Retellings Reading Challenge: Third Quarter Update & Link-up

Happy September, bookworms! Welcome to the third quarter update and link-up of the 2019 Retellings Reading Challenge! I hope you've all made some progress and read some amazing retellings so far this year! As a reminder, this challenge is still open to join! To get started, I'll share my progress for this quarter: WHAT I'VE READ        This quarter I got quite a bit of reading done! The retelling mood struck and I couldn't stop! I read some big upcoming releases and some fun indie books, along with a couple I've been putting off for too long! My favorite of this quarter was definitely Wild Savage Stars! GOODREADS...

Why don't people read indie?

You may have (possibly, maybe?) noticed that the indie book read-a-thon I've been talking about for the last few weeks has disappeared from my sidebar. If you're wondering why, let me tell you: I had to cancel it due to an incredible lack of interest. I have hosted several other events and reading challenges over the years and have participated in countless others and they've all had varying levels of success. None get ignored quite to the same extent as those focusing on independently published books. Before I blogged I read a lot more indie books than I do now. I didn't know what was hyped or being pushed by publishers. I looked at books...

ARC Review: Loki: Where Mischief Lies by Mackenzi Lee

Title: Loki: Where Mischief Lies Author: Mackenzi Lee Publication Date: September 3, 2019 Publisher: Marvel Press Pages: 416 Add to Goodreads This is the first of three young adult novels from New York Times best-selling author Mackenzi Lee that explores the untapped potential and duality of heroism of popular characters in the Marvel Universe. Before the days of going toe-to-toe with the Avengers, a younger Loki is desperate to prove himself heroic and capable, while it seems everyone around him suspects him of inevitable villainy and depravity . . . except for Amora. Asgard's resident sorceress-in-training feels like a kindred spirit-someone...

Top Ten Tuesday #253: Library faves I need to buy

Today's Topic:  Books I’ve Read From the Library That I’d Like On My Personal Shelves Happy Tuesday! This week was a little difficult for me since I have a tendency (a problem) to go out and buy books I love. It was hard to come up with ten for this list as a result! XD I did persevere though! Several of these are books I've read in years past but just never got around to buying. Maybe it's time to add a few more to my shelves!  A Dance of Silver and Shadow by Melanie Cellier Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd The House by Christina Lauren The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren...

Weekly Recap: 8/18 - 8/24

HAPPENINGS OFF THE BLOG Hi everyone! Well, this week has been wild, once again. I was able to see a rheumatologist on Friday regarding the positive ANA test and so far it's looking like good news. Based on my history and exam the doctor said she didn't seen anything concerning, but did order several more blood tests to rule out any autoimmune diseases. Apparently a positive ANA test can mean nothing? Please continue sending those good vibes! In the bookish world, I got some decent reading done this week! Even better that most of them were really good! There are definitely a couple sequels I'm now dying to get my hands on. I also...

ARC Review: Crown of Coral and Pearl by Mara Rutherford

Title: Crown of Coral and Pearl Author: Mara Rutherford Publication Date: August 27, 2019Publisher: Inkyard PressPages: 432Add to Goodreads For generations, the princes of Ilara have married the most beautiful maidens from the ocean village of Varenia. But though every girl longs to be chosen as the next princess, the cost of becoming royalty is higher than any of them could ever imagine… Nor once dreamed of seeing the wondrous wealth and beauty of Ilara, the kingdom that’s ruled her village for as long as anyone can remember. But when a childhood accident left her with a permanent scar, it became clear that her identical twin sister, Zadie,...

Special editions are out of control: Caraval & The Cruel Prince

2021 UPDATEIn 2017, way back when only Caraval was out in the wild, I made a post discussing how out of control it seemed special editions were. Oh, what a sweet summer child I was. At the time of that original post there were only 12 editions of Caraval but I'm back with an update! Buckle up, collectors! I'm here again to talk about the ridiculous number of special editions on the market for books that have been out for a very, very short time. Today I'm focusing specifically on two of the series that seem particularly out of control at the moment: Caraval and The Folk of the Air. Correct me if my math is wrong. Numbers are hard. (Again,...

Top Ten Tuesday #252: All the tropes

Today's Topic:  Tropes I Love and... Not Happy Tuesday! This week it’s all about tropes and I definitely had to think a little for this one. The topic was supposed to be tropes we love but I branched out to include some that I am not the biggest fan of also. Let’s see how unpopular some of them are. 😅 LOVE  Love Triangles (when done right) Enemies to Lovers Strong Female Friend Groups Secret/Unknown Royalty Villain Gets the Girl (sue me) NOT SO MUCH Insta-Love Outlawed Magic (SO overdone) Not Like other Girls™ Conveniently Missing Adults Group of Misfits Save the World* *One exception to this is...

ARC Review: There Will Come a Darkness by Katy Rose Pool

Title: There Will Come a Darkness (Age of Darkness #1) Author: Katy Rose Pool Publication Date: September 3, 2019Publisher: Henry Holt Books for Young ReadersPages: 496Add to Goodreads //I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review// The Age of Darkness approaches. Five lives stand in its way. Who will stop it... or unleash it? For generations, the Seven Prophets guided humanity. Using their visions of the future, they ended wars and united nations―until the day, one hundred years ago, when the Prophets disappeared. All they left behind was one final, secret prophecy, foretelling an Age of Darkness and the...

Weekly Recap: 8/11 - 8/17

HAPPENINGS OFF THE BLOG Hi everyone! This week has continued my reading slump. I've picked up and put down three books before finally settling on A Heart So Fierce and Broken, which I think has done the trick! I hope. This week's haul are both older books, one given to me by a friend and another picked up at a used bookstore. Hopefully I can make time to read them both soon! In other bookish news, I shared the rules and sign up sheet for the Indie Love Read-a-Thon, which is coming up at the beginning of September! If you're a fan of indie books or would like to read more of them, please sign up! I promise there will be tons of...