It seems like any other day. You wake up, pour a cup of coffee, and head out.
But today, when you open your front door, waiting for you is a small wooden box. This box holds your fate inside: the answer to the exact number of years you will live.
From suburban doorsteps to desert tents, every person on every continent receives the same box. In an instant, the world is thrust into a collective frenzy. Where did these boxes come from? What do they mean? Is there truth to what they promise?
As society comes together and pulls apart, everyone faces the same shocking choice: Do they wish to know how long they’ll live? And, if so, what will they do with that knowledge?
The Measure charts the dawn of this new world through an unforgettable cast of characters whose decisions and fates interweave with one another: best friends whose dreams are forever entwined, pen pals finding refuge in the unknown, a couple who thought they didn’t have to rush, a doctor who cannot save himself, and a politician whose box becomes the powder keg that ultimately changes everything.
My Review:
I love books that dive into the human condition, and this one had such a unique thought provoking premise. I enjoyed the multiple POV’s, which worked so great because different people will always choose different paths, and as a reader I wanted to find out how their paths would end and how they interconnected. What if you looked? What if you didn’t? What if your partner had a short string? I was satisfied to learn the answers to all my questions by the end. I found myself turning page after page and finishing it in one day. Pick it up and you won’t regret it, just make sure you have time to read it all because you won’t want to put it back down.
Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review, and all opinions on this blog are my own.
Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers.
A Duty…
The entire kingdom’s future rests on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden.
A Kingdom…
Forsaken by the gods and feared by mortals, a fallen kingdom is rising once more, determined to take back what they believe is theirs through violence and vengeance. And as the shadow of those cursed draws closer, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel.
My Mini Review:
I confess that I haven’t been so utterly consumed by a story in a while. I loved Poppy and Hawke and their slow-burn romance. I always enjoy fierce and strong female leads along with dark and sexy love interests, and this book did not disappoint. The plot was fast-paced and intriguing. There were some plot twists that I easily guessed, but many shocking moments that took me by surprise. The premise of the story was unique with some familiar fantasy elements sprinkled in. I enjoyed the humorous dialogue and playful banter between the characters. I can certainly see why so many recommended I read this. I absolutely cannot wait to read the sequel to this, and I will proudly call myself a member of the Blood and Ash fan club.
Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review, and all opinions on this blog are my own.
Buy on Etsy Water bottle from The Bookish Creations Shop Use DEE15 to SAVE!
It’s time for another WWW Wednesday post! This week has flown by, and I can only hope the rest of the year does the same. I’m super excited for Fall, but I hate that many of the Fall activities, like taking my kids trick or treating, will not be possible this year. We will still be decorating some pumpkins, which is another one of my favorite things. What are some Fall activities you are looking forward to?
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? 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’m super excited for all the September releases that I have been waiting for a while for. I have pre-ordered all of them and I cannot wait to get them in the mail 🙂
-Serpent and Honey (Serpent and Dove, #2) by Shelby Mahurin releases September 1.
-The Lost Book of the White (The Eldest Curses, #2) by Cassandra Clare releases September 1.
-To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini releases September 15.
Let me know what you’re currently reading 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’m using this as a way to keep track of my books as well. I already keep track of them on Goodreads, if you have an account add me please, but I thought these Wednesday posts are also a good way to talk about my reading progress here with you guys. Let me know what you are reading and how you’re liking it in the comments. Now on to the books!
I’ve gotten into this habit of reading three books at a time: one e-book, one physical book, and an audio book. I’m currently reading Red Rising (Red Rising Saga, #1) by Pierce Brown. I’ve heard such great things about this series, and I felt like starting a long one. I’m also listening to an audio book of Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe, #2) by Neal Shusterman. Finally, I know! It’s been taking me forever to finish the series, not because it’s bad but because the first book had some closure to it and I didn’t immediately feel like grabbing the second one. Lastly, I’m reading Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren. This is another one I’ve been putting off, and as soon as I started reading it I knew this book would destroy me. It’s about young love and this has always been a weakness of mine.
I plan to finish the Scythe series by reading The Toll next. I’ve also been curious about The Guest List audio book so I will probably listen to that one next too. Lastly, I’ve been wanting to read Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner’s These Broken Stars series, so I think I will start that one as an e-book as well.
I just finished my reread of the Illuminae Files series by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, and it was just as amazing as the first time around. I also reread Twilight in preparation for Midnight Sun (Twilight, #5) by Stephenie Meyer. Rereading this one reminded me how much I’ve outgrown these books, since I read them back in High School, but it still gave me a nice nostalgic feeling, and it got me all hyped up for Midnight Sun.
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 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!
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.
For fans of: YA/Mysteries, Who done it trope, High School drama, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Come on, Bayview, you know you’ve missed this.
A ton of copycat gossip apps have popped up since Simon died, but in the year since the Bayview four were cleared of his shocking death, no one’s been able to fill the gossip void quite like he could. The problem is no one has the facts.
Until now.
This time it’s not an app, though—it’s a game.
Truth or Dare.
Phoebe’s the first target. If you choose not to play, it’s a truth. And hers is dark.
Then comes Maeve and she should know better—always choose the dare.
But by the time Knox is about to be tagged, things have gotten dangerous. The dares have become deadly, and if Maeve learned anything from Bronwyn last year, it’s that they can’t count on the police for help. Or protection.
Simon’s gone, but someone’s determined to keep his legacy at Bayview High alive. And this time, there’s a whole new set of rules.
My Mini Review:
Once again McManus delivered a fast-paced and action-packed YA/Mystery. I solved part of the mystery by the middle of the book, but the other twists were completely unexpected. This book had my heart racing in some parts, something the first book did not do for me. I liked that there were some familiar elements from the first story mixed in with completely new content.
I really enjoyed our two new characters’ point of views, Phoebe and Knox, and I liked learning more about Maeve (who was Bronwyn’s sister from the first book). All of these characters went through a lot of growth throughout the story as their lives were taken apart and they attempted to put themselves back together. McManus puts an emphasis on leaning on family and friends when you need it, and the fact that you shouldn’t hide things from those you love. If you enjoyed One of Us is Lying, I highly recommend you don’t wait to read this sequel, and if you are a fan of YA/Mystery then you will definitely enjoy this!
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.
We need a bit of hope in the world, especially during these uncertain times. I’m sure this year is kicking all our butts, and reading has been a nice escape for me. This book tag was a lot of fun to write. Thanks to Soulful Thoughts for tagging everyone. Everyone who reads this can consider themselves tagged. Remember to tag me back and I can’t wait to read all your answers!
1. A book world you would like to escape to: Hogwarts
I will forever be waiting for my Hogwarts letter. Always. This is the series I turn to for comfort, and I love rereading it when I’m in a reading slump. I also like to re-watch the movies when I need a reminder.
2. A romance that left you all mushy inside: Beach Read by Emily Henry
This was a much heavier romance book than I expected, both from the cover and from the synopsis. It was all very misleading, but in a good way. I thought about this book a lot as I was reading it, and for some time after. You can read my review here.
3. A friendship we should all aspire to have: Nate and Amy in The Existence of Amy by Lana Grace Riva
We would all be lucky to have a friend like Nate. Nate did things for Amy that I wondered if I would ever do for someone I work with. I think I would only go so far to help my husband and kids, and maybe my sister. Honestly, there is maybe only one work friend who I might go that far for. Am I a terrible person? Maybe. Go read my review for this book here.
Picture taken by me.
4. Intermission! Insert the cutest picture of your pet or the cutest animal you can find.
Meet Leah, my nine year old husky 🙂 She was named during my Twilight phase after the only female wolf in the pack. Don’t judge me!
5. A character in a leadership role that inspires you.
Even though this wasn’t an amazing read for me, I still consider Samiah to be a great role model for little girls and grown women alike. Samiah taught the girls she mentored that the color of their skin did not determine the career they should follow, and that they should work hard and do what they were passionate about. I was also inspired by the fact that Samiah went back to school as an adult to obtain another degree in the field she loved, as opposed to the degree she first got in order to please her parents. You can read my review here.
This story spoke of resurrection, and this is something that I’ve always wanted to believe in so badly. It gave me hope that maybe those who love us never really leave us, and their souls will always find us again.
7. (Optional) Tag People.
If you are reading this consider yourself tagged, and remember to tag me back. I want to see all your answers!
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.
Dee’s Reading Tree 