I can’t believe July is already over, but I’m glad time is flying by and this terrible year will soon be just an awful memory. Hopefully, next year is much better. July was a really good reading month for me though. I think the more isolated I get, the more I read. There could be worse habits to pick up I guess. Lets move on to the books! I read eleven books in total. My favorite was Truelife (Lifelike, #3) by Jay Kristoff, and my least favorite was One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London.
Disclaimer: All opinions on this blog are my own. If you are interested in purchasing any of these books, please consider using my Amazon affiliate link by clicking on the pictures and/or links and I will receive a small fee, but your book will still cost the same.
I didn’t write a review for this one, because this was more of a personal read. I’ve been trying to write lately and was looking for tips from someone whom I consider to be a great author. It is a great book though if you want to check it out.
This was a read that hit home for me. You can read my review here. Also, if you want to see me almost get wiped out while attempting to hold a firefighter hose, visit my Instagram page 🙂
I didn’t really enjoy this one so I didn’t write a review. I understand books are hard work and I did not want to post a really negative review. I realize now that I probably shouldn’t have purchased this since I am not a fan of the Bachelor or the Bachelorette show.
For fans of: Fantasy, Caraval, and the Night Circus
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author. I was not paid for this review, and all opinions are my own. If you are interested in purchasing this book, please consider using my Amazon affiliate link (by clicking on the top or bottom pictures) and helping a fellow book blogger out 🙂 I will receive a small fee from Amazon, but your book will still cost the same.
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Lace Ashburn was only twelve years old when she witnessed a murder behind Pandemonium’s grandeur – a strange, magical traveling show where admittance is hard to gain. With a dead Ringmaster and his murderer in jail, Pandemonium packed up and fled in the middle of the night, remaining missing for five years.
When Lace’s older brother steps up to take the throne of Falhaven, he announces not only the return of Pandemonium but an arranged marriage for her with their neighboring country’s prince. With less than a week to discover a way to keep her freedom from her fiancé, Lace finds her way back into the heart of Pandemonium.
With a new Ringmaster heading Pandemonium, Lace is pulled into a competition run by the strange show with an invaluable prize at the end should she win. Paired together with a mysterious partner, Lace fights through the contest to keep not only her independence but her heart safe.
Come one, come all, to the show that will enthrall…welcome to Pandemonium where in order to win, you must lose it all.
My Review:
This was a great story. It was a surprisingly good mix of the competition trope (one of my favorite tropes) and a love triangle (one of my least favorite tropes). Thankfully, the romance aspect was subtle and did not take center stage. The ring master was a morally gray character which I always find enjoyable. Lace was a strong female character, but without an aggressive disposition and not afraid to show some vulnerability at times.
I enjoyed the strong friendship between Lace and her sister, they had a bond I don’t see too often in Fantasy books. Lately, I’ve been reading a lot of sibling rivalry and sisters being pitted against each other, and this change was refreshing.
The plot developed with a sense of urgency, but without sacrificing any details or descriptions. There is a mysterious undertone to the story which I enjoyed. As a reader I was able to compete and solve the riddles and clues alongside Lace. I do love a good twist and Anderson definitely delivered. I highly recommend this book to all Fantasy fans!
I found this book tag on Sophie’s Corner, her blog is amazing and this looked like a very fun tag! Just like Sophie, I am a major mood reader so this will be a bit hard for me, but I will do my best. If you are reading this, then consider yourself tagged, and please tag me back so that I can read your answers. Now on to the books!
Disclaimer: All opinions on this blog are my own. If you are interested in purchasing any of these books, please consider using my Amazon affiliate link by clicking on the pictures and/or links and I will receive a small fee, but your book will still cost the same.
I’ve been rereading the Illuminae Files, so my next read will definitely be Obsidio (Illuminae, #3) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. I’ve been reading along with my husband, who is reading them for the first time, and it’s really fun! I’ve also just started to read The Hobbit (I know I know where have I been?). I’ve seen the movies, but I’ve never read the books so I’m doing that now and then I will be moving on to The Lord of the Rings. I’m in an epic Fantasy type of mood lately 🙂
I’m predicting The Hobbit will be a five star read for me since it’s such a classic and so many people have such great things to say about it. Obsidio will of course also be a five star read. I guess you can say I will be having a good next few days!
Prediction for my next one star read
Like Sophie said, I don’t read books that I know I won’t enjoy. If I start reading a book and I’m not enjoying it I usually stop. I feel bad giving books one star ratings, because the author probably worked really hard on it and it could just be I wasn’t in the right frame of mind for it, or it just wasn’t for me. Also, I don’t like bashing books online. If I really didn’t like a book I would rather just quietly put it away and give it a two star rating on Goodreads and move on.
I will definitely be buying the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings books. I really like the hardback editions I’ve seen around online, so I will be hunting those down. For now I’ll be reading the e-books I got from my Library. It’s so handy that I have a Library that offers that option and I’m aware a lot of people don’t have access to e-books they can borrow. I wish more public Libraries did this.
I’m predicting I will be in a major hangover after I’m done with the Illuminae Files. That’s the main reason I’m starting this other major Epic Fantasy series (The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings) along with it so that I will have something to keep me reading and I don’t land into a dreaded reading slump.
I was fortunate enough to have come across Bookstagram: The Ultimate Guide by Taylor Mack, and I want to shout about it. This guide has been a great resource as a bookstagrammer and has helped me grow my Bookstagram account exponentially since I read it.
Disclaimer: You can purchase the Guide or the flipbook by clicking on the pictures or links and I will receive a small percentage. The price will be the same for you whether or not you use my link. If you are planning to buy it please consider using my link and helping a fellow book blogger 🙂
The guide is divided into five parts:
1. A Bookstagram Back Story
This part explains what Bookstagram is (an amazing bookish community that you should join if you haven’t!). My favorite part about this section was the tips on how to Bookstagram on a budget.
2. The First Impression
This part explains what engagement is, and whether a business account or a personal account is the right one for you. My favorite section here was the instructions on creating the perfect Instagram Bio, which was extremely useful.
3. Content Creation
There are some great photography tips in this section, as well as a guide on what your feed should look like. My favorite part here was all the advice about where you can get creative inspiration when you need it.
4. Dynamic Strategies for Growth
This part includes information on hashtags and how they work, posting and tagging, and engaging with your audience. My favorite part here was the information on how to use Instagram stories and what to share on them.
5. Publishers, Partnerships, and Brand Deals
This is the part that I was most interested in learning about when I first got this guide. I really wanted the details on how to get Publishers to want to send me books to read and review, and how to get companies to partner with me. Taylor shared all her knowledge without holding anything back, and she also included some quotes from other successful Instagrammers with great advice.
Taylor also designed this Bookstagram Planner and Hashtag Flipbook that I found super useful. You can purchase this flipbook and the Bookstagram Guide, or the guide alone. I use the planner to plan out my posts for the week, keep track of my challenges, and keep a list of the books I plan to read. I love that I can flip through the hashtag list and select the ones I want to use for my post that day. I highly recommend getting both the Guide and the Flipbook if you want to take your Bookstagram account to the next level!
If you want to follow me on Instagram click on the link, I could always use more Bookstagram friends 🙂
For fans of: Romance, Sports Fictions, Humor, Get a Life Chloe Brown, Beach Read, The Happy Ever After Playlist, Well Met
Good to know before you read: explicit sex scenes
Synopsis from Goodreads:
The first rule of book club: You don’t talk about book club.
Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott’s marriage is in major league trouble. He’s recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always faked the Big O. When he loses his cool at the revelation, it’s the final straw on their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he’s let his pride and fear get the better of him.
Welcome to the Bromance Book Club.
Distraught and desperate, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville’s top alpha men. With the help of their current read, a steamy Regency titled Courting the Countess, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it’ll take a lot more than flowery words and grand gestures for this hapless Romeo to find his inner hero and win back the trust of his wife.
My Mini Review:
This was a very cute romantic read. The story was fast paced and full of humor. It dealt with marital problems, child rearing, and family drama, but in a very light-hearted way. There was some unnecessary drama towards the middle, which is what made me dock one star from my rating.
I thought the fact that Gavin had a speech impediment was very unique, I personally have never read a book where the main character has one. I am looking forward to reading the second book in this series, but I’m not sure if I will like Liv, Thea’s sister, as the main character, since I did not like her very much in this book. Overall, I would recommend this book to all Romance fans.
Have you read this one? Do you plan to read it? Let me know in the comments!
This is a meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words where you answer three questions: What are you reading now? What did you just read? What will you be reading next? I haven’t done one of these posts since November, but I enjoy writing them so I think I will start doing them again. Let me know what your three W’s are in the comments!
Disclaimer: All opinions on this blog are my own. If you are interested in purchasing any of these books, please consider using my Amazon affiliate link by clicking on the pictures and/or links and I will receive a small fee, but your book will still cost the same.
I’m currently doing a reread of the Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. I’m now on the second book Gemina. If you haven’t read this series I highly recommend it, also the audio books are amazing. I’m also currently reading The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey as part of my Dystopian Binge, and I’m loving it so far.
I just read Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center. It was an amazing book and I’m very proud of my review in which I shared some of my personal experiences as a 911 Dispatcher. You can read my review here.
I am a major mood reader, so I can’t guarantee what I will read next at any point in time. All I know is that I’ve been doing a buddy read with my husband who is reading The Illuminae Files series for the first time, so I will probably be reading Obsidio with him when we finish Gemina.
I saw this tag on Nikita’s Prose and Pancakes Blog, her blog is amazing and you should follow if you aren’t! Everyone who reads this is welcome to participate, and remember to tag me back so that I can read your answers. Okay, moving on to the books!
Disclaimer: All opinions on this blog are my own. If you are interested in purchasing any of these books, please consider using my Amazon affiliate link by clicking on the pictures and/or links and I will receive a small fee, but your book will still cost the same.
A book that a certain friend is always telling you to read
Ninth House (Alex Stern, #1) by Leigh Bardugo. I actually made a friend try this one out before I did, because I had heard it has some triggers which included rape. My friend has much tougher skin than I do, and she said the rape scene was not very explicit and that it was necessary to the story. This book has been sitting on my TBR ever since, and she still tells me to read it every once in a while.
A book that has been on your TBR forever and you haven’t read it
I love books by Christina Lauren, but somehow I’ve been putting off reading Love and Other Words. It has been sitting on my TBR forever. I tried the audio book at some point, but the narrator’s voice really annoyed me so I stopped. I will definitely have to read this one soon!
A book series you’ve started and haven’t gotten around to finishing
I’ve read Scythe, the first book in this series (you can read my review here). But since the book had some closure at the end and it wasn’t really a major cliff-hanger I didn’t feel like immediately picking up the second book in the series right away. Now I still have to read Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe, #2), and The Toll (Arc of a Scythe, #3).
A classic you like the sound of, but have never read
I had a college Professor who would talk so passionately about Moby Dick by Herman Melville, he could talk about it for a whole lecture. Ever since then I ‘ve been curious about reading it, but it’s so massive and intimidating that I just haven’t wanted to dedicate the time to it.
I heard Ask Again, Yes, is about forgiveness. Holding a grudge is one of my biggest character flaws, so I thought I should definitely read this. EVERYONE except me has read it, and they all have such great things to say about it.
A book that inspired a movie/tv adaptation that you really love, but you haven’t gotten around to reading yet
I liked the movie The Maze Runner, but I’ve never read the books. I recently added this one to my list of Dystopian books I need to read, and I hope to get to it soon.
A book you see all over Instagram but haven’t picked up yet
I’ve seen The Dutch House everywhere, especially on Instagram. I heard a sample of the audio book and I love that Tom Hanks is the narrator. Can he just narrate EVERY single book from now on please? I love his voice. I can’t wait to finally read this one!
For fans of: Domestic Fiction, Romance, Ask Again Yes, The Giver of Stars, Beach Read, The Unhoneymooners, books about forgiveness, books with strong female leads
Good to know before you read: mentions of child sexual abuse
Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review, and all opinions are my own. If you are interested in purchasing this book, please consider using my Amazon affiliate link (by clicking on the top or bottom pictures) and helping a fellow book blogger out 🙂 I will receive a small fee from Amazon, but your book will still cost the same.
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Cassie Hanwell was born for emergencies. As one of the only female firefighters in her Texas firehouse, she’s seen her fair share of them, and she’s excellent at dealing with other people’s tragedies. But when her estranged and ailing mother asks her to uproot her life and move to Boston, it’s an emergency of a kind Cassie never anticipated.
The tough, old-school Boston firehouse is as different from Cassie’s old job as it could possibly be. Hazing, a lack of funding, and poor facilities mean that the firemen aren’t exactly thrilled to have a “lady” on the crew, even one as competent and smart as Cassie. Except for the handsome rookie, who doesn’t seem to mind having Cassie around. But she can’t think about that. Because she doesn’t fall in love. And because of the advice her old captain gave her: don’t date firefighters. Cassie can feel her resolve slipping…but will she jeopardize her place in a career where she’s worked so hard to be taken seriously?
Katherine Center’s Things You Save in a Fire is a heartfelt, affecting novel about life, love, and the true meaning of courage.
My Review:
People who wanted to wrestle with complicated emotions became therapists, or poets. People who wanted to keep things simple became firefighters.”
I have been a 911 Dispatcher for seven years now, so this book hit very close to home. I handle emergencies through the phone on a daily basis, and I can only imagine what it would be like to handle these situations in person. As a dispatcher I’ve been through training exercises in which I had to wear full firefighter gear so that I could really see what it’s like to be in their shoes, and why they have to scream to speak into their handheld radios during a fire. I got to experience how heavy the gear is, how hot it gets in the Florida heat (let alone an actual fire) , and how strong the water pressure feels when I was holding the hose (it almost knocked me down when the person helping me let go). I felt so claustrophobic inside the gear, and breathing through the oxygen tank was uncomfortable. I could picture all of these things very vividly while I read this book.
Center mentioned that her husband is a firefighter, so all her descriptions and scenes were very accurate. I can also attest to how real all these situations she talked about are, even the most ridiculous calls she mentioned (don’t want to ruin it for you guys with details). I was laughing out loud at times, and almost in tears at others (I’m not a crier so this is rare for me). I enjoyed the hilarious pranks the firefighters played on each other. The dialogue between the characters felt natural and realistic, and the playful banter was entertaining.
Knowing everything we know about how hard life is and choosing to love anyway…That’s not weakness. That’s bravery.”
Even though the book was funny at times, it was not a light read in any shape or form. The story dealt with very serious topics such as grief, rape, forgiveness, abandonment, and substance abuse, to name a few. I liked how Center approached the topic of workplace equality for women in a male dominated occupation. Cassie, the main character, was definitely a bigger person than I am, but I admit I don’t deal well with forgiveness. There were many situations in which I wondered if I would’ve made the same decisions as she. This story is a good one to make you ponder social, workplace, and family moral dilemmas.
The romance was very realistic. It took a while for the characters to get together, and I liked that they took it slow given Cassie’s abusive past. The story did become a bit too dramatic for me at one point in which everything seemed to be going wrong for Cassie. It reminded me of one of those Lifetime movies that I don’t enjoy. I felt like Cassie had already been through enough and she did not need the extra drama. With that said, this was a great book with so many good life lessons and great advice. I highly recommend it to all Romance and Domestic Fiction fans.
I got all these pins from handling different calls at work. Some are life saves and some are teamwork awards. I recently handled my first baby delivery through the phone (it was a baby boy), and I’m still waiting for my little stork pin to arrive 🙂
If you are wondering where I got this amazing underwater themed pin hoop, you can click on The Bookish Creations Etsy Shop link and use code DEE15 to save! I represent Chelsea’s shop on Instagram, and she is a wonderful person and creator 🙂 She sells great quality bookish and K-Pop themed totes, water bottles, bookmarks, and pin hoops.
So many books, so little time. I haven’t found a lot of time for rereading any books lately. There are some books I need to read before the sequels are released so I can get a refresher and hype myself up. Others are some of my favorite series that I haven’t read in a long time. Any books you love to reread every once in a while?
Disclaimer: All opinions on this blog are my own. If you are interested in purchasing any of these books, please consider using my Amazon affiliate link by clicking on the pictures and/or links and I will receive a small fee, but your book will still cost the same.
An Ember in the Ashes Series by Sabaa Tahir (click on the link for a Synopsis of the first book)
I’m really excited about the release of A Sky Beyond the Storm the fourth book in this series, on December 1 of this year. It will be like Christmas coming early 🙂 I’ve also been looking for an excuse to get the audio books for this one, so this is the perfect time to do that.
Illuminae Files Series by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (click on the link for a Synopsis of the first book)
I’ve been waiting for my husband to finish reading the Harry Potter series so that he can get started on this one. I might reread it at the same time that he does just for fun. I love this series, and if you haven’t tried the audio books you definitely should! It’s like listening to a very descriptive movie along with all the sound effects that make for a very immersive reading experience. You can read my review of Illuminae here.
Serpent and Dove (#1) by Shelby Mahurin (click on the link for a Synopsis of the first book)
I’m super hyped up for the release of Blood and Honey, the second book in this series, on September 1 of this year. I really enjoyed the first book in this series. You can read my review here.
The Red Scrolls of Magic (The Eldest Curses, #1) by Cassandra Clare (click on the link for a Synopsis of the first book)
Magnus Bane is my favorite character in all the Shadowhunter series, and I was so excited when I read this book where he is the main character. The second book, The Lost Book of the White, will be released on September 1 of this year and I absolutely cannot wait! Meanwhile, I’ll have to settle for rereading the first book 🙂 You can read my review of that one here.
For fans of: Dystopian Fantasy, YA, The Lunar Chronicles, Illuminae, Aurora Rising, Sci-Fi
Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review, and all opinions are my own. If you are interested in purchasing this book, please consider using my Amazon affiliate link (by clicking on the top or bottom pictures) and helping a fellow book blogger out 🙂 I will receive a small fee from Amazon, but your book will still cost the same.
Synopsis from Goodreads (*Don’t read if you haven’t read the rest of the series*):
Best friends have become enemies. Lovers have become strangers. And deciding whose side you’re on could be the difference between life and death. For Eve and Lemon, discovering the truth about themselves–and each other–was too much for their friendship to take. But with the country on the brink of a new world war–this time between the BioMaas swarm at CityHive and Daedalus’s army at Megopolis, loyalties will be pushed to the brink, unlikely alliances will form and with them, betrayals. But the threat doesn’t stop there, because the lifelikes are determined to access the program that will set every robot free, a task requiring both Eve and Ana, the girl she was created to replace. In the end, violent clashes and heartbreaking choices reveal the true heroes . . . and they may not be who you think they are.
My Review:
You built a world on metal backs. Held together by metal hands. And one day soon, those hands will close. And they’ll become fists.”
What an amazing ending to a great series. In this finale, Kristoff takes us on a rollercoaster of emotions as he continues exploring what it really means to be alive. Lifelikes and logika have been artificially made, but they have feelings, they feel pain, they love and they hate, so what exactly makes them not human? What gives humans the right to oppress them? Kristoff also delves into environmental issues as people attempt to survive and build a life in this post nuclear war world.
Maybe after seeing how close they’d all come to running out of future, people were finally learning from the mistakes of the past.”
Kristoff’s quirky writing and made-up language is what makes this series so unique. I especially enjoyed the playful banter between the characters even while in the midst of chaos and destruction. The author also excels at writing lovable characters, and I even found myself liking the villains. My favorite character was Lemon Fresh, she was truly “brilliful” inside and out. My favorite side character was Cricket, who still reminds me so much of Iko from the Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer. All the characters had impressive character arcs and had so much growth. I highly recommend this series to all YA Dystopian and Fantasy fans.
Dee’s Reading Tree 