Magic Strikes & Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels, #3-4) by Ilona Andrews🎧 Narrated by Renee Raudman

Synopsis (via Goodreads): When magic strikes and Atlanta goes to pieces, it’s a job for Kate Daniels…

Drafted to work for the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid, mercenary Kate Daniels has more paranormal problems these days than she knows what to do with. And in Atlanta, where magic comes and goes like the tide, that’s saying a lot.   

But when Kate’s werewolf friend Derek is discovered nearly dead, she must confront her greatest challenge yet. As her investigation leads her to the Midnight Games—an invitation-only, no-holds-barred, ultimate preternatural fighting tournament—she and Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, uncover a dark plot that may forever alter the face of Atlanta’s shapeshifting community…

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Kate Daniels works for the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid, officially as a liaison with the mercenary guild. Unofficially, she cleans up the paranormal problems no one else wants to handle — especially if they involve Atlanta’s shapeshifting community.

When she’s called in to investigate a fight at the Steel Horse, a bar midway between the territories of the shapeshifters and the necromance, Kate quickly discovers there’s a new player in town. One who’s been around for thousands of years — and rode to war at the side of Kate’s father.

This foe may be too much even for Kate and Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, to handle. Because this time, Kate will be taking on family...

I’ll try to clean this post up once we get our computer repaired! All of my icons are on there, and I’m going to be really bummed if we lose all of our files. All my pictures of the kids are on there. 

I am devouring this series! Ilona Andrews is an amazing author duo that I discovered when a friend recommended Burn for Me. I instantly fell in love with their writing style and storytelling. Once I’d read all of the available books in the Hidden Legacy series, I looked for something else written by them and stumbled across Kate Daniels. Hooray for me!

This is going to be a review for both Magic Strikes and Magic Bleeds, since I listened to the latter in less than twenty-four hours. It’s still fresh on my mind, so there's a chance my thoughts will overlap. Also, before you read any further, you should know there might be spoilers for the earlier books in this series. Some of the information is relevant to my review!

This series has a slow burn romance, and I’ll admit to being sexually frustrated on their behalf. Kate refuses to believe that Curran’s feelings are real, and she doesn’t want to risk her heart just to have it broken. We can see that Curran’s intentions are authentic, but Kate is stubborn and they’re both frustrating (I love them both immensely). They would rather play games and challenge one another than have a heartfelt conversation; however, I’ve enjoyed watching these two come together and seeing how their relationship developed over the last few books. Their status was still unclear at the start of book four, but something finally happened. Phew! I was beginning to think they’d be at odds the entire series. Despite wanting them to get together a lot sooner, I’m happy their relationship wasn’t rushed. Their feelings are authentic, and they’re willing to destroy the world for each other.

The secret fight club was interesting in Magic Strikes. It challenged Kate’s morals and also forced her to spend time with Curran. The hot tub scene was fantastic until Derek popped up. I’ve never disliked Derek, but I really wanted him to disappear for a few minutes. Don’t get me started on what these authors did to him... it was nearly unforgivable. I’m still not sure if I’ve completely recovered from what they did to a beloved character. 

At the end of Magic Bleeds more people were aware of Kate’s secret, and I’m glad it’s finally out in the open. As a reader, we know what her secret is before the other characters, but the authors kept readers in the dark for awhile too. 

Kate doesn’t do well with politics, so I’m curious about her new role within the Pack. She kicked butt in the last book (against friend and foe), so it’ll be interesting to see how she handles her new situation. I liked Kate before Magic Bleeds, but I appreciate her so much more now. She stuck with Curran despite the unfavorable circumstances. 

Am I rambling yet? This is seriously one of my all-time favorite series, and I’m already looking forward to diving into Magic Slays. The balance of power has shifted, and I’m not sure what disaster Kate will have to tackle next. At least now she has friends and people to rely on, and her attack poodle is almost always nearby (hopefully we learn more about him too). I still have a lot of questions after the last book, but the individual story wrapped up nicely. I’m only halfway through the series, so I have plenty of books to look forward to!

Also, the history and mythology interspersed throughout the books is phenomenal. It’s clear they’ve done their research on people, places, and cultures. The way they slide various gods and deities into their stories feels seamless and completely believable. I cannot wait to see what they come up with next!

If you are looking for a new UF series, look no further! Ilona Andrews is an amazing author duo that writes wonderful stories and creates fantastic characters. You could start with this series or the Hidden Legacy books, because both are marvelous and addictive. It's books like this make me wish I didn’t need sleep.

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus [Blog Tour: Review + Givewaway]

Hello! Welcome to the next stop on the Two Can Keep a Secret blog tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. I'm really happy to share my thoughts on this book with you!

Title: TWO CAN KEEP A SECRET
Author: Karen McManus
Pub. Date: January 8, 2019
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook
Pages: 336
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Audible, B&N, iBooks, TBD

Echo Ridge is small-town America. Ellery's never been there, but she's heard all about it. Her aunt went missing there at age seventeen. And only five years ago, a homecoming queen put the town on the map when she was killed. Now Ellery has to move there to live with a grandmother she barely knows.

The town is picture-perfect, but it's hiding secrets. And before school even begins for Ellery, someone's declared open season on homecoming, promising to make it as dangerous as it was five years ago. Then, almost as if to prove it, another girl goes missing.

Ellery knows all about secrets. Her mother has them; her grandmother does too. And the longer she's in Echo Ridge, the clearer it becomes that everyone there is hiding something. The thing is, secrets are dangerous--and most people aren't good at keeping them. Which is why in Echo Ridge, it's safest to keep your secrets to yourself. 

𑁋

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Two Can Keep a Secret lived up to my expectations! Every review I'd read had been singing its praises, and I'm happy to say it didn't disappoint. McManus has created a vivid, engaging, complex story that captured my attention until the very last page. All of the characters were detailed and interesting, and I enjoyed trying to solve the mystery alongside Ellery, Ezra, Mia and Malcom.

Ellery has been obsessed with true crime for years, so she jumps at the opportunity to do her own investigation. At first I was hesitant, because I hate it when the teenagers in books appear more capable than the adults, but that wasn't the case with this one. The police and adults were all doing their jobs, and they weren't sharing their investigation with the public. We learn later that the police had information Ellery and her friends did not, and that their secret sleuthing only helped a little.

There are so many mysteries in this one story! The disappearances, murders, and lies all tangled together to make one big, ugly mess. It was hard to determine what was relevant, and what was important but not related. Sadie, Ellery and Ezra's mother, was shady when it came to her past. She never talked about Sarah (her twin sister that went missing in high school), so Ellery and Ezra knew nothing about her. They went to live with their grandmother in a very small town, so everyone knew who they were by association. Sadie's cagey personality kept the twins in the dark, and they had discover a lot of truths on their own.

I really liked all of the characters in this book. I particularly loved the sibling relationship between Ellery and Ezra. They were close and always supported one another (even when things were crazy). Everything felt so natural and comfortable between them, and it was obvious they shared a connection. McManus didn't make their friendship feel forced, but simple and easy. Mia was an amazing friend, and Malcolm was sweet and genuine. Both Mia and Malcolm have siblings that were tied to a previous murder, so their lives haven't been normal in years. However, they've stuck together and made the best of their respective situations.

I always try to solve a mystery before the characters do, but I can honestly say that McManus kept me guessing throughout the entire book. There was conflicting information, more than one mystery, and too many variables. Everything makes sense at the end, and it was amazing how she was able to tie everything together. I'm already looking forward to reading her other book: One of Us Is Lying.

If you enjoy books that make you think and keep you on your toes, Two Can Keep a Secret is definitely worth reading. Even if you don't normally like mysteries or suspenseful books, I'd recommend this one! Great characters, a twisty story, and one hell of an ending.

The Sunday Post [9]

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly at the Caffeinated Reviewer! It's an opportunity to share news, post a recap for the previous week, showcase books, and highlight what's planned for the week ahead.

News:

Ugh! I never want to move again! It took me and my husband two full days to load the moving truck by ourselves. It was miserable work, and the kids were more than a little stir-crazy. We had to pack all of their toys before we could move them, so they were bored quickly and fussy often. When we were finally on the road, I popped in an audiobook, they fell asleep, and I enjoyed sitting down after being on my feet for two solid days. Thankfully, we had family waiting at the new house to help us unload everything, so it didn't take nearly as long to get things put away.

Once we were unpacked, I thought things would calm down and we'd settle into a new routine, but I was very wrong. The house we're renting hasn't been used in awhile, so the water pipes were buried. When I tried to do a load of laundry, the pipes overflowed back into the house. It flooded the utility room and the downstairs area. It took two visits from the plumber, and a few more from the landlord, to finally solve the problem.

Next issue: ants. It has been raining the last few days, so the massive leafeater ants in the yard have tried to take over the house. We're being invaded! These are the largest ants I have ever seen, and their bodies are ridiculously sturdy. My children have made a game out of it, which is basically them screaming and running whenever one of them discovers and ant in the house. Then they pretend to be ants themselves and won't stop until I pretend to spray them with my invisible bug spray (have I mentioned how much I love my kids?).

There are a few other things I'll have to get used to, like the sandy areas in the backyard (it's like living on the beach with dogs and kids going in and out), a tin roof (love the sound of rain pinging on the top), family that can pop in whenever they feel like it (still not sure how I feel about this), and grocery stores that are not as vegan-friendly. The closest store that carries my coffee creamer is 45 miles away.

I know it sounds like I'm complaining a lot, but we really do like our new house! The area is lovely, and there are a lot of wooded areas for us to explore. Having family close by is different but nice! They might pop in without calling, but we can also get together on short notice. I'm still trying to catch up on my reading and blogging that I missed, but I'll get there eventually. We still have some things to wrap up with the old house, and I look forward to putting that behind us.

Previous week on the blog:

Sunday: Nothing!

Monday: DNF&Y [12]

Tuesday: State of the ARC [7]

Wednesday: My Weekly Pull [52] & Can't Wait Wednesday [22]

Thursday: Circe by Madeline Miller ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

Friday: Mini Reviews [21]

Saturday: Nothing! 

What I'm currently reading:

I've been impatiently waiting for the Magic Strikes audiobook to be available at my library, and it's finally here! I'm really enjoying this series, and I cannot wait to see what trouble Kate finds herself in this time. I'm also keeping my fingers crossed that something romantic happens between Kate and Curran, because it has been a slow burn since the first book! They challenge each other, and it's been fun watching them dance back and forth.

The Wicked King is another book I started recently, and I am thoroughly enjoying being back in Black's magical world. The first book ended with a twist, and I have a feeling this one is going to leave me wanting more. This is another book that has placed the romance in the back seat, so I'm going to need Jude and Cardan to play nice and admit their weird feelings. I like my books to have a little kissing! ;)

I'm only a few pages into Two Can Keep a Secret, but I have a good feeling about this one. I've heard there are a lot of unexpected twists and turns, which I love, and I'm anxiously awaiting the ending. I've skimmed other reviews, and they've all vaguely mentioned how awesome and unpredictable everything is.

What I plan on reading next: 

I already have Magic Bleeds queued up and ready to go, and The Gilded Wolves is one I've been looking forward to for awhile now -- yay! I love it when I'm excited about the books I'm reading.

What I'm watching:

I'm still working my way through the final season of Fairy Tail, and Jacob and I are finally making progress with S3 of Daredevil. We're both really bummed that S4 was cancelled on Netflix, but supposedly Disney is picking up all of the Marvel shows for their new streaming service (which is incredibly aggravating). I don't think Riverdale has started back up yet, but that's another show I'll be watching in the near future. I keep telling Roberta that I'll start Dr. Who, but I just haven't had the time!

Challenge updates:

Audiobook Challenge: 0 / 30

Discussion Challenge: 0 / 20

Beat the Backlist Challenge: 1 / 100

Goodreads Challenge: 5 / 500

Phew! That was a long post! What have you guys been up to? Did I miss anything in the last two weeks? Let me know!

Mini Reviews [21]

A Flicker of Hope by Julia Cook, 

MacKenzie Haley (Illustrator)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): HOPE is our children's window for a better tomorrow. In terms of resilience and well-being, hope is a critically important predictor of success. This creative story from the best-selling author of My Mouth is a Volcano!, and Bubble Gum Brain, reminds children that dark clouds can be temporary and asking for help is always okay. We all have times when we need to borrow a little hope from someone else. When your clouds get too dark, and too heavy to push away, Reach out and ask, "Can I borrow some light?" "I'm having a really bad day."

It's always okay to admit to yourself, "I just can't do it today."

Everyone needs somebody sometimes, to help them find their way.

𑁋

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. 

A Flicker of Hope is a children's book, although I think the writing is for an older audience. It might be a good teaching book, but it didn't really work reading it one-on-one with my son. I always ask him what he thinks about a book when we finish, and what he enjoyed most about the story. The only thing he could really say about A Flicker of Hope was that he liked the candles, and wanted to know why his birthday candles didn't die when their flames went out.

In the book, one of the candles is feeling sad and having negative thoughts, so her candle is dimmed and dull. Another candle comes along to give her hope, which effectively brightens her light. However, the other candle starts talking about everyone having gifts, and how candles without a light are no longer able to share theirs. It was a good lesson in personification, but the deeper messages were lost on him.

I think A Flicker of Hope addresses important issues about depression and touches on mental illness, encouraging people to ask for help when they feel down, but it doesn't mention someone needing more than a friend. Yes, you should continue to ask for help, but sometimes that's not enough. Maybe the book could have encouraged readers to seek medical help? Also, essentially telling a person not to kill themselves, or let themselves die because they have "gifts to share", might not be the best approach. A person having negative thoughts and feelings is likely unconcerned with what they have to offer the world. 

I believe the wording was too wordy at times, and the story wasn't presented in a way that younger children would easily comprehend. I think a few of the pages could have been removed (like when the second candle essentially repeated everything the first candle said at the beginning), and the story could have been simplified for its target audience.

∕

Ida and the Whale by Rebecca Gugger,

Simon Rothlisberger (Illustrator)

Expected publication: April 2nd 2019

Synopsis (via Goodreads): What lies behind the sun, the moon, and the stars?

Ida can’t stop thinking about these and other very important questions. Then one night, a flying whale wakes her and takes her on an amazing journey—where some of her questions are answered and even more created.

This gentle, philosophical tale is a visual treat sure to fill curious little listeners with wonder. 

𑁋

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. 

The illustrations were lovely! I think Simon Röthlisberger did an amazing job bringing Rebecca Gugger's words to life. The story felt a little random and nonsensical, but there were a few memorable moments. The whale takes Ida on an incredible journey, and shares bits of wisdom along the way. "Some quicker, some slower, but all of us grow." I thought it was an enjoyable story that my children could understand and relate to. However, now my son wants a whale to show up at his window to take him on an adventure!

∕

Shhh! by Barroux

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Night falls…It is late. Close your eyes. Time to sleep. This wonderful bedtime story from the masterful illustrator Barroux takes you on a journey through a child’s imagination to a series of dreamy landscapes where animals ready themselves for sleep. The simple, lyrical text and charming illustrations will gently lull even the most reluctant sleeper, providing a calming way for parents to say goodnight.

Listen to the world gently slowing down, then stopping. A whimsical moon character tiptoes to the sky. Shhh! A boy imagines his stuffed animals winding down for bedtime, one by one. Visit a dozing polar bear on an ice floe; a lion in pajamas brushing his teeth; tired giraffes resting their sleepy heads on clouds; a whale singing a soft, beautiful song; a whispering elephant; a yawning hippo; a toucan counting sheep; and finally, the sheep themselves, who are waiting for the end of the story. Time to sleep now. It is late.

With gently humorous text and enchanting imagery that will soothe both little ones and their adults, this bedtime story will quickly become a family favorite.

𑁋

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.

The synopsis for Shhh! is longer than the actual book. It's also a little misleading, because it didn't soothe me or my children. They were still bananas after reading this story, although they did enjoy it. My daughter liked pointing out the animals and making their sounds, while my son thought it was funny to see a lion brushing its teeth. 

However, the story felt choppy and didn't flow from page to page. There were very few words, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I felt disconnected from the overall story. It was just me turning pages and saying words, instead of feeling like we were a part of the story.

Circe by Madeline Miller🎧 Narrated by Perdita Weeks

Synopsis (via Goodreads): In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.

Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.

But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.

“But in a solitary life, there are rare moments when another soul dips near yours, as stars once a year brush the earth. Such a constellation was he to me.”

Madeline Miller has surpassed my expectations, and they were pretty high after The Song of Achilles. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, and jumped at the opportunity to read Circe. I've always loved stories about Greek mythology, so her books have been perfect for me!

I've heard about Circe, but I wasn't really familiar with her story. I think I would confuse her and Calypso, though now I can see there is no comparison. Circe wasn't like the other gods, or even the other members of her family. She was soft-spoken, didn't draw attention to herself, and was mostly left to her own devices. She wanted to find love and be loved, though her efforts tended to backfire or not work out.

I liked watching Circe grow throughout the book, even though it took her centuries to come to the same conclusions others only have a few decades to discover. She was oblivious to the outside world and how it worked, so her exile was an eye-opening experience. Most of her knowledge came from secondhand stories, and the majority of those were embellished or lies. She lived alone, which wasn't too terrible, but her first few interactions with humans taught her their behaviors the hard way. She had to learn how to defend herself, and all of her magical abilities were self-taught.

I wasn't a fan of Odysseus in The Song of Achilles, and he didn't do himself any favors in Circe. He was a very calculating man, and despite having a family at home waiting for him, he chose to seek more glory for himself. He cost men their lives, he was cruel and at times physically abusive, and dangerously smart. He was able to think of creative ways out of unfavorable circumstances, although it rarely kept everyone alive.

I've really enjoyed listening to the audio versions of Miller's books. Frazer Douglas and Perdita Weeks were brilliant and perfect! I could listen to them all day, which is what I did with Circe. It was the book I listened to while we were driving to the new house, and even the children enjoyed the story. I have no complaints about this book, and I'm looking forward to whatever Madeline Miller writes next!

“Humbling women seems to me a chief pastime of poets. As if there can be no story unless we crawl and weep.” 

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. 

My Weekly Pull [52] & Can't Wait Wednesday [22]

My Weekly Pull is something I do every Wednesday to show which comics I had pulled for me that week! If you're into comics, or you're looking to start, please join me! If you decide to do your own post, there's a link-up at the bottom. I would love to stop by and check it out!

 Runaways #17 by Rainbow Rowell, Kris Anka

Uncanny X-Men #8 by Ed Brisson, R.B. Silva, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Pere Perez, Elizabeth Torque

Jacob's comics for the week!

Deadpool #8 by Skottie Young, Nic Klein

Infinity Wars Infinity #1 by Gerry Duggan, Mark Bagley, Mike Deodato

Man Without Fear #1 by Jed MacKay, Danilo Beyrouth, Kyle Hotz

Marvel Knights 20th #5 (of 6) by Donny Cates, Niko Henrichon, Kaare Andrews, Tini Howard, Damian Couceiro

...and from last week:

Uncanny X-Men #7 by Ed Brisson, Pere Perez, Elizabeth Torque

I know I missed last week's post, but we were in the middle of a move and I had to take a short break from blogging. However, because of the holidays, very few comics actually came out last week, which is why we only have the one Uncanny X-Men. This week I only have two, Uncanny X-Men and Runaways, and Jacob has a few others. Now I just need to find the time to read them... 😉

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, that highlights upcoming releases that we're anticipating and excited to read. It's a spinoff of the feature Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Fix Her Up (Hot & Hammered, #1)

by Tessa Bailey

Expected publication: June 11th 2019

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Georgette Castle’s family runs the best home renovation business in town, but she picked balloons instead of blueprints and they haven’t taken her seriously since. Frankly, she’s over it. Georgie loves planning children’s birthday parties and making people laugh, just not at her own expense. She’s determined to fix herself up into a Woman of the World... whatever that means.

Phase one: new framework for her business (a website from this decade, perhaps?)

Phase two: a gut-reno on her wardrobe (fyi, leggings are pants.)

Phase three: updates to her exterior (do people still wax?)

Phase four: put herself on the market (and stop crushing on Travis Ford!)

Living her best life means facing the truth: Georgie hasn’t been on a date since, well, ever. Nobody’s asking the town clown out for a night of hot sex, that’s for sure. Maybe if people think she’s having a steamy love affair, they’ll acknowledge she’s not just the “little sister” who paints faces for a living. And who better to help demolish that image than the resident sports star and tabloid favorite?

Travis Ford was major league baseball’s hottest rookie when an injury ended his career. Now he’s flipping houses to keep busy and trying to forget his glory days. But he can’t even cross the street without someone recapping his greatest hits. Or making a joke about his… bat. And then there's Georgie, his best friend’s sister, who is not a kid anymore. When she proposes a wild scheme—that they pretend to date, to shock her family and help him land a new job—he agrees. What’s the harm? It’s not like it’s real. But the girl Travis used to tease is now a funny, full-of-life woman and there’s nothing fake about how much he wants her... 

I like it when characters pretend to date, or they're friends hanging out, and then they unexpectedly fall in love! They already have a relationship, so they know a little about each other, and then we get to see how their feelings grow in a romantic way. Ahh -- I cannot wait for this one! I haven't read a Tessa Bailey book before, but I've heard wonderful things about her stories.

*Share your My Weekly Pull post! Please leave the direct link to your My Weekly Pull post and not just your blog's URL. Thank you for participating and happy reading!

State of the ARC [7]

State of the ARC is a monthly meme hosted by Avalinah at Avalinah's Books! It's an opportunity for readers to catch up on their long overdue ARCs, but I use it to keep up with my upcoming ARCs instead. Shhh... don't tell! 

At the end of December 2018:

The Deceivers (The Valhalla Academy, #1) by Kristen Simmons 

Wicked Saints (Something Dark and Holy, #1) by Emily A. Duncan

You'd Be Mine by Erin Hahn 

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen McManus 

In Another Life by C.C. Hunter

To Best the Boys by Mary Weber

The Gilded Wolves (The Gilded Wolves, #1) by Roshani Chokshi
White Stag (Permafrost, #1) by Kara Barbieri
Saving Meghan by D.J. Palmer
The Last Woman in the Forest by Diane Les Becquets
American Princess: A Novel of First Daughter Alice Roosevelt by Stephanie Marie Thornton

Glow: Book I, Potency by Aubrey Hadley

Happy New Year to me! I am really, really excited about my upcoming reads, and I hope they're all amazing! To Best the Boys is one I recently acquired, and I think I might start it first! Although, I've heard wonderful things about The Last Women in the Forest and You'd Be Mine, so it's hard to choose! What books are you anxiously awaiting this year? Let me know!