June Reading Wrap Up

Target: 5

Read: 5

Phew! I can’t believe I actually managed to reach my monthly goal. I wish I’d read more though since five just seem like a really small number to me. However, as much as I want to say that I’ll read more next month that’s not going to be the case as I have some personal commitments to deal with. So for now, let’s talk about the books I read in the month of June. 

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

This is book 2 in the Red Queen series and follows Mare Barrows as she tries to keep herself safe while trying to find others like her—red bloods with silver abilities. With Maven becoming King, Mare has little chance of standing up to him without an army of those just like her. 

I finally read the next part of this series and I’m glad I did. I especially enjoyed Cal’s role in the book and it made me love him all the more. The fact that he’s trained for war only added to his appeal. My hatred for Maven only increased as I progressed through the book and I applaud the author for making such realistic characters. 

If you haven’t read this book already, I urge you to give this series a try, though I’m sure most of you have already read it, but if you haven’t, then give it a shot because you’re not going to regret it. 

Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

This is book 1 in the Debutantes series and follows Sawyer who lives with her mother and is estranged from the rest of her relatives, until her grandmother finds her and offers her to come and live with them as it might give Sawyer a chance to find her biological father along with money to pay for college. With a tight lipped mother, Sawyer has no choice but to accept the contract and so begins her story with three of her other cousins and together they work through secrets, lies and betrayals to find the truth about Sawyer and her father, and much, much more.

I really enjoyed this book and it was my favorite book of the month. This author has done a remarkable job in every aspect of the story. She has added the perfect blend of drama and comedy. I absolutely loved the relationship dynamics between Sawyer and each of her relatives. I would be writing in detail about everything I loved about this book in my review, but for now all I want to say is that go out and buy this book immediately. If you’re looking for a light, cozy mystery with a splash of comedy then this is a must read. 

Only When I Sleep by E. V. Lind

This is a standalone novel and follows the story of Beth and Ryan. Beth is on the run from an abusive ex-boyfriend while Ryan is an injured war veteran who thinks that he doesn’t deserve anything good in life after what he went through. When he comes across Beth, he knows he wants nothing to do with her, but Ryan’s mother has other plans and urges Beth to come and live with them. Things take a turn for the crazy when Beth starts hearing things happening inside the house. With spirits roaming the house and her ex-boyfriend on the lookout for her, Beth and Ryan—with their hearts bringing them together—have no choice but to work together to survive the horrors that await them.

I did not find this book as interesting as I thought it would be. It read like a light horror and the events taking place were dull. This might be the author’s debut novel, I’m not sure, but I think there’s a lot of room for improvement in terms of writing style and plot. This book could’ve been a whole lot dramatic and packed with emotions but it really wasn’t. 

Though I was disappointed by this book, if you guys enjoy a light horror romance, then feel free to give this book a try. You never know, you might just like it. 

Zack by Cheyenne McCray

This is book 1 in the Armed and Dangerous series with the main characters being Sky and Zack. Sky and Zack used to be together when they were young but Zack broke up with her out of the blue and left. Ten years later he returns and he only has one thing on his mind and that is to make Sky his once again. Sky, on the other hand, hadn’t forgotten what Zack did to her and when he returns, she vows to not let her heart get broken by him again. But when their worlds collide in the form of an investigations, old passions ignite and Sky fears that she would be losing her heart to Zack again and this time there would be no coming back. 

I was looking to read an interesting romance but this did not cut it. The author seemed to put a little too much emphasis on a certain part of the woman’s body which kind of ruined things for me. Not to mention, that I felt bored through about seventy percent of the book. There are some steamy scenes, so if you guys are interested in reading those, then you guys can give this book a shot. For me, it wasn’t as interesting.

Early to Death, Early to Rise by Kim Harrison 

This is book 2 in the Madison Avery series and follows Madison as she tries to change the system governing the laws of light and dark. By recruiting a bunch of rogue reapers, she thinks she can change the system but as she learns more about her new powers Madison realizes that things are not as simple as she thought they were and unless somebody supernatural comes and helps her she would cease to exist, and this time permanently. 

I thought this book would be just as good as the first one but I don’t know why I couldn’t get into it. It had everything, nice plot, action, adventure, drama, comedy, but for some reason I couldn’t get into it. I’m sure you guys would enjoy reading this series if you haven’t already and I do recommend this book to everyone. 

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. 

The Birthday Book Tag

Yes, yes today is my birthday and that is why I decided to do this tag. I was wondering which tag to do for this blog post and since it’s my birthday I thought to look up some birthday themed tags. I found this tag over on The Bibliophile Girl’s blog who found it on Bionic Book Worm’s blog. The original creator of this book tag is Antonia by Always Books. I tried searching for her blog so I can link it for you guys to check it out but was unable to find it. So without any more delays, let’s hop in to the tag. 

Birthday Cake: A book with a plot that seems cliche but you adore it anyway

For this question I’ll go with In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead simply because I was unable to tear my eyes from the pages and read the book way past the night. You guys should really give this book a shot. It’s going to hook you from the first page and won’t let go until the end. 

Party Guests: Your most anticipated book release this year

I don’t normally have anticipated book releases but if I have to pick I’d go with the House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas. This is book 2 in the Crescent City series. I loved the first book and I’m glad the second book is out though I have yet to read it. 

Birthday Presents: A book that surprised you with how much you loved it

For this prompt I’m choosing Insanity by Cameron Jace. I knew what I was getting into but I was still surprised how much I really enjoyed this book and the sequel. There are more books in the series which I intend to read in the future, but this was a beautiful surprise. 

The Happy Birthday Song: A book that certainly deserved all the hype it got

This was a little tricky for me since I kind of live in my own timeline and don’t really follow trends. But I decided to go with One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus. The mystery, the plot twist and the suspense is all so worth it. Everyone should read this book once in their life. 

Happy Music: A book with some very beautiful and truly memorable quotes

This is a pretty simple and a cliche one but I’d go with The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho for this prompt. He is an amazing author and this book is a best seller in the world. Not to mention that this book contains lots of fantastic quotes that one can use in his or her daily life. 

Getting Older: A book that you read a long time ago, but you think that you would appreciate it more if you read it as a more mature reader

This is an easy one. For this prompt I’m choosing The Power Of Now: A Guide To Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle. My father got this book to read but he never read it. And me being an eleven year old bookworm decided to read this book because I had nothing else to read, and I’m going to be honest I did not understand a single word in the book. So I think if I give this book a shot now, when I’m a lot older, I’ll be able to understand it and appreciate it better. 

Sweet Birthday Memories: A book that kept you incredibly happy during a sad or demanding period of your life

There are a lot of books that can fit this prompt but I decided to go with Wandering Star by Romina Russell. This is book 2 in the Zodiac series and follows the story of the twelve zodiac signs. I enjoyed book 1 and this book just added on to the excitement and adventure of the first book. 

So there you have it. The Birthday Book Tag. I tag everyone who wants to do this tag, and all those interested in books, and if it’s your birthday, then happy birthday to you. 

Books for a Taurus

I know, I know I’m a little late for this post since Gemini started already but I had to make this post as we cannot ignore our beloved Taurus and recommend some books to them. So without further ado, here are the books I would recommend a Taurus to read. 

Bared to You by Sylvia Day

This is book 1 in the Crossfire series—a fairly popular series by a fairly well known author and follows our two main characters Eva and Gideon Cross—a rich businessman with a haunted past. It doesn’t take long for the two to fall in love and realize that they’d go to to any extent for each other. 

I chose this book as a recommendation due to a Taurus’ expression of luxury. When you think of a Taurus, the idea of luxury and fine dining comes to mind and there are plenty of moments of fine dining and depictions of luxury in this book and that is why I’m recommending this book. 

This Man by Jodi Ellen Malpas

Following the theme of luxury and decadence we have our second recommendation. This Man is book 1 in the series by the same name and follows Ava and Jesse Ward as they navigate their feelings and desires for one another while Ava tries to make sure she doesn’t completely lose her individuality to Jesse. 

Luxury and decadence is one of the core themes of this series along with the heated and passionate romance between Ava and Jesse, so I thought it would be perfect for a Taurus. I, for one, really enjoyed this series and since I’m a Taurus rising, I did enjoy the wealth and decadent moments in this book series. 

Debt Inheritance by Pepper Winters

Okay, the only reason I put this book in this recommendations post is because this book has diamonds. Lots and lots of diamonds. This is book 1 in the Indebted series by Pepper Winters and follows Jethro Hawk and Nila Weaver who are bound to hate each other due to their bloodlines. Nila is supposed to be nothing but a debt to fulfill for Jethro Hawk, but Jethro never expected to fall for Nila. And so begins a catastrophic storm of family debt and romance that really makes this series a rollercoaster ride, with a lot, and I mean, a lot of diamonds. 

Diamonds are a symbol of wealth and luxury and that is what makes a Taurus so special. They’re not afraid to indulge and splurge, and this book really is an indulgence. 

The Merlot Murders by Ellen Crosby

This is book 1 in the Wine Country Mysteries and follows Lucie Montgomery who is forced to go back to her country home due to the death of her father, giving her the perfect excuse to get away from her ex boyfriend and focus on herself. However, when she gets there she realizes that her father was murdered rather than dying a natural death and she decides to investigate his murder, eventually leading to the killer. 

When talking about fine dining and luxury, this book is surrounded by vineyard and wine. I especially loved the information sprinkled between pages regarding the process of making wine and let’s not ignore the different kinds of wine presented in this book. That is why I think this book would be exciting for a Taurus. 

Champagne Showers by Adler

Since we’re focusing on wine, champagne is one of the high quality wine and people often drink it in times of celebration and parties which is something our Taurus signs excel at, and that this why we have this book on this list. 

This is book 1 in the Glass Towers series and follows Danielle and Harrison as their relationship blossoms despite the fact that Danielle does not wish to be in a relationship due to getting out of a terrible one, but secretly wishes for a fairytale romance, while Harrison does not care and wants Danielle to be his. But all that glitters is not gold, and Danielle soon discovers that despite the wealth and power that Harrison possesses, their relationship would require much more than whispered promises and heated kisses in order to be stable. 

Champagne, wealth and power, what more does a Taurus want? This book contains all that and much more, so I think this book is a good fit for this list. 

So there we have it. These are my recommendations for the sign of Taurus. Do you agree with my recommendations? Is there any book you wished was on this list? Have you read any of the books mentioned here? Let me know in the comments and I’ll try my best to post the recommendations for Gemini before the season is over. 

Book Review: Killing November by Adriana Mather

Date of Publishing: March 26th, 2019

Author: Adriana Mather

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

This is book 1 in the series by the same name and follows November who’s father enrolls her in a school known as Academy Absconditi, a boarding school full of secrets and hidden agendas. For a girl who’s lived a normal life, Academy Absconditi is a completely new world and something she has a hard time navigating. But when your very existence is threatened and you realize that your entire life has been a lie, November has no choice but to fight for her survival and show the other students that she’s no underdog. 

I don’t have words for this book. This book blew my mind away. It kept me hooked from the first word till the last. The pacing, the storyline, the characters, and the climax everything was just perfectly executed. 

Academy Absconditi is a school I wished existed in real life. An academy that educates you in knife throwing and espionage is my kind of a school and I would love to be a student there. Learning the ways of the Strategia and following complicated bloodlines, this book is colored with intrigue. I actually wish I was a character in this book. 

Dark academia is a genre I’ve been wanting to get into for some time now and I’m so glad that I started with this book because now I’m now even more excited to dive deeper into this genre and get a better understanding of it so I can finally work on writing my own dark academia novel. 

The characters in this book were fleshed out to perfection. I loved each and everyone, with their complicated flaws and thirst for power, it really gives you an idea of just how crazy people can be. I loved Ash and Laila and how despite wanting to stay away they still help November battle through the onslaught of allegations and murder attempts. And in a place like Academy Absconditi one needs allies. However, what I liked about these characters is how morally gray they were. I love gray characters and Adriana Mather has done a stunning job of fleshing them out as such. These students do questionable things for the right reasons—at least they’re right according to them and that’s what makes them so exciting to read about. 

Moreover, the importance given to family and your lineage is an intriguing element in this series. The school might be for a particular age group, but your bloodline really spans generations and really has an impact on a student’s position in the school. So I like how the author has included this flavor, which is the perfect way to induce rivalry and enmity among the students. 

The climax was brutal and packed a punch. I kind of had a hunch who the villain was but wasn’t entirely sure, however, when the culprit did come to light I was excited and blown away at the same time; especially when his reasons for doing what he did were revealed, it just made me want to go back and read the book all over again. And the climax made way for the perfect ending with November wanting to go to her father and find out the truth about the events of her past and the past of the Strategia. 

Adriana Mather really knows how to portray relationships and with Ash and November, the relationship really is a challenge as they have to navigate through the history of their respective bloodlines and figure out if they really should be together. Loyalty is hard to come by when your own family can be out to kill you, so reading about their relationship was a roller coaster in itself. 

I am really excited to read the second book in the series. The only thing I’m sad about is that there are only two books in this series instead of seven or eight. I feel like no matter how much I read about this world of the Strategia I’ll never get enough, so it’s sad that I’d have to say goodbye to these character and this exciting world in the next book. I wish the author writes more books like this and I hope I can write as well as she does. And of course I would be reading the rest of the books written by Adriana Mather in the future. 

As for recommending this book to people, I literally want everybody to go and pick this book up. Everybody should read this book at least once in their life if not again and again. So pick up your copy of Killing November if you haven’t already and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did. 

April Reading Wrap Up

Target: 6

Read: 8

I did manage to reach my goal for the month of April and managed to read two more books on top of it, but only because my goal for the month was a lot smaller than it’s ever been, so it was easy for me to reach. Anyway, here’s my wrap up or the books I read in April. 

Fate’s Dice by V. Domino

This is book 1 in the Chicago’s Finest series by V. Domino, and follows our two main characters known as Dice and Leo who happens to be the Mafia Don of Chicago. Despite being a normal girl and coming from a somewhat normal background, Dice’s life takes a not-so-normal turn when she meets Leo who is robbing the cafe she works at. Things heat up between them in more ways than one, making Dice question whether Fate’s roll of dice would lead to her happily ever after or not.

Okay. Let me start by saying I did not like this book, like at all. I’ve read another book by this author previously and I did not enjoy that either, but this book was just too much for me. It was too fast-paced for me and not to mention the insta love that takes place between the  protagonists. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with fast paced stories and considering that this is a standalone as the other books in the series would be featuring different couples, I can understand why they both fall in love with each other so quickly, but even so, I did not enjoy the instant attraction and how the hero is just so perfect. I don’t like perfect characters, I think I’ve said that a little too much, but Leo was just too much for me and I just couldn’t stand him by the end of the book. 

I do love dark romance but this book did not reach the mark, so I didn’t enjoy reading this book and I’m just glad I was able to finish it and not DNF it even though I had to practically force myself to reach the end. 

But if you guys like stories where the characters fall in love in the first five chapters, then you guys can give this book a shot, but for me this was a big no and I’m not sure if I’ll be reading any more books by this author. 

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Black 

This is the book 1 in the series by the same name and follows Pip who is trying to solve the murder of Andie Bell, a girl who died five years ago due to mysterious circumstances. Though Andie’s boyfriend, Salil Singh had been labeled as the murderer, Pip doesn’t believe it and sets out to find the truth for herself with the help of Ravi Singh, who happens to be Sal’s brother. 

I had so much fun reading this book and I just couldn’t put it down. I loved how there are different formats in the book, which gives us a visual of how things are happening with Pip’s investigation. Even though, she’s doing all this for a school project, I can’t help but envy her because I would love to do something like this for my school project, but alas, cool stuff like this doesn’t happen in my life, so I have no choice but to live vicariously through books. 

Also, I loved the climax and the shocking turn of events that transpired in the novel. I always enjoy a good detective story and this really is one of the good ones out there. I highly recommend you check this book out if you haven’t already and I’m pretty sure that the rest of the books in the series will be just as amazing as this one. 

Night by Ellie Wiesel

This story follows our main character in the midst of Nazi rule and how he’s forced to watch his family and everybody else he knows be punished or killed in the most of brutal of ways right in front of his eyes. The book is a story told by the boy’s perspective about how the Jews suffered at the hands of the Nazis and no matter how much time passes, the wounds of those injuries will just never heal. 

Let me tell you guys, this is not the first story I’ve read about the Nazi invasion and how the Jews suffered because of them; I’ve read a few before this one, but no matter how many books I read, it never gets any easier. The pain is always there, and it was there with this story as well. I nearly cried when I read about innocent children being burned alive and men being shot and beaten just for breathing. There was so much suffering and heartache in this story that I couldn’t help but send a prayer to those who lost their lives because they chose to follow a certain faith.

Do give this story a read whether you’re into non-fiction or not. I believe everybody needs to educate themselves on right and wrong and when you witness something wrong, then you’re able to stand up for what’s right. 

Killing November by Adriana Mather

Can I just say, Holy Sh*t! This book was epic!! I think it’s my favorite so far of the year and I can’t believe I took so long into reading this. I wish I’d read it sooner but then I wouldn’t have had the pleasure of reading it now, this book is that amazing!! 

This book follows November who is enrolled into Academy Absconditi under mysterious circumstances and forced to act and behave in a way that is completely opposite her. A place surrounded by secrets and where you die if you don’t fight for your survival, it’s a place most would dread but is a place that breeds that best of the Strategia. And November wants to find out why she’s here and most importantly, who wants to kill her? 

Everything about this book was perfect. The plot, the characters, the pacing, the writing style, everything was spot on. I loved every word, swooned over every sentence and devoured every paragraph. I never wanted this book to end; I wish it would go on forever, but there is a sequel so I’m glad I’ll get to read more of November and Ash. 

Dark academia is a genre I’ve been wanting to get into for a while now and this book was the perfect starter as I believe this book falls under the same genre. And I can’t wait to read more books in this genre. And I just want to thank Adriana Mather for writing this book and sharing this gift with us. 

Lock In by John Scalzi 

Sci-Fi is not a genre I like to read, mainly because I’m not a crazy fan of technology and artificial intelligence. I prefer humans to robots and always will. So this is book 1 in the series of the same name and follows what seems to be a pandemic in the future where patients of Haden’s Syndrome experience Lock In, where the body is completely paralyzed, leaving you with nothing but an active brain. Bring in the technology and you have machines with the minds of humans. 

The story follows Chris Shane who suffered from Haden’s Syndrome and now manages his life via a threep and is an FBI agent assigned to a case which initially appears to be full of confusion and holes. With a partner who spends half her time drinking and sleeping around, the two embark on the task to solve the murder. 

I’m not going to lie, it took me a while to get into this story simply because me and technology don’t get along very well. And there was so much technical vocabulary used that it nearly made my head spin. However, as the story progressed I started to understand how the world and the people living in it worked and by the end I really enjoyed it. The ending and the climax was amazing. The way the writer provided us with the information as the protagonist figured out who the killer was, was just fascinating. 

So even though it’s not a genre that I normally reach for, I recommend you guys to check out this book and give it a read. It’s really interesting. And I will definitely be reading the next books in the series.

Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

This is book 1 in the Finishing School series by Gail Carriger and though I was excited to finally get into this book, I realized it kind of fell short of my expectations. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed the book, I just expected more from it.

The story follows Sophronia—a young girl of fourteen—as she is recruited to a finishing school after her mother gets tired of her and her troublesome ways and decides that a finishing school would be perfect for Sophronia and teach her to act like a proper lady. However, Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality is no ordinary finishing school and teaches you much more than dancing and fixing your posture. Supernatural creatures lurk in the midst of the academy along with a prototype that threatens the lives of everyone present in the school, making our curious main character eager to know about it and put a stop to the attacks from the enemy. 

My excitement over reading this book was at an all time high, however, it diminished as I continued reading the book. I expected more action and drama from this book but it only involved the search for a prototype. I get that it’s the first book in the series and there’s probably more action and drama in the upcoming books, but I just wished the author added a little more spice into the book. However, I still really enjoyed this book and loved the fact that such a finishing school exists—even if it’s fiction—and would highly recommend you all to read this book if you haven’t already. 

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

This is book 1 in The Singing Hills Cycle series by Nghi Vo and follows the story of an empress who has a knack for fortunes as she tells her tale to her handmaiden, Rabbit. The story is short, not like your typical 300-400 page fantasy novel, and is packed with a tale few can tell. 

Okay, I’m going to be honest, I didn’t really understand what happened in this book. Perhaps I was distracted by the ten thousand things around me or I am just not smart enough to understand the complexity of this book, but it was difficult for me to follow along. However, one thing I did enjoy was reading about the empress’ love for fortunes and every time there was a mention of fortune, my eyes would perk up and I would want to know just how they read fortunes back in the day. 

This book may have flew over my head but that does not mean it’ll fly over yours, so do give this book a read if you’re looking to read a short fantasy book or just find this book interesting. 

Wandering Star by Romina Russell 

This is book 2 in the Zodiac series by Romina Russell and follows Rhoma Grace as she continues her journey of finding the thirteenth constellation and battling a new set of enemies, all the while doing her best to maintain the harmony between the twelve house and taking on the grand task of uniting the zodiac. 

I really enjoyed book 1 in this series and I really enjoyed this book as well. There was a right amount of tension and action along with the plot twist and the climax, it was all incredibly spot on. I enjoyed everything about this book, even the parts that were hard to read, like the torture and destruction that takes place, but it was worth it. I recommend everyone to read this book, so they can experience the roller coaster which I experienced at the hands of this book. 

So these are the eight books I read in the month of April. I wish I could’ve read more, but this was all I could manage. Let me know if you’ve read any of these books and what do you think about them. 

Book Review: Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier

Date of Publishing: October 7th, 2014

Author: Kerstin Gier

Publisher: Square Fish

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction 

This is the last book in The Precious Stone Trilogy by Kerstin Gier and considering how amazing this entire series is, I’m not surprised that this trilogy has been translated in multiple languages. The story follows Gideon and Gwen as they try to figure out their complicated family trees while navigating time sensitive events that can potentially get them killed. Not to mention the two time travelers that have been on the run since a long time and just happen to be related to Gwen in the most unexpected of ways, I must say I did not see the plot twist coming. 

The humor used throughout the series and especially in this book had me cracking up and really helped with my mood. I especially loved Xemerius. I think he’s my favorite character of the trilogy and I wish I had a ghost pet like him. Why isn’t there such a thing as ghost pets in real life? I’m pretty sure my Mom would’ve allowed me to keep one as a child. I LOVE YOU, XEMERIUS! 

My juvenile obsessions aside, another thing I absolutely loved in this trilogy was how the writer worked with the concept of time travel. I’m not usually a fan of science fiction but this author combined it with historical fiction, a genre which I love, and the next I know I’m reading a masterpiece with a trope that was not my favorite but now has become one. 

Not to mention the impeccable writing style through which the author has crafted the story. Kerstin Gier’s writing style is really easy to follow and the storyline is, despite the time jumps, has a smooth flow that takes you on a crazy ride. 

And I love Gideon, I mean what’s not to love, he’s perfect. And his relationship dynamics with Gwen is the perfect blend of romance and comedy. I loved how sweet and caring he is towards Gwen, at the same time he’s good at hiding his feelings as well as we see in the initial chapters. 

I also enjoyed the family dynamics, especially when it came to Gwen and Charlotte. Things do take a turn for the crazy for Gwen but her love for her family never wavers, which is something that endeared me to Gwen all the more. 

Furthermore, the fact that Gwen is not portrayed as perfect is something that I appreciated a lot. I hate how the main characters are often portrayed as perfect in every aspect i.e. being the strongest, the smartest, the prettiest and the luckiest just grates on my nerves, so a character that makes mistakes every now and then and has flaws just like all of us is just so satisfying to read about. 

Despite the story having high stakes and danger, the overall atmosphere of the book was light. If I had to give it a color, I’d give it silver, which is my favorite, hence the reason for me loving this book and this entire series. The plot twists were some of the most amazing I’ve encountered as I wasn’t expecting them, so hats off to the author for that. Maybe somebody else would’ve seen the plot twists coming but not me. 

Though I’ve already talked about him, I can’t help but mention him once again because he made the story so much more enjoyable and that’s our ghost pet, Xemerius. He was just downright perfect. With all his crazy jokes and insults, he had me cracking up and hungry for more of him. Not to mention how he sticks up for Gwen and insults her at the same time, I wish I had a Xemerius in my life. 

Overall, I highly enjoyed this book and the series as a whole. If you haven’t read this series yet, then I’m telling you to go to a bookstore or Amazon, wherever you buy your books from, and purchase this series immediately because it’s fantastic and you will not be disappointed. I highly recommend these books and though I’m late as always on getting to this series, I’m glad I did and can’t wait to read the other books by this author.