en-US Tue, 08 Apr 2025 15:47:10 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 62335396 Love is a sacrifice at the altar of power.

In the wake of the Kejari, everything Oraya once thought to be true has been destroyed. A prisoner in her own kingdom, grieving the only family she ever had, and reeling from a gutting betrayal, she no longer even knows the truth of her own blood. She’s left only with one certainty: she cannot trust anyone, least of all Raihn.

The House of Night, too, is surrounded by enemies. Raihn’s own nobles are none too eager to accept a Turned king, especially one who was once a slave. And the House of Blood digs their claws into the kingdom, threatening to tear it apart from the inside.

When Raihn offers Oraya a secret alliance, taking the deal is her only chance at reclaiming her kingdom–and gaining her vengeance against the lover who betrayed her. But to do so, she’ll need to harness a devastating ancient power, intertwined with her father’s greatest secrets.

But with enemies closing in on all sides, nothing is as it seems. As she unravels her past and faces her future, Oraya finds herself forced to choose between the bloody reality of seizing power � and the devastating love that could be her downfall.]]> 626 Carissa Broadbent Erika 0 to-read 4.10 2023
author: Carissa Broadbent
name: Erika
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60714999 Human or vampire, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always � always � guard your heart.

The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.

Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown� and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.

But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone � but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night is the first book in a new series of heart-wrenching romance, dark magic, and bloodthirsty intrigue, perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Thorns and Roses.]]> 504 Carissa Broadbent Erika 2 4.30 2022
author: Carissa Broadbent
name: Erika
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2025/04/08
date added: 2025/04/08
shelves: adult, fantasy, magic, maybe-continue-series, overhyped, pov-female, to-review, two-stars, vampires
review:

]]> 62869062 World Ender meets Ender of Worlds...A thousand years ago, Dianna gave up her life in the deserts of Eoria to save her dying sister. She called upon anyone who would listen, not expecting a monster far worse than any nightmare to answer. Now she does what Kaden asks, even if that means securing an ancient relic from the very creatures that hunt her.A King thought long dead and long forgotten.In the old world his name was Samkiel. In the new world it is Liam, but one title remains true throughout time. He is the World Ender, a myth to his enemies, a savior and King to those loyal to him. After the Gods War, he locked himself away, hiding from the world. He denied his crown and responsibilities, leaving the very ones who needed him most to deal with the fallout of the death of their homeworld. Now an attack on those he holds dear sends him back to the one realm he never wished to visit again and into the sights of an enemy he thought imprisoned eons ago.Now enemies older than time must put aside their differences and work together in hopes of saving both their world and every realm in between.]]> 493 Amber V. Nicole 1737706741 Erika 0 currently-reading 4.27 2022
author: Amber V. Nicole
name: Erika
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 68706332
The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined -- every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute... and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.]]> 528 Suzanne Collins 1339016575 Erika 0 currently-reading 4.15 2020
author: Suzanne Collins
name: Erika
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/25
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 40132775
The Asteri have kept their word so far, leaving Bryce and Hunt alone. But with the rebels chipping away at the Asteri’s power, the threat the rulers pose is growing. As Bryce, Hunt, and their friends get pulled into the rebels� plans, the choice becomes clear: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight for what’s right. And they’ve never been very good at staying silent.

In this sexy, action-packed sequel to the #1 bestseller House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J. Maas weaves a captivating story of a world about to explode―and the people who will do anything to save it.]]> 805 Sarah J. Maas 1408884429 Erika 3
Both this book and the first book are massive and while the first book didn't really feel that long, this book definitely felt long. The plot was interesting, but I think that the first book just had a little more intrigue. Danika kept being brought up and while I really enjoyed that plot line in the first book, this just started to feel like a lot. If I'm remembering correctly, they were barely out of school and somehow she had the time to be involved in everything.

I still really enjoyed Hunt and Bryce's relationship. I definitely appreciated that there didn't really seem to be much relationship drama between them after the first bit of the book. I also enjoyed the side characters and getting to know Ruhn a bit better. Everyone felt a bit more developed, which should be expected with a second book in a series.

I'm definitely excited for where this series is going to go, but if I'm being honest the ending was not my favorite. [spoilers removed]]]> 4.41 2022
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Erika
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/04
date added: 2025/03/25
shelves: adult, angels, crush-worthy-guys, dragons, demons, faeries, fantasy, i-ship-it, magic, pov-alternating, romance, series-in-progress, shifter, strong-heroines, vampires, werewolves, witches-wizards-and-warlocks, three-stars, reviewed
review:
I had a really hard time deciding how to rate this book. I feel like its somewhere between a 3 star and 4 star read.

Both this book and the first book are massive and while the first book didn't really feel that long, this book definitely felt long. The plot was interesting, but I think that the first book just had a little more intrigue. Danika kept being brought up and while I really enjoyed that plot line in the first book, this just started to feel like a lot. If I'm remembering correctly, they were barely out of school and somehow she had the time to be involved in everything.

I still really enjoyed Hunt and Bryce's relationship. I definitely appreciated that there didn't really seem to be much relationship drama between them after the first bit of the book. I also enjoyed the side characters and getting to know Ruhn a bit better. Everyone felt a bit more developed, which should be expected with a second book in a series.

I'm definitely excited for where this series is going to go, but if I'm being honest the ending was not my favorite. [spoilers removed]
]]> 202507554 moons.

They certainly did not expect them to fall.

As a valued Elding Blade of the rebellion group Fíur du Ath, Raeve’s job is to kill. To complete orders and never get caught. When a renowned bounty hunter is employed by The Crown to capture a member of the Ath, Raeve’s world is turned upside down. Blood spills, hearts break, and Raeve finds herself at the mercy of the Guild of Nobles—a group of dual-beaded elementals who intend to turn her into a political statement. Only death will set her free.

Crushed beneath a mourning weight, Kaan Vaegor took the head of a king and donned his melted crown. Now on a tireless quest to assuage the never-ebbing ache in his chest, his hunt for a moonshard lures him into the belly of Gore’s notorious prison where he stumbles upon something that rips apart his perception of reality. A shackled miracle with eyes full of rage and blood on her hands.

The echo of the past sings louder than the Creators themselves, and even Raeve can’t ignore the truths blaring at her from a warmer, happier time.
However.
There’s more to this song than meets the eye, and some truths �
They’re too poisonous to swallow.

When the Moon Hatched is a fast-paced fantasy romance for fans of witty banter and strong, sassy protagonists. Beneath the cover is an immersive, vibrant world with mysterious creatures, a unique magic system, and a love that blazes through the ages. ]]> 718 Sarah A. Parker Erika 2
Very early on in the story, a character dies and the death causes Raeve to seek revenge. I truly felt nothing for the character when they died, and that's coming from someone who cries easily. It was very obvious throughout the book that something was going on with Raeve, and when that was revealed, it wasn't a shock.

The romance also fell a bit flat for me. I found myself getting annoyed at Raeve and I wasn't rooting for them. It was hard to want them as a couple when Kaan knew all this other information and I felt no emotional connection to them as a reader.

I feel like the author had a really interesting concept and world that could have been very cool, but too much was happening for things to be well developed. I might read the next book only because now that I've gotten through this one, I'm kind of interested to see where things go.]]> 3.99 2024
author: Sarah A. Parker
name: Erika
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2024
rating: 2
read at: 2025/03/25
date added: 2025/03/25
shelves: adult, annoying-mc, could-have-been-so-much-better, cover-love, dragons, faeries, fantasy, magic, maybe-continue-series, overhyped, pov-alternating, reviewed, romance, spicy
review:
I heard mixed things about it, but honestly hadn't read any reviews on it because I wanted to read a book about dragons, and I thought this might do the trick. Plus, some were saying it was their favorite book of 2024. Maybe my expectations were too high, but this book fell a little flat for me.

Very early on in the story, a character dies and the death causes Raeve to seek revenge. I truly felt nothing for the character when they died, and that's coming from someone who cries easily. It was very obvious throughout the book that something was going on with Raeve, and when that was revealed, it wasn't a shock.

The romance also fell a bit flat for me. I found myself getting annoyed at Raeve and I wasn't rooting for them. It was hard to want them as a couple when Kaan knew all this other information and I felt no emotional connection to them as a reader.

I feel like the author had a really interesting concept and world that could have been very cool, but too much was happening for things to be well developed. I might read the next book only because now that I've gotten through this one, I'm kind of interested to see where things go.
]]> 221866459 Birthed in shadow. Forged in fire.

A Splintered Kingdom

An ancient grudge has kept humans and the magical races of Arcanis at odds for centuries. The Arcane Crucible, a legendary series of trials that occurs every 25 years, offers a chance for peace.

A Haunted Warrior

Elyria Lightbreaker, once a celebrated fae war hero, is a shadow of her former self. Drowning in grief after losing the man she loved to the previous Crucible, now she must rise to stop his sister from falling to the same fate.

A Vengeful Knight

Hardened by loss and fueled by hate, Cedric Thorne’s lifelong goal to conquer the Crucible on humanity’s behalf is finally within reach. The only problem? Getting through the trials alive means working with Elyria—the very fae he blames for his parents� deaths.

An Unwinnable Challenge

With alliances fragile as spun glass and betrayal lurking at every turn, Elyria and Cedric must navigate deadly trials that test their strength, spirit, and magic� as well as their increasingly complex feelings for each other.
Ěý
This is the Arcane Crucible.]]> 466 Gretchen Powell Fox 0988468921 Erika 0 to-read 4.53
author: Gretchen Powell Fox
name: Erika
average rating: 4.53
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 44778083
Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose-to assassinate his boss's enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he's offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.

As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City's underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion-one that could set them both free, if they'd only let it.

With unforgettable characters, sizzling romance, and page-turning suspense, this richly inventive new fantasy series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas delves into the heartache of loss, the price of freedom-and the power of love.]]> 803 Sarah J. Maas 1635574048 Erika 5
I usually get the ick when authors use male/female in their writing but honestly it didn't detract from the story like it usually does for me. This book was fun and reminded me a lot of The Moral Instruments series with the modern day setting and mix of fantasy creatures.

This book had me sobbing pretty early on into the story too and then also at the end. This is a massive book that I thought would take me a lot longer to get through but I had a really hard time putting it down. The plot was super interesting to me and I kept wanting to know more about the world. I also loved Bryce as the main character. It was refreshing to have a main character that leans into their femininity.

I also really enjoyed the romance in this book. It definitely took awhile to build to it but that definitely made it better. The alternating points of view were interesting. It took a little to get used to but I really enjoyed getting to see multiple perspectives outside of Hunt and Bryce.

After really not enjoying ACOWAR, this book is making me think I should give the rest of that series a shot and also go back to finish TOG. ]]> 4.43 2020
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Erika
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/16
date added: 2025/03/02
shelves: five-stars, faeries, fantasy, pov-alternating, adult, angels, crush-worthy-guys, i-ship-it, made-me-cry, magic, romance, shifter, spicy, strong-heroines, vampires, werewolves, witches-wizards-and-warlocks, reviewed, demons
review:
I have some mixed feelings about ACOTAR so I wasn't really sure if I was going to like this book, especially because I've heard mixed reviews. Maybe going in with little to no expectations was the key because I loved every minute of this book.

I usually get the ick when authors use male/female in their writing but honestly it didn't detract from the story like it usually does for me. This book was fun and reminded me a lot of The Moral Instruments series with the modern day setting and mix of fantasy creatures.

This book had me sobbing pretty early on into the story too and then also at the end. This is a massive book that I thought would take me a lot longer to get through but I had a really hard time putting it down. The plot was super interesting to me and I kept wanting to know more about the world. I also loved Bryce as the main character. It was refreshing to have a main character that leans into their femininity.

I also really enjoyed the romance in this book. It definitely took awhile to build to it but that definitely made it better. The alternating points of view were interesting. It took a little to get used to but I really enjoyed getting to see multiple perspectives outside of Hunt and Bryce.

After really not enjoying ACOWAR, this book is making me think I should give the rest of that series a shot and also go back to finish TOG.
]]> 22609310
For once, Auburn takes a chance and puts her heart in control, only to discover that Owen is hiding a huge secret. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything Auburn loves most, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it—but can she do it?]]> 306 Colleen Hoover 1476791457 Erika 0 to-read 4.14 2015
author: Colleen Hoover
name: Erika
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 52857700
Bryce Quinlan never expected to see a world other than Midgard, but now that she has, all she wants is to get back. Everything she loves is in Midgard: her family, her friends, her mate. Stranded in a strange new world, she's going to need all her wits about her to get home again. And that's no easy feat when she has no idea who to trust.

Hunt Athalar has found himself in some deep holes in his life, but this one might be the deepest of all. After a few brief months with everything he ever wanted, he's in the Asteri's dungeons again, stripped of his freedom and without a clue as to Bryce's fate. He's desperate to help her, but until he can escape the Asteri's leash, his hands are quite literally tied.

In this sexy, breathtaking sequel to the #1 bestsellers House of Earth and Blood and House of Sky and Breath, Sarah J. Maas's Crescent City series reaches new heights as Bryce and Hunt's world is brought to the brink of collapse-with its future resting on their shoulders.]]> 835 Sarah J. Maas 1681193094 Erika 0 to-read 4.15 2024
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Erika
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 3335052 From a distinguished clinician, pioneer in working with behaviorally challenging kids, and author of the acclaimed The Explosive Child comes a groundbreaking approach for understanding and helping these kids and transforming school discipline.

Frequent visits to the principal's office. Detentions. Suspensions. Expulsions. These are the established tools of school discipline for kids who don't abide by school rules, have a hard time getting along with other kids, don't seem to respect authority, don't seem interested in learning, and are disrupting the learning of their classmates. But there's a big problem with these strategies: They are ineffective for most of the students to whom they are applied.

It's time for a change in course.

Here, Dr. Ross W. Greene presents an enlightened, clear-cut, and practical alternative. Relying on research from the neurosciences, Dr. Greene offers a new conceptual framework for understanding the difficulties of kids with behavioral challenges and explains why traditional discipline isn't effective at addressing these difficulties. Emphasizing the revolutionarily simple and positive notion that kids do well if they can, he persuasively argues that kids with behavioral challenges are not attention-seeking, manipulative, limit-testing, coercive, or unmotivated, but that they lack the skills to behave adaptively. And when adults recognize the true factors underlying difficult behavior and teach kids the skills in increments they can handle, the results are astounding: The kids overcome their obstacles; the frustration of teachers, parents, and classmates diminishes; and the well-being and learning of all students are enhanced.

In Lost at School, Dr. Greene describes how his road-tested, evidence-based approach � called Collaborative Problem Solving � can help challenging kids at school.

His lively, compelling narrative includes:

� tools to identify the triggers and lagging skills underlying challenging behavior.

� explicit guidance on how to radically improve interactions with challenging kids � along with many examples showing how it's done.

� dialogues, Q & A's, and the story, which runs through the book, of one child and his teachers, parents, and school.

� practical guidance for successful planning and collaboration among teachers, parents, administrations, and kids.

Backed by years of experience and research, and written with a powerful sense of hope and achievable change, Lost at School gives teachers and parents the realistic strategies and information to impact the classroom experience of every challenging kid.]]> 303 Ross W. Greene 1416572260 Erika 0 to-read-own 4.20 2008
author: Ross W. Greene
name: Erika
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: to-read-own
review:

]]> 62966167 Are you focused on what's wrong with your students?

Now you can transform learning by reframing your view from what’s wrong to what’s strong.

“At risk.� “Low.� “Title I kids.� If you’ve worked with students, you’ve probably heard or said these coded labels that reflect deficit thinking. This focus on weakness is a pervasive, powerful judgment that continues to harm students long after they leave school. It’s time for educators to hack deficit thinking, think about SEL and about strength-based teaching, and reframe teaching and learning.

Nationally certified school psychologists McClure and Reed show teachers, administrators, and support staff how to unlearn student blame and reframe thinking to focus on students' strengths. When we acknowledge the impact of teaching practices and the broader structural inequities, we can help everyone reach their highest potential.

In Hacking Deficit Thinking, you’ll learn how on student strengthsThink about student empathyHumanize your dataRecognize the value of differencesThink about teacher empathyTalk about equity in schoolsTap into school-wide strengthsFlourish as an educator
Ready to reframe your thinking and go from what's wrong to what's strong? Read Hacking Deficit Thinking today, and reframe your view from what's wrong to what's strong.]]> 242 Byron McClure Erika 0 to-read-own 4.00
author: Byron McClure
name: Erika
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: to-read-own
review:

]]> 18693771 A pioneering researcher transforms our understanding of trauma and offers a bold new paradigm for healing.

Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world's foremost experts on trauma, has spent over three decades working with survivors. In The Body Keeps the Score, he uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers' capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments—from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga—that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain's natural neuroplasticity. Based on Dr. van der Kolk's own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Keeps the Score exposes the tremendous power of our relationships both to hurt and to heal—and offers new hope for reclaiming lives.]]> 464 Bessel van der Kolk 0670785938 Erika 0 to-read-own 4.36 2014
author: Bessel van der Kolk
name: Erika
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: to-read-own
review:

]]> 30971685
Aila Quinn’s mother, Juliet, has always been a mystery: vibrant yet guarded, she keeps her secrets beyond Aila’s reach. When Juliet dies, Aila and her younger brother Miles are sent to live in Sterling, a rural town far from home--and the place where Juliet grew up.

Sterling is a place with mysteries of its own. A place where the experiences that weave life together--scents of flowers and food, reflections from mirrors and lakes, even the ability to dream--vanish every seven years.

No one knows what caused these “Disappearances,� or what will slip away next. But Sterling always suspected that Juliet Quinn was somehow responsible--and Aila must bear the brunt of their blame while she follows the chain of literary clues her mother left behind.

As the next Disappearance nears, Aila begins to unravel the dual mystery of why the Disappearances happen and who her mother truly was. One thing is clear: Sterling isn’t going to hold on to anyone's secrets for long before it starts giving them up.]]> 388 Emily Bain Murphy 0544879368 Erika 0 to-read-own 4.07 2017
author: Emily Bain Murphy
name: Erika
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: to-read-own
review:

]]> 26856502 A super-powered collision of extraordinary minds and vengeful intentions�#1 New York Times bestselling author V. E. Schwab returns with the thrilling follow-up to Vicious.

Magneto and Professor X. Superman and Lex Luthor. Victor Vale and Eli Ever. Sydney and Serena Clarke. Great partnerships, now soured on the vine.

But Marcella Riggins needs no one. Flush from her brush with death, she’s finally gained the control she’s always sought—and will use her new-found power to bring the city of Merit to its knees. She’ll do whatever it takes, collecting her own sidekicks, and leveraging the two most infamous EOs, Victor Vale and Eli Ever, against each other.

With Marcella's rise, new enmities create opportunity--and the stage of Merit City will once again be set for a final, terrible reckoning.]]> 462 Victoria E. Schwab Erika 0 to-read-own 4.13 2018
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: Erika
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: to-read-own
review:

]]> 44012880
But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him, and Fable soon finds that West isn't who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they're going to stay alive.

Welcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family while trying to survive in a world built for men. Fable takes you on a spectacular journey filled with romance, intrigue, and adventure.

A newer edition of ISBN 9781250254368 can be found here.]]> 357 Adrienne Young Erika 0 to-read-own 4.00 2020
author: Adrienne Young
name: Erika
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: to-read-own
review:

]]> 58854953
What if you had one year to save everything you loved?

ONE PRINCESS. Merida of DunBroch needs a change. She loves her family—jovial King Fergus, proper Queen Elinor, the mischievous triplets� and her peaceful kingdom. But she’s frustrated by its sluggishness; each day, the same. Merida longs for adventure, purpose, challenge � maybe even, someday, love.

TWO GODS. But the fiery Princess never expects her disquiet to manifest by way of Feradach, an uncanny supernatural being tasked with rooting out rot and stagnation, who appears in DunBroch on Christmas Eve with the intent to demolish the realm � and everyone within. Only the intervention of the Cailleach, an ancient entity of creation, gives Merida a shred of hope: convince her family to change within the year � or suffer the eternal consequences.

THREE VOYAGES. Under the watchful eyes of the gods, Merida leads a series of epic journeys to kingdoms near and far in an attempt to inspire revolution within her family. But in her efforts to save those she loves from ruin, has Merida lost sight of the Clan member grown most stagnant of all � herself?

FOUR SEASONS TO SAVE DUNBROCH � OR SEE IT DESTROYED, FOREVER.]]> 367 Maggie Stiefvater 1368071341 Erika 0 signed, to-read-own 3.93 2022
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Erika
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: signed, to-read-own
review:

]]> 46159063 If everything in your life was based on a lie
would you risk it all to tell the truth?

At Montverre, an exclusive academy tucked away in the mountains, the best and brightest are trained for excellence in the grand jeu: an arcane and mysterious contest. LĂ©o Martin was once a student there, but lost his passion for the grand jeu following a violent tragedy. Now he returns in disgrace, exiled to his old place of learning with his political career in tatters.

Montverre has changed since he studied there, even allowing a woman, Claire Dryden, to serve in the grand jeu’s highest office of Magister Ludi. When Léo first sees Claire he senses an odd connection with her, though he’s sure they have never met before.

Both Léo and Claire have built their lives on lies. And as the legendary Midsummer Game, the climax of the year, draws closer, secrets are whispering in the walls…]]> 419 Bridget Collins 006283813X Erika 0 to-read-own 3.47 2020
author: Bridget Collins
name: Erika
average rating: 3.47
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: to-read-own
review:

]]> 32768509 Frozen meets The Bloody Chamber in this feminist fantasy reimagining of the Snow White fairytale.

Sixteen-year-old Mina is motherless, her magician father is vicious, and her silent heart has never beat with love for anyone—has never beat at all, in fact, but she’d always thought that fact normal. She never guessed that her father cut out her heart and replaced it with one of glass. When she moves to Whitespring Castle and sees its king for the first time, Mina forms a plan: win the king’s heart with her beauty, become queen, and finally know love. The only catch is that she’ll have to become a stepmother.

Fifteen-year-old Lynet looks just like her late mother, and one day she discovers why: a magician created her out of snow in the dead queen’s image, at her father’s order. But despite being the dead queen made flesh, Lynet would rather be like her fierce and regal stepmother, Mina. She gets her wish when her father makes Lynet queen of the southern territories, displacing Mina. Now Mina is starting to look at Lynet with something like hatred, and Lynet must decide what to do—and who to be—to win back the only mother she’s ever known…or else defeat her once and for all.

Entwining the stories of both Lynet and Mina in the past and present, Girls Made of Snow and Glass traces the relationship of two young women doomed to be rivals from the start. Only one can win all, while the other must lose everything—unless both can find a way to reshape themselves and their story.]]> 375 Melissa Bashardoust 1250077737 Erika 0 3.76 2017
author: Melissa Bashardoust
name: Erika
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: giveaway-wins, arc, print-arc, high-hopes, to-read-own
review:

]]> 30249925
Sasha Stone knows her place—first-chair clarinet, top of her class, and at the side of her Oxford-wearing boyfriend. She’s worked her entire life to ensure her path to Oberlin Conservatory as a star musician is perfectly paved.

But suddenly there’s a fork in the road in the shape of Isaac Harver. Her body shifts toward him when he walks by, and her skin misses his touch even though she’s never known it. Why does he act like he knows her so well—too well—when she doesn’t know him at all?

Sasha discovers that her by-the-book life began by ending the chapter of another: the twin sister she absorbed in the womb. But that doesn’t explain the gaps of missing time in her practice schedule, or the memories she has of things she certainly never did with Isaac.

Armed with the knowledge that her heart might not be hers alone, Sasha must decide what she’s willing to do—and who she’s willing to hurt—to take it back.]]> 352 Mindy McGinnis 0062561596 Erika 0 review-copy, to-read-own 3.22 2017
author: Mindy McGinnis
name: Erika
average rating: 3.22
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: review-copy, to-read-own
review:

]]> 29622131 A banished princess.
A deadly curse.
A kingdom at war.

Wil Heidle, the only daughter of the king of the world’s wealthiest nation, has grown up in the shadows. Kept hidden from the world in order to serve as a spy for her father—whose obsession with building his empire is causing a war—Wil wants nothing more than to explore the world beyond her kingdom, if only her father would give her the chance.

Until one night Wil is attacked, and she discovers a dangerous secret. Her touch turns people into gemstone. At first Wil is horrified—but as she tests its limits, she’s drawn more and more to the strange and volatile ability. When it leads to tragedy, Wil is forced to face the destructive power within her and finally leave her home to seek the truth and a cure.

But finding the key to her redemption puts her in the path of a cursed prince who has his own ideas for what to do with her power.

With a world on the brink of war and a power of ultimate destruction, can Wil find a way to help the kingdom that’s turned its back on her, or will she betray her past and her family forever?]]> 402 Lauren DeStefano 0062491288 Erika 0 3.76 2017
author: Lauren DeStefano
name: Erika
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: arc, print-arc, review-copy, to-read-own
review:

]]> 33830397 The Memory Trees is a dark magical realism novel about a mysterious family legacy, a centuries-old feud, and a tragic loss that resurfaces when sixteen-year-old Sorrow returns to her mother’s family orchard for the summer.

Sorrow Lovegood’s life has been shaped by the stories of the women who came before her: brave, resilient women who settled long ago on a mercurial apple orchard in Vermont. The land has been passed down through generations, and Sorrow and her family take pride in its strange history. Their offbeat habits may be ridiculed by other townspeople—especially their neighbors, the Abrams family—but for the first eight years of her life, the orchard is Sorrow’s whole world.

Then one winter night everything changes. Sorrow’s sister Patience is tragically killed. Their mother suffers a mental breakdown. Sorrow is sent to live with her dad in Miami, away from the only home she’s ever known.

Now sixteen, Sorrow’s memories of her life in Vermont are maddeningly hazy; even the details of her sister’s death are unclear. She returns to the orchard for the summer, determined to learn more about her troubled childhood and the family she left eight years ago. Why has her mother kept her distance over the years? What actually happened the night Patience died? Is the orchard trying to tell her something, or is she just imagining things?]]> 320 Kali Wallace 0062366238 Erika 0 3.72 2017
author: Kali Wallace
name: Erika
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: arc, print-arc, review-copy, to-read-own
review:

]]> 32702487
Jinghua’s already dicey prospects take a downward turn when Khalaf seeks to restore his kingdom by forging a marriage alliance with Turandokht, the daughter of the Great Khan. As beautiful as she is cunning, Turandokht requires all potential suitors to solve three impossible riddles to win her hand—and if they fail, they die.

Jinghua has kept her own counsel well, but with Khalaf’s kingdom—and his very life—on the line, she must reconcile the hard truth of her past with her love for a boy who has no idea what she’s capable of ... even if it means losing him to the girl who’d sooner take his life than his heart.

The Bird and the Blade is a lush, powerful story of life and death, battles and riddles, lies and secrets from debut author Megan Bannen.]]> 416 Megan Bannen 0062674153 Erika 0 review-copy, to-read-own 4.03 2018
author: Megan Bannen
name: Erika
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: review-copy, to-read-own
review:

]]> 35068658
This year, a group of privileged boys has made a point of sitting in Pearl’s section—throwing careless insults her way while also attempting to flirt. Though she’s repulsed by everything they stand for, she’s drawn to the quiet leader of the pack, Tristan—the last surviving Garrison. He wasn’t home the night a blaze took his entire family, and the sadness coming off him in waves is hard to ignore. Befriending the summer boys might irk her to her core, but inside their fold of elite parties and reckless whims could be answers to what happened the night of the fire. And that’s just what she finds.

Hidden beneath the glittering façade of wealth and luxury, Pearl discovers a dark and twisted web of lies and betrayals that, once untangled, will leave no life in Tenney’s Harbor unchanged. That is…if it doesn’t take Pearl’s first.]]> 304 Gillian French 006264260X Erika 0 review-copy, to-read-own 3.38 2018
author: Gillian French
name: Erika
average rating: 3.38
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: review-copy, to-read-own
review:

]]> 36039614 A surprising and gripping sci-fi thriller with a killer twist

The daughter of two astronauts, Romy Silvers is no stranger to life in space. But she never knew how isolating the universe could be until her parentsâ€� tragic deaths left her alone onĚýthe Infinity, a spaceship speeding away from Earth.

Romy tries to make the best of her lonely situation, but with only brief messages from her therapist on Earth to keep her company, she can’t help but feel like something is missing. It seems like a dream come true when NASA alerts her that another ship, theĚýEternity, will be joining theĚýInfinity.

Romy begins exchanging messages with J, the captain of the Eternity, and their friendship breathes new life into her world. But asĚýthe Eternity gets closer, Romy learns there’s more to J’s mission than she could have imagined. And suddenly, there are worse things than being aloneâ€�.

Now nominated as a YALSA Quick Pick!]]> 305 Lauren James 006266025X Erika 0 3.69 2018
author: Lauren James
name: Erika
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: arc, print-arc, review-copy, to-read-own
review:

]]> 35068534
As Claudia digs deeper into her friend’s disappearance, she discovers that no one seems to remember the last time they saw Monday. How can a teenage girl just vanish without anyone noticing that she’s gone?]]> 448 Tiffany D. Jackson 0062422693 Erika 0 review-copy, to-read-own 4.24 2018
author: Tiffany D. Jackson
name: Erika
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: review-copy, to-read-own
review:

]]> 39863498 From New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi comes a novel set in Paris during a time of extraordinary change--one that is full of mystery, decadence, and dangerous desires...

It's 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier SĂ©verin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, SĂ©verin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.

To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, SĂ©verin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood.

Together, they will join SĂ©verin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history--but only if they can stay alive.]]> 388 Roshani Chokshi 125014454X Erika 0 arc, print-arc, to-read-own 3.71 2019
author: Roshani Chokshi
name: Erika
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: arc, print-arc, to-read-own
review:

]]> 34001683
Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who's expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he's made a true friend--and Lada wonders if she's finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against--and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.

From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes the first book in a dark, sweeping new series in which heads will roll, bodies will be impaled... and hearts will be broken.]]> 512 Kiersten White 0553522345 Erika 0 to-read-own 3.71 2016
author: Kiersten White
name: Erika
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: to-read-own
review:

]]> 22328546 This is a world divided by blood—red or silver.

The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.

That is until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.

Fearful of Mare's potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.

But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance—Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.]]> 388 Victoria Aveyard 0062310631 Erika 2
After reading many glowing reviews of this book I was really looking forward to being blown away. Unfortunately, Red Queen fell short of my expectations.

Mare Barrow is a lowly Red and she's a lot like so many other heroines that you could probably interchange them and there wouldn't be much of difference personality wise. She's rough, unladylike, hates makeup, fancy clothing, and everything that would make her seem feminine because heaven forbid we have a badass character that likes feminine things. The world would probably implode. Enough with the heroines that aren't pretty and judge other girls for wanting to wear dresses and makeup. It seems like most of the books I read have characters like this and normally it doesn't bother me if a character doesn't want to be feminine, but it was especially annoying in this book. It was just another way to set Mare apart for the other girls in the court and create more of a divide between her and Evangeline.

Evangeline is character that I could have done without. From the moment the two girls meet, they hate each other. Evangeline is portrayed as this stuck up bitch with a whole group of girls just like her and it's a constant battle between her and Mare. There is no depth to Evangeline's character and it's widely accepted by many characters that she's a bitch.

There's also a sort of love square going on and I was never really hoping that Mare would end up with anyone. I was leaning towards Maven, but that quickly went south, although I think he might be my favorite character. I wasn't overly fond of Cal, mostly because I didn't understand why he liked Mare. They didn't know each other and they barely spent time together. I'm actually satisfied with how the events at the end of the book played out because it wouldn't have been realistic if Mare's plan actually worked. I don't have much of an opinion on Kilorn, mostly because he's hardly even in the book.

The thing that saved this book was that I felt compelled to keep reading. The plot was engaging, even though it wasn't the most original. I loved the diversity of abilities and I really enjoyed reading about Mare's ability because it isn't very common in books that I've read. I'll probably end up reading the next one because I kind of like the villain and it will be interesting to see where the story goes.]]> 3.98 2015
author: Victoria Aveyard
name: Erika
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2015
rating: 2
read at: 2015/03/13
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: high-hopes, young-adult, fantasy, love-triangle, pov-female, science-fiction, dystopian, could-have-been-so-much-better, overhyped, two-stars, reviewed, cover-love, unpopular-opinion
review:
This review and more can be found on

After reading many glowing reviews of this book I was really looking forward to being blown away. Unfortunately, Red Queen fell short of my expectations.

Mare Barrow is a lowly Red and she's a lot like so many other heroines that you could probably interchange them and there wouldn't be much of difference personality wise. She's rough, unladylike, hates makeup, fancy clothing, and everything that would make her seem feminine because heaven forbid we have a badass character that likes feminine things. The world would probably implode. Enough with the heroines that aren't pretty and judge other girls for wanting to wear dresses and makeup. It seems like most of the books I read have characters like this and normally it doesn't bother me if a character doesn't want to be feminine, but it was especially annoying in this book. It was just another way to set Mare apart for the other girls in the court and create more of a divide between her and Evangeline.

Evangeline is character that I could have done without. From the moment the two girls meet, they hate each other. Evangeline is portrayed as this stuck up bitch with a whole group of girls just like her and it's a constant battle between her and Mare. There is no depth to Evangeline's character and it's widely accepted by many characters that she's a bitch.

There's also a sort of love square going on and I was never really hoping that Mare would end up with anyone. I was leaning towards Maven, but that quickly went south, although I think he might be my favorite character. I wasn't overly fond of Cal, mostly because I didn't understand why he liked Mare. They didn't know each other and they barely spent time together. I'm actually satisfied with how the events at the end of the book played out because it wouldn't have been realistic if Mare's plan actually worked. I don't have much of an opinion on Kilorn, mostly because he's hardly even in the book.

The thing that saved this book was that I felt compelled to keep reading. The plot was engaging, even though it wasn't the most original. I loved the diversity of abilities and I really enjoyed reading about Mare's ability because it isn't very common in books that I've read. I'll probably end up reading the next one because I kind of like the villain and it will be interesting to see where the story goes.
]]> 30025336 From bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater, a gripping tale of darkness, miracles, and family. Saints. Miracles. Family. Romance. Death. Redemption.

Here is a thing everyone wants: A miracle.

Here is a thing everyone fears: What it takes to get one.

Any visitor to Bicho Raro, Colorado is likely to find a landscape of dark saints, forbidden love, scientific dreams, miracle-mad owls, estranged affections, one or two orphans, and a sky full of watchful desert stars.

At the heart of this place you will find the Soria family, who all have the ability to perform unusual miracles. And at the heart of this family are three cousins longing to change its future: Beatriz, the girl without feelings, who wants only to be free to examine her thoughts; Daniel, the Saint of Bicho Raro, who performs miracles for everyone but himself; and Joaquin, who spends his nights running a renegade radio station under the name Diablo Diablo.

They are all looking for a miracle. But the miracles of Bicho Raro are never quite what you expect.]]> 313 Maggie Stiefvater 0545930804 Erika 3
Um yeah, this was not what I was expecting. It actually took me over 2 years to finish this book. I don't entirely blame the book, but it definitely didn't help that this book was slow. And not like slow leading up to something worth the wait. As a huge fan of Maggie Stiefvater, this really kills me to say it, but this book was just difficult to get through.

Because the book was so slow the characters felt pretty fleshed out, but at the same time I couldn't seem to keep all of them straight. Honestly, I could probably only name a couple of characters and I just finished this book. There were just so many characters to fit into such a short stand alone book. It felt like there were too many backstories and side stories going on, but the main story really took awhile to get going. That being said, I did enjoy the backstories that really showed why the characters acted the way they did and why they had been searching for a miracle.

I also really enjoyed the whole concept of the miracles being performed by the saints. It was definitely a unique story. I just wish it didn't feel so slow and difficult to get into. The descriptions of the desert and the people were one of the things I actually loved about the book, but it wasn't enough to salvage the rest of the book.

The romance in the book was definitely not something I really felt invested in. It wasn't insta love, but it wasn't slow burn either. The characters didn't immediately fall in love, but I also didn't really see why the characters had fallen in love. It was a bit forgettable.

I don't even have much more to say because the story wasn't something that stuck with me. I've loved every other Maggie Stiefvater book that I've read and was so excited when this one came out, but it just didn't live up to her other books. I'm hoping the next one she writes is a bit more fast paced.

8/6/20
Review to come. Maybe? Idk it took me over 2 years to finish this book but I finished reading the majority of it in like a day so I’ve got some mixed feelings. But I do know I’m a bit disappointed.]]> 3.82 2017
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Erika
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2020/08/06
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: high-hopes, fantasy, magic, mixed-feelings, not-what-i-was-expecting, pov-alternating, three-stars, slow-as-molasses, young-adult, reviewed
review:
2.5 stars

Um yeah, this was not what I was expecting. It actually took me over 2 years to finish this book. I don't entirely blame the book, but it definitely didn't help that this book was slow. And not like slow leading up to something worth the wait. As a huge fan of Maggie Stiefvater, this really kills me to say it, but this book was just difficult to get through.

Because the book was so slow the characters felt pretty fleshed out, but at the same time I couldn't seem to keep all of them straight. Honestly, I could probably only name a couple of characters and I just finished this book. There were just so many characters to fit into such a short stand alone book. It felt like there were too many backstories and side stories going on, but the main story really took awhile to get going. That being said, I did enjoy the backstories that really showed why the characters acted the way they did and why they had been searching for a miracle.

I also really enjoyed the whole concept of the miracles being performed by the saints. It was definitely a unique story. I just wish it didn't feel so slow and difficult to get into. The descriptions of the desert and the people were one of the things I actually loved about the book, but it wasn't enough to salvage the rest of the book.

The romance in the book was definitely not something I really felt invested in. It wasn't insta love, but it wasn't slow burn either. The characters didn't immediately fall in love, but I also didn't really see why the characters had fallen in love. It was a bit forgettable.

I don't even have much more to say because the story wasn't something that stuck with me. I've loved every other Maggie Stiefvater book that I've read and was so excited when this one came out, but it just didn't live up to her other books. I'm hoping the next one she writes is a bit more fast paced.

8/6/20
Review to come. Maybe? Idk it took me over 2 years to finish this book but I finished reading the majority of it in like a day so I’ve got some mixed feelings. But I do know I’m a bit disappointed.
]]> 58340706
Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.

But nothing comes for free, especially magic.

When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. And the highwayman? He just so happens to be the King’s nephew, Captain of the most dangerous men in Blunder…and guilty of high treason.

Together they must gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.]]> 399 Rachel Gillig 0316312487 Erika 2
The plot moved quickly but also didn't feel that developed. Things kept happening but a lot of it didn't feel important. The concepts of the cards were cool. I kept picturing gaint playing cards for some reason even though I'm pretty sure they're normal sized cards (that's on me) but the rest of the story really just fell flat for me.

The other thing that bothered me was the descriptions. Why is someone's hair being described as yellow? What shade of yellow? I'm going to have to assume blond, but should I be? There's so many uses of yellow to describe different things. Should I be assuming they're all the same shade of yellow? I think this is more of a personal preference but I would love a bit more description of the characters and the environment. I recall one scene with a room being described that made me think finally I know what I'm supposed to be imagining.

The romance was also really bland. No idea why Ravyn and Elspeth like each other or honestly when that started happening. I was hoping for a bit more actual courting or at least a bit more of the fake romance, but we didn't really get that. It was like the fake romance was proposed and a few chapters later it was already not fake? Just seemed too fast and there wasn't much development to their relationship. The rest of the characters were also pretty boring. I felt nothing for any of them and they felt very interchangeable.

The most interesting part was definitely the ending. I haven't decided if I'll pick up the next book and finish this duology or not. I definitely went in with high expectations after hearing so much about this book and it just fell a little short for me. ]]> 4.26 2022
author: Rachel Gillig
name: Erika
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2025/02/11
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: adult, bad-romance, fantasy, insta-love, magic, pov-female, reviewed, romance, two-stars, overhyped
review:
I must have read a completely different book from everyone else because there's so many glowing reviews and this book was very meh.

The plot moved quickly but also didn't feel that developed. Things kept happening but a lot of it didn't feel important. The concepts of the cards were cool. I kept picturing gaint playing cards for some reason even though I'm pretty sure they're normal sized cards (that's on me) but the rest of the story really just fell flat for me.

The other thing that bothered me was the descriptions. Why is someone's hair being described as yellow? What shade of yellow? I'm going to have to assume blond, but should I be? There's so many uses of yellow to describe different things. Should I be assuming they're all the same shade of yellow? I think this is more of a personal preference but I would love a bit more description of the characters and the environment. I recall one scene with a room being described that made me think finally I know what I'm supposed to be imagining.

The romance was also really bland. No idea why Ravyn and Elspeth like each other or honestly when that started happening. I was hoping for a bit more actual courting or at least a bit more of the fake romance, but we didn't really get that. It was like the fake romance was proposed and a few chapters later it was already not fake? Just seemed too fast and there wasn't much development to their relationship. The rest of the characters were also pretty boring. I felt nothing for any of them and they felt very interchangeable.

The most interesting part was definitely the ending. I haven't decided if I'll pick up the next book and finish this duology or not. I definitely went in with high expectations after hearing so much about this book and it just fell a little short for me.
]]> 65214365
Long ago, the world was destroyed by gods. Only nine cities were spared. Separated by vast wilderness teeming with monsters and unimaginable dangers, each city is now ruled by a guardian―royalty who feed on mortal pleasure.

Born with an intuition that never fails, Calista knows her talents are of great value to the power-hungry of the world, so she lives hidden as a courtesan of the Baron of Archwood. In exchange for his protection, she grants him information.

When her intuition leads her to save a traveling prince in dire trouble, the voice inside her blazes with warning―and promise. Today he’ll bring her joy. One day he'll be her doom.

When the Baron takes an interest in the traveling prince and the prince takes an interest in Calista, she becomes the prince’s temporary companion. But the city simmers with rebellion, and with knights and monsters at her city gates and a hungry prince in her bed, intuition may not be enough to keep her safe.

Calista must follow her intuition to safety or follow her heart to her downfall.]]> 416 Jennifer L. Armentrout 1250750199 Erika 0 to-read 3.94 2023
author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
name: Erika
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 35796008
At the same time, Kazi, a legendary former street thief, is sent by the queen to investigate transgressions against the new settlements. When Kazi arrives in the forbidding land of the Ballengers, she learns that there is more to Jase than she thought. As unexpected events spiral out of their control, bringing them intimately together, they continue to play a cat and mouse game of false moves and motives in order to fulfill their own secret missions.

Mary E. Pearson's Dance of Thieves is a new YA novel in the New York Times bestselling Remnant Chronicles universe, in which a reformed thief and the young leader of an outlaw dynasty lock wits in a battle that may cost them their lives—and their hearts. ]]> 512 Mary E. Pearson 1250159016 Erika 0 to-read 4.11 2018
author: Mary E. Pearson
name: Erika
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 75668288 The heart is a battlefield.

All Talasyn has ever known is the Hurricane Wars. Growing up an orphan in a nation under siege by the ruthless Night Emperor, Talasyn has found her family among the soldiers who fight for freedom. But she is hiding a deadly secret: light magic courses through her veins, a blazing power believed to have been wiped out years ago that can cut through the Night Empire's shadows.

Prince Alaric, the emperor's only son and heir, has been forged into a weapon by his father. Tasked with obliterating any threats to the Night Empire's rule with the strength of his armies and mighty Shadow magic, Alaric has never been bested. That is until he sees Talasyn burning brightly on the battlefield with the magic that killed his grandfather, turned his father into a monster, and ignited the Hurricane Wars. In a clash of light and dark, their powers merge and create a force the likes of which has never been seen.

Talasyn and Alaric both know this war can only end with them. But a greater threat is coming, and the strange new magic they can create together could be the only way to overcome it. Thrust into an uneasy alliance, they will confront the secrets at the heart of the war and find, in each other, a searing passion--one that could save their world...or destroy it.

An exquisite fantasy brimming with unforgettable characters, sizzling enemies-to-lovers romance, and richly drawn worlds, The Hurricane Wars marks the breathtaking debut of an extraordinary new writer.]]> 472 Thea Guanzon 0063277271 Erika 0 to-read 3.65 2023
author: Thea Guanzon
name: Erika
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 40024139 Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou's, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.

The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou's most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.

And love makes fools of us all.

This is a previously published edition of ISBN 9780062878021. An alternate cover edition can be found here.]]> 513 Shelby Mahurin Erika 0 to-read 3.92 2019
author: Shelby Mahurin
name: Erika
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 52735921 Two sisters.
One brutal murder.
A quest for vengeance that will unleash Hell itself...
And an intoxicating romance.

Emilia and her twin sister Vittoria are streghe - witches who live secretly among humans, avoiding notice and persecution. One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family's renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin...desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister's killer and to seek vengeance at any cost—even if it means using dark magic that's been long forbidden.

Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked—princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia's side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women's murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is as it seems...]]> 372 Kerri Maniscalco 0316428469 Erika 0 to-read 3.87 2020
author: Kerri Maniscalco
name: Erika
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60784546 After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again�

All eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow wants to do is hold her family together. With a brother on the frontline forced to fight on behalf of the Gods now missing from the frontline and a mother drowning her sorrows, Iris’s best bet is winning the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

But when Iris’s letters to her brother fall into the wrong hands � that of the handsome but cold Roman Kitt, her rival at the paper � an unlikely magical connection forms.

Expelled into the middle of a mystical war, magical typewriters in tow, can their bond withstand the fight for the fate of mankind and, most importantly, love?

An epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.]]> 357 Rebecca Ross 1250857430 Erika 0 to-read 4.14 2023
author: Rebecca Ross
name: Erika
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 209439446
Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything. They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth. But a storm is coming...and not everyone can survive its wrath.]]> 527 Rebecca Yarros 1649374186 Erika 5 fun and exactly what I was hoping for after reading Iron Flame. I feel like most books in the middle of a series tend to drag, but this one didn't. I'm so glad that we got to see more of the world and more of Ridoc.

My only complains are that some of the side characters aren't as developed as I would like and the alternating POVs at the end was a bit jarring. I think it made sense in the last two books when the last chapter was from Xaden's POV but this felt different. I'm curious to see if Yarros will continue the alternating POV throughout the next book or do the same thing at the end. I do see why the POVs changed and I did enjoy them, but it just felt a little strange and random.

Can't believe the wait for the next book might be 2 years!]]> 4.18 2025
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: Erika
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/23
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: all-time-favorites, cliffhanger, crush-worthy-guys, deserves-the-hype, dragons, fantasy, five-stars, high-hopes, i-ship-it, made-me-cry, magic, pov-female, pov-alternating, series-in-progress, spicy, strong-heroines, reviewed, adult, stayed-up-late-to-finish
review:
I think this might be my favorite book in the series. I have been unable to stop thinking about this book since finishing it. This was everything I was hoping for. I laughed and cried for characters that I didn't think I cared that much about. This book was fun and exactly what I was hoping for after reading Iron Flame. I feel like most books in the middle of a series tend to drag, but this one didn't. I'm so glad that we got to see more of the world and more of Ridoc.

My only complains are that some of the side characters aren't as developed as I would like and the alternating POVs at the end was a bit jarring. I think it made sense in the last two books when the last chapter was from Xaden's POV but this felt different. I'm curious to see if Yarros will continue the alternating POV throughout the next book or do the same thing at the end. I do see why the POVs changed and I did enjoy them, but it just felt a little strange and random.

Can't believe the wait for the next book might be 2 years!
]]> 29939230 Witness the fate of beloved heroes - and enemies.

THE BALANCE OF POWER HAS FINALLY TIPPED...
The precarious equilibrium among four Londons has reached its breaking point. Once brimming with the red vivacity of magic, darkness casts a shadow over the Maresh Empire, leaving a space for another London to rise.

WHO WILL CRUMBLE?
Kell - once assumed to be the last surviving Antari - begins to waver under the pressure of competing loyalties. And in the wake of tragedy, can Arnes survive?

WHO WILL RISE?
Lila Bard, once a commonplace - but never common - thief, has survived and flourished through a series of magical trials. But now she must learn to control the magic, before it bleeds her dry. Meanwhile, the disgraced Captain Alucard Emery of the Night Spire collects his crew, attempting a race against time to acquire the impossible.

WHO WILL TAKE CONTROL?
And an ancient enemy returns to claim a crown while a fallen hero tries to save a world in decay.]]> 624 Victoria E. Schwab 0765387468 Erika 4 4.30 2017
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: Erika
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/06
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: four-stars, fantasy, i-ship-it, magic, pov-alternating, reviewed, strong-heroines, romance, adult
review:
I don't know why I waited so long to finish this series. I think it might be my fault that I didn't enjoy this book more because I waited so long and had forgotten most of the characters. Even with that, jumping back into this world felt really easy. I didn't feel lost and the author's writing is so easy to get back into. I do feel like the middle dragged a little bit, especially while the characters were traveling. I do wish there were a smidge more scenes between Lila and Kell. The ending was so perfect for this series. I truly could not imagine a better one.
]]> 209741142 A spellbinding gothic dark fantasy about a shunned woman who is forced beyond the mortal realm's forbidden boundary, into a terrifying world of cursed souls and grotesque creatures.

Only the banished know what lies beyond the woods ...

There are whispers about what lurks in Witch Knell—the forest where sinners go to die. The villagers call it The Eating Woods because what’s taken is never given back. Only those who’ve lost their senses would dare to go near it.

Or the banished.

Maevyth Bronwick knows better than to breach the misty labyrinth of trees, but a tragic turn of events compels her beyond the archway of bones, to a boundary no mortal has crossed before. One that cloaks a dark and fantastical world that’s as dangerous as it is alluring.

It’s there that he dwells, the cursed lord of Eidolon. The one tasked to keep her hidden from the magehood that seeks to crucify her in the name of an arcane prophesy. Zevander Rydainn, known to his prey as The Scorpion, is the coldest, most calculated assassin in all of Aethyria and he’d sooner toss his feisty ward to a pack of vicious fyredrakes than keep her safe.

If only he could.

Maevyth’s blood is the key to breaking his despised curse and vanquishing the slumbering evil in Witch Knell. Unfortunately for Lord Rydainn, fate has other plans for the irresistible little enchantress. And his growing obsession with her threatens to destroy everything.

Including himself.

Anathema is a full-length, gothic dark fantasy, the first book in The Eating Woods duology. Perfect for readers who enjoy a plot-heavy and atmospheric story with a unique magic system, a slow-burn romance and a touch of horror.]]> 688 Keri Lake Erika 0 to-read 4.14 2024
author: Keri Lake
name: Erika
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 215697767
The threat of war has arrived at Diem’s doorstep, along with a new discovery that could save her people. To use it, she must survive the next thirty days by forming a devil’s bargain with the people she hates most: the royal family of House Corbois.

But as she dives into the world of the Descended elite, Diem quickly realizes good and evil aren’t as simple as they seem. Old prejudices are challenged, and new loyalties blur the line between friend and foe.

Meanwhile, her mother is still missing, and the secrets she left behind can no longer be ignored—and neither can the Guardians and their demands. Caught between an old flame and a sizzling new spark, Diem must confront the truth about who she is and what she wants before time runs out.

War is coming, and dangerous enemies wait on all sides.. but the most deadly battle Diem faces may be the one for her heart.

Glow of the Everflame is the second book in The Kindred's Curse Saga, a four-book fantasy romance series. This book will appeal to fans of plot-heavy, character-driven romantasy such as A Court of Thorns and Roses, Throne of Glass, From Blood and Ash, Gild, Shadow & Bone, and The Serpent & the Wings of Night.]]> 608 Penn Cole 1668086751 Erika 0 to-read 4.40 2023
author: Penn Cole
name: Erika
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 58159316
My life has been made up of gilded lies. But death has been shaped from rot.

Like a phoenix caught fire, I will need to rise from the ashes and learn to wield my own power. Because my wings may have been clipped, but I am not in a cage, and I'm finally free to fly from the frozen kingdoms I've been kept in.

Yet the world doesn't want to let me.

That's the thing when you turn against a king—everyone else turns against you.

Good thing I have a different king in my corner.

But even with the dark threat of Slade Ravinger, the other monarchs are coming for me.

So I will fight for him and he will kill for me, and if we need to become the villains, then so be it.

Because so long as I live in this world, I won't be used again.

Please note: This is an adult fantasy series with dark elements that may be triggering, including past emotional and physical trauma, violence, adult language, and explicit romance. Read at your own discretion.]]> 705 Raven Kennedy Erika 0 to-read 4.14 2022
author: Raven Kennedy
name: Erika
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60060431 Bearded, bad-boy barber Knox prefers to live his life the way he takes his coffee: Alone. Unless you count his basset hound, Waylon.
Knox doesn’t tolerate drama, even when it comes in the form of a stranded runaway bride.

Naomi wasn’t just running away from her wedding. She was riding to the rescue of her estranged twin to Knockemout, Virginia, a rough-around-the-edges town where disputes are settled the old-fashioned way…with fists and beer. Usually in that order.

Too bad for Naomi her evil twin hasn’t changed at all. After helping herself to Naomi’s car and cash, Tina leaves her with something unexpected. The niece Naomi didn’t know she had. Now she’s stuck in town with no car, no job, no plan, and no home with an 11-year-old going on thirty to take care of.

There’s a reason Knox doesn’t do complications or high-maintenance women, especially not the romantic ones. But since Naomi’s life imploded right in front of him, the least he can do is help her out of her jam. And just as soon as she stops getting into new trouble he can leave her alone and get back to his peaceful, solitary life.

At least, that’s the plan until the trouble turns to real danger.]]> 572 Lucy Score 1945631848 Erika 0 to-read 4.15 2022
author: Lucy Score
name: Erika
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 56554281 Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people—Tahereh Mafi’s first in an epic, romantic trilogy inspired by Persian mythology.

To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.

The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world.

Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Tomi Adeyemi, and Sabaa Tahir, this is the explosive first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the New York Times bestselling and National Book Award-nominated author Tahereh Mafi.]]> 512 Tahereh Mafi 0062972464 Erika 0 to-read 3.95 2022
author: Tahereh Mafi
name: Erika
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 204802999 Rebecca Yarros Erika 0 to-read 4.42
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: Erika
average rating: 4.42
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 35959740
Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts, and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.

But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from or with the mortals she has come to love.]]> 393 Madeline Miller 0316556343 Erika 2
I think this is one of the only books I've read that was entirely character driven and it just was not for me. It felt like a fictional biography. I feel like the beginning was pretty good and then when she was [spoilers removed]

I feel like by the end we were supposed to feel something for the characters, but I just didn't (and I say this as someone who bawled my eyes out at the end of The Song of Achilles). I guess I'm not entirely sure why this book is so hyped. There wasn't enough time spent with different characters to develop any kind of connection and Circe was just unlikable in my opinion. A lot of the scenes with the side characters felt like cameos, like when there's a TV series crossover and it's only cool if you are invested in the other show.

I will say that Madeline Miller's writing style is one of the only reasons I was able to power through this book. I just wish more time was spent on certain parts of Circe's life instead of what felt like a quick glimpse into multiple different times in her life.]]> 4.22 2018
author: Madeline Miller
name: Erika
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2018
rating: 2
read at: 2025/01/06
date added: 2025/01/07
shelves: adult, magic, mythology, pov-female, slow-as-molasses, two-stars, unpopular-opinion, wanted-to-like-but-didnt, witches-wizards-and-warlocks, reviewed
review:
This was really disappointing for me as someone that LOVED The Song of Achilles. I started this book in 2020 and didn't finish it until now (partly because the book went missing during a move and I only recently found it but that definitely wasn't the only reason).

I think this is one of the only books I've read that was entirely character driven and it just was not for me. It felt like a fictional biography. I feel like the beginning was pretty good and then when she was [spoilers removed]

I feel like by the end we were supposed to feel something for the characters, but I just didn't (and I say this as someone who bawled my eyes out at the end of The Song of Achilles). I guess I'm not entirely sure why this book is so hyped. There wasn't enough time spent with different characters to develop any kind of connection and Circe was just unlikable in my opinion. A lot of the scenes with the side characters felt like cameos, like when there's a TV series crossover and it's only cool if you are invested in the other show.

I will say that Madeline Miller's writing style is one of the only reasons I was able to power through this book. I just wish more time was spent on certain parts of Circe's life instead of what felt like a quick glimpse into multiple different times in her life.
]]> 207297940 Perfect for fans of Raven Kennedy and Thea Guanzon, Rebecca Robinson’s thrilling romantasy debut combines high-stakes political intrigue and a steamy, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance.

All her life, Vaasa Kozár has been sharpened into a blade.

After losing her mother—her only remaining parent—to a mysterious dark magic that has since awakened within her, Vaasa is certain death looms. So is her merciless brother, who aims to eliminate Vaasa as a threat to his crown. In one last political scheme, he marries her off to Reid of Mireh, a ruthless foreign ruler, in hopes that he can use her death as a rallying cry to finally invade Reid’s nation. All Vaasa has to do is die.

But she is desperate to live. Vaasa enters her new marriage with every intent to escape it, wielding the hard-won political prowess and combat abilities her late father instilled in her. But to her surprise, Reid offers her a deal: help him win the votes to rise in power, and she can walk free. In exchange, he will share his knowledge about the dark magic running through her veins—and help keep it at bay.

This proposal may be too good to refuse, yet Vaasa and Reid’s undeniable attraction threatens to break the rules of their arrangement. As her brother’s lethal machinations take form, everything is at stake: Vaasa must learn to trust her new husband, but how can she, especially when their perfect political marriage begins to feel like the real thing?]]> 352 Rebecca Robinson 1668052482 Erika 0 to-read 4.00 2024
author: Rebecca Robinson
name: Erika
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 216247498 Magic and adventure swirl through this spellbinding romantasy where a young woman reignites the embers of an ancient prophecy, unleashing a storm that could save her realm or doom them all.

Fear of maegic plagues war-torn Anwyvn. Halflings like Rhya Fleetwood are killed on sight. But Rhya’s execution is interrupted by an unexpected savior—one far more terrifying than her would-be killers. The mysterious and mercenary Commander Scythe. In the clutches of this new enemy, Rhya finds herself fighting for her life in the barren reaches of the Northlands. Yet the farther she gets from home, the more she learns that nothing is as it seems—not her fearsome captor, not the blight that ravages her dying realm, not even herself.

For Rhya is no ordinary halfling. The strange birthmark on her chest and the wind she instinctively calls forth means she is a Remnant, one of four souls scattered across Anwyvn, fated to restore the balance of maegic…or die trying.

But mastering the power inside her is only the beginning. Desire for the Commander—a man she can never trust, a man with plans of his own—burns just as fiercely as the tempests beating against her rib cage for release. Rhya must choose: smother the flames…or let them consume her.]]> 544 Julie Johnson 0593817869 Erika 0 to-read 4.18 2025
author: Julie Johnson
name: Erika
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 7747374
Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. We have lived among you without you knowing.

But they know.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They killed them all.

I am Number Four.

I am next.]]> 440 Pittacus Lore 0061969559 Erika 3 3.94 2010
author: Pittacus Lore
name: Erika
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2010
rating: 3
read at: 2011/02/01
date added: 2025/01/03
shelves: three-stars, aliens, pov-male, recommended-to-me, saw-the-movie, paranormal, young-adult, overhyped
review:

]]> 8659601
Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We're hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we'll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I've been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams. The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine. The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.

I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.

And I'm ready to fight.]]> 406 Pittacus Lore 0061974552 Erika 2 4.15 2011
author: Pittacus Lore
name: Erika
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2011
rating: 2
read at: 2012/01/10
date added: 2025/01/03
shelves: two-stars, aliens, love-triangle, pov-male, paranormal, series-dropped, library, science-fiction, young-adult, unpopular-opinion, overhyped
review:

]]> 28187 Alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse - Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends—one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena - Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.]]> 377 Rick Riordan 0786838655 Erika 3 4.31 2005
author: Rick Riordan
name: Erika
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2005
rating: 3
read at: 2012/02/28
date added: 2025/01/03
shelves: three-stars, mythology, pov-male, middle-grade, overhyped
review:

]]> 10507293
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.]]> 336 Kiera Cass 0062059939 Erika 2
For some reason this book reminds me of The Hunger Games. I think it might be the whole Selection part of the book. It was kind of like the reaping in The Hunger Games. America went into the Selection for her family because they were starving and very poor so they needed the money. In a way I think this is similar to how Katniss stepped in for Prim. I'm not saying that this book is even close to the awesomeness of The Hunger Games but some of The Selection was similar to it.

What I didn't like
-America. No not the place the person. She was constantly saying how normal looking she was and how she would never win the Selection even though everyone tells her that she's pretty and it's clear that Maxon likes her. I really don't need to hear that from a fiction character.
-The name America. I couldn't stand this name for some reason and every time they would say her name I would think of someone in a costume in the shape of the U.S. Yes I'm aware that's strange but I couldn't help it. To me America is a place not a person.
-Illéa being a Monarchy. I just don't believe that America will turn into a Monarchy after we fought to get away from one. Plus most Monarchies don't last. People revolt against them and they fail.
-The Rebels. To me they didn't seem like very scary people. So America and the other girls had to hide out for a while and none of them got hurt. They didn't seem like that big a deal to me.
-The random history lesson in the middle of the book. I had no idea what was going on and I didn't really understand the entire point of it. I don't really care about Illéa history and I don't really want to know about fake history.

What I liked
-Aspen
-Kota (I think it's just because his name is so cool because we really only get to know him through America and she says he left their family to become a Two)
-The idea of Ones, Twos, Threes, Fours, Fives, Sixes, Sevens, and Eights. It seemed like an interesting idea to me and I would like to know more about each ranking.]]> 4.07 2012
author: Kiera Cass
name: Erika
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2012
rating: 2
read at: 2012/06/04
date added: 2025/01/03
shelves: reviewed, two-stars, wake-me-when-its-over, wanted-to-like-but-didnt, love-triangle, pov-female, not-what-i-was-expecting, i-blame-the-cover, dystopian, could-have-been-so-much-better, bad-romance, young-adult, series-dropped, unpopular-opinion, overhyped
review:
Well this book was certainly different. I'm not sure if I like it yet and I'm not sure what to think of the whole idea of this IllĂ©a place but something about it made me want to keep reading so it can't be all that bad. I don't think I'd normally pick up this book but my book group here on Ĺ·±¦ÓéŔÖ was reading it and I saw it at my bookstore so I thought why not?

For some reason this book reminds me of The Hunger Games. I think it might be the whole Selection part of the book. It was kind of like the reaping in The Hunger Games. America went into the Selection for her family because they were starving and very poor so they needed the money. In a way I think this is similar to how Katniss stepped in for Prim. I'm not saying that this book is even close to the awesomeness of The Hunger Games but some of The Selection was similar to it.

What I didn't like
-America. No not the place the person. She was constantly saying how normal looking she was and how she would never win the Selection even though everyone tells her that she's pretty and it's clear that Maxon likes her. I really don't need to hear that from a fiction character.
-The name America. I couldn't stand this name for some reason and every time they would say her name I would think of someone in a costume in the shape of the U.S. Yes I'm aware that's strange but I couldn't help it. To me America is a place not a person.
-Illéa being a Monarchy. I just don't believe that America will turn into a Monarchy after we fought to get away from one. Plus most Monarchies don't last. People revolt against them and they fail.
-The Rebels. To me they didn't seem like very scary people. So America and the other girls had to hide out for a while and none of them got hurt. They didn't seem like that big a deal to me.
-The random history lesson in the middle of the book. I had no idea what was going on and I didn't really understand the entire point of it. I don't really care about Illéa history and I don't really want to know about fake history.

What I liked
-Aspen
-Kota (I think it's just because his name is so cool because we really only get to know him through America and she says he left their family to become a Two)
-The idea of Ones, Twos, Threes, Fours, Fives, Sixes, Sevens, and Eights. It seemed like an interesting idea to me and I would like to know more about each ranking.
]]> 10174795 One of School Library Journal’s Best Fiction Books of 2011

If a violent battle destroyed the only world you’ve ever known, would you be brave enough to save who was left? Would love be strong enough to survive the fight? Either way, there’s no turning back.

The Empyrean is the only home 15-year-old Waverly has ever known. Part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space, she and her boyfriend Kieran will be pioneers ofĚýNew Earth.ĚýWaverly knows she must marry young in order to have children who can carry on the mission, and Kieran, the handsome captain-to-be, has everything Waverly could want in a husband. Everyone is sure he’s the best choice. Still, there’s a part of Waverly that wants more from life than marriage, and she is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

Suddenly, Waverly’s dreams are interrupted by the inconceivable � a violent betrayal by the Empyrean's sister ship, the New Horizon. The New Horizon’s leaders are desperate to populate the new planet first, and will do anything to get what they need: young girls. In one pivotal moment, Waverly and Kieran are separated, and find themselves at the helm of dangerous missions, where every move has potentially devastating consequences, and decisions of the heart may lead to disaster.

Pulse-pounding and addictive,ĚýGlow begins Amy Kathleen Ryan's Sky Chasers--the most riveting series since The Hunger Games.]]> 307 Amy Kathleen Ryan 0312590563 Erika 2
Well this book wasn't what I expected. I'm not even sure what I expected anymore but it wasn't this.

Glow takes place way into the future where Earth is now uninhabitable. Waverly is part of the first generation born on board the Empyrean. Everyone expects her to marry Kieran, the captain-to-be because she's his girlfriend. But everything doesn't go according to plan when the Empyrean is attacked by the New Horizon. The New Horizon has no children aboard so they decide to take all the girls from the Empyrean. Now Waverly and Kieran must fight to get back to each other.

I can tell you this, the back of this book lies! It says "Glow begins the most riveting series since The Hunger Games". I can tell you this I was bored while reading this. I had to force myself to pick it up and finish it. I had to tell myself that I had to finish this before starting any other books.

So what bothered me about this book? Well it didn't actually get interesting until more than halfway through the book. I was sitting there reading and waiting and reading and waiting but nothing exciting really happened. Even the attack in the beginning wasn't that exciting.

I was not a fan of Waverly or Kieran or Seth. When Waverly was taken to the New Horizon she couldn't figure out why she was there. I mean come on! You are on a ship with no children and the people are getting old and they are worried about the human race surviving. WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY BROUGHT YOU THERE FOR? Honestly as soon as I knew the New Horizon didn't have any children I figured it out.

Kieran also bothered me especially at the end. In the beginning of the book he was tolerable but by the end he was a kind Anne Mather. Anne Mather was corrupt and I can see why Waverly was so upset with Kieran at the end of the book but he just didn't get it. Waverly had just been through a very traumatic time and he should not expect her to be ok with everything he does and she shouldn't expect him to be ok with everything she does. But Kieran just didn't understand why Waverly was acting the way she did. Sure Kieran wasn't Anne Mather but he was having services like she did. It was probably just too much for Waverly to handle so soon.

I also didn't like Seth. In the beginning I thought I would like him because in YA books I tend to like characters that come across as bad. But once Waverly was gone Seth turned into some sort of monster (this is from Kieran's POV and they both love Waverly so that might be why Seth is such a monster). I feel like my judgment was tainted because it was from Kieran's POV. Seth and Kieran are both in love with Waverly so of course Kieran would look at Seth as the worst person in the world. Whenever Seth is around Waverly he seems nicer and the guy just lost his dad who probably beat him.

Also the idea of stealing children in order to make sure the human race survives didn't go over well with me. It was sick. Anne Mather is a sick sick character.

Will I read the next book? My guess it probably not but I might surprise myself and end up reading it.]]> 3.53 2011
author: Amy Kathleen Ryan
name: Erika
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2011
rating: 2
read at: 2012/06/22
date added: 2025/01/03
shelves: two-stars, reviewed, mixed-feelings, love-triangle, pov-alternating, not-what-i-was-expecting, giveaway-wins, series-dropped, science-fiction, young-adult, space-the-final-frontier, overhyped
review:
I won a copy of this from a Ĺ·±¦ÓéŔÖ giveaway.

Well this book wasn't what I expected. I'm not even sure what I expected anymore but it wasn't this.

Glow takes place way into the future where Earth is now uninhabitable. Waverly is part of the first generation born on board the Empyrean. Everyone expects her to marry Kieran, the captain-to-be because she's his girlfriend. But everything doesn't go according to plan when the Empyrean is attacked by the New Horizon. The New Horizon has no children aboard so they decide to take all the girls from the Empyrean. Now Waverly and Kieran must fight to get back to each other.

I can tell you this, the back of this book lies! It says "Glow begins the most riveting series since The Hunger Games". I can tell you this I was bored while reading this. I had to force myself to pick it up and finish it. I had to tell myself that I had to finish this before starting any other books.

So what bothered me about this book? Well it didn't actually get interesting until more than halfway through the book. I was sitting there reading and waiting and reading and waiting but nothing exciting really happened. Even the attack in the beginning wasn't that exciting.

I was not a fan of Waverly or Kieran or Seth. When Waverly was taken to the New Horizon she couldn't figure out why she was there. I mean come on! You are on a ship with no children and the people are getting old and they are worried about the human race surviving. WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY BROUGHT YOU THERE FOR? Honestly as soon as I knew the New Horizon didn't have any children I figured it out.

Kieran also bothered me especially at the end. In the beginning of the book he was tolerable but by the end he was a kind Anne Mather. Anne Mather was corrupt and I can see why Waverly was so upset with Kieran at the end of the book but he just didn't get it. Waverly had just been through a very traumatic time and he should not expect her to be ok with everything he does and she shouldn't expect him to be ok with everything she does. But Kieran just didn't understand why Waverly was acting the way she did. Sure Kieran wasn't Anne Mather but he was having services like she did. It was probably just too much for Waverly to handle so soon.

I also didn't like Seth. In the beginning I thought I would like him because in YA books I tend to like characters that come across as bad. But once Waverly was gone Seth turned into some sort of monster (this is from Kieran's POV and they both love Waverly so that might be why Seth is such a monster). I feel like my judgment was tainted because it was from Kieran's POV. Seth and Kieran are both in love with Waverly so of course Kieran would look at Seth as the worst person in the world. Whenever Seth is around Waverly he seems nicer and the guy just lost his dad who probably beat him.

Also the idea of stealing children in order to make sure the human race survives didn't go over well with me. It was sick. Anne Mather is a sick sick character.

Will I read the next book? My guess it probably not but I might surprise myself and end up reading it.
]]> 12974459 This edition: BONUS BOOK INCLUDED, The Strange Case of Finley Jayne

The Strange Case of Finley Jayne -98 pages

In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one... except the "thing" inside her.

When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch.

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her and says she's special, says she's one of them . The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets, against the wises of his band of misfits. And Finley thinks she might finally be a part of something, finally fit in-until a criminal mastermind known as Machinist threatens to tear the group apart...]]> 476 Kady Cross 0373210701 Erika 2
So when I went to the bookstore the other day I was looking around the YA section when I came across this book. It was hidden behind a bunch of other books so I'm not even sure how I saw it in the first place. I picked it up and once I read the back I was hooked. I needed to read this book.

I guess my expectations for this book were too high because I was disappointed. Very disappointed.

Apparently the book I have has a bonus book called The Strange Case of Finely Jayne but instead of being in the back of the book it's before the actual book so I read it before the actual book not knowing that it was a bonus book. Man, was that bonus book boring. I almost gave up on the book right there but instead I kept reading because I had this hope that the book would get much better. And it did after the bonus book was over. Don't read that bonus book. Even if you liked The Girl in the Steel Corset.

So the main character Finely Jayne is the daughter of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde. You would think that being the daughter of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde would make Finely a very interesting character but she's not. I just didn't like her, whenever the book was from her POV it seemed to drag even when she was her "shadow" half. She also is part of a love triangle. A love triangle with the Duke of Greythorne and a crime lord. Jack Dandy (the crime lord) had absolutely no role in the book, he was just Finely's love interest. At least Griffin (the Duke) wasn't just there as a love interest. He was the one of the only characters I liked in this book.

Also the other characters like Sam and Cordeila had some issues. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't like Sam. I just couldn't. I didn't understand his problem with his friends saving him. Cordeila is telekinetic and telepathic but it never explains how this happened and it also never explains how Jasper can run extremely fast. That information just appears to be missing.

The book was also extremely predictable. From the moment Sam first started talking to Leon in that bar I knew he was the Machinist. It was way too obvious to me. The book just seemed to scream that Leon was the Machinist, but it took them almost the entire book to figure it out. They also couldn't seem to figure out what he was planning. It was fairly obvious when Emily pointed out that the wax figure of the queen was missing its eyes and that they had taken measurements of the face and taken its clothing.

Often while reading this I had to reread sentences or even entire paragraphs before they made sense in my mind. Sometimes it would also just switch POVs without any warning, leaving me confused for a few moments.

I did like the idea of the Organites and the idea of Finely being the daughter of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide but it could have been so much better. Despite everything I've said I actually somewhat liked this book after more than halfway through it but I didn't like it that much. I haven't had much experience with Steampunk books but I'm willing to bet that this will not be my last and I'll probably end up reading The Girl in the Clockwork Collar just because I actually like Jasper and the next one sounds much more interesting.]]> 3.83 2011
author: Kady Cross
name: Erika
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2011
rating: 2
read at: 2012/07/12
date added: 2025/01/03
shelves: mixed-feelings, two-stars, reviewed, wanted-to-like-but-didnt, love-triangle, pov-alternating, i-blame-the-cover, steampunk, historical-fiction, could-have-been-so-much-better, science-fiction, fantasy, young-adult, series-dropped, unpopular-opinion, overhyped
review:
You can also read on my blog .

So when I went to the bookstore the other day I was looking around the YA section when I came across this book. It was hidden behind a bunch of other books so I'm not even sure how I saw it in the first place. I picked it up and once I read the back I was hooked. I needed to read this book.

I guess my expectations for this book were too high because I was disappointed. Very disappointed.

Apparently the book I have has a bonus book called The Strange Case of Finely Jayne but instead of being in the back of the book it's before the actual book so I read it before the actual book not knowing that it was a bonus book. Man, was that bonus book boring. I almost gave up on the book right there but instead I kept reading because I had this hope that the book would get much better. And it did after the bonus book was over. Don't read that bonus book. Even if you liked The Girl in the Steel Corset.

So the main character Finely Jayne is the daughter of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde. You would think that being the daughter of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde would make Finely a very interesting character but she's not. I just didn't like her, whenever the book was from her POV it seemed to drag even when she was her "shadow" half. She also is part of a love triangle. A love triangle with the Duke of Greythorne and a crime lord. Jack Dandy (the crime lord) had absolutely no role in the book, he was just Finely's love interest. At least Griffin (the Duke) wasn't just there as a love interest. He was the one of the only characters I liked in this book.

Also the other characters like Sam and Cordeila had some issues. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't like Sam. I just couldn't. I didn't understand his problem with his friends saving him. Cordeila is telekinetic and telepathic but it never explains how this happened and it also never explains how Jasper can run extremely fast. That information just appears to be missing.

The book was also extremely predictable. From the moment Sam first started talking to Leon in that bar I knew he was the Machinist. It was way too obvious to me. The book just seemed to scream that Leon was the Machinist, but it took them almost the entire book to figure it out. They also couldn't seem to figure out what he was planning. It was fairly obvious when Emily pointed out that the wax figure of the queen was missing its eyes and that they had taken measurements of the face and taken its clothing.

Often while reading this I had to reread sentences or even entire paragraphs before they made sense in my mind. Sometimes it would also just switch POVs without any warning, leaving me confused for a few moments.

I did like the idea of the Organites and the idea of Finely being the daughter of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide but it could have been so much better. Despite everything I've said I actually somewhat liked this book after more than halfway through it but I didn't like it that much. I haven't had much experience with Steampunk books but I'm willing to bet that this will not be my last and I'll probably end up reading The Girl in the Clockwork Collar just because I actually like Jasper and the next one sounds much more interesting.
]]> 30117284 In a galaxy powered by the current, everyone has a gift.

Cyra is the sister of the brutal tyrant who rules the Shotet people. Cyra’s currentgift gives her pain and power—something her brother exploits, using her to torture his enemies. But Cyra is much more than just a blade in her brother’s hand: she is resilient, quick on her feet, and smarter than he knows.

Akos is the son of a farmer and an oracle from the frozen nation-planet of Thuvhe. Protected by his unusual currentgift, Akos is generous in spirit, and his loyalty to his family is limitless. Once Akos and his brother are captured by enemy Shotet soldiers, Akos is desperate to get his brother out alive—no matter what the cost.

Then Akos is thrust into Cyra's world, and the enmity between their countries and families seems insurmountable. Will they help each other to survive, or will they destroy one another?

Carve the Mark is Veronica Roth's stunning portrayal of the power of friendship—and love—in a galaxy filled with unexpected gifts.]]> 468 Veronica Roth 0062348639 Erika 2
This book was way different from Divergent, but not in the good way. I was a fan of Roth's other series and I even remember enjoying Allegiant during some parts (definitely not as much as the other two books), but I just couldn't get into this one.

Anyway, moving on from that. This book was not at all what I expected. Divergent was a faced paced thrilling story, while Carve the Mark seemed to drag on forever. The first chapter was extremely difficult to get into. So many names are thrown around. There's a lot of confusion and it felt kind of like a mess and I was so close to just stopping there because it was that unappealing. It was too much all at once, but at the same time it seemed to move at a snail's pace. While the rest of the book definitely improved from the first chapter, the pacing did not and honestly my overall confusion wasn't really cleared up. Time seemed to fly by in a matter of pages, but it didn't feel like it and it was sometimes hard to remember that however many years had passed. I think at one point during the book it was mentioned that Akos was fifteen when he started training with Cyra, but like I'm pretty sure he was older than that when it was mentioned and I didn't realize that Akos and Cyra had known each other for years now. It was really odd and confusing.

The characters weren't bad, but they also didn't stand out. Cyra was alright, but I dreaded reading Akos's chapters. They were so boring and honestly I didn't really care much about Akos in the first place so I didn't really want to read about his POV. I did think that Cyra's currentgift was the most interesting part of the entire book. I definitely liked the idea behind currentgifts and the current, but I kind of wanted a little more explanation. Also I saw the romance between Akos and Cyra coming from a mile away. I wasn't really insta love, but it also didn't feel believable. When they first kissed it kind of felt like it came out of nowhere.

And now for the plot. For maybe a little less than half of the book, I kept asking myself "where is the plot?" It was basically nonexistent for a large chunk of the book and this left me feeling like there was no direction to the story for awhile. Once the plot did get going though I did enjoy it, but it wasn't really original.

Overall, I'm really disappointed by this book. I was a fan of Roth's other series so I was expecting a lot more from this book, but it didn't deliver. I probably won't be picking up the next book, unless it gets really good reviews.]]> 3.78 2017
author: Veronica Roth
name: Erika
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2017
rating: 2
read at: 2017/07/19
date added: 2025/01/03
shelves: library, cover-love, could-have-been-so-much-better, fantasy, high-hopes, mixed-feelings, pov-alternating, science-fiction, space-the-final-frontier, young-adult, two-stars, maybe-continue-series, reviewed, overhyped
review:
This review and more can be found on

This book was way different from Divergent, but not in the good way. I was a fan of Roth's other series and I even remember enjoying Allegiant during some parts (definitely not as much as the other two books), but I just couldn't get into this one.

Anyway, moving on from that. This book was not at all what I expected. Divergent was a faced paced thrilling story, while Carve the Mark seemed to drag on forever. The first chapter was extremely difficult to get into. So many names are thrown around. There's a lot of confusion and it felt kind of like a mess and I was so close to just stopping there because it was that unappealing. It was too much all at once, but at the same time it seemed to move at a snail's pace. While the rest of the book definitely improved from the first chapter, the pacing did not and honestly my overall confusion wasn't really cleared up. Time seemed to fly by in a matter of pages, but it didn't feel like it and it was sometimes hard to remember that however many years had passed. I think at one point during the book it was mentioned that Akos was fifteen when he started training with Cyra, but like I'm pretty sure he was older than that when it was mentioned and I didn't realize that Akos and Cyra had known each other for years now. It was really odd and confusing.

The characters weren't bad, but they also didn't stand out. Cyra was alright, but I dreaded reading Akos's chapters. They were so boring and honestly I didn't really care much about Akos in the first place so I didn't really want to read about his POV. I did think that Cyra's currentgift was the most interesting part of the entire book. I definitely liked the idea behind currentgifts and the current, but I kind of wanted a little more explanation. Also I saw the romance between Akos and Cyra coming from a mile away. I wasn't really insta love, but it also didn't feel believable. When they first kissed it kind of felt like it came out of nowhere.

And now for the plot. For maybe a little less than half of the book, I kept asking myself "where is the plot?" It was basically nonexistent for a large chunk of the book and this left me feeling like there was no direction to the story for awhile. Once the plot did get going though I did enjoy it, but it wasn't really original.

Overall, I'm really disappointed by this book. I was a fan of Roth's other series so I was expecting a lot more from this book, but it didn't deliver. I probably won't be picking up the next book, unless it gets really good reviews.
]]> 50659472 The epic third novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas.

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's actions and learn what she can about the invading king threatening to bring her land to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit. One slip could bring doom not only for Feyre, but for everything-and everyone-she holds dear.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre endeavors to take her place amongst the High Fae of the land, balancing her struggle to master her powers-both magical and political-and her love for her court and family. Amidst these struggles, Feyre and Rhysand must decide whom to trust amongst the cunning and lethal High Lords, and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the fate of Feyre's world is at stake as armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy it.]]> 699 Sarah J. Maas 1635575605 Erika 2
I’m actually really disappointed that I didn’t enjoy this book more. The first two I really enjoyed and this one just dragged. ]]> 4.47 2017
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Erika
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2017
rating: 2
read at: 2024/12/26
date added: 2025/01/03
shelves: faeries, maybe-continue-series, magic, pov-female, reviewed, slow-as-molasses, unpopular-opinion, overhyped
review:
This book single handedly put me in a 2 year reading slump. I think I enjoy the fan base’s theories about the books more than the actual books themselves.

I’m actually really disappointed that I didn’t enjoy this book more. The first two I really enjoyed and this one just dragged.
]]> 217536270
In the land of the unforgiving desert, there isn't much a girl wouldn't do for a glass of water.

Twenty-four-year-old Saeris Fane is good at keeping secrets. No one knows about the strange powers she possesses, or the fact that she has been picking pockets and stealing from the Undying Queen's reservoirs for as long as she can remember.

But a secret is like a knot. Sooner or later, it is bound to come undone.

When Saeris comes face-to-face with Death himself, she inadvertently re-opens a gateway between realms and is transported to a land of ice and snow. The Fae have always been the stuff of myth, of legend, of nightmares... but it turns out they're real, and Saeris has landed herself in the middle of a centuries-long conflict that might just get her killed.

The first of her kind to tread the frozen mountains of Yvelia in over a thousand years, Saeris mistakenly binds herself to Kingfisher, a handsome Fae warrior, who has secrets and nefarious agendas of his own. He will use her Alchemist's magic to protect his people, no matter what it costs him . . . or her.

Death has a name. It is Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate. His past is murky. His attitude stinks. And he's the only way Saeris is going to make it home.]]> 624 Callie Hart 1538774194 Erika 3
I think the main downfall for me was the lack of character development. Everything happened incredibly fast. The will they won't they was super short and left more to be desired especially when Saeris supposedly hates him so much. There was just never really a point that I was like yeah I get why she likes him. He's an asshole for reasons that aren't very good (in my opinion).

I did really enjoy the plot even if it was a bit rushed. I think slowing down the story would have made everything feel more dramatic and the ending a bit more emotionally charged. The Fae world was super intriguing and I'm interested in learning a lot more about that world, I just think there needs to be more time devoted towards building emotional attachments with the characters. Any of them could have died or been secretly evil and I would not have really felt anything.

The last part of the book was definitely the best part and seemed to set up some interesting things for the next book.]]> 4.30 2024
author: Callie Hart
name: Erika
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/03
date added: 2025/01/03
shelves: three-stars, adult, fantasy, faeries, paranormal, pov-female, romance, reviewed, series-in-progress, vampires, spicy, magic
review:
I went into this book with next to no expectations other than a bunch of people on BookTok recommending this if you like ACOTAR and Fourth Wing. I don't think that's necessarily wrong, but I definitely did not enjoy this nearly as much as Fourth Wing.

I think the main downfall for me was the lack of character development. Everything happened incredibly fast. The will they won't they was super short and left more to be desired especially when Saeris supposedly hates him so much. There was just never really a point that I was like yeah I get why she likes him. He's an asshole for reasons that aren't very good (in my opinion).

I did really enjoy the plot even if it was a bit rushed. I think slowing down the story would have made everything feel more dramatic and the ending a bit more emotionally charged. The Fae world was super intriguing and I'm interested in learning a lot more about that world, I just think there needs to be more time devoted towards building emotional attachments with the characters. Any of them could have died or been secretly evil and I would not have really felt anything.

The last part of the book was definitely the best part and seemed to set up some interesting things for the next book.
]]> 222139748 Duty. Blood. Honour. Power.

Saeris Fane doesn't want power. The very last thing she needs is her name whispered on an entire court's lips, but now that she's been crowned queen of the Blood Court, she's discovering that a queen's life is not her own. A heavy weight rests upon her shoulders.

Her ward - and her brother - need her back in her homeland . . . but the changes that have strengthened Saeris have also made her weak. Born under blazing suns, Saeris will surely die if she makes her way home through the Quicksilver. Which means that, once again, she must send someone else in her stead . . .

'Keep your mouth shut. Stick to the shadows. And for the love of all seven Gods, do NOT crack any jokes.'

Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate has defeated armies and survived all manner of horrors, but traveling back to Zilvaren with Carrion Swift might just be the death of him. The male just will not shut up. Hidden dangers await them down the narrow alleyways of the Silver City. Unfolding secrets pose impossible threats. Fisher must wrangle the smuggler and accomplish his goals quickly if he wants to see his mate again.

A darkness falls across Yvelia. The realm and their friends are in danger. Together, Saeris and Fisher will pass through fire and brimstone to save them.]]> 720 Callie Hart 1538774224 Erika 0 to-read 4.30 2025
author: Callie Hart
name: Erika
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 215020997 London, 1837.
Boston, 2019.

Three young women, their bodies planted in the same soil, their stories tangling like roots.

One grows high, and one grows deep, and one grows wild.

And all of them grow teeth.]]> 560 Victoria E. Schwab 1035064642 Erika 0 to-read 4.38 2025
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: Erika
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 111673828 From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and set in the world of A Darker Shade of Magic, V. E. Schwab opens a new door into perilous adventure and tangled schemes with The Fragile Threads of Power.

Once, there were four worlds, nestled like pages in a book, each pulsing with fantastical power, and connected by a single city: London. Until the magic grew too fast, and forced the worlds to seal the doors between them in a desperate gamble to protect their own. The few magicians who could still open the doors grew more rare as time passed and now, only three Antari are known in recent memory―Kell Maresh of Red London, Delilah Bard of Grey London, and Holland Vosijk, of White London.

But barely a glimpse of them have been seen in the last seven years―and a new Antari named Kosika has appeared in White London, taking the throne in Holland's absence. The young queen is willing to feed her city with blood, including her own―but her growing religious fervor has the potential to drown them instead.

And back in Red London, King Rhy Maresh is threatened by a rising rebellion, one determined to correct the balance of power by razing the throne entirely.

Amidst this tapestry of old friends and new enemies, a girl with an unusual magical ability comes into possession of a device that could change the fate of all four worlds.

Her name is Tes, and she's the only one who can bring them together―or unravel it all.]]> 648 Victoria E. Schwab 0765387492 Erika 0 to-read 4.26 2023
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: Erika
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60652997 Wealth. Power. Murder. Magic. Alex Stern is back and the Ivy League is going straight to hell.

Find a gateway to the underworld. Steal a soul out of hell. A simple plan, except people who make this particular journey rarely come back. But Galaxy “Alex� Stern is determined to break Darlington out of purgatory―even if it costs her a future at Lethe and at Yale.

Forbidden from attempting a rescue, Alex and Dawes can’t call on the Ninth House for help, so they assemble a team of dubious allies to save the gentleman of Lethe. Together, they will have to navigate a maze of arcane texts and bizarre artifacts to uncover the societies� most closely guarded secrets, and break every rule doing it. But when faculty members begin to die off, Alex knows these aren’t just accidents. Something deadly is at work in New Haven, and if she is going to survive, she’ll have to reckon with the monsters of her past and a darkness built into the university’s very walls.

Thick with history and packed with Bardugo’s signature twists, Hell Bent brings to life an intricate world full of magic, violence, and all too real monsters.]]> 481 Leigh Bardugo 1250313104 Erika 0 to-read 4.09 2023
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Erika
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 199087657
Disguised as her brother, Ying manages to infiltrate the guild’s male-only apprenticeship trial with the help of an unlikely ally—Aogiya Ye-yang, the taciturn eighth prince of the High Command. With her father’s renown placing a target firmly on her back, Ying must stay one step ahead of her fellow competitors, the jealous guild masters, and the killer still hunting for her father’s journal. Complicating everything is her increasingly tangled relationship with the prince, who may have mysterious plans of his own.

The secrets concealed within the guild can be as deadly as the weapons they build—and with her life and the future of her homeland at stake, Ying doesn’t know who to trust. Can she avenge her father even if it means going against everything he stood for, or will she be next in the mastermind’s line of fire?]]> 470 Amber Chen 0593622758 Erika 0 to-read 3.70 2024
author: Amber Chen
name: Erika
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 145624962
Faron Vincent can channel the power of the gods. Five years ago, she used her divine magic to liberate her island from its enemies, the dragon-riding Langley Empire. But now, at seventeen, Faron is all powered up with no wars to fight. She’s a legend to her people and a nuisance to her neighbors.

When she’s forced to attend an international peace summit, Faron expects that she will perform tricks like a trained pet and then go home. She doesn’t expect her older sister, Elara, forming an unprecedented bond with an enemy dragon—or the gods claiming the only way to break that bond is to kill her sister.

As Faron’s desperation to find another solution takes her down a dark path, and Elara discovers the shocking secrets at the heart of the Langley Empire, both must make difficult choices that will shape each other’s lives, as well as the fate of their world.

"By turns hopeful and devastating, So Let Them Burn is a masterful debut with a blazing heart. I was captivated from beginning to end by Cole’s sharp, clever prose and by her protagonists—two remarkable sisters with an unforgettable bond." � Chelsea Abdullah, author of The Stardust Thief]]> 400 Kamilah Cole 0316534633 Erika 0 to-read 4.04 2024
author: Kamilah Cole
name: Erika
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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]]> 206780522 An orphan.
An outcast.
A prince.

And a killer who will bring an empire to its knees.

Growing up in the Kegari slums, AIZ has seen her share of suffering. An old tragedy fuels her need for vengeance, but it is love of her people that propels her. Until one hotheaded mistake lands her in an inescapable prison, where the embers of her wrath ignite.

Banished from her people for an unforgivable crime, SIRSHA is a down-on-her-luck tracker who uses magic to trace her marks. Destitute, she agrees to hunt down a killer who has murdered children across the Martial Empire. All she has to do is carry out the job and get paid. But when a chance encounter leads to an unexpected attraction, Sirsha learns her mission might cost her far more than she's willing to give up.

QUIL is the crown prince of the Empire and nephew of a venerated empress, but he’s loath to take the throne when his aunt steps down. As the son of a reviled emperor, he, better than anyone, understands that power corrupts. When a vicious new enemy threatens the survival of the Empire, Quil must ask himself if he can rise above his tragic lineage and be the heir his people need.

Beloved storyteller Sabaa Tahir interweaves the lives of three young people as they grapple with power, treachery, love, and the devastating consequences of unchecked greed, on a journey that may cost them their lives―and their hearts. Literally.]]> 484 Sabaa Tahir 0593616944 Erika 0 to-read 4.25 2024
author: Sabaa Tahir
name: Erika
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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]]> 210298804 The TikTok sensation from the UK has come to North America! This special first edition hardcover will include a gorgeous, shimmering jacket with effects, beautifully illustrated endpapers and detailed-stained edges.

A mind-blowing murder mystery on a ship full of magical passengers. If Agatha Christie wrote fantasy, this would be it!

For a thousand years, Concordia has maintained peace between its provinces. To mark this incredible feat, the emperor’s ship embarks upon a twelve-day voyage to the sacred Goddess’s Mountain. Aboard are the twelve heirs of the provinces of Concordia, each graced with a unique and secret magical ability known as a Blessing.

All except one: Ganymedes Piscero—class clown, slacker and all-around disappointment.

When a beloved heir is murdered, everyone is a suspect. Stuck at sea and surrounded by powerful people and without a Blessing to protect him, Ganymedes’s odds of survival are slim.

But as the bodies pile higher, Ganymedes must become the hero he was not born to be. Can he unmask the killer and their secret Blessing before this bloody crusade reaches the shores of Concordia?

Or will the empire as he knows it fall?]]> 464 Frances White 0778387429 Erika 0 to-read 3.81 2024
author: Frances White
name: Erika
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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]]> 201750794
They aren’t the heroes of legend, like Lancelot or Gawain. They’re the oddballs of the Round Tables, from the edges of the stories, like Sir Palomides, the Saracen Knight and Sir Dagonet, Arthur’s fool, who was knighted as a joke. They’re joined by Nimue, who was Merlin’s apprentice until she turned on him and buried him under a hill. Together this ragtag fellowship will set out to rebuild Camelot in a world that has lost its balance.

But Arthur’s death has revealed Britain’s fault lines. God has abandoned it, and the fairies and monsters and old gods are returning, led by Arthur’s half-sister Morgan le Fay. Kingdoms are turning on each other, warlords are laying siege to Camelot, and rival factions are forming around the disgraced Lancelot and the fallen Queen Guinevere. It is up to Collum and his companions to reclaim Excalibur, solve the mysteries of this ruined world and make it whole again. But before they can restore Camelot they’ll have to learn the truth of why the lonely, brilliant King Arthur fell and lay to rest the ghosts of his troubled family and of Britain’s dark past.]]> 673 Lev Grossman 0735224048 Erika 0 to-read 3.94 2024
author: Lev Grossman
name: Erika
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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]]> 195790597 When Among Crows is swift and striking, drawing from the deep well of Slavic folklore and asking if redemption and atonement can be found in embracing what we most fear.

We bear the sword, and we bear the pain of the sword.

On Kupala Night, Dymitr arrives in Chicago’s monstrous, magical underworld with a perilous mission: pick the mythical fern flower and offer it to a cursed creature in exchange for help finding the legendary witch Baba Jaga.

Ala is a fear-eating zmora afflicted with a bloodline curse that’s slowly killing her. She's just desperate enough to say yes to Dymitr, even if she doesn’t know his motives.

Over the course of one night, Ala and Dymitr risk life and limb in search of Baba Jaga, and begin to build a tentative friendship. . . but when Ala finds out what Dymitr is hiding, it could destroy them both.]]> 166 Veronica Roth 1250855489 Erika 0 to-read 3.71 2024
author: Veronica Roth
name: Erika
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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]]> 203956639 A student will find that the hardest lessons sometimes come outside the classroom in this stunning dark academia novel from the acclaimed author of The Year of the Witching and House of Hunger.

Lennon Carter’s life is falling apart.

Then she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to take the entrance exam for Drayton College, a school of magic hidden in a secret pocket of Savannah. Lennon has been chosen because—like everyone else at the school—she has the innate gift of persuasion, the ability to wield her will like a weapon, using it to control others and, in rare cases, matter itself.

After passing the test, Lennon begins to learn how to master her devastating and unsettling power. But despite persuasion’s heavy toll on her body and mind, she is wholly captivated by her studies, by Drayton’s lush, moss-draped campus, and by her brilliant classmates. But even more captivating is her charismatic adviser, Dante, who both intimidates and enthralls her.

As Lennon continues in her studies her control grows, and she starts to uncover more about the secret world she has entered into, including the disquieting history of Drayton College, and the way her mentor’s tragic and violent past intertwines with it. She is increasingly disturbed by what she learns. For it seems that the ultimate test is to embrace absolute power without succumbing to corruption . . . and it's a test she's terrified she is going to fail.]]> 464 Alexis Henderson 0593638301 Erika 0 to-read 3.45 2024
author: Alexis Henderson
name: Erika
average rating: 3.45
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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]]> 150247395
Called in to investigate this mystery is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities.

At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report, and act as his superior’s eyes and ears--quite literally, in this case, as among Ana’s quirks are her insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times, and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home.

Din is most perplexed by Ana’s ravenous appetite for information and her mind’s frenzied leaps—not to mention her cheerful disregard for propriety and the apparent joy she takes in scandalizing her young counterpart. Yet as the case unfolds and Ana makes one startling deduction after the next, he finds it hard to deny that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.

As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.

Featuring an unforgettable Holmes-and-Watson style pairing, a gloriously labyrinthine plot, and a haunting and wholly original fantasy world, The Tainted Cup brilliantly reinvents the classic mystery tale.]]> 410 Robert Jackson Bennett 1984820702 Erika 0 to-read 4.28 2024
author: Robert Jackson Bennett
name: Erika
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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]]> 199927030 The Chronicles of Narnia, this wild and wondrous novel is a fairy tale for grown-ups who still knock on the back of wardrobes—just in case—from the author of The Wishing Game.

As boys, best friends Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell went missing in a vast West Virginia state forest, only to mysteriously reappear six months later with no explanation for where they’d gone or how they’d survived.

Fifteen years after their miraculous homecoming, Rafe is a reclusive artist who still bears scars inside and out but has no memory of what happened during those months. Meanwhile, Jeremy has become a famed missing persons� investigator. With his uncanny abilities, he is the one person who can help vet tech Emilie Wendell find her sister, who vanished in the very same forest as Rafe and Jeremy.

Jeremy alone knows the fantastical truth about the disappearances, for while the rest of the world was searching for them, the two missing boys were in a magical realm filled with impossible beauty and terrible danger. He believes it is there that they will find Emilie’s sister. However, Jeremy has kept Rafe in the dark since their return for his own inscrutable reasons. But the time for burying secrets comes to an end as the quest for Emilie’s sister begins. The former lost boys must confront their shared past, no matter how traumatic the memories.

Alongside the headstrong Emilie, Rafe and Jeremy must return to the enchanted world they called home for six months—for only then can they get back everything and everyone they’ve lost.]]> 352 Meg Shaffer 0593598873 Erika 0 to-read 3.78 2024
author: Meg Shaffer
name: Erika
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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]]> 201608152 It’s the season
for treason�

The king of Yusan must die.

The five most dangerous liars in the land have been mysteriously summoned to work together for a single objective: to kill the God King Joon.

He has it coming. Under his merciless immortal hand, the nobles flourish, while the poor and innocent are imprisoned, ruined…or sold.

And now each of the five blades will come for him. Each has tasted bitterness―from the hired hitman seeking atonement, a lovely assassin who seeks freedom, or even the prince banished for his cruel crimes. None can resist the sweet, icy lure of vengeance.

They can agree on murder.

They can agree on treachery.

But for these five killers―each versed in deception, lies, and betrayal―it’s not enough to forge an alliance. To survive, they’ll have to find a way to trust each other…but only one can take the crown.

Let the best liar win.]]> 474 Mai Corland 1649376987 Erika 0 to-read 3.64 2024
author: Mai Corland
name: Erika
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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]]> 156009464
Cassie Andrews works in a New York City bookshop, shelving books, making coffee for customers, and living an unassuming, ordinary life. Until the day one of her favorite customers—a lonely yet charming old man—dies right in front of her. Cassie is devastated. She always loved his stories, and now she has nothing to remember him by. Nothing but the last book he was reading.

But this is no ordinary book�

It is the Book of Doors.

Inscribed with enigmatic words and mysterious drawings, it promises Cassie that any door is every door. You just need to know how to open them.

Then she’s approached by a gaunt stranger in a rumpled black suit with a Scottish brogue who calls himself Drummond Fox. He’s a librarian who keeps watch over a unique set of rare volumes. The tome now in Cassie’s possession is not the only book with great power, but it is the one most coveted by those who collect them.

Now Cassie is being hunted by those few who know of the Special Books. With only her roommate Izzy to confide in, she has to decide if she will help the mysterious and haunted Drummond protect the Book of Doors—and the other books in his secret library’s care—from those who will do evil. Because only Drummond knows where the unique library is and only Cassie’s book can get them there.

But there are those willing to kill to obtain those secrets. And a dark force—in the form of a shadowy, sadistic woman—is at the very top of that list.]]> 404 Gareth Brown 0063323982 Erika 0 to-read 4.00 2024
author: Gareth Brown
name: Erika
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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]]> 133286777 From the New York Times bestselling author of Ninth House, Hell Bent, and creator of the Grishaverse series comes a highly anticipated historical fantasy set during the Spanish Golden Age

In a shabby house, on a shabby street, in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her scheming mistress discovers the lump of a servant cowering in the kitchen is actually hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to better the family's social position.

What begins as simple amusement for the bored nobility takes a perilous turn when Luzia garners the notice of Antonio Pérez, the disgraced secretary to Spain's king. Still reeling from the defeat of his armada, the king is desperate for any advantage in the war against England's heretic queen—and Pérez will stop at nothing to regain the king's favor.

Determined to seize this one chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of seers and alchemists, holy men and hucksters, where the line between magic, science, and fraud is never certain. But as her notoriety grows, so does the danger that her Jewish blood will doom her to the Inquisition's wrath. She will have to use every bit of her wit and will to survive—even if that means enlisting the help of Guillén Santangel, an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both.]]> 387 Leigh Bardugo 125088425X Erika 0 to-read 3.74 2024
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Erika
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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]]> 216595852
I'm just a girl. And it turns out, I'm Hercules.

I'm struggling to survive in a Titan infested world where Spartans, immortals from twelve royal families who have god-like powers and obscene wealth, rule over all. A shy-stammering foster child with nothing, I keep my head down, cover my scars, and focus on excelling in school. At least, I try to. Then it happens.

My blood test reveals I'm part of the powerful elite. I'm one of them. A Spartan.

Forced to attend the Spartan War Academy, I undergo the most harrowing test of all time to see if I have what it takes to be an immortal. There's just a few problems. Achilles and Patro are my scary mentors. Kharon, the ferryman of death, and Augustus, the son of war, are my terrifying professors. Also, I'm pretty sure either someone's stalking me everywhere I go, or my sanity's slipping––I have a bad feeling both are true.

I'm surrounded by Villains and they're smothering me with their hate, obsession, and dark possessiveness. Too bad for them, they have no clue just who they're messing with.




]]> 496 Jasmine Mas Erika 0 to-read 3.85 2024
author: Jasmine Mas
name: Erika
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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]]> 157981739
When a fatal mistake leads to Yeeran’s exile from the Elven lands, they are both forced into the terrifying wilderness beyond their borders. There they encounter the the fae court.

The fae haven’t been seen for a millennium. But now Yeeran and Lettle are thrust into their seductive world � torn between their loyalty to each other, their elven homeland, and their hearts. . .]]> 386 Saara El-Arifi 0593723007 Erika 0 to-read 3.53 2024
author: Saara El-Arifi
name: Erika
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/01/01
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]]> 165940202
Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back.

Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son, Bjorn. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: She possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which makes her a shield maiden with magic capable of repelling any attack. It was foretold such a magic would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.

Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland as king, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders Bjorn to protect her from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. The greatest test of all, however, may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.]]> 419 Danielle L. Jensen 0593599837 Erika 0 to-read 3.91 2024
author: Danielle L. Jensen
name: Erika
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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]]> 31373240
Niall and MĂłr escaped their homeland for a new start, and lost themselves in what they found.

Declan has grown up as the responsible son, the responsible brother--only to find there is no way for him to keep his family safe.

Ronan has always lived on the edge between dreams and waking... but now that edge is gone, and he is falling.

Matthew has been the happy child, the brightest beam. But rebellion beckons, because it all feels like an illusion now.

This world was not made for such a family--a family with the power to make a world and break it. If they cannot save each other or themselves, we are all doomed.]]> 336 Maggie Stiefvater 1338188410 Erika 0 to-read 4.28 2022
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Erika
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2022
rating: 0
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]]> 31373233
Ronan Lynch isn't planning to wait and find out. Backed by his mentor, Bryde, he is ready to do what needs to be done to save the dreamers and the dreamed . . . even if it takes him far from his family and the boy he loves.

Jordan Hennessy knows she will not survive if the dreaming fails. So she plunges into a dark underworld in order to find an object that may sustain her.

Carmen Farooq-Lane is afraid of the dreamers -- which is why she's agreed to hunt them down. The closer she gets, though, the more complicated her feelings become. Will the dreamers destroy the world . . . or will the world be destroyed trying to eliminate the dreamers?

In the remarkable second book of The Dreamer Trilogy, Maggie Stiefvater pushes her characters to their limits -- and shows what happens when they start to break.]]> 340 Maggie Stiefvater 1338188364 Erika 0 to-read 4.13 2021
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Erika
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2021
rating: 0
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]]> 38464776 45 Maggie Stiefvater 1338306642 Erika 0 to-read 4.11 2018
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Erika
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2018
rating: 0
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]]> 56988057
January 1942. The Avallon Hotel & Spa has always offered elegant luxury in the wilds of West Virginia, its mountain sweetwater washing away all of high society’s troubles.

Local girl-turned-general manager June Porter Hudson has guided the Avallon skillfully through the first pangs of war. The Gilfoyles, the hotel’s aristocratic owners, have trained her well. But when the family heir makes a secret deal with the State Department to fill the hotel with captured Axis diplomats, June must persuade her staff—many of whom have sons and husbands heading to the front lines—to offer luxury to Nazis. With a smile.

Meanwhile FBI Agent Tucker Minnick, whose coal tattoo hints at an Appalachian past, presses his ears to the hotel’s walls, listening for the diplomats� secrets. He has one of his own, which is how he knows that June’s balancing act can have dangerous consequences: the sweetwater beneath the hotel can threaten as well as heal.

June has never met a guest she couldn’t delight, but the diplomats are different. Without firing a single shot, they have brought the war directly to her. As clashing loyalties crack the Avallon’s polished veneer, June must calculate the true cost of luxury.]]> 400 Maggie Stiefvater 0593655508 Erika 0 to-read 4.04 2025
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Erika
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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]]> 214349650 Dark Romance meets Retelling: Er will Rache, aber er will sie mehr ...
James hatte immer nur ein Ziel: seinen Feind, Peter Michaels, zu vernichten. Als Peters zwanzigjährige Tochter Wendy in James' Bar auftaucht, sieht er seine Chance gekommen. Er will Wendy verführen und für seine Rache benutzen. Es ist der perfekte Plan, bis die Dinge in James' Organisation zu bröckeln beginnen. Plötzlich muss er den Verräter in ihrer Mitte finden. Und er beginnt, in Wendy mehr als nur eine Schachfigur in seinem Spiel zu sehen.

Wendy wurde die meiste Zeit ihres Lebens von ihrem reichen, kalten Vater abgeschirmt. Als sie sich eines abends mit Freunden wegstiehlt, um in einem Club zu feiern, lernt sie den dunklen und geheimnisvollen James kennen. Wendy weiß, dass James gefährlich ist, fühlt sich aber trotzdem zu ihm hingezogen. Während ihre Beziehung immer inniger wird und sie mehr über die Welt erfährt, in der er sich bewegt, kann sie nicht mehr sagen, ob sie sich in den Mann namens James oder das Monster namens Hook verliebt hat.

Hooked ist ein düsterer Liebesroman und der erste, unabhängig lesbare, Teil der Never-After-Serie: einer Sammlung von gebrochenen Märchen, in denen die Bösewichte die Helden sind. Es handelt sich nicht um eine Nacherzählung und nicht um Fantasy. Hooked enthält Themen und Inhalte, die möglicherweise nicht für alle Leser:innen geeignet sind. Alle Warnhinweise zum Inhalt findet ihr auf der Webseite der Autorin.]]> 320 Emily McIntire 1464230595 Erika 0 to-read 3.91 2021
author: Emily McIntire
name: Erika
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2021
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/01/01
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]]> 211200239
I want someone with a soul as black as night. Someone who would burn the world down for me and not lose a single minute of sleep over it.

Trauma nurse Aly Cappellucci doesn’t need any more kinks. She likes the one she’s landed on just fine. To her, nothing could top the masked men she follows online. Unless one of those men was shirtless, heavily tattooed, and waiting for her in her bedroom. She dreams about being hunted by one in particular, of him chasing her down and doing deliciously dark things to her willing body. She never could have guessed that by sending one drunken text, those dreams would become her new reality.

I want things most people don’t, craving darkness and depravity instead of light and love.

Josh Hammond has spent his life avoiding the limelight, but his online persona is another story. At night, he posts masked thirst traps for his millions of fans to drool over, but one follower has caught his eye: Aly. After reading a comment begging him to break into her house wearing a mask, he decides to take her up on her offer.

Together, Aly and Josh live out their darkest fantasies, unaware that Aly has captured the attention of someone else. Someone with far more sinister intentions than a little light stalking. As Josh turns from predator to protector and the stakes heighten, he must ask himself how far he’s willing to go for the woman he’s obsessed with.]]> 416 Navessa Allen 1638932239 Erika 0 to-read 4.22 2024
author: Navessa Allen
name: Erika
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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]]> 54493401
Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.

All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.

His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.

And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone.

Or does he?]]> 476 Andy Weir 0593135202 Erika 0 to-read 4.49 2021
author: Andy Weir
name: Erika
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2021
rating: 0
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]]> 214331246 When you’ve been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.]]> 382 Suzanne Collins 1546171460 Erika 0 to-read 4.67 2025
author: Suzanne Collins
name: Erika
average rating: 4.67
book published: 2025
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]]> 205477220 And none of our lives will ever be the same.

Surrounded by enemies, I've never been further from my crown...

Or closer to death.

Amidst a betrayal we couldn't have anticipated, I'll do whatever it takes to find my way back to Lorian � before his fury lays waste to this continent.

Alliances are being forged and broken, our enemies are unifying, and Regner’s spiders are closer than ever before.

We have only one chance to prevent him from attaining god-like powers and enslaving every human, fae, and hybrid across the four kingdoms.

Meanwhile, the human king believes I’m trapped here, yearning for my death, and waiting for Lorian to save me.

But Regner hasn’t yet realized that I'll stop at nothing to free my people.

And he's the one who should be afraid of me.]]> 396 Stacia Stark 1959293230 Erika 0 to-read 4.03 2023
author: Stacia Stark
name: Erika
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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]]> 217206125 The Spellshop is Sarah Beth Durst’s romantasy debut–a lush cottagecore tale full of stolen spellbooks, unexpected friendships, sweet jams, and even sweeter love.

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she and her assistant, Caz—a magically sentient spider plant—have spent the last decade sequestered among the empire’s most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city’s elite.

When a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz flee with all the spellbooks they can carry and head to a remote island Kiela never thought she’d see again: her childhood home. Taking refuge there, Kiela discovers, much to her dismay, a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor who can’t take a hint and keeps showing up day after day to make sure she’s fed and to help fix up her new home.

In need of income, Kiela identifies something that even the bakery in town doesn’t have: jam. With the help of an old recipe book her parents left her and a bit of illegal magic, her cottage garden is soon covered in ripe berries.

But magic can do more than make life a little sweeter, so Kiela risks the consequences of using unsanctioned spells and opens the island’s first-ever and much needed secret spellshop.

Like a Hallmark rom-com full of mythical creatures and fueled by cinnamon rolls and magic, The Spellshop will heal your heart and feed your soul.]]> 377 Sarah Beth Durst 1250333970 Erika 0 to-read 3.99 2024
author: Sarah Beth Durst
name: Erika
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/01/01
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]]> 58064046 Everything casts a shadow. Even the world we live in. And as with every shadow, there is a place where it must touch. A seam, where the shadow meets its source.

Olivia Prior has grown up in Merilance School for girls, and all she has of her past is her mother’s journal—which seems to unravel into madness. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come home—to Gallant. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home, it doesn’t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways.

Olivia knows that Gallant is hiding secrets, and she is determined to uncover them. When she crosses a ruined wall at just the right moment, Olivia finds herself in a place that is Gallant—but not. The manor is crumbling, the ghouls are solid, and a mysterious figure rules over all. Now Olivia sees what has unraveled generations of her family, and where her father may have come from.

Olivia has always wanted to belong somewhere, but will she take her place as a Prior, protecting our world against the Master of the House? Or will she take her place beside him?]]> 338 Victoria E. Schwab 0062835777 Erika 0 to-read 3.70 2022
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: Erika
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2022
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/12/31
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]]> 50623864
Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.]]> 448 Victoria E. Schwab 0765387565 Erika 0 to-read 4.16 2020
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: Erika
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2020
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/12/31
shelves: to-read
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]]> 218587785 Deep in the forgotten city of the Deathless Kings, an ancient relic of untold power waits—for one bold enough to steal it.

When seventeen-year-old Sparrow joined the Thieves Guild she made a vow of binding loyalty to their cause. So when a mission comes along from The Circle, a group of mysterious, dangerous beings who control the Thieves Guild from the shadows, Sparrow is determined to cement her place in the guild.

What ensues is a death-defying adventure that has Sparrow and her band of thieves venturing into the heart of the forgotten city of the Deathless King. The fate of Sparrow, her companions, and Raithe, the enigmatic yet alluring assassin Sparrow is forced to join forces with during their quest, all hang in the balance as they find themselves battling ancient forces within the tombs and facing the unwavering hold of fate.

Perfect for fans of Alexandra Bracken and Sabaa Tahir, this new fantasy trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Julie Kagawa will sweep readers into a bold and exciting new world, where a twisted game of destiny has far-reaching consequences.]]> 384 Julie Kagawa 1335448802 Erika 0 to-read 3.90 2025
author: Julie Kagawa
name: Erika
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/12/31
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]]> 127305713
Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe � a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution � who she can't help but find herself falling for.

Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?

Kristen Ciccarelli’s The Crimson Moth is the thrilling start to a romantic fantasy duology where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch� is falling in love.]]> 406 Kristen Ciccarelli 1250866901 Erika 0 to-read 4.16 2024
author: Kristen Ciccarelli
name: Erika
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/12/31
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]]> 75513900 She is the very thing he’s spent his whole life hunting.
He is the very thing she’s spent her whole life pretending to be.

Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya—the exceptional, the empowered, the Elites.

The powers these Elites have possessed for decades were graciously gifted to them by the Plague, though not all were fortunate enough to both survive the sickness and reap the reward. Those born Ordinary are just that—ordinary. And when the king decreed that all Ordinaries be banished in order to preserve his Elite society, lacking an ability suddenly became a crime—making Paedyn Gray a felon by fate and a thief by necessity.

Surviving in the slums as an Ordinary is no simple task, and Paedyn knows this better than most. Having been trained by her father to be overly observant since she was a child, Paedyn poses as a Psychic in the crowded city, blending in with the Elites as best she can in order to stay alive and out of trouble. Easier said than done.

When Paeydn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilyas princes, she finds herself thrown into the Purging Trials. The brutal competition exists to showcase the Elites� powers—the very thing Paedyn lacks. If the Trials and the opponents within them don’t kill her, the prince she’s fighting feelings for certainly will if he discovers what she is—completely Ordinary.]]> 523 Lauren Roberts Erika 0 to-read 4.17 2023
author: Lauren Roberts
name: Erika
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/12/31
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]]> 204593914 Caraval meets Throne of the Fallen in this spicy dark romantasy where a necromancer needs help from a dangerous phantom to win a deadly competition, only to find their partnership puts her at risk of breaking the game’s most vital rule: don't fall in love.

When Ophelia and her sister discovers their mother brutally murdered, there is no time to grieve: Ophelia has inherited both her powerful death-driven magic and enormous debt on their home. Circumstances go from dire to deadly, however, when Ophelia’s sister decides to pay off the loan by entering Phantasma—a competition where most contestants don’t make it out alive and the winner is granted a single wish.

The only way to save her sister is to compete. But Phantasma is a cursed manor, with twisting corridors and lavish ballrooms, and filled with enticing demons and fatal temptations. Ophelia will need to face nine floors of challenges to win... if her fears don’t overtake her first.

When a charming, arrogant stranger claims he can protect and guide Ophelia, she knows she shouldn’t trust him. While Blackwell may not seem dangerous, appearances can be deceptive. But with her sister’s life on the line, Ophelia can’t afford to turn him away. She just needs to ignore the overwhelming, dark attraction drawing them closer and closer together.

Because in Phantasma, the only thing deadlier than losing the game is losing your heart.]]> 497 Kaylie Smith 1538769255 Erika 0 to-read 4.06 2024
author: Kaylie Smith
name: Erika
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/12/31
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]]> 52831200 A Maiden�

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.]]> 622 Jennifer L. Armentrout 1952457017 Erika 0 to-read 4.19 2020
author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
name: Erika
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2020
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/12/31
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]]> 55987278 How far would you go for happily ever after?

For as long as she can remember, Evangeline Fox has believed in true love and happy endings... until she learns that the love of her life will marry another.

Desperate to stop the wedding and to heal her wounded heart, Evangeline strikes a deal with the charismatic but wicked Prince of Hearts. In exchange for his help, he asks for three kisses, to be given at the time and place of his choosing.

But after Evangeline’s first promised kiss, she learns that bargaining with an immortal is a dangerous game—and that the Prince of Hearts wants far more from her than she’d pledged. He has plans for Evangeline, plans that will either end in the greatest happily ever after or the most exquisite tragedy...]]> 408 Stephanie Garber 1250268397 Erika 0 to-read 4.06 2021
author: Stephanie Garber
name: Erika
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2021
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/12/31
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]]> 46261182 This is an alternate cover edition for ASIN B07SV21LFY

You have been selected to attend Zodiac Academy, where your star sign defines your destiny.

If you're one of the Fae, elemental magic is in your blood. And apparently it's in ours. As twins born in the month of Gemini, we're a rare breed even in this academy of supernatural a-holes.

Changelings were outlawed hundreds of years ago but I guess our birth parents didn't get the memo. Which means we're totally unprepared for the ruthless world of Fae.

Air. Fire. Water. Earth.

No one has ever harnessed all four of them, until we arrived. And it hasn't made us any friends so far.

As the rarest Elementals ever known, we're already a threat to the four celestial heirs; the popular, vindictive bullies who happen to be some of the hottest guys we've ever seen. It doesn't help that they're the most dangerous beasts in the Academy. And probably on earth too.

Our fates are intertwined, but they want us gone. They've only got until the lunar eclipse to force us out and they'll stop at nothing to succeed.

We never knew we had a birthright to live up to but now that we do, we intend to claim our throne.

We can't expect any help from the faculty when it comes to defending ourselves. So if the dragon shifters want some target practice, the werewolves want someone to hunt or the vampires fancy a snack then we have to be ready. But we've been looking after each other for a long time and fighting back is in our blood.

Today's horoscope: totally screwed.]]> 436 Caroline Peckham Erika 0 to-read 3.81 2019
author: Caroline Peckham
name: Erika
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2019
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/12/31
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]]> 53138095
The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre's Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta's orbit. But her temper isn't the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other.

Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts.

Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared by war and plagued with uncertainty, Nesta and Cassian battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance-and healing-in each other's arms.]]> 757 Sarah J. Maas 168119628X Erika 0 to-read 4.44 2021
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Erika
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2021
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/12/31
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]]> 13246736 Old Gods never die�

Or so Athena thought. But then the feathers started sprouting beneath her skin, invading her lungs like a strange cancer, and Hermes showed up with a fever eating away his flesh. So much for living a quiet eternity in perpetual health.

Desperately seeking the cause of their slow, miserable deaths, Athena and Hermes travel the world, gathering allies and discovering enemies both new and old. Their search leads them to Cassandra—an ordinary girl who was once an extraordinary prophetess, protected and loved by a god.Ěý

These days, Cassandra doesn’t involve herself in the business of gods—in fact, she doesn’t even know they exist. But she could be the key in a war that is only just beginning.Ěý

Because Hera, the queen of the gods, has aligned herself with other of the ancient Olympians, who are killing off rivals in an attempt to prolong their own lives. But these anti-gods have become corrupted in their desperation to survive, horrific caricatures of their former glory. Athena will need every advantage she can get, because immortals don’t just flicker out.Ěý

Every one of them dies in their own way. Some choke on feathers. Others become monsters. All of them rage against their last breath.

The Goddess War is about to begin.]]> 333 Kendare Blake 0765334437 Erika 4
Antigoddess is perfect for fans of Greek mythology. A bit of knowledge about the Gods and Goddesses is ideal, but not necessary. Kendare Blake does a fantastic job of explaining who the Gods were without info dumping.

The mythology part of the book was definitely the best part. The way that Athena and the other Gods acted seemed spot on. I especially loved how each God was dying in a different way unique to who they were. The personalities of the Gods and how they die shows that the author truly understood Greek mythology.

There were two main characters and it flipped between their point of views. Athena was definitely my favorite of the two, mainly because she could stand up for herself. Cassandra wasn't entirely helpless though. She was a prophetess originally from Troy who was reincarnated. She's also the key to the Gods' deaths. I also really enjoyed reading about Odysseus and I have a feeling that he will be more important in the next book.

I would have liked more of an explanation for why the Gods are dying. Was it just because no one worshiped them anymore or something else? The fact that some of the Gods are taking sides doesn't seem very logical. If they all want the same thing, then why wouldn't they work together? It also wasn't very clear why Hera, Poseidon, and Aphrodite were eating other creatures. It didn't seem to help them because they were still dying and eventually they would have run out of things to eat.

Other than those questions I had, the plot was enjoyable. It had the perfect pacing and I was never bored. In fact, it was incredibly difficult to put the book down. I wanted to find out if Cassandra really could save the Gods and what kind of weapon she was. There was a bit of romance, but no love triangle or insta love. Apollo and Cassandra were already together when the book started and their relationship didn't seem forced. I did think Apollo was a bit overbearing at times. It was like he thought that Cassandra couldn't take care of herself and that bothered me because she isn't as helpless as he thought. I enjoyed the relationship between Odysseus and Athena more than Cassandra and Apollo's. There was a hint of forbidden love because Athena is supposed to be the virgin Goddess but that didn't bother me too much. It was clear that Athena and Odysseus cared for each other and I liked how they didn't need to kiss or anything like that to make that clear.

Overall Antigoddess was an enjoyable read, but it felt like it was missing the piece that would have made it something special.

*I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review]]> 3.64 2013
author: Kendare Blake
name: Erika
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2013/09/01
date added: 2024/12/31
shelves: high-hopes, mythology, pov-alternating, arc, four-stars, paranormal, reviewed, print-arc, fantasy, young-adult, review-copy, maybe-continue-series
review:
Find this review and more on

Antigoddess is perfect for fans of Greek mythology. A bit of knowledge about the Gods and Goddesses is ideal, but not necessary. Kendare Blake does a fantastic job of explaining who the Gods were without info dumping.

The mythology part of the book was definitely the best part. The way that Athena and the other Gods acted seemed spot on. I especially loved how each God was dying in a different way unique to who they were. The personalities of the Gods and how they die shows that the author truly understood Greek mythology.

There were two main characters and it flipped between their point of views. Athena was definitely my favorite of the two, mainly because she could stand up for herself. Cassandra wasn't entirely helpless though. She was a prophetess originally from Troy who was reincarnated. She's also the key to the Gods' deaths. I also really enjoyed reading about Odysseus and I have a feeling that he will be more important in the next book.

I would have liked more of an explanation for why the Gods are dying. Was it just because no one worshiped them anymore or something else? The fact that some of the Gods are taking sides doesn't seem very logical. If they all want the same thing, then why wouldn't they work together? It also wasn't very clear why Hera, Poseidon, and Aphrodite were eating other creatures. It didn't seem to help them because they were still dying and eventually they would have run out of things to eat.

Other than those questions I had, the plot was enjoyable. It had the perfect pacing and I was never bored. In fact, it was incredibly difficult to put the book down. I wanted to find out if Cassandra really could save the Gods and what kind of weapon she was. There was a bit of romance, but no love triangle or insta love. Apollo and Cassandra were already together when the book started and their relationship didn't seem forced. I did think Apollo was a bit overbearing at times. It was like he thought that Cassandra couldn't take care of herself and that bothered me because she isn't as helpless as he thought. I enjoyed the relationship between Odysseus and Athena more than Cassandra and Apollo's. There was a hint of forbidden love because Athena is supposed to be the virgin Goddess but that didn't bother me too much. It was clear that Athena and Odysseus cared for each other and I liked how they didn't need to kiss or anything like that to make that clear.

Overall Antigoddess was an enjoyable read, but it felt like it was missing the piece that would have made it something special.

*I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
]]> 17679544
After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as "normal" as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for—his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he's forbidden to see her again.

But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, "normal" simply isn't to be. For Ethan's nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan's and Keirran's fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan's next choice may decide the fate of them all.]]> 342 Julie Kagawa 0373210914 Erika 4
4.5 stars

It feels like forever since I last read something that was part of the Iron Fey world and to be honest, I was a bit worried about that. Tastes change all the time and I was afraid that maybe I wouldn't enjoy the series as much anymore, but thankfully all my fears were for nothing. It seems like the Iron Fey and Call of the Forgotten will always have a special place in my heart. Any fans of the first series will love the spin off because it means more time in the Nevernever and a few appearances from old characters!

I especially loved how Ethan developed over the course of this book. The difference between him now and the Ethan at the start of the series is very obvious. He's no longer an asshole that pushes everyone away, instead he accepts that the fey are a part of his life and for the most part he opens up to Kenzie. It's clear that it's hard for him to let Kenzie into that world that he lost his sister to because he's afraid of losing Kenzi too, but he makes an effort to let her in after he realizes that Kenzie is hard to get rid of and that he doesn't want to lose her.

Ethan and Kenzie's relationship in this book wasn't the main focus, but it was still pretty prominent. I think their relationship is adorable because Ethan tries so hard to be a good boyfriend and I think that's the cutest thing. I especially liked that Kenzie helped remind him that not everything about the fey is bad and that his judgement is normally pretty good. She's one of the only optimistic characters in this book and she has no reason to be, but I won't go into that because I don't want to spoiler anything for people that haven't read the first book.

I think my favorite character in this series is probably Keirran. He's just so complex and it's hard to tell which side he's on. I'm not a huge fan of him and Annwyl because there wasn't a build up to their relationship. The series started with them already in love, which makes it harder for me to root for them. It was also really nice to have a few of the old characters back, especially Puck. I didn't even know how much I missed him until he came back. I practically squealed whenever Ash appeared.

Overall The Iron Prince was a very intriguing book. I can't believe the ending because it was so unexpected and it's a cliffhanger. The wait for the next book is going to be a long one.

*I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review]]> 4.17 2013
author: Julie Kagawa
name: Erika
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2013/10/19
date added: 2024/12/31
shelves: spin-off, ebook, arc, netgalley-or-edelwiess, print-arc, four-stars, cliffhanger, crush-worthy-guys, faeries, high-hopes, pov-male, reviewed, fantasy, young-adult, review-copy, maybe-continue-series
review:
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4.5 stars

It feels like forever since I last read something that was part of the Iron Fey world and to be honest, I was a bit worried about that. Tastes change all the time and I was afraid that maybe I wouldn't enjoy the series as much anymore, but thankfully all my fears were for nothing. It seems like the Iron Fey and Call of the Forgotten will always have a special place in my heart. Any fans of the first series will love the spin off because it means more time in the Nevernever and a few appearances from old characters!

I especially loved how Ethan developed over the course of this book. The difference between him now and the Ethan at the start of the series is very obvious. He's no longer an asshole that pushes everyone away, instead he accepts that the fey are a part of his life and for the most part he opens up to Kenzie. It's clear that it's hard for him to let Kenzie into that world that he lost his sister to because he's afraid of losing Kenzi too, but he makes an effort to let her in after he realizes that Kenzie is hard to get rid of and that he doesn't want to lose her.

Ethan and Kenzie's relationship in this book wasn't the main focus, but it was still pretty prominent. I think their relationship is adorable because Ethan tries so hard to be a good boyfriend and I think that's the cutest thing. I especially liked that Kenzie helped remind him that not everything about the fey is bad and that his judgement is normally pretty good. She's one of the only optimistic characters in this book and she has no reason to be, but I won't go into that because I don't want to spoiler anything for people that haven't read the first book.

I think my favorite character in this series is probably Keirran. He's just so complex and it's hard to tell which side he's on. I'm not a huge fan of him and Annwyl because there wasn't a build up to their relationship. The series started with them already in love, which makes it harder for me to root for them. It was also really nice to have a few of the old characters back, especially Puck. I didn't even know how much I missed him until he came back. I practically squealed whenever Ash appeared.

Overall The Iron Prince was a very intriguing book. I can't believe the ending because it was so unexpected and it's a cliffhanger. The wait for the next book is going to be a long one.

*I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
]]> 17756559 Winning what you want may cost you everything you love.Ěý

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.]]> 368 Marie Rutkoski 0374384673 Erika 4
I've seen multiple glowing reviews for this book so I knew I had to at least try it. I'm always a bit wary of books that the majority of people like because there's been quite a few times that my expectations were too high, so I didn't end up liking the book, but I actually enjoyed this book.

The highlight of this book was definitely Kestrel. Lately I've been wanting to read a book with a main character that isn't the best fighter in the world and doesn't know how to kill people multiple ways with their bare hand (not that there's anything wrong with those heroines) but I also don't want a character that can't do anything. Kestrel is like the perfect blend of those things. She's the general's daughter, but her skills lie in strategy not combat. Her fighting skills don't even compare to her tactical skills. The best scene of the book is her duel with Irex. She is aware that there is no way for her to win by fighting him, so instead she develops a plan that doesn't rely on her combat skills.

For the most part, the world building is good. I would have liked to know more about the other territories that the empire has conquered because up until the end I assumed that they only had the peninsula, but according to Kestrel their territory has grown too big to protect from the barbarians. I was also a little confused by the time period. They aren't technologically advanced but I don't think that quite makes it historical so for now I'll just say it's fantasy.

The one part of the book that didn't work for me was the romance. It's a huge part of the book and in the beginning Kestrel and Arin's relationship did not work for me. It seems to almost come from no where, but at the same time it was really obvious that the author was setting the book up for Kestrel and Arin's relationship. I ended up liking the relationship more by the end because it developed and there were good reasons for the strain on their relationship.

The ending makes me want the second book like right now. Hopefully the next book will be as good as this one. ]]> 4.02 2014
author: Marie Rutkoski
name: Erika
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2014/07/12
date added: 2024/12/31
shelves: high-hopes, cover-love, love-triangle, pov-alternating, fantasy, four-stars, reviewed, young-adult, romance, maybe-continue-series
review:
This review and more can be found on

I've seen multiple glowing reviews for this book so I knew I had to at least try it. I'm always a bit wary of books that the majority of people like because there's been quite a few times that my expectations were too high, so I didn't end up liking the book, but I actually enjoyed this book.

The highlight of this book was definitely Kestrel. Lately I've been wanting to read a book with a main character that isn't the best fighter in the world and doesn't know how to kill people multiple ways with their bare hand (not that there's anything wrong with those heroines) but I also don't want a character that can't do anything. Kestrel is like the perfect blend of those things. She's the general's daughter, but her skills lie in strategy not combat. Her fighting skills don't even compare to her tactical skills. The best scene of the book is her duel with Irex. She is aware that there is no way for her to win by fighting him, so instead she develops a plan that doesn't rely on her combat skills.

For the most part, the world building is good. I would have liked to know more about the other territories that the empire has conquered because up until the end I assumed that they only had the peninsula, but according to Kestrel their territory has grown too big to protect from the barbarians. I was also a little confused by the time period. They aren't technologically advanced but I don't think that quite makes it historical so for now I'll just say it's fantasy.

The one part of the book that didn't work for me was the romance. It's a huge part of the book and in the beginning Kestrel and Arin's relationship did not work for me. It seems to almost come from no where, but at the same time it was really obvious that the author was setting the book up for Kestrel and Arin's relationship. I ended up liking the relationship more by the end because it developed and there were good reasons for the strain on their relationship.

The ending makes me want the second book like right now. Hopefully the next book will be as good as this one.
]]> 18667877 Prepare to be tested.
The story that kicked off Richelle Mead's international #1 bestselling Vampire Academy series is NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE.
Read it before it hits theaters February 14th, 2014!

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do. And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her. . . .

But the struggle isn't over for Sydney. As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once. Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there's still so much she must keep secret. Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend. Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure—and re-education—looms larger than ever.

Pulses will race throughout this smoldering fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where no secret is safe.
Ěý]]> 420 Richelle Mead 1595146318 Erika 3
As this series progresses I've found that for some reason I've become less invested in these characters and their world. I still enjoy reading about Adrian, Sydney, and the other characters, but so far this book and the book before it haven't been as satisfying as I would like.

The Fiery Heart is almost entirely centered around Sydney and Adrian's relationship. So if you're someone that prefers less romance and more plot then this book probably won't be for you. I know it's important to show that their relationship has grown and that Sydney is ready to take it further than she thought she would, but sometimes it just got to be too much. They were constantly in a state of romantic bliss and that's nice for a little while, but an entire book of that just isn't for me.

The other characters are practically nonexistent for most of the book. Sydney and Adrian aren't the only two characters I like from this series, so I would have liked to see more of Jill and the others. There was an appearance from Rose and Dmitri, but that was also short because obviously this series isn't about them.

The ending was by far the best part because finally something happens to really move the plot forward. It isn't a surprise what happens to Sydney because it is pretty obvious that the author set everything up for this exact ending, but that didn't take too much away from the ending for me.

In the end, I would have liked more action and just a little less romance from this book, but I still enjoyed it.

***


Basically my reaction to the cover.

Does anyone else think that the girl on the cover looks like Rose from Doctor Who?



Ok not the best picture of Rose but doesn't it look like the girl on the cover! Maybe just a little bit? Or maybe I've been watching too much Doctor Who...
]]> 4.45 2013
author: Richelle Mead
name: Erika
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2014/09/01
date added: 2024/12/31
shelves: spin-off, crush-worthy-guys, i-ship-it, magic, pov-alternating, vampires, paranormal, witches-wizards-and-warlocks, three-stars, reviewed, young-adult, romance, maybe-continue-series
review:
This review and more can be found on

As this series progresses I've found that for some reason I've become less invested in these characters and their world. I still enjoy reading about Adrian, Sydney, and the other characters, but so far this book and the book before it haven't been as satisfying as I would like.

The Fiery Heart is almost entirely centered around Sydney and Adrian's relationship. So if you're someone that prefers less romance and more plot then this book probably won't be for you. I know it's important to show that their relationship has grown and that Sydney is ready to take it further than she thought she would, but sometimes it just got to be too much. They were constantly in a state of romantic bliss and that's nice for a little while, but an entire book of that just isn't for me.

The other characters are practically nonexistent for most of the book. Sydney and Adrian aren't the only two characters I like from this series, so I would have liked to see more of Jill and the others. There was an appearance from Rose and Dmitri, but that was also short because obviously this series isn't about them.

The ending was by far the best part because finally something happens to really move the plot forward. It isn't a surprise what happens to Sydney because it is pretty obvious that the author set everything up for this exact ending, but that didn't take too much away from the ending for me.

In the end, I would have liked more action and just a little less romance from this book, but I still enjoyed it.

***


Basically my reaction to the cover.

Does anyone else think that the girl on the cover looks like Rose from Doctor Who?



Ok not the best picture of Rose but doesn't it look like the girl on the cover! Maybe just a little bit? Or maybe I've been watching too much Doctor Who...

]]>