If you’ve been reading my blog for any amount of time, you’ve probably noticed a distinct lack in a pretty popular post among book bloggers: TBR posts. That’s because I am someone who is very much a mood reader. When I’m not reading books for review or for blog tours, I choose ones simply based on what sounds good to me at the moment. For that reason, I don’t tend to make monthly TBRs because it’s likely to change at the drop of a hat.
The one exception to this rule, of course, is when I participate in month-long readathons. And I just so happen to be doing so in August. The Trope-ical Readathon sounded like too much fun to pass up! It’s a competitive readathon created by Jenny @ JenJenReviews and her partner, Rob. The prompts are based off of popular bookish tropes and it runs through the entire month of August. If you’d like more information or want to register yourself, follow this link.
Now, it’s time to take a look at what I’ll be reading!
A Team Challenge
So I mentioned that this readathon is competitive, right? What does any competition need? Teams, of course! There are five teams to choose from that are genre-based:
Team Romance
Team Science Fiction/Fantasy
Team Mystery/Horror/Thriller
Team Contemporary/Literary/Historical Fiction
Team Non-Fiction/Poetry
Now, the idea is to choose the team that represents your favorite genre, but there are approximately eleventy billion people on Team Science Fiction/Fantasy, so I thought I’d try to even the playing field a little. That’s why I chose Team Mystery/Horror/Thriller!
Those are definitely my second favorite genres, after all. And it helps that I’m dying to read the team book!
#5OnMyTBR is a bookish meme hosted by E. @ Local Bee Hunter’s Nook where you chose five books from your to-be-read pile that fit that week’s theme. If you’d like more info, head over to the announcement post!
Hello, reader!
It has been a minute since I’ve done a #5OnMyTBR, hasn’t it? I blame the move and just being incredibly busy lately. I have today off, though, so before I go blog-hopping, I figured I would revisit one of my favorite bookish weekly memes.
This Monday, the theme of #5OnMyTBR is sequels! We’re talking about books in a series that we’ve been meaning to read but haven’t picked up yet. Of which I have… a lot 😅 But I’ve narrowed it down to the five that I most want to read. That being said, let’s get to it!
#1. The Faithless Hawk by Margaret Owen
This one is, perhaps, my most anticipated sequel of 2020. I randomly picked up The Merciful Crow (the first book in this series) last year at the library. The premise sounded interesting and I liked the cover. It’s literally why I pick up most of the books that I read, lol. Anyways, I ended up falling in love with Fie and the world that Owen has created! Fie is sarcastic and tough and willing to fight for what she believes in. I can’t wait to continue her story!
Also, cause I’m nothing if not on-brand, it’s got a gorgeous cover 😍
After a very busy week, I thought I would unwind this Sunday evening by doing a book tag. Yes, answering random bookish questions relaxes me. We all have our things 😆
I was tagged in the Ten Bookish Questions book tag by the lovely Fiona @ Fi’s Bibliofiles, who is a fantastic blogger you all should definitely be following! This tag was originally created by A Books Neverland and I have seen this tag making the rounds. I think it’s so interesting reading everyone’s answers. So now it’s time to add my answers. Let’s dive in!
How many books do you currently own?
Ahahahaha, I have no idea. Though I could potentially count them all since most are still in boxes after our move. The only books I’ve unpacked are (most) of my unread books to put on the bookshelf in our room. Which currently looks like this:
Now add to that two large bookshelves worth of books that are still in boxes. And that’s not even counting my ebooks and audiobooks! Yeeeahhh… I have a lot of books 😬
The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Crazy-For-Books and is currently being hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer. Every Friday, a new question is posted for book bloggers to answer in the coming week. The purpose of the hop is connection and community. You can discover new blogs to follow, new books to read, and you may end up with some new followers, as well!
The answer to this question would have been very different before I got home. Why? Because I got some book mail!!! Let’s talk about a couple of other books that are at the top of my TBR first, though.
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
I was lucky enough to receive this as an ARC on Netgalley and get selected to be part of the blog tour being run by Hear Our Voices Book Tours! The tour isn’t until September, but I don’t think I can wait that long to read this YA fantasy. It’s got Black girls and magic, y’all! And look at this gorgeous cover! How am I supposed to resist it?
Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles
I won this beauty in a Goodreads giveaway which, honestly, was a completely shock to me. Do you know how many of those I have entered in the years that I’ve been on Goodreads? A lot. And this is the *counts on fingers* third one I’ve won. I’m so excited to read this one because it involves a competition and is billed as Moulin Rouge meets Phantom of the Opera. Like… yes, please!!
Small Spaces by Katherine Arden
This book was recently chosen as the August book for Middle Grade Marvels. I’ve been wanting to read it for awhile, so now it’s shot up to the top of my TBR! Also, this sounds like it’s gonna properly scary, which I always love. If this sounds like the kind of book you’d like to read, you should definitely consider joining in! You can see the past books and find more information here. I can’t wait to read and discuss this spooky little book!
Alright, I’m sure you’re all wondering what book showed up that could instantly change my TBR. The book that showed up on my stoop and made me legit squeal is…
The Faithless Hawk by Margaret Owen!!! Look at it!! I was selected to a part of the TBR and Beyond Tours blog tour for my most anticipated sequel of the year and the noise I made was… unnatural 😂 I’m so thankful and can’t wait to tear into this book. Though, from hints dropped by the author on Twitter, I think this book is going to wreck me… Still! I’m so excited to read this one.
So what books are at the top of your TBR? Did you do your own BBH? Let me know in the comments!
It’s time for another WWW Wednesday! This is a bookish meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words where bloggers answer the 3 Ws:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
If you’d like to learn more about any of these books, click on the cover to be taken to the Goodreads page.
Current Reads
Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows by J.M. Bergen: This is one of two books I’ve been reading throughout the month of July for the Middle Grade Marvels group! So far, I have to say I’m not as wrapped up in this one as I was with the other. It’s got an interesting premise, but I find myself a little bored. Still, the last section we read was a bit more exciting, so I’m hoping it has a strong finish!
No Truth Left to Tell by Michael McAuliffe: I was sent this book by the publisher and have been trying to read it this entire month. Blog tour books and ARCs have just been getting in it’s way! I have started it and what I’ve read so far has been interesting. It’s a legal thriller, which isn’t my typical read, but the subject matter hits close to home and I want to see how it ends.
The Bone Ships by R.J. Barker: My ARC of shame… I’ve been reading this bad boy since 2019. September of 2019, to be exact. I have an e-ARC of it but, frankly, I would fall asleep every time I picked it up. But it’s on my Netgalley shelf and I refuse to let it rot there, throwing off my ratio! I decided to give the audiobook a try since I had an Audible credit just hanging out and, so far, it’s going much better than last time! Wish me luck.
Recently Finished
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Rating: 3 out of 5.
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Rating: 5 out of 5.
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Rating: 4 out of 5.
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Rating: 4 out of 5.
Voice of War by Zack Argyle: This was a book I read for a blog tour run by Storytellers on Tour. Though it was definitely a fast-paced read with an interesting magic system, I had some issues with the language used to describe a fat character. You can read my full review here.
The Ship of Shadows by Maria Kuzniar: This is a book I read for a #TheWriteReads Ultimate Blog Tour. It’s a middle grade fantasy that features women pirates, thrilling adventures, and cake! I absolutely adored this book and think the target audience would love it even more than I did. You can read my full review here.
Knightmare Arcanist by Shami Stovall: And this one I read for yet another #TheWriteReads Ultimate Blog Tour! Sensing a theme, yet? We’ve moved up to young adult, but we’re still squarely in fantasy. I read this book in one day and completely enjoyed the experience! Also, I would like my own mystical creature to bond with now, please and thank you. You can read my full review here.
The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste: I literally just finished this book right before I sat down to write this post. This was the other book we are reading in the Middle Grade Marvels group and, y’all, I loved it! It was so much fun and plenty spooky, with folklore from the Caribbean woven in. No review, as of yet, but it will be coming soon!
What’s Next
Crossings by Alex Landragin: This is a weird little book that I snatched up on a whim from Netgalley when it was in Read Now status. I’m not sure if an ebook is the best format in which to read this one as it apparently has some interesting way of reading it, but I’m going to give it a shot!
What are you currently reading? Read any new favorites lately? Let me know in the comments!
Prepare yourself for yet another blog tour stop on a wonderful #TheWriteReads Ultimate Blog Tour! Seriously, Dave @ The Write Readsorganizes some of the best tours and all you book bloggers should definitely check him out. What book are we diving into today? Knightmare Arcanist is the beginning to an epic fantasy series where magic reigns and mystical creatures run rampant!
Before I get into my review, though, I must say “Thank you” toDave @ The Write Reads, Capital Station Books, and the author, Shami Stovall for not only giving me a spot on this tour but sending me a physical copy of the book in exchange for an honest review! It is much appreciate, especially since the cover is stinkin’ beautiful 😍
And now, let’s jump into this tour post!
Synopsis
“Magic. Sailing. A murderer among heroes.
Gravedigger Volke Savan wants nothing more than to be like his hero, the legendary magical swashbuckler, Gregory Ruma. First he needs to become an arcanist, someone capable of wielding magic, which requires bonding with a mythical creature. And he’ll take anything—a pegasus, a griffin, a ravenous hydra—maybe even a leviathan, like Ruma.
So when Volke stumbles across a knightmare, a creature made of shadow and terror, he has no reservations. But the knightmare knows a terrible secret: Ruma is a murderer out to spread corrupted magic throughout their island nation. He’s already killed a population of phoenixes and he intends to kill even more.
In order to protect his home, his adopted sister, and the girl he admires from afar, Volke will need to confront his hero, the Master Arcanist Gregory Ruma.
A fast-paced fantasy with magical creatures for those who enjoy the Furies of Calderon (Codex Alera series) by Jim Butcher, Unsouled (Cradle Series) by Will Wight, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan.“
Welcome to my stop on yet another #TheWriteReads Ultimate Blog Tour! As you can see by the colorful banner, today I’ll be talking about a middle grade book called The Ship of Shadows. And when I say “talk” what I really mean is “gush” because, my goodness, was this book incredible!
I’m getting ahead of myself, though. First, I want to thank Dave @The Write Reads, Puffin Books, and the author for allowing me access to a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. I am endlessly thankful for the opportunity and, sometimes, can’t believe how lucky I am to get to do stuff like this.
That aside, let’s dive into it!
Synopsis
“Aleja whiles away her days in her family’s dusty tavern in Seville, dreaming of distant lands and believing in the kind of magic that she’s only ever read about in books. After all, she’s always being told that girls can’t be explorers.
But her life is changed forever when adventure comes for her in the form of a fabled vessel called the Ship of Shadows. Crewed by a band of ruthless women, with cabin walls dripping with secrets, the ship has sailed right out of a legend. And it wants Aleja.
Once on board its shadowy deck, she begins to realize that the sea holds more secrets than she ever could have imagined. The crew are desperately seeking something, and their path will take them through treacherous waters and force them to confront nightmare creatures and pitch-dark magic. It will take all of Aleja’s strength and courage to gain the trust of her fellow pirates – and discover what they are risking everything to find.”
It’s time for my June wrap up! Yes, I know that we are halfway through July. The beginning of July has just been incredibly busy for ya girl. Work is picking up now that doctor’s offices are opening up for routine work again. And I became a first-time homeowner! We closed at the end of June but didn’t move until the very beginning of July. So my poor, little blog has been a bit neglected, as of late. But, now that we’re settling, I have the time (and the energy 😅) to talk about my reading in the month of June.
So why don’t we get started?
Books Read
Click on the covers to be taken to the book’s Goodreads page
The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant::★★★★::My review
Today, I’ll be bringing you another Storytellers on Tour blog tour post! This tour is featuring an adult fantasy that has a little bit of everything: intrigue, action, and the ever eternal struggle of good vs. evil. But I’m getting ahead of myself! First, I want to thank Storytellers on Tour and the author for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. As always, it’s such a privilege that I can’t appreciate enough!
Of course, my blog is but one of many stops on this tour. Here is a banner with all the wonderful bloggers and bookstagammers that will be participating:
Click the banner to find links to all the stops on this tour or click here.
Now, let’s jump in!
Synopsis
“While preparing for the birth of his first child, Chrys Valerian is tasked with uncovering the group responsible for a series of missing threadweavers—those able to see and manipulate threadlight. With each failure, the dark voice in his head that began during the war grows louder, begging to be released.
Laurel lives in Zedalum, a secret city in the center of the Fairenwild. During her most recent messenger run, Laurel veered off course to explore the streets of Alchea. She never expected that her journey would end in chains.
When Chrys learns who is responsible for the missing threadweavers, they come for him and his family. He must do everything in his power to protect those he loves, even if it means trusting a strange girl or the dark voice in his mind”
Kerri McBookNerd 