Mardi Gras Book Tag

So here we are with another book tag. This time I’ll be doing the Mardi Gras book tag which I found over at Zezee with Books blog who saw this post over on Madame Writer. This tag was originally created by Randomly Bookish Gina over on YouTube. I found the prompts interesting so decided to give this a shot. 

Designated Driver: What re-read book is reliable to get you out of a reading slump?

This is an easy one. I’m going with Fearscape by Nenia Campbell. This is my all time favorite series and each book is a true gem. I’ve read this series multiple times and it just always bring me back to reading. 

The Drunk Best Friend: Which character (s) would you like to grab a drink with or simply hang out for a night in the town?

I would pick Charlotte Davidson for this prompt. I absolutely love this character and I really wish I could be like her, so I would definitely like to go out with her for a night in town just so I could pick her brain some. 

Fat Tuesday: Which book on your TBR can you not wait to devour?

For this I’m choosing to go with Hunting November which is the sequel to Killing November by Adriana Mather. I just can wait to dive back into the world of Strategia and the Academy Absconditi. 

Lent: Which genre would you give up reading for 40 days? 

Romance. I’ve read a lot of romance in the past so now I prefer reading books from different genre and I do not mind giving up romance for forty days. 

Masquerade Masks: Which book do you mask that you have read? 

Initially when Fifty Shades of Grey came out, I used to tell people that I haven’t read it due to the stigma and taboo attached to it. However, soon enough I got over that and was openly engaging in discussions related to the series. 

The Annual Mardi Gras Party/Parade: What classic could you read time and time again? 

I’d go with Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery. It’s one of my favorite classics and I absolutely love the story. It’s adorable and incredibly sweet. I can read it time and time again. 

New Orleans: In which fictional place would you like to party? 

I guess I would go with Afterlife which is a gothic club in the Afterlife series by Stephanie Hudson. I love the nightclub and the gothic vibe of it. So I would love to party there among all the supernatural creatures. 

Jazz Music: What book just makes you want to dance? 

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier is my pick for this prompt. I love the world and the overall vibe of the book and the series.  It’s just amazing and I just want to dance in this world. 

The Colors of Mardi Gras: 

Purple represents Justice: Which character do you feel got justice at the end of the book or series? 

Soraya from Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust. This poor character suffered a lot and she finally got justice at the end. People recognized her power and she herself understood that she’s not a curse. 

Green represents Faith: Which character would you put your complete faith in no matter the situation? 

For this prompt I’m going with Tess from The Others series by Anne Bishop. She’s a harvester and an overall badass. I wish I could be like her but sadly I’m human. Tess is incredibly powerful and loyal that I would have no problem putting my faith in her. 

Gold represents Power: Which book gave you a very powerful emotion after reading it? 

Nearly Gone by Elle Cosimano is my choice for this prompt. My love and obsession for this series is intense and I wish I could read this book series all over again. I felt blown away by this series and all the knowledge I gained from it was just amazing. 

Show Your Tatas, Get Those Beads: Which character would you throw beads to? 

I would throw beads to Jethro Hawk from the Debt Inheritance series Pepper Winters. He’s amazing and strong in more ways than one. So I would definitely throw the beads to him. 

Well folks, we have reached the end of the Mardi Gras Book Tag. I tag everyone who reads this post or whoever is interested in books and Mardi Gras and let me know what are your picks for all these prompts. 

Books for a Gemini

I know, I know I said I would post this during Gemini season and I was going to do that. This post was due last week but I was unable to post it since I had some other commitment come in the way. However, I am writing this post now and hopefully it’s still relevant. So without any further delays, here are the books I would recommend to all my Gemini friends. 

Sybil: The Classic True Story of a Woman Possessed by Sixteen Personalities by Flora Rheta Schreiber 

This is one of my favorite books. As a psychology major, I’m incredibly interested in disorders and Multiple Personality Disorder is one of my favorites. This story is an account of Sybil who is suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder and how she works together with her psychologist into integrating all her different personalities into one person so that she can live a normal life. 

I absolutely loved this book and I thought this would be perfect for our Gemini friends as Geminis are stereotyped as having multiple personalities, when in fact they’re just good at adapting to different circumstances. Not only does this book provide knowledge and insight into this disorder, it also makes for a captivating read. 

Twinsequences by Jennifer Foor

This is book 1 in the Twisted Twin series and follows twin sisters Ivy and Willow who are two halves of the same coin. Ivy wants what Willow has and is willing to do everything she can to make it happen, even if it means stealing her sister’s identity. While Willow trusts Ivy with all her secrets, only to realize that the person she trusted most is out to ruin her life. 

When I read this book I thought it was a standalone but now I got to know that there is a sequel which I now have to read in the near future. 

Anyways, since this story is about twins, I figured it would be perfect for a Gemini since the symbol of Gemini is the twins, and I really wanted to throw in a book with twins in this post. 

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

This is book 1 in the Charley Davidson series and follows our main character Charlotte Davidson who is a private investigator as well as a grim reaper. She can communicate with the dead, which is helpful in her profession as the dead can tell her who killed them and how, though it’s not always easy. Add in a boat load of humor and ghost friends along with a hot and handsome Demon and you have a roller coaster of a series. 

I chose this book to recommend to a Gemini as I loved Charlotte’s character and when reading about her character throughout the series I really felt as if she’ll make for an authentic Gemini. She’s intelligent and witty, two qualities that every Gemini has at their disposal. 

Nightrise by Anthony Horowitz 

This is book 3 in The Power of Five series and follows twin brothers Jaime and Scott Tyler as they battle evil forces who are out to destroy them, which would give them power to destroy and rule the world. When Scott gets captured by the sinister organization known as Nightrise, Jaime must do everything he can to find his brother and reunite with the others in order to fight against the Old Ones. Wandering through the streets of Reno, Nevada, it’s not going to be easy for Jaime to find his brother who is being tortured by the Old Ones. 

I love this series. Each book is a masterpiece in itself and I was really hoping to push these books in these posts. And since Jaime and Scott are twins with telepathic abilities I did not think twice of putting this book here. Gemini is an air sign, which rules the mind and what better book to read then one where the characters can really control the mind? 

Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

This is book 1 in the series of the same name and follows Schuyler Van Alen in a world full of royalty vampires who claim themselves to be blue bloods while the humans are known as red bloods. But our main character ends up being a mixture of both blue and red bloods which causes chaos among the vampire world as they set out to destroy this enigma that is Schuyler Van Alen. 

The only reason I’m recommending this book to a Gemini is because the protagonist is a half blood and with the symbol of Gemini being the twins and often considered to be opposites, I thought it would be fitting to recommend a book with a half blood in it as Geminis also have contrasting personality traits in them. 

So these are the books I will be recommending to a Gemini. If any of you guys are a Gemini, sun, moon or rising, then let me know if you resonate with these books and what other recommendations you have. I cannot promise but I will try to get the books I’d recommend to a Cancer post during Cancer season. Wish me luck!

Book Review: In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead

Date of Publishing: August 3rd, 2021

Author: Ashley Winstead

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Genre: Mystery Thriller

This story follows a college reunion where our main character Jessica Miller is all set to blow the crowd apart and show everyone that she had become someone of importance since graduating college. However, when old secrets dig themselves out of the past, Jessica and her six friends have to figure out who is behind the death of their former friend Heather. And when secrets come to light, Jessica’s own truth threatens to burst forth and tell the whole world that she’s not as perfect as she claimed to be. 

Let’s just get the obvious out of the way and say that I absolutely loved this story. This story was a roller coaster ride which started and ended with perfection. I have no idea how the author managed to pull this off but she did and for that I applaud Ashley Winstead, and I really need to learn a thing or two or ten from her about writing. 

From the start to the end I was hooked. There was not a single instant or moment where I felt the story dragging or found myself losing interest, I was glued till the end. I loved how the author brought everybody’s secret to light one by one and how they were all connected to Heather’s murder in one way or another, which just goes to show how actions cause a ripple effect which leads to the end result and often times as humans we do not understand the importance and implications of our actions and how they can impact another human being. 

Every aspect of the story was executed well. I loved the flawed and selfish characters, including our main character. I was super glad to read she was as messed up as the rest of them. I was glad the author didn’t make her perfect just because she’s the main character. 

Moreover, I loved how beautifully everything was orchestrated. The author did a fantastic job with the pacing and the setting. It really made me miss my college days and just how fun and carefree everything was. I loved the timelines shifts which took place between the day of the reunion and when they were in college. 

The events were messy. They drove me mad. But they were perfect in their imperfections. I enjoyed how the author gave us a glimpse of the dark side of college life. Yes, everyone is young and carefree and we’re all trying to fit in and find our group of friends, but the extent people go to in order to fit in and find that perfect group of friends can be really jarring and I just loved that this book gave us that. 

Furthermore, the climax really put the cherry on top. The plot twist and how as a reader I was forced to look at things from a different perspective really makes me want to applaud the author. She did a fantastic job building up the suspense and did not disappoint with the execution of the climax. It was jolting, it was shocking, it was absolutely amazing! 

The ending also did not disappoint. I thought the climax was the final unwrapping of this gift of a story but that last secret that Jessica finally reveals really made me question my sanity, and for some strange reason it made me love Jessica all the more. I wish I could say that she’s just a character in a book—because that’s exactly what she is—but all that she does in the story it actually made her appear so much more real. 

And let’s not forget our actual villain. I would say I kind of suspected who it was but it still shocked me when the identity of the villain came to light. Also, the reasons as to why the villain became the villain were sick and demented and so so relatable. Like, I could understand why he did what he did even if it made me sick to think about it. But yes, humans do insane things for insane reasons and you can’t even fault them for it because you understand it so well. 

I think with all my rambling above you guys can understand just how much I love this book and I wish I can find more books which are as amazing as this one. This is the first book I’ve read by Ashley Winstead but I shall be looking for more of her books and giving them a read. 

So if you guys haven’t read this book, then don’t let another minute pass by and purchase this book and read it immediately because you’re going to regret it if you don’t. I highly recommend everyone to read this book because this book deserves all the love it gets and more. 

May Reading Wrap Up

Target: 8

Read: 4

To say this was the worst reading month would be an understatement. I’m embarrassed to even talk about it because I read a total of four books. Only four! I wanted to read more, I really did but life had to get in the way and I do have other things that take up my time which made it difficult to focus on reading. So with the shortest wrap up of the year so far, here are the books I read in the month of May. 

Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff

This is book 1 in the series of the same name by Jay Kristoff and follows the long and sordid story of Gabriel de Leon as he is taken prisoner by the enemies. Story unfolds within a story as Gabriel is forced to recount his past—the events that made him who he was and in all of that the search for the Holy Grail. 

Let me be honest here. I’ve never felt overwhelmed by a book before, but this book made me feel exactly that. Not only due to its size but the amount of detail and description given as Gabriel recounts his past. There’s so much to the story that one can easily get lost in its depths. 

This book took me the majority of the month to read and finish, hence why I wasn’t able to meet my monthly goal. I often felt lost and kind of drifted off while reading this book because I felt there was just too much packed into it. However, one thing which I absolutely loved was the formatting of this book, and the story overall was really interesting and I would highly recommend it. 

Lead Me Not by A. Meredith Walters

This is book 1 in the Twisted Love series and follows Aubrey who is a counseling student in college and has suffered a huge loss in her life and is studying counseling in order to help people and stop history from repeating itself. Maxx comes with his own set of demons that he has no choice but to fight, but does his best to appear in control to the rest of the world. 

But when a chance encounter has lust and attraction bubbling to the surface between Aubrey and Maxx, there’s little anyone can do to come between them. Aubrey knows that having a relationship with Maxx is not a good idea but she is unable to control her heart’s desires. And Maxx… let’s just say when Maxx Demelo wants something, he damn well gets it. And right now he wants Aubrey Duncan. 

This book along with the others that A. Meredith Walters has written are exceptionally close to my heart simply because they tickle my thirst for psychology and all things related to it. And as someone who has worked with people suffering from addiction, this book really hit home. A. Meredith Walters has done an amazing job with fleshing out her characters and giving them flaws that one sees around them. I would highly recommend this book to everyone and all the books written by this author, as everybody needs to have a knowledge and understanding regarding mental health and issues. 

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead

This story follows Jessica Miller who is going to her college reunion party with six other people who in college were inseparable. However, a murder and a false accusation forces the estranged group to come together and try to figure who among them is the murderer. 

Jessica Miller is out to prove that she had turned her life around and was now the best and most sought after person, however, with memories threatening to invade her perfect persona, Jessica might just realize she’s not as perfect as she led herself to believe.

My, oh my! This book was my absolute favorite of the month, so you’ll be seeing a review of it soon. But wow, this book was just stunning. From the plot, to the characters, to the pacing, everything was perfectly executed. The plot twist at the end and the way the writer keeps you guessing who the murderer is makes this an epic read. 

Head on to your local bookstores or to Amazon and purchase this book ASAP. Everyone needs to read this book. It’s that amazing! 

The Opal Deception by Eoin Colfer

This is book 4 in the Artemis Fowl series and follows our group of fairies and trolls and other supernatural creatures along with our child mastermind Artemis Fowl, who is planning to steal a popular painting in order to become the youngest thief in the world. However, with supernatural enemies vying for revenge Artemis’ plans might just have to take a back seat as he fights for his life while trying to bring a criminal pixie to justice. 

I’ve already read the first three books in the series and this book was a re-read for me as I had not read the other books when I read this one the first time, so now I’m reading them all in order and plan to get to the rest of the books soon. 

Anyways, this book is just as interesting as the previous books. And I love just how smart Artemis is at such a young age. I wish I was that smart and analytical. I really enjoyed Holly’s character and how she and Artemis work together to bring Opal down. Everything was just fantastic and I know the rest of the books in the series would be just as exciting. 

So there we have it. These are the four books I read in the month of May. I really wish I could’ve read some more as I feel really disappointed in myself for not reaching the goal. However, I will try harder next month and hopefully will be able to read more.