/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQP90whZTm_kgXrag7iJjt8-SgSIdH0Zk3EqK0Mz9TRyheLbNbR7j4ZINhoveBDyy12PGrUbfvwvZ5ddTDm7EyRSV6f-x5Yilk1cDJ1UTmhwUaAo35THKMUUnAE3lwuFnhffoZfcgtx9yrSUsmyJPIo3XdTw_jrFOu2s_G1xr_YLcQqjVwIN-0Wg/w640-h28/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div><i><div><i><br /></i></div>The Honeys </i>by Ryan La Sala was so mind-bendingly good! It's easily one of the best books I've read this year. I was hooked from the very first chapter (it's a doozy) and never wanted to put it down. Small, seemingly inconsequential details are shared slowly as the story progresses, and my paranoid brain gobbled them up (I was like Mars in this way). I suspected everyone and everything. The anxiety!!<div><br /></div><div>I'd almost given up on YA books as a whole because the last ten or so I've read really haven't worked for me. I thought maybe I'd outgrown the genre, but La Sala showed me it wasn't the genre at all... just the books I'd been reading. <i>The Honeys </i>checked all my boxes and then some. </div><div><br /></div><div>Mars being genderfluid is the icing on the cake. I could relate to their struggles and sympathize with them on a level I wasn't expecting. At times I felt like I <i>was </i>Mars. It goes to show you just how phenomenal the writing truly is. I <i>lived </i>in this book. It's been a long time since a story has captured my attention so fully. <i>The Honeys</i> demands your attention, and I absolutely loved every second of it.</div><div><br /></div><div>If this book isn't already on your TBR, I highly recommend adding it right now! (★★★★✩)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgZj4ZkeZzAVVzWyphcTwR-Aji0-w_EeqYmp8U6k_y4xQCoWKlGQZcVOydd7rnZp2p_Br2T4V_g2DPyV-3OuUCGRlpPh9_IswrKWcyiMN19KpyUDakKqc3DeWXSZZPKc_Pb07C-VlICo0_dUEnposd6rAGtE4NvPqqxTOfGs6McgxKCjdRFcXFA/s436/Divider%20%234.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="436" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgZj4ZkeZzAVVzWyphcTwR-Aji0-w_EeqYmp8U6k_y4xQCoWKlGQZcVOydd7rnZp2p_Br2T4V_g2DPyV-3OuUCGRlpPh9_IswrKWcyiMN19KpyUDakKqc3DeWXSZZPKc_Pb07C-VlICo0_dUEnposd6rAGtE4NvPqqxTOfGs6McgxKCjdRFcXFA/w200-h61/Divider%20%234.PNG" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGpjyNpgr4hxfX6bPacCix2sd2Ja_N-KxfdxsrDj8sauG6sIUKY6he0Qvn28QD7GyhHXbmJae-neYkfGhTAB0nOdkGtI6p0DPglIh021yLH58i4vaTUnFYgl-XMTMT6KS5E0CWOEOW7eoS07s9pdnrTVfHnIn-yh-u-qs8rzOZbNga6TmUatbBQ/s3026/Ryan%20La%20Sala%20(by%20Shams%20Ahmed).jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3026" data-original-width="2269" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGpjyNpgr4hxfX6bPacCix2sd2Ja_N-KxfdxsrDj8sauG6sIUKY6he0Qvn28QD7GyhHXbmJae-neYkfGhTAB0nOdkGtI6p0DPglIh021yLH58i4vaTUnFYgl-XMTMT6KS5E0CWOEOW7eoS07s9pdnrTVfHnIn-yh-u-qs8rzOZbNga6TmUatbBQ/s320/Ryan%20La%20Sala%20(by%20Shams%20Ahmed).jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><b>About Ryan La Sala:</b><div><b><br /></b>Ryan La Sala writes about surreal things happening to queer people.</div><div><br />Ryan resides in New York City, but only physically. Escapist to the core, he spends most of his time in the astral planes and only takes up corporeal form for special occasions, like brunch and to watch anime (which is banned on the astral planes).</div><div><br />Ryan is the author behind the riotously imaginative <i><a href="http://www.ryanlasala.com/reverie/" target="_blank">Reverie</a></i>, and the brilliantly constructed <i><a href="https://www.ryanlasala.com/be-dazzled/" target="_blank">Be Dazzled</a></i>, and the highly anticipated <i><a href="https://www.ryanlasala.com/the-honeys/" target="_blank">The Honeys</a></i>. He has been featured in <a href="https://ew.com/books/author-interviews/new-wave-of-fantasy-feature/" target="_blank">Entertainment Weekly</a>, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/12/07/785580474/reverie-dreams-outside-the-box" target="_blank">NPR</a>, <a href="https://www.tor.com/2019/12/04/sailor-moon-and-the-gorgeous-meditation/" target="_blank">Tor.com</a>, and one time Shangela from RuPaul’s Drag Race called him cute. Right in the middle of the road downtown! So. Pretty big deal all around, yes?</div><div><br />His next book, <i>The Honeys</i>, will be publish with Scholastic on August 16, 2022.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.ryanlasala.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/theryanlasala" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/theryanlasala/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@theryanlasala" target="_blank">TikTok</a> | <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdSEi9_QgtUHnouxMhXdfXw" target="_blank">YouTube</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18032283.Ryan_La_Sala" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ryan-La-Sala/e/B0831LYX2V?&linkCode=sl2&tag=twchonbo-20&linkId=3176fa0b6eba2e1c5368c2787769c1a6&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ryan-la-sala" target="_blank">BookBub</a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Giveaway Details:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE HONEYS, US Only.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ends August 23rd, Midnight EST.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="e2389ba21505" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba21505/" id="rcwidget_lhe28db2" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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</div>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-20884922732422728072022-07-11T00:00:00.001-04:002022-07-12T00:11:07.592-04:00DNF&Y [42]<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7Jlqv58XVemd4Q2OiK6dJr9dlLAnSJ1I6LdlJWxrdrQgXIYbpsTG0sSKDxOBbW0u9msylbfBbJn2oBB6VePibYw8qj6PEq1s9GLTDemVZLiUlJB0BWU8flvoEiNHtQ-wcFJlX3uqevSE3lU9hClZ8mgZTeqhASz956ThpTDvnzT9cH8xZ5a1IQ/s302/DNF&Y5.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="302" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7Jlqv58XVemd4Q2OiK6dJr9dlLAnSJ1I6LdlJWxrdrQgXIYbpsTG0sSKDxOBbW0u9msylbfBbJn2oBB6VePibYw8qj6PEq1s9GLTDemVZLiUlJB0BWU8flvoEiNHtQ-wcFJlX3uqevSE3lU9hClZ8mgZTeqhASz956ThpTDvnzT9cH8xZ5a1IQ/s1600/DNF&Y5.PNG" width="302" /></a></div>DNF&Y is used to explain why I gave up on certain books, and what about them just didn't work for me. What I disliked about a book might be something you love, so it helps to share your thoughts even when they're negative! <br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWYopcrEBhJO6JvTjufLskXz0bAasR2fzQwjHHeYjAkrOSLn-nXKbswQ7AVhgApMzgdUtjeVPYFwAiywsFOXyXezVh0Le9UQsVuwW1Fp77_F2RD79s6gZ3XWvQ2l_KaTnGog4jS_Qz_NQTBPp6KPZAix7DRBc1ljzGEYKgLiQQgtXJZdyzjKNQYA/s500/56554626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="332" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWYopcrEBhJO6JvTjufLskXz0bAasR2fzQwjHHeYjAkrOSLn-nXKbswQ7AVhgApMzgdUtjeVPYFwAiywsFOXyXezVh0Le9UQsVuwW1Fp77_F2RD79s6gZ3XWvQ2l_KaTnGog4jS_Qz_NQTBPp6KPZAix7DRBc1ljzGEYKgLiQQgtXJZdyzjKNQYA/s320/56554626.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><b><i>The Ex Hex </i>by Erin Sterling</b><div><b>🎧 Narrated by Caitlin Davies<br /></b><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Synopsis (via <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56554626-the-ex-hex?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=YV4KBgbZlV&rank=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>): </b><b>New York Times<i> bestselling author Rachel Hawkins, writing as Erin Sterling, casts a spell with a spine-tingling romance full of wishes, witches, and hexes gone wrong.</i></b><br /><br /><i>Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, weepy music, bubble baths…and a curse on the horrible boyfriend. Sure, Vivi knows she shouldn’t use her magic this way, but with only an “orchard hayride” scented candle on hand, she isn’t worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day or two.<br /></i><i><br />That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendent of the town’s ancestors, breaker of hearts, and annoyingly just as gorgeous as he always was, returns to Graves Glen, Georgia. What should be a quick trip to recharge the town’s ley lines and make an appearance at the annual fall festival turns disastrously wrong. With one calamity after another striking Rhys, Vivi realizes her silly little Ex Hex may not have been so harmless after all.</i><br /><br /><i>Suddenly, Graves Glen is under attack from murderous wind-up toys, a pissed off ghost, and a talking cat with some interesting things to say. Vivi and Rhys have to ignore their off the charts chemistry to work together to save the town and find a way to break the break-up curse before it’s too late.</i><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #4a4b4c; font-family: Handlee; font-size: 15.4px; text-align: center;"></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #4a4b4c; font-family: Handlee; font-size: 15.4px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></p></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxN8gcSGfGQ8M3tW_Eavdy8m3pREBB2D8KNrpOj5ZXnFWQFr3DqyYuF6eC_l9yRDulniAXU200cZNWoD6TUrRbFNcOR9t8Sszmo6pFoSLnSFROAxH5vh23igjhNF4awYw3d3f3aKrcb47Ob4DweETYghEGzLwt_4ZUkh2z6T9ukXf3BGpUQsdVVA/s987/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxN8gcSGfGQ8M3tW_Eavdy8m3pREBB2D8KNrpOj5ZXnFWQFr3DqyYuF6eC_l9yRDulniAXU200cZNWoD6TUrRbFNcOR9t8Sszmo6pFoSLnSFROAxH5vh23igjhNF4awYw3d3f3aKrcb47Ob4DweETYghEGzLwt_4ZUkh2z6T9ukXf3BGpUQsdVVA/w640-h28/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I really enjoyed <i>Hex Hall </i>and <i>The Wife Upstairs </i>by Rachel Hawkins (the author uses a pseudonym for this book), so I had high expectations for <i>The Ex Hex. </i>I wanted to see how this author added her humor and wit to a book promising "spine-tingling romance." Unfortunately, the characters were awful, and the story was borderline boring. I gave up after an hour and wish I'd stopped sooner.</div><div><br /></div><div>The narrator's voice didn't do this book any favors. All of the characters sounded too similar (if there was any change at all), and I really had to pay attention to know who was speaking. This isn't anything against the narrator, but it did detract from my overall enjoyment of the book. </div><div><br /></div><div>In addition to boring, the story was super cheesy. I couldn't really get behind Vivi's feelings of animosity <i>nine years later.</i> They were two kids in college that dated for three months, and they had a simple misunderstanding. Accidentally curse him? Sure. Hate him for a decade? Not likely. It just wasn't believable. But that's not all... they've also been secretly pining for each other - unawares - while outwardly cursing the existence of one another. <i><br /></i></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Miscommunication is one of my biggest bookish pet peeves, and all Vivi and Rhys needed to do was have a conversation with each other to resolve their issues. The entire thing was blown out of proportion yet fuels their vendetta for the better part of the book (at least what I read and skimmed through). (★★☆☆☆)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HDeVX6qFBt9N1Rw5bR1cFAF9_EfC2LYjR16_IYc5-5PLdkbzwbnYPkf3M0YV-F-DBidbpqNX8EoAiQdPFdmYzQQOSJOFIsyd9CdJ9btA0HcaaMLzR6eBudI0FuHwxywQGb7u_Ul3ZrTttFY8gcNzEcnYRvkNllznbkbmSslslDHOzSCbgjP2_g/s436/Divider%20%234.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="436" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HDeVX6qFBt9N1Rw5bR1cFAF9_EfC2LYjR16_IYc5-5PLdkbzwbnYPkf3M0YV-F-DBidbpqNX8EoAiQdPFdmYzQQOSJOFIsyd9CdJ9btA0HcaaMLzR6eBudI0FuHwxywQGb7u_Ul3ZrTttFY8gcNzEcnYRvkNllznbkbmSslslDHOzSCbgjP2_g/w200-h61/Divider%20%234.PNG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGUg-yJB7x6ep_668B7MfffphX28uME7Im_rb_CUqmvXw-l2aq5XnNdfhz7JX7cLx9ySzF9l5Oj06NEyiYOS-FGIko7aTCs2sukBnUAU6U1y_SD1_pbbpIdfLFn0pDnac-OuEVbEx8pJf009sX9nhN1Kh2FPQFqA-OlFr_n_aIjD_wZAlvw3pyQ/s2550/54559069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1650" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGUg-yJB7x6ep_668B7MfffphX28uME7Im_rb_CUqmvXw-l2aq5XnNdfhz7JX7cLx9ySzF9l5Oj06NEyiYOS-FGIko7aTCs2sukBnUAU6U1y_SD1_pbbpIdfLFn0pDnac-OuEVbEx8pJf009sX9nhN1Kh2FPQFqA-OlFr_n_aIjD_wZAlvw3pyQ/s320/54559069.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><b><i>This May End Badly</i> by Samantha Markum</b><div><b>🎧 Narrated by Heather Masters</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Synopsis (via <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54559069-this-may-end-badly" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>): </b><i>Pranking mastermind Doe and her motley band of Weston girls are determined to win the century-long war against Winfield Academy before the clock ticks down on their senior year. But when their headmistress announces that The Weston School will merge with its rival the following year, their longtime feud spirals into chaos.<br /><br />To protect the school that has been her safe haven since her parents’ divorce, Doe puts together a plan to prove once and for all that Winfield boys and Weston girls just don’t mix, starting with a direct hit at Three, Winfield’s boy king and her nemesis. In a desperate move to win, Doe strikes a bargain with Three’s cousin, Wells: If he fake dates her to get under Three’s skin, she’ll help him get back his rightful family heirloom from Three.<br /><br />As the pranks escalate, so do her feelings for her fake boyfriend, and Doe spins lie after lie to keep up her end of the deal. But when a teacher long suspected of inappropriate behavior messes with a younger Weston girl, Doe has to decide what’s more important: winning a rivalry, or joining forces to protect something far more critical than a prank war legacy.<br /><br /><b>This May End Badly</b> is a story about friendship, falling in love, and crossing pretty much every line presented to you—and how to atone when you do.</i><br /></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjnJLOqZCpUxDALmX0k3Q9aGVpmXuwXXerizG6sIL7cELsqaCCFwwviLWpFKi0X5K_OgEL4a3t_cvH0_OBHV7TCr5vpRwAIfIwGkuSkm7UIk6ePLnP8Bn8vy9sVueJKTQS0TYLE5rv_FdB59FoTzZif69kzX1n2u6MiMy86xSadJAKd6ZLxYNLw/s987/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjnJLOqZCpUxDALmX0k3Q9aGVpmXuwXXerizG6sIL7cELsqaCCFwwviLWpFKi0X5K_OgEL4a3t_cvH0_OBHV7TCr5vpRwAIfIwGkuSkm7UIk6ePLnP8Bn8vy9sVueJKTQS0TYLE5rv_FdB59FoTzZif69kzX1n2u6MiMy86xSadJAKd6ZLxYNLw/w640-h28/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I committed <i>six hours </i>to <i>This May End Badly </i>and still ended up DNFing it. I really liked the idea of a school rivalry and thought the author played that up really well, but it should have remained the focal point of the story. There was just too much going on. And what was the deal with the pervy teacher? That subplot seemed REALLY unnecessary. The students kept bringing him up, so I'm sure something would have eventually happened with that, I just didn't stick around long enough to find out. I do think it should have been left out altogether. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fake dating is usually a trope that I like, but it didn't work for me in this one. There was no chemistry between Doe and What's His Face. I think there were more sparks between her and her archnemesis than the guy she likely ended up with. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think this book would have been better if it had been simplified just a little. A school rivalry, some teenage angst, and boom. Unfortunately, I was having to force myself to listen to this one "hoping" it would get better as it progressed. (Spoiler alert: It didn't.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also wasn't thrilled with the narrator. She wasn't bad per se, but I did find her voice to a be a little distracting. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Additionally, Doe was incredibly unlikeable, and I always struggle with books when I can't relate to - or at least understand - the main character. She was so selfish and never considered how her actions affected others. She wanted to talk about her friends and how close they were, yet she didn't think twice about them before doing whatever she wanted.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Some notes I made while reading:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Missed the mark</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Immature</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Didn't like <i>why</i> they were fake dating</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Doomed to fail</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">No friendship would survive the fallout</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It a nutshell, <i>This May End Badly </i>had too much going on and the main character was a selfish brat that didn't actually know what she wanted. She was too absorbed in herself to see what was happening around her, and her fake boyfriend clearly had ulterior motives of his own. Weird teacher subplot. (★★☆☆☆)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMEFBL82sUAyNsMmcFEOIKviShPTuOoz4NnNKBrZmDe6g58ggY19rB6pFdRdKsjPQ4zasoGDf3WW6Z5lMY5e-lpwD3EiXVUwE_kLFSK-x_fLdH8oIDyhlgbc3O7I_e22zAmMmPu4EY6vx-bInw9UFDMrVfiCVeUVIWtzqWvs6pGaOrnn5lH2qIQ/s436/Divider%20%234.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="436" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMEFBL82sUAyNsMmcFEOIKviShPTuOoz4NnNKBrZmDe6g58ggY19rB6pFdRdKsjPQ4zasoGDf3WW6Z5lMY5e-lpwD3EiXVUwE_kLFSK-x_fLdH8oIDyhlgbc3O7I_e22zAmMmPu4EY6vx-bInw9UFDMrVfiCVeUVIWtzqWvs6pGaOrnn5lH2qIQ/w200-h61/Divider%20%234.PNG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8tbN9jWruRY8tAEDOOzdvYP8QxgLaV69jbuQUUbcVdr52nlL5FFGqB0bN8NN-THgq4sbbFd2GUKli-_QORJVK6b82DXyFDskzwxwWe2Q7j37cGwo88iwVpoTZfcNGWYMVxttr-dW2ooE0zCeJDJPIL6hTZiTtbxh7_jM9S1OJJLZ0aZm8vSw1w/s2108/50892360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2108" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd8tbN9jWruRY8tAEDOOzdvYP8QxgLaV69jbuQUUbcVdr52nlL5FFGqB0bN8NN-THgq4sbbFd2GUKli-_QORJVK6b82DXyFDskzwxwWe2Q7j37cGwo88iwVpoTZfcNGWYMVxttr-dW2ooE0zCeJDJPIL6hTZiTtbxh7_jM9S1OJJLZ0aZm8vSw1w/s320/50892360.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><b><i>Black Sun </i>(Between Earth and Sky, #1) by Rebecca Roanhorse</b><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Synopsis (via <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50892360-black-sun?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=i52UKbzjJl&rank=1" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>): </b><b><i>The first book in the</i> Between Earth and Sky<i> trilogy, inspired by the civilizations of the Pre-Columbian Americas and woven into a tale of celestial prophecies, political intrigue, and forbidden magic.</i></b><br /><br />A god will return<br />When the earth and sky converge<br />Under the black sun<br /><br /><i>In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world.</i><br /><br /><i>Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man’s mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain.</i><br /></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjhT_UzrNYrricjFrySwjeZwcRjnSgEnDVCHsvZh0u1wx0PHQ4liy4Jz2IxeeSNdybfCK6qSLhLJcqQQ9T46-4ogBwsQ6yqXOygeAXs3qQeMgnz67y6ktM-WcfKFRsZd6NFEkcSoBsr0685AB8VD0-rsHYhWVKjRVgkwkU2n-FyFYCRREozicog/s987/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjhT_UzrNYrricjFrySwjeZwcRjnSgEnDVCHsvZh0u1wx0PHQ4liy4Jz2IxeeSNdybfCK6qSLhLJcqQQ9T46-4ogBwsQ6yqXOygeAXs3qQeMgnz67y6ktM-WcfKFRsZd6NFEkcSoBsr0685AB8VD0-rsHYhWVKjRVgkwkU2n-FyFYCRREozicog/w640-h28/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This started off as a buddy read, but they quickly left me behind while I struggled to find reasons to continue reading this book. It's honestly been so long now that I've forgotten most of what I read (not very much). I do remember being annoyed by the dialogue and wishing for more showing instead of telling. Roanhorse has created a very complex world, but I wanted to feel fully immersed in it and not like a bystander. I also don't want to have to question how something works but want the story to unfold in a way that explains through experiences. I know <i>some </i>dialogue is necessary to explain complex ideas, but I would prefer to see them played out on paper.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Black Sun </i>was soooo hyped, and I just expected more from this fantasy world and its characters. I also really, really didn't like the child mutilation and found that aspect of the book to be hard to stomach. (★★☆☆☆)</div>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-36251059732627729332022-05-13T11:31:00.020-04:002022-05-13T12:37:31.860-04:00Wicked Beauty (Dark Olympus, #3) by Katee Robert <p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhicszo9yIgL1WF_-v2P-EzbPHyR9P5R2o0EE5ZiDvwwYCaJzKfm3zUT_-EShaJTz7jz9l7H5KRWPTW-12qGvLtwR8bMsliHIFAc6IzevV5p67rWmK1or2Xqf0EAVvoCdSStKhw-lMqj8RdayJaqIlmwWnXSPuqVPAGAP3bYcEdcKmdIKm4vZ_aDA/s469/58945351.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhicszo9yIgL1WF_-v2P-EzbPHyR9P5R2o0EE5ZiDvwwYCaJzKfm3zUT_-EShaJTz7jz9l7H5KRWPTW-12qGvLtwR8bMsliHIFAc6IzevV5p67rWmK1or2Xqf0EAVvoCdSStKhw-lMqj8RdayJaqIlmwWnXSPuqVPAGAP3bYcEdcKmdIKm4vZ_aDA/s320/58945351.jpg" width="217" /></a><div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Synopsis (via <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58945351-wicked-beauty" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>): </b> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>She was the face that launched a thousand ships, </b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>The fierce beauty at the heart of Olympus,</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>And she was never ours to claim.</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>A scorchingly hot modern retelling of Helen of Troy, Achilles, and Patroclus that's as sinful as it is sweet.</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>In Olympus, you either have the power to rule...or you are ruled. Achilles Kallis may have been born with nothing, but as a child he vowed he would claw his way into the poisonous city's inner circle. Now that a coveted role has opened to anyone with the strength to claim it, he and his partner, Patroclus Fotos, plan to compete and double their odds of winning.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Neither expect infamous beauty Helen Kasios to be part of the prize...or for the complicated fire that burns the moment she looks their way.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Zeus may have decided Helen is his to give to away, but she has her own plans. She enters into the competition as a middle finger to the meddling Thirteen rulers, effectively vying for her own hand in marriage. Unfortunately, there are those who would rather see her dead than lead the city. The only people she can trust are the ones she can't keep her hands off—Achilles and Patroclus. But can she really believe they have her best interests at heart when every stolen kiss is a battlefield?</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBIUEBVOM36UUXYHyHHuqHucoMnPJKSeECuNM28tB4Hmgi4kvgha66DSQHqgMOpU4yQKSJRei8XStqY2Yp1PnuJ6IopJBdebapiY6dQYVrOirETPM8cAm5wwkHA091AT_2V33UuNIAkY_Abl_rbRQkAImg3vkY54mAnsZ5syRVsXn_bswlWYYkbA/s987/Coffee%20Divider.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBIUEBVOM36UUXYHyHHuqHucoMnPJKSeECuNM28tB4Hmgi4kvgha66DSQHqgMOpU4yQKSJRei8XStqY2Yp1PnuJ6IopJBdebapiY6dQYVrOirETPM8cAm5wwkHA091AT_2V33UuNIAkY_Abl_rbRQkAImg3vkY54mAnsZ5syRVsXn_bswlWYYkbA/w640-h28/Coffee%20Divider.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Can all of the other books be about Helen, Achilles and Patroclus? Pretty please?? This is by far my favorite book in the series, and that's really saying something since I thoroughly enjoyed the first two. The relationship between Achilles and Patroclus was so sweet and swoonworthy. They love each other despite their differences, and they don't let petty problems ruin what they have. The addition of Helen just made everything better. She amplified the feelings they already had and added some of her own. My one and only complaint would be that this book wasn't long enough. I wanted more, Katee!! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><i>Wicked Beauty </i>was unspeakably hot. </b>Full body tingles and <i>all the feels</i>. I really wanted to be a part of their trio, and a ménage à trois has never been on my to-do list. The chemistry and trust they had with each other in the bedroom — I'm blushing just thinking about it. Despite Helen and Achilles trying to beat each other in the tournament (Achilles and Patroclus were a package deal from the start), they still cared about what happened to their threesome and did their best to make sure everyone was okay. Obviously, there were times when they felt conflicted, but at least they were honest with each other about what they wanted. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Katee Robert has written something that I will be thinking about for a long, long time — she really took it to another level with this one! It was also refreshing to read about people who discussed consent, protection, and safe words.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I also really liked the tournament setting and seeing the characters work with and against each other. They're all competing to be Ares, but some alliances were formed early on to help with the initial trials. I wish the three trials had been longer and little more complex, but they were over almost as soon as they started. They tested mostly physical skill, but there were some mental preparations involved as well. I hope we see more of Atalanta in the next book, and maybe Ajax. He seemed funny and like he might have his own story to tell. Atalanta was a badass that definitely deserves her own book.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Paris was awful and I hated him. I really wish he'd gotten more of a beating before the end of the book. He definitely deserved to have someone pummel him into unconsciousness. His brother, Hector, wasn't any better since he willingly helped his snake of a sibling. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I'm happy with how their story ended, but I wish we'd gotten a few more chapters to see how their new dynamic was going to work. They've been competitors and lovers, but we don't really get to view their triad outside of the tournament's walls. I wanted to see how they interacted in their new roles and how that affected their overall relationship. Maybe see them enjoying each other's company one more time? If not in the book itself, maybe a bonus chapter posted online somewhere? I'd even buy a novella if it was about these three. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">If you like Greek Mythology, if you enjoyed the previous two books in this series, or if you're just looking to read something steamy, then make sure you grab this one when it's released. I've already pre-ordered a physical copy for my shelves, because it's definitely one I will be reading again. All the stars! (★★★★★)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div></div></div></div><p></p><i>I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product. </i>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-30840511555073181942022-05-02T10:44:00.017-04:002022-05-22T15:09:34.235-04:00The Change by Kirsten Miller<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-g0CLYyRu9y4P2X8hSfAvG7P0yELyER14Rp3u2D7SbhkgARqUA3ofWiWas4Ot1LIs4qUhIGVNpGLXxyDpLvbYod3loyxlP5nbaGm1-zGPiVceCxCj8iulE32GjOxwKv3T8ud_-f9r4Hl8O2RU2QgT6k4Rf4cFLKyFk-Sf-7KiHnVkfbu-TKdXQ/s499/59030015.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="332" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-g0CLYyRu9y4P2X8hSfAvG7P0yELyER14Rp3u2D7SbhkgARqUA3ofWiWas4Ot1LIs4qUhIGVNpGLXxyDpLvbYod3loyxlP5nbaGm1-zGPiVceCxCj8iulE32GjOxwKv3T8ud_-f9r4Hl8O2RU2QgT6k4Rf4cFLKyFk-Sf-7KiHnVkfbu-TKdXQ/s320/59030015.jpg" width="213" /></a></p><b>Synopsis (via <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59030015-the-change" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>): </b><i><b>Feminist revenge fantasy about three women whose midlife crisis brings unexpected new powers--putting them on a collision course with the evil that lurks in their wealthy beach town.</b><br /><br />In the Long Island oceanfront community of Mattauk, three different women discover that midlife changes bring a whole new type of empowerment...<br /><br />After Nessa James's husband dies and her twin daughters leave for college, she's left all alone in a trim white house not far from the ocean. In the quiet of her late forties, the former nurse begins to hear voices. It doesn't take long for Nessa to realize that the voices calling out to her belong to the dead--a gift she's inherited from her grandmother, which comes with special responsibilities.<br /><br />On the cusp of 50, suave advertising director Harriett Osborne has just witnessed the implosion of her lucrative career and her marriage. She hasn't left her house in months, and from the outside, it appears as if she and her garden have both gone to seed. But Harriet's life is far from over--in fact, she's undergone a stunning and very welcome metamorphosis.<br /><br />Ambitious former executive Jo Levison has spent thirty long years at war with her body. The free-floating rage and hot flashes that arrive with the beginning of menopause feel like the very last straw--until she realizes she has the ability to channel them, and finally comes into her power.<br /><br />Guided by voices only Nessa can hear, the trio of women discover a teenage girl whose body was abandoned beside a remote beach. The police have written the victim off as a drug-addicted sex worker, but the women refuse to buy into the official narrative. Their investigation into the girl's murder leads to more bodies, and to the town's most exclusive and isolated enclave, a world of stupendous wealth where the rules don't apply. With their newfound powers, Jo, Nessa, and Harriet will take matters into their own hands...</i><p></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccIn7V2druRp7wcC_o63i9EqS5ephxAvKUHLaqiBusvtKytT-WFkY9yrYrdqhYNWPbwV6rtHK8AsW_dZYIyAKG4qOmCI6hs5voYL29anTpzCUehG3rm7HB0BUhsD7VGBp5dtI7TCMebzDC1cOuknbozNjaqT97rwJnuDcW8nKIWBDTpJa_BlFYQ/s987/Coffee%20Divider.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="29" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccIn7V2druRp7wcC_o63i9EqS5ephxAvKUHLaqiBusvtKytT-WFkY9yrYrdqhYNWPbwV6rtHK8AsW_dZYIyAKG4qOmCI6hs5voYL29anTpzCUehG3rm7HB0BUhsD7VGBp5dtI7TCMebzDC1cOuknbozNjaqT97rwJnuDcW8nKIWBDTpJa_BlFYQ/w640-h29/Coffee%20Divider.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>The Change </i>by Kirsten Miller is one of the most compelling books I've read all year. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, the characters, and the justice dealt to those who deserved it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you have a weak stomach or don't like to talk about menstruation, then this book might not be for you. The author goes into great detail about what it's like for women - Jo in particular - to have a heavy flow and what all that entails. Jo's period seems to be more intense due to the particular talents she possesses, but I do feel like the author was accurate in representing what women have to go through while on their periods. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Harriet was by far my favorite character. I really liked her transformation and the freedom it provided her. She was finally able to be herself without restrictions and being responsible for doling out punishments suited her personality and newly discovered gifts. She always seemed to know what was going to happen before the others did, and I'm not sure if she was able to glimpse it somehow, or if she was just that intuitive. Of the three, she seemed most at home in her new body. She embraced her abilities and newfound connection to the world around her - a true badass. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Nessa was a really sweet and gentle character, and my heart broke for her throughout the book. She's still dealing with the loss of her husband, and seeing dead girls pop up on a beach wasn't easy, especially once they realize the depth and magnitude of the situation. Someone has been taking and hurting girls, but specifically girls that no one will look for. Girls that no one will miss. It was heartbreaking to read about, and I'm glad they received justice at the end. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know the author was trying to make a point with this book, but not <i>all </i>men are terrible. It felt like every male in this book was flawed in some big way. Other than the detective, it was hard to like anyone other than the women in this book. Jo's husband was okay, but he wasn't <i>the best</i>, you know? He seemed jealous of his wife's accomplishments, lazy and uninterested in helping out around the house, etc. I wanted to see men who weren't scum peppered in throughout the book, but it mostly focuses on women and their bad experiences with the opposite sex. Not knocking it... just an observation and an opinion. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was also slightly annoyed by some of the character's choices in this book. One of Nessa's daughters decided to go for a run <i>by herself</i> even though girls have disappeared, and people have clearly threated the lives of Nessa, Joe, Harriet and their families. Jo also gets a business opportunity seemingly out of nowhere, and I didn't like how easily everything fell into place. She should have had more questions, or at the very least been hesitant about the offer. Additionally, the ending was a tad too obvious for my liking, and I wish it had been a little more unpredictable. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think <i>The Change </i>brings attention to a lot of "taboo" topics and realistically shows how women are perceived in the world. It's still very much a "man's world" that women are having to claw their way through just to be seen and heard. Even now, with everyone discussing abortion rights and what women are allowed to do with their bodies, women are fighting just to have a <i>choice</i>. Miller doesn't paint a pretty picture; she shares the harsh truths that people would rather avoid, and for that alone I would wholeheartedly recommend this book. It might be fictional, but its frankness was refreshing and really makes this book one worth reading. (★★★★☆)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCihpih3y-dTTCGk8yEE2HeAFdsQnaPRPc1_FGVtnOC4cGUpKjn46jK42J_IEmaS4uf_Q054JbcrTO_Izs97LkpUuofK38gV7qeyXxhKlf1hIpHyZDmfJJzujBZnJlvxpe4A9kW_uQRqOGUmhZIdQWO0ekWMyIPBupXOaMSWO-IfgbiO4zJ1FPaA/s436/Divider%20%234.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="436" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCihpih3y-dTTCGk8yEE2HeAFdsQnaPRPc1_FGVtnOC4cGUpKjn46jK42J_IEmaS4uf_Q054JbcrTO_Izs97LkpUuofK38gV7qeyXxhKlf1hIpHyZDmfJJzujBZnJlvxpe4A9kW_uQRqOGUmhZIdQWO0ekWMyIPBupXOaMSWO-IfgbiO4zJ1FPaA/w200-h61/Divider%20%234.PNG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Quotes I liked: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"'The Commandments only apply to humans,' said the older woman. 'Nobody goes to hell for killing a monster.'"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"'But the truth is, Ms. Rocca--and I suspect deep down, you know this--every recipe is a spell. And all cooks are witches.'"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"'Anyone who needs a reward to be good isn't good. They just like rewards. Good people do the right thing because it's the right thing to do.'"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"'Nothing ages a person like poverty and misery,' Harriet said. 'Despite what all the ads claim, it's not skin cream that helps some women keep their glow. The only true youth serum has two ingredients--luck and money.'"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"'Seriously, Max. I grew up watching stuff that taught me that women who enjoyed sex were whores. That we should try to be who men wanted us to be--not who we really were. It fucked me up. It fucked up a lot of women I know. Is that what you want for your kid?'"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"The problem was the companies that sold shitty sanitary pads. Otherwise reasonable adults who believed tampons stole a girl's virginity. Doctors who didn't bother to solve common problems. Birth control that could kill you. Boys who were told that they couldn't control themselves. A society that couldn't handle the fact that roughly half of all humans will menstruate."</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>I also really liked the author's version of the Garden of Eden. It's better than the original, honestly.</i> 😉</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"'God may have dictated the Bible, but it was put down on paper by men. And over the years, men have changed things that don't make them look good. In the original story, Eve was the hero, and this snake was her friend.'"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><i>I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.</i>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-59565077461347291772022-04-19T00:05:00.005-04:002022-04-24T17:32:36.663-04:00Armadillo Antics by Bill Martin Jr. & Michael Sampson Illustrated by Nathalie Beauvois [Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway]<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinONQiNjAxJ31C0Yl8faNWDbJymRKjepU487UqIS5y76iQD-qwc6wzsTXdomppsx5Ylwh9bgss2keB_vSxAA0SfWk8axJAKCLJhqcO62ueT81EaU9QcAqBP-Z_s-ZyX328vlkPmVUD8wti38YSGUf4FZsg3A_1A0H4d9gqk2dZgoi9dBX-Z_C-xw/s615/ARMADILLO%20ANTICS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="615" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinONQiNjAxJ31C0Yl8faNWDbJymRKjepU487UqIS5y76iQD-qwc6wzsTXdomppsx5Ylwh9bgss2keB_vSxAA0SfWk8axJAKCLJhqcO62ueT81EaU9QcAqBP-Z_s-ZyX328vlkPmVUD8wti38YSGUf4FZsg3A_1A0H4d9gqk2dZgoi9dBX-Z_C-xw/w400-h156/ARMADILLO%20ANTICS.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Halito! Welcome to the next stop on the <i>Armadillo Antics </i>blog tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Thanks for stopping by! If you would like to win a copy of this book, be sure to enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post. 👇 <i>For the full tour schedule, please visit the <a href="http://www.rockstarbooktours.com/">Rockstar Book Tours</a> website.</i><br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2U2j9Mh6oGg_hZYHBuRM70ekfMwzhG4ANB4i54f0xfKjqQQ2B8WEE_jqpCzXv6jIxPJTQliy3pCqXgIJiB_yQf1Y2GH6XQ-0cdOCjFnMfYAhIhrtj5QpJieWnyl2aY_ptnEmPNLLV198k8JI8qEOjfvTukFRXd4LHHfT_A-AG5OB_2UC3JeVRsw/s3075/Sampson_ArmadilloAntics_Cover3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3075" data-original-width="3038" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2U2j9Mh6oGg_hZYHBuRM70ekfMwzhG4ANB4i54f0xfKjqQQ2B8WEE_jqpCzXv6jIxPJTQliy3pCqXgIJiB_yQf1Y2GH6XQ-0cdOCjFnMfYAhIhrtj5QpJieWnyl2aY_ptnEmPNLLV198k8JI8qEOjfvTukFRXd4LHHfT_A-AG5OB_2UC3JeVRsw/s320/Sampson_ArmadilloAntics_Cover3.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><p></p><b>About The Book:</b><div><b><br />Title:</b> ARMADILLO ANTICS<br /><b>Author:</b> Bill Martin Jr., Michael Sampson, Nathalie Beauvois (Illustrations)<br /><b>Pub. Date:</b> April 26, 2022<br /><b>Publisher:</b> Brown Books Kids<br /><b>Formats:</b> Hardcover, eBook<br /><b>Pages:</b> 32<br /><b>Find it:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59386102-armadillo-antics" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1612545475?ie=UTF8&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2&linkCode=sl1&tag=twchonbo-20&linkId=9488ac6c9c203d9582a5fbb0d200937e&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/armadillo-antics-bill-martin/1140332106?ean=9781612545479" target="_blank">B&N</a>, <a href="https://tidd.ly/3L2NdbD" target="_blank">TBD</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/books/armadillo-antics-9781612545479/9781612545479" target="_blank">Bookshop.org</a><br /><br /><b>Join the Armadillo on His Nightly Romp!<br /></b><br />Children will love the rhythm and rhyme that are hallmarks of the beloved author duo of <i>Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3 </i>as they follow the adventurous armadillo through nighttime fun as dawn approaches.<br /><br /><b>Bill Martin Jr.</b> was the beloved author of more than three hundred books for children and teachers, including the classics <i>Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?</i> and <i>Chicka Chicka Boom Boom</i>.<br /><br /><b>Michael Sampson</b> taught kindergarten through fourth grade before meeting fellow literacy expert Bill Martin Jr at a conference in Tucson, Arizona in 1978. They established a lifelong friendship and collaborated on many bestselling and award-winning books for children, including <i>Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3</i> and <i>Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiViyFOiTkHu3j4twNfOlSLUKUXphLjWKTZ_7nnuRGp2SvaUnksy2MsWHL4tzz2L3y8Vw0b5-5x4w1Us3arMF8TMiN_0LMC9h4C7-bugwGF_wR3EDjZwuXK7k-VvR4RTK8mHtGlbf68rYSXY79CO4vlbm8jdiWiZKNnkrUS656U7ylrwSrc43JLow/s987/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiViyFOiTkHu3j4twNfOlSLUKUXphLjWKTZ_7nnuRGp2SvaUnksy2MsWHL4tzz2L3y8Vw0b5-5x4w1Us3arMF8TMiN_0LMC9h4C7-bugwGF_wR3EDjZwuXK7k-VvR4RTK8mHtGlbf68rYSXY79CO4vlbm8jdiWiZKNnkrUS656U7ylrwSrc43JLow/w640-h28/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><br /><b>Reviews:</b><br /><br />"A wonderfully musical nighttime romp with stunning illustrations." <b>--Matt de la Peña, Newbery Medal-Winning, <i>New York Times</i> Bestselling Author</b><br /><br />"Beauvois, whose elaborately textured, highly dimensional surfaces recognize the paper collage legacy of Eric Carle and Lois Ehlert, creates a series of striking contrasts to the repeating text's simple rhymes. As the mammals appear, ready to "romp and play till the night is done," they're shown in deep jewel tones with patterning reminiscent of a Missoni sweater... tagging along with this self-possessed, graphically stylish critter and chanting its name as it leaps, digs, and dines makes for a memorable outing."<b> --<i>Publishers Weekly</i>, starred review</b><br /><br />"For a romping night in the life of a roly-poly armadillo, pick up <i>Armadillo Antics</i>!"<b>--<i>Parade Magazine</i></b><br /><br />"This short rhyming story about a night in the life of an armadillo is cozy and soothing. Beauvois's collage-style art, especially the armadillo curled up inside its next, gives Eric Carle vibes. A collection of eight facts on the final page will fascinate kids and grown-ups alike."<b>--<i>Parents Magazine</i></b><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #4a4b4c; font-family: Handlee; font-size: 15.4px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #4a4b4c; font-family: Handlee; font-size: 15.4px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></p></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU2VOLhbXTKZZMoFvGov8CPGERoinZuZT8SajBk-aAJEVGCdp2x4w0FgaQM6W2_MTymWzlQsd9ka-SsJIeTCXXSf5gAoiSlnH4_ohqRqh65gAeKOugV14oBWjeSROrE-F96I9jcor_jb9L9SLNbGl5qq-maojxLZjuszjYLNfNqw-fMyGuY88yZg/s436/Divider%20%234.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="436" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU2VOLhbXTKZZMoFvGov8CPGERoinZuZT8SajBk-aAJEVGCdp2x4w0FgaQM6W2_MTymWzlQsd9ka-SsJIeTCXXSf5gAoiSlnH4_ohqRqh65gAeKOugV14oBWjeSROrE-F96I9jcor_jb9L9SLNbGl5qq-maojxLZjuszjYLNfNqw-fMyGuY88yZg/w200-h61/Divider%20%234.PNG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? </i>and <i>Chicka Chicka Boom Boom </i>were two books I read to my kids when they were younger. They've mostly grown out of those stories now, but we still have them on our shelves. I'm sure I'll pack them away eventually and save them for any future grandkids I might have. Unfortunately, <i>Armadillo Antics </i>failed to meet my expectations. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It starts off well enough . . . the story flows and paints a pretty picture. However, once the armadillo shows up, everything falls apart. The repetition was expected (if a little overdone), so there was a lot of <i>Armadillo, Armadillo, Armadillo, _____</i>. It mostly made sense. The armadillo ran, grinned, leapt, and ran again. It even dug a hole and danced a jig, but then it says, "Armadillo, Armadillo, Armadillo, MIGHT," and I have no idea what that's supposed to mean. It didn't mesh with the rest of the story. Additionally, when the armadillo was digging, he was digging into his burrow. How was he then leaping and whatnot if he was supposedly underground? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think if they rearranged the sequence of events, it might help the overall flow of the story. Also, at one point the armadillo is supposed to flee from an angry bee, but the book <i>just </i>said he had armor like a knight. What damage could a bee do to something with bone-like material covering its entire body? It was bit nonsensical. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you're reading <i>Armadillo Antics </i>to a baby (or potentially a toddler), I think it would work. It's no <i>Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, </i>but it's an okay read. Although, it's probably not one I'll be adding to our shelves. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGhX4zA2xMWUhNo29J8emKVbR_5jDbX6zjs3gba4Xq2R2EJKk8UHr1JUc16zqHqtxWjwLSiKvheFbo5Mv1dQ_TTOWMH2J_EaBHUzIutXOBDeuoof9fTm3sBb5jq1pqQNHK1IAEF2ChY30k0XckZhCwqMYbjqasKO_YkxA6bmJSW3yLIuDjH83lRQ/s1000/Illustration%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGhX4zA2xMWUhNo29J8emKVbR_5jDbX6zjs3gba4Xq2R2EJKk8UHr1JUc16zqHqtxWjwLSiKvheFbo5Mv1dQ_TTOWMH2J_EaBHUzIutXOBDeuoof9fTm3sBb5jq1pqQNHK1IAEF2ChY30k0XckZhCwqMYbjqasKO_YkxA6bmJSW3yLIuDjH83lRQ/w640-h320/Illustration%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4W7Zrel3PxF7pl8HdoTTdNNZ8qYMX4_5nA3DXy9LHT2j6UocbJX6JrQcyQ_ApVx0Ln5FrP8ulSkvNQiSngMgFy5HuODhSldoPxRH4bSdaoRlkBOk5KRr373dYatvLp852GZ9sshW3vdeNgw4-Ar73zqfYHCqgMmlMH0ZqE98qJtEbEtxq1sNtg/s225/Bill.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="224" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4W7Zrel3PxF7pl8HdoTTdNNZ8qYMX4_5nA3DXy9LHT2j6UocbJX6JrQcyQ_ApVx0Ln5FrP8ulSkvNQiSngMgFy5HuODhSldoPxRH4bSdaoRlkBOk5KRr373dYatvLp852GZ9sshW3vdeNgw4-Ar73zqfYHCqgMmlMH0ZqE98qJtEbEtxq1sNtg/s1600/Bill.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><b>About Bill Martin Jr.:</b><div><br /><b>BILL MARTIN JR.</b> was the beloved author of more than 300 books for children and teachers, including the classics <i>Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?</i>, which was illustrated by his friend Eric Carle, and <i>Chicka Chicka Boom Boom</i>, illustrated by Lois Ehlert. Bill was elected to the Reading Hall of Fame by the International Literacy Association. The Bill Martin, Jr Picture Book Award, which is the Kansas State award for best children’s picture book, was established in his name in 1996. Bill wrote <i>Armadillo Antics</i> with Michael Sampson when he moved to Texas, in honor of the fun, inquisitive creatures that roamed the woods outside his house. <a href="https://www.billmartinjr.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5086768.Bill_Martin_Jr_" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfIcursgeiN5wz08wsHhkbhPArTRK3Vt_Wd_ttxWvCdSchMgFxIl2JXOPBtB_v2rQoPFXPvC1mUtQtucQ4TOvXnnv7j9vzAJtRYmgrlHZvgbmLAYgeD3GPQZX2i20u2B3ZD19by600yjF6z70KL4SjziDXPSTDGEK-Ld3y_1_cnLa8YY2DUaSrA/s1000/Illustration%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEfIcursgeiN5wz08wsHhkbhPArTRK3Vt_Wd_ttxWvCdSchMgFxIl2JXOPBtB_v2rQoPFXPvC1mUtQtucQ4TOvXnnv7j9vzAJtRYmgrlHZvgbmLAYgeD3GPQZX2i20u2B3ZD19by600yjF6z70KL4SjziDXPSTDGEK-Ld3y_1_cnLa8YY2DUaSrA/w640-h320/Illustration%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSRwL3v-N0FdCvKPGRtpmpwf3sSp-8vireLSHAk2S58HC4AI2xV1JUauMLrAaax8WC4GCnVQo1WK3-GJAKtlczEz7AH8GhNVDDLYadort_UFg1p03w2TVS2W-x5lOuaXRJQY9S1czxc0FHul9WzApmRCVsWUucG58Sy8sPxUoHeq1KjxI4TmacA/s600/Michael%20Sampson.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSRwL3v-N0FdCvKPGRtpmpwf3sSp-8vireLSHAk2S58HC4AI2xV1JUauMLrAaax8WC4GCnVQo1WK3-GJAKtlczEz7AH8GhNVDDLYadort_UFg1p03w2TVS2W-x5lOuaXRJQY9S1czxc0FHul9WzApmRCVsWUucG58Sy8sPxUoHeq1KjxI4TmacA/s320/Michael%20Sampson.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><b>About Michael Sampson:</b><div><b><br />MICHAEL SAMPSON</b> taught kindergarten through fourth grade before meeting fellow literacy expert Bill Martin Jr. at a conference in Tucson, Arizona in 1978. They established a lifelong friendship and collaborated on many bestselling and award-winning books for children, including <i>Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3 </i>and <i>Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?</i> Sampson often speaks at schools, book festivals, and literacy conferences, where he is known for his high-energy, entertaining performances. Dr. Sampson is a Fulbright Scholar and a professor of literacy at St. John’s University in New York City. <a href="https://www.billmartinjr.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/michaelsampson" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/michaelsampson/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/59225.Michael_Sampson" target="_blank">Goodreads</a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBy3YQl3kVvjSzCcf6ULmKGmuhZO589BIa-IaC39K06x1B5rKJ8oy0s-69GKIXVOkPLB90JONpMZW-U7S6ih6ics-Y3tcIwWKjxyGPxdHCV9Ss5_nmip1oZFGonisLaEKYujwuuIgmnMZ8xcGFp491rnUls_s4JUmEEhlCZIi1BOa1b4Za-UtzYQ/s1000/Illustration%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBy3YQl3kVvjSzCcf6ULmKGmuhZO589BIa-IaC39K06x1B5rKJ8oy0s-69GKIXVOkPLB90JONpMZW-U7S6ih6ics-Y3tcIwWKjxyGPxdHCV9Ss5_nmip1oZFGonisLaEKYujwuuIgmnMZ8xcGFp491rnUls_s4JUmEEhlCZIi1BOa1b4Za-UtzYQ/w640-h320/Illustration%203.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhojwpq0oMrhyznuROiuCw-rWNK504QA0vjpCK4P8J97FtHm_pTFh5GcZLbdQCCcxI_JOCyiPLWy5RQYhM9wFo0uRp7_uYDKE6Ns8lnYsV5mu-4RoWAP7lja3G4EXMJTrhbxi19GiBJvgeVrYt8_uNDyBeyeEPMWZn_FkJNQreCOdeWSyQOp5ljUA/s1100/Nathalie.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1100" data-original-width="1100" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhojwpq0oMrhyznuROiuCw-rWNK504QA0vjpCK4P8J97FtHm_pTFh5GcZLbdQCCcxI_JOCyiPLWy5RQYhM9wFo0uRp7_uYDKE6Ns8lnYsV5mu-4RoWAP7lja3G4EXMJTrhbxi19GiBJvgeVrYt8_uNDyBeyeEPMWZn_FkJNQreCOdeWSyQOp5ljUA/s320/Nathalie.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><b>About Nathalie Beauvois:</b><div><br /><b>NATHALIE BEAUVOIS</b> has a graphic design background in advertising and has also studied industrial design. Nathalie started her career in the art departments of ad agencies and eventually transitioned into freelance illustrating. Since then, she has illustrated dozens of books and hundreds of magazines in countries all over the world. Her creations always start the traditional way — with paper and pencil. Depending on the visual task at hand, she mixes in techniques such as watercolor, collage, vector drawing and Photoshop coloring and texturizing. When not playing with the antics of armadillos, she is happily living and working in Argentina with her family. <a href="http://nathaliebeauvois.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/Tanebeauvois1" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/beauvoisillustrations" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tanebeauvois_illustrations/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7000736.Nathalie_Beauvois" target="_blank">Goodreads</a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4FHhwrey9-KAoBdRU7zAaXGJ7ZwXPOI4lg764WGSrhuIsN3TzEl74v2HQyS-ASMcRq1rG276MpoTMtaQv4uDQgWlwMsVefOwIVqb0SVI51-9pm4Dc-xXscMqctZWoG87myznoqfBAiteZ1JFOIbwbIVaj_-qa68D9iLPn87Oqf_O6wwsyVPNxw/s1000/Illustration%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4FHhwrey9-KAoBdRU7zAaXGJ7ZwXPOI4lg764WGSrhuIsN3TzEl74v2HQyS-ASMcRq1rG276MpoTMtaQv4uDQgWlwMsVefOwIVqb0SVI51-9pm4Dc-xXscMqctZWoG87myznoqfBAiteZ1JFOIbwbIVaj_-qa68D9iLPn87Oqf_O6wwsyVPNxw/w640-h320/Illustration%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Giveaway Details:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">1 winner will receive a finished copy of ARMADILLO ANTICS, US Only.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="e2389ba21443" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba21443/" id="rcwidget_sfldmhyo" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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</div>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-46666035717399144022022-04-19T00:00:00.013-04:002022-04-19T00:15:54.981-04:00Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl by Julie Kagawa [Blog Tour: Spotlight + Giveaway]<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAKFQiEPjOYy5N9FmX65yC-QcDiDOiZovUL-CvisGCukWdTAau7jS5LGXwu07VEcAnTTfTiDxU0uVWtDTTitxcKC4lVlMAvRhHXZyGoRo-pkq5GvSQQ7VdsVmozDdY2KsErgOBft9bvjH_gEYwAqzeCjwanEtz2O3giWvIYibnQwG0kw7zE5-HA/s615/SHINJI%20TAKAHASHI.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="615" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAKFQiEPjOYy5N9FmX65yC-QcDiDOiZovUL-CvisGCukWdTAau7jS5LGXwu07VEcAnTTfTiDxU0uVWtDTTitxcKC4lVlMAvRhHXZyGoRo-pkq5GvSQQ7VdsVmozDdY2KsErgOBft9bvjH_gEYwAqzeCjwanEtz2O3giWvIYibnQwG0kw7zE5-HA/w400-h156/SHINJI%20TAKAHASHI.jpg" width="400" /></a></p>Halito! Welcome to the next stop on the <i>Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl</i> blog tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Thanks for stopping by! If you would like to win a copy of this book, be sure to enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post. 👇 For the full tour schedule, please visit the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/15824987442107017/5956507746134729177#">Rockstar Book Tours</a> website.<br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgTnvxBsFuO2zw3t62M40XkgXu4jJ2eNu0MlJRiUzqHqUlFIS5wi4HN9i0plOTyutmxHGhZxAe5O-BGph2SJxtM8SGXK_tf1ZMmF0-BleTVo-y23V5RfFXVAueYjSBQwB_aB935Xr-Gr3ov8xdCh8iuYqFpasFnMJE_KV5DkUCUi2Jh3zgJSgvMQ/s2550/1368068197-1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1688" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgTnvxBsFuO2zw3t62M40XkgXu4jJ2eNu0MlJRiUzqHqUlFIS5wi4HN9i0plOTyutmxHGhZxAe5O-BGph2SJxtM8SGXK_tf1ZMmF0-BleTVo-y23V5RfFXVAueYjSBQwB_aB935Xr-Gr3ov8xdCh8iuYqFpasFnMJE_KV5DkUCUi2Jh3zgJSgvMQ/s320/1368068197-1.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div><b>About The Book:</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Title: </b>SHINJI TAKAHASHI AND THE MARK OF THE COATL (Society of Explorers and Adventurers, #1)</div><div><b>Author:</b> Julie Kagawa</div><div><b>Pub. Date:</b> April 5, 2022</div><div><b>Publisher: </b>Disney-Hyperion</div><div><b>Formats:</b> Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook</div><div><b>Pages:</b> 320</div><div><b>Find it: </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58159927-shinji-takahashi-and-the-mark-of-the-coatl" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1368068197?ie=UTF8&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2&linkCode=sl1&tag=twchonbo-20&linkId=9a97309de90e1396f50cf0f99e5c0d78&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Shinji-Takahashi-Mark-Coatl-Fiction-ebook/dp/B09TG3XFMJ?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&linkCode=sl1&tag=twchonbo-20&linkId=9f42bb0c4f97a7d871d98e1c5c217416&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl" target="_blank">Kindle</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Shinji-Takahashi-Mark-Coatl/dp/B09VVB8LX1?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&linkCode=sl1&tag=twchonbo-20&linkId=61a96789833709554059c9352e1608a6&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl" target="_blank">Audible</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shinji-takahashi-and-the-mark-of-the-coatl-julie-kagawa/1139955954?ean=9781368068192" target="_blank">B&N</a>, <a href="https://books.apple.com/us/book/shinji-takahashi-and-the-mark-of-the-coatl/id1611871487?itsct=books_box_link&amp;itscg=30200&amp;ls=1&amp;at=10l32yD" target="_blank">iBooks</a>, <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/shinji-takahashi-and-the-mark-of-the-coatl?utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=Two+Chicks+On+Books&utm_term=&ranMID=37217&ranEAID=5LPtjgetns4&ranSiteID=5LPtjgetns4-DU.1PrYn7rvE95jMS6vQyQ&siteID=5LPtjgetns4-DU.1PrYn7rvE95jMS6vQyQ" target="_blank">Kobo</a>, <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Shinji-Takahashi-and-the-Mark-of-the-Coatl-Julie-Kagawa/9781368068192?utm_source=Affiliate_WindowUS&utm_medium=Affiliate_Marketing&utm_campaign=733983%20&utm_term=httpwwwtwochicksonbookscom&awc=5487_1650341034_1074123c95972ac5769d9cfe9b32f8ba" target="_blank">TBD</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/books/shinji-takahashi-and-the-mark-of-the-coatl/9781368068192">Bookshop.org</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl </i>is the first book in a globe-trotting adventure that combines high-tech wizardry, old-world legends and a little bit of magic.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Shinji Takahashi is just an ordinary kid. An ordinary homeschooled smart-alecky orphan kid being raised by his aunt Yui. But when a magical guardian decides to use him as a conduit to awaken its power, Shinji’s life takes a turn for the extraordinary. Captured by the menacing Hightower Corporation, which is bent on using the guardian’s magic for its own nefarious purposes, Shinji must team up with a brilliant young tech whiz named Lucy and her robot mouse, Tinker, to escape the Corporation’s evil clutches.</div><div><br /></div><div>Together Shinji and Lucy turn to the venerable Society of Explorers and Adventurers and its ragtag cast of spelunkers, hackers, mapmakers, pilots, and mythology experts (among other things) to return the guardian to its rightful home and release Shinji from its magic—which seems to be draining his life force. Time is ticking, the Hightower Corporation is hot on their tail, and success or failure might depend on one small thing—Shinji finally coming around to the belief that he is anything but ordinary.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Based on the Society of Explorers and Adventurers lore that exist across the Walt Disney Parks, <i>Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl</i> is the first book in an all-new action-adventure series that brings S.E.A. into the twenty-first century through a blend of science and magic, and a focus on two young characters on an epic journey through time and place.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE0IKSAqhJJlxeSZtYHpAoDbYUo4QB_7UjESuqJ_NFpHSLH2dmSbTw1hkxnPOaS1qPgcEQ3dul0_uah7wUCVx3WDOsuVvATqfh7ewn9wCRDCwjL2yVqPfx_9AfKgea6RZVRgkHUxeu09_tU_ZIJ14iG5I9uEPfp_m8Fxypmx8ql7kLh7pLq5SOeQ/s987/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE0IKSAqhJJlxeSZtYHpAoDbYUo4QB_7UjESuqJ_NFpHSLH2dmSbTw1hkxnPOaS1qPgcEQ3dul0_uah7wUCVx3WDOsuVvATqfh7ewn9wCRDCwjL2yVqPfx_9AfKgea6RZVRgkHUxeu09_tU_ZIJ14iG5I9uEPfp_m8Fxypmx8ql7kLh7pLq5SOeQ/w640-h28/Coffee%20Divider%20(2).png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFG-OhF1GFXp9NTPLxda0A591pjXMubBITEVTxB7sL6UtylclywAq7RFENs88D1naycCQH1uz8F3V_4uOgoi_pj-nwlsamKZud7xzFySdwG-eRiTcOoR_wBdPHA0NCMrECyasHzL3NSf3yresf1zZ8R4gHhIXqlDHODUlUxNvYh2NXcCO6t_pcDg/s7893/Julie.jpg" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="7893" data-original-width="5900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFG-OhF1GFXp9NTPLxda0A591pjXMubBITEVTxB7sL6UtylclywAq7RFENs88D1naycCQH1uz8F3V_4uOgoi_pj-nwlsamKZud7xzFySdwG-eRiTcOoR_wBdPHA0NCMrECyasHzL3NSf3yresf1zZ8R4gHhIXqlDHODUlUxNvYh2NXcCO6t_pcDg/s320/Julie.jpg" width="239" /></a><b>About Julie Kagawa:<br /></b><br /></div><div>Julie Kagawa is the <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of the <b>Iron Fey</b>, <b>Blood of Eden</b>, <b>Talon</b>, and <b>Shadow of the Fox</b> series. She was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel. She worked as a professional dog trainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full time. Julie now lives in North Carolina with her husband, two obnoxious cats, and a pair of Australian Shepherds that have more Instagram followers than she does. <a href="http://juliekagawa.com/" target="_blank">Website</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/Jkagawa" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100045094913658" target="_blank">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/juliekagawaauthor/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2995873.Julie_Kagawa" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Julie-Kagawa/e/B00420B7TC?&linkCode=sl2&tag=twchonbo-20&linkId=756923872fa35b180997e37c98fb0df0&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/julie-kagawa" target="_blank">BookBub</a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_GZpHXHMKmLTvm4wKWfN0OjNFZVqjVqJRzldCQByAr4H80_1lvew6uwb0P39VB05GHIcds_t22LrJOjlaFgIX8LBlWF7aiNyFLrU999xnQce1w7PF-OBquXxDzXqvxF6LXcE_xSPMEGmhl-tnUenBmxr4MhPELF8aG3QB2TNLgD1RbT96mWNcA/s436/Divider%20%234.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="436" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_GZpHXHMKmLTvm4wKWfN0OjNFZVqjVqJRzldCQByAr4H80_1lvew6uwb0P39VB05GHIcds_t22LrJOjlaFgIX8LBlWF7aiNyFLrU999xnQce1w7PF-OBquXxDzXqvxF6LXcE_xSPMEGmhl-tnUenBmxr4MhPELF8aG3QB2TNLgD1RbT96mWNcA/w200-h61/Divider%20%234.PNG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Giveaway Details:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">1 winner will receive a finished copy of SHINJI TAKAHASHI AND THE MARK OF THE COATL, US Only.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="e2389ba21432" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba21432/" id="rcwidget_p4iv22ad" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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</div></div>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-57186099726520107672022-04-17T13:11:00.031-04:002022-04-17T13:45:31.799-04:00Birds of California by Katie Cotugno <p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96BzmrDa9Hvzg6cqKhVWzEqLjkjVuKHXLMUUOj8IEwnag2-4GsRsKCH4Sxc57fsV3_oMZiSTY26BSDFj0DxnVxePZT5xXSoO_qPcJI-kuEpDRwH2UhgBbxpR-4ibjokMh_Hv6ctrhVLOWvmIJvMAzwsjKcdh8lMuc81mkO10tRIGbPgSz4qsbBQ/s1000/59028605.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="664" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96BzmrDa9Hvzg6cqKhVWzEqLjkjVuKHXLMUUOj8IEwnag2-4GsRsKCH4Sxc57fsV3_oMZiSTY26BSDFj0DxnVxePZT5xXSoO_qPcJI-kuEpDRwH2UhgBbxpR-4ibjokMh_Hv6ctrhVLOWvmIJvMAzwsjKcdh8lMuc81mkO10tRIGbPgSz4qsbBQ/s320/59028605.jpg" width="212" /></a><div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Synopsis (via <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59028605-birds-of-california" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>): </b> <b><i>Sparks fly and things get real in this sharply sexy and whip-smart romantic comedy set against the backdrop of a post #metoo Hollywood from </i>New York Times<i> bestselling author Katie Cotugno--page-turning escapist fun in the spirit of </i>Beach Read<i>, </i>The Kiss Quotient<i>, and </i>Red, White and Royal Blue.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Former child actor Fiona St. James dropped out of the spotlight after a spectacularly public crash and burn. The tabloids called her crazy and self-destructive and said she'd lost her mind. Now in her late twenties, Fiona believes her humiliating past is firmly behind her. She's finally regained a modicum of privacy, and she won't let anything--or anyone--mess it up.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Unlike Fiona, Sam Fox, who played her older brother on the popular television show </i>Birds of California<i>, loves the perks that come with being a successful Hollywood actor: fame, women, parties, money. When his current show gets cancelled and his agent starts to avoid his calls, the desperate actor enthusiastically signs on for a</i> Birds of California<i> revival. But to make it happen, he needs Fiona St. James.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Against her better judgment, Fiona agrees to have lunch with Sam. What happens next takes them both by surprise. Sam is enthralled by Fiona's take-no-prisoners attitude, and Fiona discovers a lovable goofball behind Sam's close-up-ready face. Long drives to the beach, late nights at dive bars . . . theirs is the kind of kitschy romance Hollywood sells. But just like in the rom-coms Fiona despises, there's a twist that threatens her new love. Sam doesn't know the full story behind her breakdown. What happens when she reveals the truth?</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgey44QX9PMDmq9cclgGAaC3wYXkw4f4Wog_tdmmUd2KYRooyEJrf6hIqQ0HfvLZ99dXTmT0fJWrDrq_fDp7Gko8qTmmMvlIEQ5M7s-p3xzjNbn-iLXLOeu1sZlz64VQejt-ILpEs7qifINrguuJ7sl8oBnQCGNyFimy3oX7BOZ5J7ZYyCbU1RzZw/s987/divider%20%232.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgey44QX9PMDmq9cclgGAaC3wYXkw4f4Wog_tdmmUd2KYRooyEJrf6hIqQ0HfvLZ99dXTmT0fJWrDrq_fDp7Gko8qTmmMvlIEQ5M7s-p3xzjNbn-iLXLOeu1sZlz64VQejt-ILpEs7qifINrguuJ7sl8oBnQCGNyFimy3oX7BOZ5J7ZYyCbU1RzZw/w640-h28/divider%20%232.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was so excited when I received an early copy of Katie Cotugno's <i>Birds of California </i>in the mail. Unfortunately, it ended up being a huge waste of my time. The story, the characters, the conflict . . . it all grated on my nerves. I kept reading (although I should know better by now) hoping it would get better, but the conclusion was just as disappointing. There was <i>zero </i>resolution. Nothing was really addressed or discussed, no epilogue to let us know how events unfolded, just flipping from one page to the next and discovering there wasn't anything left to read. From the synopsis we get a clue as to how the story will unfold, so it was obvious from the start what had happened in Fiona's past, if not the specific details. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"...set against the backdrop of a post #metoo Hollywood..."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Additionally, the synopsis was VERY misleading. <i>Birds of California </i>was in no way like <i>Beach Read, The Kiss Quotient, </i>or <i>Red, While and Royal Blue </i>(all books I loved). Those were terrible comparisons for this story. It's also NOT a romantic comedy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know this was a review copy, but there were a ridiculous number of spelling and grammar errors in this book. I started marking them as I went along, but decided to give up after about twenty or so sticky notes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"Would you mind you trying it again?"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"...can almost feel he squish of it underneath..."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Also, Sam masturbates all the time. Bored? Jerks off. Hungry? Jerks off twice and then eats some baby carrots. He watches porn and acts like a total <i>dude</i>, but it was still weird that the author felt the need to mention how often he decided to get himself off throughout the book. He also mentions his mouth "tasting" like jockstraps after he's been drinking (pretty sure he made this reference more than once), and I just want to know <i>how </i>he knew what that would taste like . . . Personal experience? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Don't even get me started on the sex. It was weird and not at all relatable. I almost wish the author had chosen to fade-to-black instead of making me read through the nonsense that was their "romance" in this book. They were talking and sort of insulting each other as foreplay, and then suddenly it was "happening for him." Seriously, her whispering something about lying in his ear shouldn't have made him blow his load like that. <i>Especially with how frequently he gets himself off . . . </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sam Fox was a coward. He let his agent walk all over him and claimed it was due to inexperience and a lack of understanding, but that was a cop out. He just didn't want to put forth the effort required to learn and do something about it. He also sought Fiona out for purely selfish reasons, was embarrassed by her outbursts, and didn't even ask her what her nightmare was about. Sam only cared about himself and what <i>he </i>could gain (or lose) from a situation. He was a garbage person that didn't deserve what little time she gave him. He was a terrible friend, an awful brother, and an even worse son. He's broke, can't pay his rent, but cares A LOT about how the public perceives him. Immature, shallow, obnoxious - the list goes on. He definitely wasn't a heartthrob or anything to swoon over.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I turned the last page, my first thought was: "What the fuck was that?" I couldn't understand how it had ended without actually ending. Other problems I had . . . </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1) Why did Fiona's dad suddenly decide to be present? What triggered his need to be involved again after checking out for nearly a decade? It wasn't believable, nor was it explained.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2) Does Sam eventually dump Russ and get an agent that actually gives a shit? Why was his agent being cagey and condescending to begin with??</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3) How did Estelle get Sam's number? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4) It's worth mentioning again that the sex was weird and not romantic AT ALL. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5) Knew where the story was going even though we got a lackluster explanation from Fiona when she FINALLY decided to talk to Sam about it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">6) WHAT HAPPENED WITH JAMIE? Were there repercussions? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">7) What were Fiona's nightmares about? Why did she like True Crime so much? Why was it helpful??</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">8) It feels like we learn absolutely nothing about Sam and Fiona. What makes them tick? I wanted more background information to explain why they were the way they were. We're basically forced to accept them as is, and they were both horrible. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I really, really wanted to like this one, but it was bad. I wish I could get those hours back . . . (★★⋆☆☆)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.</i></div></div></div></div><p></p>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-83636932405749560082022-04-13T21:40:00.004-04:002022-04-13T22:43:04.406-04:00DNF&Y [41]<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvjjNcQdoXYtx4DNtqZb1LpPL4xUs6vyDT7tXYDJeUGqNcUp8wFAyBoBBtRRsBfkT_O9mCrVJCVLhejOSnJZLCDhIMPHDW12tB2l8_VVUgZkJSGR3TJh9wAy9yvZnNSbhy-qkc5ddh0OKSfUGeAwS1Q0QeSUH_Z4xm0RNruVNOXtXztzrslBKQw/s302/DNF&Y5.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvjjNcQdoXYtx4DNtqZb1LpPL4xUs6vyDT7tXYDJeUGqNcUp8wFAyBoBBtRRsBfkT_O9mCrVJCVLhejOSnJZLCDhIMPHDW12tB2l8_VVUgZkJSGR3TJh9wAy9yvZnNSbhy-qkc5ddh0OKSfUGeAwS1Q0QeSUH_Z4xm0RNruVNOXtXztzrslBKQw/s16000/DNF&Y5.PNG" /></a></div>DNF&Y is used to explain why I gave up on certain books, and what about them just didn't work for me. What I disliked about a book might be something you love, so it helps to share your thoughts even when they're negative! <br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJSdKW4Lm1qIxhDAeO_tl49wGtx9plvvAnunNjIS058CMQbRQzIm6ecfwJAXeKmxNNYcY8lcFWL8GKIXmlPiSm-ntIVW-aOvw2UgbyPW1HVae3Gvadkx0drsnWH6M1Or7bO5-yOIY-MKfjAHQxcrj_gnp2vA9uh_J4nBQ2uVyAAYCibAnB27znPg/s469/55528024._SX318_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJSdKW4Lm1qIxhDAeO_tl49wGtx9plvvAnunNjIS058CMQbRQzIm6ecfwJAXeKmxNNYcY8lcFWL8GKIXmlPiSm-ntIVW-aOvw2UgbyPW1HVae3Gvadkx0drsnWH6M1Or7bO5-yOIY-MKfjAHQxcrj_gnp2vA9uh_J4nBQ2uVyAAYCibAnB27znPg/s320/55528024._SX318_.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><b><i>Heartless </i>(Immortal Enemies, #1) by Gena Showalter</b><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Synopsis (via <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55528024-heartless" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>): </b><i><b>Vengeance is irresistible…</b><br /><br />Kaysar the Unhinged One, fae King of Midnight, can drive anyone to madness with his song. A ruthless warrior forged in hate, he lives to force his enemies to their knees. He will stop at nothing to succeed—even abduct and seduce his foe’s beloved bride, ensuring his own child one day sits on the male’s throne. Except, his prize escapes to the mortal realm before the first kiss, her heart transplanted into a mortal beauty with dangerous secrets…<br /><br />Chantel “Cookie” Bardot is a professional gamer girl great at trash talking, bad at peopling. After a long awaited surgery, she begins to morph into a powerful fae princess. Catapulted into a strange land ruled by a cruel but seductive villain, she must battle flesh and blood monsters and navigate royal intrigues. But the true danger is Kaysar, whose every wicked touch tempts her beyond reason. Should she run…or descend into the darkness with him?</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0o8hkS84RluSppp_MIFY1mIjzVqE57NfX0gPmckMRWWI88z0Q2Y6KP88LsjUw07ax12TkMge9tXFw1Mcrfr1S91qx_P_8uC7oMI99Vpwg4eAXStzgilXzP3HAHNO0MN7x6_WqUT-UDCVE6eqdrQfmato034LZaB09gtZFKEhTjtyiXxpoy_U8cQ/s987/divider%20%232.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0o8hkS84RluSppp_MIFY1mIjzVqE57NfX0gPmckMRWWI88z0Q2Y6KP88LsjUw07ax12TkMge9tXFw1Mcrfr1S91qx_P_8uC7oMI99Vpwg4eAXStzgilXzP3HAHNO0MN7x6_WqUT-UDCVE6eqdrQfmato034LZaB09gtZFKEhTjtyiXxpoy_U8cQ/w640-h28/divider%20%232.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>When I saw a book by Gena Showalter on NetGalley, I immediately requested it. Unfortunately, it was the second book in a series (really wish they'd listed that somewhere in the description), and after doing a little research realized it would be better if I read them in order. Luckily, my library had a physical copy of <i>Heartless </i>that I was able to snag. Sadly, this book was a major flop, and not at all what I expected from Showalter. </div><div><br /></div><div>For starters, both of the main characters were fucking psychopaths that needed therapy and possibly a padded room somewhere. Chantel "Cookie" said she was "murder curious" before ever leaving the human realm, and didn't really balk when she inevitably killed others. Kaysar's vengeance was understandable, if a little over-the-top. Although, I wasn't sure why the need to destroy his enemies overpowered his desire to search for his sister. Sure, one was more easily accessible than the other, but he seemed like a pretty motivated dude. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Also, Cookie??? Do you have any idea how distracting it is to be reading about blood and gore only to have the character referred to as a snack? Every time I read the word "Cookie" it lessened the severity of the story. I think it was a poor choice in character names, and the one Kaysar eventually gives her isn't much better. Briar Rose? Seriously? It was unoriginal and unimaginative. I also have no idea if I'm pronouncing his name correctly, and stopped trying to sound out his last name entirely. </div><div><br /></div><div>The worldbuilding was lacking, the characters were dull and simple, and the story was repetitive and unnecessarily long. Additionally, the mental whiplash from the main characters was exhausting and exasperating in equal measure. Basically, it went like this:</div><div><br /></div><div>Chantel: "You lied to me! I'll never forgive you!"</div><div>Kaysar: "I promise to do better."</div><div>Chantel: "Okay! One more chance."</div><div>Kaysar: <i>*allows another truth to surface*</i></div><div>Chantel: "You lied to me! I'm leaving!"</div><div>Kaysar: "I will give you jewels! Also, I will do better."</div><div>Chantel: "Of course! You're sexy! One more chance, okay?"</div><div>Kaysar: "VENGEANCE SHALL BE MINE!"</div><div>Chantel: <i>*gleefully murders everyone*</i></div><div>Kaysar: "You are perfection."</div><div>Chantel: "I think I want to go home now."</div><div>Kaysar: "MINE."</div><div>Chantel: "You're so hot when you're angry."</div><div><br /></div><div>It was basically this for 200+ pages. There was no character growth, no exploration of the world, and just mind-numbing dialogue between two unhinged people. Chantel assumes she can navigate Kaysar's world because - get this - she played a VIDEO GAME that was similar. Killing in the game and killing in real life? Why would that be different? It was obnoxious. Her understanding of the world was limited, yet she thought she could just <i>survive </i>without too many problems. I got about halfway before calling it quits. (★★⋆☆☆)</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6WLQDymO170Kdsrtt2yM51GnpZ3pGbztgk4L4CA1oQGtTtv4VLVmb7bZPopkKVCyzc3KVbdNV77Or3jnWu8ZRnuTmNBllaD4PkQSVmqhJ10ei0mO9F-9JULAbituWcUtu1_N9sBVBATTDThj5fTlBkYHDrgq3_m4azrNsmukcoEN2eizRW64ig/s436/Divider%20%234.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="436" height="61" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy6WLQDymO170Kdsrtt2yM51GnpZ3pGbztgk4L4CA1oQGtTtv4VLVmb7bZPopkKVCyzc3KVbdNV77Or3jnWu8ZRnuTmNBllaD4PkQSVmqhJ10ei0mO9F-9JULAbituWcUtu1_N9sBVBATTDThj5fTlBkYHDrgq3_m4azrNsmukcoEN2eizRW64ig/w200-h61/Divider%20%234.PNG" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYG3g3sAKpnVdeFD7eK2yQPCVnLkCakRfHazH3baZcBlLXVYiWD-afn50vYW7kmA65Raxj68hSIZmRjritsNMEOrhJC_81xpBsRu5NAlCBVmKoUX8Tm69g6Y_rTV2EYtOn3lT8K07xo0g-TLpvtEPXjNaYiZ4MPMhZFzaZLTZdF90NpsAid4q8g/s400/53138158.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYG3g3sAKpnVdeFD7eK2yQPCVnLkCakRfHazH3baZcBlLXVYiWD-afn50vYW7kmA65Raxj68hSIZmRjritsNMEOrhJC_81xpBsRu5NAlCBVmKoUX8Tm69g6Y_rTV2EYtOn3lT8K07xo0g-TLpvtEPXjNaYiZ4MPMhZFzaZLTZdF90NpsAid4q8g/s320/53138158.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><b><i>You Have a Match </i>by Emma Lord</b></div><div><b>🎧 Narrated by Eva Kaminsky</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Synopsis (via <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53138158-you-have-a-match?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=CLSrjZd25J&rank=4" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>): </b><i><b>A new love, a secret sister, and a summer she'll never forget.</b><br /><br />When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is already: Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to Leo and Connie … although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front.<br /><br />But she didn’t know she’s a younger sister.<br /><br />When the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re from the same planet, never mind the same parents—especially considering Savannah, queen of green smoothies, is only a year and a half older than Abby herself.<br /><br />The logical course of action? Meet up at summer camp (obviously) and figure out why Abby’s parents gave Savvy up for adoption. But there are complications: Savvy is a rigid rule-follower and total narc. Leo is the camp’s co-chef, putting Abby's growing feelings for him on blast. And her parents have a secret that threatens to unravel everything.<br /><br />But part of life is showing up, leaning in, and learning to fit all your awkward pieces together. Because sometimes, the hardest things can also be the best ones.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkc1z3iX5LeAZ6Eg1wCBZxyDdiMRvL9jlUgxXa9nCtsrFrnXa5fXuf-7HMg_Gf19Jz9t7DT8gdFrQM5PlrlhmPw2mGNNe-kqLuNwdwtWq2c8g_sC-wPwQ62FzV0Xt7GEB7VQCX7QZvGyb4IosYyqRi_k23MItKdZHFgZNcG4IJXcNDl_Ias6MJUg/s987/divider%20%232.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkc1z3iX5LeAZ6Eg1wCBZxyDdiMRvL9jlUgxXa9nCtsrFrnXa5fXuf-7HMg_Gf19Jz9t7DT8gdFrQM5PlrlhmPw2mGNNe-kqLuNwdwtWq2c8g_sC-wPwQ62FzV0Xt7GEB7VQCX7QZvGyb4IosYyqRi_k23MItKdZHFgZNcG4IJXcNDl_Ias6MJUg/w640-h28/divider%20%232.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />The lack of communication in this book was slowly driving me insane. There were soooo many secrets and "missed opportunities" for honest conversations. And it wasn't just the kids . . . the adults were equally shady and evasive. At one point I actually wanted to SCREAM IN FRUSTRATION. That's when I knew I needed to stop trying to finish this book. It clearly wasn't working for me, and I'm not going to force myself to continue something I'm not enjoying.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>The narrator was great, so bonus points for that. </i></div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately, everything else about the book made me cringe. The awkwardness between Abby and Leo, her reluctance to confront anyone about anything, and even the relationship between her and Savvy. Abby had so many opportunities to talk to Leo, Connie, her parents, Savvy, and yet she chose to avoid, avoid, and avoid some more. Every time I <i>thought </i>a conversation was inevitable, something would conveniently happen that kept her from being able to talk about it. I can excuse one or two "unexpected" disruptions, but it can't happen over and over again and still be believable. (★★☆☆☆)</div>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-31716924703043887112022-04-12T10:43:00.008-04:002022-04-12T11:16:17.903-04:00Ice Planet Barbarians (Ice Planet Barbarians, #1) by Ruby Dixon <p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbsnupC_Nfv1MicmGmcQzvbejrOiNpFbmT2uxXyhKDWjXcrzfkGsZk2ncI78WCUtud1Fd22lj93wc4r7xETNClfXvCy5c_1lY66YY1ZtOvJWxii62jSHoDPh0TcHmQRwL6m_FW4R1KhnTmpb8uleINjK8eoHIP1a6mAIAtc22wERd-jpiBQ1HLw/s1280/58777736.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbsnupC_Nfv1MicmGmcQzvbejrOiNpFbmT2uxXyhKDWjXcrzfkGsZk2ncI78WCUtud1Fd22lj93wc4r7xETNClfXvCy5c_1lY66YY1ZtOvJWxii62jSHoDPh0TcHmQRwL6m_FW4R1KhnTmpb8uleINjK8eoHIP1a6mAIAtc22wERd-jpiBQ1HLw/s320/58777736.jpg" width="213" /></a><div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Synopsis (via <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58777736-ice-planet-barbarians" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>): </b><i><b>Fall in love with the out-of-this-world romance between Georgie Carruthers, a human woman, and Vektal, an alien from another planet, in this expanded edition with bonus materials and an exclusive epilogue--in print only!</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>You'd think being abducted by aliens would be the worst thing that could happen to me. And you'd be wrong. Because now the aliens are having ship trouble, and they've left their cargo of human women--including me--on an ice planet.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>We're not equipped for life in this desolate winter wasteland. Since I'm the unofficial leader, I head out into the snow to look for help.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>I find help all right. A big blue horned alien introduces himself in a rather . . . startling way. Vektal says that I'm his mate, his chosen female--and that the reason his chest is purring is because of my presence. He'll help me and my people survive, but this poses a new problem.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>If Vektal helps us survive, I'm not sure he's going to want to let me go.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimd7W1GiTgydgQ2qDXYsMpSEvaEE-WbfrNMujPg6WdZBOKhSTQQDpGFXF8iBOK-YFT9jRx5wXqYO2HYshZ0GAHZ_MxarLhvokOIWfqbLdoqFUEoAekkoGMXTe6PUsAQgX0lJaCyeNtLQxRky_pcHMHIPuqS9zsYZH6P3jC220b52l21cru97TaSQ/s987/divider%20%232.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimd7W1GiTgydgQ2qDXYsMpSEvaEE-WbfrNMujPg6WdZBOKhSTQQDpGFXF8iBOK-YFT9jRx5wXqYO2HYshZ0GAHZ_MxarLhvokOIWfqbLdoqFUEoAekkoGMXTe6PUsAQgX0lJaCyeNtLQxRky_pcHMHIPuqS9zsYZH6P3jC220b52l21cru97TaSQ/w640-h28/divider%20%232.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I love that <i>Ice Planet Barbarians </i>is something Ruby Dixon initially wrote just for herself. It took <i>years </i>for this book to spiral into the success it is today, and it was totally unexpected. (The power of TikTok, right?) Dixon loved Science Fiction but wanted something <i>more. </i>She wanted something she couldn't find in the books that were already written, so she decided to create her own world and write her own story. <i>All of this is in the author's note. </i>She didn't write this book with the intention of it becoming a bestseller, she wrote it because it made her happy to have blue, pussy-eating aliens with ridged dicks who are led by their khui's and live on a desolate ice planet.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Vektal and his fellow Sa-khui are massive and fierce, but they're also insanely protective of their women and mates. I really liked their reverence for Georgie and the other human women, and how they treated them with the utmost care and respect (initial, non-consensual oral sex aside). And the purring! The idea of a khui resonating in someone's chest - a vibration that rumbled throughout their body - was one that always made me smile. I like when characters are "fated mates" and thought the physical manifestation of their connection was a nice addition to the story.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Does this book have a super deep plot with various fleshed out secondary characters? No. Is that what I expected when I picked up this book? Nope. <i>Ice Planet Barbarians </i>is exactly what I thought it would be: a smutty sci-fi romance with steamy sex scenes and a tolerable storyline. The story wasn't <i>bad</i>, but it's definitely not believable. You absolutely have to suspend your disbelief for this one to work, and certain aspects of the book were entirely too convenient (like how their language barrier was resolved). Did any of that detract from my overall enjoyment of the book? Not even a little. I thoroughly enjoyed reading <i>Ice Planet Barbarians</i>, because I didn't go into it with any expectations other that <i>hot alien sex.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I do dislike that the author changed part of her book because people found a certain aspect upsetting. She had her reasons for including it (she wanted to show how high the stakes were for Georgie and the others), but decided to remove the explicit details to make it more palatable. Dixon said she decided it didn't belong in the book, but she did originally publish it with the rape scene included, and it was there for years before being removed and only vaguely referred to. We all know what's happening even if the author only alludes to it. It's not like the act itself was removed from the book, just mentioned instead of outright explained. I wish the author hadn't changed her book because other people wanted her to, but I can also understand why she did it. (★★★★☆)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I plan on reading the next book in the series and want to thank Berkley Romance for the copies! I also want to thank <a href="https://blissfullybookish.com/" target="_blank">Blissfully Bookish</a> for the merch (picture originally posted on my Instagram).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJFqjfXtzaFSUlxX2GL1TEahHjXqiHkEyiaviB9V675A0Kxblc6tumZmPX9RLshWubjligVizy0eOtq4gYatDXJ9QefmhNVB6TlnNoswuzCu1LjZB2TvcbhDFBWMpbgRcB_jPWS3PRR2oak0eY5gxQmeUt_bhelys1ASzMkzaTwPvDEtd7UMPHw/s3000/IMG_20220308_150709_873.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdJFqjfXtzaFSUlxX2GL1TEahHjXqiHkEyiaviB9V675A0Kxblc6tumZmPX9RLshWubjligVizy0eOtq4gYatDXJ9QefmhNVB6TlnNoswuzCu1LjZB2TvcbhDFBWMpbgRcB_jPWS3PRR2oak0eY5gxQmeUt_bhelys1ASzMkzaTwPvDEtd7UMPHw/s320/IMG_20220308_150709_873.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div></div></div><p></p>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-82303419462996830812022-04-01T11:55:00.002-04:002022-05-13T12:06:05.086-04:00State of the ARC [34]<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEsaO0VPm-UdWwd0tO24XzlxRT35f1gpxSk3FtD9szik1KCYfPs-LbfpM_RPHOzBw2ODZUoQae6KZ1jAz-lZByhmpk_y2ELpKphiwgeKuM6caL8hzq161S-rX4BYe3HwcS1D0cC3yXPQXfHeJqpGkJMBF4MPqTLK7Dg_Uzj5QPfFQjT2umFoTDA/s506/SOTA.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="93" data-original-width="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEsaO0VPm-UdWwd0tO24XzlxRT35f1gpxSk3FtD9szik1KCYfPs-LbfpM_RPHOzBw2ODZUoQae6KZ1jAz-lZByhmpk_y2ELpKphiwgeKuM6caL8hzq161S-rX4BYe3HwcS1D0cC3yXPQXfHeJqpGkJMBF4MPqTLK7Dg_Uzj5QPfFQjT2umFoTDA/s16000/SOTA.PNG" /></a></div>State of the ARC is a monthly meme hosted by Avalinah at <a href="http://avalinahsbooks.space/state-arc-meme/">Avalinah's Books</a>! It's an opportunity for readers to catch up on their long overdue ARCs, but right now I'm using it to keep up with my upcoming ARCs instead. It helps me stay organized! <i>Edit: State of the ARC is currently being hosted by Sarah (<a href="https://allthebookblognamesaretaken.blogspot.com/?amp=1">All the Book Blog Names Are Taken</a>) while Evelina is on hiatus.</i><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4j1DdSnXN8vgMUiXcxwCOo9gpkBsXFbbGaohGpt20wsKBUc9puUr7X0P4yZb-2UTiTG0xe8CjlgLF_gNNoQXmB8ChHlRG6R4cGA38WtAeznT9YCkH_DitHBMPD4pYugTdzK9OnVc6iyXkSd78a9-CW6xxXghx8o4PaoAkEYESDBYPWyRl_WWL0w/s160/final%20april.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="160" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4j1DdSnXN8vgMUiXcxwCOo9gpkBsXFbbGaohGpt20wsKBUc9puUr7X0P4yZb-2UTiTG0xe8CjlgLF_gNNoQXmB8ChHlRG6R4cGA38WtAeznT9YCkH_DitHBMPD4pYugTdzK9OnVc6iyXkSd78a9-CW6xxXghx8o4PaoAkEYESDBYPWyRl_WWL0w/s1600/final%20april.png" width="160" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkYu7kuXCuOpkxSl4MoQMugptTJcNvvtgPEm8gvRZfqq6OMfECMNDu0l2Oik9p1gM-QmdYr0rlawnRAHm9SXVM-aCQs9QOFmF0JIoXR3qjScVATK3tBY9UqsIyBf_hoASqujCaDtAh5p9TKSLR2aImiSIagHPUizEab1ReJENxzKWLSwrVaklwJg/s1620/58537381.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkYu7kuXCuOpkxSl4MoQMugptTJcNvvtgPEm8gvRZfqq6OMfECMNDu0l2Oik9p1gM-QmdYr0rlawnRAHm9SXVM-aCQs9QOFmF0JIoXR3qjScVATK3tBY9UqsIyBf_hoASqujCaDtAh5p9TKSLR2aImiSIagHPUizEab1ReJENxzKWLSwrVaklwJg/w133-h200/58537381.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHG1igmALrX4Oi4ZQLYRjBp_RKuw4MGzJca2lMtZP6VHUDt2wfDfqH_GIkxvakKG4NjCM2LGrJnelqBFtUZQ-CD_qkOAVPRfvHMt0vYxk2d71mynKz_VFDhCcDcY3vTKCSvT81OHKPtVTweTLj65Tcu-teinDXN9RxTjJLbePDM5-cWXrC8O4q8w/s2113/58438605.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHG1igmALrX4Oi4ZQLYRjBp_RKuw4MGzJca2lMtZP6VHUDt2wfDfqH_GIkxvakKG4NjCM2LGrJnelqBFtUZQ-CD_qkOAVPRfvHMt0vYxk2d71mynKz_VFDhCcDcY3vTKCSvT81OHKPtVTweTLj65Tcu-teinDXN9RxTjJLbePDM5-cWXrC8O4q8w/w133-h200/58438605.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ5QmPpUWEeve46c-9U61vbjkCMqJ5msrPLdprk8t3IjKbqhFOggXsFlG4PM3n47Uu-2-5Kd4RRc6E1vfZFiKHo0X3alRQVYE-czW3JH3TVcwubsToXmGGm_rcBmliSWWQQcl1BAvLv__c_pmbAJnS_NWVFY-RHkcMo0QEmMq4qCC5PNEaQHXJNw/s2550/54559069.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ5QmPpUWEeve46c-9U61vbjkCMqJ5msrPLdprk8t3IjKbqhFOggXsFlG4PM3n47Uu-2-5Kd4RRc6E1vfZFiKHo0X3alRQVYE-czW3JH3TVcwubsToXmGGm_rcBmliSWWQQcl1BAvLv__c_pmbAJnS_NWVFY-RHkcMo0QEmMq4qCC5PNEaQHXJNw/w129-h200/54559069.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9O-T5lvZhmRR_ksHS5q4d9nlQwLr66_13QOXech_vtxLLxiQX3RLw_ZiWGZwaSHlSEgdd-5WcO0kLPbaMcuJQribRHV5d3pqixc8jm4JadnLN2kplcb4o5g8HAMaqAeRt5L_de_2y9VLEUzeEwHCrnDD3DYyM21P-yKPGUNJb1ZvNJDikPe0GEQ/s1510/58505133.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9O-T5lvZhmRR_ksHS5q4d9nlQwLr66_13QOXech_vtxLLxiQX3RLw_ZiWGZwaSHlSEgdd-5WcO0kLPbaMcuJQribRHV5d3pqixc8jm4JadnLN2kplcb4o5g8HAMaqAeRt5L_de_2y9VLEUzeEwHCrnDD3DYyM21P-yKPGUNJb1ZvNJDikPe0GEQ/w133-h200/58505133.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3aeijoH4JhtzcACfb5yjrwWHIdqTkXixRsL4mwGzlmovxzzWMTDUET6vZCJ5GzJH0REiPK93e3hIkQzBvqeNpRjkTm9QIxJ51mG6jzVVurl0dTTuqIkk8FpPeAWmCu_Rpd9qoPGBGNTBvyJZ8EpVTrYNP_z1yo1ze4xom67YLngs-kuwM27l8cg/s1000/59028605.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3aeijoH4JhtzcACfb5yjrwWHIdqTkXixRsL4mwGzlmovxzzWMTDUET6vZCJ5GzJH0REiPK93e3hIkQzBvqeNpRjkTm9QIxJ51mG6jzVVurl0dTTuqIkk8FpPeAWmCu_Rpd9qoPGBGNTBvyJZ8EpVTrYNP_z1yo1ze4xom67YLngs-kuwM27l8cg/w133-h200/59028605.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58537381" target="_blank">At Least You Have Your Health</a> </i>by Madi Sinha (4/5)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58438605" target="_blank">The Sign for Home</a> </i>by Blair Fell (4/5)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54559069" target="_blank">This May End Badly</a></i> by Samantha Markum (4/12)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58505133" target="_blank">Like a House on Fire</a> </i>by Lauren McBrayer (4/26)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a 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class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ZuJZpwXx8kfKChBRUyAxxIRqvYF6Ts2D02A1h4OwMLhkR--Xaa0yZUbhRjnaCmTK-99Co8QhYyyw-KyqRSDO79_zdceY0z6xwgWwt_VMBZrJE0RJqvMdLWTzsuNUPq-EPr-iMMxZ66yLj-Ikn_YNETnlmHHZQZYWKL2q7NVGCluwlQoCoYaa2g/s160/june.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="160" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ZuJZpwXx8kfKChBRUyAxxIRqvYF6Ts2D02A1h4OwMLhkR--Xaa0yZUbhRjnaCmTK-99Co8QhYyyw-KyqRSDO79_zdceY0z6xwgWwt_VMBZrJE0RJqvMdLWTzsuNUPq-EPr-iMMxZ66yLj-Ikn_YNETnlmHHZQZYWKL2q7NVGCluwlQoCoYaa2g/s1600/june.png" width="160" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a 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src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWoS5WGdi1Nbk3qt3pD_EWdsUdFhzKxr4_sV_Jb9NPBEhXh9c0a-1Efd2A6PE4XwffUkVj8tMHM6OmahYYV2J1uVSra7q3BVG4zk8WbrAgOkZfrM8KVSf6bxAtos8DtEZwJ28knlDvYmhw5vQLJrdxPyJ9Pb0ny23Dn3vUwKh56y1sHP6tLGQNw/w134-h200/59575933.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58724876" target="_blank">Fake It Till You Bake It</a> </i>by Jamie Wesley (6/21)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59089871" target="_blank">Gilt</a> </i>by Jamie Brenner (6/21)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58957873" target="_blank">This Vicious Grace</a></i> (The Last Finestra, #1) by Emily Thiede (6/28)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58466635" target="_blank">One of the Girls</a> </i>by Lucy Clarke (6/28)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a 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Rosen (6/28)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOjym3Ep9YUukNA7WLv6_VxvGCNVCqsDT9PY4B9ow7IqIxecdnGKfMkM1b2y3Q2ukpUoO4hCBHkCDxRc4o_7OQdFrpam8V53-KbxH-6fZXqSGPQTgAvgcWo69VG8q_TBVWovbO9vYSkNvL2S_F_kdmZbxAJRdnVttk2K_diR2xA5dUDzdtR2oi2A/s160/july%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="160" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOjym3Ep9YUukNA7WLv6_VxvGCNVCqsDT9PY4B9ow7IqIxecdnGKfMkM1b2y3Q2ukpUoO4hCBHkCDxRc4o_7OQdFrpam8V53-KbxH-6fZXqSGPQTgAvgcWo69VG8q_TBVWovbO9vYSkNvL2S_F_kdmZbxAJRdnVttk2K_diR2xA5dUDzdtR2oi2A/s1600/july%20(1).png" width="160" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJLcO441SWvbMi2jpQNiZcJpn-yhZjFfmkiRulX0RZH-sMRgWRvNoICjbKeYxqT8OViR4C5XAuB1WT3P4LkWFF_esAut1L5D7NuXAzFiBz2XBpStU8ptU9DONbac9SgEr01yOStpliDcnIA0SYiYYGNUZvQ0IuBvN7OkUvza-a5-wMLA6Grzn2g/s400/58784475.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJLcO441SWvbMi2jpQNiZcJpn-yhZjFfmkiRulX0RZH-sMRgWRvNoICjbKeYxqT8OViR4C5XAuB1WT3P4LkWFF_esAut1L5D7NuXAzFiBz2XBpStU8ptU9DONbac9SgEr01yOStpliDcnIA0SYiYYGNUZvQ0IuBvN7OkUvza-a5-wMLA6Grzn2g/w131-h200/58784475.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlsdWaa4agWKskWcvlRHCyhnORlPjDflHjJRTf0JchTjGOKJo0OHcz90K7cQe-noUZyD_9YTv9uCU8Q8sXztR669HOHvcx8MA5up3e0bX5gpA8Bz6hc5Oi_3_pH8DPH1HU0-0hCzLo_MVS10IHF6LN31MXkLwvYM01yeeERv7h6-VG92X8qKOtIg/s475/60177420._SY475_.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlsdWaa4agWKskWcvlRHCyhnORlPjDflHjJRTf0JchTjGOKJo0OHcz90K7cQe-noUZyD_9YTv9uCU8Q8sXztR669HOHvcx8MA5up3e0bX5gpA8Bz6hc5Oi_3_pH8DPH1HU0-0hCzLo_MVS10IHF6LN31MXkLwvYM01yeeERv7h6-VG92X8qKOtIg/w133-h200/60177420._SY475_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Cw-g9uIuQEbRbxG0eGnORDjtdDl8A3nXxAxW_CFV_CNaTJyp0eWZh1qVjXvEEYhh6pA0FrKWdCZWzWEmVg6qBtjAf9JoXXEDhqgyrdugsHO8Mf2H7nyLHh3xXyh05tv38vGEKgDD_x6kjUzu7j925FntLEV3CZfOHLZftnI5lznOE3T4J7mHWA/s475/58447680._SY475_.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Cw-g9uIuQEbRbxG0eGnORDjtdDl8A3nXxAxW_CFV_CNaTJyp0eWZh1qVjXvEEYhh6pA0FrKWdCZWzWEmVg6qBtjAf9JoXXEDhqgyrdugsHO8Mf2H7nyLHh3xXyh05tv38vGEKgDD_x6kjUzu7j925FntLEV3CZfOHLZftnI5lznOE3T4J7mHWA/w125-h200/58447680._SY475_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5qYx2Lc7owSQ2wD2aMp2GpeL77fXG1l_q5aFpuzkvZ-8dRH0Ita_AFd0VzajcL5v4CRAreOuSG1Exb3EsPi3O8Cduz0QOqTFxQUlvrJiUiPMB8SwE9WAramOIMwWB0JOmV_SKPYedQJ_c8_CYZcQ1ywx4gbLYejClv6ZgYC-8Q2a_gK-5znaGQ/s383/59741203.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5qYx2Lc7owSQ2wD2aMp2GpeL77fXG1l_q5aFpuzkvZ-8dRH0Ita_AFd0VzajcL5v4CRAreOuSG1Exb3EsPi3O8Cduz0QOqTFxQUlvrJiUiPMB8SwE9WAramOIMwWB0JOmV_SKPYedQJ_c8_CYZcQ1ywx4gbLYejClv6ZgYC-8Q2a_gK-5znaGQ/w133-h200/59741203.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58784475" target="_blank">Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow</a></i> by Gabrielle Zevin (7/5)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60177420" target="_blank">Any Other Family</a> </i>by Eleanor Brown (7/12)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58447680" target="_blank">What Moves the Dead</a> </i>by T. 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text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53303346" target="_blank">The Stars Between Us</a> </i>by Cristin Terrill (8/2)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58041846" target="_blank">Bend Toward the Sun</a></i> by Jen Devon (8/9)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58994635" target="_blank">Ruthless</a> </i>(Immortal Enemies, #2) by Gena Showalter (8/9)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59754147" target="_blank">Luck and Last Resorts</a> </i>(Love, Lists & Fancy Ships, #2) by Sarah Grunder Ruiz (8/9)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fHahOqK9-hQv_2mlfjfVuziOZe4BTty9H1qKiCT9P6Xneo_bjWj-Xtmdys3gWIQberKsSlffNTB698tNP38ZhWTavZYPbumgdTkjY4_k06-4QoGof5I7-Lm1-h1cKV1CuJE4MzyzG7hTadWp9sWW-GzrEguWXYhx18KEZT-6G7quApWiPZrKyw/s160/september%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="160" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fHahOqK9-hQv_2mlfjfVuziOZe4BTty9H1qKiCT9P6Xneo_bjWj-Xtmdys3gWIQberKsSlffNTB698tNP38ZhWTavZYPbumgdTkjY4_k06-4QoGof5I7-Lm1-h1cKV1CuJE4MzyzG7hTadWp9sWW-GzrEguWXYhx18KEZT-6G7quApWiPZrKyw/s1600/september%20(1).png" width="160" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPk_GO1aGsloYoUPdMp33Ri8FwH8lRVl1gjuT1x__RjEVM528Bvxd95J9wsVaMlXusQTlnwnU2eOpMpA4GPWzhZ4yCQssTTAW_GsvlPHYeaFVnYtFaq5vRlvBYYEVAWZIY4PgFImO9Qkn4C3MMXr_C__ZXSqYfEDUNSMYK4LYhs76fONTeaG2EAQ/s448/55541407._SX318_.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPk_GO1aGsloYoUPdMp33Ri8FwH8lRVl1gjuT1x__RjEVM528Bvxd95J9wsVaMlXusQTlnwnU2eOpMpA4GPWzhZ4yCQssTTAW_GsvlPHYeaFVnYtFaq5vRlvBYYEVAWZIY4PgFImO9Qkn4C3MMXr_C__ZXSqYfEDUNSMYK4LYhs76fONTeaG2EAQ/w142-h200/55541407._SX318_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROJch5SNJup4tRcUBdoO6cMDjQy7iatCNvrgOvkG8GPLUVZZhYI9LAuZRPVdxu0pzFnI91vDFDr10mryl2JP4Y1exfr8y1QiL1RrZlqEVQewTvUQt_5uBuKEdLpB4Y9UYd56oZp7s3YPmF8mH28Xb6whtUF3oi6ZQegUjyOPjaOrDnk4ElgA9ww/s2048/59808330.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROJch5SNJup4tRcUBdoO6cMDjQy7iatCNvrgOvkG8GPLUVZZhYI9LAuZRPVdxu0pzFnI91vDFDr10mryl2JP4Y1exfr8y1QiL1RrZlqEVQewTvUQt_5uBuKEdLpB4Y9UYd56oZp7s3YPmF8mH28Xb6whtUF3oi6ZQegUjyOPjaOrDnk4ElgA9ww/w130-h200/59808330.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55541407" target="_blank">Hear Me</a> </i>by Kerry O'Malley Cerra (9/6)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59808330" target="_blank">The Make-Up Test</a> </i>by Jenny L. Howe (9/13)</div><p></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #4a4b4c; font-family: Handlee; font-size: 15.4px;"></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #4a4b4c; font-family: Handlee; font-size: 15.4px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></p>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-25761628613703290982022-03-23T14:40:00.003-04:002022-03-23T14:40:56.787-04:00Neon Gods (Dark Olympus, #1) by Katee Robert🎧 Narrated by Zara Hampton-Brown & Alex Moorcock<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNbqKbtlmfW-FmimbslfSvo3GNx59RzZBY3YePxlSdeWy2xH3yw22GGJowoJIf4eIsDIEflY8sk3stzeG1CIslfwXRPp8vaIPCFGvN4PUELkdOeaJSQNK7XCGc3QM9f9q3T39MqQniTP4Jqr0rdr9eyTeDdX6NNSi8fSTc4PVDMrOnTmffwdGbQ/s1446/54659771.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1446" data-original-width="965" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNbqKbtlmfW-FmimbslfSvo3GNx59RzZBY3YePxlSdeWy2xH3yw22GGJowoJIf4eIsDIEflY8sk3stzeG1CIslfwXRPp8vaIPCFGvN4PUELkdOeaJSQNK7XCGc3QM9f9q3T39MqQniTP4Jqr0rdr9eyTeDdX6NNSi8fSTc4PVDMrOnTmffwdGbQ/s320/54659771.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><b>Synopsis (via <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54659771-neon-gods" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>): </b><i><b>He was supposed to be a myth.<br />But from the moment I crossed the River Styx and fell under his dark spell... he was, quite simply, mine.<br /></b><br />Society darling Persephone Dimitriou plans to flee the ultra-modern city of Olympus and start over far from the backstabbing politics of the Thirteen Houses. But all that’s ripped away when her mother ambushes her with an engagement to Zeus, the dangerous power behind their glittering city’s dark facade.<br /><br />With no options left, Persephone flees to the forbidden undercity and makes a devil’s bargain with a man she once believed a myth... a man who awakens her to a world she never knew existed.<br /><br />Hades has spent his life in the shadows, and he has no intention of stepping into the light. But when he finds that Persephone can offer a little slice of the revenge he’s spent years craving, it’s all the excuse he needs to help her—for a price. Yet every breathless night spent tangled together has given Hades a taste for Persephone, and he’ll go to war with Olympus itself to keep her close…<br /><br />A modern retelling of Hades and Persephone that’s as sinful as it is sweet.</i><div><i><br /></i><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5RZioaVAbOIGm_mYLyI_HgnlPGXzK62W_uezdXHSenS0jeaxB7wnkFFgtBQsnBI8C5ijlV_Y8XfNx5J13h3q6BkBpxjO7lUDNgqVtKOjGvkndUUGygvQdyKz618v8c6pr7C_d4b902-1Ro_3iHB4R6wQl8CuWQSUkzSMZ-_BN1YO0INRq_jXTwg/s987/divider%20%232.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5RZioaVAbOIGm_mYLyI_HgnlPGXzK62W_uezdXHSenS0jeaxB7wnkFFgtBQsnBI8C5ijlV_Y8XfNx5J13h3q6BkBpxjO7lUDNgqVtKOjGvkndUUGygvQdyKz618v8c6pr7C_d4b902-1Ro_3iHB4R6wQl8CuWQSUkzSMZ-_BN1YO0INRq_jXTwg/w640-h28/divider%20%232.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Neon Gods </i>was ridiculously spicy! I can't remember the last time I was so turned on by a book. Hades was mouthwateringly hot, and Persephone was his equal in every way. She might not have been familiar with his particular <i>tastes </i>at the start of the book, but she was an enthusiastic participant. She managed to seduce the "Boogeyman" simply by being herself around him, and he was all too happy to act out her darkest fantasies. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Normally, a gruff and overprotective love interest irks me, but it really worked for this book. I enjoyed how Hades put Persephone's needs before his own, and how he would periodically pick her up and carry her around. He was doing it to keep her from hurting herself, and I adored him for it. He may have been growly and rough around the edges, but it was always about consent for him. He always checked on how she was doing, asked her if she was sure about certain things, and even made judgement calls based on how she was acting. If she seemed nervous or tense, he dropped everything and immediately changed their plans to something she'd be more comfortable with.</div><br />I loved that they actually discussed condoms, being tested, birth control, etc. It was very realistic and responsible. I also liked that the author chose to use normal words like <i>pussy </i>and <i>clit</i>. Normally, books go to great lengths to make a person's body parts sound like anything other than what they are. There was no "bundle of nerves" or "long, hard shaft," but characters simply naming parts of themselves. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>The narrators were fantastic! Although, Alex <i>Moorock</i>? Really? I have a hard time believing that's his real name, which means he chose it for this profession. Dork.</div><div><br /></div><div>My one issue with this book was it's believability. I wanted more clarity about the world they lived in, and how their namesakes played a role in the story. Apparently, the thirteen all took <u>positions</u><i> </i>that are reflective of the Greek Gods we're familiar with, which means they were other people entirely before climbing the social ladder in Olympus. If that's the case, who were they before becoming the elite force that rules the city? The legacy titles are inherited, but they too had to have other names before Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon. Demeter wasn't always Demeter, so did she just conveniently have four daughters with the right names, or did Persephone and her sisters adopt new names when their mother moved up in the world? I really wish all of that had been explained a little more, and really think it would have helped my overall enjoyment of the book. </div><div><br /></div><div>Regardless, it's definitely a series I plan on continuing. I can't wait to see what Robert has in store for us next! (★★★★☆)</div>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15824987442107017.post-6552525617947964582022-03-18T16:41:00.019-04:002022-04-05T17:49:38.858-04:00The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall <p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGjpirfSmm3Tp__om3k5lJ9Zk-RW1qDkOxowGtKusjWT806KfVyfKveDOhJfikQidCCXQS0cq2V3lIDKGXsmTgDuaB9iWlhepxpGDmZL31DPob69Z_850iKyzTTnGcuJ4iuqAhkTG7CMbCjpI9W0Ak2ls7Wlgpdy0VTIbKR1iyLdxaipGbUFeYcQ=s475" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGjpirfSmm3Tp__om3k5lJ9Zk-RW1qDkOxowGtKusjWT806KfVyfKveDOhJfikQidCCXQS0cq2V3lIDKGXsmTgDuaB9iWlhepxpGDmZL31DPob69Z_850iKyzTTnGcuJ4iuqAhkTG7CMbCjpI9W0Ak2ls7Wlgpdy0VTIbKR1iyLdxaipGbUFeYcQ=s320" width="212" /></a><div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Synopsis (via <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51710973-the-mermaid-the-witch-and-the-sea" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>): </b><i><b>A desperate orphan turned pirate and a rebellious imperial daughter find a connection on the high seas in a world divided by colonialism and threaded with magic.</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Aboard the pirate ship </i>Dove<i>, Flora the girl takes on the identity of Florian the man to earn the respect and protection of the crew. For Flora, former starving urchin, the brutal life of a pirate is about survival: don’t trust, don’t stick out, and don’t feel. But on this voyage, as the pirates prepare to sell their unsuspecting passengers into slavery, Flora is drawn to the Lady Evelyn Hasegawa, who is en route to a dreaded arranged marriage with her own casket in tow. Flora doesn’t expect to be taken under Evelyn’s wing, and Evelyn doesn’t expect to find such a deep bond with the pirate Florian.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Soon the unlikely pair set in motion a wild escape that will free a captured mermaid (coveted for her blood, which causes men to have visions and lose memories) and involve the mysterious Pirate Supreme, an opportunistic witch, and the all-encompassing Sea itself.</i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHYMJ5HlqBPEyBi_WBTOrzMF-BXx-FZvxulpPx9LoLfYIhii6TY2hgwHKhGDuR-cOMvUoIrMBAmNp_o4YSVO4Zji7NoWWsV2wWr9O1dkD4qOMqFPyhwDWRCgB2PZgwFOBJeU-g2aHZOg9Hs9EcFdaJSAYQim07h2_O6kjT1rKHDBbxsJyUgClmXw=s987" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="987" height="28" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHYMJ5HlqBPEyBi_WBTOrzMF-BXx-FZvxulpPx9LoLfYIhii6TY2hgwHKhGDuR-cOMvUoIrMBAmNp_o4YSVO4Zji7NoWWsV2wWr9O1dkD4qOMqFPyhwDWRCgB2PZgwFOBJeU-g2aHZOg9Hs9EcFdaJSAYQim07h2_O6kjT1rKHDBbxsJyUgClmXw=w640-h28" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div></div><div style="text-align: left;">I wanted to like this one more than I did, but the ARC felt too much like a rough draft and not something close to being finished. There were too many holes and unanswered questions, and not enough character development and plot. Evelyn and Flora/Florian (the two main characters) didn't grow or change throughout the book, and I was so disappointed by their lack of development (too one-dimensional for my liking).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We know Flora and her brother Alfie were orphaned as children, and Flora <i>(I'm going to use Flora instead of Florian for the purpose of this review, just because it's easier. They were genderfluid and went by both names in the story. They changed their name depending on their circumstances and what they needed to do to survive.)</i> Flora has very few memories of their parents, but I wish we knew how they ended up as orphans living on the street. I think it was a defining moment in their lives that the author just glossed over and only vaguely mentioned when it was necessary. They never knew their dad, but Flora remembers their mom hugging her and other warm memories. Why would her mom just up and leave them? Where did she go? It didn't make any sense. We needed more details and background information to really understand how their childhood shaped Flora and their actions.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As it stands, I didn't like Flora as a character. I'm all for morally gray characters in books, but there's still a line that shouldn't be crossed, if you want me to like the MC. For example, Flora has to kill to be accepted onto the <i>Dove </i>(happens right at the beginning), and to ask that of a child. . . it was wrong, but something I could have possibly gotten over if the conditions were right. Unfortunately, Flora looks the other way for YEARS while the ship they're on commits abhorrent atrocities. Not to mention the rape that was alluded to but never specifically confirmed. If you're going to include something as serious as rape, don't do it a disservice by brushing the harsh truths of it under the rug. They mentioned hearing someone's screams behind a locked door, and how no one did anything about it. They also spoke about another character having his way with the prisoners, but it felt wrong to minimize the impact of what was implied. More to the point, I can't support a character that looks the other way when children and innocent people are raped and sold into slavery to have only the gods know what happen to them. I don't care what their reasons are. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I also didn't like that it was mentioned <i>repeatedly</i>, like the author wanted to make sure we understood what was happening behind those closed doors. It was loud and clear the first time they glazed over the details and essentially used the romance equivalent of fade-to-black. Also, it felt like the author wanted us to sympathize - or at least understand - Rake, but he was a monster. I had no interest in his POV and didn't really know why it was necessary. I understand needing to play a part, but was there not a single genuinely decent person in this book? Killing to survive is one thing, watching others suffer so you don't have to is another. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As for Evelyn, she was too naive. She also wasn't very compassionate or considerate, even though I think that's how the author wanted to portray her. She left Keiko (her lady's maid, best friend, and sort of lover) without first making sure she'd be taken care of in her absence. She knew what kind of people of her parents were, and yet she did nothing to help her friend. Even when she went to write a letter, she "didn't know what to say," and it all just rubbed me the wrong way. Her basically forcing Florian into learning how to read was also frustrating. I get that it allowed them time to bond for the purposes of this book, but it was still obnoxious that Evelyn felt like she <i>had to help </i>him. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Insta-love. 😐 It wasn't remotely believable, but somehow these two fell in love amidst the shitshow that was their lives. Lies? "No problem." Betrayal? "You're the one for me, babe!" It was cringe-worthy the way these two jumped from acquaintances to lovers. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Evelyn's weird connection with the mermaid was never explained, which was really annoying. It was nice to her and seemed to care when she was around, but why? Additionally, her being able to figure out what mermaids ate when <i>no one else </i>has ever been able to . . . a little convenient. Did it propel the story? Yes. Did she immediately tell like 5 people what she discovered? You betcha. Why would she tell people how to keep a captured mermaid alive? Wouldn't that incentivize them to <i>keep stealing and killing the mermaids</i>???? Like, maybe keep that information a secret?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">What about the magic? Surely that added something to the story . . . Wrong. It was poorly explained, and I have absolutely no idea how it works. The story aspect was interesting, but if you want me to suspend my disbelief you have to make it believable. There's a song that's mentioned at the start of the book that ends up being VERY IMPORTANT, but it's never mentioned again (in its entirety), and I honestly have no idea why it even mattered. Xenobia seemed to think it did, but I wish the author had explained <i>why</i>. I almost flipped back to look for the song, but then decided it wasn't worth the effort. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I picked this book up back in 2020 when I received the ARC but stopped reading it when it didn't immediately capture my attention. I thought it was my mood, which ended up being partially true. I was invested enough this time to finish the book, but the ending left me feeling unsatisfied and more than a little annoyed. I really feel like <i>The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea </i>had the potential to be so much more than it was. It felt unfinished, like it was just the bones of the book. I heard there was going to be a sequel, and if it's from <i>that person's </i>POV (the person we see floating around at the end of this book), then I definitely don't want to read it. They were <i>horrible</i>. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Absolutely love the cover though! (★★⋆☆☆)</div></div></div><p></p>Lindsi http://www.blogger.com/profile/13480991226741687503noreply@blogger.com2