Review: Two Dark Reigns (#3) by Kendare Blake

Title: Two Dark Reigns (#3)

Author: Kendare Blake

Published by: HarperTeen

Released: 2018

Source: Library

Synopsis: #1 New York Times bestselling author Kendare Blake returns with the highly anticipated third book in the Three Dark Crowns series! And while Arsinoe, Mirabella, and Katharine all have their own scores to settle, they aren’t the only queens stirring things up on Fennbirn Island.

Queen Katharine has waited her entire life to wear the crown. But now that she finally has it, the murmurs of dissent grow louder by the day. There’s also the alarming issue of whether or not her sisters are actually dead—or if they’re waiting in the wings to usurp the throne.
Mirabella and Arsinoe are alive, but in hiding on the mainland and dealing with a nightmare of their own: being visited repeatedly by a specter they think might be the fabled Blue Queen. Though she says nothing, her rotting, bony finger pointing out to sea is clear enough: return to Fennbirn. 
Jules, too, is in a strange place—in disguise. And her only confidants, a war-gifted girl named Emilia and her oracle friend Mathilde, are urging her to take on a role she can’t imagine filling: a legion-cursed queen who will lead a rebel army to Katharine’s doorstep.

This is an uprising that the mysterious Blue Queen may have more to do with than anyone could have guessed—or expected. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: I'm a fan of this series. It is always shocking, exciting, and I never know what is going to get thrown at me next.

This installment was slower paced then the others had been. Not that that's a bad thing, just something I noticed. I could see how this series could have just been a duology. I'm glad that it got the chance to continue though.

I feel like most of what I could say would be a spoiler, so I'm going to tread carefully.

I really enjoyed the mystery of the Blue Queen. It was such a captivating mystery.

The Mist was scary! I wasn't expecting that.

I can't wait to see what the last book has to offer. I'm excited to see how it all ends. You're good Kendare Blake. I now know that I must read all her books. If you're looking for a brutal YA Series, read this!

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4/5

Deadly Mist and a Blue Queen

Reading Right Now! (251) O.W.L.S. Magical Readathon 2020!

Hooray for a long weekend!! I've finished one book so far for my O.W.L.S., which is great! I've got my second O.W.L.S. book started.
What I'm Reading Right Now! is...

Care of Magical Creatures -- Hippogriffs: creature with a beak on the cover

Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibanez -- I will admit, the biggest draw for this book is the cover. It's very cute. It also fits this prompt perfectly because it has two beaked creatures on it! I wanted to pick a book from the library books I currently had checked out, and it was a little hard finding one with beaked creatures on the cover.

I don't know how I feel about the overall story so far. It's kind of hot and cold. Vicious and lighthearted. Maybe what's throwing me off is the relationship that hasn't happened yet, but you know it's coming. Our main character is a prisoner in this kingdom and she notices how cute her guards are very quickly. It just felt a little odd to me. It was like one minute he's throwing her against a wall to check her for hidden weapons, and the next she's noticing how sharp and attractive his cheekbones are. 

Maybe my feelings also have to do with the writing. I really like the writing. It has an easy style to it. It's just one moment it tries to be hard, and the next it goes for cute. Am I crazy? I'm probably crazy. 

This book has really good ratings on Goodreads. I'm excited to read more of it.

And that's what I'm Reading Right Now! plus my O.W.L.S. Magical Readathon status. What are you reading?

BLOG TOUR: Jack Kerouac is Dead to Me by Gae Polisner

I am really excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Jack Kerouac is Dead to Me by Gae Polisner. I received a free copy for honest review from the publisher. I was so happy when I got the email from Wednesday Books for this tour. Wednesday Books has become one of my favorite publishing imprints. I'm not saying that just to brown nose or suck up, I just really like the stuff they come out with and publish. Thank you so much to Wednesday Books and Gae Polisner for letting me be a part of this fun tour!

Title: Jack Kerouac is Dead to Me

Author: Gae Polisner

Published by: Wednesday Books

Released: April 7, 2020

Source: Review Copy from Publisher

Goodreads   Amazon

Synopsis: Fifteen-year-old JL Markham's life used to be filled with carnival nights and hot summer days spent giggling with her forever best friend Aubrey about their families and boys. Together, they were unstoppable. But they aren't the friends they once were.

With JL's father gone on long term business, and her mother suffering from dissociative disorder, JL takes solace in the in the tropical butterflies she raises, and in her new, older boyfriend, Max Gordon. Max may be rough on the outside, but he has the soul of a poet (something Aubrey will never understand). Only, Max is about to graduate, and he's going to hit the road - with or without JL.

JL can't bear being left behind again. But what if devoting herself to Max not only means betraying her parents, but permanently losing the love of her best friend? What becomes of loyalty, when no one is loyal to you? (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: This book is very bittersweet. It's a novel that's kind of about self discovery. It's written mostly in letter form from JL to her best friend Aubrey. JL is a very lonely soul. Her dad is never home because he's always out of town for work. Her mother is very depressed and develops a dissociative disorder, which puts her child on the backburner. JL has a best friend Aubrey, but they've been growing apart too. The only person that JL can really cling to is her older boyfriend Max, who is about to graduate and hit the road. JL wants to go with him, but is that really the best idea for a 15 year old girl?

JL's life is so sad. I really felt sorry for her. She just doesn't have that love and support that her parents are supposed to give her. She's also 15, which means she can make really dumb decisions. Max is kind of a dumb decision.

JL does have a really interesting hobby of raising tropical butterflies which I really enjoyed.

I'm not sure how I exactly feel about this book. I really enjoyed the writing and I was immersed in the story. I just wish things had turned out differently. I also don't know how I feel about the ending.

I enjoyed by time reading Jack Kerouac is Dead to Me. I liked the way it was told and written. It was a story that made me sad at times. I'm glad I got to read it.

I am the author of THE SUMMER OF LETTING GO and THE PULL OF GRAVITY. 

Please note that, although I originally tried to assign star-ratings to my book reviews (and, thus, you will see some of my favorite books with stars), I have stopped doing so. A 3-star review, for example, can mean such different things to readers and reviewers, some rarely give more, so 3 means pretty great, to others 3 is barely mediocre. Because of this, it feels arbitrary and capricious to assign them, and I'd rather merely provide (in some cases) my brief thoughts on the book (unless I really can't help myself in giving it 5-stars, which usually means I wish there were lots more to give. . .). But for the most part, I'm only going to add the word recommended.

As for writer-me, if you want to know more about me, you can find me at my website, gaepolisner.com. You may also find me on twitter (gaepol) or on facebook here:https://www.facebook.com/gaepolisnera... and a number of other social networking sites.

I'd love to interact with you here or there. :)

Thank you for stopping by my Blog Tour stop for Jack Kerouac is Dead to Me by Gae Polisner. Thanks so much to Wednesday Books and Gae Polisner for letting me be a part of this fun tour!

BLOG TOUR: We Didn't Ask For This by Adi Alsaid

I'm really excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for We Didn't Ask For This by Adi Alsaid! I received a free copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Inkyard Press and Adi Alsaid for including me on this tour.

Title: We Didn't Ask For This

Author: Adi Alsaid

Published by: Inkyard Press

Released: April 7, 2020

Source: Review Copy from Publisher

Goodreads   Amazon

Synopsis: Central International School’s annual lock-in is legendary. Bonds are made. Contests are fought. Stories are forged that will be passed down from student to student for years to come.

This year’s lock-in begins normally enough. Then a group of students led by Marisa Cuevas stage an ecoprotest and chain themselves to the doors, vowing to keep everyone trapped inside until their list of demands is met.
Some students rally to their cause…but others are aggrieved to watch their own plans fall apart.
Amira has trained all year to compete in the school decathlon on her own terms. Peejay intended to honor his brother by throwing the greatest party CIS has ever seen. Kenji was looking forward to making a splash at his improv showcase. Omar wanted to spend a little time with the boy he’s been crushing on. Celeste, adrift in a new country, was hoping to connect with someone—anyone. And Marisa, once so certain of her goals, must now decide how far she’ll go to attain them.

Every year, lock-in night changes lives. This year, it might just change the world. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed We Didn't Ask For This by Adi Alsaid. I liked the idea of a school lock-in that turns into something nobody was really expecting. I've never been a part of a lock-in, but this book makes it sound like quite an experience. I really liked the idea of being able to leave a mark, something to be remembered by during your school days.

This book was very diverse. I enjoyed all the different characters, all the different stories. There were a lot of different characters to get to know. It took me a little while to get into the flow of the POV, but once I did, I enjoyed it.

There is a lot of activism brought up in this book. I can definitely appreciate being passionate about a cause, but I did have a problem with how Marisa went about it. It's not cool to lock everyone in the school and then have a list of demands. No matter how much you believe in your cause, it's not right to shove it down other people's throats. We are all different people with different opinions. Sometimes I think the world now has forgotten how to be nice to each other when we disagree. Those are just my thoughts.

I liked We Didn't Ask For This. It had a lot of friendship and fun.

Adi Alsaid was born and raised in Mexico City, where he now lives, writes, and spills hot sauce on things. He's the author of several YA novels including LET'S GET LOST, NEVER ALWAYS SOMETIMES, and NORTH OF HAPPY.

Thank you for stopping by my Blog Tour stop for We Didn't Ask For This by Adi Alsaid. Thanks so much to Inkyard Press and Adi Alsaid for letting me be a part of this fun tour.

BLOG TOUR: The Final Deception (New York Confidential #5) by Heather Graham

I am really excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for The Final Deception by Heather Graham. I received a free copy for honest review. Thanks so much to MIRA and Heather Graham for having me on this fun tour.

Title: The Final Deception (New York Confidential #5)

Author: Heather Graham

Published by: MIRA

Released: March 31, 2020

Source: Review Copy from Publisher

Goodreads   Amazon

Synopsis: How do you confront a threat that is hiding in plain sight? FBI agent Craig Frasier and psychologist Kieran Finnegan hunt an escaped serial killer in the latest explosive thriller in the New York Confidential series.

It was one of Kieran’s most chilling cases: her assessment of a murderer known as the Fireman. There was no doubt that the man needed to be locked away. Now Craig is called to a gruesome crime scene that matches the killer’s methods, and news breaks that the Fireman has escaped prison.
Amid a citywide manhunt, Kieran and Craig need to untangle a web of deceit, privilege and greed. They suspect that those closest to the killer have been drawn into his evil, or else someone is using another man’s madness and cruelty to disguise their crimes.

When their investigation brings the danger right to the doorstep of Finnegan’s Pub, Kieran and Craig will have to be smarter and bolder than ever before, because this time it’s personal, and they have everything to lose. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: What a crazy journey this book took me on. It was quite a ride. I really enjoyed it. It was a great suspense read that kept me on the edge of my seat. It had twists, it had turns, and it had shocks. I just couldn't seem to put it down until I got to that last page.

I really enjoyed the characters in this story. I liked Kieran Finnegan who was one tough psychologist. I also really liked her partner Craig Frasier. They did well together. They made a good team.

I have not read any of the other books in the series, and I kind of wish that I had. I think I would have understood the characters a little bit more if I had that background. I would have also been aware of past events. I'm not saying that you can't read them out of order, I just wish I had started at the beginning.

The Final Deception was a great book for me to get lost in. It took my mind off the world as I was flipping through the pages. I really enjoyed the suspense and mystery of the story. It was a lot of fun and I'd definitely check out more books in this series.

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write, working on short horror stories and romances. After some trial and error, she sold her first book, WHEN NEXT WE LOVE, in 1982 and since then, she has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category, romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. She wrote the launch books for the Dell's Ecstasy Supreme line, Silhouette's Shadows, and for Harlequin's mainstream fiction imprint, Mira Books.
Heather was a founding member of the Florida Romance Writers chapter of RWA and, since 1999, has hosted the Romantic Times Vampire Ball, with all revenues going directly to children's charity.
She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty languages, and to have been honored with awards frorn Waldenbooks. B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, and more. She has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, People, and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including local television and Entertainment Tonight.
Heather loves travel and anything have to do with the water, and is a certitified scuba diver. Married since high school graduation and the mother of five, her greatest love in life remains her family, but she also believes her career has been an incredible gift, and she is grateful every day to be doing something that she loves so very much for a living.

Thank you for stopping by my Blog Tour Stop for The Final Deception by Heather Graham. If you're looking for some edge-of-your-seat stuff, I'd definitely say give it a read. Thanks so much to MIRA and Heather Graham for having me be a part of this tour.

March 2020 Reading Wrap-Up!

I had a pretty good reading month in March. It probably helped that I read a bunch of comics, that really upped my number. I think the books helped me not freak out about the world as much. It helped take my mind off of it I guess.
So, here's everything I read in March!

  

  

  

The Remaking by Clay McLeod Chapman -- I really liked the idea of this, but I wish the story had been executed a little differently. The idea was so cool though. And that cover!! BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.3/5

Unnatural, Volume 1: Awakening by Mirka Andolfo -- Awesome artwork. This comic is not safe for public reading though. The story was pretty interesting too.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4/5

A Good Idea by Cristina Moracho -- I felt like I couldn't look away from this book. The writing really grabbed me. The story was interesting. There was a lot of drug use and casual sex, which made me think that maybe it shouldn't have been a YA book. I also found it kind of weird that this book seems to be based on a real life case, but the author never mentions that fact anywhere in the book. Don't look for the case though until you've finished the book, because it will spoil some stuff.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.7/5

Unnatural, Volume 2: The Hunt by Mirka Andolfo -- This second volume was a lot different from the first volume. I found it kind of confusing. I wish more time had been spent explaining just what was going on. The art was still top notch though.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.5/5

Nocturna (#1) by Maya Motayne -- This was a lot of fun! I liked this. It's pretty much a self-contained story, so I'm curious to see what will happen in the sequel. There were a lot of bad decisions made though, I will say that.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4.2/5

Unnatural, Volume 3: Rebirth by Mirka Andolfo -- This was the last volume, so I finished the series. Hooray! I liked this, but I still was pretty confused. Everything just went by so fast, too fast. I think this series needed to be longer so things would have been fleshed out and explained better. Art still great.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.2/5

Bone Crossed (Mercy Thompson #4) by Patricia Briggs -- I love this series! Every book I've read in this series has just been so fun to read. I feel like these characters, I know them. Bone Crossed took a direction that I didn't expect. I thought it was going to be much more focused on the Vampire Seethe of Marsilia, but it wasn't exactly. It was really good and I can't wait to continue with the series.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4.3/5

Crosswind, Volume 1 by Cat Staggs and Gail Simone -- This was fun. It has a really unique art style that I enjoy. Very violent. It did show almost every guy in this comic as a sexist jerk, which I didn't really agree with. I also didn't expect the ending.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.7/5

One Way (#1) by S.J. Morden -- This was more science then it was fiction, and I tend to like more fiction in my science fiction. The science parts just go right over my head, which is what happened with this book. When it got to the story bits, I did enjoy it. It had good writing. I'm definitely interested in seeing what happens in the next book.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.5/5

By Night, Volume 1 by John Allison, Christine Larsen, and Sarah Stern -- This was fun and quick. This volume ended before anything was really explained. The art was cute. It also had a great HP reference.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.5/5

FAVORITE BOOK(S) OF THE MONTH

 

My favorite reads for March were Nocturna by Maya Motayne and Bone Crossed (Mercy Thompson #4) by Patricia Briggs. Nocturna was a lot of fun and I'm excited to see where the sequel goes. Bone Crossed was just another great Mercy Thompson adventure. I love that series.

And that's everything I read in March 2020. How did your reading go for the month?

Reading Right Now! (250) O.W.L.S. Magical Readathon 2020!

So I decided that I would like to take part in the O.W.L.S. Magical Readathon 2020. If you know nothing about this readathon go check out Book Roast's Video Announcement! I've seen this readathon going around the past couple of years and always thought about taking part, but it seemed complicated. Go watch the video, because she does a much better job of explaining it then I ever could.
I'm going to try to go for the career of Potioneer, which requires me to complete five subjects, which means I have to read five books.
So, what I'm Reading Right Now! is...

My first O.W.L.S. Subject is Arithmancy: Magical qualities of number 2: balance/opposites - read something outside of your favorite genre.

I decided to read A Curious Beginning (#1) by Deanna Raybourn. This is the first book in the Veronica Speedwell series and I've heard great things about it. As of this moment, I'd put my favorite genre as sci-fi/fantasy books, but that doesn't mean that I don't enjoy other genres. A Curious Beginning is a historical mystery, adventure kind of thing. I felt that the prompt was worded in such a way that this could work. I like Historical Mystery Fiction, but I wouldn't say it was my favorite.

I really just started this, so I'm excited to read more of it. 

This readathon runs from April 1-30th which is good, because I've been a little slacking so far.

I thought for a second that I would get to stay home from work because of this Corona Virus,  seeing as I don't work in an essential business, but I was wrong. I've been going to work every weekday, which cut into the reading. I'm very happy that I have a job, a paycheck, but I won't lie that there's a part of me that wishes I could quarantine like everybody else. But I would probably get bored and maybe not even read if I was doing that.

That's what I'm Reading Right Now! What are you reading? Are you taking part in any readathons? Oh and #TeamSlytherin