Bookish thoughts…

Pictured is the book Kaikeyi by Vaisnavi Patel. I loved this story. Gorgeous retelling and what really caught my attention was not only the look at the gods and goddesses but many mythical stories about them.

So, I joined BOTM in March because I felt like it was a really inexpensive and easy way to get books. However, the prices have risen in this short amount of time! It’s not that big of a deal but it’s getting closer to what I would pay for a nice new copy at the bookstore. And, while it’s great to buy new releases, I personally feel like I would rather spend the money on just the new releases that I’ve been looking forward to. Which, are not usually in BOTM. So, I canceled. And, that is my story of the short period I was a member.

Current Reads

These are my current reads. People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry, The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix and A Shadow In the Glass by Jia Harwood. I’m loving these and can’t wait to tell you more!

🌟 Arc Review 🌟

Dark Circles by Caite Dolan-Leach

Thank you netgalley and Publisher for this Arc!!

This was a chilling read for me and it genuinely creeped me out.

A young actress goes to stay at a wellness center after a very public meltdown. And she then winds up creating a podcast about this center which seems to hold many secrets!

This story was addictive and pulled me along easily. It was a fun, quick read that left me with goosebumps. I love a twisty thriller and this filled that role perfectly for me!

Out April 26th!

🌟Arc Review 🌟 The Match by Harlan Coben!

Thank you Netgalley for this Arc!

Harlan Coben is a masterful storyteller and this was another terrific read. The Match carries on the tale of Wilde. Wilde is a man with a mysterious past but in this sequel the threads of his history have begun to be pulled apart. I loved the revelations about this character and the connections he seems to be embracing more in this book.

Of course, this was also a complete thrill-ride full of suspence and action! I loved the fast pace of the book and I consumed it in one sitting. I definitely recommend this series and this author!

Look for this on March 15th!

🌟 Arc Review 🌟 Such a Pretty Smile by Kristi Demeester!

Thank you Netgalley for this Arc!

This book is a very freaky! Women standing up to the patriarchy and feminism, though ❀ I definitely agree about certain men treating women this way. Basically, in a way that says we as women should be quiet and docile. We should be good girls and just swallow the pill whole, literally and figuratively.

The story follows Caroline in 2004 and her daughter, Lila, in 2019. Their stories with this beast who represents the demeaning men of the world are told in tandem. It’s very easy to see similarities and notice the differences in the two and that makes the story even more interesting.

This is a great serial killer thriller tale with a twist and I recommend it especially if you can withstand the blood and gore, animal violence and death and some disturbing imagery both sexual and not.

Look for this on January 18th!

The Burning God by R.F. Kuang, A Quick Review

The Poppy War by R.F.Β  Kuang is such an incredible historical fiction fantasy series.Β Β  The first book was good, the second was great, and the third, The Burning God,Β  was devastatingly incredible.Β Β  Rin takes on her WarΒ  torn country with a state of ruthless unequalled by anyone.Β  The emotions run high in this saga and in this last book in particular.Β Β  This story is something I will never forget.Β  It is beautiful and painful,Β  and it’s not meant to be dismissed.Β 

The Ravens by Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige, A Quick Review

This book is about sisterhood, mixed in with mysterious secrets and, of course, it is brimming with witchcraft.
Vivi is moving on from a hectic life with her tarot card reading mom and moving to Savannah to attend Westerly. This is where she discovers a sorority name Kappa and meets the seemingly perfect Scarlett who will wind up becoming a major part of her life. Kappa is not a normal sorority. It is literally a sorority of witches and their sisterhood overflows with magic.
I definitely recommend this for a fun and quick read. I had a blast reading about all the awesome spellcraft and the more normal day to day life of an awkward college student. Overall a great read.

Persephone Station by Stina Leicht, A Quick Review

This is such a cool book. I loved how the main cast of characters were pretty much all female with a great showing of diversity. Also, this world Stina Leicht creates is very interesting and unique. I did think it had a slow beginning for me, but when it picked up, it was very exciting. The ending feels a little quick, just feel like I was left hanging. However, this is definitely worth a read, especially if your in the mood for a badass space opera!

A Universe of Wishes,A We Need Diverse Books Anthology, Edited by Dhonielle Clayton, A Quick Review

This incredible book of short stories took my breath away. Find the best way to spend a wish. How to make hard choices. Pushing boundaries. Be bold. Not to forget your past. That you may need a partner in crime. Dare to Dream. That wishes can come true. To learn the true story of the heart in unexpected ways. The true price of not feeling heartbreak. To unfold your own myth and be connected across the ages. Stories of beauty. A fairytale in NYC. How love is always real, no matter the form it takes. These stories create an enchanting and, sometimes, heart wrenching way to look at love and I cannot reccomend this higher. I do not think any of these tales will leave me any time soon.

Malice by Heather Walter, A Quick Review

This take on a Sleeping Beauty fairytale with a twist is just as beautiful as it is dark. Alyce is the Dark Grace. She is at least half Vila, which is a different kind of Fae than all the other Graces she works around in the kingdom of Briar. A Grace usually uses her power to make a person more beautiful, more charming or more wise, not so with Alyce. Alyce is marked different, not only by her blood, but by her mainly negative potions she creates for others to use against their enemies. She usually will create something to cause warts, or perhaps hair loss, before a big event. This and the cruel treatment of the other Graces causes Alyce to believe she really is a monster. It is not until she meets Princess Aurora that things change. Princess Aurora has a curse upon her, a curse that will kill her at age 21 unless she receives true love’s kiss. Alyce must find a way to help the princess, grow stronger in her true power, all without becoming the monster almost everyone believes she is. The question is, will Alyce save the kingdom or destroy it? I highly recommend this gorgeous fairytale to fans of fantasy. It is a truly mesmerising story that had me reading late into the night! Expect Malice to be released in April of 2021. I’d also like to thank Netgalley for this ARC!

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, A Quick Review

This story takes place in the year 1950 and follows the confident and beautiful Noemi. After being called away from a costume party by her father, she is told that she absolutely must go to her cousin, Catalina, and try to get to the bottom of the disturbing message she has sent them from her new home at the mansion High Place. It’s when Noemi arrives at this once beautiful and grand, but now grandly dilapidated, house that the creepiness begins. Noemi is a strong-willed woman and brave, however she cannot make sense of the visions and illusions that haunt her in High Place or the strange state of her cousin. This book is creepy in every way and the characters have stayed on my mind since I finished reading. The idea behind this tale is disturbing and pushed me to wonder about the morbid and hateful ideals spoken of throughout this book. It’s not just the actual imagery of horror but the mindset that created it in the first place, the master of the house and his whole horrible objective. There were parts that had my skin crawling with chills and goosebumps. Definitely a great read for this spooky season!